[ he puts on one of his best & sweetest of smiles before entering. as soon as he does, his cheek begin throbbing. it's stiff, he knows, but hopefully mihail will be too distracted to notice. ]

How have you been - ? [ and he stops. ] What is that?

[ nicolae points at the television. inwardly, he's rolling his eyes, but if he is to convince him that he is that nicolae, he must act like it. ]