My Baby Daddy Isn’t Human

Raelynn held the ceramic flower vase carefully in her hands as she stepped into her bedroom. The vase's pastel blue color and painted roses reminded her of a cozy little garden scene.

She had asked Hera for help earlier to retrieve it from a storage shelf, and now she was eager to put it to use.

On the bedside table lay a bouquet of fresh flowers, their vibrant colors popping against the soft tones of the room. The scent of lilies and roses filled the air, faint but lovely. Raelynn smiled as she glanced at them, their petals still fresh and slightly damp from being wrapped in paper earlier.

She stepped into the bathroom, holding the vase gently against her side. The soft sound of running water echoed as she turned on the faucet to fill the vase. The soft splash of water was calming as her fingers brushed over the vase's cool surface.

Returning to the bedroom, Raelynn placed the vase on a small round table by the window and sat down on the plush couch nearby. Her gaze lingered on the flowers, a small smile on her lips as she thought about how the simple gesture of placing them in water would make them last longer.

Her quiet moment was interrupted by a soft knock on the door.

"Come in," she called, her voice light.

The door opened, and Sloane stepped inside, her slumped shoulders showing how drained she felt. Her slightly messy hair didn't hide the soft, tired warmth in her eyes as she smiled at Raelynn.

"Oh, hi, Sloane," Raelynn greeted, sitting up a little straighter.

Sloane waved a hand and moved to the couch, practically collapsing onto the cushion beside Raelynn. "Hi," she replied, exhaling loudly as she leaned back and closed her eyes for a moment.

Raelynn tilted her head, concern flickering across her face. "Tough day at work?"

Sloane opened one eye and smirked faintly. "You could say that. Let me tell you, being a doctor and also assigned to make sure you don't keel over from exhaustion is more work than I anticipated."

Raelynn chuckled softly. "Oh? Tell me about it."

Sloane perked up a bit and started talking about her day, from a crazy emergency to a patient who wouldn't listen to her. Her tone flipped between frustrated and funny, and Raelynn paid attention, nodding or laughing at the right moments.

"...And then, as if that wasn't enough, I get back here thinking I'd have a peaceful evening, and Hera corners me in the kitchen asking about you." Sloane finished with a dramatic groan, throwing her head back against the couch.

Raelynn laughed, her smile widening. "Sounds like a day, all right. But you survived."

"Barely," Sloane replied, sitting up and brushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear. She gave Raelynn a mock glare. "Enough about me, though. What about you? How was your day?"

Raelynn shrugged lightly, her expression softening. "Pretty good, actually." She glanced at the flowers on the table, her hands instinctively reaching for them. She began arranging them in the vase, her fingers delicately separating stems and adjusting angles until the bouquet looked just right. "Nothing too exciting, just... a good day."

Sloane's gaze drifted to the flowers, her brows raising slightly. "I didn't even notice those earlier. They're beautiful. You've got a good eye for arrangements, Raelynn."

Raelynn glanced up, smiling modestly. "Thanks, but I can't take credit. I didn't pick them."

"Oh?" Sloane's tone shifted to playful curiosity, her lips curling into a smirk. "So, who's the lucky person who gave you such lovely flowers? Elion, perhaps?"

Raelynn's cheeks warmed, and she quickly shook her head. "No, not Elion."

Sloane leaned forward, resting her chin on her palm as she grinned. "Hmm, interesting. So, who are they from? Do tell."

Raelynn hesitated for a moment before answering. "Just... a friend I had lunch with earlier."

Sloane's brows lifted higher, and her grin widened. "A friend, huh? And this friend is…?"

Raelynn kept her explanation short and to the point. She didn't elaborate much, but she made it clear the flowers were a thoughtful gesture from Axel, someone she had gotten to know recently. Sloane nodded along, listening with interest, though there was a glimmer of amusement in her eyes.

Just as the conversation began to wind down, a soft chime sounded from Raelynn's phone on the table. She glanced at the screen, her lips twitching into a smile as she saw the notification.

"Speak of the devil," she murmured, picking up her phone and unlocking it. She was surprised Axel got in touch this quickly, though she wasn't complaining.

Sloane tilted her head. "Is that… him?"

Raelynn nodded, her thumbs moving quickly across the screen as she typed a response.

Axel: Did the flowers survive your walk back, or did you accidentally smush them on the way home?

Raelynn: They survived, and I'm not gonna lie, my arrangement was pretty amazing. They're in a vase now.

Axel: Good. Hopefully, they don't wilt anytime soon—you might forget about me otherwise.

Raelynn: Forget about my saviour? Impossible.

Axel: Saviour, huh? I like the sound of that. Should I get a cape to complete the look?

Raelynn let out a small laugh, her face lighting up as her fingers danced over the keyboard. Sloane watched her, arms crossed and an eyebrow raised.

Raelynn let out a soft laugh, shaking her head. "He's so silly," she muttered under her breath.

Sloane, who had been watching her with an arched brow, leaned forward with interest. "Silly, huh? This Axel is sounding more intriguing by the second."

Raelynn glanced at her, rolling her eyes. "He's just being… I don't know, polite. Friendly."

"Now I really want to meet him. I should thank him for saving my patient the other night."

"Yeah, you should."

Things quieted down while Raelynn's eyes stayed glued to her screen. Leaning back, she watched Raelynn, a small, entertained smile playing on her lips. Sloane made a soft "hmm" sound, her thoughts clearly elsewhere.