STABBED THROUGH THE HEART

[nikkernoodle]

[It's late Thursday night, and the school is far darker than normal. The Band Room is now lit by candle light; far dimmer than electricity, but something that Salieri is fairly used to.

He's there now, seated at the piano, a candle resting in a dish on the edge of the lid as he works, plunking out chords and tinkering with melody and harmony, making notes on the paper, going back, trying again.]

Comments

[disharmonizes]

[And he stops, instantly, turning back to look at him.]

Hm?

1/2

[violentenvies]

[he frowns, studying his face very intently]

You...

2/2

[violentenvies]

You have something on your face.

[disharmonizes]

[................sir--]

And what's that?

[violentenvies]

I'm not sure. Some kind of smudge on your cheek. Just here. [he indicates on his own cheek]

Bend down some, and I'll get it for you.

[disharmonizes]

[...Fine, he'll lean down, gosh.]

1/3

[violentenvies]

Thank you. [and he's reaching out to press a hand to his cheek--]

2/3

[violentenvies]

[before leaning in as he pushes up a bit from the bench so he can kiss him, gently, sweetly, lingering]

3/3

[violentenvies]

[He then pulls back, shifting his hand as he pulls away so his thumb just rubs against Discord's cheek before he drops his hand]

Got it~ [he's smirking like anything, though]

1/2

[disharmonizes]

[For a moment there Discord freezes up, even though it was easy to see Salieri was up to something there, because... oh.]

2/2

[disharmonizes]

[Then he leans back again, smiling in the most casual and relaxed way he can manage right now.]

Such trickery. I've rubbed off on you too much.

[And he... takes a reluctant step back.]

I see I'd best be going now, before you trick and trap me again.

[violentenvies]

Yes, yes, it's all your fault, I was certainly never this conniving before, you terrible draconequus. [he waves a hand at him, looking smug and pleased with himself still]

Off with you. I'll read your note.

[disharmonizes]

[Yep.... off with him. He's just going to hurry on out and go get to work on everything else he has to do.

So, Salieri. Taking that note off your face, finally?]

[violentenvies]

[As soon as Discord goes, Salieri chuckles, lifting a hand to take that note off of his face and see just what Discord has in store for him]

[disharmonizes]

[The note is... well, it's not really written, in the usual way. But when is anything Discord does usual?

It's cut out bits and pieces of-- oh those are just straight up words cut from pages in a book, aren't they?

The message is short and simple, though:

Meet me in library 3 AM.

So, there you have that.]

1/2

[violentenvies]

[that has him chuckling a bit, moving to stick the note to the music stand on the piano right next to his music, so he can see it]

Ridiculous. [that is far fonder than he really should allow, but...ah, well. He'll get back to composing, then.]

2/2

[violentenvies]

[Sometime much later, after getting thoroughly distracted with his composing, Discord's note catches his eye again. Salieri starts, realizing that perhaps he HAS gotten a bit too ensconced, looking up to the clock on the wall.

2:55 stares back at him, the hands on the clocks showing him that he's been working for neigh-on three hours straight]

Ah, curse it-- [Salieri's on his feet immediately, reaching out to grab the candle, heedless of the wax he's spilling. He hesitates a moment, looking at his scattered papers, the music left on the stand, the sticky note--before he shakes his head, moving towards the door. He'll come back for them later.

As he moves out the door at an overly-fast walk--ah, but if this is another one of their meetings, he needs to bring the wine of course. Fortunately, though, the Cafeteria and Kitchen are on the way, and he stops by, setting the candle down on the counter as he goes over to where he keeps his stash of alcohol from the vending machine. He gets down on a knee to pull out several bottles, glancing at them until he finds the one he wants: Spring Wine. Salieri pushes to his feet, pulling out the drawer with the corkscrew and grabbing that--leaving the remaining wine out. Surely no one else will come through at this hour--he can put them back later.

Salieri tucks the corkscrew in his pocket so he can reach out and grab the candle from the counter, picking up his pace as he continues his fast walk to the library. When he finally reaches it, he pushes the door open, coming inside. He's not entirely sure he's late to be honest, but better to say so--]

Apologies for being late. I suppose I was more ensconced than I thought--

cw suicide imagery/discussion/etc. starts here

[disharmonizes]

[Discord has been busy, as he told Salieri he would be. He's visited a couple of rooms, gathered the items he thinks he'll need and... well, and then some. It's not like him to overprepare this way, but this isn't something he'll get a do over for.

Not that it's something he can really fail at, if he tries hard enough. It's just not something he thought would even be possible for him, let alone something he'd want to be doing.

...No, want is a strong and extremely incorrect word. There is no wanting involved. There was, in the band room. A lot of wants that he turned away from, consciously has chosen to leave behind. One selfless move to make up for himself.

So, when Salieri enters the library, he'll notice... several odd things, a number of candles illuminating the space enough for him to see it all clearly. A large piece of dark cloth, from the costume room, lying on the ground. The glint of a knife -- a familiar one, Salieri's own -- currently held in Discord's hand.

As Discord himself just has it turned on himself, idly moving it inches away from his chest, squinting down at it with some amount of confusion. Almost looking like he's... trying to figure out angles.]

[violentenvies]

[Of all the things Salieri was expecting to see when he got to the Library, it was not this.
Yes, alright, the plethora of candles he expected, but that's about it. The moment the light glints off the dagger, Salieri feels like his stomach drops, then rolls sickeningly when he sees where it's pointed]

Discord! [snapped, the wine in his hand slipping from his fingers as Salieri lunges forward--somewhere, he's distantly aware of a shattering, of a splash up onto his ankle and calf and pant leg--but he has little time for that as he's reaching out to try and grab that dagger. Discord's got the handle, so his hand goes to the blade unthinkingly. He winces as the sharp edge digs into his palm, slicing it open, but he doesn't loosen his grip, eyes wide and scared.]

What on Earth do you think you're doing?!

[disharmonizes]

[Discord starts, as the glass shatters and suddenly Salieri is right there in front of him and, well, that's what he'd been expecting of course. Just maybe not right at that moment. And he blinks, as suddenly he realizes someone else is holding that dagger.]

Nothing!

[The response is immediate and defensive, although he immediately looks a little guilty.]

I mean, not yet, obviously-- I was just--

You really should let go.

1/2

[violentenvies]

Absolutely not! [snapped, that fear starting to bleed into his voice, mixing with anger] When I gave you this dagger, the purpose of doing so was not so that you could then turn it on yourself!

[violentenvies]

[something seems to dawn on him and he goes, somehow, paler, starting to look horrified]

Is--is this why you told me to meet you? What, were you planning on my finding your body?! [he sounds both outraged and utterly devastated.]

[disharmonizes]

No, I--

[And he winces, because that isn't entirely wrong, exactly, it's... it is. And it isn't. And all of this is messed up, obviously, but...]

Not... exactly...

[violentenvies]

Not exactly? [the dagger is still cutting into his palm and it throbs in pain--he can feel the blood dripping down his wrist and into his sleeve, probably down onto the floor] Then would you care to clarify your intentions for pointing my dagger at your chest?!

[disharmonizes]

I was simply doing a bit of math. Angles and all that, you know. I've never really held one of these before-- certainly not like this, anyway.

[........this is not helping.]

You were taking a bit to get here, I just thought I'd figure a few things out in... advance...?