Arlo James

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

The lead singer of an asian all-girl band? Alright. He hadn't anticipated that one. Hell, he'd been sure he was about to know whatever name he was given and yet Sebastian had managed to surprise him this time. How on earth did Seb know the lead singer of an all-girl asian group? Then again, was he really that surprised? He'd probably banged her. Either way if she'd been a lead-singer she had to be at least half decent right? Seb's sudden assurance her band had kicked her out because of the supposed inconvenience of practice at night saw both his eyes lift. He damn well knew how that felt in the least. A part of him readily sympathizing with this girl he had never met. After all, who knew better then him what it was like to be kicked out by the people who'd pretended to be your friends since you were five years old? People really didn't handle the vampire thing all that well. Arlo readily assuming that this girl, whoever she was, shared their same vampiric affliction. Maybe he'd have to meet her before they played together just to make sure they got on and yet, really, he was pretty sure they would. Especially if she'd suffered that same dismissal as he had. Arlo's shoulders lifting in an easy shrug then.

"I'd like to meet her some time, whoever she is, make sure we get on and all that but I reckon she'll be great."

Did it make him shallow that a tiny part of him wanted to be on that stage again? That he wanted to have enough of the world watching to stick it to his old band? Maybe that just made him vengeful. Was that worse than shallow? Either way he was damn sure Seb and Dorian both knew what they were doing in that moment all the same, making that gig sound, well, pretty damn appealing really. Arlo mostly sure they knew he would fold all the same, if not for that chance at fame again- then purely because, hell, he was their friend wasn't he? Didn't friends do stuff for one another like this? It had been a long time since he'd had friends outside of Abby and yet he was pretty sure he remembered how it went. Still, he withheld that answer for just a moment longer, his thoughts instead shifted to that old band once more. He'd been thinking about those questions for ages, for years really, and yet until now he'd never come close to having the money he was pretty sure you needed to go asking lawyers questions. Until now he'd never had a friend who was a lawyer either. At least, he was pretty sure that was what Seb had said he was. The guy was pretty high the night he'd been rambling on about it. Still, it didn't hurt to ask right? Seb had to know something about it didn't he?

That near rush of.....big words he was presented with in response merely saw that blank look return to his features. This all sounded very professional and lawyer-like to him, even if he was mostly sure he didn't really have any idea what Seb was saying or trying to say for that matter. He'd never heard of any sort of copyright office in his life. He'd never needed too. You didn't steal other people's songs. People shouldn't need an office to tell them that. Then again his trust in other people was what had gotten him into this mess to begin with. Why hadn't his manager ever told him about this sort of stuff? Hell, maybe he had, Arlo mostly sure there was a good year off his life he barely remembered at all and he never had liked paper work. He'd liked tossing it into piles in his room or into boxes never to look at again. Maybe this copyright nonsense was in a box somewhere? That sigh he was rewarded with by the other vampire in the wake of those questions prompted a huff from Arlo in turn. Sebastian making some effort to explain that a lawyer and an attorney were the same thing- except that he was a barrister which....was also an attorney. Why the hell didn't they all just call themselves lawyers and be done with it? Still, it didn't seem like Seb was the right sort of lawyer, not that he'd known there were even different types until now. Any further questions halted by Dorian's sudden inquiry of something in another language.

Whatever the King had said, Sebastian seemed to like it. The other vampire grinning before saying something back. Arlo glancing between them then. Was that about him? It didn't sound like it but still. His gaze returned to Seb then, one hand running through his hair as it tended to do in those moments the vampire was given to those deeper internal thoughts. Proving he wrote those songs was possible, he was sure of that, he was mostly sure he still had his notebook. At least, he'd never thrown it out and yet where it was he had little idea. At home probably. At home at his parents places. Arlo having failed to see any off his family since that first month after he'd been turned and they'd simply told him not to come back. He'd been a disappointment to them before he'd been a vampire. Getting himself turned and the scandal that had surrounded that whole affair had been more than they were willing to bear and maybe he didn't blame them, not after what he'd put them all through and yet still.....they were his parents. Weren't they supposed to love their kids? He'd always thought they'd cool off and call or....send a birthday card or something. They never did. Chances were they'd thrown out all his stuff, let everyone believe he was dead like the papers said and moved on. Did he really want that notebook enough to go back there? What if it was gone? Maybe he could bring Abby and- his head shook, pushing those thoughts away for now before. Arlo simply uttering instead that he hadn't signed anything over to the band, that much he knew. Sebastian's single raised eye prompting a snort from Arlo himself. Great. Even Seb didn't believe him.

"It's true. I didn't. Our Manager tried to get me too once, gave me a whole bunch of papers with those stupid 'sign here' stickers stuck all over it. He said it was about the songs. I was so bloody bad with paper work though I just tossed it on my desk, never even opened it, don't know where it ended up but I never signed it. I forgot about it."

The one time laziness had saved him, apparently. Still, if he could get that proof Seb talked about maybe they could fix those past mistakes, in a sense. The other vampire nodding at that simple request for help, Arlo letting that grin find his features again. Alright. He just needed proof and then Seb could...lawyer all over it or whatever he did and somehow, maybe, start getting things back on track.

"Alright, thanks bud, it might take me a bit to get the stuff but I think I can. I'll let you know."

A part of him was almost determined to find that old notebook if only because he was mostly sure, by now, that the band thought he'd forgotten about it. Still, he shook those ideas away for now, his attention returned to Dorian as the King suggested that notion of playing at Seb and his wedding ceremony. Arlo not quite able to prevent that crooked grin as it found him all over again. He never really had been intending on saying no, even if only because they were friends. Better ones then the last lot had been. His head nodded readily in that simple acceptance, Arlo waving off that thanks Dorian offered him all the same along with that promise to get the songs to him as soon as possible. Dorian's promise that they could stay wherever they wanted in Italy saw him turn easily to Abby then, that promise she could pick offered simply, after all, he didn't exactly remember most of the fancy hotels he had ever been put up in so maybe it was better she picked somewhere she wanted to stay. Arlo's eyes widening at her sudden request to stay at the palace. Christ. Were you even allowed to ask a King that? Dorian, for his part, hardly seemed put out. The Italian readily agreeing to the idea as Arlo nearly choked on his own wine.

"Seriously? You'd let us stay in an actual Palace? Do we get servants? I mean, you know, since Abby is a princess and all. We should probably get servants."

Amusement readily laced those words, Sebastian agreeing to that sentiment the girl was certainly a princess as Arlo glanced towards his female companion once more. That smile on her face simply breathtaking really. God, he'd let her be a princess of anything she damn well wanted if it made her smile like that. Dorian's comment on Abby letting him know if they needed one or two rooms hardly missed and yet it was those decidedly low words from Sebastian that saw is head turn toward the other man, his eyes rolling almost playfully. His own reply equally quiet.

"If I damn well haven't made a move in two months you can hit me."

He was sure he deserved it if he'd failed, by that wedding, to tell the woman exactly how he felt or in the very least asked her out. On a proper date. A real one. The sort of one she deserved to go on even though the prospect of asking her made his chest flutter uncomfortably. The sudden appearance of that lasagna, for that moment, readily distracted his thoughts from just about anything (boys and food- hopeless), that venom already having started to run again in simple anticipation of that meal. He hadn't eaten human food in years and suddenly he found himself near desperate for it. Arlo all-too eagerly taking that plate he was offered, the vampire pausing to make sure Abby was given some as well before the scent of Sebastian's blood prompted that sudden query on that bachelor party. Dorian, for his part, didn't even seem to understand what it was. Sebastian admitting he hadn't even considered the stag night before making an effort to explain it to Dorian. Arlo turned back to Abby in the moment to glance down at her cutlery.

"Which one are you using? Seriously, which one is the lasagna fork?"

It was like trying to cheat on an exam. Abby, for her part, at least looking slightly less flustered then before, her cheeks no longer that gleaming shade of red. Arlo shifting slightly to let his shoulder bump against her own in a gesture almost affectionate really, that lopsided grin still in place.

"Did Dorian say something to you, babe? I mean, your ok aren't you? I know you said your fine I....I'm just checking I guess. Why were you yelling Sebastian's name?"

He was pretty sure he'd never heard Abby even raise her voice before, the woman hardly looking distressed in any sense and yet she really was behaving a bit strangely tonight all the same. Maybe she was just nervous, he couldn't exactly say he'd been any different at the start of the night right? Still, that matter of that Stag Night, as Seb called it, hadn't been resolved.

"So no one is having a party? Seriously? Whoever you guys picked as your best men really dropped the ball on this one if they didn't even ask about it. I mean, do you want one, bud? I'll take you to a bar or something if you want? What about you Dorian? You got a guy to drink with?"

Parties, Arlo was sure, was one of the best parts about this getting married business. Dorian merely looked confused all over again. Where the hell had this guy been all his life that he was confused about this? Arlo pausing only to take several more mouthfuls off that fucking fantastic lasagna. The man already having cleared half his plate.

"So this Palace of yours, Dorian. Does it have gardens too, like the ones out the front?"

Abby liked gardens right? A part of the man suddenly requiring to know just how many or how big those palace gardens might be if only purely for Abby's enjoyment of them.