#regencyau!alfredpennyworth

[tarrenterror25]

Ah, Tarren - congrats!! So excited for you, absolutely so well-deserved. Reading your fics and thots and posts has been such a pleasure! And this is such a fun celebration - I can’t wait to see what you share with us 💖

Could I please request: Alfred Pennyworth + Regency + “I feel things for you that I shouldn’t.”?

Congrats again, my friend!!! 💖✨

OKAY so you and @communism-bitches requested the same thing! So this one is for the both of you! For that, this is longer than 500 words 💕

Thank you so much, J! 💕 I'm so glad you've enjoyed reading my fics and thots! I get all warm and fuzzy reading all of your feedback! Thank you so much for supporting my writing 💕

Thank you so much, H! 💕 Thank you for being who you are and for supporting my writing! I'm so happy you enjoy reading my fics and thots!

This one was the biggest challenge for me! Whew! I've never written regency AU before so thank you to the both of you for being my first! I hope you guys like it!

100 follower celebration

Alfred Pennyworth x F!Reader

Alfred Pennyworth + Regency + "I feel things for you that I shouldn't."

Tags: Age-gap, boxing Word Count: 1.2K

It's that time of the year when Oswald Cobblepot is hosting his annual soiree at his home or his "winter palace" as he calls it. You hate going, but for you to refuse the invitation would cause a stir. It's not that the party is boring or dull, quite the opposite actually.

It's a madhouse.

The gentleman and ladies present never seem to get along, but somehow they all attend anyways. Cobblepot manor is always packed with guests and lively with all kinds of festivities. Usually during a card game, Mr. Dent would seemingly become a different person should he lose and you could always expect the most scandalous of gossip to come from Ms. Vale who just seemed to know everything about everyone. Often you would spend time with Pamela who spent her time in the gardens, preferring the quiet of the flowers versus the crowds. Sometimes you would chat with Harleen, she was great fun to be around though a bit raucous for a lady.

But there was one person who, for the past few years, made it all worthwhile. Since the two of you crossed paths, you looked forward to seeing him here.

You and Alfred Pennyworth, the mysterious guardian of Bruce Wayne, first met in the parlor of Cobblepot Manor where a game of charades was taking place. The two of you hung back in the wings of the room and, dare you say, mildly flirted with each other. Both of you talked all night and you quickly forgot the bickering taking place in the parlor happening over the game. Every year after that, you two sought each other and would spend the entire evening talking about nothing and everything all at once. You even dared to exchange letters with him this last year.

Now you're here, dressed in your finest gown and you're looking around, trying to spot Alfred, but there's no sign of him. Usually you find each other rather quickly. You adjust your gloves and wander the halls of the manor, fighting through the crowds of people looking for him, but he's nowhere to be seen.

Did he not come this year?

Oh, how your heart starts to ache.

You've grown so fond of him; your last letter might have been a tad playful in its tone and you recall how when you wrote that you realized your fondness was indeed an attraction to the older gentleman. Like a butterfly to flowers in spring, you found yourself always gravitating to him and quickly found it wasn't just his personality you liked. You never forget the year you saw him remove his coat and roll up his sleeves as some of the gentleman went out to the yard for a bit of rough housing. You could not deny the awakening in you as you watched the older man hold his own against the younger men. One young lad who was talking a big game came to regret the challenge when Alfred dodged his right hook and delivered a quick solid jab to the man's stomach making the younger man double over in pain before falling to the ground. Alfred, ever the gentleman chuckled and kindly helped him up.

You head outside where more people are gathered. There's a table with some morsels placed enticingly on some serving dishes and as you reach for one of them, your hand brushes another that simultaneously has also reached for the same. Your eyes flick over to the hand, it's broad and looks strong, a gold ring with a "W" on its face. Your gaze travels up the arm and to the person next to you and you smile as your heart flutters.

It's Alfred.

He smiles, too, but it looks...melancholic.

"Pleasure to see you as always, miss," he says placing his hands behind his back.

"You're here!" you say excitedly, but then chance a playful quirk of your brow as you ask, "Have you been avoiding me?"

His smile grows a little wider and he holds up his left hand, his right coming to rest on his chest. "You've caught me," he says.

Sensing a somberness in his tone, you ask, "...Truly?"

Wordlessly, he glances around to be sure no one is paying attention to the two of you. He gently grasps your hand. The gesture makes your breath hitch as he leads you away from the crowd, quite stealthily you might add. No one seems to have noticed that the two of you have disappeared.

He stops when the two of you turn a corner and reach a small set of steps leading up to a balcony overlooking the section of yard not occupied by guests. No one seems to have been bothering to venture in this area.

The pair of you sit on a stone bench on the balcony, his hand still holding yours for a brief moment more before letting go. The older man finally lets out a sigh. "I was hoping we wouldn't run into each other this year," he says.

"Why?" you ask. "Have I done something?"

"No, no, miss," he assures you. "I suppose...it is I who has done something."

"I don't understand," you say shifting a bit closer to him.

His gaze flicks down to where your knee brushes his and then back up to your face. If you had blinked you would have missed his tongue darting out ever so slightly to lick his lips.

"I feel things for you that I shouldn't," Alfred says. "A man my age...it is probably inappropriate."

You smile and let out a small chuckle, relief washing over you. "Alfred," you say turning your body to face his even more, your gloved hand coming to rest on his. "I feel things, too."

He looks surprised. "You do?"

"I do," you reply.

A content silence hangs between the two of you as you gaze into each other's eyes.

"I'd like to ask before it's too late," Alfred says. "I'd like to request that next year I do not see you like this." His hand comes up to cup your face. "I do not wish to rendezvous with you in empty hallways or secluded balconies. I should like to see you accompanying me to this event instead."

"Yes! Of course!" You smile bashfully and repeat yourself, trying to contain your enthusiasm.

There's a silence again.

"Alfred?"

"Yes?"

The two of your scoot closer to each other, thighs pressing against each other, his hand still on your cheek, brushing his thumb across your skin, and his other hand coming to rest on your waist.

"Can...Can I kiss you?" you ask softly.

Your bold nature has the corners of his mouth turn up as he smiles at you, his blue eyes beaming with adoration. He slowly leans in towards you and kisses you. It's a soft and chaste kiss, but slow and romantic. His lips linger on yours long enough that you can taste the fruit and tea he's had from the party. When he pulls away, there's a growing desire in the pit of your stomach for more. He seems to sense it as he speaks and says with a chuckle, "We should be getting back now."