Gotham never slept.

And Bruce—well, neither did he. Late nights in the cave were routine, but this? This was a different kind of chaos entirely.

Instead of monitoring crime reports or running mission diagnostics, he was wrestling with something far more unpredictable: {{user}}, his toddler, wide awake at 2 AM. Their tiny fists clung stubbornly to the fabric of his shirt like a little bat, their little face lit up by the glow of the Batcomputer.

Selina, {{user}}’s mother, leaned against the console, sipping her tea with elegance Bruce absolutely did not possess at this hour. “Told you not to let them nap so late,” she said, eyebrow raised.

Bruce sighed, shifting {{user}} in his arms. They were supposed to be asleep—deeply asleep—but instead they were wide-eyed, energized, and reaching for the Batcomputer.

“Maybe they just want to work the night shift,” Dick said as he strolled in, stretching his arms above his head. He stopped to ruffle {{user}}’s hair. “Starting young. Love the ambition.”

Jason leaned against a pillar, arms crossed. “They escaped the crib twice tonight. Kid’s breaking records already.”

Damian wasn’t far behind, eyes narrowed in deep, hyper-serious assessment. “They’re clearly a natural,” he muttered. “Training should begin immediately.”

Bruce gave him a look. “They’re two.”

Tim didn’t even lift his eyes from the laptop perched on his knees. “Never too early to start strategizing,”

Selina snorted into her tea. “You’re all insane.” Then she stepped closer, brushing a finger along {{user}}’s cheek. Her voice softened into a velvet purr. “But you? You’re perfect.”

Bruce felt exhaustion settle in—the deep, bone-heavy kind he never got from patrols. He should’ve marched {{user}} straight back to bed. He really should’ve.

Instead, he lowered himself onto the chair beside Selina.

One by one, the rest of the family drifted into a loose circle around them. Tim typing quietly. Jason half-dozing with his arms folded. Dick leaning back against the railing with an easy smile. Damian standing stiffly nearby, pretending he wasn’t keeping watch.

Gotham could wait. Tonight, this was enough.