Ashan 84th, 718
He'd have had a hard time prying that pup out of Vega's clutches, even if he wanted to. His stepfather probably had known that when he'd brought it and put it into her arms. Arlo had a hard time suppressing the amused grin that threatened at the corners of his mouth when she promised to give it all the care that it and keep it out from underfoot. Like a young kid that had told his mother, what could he have done? The animal had followed him home. He'd also known that he couldn't keep the pair of stray kittens out of sight for long. Sooner or later she'd have stumbled across one of them or heard them mewling from the shadows. He grinned and snorted when Vega called him on it. "They're showing signs of being good mousers already," he said by way of defending himself. Although the only thing he'd seen either of them catch so far was a random dust bunny or a scrap of any given thing that he'd dropped in the kitchen.
"I don't mind," he told her and smiled. If Jonas hadn't done it, he would have done it himself eventually. And if that was the case, Jonas told Vega in regards to her father laying out the welcome mat, both for Arlo and for him when he paid a visit, then he was looking forward to meeting the man and the rest of them. It was more than apparent that he was being sincere. Arlo would have told her, had she been unsure, that his stepfather never said anything just to be polite. He spoke in a sparing way, and platitudes just for the sake of them tumbled straight into the realm of superfluous.
Arlo smiled and squeezed her hand when she reached out, and Jonas considered all of the Immortal business as he finished cleaning his plate. "I guess it's that silver blood maybe?" he said when Vega mentioned her father's style of navigation. "Some sense of being in tune with the stars maybe,'[/b] explained, regarding what he'd meant by it. His eyes crinkled a little at the corner when he looked back at Arlo, and it was the closest he got to smiling just then. "You do seem to be glowing a little. That U'frek's handiwork? So is Cassion responsible for the rest?" Plainly, judging by the gesture he meant Arlo's new appearance. And Arlo grinned and shrugged. "Not exactly."
"Sometimes," Jonas added as Arlo got up to stitch out the emptied plates for others. "People can miss something they never knew or had. Just as often, they don't realize it." Her Vega's mother, he meant, and he offered his condolences even though Vega said she didn't miss it. Arlo meanwhile stayed quiet and returned to the fire with another dish. "Poached pears," he said, handing the things around, and sitting back down beside her. Jonas understood the sentiment all too well. Home was where family was, and no question the farm was too quiet with Nella gone. Not even the garden had done well since she'd died, in spite of him being a fair hand at it.
As for himself? Well, he'd certainly give that offer some thought. Especially after Arlo echoed Vega's sentiment, and meant it completely. They'd be in the area a handful of trials, and so if Jonas wanted to give the seafaring life a try, he had some time to think about it before he decided. After dessert then, Arlo passed around small glasses of the liquor that Jonas had brought. The older man lit up a pipe and smoked, remarked on how good Peg looked in spite of her age. Eventually though, he'd be thanking them both for the hospitality, giving Arlo a squeeze on the shoulder, the pup a scratch behind the ear, and then be off again.
