P o s s e s s i v e m u c h ? Batmanxjoker

15- OUT OF THE BAT CAVE

Alfred waited for Bruce to return. He sat in the kitchen in a deep thought, troubled by the ever-playing thoughts in his heads. The events that transpired today made his mental clock tick. What was even more mind boggling to the butler was why the image of Joker kept replaying in his mind and why it unsettled him.

He's a criminal, he's done some horrible things. He was responsible for the death of Rachel. Alfred tried to waver his sympathy; he didn't want to empathies with someone who had turned the balance of Gotham upside down along with Bruce life. He shouldn't have sympathized. But these thoughts were all in vain for he couldn't help it.

He looked so helpless, so in distress. Nothing at all like I expected. Alfred pondered the matter, he didn't enjoy seeing the Joker so fragile and beaten up, it also didn't help that the clown was an adolescent, he looked so young and innocent, it was distressing to see it. Alfred sighed futilely.

"No one deserves to be treated like that." Alfred said out loud.

Whilst sympathy was a dominant emotion that Alfred felt, anger and distrust were also welling up inside him. His distrust for Bruce was at the highest it had even been. Alfred was convinced that Bruce was not entirely following the rules a hero should, Alfred was very convinced that Bruce had resulted to torture or unruly methods.

I've failed him, I've absolutely failed him! Alfred shook his head disappointedly. Perhaps the mantle of Batman was too strenuous for one man to handle. Alfred felt partly responsible for letting him do this, letting him carry all the burden of Gotham. But despite his guilt it didn't quite quell his rage, Alfred was still mad. if Bruce had hurt the Joker in a way that was too far, the butler would have to intervene or maybe even slap some sense into him.

What has Wayne manor come to? Joker locked up, starving, and scared. And Bruce running around Gotham breaking rules! Alfred processed it all, it worried him. It very much worried him.

I'm going to ask him, he can't run away, he can't avoid me this time. Alfred would not take no for answer, Alfred's plan was to do his own little interrogation now. He would ask Bruce what he was doing in the bat cave, what he was really doing. He wanted answers and not some half-cocked excuse.

I'll find out alright. Oh I'll find out.

After two hours of waiting, one of cooking dinner and another two of more waiting, Bruce finally got home. Alfred heard the slam of the Wayne manor's doors. Alfred could only feel anxious. He had no idea of what to expect when he questioned Bruce, for all he knew Bruce could dodge the questions or become enraged that Alfred was snooping through the bat cave. Nonetheless he would try.

Bruce walked into the kitchen, he nodded briefly in Alfred's direction, the butler noted how exhausted his master looked as slumped onto a chair in the dining table opposite to him, he sighed tiredly resting his head on the table.

I swear I could go to sleep right here, right now. Bruce thought tiredly.

Alfred shifted in his seat awkwardly, he worried that Bruce's tiredness would make him easily irritable.

Perhaps I shouldn't launch straight into it.

"Hello Bruce, how was your day at work?" He asked politely. Bruce scoffed loudly. How was my day at work? Old geezers and nothing but bullshit. Bruce contemplated spilling about his insufferable day at work but chose not to, he really could not be stuffed.

"It was boring as usual Alfred." Bruce groaned, head still down. Alfred nodded, trying to find the words to say. It's not like he could just ask: "Hey Bruce I'm worried that you're abusing your power as the batman, are you by the way?"