#and 2) if they DID lock jinx up vi would KILL THEM

[brionysea]

in act i piltover doesn't care that the people they're threatening war over to get arrested are a group of four children and in act iii piltover doesn't care that jinx is a mentally compromised teenager who sometimes acts even younger than she is due to The Trauma and who needs help not to be locked up in a cell like vi was. i am so on vi's side about piltover's prison system being awful because what the hell is wrong with them

[thenationofzaun]

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

A Dark Vi in Season 2:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[heroinejinx]

‘Just you and I...’ (Jinx x Ekko, part 4 of ?)

Part 1: ‘Like we used to.’

Part 2: ‘Shit happens, right?’

Part 3: ‘Again. Always.’

Jinx next sees Ekko on the bridge (yes, the bridge...) Will they fight, or can he get through to her this time? (1200 words)

TW: violence, reference to death, mental health, paranoia 

The little butterflies I’d tinkered with served me well. Maximum devastation. Beautiful. The plume of green flames and smoke cleared a little as I coasted through the wreckage, humming to myself. The song that never left my head. Strange little earworm.

Zapper dealt with one of the few enforcers still breathing as I made my way towards my prize. Knelt to scoop up the gemstone in its neat little carrier. And there they were. Together. My sister and the enforcer.

Vi could barely look at me. But Caitlyn? Her face distorted into a callous grin. She’d gotten what she wanted. How could Vi have chosen her?

How dare she stand there, taunting me like that?

Pow-Pow shot them apart, sent them flying in opposite directions, but through the divide Ekko came swinging. He sent the poor girl spinning out from my grip before he circled back at me and knocked away my bounty, narrowly missing my body.

Had he missed on purpose? What was he trying to do? Scare me? Disarm me? Both?

Pfft. As if Ekko could ever scare me.

Gemstone safe in that contraption of his, he flung it at Vi and yelled for them both to leave. My stomach twisted as she helped Caitlyn to her feet and turned. One look back was all she gave me.

What was that? Pity? Horror? Regret? Real nice, big sister. Coward. Liar.

I scowled. Shrugged her off. If that was her choice, I wouldn’t cry about it. Vi had abandoned me. Again. No surprises there. Whoopedy-fucking-doo.

There were bigger fish to fry. Ekko-shaped fish. He must’ve fixed his piece-of-shit glider by himself after I left it broken.

He had it on the roof, genius.

Of course. He was there, too. Why couldn’t he leave well alone? I didn’t want him near me. He was everywhere. Following me. Sticking his nose into other people’s business.

Why did he have the gemstone? Why was he even with Vi and Caitlyn in the first place?

After the roof, dumb ass. The Firelights took them.

Right. They were all against me. All three of them. And the rest. Plotting. Conniving. Whispering behind my back. Probably planning to sell me out to enforcers first chance they got. Why wouldn’t they? I wasn’t worth saving. I’d proven that.

Ekko squared up for a duel, eyes so serious. It was just us and the smoke, so thick it stung to keep my eyes open. But I remained focused. Fixed on his petite yet sturdy frame. Prone for whatever was about to happen.

‘Well, if it isn’t the boy saviour!’ 

He huffed in response. Donned a smug-as-shit smirk.

What was he expecting, a welcome parade? Technically, that was what the butterflies were for.

I could do it. Couldn’t I? I could kill him.

Excise your doubts, Jinx. Be what they fear, Jinx.

Yeah. I could totally kill him. Easy. Few shots from Zapper would’ve ended him. Blown him away, forever. Like all the others. No big.

We’d connected before, sure, but what was a little fooling around between sworn enemies? We weren’t lovers, that was damn clear. He didn’t want me. He’d never love me for all my parts. No one would. Why pretend otherwise, right?

Our eyes locked. Only a matter of time before one of us made the first move and started the fight.

And then he dropped his weapon, held his hands up in surrender.

I snorted into the grey night, dumbstruck. Talk about an anti-climax!

‘It’s just you and I, Jinx…’

He inched closer, and I trained Zapper right on his temple, my trigger finger restless.

‘I don’t want to fight you,’ he said, coming closer still. Calling my bluff.

I let off a warning shot to his left. My bullet grazed his ear as it hurtled past. Good job, bullet. He stopped still. Eyes drilled into mine like a jackhammer, as he stood poised, bathed in light. Calm exuded from him. 

Didn’t he realise I had a gun aimed at his head? Did he have a death wish, or was he fool enough to assume I didn’t?

He took another step. I fired off a second warning, and he moved in tandem. Closer, closer, closer. Goading me. Telling me I couldn’t do it. Couldn’t kill him.

What the fuck was his problem? Arrogant fucking bastard. Boy saviour with the complex to match, thinking he could fix every asshole in Runeterra with nothing but a sliver of charm, hope and positive thinking. And I thought I was crazy! Ha-ha-ha!

I fired off a third warning. He didn’t stop. Fourth. Fifth. I was running out of ammo. Probably his plan. It was all mind games with him.

The second he was in reaching distance, he drop-kicked Zapper out of my hand and thrust me to the ground, pinning me down with his glider.

Whoever fixed it had done a bang-up job, almost to my standards. Ekko’s handiwork was all over it. Despite the pain spiking up my torso from his weight pressing down on top of me, I chuckled. Proud.

He furrowed his brow, trying to read me.

Then it came. That look, that fucking look. Kid in a junkyard full of marvels…

Fuck you, Ekko.

My head emptied, lost in the universe of his rich brown eyes.

Ekko stared into me, and I could’ve sworn he saw Powder looking back. He saw me, and he loved me.

Those eyes didn’t lie. They told me to come with him, to trust him, to let him help me.

His lips curled up at the sides, barely enough to notice. No strings. No pressure. Just a smile, a gentle question.

I smiled back, and that was that. Decision made.

He stood and extended his hand, helped me to my feet and onto his glider. I balanced behind him, looped my arms around his strong waist.

As he prepared for take-off, I glanced back at the destruction. My destruction. Pow-Pow and Zapper lay where they had fallen. Abandoned. I couldn’t just leave them.

‘Wait!’ I ran back to collect my girls and shrugged Ekko a ‘sorry,’ as I secured them in place for the trip. Hopped back into place. Ready.

With a burst of energy, we were in the air. I clung tighter as we zipped through the night sky towards a viaduct leading out of the city, tearing across Piltover so fast it made my cheeks chatter and my gut drop with adrenaline. Divine.

How long before Silco sent his goons out searching for me? Maybe he’d assume I died in battle, thrown off the bridge into the river to drown. Same river that almost drowned him. Poetic, right? Ha!

It would’ve simplified things if Silco could’ve let me go. Let me die, like he should have. But he’d never stop looking. Dog with a fucking bone, couldn’t leave me alone. And I wanted him to.

In that moment, gliding with Ekko, I wanted Silco and every other fucker in Zaun and Piltover to forget I ever existed.

Ekko should’ve let me die on the bridge. Would’ve been better for everyone. I ruined everything. I’d ruin him if he wasn’t careful.

Or worse, Silco would kill him.

[sylvanas-girlkisser]

Do you think Silco was grooming Jinx?

Absolutely not, in fact I've made several posts arguing that the reason they put Jinx under Silco's wings was specifically in acknowledgement of how vulnerable to grooming Jinx might be without the proper support network.

Okay so like, reasons Silco wasn't grooming Jinx.

1) Actively empowering her: literally right up until the end, he's constantly reminding Jinx that she is deserving love and that she shouldn't change who she is to get it.

2) Gives her space: we can tell it's not easy for Silco, because he is someone who likes having things under control, but when Sevika tells him Jinx needs some time on her own, he stops looking for her.

3) Doesn't constrain her mobility: Jinx is free to run around Zaun as she pleases, and in fact she has her own space clearly outside of Silco's control (her workshop). In fact I would even argue Silco makes a point of respecting her privacy; only rarely coming down there and otherwise letting her come to him when they need to talk.

4) We also can't ignore the fact that Silco let's her have means of fighting back. Obviously being armed does not protect you from grooming or abuse, but It does show that Silco clearly wants her to be able to protect herself.

5) And let's not forget that when Jinx is violently lashing out against him, he lets it happen. He doesn't try to restrain her or fight back, he talks to her, explaining why he did what he did.

I get why people are accusing him of grooming (besides just fandom spaces' love of misappropriating incredibly serious concepts), his main role in the story is keeping Vi and Jinx apart. But he does genuinely believe, and perhaps rightfully so, that he is protecting Jinx.

When last he saw Vi, she was tearing into Jinx like no tomorrow, not to mention fucking punched her to the floor, before leaving her on the street. Then she shows up 10 years later out of the blue, with a cop in tow, after Jinx killed 20 cops at the macy's day parade? Yeah fat chance she's just here to talk about the good old days. When you then also consider Silco's obviously deeply traumatic experience of his own (adoptive?) older brother TRYING TO MURDER HIM, it makes sense that he assumes Vi is only here to hurt Jinx.

That's kinda the thing about the central conflict of Arcane, neither Silco or Vi are fully willing to let Jinx be her own person. Silco is projecting his own trauma on to Jinx, he needs Vi to want to hurt Jinx, because then he will have been right in killing Vander - At the same time, Vi still sees Jinx as Powder, she literally refuses to acknowledge the person Jinx became while she was away (which in itself is a result of Vi spending all those years essentially locked in time inside the walls of Stillwater prison, but that's the subject for a different rant).

And don't even get me started on Silco's talk about how the Pilties will never care for them; that's not grooming, that's life under capitalism. Jinx doesn't have the mental health to work in a mine, nor the charisma to dance for visiting topsiders and as such, in the eyes of Piltover, she's nothing but a waste of resources. The academy is never in a million years going to open it's doors to her - think of how many strokes of luck Viktor had to get where he ended up (as the shadow of a rich Piltover boy). He had a natural affinity for technology, was given private teaching by one of the greatest minds of a generation, was "discovered" by Heimerdinger which allowed him to stumble upon Jayce's journal; and on top of all that he and Jayce then had to in the span of one night crack the mysteries of hextech.

[wizardofrozz]

The Perfect Pair

Warnings: swearing, angst, mention of violence (please let me know if I miss something!)

Pairing: Loki x OFC

A/N: There’s a good chance I’ll post the next chapter too today 😊 *Character’s thoughts are in italics*

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Chapter 2: Mutual Goals

(Violet POV)

I woke with a start, panting as I looked around the room. I sighed when I remembered I snagged a room in Knowhere to sleep for the night after my encounter with that pain in the ass God. I tried to shake away the dream of him as I sat up in bed, but his irritatingly handsome face still lingered in my head. I pulled the blankets off my legs to slid out of bed, grabbing a robe and wandering over to the bathroom, rubbing sleep from my eyes. I walked into the bathroom, realizing there was another door on the opposite side. Hm must be a shared bathroom. I shrugged, hoping the other person would stay out for 5 minutes, and as if jinxing myself, the other door opened.             “Oh, you’re fucking kidding me!” I yelled, my head falling back. His eyes opened wider, any trace of sleep gone now, as the reality of the situation hit him.             “What are you doing here?” his eyes raking down my body. I crossed my arms, hiding the fact that I didn’t have a bra on under the robe I found. Loki shifted uncomfortably across the bathroom, shaking his legs slightly.             “I tried to get some sleep; what are you doing here?” I spat back at him.             “The same thing,” he raised an eyebrow.             “What are you doing in Knowhere?” I narrowed my eyes at him.             “Running an errand so I can move onto the next stage of my plan,” Loki said in a very nonchalant tone, leaning against the sink.             “Oh, and what would that be,” I said as I climbed to sit on the sink. I watched Loki’s eyes travel up my legs before he quickly locked eyes with me again.             “Rule Earth,” he smirked, his eyes sparkling.             “I’m coming,” I clapped my hands together, climbing off the sink.             “Did I miss the invitation you think I offered?” Loki asked, irritated.             “Oh no, but it lines up with my plans. I need a way there, so I’ll pledge to help with whatever gets me there,” I smiled over my shoulder. “When are you leaving?” I yelled from my room, sliding my leather suit up to my waist and dropping the robe to the floor.             “I didn’t agree-” Loki broke off. I turned around, still naked from the waist up, to find him standing in my doorway; his eyes widened as they traveled to my bare chest.             “Change your mind?” I snickered.             “Uh…I,” Loki stuttered. I broke his trance by pulling my sports bra over my head; his eyes snapped up to mine, watching me.             “Come on; maybe I’ll even sleep with you,” I winked, but his expression hardened.             “Sex won’t always get you want, whore,” he spat at me.             “That stings,” I overplayed the hurt before my face fell into a bored expression. “I don’t use sex for anything; I’m powerful enough that I don’t need to. I thought maybe if I offered a little reward for bringing me along, you might change your mind,” I smirked.             “And why would you think that’s the reward I’d want,” he narrowed his eyes, anger radiating off him.             “Your boner gives you away.” I nodded my head towards the bulge in his pants before pulling up the rest of my jump suit. Loki’s eyes widen, and his mouth fell open as he used both hands to cover himself, a bright blush creeping over his cheeks.             “Fine, I will not hesitate to kill you if you get in my way,” Loki said flatly.             “Gods, will you just decide. Do you want to kill me or fuck me? I can’t tell anymore,” I threw my arms up, turning my back to him.             “Both,” he finally said, walking back into the bathroom towards his room.                                                 /// 6 months later I followed the green cape down a damp cave, kicking rocks out of my way as I went.             “Are we almost there?” I groaned.             “Shut up,” Loki said over his shoulder, irritation lacing his voice.             “Bitch,” I spit out, but he ignored me. All of these errands were wearing my patience thin; Loki finally got the scepter he was pinning after, but we still haven’t made our way to New York yet. Nevertheless, the past six months haven’t been that bad; Loki sometimes can be warm and let it slip that he’s not entirely cold-hearted. *** I ordered Loki and me a drink from the bar, hoping to loosen him up.             “What is this?” he sniffed the drink, raising an eyebrow at me.             “Asgardian liquor, somehow they had it,” I smiled, taking a sip.             “Hm, the black market probably,” Loki took a sip of his drink and sighed. After at least three drinks, Loki and I started to feel the effects of the alcohol.             “What’s your favorite animal?” I giggled.             “Snakes,” Loki raised an eyebrow before snickering a little. “Reminds me of a time I played a prank on Thor. I turned myself into a snake because he loves them too, he picked me up, and I turned back into myself and stabbed him,” Loki laughed, honestly laughed. I was taken back by how much I enjoyed hearing it and how my chest tightened when he smiled. I laughed at the story Loki told me, just imagining Loki as a kid stabbing his brother.             “I miss my snake,” I finally said. “She was beautiful,” I sighed.             “What happened to her,” Loki cocked his head to the side.             “My father killed her,” my nostrils flared at the memory.             “Should’ve killed him instead,” Loki muttered, and I snorted. Loki kept telling me stories as we drank, opening up more and more as the alcohol flowed; I was surprised at how much we had in common and how easy it was to talk with him. We finally wrapped up the night, realizing I had way too much to drink; I stumbled a little as we made our way towards the rooms we rented. “You okay?” Loki’s brows pulled together, what seemed like concern on his face.             “A little too drunk,” I giggled, stumbling again. Loki instinctively reached out to grab me; after a few seconds he huffed, but picked me up, bridal style, and carried me the rest of the way. I laid my head on his chest, listening to his strong heartbeat; he started humming quietly as he walked. I listened to the lullaby I remembered from my childhood and drifted off to sleep. ***  I momentarily smiled at the memory, but it lasted only a second when the irritated around this trek through the dark cave came back; I grumbled to myself, willing this fucking trip to end. I happened to notice a small pool not far in front of us; as we got closer, Loki stopped walking, holding his arm out, assuming I wasn’t paying attention. He was right; his arm slammed into my chest, stopping me before I walked into the pool.             “Will you ever learn?” Loki tried to hide his smirk.             “Unlikely,” I shrugged; he rolled his eyes but left it at that. Loki’s eyes fell shut as he concentrated on the pool in front of him; the small pool took on a slight green tint before Loki pulled his magic away.             “Let’s go,” Loki said, turning around.             “Where?” I looked back and forth between Loki and the pool.             “The room,” he looked over his shoulder, confused.             “What the fuck did we trek up here for! To waste our fucking time!” I yelled at him. Before I could react, Loki had me slammed up against the wall, his hand around my throat, his face inches from mine; I couldn’t help but squeeze my legs together when warmth started to grow between them.             “Watch your tongue, pet,” Loki barked at me.             “Make me,” I growled before spitting in his face.             “Oh darling, don’t tempt me.” A wicked look crossed his face as he wiped my spit off his cheek. For a split second, I thought I had finally gone too far, and he was going to kill me, so I figured I might as well make it worthwhile.             “At this point, I’d rather you kill me. Has to better than wandering around like an idiot because you can’t trust me enough to tell me anything!” I yelled in his face.             “Hm, I don’t think I will. I think the torture of the situation is much better,” Loki’s smile was downright terrifying, but I was too angry with him to care.             “Gods, I fucking hate you,” I spat at him. I tried to kick him in the nuts, but he closed his legs, only he wasn’t fast enough; my shin still hit them enough to get a reaction from him. His expression took on a different look that I couldn’t place; pain but something else too.             “You’ll be very sorry for that little one,” Loki’s voice was husky, rough.             “Aw, do you need me to rub them?” I mocked him. I reached down without him noticing and grabbed his balls hard enough that he sucked in a breath, and I saw discomfort in the lines of his face. I was sure he was going to kill me now, but his expression changed when I loosened the grip on him, my hand still hovering close; I watched his pupils grow, pushing out the bright green color of his eyes. Was his face even closer than before? “Loki?” I let out a strangled groan. He snapped out of his trance, blinking a few times before letting go of my throat, letting me fall to the floor; he stepped away from me and walked towards the way we came. “Don’t worry; I’m fine down here. I’ll get up myself,” I mumbled.             “Here,” he rolled his eyes but reached out to help me up. He didn’t step back when he helped me to my feet, so I was chest to chest with him when I stood up. I looked up, locking eyes with him, realizing how close our lips were. “Vi?” Loki whispered the nickname he used for me.             “Grow a pair and kiss me, for fucks sake,” I whispered harshly. My wish was his command; his lips crashed into mine, hard and urgent. My hand was still engulfed in his between us, holding me close; his free hand moved to the back of my neck, clamping down hard, holding me there. Our mouths moved together, our tongues dancing; I couldn’t hold back the moan that left my mouth. Loki responded with a slightly louder moan into my mouth. His mouth moving against mine sparked a strange feeling throughout my body; my skin felt too warm, too tight but at the same time perfect. Loki ripped his hand away from mine before pushing me back into the wall, his body holding me against the rocks, a bulge growing in his pants; I ran my hands up his chest, wishing he were wearing less. His hand moved from the back of my neck back around to my throat again, holding me against the wall; I bit his lip as I pulled away from his intoxicating kiss.             “Fuck,” Loki groaned, a shiver running through him.             “Loki,” I whispered, waiting for him to look at me.             “We should go,” he said, letting me go again, walking away.             “What the fuck?” I threw my hands up but begrudgingly followed. “Seriously, Loki, what the fuck was that!” I pointed back at the spot where we were just standing, but he ignored me. “Loki!” I yelled this time.             “Why aren’t you scared of me!” Loki turned abruptly, screaming in my face. I could tell he was hoping I cringed, but I stood in front of him with a blank expression.             “Why do you care about me?” I shot back, catching him off guard. He physically stumbled back at my words, not expecting me to say that. “I don’t know why I’m not scared of you. Maybe I welcome death. Kill me; it won’t make a difference. Or I just have no fear,” I kept my eyes locked on him the whole time.             “I don’t care for you,” he finally said, and I laughed at him.             “Could’ve fooled me,” I continued laughing, walking past him, back towards the entrance to the cave.             “What does that mean!” he yelled as he tried to catch up.             “Forget it, Loki,” I waved him off, continuing to walk out of the cave, listening to his footsteps behind me.

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Series Masterlist | Chapter 3

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