We Need to Talk [Jonathan]

Down on your luck. That is what they call it isn’t it? Dr. Crane sat in an alley way with his head down. His arms were wrapped around his knees around his slacks that were badly frayed at the bottom. It looked like he had been having a rough time. If anything it looked like he hadn’t had a place to stay. It was the truth; he hadn’t had his own place since the incident. He had gotten a bath this morning, but the condition of his clothes, though they had been run through the water, didn’t look any better than him.

Did he look venerable? To some it may seem so, but he wasn’t worried about some common thug making his way into the alley and trying to mess with him. He had been in worse situations, but he couldn’t say he had been in worse condition during them. The heat from the hot summer day still lingered in the alleyway showing through the small droplets of sweat that rolled down his hair and onto his slacks. The ambience from the city echoed in the walls around him, the distant siren, the occasional drunken homeless man making his way down the street, and of course the faint sound of a crime taking place every now and then. None of it mattered to him.

He felt foreign vibration in his right pocket. It wasn’t very often his phone buzzed for anything, he didn’t have a social life, nor did he have any desire to start one. He had a phone for technical purposes. On occasion he needed to call a taxi or browse for important information. Finally he lifted his head from his arms and revealed a bruised face. The swelling had gone away but the black and blue still remained in several areas around his jaw and above his cheeks. In a daze he reached into his pocket and clicked on the screen to see what his phone wanted.

“Meet me in the alley between 52nd and 53rd at 11:30 by yourself.” -- ?

He wasn’t very far from the place and it was 11:00pm now. Dr. Crane slid the phone back into his pocket in silence. Slowly his head fell back against the brick wall of the alleyway, looking up at the rooftops above. There was only one man that signed his name that way. Edward Nigma wanted to see him. His mind jumped around the reasons why making him feel a bit less numb to the world around him. His decision to go was already made as he thought about it, he lingered only because of his physical factors beginning to push at him once more.

Carefully he placed his arms against the floor and used the alley wall to support himself as he got to his feet. Dr. Crane tried to hide the cringe from the ghosts of the night feeling a sharp pain in his side. Under his worn shirt was a bandage that wrapped around his chest several times. His rib was still broken and the recovery was going to be slow. He was lucky that it didn’t pierce a lung. After collecting himself he started making his way out of the alley, headed toward his……frequent acquaintance…..

Dr. Crane shook the thought away from his mind. His eyes grazed along the sidewalk paying little mind to anything or anyone he passed. He had walked these streets far too many times to not know exactly where he was going without really having to look. It was almost time, and it seemed he was actually going to arrive a few minutes early as he came upon the last street before his destination. This time instead of staying on the sidewalk he cut through the alley way to make it to the edge of the street. As he came to the edge he kept against the wall only peering around the corner at the place he was supposed to meet him.

Dr. Crane remained only slightly out of sight as he took in the man’s image. It had been a few weeks since he had seen him, and he certainly was in better condition last time they spoke. Their meeting wasn’t exactly pleasant but even after everything….He was willing to let it go. The thought made a lump appear in his throat but he shook it off. Now wasn’t the time to dwell over what had happened and the condition he was in now. Right now he was just meeting Edward where he had asked him to.

Slowly Dr. Crane moved out of the darkness from the edge of the alley to step in front of Edward’s view. He looked rugged, though still managed to carry himself without a limp. His expression remained cold and blank as he took in the small light that Gotham gave the space they were in to look at Edward. “The alley between 52nd and 53rd…not what I was expecting from you Edward” He pointed out in a collected voice for his obvious condition. Usually the Riddler had far more expensive tastes, too fancy for his enjoyment. To meet in a place like this was different for his usual behavior…and it wasn’t going to slip passed him without acknowledgement. Even though something was clearly wrong he still cleaned up well. Edward was always pressed and dressed for everything, quite the opposite of himself. Tonight was even worse than his usual, as it was clear he had been beaten rather badly. Regardless of that he acted like the wounds didn’t bother him.

Despite the calm Dr. Crane’s façade his mind was really racing over the situation. It was always important to stay a few steps ahead of Edward, or at least meet him with every turn. But is that why his mind was out of control? Their eyes’ meeting alone was enough to say that it wasn’t as simple.

His plans had certainly gone awry. The fast week had given him some time to collect the pieces of himself that were left. It gave him time to think about his grand plot and how he could fix what happened. It was much like the gears being caught in the major scheme of things. He could take out whatever had jammed them in the first place but he was going to have to replace a few parts, or fix the ones that had broken. His plan could continue without VerMillion, but it was going to be much more difficult without her. If she was still alive it would be worth the effort to retrieve her.

Over the past week he had become numb to mostly everything around him, if it was possible to become even staler to the world than he already was. Losing VerMillion was a large dent in what he had built up than he originally anticipated, but that didn’t matter right now. He was just going to have to fix what had happened and get back on track again.

His eyes locked with Edward’s for only a moment until he spoke. His eyes ripped away and fell to the ground. Why did he want to meet here? In such an odd location on the East side. He had been to this part of town many times, and had seen this part of the city more than enough to know the intersection they were near. It didn’t really register in his mind until he studied Edward’s features longer. His sudden slumped posture, the slow drifting of his eyes to the floor and the choked breath through his teeth. This location was bothering him.

Dr. Crane looked around at where they were. The blurs of the city flashed around him as he tried to pick up on what exactly they were standing around. His eyes were immediately drawn to the blurred sign across the street that he made out through some strain to see it. Somewhere along the line his glasses had been lost. Whether he lost him the night that it and all happened, or sometime afterward when his body was being broken it made things slightly inconvenient. Dr. Crane was near sighted but only to a small degree, at night it became worse, making him have to strain to see bright things or small print. It wasn’t a wonder why he didn’t immediately recognize the place they were standing in front of. If it wasn’t for the red glow emitting from it and Edward’s distaste on the subject he probably would have never noticed.

He took in the glow from the now very familiar place. It became clear why their meeting had taken place here. He caught his gaze once more and this time intended upon holding it. Looking away from another’s eyes was a sign of weakness, something that he knew Edward was better than. Or was he? His plans for him would have determined it once and for all. With the back track that had taken place, now he was going to have to wait to find out. Of course he had Edward here now….in front of him.

Dr. Crane shifted where he stood for the first time since he had placed himself in sight of Edward. His head tilted and a darker glare came into his eyes with his jest. “I don’t get along with anyone.” He replied just as quickly as it was said. He took in Edward’s eyes searching for the answer as to why they were here. It would never be admitted aloud but he truly was an Engima.

He lost his gaze again; Dr. Crane had almost had enough of that. He would have spoken on it himself if Edward didn’t promptly speak himself. He listened carefully to what he had to say. His eyes lifted from the glare and turned to a rather blank confusion. Before he has to go? It wasn’t unusual that Edward left the city, he had known on several occasions that he had before. This was the only time in particular that it had bothered him. Of course the more he spoke to more questions arose in Dr. Cranes mind.

“Why?” He caught his gaze again and this time, intended to keep it for good. Dr. Crane shook his head only enough for it to be seen by him. His cold stare never left his as he took a large step to close some of the distance between him. The awkward drabble before seemed to fade away and be replaced with the tension that came with being this close to him. If Edward was going to have his answers he was going to rip his own from him. “Why are we here?” He lifted his hands slightly, one toward the brick wall they were near, another toward the Hotel where it had all started. “It’s always about you isn’t it?” The corner of his lips almost turned upward. The emotion was quickly wiped away as he felt the sting from the bruises on his face. “Perhaps it is..” The cryptic doctor continued. “I’m just trying to prove a point. One that can only be proven through here.” He lifted his boney finger to Edward’s temple and tapped it lightly. “Not one that can be proven through here.” His voice lowered to just above a whisper and pulled his finger to his lips. “One that I intended to prove can’t be answered through here.” His voice turned a bit darker as he lifted his finger from his face and put it to his chest over his rib cage on Edward’s left side. His words were shrouded in mystery as he enjoyed keeping it that way. It wasn’t often people were capable of understanding anything he meant, it was just a part of this truth that burned through his mind.

He lingered for a moment just trying to soak in Edward’s reaction. Dr. Crane pulled his finger back from his chest and let it fall back to his own side. “Fear is the enemy of Logic..” Dr. Crane husked through the small space between them. He wasn’t talking about his plan anymore, but he knew that Edward would know what he meant by that. It was after all what was said that night that took place just across the street.

His entire plan for Edward had begun before the night that changed everything between them. But it didn’t change anything did it? It was always there just never acted upon until that one fateful night. There was something he never understood, and couldn’t understand about the situation between them. Whatever it was occupying the space between their lives, whatever had brought them together. He would never admit this to him directly, that he didn’t understand the situation.

It was a dangerous product in not believing in it himself, and never having experienced it before…or at least not often. The times that it had been present turned to disaster in every setting. It was a large part of the realization he had come to so long ago in the dark of the sewers. It didn’t exist…It was the veil that society put in front of itself to cover the fear in their lives. There was nothing on this Earth that could challenge his way of thinking until he had met Edward.

He had taken in every expression Edward had made as he easily went to the wall with him. He wanted to grip and keep that oxygen from him. He took in his eyes with wonder as if he was trying to make sense out of an extremely complicated puzzle that involved the two of them. Dr. Crane let his hand fall to his side once more now only lifting the other to rest beside Edward’s head.

Finally Edward’s expression changed from awe to that smirk that he often held. The confidence came rushing back into his features with every word he spoke. Dr. Crane stood like a rock as his hand was brought to his cheek and patted hard. It had stung, the only features in his face pulling slightly around the eyes. There was something different about his reaction. Normally when one was hurt deliberately it would elicit an emotion of dislike for the pain, but not with Dr. Crane. Instead he took a sharp inhale, collecting what was left of whatever air they still had between them to settle his reactions.

Edward had flipped around his sentence, moving into his explanation on how he was wrong. Dr. Crane held his ground as he felt him press into him more. Neither of them was going to budge, it was like two lions being stuck in the same cage together. Neither of them was going to back down no matter how much blood was involved. With Edward violence wasn’t needed, only the occasional brutish action to remind him who was in control of the situation and strike a bit of fear into the ‘stable’ mind of Edward Nigma.

His words became harsher as they pressed to his ear. He was gaining ground, thinking he had him figured out? Unfortunately he was going to gain nothing with the direction he was going except steps backward. He parted his lips to speak but was interrupted by the reassurance that it was about him. It would be difficult to deny to him directly that his plan wasn’t about him. The entirety of it had become extremely clear the night they escaped from the Asylum. His other priorities had been put on hold to answer one question. The night after the escape just furthered his desire to get an answer not the answer that Edward could provide with picking apart his words. Not the answer that could be gained from simply hearing it from his lips. It was an action that had to be shown, and he was going to do it his way. It was the only way to ensure its authenticity.

Dr. Crane became still as he felt the movement between them. He couldn’t see it due to the short distance between them, and Edward’s lips still toward his ear. The touch to his chest made his skin jump in an area it normally wouldn’t. Something had definitely affected him since that night. It was plain to see in their last encounter alone. He was struck so still in fact by it that the sudden grip and pull toward him only made his other hand pull up to the wall to trap him beneath. The bruised face of Dr. Crane lowered some toward his shoulder ask his question ran through his thoughts.

“Isn’t your reason similar?” He said softly almost without thinking. His mind slowly came back to him afterward as he lifted his head again. “It’s all about ‘your’ personal ‘fears’ Edward…Considering it is all about you.” He focused on a few words specifically. “All you’ve proven tonight is that every piece of logic that fits into this puzzle, every rule that goes into who we are and what we do” He pushed slightly from the wall to meet his gaze again. “Was lost in that room…and continues to be lost even now.” He swallowed roughly before continuing. “Why isn’t important anymore, what is important is why you don’t have much time left..” His own words echoed into the air around them. He didn’t quite understand what he had meant by that in the beginning of their conversation but it wasn’t going to go completely forgotten. It was easy to forget everything with the little space between them. He turned his chin upward slightly placing his lips just above Edward’s in comparison. “Are you sure you want to hear it?” He asked finally a small idea forming in his mind of how he could settle this and get all the answers he wanted at this moment now.

It seemed there were a lot of things that both of them were too stubborn to accept. That was true even before the night in question. His focus was mainly of the fact that he had mentioned leaving and hadn’t mentioned it since. His mind raced over the various things that it could have meant, it was difficult to remain focused on one subject with him in this position.

Edward had gone to the wall with him again without much of a fight. It was an odd thing for him to do, give in to his motions. He watched carefully as his head fell back against the dirty brick wall his hands were against. His hand slipped gracefully off his chest causing his own breath to hitch within. Something was wrong with Edward. He had known something was wrong with him the moment he left his room before the Penguin came. He didn’t know what it was, but something was definitely different about him.

His whole attitude had seemed to change about the world around him, an interesting thought for Dr. Crane to have. Edward had always been quite squeamish when it came to germs of all sorts. The fact that he was okay with laying his head against the wall was enough to make him pull his eyebrows in frustration. Why wouldn’t he just tell him what was going on. Why had he brought him here? Just to tease him? It was beginning to look like that.

As his mind pried along every detail that he was giving him his attention was draw to the sudden position Edward had placed himself in. Completely content was the man beneath him. In silence or rather awe of the situation itself he stood in silence over him just meeting his gaze. Finally Edward broke the silence to remind him of his wardrobe yet again. Dr. Crane never thought there was anything wrong with the clothing he wore; only this time was there actually an agreement of sorts. His clothing was barely hanging on. The Penguin had shown him little mercy in the physical department, but Dr. Crane didn’t beg for mercy either. Another secret he kept locked away within that he would never admit aloud.

His second statement drug him out of his thoughts and made him stare at him blankly for a moment. The black and bruised face of Dr. Crane twitched with the touch to his sides. The slow drag down the most sensitive part on his part made his skin jump like lightning. His fingers curled into the wall beside his head as he tried to push the initial emotion down. He needed to remain calm, collected, and focused on what Edward was saying.

What have you done?

The first thoughts into his mind echoed. He had said that once before to him…recently. He had figured out the riddle he had been given before the ambush. The only conclusion it led him to however was that he simply knew Penguin would be after him. This made him suspicious to the fact he might have actually had something to do with the reason behind it. Not that he hadn’t dug a deep enough debt himself to expect a relation…but he wasn’t going to put it passed Edward.

Just as he was going to confront him on the subject his thoughts bounced around again, unable to keep focus with him touching him like this. He didn’t like anyone touching him, he didn’t make an exception for anyone, except in this rare moment it seemed. Clearly the night had affected both of them and it was becoming difficult to hide with each breath. When he had gotten the text from Edward he hadn’t expected the meeting to go quite like this. Why hadn’t he expected it to go like this? They couldn’t seem to ever stop the tension that was between them or the frustration that followed. He came because…His mind darted around the idea. He came because he …

His own mind turned on him and began to war with him on the very thought. This kind of thinking was ridiculous; it was exactly the reason why his grand plot had started in the first place. To get rid of these notions and put it to rest where it belonged. He felt Edward go a bit looser from underneath him, laying more of his weight against the wall. It only made him turn his attention closer. His chin lifted to bring his lips the closest they had been to his own yet and told him of his fearlessness.

Of course he knew it wasn’t true….Edward was frightened of this..whatever this was between them. “I am fear…some things just don’t need words” He almost laughed into his lips barely believing the scene he was experiencing. He was in public and hardly seemed to care at all. He almost felt like he cared more about it….Anxiety? No no it wasn’t that..Dr. Crane pulled his lip under in thought about his words and broke his gaze to look back at the blurred hotel behind them. “I’m not afraid…but you seem to be running from something.” He had to say in jest as his attention as now focused on the hotel in a backward glance. “How many hours until you have to leave?” He finally asked turning back to meet his eyes once more. The suggestion was clearly suggestive to what he would rather be doing than standing her in public with him, trying to get him to say things that didn’t need words. Edward would get the message...he was a smart man. Taking his eyes again barely gracing his lips he waited for his response.

His quarrels with the Penguin were delayed at the moment not settled entirely. He planned to take care of that once he was back on his feet, but at the moment he was still recovering. Most of the swelling had gone from his body. His medical knowledge was extensive enough to make sure his bones healed properly and in the right places. His ribcage was still giving him trouble, but it was a difficult area to heal.

When Edward’s lips parted he felt the need to take the life away from them. It was a desire that often came about when he was around him. He waited for any words that would grace his lips he wanted his answer as much as Edward wanted his own. He could make this very simple, they could get off the street where they were and settle this somewhere else. Behind them seemed to be the most likely choice, however ironic it was. This wasn’t going to be simple however, and he knew it. It was never just that simple with him.

Dr. Crane didn’t expect anything less.

His hands touched his sides lightly and made him titled his head and lean inward. He wanted to pull it out of him, he was going to go with him and settle this there. A few strands of his unkempt hair fell forward as he cried to catch him. Normally he avoided contact like this; normally he avoided touch all together. This was different in his mind, completely different. This denial was almost too deep for him to bear, it was making the heat from the day seem like nothing around him. Just having Edward here was enough to proclaim that he was embracing a raging fire.

The feeling was extremely dangerous but they had known that from the moment it happened…or the moment they both gave into it. It wasn’t met lightly, it wasn’t graced with kindness and gentleness toward one another it. Animalistic desire made it impossible for those things to hold intact. Something in his eyes told him he wouldn’t have it any other way.

Just as he thought he might catch his lips with his own a sharp uncontrolled breath came up from his chest. His arms shook against the wall and he bit back what was supposed to be a grunt in pain. His lips pulled back from Edward’s shortly before he was given a light push away. He tried to catch his breath through the conflicting feeling; it wasn’t a normal reaction to pain. His eyes flared with desire as it jumped through his senses. Tightening his jaw he tried to suppress the feeling from Edward. It became even more difficult to press down as his lips came to his cheek.

There was no way Edward could have known he was hurt from beneath his shirt. A large bandage was around him to hold his ribs in place as they healed. Dr. Crane was a classical masochist though he’d rather Edward didn’t know about that let alone anyone else. It wasn’t clear exactly when his enjoyment for physical pain began even to himself, but like most things it stemmed from childhood. The deep scars in his back from the whip were no secret to Edward. His thoughts kept pouring into the night that had exposed each of their desires for what they were.

He wasn’t running…Then why was he leaving? A likely story. Dr. Crane stepped back some keeping his composure as the mixture of pain and enjoyment subsided from his ribcage. He watched him straighten his clothes, like it suddenly mattered to him again. His eyes darkened as Edward tried to demean him to a scared child.

As soon as his foot touched the ground in the direction opposite of him his hand lashed out to grab him. “You say you’re not afraid and yet you turn away from me..” He growled out and pulled Edward back toward him. His mind was racing through all of their taunts, their jests, the meetings they had had, their more deadly encounters and even the reasons why he was standing here right now. Why couldn’t this just be discussed inside? He kept asking himself the question but he knew why. They would barely make it in the door…they would barely make it to the elevator. He wasn’t ignorant to this…After all….there was only one way to get rid of temptation….

Succumb to it.

There was a temptation..One that had always been present yet they had managed to silently suppress all this time. Dr. Crane swallowed and took in Edward’s desire for the answer to the question. Holding him like this would be a short feat if he delayed him in thought too long. “Why do you need to hear this so badly?” His voice fell to barely above a whisper. He couldn’t be considering this, he had never said that to anyone….anyone. “Only you have reached so far into the nightmare…Just to drag out what you could for your own. Now you want this…I’m beginning to believe your hunger is unsaitable.” He paused and curled his fingers around Edward’s arms to make sure he would stay in place. “There is something between us that I can’t quite place. Edward…I” He paused in his whisper. His hands fretted about not knowing exactly how to react or say what was expected of him. It was like something continuously was trying to wake him from within, telling him that he just needed to say this. They had held it long enough. “I…Like…you..”

The words stung on his lips. It felt like a floodgate had been opened and he couldn’t stop the water from rushing through and around them. His eyes almost wanted to pull away but he couldn’t, trapped in his longing stare. There was something about this that neither of them easily came to terms with the only way to sait the frustration seemed to involve…He felt his heart come into his throat and his chest feel heavy.

The subject of affection was a laughable one. It was easy for Dr. Crane to tell anyone that it was a pathetic display. It was something that humans did to try and escape the fact that they were alone and that they would always be alone. Being alone was just the reality of life; their fear of it drew them to cling to something fleeting and false. Trying to cover ones fear with affection was just a pitiful display, and he had little mercy for it. His walls around affection were built long before he studied it in school and got his degrees however.

His truths behind the subject were only furthered by the fact that no one had ever truly loved him. How could the world love him? A ridiculous notion. The world couldn’t love him, no one could, they were incapable. It was the only plausible reason why it had never happened, because it didn’t exist. So when he brought his theories before the board and laid them in front of his colleges and peers, there was little room to argue in his mind. Every argument brought against him on the subject was invalid, they didn’t see the world like he did, it was impossible, their minds were gripped with fear in the thought of losing the life they had known.

Change was always threatening…

For this reason it would have been easy for Dr. Crane to let him walk away. It was just a façade, wasn’t it? The foreign pulling feeling at his chest was trying to flood his mind with thoughts he didn’t believe in. Edward was always able to challenge his method of thinking. This was partially the reason he believed he was so drawn to him. The man wasn’t like the regular scum of Gotham or even the most sophisticated of Professional Criminals, he was in an entirely different category all his own.

So if all of this was what he held to be truth then why did he say it? The words still lingered in the hot air around them both. His mind warred with him about ever saying it he couldn’t mean it, but there was always meaning behind every word he spoke. Edward would have known this by now. Through his focused stare he watched the grin come over his face, oddly it seemed genuine. How did it seem genuine? His mind became clouded with frustration over his features. It was impossible. He was going to prove it was, that’s why he had met with Nina and why he had constructed his plan the way he had. His mind began to falter and try to tell him things that weren’t true. He was going to prove it to himself right now.

Right now he had given up how he felt to Edward, the grin on his face was enough to tell him that he was going to walk away and leave wherever he was going. He had gotten him to finally admit that there was something here between them and now he was going to take it and leave. That’s what humans did with secondary emotions; they used them and then threw them away like they were nothing. Why would Edward be an exception to this? Why would he be any different and why for a moment did he think it was possible that he might stay?

It was like his skin burst into flames. He felt his hand go through his unkempt hair to the back of his head and pull him forward igniting his theories and burning them to the ground. What was happening? How was he doing this again? Why didn’t he walk away? His mind raced with thought and only became more clouded. His body tensed at first, resistant to the touch like he had been before. Dr. Crane’s fingers came uncurled from Edward’s suit for a moment. They hovered for a moment over his arms like he was unsure in what to do. His lips remained stale for just a moment taking in the shock of the moment, images of their last night that this happened flooding into his mind.

All sense left him with his fingers finally curling back into the fabric of Edward’s attire. He leaned into the kiss and molded to each rough movement Edward provided. His fingers slid from his arms to catch the edges of his jacket. A heated feeling came over him like a wave, he couldn’t stop and he didn’t want it to. Finally he turned his head ripping his lips from Edward’s. His breath became heavy and his lips trailed to his jaw taking in every inch. Quickly he slipped to Edward’s neck and gripped the edges of his jacket roughly pulling him closer. “Right here?” He asked in a panted breath barely able to understand exactly what he was asking. This passion between them was taking over, all their frustration and their struggle pouring into an unsaitable lust.

Before he could answer he moved his legs backward to pull him with him into the alley. He wasn’t sure if Edward wanted to use the hotel across the street from them, but he was almost positive they wouldn’t make it there anyway. If Edward protested he didn't care where they went...he just knew that he hadn't left. Up until now tonight he hadn't seemed to mind the conditions they were in. In the heat of the moment he tried to pull him into the darkness with him.

The thought of someone finding out had crossed his mind. It was a fleeting thought considering there wasn’t anyone that would truly understand or grasp the concept behind what they were. Only a few minds would actually be able to threaten either of them with it. The reality was that they were in and alley way on the East side of Gotham, and no one was ever going to know. No one would ever know unless one of them told. But why would either of them utter a word?

This time felt so different from the last and yet so similar. Edward molded to his movements, teetered with him while he walked backward into the dark. He always did fully welcome the nightmare, and now it seemed neither of them could escape this. Neither of them wanted to escape this. Even at the first shaken moment after they had come back to reality that fateful night they both knew. Somehow it was only going to escalate.

Through the steps into the dark something reminded him this was unlike Edward. Instead of fighting for dominance on the board, or gaining control of the middle, he submitted with his steps. With each step he felt Edward moving further into his world, into his darkness. It was almost as if he didn’t care what the world thought of him anymore. But did that mean he cared about what he thought instead? Is that why he received this text message? Is that why he was here with him tonight?

Just as his mind went over each question Edward’s hand slipped to his shoulder. His gaze never faltered from him even as he felt his other hand fall to his side. A hard pressure went against his chest that was only met by the stiffness of the brick behind him. A heavy grunt left his chest and even more strands of wet unkempt hair fell into his eyes. He let his head fall back and lay against the alley wall as Edward’s once did moments ago. The iced over glaze he held seemed to melt into wonder. Edward always did have a way of matching and holding his stare.

The dark bruised circles under his eyes gave off a shine through the small amount of light into the alley. He finally broke his gaze for the first time to trace down to that smirk that always held his features. All of his confidence and pride held in one movement. His hands remained idle for a moment, the words he had said actually giving him pause. “I-..” The words were sharply cut off by the sudden proximity of his lips. He wasn’t scared…of course he wasn’t..

Dr. Crane finally rested his hands on Edward’s hips as his lips teased down his neck. Turning his head upward more, he exposed more skin for him, inviting him to do his worst. The fabric from his shirt tore with ease, being nearly in shred already. It was surprising it had lasted this long let alone the night everything had happened to bring him to this state. There was no protest to his action. Only his chest response in response to the touch of his hand and admitted a soft laughter at his words. He was the master of fear, he would never be afraid of Edward..he would never be afraid of this situation. They had been in it far too many times, just never acted upon what their drive was now forcing them to do. There was no logic, there was no reasoning in between.

The actual expression on his face faded and twisted into a cringe. A sharp inhale was taken as the sting from his nails pulsed through his body. His fingers had racked down the bandage wrapped around his chest. It had been wrapped himself to mend the broken rib that lay inside and keep it in place. Had he not noticed the bandages around his body? Or did his just not care? Dr. Crane didn’t expect him to. It was clear by the part in his lips and the stall in his features alone that he enjoyed every moment of the pain.

“You should know by now…” His words began to pant. “The faster you run the closer I am…” He left the hidden meaning in his words for Edward to ponder over himself. Gripping into his sides again his fingers traced along the belt that held Edward’s slacks. Dr. Crane was going to keep up just fine this time. With a quick movement he unhooked the belt and tugged at the button on the front. If he thought for a moment this was going to be easy he was wrong. Suddenly his hands gripped his sides again. The lust and need for control was rising in him, foreign yet familiar with Edward alone. His foot turned sideways behind his and leaned him to the left in an effort to tip him off balance. Gaining some ground he attempted to push him toward the side of the dumpster near them. The loud bang echoed through the alley way as they hit it and he closed the space in between as quickly as he could to settle the vibration.

“You should have taken my first offer”