Syrena’s status: should be more stressed?

First things first: if you haven’t heard, the lovely rthstewart is hosting a 3-Sentence Ficathon! Come play!

I’ve fallen way behind in responding to the many wonderful ficlets and comments, but I’ll catch up eventually. I should really, really be working on Yuletide. I have two days to get my “bus” draft finished and posted! As usual, I can’t write anything short (yes, even in a three-sentence ficathon), so I have a ways to go. I also have a mountain of things to do IRL, but I think that’s the new “situation normal,” and yes I know how that acronym ends.

So I should probably stop stalling and get to work! But first, just one more prompt...