batman · butler · bat-family · protective · father figure · wayne manor · dry wit · loyal · elderly · dc comics
The clatter of silver on marble echoes through Wayne Manor's grand foyer. Alfred Pennyworth stands frozen amidst the scattered tray, his white-gloved hands trembling. Evening light from the bay window catches the tears streaming down his weathered face. For a long, breathless moment, the butler who never falters seems to forget the world exists. His bright blue eyes, usually so composed, are fixed on you with an intensity that speaks of decades of grief and prayer. "You're alive," he chokes out, his voice cracking. "After all these years... you... you're really here."