For after Season 2 Act 2. We all know why. Here's all of my own Lightcannon series' by the numbers.

Main Universe - Flashbangs & Frag Grenades

Star Guardians - Crossing Stars

Modern AU - Bright Eyes

MMA Modern AU - Bare Knuckles & Butterflies

Odyssey Universe - Odyssey EP

Cyberpunk 2077 Crossover - Night City Lights

During the Ace Ops fight Weiss was holding her own well against Marrow, yet Ruby still rushed to deflect his weapon when it was coming towards Weiss. Harriet had thrown her into the room, Ruby- still dazed on the floor- looked up, saw a weapon coming towards Weiss (who was poised with her rapier ready, mind you), and didn’t hesitate to come in and smack it back with Crescent Rose. The parallels between Marrow and Harriet arguing vs Whiterose silently nodding at each other making sure the other was alright, like! Ruby didn’t have to check up on Weiss but she did so anyways because they’re partners, because they’re there fer each other rather than individual units strung together on the same team.

After making sure Weiss was alright, Ruby continues to draw Harriet away from the rest of the fray. Then when Ruby is fighting Harriet, Weiss comes back to check up on her and summon an ice wall to defend her partner from Harriet charging at her. There’s something to be said about how Marrow and Harriet were so disjointed in comparison to Whiterose being there fer each other. Love versus a lack thereof, so to speak (and yes, I may be a Whiterose shipper, but this love I’m referring to is that deeper special platonic bond between people who fight fer their lives and trust and care fer each other wholeheartedly).

So now parallel that fight with the one against the walkers, where Weiss is stumbling in a 1v1 and Ruby gets overpowered by a walker because she’s having an extremely justified panic attack. They’re apart, and now both are struggling because neither has their partner there to support em. The Bees are doing all of these sickass combo moves and combining their different fighting styles perfectly while Whiterose is just having a plain ol Bad Time™️ right now. Love versus a lack thereof, so speak. That being said I do wanna point out that when Ruby was down on the ground, it was Weiss who called out to her and made the first blow against the walker who had her pinned. Shit man even when they’re falling apart Weiss is still the first one to reach fer her partner. The love isn’t fully gone, it’s hurting yes, but o h how the love is still there through it all. There is something to be said on love and the lack thereof and love that’s struggling to breathe but still persists.

What I’m saying is, there’s shit to be said about partners, about people tied together in trust and loyalty, about people who know the other so well they can almost effortlessly cover each other bases. There’s shit to be said about found family, about choosing people, about doing the very brave thing that is loving them. In V8, Yang talked to Ruby about risks and sacrifices and heroes. Later on, Blake had her gentle heart to heart about admiring Ruby as a leader, but what Ruby really needs right now? She doesn’t need a pep talk revolving around duties and respect, what she needs right now is someone to speak to her as an equal. As a best friend. As a partner.

It would be so easy to misinterpret Yang’s protectiveness over Blake here, but that’s not what’s happening. We’ve always seen Ruby as happy-go-lucky, follow-your-heart and do-the-right-thing, and it’s easy to forget that Yang raised Ruby, and the implied subtext there is that it *wasn’t* always sunshine and rainbows.

Yes, Yang is protective over her newfound relationship. Yes, she’ll maybe feel a little wounded that her sister is lashing out. But what we see here is Yang shifting ever so subtly into mother-mode. Yang knows this isn’t about Blake, or her and Blake’s relationship, she’s stepping in front of Blake to protect her before Ruby can say or do something she regrets. In essence, protecting both of them and trying to control the situation from escalating. Yang is stepping in front because she can take it, she’s GIVING her someone to yell at, because god knows she’s probably had to, at some point, take some lip in the past while the others have only ever known her as a strong, positive leader. She doesn’t shout at Ruby, she’s calm, lets her get it out and just looks sternly with a simple “Hey!” as in, ‘hey, that’s enough now’. 

Yang has expressed concern, and is concerned, but this is 100% Yang shifting into parent mode. This is brilliant because earlier in the episode and even last episode we’ve seen examples of Yang’s ‘concerned big sister’ side which is soft and supportive. There’s no malice in Yang’s expression, and it’s difficult to catch it because we haven’t had the best representations of ‘good mothers’ in the show, especially not ones that have had to chastise their kids at some point, but you can bet your ass that this is Yang’s parental mode stepping in to bring calm and stability to a chaotic situation. And that doesn’t always present as ‘let’s hug this out’, sometimes it’s stern, tough love and recognising that the younger one isn’t in the space to receive comfort, so the best you can do for them is diffuse the situation and be an authoritative voice of reason because she recognises her sister’s fragile mental state.

This is without going into how amazing Ruby’s portrayal was. Going after your sister’s new relationship is RAW, and personal, but it’s also what siblings do - they lash out sometimes when they’re under stress. The way Ruby says ‘we’re sOoOo happy for you by the way good for you’ - just SMACKS of younger sibling cutting loose and saying something they don’t mean, which makes Yang’s response all the more realistic for me. She recognises the tone, the almost-petulance and steps in before it can go any further.

Sidenote: I have read quite a lot of Piltover’s Finest over on AO3. I am compiling this list mainly for myself to keep track but I would also like to share my thoughts as well as recommending them to people. I will also mark if they have explicit content. The list can change, and I will add more if I missed something or I found something. 

Favorite Authors

DreamDrop @dreamdropxxx​

Personal Favorite Story: What a Big Surprise

Comments: Very soft, very adorable stories. I can certainly feel the passion and the love in these stories. Their Cupcake is one of the most Kudos Caitvi story and it’s for a reason; I personally couldn’t stop grinning from beginning to end with Caitlyn’s crush onto Vi in this story but my personal favorite from this author is What a Big Surprise. In the show, even though I have watched those moments countless times, this story has brought out a more in-depth look behind Vi’s thoughts. And the last chapter brought tears to my eyes. 

JynErsoinNYC

Personal Favorite Story: Silver Spoons

Comments: I love every day life stories. I love wholesome stories and that is what Silver Spoons is. This was the most visited story I ever went back to, and it’s for a good reason. These snapshots of Vi and Caitlyn’s relationship just makes you smile throughout the entire thing. The dynamic is very natural and I love that they’re long time friends before they are lovers. Their collection of roses are red, violets are blue are down right cute. It is a reimagining of Teen Vi and Teen Cait meeting each other, with a bit of teasing from Mylo, Clagger, and Powder. 

taq – twitter: @undetaqted

Personal favorite story: (I have) what you want

Comments: I often am found speechless when it comes to Taq. They have the most brilliant and satisfying stories. (I have) what you want is more on the light heart scale but I really appreciate the interaction as well as the callback to Vi and Caitlyn first met. Their other stories, their other collections, are very intriguing - anytime they post a story, I immediately rush to read it. They have a way with words and it feels like I’m actually seeing the scene from the character’s POV. 

Favorite Stories

A Mixed Martial Arist and a Journalist Walk Into A Bar by Misthios

Sleepless Nights (Contains: Sexual Content)

Comments: One of the best AUs out there. The dynamic and interaction in this feels so incredibly natural - I adore the little texts between the two. They are well written and extremely captivating. I go back to this AU every night because of how much I enjoy reading them. The relationship with Vi and Caitlyn goes past the surface level and I love every parts of it. It has great moments with their parents, their relationship discussions, their every day life, it just feels real. 

Bruises by K0garashi

Comments: Vi likes to block with her face. I enjoy reading this character study of Vi, why she does things alone, why she tends to her wounds alone, until she met Caitlyn and realizes it’s okay to lean on people. 

Plus One by wiseturtlebear

Comments: Fake dating AUs are one of my favorites AU and I enjoy it even more when it’s wholesome. This is exactly what Plus One is about. I adore Caitlyn’s parents in this one but I am absolutely amazed with the banter and the interaction between Vi and Caitlyn. Plus there’s dogs in this story. 

What Could Have Been: An Arcane Reimagining by NatDammit

Comments: This is another ‘what if’ story if teen Vi and teen Cait had met earlier. A reimagining of their relationship and of the show as well as the effects if it didn’t happen the way it should. It is super thrilling, I enjoy reading these types of canon divergence and this one is a definite nail biter. I have no clue what will happen next and it keeps my attention on the entire time. Plus teen Vi and teen Cait are freakin’ adorable.

i’ll lean on you (and you lean on me) by UmbreonGurl (twitter: UmbreonGurl)

After powder hugs him:

ARCANE | 1.08Oil and Water