milliways_bar | (no subject)

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There is an Alfred sat at the bar.

He's enjoying a full English breakfast.

[OOC: Hey, I'm back! Here, have a post-canon Alfred]

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"I'm in construction - houses, mostly, in the Chicago area - and a father of seven. So I keep pretty busy."

Alfred's eyebrows raise at seven children. "I was kept plenty busy with just the one to raise."

His fingers, of course, are bare of any rings, or marks that suggest he has ever worn one.

They are, and Michael notices without being obvious about it, but there could be more than one reason for that. (He might be long widowed, or divorced, or just have adopted his one child, and Michael won't make assumptions as to which or why.)

"Luckily the older ones help keep the little ones occupied. There's always a lot of noise, but I don't mind that. It makes the house feel like a home."

Adoption is the closest to the truth, after Thomas and Martha died.

"I suppose the age spread is important, with that many. The manor got rather quiet, after..."

Alfred trails off, before shaking his head. It wasn't a particularly good time, that.

Michael doesn't and won't push him to talk about painful subjects, so he tries for another one.

"A manor? Sounds like a big place for your one to explore."

"Yes, we closed half of it off after Thomas and Martha died, just kept ourselves to one wing. We opened it back up when Bruce came home after his, ah, wanderings."

Then closed it again when Bruce withdrew from public life, but there's no need to mention that.

"That was when he'd just grown up?" Michael guesses. "Wanted to get out and see the world?"

"Yes, a long time ago now."

"It can be hard letting them go. Especially when you see them struggling - the same way almost everyone struggles, at first, but they're yours. My oldest is 25, so it's not long since she went through it."

(Well, Molly's difficulties were a bit more than the usual, but no need to mention that).

So were Bruce's. Not many people nearly get themselves declared presumed dead at ~25.

"Bruce was always sure of his own mind, even when it told him to do something idiotic." Alfred shakes his head fondly.

Michael chuckles.

"Kids - 19, 20, 21 - always think they know best and they can deal with anything. But it sounds like he made it through in one piece?"

Alfred sighs. "In the end. He's 40 now. Finally accepted that he's mortal."

"I think as a parent, all you can do is hope that isn't too hard a lesson for them, and be there to help as and when they need you."

"I was only ever his guardian, legally, but I think that's true, even so."

"Eh, legally. You know what you are to each other, and so does he, whatever the law says."

"True enough. Hmm, I'd ask what brings you here to day, but I suppose the answer is just chance, and the vagaries of the door. Unless it's not?"

"Mostly that, but I usually welcome the chance when it shows itself - for the people you can meet here, that aren't in 21st century Chicago."

"The people are the most interesting part of Milliways, I'll agree with you there."

And that's saying something, considering this is a magic bar in an imprecisely defined space.

Michael nods in firm agreement.

"Some people would probably be happy exploring the grounds all alone, but I prefer good company."

Alfred nods his agreement with that.

[ooc: I'm running out of ideas for where this would go, time to look to wrap?]

[ooc: looks a nice fade there?]

[ooc: Looks good to me, thanks for the thread!]

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