I Moderate (i_moderate) wrote in we_archive, @ 2006-04-13 18:05:00 |
|
|||
Entry tags: | alfred pennyworth, barbara gordon, bruce wayne, dick grayson, helena wayne, jake chambers, maxine gibbons, terry mcginnis |
i_crusade Dinner [Open to Barbara, Jake, Max, Terry, Dick, Helena, and 1 guest each]
They walked the grounds at sunset.
Every so often, Bruce glanced to the side. Alfred always looked ahead, chin high, face impassive. The invitations had already been sent: You and a guest are cordially invited to Wayne Manor for a family dinner at 8 o'clock on Friday the 14th of April, 2006. Casual attire only. RSVP.
"You should have told me when you knew."
They'd already been over this. The fact that Bruce pressed the point again - a wholly unnecessary act - only demonstrated his irritation. There was nothing to be gained for it.
"My apologies, Master Bruce."
It was problemmatic for one such as Bruce to find himself in a place where he did not know every detail that went on under his roof. He was used to knowing everything; he depended on it. Apparently, however, Alfred had known about the additional guests living in Wayne Manor, and had chosen to keep it a secret. In further conversation, Bruce discovered that they'd been living there even longer than Bruce himself was aware. And they believed that Bruce had been there much longer than when he woke up in his bedroom, some weeks before.
He was also angry with himself, for not realizing that there had been other people in the house. He had certainly had enough time to figure it out on his own. The amount of time that it took him was unacceptable. Never mind that his guests had tried laying low; it was his home. He should have been aware. Bad things happened when he wasn't aware of everything around him. People got hurt. People died.
They reached the edge of his gardens, then turned in unison and began the walk back to the manor.
"They should start arriving in about an hour."
"Yes, Master Bruce."
"Except for those already here."
"Yes, Master Bruce."
"Mm."
When they climbed the steps to the manor, Bruce paused and looked over to Alfred again. He turned, met his surrogate son's gaze with that quiet one of his own, and watched as Bruce shook his head.
"I am... I apologize. You did what you thought was best. Perhaps, in my current mindset, it was for the best after all."
"Thank you for your understanding, Master Bruce."
When they entered the manor, Alfred turned to the right. Bruce turned to the left. Both had preparations to make before their guests arrived. As Bruce went upstairs, Alfred watched with a half-smile from the entrance to the living room. They'd both suffered unawares from the meddling of Dream, but things were getting back on track.
A little over an hour later, the doorbell chimed. Alfred answered it promptly.
From: [info]i_throwplates Date: 04/14/2006 09:51:31
Jake was wearing his school uniform, sans jacket. It was the nicest thing he had, being the only thing he had not threadbare or hide. The shoes weren't yet broken in, and they hurt his feet a bit, but that was easy enough to ignore. Either they'd get him through the night, or he'd kick them off someplace. Maybe under the table.
The name 'Wayne' was ringing familiar. Something about Bruce Wayne. He felt like he'd heard the name before. However, rather than spend too much time wondering about it, Jake dismissed it and decided ultimately, that ka would decide. His head was much too occupied to dwell on it.
Currently, the other Jake in his mind was hiding the way station, keeping his distance from the man in black. The man that this Jake knew to be Walter O' Dim, also a creature that called itself Flagg. But the Jake of the Way Station didn't know this, and Jake had no way of telling himself. Not like he was listening to himself anyway.
Died.
Didn't.
Did.
Didn't!
Did!
Oy barked at his heels. Jake bent immediately and picked up the bumbler. The voices eased back on the growing violence between them. They didn't fade completely, as they had when Jake had been in possession of the key, but it was enough for now. He just hoped that Oy would be a welcome guest for dinner. Otherwise, this 'Wayne' could take his invitation and shove it up his ass. Sideways.
Oy was clean as well, having submitted to a bath. Surprisingly, the bumbler had seemed to enjoy the water. He wasn't sure yet how Barbara felt about the creature - they hadn't had much time to discuss it - but he was little concerned by it. Oy was his friend, his family, his ka-tet. He needed Oy.
He was just putting the bumbler back on the ground, and brushing the fur from his shirt, when the door opened and an old man in a sharp black suit answered. The man's posture screamed 'BUTLER'. Jake knew his name was Alfred. How he got the knowledge didn't matter. He gave the man a smile and held up his invitation. "Jake Chambers of New York, and Oy of Mid-World for dinner."
"Ake! Oy!" The billy-bumbler wagged his tail.
From: [info]i_seeall Date: 04/14/2006 11:37:48
Babs was impressed. Even facing insanity, Jake was still as polite as she'd usually found him to be. That he wasn't letting any of his inner turmoil seep through was comendable. Her hand on the small of his back wasn't even necessary it seemed.
She smiled up at Alfred, winking at him and letting Jake finish his introduction before she spoke. It was somewhat adorable.
She wasn't completely warmed up to the presence of Oy yet, but Babs figured any additional comfort that the boy could have now would be good, and as long as he was house trained it would be fine. The creature could probably entertain Ace for the night if he got too restless and needed a friend.
"Jake's living with me for the time being, as I mentioned before," Babs said once Jake had finished. She peered around Alfred into the house foyer. "Are the others here?"
From: [info]i_crusade Date: 04/14/2006 11:49:40
If he was surprised at the choice of guests by Jake Chambers, Alfred gave no sign of it.
"Welcome, Master Jake and Oy. Hello, Ms. Barbara. Please..."
Alfred gently accepted the invitation card, then stepped away from the door to allow the trio to enter.
"Not everyone has arrived yet, Ms. Barbara. If I may bring you some tea? Master Jake, would you and Oy care for something?"
He led them into the living room.
From: [info]i_throwplates Date: 04/14/2006 12:42:10
'Oy, if you need to pass water, it goes outside.'
The bumbler blinked up at him, with gold-rimmed irises. "Ake!" It was as good a confirmation as Jake could have expected.
Strange how losing his mind seemed to strengthen the ability he had in thought. Jake wondered if the rose was in this City. That would be a wonder.
The butler was talking. Jake moved into the house, Oy at his heels. "Just some water, please. And in a bowl for Oy?"
Water. Some time back, Jake had enjoyed soda. Nozz-a-la. Somewhere outside Topeka. But he was more familiar with water by now. There had been the heavy graf from the Calla, and then iced tea. But water was the universal response. Everyone had water. It was safe.
From: [info]i_seeall Date: 04/14/2006 15:01:58
"Tea's nice Alfred, thanks," Babs said smiling. She gestured towards a seat for Jake where Oy could stay at his feet. Alfred would probably have coniptions, were Oy to jump up on the carefully kept furniture.
"Whenever you call Max down, it might be a good idea to have her bring Ace along," she added as an afterthought.
From: [info]i_crusade Date: 04/16/2006 16:23:06
"Very good, Master Jake, Ms. Barbara."
When Alfred left, he tended to two things: the refreshment of the Wayne guests to their exact specifications and the calling of those who were currently in residence to dinner. He passed Bruce on the way upstairs.
"Alfred, I heard the door."
"Yes, Master Bruce, three of your guests await you in the living room."
"Ah. Thank you, Alfred."
And down Bruce went, while up Alfred went.
From: [info]i_flybynight Date: 04/16/2006 16:58:06
Dick was somewhere behind Bruce, which had happened entirely by accident, and if he'd known about it, he would've changed it somehow. Maybe by leaping a banister or two, even if it meant bothering Alfred a bit. Well, actually, that amount of effort didn't seem worth it - this was just a dinner, after all.
He'd forgotten to bring flowers, possibly on purpose.
From: [info]i_crusade Date: 04/19/2006 07:40:57
The footfalls somewhere behind him were decisive and firm -- and then they hesitated a moment, a skip, a stutter in the stacatto. It was enough to tell him that Dick was behind him. And there was something troubling him. Hm.
For the moment, Bruce did not acknowledge it, but he made the note to speak with Dick about it in private after the dinner. He had wanted to talk to him alone for some time, now. At the entryway to the living room, he turned and glanced swiftly up towards the stairs. Yes. Dick. He nodded to him in greeting (his partner seemed much older than Bruce remembered - another City trick?), then stepped out of view.
When Bruce Wayne walked into the sitting room, he found his other guests sitting down waiting with their beverages. Barbara was smiling that gentle smile of hers, and she was smiling it at the boy and his creature across from her.
So this is Jake.
"Barbara. Welcome. And this must be Jake Chambers, whom I've heard so much about." Bruce walked over to the boy and held out his hand. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you. My name is Bruce."
From: [info]i_throwplates Date: 04/19/2006 08:04:47
Jake understood the moment he saw Bruce. This was a ka-tet, though they didn't know the word, and this man was their dinh. Tet of the Bat, he thought suddenly. And blinked. Where had that come from?
It didn't matter. Jake held out his own hand and shook the offered one, resisting the urge to bow. He had lived his like in New York for longer than he'd been in Roland's world. But the latter was more real, more fulfilling.
"Nice to meet you, sai... Mr. Wayne. Thank you for the invitation."
The billy bumbler looked up. Jake smiled and motioned to him. "And this is Oy."
Oy, who loved to show off, if only to get more affection from Ake, rose up on his back legs, stuck one of them forward, and actually bowed over it. His little black paws were held out with the palms up, the same way he'd bowed to the folken of Calla Bryn Sturgis. "Oy!" said the bumbler. "Eld! Thankee!" He held the bow just a hair longer, then dropped to all fours and scurried back to Jake's side.
From: [info]i_seeall Date: 04/19/2006 12:46:58
Babs was smiling at both Bruce and Dick who trailed in behind him. Her eyes lingered on him for a moment, passing on a grin just meant for him before she focused on Bruce and Jake.
Jake was again holding himself together very nicely and her mentor was behaving (though, there was no reason why he shouldn't have been). It all seemed to be working out nicely. "Oy showed up a few days ago," Babs tagged on, looking at the creature. "He--"
"Hey... Alfred called me down." Max walked into the room, cutting Babs off but throwing her a bright grin. Ace was following behind just as Babs had requested, but upon seeing Jake's pet he immediately left Max's side to go investigate.
She watched as Max greeted the others before throwing herself down into an armchair. Nothing off there, though Babs wondered briefly whether if tensions between the girl and Bruce had been settled. Not that she would be bringing that up tonight of all nights, but it was something to ponder.
She glanced at Dick again quickly, which allowed the smile to come back to her face full force.
From: [info]i_flybynight Date: 04/19/2006 19:39:36
Dick skirted around Bruce as he made his introductions, briefly contemplated scaling a piece of furniture and perching, if only to amuse (and annoy) Babs. If nothing else could be said for the Batfolk, they could each do a mean impression of a gargoyle.
But he'd behave. Acting up was just a way to try and distract from more serious things, and there'd come a point where he'd actually realized that and had started doing it consciously. Now wasn't the time to employ it.
Still, he could grin at Babs, and watch the dog and the... creature the kid had called Oy. Pets. Interesting.
From: [info]i_crusade Date: 04/19/2006 21:04:22
He shook Jake's hand properly, then stepped back and covered his surprise when the boy's pet bowed and then made a sound that fit remarkably into speech. It was clear that the boy had a deep attachment to the pet. It was also clear that the pet was more intelligent than a normal everyday pet. The eyes of the thing were shining with sentience.
"Hello Oy," he said directly to the creature, before reaching down and petting him tenatively. The animal ran back to its master after that, and perhaps that was right.
Another woman came into the room. And this must be Maxine Gibbons. Where is the boy from the future? Bruce looked around for the kid from the Batcave that Barbara had called 'Terry' but did not see him. With a frown, Bruce sat down, smiling to Barbara and Maxine's greetings. The looks that passed between Dick and Barbara did not go unnoticed, but he did not comment on it.
Instead, he began conversation - unimportant stuff - to stall a while longer as he waited for the others. He had hoped indeed that Helena Wayne would come. Disappointment was difficult, but not unbearable.
"Jake, that's quite an animal you have."
From: [info]i_throwplates Date: 04/19/2006 21:27:43
Jake beamed with pride for Oy, and gave the bumbler a brief scratch in the spot under the jaw that Oy liked the best. "Thankee, sai. He's a billy-bumbler."
There was a large dog approaching. Oy stared at it for a moment, then positioned himself in front of Jake, drawing back his lips, threateningly.
As far as the bumbler knew, Ake was Not Good. And Ake didn't have the metal and powder pipes he usually had. Which meant that Oy had to protect Ake. Even from this huge creature.
The dog was big, but it didn't look like it was going to hurt anyone. Jake knelt beside Oy, putting a hand on the bumbler's back. "It's okay, boy."
"Oy," replied Oy, his hackles lowering slightly, still eyeing the dog warily.
From: [info]i_assist Date: 04/20/2006 08:02:42
Max was watching Ace out of the corner of her eye. The dog had to know better than to go all crazy on company. Really, Bruce had trained him better than that. And she really didn't want to have to go try and grab him by the collar.
Ace seemed to examine Jake for a second before deciding that at least he wasn't a threat. The little creature in front of him, on the other hand, he wasn't sure of. Max watached as Ace backed up slightly when it spoke, apparently trying to judge the potential threat.
It took a moment but finally Ace licked Oy across the back and then proceeded to try and push his way towards Jake. Good. He was going to behave and be sociable. In his own way, at least.
Now Max could focus on the important things. Like when dinner was going to be served. She was hungry.
From: [info]i_crusade Date: 04/22/2006 17:34:57
He was stalling.
He was also taking stock of the people he knew he knew (he felt he knew) but couldn't remember knowing. Something struck wrong about Maxine - something off, there, and he didn't know what it was.... And there was something between himself and Dick that he couldn't place.
As he listened to the conversation, taking part in it frequently, he wondered just how long it would take for Helena and that other boy to show up. At 8 o'clock, he resolved, they would go on without them.
Fortunately, at 7:45, they didn't have to wait any longer... (cont below)
From: [info]i_huntvillains Date: 04/20/2006 20:37:22
On her way to her father's house, Helena had managed to get... sidetracked. Typical caped crusader stuff-a woman being mugged by a gang of thug-wannabes. But, as with all large cities, the police seemed to be completely incapable-or unwilling-to properly prevent such crimes.
And so, when she arrived to her father's house-45 minutes late-her hair had worked its way out of the sleek updo and was now hanging in loose waves that were anything but tidy, and she had to quickly wipe away a small smudge of grime from her cheek before catching her breath.
Barbara had already warned her that he didn't remember anything since arriving in the City. If she'd thought the first meeting was hard... well, she certainly hadn't imagined she'd be reliving it so soon, or, well ever.
And so she hesitated before reaching up to ring the doorbell, still feeling very awkward ringing a doorbell to a house that she remembered as home.
From: [info]i_amsofired Date: 04/21/2006 15:03:10
As she did so, a motorcycle pulled up the drive, headed for the garage. It was Terry - late again. He had been studying with a math tutor recently. Just studying with her. Really.
Terry waved at the young woman at the door - apparently another member of the rapidly growing family - and disappeared around the corner of the mansion.
From: [info]i_crusade Date: 04/21/2006 19:09:15
Alfred had been waiting.
As soon as he saw Helena heading up the driveway (and the motorcycle heading toward the garage), the butler casually gave Bruce the signal. A moment later, he entered the living room - where more than one of the guests looked very ready to eat - and declared, "Dinner is served."
And as Alfred headed toward the door to open it just before Helena knocked, Bruce ushered his guests into the dining room. The seating arrangements were a simple matter. Barbara sat at Master Bruce's left. Beside Barbara, Jake's place was set. At his feet, there was a little mat for Oy, complete with a doggie-bib and water dish. Maxine's place was beside Jake. To the right, Dick's place was set out. Beside Dick, Helena. Beside Helena, Terry. With this arrangement, Barbara and Dick faced each other, Jake and Helena faced each other, and Maxine and Terry faced each other.
It was not surprising to find that no one but the little boy had brought a guest. As dish by dish started filtering in on soundless feet, Alfred brought Helena in. He trusted that Master Terry knew his way around by now. Nevertheless, the butler decided to go check on the lad, just in case.
From: [info]i_amsofired Date: 04/22/2006 14:15:09
He didn't have to travel far. "Hi, Alfred," he greeted hastily, brushing past the butler to find his seat. Terry may have been the last to arrive, but he wasn't going to be the last at the table.
"Sorry I'm late," he said to Bruce as he settled into his chair. "I'll make it up by working late tonight, okay?"
From: [info]i_seeall Date: 04/22/2006 18:00:32
"You're not really that late, Terry, don't worry," Babs cut in, eying Bruce. Not that she really thought he'd make the boy work late on what was supposed to be a relaxed evening, but just in case. She was quite sure now that Terry and Maxine knew a much different Bruce from the one that sat here at the table, at least in some ways.