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There are some things, Alfred thought amused, that transcend even death. Bruce was far from the first Wayne to have a slight adoption problem, and his sons won't be the last. Though, he mused as he prepared the tea, this might just be the first time a Wayne has ever adopted a member of the living from beyond the grave. It's certainly the first time one has ever adopted the ghost king.
There was a sudden cry of, "Brucie! There you are!" Followed by a sharp yelp of, "Who the fu—udge are you!" Nice save, master Jason, Alfred thought with a smirk. He gathered everything together to the sounds of overlapping voices, and counted down in his head as he neared the room. 3, 2, 1— "Everyone, calm down! Young man, could you please explain who you are and what you're doing here?" —Right on time, as always, master Bruce. Alfred opened the door just in time to see the wide grin on master Danny's face and catch his eye with a small smile and a nod.
"Master Bruce, I know I raised you better than that, surely you recognize your little brother?" Ahhh, the simple joy of watching an entire family of world class detectives "blue screen", as master Tim would say. Each and every one of them were trying to figure out how this teenager could be Bruce's younger brother, when they all knew what had happened to the elder's parents, and all of them were drawing the wrong conclusions. Alfred hadn't had to fight this hard not to grin since his adoptive son was pulling his hair out because master Richard was swinging from the chandelier. Last week.
"Since when did you adopt a kid?!" "Aww, Alfie, are we not enough for you?" "Now I know where B gets it from..." "Father, I had not realized Pennyworth was behind your serial adoption habits. You are forgiven."
Apparently, master Danny didn't have the same fortitude as Alfred, as he began laughing shortly after the accusations started flying. Alfred let his smile grow more fond at the sound. Thomas and Martha had shared their suspicions about master Danny's home life, and while he could see some of what they meant, it was heartening to know it wasn't as bad as he'd feared.
"No, no, goodness, no, Alfred didn't adopt me! Though," master Danny said, laughing eyes catching his own, "I'm sure if he got to me, first, he would have. No, mom and dad weren't able to make it legal on this side of things, so I don't have the name, but the family ties are just as strong. I am Bruce's little brother, and I am adopted, but the adoption was a little more," here, master Danny changed forms and started floating, "spiritual than normal."
In the silence that followed that proclamation, Alfred heard the whisper of a woman's laugh and a man's chuckle drift past his ears. A soft, "That's my boy," breezed through the air between Alfred and master Danny, causing the young man to brighten and Alfred to chuckle. Oh yes, master Bruce may have been too young to remember, but Thomas and Martha both had wicked senses of humor. The two of them had probably coached master Danny on exactly what to say, what to do, and how. Now, we just have to calm them down long enough to explain everything, he thought with a wry grin. Not the hardest thing I've done, that was most certainly raising master Bruce in the first place.