Arlo James

See what it's like to be a vulture's lunch

It's almost a struggle, really, not to laugh at the pretty young woman before him as she folds her arms, her bottom lip sticking out in something akin to a pout as her cheeks flush all over again though this time it would seem it was hardly from embarrassment but rather some sort of misguided offense at being called 'babe'. A habit Arlo took up with most women. Such a gesture from the vampire more a term of endearment then any truly distasteful comment and yet her apparent displeasure with it sought to amuse him all the more, even if he struggled to keep that simper from his features in some effort to appease her request. His shoulders lifted, at last, into a shrug of sorts as if such a gesture was some sort of half-hearted apology and excuse all at once and yet beyond that little more than that daring smile so tugged at his features still. Don't call her babe. Alright then. Chances were he'd remember for half a night- if that. Such a habit far to ingrained. It was his question on what exactly the landlord had told her however that seemed to prompt a further interest in the man. How or why the very fact he was a vampire had been ignored Arlo hardly knew. Money, he supposed. The landlord needed to fill a room and along came someone he'd taken a chance on assuming Arlo wouldn't feed from. A risky gamble on that man's part. Arlo frowning slightly in consideration at the idea he was hardly the woman he was supposed to be before the notion that he 'worked nights' saw one eye arc readily upward. That's the story he was going with? The he worked? Alright then. That look of surprise only seemed all the more appropriate for that following admittance that she had taken to paying his rent. Arlo shrugging his shoulders once more as if rent was hardly important or even meaningful. Attempting to rally the vampire into caring about such trivial things a distinctly difficult task.

"Well thanks, I suppose. I'm always a bit behind but the landlord got used to it. Don't start paying him on time or he'll start harassing me again any time I'm late. It took me two months to get him to tolerate me being behind. You're going to undo all my good work with your....promptness."

Why she'd even want to pay the guy on time remained to be seen, after all, he was by all accounts, a pretty bad landlord for not having told her that her roommate was both a man and a vampire. As far as Arlo was concerned that sort of deceit should be returned by rent that was at least four days late- if not more. Somehow though, he was afforded the distinct feeling his new found roommate might not agree. Oh well- they would work it out. Judgey thing she was with her judgey stare. She'd be cute if not for that look she was giving him. It was then that she bent to pick up the glass, Arlo stepping forward to at least offer some assistance, the girl so declaring he could call her anything he wanted, except Babe apparently, Arlo about to comment on just that when that shard of glass sliced through that delicate thin skin- blood wheeling to the surface almost immediately. Thank god she wasn't another vampire. Arlo assured it would have been all over then. The woman spared perhaps by the notion of her species and what few threads of control he so desperately clung to as he moved with inhuman speed to near collide with the window and put that distance between them. He had gotten so good at ignoring mortals and yet open wounds still remained something of a weakness. That open window something of a blessing, chasing that scent away as Arlo put far more effort than he ever had into staring at the city below and attempting the count the people who passed. It was only once that water turned off that he dared to turn back, eyeing her almost warily now as she approaches. Ha! Hated blood! The idea of it was ludicrous and yet he hardly bothered to correct her. Let her think it. What harm would it do other? Maybe she'd stop bleeding around him. Her hand patting him on the shoulder. She'd been seconds from death and here she was- patting death itself on the shoulder. If only she knew. The girl displaying her newly wrapped finger.

"That's....much better."

He manages at last, though for a few more minutes at least he remained by that window even despite the chill of the night. The man content to come up with a new house rule that was met with something of a laugh from the girl. As if it was some sort of amusing joke. Arlo managing a weak simper all the same. A doctor? How long was it going to take for her to realise he was, well, dead? Surely that wasn't going to keep escaping her notice? Yet, he supposed, people were truly good at believing what they saw and all Mi was going to see was a walking, talking man- something dead people generally didn't do. Maybe he should have just told her he was a vampire and yet, for whatever reason those words caught on the tip of his tongue, azure blue eyes meeting her own a moment as he waved off that apology. Her mention of rules seeing the man shift back into his more usual demeanour now that the blood crisis had been averted.

"More rules?"

This hardly sounded appealing and yet why not hear the girl out? That simper tugging at his lips once more as he gestured for her to go on. His arms folded easily across his chest, the man leaning back against the window sill now in clear expectation before Mi declared they were surely banned from one another's room. It was, perhaps, a truly logical and sensible idea and one Arlo had already presumed existed. After all, his room was the only room in the apartment entirely free from any sunlight during the day and thereby the only safe place to sleep without having to fear becoming a human torch. That she had no intention of walking in and throwing back the curtains was something of a relief. His head nodded simply to that. This mention of 'common areas' tugging a simper to his lip once more. He had barely any stuff to put in it. Outside of that couch and the TV he didn't own any other furniture. He had nothing by which to make is 'messy' and yet he humoured her all the same. This idea that she would make extra food in exchange for his 'help' (he presumed financial rather than chivalrous carrying shopping bags upstairs) was met with a snort of amusement.

"Well, you see, the thing is I don't......."

Eat. The word had been upon the tip of his tongue. Arlo paused abruptly once more. That would surely prompt more questions. The man considering for a moment.

"I have special....dietary requirements. I only eat pretty specific things."

It was a vague answer he knew and yet what else was he supposed to say? I enjoy biting people until they bleed and then draining the blood from their veins? That didn't quite have the same ring to it. Arlo assured she might run screaming from the apartment if he told her that and for whatever reason he was hardly determined to have her leave. Strange and bossy as she was.

"Look Chicka, I appreciate your 'can do' attitude and I'll meet you at least halfway on your other 'requests' but when it comes to the rent I don't think I've ever paid it on time, maybe once, a month ago and that's only because I stol- er.....stole a great...client at work and got paid really well. My income is a little sketchy. Don't worry about it though, the landlord doesn't care if we're a week or two behind. I always get the money together in the end."

He flashed her another near beaming grin, brushing off the concerns of the world as if they were nothing once more, that ardent blue gaze flicking back to those piles of boxes that seemed to be taking up most of the space. Arlo stepping towards the nearest one.

"Do you need help with these or what? So you're a med student then?"

He inquired, that unruly near-black hair threatening to tumble back into his eyes. A grin almost devilish suddenly touching his lips at her confirmation. His words entirely teasing.

"You know, if you want to bring like, your hot friends from the nursing department over for a housewarming party one night, you totally can. I just think you should know I permit parties of all kinds."