#a part of me does also think with lesmand like

[pynkhues]

Wait as someone who loves dm I’ve noticed the vast majority of fics are from Daniel’s pov. I never thought anything of it but you’re right, out of the main four Daniel is by far the easiest to write.

Also do you think there’ll be a surge of fan content for lesmand or nickistat the way there was for dm after s2 or will the fact that they’re not endgame deter people?

(x)

Yeah, Daniel's definitely got the easiest voice to write, haha. It's a result of being both the audience insert and being a relatively modern character? Lestat, Louis and Armand are all men out of time and that absolutely affects how they're written, to say nothing of them picking up affects from living in different countries and contexts. You don't really have any of that with Daniel (yet), which makes him a lot easier to write.

As for fan content, I definitely think there will be for Armand and Lestat. Their dynamic is a lot of fun in a way we haven't reallllly gotten to see yet on the show, and I think there'll probably be a surge of Paris-era fanwork in particular? I feel like there was even an uptick of it after SDCC when people got to see Sam and Assad interacting more, and given Armand is such a big part of Lestat's story in TVL, it makes sense that that will probably translate to more art and fic.

As for Lestat x Nicki, I think it's really going to depend? Nicki's such a tragic character, and the role he plays in Lestat's life is always going to be soaked in grief. I feel like sometimes fandoms love that, and sometimes they don't? Honestly, I think a lot of it will probably come down to Sam and Joseph's chemistry, because we didn't really get to see that in 2.03.

[adamnablelittledevil]

What did you think about that moment in chapter 24?! I'm dying to know!

(The part that starts "I looked down on Lestat, who was unchanged...")

Hey! I'm sorry I couldn't answer it immediately and you had to wait, but I wanted to give this a proper answer with all my thoughts, so I hope this was worthwile and and makes up for it. 😉🙃 Anyway, here we go… I already knew what was going to happen, so, I was counting the pages to finally get to the chapter. And when I did, man, it did not disappoint.

Obviously, that wasn't romantic, but it was such a meaningful, intimate, delicate and tender moment that it felt even more powerful to me. Yes, part of the reason Armand went there was to get answers and try to quiet the anguish in his heart, but most of it was genuinely love. Which is why he returns, approaches, touches and shows Lestat affection again, even after drinking his blood. And it speaks volumes how Armand had all the reasons to keep a safe distance and yet he didn't flinch or even hesitate. And not only he approached Lestat, but also touched him, multiple times, and kept getting bolder and bolder with those gestures and 'pushing his luck'. Whether Armand was willing to take the risk of Lestat having a negative/defensive reaction or knew he would allow it by mere instinct, this is a proof of how deep their bond goes and how far they have come in their relationship. And from Lestat's side as well, because Armand was the only person he gave his consent to get near at the time and that was a huge thing. It was overall a really big and turning point in their relationship. And it's one of my favorite Lesmand/The Vampire Armand/The Vampire Chronicles moments as a whole.

And as if it isn't enough that it's such a monumental event on its own, it's so poetic too. The fact it happens in a chapel, they are both silent, Armand's tear falls on Lestat's cheek… It's all about the aesthetics, the body language, facial expressions etc. The imagery is so delicate and beautiful. The wording is stunning as well. Specially for this line:

"I tried to keep my heart absolutely pure of pride and pure of anything but love. It was not differentiated or defined, this love, but only love […]"

This has become one of my favorite quotes ever, maybe even my ultimate favorite from The Vampire Chronicles. I absolutely love the idea of a love that can't be classified, nor separated in different boxes, but instead defies all definitions and simply transcends. And when she wanted to, Anne Rice knew how to execute the concept brilliantly on her books. She even knew how to elevate and still manage to make it better almost two decades later. When she went on Facebook to further elaborate on it from Lestat's point of view, it just made my heart ache in the best way. I mean, the screenshot below speaks for itself.

Plus, if the show does that in the future, in any shape or form, it would be incredible. I'm such a sucker for scenes that are more complicated and primarily rely on the talent/chemistry of the performers and the actors need to work twice, three times as hard to execute them. Silent, scenes where the actors don't touch, phonecalls where they can't look at or feed off of each other in any way… I like to call them 'raw scenes' and they're usually my favorite on any show/movie I watch, including Interview With the Vampire. I can see it being a mix of Aragorn taking care of Eowyn after she was wounded

and Lizzy and Mr. Darcy dancing,

filmed and edited in a way that makes the people around them disappear for a moment and slowly reappear at the end, just like the way Armand described how the situation felt here:

"There was no chapel then for me, or outraged sighs or reverential cries. I heard nothing, and yet knew what was all around. I knew it as if the substantial place was but a phantasm, for what was real was his blood."

I'm personally obsessed with that trick and find it so sophisticated and mind-blowing that it frustrates me how it's barely used? So, I always appreciate it whenever I see it. And I also just know that Assad would be phenomenal at that, because he's already been doing that kind of acting for two whole seasons now. I can see him being soft, gentle and even somewhat tragic and I just know the affection and pain in his eyes would kill me in the best possible way. I could even see it becoming part of my top 5 moments on the series, maybe even my number #1. Right now my favorite clips are the 1x01 church sequence, the 2x08 loustat reunion and armandiel's last scene on 2x05. However, considering how much I love this moment and pretty much all things lesmand, they can easily become just as big of an obsession, possibly even bigger in future seasons (they already are my #1 on the books). I mean, the scene they have alone already makes my heart skip several beats because the chemistry was magnetic and irresistible,

that eye contact was *INTENSE* and I felt the sparks all the way over here. Felt like I was witnessing something that I shouldn't lol, but I was happy to invade their privacy because it was simply mesmerizing.

Anywaaaay… Hopefully, that will happen on the show someday, even if the context and circumstances of it may differ. Still, regardless if they do a version of it or not, that will remain a wonderful part of the book and that gladly I will never move on from.

[nalyra-dreaming]

i've seen several fans saying Santiago's been 'lestat-coded', and i have to say it was a Choice making him a buff blond dude, also him now explicitly being the lead actor of the theatre. If he and Armand are involved in some way, do you think it'll be implied that armand's been carrying a torch for lestat all this time, and Santiago's kind of a replacement? I was expecting them to downplay Lesmand this season for simplicity's sake, but the way they've tweaked Santiago makes me reconsider??

Yeah, I don't think they're going for simple :)

I'm not sure if I would call Santiago "Lestat coded" BUT of course, as you said, making him blonde and the face of the theater... was a choice. And in this show... :)

I do think we will get the basic Lesmand backstory, and hints at the obsession. And all the coven must have known about it, too *coughs*.

I'm not a 100% sure how it'll play out with Santiago.

On one hand, this show surely has no problems going to those "labyrinthian depths of tricky coven life", including the pleasurable parts.

On the other hand... Paris plays out with the coven knowing.

And I mean here that rumors about the theater and Lestat must have survived, the portraits are (back?) up when Louis arrives, they all know what Armand is doing there.

It's been planned. They also know that Lestat is somewhere in a dungeon (at least in the book that is below the theater), probably feed him their leftovers.

So... IF Santiago was some kind of replacement he likely went into that with open eyes - which does not exclude emotional turmoil. The scene in the teaser trailer comes to mind, the scene where you can just see the part of a dirty shirt in front of Santiago, where others (and I) have theorized it could be Lestat at the trial.

And I found Santiago's expression there very interesting. Because he's gleefully furious... it felt personal to me. Especially with that little nod Armand gives then.

Which would fit with any personal involvement.

Now, of course that is a teaser trailer. Who knows how they'll cut it or rearrange it :)

Buttttttt....

I do not think they're going for simple.

So the answer is probably "yes", Santiago was a ... replacement.

But we'll see :)

[iwtvdramacd18]

Hi! Can you talk about how you approach the lesmand dynamic in your writing vs the other iwtv dynamics you’ve written? I’m so interested to hear! ✨

Hey!

So I will say the bulk of my Lesmand stuff is heavily TVL novel based in terms of context of their relationship and then some speculation on show dynamics and scattered aspects from my loosely connected fic verse which are almost certainly not going to be canon in show (for example: Armand occupying a sort of predator of predators status wrt hunting fledglings and killing and eating Marius).

To me a lot of the Lesmand dynamic is couched in fear and obsession as opposed to like, the love Lestat and Armand have for Louis. They're two incredibly powerful beings that do have a powerful draw to each other but I wouldn't call it love per se... they don't really know each other on a personal level either. Armand especially has a version of Lestat that he has built up, I think of all the vampires he probably feels the brunt of the Wolfkiller Effect after Magnus (Lestat as a being that's sort of inexplicably capable of doing the impossible), though by the time he meets Louis in Paris a lot of that has turned to anger. But there's always an obsessive bend. Lestat was a singular life-changing force in his life that had become a sort of constant of a certain type of performing "evil"... in some ways Marius-adjacent but one he originally thought he could control and posses while learn from at the same time.

And then I think Lestat has a lot less obsession but a lot more fear and resentment and straight up unease on his end. But he is also Lestat and does navigate a notable part of life through his dick. Their encounters are usually relatively brief and very violent exchanges -- I think people who hc Armand and Louis as being attracted to each other through the other's proximity to Lestat are completely out of their minds its absolutely Armand and Lestat seeking proximity to Louis and finding common ground with loving him and also fear and experience losing him that is the always underlying layer of any encounter they have post Louis. When the dust settles between them it's where both their minds drift to.

[butchybats]

What's been your least favorite part of the VC books you've read so far?

Thank you for asking!!

Honestly I can not stand being bored like just in general but boring books are absolutely awful to me!!!

Memnoch has been my least favorite vc book so far, I actually got through it pretty quickly but I think it’s because I was sick when I read it and had nothing better to do and it literally felt like a fever dream hghgh I liked the lesmand park scene and the period part LMAO but otherwise I just do not care for all the religious stuff </3

Next up is Merrick. Does anyone even like David Talbot HGHG I like Merrick as a character I think she’s pretty cool!!! And all the Louis scenes are sooo good and I think it would’ve been a better book if it was narrated by Louis!! Unfortunately I am a David hater

Lastly I have been very slowly getting through Prince Lestat for months but it’s just not capturing my attention :(( I think it’s cool that it’s in the style of qotd and I think it would be really cool if more of the chapters were by the main characters!! Most of these side characters though just aren’t as interesting to me </3 somr of them are cool though I like Fareed and I like Rose!! And like I was stoked to find out that Bianca and Allesandra are in this book but like otherwise I think that there’s just too much going on with too many random characters. ALSO MY NUMBER ONE GRIPE WITH PL IS HOW LITTLE DANIEL IS IN IT!!! Idk why I thought he was gonna be in it a lot but I think he should interact with everyone at trinity gate

Thank you for letting me be a hater jgjg I’m hoping this is what you meant and that I didn’t horribly misinterpret your question lol

[hekateinhell]

Lesmand ideas please (can be literally anything)

omg always thank you for asking 🥹 they work so well for me in literally every single universe but for the sake of this ask i'll stick to canon l/a:

so i'm always thinking about the part in PL where lestat is secluding himself in armand's library in TG (he even sleeps there), saying that armand couldn't have designed a more perfect space for him. that is just so precious to me! so i like to think that post-canon lestat likes to retreat to one of armand's houses, either TG or the St. Germaine house, when he wants an escape from the world and his responsibilities

i think i've talked before about how they would bond over their interest in the materialism the human world has to offer (i.e., armand in DM era — although i think he's much more balanced out now, lestat discovering wal-mart). and like armand, lestat's also had human lovers before but i don't get the sense that he really explored the world of sex and sexuality in either the 20th or 21st centuries, so it's fun to imagine armand introducing him to the wonders of sex shops and sex toys one night after an early hunt (lestat doesn't need to eat anymore but he loves a good show). lestat would blush when he sees the fantasy sex toys yes i mean the dragons and aliens, just like he does in PL when talking about his sperm with fareed lmao 🥹 (shout out to @rainbowcarousels for endorsing my hc that lestat would be so curious about the logistics of say... a ridiculously oversized silicone tentacle)

lestat says one of his favorite things in the world are physical caresses; he doesn't really care for material gifts. and he did canonically say he wanted to polish armand up with kisses and comb his hair and make him even more beautiful than he already was, and i just think lestat would really enjoy being on the receiving end of that treatment as well! armand would be so gentle and worshipful with him, the way that he is in tva. later-canon armand is a such caregiver with his loved ones, and the vulnerability and tenderness that he and lestat have with each other lends itself nicely to this sort of intimacy ♥️

[moderndaylestat]

Your fics are really cool. How do your favorite ships rank (Armaniel, Loumand, Loustat, Lesmand, Nickistat, Lounah)?

Also, do you think you will return to the model/photographer fic?

Aww thank you!! 🥹

I think Loustat is my number 1 but I appreciate all the other ships because they have different dynamics! That’s what also makes it hard to rank or compare them, they’re just all so different and each appeal to a different part of me. I’ve been really into Nickistat lately - something about young and tragic love just hits so deep. Im very intrigued by Loumand, particularly in the show - the combination of Louis’ tendency to shape his memories/narrative and Armand’s mind powers will be so fascinating! I also looooove Armandstat! The intensity of their extreme love & hate relationship is just so good!! Armaniel is great too and I cant wait to see what the show does with the devil’s minion concept. I like Lounah a lot too and wish it was explored more in the show. So yeah this is a long winded answer but the rank order is probably the order i mentioned them in.

As for the model/photographer fic - i plan to continue it, just need to find the time and motivation. It brings me so much joy to hear there’s still interest in that fic 🥰

[gagfadget]

10 and 6 for the choose violence ask game

6. which ship fans are the most annoying?

For iwtv I think it’s lesmand because I feel like people put way too much importance on their relationship and it kind of irks me. Like sometimes people will say “well they’re the most important ship/ the most consistent/ the most interesting/ the best ship in the books/ the most whatever whatever” and I’ve even seen people say that Lestat and Armand love each other more than any one else in the books, (Armand does say that but I don’t really fully believe him). But then I read the books and I just do not get the same vibe. Maybe it’s because I paused on TOTBT and I just need to read more but so far Armand’s love for Lestat doesn’t read as genuine love. It reads like an obsession (because it is) that Lestat seems uncomfortable with and even scared of to a certain extent (because he is) and having to read some of the things Armand did to Lestat, I DONT BLAME HIM. So I don’t really get when people hype it up as this epic enemies to lovers thing that’s the best ship in the books. Again maybe I have to read past TOTBT but so far I’m like…mm. I don’t hate lesmand and I’m even curious about how they’re gonna go about it in the show. The only ship I do genuinely hate is Armand/Marius because of the obvious but yeah.

I would’ve said Armand/Marius shippers because the ones that I’ve seen.,..jfc. But there aren’t that many for me to be annoyed by them.

For one piece it’s ZoSan.

I just do not see it.

At all.

I hate mlm ships where people only ship them because they fight a lot and hate each other. Atleast with something like lesmand, their actually is some romantic stuff going between them but Zoro and Sanji just….don’t. The most they have is respect for each other as fighters and they do genuinely care for one another because they’re on the same crew but outside of that it’s like…nothing. Nothing to work with and nothing to build upon. Also Sanji is aggressively, annoyingly heterosexual and I want him to remain that way. I don’t want that perverted transphobic, homophobic bitch of a man to be queer and I think that’s the main thing that frustrates me about that ship. Sanji is the same character who was about to die of blood loss and freaked out when two gay men donated blood to him and people think that he’s gay??? Okay .

10. worst part of fanon

Armand has a daddy kink.

I know people are mostly joking when they say it so I don’t take it too seriously but considering that Armand is a csa victim it just doesn’t sit right with me. Then there are some people who just say the quiet part outloud with “Armand has a daddy kink because of Marius” and I just….😬😬😬😬

[adamnablelittledevil]

Reacting to The Vampire Lestat - Part IV (with a bit of spoilers)

Lestat's narration has gotten so much better actually. I mean, I still don't care when he talks about stuff that doesn't have an effect on him, but when he describes things/people that actually do? It's great. It's just so vivid, rich, colorful, sometimes even abstract that simply makes me giggle and kick my feet. When he gets really thoughtful about life, vampirism, existence, religion, morality, feelings, theater, music etc, it feels like borderline insanity, but in a brilliant way? Feels like I'm tasting some crazy drug and tripping, but it's so good? It activates a very specific part of my neurodivergent brain and I love it because I'll also be having those crazy thoughts all by myself with nobody to talk to and Lestat just gets it.

I also love the excess of exclamations on this POV haha.

Sometimes it just feels like a naive child telling things and is kind of endearing.

ARMAND!

Armand in Lestat's words: he was beautiful, ethereal, sublime, exquisite, delicate, soft, perfect, a Caravaggio painting, a Da Vinci painting, an angel, I found myself in him, the possibility of him, I didn't pay attention to [whatever] because I was looking at him etc etc.

Basically calling him the most beautiful thing he's ever seen, really.

Like, I legit MEMORIZED some of them. Lestat was THAT repetitive lmao.

I don't know if it's because the words were so superlative or because Lestat had it that bad or because I have it that bad just thinking about it, but yeah.

I'm not even kidding when I say I need to take pauses because this is kind of unsettling.

I'm so serious, but I feel like reading Lestat's description of Armand has a bigger effect on me than the prettiest person I have ever seen in freaking R E A L L I F E? What the hell, WHAT IS THIS SORCERY?

Lestat, tone it down, I'm begging you.

Been told Armand is really that gorgeous and every character talks about him that way, so apparently he isn't exaggerating... I'm gonna lie down, bye.

It's even worse because I just picture show!Armand because he's even more handsome there so it makes me dizzy.

Also because Lestat won't miss an opportunity to talk about his beauty? He LITERALLY says it EVERY SINGLE TIME he sees Armand. I'm not joking, I swear on my own life. I'm like, OKAY, WE GET IT? ENOUGH!

Armand (Lestat's version) on season 3 will be insufferable and I'm so ready for it. But also not ready yk.

At this point I'm basically just drooling over him and I don't care.

PERFECT casting with Assad. He incorporates Armand like no other. Everyone on the show is talented and I can see them as their characters, but there's one thing or another that I imagine differently sometimes? But not Armand, like, my Armand looks, walks, moves, talks, stares etc the exact same way Assad does it on the show. Every single time. The others are like, 90% or something for me, but Assad is 100% my imagination? It's like he traveled in time, stole my 2024 thoughts, went back to the past, auditioned, got the part and then played it exactly the way I see it today. It's crazy.

Wouldn't be surprised if that's the case, they already have all these possessions going on, what's more to our little satanic show lmao.

Also, great casting with Assad because no man with red-ish hair has looked this good ever. It just doesn't make sense, I'm sorry.

Armand is a beauty God, but also a really good character and I love his lines. Even when I don't agree with him, I just find him fascinating, the role he has on the story, what he represents, the way he moves the plot, whatever the effect he has on Lestat etc...

Armand's moments are never boring. He'll probably piss me off later, but right now I'm having a great time and the book has never been better.

Lesmand's/Armandstat's moments are always heated. The tension is always there. I'm not telling you what kind. Actually, I don't even know it myself. Do THEY even know?

Sam said something about how you're never sure what they are and I think he's right? At least for now. Let's see it after all the books.

They also act like they've known each other forever, have this crazy history that goes through centuries and they already can push each other's buttons... But they actually, like, only know each other for 5 minutes? CHILL?!

They're sort of soul ties/mirrors/foils/two sides of the same coin-coded in an appealing way.

I guess I can say Armand is my favorite character right now. I always read it faster when he's there, I'm always looking forward to seeing him again, I'm fine when I don't see Gabrielle or Nicki, but I'm always like, BRING HIM BACK. I don't know if I should be worried I'll grow into hating him when stuff happens or if I'll just be an Armand apologist lol. I'm scared. But let's wait to see it.

Samssad on season 3 will be delicious. Specially on the 1700s flashbacks. I'm expecting almost, if not EVERY scene of them there to be INTENSE. Great acting potential there.

I really want to see a moment with Armand and Lestat in a church like on the book? Let's take their angelic faces and curls to the next level. Put them in a church, surrounded by religious figures, stained glasses, candles etc. I don't even care what the context will be. They can be talking, silent, killing each other, doing something else, doing all of it, but give me the heavenly visuals. Actually, if they want to film the entire show in a church they can, it would be so aesthetically pleasing. Bonus points if they use Gothic churches because I'm extremely obsessed with them. Bonus points if they use Sainte-Chapelle because I'm kind of even more hyperfixated on that. I mean, it would never happen, but it should *shrugs*.

Btw, the mess Armand made in the house and the way he was reading the books is very neurodivergent of him.

The way he prefers to talk telepathically instead of speaking out loud is very neurodivergent of him as well.

Nicki is soooooooooo doomed by the narrative, omg. Anne didn't even try to hide it.

I'm not really sure how I feel about Nicki except that he needs therapy...

This is probably the silliest comment so far, I'm no longer thinking clearly after Armand's introduction. Sorry, guys. It will happen again.

The next chapter has his name so I'm scared, but also excited.

P.S. Nothing is permanent, opinions might change and this is based on Lestat’s narration, which can be unreliable. I’m reading the books so I can find out more about the characters, what potential events might happen in the show, what I can expect etc. This is my favorite show in the universe, so I want to be as informed as possible. I have no idea if I’ll become a legit fan of the books or not, but so far I’m enjoying it. I’m posting these comments only for fun.