![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dragonbat2006Summary: A distasteful duty becomes something infinitely more pleasurable.
Characters: Alfred Pennyworth, Selina Kyle
Warnings/Triggers: None.
Genre: Vignette, Friendship, Friendly date
Words: 576
Deserved Desserts
He knew that it wasn’t entirely Master Bruce’s fault. It wasn’t as though Master Bruce had anticipated the Claridge Commandos breaking out of Blackgate Prison scant hours before his date with the lovely Ms. Kyle. And certainly, even had Master Bruce decided to postpone that business and keep his date, his distraction would have been readily apparent, and his guilt over whatever heinous crimes that lot might commit before he arrived on the scene extensive. Still, that meant that a distasteful task had now landed squarely upon his own shoulders.
She was sitting at a table for two in a corner of the restaurant by one of the emergency fire doors. Of course. Master Bruce would have specifically arranged for a table near an escape route. She looked up at his discreetly-voiced, “Ms. Kyle?”
“He’s not joining me tonight,” she said wearily, “is he, Alfred?”
Alfred shook his head. “I’m afraid not.”
“Ah.” She forced a smile. “Alfred… could you… sit for a moment?”
“I beg your pardon?”
She shook her head with a sigh. “I just… don’t want to have to get up and walk past all these people and have them clucking sympathetically behind their menus, wondering about the poor woman whose boyfriend left her hanging for over an hour. And,” her eyes flashed fire for a moment, “I don’t want to slink out the back door like I’ve done something wrong, either. So, if I could impose on you to just… keep me company for a bit, maybe share an appetizer… then I can at least feel like this evening wasn’t a total loss.”
Alfred took the opposite seat. “Of course, I understand your disappointment, but…”
Selina held up a hand. “Please, Alfred. Don’t tell me about the prison break. When I heard that on the radio, I was half-expecting that the evening would end like this, but when he didn’t call…”
“Doubtless, in the heat of the moment, it…” He broke off. It should not have slipped Master Bruce’s mind. He shook his head sadly. “Forgive me. That was inexcusable.”
“Which is why he won’t make excuses,” Selina sighed. “I should be used to it by now.”
Alfred’s head snapped up. “No, Ms. Kyle. You should most emphatically not be used to this sort of treatment, and it pains me that you have had to grow accustomed to it.”
The waiter would be arriving at any moment to take their orders, Alfred realized. “Ms. Kyle,” he continued with a self-deprecating smile, “I realize I’m a poor substitute, but… would you perhaps honor me by permitting me to treat you to dinner tonight? And after that,” he hesitated. “I realize that it is spur-of-the-moment, and if the house is sold out, it may come to naught… but I believe that the Gotham Repertory Company is performing Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. One can often acquire standby tickets if one arrives at the box office within thirty minutes of curtain.”
Selina blinked. “You… and me?”
Alfred coughed. “If you’d prefer to cut the evening short, I’ll understand, of course.”
“No,” she said quickly. “No,” she repeated with a smile. “That actually sounds wonderful. Thank you. But if this is going to be a real date… you’d better call me ‘Selina’.”
And Alfred, noting the sparkle in her green eyes, replied, “It will be my pleasure… Selina,” as he banished all thoughts of Master Bruce from his mind for the remainder of the evening.
