Arlo James

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

It was, well, uneven ground at best to talk about another Vampire's Maker. Conversations about Maker's in general seemed to be something of a taboo topic amongst their kind. Even Arlo willing to admit that Patrick was hardly his favorite topic of conversation and he had, for the most part, actually gotten on with the man who had made him. Sebastian, it seemed, held a different sort of experience with his own. Arlo's attempts to describe the girl met with a disgruntled agreement that it was indeed her before the Crusnik almost sheepishly admitted to having met her before- and having been thrown into a wall. Vampire children were rare and yet not unheard off. Hell, people were more willing to accept a vampire child thena Crusnik so what right did he have to judge? How the hell Sebastian had fallen prey to the girl to begin with he hardly knew and yet- Seb was exactly the sort of guy who would have stopped to help a child. Maybe that was how it had happened. Still- some questions were probably better left unasked. Sebastian snorting softly in response to those words all the same before admitting that few actually got on with her. Really Arlo was hardly damn surprised. She was kinda a bitch. For being four foot high. The older man insisting he was lucky he'd only been thrown into a wall. That nearly sour note to Seb's voice hardly missed. Arlo willing enough to let that matter slide.

"I think she would have done more if she could have caught me, bud. I've still got it. At least, when it comes to running away."

That crooked grin worked its way back onto his features, Arlo eagerly content to take up that conversation about women and their entirely bizarre behaviour. Not that Seb seemed to find it bizarre. The other vampire seeming to have an answer for just about everything and yet Arlo hardly found that surprising either. When you had....womanizing powers the answers probably were easy. His own blue eyes rolled good-naturedly all the same, that snort readily echoing from within him before he followed his companion through those French doors and into the living room where the papers lay. Not that they were all papers exactly. Rather, a collection of things Abby and himself had managed to grab that shitty night he'd visited his parents for the last time. Those very questions he had went momentarily unanswered as Seb settled himself on a chair and begun to go through that collection of documents, Arlo himself leaning easily over the back of the chair beside him to simply...watch. He hardly knew what Seb was looking for and yet, eventually, the other vampire lent back with that soft sigh and insistence they at least had enough for some sort of case- and a plan. Not that Arlo was at all sure just what that plan was. That flood of information that came from Sebastian's lips leaving the younger vampire merely staring blankly in its wake. Several of those words at least he was sure he had never heard before and yet, what struck him even more in that moment was the singular realisation that Sebastian was, well, intelligent. He had hardly doubted the man was anything less and yet he'd never truly thought about it either, not until that legal jargon fell so readily from the Englishman's lips. Arlo frowning slightly in that consideration that, even after God knew how many years, Sebastian still spoke almost...passionately about those legal matters Arlo's very comment on just that intelligence prompting Sebastian's own insistence he was far more than merely pretty. Arlo's hand flicked dismissively at him. That grin toothy finding his features.

"Shut up, Seb."

There was no true harshness is those words, Arlo chuckling softly before attempting to grapple with exactly what Seb had told him about costs and damages and statues. The vampire correcting that word only moments later. Statutory. Right. He understood...some of it at least. That they at least had enough to go on was good though, wasn't it? That trip back to his home town at least not having been in vain. Although that weekend holiday he'd taken with Abby in the aftermath had proven to be nothing short of excellent in the least. Arlo's hand reached idly forward then to grasp one of those pages, turning it about within his fingers for a moment as the very issue of money seemed to turn within his mind. How much would all of this actually cost to do? Did he have enough? What if they didn't win? Then what? Was someone like Seb out of his price range to even begin with? Those very concerns almost regretfully admitted to a moment later- only to be nearly all but waved off by the other vampire. Seb insisting he hardly needed to worry- that it would be fun. Arlo truly only having to spring for the cost of some sort of lawyer license and the form fees. That equally warm grin finding Arlo's own features then.

"You were a nerd in school weren't you? I knew it from the moment we met. I'll pay for that stuff though, that seems fair."

That jest was entirely good natured, Arlo unable to help that laugh that found him all the same, his hand shoving at Seb's shoulder again and yet, this time, he was more then ready to step aside lest Sebastian knock him down all over again. The rest of those legal matters however, seemed vastly more complicated. Arlo listening intently a moment before the mention of those Cease and Desist notices, his own head shaking then.

"No one's ever sent me one of those so, I mean, I don't think they ever put one on any of the songs."

Not that he'd had an address for the past few years for them to send it to...exactly. Still, he was pretty sure that would have found him one way or another. How the hell he'd have managed any of this without Seb he hardly knew. Arlo nodding readily to that agreement to help the man put together those scraps of paper and napkins and whatnot into coherent songs. The mention of that contract seeing him pause.

"You know, i've probably still got it somewhere in here. Hold on."

Arlo easily reached for another stack of papers then, the vampire readily beginning to turn them over one by one with near inhuman speed, a soft frown crossing his features before he moved to the next pile. The vampire tossing several more papers aside before producing that worn, faded, rather rumpled collection of paper that was, indeed, a contract.

"Ha! Got it, here."

That contract was passed easily to Seb to look through. Arlo returning to attempting to order the rest of those papers. The vampire commenting near nostalgically on the drummer, a man he'd once considered his friend before the fallout. God, he'd been a fool back then. Arlo's head shook lightly, dismissing the idea before taking another page from Seb- only to catch sight of someone in Sebastian's living room. That yelp of surprise seeing the Crusnik tumble backward and entangle himself in that chair. Both chair and vampire crashing to the ground a moment later. Arlo blinking upward in clear bewilderment at just how he'd ended up on the floor. Sebastian appearing equally perplexed before the younger man scrambled to his feet, righting that chair ony to gesture back to the living room in clear alarm and the very belief someone was robbing Sebastian. Not that Sebastian seemed remotely concerned in any sense. The elder vampire sniffing briefly at the air. Arlo equally inclined to almost....mimic the gesture. That scent that struck him was...undeniably appealing. How strange. Still, that near casual assistance it was 'only Matteo' readily saw Seb be afforded a near dubious look. Did people show up like this a lot in his living room? Still, Arlo followed almost curiously behind Sebastian then to wander into the living room, his own eyes widening in clear surprise at the sight of another man seated in one of those leather chairs. Sebastian's female housekeeper, her face almost tomato red with that blush had clearly just finished saying something to him. The Fae man murmuring something back that must have been utterly hilarious from the way the housekeeper burst out laughing.

Sebastian's presence, if anything, seemed to suddenly remind the housekeeper she was supposed to be doing, well, housekeeper things Arlo supposed. The blushing woman hurrying off as Arlo's own attention turned to the Fae in the chair. He remembered the man, at least vaguely, from Seb and Dorian's wedding. Arlo hardly having had much time at all the meet the rest of those guests with that music to be played and yet he remained Matteo's speech. This the very Father-in-law Sebastian had mentioned before. This the first time Arlo had ever gotten a truly close look at the Frenchman. The Crusnik deciding then and there that Abby was surely never allowed to meet him. It was hard enough existing in a room with Sebastian and Dorian. The King and the Prince borderline masculine perfection and now this guy with his flawlessly perfect face. Where did they make these people!? Abby could probably never come over again. Not if this guy might just appear from...wherever. Sebastian had been right about this guy. He was good-looking. Maybe more than good-looking.

"Fuck, you weren't kidding."

The words were mumbled to Sebastian alone, Arlo almost certain the other vampire would know exactly what he was talking about. The Fae man, for his part, had only just seemed to notice the pair. A dashing sort of grin crossing his features as his head nodded politely toward Seb first and then himself. "Good Evening, Sebastian. How are you? You must be Arlo, yes? You played at my son's wedding. You were quite good."

"Yeah, I had the guitar and thanks, bud."

Matteo's head nodded easily, the Frenchman leaning back in that chair then as he folded one leg over the other in a fashion entirely casual and yet there was something....about this man. Arlo hardly even sure what it was. It was just a...feeling, not a bad one exactly and yet Arlo felt almost...tense near him. Matteo was shorter than him, lighter than him, nowhere near as physically strong and yet the guy was....intimidating. Somehow. Christ. Seb hadn't been lying when he said his Father-In-Law was, well, different. Arlo suddenly entirely unsure as to whether he should be sitting or standing. His gaze suddenly falling on that wooden box beside the Fae. Except it wasn't a box at all. Arlo's head tilting curiously as he glanced toward Matteo again.

"Dude, is your briefcase made of wood?"

Matteo's own silver gaze dropped to that briefcase at his feet, a small simper tracing the near ancient Fae's features before his head bobbed. "It is, it is part of why I'm here tonight. I have something of a delicate matter to bring to your attention, Sebastian. A favour perhaps. One I hope you- and your companion here- might assist me with. Dorian and Alexander are both unfortunately incapable and any other methods of obtaining what I am after would be...messy. I am after a, how you say, donation of sorts." That very mention of Arlo himself readily saw the Crusnik features frown in curiosity once more. Him? How had this guy even known he was going to be here tonight? What did he mean by messy? The way he worded it very near prompting that wariness of sorts in Arlo in turn as he glanced near curiously toward Seb before looking back toward the Frenchman. Matteo appearing for all the world as if he was completely unphased by anything around him. God he smelled good though. A donation?

"I might have like a twenty in my wallet, I mean, how much did you want?"

Matteo was hardly his father-in-law and yet Seb was still his friend. He could spot the guy a few bucks right? Still, wasn't he supposed to be like the Lord of France or something? Maybe that wasn't a paid position. Then again, his shoes looked pretty damn expensive. Any further thoughts Arlo had on the matter abruptly ended by that simple shake of Matteo's head and those accented words."Ah, I fear you misunderstand me, Mon Amie. I am after something a little rarer than that. You and Sebastian are both in possession of something quite specific and decidedly unique to each of you. I am after vampire venom."