Chapter Text
Dear parent/guardian unit:
Outpost 3 High School has the pleasure to announce the hosting of Prom 3071! Again!
Okay no I can't do this. Prom will be hosted in the auditorium this Saturday. Only Juniors and Seniors can attend. Formal dress code. Same theme as the ruined one. Sign the line at the bottom. Or don't. Nobody actually checks those anyway. Just no more secret murder plans, please.
"Wow, they didn't even bother this time." Uzi laughed while looking at the permission slip.
It was nearing the end of the final class, and the teacher just handed out the forms for the prom redo and the voting of prom king and queen. Mix those things together and you get a bunch of teenage drones chatting up a storm while packing up.
N, whose seat is right next to Uzi's, paused packing up his bag and leaned over to Uzi. "It didn't look like this last time?"
Uzi just shoved the paper into her backpack. "Nope. Last time they actually tried to sound professional about it. Whoever wrote it eventually gave up during the dress code section, though."
V propped herself against the back of Uzi's chair. Since when has she been there?! "So you read the paper last time? Who would've thought."
"Bite me. And for the record, the Mr. Vickers read it out loud that time."
"Either way," N interrupted their banter, "this sounds fun! An actual prom where we're not dodging knives and fighting for our lives! This is gonna be awesome!"
Uzi smiled at N, then finished closing her bag. She's not sure if she wants to go to prom. She's never been the type to attend these school events, and she only went to the previous one because she was forced to. As the weird kid with no friends, Uzi never saw the appeal of homecoming and prom. But now, even if she's still an angsty teen, she has friends and a partner, and said partner's excitement may or may not be swaying her.
V shrugged. "Have fun, then. I don't think I'll show up, so don't miss me."
"Says who?" Another drone joins them. Lizzy. "Last prom's queen can't just not show up. Don't make me take you."
Lizzy is getting very close to V's face. Like, way too close. N and Uzi exchanged confused looks before grabbing their bags and slowly fleeing the scene. They heard V shout at them, but that was promptly ignored.
Uzi was already by the classroom door when the bell rang. She quickly opened the door and ran out with N as the hallway was flooded by other drones. Once they were a safe distance from the classroom, N looked back. "V! You coming?"
V found them through the sea of people and joined them with a frustrated grunt. "Yeah, yeah, I'm here. Had some business to attend to first."
As the trio walked down the hallways to the school exit, Uzi nudged V. "What kind of business, huh? Got an after party in mind for prom night?"
But of course, V decided to fight fire with fire. "I could ask you the same question, purple thing." She eyed N, who was looking ahead, unbothered by the interaction now that they weren't in the classroom.
Uzi did not like this comment. "Do you want to have a problem?!
"Aaaand train time!" N spoke up as they reached the exit door. He grabbed Uzi's hand and started running, to which the worker made a startled noise. Before they were out of reach, V held onto the back of Uzi's bag.
The trio ran through the bunker halls in line, together.
Uzi's house was the closest to the school, so they got there in a matter of minutes. They were no longer running, but Uzi and N were still holding hands, and V was still holding on Uzi's backpack. This has become the new normal.
V let go of Uzi. "Here we are. N, I'll be at our place. Uzi, I'll see you tomorrow." That, on the other hand, wasn't normal. Normally she and N walked the rest of the way to their house together, and Uzi doesn't recall having plans with N tonight...
V passed by N's side, and Uzi vaguely heard her whisper "I know what you want to do. Shoot your shot."
Then she just. Walked away.
"That... was weird. Is she trying to sound suspicious?" Uzi asked, looking up at N.
Lo and behold, N was looking suspicious, too. His mouth was hung open, and he looked like a deer in the headlights.
Uzi tugged at his arm. "N? N?? You good?"
The boy blinked rapidly and looked down at Uzi. Now he's sweating. Weird.
"Y-Yup! All good things over here!" He stuttered.
Uzi squinted her eyes with a nod. "If you say so... then I guess I'll see you tomorrow."
She was about to let go of his hand and turn around, only for him to hold her back. "W-Wait!"
Uzi stops in her tracks, looking at N with a thousand questions on her face. He changes his position so that his hand is gently holding her fingers from the bottom, and his other hand came to the top to cover it.
If Uzi wasn't interested a moment ago, she sure was now.
N took an (unnecessary) deep breath and found the courage to look at Uzi in the eye. "Look, Uzi, I was, uh... you know how we got the permission slips today, right? For prom?"
...
No way.
"Yes...?" Actually, Uzi probably should've seen this coming. Knowing N, he was definitely the type to be fascinated by events like this one, and of course he'd want her there with him.
But maybe he wanted to ask something else about it? Yeah, maybe he just wanted to confirm if the paper needed a signature, or maybe—
"So, about that..." N interrupted her train of thought. "I wanted to know if, maybe... you wanted to... go with me?"
Oh. Oh this was actually happening.
Uzi despised the quiet gasp that came out of her mouth. Seriously, she should've expected this! N is her boyfriend, for goodness sake! He has been for over a month! And it's not like they haven't gone to prom together before!!
...but this time would be different, wouldn't it? This prom won't be a fight for survival. This one will be for fun. And unlike the previous dance, Uzi's feelings for N aren't just bubbling friendship with a side of butterflies anymore. She likes him. A lot. She really, really does.
And he's waiting for her answer so patiently, clearly doing his best to hide his nerves. This time is different for him, too. For starters, he's the one asking her now.
Uzi decided she's been silent for too long.
"Y-Yeah. Sure. That's... yeah. I-I'll go with you," she finally answers, and N's face lights up with so much joy. For a second, Uzi wonders if the optics on his screen actually got brighter.
"For real?! YES!" And just like that, he pulled her into a hug and spun her around, laughing like an idiot. "Thank you so much!"
When the worker's feet are back on the floor, she's a little dizzy, and she's overly aware that she still has her backpack on. Oh well.
"So," N continued, "I'll see you on Saturday?"
Uzi held back a laugh. "Hold your horses, big guy. We still have to finish the school week. Sadly."
"Oh. Right! Right. So... I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Yeah, I'll see you." Uzi gave him a hug, only lasting a second before she pulled away. "Now go home before V comes hunting for you."
N nodded and ran. Before he turned a corner, he gave her one last wave, which she returned.
Once he was out of sight, she opened the door to her house.
Freaking out about Saturday would have to wait. She needed to get past her parents and into her room first.