Chapter Text
Agony would be too dramatic of a word, but anything less would be undervaluing the pain that bore itself deep inside Edward’s thigh. His legs pulled hard against their restraints, and he arched forward, mouth open in a silent scream, which turned to a smile as he lifted his head back up.
He was still himself and that's all that mattered.
“Give me him.” the Zsasz spoke as he moved the branding iron back into the fire. His tone was firm and commanding, but level. It was his professional voice, his ‘hello boss’ voice, his ‘I’ll get it done’ voice.
“No.” Edward replied, letting the smile remain on his face, because it seemed like he couldn't shake it off. He was too happy. He could hear the Riddlers voice in his head, telling him how close he was to taking the body, but he hadn’t yet, and that was a victory for Ed. He just had to keep reminding himself that it was a waiting game, and that Penguin was undoubtedly looking for him by now. As long as he could hold out until then, he would be fine.
“Then I guess we'll just keep playing, huh Eddie?”
“I guess we will.”
Zsasz dropped the iron, letting it rest on the floor with the branding end still planted firmly in the heat. He walked across the room to Edward, his long confident strides making the trapped man crumple inwards slightly, unaware he was even doing it. But Zsasz saw it, he always did. It was one of his favourite parts of the job, seeing the ‘prey’ squirm away as if they had somewhere to go.
He reached forward, and smiled at the flinch he received when he touched the other man's neck. He pulled off Nygma’s black tie in a smooth motion and slowly unbuttoned his still surprisingly crisp shirt, before pulling it as far down his shoulders as it could go. He would have taken it all the way off, if it weren't for the tape that locked both of Nygma’s wrists against the arm of his chair.
Zsasz was relaxed, but calculated in his movements. Like he knew all the steps he was going to take, and exactly what effect they were going to have on his prisoner. It was as if he knew Edward in a way that nobody did. It was like he knew which buttons to press and what things to say, to get the Riddler to come out. He didn’t, he couldn't, no-one but Edward really did, but his confidence was frightening.
“Are you sure we have to do it this way? It seems like a waste of a lovely chest. If you give me the riddle-man now, then I won’t have to do this.” He let his fingers roam the taller man’s slender chest, lingering predatorily close to his neck, and eyeing it like he might drop the job all together and just kill him then and there.
“I’m sure. I’m not letting you anywhere the ‘riddle-man’.”
“Well that's a shame, for you.” He said, before walking across the room and retrieving the branding iron.
"I could just go out there and stop all this you know Eddie, baby." The Riddler spoke from deep inside his mind.
“Shut up.” Edward said aloud as he shook his head slightly, trying to clear it.
“I didn't say anything.” Zsasz said, suddenly far closer then Nygma had realised.
“He’s not talking to you.” The Riddler replied in a slow, sultry tone, before getting pulled back inside, the body slumping down for a second until Edward could get back control.
“Looks like you aren't as good at controlling him as you thought.” Zsasz said when he saw the body sit back up with Edwards obvious, awkward posture.
“Bite me!” Edward replied, suddenly angry and exhausted. It was hard enough keeping the Riddler in check on a good day, and now he had to deal with this too. He couldn’t help but snap at Victor.
“Gladly.” Zsasz replied, before quickly grabbing a fistful of Edwards hair and yanking his head back, revealing the deliciously long neck, and sinking his teeth in it. The taste of blood flooded his mouth as he bit down harder, letting himself enjoy the harsh metallic flavour. The scream that accompanied it, rang out loud and high, before shifting into a much more sexual sounding whimper. The Riddler was back.
“Do it again?” He asked, almost pleaded, when Zsasz pulled his teeth out of his skin. “Please.”
“I must say, you have much better manners than Mr. Nygma, but unfortunately I’m not allowed to hurt you. I can do whatever I want to the nerd to get you here, but I have to take care of you.” Zsasz said, letting a hint of personal interest drip into his voice.
“Than take care of me.” The Riddler said, speaking into the Zsasz’s neck, making the assassin realise that he was still holding a handful of his soft brown locks.
“Sorry but I’m on the clock, maybe some other time though.” Zsasz replied as he crossed the room and replaced the un-used branding iron back into the fire.
“You spend all this time trying to get me out here, and then don’t even want to play?” The Riddler teased, as he slid his hips forward slightly and let his legs fall open invitingly.
“I really can’t right now.”
“Fine.” And then the body fell limp again before rising a few seconds later, with a laugh creeping out of the lips, and the rigid posture of Edwards returning.
“No! Where’s the riddle-man?”
The laughter grew louder, “You bored him!”
“What!?”
“You wouldn't play with him, so he left!”
“Bring him back.”
“Why would I do that?”
“Do it!”
“No!” Edward replied, smiling brightly up at Victor.
“Fine, back to this then.” Zsasz said as he grabbed the branding iron once more and crossed the room quickly. Landing the tool straight on the center of Edwards chest without a moment's hesitation.
The room filled instantly with the smell of burning flesh, and the sound of searing meat, and for a long second that was all, until Edward began to scream. The light tone completely bled from his voice, and the noise he made was deep and dry, from somewhere low in his chest, he let it become an almost animalistic. And then it changed again. It wavered, flickering between a growl, and a deep moan. His body writhed, arching and bending randomly, fighting itself and the pain until the iron cooled somewhat and the pain eased.
Zsasz pulled away the iron, and looked in amazement at his work. The giant question mark shape was incredibly clear already, even through all the blistered flesh and open skin. The ones that littered his legs, where nowhere near as good as this one. Edward had squirmed around too much during those, but this one was perfect.
“Now give me the Riddler.” Zsasz ordered as he tossed the branding iron across the room, done with it for the time being.
“No.” He answered with a dry cough and a weak smile.
“What do I need to do to get him back?”
“Why would I give you that information?”
“I already told you what to do, sweety. Just think. Just for one second.” The riddler tried to reply, but only managed to say to Edward.
And then it clicked.
Zsasz grabbed Edward by the neck suddenly, but carefully, not wanting to risk his delicate spine, and sunk his teeth back into it. This is what the Riddler had asked for after all, this must be what he wanted. And he was right. The second his teeth locked into the tender skin, he was met with a moan that could only belong to the Riddler. Even if Edward liked pain, and Zsasz, and being kidnapped, he would never have moaned like that.
“It’s good to have you back.” Zsasz said, before landing another hard bite slightly lower down, letting his professional voice completely drip away, but still very aware this was a job.
“It’s good to be back.” the Riddler replied breathlessly as he bent his neck, giving Zsasz better access. “So are we going to play this time?”
“Yes.” Victor replied, lying. He wanted to play, he really did, but he was working. He had to do whatever he could to get the Riddler's to his employer, and it seemed like this was what it was going to take.
“Good.” Riddler whispered.
Zsasz ran his free hand down the front of the Riddlers chest, pressing his fingers into the burn and getting a series of adorable moans out of the taller man, that he would have adored under any other circumstances. He let his fingers trail down further before running them painfully lightly over the front of the Riddler’s briefs, who tried his best to grind up into them. But Victor was far to in control for that, and lifted his hand slightly to deny the Riddler the touch he craved.
“Please.” The Riddler moaned pained and breathlessly, suddenly melting for Zsasz like a perfect little pet.
“You need to do something for me first.”
“Anything.” He promised, with a tone so desperate and needy that it made Zsasz want to kiss the soft boy. But this was business.
“I need you to go to my boss, and do something for him. He has a job for you.”
“And then we get to play?” He whined.
“Yes. Then we get to play, as much as you’d like. Deal?”
“Deal!”
Zsasz smiled into the tall man's bloodied neck, before he pulled a knife from his pocket and flicked it open. He tucked the blade under the tape on the Riddlers ankle before asking, “So you promise to be a good boy, and do this for me?”
“Yes Zsasz, I promise. I’ll be a good boy for you.”
“Good.” Zsasz said before he flicked the knife and cut away the tape, removing all of it in a series of fast, and clean cuts.
The man was weak when he stood, and needed to lean on Zsasz for support. He didn't even have the strength to put his clothes back on himself, and needed Victor to help re-dress him. They got his pants back up from where they had pooled around his shins, just above where the tape had been, and got his shirt buttoned back up although they gave up on it about 2 buttons from the top. As a result, they simply abandoned his tie and without it, the jacket seemed just as pointless.
They walked together as far as they could, but the Riddler was mostly just being dragged by Zsasz, who decided it would be easier to just carry him. The taller man was very happy to comply with the suggestion, as his excited energy was starting to wear out and the exhaustion of the body was beginning to get to him, making it increasingly hard for him to even stand. He needed to rest.
So Zsasz lifted him up as if he were a tired child, and carried him out of the warehouse, taking a quick detour to turn of the buildings power. When they got to the car, he was unsurprised to find the man in his arms fully asleep, and he slid him gently into the backseat, trying his best not to wake him, and succeeding for the most part.
It was a long drive to his bosses house, and the man who now lay in his backseat was clearly at his limits, it made no sense to wake him up for this. Zsasz drove for several hours in near silence, broken only by the soft words that would fall out of the Riddlers mouth while he slept. They were cute nonsense words, that had a high and sweet inflection to them that made Victors heart swell. He didn't understand why, but he felt the need to care for this man. Something about him made Victor feel soft, but he couldn't think about that right now, this was still work.
The hours passed slowly as Zsasz drove until he reached the small mansion that belonged to his employer. It was one that Victor knew well, and he was greeted casually by the few members of staff he encountered as he walked in, carrying the still limp body in his arms as if it were a normal occurrence. He walked up a large staircase and weaved his way through a maze of hallways to a room that was almost his own.
He laid the tall man down on his bed, and looked at his watch. It was late. Too late to wake up the boss just to tell them that he might have the Riddler. He hoped he did, but he couldn't deny that there was a chance that he might wake up as Edward again. He would just have to wait it out and see who it would be in the morning.
With nothing left that he could do that night, Zsasz moved to a chair across the room, and began to fall asleep. He considered briefly that he should probably tie the Riddler up, just in case, but completely abandoned that idea when he heard the man speak.
“Come to bed.”
It was a soft sound, barely even there, but Zsasz heard it, and moved, ghost-like with sleepiness. He crawled into the bed and was immediately met with the Riddler wrapping around him, cuddling down into his chest and tangling their legs together. Zsasz knew that this was the man he was going to wake up next to in the morning, and was honestly excited for it.
Once the job was done, this man was going to be his. There was no doubt about that.