Spring was beginning to turn into summer. Jo could tell that from the clamminess that held onto her skin the last couple of days. Humidity was taking over Portia, making her weary of the heat that was sure to worsen as they inched closer to June and July.
Jo had officially swapped out the jeans and sweaters in her wardrobe for shorts and tank tops - allowing her body to breathe as she busied herself in her workspace - already on to her second bridge tower for Albert. She had been pleased when she had finished her first tower the day before, but she didn't allow herself to rest long before she was taking a commission to supply another one.
And she had to admit - this one was going a lot smoother. That was probably because she had the experience and practice already, but even her supplies seemed to be taking less time in the furnace or on the table saw. Or maybe she was just practicing more patience.
Her body seemed to have the whole thing down to a science, though. Her feet bounded over to a furnace just as material finished and her hands moved smoothly despite the scrapes and scuffs they wore from her work before. Determined hands didn't always mean steady motions.
However, she was easing into it. Her shoulders no longer lifted with tension, no further injuries occurred on her hands as they became more practiced, she took less breaks to study her work due to her self doubt. Her lack of worrying surely made her time spent building more enjoyable.
Wiping some sweat from her forehead using her forearm, Jo stepped back from her work as she finished adding in a sheet of strengthened glass.
What next?
Gazing off towards her yard, she saw her furnace had finished three carbon steel bars that needed to be added to her table saw. Her feet were already in motion as she headed to the furnace to pick up the bars and make the switch over to her saw. Once that was completed, she stopped at her wooden chest, knowing that she needed to add more iron ore and wood to start another batch of bars. However, she found herself running into a bit of a roadblock.
"Shoot," she said under her breath, looking into her empty chest.
She had run out of iron ore. She hadn't even noticed that she was low when she had placed the last load into her furnace. Looks like her lack of planning had been her flaw this round.
Straightening up, Jo allowed the chest to fall closed as she let out a small sigh.
"Trip to Mars' then?" she asked herself, looking in the direction of town. She pursed her lips as she considered exploring the Abandoned Ruins where she knew she could access materials if she so wanted. However, her time crunch didn't necessarily support that route. And neither did her knee or ankle. Though they felt much better these days and she was able to get around just fine - she knew they were sure to act up on her if they were strained.
Walking over to the other chest near her front door, Jo opened it and pulled out the satchel she had recently fastened herself. She had used her time being bed ridden to some of her advantage - leading her to create her own unique bag with dark, worn leather and gold buckles. It had served her well the few days she had used it - carrying her tools and resources perfectly.
Pulling the bag across her body, Jo settled the strap on her shoulder as she made her way through her gate. She thought about jogging to Mars' in order to save more time, but she decided against it. Besides, the last time she had ran across town she had bumped into Xu along the way - who immediately voiced his disapproval from her putting such force on her leg. She hadn't experienced any pain, but he kept repeating "three weeks" at her as if it were the words for a curse.
So despite Jo's jitters suggesting that she take off in the same run, she kept her movements slow and relaxed as she walked into Peach Plaza. It was a fairly peaceful Tuesday morning, the plaza leaning more to the quiet side as the only sound really reaching Jo's ears was the rush of water in the fountain.
As she continued on, Jo smoothed some of the straggling hairs around her face to sit behind her ears. There was no doubt that the strands were nearly becoming curly from the humidity, causing them to look frizzy and wild as they attempted to cling to any sweat sitting at her temples.
She looked to her right to find the Round Table, Sonia's cold drinks and the air conditioning within the restaurant calling out to her. However, Jo knew she had no time to give in to either. There was a job to be done and she was determined to finish it as soon as possible - even if she did technically have nine days to do so.
Keeping her eyes ahead, Jo walked down the pathway to the Central Plaza - only allowing her focus to drift in order to say hello to the other citizens heading off to complete their own tasks for the day. She didn't want to appear rude, after all.
Reaching the other plaza, she made sure to call a "hello" out to Paulie before coming to a stop in front of Mars' shop. Only, the man was nowhere to be found. Carol, however, was present as she folded some clothes behind the counter of her own register.
"Morning, Jo," the woman offered as she finished a stack. "Need something?"
"Hi, Carol. Yes, actually, I was hoping to run into Mars. I need some materials," she told the woman.
"I should have figured as much," Carol said, picking up her pile and moving it to sit on a display. "He'll be back any minute now. He had to go make a quick call at home."
Jo nodded. "I'll wait then," she stated before moving to lean against a pillar in front of "Jade's Clothes" - though she had no idea who this Jade person was.
"Of course," Carol said, smiling at the girl. She then looked down in order to start on her next pile of clothes. "So what have you been up to?"
Jo crossed her arms over her chest as she offered the woman a shrug. "Not much. Just working on some of the towers for the bridge they're putting in." The mention of her current commission brought a smile to Jo's face, lifting her cheeks with delight.
Carol nodded. "Oh, yes. I've heard about that. I was excited to hear that the mayor is expanding our town. Besides, there are lots of resources to access in that desert."
Carol's words made Jo's smile spread further as she felt her insides dance. The reaction nearly made her squirm, but she kept her feet planted on the floor instead. Her unfulfilled eager movements were all a cause from yet another Portia citizen confirming that the bridge was sure to be a benefit to their town. It all went back to Jo's declaration, at least to herself, about how important this job was… for the sake of bettering others as well as her reliability as a builder.
"Well, hopefully those resources will be available sooner than you think," Jo said, her voice floating.
Carol laughed gently, nodding to Jo as she moved another stack of folded clothes to her display. Upon turning back to her table, though, Jo couldn't help but notice how the woman paused to look at her.
"You definitely look like you've been working hard," Carol stated.
The woman's words made Jo's skin burn as she looked down at herself. Her clothes were a bit dusty now, her legs decorated with streaks of grease and dirt. Of course her hands and hair were also still a mess, which caused Jo to lift a hand to try and tame the tufts of hair now escaping their place behind her ears. Damn the unruliness.
"Not much time to focus on my looks," Jo told her, removing her fingers from her hair. "I need to put the majority of my effort into my work."
"I never said it was a bad thing," Carol said, giving the girl a reassuring smile. "Besides, I'd say you wear the look quite nicely. A Jo original."
Now this made Jo laugh.
"It may be the next hot trend for your shop," she offered.
Carol hummed a laugh. "If that happens then I'll definitely ask you to come and model it for the other buyers."
"With pleasure," Jo finished with a nod and smile.
The women's conversation died off as Carol was then busied with Lucy, showing her some of the new pieces that they just got in and offering alterations if needed. Jo watched the interaction between the two, but then let her attention drift upward as she admired the blue sky above her. The only clouds she could see were off in the distance and they didn't look like they were headed in Portia's direction. It was sure to be a hot one.
Bringing her eyes back down, Jo blinked as she tried to clear the lines in her vision. As she began to recover from the sun, she looked around the plaza - though she didn't necessarily focus on anything in general. She barely registered the kids laughing as they crossed the plaza, Mei taking photos of the flowers in front of the Portia Times building, or even Higgins firing up his furnaces to start his own day. However, the sight of him did cause Jo to avert her eyes and drift them off in another direction.
Still leaning, she bounced her hip gently as she wondered how much time had passed. Carol had said that Mars would be back soon, but how soon was soon? Jo couldn't help but fidget as she considered how much she could be accomplishing at her workshop right now - Higgins' presence making her only more anxious.
Glancing around the corner, Jo watched Mars' door as she longed to see him come through the threshold and put her out of her misery. But the door remained closed and showed no signs of opening.
Resisting the urge to let out a sigh, Jo faced forward as she kicked the toe of her boot into the pavement under her. She reminded herself that she likely needed to stop thinking so hard about it. The moment you put your mind elsewhere - that's usually when something happened.
A watched pot never boils.
Attempting to do just that, she started to look around again as she considered striking up a conversation with Paulie or even telling Carol that she'd be willing to try on some random jackets just to pass more time.
However, before she could proceed to do either of those things - her attention was brought elsewhere.
She had been scanning the plaza once more, allowing her eyes to trail up the tall stairs before they landed on an unexpected scene taking place at the top. One that she knew she shouldn't be spying on, but she couldn't bring herself to stop.
Phyllis and Arlo.
They were standing together - passing back and forth pieces of conversation. They were both leaning against opposite sides of the railing, facing each other so their attention was only focused on their interaction. Jo could see Phyllis resting in her normal passive stature - something about it always seeming so sensual. She would never fathom how the woman was capable of it. Perhaps it was the nature of her nursing uniform, or her beautiful curves, or even just the confidence the woman radiated. The sight of her clean, blue outfit made Jo unnecessarily aware of her own appearance - making her shift to lean onto her other hip.
Aside from her body language, Jo could also see Phyllis' blue eyes locked in on Arlo - her lips in a smirk as she stared at the man across from her.
Which caused Jo's eyes to do the same.
Sliding her attention to Arlo, Jo felt her brows lift ever so slightly - perhaps even less than a centimeter. Her brown eyes softened as her teeth barely dug into the left corner of her bottom lip.
He was leaning back on his own side of the railing, his hands placed on either side of him to steady himself. His hair was falling in his eyes, but he would quickly smooth it with his hand as he flashed a smile. Not at Jo - at Phyllis. And it was his full smile - flashing teeth and touching his eyes. Jo's eyes stayed fixed on him as she watched his mouth move to speak, to laugh, to smile once more.
She felt her heartbeat a little heavier in her chest as she watched her friend… and this sudden change that had overcome him.
Because there had been a change. She couldn't deny it - and he probably couldn't either if she mentioned it.
Gone was the man at the Round Table who tensed his shoulders, shifted his eyes, and forced his smiles. And now a new man seemed to have appeared right in his place. A man who laughed fully, smiled brightly, and lacked any form of strain in his muscles or features.
He looked carefree. He looked delighted.
To be there. With Phyllis.
Jo cleared her throat, her eyes falling from the scene - landing all the way back down to the pavement in front of her.
Looks like your advice worked. They look really happy together.
That thought made Jo's eyes glance up one more time, but only to sneak one last look at Arlo. Once again, she found him wearing a full grin as he stayed focused on the blonde. Only, Jo's sightline was suddenly interrupted as Phyllis walked over to Arlo's side, breaking their distance, and leaned in to deliver a kiss to his cheek.
And still, Arlo smiled. No longer with his teeth, but it was still there. Shy and… real.
At the sight, Jo felt herself take a slow breath in - her lungs filling completely as she watched Phyllis' lips linger on Arlo's cheek. She couldn't tell if everything was playing in slow motion or if Phyllis really was taking her sweet time delivering the kiss.
Feeling another harsh thud from her heart in her chest, Jo reminded herself to actually let her breath back out - which thankfully left her in a soft rush. Her mind was a mess of thoughts, and she couldn't help but feel like it was feeding over the sensation in her heart or through her skin.
She was unsure of herself - something that Jo didn't often feel. But whatever response was sitting inside of her felt.. Foreign and startling. What was the reason for it?
This was surely a different reaction from the one she had experienced the night prior. When Arlo had told her about his conversation with Phyllis, Jo had merely felt delighted. She had been pleased with his decisions and his courage to take action - and she had made sure he knew it.
So why had her reaction in the plaza been so different?
Maybe it's because seeing it is a lot different from hearing about it…
… Meaning what?
As her eyes remained on the two on the stairs, she watched as they parted from one another - sharing more words as they stared at one another.
And Arlo smiled again.
Foreign. Starling.
Jo scanned her thoughts further, trying to search through the sea of confusion for something that was actually sensible and realistic. And then one jumped out at her. One that made her heart ease ever so slightly. That made her take the warmth in her skin as a glow of pride for the man at the top of the stairs.
He's making it work.
Jo allowed the realization to enter her head with ease. And then repeated it to herself over and over again. It made her smile, her eyes shifting down once more as she gave them the real privacy they deserved.
He's making it work. Because you don't just give up on something when it's not exactly what you want it to be… remember?
As she had mentioned, seeing it was different from just hearing about it. Because Arlo had proven he wasn't one to tell others what they wanted to hear or make promises he couldn't keep. No - he had stayed true to his word. Seeing him actually take action stirred her pride more deeply than simply discussing the matter.
That had to be it.
She thought about looking up again, to see the couple's scene play out for the third time as if to validate it was...real. However, she didn't manage to lift her spying eyes before someone was calling out to her.
"Jo!"
The sound of her name made Jo lean off of the wall suddenly as the man she'd been waiting for finally rounded the corner.
"Mars. Good morning," she said, her voice breathy as if she'd been holding in air.
"Sorry to keep you waiting," the man said, taking a step towards his shop area. "Didn't think I'd be gone for that long."
Jo shook her head, waving him off with a small smile. "Don't worry about it. I have time."
She didn't really, but with her thoughts still in a whirlwind - it felt like the right thing to say.
"I was hoping to buy some iron ore from you," Jo said, moving towards Mars' booth.
"Already? You bought so much yesterday," Mars told her, already going to retrieve the materials.
Jo laughed lightly. "Sadly, I'm already out," she told him. "These builds call for a lot of carbon steel bars nowadays."
"Well," Mars said with a shrug as he set aside a large stack for her. "At least you're keeping me in business."
Laughing once more, Jo finished her exchange with Mars. She put all the iron ore she could fit into her satchel before Mars had to wrap the remaining pieces into a cloth bag. She then pulled it over her shoulder, thanking the man as she prepared herself to head back home.
Only, as she began to walk away, her feet moved slowly - no longer eager to breakout into a run as she had been on the way to the plaza. No, instead, they moved as though weights had been placed into her shoes - keeping her at a snail pace until she would finally give in to her impulses.
So she did. She looked up once more.
But her eyes didn't fall on the couple. There was no Phyllis and Arlo anymore.
There was only Arlo.
He was looking out at the plaza, but not in her direction. In fact, it didn't even look as though he was looking at the plaza itself, but passed it. Over the stone walls and out towards the fields and river.
Without realizing, Jo's feet slowed to a stop as she stared at him. Stared at the way his eyes scanned the distance and his shoulders relaxed downwards as he folded his arms over his chest.
And that smile was still on his face.
Jo's lips parted, her comparison from before entering his mind again.
She pictured the man that had been sitting across from her that night at the Round Table and the words that had left her mouth as she tried to get through to him. To ease his scattered mind about something that he hadn't been willing to talk about… well, up until the point when Jo was able to slither her way in.
She considered the things that he had said. And how he was worried about what he had with Phyllis due to the lack of what it entailed.
And she, once again, thought about how Arlo hadn't just given up. How he had cared enough to talk through this thing with Phyllis, to take Jo's advice, and to actually apply it.
But now look at him.
That smile. It says it all.
He made the right decision.
A tingle fled over Jo's skin as she felt her throat tighten. However, she quickly swallowed in order to ease away one of the sensations. She then managed to smile to herself as she pulled her eyes away from Arlo, knowing that she needed to stop busying herself with the thoughts of her friend so that she could move on with her own day.
As she turned away, the sensation over her skin grew - nearly sinking itself into her flesh so it could invade her somewhere deeper. She figured it was likely the side effect of her pride for Arlo and his decisions - her passions tended to get the best of her.
But it was true - she was proud of him. For being willing to give something a chance.
The sensation grew.
And Jo knew it was time to go.
So she left - heading up the pathway towards Peach Plaza as she tried to focus her thoughts on how many carbon steel bars she still needed to make. However, her thoughts remained cloudy.
Because with the feeling of butterfly wings fluttering over skin and dancing within her stomach - she thought of her friend once more… and how happy she was for him.
He's making it work.
"Last one."
Jo added the final three carbon steel bars to her table saw, firing it up once the materials were properly in place.
"Shouldn't take too long," she said to herself, dusting off her hands.
She smirked at her comment, her eyes then casting over to look at her nearly finished build. Despite the minor set back that morning, she had worked her butt off the rest of the afternoon and was sure to have an end product by the end of the evening. All she had to do was attach the three steel plates set to the side on her assembly station - as well as the last one currently forming on her saw. However, she sadly wouldn't be able to deliver the bridge tower to Albert until the following day as it was starting to get quite late.
Letting out a yawn, Jo flicked on one of her outdoor lamps in order to provide her with more light before she headed to her assembly station. At least she could drill on the other plates while she was waiting for the last one to finish.
Picking up one, she went to the left side of her build and climbed up the small step ladder that she had already placed there. She then reached for the drill placed in her tool belt and started to raise her arms over her head as she aimed to put the plate in place.
Only, the placement was a little higher than Jo could comfortably reach. She was on the second step from the top on her ladder and wasn't sure if she dared to go any higher. When she had finished the last tower, Emily had been gracious enough to offer to hold the ladder when she saw Jo struggling while she was out watering her crops. The extra support had made Jo feel more grounded and confident when taking that final step, but she wasn't so sure if it was safe to do the same now.
Looking down at the top step, Jo's brow furrowed as determination ran through her.
She wasn't going to let one measly step stop her from finishing her project then and there.
Nodding to herself, Jo placed one foot on the top step and leaned a little weight onto it. Nothing seemed to change or suggest that she wouldn't be well supported.
You can always brace yourself against the tower. It's sturdy enough.
Settling the argument in her mind, Jo propped herself up so she was fully standing on the top step. She felt tension grow in her stomach and legs as she balanced herself, a rush of warmth also filled her face and even the top of her head.
See. All good.
Yeah. She was balanced. She felt fine. Besides, if she worked fast enough then she wouldn't have to be in that position for that long.
Taking that lost thought into consideration, Jo slowly turned her focus back to the tower - making sure not to allow her legs to wobble at all. She then leaned forward a little, bringing her drill and plate to the correct placement once again - which still wasn't exactly an ideal reach for her. It was one that she still needed to strain to, but she was so close .
Without taking any moment to overthink it, Jo suddenly shifted slightly onto the tippy toes of her right foot - knowing that it was the last boost she needed. The warmth in her now became even hotter, like a blaze over her skin. But she moved the sensation to the back of her mind as her eyes stayed fixed on her hands that were in the process of drilling in one corner of the plate - her tongue sticking out in concentration.
Almost there.
The screw continued to sink in, Jo's eyes watching it slowly disappear into the other connecting metal. However, once the screw was completely in, she didn't feel a sense of satisfaction - but a sweat further breakout over her skin as she noticed herself losing her sense of balance.
The slightest wobble occurred in her left knee, causing Jo's eyes to grow wide as she began to fall forward. She quickly countered this by pulling her body in another direction in an effort to correct her center of gravity - but her efforts fell short. Instead, the drill in her hand flew out onto the grass while her other hand desperately reached out to grab onto the tower to help her. Only, she couldn't reach it.
Eyes growing even wider, Jo knew she was going to go tumbling backward… and what was sure to catch her consisted of the metal edge of her assembly station.
That's not going to feel good against your back.
At a loss, Jo could hear pounding in her ears that sounded as if it were in the distance - but she knew it was likely the murmured sound of her own racing heart. Or so she assumed since the beating was so strong in her chest.
Finally, feeling herself falling back, Jo's foot lifted off of the ladder as she went tumbling backward. Her mind felt fuzzy, only focused on the idea of bracing herself for the pain of the impact.
But the impact she experienced was not at all what she had expected. Because instead of hitting the metal edge or even just the grass - Jo felt herself fall back and hit something else.
She had only fallen less than a foot when she endured her back colliding with the sturdy front of what seemed to be another person. And sure enough, her suspicions were confirmed when she saw two arms come forward to move around her midsection - hugging her to the person in order to support her further.
As she fell completely into their embrace, Jo felt them stumble a little as the person tried to steady them - which only took seconds. Jo's feet were quickly planted down on the ground as she registered both her and the person - who was still currently holding her - finding their balance once again.
Acknowledging her solid footing, Jo let out a slow breath as she relaxed into the person behind her. However, her mind quickly became alert as she realized she hadn't even known who it was currently holding her. But, with one look down, she could instantly identify them.
Glancing down at the arms around her, she was met with an eyeful of white and yellow leather firmly placed against her midsection.
She could feel the rise and fall of his chest against her back. His chin brushed against the top of her head as his breath came out in a small huff.
Butterfly wings danced over her again.
Swallowing hard, Jo moved her arms in order to grab hold of the man's wrists in front of her. She parted his arms gently, allowing her to take a step forward out of his embrace and then slowly place his arms off to each side. Her fingers slid delicately against the leather of his jacket as she let him go - then turning around to face him.
"Arlo," she said, her voice wavering slightly.
"Are you alright?" he asked, his brow furrowed as he stared down at her. His blue eyes searched her expression, shifting back and forth in a flicker.
The way he was looking at her made it hard to squish the wings still fluttering over her, but she knew she needed to. Or at least she needed to brush them off of her for the time being.
What's up with you? Get it together.
Thinking on her feet, Jo quickly bubbled out a laugh - watching as Arlo lifted a brow at her reaction. It only caused her to laugh some more.
"I'm glad you happened to be here," she told him, quick to take a step away as she studied her build. It was much better not looking at him. "I could have been a lot worse off."
After confirming that no damage had been done to her build during the fall, Jo still didn't look at him as she addressed her ladder once more - acting as though she may move it over to continue her work. However, there was a tremble running throughout her body that Jo despised. For many reasons - but the only she was willing to admit was that it currently kept her from effectively continuing her work.
A silent sigh left her as Jo finally brought herself to look back at Arlo, glad to see he wasn't still staring at her. Instead, he was busy picking up something at his feet. Straightening up, Jo could now see her drill laying in Arlo's hand. His own eyes were inspecting the object before his gaze lifted to her.
Brush and squish. Brush and squish.
She smiled at him, reaching out a hand to take the drill.
Only, he wasn't that quick to give it up to her.
"What are we going to do with you, Jo?" he asked. Despite the abrupt question, though, his tone was light and friendly.
At least that was some sort of relief.
"What do you mean?" Jo said, her head tilting slightly.
He laughed now. "I think it's clear what's going on here," he told her.
And two butterflies suddenly reappeared.
What was he insinuating?
"What?" she asked, choosing to quirk a brow and place her hands on her hips. She refused to let her eyes grow wide, her cheeks become pink.
No way.
"You," he said, gesturing to her.
"And what about me?" she asked, feeling herself able to brush a few butterflies off of her once more as she became more focused on their words rather than anything else.
Out with it, Arlo.
"You know what I mean," he said, shaking his head. "You're completely accident prone."
Oh… that.
She could handle that right now.
But, wait… hey!
She scoffed. Feeling herself relax, Jo couldn't help but lean forward to give him a small punch in the shoulder.
And just like that. All the butterflies evaporated.
"I am not!" she told him.
"Oh?" he said, crossing his arms as he smirked. "You don't think so? Between the fights you stumble into… hitting your head… falling off ladders…"
"Those were very specific circumstances!" she continued. She paused for a moment, watching as he quirked a brow at her. "And you just happened to witness all of them…"
Arlo barked out a laugh again.
"Would you shut up?" Jo said, now leaning forward to grab her drill from his stupid hand. She made sure not to allow their arms or hands to touch during her movements. Once she had the drill, she moved back to the tower, considering stepping up the ladder once more as her jitters had completely disappeared.
But Arlo's words stopped her from taking the first step.
"Yes, and I can only imagine the many other circumstances that I haven't been around to witness. I'm sure there are plenty more," he suggested.
She glanced over her shoulder, scowling at him.
"Not true," she told him, unimpressed.
"I find that hard to believe," he countered.
"Well, believe it," she said, her back to him again. "I'm accident free whenever you're not around."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah," she said, grabbing the side of the step ladder. "Maybe you're just a bad luck charm."
"Ouch," Arlo said, however his tone didn't suggest any kind of actual hurt as he now walked around Jo so he was in front of the ladder. Facing her.
"Truth hurts," she joked, taking a step up the ladder. The moment she propped herself up, she saw Arlo's hands come forward to brace the ladder, steadying it for her.
"You're helping me now?" she asked, taking another step up.
He shrugged. "I told you I would help whenever you needed it. Besides, I know it's likely better for me to just go ahead and help you instead of trying to talk you out of working."
That was pretty true...
"But I don't need your help," she stated.
"I find that hard to believe as I just saved you from breaking your neck," he reminded her.
She rolled her eyes. "I wouldn't have broken my neck. There would have only been some light bruising."
"Whatever you say, builder. Let's try to prevent that as well though, yeah?" Arlo said, leaning more of his weight down to hold the ladder. The shift in the support caused Jo to look down at him, noting how blue his eyes looked in the light of her lamps.
"Do I really want to accept help from someone who just called me accident prone…?" Jo said, pulling herself to look away as she searched for her answer in the air before her.
Arlo cleared his throat. "Would you be willing to accept their help if they told you they were sorry and meant no offense?"
This brought a small smile to the edge of Jo's lips before she slowly looked down at him.
"I think I can arrange that. But only because I have to show my gratitude somehow," she stated.
Arlo's smile grew a little wider as he nodded. "Consider us fair then."
Jo let out a small chuckle, once again finding herself rolling her eyes at his words.
Now this felt right. This felt good. Not fighting off tingling sensations that she couldn't explain… or that she had been able to explain as pride - at least earlier that morning - but now couldn't use that same excuse.
But that didn't matter anymore. Because now Jo had found herself in the right place with Arlo. The right rhythm. Their playfulness was, and had always been, merely two friends attempting to get underneath one another's skin.
After all, she did the same thing with Sam. She didn't do that necessarily with Emily - but that's because the girl was too sweet for Jo to ever consider picking on her.
Although, if she was going to compare his friendships to one another, then she could insist that the touchy moments she had with Arlo resembled those she had with Emily. The only difference was that Emily was a girl… and due to sexual preference there was never any possibility for Jo's actions to be misinterpreted as anything else.
Perhaps that was why Jo had continually felt these odd sensations… They were all just worries. Unnecessary worries. Because Arlo and her were opposite genders with "standard" sexual preferences, as far as she knew, and there was so much insinuating that could occur.
Was that what she had really been worried about? That this was all somehow different because they were opposite genders? That's what suddenly had her caring what other people would think for the first time in her life?
Well, that needed to change.
No longer would she let her worrying get the best of her. She didn't want the simple act of spending time with her friend make her feel tingly and unsure. That wasn't fair.
They were friends. There was no more overthinking that fact based on what she "feared" others might think. Not at all.
Bringing herself back to her actual present world, Jo could feel the stupid smile laying over her lips as she addressed her friend once more.
"Okay, if you do want to help… I think we'd be better off if you were on this ladder rather than me," Jo suggested with a sheepish grin.
Arlo looked up at her, seeming both impressed and shocked. "Are you really letting me take over for once?"
Jo shook her head as she stepped down the ladder. "No. I'm just letting you screw in the plates while I coach you," she told him.
"Yeah, but you're usually the one who always insists on taking the hands on approach," he insisted. "This shows great growth, builder."
Jo let out a huff that was a mix of a laugh and a sigh before gesturing to the ladder. "Will you just climb up already and screw the plates in?"
"With great honor," Arlo said with a nod as he took the drill from her and took a step up.
Jo once again shook her head as she watched him step all the way up, his taller height making it so he only needed to go to the second step from the top in order to screw in the plates with complete ease.
Choosing not to just stare at him, Jo let him continue screwing in the corners as she grabbed another plate from her stack and handed it up to him when he was ready. The second plate was drilled in even faster as Arlo seemed to get the hang of the process - causing the third one to quickly be placed in as well.
"Hang on!" Jo called out, as she jogged over to her table saw. The last plate was waiting for her, which she quickly received before heading back to Arlo. "And for the finale," she said, handing it up to him.
Within thirty seconds, the plate was in and Arlo was stepping back down the ladder and landing next to Jo. They then took a step back together, looking at the finished tower as Jo felt her cheeks growing sore from her smile.
"Yes! Done!" she called out.
They then turned to one another and exchanged a high five, which nearly caused a laugh to bubble out of her.
Yeah… this was different. Not a bad different, but as she felt her hand collide with his and even stared at him afterwards - she knew there had been a shift.
She could see it in herself… and even in Arlo - though she didn't know how to explain it in regards to him.
But for her, butterflies no longer threatened and she didn't feel her palm grow warm at the touch of his hand to hers - which usually spread like wildfire.
It was amazing what could be shifted once you accepted the truth. The circumstances.
But she liked this. She liked the acknowledgement within herself of what they were, and that she knew she no longer felt this need to prove anything to anyone. Because they were friends.
She had spent the rest of Friday night at the Round Table, and even days after, worrying that Phyllis would think something else… or that Arlo would even think that Jo wanted more after the way that she had leaned into him.
But now she knew that was all ridiculous. Phyllis and Arlo had to know that Jo would never do anything to offend either of them, or come in between them.
Because she wouldn't. Why the hell would she?
Phyllis had to know that Arlo and Jo were just friends. And Arlo had to know that as well… after all, he was one half of that equation and could feel it for himself.
Right. This felt good. It felt so good being able to identify everything. To put a name and a meaning to it all.
Jo looked over at Arlo and smiled, not only because she was thankful for his help - but because of… well… everything.
Because he was making things with Phyllis work and he was in something special with a good person.
Because he had done a pretty good job of drilling in those plates - if she could say so herself.
And because she knew they were on the same page. It felt so good to come to that conclusion after being stuck in her own anxieties over such foolish things the last couple of days. But now she was able to stand there with her friend, and continue building her friendship with him unapologetically.
"I'd call this a success," Arlo said, taking his usual stance by placing his hands on his hips. He nodded towards the tower, a smug smile laying over his lips.
Jo matched it, feeling her face light up as she turned her eyes from him and stared at the build as well.
"Yeah. I would too."
On Wednesday, Jo was on to her third bridge tower - her body buzzing as she went to Mars' to get more iron ore. However, that was mainly because she could see Higgins putting the final touches on his first tower. She couldn't wait for him to go to the Commerce Guild for another commission only to find out that the other towers were already done.
Oh the sweet, sweet justice!
After buying the iron ore, Jo made her way back home - still making sure she wasn't running - in order to start right away. She had thankfully decided to throw her remaining iron ore from the day before into the furnace overnight so she could get a head start on her carbon steel bars. She had ended up with twelve bars waiting for her that morning.
She spent the day in autopilot - able to work her way through piecing together the tower without having to really reference her building instructions. With each completed material or the sight of the tower slowly coming together, Jo felt confidence coursing through her.
Three. She continued to think to herself. You're going to complete three!
I hope he would be proud.
Jo's eyes lowered to the ground, though they weren't necessarily looking at anything. She swallowed hard as she passed a long breath out of her lips, looking up once more.
Shake it off. Back to work.
Around noon, she was pleased with the progress she had made. She was nearly half way there, based off of the height of the tower. All of the hardened clay she needed was already done and waiting to be put into place. The tower's light was set to the side and waiting for the structure to be tall enough to add it. It was all well on it's way!
And then around one, Jo had an unexpected guest coming through her gate - voicing their approval for her work as well.
"Bloody hell, Jo," the familiar voice called out. "How is it you're already this far along on your next tower? Did you sleep after I left last night?"
Jo turned to see Arlo standing behind her as she wiped her hands off on the rag hanging at her waist. She knew she had grease likely stained over her nose, but she didn't care at that moment. She could only beam with gratification due to her work.
"You can rest easy, Cap," she told him, stepping down from her assembly station. "I slept plenty. I just also happened to be very tactful in my approach for this last tower."
Arlo laughed. "I can see that."
She smiled. "So what brings you here? Shouldn't you be off saving lives? Or at least making rounds?"
He shrugged at this. "Actually no. Normally Wednesdays are set aside for fulfilling product commissions in the Sewage Ruin, but we didn't have any today. So now I'm left with some downtime."
Jo quirked a brow at his last words. "Oh? And you decided to use that free time by paying me a visit? … Or is this really just all an act and you're fulfilling your 'protective duties' by coming here to make sure I'm not causing any more 'accidents?'"
Arlo chuckled at this, causing Jo to smile at him.
"Although you do have a point - you have my word that I'm not coming here to spy on you," he told her. "I did, however, stop by in order to see if you needed any help. It seems it has become part of my routine nowadays."
Jo thought about his words for a moment before nodding. After all. he had spent the last two nights with her in order to assist with her builds. He did have a fair point.
"You're right," she confirmed. "You're pretty imposing."
He scoffed. "Imposing, huh? I thought we made a pretty good team."
She smirked at this, looking down momentarily before glancing back up at him. "Fine, I'll admit to that. But only because I've been able to boss you around the whole time."
"Pest," he said with a shake of his head.
"Bully," she tossed back, going to her furnace to collect carbon steel bars.
Though their voices grew silent, Jo could hear Arlo's footsteps over the grass before he was standing at her other furnace and also picking up some finished bars. She said nothing as she saw him gather them with ease and then head straight to an open saw and add the bars to it. Within seconds, it was fired up and working away.
He then went over to the assembly station and looked at the materials set to the sides.
"Do we need to add the hardened clay?" he asked, facing away from her.
Jo stared at him, her lips parting before they shifted into a smile. She started up from her own saw before grabbing the two steel plates that had finished. She then walked over to join him at the station, walking passed him as she went to her ladder.
"Not yet," she told him as she climbed up. "But after I add these two plates then we can install the light. And after that…I think we just need two more plates before we add in the remaining clay."
Arlo nodded. "Got it." He then moved to her, holding down the ladder as she started to drill in the plates. Although she was only on the second step from the top, she was still thankful for the extra support in case anything went wrong.
Oh, come on. You don't actually think you're accident prone, do you?
"Is this the last thing you need to build?" Arlo asked. "Is the bridge expected to be done once the towers are installed?"
Jo shook her head as she drilled in the last plate. "Unfortunately, no. Albert wanted the towers first and then they're going to post the commissions for the steel beams… which I think they also need four of."
She finished her work, stepping down from the ladder.
"And I'm assuming you're planning on also building three out of four of those? Before Higgins can say otherwise?"
"That's the plan," Jo said, putting down the drill. "I would build all four if I could, but I don't see that happening - so I'll settle for three."
Arlo laughed at this, watching her as she leaned down to grab the light sitting near her feet. She grunted as she lifted it up - feeling the weight of the strengthened glass straining her arm muscles. Arlo seemed to notice her struggling as he reached out to take the light from her and then side stepped her so he could approach the tower.
"Hey, I can do it," she protested, but he was already up the ladder.
"Take a break," Arlo stated. "You can afford to relax a little. Besides, what good am I here if I'm not actually helping?"
Jo wanted to argue that he had been assisting her by holding the ladder before, but she chose to let it lay. She needed to bite her stubborn tongue more often when it came to accepting help. Sometimes it was just better to give in and save your breath instead of challenging it at every turn.
Deciding to just that, she folded her arms over her chest as she waited - her eyes glancing off towards her saw as she tried to see how far along the next steel plates were. She could instantly tell that they had quite a ways to go.
"And done," Arlo said, stepping back down. His words caused her eyes to snap back to him before they slid upward to examine his work. Sure enough - it looked nearly perfect.
She settled for "nearly" because she would never allow him the satisfaction of knowing her full approval.
He smiled over at her. "And what next?"
And just like that, their afternoon continued in a similar fashion. They worked around one another - putting materials in their correct places, picking fun at one another, or even taking a break at one point as Arlo tried to juggle three of the carbon steel bars. Only, he nearly dropped all three on his toes - causing Jo to laugh as she questioned who was really accident prone.
The day turned into evening and they had finished the last tower - with Arlo being the one to screw in the top steel plates, of course.
They shared another high five at their work, Arlo even giving Jo's shoulder a small squeeze as they stared at the finished product. The final tower… just like that.
To show her gratitude, Jo wanted to offer to buy Arlo a drink at the Round Table or cook him dinner on her teeny tiny grill. However, she wasn't able to offer either as Phyllis came through her gate with a brown paper bag.
Jo stood by as she watched Arlo turn to smile at Phyllis, which caused Jo's stomach to grow warm as she mirrored his smile before turning to the approaching blonde.
Phyllis said something about looking for him… about bringing him dinner… about seeing if he was free. She voiced to Jo that she didn't want to steal him from her, but Jo instantly waved this off - telling the two to go on ahead.
Phyllis had nodded, offered her thanks, and then started to lead the way out of Jo's yard.
Then there was Arlo.
Beaming at Jo as he offered her one last high five before he gestured to the build and said something about a "job well done."
And then something else about how he would see her later before he began to back up in the direction that Phyllis had gone.
Jo gave him the same sentiment, which then led Arlo to turn around and take off jogging in order to catch up with Phyllis. Off to have dinner.
Then Jo stood there, her dirty hands within her rag as she tried to wipe off the grease stains that she knew would require soap and water.
She smiled at the couple walking away before she stared down at her hands.
And still, she smiled.
On Thursday, when Arlo showed up at Jo's workspace after his day of work - Jo wasn't the least bit surprised.
Instead, she immediately put him to work in order to assist her with her first steel beam. Although it was a different process, Arlo was able to adapt easily in order to help her. In fact, he was the reason why the majority of her bronze pipes were finished so quickly.
They made a lot of progress in a short amount of time, even with their frequent breaks. But Jo didn't mind the pauses in her plans at all. In fact, having Arlo there to keep her mind clear and make her laugh had only made her process more enjoyable.
A smile was nearly painted on her face all evening as Arlo would try to put the bronze pipes onto his fingers to make them long and gangly, or how they would attempt to create their own pirate songs as they installed the wooden boards onto the steel beam.
At one point, she found herself even wiping tears away from her eyes and holding her stomach as Arlo tried to rhyme "first matey" with "bait...y."
However, their evening eventually came to an end when Arlo told Jo he had to go. He mentioned that he wanted to walk Phyllis home from her late night shift at the clinic.
She voiced her approval for his chivalry, and then they exchanged their goodbyes. And he was gone, leaving Jo to drill the last steel frame into place in order to finish her first steel beam.
Once it was secured, she stepped back - smiling at her work and the events that had occurred to create it.
Friday came, and Jo found herself at the Corps' headquarters this time around. All because Arlo had informed her the night before that they may have some extra bronze pipes sitting around. After all, they normally found loads within the Sewage Ruins and he had no use for them if no one was requesting them.
Jo was more than glad to take them off of his hands.
However, once she had arrived at the headquarters, Sam had been there - and she was so glad to see her that she insisted Jo stay to hang out with her. As much as the brunette wanted to continue working on her second steel beam, she couldn't deny that she also wanted to spend some time with her friend. She had hardly seen Sam all week.
"She only wants you to stay because it's her turn to clean the main room and she's recruiting you for help," Arlo said over his shoulder as he looked through some paperwork.
Jo watched as Sam scowled at the back of Arlo's head before throwing her cleaning rag across the room in order to hit him in the shoulder.
"Not true!" Sam called out.
Jo laughed at the exchange before turning a suspicious look to Sam. "Is it, though? Because I don't exactly mind."
At Jo's words, Sam held the broom in her hands tightly as she kept her eyes wide, the rest of her expression smooth. However, her lips soon slid into a smile as she handed over the broom to Jo, causing the brunette to laugh once more.
Arlo shook his head as he glanced back. "You really shouldn't give in to her little antics, Jo."
She turned to look at him, raising a brow. "Who said I was giving in to her 'antics?' Maybe I was really just trying to get the broom from her so I could challenge her to a spar since she tried to use me!"
With this, Jo looked back at Sam and held the handle of the broom in her hands like a sword, preparing herself to take on Sam.
"Then I'd say your plan has failed," Sam said with a small chuckle. She then grabbed hold of the broom as well, her grip was firm as Jo and her began to press the broom at the other until they were dancing around one another. Only, Sam was both stronger and more tactful than Jo, causing her to think quickly on her feet.
After a few seconds, Sam stopped pushing the broom and instead pulled it to herself, causing Jo to stumble forward until Sam shifted the handle once more. That time, however, she aimed it down to the ground near her left leg, causing Jo to fall to the floor with it.
The moment Jo landed there, she broke into laughter as she held the broom handle across her chest. Sam only stared down at her, shaking her head as she placed her hands on her hips.
"You are ridiculous," Arlo stated, now fully turned to look at their little scene.
"Some fight," Sam said, smirking down at Jo.
"You didn't even give me a chance!" Jo called out as she finally stifled her own laughter.
"I don't think you would have had one no matter what," Sam said, shaking her head once more as she went to grab a new rag. "I think you losing means you really do have to sweep the floors now."
Jo smiled up at her, letting out a small sigh. "Fine."
Pulling herself up, Jo dusted off her stomach as Sam walked away to start wiping down some of the desks and shelves. However, one person's eyes still remained on her.
"What are you looking at, Captain?" Jo said, leaning onto her right hip.
"Apologies," he said. "I think I was just distracted from replaying your little failure in my head a few more times."
He gave her a smug smile, looking back at the papers in his hands.
"It wasn't a failure!" Jo tried.
"Whatever you say," he mused, still not looking at her.
Jo let out a single laugh to herself before she braced the broom in her hands once more, taking her fighting position. "I think those are fighting words, dear sir."
But Arlo still only offered her a side eye and the simple rise of one corner of his mouth.
"Prepare yourself!" she told him, taking a step forward.
He tilted his head back in order to let out a laugh at her words, then turned to face her again. "You can't be serious."
"I'm completely serious," she told him with a nod, now moving the broom to start spinning it in her hands as she took another step forward. "Unless you'd like to forfeit now."
"Forfeit? Really, Jo…" he started, but she was starting to gently push the bristles of the broom into her left shoulder, teasing him with the light impacts. She then continued spinning the broom, smiling at him.
"If I can take on a bandirat then I think I can take on you," she teased him further, then bringing the bristles to his right shoulder to repeat her little taunt.
Only, Arlo's reflexes were cat like as he suddenly brought up his arm and deflected the broom with his wrist, sending it to the floor.
She was unarmed.
After watching the broom land, Jo turned back to Arlo with a slightly dropped jaw. "How dare you!"
She then approached him with slight force, grabbing him around his waist as she tried to tackle him to the ground - but despite having to stagger one foot backward to brace himself… Arlo didn't budge.
Jo grunted as she tried to twist her body to shove him to his right side, but he still didn't move.
"Why are you so freakishly strong!?" she yelled out.
Arlo laughed - Jo was able to feel the bounce of his stomach underneath her arms and chest.
"Why are you so freakishly weak?" he offered.
"I am not!" she told him. And with this, she felt her brow furrow as further determination filled her. Her mind drifted back to Sam's approach of pulling rather than pushing, causing Jo to instantly grit her teeth. Bending her knees and tensing her muscles, Jo jeaned her weight into him firmly before she was suddenly yanking backward, pulling him along with her.
"Jo - " he started, but her efforts had caught him completely off guard as he started to stumble towards her. It seemed he was about to stabilize them both when Jo was taking a step backward and her heel managed to catch on the corner of a table.
Staggering backward, Jo's grip remained around Arlo - causing her to pull him along. She watched as he tried to reach out for something, but his hands found nothing, which left him sailing down with her.
Sure enough, they fell to the ground with a thud - Jo landing right on his back while Arlo came down right on top of her. She managed to brace her head, not allowing it to hit the floor. But her foot had managed to kick off to the side a little, bumping her toes into the corner of the coffee table as well.
The moment they settled onto the floor, Jo looked up at Arlo who's hair had now flopped into his face and his lips were parted as he let out a huff. The whole image caused Jo to roll her head backward, erupting in complete laughter.
Arlo's whole body tensed as they hit the floor, trying to do whatever he could not to let his weight come down on her with full force. That was sure to knock all of the air out of her.
However, in that process, he managed to slam his forearms rather harshly against the wood floor on either side of her. He grunted at the impact, knowing that he was likely to see some bruising later that day.
As they came to a still on the floor, he was ready to ask her if she was alright, when she succumbed to full laughter. Perhaps he should have expected that - considering this was Jo he was talking about. However, he couldn't help himself from scoffing at her, feeling her body trembling under him due to her giggling.
"Oh, you think this is funny, do you?" he asked, raising a brow.
Jo continued to laugh, her words barely coming out. "Absolutely. You should see… your face."
He shook his head at this, in disbelief at the woman under him. Speaking of under him… perhaps it was time to start getting up.
"You are the bane of my existence," Arlo told her as he started to lift himself off of her.
However, he only brought himself onto his hands and knees so he was still hovering over her while she was in her laughing fit. He wasn't sure why he had only managed to lift himself up only this far, but perhaps it was due to seeing her wiggle around with complete delight. Her cheeks were full, turning pink due to being pinched from the smile across her mouth. It filled his own muscles with a new tenderness.
After watching her like this for a few moments, he finally allowed himself to laugh as he stared down at her.
"Can you just get up now?" he asked, though he was technically still in her way from doing so.
Jo started to contain her laughter, but shrugged. "I don't really know. I think I may have broken a toe," she said, another bubble of laughter escaping her as she nodded towards her right foot.
Arlo groaned, though he knew it wasn't effective due to the grin still on his face. But he did manage to clip out two words to her. "Accident. Prone."
She laughed at this as well, causing his smile to spread as he continued to stare down at her. His hair was all in his face, but didn't interrupt his vision as he kept his eyes on hers.
However, with Jo's laughter finally calming down, Arlo couldn't help but become exceedingly aware of himself, causing him to recognize that their bodies were still completely lined up… he was still basically on top of her... It was quite… intimate.
And with that, he finally fully leaned away from her - no longer hovering above. He, instead, moved to sit back on his heels as he glanced down to her right foot.
"Did you hit it against the coffee table?" he asked.
He watched as Jo nodded, leaning up onto her elbows in order to look at her foot as well. "Yeah. It felt like one of my middle toes got wedged pretty hard."
"You always have to go the extra mile to prove yourself, don't you?" he told her, giving her a pointed look.
All Jo could do was answer him with a smile, sinking down in - what seemed to be - pretend bashfulness.
Arlo sighed before looking up from her and glancing at Sam.
"Sam, do you mind escorting our friend here to the infirmary? I think she needs some medical attention."
"Medical attention? Really?" Jo complained.
"Yes, really," Arlo said, giving her another look before his eyes went to Sam again. "Sam?"
"I'm on it," Sam said, throwing down her rag before appearing at Jo's side. "Come on, you."
Jo let out a slow sigh, causing Arlo to prepare himself for her to argue with him. Only, she seemed to swallow her reluctance instead as she slowly got up from her spot on the floor. Arlo followed suit, but rose to his feet first in order to offer his hand down to her. He watched as she stared at it for a second, leading him to believe she may just smack it away. But she surprised him once more when she chose to take it instead and allowed him to pull her up.
The moment she was back on her feet, Arlo slipped his hand from hers.
"Great fight, Arlo. You're a worthy competitor," Jo said, taking a stumbling step forward along with Sam.
Arlo chuckled. "Whatever you say," he replied before shooting Sam a look. "Make sure she gets there alright."
His tone had grown more serious, surprising himself as it hung in the air around them. He only hoped that the other two women had really noticed.
"She'll be fine. It's just right across the way," Sam replied with the roll of her eyes.
It appeared that Sam had.
"Might as well be a mile for her," Arlo stated, trying to recover. "Anything can happen."
Jo seemed to open her mouth to say more, but he watched as it fell shut once again as her eyes went down to her right foot. He wanted to ask if she was okay, or experiencing any pain - but he found he was unable before she was calling out her goodbyes.
"See you later, Cap!" she said, and then Sam and her were making their way through the doors - leaving Arlo to stand in the room alone.
When the doors finally came to a full close, Arlo couldn't help but laugh to himself, his eyes casting downwards to the broom on the floor as he thought about the occurrence between him and Jo. He slowly bent down to pick it up, but his eye caught something else once he straightened up.
His gaze moved upward towards Rem's room where he found the man himself. He stood just outside of the door, leaning against the railing as he stared down at Arlo.
"Oh, hey Rem," Arlo spoke, moving to lean the broom against his desk. "How's it going?"
"Going well," Rem said with a nod, but offered nothing more.
Arlo stood there, shifting on his feet slightly as the man's eyes remained on him. When he realized that Rem wasn't going to say anything else, Arlo found himself clearing his throat as he nodded towards the door.
"Sam's just off taking Jo to the infirmary," he said, his hands moving to rest on his hips. "She may have broken her toe, so they're getting it checked out."
Rem nodded once more. "Yeah, I caught most of that."
Oh.
Arlo bit the side of his cheek as he registered Rem's words, unsure what to say to the man. However, that was only because there seemed to be a strange shift in his friend. Rem appeared stiff, focused - but on what exactly? Of that, Arlo was uncertain. He was also uncertain if he should ask, so he figured it was best to let the man be.
After all, Arlo could have just been imagining things due to the scattered thoughts inside his own brain.
Now Arlo nodded, choosing silence as he began to turn from the man and glance back to his desk. However, Rem spoke up again, causing Arlo to look back at him once more.
"Arlo," Rem started, leaning his elbows off of the railing now. "Mind if we talk?"