#Dubai Sevens

[smute]

i was so excited (well kind of excited) for the hijack series but oh my god it's bad. and i havent even gotten to the good part yet! the first ep alone has so many plot holes (spoiler warning) from the behavior of the crew to the pilot opening the cockpit door just because they're pointing a gun at his fuckbuddy to the fact that he is able to CHANGE HIS MIND about the emergency on board talking to atc like "yeah never mind it's all good now" LIKE YOU HAVE TO LAUGH

[therealms-number1angirl]

“Edon!” Marianna greets her old friend with a hug as soon as he steps through the door of her home. “It’s so good to see a friendly face.” 

“Marianna.” Edon replies, in his usual, polite manner. “Thank you for inviting my family and I into your home. It is an honor.” 

Marianna looks at Edon’s two sons, Amon and Ira, as well as Amon’s fiancee, Annamaya standing behind Edon. “Could Lydia not make it?” 

“She is with her in-laws down in Arden this holiday season.” Edon replies. “But, she sends her best.” 

Marianna greets the rest of her new guests, all of the Byrnes towering over her, even though she is above average height. 

“Thank you so much for having us, ma’am.” Amon tells her, firmly shaking her hand. “Where is Raisa?” 

At the mention of her eldest daughter, Marianna’s expression flickers to one of annoyance. “She and—“ There is no mistaking the grimace on her delicate features. “Hanson are in the living room with Mellony.” 

Amon blinks in surprise. “Hanson? As in Han Alister? He’s here?” 

Marianna gestures to the direction of the living room. “Right through there. I’ll take you there.” She sighs, as if it was a great burden to walk them to a room of her house. 

The three Byrne men, and Annamaya, stand in the archway of the living room, finding Raisa and Han Alister sitting on a pure white couch, Mellony taking up a matching armchair. Raisa was staring at whatever was on the TV, but Han was leaning closer to Mellony as she was showing him something on her phone. 

“And this is Raisa in the bathtub when she was three.” 

Amon’s mouth is agape, staring at the scene in front of him with astonishment. “Alister?” 

Han looks up, and waves at him. “Hey, Byrne. Annamaya.” He then turns back to Mellony. “Can you please expand more on that story of Raisa falling into the fountain again?” 

Marianna looks at Amon, somewhat accusingly, though he isn’t sure what she is accusing him of. “You two know each other?” 

“Of course.” Annamaya chirps. “We used to go to school together.” Back before Annamaya had graduated the previous summer. 

“And you still go to school at Odensford.” Marianna is still looking straight at Amon. “So, I’m assuming you knew.”  

Amon is still very much unaware of what exactly Marianna Wolfe thinks that he had done. “Knew what?” 

Raisa clears her throat, standing up, dragging Han away from the couch as she does so. “Amon, I was meaning to tell you…” She lets out a long stream of air. “Han and I are married.” 

Amon stares at her, then at Marianna’s disapproving expression, then at Han’s tight-lipped smile, then back at Raisa. “Excuse me?” 

“We’re married.” Raisa repeats, no trace of humor on her face. 

“Congratulations!” Anmamaya exclaims. 

Amon shakes his head. “No. No congratulations. Are you serious? You’re married?” 

Han nods. “Yep.” 

“You two have only been dating for four months!” Amon exclaims, his shock momentarily breaking through his usually calm facade. He doesn’t even register the other people standing around him, as he looks at his oldest friend and her— dear, Maker— husband. “You— I— when did this happen?” 

“Remember when we all went to Las Vegas on Halloween?” Raisa asks. “But you didn’t come because you had an early class the next day?” 

Amon’s breathing continues to come in hard and fast. “Yes,” He replies through gritted teeth. 

Raisa nods. “Then.” 

Annamaya steps forward. “I’m very happy for you two.” 

“Thank you, Annamaya.” Han tells her. 

“You’re welcome!” 

First | Prev | Next

[yhebrew]

2024 Judgment: Dubai, Oman, Brazil (Darian Gap) - Timing, Location, Consecration

One-Third of Emirates Offered Up. One-Third of Brazil Remains. TIMING LOCATION CONSECRATION In Real Estate the phrase is LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION! In God ‘TIMING’ IS EVERYTHING! He will NOT be late! Leviticus 8:33  You are not to go out from the entrance to the tent of meeting for seven days, until the days of your consecration are over; since Adonai will be consecrating you for seven…

[boutique7ae]

We are the best luxury branded watch shop in Dubai. Boutique Seven is the place to buy and sell luxury watches online. Visit us today for more information.

[24seven-home-healthcare]

Benefits of Doctor on Call in Palm Jumeirah 24/7 Availability: Doctor Call services in palm Jumeirah are available around the clock, ensuring you can receive medical care whenever you need it. Reduced Stress: Eliminate the stress of navigating unfamiliar healthcare systems in a foreign country.

[asiarugby]

Rugby Sevens ready to reach new heights in Dubai

Rugby Sevens ready to reach new heights in Dubai

The women’s HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2023 gets under way on Friday 2 December as the best 12 women’s teams and 16 men’s teams in the world take to the pitch at The Sevens Stadium for what promises to be a bumper edition of the popular Emirates Dubai 7s. (more…)

[wileys-russo]

ausenal ‘can you just not sit still?’ travelling to London

steph catley, caitlin foord, kyra cooney-cross

"one two three four, i declare a thumb war!" you chanted, hand locked with kyras as the two of you grunted and struggled. "oh my god." steph mumbled, massaging her temples as the four of you sat in dubai airport for your layover.

"how the fuck are the two of you not tired? you did not shut up or sleep that entire flight!" caitlin groaned from beside her, head resting on her fist as you and kyra ignored them.

"winner!" you screamed happily, jumping on top of the brunette. "ow! steph." you scowled as the defender harshly smacked the back of your calf. "its four thirty in the morning here and people are clearly trying to rest. shut up!" the girl warned sternly nodding to a few other passengers curled up in chairs not far from you.

"that doesn't count we're on aussie time!" kyra slung her arm around you with a scoff. "yeah! and on aussie times its...eleven thirty seven in the morning." you checked your phone and grinned, steph only letting out a deep sigh.

"how much longer till we board?" she mumbled to caitlin. "four and a half hours." the striker answered with a sigh of her own. "we could always drug them, i'm sure theres a pharmacy somewhere in here." steph muttered, both girls seeming to contemplate the idea for a moment before abandoning it with a shake of their heads.

"oh i have cards! lets play." you remembered, swinging your backpack off and rummaging through before you found them, kyra sitting cross legged on the floor beside you.

"come on!" you pinched stephs ankle as she jolted awake and shot you a glare. "works best with four people." you shook the packet at her as kyra had successfully harassed caitlin into playing.

"one game, thats it."

though with all four of your competitive tendencies kicking in, one game quickly became five, and then ten. steph tapping out as they announced your connecting flight was delayed a further three and a half hours due to an engine issue.

"oh you've gotta be fucking kidding." caitlin groaned, you and kyra quite unbothered as you packed away the cards. "ky and i are gonna go find food." you dropped your backpack on top of steph who grunted and pushed it off with an annoyed huff, the two of you racing off before she could say another word.

"do you reckon they accept aussie dollars?" kyra realised as the two of you stood in front of a vending machine, all of the food kiosks closed for another hour due to the time. "no but they should accept this." you grinned plucking your debit card out of your pocket.

"what! i thought steph took yours? caitlins got mine." kyra groaned, the two of you having had your 'pocket money' privileges revoked after you'd decided to buy out basically the entire vending machine at camp, most of which was shared with harper and harley and caused a sugar high chaos.

"sticky fingers ky, sticky fingers." you smirked, having swiped it out of stephs wallet when she was distracted. "oh like in home alone! the sticky bandits." kyra beamed, having admitted to never having seen the movie you'd forced her to watch a whole stack of christmas films over camp.

"see! and you thought you didn't need a christmas movie education."

"jesus christ we're here for a few more hours not a few days!" caitlin shook her head as you and kyra returned, arms laden with all sorts of treats both sweet and savory. "you are not eating anything that has sugar in it before the flight, over my dead body." steph warned sternly, making quick work to try and snatch everything she deemed a danger.

little did they know you and kyra had assumed this would be the case, the majority of the sweet treats hidden away in pockets, kyras bum bag or on your persons.

"do we stop them?" caitlin sighed, wedged into the chair beside steph as you and kyra took off again to explore. "no, if they run off their energy now maybe they'll actually sleep this next flight." steph pointed out, hopeful but realistic that likely wouldn't happen.

so they left the two of you to it, grateful you'd finally left them be much as they worried what the two of you were up to, the last thing they needed was to have to bail you out of trouble with security in another country let alone in dubai.

"where the hell are they? the flight boards in five minutes!" steph stressed, trying both of your phones again which rang out. those five minutes passed, then another ten, and with seconds to spare before they considered just leaving the two of you behind suddenly you and kyra skidded around the corner into view.

"sorry! we got lost and then kyra-" you started to explain but with a murderous look from both your older team mates you fell silent, accepting your bag which was shoved into your chest and silently filing onto the plane after them.

"no! you two are being separated." steph warned as you tried to sit beside kyra, frowning and moving the seat behind so you were next to steph instead.

getting through takeoff both you and kyra were quiet, steph and caitlin both praying that meant you had indeed tired yourselves out. but as the seatbelt sign went off and steph had just started to doze off she heard you moving about, tossing and turning and huffing.

"can you just not sit still?" the defender groaned tiredly, head turning to shoot you a look as you sent her a sheepish smile. "i'm not tired!" you shrugged honestly. "watch a movie or something then, just be quiet. please!" the older girl sighed deeply as you nodded.

it seemed to have worked as steph began to doze off, but the very obvious opening of a packet of something caused her to shoot back up, catching you in the act of shoving a chocolate bar in your mouth.

"give it." steph warned, holding her hand out as you sighed and handed it over. "all of them." the girl shot you a firm look as you deflated and grabbed out the bag, watching with a broken heart as steph hid them away in her own luggage.

"you know steffy you are the worst travel buddy ever." "funny, could say the exact same about you kid. now be quiet, please!"

[vicholas]

(...)Even under the best of circumstances, it is difficult to maintain a vibrant Olympics training program in Gaza, the West Bank and east Jerusalem. Nine months of war between Israel and Hamas has made that challenge next to impossible.

Much of the country’s sporting infrastructure, clubs and institutions have been demolished, said Nader Jayousi, the technical director at the Palestine Olympic Committee.

“Do you know how many approved pools there are in Palestine? Zero,” said al Bawaab, who noted that the Palestinian economy is too small and fragile to consistently support the development of elite athletes. “There is no sports in Palestine. We are a country right now that does not have enough food or shelter, and we are trying to figure out how to stay alive. We are not a sports country yet.”

The Palestinian diaspora has always played an important role at the Olympics and other international competitions, Jayousi said.

Jayousi said it’s not the first time that most of the athletes representing the POC come from abroad. He said the Palestinian diaspora is always represented at any big international sporting competition and Olympics.

More than 38,000 people have been killed in Gaza since the war between Israel and Hamas began, according to local health officials. Among those who died were about 300 athletes, referees, coaches and others working in Gaza’s sports sector, according to Jayousi.

Perhaps the most prominent Palestinian athlete to die in the war was long-distance runner Majed Abu Maraheel, who in 1996 in Atlanta became the first Palestinian to compete in the Olympics. He died of kidney failure earlier this year after he was unable to be treated in Gaza and could not be evacuated to Egypt, Palestinian officials said.

Only one Palestinian athlete, Ismail, qualified for the Paris Games in his own right. The seven others gained their spots under a wild-card system delivered as part of the universality quota places.. Backed by the International Olympic Committee, it allows athletes who represent poorer nations with less-established sports programs to compete, even though they did not meet the sporting criteria.

“We had very high hopes that we would go to Paris 2024 with qualified athletes,” Jayousi, the team’s technical director, said. “We lost lots of these chances because of the complete stoppage of every single activity in the country.”

Palestinian athletes will compete in boxing, judo, swimming, shooting, track and field and taekwondo.(...)

[chaoticdreamfart]

İHSAN GENÇAY 👌✌️🤘👍

DUBAİ SELAMLAR 🤣😁

TUMBİR AİLEME 😏🙃

Hepinizi çok seviyorum 😁😂

Beni seven var mı 😃🤭

Benim sevdim gibi 🤣😁

Sevmeseniz de ben sızı çok seviyorum 😁

İyi Dinlemeler 🤗

Beğeniler için çok 🙃😏

Teşekkür ediyorum 🤪🤭

Saygılar sevgiler 🍂🙃😁

TUMBİR AİLEME 😏🙃😁...✍️

Prenses kız der ki 😁🤣

Normal şartlarda Kendi halinde 😂

Sakın biriyim takı birileri damarıma🤪

Basıp kırmızı cizgimi ihlal edenedek🤣

Maskem düşer can damarim😂

Kesmeden asla düşmem.🤣

Ona göre benimle iyi 🤣

Olan iyidir Kendi 🤭

Düşen ağlamaz 🤪

Prenses kız der 🙃😁.....✍️

Delikanlı kız 😁😂

Hem deli hem prenses 🌿♥️🌿

🩷👑♥️

[best-iwtv-scene]

ROUND 1B, MATCH 4

Descriptions/Propaganda under the cut:

Armand betrayal reveal (2x08)

After Louis declares the end of his story halfway through the final episode, Daniel reveals an original copy of the trial's script, littered with notes from Armand in the margins. Barely containing his emotions, Louis flicks through the script, realising that the trial- and Claudia's subsequent murder- was led by his companion of seventy-seven years. Additionally, Daniel reveals that Lestat was the vampire who saved Louis from execution in the trial, rather than Armand, adding yet another lie to their relationship. Daniel is almost feverish from being able to unpick the mystery of the Dubai interview that has been haunting him since 1x01, Louis is enraged from realising the last seven decades of his life have been based on a lie, and Armand is desperately trying to hold onto the broken parts of their relationship, despite the fact that it has been in pieces from the very beginning. Louis throws Armand against a wall and thanks Daniel, a bond forged between the two, and burns his laptop, destroying it, but not erasing the interviews entirely. The scene is scored by 'Which Ever Way Your Nose Bends', composed by Simon David Rackham and performed by Piano Circus. This piece also features heavily in 2x05, the unique six-piano arrangement used to represent fragmented memories coming together and plays throughout the reveal in 2x08, building in intensity as it progresses. "Where does the bullshit start, Armand, Amadeo, Arun? You were supposed to die with Claudia. He didn't save you, Lestat did!"

Propaganda:

No propaganda was submitted for this scene.

"Rest" (2x05)

After five days trapped in the San Francisco apartment, Armand finally goes to drain Daniel completely. Armand tempts Daniel into an "easeful death" in a similar way to how Santiago is seen to seduce his victims into death during the theatre's performances. An exhausted Daniel tries to resist, quietly saying that he is "a bright young reporter with a point of view", in an attempt to refute Armand's claims of a mediocre and disappointing future ahead of him. Eventually, Daniel gives in, holding onto Armand as he leans in to bite his exposed neck. For a few moments, the pair embrace while Armand drinks from Daniel, until he is interrupted by Louis stumbling into the room, saving Daniel's life. The scene is oddly loving despite its dark nature, particularly due to the high tension of the episode so far, and it shows the strength of Daniel, able to resist Armand's seduction even for just a moment. This scene is scored by an unreleased track, incorporating the piano motifs of Armand's theme, with a string melody over the top, drowning out the piano as Armand zeroes in on Daniel's neck. "An easeful death [...] It'll feel like a bath. Rest. Like honey on your tongue. It is the comfort we all long for... the end." "... Rest." "Rest. Come, come. I'll hold you. You rest now."

Propaganda:

No propaganda was submitted for this scene.

[indelicateink]

just going over some things jacob anderson has hinted at in recent press that make me feral about the pending back half of season 2 lol

Louis, for example, might not be the tragic figure we think he is. Anderson teases that viewers still haven’t seen his character as he truly is. Maybe in Dubai, where he lives with Armand in the present as their kind is quietly setting in motion a worldwide coup of sorts. But even there, he speaks of his past from the perspective of a romanticized victim which he cautions the viewer to question as they empathize with him.

—Salon interview with Jacob Anderson and Sam Reid, 26 May 2024

——

Yeah, he’s in a very different space. The dam breaks in episode seven of Season 1, and there’s a level of pretend that he can’t achieve anymore. He still has an innate attachment to modern-day Louis that’s like an alien quality that comes in and out, but he’s pretty raw at the beginning of the season and only gets rawer. So yeah, he’s in quite a significantly different place with Louis’ journey in Europe, as well as him having to come to terms with what he’s really about. In Season 1, and it was a big thing in the book, it was about moral versus aesthetic. You really see the completion of that idea in Season 2. What is Louis really about? Is he all about morality, or is there quite a significant aesthetic element to that? He’s a complicated one with lots of problems.

—Jacob Anderson, Collider, 3 June 2024

——

“It is a very, very emotional season,” he says, before clarifying that he thinks season 1 was also emotional but season 2 provides a new perspective into his character’s psyche.

“I think that it’s an intellectual current that runs through Louis and the way that Louis speaks. It’s a front in season 1. It’s a front for detachment, and it all kind of breaks down to a raw, like what’s underneath the skin," he adds.

The Game of Thrones alum confesses that fans “are going to scream at the TV” but adds that he believes fans will “feel a huge amount of satisfaction and catharsis and all the emotions.”

“I think when people watch it, there are going to be things that are shocking to hear that come out of that,” he notes.

—People interview with Jacob Anderson and Sam Reid, 10 May 2024

——

Louis’ struggles to connect with the two major loves of his life are a sign of his inner turmoil, says Anderson. “Louis self-sabotages all the time because he’s not comfortable with who he actually is. I think being a vampire is actually what Louis always was supposed to be,” he says. “It feels like there’s a relationship between Louis’ vampiric nature and the way he was before he became a vampire. And that’s something that he finds very difficult to accept.”

“His journey in Season 2 is really reckoning with himself,” he goes on. “Imagine you go on a journey of self-discovery and what you find is that you were the problem. What you discover is that you’re kind of everything that you dislike about other people. I think that’s a very hard thing to find about yourself, and he does.”

—TV Insider interview with Jacob Anderson, 2 June 2024

[iwtvfanevents]

Rewind the Tape

Unidentified art roundup

After the seven #art of the episode posts we put together during our first season rewatch, we rounded up all the unidentified pieces, in case you want to take a look and see if anything feels familiar! Roughly in order of appareance, they're listed below.

Episode 1

We think we have found all pieces in this one!

Episode 2

Unidentified paintings in Dubai

In the background of the dining room scenes, on the other side of the arch over Daniel's shoulder, we can see a big, square-ish canvas with an abstract painting. We get another good look at it in episode six.

Next unidentified piece, to the right of the dining room, looks like it could be some sort of biblical hellscape. The backstage picture to the right is from art director Nealy Orillion's socials.

Unidentified painting in the Azalea

This painting or illustration could show a woman bathing.

Episode 3

Unidentified painting in Dubai

Seen in the sitting room: a profile portrait of a man.

Unidentified paintings in the Azalea

Briefly glimpsed in the Azalea: the blue dress from the first piece looks like Regency era, while the piece in the next room looks like it could be a still life.

Unidentified photographs in the Azalea

Also piece spotted in the Azalea, these photos could very well be random thrift finds. But there are several pin-ups around the place, so there's a non-zero chance they're all by the same photographer.

Unidentified painting in Rue Royale

Spotted in the parlor, on the top left corner of the frame. Looks like a woman in a white headdress.

Unidentified painting in Fenwick's office

What looks like a landscape, possibly of thin trees?

Episode 4

Unidentified paintings in Claudia's room

To the left of the door we can see an illustration or painting of a woman with flowers over a bright pink background.

Above The Kitten's art Lesson we can see a painting that seems to be an expressionist work, perhaps, with a banner of five dolls or children holding hands over the block of solid color in the bottom 3rd of the piece, while the superior section depicts four women sitting on chairs. And to the left of the door we can see, on top, a floral bouquet over a dark background.

Unidentified painting in the staircase landing

We got a look at a painting next to the Munch and below the Renoir, which we could only see the top corner of in episode three. It looks like a still life, maybe of some fruit, or some oysters.

Episode 5

Unidentified paintings in Claudia's room

On the opposite wall to the four paintings around the door, we can also see another floral bouquet.

Unidentified painting in the parlor

Also seen in previous episodes, this painting in the ground floor looks like it might be a landscape, but it could also be some sort of creature or a mass of bodies.

Unidentified painting in the hallway

Based on the style and the other works in Rue Royale, we think this might be a Degas from his After the Bath studies, but we haven't placed it yet.

Episode 6

Unidentified pieces in Dubai

From a different angle, we can see what looks like it could be a Nigerian leather shield, and a photograph of a hand which may be another Vivian Maier picture.

Episode 7

Unidentified painting in Rue Royale

Unidentified painting in Rue Royale

Unidentified painting in Rue Royale

Unidentified painting in Rue Royale

We first saw this piece after Lestat moved back in, in episode 6.

Unidentified paintings in Anderson's office

If you put a name to any of these references, or spot any new ones, let us know if you'd like us to add them with credit to the corresponding #art of the episode post!

We're super close to the second season, and we can't wait! Of course, we'll keep watching with an eye out for interesting references, and it's always easier to find them if we're working together. So, if you spot any interesting art pieces and other references in the second season, make sure to share with the class in the tag #vampterview, and @ us or use the tag #art of the episode if you'd like us to reblog your post into our dedicated tag for these references.

And don't forget to get your very own bingo card for the upcoming predictions bingo, here!

[nalyra-dreaming]

Do you think when Armand eventually returns and has interactions with Louis that they will be a bit awkward given the revelations that led to the breakup and Louis’ journey at the end of last season? Do you think Armand has remorse or he is just bothered that Louis eventually figured it all out with Daniel’s help? I am still trying to understand Armand as a character as I have not yet read the books. Did he love Louis or was their entire seven decade ‘relationship’ just something of convenience for him so that he wouldn’t be alone? I have seen discussions that Armand is obsessed with Lestat and since Louis was with Lestat as well and had this full organic relationship with a daughter where Lestat loved Louis in ways he never ever did with Armand he was envious of that. I don’t envision Louis being mean or spiteful but quiet and introspective. I don’t think he will have much to say to Armand and want to move forward given how hurtful that revelation was. How do you think Lestat will react from his original pov that we have yet to see about Armand’s hand in Claudia’s death? It appears from episode eight that he still holds a lot of self blame for her death despite knowing he was there because of Armand and Armand was the actual one who directed all of it

Lestat knows Armand. THAT is why he holds himself way more responsible for Claudia's death than, well, Armand.

Armand... is a child in a way, caught in an immortal body, he has not matured beyond what he was supposed to be for others. Not yet.

And yes, Armand is canonically quite obsessed with Lestat - that will be part of the tale in season 3. And in upcoming seasons, I'd wager, since theirs is a very weird love-hate-spurned relationship. Instant attraction, and then Armand blew it, and in a way that makes sure there would never be something between him and Lestat ... and they are stuck there, in (later) mutual affection and understanding, but not... like that. Never the final step. As such it will be interesting to see if the show will extend that to Louis, as is the setup in the book... that said, I always underline that there was love there. Armand did come to love Louis. That is why Louis is not dead after all.

I don't think Armand will return to Dubai, no. I think he will travel alone for a bit. Show up at Lestat's concerts, or haunt Daniel's steps. Or flee from Daniel.

But now that Louis has thrown him out he will not return to Louis, now. And this Louis... this Louis didn't leave Armand behind without caring (as in the book) - no this Louis... this Louis left him behind in anger, and with the feeling of betrayal.

That feeling has to settle first, for a while.

I don't see that happening that soon, tbh.

[rapha-reads]

IWTV rewatch

(this show and these books are insane and inspiring - spoilers for both seasons)

Season 1 episode 5 [A Vile Hunger For Your Hammering Heart] - part 1/2

- Previously... Trouble in the Unholy Family.

- Hey, did y'all notice that the intro card, the red sky with the skyline, actually changes? I was rewatching some parts of s2 and noticed that the skyline is different cities, but some buildings disappear from one episode to another.

- *wheezes* What the hell is this opening. Loumand indulging in some exhibitionism for Daniel while Daniel's going through Claudia's exploits. Hilarious. This show is a comedy, I swear. Holy shit, look at Armand's face, he's having the time of his life. And Louis doesn't give a shit, man wants his blood and that's it. Freaks. I love them.

[Daniel] "I'm trying to think of something more fucked up than this." - I don't know, what's going on in front of you maybe? *dies of laughter*

- [Rashid/Armand] "'And how is your work any different? Well, what do you think will happen to Mr du Lac when you publish this book, when the other vampires of the world get their hands on it?' [Daniel] 'As long as they pay full freight.' [Rashid/Armand] 'They will make their way to Dubai. They will scale the sides of this building, force their way inside, and paint the walls with his blood. You are chronicling a suicide. Do not look down on Claudia. Look in the mirror.'"

... Hey, Armand? Pot meets kettle. Don't pretend you care about Claudia. You could stop this any time you want. You're enjoying this, you're enjoying Louis' pain, you're thinking that the book will never see the light of day, that you're in control of the entire narrative, that you can stop this any time you want, that nothing will come out of this enterprise. You're thinking that if, if it comes to this, you'll get to play hero and "save" Louis' life again, and thus tie him even more to yourself. You're assisting that suicide, Armand. You just think that you're in control of the dosage. Look in the mirror.

- [Louis] "Honey and pineapple. He stuffs himself with both for days before he offers himself to me." - Lou baby I love you but you are insane. And also there are things you'd do better to keep in your head, actually. This whole roleplay thing is crazy. I'm imagining Daniel thinking back on these moments after he's turned and just going "what in the seven hells was that".

- [Rashid/Armand] "I care for him more than I care for himself." - oooh, did you guys notice that quick side glance Louis throws at Armand there? That line is Armand being genuine and Louis going "hey dear that's not in the script, what are you saying". Louis is done with both Armand and Daniel, he's being very bitchy and mean.

- What'd that bird do to you, Louis? Leave the poor birdy alone.

Aw, how the tableturns have turned, or however that expression goes. Now you're trying to get her to feed when you made Lestat's life hell refusing to eat yourself...

- Lestat reading and mocking Claudia's diary = Damon Salvatore reading and mocking Stefan and Elena's diaries (my first vampire show was Vampire Diaries, sorry, can't escape your past and all that).

- Oof, Claudia shattering the mirror and Louis being the cautious, angry one for once. Family's in trouble. And then the river of corpses... Oh, trouble, trouble all around.

- Ugh. Tom fucking Anderson is back. When does he die again because he's ugh.

- [Anderson] "Every single one of those corpses had some soft part of it lopped off. Finger here, a foot there... a toe." - yeah, I'm good with blood, but body parts? Claudia's trophies? That is actually stomach turning.

- [Lestat] "One each" - power couuuuuple. Look at them go! Unstoppable when they finally work together, and so in synch. That's what we like to see! Also let's just get rid of Anderson now, thanks.

- Oh, man, Claudia being drunk when the cops are searching the house, half comedy, half horror show. And then the real horror starts as she gathers her trophies. Ah, fuck, I had forgotten about the half dead guy in the closet. She craaaazy.

- [Lestat] "You wanted her, you fix her!" - when one of your parent tells the other "that's your child" when you do or behave in a way they hate. Classic parent stuff.

[Louis] "'We're doing this together.' [Lestat] 'Do you remember our life, how happy we were before her?' [Louis] 'Happy? We were not happy!' [Lestat] 'An anvil, tied around our ankles, pulling us towards the pitch-black ocean floor.'"

Ouch. You ever hear your parents fighting because of you, blaming you for their issues? Yeah... Can't say I blame Claudia for going off the rails.

- [Claudia] "Who am I supposed to love? You two have each other. Who's my Lestat? Who's my Louis? I'm not human. What human would want me? Perverts? Like the uncle at the rooming house who used to watch me pee? Or little boys? And 40 years from now... still little boys? How are you gonna fix it, huh? Which one of you gonna fuck me?!"

Hey, more of Claudia's fucked up backstory. 'You broke it, you fix it', except they can't even begin to understand what's broken, because she's right, they've got each other, even when they fight, that's Louis-and-Lestat, Lestat-and-Louis, they can't even understand why she's so mad and so sad and so angry. Kinda like when allosexual alloromantic people tell you, an aro ace person "but you don't love?" - bitch, I do love, I just don't wanna date anybody, thanks. L&L to Claudia: "but we're a family, we're rich and we're powerful, why are you not happy". Claudia: "bitch, maybe because I'm stuck as a kid for the rest of eternity while my mind and spirit age and I gotta see you two romance each other every fucking night while knowing that nobody will ever want to romance me?".

- [Claudia] "'I'm gonna go out there and find other vampires.' [Lestat] 'If you could find them, which you won't, they would shred you to strips, because you are build like a bird, because you are a mistake.'"

Bedside manners, Lestat. You know the worst thing, Lestat does warn here that she'd be in danger, but he does it in such a mocking, cruel manner that obviously she doesn't believe him and doesn't even take him seriously.

- Louis' dejected scoff when Lestat tells him he's killing Antoinette soon. These madmen are so bad at communicating.

- [Louis] "We made her out of remorse, out of selfishness." - ah, the self-awareness brought by a century of reflecting on your past. But what's that "we", Louis? You wanted her out of remorse, as your penance, your redemption for your sins and mistakes. Lestat made her out of love and pity for you.

- [Daniel] "'Poor dear. She wasn't held enough in between ritualistic murders.' [Louis] 'She spent every night for half a decade with no friends, locked in the emotional storm of puberty.' [Daniel] 'Look, Charlie Manson wrote a couple of beautiful songs. Still, he was Charlie Manson.' [Louis] 'Is that all you think of her?' [Daniel] 'Mostly. I also think she makes you and Frenchy look like a couple of whiny, existential queens. Probably why she's a fucking goldmine. The girl who moves a million books.' [Louis] 'I won't have her exploited.' [Daniel] 'Won't matter what your intentions are. It's the world out there now. She's the - the... single-shooter, Xbox, mouth-breather shit they crave.'"

Daniel's right. Look at us, we fucking love Claudia. She's a psycho, she's murderous, she's cold-blooded... She's our babygirl. She's our bicon. She's the moment. We love her because she's unhinged and feral and unapologetic about her pain and anger.

I love this writing, how it totally recontextualizes the whole story in the 21st century. Book!Claudia is disturbing, little blond angel with blood on her teeth, the eternal child with the wisdom and anger of a grown woman. Show!Claudia is pure attraction and mass adoration, the symbol of teenage angst with all of a lifetime of anger and rebellion. We relate to her, we the generations that have had to grow up so fast while simultaneously stunted, can't find jobs but expected to be way more qualified than our parents, can't buy a house but gotta be way more independent and resourceful and crafty than our elders. The whole world at our fingertips but completely unable to reach it, stuck in an eternal loop of doom and gloom as we watch the world burn without having the slightest power to stop it.

And of course Daddy Lou still wants to protect her from that, even in death, still sees her as his precious little daughter/sister who needs sheltering and safeguarding, even after she tells him she's not that kid anymore.

Well, that was heavy. Doom and gloom indeed. Don't think part 2 will get any better.

episode 1 | episode 2 | episode 3 | episode 4 | part 2 | episode 6 | episode 7

[simplykorra]

the simple truth of being alive - chapter one

When Beatrice wakes up at seven the next morning, her brain is a little bit fried. Her eyes are heavy with sleep, her knee hurts from the cold and she’s fully aware that there is an android in her kitchen.

The research she did on Ava’s model and history last night was more depressing than informative.

The A-V-A-3500 was decommissioned after only fifteen androids were made, ten of them were scrapped for various reasons, three of them made it out into the world, one was never turned on, another resides in Dubai and is a mascot for street racing.

According to the few articles she found on it, the A-V-A-3500 was designed with adaptation in mind. Their goal was to become a part of the family, to connect with the people they were sent to and take the place of a caregiver or a live-in maid.

Beyond that, the hopes for the model were to be the first android that could have an emotional connection with a human - could fall in love and feel genuine joy at the sight of someone they were close to.

It was, apparently, a far bigger reach at the time then what androids were capable of and the reason most of the A-V-A-3500 models were scrapped is because they could not fully process all of the false emotions programmed into them.

The whole thing was written very much like an expense report. This talk of the androids becoming connected and loved, then in testing having that love taken away and them being overcome with grief.

“Our technology works too well at the moment” one of the articles said.

The A-V-A-3500’s passion for life and love was seen as a deterrent.

CONT ON AO3

[in-kyblogs]

Armand and Louis first meeting’s scene is heartbreaking. I was wondering why I’m moved to tears every single time I watch it and I think it’s the contrasts: the score is amazingly soft and it says: ‘these two will love each other for seven decades, can you imagine it?’ and I can see it, there I really can. That was the first time I actually felt the love that these two have for each other. At the same time Louis is so scared of this ancient vampire in that moment and the ancient vampire is mesmerised by Louis. And then all those scenes are interspersed with scenes from Dubai and (Assad and Jacob are so great here) they have these looks on them- of fondness and reminiscence and melancholy and Louis is smiling but Armand is more subdued, his look is soft but there’s also a sadness there. Maybe he feels that the spark they had that night is now dimmed. I think that right there is an amazing bit of subtle acting and they’re soooo good, maybe my favourite bit of acting from the episode. Finally, the shot is what makes it all work so well: there’s no camera movement, but the focus is initially on Louis and then it shifts on Armand, but the two of them are always both in the shot. Levan Akin the director you are, I could kiss you on the mouth. It really gives you this sense of tender love, but with a melancholy to it that breaks your heart. And the score expresses it perfectly. Daniel Hart, *tips hat*, bravo.

Btw go see And then we danced and Crossings by Levan Akin he really is a great director