#I write stuff sometimes

[mimokome]

She Didn’t Want a Choice. She Wanted to Be Chosen.

Arcane S1 Ep. 9: Jinx’s Table Test — Emotional Breakdown File #1

Core Emotion: Trust, Identity, and Needing to Be Chosen Time Stamp: 24:30–35:00 (Netflix)

I’m not claiming this is canon or fact. This is just how I read it. What I felt. What landed — and what didn’t. Everyone brings their own scars to a scene like this.

To whoever’s reading this — thank you for your time.

Scene Setup

Jinx starts the scene loud and messy — same as always. But it’s not just chaos. It’s a setup. Everything she does has a purpose, even if it looks unhinged.

She drags Vi and Caitlyn to the table and lays out the two chairs: “Powder” and “Jinx.” And without directly saying it, she’s begging Vi to make the one call no one else ever has: Choose me. All of me. Not the version you miss. Not the one you want to fix. Me.

Vi tries to play it soft. Keep it safe.

She says the right things, but not in the way Jinx needs to hear them. She won’t commit. She won’t pick a side. And Jinx can feel that hesitation in every word.

Caitlyn’s gagged — present but powerless.

Jinx messes with her, sure, but it’s not really about her. Caitlyn is the test. She’s Vi’s new world. The part of her that isn’t Zaun anymore.

Jinx sets her up under the tray and waits. Lets the silence build. Lets the pressure rise.

Then she lifts the lid. Vi lunges. Jinx looks for a reaction — and gets a half-baked one.

She pulls out the Hextech gemstone — her wildcard — but says nothing about it.

Caitlyn breaks free, grabs Jinx’s gun, and turns it on her. Vi pleads, caught in the emotional middle — begging Caitlyn not to shoot, begging her to see reason.

Jinx watches them both. Still. Quiet. Testing with every word, every glance, every twitch of her smile.

And when it’s clear Vi won’t choose — won’t make the call — Jinx knocks Caitlyn out.

She was measuring. Who’s flinching? Who’s posturing? Who’s trying to fake their way out?

Silco starts talking. Tries to hold the room with words. Tells Jinx she meant something to him. That he wouldn’t have given her up.

But she remembers what he said. She’s not stupid. He already admitted he would’ve traded her.

And when he reaches for the gun — that’s it.

The illusion shatters. All the talk about family. About choice. About trust. Gone the second he goes for control. Just like everyone else.

So she pulls the trigger. Not because she wants to. Because she’s tired of not being chosen.

Silco was the last one she thought might actually ride for her. And he failed. Like Vi did. Like everyone else has.

When it’s done, she doesn’t scream. She doesn’t break. She just makes a decision.

Fires the Hextech into the council. Not because it’s strategic. Not because it’s smart. Because she’s done begging for answers from people who keep hesitating.

She gave them a choice. They didn’t make one. So she did. "She didn’t want to be fixed. She wanted to be chosen — as-is."

This scene isn’t just chaos — it’s Jinx cracking open. She’s trying to figure out if anyone actually sees her, not who she used to be or who they want her to become.

She’s not looking for a fix. She’s looking to be chosen — for someone to look her in the eye and say, “I still want you. As you are.”

The whole setup is her final test. One last shot to see who’s real, who folds, and who’s still lying to themselves about what they’re willing to do for her.

What Was the Intended Emotion?

Everyone at that table thinks they’re doing the right thing. That they’re handling Jinx the way she needs to be handled.

But none of them actually see her — not in the way she needs to be seen.

Vi thinks she’s protecting her. She’s soft with her. Careful. She won’t say “Jinx” and she won’t say “Powder.” She’s trying to let Jinx feel safe without committing to either version.

But Jinx doesn’t need safety — she needs certainty. Vi’s gray area just feels like another rejection. Another person who can’t pick a side. Can’t pick her.

Caitlyn thinks she’s staying out of it. But she doesn’t get it. She’s used to rules, structure, clear outcomes.

So when Jinx starts playing with her, Caitlyn doesn’t know how to respond emotionally — only tactically.

She’s smart, but she’s blind here. She doesn’t see the trap Jinx is setting, and that makes her look weak. To Jinx, Caitlyn’s not a threat. She’s a stand-in for everything sterile and distant about Piltover.

Silco was never gonna make the “right” choice, because betraying her was never on the table.

He’s been watching over her since she was a kid. He doesn’t know how to be a father — he knows how to lead, to control. That was his version of protection.

But even then, you can see it: he had a soft spot. He gave her freedom when it wasn’t required. That wasn’t strategy. That was care — just twisted by the only language he knew.

Even when he said he’d “give her up,” I don’t think Silco truly meant it. I think he had a plan — some twisted hope of saving her after the fact. That’s the kind of love he showed: warped, selfish, but real in its own way.

His bond with Jinx is unshakable because he gave her structure when no one else would.

He thinks his love — twisted as it is — is still enough. But love that comes with conditions? With expectations? With control? That’s not love to Jinx anymore. Not after everything.

And the second he reaches for the gun, he proves what she feared most: Even he doesn’t trust her.

They all came to that table thinking they could save her. Fix her. Reason with her.

But all she wanted was for someone to look her in the eye and say, ���You. I choose you. No rewrites. No hesitation.”

None of them could do it. So she burned the whole table down.

Why Does It Hit?

This scene hits because it’s not a villain moment — it’s a heartbreak moment.

Every move Jinx makes is calculated. She’s learned from Silco after all these years. She’s not spiraling. She’s setting up emotional traps. She’s testing everyone in the room:

Will Vi commit?

Will Caitlyn flinch?

Will Silco try to control her again?

Here’s the part that gets missed a lot:

When Jinx shoots Silco, it’s not just because he reached for the gun. It’s because she believed he was going to choose control over her.

She’s projecting. That trigger pull isn’t based on what Silco actually does — it’s based on what she thinks he’s about to do.

Her fear. Her trauma. Her constant sense that everyone is just one second away from turning on her. That’s what she’s firing at. Not Silco. Not really.

This isn’t the first time she’s done it.

Jinx has been trained — by loss, by abandonment, by silence — to expect betrayal. To brace for it. So even when someone might not hurt her, she assumes they will. Because they always have.

Vi left. Vander died. Silco lied. Every person who’s said “I care” has followed it with “but…”

So when Silco reaches for the gun, it’s not the motion that matters — it’s what it represents.

Another choice she didn’t get to make. Another person deciding who she is and what she needs. And even if Silco wasn’t going to shoot, the damage was already done.

Her fear had filled in the blanks.

The sound design? Underrated.

It’s not loud. It’s tense. The way the lighter clicks, the crows outside, the kettle boiling in the background, and that eerie quiet when everyone’s holding their breath — you feel it more than hear it.

The average viewer might just see a wild girl with a gun. But if you’re paying attention?

It’s Jinx begging someone to finally pick her. Not to fix her. Not to calm her down. Just to say: “Yes. You, right now, are enough.”

Rewrite That May Have Hit Harder

Silco should’ve slid the gun toward her and said: “It’s always been your choice.”

That line. That moment. That gesture — giving her the power without control — would’ve made her final decision feel like ownership.

She wouldn’t be reacting. She’d be choosing, fully. And that would’ve crushed us.

Final Thought

Jinx didn’t snap because she’s unstable.

She snapped because she was cornered — again. Because the people she loved most couldn’t give her the one thing she needed: To be chosen. Without conditions.

She gave them a chance. Put everything on the table — literally and emotionally.

And when they hesitated — or tried to control the outcome — or couldn’t just say what she needed to hear? She made the choice for them.

That’s what this scene is. It’s not about chaos or madness. It’s about what it does to a person when they keep reaching out and no one ever reaches back.

That feeling of having to be your own answer when no one else will give you one.

That’s why it hits.

Disclaimer

All rights to Arcane, its characters, and related imagery belong to Riot Games and Fortiche. This is a non-commercial analysis intended for educational and commentary purposes.

About Me

I’m not a polished writer. I’m not an industry name. I’m just an emotional dude trying to figure out where the hell he fits. I feel shit — deep. I pay attention. I watch people. The way they move. The way they speak. The pauses they don’t mean to make.

I care about what’s underneath — what’s real, even when they don’t say it out loud.

I value emotion — raw, unfiltered, ugly, honest. The kind most people hide. I want to bring that out. I want people to see the parts that get ignored.

Because whether it’s on purpose or not, most people only look skin deep.

You don’t know what someone’s been through. But if you actually understand where they’re coming from — even for a second — it changes everything.

That’s why I’m here. That’s what this is for.

Written by: Jordan Waltz

[joycehasablog]

Just a girl pouring their heart out. Had to post it here in hopes that people would read it but I have been working on this poetry book for a while and will keep working on it. I would love it if you would follow along.

[5t4r-b0y]

[kamipixel]

build 42 issues and quirks

i imagine most of you started new games in the unstable build, or even started your first game in it. and i gotta say it's been a lot of fun, but it's also obviously very wonky at the moment, so i thought i'd make a little list of things i've seen that don't work quite right to save people some frustration

water collectors do not collect water (it's very possible this may only be a problem if the cell with the collector is unloaded when it rains, and the same may go for troughs and other containers placed outside. i have yet to test if collectors built the old way, with the right-click menu, behave the same)

plumbing water collectors also does not work (normally, if you built a water collector one floor above a sink, you could right-click with a pipe wrench equipped to connect the two and get safe drinking water from the sink)

sodas accidentally give you basically infinite energy (this can be negated by using sleeping pills)

large metal troughs do not work as troughs (so dont rely on them for your animals)

eggs can become chicks while in containers if they are not inside an egg carton

rain does not water crops (im currently testing if this is still the case after you've watered crops manually)

empty beer bottles that spawned in the world have a cap on and need to be unsealed before you can use them

you cannot wash rags/bandages in a sink (you can wash them in the crafting menu but it only seems to work with water bottles and i believe it uses more water than in previous builds)

basements will often not be powered by generators

car batteries have some trouble holding their charge

butchering animals may result in infinite meat

crops are very likely to die no matter what (i think it may be a 100% chance. not very worth it to farm in the game at the moment)

some wonkiness with the new liquid transfer system (i don't really understand it yet so i can't be more specific)

some ingredients will get fully used up by recipes when they shouldnt (i believe salt, rice, and pasta, at least, are affected)

you cannot craft iron bands required to make wooden buckets (you can however find them, or find wooden buckets in certain containers)

there is certainly more, but those are most of the bigger or more confusing issues people are likely to encounter (that i know of anyway).

and now for a few quirks of build 42 that aren't bugs, but may still confuse people because they work differently than build 41

exp gained from tv/vhs tapes stops at level 3 by default

if you're using saved world settings from build 41, remake a new one because some default settings have changed and you won't have the right ones

weight carry limit does not change based on eating

keys have weight

some clothes have a 'discomfort' stat now, so if you randomly get uncomfortable, check your clothes

shoes break pretty fast if you keep stomping zombies so watch out for that

that's about it for what i can think of. so go forth with this knowledge and have fun dying in kentucky

[artfulusername]

Despite one of my fics on Ao3 getting a negative comment today, I wrote words.

Ugh.

[television-overload]

Fanfiction Masterlist

It's been a long time coming but it's high time I put all the fanfic I've written in one place. Let's see if I can remember to keep this post updated this time.

I have written for: NCIS, X-Files, Star Wars, and Harry Potter

***This list is in progress, and I am working on putting all my work on Archive of Our Own, be on the lookout for additions***

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NCIS

...and next thing i knew [Tumblr]

(Tony DiNozzo/Ziva David)

Silly little ficlet inspired by Tony's beard in Past Present Future. Takes place sometime after season 17.

A Place Called Home [AO3]

(Tony DiNozzo/Ziva David)

The fear that there would be no place for her in their lives fills her with immeasurable dread. Is there space enough for three in their apartment? Is there space in their hearts? Post-"In the Wind."

Back to You [AO3]

(Tony DiNozzo/Ziva David)

A year after leaving Ziva on the tarmac, Tony can't stand being without her anymore, so he books a flight straight to Israel to see her again. However, he has more than a few surprises waiting for him when he gets there.

Between Friends [AO3] [Tumblr]

(Tony DiNozzo/Ziva David)

Because there was a deleted kiss from season 10 that almost made it into Family First... and I wanted to know what that would have looked like (please, CBS, release the kiss!)

blood is the life [AO3]

(Tony DiNozzo/Ziva David)

Code Z [AO3] [Tumblr]

October 2018. Stuff happens. It gets kind of dark. TW: blood, depictions of violence

Call Sign: Ninja [AO3]

(DiNozzo-David Family)

In the midst of danger, Tali has a chance to shine. A snippet of an imagined season 2 of NCIS: Tony & Ziva.

(Tony DiNozzo/Ziva David)

Almost 9 months after Tony leaves Ziva in Israel, McGee and Bishop answer Tony's desk phone to a surprise caller, a very distressed and fearful Ziva. Can Tony make it in time to witness one of the most important moments in his life?

Count to a Million [AO3] [Tumblr]

(Tony DiNozzo/Ziva David)

Sniper? What sniper? Count to a million, Tony is on his way to Israel to be with Ziva. And she's looking forward to it just as much as he is.

Diving In [AO3] [Tumblr]

(Ellie Bishop/Nick Torres)

While investigating a case at a beach, Bishop and Torres take a moment to themselves--facing their fears, and facing each other. Sometime around season 16.

Gotta Be Love [AO3] [Tumblr]

(Tony DiNozzo/Ziva David)

Tony and Ziva are having fun babysitting Kayla and Jared Vance, but apparently kids are more perceptive than they'd thought. Kayla sees something in Tony and Ziva that they, themselves, do not see.

heartache [AO3] [Tumblr]

(Ziva David & Tali DiNozzo; Tony DiNozzo/Ziva David)

Facing imminent separation from her daughter, Ziva ponders the prospect of sending her heart across the ocean without her.

heartbeat [AO3]

(Tony DiNozzo/Ziva David)

With their hearts full, years after being reunited, life decides to throw Tony and Ziva another curveball.

heartstrings [AO3] [Tumblr]

(Tony DiNozzo & Tali DiNozzo; Tony DiNozzo/Ziva David)

Face to face with his daughter for the first time, Tony wonders how he's been getting along all these years with his heart on the other side of the planet.

How Does a Moment Last Forever [AO3] [Tumblr]

(Tony DiNozzo & Tali DiNozzo; Tony DiNozzo/Ziva David)

How a shared love of movies helped Tony and Tali through their grief.

intertitles [AO3]

(Tony DiNozzo/Ziva David)

Silent movies, nonverbal communication, and the beginning of a beautiful (more than) friendship. Season 7.

I Saw My Friend [AO3 *TBA*] [Tumblr]

(General; Tony DiNozzo/Ziva David)

After discovering Ziva's private shed and journals, Agent Bishop ponders the impact of her predecessor and what she went through.

I Will [AO3] [Tumblr]

(Tony DiNozzo/Ziva David; Tony DiNozzo & Tali DiNozzo)

Post-17x11 - “Who knows how long I’ve loved you? You know I love you still. Will I wait a lonely lifetime? If you want me to, I will.” -The Beatles

Not Alone [AO3] [Tumblr]

(Tony DiNozzo/Ziva David)

Delving into Tony's thoughts during the scene at the end of "Shiva" in season 10.

Phantoms [AO3] [Tumblr]

(General)

Gibbs has always had conversations with the dead. Diane dropping by years after her death is no surprise. But a few other people make their own appearances, helping Gibbs to cope with his current situation and the uncertainty of the future.

Precious Cargo [AO3 *TBA*] [Tumblr]

(Tony DiNozzo/Ziva David)

On the flight back from rescuing Ziva in Somalia, Tony thinks about just how close he came to losing her.

Promise Me [AO3 *TBA*] [Tumblr]

(Tony DiNozzo/Ziva David)

What if a confession of feelings followed the scene in the elevator? Swan Song AU.

Puzzle Pieces [Tumblr]

(Tony DiNozzo/Ziva David)

Short season 13 ficlet, Tony musing on the missing other half of his heart.

scenes from a snow globe [AO3]

(Tony DiNozzo/Ziva David)

Tony is enjoying the aftermath of a big snowstorm while out searching for evidence for a case. Ziva? Not so much. Set abstractly somewhere in Season 10.

Seen It All Before [AO3] [Tumblr]

(Ellie Bishop/Nick Torres; implied Tony DiNozzo/Ziva David)

Torres and Bishop are starting to remind Tim of two other agents he used to know... They're not as good at hiding it as they think they are. He's seen this all before.

soft light [AO3]

(Tony DiNozzo/Ziva David)

Bedtime at the David-DiNozzo house, a week after reuniting as a family.

Someday [AO3 *TBA*] [Tumblr]

(Tony DiNozzo/Ziva David)

After Tony and Ziva spend the evening babysitting Vance's kids, they have a little talk about Tony's apparent fear of children, and what they see in regards to a family in their own future.

Tiva in Every Episode [AO3]

(Tony DiNozzo/Ziva David; Tony DiNozzo & Ziva David)

A Tiva-centric, episode-by-episode fic marathon filling in gaps, peeking behind curtains, and reading Tiva into episodes with little or no Tiva... This should be a fun ride. Each season will be one fic, a chapter per episode. Currently on Season 4!

To Those Who Wait [AO3] [Tumblr]

(Tony DiNozzo/Ziva David)

Following the events of 17x11 "In the Wind," Tony and Tali get the best kind of surprise on the streets of Paris.

ville de l'amour [AO3]

(Tony DiNozzo/Ziva David)

Tony, Ziva, and Tali spend a special summer day together in the beautiful City of Love.

The Walls That Tell Our Stories [AO3] [Tumblr]

(Tony DiNozzo/Ziva David)

What I think we all want to imagine happened after the doors closed on that elevator at the end of Ducky's farewell episode.

What Really Happened [AO3] [Tumblr]

(Tony DiNozzo/Ziva David)

September 2024. Tali has some questions about her parents' trip to Paris nearly fifteen years prior, and she's determined to get the details.

White Christmas [AO3] [Tumblr]

(Tony DiNozzo/Ziva David; Timothy McGee/Delilah Fielding; Jimmy Palmer/Jessica Knight)

For Christmas 2023, the NCIS family makes their way to Alaska to celebrate all together for the first time in years.

Worth It [AO3] [Tumblr]

(Tony DiNozzo/Ziva David)

Tag to 09x13 "A Desperate Man." Ziva tells Tony about Ray standing her up at dinner the night before, and Tony has a "what if" moment. What if Tony had been there for Ziva when Ray was not?

EDITS:

Tony DiNozzo - "Hero" [Tumblr]

Fanvid tribute to Very Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo.

Tony & Ziva - "She" [Tumblr]

Tiva in seasons 10 and 11.

ART:

Tony, Ziva, and Tali [Tumblr]

Families that look over their shoulder together, stay together.

-.-.-.-.-

X-Files

beautiful [AO3] [Tumblr]

(Fox Mulder/Dana Scully; Fox Mulder & Maggie Scully)

Weakened by her latest round of chemotherapy, Scully doesn't feel much like herself. Mulder helps her find the strength to keep fighting.

chance encounter [AO3] [Tumblr]

(Fox Mulder/Dana Scully)

Six months after becoming fugitives from the US government, Mulder and Scully have a chance encounter with someone that is very important to them.

fate is the handspike [AO3] [Tumblr]

(Fox Mulder & Dana Scully)

Starting on February 23, 1964, Teena Mulder begins to worry about her young son. At first, she thinks maybe he's wishing for a little sister, a wish that will be granted very soon. But he insists the little girl he talks to is called Dana, and she's too little to play, but she likes when he reads his books to her.

Field of Dreams [AO3] [Tumblr]

(Fox Mulder/Dana Scully)

Mulder's favorite movie inspires him to fill his seemingly endless free time with a special project shortly after moving into the Unremarkable House. Second chapter takes place Fall 2024.

Meet Cute [Tumblr]

(Fox Mulder/Dana Scully)

I guess it could be considered a fic. Revival Mulder and Scully are stopped on the street by a popular street interviewer from social media. Mulder takes the opportunity to brag about his beautiful partner.

The Most Popular Man in D.C. [AO3] [Tumblr]

(Fox Mulder/Dana Scully; Melissa Scully)

After Scully returns from her abduction, Mulder starts noticing that he gets an unusual amount of attention from the women of Washington, D.C.

neither snow nor rain [AO3] [Tumblr]

(Fox Mulder/Dana Scully)

It looks like a certain niche magazine is publishing again.

of our own making [AO3]

(Fox Mulder/Dana Scully)

After the events of Amor Fati, Mulder isn't quite ready to give up on a miracle. It just might take a little extra work to get there. (a.k.a. the msr adoption fic)

rain [AO3] [Tumblr]

(Fox Mulder/Dana Scully)

Two agents, caught in the rain again. Mulder does what he's always wanted to do.

sh-boom [AO3] [Tumblr]

(Fox Mulder/Dana Scully)

In his defense, the dreams he constantly has of Scully are extremely vivid. Where does the boundary between dream and reality lie? Takes place sometime in February 1998, during Season 5.

-.-.-.-.-

Star Wars

a dozen roses [AO3] [Tumblr]

(Obi-Wan Kenobi/Satine Kryze)

Some thoughts in the last moments of Duchess Satine Kryze's reign. Told from both Obi-Wan and Satine's perspectives.

a lily etched in armor [AO3]

(Obi-Wan Kenobi/Satine Kryze; Korkie Kryze & Ahsoka Tano)

After the excitement of exposing the corruption on Mandalore, Korkie Kryze shows his new friend Ahsoka something that once belonged to his father.

concordia [AO3]

(Obi-Wan Kenobi/Satine Kryze; Qui-Gon Jinn & Obi-Wan Kenobi; Qui-Gon Jinn & Satine Kryze)

The year on the run lasts a little longer than expected, and the group of three fugitives turns into four.

Dancing in the Dark [AO3]

(Ben Solo/Rey)

Just a whole lotta touch-starved, lonely Ben Solo feeling a lot of feels when the Force decides to connect him to Rey. Completely self-indulgent angst and fluff.

hope like the sun [AO3] [Tumblr]

(Obi-Wan Kenobi/Satine Kryze; Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker; Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker)

Obi-Wan wakes in a world where Anakin Skywalker never became Darth Vader, where instead of everything going wrong, everything went right. Is that too much for him to ask for?

i found gravity [AO3] [Tumblr]

(Obi-Wan Kenobi/Satine Kryze; Padmé Amidala & Satine Kryze; Padmé Amidala & Obi-Wan Kenobi)

Padmé thinks she's introducing two of her good friends at a Senate gala on Coruscant. Turns out, they already seem to know each other. And they promptly forget she exists once they're in each other's orbit again.

Life Force [AO3]

(Ben Solo/Rey)

The force was not ready for the Skywalker bloodline to end. As Rey stands before the twin sunset of Tatooine, a special visitor stops by that reignites her hope for the future.

like a lily among the thorns [AO3] [Tumblr]

(Obi-Wan Kenobi/Satine Kryze)

Utterly destroyed and ravaged by war, Satine wonders if she'll ever see that glimmer of light that she always hoped to see on Mandalore.

Like Life Itself [AO3]

(Ben Solo/Rey)

Rey senses a new presence in the Force after settling on Tatooine. It's not entirely Ben, and it's not entirely her. Can Ben come back to her? After all, their bond IS a power like life itself.

Mother [AO3]

(Satine Kryze & Anakin Skywalker; Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker; Obi-Wan Kenobi/Satine Kryze; Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker)

Two times Anakin really needed a mother, and Duchess Satine Kryze went above and beyond to help him.

shadows [AO3]

(Obi-Wan Kenobi/Satine Kryze)

When Satine's plan to acquire proof that Deputy Minister Jerec's testimony was tampered with falls through, she must seek another way to clear her own name and reestablish faith in her Mandalorian government. She may need help from a friend.

The Sound of Mandalore [AO3] [Tumblr]

(Obi-Wan Kenobi/Satine Kryze)

Uncertain what to do with a Jedi Master who is overly attached to his former Padawan, the Jedi Council decides to send Obi-Wan Kenobi to tutor Force-sensitive Mandalorian foundlings on Mandalore in the early days of the Clone Wars. The Sound of Music except Star Wars.

this could be such a dream [AO3] [Tumblr]

(Obi-Wan Kenobi/Satine Kryze)

In the stillness of night during their year on the run, Satine and Obi-Wan dare to imagine a life without the responsibilities they've sworn themselves to.

to live is enough [AO3]

(Obi-Wan Kenobi/Satine Kryze)

When Obi-Wan Kenobi sets out to rescue someone he loves, failure isn't an option. Your typical Lawless Satine lives canon divergence, with a dash of angst.

what they grow beyond [AO3] [Tumblr]

(Obi-Wan Kenobi/Satine Kryze; Satine Kryze & Korkie Kryze)

On a rare day off, Satine reflects on her legacy.

what was once a garden [AO3]

(Obi-Wan Kenobi/Satine Kryze)

Fifteen years after losing Satine to Darth Maul, a time-worn Obi-Wan Kenobi makes a trip to Mandalore to pay his respects.

your future, my fate [AO3]

(Obi-Wan Kenobi & Qui-Gonn Jinn; Obi-Wan Kenobi/Satine Kryze)

While traveling through hyperspace on their first mission as master and apprentice, Qui-Gon Jinn sees visions of his new padawan's future.

-.-.-.-.-

Harry Potter

Family Day at Hogwarts [AO3]

(Harry Potter & Dudley Dursley)

Hogwarts is inviting families to its first ever Family Day at Hogwarts! Against Harry's wishes, the Dursley's are sent an invitation, but only one of them is actually interested in going. A "Dudley visits Hogwarts" story.

In Loving Memory [AO3]

(Harry Potter & Severus Snape)

Harry has never really liked Halloween… for obvious reasons. A certain professor isn't really a fan either. Perhaps some healing is in the cards for both of them, after a trip out to a small village in southwest England.

[edencantstopfallininlove]

I Thought You Were Gone

Selfship: Crunchy Chip Cookie X Honey Bread Cookie

Content Warnings: Nightmares; Canon-Typical Injury Detail; Major Character Death (except it's in a dream sequence so it doesn't count); Hurt/Comfort (the hurt being of the emotional variety)

A/N: This took me a lot longer to write than it should've. Oh, well. I'm posting it now! Enjoy!

(Also, shout-out to @ode-to-joie, who provided me with plenty of valuable input! They also technically beta-read a certain passage (even though it's been changed a bit since... 😅).)

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A blizzard forced the Dark Cacao Kingdom into a snow-white void, the wind howling with an impenetrable rage. Nevertheless, a lone cookie, bundled up in a tight hood and thick gear, charged forwards, her breaths ragged and heavy as she looked for a way out. Every milligram of her dough was chilled and sore with effort. This was Honey Bread Cookie, a student of the Milk Tribe's magic, originally from far away. And as her rounded blue eyes tried uselessly to make sense of her environment, she felt just as lost and afraid as she once did all that time ago.

Then, by some miracle, after countless agonising minutes of enduring the cold, the blizzard slowed. A sigh of relief escaped from Honey Bread Cookie's mouth; the foliage and familiar landscapes were far more visible now.

But this was a curse in disguise. For next to an iced-over stone lay a Cookie, barely able to move. Honey Bread Cookie herself froze at the sight, running over to help them. As she got a closer look at the fallen cookie, her eyes widened and her stomach sank.

This cookie's hair and attire alike were monochrome, designed to blend in with harsh snow. The only signs of colour were those gorse yellow eyes and his dark dough... which had become besmirched by crumbs. He let out a low groan of pain, clutching his shredded cloak and holding himself together with whatever strength he had left.

Yet, with every second that passed, Crunchy Chip Cookie's chances of survival faded away.

Honey Bread Cookie tried to recall the Milk Tribe's healing techniques, using every single one she could think of in the moment. None stuck — just when it looked like Crunchy Chip Cookie's condition was stabilising, the cracks in his form would spread as if in defiance.

Despite his struggle to stay intact, Crunchy Chip Cookie reached out to cup Honey Bread Cookie's face in both hands. He made an effort to smile. He had accepted his fate and awaited eternal rest in the Tomb of Blades, but wanted to make sure his beloved's last memory of him was as calm as possible.

"No... Chip, stay with me, please..!" wailed Honey Bread Cookie, insisting to herself that she could fix him, that this wasn't really happening.

But the fading light in Crunchy Chip Cookie's eyes betrayed the truth. They closed for the final time. His hands slipped down, away from his partner, away from the physical. Following their last order, the crumbs in his body gave way, ignoring Honey Bread Cookie's pleas for it to stop; dissent was no longer an option.

"Chip..." she sobbed regardless. "No, no, no, NO! DON'T LEAVE ME—"

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

"—CHIP!"

The gold-and-white covers of Honey Bread Cookie's bed shuddered with their occupant as she awoke. She felt a firm mattress beneath her, just about saw the dark furnishings of her quarters that the Kingdom was generous enough to lend to her during overnight visits to the castle. Precious little light streamed in from out of a window on the wall next to her, the snowfall far more tentative in the waking world. As she tried desperately to control her breathing, she ran a hand through her hair — a dark brown colour, nearly black, shoulder-length with curtain bangs and thin streaks of gold and white running down the sides. She sat upright, brushing both hands against the fabric of her black nightwear.

But she was unable to dwell on it; there was a more pressing matter than just sitting there and trying to cope with her nightmare by herself. On her opposite side, another cookie lay, breathing softly. He was dressed in similar nightwear, buried beneath the bedsheets as Honey Bread Cookie was. As he entered her field of view, the crumbs and the blizzard and him falling apart in front of her flashed through her mind all at once and—

"Are you okay, Chip?" she said, shaking her bedmate awake with trembling hands. "Let me— let me look at you..."

Crunchy Chip Cookie rolled over with a groan, eyes fluttering open as he was urged back to the real world. Honey Bread Cookie peeled the covers away, and sure enough, he was exactly as she left him when she retired into sleep; all in once piece, and not a crumb to be seen. No sooner had their eyes met than the floodgates burst and Honey Bread Cookie pulled her partner's chest to meet hers.

"Woah— Hon?" asked Crunchy Chip Cookie as the shoulder of his night shirt became tear-stained. "You alright?" He kicked himself for asking such a stupid question, but it was the best he had at such short notice. He spent the next minute rubbing circles into his sweetheart's back as she cried and cried...

Eventually, with Crunchy Chip Cookie's guidance, Honey Bread Cookie took a few more deep breaths, dried her tears with her sleeve, then recounted the events of her nightmare. Crunchy Chip Cookie sat in silence and listened without judgement. However, once she was done with an objective description, she came to a realisation.

"It's selfish of me to even be thinking this, but..." she began. "I don't know if I could comprehend losing you like that. And yet, I know it'd be wrong of me to ask you to make a promise you might not be able to keep." Her now-brittle voice betrayed her heart, despite her best efforts to assume composure. "I just... I don't know what I'd do if you...

"I thought you were gone..."

Just as another wave of tears escaped, Honey Bread Cookie felt a firm, yet somehow still gentle, grip on both of her shoulders.

"Hey. If you can't look at me right now, that's fine. But at least listen to me." The soft quality of Crunchy Chip Cookie's words was a far cry from the orders he'd bark to the Cream Wolves. Right then, it was just the two of them, and he needed his partner to trust him.

Honey Bread Cookie nodded, signalling for him to continue.

"My comrades and I fight to protect our people and our home. And ever since you've been in my life, and we've gotten close like this, I've wanted to be there to carry whatever weighs on you. To fight for you. I feel... so lucky to call you my partner. Getting to wake up in the morning next to someone as amazing as you is something I never thought I'd be doing, but here we are. And I won't take that for granted. Ever.

"It's like... you're a home to me, Honey Bread Cookie. Whatever I— we run into down the road, I want to make sure we can fall back on each other if we need to. I know that what I do is dangerous, but what we have is worth fighting for — surviving for, even! Thriving for!!"

By now Honey Bread Cookie felt able to look Crunchy Chip Cookie in the eye once again. Ah, yes, there was that passion of his. It could obliterate the hardest-set snow all by itself. But here, it wasn't the raging inferno kind; instead, Crunchy Chip Cookie was a fireplace, a sanctuary after the violent blizzard that plagued her so. Warm. Bright. Safe. With that determined affirmation, Honey Bread Cookie felt the frost of uncertainty clear from her mind. Everything would be alright.

"So, don't worry," he concluded, shifting his arms to wrap them around his partner's waist. "I won't be going down that easily." A comfortable quiet hang in the air for a few seconds. "Besides" — he cocked an eyebrow — "whose idea was it for us to sleep in a bed again?"

"Oh, shut up!" A now-smiling Honey Bread Cookie laughed through her last remaining tears as Crunchy Chip Cookie nudged her in the side and joined in with a hearty laugh of his own. Convincing him to share a bed with her once before was its own kettle of gummy fish. Still believing that beds triggered nightmares, he didn't come around to it until she assured him that, if a nightmare were to rear its head, she'd be there to fight it with him. (He had to admit, her preparedness impressed him.) And this was a partnership of equals; if one made a promise to protect or live for the other, it surely would be reciprocated in kind.

"Chip..." said Honey Bread Cookie, her eyes drooping as the need to sleep returned to her. "I know this might sound weird, but can I spoon you? I don't know, maybe I'll sleep better if I can hold you in my arms, make sure you don't disappear or anything."

Crunchy Chip Cookie had to chuckle. "Didn't I just tell you I'm not going anywhere without a fight? But if it'll help..."

As requested, he then flipped himself over on one side, allowing Honey Bread Cookie's arms to rest around his waist. His firm, strong dough relaxed just enough at her touch — he'd been waiting so long to be this close to her again, and it never disappointed.

"That's it, Hon." Crunchy Chip Cookie's voice was husky and tender, a grounding presence in the solacing blanket of nighttime darkness. "I'm here. You've got me..."

Squeezing him a little bit tighter as an unspoken "I love you", Honey Bread Cookie's eyes fluttered shut as she allowed herself to drift off once again.

And every morning ever after, they would rise to thrive.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

[violet-ichor]

[mewritestufflol]

𝙈𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩

Started: 2/2/2025

Last Updated: 10/2/2025

Total Works: 1

Requests are open

Squid Game

[starkblazer]

Hey, remember this post? I promised to post the zine so here it is. And if you want to get yourself (or a far away friend) a copy of it, you can get it on my kofi shop for free+ (pay what you want basically).

[mimokome]

I Hear You… But I Can’t Follow You

Season 2 Episode 8 Time Stamp: 10:15–30:45 — Vi & Cait. Cait & Jinx. Vi & Jinx. Then Vi & Cait again.

Core Emotion: Missed connections. Care spoken in the only way they know how. It’s about speaking from the heart. It’s everyone trying to be understood in the best way they know how — and trying to connect with someone completely different.

I’m not claiming this is canon or fact. This is just how I read it. What I felt. What landed — and what didn���t. Everyone brings their own scars to a scene like this.

Vi & Caitlyn — The Argument That Wasn’t

Caitlyn’s locked in now. She’s no longer unsure. Her tone is steady, her eyes focused. She’s stepping into her role — but she’s colder for it. Maddie’s still hovering close, trying to play the emotional support card — but we know what she’s really doing. She’s stalling. Still working for Ambessa. Caitlyn is done being played.

Vi walks in. Maddie’s eyes flick with immediate disdain. She moves toward Vi — but Caitlyn shuts it down hard. She makes the call: Maddie’s not needed here anymore. She cuts Maddie off, tells her to check on her father. The air shifts. Her tone is clipped — polite, but it bites. That jaw tension and narrowed eyes say everything. That subtle, commanding “go check on your father” is Caitlyn reclaiming the room.

Vi doesn’t even acknowledge Maddie. Just scoffs and shrugs her off with a shoulder raise as she walks past. Doesn’t stop. Doesn’t engage. Just wipes her off like old dust. Maddie leaves — but keeps the door cracked, because of course she does. Always watching.

Now it’s just Vi and Caitlyn.

What follows isn’t some dramatic blow-up. It’s layered. Heavy. Controlled. It’s two people with entirely different value systems arguing over the same person.

Vi defends Jinx with everything she’s got. Says she saved Caitlyn’s life. Risked herself in the middle of the Viktor battle — not for strategy, but for Vi. Caitlyn pushes back — Jinx wasn’t there for her. She was a contingency. Something Vi snuck in without telling anyone.

“You still can’t trust her enough not to shove her in a box.”

That line from Vi stings because it’s true. Not just for Caitlyn — for all of Piltover. She’s not just defending Jinx. She’s condemning an entire system that doesn’t see beyond someone’s damage. This isn’t just about Jinx being a person. This is Vi screaming, “She’s all I have left.”

Caitlyn defends herself like she always does — logic-first, safety-first, duty-first. She says she’s withholding judgment. That she’s “waiting for Vi to recover” before deciding what to do with Jinx.

But that’s the thing. Jinx isn’t a case file. She’s a person. A deeply fractured, hurt person just trying to be seen without conditions.

Vi softens: “Cait… she’s changed.”

And Caitlyn — leader of Piltover now — sighs and says, “We can’t erase our mistakes. None of us.” It’s fair. But also cold.

Vi walks off with one last line:

“Who decides who gets a second chance?” And then? We sit in it. That silence.

Vi walks out of the room, but not like a soldier — like someone walking out of a hospital room after hearing a diagnosis they already knew was coming. Her chest is still high, her jaw still set — but her eyes are gone. No target. No solution. Just the slow acceptance that sometimes love doesn’t fix shit. Not when you’re the only one still holding on.

We follow her down the hall.

No music. Just footsteps.

No answer. Just silence. Just the weight of everything they won’t say to each other.

Caitlyn & Jinx — Depression Doesn’t Always Yell

The tray clatters against another. Untouched food.

She’s just curled up, knees tucked in, eyes lost in some far-off place that isn’t here anymore. There’s food near her. Untouched. Because even survival doesn’t feel worth the effort.

This isn’t rage. It’s what happens after. After you’ve burned every bridge, said everything wrong, and realized the only person still sitting with you… is the voice in your own head.

That’s where Caitlyn finds her.

Not in chains. Not foaming at the mouth. Just quietly bleeding under her own skin.

I’ve been there. Like really there. Not mad, not crying — just straight-up nothing. No emotion, no hunger, no energy. Just… off. Like someone unplugged me. You don’t care about anything. Not the messages piling up. Not the food. You’re not even thinking “what’s the point?” — you’re just not thinking at all. Days blur. You skip work, you stop checking in, people fade off because they don’t get it. You’re not avoiding them — you just don’t have the fucking strength to even be a person. That shot of her curled up? That blank look? That’s not overacting. That’s exactly what it feels like. You don’t blow up. You just shut down. It’s not dramatic. It’s dead quiet. That version of me wasn’t loud. It didn’t cry. It just stopped showing up. And I think that’s what scared me most — how long I stayed there without a single person noticing.

Jinx hasn’t eaten. Hasn’t moved. She’s just sitting there — knees to chest, eyes distant, body still.

This isn’t fury. This isn’t chaos. It’s collapse. She’s numb. Not fighting. Not pleading. Just… hollow.

“If you’re here to kill me,” she says, monotone, “make sure to finish the job.”

It’s not bravado. It’s not sarcasm. It’s surrender. She genuinely doesn’t care anymore. When someone like Jinx stops moving — stops reacting — that’s not peace. That’s the bottom.

Caitlyn speaks about pain, justice, consequences. She’s still trying to talk to Jinx like she’s a threat. Still standing behind Piltover’s wall of order.

Jinx curls tighter. Picks at her fingers. Blood starts to drip. A physical manifestation of everything she doesn’t say. Caitlyn’s words going past her, still not understanding.

“Do what you came here to do,” she mutters.

That’s not defiance. That’s someone asking for it to be over — because hope ran out a long time ago. And that’s the most dangerous place a person can be.

Not when they’re screaming. Not when they’re fighting.

But when they’re quiet. Because that means they’ve stopped looking for a reason to stay. This is the grief that eats you. The kind that settles in your bones. The kind where nothing — not even survival — feels worth fighting for.

Caitlyn finally lets the wall drop a little.

“Hating you… I hated myself. I just don’t have the energy for it anymore.”

It’s not forgiveness. It’s not closure. It’s fatigue. Two people who’ve both been eaten alive by this for too long. It’s the closest she’s come to empathy. Not understanding — but exhaustion. She’s tired of the cycle too. And it’s not just that she’s tired. It’s that she’s finally admitting Jinx lives in her head too — and maybe always will.

Jinx looks up. Not defensive. Not angry. Just… soft. Tired.

“I didn’t know your mom was there,” she says. “It probably wouldn’t have made a difference… but I didn’t know.”

It’s not an apology. It’s an admission. A reflection of just how gone she was — and still is.  Caitlyn walks away. Not triumphant. Not resolved. Just broken too. So what’s left, when even pain doesn’t move you? You go back to the last voice that made you feel like you were still someone

Jinx & Silco — The Voice in Her Head

Left alone, Jinx holds the Arcane gemstone. Her “choice.” She doesn’t smile. Doesn’t react. It’s just another reminder of the pressure she never asked for.

She starts talking to Silco. He’s not there. But the words are. This is her wrestling with the voices inside — her having her own conversation. This is her using the last voice that ever chose her without asking her to change.

“Imprisoning your sister… a greater mercy than killing her.”

“Killing isn’t mercy.”

“A spark of rebellion still burns inside that husk, I see.”

“No. Killing is a cycle. I’m done running in circles.”

Silco — her — says:

“We build our own prisons… bars forged of oaths, codes, commitments. Walls of self-doubt and accepted limitation. We inhabit these cells… and call them ‘us.’”

And this? This is Jinx realizing that the real prison wasn’t a cage or a city or even Piltover. It was expectation. The boxes she’s been shoved into. Powder. Jinx. Monster. Tool. Savior.

She doesn’t flinch. Doesn’t cry. Just stares through the wall like there’s nothing left on the other side of it. No more versions of herself to wait for. No more hoping someone tells her who to be. She’s done. And she’s already halfway gone.

Vi & Jinx — Love Sometimes Means Letting Go

Vi breaks in. Literally. She stole the cell keys from a guard. She unlocks the door. Runs to Jinx. Hugs her.

For a second — a brief, fragile second — it looks like this might be the moment that fixes things.

Then Jinx punches her in the gut, grabs the keys, and locks her in the cell.

“You don’t have to worry about me anymore. You don’t need to feel guilty about being happy. You deserve to be with her.”

She’s not yelling. She’s not angry. She’s just — done.

“There’s no good version of me.”

And the worst part? She believes it. Fully. Deeply. Like there’s no world where she isn’t a burden. Like choosing to disappear is the only act of love she has left to give.

Vi, breathless:

“What are you going to do?”

Jinx, quiet:

“Breaking the cycle.”

And she walks away. She’s not running. She’s not exploding. She’s just letting go — because she thinks that’s the only way Vi will ever be free.

Vi & Caitlyn — The Aftermath

Vi’s pacing. Rage, confusion, grief all boiling over. She’s wrecked. Scrambling for anything to blame because if she doesn’t, the truth might crush her.

Caitlyn shows up. Calm. Present. Just confirmation that she knew this might happen.

“I was a fool to trust her.”

But it’s not anger. It’s fear. It’s the fear that this time, she really did lose her. That maybe Jinx meant it. That maybe this is how it ends.

Caitlyn already knew this would happen — and she even helped. Because even if it was doomed, she knew Vi had to try. Caitlyn didn’t believe this would fix anything. She knew how it’d play out. But she let Vi go anyway — because that’s what care looks like when you can’t fix someone. You let them do the thing they need to do. And you stand there after, holding whatever’s left.

“You’ve grown predictable,” she says.

And weirdly? It’s the kindest thing she could’ve said. It means: I know you. I believed in what you’d do.

They lean into each other. Kiss. Touch. Breathe. For once, they stop arguing and just exist. For once, no words. Just two people who ran out of ways to fix everything — and finally chose to just feel instead.

What This Episode Is Really Saying

This episode isn’t about redemption. Or closure. Or love. It’s about expression. About what it looks like when people speak their truth — filtered through their history, trauma, and damage — and still end up misaligned.

Everyone in this episode is doing their best to be understood. They’re not lying. They’re not hiding. They’re just speaking in the only way they know how.

Caitlyn explains through structure and justice — she talks like a soldier trying to stabilize a world that keeps spinning off the rails. She’s trying to show care and emotion, just filtered through logic and systems.

Vi explains through action — through fists, movement, confrontation. If she’s fighting for you, she thinks that means she’s said enough.

Jinx doesn’t explain. She doesn’t plead. She speaks through stillness, through walking away, through choosing silence because nothing she says has ever changed anything.

None of them know how to put their emotions into words.

They do understand each other — to a point. That’s the hard part. There’s clarity here. It’s just not shared vision.

Caitlyn sees a threat. Vi sees her sister. Jinx sees two people trying to decide who she’s allowed to be — and chooses neither.

No one’s wrong. They’re just standing on different ground. And sometimes? You can understand someone completely — and still disagree with everything they stand for.

This episode isn’t about winning an argument.  It’s about showing up anyway. Saying your piece. Letting the silence hang. And learning that sometimes the closest you’ll get is: “I hear you… but I can’t follow you.”

And that? That’s still real. Still human. Still worth sitting in — even if it doesn’t end with anyone being saved.

Because sometimes the real tragedy isn’t that they couldn’t save each other — it’s that they actually understood, and still couldn’t walk the same path. That’s what stayed with me. Just all the words that couldn’t land clean. And how much they still meant anyway.

My core take-away?

Let’s learn to look deeper in how some people say things and not exactly what they say. You can learn a lot when you stop taking everything at face value. Sometimes the cruelest part of finally understanding someone… is realizing it still didn’t change a damn thing. And walking away doesn’t mean you didn’t care. It just means you cared — and hit the wall where caring couldn’t carry it anymore.

Written by: Jordan Waltz

Yeah, I used GPT to help tighten it up — my grammar sucks. But the framing, the tone, the emotional weight? That’s me, baby  If it hit, thanks :D  I put my whole ass heart into this — I just don’t know how to spell worth sh — ..

Disclaimer: All rights to Arcane, its characters, and related imagery belong to Riot Games and Fortiche. This is a non-commercial analysis intended for educational and commentary purposes.

[prumblo]

this is scary because like. yeah its funny but imagine never being able to fall asleep, losing your mind to the point you cant possibly pay your dark bill. you cant do anything unless it keeps you alive. something something 2 sentence horror

Didn't pay my dark bill so the power company shut my lights on

[5t4r-b0y]

[thelightsgoout]

the horror of something impossibly old or the horror of something impossibly new. or both. i might be able to do both.

"it's been there as long as anyone can remember." vs "the legends say it sprouted from a sunflower in a day, like jack's beanstalk penetrated earth and clouds overnight."

[artfulusername]

Before I get too wrapped up in tonight's episode of Critical Role, I did get writing done today. Go me!

[the-sun-is-a]