[ He isn’t wrong about that. And in a world where people can be made into animals and monsters, and monsters so readily masquerade as human, it’s difficult to reconcile what she’s seen and understood with how she wishes things would be. For all that she’s seen the darkness of people’s hearts in her home as well as in Piltover… Well, perhaps hope springs eternal. Or perhaps she’s still deluded enough to think she can control the situation.
A fact she knows isn’t true in the slightest. ]
I also seem to recall you helped me previously. Kept me safe, even.
[ He can call it what he wants but she knows what she saw. ]
[ It was only two, nearly three short months ago, and yet... And yet, it feels like everything's changed since. ]
Yes. He's going to have an art gallery. I imagine he's looking for work to display. You could have some of your work up and maybe for sale. I haven't seen anything of yours yet, by the way, and I'd still like to.
[ Because that would be betraying his confidence. And also...vampires in Runeterra? ]
I can show you some of mine, that's no issue. I drew a great deal in September but it was mostly sketches while a friend of mine was unresponsive for weeks.
I can send you pictures now. If you want to see them in person, that's at your leisure.
[ And true to form, she sends over a series of attached images in the next text. There's a painting of the bridge town, another of the park in Karteria. A third painting is of the center of town in Kelesis in a riot of color. The last is of the sea by the bridge itself, specifically capturing how the waves brush up against the structure. ]
And yes, he's all right now. We think it was partially his other soul. And partially stress.
thats good news think the last couple weeks shook us all up so wishing him an even better recover
but i seeeee at my own leisure huh you know that sounds like an invitation
[ despite the joke, he does take time thumbing through the photos she sent. it's hard, he thinks. he can't quite envision how the colors would appear to the naked eye as opposed of the barrier of the device that's currently between them. though, if he had to say, his eyes linger on the sea by the bridge. ]
btw i liked what you did with the waves it captured the volatility of the seas well did the waters inspire you
I'm looking into getting an office/studio to work on paintings there. You would be welcome to use the space if you'd like, as we'd spoken of it before. It would be easier for you to look at these rather than to look at digital pictures.
[ And she wants a space where she can do business and have more private talks with people that do not interfere with Jayce and Viktor's safety. ]
They did. Water gives and takes away, carries closer and further. My mother's ancestral home is a coastal village. Before I arrived in Karteria, I spent several weeks on a ship. But lately I've just felt restless enough to want to be elsewhere, anywhere but in the city. I don't think birds would do well in the water, though.
thanks i was thinking my roomie might be getting tired of me mixing paints and leaving them all over the place lol so good to know i have a second spot to do it too
[ he's kidding ]
so youre someone who is deeply connected with the water thats nice not a bad feeling ive met too many here who seemed to fear it more than they had any lingering affection for it you know so its kinda refreshing
nah maybe you can take a page out of the seagulls book i can introduce you if you want
[ Sus. Or, well, maybe he has a soul that can do that? ]
I hope the poor thing wasn't too hurt. Birds would do that sometimes in the high rises of Piltover. We tried not to overly clean the windows so they could see it.
My friend and I simply felt bad for them. They can't help the buildings nearby. Though they probably don't miss me; no one's been in that building for months now, so the windows are easy for them to spot.
How does one talk to seagulls, then? They only ever seemed skittish to me unless one had food.
Whittling down their defenses with kindness until they decide to stay?
[ Text doesn't allow for nuance in emotion but she's smiling, because she can think of...quite a few examples of such a thing. And perhaps that's really what friendship is: people willing to stay and to remain kind, so others may find safety in them. ]
I suppose I'm no better than a seagull in that sense.
[ In the future when she has proper wings, she may just take him up on that... ]
Or connection. I'm sure you feel closer to things when you actually feel connected or empathetic to them. Distance makes it more difficult to feel invested in certain things or people.
Hard to say. I think it's the leveled playing field here, as we all have at least one thing in common.
[ Being captives of Patho-Gen. ]
But I feel more connection in honesty, in forthrightness. Deeper conversations have meaning to me. I spent a great deal of time often flitting in and out of circles with shallow concerns and with people only caring about their bottom line.
Here, people are willing to indulge. It keeps me curious and makes me want to know more. But I suppose part of that is not just unraveling the mystery of who people are but whether they are threats to me.
But what is 'your own thing'? Is it just painting?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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A fact she knows isn’t true in the slightest. ]
I also seem to recall you helped me previously. Kept me safe, even.
[ He can call it what he wants but she knows what she saw. ]
Have you met Hugo, by any chance?
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not that he hasn't ever helped others, but that he's never felt so spotlighted on it until now. ]
if i recall its because a certain someone was pretty set on saving the city
i couldnt exactly leave her behind
[ is all he'll say to that, but at this moment he's pretty glad this isn't in person. it's also why he welcomes the sudden question. ]
i have
youre asking because of his interest in the arts right
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[ It was only two, nearly three short months ago, and yet... And yet, it feels like everything's changed since. ]
Yes. He's going to have an art gallery.
I imagine he's looking for work to display.
You could have some of your work up and maybe for sale.
I haven't seen anything of yours yet, by the way, and I'd still like to.
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well it wasnt too hard
[ it really does... ]
yeah he seemed passionate
even tho i cant tell if the vampire thing is like a bit
i dun show just anyone my art
but if its miss mel i could show her a thing or two yeah
im curious if youve created something new too
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[ Because that would be betraying his confidence. And also...vampires in Runeterra? ]
I can show you some of mine, that's no issue.
I drew a great deal in September but it was mostly sketches while a friend of mine was unresponsive for weeks.
Actual paintings... I have a few I can show you.
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it wouldnt matter either way
[ considering... he also isn't human. ]
im sorry that must have been hard
from the sounds of it are they okay now
sure when should i expect to see them
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If you want to see them in person, that's at your leisure.
[ And true to form, she sends over a series of attached images in the next text. There's a painting of the bridge town, another of the park in Karteria. A third painting is of the center of town in Kelesis in a riot of color. The last is of the sea by the bridge itself, specifically capturing how the waves brush up against the structure. ]
And yes, he's all right now.
We think it was partially his other soul. And partially stress.
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so wishing him an even better recover
but i seeeee at my own leisure huh
you know that sounds like an invitation
[ despite the joke, he does take time thumbing through the photos she sent. it's hard, he thinks. he can't quite envision how the colors would appear to the naked eye as opposed of the barrier of the device that's currently between them. though, if he had to say, his eyes linger on the sea by the bridge. ]
btw i liked what you did with the waves
it captured the volatility of the seas well
did the waters inspire you
no subject
You would be welcome to use the space if you'd like, as we'd spoken of it before.
It would be easier for you to look at these rather than to look at digital pictures.
[ And she wants a space where she can do business and have more private talks with people that do not interfere with Jayce and Viktor's safety. ]
They did.
Water gives and takes away, carries closer and further.
My mother's ancestral home is a coastal village. Before I arrived in Karteria, I spent several weeks on a ship.
But lately I've just felt restless enough to want to be elsewhere, anywhere but in the city.
I don't think birds would do well in the water, though.
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might be getting tired of me mixing paints and leaving them all over the place lol
so good to know i have a second spot to do it too
[ he's kidding ]
so youre someone who is deeply connected with the water
thats nice not a bad feeling
ive met too many here who seemed to fear it more than they had any lingering affection for it you know so its kinda refreshing
nah maybe you can take a page out of the seagulls book
i can introduce you if you want
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I wouldn't say deeply connected but I don't fear it like some do.
But it reminds me of home.
[ Of sailing away from it, more specifically, and so there are complicated feelings wrapped up in that. ]
You want to introduce me to a seagull??
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yeah it makes me think of home too
so i get the feeling
[ ... ]
seagulls**
think i almost got to teaching them a song too
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And they let you do that?
[ Asks the woman who has never tried to befriend a seagull. Or to teach it songs. ]
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theyre very good communicators
maybe even better than people lmao
ill show you next time
though one ran into a window the other day
and he been kinda shy since
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[ Sus. Or, well, maybe he has a soul that can do that? ]
I hope the poor thing wasn't too hurt.
Birds would do that sometimes in the high rises of Piltover.
We tried not to overly clean the windows so they could see it.
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its not that hard to
as long as youre willing to listen
thooo i will say sometimes i think im wrong
only to find out im right days later lul
so you left them purposely just a little dirty
your kindness probably left a deeep impression on them
they might even be missing you now
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They can't help the buildings nearby.
Though they probably don't miss me; no one's been in that building for months now, so the windows are easy for them to spot.
How does one talk to seagulls, then?
They only ever seemed skittish to me unless one had food.
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food is a good motivator yeah
but normally i just start talking
if they stay theyre probably a friend
if they fly away then i try again the next day
youd be surprised how persistence has a way of working
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Whittling down their defenses with kindness until they decide to stay?
[ Text doesn't allow for nuance in emotion but she's smiling, because she can think of...quite a few examples of such a thing. And perhaps that's really what friendship is: people willing to stay and to remain kind, so others may find safety in them. ]
I suppose I'm no better than a seagull in that sense.
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but youd be surprised how rare sincerity can feel sometimes
[ at her text back, he does smile a little in spite of himself. ]
squawk squawk
that means ill keep my glass dirty for you then
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[ Or something to that effect. But is it a literal window when it comes to him, or are they continuing to speak in metaphor? ]
Is that how you feel, though, about sincerity?
I wouldn’t fault you; I don’t disagree with the observation.
[ It just, again, sounds lonely, something she knows quite well. ]
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i can even keep it open for you sometimes [ lol,
is it a metaphor... or a joke. the true mystery. ]
i do
then again sincerity is a hard thing to feel at times
like you said perhaps sincerity is all about consistency
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Or connection.
I'm sure you feel closer to things when you actually feel connected or empathetic to them.
Distance makes it more difficult to feel invested in certain things or people.
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to be honest i might have been like the latter for a long time
i tried not to get too swept up in the currents
while it means you dun really get anywhere its also safe
or so id say but i probably was just too busy with my own thing to care
no subject
I think it's the leveled playing field here, as we all have at least one thing in common.
[ Being captives of Patho-Gen. ]
But I feel more connection in honesty, in forthrightness.
Deeper conversations have meaning to me.
I spent a great deal of time often flitting in and out of circles with shallow concerns and with people only caring about their bottom line.
Here, people are willing to indulge.
It keeps me curious and makes me want to know more.
But I suppose part of that is not just unraveling the mystery of who people are but whether they are threats to me.
But what is 'your own thing'? Is it just painting?