reblogging so I can talk about this piece
- the image of devotion is typically portrayed in that of a knight towards a particular purpose (religion, family, monarchy, etc), and the cloth over jackies eyes would make it easy for the title to refer to him.
- rans attire and knife wielding hand provides that assassin-like appearance, and judging by his kissing of jackies hand, he's managed to position himself in just the right circumstance to take out his target.
- the purple hands signify the council's influence on ran, most of which pull him away from jackie, while the only hand that pushes is on the knife gripping hand, which happens to be rans mechanical hand. it is also no coincidence that not a single hand of theirs can touch jackie, so ran effectively becomes their vessel.
- the placement of rans arm on the throne would be an impractical angle for landing a good blow, and maybe that in itself is an act of defiance, but considering that ran built his own arm to remain useful to the council as their little assassin, it isn't beyond them to be the reason his arm breaks again.
- despite this, ran holds jackies wrist almost in desperation to get his message across to the general, who does not meet his gaze (understandably so, considering what he's put him through).
- in his selfishness, ran cracks a single eye open to admire him (which so happens to be the eye covered by the council, and in its nature, could render him blind as well if not for his Literal Radiance), acknowledging that he only ever got this close because jackie granted him that mercy.
- and maybe not returning his gaze could be attributed to jackie Knowing that ran will have remained at his side, whether ran was even aware he was doing it, even early on in his mission. jackies attention and scorn is thus directed at the camera.
- it would be a good time now to mention that there are five members of the council, yet only four hands appear on the piece.
- considering all above information, it should be assumed that you are observing the piece from the eyes of One, who wouldn't come into play in the story until ran's loyalty to the Order was doomed (and maybe it was the moment the two met), so in a sense, you hold just as much resentment as the boy staring right back at you.
the trust they hold in their belief in one another alone is a form of blind devotion.
(id like to point out that despite Jackie's black thumb, flower motifs appear in both his armor and sword)
(id also like to mention that when this becomes a Physical Painting, the cloth of his eyes will be see-through, but only when you shine a light through it. One believed that jackie was blind to his circumstance, but jackie knew his fate from the get-go.)
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