A somewhat more serious chapter. Though, that's not saying much.
Disclaimer: Don't own Batman.
"So Alfred, what did you want to talk about? The Gray Ghost is about to start."
Alfred hesitated since he wasn't sure how Bruce would take what he had to say. The master was in his Gray Ghost pajamas, as was the young Dick Grayson who was just in the other room, and Alfred didn't want Bruce to be offended or hurt in any way. He looked Bruce up and down considering whether or not to just drop what he was going to say, but sighed when he knew that he couldn't. He wouldn't be able to feel okay with himself if he didn't at least bring up his concerns.
"What is the young Master Dick doing here?"
Bruce looked confused for a moment, though this honestly wasn't anything new, but then an idea hit him as to why Alfred asked such a weird question. He was probably testing him on what they had discussed the previous week in private.
"When a man and a woman love each other-"
"That's not what I meant."
Alfred cut him off not really comfortable with going over that subject with Bruce again, and after a moment of them idly standing there and staring at each other, he decided to just continue on.
"What I mean is that the two of you have been spending a great deal of time together. It has been concerning to certain people."
As predicted, Bruce frowned at that.
"We're Batman and Robin. We have to defend Gotham."
Defending Gotham? Like the time Batman and Robin had attacked a clown at a neighbor child's birthday party because they thought he was the Joker? Or the time Batman and Robin beat up an old botanist woman at a local charity event because they thought she was the Poison Ivy they kept hearing about? How about when they jumped into the ring at a wrestling match to fight against some Mexican wrestler that they thought was Bane? Alfred groaned. Thinking about all this was the reason why he got so many headaches.
"Yes, and that is quite smashing Master Bruce. The thing is people are starting to ask questions. The Master and Misses Wayne find your new friendship with a child to be rather odd, and the Graysons are at a loss as to why their son is now seemingly best friends with one of the richest men in Gotham."
Bruce's frown only became more apparent with that statement. It had never crossed his mind how weird it would seem for him to be friends with Dick. He thought for a moment, and then met eyes with Alfred since his butler always watched out for him and always knew what was best.
"Well, what do you think about it?"
He wished that he could tell him the truth, but when he saw that coming heartbreak, Alfred knew that all he could do was lie.
"I think Gotham needs it's Batman and Robin."
And just like that, Bruce was beaming happily.
"You haven't lost faith in me?"
Thinking back to the Master's ridiculous antics, that coupled with the fact that Bruce really did have good intentions at heart to go along with it, strangely Alfred was able to be completely honest with what he said next.
"Never."
I think I'm going to skip the villain chapter and go with something else for the next update.
