It was another one of those days.

One of those days where neither occupants of the manor were speaking to each other. This round of the quiet game's origins started that very afternoon.

Alfred was sitting behind the wheel of Bruce's many Bentley Motors. Right outside of Gotham Academy. He had arrived 30 minutes prior; parked in the usual spot, the first car in the pick up line. It was customary for him himself to pick up Master Dick. Of course there were those rare occasions wherein Dick would either walk back to the manor or get kidnapped. Personally he preferred former to latter. And then there were those moments when Master Bruce would accompany him to the academy.

However this family reunion would only occur when Master Dick was misbehaving. This occurred one too many times for both men's tastes. Who knew such a small boy of 13 could cause the great Batman, the man who could literally make grown men wet their trousers, so much tribulation?

Alfred himself was just waiting for the school bell the ring at exactly 2:45.

RIIINGGG

And there it was. The butler found himself putting a bookmark in chapter 20 of The Fault in Our Stars and exiting the car to the back passenger door. Master Dick was a little late today. He usually came bounding out of the prestigious doors and to quote him "dying to get home".

It was almost 3:00. Alfred internally started to worry. Kidnappings were so common nowadays. Especially as the boy was the chink in Master Bruce's armor.

3:01

3:05

3:10

Alfred pulled out his WaT phone 5. (Dick was trying to "Modernize" him.) Most of the other cars had left and there were only a handful of students waiting to be picked up. About a minute later the doors opened but to the man's disappointment it twas not the young master. Instead it was a bunch of burly juniors, looking all too pleased with themselves. 2 minutes later the boy still had not appeared. He was about to call Master Dick's phone but then the bird came out of the doors towards him. The acrobat was walking rather slowly, his face had a little dried blood on his cheek, and the collar of his uniform was ripped. Nothing could escape Alfred's eyes. Alfred put his phone back into his pocket as Master Dick neared the car. "Good afternoon Master Dick" as he opened the car's door. Dick got in silently and quite downcast. Alfred shut the door and got back behind the wheel.

As they drove back home, he could see from the rear view mirror the boy still kept his gaze on the floor. No doubt in great fervor. This was the time where the boy would talk to Alfred nonstop until they arrived at the manor. The silence was quite unnerving but he expected that the boy's mentor would get to the bottom of it. It was part of their agreement for Master Bruce himself to care for the boy. They reached the manor and the young master got out of the car and walked quickly inside. Alfred grabbed his book and made for the manor. He was fairly certain as to what was going to happen in chapter 21.

Walking past the dinning room to the kitchen he found an untouched plate of cookies. This in itself was strange; seeing as how most people would rather feast upon his cookies than have dinner with the president. Not to boast or anything. Yet Master Dick particularly enjoyed his cookies.

It was about 5 o'clock before the silence of the manor was interrupted. Master Dick came down from the second floor. He appeared slightly happier than before, sitting down to eat the plate of previously abandoned plate of biscuits. The boy always came to the table to await Master Bruce when he arrived home from work. It was very sentimental at first but now, Alfred suspected, it was now out of habit; seeing as how the two had a row with each other almost every week.

Master Dick's patience was rewarded. Master Bruce arrived half an hour later. "Thank you Alfred" As he took the former's coat. The older man nodded and walked into the kitchen to prepare dinner tonight's meal would be a Gourmet Octopus. Yes an Octopus, it looked rather tasty in his cook book the previous week. And now he had acquired the means to make it.

Almost 15 minutes later he heard raised voices as he put the octopus to simmer. Each continually getting louder and choicer words were now incorporated into the argument. (He'd have to get both of them to wash their mouths later)

A few minutes later the cease fire had been given and he heard 2 doors slam. 'Oh dear' He quickly finished his dinner. (It was indeed delicious) and sped walked to Master Bruce's Study. (Bruce being his main charge came first) Quietly opening the door he peered inside. What his former charge was doing didn't surprise him. Out of all the things the two boys did after an argument was either brood or exercise. Master Bruce had chosen to brood; sitting at his desk going through the company's latest stocks. "Master Bruce dinner is ready". He received a 'later'. Alfred closed the door and walked through the manor and up the stairs.

Master Dick had chosen his room, Alfred peeked through the crack. Master Dick was on his phone watching a video. "Master Dick dinner is ready" "Alright Alfred" He closed that door too and went back to the dining room to set the table. He suspected however it would be in vain seeing as how neither one of the occupants seemed to ignore the need to eat/ refused to be in each other's presence.

After another 10 minutes of silence, the occupants of the house were stubbornly staying where they were. Alfred sighed and picked up his book and walked to one of the manor's living rooms. There in opening the book to chapter 20 and 21.

What the older man had suspected came true; a truly humbling experience indeed. It had taught him that every moment shouldn't be wasted, because who knows when that person's time is over. The idea was especially applicable to Batman and Robin/ Master Bruce and Master Dick. Everything they did could end their lives in one fail swoop. The old man knew that both didn't fear death but both had regrets. Something had to be done. These small moments are equally important as the big ones. Alfred, being adequately familiar with the manor, and its new locking technology quickly formed a plan.

'Sorry no internet access. Please contact your administrator' Dick sighed, of all the times to have the internet fail. It had to be today. The words 'Gypsy Boy', 'Circus Brat' and countless others floated through his mind. Yet those exact words had come from Joshua Higgens, how had such an intellectually addled person made it to his junior year would forever boggle the minds of the hard working. The guy though did come from a pretty wealthy family.

Dick personally thought some green had exchanged hands. The bully and his friends were a bunch of juniors determined to vent their anger on him.

It was as if all the bullies took turns, Zack Gregory and his gang on Monday, David McBain on Tuesday and Joshua Higgens today right after school.

And Bruce told him every time to just 'take the hit'. They couldn't risk exposing their identities. Although Dick had come up with some fail proof lies so he could hit back. But every time Bruce said "NO".

As a matter of fact that had been today's argument. After Bruce had returned home from the company skyscraper they 'disagreed' had a stare down and then they both got up and left, Bruce for the East wing and Dick for the West. One of the ways he cooled down was to watch something comedic or train. Feeling like being lazy he pulled out his phone laid down on his bed and pulled up Youtube. Searching; Kid Flash News Fails. Wally always cheered him up to some extent; and now after 45 minutes of fails, and still grumpy the WiFi goes out.

Dick sighed and got up to the family room where the router was hidden. Alfred must have accidentally hit the antenna or something.

Making his way through the halls and through to one of the many family rooms. He pushed open the door to his surprise he found Bruce there still in his business suit, looking rather annoyed at Alfred who to his surprise holding the internet router's plug in his hand.

He watched as Alfred dropped the plug and walked over to a hidden panel by the door. He pressed a blue button.

"Computer, Manor Lock Down, Jarvis-delta-4"

Realization crossed both of the occupants. That pass code was the ultimate lock down no one could release the lock, not even hacking. It was a failsafe just incase someone inside the manor had gone rouge and they had both agreed that Alfred would be the password holder.

Mental doors clanged around the room, covering the windows and doors. The emergency lighting flickered on.

Bruce looked pretty irritated and honestly I probably do too.

Alfred walked over to the sofas indicating for the 2 to sit down. They hesitated looked at each, hastily looked at the floor and then towards the chairs. It twas plausible to say that they were both and to quote Master Dick "Not feeling the aster".

After a minute they both sat down on the silk lined sofas, across from each other.

"Masters, I believe that now is the time to speak"

Both Master Bruce and Dock were giving the older man Bat glares.

'Still mad'

But Alfred was use to it. Whenever anytime they required medical attention Alfred was the one who had to quite literally force the into a chair to patch them up. And if Master Bruce was being honest, Alfred invented it first.

The Billionaire and his ward no son shifted uncomfortably. After more silence Dick finally spoke

"This is so not going to be asterous"

Nothing belongs to Me!

If you liked this story and want me to continue this one shot, leave a comment orr vote on a poll on my profile. :)

Alright this was inspired by a quote that I found and thought it was something Alfred would do it says "If you want to call a family meeting, just turn off the WiFI router and wait in the room in which it is located". LOL

So that's the inspiration. XD

Also the WaT phone 5 is a Wayne Tech Phone version 5 except it's called the WaT Phone 5. And for all those who don't remember what's in chapter 21 of The Fault in Our Stars, it's the saddest chapter in like the entire book.

So funny thing I originally hadn't thought about putting that book into the story :P. I was looking up Alfred Pennyworth character analysis and it said Alfred reads modern books so I looked up some modern books and I found that one. And I had read the book (I didn't cry) and it just fit in so well!

LOL either way I love Alfred!

BB131762 Signing Off~