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Stephanie Wayne loves bats.
Apparently, this is something Bruce managed to pass on to his daughter, as Edward attested tonight again.
The Knight was out handling vigilante duties, he stayed alone with their eight months old this evening. Before putting her in her cradle next to the bed he shares with the owner of the place, Ed took care of her bottle, rocked her tenderly and talked to her softly, singing a little, for over half an hour.
However, she was perfectly awake, so no way she'll agree to sleep right now. Moreover, she wanted company. As a result, the former rogue searched what he could do to amuse her, when she saw the drawings on the desk nearby.
Eddie had scrolled through some of Bruce's old things this afternoon, among others he found a cardboard box filled with handmade drawings. His sincere compliments when seeing how much of a gifted artist the Bat is made his partner blush crimson, even though he looked adorably proud of himself.
Some of said drawings landed in their bedroom... And it had literally been love at first sight for Steph.
"You want to see them?" He inquired when she started moving in his arms to get closer to the desk.
Ed sat on the wheeled desk chair, securing her in his arms. He held the first picture, showing an experimental version of a man dressed as a bat, in front of her.
She appeared so cheery looking at it, she immediately started to slide her chubby fingers all over the charcoal drawing, what left black marks on her minuscule phalanges. Edward laughed, he cleaned her hands, causing her to giggle too because it tickled and soon he was holding a jubilant baby whom the bat pictures had left in a truly joyful mood.
These times became his favorites: when his daughter was so genuinely happy about something, it could last long with her expressing how pleased she is with everything.
It was always a delight.
Therefore he knew he had to do something of those bats. So when he nested himself with the very awake and content baby on his bed, he took the drawings with them plus the laptop Bruce lets him use these times.
Just to verify if it was truly linked to the creatures, Ed showed her a few (kinda cute, he had to admit) videos of the animals.
This could confirm it: she had a crush on bats. It was absolutely adorable, and no way Edward would look at the rats with wings the same way after he witnessed the affection his baby developed towards them.
He knew what symbols he was going to sew on Steph's next pajamas (because she grows up so fast, she will need a new one soon...). It will sport little black bats on a purple background. Good decision.
It was not very long afterwards before Steph yawned between his arms and became apparently less thrilled by the pictures, both YouTube documentaries and Bruce's drawings (on which both bat-costumes and authentic animal shapes from various bat species were portrayed).
She had been very active tonight, for longer than usual, no wonder she felt tired now.
Eddie carefully placed her in her cradle next to his bed, and made sure the blankets were well adjusted over her tiny form. The temperatures were a bit too chilly for his liking, he could not risk his baby catches a cold.
And... Very active at night, hu?
The thought made him smile as he wrapped himself under his own blankets.
Maybe they were all bats, in the end. Stephanie, Bruce, him, Alfred. All the people in his life were... nocturnal creatures, him included, when he thought about it.
"Good night... my little Batgirl," he whispered tenderly to the toddler, asleep in her cradle next to her cute robin plush toy.
Batgirl. What an odd, yet strangely appropriate nickname for his precious daughter. Without a doubt, Bruce will rename her that one of those days.
Edward was smiling when he fell asleep tonight.