"How's my suit?" I questioned Alfred. He was a man of taste. Gentleman was his style.
"Well as I picked it, I'd say very good Master Bruce. Tailored fit suits you really well" Alfred said to me. The man dressed and talked like a gentleman, but acted very differently at times.
"I'm sure I'll be informed by others tonight. These events are always vocal" I blindly said to by Butler. Playboy persona in tact and running well. I adjust my bow tie by less than a degree for the perfect fit.
"And will any of your allies be turning up to this event tonight?" Alfred asked me. I knew where he was going with this.
"A couple have invited themselves. I'm sure they'll leave shortly after my speech." I say to him, examining my look in the mirror. It was crucial I looked good. After all, the playboy of Gotham can't look bad. I would never hear the end of it.
"I'm sure they'll stay slightly longer sir. I think you rate your friends too little at times" the old man spoke back to me. Adjusting the tower resting around his forearm, looking at me from far away in my room.
"Maybe. But I'm sure they all think the same of me" I snap back, defending myself. I bite my jaw to see myself differently. Not too intense to the point where people make the link. Yet enough to get any woman in the party under my thumb. Playboy all the same, I never actually do those things the media like to say. I just leave when they pass out from alcohol. I have other things to worry about. I have a city to protect.
"I'm quite doubtful of it sir. Two and a half years is a long time" he responded, always trying to show positivity in my life. Screw him for his successful attempts.
"Not long enough. Studies suggest three to four years for you to fully understand and know someone." I answer back, using science to my advantage.
"Then I guess I'm more than qualified to tell you that you need love in your life." He says back to me. He doesn't know what I need or not, why try and act like it?
"I don't need love, I'm not a child anymore. I can get by myself." I point out, instantly realising I've had a Butler all my life countering my point.
"A-Hem? I think I'm a counter point to you defence sir" And there goes my argument. Damn this old man.
"I'm ready to leave Alfred. I think the Bugatti will do this time. I'm feeling the need for speed tonight." I say to him, knowing he'd ask what car to drive me in.
"Fine by me sir. Maybe it should be best that you make your own way there tonight seeing as it's a two seat sports car?" He pointed out. Those type of cars weren't really made with a Butler in mind.
"Agreed. Any dates I'm meant to be taking?" I ask him, knowing he'd know my 'love' life, nosey bastard.
"I think Mrs Prince is the final option sir. When I say final, I mean the only option you should really try for" he said, almost grinning. I slide my hand through my combed back hair.
We both make our way towards my front door, silence grabbing at the both of us.
"She's just a friend" I say as we reach the door, hoping that the silence done most the talking.
"She's just the one for you. She makes you normal again. Brings you down from that cave. Or I guess brings you up and away from that cave" he responded, breaking his own argument down.
"Hardly. We're just close that's all. Like Dick and Barbara" I said to him. Why did I use them as the base of my defence? They're hardly "just friends" – even the Bat sees that.
"Dick and Barb have young love. They're just scared by the thought of love. I thought the same of you. I assumed you was also afraid. I was wrong. You're not afraid, you're just blind and stubborn. Blind as a Bat, fits you well Master Bruce."
Damn my Butler and his charm.
"I don't feel the obsessive need to have someone special in my life. Doesn't make me a bad person. Just makes me achieve my goals without a agreed commitment of distraction" I replied, opening my front doors and walking towards the Bugatti.
I hear Alfred walking behind me on the stones that surround my house. His walking speed increases, indicating frustration and disapproval.
"True love isn't a distraction. If you let go of the chains around your heart, you'd see this." Alfred firmly stated. As far as I was concerned, my observational skills already won me this debate, but I carried on out of respect.
"These chains have kept me alive. Without these chains I'd be a broken man"
I open the doors to my Bugatti as Alfred says his last words.
"You would never know until you tried. Even Sherlock himself put himself in these situations which seem crazy, to further his ideas and thoughts of them" he says standing right beside me as I lean down and into my beauty.
"I'll push it all away and to the side, like I have done all my life. Feelings only end up getting you hurt" I point out as I turn the engine on, getting comfortable in my luxurious leather seat.
"Feelings make you human. Love makes you happy. Even the great Batman must have love in his life" Alfred again debates back to me. My love life seems to be his top priority.
"We'll see. Now if you don't mind Alfred" I say, asking him to move. Engine routing like a lion.
"Promise me Master Bruce that you will have a good time tonight?" Alfred asks. Maybe my happiness in general is his main priority.
"Huh… fine Alfred. I promise I'll enjoy myself tonight. Excuse me" and with that, I leave my mansion, driving round the fountain and past the gates.
The event taking place tonight was non other than my birthday. I don't like to make a deal out of this kind of thing, but Gotham does. Hell, even the League do. My birthday gives them a reminder that I'm human, unfortunately that means they tend to act looser around me, like I'm their 'pals' of something.
Seriously.
The Amazon however went out of her way tonight to attend, along with Oliver and Dinah. I guess another rich boy fits the party perfectly. The others were on a mission, except Wally. Who, for all reasonable reasons, was told by me that he wasn't allowed to come. Rest assured though he'll be there.
The time is currently 7:45pm. I have fifteen minutes to get to my destination. With Gotham traffic, I have near certainty in my mind that I'll be late.
I punch in a few numbers on my phone to make a heads up call. "Diana?" I ask, Batman voice near engaged.
"Bruce you best becoming tonight or Hera-" I cut her off. It was needed, my Greek is fluent, so I know the abusive things she'd utter.
"- I am coming, I'll just most likely be a couple of minutes late." I said more casually, relaxing uncharacteristically.
"Fine. Just make sure you stay tonight. It's your party for Christ sake" Diana spoke very firmly. Something was bothering her.
"What's up Diana?" I ask her, knowing she'd try and escape the call as soon as possible due to overwhelming amounts of pride. This action she'd do would suit the both of us.
"I-nothing. Just get your ass here as soon as possible. Goodbye"
She hung up on me. How rude. Something must be on her mind. Maybe she's obsessively thinking about Clark. That idea alone gives me stomach pains. Not that I'm jealous, but it's just so…stupid. Or better yet, she may have seen Oliver and Dinah and got jealous. With all her girly nights she's had recently, her drive must be crazy at the moment.
Focus on the road god dammit Bruce.
You're smug at the moment, but that doesn't allow you to be stupid and lower your guard. Relationships at work never work. Too much exposure to each other. Plus, our field of work is a lot different to others. We have people on a daily trying to plot plans to kill us, so distractions like having a partner wouldn't help.
8:02pm – bollocks. A British term used frequently by Alfred in moments of distress. It seems I've caught the habit.
I see the group of people, the building, the spot I'm meant to pull up in. I slow my seed and arrive at my designated spot. Cameras flash constantly and I'm overwhelmed by screams and shouting.
I exit my vehicle, giving the keys to a young lad who has to park my car. The look on his face was great. I make my way towards the building, getting hundreds on side profile shots taken of me. Females, chanting my name like I'm some sort of God. Standard stuff.
I get to the open doors, where I'm greeted with a waiter offering wine to me. On the house according the man. I take the wine and slot a note in his pocket as a token of appreciation. I walk inside the building, where I'm greeted by Oliver, Dinah and … Diana. Everyone else just continued to dance and have fun.
"Hey there's the birthday boy! How does it feel being 32?" Oliver asked me, obviously hinting at me being old or something. Never really got his sense of humour.
"The same as it does being 31. Look I appreciate you all coming here but it's really not a big-" I was cut off by Diana. She looked astonishing tonight. All red, fitted to perfection. It made my tailor fit look cheap.
"-you're celebrating your birthday Bruce, whether you like it or not" she said, sipping her wine shortly afterwards.
"Someone has an attitude tonight. Why have I been blessed to try and deal with it?" I asked sarcastically. Hopefully she got the idea of it being rhetorical.
"I haven't got an attitude. I'm just tired of you not acting human" she replied. Obviously rhetorical or not, she doesn't care too much.
"Funny that you of all people mention 'being human'. If I remember correctly…" I look up into the ceiling, holding my hand on my chin, obviously giving the impression of me thinking. Again, hopefully she got the humour of it.
"Ok I get your point. I'm just saying Bruce, lighten up a bit more" Diana replied honestly. This was a change in the system. Usually she'd just make a huff and a puff and punch my house down. Tonight is different, I guess as it's my birthday I get special privileges. Like I've never had that before…
"Fine. I promise you all I will take tonight as it's meant to be taken and have fun." I said, looking at them all. My eyes stuck to Diana for too long, but who can blame me. Oliver's in a typical expensive tuxedo and Dinah is in a standard dress.
Diana started to blush. She noticed me staring, god dammit. Or should I say,
Bollocks.