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It was too quiet for a Gotham night, but it didn’t mean that crime was way down. It only meant that things were going to get worse suddenly and unexpectedly. So a quiet night didn’t mean a night off, it meant that everyone had to be on their toes and ready to unravel the plot before it happened.
Which meant staring at a lot of blank, uneventful, cameras. It was going to drive Barbara mad, and that wasn’t good. The usual crime-filled nights kept her awake, but a quiet one? She didn’t want to drink endless coffee as Tim did. So she scrolled, seeing her team of vigilantes scattered in the city through high and low-quality cameras.
She tapped on the mouse, picking up a rhythm that was familiar. It was from a show Steph and Cass introduced her to one hang out together. The team had picked up on it and it became a sort of quiet inside joke for the family only. Barbara hummed a few notes, using the song to keep herself awake.
“Don’t be suspicious, don’t be suspicious.” It was soft, just the one bar being sung over and over.
--
Steph was the first to notice, lowering her binoculars. She was on harbor duty with Tim, the two of them watching out for any out-of-place shipments. Things were arriving and leaving on time too smoothly, and at any moment something strange could arrive so they had to be ready.
Barabara was still softly singing, pulling both of their attention away.
Steph grinned, making eye contact with Tim.
“Don’t be suspicious,” She joined in, voice a notch higher in volume. At first, Tim didn’t look impressed, but his resistance faded as Steph stood, elbows swinging into a chicken dance, calling him out silently as she kept singing.
Too afraid? Steph raised an eyebrow.
“Don’t be suspicious,” Tim finally joined in, voice louder in competition. He stood and grabbed Steph's hand, twirling her out the lame dance. “Don’t be suspicious.”
--
It didn’t take long for the rest of the family to notice, now with three of them singing. Dick could only laugh as he listened through the comms, swinging and landing on a building. He was covering ground through upper Gotham, keeping an eye out for mostly petty crime.
“Spoiler has you beat Red Robin. You’re off-key,” Dick playfully called over the comm, making sure to use their hero names. None of them stopped the song, probably too lost their impromptu acapella to acknowledge him.
Dick could only shrug to himself, grappling and swinging to another building. “Don’t be suspicious, no don’t be suspicious.”
--
“You want off-key?!” Jason yelled, “Don’t be suspiCIOUS!”
Kicking out his boot, Jason connected it with a thug. He didn’t know where the others were. He was finding bad guys left and right and kicking ass in downtown Gotham. Those slackers.
“DON’T.” A punch here. “BE.” Another kick. “SUSPICIOUS!!” There go the thug’s kneecaps.
“At least sing in rhythm!” Steph shot back, Dick’s laughter layering through the now multiple voices.
“You sing in rhythm,” Jason shot back, grabbing something and hitting it on a wall. Was it a head? He wasn’t paying attention. Tim was yelling something about the ruined moment but was being drowned out by Dick. Barbara could maybe be heard sighing.
--
At this corner perch, Bruce could see three major banks, two important skyscrapers, and dozens of alleys. It was his perch, and none of his kids dared to try and take the spot while he was on shift. It was a quiet night, with little to no activity happening. Perfect for something to happen.
That is, it was a quiet night. The comm in his ear was ringing with noise from his kids arguing about something someone said. He wasn’t listening, he was focused on doing his job, which the others should be doing.
It was at least quiet in his close proximity. Robin, Damian, was no-nonsense and was quietly helping him keep looking out at this perch. Bruce was mildly surprised that Damian hadn’t snapped yet about them keeping silent. He gave a glance to the youngest and could feel mild amusement bubble up.
Damian was sitting on a nearby vent, cloak wrapped around him to stave off the cold but he wasn’t shivering. Instead, he was nodding his head to the now-forgotten rhythm the others were singing, foot clicking against the metal in time. Bruce was too far away, but could slightly make out Damian mouthing words.
Bruce shook his head, looking back into the night. It was going to be a long, loud, night in Gotham.