chaospirals

[chaospirals]

Hwei watches somewhere just above Sett's head, his inky eyes moving like he's reading script between Sett's ears. There's a subtle change in the colours that bleed from him, an emotion he's trying to cover up, but it's gone before Hwei can determine what it is. They tilt their head slightly, eyes lighting up with vindication. Yes, it makes sense that someone who looks like this is the owner of the Pit. The fangs that peek from behind his lips, the glossy black claws on his hands... A thrill goes through Hwei at the realisation. That must be the edge of violence he sees in Sett.

Already, a thousand questions bubble to the top of Hwei's mind, his curiosity almost as ravenous as he is. But Sett interrupts, bodily turning him towards a destination that Hwei can only guess at. Something to eat, Sett says, and that's enough information for Hwei.

Someone more experienced might be wary of being guided anywhere by someone who plays as big a part in the underworld as Sett does, but, well... Hwei is busy thinking about all the questions he's going to ask, and trying to figure out what all the colours he saw bleeding out of Sett mean. At first glance, Sett seems like a simple character — just in it for the money and violence — but there are so many layers to him, so many blurred lines and moods... Hwei wants to pull him apart, but they get the sense that he'll be tough to really dig into.

"Oh, okay," is all Hwei says as Sett guides them onwards, their eyes becoming a deep, curious green as they watch the buildings go by. So much of it reminds him of Koyehn, but in a different font. A different wash. The shapes are a little different, the materials unfamiliar and local. The world is so large and they have seen so little of it, and already there are so many differences.

Something catches their eye — a stall selling unfamiliar objects in colours that entrance them. Stepping effortlessly out of Sett's influence and over to the stall, Hwei examines the objects before they speak softly to the shopkeep. "Excuse me, what is all this"?"

There was something… off about this guy. Sett’s facade falters briefly as watches Hwei stare through him, head tilting, chin almost tucking against his shoulder as he tries to look behind himself. Nothing, his gaze fixes back on Hwei, confusion laced in the way his brow knits together. And yet he still tries to force his smile, nonetheless. 

Part of him thinks at this point, stepping in had been some sort of mistake-- that he shoulda left them to get picked off. A clawed hand rears up to scratch at the back of his neck awkwardly. That is, until Hwei manages to put his thoughts into words-- had they listened to Sett before then? Whatever, now’s his time to shine. That is until, the ground is torn up right out from under him.

His little cover drops all too quickly: his ears flatten outwardly trying to really focus on what they’d just said, a muscle beneath his eye twitching as something in his smile shifts hard left. Forget the facade, Sett knew he was notorious-- but known to someone like this? Who also got his name wrong-- his fist clenches at his side and he can’t help the snide comment that worms through grit teeth forced into a nonchalant smile, “It’s Sett.”

His brows rise, eyes focusing hard on Hwei as he presses his lips into a thin line, and finally breathing out a long sigh. Sett leans forward enough to see eye to eye with the other, nodding his head lightly, much like you would to a child who was about to get an earful-- a hand landing roughly on Hwei’s shoulder then, given a squeeze as if to keep them still (like they’d run off either way…). “Well lucky you managing to find exactly who you’re lookin’ for, funny how that works.” He’s definitely not laughing, but a little part of him screams to play nice. For now. “We’ll get you somethin’ to eat, I know just the place.”

With a quick movement of his wrist, he faces Hwei due west and begins to wordlessly lead them forward by the shoulder towards an inn he knows all too well. His entire facade drops once their eyes are off of him, expression slipping into something a little more agitated. And yes, he’s going to be hung up on his name being wrong for a while--

[chaospirals]

and last but not least, ♡ this for a snowdown/christmas/holiday gift from hwei!

[chaospirals]

would hwei paint those he is close to (romantically or not), and what might his thought process be when approaching something like that - given how potentially destructive his art & magic can be?

I think that yes, if hwei felt that he could safely paint people he cares about then he would absolutely love to. he feels like he can express himself better that way than through words, and he wants to express his much he cares about someone in the language he feels most fluent.

based on his lore, it seems like his magic is mostly proximity based, so one could assume that if his loved one isn't nearby that they were safe. still, there's always that risk, because hwei has lost control before, and he tends to lose control when he's at his most passionate, so...

as much as I would love to say hwei would make sure his loved on is 100% safe before painting, he is definitely a flawed person and he might simply get carried away. that being said, after he accidentally drowned the masters at koyehn, he tries to do his painting on his own, for the safety of others. of course this doesn't always happen but. he tries.

[chaospirals]

&. 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐬.

( this is basically just a very self indulgent list of various fluff, angst, and suggestive themed dialogue sentence starters. )

❛ i could keep you safe. they’re all afraid of me. ❜

❛ i’m trying to fix your hair, so hold still. ❜

❛ your heart is beating so fast right now. ❜

❛ promise me you’ll still be here when i wake up. ❜

❛ you’re not as bad as everyone says you are. ❜

❛ i thought you’d like some company. ❜ 

❛ clean yourself up. you're getting blood all over the place. ❜

❛ here, give this a try and tell me what you think. ❜

❛ you can kiss me, you know. ❜

❛ come back to bed. ❜

❛ you look good like this. ❜

❛ working together again, it’s just like old times. ❜

❛ how is it you always know what i need, huh? ❜

❛ you’re lucky you got away with only a scratch. ❜ 

❛ i can’t imagine losing someone like that. i’m sorry. ❜

❛ you know you can always talk to me. ❜

❛ the only one who gets to kill you, is me. ❜

❛ so, what do i owe this pleasure? ❜

❛ ah, so you aren’t heartless after all. ❜

❛ may i have this dance? ❜ 

❛ it’s okay, you can touch me. i won't break. ❜

❛ enemies make the best lovers, you know. ❜

❛ hold still. this might sting a little. ❜

❛ we can't keep doing this. ❜ 

❛ you look like you've got something to say. ❜

❛ just relax and let me take care of you. ❜

❛ thought you’d be lighter without all that blood. ❜

❛ i had it under control. you didn’t need to do that. ❜

❛ everything looks so beautiful from up here. ❜

❛ you treat all your ladies like this? ❜

❛ well? how do i look? ❜

❛ can’t sleep? ❜

❛ do you mind if i smoke? ❜

❛ i’m scared of ending up alone. ❜

❛ i don’t think i’ve ever seen you smile. ❜

❛ how long has it been since you've slept? ❜

❛ you are losing my interest, and that’s very dangerous. ❜

❛ i’d suffer hell if you’d tell me what you’d do to me tonight. ❜

❛ you look really pretty right now. ❜

❛ i’ve never cared for anyone the way i care for you. ❜

❛ i’m not wearing any underwear. thought you’d like to know. ❜

❛ just a few more stitches and you’ll be as good as new. ❜

❛ i’d say we make a pretty good team. ❜

❛ i want you to forget this ever happened. ❜

❛ i'm here for business — not pleasure. ❜

❛ if i didn't know any better, i'd say you were jealous. ❜

❛ you'd look better down on your knees. ❜

❛ fine, keep acting like you hate me. ❜

❛ kiss me again. ❜

❛ are you asking me out on a date? ❜

❛ just sit there and look pretty and let me handle this. ❜

❛ you okay? caught you staring off into space again. ❜

❛ well, i do feel better now that you're here. ❜

❛ i'm not drunk enough for this. ❜ 

❛ why is it whenever we see each other, you’re covered in blood? ❜

❛ i was wrong about you. ❜ 

❛ the first time i met you, i had no idea you'd mean this much. ❜

❛ you gonna be a good girl / boy for me? ❜

❛ i’m not afraid of you. ❜

❛ books mean more to me than people anyway. ❜

❛ i just wanted to say thank you for protecting me. ❜

❛ how about a kiss goodnight? ❜

❛ i don’t have time for distractions right now. ❜

❛ you shouldn’t be out here by yourself. ❜ 

❛ if i have to think about one more thing today, my head will explode. ❜

[chaospirals]

A Lotus Flowercrown and a Smile 🪷

[chaospirals]

When Sett bares his teeth like that, Hwei's eyes flash with a crisp blue of inspiration, the painting taking shape in their mind's eye even as Sett speaks. Hwei can see the way he would paint Sett's eyes with a wild glow, the crimson blood stark against a monochrome background. Even when Sett says to keep their wits about them, Hwei only smiles a vague smile. While it's true that they are naive to the world around them, their magic also keeps them safer than most would imagine upon first setting eyes on the shaggy, starving artist.

Hwei would be wise to take Sett's advice, but it's clear from the way their gaze goes right through him that they're not paying attention at all. The world is much bigger than they had thought possible, and every inch of it is teeming with such beauty and horror, such life and decay, and Hwei wonders how they will ever find the time to paint it all.

Perhaps one day they will have a place to call their own again, and place to stay for days and weeks, painting everything that comes to mind, getting lost in the peace that comes from creation.

Until then, though, they must store those memories away somewhere they will not forget, so that they might come forth at the right moment, when the light and the ink is just right.

"Mmm," Hwei begins, winding his mind back, away from the beauty and brutality of this stranger, back to the beginning of their tale, the reason they left Navori. How to explain such a crucial turning point in their life? How to describe the bloodshed and beauty that spurned them on their way to Navori. "I'm seeking a place called..." A pause, as they rummage through their mind. "The Pit. And its owner. ... Soot?" They look like they're about to say more, but then their stomach growls, loudly, and they smile a sheepish smile. "And perhaps a place to stop and eat."

The way they speak makes Sett's jaw clench, his ears twitching as if trying to make sense of what exactly they... meant by all that. This whole thing was really throwing him off, but it wasn't like this was the weirdest interaction he had with folks who came through Navori. If he'd been a little more naive (...or desperate), Sett'd thought they were outright flirting with him. Well, who could blame them-- not the point though.

"Listen, I appreciate the flattery," he starts, taking a few steps towards Hwei, "but ya really gotta have your wits about you in a place like this, trust me I know."

Sett's more than aware of what goes on here, considering he has a hand it in himself. But he'll ham up the innocent hero bystander to them. Surely if it works on his mom it'll work on some traveler. He forces a friendly smile, but it still comes off as predatory as his fangs flash in the open air. Standing proudly as he uses some of the gauze wrapping his forearm to soak up any lingering rivulets painting his skin.

"Though, I can admire that you appreciate a good fight. 'Specially when you got a front row seat." Sett chuckles as his breathing finally levels, rolling his shoulders. "Now... Hwei, right? What's this part of Navori got for a guy like yourself? Maybe I can help ya with it."

[chaospirals]

league of legends tell me where koyehn is challenge

[chaospirals]

For better or for worse, Hwei speaks honestly. He can lie, of course — he lied to the elders at Koyehn, lied to his tutors that he wouldn't practise his magic, wouldn't do anything to strengthen it. But he did. How could he not, when the pictures becomes so much more vivid when his magic touches them? Practising in the dead of night, away from anyone who might get hurt — it was a little white lie, was it not?

Even if it lead to Jhin, to all that destruction, he cannot regret it. Not when it opened his eyes to so much beauty and decay.

But here? There is no reason to lie. He has nothing to protect, nothing to keep to himself. Even when he sees her aura shift, the hurt that he blended into it like watercolours, the anger that's always there, seeping out. He should feel bad about hurting her, perhaps, but the colours fascinate him, distract him.

It's odd, the way she speaks of him like he's not even there. She fights for him, and yet she doesn't ask what he wants. A small, inappropriate smile touches his lips as she speaks of atrocities, as anger shakes her voice, but Hwei doesn't speak until she asks him a question. He suspects it's better not to. "Ah, no. I don't think so." His fingers drag on his bottom lip, like he has to think about it first. The way Jhin spoke of his art was intriguing, though he spared the messier details at the time. But after seeing it for himself, Hwei cannot help but admire the artistry.

"... No. I don't think so. Our souls are at war, just as much as they are intertwined. When his pushes, mine pulls away. Sometimes we both push, but there is a part of us..." He pauses, thinking, and holds a fist over his chest, as if he can show Irelia the part of him he means, "that is incompatible. For me to follow in his footsteps..."

For a moment, his eyes unfocus, turning a deep purple as he envisions the future and all it contains, "I think he would have to change something fundamental about me. With both of us pushing, it's only a matter of time before one of us breaks." Smiling faintly, Hwei returns his eyes to Irelia across the table. "I can only hope that it isn't me."

introspective artist .

He wears the same vague smile, his eyes shifting from blue to indigo as she comments on his own scars. It's true that Lukai Hwei has not escaped life without injury, but he has been able to find beauty in even the worst moments of his life. Especially the worst moments of his life. He peers into his teacup, fascinated by how the leaves dance in the liquid, listening to Irelia's words even as he's lost in his own thoughts. The world is so much bigger than he ever knew. Full of so many different people, Hwei feels like he could lose himself in their smiles and their sorrows and never lift his head above the surface of their dreams again. But he has a mission now. A purpose. A calling. A muse. As much as he may wish for the peaceful days of Koyehn, for the schedule and restrictions, for the rules he learned to avoid, those days are beyond him now, closed forever. He's accepted that, even if some days the yearning in his heart seems strong enough to drag him right through the past to his old home. Hwei's eyes lift. Irelia has always been kind to him, and so he is kind to her. He holds her gaze, steady, and when she mentions Khada Jhin, his eyes go from an airy lavender to a deep, anguished purple. "Ah, Jhin." Propping his elbow on the table, Hwei rests a soft cheek against his palm. "The source of so much pain, and beauty. He ended my life and began it anew in one dread stroke of his brush." He cannot keep the admiration from his voice. He knows that others see only the pain that Jhin causes, so he tries to hold his tongue, but ... "The memories of that day are still so fresh. I could paint them, but I would never do it justice." Quietly, Hwei's free hand traces shapes on the wooden table, painting with colours only he can see. "Without him, I would be stuck in the same cycles. He freed me and chained me to him. No matter what I do, I can't step out of his shadow." His eyes, lifting from the painting only he can see, flare with a dark red. "Not until I wrench the answers I seek from him."

mesmerised by hwei's eyes as they talk , she's finding it hard to look away ... usually , irelia is the first to break eye contact in such situations , yet there's a strange magnetism in how those hues shift from shade to shade . irelia looks away only to take a drink from the brew , savouring the delicate floral aroma arising from the cup in her hand . as much as the drink soothes her mind , her heart is perturbed by the subject at hand ... && the words that are leaving hwei's lips don't ease her worries . so i was right to be suspicious of him after all , the grim thought turning the gentle flavour in her mouth bitter .

the conviction in his tone , especially in that last sentence ; it brings irelia some pause , but not enough to completely soothe her concerns . hwei's emotions are volatile and so very vivid , much like her own when she was less practised in suppressing them ... but she cannot empathise with his multifaceted emotions regarding jhin . much like her view on noxus , it all becomes very black && white when it comes to figures such as him . he is a madman who possesses a macabre fascination with mass murder , and he must be stopped .

irelia closes her eyes , where in the darkness of her mind she sees the horrors that spirit - damned virtuoso has wrought ; the grieving lovers , parents && children of his victims . there is no justification for such barbarous crimes being committed in the name of art . with every step , twirl , whirl and lift she performs in a dance , every motion is one guided by the spirit's invisible yet reassuring and constant hand . that is what o - ma had taught her , and what she keeps in mind with every life cut short using the swing of blades .

( to use one's virtuosic talent on a pursuit of rampant destruction ... is to tarnish the spirit's gift . to see anything of value , or even beauty in such twisted deaths ; does the young man before her share more in common with the criminal she wishes to bring to justice than the values she fights for? )

" you spoke to me of my rage && grief , hwei . the pain that man has wrought to the innocent people you and i have both known is incalculable . you must acknowledge that the crimes jhin has committed —— and will commit in the future if he isn't apprehended —— are impermissible . i have been giving my all toward the effort of bringing that man to justice , for you and for every other soul he's devastated . " there's a tremble in her voice that she cannot be rid of as she speaks up , even with a fist clenched tight under the table . " but when you speak of being chained to him , surely you don't intend on sharing in his footsteps ? " surely you can choose a different path still , one littered with less corpses than mine .

[chaospirals]

@weldfists from 🎨

It really wasn't necessary. Hwei had it under control. They think.

Their eyes are alight, a fiery orange of interest, as they peer down at the people left bleeding on the floor. For a moment, they are back at Koyehn, reality tearing like a knife through a canvas, revealing the stained wall beneath. For a moment, Hwei is at Koyehn, staring down at the bodies of everyone they ever knew.

And then, just like that, they're back. Navori now, the faces unfamiliar. Isn't memory a funny thing?

Looking up at Sett, it's clear from the airy little smile on Hwei's lips that they don't understand the gravity of the situation. "I do get my hands dirty, though I usually prefer ink to blood." A light laugh, barely there, and then their gaze follows the trickle of blood down Sett's cheek, the way it smears over his chin and sinks into the fabric of his coat like ink. "Excuse me. Perhaps it's not the right time for jokes." But that doesn't mean they're done talking. "—Has anyone told you that you're beautiful like this? Your eyes are wild, your energy threatening to burst, the blood stark against the scene..."

Hwei's eyes are hazy as they gesticulate, painting a scene that only they can see. Then, they seem to come back slowly. That odd smile returns. "Ah, but I haven't even introduced myself. I am Lukai Hwei, of Koyehn. It's a pleasure."

[chaospirals]

happy pride month, hwei is also aroace

[chaospirals]

Hwei nods their agreement — it seems only fair to trade, and they're always happy to speak about Jhin, even though more often than not it gets them in trouble. They're learning, slowly, to keep their thoughts to theirself, especially in Ionia where Jhin has touched so many lives (and what an incredible thing it is, Hwei thinks, to be so memorable, even if all the memories bring is rage and horror.

Their head swims momentarily, imagining how profoundly Jhin has touched their life, then multiplying it by so many people in Ionia, but Ahri brings them back to the present, to the meadow they both sit in. She speaks of love, and Hwei's eyes turn a light, rosy pink as they ponder what love must feel like — what they imagine it's like, at least. There was never anyone in Koyehn who caught their eye, and no one in their travels thus far, so imagination is all they have.

Ahri's story is one that might make others run from her. Hwei can imagine what would make others turn away from her, but they have spent so many months already chasing after someone who has committed such violence upon so many others that they understand how convoluted admiration and the pursuit of beauty can be. Indeed, they were drawn to Ahri for much the same reasons, though she claims to be a different person now than she was then. Though there is horror in her story, there is beauty too, mixing it like paint to change its colour. Like art, her story is a combination of so many things, and Hwei can see it vividly as she narrates.

"It is jarring," they agree. "Mine is similar, in a way. I was always told that my gifts are dangerous and need to be contained. He was the first person who told me otherwise. He saw the beauty in my art, in my magic, and encouraged me to push it. He was the first person who saw me and didn't try to..." Hwei tilts their head, searching for the right word. "Dilute me, I suppose." Because that's what it is, isn't it? Keeping their powers contained, keeping them hidden away. "He helped me see the beauty in my art, rather than just the destruction of it. The way he spoke about it, I could tell that he truly understood my art, and understood me."

There's a pause, and Hwei's lips curl up bitterly, their eyes darkening to a stormy purple. "He killed everyone I ever knew, and reduced the temple I grew up in to smouldering ashes. All I have left is the connection he left for me. And yet, I cannot hate him. He showed me what art can be."

they sit quietly, artfully wrapped and bound in peace as the universe softens around them. ahri finds it remarkably poetic how their world could be as beautiful as it is, with so much kindness and warmth, and be just as cutthroat and vicious with webs of pervading darkness creeping from every hidden corner. insidious rot bleeds into the earth's soil, leeched by the gnarled roots, and still the realm's spirits find ways to fight back and prevail in all their might. she's come a long way, she thinks, from being the rot that poisons the earth, but she wonders if she'll ever truly outrun the wraiths clinging to her past. if nothing else, ahri is thankful that the mark of her soul isn't so blackened with the thick tar of the burdens she bears that hwei could not see what lies within.

eyes alight, she smiles at hwei, a sliver slipping between shadow and light and the shimmering mirage curtaining her lips in a blurred veil like she doesn't exist in the same reality; it burns into place when she nods in answer to hwei, and runs her fingertips down the length of her sprawling legs. ahri's ears stand tall, lowering just a moment later when a low hum escapes her in a sigh. " i'll trade my story for yours, " ahri eagerly starts, shuffling to reposition herself so that she sat on her knees. she quickly relaxes, lowering against the ground as she stretches her legs further, clawed feet angling outward. " i'd love to hear how your art transformed in your eyes. "

ahri is quiet at first, tugging at the blades of glass between her knees. she quickly returns her attention to hwei, tipping her head to the side in her low stare as she decides where to begin. from the beginning, she supposes. " it was a long time ago. i don't think i could tell you just how many years it's been. it's easy to lose track of time, for someone like me. the years start to blur together after a while, but— " she slips into a pause, thinning her lips. " mm . . . i guess the best way to start this is here: he was someone i deeply loved. i think he was the first person i learned to love. he was kind, and so incredibly talented with his art. he was brave. back then, i think i was still more beast than woman, the very one in ionian children's stories. and still, he showed me the portrait he'd painted of me from afar. i knew he was there, of course. i thought he was stupid, at first, for approaching me, when i could have torn him limb from limb, but i realized this: he was the first person to not see me and run in fear, and he painted me the most beautiful image, of me. i didn't recognize myself. it's jarring to look at yourself through the lens of someone else's eyes, isn't it? but perhaps he was wrong about me, after all. knowing me eventually cost him his life. "

[chaospirals]

She is so lovely, and so kind. They could tell that at a glance, but with each word, Hwei's suspicions are confirmed. There is a darkness to her, yes, they can see that clearly enough, but her laughter and the way she speaks to him shows her kindness instead. Hwei smiles, shy; they're not used to being praised. They've always been too much, or been told to reign their powers in tighter, but Ahri tells them that any version of them would be lovely.

Perhaps she doesn't see the darkness that grows in them, the ink blot that Jhin left behind. Perhaps she doesn't see the battle in them. Hwei has always believed in kindness, in the goodness of people, but Jhin unlocked a selfish, greedy thing inside them. Were it not for the time they spent together and the discussions they had, Hwei would never have left Koheyn. They would have stayed behind and helped to rebuild. Even knowing that, though, they wouldn't go back and change their decision. Not after everything that Jhin taught them, about art and about theirself.

"Someone you once knew?" Interest sparks in his eyes, changing them from a melancholy indigo to a bright topaz. He can tell at a glance that she's lived a complicated life. Hwei knows now, having been out in the world, that he's lived a sheltered life, and he has so much to learn about the way others live. "Mmm... intoxicating is a word for it. I knew someone who was the same, who changed the way I saw my own art. It's difficult not to get caught up in it, isn't it?" Darkness bleeds into his eyes as he remembers walking side by side with Jhin, and follows that thought all the way to the destruction of everything he's ever known... but Hwei catches himself and blinks it away. "Tell me about yours. I would love a story."

to see the world in color is a gift that nearly every soul upon runeterra and beyond possessed, but hwei . . . it goes beyond the simple colors of someone's hair and the way it dulls beneath shadow and brightens beneath the sun's attention, greater even than the shimmering hues that shift and wane in the depths of a person's irises. their world is a vivid masterpiece stricken by an unimaginable wash of color upon canvas to degrees ahri couldn't even begin to fathom, though she certainly tries. the way hwei speaks of their gift is reminiscent of the way she can sense the emanation of someone's auras, the palpable feeling of their joy and their fear and their anguish ripe beneath her delicate fingers. in consuming the very essence that runs through someone's veins, however, ahri succumbs to a similar experience, still, yet inexplicably and undoubtedly different. she could feel them, hear them, relive memories as though they were unfolding in the present, and most of all, she learns the etchings of their souls, the intimacy of each stitch sewn into seams that tether body and spirit.

though hwei could not see the inkblots of his own being, perhaps one day ahri could tell him. an unequivocally dangerous thing, a tempting thing, a burning flame that draws in the moth aching for the familiar haunts of comfort in the descent of the moon come the rise of the sun. ahri minds her tongue and threads the silence between her teeth, keeping her fallen gaze drawn to the ground. it's not an offer she should make lightly, no matter how steady her hands may be, no matter how many decades it has been since she buried the remains of gluttony and avarice into a field long lost and razed with salt and fire. the tips of ahri's ears wiggle, attentive, curious. she's always listening keenly, leaving her honey-gold eyes glistening as a smile pulls over her rose petal lips. " change isn't always so awful, " ahri says at long last, smiling bright as she allows herself to meet hwei's eyes. she wonders if they could see the centuries of history, the carnal desires to consume and devour, tempered by the rot of tragedy and the despair of decay. absentmindedly toying with her tails, her gaze wanders as she once again begins to scrutinize the budding wildflowers yearning for reach between the grass and stone. " if you ask me, i think any version of yourself would turn out lovely. i just get that sense from you. "

she can't help the bells of laughter chiming bright in her throat, grinning so wide that when her lips stretch and lift, her canines poke softly into the skin of her mouth. " i guess i just have one of those personalities, you know? " ahri teases, gently shaking her head while her hands fall still in her lap. " and, you're incredibly easy to listen to. " for a moment, she's silent and stares down at the sharp pointed tips of her claws. " you remind me a little of someone i once knew. you're vastly different people, but you share the same intoxicating passion for art. it's easy to fall into. please, you hardly need to be sorry! really, i enjoy listening to what you have to share. "

[chaospirals]

is anyone interested in. plotting?

[chaospirals]

𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐧: 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐲

❝ Art is empty without empathy.

Empathy is a keystone of Hwei's character. It's mentioned numerous times in his character insights and in his voice lines and, along with his imagination, is both his greatest strength and his fatal flaw. Even before he could clearly see emotions, Hwei was fascinated by them, both his own and others'. He would often get in trouble in Koyehn for prying too much into the emotions of others, and eventually learned that people get upset when their emotions are dug into, but it did nothing to quell his interest — only taught him to hide it.

As his visions developed, Hwei could often be caught staring past the person he was talking to — or, more accurately, staring at the colours they were giving off, committing them to memory so he could paint them later. He was fascinated by the way emotions blend into each other, and often coped with his own emotions by painting them as he imagines they would look, or by losing himself in the emotions of another.

It's in his hyper empathy that a lot of his problems arise. Because he can understand others so well, he can justify their actions. The same way it's easier to justify one's own actions because the person committing them knows the reasoning behind it, Hwei understands, intrinsically, why people act in the ways that they do. To him, no one ever acts 'irrationally' — if he connects the dots in the visions he sees, he can figure out, at the very least, the emotions that caused them to act that way.

This means he can empathize with people who do truly terrible things, and though he has a strong understanding of right and wrong, it often gets muddied in the how and why. He understands criminality enough to target mostly criminals, but he's never able to look at just their actions — everything becomes subjective the moment he sees that person face to face. Sometimes, even before he encounters them, he has already begun to spin possible reasons why they act the way they do. This, understandably, gets him into some heated debates that he has to get his way out of afterwards.

It's also possible for Hwei to get overwhelmed by the force of others' emotions. If it's one person he's usually okay, but the more people around him who are feeling strongly, the more overwhelming it can be. Extremely busy settings such as markets are very overwhelming for him, because it's hard for him to focus on his surroundings rather than the colours and emotions of everyone in the area. Oftentimes, Hwei tries to avoid these busy situations, as he'll often get trapped in them if he can't tune out the emotions long enough to get himself out. Someone save him.

[chaospirals]

Hwei fanart hehe.

He's just like me fr („• ֊ •„)

[chaospirals]

Her sheepish smile is met by one of their own; Hwei isn't the type to share their visions with just anyone. Too many times were they told to tamp down their own powers, to curb what made them unique. After a while, it's impossible not to take it to heart. But Ahri is easy to talk to, and Hwei finds themself talking too much (and yet it doesn't feel like too much when it falls upon eager ears). "Yes," Hwei responds eager, earnest behind all the hesitation. And then, at her next question, Hwei's eyebrows pull together and they look almost sorrowful. "No, I can't. I should like to, though. It might give me insight into my own self." They're wistful, dreamlike, ever lost in thought. "Fitting, isn't it? I can tell so much about others at a glance, but nothing about myself. All of that, I have to figure out myself."

Hwei wonders how much of their own portrait is joy, how much is peace or pain. Is there kindness at its very center, like Ahri's? Or has Jhin twisted them right to their core? The thought makes them ache, all the way down to their marrow, eyes turning a deep, tormented purple. Still, the smile on their face is not so far from bliss. The emotions that Jhin evokes in them are fascinating. Devastating. "Though I suppose that seeing my own colours would only make me want to change them. As an artist, I am never satisfied, and if I were confronted by something I was unhappy with every time I saw myself, then..." There's something sharp in Hwei's smile then, something bitter. "I would learn to hate myself, or seek to change myself irrevocably. Neither of which would be productive uses of my time."

"... No, as much as it pains me, I think it's better that I cannot see myself. All the better for me to sink into the background. The artist should not distract from the art, after all. Unless they are part of the art which, so far, I have no interest in." Brushing the hair out of their eyes, Hwei laughs a little. "I admire artists who can put themselves in their art, but each time I try, I end up in black and white while the rest of the painting is in full colour. What does it mean, I wonder?" Their hand comes up to roll their bright pink earring between their fingers, contemplating that which they have contemplated so many times before. "Ah, I'm sorry. I'm rambling again. You're so easy to talk to. It's dangerous."

so much life, so much death — her eyes have bore witness to so much bloodshed, and her feet have felt the violent quake of the earth's immeasurable sorrow for the lands torn asunder — amongst fire and flame — and souls lost from senseless wars and petty violence. her own hands have plunged deep into twisting sinew, so thick with blood and strung with rot stuck beneath her claws, and though centuries have passed with those dark, somber days long behind her, some of the memories remain fresh. ahri cannot remember everything : a consequence of her own doing in a moment of vulnerable desperation, but even so, she feels the deep wounds of her every sin, all her anguish, etched into her soul.

but for every soul she has consumed, a lesson was learned. perhaps with great sacrifice, and not always born of the best place ( well, not at first ), but lessons learned nevertheless. they'll wonder if it was all worth it, and ahri tells herself that each life lost hadn't been in vain. after a while, at least. in hwei's words, she finds a growing stem of comfort rooted betwixt the moss - filled cracks of dirt and stone, resilient, persevering in a place it'll surely outgrow. ahri blinks slowly, clutching her tails tight before allowing her fingers to set them loose again. " i've never thought of it that way, " she softly admits. she grins, unable to keep her lips from twisting up. perhaps, in a way, she did keep children safe at home with the fearsome tales of her legends of eld.

ahri falls silent, listening intently, clinging to hwei's every vivid description and closes her eyes in an attempt to put color to darkness in her mind. when her eyes open again, she watches his hands as he paints shapes so convincingly that she thought they might just manifest right there in front of them. her heart sinks into the pit of her stomach, cavernous and warmth into cold. all that death, lives stolen and the earth forever marred by her blighted hands. as she continues to listen, ahri smiles again, though this time it's a little more sheepish, almost hesitant in a way unbecoming of her. " you can see all that, huh . . . it's kind of you to say that. " she has grown beyond all that she once was, and she exists with blinding compassion and care for those around her, but even still, ahri is haunted by her past. " can you see your own colors? i bet they're lovely, to suit you. "

[chaospirals]

@danceblades from 🎨

He wears the same vague smile, his eyes shifting from blue to indigo as she comments on his own scars. It's true that Lukai Hwei has not escaped life without injury, but he has been able to find beauty in even the worst moments of his life. Especially the worst moments of his life. He peers into his teacup, fascinated by how the leaves dance in the liquid, listening to Irelia's words even as he's lost in his own thoughts. The world is so much bigger than he ever knew. Full of so many different people, Hwei feels like he could lose himself in their smiles and their sorrows and never lift his head above the surface of their dreams again.

But he has a mission now. A purpose. A calling. A muse. As much as he may wish for the peaceful days of Koyehn, for the schedule and restrictions, for the rules he learned to avoid, those days are beyond him now, closed forever. He's accepted that, even if some days the yearning in his heart seems strong enough to drag him right through the past to his old home.

Hwei's eyes lift. Irelia has always been kind to him, and so he is kind to her. He holds her gaze, steady, and when she mentions Khada Jhin, his eyes go from an airy lavender to a deep, anguished purple.

"Ah, Jhin." Propping his elbow on the table, Hwei rests a soft cheek against his palm. "The source of so much pain, and beauty. He ended my life and began it anew in one dread stroke of his brush." He cannot keep the admiration from his voice. He knows that others see only the pain that Jhin causes, so he tries to hold his tongue, but ... "The memories of that day are still so fresh. I could paint them, but I would never do it justice." Quietly, Hwei's free hand traces shapes on the wooden table, painting with colours only he can see. "Without him, I would be stuck in the same cycles. He freed me and chained me to him. No matter what I do, I can't step out of his shadow." His eyes, lifting from the painting only he can see, flare with a dark red. "Not until I wrench the answers I seek from him."