#Viktor will not give up until Silco takes him with him to Piltover

[goddessofroyalty]

While I tagged the childhood friends Jayvik ask with Zaun Family it's probably not the version of the verse where Silco gets Zaun Representive.

Because tiny!Jayce is determined enough that he would get over his fear of the big scary Zaun Representative and give Silco letters he's written to Viktor (he figures they can at the very least stay penpals right?). And then Silco, who will ultimately buckle to his children if they are annoying enough, has Viktor begging him to take him to Piltover with him one day so he can see Jayce again.

[jayktoralldaylong]

One of my favourite things about Arcane is that all the couples can be read as toxic, which is GREAT.

I'm tired of people bringing morality debates into dark media. Let dark media be fucking dark. You guys wouldn't survive a day in the TMA fandom, needing everyone to be as good as gold. How are they going to make for enjoyable complex characters if they're not morally grey. In fact, I wish there'd been more expansion on just how morally black they can become!

"CaitVi is so toxic" According to lesbian statistics, that sounds just about accurate. 💀 Heck, I wish Caitlyn had done more (Not really, but it would have been nice to further explore the darkness in her heart). Isn't it adorable how she immediately folded as soon as Vi called her cupcake? Caitlyn's like one of those villains that will consistently do the most....until it comes to someone else hurting her girlfriend. The only one allowed to hurt her girlfriend is her. 💀

Then let's talk about Vi. Someone pointed out how Vi never cared about Zaun's independence in the first place and many people yelled that they were wrong. But actually, they were right. Vi never wanted Zaun. Zaun was Silco's dream, and Jinx inherited that dream cause Silco would never shut up about it. Vi wanted Piltover to take responsibility for all the shit they allowed to happen in the Undercity. That's a part of the reason she joined up with Caitlyn in the first place. Let's not forget she wasn't dissuaded when she dragged Jayce down to fight with her and he killed a child. Children been dying, it's been her whole life. Someone needed to do something about it, and Zaun would have just isolated the people from all the privileges that Piltover SHOULD have been providing for them. Some people just can't accept that Independence cannot in fact solve every problem, and sometimes independence is colonisers running away from the responsibility of fixing the mess that they started in the first place.

Besides, we all know Vi joined up with the Enforcers because "I feel like I am worthless if I can't be of service." She'd already run out of family members to serve, Caitlyn was the next best thing. She's just like Jayce.

And speaking of Jayce, let's talk about his violent levels of codependency with anyone who'll give him attention. People LOOOOVE to talk about Mel, but it's there with Viktor too. When bro wasn't basing his worth on his inventions, he was centering it around Viktor.

Viktor who decided at some point in his life that he would not LIVE without Jayce. He was fine dying without him, but living without him was unacceptable. Oh how healthy. 🙄😂 Viktor be the kind of toxic ex to threaten divorce 500 times over, then burn the world when you actually leave him. Jayce is no better cause he's the kind of guy to keep going back to his toxic Ex.

Yes, Mel is manipulative. That's what I love about her. How are you guys failing to give this woman the praise of being an outsider in Piltover, but running their entire council. 💀 Girl raises her hand once and the whole government starts spinning. She was the best sugar mummy Jayce and Viktor could ever ask for. She kept the whole city running. Literally the entire of Piltover dancing on her palm. And yes she manipulated Jayce but let's not forget she thought that was a love language. 💀 You wanna be mad at someone, be mad at Ambessa for raising her that way.

I also don't think it's fair to blame her for the Undercity situation, she's not native. Monkey see, monkey do, and not a single one of those Council members actually cared about the situation down there, it was deplorable. 💀 Jayce did way more in his two weeks as Councillor than any of those drug pushing, money laundering, Piltovian heads of government.

And that just covers MelJayVik, we don't even need to get fully into TimeBomb, cause we know what's wrong there. 💀 Surely we have not forgotten the many teammates Jinx has killed, but making sure to never kill Ekko cause that's her man. Ekko has a lot to unpack, like how his consistent and unwavering love for Jinx is an indication of a lot of doors he might not be ready to open. I know they dynamics go crazy and I love to see it.

Ambessa and Sevika are a crack ship but I'm sure we all know bedroom dynamics go crazy with Mrs. Warlord and Miss Liberation. I love it when characters clash in a toxic heap. It's insane and should be explored.

Quit saintifying my toxic ships with your woke morality debates. If you want everyone to be sunshine and rainbows then you should be watching literally anything else. 💀 "It's not healthy." GOOD, I like it that way. 💀 Angst, spice and trauma are the recipe for a plethora of explorative fanfiction. Any of their dynamics can be taken in any toxic direction and I want that EXPLORED.

[honey-tongued-devil]

[Arcane preference] reacting to a jealous s/o

Disclaimer: I’ve had about ten different requests regarding jealousy, and while this doesn’t cover all of them, it does address some. Disclaimer #2: It would be out of character to write that everyone handles it perfectly, so read at your own discretion. Lastly, as always, I’ve got an Arcane longfic in progress! If you’d like to read it, click HERE, and it’ll take you straight to the AO3 page.

Jayce:

You need to get a grip.

He’s an understanding person, but there’s a limit to everything. If jealousy stems from insecurity and is brought up as a calm and peaceful discussion, he’ll sit beside you to talk it out.

However, if it’s a scene, if it escalates into yelling, restrictive demands on his freedom, or absurd and over-the-top behavior, he’ll enter a period of coldness where he’ll reflect on things.

But if it happens again, don’t expect understanding.

You can’t expect to publicly humiliate someone like that, try to control them because of your own insecurities, and not face a negative reaction.

Viktor:

Raises an eyebrow, his only initial reaction.

The first thing he’ll do is laugh—whether because he finds the situation ridiculous or it’s just an instinctive response, that’s what you’ll see first.

From his perspective, he’s working like a beast of burden not just to be independent but to be a person with dignity, breaking free from the dynamic imposed by Zaun and Piltover that has shackled him like some original sin. And now, not only do you not trust him, but you’re also trying to put him back in the role of a pet that needs taming and obedience.

He knows he hasn’t done anything wrong, knows he hasn’t been giving attention to anyone else but you and his work.

That’s why jealousy only damages the relationship.

Ekko:

Perplexed.

Assuming no one would take a public scene well, in the case of a civil confrontation, he’d mostly be confused.

It makes sense, sure, given how close-knit all the Firelights are, but it never occurred to him that it might bother you.

He doesn’t even know how he should react. He’d definitely try to talk with you, figure out what exactly made you feel that way, and explain the ambiguous situation that set you off.

A scene isn’t a dealbreaker with him, but it does lead to a few days of awkwardness before a fight inevitably happens.

That doesn’t mean he lacks self-respect, though. After the umpteenth time, he’ll simply give up.

Vander:

He’s too old for this kind of nonsense, to be honest.

If you throw a scene, he’ll just ignore it. He’ll let you yell and stomp your feet until you’re out of energy, let you cool off, and then come back to have a conversation.

His response will be laced with irony, like, “Well, who wouldn’t be jealous of the most charming man in the Lanes, after all?” But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t take the issue seriously—he’s just trying to lighten the mood.

He’ll ask how you think he should handle it but ultimately decides for himself whether your request is reasonable or over the top.

When you lose your cool, he’ll treat you the same way he used to handle kids throwing tantrums.

Silco:

Let’s assume no one would dare make a scene in public with Silco out of pure survival instinct. That alone would be an immediate dealbreaker, and you wouldn’t have any chance to confront, talk, or even approach his space again.

A private scene would irritate him regardless. When you’re done, his response would be, “Is that all?”

He’s a diplomatic person. The idea of yelling—or even wasting unnecessary energy on these trivial little issues when his vision is grand, almost boundless—feels almost insulting to him.

If, however, you approach it as a calm and rational discussion, while he may still feel mildly annoyed, he’ll try to reassure you and help you understand that there’s no real reason for you to feel that way.

Jinx:

A fertile ground for conflict, given her fear of abandonment, obsessiveness, and jealousy.

Reverse card: if you start a scene, there’s a high chance she’ll throw it right back at you, leading to a full-blown argument.

Her fear of losing you means that even if your request makes her furious, she’ll still do what you want.

Not the healthiest relationship you could have, but hey, who am I to judge?

She’s not one to leave arguments unresolved. After the shouting match, there have to be cuddles, even if only to prove there’s no lingering resentment between you two.

Vi:

Completely caught off guard.

Now, no one likes a scene, BUT she grew up with a sister who felt emotions way too strongly, so there’s a good chance she’ll switch into “caregiver” mode and try to calm you down immediately instead of getting mad.

She wasn’t expecting an outburst like that. She’s likely more hurt by the fact that you feel this way than anything else.

After the fight, she’ll probably ask to hold you for a bit, trying to make up for unintentionally hurting you.

She’s open to changing the things you need her to change because she values you more than other people.

Caitlyn:

Caitlyn’s problem is that she has the dignity—and let’s be honest, that’s what it is—to tell you to fuck off after a jealous scene, especially if it’s in public. But unfortunately, she pours her soul into relationships, so she’ll try to talk it out.

She’ll meet you halfway within reason. Obviously, you can’t ask her to stop going out alone with colleagues after work, but if your concerns are more reasonable, she’ll try to accommodate them.

However, that doesn’t mean she’ll be calm immediately after the scene. Quite the opposite. She’ll need the rest of the day to cool off and a night’s sleep to forget how angry she was.

If you handle things diplomatically instead of with a scene, she won’t be angry but might feel a bit sad.

Mel:

If you throw a scene, expect to be left right where you are—literally.

If you want to yell, stomp your feet, and act immature, she’ll just turn and walk away, and you’ll find out the state of your relationship when you try to return to your shared apartment and find it empty.

It’s not about pettiness; it’s about the humiliation of being publicly exposed, about dragging your private matters into the open, showing so little respect that you can’t even grant her privacy.

If it’s a discussion, prepare to bottle it up.

Everything she does is for appearances, for trust, and as a political figure, she can’t neglect something as crucial as her public image.

It’s up to you to trust her enough.

Sevika:

A public scene disgusts her and puts her in a horrible position. She’ll be mocked—Silco will hit her once and tell her that “You walk her like a dog,” and his goons won’t let her live it down either.

Depending on her mood, the timing, and countless other factors, her reaction could range from ignoring you to screaming at you in the bar to telling you to get a grip or even walking away and ending it.

It’s about respect, pride, and understanding where your limits lie—and this might be one of those moments where you’ve crossed the line.

If you talk things out calmly, don’t expect her to console you. Whether you trust her or not isn’t her problem.

She holds no grudges, but she also has no intention of babying you.

[rarepairdumpster]

Silco Jailed AU Part 1

Pairing: Viktor/Silco (Arcane) Rating: M C/W: Canon Divergence, First Meeting, Distrust, Politics, Viktor watches trials to pick up men (A/N: This one plays fast and loose with canon but we trust yall to roll with it lol)

Silco turns himself in to protect Jinx and has a unfair trial, where all none of the context of his actions are taken into account, and he's sentenced to public execution as an assurance to the Piltovans and a lesson for the Zaunites.

Heimerdinger expresses a worry of creating a martyr, but he's overruled.

Jinx didn't blow up the council so Viktor, who watched the trial, just like he did Jayce's ends up sneaking down to where they're keeping Silco the night before his execution since Stillwater is too far away for sending a message like this.

When Viktor gets there, he sees what the guards have done to him.

How his hair has been shorn with such violence that he's bleeding from several places.

His fine clothes have been forcibly swapped for filth-stained rags.

Hints of bruises are visible through the tears in the fabric.

Yet somehow, despite the effort to rob him of his dignity, Silco manages to sit with his chin held high. There's a stubborn, angry pride in every line of his frame.

Because in the end, he is giving his life for his people, just like he always knew he would. It was just a matter of when and how. 

When he sees Viktor, Silco's mouth twists with a sneer.

Because he knows who this is.

The Zaunite that lined Piltover's pockets, who helped them leave Zaun further and further behind. The Zaunite that provided the tech to build the hammer that murdered Renni's son, and the gauntlets that almost oblitered the security guards.

The traitor.

"Silco," Viktor says, straightening himself up as much as he can with his crutch. "I am sorry that we never got the chance to meet until now."

"Me too." Silco tips his head back against the wall, closing his eyes. He can't stomach looking at this traitor. But his voice is cold as ice. "I would have gutted you a long time ago."

"Perhaps," Viktor hums. "I presume you think I'm some sort of...oh what do you call it..."

"Bootlicker?" Silco gladly provides.

"Ah, yes," Viktor chuckles a little. "I can assure you though, my true loyalties lie far from reigning authority."

"Your assurances mean nothing." Silco does look at him then. Sharp. Full of rage. His blue eye is almost more terrifying than his red one. Just for a moment. "Your actions speak louder than words ever could."

Viktor holds up the keys to the cell. "Allow me to free you, and we can discuss some actions I've been wanting to take for a long time."

"Do you think I'm here by accident, boy?" Silco let's out a scoffing laugh and goes back to rest his head against the wall. "Every choice I make is calculated. If its atonement you seek.....destroy the hexgates. Burn the lab to the ground. The weapons. The plans. The materials. Make them feel its loss."

"Do you really think I can do that on my own?" Viktor asked, stepping closer to the bars, making sure his crutch made a sharp sound on the stone. 

"Do you think I enjoy having to bend to the council's every selfish whim? My research and work has been twisted and molded to everything they want." He grabs one of the bars with his hand that held his crutch. 

"Martyrdom is for those who have nothing left to contribute to the cause. If you truly want to see it burn as much as I do, then help me."

"What would you know of martyrdom, of the cause," Silco says coldly. "You were never part of it. You were never my brother. You fled the undercity as soon as something better came along. Chose to work for them. Knowing what they did. What they always do."

"Ah, so we've made it abundantly clear that we know nothing about each other," Viktor sneered. "If you don't want to help me, fine."

He turns away and sighs. "Dr. Reveck will likely make better use of my blueprints anyway."

'Blueprints' makes Silco straighten.

"Don't be a fool. Reveck has no interest in helping the undercity; he would turn on us all for his own ends."

Viktor notices the change in Silco's tone. He has to tread carefully. He allows himself a little smirk before turning back to Silco. 

"I'm afraid I don't have any other options," Viktor reminds him.

Silco's lips thin.

He knows he's been played.

"You're more cunning than I thought." 

"I know," Viktor answers, confident now that Silco is willing to listen. "You're not the only person who calculates. Did you think it was an accident that lead to me solving the question of hextech? That I was involved? No! Talis was going to kill himself. His work was going to be destroyed. I intervened. I saved the work. I solved the equations that he fumbled. Because I knew what it could do for our people. For Zaun!"

Viktor's face twists then.

"My only failing was believing in the goodness of Jayce Talis. But he proved me a fool."

Silco looks away.

"You should have known better than to trust a topsider. One from a house at that," Silco huffs, but his eyes soften slightly. He certainly understood putting trust in the wrong person.

"He was charismatic, hopeful." Viktor bows his head, rests his forehead against the bars. He sighs, tired.  His whole body hurts, a constant stabbing pain through spine and pelvis and leg. "He was full of idealism that I harbored myself. I failed to consider the larger house that held his leash. Failed to consider his compulsive need for praise, to...to please."

Silco huffs out of amusement. He definitely understood failing to account for that. 

"Fine, then," Silco finally says. "I assume you have a plan to get me out of here?"

"I can get us into Zaun," Viktor explains. "But I assume you still have contacts there."

Part 2

Arch + Woods

[goorehound]

Silco / Viktor Chapter 2

chapter 1

ao3

Still workshopping how I want this to look, so if anybody has any feedback please let me know! And for the people who showed interest in chapter 1, I’m voluntelling you to read this (and share your thoughts if you’d like!) @hextechdystopia @eyeofclaws @greaseofficial @dubiousbread488 and the last person it won’t let me tag lol.

Summary:

Silco, a newer (and far from proud) resident of Piltover, is struggling to raise his freshly teenage daughter Jinx in the uppercity after a messy divorce. Teenagers are difficult, and a new school is always an adjustment.

Viktor, a begrudging and very overqualified high school teacher (after a falling out with his old business partner) is desperately trying to keep his promising student afloat. If only her father were not such a stubborn bastard that refuses to work with him.

Lately, broaching certain conversations with Jinx had become more of an art form, learning when to apply pressure and when to offer her space to fill the silence of her own volition. And Silco had been waiting patiently, until all that remained in Jinx’s bowl was the dregs of her overly sweet cereal. Perhaps the time to apply some pressure, then. “I asked you a question.” He prompted quietly, eyes examining her expression.

Surprise graced it first, brows raising high - then confusion, as they lowered back down into a furrow. “Oh. I forgot.” She spoke as he brought a spoonful of porridge to his lips, exhaling an amused breath at her absentminded behaviour. Often, she had more important things going on to bother focusing on measly breakfast conversations.

“Vandalism. At school. Have you done any?” He asked, giving up on his breakfast. Eating in the morning only ever made him nauseous, but he’d learned the hard lesson that if he skipped a meal then Jinx would follow suit and it was really not worth the bickering. Modelling certain behaviours and healthy habits was sometimes the only way to encourage Jinx, which he’d grown accustomed to. She loved to mimic. He recalled her, chubby cheeked with wide eyes, following his every footstep. Trying to brush her teeth exactly like him, giggling whenever he smiled, copying how he built his blocks into a tower. His little shadow. Oh, simpler times. It was cute the small ways in which that fixation lingered.

“Sometimes.” Jinx shrugged noncommittally, pulling him from his reminiscing. “When I get bored, I guess, doodling on the wall or whatever.” Minor, then - but she did have a very specific art style, and colour scheme, unique enough to be noticed. Not worth the hassle it could turn into. Jinx partaking in graffiti was not alarming in and of itself but the fact that it was at school? He thought he had warned her thoroughly of the risks of being placed in a Piltover school. Jinx slurped loudly from her bowl as he pondered this.

“I see.” Silco brushed a hand through his hair before rising from his chair and collecting their dishes, once she had drained the remnants of her own. “Perhaps we should be more cautious at school, hm? Like we discussed.” He spoke calmly and with an air of finality. “It isn’t worth the risk, you know how uptight they get about their decor.”

Clearly this did not sit well with his daughter, and he heard her irritated groan above the droning sound of the sink as he rinsed the silverware. The sound alone told him exactly with what level of dramatization that she had rolled her eyes, and he braced himself for whatever complaints would follow. “Who cares? I don’t even want to be at this stupid school.”

This had become a recurring theme of conversation over the last two months, and there had been an uptick in frequency as of late. Silco could admit that he was tired of this back and forth, he did not feel he’d had enough hours of sleep to handle this once more. He only hoped his patience would win out.

“You were excited to start. It will take some adjusting, but the opportunities at this school will be a benefit.” Silco scrubbed the washcloth within the bowl in a soothing rhythm, focused intently on it. It was already pristine.

“I don’t need it.” Jinx barked back, and Silco could feel the daggers she was glaring into the back of his head. Scrubbing the lip of the bowl, there could be food caught in the chips.

“You don’t need school?” Silco asked incredulously, fingers hesitating in their compulsive cleaning. That was new. The complaints had only ever before indicated that she may want to be in a different school, perhaps back in Zaun - but no school at all was an interesting development.

“No. Vi hasn’t done school since she was 15,” Jinx pointed out, proud of her statement. As if she’d caught Silco out in some way with this fact. “And Pops is fine with it, he even helped her get a job.”

When the bowl clattered to the bottom of the sink, Silco knew he would not be proud of whatever words flowed out next. He was a man of great restraint, but there was something about a teenager that tried the patience in a way nothing else could - especially when the teenager was your own. It seemed as though she had a sixth sense for what the most aggravating, skin crawling thing she could say next to push him to his limit.

“That is because your sister lacks any potential to be anything besides a hired muscle, or a mindless drone in the mines, and she is as witless as your Pops.” Silco bit out ruthlessly as he dried his hands off, already feeling the regret curdling in his stomach. These were not helpful things to say, and he knew it. “I will not hear another word about you not needing school, child.”

The silence was suffocating. Exacerbated by the drip, drip, drip of the sink in front of him, and he really must fix that. Jinx could fix it, if he asked, but somehow now did not seem like the most opportune time. He should really turn around and face the music, much as he loathe to admit he’d made a glaringly obvious mistake. Akin to a bull in a china shop when it came to parenting he was recently developing the outstanding talent of shoving his foot in his mouth.

Jinx’s expression was as devastated as he had imagined, pinched somewhere between distraught and wrathful. Being the cause for such strong and conflicting emotions on her face felt like a swift blow to the kidney.

“Grab your bag, please, you will be late for class.” Silco spoke quietly, watching her lip tremble to hold something back. Either tears or a shouting match, he was sure. “We can pick up whatever snack you would like on the way over.” He added to hopefully balm over some of the anger.

“You suck.” Jinx said with finality as she threw herself out of the chair, hands balled into fists and body jittering with restless energy. He hoped he could talk her down before she unleashed this rage on some unsuspecting student. Or teacher. Silco had made quite a mess of this morning, hadn’t he?

“I’ll meet you in the car.” Silco replied without acknowledging the minor outburst, going about adjusting his vest and hair as he snatched his keys off of the ring. The walk down from the top floor of their apartment would give him time to calm, to simmer down until guilt won over frustration. He would take the morning off, he told himself soothingly, and he would get in some more sleep.

—————

After picking up an ice cream, without a single comment from Silco about how that was a terrible way to start the day, they drove with Jinx’s music blaring at an impressive level. It eased her nerves, he thought, noises reflecting back the chaos that was her beautiful mind. Also, it proved useful to drown out Silco’s voice entirely, which he assumed was a big part of the reasoning behind it.

When they pulled up to the lot is when he turned the music to a tolerable level, making an attempt to meet Jinx’s eyes. She was putting very good effort into pretending he was not present.

“I’m sorry for what I said about your sister, and Vander.” Silco watched some tension seep from her shoulders. Normally not a man to often make genuine apologies, but Jinx was ever the exception. “Your sister struggled with school, and it wasn’t fair of me to use that against her.”

“She is smart.” Jinx finally conceded and looked over, no longer existing in a realm where Silco was a buzzing mosquito with nothing important to say. “And I don’t want to be here.”

Silco heaved a breath and reached over to fix a flyaway hair in the sea of blue atop Jinx’s head. “We can talk about that more later. Play along for now, hm? Check out the library. Take advantage.”

Jinx did not seem necessarily happy in regards to the fact that he did not immediately bend to her will and withdraw her from classes that moment, but she no longer seemed to be trying to make him explode with her thoughts when she deigned to acknowledge his presence. So, that was progress.

Some form of assent was muttered as she left the car, and Silco gratefully unpaired her phone from the stereo system to play something a bit less abrasive on the ears.

Absolutely he was due for a nap, as much as that aged him to say, he could not wait to be wrapped in his duvet and dead to the world for the next few hours.

[sapphiresaphics]

Having spent time now with the full series I still don’t feel the pacing issues other people seemed to have with it.

I get that as the episodes are releasing and we only have 3 a week and don’t have the full picture of what they’re planning it can be really easy to feel lost and confused.

But now knowing where they were going, a lot of those supposed “rushed plot lines” people were complaining about make sense. The importance of the Black Rose stuff now makes sense because it’s Ambessa’s entire motivation for why she’s doing the things she’s doing. It makes sense to take Ekko and Jayce out of the plot briefly when they visit the hexcore cuz that forces Ambessa to side with Singe. It makes sense why the Warwick stuff was being set up because that ended up being the catalyst to propel Viktor into being the Machine Herald.

Also, it makes sense now why Piltover and Zaun played such an important role in being the stage for where THIS story was set. I get people wanted the show to be more about the inequality, but the inequality was always just the set dressing for the main characters to be in and was never the central focus of the show. Not even back in season 1.

Like back in season 1 the inequality helped explain the characters motivations, but the central core message the story was telling was how people compromised their morals with good intentions only to achieve terrible results.

Jayce built Hextech to help the undercity and he ends up using it against them. Viktor obsesses so much over fixing his disease that he compromises and takes shimmer and in the process Sky dies. Silco dreams of a free Zaun, but it results in him essentially becoming a drug lord and harming the people of Zaun more than helping them. Caitlyn breaks Vi out of prison to help her hunt down Jinx, and in the process of having Vi return into her life inadvertently causes Jinx to double down and attack the Piltover council.

Inequality was a setting and a backdrop, but the show was never focused on resolving or exploring those issues much deeper than it was.

Also, about that pacing.. have you guys gone back and rewatched Season 1? The first 2 episodes are pretty chill with the pacing, but episode 3 goes crazy. And so does episode 4 and 5 and 6… like the pacing gets wilder and wilder as the season goes on until towards the end we are jumping from Silco reeling from nearly getting killed by Sevika to having a friendly discussion with Jayce on the bridge to being captured by Jinx. It’s FAST guys. Breakneck speed.

I will also say that rewatching season 1 gives me an appreciation for a lot of the parallels they had in season 2 that I missed. Things like “Remember Me” being the theme to when Vander attacks Silco back in season 1. Or like how when AU Powder appears on the dance floor with Ekko mirrors how Jinx approached him on the bridge in Season 1 Episode 7. Or how Jayce and Viktor invented Hextech floating up on the ceiling, and the series ends with the two floating in the ethereal plane together.

I maintain that a lot of these criticisms about season 2’s pacing are not as bad as some people think they are once you take the whole series together as a whole. Without that 3 year gap or the wait between episode drops, the whole series blends together much more seamlessly.

And then there’s like… season 2 episode 7? That episode stops all the forward momentum and resets our expectations. It provides us with context for some of the stuff we had seen and helps us understand the stakes going forward. When people are complaining the series is going by too fast I just can’t agree because that episode exists and it literally stops us in our tracks before ramping up again.

I understand that some side characters outside the central 7-8 mains weren’t fully developed much and that is definitely a valid criticism of the show… however I would also remind people that season 1 had a similar problem. Grayson was a fascinating character I wish I knew more about, but outside of a small cameo in episode 5 she’s just gone out of the series forever and nobody brings her up again ever. We never learn much about Huck. We never learn what happened to Clagger and Mylo’s parents. We never learn anything about Finn and what he did. We never learn more about the robot council member or the woman who has a clock on her neck. There are a LOT of characters who just never come back at all in season 1.

I dunno guys.. the more I digest this series the more many of the criticisms feel unfounded or a real reach for something to complain about.

[amummy]

I have some Arc*ne thoughts but i’m always afraid to voice my option online so i’ll put it under a cut

I like Arcane which is why I feel so frustrated by the writing of season 2. This will be a LOT of rambling with no content structure as a warning.

For example. Amanda Overton out here saying that Sky was the only person who understood Viktor. I’m not saying this with shipping goggles on when I say that Sky was barely a character. She may of understood Viktor but Viktor didn’t know her. He only knew her through his guilt of her death. And even then she felt oddly inserted into scenes when Viktor was exploring the Arcane. This isn’t Sky hate… it’s just that her entire role in the story is to make Viktor feel bad.

In the same breath i feel similarly about Isha and literally any of the child characters that aren’t the main cast. None of them have lines and all of them are employed to be a short cut for emotional weight and attachment. Yes, Isha was mute I know that and It is nice to see the representation. But her entire purpose in the storyline is to give Jinx a chance to heal and take that away from her.

And that’s another frustration I had was Jinx was a great character but reading an interview with fucking Christian Linke (fuck that guy) and Amanda Overton it seems like they had made it so that no matter what happens Jinx’s ENTIRE storyline is that she is a Jinx. That she’s not allowed to be happy because she will just ‘Jinx it’. They boiled down her entire story to her being unlucky and making everyone around her miserable. Riveting. No healing to be had. Because characters aren’t allowed to move on or have redemption I guess.

Back to Viktor. Ignoring my frustration with how disability is handled in the show, his entire plot in Season 2 made me angry(affectionate?). He had so little agency in almost every scene he was in. He was brought back from death TWICE without his consent(once by Jayce, second by Singed). He left the lab and seemed to follow the Hexcores guidance. When he healed Huck his hand seemed to puppet itself to do it. This isn’t to say he didn’t make his own choices after that for a time. Him healing people because it felt right to him was very much his choice. Him trying to save Vander’s humanity was his choice.

Jayce killing him then made him spur into a sad monologue about human nature. And from there i feel like the through line to villain hood was fast tracked and given literally no time to breathe.

A big part of why the league fans of Viktor liked him was his self modification. His experimentation with his body. Yes that happened in the story but only until a point. Him being fused with the hexcore was NOT his choice which flavors the whole interaction. I’m not saying he’s morally better or worse than the League version, because the LOL one took away free will as well. But all the build up in season 1 lead to a very weird escalation in season 2.

Mel’s plot while good in a microcosm was incredible shoehorned in and wasn’t necessary at all in the overarching plot. Ambessa acted pretty nonsensical in act 3 imho. She was very smart through out the show but her invading Piltover seemed blatantly dumb even with Viktor’s power.

Caitlyn… oh Caitlyn. Her plot while natural, completely undid ALL the development she has in season 1. I don’t think it was BAD to say how she was written, what was bad was how all her war crimes were swept under the rug in the end. And that dumb sex scene in the jail cell. Sorry I know people liked it but for me it felt wildly out of place for where it was placed.

Don’t even get me started on the class war that got shoved under the rug. The antisemetic language Linke used for Zaunites. How in act 3 Sevika doesn’t get a speaking line and is on the council as if that was ever a thing she would have accepted.

My favorite characters have always been Silco, Viktor and Jinx. So i guess in the Silco department I won. But ugh.

I’m not saying I was expecting a happy ending. But it was incredibly french to have an ending where literally everyone died but the lesbians p much.

I don’t know where i was going with this. I guess it’s hard to tell i really love arcane from the complaints but I truly do. I complain BECAUSE I care.

[animentality]

I just realized what's been bothering me about arcane.

Arcane was more focused on making gorgeous visuals than developing its characters and the story.

Which is fine and all, but simply not to my taste.

The first quarter was fine. You do get a lot of decent world building and development of the kid characters in the first 3 episodes.

Tbh, I think the first quarter of arcane is the best, because it's very personal, it's subdued, it shows restraint. Its pacing is better.

It has a lot of raw emotions and builds up the under city and Piltover pretty well.

You really get that these kids are traumatized and living in a bad situation. You see how intergenerational class divisions have really made conditions horrible, and all that stuff is brilliant.

then the time skip happens, and while vi and jinx have decent build up, everyone else...

I mean.

Jayce is the worst offender. He really takes way too long to be... not an asshole, and he's still an asshole. Viktor has an interesting plot but the problem is that they never focus on him much. He basically is dying every episode and it only matters when he finally goes to Singed to get Shimmer.

But that could've happened way sooner. And they needed to actually develop Jayce and Viktor's friendship more. They also introduce the idea that Jayce is prejudiced against the Zaunites, but then do nothing about it until Jayce decides at the last second that Viktor is cool actually and takes him to talk to the council.

Caitlyn at least has a better development but it takes soooo long for her to meet Vi and become interesting.

They develop a lot of side characters who ultimately don't matter, like Sevika.

and of course, the most damning thing is the pacing.

We have so much of Silco doing basically nothing for long stretches except get criticized for letting jinx go wild.

Jayce is usually doing boring council stuff.

So much of what happens at the very end could've happened at literally any time during the story, which is never a good thing.

So a lot of arcane looked pretty but lacked emotional weight because it wasn't focusing on characters we actually like, or was determined to make us watch a music video instead of giving us quiet moments that develop the characters.

Way too many random side characters also get introduced because arcane just didn't want to develop its main cast.

[thewistlingbadger]

Not sure if any of these are *hot takes* per se but:

Vander being brought back was tacky, boring and made me less interested in the show (I don't care about Warwick lore or whatever, bringing him back when his death had so many consequences for Vi and Jinx's arcs actively cheapens their stories so much);

I struggled to care about Isha since the show put little to no effort into making me invested in her beyond "cute kid". It felt like she was more of a plot device to get Jinx to just be a quippy antihero rather than her far more nuanced and interesting S1 characterization. Also, I don't know why the writers thought her being a suicide bomber was a good idea.

Zaundads (Vander/Silco) isn't a good ship, I get the appeal but the Vander-Silco dynamic seems genuinely more interesting without the tired cliche of them being lovers who had a violent falling out.

Timebomb (Jinx/Ekko) was fun when it was potential subtext in S1 but just like everything else with Jinx and Ekko, the interesting parts died after the S1 finale.

On a similar note, it was a missed opportunity not to have Ekko confront Heimerdinger over his role in perpetuating Piltover's oppression of Zaun. Like the guy was in power for like 300 years let's examine that.

Ekko, Mel, Heimerdinger, and (to an extent) Jayce all being basically sidelined for huge parts of S2 made the world feel so small and static, especially after Mel and Ekko were set up to be much bigger players during the tail end of S1.

I liked JayceVik and CaitVi in S1 but I absolutely don't think either ship should've taken over the show like they both did. As a queer person, I'm seeing way too many people justify their poor writing as "oh well it's queer rep." Okay, we deserve WELL-WRITTEN queer ships as well.

A lot of the side characters in S1 felt like they had at least some kind of idea behind them. I didn't even know Loris had a NAME until I googled it. The writers in S2 basically just forgot to give these guys any sort of consistency or reason for the audience to be interested in them.

S2 misinterpreted "making things nuanced" as "making everything ludicrously overexplained and overconnected". The wizard being Viktor is dumb and unnecessary, Silco and Vander having known Vi and Jinx's mom makes their relationships and story arcs less interesting, I liked Singed in S1 but I didn't need anymore backstory or presence from him other than what was already there, and everything we got made me like him less, etc.

I know there's a lot here but I had a lot of opinions lol

WOW lots to unpack!! I'm gonna go one by one i think.

Agree. Vander was vital to act 1 s1 and he was needed to start the story. However by the time we get to season two, so much time has passed. In the show AND in real life. Vander had absolutely ZERO business in being brought back into the story as an actual character. I could understand including him had it been under some flashbacks that actually furthered the plot (not like the blisters and bedrock flashback) but otherwise he needed to stay dead. If we can bring back Vander who died at the start of the show, then who's to say anyone is really dead? If we can have Vander why not bring back Silco yk? Once you start bringing people back from the dead the threat of death is less heavy. While I understand that Vander makes a good fit for Warwick I truly believe that Warwick had no place in this story. He should have not been a character at play and I hate how much time he ended up taking. The only reason why Warwick exists in arcane is for the purpose of getting the sisters to reconcile without actually resolving their conflict. And that is incredibly frustrating. I also feel like if they were gonna go down this road it should have been harder. Warwick almost immediately reverts back to Vander and stays Vander for the rest of act 2.

Isha isn't a character in season two, she's just a plot device that's used to further Jinx's narrative. She has no real personality or desires outside of Jinx. I've heard people compare her to having a pet and unfortunately I have to agree. I never liked Isha because of this and also because to me it was so obvious she was going to die, even BEFORE act one aired. When they released the music video for Isha's song I was like "oh there's no way they both survive" and so I didn't get invested or attached to Isha at all. I think she's cute and her relationship with Jinx is cute, but I also hate it bc Isha's function in the story is to get Jinx to revert back to Powder, and I can't stand that shit. To this DAY I'm still trying to connect the dots on her death like I STILL don't understand why she "sacrificed herself" Jinx literally wasn't in danger??

All ships are valid so long as they're safe, but I think you were trying to say that you personally don't like Zaundads. Which is fair, I don't ship them either, though I do see the appeal. I think your reasoning is also very interesting I haven't thought about it like that.

This is an interesting perspective. I hope I'm interpreting your words correctly. I don't think I agree per say. I don't ship timebomb. I personally don't see the hype. However, I think the theoretical concept of two childhood friends finding themselves on opposing sides as they grow older is compelling and I think this is the base for timebomb. However they were literally never explored in the whole show. They never have a single conversation with each other. The only moments we get between them are the bridge fight and the attempt. The fact that we got a whole episode dedicated to a fake relationship between him and an AU version of jinx is maddening. So I think they could have been interesting but the show literally never commits to them.

Season two has a theme of just forgetting what happened in s1 and forgiving Zaun's oppressors. It would make sense for Ekko to criticize heimerdinger's inaction when he was a councilor. However when Ekko meets Heimerdinger for the first time he actually speaks with a sense of awe and admiration. It's important to remember that Ekko isn't an anarchist or a revolutionary. He's a teenager who is against any forces who harm the people of zaun. He's not necessarily anti-council (anti-piltover's government), he's not anti-statehood (we never get to see if he believes in Zaunite independence), he's anti-oppression. So do I think he should have criticized him? Yes. Did I want him to? Yes. Do I understand why he did not on a character level? Also yes.

Yes agreed writing off characters and then randomly bringing them back was a MAJOR flaw in S2. I wrote a post about how season two speed runs all the interesting concepts and then is forced to spend tons of time on shit that is boring and doesn't matter. Mel, Viktor, Ekko, Jayce, are all characters that we wanted to see more of but instead they got shoved aside to focus on...what exactly? Bc jinx reverts back to powder, we get no development from vi, and one day Caitlyn hates zaun and the next she's back with Vi. This is why I hate Warwick, because act 2 spends loads of time on Warwick when it could have been focusing on literally any of the missing characters. In Mel's case her story feels so isolated and disconnected from the main story of the season. For Jayce and Ekko they're reintroduced so late in the game there's no time to explore what happened. Episode seven tries to make up time but it ruins the whole pacing of act 3. Viktor is just a goddamn mess he is literally different EVERYTIME we see him. He's supposed to be a big bad but he doesn't start acting like an antagonist until EPISODE 8. It's all a fucking mess.

This one is interesting to me. I didn't really ship either caitvi or Jayvik in S1. Didn't see Jayvik at all and Caitvi just didn't do anything for me. I think it's important to remember that of the two only caitvi is canon. JayVik doesn't count as queer rep bc they weren't intended to be so (so in this context the "queer rep excuses bad writing" argument cannot apply to them). "Taking over the show" is interesting and I can see where you're coming from. ESPECIALLY JayVik they really did steal the show lol (but tbh I'm not upset at this bc they were what I enjoyed the most in S2). CaitVi definitely had some moments and it did feel like things were being ignored for the sake of the ship.

Yes. Every single thing in s1 had a reason. Why does Finn exist? To show that Silco has adversaries and that he's losing favor. To give Sevika some brief depth. Why does Ren exist? To provide Marcus with a motivation and to highlight how fucked up Silco is. Why does Therim exist? To show that even the most base level employees of Silco are afraid of Jinx. These aren't all the examples but they're probably the most obscure and they ALL served a purpose. Season two doesn't care about their side characters. They're just playthings to either further the story (Isha, Warwick) or to invoke an audience reaction (Maddie, gert, Loris).

Singed's backstory was interesting but not needed. Introducing it so late to the game felt wasteful. Even though the additional information we received on Vander and Silco and Vi's mom was unnecessary, I do like that we got it and I think it adds to the story of Silco and vander's falling out (I have a separate post explaining why on my blog). Viktor being the mage is not something that bothers me I liked the reveal in the moment, although I do recognize if you think too hard about it it falls apart lol. S2 relies on spectacle too much. S2 doesn't feel as complex or as nuanced as s1 because it is not. I can see where you would obtain the perspective of S2 feeling too connected and too explained (I think this is why you referenced blisters and bedrock and mage!Viktor). However to me there's so many things S2 didn't explain (why does Viktor act different. Why does mel suddenly have powers. What is the black rose. What was wrong with the tree. Was the anomaly a wild rune. Etc) and I feel like the story is too disconnected (bc of all the missing characters).

[goddessofroyalty]

CHILDHOOD FRIENDS JAYVIK!!CHILDHOOD FRIENDS JAYVIK!! CHILDHOOD FRIENDS JAYVIK!!

I saw some cool art and now its your problem!!

(Not really, i hope im not bothering you)

By some circunstances baby Jace post show storm ends up in the last drop. Maybe he was kidnapped, maybe he got lost, you choose.

Zaundads have to take care of him while the find out how to send him home.

He and Viktor become best friends and promise to meet again in the academy.

Years later they meet again, Viktor isnt sure he will remember him but this himbo just screams "VIKTOR!" and hugs him in front of everyone because he doesn't give a single fuck.

He tells him about his hextech odea much earlier and they go to Silco. Jayce is still a bit scared but this was the guy who saved his ass when he was a child. Much to Silco's dismay.

Vander juat laugh in the background until Jayvik start helping her with her inventions...

(Never bothering me when sending me fun ideas)

The idea of them meeting up as children is such a cute one. Just the two boys being nerdy and sweet and getting so excited because they think the other is just the coolest and want to share all their things.

It is a bit funny the idea of Vanco not knowing how to send Jayce home considering Piltover is probably like an hour away and Jayce is old enough he should generally know where he lives. But maybe the Snowstorm is blowing over the two cities as well and it's bad enough to be "stay inside unless you absolutely have to go out" conditions and bad enough that they're not risking a trip over the bridge when the kid is safe enough inside the Last Drop with them.

Poor Ximena is so stressed about her missing son and meanwhile Jayce is having a great time with his new best friend Viktor who is showing Jayce the cool boat he built all by himself and how the taps in the Last Drop work.

Viktor telling Jayce (very quietly where Viktor's parents can't overhear) that he plans on going to the Academy in Piltover one day. Confessing that he's kind of nervous, not that he doesn't think he isn't smart enough but because he doesn't know anyone in Piltover. Jayce very excitedly correcting him about how he does know at least one person in Piltover now - Jayce. They will meet up once they both make it to the Academy and then Jayce can show Viktor his family's forge and the things he's working on.

The weather clears and Jayce is returned home and Viktor forces himself to forget the promise as he gets older. It was made by an over-excited child afterall. Jayce will surely have made other friends by now and won't want to be associated with someone from the Undercity. Which is fine - Viktor isn't going to the Academy to make friends he's going to learn so he can build the things Zaun needs.

And then he gets nearly bowled over by a fit goldern-skinned himbo as soon as he gets with Jayce's sight. Because Jayce is so excited to see him again (he did ask his mother if he could visit the boy in the Undercity but Ximena wasn't keen on travelling down there so he instead he had to wait all the years for Viktor to get to the academy).

Jayce absolutely shows Viktor his Hextech idea (only fair seeing Viktor showed him his boat all those years ago). And things progress a bit faster than they do in canon partially because Viktor's brains are involved as well but also because Jayce doesn't have go to through all the possibilities in Piltover before turning to Zaun for the (probably illegal) pieces he needs. As soon as it passes through Benzo's hands it's in Viktor's possession.

I think Silco finds it rediculous that this boy is still afraid of him all those years later. But it's also not a bad thing because he's less likely to try and exploit Silco's son.

Vander is more concerned about Jayce's influence on his daughters. In the sense to Jayce and Vi when combined together seem to come up with the dumbest ideas possible; and Jayce is helping Powder with her inventions (which are often explosive in nature) without really thinking through the fact he's helping a 10 year old build a bomb.

[smollkittykat]

Hello hi, I saw your Jayvik abo post on here but no ao3 link?? Do you have it posted 👀

Additionally, cause I love what you set up in that bit of world building: zaundads abo, where O!Silco has A!Viktor as a teenager with A!Vander.

17 year old Silco with toddler Viktor getting caught by enforcers and Silco is clocked as an Omega. Taken into custody, the enforcerd separate Viktor from Silco. They claim it’s for a medical check at first, but when Silco calls bullshit and resist, the remove the pup by force.

Piltover having a ‘benifits’ program for young (pretty) omegas from Zaun. Offering schooling and housing in Piltover to the omegas they choose. All a trap or course, so to treat them like possessions and property later.

They make this offer to Silco, who refuses and demands Viktor back. The bastards try to use reuniting with Viktor as a bargaining chip, but Silco does not trust it.

Silco does escape, with Vanders and their crews help, and in the search for their son they learn the terrible truth. Since Viktor is not an Omega like Silco, he’s no use to Piltover, just another sump rat. As soon as they separated him from Silco, they had Viktor sent back to the low levels of Zaun. Alone.

Silco and Vander never see their son again…

(Until 20-something years later…)

Hey, I am so sorry it took so long to reply, exam season had me cooked.

I don't have the whole thing posted because it's not done yet. I must admit it's my first time writing abo and I gotta be honest it's still a little weird for me so it takes FOR EVER to write and then you come into my inbox with cool ideas like that T-T

I must admit I am somewhat of a vague canon compliance person when it comes to like family ties? (like I personally don't read fics where Silco adopts anyone but powder or where Singed is Viktor's father etc. I have no idea why ) so for this fic personally I am going to give Viktor other parents but I love love love love LOVE The concept of the benefits programm that's so beautifully messed up that is so definitely going to be in there!

But yeah, given that and so many talks and plots and porn I think I might take a while to finish this T^T

Thank you so much!

[runes-menagerie]

Sky knew this was likely a bit of a wake up call for Jayce since he hadn't been there for her first steps in becoming what she was now. He hadn't seen her scared and alone as she came to terms with what had happened to her. He hadn't seen her first fumbling experiments in manipulating the power of the Hexcore, her power now. In the year since her death since had accepted who and what she was now. She had made that power truly hers.

She was a mage but she was also still herself. Her affinities lay in helping and supporting others just as they always had. Her skillset might have changed but her role, her core hadn't. She was still an assistant. Still caring for and looking after others. Right now, her boys needed that and she would be there for them, just as she had from the beginning.

"He'll be alright. He's just resting. I'm watching over his dreams to ensure there are no nightmares and he can truly rest." She said with a loving smile for the man in her arms. Her hold on Viktor was secure and comfortable, he wasn't going anywhere.

Once in Jayce's mind, Sky stayed by his side. She never changed anything herself. Every change was by his own hand. She simply kept the pain from overwhelming him and reminded him that he wasn't alone in this.

At first she paused between each attempt, giving him time to recover and gather his strength. She held him much the same way she held Viktor, letting Jayce feel the pulse of energy that served as her heartbeat within the Arcane and not moving on until he was ready.

When they came to the memories of running from the machines and falling, she showed him how to slow the memory down so that he could process it bit by bit and really examine what had been going on at the time in a way he wouldn't have been able to while living through the event.

Finally the memory of the first life he had taken.

"(We can't know for sure Jayce. The Undercity has been itching for a reason to go after Piltover for a long time. This boy isn't the first that's been lost. Many of the addicts we helped in the early days of the commune became that way to deal with the grief of losing a loved one.)" Sky replied calmly while kneeling beside him to rest one hand on his shoulder and the other on the boy's forehead. "(Even had he lived, she may have still been part of the attack. Or if not her then another would have stepped up. She was but one of a group that ruled the Undercity under Silco.")

"(That said, taking a life is never easy and you never forget it.)" She continued, her words holding the weight of experience. She moved her hand from Jayce's shoulder to his head before sharing a few of her memories with him.

The first was of her as a teen, running through the narrow streets of the Undercity from a much larger man, ending up at a dead end and being forced to use the deadly herb mixtures she carried in order to protect herself. Second came her a bit older, working in a barely functional clinic. Her patient was one of many who had been hurt in a cave in. His body was largely crushed and nothing more could be done for him. She helped him to drink a potent sleeping medicine, killing him as a mercy. Finally, her as an adult in Piltover. Walking home late from the lab, being approached by a drunk Enforcer and having to fight him off. Him falling and hitting his head in the struggle while she ran, afraid there were more such men around.

"(I understand Jayce. You didn't kill out of rage or malice. You wanted to protect your home, your loved ones. Let this boy's death be a lesson to help you move forward, not a shackle to hold you back.)" She said when the memories ended, looking at Jayce with an expression full of understanding and compassion.

 Jayce pulled back the reigns on his emotions with her explanation. A healer and protector. A guardian and guide. She felt so much different right now. This was more than he’d ever thought she was capable of, and he felt stupid for ever having overlooked her. She truly was a powerful mage, and her skills were being put to good use, now that he understood what the goal of the commune was. He spared Viktor a quick glance, just to make sure he was okay, and reached down to gently stroke the back of his neck and shoulder.

 Once he was sure his partner was safe and sound in her hold, he opened himself up to her as well. His forehead came to touch hers, and he let his eyes close. She began her work. It was like all the weight pressing on his shoulders was relieved by her support. He slipped into his own mind, where things felt like broken glass and jagged, rusty metal, but the pain was dulled by her protection. It was enough for him to actually be able to understand what had happened to him.

 Piece by piece, they tackled his memories and emotions together. She would guide him toward the heart of the problem, and he would unravel it. At first, it was like handling thorns and brambles, but the more he worked at it, the more it felt like untangling silk ribbons, or washing away dirt and grime to reveal pristine steel. Some memories were more difficult than others. The memory of running from the machines and falling into the crevasse was terrifying, but the memory of killing Rennie’s son was the most gut-wrenching of them all.

 He stood in the memory, over the wavering image of the boy’s cold, dead body. Kneeling down, his face contorted into a tight sob as he lifted the body up and held it close to his chest. “(I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…)” He knew Sky was with him, protecting him from the pain, but this was something he needed to feel through. Brass irises shifted to look up at her, then down at the blurry image of the boy in his arms. “(If I hadn’t taken him from her, she never would have attacked the memorial. He would still be alive, and loved.)” His lip quivered when he said the last word.

[rarepairdumpster]

Zaunite Takeover AU

Pairing: Viktor/Silco (Arcane) Rating: T C/W: Canonverse, Everyone Lives!, Medical Procedure, Jinx & Viktor, A little whump

Zaun literally invading Piltover and taking it over installing Silco as emperor and Viktor is right there next to him

Viktor was the quiet invader, making preparations in advance.

Enforcer schedules.

Taking note of security codes.

(Mostly non-lethal) Weapons manufacturing 

The insidious voice whispering in the ears of those who would waver in their support of certain powerful houses, etc

Viktor isn't happy about Silco still using shimmer during the invasion, but he had promised it would be strictly regulated once they were seated in power

And Silco is a man of his word.

All the councilors get arrested and imprisoned in stillwater for criminal neglect

Everyone is given a trial and no one was executed unless they resisted arrest

Jayce, along with many enforcers, are put on trial for murder. 

Jayce cries pathetically during his trial, claiming it was an accident,  but hundreds of children from the factory testify that Jayce came storming in with a giant hammer, making threats, and attacking people, and how they all saw him burn a giant hole in Renni's son's chest.

How Jayce just ran away and left the body.

Silco claims Medarda's beautiful property overlooking the sea for himself and Viktor to live in.

On quiet days, he likes to sit there and look at the sun gates, marvelling at the fact that Zaun controls those gates and all the prosperity those entail now.

No longer do his people need to suffer

Zaunite surgeons actually being able to do something about Viktor's respiratory illness now because, even though they had the indepth knowledge about the illness before from countless post-mortem autopsies, they never had the funds or the extremely sanitary surgical spaces or the high quality medical supplies that Piltover had, rendering such invasive surgeries more unsafe until now.

It doesn't stop Viktor from tearing up from how afraid he is when he's waiting to be pumped full of anesthesia, though.

Doesn't stop him from clinging to Silco's surgical-gloved hand and hanging on to his promise that Silco will be right there, holding his hand, the entire time.

The promise that Viktor will be fine because he is one of the strongest and most resilient men Silco knows

Let's be real, Silco is also shitting bricks, but he has years of practice appearing strong and unmoved

Every Zaunite nurse and surgeon in the room working with the knowledge that the Emperor's husband is on their operating table right now and they better not fuck up. Fortunately, they've all had years of experience working "for" crime lord's before

Viktor in recovery, waking up to a large table full of home-made trinkets and plushies and get well soon cards from all the Zaunites he'd helped over the years

And Silco is right there, resting his eyes in the chair next to Viktor's bed.

Still holding his hand, like he promised.

Viktor gives his hand a weak little squeeze and tug, because he knows Silco would want to know he woke up.

Silco is startled a little bit but smiles when he sees Viktor's eyes open. 

"How do you feel, Vitya?" Silco asks softly, rubbing circles into his hand with his thumb

"Like I had my chest cracked open."

And he starts to laugh but ow.

Viktor subsides tiredly, but smiles.

"Happy," Viktor answers more seriously, "that I get to spend a long life with you. We deserve that."

Silco leans closer, rubbing his cheek against Viktor's hand. 

"The doctors say there shouldn't be any issues with healing," Silco smirks as he looks up at Viktor. "As long as you rest."

"You know me," Viktor mumbles, eyes drifting closed for a moment. He blinks sleepily. "Might have to cuff me to the bed after a while."

Silco reaches behind himself and pulls out their padded cuffs. 

"Oh, I came prepared, my darling."

Viktor starts to chuckle and winces. 

"Ah! Careful now," Viktor sighs and relaxes back into the bed as the pain goes down. "Only very serious matters until I recover."

"Of course." Silco kisses his hand and smiles. "Whatever my love needs."

"Mm. Sleep." Viktor tugs on his hand a little. "Come."

Silco carefully pulls back the covers as Viktor moves to make room for Silco as he eases onto the bed.

He slides one hand under Viktor's head, then uses the other to cover them both with the sheet. 

He sighs as Viktor positions himself and curls his fingers into Silco's chest.

"Thank you," Viktor says softly, his voice already heavy with fatigue again

Viktor is asleep before he can reply, so Silco just kisses his hair and pets him until he drifts off himself.

Viktor spends a lot of the next few days just going in and out of sleep while his body recovers from the invasive nature of the procedure.

The people who were close to him take turns sitting with him.

Sky.

Sevika.

Jinx -- who works on boring, pointless clockwork creatures to pass time because she knows Viktor is too rundown to be dealing with glitter and paint bombs exploding by his bed

Viktor still gives her opinions and helps her with her gear placement. He's even sitting up one time, a couple weeks post op, going over some schematics with her when Silco walks in.

"What are we working on today," Silco asks, curious, but pleased to see Viktor feeling well enough to be sitting up and "working"

"An arcane barricade," Viktor answers, frowning down at the sheet in his hand and making notes/adjustments with a pencil. "Theoretically, it should collect and store the energies from the impacts of a battering ram before expelling those energies back at the aggressor. I have no doubt that Ambessa Medarda will wage war to rescue her daughter." 

"And this is a stun gun," Jinx announces cheerfully, waving another sheet. "For the boring jobs. No mess. You should be happy, Silly!"

"I'm always happy to see my two favorite people working together," Silco smiles as he walks over to Jinx and hugs her from the side. 

Viktor takes a moment to look up from his papers and smile at his husband. "And how has running the city been?"

"Less gritty," Silco answers wryly, "but just as migraine-inducing. Do you realise how many Piltovans evaded taxes over the years? No wonder our tax rates kept climbing."

Silco moves to sit beside the bed.

"I've spent the last weeks just parsing through the creative accounting in the official records."

Silco huffs. "But at least I have help now. Mister Young is as capable as you claimed."

Viktor waggles his brows. "Why do you think the Youngs were kicked out of Piltover? He was one of the good ones."

"I couldn't have done any of this without you," Silco reminds Viktor picking up his hand and kissing the top. 

Jinx promptly pretends to gag. "Get a rooooom"

"We're in a room." 

"Away from meeeee"

Arch + Woods

[uraveragelonelyhuman]

Arcane pet headcannons

VI

She has a bulldog and a ratty ass Chihuahua

Dumbass named the Chihuahua something dumb like "Sniffles"

Bulldog is probably "JJ"

You would think the bulldog was the guard dog

Ha, you're wrong

The Chihuahua when you get even a MILLIMETER close to Vi, its biting your fucking ankles

Better run because bitch is CHASING you down

It's like it downed a entire red bull, monster and starbucks venti latte with 19 shots of espresso in 0.1 seconds

Pray bitch

Cause you are not making it out alive

See ya in hell

The bulldog is just as scared of it too

Cowering behind Vi

Chihuahua made its territory known and not backing down

Probably dislikes and likes Cait all at once

Tiny mother fucker is bipolar as shit

Makes a weird face like its sniffing Vi's horrendous farts every 3 seconds

The bulldog is a sweetheart

Would never hurt anyone

Loves cuddling

Is the definition of lap dog because it doesn't leave Vi alone

Will fall asleep anywhere and at any time

Has fallen asleep on the Chihuahua multiple times

Probably stole Caitlyn's pomeranian

Loved it too much not too

Cait isn't getting it back

Walking through the lanes with the dogs who have sunglasses on all at once

Cool dog mom 10/10

EKKO

He has a snake

Probably a ball python

Takes amazing care of it

Most of the time is holding it

And by holding it I mean bitch is wrapping itself around his neck

Not enough to choke amazing Ekko out, don't worry

He good, he good

Loves scaring people with it though

Chases Scar around the hideout with it

"Wanna touch it? C'mon! He likes you~"

"Ekko, I will murder you-"

Scar loves it, can you tell?

One time was interrogating someone at the hideout for info on Silco's operation and out of nowhere the goon started SCREAMING

Bro was confused until he saw his snake slithering down the goons stomach all calm

Goon immediately wanted the snake off of him and gave all the info needed

So now Ekko, when interrogating someone, usually has his snake doing his little thang for a good luck charm

It brings the good tension and intimidation needed

A little dance every now and then

The snake loves the tree

Climbs it everyday

Snake loves him 100/10

The best snake owner known to man

The kids like watching his snake

How he distracts the annoying little shits

VIKTOR

He has a mouse

Probably liked them so much because in the lanes he saw a lot of them

Probably started an army

Little Viktor walking around the lanes with thousands of em swarming behind him

Probably all on drugs

When he left the lanes he probably found one in Piltover

Gave him some nostalgia so he took it

Gave it some food and restored it's health so the little mouse trusted him

Now when he's working on a little device the mouse is most likely on his shoulder

Sometimes just chilling, eating some food but sometimes wants to be involved

Viktor made him his own lab goggles

You've never lived until you've seen this man all focused and shit, his mouse on his shoulder as they both stare intently down at his gadget

1000/10 talks back to the mouse

*Squeak*

"I should do that, Mousecateir."

"Viktor...what the fuck-"

Jayce has walked in on his conversations with the mouse

Stood there for a good 20 seconds before high tailing it out of there

Booked a therapy appointment and definitely snitched to Mel

Viktor has lost it

Made a dam army suit for his mouse

They shall rule the world

SEVIKA

Has a hamster

But this ain't no normal hamster, no, no

This hamster is CLINGING to its last cells of life

Bro regenerates with every breath he takes

Sevika just won't let the little shit go

Even if she tried

Little man refuses to give up

Well past its expiration date

She doesn't even remember when she got it

That's how old the shit ball is

Thinks it dies at least 10 times a day

Freaks out every time but the hamster wakes up every damn time

Y'know how moms wake up when you barely poke them?

Like that.

Like it just got back from WAR and has PTSD

Eyes wide and shaking

Sevika honestly doesn't know what to do

Probably hasn't even drunk any water in well over a year

Or food

Living off the mere urge to live past its comrades in the walls

Jinx loves it though

Loves terrorizing it

Not on purpose

Probably is the reason all its hairs are graying

Probably loses its hair and is now bald

Looks like a shaved ball sack ngl

Man can't even walk no more

Sevika once turned to fast and this little mf went flying at the wall

AND STILL SURVIVED

Sevika found it two days later

"Oh my god, just give up already."

*aggressive squeaking*

"Okay, geez." 

Probably will outlive Sevika and society

SILCO

Has a hairless cat

And a crusty white grandma dog

Dog is probably as old as him

Shaking with every step

Can't even walk properly now

The cat just sits there most of the time

Usually just staring at the ones in his office till they leave

Gets along with the dog surprisingly

Jinx probably got him the cat as a surprise

Told her to get rid of it

But as every prophecy foretold, he ended up loving the creature 

Feeds it better than anyone

Of course other than Jinx

Loves his animals

The dog is crusty af though

Has been sitting with Jinx the past few years

Help it, please

Probably has had its hair dyed a few times

Scared of Jinx 100/100

Dog will never die

Cat sits on it's back

Took its dog bed

Dog took its cat bed

Love them both

The cat always sits in the rafters with Jinx

Brings her things she forgot

Steals her stuff too

Also sits on Silco's head

Has fallen onto his head from the rafters

Looks unbothered but was screaming inside

JINX

Has a bird

And a black cat

She took the bird, which is a crow, because she got tired of it squawking

So she just plucked it from the arcade after she saw it staring, wide beaked at her after she shot its mother

Has a pretty cage set up for it

Makes little outfits for it and her cat everyday and all day

It sits on her head all the time, like Silco's cat

She talks to the bird all the time, the bird talks back

She's argues with it everyday

Silco has become worried

Talks to it more than the voices

Bird does it on purpose because it knows she doesn't like the voices

Has sometimes pecked at her forehead but it's alright

Threatens to cook and eat it on a daily basis

Bird calls her bullshit

Has pulled on her braids a lot when mad at her

Then flies away when she tried to swat at it

A love hate relationship really

The black cat is because she once heard black cats bring back luck

And she's a jinx so she thought it was a match made in heaven

She found it in the back alley of the last drop

Immediately took it

Didn't care if it had an owner, hers now

She called dibs

Definitely has it on her lab when making bombs and gadgets

She loves it when the cat purrs, it's like a little engine

Names it Whisker, no argument

I will not be hearing anyone out

Names the bird chicken leg

Or barbeque

The bird doesn't like it but she don't care

Barbeque and Whisker hate each other

Has to keep them separate at all times

Or she puts them in time out

Which is usually just her faking them at each other as she makes them apologize

Loves her animals though

Even if they are little shits

[theprettyarachnid]

arcane characters and valentines day

a/n: if anyone says that this was posted late, no it wasnt.

warnings: a lil suggestive but still sfw!

Jinx

🕷 Jinx definitely goes out early in the morning and graffiti practically all the buildings in Zaun and some in Piltover that says in all capital letters "I LOVE Y/N"

🕷 Steals some pretty flowers from some Pilti's garden as a present for you

🕷 She's home by the time you wake up with flowers in hand

🕷 It's actually a little startling because she was literally watching you but sweet nonetheless

🕷 Jinx has pretty much has the whole day planned and gets very upset if something doesn't go the way she imagined it

🕷 At the end of the day you two are snuggled up on the couch eating a bunch of chocolates

Vi

🕷 I feel Vi is the type of person to say they hate Valentines Day but she actually puts in a lot of effort for you

🕷 She lets you sleep late into the morning before waking you up and taking you out to lunch

🕷 She won't tell you exactly where you're going for lunch and just says you'll have to wait and see

🕷 She takes you to one of the more lively places of Zaun that plays music and has a lot of food stands

🕷 There's also a few mini games there and she wins you a toy of your choosing

🕷 You can't tell me Vi doesn't absolutely CRUSH those mini games, especially like the test your strength ones

Caitlyn

🕷 She gets you so many gifts

🕷 Throughout the entire day you'll find it a new present for you with a small card attached that says "yours, caitlyn"

🕷 I can see her ditching some of her patrols to spend time with you

🕷 After she gets off work, she takes you to the forest where you find a picnic blanket with a bunch of food and desserts

🕷 It's one of Caitlyn's favourite spots because it has a nice lake near by where you two can skinny dip in

Ekko

🕷 You wake up to him literally glued to your side half asleep

🕷 He makes you stay in bed longer with him because "it's valentines day"

🕷 Ekko's really cuddly in the morning in general but it's amped up by like 10

🕷 When you're both up and ready, he takes you to the market and buys you anything you'd like for a discounted price

🕷 You two end the day with him taking you on the roof of the shop and watching the sunset with some chocolates while gossiping

Viktor

🕷 my favourite boy <3

🕷 Viktor gently kisses various parts of your body until you wake up

🕷 He tries and stays in bed with you for as long as possible but eventually he does have to meet Jayce at the lab

🕷 Asks you to shower with you and is literally so gentle with washing your hair and body <3

🕷 He's hugging you and giving you neck kisses until he actually has to leave

🕷 Viktor tries to be back before dinner time

🕷 Instead of taking you out because it'd be extremely busy, he cooks for you instead while you two share a glass of wine

🕷 viktor puts alcohol into practically every meal he makes dont come for me

🕷 Depending on how tipsy he is, he dances with you

Jayce

🕷 He's still asleep when you wake up but you're kind of stuck there until he wakes up because he's on top of you

🕷 try moving someone who is 6'7 and 230 lbs

🕷 You know he's awake because the second he's up, Jayce is kissing your neck and inching his hands lower and lower

🕷 He lifts his head up to give you a good morning kiss with an affectionate yet playful smile

🕷 Unfortunately he can't totally blow off his meetings and work but he's definitely late for them

🕷 Jayce rents out an entire restaurant just for the two of you and if you try asking how much it costs, he won't answer

🕷 When you two go home, there's flowers everywhere of every kind

🕷 this man is literally broke by the end of the day

Silco

🕷 Buys you the most expensive jewelry you have probably ever laid your eyes on in real life

🕷 Also buys you a new outfit to take you out to dinner in

🕷 He doesn't need to rent out the restaurant, no one is going to walk in there if Silco is in there

🕷 He's more affectionate than usual but nothing too extreme if there are still people near by

🕷 It's just simple kisses on the wrists and compliments about how lovely you look

🕷 Once you're home and alone with him though... good luck

Vander

🕷 I feel like the kids definitely decorate The Last Drop for Valentines Day

🕷 Vander makes everything half on during holidays and closes early so he can spend time with you and the kids

🕷 Powder definitely forces you and Vander to sit down while she 'cooks' dinner

🕷 Eat it.

🕷 Once the kids are in bed and everything, Vander actually cooks you two dinner while laughing about the day

🕷 That's when he also gives you his gifts like flowers and a bracelet he bought for you

[mxchineherald]

 It felt odd, being compared to a dead man. He had very nearly ended up the same way. Up until the final moments of bonding with the Hexcore, he’d felt his body dying around him, organs withering and muscles giving in to gravity and weakness. Now, while his body was still small in frame and weak in strength, he had the sneaking suspicion that he had become something more than human. Then he was reminded of Zaun’s play for independence. It was one that he and Jayce had both almost succeeded in achieving, only to be thwarted by a sudden explosion, destroying any chance of peace between the two sides of the River Pilt. They had been so close, yet it was stolen from everyone in just a few seconds. From that moment, his fate was bound to his homeland, to the Lanes, to Zaun. He supposed, in a way, Jayce’s fate had been sealed, too.

 “I did not,” Viktor answered honestly, his eyes blinking up from looking down at his hands. “But I knew more about him than I let anyone know.” He wasn’t deaf. He’d heard some rumors and tales of Silco’s dealings within the Undercity, and people were more open to speak about such things in his presence, being a fellow Zaunite. “I knew he was The Eye. The protector. The father of the resistance.” He swallowed back any hesitation to speak further, knowing he was in safe company. “And I knew that he hated Piltover. For a time, I disagreed with him, but I would never share secrets from my home with Topside. The rules of the land never left me.” Zaunites looked out for one another, whether they agreed or not. It was practically unspoken law.

 Viktor felt the grip on his wrist, glancing down for a flash before fixing his gaze back on her face. The determination in her features was not lost on him. He let her hold on to him, his held hand clenching into a fist around his staff to match her energy. A name he recognized came up. Sevika. She was known to be a brute with cunning – a woman with unmatched skill in her fields. A new idea began to take shape. “You have a drive for science and machinery. I would not waste that on becoming a Chem Baron, yourself,” he reasoned, “It is a job of information and intimidation, not of progress and power. If she is to be trusted, perhaps this Sevika could take that place, with you as the guiding blade that changes Zaun’s fate from the shadows.”

 It wasn’t out of the question that Sevika could take Silco’s place within the resistance. Many of the people spoke of her as the second in command already. If anyone was ready for that kind of command, it was her. There was, of course, the added variable of her relationship with Jinx. That was something hat was entirely out of his control or prediction. There were always variables in theories, however. They did not become solid fact until tested.

At first glance Viktor seemed like a man of few words. It was another trait that reminded her of Silco. Unlike her, they thought things over and were able to do so with a clear head. They didn't just rush into decisions. She supposed that was what it was like having a mind that wasn't plagued with inner demons. Jinx had always been jealous of that, wishing that she wasn't so messed up and how she was even worse now that Silco was gone.

'He's all gone because of you, you're the one that let the enforcer get her hands on pow pow.' She could hear Vi whispering into her ear, however she ignored it for the most part as her hand that wasn't holding Viktor's clenched up into a fist. None of it was her fault. It was all Caitlyn's fault. If she had her way she would pay one way or another. Vi, played her part too, but Jinx was still clinging onto the hope that maybe her sister would see the light.

Just like Viktor had finally seen it. While she knew he would eventually get there, she hadn't predicted what would happen leading up to it. Nor did she know that the consequences of her actions played a factor. But she was glad to know that he had. Now, he could see the world through a much clearer lens.

"It's okay, Viktor. I don't blame you for anything. You were blinded by your feelings for that piltie." She squeezed his hand and her face softened a more understanding one. "Emotions blind you, keep you from seeing everything. I can't control that for me, but I know you can. You're like papa and thats why I wanted to help you. It's what he would have wanted, too."

She could hold back the look of relief as his gaze didn't flicker. The determination she was there and there wasn't a single hint of a lie. Viktor was truly, finally, home. The way her carried himself, the way he spoke with such confidence, reminded her even more of Silco. However, he was also a genius, perhaps even more of a genius than she was. He was the one responsible for the success of the hexcore and hextech in general. Zaun would only benefit from their partnership.

"You know, you really do sound like Silco. That's exactly the kind of approach he took and why Zaun has become what it is." Jinx gestured out to the landscape of the city around them. "It's not as shiny as Piltover, but with shimmer he made it strong again. Under his rule we had a chance to be something, to finally break free and become our own nation. Just like we have always wanted." her smile faded from her face, replaced by a sad smile as she remembered everything leading up to SIlco's death. "But you didn't know much about him, did you?"

Jinx was generally curious what little they knew of Silco up there before it all came out. Most, she assumed knew him just as an unimportant industrialist. And yet he was so much more, and now she was left to carry his legacy.

"Just because daddy is gone, that doesn't mean his legacy can't continue. I'm not a leader like he is but I will do everything to continue what he strived for." Jinx unconsciously tightened the grip on Viktor's wrist. "I'll continue his work the best I can, even if I hate the idea of being a Chem Baron. But if I can convince Sevika to work with me, we'll have everything. I can even make sure you have a lab, like daddy did with Singed."