Arlo James

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

These past few nights had been nothing short of, well, basically fucking abysmal. He'd had one run in after another, at least two hunger-induced break downs, a rabbit-based illness, broken a wall, injured himself and on top of that he was fairly sure that hunter he'd stolen the car from might have been onto him. The only bright spot in those nights had been the good time he'd had with Sebastian, even the memory that blood enough to see his tongue brush across his lips, let alone that party they'd found afterwards. Tonight however, Arlo was determined to have a much quieter night if nothing else. A night that didn't involve some other vampire chasing him through the streets or grand-theft auto. Tonight he had a new place to check out and yet he found himself uninclined to go alone. It was stupid, he supposed, a Panda hardly counted as another person and yet she was company all the same. She was something and tonight he needed something to keep him company. He could have asked Mi, he supposed, yet the woman seemed almost obsessive about her bedtime and more then that he rather suspected that the place he intended to visit tonight was so far away from her version of a 'nice place' that it wasn't worth the battle. There was also the chance someone might introduce themselves to her as a Were or a Vampire or something else in between. Mi notoriously good at ignoring the supernatural world or at least pretending it didn't exist. Hell, the girl still thought he worked nights and was on some sort of strange diet. She was a doctor for gods sakes. You'd think she'd have noticed her roommate was dead. Still, he supposed, despite being the most uptight person he'd ever met it wasn't as if she was hard to live with. Their paths usually only crossing early in the evening. Mi almost always in bed by the time he came home.

Tonight however, the young woman had already started cooking by the time he emerged from his room, clutching that bit of paper with the address he intended to find, Arlo hurriedly making his way out of the apartment before the girl could try and force feed him a pot roast again. It wasn't as if she was a bad cook, really, he just didn't really want the food. She probably thought he was doing drugs. Oh well. He took those stairs two at a time, drawing that hoody he had been gifted closer around his body in a more instinctive gesture than any true feeling of the chill before striding through the lobby and out on the street. It took barely a moment to find his own apartment window, Arlo paused to glance up towards it before leaning back on the nearest wall to wait. His Little Bear so often came through the window to the living room, Arlo content to stop her before she dove in on Mi, the vampire assured that would hardly go down well in any sense. He intended to introduce the pair...eventually. Mi still convinced he was committing a crime by keeping an exotic animal. She hadn't even found those photos of the Panda on his phone cute. What sort of monster didn't find those cute?! Arlo assured he didn't have the heart to tell the Little Bear that his room-mate didn't think she was adorable. Better to save that meeting for later.

It was some time about a half hour later that he finally caught sight of that flash of red waddling up the fire escape, a short, sharp whistle leaving his lips and drawing the Panda's attention towards him. He could hardly help that grin that danced on his lips at the sight of his pet, her company having become just about the only constant in his otherwise tornado of an existence. The man stride forward and towards the base of that fire escape, arms held out to catch her as she leapt from that bottom rung. Arlo inclined to think for about the two hundredth time that Pandas really were not all that graceful an animal. Not that he was going to tell her of course. Nah. That might hurt her feelings. Arlo having come to the conclusion that she seemed to understand most things he said.

"Hey, babe."

It was an easy greeting. One hand lifted to rub behind her ear, Arlo content to hold her against him even if a part of it was to selfishly pilfer her body heat. That toothy grin spread across his lips all the same, ignoring the curious looks from passers-by at the very fact he was holding a panda at all. Arlo content to pet her for several moments before broaching that idea he had for the evening.
"So, here's the thing. I'm thinking of checking out this new place tonight, a guy I know says he might have a bit of work for me, you know, just to earn a few extra dollars. You want to come with me? I mean, you don't have too, might not be your scene but I wouldn't be opposed to your company, even if you just stay in my jacket the whole time."

He was hardly about to admit, out rightly, that he was nervous about it. Arlo rarely inclined to admit many things, his bright blue gaze drifting to his companion now. If she didn't want to come then so be it, he supposed he could go alone. He was used that after all. Still, having someone to talk too would be nice all the same....