#small price to pay for steph and duke

[thatstheproblemwithnapkinman]

the official uk dc instagram account, a robin truther when the rest of dc forgets half of them exist

[rboooks]

Alfred's Boy: Part 2

Bruce felt his blood pressure rise as Damian shoved another pair of swimming trucks into his cart. His youngest insisted that he needed something flattering, as his previous outfit was "functional but not attractive to the youth of today."

Damian had never cared that he wasn't up to the trends, but that was before Danny moved into the manor. Now he had to wait hours for Damian to find a satisfying outfit, knowing darn well its only because Danny mentioned he was interested in taking a dip in the inner pool.

The boy, technically being staff, felt it was essential to ask permission before taking a swim. Bruce had spent years telling Alfred he had free range over the manor, only to always have the man ask before doing anything. He hopes Danny won't develop the same habit.

He wanted the young man to feel at home with them.

His younger children- who honest to God forgot they even had a pool- had all scrambled to go swimming with Danny. Tim had practically thrown himself over the table to change from his WE suit into his swimming wear, Duke use his grappling hook to zoom up the stairs and Steph begged Cass to lend her a bikini.

Damian remained seated, despairing that his old swimming shorts had been bought by Dick the year previous. Dick had gotten him green shorts with little cats and dogs. Damian- who refused to even go near public pools- wore them to the family pool with no desire to purchase new ones since he saw no point in it.

And now he was paying the price for keeping childish wear. Personally, Bruce thought they were adorable and perfect for his fourteen-year-old son, but being two years younger than Danny gave him a terrible disadvantage, and Damian could not afford falling futher behind.

He just sat there, staring longingly at the retreating back of Alfred's assistant after telling him he had nothing to wear. Danny had told them he could join the rest another time before scurrying away to finish his cleaning of the right wing.

What else could Bruce do besides offering to take him to the nearest outlet mall and get him something nicer?

"Damian are you almost-"

"I am ready, father. Make haste to purchase our wears. Daniel must be finishing his duties, and I wish to get back." His son announced, yanking the cart out of Bruce's hand and practically running to the cashiers.

Bruce sighed.

It's not that he minded his son's crush on a boy or that it was Danny. It just felt like he shouldn't be encouraging his children to try and romance someone going through a lot.

Alfred had forbidden anyone from looking into Danny's background, and he had respected the request. There was a lot Bruce and Batman were willing to do but defying a direct order from Alfred was not one of them.

(Honesty, if Alfred ever turned evil, Bruce's contingency plan for him was simple: Die.)

Danny took his assistant butler job very seriously. Often wearing a neat and pressed suit, finishing his work in record time, well mannered and very intelligent but kept a distance from the family. Alfred also had a small wall of professionalism but he would crack a joke and be in their presence like a grandfather.

Danny only spoke when spoken to, tried to refrain from being notice and basically kept the reminder that while he liked them all he was always going to be a employee first and foremost.

Maybe it was due to his parents? Danny probably couldn't relax until he felt safe once more. Not for the first time, Bruce wondered what type of monsters the Fentons had to be to make a boy capable of discovering the Batcave without so much of a blink, flatter.

"Father!" Damian called impatiently, tapping his foot before the nervous-looking teen who what been attempting to ring him up.

The Wayne's made everyone nervous.

"Yes. Yes. Here put It on my card-" Damian snatched it out of his hand before Bruce even took it out completely from his wallet.

Suddenly his phone rings. Seeing that Damian could handle punching in the Pin, he accepted the call, not bothering to check the screen.

All his children have personalized ringtones, so only one person would cause Gun and Ships from the Hamilton musical to blare from his phone.

"Jason-"

"Bruce!" Jason yells in a wheezing voice "Tim almost drowned!"

What.

"Is he alright!?"

"He's fine!" Jason assures, voice breaking to manic cackling. "He's just really embarrassed. He forgot about the bruise on his back, so when he tried to do cannonballs with Danny, he cramped up. Danny had to help him out of the pool and then lectured him about jumping in the deep end because of peer pressure. He thinks Tim can't swim, Bruce!"

Bruce felt a headache building behind his eyes. "Jason-"

"Wait, wait, there's more! Do you know how Steph never wears bikinis because she is uncomfortable? Danny clocked that as soon as she walked in and offered her the old t-shirt he was wearing. Took it off right then and there, and do you know what Steph did!? She walked into a wall! A wall Bruce!"

"Jason-"

"Duke hasn't stopped staring at Danny. I think his brain is in a permanent blue screen. I'm actually thinking he's-"

"Jason!" Bruce cut in which finally seemed to get his second oldest attention. Don't get him wrong, he was thrilled that Jason was spending so much time around the manor but the constant updates on his children tripping over themselves for Danny was not well for his heart. "I think you need to make sure your siblings give Danny some space. The poor chum might not be comfortable-"

"I'm not helping you stop Danny from finding true love, old man"

Bruce rolled his eyes as his son hung up. He can't wait for school to start up again. Danny will be homeschooled by his own request and Alfred's agreement but at least most of his kids will not be around him as often.

His phone started playing Sk8er Boy and he considered not answering. He really did but honestly his son probably needed him.

With a sigh he presses the accept call button "Tim-"

"He thinks I can't swim Bruce! He banned me from the pool!" Tim sobs and Bruce sees Damian perk up, happy Danny had put distance between one of his suitors ans himself.

Was it too late to ask Alfred if he was sure his contact Clockwork had no where else to foster Danny?

Being Batman on the night all his rouges broke out was easier then this.

( Part 1) (part 3)

[wasalwaysagreatpickle]

Sunday 18 February 1827

6 3/4

12 5/60

My bowels pretty well – I seem to have got over my bilious attack – Colder than ever this morning – finished dressing – done at 8 1/2 – then got my clothes ready for the wash, and write the washing bills ready to put the numbers and prices tonight – which took me 1/2 hour – then did last week’s summary and at my accounts (calculating 1 thing or other) till 11 20/60 – then breakfast – 

I think I can pay all but my private expenses for two hundred franks a week? – 

In my weekly housekeeping account has never been so little as last week – and it might have been 7/. less well enough – nothing like these weekly summaries, and constantly looking over one’s account – wrote the last 4 lines, and went in to read prayers at 11 35/60 - read the prayers and sermon 12 bp. [Sandford] – and came back to my room at 12 40/60 – 

Read over my letters written yesterday to Mr and Mrs D- [Duffin] mention my aunt’s being marvellously recovered [nobody] as happy is she ever was in her life, and as Dr Tupper observed, may live these dozen years, but cannot bear travelling. I see no prospect of her bearing to return [more] present end of our remaining here’; yet if she continues as well as is now, I can leave her quite well for a few weeks per summer, and shall try the D- [Duffin’s] hospitality – count upon being in England if not next summer, next summer 12 month – in the meantime ‘I much wish Mr Jonathan Gray to send me his account’ – of course he will take care of the probate copy of my uncles will – got the rough draft of my own signed and witnessed at Lawton – 

Our apartment ‘a little too high up’ but ‘the picture of comfort’ when we got into it – we should have preferred a 2nd – it is the floor generally preferred – people think nothing of 60 steps – mention the situation and its [malice] – say I have ordered 25 dozen excellent Burgundy ‘of the best vintage there has been for long, 1822’ – ask the D- [Duffin’s] to come and help us off with it – and say I will try to give Mr D- [Duffin] some good claret, his favourite wine – have no spare room – nobody has here – but will get them lodged somewhere near – never minded the exports of war – ‘though our apartment is furnished for us, et cetera of one set or other have cost us a hundred pounds’ – ‘on comparing the prices with Mariana, she says, ‘I think all household goods are higher priced with you, than here - …. their linen would have cost you 1/2 what it has done in France’ – there is no saving in English – frequented foreign capitals, but by reducing establishments, and living abroad like little people, instead of although – like great ones’ – say I did not visit at all – 

Mention not having been quite well since my arrival – having ‘suffered from what I never suffered before, indigestion’ – seem better for my late bilious attack – ‘our wood and charcoal will cost us about £80 a year 4 constant fires’ … ‘How is Eliza Raine’ – will see Mr Marsh said to winters low the next time I go to England – Have anxiously expected hearing from Steph – have made all allowances – so well satisfied with the effect of his medicines, will now excuse him if he does not write at all – my rememberances to him and Mrs Henry Stephen Belcombe, the Bests, Mrs Anne and Miss Gage, the Yorkes and Cromptons – 

P.2 (to Mr D- [Duffin]) contains great part of the quotations from the pamphlet (vide p.111) observing ‘the above passage bear some striking an analogy to the corresponding sentiments expressed by our able minister; they are, therefore, so doubtedly interesting for the [pen] of a foreigner, and so curious as an illustration either of the borrowing of opinions, or of the sameness of opinions upon the momentous subject in great and original minds, that I made no apology for thus filling my paper …..there is plenty to talk of, I think of here, without war – these are altogether eventful times – that one line, ‘fera triompher la raison universelle ….. will make me reason universally triumph over all superstitions politcial and religious’, contains the secret of our national incompatibility with all the [apostolics] of our day – Here may be the soil, and here the seed ahead sown, of future discord; but I think the time of harvest is not come as yet; and a few more summers may have passed us by, ere that ‘war of opinion’ commence, whose end no human foresight can foresee – surely it is impossible for an Englishman to live here, and not reflect, - and to reflect without being thankful that he is what he is, a subject of the happiest, and perhaps the best, and most perfect government that was ever yet vouchsafed to man – our croakers may croak as they please – send them to this next happiest country to our own, and let them bear with their ears, and see with their eyes, and understand with their understandings if they have any, and surely, they will return home, and be satisfied. I mean not to complain of France; it is a good an pleasant land; I am resident and comfortable here; but take it all in all, there is no place like England’ - …… ‘but the climate is delightful; one is happy by the mere influence of the air; and, as I sauntered the other morning before breakfast in the Bois de Boulogne, I could not help saying to myself, we have no air like this in England’ – ask him to wafer his next letter – 

Wrote the last 21 lines of the last p. and so far of this which took me till 1 50/60 – from 2 to 5 1/2 read over Mrs James Dalton’s last letter; and wrote her 3pp; small and close and the ends and under the seal – mention our apartment as ‘all we wanted; but we [soar] for it; and you certainly would have no occasion to say, ‘Friend go up higher’ – ask if she is ‘turned radical reformer, and determined to abolish all places whatsoever’ that she will not let me remain ‘purveyor general of jujubes’ – beg to ‘keep my appointment for life’ – ‘my memory towards my friends is better than many of them seem to imagine – so think continental air bad for it; so think it cannot live without letter writing; - so think one thing some another – I recognised Marianne’s handwriting in the direction of your letter – she never sends her love to me – give mine to her, and tell her, ‘caelum non animum mutant qui trans mare currunt’ – hope to see them at the Rectory one of these days – fancy Isabella not well – uneasy about her ‘should I be able to cross the water for 2 or 3 weeks next summer, perhaps she will return with me’ – 

‘I have not been quite well since our arrival here (in Paris), and am still listless and lethargic’ – do not visit at all – have not been once to the theatres this winter – do not like to leave my aunt in an evening – ‘I have not yet made an attempt to get into any literary society’ not therefore seen Mr Bankes – should I meet with him will think of Mrs James D- [Dalton] should like to know him – 5000 English here, instead of the 1500 last winter – the [comte/count] de Montlosiers works have produced a strong sensation – the duch d’angoulême said to have gone on her knees to prevail upon the King not to dismiss the 3 members of the academy – the duke d’angoulême said to have prevailed the dissolution of the whole academy and the creation of new peers among the [groups] being against cramming the press low down the peoples [thoughts] whether they will or not – 

Mention the excess cold – Diligence horses covered with a sheet of icicles – ‘I was particularly struck by this the other day’ (last time but I went to Madame Irlande) ‘having never before seen 5 dark bay horses so completely metamorphosised into as many white [bears]’ –

Distress here among the lower classes – no trade, and bankrupts every day – Mrs L- [Lawton’s] remark on the dearness of our linen good [brief] and [neat] at 6 1/2 pence a lb and veal at 9 pence – with this exception, we found all eatables [dearer] than in our [dear] [past] part of Yorkshire, at home – House rent enormous – our wood and charcoal will cost us about or upwards of £80 a year for only 4 constant fires during the winter, and bedroom fires very occasionally – Live from hand to mouth - …. ‘no spare rooms – no store – rooms – one markets every day – They have a proverb here ‘(Madame Sené told it me just before we came here), ‘Les provisions ruinent ‘les maisons’ – True, if, as they say, all French servants are thieves – But the climate is delightful – we have everything in the world we want – we have made ourselves at home, and are really very comfortable – I wish you could come, and see…..Believe me, my regard for old friends cannot die away; and absence will be the last enemy that prevails against it – my heart is in its old place, and will not budge for time and distance – Trust me, I am no forgetter of my friends and am, and always shall be very truly and affectionately yours A L – [Anne Lister]’ 

From 5 1/2 to dinner danced about a little – washed my hands – sat musing – Dinner at 6 5/60 – in the drawing room at 8 – slept – came to my room at 9 40/60 – 1/2 hour over the washing bills – then wrote the last 22 1/2 lines of the last page and so far of this which took till 10 50/60 – very fine day – hard frost –

Sat ten minutes on the pot and had a little motion – 

I think the raisenet de Bourgogne does my bowels good –

Very hard frost, coldest morning. 

Fahrenheit 13˚ at 7 a.m. 15 at 8 a.m.  27 at 12 3/4 p.m. 26 at 6 p.m. 25 at 10 p.m.