Chapter Text
The girls are at the door of the paddock before you even get in, which isn’t unusual as it’s often hard to surprise them. However, where they usually would swarm Owen, today they seem extremely fixated on you. Blue gets right in your face, completely ignoring Owen’s signals and commands. The rest fall into line, but they can’t keep their eyes off of you for very long. Once he gets Blue’s attention, Owen barks out a few commands that they listen to, for the most part. But the second that he’s finished, Blue comes running back to you, sniffing your shirt.
The raptors, especially Blue, never really took to you that well. Owen said it was a trust thing, but you thought it was more of a jealousy, ‘stay away from our Alpha’ thing. He told you that when they finally started to see you as his mate, they would lighten up a little. They didn’t ever try to eat you, granted, but they would never get as close as they were now, and they would definitely not nudge their heads into your stomach. You try to laugh as you pet Charlie who has decided she needs to nuzzle you with all her strength and she accidentally pushes you up against the wall. You don’t panic because Owen stands to the side, arms crossed, laughing slightly.
“Well, I guess they finally took to you huh, Y/N.”
You stroke Charlie’s neck as Blue runs back towards the tree line where their foliage in the pen begins. Owen’s forehead creases as he watches her begin to scrape and dig at the ground. Echo and Charlie continue to sniff around you softly but your eyes are fixed on Owen. He doesn’t seem worried, exactly. Just… confused, like he doesn’t understand what Blue is doing. Blue barks out a growl as delta gets too close to her dig site. The others lose interest in you and go to observe Blue’s handiwork.
When he decides the girls are occupied enough, Owen nods towards the door and puts out his arm to usher you out first. When the raptors hear the door to the safety cage close, they turn to the sound and Blue lets out a shrill noise that almost sound like whining.
Owen looks at you with a raised eyebrow, “Well that was definitely-“
“Weird!” you cut in, pulling the bottom of your shirt up to your face to smell it.
“What are you doing?” Owen asks laughing at you.
You wrinkle your nose and frown, “Blue seemed to smell something. I was sick this morning. I don’t know, I thought I might still smell like puke.”
Owen just smiles and shakes his head, turning his attention back to Blue. The pack was still huddled around the small dent that Blue was creating in the dirt. When Barry walks into the safety cage, Owen lifts his chin towards him, but keeps his eyes on the raptors.
“Hey Barry, what does that look like to you?” Owen asks, his forehead creasing with what you realize is concern.
“Huh?” Barry asks, taking the spot next to Owen against the fence and absentmindedly gripping a bar, “It looks kind of like a nest, I guess,” he responds not seeming too surprised.
This didn’t seem to relieve Owen, more so the opposite. “They can’t lay eggs. Why would she be building a nest? It doesn’t make any sense.” He shakes his head as he rubs the back of his neck.
You lean against the fence opposite them and continue to focus on Owen, worried simply because he seemed to be.
“You know man, it’s probably just instinct. I wouldn’t look into it too much.” He shrugs his shoulders and turns to you with a smile, but his eyes drop to your shirt with dried raptor snot still on the belly. You don’t notice anything odd until he tilts his head and seems to be staring intently at your shirt, as if he’s trying to solve a puzzle in his head. You feel slightly self-conscious and automatically bring a hand to cover your stomach.
When you do this, Barry looks up at you. He brings a hand to cover his mouth as he begins to laugh. Barry’s laugh is infectious, so even though you don’t understand, you let out a little chuckle.
“And just what are you laughing at mister?” You smile and looks towards Owen, his worried gaze still on his girls.
“You should probably go see the doctor.” Barry finally gets out, starting to calm, but not yet ready to lose his huge grin. Owen turns around when he hears the word doctor and looks at his friend quizzically.
“Why would she need to see a doctor?” he asks and turns to you, ignoring his friend’s sudden giddiness, “Is something wrong?”
Still smiling, you just shrug your shoulders. “I think he’s just going crazy.” you say as you roll your eyes, but this just sends Barry in to another fit of laughter.
“Well I’m sure not crazy,” he starts, “But you guys might be when you finally figure it out.”
He continues to laugh, and Owen looks almost angry, not understanding the joke. Barry slaps his hand onto Owen’s shoulder and says, “I don’t think Blue is building that nest for herself.” He walks out the front door shaking his head, still smiling. Owen looks at you, just as confused as yourself, and notices your hand still placed atop your stomach. He squints his eyes for a second and turns to look at Blue. You’re about to ask what Barry was talking about when Owen turns back around and stares at your stomach, mouth gaping open. That’s when you understand.
Blue was building a nest, but it wasn’t for herself…. It was for you.