Arlo James

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

This, Arlo was sure, was largely the fault of Sebastian for leaving him to fend for himself. This friendzone place he had somehow found himself within. If Sebastian had been here he was almost sure this wouldn't have happened. Although really, she had declared him to be her best friend on the very first day she had ever proven that she was, in fact, not just an animal. That had hardly seemed like the right moment to immediately ask her out. Hell, they had both had enough shocks for that day without him making it even more awkward and yet he supposed he had been given a few opportunities he hadn't exactly taken. It just never felt like a really good time to bring it up! Then that whole thing with Mi had happened, another time that, really, hadn't seemed totally ideal to ask her either- after the whole being beaten up with a broom thing. God he was bad at this. Who the hell had thought it was a good idea to let him make his own decisions in life? Hadn't they watched him fail enough? His entire life was a bloody failure. At least to some extent. Apparently his death was destined to be the same thing. Arlo making no effort to filter those words that fell from his lips then in that hushed whisper. After all, what the hell did it matter if Seb knew exactly how he felt? The Englishman probably already knew with his weird...power....thing....whatever it was that Arlo wasn't even totally sure he understood. Either way he needed the other vampires help, Arlo hardly too proud to ask for it in any fashion. Not when Sebastian was clearly some sort of master in this.

That query as to whether or not he'd even told Abby she looked beautiful tonight readily prompted that wide eyed stare followed by that utter groan of admittance that he hadn't even thought of that! Well, he had, hell, he'd been thinking about how pretty she looked since the moment he'd picked her up and yet apparently for some moronic reason he hadn't thought to actually tell her. As if she was a mind reader or something. No wonder she thought he just wanted to be her friend. Why was this whole thing so much....harder when it came to her? He'd been on so many dates before, he'd had more than one girlfriend in his life and yet for some reason, when she was around he just.....forgot how to speak or what he wanted to say or babbled on about something ridiculous for twenty minutes. Not that she ever seemed to care. She just smiled or chuckled or bounced along beside him like the happiest Panda in the world. She was just so different from any girl he had ever known. She was a grade above them and he'd be damned if she wasn't at least two grades above him. Sure he was cute, hell he knew it, he'd seen a mirror in his life but was he enough for her? God, these thoughts!

That sudden threat from Sebastian to tell her she looked pretty himself readily saw Arlo's own gaze narrow, that almost dubious look finding his features as if the younger vampire was attempting to debate whether or not Seb was actually serious with his threat. He probably was. Arlo wouldn't put it past him to give up a chance to flirt with a girl. He was mostly sure Sebastian had some sort of in-built woman sensor that simply resulted in him being effortlessly charming. As if he wasn't good looking enough as it was. Although really, Arlo could hardly deny that he suited that Dorian fellow. Seb was.....different when Dorian was around and yet hardly in a bad way. The elder vampire simply looked at his boyfriend like that was where his entire world resided. He'd seen Seb in bars or parties and on the street. The vampire was always polite, always friendly and yet, hell, even Arlo could tell he was....detached from those beings he fed from. It was subtle, he might not have even noticed it if he hadn't seen the Englishman with Dorian tonight and yet, while Sebastian seemed to eternally hold some measure of care for his victims he didnt care in the same way he did for that Fae. Even he could see it and really Arlo was mostly sure he wouldn't see most things if they hit him in the face. But that? That he could see. Sebastian's entire world rotated around that other man- the way he looked at him gave it away and yet, hell, Dorian looked back in exactly the same fashion. Did Seb realise how lucky he was? Did they both realise? That kinda love, he was pretty sure, didn't come around every day.

That light warning easily fell from his lips all the same. Arlo eyeing Sebastian critically then as if daring him to take up that threat and tell Abby she was pretty before he had the chance. His own blue gaze drifted briefly back to the woman then, his Little Bear seeming entirely taken with whatever it was she was telling Dorian about. That simple animation in the way she talked seeing that simper tug to his lips. She was just so....perfect. Arlo all the more aware off his own, well....inadequacies wasn't the right word. Really he was more aware of the fact he'd....killed people before and he was pretty sure the only thing Abby had ever killed was a plant she forgot to water and she'd probably cry about that too. She was just so good and he was, well, not bad exactly but certainly not entirely good either. Those softly uttered words falling from his lips then, even if he hadn't truly meant to say them out loud. Sebastian soft assurance that he felt that same worry 'all the damn time' momentarily saw Arlo glance towards his companion again. That surprise clear on his features. That lopsided grin finding his lips all the same a moment later.

"I kinda think its a vampire thing honestly. If we have a chance to go emo we will. All of us are the same."

That easy chuckle hummed from his lips, Arlo hardly caring to dwell on any dejecting thoughts any longer. The vampire still distinctly determined to try with Abby even if was potentially doomed from the beginning. What was the harm in trying? The worst that could happen was that they'd just stay friends and really, he supposed, he could live with that. Even if that wasn't the desirable outcome. That sudden bet from Sebastian that Abby was, well, that she hadn't been around the block before- so to speak- readily saw his gaze shift back to the woman as if something in her appearance might somehow give that virgin status away. How the hell did Seb know that!? He seemed so confident too. The other vampire suggesting it was obvious as Arlo merely stared at him once more.

"Bud, I think we have deduced at this point that nothing is fucking obvious to me since I didn't even tell her she was pretty. I mean, like I said I...suspected. Do you know her dad comes to visit sometimes? She invited me to stay the night at her place and I said I was pretty sure her dad wouldn't be that thrilled about finding me alone in the house with her and she asked me why. That...kinda gave it away for me- and maybe the fact she climbed into bed with me and went to sleep. That might have been another hint now that i think on it....."

That near sheepish look managed to find his features as he shrugged. Really, now that he thought on it, it did seem kinda obvious. Seb snorting in amusement all the same before pointing out that the girl had blushed at the mere sight of Dorian and himself when they'd been introduced.His eyes rolling playfully then. Really, he supposed Seb was right. Most girls wouldn't simply have nervously blushed at the sight of Seb and Dorian, most would have, well, flirted he supposed. That soft chuckle passing his lips again- this time at his own utter bloody hopelessness.

"Yeah, yeah, your right. I just thought maybe she was modest or shy or something I didn't think, well, either way you're right."

Still, a virgin was a lot of pressure. After all, they always remembered the first time. God, he didn't even think he;d ever been with one before. His own first time hadn't even been with one. Hell, he'd been so out of it for so much off his own late teen years he wouldn't even know if he had. That sudden query on whether Sebastian had been with one was answered by that smirk the other man gave him, Arlo's eyes rolling slightly once more before the vampire even answered. Why the hell had he asked a question he already knew the answer too?

"Of course you have."

He commented simply, that grin still in place before that quiet utterance to 'tread carefully' saw Arlo glance upward once more. Tread carefully? What did that mean? Any attempt Arlo might have made to ask ended the moment that salad was put before him. Arlo eyeing it almost critically. A salad? Still, for a salad it smelled.....alright. He lifted that fork Dorian pointed out to him to stab that first leaf. That venom near flooding his mouth so suddenly it almost caught him off guard. Arlo forced to swallow it back down before taking that first bite- and realizing exactly why that venom had been there in the first place. He could taste Sebastian's blood in this. As rich and glorious and fucking amazing as it always was. Arlo suddenly fixated upon that salad entirely, the man all but shoveling it into his mouth. Seb's admittance that he had....assisted stirring that grin to his lips.

"Only salad i've ever finished in my life."

He commented simply, Arlo attempting to covertly get all of the dressing from the bottom of the bowl. Was there more food? Did it all taste like this? When did they get the second course? His attention shifted back to Abby beside him then as he asked after her own meal. The girl firmly nodding as if to suggest she liked it, Arlo taking that moment to finally offer her that compliment she deserved and that she should have been given at the start of the night, the ma firmly shoving aside any nervousness that fluttered in his chest to offer those words. Abby managing to squeak out that thank you while....staring at her salad. Well. That...wasn't exactly the reaction he'd been expecting, at least, that wasn't exactly the tone he'd been expecting it in. The woman lacking near all her usual enthusiasm. Arlo glancing back towards Seb then as if anticipating the other vampire had some sort of answer before his gaze shifted to Dorian. The Fae looking perfectly....amused about something.

"Hey, Ab's? You ok?"

She was being...weird, of that he was mostly sure and yet maybe she was just focused on her salad. That had to be it right? Arlo hardly given a moment to consider it any longer before Dorian mentioned having heard him play on Youtube. His own features wrinkling slightly in response.

"Yeah, I know it's there, haven't watched it in a long time though."

He admitted simply. He'd even tried to have that footage taken down and yet it had been shot by a member of the public with a private camera. It was legally theirs, apparently, or at least according to whoever ran the Youtube help page.Arlo seeing little need to mention that quite a few off his old songs could be found on the site lest Dorian decide to go looking. That sudden query on whether or not he'd be willing to play it again saw the return of that surprise. Sebastian suddenly interjecting with mention of this apparent gig- one set to make him famous all over again. Famous enough for his old bandmates to see it.

"Like a stadium show?"

Stadium shows, after all, were the biggest arena's you could play and yet Seb and Dorian sure as hell didn't mean for him to get up and play one ancient song on his guitar and get back down again. That was hardly a damn show. Did they want him to support someone? Hell, he'd been rejecting that spotlight for years now, long enough to finally have him fade into obscurity. Even his wikipedia page didn't seem to know if he was alive or dead ever since that incident that had seen him all but flee the world at large. Any sort of show was only going to bring that all back, hell, Abby might find out exactly how he'd become a vampire and god knew he wasn't ready for that yet. Still....still.....even after all this time the idea that his old bandmates might see him was almost....pleasing. No matter how much he pretended he was over that he still wasn't. He never had been. He had never been ok with being kicked out of that group and watching them make that last album without him- but still using every song he had written. It would almost be worth it, just for that alone. That slight simper tugging at his lips at the thought.

"I might be interested. What are the details, exactly? I don't really sing though, I mean, Jarred always sung- they all told me I was pretty crap at it so it might just be music."

He'd never thought he was to bad a singer, still, all the guys had insisted it was better to just let Jarred handle it and he'd believed them. They wouldn't lie right? Not about that. Arlo dismissing the thought for now. His gaze glancing from Abby to Dorian and back to Seb.

"You used to be a lawyer didn't you bud? I got a question about that, I guess. I just always wondered something. If I...wrote all the songs and then they...er....kicked me out but still went on to release those songs, just under their names and not mine, even though I wrote all of them am I, well, i mean, are they allowed to do that? Like you know, legally and all? I just...never had the money to ask a real lawyer until now...."

That Arlo had never seen even a penny, in all those years, from an album he'd written was evidently clear in that moment. The man glancing away from Seb just long enough to check on Abby again. She looked all...flustered. What on earth had Dorian said?