Well, I bring you a follow-up to the one-shot Night Talks, I hadn't planned it but it came out alone so I hope you like it. A little more fluffy shit among my favorites.
All characters belong to DC. Enjoy!
The last few weeks had been a madness that she never imagined finding herself in, comings and goings, dates with different companies of catering, florists, chefs and designers. Although everything seemed to go smoothly and in order, stress was imminent in situations like these according to her friendly sources. Organizing a wedding, large or small, was a strenuous task, more if almost all decisions had to fall on her judgment. More if such decisions were totally alien to her customs and knowledge, but she understood, Gotham had kept his main protector busy at night and demanded more of him in the daytime, causing Bruce to remain almost outside of the organization of the ceremony.
Diana was not alone of course, she thanked her Gods for having friends as determined as Lois, Barbara and Dinah, who had already been through similar situations with their own weddings, being a great help with their advice and directions. And Alfred of course, his Goddesses bless that man, full of patience to deal with Bruce's moods, hers and the children's. That man was not being paid enough.
Speaking of Alfred, where was he?.
Days ago a request came to her mind after a long talk with her friends about the basic customs of Western weddings, among them they had taught her about the walk to the altar and how the bride should be delivered to the groom's hand by her father figure (completely ridiculous in her opinion, but well…). Diana hadn't thought much about this at first, not caring in comparison to the great energy she had been spending lately dealing with things like flower arrangements or napkins of such a color or fabric, cakes of such a taste or another. That if someone asked her her true opinion, she would honestly answer that she didn't care. Although she quickly learned, with indignant glances from the presenters and shrieks from her bridesmaids, that that answer was never the correct one and that if she wanted to save time in these meetings, attention to detail was the most appropriate.
But back to the question that had her chasing in the footsteps of the elusive and silent Wayne butler throughout the mansion ...
The idea of a father figure had never been present in her life, having been born straight from the clay of Themyscira and the blessing of the Gods, having grown up on an island of only female inhabitants. She had no father who could deliver her to the altar so clearly the first person that came to mind was Alfred, who had been Bruce's surrogate father figure and, she liked to think, now hers as well.
Alfred took care of all the members of this family and now that Diana was to become part of it, she had been no exception. Even before beginning a romantic relationship with Bruce, her affection for the butler was immense and reciprocal. If Diana began to meditate on the meaning of the father figure that she had never had, Alfred was the man who immediately came to her mind. And after a short time of reflection on the subject and a post-patrol talk with the groom in question, she decided that he would be the perfect person for the job.
Now it only remained to find him and ask the question.
Clenching her fists and realizing that her palms were sweaty, she had to admit that she was a bit nervous, which was ridiculous, it was a simple question to a man with whom trust and affection had never been lacking, however she couldn't help think about the man's reaction, ¿would he be grateful? ¿Excited? ¿Stoic as always? ¿Decline? ¿Where in Tartarus was he?
It did not take a long walk through the gardens to find the subject in question giving instructions to the gardeners in charge of the house on the pruning of the bushes and trees, the wedding was approaching and everything should be "matched to perfection" for the following week.
For a second Diana couldn't help stopping, gaping at the great change that the gardens underwent. The grass was perfectly cut flush, the stone and flagstones paths perfectly clean and clear, the fountains working creating soft water music and the trees, bushes and flower beds in the pruning process. Painters were going over the surface of the external structures, whether made of wood or iron, with a white ivory leaving the place impeccable and with the feeling of being in a fantastic story.
"Alfred!" Diana exclaimed once she had found her speech, drawing the butler's attention. "Everything looks amazing!" she congratulated him, smiling.
"Ah, Miss Diana, you look splendid as always" Alfred received her, taking her hands in a gentle grip. Diana with a little color on her cheeks answered.
"You spoil me too much, Alfred."
"Nonsense, my dear. Would you like to take a walk with me to supervise the preparations?" he asked solemnly.
"Although I would love to, dear Alfred, I was looking for you for a reason and I don't have much time, I must soon go up to the Watchtower for a meeting. Besides, what better hands than yours to leave everything to perfection?" Diana replied, starting to walk towards a bench and indicating that the two of them took their seats.
"In that case, my dear, how can I help you?" the man asked without showing any kind of haste.
"Well ... you know how all these western weddings and their customs are something new to me ..." Diana started nervously, Alfred noticing it only nodded, giving her the space to continue. "And the other day talking to Lois about it, well, she explained to me about this tradition that the bride walking down the aisle should be accompanied by her father ..."
"Ah, yes. Though you shouldn't worry about those traditions in your case, Miss. It could be arranged that some friend, Mr. Kent maybe, could… " Alfred began to explain calmly and offer a solution when Diana took his hands in hers and gently interrupted him.
"Actually ..." she took a deep breath and nervously suggested "I was thinking that you might be the person to hand me over to Bruce." Before the silence and the brief surprised face of the old man Diana continued in a hurry to explain herself. "I have never had a father, or a father figure in that case, and well you Alfred ... You always made me feel part of here, of the family, always taking care of everyone, taking care of me, worrying about me ... I think what I'm trying to say is that… " she continued, running herself over with her own words.
"Miss Diana " Alfred interrupted to the relief of the Amazon, holding tightly the union of hands and with bright, very open eyes.
"Diana." He repeated with a purpose that made her swallow nervously and look him straight in the eye. He never called her by just her name. "Nothing, I repeat, nothing else in the world would make me feel more honored than to be the one to deliver you to the altar." He ended, with an affection that melted the princess's heart.
"Really?" she asked smiling, making sure that those words had really come from the stoic butler.
"Really" he assured.
"Thank you Alfred!" Diana squealed with joy and wrapped him in a tight hug, which the old man returned with an awkward pat on her back but with a smile as big as the princess's. Sure, just because no one could see him.
"Now, my dear, you better go in the house and prepare for the League's meeting and I go back to work. We can talk about the details later on." He said, releasing her and returning to his usual indecipherable expression. Diana nodded with a huge smile, laughing internally and said goodbye with a sweet kiss on the cheek of the butler, who would never admit if someone asked, had made him blush.
Diana, now very happy for Alfred's response, almost trotted off the bench with excitement and finally let out the laugh she had been holding back.
They were so alike, she thought, Bruce and Alfred, so uncomfortable with showing their emotions. She couldn't help but laugh again when she remembered the old man's surprised expression and how his eyes flashed, quickly suppressing his feelings and returning to his usual expression. Men, she thought.
"You should give the poor man a break." Her favorite voice took her out of her thoughts. Looking up, she was greeted by a handsome Bruce in office clothes, smiling.
"It's not the end of the world to show a little emotion" she replied laughing, walking to him.
"No, I suppose it's not." He said approaching her too and wrapping his arms around her, he drew her towards him a little too rough. Diana sighed contentedly as she felt his breath tickling her neck. She had missed him today.
"I take it for your smile that everything went well?" Bruce asked, pulling away enough to look into her eyes. Diana nodded quickly with a huge smile.
"He is going to deliver me to the altar."
"Good." He answered and without wasting a second kissed her intensely.
"Why, Mr. Wayne, if I didn't know you better, I'd think you are trying to seduce me" Diana flirted once the kiss was broken.
"What if I am?" He responded by affirming his grip on her hips.
"Then I would have to remind you that the monthly League meeting starts in 20 minutes." Diana couldn't help but laugh at the frustrated expression her fiancé gave off at the reminder.
"What League?" Bruce asked.
"Very funny αγάπη, but I can't afford to be late, the great, fearful Batman could scold me for that." She joked trying to get out of Bruce's arms.
"Hmm, maybe if I spoke to him he could allow us an extra 5 minutes ..." he suggested smiling enticingly.
"Tempting, but after so many speeches about the importance of punctuality that I have received from him I am not going to risk being late this time." She answered, finally escaping from the embrace of Bruce who with a laugh relented, and taking her by the hand, the two began to walk through the gallery towards the house.
"You do love being late, Princess" he teased her playfully.
"Perhaps."
"So… how did he take it? The old man? " He asked going back to the main the subject.
"Oh, you should have seen him, I almost made him cry this time." Diana said jokingly.
"I believe you, that man has a weakness for you." Bruce continued, shrugging.
"And I with him, honestly" she replied with a tender smile.
"Watch out, Princess, or you're going to make me jealous."
"Oh, hush, you know that when it comes to my soft spots you are my biggest." Diana replied, pushing him gently with her shoulder. By then the two of them were stepping past the grandfather clock and heading down the stairs to the cave.
"Diana…" Bruce stopped her before she could enter the changing room to put on her armor. She looked at him expectantly. "I'm sorry I couldn't be of great help with the wedding, it was my idea in the first place ..." he began, ready to make a speech about it, but was quickly interrupted with a chaste kiss.
"Shhh, I know αγάπη, don't apologize, I know." She assured him quickly, her eyes intense, and with a last kiss went to change. Bruce couldn't love her more for that. She understood, she always did.
From the dressing room she shouted "Actually, it's not as bad as I thought, I'm having fun, I spend more time with the girls and Alfred eating desserts and drinking champagne, I really can't complain, can I?" When leaving the room she found Bruce fully armed in his suit and a smile that said he did not believe a word that had come out from her mouth. She rolled her eyes.
"Fine, it's pure torture, but the dessert part is real" she laughed as the two of them got into position to be transported to the Watchtower.
"Sure it is, Princess." Bruce replied and with a short voice command the two disappeared from the cave with a strong bright light.
Tell me if you liked it, I'll be reading you, stay healthy!