It was needless to say that Bruce Wayne was a heavy sleeper. Fighting super criminals and beating the snot out of thugs tended to tire a guy out. But even in his sleep he was able to stay aware of his surroundings, which was how, at 5 AM, he could feel that something was not quite right. He stirred awake and realized that the little warm bundle that usually slept with him was gone. At this discovery Bruce was fully awake and jumped out of bed.
He pulled back the covers and was distraught by not finding the ebony haired child that he knew came to bed with him last night. He was about to dash out of the room to try and find Richard when he heard a flush come from the deluxe bathroom. With a sigh of relief, he realized that Richard must have had to go use the toilet and didn't want to wake Bruce up.
As he heard the sink being turned on, he grabbed the sheets that he threw aside and decided to rest for a little while more. Little Richard walked out of the bathroom and seeing that his daddy was still in bed, rejoined him. He launched himself up from the side of the bed that was at his head level and rolled right next to Bruce's form. He burrowed his way into his father's arms and snuggled in happily when his daddy placed him right on top of his broad chest.
This was how Alfred found them when he came in an hour later to inform his charges that breakfast was ready. With a content smile, the English man roused his masters awake by opening the large curtains and letting the bright light of the morning sun stream into the room.
"Mmmmnnnfff..." protested the little child, while trying to cover his eyes with his tiny hands. Bruce just gave a short growl before a huge yawn overtook him and caused Dick to ride up and down from the inhale and exhale.
"Breakfast is ready, sirs, I believe that you will be needing the nourishment after the night you both had."
"Thank you Alfred," murmured Bruce as he got up from bed. Richard sat up to rub the sleep from his eyes with one hand, while the other reached up to Bruce while opening and closing his little fingers, indicating he wanted to be picked up. Bruce did so, one had under Dick's bottom and the other on his back, rubbing soothing circles he knew Dick liked, considering the purr-like noises he made when he did that.
Bruce walked down the hallway of the Manor to the dining room in peaceful silence. The billionaire was ready for his morning coffee and paper. The headlines were: Bruce Wayne not seen in Socials Scandals since adoption. It was true that ever since Bruce's adoption of Richard, almost eight months ago, he hadn't "dated", so to speak, any woman for image purposes. He enjoyed being with Richard more than pretending to be mildly interested in some bleach blond gold digger that was trying to be the next pauper to princess.
He also had been going to fewer functions, but had still been donating because he didn't want Dick to get in the middle of a paparazzi frenzy. He looked down at the child in his lap and was greeted with the cute sight of him with grape jelly on his cheeks from the pancakes he was eating. Bruce took a bite from his own plate and continued reading in content.
o.o
At Wayne enterprises, Richard played happily in Bruce's office assembling a train model kit that Bruce had possessed since he was little. Bruce worked in comfort knowing Dick was having fun despite him not being in kinder garden yet, like most kids his age would be. For now he was being home schooled by Alfred and a couple of trusted tutors until Bruce found a school, or at this point made a school that had optimum security that could keep Dick safe.
There was a knock at his office door and a tall redheaded woman who was Bruce's secretary poked her head in. "Mr. Wayne?" she asked.
"Yes Laura, what is it?" questioned Bruce, not turning away from the computer.
