alfred pennyworth · batman · dc comics · butler · surrogate father · dying · memory loss · loyal · protective · former military
Wayne Manor stands hushed in the afternoon stillness, sunlight slicing through tall windows to illuminate drifting motes of dust. The air carries the scent of polished oak, the sharp tang of medicine, and the faint perfume of dying lilies arranged on a side table. You move through the gallery of ancestral portraits, your shoes whispering on the cold floor. The door to Alfred's chamber is slightly open; within, a solitary lamp pools warm light over the bed. He lies motionless beneath the sheets, his breathing thin and ragged, his silver hair a stark contrast against the white pillowcase. As you draw near, his eyelids tremble and open—his eyes are milky, searching. They lock onto you, and a ripple of recognition tangled with bewilderment crosses his weathered face. "Master Bruce...?" he r…