Chapter 43: Lagnus & Silvana: Bestie Warns of Hostility

It's been a while since Arle broke up with Lagnus. And while Arle doesn't seem to really care about it as usual, she has been able to look at him as a friend again for a while now.

Lagnus is still far from over it…

"Okay, Arle. Your turn." DM Lagnus said.

"Stop calling me Arle. It's not funny." Marle said in a dour-y mood.

"Ah!" Lagnus slapped himself. "Sorry, I don't mean to annoy you all the time, Arl- MARLE! Marle."

"Look, if Arle gives you this much grief during fun time, either cut her out of your life or make up." Marle suggested.

"It doesn't really matter which he does." Maguro informed.

"We've been telling him this for years now. This is just kinda how Lagnus and Arle just do things." Ringo turned her head towards Lagnus. "Just let Arle go already, you can still remain friends. It's obvious you two aren't gonna work out."

Lagnus took a deep breath. "Marv, any tips to make it up to her?" Ringo sighed, she was being ignored.

"Make it up how?" Marvett said. "She dumped you over your libido because you saw a sexy cosplay. History is bound to repeat itself. We all like Arle, but we can all agree she was a little unreasonable for dumping you like that, right?"

"Iunno…" Ringo voiced. "I'd be pretty upset if Tee looked at other girls in a certain way."
"I'm not date material." Marle asserted. "But I'd find that very anti-fun."
"I'm not touching this subject in the interest of my own safety. " Maguro put his hands up.

"Huh." Marvett didn't expect those responses.

"But it was just that one time!" The DM slammed his head on the table, making all the game pieces jump a little. "And it's a cosplay of a character I genuinely like a lot as a character…" He defended himself with his face hidden behind the DM screen. "So cool to see her in real life."

"Oh. That sounds more reasonable then." Ringo said.
"I should try cosplaying once, might be fun." Marle said with hope.
"I don't think my opinion is needed here. "

"See Lag?" Marvett said with her point validated. "You're better off not being Arle's boyfriend."

"...I should buy Arle a gift she'd reall-"

"Lagnus!" Ringo yelled, making Lagnus shrink in age by more than half his age again. Ringo immediately regretted it. "Ai…" The girl winced, and she wasn't the only one here.. "You feel that strongly, huh?" She spoke more softly and sympathetically. "Sorry."

"I wanna be alone." The now 7-year-old demanded.

"We'll clean up this session for ya." Maguro said.

"Ugh. There goes my fun. Can we trade traits, Lagnus?" Marle the split personality haver asked.

"If we could, maybe? Marv, I need a hug." Marvett wrapped Lagnus in her arms and lifted the boy up. "Thanks~" Lagnus felt a little less upset.

Ringo and Maguro did their studies, Marle went to paint in art class, and Marvett and Lagnus watched. Lagnus tried to stay quiet but he was a bit too whiny to the newcomer and currently prickly for Marle's taste.

"I get you're sad, but can you please try and have some fun?" Marle suggested for Lagnus' sake. "Take it from me, even if you don't have fun it WILL take your mind off of things." As she was saying "WILL" Marle made an unneeded big swipe on the canvas."You'll feel better." She calmly stated.

"I'm not gonna have fun. I just wanna be Arle's boyfriend again!" Lagnus had a tantrum.

"Was Arle ever really that fun for you?" Marle never really asked about this before. "Were you ever even that fun to Arle?"

"What's it to you, huh!?" Lagnus reactionarily movement made it hard for Marvett to hold him in place. "You don't see me prying into your problem perso- Hmphpfmmphph!" Marvett had his mouth covered.

"Please don't say anything you'll regret, Lagnus." His childhood friend pleaded. She also pleaded to her other friend: "Please don't hold what he says against him like this."

Marle took a big breath and got her attention back to her painting. "…I… It's. May we both get fun again soon…"

The bell rang and everyone went home. Lagnus had transformed back and done some thinking, he caught up on some self-reflecting he couldn't do in his child form.

It drove him crazy. He needed to make it up to Arle, do something really nice for her… He had really no clue what though... 'What do you give your ex as a present?' He had an idea. He knew Arle's interests, and knew it has to be something that lasts…

He called Silvana for an impromptu in-person meeting. "Sorry dude, I'm going to work. Can it wait until tomorrow?" She asked over the phone. Lagnus agreed. Even if he wanted her help as soon as possible…

The wait made him very nervous the next day. Silvana insisted on late in the afternoon which drove Lagnus crazy. He needed to do right by Arle as soon as he could. It was all could think of when doing his homework and playing his games to pass the time as he waited for Silvana to show up at his house.

To say he's nervous is an understatement. Waiting to ask Silv what he's gonna ask as he looked at the clock continuously.

RING-RING-RING-RRRIIIIIIIIIIING RING-RING-RING-RRRIIIIIIIIIIING

Lagnus jumped at the doorbell. That playful ring can only be Arle or Silvana. He hurtled downstairs to open up and see his coolest friend just stand there coolly with a friendly smile. "Yo." She playfully saluted as she walked in. "Been a while." The classmate looked around the house.

"Um… Uh… Silv."

Silvana could read this guy immediately, she groaned. "Please don't tell me you got me here so you can get back with my sister." The girl with the hoodie replied to his face.

She wasn't entirely wrong, but he couldn't find it in him to correct her. He looked to the floor as his body instinctively retracted inward. "S-Sorry." He sheepishly pulled out a small wad of credits.

Silvana sighed and took it. "5, 10, 15, 25." 25 credits. To Lagnus' surprise, she handed the 10 credit bill back. "Look Lag, just let's hang out after you're done, like riff a movie or somethin'. 'Kay? We're friends."

"Yes." Lagnus nodded far more times than there are syllables in that sentence. "I'd like to riff a movie with you again too."

"Cool." Silvana took her beanie off her long hair into her pockets and walked upstairs without Lagnus' prompting as Lagnus followed her. "You're too good for her." She said dryly.

Lagnus quietly disagreed. Though he did wish he had as stable a relationship as Silvana did with Rafisol. Just less secretive about it.

Lagnus' Room

Lagnus explained he wanted to properly apologize to Arle for the cosplay incident. Silvana just groaned as she took place on Lagnus' couch. "You don't have to apologize to her. She's dumped you for the smallest reasons. It borders on emotional abuse, Lag!"

Lagnus meeped… He just stood there without a rebuttal. Unlike his friend there, Lagnus doesn't have it in him to speak his mind on matters like this.

It also doesn't help that Silvana still shares her sister's face, no matter how much she hide- "Earth to Lag! Helloooo?"

"Oh! Uh…"

Silvana rolled her eyes and positioned herself differently on the couch. Her face closest to Lagnus on his bed, and her arms leaning on the armrest. "Let's start over… Tell me… But don't ever say I never warned you… How do you wanna rekindle with Arle?"

Lagnus froze up again. But not only because Silv's face and tone souring at the mention of her sibling, because it's a delicate question he should word carefully. Silvana grew a little impatient, non-verbally urging the boy to just spit it out. "I-I uh… umm… need… Arle's… measurements..."

"Snrk." Lagnus didn't expect that reaction. That reaction being Silvana holding in her laughter. She covered her mouth and doing her best to suppress her laughter. "What! Hahaha!" She chuckled. "Did I hear that right? Pffffuhuhuha!"

Lagnus shrunk, metaphorically. "I really, really wanna buy Arle something nice as an apology, looking at-"

"So you're gonna make Arle cosplay instead! Pffft. Send me pics of her red face! Ha!"

"No!" Lagnus flailed blushing. "I wanted to buy her the best, most useful sports clothes I could find."

"Oooooh~" Silvana looked at Lagnus with her face pointed diagonally, the top of her fist covering her mouth. "That would be an amazing gift, actually, Arle would definitely like that. Damn it, Lagnus, she doesn't deserve you. You make me jealous~"

"What?" Lagnus was confused.

Before Lagnus could ask a few questions, his female friend tried to preemptively shoot them down. "I'm not implying I wanna become your girlfriend, Lag." She always told him that preemptively at least twice every break-up with Arle. Lagnus never wanted to ask that question.

"Oh. Yeah." 'Seriously, why do I keep thinking a lesbian is coming onto me?'

'I'd make such a horrible girlfriend.' "And I could buy my own sports clothes (which I might now)." She noted that down on her phone. "You always pay attention to her which she doesn't to you, Lag. You can do better."

"Bu-"

"I said I don't wanna be a girlf-"

"I WASN'T GONNA SAY THAT!"

"Oops. My bad." She had a sheepish grin on her face. "What were you gonna say?"

"…I forgot."

"…So you wanna know my sister's bra size?" She snickered.

"...Waist and hip too…" The boy whimpered out before he grabbed a pillow to hide his face and shame in it. Silvana only laughed harder.

"Hahaha! Sure I'll tell you."

Langus slowly un-applied the pillow. "Really?"

"But on two conditions." She indeed held up two fingers. "One before I tell you our B-W-H, one after."

"Deal." Lagnus agreed with a determined face.

The ex's twin's eyes widened. She didn't even need to ask him if he wanted to know what the conditions are. 'He really must love Arle. I wish someone loved me like that… Can't let that happen. Arle doesn't know what she had…' "You ready?" Silv wanted to make sure. She did her best to hide her smile.

"Yes." Lagnus nodded with a stern face.

"'Kay, Lag, just say: Please, Silv, please narc on your sister's bra size for me." She laughed.

"Whua?! Do have tooo?"

"I mean- Snrk. That's what you want, right?" Silvana enjoyed teasing him like this, makes this trip worth it.

"Yeah, I mean… I couldn't think of any better present, OKAY!?"

"Chill, Lag, it's fiiiiiiine. Now just say the funny thing and I'll help out."

Lagnus sighed. He knew Silvana, she wouldn't tell this to others. "Please, Silvana. Please narc on your sister's bust size for me."

"Ahahahaha." etc. "So good. Haaa! Gimme a sec. Hahaha~"

Sec.

"Okay..." Silv let out a few more snickers.

'At least she's in a good mood.' Lagnus snarked in his head.

"Thank you for that, I needed a laugh~" She genuinely said. "Now Arle's (and my) measurements; iunno."

"What!?"

"Sorry, we're not one of those kinda girls who like to go clothes shopping. We prefer practicality over looks when it comes to clothes (one of the few good ideas Arle has). So I don't really know my measurements by heart. Got one of those bendable rulers?"

"I'm not sure."

"Then I'll give you them when I get home. Or… you'll change your mind once you follow my second condition: hear me out." Her body language did just as much talking as her words there.

Lagnus wasn't sure where this was going. But he listened.

"Now imagine if you and Arle were still dating."

"Uh-uh."

"It's your anniversary, you two booked a place, a nice curry place. You prepared a gift for her, the sports clothes that fits perfectly because I gave you her measurements." She took a sigh. Silvana needed to convey this well. "Now I get you mean well, but I think Arle will raise an eyebrow and might be a little creeped out. At best."

"Oh…"

"See what I mean?" Silvana looked emphatically. "You know Arle, she won't ask you why it fits perfectly, she'll just find it creepy why you know her measurements without a follow-up question. Ergo; break-up. What makes you think it'll be any less creepy in the off part of your relationship?"

Lagnus' hope was a little dashed. "Oh… Uh...mmm." He floundered coming up with a backup plan. "Whaaat iiiiiif… I went with it's the thought that counts approach?"

"Like how? Buy clothes too big for her?"

Lagnus snapped his fingers in a eureka kinda way. "Yes!"

"Dude. Don't give her sports clothes that don't fit." The fellow athletic girl frowned. "That's a waste of money for you, and useless to her. Ergo; break up before you're even back together."

"Nnnmmmgh." The boy moaned.

"Lag, I gotta be real with you, I think you're just screwed. Best you could hope for is giving her a gift card if you wanna get back together."

… "I think you miss understand me here. I don't want to get back together."

"Huh?"

"I mean, it'd be a nice bonus. And I'd be a liar if I said I didn't wanna be part of a couple with her again…" He hid his mouth behind his pillow. "But this is an apology first and foremost. Getting back together is a distant second."

"..." Silvana felt his sincerity.

…

"…You're hopeless, Lag… How are you more pure than you in your kid curse, Lag? Are you even a real person, Lag? You're too sweet for this world, Lag… Just get Arle a gift card if you really feel that way, Lag!"

Silvana had no idea what to think. She did know she was frustrated though. Not that she'd wanna deny Lagnus' hope at this point.

"W-Wanna riff a movi-"

"PLEASE! THANK YOU!"

The two had a fun time riffing a video game that thought it was a movie into the evening. It got more fun the more the two forgot why they were at Lagnus' house to begin with. Not that they totally forgot.

"Thanks, Lag." The dark redhead genuinely said as they walked downstairs. "Maybe invite me next time for its own sake, though. 'Cuz Arle really kills my mood."

Lagnus didn't wanna press on why again. He didn't want to get into another argument. Doubtful Silv wanted it too. He did have a question though. "How do you live with her?"

"Heh." Surprisingly, Silvana had a fulfilled smile on her face. "Benefits of having a job." She sure sounded like she loved doing it, whatever it was. "Cash, and I get to be away from that Bitch." Lagnus wondered if that last word was really necessary.

"Seems like it's something you really enjoy, huh?"

"Yup~ Still not telling you~"

"Heh, figured. Seeya later, Silv."

"Later, Lag~" The girl jogged off. "Good luck for your sake."

"I hope so too…"

The next school day, the first class of the day was over. And as nervous as Lagnus was he wasted little time in giving Arle his gift.

"Uh… Arle, you have a minute?" He asked her from behind her.

"Lagnus? What's up?" She turned.

"I got you this as an apology." The boy presented the sports store gift card Silvana recommended.

Arle took it from her ex's hands. She flipped it ov- "WHOA! Lagnus, this is a l-"

"Yeah, I thought you'd like some better clothes for when you run."

"Oh, you didn't have to do that, Lag. I totally forgot why we broke up."

'Are you kidding me?' Lagnus then proceeded to scream internally. "Oh."

"Wanna get back together? I kinda miss it." She said flatly.

"Sure." Lagnus fist-pumped internally. Apology accepted(?) and they're back together. Nice!

At lunch break, Silvana and Rafisol sat together alone as usual. The former spotted Lagnus and Arle together again from a distance. Lagnus gave her thumbs up when he spotted her and Silvana gave a dismissive gesture. "The cycle begins again…" She snarked.

"What?" Rafisol was confused until her friend pointed at the couple. "Oh."

Silvana hated admitting it, but she's gonna, because looking at these two (mostly the happy Lagnus) made her feel jealous. "Raf." She said in a solemn tone as she turned to her cyanette friend.

"Yes, Silvana?"

"I'm not saying I want a long-term relationship or anything. Because I'd make a terrible girlfriend. But ever felt the need to date someone?"

"Uuum… When?" Rafisol asked.

"Pffft." Silvana snickered. "First I gotta find someone, Raf. Haha."

"Oh."

"Maybe I should try a blind dating app…" She got distracted from that plan.

Authors' Notes:

HUSK: Might be a while until the next chapter. Ware's a little busy in real life.