#fervonian

A click of his tongue is what Sett uses to acknowledge that he’s really hearing what she’s saying, maybe he should start vetting people a little harder when they step into the expansive halls of his pits. He makes a mental note of that for later. But now for the matter at hand--

“Curiosity tends to get folks killed,” he muses, “--no one ever taught ya not to stick your nose where it don’t belong?” The half-vastayan towers over her even as he leans against his desk with his hip, unmoved by her unshakeable confidence-- if anything, he simply flashes a predatory grin her way, the light catching on one of his fangs drenched in gold. As if the lavishly decorated office Sett called his wasn’t enough to show exactly how well off running his business really left him.

“What parts of it are ya so keen about learnin’ about, huh? Don’t tell me you’re wantin’ to show face in the pit.” Sett’s about to cackle, expression turning from something amused by the notion to instead ponder the idea legitimately.

  ❝  sweetheart  ,  i’m  not  at  liberty  to  owe  anythin’  to  this  region  or  noxus  .  i  think  you  know  what  that  means  .  maybe  you  should  go  lookin’  for  someone  else  worth  your  time  while  i  beat  the  bones  outta  the  bastard  who  thought  it  was  a  good  idea  to  even  —  ❞  he  stops  himself  ,  a  scowl  cleaving  through  the  gaps  of  his  canines  .  he  honestly  wanted  nothing  to  do  with  the  lot  —  he  was  perfectly  content  remaining  on  the  outer  field  from  the  resistances  against  noxus  .  political  fights  were  never  his  expertise  ;  now  he’s  got  xan  irelia  —  resistance  leader  &  figure  head  —  on  his  tail  .

he  wasn’t  obligated  to  fight  for  his  homeland  .  he  wasn’t  obligated  to  fight  for  his  old  blood’s  homeland  .  𝐒𝐄𝐓𝐓  was  the  son  of  a  noxian  —  he  was  practically  held  towards  the  noxian  regime  in  militant  services  —  but  he  was  also  the  son  to  a  vastayan  clan  .

both  of  which  disregarded  him  for  his  existence  anyway  .  so  why  was  it  now  he’s  all  of  a  sudden  a  target  of  interest  ?  𝐒𝐄𝐓𝐓  corks  the  leathered  waterskin  once  he  finished  downing  its  contents  .  quelling  the  thirst  &  temporarily  the  heat  cascading  within  his  body  .  he  felt  like  he  was  teeming  with  vastayan  magic  ;  buzzing  the  pricks  of  his  crimson  fur  &  the  tips  of  his  fingers  .

tongue  curls  around  a  fang  ,  lapping  up  the  excess  water  pelting  his  whiskered  chin  .  ❝  it  is  simple  —  i  stay  in  my  lane  —  you  stay  in  ‘yers  .  ain’t  nothin’  difficult  ‘bout  it  .  ❞

𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐬 (𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬?) 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬

His head turns slightly towards her, enough to catch a glimpse of who snuck up on him when he was distracted. Dark eyes rake over her as a rustling in the bushes to the side tells him that the creature he'd found is safe. Kayn had discovered it tangled in an abandoned Noxian net and had managed to free it with minimal damage to either of them. A scratch on his arm from the creature bleeds slowly, but Kayn doesn't blame the creature for lashing out. He knows what it's like to be stuck and afraid, helped by someone he doesn't know the intentions of. He's certain that, if he'd been able to move, he would have struck Zed, too.

"Believing as much would be your first mistake," he murmurs, voice low and threatening. Slowly, Kayn straightens to his full height, turning to face Irelia as he does. He carries no weapons, but anyone who's heard the stories knows that it would be foolish to imagine him vulnerable just because he's unarmed. If anything, it only makes him more brutal. "That little morsel would have filled Noxian bellies, if they were quicker to find it. I'm merely ensuring that they're as hungry as possible when they face our troops."

It's not entirely true — the underlying logic is there, but Kayn didn't need to free it so carefully. He could've cut it down, broken the trap, and let the thing figure out the rest, or he could've used it to feed his own Order.

❛ 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔏𝔞𝔰𝔱 𝔘𝔫𝔦𝔠𝔬𝔯𝔫 ❜ 𝔟𝔶 𝔓𝔢𝔱𝔢𝔯 𝔖. 𝔅𝔢𝔞𝔤𝔩𝔢 ▪▪▪ 𝔖𝔱𝔞𝔯𝔱𝔢𝔯𝔰. | @fervonian

A clench of his jaw is all the reaction she gets outwardly, but Yasuo's stance stiffens nonetheless— something he himself is sure that she would catch. Still he stands with arms crossed over his scarred chest, feigning being the unmovable with tension held in his shoulders.

"—My intention wasn't to allude you to a fool, Irelia."

The words come calculated, as if the overstep moments before hadn't been a mere lack of tact on the ronin's part only spurred on by the fading stench of liquor. How it always would be his greatest vice and, as usual, the thing that gets him thrust into the ire of those around him.

The day of his birth is one of many memories that were lost somewhere between the ports of Noxus and the Order of Shadow. Even as a child lose in the streets of Noxus, Kayn wasn't sure when he was born, only knew the passing of time through national holidays and a general sense of the seasons. He's not in the habit of celebrating a new year — rather, celebrates each day that he stays alive to serve Zed — but he knows that others celebrate their birthday.

He opens it carefully, thumbs sliding under the paper to ease it open gently, as the gift deserves. He has never been the type to take a gift lightly, whether it be a fruit gifts from a merchant stand in Noxus or here, in a private moment between the two of them, and he treats it with a certain reverence.

The razor gleams as he turns it over in his hands, testing the sharpness of the blades with a careful pad of his thumb and an expert's eye.

A cry of protest swells within her chest only to lose itself 'pon her tongue , the defenses she's crafted so carefully beginning to chip away the moment praise meets her ears . She has grown used to painting this picture , one of poise & assurance that commands — no , deserves the respect of those she may meet .

A smile presents itself , but it lacks joy . It is heavy with sorrows , an acceptance of the truth Irelia seems to see so clearly . It is exhausting , after all . She cannot match mother's image .

' Am I really so easy to read ? ' There is a laugh behind her words , a shake of her head 'fore gaze meets Irelia's own . ' I ... thank you . I suppose I don't have to tell you how difficult it is , having people look to you for guidance , but ... I appreciate your kindness . '

Expression softens , a moment's pause interrupted by brow quirking in amusement .

ethics & morality headcanons

Ionians are taught that balance is above all things. By that knowledge, we know that Karma was also raised once she arrived at the Lasting Altar with the same main principle in mind; that balance will always be maintained, and that we must strive to do so within ourselves. Along with it, her most important rule - never act, and watch as balance delivers its own repercussions.

Of course, Karma grew up with so many rules and regulations surrounding herself as a person as well, so that she might become the person she was supposed to be for her people. And yet Darha always questioned them.

In that line of thought, Karma's very conflicted about the question and sees it as a very gray area. There are rules and laws in place that can't be broken or altered - the very laws of nature, that is. And then there are laws laid by people - people with their own ambitions, people who want things to go a certain way, and misguided people. As Karma thinks on what's a good rule and what's not, she knows that she alone can't decide what rules can and can't be broken. However, she does think herself at least a little more knowledgable than most on the subject, as she's had thousands of lives.

The Noxian invasion proved to her that yes, there are rules that should be broken for the greater good. Now, Karma seeks to abolish the rules that only serve the few, and enact ones that serve the many.