#oil and water

[halyasgirl]

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

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

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

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

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

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

[gingerpines]

“Oil and Water. Wasn’t meant to be.”

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

they were meant to be after all.

[lunamonroeao3]

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

“ Please. ”

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

“I’ll make this go away.”

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

[achromatophoric]

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

Yoko: *smirks* More like Loyal and Slaughter.

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

Ajax: Fire and Ice?

Yoko: Dire and Nice.

Divina: Night and Day?

Yoko: Fright and Gay.

Kent: Heaven and Hell?

Yoko: 🧐

Yoko: Eh. Already perfect.

Eugene: How about apples and oranges?

Yoko: Adorapples and uh… huh.

Yoko: 😐

Yoko: 🤨

Yoko: 🤔

Wednesday: *muffled* Goreanges.

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

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

The gang: *bewildered silence*

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

*shlorp*

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

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

Eugene: *adjusts glasses* Gross, but fascinating.

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

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

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

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

*thump-thump*

The gang: 😑🤓😱🤢🫢😬

[musenilla]

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

[raven-sng]

Oil and water

[caitvisource]

[ghita13]

[somewillwin]

i feel kinda alone because people seem to want more caitmaddie, vixsarah, gertvi and I really only want more caitvi lmao they are really all there is for me tbh they are THE couple, i see them too much as soulmates, even outside of the au, to think of them with anyone else

They are THE couple indeed! Don’t worry even when they are with other people. They are NOT happy with other people and that’s the whole point. And it’s also why vi doesn’t last very much with gert. Vi is a person that love with all her soul and body, and when she realizes that what she feels for gert is not love she would break it off.

She knows she wants cait it’s just their differences always get in the way.

[yarozlav9zz]

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

VI (sesbian lex): CUPCAKE!

Caitlyn (sesbian lex): Violet!!!

VI: My rich unhinged mongoose!

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

Jinx*traumatised*:...

Ekko: What's a mongoose?

[stars-on-my-bedroom-ceiling]

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

[piltoversfinest-caitvi]

Oil & Water · PVRIS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[lunamonroeao3]

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

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

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

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

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

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

[aphwaph]

Jinx coloured sketch

[babygray]

Me and the guy that gets pats and praise after fixing the paper cup he crushed and threw at me.

[daisyslippers]

Oil and water on top of a string of pearls

Susan Wilkinson