Y/N POV:
I'm standing in the room, folding the new laundry while Barb is laying in bed.
-I told you you'd get sick if you didn't stop kissing me, I say.
-But you have such a kissable face! She groans before she coughs and I laugh slightly.
-That's how it goes, I say.
-Well, I'll run to the pharmacy since I finished all the cough drops and pain killers when I was sick, I say.
-And don't forget to buy that steak and those dips for my chips, Barb sniffles after she blows her nose and throws the paper in the direction of the trash can but missing. I walk over and throw the missed tissues into the garbage can.
-I'll see you in a bit, try to rest, I say and pat her hand slightly.
-C'mon I offered myself for you! She whines.
-Nuh-uh! I'm not getting sick again, I defend.
-Bye bye! I send her a kiss and she waves exhaustedly. I grab a bag and my wallet before I walk outside to my first stop.
I get to the pharmacy and stand in line. A few people in line sniffle and blow their nose and others look like exhausted parents and/or teens. I grab a ticket and as I wait I walk around the store grabbing some regular pain killers, tablets for sore throats, etc.
-Hey Y/N, what's up dude? I see Riff walk up to me.
-Hey Riff! How're you? I ask.
-Well, the girlfriend is still really sick so I'm picking up her medicine for her. You? He asks. I wave with my own numbered ticket and he nods, understanding.
-So Barb got it now? He slightly smiles.
-Oh yeah. I actually got better pretty fast. Barb on the other hand... I say.
-Yeah, it's a rock troll thing. When we get sick, we are stuck sick for a while, he says.
-Oh dear... better put king thrash in quarantine so I don't have to go again, I sigh.
-I gotta write that down, I say and pick up my phone and add to my to-do list of the day.
-Yeah that's probably best. Anyways, when do you think we can jam again? All of us, including Barb? Riff asks.
-Well if your rock troll story is true... it's gonna take a while, I say and put my phone away.
-Aw dang it... I really miss it, he says.
-Yeah me too... I say. Suddenly the bell dings.
-Oh that's me, see you around Riff, I say and briskly walk up to the counter.
Barbs medicine in hand, I start making my way towards the store to pick up groceries for this weeks dinners and lunches. I have my earphones in and I'm enjoying the wind as it blows around me. Suddenly I get a call and I answer.
-Hello?
-Hey sis, how's it going? Poppy asks.
-Poppy! Hi! I'm doing alright, just running some errands, how are you? I ask as I get to the store.
-Well, could be better. Me, dad and Branch all have gotten sick lately. You can tell that fall is on its way, Poppy says.
-Yeah. I just got out of a cold myself, I'm actually taking care of Barb right now, I say and start looking at my shopping list.
-Oh wow! You're really working it all out! Poppy says, before she coughs.
-Don't forget to drink tea, Poppy. All of you, I remind her as I start picking out stuff off of the shelves.
-We'll try, she says.
-Anyways, when are you going to visit next time? She asks.
-Oh! Um I don't know right now, can I round back to that later? I ask.
-Yeah! We just really miss you! Poppy says and I pick up my phone and cross off groceries on the to-do list, but add check calendar for home visit.
-I miss you guys too, there's just been a lot to do lately, I say.
-We get that. No worries, you'll just focus on getting Barb all good again and we'll see you guys after that! she answers.
-Uh, Poppy I've got to go but we'll talk later, ok? I say hurriedly as I get to check out.
-Of course, we'll talk later! Now go get Barb better so that you can visit! Bye! Poppy screams and hangs up. I sigh and pay for the groceries.
Walking home I stay at a bench to just breathe. I check my to-do list again and stare at the un-crossed points. I then look around. "Those signs really need to be fixed up, they'll kill somebody" I think and add it to the list. "And we desperately need more park cleaners for fall" I add that too. I add and add and add to the list, only seeing more and more mistakes around me. When even taking a breather is stressful, you know that it's time to move on. I head towards the castle again. I get stopped in my tracks by a couple of mothers and their kids.
-Excuse me, Queen Y/N? One mother asks.
-Yes, hello, I answer, shaking of my anxious thoughts.
-We really need a new playground at the kids' school. Their old one is quite literally falling apart, and so is every playground in all of volcano rock city, another mother speaks up.
-We'll we can't have that, can we? I ask the kids and they shake their heads. I put down my bags and add to my to-do list once again.
-I'll look into it, but right now I am in a bit of a hurry. Have a good day! I say goodbye to the kids and their mothers before I start walking home again.
When I get home I sigh. I slowly trudge into the castle and towards the kitchen. "Wonder what Barb would like for dinner..." I ask myself. My heart beats faster and faster, the closer to the kitchen I get. I swallow thickly as I round the corner.
As I get into the kitchen I see Barb drinking some warmed up soup from her last soup batch from a tupperware. I just look at her with empty eyes and she looks curiously back at me. I walk up to our kitchen island where she's sitting and I drop the grocery bags. They land with a hefty thud.
-Are you ok? She asks concerned. Before I can get a word out, I start crying.
-Woah, hey! Barb says and hope off of her chair and grabs my arms.
-What's going on? She asks and I just choke on air.
-Ok, wait- Barb goes and gets a glass of water.
-Here, drink, she says and I do as she says. The drinking makes my breathing slow down and I can finally breathe like normal.
-What happened? She asks.
-There's just too much to do and I'm only one troll, I sniffle, still shaking a bit.
-What do you mean? She asks. I clammer onto my bag and pick out my phone and show her my to do list.
-"shape the trees", "paint/repair the park benches"? What's this? She asks.
-That's my to-do list. I write down everything that needs to be done. When I was out I saw too many things I haven't been able to fix when I was sick. So now I have to fix them and take care of you. That reminds me, I have to put your dad in quarantine because Riff told me- ok Y/N, you need to breathe, Barb cuts me off.
-These things can wait, ok? She says and everything turns quiet.
-Right now, we are here. We are here, in the kitchen, surrounded by groceries on the floor. Let's start here, ok? These things need to get into the cupboards and the fridge and we can take the rest later, Barb says and I nod. We start picking up the groceries in silence, Barb taking the dry stuff and I take the things that has to go into the fridge.
-I'm sorry, I say.
-For what? Barb asks.
-I'm not the one to usually have panic attacks in front of people, I say.
-I'm not sure which part to be more worried about, the panic attacks part of the in front of people part, Barb says.
-It's ok, you're allowed to be stressed, Barb continues.
-Well I'm never stressed!... I say and Barb shoots me a look.
-In front of people... I finish.
-Ok but look, I sigh and then can't come up with anything to say.
-Y/N, I get what it's like to have a lot on your plate. But technically you're not the queen of rock, I am. Those problems are my problems, Barb says.
-But you're sick. And I can't let you do them all alone, you'd crash at the end, I say.
-And that's exactly what's happening to you! Look... we're both here. We both want what's best for the people of rock city. We'll combat this list together, she says and then she coughs.
-You're still sick, I say.
-When I'm better, then we'll start the list, Barb says and I smile.
-We'll do it together. As a team. Because we are one, right? Barb asks.
-Yeah... yeah you're right, we're a team! I say and nod.
-Good. Now no more panic attacks until I'm better and dad's in quarantine, Barb says and I smile at her.
-I know I can't kiss you but I would really like to right now, I say.
-Well you can, Barb smiles mischievously at me.
-No, I say sternly.