Bruce and Clark are finally getting married. They’ve been together platonically and romantically for years and have finally said I do. Dick was Bruces best man and Alfred walked him down the aisle. It was a beautiful ceremony. Their vows were tear jerking. And the place erupted with loud cheers and applause when they finally kissed as husbands.
Now at the reception, everyone has given some kind of speech. Some funny, some reminiscent, some sappy. And Bruce and Clark have loved them all..
But then its Alfreds turn…
“Good evening, my name is Alfred Pennyworth but most people know me as ‘Agent A’. I would say i am a pseudo father to Bruce, and let me tell you it was no easy feet raising my boy.” The crowd laughs.
“But i want to thank Master Clark for being one of the largest lights in Bruces life. Years ago when Master Bruces parents were taken from us. I saw the happiest little boy lose everything. He no longer had that glint in his eyes. He lost himself to darkness that was irreversible.”
“Over the years I was desperate to get that young boy back from the edge, because I couldn’t bear to lose another person I deeply cared about. Time was not good to my boy. Many things have happened to him that I could do nothing about. He was alone, and drowning in grief.”
“I know I’ve made plenty of mistakes while raising him that i think about to this day. Maybe if i had done this differently he would be just a little better. But be that as it may..”
Alfred pauses to look Bruce in the eyes.
“I am so proud of everything you have done for this city and for the world… And I am proud of everything you have overcome, and every obstacle you have faced. You managed to live through many deaths of the ones closest to you. And I know after losing Master Jason, that was the closest I got to ever losing you. And my dear boy. I don’t think I would have survived losing you to. So I not only thank you for staying but also Master Timothy for giving you a reason to.”
All of the bats have gone stock still because this is the most emotional they’ve ever seen Alfred.
“But through all of that Master Clark stuck by your side. Even before you became romantically involved. Master Dick already considered him a second father-“
“Hell yea I did! Thats my fucking dad right there!” Dick interrupts. Making the crowd laugh. Clark’s face going red from his bashfulness.
“But we were all watching and waiting for you two to finally get together. And you don’t know this, but I was in on the bet that the children started on when you would get together. I also won said bet.” Alfred laughs a little at the shock on Bruces face.
“Yes but, Master Clark you have done more good for Bruce than I could ever do. There are very few people that Bruce will listen to and you are one of those people. You can get him to slow down. You can turn off that brilliant brain of his. Though I make most of his and the families meals. You provide something that I never could, and I thank you for that.”
“And I want to say welcome to the family. Even though you have been family far long before this day.”
He smiles at Clark, who now has tears in his eyes. He turns back to Bruce.
“Master Bruce, seeing you become happy again has been the biggest honor of my life. I never thought I’d get to see you marry, or have a family. I was terrified that it only be you and I alone in that big manor for the rest of our days, and when you left for your training. I thought I would never see you again. I feared I would be stuck in a mausoleum of a time before you knew the evils of this world.”
“But you came back, and gods above you came back with the most outlandish idea of beating up criminals at night in a bat suit. My God, I thought you’d gone mad. I was this close to checking you into Arkham myself.” That got a laugh out of everybody, even Bruce.
“But I could tell that you were the most serious you had ever been. So I had no choice, but to help you along in your Crusade. Most days I still regret that decision. Because night after night. Week after week. Year after year. I have watched you suffer and could do nothing but wait for you to come back home so I could mend your wounds. But I also see the greatness that you have achieved. That greatness coming in many forms, but the one I would say you are the most proud of are your children.”
“You have been through the highest of highs, and the lowest of lows with the young masters, and I am grateful that you have managed to cultivate the relationship that you have with them now. And I’m grateful that I got to watch some parallels of things that you have done with your children that your father got the chance to do with you.”
“But all this to say. You have become a great man, and I am proud to have been apart of your life all this time. And though I could never replace Master Thomas and Madame Martha. I thank you for letting me love you and take care of you all these years. I love you, my dear boy.”
As Alfred is done with his speech, Bruce stands, walking over to him, giving him the biggest and longest hug that he has ever given the man. Thanking him and telling him that he loves him too. The kids walk over to join in on the hug, and Clark just stands back for a second just watching his family have this moment before being called over by Bruce. He can’t believe how lucky he is to call this family “mine”.
