[He meets that face, that gaze, and there's a flicker of recognition. He sees her as she sees him. Not in the same way, but it's a variation on a theme.
He brings the coffee up but does not drink from it. He just watches, that familiar silence rising up in his chest.
He says nothing in this moment, the thoughts circulating all at once. It is the same as he was in the end, when he was caught, when Othello called him out. He snapped his jaws shut then and he didnt say another word until his execution.
He does the same with her now. Death is not certain and so this will not last, but he does this now.]
I want to listen to you, Iago. I want to work with you. I want exactly what I said: I want you ready to write the next chapter in your own story. I want to give you the pen.
But it doesn't work if it isn't based on something real. None of it does.
[ She sips again. ]
You can't force me to be on your side. But you don't have to.
[He keeps quiet, setting his coffee down again once it's mostly empty.
Of course he doesn't believe her. No one wants to help him. Not really.
He runs his fingers through his hair, scratching the back of his neck. And when she stops talking, when she's given her stance, he looks away from her, pointedly at the wall. He's pensive, though, not as defiant. Still silent.]
[ She finishes up her own coffee and puts the cup to the side. ]
But I also know you probably aren't ready to trust me with that. I doubt you think I actually want to help you. And I don't begrudge you that.
I'm ready to start wherever we need to start.
[ She folds her hands together. ]
But I am going to do my best to always keep us moving forward. The last thing I want is to see you disappear without getting your chance at life again.
[ She nods and then she'll push herself up out of her chair. She walks to the back of the cabin and she'll put her finger to a certain spot, then her eye, and finally she draws back to open the safe and pull it out. It's just a few steps to pass it over. ]
[He watches for a moment, curious about that magical box. But when she hands it over, his attention is trained on the words on the page. He reads through, and though his facial expressions don't change, he's gleeful as he goes through the list of his crimes. It really was a stroke of genius. When he's finished, he hands it back to her silently.]
Don't get me wrong: it'd be useful to read through. I'd love to hear what you think about how it's written, what it says, all of that.
[ She turns her hand. ]
But it's not worth doing something that will make you question if I mean what I say. And I'm not really interested in doing this pulling you kicking and screaming anywhere like you're a child.
[ Wry. ]
You aren't. You can make your own decisions. You know what the stakes are here. You want me to read it, fine. It's a great tool. You don't? It's not worth making this something where you just 'don't object'. If you aren't on board, there's no point.
[Iago doesn't operate on fear. But it is disappointing to know that she is already so open. She's not stupid; she knows what she's doing. Iago is not here for it.
He lets her read as he inspects, touching nothing with the mug in his hands.]
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He brings the coffee up but does not drink from it. He just watches, that familiar silence rising up in his chest.
He says nothing in this moment, the thoughts circulating all at once. It is the same as he was in the end, when he was caught, when Othello called him out. He snapped his jaws shut then and he didnt say another word until his execution.
He does the same with her now. Death is not certain and so this will not last, but he does this now.]
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I want to listen to you, Iago. I want to work with you. I want exactly what I said: I want you ready to write the next chapter in your own story. I want to give you the pen.
But it doesn't work if it isn't based on something real. None of it does.
[ She sips again. ]
You can't force me to be on your side. But you don't have to.
no subject
Of course he doesn't believe her. No one wants to help him. Not really.
He runs his fingers through his hair, scratching the back of his neck. And when she stops talking, when she's given her stance, he looks away from her, pointedly at the wall. He's pensive, though, not as defiant. Still silent.]
no subject
[ She finishes up her own coffee and puts the cup to the side. ]
But I also know you probably aren't ready to trust me with that. I doubt you think I actually want to help you. And I don't begrudge you that.
I'm ready to start wherever we need to start.
[ She folds her hands together. ]
But I am going to do my best to always keep us moving forward. The last thing I want is to see you disappear without getting your chance at life again.
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Are you certain you wish to continue on this journey with me, signora?
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Yes, I am.
[ She tilts her head just a little. ]
You willing to give me a shot?
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[He smiles and it's mostly genuine.]
Tomorrow has yet to be lived.
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All I'll ever ask for is 'today'.
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Then we are in agreement.
May I see the file?
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Here you go.
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[He watches for a moment, curious about that magical box. But when she hands it over, his attention is trained on the words on the page. He reads through, and though his facial expressions don't change, he's gleeful as he goes through the list of his crimes. It really was a stroke of genius. When he's finished, he hands it back to her silently.]
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She was watching him while he went through it. And the lack of an expression certainly says a lot. ]
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You aren't going to read it?
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You asked to see it. You didn't tell me you were all right with me reading it. I'm not going to assume something like that.
[ She tips her head. ]
And if you want to change it so it only opens for you, your finger, your eye? I'm more than happy to do that.
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[Which means she has other ways of finding the truth, as he saw already. He has already switched tactics, though.]
But if you'd like to read it, I have no objections.
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[ She shakes her head. ]
I'm not interested if it's the first one.
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Why provide it if you don't need to read it?
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Don't get me wrong: it'd be useful to read through. I'd love to hear what you think about how it's written, what it says, all of that.
[ She turns her hand. ]
But it's not worth doing something that will make you question if I mean what I say. And I'm not really interested in doing this pulling you kicking and screaming anywhere like you're a child.
[ Wry. ]
You aren't. You can make your own decisions. You know what the stakes are here. You want me to read it, fine. It's a great tool. You don't? It's not worth making this something where you just 'don't object'. If you aren't on board, there's no point.
no subject
[He weighs his options here, but decides that he can play the game.]
Read it. I would prefer not to dance around our conversations.
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'Dancing' huh?
[ She smiles before she starts reading through the document. ]
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[He stands just as she takes the file out and wanders back to the machine, fascinated by it though he keeps half his attention on her.]
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[ Focused on the file but clearly unbothered by him getting up. ]
My previous inmate actually lived here for a while. Consider this space as welcome as your own cabin.
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[He hates it. He hates that with every fiber of his being. To be holed up like some actual prisoner...absolutely not.
He pours himself another cup, humming softly to himself as he takes the opportunity to walk the room.]
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Don't worry. That isn't something I expect. Or even something I see coming down the line. David had some specific needs.
I know very well that helping you is going to be different than helping him.
[ Reading now. ]
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He lets her read as he inspects, touching nothing with the mug in his hands.]
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