There is a certain bright-winged young woman who could probably smell a pan of such yummy brownies from a mile away. She's been craving good brownies, really (mixes aren't the same as the really good stuff), ever since she made some from a boxed mix for Ruvin.
"Oh my god are those real proper brownies from scratch?" she asks in an awe-struck voice after appearing rather suddenly in the doorway. She looks about as much like a sleepy angel as is possible, amusingly enough, having woken up from a nap to this lovely smell. Her hair's mussed and she's wearing yoga pants and a tank top that bares her back, and her wings are tucked neatly against her back. She is, in other words, the epitome of adorable.
Alfred looks over at the young woman and smiles warmly. She is adorable, indeed. He is reminded of another young lady who is quite fond of home-made brownies, and the bright-winged young woman will find it quite easy to get as many brownies as she would like. Alfred's nostalgic, soft heart is not a secret to those who know him, and it will not stay one to those just meeting him.
"They certainly are." Fetching a plate for her, Alfred nods politely, pleased that he is meeting someone who appreciates a properly-made brownie. "My name is Alfred Pennyworth, and I would be pleased to plate a few for you, if you would like."
Dusty squees (just a little) and bounces a little before trotting in to get up in the pantry for a glass. Milk with her brownies and all. "I'd like, I'd like!" she proclaims, and then stops with her empty glass clutched to her chest, smiling wide and innocent. "I'm Dusty Baker." She's apparently remembered her manners.
"I haven't had real proper brownies in ages," she adds as she turns to open the fridge and get the milk. "Box mixes are so lacking."
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Baker." It truly is. It is lovely to meet someone who seems to be so happy. Even back home, there seemed to be quite a lack of genuinely happy people in his life.
At the mention of box mixes, Alfred nods sympathetically as he cuts, then lifts, several neat chocolaty squares onto a plate. "From what I understand, there is truly no comparison." He is not saying this from personal knowledge, mind you, or pride. Alfred has never fixed boxed brownies. He simply believes that anything made with love is a very good thing.
With a gentlemanly bow, Alfred offers her the plate.
Oh, Dusty has her troubles, it's true, and so often these days, her happiness is at least partially a façade. But there's something about good food that just brings out the joy in her. Maybe she was Italian in a past life.
"Oh, you can call me Dusty," she says with a giggle, wrinkling her nose. She attempts a one-handed curtsey (despite her lack of skirt) and manages to not spill a drop of her milk before taking the plate. "Gosh, you make me feel like a princess or a movie star or something." she sets the plate and glass down on an empty stretch of counter and hoists herself up to sit on the edge before taking a very generous bite out of the first brownie.
That expression on her face and the sound vaguely coming from her mouth (around the brownie) is just a baked goods-gasm, Alfred. Not an alien eating her from the inside. Even if it might sound vaguely like that around the chocolatey goodness she's chewing.
"Very well, Miss Dusty." This is said with a very happy smile, and while he likely will not ever drop the 'Miss', he might one day evolve to a 'my dear'. It is simply his way.
At her words, he is content. It is his belief that it is very important to treat everyone with respect and kindness. He cannot serve the world as young Master Bruce has, of course, but he can spread a little kindness in his own way and hope that someone elses' day is brightened, if only for a while. Also, he is quite thrilled at her attempt at a curtsey. 'What a very polite young woman.'
He is very happy to hear the noises of...food-happiness, and he does his very best to keep any amusement to himself. "If there is a particular, favorite baked good you enjoy, I would be pleased to prepare it for you in the near future."
Dusty starts to say something unintelligible with her mouthful of brownie before getting a slightly panicked look on her face and clapping a hand over her mouth, chewing furiously. It's not like she's normally this manners-conscious, but she's very adaptable, and Mr. Pennyworth is a very polite man. Like a granddad, only... butler-like. Granddad Butler.
Once she's swallowed and washed it down with a bit of milk, Dusty tries again. "These are pretty much my idea of baked good heaven. I love brownies. That would be very nice of you, but you don't have to."
And then she gets a bit of a mischievous grin. "Though if you wanted to teach me how to make 'em like that, I wouldn't mind at all."
Complete with eyelash batting. Isn't she just adorable, Alfred? Don't you just want to say yes to anything she asks?
Why...yes. She is remarkably adorable, and Alfred will likely have a very difficult time saying no to anything she requests.
Smiling quite contently, Alfred is actually quite nearly beyond the point of thrilled, even if it is difficult to tell. "I am very pleased that you enjoy them so, and I would be most happy to teach you how to make them." Unable to not do anything, Alfred begins folding napkins in the shape of little swans and lines them up on the counter.
He remembers baking in the kitchen with young Master Bruce and Rachel, and the look on his face is slightly wistful and full of fondness and warmth. "The recipe is one passed down to me from my mother, and her mother before her." He walks over and places a tiny little swan near her, already planning what he shall bake for the thoughtful, polite young lady tomorrow. "I would very much enjoy sharing my mother's recipe with you, Miss Dusty." He thinks his mother would be very honored to have her recipe shared with such a nice girl.
And with that, Alfred, you have ingratiated yourself to her forever. Dusty makes a little happy-squee and bounces off the counter to give him a rather enthusiastic hug.
"Thankyouthankyouthankyou! Oh my god I love making brownies and cookies and stuff and Ruvin's never really had a proper brownie 'cause I can't make 'em except for the box and this'll be so yummy and give me something to do other than play my cello 'cause I keep playing it so much I need to replace strings and get my bow repaired and I really don't have the money for it 'cause I'm not old enough to get a job and half invisible anyway and you are my new favourite person ever, Mr. Pennyworth!"
Alfred is quite thrilled that she seems so excited, and his smile shows it. "You are quite welcome, Miss Dusty." Admittedly, he is not used to spontaneous hugging, but he appreciates it and hugs her back carefully, complete with a fatherly pat on the shoulder.
As a true fan of music, particularly classical music, Alfred is quite interested when she says she plays the cello. "I would imagine it is quite an ordeal, financially, to keep things up with a musical instrument. Have you been playing the cello your whole life?"
Dusty grins and bounces, nodding. "Yep! Well, there were a couple of years when I was a baby and everything, but other than that, my whole life. And I could've gone to this really fancy music school in New Hampshire, but I didn't want to 'cause then I'd have to leave all my friends and I liked my friends, but it doesn't really matter because now they can't see me anyway which sucks, but it's okay, 'cause I have friends here. Adrian plays the guitar really well, he's from Spain? And we play sometimes."
"Oh my god are those real proper brownies from scratch?" she asks in an awe-struck voice after appearing rather suddenly in the doorway. She looks about as much like a sleepy angel as is possible, amusingly enough, having woken up from a nap to this lovely smell. Her hair's mussed and she's wearing yoga pants and a tank top that bares her back, and her wings are tucked neatly against her back. She is, in other words, the epitome of adorable.
Reply
"They certainly are." Fetching a plate for her, Alfred nods politely, pleased that he is meeting someone who appreciates a properly-made brownie. "My name is Alfred Pennyworth, and I would be pleased to plate a few for you, if you would like."
Reply
"I haven't had real proper brownies in ages," she adds as she turns to open the fridge and get the milk. "Box mixes are so lacking."
Reply
At the mention of box mixes, Alfred nods sympathetically as he cuts, then lifts, several neat chocolaty squares onto a plate. "From what I understand, there is truly no comparison." He is not saying this from personal knowledge, mind you, or pride. Alfred has never fixed boxed brownies. He simply believes that anything made with love is a very good thing.
With a gentlemanly bow, Alfred offers her the plate.
Reply
"Oh, you can call me Dusty," she says with a giggle, wrinkling her nose. She attempts a one-handed curtsey (despite her lack of skirt) and manages to not spill a drop of her milk before taking the plate. "Gosh, you make me feel like a princess or a movie star or something." she sets the plate and glass down on an empty stretch of counter and hoists herself up to sit on the edge before taking a very generous bite out of the first brownie.
That expression on her face and the sound vaguely coming from her mouth (around the brownie) is just a baked goods-gasm, Alfred. Not an alien eating her from the inside. Even if it might sound vaguely like that around the chocolatey goodness she's chewing.
Reply
At her words, he is content. It is his belief that it is very important to treat everyone with respect and kindness. He cannot serve the world as young Master Bruce has, of course, but he can spread a little kindness in his own way and hope that someone elses' day is brightened, if only for a while. Also, he is quite thrilled at her attempt at a curtsey. 'What a very polite young woman.'
He is very happy to hear the noises of...food-happiness, and he does his very best to keep any amusement to himself. "If there is a particular, favorite baked good you enjoy, I would be pleased to prepare it for you in the near future."
...It might sound a bit like an alien.
Reply
Once she's swallowed and washed it down with a bit of milk, Dusty tries again. "These are pretty much my idea of baked good heaven. I love brownies. That would be very nice of you, but you don't have to."
And then she gets a bit of a mischievous grin. "Though if you wanted to teach me how to make 'em like that, I wouldn't mind at all."
Complete with eyelash batting. Isn't she just adorable, Alfred? Don't you just want to say yes to anything she asks?
Reply
Smiling quite contently, Alfred is actually quite nearly beyond the point of thrilled, even if it is difficult to tell. "I am very pleased that you enjoy them so, and I would be most happy to teach you how to make them." Unable to not do anything, Alfred begins folding napkins in the shape of little swans and lines them up on the counter.
He remembers baking in the kitchen with young Master Bruce and Rachel, and the look on his face is slightly wistful and full of fondness and warmth. "The recipe is one passed down to me from my mother, and her mother before her." He walks over and places a tiny little swan near her, already planning what he shall bake for the thoughtful, polite young lady tomorrow. "I would very much enjoy sharing my mother's recipe with you, Miss Dusty." He thinks his mother would be very honored to have her recipe shared with such a nice girl.
Reply
"Thankyouthankyouthankyou! Oh my god I love making brownies and cookies and stuff and Ruvin's never really had a proper brownie 'cause I can't make 'em except for the box and this'll be so yummy and give me something to do other than play my cello 'cause I keep playing it so much I need to replace strings and get my bow repaired and I really don't have the money for it 'cause I'm not old enough to get a job and half invisible anyway and you are my new favourite person ever, Mr. Pennyworth!"
She does this a lot. We're really sorry, Alfred.
Reply
As a true fan of music, particularly classical music, Alfred is quite interested when she says she plays the cello. "I would imagine it is quite an ordeal, financially, to keep things up with a musical instrument. Have you been playing the cello your whole life?"
Reply
Case in point. Oh, Dusty, how we love thee.
Reply
Leave a comment