Arlo James

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

He'd seen that mansion a hundred times and yet it never ceased to amaze him. It was just so...so...big somehow didn't even seem the right word and yet Arlo was hardly sure he knew a better word. Grand? Fancy? Really, really expensive? His feet crunched easily on the gravel of the driveway as he made his way up towards the house, the young vampire marvelling at how the grass seemed to be the same length all the way around the house. That front garden lit up by those garden lights to show off those flowers even in the dark. Was he supposed to be this impressed by grass? Maybe he wouldn't be if he lived in a neighbourhood where people actually had grass, or lawns or....fences of any kind. People in his neighborhood seemed to like to construct fences out of leftover building materials or anything solid really. Not that he knew what they were fencing off. They didn't have any grass. They had dirt. When he bought a house he was damn sure he was going to have grass on it. Maybe it wouldn't be this nice, but it would be better then where he lived now.

Those ideas off grass were quickly removed from his thoughts as his hand reached up to press that buzzer, Arlo already making some attempt to remove his shoes after he'd been made to the last time he was here. Not that he really blamed Seb he supposed. Those floors were so damn shiny you could see your face in them. Arlo was mostly sure he wouldn't have wanted people walking all over them either. That door swung open a moment later to revel Charles, that butler he'd met before, Arlo almost surprised not to see Seb himself- he'd told the guy he was coming and yet maybe rich people didn't have to answer their own doors. Still, he fixed Charles with that toothy grin all the same.

"Can Seb come out and play?"

The words were wholly teasing, not that Charles seemed to find them amusing, the butler rolling his eyes before waving Arlo inside with that command to follow him. Seb had been gone for weeks on that honeymoon, Arlo and Abby themselves having stayed on in italy for awhile after the couple left and yet even they had been back several weeks before Dorian and Seb himself. Arlo inclined to admit he'd missed the other vampire. He liked Seb. Far more than he generally liked most other vampires. He liked having a friend- a real friend. One who understood. Seb was a good guy and his blood was.....god.....that was better than anything Arlo was sure he had ever tasted. How he'd missed that too! He'd eaten so many far less satisfying (and less willing) vampires while Sebastian had been away. Christ he could feel that saliva pooling at even the thought of that blood. Still, he probably shouldn't open with that. Seb might not appreciate it.

He followed Charles easily through that house then, Arlo pausing briefly in the hallway to eye a blue and gold painting he was mostly sure hadn't been there before. It hardly seemed to be a picture of anything. Arlo tilting his head to the side as if viewing it from another angle might somehow make it appear like, well, something. Still, he supposed it was....arty. Charles' voice interrupting him then. "His Highness and His Majesty are with His Greatness at the stables. Follow that path, it is very well lit, you will find it" Arlo's bright blue gaze flicked from Charles to that garden path that led from the back door and down to another well-lit building a short walk away.

"Sure, thanks bud. Oh, hey, I don't have any....shoes."

Charles had already left, that final word dying on his lips as Arlo glanced down at his socked feet. Alright then. The path looked pretty clean. Besides he'd never seen that back garden before. Abby, he was sure, would lose her mind over something as amazing as this! Arlo made his way easily down the path then and towards what he could only guess were the stables. That garden was full of flowers and plants and....green stuff he was mostly sure he had no idea what it was and yet was impressive nonetheless. The vampire even pausing to eye that fountain of deer. Bloody hell! The sound of what he could only guess were hooves at least assured him he was going the right way. That path eventually ending at that stable block and that huge horse....riding...space. What on earth it was called he hardly knew. His experience with horses limited to a pony ride at the zoo when he was five.

"Hey, Seb!"

Sebastian was easy enough to spot leaning against that fence. Arlo calling out to him in the same moment as he stepped off that path and onto the grass to wander over to his companion, that genuine grin easily adorning his features as he came to stand beside him. Arlo holding his hand out to easily shake his companions own.

"Long time no see, bud. Good to have you back. Hey Dorian."

That secondary greeting was called out toward the Italian King as he rode past on that giant black animal. Arlo eyeing it warily as he shifted slightly back from the fence. Was he in control of that thing? Could it....get out of the fence? Seb hardly appeared concerned and yet how did he know that animal wasn't about to charge at any moment? It was like a really big, fast....dog. Whatever he was about to say was abruptly cut off by the sight of the same Hunter Guy that Arlo remembered from the wedding riding passed behind Dorian on a white coloured animal that might as well have been a bear. Arlo's eyes widening readily. The ground itself nearly shaking beneath that things weird, hairy feet.

"Jesus Christ! What is that!? It's fucking huge."

Horses, evidently, were not within Arlo's comfort zone. The Crusnik eyeing the animals for several more moments before the Hunter Guy, who he was mostly sure might have been named Alexander, announced that Dorian and himself were going into the woods to gallop the horses. Hadn't they already been galloping? God, maybe it didn't matter. Arlo content to stand almost beside Sebastian until Dorian and Alexander had disappeared. Arlo having failed to notice one of those horses had hardly been a real horse at all. His gaze turned back to Seb.

"Seriously bud, your ok with him being on that....thing? What if it, I dunno, runs off with him or something? Do they come when their called? Although i guess thats what those, you know those....things on its face are for. Dorian was holding them. The steering...ropes..."

'Reins' it seemed, were not a word Arlo was familiar with. The vampire frowning slightly once more as Dorian and Alexander disappeared. Seb hardly appearing as concerned as Arlo was mostly sure he would have been were it Abby up there.

"You know, I damn well hope Abby never wants to ride one of those. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be able to let her although i'm having real issues with her safety as it is, I need to talk to you about that. Actually bud, I have a list of things I need to talk about you've been gone so long. I even have those papers you asked for, you know, with all that band stuff? First things first though, how was your trip?"

It wouldn't be completely polite, he supposed, not to ask Seb about how that vacation had been.

"Did you get that artwork in your hall while you were away? The blue and gold one? What's it supposed to be? I was looking at it after your butler made me take off my shoes and then sent me out here. I did have shoes when I came. I didn't fail that much at life while you were gone, mate."

That grin easily found his lips again. The vampire nothing if not capable of laughing at himself. Arlo damn well pleased to have his companion back.