#powder refuses to leave vi

[belle-rosse]

I think wayyyy too much about the scene in s1x07 where Vi and Cait try to save each other from Jinx’s attack, and maybe simple thoughts have turned into a meaningless analysis. I’ll share it anyway.

The way Vi and Caitlyn try to protect each other in this scene perfectly reflects how they were raised, and I think it even works as foreshadowing for the scene in the rain.

Let’s focus on Vi first. The core part of her identity since she was a child has been to protect, which we see from the way she shields Powder from the horrifying sight on the bridge in the very first minute of the first episode, up to this very moment. Vi has a specific way of carrying out this protection. Unlike when she's on her own, Vi doesn’t jump straight into a fight—she first moves the person she wants to protect away from danger, then faces the battle entirely alone. Here, she follows the same process: her first impulse is to shield Caitlyn by pushing her out of the weapon’s range, not caring about her own safety. She only takes cover after making sure that no one can hurt Cait. This is Vi’s impulsive nature at its peak, as well as her absolute loyalty.

Now, with Caitlyn, there’s more to discuss. Caitlyn has been protected her entire life, shielded behind her parents and her last name. This sense of security has made Caitlyn a rebel, someone who pushes the boundaries of that protection (while following certain rules), but it also makes her very naive. Caitlyn doesn’t truly know the dangers of the world. Even though she tries to project confidence, she had never stepped on the other side of the bridge before. That’s why I believe her decision to step in front of Vi as a shield while also trying to protect herself with her arm is a pure act but rooted in ignorance. Caitlyn jumps into danger to keep Vi safe, but even if she managed to avoid the impact of one bullet, there would be more. Most likely, if Vi hadn’t pushed her, they both would’ve ended up hurt. This is Caitlyn’s identity: unlike Vi, she protects others by getting close, giving all of herself to push the problem away rather than fighting it alone. What she doesn’t realize is that, even when she has meticulously structured plans, some problems can’t be solved with one-sided diplomacy. Caitlyn is pure and well-intentioned but lacks a survival instinct due to her upbringing.

Now, why do I say this works as foreshadowing for their breakup in the rain? Simple—except for the weapons and general violence, it’s essentially the same scene.

Vi and Caitlyn face a problem that involves both of them, and in order to protect the other, they resort to the same methods I mentioned before.

Vi assumes that she’s the problem, that her anger with the council and Piltover in general will cost Caitlyn her well-being. So, what does she do? She leaves her in the middle of the rain, saying words she wishes weren’t true, hurting herself in the process just to make sure Caitlyn won’t try to find her. Throughout this scene, Vi refuses to look at her, because if she sees her sadness, she’ll likely give in and end up putting her in danger. After pushing her away again, Vi decides to confront (though with Jayce this time, not entirely alone) Silco’s industry, once more jumping into the fight only after ensuring the safety of the one she loves.

But Caitlyn doesn’t know this. She sees Vi’s actions as an abrupt and ungrounded change. “Why is Vi leaving?” must be her only thought, and in response, she tries to offer solutions they can face together because she’s unaware of what they’re really up against. She tries to get close to Vi several times, both in her words and her body language. Everything in her is pleading for the Zaunite to stay, to explain what’s happening so they can work together and share the weight of the problems. In the end, it doesn’t work, and respecting Vi’s boundaries, she lets her go. Though it doesn’t stop her, and that’s how we get her scene in the shower, thinking of the alternatives to that encounter.

I warned y’all that this would be a meaningless analysis, but I love and miss Caitvi too much to stay silent about them. Also, I adore episode seven.

[1-danid]

Dating Teen Vi

Dating Arc 1 Vi would include..

Vander loving you as another kid. You may have your own patents but he still sees you as one of his children. Meaning he gives Vi the talk instead of you because he feels she'll need it more.

Teen Vi is 100% shy when it comes to PDA. She will hold your hand in public but that's about it. On the rare occasion when she's a bit jealous she may give your check or lip a kiss but it's rare.

When it's just the two of you or 3 of you powder can see her soft side. She'd go all out and be attacking your face with kisses and love.

At this stage you guys wouldn't know your love language so expect a bit of everything at this stage as you're trying it all out for the first time.

I don't think she can cook, no one in that band can. So often you'd cook meals for the group and bake treats for her and Powder.

If you go on the "jobs" with the group, Vi would be protective of you. Yeah she knows you can kickass but she doesn't want to lose you or to get you hurt.

Also Mylo would be annoying cause she'd stop for a sec to admire your beauty and he'd be like

" I could do better than that. She's just showing off at this point."

You'd flip him off whilst flipping to another building. And when you get to wherever you are going to rob she'd let you take personal things for yourself and not to sell. Honestly she wouldn't care what you do she'd just watch you for a minute with a love sick smile on her face.

The others would 100% tease her about it. And she's blushing a bit and playing it off. They'd believe for the first few times until it becomes a daily routine.

She'd get you little gifts when you don't do jobs together and surprise you with them

If you don't go on jobs with the group you'd originally babysit Powder. Keeping her distracted and happy while the others are out risking your lives.

You weren't a fighter so you never asked to go to jobs. However you did learn how to treat basic ailments to help Vi and Claggor when they got badly hurt.

 Vi would 100% get you little gifts from the jobs she does without you surprising you with them. She'd be like;

"We were out at this one house, and I saw something. It reminded me so much of you. It was perfect and beautiful so I thought you should have it."

And then she'll give you a beautiful necklace. Or something romantic that you appreciate because of your relationship.

You'd bake her cupcakes whenever she's had a hard day and you think she needs to relax. The two of you will just cuddle as you sing a soft song to her. For example, falling for you by peachy!

Because you're always baking her  sweet stuff and 'cause she loves your cake and cups she calls you…

CUPCAKE 

I'm not sorry for that. But on the note of pet name's teen Vi will call you anything to see you flustered.

 She just loves you so much and you love her too

She’s definitely the big spoon and powder loves you more than vi (you didn’t hear that from me)

Like she see Vi as her hero but she sees how Vi looks at you and see you as Vi hero

You’re literally the coolest kid in Vander’s house

Plus you can work the bar, you have a lot of free time, so you’re able to earn a little for shifts at the bar

When Vi leaves powder behind you’d both have a big cussing 100%

Like you know how scared and confused Powder is and refuse to go and help because Powder needs support as well

Powder (bless her) would 100% influence you and beg you to bring her to the fight

One look at her puppy dog eyes, and you would cave and bring her in once she promises to stay hidden

You’d bring her and miss all the signs and when the bomb goes off, you’re their trying to protect her

Vi slaps (I refuse to write the p word) both you and her sister

Cue another heated argument you’d slap her back and cuss her out for touching you and Powder

And you’d break up.

So pissed you tell her to “fucking go to hell Violet.”

And she pretty much does, you’d try your best to comfort powder

Trying to stay strong for her, yet you’d let a few tears fall at your newly broken heart, your loss of home and your loss of your friends

You don’t notice Silco and when you do you don’t trust him fully.

But you know you and Powder need a place to stay so when he accepts Powder’s hug, you lower your guard

Moreso when you see a familiar face, passed out Sevika eases your nerves

You never do find out what happened at the warehouse, but you do know you lost everyone except Powder

You wonder if you’d ever see Vi again as you take on the older sister responsibilities for Powder’s sake

A/N

I hope you enjoyed this. I feel its better than the version i posted last time. To old moots this is not a goodbye. THIS IS A REVAMP!!

TIL NEXT TIME MY LOVES

-Dani

[yes-these-obsessions-are-healthy]

Just hit me that Episode 1, a big seed of insecurity is planted in Powder when she overhears Mylo and Vi arguing about her, but she leaves before Vi stands up for her, and then in Episode 9 she overhears Silco musing about how he has his dream in his hands and all he needs to do is give up Jinx. It cuts away before we see anything happen next but it can be surmised that she knocked him out before he was made aware of her presence.

At her most tenuous and uncertain of who she was—awkward Powder, frenetic Jinx— Fate decided to have her stumble upon important conversations had by those she loved about her worth and value as a person, and understandably she fled before she could hear the final verdict.

In Episode 1, she ran from the door with the impression that her sister thought she would never be strong enough, never be good enough, and any conversation to the contrary were just lies that family tells you to make you feel better. In Episode 9, she knocked out Silco before he could monologue his decision (lol) because she has been this man’s shadow for 6 years. She knows that he values utility, ruthlessness, and his dream of a free Zaun at all costs. No matter how fond he was of her, how gentle or patient or allowing, it all culminated into her being the powerhouse that would land him Zaun, and now he has it, so what good is she now? By all metrics that she herself has witnessed of him, all signs point toward him favoring giving her up.

It’s a mixture of Jinx’s own insecure attachment and Silco’s almost pathological refusal to not define their relationship as her being an exception to his personal policy of cutthroat zig-zagged loyalty that led to Jinx jumping to very logical conclusion that he would give her up to Piltover. Because he delayed having that very important internal conversation with himself about how important she was to him, he had to have that debate right at the finish line instead of, I don’t know, at Singed’s operating table when he was in danger of losing her?? Life comes at you fast and you don’t have time to sort out your feelings, I suppose. The show is very much a whirlwind of everything happening at once, but moving on…

But it also makes sense, because Silco’s love for Jinx is hinted at having snuck up on him without him fully noticing. He thought he was in control of his fondness for her. He must have thought it was an understandable and unavoidable side effect to raising a protegè that you genuinely respect for her cleverness and usefulness. But he grew to genuinely love her in his unfulfilling, disparate way. It filled some holes, and left others bare. The question of unconditional support and love was broken with Vi, and Silco by his nature, his behavior, his endeavors ensured that Jinx grew up in an environment where social darwinism reigned supreme and that faltering or failing rendered you lesser in Silco’s eyes. Silco never outright said it to her. We never see him denigrate or threaten her, but kids don’t need to be told anything to get the general feel of “how things are”. The general air around Silco was one that encouraged her penchant for gadgets and engineering, but left her suspended in a limbo where she felt compelled to be strong, be the best, be perfect, otherwise he would look elsewhere. He would drop her, because the strong eat the weak and he only values her because she is uniquely strong. A gem in his collection, almost. It’s a girl whose abandonment issues have her seesawing back and forth between cavalier “I don’t caaaaare, I’m irreplaceable and you know it” and “Please don’t drop me, I’m strong, I’m good, I can do this, I can, I can, I swear I can” which, in Episode 9 culminated in her Shimmer psychosis as “How dare you. After everything I’ve done, after everything you’ve lectured me about Topside, you want to give me to them? Who do you think you are? I made you. I’m this broken fizzing-wire thing whose sister gave me up for a Topsider, I killed my childhood best friend with a bomb, and now you want to throw me away for your shiny dream city? You think you can throw me away like trash, don’t you dare look away, don’t you DARE THROW ME AWAY”

Like GIRL. I usually hate the “left before they heard the context of someone’s seemingly damning conversation” but it works here because it aggravated therapy-needed Powder/Jinx’s insecurities.

[sage-nebula]

There has been a lot of speculation about how Jinx and Ekko will interact in the upcoming season, and as someone who both loves the tragedy of timebomb, but also loves both Jinx and Ekko individually as characters and wants to see them both respected, I want to speculate on how they might interact in the upcoming season with particular focus on Ekko, and how their interactions in season two can be handled while treating his character with the dignity and respect that he deserves.

So, with that said: Let's start with what he know about Ekko and how he feels about Jinx, and how that might inform how he interacts with her in season two.

Ekko did have a crush on Powder when they were kids, as one of his quotes from the card game says: "I used to have a crush on you, before you started talking to the gun." We know from the "Enemy" music video that they were childhood besties; they jumped on beds together, rode around on that circle bike mocking enforcers together, et cetera. And we know from their fight on the bridge that they played a game together involving Ekko's pocket watch and Powder's toy guns, that they then recreated in their actual fight. (And that while Powder always won as kids, Ekko won in their rematch as teens, because his growth and development wasn't arrested like hers.)

But we also learned something else on that bridge, from Jinx herself.

"Well, look who it is. The boy savior!"

Jinx says this in a mocking tone. In a Reddit AMA, we learned that there was originally going to be a flashback showing Ekko trying to save Powder from Silco, believing her to have been taken hostage / kidnapped. Powder, however, refused to go with him, telling him, "Powder is dead." This is why she mocked him on the bridge with the title "boy savior": Jinx was mocking Ekko for trying to "save" her from Silco. She was twisting the knife that she wanted to be with Silco, that he couldn't save her like he intended.

And how do we think that made him feel?

There's a reason that Ekko was so insistent to Vi that Jinx wanted to be with Silco, that she worked for him voluntarily and didn't want to leave. It's because he knew that from firsthand experience. He tried to get her out of there, and she not only didn't go, but she still mocks him for trying years later. She was his best friend in childhood, the only one he had left after Benzo, Vander, Mylo, and Claggor died (and Vi was arrested, but he thought she was dead too), and she essentially spat in his face, rejected him in the harshest way possible, and continues to mock him for even trying to rescue her, for even trying to still be there for her after they had lost everyone else.

And then, on top of that, in working for Silco, she also ended up killing a number of his friends in the Firelights. (Well, we know that she at least for sure killed the pink-haired girl; I don't think we know for certain that she killed others, but I don't think it's outside the realm of possibility.)

Suffice to say, Ekko has more than enough reason to raise his hand if someone asked, "Who here feels personally victimized by Jinx?" It's easy to see how Jinx has been traumatized and hurt, because we saw everything that happened to her; but Ekko also suffered traumatic losses, had no idea what happened to Powder the night everyone died, but he cared about her so much (even setting aside his crush, he just loved her as a best friend) and put himself in danger to try to save her, only to be rejected for no reason he could understand, then continued to be mocked for it years later while also losing his friends to, if not Jinx directly, than to the man she works for and decided to see as a surrogate father. Ekko lost everyone in that same night, too, for reasons completely beyond his control, for reasons he probably still doesn't understand or have closure on. And I'm not saying that Jinx needs to open up to him about her trauma, but I am saying that I don't think that this would make her very attractive to him as a romantic partner or even a friend at this point.

(As a side bar: I don't think that Jinx ever felt true malice toward Ekko. She did him dirty by mocking his attempt to save her on the bridge absolutely, and cutting ties with him after Silco took her in is a lot more complicated and messy than we have time to get into right now, but to try to tl;dr it . . . I think that Powder saw Silco as her only lifeline. He was an adult who took her in, gave her a home, and was promising to be her family. He also, crucially, didn't know her as the person she was before. Ekko, on the other hand, was a child who did know who she was before. So Powder felt she had to cling to Silco and push Ekko away for her own sake. But -- and this is headcanon on my part -- I do still think she cared about Ekko as her childhood bestie, and I think this because Ekko is still alive. I think that Silco would have killed anyone who would cause Jinx distress, even at that early stage, and Ekko definitely would have triggered Jinx's psychosis (albeit by accident) by asking about Vi and the others. And I think that Jinx/Powder, caring for Ekko, would have told Silco not to kill him, saying something like, "He's not worth it, he's just some guy, let him go," or something of the sort, to make Silco back off. Something that would make both Ekko and Silco think she didn't care, when she did. So I don't think Jinx ever hated Ekko, or held true malice toward him. She was absolutely out of pocket and mean with that taunt on the bridge, but I don't think she was ever actually malevolent toward him.)

So, what do I see possibly happening between them in season two?

Well, if we remember how their fight on the bridge concluded: Ekko was winning the fight, and was essentially beating Jinx to death when he got a really good look in her eyes for the first time in years and realized that Jinx = Older Powder. That made him hesitate long enough for Jinx to pull a pin from a grenade, intending to die and take him down with her. (I think it might have been Amanda Overton who stated that Jinx "does not have a healthy fear of death," and that she wanted to take Ekko down with her because he was the only one who never left her? Which is truly funny considering how he tried his goddamn hardest to stay with her and she actively shoved him away and then mocked him for trying to stay with her literally right before that fight lmao. But that's our mentally ill girly at her finest.) Ekko, of course, saw what she did and escaped enough to not die, but to still be wounded. And Jinx would have died had Silco not taken her to Singed, and, well . . . we all know how that turned out.

So, season two.

From the trailer, we can see that there are at least some people in Zaun who see Jinx as a revolutionary figure. Some have pointed out that the mural looks like it was made in the style of Firelight art, with some speculating that perhaps it was even Ekko himself who painted it. Given all of the above, I really, really, really doubt that it was Ekko himself who painted it. In fact, I would actually be pretty upset with the writers of the show if they did make Ekko the one to have painted it, because I feel it would be a disservice to his character. Again, quick recap:

Jinx rejected him soundly when he tried to save her from Silco / reconnected her after everyone else in their lives was killed.

Jinx continues to mock him for this to his face years later.

In working for Silco, Jinx helped pump Zaun full of shimmer, which actively harms the very people whose lives Ekko wants to make better.

In working for Silco, Jinx has killed at least one, though probably more, of Ekko's friends in the Firelights. (Silco's other employees have also undoubtedly killed them as well and, again, Jinx still aligns herself with them.)

The big revolutionary act that others in Zaun are hailing Jinx as a heroine for is blowing up the council tower, which is bringing the military might of Piltover down on Zaun, guaranteeing bloodshed that I highly doubt Ekko wants. He wants change, but not like this.

It simply doesn't make sense for his character for him to have painted the mural. More likely, there are some Firelights who see what Jinx did as "the base violence necessary for change," believing in her "cause" over Ekko's -- not realizing that Jinx didn't do what she did because of a grand, overarching cause, but because she was lashing out as a result of the sustained agony the system had been putting her through for her entire life. She isn't going to be leading a revolution in season two; she didn't ask for that mural to be painted and she isn't going to be raising a flag. She'll be raising hell, no doubt, but not a flag. That's not who she is. The person painted in that mural isn't Jinx, not really, and Ekko knows that better than the actual artists.

Instead, I see Ekko as being in a sort of 90 / 10 situation regarding Jinx. 85% of him still feels all of the negative feelings he had about her regarding everything in the past six or seven years, plus her recent murder of the pink-haired Firelight, attempt on his life, and blowing up of the council tower that brought the Enforcers down on him. (Because don't misunderstand, he doesn't care about the Pilties in the tower, but he does care about the innocent Zaunites that are about to get murdered by the Enforcers who are going to blow apart the undercity's streets looking for Jinx.)

But then 10% of him is going to keep thinking back to that moment on the bridge, where he looked into her eyes close-up for the first time in six or seven years, and realized that Jinx is Powder, just older, and be just wracked with sorrow. No, he doesn't want to date her. No, they can't be friends when she's doing all this shit. She's literally killed people that he cares about. Her actions have resulted in the deaths of innocent people and she doesn't seem to give two fucks. (Again, not the Pilties, but the innocent citizens of Zaun that the Enforcers are now killing, and yes Piltover and the Enforcers are choosing to do that, but the reason why they are choosing to do that does matter, and if other Zaunities can hail Jinx as a hero for it, then he can call her out as a fucking dumbass for it, too.) But Janna, he wishes she wasn't doing this shit. He wishes she wasn't like this. He wishes things could have turned out different. Why didn't they turn out different? Jinx is Powder. Powder is Jinx. So what went wrong? When she left that night, why did she come back under Silco's wing? Why did everyone die, with Vi in jail? What happened? Was it his fault? Could he have stopped it somehow?

But there's not enough time to think about that, and it doesn't matter when here, in the present, she is like this and she is doing this shit and it's not his fault that she, here and now, is like this and doing this shit. He's not responsible for her. And she made it clear she didn't even WANT him to be in her life, so -- !

It's messy. It's messy and tragic and painful, but since when are the relationships in Arcane anything but?

The point I'm getting at here is: I don't think that Ekko will be supportive of Jinx. And if they work together at all, I think it will be with gritted teeth on his part, out of forced necessity. Or more like . . . it seems, from the trailer, that Jinx and Sevika may be teaming up to take down the chembarons. (I say "may," because the idea of Jinx and Sevika teaming up is still very hard for me to believe. But like, Sevika has Jinx's gun, and her new arm looks like it was made by Jinx, and we also see Jinx standing at the other end of the alleyway when Sevika is fighting one of the others so like . . .) We also know that the distribution of shimmer hurting Zaunities is something that Ekko doesn't like. So it is possible that Jinx and the Firelights could potentially work together in order to take down the other chembarons, with Ekko seeing it as a "the enemy of my enemy is my ally" situation, and Jinx agreeing to those terms while also, in her way, still viewing Ekko as "the one who never left" and thinking, hey, maybe we could start over.

As with everything else in Arcane, I fear it can only end badly for her.

It's also possible that, because of that moment they had on the bridge (and because of Vi's insistence to Ekko that she could talk Jinx down), Ekko could use this temporary truce to try himself to talk Jinx down again, to talk reason into her to some degree, especially now that Silco is dead. He might see it as an opportunity, a sort of, "Now that he's dead you don't have to work for him anymore, you can start over." Which, again, would end badly because Jinx herself is the one who killed him (by accident), and he was the one who gave her the affirmation of unconditional love that she'd always wanted, and as such his death is something she deeply regrets and would not appreciate hearing lauded as a good thing. So again, yet another thing in Arcane that would go horribly wrong. Still, I could see him potentially trying that avenue if in fact they did work together. Not as a romantic or "let's be buds again" angle, but in a "it would be better for everyone if Jinx stopped killing people" angle. (And then, you know, maybe after years of no murders and less hostile behavior, maybe then they can be friends again.)

Of course, that would never happen, but I think that would be Ekko's thought process nonetheless.

Bottom line here is, if Jinx and Ekko do end up teaming up, my hope is that Ekko's feelings and character are respected. So far, the Arcane writers haven't given me a reason to think they won't respect him, thankfully, but I still wanted to put it out there regardless. Ekko's trauma and how the tragedy of arc 1 impacted him is often overlooked, particularly since he is one of the more well-adjusted members of the cast (especially on the Zaun side, good god), but he still was traumatized and hurt horribly by what happened and he deserves to be treated with as much respect and dignity as anyone else. He certainly doesn't deserve to have his character or motivations pushed aside or forgotten just to prop up Jinx.

But those are just my thoughts. Everyone else is free to have their own. :)

[thenationofzaun]

This has been in the drafts for over a year and some of it is off base, but fuck it, I'm posting it anyway in light of the Season 2 news of a "dark and bitter outcast" Vi. I was right about that at least:

A Dark Vi in Season 2:

I'm hoping for a darker take on Vi in season 2. Imagine if Vi takes up a bitter attitude towards Jinx that's similar to Ekko's before the bridge fight - "Powder's gone, all that's left is Jinx." I say before the bridge fight because I think Ekko had a moment of growth there in his view of Jinx, where he was forced to confront the truth that Powder and Jinx are the same person, no matter how much he tries to divorce them to make it easier to kill Jinx.

Back to Vi, it's possible that in response to Jinx's rebuff of her, she bitterly disowns Jinx right back. Not immediately, no. I think Vi in the immediate aftermath of the finale would still be self-blaming, devastated, and confused. But after a while, when Jinx continues to demonstrate her disinterest in reconciling with Vi and her zeal in warring with Piltover of her own accord, even in the absence of Silco, Vi's view of her sister would have to change. I could see anger and resentment creeping in after a while. Vi would have to accept that her sister willingly rebuffed her and chose Silco, willingly ditched Vander's side. Vi might give in to that petty, indignant anger of a child upset with her sibling - "she left me, she is not my sister anymore!"

I can imagine her taking up an attitude like "I don't have a sister. My sister died a long time ago." Kind of like Ekko including Powder on his "wall of the dead" mural. It'd be growth for Vi, just not a positive one. She'd finally accept that there's no "bringing the old Powder back", but she'd pivot all the way to the other end of the spectrum with "you know what, fuck Jinx, the Powder I loved is dead and gone." This would be doubly sad and ironic considering her words in episode 9 - "Are we still sisters?" "Nothing is ever going to change that."

Imagine her telling Ekko "you were right" as she finally agrees with what he said to her in episode 7, but Ekko just has mixed feelings because he himself has since realized he was wrong in saying that. The Powder they loved is not dead, has never been dead. She's still here. She just made choices they disagreed with. She chose to join their enemy. And that's a much harder truth to live with than simply insisting she died and calling it a day.

Vi's view of her sister perfectly parallels her view of the undercity. In season 1 it was horror to find that the old version, the one under Vander, has changed so much in the time she was locked up. It was a refusal to accept this change, an insistence that the old home/sister can still be brought back, all she had to do was remove Silco's rule/influence and she'd restore her home/sister to the way it used to be.

They could continue this parallel in season 2. Vi could give in to anger and disown them both. Begin grieving Vander's undercity and Powder in tandem, while scorning Silco's Zaun and Jinx. She could fall out with Ekko due to this. Where he still wants to live in and help heal the undercity, Vi wants to leave it and turn against it. Vi could blame the undercity for allowing Silco's takeover and "not lifting a finger to stop him". She could take on a harsh view of her people, the Lanes in particular - "They betrayed Vander, they allowed the rise of Chembarons, did nothing to avenge my family in my absence. They're weak." She'd butt heads with Ekko over this, straining their relationship.

It would push her further into the arms of Caitlyn (and Piltover). She'd bury her pain in rage against all of "Silco's ilk". She'd want to wipe out all his loyalists and the Chembarons, since she couldn't fulfill her vengeance on him specifically. She'd think the best way to accomplish this goal is through tougher enforcement and punitive measures from the enforcers/Council. Basically the same thing she did in episode 8 but on steroids, eventually leading to her joining the enforcers.

But of course the arms of Piltover will prove to not be very welcoming. A large chunk of the enforcers are bigots who see "trenchers" as subhuman, so where would that leave Vi? How could she fit in with them without her origins colouring their view of her? Would she then feel rejected by both cities? I could see her ending up as a total outcast. Hated by Piltover for bigoted reasons and her relation to Jinx, hated by Zaun for being a sellout. This could trigger a lot of interesting growth for her. Sometimes it takes hitting rock bottom to find your way back up. But anyway, I'm interested to see what they do with Vi's character in Season 2, since I found her to be underwritten in Season 1.

TLDR: A darker, angrier take on Vi in Season 2 could lead to some very interesting places.

[spicypepperjack]

So I’ve been thinking about a Timebomb Star Wars AU with Jinx as a former Jedi Padawan turned Sith Lord, with Ekko as a Jedi Knight. We can have Vi and Caitlyn as Republic soldiers.

In this High Republic-era AU, I'd like to think that Padawan Powder and Padawan Ekko are very close and are amongst the most gifted in the order. Their master is Jedi Master Vander, who is also close with Vi. Ekko is a staunch follower of the Jedi code, but Powder is much more loose with it. As Powder realizes her growing power, she looks down on her peers (except Ekko) and feels stifled by the teachings. Vander tries his best to teach both students and temper Powder's ambition, but he is killed during a mission.

With Vander's death, Powder is eventually seduced to the dark side by Sith Lord Silco by preying her desire for power and her new fear of death of those she cares about and loves. As a result, she eventually leaves the Jedi Order, but she begs Ekko to go with her, to which he refuses despite their friendship. That's the last time they see each other for several years.

Years later, Jedi Knight Ekko has been called on to investigate a serial Jedi killer. Apparently, this new enemy has killed many experienced Jedi, some of whom were Ekko's close friends. During an encounter he barely survived, Ekko learns that this Jedi killer is none other than his former best friend Powder, who is the newly anointed Sith Lord, Darth Jinx. Over an extended period of time, Ekko and Jinx clash multiple times, with each trying to convince the other to join them. But because of their love for each other, they have multiple trysts.

At some point, they realize they love each other more than the duties to which they bound themselves. Eventually, Ekko leaves the order because of his attachment to Jinx, and Jinx tries to leave Silco not only because she loves Ekko, but because she feels like Silco has only been using her for personal gain. However, Silco does not let her leave, and things get personal when it’s revealed that Silco was responsible for Vander’s death. After a long battle, Jinx and Ekko (with Vi and Caitlyn's help) defeat Silco and destroy his machinations. I’ll leave up in the air whether they kill Silco or spare him, but then again Ekko and Jinx are no longer Jedi.

Of course, they'd have to deal with the repercussions of Jinx killing multiple Jedi and being an enemy of the Republic, but I'd like to think that at some point, everyone lives happily ever after. The end.

[seagull9111]

i watched arcane and ALL ALLL EVERYTHING i can think about is jinx and powder

they are different people yet the same one person who has gone through so much

and then how the whole show vi refuses to call her jinx but in the trailer she does

its like we are saying goodbye to the sweet, scared, small girl leaving only room for jinx.

oh Oh OH my gods i will not survive season two u guys

[the-dumpster-fire-of-life]

Home

"Vi…" You all but sobbed, tears in your eyes as you struggled to breathe. 

"No! No, don't talk." Vi struggled, tears in her eyes and a sob caught in her throat.

She held her hand on your bleeding stomach, her hands covered crimson red in a matter of seconds.

She felt her chest almost suffocating her, like the sight of her childhood love dying In front of her wasn't bad enough.

"I'm gonna pick you up, okay?" Vi tried, only getting a yell of pain out of you as she set you back down.

"Vi, I can't. I can't." You cried, shaking your head and holding her hand as she shook head.

"I know it hurts but we have to get you to Caitlyn, she knows a doctor." Vi tried consoling you and her.

But she didn't know how much longer she could.

"Vi. I wanna go home." You stated, a tear falling down your face as you sobbed.

Vi let a tear fall, wiping it quickly as she picked you up to cradle you in her arms.

Maybe to console you, or maybe to hide her tears she refused to let you see.

"I'm gonna get you there, Caitlyn's waiting for us." Vi did her best not to pet her voice crack.

"No." You shook your head, sobbing even more and struggling to even speak now.

"I wanna go home, home. With Powder, Vander, Ekko, Claggor, Benzo." 

You stated, finally looking back at Vi to see her tears.

"Fucking even Mylo." You sobbed, the pain killing you from inside out.

"I wanna be a kid again…" 

Vi clung to you even tighter at your words, she wanted it all back so much.

When you guys were happy. With everyone you both loved crowded around a bar.

When you guys would stay up all night after Vander fell asleep.

Jumping from rooftop to rooftop with your friends.

Helping Ekko find whatever he needed for whatever new gift he wanted to give to Powder.

Drawing with Powder, making fun of Mylo, pulling pranks with Claggor or helping Vi win a fight.

It all sounded so far away, like that life never existed because of a man who wanted revenge.

Who turned the sweet girl you knew into the one who left you in a pool of blood.

The girl who, even if you or Vi didn't know, was sobbing as she had hurt one of the few people who truly loved her.

Your breathing was hard, but suddenly grew quiet, almost a whisper.

Vi sobbed, cradling you to her chest as she couldn't bear to look at your face.

Too afraid to see your eyes missing the light and love in them she had adored her whole life.

"(Name)...please, no." Vi cried into your hair, desperately pleading for her in any chance, to come back.

But there was no coming back from this.

So Vi sat there with you, long after Caitlyn found her, long after you grew cold.

Crying about how she had failed to keep that promise nine years old she made to nine year old you.

.

.

.

"(Name)! Wake up!"

You all but fell out of bed, springing up at the voice you hadn't heard in years.

You groaned as you hit your head on the top bunk, shaking it off with a groan before looking around.

You were stunned.

You were back in the den.

Back in the bar. In your old bed, in your old clothes.

You looked at your hands, they were no longer littered with small scars from prison fights.

"What's wrong with you? You look like a fuckin alien who landed for the first time."

You almost rolled your eyes out of instinct, you would have, if not recognizing the familiar mop of brown hair.

"Leave (Name) alone." You watched wide eyed as you saw Powder shove Mylo. 

You must've seen a ghost from how you looked, seeing Mylo standing with no hole in his shoulder.

You saw no pole stabbed through his shoulder paired with blood and dust from rocks from his death.

No.

You saw brown eyes full of annoyance, a white and dusty shirt void of blood and death and instead a brown mop of hair.

"Whatever." Mylo shrugged the girl off, sticking his tongue out at her childishly.

"Vi needs you in the bar." And with that, Mylo walked up the stairs and seemed to go join Claggor.

"...Powder?" You finally spoke up, seeing the girl jump up and turn to you with a smile.

There was no hatred in her eyes as you came back from prison, no sadness a girl her age shouldn’t have ever known.

You saw Powder, an excited twelve year old who showed you inventions with pink and blue marker paint on her cheeks and clothes.

No Jinx. Just Powder.

"Finally, you're awake! Come on, slowpoke!" Powder dragged you out of bed, almost tripping you.

You were dragged up the stairs, too shocked to protest and looking around with the same wide eyes.

The bar looked the same as you had left it, no rave-like party, no shimmer users.

No Sevika.

No Silco.

Just music you remembered Vander always played, a song he would drag you kids to do funny dances to with him growing up.

Just the regular customers you always remembered seeing as a kid straggling around the bar.

"Hey! You got 'em up finally!" You looked shocked to see Vi, like you had gone back in time.

She was still fifteen, like you were now. 

No tattoos, just her shaggy hair and smug ass grin staring at you.

"What? Stunned by me once again, sweetheart?" Vi asked with a smirk, finally snapping you out of it.

"You wish." You said, almost out of instinct as Powder dragged you to a barstool.

You sat on one the right of Vi, Powder sitting on her left as you then saw Claggor.

"You slept like a rock. I think bears sleep lighter than you." Claggor laughed, getting a small giggle out of Powder.

"Shush, Clag." You shook off with a smile before seeing someone you didn't think you would see again.

There stood Vander, a towel over his shoulder as he set a glass down on the bar.

"Vander?" You finally asked, a smile making its way onto your face and tears you stopped from falling in your eyes.

"Hey, Kiddo." Vander smiled back, almost like he had known what you had thought.

Like he knew what happened and how you were back…home.

"What's wrong, (Name)? Happy to be home?" He asked, noticing the tears in your eyes.

You quickly wipe your eyes, laughing to cover up your sniffle as you recover with a smile.

"No, yeah, I'm okay. Just…happy to see you guys again." Vander nodded with a knowing smile.

"See us? Where the hell did you go enough to miss us and why did you come back?" 

Mylo poked back up, giving you a weirded out look.

"Nothing, asshole. Can't I miss my friends?"

You could miss them, but now, you're home.

Where you belong. Even if it wasn't real.

[ornii]

Arcane Chapter 3

Forgive me… Powder…

"Ever wonder what it's like to drown? Story of opposites. There's peace in water. Like it's holdin' you, whisperin' in low tones to let it in. And every problem in the world will fade away. But then there's this thing..in your head, and it's raging. Lighting every nerve with madness. To fight. To survive.

And all the while, this question lingers before you:

"Have you had enough?"

It's funny. You could pass a lifetime without ever facing a choice like that. But it changes you forever. For that, I thank you...old friend."

"What aren't you telling me?" (Y/n) and Vander walk along the road to Benzo's shop. "I already know you have a deal with Topside Dad..". Vander frowns and shakes his head.

"The Topsiders want their pound of flesh. And if I had to guess, Vi is going to.." Vander says and (Y/n) quickly puts two and two together.

"I'm not letting her give herself up! We have to get to Benzo's!" (Y/n) breaks off into a sprint. The two reach Benzo's shop who seemingly as reached his shop as well. The door was knocked off, The trio open the door to Vi sitting on a chair, pacing in anxiety. She stands up seeing them here.

"Vander? (Y/n). " she asks confused.

"We don't have much time." I'm proud of you. Always have been." Vander walks over, holding Vi. She looks down, somberly.

"I'm sorry, I... This is the only way to protect the others." She says, and (Y/n) steps up.

"You'd leave me like that, like us?" He says, he walks over to Vi, looking into her eyes. Vander comes over, seeing the hurt his his boys eyes.

"You've got a good heart. Don't ever lose it. No matter how the world tries to break you. Protect the family." He says, and Vander hugs Vi.

"What are you..." Vander shoves Vi into the closet, locking her in.

"No! (Y/n)! Vander! Let me out! This isn't right!" (Y/n) listens to her bang against the door, desperately trying to escape. (Y/n) bites his tongue, in dismay listening to VI's pleads of despair. He turns around to Vander.

"Are... you sure about this?" He says, and Vander nods, hugging his son.

"I am, I refuse to let any of you go... you've come so far, and I'm so proud of you...Vi can be hot headed and the others aren't as mature. So I'm leaving it to you, Take care of the family.." Vander says, a few tears pour down (Y/n)'s face as he rubs them away, just then, two enforcers enter the Building, Grayson and the egotistical Marcus.

"I'm guessing that's for me." Grayson says to the pounding on the door, (Y/n) walks over to the door to protect it.

"You gonna let us make the arrest or not?" Marcus says to (Y/n), who stares daggers at Marcus, and Vander lights up a smoke.

"You'll oblige a doomed man one last smoke. Won't you?" He asks, Grayson walks over to Vander, unamused.

"I'm not putting you away, Vander. Without you down here, it all falls apart." She says, Vander motions to (Y/n).

"(Y/n) will handle things. He's my son so he comes with m my devilish charm, and he runs a tight ship." He says. There's silence, (Y/n) forces himself to stay strong. Marcus cuffs Vander, and is lead outside, Vi watches from the green tinted glass in the basement of the figures exiting the Shop. She watches until something happens, she's unable to make it out from the tint but she hears Grayson's voice.

"Hey. Stop right there!" She yells and Vi tries to look closer. Until blood splatters the window in a flash, Vi flies back, mortified. Outside, Graysons stunned corpse lied on the ground, the sizzle of the fired gun rings in distance.

"What the devil..." Benzo says, afraid. The remaining men turn to the origins of footsteps, deep green mist fills the area, and a figure steps out from it, what distincts thus man was the scarring eye he has, sun red with a pupil that's pitch black with the iris like a Solar eclipse. Hiding the true malice and hatred under it. (Y/n) has no clue how he is but Vander does.

"Silco?" Vanders voice was shaky, almost.. afraid.

"You animal. Go crawl back into whatever hole you came out of." Benzo says, grabbing the baton of the dead Grayson and rushes to attack him.

"Benzo, stay back." Vander yells, as Silco calmly turns to him.

"You never did know when to walk away." He says, and In a flash, Benzo was torn into shreds. Blood splatters (Y/n)'s face, he looks around, confused by what happened. (Y/n) watches a malformed monster approach, it's body massive with sickening purple veins pulsating through its body. (Y/n) felt a sickening aura radiate from it. (Y/n) was terrified, afraid, he steps back, as Silco stares at Benzo's corpse.

"Hmm. Stubborn to the end." Silco utters, Marcus looks absolutely terrified.

"What the hell have you done? This wasn't the deal!" He yells.

"Deal's changed." Silco replies coldly, (Y/n) sees the monster close in on Vander, ge didn't know what to do, panicked his legs told him to run, run as fast as he can away... but he couldn't. he grabs the baton and rushes in full speed, he leaps into the air, cocking the Baton back, he was ready to fight to the bloody end, until the monster grabs him by the neck, squeezing tightly, Silco turns to (Y/n), who's gasping for air.

"A Child playing Hero... how.. trivial, it seems you rushed to his Side without any hesitation, you are definitely Vanders son.. but let me give you a word of advice, that nagging feeling in the back of your head, that was fear.. telling you to run and preserve yourself, you should habe listened to it.. because that wasn't bravery, that was foolishness.."

The Monster hurls (Y/n) like a baseball though the window of Benzo's shop, his body crashes through the window, slides along the counter and slams into the wall near the door, and slumps down, the pain shooting through his body was too much for it to take, and (Y/n)'s eyes lower and he collapses unconscious. Minutes, Seconds? Maybe hours have passed, he didn't know. But he simply awoke, pain shoots through his arm and ribs as he stands up, still a bit dazed from the tossing, he stumbles to the door, and opens it. He slowly steps downstairs, leaning on the wall as he turns to vi, sitting there. Her face moves up from her arms to see (Y/n) there, with a few bruises and cuts, she stands up, slowly approaching him.

"I saw everything. Be... Benzo. They..." he says, slowly begging to break down, and this time, Vi holds him, letting him fall apart in her arms.

"What about Vander?" Vi says, he looks at her, sniffling. She wipes the tears from his face.

"I don't know I think They took him." He says, Vi begins to worry even more.

"Where?" She asks, he looks down. Thinking.

"I don't know, there's only one place I can.. think of.." he says, the Fish Cannery, the old decrepit building houses all of Silco's plans. As the large monster was dragging Vander along, the Cannery is full of Sulcos goons, building weapons and producing an odd purple liquid.

"It's a little crude, I'll admit...The base violence necessary for change. But we both know topside won't listen to anything else." Silco explains, as Vander is tossed on a railing

"Even with your monsters, you won't win a war against Piltover." Vander was able to utter from his bated breath.

"I don't have to. I just need to scare them. They won't dare set foot in the underground again." He says, and Vander turns to him, his eye swollen and barely able to see from it.

"You'll get people killed. For what? Pride?" Vander spits blood on the ground, Silco looks at him, a bit bewildered.

"For respect. Opportunity. Everything they've denied us." He says, kneeling down to look Vander in the eye.

"You had my respect. The Lanes' respect, but that...

that was never enough for you." Vander snaps back, and Silco closes in.

"We shared a vision, Vander. A dream of freedom.

Not just for the Lanes, but the whole of the underground, united as one. The nation of Zaun.

Do you even remember? I trusted you. And you betrayed me." Silco's words were full of Venom, resentment and hatred building up. Vander looks regretful.

"What I did to you... I've never forgiven myself. You were my brother." Vander says, somberly, Silco stands up. Reliving that day, Being drowned in the Water.

"No, you still don't understand...Can you imagine what it's like? When your blood mixes with the filth

and the river toxins eat through your nerves. Oh, I hated you for what you'd done. But as time passed, so did my hate. And I was left with an understanding.

The only way to defeat a superior enemy is to stop at nothing. To become what they fear. I hated you, but you kept my respect. Until you made peace with them. Played lapdog after everything we suffered." Silco grumbles, feeling the small sting in his eye.

"..I had no choice." Vander somberly utters.

"Perhaps." Silco tilts his head a bit. "But now you do." Silco shows Vander a Vial of a glowing purple liquid.

"Shimmer. We have the power. We can finally realize our dream, brother." He says, trying to entice Vander, but he cannot agree with it.

"Look at what you've done. Benzo. These kids. My Son.. In fighting topside you'd sacrifice everything that we are. It's not the way. Can't you see that?

Kill me if you have to, but please spare the Lanes." He says, and Silco snaps.

"You'd die for the cause, but you won't fight for one?" He says back, and Vander simply looks down.

"I'm just... not that man anymore." He says, and Silco walks off, heading to a room across the walkway.

"I'll show you what you really are." He says, and has dire intentions for Vander.

Inside the Bar, Claggor, Mylo and Powder are waiting in the basement, probably arguing about something dumb. Before (Y/n) and Vi enter.

"Oh, you're back." Mylo says. The two notice the weaponry they've acquired, which is a Baseball bat and Vanders Cast Iron gauntlets. Vi grabs them and Mylo stops her.

"Hey. Those are Vander's. Slow down. What's going on?" He asks.

"Benzo's dead." (Y/n) says heading to a small hole to grab some gear.

"Dead?" Mylo says, shocked; the group look more hopeless than before.

"They took Vander." Vi adds in. " I need to help him."

"We're going with you." Claggor adds in, and Powder begins to pack. (Y/n) grabs from the hole a piece of steel with a few rivets on it, a makeshift Brass knuckle, and attaches it onto his arm. He turns to the group, as they father whatever they can, and head up, (Y/n) and Vi see powder coming too, but stop her.

"I need you to sit this one out, Powder." Vi says, and Powders determination turns to confusion.

"What?" She says.

"You're not coming." Vi reiterates.

"I'm not afraid." Powder says arguing back. "Families stick together. You said it yourself.—"

"No!" (Y/n)'s voice echoes, and scares powder, he looks shocked himself and sadly kneels down to face powder.

"I'm sorry Powder.. We can't lose you." He says, putting his hand on her shoulder, "Whatever he has is, a lot scarier than any of us can imagine. I promise it'll be okay, and I'll come back with Vander and everything will be okay.. I promise." He says. He gives Powder a small peck on the forehead as he turns to leave, Vi gives Powder what seems to be a flare.

"Here. If they come for you, take this and run.

Where ever you are, light it up, and I'll find you. I promise." Vi says, and the two leave powder. Alone. The group begin their journey to the Cannery, the four slowly maneuver towards the high ground, and slowly drop down into the cannery from a broken window on the roof, they reach the Walkway and into a small room with Vander, strapped to the chair. Vander looks up at the approaching children.

"Vi?" Vander says, "What are you doing here?". More of the group pour into the room.

"We're breakin' you out." (Y/n) says, seeing the locks on the arms and legs of Vander.

"Mylo." He says and he quickly comes in with his lock pick. (Y/n) turns to Claggor.

"Find us another way out of here, it's best if we—" (Y/n) says, until an echo cuts him off, the sound of clapping, it was Silco, with his goons in tow.

"Welcome. You have my congratulations.

But I'm afraid this will be a very short reunion. Have you heard the rumor? Vander the coward fled town with his children. And they were never seen again." Silco says, and the massive tattooed man begins to walks the walkway. (Y/n) steps back, until he turns to his side to see Vi putting on the Gauntlets, he walks over and tightens them for her. She and (Y/n) look at each other, and he smiles just slightly.

"You ready? There's no going back after this Vi.." he says and she nods, (Y/n) picks up the bat and puts it over his shoulder and they walk together to face the Monsters of Zaun. The Large man draws a knife and cracks his neck.

"He's gonna go for a stab, I counter and you land square on his jaw." He says. Vi raises her gauntlets.

"You wanna bet on that?" She says.

"I put your life on it, so I know I'd never be wrong." He says, the man growls and goes for a stab, (Y/n) throws his prosthetic arm in the way, it parries the knife and Vi goes in, and Rocks him with an uppercut the drops the man immediately, (Y/n) picks up his knife and puts it in his pocket. More goons begin to approach and Vi and (Y/n) fight, (Y/n) taking big swings with his bat and Iron clad knuckle, and Vi with her gauntlets. One attempts to go for Vi, (Y/n) slides in, swinging his bat and hitting the goons stomach and Vi coming in with the assist and right hook, A pair of teenagers begin to wipe the floor with grown men and women. One man with a mace attempts to crush (Y/n) he puts the bat up to block but it goes through the Wooden bat and hits him right in the collar bone, he collapses down in pain and Vi comes in with the rescue.

Vi begins to fight off two while (Y/n) writhes in pain, he sees Vi barely holding them off, seeing her in trouble he throws his pain to the side and tosses himself back into the fray. One Cocks back to swing but gets a fist fill of (y/n) iron clad prosthetic fist breaking his teeth, letting Vi dispatch the other.

Mylo looks over to see the two keeping them off, but are being worn down. Vander looks at him.

"Mylo. Take a breath. You can do this." He says, Mylo calms himself and begins again, picking the locks. (Y/n) and vi help each other up, (Y/n) turns to Silco.

"Cmon! That the best you got?!" He yells, Silco motions for Deckard, and he hands him a Vial of Shimmer and he drinks it. And he transforms into the monster (Y/n) saw outside Benzo's.

"...Shit.." (Y/n) says and he charges in, only to get a boot into his sternum. He hits the ground and Vi charges in.

"Mylo, hurry!" Vander yells, while Claggor slams into the wall, breaking it down piece by piece. Vi leaps into the air, only to get her face grabbed by the monstrous Deckard.

"Silco. Let her go! This is between you and me!" Vander screams from his chair, and Silco glares coldly.

"You had your chance." (Y/n) rushes in with his brass knuckle and cracks the monster in the rib with heavy punches, he drops Vi and grabs (Y/n) by the Prosthetic. He begins to crush it, and (Y/n) quickly takes the blade he took and rams it into the wrist of Deckard, who drops him as well, but the damage is done and part of the metal was crushed, he picks Vi up with now his only good arm, and limps away as Deckard removes the blade from his wrist. He fumbles into the room and rushes to the door, he yanks the latch and slams it shut before Deckard could reach them. He locks it and slumps down, exhausted.

"You did good." Vander says, (Y/n) looks relieved by the Door shakes with each punch from Deckard, Claggor picks up the speed, and Mylo has Vander almost free. (Y/n) shakes his head, fearing the end, until Vi pushes back as well, holding the door with him. They push together, desperate to hold him back, all seems to be going well...

"You have to work. For me. Okay?" A girl says, Powder, on the edge of the building, preparing something, a monkey bomb with three of those crystals inside. With spikes on the chimes. She winds it up and drops it into a window and watches it move forward, clanging the spikes into the crystal as it clamors closer and closer to the area, and near Deckard the energy builds up more and more ferocious until it reaches a boiling point. In one last clang, it erupts, the crystals explode in a massive form of blue light, which knocks powder off the building.

It blasts Deckard away, evaporates the arm of one of Silco's goons, one crystal blasts through the door and gets in, and another explosion happens, murdering Claggor, and the crystal touches (Y/n), the energy surges through his body, as he was hit with a wave of it, his arm gets arcs of lightning shot though his prosthetic and up his face, and right into his eye. It demolished the lower body of the building, setting the shimmer aflame. His scream is the last thing that's heard as his body seemingly is warped and disappears, the impact sends Mylo into the wall and a pipe right into his shoulder, pinning him to the wall, he looks over to the corpse of Claggor, barley able to understand what just happened, the roof begins to cave it, and it crushes them both. Vander can only begin to process what's going on, seeing Vi barely able to move and is in pain, tears flowing down her face, Silco recovers from it as well, and points to the door.

"Kill them!" He commands, and the remaining goons follow, and the side of Vander that he kept locked away, erupts, and the Hound of the Underground is prepared to bite once more. Breaking off pieces of the door, he creates makeshift knuckles and starts cracking Skulls, and tosses one man off the ledge and starts to deal with Deckard, until a blade catches him in the back. Silco, as he removes the blade from his back, Vander turns and grabs Silco with every bit of strength he hast left to choke the life out of him. But that strength wavers with the second the second stab enters his body, Vanders body, seemingly gives up, and Silco tosses him off the left.

"I knew you still had it in you." Silco says, and turns to the goons. "Find the girl and that boy.." he says, and continues to focus, Deckard slowly makes his way inside, but a figure yanks him and turns him around, wrapping its hand around its neck and snapping it with ease, the beast tosses his lifeless corpse away. It was Vander, who ingested the Shimmer himself and is a malformed shade of his former self, the mesmerized beast turn to Silco.

"Silco!" His voice roars like a lion in the darkness. But the building was reaching its crumbling point, and he had to make a choice, Silco or Vi, he grabbed Vi before the building could explode and leapt out, as it succumbed to powders bomb. Eventually Vi recovers in the alley to a dying Vander, and now she's about to lose everyone. She rushes to his side, As Vanders purple veins begin to lose their light.

"Vander! Vander..." she says, tears forming in her eyes, and his last words echoed deep within her.

"Take care of Powder." He utters, before the light in his eyes.. die. Vi's tears of pain were dubbed by the rain that began to pour, and a voice halts her mourning.

"Vi, it worked!" A voice says behind her, and Vi slowly turns around with her toy, and she looks, stunned.

"What?" Vi was only able to utter, the complete shock of everything is slowly reaching her, and powder couldn't be more proud of herself.

"Did you see me? My monkey bomb finally worked! I did the cogs just like (Y/n) said so! And it worked!" She says, so happy, Vi just simply turns to her, cold.

"You did this? Why? Why did you do this?" She asks, Powder looks confused, until she looks past Vi, the flames, the carnage, Vanders malformed corpse on the ground, Claggor's shatter goggles on the ground. and it all begins to click in her head, she did this, she killed Mylo, Claggor... (Y/n). And it all begins to set into the child's head, she begins to sniffle, tearing up.

"I... I didn't...I was saving you...I only wanted to help." Powder says, barely able to hold it all together, as tears begin to rush down the child's face, as she can only repeat. I only wanted to help.

I only wanted to help. only wanted to..." she says, her

" told you to stay away." Vi says, her emotions coming to a boil, and a hysterical powder cries even more.

"Please. Please. Please..." her voice shaking, shattering as she pleads with her sister.

"I told you to stay away!" Vi snaps, hitting powder as she falls on the ground, terrified.

"Why did you leave me?!" She screams, and Vi grabs the girl by the face, yanking her in close.

"Because you're a jinx. Do you hear me? Mylo was right." We're her final words to her sister before leaving. Powder falls back, watching the last family member she has left, abandon her.

"No. No. No. Violet, please! Violet, please!

Please come back! Please, Violet. I need you. Please!"

But her cries fall upon deaf ears, until a man she's never seen before, approaches the abandoned Powder, and he kneels down, bloody knife in hand.

Silco.

"Hello, little girl...Where's your sister?" He asks, and Powder looks up to him, and leaps into his arms, crying harder.

"She left me...She is not my sister anymore." She says, Silco was stunned, not really knowing how to respond, and he simply.. Holds her.

"It's okay...We'll show them. We will show them all."

Darkness, a void of senseless and emptiness, the dark only adorned by stars from a cosmos long forgotten to humanity, (Y/n) opens his eyes, and he sees a forest green trees, grass, but no light.. as if he's.. not on earth, his body in tatters from the fight. He attempts to stand up, but is barely able to make it a few feet before collapsing to his knees, he crawls to what seems to be a cliff, as he peers over it, he see the world is nothing, darkenss. And small islands that seem to be floating in the dark, and he's on one of them, he looks around. He's on a floating island in, some void.

"Vi? Violet?! Powder?! POWDER! CLAGGOR! DAD, Mylo?.." he yells,

But no one can come to save him.. he realizes that he's not in Piltover, not the lanes, he's somewhere you can't get to by normal means. He rolls onto his back, and sees his Prostetic has been burned with arcs of blur electricity that seems to be not normal, he feels the pain along his face as well... whatever happened to him, was permanent. He extends his prosthetic arm to what he might think is the sky, and sees one of powders drawings on it. The tears begin to flow as he cries, having lost.. everyone.

"Powder I.. I..."

"I'm So Sorry.."

[spicyratcakes]

You Never Saved Me

TW: suicidal thoughts. Generally quite sad and angsty. I refuse to disseminate happiness.

Prologue: Caitlyn Kiramman saved me from Stillwater just after progress day. Except, she didn’t. I never met her, because she died in the explosion my sister caused. I would never know what happened. I would never know none the wiser to the life I could have had. The escape.

November 13th. 5:00pm. The cafeteria. Vi had been in still water since she was fifteen years old. The last sight she had of the outside world was that of her brother's mangled bodies. Her fathers final sacrificial act. Her sister like a newborn lamb, unaware of her impending slaughter. The only thing that kept each day moving was the fantasy that perhaps her sister ran in time. After all, as the chloroform ripped away her consciousness it wiped fragments of her memory. Perhaps she imagined it all? Perhaps Vander still breathed, waking in time to rip Powder to safety?

The illusion played beautiful behind VI’s eyes as she stared into the darkness of her cell. The metal wall served as a canvas to these fantasies. The swaying of her punching bag, a child’s mobile lullaby. She never quite found warmth, but she found a way to move all her senses beyond the physical reality, into her desired one. It wasn’t as if she had no social interaction though. Those little missions she made for herself every time one of Silco’s goons came in kept her from slipping into insanity.

The latest one was a tall beefy man, wrapped up in some shipment scheme. As Vi took her food tray (first devouring the cold carrots and processed peas first), she passed some guards talking about one of the councilor’s daughters, and how she was killed in a progress day bombing. Vi considered asking Silco’s goon about it. Deep in her stomach she felt something about the incident was wrong. Unnatural. A veil over a truth she ought to know, but didn’t have the time to fully think through as she took her metal tray to the guy's face.

December 13th. 11pm. The cell. Confinement. Obviously. She still had her punching bag, but after dinner she became one herself. The guards beat her so badly she threw up her dinner, it’s puddle marinating in the middle of her cell somewhere. The month she was in time out, it got severely cold in Stillwater. They never provided a jacket, so she made due with tucking her arms into her sleeveless tank top. If she could have a jacket, she’d want a leather one. Vi missed the smell of leather. Working out helped with the bite of cold air too, but one could only push themselves so much before giving out.

The steam of her breath reminded her a lot of the lanes. It was comforting. The guards returned the next day, bringing her back to the regular cell block she called home. The entire journey upstairs they gossiped about the lanes becoming a place called Zaun. Apparently a new councilor took a seat while she was in confinement, brokering a peace with Silco. Part of her died then. It was an intimate awareness her people were now beyond saving.

January 13th. 2pm. The yard. Vi kept herself busy the following month. Trying to find out information on Zaun’s independence kept her occupied, as well as her additional tattoo appointments. She was receiving a fresh new piece spanning the entirety of her thigh. It was a sketch of the Last Drop as she remembered it. Looking up at the guard tower she considered how easy it would be to scale that wall. Leaving the island that kept the prison isolated was impossible, otherwise she’d be gone already.

As a teen, she tried a few times to escape, but not success. This time she wasn’t envisioning an escape that brought her back to Powder. This one would bring her to Mylo and Claggor. Perhaps they could rob every selfish Angel in heaven, using every bit of profit to create the Last Drop in hell. She considered it for a month straight, telling herself maybe it was time to go. To let go.

February 13th. 6pm. The escape. Something was happening. These alarms weren’t secluded alerts of the occasional dumb ass run away or riot. No. These red blaring lights were bottled migraines. Vi wasn’t there for it though. She used Mylo’s old tactics to pick her cell lock. It wasn’t hard to climb that wall to the top of the tower. She anticipated a guard would have shot her by now. However, Vi was completely unaware just how occupied they all were with Zaun’s citizens storming to prison to retrieve their loved ones.

Marcus’ corruption came to light by an investigation left behind by that Kiramman girl, taken seriously by the newest councilor as well as her mother. That’s when it became public exactly who was in Stillwater, even if they ought not be. On the rocks below, Vi swore she could see the figure of a woman. Blue hair, tall, slender. She was flipping through a book, some rifle by her side. It had to be an illusion, for the violent waves crashing did not disrupt what looked like this enforcer off duty. The woman looked up to Vi, giving a small smile and wave.

It was just before Vi was about to jump down that she heard a voice behind her say “Vi?” Another feminine voice, this time a whisper in her ear said, “Not your time yet, Violet.” Then a male voice, Claggor, saying “Just a little longer.” Lastly, Mylo’s voice said “don’t be such a pussy.”

As she rounded to find the sources of these words, she only landed on one individual. A woman with long blue hair. Powder. “Can I come home now?” Vi whispered with tears in her eyes. She didn’t believe the sight before her was real.

With an outstretched hand, still covered in Silco’s blood, her sister replied, “About time, huh? Here I was thinking you forgot me!” It was obvious something was different about Powder. Something was different about Vi, too.

“I know the feeling,” Vi chuckled nervously. She looked down one last time, the woman before gone now.

“First order of business, let’s get you real food,” Jinx offered, leading her sister from the edge.

“I’ve been craving cupcakes for three months straight,” Vi admitted, leaving it all behind.

[space-blue]

I wish episode 8 hadn't dropped the ball with Vi. So many things in that episode that she should've been grappling with just do not get touched on. In episode 7, Ekko tells Cait that the enforcers are all in Silco's pocket. She tells him he's wrong and convinces him to go along with her plan to take the gem to topside. Except Marcus proves Ekko right by shooting him and snatching the gemstone. If Marcus had aimed for Ekko's head, he would be dead, and Vi would've lost even more of her family. You'd think Vi would be furious at Cait for this - it was her denial that Marcus could be working for Silco and her plan to walk the bridge back to topside, that got Ekko almost murdered. But none of this is brought up in episode 8.

Vi also discovers that Cait is a Councillor's daughter. For all Vi knows, Caitlyn's mother could have been on the Council during Vander's rebellion. She could have been one of the people who gave the order to massacre the rebels, including Vi's parents. Again, Vi does not grapple with this revelation at all. We get one comedic scene of her stunned face in the bedroom when Cait's parents enter and the realization hits her, but nothing deeper. It's not like it would be out of place or out of character for Vi to lash out at Caitlyn about all this either. By the time Cait returns to the bedroom, Vi has had plenty of time to let all of this stew - that Caitlyn has not only been hiding the fact that she's a daughter of a Councillor (again, possibly one of the people who sanctioned the murder of Vi's parents), but also unintentionally got Ekko shot, and was a big reason Vi had to leave Jinx and Ekko on the bridge and now doesn't know if either of them are alive.

And that's another thing. We don't get an inkling about what Vi thinks happened to Jinx or Ekko. Is she just crossing her fingers and hoping either of them didn't get blown to bits? She should be SICK with worry. So much good material to depict the fraughtness of Caitvi's relationship and plant the seeds for Vi furiously abandoning Caitlyn later. Their dramatic breakup scene would've hit a lot harder if it not only stemmed from Vi's anger at the Council's actions, but towards Cait's actions as well. Yet all we get is the "real monster showed up" scene where Vi opens up her heart to the girl who got Little Man shot and Pow Pow left behind. Will never not be disappointed by Vi getting butchered for Caitvi to happen. Sorry for leaving this long ask in your inbox, but you are one of the few people critical of Caitvi on here so I thought I'd vent ✌

But none of this is brought up in episode 8.

Vi also choses Cait over Jinx once she attacks them, which always struck me as strange, as Ekko is the one who wants to go to the Council, and Vi is the one Jinx wouldn't hurt. That's fine as a choice, but the way it is never addressed either—that Vi choses to stay for Jinx and immediately reneges on that decision—sort of makes her sound very hypocritical at the diner scene. If you wouldn't stay for Jinx then, why should she believe you'd stay for her now? It makes Silco sound absolutely right when he says Vi would abandon her as soon as she realises she isn't Powder. Silco is the one who never let her go even when she screwed his plans over and fucked with his underlings and consistently made his life harder. He knows what she's like and still loves her, something that Vi has never proven she can do. IMO Vi misses Powder and Jinx is really correct in the way she sets up the table. She feels it too.

My issue with the way this is handled and the examples you brought up is that the show doesn't seem to be self aware. It's backpedaling a lot and letting Vi coast on her stream of strange decision, refusing to give her an actually consistent drive.

One minute she's sacrificing it all for Jinx, the next she's throwing her under the bus to ZERO benefit in front of the entire council. Then she promises she'll save Powder, but instead goes to pick up a fight with Sevika? For no clear purpose than revenge. And after that she still has the guts to say they can run away and be all right?

I like hypocrite Vi. It's my canon reading of her. But I dislike that the show doesn't make it obvious this is what they're going for. She feels aimless in her character development. If the romance with Cait had been removed in favour of showing how unhinged and fucked in the head prison time had made her, Vi would be infinitely more enjoyable imo in these last two arcs.

Vi also discovers that Cait is a Councillor's daughter.

Yeah, I've covered that in my 'Why I don't really like Cait' ask that turned into a 'how to make a more compelling caitvi' meta. I recommend reading this version if you don't mind lengthy discourse, since my friend Coyote made some really interesting points

The relevant excerpt here is :

This ties into another aspect of Cait which I dislike, which is again completely involuntary and an artefact of the show's strict timetable. She doesn't share anything about herself. Not even to Vi. We virtually know nothing about her except that she likes to shoot guns and looks up to chief-ACAB Grayson (my beloved). Even on the bed scene with Vi, it's only ever Vi opening up and sharing. And you may say, "yeah but we only see a glimpse, I'm sure Cait shared stuff too". And yes, sure... But Vi is making a comment about the place when they break in... That reveals she has NO idea it's Cait's home! That's one of the thing I'd suggest editing out to give the impression that Cait has explained things and that Vi doesn't learn she's a Councillor's daughter until after breaking her into her own home. Cait learns about Vi's past, again and again, and shares nothing about herself. Even when faced with the Firelights, she "knows a friend on the Council" but fails to mention her mom is there too. In front of Ekko, I get, but... What does Vi know about Cait? Canonically???

(Nothing. Vi seems to know nothing about Cait, which means we have nothing but looks to go by as to why she'd feel attracted to her, a cop and a 1%ter).

For all Vi knows, Caitlyn's mother could have been on the Council during Vander's rebellion. She could have been one of the people who gave the order to massacre the rebels, including Vi's parents.

She's certainly among those who order Grayson to "squeeze harder" in search of Vi herself.

Again, Vi does not grapple with this revelation at all. (...) Caitlyn has not only been hiding the fact that she's a daughter of a Councillor (again, possibly one of the people who sanctioned the murder of Vi's parents), but also unintentionally got Ekko shot, and was a big reason Vi had to leave Jinx and Ekko on the bridge and now doesn't know if either of them are alive.

Hear Hear!!

Vi just completely ceases to have character development. She's angry, she punches, she betrays, and it's all mostly irrelevant and happens because the plot has to move forward. She doesn't question Cait's naivety even when following her massively backfires. She says things and then does the opposite. She uses her one opportunity to speak to the Council to entirely betray her sister despite Cait wanting to help, despite her entire character hinging on wanting to give a better future for her sister...

And the issue is that none of it feels like it's done consciously or voluntarily.

She should be SICK with worry.

But instead she is napping with a councillor-enforcer in her bed telling her stories of her childhood while apparently never minding not knowing the first thing about this girl in front of her besides 'she's pretty and utterly naive and her trust in Marcus nearly got us all killed 30min ago'. Yeah.

So much good material to depict the fraughtness of Caitvi's relationship and plant the seeds for Vi furiously abandoning Caitlyn later. Their dramatic breakup scene would've hit a lot harder if it not only stemmed from Vi's anger at the Council's actions, but towards Cait's actions as well.

What is there even to break up though?? I feel like the show would have greatly benefited from a different, much slower dynamic between them, with a dark Vi refusing and repelling a more just and shrewd Cait. If Vi spent 4 episodes building basic trust, it would be a lot more interesting if she realised she's grown to like Cait as a person when Jinx is demanding she kill her to get Powder back.

She could have her epiphany at a moment where her darker side should have rejoiced : one less enforcer in the world. Her family wronged me at every turn! Without the Kiramman, Vander might still be alive... And yet... And yet this girl has been nothing but principled, helpful, dedicated, and helped her, even if it helped her own goals of solving her investigation too. She broke her own society's rules to find out the truth (a flaw in Piltover pov but a compliment from a Zaunite, perhaps).

Leading Vi to realise with some complex feelings that yeah, she can't harm her, she likes her, which could prompt a touch more disgust on Jinx's part. Jinx hoping she might have read too much into it, that Vi wouldn't actually like an enforcer... A way of addressing that outrageous preference in a Zaunite as fucked and destitute as Vi.

They could have had Vi learn early that Cait is a Kiramman and resent her. They could have discussed that, instead of monsters on the wall.

They could have shown Cait be confronted not only for being a Piltie, but for being a Kiramman. Realising that her family inheritance isn't just one of wealth and tedious politics, but of death and enslavement, to others. That her lack of involvement, her escapism, just perpetuates the status quo in which all of Zaun suffers and people like Silco become their only hope.

But neither Cait nor Vi do much self reflection.

Will never not be disappointed by Vi getting butchered for Caitvi to happen.

Same, precisely because, as I started to show just above, I think a really juicy and compelling Caitvi dynamic exists, where they both change a lot through getting to know each other. It's just sad that the rushed romance ended up making them both weaker and the show left with Cop/Traitor as their main queer representation, and everyone guzzled it happily. Which is why idk how to feel about them ultimately. Is every representation good representation? Did we need more cop lesbians? How would the fandom have reacted if Cait was straight? If Vi flirted aggressively with Sevika instead?

Just thinking of this post constantly when Cait comes up :

Don't worry I gotchu for venting... Arcane season 1 is near perfect, and some character arcs just straight up are. But I feel like there's a real ball dropped in the last act, mostly around them bailing on their own politics. I think we all tend to be more nitpicky about criticism when a show flies so close to the sun and perfection.

We gush and gush and deconstruct it to atoms, only to realise then that there were better ways to do it once you get to rebuilding it yourself.

As per my other linked asked above, I think the team did their absolute best considering the density of characters, themes and storylines involved. It was also their first season, and it seems like a lot of learning was done in the process.

I have hope for season 2, but I'm not certain the enforcer issue will be addressed to our liking. I'll be going in there to see my other blorbos. Neither Cait nor Vi are a compelling drive to me, but it's fine.

[byakkomaruu]

head-canons [sfw/nsfw] - brahms heelshire

nsfw head-canons below the cut.

gender-neutral reader; no pronouns used.

warnings - swearing, switch!brahms, hinted predator play(?), somnophilia, voyeurism (typical), hinted phone sex(?), sadism, hinted bondage, choking, begging, lingerie, brahms is rough and borderline violent at times(?), size kink, hinted shower sex.

__________________________________________

i. after revealing himself to you, he doesn't often use the child voice. it's usually to taunt you when he gets bored and feels like leading you through a goose chase through the heelshire estate. sometimes he uses it to make you laugh, or just because brahms is a little shit.

ii. if he doesn't ask for a kiss goodnight (or just kisses in general), something is wrong and there is a disturbance in the force.

iii. despite his colossal stature, he moves around the manor very quietly. life in the walls taught him the language of silence. it's very hard to hear his footsteps. since you won't always hear him coming, expect to be spooked often, even if he doesn't mean to scare you.

iv. he hates malcolm. sure, malcolm is the one that brings the food, but brahms is very clingy, and he obviously can't be with you when the grocery boy is around. if malcolm is here, brahms is most definitely watching. he refuses to leave you alone with malcolm, even though the other man means purely business.

v. he would definitely eat stuff like nutella or marshmallow fluff straight from their jars. very few condiments of those kinds don't have sloppy excavation lines from brahms taking a fork or spoon through them. ice cream is absolutely included, but that one's a given.

vi. brahms hangs onto his mask like a lifeline. once every blue moon will he take it off around you. he trusts you, sure, but the porcelain face brings him comfort.

vii. if he cut your hair in your sleep before revealing himself to you, he will try to return it to you at one point, like a cat bringing a dead rodent to its owner as a little present. you obviously won't take it back, but the gesture is nice... right?

viii. he would let you do anything to him; he absolutely adores you. wanna paint his nails? sure, but make sure he actually lets them dry. wanna cut or style his hair? he won't like sitting still for long periods of time but play with his hair a little bit and he's sold!

ix. when he wants to be alone, for whatever reason, he will retreat back to the catacombs of the manor. however, he won't be completely gone: if you call out to him, he will make himself known by knocking on the walls to let you know he's still around. he's never too far behind.

x. he loves helping you cook. he won't often involve himself in chores unless you ask for his help, but in the kitchen, he's always there, grasping at various things and wondering how he can help you with whatever you're making. his two main motivators: you and fresh, warm meals-- he will never go back to cold or microwaved leftovers again. beware, though: he will lick the spoon and taste everything, whether it tastes good or not. he has yet to learn his lesson after he tried to eat a spoonful of straight cocoa powder.

xi. speaking of food, he hates spicy things. if you're eating super spicy stuff, brahms will look at you like you're the crazy one. he will never understand how on god's green earth you can tolerate it. it's one of the few kinds of foods that brahms despises. alongside pickles. he hates pickles as well and i don't accept criticism.

xii. brahms is really intelligent. probably smarter than you, no offense. he's definitely not patient enough for things like puzzles or math equations, though. he'll only really do stuff like that if you're there with him; he doesn't care about whatever it is, he's just clingy as shit.

xiii. there's no hiding spots for you, no little nooks or places you can put things so brahms won't find them. he'll find them eventually.

xiv. brahms is a very light sleeper. there's no sneaking away from him, especially if he's sleeping in bed with you. if you toss and turn, he'll grab you and hold you close so he can actually get some rest (also, he's one of those freaks that sleeps on his back, live with it).

xv. if you like to dance to a song you listen to, try getting brahms to join in! you'll have to lead him around by holding his hands and pulling him along. he has no idea what the fuck you're doing, and he isn't the biggest fan of your taste in music, he's just following you along while he watches you sway and swing to the rhythm. his movements as he follows you are very awkward and bashful-- yes, he will step on your shoes, and it will hurt like a bitch --but he's got the spirit! :D

xvi. he has a massive size kink (no pun intended). standing well over six feet tall, he very much enjoys towering over you, even if he's not the one in control. however, there's a voice in his head that tells him how fragile your neck must be.

xvii. please god do not think he has poor hygiene just because he borderline had no choice. he doesn't mind showers or baths but would gladly them with you. he won't keep his hands to himself, though, fair warning.

xviii. he hates teasing of any sort. if you crack open a dictionary to find the definition for the word impatient, brahms' picture only isn't there because he was too short-tempered to deal with turning it in. if pissing him off is something you want to do, tie him down somewhere and give him a show! listen, he's a voyeur at heart, but he hates being forced to sit and watch when he is right there next to you.

xix. want some exercise? play hide and seek or let brahms chase you through the manor! it's a great thrill for him. most of the time, he will beat you though, and he always insists on a reward for his victory (hint hint, wink wink, nudge nudge).

xx. sometimes after sex, mostly when he plays the dominant role at the time, he'll steal your underwear. yeah, he doesn't need to since you're his now and you can just give them to him if he asks, but what's the fun in that? he does return them... eventually.

xxi. another big kink of his is somno, for either of you. when he wakes you up with his face between your legs, he'll start apologizing to you once he realizes you're awake, telling you that he couldn't resist and that he's sorry for disturbing your slumber, but he won't stop unless you make him. if you wake him by, for example, sucking his cock, you have until he fully wakes up to have your fun: he takes it as an invitation.

xxii. good lord do not let malcolm call you, brahms will most definitely pull some shit. or do! brahms will pitch a fit if you really need to talk to malcolm, and if you chase the masked man off so you can speak with the grocery boy, he'll make sure you can't walk afterwards. yeah, good luck talking to malcolm if your voice is raspy and weak. :D

xxiii. kisses. everywhere. he especially loves marking up your neck, legs, and wrists. as much as he wants to, he knows he can't leave anything in a place you can't hide it (fuck you, malcolm).

xxiv. toys are definitely on the table. at first, he hated them almost as much as malcolm-- how dare you even consider a plastic device over him --but when you introduce them to him, he changes his mind completely. get him a few for himself, he'd definitely enjoy them when he can't get ahold of you.

xxv. if you're into choking, good news!: the first time he ever choked you, he got really into it. his hand was exploring your chest as he fucked you against your mattress, and when you grabbed his wrist and moved his hand up to grab your throat, you could hear an alarmed gasp from beneath his porcelain mask. you almost passed out and you had to let him know when to stop so he doesn't actually hurt you, but he is so ungodly into choking you if you introduce it to him.

xxvi. the first time he ever fucked you was his first. he's not stupid or clueless; he just hasn't interacted with anyone face-to-face aside for his parents in twenty years. when he first put his cock inside you, he was very quickly thrown into an internal battle between pounding into you without giving you a chance to breathe or stopping to give himself a chance to savor this feeling to keep himself from cumming too quickly. you created a monster, good luck!

xxvii. brahms' sex drive is so ungodly high; it isn't even funny. he is so down to fuck 24/7 it is mental. it is also incredibly easy to get him hard, too, take notes. this motherfucker needs a leash and a muzzle to behave, good lord.

xxviii. if you think you're able to masturbate alone, you're dead wrong, brahms is most likely watching you in silence (he's a voyeur at heart, everyone). the moment he hears you cry out his name, it's game over: he also thinks of this as an invitation. the first time you moaned his name while masturbating, you heard him stumble from inside the wall across from your bed.

xxix. eye contact during sexual acts is your best friend with brahms. with him in charge, it empowers him, makes him grin like a madman beneath the mask and tighten his hold on you. with you in charge, the longer you hold eye contact the more he crumbles. he will never ever be the first to turn his gaze from yours.

xxx. lingerie is well appreciated in brahms' eyes, but the moment he sees you, he'll pounce like an animal. he won't admire you for too long. he'll try to rip it off of you, too (he has done so several times), so it's best to leave more expensive clothing items for a time when he can't tear it up-- or just be quick about taking it off.

[jynxd]

send LOST for a scene from my muse's past in which they felt lost, literally or figuratively - Jinx

The bridge was set ablaze as a tiny Powder tightly to VI’s hand. The further they got down the bridge, the louder the shooting they had heard in the distance get. Jinx was shaking, in fear at the sound as her eyes wandered noticing the corpses of enforcers and zaunites alike. She felt Vi tug her hands towards to turn right, guiding her through the thicker layer of fog created from the flames.

“Powder I need you to listen to me okay?” Powder glanced up at Vi, absolutely tears streaming down her face from intense fear. Vi pushed her down, and she let her as they hide behind a pillar. “I’m going ahead to see if it’s safe, okay? Stay out of sight and don’t move.”

When Vi tried to move, Powder tightened her grip on her hands, clinging desperately to her. “Please don’t leave me Vi, I don’t want to be alone here. What if they find me?” She positively trembling as the sounds of gun fire and death became louder by the second. Screams echoed across the bridge… “I’ll go with you.”

It was then that Vi squatted in front her. There was a sad smile on her sister’s face as a hand rested on her cheek. “You’ll be safer waiting here, pow. I promise o won’t be gone long, I’ll only be a minute, I’m only going out far enough to find a safe exit.”

Powder opened her mouth to speak, but even as a five year old, she knew better than to refuse when Vi wore her serious expression. Hesitantly she let go of VI’s hands and curled into a ball. She felt bigger hands ruffle though her sapphire locks. “It’s okay, pow, we’re going to be okay.” A kiss on her forehead served as a goodbye as she watched Vi disappear into the fog.

Minutes passed and after while, with no sight of Vi, Powder began with to panic again. The shooting was getting quieter, which she wasn’t sure was a good thing, but she needed to find Vi. So, she stood and made her way down the bridge, halting when she heard the sound of a fight. In the fog she saw what looked like a man, huge in stature- a monster, beating a significantly small man. She nearly screamed but covered her mouth to avoid the noise. The smallest squeal came through, though and the monster took notice.

It spoke to her but she wouldn’t hear the words as she bolted down the bridge out of fear. The faster she ran, the quicker it would lose her. Oh god where was Vi? She said she would go very far and yet she wasn’t here, she wasn’t anywhere…

Amongst all the shooting Powder heard a familiar sound, but it wasn’t Vi. It was her mother. Powder peeked from her new hiding spot where she saw her parents, whom she recognized even by Shadow. An enforcer stood opposite of them, gun pointed at them as they plead for their lives. Only to get shot. Her eyes widened in complete terror as she watched them fall to the ground…

She was quicker with covering her mouth this time, managing to avoid giving her position away. Her parents were gone and Vi was nowhere to be seen. Powder was alone now. Scared and lost and now she had no home. She curled into a ball silently crying to herself even as the sound of violence stopped.

[silverislander]

what are your favorite arcane hcs?

oh anon you WANT me to go nuts. i feel like a lot of these are p basic but who am i to refuse that opportunity hfjdkfJFGKD

vi doesn't really have any hobbies rn bc she doesn't let herself do things that don't serve others but i think she'd like to draw a bit!

the hc that vi's a good singer also kills me bc she def sang to powder when they were little even if she WASN'T, but like... imagining her singing to herself on a good day... maybe it's part of smth vander used to play at the bar... :')

on the topic of music i think caitlyn's mom plays an instrument idk why? i just really see her as a pianist somehow?

she probably tried to teach caitlyn so she can play a Bit as well but it's nothing incredible, it was never really her passion

adhd x autistic gfs vi and caitlyn! this is true to me and it's important To Me

jinx tries to climb as high as she possibly can and just. sits there doing whatever and hanging out sometimes. just to prove she can do it now

jinx also leaves vi a present for every holiday. nobody knows how she's getting the addresses but she does send her a genuine gift every time, and there's very rarely a catch or twist to it

caitlyn is physically incapable of watching a movie normally. she's either getting extremely invested to the point of tears and/or Solving The Mystery and she's been like this since childhood. she's also like it with scary movies and the gore will not stop her

vi tries to play along but she's either exactly right or 100% out to lunch and it's 50/50 on which it'll be today

they're terrible to watch movies with because then it's a competition somehow? they both talk over it half the time

the one who can cook is DEFINITELY vi ok. its good and theres always leftovers! a big soup/stew enjoyer i think

neither of them can bake tho which is very funny. for cait its not knowing how and for vi it's "holy shit we can use as much sugar as we WANT?? why would you stop at this much-"

they have an agreement that for every piltover gala/fancy event vi has to go to for work/Dating A Kiramman reasons, she's allowed to drag caitlyn to one (1) party/bar/etc down in zaun! that way, neither of them feel permanently out of place and they both get to learn abt the other's city. also because it's fun for her to get to tease caitlyn about it

vi has never actually like... normally dated someone before. there was a girl she liked before the explosion, but obviously that didn't work out, and then things worked very differently in prison so. just never happened

[revelisms]

okay this is so random but how are you with music when you write and read? like, what goes through your mind if anything because I. cannot. do it. people be all like “oh, I find inspiration through the music I listen to” and “listening to music while I read is so calming/immersive” and I’m just over here feeling alone and unable to understand because my brain literally refuses to focus on writing/reading if there is music on (unless it’s only instruments, in which case despite the fact that it does take a brief adjustment period, my mind manages to just tune it out and focus a good 80% of the time). like, it feels like I’m trying to focus on two stories at the same time if I have music on?? Idk.

Oh this is a great question! I also completely feel you on this. Lyrics can be a big distraction for me, so I have to be fairly intentional about how and why I'm listening to something (especially for doing busy work/editing - I can only listen to white noise or instrumentals for that, otherwise I get too sidetracked 🙃). Oddly, I sometimes like to listen to the audiobook version of something while I'm reading it (I find it helps me pay attention a bit more?), but music during reading is a movie soundtrack or bust.

As for writing with music, that's actually pretty ingrained in my writing process. I find it helps fill in the visual gaps for the scenes I'm trying to paint. In a way, that means it is about the "story" in the song - but it's more my own interpretation/experience of what sensations the music is creating, and less me trying to force the story that the lyrics are actually presenting into the idea I have.

For example - here's two songs I anchored on when I was writing 'like leaves of a lotus' and the final chapter of 'heron blue':

Like Leaves of a Lotus, Francis Wellis - Obviously, this became the fic title (and I suck at titles, so songs often do), but this whole album is an incredibly cinematic, woodsy, soft, and emotional set of instrumentals - just a beautiful artpiece, track to track. This was when I was writing a lot of Powder/early Jinx POV, so I was trying to find something musically that captured a sense of childhood innocence and wonder, and this song just fit the bill. Those first minutes hit me immediately with a sort of Narnia-esque image of old trains in a city, steam and winter, exploration and excitement, but also with this twinge of uncertainty and self-consciousness undercutting it all. That storyline dumped itself basically start-to-finish into the fic: we open on a winter morning in Piltover, Jinx staring out of the windows of a steam carriage and taking in the scenery surrounding her - while throughout the story, there's this emotional thread of her fascination/nervousness that acts as the foil to Silco's stoic façade (which we gradually see through, as she does).

Wrong Crowd (Live in Dublin), Tom Odell - In the other vein, here's a live lyrical track that is eerie, powerful, and in TO fashion (love him) broody and gut-wrenching as hell. I latched onto this for a few reasons when I was writing the final chapter in 'heron blue'. That storyline is all about the resolution of the tension built up in the fic: Jinx starting her baby steps out of Silco's shadow and reuniting with Vi, her sadness and anger bubbling up from years of lost time/lack of answers, and her bitterness. The first thing that hit me here was just the raw build of the instrumentals. This track starts soft and melancholic, musing about the struggles of finding the right person/lover, and launches to a spiteful, self-depricating uproar that hinges on a belting admission: I can't help it, I don't know how / I guess I'll always be hanging around / with the wrong crowd. I heard both Silco and Jinx in this: Silco, the building anger in the piano, resenting Vi's presence and the influence she continues to wield over Jinx, protective and possessive in turns; Jinx, the mounting howl of the vocals, screaming her heart out to be understood by Vi. That had a big impact on the emotional intensity of the scenes, especially the argument Vi and Jinx launch into near the end of the chapter.

So for me, it's more about that initial inspiration/vibe, rather than just having background music on while I'm writing. But in some cases, I will just pop on a character playlist I've curated to tune out while I'm writing them. I find those help to anchor me on "who" the character is, and how they feel - so it's not so much the specific story in the songs in that case, either, but rather what I'm associating with them.

(Interestingly, my Jinx playlist is very linear in how it's structured, so I almost have to listen to specific parts of the playlist to reconnect with those ideas/parts of her character. Silco's, on the other hand, is completely disorganized, which can be a total whiplash to shuffle through. I kind of like that, though - I feel like it throws all the layers of himself on the table, from his younger self to his current regalia, which I find is helpful to capture the complexity of his character when I'm writing his scenes/dialogue).

In any case, all writing processes are different and inspiration can come from a myriad of sources, so you're not missing out if music isn't ticking your box!

[shimmerbeasts]

@gauntlets-shot cont. from here. Vi had been given many odd duties as an enforcer and for today, she had been stationed at the zoo, specifically the indoor area. It was her and another enforcer on duty, but Vi's job was to guard the front. Well, a certain someone must have slipped through the back because Vi was sure she would've ran into them if they had come in through the front. Of course the guard stationed at the back had been preoccupied doing whatever, so Vi was the one being summoned to some scene inside. "Someone fell into the snake pit?" Vi asked the worker as she was guided over to the snake pit. When she peered over the edge though, her brows furrowed. She stayed silent as her sister began to ask for help and she sighed. "I got this, I'll handle everything," She assured the employee so she and her sister could be alone. Thank Janna this area of the zoo was barely inhabited. "You're playing a danger game here, you know that?" Vi warned her as she started to climb over the railing. "Also, if you just wanted to say hi, you could've went in through the front," She teased but it wasn't that simple. Jinx was a wanted woman but currently Piltover didn't have a description or proper picture of her. It made things a lot easier for Vi, to say the least. "C'mon, up and at 'em—and don't bring one of the snakes with you," She added before she clasped Jinx's hand and effortlessly pulled her up. Vi helped the young woman over the railing before she climbed over herself. She dusted herself off before she looked her sister over. "Are you okay? Did any of them bite you? They shouldn't have, unless you hit one of them or something," Vi said and gently reached out to take Jinx's arm, wanting to both touch her and look her over for bites.

Jinx grasped her sister's offered arm and allowed the strong, familiar fingers to wound around her hand tightly. The touch and resulting pull were familiar, leaving a heavy feeling in her gut. It was the same type of thug, Powder had experienced whenever Vi had to get them out of danger fast. She refused to dwell on the feeling for too long and instead focused on helping Vi to get her as smoothly over the railing of the snake pit as possible. The snakes dropped off her body, relinquishing their hold, as she finally swung over the railing and landed on the other side.

She rolled her eyes a touch as Vi felt around her, checking for any bitemarks. Involuntarily, Jinx turned into an impatient six-year-old again, struggling to stand still while her big sister checked her for bruises. Jinx grumbled:

"I'm fine, Vi. None of the snakes bit me. Will you stop moving my arm around?"

She wasn't given much choice in the matter. Vi was bigger and stronger than her. Always had been. Finally, the doctoring of her big sister stopped and Jinx perpetually crossed her arms. It was hard to say, whom she was more peeved at: Herself for having fallen into the snake pit (as Fishbones insisted, they should have taken an easier route instead of scaling the trees and vents, no matter how good a climber she was) or Vi for having found her in this humiliating position.

"I wasn't here for you", Jinx said, "Fishbones and I wanted to watch the leopard seals. He loves them so very much. Danger, danger, danger... Blah, blah, blah. I know! I know I am playing a dangerous game, but hey, I have fooled those pesky Pilties enough times before." She snickered bemused. "At least I ain't on freaking watch the zoo duty. What? Does Piltover fear a repeat of last time?"