You're hot, Cupcake.
God. This episode. This scene. I haven't known peace since. This is a long rambling post, and contains minor spoilers.
Buckle up, cupcakes.
Immediately after finishing Arcane, I obviously went down this rabbit hole, especially with regards to ViCait. And I found out that the writer had to fight to keep this particular line in. Some of the others believed that Vi should continue being as guarded with Caitlyn as she is generally. But the writer insisted, because they understood how often characters in queer coded in media, and how subtext can often be misunderstood. And they said nope. We will not leave anything to the imagination.
And it is SO refreshing to have a badass, brooding, angry female protagonist who shows vulnerabilities, both physical and mental, who is ALLOWED to be soft and tender with this other person - which brings me to my second point.
Caitlyn. In the Brothel. Was. Everything.
Vi is prodding. Teasing. And Cait doesn't back down. Other than being what can only be described as curious in the first scene where she sees other patrons, and then momentarily taken aback by the "man, or woman?" question, we see Caitlyn play right along with whatever Vi throws at her (Matilda.)
Vi's smirk (especially reserved for moments with Cait), explicitly stated by the writers:
AND THEN. YOU GUYS. The most IMPORTANT thing.
Vi leaves Caitlyn with someone (presumably a guy), but when she comes back, Caitlyn is happily tucked away in this beautiful, woodland/hunter themes inspired little room with this nymph like woman, and what GOT to me, amongst everything else, was how at ease Cait was there.
And Oh My Word. The symbolism.
The mask that lies in her lap, seen being worn by a patron in a previous scene, is such a clear indicator of her being comfortable with who she is, and not trying to hide anything.
Cait being a markswoman, in this setting, with the Artemis and the Stag - The Huntress being Hunted - and the dialogue:
Woman: "I've only ever imagined the gardens, this is all I've seen."
and then it cuts to Vi outside, listening in:
Kick me in my gay little heart because is there anything so precious!?
It's that SMIRK again. That, Well Would You Look At That smirk.
And of course, this whole thing ends after the brawl with Sevika (Vi's fight scenes might need a whole other post for themselves but -) and Cait coming to help Vi.
And, we're gifted given another little moment of ViCait banter, and then VI reaching out for help
in a show of vulnerability, disguised as some more Cupcake Flirting.
