quiet_tiger (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
quiet_tiger) wrote2008-08-04 07:49 pm
quiet_tiger) wrote2008-08-04 07:49 pm
Ficlet: Bulwark
Title: Bulwark
Author: Quiet Tiger
Universe: The Batman
Genre: Drama, Gen
Rating: PG
Characters: Alfred, Bruce
Word Count: 834
Summary: Alfred muses over the new nickname.
Notes: Set after The Batman episode Bird of Prey, picks up the next morning. Not necessary to watch it, relevant things are mentioned. Also references a flashback seen in Traction.
I was able to combine![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
batfic_contest's theme "The Dark Knight" with ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
arch_schatten's request: Would you be willing to write something with The Batman's Alfred and Bruce? I don't think you ever have before, so I'm not sure it's game. This is obviously directed more towards her, as I wouldn't have written an entry for the contest otherwise because I couldn't think of anything for the theme, but then I happened to rewatch an ep that featured "the dark knight" and was able to come up with something that fits both.
And no, I haven't written in this universe before, but actually working with a young, unjaded Bruce was kind of fun.
Sorry for the long Notes section, one of my own personal peeves and I'm committing it!!
~*~
Alfred Pennyworth picked up the newspaper from the front stoop and flipped it over to the front page. The headline was rather different from the anti-Batman propaganda that was usually present any time the media were exposed to the Batman: Tough Night for the Dark Knight. The article appeared to be about the Batman’s scuffle with that dastardly Penguin in Wayne Manor the previous evening.
He made his way upstairs to Master Bruce’s bedroom, where the young billionaire was doing push ups in his underwear. “Good morning, sir. The paper came.” He handed it over when Bruce stood, smiling at him.
“Good morning, Alfred.” He glanced at the paper, then turned back to it to read it more closely. “I guess Melanie Bramwell decided to go with that idea...”
“And what was that, sir?” Alfred set about making Bruce’s bed.
“She liked the term ‘dark night’ when her cameraman used it to explain why he might not have gotten good footage. I guess she decided that calling me ‘The Batman’ all the time would get tiresome. Must have called me that on the late news, paper picked it up.” He rubbed his chin. “The Dark Knight. I kind of like the ring of that.”
“Sounds rather ominous to me, sir.”
“You don’t think it sounds cool?”
Alfred couldn’t help but raise his eyebrows; he loved Master Bruce, he was smart and driven and strong, but sometimes he was rather dense. “In the stories, sir, it is the white knight who is the hero. The dark knight is the villain.”
Bruce pouted as if he weren’t twenty-six years old. “I’m the good guy. The city will come around.” He smiled again. “And just last night the Batman saved playboy Bruce Wayne’s trusted butler.”
“And he’s grateful, I’m sure.”
Earnestly, Bruce answered, “Of course. What would he do without him?”
Alfred raised his eyebrows. “I often ask myself that very question, Master Bruce.”
Bruce grinned at him and ducked his head, a gesture rarely seen anymore among the businessman, philanthropist, and the Batman. But even now, with Bruce being any one of those persons at any given time, Alfred was reminded of the boy this man in front of him used to be.
Bruce turned back to the paper and his brow furrowed as he read through the article again. “I do like it, Alfred. I’m a defender, champion, all that stuff knights are. I stand up for what I believe in. My costume just happens to have a long, black cape...”
“That is true, sir. You are certainly my champion.”
Bruce raised his eyebrow. “Thanks.” He bent at the waist to stretch his back, then straightened again. “I’m going to go take a shower.” He placed the paper on his freshly-made bed and went into the bathroom.
Alfred retrieved the paper and read the article for himself. Nowhere did the new nickname seem to be an indication of true fear and discontent, but one could never be too sure. The media, law enforcement, and the city in general did not support the Batman, and an inauspicious nickname such as the Dark Knight might be the first step to the demise of the vigilante Alfred worked so hard to protect.
Though he at times despised the Batman, such as when he had to retrieve a Bruce too injured to return home on his own, or when Bruce had to vacate organized functions and leave his butler/excuse rolodex/valet to explain away his disappearance, or when Bruce had a lapse in confidence and stared out the window pondering his use to the world as either Bruce Wayne or The Batman, though Alfred despised those moments, he did have faith that Batman did bring good into the world, even though the means to that end at times seemed dubious.
He made a promise to Bruce long ago, and no matter how difficult life got for Bruce and himself because of the Batman, Alfred would support his charge. He had promised an eight-year-old Bruce he’d never leave his side, and he wasn’t going to break it now.
He came to the end of the article, where it mentioned that Bruce had been out entertaining a female friend while his home was being ransacked. Bruce was so often presented in such a dreadful light, foppish and silly, lazy and young.
No one ever saw the Bruce that Alfred did, brave and careful, magnanimous and serious. Dark perhaps, certainly secretive and gloomy at times, but surely a knight of most noble order, even if no one else in Gotham really understood that truth.
“Hmm. Perhaps ‘the dark knight’ is spot-on after all.” Alfred found himself warming up to the nickname despite his earlier misgivings.
Knight or Bat, Alfred would be there for the man behind the costume. That was where he belonged, providing whatever assistance was needed. That costumed man was only as good as his support, and Alfred wasn’t going to let Gotham crumble if he had any say in it.
Author: Quiet Tiger
Universe: The Batman
Genre: Drama, Gen
Rating: PG
Characters: Alfred, Bruce
Word Count: 834
Summary: Alfred muses over the new nickname.
Notes: Set after The Batman episode Bird of Prey, picks up the next morning. Not necessary to watch it, relevant things are mentioned. Also references a flashback seen in Traction.
I was able to combine
batfic_contest's theme "The Dark Knight" with arch_schatten's request: Would you be willing to write something with The Batman's Alfred and Bruce? I don't think you ever have before, so I'm not sure it's game. This is obviously directed more towards her, as I wouldn't have written an entry for the contest otherwise because I couldn't think of anything for the theme, but then I happened to rewatch an ep that featured "the dark knight" and was able to come up with something that fits both.And no, I haven't written in this universe before, but actually working with a young, unjaded Bruce was kind of fun.
Sorry for the long Notes section, one of my own personal peeves and I'm committing it!!
~*~
Alfred Pennyworth picked up the newspaper from the front stoop and flipped it over to the front page. The headline was rather different from the anti-Batman propaganda that was usually present any time the media were exposed to the Batman: Tough Night for the Dark Knight. The article appeared to be about the Batman’s scuffle with that dastardly Penguin in Wayne Manor the previous evening.
He made his way upstairs to Master Bruce’s bedroom, where the young billionaire was doing push ups in his underwear. “Good morning, sir. The paper came.” He handed it over when Bruce stood, smiling at him.
“Good morning, Alfred.” He glanced at the paper, then turned back to it to read it more closely. “I guess Melanie Bramwell decided to go with that idea...”
“And what was that, sir?” Alfred set about making Bruce’s bed.
“She liked the term ‘dark night’ when her cameraman used it to explain why he might not have gotten good footage. I guess she decided that calling me ‘The Batman’ all the time would get tiresome. Must have called me that on the late news, paper picked it up.” He rubbed his chin. “The Dark Knight. I kind of like the ring of that.”
“Sounds rather ominous to me, sir.”
“You don’t think it sounds cool?”
Alfred couldn’t help but raise his eyebrows; he loved Master Bruce, he was smart and driven and strong, but sometimes he was rather dense. “In the stories, sir, it is the white knight who is the hero. The dark knight is the villain.”
Bruce pouted as if he weren’t twenty-six years old. “I’m the good guy. The city will come around.” He smiled again. “And just last night the Batman saved playboy Bruce Wayne’s trusted butler.”
“And he’s grateful, I’m sure.”
Earnestly, Bruce answered, “Of course. What would he do without him?”
Alfred raised his eyebrows. “I often ask myself that very question, Master Bruce.”
Bruce grinned at him and ducked his head, a gesture rarely seen anymore among the businessman, philanthropist, and the Batman. But even now, with Bruce being any one of those persons at any given time, Alfred was reminded of the boy this man in front of him used to be.
Bruce turned back to the paper and his brow furrowed as he read through the article again. “I do like it, Alfred. I’m a defender, champion, all that stuff knights are. I stand up for what I believe in. My costume just happens to have a long, black cape...”
“That is true, sir. You are certainly my champion.”
Bruce raised his eyebrow. “Thanks.” He bent at the waist to stretch his back, then straightened again. “I’m going to go take a shower.” He placed the paper on his freshly-made bed and went into the bathroom.
Alfred retrieved the paper and read the article for himself. Nowhere did the new nickname seem to be an indication of true fear and discontent, but one could never be too sure. The media, law enforcement, and the city in general did not support the Batman, and an inauspicious nickname such as the Dark Knight might be the first step to the demise of the vigilante Alfred worked so hard to protect.
Though he at times despised the Batman, such as when he had to retrieve a Bruce too injured to return home on his own, or when Bruce had to vacate organized functions and leave his butler/excuse rolodex/valet to explain away his disappearance, or when Bruce had a lapse in confidence and stared out the window pondering his use to the world as either Bruce Wayne or The Batman, though Alfred despised those moments, he did have faith that Batman did bring good into the world, even though the means to that end at times seemed dubious.
He made a promise to Bruce long ago, and no matter how difficult life got for Bruce and himself because of the Batman, Alfred would support his charge. He had promised an eight-year-old Bruce he’d never leave his side, and he wasn’t going to break it now.
He came to the end of the article, where it mentioned that Bruce had been out entertaining a female friend while his home was being ransacked. Bruce was so often presented in such a dreadful light, foppish and silly, lazy and young.
No one ever saw the Bruce that Alfred did, brave and careful, magnanimous and serious. Dark perhaps, certainly secretive and gloomy at times, but surely a knight of most noble order, even if no one else in Gotham really understood that truth.
“Hmm. Perhaps ‘the dark knight’ is spot-on after all.” Alfred found himself warming up to the nickname despite his earlier misgivings.
Knight or Bat, Alfred would be there for the man behind the costume. That was where he belonged, providing whatever assistance was needed. That costumed man was only as good as his support, and Alfred wasn’t going to let Gotham crumble if he had any say in it.
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Thanks for reading and commenting!
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Thanks for reading and commenting!
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There definitely are not enough Alfred fics! The guy needs more love from fandom.
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Well done.
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There really needs to be more Alfred fic.
Thanks for reading and commenting!
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:D
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Thanks for reading and commenting!
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Bruce pouted as if he weren’t twenty-six years old. “I’m the good guy. The city will come around.” He smiled again.
I could see that bit very clearly in my head, The Batman's Bruce is such a charmer with the smiles! so very young and hopeful! I wanted to squish that line X)
an inauspicious nickname such as the Dark Knight might be the first step to the demise of the vigilante Alfred worked so hard to protect.
I loved Alfred's voice. He's also not quite as old and wise as comic Alfred, but he's zealous and kick ass for sure, helping Bruce learn the trade and learning the trade along with him. I love The Batman's Alfred. Well, in truth, I love Alfred. But I think in the Batman is pretty easy to see how Bruce turned out the way he did, he's a lot like Alfred en many ways.
Alfred wasn’t going to let Gotham crumble if he had any say in it.
Ho! That's a fabulous line! It's not just about Bruce, or the family, just like it isn't about the city. It's just that Bruce is a package deal, and Alfred just won't shy away from a challenge, not when his boy is in the middle.
I loved this so much! I'm sorry I'm late to this *again*. I am catching up, I am! slowwwlyyyy! *hugs* Thanks for writing this! it was a great use of the prompt, and there's not enough The Batman fic out there!
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I'm so glad the cartoon gave us this version of Bruce. I really adore it.
The Batman's Alfred is seriously the most kick ass thing ever. He's in there fighting with Batman sometimes! He's just so awesome. And I just love being able to see the man that was able to raise a boy like Bruce, support him, help him, but still provide boundaries where there need to be boundaries so that Bruce doesn't get himself *too* hurt. In Traction where he helps Bruce when he's hurt... *God* it's so good!
No worries about being late, I know you're busy and have a life and stuff. I'm glad you did see it and liked it! It was fun to write, trying to get Alfred's voice down, so I'm glad I was at least a little successful!
I'm really glad you liked it, thanks for reading and commenting!
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I have a special affection for The Batman, and this fic is so true of Bruce in the show -- funny and tender but no less intense and driven. Alfred is awesome as always, and his love for Bruce just shines so much here.
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Glad you liked it, thanks for reading and commenting!
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Thanks for reading and commenting!