#also vander probably planned to do this for a long time so to do this right after some fight seems unreasonable

[tackykachowch]

One of the most common questions in the fandom is: "How did Vander and Silco get so far into the river so Vander was able to drown him?". So it got me thinking. When we see Silco as he's being drowned, the right side of his face is already damaged and he also has a little cut on his nose. So, who cut him?

One option is that it was someone we don't know about. Maybe Silco escaped from them by jumping from the bridge into the river. But I don't think it's likely because Vander is completely unharmed, and if Silco got hurt this badly, then he would've been too, because he probably protected Silco all the time due to his physicality. Like, they refer to each other as brothers. And what the stronger brother does when his weaker brother is getting abused? He protects him. So this option doesn't work out.

Now to the second option, which I think is what probably happened. Considering that Vander's knife is in its scabbard when he was drowning Silco, he probably attacked him with it on the shore, then put it away and dragged Silco to the river to such a level where he could drown him. I know that this sounds like 18172728 times more cruel than it was before, but honestly I can kinda believe that. Like somebody said his murder attempt was too calculated to be spontaneous or driven by impulse. It's too convenient. Silco is already a Lot weaker and smaller than him, AND he got wounded IN THE FACE very recently. You can't possibly ask for a better opportunity to finish him right here and now. So yeah. Vander was probably lots more violent and cruel than we believed him to be.

[honey-tongued-devil]

[Arcane preference]reacting to their s/o calling them husband/wife for the first time

I’ve finished the first chapter of the long fic about Universe 7 (Anytime it rains). As soon as my second beta reader gives me the okay, I’ll post it. While I wait, I’ve written the first headcanon (out of three I’m definitely planning to write and post in the next few days) and picked up the drawing of Steb I’d left unfinished. I’m slow, as usual, but English isn’t my first language, and I’m juggling a lot of things at once. Enjoy!

socials: | INPRNT | | Tip Jar | | X | | BlueSky | | Ao3 | poster: | Jayce poster | | Silco poster | |Silco +self insert poster 1| | Steb poster | if you want to read the fluff longfic with vander and his happy family + Silco x reader you can find it here! ↠ Masterlist

Jayce:

-This man is planning to put a ring on your finger as soon as possible, okay? -Between the academy, public appearances, and both theoretical and practical studies, there isn’t a single moment when he’s really in the right mindset to bring up the topic -The worst part is that, deep down, he’s terrified of putting pressure on you -That’s why, the first time he hears you refer to him as “my husband” during a gala with noble families, he almost chokes -He has to gather all his strength not to grab the interlocutor by the shoulders and ask if they also heard you say that word -He’ll try to keep his composure, maybe responding to your remark with, “Yes, exactly. Her husband really did say/do/design that.”

Viktor:

-It’s not a thought he’s ever really entertained; it never crossed his mind -Part of it is that science is his priority, and part of it is that marriage doesn’t seem like something meant for people like him, -The first time you call him “your husband”, that thought suddenly becomes real in his head, and he can’t help but lean against a wall and wait for the other person to leave -“So, I’m your husband now, huh? Mmm… I don’t mind, a bit pretentious, though…” he jokes, making you roll your eyes -Now, more than ever, he has no idea what to do. He’ll give you a bronze ring from a machine he’s building -“Until I can get one worthy of you.”

Ekko:

-Yes -That’s it -The end -Okay, seriously. The idea of being certain that something will last forever is probably his greatest wish -The first time you call him your husband, he doesn’t see it coming -“Wait, you’re married?” -“I was talking about you, Ekko.” -The moment you say it, he points to his chest, you see his lip tremble slightly, and his eyes grow shinier -He won’t stop talking about it for a week, and at least once a day, he’ll ask if you still want to marry him, if you’re sure, if you love him -No rings before S2; the promise is made by drawing something for each other on your masks and clothes -After S2, he still can’t afford a ring, but now that life is more stable, he can start thinking about a more traditional gift, like a piece of jewelry

Vander:

-This man is ravenous for any family role you might offer him—fiancé, father, husband. Anything goes -The first time you call him “husband”, he plays it cool but will seize the first opportunity to return the favor by telling a customer you’re married -As soon as he can, he’ll squeeze your hand, even under the counter -The idea of being married and having a complete family is everything he’s ever wanted -He won’t stop calling you “my beautiful wife/husband” from that moment on.

-You said it first; you can’t take it back. Now you have to get married

Silco (old man):

-This man’s only sin is loving too much, but I’ll save that reflection for another post -Having no ties other than his illegitimate daughter doesn’t make him someone who’s particularly keen on formalities -The first time you call him “your husband” is in front of Sevika, and he slowly turns to look at you, while she slowly turns to look at him -“Did I... miss something?” Sevika asks, but he doesn’t reply, still perplexed, before glancing at her and saying, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” -He’s relieved but doesn’t show it. He can’t afford to just yet -As soon as he confirms you were serious, your name will be flamboyantly forgotten—he’ll constantly refer to you as “my wife/husband”

Silco (young):

-The man who survives on love -The first time you call him your husband is in front of Vander, and while Vander bursts out laughing, Silco chokes on his drink -“Are you serious?” He’s so happy that his pale iris are completely swallowed by his dilated pupils -He grabs a pen and draws a ring around your finger -To his credit, he works in a mine, so it’s hard to do better than that, but it becomes the goal that keeps him going -Completely focused on family, the future, and anything that sees the two of you together and happy

Steb:

-The first time you call him your husband is at a dinner among enforcer families, and being mute doesn’t stop him from stealing the spotlight -He whips around, blinking slowly with only his third eyelid in a gesture of confusion -When he’s 100% sure he understood what you said, his eyes widen, the small membranes under his eyes flutter madly, and even the barely visible gills near his jaw gasp for a moment -Someone says, “I didn’t know you were married,” and he immediately nods enthusiastically, not giving you time to take it back -Within 48 hours, he’ll have the ring ready

Jinx:

-The first time you call her “your wife”, she freezes -“What did you just call me?” -She’s used to being a little sister, a big sister, a daughter—she’d never thought she could be a wife. Family ties aren’t chosen, but the idea that someone would want her in their life so much they’d marry her feels incredible -“You want to marry me? Really? Why?” -She bursts into tears, and it’ll take at least 24 hours of cuddling in bed to calm her down -After that, she’ll run to her father to announce that she’s now a married woman

Vi:

-She might not be Silco and/or Vander’s blood daughter, but she’s inherited their deep desire for family -From her family’s tragic fate to Vander’s, she’s always seen family as the ultimate aspiration -When you call her “your wife” for the first time, she doesn’t notice right away, but a full minute later, she whirls around to look at you, as if to ask for confirmation -“Say it again.” -“...You need to buy bread?” -“No, all of it.” -“My wife needs to go buy bread.” -“Again.”

-"My... wife?"

-"Again"

Caitlyn:

-Has she thought about it? Yes -Was she planning to act on it? Not exactly -Caitlyn struggles with emotions and feelings, which is why she hesitates and takes her time -But when you first call her “your wife”, her brain completely shuts off—she just stares at you, unable to hear a single word being said -If you or someone else asks her a question, she’ll snap out of it and respond, -“My wife/husband said everything.” Even if it makes no sense as an answer, making you laugh and leaving the other person baffled

Mel:

-Not a single flicker of surprise—the first time you call her “your wife”, she remains completely composed -“So, I’m your wife?” she asks as soon as you’re in private, approaching you like a feline. You can almost hear the purr in her voice -She’s amused but also intrigued by whatever game you’re playing -The idea of marriage is complicated for her—on one hand, it feels like it would limit her freedom to act, while on the other, unresolved family issues seem to devour her at the mere thought of starting a new cycle -She’ll tell you to go ahead, to get married, but she’ll also ask for time -In the meantime, though, she’ll start using the term “husband/wife” with you—she likes the way it rolls off her tongue

Sevika:

-Between the work she does, the environment she lives in, and all the interesting circumstances of her life, marriage has never been on her radar -Not to mention that in Zaun, it’s not exactly a common practice—people just move in together and build families when they can, without much fuss over formalities or bureaucracy -The first time it happens, she’s playing cards with the other goons, and you casually ask if “your wife is winning” -Her first reaction isn’t even hers—it’s the others’. Dustin, the blond goon with the lazy eye, almost starts crying, embarrassing her -Don’t worry, she’ll make you pay for it at home -She won’t ask to formalize anything, but in true Zaunite fashion, she’ll consider you married, plain and simple

[sapphiresaphics]

Here’s the thing. Arcane season 2 was finished being written back in 2020. It was completed before the first season of Arcane even aired on Netflix in the first place. Before they even knew if it was going to be a hit or not. Before any of the fans had hot takes about the characters.

Which means that all of these “new subplots” (such as the black rose) weren’t just added in on a whim. They have an intentional purpose in the story they’re trying to tell.

It also means that the pacing was always going to increase and become faster as the two seasons went on.

I think a lot of fans are coming at this show from the perspective of a lot of live action shows where the writers see how fans respond to certain things so they add them into the story or focus on fan favorites to grab your attention and keep you engaged. And live action shows can do this because they’re filmed relatively close to when the series airs and so they’re aware of what the reactions are on social media (for good or ill).

But this is animation. Very TIME CONSUMING animation at that. It took 4 years to finish animating the 9 episodes of Season 2. If you include the 6 years of development and production of Season 1, that’s almost a full DECADE of working on this show.

My point is that they literally (and logistically) can’t respond to fan input and make changes in the show based on the way it was received on social media. Like it or not, these specific characters beats and storylines were always the plan from the start.

This is a long winded way of trying to say… if you have problems with the way certain characters are behaving, or certain plot points feeling rushed, or feel overwhelmed by the number of added subplots that need to get resolved before the end of the show… I strongly suggest rather than saying the writing is “bad” or that the writers “don’t know what they’re doing” or just complain about anything really… I suggest you take a step back and ask yourself “why are these the stories and actions they chose for this 2 season arc?”

I think that’s a far more productive thing to do than to go online and whine about things you didn’t like. I find it’s better to try and understand WHY they chose to do these things rather than write them off. More often than not when you look into the why, or try to come up with reasons why the writers would take certain characters down the paths they do, you end up coming out appreciating the media more. Even if you still don’t were with their narrative choices, learning and understanding the WHY is far more rewarding I think.

I’ll give you an example of something I don’t like, but that I understand why. Isha. I don’t like that Isha was introduced and then killed off in the latest episode. If I were to look at it just from a surface level reading, it seems pointless to add this cute mute kid character only to take her away a few episodes later. But NARRATIVELY she’s extraordinarily important. She is what Jinx needed to become more empathetic to her sister and reach out to fix their family. She helps push Jinx into the role of Vander for season 2. And her heroically framed sacrifice is probably going to be the push Jinx needs to stop trying to commit suicide.

Would I have liked to see more of her and Jinx’s relationship? Yes. Would I liked to have learned more about where she came from and why she’s mute? Yes. But at the end of the day, this is not a show about Isha. Isha is a narrative device to help forward the character development of Jinx. And so, while I do not like that she sacrificed herself… I understand it. And that understanding helps me appreciate the writing and the level of depth the writers are willing to go to push their characters around where they need to be by the end of the series.

At the end of the day, Arcane is just another show on Netflix. It is not beyond criticism. There are a lot of legitimate criticisms you can have against the show. But I’ve found that recently the number of bad takes and people refusing to engage with the narrative has resulted in a bit of a backlash against the show and I do not think that’s ultimately very productive. Please… if you’re going to criticize the show, please try to do better than just write off anything you don’t like as “the writers just suck” or “they changed X character for no reason!”

Because I guarantee you, there IS a reason for everything in this show. No matter how small and trivial it might be, this show was put together with love and an extraordinary attention to detail. There are reasons for why characters do and say the things they say. The writers often make these into intentional parallels, foreshadowing, and callbacks.

Please… take the time to actually stop and dissect what you see. Even something upsets you. I implore you… try to understand why. Try to understand what the writers are saying. Try to understand how certain plot points and events could have a bearing on different characters.

Please just…. Try?

[echo-of-the-eye]

Arcane s2 act 2 thoughts:

• Was not expecting Caitlyn and Maddie rebound romance but ok (wonder how Maddie will react when cait inevitably breaks up with her)

• Glad to see Caitlyn has calmed down and was aware she was being manipulated so she could ditch Ambessa

• Mel has magic confirmed! And is related to the black rose people? People who know game lore probably understand better

• Sevika, Jinx and Isha is such a good dynamic. Same with Vi

• The sister trio are the best part of the show for me honestly I love them so much. Isha is the cutest kid ever I love her

• I was planning to make the “I’ve only had Isha for a day but if anything happened to her I’ll kill everyone in the room and then myself” joke while I was watching ep 4 and then ep 6 happened. So yeah… I’m broken

• I had a feeling something would happen to her cause her parallels to Powder were too strong but uh. Wasn’t really prepared for them to actually do it

• This is gonna fucking break Jinx

• They could have been happy dammit! They were so close! They could have been a family! But nooooo, it has to be a tragedy! (Which I love but come on! Oh to be a tragedy enjoyer is so conflicting)

• Also Vander and Silco knowing their mother and being close. So Silco actually knew who Powder was when he took her in

• Love wins (caitvi)

• Love loses (jayvik)

• God I love Viktor. Living his best life as a cult leader (or straight up god idk). Jayce when I get you. Honestly don’t know how to feel. Viktor was doing seemingly good things but we know hextech isn’t good so who knows how long it would have lasted. Not sure how much of Viktor was actually still left there

• I do think Jayce had a good reason for what he did. Might have been in a time loop or something? Maybe he communicated with Viktor and was told to destroy him? Or maybe he was just losing his mind

• He did keep his promise. But at what cost

• I’m seeing the ship now btw. Didn’t really care for it before. But now… it’s doomed. It’s tragic. Which is the best shipping fuel

• Speaking of the hextrip where the hell is my boy Ekko?! And heimerdinger I guess but this ain’t about him

• I bet we’ll see what happened in there next episode

• I do think Viktor is dead. He could come back I guess (he is Jesus) but I doubt it. Feel it in my gut. I think we’ll see him again but not alive in his body. I’m gonna miss you buddy<3 you were my second favorite (after jinx). He reminds me so much of Jon archivist no wonder I love him

• So yeah I am in shambles. My heart is broken and I shall never recover

[666silco]

Been thinking about the plot hole everyone is mentioning, that being how Silco probably knew Vi and Powder, and why did he want to kill them, why he recognized Powder but never told her, all that. I think the answer that we will get (realistically) in some form is that Silco was very distant by the time Powder was born and Vi was not old enough to remember him, especially after the drowning incident and him getting older. I also think Silco knew it was them the whole time, in fact I think he had an eye on them (lol, Eye of Zaun) the entire time, not just when he was planning an attack on Vander. The problem is that the time between the drowning and Vander’s “death” Silco was so blinded by hate (even if he had respect for him) toward Vander that he didn’t even care that much. It wasn’t until he held Powder that his mindset changed. “We will show them all.” Powder was done wrong just like he was. She was just like him. He needed to show her the way to heal.

Which also speaks to why s2ep2 is very fascinating. It’s the healthiest Jinx ever felt, when she went into hiding. As well as her even mentioning when she spoke to Silco’s empty chair, that Isha softened her and maybe he felt the same when they met.

Between the drowning and Vander’s death, Silco was relentlessly fighting for Zaun (he wasn’t known by the council yet, but that’s not the point) and also so full of anger for Vander, he was not a force to be reckoned with. I still think that about him in ep4-9, but thinking about how Jinx softened with Isha, it’s very possible that Silco did the same, to a certain extent. Sevika called him out in ep4 for letting things go too easily, sitting and waiting. Dude didn’t even check if Vi was actually dead or not. He wasn’t even actually prepared for if Finn actually was going to have Sevika kill him or not. Think of it as a test all he wants, he was terrified. Similar to the Enforcers not even recognising Jinx when she revealed herself.

I do want to say that im not justifying the plot holes with this post, just sharing some thoughts. I have some gripes with s2 at the moment, I just prefer to not be negative as I have a long line of history with shows that felt a little rocky at times. I prefer to keep my major critiques to myself or save them for the show to be over.

I hope that we get at least a few more minutes with Silco and Vander, I feel like the flashbacks created even more questions than we had before.

Im very highly anticipating Act III at the moment.

[mandareeboo]

Really like your Arcane fanfic idea. Feels like a good mix of bitter and sweet: nothing is perfect for anyone but they’re slowly rebuilding, and even if it’s restoring something similar to the Vander-Grayson status quo, it’s still growth and gives all those involved a chance to grow and perhaps avoid repeating the mistakes of their predecessors and past selves.

Honestly, after how much Vi has suffered (like almost non-stop for 7ish years) and how since she got out of prison she’s been focus on fixing her mistakes or supporting Caitlyn, I really like the concept of Vi just pulling her shit together (re)building something for herself. Restoring the Last Drop to what it was meant to be; letting her both fix the past and make a new home for herself at the same time.

Vi would still have plenty of demons to deal with, but having a stable place and a purpose could help.

Also imagine local rich pretty boy man of progress Councillor Jayce Talis semi-frequenting a seedy Undercity bar, even helping out with repairs (because he wants to feel useful after his best friend left him to go be Jesus) which somehow keep resulting in wacky hijinks cause Vi and Jayce can’t have anything go to plan when working together. One minute they're replacing the lightbulbs and half an hour later they’ve collapsed half a Chem-Baron hideout

Oh Jayce ABSOLUTELY frequents the Last Drop. Vi and him share beers on the roof after a long day of kicking ass and Jayce infodumps about science and Hextech and politics and Vi nods along with half an ear and watches the crowd.

I'm thinking the inciting incident'll be Babette asking for her favor one day. Vi doesn't even question going, and Babette tells her there's a real rough asshole who keeps stiffing her people after beating them up and it's bad for morale, business, etc. Vi is like. Oh fuck yeah. She kicks the shit out of this guy and as he crawls away she realizes that she made a difference. She helped these people and it didn't cost her anything but time-- and Vi has nothing but time anymore.

As a concept scene, have Jinx confronting Vi on her taking over the Last Drop:

.

Vi knows what a gun barrel to the skull feels like by now, but it still makes her tense, fingers clenching into fists. She barely has the presence of mind to set the pitcher down on the table, wrenching her fingers free one at a time.

"Give me one good reason not to do this," Jinx whispers behind her. The gun jams into her harder and she knows, deep inside, that she's actually asking. She wants a reason not to do this.

Unfortunately, "I don't really have one."

"You became an Enforcer. You tried to choke me out!" She sounds near tears. The gun is shaking, rattling against her skin. "You're a monster."

"I am," Vi agrees easily, because yeah. She's made two monsters now, one right after the other, and she understands math enough to understand common denominators. She wonders how much math Jinx knows. Probably a lot. Silco seemed like the kind of bastard to get smart people in his business. "For what it's worth, I got fired."

A shrill wheeze escapes Jinx's throat. "You were always too stupid to keep a job."

"Yeah. I'm a real thickheaded bitch."

"Why do you even want this place, anyway?"

"The same reason Vander wanted it," she admits. "We both know he woulda wanted me to have this place. I'm the only one who can pour the drinks right."

"Vander," Jinx spits, conflicted on the word. "What does he matter, anyway? He's dead."

She can't really help herself. "Is he?"

There's a lengthy pause before the gun disappears from one side of her head to the other; Jinx whipping around in a flash to grab her cheeks and pull her close. Her eyes are blazing. "What the fuck does that mean?"

"Nothing, I-"

"No. You don't get to say shit like that and not tell me what the fuck it means."

And that's fair, kind of, so Vi says; "I'm hearing voices, Jinx. His voice. And he's real mean."

Jinx's fingers slowly unclench around her jaw. She twists her face left and right, pulling open an eyelid, then checking inside her mouth. As if she was a studious scientist and she were a new species.

"You're not shitting me," she utters finally, tinged with disbelief. "You're crazy."

A smile slowly creeps across her face, and then Jinx is cackling, shaking hard with laughter as she stumbles away, gun falling to the floor. Vi rubs her jaw and watches her sister's shoulders tremble.

"Holy shit," Jinx says. "You're fucking crazy. Insane. Demented. Fucked up."

Vi works her jaw some more and doesn't answer.

"That is just so us of us!" Jinx points at herself, then at Vi. "We share mental illnesses instead of hugs!"

"Hey," Vi pouts. "I give great hugs."

[forh3r]

001. hc + was there any romantic history with either of the three musketeers, vander, silco and or benzo? if so, talk about how that came to be before her connection with connel.

002. hc + would she approve of vi's relationship with caitlyn?

003. hc + is she 'dead' in the au!perfect zaun/piltover ?

001. i do think there was something, especially with vander & silco. felicia was seeing them a lot, and i do believe she loved them in some capacity - something along the lines of not platonic not romantic but a secret third thing ( so devoted the lines blur ) and you know she wasn't in a relationship with anyone for a long time, so i can see her having history with either one of them or both. at the same time i think their connections were very different - a reflection of their personalities in a way.

vander was very soft to her, actually listening and caring, ever a gentleman - easy to love, truly and i feel like had felicia not gotten pregnant, eventually would have married him. i know some people believe vi is actually his, but to be honest i think he just loved vi & pow as if they were his ( just the same as mylo and claggor whom it seems had no previous relation before ), and loved felicia enough to keep his promise to her in a way that wouldn't further hurt anyone ( he only loses his temper after her death after all ... even though i think she wouldn't be proud of that ) hence why he was more present in her daughters lives too and carried on her memory through her favourite song.

silco is ... eh. i'm against the "felicia cheated" allegations but to be honest i feel like if it had to happen at all, he'd be the culprit ( 💀 ). i feel like the love felicia had for him was very tumultuous, based a lot on a shared vision and manner to earn it. they have a lot of symbolisms in a strange way - their color scheme in the bar scene is the same, her necklace is made in the same fashion as his bracelet, she was adamant that the plan was carried on for her, he wrote pages about how felicia was inspiring him, he wasn't around much but she was using his stuff to write down her daughters heights, she said that she wouldn't fight anymore but was somewhere close when he threw the molotov. in a weird way it seems they died the same night too. felicia haunts him in a way that clearly doesn't happen with vander - he gets to raise the daughter that looks, acts and talks the most like felicia, but in his case her memory becomes something to hide away and keep secret. i wish we knew why exactly benzo called him an animal, what kind of fucked up thing he did ( among the rest ... ) but i know felicia would be so so angry at silco for what he did to powder.

benzo was the big brother felicia never had honestly. as much as she complained about his shop she was still there being angry, and knowing he was being arrested and she was fighting for that too ... well. he was very dear to her as well, and i believe she took great care of all the books she collected from him throughout the years until her death - probably used them to teach powder stuff until she could.

( connol was truly a saint i fear. felicia really never cheated on him, at least physically, but i do believe the guys had a better understanding of different parts of her in a way he never could. he still loved her enough to get involved in risky stuff though, and that meant a lot to her )

002. felicia is so very clearly a "follow your heart" kind of girl, very in tune with her feelings despite how messy they can become. she knows very well it would hypocrite of her to dictate on who her daughters have to love ... but it would take some time to warm up to the idea. it's not a question of vi dating girls but more of ... very important topside girl? really? which is very judgemental of her but also sort of warranted all things considered? so yeah it takes a minute but she would probably end up being okay.

( this was not in the question but, on the other side she would be absolutely approving of jinx and ekko's relationship )

003. she's alive!! in this au connol shielded her, so while she did get hurt, the others eventually found her and brought her to safety ( by others i mean sevika and benzo, the boys were too busy not thinking with their brains as she would say ). she wears prosthetics legs but at least she's alive ... at the same time she lost vi, which was a great hit for felicia for obvious reasons. she doesn't work in the mines anymore and is also devoting her time to knowledge of engineering ( which is what saved her bond with powder and kept her from getting worse mentally than she already is, honestly ). she's very proud of powder and has tons of scrapbooks with pictures taken at the various fairs / competitions.

[lullabyes22-blog]

First of all, I just wanted to say how much I love your Arcane fics. I’ve been following FnF since I stumbled across it at 10 chapters long, and it’s been a wild ride since! Like a lot of people I’ve been all over the place with my feelings regarding season 2, but as far as I’m concerned FnF is my season 2 (and 3, 4, etc.) lol. You’re a gift to this fandom. Thank you for sharing your brilliant mind and imagination with us readers ❤️

You’ve answered some what-if asks and shared other Arcane thoughts on this blog before, so I have two questions for your consideration, but no pressure to answer either of them!

1. As a fellow writer, I’m in awe of the scale of FnF and the amount of planning/outlining that must be involved—HOLY SHIT! Are there any elements of s2 that have inspired you as you continue to write FnF? Have you considered adapting any s2 elements into later chapters (beyond what you’ve already predicted), or have you held fast to a specific Vision throughout the duration of this writing project?

2. Not sure if you’ve been asked this in the past, but what the hell would a living Silco’s reaction be to Vander’s hellish resuscitation as Warwick, assuming he isn’t immediately mauled in a confrontation?? Is Singed (assuming he’s the culprit) definitely fired??? This feels like such a MESSY terrible horrible no-good very bad situation for everyone involved lmao, and I would love to know your thoughts.

Aaaaah thank you so much! I'm super happy you're enjoying the story! I've been having a lot of fun with it, and I'm glad so many other folks are having fun with it as well <333

Also deeply honored you'd consider FnF in any way adjacent to canon material; that means so much T_T Especially since my own feelings on s2 are pretty mixed, and I'm not really sure what I would even do with those ideas, except maybe throw them out as a one-shot sometime down the road.

1. In terms of the s2 inspiration, I will say I was not the biggest fan of the plot's coherence/cohesion as a whole (too much stuff going on in too little time, too many threads left dangling etc). However, I was very gratified by the thematic journeys of the characters in S2, as in FnF they're actually following a similar trajectory (except for Silco who is, well, dead), and a lot of the same conflicts and themes are coming up. There was a happy sense of vindication that came from that, like, "Oh, so this was actually important, and not just me making a fanficcy mountain out of a molehill."

I will say though, that FnF has its own pretty airtight-ish plot, with many aspects already sketched out in advance, so I'm not going to go re-plotting things to match s2's direction unless and until it becomes necessary. In some ways, tbh, there's a sense of gleeful overlap, as a lot of the plot beats do mirror one another. (The Black Rose make an appearance by Act VII, there's a greater emphasis on magic and high fantasy going forward, Jinx is in the grip of an identity/existential crisis and Vi is stuck at a crossroads, Jayce has become disillusioned and split with Mel, Viktor has retreated underground and will be withdrawing deeper into his work, Ekko will be the one to snap Jinx out of a critical juncture and save Zaun in the long term, Sevika will take a greater leadership role etc...) All of the parallels if not the outright similarities were pretty satisfying.

As for how that's manifesting, a lot of the major developments and character arcs going forward are largely set in stone, but I do have a few key S2 events/details I've been mulling over in the background that I can see myself weaving into the plot at some point. But the rest is probably best kept as a surprise :>

2. As for the hellish resuscitation, well, I'd be lying if I said I haven't been thinking about that one a lot hehehe...

But long story short:

Singed is 100% fired because there is NO WAY Silco would sanction such a thing - and if it occured in the FnF universe, then Singed was absolutely doing it behind Silco's back and will now face the full consequences.

 As for Warwick himself - he'd 100% retreat to Silco and Vander's little Brokeback bunk in the mines. And Silco would 100% don his old mining duds and dustry greatcoat and go looking for him, because he needs to be SURE it's not just a rumor, and also because he does, subconsciously, desperately want it to be his Vander. And Vander, who has a good measure of the old Vander's memories, and is 100% aware it's not a rumor, because hello: deranged wolfman, will 100% run towards Silco with every intention of tearing him to pieces.

And that is where the similarities end.

Because Vander is too deeply trapped within Warwick's killer shell, and is therefore incapable of having an emotional reunion with anyone, and because Silco is not an idiot and would never go into a skirmish without a loaded gun and an escape route, the end result would be bloody, messy and tragic.

Worst case scenario: both men would kill each other, and in their final death throes, find boyhood memories resurfacing. They'd die in tears, messily and bloodily entwined, but finally at peace with their own demons - which is how Jinx and Vi, teaming up similar to S2, would find them.

Best case scenario: Silco would find Warwick and be forced to try and capture and contain him. He'd enlist Sevika's help and succeed, but when Jinx finds out, she'd be appalled and retraumatized, and convinced Silco is trying to erase her dead dad and supplant him in every sense. She'd go off the rails and have a complete breakdown, and Vi would be the one she'd run to, because Vi is the only person who understands and cares. The sisters would end up teaming against Silco to try and bust WarVander out, and this would cause an irreparable rift between Silco and Jinx.

Cue mass destruction and an epic family feud.

Sevika, who'd be the only person left in Silco's circle of trust, would have to make the call to have Warwick quietly killed in order to save the city from a war, and then lie to Silco, telling him Vander succumbed to his own madness and perished. This would cause Silco's mental state to completely disintegrate. He'd lose what little sanity he had left, and would descend into a pit of guilt and grief.

 Either way, it's a pretty awful tragedy on both sides, and it would take the entire remaining plot of FnF to resolve the fallout, and for Jinx and Vi to find any kind of peace.

So you can see why I've been mulling a lot, but also left it alone haha.

But who knows?

Maybe the story will change my mind, or I'll be struck by some miraculous idea and figure a way out, though I'm doubtful.

Thanks again for the lovely words and thoughtful questions! They really mean a lot <3

[space-blue]

what makes you say ekko and the firelights powerless and useless? i thought they're the one group building a truly healthy community for zaun

Because they are? And they're not building anything for Zaun? They don't even believe in Zaun. As in, the free nation Silco wants to build.

Ekko and company are shown on screen as a minor gang. A gang that gets wiped out singlehandedly by Jinx. She kills so many of them in that boat it's not even funny. 5/7 die in that introduction scene. They're also described as a 'thorn' in Silco and the enforcers' side, and yet Silco managed to make this much change in Zaun over the years?

So they're not extremely efficient. They don't seem to know where Silco's factories are, or be able to attack them. They also say they've "never seen that much shimmer before" the attack on the boat. So small strikes, or else Silco is expanding without usually bothering with them.

Either way, even in their aesthetic video, they are shown as a cool and small gang. Then we see their base : a cute tree house. There's few of them, very young. And we spend time with Ekko and learnt that :

he doesn't seem to have anything like Silco's dream of a "free Zaun"

he hates Silco more than enforcers and hence probably doesn't have a clear understanding of who his real oppressors are

he has no plan to change or rule the Undercity, or to spread his lifestyle

they live completely hidden and recluse, and the stated goal is to kill Silco to be rid of shimmer

Which, to me, means that he also doesn't understand economics. It's too late to kill Silco. Actually killing Silco is the literal worst move. Silco is shown (to us though, not Ekko) as the only Chembaron to have noble goals and true dedication. He's the only one who hasn't succumbed to his own riches. He's zealous. He's a true believer, and the thing is belives in IS THE FREE NATION OF ZAUN.

Silco, like it or not, is an anti hero. He has good goals and gets to them in bad and questionable ways.

And if Ekko understood shimmer, drugs, and economics a little better, then he'd know that killing Silco would result in someone else taking over. Shimmer won't ever go. It's a genie out of a bottle. It heals massive wounds, powers crazy engines, makes people strong and OP without consequences (Sevika proves it, which is why I strongly believe in "early" shimmer being the cause of malformations, since Deckard and Sevika both "use" shimmer with totally different results. It simply has been refined over time). There is no way in hell it will stop being made just because Silco (or his organisation) goes.

All you will have is a more brutal and less dedicated chembaron. You'll end up with a Vander 2.0, maintaining a status quo to rule the Lanes with shimmer as a tool, and with no ulterior motive like getting freedom for them.

Also, Silco literally, on screen, promises to stop shimmer as part of his negotiations. Don't you think that Ekko would be on his side if he knew this? Even if temporarily? If he realised Silco is fighting upside and that shimmer is a tool he's happy to completely destroy forever so long as Zaun is free? Don't you think Ekko would understand that Silco is unlike the other chembarons, if he could have a serious chat with him? I'd like to think Ekko would want shimmer gone now, but if he knew how close to victory Silco was, surely he'd side with him.

And then, in that world, where Silco destroys shimmer and frees Zaun, what do you think Ekko would do next? Do you think he'd be a leader? He's not known or respected. People in power in the Undercity are all big time criminals right now. The people leading the brothels, the factories, the assassin syndicate...

Ekko would do what, with his tree friends? He can't afford to have others aware of their location, or they'd lose it. He has no plans to turn the Undercity into a green space. He doesn't even know how/why the tree grows there. Also he's a literal teen.

Basically, as the show wraps up, Ekko is portrayed as a cool, brave guy, who is trying to do good things (kill the baddy, protect his buddies who are all victims). He dislikes the oppressors, but is okay with being talked down by one (Cait) and follows her to the Council in an act of good faith (aka, he has either no understanding of politics or way too much hope. Considering his age, most likely both(which is fine as a character trait!)).

He's set up as "the good zaunite", and pitched against the "bad zaunites"

He's the one who will talk to the Council instead of trying to scare them. The one who does tag art and undermines the real danger, the guy who actually wants revolution.

Ekko is a micro Vander. He's an agent of the status quo. He gets in the way of the only person trying to liberate Zaun, because he doesn't understand him and his goals and has a personal vandetta.

It's all perfectly cool as a character set up! Ekko is great! I just wish he weren't portrayed the way he is in context of the show. Portrayed as the cool kind guy who isn't a real threat and can make friends with the cops.

[jnixz]

Arcane season 2 spoilers

SCATTERED observations and thoughts after the second batch of arcane season 2, need to get it out here since i hadn't done it for act 1

The music montage make a mark for a fair amount of time skipper episode. I also do think there is a fair bit of time passing in between scenes but not enough for a montage.

I really like Isha doing her own thing and actively encouraging the symbol of jinx of fight back. She says a lot through her actions.

Loving the new information we get to uncover in these batch of episodes, bit of backstory of the older generation and how it connects to now. and unknown future shit with Jayce and what we know of league lore (Defender of tomorrow, what did you see?)

I keep pointing and cackling whenever Singed appears, what are you up to old man and how is it gonna fuck up other characters? His actions and little plans have so much consequences. They aren't really given a whamm shot and gives you a slow burn on whats he is about.

Yeah I know he is horrible and love that bout him. absolutely fascinating. Love me some stoic scientists with no ethics fucking about.

Him showing up to the rally at Vander's statue then summoning Warwick when the raid begins. I am cackling.

Warwick lets goooooooooo

Singed has a funny way of comforting children with unknown secret of his creations.

The dread I feel for the freed Zaunites knowing that Warwick is coming.

I like that Singed didn't know Jinx and Sevika were coming, and so the Zaunites and Isha was indeed not staying there for very long. unfortunately he also knows Warwick was coming, dipped out of looking after the kid when the two came to pick her up, who had a probability of being be fine/ignored by Warwick when she was left in a cell on the opposite side of his.

what the fuck was he gonna do when warwick finally gets there like ??? baffling how was he gonna stop a blood rampaging werewolf

I do like he stayed to make a deal with Ambessa for the long term. He really ain't intimidated by Caitlyn. Caitlyn he lives like that on a regular basis you aren't threatening him like that.

Singed fans are eating is what I am sayin

also Singed and Ambessa combo, knew it. ho boy

Thoughts are so scatter but know that I have so much thoughts on Singed, how we get to see this side of him in Arcane as a character with a bit of humanity left, his mission for his daughter holding it for him until it would probably succeed but also end badly enough to say fuck it lets just go all science for progress in style of his League lore

His daughter in a golden casket with transparent glass to see her, not propped up as a display but essentially half dead half alive, ready to be buried but also to be revived. Fucker got commitment to this fr fr

buhh i was not able to note all the shit i love in this chapter but have at thee

Vi and Jinx reconnecting through attempting to help Vander and his memories. Also Vi seeing Jinx interact with Isha.

Also the Vander and Silco and the Parents' backstory glimpses. Quad parenting is what I'm saying. Or atleast like the message of Undercity being a family through and through. Everyone was so close.

The Converted Slum though. Good but also the vibes of it as someone who knows League lore.

Viktorrr, doing good and but also him dedicating his whole self again to help someone. He really just wants to help in the way he can. His patience and dedication shining once more

I imagine the plants outside the slums commune were possibly inspired by Sky's study on plants on her book

We love to see Kino but oh that audio and shots to the water, we know oh we know its her

Mel acting on instinct on the magic dungeon puzzle when she was trapped. She was definitely being tested there if she was the one the Black Rose wanted. Her surprise on how she was able to somehow know what to do makes me think she definitely wasn't lying to Jayce of how they both got unscratched by the Rocket. Its definitely magic golden tattoos making a shield.

I love that Mel and Victor got another parallel of having a magical force masquerading as a person they could trust to do something in their favour

Jayce got so fucked up from his Hextech interdimensional travel. Quite possibly a wild-magic/void corrupted apocalypse full of transformed hollowed out cultists from Viktor's group. What did you see maann?? I think we'd get his POV along with Ekko and Heimder's next act.

Definitely think both Jayce and Viktor are just doing what they think is best.

So Jayce how does it feel to save your lab 'partner' only to have to kill him to prevent a probably apocalypse, with that survivors guilt and probably savior complex of yours

Man is going through it, probably hadn't had good news since he disappear too, continuing on from act 1 of bad shit happening to him personally

That scene where the converted 'died' and seemingly gets hollowed out of magic, hoo boy. Its like the Commune had the whole vibe of Inspiration rune but then you know that there must be some Void shit happening here.

Do you think that Singed's serum stopped whatever would have happened to Vander who was getting the magic threatment (hollow and empty), but also made it worse (fucking lava through the orifices)

Isha really be out here rhyming history. Many hexorbs in a device to save someone you love bound to be a disaster. I'm giving a bit of hope for her here against the hex stuff since they tend to be more force damage focus. So if the gun chamber doesn't explode, just uh survive that falling possible corpse of a man-werewolf of her and she should be good.

Vi hugging Jinx down to protect her from the explosion.

should be noted we still are missing a scene from the trailers of the converted glowing and levitating. May not be done with that location just yet. Sacrifice cultist for Viktor revival? If not well RIP be it dead or a certain someone is gonna try to revive you.

If those two are dead, Singed will probably get Vander and Viktor's corpse and get the knowledge he needs to heal and transform Orianna. Follow that trail of the Apex of Chemtech/Alchemy and the Apex of Hextech/Magic.

Also I wanna note Rictus being the second of command present for Ambessa. Keeping an eye out, having opinions shared to her and also the shots we get of him nothing something like when Ambessa and Caitlyn were sparring and the important of kin to her, and has ofc fighting skills. And now he is gone and Ambessa loses another person close to her.

Gonna be fun to see more Singed & Ambessa interactions considering their similarities and dedication for their own respective daughter. Would Ambessa order Singed to study Hextech? Singed could tell her his student happens to be one of the inventors of hextech and gave him notes. Or he could keep that to himself and just pipe up to say 'hey lemme try'

Speaking of Ambessa, I really like her interactions with Caitlyn. It's clear she is going through it knowing Mel was kidnapped but also have this new girl she can mentor/attempt to direct to her goals.

There are definitely more thoughts in my noggin but I need a rewatch

[didsomeonesayventus]

kicks feet and daydreams of blorbos under stress and big dramatic rescues and unecessary drama or katie rambles the loose summary of latest engage fic idea under the cut because im not writing this any time soon

Alear makes motions to amend + correct the divine teachings to include more of his actual opinion + also the proper story of his heritage out of a desire to be transparent.

Several People Did Not Like That and set in motion concerns of Alear's legitimacy as Divine Dragon King of Lythos because HEY it's. Kind Of Concerning That We've Been Worshipping a Fell Dragon, Actually

Alear and Alcryst try to placate such concerns without making any exceptionally hard moves because yeah okay you can be a bit butthurt that he was born fell I GUESS but does that change anything

They're trying to be delicate and accommodating and not like. Look like they have anything up their sleeve or like tyrants. It unfortunately cedes a bit of power to this dissenting group by treating them with even footing as still part of the church.

Ultimately things get tense enough that Alcryst submits himself to this dissenting party's custody for interrogation on behalf of Alear's character and legitimacy in an attempt to keep things from becoming too rough of a power struggle

The idea being displaying they don't have any malicious intent in mind and have nothing to hide

At first it's pretty chill, if annoying to be separated, and Alcryst manages the basics well ha ha its almost like you guys are jealous of my faith in him aren't you >:3

Alear, meanwhile, is bolstering his knowledge of the faith with Vander and Pandreo when available.

They're both scrambling to make sure they both have good resources to bite back with and Establish I Know Church Thing Leave Me Alone because these people! Man. Pandreo is especially used to it at least so he’s well prepped with “quote this” and “quote that” for snappy responses

Alear visits Alcryst at night to spare too many people noticing because god dammit that's his partner he misses him!!

Alcryst knows its a bad idea and tries to convince Alear it looks suspicious but Alear uh! Doesn't care he'll just be careful.

Inquisitors try the "he's using you it's not love it's manipulation" tactic and it almost works because it plays to Alcryst's deep seated insecurities but then they fuck up and make a horrendously OOC argument. Alear would never!

Alear might fuck up a bit one visit and can't keep his hands off Alcryst one night because he loves him he's so miserable and tired please let him do something to help support him. Alcryst doesn't protest much because he IS Miserable and Exhausted, thank you honey, but it makes for a very distracted brain come morning. Oops would be a shame if he slipped up.

Things gradually get worse and Alcryst tries to keep his head up and convince Alear the news is Fine but Pandreo's consultations don't sugarcoat that they're probably gearing for condemnation.

Like. dude they might fucking kill you over this. Like pull the full Fell Influence Bullshit and Everything.

BUT! If Alear can get support from the presence of all four leaders of Elyos! then they can invoke a clause that, through such harmonious accord, his legitimacy is maintained and then he can forgive you or whatever and things will be fine.

(convenient then he's besties with them all huh!)

So Alcryst convinces Alear to go gather everyone and bring them back for a formal council to get undeniable proof that they're vouching for him.

Alear doesn't like this.

Trust the plan, love. Alcryst will be fine and things can coast long enough for everyone to come by.

Alear reluctantly leaves, creating a large enough vacuum between his absence, Alcryst's questioning, and lack of Clear Higher-Ups to allow the dissenting inquisitors to play hardball

They rule Alcryst heretical enough to be put to death! SPLENDID

Pandreo vc you guys can't fucking do that-

(something something outnumbered overruled)

Alcryst sweating heavily because Alear won't be back for a few days.

Pandreo wiggles out some time something something dying rites and chance at redemption _in line with the faith right guys_. Might pull a penelope and find a way to make his work "perpetual" as long as needed to buy time.

BUT can't prolong the inevitable and well Alcryst any last words

(polite, stone cold, diplomatic speech) Fuck all of you.

AND WHAT'S THIS?!? ALEAR WITH THE DRAGON CLAWS

(we can have dragon alear as a treat)

Swoops in cuts the ropes pulls Alcryst away from the smoke and fire. so noble. so heroic. swoons.

babe are you okay?

brief little whimper nod of shock

Alear proceeds to CHEW THE FUCK OUT OF EVERYONE INVOLVED

Alcryst's knees give out at some point because fuckfuckfuckfuckfuck he almost died HE ALMOST DIED?!

He's in sopping wet cat mode + in shock and clinging to Alear

Alear meanwhile is done playing nice and everyone involved is excommunicated from the church + exiled from Lythos get out of my church get out of my country Fuck. Off. Mic drop.

Kneels down and wraps his cape around alcryst's shoulders. it's ok. they won't do anything else to you. he was so fucking scared when he got wind of the announcement. 

He’d like just touched ground from the ferry when he heard and went flying back.

I love you.

I know.

The matter gets settled and the older royals arrive to invoke the clause anyways to be double sure because FUCK this is not happening again Divine Dragon willing

Diamant probably takes a moment to tear into Alear for putting his brother in danger like that friend or not that’s his BROTHER WHAT ARE YOU-

Alcryst quietly interjects it was his idea.

Diamant sighs. fine. Bear hug dont be so stupid next time do you understand.

yeah. yeah.........

but yayyy only mildly traumatized!!!

[turquoisetuber]

Here I come!!

4. Does your OC have a failed friendship or relationship they still think about? What happened? Is it an unresolved regret or is there a chance for reconciliation?

7. Does your OC like their natural hair color or do they dye it? What styles do they prefer?

9. Is your OC laid back or do they thrive on drama? What role do they play in their group of friends/associates?

18. Has your OC ever had a prophecy made about them? Was it a big deal or did they ignore it? Was it straightforward or cryptic? Did it ever come to pass or did they circumvent it?

For... Any of your sillies!! :3

ooh!! love these!

they are under cut! warning. uh. LONGG post XD

also im gonna focus on the ocs i talk less about, so a *little* less jade in this post. sorry!! i talk about her all the time tho!!

thanks for the ask!!

"Does your OC have a failed friendship or relationship they still think about? What happened? Is it an unresolved regret or is there a chance for reconciliation?"

for Hazel!!

ohh hazel my beloved lesbian distaster. she is the only one with a failed relationship, actually! that was with Agent-now-Captain 3 of the Squidbeak Splatoon! this was hazel's first (or second, i forgor some stuff) relationship-the two were around 13 at the time, and they were great friends, but maybe not the best partners. what really broke their relationship was when hazel left Inkopolis without telling ANYONE about her dissapearance-hazel does wish they can reconcile and be better friends, but the Captain hasn't got any intention of becoming close with Hazel again. its unfortunate, but.. Hazel understands they she fucked up their relationship for good, sadly :( but shes a much better girlfriend now!

"Does your OC like their natural hair color or do they dye it? What styles do they prefer?"

for Vander!!

Vander *likes* his natural black hair, dont get me wrong, but he MUCH prefers it dyed. he bleaches it and dyes it a pretty two-tone pink! and while im still playing with his hairstyles, he prefers it a little longer, almost having a mullet! he does rock it though!

(next question gets split!!)

"Is your OC laid back or do they thrive on drama?"

for Everest!!

Ev could not care less about drama. his whole life has been a mess of family drama, trauma, and rocky relationships. he prefers to stay in his own lane—with one exception.

Ev is by no means a truly violent person, UNLESS you fuck with his loved ones. he knows EVERYTHING about current family drama-part of the reason nothing gets by him. and its evident he cares, because, i mean.. this boy took on an EXTREMELY powerful world leader in order to get revenge for the shit he did to jade. (and he only lost because, again, much more powerful than him) so he knows some things-you just better hope to god its not bad enough that he acts on it.

"What roles do they play in their group?"

for everyone!!

starting at the top, Hazel is the team leader. she's an extremely confident and passionate person, and very quick to act, making her the perfect fit for the role.

jade and ev share another main role-they're the team's strategists. what hazel, peri, and vander aren't as skilled at is actually planning, while these two can look at every corner of a situation with ease.

jade is also their medic-to nobody's surprise. she attempts to avoid unnecessary death, and helps the team get back on their feet.

everyone is a soldier and has different skills there, so i'll summarize that!

jade is their duelist. she faces opponents head-on, often to be the one to finish off an opponent if no others are fit to do so!

hazel is a distraction: she is a skilled fighter, no doubt, but she often holds enemies off so someone else gets an easier kill! if she's not distraction? she's their other kamikaze pilot. as long ad the job gets done, she's willing to tack a life off of her! (not that she has a limit)

everest is their raw strength! he has some SEVERE power in him and he can be DEVASTATING. he probably has the highest kill count 😅

vander's their stealth! he can get in there and do whatever he damn well pleases without a soul noticing a thing. kinda scary. good thing hes on our gang's side!

peri is their glass cannon! literally! she packs a punch, but due to being, well, glass, she shatters easily. does this stop her? NO. she will easily choose to shatter before retreating.

"Has your OC ever had a prophecy about them? Was it a big deal or did they ignore it? Was it straightforward or cryptic? Did it come to pass or did they circumvent it?"

for Everest!!

not quite a prophecy, but he was heir to his mother's nation. which.. straightforward enough. this was obviously avoided when vander outed him as a traitor (in his defense, dying didn't sound too great to him at the time) but.. thank got it didnt happen. or our poor icy boy would be VERY posessed by some matter most dark.

[strxngertogether]

Isha's being squished by Vander, his dead body heavy and forcing the little air she's pulling in right back out. She's in and out of consciousness and she's alone. The thought terrifies her, but she's too weak to do much about it besides occasionally whimper. She needs to know if Jinx is okay. She wouldn't be so scared, if she knew that her plan had worked. The young girl's eyebrows furrow minimally when someone kneels next to her, barely enough energy left to even do that. She would be scared or maybe excited, but her emotions are dulled and she doesn't recognize the person as noticeably friend or foe. It doesn't really matter, she thinks. She probably won't make it long enough to ever figure it out.

Sevika's eyes scan the carnage, looking for any sign of Isha. Bright blue against a gritty background, a small hand, anything. They'd told her she was dead, but she refuses to let that be true. Vi doesn't know Isha like she does. She's a fighter and even if she was in the middle of it all (not an if... Isha's always in the thick of it and she thinks that's pretty fucking admirable), she can't believe that the kid's dead. Hurt, maybe. But not dead. She's frantic as she checks each body, all adult Zaunites or Noxians. "Isha!" she yells at the top of her lungs, hoping she might get some sort of response. "ISHA!" Again, nothing. So she keeps searching. She'll keep at it as long as she has to; until she finds Isha.

Her head shoots up when she hears quick footsteps, almost hopeful that it might be the kid. Her jaw clenches though when it's a familiar face, but not the one she's looking for. She does not have time for this. But then her eyes follow to where Student is reaching out and there's a blob of knotted, dirty blue hair. A quiet gasp rips from her and her eyes widen. "Isha..!" Her voice is breathy and relieved, but there's tinge of... not quite fear, but something in that same vein. Hesitation, maybe.

The tall woman takes large, quick steps, closing the distance while also keeping some distance to stay in control. "Get the hell away from her..." she threatens, but it's almost a plead; her voice low and threatening while also wavering. She knows what Student is capable of and she doesn't want to waste precious time fighting her, but she's willing to do whatever it takes to get to Isha.

@strxngertogether

It's rare - very rare - that she's anywhere near a battleground after the fight ends. Battles in themselves are something she tries to steer clear of. They're messy. Far too many people clashing, fronts and sides rather than a ring of sharpened points facing inwards. Too difficult to parse. Too...

Blood splashes against her shoe as she takes a slightly wrong step, and her features pinch, a grimace flickering through them before smoothing itself out.

Too messy. Much too messy, but there are few better places to find a whole hell of a lot of scrap material, and if she's lucky, some insight into why this happened in the first place. It being leagues away from her usual haunts shouldn't matter. The place is almost abandoned - the only remaining inhabitants being the dead and the soon dead. It's unfortunate, then, that one of the people she spots in the second category is less than half the size of everyone around her.

Xue breaks into a run and skids to a stop in the sandy earth, taking a knee beside the badly burned, blue-haired girl lying in the same dust as everyone else. The hesitation before she takes the pendant off her waist and reaches to hold it to Isha's cheek is only momentary.

[theprettyarachnid]

domestic things the arcane characters do

a/n: im probably not going to be very active for the next couple of days so... here <3

warnings: none, its short and sweet

Jinx

🕷 She wakes up first in the morning, mainly out of habit but also because she gets to wake you up

🕷 Jinx will gently roll you over on your back and rest her head on your chest while booping your nose or poking your cheeks quietly telling you to wake up

🕷 She always holds your hand wherever you two go and if she can't hold your hand, she wraps it around your waist

🕷 I can see Jinx being really good at braiding hair so if you have long hair, she will just braid it anytime she wants

Vi

🕷 I don't think I have to say this, but the pet names are endless

🕷 Literally every sentence directed towards you ends with some cheesy nickname

🕷 Vi kills off every bug that you're afraid of

🕷 and she does it with her bare hands

🕷 Anytime you two go out to eat, she insists on getting the check and doesn't let you see how much it is

🕷 It's very sweet but her facial expressions give her away every time

Caitlyn

🕷 She leaves little notes around the house for you to find whenever she's at work

🕷 Depending on where they are in the house tells you what they might say

🕷 For example, if you're about to clean the dishes there will be a note saying it's already done

🕷 She loves cooking with you and she is definitely the best cook out of everyone on this list

🕷 If you try and 'taste test' any of the food you two are making, she swats your hand away with an adoring smile

Ekko

🕷 Has every single one of your orders memorized

🕷 Every time he closes up shop, he demands a 30 minute cuddle session no matter how busy you are

🕷 In his spare time, Ekko makes you little trinkets that he thinks you'll like

🕷 He wears a specific hoodie for a few days so it can get his scent on it before he 'accidentally' leaves it for you to find

Viktor

🕷 Always makes you a hot drink of your choosing in the morning

🕷 When you two are alone and have some down time, he likes to lay his head on your lap and let you play with his hair

🕷 He's out in the next five minutes

🕷 Viktor loves showering with you

🕷 His love language is acts of service so being able to wash your hair and body while just enjoying the hot water with you is literal heaven to him

🕷 When he catches you napping on the couch or in a chair, he drapes a blanket over you so you don't get cold

Jayce

🕷 He regularly buys you bouquets of flowers

🕷 Whenever music is playing, Jayce quietly hums to himself before making you dance with him

🕷 I can see Jayce being a literal god when it comes to giving massages

🕷 LIKE LOOK AT THOSE BIG MUSCULAR HANDS

🕷 He can't fall asleep without you

🕷 he'll never admit it but it's true

🕷 Jayce likes having you by his side either tracing shapes on his bare chest or playing with his hair

Silco

🕷 hm.. domestic and silco don't really go together AHAHHAAH

🕷 He enjoys the mornings the most because he can help you pick out your outfit while smoking a cigar

🕷 He likes zipping up the backs if needed

🕷 You probably got addicted to smoking because of him so you two share a cigar while talking about any upcoming meetings or raids he has planned

🕷 I can see him buying you jewelry based on things like your birth stone or he will simply buy it for you because it reminded him of you

Vander

🕷 This man is the definition of domestic

🕷 Early mornings are filled with quiet laughter while you two have breakfast and a cup of coffee

🕷 If one of you are particularly tired that day, the other will do whatever else needs to be done

🕷 He is the father of four children so he's not afraid to take care of you when sick

🕷 I can see Vander being a fan of naked cuddling just because of the skin on skin contact

[sweatandwoe]

Morning Sweaty✨ for that writing prompt…Could I please maybe possibly get Vander shyly asking to hold readers hand?

FOR YOU DESIGN, my heart, anything/everything, but for now some Vander being a doofus with a big crush

Vander x GN!reader Warnings; None, suggestive if you squint at it.

-

He doesn’t know why he’s being so stupid about this. All he has to do is ask. The worst you could do was say no, and he could handle that. He was an older man, a father of four, he would get over it easily. 

The problem lay in, what the fuck would happen if you said yes.

You saying yes was absolutely horrifying. It still elicited a warm feeling in his broad chest, but what would it bring for the future? 

That was a whole wave of uncertainty. One Vander was not ready to handle. So instead he kept his hands to himself, tucking them into his pockets. Not reaching for your own, or asking for it. It would be better this way, for no one to know but himself. 

That way no one would know the Hound of the Underworld was terrified of asking his friend if he could hold their hand. Take them to dinner. Kiss them-

“That booth over there is getting rowdy.” 

His eyes open, snapping down to look at you. You’re gesturing to a booth to the right, bringing back a large handful of mugs. A grin on your face. “Anything bad?” 

“No, they tipped me extra actually. But they’re going to get worse after another drink.” 

Vander took a glance at the clock, hands still in his pockets. “Bar’s closed in five minutes anyway. I’ll scare them off.” 

When you smile up at him, his heart enters his throat so he can choke on it. “Thank you, Vander.” 

“You can help clean up still for a few minutes.” 

Not that he needed to worry about it. You stayed late often to help clean up, so that way he could go spend time with his family. 

And tonight you helped him out extra by helping replace a blown out bulb. He could do it, he was tall enough, but you had been insistent that you do it. 

He really shouldn’t have let you, letting you use his hand as an anchor while he had a clear view up your shirt. A quick glance down from you, had him averting his eyes. Ears burning. 

“You alright, Vander? Looking a little pink.”

“The lighting.” 

“This is a standard light, Vander.” You flicked your wrist as you finished twisting the lightbulb in. Bright yellow light coming though, and you made your way off of the bar counter, gripping his hand for support. 

“Something I ate then. Spicy food, gets the blood going.” 

You were smiling at him, and he felt stupid. Because his face and ears were burning hotter than before now, and somehow you were making him feel dumb. Bring the hound to heel with just a look. 

God, he really wanted to ask you out. The kids seemed to like you, and you all got along well but he had to consider them and the future. This would have to be a long term fit if he was going to act on the feelings brewing his chest. He’d need to make sure things would work out and-

“You haven’t let go of my hand, Vander.” 

The large man blinked, staring down at where your hands were clasped together. Your own curling around his. “You haven’t either.” 

“Nope.” 

That got a smile from him then, a big one actually. One that came onto his face too quickly, that probably had him looking like a doofus. 

But he also didn’t care as much as you squeezed his fingers with your own. Tucking a loose piece of hair over your ear, and trying not to smile yourself. “So… Any plans tonight?”

“I was thinking some dinner now.” A small movement forward, gently drawing you closer. “Would you care to join me?”

“I could go for some grub.”

He lead you away from the bar. Fingers locked together, as the burning feeling on his face wouldn’t leave for hours, not until it was time for you to go home and he’d have to ask you out properly at the door. 

Vander had at least a few hours to work up the courage until then. And holding your hand, made it seem a lot easier. 

[skeletonsweatshirt]

How about something with Vander! What’s his morning routine like? Maybe something with Vander and his s/o? Only if you want to ofc!

I CAME UP WITH AN IDEA FOR THIS AS SOON AS I SAW THIS

Vander's morning routine with his s/o

Vander x gn!reader

Tags: DOMESTIC FLUUUUUUFFFFFFF, Big guy lovin his partner, im so gay, I didn't proofread this, I was too tired

A/N: I am currently in a lot of pain so I'm laying in bed writing because its fun. Enjoy the domestic fluff people, I know I do. Also excuse the fact this post is a bit shorter than the Silco one, it's just there's only so much you can write about a morning routine, especially with a man as busy as Vander.

Context: For these headcannons I am imagining you and Vander living together, whatever stage of your relationship you are at.

He 100% wakes up earlier than he needs to just so he can cuddle with you for a bit before he actually has to get out of bed.

When he does get out of bed, he always leaves you with a kiss on the forehead and I mumbled "Love you" into your ear.

I see Vander as a man that has a long ass morning routine despite not seeming like it.

He showers every morning, cleans up his beard, deodorant, cologne, the whole nine yards.

I mean he owns a business and is the figurehead of the undercity, he has to look good.

Even if you don't get up as early as Vander, he is still usually in the house by the time you get up.

To be fair at that point he is usually fully dressed and almost finished making breakfast for the both of you, but it is a pleasant 30 minutes you guys get to enjoy together before Vander has to go work.

Vander is actually a really good cook. No matter what he's making, it's always delicious.

Vander is always really touchy right before he leaves, because if you don't work at the Last Drop, he won't be seeing you for a few hours, so he wants to make the time with you last.

Even after he leaves, you think about him all day because Vander leaves notes around the house reminding you about different things that either you often forget to do, he forgets to do, or they're just cute little notes reminding you how much he loves you.

As your eyes crack open, slowly adjusting to the sunlight that was beaming in through your ajar window. You haul your comforter over your head in an attempt to capture the few fleeting minutes of sleep you have left. That plan is quickly foiled, however, as the smell of bacon and eggs drifts down the hallway and into your shared bedroom.

You groan softly and gradually get out of bed. You start your walk out of your room and towards the kitchen, only taking a few moments to stop in front of your vanity mirror and tame the bird's nest atop your head.

Just as you reach the end of the hallway, whatever thoughts you may have been having previously are interrupted by Vander's cheery humming and his brief "good morning" as he continued on cooking.

You sit on a barstool right by the counter and gently rub your hands over your face in an attempt to wake yourself up. You let out a sigh just as Vander slides a plate of delectable-smelling food right under your nose.

"Eat up, honey. Maybe it'll help wake you a bit." He stated, sleep still evident in his voice despite how long he's probably been awake for.

You slowly take the fork he included with your dish and poke at a piece of egg before lifting it to your lips, briefly blowing on it, and popping it in your mouth. Vander soon joins and takes the seat next to yours. Your early morning brain can't help but wonder how that little bar stool can handle holding up Vander, who is probably 90% muscle at this point.

You both continue eating, exchanging small conversation and random early-morning small talk. Vander seems to be eating faster than normal, and when you finally let your eyes wander to the clock hanging above the stove, you realize why.

Although it seems Vander beat you to the thought as he stands, deposits his dishes into the sink and he makes his way over to where you sit, arms open in anticipation of a hug. You're hesitant to give it to him, you know once he gets his after-breakfast affection he's going to have to leave. You hate when he has to leave.

"Come on, love. I'm damn close to running late." He had now woken up a bit, but it barely changed his gruff accent.

You groan as you cave in and bury your head into his chest, allowing your arms to wrap around his middle. Vander was always so...comfy. If you hadn't just started to wake up you would fall asleep right there. But you can't, not when you have to get ready and Vander needs to leave.

"Have a good day, Van." You coo as he leans down and steals a goodbye kiss from you.

"You too, honey. I love you."