#and then armand turns daniel because he's made up his mind that he doesn't want him to die

[featuresofinterest]

i'm so convinced past devil's minion happened in the show i really need to make a big post that explains all my theories.....

[prouvaireafterdark]

Hi! As someone just coming into reading the books but who's been with the show since day 1, I'm curious about why people take Lestat's narrative in TVL with 100% sincerity when the premise of the show seems to be interrogating the dissonance that everybody's versions create. Obviously there's some big things that are definitely going to be true, but I'd personally be disappointed if we got a straight adaptation of unfiltered Lestat perspective on events, haha!

I think you're conflating sincerity with some idea of omniscient, objective accuracy, which, as you note, is a useless thing to search for in a show where memory is continually shown to be an unreliable monster.

Lestat's version of events in TVL is sincere, though. He's speaking from the heart and he's trying to give the story of his life, mostly by sharing his truth about what his life before meeting Louis was like, and in part by filling in the gaps Louis leaves us with about what happened at Rue Royale. His recollection may turn out to be as faulty and biased as Louis' or Armand's has been shown to be in the show, but that doesn't make it any less sincere.

And I'm not implying that Louis is lying or anything. I'm talking about him not mentioning or glossing over the happy memories that meant a lot to Lestat and made up, for him, a big part of what it was to share a home with Louis and Claudia for so long. Giving Lestat the space to talk about his love for Louis and Claudia doesn't erase the abuse he inflicted on them in those moments of instability and rage. I don't get why people are so resistant to seeing that. It's not like it makes everything better. If anything, it makes it worse that he loved them so much.

What's important to note, too, is that at no point does Lestat in his retelling excuse himself for anything he did to Louis and Claudia and I doubt very much we would see him do that in future seasons of the show. Lestat even says it himself that he deserved what Claudia did to him. The way things worked out between the three of them is his greatest, deepest regret and it will haunt him for the rest of his immortal life.

Also, not for nothing, what we've gotten this season and last season are the unfiltered perspectives of Louis, Claudia, and Armand. That's not to say they're lying or intentionally obfuscating (okay, well, Armand totally is), but that is what we got---a narrative that was really challenged only by Daniel and not by anyone who was actually there who remembers it differently. I don't see why we shouldn't also get Lestat's unfiltered version, especially considered he is the main protagonist of the Vampire Chronicles series going forward.

For me and many others, it's not about excusing anything. It's all about contextualizing his decisions. Like, Lestat didn't just wake up one day and decide it would be fun to destroy his family. I want him to tell me in his own words (which, as a reminder, he has yet to do at any point in this series so far) what drove him to do the horrible things he did and how he really feels about it. When we do hopefully get that, I expect the fandom to interrogate his accounts as vigorously as they did Louis' and Armand's and Claudia's.

And to answer your question regarding the books specifically, we have Anne herself to blame for that. She wrote IWTV when she was battling some of the most intense grief and despair a person can feel. She had just lost her child. Writing the book was an outlet for that and you can feel it as you read Louis' perspective. When she decided to continue the series, though, she changed her mind about a lot of things---mainly who Lestat was as a character and how she had come to hate the "weakness" in Louis (which was really because she came to hate the "weakness" she saw in herself as she came out on the other side of her grief and identified with him less and Lestat more). There is a very real dissonance between who Lestat is in IWTV and who he is in TVL and beyond. The way she accounted for that in her own writing was that Louis was misconstruing certain events by leaving things out or straight up making things up like their reunion in NOLA at the end of IWTV, which Lestat claims never happened. The reason people take Lestat's words at face value sometimes isn't usually because they hate Louis or think he lied about Lestat's abuse. It's because Anne, as the writer of the story, wanted the reader to doubt Louis' version in favor of Lestat's because she had changed her mind about the direction of the story and the characters she created.

It's also worth noting that, in the actual text of the show, that version of events taken from the book, the content of the original interview, is described by Louis himself as an admitted performance. I think it's a perfectly legitimate reading to consider IWTV (the book) in the context of Louis trying to get Lestat's attention with something he knew would upset him, like Armand suggests was Louis' fantasy, because he wanted or needed to see him again.

This got long and rambley so I'll just leave you with the wise, wise words of Samothy Reid when asked to give one truth and one lie in the show: Everybody lies. Everybody lies.

I don't think that will change if we finally get Lestat's POV so imo people should just relax and enjoy the ride.

[collegeboysam]

My main Devil's Minion theory for the finale, taking into account both the show so far and parts of the books, is this:

Armand has been giving Daniel his blood (in his drinks, in his food, in his IV drip) to cure his Parkinson's. But, without realizing, it caused secondary effect he didn't expect: the blood is what helped Daniel remember what happened in San Francisco. And will continue to help him remember more and more as time goes by. Perhaps do even more than that in season 3.

Leaving the long ass explanation as to why I think this could be it along with heavy book spoilers:

To me, one of the biggest clues for this is that Daniel does not remember anything about the first interview beyond the moment Louis invites him to his place (Daniel says he always wakes up at that moment anytime he thinks about it), which is the exact moment when Armand appears.

He does not remmeber him this until he goes to Dubai and is around Armand for the first time in decades.

Daniel's answer about him "waking up" at that point everytime indicates he has tried to remember that day all these years but he never could go beyond that point. And I don't think that talking about it with Louis is what made the memoris return.

The first time Daniel sees Armand in the dream after all these years, is the exact same day that he gets his levodopa transfusion. That night, after he falls asleep on the couch, he sees Armand arrive at the bar and from then on he continues remembering more and more details.

This ties back to the books, since in Queen of the Damned and more so in the Devil's Minion chapter we find out in the 70s-80s Armand used to feed Daniel his blood. Since the first time Armand feeds Daniel, he has visions. It creates a connection between him and Armand but later on also allows him to have very vivid dreams and have visions that only vampires should be seeing.

It's an established canon detail that consuming Armand's blood as a human makes Daniel have dreams/visions related to Armand and other vampires.

We still don't if DM's happened as it did in the books (at least the part about his 12 year relationship with Armand, since he ofc never got turned in his 30s), but there is a clear connection with the book.

In the show, he shouldn't be dreaming and remembering Armand in the first interview, since Armand erased his memory with his mind gift. Armand is a really old vampire, he has Marius' blood, his erasing of Daniel's memory should not have stopped working randomly.

And I don't think is random, I think it's happening because of the vampire blood is mixing with his medicine and food. It's making him remember and see things he once forgot since the mix is not only curing him, it's taking down the walls Armand himself put in his brain.

I don't think this is what Armand intended, it can be a secondary reaction he didn't anticipate.

Why the mix works on Daniel in particular? Could be any reason they want: Armand's blood is that powerful since he's ancient, it works because Daniel used to drink his blood in the 80s so his body is used to it and now mixing medicine with said blood has a reaction it never has with anyone else, it works because it's mixed with this particular medicine, etc. They can go with many options here and change it depending on what they decide for DM's in the 80s.

Now, another reason why I'm suspicious about the blood-in-medicine bit is another spoiler from the books: Doctor Fareed is actually a vampire. Not only that, he and his immortal companion and maker (Seth) develop medical science on vampires. Additionally, they run a clinic for the treatment of mortals, particullarly for incurable medical conditions. Parkinson's is incurable.

To me it's not too far fetched that Armand has asked Fareed this favor, of mixing the levodopa with his blood.

What vampire blood can do in the books isn't really a deus ex maquina, since it has it's limitations and it doesn't seem like it could be so potent it can cure every human condition ever and recover vampires from all injuries, but the show has not followed 1:1 all the rules from Vampire Chronicles either. Armand being immune to the sun being one of them, and it's a pretty important one, yet they added that right in.

This doesn't have to mean that vampires could now cure all incurable condutions with ancient vampire blood. It could be only Daniel: because he had it before in the 80s and formed a connection to Armand, or maybe because it's Armand's blood in particular (and he's not interested in helping anyone else lol.)

Transfusion aside, we now have the hint that Daniel likes his martinis better when Armand makes them. Because Armand puts more vermouth in them. Per Armand himself, Lestat tasted "like vermouth and annihilation". Could it be that vermouth is just generally what vampire blood tastes like?

Daniel could like the taste of Armand's drinks because they had traces of his blood in season 1. Armand could know how to make them perfectly because he remembers how Daniel likes them (maybe he used to add the blood as an ingredient just for the taste back in the day lol, since Daniel liked it so much.)

There are other scenes where we see Daniel asking "Rashid" personally for a refill of what looks like wine in one episode. And Armand does grab the cup to bring him more. We see him making Daniel a martini in another scene in particular, when Louis tells him "he's lingering."

Daniel having different drinks, courses of food, more drinks, dessert, it's shown many times in the first season and Armand is always around.

Perhaps Armand saw that only feeding Daniel his blood wasn't doing much and that's when he decides to go with the IV drip. More direct method, straight to Daniel's veins. As soon as he does, Daniel starts to remember.

Being "Rashid" is what gave Armand this advantage, since it would have been suspicious to have an ancient vampire who supposely "doesn't know Daniel", making him martinis and bringing him drinks, keeping tabs on his medical treatments and scheduling him a doctor.

But as a supposed member of the staff and pseudo asistent, Daniel thought it was kinda normal that Armand was doing these things for him.

And why would Armand want to help Daniel? There's a couple of options to choose from:

DM's did happen in the 80s and he still cares for Daniel, loves him even: It's important to note that one of Armand's big hopes when he's with Daniel is for Daniel to grow old. Armand wanted him to live his mortal life and mature, experience life as a human to its fullest. Daniel would argue and constantly try to push Armand to turn him when he was "still young". (Also motivated by Armand's own looks, he wanted to be with Armand as an immortal and also appear young next to Armand.) But for Armand, what was important was Daniel living his human life, as he would love him regardless of his physical age. Not to mention Armand is sure the maker-fledgling bond is destined to fail, and all fledglings will eventually resent their makers, he doens't want Daniel to hate him and end their relationship. Daniel argues that as a human he could die at any moment, as a vampire he can be strong like Armand, he doesn't have to worry about protecting him, and they can be together forever, young and now. This causes tons of fights between them. The show has actually given Armand what he wanted in the books, and it's Daniel growing old. In the show, he made Daniel forget their relationship when they reached the impass of Daniel wanting to let himself die on purpose so Armand would have no option but to turn him. Armand, not wanting to take Daniel's life away, erases his memory to protect Daniel and let him have a normal life. (There's also the theory that erasing so much, 12 years, out of Daniel's mind is what have him parkinson's eventually.) Additionally, per the books, Armand was correct and once he turns Daniel he starts to resent him as his maker and they break up for a while. Armand knows Daniel is strong and can take care of himself, so he doesn't force him to stay. But Daniel loses his mind while being away from Armand (Armand doesn't know this), ends in the care of Marius of all people, but eventually Armand goes looking for him and Daniel becomes his immortal companion once more, choosing him over Marius. Daniel and Armand end up together as endgame. I think the show has changed the time Daniel spends with Marius, and has instead made the breakup happen between them from the 80s to the current timeline, by the means of Armand never turning him and erasing his memory instead.

DM didn't happen: Let's say DM has not been a thing so far (but with all the looks between Armandaniel and all the devil minion's easter eggs they have put in these 2 seasons, I doubt it. But hey let's consider!) Louis said Daniel was a testament of their relationship enduring. Armand is currently desperate to save it, so he's saving Daniel to somehow show and hint to Louis their relationship should too. Daniel can't die when Armand knows his relationship with Louis is deteriorating, it could be taken almost as a sign that is time to end their relationship as well. In this scenario, I imagine DM's happens after Dubai. Louis and Armand break up, Armand follows Daniel because he blames him for he breakup (since he opened cracks in their relationship) and is when he tells Daniel to keep him entertained or he will kill him, starts stalking him, etc. This also makes sense because originally, Armand starts stalking Daniel in a time period he and Louis have broken up.

Extra: Does Louis know of Armand's plans? Unclear to me. I think it could go either way. Armand is so good at making plans and knitting webs to get wat he hopes/wishes for, he could be doing the entire thing without letting Louis know, going along with the interview because he has other interests for having Daniel close. At the same time, I think Louis wouldn't mind helping Daniel stay alive so he can live longer, publish the book, and I think he considers Daniel a friend. He even offers him the dark gift at one point in the 1st season. But does Louis know of the time Armand spend with Daniel if DM's happened? We'll see.

Finally, I believe this leaves them with many options for season 2:

Does Daniel start to get addicted to the blood? Does he need to keep consuming it to continue to get better? Will consuming it more and more cause for more memories of Armand to return?

Not only that, he can start having visions that directly connect "The Vampire Lestat" with the main plot of "Queen of the Damned". He can be the one to start seeing what Akasha is planning.

The actor for doctor Fareed is going to appear again in season 3. I think that's particular. Even if he's a vampire, he doesn't appear until way later in the books and so far he has only appeared for Daniel's sake. He could be continuing his treatment, giving him more of Armand's blood, and in season 3 Daniel could keep on remembering more and more about Armand or start to form a connection with him because now he needs his blood to stay/get better, but that connection could lead to many other feelings and situations.

That's what I think so far.

I'm more inclined to believe DM's did happen in the 80s, since there have been many clues scattered around these two seasons, but even if they decide to make DM's happen in the current timeline, the blood-feeding could still make sense to me.

But hey, there's also the option that DM did happen, but something health related affects Daniel and Armand sees himself forced to turn Daniel into a vampire in the season finale, since he cannot live with the idea of Daniel dying. Which is why he was maybe giving him his blood in the first place. Having fed him his blood before (and now) could affect how Daniel behaves as a vampire.

And hey, if all this is for nothing and Armand never gave him his blood and I'm fully delusional 🤡, then I guess I'll use it for a fic or something hahaha since I think it makes sense to me anyway lmao.

One way or another tho, there are enough hints for Armandaniel to come to usssss in season 3 FOR SURE.

[whatspastisprologue-blr]

Memnoch the Devil gives me some of my favorite Lesmand interactions, even though, as is the case with all the books, I have to keep Assad Zaman's Armand in my mind because he just *is* Armand and so whenever he's described in the book it's honestly jarring to me.

Like, when they first see each other again and Lestat is genuinely happy to see him? And notes that Armand's voice "had no meanness in it at all". And basically calls him hot and then says he's "good to love". And then they hug each other! Willingly!

"We eyed each other for a moment. And then he surprised me, rising and coming towards me just as I moved to take him in my arms. His gesture wasn't tentative, but it was extremely gentle. I could have backed away. I didn't. We held each other tight for a moment. The cold embracing the cold. The hard embracing the hard."

And then Lestat playfully ruffles Armand's hair! Which Armand doesn't mind. In fact, he smiles! And then playfully shoves Lestat back (actually, it hurt him) to show off a little. After which, we get this:

"I can't remember anything bad between us." I said.

"You will," he responded. "And so will I. But what does it matter what we remember?"

"Yes," I said, "we're both still here."

Armand laughs again and kisses Lestat a couple of paragraphs later, seemingly just for fun. And then, in this chapter (this is all just one chapter, guys), Armand basically gets to play Lestat for Lestat, in the sense that he gets to tell Lestat the exact same arguments that Lestat used to help Armand get free from the CoD. Both of them admit it.

Oh, yeah, and actually, Lestat wasn't expecting to see Armand! That was a surprise. Armand showed up (with David, ew, but maybe it'll be Daniel on the show) because he's worried about Lestat!

And then we get this hilariously petty exchange:

"Around this Dora, I've thrown a protective light. None of us can touch her."

"That goes without saying. I won't hurt your little friend. You wound me." He looked genuinely put out.

"I'm sorry," I said. "I know. But I know what blood is and innocence and how delicious both can be. I know how much the girl tempts me."

"Then you must be the one to give in to that temptation," said Armand crossly. "I never choose my victims anymore, you know this. I can stand before a house as always, and out of the doors will come those who want to be in my arms. Of course I won't hurt her. You do hold old grudges. You think I live in the past. You don't understand that I actually change with every era, I always have as best I can."

(Seriously, AMC, give us this scene! Lestat warning Armand specifically, not David, to not hurt someone he cares about but also entrusting this person to Armand's care despite how it turned out previously. And then Armand being salty about it because jeez, Lestat, that was like, so long ago I can't believe you'd bring that up!)

Also, "I can stand in front of a house as always, and out of the doors will come those who want to be in my arms." Made me think of this:

Anyway, then we get to see this:

"Lestat, if you need me--" Armand said. "If this being tries to take you by force!"

"Why do you care about me?" I asked. "After all the bad things I did to you. Why?"

"Oh, don't be such a fool," he begged gently. "You convinced me long ago that the world was a Savage Garden. Remember your old poetry? You said the only laws that were true were aesthetic laws, that was all you could count on."

"Yes, I remember all that. I fear it's true. I've always feared it was true. I feared it when I was a mortal child. I woke up one morning and believed in nothing."

"Well, then, in the Savage Garden," said Armand, "you shine beautifully, my friend. You walk as if it is your garden to do with as you please. And in my wanderings, I always return to you. I always return to see the colors of the garden in your shadow, or reflected in your eyes, perhaps, or to hear of your latest follies and mad obsessions. Besides, we are brothers, are we not?"

A few paragraphs later, Lestat tells Armand (and David, but hopefully Daniel in the show), "I love you both."

All that in one chapter! I just wanted to share it because I feel like other great Lesmand moments get referenced a lot, such as Armand's line from Blood Communion:

"Fool," he said again. His voice was roughened now by emotion he couldn't suppress. "I have always loved you," he said. "I have loved you more than any being in all the world whim I've ever loved. I have loved you more than Louis. I have loved you more even than Marius. And you have never given me your love. I would be your most faithful counselor, if you allowed it."

And, like, that's an epic quote. I love it. But there's more to their relationship than all the bad things and this one quote!

I want to see Lestat do his part to destroy the CoS, including his "Gentleman Death" speech. I want to see Armand's attack on Lestat, him pleading to Lestat to let him accompany him and Gabrielle (promising to be Lestat's servant if that's what it takes), and Lestat rejecting him, partly because of their past and because he knows Armand needs to figure himself out apart from anyone else. I want to see Lestat entrust Nicki to Armand and then get the letter of how Armand chopped Nicki's hands off. I want to see the torture leading up to the play where Lestat is forced to watch Claudia die. I want to see Armand push Lestat off the tower. Because those are pivotal moments in their relationship, too! In particular, Armand attacking Lestat is basically why Lestat never pursues the sort of relationship that Armand wants, even though I would argue the love and affection is there, and that Lestat himself might wish differently at times.

All that pain and horror and tragedy, and then they both agree they can't remember any of it, and that even if/when they do, it's water under the bridge. "You shine beautifully, my friend." "I love you [.]"

Forgiveness is, for me, one of the most important themes of the Vampire Chronicles and, in my opinion, the Lesmand relationship is one of the best examples.

[cbrownjc]

Hi! Hope you don't mind but I wanted to ask your opinion on some stuff we learned in ep 6 and possible repercussions for Daniel's character. So we get the super heavy-handed wink wink nudge nudge "body switch" line from Raglan, which imo definitely implies they are gonna go there at some point - body switching *will* be a thing.

Before this, I was actually pretty hopeful that at some point, Armand was going to turn old man Daniel into a vampire. Not sure yet how and when it would happen, but it felt like they were building towards it (also having not forgotten the super sus levodopa treatment from probably-a-vampire Dr. Fareed). But if they're going to introduce body switching (and it feels significant that this line was said to Daniel so I doubt it will NOT involve him at all), then that no longer makes sense, right? Why bother turning old man Daniel when they're gonna body switch his spirit with what I suspect might be a cloned younger version of him (played by LBF ofc)? I realize I'm making a lot of assumptions here lol but the hints are there, aren't they? Mostly I just really don't want Eric to be written out of the show - I'm so attached to his version of Daniel (though I also want to see more of LBF - I'm so torn lmao).

Where do you think they're going with this?

Hi,

Okay, so. IF older Daniel is turned and IF the body switch is still in play, I feel there are multiple scenarios going on as to where this could be going.

The first thing we have to look at is who we might see turn older Daniel if it happens. (And which I already predicted after last week's Inside the Episode for ep 2x05 gave away that the IWTV book was going to be published I think very likely is going to happen this season.) If it's Armand who does it, then it is 100% Daniel who is being turned. If it's Louis -- or anyone else -- who does it, then it 100% is not Daniel who is being turned IMO, but Raglan James -- no matter if it's Eric that we see getting bitten, drained, and turned by Louis . . . or any other vampire.

Because this show did not go to all the trouble it did in this latest episode (2x06) to specifically discuss how Armand has never once in his whole vampire life made another vampire and then not have him be the one to turn his one-and-only book-canon fledgling.

So if we see anyone other than Armand turning older Daniel at some point? Then that is Daniel's body being turned, but Daniel's actual soul/spirit/consciousness will for sure be somewhere else. Even if we don't actually see the switch happen beforehand.

If this is the case, Daniel's soul/spirit/consciousness will be in some other body -- most likely Justin Kirk's -- and I can see a scenario where Daniel doesn't want his older body back because it's now a vampire. So a new body is made for him -- via clone or whatever -- by Dr. Fareed that is younger, but not super young or something (and played by LBF -- whom I myself have already pointed out is 36 years old right now . . . meaning he could realistically play someone 40 years old IMO).

So this way, Daniel is still human, just in a different body now. And his older body is now a vampire and . . . IDK, goes off to join in on the Great Conversion thing, I'd guess. Or, maybe James just goes off to do what he did in the TotBT book but then, maybe something goes wrong with him in Daniel's older body -- maybe he's not fully anchored to it or something because this is the first time he's ever jumped bodies. Or maybe something else goes wrong (put a pin in this). And so James jumps bodies again, but he now wants to be a vampire again really bad. Which now sets up for him plotting to steal Lestat's body and the whole TotBT storyline.

However, if we see Armand turn older Daniel? I do think they could still be setting up for the body swap but, IMO, it might go more like this if they are:

Older Daniel gets turned and, just like his book counterpart, goes mad sometime very soon after he is. And I think the earlier in the show's run that Daniel gets turned the more likely we are headed toward the book scenario of Daniel losing his mind after he is turned. Because even I have kind of glossed over the fact Daniel being turned by Armand didn't lead to a happy ending for them both -- not right away. Things actually went really bad for them for decades afterward. Daniel went mad, and he and Armand were separated during that time he was, for over 20 years before Daniel finally healed and reunited with Armand again.

And while I don't think Daniel's turning on the show will lead to a +20-year separation -- because Armand and Daniel have already done that on the show -- we are very much not out of the woods on older Daniel going mad once he is turned IMO. I think Daniel going mad after he's turned is not only very much in play but will happen at some point if he is.

And, in the show? Daniel might not just go mad because he's unable to deal with what he now is or he's angry at Armand about, well, a whole lot of things. IMO, the body swap hints might also point to something, even more, being at play here. (Pin!)

This, however, is where my thoughts on these things get a bit more possibly depressing because -- I'm not 100% sure that turning older Daniel would cure his Parkinsons. Because Parkinson's isn't like cancer or being poisoned or dying from being shot or something. Parkinson's is specifically a neurological disease.

And one thing that the books have shown is that The Blood does NOT cure something neurological.

In the books, one of the twins, the vampire Maharet, was blinded before she was turned. And she isn't able to just take some human eyes and put them into her empty eye sockets and have that work permanently. The human eyes just continue to die within her eye sockets and that is because even The Blood can't heal the nerves connecting them.

We also see that The Blood doesn't help with neurological problems with the character of Mekare -- the other twin -- in the book Prince Lestat. Now, I'm only up to Chapter 15 of that book, but I have read past the part in that book where Jesse talks about Dr. Fareed examining Mekare, particularly her brain. Because while Mekare had her tongue cut out before she was turned, something happened to her mind as well. And this is what Jesse says was discovered after Mekare was examined by Fareed (via a CAT scan and other ways):

"They said Mekare was mindless," said Jesse. "They said the brain in her head was atrophied. They said there was so little indication of brain activity that she was like a human in a coma, kept alive by the brain stem alone. Apparently, she'd been entombed for so long, possibly in a cave, no one knew, that even her sight had been affected. The powerful Blood actually hardened the atrophied tissue over time [. . .]"

What this tells me is that there is probably not going to be any reversal wrt Daniel's Parkinson's once he's turned. Daniel's brain, and nerves, might just do like Mekare's did -- harden at the point they are at now. Keeping things forever in the degenerative state they are at whenever he's turned.

The Blood can kill cancer cells, destroy poison within the body, eradicate diseases like TB from the body, and even heal cuts and wounds. But it doesn't seem to be able to do anything for neurological issues, going by the books. It freezes things where they are when you are turned wrt that and does not repair them.

So older Daniel going mad after he's turned? Might not just be because of being unable to fully deal with now being a vampire. It might also be because he was turned while his body had health issues that even The Blood cannot fix. And while he will no longer age or die, Daniel might still have his body's neurological issues that were there when he was turned, just now forever frozen in that state where they were. Just like it remained so for the twins.

The show specifically focused on Daniel's shaking getting worse in episode 2x02 when he was under emotional stress/duress, which is very much a Parkinson's thing. As I know I've said more than once, I took care of my mom for 10 years while she had Parkinson's, and because so I've hyper-noticed these things -- the camera very much sometimes focusing on Daniel's shaking this season. Daniel's shaking was even commented on by Louis just last week.

And if Daniel is turned soon, well . . . imagine having to live with something like that for eternity?

And so just like with Maharet and her eyes, which Dr. Fareed figured out how to give her permanent ones that would never die in her head, (and also knew he could give Mekare a new tongue but, at least as far as I've read that offer hasn't been accepted -- and doing something for her brain was likely out of the question given that she was the Sacred Core at that point meaning her brain was fused with Amel's spirit . . . operating on that would very likely put every vampire in the world in danger), maybe this will have Dr. Fareed coming up with a new, cloned body for Daniel that don't have those neurological issues?

And then maybe that body gets stolen by Raglan James in a later season and we get the TotBT storyline that way? I can see being one way into it.

As it is, I know that making bodies for spirits to occupy does become a thing in the books after Prince Lestat. So their being able to do so is likely going to be established at some point -- and this could be one way they do so.

But, either way, if older Daniel is turned anytime soon, these are the two ways I can see it going afterward, and probably why they are also dropping body swap hints as well along with it. Because I don't think Daniel being turned is going to be simple, or lead to something happy right away. Again, it didn't in the books.

And really, this all just kind of backs up why I wasn't ever really feeling Daniel being turned anytime soon. But I realize now that my wanting the show to wait before they did so was the more happy way I was looking at it to go.

But this is Gothic Horror. And while I don't think Eric will be "written out" right away or something, I don't think whichever scenario I've given for all of this will lead to something happy. Not for a long time. There is just too much already in the source material that points to it not, IMO. And I think the show is very much setting up for that as well with the hints it's clearly dropping wrt all of this.

[thedailydescent]

Going back my post about the fight (you guys left so many good tags!)

I'm not completely sold on the idea that Armand purposefully and methodically planned to trigger Louis into a meltdown/suicide attempt (which the rescue of would be delayed) for the purpose of keeping him by his side in a weakened state, not because it would make what he said and did any less wrong, but because it goes against what we know about Armand as a character.

From what Assad Zaman said, Armand is a guy who actually has less control than he appears and wants, and is sometimes without a full/correct assessment of the people around him. Just because one has all the power, that doesn't mean one's own insecurities or overestimation of self can't get in the way of effective control. He did leave his partner and the "homewrecker" alone together this episode thinking everything would be fine, after all; that does not spell out someone with great calculation skills. He also has this pessimistic passivity to him. He will see trouble coming, but because of his past experiences, feel there's no use in stepping in to prevent the situation because it will only delay the inevitable. He then tries to convince you and himself afterwards that he could not have prevented any of it from it happening (as @rosesocietyy said, his commitment to deniability will choke him one day). He's not a man who can prevent an implosion, but he is a man who can commit to the clean-up afterwards (see how controlled he appears during his fight with Louis vs him playing 'nursemaid' afterwards).

I feel like when we talk about abusers, it's pretty easy and even dangerous to see them as ones who plan everything out from the beginning, who always know what's going on/what's going to happen, and are always in control (it goes back to the whole 'Armand planned Claudia's death from the beginning to trap Louis', 'Armand abracadabra-ed how Claudia died who Lestat really was from Louis's head', "Armand has been mind-controlling Louis to stay with him for 77 years" "Armand actually planned this interview because he wants to break up with Louis/get with Daniel' theories). Not only does it paint a portrait of abusers as one-dimensional villains even though anyone could be one, it also misses the point of why something or someone is abusive in the first place. It's not about whether you intended your actions to have consequences or not, whether your past trauma has compromised your skills to self-regulate or connect with others, or whether you have control all the time or not. It's about how your actions have hurt the other/made them feel helpless regardless, and whether they're (rightfully) afraid it's going to happen again.

During that fight scene, I see Armand's facial expressions and behaviour change multiple times during that fight. I see the look of anger slowly turning to regret then worry when Louis runs out of the room. That didn't look like someone who planned any of that to happen or is plotting to delay Louis's rescue, but someone who was coming off the high end of their subconscious/released pent-up emotions. Armand to me is honestly scarier because of that unpredictability and lack of clear thought-process. With Armand it's never really about boiling his decisions down to one reason; it's about the effect someone as powerful as Armand has when he feels he has no control.

[daisycassy]

I did it, I made the playlist! Also known as the list of Leonard Cohen's songs that make me go feral with Devil's minion feelings.

List of all songs along with my thoughts under the cut bellow

The Future - Give me absolute control/Over every living soul/And lie beside me, baby/That's an order/Give me crack and anal sex....

This whole song is extremely "Daniel and Armand explore their old and new dynamic after years apart" coded, with some old bitter investigative journalist Daniel (my beloved) sprinkled in

Darkness - I caught the darkness/Drinking from your cup/I said: Is this contagious?/You said: Just drink it up...

This is obviously about old Daniel being turned, what do you mean it is not? Look at it!

First we take Manhattan - Ah, you loved me as a loser, but now you're worried that I just might win/You know the way to stop me, but you don't have the discipline/How many nights I prayed for this, to let my work begin...

Vampire power couple? Vampire Daniel chasing his maker while being extremely capable fledling? Armand dreaming of them as vampire power couple in the 80s despite being terrified of turning Daniel? Yes all of those

Avalanche - You who wish to conquer pain/You must learn what makes me kind/The crumbs of love that you offer me/They're the crumbs I've left behind...

The pain, the tragedy of forgotten love then remebered and the reality of grapling with those emotions and memories. Also with the spice of the terror of these two

I'm your man - If you want a lover/I'll do anything you ask me to/And if you want another kind of love/I'll wear a mask for you/If you want a partner, take my hand, or/If you want to strike me down in anger/Here I stand/I'm your man...

Is this about Armand and his unresolved issues and tendency to mould himself into whatever he thinks his lovers need and want? Is this about Daniel wanting to be everything that Armand wants and needs? Is this about them being perfect for each other? Or all of the above? Who's to say

Lover Lover Lover - This one is so so perfect for Armand's identity issues, I feel like I want to copy the whole lyrics here

Master song - Devil's minion version 1, 70s and 80s. But also could make an argument for this to be about Armand and his feelings for Marius (I am his n.1 hater)

It seemed the better way - Sounded like the truth/But it's not the truth today/I better hold my tongue/I better take my place/Lift this glass of blood/Try to say the grace/...

Daniel who was turned by Armand to save him from dying, grapling with his newly regained memories, bitterness and anger at being turned against his will now, and abandoned in the past, but still loving Armand

Nevermind - Never mind/I had to leave my life behind/The story's told/With facts and lies/You own the world so never mind/...

Once again Devil's minion 2, old Daniel after getting turned

Almost like the Blues - But I've had the invitation/that a sinner can't refuse/It's almost like salvation/It's almost like the blues...

Daniel spending his life as a journalist, exposing lies and injustice and yet choosing to become the evil that is to be a vampire

My Oh My - Wasn't hard to love you/Didn't have to try/Held you for a little while...

Both of them. Because my favourite thing about this ship is that despite evrything the loving comes easily to them. But love on its own doesn't make relationships easy.

Leaving the table - If I ever loved you, oh no, no/It's a crying shame/If I ever loved you/If I knew your name...

Old Daniel grappling with the newly gained memories of loving Armand and what it means. At the same time not regretting becoming vampire at all. I don't need a reason/For what I becameI've got these excuses/They're tired and lame/I don't need a pardon...

It's Torn - You smile at your suffering, the sweetest reprieve/Why did you leave us? Why did you leave?...

Daniel remembering loving Armand, and the love coming back so so strong. The longing, the pining

Traveling light - I'm just a fool/A dreamer who/Forgot to dream/Of the me and you/Traveling light like/We used to do...

Vampire Daniel chasing his maker who turned him, gave him back the memories of their love and then disappeared.

Amen - Tell me again/We’re alone and I’m listening/I’m listening so hard that it hurts/Tell me again/When I’m clean and I’m sober/Tell me again/When I’ve seen through the horror/Tell me again/Tell me over and over/Tell me that you want me then...

Armand and Daniel during the 70s and 80s both not believing that the other genuinely loves them. The tragedy it leads them to. The endless pining

I can't forget - I said this can't be me/Must be my double/And I can't forget, I can't forget/I can't forget but I don't remember what...

Daniel left without his memories and yet remembering something, sometimes, in his dreams , in the corner of his eye. Forgetting and yet unable to forget.

Take this longing - Oh, take this longing from my tongue/Whatever useless things these hands have done/Let me see your beauty broken down...

As it says on the tin, take this longing from these men, they are sooo full of it.

[rapha-reads]

Things from Interview With The Vampire s02e04 (ep11) I noticed:

[Edit 1: Actually this turned into a live-commenting, sorry]

[Edit 2: Keep in mind, I haven't read the books, so all of these observations are born from the show itself and the few (lots of) spoilers and narrative plot points I've gleaned here and there.]

Both Claudia and Louis are so bored with the coven. Or maybe bored isn't the word, but... Done? Frustrated and annoyed? Restless? Louis because he never intended to join and so cares not all for all their internal affairs. Claudia because she thought she'd finally have the life she wanted and instead is being forced to relive the tragedy of her life day after day.

And Armand rejoices in drawing them further apart, scolding and punishing Claudia while begging scraps from Louis.

And he's soooo jealous. The face he makes when Louis starts explaining what Dreamstat feels like is priceless.

Also, personal theory: either Louis is indeed suffering psychotic breaks after psychotic breaks, or just manifesting his own version of Lestat because he doesn't want to let go. Or Lestat can astral project and has been stalking Louis from the moment they left New Orleans.

The coven is tearing itself apart. And normally I'd add "and Armand isn't even seeing it/taking it seriously yet" but given that the whole of them are unreliable narrators and that Armand is a shady ass bitch whose only agenda is himself, I'd say he's well aware and purposefully making it worse.

I can't make sense of Santiago yet, though. Is he jealous? Ambitious? Is he fond of Claudia? Does he hate her? He definitely hates Louis, but is it just jealousy or real antipathy? Oh, but Louis is still my precious special kitten and that speech about Paris, art and modernity, as a contemporary culture student, made me vibrate a little out of my chair, and Santiago clowning him makes me want to claw his face. We get it, you hate him and you think he's pretentious, now can you shut up and let us talk a bit more about the art scene in Paris post-WW2 and why Louis is absolutely right, Picasso isn't all that impressive in the end? Thanks. Bacon tho, Bacon is interesting. My contemporary art teacher last year was excruciatingly boring, but he had a boner for both Louise Bourgeois and Bacon and we spent several hours on them (and not nearly enough about Mapplethorne, alas). Anyway. I feel ya, Lou. I have been called pretentious too for simply getting excited about art, culture and folkore.

I'm rooting for Louis and Claudia to kill them all off and run away to Italy. I know it won't happen, but one can dream, eh.

Is Armand messing up with both Daniel by getting into his mind and Louis by switching the photos? Interesting. Two people who have a shitton of issues stuck with a sadistic, insecure and bitter control freak who's been pulling the threads since way before anyone realises. And Louis is so lost in his trauma and grief and anger, he trusts Armand and doesn't see what's happening and been happening to him for 70 years, while Daniel is just a sad, sick old man who thinks he knows his life and what his future entails. Armand is definitely having fun.

"Je n'aime pas fenêtre quand fermée" is NOT FRENCH, MY EARS. I will be picky, I don't care for artistic licence. Correct sentence would be "je n'aime pas les fenêtres quand elles sont fermées". Admittedly, if it goes into a song, you'd have to respect the length of the line and all those musical measures. But still. You could shorten the numbers of syllables by dropping the language register: "j'aime pas les f'nêtres quand elles sont fermées" ; from 12 or 13 to 9, the original line being 8 or 9. Depending on whether you say "je-n'ai-me-pas" or "je-n'aim-pas" and "fe-nê-tres" or "fe-nêtres". Anyway. I'm sure the writers had those discussions (I hope; hey, AMC, hire me, I'm a good proofreader and I speak 5 languages).

Me: oh, Louis isn't even bothering now, he's directly talking to... Wait, is Lestat eating that photo? If it's Dreamstat: the hell is going on in your head, Louis? If it's Astral Lestat: that is certainly a choice, my friend.

"Barely Balthasar", LMAO, Lestat I fucking love you. Poor Balthasar always gets forgotten in adaptations. Nope, we're not here to talk R&J, moving on.

Armand: "this is my tragic backstory. Feel pity for me. I'm the good guy." Me: yeaaah, how much of this is actually real? And, uh, no, like Lestat said: ha! You're a storyteller and a conman, Armand. You weave your story to pluck at the heart's threads of your audience, modulating it to their sensibilities to better serve your own interests and your plans. What are those interests, these plans? Hell if I know. But I absolutely do not trust you at all.

HANDS OFF CLAUDIA OR I'LL BITE

"The wilderness that is our daughter" have I said lately how much I love Lestat.

Oh, hello, the Loustat scene on the bench just broke my heart, which is funny if you consider that that's just Louis breaking up with himself. Also, do we consider Louis knew about the initials in the pocket, and Dreamstat is saying what Louis wants him to say, or is it another unreliable narrator Louis, or is it Lestat himself...?

Aw, going from the Loumand scene on the bench to "toxic gay divorce with body count" sure is a tonal shift. Lmao. You're losing your touch, Armand. Louis' awakening. Daniel's awakening... San Francisco next, that will be fun. Excited to see how they've changed that part, knowing it's the red thread of the first book.

...

Oooh, that got long. Apologies. I really need to sit and read those books.

[nalyra-dreaming]

Hi Nalyra!

I love your blog (it keeps me sane and feels like such a safe space). And so I wanted to get your opinion on some 2x06 things I noticed.

Namely, it really felt like the writers were setting up more groundwork for DM in this ep?! And I say this with pleasant suprise because I wasn't expecting it?

For me, the inclusion of more of Armand's backstory (that he has never made a fledgling despite how old and badass he is) as well as some of his fears/philosophy (that he doesn't have trust/faith in the longevity of the maker X fledgling relationship) serves as such important groundwork for why it would matter if Armand were to ever turn someone! Without those stakes being introduced to us, there would be diminished emotional payoff if Armand were to ever turn someone.

This way it is gently foreshadowed/set up in the back of our minds that circumstances would have to be really extreme for the powerful and wisened vampire Armand to ever be convinced to Turn someone. He is too mistrusing of it. And if they are introducing that concept to us, that makes it classic foreshadowing. (Like, I felt the anticipation rise before I even clocked why.)

Daniel's big reaction to finding out Armand never made a fledgling is to emphasise the significance of that revelation for the viewers. But it is so sneaky and all the more perfect because it is *Daniel* reacting to that revelation. If you know, you know, right? It feels like one of those moments deliberately set up for people to go 'oh shitttt!' to on rewatches once the Things are Done lol.

THEN add onto that all the mystery being set up about Daniel's apartment and the access Armand and Louis have to it somehow. And mix in Jacob's ambiguous words in the post-ep Insider about both Louis and Daniel being Kept things for Armand *throughout the years*...

I am not going full delulu with these things, right? The set-ups feel so clever... However long it takes to use them...

(All that being said, I didn't appreciate the other foreshadowing about Raglan saying shit like if only he could Body Swap with Daniel he'd be running the Talamasca... That better just have been hinting at Raglan's story in general. No matter what, we're in danger, gurl. Lol)

Hey!

Glad you like my little corner!!! 💕

No, you're not going full delulu, I do see it exactly like that. A lot of little hints, a lot of groundwork. Whatever happens, they set up the importance of it all with this.

Daniel who will be Armand's only fledgling... and the complicated feelings Armand has on that are already clear. We now know there is a lot of history, and we know that... Louis seems to have been involved, too, in some kind of fashion.

I adore how they are setting it all up. It's definitely done for the book fans, because... yes, if you know, you know^^ And if you don't... it will probably fly over one's head.

And the thing with Raglan... yeah. ... I mean, there's a lot of canon possibilities. But... yeah. They're going there^^

We better brace ourselves^^

[crobones]

what if there was a fic from louis' perspective about pining over Daniel

and Louis realizing he cared for young and interesting Daniel just as much as he now "cares for" old man Daniel. Grampire Daniel is the best of both worlds but it's pining because he's convinced Daniel takes to vampirism so well because can experience independence again and be a free spirit, and really Louis almost convinces himself that he's just jealous of Daniel's second chance at reconnecting with his family. Because Daniel could talk with his exes or his daughters as a result of vampirism going public and the Daniel he knows could have been a great husband and father if the two of them had just never met and Daniel didn't get his brain broken by several days of constant mind manipulation and trauma. Louis knows he's just trying to make excuses for having been obsessed with a mortal, passing it off as "he's interesting" and some part of Louis is convinced that he doesn't know how to be independent and he should learn from Daniel.

Louis distracts himself by immersing himself fully into vampire society and making allies and killing those that try to kill him first and really he doesn't have to take on the responsibility of fending off vampires going after Daniel because Armand is also there in the shadows but Louis almost feels responsible for what's happening to Daniel. for both having been turned out of spite, and becoming a target, and really Louis just cares about Daniel's safety! that's all!

it's no matter that his thoughts turn to Daniel constantly, or to Daniel's happiness, or his old man hands, or the lovely curls that are even more lovely now that they're silver and grey, or his extremely attractive carefree confidence, or his colour shifting eyes that were always so expressive but now even more so, or his tongue that's always cracking wise but now is always licking at or playing with his fangs mindlessly like he doesn't know how sexy it is.

he also realizes that he's better at maintaining a telepathic conversation during his occasional hook-up with Lestat because either Lestat never realizes it now, or he simply ignores it and enjoys what Louis gives him, willfully ignorant to the lengthy conversations Louis has had with Daniel in flagrant delicto when Daniel just calls him out of the blue sometimes (curious that Daniel's timing has caused this happen more than a few times.) Daniel definitely doesn't know, because that would be embarrassing and how could he explain it away? how can Louis explain that he's orgasmed with the sound of Daniel's rough laughter filling his mind at some joke that probably wasn't even that funny, but don't worry Louis is sure there's no connection there.

Louis' fine. He's fine.

When Daniel finds out all that Louis is doing by killing other vampires that set out to hurt his boy, of course Louis will play it off as feeling responsible for it all - for every bad thing that has happened to Daniel but Daniel just laughs at him and Louis' a bit hurt but Daniel explains that they'll never know if '73 really broke his brain because it's in the past and they're here now and maybe Louis should get over himself, just a little bit. Daniel made his own decisions, ruined his own marriages, was estranged from his own daughters for nearly a decade because of his own fuck ups. Louis shouldn't blame himself for everything, because Daniel doesn't blame Louis at all. Daniel appreciates the apology, but wishes Louis didn't make himself the sin-barer. Daniel says he wouldn't be his friend if he blamed Louis for any of it.

Louis' relief is followed closely by a hollow ache in his chest and really all he's ever wanted was a friend, so why did it hurt when Daniel said it? Vampires become obsessive over everything, surely he's just being protective of his only friend. The friend that cares about what Louis wants and not just what he thinks he needs, or what he could take from Louis. Daniel is a fantastic friend. Friend. Fuck.

[mirrorhouse]

i feel like armand's reluctance to kill in front of daniel even when he asks to see it stems from the horror he felt that night marius took him along to kill the people threatening bianca. the way he felt powerful, safe, protected, even when dangled in front of danger, taunting the men bargaining for his body, feeling secure knowing his master would protect him and kill them at first. but when it starts happening, he begins to feel sick, and suddenly even a man he despised a moment ago seems worthy of life. he begs marius not to kill him, but marius drains them all in the end, and the sight of marius gorged on all that blood frightens and disturbs him.

so... despite how much knowing armand has killed excites daniel, armand always felt like daniel never really understood what it means to kill someone. and instead of showing him like marius did, he keeps him ignorant. he hunts alone. maybe it's because of that that daniel has to be forced into his first kill and it upsets him to the point of tears, and despite taking to it fairly quickly afterwards, armand believes that was the first true fracture in their maker-fledgling relationship.

I turned Daniel from a morbid romantic into a true killer; I made real in his natural blood cells the horror that he so fancied he understood in mine. I pushed his face into the flesh of the first young innocent he had to slaughter for his inevitable thirst, and thereby fell off the pedestal on which he'd placed me in his demented, overimaginative, feverishly poetical and ever exuberant mortal mind.

that's why he avoids this with sybelle and benji— helped along by the fact that he kills sybelle's brother to protect her during their first meeting, so they have already been exposed to it from the start. he kills in front of them again when starving, extremely violently, and they do not ever run from him, so he allows sybelle to come along and assist on hunts because she finds it fascinating. and they never ask for the gift themselves, because armand has convinced them he cannot do it.

but i wonder if he ever thought back to every time he denied daniel's desire to see armand hunt and kill his victims while he was mortal. if he would've reacted the same way armand himself did when he was young— with revulsion, fear, distress— or if he would've truly enjoyed seeing it. of course, armand never planned on turning him, but since it happened anyway, maybe it would've prepared him better for his first kill. but also... armand seeing marius drinking blood didn't end up deterring him from wanting the gift himself. maybe he was also afraid of that. that seeing what armand could truly do would excite daniel even more; it'd turn his desire for the gift into even more of a fevered obsession, and unlike sybelle and benji, daniel was entirely aware of the way new vampires were made and that armand simply refused to do it.

in the end, it doesn't matter what choices he could've made in the past. he failed, and daniel could not stand to be around him any longer, and armand lost him.

[failvillain]

bonjour! merci baguette 🚫🗿💡

🚫 Which character would you NEVER allow near your neck?

I feel like the obvious answer is the vampire bruce. i would however like to push him into a fire

🗿 Is there a line or scene that made you laugh out loud?

"Are you schizophrenic Louis?"

"....No"

💡 Tell us one of your theories!

The Real Buick memory:

The facts? In 1985, carseats became mandatory. Daniel never owned a Buick. The theory? I think the Buick memory derives from a real memory of Daniel's from 1986.

In my vision of things, Armand and Daniel weren't on speaking terms in 1986, but he hadn't erased his memories yet. I think this is one of those points of time during which they were broken up.

They aren't speaking because Armand didn't want to turn him the year before (the "proposal" in Paris is Armand saying "no"), coupled with the fact that Daniel's real life responsibilities were calling - he was about to be a father, and his addictions were getting worse. On top of this, Alice, his soon-to-be first wife (shotgun wedding!), wanted him to go to rehab before the baby came. She wouldn't accept him if he didn't get clean. Armand encouraged Daniel to settle down, go to rehab and raise his daughter. So they are de facto broken up in 1986, and BADLY.

In 1986, the daughter is almost two (young enough for a carseat). She is in Daniel's car (not a Buick), in the backseat. Daniel has been sober for almost a year, but he's about to relapse.

Daniel drives to his dealer to get drugs with his daughter in his car. He looks at her in the rearview mirror while he drives. Yes he's a terrible father. His daughters hate him for a reason.

He takes the daughter out of the car on one of those portable carseats (or whatever existed in the 80s). He's relapsing and he knows it. He just gave away his last 30 dollars. His daughter is sleeping in the little seat beside him. Even the dealer looks at him like he's a bit disgusted.

While he's buying the stuff, someone steals his car. It's not looking good, because it's late at night, and the area is sketchy. He's now got 0 dollars in his pocket, he's holding drugs, with no car, and on foot with his daughter to carry. Maybe kind of cold outside. Maybe not even in his city. He can't possibly call anyone. No idea what to do.

Desperate, he reaches out to Armand via mind connection, pretending like he hasn't thought about him every single day. He hasn't seen Armand in more than a year. Nevertheless he knows from experience that, even though Armand hasn't reached out, he's close. Because he always is.

Despite his better judgement, Armand does respond and pulls up in his Buick - a rich people car that a multimillionaire vampire would, in fact, have.

This is the first time that Armand sees Daniel's daughter, and the product of Armand's sacrifice.

He's got an even stronger resolve now to erase himself completely from Daniel's memories, because his sacrifice now has a face: this is who is hurting if Daniel relapses. This is who is hurting if he runs away with you. This is who is hurting if you occupy all of Daniel's focus and thoughts. This is who is hurting if you turn him.

The small child looks at Armand with huge eyes. It doesn't matter if she sees him - she won't remember him either way. Armand thinks he's going to have to do the same to the love of his life if he wants to protect them both.

He gives them a lift. They drive in silence. Daniel looks at his daughter in the backseat again. He sucks. He asks Armand where he's spending the night. It's all very pathetic and sad.

[leslutdepointedulac]

im 4 days late but if you’re still accepting character ask game questions 9, 13, 20 for louis! -aunteat<3

Of course!! I'm always ready to accept asks for my favourite soggy ferret :soggyuwu: Thank you for this ask 💞 :boop:

9. Could you be roommates with this character?

This is an interesting question, because in some ways I think I could be, but then in other ways I'm like absolutely not 🤧 I think we need to pro/con this lmfao

Pros:

We're both quiet, relatively solitary creatures who will grace people with our presence on our own terms - we won't feel the need to be constantly around each other, therefore are lessikely to get on one another's nerves

We both love to read so we could read together and compare/talk about books

We can make a mess and won't really be bothered by it (mainly because I can rarely motivate myself to tidy up after myself but still)

We can both (affectionately) make fun of Lestat and not so affectionately if needs be

We just generally have similar vibes that I think would compliment each other nicely

Cons:

We both have similar vibes that could also clash horribly e.g. wallowing in despair to the point where we would create a never ending black hole of soggy doom and gloom

Louis' snobby, pretentious nature is only tolerable because he's fictional and I don't have to put up with him. If he was real and we lived together, I couldn't deal with that and would probably call him out on it in a hopeless, failed attempt to get him to shut up with his snobbery

All in all, if we were to judge it based on this list alone, the pros outweigh the cons and therefore I think I could be roommates with Louis. The Black Hole of Horrors™️ and pretentious snobbery is a small price to pay to live with him, I think 🤧

13. What's an emoji, and emoticon and/or any symbol that reminds you of this character or you think the character would use a lot?

So funny you should ask me this when I have the perfect emoji 😌

It's our very own :louwee: 🤧 I couldn't possibly pick any other emoji when I specifically made this with Louis in mind lmao.

As for an emoji I think Louis would use, I get the feeling he wouldn't really get the concept of them initially 😭 Benji might try and teach him what they are and how to use them, but I feel like that would just lead to Louis misunderstanding and using emojis 'inappropriately'. Like using 😏 after telling Lestat he can't wait to see him later, and Lestat thinks that means he's gunna get laid but Louis intended for it to just be a general smile. Plot twist: Louis actually does know exactly what he's doing but he's just playing dumb to to mess with people 😭

20. Which other character is the ideal best friend for this character, the amount of screentime they share doesn't matter?

I won't lie, I don't know if this is much of an 'ideal best friend' type situation as such, and it might be kinda obvious, but the friendship I keep on coming back to is with Daniel.

I just think that Daniel is someone who could simultaneously respect Louis' boundaries, while also trying to gently nudge him out of his comfort zone. Say for example, Daniel's the one trying to convince Louis to attend the next ball with him, convincing him that he wants a familiar face (even though Armand and Marius will be there too), and how it won't hurt to get out a bit and interact with other people. But at the same time, if Louis did go and eventually had enough, Daniel wouldn't stop him from seeking out a little hideaway somewhere. He may even join him, if Louis lets him, in the event that the ball has become Too Much for Daniel for one night.

In turn, perhaps Louis would be a source of comfort for Daniel. If he was having a rough-ish night and didn't want to go to Armand or Marius in case they worried too much, but Daniel still wanted a familiar person to turn to, Louis could be that someone. Louis might let Daniel vent to him while he listens, or simply lets him hang out in silence, just co-existing in the same space until Daniel feels better.

And I think as well, their shared history would give them a relationship that's unique to them. How many other vampires can say they met with one of them as a human through an interview, ending with one of them almost draining the other dry? Maybe, in some weird way, that event would bring them closer together?

I just really love the idea of Louis and Daniel together and I think they would make really good friends. They could be good supports to one another while also being able to genuinely enjoy each other's company.

[cbrownjc]

Don't you think that if Louis had said to Daniel something along those lines: "I know human life might not sound appealing to you, in fact if you're honest with yourself you're already down deep and struggling... but it doesn't have to be this way, you can find beauty in yourself and people around you, you can create something beautiful with another person [...]" that that would've worked as a strong enough subconscious incentive for Daniel to actually create maybe not a perfect life but at least a life where he didn't ruin other people's lives and led a life he could actually feel proud of (maybe something along those lines: living as a poor man but with a loving family and trying to live as hero reporter even if not famous; sort of a twist, a combination of what Louis originally said to him - a bright young reporter with a pov - and what I just wrote above - in other words he wouldn't pour all of himself only into his career). At first glance this might reek of mediocrity in all areas but I don't think so, Daniel might've just been able to pull of a healthy work-family balance and a healthy attitude towards himself and others, a hero in his family's eyes.

I don't disagree with you that ofc Daniel had all of the described self-destructive tendencies already in himself but it makes the world of a difference if somebody, especially a frightening, psychotic (to Daniel), powerful ancient vampire points them out to you, especially after Daniel has been through what was the single worst and traumatic experience in his life. People can be highly succeptible to what other people think/say about us in regular conditions, not to say in deeply traumatic one as he was in.

I think with the right words Daniel could've been encouraged to fight and overcome his self-destructive tendencies and not covet the vampire life because he would lose the reason to covet it. I don't think Daniel wanted to be turned into a vampire just because he wanted to use his vampire powers to be some kind of hero; that idea was just an escape for him, an escape from himself, just like drugs. He didn't even think things through when he spurted that, that's why Louis yelled back at his proposal: "have you even been listening to me boy?!!" Because Daniel, as high as he already was, didn't really took the time to actually consider what he was asking for. His statement: "I can be your Lestat, your Claudia [...]" also has that same air of impulsive thinking to it.

Daniel at that time was bright and astute, sure, he had moments of profound insight but that was still unpolished and untrained, a diamond-in-the-rough, that's why he simultaneously had moments of profound clumsiness and inexperience, just as his older version recollects him saying constantly: "[...] and then what?" Surely, there's a big chance his desire to become a vampire was just something made in the spurr of the moment and something he might just have regretted it later.

Hello!

So okay, first of all, I apologize for taking so long to answer this. And with the season being over that will now probably inform my opinion on all of this from when you first asked.

So the thing is I don't necessarily disagree with you. I do think it was possible that Daniel could have been encouraged in that way regarding his life by Louis. And maybe it could have had an effect later in Daniel's life.

But I think the issue is that at least at that moment in time? Daniel didn't put forward an overwhelming desire for that kind of life. Not like how he did about wanting to be a writer/journalist.

You see this in regard to the things Daniel's mind kept using to resist Armand's attempt to accept death. Everything Daniel said outside of just not having any desire to die period was in so way related to being a journalist. Even the "bright young reporter with a point of view" comment was something Daniel said first about himself, not Louis.

I think that shows how much Daniel's own identity of self and self-worth was tied up into being a writer, being a journalist.

Yes, Daniel had a fear about ending up in a relationship like his parents appeared to have, with kids who shied away from him. But I'm not sure that fear was as tied up in his -- then present -- sense of self as being a journalist was for him.

The idea of having a better family life of his own wasn't what his mind went to when trying to resist Armand's death pull. Being that "bright young reporter with a point of view" was.

And I think that may also be the reason Louis also specifically latched onto that when he gave Daniel those words of encouragement -- because they were, at heart, Daniel's own about himself that gave him the type of reinforcement to even in some little way fight against Armand's intent.

So while I do think Louis could have also given supporting words about how Daniel wouldn't have the type of family life he feared, I'm not sure that Daniel himself felt strongly enough in that way about himself -- about himself one day having such a positive framework in contrast to his fear -- that it would have worked. Maybe it would have -- I wouldn't say it never could have, as I don't feel I have enough information about Daniel's family life as a whole to make such a call. But I'm not certain it could have.

[apoptoses]

9. Could you be roommates with this character?

14. Assign a fashion aesthetic to this character. (Or just give thoughts about what he wears and stuff)

20. Which other character is the ideal best friend for this character, the amount of screentime they share doesn't matter?

For Daniel 🥰

Could you be roommates with this character?

I mean in terms of vibes? Yes, absolutely, I think after the chaos of living with Armand during DM I think Daniel would be a fairly tolerant guy who just wants to chill when he's home.

In terms of like, actual living space stuff? Fuck no, we both craft, that place would be a hoarder house with craft supplies scattered everywhere and we'd both lose our minds trying to find stuff. Also we have similar vices and would enable each other too much, this a set up for disaster lol

Assign a fashion aesthetic to this character. (Or just give thoughts about what he wears and stuff)

Gosh Daniel is one of those 'there are two wolves inside you' kinds of guys where on one hand I see him dressing for comfort- very much corduroys, jeans, t-shirts (the tight 70s kind), maybe a shearling jacket or a leather jacket. He spent a lot of time running from Armand, and then a lot of time traveling with Armand, and so he'd have stuff he could just grab and go and be at ease in. And those are fairly unassuming clothes, right? Stuff that makes him look approachable and able to enter most spaces so he could find a stranger to interview.

But also!! He admits himself in DM that he loved the luxury Armand brought into his life with the tailored suits, the mink lined raincoats, all the fine custom made clothes. On his best days at Night Island I see him in some real nice linen suits, shirt partly unbuttoned 80's style. Perfectly fitted, stupid expensive, and maybe it was picked by Armand but he had say in colors and style.

So ultimately post-canon I picture him as a merger of the two: someone you see out and don't think much about what he's wearing, it's just jeans and a sweater, but it's made of nice materials and fits him well. Some vintage, some custom, but nothing ostentatious, and with an 80's edge to it. Because he's still a vampire, and they all tend to harken back to the style of the time they were turned in.

Which other character is the ideal best friend for this character, the amount of screentime they share doesn't matter?

Khayman, man!! A fellow weirdo, Daniel's favorite flavor of freak who doesn't know how to behave around mortals but has good intentions!! They'd get up to some shit together but not like, the level of shit Lestat would get Daniel into- small time chaos and not cataclysmic trouble that ends in Bad Times. I need more Buddy Comedy fic of them exploring the mall on Night Island together and I need it now.

[desertfangs]

#wipwednesday - writer positivity edition

Hello! It's Wednesday, which means it's a good day to share your WIP. And this week, inspired by @apoptoses, in addition to sharing a snippet of what you're working on, feel free to say what you like about it or what part you're excited to write next!

This is a snippet from a fic I started months and months go about Daniel coming out of his madness. I got stalled because I need to decide how much contact I think Armand and Daniel had during this period. I don't think it was none but it wasn't as revelatory of as their reunion in Prince Lestat, either. So I need to work that out and figure out at what point I want to end this.

But what I love about this is his realization that maybe he doesn't need the crutch of his models anymore and that he's feeling better (and that I got a cocktail metaphor in there.) I love his back and forth with Marius, and the memory of Armand cutting him through him, too. He's feeling better but he's still raw, you know? He did think Armand was dead and while he knows that's not true, there are a lot of pent up emotions he'll need to deal with now that the madness has cleared out.

Tagging: @uncivilcivilservice @calipsan @rainbowcarousels @cup-of-lixx @fangsinclay - But look, you don't need to be tagged to participate! And if you do, feel free to tag me in your post so I can find it, read it, and share it!

-------

Several nights later, Daniel awoke in his bed. He’d made it back to his bedroom three nights in a row. He put on fresh clothes and then went to his work room. 

Daniel swelled with pride when he looked over the large table filled with model cities and landscapes. Little model trains ran on a loop, passing through every section of the world he’d built. And this one was only one of them. Marius’ house had several rooms like this, filled with these model worlds Daniel had constructed.

He looked at the unfinished section in front of him, a mountain scape with snowy ridges and a winding river surrounding what was to become a small mountain town. He had no desire to complete it. He had all the kits and pieces, all of the little pine trees, but felt no need to put them together. 

As the realization struck, he was hit by a whole cocktail of emotions: one part regret, one part relief, and a dash of uncertainty. He swallowed and ran his long fingers through his soft blond hair. 

If he didn’t want to work on the models that had kept him occupied for years, what did he want? A damn good question. He didn’t know. 

He left his work room and found Marius out back in clearing behind the house that backed up to the jungle. He stood before an easel, painting. He had etched out a scene on his canvas, a street in Rio with several night clubs where he often took Daniel to hunt, particularly to utilize the little drink when Daniel was well enough to endure the chaos. Daniel watched him paint, the deft way he moved the brush over the canvas, the image crystalizing in paint as if by magic. 

“Daniel,” Marius said, turning to look at him. His expression was wary, a slight frown on his lips as he looked Daniel over in a clinical fashion. Daniel put his hands in his pockets as he endured the soft pressure of Marius in his mind. The frown tilted upwards. “You seem well.” 

“I’m on a hell of a good streak,” Daniel said, smiling. He felt… happy? Content? No, nothing so clear as that. He was just empty. There was no storm whirling in his mind, no fog he was struggling to see through, no strange gnawing at the pit of his stomach. 

“It’s encouraging,” Marius said. “I’m not seeing the shadows in your mind anymore.”

“Shadows?” Daniel asked. But that made sense. He’d felt a strange darkness around him sometimes, a dimming of the world. 

“Whatever darkness had gripped you seems to have lifted. For now.” He hastily added that last part. Doubt crowded Daniel’s mind. For the first time, this reprieve from his state didn’t feel temporary. 

But then, he’d mistakenly believed himself to be better before and had almost gotten himself fried by the sun. So he couldn’t be sure. 

Daniel pulled one of the old plastic chairs from the porch and brought it over, planting it near Marius, who was dipping his brush in a splotch of blue paint. He turned and looked at Daniel quizzically. “I always appreciate your company, Daniel, but wouldn’t you prefer to work on your models?” 

He wouldn’t. And that was strange and new and freeing and scary as hell. 

“I think maybe I’m done with them.” He paused. “For now.” 

Marius quirked a eyebrow. “Are you? That’s quite the development.” 

Daniel shrugged. 

“Well, they’ll be there should you wish to return to them. Would you like to try painting?” 

Daniel flashed back to a night in London, not long after he and Armand had come together. They were at an art museum and Armand was studying the brushstrokes of some work of art, criticizing them. Daniel had sarcastically asked what made Armand an expert. Armand had clammed up, refusing to say more and Daniel had felt guilty for prodding at what was clearly a sore spot. The memory cut through him like a razor, slashing at his innards. 

“Wait here,” Marius said. He set down his brush and disappeared in the house. Daniel waited patiently, tapping his fingers gently against the arm of the chair. Marius returned with another easel, a canvas shoved under his arm. He set it up beside his and then move his table of paints and brushes so it sat between the easels. 

Daniel stood and went to the easel. “What do I do?” he asked. 

Marius gestured to the brush. “Paint something.” 

“Like what?” He’d painted thousands of models over the past decade, but a shapeless blank canvas gave no indication of what it should be. 

“Whatever you wish. A person, a place… whatever speaks to you.” 

Daniel glanced over at the half-finished but hyper-real rendition the neighborhood on Marius’ canvas. “Why does that particular city block speak to you?” 

Marius had lifted a paint brush but paused, holding it aloft. “I enjoy going there. It’s always lively.” 

Daniel snorted. “‘Lively,’” he repeated. “You sound like an old man.” 

Marius laughed. “So I do, and so I am.”