Leaving the Civil Corps headquarters, Arlo raised his arms over his head as he stretched out his strained muscles. He had really pushed it during his morning workout… and during his last couple of morning workouts, for that matter, and was now feeling the consequences. However, he had needed the release. To punch his training dummy until it was left creaking in response to any impact. Arlo was sure his knuckles were currently forming bruises under his gloves.
Bringing his arms back down, he began to shake out his hands, hoping the blood flow would stop the bruising. Even though, that wasn't at all possible.
Going down the hill, Arlo's mind began to stray away from his aches and pains as he tried to kick his other senses into gear. It was nearly time for his rounds to start for the day, which meant that he needed to be on his game. Not that he expected to be chasing down bad guys or taking down pinecocks at every turn. But still, it was nice to be ready no matter what was thrown his way.
Thankfully, his mind had felt a little clearer that morning. After the Round Table incident - if he could even call it that - Arlo had fallen into his bed Friday night in a mess of thoughts. He was so busy feeling sorry for himself that he hadn't even managed to take off his jacket or belt before he inevitably dozed off. And those thoughts had continued to invade his mind over the course of the last few days - no matter how he tried to dismiss them.
But that morning, he had finally woken up without those same thoughts echoing throughout his mind and pushing a headache to grow in his temples. Instead, it was background noise. The kind that Arlo could ignore, and insisted on getting rid of as soon as possible - not that it was more manageable. Hence why he had used his morning exercise as a tactic to nip the whole situation in the bud.
And now, he wasn't thinking about it. He wasn't questioning. He was done trying to make sense of something that wasn't there. He had ended that Friday night due to what he had seen with his own eyes - another touch with someone else. So, he wasn't thinking about it.
Senses on. It was all about the present and the senses that he needed then. The thoughts that he needed to focus on - that had nothing to do with the past or any confusion that may have laid there.
He concentrated on the laughs of the children in the distance, thankful to hear they weren't screams of panic or cries in pain. He concentrated on the sound of the wind causing the leaves to rustle in the trees as a sign of the season beginning to change.
Lastly, he concentrated on the gentle click of heels on the stone as he sensed someone coming near him.
And sure enough, within seconds, he was met by the source of the sound coming around the bend as they headed up the hill while he headed down. The moment the individual turned, their eyes met and Arlo could feel his focus on his surroundings slightly falter.
Phyllis.
She was smirking at him now, her hips gaining an extra swing as she kept her clicking heels moving up towards him. He, however, began to slow as he knew they would inevitably meet in the middle. Phyllis wasn't the type of person he could just pass by while calling out a lame "hello." That wasn't the role she held in his life. She was the kind of person he needed to stop for, which usually meant she would…
As expected, they met in the middle of the ramp and Phyllis was quick to speak before her actions followed.
"Hey, you," she murmured before one of her hands was already at the nape of his neck, pulling him straight down to have his lips meet hers.
And then she held him there, keeping their mouths directly against one another as her body also began to lean forward. She pressed her chest into him, which made Arlo's heart begin to hammer into his own chest. But not in the way one would likely expect.
Finally, he managed to pull back, careful not to put too much distance between them. He then gazed down at her, offering a small smile as he was finally able to reciprocate her greeting.
"Morning, Phyllis," he said as he began to realize his own hands were still at his sides. Remembering himself, he raised them and gently placed them on her hips - making sure his touch didn't reside too low… or too high for that matter.
"I feel like I never see you this early," Phyllis replied. "What a treat."
A side of Arlo's mouth pulled up further, glad that simply seeing him made her happy. However, he hadn't managed any words.
Even though it hadn't been long since the last time he had seen her. They had just ran into each other the night prior, but it had been brief as they were both headed home to bed. That had to have been less than eight hours ago since they had both been quite the early riser that morning.
That's something you have in common .
Arlo wanted to roll his eyes at his own thought. Was he really going to point out every single little similarity? What was next? That they both had blue eyes?
That was something that Sam had enjoyed in the past.
"You both have blue eyes! So if you ever had babies then the probability of them having blue eyes would be through the roof!"
Leave it to Sam.
But the point was - he was not going to pick out all of their similarities. He refused. That would be ridiculous and Arlo wasn't one to stoop to that level.
Besides, he knew that Phyllis and him had more in common… he just wasn't sure exactly what that was… yet!
"Actually, I'm glad I ran into you," Arlo said, feeling his body begin to hum. It was as if he had inner jitters that were causing his bones to vibrate.
"Is that so?" Phyllis asked, easing into him even more.
No sweating. We're not sweating. And no moving your feet. Planted. You're a Captain for Christ's sake .
"Yes, it is," Arlo spoke again, his words sounding moronic leaving his mouth. He quickly cleared his throat as if it would help. "I wanted to talk to you about something."
The statement had left him so easily, as if he were on autopilot. No - as if someone had taken over his controls and insisted on pressing buttons faster than his programming could comprehend. They wanted to pass the small talk and get right to the "good stuff." Right to the core.
In reality, Arlo figured the one handling the controls likely reflected the version of himself that existed the night before. The one that had voiced his thoughts in regards to his "relationship" with Phyllis for the first time...ever. Or maybe it wasn't even that one. Maybe it was the version of himself that had soaked in the advice that he had received and had made it a goal to follow it. Without the current Arlo being aware.
And now his thoughts were lighting up with the exact thing that he had told himself he wasn't thinking about this morning - Jo.
But, in his defense, he wasn't thinking about the way she had leaned into him and the way she had ignited a fire in his stomach and invaded his consciousness…
No, no. He definitely wasn't thinking about that.
He was thinking about the opinions and words she had shared with him. How she had reassured him, and also given him the idea to talk to Phyllis. To let the blonde know how he was feeling, and figure out if they were just missing the ability to mentally explore one another due to confusion.
It looked like Jo's curiosity and impulsiveness had rubbed off on him.
Not literally.
Having not even realized his gaze had been elsewhere, straying downward towards the stone path, he brought it back up to her and kept it there. And once it was there, he instantly noticed the quirk in her brow, the coy turn of her lips, and how her teeth grazed her lip for the slightest of moments.
Feet planted.
"What is it?" she said, her voice low in both register and volume.
Vibrating. His body was still inwardly vibrating. He had the sensation in his bones that he wanted to shake out as soon as possible. However, with Phyllis there both watching him and holding him in place - he knew that he couldn't.
The lingering moment made Arlo feel as if eons were passing within seconds, driving him to speak again so he didn't just leave her in the dark. Or come off as insatiably neurotic.
"None of what I want to talk about is bad," he told her. "I don't want you to take it the wrong way."
Now, Phyllis' upturned lips slightly smooth, though she didn't look exactly concerned about what it was he might say. Perhaps she was merely expectant.
"Okay," she said slowly.
Arlo nodded, knowing now was his chance. It was time for him to actually ask his questions, to voice his opinions. So why was there any hesitation?
Growing frustrated with himself, Arlo swallowed before finally pushing the words out.
"I couldn't help but notice that there is quite a bit of physicality between us… or a lot. I mean, a lot," he told her.
She stared at him, the quirk in her brow now implying confusion rather than being flirtatious.
"And like I said, it's not a bad thing - by any means," he continued.
"Understood," Phyllis jumped in. "Then what are you saying?"
Right .
"What I'm saying is…" he began, pausing for a moment before he finally let it fall out. "I think you are a very brilliant and intriguing person," he told her.
Phyllis nodded.
"But I feel as though we haven't really had the chance to talk and get to know one another," he continued.
Because every time he had tried...she was running her hands through his hair, leaning in to kiss his neck, sliding her hand up his leg.
The two had not been overly physical, that was something to note. Although there had been a lot of physicality, they hadn't gone much further than making out multiple different times. Admittedly, Phyllis had tried to take it further, sliding off his jacket and overshirt before reaching for his zipper, but he had stopped her.
Yes, Phyllis was pretty, but she was also so much more than that. He could tell that even without her confirming it.
He knew that she had been through Nursing school and was hoping to even become a Doctor one day - hence why she was there learning from Xu. Phyllis was smart and well spoken. Just because she was beautiful and presented herself in a well… sensual manner, didn't mean that he had expected anything from her. He hoped she knew that too.
"Obviously, I know the general things. The things we've discussed before. From even before we started all of...this," he told her.
This? Really ?
"But I also know there's so much more...that I don't know...that I'd like to."
They were three months in, after all. Didn't people love the initial, in depth conversations you had when getting to know someone? When starting a relationship? Or was Arlo's opinion skewed? After all, he liked having those conversations with people even if he wasn't romantically interested in them.
They had been on outings together - with friends and alone. And yet, he couldn't recall a time when they actually had a deep and detailed conversation. Each time he had tried, it was only her changing the subject back to a surface level quality of his and finding a way to place a hand on him. To flutter her eyelashes.
And he wasn't saying that was bad. But...it wasn't what he had wanted.
That last thought made Arlo's mind cloud further, in a way that he had been trying to avoid that morning. Only, the presence of a pesty brunette wasn't what was distracting him now, but rather the idea of him acknowledging what he didn't want.
He hadn't wanted that. And at that moment, he still didn't.
But did that mean that… he didn't want -
No, no. That wasn't true. He wanted to try. He did. It was only fair. How could he make any decisions or conclusions when he hadn't even given anything a real chance?
"Do you feel that way?" Arlo asked finally, looking at Phyllis. At some point, distance had been put between them as Arlo's arms were once again at his sides and Phyllis was no longer pressed against him.
Perhaps he should have realized that when his bones had stopped shaking.
He held her gaze now, unable to read her due to her perplexed expression. All it suggested was that she was thinking, trying to work out her own thoughts.
"I'm sorry," Arlo said. "I'm not saying that I'm not physically attracted to you -"
If he was correct.
"But I am saying that I would like to get to know you on a deeper level. Emotionally and mentally. Bloody hell, I'm sure that sounds stupid," he said, breathing out a laugh.
He was glad to hear that Phyllis laughed along though.
"It doesn't sound stupid," Phyllis said with a shake of her head.
Thank goodness for that, at least.
"I guess the more I think about it - you're right. We are very physical," she confirmed. "But it would be nice to explore each other in different ways."
Her voice danced behind the last words in her sentence, causing Arlo's shoulder blades to tense. However, he mentally began to smooth them out as he made sure to keep his expression neutral.
"I'd like to do that," Phyllis continued. "The whole physical aspect always comes so easily, but I would love to make this relationship more than that. I can't believe I didn't notice it sooner."
He was surprised too. And also surprised that neither of them had spoken up about the matter either.
But that wasn't really what was important right then. What was important was that Arlo's thoughts had been well received and Phyllis had agreed to his request. Now he only needed to figure out how to properly pursue it.
Where should he begin? What did people do when they normally tried to get to know someone?
"Perhaps, an official date then?" Arlo asked, the thought coming to him. The two of them had never actually managed to go on a legitimate date, and maybe that was to blame for the uncertainty and missteps in their relationships. Now they would have to backtrack and mend it.
Phyllis giggled as she nodded. "I would love to go on a date with you, Arlo."
The corners of Arlo's mouth pulled up.
This was good. This was what he wanted and now he was proud of actually making the right steps to make it happen. All of the indifference he had been feeling, in so many different aspects of his life, was likely to work itself out - and that's all he could ask for, really.
"Great. Would…" he wracked his brain for a moment, going through each upcoming evening to see what could work. However, the more he thought about it, the further he pushed back the date. "Saturday? I know it's a little far off, but I'd like to plan some things."
Plan some things? He wasn't sure exactly what that meant, but he also knew it was honest. He couldn't actually remember the last time he had been on a date, and he wanted to try and get this one right.
"Saturday sounds perfect," Phyllis said, smiling.
"Perfect -"
"Is it alright, though, if I do still see you before then? I'd like to still stop and talk, spend time with you all. I hope that's not crossing any lines," she continued.
"No," Arlo said quickly, shaking his head. He hadn't wanted her to think that he had been drawing lines, but then again - maybe he had. It wasn't really a set of boundaries as much as it was an ongoing plan in order to learn more about her. To properly meet her in his mind.
"I mean, yes," he finally corrected himself. "I don't want you to think we have to avoid one another until then. I would like to still see you as well."
Phyllis smiled wider at this. "Good. That's a relief."
Upon her words, they both stood there, smiling at one another as doors could now be heard opening and closing in the plazas.
"Well, I should probably head off to my rounds," he informed her. "Sorry if I've kept you."
"Not at all," Phyllis said. "I'm glad you stopped me."
At the face of their goodbye, Arlo knew how this usually went. In most cases, she would inch closer to him and press against him as she leaned up to sneak a kiss. It was the same process that she had done earlier when she had greeted him. However, after their conversation, something had shifted - insisting that the actions were not as appropriate as before.
Not that they had been appropriate then either, but the ignorance had likely been somewhat bliss on Phyllis end.
Knowing that he had been the cause of the change, Arlo moved forward to initiate a hug, figuring it was the best alternative. After all, he could have just offered her a handshake. That would be comical - and absolutely terrible.
Phyllis followed his movement gracefully, her own arms wrapping around him as they shared the hug. And then, they didn't linger in the connection long before they were parting once more - hands back to themselves.
She looked up at him, her blue eyes clear and shining like ocean waters gently rippling. Her lips, that were beautifully painted red, were still upturned - which caused Arlo to buzz again. However, it wasn't in the same way as before. Instead, he felt thankful. And like her - relieved.
Perhaps this was the right kind of buzz. The type that he had been hoping for as he spent more time with Phyllis, but until he committed to honesty - he just hadn't been lucky enough to find it.
"See you later, Arlo," Phyllis finished, giving him a small nod - not her usual wink - as she finally slipped past him and continued to make her way up the hill.
Arlo still stood there, the sound of Phyllis heels slowly fading in the distance until he was unable to hear them at all.
He was glad… completely chuffed that the entire conversation had gone so well. It wasn't necessarily a conversation that he had considered having in the first place, but he was thankful that he had. Not only was he thankful for his conversation with Phyllis, but also for the one he had shared with someone else. With Jo.
The buzzing continued to spread.
He had been so reluctant to talk about Phyllis - his privacy being of high importance to him. But obviously it had been biting him the ass, which was why he had he had finally been open with someone. Once again, with Jo.
Well, really, she had been enough of a pain to poke it out of him, but he wouldn't have said anything if he didn't feel like he could… like he should.
The advice she had given was obviously what he had needed. But more importantly, he had needed to actually take it. He needed to clear the air and properly voice his thoughts and wants.
And now look at what came out of it. Out of being open and willing to communicate. To change.
Phyllis and him were taking a step in the right direction. And would soon be able to get to know one another and grow on another level.
That surely made Arlo's mind clear, his tensed muscles unwind even despite his heavy workout that morning.
Finally, pushing onward to his own destination, Arlo's steps came lighter and his senses were sharper. He didn't even have to try so hard to force himself to focus on every sound or detail around. His senses were taking matters into their own hands.
The hello's he offered to fellow townspeople were bouncier, genuinity filling his voice as he offered a smile and wave.
Then he was entering Peach Plaza, cutting through the entryway through the park. The plaza was fairly quiet aside from Nora and Lee setting up their booth at the edge of the fountain, Oak already standing before them as he was ready to oppose all of their ideas.
He would never understand how Nora and Lee were capable of being so patient towards the young man.
As he walked further into the plaza, he paused next to the entrance of the Commerce Guild and sat down on the retaining wall created for the greenery in front of the building.
First stop.
Minutes passed by as he continued to study his surroundings, watching as more people began to enter the plaza or simply pass through. Sonia had joined Oaks in front of the Church of Light booth, swatting the boy's arm when he would start getting overly hostile.
At least she was doing Arlo's job for him. It gave him the opportunity to hold his position and worry about other needed issues rather than the boy's opinions.
Drifting his gaze elsewhere, Arlo looked up towards the Abandoned Ruins, stifling his sudden need to yawn. Instead, he leaned his head to one side, hearing a nice crack in his neck at the movement.
Then his attention was pulled elsewhere, back to the entrance to Peach Plaza from the field as he heard harsh steps colliding into the dirt paths. He raised a brow, expecting to see Tody come around the corner in his usual urgency.
But instead, he was met with someone else.
Finally rounding the corner, he felt his breath hitch as a familiar face entered his sight-lines.
Her cheeks were colored red, her lips parted for the sake of breath as she also wore a lopsided smile. Her arms pumped at her sides as her bare legs slowly turned the same pink color as her face. The brown hair that had been messily tucked up into a bun now fell even further as her hair tie was slipping down and her usual wavy tendrils fell against her face.
I can't believe she's running. Shouldn't she be taking care of those injuries?
Well, it is Monday. Xu said it would only be a matter of days before she was fully back on her feet. Although, I'm not sure he meant like this.
Putting his worries aside as he continued to watch her, he half thought about calling out - but wasn't sure his attempt would be heard as she seemed to be existing in a whole other world. Too enveloped in her own strange bliss as her gaze was focused ahead, pointed towards Central Plaza as her body pushed forward to move in that direction.
She was so focused that she was almost completely unaware of her other surroundings.
"Whoa, Jo. You almost hit me," Sonia called out, as Jo swiftly brushed by her.
"Sorry, Sonia!" Jo called over her shoulder. However, her eyes were quickly concentrated once more as she laughed with herself and continued on.
And now Arlo laughed. It was almost as if he were sharing it with her. But it had left him in a breath and left his lips parted and soft.
He watched her as she pressed on down the path to Central Plaza, the brightness in her features unchanging despite the puffs of breath leaving her.
Where was it that she was going? And why was she in such a hurry?
His foot tapped against the stone floor as he stared after her, the movement traveling until he was bouncing his entire leg.
The sensation inside of him had shifted so suddenly - for perhaps the tenth time that morning - that he wasn't sure what to do with himself.
Now who was beginning to adopt a restless nature?
Clearing his throat, Arlo forced his foot to sit flatly against the stone once more, his chest heaving at the lack of movement. If he could, he would have followed the simple action with the ability to shake his own shoulders and bark out an order to relax.
It was only… he hadn't realized how much he had wanted to tell Jo about his talk with Phyllis until actually seeing the brunette run by. Not that he owed that to her, but it wouldn't have made a difference either way. He wanted to talk to Jo. To thank her. To tell her of the good news and the positive steps he was taking forward. There was likely a chance that she wouldn't care, but he also figured that wasn't possible. Jo wasn't one who tended to be uncaring about the things important to others.
Perhaps that was all why he had been nearly twitching at the idea of chasing after her, or even why he had become so fixated on her when she had nearly appeared into Peach Plaza. It was as if by magic.
Now his leg was bouncing again as he looked off towards the other plaza once more.
No. Wait until later.
Arlo breathed out through his nose, quickly tearing his eyes away. Inner Arlo was right. He would talk to her. He would share the news and discuss the matter with her so he wasn't once again stuck in the routine of keeping these things to himself.
But he would do it later - at a more convenient time.
He would wait.
The day had been much more eventful than he had anticipated.
Between chasing Huss and Tuss out of the Happy Apartments and taking a trip down into the fourth level of the Sewage Ruins - he could pin down his days work as being quite fulfilling.
Now the day was ending, which usually meant a trip to the Round Table or, occasionally, an evening lounge on the Central Plaza bench. However, neither of those things were on the agenda that night. Instead, he was headed elsewhere. Ready to tick off the last task on his to-do list.
Walking down the pathway, he didn't have to go far before he was standing in front of her house. Exterior lights were still illuminated as noises of squealing blades and tender flames reached his ears. He could also make out some drilling trickling into the score, suggesting that the builder herself was still hard at work.
Passing through the gate, Arlo's steps crunched against the fine grass as he turned the corner of her house. Sure enough, there she was - standing before her assembly station as she stared at her work, her head in a tilt.
The scene brought a slight smile to his lips.
"Evening," he spoke as he continued to walk towards her.
Her stature remaining at ease, Jo turned to look at him - her eyes the only thing giving away her surprise. Her hair was still pulled back into it's bun, but looked as though it had been readjusted. Her fingers were currently painted with what he assumed was dirt and grease, which had also made its way onto the front of her white tank top. In her hands, she held a paper that looked as though it were covered with scrawled notes and steps that Arlo figured served as her instructions.
His smile expanded further - feeling a warmth flow through his body simultaneously.
"Evening, Arlo," she offered back to him. However, she was now in motion again, her instructions being tossed to the side as she stepped towards the materials in front of her.
Pieces of metal had been mended together in various different places, but he couldn't make out what the end product would be based on the build's current shape. All he knew was that it looked quite massive as it towered over Jo. Materials stuck out in random directions, consisting of steel plates and strengthened glass.
Jo walked around her build, grabbing an item off to the side as she then propped it up to attach it to one of the sides. Her hands moved smoothly and with ease as she slipped needed tools from her belt loops and was soon finishing her new addition.
It was a light. Something much sturdier than your everyday wall light.
Arlo placed his hands on his hips, nodding at her work. However, he was unable to say anything before she was turning towards him. But her eyes were straying elsewhere as she quickly hopped down from her assembly station and was off to attend to one of her table saws.
Okay.
"The light looks good," he mentioned, gesturing towards it with a hand. But she still didn't look up at him.
She nodded, her hands swiftly collecting more steel plates from her saw before she was walking back towards her station.
"Thanks," she said to him, her word coming out in a breath.
She then stepped back up to the build, working to add the steel to the rest of the materials.
"I just wanted to stop by quickly to talk to you about something," he tried, his feet shifting over the grass.
Perhaps now wasn't the best time for this.
"You're always welcome to stop by," she called out, her back still to him. "What is it?"
She raised onto her tippy toes, her persistence towards her project nearly drawing a laugh out of him.
"Uh, well… I talked to Phyllis," he said.
"Oh?" she said, releasing her hands from the steel plate. He watched as her shoulders relaxed, likely a combination from no longer supporting the weight of the metal and relief that the piece had remained in place.
"And how did that go?" she asked, turning again as she met his eyes. However, the eye contact was brief before she was looking around, her brow furrowed as she glanced one way and then another.
She hummed to herself, her head then snapping up before she seemed to catch sight of something over by her furnace.
"Ah ha!" she said, jumping down and jogging away. She grabbed something he couldn't quite see before she was coming right back to the station.
Now he laughed.
"Is this a bad time?" he asked. "I can come back."
"No!" Jo stopped, her feet finally frozen. It was short lived, though, as she was again taking steps forward and waving a hand towards him. "Keep talking. I'm listening."
"Okay…" Arlo said, shaking his head as he stifled another laugh.
Jo was back up on the station platform, the piece of hardened clay now being added as she tried to mold it exactly how she wanted.
"Okay," he said again. "I took your advice and mentioned the whole thing about our relationship being very physical."
"Mhmm," Jo acknowledged him, her hands still at work.
"And I also told her that I would like to keep pursuing something, but really wanted to get the chance to get to know her more. On a more emotional level. Mental, as well."
"Right," she responded, now moving to the other side of the build to place the rest of the clay elsewhere.
He had hoped she was actually listening to him. After all, conversations such as these were not exactly his "thing."
Wrap it up then.
"And she seemed very responsive to it all. Said she wanted the same thing," he told her. "We're going to go out on a date Saturday."
Now this caught Jo's attention.
"Really!?" she asked, her hands moving away from her build as her wide eyes shot over to him. At the same time, she sprang up from her crouched position, the smile on her face so wide it stretched over her entire face. However, her excitement seemed to have gotten the best of her, because as she jumped up from her spot, she managed to bring her head directly up to smack into the light that she had installed only moments before. It wasn't a terribly hard impact, definitely not enough to do any real damage - but he was sure she would have a small bump within the hour.
"Ow," she voiced, her hand coming up towards the top of her head as she squeezed the area.
"Bloody hell, Jo," he spoke, instantly moving forward as he began to close the distance between them. "Perhaps you should slow down."
He was now standing beside her, his eyes looking up at the area that had hit the light. There was nothing for him to really see, though - much to his relief.
She waved him off, her other hand staying momentarily on her head before she made a point to take it away.
"Oh, come on. I'm fine," she told him, her eyes shifting back to her work.
"Why do I fear you're going to die saying those words?" he asked.
Now her attention shifted back to him, giving him a hard shove to the shoulder as she shook her head.
Arlo laughed at her attempts, noticing the force wasn't very strong due to her still healing from her injuries.
"I will not take verbal harassment in my own work space," she told him before she was again walking away. Only, her foot caught the edge of her build, causing her to stumble forward slightly. She was able to compose herself, but also made sure to shoot him a look as she brushed the hair out of her face.
"You saw nothing," she stated.
He laughed again. "Would you just slow down? You're all over the place."
"I can't!" she told him, off to grab another steel plate. "I have to finish this build by Wednesday, and then I'm sure Gale and Albert will want me to build another one just like it."
She was now back to her station again, lining up the steel plate in the position she wanted it to go.
"And what exactly are you building?" Arlo asked, his arms folding over his chest.
"A bridge tower," she informed him before drilling a side of the plate in. "It's part of a huge job for the town. My biggest one yet."
Well that explained a lot.
"A bridge, huh?" Arlo asked.
She nodded. "Yeah. It's supposed to be a way into the desert," she told him. "Apparently there is some engineer from Vega5 coming here to help with some 'Eufaula Tunnel, and the mayor wants the bridge built beforehand.'"
Oh, right. Arlo had heard about that. Gale had vaguely mentioned the whole ordeal to him months ago when he had first been in contact with the engineer. The mayor had voiced his desire to have the Corps involved as much as possible once the man would actually begin work in the desert - due to the dangers and all.
"Ah, that bridge," he responded. "That is quite the important build."
"Exactly. So, you see, there is no time to slow down or mess around," she told him. "I need to get this done so this engineer guy knows I mean business. That way he'll want to rely on me for builds rather than Higgins."
She had a point there. Though he knew the town put the majority of their tasks and commissions on the board in the Commerce Guild, he was also aware that folks were not opposed to asking for special requests firsthand. Rem had even done it recently, asking Jo to build him a new kungfu sack.
Arlo made a mental note that he would probably need to ask her for a new training dummy after the damage he had done that morning.
"You should still take breaks if you need them," he reminded her, bringing himself back to his current conversation.
"But I don't need a break," she informed him.
"Not even to rest your knee and ankle," he said, glancing down at the mentioned area.
He couldn't help but notice that she had ditched her crutches completely, even guessing that they were smashed up or hidden elsewhere by now.
"They don't hurt," she told him. "I mean, sometimes they do. But it was only a sprain. Xu said they would only really hurt for a few days and then I would be fine to walk on them - as long as I took care of them properly before. Which I did. So the Captain can stop his worrying now."
He was ready to challenge her, to try and prove why he was right and explain why the rest was still important for her injuries. But he decided to leave it. After all, Jo was not the only one who had to learn a lesson from her accident. Arlo had learned that he needed to let go of his worrying, to allow her to handle these builds that were obviously very important to her without his getting in the way.
So he decided to keep his thoughts and opinions out of it.
However, there was something else that he could do.
"How can I help then?" he asked, gesturing towards the build in front of them. Now that she had identified what it actually was, he could work out what the shape was meant to be.
"What?" Jo said, his brows pulling together as she stared at him. "You're trying to help me?... With this?"
He shrugged, pushing up the sleeves of his jacket - though they didn't move far. "As long as you'll let me. I promise not to get in the way or take control. I'm only another set of hands."
Jo's mouth opened as she stared at him for a moment, her eyes casting away as she stared at her materials. After a few moments of silence, she finally cleared her throat and looked back to him.
"Okay, fine." she told him.
"Hmmm?" he asked, a side of his mouth pulling up. He couldn't help but be amused by whatever inner reluctance she was feeling.
"Fine. You can help," she clarified, making her words pointed as she properly met his eyes.
"Great," he said, his hands clapping together. "So what's first?"
"Mmm," Jo paused for a moment, looking around at all her materials. She then sparked into motion, pointing across the lawn. "Go add some more iron ore and wood to those furnaces. We need more carbon steel bars burning."
"Got it," Arlo responded, moving to the chest next to one of her furnaces and pulling out the product. He then moved to the furnace itself and started adding in the items.
"Great," Jo said, walking to her table saw to grab another finished steel plate. "Then can you grab those three finished ones and add them to the saw?"
"Aye, aye, Captain," Arlo called out.
"Oh, so now I'm the Captain?" Jo asked, still continuing her work.
"For the time being , " he said, smirking.
"The Building Captain?" Jo offered, starting to drill in the plate.
"Assembly Captain," Arlo tossed in.
"Captain of Crafting," she replied with a laugh.
"Hey," Arlo said, glancing over to her. "Now that one's not so bad." He then turned back to the saw, adding the three bars and starting it up.
"And you're the crafting cadette," Jo told him, finishing the plate.
"If this were a real ship then I'm sure I would just be the cabin boy," Arlo said, smiling to himself. "I'm merely just learning my trade."
"No, no," Jo dismissed his words as she walked over to another furnace. She picked up two pieces of strengthened glass and carried them back to the station. "Come on, you're at least a little higher than that. Like an everyday seaman or something."
Now he laughed, making sure to quickly add a power stone to her saw for the sake of fuel.
"I'm glad you think highly of me, Captain. Perhaps someday I'll be promoted to First Mate," he joked.
"You've got the potential, matey!" Jo said. She then laughed, shaking her head with a wrinkled nose. "Ew. Never let me say that again."
Arlo nodded. "Guess we won't be joining any pirate ships any time soon then," he said.
"Afraid not," Jo confirmed as she brought the glass to her build. "Probably for the best, though. Wouldn't want you to have to betray your current position."
She had a point there.
He pursed his lips, nodding. "Well, if that's what you're worried about then...perhaps we could just be spies then," he told her. "Just have to blend in and then defile their plans of mischief."
Jo turned to him, her face lighting up. "Oh, I'm in! But if I'm the 'Captain' in this scenario then it sounds like I'll be the one overthrowing the entire operation. I can get behind that."
Arlo's smile slowly spread over his lips. "Ah, you've got the potential, matey!" he quoted.
A work glove was then thrown across the lawn, hitting him right in the head. He let out a loud laugh as he could hear her mutter something incoherent under her breath.
"Okay, okay," he said. "What next?"
Jo's expression smoothed a little, glancing around. Her eyes then caught something and she was pointing again. "Hardened clay. Grab the finished ones for me," she told him. "We may need to add more, but I'm hoping this is the last of it."
Arlo followed her instructions, going to the blender and picking up the hardened clay she had been referring to. He then brought it back to the assembly station, holding it out to her.
Jo took it from him, starting to hit it against the metal side of her station in order to break it in two. "Take this one and start adding it over there," she told him as she straightened and held out the clay to him.
"I'll see what I can do," he told him, taking the material. He then watched her for a few seconds, studying her own technique and actions before attempting the same on his side. His motions were steady, but his fingers didn't move with the same knowledge and grace as hers did.
Silence fell between them as they worked, though Arlo wasn't really all too aware of how quiet they had grown - or for how long for that matter. His eyes were locked on the clay, trying to manipulate and properly set it into the needed places.
"I have to admit," Jo began, finally tearing Arlo from his concentration. "It's kinda nice being the one to boss you around for a change."
Arlo looked up, quirking a brow as his hands began to slow. "Oh? Are you suggesting that I usually boss you around."
She smirked, nodding as her eyes remained on her work. "Yup, ol' bully."
"And you're a pest," Arlo was quick to reply.
Jo laughed to herself, but chose not to say anything more. Arlo decided to follow suit, putting the finishing touches on his side. Once he was done, he looked at Jo, staying light on his feet as he awaited further instruction.
Noticing him, she began to ask about carbon bars, steel plates, and further materials as he checked on what was finished and what could be added. They restarted their process again, Arlo feeling as though he was able to move even faster now that he knew more about what to expect. They had kicked up their pace while also finding one that was steady and organized - he had to admit that he liked the simplicity of creating the materials while adding in the science of how the overall structure of her actual end product would turn out.
Not that he had much to contribute in that aspect. He would only see Jo inspecting her work with a hand to her chin and her brow furrowed - which then led her to bouncing ideas and questions off of him that Arlo tried to help with. Though he didn't really have the best answers, he figured it helped her to talk through her thoughts in order to find the right one to choose.
Sure enough, it led them right back into their process as Jo called out another step for them to take.
Arlo hadn't even realized how much time had passed before his eyes finally managed to adjust - noticing their dark surroundings that had seemed to be invisible within the well lit lawn.
How long ago had the sun gone down?
"Think we can call it for now," Jo huffed, as if just noticing the darkness as well. She then walked away from the tower, taking a seat on the edge of her assembly station as she let out another big breath.
"Good idea," he nodded, dusting off his hands as he took a step down from the station. He figured he should likely go, let her get some rest. But his feet weren't exactly eager to lead him out of her lawn and back to his own quarters.
Unable to think of any excuses to stay, making the journey home was exactly what Arlo started to prepare for. His goodbye was right there on the end of his tongue, but never managed to pass through his lips as Jo was already saying something to keep him there.
"Alright, now that we've cleared away the distractions, tell me more about this thing with Phyllis," she told him.
Oh, right.
That was the original reason he had come, after all.
"Not sure how much more there is to tell," he said, sitting down on the edge as well. However, he was at least five feet from her, giving him more of a chance to see Jo's expression.
She had a small smile on her face as she stared at him. "Okay, then I guess I'll just keep things moving by asking questions."
He laughed at this.
"All right, detective," he spoke. "Hit me with it."
"Hmm, I don't think I like being a 'detective' as much as I like being a Captain… But! I'll rise to the occasion," she told him, letting out a cheeky giggle. She then hummed, looking upward as if her potential questions resided up there and she was only waiting for the correct one to grasp.
Arlo noticed the shine in her eyes as she stared upward, causing him to pull his own gaze down to the grass.
"Do you feel good about talking to her? I know it was kind of my idea, but do you think that the conversation went well? That you were able to get your point across?"
Arlo glanced up a little further, looking out past her fence as he thought about her words. He then nodded.
"I do," he answered. "I don't think there was anything I necessarily left out. I said all I wanted to say."
"That's good," Jo told him.
"I think so too," he replied. "Like I mentioned, she was responsive to it and seemed genuinely excited about my idea. She wasn't just telling me what I wanted to hear - you know what I mean?"
Now he looked at her, watching as she nodded.
"I do," she said.
Arlo became aware that he was now openly talking about the entire thing without Jo having to really ask any questions. However, that didn't stop him from continuing. After all, the questions were only meant to get the conversation started.
"I mentioned the high physical factor to our relationship, and she said she had noticed as well - which was a relief. Made the conversation flow a lot easier," he continued.
"Well," Jo began with a shrug. "It's not really everyday that a man tells you he wants more of an emotional relationship… especially after he's already received the physical pieces," Jo admitted.
Noting her tone, he realized that there was a chance that Jo had misinterpreted his meaning behind the whole "physical aspect" thing. He had only meant that Phyllis and him had experienced plenty of touching and making out, but Jo made it seem like he was referring to...
"I'm sure she was relieved, and maybe even grateful," she continued before he could butt in.
Staring at her, Arlo found himself unable to address her regarding his thoughts, knowing that it would almost seem out of place. But really, why did it matter to her - or either of them - what he meant by "physical aspect" anyway?
Finally, Arlo nodded slowly. "Suppose you could be right."
"And the date?" Jo asked. "Was that your idea?"
"It was - yeah," he told her, one of his hands now rubbing the back of his neck. "We've never been on a real date, and I figured that would be a good place to start."
"I think that's a really great idea, Arlo," she told him, her voice light.
Jo's delighted tone caught him a little off guard, making his feet rearrange on the grass. He couldn't help but let his thoughts drift back to Friday night. The Round Table, the bright faces of his friends, the conversation with Jo, the way she had leaned into him.
His head was clouded every time he thought about it, and he had done so well not to think about it. Especially since he had been determined to talk to Phyllis since that night. Since he had been inclined to believe nothing was actually something.
Now he knew better, though.
After calming his insinuating mind, or even now as he experienced Jo's support for his progression with Phyllis. It all spoke for itself. A person didn't encourage a relationship with someone else if there was any thought of "something."
Arlo cleared the thoughts from his mind once more, his temples aching at his sudden change.
Realizing he needed to reply, he let out a breathy laugh. "Thanks."
"And how are you feeling right now? After everything? Excited?" Jo pressed on.
Arlo looked upward now - to the same area Jo had been staring before. While she had been searching for her question, he was now looking for the proper answer. Not because he wanted to please Jo and maybe tell her what she may have wanted to hear. But because he hadn't fully gauged the full extent of how he was feeling.
He wasn't sure if what he was feeling could be qualified as excitement, but he did feel lighter. Like he could breathe a little easier.
Poking his tongue gently into his cheek, he shrugged as his gaze came back down.
"Good," he answered. "I'm glad we're making these steps in the right direction, you know? Wasn't fair to either of us before, and I guess I'm feeling a little more hopeful now."
He watched as Jo smiled, though it didn't reach up completely to her eyes. But, that was only for a few seconds - as she then seemed to spread it upwards to finally crinkle her eyes.
"Well, I'm really happy for you," she stated. "It's not easy to be honest with people, and to not just give up on them when things aren't exactly how you want them. I think it's really great - what you did."
A lopsided smile fell on his own lips. "Thank you, Jo."
She continued to smile, nodding. She then huffed for a final time, looking over to her build that was still a work in progress - but nearly done.
"Let's hope the Mayor and this new engineer like this," she spoke, her voice quieter.
Arlo's smile began to slip. "They will Jo," he reassured her.
Still, her eyes stayed on her work, searching it up and down as well as left to right.
However, this only seemed to last a few seconds before she noticed Arlo's gaze on her, causing her to glance over quickly before looking down. One of her hands came up to tuck a strand of escaped hair behind her ear.
"I just don't want to be way over my head," she told him, her voice steady now. Her eyes then lifted so she was staring ahead, focused on something else in the distance. Despite her words, her tone was nonchalant as if dismissing the conversation before it could actually start. Arlo resisted the urge to let a furrow sit on his brow.
"You're not," he told her.
Now she actually managed to look at him, the stand of hair falling forward again as it caught the slight breeze.
"You're sure?" she finally asked, her eyes wide.
He let out a slow breath. "Completely," he stated. "I just helped you work on this build for the last two hours. I saw what you're capable of."
She now began to smile again.
"So, yes. I can say with absolute certainty that you are not over your head," he told her.
Her smile continued to spread, making her cheekbones stand full and high as she looked at him.
"Thank you, Arlo," she told him. "Means a lot."
"And," he continued. "If you ever need it, know that I am always here to help in any way that I can. Having an extra set of hands never hurts, and any Captain shouldn't be ashamed of having a crew."
"I'll keep that in mind," she started to laugh lightly.
"Especially from her cabin boy," he finished, trying to smooth the smile trying to overtake his lips. He awaited Jo's reaction, and was soon pleased when she offered him one.
Jo now released herself into a full laugh, even tilting her head back a little. "You are not the cabin boy!"
"Fine, fine. I'll be a seaman," he teased.
"Any member of my crew would be grateful to hold that position." Jo fired back at him. "Hold your position with pride."
Arlo laughed, looking down as he shrugged. "Well, perhaps the more you let me help - the more I'll be able to increase my chances of becoming First Mate."
He looked to her, seeing her narrow her eyes at him - though her lips were upturned.
"I'll see what opportunities may arise for you in the future, cadette," she stated.
Arlo lifted a brow. Her words creating a familiar buzz in even his finger tips.
"Aright," he said. "I look forward to it, Captain."
Jo brought her knees up to her, wrapping her arms around them in order to hug them to her chest. "Our work is done for the day," she told him. "I think you're probably the Captain again."
Her words made him bite the side of his tongue within his mouth.
"Alright, I can agree to that," he said.
Jo only smiled in response before her eyes went towards the sky once more. Only this time she wasn't looking for questions or answers, but her eyes glowed with admiration for the stars above. As a breeze came through, Arlo watched as she hugged her knees tighter to herself, her expression unchanging as she continued to stare.
"What a great day it's been," Jo said, her head tilting as she glanced towards another part of the sky.
Arlo saw his breath suddenly start to come out in a gentle cloud, just cold enough to cause the reaction. His eyes remained on Jo, watching as her features and deep brown eyes reflected the beauty from above.
As he was stuck on the color of her eyes, he was suddenly reminded to earlier that day when he had swam in the waves of Phyllis' own eyes - the lively blue color drawing him out to sea.
He let out one final breath, feeling the fall of his chest as he too looked upward to the sky and saw the endless stretch of stars and space.
His lips were pressed into a line before he smoothed them forward, pushing his expression to relax.
"Yes. It surely has."