#Oil And Water

[cletusthurstonbeauregard]

[halyasgirl]

Something I find really interesting in Arcane is what is and is not normalized among the setting and characters, especially Silco.

In 1x08 "Oil and Water" Jayce and Vi raid one of Silco's Shimmer manufacturing plants, which Jayce is rightfully horrified to find staffed with child laborers who are caught in the crossfire. To Piltovan, and probably audience eyes, this is barbaric and a moral event horizon for a villain who would use children this way.

But none of the Zaunites are horrified, or even fazed. Even Vi, who loathes Silco and certainly wouldn't hesitate to blame him, sees nothing amiss. Child labor, even criminal child labor, is not considered a failing in Zaun. Vander and Benzo lovingly raised their children, but involved them in their burglary and fencing. What other life skills could they offer them? There do not appear to be any schools in Zaun and any economy is grey at best. It’s a neglectful parent who leaves their child alone on the streets of Zaun. As sick as it is, these children were comparatively privileged. Renni’s son was the child of a Chembaroness, and when Renni finds his body, she blames Silco not for placing him in harm's way, but for refusing to avenge him. And her rage brings to light the massive double standard Silco holds with parenting Jinx.

Silco is unusual among Zaunite parents in that he doesn’t use his child for any sort of work. The only "labor" Jinx does for Silco is nursing and in-house graphic design, and any involvement she has in his operation is at her own behest. Albeit in a very twisted way, it’s traits that could make Silco a “good” parent that draw confusion and resentment in Zaun. He takes note of his daughter’s interests and gets her the resources to explore them. He goes out of his way to nurture the talents she chooses and tries to guide her to a path he thinks will be fulfilling. And when she struggles, he puts her first, before business, politics, or even others’ well-being and safety.

Many things about Silco make him a typical Zaunite man. He employs child labor. He wears makeup. He’s disabled from some aspect of hard living with few resources. He chain-smokes in self-destructive defiance of every other toxin in his environment. He hates Piltover.

But for all his hatred, Silco dresses Piltovan, in sharp clothes lacking Zaun’s asymmetry motif. He’s unusual not for wearing makeup or being disabled, but for using makeup to try and hide his disfigurement, his Zaunite asymmetry. And his treatment of people, good and bad, is very Piltovan in Zaunite eyes. 

[caitvisource]

[gingerpines]

“Oil and Water. Wasn’t meant to be.”

“I’m the dirt under your nails, Cupcake. Nothing’s gonna clean me out.”

they were meant to be after all.

[lunamonroeao3]

“I… I want to wash this off of you,” Vi says quietly, her lips moving against Caityn’s skin. And it must be the right thing to say because a cracked sob leaves Caitlyn’s lips. A dam fractured but not broken.

“ Please. ”

Vi nods again, pressing her lips more firmly onto Caitlyn’s shoulder.

“I’ll make this go away.”

Commission by the lovely @peachesartplace for Volcanoes. Fuck the leaks, spread the fan work 💕

[achromatophoric]

Bianca: I still can’t believe they’re dating. Those two go together like oil and water.

Yoko: *smirks* More like Loyal and Slaughter.

The gang bursts into a chorus of laughter, followed by suggestions of other nicknames for Yoko to put her spin on.

Ajax: Fire and Ice?

Yoko: Dire and Nice.

Divina: Night and Day?

Yoko: Fright and Gay.

Kent: Heaven and Hell?

Yoko: 🧐

Yoko: Eh. Already perfect.

Eugene: How about apples and oranges?

Yoko: Adorapples and uh… huh.

Yoko: 😐

Yoko: 🤨

Yoko: 🤔

Wednesday: *muffled* Goreanges.

Everyone jumps in their seats. Kent outright shrieks, then shrieks again as Wednesday crawls out from beneath the table. Upon standing, the seer levels the group with an intense look.

Wednesday: For once, I approve of these monikers. You are all safe from reprisal.

The gang: *bewildered silence*

Wednesday: As a reward, you may all share this ripe goreange, also known as a blood organge.

*shlorp*

With that, the grim girl stalks off as everyone else can only stare at the fleshy wet lump she left behind.

Bianca: Yeah, no, I ain’t touching that thing.

Eugene: *adjusts glasses* Gross, but fascinating.

Kent: That’s not like from a dude, is it?

Ajax: *looks nauseous* Is… that a fruit, or…?

Divina: *shrugs* Maybe it just looks like an organ, kinda like how walnuts look like brains.

Yoko: *reaches for it* It’s probably just a dumb prop or—

*thump-thump*

The gang: 😑🤓😱🤢🫢😬

[musenilla]

"What about us?" The way they both genuinely care for each other has been KILLING mE- I need that season 2 NEOOWWW I cant believe I didn't get into this show sooner. Rewatched Arcane the other day because I remembered watching this at the peak of it being overhype and my interest fell right off after. Never got to make any fan arts of this show until now aaa. Here are some fan arts to cope because I love them so so muchhh <3

[raven-sng]

Oil and water

[floralblur]

𝔗𝔥𝔦𝔰 𝔦𝔰 ℌ𝔬𝔴 𝔦𝔱 𝔈𝔫𝔡𝔰 ♱ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

“ that caitvi jail scene ” but angsty.

sfw ♡ wc 1.8k

(art m.emityy ig)

𓂃 ࣪˖ ཐིཋྀ now playing : reflections (the nbhd)

for what feels like centuries, violet has been cracking her skull trying to get out of the iron bars, punching them and trying to force her body through the gaps with no avail. each drop of the water leak in the corner of the cell where jinx once sat feels like a ticking timebomb to someone’s imminent demise, but she’s not sure whether it’ll be her or her sister. her knuckles bleed, raw and red, eyes stinging from the tears she refuses to let fall. every breath is hoarse, the memories of prison from what felt like another life ago flooding her mind, a throat dry like sandpaper. after all these years, it feels so exposing to be vulnerable, so she remains paralysed in guilt. her sister had told her to not feel guilty anymore, but how couldn't she? she was always caught between rocks and hard places, yet always on the losing side. her breath picks up, hands clawing through her hair as she’s slumped on ground, her head in her hands. how much more helpless could she be in such a dire situation?

at that moment, she hears the click of keys jangling in the cell door in front of her, instantly flicking her neck up so fast she almost gets whiplash, a lean silhouette in front of her. locking eyes, caitlyn’s expression is one of… hesitance? withdrawal? she tentatively steps forward to vi until she meets her where she stands at the wall, exhaling so quiet as if her breath would rouse a beast from its slumber. “cait.. what are you doing here?”

time was frozen yet still an endless stretch as vi got into gear, instantly bolting for the door with the chance to save her sister given to her on a silver platter, but she’s held by the shoulder unable to leave. “i’m sorry, violet…” except now her helplessness is overcome by anger and resentment for all the previous pain. “now is not time for an apology!! let me go- let me SAVE her!” but cait’s grip only tightens, like vines around her chest, keeping her trapped in her arms.

she can feel the tremors of her guilty tears, acknowledging the harm she’s perpetuated after all this time. hoping it’s not too late to make amends, holding on to every last chance. “i’m so sorry vi, i never should’ve hurt you or put you in danger, and i- i was so so selfish…” whispering to herself. except vi has no more empathy to give to caitlyn right now. not when her world is crumbling around her, when her sister has signed her farewell, when the woman who should love her left her drowning in a sea of hardship only alcohol could fix. there is no more patience, no more instant forgiveness, not in this moment.

she shakes cait off of her back, throwing her against the wall with force, yelling into her own hands. vi paces up and down the cell, hitting her hands to her temple to try and think with reason. part of her wants to believe this can be salvaged, the bond they share, the care they have for one another. but she knows it was thrown away, so easily. a look of disgust from her, standing tall and proud, like a snotty piltover princess who has to get her way, after punching vi in the gut no less. everything in her life was catered to, prepared for, set in stone. this is the same woman who would kill any innocent to get to jinx. “clearly she’s not thinking straight,” vi thinks, but she also knows it’s no excuse. her carnal need to tear jinx apart has already torn apart what they had, irreparably so.

“you have some nerve, coming in here, and saying sorry of all things!! like that’s gonna fix EVERYTHING you’ve done. you’d kill anyone at all, and only now you wanna apologise? abandoning me and leaving me at my worst is cruel but coming back to relish in it… i didn’t think you could be so evil.”

for a second, cait stutters, frowning and eyes wide and bleary as she pushes out “i’m not here t-to relish in anything, i’m here to make amends, i swear on everything violet. i know how badly i’ve fucked up and how much i’ve done, and i still...” she squeezes her eyes and wipes her face quickly saying “love you”, under her breath, unable to hold eye contact. of course she doesn’t think her actions are evil, she thinks they’re justified, putting an end to terror in the city.

vi’s lost her patience with her, squaring her up and getting so close to her face she could feel every delicate breath, hear every heartbeat. “i chose to fight with you on the battlefield. i told you i’d take down my own blood sister with you, i talk to you with reason and tell you to NOT RISK SHOOTING A FUCKING CHILD, and what do you do? you punch me in my wound, leave me crying in pain, and go on your merry way. do you think i’m below you cait? do you think you’re better than me because you’ve gotten everything you wanted?” when vi yells, she snarls, her nose twitching in fury, like a beast trying to tame itself. she shakes and steps back, turning around and crossing her arms defensively.

cait was transfixed on her eyes, unable to look away from the truth laid in front of her. “your mom got an actual funeral, a real nice coffin, beautiful ceremony. vander died and we had nothing. our parents died and we didn’t have a fancy ceremony. how long do i have to fucking spell it out for you? even your grief is seen as better than mine, and clearly you think it too-”

cait tries to interject, standing up for herself against vi, “you can’t compare our suffering to one another, thats not right violet-”, but she’s instantly shut up getting pushed against the wall by the neck, her breath stilted by the pressure of vi’s forearm. “you, of all people don’t get to tell me what’s right or fair,” letting go of her on the side of the wall, stepping back as cait clutches her neck for air. vi is instantly back to shaking the bars, relentless in her mission to get out and still unsuccessful.

unfortunately for cait, her segue from the guilt is straight into shame as she starts staring at violet from the other side of the cell, her muscles tensing and relaxing under pressure, her back muscles accentuated through her shirt, thinking of all the ways she could show her she misses what they had and that she’s sorry. she inhales and exhales slowly, dragging her feet along to vi who freezes in place.

cait lowers herself down to her knees, hands on her thighs, preparing all the words in her head for how to get this right. “violet, from the day we first comforted each other i felt you were the one for me, and your sister being… who she is made things so much more complicated. it doesn’t change how… selfish i was, how entitled i am, even if i don’t think about it. my decisions dont only affect me, but so many others. even with my blinding rage for your sister, i see how deeply your bond runs and to give you such an ultimatum and expect it to be steadfast was…. foolish. i made such terrible decisions in my fit of rage, pushing you away like i was an angry untameable animal, and for that i am so so sorry. my want to keep you all to myself is foolish. the way i hurt you and lashed out, left you and became ambessa’s puppet all to avoid the word “sorry” is probably my biggest regret, and i am so sorry for breaking your trust. let me be someone you can love… again. only if you let me. you don't have to accept my words… but i know actions speak louder. let me make amends… please.”

each soft word cuts through vi’s body like a knife, trying to maintain her unwavering resolve to remain cold, harsh and unfeeling towards her. God knows she’s deserves the cold shoulder for even a little while instead of getting everything her way. she looks back over her shoulder to cait on the floor, both of them meeting each other’s gaze as vi stares down. if broken glass had a face, it would be caitlyn’s in this very moment. she sighs and rubs her face, always battling with all the possibilities, all the new things that could go wrong, but even if she doesn’t accept her entirely, she can start with hearing her. vi kneels down to her level, the baggage of trauma, grief, loss and guilt weighing her shoulders in this moment as she finally lets her tears pour in a desperate cry. cait knows this isn’t about her and her struggles, her mother, or even jinx. right now, she needs to be there for her. so she clutches vi around her neck and holds onto her, for as long as she’s there, her body moving up and down with every sob.

“i-i just can’t do this, everything feels so unfixable and i don’t know how i can keep ever- everything together…” every scream she’s locked away since childhood just waiting to be let out. violet feels like there’s more air in her chest, exhaling slowly now, her tears staining cait’s shirt.

she lifts her head from her shoulder, cait’s hand rubbing up and down her neck in a soothing motion, her eyes dry and darting around her face. cait puts both hands around vi’s face, slowly pulling her in and pressing her lips against her forehead, not in any lustful manner, but to put all the love and regret into repetitive “i’m so sorry”s, pressing them around her face, each kiss long and thoughtful. vi’s salty tears continue to fall as cait tastes them and kisses them away anyway, with no words to say anymore.

vi pulls cait’s face to her own, looking into her eyes for a few seconds before flicking down to her lips and tasting them, with every touch feeling like a sting to the skin, fingers tracing down along backbones and up through shirts, but the hands just linger, cait’s finger digging into vi’s skin around her, tightening and coiling her again. she leans her head over to vi’s shoulder, taking small bites around the skin through heavy breaths, suddenly unable to initiate out of fear. vi brings her back to face her, running her hand through her tussled navy hair, not sure whether to dive head first into the murky waters of their future. it feels like her anger and pain has all melted away even temporarily, and now she just wants pleasure to drown out the noise. maybe she could get what she wants. but she knows what she has to do. she slides out of caitlyn’s grip, as she starts frantically grasping again while vi stands up, backing away, leaving her behind. cait starts to plead from her position, “no, no please don’t leave, don’t leave me vi!”.

its as if the air stands still, each breath they take weighing the earth down. with a delicate voice, violet whispers “this should be payback, for you leaving me...” her eyes well up with tears, shuddering trying to prevent them falling. “…but you know i have to save her.” she turns so fast she might fall off balance, taking each stride with one foot in front of the other out of that cell, until caitlyn’s cries fade away. perhaps they were never fated to be together. maybe this is how it ends.

𓂃 ࣪˖ ཐིཋྀ

first fic hello tumblr ,, you can tell i forgot the sequence of events in this scene . . . oops <3 plus no one in this one shot is feeling fantastic i’m sorry !

[ghita13]

[yarozlav9zz]

Jinx: VI! Good you are still in my cell. I'm not going kill myself. Ekko is here. We have a plan how to stop Ambe...

VI (sesbian lex): CUPCAKE!

Caitlyn (sesbian lex): Violet!!!

VI: My rich unhinged mongoose!

Caitlyn: You want to see what his rich unhinged mongoose can do Violet!!!

Jinx*traumatised*:...

Ekko: What's a mongoose?

[caitvisource]

[stars-on-my-bedroom-ceiling]

arcane fans when i pull out my second grade science experiment showing that two liquids of different densities don't mix:

[piltoversfinest-caitvi]

Oil & Water · PVRIS

They confirmed it was a rejected pitch song for the soundtrack from mostly Caitlyn's POV so of course I have to add it here!

[Verse 1] Do you hear my call, is it going through? Do you even know that I'm willing to Break down any door Bleed on every floor Just to get to you?

[Pre-Chorus] Maybe it's foolish but I wouldn't do this For anyone else but you But I'm born to do this Fall and keep moving Up on my way to you

[Chorus] (Why can't you just) Pull me closer But you keep pushing Always send me over Like oil and water, it's true But I still fall into you

[Verse 2] Am I what you want? Do you feel brand new? Yeah, we know the cost, but is it the truth? Yeah, we know we shine Born out of a fire And we're burning through, through

[Pre-Chorus] Maybe it's foolish but I wouldn't do this For anyone else but you But I'm born to do this Fall and keep moving Up on my way to you

[Chorus] (Why can't you just) Pull me closer But you keep pushing Always sends me over Like oil and water, it's truе But I still fall into you If you give me your cold shoulders I'll bravе the storm and keep my arms wide open We're oil and water, it's true But I still fall into you

[Post-Chorus] Maybe it's foolish but I wouldn't do this For anyone else but you But I'm born to do this Fall and keep moving Up on my way to you

[lunamonroeao3]

Vi nods, and Caitlyn’s shoulders relax as she digs in the folds of her dress, withdrawing the same velvet pouch from before. She opens it, her fingers careful when she empties it into her other palm. And when Caitlyn opens her hand, Vi goes breathless.

In her palm sits a pendant, the flower practically blooming against her skin. The symbol is not lost on Vi, the powder blue bleeding into the brilliant white petals, equal parts delicate and resilient. The flower that shouldn’t exist, but now glows eternal in her lover’s palm, held together with a roped silver chain.

Vi can’t help but feel like the flower is alive, the details almost too exquisite to take in. The petals shimmer with an ethereal light, almost as if it were truly glowing. Vi cups Caitlyn’s hand in her own, her lungs still stuttering for breath. “Caitlyn, this is… it’s beautiful.” Vi looks down at her again, meeting her gaze through thick lashes. Her chest flutters like a thunderstorm at just how soft Caitlyn looks at her then. Nothing of the ways she would have ever imagined. “You cannot give me this.” Vi shakes her head as she says it, closing Caitlyn’s fingers around the pendant. It’s too beautiful for someone like her. Too fragile, and Vi knows she would shatter if she were to break it.

She expects Caitlyn to be angry at the rejection, but she only chuckles, her other hand prying their joint fingers open again. “It is a gift. I meant to give it to you in a few days, your name day coming but with everything I… I can’t bear for you not to have it now.”

Vi lets out a sharp exhale, overwhelmed with what floods her body. It’s the most precious gift anyone has ever given to her. “I’ll admit, this gift is also my claim on you,” she chuckles, her voice more steady now, taking the chain and lifting it over Vi’s head, her knuckles smooth against Vi’s skin. “But I hope this can protect you the way you protect me.”

Thank you to @peachesartplace for this amazing piece on this chapter!! 💕✨👑⚔️

[aphwaph]

Jinx coloured sketch