Makes the Sound of Violins ((43))

[Meadowlark]

Cori's ears flickered. "That depends. Where did you get them?" An attempt at banter, or anything resembling it, fell flat sounding more like a jealous demand than anything.

[victoriousscarf]

Misto blinked, half in surprise at that, turning his head back to look at Coricopat again. "I, I bought them. Shop off Main Street. You..." he shook his head, not asking the question. "And, well, I guess you could insult the orange one all you wanted, but I think I ended up loosing that one, since I haven't seen it since waking up."

[Meadowlark]

Cori thought about that for a moment and then nodded. "Well, I don't think you need to worry about my insulting your ties. Honestly, they were well-chosen. I didn't realize you had that taste in color."

[victoriousscarf]

Mistoffelees smiled faintly. "I didn't. I still don't. The wonderfully helpful shop gal would pick one up when I said I would like something not a crime against color and she'd hand them to me and go, 'here, this one should work.' Even she didn't think the orange one was a very good idea honestly."

[Meadowlark]

That earned a quiet chuckle from Cori. "Good to know she has taste. Well, regardless, they are very nice ties and I will keep my mouth shut about them from here on."

[victoriousscarf]

"Thank you," Misto said softly and sighed, turning his head against where he had it propped up to look at Coricopat again. "What," he started and swallowed. "What's going to happen then?"

[Meadowlark]

"I...I don't know." He answered honestly again.

[victoriousscarf]

"Well," Misto said softly, still looking at the mottled tom. "When you happen to have any idea, do let me know, would you?"

[Meadowlark]

"I will." He glanced at his watch, rising again. "Well, I need to get to the courthouse. I'll come by to see you later?"

[victoriousscarf]

The smaller tom tilted his head back as he watched the other rise. "You'll come back?" he asked very softly.

[Meadowlark]

Cori considered for a long moment, half inclined to say no. He finally nodded. "After I'm done at the courthouse, but before I'm due at the hotel."

[victoriousscarf]

"Thank you," Misto said softly. "Have, have a good day in court then."

[Meadowlark]

Cori nodded once. "Take care." He slipped out, closing the door softly behind him.

((Exit Coricopat))

[victoriousscarf]

Mistoffelees watched the mottled tom leave. Shifting his weight again, he let himself slide back down the bed to lie on his back, staring at the ceiling for quite a while, unsure what to think or how to react to a good deal of what had just occurred. Or even what had been said the night before, because he remembered most of that. He almost wished he didn't.

[victoriousscarf]

A short while later, the day edging itself further into afternoon than morning, another shape appeared by Mistoffelees door and barely degrading himself to knock, Bustopher Jones pushed his way in. "Mistoffelees," he said, shutting the door behind him.

Misto had been dozing off at that point, carefully curled up on his side, trying to keep weight off the bruises there. At the sound of the knock he'd woken, and upon seeing his uncle he pushed himself up, wincing, but settling himself back into a seated position. "Uncle," he replied warily, shifting his shoulders and wincing again. "You certainly came quickly."

"I wanted to see how you were," Jones simpered. His nephew looked less than impressed by that but he continued on anyway. "Besides, it's been so long since we talked."

"You're right," Misto said softly. "It has been. Because you're the one that disapproved of me finally finding a job, let alone the fact that I found one there. The time before that? You threw a paperweight at my head."

Jones raised his brows, crossing his arms over his bulk. "And look what a difference that time has made to you. Though, you might seriously consider looking for suitable employment elsewhere."

Swallowing, Misto frowned. "How so?" he asked, ear flickering backward.

Jones smirked, taking a step toward the smaller cat on the bed. "Simply that clearly your current place of employment is hardly safe for you."

He got another slow blink for that comment and Mistoffelees swallowed hard. "I was so hoping that wasn't the case," he said softly, more to himself. "When I thought I recognized one of those cats that grabbed me last night, I really did, didn't I?" he asked, voice still shrunk and low.

Jones rolled a shoulder. "You needed to be taught a lesson just as much as that upstart of a Hollister did," Jones drawled, leaning forward, and Misto twitched back hard enough to run his back into the wall, grimacing in pain. "I know damn well what that cat does now, and I know very well where he got the information on that warehouse. You always did know more than was good for you, didn't you?" he shook his head sadly. "Don't you dare ever think of giving information to that upstart again, or a broken tail and some cuts will be the least of your worries, do you understand? It fact, it might be a good plan to get out of that hotel all together. Who knows what might happen in such a situation?" Jones smirked at his nephew, straightening.

Mistoffelees' ears had gone completely flat at that, and he tried to press himself farther against the wall, keeping his eyes tracking Jones' motions. "I'll keep all of that in mind," he said, swallowing hard again. The last thing he had actually wanted to believe was that his uncle had been the one to set goons after him, but here was indisputable proof.

"Good," Jones said with a sickly sweet smile. "I shall leave you to recover then. Good day."

Twitching back, Misto nodded. "Good day," he managed to get past the lump in his throat, and sagged when the other left, trying to ignore how much all those motions hurt.