#aaand it's done

[satohqbanana]

Dragonmage Pact Notes

Here's a couple of notes on lore and unexplored plot threads in Dragonmage Pact. Spoilers about the story ahead!

On the Incarnates

The incarnates of the original Chief Goddess and her nymph daughters think of each other as sisters. Regardless of her age, the goddess incarnate will still act as their leader.

When reincarnated, the incarnate will start out as a small child knows little about her role. She merely trusts on her guts and instinctively bond with someone she regards as strong to make them her guardian. Older incarnates extensively care for and assist younger incarnates until they "mature" and magically acquire the knowledge of their identity and powers.

An incarnate may have multiple guardians, but the incarnates more often prefer to only have one guardian at a time. An incarnate and her guardian does not necessarily carry out a friendship or even a romance. (Feel free to imagine what exactly is the deal between Rhen and Dameon, Talia and Devin, Mel and Spook, Stella and Edward, Ingrid and Boyle, and Iya and Ean in this fic.)

Also if you want to know who is what, Rhen is the incarnate of compassion, Talia wisdom, Mel luck, Stella love, Ingrid wickedness, and Myst hope. And of course, Iya is the goddess incarnate.

On Pacts

Pacts are magical contracts that offers life and power to those who make them. A pact can be made between two or more people, and involves having the contractees' souls merge as one. A pact takes what is most precious to the contractee as the price.

Regardless of whether what is most precious to the contractee is a physical object, another person, or a concept, the pact price affects the contractee's body in a way that will change the way they interact with this most precious thing.

The degree to which the souls merge vary from pact to pact. While I never got to talk about this much, Rhen and Lars' merged soul is fully integrated, while Te'ijal and Galahad's isn't.

Because Te'ijal and Galahad's merged soul isn't fully integrated, and they have been pact partners for longer, they are able to use their pact benefits powers, namely super speed for Te'ijal and super strength for Galahad.

And because Rhen and Lars' merged soul is fully integrated, they cannot do much if they disagree with each other. And because they are new pact partners, they kept mourning for what they lost, ended up frustrating each other, and failed to notice their new abilities until later on.

Whether Rhen made the pact because Ahriman's forces did a half-hearted job of "killing" her, or because she instinctively knew she would be the last incarnate of the era, or because she simply wanted to see Dameon again, I honestly do not know.

On Plot Threads

Smaller details such as Lars curling up next to dragon Rhen when they sleep, dragon Rhen very dragging Lars around to where she needs him to be, and Lars and Rhen having to deal with being seen as a dragon master and his pet didn't make it to the summary post, but it's something I think about.

Galahad has a full blessed armor from head to toe and it comes with a helmet. On the day his King banished him, he had come before the throne without his helmet on and was escorted away dropping said helmet behind. Hence, Galahad's head is the only part of him that's vulnerable to attacks.

I never got to talk about this as well because it wasn't too important in the big picture, but Lars in this AU travelled the world to escape his overbearing mother. His hometown is located in a country facing an economic crisis, in which owning slaves has become popular so people can cut labor costs. As such, he doesn't mind harming others to get what he wants or needs. In fact, he even enjoys the act of torturing people so he can distract himself from his situation. Along his journey with Rhen, he learned that his hometown was besieged, but he decided to ignore this news in favor of honing his abilities. Besides, he's in too deep aiding the incarnates' mission and he's too proud to back down.

There was no space for me to discuss this too, but Ean was an elf from the Vale and became in charge of recruiting people into the resistance force. Uthar's supposedly part of that army, but he wasn't important enough and I was throwing around too many names at this point in the story. I've no idea if he survived or not. As for Ean, he definitely physically aged a little bit.

Also, while Lars regained his speech, his voice is very hoarse and it actually hurts him to speak a lot, just like how Rhen is no longer fully nymph-like. It doesn't bother Lars too much, though; he's gotten used to being quiet, and the only other person patient enough to seriously consider his opinions is someone he already shares his mindspace with.

As for the ending, I like to think Dameon lives and Rhen and Lars keep him around, and that a new religion dedicated to the entity Rhen and Lars is has been established.

[fillino]

i really liked these two💕

[cloudellesims]

@syboubou's "A La Ferme" Hydrangeas Recoloured!

‼Meshes Required‼ You'll need both the hydrangea bushes and the potted/bucket versions for this to work! It will NOT work without them!

I use these flowers in literally all my builds but recently decided wanted them a few more colours... which then turned into a lot more colours. More than I probably even need

Info:

48 swatches / 2 leaf colours

Base Game Compatible (does not require any packs)

Can be found by searching "cloudellesims" or "SYB A La Ferme" in build/buy mode

Correctly tagged by colours & categories

Pricings are the same as the original

No known issues but please let me know if you find anything wrong!

CREDIT

@syboubou for their wonderful mesh, thank you so much for sharing and allowing recolours!

Unsplash for their free textures that i used to make this<3

Download | SimFileShare / Google Drive (free/no ads)

SYB'S TOU

Enjoy!! And please let me know if you encounter any issues!

Gif preview + swatches below<3

@sssvitlanz @alwaysfreecc @public-ccfinds @maxismatchccworld @farfallafinds @pixelglamccfinds - Thank you!!<3

[kokodrawings]

And we are done: artober day 31! 🥳🥳

[prettymediocrewizard]

( ͡~ ͜ʖ ͡°)

[microscotch]

frat party/mimis place edition beakers for @just-ornstein! 🎉

[sboochi]

Good news: the hair wasn't nearly as bad as I thought! Bad news: the face was a nightmare!

[stickynotebirds]

319. Horned Coot

[waterloo-to-anywhere]

"We started our other bands. Our protest to each other bands. And the songs we wrote in those bands were often aimed at each other. That fighting through songs on the radio. And writing encrypted messages. It's like when the Persian women used to encrypt love messages in their carpets before they sold them."

killamangiro (babyshambles)

plastik hearts (dirty pretty things)

[krokatron]

He's just resting his eyes (lying)

[cparas-art]

Good morning~

[pearlcaddy]

LOCKWOOD & CO. 1.08

[malignedaffairs]

Ambrosia - Page 46

Full work on AO3

[bellysoupset]

Jonah was more than a little jittery when he finally made it to Portland's airport, Angie rubbing his arm in a rhythmic manner that was annoying more than comforting him, but he wasn't gonna tell her that.

Thank God for Lucas, Jonah nearly chuckled at the thought. It wasn't the first or even the third time he thought this in the last 20 hours and the irony wasn't lost on him. Luke was waiting for him at the end of the disembark area, but he opened his arms for a hug and it was Angie who leaped forward to jump on him.

"How are you, kiddo?" he said, his voice muffled as he swooped Angelina into a bear hug and pulled her feet off the ground. Angie's whole face turned a shade darker as she blushed bashfully, a huge smile on her face.

"Next trip you should tag along," she said, pushing his arm in a playful manner.

"I'll hold you up to that invite," Lucas' was all smiles and Jonah could see right through him, keeping Angie busy so they didn't need to rehash uncomfortable details in front of the teenager. Instead of greeting Jonah, he planted a hand on the man's nape and squeezed in a comforting way, tugging Jon closer to Luke could press a kiss on the top of his curls.

Jonah huffed, shoving his friend off by the chest and staring ahead. He had a million questions, but he didn't want to ask them in front of Angie. It wasn't that he didn't trust her, but he didn't want her knowing something he knew Leo wouldn't want to tell. His fiancé was terribly private with strangers and Angelina was still that to him.

"You're staying with Wendy, that's alright, Ange?" Luke asked, putting her luggage in the trunk of his car and piling Jonah's on top of it. Angie's eyes darted between Jonah and Luke and she frowned.

"Is Leo alright?" Her voice was careful, measured and Luke smiled at her, slamming the trunk closed.

"He'll be fine, he just needs some cuddles from your brother," he said smoothly, as if Jonah wasn't right there. Angie nodded, not looking very convinced.

"Okay... Yeah, staying at Wendy's fine, as long as I'm not imposing."

"She volunteered her couch," Lucas yawned, opening the backseat door for the girl and gesturing for her to get in, "it's bigger than mine and much comfier, otherwise you'd be staying with us."

"Aw," she pouted, getting inside, "I was looking forward to knowing Bella better, she seems so cool."

"She is," Luke sounded incredibly smug, "we're gonna have dinner together, you'll have the chance to chat- Jon, get inside, man."

Jonah wasn't sure how he was even functioning, the past twenty hours since Luke's call had been hellish, consumed by worry. He hadn't rested at all and it was definitely getting to him, he felt almost dizzy.

He was half dozing off against the window for most of the drive, switching between staring at Leo's messages - not a single new text - and listening as Luke continued to talk with Angie. College, exchanging tidbits about Europe, asking her what she wanted for dinner-

"Jon, we're here," Luke shook his knee gently and Jonah blinked, rubbing his eyes. He hadn't realized he fell asleep, but now they were inside his building's garage and Lucas was already getting his bag out of the trunk.

"You're not coming up....?"

"Nope, tell Bell we're waiting for her downstairs," Luke passed him the handle of his bag, then pulled Jonah into a sudden, but unsurprising hug, "he's alright," he lowered his voice so Angie couldn't hear from inside the car, where she had turned around in the backseat to watch them, "shaken, but he's okay. I think he just needs you."

Jonah nodded briskly and Luke let go of him.

He wasn't sure what he expected, but it certainly wasn't to hear Leo's laughter the minute he crossed the doorway. Jonah let go of his bag, shutting the front door gently and hearing as Leo giggled, "noooo, he's hot, you're just mean-"

"He looks like a very stressed rat," Bella's voice was clearly amused and Jonah walked further in, smiling as he saw they had collected half the blankets of the house and were curled up in the living room couch, Leo's head pressed to Bella's shoulder and her fingers combing through his hair as they watched House of Gucci.

"Hi?"

Leo's head snapped up so quickly he nearly hit Bella's chin, missing it by a couple inches, "Jon!" he tried to get up, but they had trapped themselves with the blankets and all he managed was to almost fall off, legs tangled.

Jonah leaped forward too, stepping over Bella's legs and nearly falling as well, pulling Leo into a tight hug. He had been so fucking worried, it was a huge relief to be able to touch him.

Leo let out a groan, his face pressed to Jonah's neck, "can't-breathe-" and Jon pulled back, cupping his face. Somehow he had thought Leo would look worse, but he looked just as fine as ever. His hair was definitely dirty, because instead of pin straight it was so wavy it had almost turned curly, and there were dark circles like bruises under his blue eyes as well as more than a stubble covering his cheeks... Other than that he looked fine.

"God-" Jonah lurched forward haphazardly, lips smashing together in a kiss that was nearly a bruise. Leo breathed out, hands coming up to cup his cheek and lips pressing against his, the tip of his nose was freezing pressed against Jonah's cheekbone, "you're alright- You're ok," Jon chanted feverishly, pulling back and studying his boyfriend's face.

Leo's eyes were overly shiny and he sniffled, but nodded and then pulled back, his whole face turning red as a cherry as they realized Bella had been directly under them, watching, completely trapped by the fact they were each stepping in one end of the blanket.

"No, don't mind me, this is cute," she said sarcastically, causing Leo to let out a watery chuckle.

"Sorry," he tried to pull back from Jonah, didn't manage when his boyfriend didn't let go, so instead Bella rolled out of the couch in the most convoluted way.

"Luke's waiting downstairs," Jonah said, cringing as he realized how dismissive he had been. Luckily this was Bella, who didn't take offense easily, and she raised a thumb up, crawling to grab her boots from under the couch.

"One of you text us later," she said, her voice coming out muffled, "or Lucas is gonna come here and I know none of you want that-" she sat down on the ground to put on her combat boots and JD appeared as well, trying to chew on the cords, "and don't worry about Angie, we got her."

"Angie's here?" Leo asked and Jonah completely ignored it, leaning in so he could press his whole face to the side of his boyfriend's, inhaling him.

"We got her, don't worry," Bella shrugged, "between Wendy and Lucas she'll be so busy she's gonna want to go home," she stood up, looking around for her purse and grabbing it, "I'm serious, text us."

"Okay," Jon mumbled and heard a small exasperated huff, before Bella's footsteps vanished down the hallway, her voice coming "no baby, you can't come with me-" as she kept JD inside and then the door shutting.

Jonah breathed out and Leo turned slightly, tilting his body back so he was able to look him in the eyes, "I'm glad you're home."

"What happened?"

Leo's brows dipped and his lips tugged on the corners, "I was hoping Luke would've spilled it all-"

"I don't wanna hear it from Luke, I wanna know it from you," Jonah scoffed and Leo nodded, then pulled him down to the messy couch.

Jonah had had time enough to come up with a thousand hypotheticals, so as he heard the ballroom class tale, he was both relieved it wasn't something worse and floored by the cheer improbability of it.

He didn't miss the way Leo's voice became squeezed and weird when he said Amelia didn't even remember him or how she had called him by his father's name. His boyfriend gulped down, looking away and hugging his knees, as if he wanted to turn himself into a little ball, "and that's it. Wendy drove me home and the guys have been keeping me company since."

Jonah sighed, "you called off work?"

"Wendy did it for me," Leo snorted, "she said she was my doctor," he pressed his chin to his knee, "I'm okay, I- I'm not okay," he corrected himself, meeting Jonah's eyes, "but I'm not as bad as they seem to think I am... I called my therapist and he suggested I go back up to twice a week instead of only once, at least for this month."

"Okay," Jon scooted closer, not able to stomach the tiny distance between them. He wanted to scoop up Leo and not let go for the next eight or nine hours.

"I keep- I keep thinking of her face, right?" the blonde picked at the skin of his fingers, "and how she- How she didn't even recognize me... I just feel so... So small-"

Jonah reached forward, grabbing Leo's hands before he could peel another layer - judging by the state of his thumb, this new habit had already been causing damage - and tugged at his wrists, forcing Leo to uncurl and fall against him.

"I was crawling up the walls when you didn't text," Jon told him, smoothing Leo's hair back gently, "and then Luke did and I just... It was like the ground fell under me. I haven't been able to even think right until now-"

"I'm sorry," Leo sniffled, tearing up all over, "I wanted to, but-"

"No," Jonah glared at him, "I'm not mad at you, I'm saying this so you understand you're not small... I'm so so sorry about Amelia. I wish none of this had ever happened to you, I wish she wasn't in this town-"

Leo nodded, wiping angrily at his eyes and brushing away the tears clinging to his lashes, so Jonah continued, "but I need you to know whatever your brain is telling you about being small or unloved- It's not true. You're my whole damn world, Leo."

That did it and Leo's face scrunched up as he started to openly cry, throwing himself over Jonah, letting out a pained sob as Jon kissed his temple and chanted quietly, over and over, "I love you, I love you, I love you."

[cocoa-rococo]

Koopaling Headcanons: Morton

Larry | Morton | Wendy | Iggy | Roy | Lemmy | Ludwig

The gentle giant who's solid as stone, and the main enforcer of Bowser's army! A wonderful lad, he is.

Right-handed.

Fond of scrapbooking! He has a few about his siblings and growing up together, but also keeps some about his interests. Wendy likes to gift him cute papers and pattern clippers, and Lemmy finds him cool stickers.

Likes watching wrestling with Roy, which often becomes wrestling with Roy.

He likes watching cooking shows for recipes ideas with Larry, and listening to him ramble about how people are doing things incorrectly.

Has a fairly good memory, and is the most likely to not get distracted on a mission, a trait Ludwig is incredibly grateful for.

Favorite season is winter, due to the novelty (but he can't stay in the snow for too long). Summer is a close second.

A pretty decent writer. His prose is fantastic; it's speaking aloud that he had trouble with.

Surprisingly good at healing magic, possibly more so than Ludwig or even Kamek.

He got gifted a camera from Iggy when he was ten, and he's been taking good care of it ever since. He uses it for scrapbooking, mostly, but he likes taking pictures of what surrounds him.

Very fond of yarrow flowers, due to the colors and how so few of them grow in the Darklands. He first discovered them when he was stationed on a mountain fortress waiting for Mario, and picked a whole bunch to keep inside.

Favorite candies are butterscotch and caramel chews, as well as crunchy rock-candy.

While his favorite pastries are donuts, Wendy once gave him a slice of her patisserie’s strawberry shortcake to try, and he’s been hooked on the flavor even since.

Prefers keeping his notes on pen and paper rather than a phone. He likes the feeling of writing.

Favorite fruit is raspberries and oranges.

Allergic to peanuts, but he prefers Nutella anyway.

His skin is actually much thicker than his siblings to help resist temperature extremities, and since he likes to burrow in sand a lot, it sometimes can get cracked and dry. He and Wendy like to get treatments and make a day of it together.

One of his favorite things is just sitting with his siblings and seeing what they're doing. He's happy to help with whatever they're involved in.

The physically strongest koopaling out of the seven. He's sometimes not quite aware of his strength, but he's trying to get better at it.

Has a soft spot for cute, fluffy animals. Probably aware of Larry's love for a ‘girly’ pony show, but doesn't mind.

Likes listening to Ludwig go on about his mystery novels, and helps as a sound-board for when he needs to bounce theories off someone.

He keeps a miniature zen-garden in his room, and likes to spend time raking little patterns in the sand and moving the rocks around.

The first of his siblings to figure out how to transform his wand into another weapon.

Magic is a weird case with him; trying to cast was difficult, even if the effect was fine. When he learned how to wield his hammer, however, it felt much more intuitive.

Really good with kids, even if he doesn't see a lot of them. He was the most excited out of all his siblings for when Junior was born.

Easily the best secret keeper out of the seven. That koopaling is a VAULT.

Has a fondness for birds, especially ducks. He once got to go to a farm with little ducklings and hold them, and he was crying happy tears almost the entire time.

Coincidentally, he's got an amazing rubber ducky collection. It's very cute, and touching it without his permission will very likely kill you.

Is a big fan of sculpture work, and sometimes will make little trinkets and carvings from chunks of rock he finds. His love of making things is also what convinced him to create Morton's Construction, when his siblings were making businesses.

Wendy is on a persistent quest to make him an Instagram for his scrapbooks and carving work. Morton is on a persistent quest to remember to use it, but always gets distracted.

One of the best taiko drummers —and kumi-daiko performers — this side of the Darklands. He practices with the Hammer Bros.

Can and will stop everything and anything he's doing to make sure an animal crosses the street safely.

Has an almost mom-level accuracy for knowing where lost things are. Any time his siblings can't find something, they go to him, and ninety percent of the time, his guesses are right.

Loves giving hugs! Does not love how he sometimes hugs a little too hard and people get squished.

He likes experimenting in the kitchen with Larry, offering spice suggestions and combos, even if he turns the heat on way too high.

[rapha-reads]

IWTV rewatch

Season 1 episode 2 [... After the Phantoms of Your Former Self] - part 3/3

- Love how Grace knows it's not just a case of a baby crying, she knows her brother, she knows her brother is different, she knows he baby could very well be in danger. That's sibling and maternal instincts in one.

[Louis] "'I had him in my arms... And I was ready to tear into him. I'm never gon' get control over it.' [Lestat] 'You've been skipping meals lately. Don't think I haven't noticed.'" - notice how Lestat immediately cares for Louis, worries about him, and tries to comfort him, only for Louis, Saint Louis, to reject the gesture of comfort because he thinks in his self-hatred that he doesn't deserve it? And also notice how pretty a crier Jacob is. Ahem. Who said that.

[Lestat] "'If you love your family, as I know you do, spare them all the pain that you are causing them.' [Louis] 'I ain't gon' have a family of my own, am I? No sons, no daughters.' [Lestat] 'I'm your family, Louis.' [Louis] 'You should just throw me in the incinerator and make another one.' [Lestat] 'And what a waste that would be. I have two centuries walked this Earth and can report: you have no twin. No one as angry, as stubborn, as unaccommodating, as maddening...' [Louis] 'Sounds like trash to me.' [Lestat] '... as loving, as dedicated, as thoughtful, as imperfectly perfect as you've become. You're a challenge every sunset, Saint Louis, and I'd have it no other way.'"

HI EXCUSE ME WHAT GIVES YOU THE RIGHT TO PLAY WITH MY HEART LIKE THAT. No because it's Louis' dream of having a family (Claudiaaaaaaa - also give Lestat like a century or two more and he'll give you exactly that) meeting Louis' depression and self-hatred, meeting Lestat's need to be love, meeting Lestat's absolute, deep love for Louis. They're not speaking the same language still, but they've found a middle ground, and when they do strike the middle ground, it's sparks and magic. Aaaah, it is maddening! They are maddening. I don't even remember what I wanted to say, I'm just sobbing in my cup of tea.

Wait, no I remember. EXCUSE ME. Louis' hopelessly fond smile when Lestat shows the tuxedos and says "I've been neglectful of our romance" (currently sobbing even more) reminded me. Awards for Jacob to go that soft after being that down. Back to the previous exchange. It's about how soft Lestat's voice goes when he tells Louis he'd have him no other way, and it's about how Louis finally lets Lestat comforts him and how he softens, relaxes and calms down gradually as Lestat keeps talking and petting him. *screams* Need I add more? No? Carrying on.

- [Louis] "He had a way about him, those first few years, Lestat. Preternaturally charming, occasionally thoughtful. He was my murdered, my mentor, my lover, and my maker... all of those things at once. He didn't choose me to be his doormat. I knew he enjoyed it when I fought back, but there was present a kind of worship on my part. The earth beneath me always felt liquid."

*screams some more* Was the romantic background music really necessary? We get it. You loved him, you still love him but this time with both eyes open even though you're still in denial, he's the love of your life, we get iiiiiiiiiit. Daniel's fond but amused little smirk gets me. Boy knows vampire's pining. Boy knows vampire's dumb. Boy knows story's not that simple. Changing subject, petition to get the word "preternatural" BANNED please. That's one word I'm not happy to have learned. Even in French we just stick to "surnaturel" (supernatural). Also according to Collins Dictionary, the use of the word "preternatural" was kinda low until the late 70s- early 80s when it exploded. Wonder what happened then to change the trend. What a mystery. Guess we'll never know.

- ghghhghe THE OPERA SCENE. I had forgotten the opera scene. The scheme to get Louis into the room (role-playing as Lestat's valet, hello social commentary). Louis sitting there "simmering in his indignation", and Jacob's masterful acting with the jaw and fists clenching, the steely eyes fixed straight ahead. And then Lestat coming in with the hammer, voice soft and gaze downcasted, timid and apprehensive:

[Lestat] "There is one thing about being a vampire that I most fear above all else... and that is loneliness. You can't imagine the emptiness... a void stretching out for decades at a time. You take this feeling away from me, Louis. We must stay together and take precaution and never part."

I NEED A MINUTE, GEEZ. To comment again on the timeline change from late 18th century to 1910s, it actually adds to Lestat's character. In the books, when Lestat meets Louis, he hasn't been a vampire for more than 15 years, iirc he was brought into the Blood in 1780 and arrived in New Orleans in 1791, after spending some years traveling with Gabrielle, a few months at best sleeping in the sand and then a few days with Marius (dates are vague at best). So he hasn't known true loneliness so far when he turns Louis. Whereas here, he's gone through the entire 19th century alone. He actually knows loneliness, both the human kind that he knew in the book, and the vampire kind. It adds weight to his fear of being alone, and to how he clings to Louis even to the point of doing horrifying things to keep him with him. Is it emotional manipulation? Yeah, def. Mais on n'en est plus à ça prés avec eux (best translation I can come up with is: but we're already way past that with them; the French expression is much more evocative, it kind of means "yeah, but, with them, emotional abuse is the least of our worries, something like that).

The hand caress, be right back, need to set myself on fire.

[Louis] "And music, that was where Lestat separated man from food" - music is the language of the soul. (Rockstar Lestat wheeeeeeeen)

[Louis] "Music pierced his damned soul. And any humans who were involved with the creation of it existed on an elevated plane in his eyes. I was moved to see he too had his human attachments. And this woman sang for us, it seemed, articulating the difficult love we often had trouble expressing ourselves."

No but it's the way Louis' voice is just so full of love here, so soft and fond and reminiscing, as if he doesn't even realise how tenderly he's speaking of Lestat a century later, while 1917's Louis' face is equally as soft and fond and gazing tenderly at Lestat as Lestat's singing to himself. *scream cont'd*

Lestat reacting to the tenor's false notes: absolute ear Lestat. (tho tbh even I can hear how horrendous the tenor sounds, and I know next to nothing about music technicality - but I did went to the opera last week for the first time in several years and the tenor was fantastic)

[Louis] "The hunt was on" - yes please.

[Louis] "This poor soul was someone's son, someone's brother, and he was to be slaughtered for what? A false note?" - aw, Louis' humanity. Baby you're too good.

Hi, excuse me again, Lestat speaking Italian? Sam speaking Italian???? SO FUCKING GOOD. Petition to have Sam speak Italian again in season 3, and even more languages. Wanna hear him speak Greek and Arabic please oh my vampire gods make it happen.

[Louis] "'Why do you do this, Lestat?' [Lestat] 'Well, I like to do it. I enjoy it.' [Louis] 'Well, I don't. You don't have to humiliate him.' [Lestat] 'Well I don't say that you have to enjoy it! Kill them swiftly if you have to, but DO IT! Embrace what you are! You are a killer, Louis!'"

Was tempted to put all of Lestat's line in all caps, because man the shift from gallant speaking Lestat to losing-his-shit-ROARING Lestat was something. Oh, and here's the main current issues as of 1917 between them. And while they're having their little domestic squabble, a man's bleeding on the poor rug that didn't ask for it. The rug, that is. Not the man.

[Louis] "I was in denial. For in bringing death, Lestat was an artist. He had cut the man tenderly so that he could not call for help, but also so that his death was slow, meditative. And I felt a charge, witnessing it."

Listen, Lestat's an artist, period. A diva and a drama queen with several truckloads of issues, but a true artist. And again Louis' voice go soft, contemplative, tender, reminiscing about Lestat. Also, Louis, mate, the denial has been going on for more than a century at this point and not just about the subject of death and killing. Sorry to burst your bubble. Oh, and Daniel looking down, a bit disappointed I feel? as Louis describes Lestat killing, shows that Daniel's in on it too.

- [Louis] "I try to have a human dish once a week" - sorry, what? Big canon change, as far as I understood from the books, vampires can't eat or drink human food, their system isn't designed for it anymore.

Alright, do we think Alice is a construct of Daniel's mind through Armand's mind games, or do we think she's real? Haven't entirely followed the fandom's theories on this own. Do we think that Armand did stalk and traumatise Daniel for a decade after the botched '73 interview but didn't go full Devil's Minion? Or do we think he left him alone after the six days of torture? Guess season 3 will tell us. But the fact that this important little scene, of the dessert and the first proposal, happens in Paris, a city that's important to Armand... Sus, I say. Aw, Danny's a sad boy. Love Louis' face as Daniel finished talking, gives cred to the idea that these are fabricated memories. The face says "man, I'm reading your thoughts as you're speaking, and something here's fishy, something doesn't make sense, but you know what, right now I have enough on my plate with my own bullshit, can't deal with yours". Let's table it for now (that's my own "disregard", lmao). Should add screencaps to these reviews, the final image here, the long dinner table, the grey and brown coloring, the two men sitting on opposite side, that's right out of a painting. Someone who did Art History, analyse that final image.

Ooooh, I think next episode was one of my favorite, with Antoinette, Jonah, and almoooost Claudia.

episode 1 | part 1 | part 2 | episode 3 | episode 4 | episode 5 | episode 6 | episode 7