Chapter Text
Usually, Uzi didn't even listen in her science class.
She already knew everything there was to know, because apparently her little kid brain had taken one look at science textbooks, decided they were infinitely more interesting than human interaction, and proceeded to hyperfixate on them until she discovered anime and nightcore.
Her routine throughout most of her school years had been to promptly stop paying attention the moment the teacher started rambling about atoms or biology or whatever.
In her early elementary years, that had meant doodling. When she'd started middle school, earbuds had been added to the mix.
She didn't remember the last time she'd willingly participated in a lesson.
But the new school year, which already seemed intent on being even more annoying than the previous, had assigned seating in every single class.
Her year in particular was so much of a nightmare that they'd literally altered the seating and class plans to make absolutely certain no enemies or friends sat next to each other. Go figure.
At least, Uzi had hoped, that meant she would be able to ignore any poor schmuck they forced on her, right?
Nope.
Her tablemate, who's name she could never remember, had very fluffy blonde hair, an unshakeable positive attitude, and what Uzi was pretty sure was a severe case of unmedicated AD/HD.
When he'd asked her for help, it had taken a few tries to get her attention. Uzi'd only noticed him when he literally waved a hand in front of her face. She lifted her hair to take out an earbud.
"What?" She scowled at him. This was her designated tune-out-the-world time, and everyone else could kindly fuck off.
Her neighbor, however, remained undeterred, to her great annoyance. He just smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, I, ah, kind of zoned out for a moment, but when I looked up he was already handing out worksheets, and I have no clue what I'm supposed to do…"
And you think I was paying attention?
She swallowed her groan. She could help him… just this once. Uzi eyed their papers critically. "Ugh, these things. You just have to list lab safety rules, and then there's a basic revision on…"
Uzi rattled off a few basic concepts that they went over literally every year. The guy beamed at her. It made her heart do a hideous little tap dance-gymnastics routine thing.
Cut it out, she told her heart sternly. It didn't help.
Rude.
"Gosh, thanks. I'm so sorry, this always happens. You're a really good teacher, though!"
She blinked. "Oh, um… thanks. Glad to help." Uzi moved to pop her earbud back in, but he wasn't done yet.
"I'm Emmett, but everyone just calls me N. You're Uzume, right?" She wrinkled her nose at the sound of her full name.
"Don't call me that. Uzi's fine. N, like… the letter?" He nodded, laughing a little nervously.
"Yeah, my little sister couldn't pronounce my name for some reason, so she called me N and it just kind of stuck. Wow, Uzi! That's an adorable nickname!"
Her cheeks flamed. "It's the name of a gun. So if that's adorable, then, sure, I guess."
Neither of them quite seemed to know what to say after that.
Great work, Uzi. You made things awkward again with your exceptional people skills.
"I'm, um, new here." N said hesitantly. "I don't have anyone to sit with at lunch, so would you, that is, could we maybe sit together? At lunch?"
Uzi sat straight up and stared at him in utter shock. He was too nice looking for this to be some sick prank.
New.
That explained her not having seen him before. Obviously, he hadn't heard of her either.
"Trust me." She grimaced. "You don't want to sit with me. Or talk to me. Or acknowledge me in general. Everybody hates me. I'm like, the weirdo emo girl who's obsessed with Danganronpa and Demonslayer and nightcore and stuff. You would be comitting social suicide."
He looked miffed at that. "But that's so toxic!"
Uzi laughed. "Welcome to middle school!"
N shook his head. "Well, now I'm definitely hanging out with you. You must be lonely."
"You'll be my friend out of pity?"
"Not pity. More like… weirdo solidarity!" He smiled at her again, and Uzi felt like the floor had given out under her. But in a good way. Like she was floating instead of falling.
She couldn't really say no, could she?
Uzi let out a breath. "Fine. But seriously, you could do way better." He tilted his head.
"You're the first person to willingly hold a conversation with me all day. I don't really think I could."
She let it be, and allowed herself to think that maybe she could have a nice thing this year.
Spoiler alert: she did. And she had him the next year as well, and the next, and the next, and the next five after that, and the next, and the next, and the next….