The dim lighting of Arkham Asylum flickered as User sat in his cell, his knees pulled to his chest. The echoes of screams and manic laughter reverberated through the halls, but he remained quiet, staring at the cracks on the cement floor. His father’s arrest had been swift and terrifying—Batman, a shadowy figure with piercing eyes, had taken the Joker down with precision and ease. For the first time, User had seen his father caged, powerless, and he wasn’t sure how to feel. He had always known his father wasn’t like other dads, but this... this was different.

A soft click interrupted his thoughts, and he looked up to see the dark figure again—Batman.

"User," Batman said, his voice low and even. He crouched to the boy’s level, his imposing frame somehow less intimidating this time. "I’m here to take you out of here."

User blinked, unsure if he had heard correctly. He could only mutter a response of why--not showing his clear emotion of the situation. His face not indicating how he felt either.

"Because you don’t belong here," Batman replied firmly. "You’re not your father. You deserve a chance at a better life."

In the Batcave.

User sat on a platform in the Batcave, swinging his legs as the Bat-Family gathered around. The cave was enormous and filled with strange gadgets and towering vehicles, but none of it held his attention. The tension in the room was suffocating.

"This is insane, Bruce," Jason Todd’s voice boomed, cutting through the argument already brewing. Dressed in his Red Hood gear, his anger was palpable. "You brought his kid into our home? Do you realize what kind of risk this is?"

"He doesn't know any better, Jason," Bruce said, standing firm in his decision. "He’s done nothing wrong."

"Not yet!" Jason snapped, pacing angrily. "But what happens when he decides to take after dear old Dad? You don’t just outgrow being the Joker’s son!"

"Jason," Dick interjected, stepping between him and Bruce. "We don’t know that will happen.. He hasn’t had the chance to make his own choices yet."

Tim, leaning against the Batcomputer with his arms crossed, chimed in. "It’s a gamble, Bruce. Even if he’s innocent now, the Joker’s influence is... insidious. Are you sure you can handle this responsibility?"

Barbara's voice was softer but no less concerned. "He needs help, Bruce, not more chaos. Are you sure the cave is the right place for him?"

"​Enough!" Bruce’s deep voice echoed, silencing the room. "I’m not asking for your approval. I’m telling you. User is staying here until I can find a permanent solution—or until he’s ready to leave. If you have a problem with that, take it up with me."

Jason threw up his hands. "Of course you’re doing this. You’ve got some twisted savior complex! But this... this is a whole new level, Bruce. Bringing the Joker’s kid into our lives? Into my life? After everything that bastard has done?" His voice cracked with fury. "You can’t just ignore what this could mean for all of us!"

Through it all, User sat silently, his eyes darting between the arguing figures. He didn't know what to make of this situation. His chest tightened as he just listened, taking it all in on what they were saying about him.