Disclaimer: DC Comics and Time/Warner own All the characters; this is an original story that does not intend to infringe on their copyright.
A Lesson in Love
By
Peggie
Bruce was admiring his reflection in the full-length mirror. Kingsly West, a staff writer for the fashion page of the Gotham Globe had been right; the cool linen safari style suit really did something for him. Kingsly and Bruce had dated for a short period of time; during which she had encouraged Bruce to be more adventures when it came to clothes. Previously he had relied on Alfred to choose what he should wear. But under Kingsly guidance he had purchase a whole new wardrobe. The Gotham Globe and many of the society magazines had run editorials on the new Wayne look. The only problem had been Alfred, the old man had not approved of his new more fashion conscious look. Then again he didn't approve of Kingsly.
When Alfred entered the room Bruce could see in the mirror the disapproving look on his friend's face, he knew that his butler once again didn't approve of his choice of cloths. Bruce knew he though the Safari suit to be the most hideous article of clothing ever seen.
"This suite is considered to be the height of fashion Alfred."
"That may, be so Sir, but I hardly think the big game hunter look will go down well with Miss Kyle. Not given her views on hunting."
Bruce stopped short, and his face sort of fell.
Alfred opened the wardrobe and selected a pair of slacks, a shirt and jersey. Bruce looked at the cloths Alfred had laid out on the bed with matching accessories.
"Are you sure these are suitable, Alfred?"
But the old man had gone. Sighing pointedly he began to dress. Looking closely at his image in the mirror he had to admit it looked right, casual but classy.
Heading to the kitchen Bruce expected to find Alfred. He wasn't there. Nor was he in the living room. A buffet meal had been laid out ready for Selina's arrival. It seemed very elaborate to have been organised in less than an hour. Surely Lobster took longer than that to prepare. Bruce knew the old man was a wizard in the kitchen, but no way had he done all this on the spare of the moment. Bruce had the distinct feeling that this evening had been very carefully planed.
Bruce went to the old man's room and knocked quietly. "Come in Master Bruce!" came the reply. Bruce pushed open the door, his eyes opening wide at the sight of his friend dressed in light coloured slack and a red and yellow checked jersey. Seeing the shocked look on Bruce's face Alfred smiled.
"When you love someone young man, you have to make sacrifices. That includes your pride and good taste! Leslie, made me this jersey, so even though I consider it to be the most horrendous coloured item of clothing I've ever seen I will wear it. True I would rather walk on hot coals than wear it, but then I am willing to do anything to make Leslie happy. That Sir, is what true love is about."
"But surely Leslie must know you wouldn't normally wear something like that. I mean, if she feels the same way about you she must know you hate it."
The old man smiled, "Of course she does, that's the whole point."
Bruce was now totally confused.
"Oh Bruce, I have let you down haven't I." The old man said sadly as he sat on the edge of his bed. "I know I told you the fact of life when you were thirteen, not that I could forget the experience. You made it the most difficult task, insisting on taking notes all the time and some of the questions you asked!" The old man shuddered. Bruce sort of half smiled, that had been the only time as a child he remembered shaking the old mans calm exterior. Mind you Alfred had got a sort of revenge. Bruce had insisted some of the things the old man said would not be possible. So after consulting with Leslie, Alfred had driven to bookstore in a rather seedy part of Gotham, he had left Bruce in the car while he made his purchases. On his return he handed the boy a brown paper bag with three rather thick magazines in. "Home work, to be read in the privacy of your room young man, understood." Bruce remembered how, at first, he'd felt totally shocked and slightly sickened by the books. Mind you for a few months they featured prominently in his bedtime reading. "But I've been very remiss not having taught you about love. Bruce, please sit down."
Bruce quietly sat down on the side of the bed next to his friend and mentor.
"Of course Leslie knows I hate the jersey that's why she made it. It was a joke and more importantly a test. If we had just been friends then I would have lied about liking the jersey and put it away in a draw, never for it to see the light of day again. If we had been best friends then after a while I would have made a joke about it and it would have been something we would remember as an incident in our friendship, one to reminisce over in later life. But because I love her I wear it. We both know I hate it, so it has become a sort of private joke that neither of us openly admits to. Yet every time I wear it Leslie Knows how much she means to me."
Bruce looked at his old friend." You could just tell her. It would be simpler."
"I do tell her Bruce, two or three times everyday, but as they say actions speak louder than words. Besides it wouldn't be so much fun!"
Bruce couldn't quite see the fun in what Alfred was telling him. "Will you ever tell her you hate it?"
"No!"
"But how do you know she'd do the same for you?"
"Because she wears green when we go out." At Bruce's puzzled look Alfred explained "Leslie hates green, she thinks it does nothing for her. Leslie loves wearing pink, but she knows that I don't like pink and that green is my favourite colour. So she wears green. Simple."
"It seems rather perverse to me Bruce muttered."
"That sir, is because you haven't fallen in love yet. And I mean love, not lust. I know Bruce Wayne has had many beautiful young lady friends and has even been infatuated with some of them. I know you have made good use of the lesson I gave you in the facts of life, but you have not yet experienced real love between two adults whose only wish is to make their partner happy. When it happens sir, you will understand what I am talking about."
Alfred stood up and went to get his coat from the hook next to the door.
"I think that Miss Kyle, may be just the lady to teach you what it means to be in love Bruce."
Alfred was pulling on his coat. "Now sir, I really must dash, a gentleman never keeps a lady waiting, that is something else you should take note of. Goodbye Sir and Good Luck!"