After the incident with the dinner plates Alfred practically threw Bruce and Carly out of the house. There was a mildly sharp suggestion that after two failed attempts to enjoy breakfast at home, perhaps things would be best if they chose to celebrate outside of the manor. They both knew how to take a hint, making immediate preparations to enjoy their day out. The first stop on the Bruce Wayne apology tour was a small bakery in Carly's old neighborhood. They baked some of the best cakes in Gotham and all of the employees knew her and Bruce by name, not just reputation.
"Carly! Bruce!" A bubbly attendant named Katie greeted them both from behind the counter. "Alfred called yesterday and he said you might be stopping by. He ordered something special, just in case! Have a seat I'll be right there."
They chose a corner table by the large picture window. It was a nice spot where the late morning sun could warm the metal heart shaped chairs. Katie appeared from behind the bakery's backroom with an enormous tray of cupcakes. Twenty-five individual cupcakes covered the top of the tray. Each one a varying flavor of cake or frosting. Seven of these were decorated with pink tulips, the other eighteen proudly sported a letter. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY CARLY" the tray of cakes proclaimed.
"Birthday cupcakes!" Carly squealed in delight. "Katie, you guys are the best!"
"I'll leave these here then." Katie smiled, putting the tray in the center of their table. "When you're ready for your take away boxes, or if you need anything else, just let me know." She returned to her position back behind the counter.
"How much of this was your doing and how much of this was Alfred?" Carly questioned when she was alone with Bruce.
"I told Alfred he could pick the flavors, as long at least some were carrot cake. Even then, I assume he gave Katie and the other girls' artistic freedom. I wanted to make sure that the tulips were peach." He explained.
"I'm impressed. You've managed to remember my favorite flavor of cake, my favorite color and flower. And you got it all from Rosie's. My favorite bakery." She leaned over and kissed Bruce, a full kiss on the lips. After breaking away, she looked over her options carefully. She selected a red velvet cupcake, the 'B' from birthday, and held it out to Bruce. "B for bestie." She offered.
"Or B, for Bruce." He said, taking to dessert from her.
"Well then C for Carly." She picked up the 'C' cupcake and held it up in a toast. "To Bruce and Carly."
"To Carly and Bruce." He bumped the red velvet cake against hers. They took time enjoying their first bite of cake.
"Mmmm, these are like heaven in a paper cup." Carly mused. She could only imagine what other surprises awaited her. "Where to after this?"
"Well I was thinking we could go shopping. Picking out your own gifts is usually your favorite part of celebrating your birthday. Then I thought after that we could get some lunch. Movie night back at my place and finish the night at the circus."
"Sounds like the perfect plan." She nodded in approval. All of her favorite Bruce related things in one day! But the only gift she really needed was to have him all to herself for twelve hours. No calls from the office, no sudden emergencies or random excuses midway through a meal. Just the two of them enjoying their day together.
After three rounds of cupcakes, Bruce and Carly had the girls at Rosie's box up their remaining nineteen cupcakes to go. With the sugary snacks secured in the back of Bruce's car the couple drove into the center of the city. As was usually the case in Gotham on the weekends, nearly every street was gridlocked. This enacted a little whining from Carly as the car idled in line behind a family of tourists.
"I hate traffic and we're never going to find a place to park. The city is going to be full of tourists. Like these people," She gestured to the car in front of them. "Look they drove all the way here from…does that say Massachusetts?" She squinted at the license plate. "Massachusetts. It's forty degrees out but that woman is wearing a sun hat. A sun! why?"
"Have I ever told you you're a tad over dramatic?" Bruce chuckled with his hands gripped tightly on the steering wheel. The traffic was beginning to move so his eyes stayed focused on the road. "And I'm not sure why you're worried about where we're going to park. I owe a..."
"You can't park at Wayne Enterprises!" She began a whole new round of complaints. "It's so far from downtown!"
"Car," Carly's hands were resting in her lap. He reached out and placed one of his large ones over hers protectively. She loved how Bruce always seemed to have such warm hands. "Try to have fun. We're celebrating your birthday."
"I know, sorry." She gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "Let's talk about the Justice League. Who is in charge of the whole thing? How do you schedule days off?"
"It's all still in the early phases. The League started out with Clark, Diana and I wanting to have a way to share resources and information. Shortly after that we met J'onn, he came up with the name. As we learn about new heroes we invited them to join us, bringing their resources along as well." He explained. "I provide most of the technology and funding of course, but everyone has their talents. And while no one is technically in charge, J'onn and Clark handle most of the coordinating."
"So do J'onn and Clark require time off requests two weeks in advance?" She thought back to the image of Bruce in his black and yellow get up and tried to picture The Batman handing in a time off slip to Superman or the Martian Manhunter.
"Things are not so formal." He said. "When I got back from my last mission I told Clark that my disappearance would certainly be noticed by one Ms. Carly Rogers and that I owed my best friend an explanation."
"And that's what set in motion the course of events in which we find ourselves." Carly stretched her legs so that her feet were resting up on the dashboard. She ignored the disapproving look from her Billionaire chauffeur. "Does Clark fly Lois Lane to work when she's running late, you think?" She tilted her head to the side. "I bet Lois doesn't ever have to wait in traffic."
"Next time I'll take you out in the other car. Batcar's got a traffic light jammer."
"And you didn't bring it with you?!"
TamashinoSuzum Young Justice is one of my favorite shows! You have no idea! I can just imagine Carly go to the YJ mountain all the time and... oh so many ideas! :D Thanks so much for reviewing Chapter 9! In the next Chapter Bruce and Carly finally take their trip to the circus!