Y/N POV:
I stretch my limbs as I sit up. I rub my eyes before I open them and see Barbs posters. I blush as I think of last night and look to my side. Barb is sprawled out and her arm was in my lap. I freak out... quietly. I kick and clench my jaw as I smile, but I quickly take a deep breath and remove her hand. She snores loudly before she keeps sleeping. I slip out of the bed and tuck Barb back into her comforter. I jump around in glee but I hear Barb turn and I stop immediately. I sneak out and look one last time at Barb before I close the door. When I turn around I fully freak out. I tip tap around with my toes and squeal gleefully. Then I start happy dancing in the hallway, singing a tune. I spin and only stop when I see a familiar face... king Thrash. I stop immediately.
-Hi, I wave awkwardly.
-Had any fun? He asks and chuckles.
-Well... yes...? I answer, wondering what he exactly meant by "fun". He chuckles.
-Can you cook eggs? He asks and rolls towards me and we head towards the kitchen.
-Uh yeah? I ask.
-Fried? He asks back.
-Sure, I say.
Barb POV:
I stretch and groan. I squint my eyes open and see that Y/N's already left, but a nice familiar smell hit my face. I notice that I'm tucked in nicely, unlike how I fell asleep. I confusedly until close myself and hop into some shorts before I stretch and head towards the nice smell. I step into the kitchen and see dad and Y/N laughing along and I immediately wake up. Y/N sees me and smiles secretly.
-G'morning rockstar, dad says.
-Mornin' dad, I greet and sit down at the high table. It turns quiet and me and Y/N share a look.
-Oh! I made eggs! Y/N says and picks up a plate of eggs and bacon.
-I-Uh... thanks, I say and accept the plate.
-Do you want soooome.... Y/N goes to the fridge and ponders. I can't help but to look at her curves as she leans and I try to look up at her face but I am constantly reminded of her body and I- Y/N slams the fridge and holds up two drinks.
-Orange juice or grape blast juice? Y/N asks and then smirks knowingly, giving my dad the juice carton and grabs a glass and pours me some orange juice. My dad happily wiggles as he drinks his grape blast.
-Thanks, I smile and Y/N doesn't answer, just smiles back.
Y/N POV:
-Well younglins, I got a synth to pling on, you play it safe out there, King Thrash waves goodbye and leaves me and Barb in the kitchen.
-Bye dad, Barb waves him goodbye.
-Bye! I say. Barb looks after her dad as he leaves. Barb finished eating so I sneakily take her plate. The scraping disturbs her and and she looks at me.
-Thanks, she says and smiles. I put her plate and fork into the washing machine and as I pull out the next level of the machine I see Barb in my side eye. She is slowly drinking the last of her juice and eyeing me... well... a special part of me... I turn my head away and grin to myself before I suck it up and stand up. I go back to grab the glass but I lean in close. I feel her tense up and I lean towards her ear.
-I saw that... I say as I take her glass and walk back to the washing machine. Barb starts stammering and I smile smugly to myself.
As I close the machine I get a text. I pick up my phone and see that it's from Poppy. I open my phone and read it.
-Huh, I look at my phone.
-What's up? Barb asks.
-Poppy wants to hold a birthday party for tiny diamond, I say.
-Wait tiny diamond? What's a tiny diamond? Barb asks.
-You know that glittery guy? Yeah that's guy diamond, I say.
-So tiny diamond is...? Barb asks.
-his son, I say.
-Oh... oh ok, Barb says.
-Yeah. The party's tonight and she wants me to be there since... well I am his aunt, I say and text her that I'll be there.
-Wait you're related? Barb asks.
-What? No no no, I named him, I explain.
-You named him "tiny"? Barb laughs.
-Oh it's a nice name, shut up Barbara, I joke and we laugh.
-No... you know what, Barbara is a nice name... maybe Barbie will do me one better, I say.
-You're not calling me that, Barb points at me and I receive a new text from Barb.
-Hey you wanna come? I ask her.
-I Uh, yeah sure. I can come tonight I gotta help Riff with his college thing first, Barb says.
-Great, I'll take a motorbeetle and get going... see you there? I say awkwardly.
-Uh- yeah of-of course, Barb stammers and we don't know if we should hug or for me to just leave. So we do that crazy dance. That crazy weird dance that people do when they're stuck in an uncomfortable position. So in the end we just hug and I leave. As soon as I get behind a corner, I stop.
-God that was embarrassing, I whisper to myself before I go get dressed for the party.
-Hey Poppy, I greet as I park the motorbeetle and take off my helmet.
-Hey Y/N so happy you could make it, I don't think you understand how excited tiny diamond is for this party, Poppy hugs.
-Aunt queen Y/N! You're here! I hear Tiny's voice.
-Tiny! Happy birthday lil' dude! I say.
-Thank you! I invited prince D and Cooper too! I'm so excited for them to see my new ride! Tiny says as he drives off in a gold childrens vehicle.
-You really spoil him, don't you? I ask guy diamond.
-Oh but he is my son, so it is ok, guy diamond says proudly and walks after the tiny troll.
-Anyways, queen Anna help set up some decorations? Poppy says.
-Oh I'm always happy to help, I say and follow her.
We decorate the most common areas where Tiny and the people he specifically invited will play and compete in fun games.
-Hey Poppy, I have to ask you something, I say.
-Ok shoot, Poppy answers.
-So... let's say I like someone, I start.
-Is this a Barb thing? She asks and smiles.
-Yeah... we told each other how we feel but I realized just this morning that I... know nothing about being in a relationship, I say.
-I mean I helped Branch and as you know that turned out just fine but... why is it so hard for me? I ask.
-I don't know Y/N... it's like reverse psychology, Poppy shrugs and puts away a few boxes.
-Well I was wondering maybe you can tell me how it works? Cause I really want to work out with Barb but I'm completely lost, I say.
-Y/N, a relationship is supposed to be fun and adventurous! You're practically dating your best friend, and you know that best friends don't fight too often or forget each other's things. They will always remember you're favorite ice cream flavor, and if they don't, they're not the right person for you, poppy says and I pick up some of the garbage we left behind us.
-Oh wow... thanks Poppy, I smile.
-No problem. Oh I gotta fox the cake, b-r-b! Poppy laughs and skips away. As she leaves, I stop smiling. What if I don't remember stuff. Do I even know when Barbs birthday is? Or her favorite ice cream flavor? Does she even like ice cream?
-Hey Y/N! My thoughts get interrupted by Branch.
-Oh hey Branch! I say.
-I saw you had some garbage, he says and holds out a big garbage bag.
-Thank you good sir, I joke and put the garbage in my hands into the bag.
-What we're you and Poppy talking about? You looked really confused, Branch asks as he helps me pick up the last of the decoration junk.
-Well I was just asking her about relationships and how to maintain one, I say and then cringe since I haven't told him about Barb yet. Like anything about Barb.
-Well, relationships take hard work. You're gonna be fighting a lot and sometimes you just have to take the fall. You need both your partner and yourself to be healthy and wether that means you have to be ruthlessly honest sometimes then so be it! Branch says.
-Huh... funny that you say that because- and you know you're not perfect and they're not perfect all the time either. The quicker you realize that, the faster you can compromise about things, Branch interrupts me.
-Ok, thanks Branch, I say. He nods as he notices some kids prying on the present table and walks over to them.
Ok so... it's like work but also like your best friend? And you'll never fight and you'll always fight and you will always remember but you're not perfect? I am so lost. How is all of this even possible? You can't do both at the same time, it'll just fall apart? Oh dear god how am I going to do this?
-Hey Y/N, I hear and turn around. It's Barb.
-Oh thank god you're here, I say and hug her.
-Uhm yeah... why? She asks and I pull away.
-No reason. So you brought a present? I change the subject.
-Yeah well I thought it would be nice for him to see that I can be nice too... Besides you're his aunt so I can't just show up without a gift, she says.
-Awe Barb that's so sweet. Come on I can lead you to the present table, I say.
-He has a whole table!? Barb asks as she follows me.
Barb POV:
During the party, me and Y/N drifted from each other's groups because... I'm really awkward about this. We're both very awkward around each other now and that's kinda the opposite of what I wanted. I decide to grow a pair and ask Branch about it.
-Hey Branch-boy, how does this relationship thing between you and Poppy work? I ask him.
-Well you know, I have to look after her, see that she doesn't get into any trouble. You know it's a whole lotta work but at the end of the day it's so worth it, he answers.
-Wait, work? How is it work? I ask confused.
-Well you know... he starts making gestures with his hands and I just stare at him. He sighs.
-It's like you're cheese and crackers. You're good one at a time with other things too but you can really work together if you're on the same platter. You gotta get to that platter, Branch says.
-Huh... I say, thinking of his analogy.
-Hey Branch, don't steal my friends all for yourself! Poppy jokes and she kisses his cheek before she grabs my arm and walks away.
-Sooooo is there something you wanna talk about? She asks.
-Well uh, how are you and Branch doing? I ask.
-Oh we're just great! You know, I rule a little, he helps me, we hold hands, everything's cool, she says. I furrow my brows. That's not... that's not what Branch said?
-So you and Y/N, are you... are you two good? You haven't been talking this whole evening? Poppy asks and we look at Y/N. We make eye contact and she waves a bit at us and we wave back. She then immediately goes back to her conversation, but looks back to us a few times with a smile.
-Yeah we're good just wanna meet some new people since we, you know, hang out all the time, I lie.
-Huh. Understandable, Poppy nods.
-I mean, not to me. If I was you I'd be spending every second I had with my best friend, she says. I get taken aback.
-O-ok? I say.
-Hey Poppy, the piñata fell, can you put it back up? Tiny diamond comes running.
-Of course! I'll be right back, Poppy says and walks away with him. Right as she does I get a messages from Y/N. "Can we talk?" I read and look up at Y/N. She nods to a small hill behind her and I nod, following her as she walks.
Y/N POV:
I sigh as I sit down and hear Barbs footsteps come closer.
-Hey, she says.
-Hey, I say back.
-Have you talked to Branch and Poppy today? I ask.
-Yeah, why? Barb asks.
-They've been... kinda hard to understand today, right? I ask.
-Yeah, Barb agrees.
-Like they just contradict each other all the time, I laugh off.
-Uh yeah, Barb agrees.
-Oh thank god, I'm not crazy, I say gratefully.
-What've you been talking to them about? She asks me.
-I think you know what, I say, that giddy feeling bubbling up again.
-Same for you? I ask.
-yup, she answers.
-He had this weird cheese platter talk and I was not understanding anything, she says and I laugh.
-He talked about cheese platters? I ask and she nods.
-Long story, don't ask, she says and I put my hands up in surrender. She then sighs.
-It's just so hard, it just feels like I failed, she says.
-Failed how? I ask surprised.
-Well, what happened today is the polar opposite to what I wanted to happen. I wanted us to get closer and I just needed tips... but they just got me more confused, Barb says.
-Yeah me too... I guess I was just too interested in how it works for them that I never thought about how we are... I mean we've worked great as a team before, I say.
-What's really the difference? I ask.
-Well yeah... Barb scratches her neck.
-I guess I just really like you and I want to be in a relationship with you, she then blurts out.
-If! If y-you wanna be, of course, she then covers.
-Yeah I wanna be your girlfriend, I giggle and she lets out a relieved breath.
-And you wanna be mine? I ask unsure.
-Bw- I mean yeah, who wouldn't want to be? She says, making me blush and wave her off. She laughs and I grab her hand. We smile at each other and just sit for a while.
-Why does things just seem so much easier now that we've said it out loud? I ask.
-It just is, Barb smiles and I scrunch my nose at her.
-Aunt Y/N it's present time! I hear Tiny yell.
-We should go back, I say and we stand up.
-Oh yeah definitely, Barb just agrees whole heartedly.
-But don't tell Poppy about this... this stays between us for a little while. Is that ok? I ask.
-I was about to ask the same thing, she says relieved and we separate our hands, leaving me to feel alone. But the feeling vanishes as Barb smiles at me and puts a gentle hand on my back to lead me back to the party.