College Is Like A Chronic Migraine [Murder Drones Human College AU]

Baby Time!!!!!

Uzi leaned back against the headboard, one hand resting on her ever-growing belly, the other swiping lazily through her phone. A rare moment of calm washed over her as she scrolled past a picture of herself, N, and their friends—most of them, anyway—back when things were simpler. Less terrifying. But now, with every passing day, the reality of what was to come felt heavier than ever.

Especially now, with N’s birthday looming and her due date just around the corner.

Her thumb hovered over the call button. A part of her felt guilty for even thinking about planning a party with everything going on. But she could already hear N’s voice in her head, soft and uncertain, telling her it was okay to not do anything this year. He’d say it like he meant it, too. But she'd catch that flicker of disappointment, buried beneath his concern for her.

He hadn’t been sleeping well—she could tell. The constant worry etched into his face every morning. The dark circles under his eyes that spoke of restless nights filled with silent dread. She felt it too, of course. The fear of something going wrong when the baby came. The anticipation of their lives changing so completely. But she knew N better than anyone. He carried his worry like a burden he refused to share, always trying to be her rock when she was more than willing to be his.

So, she was going to do something for him. Something to remind him that, even when things felt uncertain, there were still moments worth celebrating. And today, that was him.

She took a deep breath and tapped the screen, starting the call.

The sound of Lizzy’s voice was immediate, excited, and maybe a bit too loud. “So, what’s the plan, Uz? We’re doing a surprise, right? I can totally handle the cake.”

“Hang on,” Uzi cut in, her voice hushed. “We’ve got to keep N distracted first. He’s been super on edge lately, and I don’t want him getting suspicious.”

“Leave that to me!” Lizzy chirped, clearly volunteering without hesitation.

But V’s voice broke through, steady and more level-headed than Lizzy's. “Actually... if you want to avoid suspicion, Tessa’s your best bet. She’s the only one who’s remembered his birthday every single year. Even the one he wasn't there for. If anyone’s gonna keep him busy without raising alarms, it’s her.”

Uzi considered it for a moment, biting her lip. V had a point. The others could handle the decorations and food easily enough. They’d all come over to their new house while N was out with Tessa, and with any luck, he’d walk into the surprise none the wiser.

“Alright, Tessa it is,” Uzi agreed, “but we need to make sure this stays low-key. No big stuff, okay? I’m not exactly in any shape to be running around, you know?”

“You just relax, we’ve got this,” V assured her.

Lizzy was already rattling off cake flavors, but Uzi barely heard her. The familiar creak of the floorboards made her freeze. Instinctively, she muted the call and slid the phone under a pillow, just as N walked into the room.

He looked exhausted.

Even more than usual, if that was possible. His messy silver hair hung in loose strands over his face, and his eyes were shadowed with sleepless nights, worry etched into every line of his expression. He paused in the doorway, glancing at her like he was already apologizing for his state. She could see it, the weight of everything they were going through pressing down on him.

But Uzi wasn’t having it today. Not on his birthday.

“Hey,” she said softly, her tone immediately changing from the business-like demeanor she’d had on the call. She scooted over, making room for him on the bed. “You look like you haven’t slept in days.”