Chapter 35: Sig, Tee & Arle: "Are you okay?" by warelander

School time was over and most of the students had already left the area around Primp High, off to their awaited free time. Despite this, six people could be found on the school's track field.

''Owowowow!''

''Just hold on a bit longer. Sig, hand me the disinfectants real fast.''

''Gotcha.''

Yoko winced as Arle began to apply the disinfectants to the wound on her leg. Next to Arle was Sig, ready to offer her anything she needed from her first aid kit.

''Just endure it a little more, Yoko, it's gonna be over soon.'' Panotty comforted his friend, holding her hand while doing so.

Close to them kneeled Jaan, who visibly cringed while looking at the wound on Yoko's leg, caused by it scraping on the floor.

Draco's well-intentioned, but panicked babbling, didn't exactly make the situation more comfortable for anyone involved.

''I'm sooooo sorry! Oh my gosh I didn't look! I didn't mean to ram into you! I-''

''Draco! It's not that big of a deal!'' Arle stopped the dragon girl from completely panicking.

Having applied everything needed, she motioned Sig to hand over the bandages, which he swiftly did. She wrapped them around the angel's injured legs, noticing a small wince, but she pulled through until they were fully applied.

''There! It should fully heal in a couple days.'' She proudly proclaimed.

''T-thanks. I hope it won't be hurty for too long.'' Yoko timidly, but gratefully, replied while pulling her dress back down to cover the bandaged part of her leg, slightly dismayed at the hole her scraping on the floor ripped through it.

''It's a good thing Sig was so quick to get Arle for help, huh?'' Jaan threw into the room, nudging Panotty a bit.

''Uhm.., yeah. Grateful for that.'' The elf boy conceded, swallowing his skepticism towards Sig for a bit.

Sig just leaned closer towards Yoko, gently putting his hand into Yoko's free hand.

''That's what friends are for.'' He simply said, grinning at just how much her face beamed at hearing that. Even weeks later, she still showed the greatest of joy for just being called a friend.

Arle took note of it as well. While the memory of the incident that marked Yoko's final days as Harpy remained, she couldn't deny that it was precious to see her be so happy. Not to mention seeing how supportive Sig, Jaan and Panotty were of her, she could outright feel the warmth all of them had to spare for this one girl.

Jaan held out a hand for Yoko to grab, helping her to regain her footing. Slowly but surely, the last thing they wanted was to aggravate the hurting spot on her leg by accident.

''We'll take it from her and bring Yoko home. You guys up to anything?'' Jaan asked.

''Since I'm already here, I could go for some running practice.'' Arle replied, looking over to Sig, much to his surprise.

''Wanna stay and watch me, Sig? It's more fun with others around.'' She pleaded in a playful way, not even realizing that she hooked him as much as she did.

''S-sure. I'm free.'' He replied, much to Arle's joy.

Jaan and Sig had a quick fist bump, as they exchanged their byes, while Draco gave a very apology filled hug to Yoko, which made the latter feel just a bit awkward.

As Yoko, Panotty, and Jaan left the scene, only Sig, Arle, and Draco remained, each of them exchanging brief looks in this sudden, newfound silence.

''Guess I'm gonna get my bag and go home too.'' Draco said, making her way over to the nearby bench where she left her stuff.

''Well then! Curious what you'll say about how fast I have gotten Sig!'' Arle, ever so slightly bragged, confident as always.

''You do train a lot.'' Sig replied simply,

''Of course! Running is my passion. I want to push myself as much as my body allows and even beyond that!''

''I know. Just don't overdo it ag-''

''AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!''

Arle and Sig were ripped out of their conversation as they heard Draco screaming. Before either of them could even wonder what was going on, the dragon girl had already stormed to their side.

''What happened!?'' Arle demanded to know.

''T-T-The trashcan next to the bench! It spoke to me!'' Draco panicked, invoking little more than a confused reaction from her fellow students.

''What?'' Was all Sig could say in the most plain tone possible.

''I'm not making this up! Go look for yourself!''

Arle and Sig silently agreed to humor her. The duo went over to the spot Draco just fled from, with the girl following them from a safe distance.

Once they were close to it both deduced that they couldn't hear a thing. Not that either of them was surprised by it. Sig took further initiative by moving even closer to it.

The spacey lad leaned over to look inside, not expecting anything, only to be met with quite the surprise.

''...! Tee?''

''Hey, Sig. Mind giving me a hand?''

Tee
Reliability on Rollerskates

Inside the trashcan was Tee cramped into it and almost drowned in the garbage. He reached out one hand for Sig to grab and he began to pull, knocking over the trashcan in the process, doing his best to pull his friend out of it.

''Phew, Now that's a relief.'' Draco wiped the sweat off her forehead.

''See? You just had to look. Next you'll tell me the bathroom toilet is haunted.'' Arle attempted to lecture Draco.

''You mean it isn't? Then what attacked me?'' Draco sounded genuinely confused and Arle knew then and there that she did not want to continue that conversation.

Lucky for her, Sig had managed to get Tee out of his unhygienic prison to distract from it.

''What happened to you?'' Sig asked him.

''Schezo and his gang stuffed me in there. Told me I should be glad that nobody threw up in it beforehand.'' He recounted his story, visibly grossed out by the thought of that last bit. A reaction shared by everyone around him.

Noticing the dirt and garbage on him, Tee took advantage of the skate strap-ons on his shoes and began to skate in a line back and forth as fast as possible to get as much of it off of him as he could. On the way back, he made an effortless break to stop right back next to the others, much to Draco's interest.

''Hey wow! You gotta know some good tricks with those sick kicks!''

''Not really to be honest. They're just practical when you have hyperactive younger siblings and need to keep up.'' Tee answered frankly, much to Draco's disappointment.

''Aww man, you are boooooring.'' She unintentionally, insensitively cried out, which Arle, in particular, made her know with a judging look.

''Sorry. Anyway, I need to go now, see y'all tomorrow,'' Draco took her bag and made her way home, not wanting to accidentally provoke something.

''And I'm gonna start running now. You can watch too if you want, Tee.'' Arle offered to her fellow student.

''Sure, I'm free for today. I may join you on my skates for a race. Anyway, where's Lagn-''

Tee was cut off by the sudden mixture of gloom and anger on Arle's face, one that signaled that he just said the wrong thing.

''Please, just don't mention him. I don't want to hear of him right now…''

''Understood.'' Was all Tee needed to say. Arle gave him a quick nod and went to the tracks to start running.

With Arle off to practice, the tension began to fade, with only Sig and Tee remaining at the spot, watching Arle dash her frustrations away.

''What is it this time?'' Tee asked, plenty used to this.

''He liked one of Wuffina's cosplays.'' Sig explained, short and to the point.

''Ah. Think they'll be together again soon?''

''Give it a week or two.'' Sig had seen this plenty enough times to recognize the pattern.

Silence began to set in, as the two watched Arle run, waving to her as she passed them the first time, and went on to repeat her round.

''How have you been?'' Sig decided to break the silence.

''Been busy. My parents as well but for different reasons, so I had to watch Jay and Elle a lot recently. You know how much of a handful they are.'' Sig affirmed that he knew what he meant with a nod.

''Marvett is lucky to have Dalida as a sister.'' Sig thought to himself.

''At least I got some time off now. Had to let Ringo wait for too long because of it.'' Tee had to admit.

''Hilda has more time for us again too.'' Sig added from his perspective.

''Would be nice to do some catching up and get away from outright running a household half the time.'' Tee admitted and Sig couldn't blame him. He'd have a harder time dealing with having to be so responsible than the oldest Blockman son does.

On the subject of catching-up, Tee had one thing in mind, though he was unsure if he should bring it up. At least Arle was away enough from them to let him say it.

''So...you and Arle, how have things been?'' To Tee's simultaneous surprise and relief, Sig seemed to have taken the question well.

''Doing fine. We're friends.''

''I know that, it's just you seem to be taking it better now.'' He stated, feeling like he had missed quite a bit.

''Still a little bummed. I just try to not think of it much. Can at least be there for her as a friend, y'know?'' Sig admitted and Tee understood.

Tee watched as Sig reached into his own bag, to pull out a bottle of water, waiting with it for several more runs across the field, until Arle finally decided to stop.

He continued to observe as Sig handed Arle the bottle and encouraged her to take a break for her own sake.

Watching these two did come off like watching a couple in the making. An ambitious girl and her supportive male friend. One would think they would have a shot to maybe go beyond friendship, but that seemed to have not been in the cards.

Life can be odd that way.