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Lucius kept the polite smile on his face as he did his social duty for WayneTech at Bruce's party. Being trussed up in a tux and having to be diplomatic to the social climbers and political monkeys of Gotham was far from his favorite way to spend time at the newly-rebuilt Wayne Manor, but it was a very necessary one. Between Bruce's need to keep up the appearance of being a determinedly shallow partyboy and the possibility that he would be called away to deal with some of Gotham's worse in his other public mask, someone had to be at the party to represent the company and cover for "The Idiot Prince of Gotham" as several tabloids had christened him.
"Get out of here, and drag Alfred with you." Lucius didn't give Bruce the satisfaction of seeing him react to the younger man's appearance out of thin air. He turned as if he'd known the man was there the whole time and kept his expression serene as he'd raised a questioning eyebrow. "Lucius, despite the craziness of the relocation to the penthouse last year, and the seven years I spent--away, I haven't lost my memory." For a moment, the playboy mask dropped, and Lucius saw the mischievous boy who'd gotten up before dawn to see what Santa had brought in the night. The mask came back up with the smirk that had been immortalized in all the gossip columns, "This is the official Wayne Family Christmas Party. That means that all the rich and powerful come out to play, there's more evergreens inside the house than on the grounds, and some time during the last half of the party you and Alfred will disappear, not to be seen again until morning. And barging into Alfred's rooms too early tomorrow morning would be inadvisable."
Lucius had to laugh, remembering when a very young Bruce had done just that. He wasn't certain who'd been more uncomfortable: Alfred at being caught in a rather undignified position by his almost-grandson, or Thomas Wayne at having to explain the birds and the bees to Bruce much earlier than expected, and in more depth. "I doubt you'd be up early enough to do that this year, you seem to have become somewhat nocturnal. I'll keep it in mind, but I'm not sure I could pry him away this year. First year in the new manor, the close calls you've had during the year . . ."
Bruce's mask slipped again, but this time it was the intense young man he'd actually become that showed through, "Someone deserves to spend the night celebrating with the person they love." Lucius followed Bruce's gaze to where the new police commissioner was cornered in conversation with the mayor and a few of his cronies. Jim Gordon looked like he'd prefer to be facing another car chase with the Joker rather than be there, but he was doing his best to keep a pleasant social face on it.
Lucius left it alone. Bruce had been through hell in the last year, and there was nothing Lucius could say that wouldn't be salt in wounds just barely starting to heal. Besides, he could see about fifty difficulties for Bruce starting a romantic relationship with anybody, much less his only completely trusted ally on the police force. He grinned at Bruce instead, "I think I'll take your advice, sir. I trust the extra staff hired for the party have the usual instructions about cleanup?"
Bruce nodded, "They know what to take care of and what to leave for Alfred to supervise tomorrow. This might help you convince Alfred to go." Lucius caught the sprig of mistletoe with a chuckle. Kissing his lover senseless and dragging him off to bed would offend the more reserved man's sense of dignity, but Alfred had such pleasant ways of making him pay for that sort of thing.