#arcane season 2 was kinda mid

[bittercandyapplez]

can i be clear

ok. i liked some aspects of s2, beautiful animation, my previous ship became canon, etc. but it felt so rushed! like they didn't know what to do after such a great first season, and so they just... rushed it. s2 was kind of... not great tbh. i still love arcane but why... was the ending so rushed, the caitvi so rushed (a kiss then an i hate you then suddenly a hi lets have sex and then a battle and afterwards theyre in love) ok???? can some of yall share ur thoughts

[narnian-neverlander]

What Could’ve Been [Viktor x GN!Reader]

Plot Summary: In which you find yourself in a world so similar yet so different to your own and are simply too tired of life knocking you down again and again to still play the selfless hero.

Word Count: 3,9k

Warnings: spoilers for Arcane Season 2, talk about character death and illness, suicidal thoughts, slightly suggestive at the end

A/N: I saw that alternate timeline and went ‘Ekko’s a stronger man than I am’ and went with that; actually wanted to write sth fluffy and happy, and this is wholesome-ish, but with some very bleak undertones so I might have to write some actual fluff to compensate. Also, the religious imagery wasn’t planned from the get go but it kinda happened and it is on brand for this man, I just decided to turn it on its head a little 🤷

I’m also very much using a translator for the Czech parts, so please bear with me and absolutely lemme know if you spot anything wrong!

“Interesting. When I told you about this last, you advised the exact opposite.”

You freeze mid movement, plate hovering an inch or so over the table you were setting. “Well I… I suppose I’ve changed my mind.”

The soft tap of a cane against the floor alerts you to him crossing the room, appearing in your peripheral as you put down the porcelain with shaky fingers. “A rather… hm, siginificant change in such a short time, wouldn’t you agree? Not to mention you acted like I was telling you for the first time.” He doesn’t receive an answer, so he keeps going. “I’ve had a theory for a while. I don’t believe I’ve told you about it, because really, it’s only a pipe dream at this point, but entertaining for the duller moments nonetheless: alternate timelines. The possibility of several different realities, all co-existing with each other simultaneously. Some would call the mere idea preposterous, I’m fully aware, but then again, how would we know for certain? How could we know? Unless one or more of said timelines happened to… overlap.” The silence that follows is deafening and heavy; a precursor of what’s to come. “You’re not originally from this world, are you?”

While he knows this is a conversation that needs to be had, the way you curl into yourself and seem to wither and grow small before his eyes makes him wish he could take it all back. He tries to catch your gaze, but you purposely avoid his as you drag yourself over to the couch. Body heavy and tired, you all but slump down into worn cushions, blankly staring into space as you weakly reply with “No. I’m not.”

He doesn’t move, nor does he speak, cause while he’d been expecting your answer to a degree, now that it’s out in the open he’s… unsure what to even do with it. It isn’t a worry for long, though, as you continue speaking, slow and weary. Like you had been expecting, dreading, this moment just as much as him.

“It wasn’t a… conscious choice. To come here, I mean. It was an accident really, I didn’t even know what had happened at first.” A weak chuckle. “This was a shock to me as much as it must’ve been for you.”

And what a shock it had been for you. To have been standing with your friends in the bowels of the Hexgates one minute and to wake up in an unfamiliar bed the next. Dizzily traipsing through a space that had felt familiar yet foreign all at once; pictures and mementos from times you couldn’t remember staring at you from every surface. And to have had Viktor come through the door, bag of baked goods under one arm, to find you in the living room of what should’ve been your home, looking every bit as lost as you felt. It had been a miracle you’d stayed standing then and there, with the way he’d looked: same lanky figure supported by a cane, same messy chestnut locks, same two beauty marks against the pale skin of his sharp face, same concern in his honey colored irises when he took in your state. But no dark circles borderlining bruises under his eyes, no hollowed, sunken in cheeks, no blood on his lips to betray another attack. And no Hexcore devouring him whole. Your downfall had come in the form of slender fingers gingerly wrapping around your forearm to try and steady you; a silent question and a gentle offer of help. One of those fingers wearing the very same ring you usually kept on a chain around your neck, because you’d always been too busy or too in your own head to just ask him. To offer him your heart, your life, your everything, if only he wanted it. Always too terrified of rejection, of losing him to his illness; too scared of fucking something until it was too late. And when your hand had come up in search for said necklace, a nervous habit that had developed at some point, and you’d found a matching ring on your own finger instead, you’d finally dissolved into a wailing, sobbing mess against his chest, never wanting to let go again.

And what a shock it had been for him. To have talked to you, not twenty minutes prior, an exchange of sleepy, lazy kisses and quiet murmurs, telling you he’d go get breakfast and be right back, watching as you’d curled back up under the blankets with a content sigh. To come through the door, expecting you still in bed and instead finding you in the middle of your living room, looking utterly lost and misplaced in your own home, an almost manic look in your eyes, staring at him like you’d seen a ghost. He’d approached you, carefully, like one would a wild caged animal, and then a simple touch of his had sent you into a meltdown. And at an absolute loss, he’d simply held you. Let you cry yourself to utter exhaustion in his arms, the both of you a heap on the floor, propped up against the back of the sofa. When you had finally, finally calmed down, you’d played it off as the aftershocks of a nightmare. The kind that makes you believe they’re real and keeps you trapped in them for what could feel like a lifetime. And Gods you’d looked like you had aged a lifetime while he was gone. And ever since that night you’d been… different. Getting lost in your own head more often than not. Suffering from nightmares almost every night. Migraines and something akin to epileptic seizures every once in a good while. He had let it go on, assuring you that if you needed anything he would be there for you, and in the following months, you’d seemed to settle and things had gone back to normal. Relatively. But it had been the memory loss that had made him suspicious. Or more so the fact that while some things remained, others seemed to have happened differently for you and some had never happened at all. Never having been able to leave well enough alone, he’d started digging for explanations. And now, at the end of his research, his most impossible theory proven right - he’s yet again at a loss of what to do. How to help you.

“I didn’t know how I got here, much less how to get back. From what I do understand about all of this, and it ain’t much, the thing that sent me to this world doesn’t even exist here. So at first I didn’t have much of a choice but to just… live. To pretend like everything was normal and I belonged here. But eventually I realized that even if I got the chance to go back, I didn’t want to. I wanted to be selfish, I wanted—“ Your voice cracks, thick with emotion and he watches your head drop forward like a doll’s whose strings have been cut, eyes downcast at your trembling hands. “I wanted to be happy again. And for once in my damn life I wanted it to last. It just never fucking lasts…”

Stride over to you and hold you tight, kiss you and tell you that everything would be alright, that you would figure this out together, like always. That’s what he should be doing. Every bone in his body tells him to, but just like so many other times in the past, his oh so brilliant mind prevents him. Tells him that there is no ‘together, like always’ because the person in front of him isn’t the person he’s known his whole life. Isn’t the person he married. Everything’s an ugly mess and he doesn’t mean for his next words to come across as cruel, doesn’t perceive them that way; blissfully unaware of the implications, he’s simply, truly curious.

“What would you do if you were to go back home?”

An inelegant snort leaves you and you wipe the back of your hand over your eyes in a desperate and vain attempt to stop the tears from flowing.

23 seconds.

You were counting, just to give you something to occupy your spiraling mind with, really.

23 seconds.

That’s how long it had taken him to no longer refer to this world, this apartment, him as your home. To prioritize whatever might be going in your other life. And you know it’s not fair, to be this upset with him, this version of him that you’ve been deceiving from the start; even though he has never wronged you. But you can’t help it. Guilt and regret would soon be all you’d have left again, so might as well leave him with some, too.

“Well… if I hadn’t gotten sucked into this mess, I would’ve killed myself by now. I guess I’d be getting back to that.”

The breath that escapes him sounds like you actually just sucker punched him in the gut and immediately makes you feel terrible about how casual and bitter you’d made it sound, but he’d wanted the truth and that was it. Limbs heavy und unsteady, you rise from your position on the couch and make your way over to the front door. “I’ll go take a walk or… you know, go do… whatever. Give you some space, time to think.” Your hand’s already on the door handle, but you pause and somehow find it in yourself to turn around and at least give him the courtesy of looking at him for what you’re about to say. “For what it’s worth, I never meant to let it go this far. It just became so… easy to pretend like things had always been like this. You made it easy. And while I’m sorry that I lied to you, tricked you, intentional or not, I got the chance to fall in love with you all over again. And I could never be sorry about that.”

You’re fairly certain you’ve never seen him move as fast as he does now and before you know it, you’re wrapped in a hug almost too tight, his cane landing on the carpeted floor next to you with a dull thump. “You cannot say things like that and expect me to just let you walk out of that door, I-“

Readjusting his hold on you, he cradles your head against his shoulder and loops his other arm around your middle, continuing in a hushed, gentle tone. “I can’t bear the thought of harm befalling you. Even worse, you harming yourself. In any timeline. Please, just stay. No matter what might happen in the future, just… stay with me. Right here.”

He means for it to be reassuring, comforting, loving, you know that. It’s not his fault that it has the exact opposite effect.

Wincing, a new wave of tears springs to your eyes and you remove yourself from his hold, but can’t bring yourself to let go completely; hands now linked between the two of you. “Viktor, I stole the body and life of a person you actually love. I don’t want you to force yourself to try and love me out of pity.”

“And why are you so certain that’s what this is?!” It surprises you, how genuinely upset he sounds, and a gasp is forced out of your throat when he wrenches his hands out of your grasp and his palms find your face, to force your gaze onto him and keep it there, wether you want to or not. The expression he’s wearing almost scares you; thick brows furrowed in anger and lips curled back in what could nearly be a snarl, but as soon as gold eyes find yours, red and puffy and so very desperate and grieving, whatever fire seemed to have been burning him up inside goes out all at once.

His shoulders drop and he rests his forehead against yours with a sigh, warm breath fanning over your face. “I’m sorry, moje lásko, please forgive me. I’m not angry with you, I just… I can not comprehend why you are so ready and willing to accept rejection, but will not even entertain the possibility that loving you comes as easy to me as your affections for me do to you. Why can you love every version of me, but I’m not allowed the same with every version of you?” He watches you blink owlishly, your mouth opening and closing several times and he’s not sure wether it’s endearing or heartbreaking, how clear it is that this possibility never even crossed your mind. “You act like this entire situation only penalizes me, when in reality, I’m not actually your Viktor, either, am I?”

He expects this to help, to give you a new perspective. To make it clear to you that you are both the same; you are not a villain in his story. And there is a smile on your lips, but it’s so small and sad that his stomach drops at the sight. “No, you’re not. You couldn’t be. My Viktor is gone.”

And all of a sudden, it makes so much sense. How sometimes you’d stare at him with the most haunted look in your eyes, like he was a dead man walking, ready to collapse at any given moment. How you’d grow frantic when he came back late from the academy. How you’d insisted on tagging along on the most mundane of tasks, always under the guise of wanting to spend more time with him, but really just keeping a close eye on him at all times. Though he suspects the former to be true; the chance to spend even a few more precious hours with a loved one you’d thought lost, who wouldn’t jump at that chance?

His world would simply seize spinning if you were no longer in it, he can’t even begin to imagine how you feel. How tormenting it must’ve been to see him everyday, a second chance dangling right in front of you, but never certain if you were to wake up back in a world where he was gone.

You’re in his arms again in a heartbeat, one hand carding through your hair, the other rubbing soothing patterns into your back; whispering sweet little nothings into your ear as you bury your face into the crook of his neck and sob. All so much like the day you arrived and saw him for the first time, and yet… softer. More intimate.

You stay like this until your bawling dies down to whimpers and sniffles at which point he gingerly coaxes you to look at him.

“Miláčku, listen to me. As it stands now, you have no way of going back to your original world.” He doesn’t call it your home anymore, you notice. “You did not ask for this, you did not choose this; you had it thrust upon you while going through enough pain and grief you considered taking your own life. For the love of everything, you needn’t feel guilty for wanting to use this chance to find happiness again. And you shouldn’t feel guilty if you continue to do so.” Still sniffling you gently caress his face, thumbs running over his chiseled cheekbones and heart stuttering when he leans into your touch. But then you catch sight of the ring on your finger again.

“I’m not… I’m not the person you married, Vik.” Unknowingly, you parrot his own thoughts back to him, but surprisingly enough, he finds he doesn’t much care anymore. He’s flabbergasted how he could ever even doubt for a second that it would matter which timeline you were originally from. Because it’s still you. Damn it all, it’s still you. “Maybe so. But I’ve seen the same kindness in you in those past few months that I’ve always known. The same wit. The same ambition and passion. All the things that made me love you in the first place. You said this gave you the chance to fall in love with me again; would you allow me the chance to do the same?”

The truth is, while you want to try and build a life here, you feel guilty. Guilty about the friends you left fighting a war. Guilty about taking over the life and joy of someone else, even if they are a different version of you. Guilty about forcing the man you love into a relationship with a person he technically doesn’t even know. All these months, you’d only ever reciprocated his affections, never initiated them, had barely let him touch you at all, because you’d always felt like somehow you were coercing him into cheating on someone he actually loved. But here he is now, telling you that he wants you, this version of you, all of you. Could you really do it? Leave behind everything and everyone you’ve ever known, for a chance at happiness, a fresh start? You had no guarantee that things would go smoothly in this universe either, after all. Wouldn’t you just be playing pretend for the rest of your life?

“So what, we’ll just… pretend like it’s the first time then?” you ask, a quiet breathless laugh accompanying your question. He shrugs and smiles at you. “Something like that. Falling in love with you again and again and again? I could imagine a worse fate.”

So could you. Much, much worse, in fact.

Your expression shifts somewhat without you even realizing and he immediately recognizes that he must’ve triggered some form of painful memory. He places tiny little kisses all over your face, murmuring apologies all the while and when you sigh in contentment it finally dawns on him that this is very much the first time you’ve let yourself enjoy being close with him since you got here. He doesn’t blame you; the moral dilemma that was forced on you would put anyone on edge and make them anxious about what they could allow themselves to experience without some form of consequences. He would prove to you that there would be none, he’d make sure of that; singlehandedly destroy them if they did decide to raise their ugly heads. That you didn’t always need to give and give and ask for nothing in return. That you could take what you wanted and not be punished for it. You’d taught him that after all.

“Moje světlo…?”

Gods have mercy on your soul, you never could say no to him when he used those damn pet names on you.

You crash your lips to his, desperate and practically starved; in direct contrast to all the sweet promises and gentle reassurances you just shared, there’s nothing romantic about it. It’s all tongues and teeth and absolutely filthy and it’s exactly what you need right now. Your back makes contact with the door you’d been oh so insistent on walking out of not even fifteen minutes ago, that thought now the furthest thing from your mind as his hands are already under your shirt, leaving goosebumps in their wake.

Your head falls back against the worn wood with a thump as his lips find your neck, leaving marks and bruises for everyone to see and maybe the moan that escapes your throat with a broken version of his name coupled with how weak your knees already feel could’ve been embarrassing, but you don’t have it in yourself to care; it feels like it’s been years since he last kissed you like this. Touched you like this. The whine of protest as he pulls back is cut short when he drops to his knees in front of you, hands on your hips to keep you in place and placing on last kiss on your stomach before he puts some distance between you both, not more than a few inches really, but still too much for your liking. One hand goes to cover his own, while the other cups his face, trying to tug him closer again, but he refuses. Brows knitting together in confusion and frustration, you’re about to ask him what he thinks he’s doing, but he beats you to it.

“I won’t go further unless you tell me you want this.” You almost laugh, because he can not be serious. How much more obvious could you be? Your own body is doing half the talking for you, really. But of course that’s not exactly what he means. “I want you to admit to me, and more importantly to yourself, that you want this life. I want you to realize that it is perfectly alright for you to be selfish every now and again.”

His words trigger a memory from long ago, when you’d found him passed out on the desk in the lab one too many times. After you’d been done yelling at him, you’d told him that he couldn’t just always give and give and give until there was barely anything left of himself. That it was okay to be a little selfish and take things for himself every once in a while.

Take your own advice, liar.

A voice somewhere in the back of your head purrs bewitchingly and it’s right. You are still lying. Not to him though - to yourself. Telling yourself that you feel guilty for wanting to stay here, when in reality that’s how you should be feeling. But the truth, the real truth, is that you’re scared.

Scared of how little you actually care. About the friends you left fighting a war. About taking over the life and joy of someone else, even if they are a different version of you. About forcing the man you love into a relationship with a person he technically doesn’t even know. You haven’t truly cared about any of it from the get go; always too self righteous to admit it to yourself, though.

Practiced fingers slip from his cheek to the hair at the nape his neck and pull; he goes along willingly this time, head forced back and his eyes lock onto yours, right as fresh, hot tears start to travel down your face. But you’re done grieving; you are livid, plain and simple. “I want this…” you breathe out, so quiet he almost misses it. You don’t stay quiet, though, you can’t anymore, and your voice rises in volume with every sentence spoken. “I want to stay. I want a life with you. All blissful boredom and domesticity. It’s all I ever wanted. Why…? Why was even that too much to ask?!”

He doesn’t have the answer, but he does have the solution, delivered with a slight turn of his head and a kiss to your wrist.

“It wasn’t. It isn’t.”

Breaths heavy and irregular, you simply take in the sight of him: all disheveled hair and kiss swollen lips, pretty blush all the way down to his neck, eyes dark and pupils blown wide, only a thin ring of gold left, looking at you so longingly, on his knees for you and you alone; like a worshipper ready to commit any atrocity for the sake and love of their god.

“You can take what you want, anděli. No one will punish you for it. I won’t let them.”

Angel. Oh, the irony. Irony turned certainty. Certainty turned reality.

So take you would. And you wouldn’t bother looking back at the things you’d left behind.

[wishfulsketching]

So. That was Arcane. As a whole.

Best episode of the season was episode 7. I might be a bit biased thanks to Silco and Vander living it up as their older selves but also, Ekko is truly the mvp of the show.

I hmm. Well. Victor. I see what was going on there. I see the vision. I loved lot of it. I had the sudden realizations of "that's Victor, right" before it happened....dude looked more like Jesus than ever before too. But uhh. Hmm. Hmm. There is like a chapter missing between s1 and s2 with Victor. Or more like mid season 2 chapter. Love my boy still. I did not care for his Machine Herald look. I liked the idea of the face being split. It hmm. I feel like they said, instead of showed, a lot with Victor this season.

My controversial opinion: Isha was unnecessary. The black rose mage stuff was unnecessary. Same end result could've been achieved with other means. Vi was just there to experience things and be sad. Jinx can't have shit and should suffer all the time, I guess.

BUT

Nice

My man was a positive voice for Jinx. Uhhh in a way. Kinda made her go suicidal but like, he was trying. He is always trying. Even after death. Maybe after his hallucination talk people will understand that Silco wasn't just a evil dude with evil things to do, he was as trapped as everyone else in Zaun and wanted to break free.

Tho, I doubt it. The main enemy in Arcane is the class divide. In my eyes.

I do love the exploration of Hextech and how using magic in a technological way can be super dangerous and fuck shit up. I wanted to see that. And I did see that in season 1, when Jayce realizes how dangerous the hextech weapons are! Exploring the time loop and how abstract magic is, was great! I just.

I love this show. Very much. Season 1, no notes. It's made for me.

Season 2 seems like a people pleaser. And I am pleased! Yet I also wanted something different.

I am still happy because I got my vindication. Zaundads is canon, fuck yeah! No man looks at another man like that and is not in love with them!

I loved that they kept that Vander still tried to kill Silco. Silco went "yea ok that ass too good to quit. What is little murder between lovers, anyway. Come here bby"

Only thing. Silco should've interacted with Jinx in the alternative timeline. A simple "you look beautiful" when she has her entrance or "hey here's snack have fun building whatever you guys are building. Don't make too much noise, your father and I need to get up early tomorrow ok bye bye my perfect little genius"

[imaginelegends]

ITS HIM

ITS LA PIETA

but seriously, I feel like this one screenshot encapsulates my... hesitations about season 2. because honestly... it's shaping up to be Mid, and I mean that in the traditional meaning of the word.

1. It's good, nothing to complain

2. No overly glaring problems - story hits all the plotpointa

3. It's not flawless - or the level of quality has not superceded its flaws

And its that third point that kinda really... Hammers it in

*insert picture of Jayce*

Look at the Viktor screenshot - look at the quote

"The reason for our failures in the commune"

WHAT FAILURES?!? WE SAW NO SUCH FAILURES!!!

What are you talking about failures??? Bc from where we stood, your commune is fucking excelling - happy content people everywhere. Its clean. It gets fucking sunlight. Its nice as hell. What FAILURES???

and thats the problem you see - bc Viktor went from reluctant jesus to full on Messiah to apparently The Bad Guy All Along - AND THERES VERY LITTLE CARRY THE CHARACTER FROM ONE PHASE TO THE NEXT

same with cait - oh we see the prison, we see the fictitious arrests, the way enforcers wage war on its own people who BTW still aint independent of piltover, who BTW remain under piltover's rule, who BTW for the most part are innocent people who have done nothing wrong aside from being born in the undercity

the gangs are gone bc they all hate topside - and thats the only thing

BUT HERES THE THING, we dont see Cait doing any of this... its her soldiers, the enforcers, but aside from her magnificent leap to the bottom in s1, shes actually back to the usual cait - when Jinx stopped sexually frustrating her, she regained her moral code

(and we're gonna have to talk about the missed opportunities between ambessa, jinx, and cait. let me tell you. ive been cocked the block)

suddenly s2 act2 cait seems more or less similar to beginning of s2 act1 cait - with her misgivings about martial law. WE DIDNT EVEN GET TO LUXURIATE IN CAIT BEING DRUNK OFF HER TYRANNICAL POWERS!! WHAT WAS THE FUCKING POINT!!!

give me MOTHER goddamn, where the fuck was that??? where is goddamn horny seduction of power? where is ambessa getting pussy enchanted bc cait would tap that at least once and ambessa is trying to be professional and as cait starts pulling away, the lesbian break up would have been AMAZING - caits betrayal bc she went back to Vi?!? hello????? DO YOU NOT SEE HOW FUCKING SIZZLING THIS COULD HAVE BEEN???????

dont fuck the warlord - dont sexualize the warlord - ONLY IF YOU WERE A COWARD

give me the seething, writhing pit of moral ambiguity thats hot as hell

bc otherwise it comes out perfunctory.

LIKE BACK TO VICKY

if vicky was supposed to be the bad guy, his little commune needed to be A LITTLE MORE creepy. SHOW US THE FAILURES. show us how the healing turns people WRONG. What does it mean if vicky gets his hands on you? SHOW US THE HORRIFIED LOVED ONES WHO UPON SURRENDERING THEIR DISABLED BELOVED FIND THEIR BELOVED IRREVOCABLY CHANGED IN A WAY THAT CAN NEVER BEEN UNDONE

SHOW US THE EXISTENTIAL LOVECRAFTIAN HORROR YOU FUCKS!!! This whole commune could have been fifteen hundred percent weirder and uncanny, make us feel like we're in a fishing boat in the middle of the lake and something massive just brushed under our boat. make us feel small and uncomprehending cucks.

I FELT NOTHING!!! I FELT LIKE WE WERE HITTING EACH STORY BEAT FOR THE SAKE OF THE PLOT POINT

it was all perfunctory as fuck. there was no lingering, stewing tension that just gnaws at your bones until you remember with each aching movement. there was NOTHING like that.

i couldnt bliss out on the jayvik messy breakup. i couldnt savor cait having a pussy rebound with a worse partner (we couldve gone from Lestat to Armand levels of bad decisions here)

we get Nothing

So Arcane gets ONE more act 3 to finish this off but honestly... it feels like each act is almost self contained in and of itself. and the buildup of viktor and the arcane feels thin - papery - wishy washy. Im not entirely confident that theyre gonna wrap up everything nicely.

ive already had ONE MASSIVE DISAPPOINTMENT THIS YEAR, please i cant have another so close to the last (iykyk)

[whoknows-anymore28]

Eeee idk if you do requests but I’d love to see ANYTHING Viktor (Arcane) related! 💕

I absolutely take requests and I will ABSOLTELY fulfill this amazing, beautiful, stunning, superb, magnificent one (Viktor's my favorite character too lol)

(I hope headcanons are alright- school just started and I can't really draw anything right now 😭)

Viktor Headcanons!!!

- He's 29-32 when the show takes place

- his favorite color is auburn, but he's not opposed to maroon either

- he doesn't sleep; I know that's canon, but I feel like I have to reiterate

- he's the type to chug a Red Bull at 2:00 a.m. and say shit like: "Alright I'm jazzed!"

- he has a tiny crush on Jayce. So tiny even he doesn't know.

- he's scared of doctors (mainly because the doctors in The Undercity are actual demons)

- he hit Jayce with his cane once because Jayce made fun of his accent

- speaking of, he'll talk to himself in his first language. Sometimes he'll switch mid conversation and not realize

- his favorite food is macarons

- he doesn't mind if someone asks about his limp as long as they're polite.

- if they keep nagging him about it, or are super rude though, then he kinda gets pissed

- genuinely really liked Sky, just didn't know how to admit it

- either that or he was clueless. Take your pick.

- Terrifyed of the hexcore but in the sense that he needs to find out more about it. Sort of like a sick fascination

- he is the king of overworking- has been since he was 12

- he's a little (very) touch-starved. Jayce gave him a hug once and he stood in the same spot for three minutes afterwords

- he had really good parents, just they died from the same lung disease that he has in the show

- likes hot showers. The closer to boiling, the better

- I feel like he's not a cat or a dog person y'know?

- he likes the winter holiday season. The snow and the lights and the joy is really heartwarming to him

[fairychev]

Arcane Brainrot 2

Caitlyn, i believe is going to be used by Ambessa to push forward her agenda. Ambessa definitely wants revenge over Zaun because like i said previously, i believe Mel to be dead.

But it is also a factor that Noxians love to conquer, they are known for it as far as i have researched. So I believe Ambessa will try to rule over both Piltover and Zaun.

And she will use Caitlyn's rage, fuel it to further her plans. Caitlyn might be manipulated for a while in this season, whenever she falters, be it be her humanity or compassion coming forth when Zaunites are hunted like crazy as she leads the charges or if she sees Vi go through breakdowns regarding Jinx. Ambessa is going to make it seem like Cait is a failure for letting emotions come into play.

And whenever Vi would try to interfere, and make Cait see reason at some points, its gradually going to make it seem like Vi is protecting Zaun. And thats going to cause so many issues with CaitVi ( Imma cry at this, why are they doing this to us).

and i think this is all in the beginning. Because I do think there would be a time skip (also taking into factor the Annecy spoilers). The more Cait becomes obsessed with finding Jinx, the more she would push Vi away. At one point, Vi is going to leave.

Before leaving, i do think Vi might try to find Jinx one last time, in hopes that it would end this. I dont think it works out and that might make Cait lash out even more.

Like it was said in the sneak-peaks, vi isnt accepted in either Zaun or Piltover. So she becomes a street fighter, trying to feel something. it might be Cait who tracks her down and somehow convinces her to come back.

The thing i cannot place is if Vi becomes an enforcer after or before the timeskip. both theories work kinda well but in different ways.

Maybe both of these things happens after the time skip even? Vi is already an enforcers when Cait becomes obsessed and she leaves for Zaun. And when she comes back, she resumes her place as an enforcer.

the more i think, the more i cannot understand what my brain is trying to piece together.

If Vi is made to come back as an enforcer to Cait, I think she would ask for a few people she's made friends with to be on the team as well. Not everyone on Cait's team look like Pilties. So maybe Vi made connections during her time as an underground fighter and brings in people who she thinks would help them reach their goal.

Another theory that i've been toying with is that, perhaps, Vi never actually abandons her search for Jinx. I think even when she's literally GOING THROUGH IT and hallucinating Cait and is trying her best to cope, she is constantly keeping tabs on Jinx and everything that going on in Zaun. She's collecting evidence and leads (might even be sending it anonymously to Cait or someone she trusts in Piltover) until the time is right to strike.

MAYBEEEE (im getting more theories as i write wtf) jinx and Vi stay in touch during her fighter era. This could've happened after the entire Warwick reveal and the sisters having to be cordial situation , or something to together for like i mentioned in my previous theory post. So Jinx and Vi might be trying to track Warwick or see who's behind all of it, how to keep Noxus out of Zaun (and Piltover). so this might be mid Act 2 or early Act 3.

[formerarcanefan]

I totally agree about Arcane. I didn't really start to feel the differences between season one and season two until act two, but act three was like a full departure from everything that came before it. It felt like changing the topic of conversation in mid sentence. I didn't hate *everything,* but it was a far cry from the incredible opportunity they had set up for themselves.

What Could've Been really fits so hard with Arcane Season 2. It's kinda funny since it's also the last song before season 1 ends.

Like Arcane season 2 had the opportunity to be greater than season 1, but it only achieved that with the writing and some of the music.

[corpsegirlmeat]

tagged by @bigweldindustries

last song: been listening to hollowheart and being melancholic a lot recently, its still so wild to me to just suddenly have a new worlds song after 10 years and be blasted back to the bittersweet nostalgia of being a teenager (someone should make a song about this). also weve been trying to learn to play our bass again recently after not touching it for like 4 years and hollowheart (and goodbye to a world) are the songs weve figured out how to play to so far

last movie: the other night we were bored and browsing random movies to watch and picked werewolves (2024), it was weird?? like it was almost a zombie movie but with werewolves?? the werewolves were practical costumes which was cool in a world where most things are cgi, but they looked kinda uncanny and definitely like costumes. ALSO THEY HAD NO TAILS WHICH WAS WEIRD AND VERY VERY WRONG. it was honestly a really mid movie but a couple people got torn in half in a satisfying way and there was a little black girl who kinda looked like us so it was alright

currently watching: uhhhhhhh i finished arcane a few weeks ago, and dandadan ended last week so uhhhhh, ig we watched the first episode of squid game season 2 last night. they put people in like, straight up kink gags???? it was a very weird detail

currently reading: fuck im ngl i dont read that much ik i need to, i mean ig unless manga counts in which ive been reading dandadan and chainsaw man week to week for a while now, and i need to check back up on the countless yuri manga i caught up to and had to wait for new chapters to come out....

current obsession: i dont think i have a Specific and Defined obsession rn? ive got my general interests but no current Hyperfixation. im like a knight with no princess to protect, a maid with no mistress, an angel with no goddess, meat with no blood. i wander aimlessly to find what will fill my soul, but for now i have no purpose, no place to belong. there is a drought, not a single drop of rain has fallen for eons. the world is barren and dry, devoid of life and hope. lol im sure somethin will stick its fingers in my brain and consume my life essence soon enough :P

uhhhhhhhh ill tag @gardengnosticator

[tiecladartist]

Thoughts on the Arcane Season 2 ending under the cut

Is anyone else kinda annoyed at how most of the arcane character arcs were either left open-ended, or with the character straight up dead without even a chance to have the rest of the characters react to it? Like... I know the series is going to be continuing in other regions, but I feel like the end of the Piltover/Zaun arc should've had even a small sense of closure for anyone aside from Singed. Maybe I'm just difficult to please and I really wish I could praise the ending as much as some of y'all (I still love the show, I promise), but it didn't feel like an ending to anything despite it being the "end" of Arcane. Not even with Jinx/Vi's story, which is what they specifically described this to be the end of. It kinda just felt like things happened and the credits rolled without any chance to even say goodbye.

Idk, I think I'm just tired of folks dismissing my frustration with a "but there's going to be more". I know there's going to be more, but if you describe something as the end of an arc, it should feel like an end, right? Like... Something should end? (Narratively or thematically, I mean. Not just the lives of half your cast). But so much has been left up in the air that I just kinda feel like I've been stopped mid-jump and want to put at least 1 foot back on the ground. I don't need everything explained in a neat little bow, but at least address the personal effects killing your character's had on the ones still alive. Burning a paper doesn't really do much for that, cool as it looks.

(and don't even get me started on how they handled The Arcane Gerald)

[bedknees]

I see ur kind of back in the eene fandom. Favorite and least favorite headcanons about the Ed's if your feeling up to it?

Lol hi. And yeah I'm here. Arcane has had such a relentless chokehold on my brain for the past year and a half and it's finally loosening it's grip (inb4 inevitable Season 2 promo shit lmao).

HCs for the Eds? Let's goooo-

HCs I like:

Ed

-I like the HC he has ADHD. It fits him well and has direct canon evidence. As an ADHDer, he fits a lot of the basic stereotypes.

-The kinda popular fandom idea that he will be involved in the filming or general crew of B-tier horror movies when he's an adult. Career path is honestly among the most likely. Can also dig him being an Art Bell-esque radio or podcast host of weird conspiracy stuff.

-Love when he's paired with May. I feel that they'd be the only Ed/Kanker combo that'd work imho.

-Even though he's a fun loving character at heart, I like the idea that we see more of that serious and angry side he showed in Little Ed Blue and BPS. Like as he gets older and more seasoned he learns to stand up for himself more. Not his default at all, but learns to put up with less shit.

-I don't see him caring much about gender or sexuality. I don't ever see him labeling himself or thinking much about it, but I also don't see him as fully straight or cis.

-Can see him really being into Astrology and star charts. He probably has an Ancient Aliens phase 😆

Edd

-Like to think he starts taking college classes in his Junior or Senior year of high-school. Probably gets offers from Ivy-League schools, picking not the one he wants to go to the most, but the one that leaves him closest to home.

-I think it was @eddbedandeddy that came up with the idea that he has trichotillomania, where one pulls out clumps of hair as a very maladaptive nervous habit. Love this and I fully support the HC that it's why he wears his hat.

-Dig the idea he goes on to become a doctor of some sort.

-Is a really bad cook. Underseasons and overcooks a LOT. Usually keeps it to cup noodles, sandwiches, or takeout if the responsibility falls on him.

-Definitely has big bi or pan energy.

-Though he can't cook, Edd is very good with gardening and plants in general. Super good at keeping them healthy and cultivating them.

-Mellows out a bit when he gets older. Still a tad neurotic but not a full blown nervous wreck.

Eddy

(So warning: Eddy is my favoritest, most special little guy(TM) so there is a little bias for how many HCs I have for him compared to the others. Sorry lol.)

-It's funny when you think about it, because in terms of Eddy's personality after BPS it's actually pretty nebulous to nail down. Despite being one of the brashest, most outspoken characters he's actually the most mysterious when it comes down to who he truly is. He hid behind a facade for the majority of the show's runtime, after all, so what he truly is like underneath that leaves a lot up to the imagination.

-HOWEVER, I HC Eddy returning to his Season 1 and early Season 2 personality after BPS, with a decent amount of self reflection and maturity tacked on. I think how he acted in Season 1 is the closest to who he really is at the core. A good example of how I see Eddy (as a teenager, at least), is that he would share a lot of traits with Amethyst from Steven Universe, I guess? Closest example I can think of, tbh.

-He's closeted gay kid. Home of sexual. 👬🏳️‍🌈🌈 I used to see him as a bi, but rewatches changed my mind a lot. (Part of it is that he's always been my favorite and I was projecting tbh.) It takes him till his mid-to-late teens to start to accept it.

-Excellent cook. His mom's side is 100% Italian in my personal HC and she and her side bestowed a ton of culinary knowledge on him from old family recipes etc.

-Piggybacking off this, I see Eddy being a line cook for quite a while if not as his staple career. I can also see him doing car sales and bartending and even working at a deli. Bounces around jobs a lot, but always is employed in some way or the other.

-He loves baking and is very good at it. Don't give him shit about it or he will cry in private.

-Eddy is ADHD like Ed, but on the more impulsive and moody side of the large spectrum ADHD consists of. He also is bipolar af.

-Is heavily into music in general, especially as he gets older. He also has a penchant for musicals and Broadway, but he WILL get defensive if you tease him for it. But yeah, music is his biggest hobby and interest by far.

HCs I don't like:

Ed

-That he's too stupid to live. Leave him alone, he's dim but functional.

-The idea he can't function independently from Edd and Eddy. He absolutely can and is his own person!

-When fanfics or works in general make Eddy and Edd act like parents to him. He's their equal 👏

-Anytime he's explicitly third-wheeled when Edd and Eddy are paired. You absolutely can write the former two paired up without excluding him.

Edd

-When the fandom makes him an uwu softboy. Stfu. He's a little asshole with a smart mouth and a truckload of sass. Erasing that makes him so BORING 😴

-The HC that he will 'outgrow' Eddy and Ed and move on from them. He's right where he belongs and they complete each other. Stop.

Eddy

-Where do I begin? Firstly, him acting the same exact way as he does in the show after what happened in BPS. The entire movie was explicitly about Eddy becoming a better person and learning his lesson. At least show some growth.

-Him becoming an even more ruthless and corrupt scammer as an adult. Paired with the above point, but still.

-Any HCs that he's heterosexual 🤢

-MAKING HIM TALL.

-Fanart that makes him skinny.

I could go on but those are the main ones. Ty anon!

[chiefofboatwatsonstittymug]

Tagged by @m0nstera thank you! (I've actually been tagged in two of my blogs so I'm just going to post it here) 1. morning rituals: Get woken by alarm on iPod. Hit snooze. Get woken up five minutes later by alarm on phone. Hit snooze. Repeat process until I'm out of alarms and it's only half an hour until I have to leg it for the bus to my lectures. 
2. biggest fear: My own mortality, but I'm working on that. 
3. cloudy or sunny: sunny
. Always sunny. 4. a band you didn’t like at first but grew on you: Uh. Every band I've ever loved really. Like, Skindred, Rolo Tomassi, Arcane Roots, POLAR and Slipknot are my favourite bands of all time, and the first few times I heard all of them I was thinking "what the fuck is this shit?" 5. song stuck in your head: it's part FOB, part Led Zeppelin, part Skindred at the moment 6. unrealistic dream: Visit every country in the world. Go to another planet. That kind of thing. 
7. dream superpower: in the one X-Men comic I've actually read there was this woman who could summon dragons from alternate dimensions, so definitely that. 8. any regrets?: Mostly that my future rested on the depressed, procrastinating shoulders of my seventeen year old self and she fucked up so now I'm half way through a degree I'm not sure I should be doing. 9. superstitious?: Uh, depends. I'm not really into the sort of family superstitions like keeping your fingers crossed when you see an ambulance until you see a four legged animal and that kind of thing, but I believe in ghosts and stuff like that. 10. something that makes you feel alive: Rock/metal gigs. A mosh pit is the only thing that'll stop me overthinking everything for more than five seconds. 
11. favourite genre of film: Tends to be shitty action/horror movies but I watch a bit of everything. 12. favourite movie: Kingsman, Young Frankenstein, RED, maybe Spirited Away too? 13. favourite season: Summer. I get really down when there's no sun, which is kind of unfortunate because I live in England where summer tends to be like a fortnight in mid-April, and I'm also fair skinned as hell so I burn SO MUCH 14. favourite colour: Orange or green, and mostly like the obnoxiously bright shades. Also red kinda? 15. favourite foods: Chinese, Greek and Mexican generally. 16. worst habit: ...I'm honestly like seven hundred bad habits wearing a trench coat don't make me choose. 17. how many countries have you been to?: About 10/11, I think? Maybe 7 if you don't count countries I've just driven through on the way to others. Tagging: ...uh I'm terrible at this part, if you want to do it, consider yourself tagged 😊

[makercursed-a]

Character Sheet for Dragon Age Muses || LONG POST

Inspired by this Sheet Not based on the official DARP Character Sheet

You alone are Basalit-An -the Arishok @ Hawke

Tagged by: Stole it from the dash 

Tagging: This took like a million years and I don’t want ppl to feel pressured so if you want to do it, do and then @ me!!! 

Full Name: Marian Hawke  Nickname(s): Mary, Muscles, Champion, Hawke  Age: mid 20s to early 30s throughout da2 Date of Birth: 18ths Drakonis, 9:06 Dragon Zodiac:  Kios (based on this post) Gender: cis woman Sexual Orientation:  lesbian  Nationality: Ferelden  Species: human  Hometown: Lothering  Current Residence: Kirkwall Occupation: glorified hired muscle, Champion  Salary: whatever people pay her from job to job 

Faceclaim: krystin ritter 

Height: around 6′2, maybe a little taller  Weight: like 17 stone and a bit  Character’s body build: tall, broad shoulders, thick thighs, big muscles, generally just...big  Eye Color: light blue  Hair Color: black, but starts graying in her mid to late 20s  Type of hair: thick and loosely curly  Hairstyle: act 1 just ties it up in a bun, act 2 cuts it to chin length, ,act 3 cropped very short  Glasses or contact lenses?: none  Complexion and skin tone: pale, freckled and very often sunburned  Distinguishing features: how tall she is, the amount of scars she has, kaddis across her nose  Scars: a whole bunch from years of fighting and blood magic, most noticeable are the long ones across her stomach and lower back from fighting the Arishok, a large burn scar on her right forearm from the bone pits, scarring on her left cheek, and many small scars on her arms and hands  Mannerisms: crossing her arms, pacing, fiddling with things, putting her feet on tables, chewing on her lip, rubbing her temples  Usual Body Posture: head high but shoulders forward 

Birth order: eldest child  Siblings: bethany and carver, both dead  Parents: malcolm and leandra  Married?: none  Significant Other(s): isabela and merrill  Children: none  Extended family: gamlen and charade amell 

Myers-Briggs-Type: n/a  Character Alignment: chaotic good 

       Chaste ◌◌◌◌◌●●●●● ◌ Lustful    Energetic ◌◌●●●●●◌◌◌◌◌ Lazy    Forgiving ◌◌◌◌◌●●●●●● Vengeful   Generous ◌◌◌ ●●●◌◌◌◌◌ Selfish       Honest ◌◌◌◌◌●●●◌◌ Deceitful            Just ◌◌◌ ●●●◌◌◌◌◌ Arbitrary      Merciful ◌◌◌◌◌●●●●◌ Cruel       Modest ◌◌◌◌◌●● ◌◌◌◌ Proud          Pious ◌◌◌◌◌●● ◌◌◌ Worldly      Prudent ◌◌◌◌◌●●●●◌◌ Reckless Temperate ◌◌◌◌◌●●● ◌◌◌ Indulgent     Trusting ◌◌◌◌◌●●●●●◌ Suspicious    Valorous ◌◌ ●●●●◌◌◌◌◌ Cowardly

                     [ Credit ]

EXTRAVERSION

★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ : outgoing ★★★★★★★★★☆ : risk-taking ★★★★★★★★☆☆ : excitement-seeking ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ : physically adventurous

AGREEABLENESS

★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ : trusting ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ : compassionate ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ : empathetic ★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆ : enjoys company

NEUROTICISM

★★★★★★★★★☆ : angry ★★★★★★★★★★: depressed ★★★★★★★★☆☆: anxiety ★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ : emotionally stable

CONSCIENTIOUSNESS

★★★★★★★★☆☆ : self-disciplined ★★★★★★★★★★: hard-working ★★★★★★★★☆☆ : prepared/dutiful ★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆ : aims to over-achieve

OPENNESS TO EXPERIENCE

★★★★★★★☆☆☆: likes new things ★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ : likes novel settings ★★★★���★★☆☆☆ : intellectual/ideas/imaginative ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ : enjoys art/culture/adventure

                  [ Credit ]

Educational Background: Home-schooled by her parents, teaches herself things out of books  Intelligence Level: Quite intelligent  Mental Illnesses: ptsd, depression, survivors guilt Disorders: anemia, slightly short sighted   Nervous Tics: chewing nails, pacing, rubbing her forehead, tapping her foot, clenching her jaw

Does the character believe in God?: she believes he exist, she doesn’t put a lot of faith in him though What are the character’s spiritual beliefs?: Kinda superstitious, holds onto a lot of Ferelden superstitions and practices her whole life (i.e. saluting lone magpies)  Is religion or spirituality a part of this character’s life?: Yeah, even though she’s not particularly devout, she is still Andrastian and quietly religious in her own way  If so, what role does it play?: It was part of how she grew up, and it’s part of how she understands the world. Though she hates the Chantry, the story of Andraste is near to her heart and offers some comfort in hard times. 

Favorite foods: Anything sweet be it simple candied nuts or fancy Orleasian cakes. If it’s sweet and bad for you she’ll eat it  Favorite colors: Earthy greens and browns  Least favorite color: Bright yellow  Music: Traditional folk songs or tavern drinking songs  Literature: Way more into non fiction books on magical theory, history and the like  Favorite clothing: Loose, comfortable and practical trousers and shirts  Jewelry: An Amell family crest ring worn on her right ring finger Fruit: Blackberries  Season: Autumn  Pets: Her Mabari, Calenhad  Favorite Sayings: Andraste’s flaming nickers  Possessions this character values most: Bethany’s neck scarf, her Amell family ring, a small carved wooden dragon her father made her as a kid, little trinkets she’s been given by people she’s helped 

★★★★☆ Climbing ★★☆☆☆ Riding ★★★☆☆ Swimming ★★★☆☆ Tracking ★★★★☆ Cooking ★★★★☆ First Aid ★★☆☆☆ Pick-Pocketing ★★★★☆ Survival

Light armor or heavy armor?:  Light  Favourite weapon: Staff with a blade at the end and runes/enchantments added by Sandal  Name of your weapon:  n/a Fight with shield?: Nope, she could just about use on in a pinch, but not very well 

★★★☆☆ Edged weapons ★★☆☆☆ Dual Weapons ★★★☆☆ Crushing weapons (mazes, clubs, etc) ★☆☆☆☆ Two-handed weapons ★★★★★Thrown weapons (knives, axes, javelins) ★☆☆☆☆ Archery

★★★★☆ Herbalism ★★★☆☆ Poison-Making ★★☆☆☆ Traps-Making ★★☆☆☆ Armor-Crafting ★☆☆☆☆ Weapon-Crafting ★★★☆☆ Rune-Crafting

★★☆☆☆ Acting ★★☆☆☆Appraisal ★★★☆☆ Bribery ★★☆☆☆ Diplomacy ★★★★☆ Gambling ★★★★★Interrogation ★★★★☆ Leadership ★★☆☆☆ Public Speaking ★★★★☆ Seduction ★★★★☆ Trading ★★☆☆☆Trickery

★★★☆☆ Lock picking ★★☆☆☆ Disarming Traps

SPELLS:

★★★★★Elemental ★★★★★Primal ★★☆☆☆ Spirit ★★★★☆ Arcane ★★☆☆☆ Creation ★★★★☆ Entropy

SPECIALIZATIONS:

★☆☆☆☆ Arcane Warrior ★★★★★Blood Mage ★★☆☆☆ Shapeshifter ★★☆☆☆ Spirit Healer ★★☆☆☆ Battle Mage ★☆☆☆☆ Keeper ★★★★★Other

★★★★★ Read / Write

LANGUAGES:

★★★★★Common Tongue ★★★☆☆ Elven Language ★☆☆☆☆ Orlesian ★☆☆☆☆ Antivan ★★★☆☆ Rivaini ★☆☆☆☆ Ander ★★★☆☆ Qunlat ★☆☆☆☆ Tevene ★☆☆☆☆ Ancient Tevene