My Baby Daddy Isn't Human-Chapter 184: Stars & Sky

The night air was cold as Raelynn pulled her shawl tighter around her shoulders as she stepped onto the balcony, the cool marble beneath her feet sending a small shiver up her spine. The sky stretched endlessly above her, an ocean of midnight blue speckled with glimmering stars. The moon, full and luminous, cast a soft glow over the mansion grounds, painting the world in silvery hues.

She sighed, resting her arms on the railing. Sleep had eluded her tonight, her mind restless with thoughts she couldn’t quite name. The air was quiet except for the distant rustling of leaves and the occasional chirp of a night creature. It was peaceful—almost too peaceful.

Then, from the corner of her eye, she noticed movement. Turning her head to the right, her gaze landed on the adjacent balcony. Elion stood there, his broad figure leaning casually against the railing. He had his head tilted back, eyes fixed on the stars, his features bathed in the moon’s glow. Then, as if sensing her gaze, he turned his head towards her and smiled—a slow, knowing smile that made her heartbeat stutter.

"You’re still awake?" His voice was low and smooth, carrying effortlessly across the distance between them.

Raelynn blinked before nodding. "Yeah… I couldn’t sleep."

Elion studied her for a moment before tilting his head slightly. "Can I come over?"

His question caught her off guard, but she nodded anyway. "Uh… yeah."

Elion disappeared into his room, and Raelynn barely had time to process the exchange before she heard the soft creak of her bedroom door opening. She turned just in time to see him step inside, his movements fluid, effortless—as if he had simply materialized there. Her brows furrowed slightly.

"That was fast," she muttered, narrowing her eyes.

Elion smirked, his gaze glinting with amusement. "Didn’t want to keep you waiting."

He walked over to her, his presence commanding yet oddly comforting. Without a word, he draped a thick blanket over her shoulders, his hands lingering for a brief second before pulling away. "It’s cold," he murmured, almost absently, before leaning against the railing beside her.

Raelynn pulled the blanket tighter and glanced up at him. "Do you know anything about starts?" he asked.

Raelynn blinked, tilting her head as she looked at him. Her expression was clear—why are you suddenly asking about that?

Elion, as usual, gave nothing away.

She sighed, pulling the blanket tighter around herself as she followed his gaze. "Well," she said after a beat, "aside from the fact that they sparkle? That’s about it."

Elion hummed, his eyes flickering back to the sky. "They’ve been here long before us. There’s a lot to learn from them."

Raelynn smiled slightly. "And you know all their stories?"

"Not all," he admitted, his tone amused. "But enough."

She tilted her head. "Like what?"

Elion pointed towards a cluster of stars. "See that one? That’s Lyra. The story says Orpheus played music so beautifully that even the gods wept. When he died, Zeus placed his lyre among the stars."

Raelynn followed his gaze, though the constellation meant little to her. "Huh," she mused. "You could be making this up, and I wouldn’t know."

Elion chuckled, his eyes glinting with mischief. "You can Google it if you don’t believe me."

Raelynn laughed softly, shaking her head. "I’ll take your word for it."

For a moment, they fell into a comfortable silence, the night wrapping around them like a soft embrace. Then, out of nowhere, Raelynn murmured, "It reminds me of Bubble."

Elion turned his head towards her, brow slightly raised. "Bubble?"

She nodded. "Yeah. It’s a bat."

"A bat," he repeated, his voice holding the faintest edge of disbelief.

Raelynn grinned at his reaction. "One night, it was just hanging here. I named it Bubble."

Elion looked at her for a long second before shaking his head in amusement. "You… named a bat?"

She lifted her chin. "Yes. And I even gave it snacks sometimes."

Elion exhaled a laugh, rubbing his jaw. "And does Bubble appreciate your generosity?"

Raelynn shrugged. "It comes and goes as it pleases. But yeah, I think so."

Elion leaned against the railing, watching her. "And you enjoyed its company?"

"Of course," she said. "Bubble doesn’t judge me. Unlike you, who’s looking at me like I’m insane."

He smirked. "I’m not judging. Just… processing."

Raelynn gave him a skeptical look before her expression softened. "You’re not mad?"

His brow furrowed. "Why would I be mad?"

"Well, I had a bat for a pet," she said as if it were obvious.

Elion shook his head. "It’s not like you could control it. It came and went as it pleased, right?"

"Right," she agreed.

"Then I don’t see the problem."

Raelynn smiled at that, her fingers tightening around the edge of her blanket. The night air seemed softer now, less cold with Elion standing beside her.

After a while, Elion exhaled, his gaze drifting back to her. "It’s late. You should get some sleep."

Raelynn opened her mouth to protest, but before she could, Elion gently took her wrist and led her back inside. She blinked at the unexpected warmth of his touch but didn’t resist. He shut the balcony doors behind them before turning to face her.

She climbed onto her bed with a soft sigh, settling against the pillows. Elion stepped closer and pulled the blanket over her properly, his movements slow and deliberate. There was something about the way he took care of her that made her chest tighten.

"Sleep," he murmured.

Raelynn blinked up at him, her lips parting slightly. "Elion—"

He reached out, his fingers brushing lightly against her forehead. The touch was brief, fleeting, but enough to send a strange warmth through her.

"Goodnight, Raelynn." His voice was softer now, carrying something she couldn’t quite place.

Then, his hand drifted lower, pressing lightly against her stomach. His eyes darkened for a fraction of a second before softening again.

"Goodnight, my child," he murmured.

Raelynn’s breath caught, but before she could say anything, Elion pulled away and turned towards the door. He glanced back at her one last time, his expression unreadable, before stepping out of the room, leaving her alone with her thoughts.

She stared at the ceiling for a long time, the ghost of his touch lingering on her skin.

Outside, the stars continued to shine, oblivious to the quiet storm stirring in her chest.