[Well! That sure was a thing, wasn't it. Iago doesn't particularly care about the dead people - they saved the hostages, after all, and it's not like he knew them at all so why would he care? - but that was just sort of A Lot in general, so he's back in his room now.
He's currently working on notes, just jotting his thoughts down and recording what information he did manage to learn from today's absolute mess of a trial. But it's not like he's opposed to being bothered.]
Cumore actually went to the absolute audacityfest that was the post-trial party; it was sort of like being home for five minutes or so, which is both appreciated and going a long way to ensure that he's still feeling really keyed-up. So he'll disappear back to his room for a moment before coming to find Iago; he'll knock, he's civilized, but it sounds a little impatient.]
[...Right, so. Today happened, and kind of came with a giant MEMO TO SELF: IF GIVEN INVITATION TO CASTLE DO NOT GO note attached to it, but Cumore's mood is still...decent? It's largely decent, anyway. A little wigged out but decent.
He'll come find Iago later that night; not terribly late, he does sleep early and all, but far enough into the evening that Iago is likely back in his room? He'll try there, anyway, sounding...much less impatient than last time, at least.]
[Don't worry, he hasn't decided he's moving into the museum, he's in his room! He'll get the door quickly enough, and thankfully it looks like whatever their conversation earlier turned into isn't still bothering him.]
Good evening, Cumore. Is there something I can help you with?
[So that trial was. Bad. and at the current moment Cumore is still feeling sort of out of it but at least he's slightly more collected than he was after the thing itself.
Which is likely a good thing, because damn, was he awkward as shit at people last night. Let's never do that again, it was gross.
Either way, he'll come seek Iago out in his room eventually. Might as well make sure the guy is still in one piece.]
[The trial was a mess, so Iago's taken to shutting himself in his room and generally just avoiding everyone, particularly a certain someone who just so happens to have the room right next door, because Iago's luck wasn't terrible enough already, apparently.
He's in and he'll get the door not long after Cumore knocks, allowing him in. He gestures to the room as a whole; make yourself at home while he locks the door.]
Cumore. How are you doing?
[He sounds put-together at least, and his room isn't looking like too much of a disaster zone. There might be a few books he might have missed picking up after flinging them at the walls, but shh, it's fine. Iago's missing the circlet he usually wears behind his head, but that's sitting on the desk.]
[That damned incentive... The Lady certainly knows how to push them toward murder, doesn't she. It's infuriating that she can prey on him so easily, and yet... Well, it's hard not to consider, given how much of an emphasis he's put on his magic. Who doesn't know how important it is to him at this point? He's likely going to be accused of murder regardless of what happens.
For now, Iago needs to find something to do to keep himself busy. As much as he'd greatly prefer to lock himself in his room and scream, he's pretty sure Rideaux is going to overhear him doing this at some point and that sounds like something he doesn't want to deal with. So a distraction it is.
The jazz bar isn't exactly where he planned on going, but who knows, maybe there's something he can find here if he searches the place. He doesn't expect the music and pauses for a moment once he hears it. Curiosity is what compels him to enter the jazz bar, even though he'd greatly prefer to be alone right now.
Honestly, he's not sure if he's surprised to find Cumore playing. It seems like the sort of thing Cumore would be capable of, but it isn't something he would have thought Cumore would have any interest in. Maybe that's why he approaches, who knows.]
[Oh, that... It seems to please him, anyway; he lets it wind down a little before stopping entirely, glancing over once he's done so.]
I was practically required to learn to play something when I was younger. This ended up being something I was good at.
[Nobility is just kind of Like That. Thankfully his piano-playing was acceptable as opposed to trying to make this man learn, like, flute. Can you imagine the sounds he would get out of a fucking flute because none of them are good.]
Somehow I doubt you've come in here simply to compliment me, however.
[This whole entire week has been a disaster, and now Pizza's gone and gotten himself killed and Iago wants to do nothing more than scream into a pillow for the next year and forget literally all of this. But unfortunately that doesn't exactly solve his problems, so instead he decides to do something at least mildly productive.
After all, he does owe Cumore an answer for his offer the other day.
So he shows up at Cumore's door later in the evening, knocking on said door. He still looks agitated and angry, but it's certainly not Cumore's fault that everyone else is a complete idiot.]
[Well. Today was a shitshow and a half, wasn't it. Cumore is in his room at the moment, though he doesn't seem too agitated himself; he'll open the door readily enough and he...isn't surprised at all to see who it is.]
Iago. Do come in.
[It seems like he's put some effort into decorating the place since you were last here - he's apparently decided that the best course of action to liven the place up is to just sort of take a bunch of cacti from the botanical garden because he's like that, they're all kind of living in jars around the place. There are also a lot of sheets of paper with writing on it in that weird unintelligible script he was writing in before tacked up onto the walls, god only knows what those are.
...There's also a particularly fabulous chair in here because why wouldn't there be, along with a broadsword propped up against the wall because why wouldn't there be.
Anyway. He'll be taking the particularly fabulous chair, sit wherever you want otherwise.]
[Weekends are always quiet; it seems most people tend to keep to themselves after the trials. Which is totally fair, given how awful and irritating they usually are. This one was better - which means Iago's actually bored. He ends up wandering, and eventually that wandering leads him to the jazz bar, where he can hear someone playing the piano.
He's not particularly surprised to find Cumore there.]
I don't see why those things have to be mutually exclusive.
[The melody goes simple as he answers, granted, but he does continue with what he's doing; he isn't bothered by Iago's presence any, and if he minded having an audience he wouldn't be doing this out in the open, fullstop.]
[It's getting late when Cumore knocks on his door, and Iago's quick to usher him inside and close the door behind him. He gestures to the room in general; make yourself at home. Thankfully things are looking better in here now, there aren't any more books he's been throwing at the walls or anything and everything is exceptionally neat. The desk is where the cute little succulent is, along with a collection of crystals - both the ones we snagged today and some unfamiliar, large light blue ones. There's also entirely too many pens with colored ink, a sketchpad, and several books all on the desk.]
Good evening, Cumore. Is there something I can help you with?
[Learning to play the piano isn't as easy as learning how to use dark magic. Or healing or illusion magic, for that matter. It's much more complicated, and Iago doesn't have a preexisting knowledge base to draw on. Everything about this is new, but that doesn't make it frustrating. It feels like he hasn't come very far at all, but he's at least able to mimic what Cumore is teaching him fairly well; he's better suited to more complicated things with only one hand at a time, but he's not doing nearly as badly as he could be.
Anyway, with the lesson over for the day he sits back a bit on the piano bench.]
Once again, I must thank you for your patience. I can't imagine attempting to teach anyone; it sounds like it would be exceptionally frustrating.
[Well, this week has been a nightmare from the very start and each passing day makes it worse!! Great!! How have things managed to get even worse after that trial, damn.
Anyway, a little while after today's haunting, Iago ends up heading over to Cumore's room. Knock, knock!!]
[It kind of takes him a moment, but Cumore will open the door eventually; he seems a little rough tonight but he's at least sort of presentable, which is possibly to be expected given that he's been a shitshow all week and isn't really showing any signs of slowing down.]
[Saying that trial was a disaster is a joke. There aren't words to describe how completely fucked up this entire thing has been or how badly it's screwed almost everyone over in the process. Iago's fully aware he isn't the only one suffering and that's why he needs to get his shit together as soon as possible, but he still asks Cumore to set of Sonui's silencing ability for a little bit so he can go into Dist's room and cry for awhile. He hasn't cried in over twenty damn years and yet that's all he wants to do.
So that's what he does while Cumore deals with Mikami and whatever insanity is going on there, and eventually Iago pulls himself together and manages to get his mattress into Cumore's room, along with the essentials. He can move other things over later, since this seems to be a permanent arrangement, but for now this will have to do.
Whenever Cumore returns, Iago's mostly fine; he's already showered and changed because of course he's going the fuck to sleep as soon as Cumore's back in the room and he's currently sitting on his mattress staring off into space and working a brush through his hair. He has the mask off, of course, because there's no real sense in worrying about hiding it anymore. There's no anger or yelling or... anything, really. He's just sort of out of it. But he's here, and he's doing his best, and maybe for right now that's good enough.]
[Cumore won't be gone long; long enough to deposit Mikami back in his room and take a shower and just...generally work out some of the excess energy and it's easier to do that when there's water running and you don't feel like muting the whole damn hallway in order to have a moment.
Anyway.
He'll come back eventually, and he's more or less dressed as he usually is for bed, and Iago's here and that's going to be a little weird for a while. It was weird with Mikami and it's going to continue to be weird now, and he's very determined to not let it be weird.]
[Today certainly has been a day, hasn't it. Between all the science he's been doing and what he's decided to call The Mikami Incident, he's been busy. Oh, and also he's now in possession of one (1) walkie-talkie that lets him communicate with Dist whenever he wants, so that is obviously going to be within arm's reach at all times. Obviously he's not going to call up Dist in the middle of their damn conversation or anything, but there is no guarantee that he won't gossip with Dist later. You've been warned.
Anyway, he ends up returning to Cumore's room a bit later than planned after his usual nightly routine, primarily because he actually needed to discuss something serious with Dist for once. He looks sort of tired, but not upset and that's probably the best that can be said after dealing with all of that.
But if there's one thing that will help, it's a distraction, so once he's seated on his bed and has his hairbrush in hand—]
Congratulations, I'm sure Teru Mikami will make you very happy.
[IT'S JUST GONNA BE LIKE THAT TODAY, HE'S HOLDING THE BRUSH CAPTIVE AGAIN.]
[That sure was a meeting, wasn't it. Obviously it didn't go well, considering just what they learned, but getting things laid out is important so they can figure out how to proceed.
Right now that involves taking Cumore back to his room and once he's in and Iago's shut the door behind them, he moves to sit on his mattress and gestures for Cumore to join him.]
I'm sorry. What I said was careless, and far too cruel.
[He had his reasons for it, but ultimately they're also careless and cruel. Entirely self-serving, even to the bitter end.]
[Cumore had kind of gone silent at the meeting after a while, still just kind of staring at nothing; he's been processing to some extent, but he hadn't really been able to provide very much outside of just vibrating a lot. He isn't so agitated that he won't join Iago in sitting down, though.]
It was.
[He isn't going to bother trying to soften that, or to insist that it's okay or he understands; it is what it is.]
Everyone will say no one will do it now, but as soon as things get difficult and that comes up as an option someone is going to want to take it. You know that.
[It's Thursday night and even though there isn't an incentive to take advantage of, Iago isn't exactly interested in staying out late. Once he's done preparing for bed, he returns to Cumore's room and removes the mask and circlet, remaining quiet as he works. His gaze keeps straying to the walkie talkie sitting with his stuff, but there isn't much of a reason to keep it within arm's reach at all times now. It's been silent since Tuesday night, after all.
As usual, he takes a seat on his mattress, and when he gestures for Cumore to join him, he doesn't withhold the hairbrush this time.]
How was your day?
[He seems a little subdued, but that's not really unusual at this point. Nights are always difficult.]
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week 1 - post-trial
He's currently working on notes, just jotting his thoughts down and recording what information he did manage to learn from today's absolute mess of a trial. But it's not like he's opposed to being bothered.]
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Cumore actually went to the absolute audacityfest that was the post-trial party; it was sort of like being home for five minutes or so, which is both appreciated and going a long way to ensure that he's still feeling really keyed-up. So he'll disappear back to his room for a moment before coming to find Iago; he'll knock, he's civilized, but it sounds a little impatient.]
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week 2 - monday
He'll come find Iago later that night; not terribly late, he does sleep early and all, but far enough into the evening that Iago is likely back in his room? He'll try there, anyway, sounding...much less impatient than last time, at least.]
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Good evening, Cumore. Is there something I can help you with?
[...do you want to come in...]
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week 2, weekend because why not
Which is likely a good thing, because damn, was he awkward as shit at people last night. Let's never do that again, it was gross.
Either way, he'll come seek Iago out in his room eventually. Might as well make sure the guy is still in one piece.]
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He's in and he'll get the door not long after Cumore knocks, allowing him in. He gestures to the room as a whole; make yourself at home while he locks the door.]
Cumore. How are you doing?
[He sounds put-together at least, and his room isn't looking like too much of a disaster zone. There might be a few books he might have missed picking up after flinging them at the walls, but shh, it's fine. Iago's missing the circlet he usually wears behind his head, but that's sitting on the desk.]
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week 3 - tuesday
For now, Iago needs to find something to do to keep himself busy. As much as he'd greatly prefer to lock himself in his room and scream, he's pretty sure Rideaux is going to overhear him doing this at some point and that sounds like something he doesn't want to deal with. So a distraction it is.
The jazz bar isn't exactly where he planned on going, but who knows, maybe there's something he can find here if he searches the place. He doesn't expect the music and pauses for a moment once he hears it. Curiosity is what compels him to enter the jazz bar, even though he'd greatly prefer to be alone right now.
Honestly, he's not sure if he's surprised to find Cumore playing. It seems like the sort of thing Cumore would be capable of, but it isn't something he would have thought Cumore would have any interest in. Maybe that's why he approaches, who knows.]
You're quite talented.
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I was practically required to learn to play something when I was younger. This ended up being something I was good at.
[Nobility is just kind of Like That. Thankfully his piano-playing was acceptable as opposed to trying to make this man learn, like, flute. Can you imagine the sounds he would get out of a fucking flute because none of them are good.]
Somehow I doubt you've come in here simply to compliment me, however.
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week 3 - thursday
After all, he does owe Cumore an answer for his offer the other day.
So he shows up at Cumore's door later in the evening, knocking on said door. He still looks agitated and angry, but it's certainly not Cumore's fault that everyone else is a complete idiot.]
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Iago. Do come in.
[It seems like he's put some effort into decorating the place since you were last here - he's apparently decided that the best course of action to liven the place up is to just sort of take a bunch of cacti from the botanical garden because he's like that, they're all kind of living in jars around the place. There are also a lot of sheets of paper with writing on it in that weird unintelligible script he was writing in before tacked up onto the walls, god only knows what those are.
...There's also a particularly fabulous chair in here because why wouldn't there be, along with a broadsword propped up against the wall because why wouldn't there be.
Anyway. He'll be taking the particularly fabulous chair, sit wherever you want otherwise.]
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week 3 - saturday
He's not particularly surprised to find Cumore there.]
Keeping your skills sharp, or are you just bored?
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[The melody goes simple as he answers, granted, but he does continue with what he's doing; he isn't bothered by Iago's presence any, and if he minded having an audience he wouldn't be doing this out in the open, fullstop.]
And what brings you out here?
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week 4 - monday
Good evening, Cumore. Is there something I can help you with?
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[...She kind of strangled a dude.]
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week 4 - wednesday
Anyway, with the lesson over for the day he sits back a bit on the piano bench.]
Once again, I must thank you for your patience. I can't imagine attempting to teach anyone; it sounds like it would be exceptionally frustrating.
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It's frustrating when the students are unwilling. Otherwise, I can't say I mind.
[See, again: his troops fucking hate him.]
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week 5 - wednesday
Anyway, a little while after today's haunting, Iago ends up heading over to Cumore's room. Knock, knock!!]
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Iago. What brings you here...?
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week 5 - post-trial
So that's what he does while Cumore deals with Mikami and whatever insanity is going on there, and eventually Iago pulls himself together and manages to get his mattress into Cumore's room, along with the essentials. He can move other things over later, since this seems to be a permanent arrangement, but for now this will have to do.
Whenever Cumore returns, Iago's mostly fine; he's already showered and changed because of course he's going the fuck to sleep as soon as Cumore's back in the room and he's currently sitting on his mattress staring off into space and working a brush through his hair. He has the mask off, of course, because there's no real sense in worrying about hiding it anymore. There's no anger or yelling or... anything, really. He's just sort of out of it. But he's here, and he's doing his best, and maybe for right now that's good enough.]
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Anyway.
He'll come back eventually, and he's more or less dressed as he usually is for bed, and Iago's here and that's going to be a little weird for a while. It was weird with Mikami and it's going to continue to be weird now, and he's very determined to not let it be weird.]
Do you want help with that?
[The hair.]
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week 6 - monday
Anyway, he ends up returning to Cumore's room a bit later than planned after his usual nightly routine, primarily because he actually needed to discuss something serious with Dist for once. He looks sort of tired, but not upset and that's probably the best that can be said after dealing with all of that.
But if there's one thing that will help, it's a distraction, so once he's seated on his bed and has his hairbrush in hand—]
Congratulations, I'm sure Teru Mikami will make you very happy.
[IT'S JUST GONNA BE LIKE THAT TODAY, HE'S HOLDING THE BRUSH CAPTIVE AGAIN.]
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I don't know what you're talking about. Give me the brush.
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week 6 - wednesday
Right now that involves taking Cumore back to his room and once he's in and Iago's shut the door behind them, he moves to sit on his mattress and gestures for Cumore to join him.]
I'm sorry. What I said was careless, and far too cruel.
[He had his reasons for it, but ultimately they're also careless and cruel. Entirely self-serving, even to the bitter end.]
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It was.
[He isn't going to bother trying to soften that, or to insist that it's okay or he understands; it is what it is.]
Everyone will say no one will do it now, but as soon as things get difficult and that comes up as an option someone is going to want to take it. You know that.
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week 6 - thursday
As usual, he takes a seat on his mattress, and when he gestures for Cumore to join him, he doesn't withhold the hairbrush this time.]
How was your day?
[He seems a little subdued, but that's not really unusual at this point. Nights are always difficult.]
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[He'll settle easily, taking the brush and working it lightly through Iago's hair.]
It went about as well as one would expect. A bit tense, but not terrible.
Is everything all right?
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