#honestly tho a harpy dad sounds absolutely ideal

[llamagoddessofficial]

Okay but what if single mom MC brings her kid to work in the zoo!harpy AU? She usually has them sit on the outside of the enclosure where the guests are so she can keep an eye on them while working but the kid ends up finding a way in the enclosure. How different would things be if it's MCs kid vs a strangers kid?

I'm assuming she'd avoid tranquilizing skull? Or would it still happen?

A real baby? Oh, delight

Sans: Unlike a stranger's baby, who just gets the bird equivalent to the silent treatment, Mc's child gets played with like he's a tired dad who got woken up on Saturday morning. He considers this his baby, after all, can't just ignore them. Sans lets them sit on his shoulders while he drags himself to his feet and sleepily mooches around his enclosure so they can explore it together.

... But when Mc comes to rescue her kid, Sans suddenly wakes up and comes to life- he won't give them back just yet, actually. This is the perfect chance for a fun game of 'catch us if you can'. He scoops the kid up, and despite her obvious sounds of protest, disappears away into his enclosure in a flurry of feathers.

The kid has a great time, obviously, Sans is moving incredibly quickly and climbing up tall structures to hide- they're having the time of their life. Mc finds wherever they're hiding by following the sound of giggling. And while she isn't thrilled that a giant owl harpy has decided to play keepaway with her child... she also appreciates how gentle he's being, and how much fun they're clearly both having together.

... Sans eventually gives them back.

Red: At first, Mc's very careful with Red, because she's not sure if she can trust him near her child. He's made his 'undying love' for her abundantly clear, and wild male animals sometimes kill the offspring of females they want to mate with. What if he decides he's uninterested in a baby that isn't genetically his, and gets aggressive with her kid? She can't risk it. It's a bridge she won't cross and she does her damnedest to keep the two separate.

... Except, when the inevitable happens, Red is great.

He couldn't act more fatherly if he tried- he actively plays with them, carries them around, preens their dirty hair, picks at their clothes, wipes dirt off their face and growls at staff who get too near. Though he's got his usual grumpy face there are clear smiles breaking out over his expression every now and then... her kid can clamber all over him and he's patient as a saint. It's a huge relief for her- and in a way, it kinda re-frames her view of Red. Maybe he's more than just an aggressive flirt.

... He's especially cuddly and flirty when Mc shows up to collect her kid, though. All hopped up on parental instincts, desperate to cement a bond with her through kisses or nuzzles or a song. this is OUR kid, because we're together right? right?

Skull: Now, she already knows Skull has a propensity for getting overly attached to babies. And she knows he gets overly attached to her. So when she goes into his enclosure and realises that Skull has taken her kid to his nest, she's absolutely ready for a full on battle to get her kid back.

... Instead, when she pokes her head into the den and finds Skull cuddling a sleeping child... as soon as she indicates she wants them back, he happily hands them over.

His issue was with babies he thought were abandoned. But he knows that this is Mc's baby. Their baby. There's a good mother (her) and a loving father (him, of course) so there's no need for him to worry. It's normal for birds to have one adult go away while the other stays with the baby; Mom wants to be the one taking care of their child again, who is he to decline?

... He does stare a bit long at them, though. He likes looking at his family all together.