So, this takes place years after the events of Juliet Dies in This. Specifically, as the fic I mentioned ends on December 21, 2017, this fic takes place a little over two years later, in the March of 2020. That's right, the coronavirus pandemic still canonically happens in the world of Juliet Dies; Life Continues. This fic was inspired by how when I first got put on lockdown from my school my dad had my sister and I clean out the pantry because we weren't sure what would happen to grocery stores.

"Claire, if you're home, could you come help put away groceries?" Javier asked as he entered the house. Claire walked towards him from the kitchen, her metallic cane clicking against the floor. She flicked her wrist, and a glowing purple chain formed, snaking its way to one of the bags. Javier let her take it, and she peered into the bag.

"This will certainly help," Claire said before dashing off with speed that Javier hoped was being enhanced by magic. Otherwise, Claire's legs would be worse than however bad they were today, considering that she was using her cane instead of just the braces. Javier followed her and the floating grocery bag to the kitchen.

"Claire, what is this?" Javier asked.

"Organizing," Claire said.

"Then why is the counter covered in cans?"

"They weren't organized right."

Well, unfortunately Javier would have to admit that the pantry had grown haphazard.

"Also," Claire continued, "I needed to take inventory."

"Inventory for what?"

"Rationing. Potential schedule's on the fridge."

"Claire, why would we be rationing?" Still, he headed over to the fridge to put away the perishable groceries.

Javier looked at the schedule. The portions were a little on the lean side, but well thought out. Javier looked behind himself, at all the cans covering the counter, and then at how many weeks Claire had planned ahead. Something felt off, about how Claire was splitting canned food between himself, Ophelia, and Enrique.

Oh.

Oh, no.

If Claire's name wasn't on the rationing list, that would be one thing. She would have completely forgotten about herself, and her own basic needs, which was unfortunately common. Not as common as it had been when Claire had first escaped the Shadow Realm, but more common than before, well, before she had started trollhunting. Javier didn't blame Jim, Toby, and the trolls anymore, not like he had wanted to right after they had told Javier about how Claire wouldn't be coming home. However, he knew that Claire would be okay, wouldn't be resorting to this if she hadn't had the opportunity to use the Shadow Staff in the first place.

"Claire?" he asked, keeping his voice even. Steady. Nonthreatening, because she clearly already panicking and he would rather have an actual conversation with his daughter. "Why did you only schedule yourself to eat two very small meals a week?"

"I thought one meal a week would push it too much, but if you need me to, I can," Claire said. The lights inside her eyes dimmed a little at the thought of it.

"What? Claire, no, why are you scheduling yourself to eat so little?"

"Because I don't need the food, not the way you and Mom and Enrique do."

"Claire, when you don't eat your mental health gets worse."

"I'll... it'll be fine. I'll be eating twice a week, so it's not like things could get too bad." Claire twisted her wristwatch back and forth around her wrist. Her other hand gripped her cane tightly.

"We don't need to be rationing."

"I've seen the news, Papi. People are acting like it's the end of the world out there."

Javier hated to admit it, but if the world was ending again then he was glad it was like this, where no one's teenage daughter would become a prisoner of war just to save the world.

"Well, Arcadians do pretty well with the end of the world. The shelves are mostly well stocked." Though, even Arcadians were going a little too buy-crazy on the toilet paper.

"Sure, whatever." Claire said. Her eyes dimmed further. She moved to put away the food, and Javier noticed that the way she was walking was the way she did when she was trying to be silent. When she grew scared that making a noise would mean Morgana would find her and torture her to death again. "But we're supposed to be hiding, not going out to the grocery store, so rationing is still important."

"Which means that you will still be eating the same amount of food as your mom and I, and just as often." It was hard to see, but Javier was pretty sure Claire rolled her eyes at the notion, because she had experience with rationing and she thought he was being foolish. He took a breath. "Claire, this isn't going to be like the Shadow Realm. You'll still be able to talk to people, just, not go and socialize with them."

Claire didn't say anything, but her posture became fractionally less tense.

Hope you're doing okay during this crazy time. Don't panic.