10406/Nothing Like A Good Pomegranate Juice

Nothing Like A Good Pomegranate Juice
Date of Scene:	12 December 2019
Location:	Interior - Wayne Manor
Synopsis:	Bruce Wayne surprises Stephanie with a Christmas present like no other.
Cast of Characters:	Spoiler, Batman

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Spoiler has posed:
Stephanie Brown makes her way through Wayne Manor. She's not sure how Alfred knew which room Bruce would be found in. Alfred was right there with her, it's not like he'd been able to go check, and there were no cameras or other surveillance telling him. Yet when he'd given her the tray with two glasses of pomegranate juice, he'd told her which room to go to.

Stephanie walks in, wearing a pair of faded blue jeans and a blue sweater and carrying the tray. She clears her throat softly. "I think this is supposed to be good for people in training," she comments of the fruit juice.

Batman has posed:
"It is," Bruce says succinctly, rising up from the desk he is sitting behind to take a glass from the tray, "I've been drinking it most of my life. Best to avoid stimulants of any kind during training - otherwise you don't know how far your body got you, or how much you're coasting on chemistry."

He takes a sip from the glass, regards it for a moment, and then sets it down on a coaster. The open book on the desk is closed with a heavy thud, revealing the title page of a medical text detailing the anatomy of the human thorax. He glances at that for a moment, and then up to Steph.

"You're keeping busy."

Spoiler has posed:
Stephanie sets the tray down on an out of the way table and then takes the remaining glass for herself. The juice is nice and cold, and served in glasses which were themselves chilled. They've missed over with condensation on the outside, little drops beading thicker in some places, just visibly looking like they are nice and cold.

"I have been," she confirms, blue eyes drifting around the room rather than looking at Bruce. "Managing to keep my grades up, though it's been difficult," she says. "Keeping this many credits with everything else was kind of ambitious," Stephanie says, the blond young woman swinging her blue eyes back to Bruce finally. Though she didn't know what would be happening this semester when she registered.

Stephanie takes a little sip of the juice, and then gives an approving expression for it. "How're things going with you?" she asks, moving over to somewhere near Bruce's desk that she can lean on.

Batman has posed:
"I'm back for now," Bruce explains, likely referring to his recent weekend trip to the Mediterranean with Diana, "Now that I've been sighted outside of the house, I need to head back to the office before long. Damian's done a good job in the interim, but he can't stay on long term. That said, I'm going to see about finding him a permanent spot on the corporate level."

He takes a pause to drink another sip of the juice, settling the glass down and nodding his head at Steph, "You're welcome to one, also. If you feel like your interests lie in that direction."

Spoiler has posed:
Stephanie gets a soft smile, she'd actually not hear about the trip until Alfred had filled her in. Not gossiping, but letting her know about the being seen out of the house part, just in case she ever needed to help cover for something for Bruce regarding it.

Stephanie is lifting her own glass to her lips and freeze with the glass just short of her mouth at that offer. "I... ah... I don't even think I want to know what kind of damage I could do your business from a position within it. I mean, I"m not saying total destruction mind you. Probably nothing worse than... oh, Pompeii?" she says. Her smile grows a little bit and she says, "But, it really does mean a lot that you asked. Actually, I wanted to say again, how much it meant, having me to Thanksgiving, and.. well, everything really," she says. "I think I should probably stay at Gotham U though. I still don't really know what I want to do with myself. Besides Batgirl that is."

Batman has posed:
"Just a suggestion," Bruce says with a wave of his hand, taking another sip from his own glass, "You're all entitled to a piece of it, really. Which leads me to an early Christmas present that I think would work best if I gave it to you now."

That said, he moves back around the desk and opens one of the drawers. From within he draws an envelope on his own personal letterhead, handing it over to her. Should she open it, she will find a folded deed for her to sign entitling her to a small share of the Wayne Family Trust - the place to which all the profit the Wayne Family's shares in Wayne Enterprises flow. The same trust his adopted and foster children all have a stake it.

"It's about time."

Spoiler has posed:
Stephanie takes a sip of her juice, the young woman flashing such a grateful smile to Bruce after the job offer. "Thank you, it really means a lot," she confirms to him. "But... I need to find myself a bit still," she confirms, having heard herself voice it seeming to make it even more clear to Stephanie.

As Bruce goes to get the envelope, Stephanie looks curious. She takes it when it's offered, though she hesitates on opening it. "Letting me be a part of your family is really the most precious thing I think anyone could have ever given me," Stephanie says, and her words are punctuated by the fact her eyes are trying to tear up though she's trying to control it. Hiding her emotions is not something Stephanie has ever really been able to master. Master? She can't even apprentice it. If that was a thing.

The young woman clears her throat and wipes at her eyes hurried, but finally opens up the envelope and looks at what is inside. Her mouth hangs open for several seconds. "Bruce... I... I can't," she says, shaking her head. "This is... this is Damian's, and... Dick's and Tim's." Another swallow trying to master her emotions. "Jason's," she says softly. The tears she stemmed before start to roll down her cheeks freely now.

Batman has posed:
"They all have a stake in it," Bruce explains, holding up a hand as though to keep the documents from being returned if that is what she intends to do, "Damian stands to inherit my share. You're not taking money out of their pocket. This is a percentage of my share, to which you're entitled, and I want to give you."

He finishes the last of his juice, putting the glass down on the tray that it came on and sitting back down behind the desk. There's a momentary crease between his eyebrows at the mention of Jason, but he presses on without saying anything.

"You just said it yourself. You're a part of this family. That makes you a beneficiary to the trust, the same as everyone else. Now, you can opt to take that as a monthly stipend - it's a sizable payout. Or, if you'd prefer, you can take it as an annuity. It's a much larger payment, but if you want to take it an invest it into something else, you can do that. Barbara, for example, invests her own back into her cybersecurity firm."

Spoiler has posed:
Stephanie moves the paper out away from her a little to avoid any tears spilling on it before she's scrubbed them from her cheeks with the sleeve of her blue sweater. She draws a breath or two, deep ones that are meant to be cleansing but that are a bit ragged with what she's feeling. "Bruce," she says, giving a little tiny shake of her head though it more an expression of being overwhelmed than a negative answer.

She moves around the desk towards him then. As Bruce rises from the chair, she throws her arms around him and hugs him tight, the tears starting up again. If anyone understands Stephanie's psyche and history, understands how her life has been negatively affected by an absentee convict of a father, it would be Bruce Wayne. And she hugs him tight, the man who has been more of a father to her than Stephanie's real father ever has or could.

"Thank you," she tells him. "I... I don't know if I can take this. But thank you," she says again.

Batman has posed:
Bruce Wayne doesn't return the hug. It might be a bit much to expect that from him. His own affections tend to come in the manner of understatement, and outpourings are not in his wheelhouse. That said, he does raise one arm to pat Stephanie's back for a moment as she hugs him. But for the most part he remains still, simply standing her and letting it happen.

"Take it," he insists, stepping back from the hug, "It's yours. If you don't take it, I'm just going to put it into an account for you until you do decide to take it. Take it from someone who has been working with large sums of money their whole life - you don't want to let money sit in the bank. You need to take this and make it work for you. Even if all you do is donate it to charity. It's yours. Make use of it."

Spoiler has posed:
Stephanie Brown releases Bruce from her hug after that wave of emotion has finished breaking over her. She wipes at her eyes more. "Sorry," she says softly, trying to regain her composure. She looks down at the gift document, but it's just a glance. It's not the money that's seeing in her mind's eye, or thinking about.

"I'll... ah... I just need a little time to... you know," she says. "I'd say 'process' but let's face it, it's more like a gerbil in a wheel in there than it is a processor," Stephanie adds with a little motion towards her head, and one of her self-effacing grins.

Another quick wipe at her eyes, which show she's been crying, but the tears have stopped. "Pomegranate's really good stuff," she says, picking her glass back up, using as a refuge for moment as she gathers her emotions in better. "Thank you," she says again. "So how was your trip?" she asks, seeking another topic of conversation. She puts the letter back in the envelope, but handling it with obvious care.

Batman has posed:
"Uneventful," Bruce says evenly of the trip, as though that in itself was a good thing, "Not the kind of year for tourism, really. It was quiet. We had the beach to ourselves for the most part."

Small talk isn't really his forte, and it shows. He looks at the empty glass on the tray, then back down at the closed book before him on the desk.

"We had lemon chicken," he adds as the thought occurs, "Diana made it."

Spoiler has posed:
Stephanie moves back around the desk, to where she has been when she was given the envelope that is still held in her hand. "The beach sounds beautiful this time of year," she says, thinking of the cold, but getting a bit of a warm smile as she does.

The soft blue eyes look over to Bruce as Stephanie tilts her head a bit to the side. "Really? Lemon chicken? And... ok I've got to know. Was she a good cook?" Stephanie asks. She watches Bruce's face, the lessons he's taught her about reading people, and micro-expressions, foremost in her thoughts after she asks the question.

Batman has posed:
"It's nice," Bruce says of the beach, then he inclines his head towards the envelope, "You could find out for yourself, you know. A trip to the Aegean is hardly a drop in the ocean for a millionaire."

When she asks about Diana's cooking, however, he simply smiles. A faint tick at the corner of his mouth, and he leans back in the seat. Whatever is on his mind, he keeps that one for himself. About all she could read of him from that look was that he was amused, but the why of it would remain unknown.

"I've got reading to finish."

Spoiler has posed:
Stephanie gives Bruce a grin, not asking further. Not that doing so would do any good with Bruce Wayne, but even if it was someone else, she would leave him to enjoy that memory to himself after seeing his expression.

"Thank you again," she tells him, and it isn't for the money. She picks up the empty tray, and gives him a soft smile showing bright white teeth, before turning and heading out.