The Young Master Wayne...

[Spanked Doom]

Alfred walked through the manner to see if he had missed any of today's preparations. The young masters 9th birthday was today. Alfred sighed a'loud and hoped, past what he knew was within reason, that the young master would allow his spirits to be lifted by today's plans. It had been the better part of six months, but as it neared Christmas Time, the young master could only think of his parents. His first birthday, his first Thanksgiving, his first Christmas alone, save for Alfred. And he was nine today. Alfred knew and understood why Bruce lashed out constantly. Every discipline was followed by the comfort that the boy was seeking. He hoped, though.

He came to the door of the young master's bedroom and knocked on the door. "Awake, young master?"

[Feyd_Rautha]

Bruce groaned when he heard Alfred knocking. Didn't he know what day it was? The older man should know by now that all he wanted was to be left alone. Well, at least that's what he told himself. He didn't need anyone else's company, not today. It was his birthday, he should be allowed to be miserable. And Alfred wasn't even going to let him sleep in.

"No!" Bruce called out sleepily, rolling over on his side so his back was to the door. "Come back tomorrow."

[Spanked Doom]

(Sorry I got caught up. I'm back.)

"Wellllll," Alfred said, mock dismay in his voice. "Mayhaps I should go throw breakfast out. I did make pancakes with strawberries, but I guess I'll have to dispose of them myself..."
He began to walk slowly away from the door, allowing his foot falls to fall intentionally heavy.

[Feyd_Rautha]

"Wait!" Bruce called out and he quickly sat up. "No, you don't have to throw it away. I guess I could make myself eat, since you did make them just for me..." He threw his blankets back and got to his feet to go and open the door. "I want to eat in my room, though."

[Spanked Doom]

"Oh, come now, young master, certainly a day this... lovely," he said looking out the window at the mounting snow from an early frost, "should not be spent shut in. Now, to breakfast?" He hoped that the boy would come with, rather than insisting. He did not expect, however.

[Feyd_Rautha]

Bruce gave an exasperated sigh, not one you'd expect to hear from a boy his age. "I already told you, Alfred, I want to eat in my room. So bring it here, I'll be waiting." He turned to go back to his bed. When he was younger, he might have been eager to go outside, but now... It wouldn't be the same, playing in the snow by himself.

[Spanked Doom]

Alfred came into the room then and sat on the chair next to Bruce's bed. "Do you care to talk about it?"

[Feyd_Rautha]

"No, I don't." Bruce sat on the bed with his knees pulled up and tucked under his chin, his arms hugging his legs loosely. "You already know what's wrong, Alfred."

[Spanked Doom]

Alfred sighed. It was hard to argue with a child who was technically right but missing the point. He took a hold of Bruce's hands then. "Once upon a time, I was young, and stupid enough to join the British army. Stupid enough after my terms of service to be a mercenary. One thing I learned is that it is never easy to carry on when people die... No, it would be unfair of me to say that this is such a moment; your parents nor you ever asked to live in a war zone, so I won't say that you need to just stand up and move on, but I do remember something your father asked once. Why do we fall?"

[Feyd_Rautha]

Bruce glanced at him. Alfred may have lost his friends, but he never lost his parents... At least, not that he knew of. Especially not the way that Bruce had. It didn't seem the same at all. "What was the answer?"