Arlo felt like a wounded soldier as he came into the room. Though he didn't need physical assistance, it was clear that Rem could tell the Captain could use some… emotional support.
Part of Arlo wanted to slump into one of their armchairs, sinking down as low as he could in the seat until the cushion would hopefully eat him up. But stooping to such levels wasn't really in his character - leading him to take a different approach.
He was pacing, slowly back and forth within their main room as Rem watched him with patient eyes. Arlo was sure that Rem would wait as long as it took to get an answer out of him - all it would take was for Arlo to stop being such a fidgeting disgrace.
Rem had also taken to standing, his arms crossed as he stood a few feet from where Arlo paced, his stillness almost unnerving. Or maybe Arlo was just too on edge for his own good.
It was quite a drastic change from before.
When he had been walking home, his whole body felt like it was being pulled down to the Earth as though he had rocks stuffed in his pockets. But now, his body strained in other ways, and yet he found he was able to move across the room with - panicked - ease.
The night was just full of discoveries and surprises.
Despite his still scattered mind, Arlo brought himself to a stop as he stared at Rem.
"The date was a disaster."
Rem gave a single nod, his brows pulled together. "What happened?"
Arlo let out a rush of air, turning his head to the side as he ran a quick hand through his hair.
"I don't know…" he began. "It was as if the entire thing was doomed from the very start."
He looked up at his friend again. "And at first I blamed my indifference on the talk you and I had… and just being in my head, but I knew that wasn't fair," Arlo explained. "Regardless of what I tried to tell myself, it just wasn't going to work."
He shook his head, his hands placed on his hips as he stared down at the floor. A quiet moment grew between the two, though he didn't really register how long it lasted. Perhaps he hadn't really noticed the silence in the first place due to the chaos in his head.
It was only when Rem cleared his throat that Arlo really came to.
"I think I know what you're getting at," Rem stated. "But just so I can get more of an idea, let's start from the beginning."
Arlo stared at the man, poking his tongue into his cheek before he gave a single nod. He knew he was being quite cryptic with his details - giving only fragmented pieces of what he was trying to say. Luckily, Rem was there to keep him on track… or at least place him on a track in the first place.
So he started from the beginning, telling Rem how he had been in his head from the moment he stood in front of Phyllis' door. He had managed to clear his mind when he had first seen her, focusing his complete attention on being present and making the best of their date. However, his efforts were quickly falling short as he became aware of the ways they didn't fit together.
He had already felt that Phyllis and him weren't necessarily the best match, but he had been afraid that he was only making assumptions - hence why he wanted to give it all a chance. But it didn't matter.
Rem had spoken true when he said that Arlo couldn't force things to work if they simply weren't… right.
Carrying on, Arlo told Rem of how he had asked Phyllis various different questions about her life throughout the night - he even admitted that he had enjoyed her answers.
But then he mentioned how Phyllis had never asked him anything in return. She only teased him, found ways to be close to him, complimented his looks.
And then when they had reached her place as the night was coming to - what Arlo had hoped - was the end, Phyllis threw herself at him. He didn't like using that phrasing, but he felt like it was pretty true in this situation. As he tried to say his goodbye, he hadn't even managed to properly look at her before she was all over him.
"It felt like nothing had been accomplished," Arlo finally stated. "From failing to get to know one another to her resorting back to the physical aspects of our 'relationship'... I was… I am at a complete loss."
Arlo was at a standstill now, bringing himself to lean against his desk at some point throughout his relayed story. Both men's eyes were pointed towards the floor as if they were trying to digest everything he had just said - Arlo hoped Rem was having a better time sorting through it all then he was.
"I have to admit that everything you just said is exactly what I was afraid would happen," Rem finally spoke.
"Yeah…" Arlo breathed. "I think the more sensible part of me knew it would too."
Rem nodded, letting out his own sigh as he moved to sit down in one of the arm chairs.
"Well… shit. I'm sorry, Arlo...about all of this. Actually, I feel like I should apologize for a lot of different things," Rem spoke, his lips falling into a line.
Arlo shook his head, crossing his arms over his chest.
"You don't have to apologize, Rem. Like I said… you were right," Arlo stated.
"Sure, but that doesn't make me feel good about all this," Rem told him. "Just because I figured it wouldn't work doesn't mean I'm happy to see it fail."
A slow breath left Arlo as he stared at his friend, keeping his eyes fixed on the man's expression. He knew Rem was telling him the truth… just as he should have known during their initial talk that Rem really had only been trying to make Arlo see more clearly. To make him realize that what he was doing with Phyllis may have seemed like the right and just thing to do, but it had been the complete opposite.
Now that Arlo had managed to put all his initial anger to the side, he was able to acknowledge his friend's efforts and even be thankful for them.
"I had myself so convinced," Arlo began again, shaking his head. "And I have no idea why I was doing it. I knew weeks ago that this thing with Phyllis wasn't meant to lead anywhere, and yet - for the last week - I was acting as though it was something it wasn't."
He shook his head again, slowly sinking into his thoughts as the room grew quiet. However, Rem only let their silence lie for a few seconds before he jumped in once more.
But, this time he asked gentle questions rather than choosing to make assumptions.
"Is there anything that happened in between those two points?" he offered. "Anything change?"
Arlo furrowed his brow, thinking about the man's words as he tried to wrack his brain.
Had anything occurred?
All he could focus his mind on right now were all those moments when Phyllis had managed to put her hands on him or muse out flattering words.
There had been that day on top of the stairs when they had a decent conversation about the upcoming holidays and she told him she wanted to try out for the cook-off.
But that had been after he asked her about the date.
So what had happened before that?
Arlo's thoughts drifted further, combing through each little interaction he had with Phyllis over the last two weeks.
And then his eyes grew slightly wider, his head lifting as he looked up at Rem. Based on his friend's expression, Arlo could tell that Rem already knew the answer to his own question.
Because the answer was simple. It was right there - plain as day.
And they both knew that Arlo couldn't deny the turning point.
"When I talked with Jo," Arlo breathed, feeling a sudden weight lift off of his shoulders. The release was nearly so intense that it made him want to sink to the ground.
Rem gave Arlo a single nod.
Arlo had mentioned his talk with Jo the last time Rem and him had spoken, and even then Rem had reacted oddly after he'd learned Jo had been the one to 'put him up to it.' But Arlo had been too annoyed by what his friend had been insinuating, and his doubt in Arlo's actions, that he hadn't cared to give it much thought.
Now it was different.
"I know you insisted that she talked sense into you, Arlo… and I don't mean to project my ideas on you again, but I think we both know that this all wasn't just you taking a friend's advice," Rem said.
Arlo could challenge Rem's words. He nearly wanted to.
After all, what Rem was implying only seemed plausible due to the brief moment that Jo and Arlo had shared at the Round Table. When she had been right beside him and he questioned nearly everything between them… for only seconds.
But then there was also last night… when the thoughts of her had invaded his mind so effortlessly when he should have been focusing on another woman.
Or how any time that he saw Jo… he didn't even know how to possibly even describe how she always managed to lift him up...somehow. Even when they were quarreling.
No, no, no.
He had squashed this. That very night at the Round Table.
And just because he had been thinking about her last night didn't mean anything. Or at least it didn't mean that he had feelings for her. He could have just been thinking about his comforts with her while he was stuck in quite a predicament with Phyllis.
He was sure that's all that it was.
But...
Say that he did have... feelings for Jo… what then?
That last thought brought a slight heaviness back to his chest - a feeling that Arlo certainly didn't like.
"I can see a million different things going through your head right now," Rem stated, snapping Arlo out of his daze.
"I… " Arlo began, pausing as he quickly licked his lips and tried to get his head on straight. He then sighed. "I know what you're trying to say, Rem. I'm just not so sure that you're right."
"And why is that?" Rem asked, leaning back in his seat. "Break it down."
"Because Jo and I are only friends," Arlo told him. "Maybe I can understand why you would think otherwise. We do get on brilliantly, but that doesn't mean my feelings for her go beyond friendship."
Despite what he'd said, each word felt as though someone were laying another brick down on his chest. His breath was heavy in his lungs, though he tried to keep his outward composure.
However, from the way Rem's eyes were piercing him, he could tell that he wasn't convincing the man whatsoever.
Rem kept his eyes on Arlo, slowly rubbing his hands together as he seemed to be mentally searching for something to say.
Or perhaps how to say it.
"Arlo…" Rem said slowly, his friend's name the only thing he managed.
But it was enough.
Rem uttering his name was somehow all Arlo had needed.
Arlo let out a quick breath in order to battle the weight in his chest, his thoughts exploding in every which way once more.
And yet as scattered as his mind became, he still managed to hold onto one mental picture as he felt a prickle in his palm as he recalled the way the small of her back felt against his touch. Or how her head felt as it fell against his chest.
Both were feelings that Arlo would never forget - and deep down he knew that couldn't be excused for something that one friend would feel for another.
"Arlo," Rem said his name again, his voice lowered. "Admitting it doesn't have to change anything."
Arlo hummed, shaking his head as he looked away.
But it did, didn't it?
If Arlo admitted those feelings then it was out there in the open. It was… real. And he didn't know if that was fair as he wasn't even sure to what extent his feelings went to.
He understood that how he reacted, both internally and externally, to Jo was different than what he experienced with anyone else. Now and ever. But did that mean that he necessarily wanted anything from her?
He didn't know.
He didn't know a lot of things about the entire situation. What he wanted, what he should do… what Jo wanted… how she felt.
God, this was driving him mad. It was as if it were eroding him and the only way to find any sort of release, even for the time being would be to just -
"Okay, alright. I'll admit..," Arlo started. "That how I feel for Jo goes beyond the normal boundaries of friendship, but even I don't know what that means."
He paused for a moment, finding his spinning mind still provided him with nothing.
"I'm still trying to work it out for myself… there may be something there, but I don't know what it is exactly or what I want from it."
And that was the truth. It was messy, but it was true.
His throat felt tight from his confession, and he quickly tried to swallow it down. The whole act nearly wanted to make him laugh.
In the past few days, Rem and him had found themselves in two deep talks focused around his own emotions when they hadn't managed to really have these sorts of conversations in all of their prior years together.
Perhaps that's because you never had anything… or anyone to have these discussions about.
Arlo accepted the thought, but that didn't mean he was thrilled about any of this.
Rem, however, seemed quite pleased.
"That's a start, at least," Rem said with a slight smile. "You don't need to have it all figured out, but at least you got the step out of the way!" And now the man's grin grew.
Arlo nearly rolled his eyes. "I'm so glad you're finding enjoyment in my woes."
He leaned off of the desk then, ready to leave the conversation and find something more important to fill his time with. Just because he had admitted his feelings didn't mean he had to discuss anything further.
"Oh, come on," Rem tried. "I'm not trying to make fun of you. I'm just happy for you. Don't make you having feelings for Jo seem like a bad thing."
"I didn't say I have feelings for her," Arlo threw back, calling over his shoulder. "I just simply said that there may potentially be something else I'm feeling."
He then had another thought, causing him to spin around once more. "And anyway, it isn't necessarily a good thing either. I feel bloody foolish. Here I am getting caught up on all this when I don't even know if she thinks about me in.. any regard."
"I'd say there's a pretty high possibility," Rem insisted.
Arlo nearly lost himself in Rem's words, replaying select moments with Jo in his head as he tried to see if anything could be there.
But it always fell back to the same thought. Despite what he shared with Jo, the way she interacted with others debunked any reasoning that she felt anything more for him.
"I'd be lying if I said I didn't consider she might feel something , but it's simply not true," Arlo stated. "She's sweet on everyone."
"It looks that way to you, but I think there's more to it all then you're letting yourself believe," Rem told him. "It's different when you see it all from the outside."
Arlo quirked a brow.
"Like you said, you two are pretty brilliant together," Rem said, finishing with a chuckle. "I know how Jo gets on with everyone, but I also know it's different with you."
"We're all different depending on who we're around," Arlo tried.
"But, Arlo… you're different."
Feeling Rem's words hit him, Arlo started to sense a lot of the tension sitting within his body begin to melt away. He couldn't describe how effortlessly it had happened, but the way they stared at one another hit Arlo to his core. It smacked him right in the center and then caused a sensation to resonate throughout him.
And he felt a shift.
And Rem seemed to have sensed it too.
"So what now?" Rem asked, a slight smirk on his lips.
What now...
"I don't know," Arlo admitted. "I'm still a bit confused myself."
Rem nodded.
But despite Arlo's words, the fire within him was burning so deeply that he couldn't ignore it. He needed to address it. He needed to.
He didn't know if he could go on like this if he didn't try.
"I think I need to talk to her."
Rem brightened at this, sitting up straight as he beamed at Arlo. His reaction finally caused Arlo to laugh.
Bloody hell. Rem has to be some sort of closeted romantic.
"I think that's a great decision," Rem confirmed.
Arlo nodded at this, trying not to let the small pool of doubt forming in his mind tip any of its water into his fire.
This was all happening so fast, but he knew this time that his actions would be the right ones. He would talk to Jo. He'd have to tell her about how the Phyllis thing hadn't gone to plan… and when she asked him why then he would tell her the truth.
Phyllis and him weren't compatible.
He didn't know if he would get into the whole fact that he only tried to make everything work with Phyllis so he could "use" it as a way to distract himself from his indifference to Jo - that seemed a bit much.
However, he could tell Jo that maybe the thought of her did play a small role in why the date had ultimately resulted in failure, though he'd put it in much nicer words.
But, the point was that he would tell Jo how he was feeling. In regards to her.
It would be out of his control from there.
Arlo let out a breath.
Out of his control…
You're right. You can't control how she feels… but that doesn't mean you shouldn't tell her. This will keep eating you up inside if you don't. You've been trying to convince yourself that this is all nothing, but it's obviously something - at least on your part. Just because it's likely nothing on hers doesn't mean it can't be something on yours.
Just take it one step at a time.
And the first step…
"Before that, though," Arlo spoke once more.
"I need to talk to Phyllis."
Arlo had never known what it was like to feel like a cloud was hanging over one's head until then. He could confirm that metaphorical gray skies sat above him in every direction while a heavy downpour drenched his entire being.
In reality, there wasn't a single cloud in the sky and the expanse above him was nothing but blue. However, he was in a daze - his eyes fixed down to the ground, his hands shoved deep in his pockets. He was walking down yet another path, knowing exactly where he was headed as he hurried himself to get away from where he had just been.
And where had he been?
With Phyllis.
He had been at her place for all of five minutes, but in that small amount of time he had made the woman's lips shift from a wide smile to a tight line. The conversation had consisted of him admitting that he felt they would be better off as friends and he didn't feel as though he cared for her as he should.
She had responded in short phrases - telling him she understood, but that his words came as a complete surprise. She voiced disappointment, hurt, a little bit of anger. However, in the end, there was nothing they could do but say their goodbyes as she stayed seated and Arlo made his awkward exit.
From there, Arlo had stood outside of her place, taking a handful of his hair as he momentarily shut his eyes. He hadn't known he could feel both relief and sadness at the same time, but both feelings lingered over him - working together to create the cloud that now followed him.
But after he released his hair and opened his eyes - he let out the breath he had been holding and fixed his gaze forward. He had managed to move one mountain, but now it was time to move another.
Before he could nix the plans, he forced his feet to move forward - bringing him to wind his way up and down the pathways of Porta. If anyone called out to him as he passed then he had certainly missed their greeting. His mind had been fixed on one thing and one place - no distraction was sure to stop him.
And now he was there. Standing outside of the workshop's gate as he stared at the familiar sign sitting above her doorway.
His shoulders still slouched, but Arlo could almost feel half of his cloud clear away as he stood there, feeling a little bit of sun finally touch his face.
Pushing through the gate, he walked around the side of her house, fully expecting to see the busied brunette focusing on her current build.
But he didn't. The yard was empty - although he could hear the furnaces bubbling as they worked to create various different bars, or her saws screaming as they formed planks or sheets.
Arlo furrowed his brow, turning around to look towards her house. The lights were off, but that didn't necessarily mean she wasn't there. However, it wasn't like her to be inside at this time of day… or really any time of the day besides when she was sleeping - as far as he knew anyway.
Looking back towards the lawn, Arlo's hands slid out of his pockets as he adjusted his gloves. He stared around again, almost as if he were expecting to find her in a little nook that his eyes had not touched before.
Still nothing.
Please don't tell me she's off getting into trouble.
His sudden thought made a small smile touch his lips, clearing his skies further.
Well…
Arlo let out another firm breath as he readied himself to leave her workspace. Only, he was suddenly stopped when he heard a well known laugh echo from the distance, causing him to turn towards it.
The sound came from the fields, past her fence line and off in the direction of the Amber Bridge. Without thinking twice, his feet were in motion once again as he headed off in that direction.
Hopping over her fence, Arlo reached the field and gazed out over the stretch of green grass before him. He didn't have to look long before his eyes caught the very woman he had been trying to find.
She was sitting in the grass, wearing a white tank top, army green colored pants, and no shoes. Her face was turned away from him, which was even more evident as a large hat sat atop her head, masking her expression completely.
If he looked past her, he could see where her attention was focused. Colorful llamas were prancing only a few feet in front of her, pulling another laugh from her that swirled through the air around him.
He continued towards her, his boots patting into the grass below him. She must have heard this, or simply sensed him, as within seconds her head turned and she was now staring at him.
The moment her face lit up, any remaining parts of his cloud simply disappeared. Her infectious smile took over his lips as well.
"Arlo!" she called out, keeping her place on the ground as she threw out her arms. "Hello, old boy. Good to see you."
Arlo laughed at her words, now coming to a stop in front of her.
"What in God's name is on your head?" he asked.
Jo's hands lowered to her head, pushing her hat down further until it slightly covered her eyes.
"Most people would call this a hat," she told him, raising a brow. "Do they call it something else in your hotey totey English country?"
"No, no. A 'hat' is just fine. I don't know if I would consider this a hat, though," he said, giving the brim of it a small flick before he sat down beside her.
Once at her eye level, he could see her face better - still wearing a grin that only looked goofier due to the garment on her head.
"I found it at the bottom of my chest this morning," she informed him. "I think it was my Pa's old outback hat."
Arlo glanced up at her head once more, pulling another chuckle from him as he took in the worn material.
"Ah, now that you mention it, I do remember seeing him wearing it. Quite often, at that," he told her.
Jo smiled at this, her eyes casting down as she cleared her throat.
"So, what brings you out here? Headed to the Haunted Cave or something?" she asked, meeting his eyes again.
As they stared at one another, he felt his chest grow heavy as reality began to set back in - pieces of his cloud threatening to come back. He had been so distracted in finding her and the familiarity of their greeting that the initial weight of his visit had taken quite a backseat. But now it was back - staring him straight in the face.
He could still ease his way into the situation, though.
"Actually, I'm here to see you," he admitted.
Jo hummed. "Lucky me. And to what do I owe this visit? If you're looking to lend a helping hand then you're out of luck. All the steel beams are finished."
She flashed him a large smile following her statement.
He lifted a brow. "Finish three of them?"
She gave a single nod. "Sure did."
He chucked at her pride, his eyes falling from hers as they stared into his lap.
Just then, he heard feet stomping closer, causing his gaze to lift elsewhere.
A colorful llama had now appeared by Jo's side, it's beady eyes focusing in different directions as it stood there.
"Hello there," Jo spoke, her hand reaching out to the animal as she ruffled it's fluff.
Arlo watched the engagement, his eyes softening as he looked from the llama to Jo. He studied her expression, noting the contentment she wore.
"And why are you out here?" the question fell from his lips, though he was sure he already knew the answer.
"Just visiting some old friends," she spoke gently, giving the llama one last brush of her hand before pulling it away.
"You two know each other well?" he teased her, a corner of his lips pulling up. His own voice was soft as his eyes remained on her.
"We're just getting to know one another," she told him, watching as the llama pranced away. "But my Pa was pretty fond of these guys."
Arlo nodded at her words, though he knew she couldn't see his action.
Jo let out a small laugh.
"Look at me. Wearing my Pa's hat… coming out here with the llamas," she stated. "Maybe I'm feeling a little sentimental today."
He continued to watch her, his next words falling from his mouth.
"Or maybe you're just your father's daughter."
Now Jo's eyes shifted back to him. To his relief, she didn't seem upset by his comment. Instead, she lifted her chin a little as she smiled at him.
"Maybe you're right," she said, pausing a moment before continuing. "And what about you?"
Him?
Her question threw him for a moment, causing him to tilt his head to the side.
"Me?... Do I like… llamas?" he asked.
Jo barked out a laugh before shaking her head. "No. Are you anything like your father? Was he also a protector of his city?"
Arlo's mouth opened as he stuttered slightly, his eyes shifting out in the distance. He then broke off into his own laugh.
That was an unexpected question.
After all, they had been talking about her father - the fact that she brought his own background into the picture was quite… random.
Although, he figured it was fair.
After a moment of hesitation, Arlo finally found himself giving in to her curiosities - the words flowing out of him surprising even himself.
"My father… wasn't on any protection force, but he was a very structured man," he began. "He was strict and kept on me a lot. He didn't necessarily have the best ideas and values, at times… but he did help me figure out what kind of 'right and wrongs' I wanted to believe in…"
Arlo trailed off, keeping himself from going on. He rarely spoke of his father - not intentionally, but because he never really found a reason for it. Why would anyone need to know?
Unless they wanted to know more about him.
Perhaps that's what had driven him to answer her in the first place.
She had shared details about her Pa - on multiple occasions - and even though it wasn't a lot, she had still chosen to trust him with the information. And now she was simply asking for him to do the same.
And he found that he wanted to.
The last thought had Arlo reacting with a hard smile as he tried to internally shake himself off.
This certainly hadn't been what he had come to discuss. Obviously, he had come here knowing what he had wanted to say to her...to an extent - but he hadn't imagined the conversation going this way.
Leave it to Jo to keep him on his toes.
"Looks like he served you well, then," Jo nodded. "You turned out alright, Captain ."
She leaned over to give his shoulder a little shove before she started to stand.
"Care to accompany me back to the Menagerie?" she said, dusting off her pants. She then smiled down at him, holding out her hand.
And just as easily as she had entered the moment with him, she had eased his scattered mind with a wave of her hand. Perhaps she had sensed his indifference - leading Arlo to give a point to her intuition.
However, as Arlo looked at her hand, he felt his body grow with another wave of hesitation. He still wanted to talk to her - about what had happened with Phyllis…about what Rem and him had discussed. Although Jo and him had overcome one complicated topic - another still awaited.
Taking her hand didn't necessarily mean their time together had to come to an end, though. He could still tell her what was on his mind. After all, he had already admitted he had intentionally come to see her and he knew Jo was much too smart to forget that.
This wasn't the goodbye.
Making up his mind, Arlo took her hand, feeling only his fingers brush against her skin. The usual contact made his body grow warm as he stood and now resided directly in front of her. Their hands remained together as they stared at one another, Jo's lips still in an upturned smile as she gazed up at him - completely unaware of his thoughts. Those very thoughts that were swarming in his mind right now.
And as the seconds ticked by with them standing in that same position, Arlo's lips parted as they threatened to release every last word residing inside his mind. About Phyllis… about her… about this.
But they never managed to escape before Jo pulled her hand away and nodded towards her shop, still showing her ignorance to his internal struggles.
"I have something for you, anyway. A long overdue gift," she told him, beginning to walk back.
Arlo followed, then taking his place by her side. "A gift?" he asked, his thoughts from the moment before drifting to the back of his mind. "For what? My birthday isn't until autumn."
Jo turned to him, her eyes widening slightly as she pointed a finger at him. " That is noted. But no. It's not a displaced birthday gift. It's more of a… 'thank you' present."
"But for what?" Arlo asked once more.
"For what ?" Jo tossed back. "For all of your help, of course."
Arlo hummed. "Fair enough… but for which time? The snailbob rescue? Bandirats? When you nearly broke your neck when you fell off the ladder….?"
He broke out in a smile as Jo tossed him a look.
"As much as I want to punch you right now, I'm going to forget everything you just said and go with… D. All of the above."
Arlo laughed and nodded. "Alright."
"But most importantly, just for all your help around the workshop. As stubborn as I can be, I do appreciate the extra set of hands," she told him.
"Even when you didn't ask for them?" he asked.
She nodded. "Even then."
"Then I'll accept your gift," he stated.
"Good," Jo told him, now beginning to climb over her fence. "Because you didn't have much of a choice anyway."
They both maneuvered themselves over the fence and dusted off any potential flakes of wood from their hands as they continued through her yard.
Arlo felt his heart begin to pound harder in his chest as he stared around at all of her different machines, feeling as though that he were racing the clock now that they were back.
How exactly could he go about this? It seemed like a hard topic to coax into the conversation after everything that had already occurred this afternoon. From him teasing her about the hat and them falling into their usual comforts - he didn't know how to protrude it. He thought that he would when the time came… maybe he still would, but it felt like that time was basically now… and he had nothing.
And the more he thought about it, the more antsy he became. Though his exterior remained stilled and calm, he felt his insides shaking within his skin.
It only became worse as he continued to consider their last ten minutes together. It had been simple and effortless… as it always was.
Which only made it harder for Arlo to find the gull to voice his thoughts and relay the events of his incident with Phyllis prior to him coming here. He liked what Jo and him had… he had been relishing in it since he had spotted her in the field.
That was it…
It hit him like a ton of bricks.
What he was "afraid" of may have had a lot less to do with the idea of her not feeling the same way… but more with the possibility of him telling her of his interest… and then everything changing. For the worse...
What he wanted to talk to her about. Would it -
"And here we are," Jo said, cutting through his inner monologue.
He had been so deep within his own thoughts that he hadn't even noticed her pull out an item from her exterior fridge and hold it out to him.
"I thought about baking you a pie, but I know you don't like sweet things," she informed him before holding out the plate in her hands.
Arlo stared at her expression before his eyes fell down to her hands. The sight of her gift and her words caused his stomach to nearly flip.
"Is that…?" he began.
"Spaghetti with hot sauce," Jo confirmed. "Made it about an hour before you came. Some coincidence that was."
Arlo's eyes remained on the food as he reached out to take it from her.
"This is...my absolute favorite dish," he told her, looking up once more.
"I know that , old boy," she said, giving his side a poke.
But how had she known that? Had he told her? He couldn't remember ever discussing food with her in that detail… Then again, he had eaten it in front of her a few times.
And she had noticed.
She had cared enough to notice something so simple about him and take it in her stride. He knew it was a basic human action, but somehow it was causing his chest to grow tighter, his mind to grow foggier.
Or maybe his mind was becoming clearer.
He had spent the night prior on a date with a woman who only cared to throw out details about herself… who never managed to ask him any questions in return or show she was interested in knowing him on other levels. Whether that be his past or simply what foods he liked.
And here was Jo.
Asking about his father moments before… when they had originally been talking of her own, and then presenting him with his favorite dish when he had never even mentioned it.
But, in reality, he hadn't really needed all of those occurrences to make him realize what he had with Jo was different from what Phyllis and him had. He had already known.
If anything, it only created more links within his mind.
The jittering in his bones was now replaced with something else as he stared at her. Though his heart raced, he felt his chest also pull in another way.
In a way he had never really experienced. Until...now.
It felt like…
Longing.
And in that moment, he opened his mouth to speak, ready to present what he had wanted to say to her in any way that he could. He knew that he had to. Whatever it was… it had to be said.
However, that moment didn't come as soon as he hoped as a third party member suddenly called out.
"Jo!"
The two of them turned to catch sight of Tody on the other side of her gate, waving his arm wildly in the air. He was sitting within a Dee Dee transport, pulling something out of the passenger seat before he slid out from behind the wheel.
"Hey, Tody," Jo called back. She took a few steps away, Arlo's eyes following her as she went. Each inch put between them made Arlo feel only more and more deflated.
As much as he liked Tody, he couldn't deny how badly he wanted to punch the man right now.
"Sorry to pop in without notice," the man told her. "But Paulie received your order and asked me to deliver it for him."
Suddenly, a gasp escaped Jo as she broke off in a jog towards the man. Arlo watched her with a furrowed brow as she took the package from Tody, giving him a quick hug before she smiled down at the box.
Tody laughed, looking a bit dazed as he rubbed the back of his neck.
Yeah. Arlo definitely wanted to give the man a few punches.
"Arlo!" Jo spoke again, her brightened expression turning towards him. "Come see this!"
Arlo obliged her, setting down the gifted plate of spaghetti on top of a chest before he started over. He desperately tried to leave whatever emotions had been clinging to him back in his initial spot in the grass, but it was proving to be quite difficult.
As he reached her, he stared down at her now kneeled position on the ground as she pulled the box open. She then grabbed the item within and raised it up, balancing it in her hands.
Arlo raised a brow. "It's a… telephone?"
"That it is, dear sir!" Jo replied, holding up the object with pride.
A telephone?
"Huh…" Arlo began, his eyes staring at it once more.
A few seconds of silence enveloped them as the three stared at the phone, each wearing different expressions. Jo's of excitement, Arlo's of confusion, and Tody's of joyful indifference.
"I'm sorry," Arlo finally spoke once more. "I'm failing to see the significance."
Jo laughed at this, lowering the item. "I've been bugging Paulie about a phone for weeks," she told him. "I've been wanting my own so I can stop going over to the Round Table to use Django's all the time."
Arlo nodded slowly, anticipating further explanation.
"To call home," she finally stated. "My mom and I have barely talked since I've been here. Now I can call her whenever, but - more importantly - she'll also be able to call me."
Ah. There it was.
"Oh," Arlo finally voiced his understanding.
"All adding up now?" Jo teased.
Arlo gave her a roll of his eyes as he took a step forward to finally take the phone from her and inspect it himself.
Yup. It was a phone, alright.
"Thanks for bringing this over, Tody. I appreciate your help," Jo said to the man still standing idly by.
"You're welcome! I'll...uh.. See you two later then!"
And with that, Tody was jogging off to the Dee Dee transport again and hopping inside. The engine fired up and he was gone once more - much to Arlo's relief.
Or maybe to his demise. Now their moment before the man arrived was resurfacing in Arlo's mind again, nagging him as he looked up from the phone to Jo.
"Isn't it great?" Jo asked, turning back to him. "Definitely going to be a big help."
She took it from him then, walking over to place the phone on top of a nearby surface before she shot it one last look of gratitude.
And then silence set in again, bringing his thoughts closer and closer to the surface.
Could he do it now? Should he?
As he fought with himself, Arlo let out a small breath as his eyes scanned her expression. However, he couldn't help but let his gaze drift off as something caught his attention in the distance. More specifically, an object standing tall on her assembly station.
"What is that ?" he blurted out.
Jo glanced over at him before she noticed that his eyes were pointed elsewhere. She then turned to look towards whatever it was he was referring to.
"Oh! That's Lara!" Jo spoke. "Ack's long lost love."
She hummed out a little laugh, looking at Arlo just as his eyes were cast back to her.
"Wait, what? Is Ack having you fix her...? Resurrect her somehow?" Arlo asked, still baffled.
"No, no. This is just a model. He's been missing her, so he asked me if I could make like a… homage to her or something," she told him. "It's his way of remembering her."
"A model, huh?" Arlo asked, his arms folding over his chest as he looked back to the makeshift robot. "That's… creepy."
"It is not ," Jo chimed in. "It's romantic."
Arlo wasn't sure if he would necessarily call this the most sane act of love, but he figured he had to level with Ack a little. The robot had been through a lot… he had to manage somehow.
"Speaking of romantic," Jo spoke again. "How did your date with Phyllis go last night?"
Her tone was dancing, pulling Arlo's eyes back to her as he watched her lift a brow and pull off her large hat from her head.
The moment grew quiet as Arlo felt every fiber of his being become fire as her question echoed within his mind. He didn't know what warranted his strong reaction, especially because her topic change was the exact reason why he was there.
Maybe it was because she had caught him off guard again, or maybe because he hadn't been the one who initiated the conversation.
Or maybe it was because he felt his body sink slightly as he watched the tendrils of her hair shift in the wind, brushing softly against her cheeks in the way he wished his fingers could. The longer strands were tucked away in a low bun that allowed him to see her entire face, which had recently grown sun-kissed from the summer sun.
Now he didn't want to simply brush his fingers along her cheek, but place his hands on either side of her face and hold her there.
And then what?
He was only beginning to make sense of these feelings he was experiencing for Jo and he didn't even know what they really meant. Moments ago he had felt this longing, but he didn't know in what regard. He didn't know if it was simply a longing to tell her about the Phyllis situation, to admit these scrambled feelings he had for Jo, or what. He only knew he was confused and his confusion was only worsening by the moment.
He had told Rem that he did have these… foreign feelings towards Jo, but he didn't know what that all meant. Maybe he was chalking them up to be more than they were, or maybe he was suppressing them to make them seem like they were less than they really were.
So if he had her face in between his hands then what would he do? What were his impulses desiring?
To just have her see him?
But she did see him. She made that evident.
Bloody hell. What was this he was feeling?
And what was she feeling?
Well, she's probably feeling creeped out because you're not answering her question.
Right. That.
All she had asked him was how the date had gone - nothing more than that.
But the answer to that question was even difficult, wasn't it? Because his response to that, and his reasoning to ending things with Phyllis really came back to…
Jo.
"The date?" Arlo began.
Jo nodded, her expression slightly more smoothed now. She seemed as though she had noticed his shift, but she wasn't necessarily 'creeped out' as he might have anticipated. She was just waiting.
"It wasn't… I mean… it was…" he tried.
Anything. Form some kind of sentence.
He had been playing this out in his mind all morning and now he was falling short? He was the leader of a protection force who could think on his feet in every other regard. But leave it to expressing his feelings to be his utter weakness. Brilliant.
Taking a breath, Arlo gave his head a little shake as he prepared himself to start over.
"That's actually what I came to talk to you about… part of it," he finally stated. It wasn't really anything, but at least it made more sense than whatever gibberish had left him moments before.
Another huff left him as he tried to now get out the rest.
Phyllis.
The failure of their date.
Him breaking it off.
His indifference about Jo.
His eyes had fallen to the ground and he now raised them to her, searching her expression for anything.
Did she have any idea? About any of it?
She would be reassuring and encouraging when he told her about Phyllis.
But what about the rest?
Would he ruin everything by voicing the feelings he wasn't even sure of yet?
Arlo could feel his expression becoming almost pained as his repeated thoughts flew around in his mind. He just had no idea what to do. He thought he had, but it was different once he was here. With her.
"Arlo?" Jo said, his name leaving her mouth slowly. The sound of it slowly brought him back, making him able to focus more on her and less on the complications of this all.
"What is it?" she asked. Her voice was gentle, holding the question with care as her gaze was soft on him. She took a step forward, her head tilting to the side as she waited for his answer.
The sight of it all and the tone of her voice made Arlo feel as though he was slowly coming undone. In so many ways. The longing was there again and he was still unable to make full sense of it.
However, as he stared at her he knew he needed to tell her. He had to.
Let it go. Lose control.
"Jo…" he began, his voice quiet as he felt his heart rising up into his throat.
Please just don't let this ruin anything.
"Arlo!"
Bloody fucking hell.
They both turned to see Rem coming to a stop just outside of Jo's gate.
Why!?
Arlo wanted to scold Rem for showing up now , but he decided to hold his tongue - even mentally - as the man's demeanor insinuated something was wrong.
"What is it, Rem?" Arlo asked, feeling his shoulders tense from both his unfinished sentence to Jo and the new sense of alert falling over him.
"Emergency at the Sewage Ruin," Rem informed him. "We need to get over there. Now."
"Jesus," Arlo hissed out from under his breath. He then looked over to Jo, taking some steps backward.
"Uh, raincheck," he told her before pointing at the plate of spaghetti he had set to the side. "I'll come back for that."
Jo waved him off. "I'll just bring it up to the Civil Corps building. Go, go."
Arlo nodded to her, turning around now as he caught up with Rem and they broke off into a run together.
With each step, Arlo almost expected himself to feel a sense of relief, but it never really came. Instead, his disapproval of himself only grew.
They were halfway through Central Plaza when Rem snuck a glance towards Arlo before huffing out his single question.
"Did you do it?"
Arlo let out his own sigh, shaking his head.
"No."
A furrow sat on her brow and she continued to stand there.
Well, that was certainly… something.
She had no idea what to make of Arlo's entire visit. For one, she had never fully figured out why he had come to see her in the first place. When she had mentioned his date with Phyliis, he had started to say that it was part of the reason he had come to see her, but nothing more than that.
Not that he really had a chance to since Rem had shown up.
But the entire time she couldn't help but notice that Arlo seemed to be lost in his thoughts, or that he had something on the tip of his tongue. The energy between them had been the same for the most part, but there was definitely something lingering in the picture that was resonating from his end.
She had seen it in the field, when she had given him the spaghetti, and then just before Rem came to get Arlo.
But what was it?
Jo had no idea. She felt her head spinning from the whole thing and even after.
What had he wanted to tell her?
It had something to do with the date. But what?
Letting out an exasperated sigh, Jo knew it wasn't going to do her any good drawing conclusions of her own. He had wanted to tell her himself and she figured she needed to wait to hear it from him. It was obviously hard for him to articulate, but it was important enough for him to come see her about it.
So she would wait.
All she could do for the time being was carry on with her own day and wait until a later time when they could finish their conversation. Maybe then he would have his thoughts more sorted.
Nodding to herself, Jo's eyes glanced over to the plate of spaghetti that he had to leave behind. She decided she would put it into her fridge once more and run it into town later that evening when she was finished with Lara.
Remembering the build, Jo moved her eyes to the collection of pieces that had now started to resemble Ack's drawing. The sight of it caused her to smile, which soon grew wider as she let out a laugh.
"I guess it might be a little creepy," she said to herself, pulling out her wrench as she approached the figurine. "But I'm sure Ack will love it."
What a day.
Jo had never anticipated that she would ever be the shoulder to cry on for a robot - not that he cried real tears - but she could now check that off her list.
After she had finished with Ack, agreeing to keep the Lara model in her own lawn for him to visit, Jo had busied herself with a leaky pipe at the school house. She then wrapped up her work day by supplying Albert with some more materials for the bridge.
They were so close to finishing it now that Jo could barely contain her excitement. She looked forward to the morning of the opening ceremony when she would be able to stand among her fellow citizens, watch the mayor cut the ribbon, and know that she had been part of something monumental for Portia. She had done that.
Or part of it, but she wasn't really willing to give Higgins any credit.
Now, Jo was making her way up the hill to the Civil Corps headquarters with Arlo's plate of spaghetti in tow. She figured it would be a nice meal for him to enjoy after his own eventful day.
Well, and she hoped to use it as a little bargaining piece. Maybe if she gave him the plate and stuck around then she would be able to get him to finish their conversation from before. It was slightly wicked of her, but she couldn't help herself.
Reaching the top, she pushed her way inside to find the fully lit mainroom of the Corp building. However, that's all she found.
There was no one actually there.
"Arlo?" Jo shouted from the front door, waiting to see if he would come out from his bedroom.
But he didn't.
"Rem?" she called out again.
Nothing.
"Huh…" she huffed, looking around the room.
Were they still off at the Sewage Ruin? She certainly hoped not. That would mean that whatever emergency Rem had referred to earlier was a lot worse than she might have expected.
Shifting around once more, Jo's brow furrowed as she continued to wrack her brain of possibilities. However, just like before, she knew it wasn't fair to draw conclusions. Regardless of where they were, Jo had already determined that they weren't there . Therefore, she figured it was best to just leave the plate and move along.
Looks like those answers from Arlo will have to wait until even later.
That certainly didn't sit well with her impatience.
Finding their fridge, Jo placed the spaghetti inside and then left Arlo a note on the front of the fridge to let him know that it was there. After that, she let herself out and started back down the infamous hill.
Guess I could go grab some fruit tarts from Martha. I could use something sweet about now.
Making her way further, Jo let out a yawn as she gazed out at the descending sun in the distance. It had nearly sunk behind the hills, suggesting that it would soon be fully dark.
As if on cue, the streetlights around her kicked on, illuminating her path further as she went. She wrapped her arms around herself, smiling as she enjoyed this presented moment of calm. She hadn't planned to take a peaceful night walk, but perhaps the universe had felt she needed it.
Reaching the bottom of the stairs in Central Plaza, she turned herself in the direction of Martha's sore. However, a familiar voice soon found her ears, nearly causing her to stop in her tracks.
"I'm sorry that this all happened. I promise that I had no idea."
Was that Sam?
"It seemed like everything was fine."
That was definitely Sam.
So the Corps weren't still stuck at the Sewage Ruin. Well, that was a relief.
However, with one solved mystery, Jo couldn't help but let herself get wrapped up in Sam's words. She was sorry? But for what? And who was she talking to?
Within moments, Jo found her last question being answered.
"I thought it was too! I thought it was great ," the other voice spoke.
Without a doubt, it was Phyllis.
Jo felt a sudden wave of guilt spread over her as she knew she shouldn't be eavesdropping on the conversation. It sounded serious and she had no place within it.
Reminding herself of her trip to Martha's, she took a step, but found herself officially stopped when she heard Phyllis' next words.
"I just don't get it. The date went perfectly and then he comes to me this morning and says all that? It doesn't make sense."
Were they talking about...Arlo?
So the date had gone well. But then… what had he said to her that morning?
"I mean… all I can think about is...what if Arlo… isn't into women?"
What?
"Arlo is not gay. That's kind of an ignorant thing to say, Phyl."
"I know, I know. I'm sorry. I'm just upset. I'm telling you, Sam - something is going on. Because the second I tried to get physical with him and wanted to get down to it… that's when he breaks up with me? Doesn't something seem odd about that?"
Wait, Arlo broke up with Phyllis?
Jo smoothed away the ache in her chest she felt once Phyllis mentioned the "physical" piece of the situation and found herself focusing on the last bit.
He broke up with her… that's what he had been trying to tell you this morning .
But why had it been so hard for him to tell her?
Jo furrowed her brow as she started to fall into a train of thought, but she quickly shook her assumptions away.
He wanted to tell you this himself, remember? Is this really how we want to hear about all of this? By letting our curiosities get the best of us?
Now officially forcing herself to go, Jo took steps to her right in order to head to Martha's, or maybe past that as fruit tarts no longer seemed as important. However, she didn't get far before she caught herself on one of Mars' displays as she went, causing the whole thing to topple over and make a loud commotion.
Scolding herself, Jo dropped to her knees and began to place everything upright once again, her hands moving quickly so she could continue on as soon as possible.
"Jo?"
Crap.
Glancing over her shoulder, Jo could see Phyllis and Sam standing behind her - appearing as though they had hurried over after hearing the noise.
"Hey," Jo said, finishing the job before standing to face them. "Sorry to alarm you. Seems like my clumsiness has struck again."
"You're alright," Sam replied, brushing away her words. "I'm just glad to see it's you and not Scraps getting into Mars' stuff again."
She nodded, managing a small smile. Just then, her eyes flicked away from Sam, catching Phyllis standing behind her. Though Jo could see the woman was still exasperated from her - not so private - conversation moments before, it was clear that Phyllis' demeanor had nothing to do with Jo's sudden appearance.
But still, she felt the need to flee the scene. Staring at both women made her feel guilty about how she'd been eavesdropping only moments before. It didn't appear that either of them were suspicious that she'd heard, but she didn't know if that made her feel better or worse.
"I was just headed home," Jo mentioned, pointing behind her in a vague direction. She only needed to get her feet moving in that direction as well.
But Sam kept her there, which Jo found strange. She figured the two women would want their privacy back - to fall back into their conversation.
"Oh, yeah. And where have you been all evening? With a mysterious suitor?" Sam teased.
Jo cleared her throat slightly, her feet gently shifting.
"No, no. I was actually up at the Civil Corps. Dropping something off…" she trailed off. She didn't feel right mentioning that what she had left was for Arlo. She didn't feel right mentioning him at all.
A wave of concern came over Sam's face, her brows pulling together. "Something important? Should I head back up?"
Jo waved this away. "No, nothing like that. Just a gift," she explained.
Just then, her eyes shifted back to Phyllis once more, but the woman didn't show any signs of indifference. Instead, her expression was smooth… nearly blank.
Maybe that was worse than indifferent.
Her eyes moved back to Sam, squaring her shoulders a bit. "Anyway, I should get going. I didn't mean to interrupt your night."
"Oh, nonsense," Sam stated, shaking her head at Jo. "We were just having a talk. About men."
Yeah. Jo knew that.
Sam glanced back at Phyllis then, which caused Phyllis to take a few steps forward until she was at Sam's side, folding her arms over her chest.
" Complicated men," Phyllis said, nearly rolling her eyes. "In fact…"
She pointed her gaze at Jo. "We could use another woman's opinion."
Oh no.
Sam let out a laugh as she also turned to look at Jo. "She's having a bit of trouble with the Captain ."
Jo raised a brow, trying to appear as though she were hearing this all for the first time.
Though, a nagging voice still remained in the back of her head. Not due to her dishonesty, but because she once again thought back to Arlo. About how he had shown up at her home earlier that day. Unannounced.
Not that Arlo hadn't been doing that for weeks, but when he had come that afternoon she had known it wasn't just to offer his help. She could see it in his face. In the way he held his body.
She could hear it in the words that he spoke and in those that he didn't.
And now she knew the reasoning behind it all. Only… he had wanted to tell her himself, and here she was - learning about everything from someone else.
From the woman who was about to tell Jo her side of the story, which was likely not to be anything like his.
He had wanted her to hear it from him.
Phyllis and Sam continued to make that quite difficult though as Phyllis began to relay information once more.
"We went on our date last night and everything went great. Goodnight kiss and all," she stated.
Jo swallowed, giving her a nod.
"Then he shows up earlier today and he's different . From the moment I let him in, I could tell there was something on his mind," she continued.
Jo nodded once more, assuming his behavior mirrored what she had seen as well.
"He told me he only wanted to be friends and things weren't working out," Phyllis admitted. "I was completely blind sided. I mean, I respected what he was saying, but it was such a sudden shift."
"It's a sad truth, Phyl… but sometimes things really do change that quickly," Sam said gently.
Sam's words could be accurate, but they still didn't give Phyllis what she wanted.
She wanted to know why.
Jo couldn't help but want to know the same - as wrong as that felt.
"And he didn't say anything else?" Jo tried, her curiosity taking control of her tongue.
"Only that he was sorry. And, well, that he didn't feel like he 'cared for me as he should.' Something like that," Phyllis stated.
Jo bit the side of her tongue, her brows pulling together as she tried to make sense of the woman's words. They obviously didn't answer the 'why' question still, which only made Jo become more puzzled.
"Strange…" Jo spoke, her voice coming out louder than she meant.
"Right?" Phyllis said, jumping on Jo's response.
Jo looked at the woman now, keeping herself together as she tried to think of anything to offer.
"Do you feel the same? That maybe friendship is the better option?" she said.
She knew it was wrong, and even a little odd, that she was asking the question. Especially because she felt as though she were asking it for herself.
There was a strange tension rising in her lower stomach, only growing more intense as she thought about Arlo going to Phyllis that morning and saying all of these things.
About him ending it all.
And then he had come to see Jo.
Jo quickly shoved that thought away, punching it hard in its nonexistent arm before she pushed it to the ground like an unwanted bully.
"I didn't," Phyllis began, her tone dropping. "I would be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed and didn't want to continue things. I mean, I like him…"
Her words pressed into Jo's chest, somehow making her snap a nod.
"I just didn't know if you knew more," she spoke again, nearly taking Jo aback. "Sam obviously spends a lot of time with Arlo, but he also knows Sam and I are close. So I'm sure he doesn't want to talk to her about it… But you! You two are basically best friends. You might have some sort of idea?"
Oh, that's what Phyllis was getting at.
Now the weight on Jo's chest grew heavier as she stared at Phyllis.
She knew what the woman was asking her and she wanted to be able to give Phyllis an answer, to provide some sort of excuse that could ease her mind somehow.
But she couldn't.
For one, she didn't know anything.
Over the last week or so, Jo had stood by and watched Arlo's progress with Phyllis. She provided support however she could, whether it was praising him for deciding to take her on a date or simply sending positive thoughts his way when she saw them together.
Or when she thought of them together…
She had been under the impression that everything was fine. That it was great.
And two - Jo and Arlo were good friends.
Perhaps even best friends, as Phyllis had mentioned.
Which meant that even if Jo had anything to tell Phyllis - she wouldn't.
That was private, and it would have been something that Arlo would have trusted her with. Why would she ever do anything - especially knowingly - to abuse that?
Jo had already shaken his trust a little when she had entered the Haunted Cave alone, and she had sworn she would never do anything of the sort again.
And maybe that even pertained to having this conversation in the first place. If she also trusted Arlo and his decisions then she shouldn't be standing her gossiping with Phyllis, but choosing not to humor these ideas further.
Jo let out a small breath, easing into herself as she tried to conjure up some sort of response.
"Sorry, Phyllis," she finally said. "Maybe he'll give you more of an explanation when he's ready."
She shrugged, holding the woman's gaze as Phyllis' lips turned down into a small frown. It obviously hadn't been the response that she wanted, but it was the one that she was getting. Jo wasn't going to budge any further.
"You're right," Phyllis said, turning to look at Sam. Despite the woman's words, Jo could tell that Phyllis was definitely annoyed - but she simply let it roll off her. "Guess I should let it go for the night."
Sam placed a hand on the woman's shoulder, giving her a small squeeze.
"Think that's for the best, Phyl. Maybe we should go for a drink. Not at the Round Table since Arlo and Rem are there, but I have some wine back at my place," Sam offered.
So that's where Arlo had been.
Jo felt a prickle begin at the top of her head, slowly trailing down until it reached her backbone.
"That sounds perfect, Sam," Phyllis said, managing a small smile. Her eyes then shifted to the brunette. "Care to join us, Jo?"
"Oh, no. That's okay," Jo responded without thinking twice. "I've had a long day. I think I'm just going to head to bed."
Phyllis nodded at this, already beginning to take some steps away. "Well, thank you for listening. I appreciate it."
Jo painted a gentle smile on her lips. "Of course."
"See you later, Jo," Sam said. However, before she followed off with Phyllis, she stood with Jo a few more moments - lowering her voice. "And thanks for playing Switzerland. Didn't mean for you to get caught in the middle."
Jo shrugged. "Don't worry about it. I wasn't much help anyway."
Sam laughed. "Don't think anyone can be in this situation."
The girls exchanged a smile, the upturn in Jo's lip real this time. They then said their final goodbyes, leaving Jo to watch the two women head up the stairs while she only lingered.
A sudden brush of wind passed through the plaza, touching Jo's bare arms as she now stared around at the empty paths. She slowly moved her arms up, wrapping them around herself as she gently rubbed her palms over her shoulders for warmth.
Or perhaps comfort.
She could barely feel her own touch, though. In fact, she almost felt like she wasn't even feeling anything. Not the rise and fall of her chest as she continued to take elongated breaths or the pressure that she knew was growing in her head.
It was as if she were floating above herself, only watching.
Turning her head, her eyes found the path she actually needed to take. Her feet continued to stay planted, unwilling to take the needed steps across the stone.
The Jo floating above mentally scolded the one below, insisting that the shaken woman get moving.
Deciding to listen to herself, her feet then started to shift. They were heavy as they guided her up a walkway that she had taken countless times - though it now looked different to her.
As she went, noise began to fill her ears as she approached Peach Plaza. But as she reached the top of the path, she found that no one was to be found. Instead, the voices and music were coming from within a well known building.
Her feet slowed as her eyes fell down to the ground in front of her. Her lips were slightly parted, letting out small huffs as she slowly began to cast her gaze elsewhere… On the building itself.
The Round Table.
And as she stared at the sign, the wooden exterior - her mind began to create a picture of a scene inside the restaurant.
Of a certain redhead within. Sitting with his friend as they shared a drink and tried to let the day roll off of them.
In one scenario, he was smiling… laughing and full of relief. And in another, he was hanging his head - draining a glass before requesting another.
But which one was his reality?
Her body threatened to find out for herself. To move. To take fast steps to the doors and push her way inside. To find that redhead and plop herself right down next to him.
Or maybe even throw her arms around him, ruffle his hair, and express her emotion how she preferred. With actions and not words.
But she didn't let her impulses get the best of her that time.
Instead, the Jo floating above her finally came back down to Earth. Both Jos molded together again - trying to become whole.
The Jo that now stood there took a slow breath, staring at the doors as she tried to force her mind to let go of the pictures she had created within them.
She couldn't go in. If she did then Arlo would figure out she knew about the Phyllis situation. He would discover that she had found out before he was able to tell her himself.
Tell her his side.
If Jo went in then she would only disturb his picture within.
So she wouldn't. She would let him have his night.
She pressed her lips firmly together, pulling her gaze away as she directed it to where she needed to go. Soon, she forced her feet to do the same.
With each step she took, she tried to leave any thoughts concerning Arlo or Phyllis behind. Just like Phyllis, she needed to let this go for the night.
She would soon know the truth.
Or maybe she wouldn't.
Arlo would tell her what he wanted to share and she had to respect that...
She had to trust him.
And more importantly, she had to be there for him.
As his friend.