#Louis: I just don't say it :) that's the only thing wrong here :)

[laiddownwiththedevil]

' if you love me, louis, you don't love me in a way i understand. ' + armamd

@tomedesvampires

"I do love you," Louis murmured, dropping his book on the bed next to him. Things were rough between them since the decision to bring Daniel back, but that wasn't the only catalyst. They were on a downward spiral even before Daniel returned. Louis was unable to get out of his own thoughts, growing more and more withdrawn as time went on. It was taking its toll on their relationship, even if they tried to keep the facade of a happy couple up around Daniel. "I don't always say it. I never have."

[saintarmand]

while armand does some truly horrid shit in 2x05, i really don't think it's true that he intentionally suicide baited louis. i understand the speculation considering it is something he does to his human victims, twice in this episode, but there's nothing in this scene suggesting intentionality. nothing about what armand says is directly leading louis towards the conclusion of "you should kill yourself", and if you look at armand's expressions it's pretty clear he did not expect louis to react the way he did.

this is an "oh shit what the fuck" face, not a "my plan is working" face.

it's completely logical and realistic that armand said horrible things because he was upset and it ended up having consequences that he didn't expect. there are no plot holes here that need filling in.

i also don't see any evidence that him taking a few moments to go after louis was an intentional choice either. it makes perfect sense that it might take a little time for his brain to go from "louis has left the room" to "louis is going outside into the sunlight". i didn't immediately get that either when i watched the episode, it took me a second to realize what daniel was getting at with the metal door stuff. armand's voice also sounds panicked as he's shouting louis's name. there's no reason to think he wasn't horrified by what happened.

of course him then proceeding to guilt trip louis about it, centering his own feelings, and acting as though louis was the only one who did or said anything wrong, and all the other shit he did, was horrible, i'm not trying to dispute any of that, but this one specific thing? nah. it's not even that i think speculating about darker possibilities is totally out of the question, i just don't see any evidence for this one, and yet i still see people talking about it like it's canon.

just because armand is capable of causing harm does not mean he is intentionally and maliciously trying to hurt people as much as possible at all times.

[allwaswell16]

A fic rec of One Direction fics where the main pairing has a one night stand or what they think will be a one night stand as requested in this ask. If you enjoy the fics, please leave kudos and comments for the writers! You can find my other fic recs here. Happy reading!

- Louis / Harry -

💜 You You You by @isthatyoularry

(M, 137k, famous/not famous) the one where Harry and Louis meet at a club and Louis takes Harry home, only for him to realize that the boy who just made him breakfast half naked is Harry Styles from One Direction.

💜 You Drive Me Round The Bend by TheCellarDoor / @donotdialnine

(M, 77k, hate to love) In which Louis is a spoilt rich kid who’s always on the phone while he drives and Harry is a struggling musician making his way down the mountain. It’s just a matter of time before they crash and burn.

💜 Know a Trick or Two by @sadaveniren

(E, 44k, Potter Direction) the one where Muggle Harry and Wizard Louis have a one night stand and get more than they bargained out of it.

💜 Baby, What a Big Surprise by kiwikero / @icanhazzalou

(E, 33k, high school) the one where shy, quiet Harry has no idea he's a carrier, and a one night stand with the most popular boy in school shows him just how wrong he was.

💜 You Wouldn't Believe the Dream I Just Had About You & Me by @larryatendoftheday

(E, 21k, friends to lovers) After a back-to-school bash and a few too many drinks, Harry finds himself pregnant from a one-night stand he doesn’t remember. His best friend Louis is the only one who knows about the baby. Together they try to find the father of Harry’s baby, but they keep looking in all the wrong places.

💜 Behind Smoke Stained Curtains by @jaerie

(E, 19k, omegaverse) The worlds align when Louis meets an alpha from the road with as many secrets as he holds himself.

💜 Souls; Plural, Parallel by LadyLondonderry / @londonfoginacup

(T, 19k, soulmates) It's unfortunate then, that Louis finds out the hard way that he met his soulmate in a club, and the guy never texted him back.

💜 I Still Find You Lovely by @angelichl

(M, 16k, pwp) In which Harry goes to a bar in search of a bloke with an air-conditioned flat.

💜 Up All Night for Good Fun by @berzerkshires

(E, 13k, boss/employee) The man leaves his place before Harry wakes up, which makes him sad since it was the best sex he's ever had. But when he goes to his new job on Monday, he realizes the man he slept with is the CEO.

💜 Caught My Attention by kassio

(E, 13k, famous/not famous) Louis had been around long enough to know when someone was checking him out. He hadn’t expected to see that look from Harry fucking Styles.

💜 Night Out by @helloamhere

(E, 9k, omegaverse) Symphony hall was the first place Louis had felt at home in this city, and he always had the box to himself. Until tonight.

💜 One Minute Old by crimsontheory / @ireallysawanangel

(E, 9k, mpreg) a one-night stand of Louis' that he never thought he'd see again shows up at his door six months later.

💜 I Think I’m Addicted to Your Light by supernope

(E, 9k, pwp) He indicates his legs with the hand clutching a pale pink phone, and Louis’ gaze drops. Speechless, Louis takes the phone, eyes locked on the guy’s legs. His gorgeous legs, clad only in a pair of black thigh-highs held up by a silky black garter belt.

💜 You don't have to say you're mine by @softfonds

(M, 7k, Roman Holiday au) Harry thought they'd always have Rome, until fate gave them another chance.

💜 Rode Hard and Put Away Wet by @kingsofeverything

(E, 6k, size difference) Louis heard the same rumours in London, New York, and L.A., and he put them all to rest, but in Texas?

💜 All Good Things by @fallinglikethis

(E, 5k, famous/not famous) After a good show, popstar Harry likes to go out with his crew to blow off some steam. It must be his lucky night when he finds a pretty boy that's willing to help him out with that.

💜 Missed Chances by @harryanthus-annuus

(E, 5k, omegaverse) they get drunk on some expensive wine. Things escalate from there.

💜 Go With It by embro

(NR, 4k, pwp) "You thought I was someone else and started making out with me in a club and you're really hot so I just kinda went with it and now we're heading back to your place and I don't know how to break it to you"

💜 If You Don't Have To Go, Don't by @taggiecb

(E, 3k, famous/not famous) Louis just wants to have fun, and dance, and forget about everything is wrong in the world. He does just that in a crowded club in the middle of London. That is until he catches the eye of a beautiful green eyed stranger, and suddenly all of Louis' dance moves are for him.

- Rare Pairs -

💜 set the pace by flimsy

(E, 34k, Louis/Nick Grimshaw) “Do you think,” Nick says, “that we can keep this between us?” He gestures between himself and Louis and gives Louis a crooked smile like this is all explanatory, and Louis’ stomach twists uncomfortably.

💜 One by @allwaswell16

(E, 4k, Louis/Tommy Shelby) When omega Louis Tomlinson becomes pregnant after an unexpected encounter, he decides his only option is to flee his pack. But Tommy Shelby, pack alpha of the Peaky Blinders, might not be willing to let him go so easily.

[dxxtruction]

"Louis acting like a pimp to Armand" And what is a pimp exactly? Quickly. And, oh so sexual trauma survivors can't engage in kink now without it being all about that? Pet names? They can't be submissive anymore? Consensually? Sexually healthy? Be serious. I'd hardly say there's much power difference between them during all this anyway, except that Louis is freer than Armand and it's been putting a strain on their relationship. Louis wants more from Armand, and less of this 'being his past' for them both, and so helping Armand with this could fix that. It's healthy to want to help your partners get out of a rough patch?

I mean, the whole exchange was very clearly set up as a "I want to help you" after such a great moment of vulnerability Louis feels just how much Armand is desperate for it. Louis called Armand so they could work out a plan together.

And the bit with the umbrella was Louis' way of asking 'are you willing to listen to me?' and Armand said yes by unfolding it. Louis goes on and explains, Armand is allowed to argue against it, but Louis makes his point. And then he gives Armand a way to make his own choice in it too. Armand's already decided 'I want you, more than anything else in the world', but Louis still asks after if he's sure of his choice, and with a name, Arun, that is the one of his fullest agency, running the point home. Honoring the situation Armand calls Louis Maitre - as a way of being like 'I'll do as you've said then'. To make this work he's going to have to give Louis some of the control, yes. But it's the first time such a role is ever established, and it was his choice to do it. So so what if they do it in a very suggestive way? They can't like doing that? I think it's them having fun.

I struggle to find how Louis is being overly domineering here when really he's giving and offering Armand the most agency he's ever had. Same with finding it manipulative. The manipulation was more earlier in the episode I think, when he was stringing him along, giving mixed signals. He's no longer toying with him like that. Louis might be pushing Armand, leading him on to make a decision, but he doesn't mean bad by it.

But back to this pimp thing. I find it frankly offensive that this is where people are going with this. I get it, but to run with it being the case is, on many levels, wrong.

Louis told us episode 1 this was the only sustainable line of work to support his family and keep their standing, at the time. It was never his choice to be doing this either but his blackness allowed no other options. He did what he did so his family could stay in that house and maintain all their same comforts. It gave him privileges most black men didn't have at the time that he wanted to maintain and even have more of. Anyway, it doesn't and had never defined him the way 'being good at running things' had. And in that case he just likes having that kind of control where he can get it, which makes sense.

The world is what placed that kind of role onto him of what he was allowed to be able to run, not himself. And on that he actually treated the sex workers he employed well and respected them enough to give them more opportunity.** He recognizes they don't have much in the way of options either.

Louis employed sex workers, yes, but he didn't subject them to abuse, (like how Armand was)*. He didn't oversee things in a way that would go against their consent (see; episode 1 again)**. Sometimes a job is just a job. And Sex work is work.

Armand's particular past with sexual abuses may strike a particular cord with Louis, given all that, but the very last thing either is thinking is that Louis' pimping Armand out here. This is merely their decision as companions, and had nothing to do with adding another line in a laundry list of selling Armands body out to people at the command of someone else. Armand rescinds some of his control to Louis' wishes, because he wants him, and he trusts him, that's all.

If you aren't allowing Armand that choice, and are doubtful it's fully his, you're putting him right back in the box of being defined by his abuses. Putting him back into that space where he isn't given any agency over what he does. (Which is exactly opposite of what the intent of this scene is for)*.

*: (edit) added for clarity.

**: (strike through) numerous people are saying I'm misremembering these points so disregard it. (Thought he was siding with Bricks, it was the other way around). (Technically one aspect of those opportunities were for getting around the law). I don't have a perfect memory, it happens. Let's not get mad about it. Doesn't change much of the point which is that Louis, now, Louis then, was always considering more about the running things and for stated purposes. So I guess I'd say he may only have respected the SWers enough sometimes for what allowed him to do that, and there are moments he certainly expressed remorse over the fact, but he has a great deal higher respect for Armand that is genuine. It's incomparable. Please read my added notes in the tags, it should address most other concerns.

[joanquill]

Sebastian, Fred, Bonde, and Herder Taking Care of Sick S/O

How Sebastian, Fred, Bonde, and Herder would take care of their lover if they were sick.

Sebastian Moran, Fred Porlock, James Bonde, and Von Herder

A/N: Jack, Moneypenny, and Paterson will be added in part two-- I'M SO SORRY I DIDN'T REALIZE I READ THE ASK WRONG ASGHAJHG also, here is the Moriarty Brothers' version and Sherlock's version!

Sebastian Moran

Definitely has experience taking care of you when you have a hangover or body sores.

When he finds out you got sick, he'll most likely scold you (despite the high chance he's the reason why you got sick in the first place).

Unfortunately, your sore throat can't let you voice your complaints, and can just glare at him.

Sebastian probably acts the calmest while taking care of you.

But he keeps holding your hand while you're sleeping, rubbing his thumb against your wrist to check.

Also does not care if he gets sick because of you.

He probably welcomes it, saying he will have a reason to not do chores and he can stay in bed with you.

He probably camps in your room, hiding from Louis and Moneypenny and saying he's there to take care of you.

But when he does get caught, they literally have to drag him out of your room.

He checks in on you every now and then while doing chores, making sure you've eaten, taking medicine on time, and resting properly.

He'll most likely feed you, even if you have the energy to eat on your own.

You had to kick him out of your room so you could change by yourself despite him promising not to look.

He'll probably act exasperated while taking care of you, but still does it diligently.

He definitely stayed by your side while sleeping, making sure you were alright.

Even when you get better, he'll still check your temperature and make sure you don't push yourself, just in case.

Fred Porlock

When he tries to wake you up to start the day, his heart drops when he sees you sweating bullets and breathing heavily.

Ran to Louis for help, panicking while Louis checked up on you.

Fortunately, it was only a slight fever. But the headache you were feeling said otherwise.

Louis made you take a day off so you could recover and had the others cover for your tasks for the day.

You swear you could hear Sebastian complain, but it might just be the fever.

Louis and Moneypenny taught Fred how to take care of you, while also checking in on you when they could.

The poor boy was unsure what to do while you're stuck in bed.

You could tell he tried his best: carefully carrying your food and medicine to your room, blowing on your food when it's hot, feeding you, helping you take your medicine on time, and keeping you company.

But Moneypenny had to step in when you had to change your clothes.

Fred left the room even when you said it was fine and he could just turn around.

When he's done with chores and looking after the garden, he spends the rest of the day in your room.

Even when you're asleep, he watches you and keeps you company, sometimes even checking if your fever has gone down.

Back when he was an orphan and living in the streets, he had seen people dying from fever or a common cold and he didn't want the same thing to happen to you.

You try to reassure him, holding his hand while saying you will be fine the next morning with him looking after you.

But he still can't help but feel anxious, holding your hand through the night.

James Bonde

I wouldn't be surprised if you got sick when you got stuck in the rain with him.

Most likely from his idea of dancing together or kissing in the rain like in the novels.

However, what irks you is that James was perfectly healthy the next day, while you can't even leave the bed.

He charms his way out of your anger, though.

Still tries to cuddle with you while you're sick.

Constantly flirting and saying you still look adorable in his eyes despite being sick.

When you put on a mask to avoid him getting sick, he still kisses you, saying it'll be fine.

Likes feeding you the most, but also makes sure you take your medicine on time and rest.

While helping you change out of your clothes, he'll probably hug you from behind to get a reaction.

Other than his constant teasing and flirting, he takes proper care of you.

When you fall asleep, he kisses your cheek and goes do his remaining chores or tasks.

But if he had a mission that day, he'd come rushing to you when he got home and cuddles you.

He'll probably sneak into your bed and cuddle with you, sleeping next to you despite your constant warnings when you were awake.

When you get better, expect him not to leave your side and have him cling to you the whole day.

Or if he actually gets sick, expect him to still cling to you and ask you to look after him the whole day.

Von Herder

He probably warned you about taking care of your health when he caught you sneezing in the lab, but you most likely brushed it off as the dust in the air.

As it turns out, you did catch a cold.

When he found out, he probably teased you about being right but was worried about you, nonetheless.

He ensures everything you need is within reach, buying whatever you need and request.

Unfortunately, he still has work to do in the lab, so he usually just checks up on you once in a while.

Has invented walkie-talkies to keep you company (and let him talk to you about machines while you're bedridden).

If he hears you snoring and you don't respond, he lets you sleep and wishes you goodnight.

But he'll probably complain about you falling asleep while he was talking about his new invention.

Herder probably wears a mask and gloves while taking care of you, saying it'll be bad if he catches your cold while he's still working on projects.

I wouldn't be surprised if he wears a hazmat suit-

He makes you take your medicine on the dot, no questions asked.

I think he's a competent caretaker. He helps you change out of your clothes, feeds you, and makes you rest.

It's almost alarming how efficient he was in taking your clothes off and changing them, but you decided not to say anything.

When he's done with work, he visits your room to keep you company.

If you're asleep, he'll probably be on the side inventing something he thought of for you as quietly as possible.

He'll probably kick out Sebastian or Bonde if they try to go to your room while you're sleeping, saying they'll wake you up.

However, if he starts getting bored, he'll probably poke your cheeks to wake you up saying it's time to eat or take your medicine.

[athanasius-symposium-of-writings]

Just a thought about Matthias handling 'sharing' aka open/poly relationships (they are different)

Rated T | Warnings: none

Since Emil arrived at the Desaulnier Estate, he has always slept in your room. Early mornings you will exit your room to prepare breakfast and Emil will follow to help, always preparing the tables and rolling the cart of food for all the meals. He helps you as much as you allow him to, often he simply shares the same space with you.

Many who were here, before the puppy latched to your side, cannot say they have ever been inside your room as much as Emil.

Matthias does not like it, he is still getting used to the idea of sharing you but does not like the immediate access Emil always has to you— Willing access.

“How do you do it?” Asking when both he and the Mercenary are alone in the sunroom.

“Do what?” Then he looks at what Matthias is staring hard at, “That? Hm, got over it.” Lounging on the long seat used to sunbathe.

“But how? Don't you feel it is unfair?”

Naib Subedar knows the question is genuine and not to cause strife or bitter feelings. As one of the older vampires in the manor, Matthias is forced to go to others for guidance. “Heh, you sound like Norton,” Closing his eyes as he spoke, “We all thought the same thing. (Name), is a private person and someone suddenly having the opportunity to be with them in a private way was… Upsetting.” Trying to find the right word, “In the end, it is their choice whether we are allowed or not to be that close.” Naib Subedar cracks an eye open, “Emil is a special case, it is not as clear now but back then he was not in the same headspace you see him in now.”

“So you pity him?” Matthias’ attention is on Naib Subedar 

“I did. Pity however doesn't help him. And…”

“And?”

“He will get better. When that happens he will seek out independence,” Glancing at the fledgling, “When he leaves their room,” A chuckle, “We can see who gets to warm their bed then.”

Matthias stands there realizing Naib Subedar is being patient. From what he has seen of the other vampires and heard, Naib Subedar is a patient man. Disciplined and the only person who spars with you— Other than Lord Desaulnier. From the large photograph portrait of you in the art gallery room, you were a soldier of some kind— Details you do not talk about lightly.

“Matthias.”

“Hm, yes?”

“Are you sure about only wanting them?”

“Yes.”

“Alright, but consider having another option. There isn't anything wrong with sharing.”

Everyone in some way or form is attached to you, their bonds to you undeniable, but few have found bonds with one another. Lord Desaulnier and his husband Aesop too, Matthias avoids the Lord often but he too sees their bond— Matching rings. Naib Subedar with Norton Campbell, there are others, most include you as a ‘third’, someone they both adore.

Matthias only wants you, sharing you is difficult for him and something he would rather not think about. But he cannot simply ask you to break off this open relationship with the others… He knows the many centuries worth of love cannot be cut off. They love you, just as he is coming to love you.

“Don't think too hard about it.” The mercenary's voice breaks the train of thought, “Talk to them. (Name) listens.”

You do, you have listened often to Matthias especially when Louis becomes involved. When the curse of his vampiric blood whispers those dark whispers connected to the Embrace— You become his knight, his grounding force. The puppeteer doubts anyone else could be there like you have… Like you often are without him having to ask or beg.

He understands why Emil needs you.

[sherwees]

cw : obsession, manipulation, implications of domestic abuse and why does yangyang have a helicopter in his backyard?

side note : @ne0pearl and @teasteeper wanted me to drop this so here it is!!

side side note : yangyang beret?!

best friend yangyang that'll try to prove that he's better than your boyfriend by buying you all types of luxuries ranging from dolce&gabbana, louis vuitton and rolex. Something else that adorned your neck besides the 1200 dollar necklaces was the hickies that he would leave just so he could hear you struggle trying to explain that they were just bruises; your best lie was saying that it was an allergic reaction.

he'll spend hours on his free days, just scrolling through clothing catalogs (sometimes with his sidekick, hendery) just to pick out his gifts for you. hendery always found something that was perfect and he was a little too exact about your interests but it wasn't that much of a big deal.

when he would looked up at you with his arms around your waist, doe eyes and all in your new outfit in the dressing room. you giggle then grab at the price tag and let out an honestly dramatic gasp with your hand covering your mouth and all. “oh my gosh! 5,000 for a coat?!” you squealed but he immediately shushed you as he stood up with a smug look, eyebrow raised. “don't worry about it.. let your best friend treat you well~” his voice low, smooth like his hands lowering to your ass, giving it a light squeeze before twirling you around.

your boyfriend, winwin which happens to be one of his closest friends always questions him about his gifts makes the happiness crawl up his neck in tingles. his scrunched eyebrows, the hurt in his voice and the looks he gives him just riles him on. deeper into you, deeper into his craze.

yangyang that loves scaring the truth out of you. he loves being all dry in your texts after you maybe say the wrong thing or he catches you hanging out with your boyfriend. sometimes, he would corner you and bombard you with questions that barely have an answer, just like the first day you both started dating.

“do you really love me?” he randomly blurted one morning, you turn on your heel with a confused look at his more angered look. he only walked closer and your ass uncomfortably pressed against the counter but he didn't stop until he stood only a few inches away from you but repeated the question slower as if you didn't already get it. “yeah, as a friend..” you shrugged nonchalantly before attempt to turn back to your cereal but there was suddenly a resounding bang from the cabinet by your ear and you shrieked. “what the fuck!” you whined, covering your ear with hopes to lull the ringing. yangyang muttered, “naïve little whore” before turning you around with a swift tug at your shoulder,

“so all those times together meant nothing to you”

“but I have a boyfri–”

“if you truly loved sicheng, you would've took a sign and left the dressing room that day.” His words spewed like a firework explosion. You cupped your palm around his mouth with a gasp, shaking your head slowly with a quick “Nuh uh!”, you could tell that he was smiling behind your palm. He then licked it with a chuckle, your hand slamming against the counter in the process which elicited a hard grunt from you.

“You're so pretty when you're mad~” he said whilst circling his hand around your neck to grasp and squeeze your nape before heading in for a kiss.

he scared you though. sometimes, he would shove himself in the crane of your neck to whisper belitting words and lies about your relationship; that'll only make you overthink. his persuasion was so good to the point where he convinced you to make him your ‘first time’ because winwin was inexperienced and “wouldn't understand you like he did.”

sometimes, he would even refuse to apologize or convince you that a situation never happened. that day he snuck into your room in the middle of the night. never happened. when he grasped your neck and nearly suffocated you unconscious. was the past and he “changed”. he wanted your relationship to be perfect.

everytime you and winwin had a simple misunderstanding, he would be the first to run to you about what winwin said supposedly:

“He was like, ‘she's too whiny about everything and I just don't fucking understand her! I just wished she understood me more!’” He mocked winwin's emotional state then bellowed a laugh before continuing to blow on his noir nails. A slick, sick grin raised at the corners of his lips once he noticed that your lips was distorted in held back laughter, his dried hand grabbed your cheek caressing it with his tongue peaked from his plump lips.

“But you know I love you more right?”

but when it came up to you both having a misunderstanding, it was different. when he could roughly cradle your balled up figure on the couch, he attempted to coo at you but his tone was urgent,scratchy and whiny as his hands sporadically quaked, patting to find his phone throughout the many pockets of his baggy pants. the only thing that could make you stay at least what he thought would make you stay was buying you things; his bank account locked one day when he was in a raging fit and nearly spent 3 bands just for you to forgive him.

“Look!” he attempted to shove his phone in your face, the high brightness of his phone making your sensitive orbs strain more caused you to wince and shield your face. He mumbled a fast apology, turning down the brightness and scrolled through the pandora website with unsteady fingers.. “I'll buy you something– please forgive me? I didn't mean to hit you.. I'll never put my hands on you ever again..” he lied vowed with you, his voice shook as the tears caked at his waterline nearly overflowing.

“yangyang, just leave me–” you looked over to him with slight surprise when you saw his expression, he seemed unfamiliar because he was actually crying?

“NO!” he yelled, his voice rasp. His black nails digging into your back and left knee, his cries only become louder; you could tell his esophagus was giving out because he started to hiccup.

yangyang was like a child, a snotty three year old. if you didn't give him what he wanted, he would make a tantrum. when he would try to make it up to you, he would finally give you what you wanted. you stared up at the ceiling and to yangyang's bloodshot red eyes, his lips agape; sore and chapped as he grunted and moaned. his hand pressed against your shoulder, his free hand travels to your wrist and his breath was hot&gruff against the top of your limp hand until he laid a chaste kiss on it. “I'll always make it up to you, alright?” he opens your fingers with his thumb before rubbing your palm against his cheek, the warmth of him causing you to slightly smile. “there's my girl..” His toothy smile made it's appearance finally, his thrusts only quickened through your slick channel.

he threw his head back, his hands finding leverage from the bottom of his your shirt as the tandems of pleasure coursed through his veins rapidly. Your high was approaching, quick and heavy but to your luck, yangyang stilled inside of you already. His uncomfortably warm seed pumped into your hole at a steady rate, he manages to lower himself down to mark your jaw and any open area of tan skin he saw. I mean.. at least he was happy, right?

it's been a month since you and winwin uttered a word to each other. His contact was simply back to “Sicheng 🙂”, nothing further. yangyang insisted on removing the emoji or just blocking him, yangyang was like your parent now. he monitored your phone, always looking over your shoulder and got snappy when he was suspicious on your relationships with people.

through your moments of uncertainty, his friend sidekick hendery was always there for you. yangyang would always glare at your closeness or whenever you two thought you were alone. shame started to lay in yangyang's soul heavily, his mind was clouded with regret.

his members were practically scared of him now, xiaojun accidentally slipped that ten was talking to someone and xiaojun only huffed through his nose as ten walked off with his head low, when kun snapped at yangyang about how winwin started to stress himself out from the several opportunities he had in china; even some he volunteered for just so he could stay away from them.

I guess so.

his thumb mindlessly exited all the shopping websites that he had opened, he looked over to you and hendery in the kitchen; you laughing as he swiped off the whipped cream from your nose. is this how winwin felt? worthless, just sitting there as you just slipped through his fingers like jello until you melted into pieces.

[agentnoun]

Let's Talk about Metaphor: ReFantazio's Politics

I think, primarily, Metaphor: ReFantazio is about fantasy, escapism, and utopia more than it wants to be about politics. But it does feature a political message, and one that feels especially poignant here in late 2024.

Full game spoilers beneath the cut!

Poltiically, Metaphor is about two things: the politics of fear, and the weaknesses of democracy.

Louis stokes the flames of populist fear, whipping that fear into anger and riding it like a wave to prominence. Louis himself is not a fascist--his actual goals are far more esoteric than that and don't really map to real-world political ideologies at all--but his rise to power strongly resembles how fascism rises in the real world. He preys on the people's fear of the unknown and of what lies beyond their walls (represented by the game's "human" monsters), promising that he is the only one who can protect them. He is their strong man, their great leader, the one who will deliver them from this monolithic, omnipresent danger.

And democracy can't do shit about it.

That's just the thing, right? Democracy has very limited defenses against fascism. If the people are afraid, angry, feel abandoned or ignored, it is easy for a charismatic fascist to build a movement, taking those justified feelings and turning them towards a destructive aim.

And that's a lot easier to sell than what Will is selling. It's notable that Will and his party can only really offer some fairly vague assurances that they will "help everyone in need" and make sure nobody is left behind, but how? How can they possibly prove that? Any explanation is long, boring, feels wishy-washy, while Louis is right over there offering a simple solution. Strength. Power. That's what matters.

Metaphor highlights the glaring weakness of democracy as a political system: when things get bad enough, bad actors can subvert the whole thing. It doesn't matter if what those bad actors are selling is destructive, wrong, based on lies. How will you prove that? It feels right.

At the same time--Metaphor finds hope. It's not saying "democracy bad." Notably, Will wins the election. If you check your rank while you're in the Tyrant's Star final dungeon, you're rank 1. You've won.

But by that point, whether you win the election or not is secondary. The election is almost just for show at that point (barring the last-minute power-up with kingly magic, of course). Will and his friends are not going to beat Louis by beating him in an election. They have to fight him directly.

And that's just it: you're not going to beat fascism just by voting. That doesn't mean you shouldn't vote, but it does mean you also need to be ready to actually fight them. Because ultimately, when fascists gain enough power, that becomes the only way to take them down.

That, I think, is Metaphor's politics. We should not abandon democracy. But we also can't sit back and accept that the will of the people will always steer us right. Evil doesn't become right just because people voted for it. Sometimes, evil grabs the wheel, and someone--no, a lot of someones need to go and grab it back.

[nightcolorz]

Going to vent to you because this seems like a safe space for Armand sympathizers lol…

LIKE obviously Armand is doing all the wrongs, he didn't have to agree to literally any of this, blah blah etc etc BUT GIRL. if the guy i had been casually dating for two years because he had great benefits one day revealed to me that he was a child sex slave, the thing i would not do is be like 'wow, i guess what you're secretly saying is you want me to turn our relationship into an unnegotiated 24/7 TPE huh'.

And then when he came to me in a panic to tell me his life is falling apart and his employees are plotting to kill him and his protection isn't going to last much longer and i should flee the country for my own safety because he's the most vulnerable he's ever been since the time he was abducted by the crazy torture cult, the thing i absolutely would not do at that moment is surprise him by introducing that dynamic into our relationship completely out of nowhere and then order him to stay right here because I've got a totally cool plan to outmanipulate his enemies and I'll be his master now :)

And then I orchestrate a series of hot public encounters where i blur the lines of being angry and disgusted with him right up against ignoring the boundaries he sets and telling him to do whatever i want wherever i want. and because i never bothered to ask him, i don't know if he's genuinely into it or if it's because i've weaponised his trauma when he's feeling unstable, but like, he's the one who manipulated me into doing this anyway by telling me his sad backstory, so actually i'm the victim here??

AND THEN when I tell him my awesome idea of turning a nazi collaborator into a human eating monster machine and I want him to do it even though he is clearly revulsed by this idea from every angle, I'll berate him endlessly for refusing and be annoyed with him because by saying no he's making me turn her and that's not cool bro, and when he begs me not to do it, or at least not to tell him because it's breaking the rules and he's vulnerable to the machinations of the coven rn, I'll shut him up with my dom routine, and then tell him to come watch because he'll realize he does actually want it after he does it.

and when he asks me whether this is a genuine invitation in this moment or if I'm ordering him to do it and will be upset if he doesn't, I'll be so hurt and angry with him because wow, I can't believe after months of using my nonconsensual game of acting like his childhood master to get him to do things for me, he's acting like I'd use my nonconsensual game of pretending to be his childhood master against him, fuck you for trying to manipulate me right now you worthless piece of shit </3.

like even daniel, the most neutral and ethical judge of whether it's okay to make someone a vampire, can tell the only reason he'd set his one boundary at murdering and cursing another human being for eternity is because it's not hot or convenient, and not because of 500 years of witnessing the most insane vampire maker shenanigans known to Europe.

and then the entire audience claps because honestly i'm just trying so hard and my boyfriend just keeps fucking it all up for me and taking away my choices. literally what else could i have done in this situation :(

AHHHH ANON U ATE THIS UP ‼️🙏 and Yes this is absolutely THE safe place for Armand sympathizers!! I am the Armand sympathizer king and u have just brought me an Armand sympathizer gift lined with gold and jewels and placed it in front of my thrown and I’m knighting u Armand sympathizer general as I bow before u

ur so right and it’s actually so crazy to me that this isn’t a more popular take. it’s insane to me bcus im remembering how seriously this fandom was taking Claudia’s s1 sexual assault and how sensitively it was being discussed and now these same ppl r insisting that it’s unfair to “demonize” Louis for preforming non consensual bdsm with a csa victim without any safe word or prior discussion specifically because he told him about his csa and Louis found a chance to leverage control in this relationship. I saw someone insisting that it’s ridiculous to interpret Louis as sexually exploitative for being a pimp because he was a nice pimp and he was self aware about how pimping was bad and like ??? 😭😭 how do I even argue with that, that is just so absurd I’m lost for words. No guys he was one of the good pimps because he “didnt take advantage of his position” (😭⁉️) and he knew that it was wrong to sexually exploit vulnerable women and just chose to do it anyway so see it wasn’t that bad. And because Louis knows sexual abuse is wrong and chooses to do it anyway despite this he clearly isn’t mirroring the sexual abuse Armand experienced in his non consensual power play dynamic with him because uh yeah he wouldn’t do that ig 😭. It’s not like Louis canonically is capable of using sexual exploitation to manipulate people’s vulnerabilities for his stability and gain. Like guys book Louis also felt guilty for being a slave owner and knew it was wrong 😭😭 am I gonna hear “it’s unfair to say Louis being a slave owner was indicative of his negative traits cuz he felt bad about it” come out of ur mouths 😭⁉️cuz oh my god I hope not 😭 “Louis was only a pimp because pimping was his way of keeping his family afloat and asserting the masculine identity he felt obligated to preform for his safety” and he is doing the same thing with Armand guys obviously??!! He is taking advantage of armand’s history of sexual abuse to keep himself safe from vulnerability with the coven and to assert his masculine identity as a shield like 😭 and that doesn’t stop what he’s doing from being wrong like no fucking shit. He’s a complex character and his actions come from a place of fear and not straight forward evil, but that doesn’t mean u have to defend literal sexual abuse to analyze that and to enjoy Louis as ur favorite character 😭 I keep saying this but louis is a great character and there’s nothing wrong with him being ur fav but it is pretty mf weird to insist that everything he does is ok when things that he do include like, non consent 😭

I feel ur annoyances so hard anon, it’s driving me a lil crazy rn cuz in s2 ep6’s wake i have barely seen anyone discuss the Louis fucking Armand in the coffin scene like it was pretty shitty and abusive and not like, non complexly hot and fun and nothing else. Like, Armand has been panicking for a while and insisting to Louis that he is loosing respect from the coven and therefore his control and he’s in danger because of it, and Louis decides to stroll into Armand’s office unannounced, demand he strip for him immediately, demand again without any room for argument when Armand says he can’t, and then fuck Armand in view and ear shot of the whole coven in a degrading power assertion that Louis knows will put Armand in even more of a vulnerable and compromising position, like ?? I get it read the pages to me while I fuck u was pretty hot but omg can we talk about this with some nuance 😭⁉️ this is possibly the most overt instance of Louis not asking, *demanding* that Armand sexually submit and preform for him specifically as a grab to assert dominance over the coven. And Armand of course won’t say no, he’s been quite literally trained to believe that he has services that people r entitled to take from him at any time because he’s a product to be used. He also believes that saying no is not an option because submitting to the master will keep him safe, and Louis I think knows this to an extent and knows that taking advantage of this will help him stay afloat. I believe that this scene was a significant contributor to Armand deciding to betray Louis, because Louis’s actions *do* put him in danger with the coven and cause him to loose his position of power (Santiago mocking him for getting fucked by Louis cough cough). And Armand at this point is realizing, I can choose to be in a relationship with Louis that is causing my sense of stability and safety to fall apart, or I can choose to regain my position of power by forgoing Louis and getting to retain my safety. When u think about it like that it makes perfect sense for him to do that 😭 and I’m tired of seeing takes treating Armand like he’s a sneaky little snake and not a cornered animal

on the subject of Daniel because u mentioned him at the end there, oh my god it has pissed me off since the beginning how a lot of people act like Daniel is the embodiment of the neutral, unbiased correct word of god figure who is just telling the audience how it really is. Like?? No??? 😭😭 Daniel is a shitty journalist and a shitty person, he’s borderline racist and ignorant, he is not looking to expand his perspective or approach his subjects with any empathy or nuance because he decided going in that he hates them and they r bad, which is like?? Defeats the entire purpose of the affective journalism that he is trying to preform 😭😭 He is NOT the guy u should be getting ur takes from, he is a character like any other, he is not a source for correct analysis or meta or unfiltered truth.

But anyways lol, not to be personal and vulnerable in the gay vampire sex tv show post but it’s rlly disheartening for me to witness this blatant excusing and downplaying of a sexually abusive dynamic as someone who has experienced a very similar type of “but was it technicallyyy non consensual though..?” Sexual abuse. Like guys pls 😭🙏 I thought that “bdsm dynamic that merges with actual, genuine grabs for control and blurs the line between fun sex and real demands or anger” was like considered unambiguously bad? 😭 There asses do NOT have a safe word. In conclusion anon u r everything to me and everyone else um USE UR BRAIN🔥🔥🔥🔥

thank u sm for the ask OMGG ur so well spoken and correct and I enjoyed reading ur ask so so much

[panelshowsource]

i’d love to know, what are some panel show moments you think about a lot?

omg like just off the top of my head?

just the whole episode of cats after jimmy's tax avoidance scandal

"good evening your majesty you tax-dodging bitch"

david mumbling "chancellor of the exchequer" in small font

when the horne section was doing macarena on catsdown and the rose was so limp WHY WAS IT SO LIMP

the greatest breath smeller game

"this makes me so angry because they wouldn't show the clip of me attacking my mother with a taser! i thought it was really funny!"

josh groban being an absolute wizard at singing intros followed by martin freeman being an absolute wizard at guessing them to the point production asked him to slow down giving the answer because he was too good

when stacey solomon said she likes teresa may and jimmy carr, gino d'acampo, and carol vorderman were absolutely speechless

alex’s reaction after joe says he has pineapple in his ass

when jimmy used the 30 seconds to wax his leg??

the way the queen’s pussy being haunted was like genuine headline news

mark sending greg 148 texts and getting 0 points ("what a terrible waste of time")

when that nude model came on for jimmy to (pretend) to live draw and lee mack was so gobsmacked at that man's penis he violently elbowed david o'doherty going "look at that!"

"you wouldn't do that during shakespeare, would you?"

on outsiders when joe wilkinson couldn't believe david mitchell is only 47 and literally said "do you live outside"

phil wang roasting ed gamble and saying "ed's girlfriend is such a dog i tried to eat her"

"you cannot imply that only gay people eat vegetables"

♪ but bin men get sad ♪

when those podcasters were reading joe wilkinson his own tweets and he was sweating so much and then just covered his eyes and went "what's wrong with me..."

"stephen fry wouldn't read 'pussy-friendly finger'"

when johnny vegas was literally eating a tin of fucking dog food and kathy burke was like "what's happening??" and jimmy so nonchalantly went "we're just eating dog food :)"

when noel ate some of alex's beard and greg said "you are aware that when we're at home alex is only allowed to move around like a snake?"

every joe & rachel hug ever here's a cute one :')

claudia completely bodying this lie and everyone's animals being so cute and funny and rob and lee complaining just the whole thing

on rhlstp when richard was Being Richard for the last hour and louis theroux was Over It and richard went "have you ever tried to suck your own cock?" and louis just died and then muttered "...do we have to..."

"i don't really eat potatoes it feels a bit irish :/"

johnny vegas pulling something out of rhod gilbert's pants, sniffing it, and then scandalising the entire room by saying "i've been told i smell better from behind than i do from the front, lovers have told me"

gosh my rotted brain is always rattling around panel show moments ..i wish to be cured

[emeryhiro]

My Thoughts on TBOC SDCC Panel & Interviews

First off, I felt like a kid again watching Melissa and Norman on an SDCC panel for the first time and was overwhelmed by so many positive emotions ♡

Regarding what was covered during the panel and what I'll be sharing my thoughts on, in this post, I'm going to try to keep it brief and only talk about things that are new to me compared to what I heard during the Tribeca panel and in my thoughts post on it [here].

~~~~~~

Zabel on his responsibility with the show:

Firstly, Zabel is actually pretty funny, and every time he speaks about the show I find myself trusting him more and more and feeling more confident that he knows what he's doing. I especially loved how he said, and I quote:

"There is a responsibility to live up to the standards of The Walking Dead, the standards that Norman and Melissa had as actors creating these characters. So that's the part where you wanna make sure that you don't let anybody down, you don't let the fans down, you don't let the actors down, you don't let the history of the show down. You have to at least try to maintain the same standard and hopefully maybe even push it forward."

Melissa, on her return to the show:

It was wonderful hearing her speak about how much she missed Carol and how excited she is about, and I quote:

"getting to go forward in France, where [Norman] set the roots, thank you very much. I had some things I had to do"

and how France will be a catalyst for all sorts of changes for Daryl and Carol.

I love how much she said she enjoyed the role of an EP, and I have no doubt she's brilliant in it. My main thought here is that I really hope that, like Lauren and Danai, she also has the chance to direct an episode in season 3, because whatever she touches will end up being Gold.

Norman on Daryl and Carol's bond:

I loved how he described their bond as cosmic and beyond tangible. Carol can sense that there's something wrong with Daryl even from across an ocean and vice versa, which is so true to their characters. They don't need to say a single word for the other to understand everything they're thinking and feeling.

Also, when he said:

"He's starting to lose that feeling cause he's been there so long,"

Melissa's face and reaction had me laughing out loud. What do you mean, Norman? Can you please elaborate on that for us?

If I had to guess what he means, I'd say it links to Daryl's self-esteem and his idea of self-worth. As I've mentioned before, it's obvious to me that the longer Daryl has been away from Carol, the more he's regressing into his old self and habits, and I think this feeds into that. I think he doesn't believe he's worth being loved, searching for, or crossing the Atlantic for. And that sense of security and confidence that he'd built with his family in America is slowly climbing away.

In comparison, Carol has always been one of, if not the strongest, characters on the show. Yes, she is struggling without Daryl, but the moment she's told his life is in danger, she has this overpowering sense of motivation and strength that she'll do anything to save him.

Norman on his favourite scene (The Reunion):

The words he used to describe the reunion scene and how he felt about it really had me in a puddle... especially the comparison he makes at the end, and I quote:

"When we meet, when that finally happens, there's a build to that that happens, and we worked really hard to make that scene what it was, and that kind of was fireworks going off inside me"

This is the sweetest description of the scene, and I don't know if my heart can handle it.

Additional moments I loved:

I love how both Melissa and Norman keep checking on Louis to make sure he's okay.

Norman calling Melissa his partner in crime, describing how excited he was for her to come back, watching her work, and Melissa's reactions to his words 😭❤️‍🩹

Overall, I just love how they appreciate, support, and genuinely love each other so much ♡♡♡

~~~~

Thank you for taking the time to read this. We're so close to having them back on our screens, and I'm so overwhelmed by the excitement for the new season!!

I'd love to read all of your thoughts on the trailer and panel, whether in response to this post or a post of your own; I can't wait to read it ♡♡♡

[pretty-weird-ideas]

This was literally the most harrowing piece of television I have watched in YEARS because it's just a lynching with no strings attached. And then I watched how white fans twisted themselves into knots to make the clear lynching seem like the evidence presented is actually punishable and entirely factual with no agenda attached.

The agenda is "How can we quickly lynch Claudia and Louis and make it a spectacle?", that's it, the information presented is all there to push the coven's agenda. If propaganda helicoptered itself on your face, you people still wouldn't get it.

"What they said about Louis is actually correct. He's unreliable as a narrator and we're finally getting his comeuppance." What about a lynch mob seems like a reliable source of information?

Quickly now! What about a clear metaphor for a lynching gives you the vibe of "unbiased information told to the audience that we should take to heart"? I'm genuinely scared of some of y'all because I'm getting the vibes that if someone told you a dude "whistled at a white woman" you would just go with it. Any bad-faith gum flapping about a black person would just be believed on the spot by some of you. The benefit of the doubt for Black people is nonexistent around here.

Question: Do you not take Fox News, Infowars, and alt-right media's depiction of POC seriously because you PERSONALLY can tell that it's racist and that the information is wrong? Or did society have to TELL you that it's racist and you know there's a social consequence to believing it? Do you hear racist language about real Black figures and you can tell that the source isn't trustworthy, or does someone have to come down from their ivory tower and regurgitate basic sense to you?

I'm starting to realize that this fandom doesn't understand racist agitprop... at all. They're only against racism when someone tells them it's racist and there are consequences to believing racist propaganda. Someone has to hold their hand and tell them that calling someone an "uppity violent Jezebel that should put out more" is racist. Someone has to tell them that racists who have an incentive to lie about Black people aren't reliable sources on Black people. And that is a level of incompetence that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. Someone could literally list 30 antiblack stereotypes and someone would be like "What is wrong with calling a black person all of these at once?". People's cultural awareness is fucked.

And there's a learned incompetence as well here, a cycle. People refuse to understand that Black people are intentionally held under a harsher light and read in bad faith ways that consciously mimic stereotypes. "I only believe something is racist when others tell me that it's racist" and "I don't seek out people discussing racism so nobody is here to tell me what is racist" is a deadly fucking combo with this show.

Read literature, read about slavery, read about lynchings, read about Black Queer liberation, read about domestic violence, read about race and Monster theory. Like read SOMETHING. MY GOD.

The show is intentionally riffing off of historical and cultural subject matter, and white fans are purposefully not learning about it so that their lives aren't upended by the reality of current and past race relations and how it affects their own lives and fiction. You guys are lobotomizing yourselves so the show's basic principles aren't visible. Just because you do not understand racism or domestic violence doesn't mean that the show isn't talking about them and it's not just going over your head. Things going over the white audience's head does not mean it is not present.

Anyways... I keep saying that the people should collectively get my laptop taken away and it still hasn't happened so this post was penned. Take away my laptop or my posts will continue.

[blacclotusss]

Don't Be Afraid, Just Start the Tape

Starting off strong, I want to discuss the argument between Louis and Armand. This, in my opinion, is where everything fell apart. It's just them going back and forth hitting each other in the jugular and it made me want to rip my hair out just hearing it. I, personally, have always hated when things like that get thrown up in arguments so that's my own personal bias. Just hearing Louis throw back the CSA in Armand's face and Armand throwing Paul's suicide, Grace leaving him, and his history with Lestat back up brought me to tears almost. It really sucks that these two felt that they had to resort to these things, but that's the tragedy of it all.

But, for some reason, I think Armand was more hurt that Louis called him dull and boring. My belief is that it hit harder because being boring and dull to Louis means he goes out to look for more exciting things and people, leaving Armand home all night. He doesn't want to lose Louis and the first ounce of real love that he's experienced, so he was taken aback by that. Louis walking out into the sun wasn't much of a surprise to me, but I think him doing it at that moment was. I would have expected a suicide attempt back in Paris, or even in Dubai, but not in San Francisco. I do understand now that the story has unfolded. 

I think Louis has just had enough of it all, talking about it with Daniel who kind of brushed it off in his intoxicated state and his argument with Armand only fuels that. He wants to be with Claudia, she's the one that he says is calling him, and if dying is how he's going to get to meet her again, then so be it. Now, the whole situation with Armand leaving Louis on that bed to suffer while he begs for relief definitely rubbed me the wrong way. Louis no longer has Claudia to nurse him back to health, as she did when he was dropped, so he has no choice but to rely on Armand and that sucks. Armand is in here torturing Daniel while he leaves Louis to holler and yell for him, that's so messed up. Even going as far as to contact Lestat and relay messages from him to Louis, and omitting some things. The psychological abuse at play here is crazy to think about.

I also want to talk about the power balance that has been discussed as well. Yes, Louis is able to express himself a bit more and in a different way in his relationship with Armand. They have an understanding of each other and what the other needs and their roles and positions switch based on what one needs at that moment. The whole Arun/Maitre thing is really working in Armand's favor more, in my personal opinion. He knows just how to push enough to get Louis to fall in line with that. You can see that towards the end when Armand calls Louis maitre after all he said. He's all of a sudden asking Louis to lead after everything that has happened, after Louis had to beg, and Louis will happily oblige in order to keep the peace between them. I wonder in what other instances has this happened before. We see Louis trying to keep Armand from falling off of the deep end while he, himself, is the one sitting in the coffin burned and charred begging for blood. So curious as to how this will all unfold in the coming episodes, I know Dubai will be a madhouse just as much as Paris. 

Aside from the analysis of relationships and arguments, this episode was amazing. The styling choices in both the filming and wardrobe were superb. I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that this was Jacob and Assad's first episode they shot. It had to be funny to go from this to all the sweet lovey dovey stuff in the earlier episodes. I want to hear them talk about this more. Also, the SFX makeup was amazing! Much love to everyone involved with that! And it was nice to finally see Luke! He played that part so well. This and episode two are my absolute favorites so far. I wonder what's to come next in Dubai... 

[nalyra-dreaming]

Something I never fully understood is if Daniel is bi in the show? I know in the books he apparently had something with Armand before he erased is memories and manipulated him but in the show this didn’t happen like that. I know a lot of people ship them and speculate if they might get together next season, is this off the books too? Cause maybe I just missed something in the show but I never really got the feeling they were into each other. I even thought Daniel dislikes Armand. Like don’t get me wrong I would be fully here for that couple and I have nothing against the ship and I love to read funny posts/jokes about them but I don’t really know where this comes from in the show.

Which leads me to another question. I often read about people saying Louis/Lestat/Armand etc. weren’t actually gay in the books and it was just subtext but at the same time i see others saying they all were bisexual and in relationships with other men and loved each other (I know the vampires in the books don’t feel sexual attraction like humans anymore).

Okay, so the vampires in the books did not have sex, their height of pleasure is the kill. Anne Rice nonetheless confirmed Lestat as bi, and also that "all her vampires transcend gender" (iirc).

The show added sex back into it, because it was subtext, yes - but very much understood subtext. Also, it definitely is not subtext in all books.... and, even if not full on sex most of the time, there is a lot of kissing, and it has never been "subtext" for me, tbh. I always read it just fine as them loving each other.

As per "Devil's Minion".

Armand does not erase Daniel's memories in the books, that is a show thing. Yes they very much have "something" going, something Daniel has forgotten, and something that will develop still.

Daniel is Armand's only fledgling - and Armand book canonically broke his own rule because he loved Daniel so much he could not let him die.

So yes, there is something between them :) - we will still get to see it on the show, where they obviously have spun it a bit differently.

"The Devil's Minion" is part of the title of the chapter in "Queen of the Damned" which details their relationship, btw :) Just as an info.

EDIT: Also, forgot - yes Daniel very much sleeps with men and women int he book, and I don't think that will be much different on the show.

[murfpersonalblog]

FrankFreezy on Victim-Blaming in the IWTV Fandom (IWTV 2x1 - 19:09 - 25:34)

If I see or sense something that is problematic...I'm going to say something, and one of those things that led me to this whole thought process of speaking about victim blaming is because my whole thing with Lestat in Season One is like I have said countless times:

I'm judging and speaking on these characters based on what I am seeing in front of me.

And a lot of people have spoiled; a lot of people have hinted; a lot of people have suggested that: "Don't worry, when you get to Season Two everything will make sense!"

And I'm happy for that! I'm happy to grow and evolve...with the story as I go. I'm a patient man, and I'm a man that likes being told I am wrong, in the sense that I'm open to learn, I'm open to embrace new point of views.

However, I'm also a man who calls sh*t when I see it, or calls some kind of characters and behaviors when I see it.

Now, something I want to talk about victim blaming is: If someone SA'd someone, or abused someone, and your first comment or your initial comment is: "Hey man, we need to look deeper into this abuser's past! We need to check out their trauma and what made them do this!" Then I'm going to say something about that, because those things are valid! Mental health is important, and knowing how a character got from Point A to Point B is very valid.

But the part about victim blaming that comes up for me is: Why is the abuser's past or trauma the thing being centered in this moment??? Doesn't it make more sense that the person that is going through it or the person who is abused--their pain, their current trauma that we're seeing Lestat inflict in front of our eyes--should be centered first?!

When that person is cared for and taken care of and understood, yeah, we can run back then we can run back and check out Lestat's past or why this person got from here to here, you know?

...Because if I just got abused, and in the midst of it the first thing I'm hearing people asking is: "Oh, the person that abused me, they've had a hard past, and was hurt, people hurt people!" And all these conversations that comes around trauma, generational trauma? I would feel so neglected and messed up! Because I just went through some traumatic sh*t, and my abuser is being centered!?

...Everyone has been telling me we're just seeing Louis' point of view. Even in Episode 7, Armand told Molloy that "You only know half the story, you're going to apologize when you hear everything." I'm SO eager to hear Lestat's side and everything.... Let let me see all the nuances. And I'm happy to see how it changes my mind and all this.

But...almost every time I am cautioned or I am nudged gently in the "right direction" to look at Lestat's reasons for what he's doing, often times it never comes side-by-side with also empathizing or centering Louis, or the people who are being abused.

Like, I just posted Episode [Four] on YouTube, the episode where Claudia did her first kill [on Charlie], unfortunately, and how Lestat was after it happened. He wasn't very comforting; he forced her to look at the body, and all these things, and that's a child! Vampire or not!... I had some thoughts towards that, I'm like: "Yo, she just went through something very traumatic, and you do this!?"

And there was a bunch of folks that were on the whole: "He was training her to be what she was supposed to to be!"

...She did some self harm at the ending of that episode, and in a lot of those comments, none of...the trauma she's actively going through was centered. It was just more: "So, this is Lestat's reason for doing this;" and it gave me victim blaming vibes a lot.

...Especially with Louis, like: "Oh yeah, he was a flawed man before Lestat changed him. He agreed to it, he consented into it!"

I'm not seeing them being centered in that case. I am seeing justifications for why Lestat is doing that.

....I'm just seeing some thoughts, patterns, that I feel from my POV are like low key problematic.

-- Already LOVE season 2 🧡| Interview With The Vampire 2x1 | Reaction & Commentary - FrankFreezy (19:09 - 25:34)

[statementlou]

so after seeing your anon and for shits and giggles i went to lthq's page and saw that they tagged pinkpop in the photo dump post and tagged the location of main square festival in louis' stories and correct me if i'm wrong but any social media posts and interactions would have been agreed upon in writing before he signed the contract for the festival, so i really don't see what the problem is. not even counting in the fact that louis is not a social media influencer that would lose fans for his lack of tagging etiquette 😂 new fans or old fans are not gonna go on his socials and say "oh my, he didn't tag the festival, what a dbag. i'm unfollowing" 😂

he's doing a lot of festival and so far with really big crowds! the festivals are featuring him on their socials (which is really what matters cause new fans will check the festival's ig for more info) and i'm sure he'll gain more and more fans as the summer continues. all things considered i think this festival run is already going really well.

mHMM. And honestly ALL this nitpicking is SO STUPID because the actual FACT is: he is gaining fans. Continually. His fanbase has basically doubled every year for the last 4 at least (going off ticket sales), so saying they aren't doing a good job of promoting him is just fucking stupid: clearly they ARE. The problem is solos literally think all that is happening because THEY make social media posts and that Louis and his team are just bystanders which like... oh babes. We the fans are important sure and yes Louis appreciates us but get some perspective, a couple twitter trends didn't build this and do you truly not understand that Louis is more than just a pretty face, that hailing him as the boss and a king of the business side of things and smart isn't just being cute that he actually IS good at the industry and at these things and extremely fucking smart and savvy? Maybe even- gasp- BETTER AT IT than a bunch of randos on the internet creating an echo chamber?? I seriously don't understand these fans that say they're the only ones who really appreciate him and then spend every minute tearing down everything he does- his clothes his choices his music his team his words his lifestyle... EVRYTHING. I genuinely want to know- what do you like about him besides his physical appearance and maybe a version of him you made up that he is failing to live up to? Because it doesn't seem to be his actual self that's actually right here in front of us doing awesome things and THRIVING and having a great time