[AVA]http://s010.radikal.ru/i312/1710/9d/849c0334609a.jpg[/AVA]
[NIC]Alfred Pennyworth[/NIC]
[STA]at your service[/STA]
Alfred, though not amused by the sudden game of hide-and-seek in the slightest, can understand young Master's feelings. After all, he'd also be unwilling to comply in this situation had he received the kind of upbringing Master Bruce did. However, the butler strongly believes that the kid in his care needs more social interaction with his peers. Perhaps making some friends will distract him from his horrible experience and help him move on. Moreover, despite Alfred's vast knowledge in various fields, he will not be able to teach the young orphan everything: after all, he is merely human. He is not nearly as wise and scarily all-knowing, as seen from a child's perspective.
«Too bad Master Bruce is a bit too young to put such reasons above his desires», Alfred mused silently to himself, meticulously going through all the places the boy favored as hiding places. If only time wasn't of essence, this would have been their regular pastime. «Master Bruce! Please, stop hiding, you will be late for your first class!» Pennyworth calls out loud, without much hope.
No response, of course. He looks around, then heads for the late Master Thomas' study, habitually feeling a sting of dull pain from disturbing the gaping wound that is all too fresh. The absence of the Wayne pair is almost palpable in this room and the corridor leading to it: Alfred tries to keep them the way the Masters liked it. It seems as if Master Thomas just left the room, leaving his papers neatly stacked on the desk, and Mistress Martha's laughter and kind voice just subsided, as she went to change for tonight's visit to the theater.
Pennyworth shakes his head to clear his thoughts and enters the study, heading first for the heavy curtains and the now somewhat spacious wardrobe, but then notices a small figure crouching under the old table, eyes firmly shut and visibly afraid. Alfred immediately feels a bit guilty: he didn't mean to scare the boy. In fact, he is not even angry - just understandably irritated at the inconvenience, but that has already faded. Master is not misbehaving - he is just a kid and he is opposing something he doesn't want and deems not necessary, it is nothing unusual. Throwing an angry fit and making him do something against his will is not right, so Alfred will try and try hard to reason with him.
«Master Bruce, please come downstairs. The breakfast is ready», the butler says softly, kneeling in front of him. «I understand that you do not want to go to school, but I assure you, it will do you good. Wouldn't it be good to speak and play with somebody else for a change, sir?»