Chapter Text
Bruce watched his children and couldn't ignore the signs of exhaustion. Tim and Babs, the brains of the family, had been working tirelessly, with deep dark circles under their eyes from long nights in front of the computers in the Batcave.
Tim, who was used to a marathon of coffee, had not slept more than a few hours in several days.
Babs, although accustomed to the frenetic pace of the missions, had also crossed her limit. It didn't help that she was having problems with Officer Gordon, Bruce refused to give her custody of her eldest daughter again.
And it wasn't nice to see her break down every chance she got, she was unfortunately grateful to the partners of her two children, who helped them as best they could.
Then there was Jason, who used to be the most resilient of the lot. However, lately Bruce had surprised him several times falling asleep in the middle of breakfast, his eyes half closed and slow movements revealing what his pride wouldn't admit.
Dick, the eternal optimist and most energetic of the family, was also falling under the weight of exhaustion, struggling to maintain his energy amidst the demands of his job as Nightwing and as Dick to be the husband Kori needed.
Damian, despite being the youngest, did not escape the stress of his double life. At school, he had had several altercations, and his more irritable behavior had made him stand out, generating several reports.
Bruce was secretly proud, his son despite those reports vented his anger on the bullies.
Alina, who was usually the mediator and helped heal her siblings, had become more sensitive and unstable, showing herself affected by the family tension and also noticed the times she cried in secret.
Bruce knew that Alina was in a crisis of knowing what to do, whether to be a girl or follow in the footsteps of the elders to be a sidekick.
Cass and Steph, the duo who used to liven up the mansion with games devised by Steph, would barely get home before collapsing on the couch.
Steph, with her contagious energy, no longer had the glow she once had. Cass, though quieter, was equally exhausted, almost dragging herself through the halls.
Bruce, though stoic, couldn't help but worry about his family's well-being.
There was one member who seemed a little more stable: Duke. He, unlike the rest, had taken a few days off, making him the only one with a smile on his face while the rest of the family was falling apart.
The holidays were just around the corner and Bruce knew they couldn't go on like this anymore.
It was time to make a decision. And that night, over dinner, while the Wayne family tried to stay awake, Bruce finally spoke.
"I've been watching everyone, and it's clear we need a break," Bruce said, with a calm that contrasted with the fatigue that dominated the atmosphere. Her voice barely managed to catch everyone's attention except Jason, whose head was already resting on the table. "I've decided that we're going to take a vacation... in France."
The announcement was met with a mix of surprise and exhaustion.
Jason, with a yawn that echoed through the dining room, was the first to react:
"France?" he murmured sleepily, without lifting his head from the table. "That place they call the place of love. What are we going to do there? Kiss French people?"
Dick nodded, but his eyelids were too heavy to keep open for more than a couple of seconds.
Tim, clinging to his seventh cup of coffee of the day, blinked several times as if trying to process the information.
Babs, with her sixth cup half-drunk, arched an eyebrow, although she was clearly more concerned with staying awake than with the vacation.
That vacation wouldn't be bad, but he didn't want to leave his fiancée for a while.
"A break... sounds good" Tim murmured, although his tone lacked enough energy to make it sound convincing.
Meanwhile, Alina, exhausted like the rest, leaned against Damian, seeking comfort from her older brother, who had barely touched his food.
Dami remained silent, his expression that of someone who hadn't slept well for a long time and he leaned on Alina's head.
"I'm not a pillow Dami"
"Oh shut up Shelley, you use my shoulder as a pillow"
"Well, if you put it like that... fine"
Both of them were tapping each other to stay awake, but Bruce noticed how Alina stopped moving and was the first to fall asleep, followed by Damian.
Well, first he took a picture to appreciate it and second he made Alfred take the younger ones to bed.
Cass and Steph exchanged a look from their spots on the couch, too tired to express enthusiasm for the announcement. However, the gleam in Bruce's eyes, though subtle, revealed his determination to restore the spirit that stress had eroded.
"It's time for us to get away from Gotham for a while," Bruce concluded, his gaze sweeping over them The man looked at the table before settling on Alfred, who approved the decision with a nod.
The mood in the mansion was dull, but Bruce knew this decision could give everyone back some much-needed energy.
A trip to France wouldn't fix everything, but it would be a respite in the midst of the storm.
"When are we leaving?"
"Wednesday morning first thing, you have until tomorrow to pack everything up and say goodbye to your partners."
That was the only thing Bruce said before he left, leaving all of his children to go home tired.
Barbara was the first to arrive at her apartment after leaving Wayne Manor that night, exhausted from the long day in Gotham. With her motorcycle parked in the driveway, she had barely crossed the threshold when she noticed something unusual.
There was an unusual silence in the house, except for the faint sound of someone moving around in the kitchen. Frowning, she moved forward cautiously, a little suspicious of the sudden calm.
Walking into the kitchen, she was met with a scene that brought a small smile to her face. Kara, her fiancée, was standing there, an innocent expression and a smile on her face, just as she walked out of the kitchen with a cup of tea she had clearly borrowed from Alfred's cupboard.
There was something suspicious about her attitude, enough to make Barbara raise an eyebrow.
"Where's the coffee?" Babs asked, her tone direct and sly. She knew something was up, and although she wasn't upset, curiosity was getting the better of her.
Of course she didn't want to drink coffee, she just wanted to know where I was hiding it.
Kara let out a soft laugh before approaching her, not saying a word. She placed a chaste kiss on Babs' lips, letting her touch be the only answer for a few moments.
"Good night. I'm fine, and you, Babs?" Kara replied with a hint of playful sarcasm, making Babs shrug slightly, letting her shoulders relax.
Before she could protest or inquire further about the coffee, Barbara dropped into her lover's arms. She was exhausted beyond words. Leaning on Kara, she simply gave in to the exhaustion, allowing Kara to hold her.
"Okay, I got you, my little know-it-all. Gordon again?" Kara teased, though the tenderness in her tone was undeniable.
Barbara let out a moan of exhaustion, the only answer she needed to give. Kara, without another word, gently picked her up, carrying her to the bedroom, where she carefully tucked her into blankets. As she caressed the redhead's face, Kara observed every feature, every line of tension that slowly faded away.
For now, she decided not to mention that she had overheard Bruce talking about the family vacation in France.
Nor that she overheard the argument between her ex-father-in-law and his fiancée.
It wasn't the time.
Instead, Kara would wait until the next morning to help her fiancée pack. Now, all that mattered was that Barbara was resting, safe and calm in her arms.
Kara already had something in mind for when her fiancée went on a trip: a "nice chat" with Commissioner Gordon.
No one, except her or Barbara's family, had the right to stress her fiancée out. Maybe, just maybe, she would allow her family to do so as well, but after that, no one else. It was a matter Kara would take into her own hands, making sure the commissioner understood that Babs' well-being was her priority.
And if not, she would face a red-eyed blonde in her nightmares.
Meanwhile, the other couples of the bat-kids enjoyed moments of calm, where each one took charge of ensuring that their bat had a restful night.
Kon, with his usual sweetness among them, had taken the responsibility of taking care of Tim that night.
Tim had protested, of course, insisting that he still had “important work to do,” but tiredness overcame him after several minutes of rocking him. Finally, when Tim gave in to sleep, Kon carefully placed him on the bed, making sure he was comfortable before holding his waist, snuggling up to him. Though he knew Gotham would require his attention while Tim rested, Kon was confident that he could handle the duty. Perhaps, he thought, it would be a good idea to call Alfred for some advice.
Always having his boyfriend’s grandfather around was also spending time with another important figure.
On the other hand, Dick had been deep in conversation with Kori. Though he seemed to be completely focused on talking about the missions and duties that had overwhelmed him, Kori listened intently. Making subtle movements, she gently guided him to the bed without interrupting him and setting him up for rest, offering small comments to show that she was listening. By the end, when Dick realized what Kori had accomplished, he was too comfortable to resist, allowing himself to Relaxing in his company and in those warm arms of his wife.
With each of the bat-kids in good hands, Bruce could finally allow himself a moment of rest.
He may have implanted a location chip to see that his children are in their homes, and maybe also in their partners as well.
He does not regret it, a little because of Alfred's scolding but not later.
Knowing that his family was taken care of both physically and emotionally.
Bruce walked a little through the halls of the mansion, noticing how the room of his youngest children was open.
He first looked into Alina's, he saw no one.
He looked into Damian's room and noticed both minors sleeping together.
Damian hugged Alina and Alina hugged her Batman stuffed animal while resting her head on Damian's chest.
Bruce smiled, but he also noticed another body in the second youngest Wayne's bed.
A white mane lay beside Alina and had his eyes closed, also asleep.
Bruce took a photo, thankful to have a private plane so he could take Respawn on the trip anyway. Although he may have fought for it, knowing the albino's stubbornness.
He slowly closed the door and went to the BatCave, for this time, Batman will work alone and without company.
"Alfred..."
The butler didn't even wait, he walked behind Wayne. "Miss Cassandra and Miss Stephanie are already sleeping in Miss Stephanie's room, Master Duke has been sleeping for a while now."
Bruce nodded, that was enough and decided to get to work.
He hoped that with this, his children could finally have a moment of peace and relaxation.
.
At the top of the Eiffel Tower, under the sunny sky of Paris, the two heroes of France, Ladybug and Chat Noir, took a short break after their usual patrol. Sitting on the steel structure, they looked out at the city spread out below them, bright and calm in the day. The cool wind caressed their suits, and for a moment, everything seemed to be at peace.
“Bugaboo, this is very romantic, don’t you think?” Chat Noir commented with his flirtatious smile, that playful spark shining in his green eyes as he adjusted his black feline suit.
Ladybug let out a snort, feigning annoyance, but her smile betrayed her true feeling. She was exhausted, like him, but still, she enjoyed these moments of camaraderie. Without saying a word, she leaned back on her friend’s shoulder, looking for some rest before her shift ended.
“Chat, don’t make me have to tell your partner this,” Ladybug threatened, with a tone of false anger. Her words were light, with no real intention of scolding.
Chat Noir knew her too well to take her joke of accusing him seriously and was glad, at least he didn't have to suffer those false scoldings.
The blond let out a soft laugh, enjoying the exchange. He put a protective arm around her, caressing her arm tenderly.
He knew it wasn't romantic, not in the way others would see it, but it was something just as important: two friends supporting each other, exhausted but satisfied with the work they did together.
"Come on, bug, don't be cruel," Chat joked, looking up at the clouds with tired eyes. Although they were both fighting sleep, they felt satisfied to do their duty. They knew their watch shift would soon be over, and they could retire to rest a little more than usual thanks to the holidays.
The routine of the heroes of Paris had changed in recent weeks. The akumatizations had become more frequent and powerful, forcing them to patrol longer, sometimes until the early hours of the morning. However, despite their exhaustion, they knew they had something that many heroes never achieved: the unconditional support of each other.
And of the support heroes, too, but above all they had each other.
“At least we're on vacation,” Ladybug finally commented, with a light smile on her lips. “So, when we're done, we'll be able to sleep for more than three hours without the school alarm going off.”
“A luxury,” Chat replied, letting out a sigh of relief.
They had come a long way together. They knew each other's identities now, not in the way they would have imagined, but in the end they did. And although that had brought with it new challenges, it had also given them a deeper connection.
They weren't just ChatNoir and Ladybug, they were also Adrien and Marinette.
Two teenagers who are supposed to be the heroes of Paris, just as they were about to retire to their homes for the night (Adrien, who managed to trick his father and Nathalie into staying at Marinette's house.)
There was a bang, that made Ladybug growl.
"Duty calls, right, Bugaboo?"
"Shut up, kitty"
Both teenagers jumped off the Eiffel Tower to defeat their second Akuma.