[01]

                                    

                                          
Wayne Manor had been unusually silent in the past two weeks. With Richard and Barbara shifting to Bludhaven permanently and Jason always away on his adventures with the Outlaws, the chaos had been reduced to a great deal with just Tim and Damian staying at the manor with Alfred and Bruce.
Bruce was also very seldom at home, managing both his company and his vigilante duties. Tim had graduated high school last year and was in an existential crisis about what to do with his life next aside from handling Wayne Tech while Damian was fed up with everything and everyone.
Those two were still at each other's throats but after a week of having no one else around, they had come to accept that weird calm that took over the place and mutually agreed not to disrupt it, strictly minding their own business.
However, last night Richard had unexpectedly shown up at dinner, saying he had some things to take care of in Gotham so he had dropped by. And as if sensing their older brother was at home, Jason had shown up too very early in the morning, brimming with excitement at something he had to tell the rest of them.
So with all four brothers together, the chaos that had subsided in their family home was expected to be back in full force.
Right then Jason had pestered Richard into making breakfast for all of them so he was in the kitchen after promising Alfred that he wouldn't cause a mess and they would clear it all up later. Jason was sitting by the breakfast counter with a magazine in hand, Tim had yet to come back from the cave and join them in a half-sleepy state while Damian had to leave for Gotham Academy shortly after breakfast.
"Why are you suddenly at home, Todd?" Damian asked, accepting the plate Richard had handed him.
"I got the news and thought y'all would know nothing about it so being the considerate brother that I am, I showed up," he flashed him a dazzling smile but the boy just ignored him, focusing on his breakfast again.
"In other words, Jay probably found some dirt on any or all of us," Tim mumbled, suppressing a yawn as he pulled out a stool beside Jay, "so zombie bro, spill the tea. Who fucked up this time to be on your blackmail list?"
Richard as the eldest felt he had to maintain some discipline before things broke into a hazard so he spoke up, "All of you have breakfast first. Jay, keep the news for later."
He scowled, "Oh come on, this news isn't something I can keep for later. Unlike someone who totally forgot to tell us about it..."
Jay's voice was laced with sarcasm at the last remark and Richard followed his gaze that had flickered towards Bruce. The man had just come downstairs and was going to leave without even having breakfast, seemingly in a rush.
"Yo Bruce, I made breakfast," Richard called out and he paused, turning to look at his four boys cooking up a mess in the kitchen, "want some?"
"No thanks. I'll join you all at dinner."
"No Bruce, wait, you can't walk out on us after what you did last night! Don't you dare leave!" Jay exclaimed but Bruce had hastily left, not wanting to be confronted by the second adoptive son who was much more of a headache than all the rest of them.
"What did he do?" Tim asked again, feeling slightly better as he had downed a cup of coffee, "Did he catch you doing some weird shit with your outlaw gang?"
"Of course not! You guys won't believe what happened."
Damian rolled his eyes, taking his plate back to the kitchen, "did you forget, Drake? Todd is a drama queen, let him be dramatic and I'm leaving now because you lot are helpless."
"Oh you're not leaving anywhere, Babybat," Jay's blue-green eyes sparkled mischievously, "at least not before knowing that you're going to get another Mommy soon."