Enigma ~The Riddler's Daughter (_enigma) wrote in newalliance, @ 2014-06-13 18:10:00 |
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Entry tags: | enigma, riddler |
Who: Effie Nashton and Edward Nigma
What: Edward attends Effie's graduation and a bridge is formed.
Where: Gotham Heights High School
When: June 4th (backdated)
Rating: PG-13
Effie fiddled as she waited for her name to be called, her nerves taking over as she sat there. She absently scratched at her cast, kicking her feet, wincing as she kicked the person ahead of her, mouthing an apology.
“Effie Elizabeth Nashton,” The principal called and Effie bounced to her feet, almost tripping over her red gown as she hurried to get her diploma. It was as she was reaching out her hand that she saw a movement out of the corner of her eye, turning her head to studying the flash of green.
“DADDY!” she yelled, snatching the diploma and taking a running start, leaping over the heads of several parents in a flip as she threw herself onto her father, hugging him tightly. “You came…”
--
Edward’s plan had been to casually sneak in, take note of the event, and then sneak right back out again before anyone noticed him. He’d had enough years of forced stealth to pull this off surely.
The screech from the stage made him abruptly think otherwise, however, and his green eyes went wide with fear/surprise under his bowler hat. “Oh good Gorshin,” he said as he tried to shove past other attendees, and get back the way he’d entered. Curious stares followed the redhaired girl as she bowled her way through the crowd with acrobatics and hit the taller red-haired man with a tight hug.
Edward flailed momentarily, and would have let out his usual bellows of denial about his relationship with Effie … until the applause made him pause. The crowd, feeling that this was a touching reunion between wayward father and daughter, beamed smiles and clapped for them. He froze, eyes darting around, and then a slightly sickly and more than slightly strained smile came over his face.
“Yes,” he managed, patting her awkwardly on the arm. “Yes. I’m here.”
~~~~
Effie had to give a slightly evil smirk as Edward was forced to deal with her on a more...polite level than he normally did, hiding the smirk as she snuggled against him, rubbing her cheek against his chest. “Daddy, daddy, daddy…” she said happily before tugging on his arm. “Come take a seat in the parents section, I have a reserved chair and everything!”
She beamed up at him with wide, innocent (if laughing) eyes, knowing that with everyone focused on them, Edward couldn’t really back out without a really good excuse, unless he wanted to deal with the negative public opinion.
--
He was pulled in the direction she was indicating towards, and moved with her, though it was certainly not his first choice. Unwilling was an understatement, but now that the crowd was involved, he had little choice. He could make a scene and potentially damage his reputation or … he could brace himself and get through it. Eddie surmised he’d need several drinks after, however.
He sat, eyes darting about again at the crowd of parents he was now a part of. The forced smile came back as several of them nodded approvingly, and he was about to start distracting himself from the entire ceremony by doing complicated division problems (ones with lots of decimals), when a woman on his left leaned close. “Single parent?”
Eddie blinked and nodded once. She laughed softly, and squeezed his arm gently with one of her hands. “I know what that’s like. Don’t worry, you aren’t alone.” A wink was thrown his way, and his eyebrow shot up a little. The woman was …. attractive. Blonde, and in a lowish cut dress that was pleasing enough on her figure. “That a fact?” he replied, the forced grin turning into a slightly flirtatious one. “Edward Nigma, and thank you for the comforting fact, Miss…?”
~~~~
Effie was glaring at her father by the time the ceremony ended, bouncing down the stairs and over to him, standing close enough that he couldn’t escape without shoving her down. “Daddy…” she said, prodding his shoulder to distract him from the blonde. “Daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy…”
She ignored the look she got for interrupting from Edward’s...companion, poking her father’s shoulder again.
--
He was enjoying a nice chat with the blonde woman, who introduced herself as Felicia, when he was suddenly being poked, repeatedly. His jaw set and he whirled on the girl, glaring. “Do you MIND?!” he hissed, provoking turned heads from the surrounding crowd. The glare withered under their stares and he forced another smile back. “One second ….angel!” This last word was said through gritted teeth and he turned back to Felicia. “Call me,” she said, slipping a number into his pocket.
Eddie grinned as he nodded, watching her move away from the seats. The grin slowly faded as he turned back to Effie. “.....Congratulations,” he said, stiffly. “I’m sure … it was all duly earned.”
~~~~
When Edward snapped at her Effie took a step back. almost shrinking on herself, her eyes filling with tears that slowly slid down her cheeks...until he called her angel. The tears tried instantly and she beamed, bouncing. “Okay, daddy!” she said cheerily, glaring at Felicia’s back as the woman walked away.
She blinked at her father when he spoke again, looking up at him. “Well, I certainly didn’t sleep my way to B’s,” she pointed out. “Though I was not above wearing short skirts.” She fiddled with her diploma. “Are you going to my college graduation next week? I know it’s just my A.S. so...you don’t have to…”
“By the way, she sleeps with everyone,” Effie said. She reached out, turning her father towards a legging brunette in a well fitting but modest dress. “Ms. Harniss is much better.”
--
The eyetwitch that resulted from him being forced to think about the length of her skirt when it came to receiving decent grades was large and occurred more than once in the span of a few seconds. It also came coupled with a strained sounding grunt and he could be heard to mutter “....carry the two….” as he forced himself to unthink this thought.
“Maybe I want to sleep with her!” he said indignantly, and loudly, getting another few Looks from other parents. Diplomacy be damned, he shot glares around at them all. This was becoming too much for him, the close proximity to so many others, Effie’s loud and high pitched voice, and feeling that he was having fatherhood shoved on him like an ill-fitting suit.
“No!” he hissed at her, and grabbing his cane, made a break for the nearest door, shoving several people out of his way. In the less crowded hallway, he took a minute to lean against a row of lockers, trying to get his composure and his breathing under control again.
~~~~
“Maybe I just want something better for you,” Effie whispered to her father’s retreating form, her entire figure slumping, and this time it wasn’t due to putting on a show. She sighed, gathering her diploma from where she had dropped it, heading the way Edward went, having no idea that the man was still around.
She headed to her locker, right across from where Edward was slumped, opening it as she grabbed her bag of clothes, reaching up to get the last ‘decoration’ inside it, one that she had kept with her until this moment. Carefully removing the newspaper cut out of her father, she sighed. “I wish I was good enough for you, daddy,” she whispered to the picture before folding it and placing it in her bag, zipping it.
She turned, and promptly screamed when she realized the man behind her was her father. “Oh hell!”
--
Eddie’s mind raced but it was slowing gradually as he closed his eyes and leaned his head against one of the lockers. Just being in a high school again was giving him uncomfortable flashbacks to his own time in one of these places. A time that was spend much in anger, silence and alienation. It was here that he’d realized his own brilliance above the rest of his fellow students and even the teachers. It was here that he’d also learned how the brilliant were scorned for their natural gifts and looked down upon.
A familiar voice made him open his eyes and he watched in silence as Effie pulled a few things from a locker. The picture of himself made him stare, and then her whisperings made him stiffen.
“.....I hope ….this place was nice for you,” he said, voice stiff as well as he shoved his hands into his pockets and looked away. “Peers can be cruel.”
~~~~
She gave a light shrug, sliding her bag onto her arm, before wincing, switching arms. She kept forgetting not to use the healing one. “It was okay...helps when you’re a cute girl...and a cheerleader. They didn’t care that I was smarter than them...much.” Okay, so there were a few that cared, but Effie had it easier with having her time divided between high school, online classes, cheerleading, Tim and Sparrow. She didn’t do as well as she could have, so she ‘passed’ for normal.
“Then again, I think I got mocked more for cheerleading than my grades...apparently cheerleaders are all prostitutes, who knew.” She gave him a weak smile. She wanted to tell him about changing majors, about being accepted to Gotham University and her new squad...about maybe being a cop.
But she didn’t think he'd like or care.
“How’s work going?”
--
“Mmm,” he said, looking down at his shoes. “Good, then. Brilliance is seen as something to scorn, by those that lack the brainpower. It makes you different, better, but they only often seen the different part.” He shifted from foot to foot, and then paced back and forth.
“It’s fine. Keeps me busy. Keeps my mind occupied.” More pacing, Eddies eyes darting to her now and then. “That’s important. Keeping a brilliant mind occupied. Can’t just turn it off.” He looked away from her, and up at the ceiling. “You have to distract it, find something … something good. That’s why …. I’m a private detective now. It’s a good thing, a good way. To help.” He cleared his throat, and avoided looking at her completely.
“...........You …. you did well, Effie. I’m sure your marks were good and well earned and … that’s …. admirable.” He was looking fixedly at the door down the hall that lead to the front of the school. “And …. I’m sure what comes after for you will be ….” Eddie paused and a mixtures of expressions came over his face. His eyes slid to her once, but whatever he was about to say died on his lips. “...... Yes. I have an appointment to keep. …..Goodbye.”
~~~
“What if there’s nothing good?” she asked, looking at him. She was thrilled by his words and wanted to tackle him in a hug again, but she resisted, wanting an answer more. “What if you can’t keep it busy...can’t keep it occupied?”
She squeezed her hand, looking down at her bloodied nails that she couldn’t quite clean. “I...I keep colouring the walls,” she said, trying to use a round about way of saying she was writing puzzles and riddles across her apartment, trying to hide them from her husband without actually saying any of it.
Her father could probably read between the lines anyway, he was the world’s greatest detective (at least in her mind).
“Please help me…” she whispered, brokenly.
--
He paused in his retreat towards the door, but didn’t turn around. “......Then you cope,” he said, bluntly. “You cope or you …. pay the price for it. Read. Travel. …. Find something, I don’t know what.” He stiffened again at her request.
“I can’t.” This was said in a firm, loud tone. “I can’t. You’d do better to find someone else who would. And …. not tie your hopes on ….someone just because of a blood relation.” Pulling his hat down more over his eyes, he stalked away towards the door. By the time he’d shoved it open, he was moving at a jog, and then once outside, running for his car.
~~
“Daddy, wait!” Effie called, reaching out for him, but he was already gone. She sighed softly, biting at her lip before lifting her bag and heading out the door. She had a party to get to after all (which she knew her father wouldn't attend)...she just hoped her father would be alright.