All Work Some Play

Arlo hefted the pack on his shoulder a little higher, walking with a bounce in his step as he traversed Grovehart's busy streets. This area of the city was always so lively, with businesses everywhere you looked and neon advertisements painting as many surfaces as possible. The screens floating upwards into the sky advertised the latest tech and comfort, creating an illusion of the perfect city. Arlo knew better of course, but it was nice to pretend, sometimes. His eyes scanned the crowds as he stopped under a holotree, grey trunk, and blue leaves standing out against the natural greenery of Grovehart easily. This was where they were going to meet!

He'd seen the notice for helping the combees two days ago. Arlo didn't have a job, so naturally, he figured that helping out where he could was probably in his best interests so that he wasn't a total mooch on society. At least not completely.

Unfortunately, Arlo's beautiful and perfect boyfriend had one singular fault: he had a job. So when Arlo declared they were going to go out and Save The 'Bees proudly after seeing the notice, he'd been thoroughly shot down. Too busy, he'd said. Too much sun, he'd complained. Luckily for Arlo though, Xanthe knew at least one other person than himself, and he set him up with an old friend. Well, he'd called her a landlord but Arlo saw the way his eyes got soft when he mentioned her and her curfew, they were totally friends.

"Are you Arlo?" A voice behind him said, and he jumped out of his skin as he spun around, coming face to face with a short woman sporting ludicrously long hair. He hadn't even heard her coming, so lost in thought he was.

"That's me! Atreus, I assume?" The woman nodded vigorously, the hair around her face bouncing in a mesmerizing way as she did so. She had a similar pack behind her, and a cute little Cufant fusion behind her pulling a hovercart. Adorable.

"Correct," She gave him a little wink, and Arlo couldn't help but smile back at her, "Xanthe told me you were 'the short little cute guy with a puff for hair' and I came right over. Weird how spot on that was." Arlo scowled a little, but there was a blush on his cheeks at the same time.

"Sounds like something he'd say," Arlo huffed, looking down at the shorter woman with a lopsided grin. Xanthe wasn't kidding when he said the woman was short but mighty, and Arlo thought he'd come prepared but compared to her...he looked like a boy scout. "Thanks for coming with me, Xanthe was too busy to care about the bees," He held his hand out for a formal shake, which was easily returned.

"Maybe if it was fused with a bat he'd care more," Atreus said with a cheeky smile, turning to look towards the direction they'd have to go to get into the open park, "We'll stop by the cafe after we're done to rub in how much fun it was. That'll show him." Arlo laughed, a slightly evil laugh, and knew he was going to like this girl.

"Hell yeah, let's get to it!" Arlo said with much enthusiasm, pointing dramatically to the park where they were to plant their flowers to encourage the little 'bees to come into the safety of the shade, "So ready to save the combees!"

An hour later Arlo had a very different opinion, on a lot of things.

For one, Atreus was a bit of a menace when it came to plants. She instructed Arlo carefully on which ones to put where, how big of holes they needed, how to plant them, how not to step on them, and at one point he was afraid he'd be breathing too hard with the way she was scrutinizing him during a quick ten-minute break!

Then there was the digging. Arlo knew they'd be digging, obviously, and he'd even bought a cute pair of light blue gloves with little jumpluff on them for the occasion. But after he actually got started it was rather clear that he was not cut out for this kind of work, his hands hurt so bad and when Atreus laughed at him and handed him a little shovel to use, well, then his pride hurt.

Needless to say, Arlo had a rough time of it, and by the time they were done the sun was hanging low in the sky and the lights around Grovehart were coming to life, changing the atmosphere of the city dramatically.

"Good work today," Atreus lied, barely even dirty and certainly not exhausted like Arlo was as she leaned against her Cufant who was happily brushing its trunk against some of the newly planted flowers lovingly.

"That was so much more than I thought it'd be," Arlo said, exhaustion clear on his face as he lay in the grass, covered in dirt, staring up at the orange sky, "I'm going to sleep for a week now." Atreus giggled playfully at him, politely, as she wiped her spade on the apron she'd brought before holstering back in her supplies. Her hand appeared in his vision, somehow clean, as she offered him help up.

"So, no trip to the cafe then?" Arlo could tell by the tone of her voice that Atreus was trying to goad him, but he couldn't help but fall for it.

"Oh no, we're going. I'm walking in there covered in dirt and making Xanthe realize all he's missed!" Determined once again, Arlo took Atreus' hand and let her help him up, standing strong for a moment before they began their trip to the nearby cafe.

At least they saved some 'bees!