Bruce has been around for centuries. He doesn’t remember his previous life as a human; he just exists and has existed ever since he became what he is now. Being a cryptid, he isn’t exactly welcome in the human world, and as the centuries passed by, he watched as the humans evolved and developed.

So, he adapted. He hid in plain view, shifted into his human form, and played the part of a normal person. He had to fake his death a few times, since people would get suspicious about how long he lived.

In this current human life he’s adapted to, he’s a billionaire philanthropist, a bit of a playboy, and Gotham City’s most eligible bachelor. It’s also good cover for what he does inside the city, taking on his natural, bat cryptid form and putting a stop to crime.

He might be terrifying in his natural form, but he means well for the people. If they knew of his true self, he’d be cast out like a monster. At least, that's how he’s lived his entire life.

Heck, whenever a human catches sight of the cryptid, it always ends up with the media going insane with theories and myths about him.

Which is quite amusing, to say the least.

Over the years, he’s run into multiple human children. Orphans or not, his instinct clung onto them. He may or may not have taken them one by one.

Needless to say, they aren’t human anymore once Bruce took them into his family.

Dick, the eldest, took on a an avian/harpy cryptid form. Jason took on a humanoid wolf cryptid form. Tim took on a humanoid reptilian form. Cass with her humanoid possum form. And Damian, his only biological son—Bruce still doesn’t question how the boy came to be—is a bat cryptid like him.

The family lives their lives as cryptids behind their human personas, fooling the public like it were natural to them. And they all protect the city at night, roaming the streets in their true forms.

Now, Bruce knows he has an adoption problem. Er… stealing problem. He doesn’t see it that way, since he really doesn’t care about the kid’s parents. If his instincts latch onto them, they’re coming home with him.

Well, there’s a new little one about to join the family.

While out on patrol, the bat cryptid spotted a child hiding away in the darkness, alone and shivering as the cold Gotham night wracked their body. They appeared to have been kicked out of the apartment building, likely by parents who don’t deserve a kid like them.

It was like an instant that he knew this was his kid now.

He doesn’t snatch them just yet, deciding to take it slow. He doesn’t want to scare the kid, after all.

Bruce drops off gifts in secret, little things here and there to help them with their life. He watches over them like a hawk every night as they sleep—both inside and outside of their apartment—like a vigil knight protecting its charge.

After just over a week, the black-furred bat cryptid decides he’s had enough of seeing them suffer. It’s time to make his presence known, the possessive side of him demanding he take them home and coddle them.

It doesn’t take long for him to… take care of the parents after they kicked the little one out again. They won’t hurt the kid anymore.

He finds them outside, huddled in their usual spot in the alleyway. His beastly form blends into the darkness, his eyes casting a faint glow from where he stands.

As he takes a few steps forward, he shifts into his human form, putting on a soft, fatherly smile as he approaches. It’s perfect enough that it’s almost unnatural.

“Hello,” Bruce begins, his tone taking on an almost sickeningly sweet lilt. The cryptid in disguise wants to gain their trust. And he won’t let them know he’s a cryptid until he brings them back to the manor, “Are you alright, little one?”

And he’s taking them by any means necessary.