Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"There's supposed to be new students coming" Uzi rolled her eyes at the girls talking, why did she have to be sat near the talkative ones? She swears the teacher just hates her at this point...

"Yeah apparently there from a diffrent town, I heard they were going to earheart high"

"Isn't that like, a prep school?"

"Yeah it is!"

The vocies got lower as Uzi tuned them out, choosing instead to rest her eyes when suddenly the bell rung

Ugh, whatever, another class, another nap

Uzi immediately put in her headphones, she wouldve had them in earlier- not like the teacher talked about anything important, but they'd had a pre-test to do

Which half the kids zipped through because why even try if you're gonna get a 100 anyways for participation??

Anyways, she had a class to get to so she walked through the halls

Until she wasn't and bumped into someone getting knocked down, she hadn't been walking that fast so what the hell??

She glared and look up only to freeze as she saw a boy with yellow eyes who was- the tallest person she'd ever seen

"Oh! I'm so sorry are you okay?" He asked, reaching out to help her, help

He was wearing a pilot jacket- or at elats it looked similar to one, and had white hair

Was this some kind of trick?? It could be but also he was just looking at her, so she took his hand and let him help her up

It was...weird, most people would just mutter a sorry and walk away, or ignore her

"Im sorry! I didn't see you asking I guess i got distracted" he giggled, she just stared blankly, trying to process it

"Uh- no, no it's fine" she mumbled

"N!" A girl said hitting his arm, "come on were gonna be late for statistics, and if we're late Jay is going to be all....Jay like"

"Oh!! Right!! Math!" He- N exclaimed he glanced back at uzi and smiled, "maybe ill see you around!" He said before following his friend

Uzi blinked then shook her head, not like she'd ever see him again. She had web design next anyways! Not math, thankfully

He was in her science class.

And right next to her and she had no idea what to respond with!! How did you talk to people again!? The only 'friend' she had was Thad and even then they mostly talked over text!!

How did you socialize again!?

Okay- you know what? It wouldnt matter as long as he didn't talk to her! which he probably wouldnt, she doubted he even recognized her-

"....so do you know if biology means we're cutting things open? Cause I'd rather not do that"

Okay she was so screwed.

Chapter Text

N liked to think he had a good life, he had a mom, his friends, his sisters, they might even be getting a dog soon!! If they did he was hoping for a golden retriever, though he's pretty sure V was hoping for something scarier

She was his childhood friend! And best friend! And he might have a small crush on her

She was sweet and listened to him rant about dogs! Sure she wasn't the nicest to other people since the.....

He shivered, he didnt like remembering what had happened last year.

....and now his throat hurt....

No matter though!! They'd figured it out and sure all he could taste was iron most days from the trauma, but!! They were all okay

Except for tessa who was still.....but she came over all the time since they hadnt moved super far, and their mom still babysat and picked her up just not at the mansion!

J is always in an extra good mood on those days, which is good, he's happy she's starting to feel better she hadn't exacy.....been herself during those first few months, he's pretty sure that's why their mom had been spending more time with her

J didn't have any classes with him except for statistics, which was lucky since she could help them with homework!!

Of course she said she wouldn't help freeloaders but...well, the worksheet she'd given them to copy proved otherwise

He thinks she and V have more classes together- speaking of V, she was supposed to be in biology class but she'd started feeling 'sick' so was in the nurses office

So he was all alone...but!! He'd recognized someone, the girl he'd accidentally bumped into earlier, she was alone at a tbake to and her hands were in her jacket pockets

maybe they could be friends! He'd like to make more friends!

......how did you socialize again?

"....so do you know if biology means we're cutting things open? Cause I'd rather not do that"

Okay- NOT LIKE THAT! He knew that for sure!!

Espicially since she looked at him confused and he internally panicked, yeah, that wasn't how you socialized- what the fuck was he thinking?? You did not ask stuff like that!!

She was going to think he was so weird- that's what everybody else at their old school I'd, except this time he didn't have V, or J, or Tessa!!

Oh crud he was so screw-

"Um, I mean, maybe? Probably- this IS biology class, I guess it depend show crazy the teacher is.....you can probably just opt out though" she said, "....or pass out, which I could help with" she smirked

He blinked, oh- she was....she was actually talking to him?? That was- that was great actually! This was nice! Oh he shoudl probably respond now though-

"Oh okay, cool, good, I think that my friend would like all of...that, but I'm not a big fan" N chuckled nervously, "uh, what's your name?"

"My name?" She asked, looking at him and blinking, did he say something weird? He didnt think asking somebody for their name was weird, ".....it's Uzi" she said after a pause

N smiled and held out his hand, "I'm N! Er, my fully name is Nathaniel though, Nathaniel Seriel!"

"Seriel? That's a weird last name" Uzi snickers

"Haha, yeah, it kinda is, what's your last name?" He asks

"....doorman" Uzi says after a moment

"Oh....and my last name is weird?" He asks jokingly

Uzi throws her hands in the air, "oh bite me!" She crosses her arms, "Yours is weirder, shut up" she grumbled

"Aw but then we'd both be boreddd" N whines

Uzi rolls her eyes

"Come on! Ask me something else, or I could ask about you- I just wanna keep talking" N insisted, laying both hands flat on the desk

If he was a dog his tail would be wagging he does have a tail but she doesn't need to know or see that.

"Alright then um...." she had no idea what to talk about, but he wanted to keep talking to her

He wasn't being forced, he didnt just need help with coding or math, he wasn't her cousin, he actually wanted to keep talking to her which, besides for Thad and even then she didnt talk to him super often, was a first

"uh, I've never seen you here before....or someone your...size" she put her hand to the top of her head then N's

Wait was that rude?......probably, he didnt seem offended, outwardly, though

"Yeah, I kinda shot up like a Beanstalk one day" N said with a chuckle and Uzi tried not to laugh

"Im being serious!" He insists, "I mean, one day I'm 5'4 and the next I'm 6'2! My sis- friend, Tessa, refuses to believe it, it's in inside joke"

"Tessa? Was that the girl you were with?" Uzi asked recalling the femal vocie, she hadn't seen whoever she was but she knew she and N must be friends

"Oh- no, that was my other friend, Vivian!"

Oh, well he certainly had more friends then her, "How did they even react to that?" She asked instead if dwelling on her thoughts

"So- okay uh

"Oh! Right so, V and Jayden- my older sister, didn't have any abnormal reactions, Tessa stared and then said she refused to believe I grew that much on one night and my mom-" he giggled at the memory

"Okay so, basically, my mom didn't notice until she went to put away groceries and I was able to reach the top shelf! Then she jsut kinda stared at me and pat my head a few times before going back to stalking it, my little sister got it all on camere"

"Wait wait, you have sisters?" Uzi asked tilting her head

"Yep! biologically speaking i only got 2, Jay and Cyn"  N said offhandedly, "Jayden is in the year above us and Cyn is 10"

"Okay that's neat, im an only child so uh, i woudlnt know much about having siblings..." she glanced up at his hat, "how'd you get that pilots hat?"

"Oh! It was an apology gift from my older sister after an argument!" That was Js love and apology language, "I wanna be a pilot one day so, it fits" he smiles happily

"Ah, I want to be.....a mechanic, I think, or a coder, definitely soemthing with electronics and machinery..." she admitted, nearly going on a rant

God what was she? 8 and being asked what she wanted to be when she grew up?? Plus, most people found it weird so-

"Oooo really? What kind of mechanic??" N asked eagerly

"Oh" she blinked, "um, id like to build weapons, like guns or tasers- I actually have my own prototype at my house- it's a laser gun model not an actual one!" She said quickly at Ns concerned expression, "its just supposed to stun you, but uh, yeah...."

"Oooo that's interesting! Wait! Have you ever worked on an engine? Or somethign similar"

"Actually yeah, my dad owns this security buissnes!" He didn't talk to her a lot, and she saw him only at night, but when she was younger before her mom-

...he would take her to his shop and she'd get to watch him work, it was usually just on camere but one day his coworkers car broke downa nd she git to watch him fix it

It was one of the few good memories she had of him.

"What do you think about dogs?" N asked with a sly smile

"Mmm I prefer cats why?"

"Wha- okay, cats ARE cute but dogs are also cute- did you knwo that golden retrievers-" and with that he started going on a rant about dog facts

Chapter Text

The drive on the way home was quiet, lucky for Carrie it wasn't any trouble- Tessa was at school so no 'nanny' duties and most people didn't come into the bar during the day

She knew Vivian was probably blaming herself though. Or was in edge. Probably the latter. She'd been taking this whole thing much harder then the others had

P̶r̶o̶b̶a̶b̶l̶y̶ b̶e̶c̶a̶u̶s̶e̶ s̶h̶e̶ d̶i̶r̶e̶c̶t̶l̶y̶ h̶u̶r̶t̶ N̶. E̶v̶e̶n̶ t̶h̶o̶u̶g̶h̶ i̶t̶ w̶a̶s̶n̶'t̶ h̶e̶r̶ f̶a̶u̶l̶t̶. S̶h̶e̶ w̶i̶s̶h̶e̶d̶ h̶e̶r̶ k̶i̶d̶s̶ s̶t̶o̶p̶p̶e̶d̶ b̶l̶a̶m̶i̶n̶g̶ t̶h̶e̶m̶s̶e̶l̶v̶e̶s̶ s̶o̶ h̶a̶r̶d̶....

I̶f̶ a̶n̶y̶o̶n̶e̶ i̶s̶ t̶o̶ b̶l̶a̶m̶e̶ i̶t̶s̶ h̶e̶r̶....

Nathan had been relatively accepting of it outwardly anyways, shes pretty sure his brain si blocking out the mroe traumatic parts of it though. Jayden blamed herself for not protecting everyone but was happy about being able to keep Tessa safe, Cyn was just happy to be home and safe and away from them, Carrie didnt think she really understood why it effected the others so badly, she was only 8

Vivian meanwhile had kept it all bottled up, chosen to try and supress the memories and push it down

Which only made all the pent up emotions be translated into violence, which would just make the teen even more guilty

She just wishes V would talk about it! She didn't blame her  of course she didn't! it was just hard when you knew something was going on with your child and you couldn't do anything about it...

She knew that violent persona was jsut that, a persona, but if you fake it long enough you'll make it. And she'd rather V not make that a permanent part of her personality

Carrie pulled into the drive way on the cabin, well their house- it was on the outskirts of town and surrounded by forest, a clearing was behind their house and you could see a small tree house if you squinted at the back trees long enough

"Alright come on" She said opening the car doors and turning it off, V who'd been fiddling with her school bag followed her inside

As she stepped out she scanned the layout, the roof had a thin layer of snow on it. The snow wasn't very thick this time of year which worked in her favor, not having to clean the roof gave her more freetime

Some might consider the cabin scary, unnerving even, especially at night. But that wasn't a problem for them, it was nice, it worked in their favor, it gave them more privacy to

And after everything.....privacy was much needed

"I told you it was a bad idea to not eat anything before leaving" C said in a light heartedly but still stern way as she unlocked the door and held it open for the shorter girl

V just hummed and sat down at the kitchen bar, lenaing her head on her arms as Carrie rummaged through the fridge, she should probably keep a second fridge for this stuff if she was being honest

She'll get one tomorrow, put it in the garrage, Tessa wouldn't mind it

"Yeah you did" V mumbled, "I could just get this stuff the natural way" she smirked, in an eery tone

"Don't try changing the subject or throw me off. You know it doesn't work on me" Carrie said in a sing song voice

V groaned, "I hate this stupid stuff, at least when i go out to do it its fresh and fun!"

Well, a distraction anyways

That and she doesn't have to deal with ang nagging

"Yes well, you can't do that right now and you have to drink this otherwise what happened the first time is gonna happen again and we both know that behind that front you put up, you didn't actually enjoy it"

"What are you a therapist?"

"I did take a few seminars in college, but no, I'm you mother" small smirk

"You arent my mom." It had a bit to much truth and resentment to it, and V immediately regretted what she'd said, freezing on the stool and wincing slightly when movement stopped where C was

Carrie mixed the cup a little bit more, she'd added some crushed iron medication just in case, and put the it infront of V and sat down beside her, "you're right, im not your mother" she shrugged, "I'm just your ward, but that doesn't mean I can't worry and you can just disregard what I say though, and you know that" she booped Vivians nose

"Yeah yeah" she grabbed the cup, drinking the liquid inside, it quickly, maybe it'd stop the after taste

"Alright there you go, feel better now?"

"....Yeah" V said with a small smile

"Good, also, I got you a new pair of glasses for when you take out your contacts" she smirked again

"Ughhhh, no, I hate those stupid things" V complained

"Awww but you look so cute with them on" C teased and V simply roled her eyes

Chapter Text

"So how do you get home?" N asked

"Oh, I just walk, my dad's apartment isn't to far from here" Uzi said and N nodded

"My mom comes pick me and my sister and V up, since the bus doesn't go out to where our house is" N said, scanning the area for the minivan

"Really? How far do you live?" Uzi asks

N shrugs, "our house is a cabin so it's a little out of town, technically there is a bus stop but since my mom also doesn't have a lot of work during the day she just chooses to pick us up"

"Right, what does your mom even do?" Uzi ask, following N as he spotted the van

"As of now? Shes a bartender....and part time babysitter for Tessa, shell give you mom lore if you ask her that question actually!" He says then gasps, "wait oh! You hold totally ask her, she could totally give you a ride back to your apartment!" He said excitedly turning to her

"I mean, the part mentioned isn't super far from here so I don't think I could" Uzi chuckled, it was a 15 minute walk

Which she hated doing, but she could still least listen to her music in peace of the walk home

And at home in general

"Ooo then maybe you could come over! And meet everyone and stuff!" N suggested

Uzi blinked, "uhhhh" her dad always stressed stranger danger and to be honest it was probably the one rule she actually followed

Mainly because she'd rather not end up dead in a ditch thank you very much. She had cool stuff planned for her life, she'd rather root cut it short

"Nate!" A girls voice yelled, a different one then before, it was deeper? Sterner?

"Oh!! Jay! Hi!!" N greeted, running up to hug her which she hissed at like a vampire but let him, arms pulled to her chest, she was glaring behind him before her gaze ended up on Uzi, puzzled

"Nathaniel, who is that?" She asked, gesturing to Uzi, what little she could with Nate having her arms pressed to her sides

"Oh!! This is Uzi! She's my new friend!" He said, zipping over to her side, one arm behind her one in front like he was showing her off

".....like the gun?" Jay asked, mostly to Uzi

"Yep, my mom named me" she smirked, "she must've been able to see the future or something, cause it fits like these gloves"

She doesn't know why but Jay seemed to pause at that, "right, anyways, Nate we gotta go"

"Oh! Right, do you want to...?" N silently asked

Uzi shook her head, "naw, I'll just walk home, but maybe next time"

N still smiled though, "Alright! Have a good walk!" He said before heading off

Amd Uzi had to wonder how the hell everybody in his family was so tall, she was barely 5'4 meanwhile he was 6'2 and his sister was at least 5'6 and she's pretty sure the Vivian she saw him with was taller then her so! What did they all just get lucky?? That was not fair.
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"Big brother!" Cyns voice called, she paused to stabd jsut outside the car door to stabilize herself before running up to her siblings and she reached out her arms

She was shorter and lighter then a 10 year old should be due to her conditions, but that just made it easier for N to pick her up!

"Hi Cyn!" He said, gladly hugging and picking her up, spinning once and nuzzling the top of her hair

Jay rolled her eyes nearby, they all knew Nate was Cyns favorite, she didnt need to be reminded of it all the time

"Come on you 3. We gotta go home and then I have to go pick up Tessa" the elementsrys school got out an hour before their highschool, tessas let out an hour after there's

Which was enough time to pick Cyn up, driver over to their school, drop all 4 of them off(usually), then drive over to Tessas school nd either stop by the Mansion or come home depending on what was needed to be done, as long as Tessa was home by 10 her folks didn't care

Plus with her mom being gone and her dad, while still being shit was also neglectful and as such far less 'hands on' so Tessa had more freedom

It helped that their mom had been raising her since she was a baby to

J perked up at the mention of Tessa, making a little 'mrph' noise, C chuckled at it, "also the conditioner is on so please get in"

Cyn wiggled out of Ns grip and rushed to the passenger seat in the front, N and J got in on oppisite sides in the back

Carrie backed up, being mindful of the kids and got on to the roadz stopping at a red light, "so how was your day at school?" She asked

"Great!" "Efficient" Nate and Jay said at the same time

"Oh? Tell me about them" C prodded, turning right

"Yes! Spill, the tea?" Cyn asked gaps between some words, she'd been learning new stuff from the internet recently, turning around to face her older siblings

"Okay! So, it was normal until I bumped into this girl- and then V got sick but! I saw her in my next class and so started to talk with her and she's really nice! Closed off and edgy and to the point but nice! We share like, 5 classes together I think, and we got the same lunch period!"

"Are you gonna marry her to?" J teases

"Wha- J!!" N flushes, "no! Uzi is just a friend, I wonder if she plays any of the same games I do actually" he hums in thought

"Can't you ask her?" Carrie asked, raising an eyebrow

"Uh.....I...might have forgotten to get her number" he chuckled

"Like you forget everything else?" J smirks, raising an eyebrow questioningly

"Like youre a teachers pet?" N fired back calmly

"Wha-" Jay sputtered then sighed, "okay fine. You got me this time" she grumbled and N beamed, Cyn giggled as if she enjoyed her older siblings bickering

C hummed as she made the turn, she didnt like it when they insulted eachother, though at least it wasnt mean spirited

Usually, but siblings will be siblings and fight

"also where were you doing during lunch, J?" N then asked

J blinked, "I was busy with chemistry, one of the teachers needed help, clearly they picked the most reliable student to help" she boasted, "other then that it was a normal day" kind of boring without N or V or Tessa in her classes though...

She refuses to say that out loud though.

"Or they, picked the one who looked most like a, pushover" Cyn said smiling cheekily, gaps between some words with a giggle at Jays glare

"I am not a pushover" Jay grumbled

"No, you just want to follow the rules and help" C assured, "also we're almost home, Cyns already told me all about her day" she ruffled the 10 year olds hair, "make sure to grab all your stuff Nad I want any homework done as soon as possible okay?" She said pulling into the driveway

"Also say hi to V to me, J do you wanna come with me to pick up Tessa?"

"Yes please!"

"Alright then, Nate help Cyn to the house if she needs it, be good, I'll be home in time to make dinner"

And with that they were off to pick up one freshly 18 year old

Chapter Text

They found V sitting on the couch on her phone, eyes darting up to them

"Hi V!" N said. He was carrying Cyn because she insisted and he was more then happy to

"Hey" she said waving, Cyn got down and grabbed her bag to sit in front of her on the floor, grabbing the remote

"You feeling any better?" He asked sitting besides her

V shrugged, "better then before, bored though, what happened after I had to leave?" She asked turning on her side, arm on top of the back of the chair as she leaned her head in them boredly

"So, remember that girl I ran into?" N asked and V nodded

"Yeah, the purple thing"

"Well! Her name is Uzi and she's my friend now!" V blinked

"Really? Huh, she didn't look like the sociable type" V said

"V you aren't the sociable type" N giggled

"Yeah well.....my point still stands" V states, "did I miss anything important?"

"Nope! Just some notes, so no homework tonight!" N cheered

"Well it's Friday so I'd hope not" V chuckles

Cyn meanwhile had conquered the remote and put on a show, one that N and V would half listen to while doing their own thing for the next hour

It felt nice. Peacful, calm, like they were back there, normal again- well, maybe not normal but....it reminded her of happy memories is all, before....everything

It was weird, things shouldn't be normal she shouldn't be feeling normal nothing about this WAS NORMAL!

She blinked herself out of the though at Cyn accidentally bumping her leg as she sta back against the couch

Cyn.....right, V had very completed emotions about her. She could BLAME Cyn for it- not really, she'd been 9 when it happened, she didn't know what she was doing, what it was doing, trying to do, what it had made her do....she couldn't even comprehend it yet!

At the same time......she couldnt just delete those memories out of her head, she couldn't trash the screams and be rid of them!

She knows N got over it rather fast, though she isn't sure if its because she's his sister or because his mind suppressed more of the traumatic stuff

or maybe cause Cyn didn't technically do anything to them, just helped that thing that treated her like a puppet and that made V all the mroe angry and conflicted

...J just seemed neutral though J rarely let her emotions show through her rough exterior, at least, infornt of them

As for Tessa.....she also seemed hesitant around Cyn, but was probably doing better then V....

Ugh, why did her brain hate her?? Why did it make her think these things when all she wanted to do was listen to music and maybe tune into whatever this cartoon of Cyns was!

Ugh maybe she'd go out hunting tonight, it was friday after all, and they didn't go out often in the day- at least not in the mornings

T̶h̶e̶ f̶a̶c̶t̶ t̶h̶e̶y̶ d̶i̶d̶n̶'t̶ n̶e̶e̶d̶ a̶s̶ m̶u̶c̶h̶ s̶l̶e̶e̶p̶ a̶s̶ t̶h̶e̶y̶ d̶i̶d̶ h̶e̶l̶p̶e̶d̶ w̶i̶t̶h̶ s̶c̶h̶o̶o̶l̶

An hour later C would return home with Pizza and J would be glued to Tessas side who was very happy to see them and the house again and was excited to announce she could totally stay over this weekend, like usual....

Nobody asked why that was. They all knew.
(C was still pissed that thing only got 1 of the 2 bastards.....but at least James leaned more on the neglectful side of things)
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"Child I'm home!" A loud voice called, she could here the front door closing

Ah, her dad was home. Great.

She didn't hate him he was just, annoying....and never home qhen she actually needed him

Or at all most days, with his business and stuff, and it wasn't like her mom-

"I'm up in my room!" she shouted, thought she doubted he was actually waiting for an answer

It felt weird being alone after N chatting her ear off all day, not that she enjoyed it.....

She was not a sappy person and that would be sappy!! Very sappy!! "What the hell brain!?" She hissed in thought

She can't believe that it'd betray her like this. After everything she's done for it!

Then again she hadnt gotten a full 8 hours of sleep in like, weeks so maybe this was pay back....

Uzi's thoughts went back to Nate and how he said he lived a bit out of town in a cabin surrounded by forest

It.....well, Uzi knew what cabin he was talking about, not a lot, but she knew where it was located, after all that forest was haunted!

It was pretty well known and that Cabin had been abandoned for years, so how it was livable she didnt know

She remembers seeing a moving truck when she went out on a walk near the forest for, well, her own curiosity and thinking it was jsut an old married couple

Turns out it was N, his siblings(?), and their mom

she wasn't worried or anything though! Feelings can bite her!

Just......what with how people passing out in the forest isn't uncommon here she might be a bit...interested in why someone would live there, that's all....that's all

Ugh whatever she didn't have time for those thoughts, she had blueprints to get finished

Chapter Text

For once, Uzi was actually happy about it being Monday. Which was weird and felt VERY wrong, but it still happened

And no it was not because of N!

.......okay, maybe it was because of N

....she was never going to admit that to ANYONE though, she refused to....not that...anyone would ask....

"Um not thinking about all of that right now" Uzi said to herself with a huff as she went downstairs to get breakfast, just cereal would do, not like there was much else in the kitchen anyways

She was leaning on the kitchen cabinet, facing away form the living room and not noticing the footsteps approaching

"Hey kiddo!" Khan exclaimed making Uzi jump with a yelp

"Dad!" She yelled, whipping around, "Why are you still here??" She asked confused, she swore he was already off at his job, he always was...

"Well, I figured I'd go in a bit later to ask how your first week at school went!" Khan replied, getting his own breakfast

Uzi blinked, then looked at him weirdly, "you do know you had all weekend to ask that right?" It wasn't like she'd stayed in her bedroom all day, and it wasnt like she hadn't seen her dad

"Yeahhhh, but I was busy! So I'm asking now" right, the morning when she had to go to school

"....it went fine" Uzi muttered in annoyance, rolling her eyes

"Good- be aware of anything.....out of the ordinary" Khan said with a suspicious hum

"Uh....okay?" Usually he didn't talk to her this long, at least not with one rant about doors and safety and his work

Which made her wonder what was so important that he'd put off going to work, cause it clearly wasn't jsut to ask about her school day.

"Why what's been going on?" She asked, if he was gonna keep things from her she was gonna make it a living hell to do so

"Oh uh, nothing much, just....I want you to be safe, I don't make security products for no reason you know" He let out a dry chuckle and put the cereal back

"Yeah but you sure do obsess over them instead of me for no reason" she mumbled to herself

"Hm?"

"Oh- nothing, im...gonna go to school now" She said, grabbing her backpack and dumping her half eaten breakfast in the sink

"Oh I could drive....you.." Khan said, to slow as his daughter was out the door before he coukd finish, he sighed

Maybe he should call Yeva to talk to her, Uzi was so much like her mother and he worried

.....Nori had disappeared without a word when Uzi turned 7 after all.....
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N looked around wildly and V tilted her head, eyes half lidded with boredom, a milk carton in her hand, "WHO exactly are you looking for?" She asked, leaning back onto the table nonchalantly

"Uzi!" N said with no further explanation

V took a drink from her milk in thought, "...that purple haired girl?" She asked

"Yep!" He confirmed, nodding his head, and V hummed

J had gone off somewhere else, something about not having the energy to deal with "Nate going crazy over a new friend"

V wondered if it was something else though.....well, no matter

"Oh!! There she is!" He shouted before rushing over to where said girl stood, V didn't get to see her features before

She'd been angry, and hungry, and on the verge of passing out

'Uzi' was small, shorter then any of them at least and had a very goth look going on

Nothing super alarming, which was good she'd rather they not with someone dangerous  again
"sooo, you're new" someone asked and V jumped, looking behind her at the pink teen(cheerleader?), "whats your deal?" she asked not looking up from her phone

"uh" V looked to her left then right side, was she talking to her? Why??

"I don't really....have a deal, I just moved her with my...family, and this was the school in our district, why?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at the girl, who then shrugged

"I was curious" she says and finally puts the phone down, "I basically know everybody here, im Lizzy by the way" she says, leaning forward on her arms, V leans back in response

"wow, sketchy much?" the pink eyed girl joked, V looks her up and down

"just to people that randomly approached me at 7am for absolutely no reason" she says, a growl in her voice, she huffs to cover it up

Lizzy rolls her eyes, "jesus, settle girl" she says, like V is a fucking dog which she isn't and her nose scrunchies up because of it

She hears Lizzy laugh, "oh thats adorable" she coos, taking a picture of Vs face, "anyways, it wasn't for no reason at all, I told you it was cause you're new"

V rolls her eyes, that didn't give her any information at all. It wasn't like she was the most approachable. Which was on purpose as she tried her best to keep other people away

So why this girl came over to someone who looked like they'd deck you in the face, was a mystery to her....wait

"did you just.....call me cute??" V asked, Lizzy paused her texting, looked up at V and shrugged

"Youre also hot"  She said plainly before getting up, "anyways I got a friend I need to meet before class, enjoy talking to your friend? and that goth weirdo" she said, snickering to herself as she walked away, leaving V confused

Okay, that was a weird interaction......that left her blushing

Suddenly V felt a shiver go down her spine and she looked over her shoulders, there was something wrong in here, it felt like someone was glaring at her, watching her

And she didn't know why or who....maybe it was just paranoia....

Or maybe it was the red eyed freak staring at her with a cold, calculating, gaze that she might find a hot if it wasn't piercing through her soul!

Wait, red?

Red eyes weren't natural, which made V wonder if-

"V!" N greeted, running up in front of her and making her snap her gaze onto him, "hi" he smiled

V blinked and she leaned to her right to try and see who it was again, and...she was gone

It was weird, creepy, but N was waiting for a response so....

her expression turned relaxed again, "Hi dork" she smirked, pushing herself up and off the table to look at the girl beside him, a hoodie, black skirt over black tights, and a beanie and...purple eyes oddly enough

She must've been Uzi, the person N had been gushing over for the past two days

"I see you brought over the fresh meat~" she joked, smirking down at her

The girl rolls her eyes, "what are you? A cannibal?"

y̶e̶s̶

"naw, just a lover~" she said with a trill, clasping her hands together and leaning forward

"Oh- ew!" Uzi stepped back, hands out in front of her, tounge out and eyes squeezed shut to emphasize her disgust

V giggled and stood back up, crossing her arms happily

N looked between them and smiled brightly, "see! I told you you had nothing to worry about Uzi- you two are already getting along great!" He exclaimed

V raised an eyebrow, the purple thing was anxious to meet her?

"Wha- I was not worr- oh bite me!" She snapped, crossing her arms and turning away, flushed with what V presumed to be embarrassment

Oh this would be fun

Chapter Text

N couldnt breath, he couldn't-

He killed her

She was laying in her own blood

once wild chaotic purple eyes, now lifeless and dull

He's seen it before.

Oh gods- he really was a monster-

He couldn't BREATH
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"why are we here again?" Uzi asks, shrugging her backpack off onto the outdoor table and walking over to N ho had exclaimed about the park just a moment before

"cause its fun! And its friday, and school just got out, and I wanted to hang out with you! and V, and J" N said, throwing his arms up in the air excitedly as he spun lazily on a....well, Uzi didn't know the name of it

Neither did N but that's not the point

"yeah okay you sap" Uzi scoffed, looking away, oh...monkey bars, that could be fun

N smiled as he spun around slowly, he could see literally everything....well, not everything, but what everyone was doing!

J was sitting on top of a table doing homework or, maybe she was reading? He wondered is he could convince her to come and play-

His thoughts were cut off as he yelped, suddenly spinning around fast, snickering coming from V who must've snuck up on him

"Vvvvvv!" he shouted, voice coming in and out as he spun, "whyyyyy"

"because its fun! And C wont be picking us up any time soon" V shrugged, and snickered as N kept spinning

"hey, you both agreed to coming here" N said as he finally slowed down

"to be fair you had to bribe J with a muffin"

"ehh she would've come around no matter what!" N says sitting up

The two looked over at the eldest person of their friend group, doing homework....because of course she was

"....probably" N adds after a moment

"did we....did we even get any homework?" V questions tilting her head at the scene

"I mean, I don't have any, but maybe J does? She is a senior, don't they got a ton of homework?"

V shrugged, "she also could've just bugged the teacher for extra credit"

"That is a J thing to do" N nodded, make v burst into laughter

"when did you get so sassy?" she asked, punching his shoulder

N chuckled and rubbed the area, "uh, since forever?" he said, genuinely

He could barley hear his elder sisters 'oh, that's not safe' before-

"I AM KING OF THE WORLD" The loud yell caught them both off guard, whirling around to see Uzi standing on top of the monkey bars, hands thrown up in the air at the shout

N blinked and opened his mouth to banter back when suddenly

Uzi was caught off balance as she turned to look below at them, smile falling and eyes widening as she lost her footing and slipped of the side

Which would have been fine is A) the monkey bars weren't higher up then they normally would be due to the size of the park and B) she wasn't aiming to FALL ON HER BACK AND HEAD ON THE HARD RUBBER COVERING

His body reacted before he knew it and suddenly Uzi was in his arms, the spinning seat toy he'd been on before squeaking quietly

Nobody said anything, N was in shock because he didn't think his body would react that quickly, Uzi was still frozen mostly out of the impending fear of falling still being in her, and V frozen glanced at J who was staring with slight horror

"....you-" Uzi started, taking a deep breath, "you can put me down now you know" she says and N blinks

"oh ri- right" N says....but doesn't move for a moment before hesitant setting her down

"...thanks" Uzi gave him a nervous smile, "but uh- I- I would've been fine" she said, crossing her arms, tone going back to her normal one, which made N smile

"yeah, probably" it would've just knocked the wind out of her lungs, probably, still.... "but I didnt want you getting hurt"

Uzi blushed embarrassed, "oh bite me! I didn't need your help!" she states with a huff

N smiled, "sureee you didn't, anyways since you're fine, doooooo you wanna check out the swings?" something safe, where she couldnt

Uzi thought for a moment, "mmmmm, no.....im gonna do it again" she smirks mischievously

"wha- Uzi no!" he shouts

"Uzi YES!" She shouts, climbing back up the steps

"noooooo" he whines following her to get her down, "pleaseee I don't want you to dieeee" he cries out

"oh relax, I wont die" Uzi says, rolling her eyes at the start of the monkey bars, "espcially if youre there to catch me" she mumbles, mostly to herself

"what was that?" N asks, knowing full well what she said

"nothing! Bite me!" she snaps, hopping down form the platform and onto the floor, N having to sit before hopping off so he didn't hit his head, following her to the swings even if the sun hurt a little

Chapter Text

Uzi did, of course, eventually figure out what her dad had been worried about. Sure she was a "problem child"  as adults liked to say, but she wasn't dumb.

"Did you hear? Derek didn't come back from taking that dare to go into the forest last night"

"Yeah, it kind of worries me- especially with all the other cases"

Unlike some other people, like Derek who would copy off of her tests

"Oh my god yeah-  mean, people passing out I the middle of the forest and waking up with no memory is not normal"

"I think I'd be scared out of my mind if that happened to me"

13 people had been going into the forest snd passing out, then waking back up several hours later with low blood pressure and dizziness

The investigators said it was just hypothermia or passing out outta fear or whatever, mainly cause most of the people who passed out were either lost, alone, or drunk so far

It wasn't really anything out of the ordinary, that forest has always been cursed, people going missing, bodies being found, people coming out with low blood pressure

It was nothing new, its why nobody who knew about it went camping in the camp in it, or camping at all, so normally Uzi wouldn't be interested in whatever was happening or what the cops of all people were doing, well, unless it was something cool like them finding an old explosive

....but the rate it was happening at raised, specifically for the 3rd option

Because usually it would just be maybe 13 people over the course of a year, but 13 people had this over the course of the past 2 months

The only thing that had ever peeked her interest before was that they all same symptoms and bite marks, which was covered up by police saying it was just an animal who must've thought they were food, or a vampire bat

Despite the fact that vampire bats don't drink human blood.....and don't live in Michigan. But of course everybody bought it, mostly because it wasn't like there was some mass murder going on, 8 out of 10 times people came back just fine, aside from a ton of blood loss and dizziness and stuff

And the hospitals blood bank had recently been raided? Or that was one theory, the other was thst the bags had simply been transferred to another rhospital but.....she doubted that was what had actually happened

But, well.....she might have gotten attached to the dork who just so happened to live there and she'd rather not see him dead or near lifeless! Bite her!

So maybe she was taking a couple of notes about the whole thing and listening a bit more closely whenever the subject was brought up....

She'd always had theories on what might be going on but hadn't thought to hard on them before this

the first was that it had something to do with the black market....her internet history might be cursed now but that's besides the point!

Her second was that maybe it was some weird power move by a psychopath serial killer, or someone knocking them out for shit and giggles

The third was that it was some type of supernatural being, specifically, and yes she knows how ridiculous this sounds, vampires. It made sense! To her at least, the two fang bites, the blood loss and dizziness, and they'd have the motive, needing to drink blood!

If she was being realistic, it was probably option 2, but she likes to believe its option 3 and...not just cause of the supernatural merch and mythic themed books she has in her room

And if it is...then SHES going to be the one to kill those blood suckers!

Chapter Text

Uzi slammed the books she was carrying on the table, startling the three talking at it, something about someone flirting with V, she didnt really care

"what do you guys know about the snow frost cases?" She asked mischievously

"uhhh" N's eyes darted around, "nothing?"

"okay so-" Uzi started, moving to sit down beside him, not registering the nervous tone in his voice, "The frost bite cases are basically code for our local 'people passing out in the forest for days' cases, it happens in that forest around you house, has been for like, years now"

"wait years?" V asked

"yeah, well, before I was born at least, so I don't know...20 years at the least, maybe 30 at the most? I don't pay attention to the dates" Uzi dismissed quickly, "anyways cases have been picking up again, like by a lot, usually it was only 3 every couple of weeks now its like 5 per month, which is covered up by how many storms we've been having" she grumbled

"oh okay and you're bringing this up becauseee?" N drawled out, almost concerned, and not just about her

"because I have theories!" Uzi exclaimed, "and so do others but uh...anyways!" her sudden shout made N, who was about to say soemthing, jump

"the most common one is that its some type of serial killer which it could be, but also why wouldn't they just go in for the kill every time? Are they just toying with us all or?" N opened his mouth but Uzi cut him off ranting again before he could speak

"or it could be some type of supernatural being, hence all these boring old books" she patted the 3 books, ignoring J's grumble about how 'books aren't boring' they'd already argued about that before they don't need to again, not when she has other things to talk about

"some people think its a wendigo, but that doesnt make any sense, what is the most likely suspect though is vampires" Uzi stated, snapping her jaw shut to b=make a biting motion

N chuckled, "uh yeah that- that would make sense" he nodded, Uzi smiled proudly not noticing him sweating bullets

"glad you think that cause I've got this big book and a notepad of evidence to prove it in fact-"

"Vampire don't exist" J states harshly, making both of them look at her

Uzi groaned, "ugh you sound like my dad"

"then your dad is right" J states

Uzi rolled her eyes, "my dad fucking sucks, anyways-" she continued ignoring J glare was that a growl?

"The bell is about to ring also, you took to long gabbing you thing you didnt even eat lunch" J states, almost like she was trying to distract her

"god would you- I dont care!"

"Uziiii" N trailed, "you need to eat something"

"wha- not you to- im not hungry" she was, "I just want to talk about-" the bell rang, "....fuck" she spits out the curse harshly and glares as J smirks

N pats her back, "its okay, you can tell me tomorrow! or over text maybe? Also you can have some of my lunch snacks they aren't super healthy but that's okay" he says sliding some over, Uzi mutters a thank you

Uzi made a disgruntled noise, "yeah I guess...." J putting her down didn't help' "what were you guys talking about before?" she asked, gathering the library books and shoving them in her bag

"oh! Vs friend-"

"She'd not my friend...."

"-Lizzy, invited her to hang out and J is telling her its a date and shes dense and stuff"

"which is hypocritical since SHE cant be bothered to ask out tes-" J lunges to cover her mouth and V whacks her hand away with a glare, which J returns

"oh god Lizzy? Ugh" Uzi stuck out her tounge

Lizzy wasn't mean exactly to her, more annoying then anything really, still Uzi didn't like it when they had to be near each other, it was bad enough she was friends with her cousin and Uzi saw her a bunch whenever she went over to their house

"wellll, Lizzy does have a brash personality, but V seems happy about it! Plus theve been tlaking for a while, i think....how ling have we been here?" He mroe or less asks himself

"Almost 2 months...a month and a half I think? I mean, we started August 22 and October starts next week sooo" which meant her birthday was close, it also meant the quarter was coming to a close, ¼ of the year down, ¾'s to go

"Ah, anyways I guess they also share home ec-" he said, slinging his bag over his shoulder, Uzi doing the same

"wait- V's in home ec??" she asks, a laugh in her voice

N nodded, "yeah, the school put her in it randomly"

"ah, that makes more sense" V didn't seem like the type to chose it as an elective herself, "I am defiantly gonna hold that over her head" she mumbles to herself, N hums in question and Uzi shakes her head, "never mind, anyways ill text you later, you better be ready for a sleepless night!" she threatens in a joking manner

N giggles, "Ill make sure to be prepared!" he says before going to the history building before Uzi grabs his wrist

"uh, also, like...be careful you know? Dont go out at night I'd uh, rather not have to visit you in the hospital if you get nabbed..."

"awwwww Uziiii"

"shut up! Dont get all mushy on me! Go to class!"

"hehe, ay ay captain!"

Chapter Text

J sets down a roughed up orange notebook on the lunch table, "Alright so- why is she here?"

She cuts herself off to point at Uzi

"Because she's our friend now!" N says cherfully smiling

".....yeah but she- she can't be here for this, N!" J states

"And why not?" Uzi taunts, "got some super secret meeting or something?"

".....yes" J states

"....oh....well, you're secret meeting can BITE ME! Because I'm here to stay" Uzi huffs, crossing her arms with a smirk

"....Nate" J groans

"What?" N asked, a mouthful of Pb&J

"...ugh, nevermind, don't talk with your mouth full."

"M'kay"

"What did I just- ugh, nevermind" J shook her head, "where's V"

"She's making up that biology quiz from Tuesday"

"Ugh, I told her she needed to study for that" J groaned, but of course V wouldn't take her advice, then again she was also spending thursedays lunch period doing a resets so in the end she won

"What would this secret meeting even be about?" Uzi questioned and J hummed

"Just.....sometimes people wonder to close to our house and we make plans to scare them away" J said, easily lying

".....that's all? How does that classify as a secret meeting??" Uzi asked baffled

"Well, uh, it wouldn't look good if people knew it was us doing it"

"I mean, I guess, still pretty lame though"

J rolled her eyes in response, as Uzi and N started talking all J could think of was two things

Yesterday's lunch session and-

"She's going to get us killed one day."
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Uzi scrolled on her phone as she locked the apartment door behind her, double checking just in case before tossing her bag down and shoving the lanyard with the key on it into her bag

She looked up and- "ah! Dad- what the hell- why are you home so early"

"well I was gonna pick you up-" uh huh, sure, "but then I found this" he held up the project shed been working and she paused

"uhhh okay, listen, I know that it LOOKS like a railgun but its not- its just like, a taser-gun hybrid, so its fine" plus what did he care?

"no, its not fine. Especially not when you're ranting about serial killers and vampires at school"

"wha- how did you been know about that??"

"you don't hide those books very well, or the plan, also a concerned staff member called me"

"im surprised anyone at that school actually cares enough to do that" she grumbles

"Uzi!" he exclaimed

"what??"

"I am trying to express concern here!"

"and? Its not like you've care before, plus its a 'just incase' type of situation" Uzi said making quotations

"I dont want you running out into the forest at night! Especially not alone, does this have anything to deal with your new 'friends?' at school?"

"wha- no!" it probably should though, "plus you don't get to dictate who my friends are!"

Khan sighed, "just....promise me you wont do this plan of yours, I dont want you getting hurt" the 'or killed' tagged along silently

Why did he care though!? She barely seek s him on week days and even when she does they rarely talk, She know hes supposed to care but he sure as hell hasn't shown it until right now when she doesn't need it, why is he trying to help?? When she doesn't need it

"....yeah sure" she huffs and takes the taser-gun as he holds it out, "im going to my room to do....stuff"

"okay then! Have fun!"

"oh I will" Uzi smirked to herself, she just needed an extra charge battery to stabilize it and she'd be good to go, she'd find it later though, she was gonna show this thing off Monday morning, her math teacher wouldn't mind her hacking his computer again, probably