Chapter Text
He was only a small kitten when his parents were brutally killed by a human. He and his parents had the unfortunate run in with the drunk human as they made their way through an alleyway. The human was raging about something he didn’t understand, but all he knew was that one moment his parents where alive and next there was a loud bang. His parents were killed.
"Stupid cats." He remembered the human mumbled out as he wandered off.
To this day he regretted that only stayed hidden in the shadows and he didn’t try to do anything to stop the human. Only when the scary human was out of his sights did he dare venture out from his hiding spot and cry out to his still and unmoving parents.
Once he got close enough he gently nudged his mother, paws rubbing against her side, and he continued to mewl sadly for hours.
It was only two days later when a friendly man found him. His fur was covered in dirt, dried blood, and who knows what else. His parents had been removed from the area yesterday, but he refused to venture anywhere far from the alley. He was hungry and cold, but he stayed too scared to leave.
"Oh dear." He heard the man say as he spotted him and stopped a couple of feet in front of him.
He backed up and hissed at the man, trying to get him to go away, but the man wouldn’t leave. Instead he reached into his bag and pulled out a tiny piece of meat. He crouched down and held out his hand, the food in his palm.
"Go ahead little one."
If he wasn’t so hungry the kitten would’ve thought twice about eating food from a human, but he thought the man was nice enough. He darted forward and snatched the meat before backing away again. He gobbled down the food and looked up at the man for more.
"Ah, please wait a moment."
Soon another piece was in the man’s palm and he ate that one too. This exchanged happened a few more times and each time the kitten felt less and less scared by the man. He was a kind human and eventually he found himself staying as he waited for more food.
After he was full, he licked the man’s fingers and mewled happily. This was the first time he felt happy since the lost of his parents. He stared up at the kind man’s face and he saw something flicker in his expression.
The man smiled and chuckled warmly. “I don’t suppose you would like to come home with me?”
The kitten felt himself hesitate for a moment before gently nuzzling the man’s hand. Certainly going with this kind man was better than staying here in the alley and starving. He mewled a yes.
"Splendid! I am Alfred and I promise to take good care of you."
He was lifted and then he felt his head being carefully stroked. It was comforting to feel a bit of warmth after days of coldness.
"Well," He looked up as Alfred paused. "I suppose I should give you a name."
He looked at the man curiously as he went through a few names. None of them sounded good to him.
Finally Alfred said, “What about Bruce? Is that more to your liking?”
He mewled once more and nuzzled Alfred’s hand.
"Very well, Bruce it is. Let’s get you home and washed up."
Fast forward a few years later and Bruce is lying on Alfred’s couch content and very healthy, a complete difference from the tiny kitten Alfred originally found.
The black cat flicked his tail a few times as he watched his kittens play with one another. All his kittens, except for one, were strays he had found. Just like Alfred had given him a better life, he had done the same for all of his kittens. Alfred adored his kittens and his kittens adored Alfred.
He felt Alfred sit down next to him and he looked over.
"Such rascals your kittens are Bruce."
He meowed in agreement as he watched his second eldest kitten tackle his oldest.
"And they are such troublemakers."
He meowed again.
"But that’s the thing with family, you and I love them anyways."
He paused as he watched his two youngest hiss and swipe at each other and meowed in agreement once more.