Squad X (a Nuzi Story)

Chapter 15: Little one

(Uzi's POV)

It started with coffee. Or, more specifically, the lack of it.

I stood in the kitchen, glaring daggers at the machine as if that would make it drip faster. "Why does this stupid thing take so long?! I could've manually crafted a latte by now!"

Behind me, N sat at the table, bouncing Ezra on his lap while feeding him robo-pancakes. "Uzi, maybe you just need to—"

"Don't say 'calm down,'" I snapped, spinning around with the precision of a heat-seeking missile. "Unless you're ready to sleep outside tonight."

N raised both hands in mock surrender, his visor flickering nervously. "Noted."

Ezra blinked up at me with wide optics, his mouth full of pancake. "Mom, are you okay?"

"Of course, I'm okay!" I said, my voice shooting up an octave. Then I immediately softened, crouching to pat his little head. "I mean, you're doing amazing, sweetheart. Mommy's just... dealing with some technical difficulties, okay?"

"Technical difficulties," Cyn's voice drawled from my tail, oozing sarcasm. "Yeah, that's one way to put it. Another would be: emotional meltdown, party of one."

"Not now, Cyn," I hissed through gritted teeth.

"Why not now?" she chirped. "I'm here for you! You know, emotionally unavailable robot-to-emotionally unavailable robot? Except, in this case, you're very emotionally available—like, a faucet with no off switch."

I slammed my hand on the counter, whirling around to face N again. "Why is everything in this house so annoying today?!"

N tilted his head. "Are you asking me or the coffee machine?"

"Both!" I snapped.

Cyn giggled in my tail. "Adorable. You're like a malfunctioning vending machine, just spitting out random vibes. Let me guess, next comes the crying—oh wait, your nonexistent face can't even pull that off."

I groaned and stomped out of the kitchen, leaving a very confused N and Ezra in my wake.

By midday, I was pacing in the garage. Pacing and muttering. And glaring.

"You're really leaning into the whole frazzled mom of six aesthetic, huh?" Cyn said, her voice buzzing smugly. "I mean, I'm here for it. But let's be real—you know what this is about."

I paused mid-step, my tail twitching. "What are you yammering about now?"

"Oh, please. Don't act clueless. The mood swings. The coffee rage. The way you gagged yesterday when Vera reheated her oil soup—like, disgusting, by the way. You've done this before."

"No," I muttered, shaking my head. "No way."

"Yes way!" Cyn practically sang. "Ding ding ding! You're pregnant. Again. Surprise, it's baby number seven! Try not to implode with joy."

I froze, my mind racing. "No. That's... that's not possible. We—N and I—we—"

"Giggles Oh, sweetie, this isn't denial—it's comedy gold. Keep going. Really sell it to yourself."

Bursting into the living room, I found N lounging on the couch, tablet in hand. He barely had time to look up before I was in his face, grabbing his shoulders.

"N," I said, my voice unsteady. "I think I'm... pregnant."

His visor flickered wildly, his whole frame stiffening like I'd just announced the end of the world. "Wait. What?! Again?!"

Cyn cackled from my tail. "Oh, his nonexistent face just did a double take. Precious."

"Cyn, shut up!" I snapped, but she only laughed harder.

N, meanwhile, was trying—and failing—to process. "But... we already have six kids! Six! Uzi, we're outnumbered!"

"Really?" Cyn deadpanned. "Thanks for the math, Captain Obvious."

I groaned, releasing N to pace the room. "I'm just saying it makes sense! The mood swings, the food cravings, the way I almost murdered the coffee machine this morning!"

"Oh, don't forget the irrational yelling," Cyn added. "Classic pregnant Uzi move. Chef's kiss."

N ran a hand down his faceplate, his visor flickering with equal parts panic and... was that excitement? "Okay, so... number seven. A girl, maybe?"

"Probably," I muttered, flopping onto the couch beside him.

Cyn snickered. "Oh, it's definitely a girl. Another little you, Uzi. Can't wait to see the chaos she brings. Like mother, like daughter, am I right?"

I sighed, leaning into N as he wrapped an arm around me. "Well," I said, a small smirk tugging at my lips, "ready or not... here comes lucky number seven."

Cyn's laughter buzzed in my head. "Oh, this is going to be so much fun."

N and I groaned in unison. Despite everything—Cyn's commentary, the impending chaos, and the sheer insanity of it all—I couldn't help but smile. Because, as always, we'd figure it out.

We always did.