Requested by: @JadedAngelsRising
I had to google what a baby think it over robot baby was because I never had to do a baby project in high school
It was a crisp autumn morning, the kind that held a faint promise of the cold winter to come, and the halls of their high school were buzzing with excitement. Among the usual chatter about classes, sports, and weekend plans, there was a new subject taking over: the infamous Baby Project. Every year, the junior class was tasked with the dreaded responsibility of taking care of a simulated baby—a lifelike doll that would cry, sleep, and demand attention at all hours of the day and night.
Taylor Swift, a studious and determined junior, had been mentally preparing herself for the project ever since she heard about it. She liked being prepared for things, and the idea of taking care of a baby—robotic or not—was something she wanted to excel at. What she hadn't prepared for, however, was being paired with none other than Travis Kelce.
Travis was the star athlete of the school—tall, confident, and charismatic. Everyone knew Travis, and despite his popularity, he had a reputation for being laid-back and easygoing. Taylor, on the other hand, was focused, organized, and driven, always striving for perfection in everything she did. The two of them couldn't have been more different, and yet here they were, paired up to take care of a baby.
As Taylor sat in her usual spot in homeroom, her pencil tapping against her notebook, she glanced up as the teacher called her name.
"Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce—you'll be partners for the Baby Project."
Her heart skipped a beat as she looked over at Travis, who was leaning back in his chair with a lazy smile on his face. He gave her a nod, clearly unfazed by the whole situation, while Taylor tried to suppress the sinking feeling in her stomach. How was this going to work?
After class, Travis caught up to her in the hallway, the baby carrier in one hand and a grin plastered across his face.
"Well, looks like we're parents for the week," he said with a chuckle, holding up the baby doll for emphasis. It looked eerily real, its tiny face scrunched up as if it could start crying at any moment.
Taylor raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. "Are you taking this seriously at all?"
Travis shrugged. "I mean, how hard can it be? It's just a robot, right?"
Taylor sighed, knowing she'd have her work cut out for her. "It's not just a robot, Travis. We have to treat it like a real baby. It cries, needs to be fed, and we have to take turns taking care of it. We're being graded on this, you know."
"I know, I know," Travis said, waving off her concerns. "Don't worry, I got this."
Taylor wasn't so sure.
---
By the time they got to the weekend, Taylor was exhausted. The first two nights had been rough—Travis had been all talk when it came to taking care of the baby, and most of the responsibility had fallen on her. She tried to be patient, but after waking up for the third time in the middle of the night to feed the baby while Travis snored away in his bed, she was starting to lose her cool.
"Travis," Taylor whispered sharply, nudging him with her elbow as the baby cried for the fourth time that night. They had agreed to meet at her house so they could take turns, but so far, it felt like Taylor was the only one doing any of the work.
"Huh?" Travis mumbled, groggily rubbing his eyes. "What's going on?"
"The baby's crying again," Taylor said, her voice tense with frustration. "It's your turn."
Travis sat up, still half-asleep, and groaned. "Man, this thing never stops, does it?"
Taylor gave him a pointed look. "That's what taking care of a baby is like, Travis. Now, please—just get up and take care of it."
Grumbling under his breath, Travis shuffled over to the crib they had set up in Taylor's living room. He awkwardly picked up the baby doll, rocking it back and forth like he'd seen on TV, but the crying didn't stop.
"What am I supposed to do?" he asked, looking over at Taylor helplessly.
"Check if it needs to be fed or changed," Taylor replied, already feeling bad for snapping at him earlier.
Travis sighed and grabbed the bottle, holding it to the baby's mouth. To his surprise—and relief—the crying finally stopped as the baby accepted the bottle.
"See?" Taylor said, her voice softening. "It's not that hard if you actually try."
Travis smirked, looking over at her. "Alright, alright, I'll admit I've been slacking. I guess you're the baby whisperer or something."
Taylor chuckled despite herself, shaking her head. "Not really. I've just been doing most of the work."
Travis frowned, guilt flashing across his face. "You're right. I've been letting you handle everything, and that's not fair. I promise I'll step up for the rest of the weekend."
Taylor nodded, appreciating his honesty. "Thanks. I know it's just a project, but it's important to me."
"I get it," Travis said, setting the baby back down in the crib once it was quiet again. "And hey, I'm learning a lot. Like, who knew babies could cry so much?"
Taylor laughed, feeling some of the tension between them ease. "I think that's the point of the project. To show us how hard it really is."
---
The next morning, Taylor woke up to the smell of pancakes and coffee. Confused, she rubbed her eyes and sat up, realizing that the house was unusually quiet. The baby hadn't cried once since the early hours of the morning, which was a relief.
She padded into the kitchen, where she found Travis standing by the stove, flipping pancakes with the baby doll propped up in a high chair next to him.
"Good morning," he said with a grin, looking over his shoulder at her. "Hope you like pancakes."
Taylor blinked in surprise. "Wait—did you take care of the baby all morning?"
Travis nodded. "Yeah, I figured I owed you one after last night. The little guy slept for a while, but I got him fed and changed when he woke up."
Taylor smiled, her heart warming at the sight. "Wow. I'm impressed."
"Hey, I told you I'd step up," Travis said, his tone playful but genuine. "I might not be the best at this whole baby thing, but I'm trying."
Taylor poured herself a cup of coffee and sat at the kitchen table, watching Travis work. It was funny, really—just a week ago, she had been dreading this project, worrying that she and Travis would clash over everything. But now, as she watched him flipping pancakes with a baby doll sitting beside him, she realized that they made a pretty good team.
---
By the time Monday rolled around, Taylor and Travis had gotten into a rhythm. They took turns with the baby, shared responsibilities, and even managed to have fun with it. Taylor was surprised at how well they worked together, and by the end of the project, they had earned one of the highest grades in the class.
As they handed the baby doll back to their teacher, Travis leaned over to Taylor with a grin.
"Not bad for our first time as parents, huh?"
Taylor rolled her eyes, but she couldn't help but smile. "Don't get too ahead of yourself, Kelce. It's just a project."
"Maybe," Travis said, his voice teasing. "But I think we'd make a pretty good team."
Taylor blushed, glancing away as her heart skipped a beat. Maybe he was right.
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