#armand not having a fledgling until daniel

[whiskey-in-a-mug]

Devils Minion = Agathario

[moonlit-void-to-the-far-unknown]

“I hate how they regressed Daniel after Armand turned him. Hes just so immature now”

My dudes,

If suddenly I wasn’t living with a sickness that slowly deteriorates my motor functions until I die, and I was able to feel like I did when I was a drugged up 20 year old with no worries of chronic illness hitting me again, you bet your sweet ass I would have zero fucks, I would be telling everyone to suck my dick and wear cool jackets and sunglasses.

Oh no one can touch me because my maker is a 514 year old ancient vampire who has never made any other fledglings?

I can see better than I ever have? Move like the wind? Have no pain? Have no fear of dying? Suddenly my hands don’t shake and my body isn’t in pain?

Oh everyone can suck my dick. Everyone can fuck off. I’m gonna wear my fuck you leather jacket like I did at 20 when I was a counter culture upstart journalist, I’m gonna be a cocky shit head again because guess what? I don’t have pain in my back and body, I don’t shake, I have no issues with my motor skills suddenly failing me.

I’m basically 20 years old again. I’m gonna be such a menace for at least a few years.

Ya’ll act like Louis would have been any better if Lestat wasn’t there to help rein him in.

Or Lestat? Bro broke the vampire laws the second he was turned.

Armand I’m gonna assume was no better then his fledgling is.

Let’s not forget Claudia as a fledgling? Baby girl her first hunt took down like 2 whole police officers.

Let my old man have his wild fledgling years! Let him stalk random men to drain, let him experience being young again. This is like being 18 in college. His first few years of vampire life should be wildly immature and stupid.

Because finally, his body isnt hurting. His brain isn’t deteriorating his motor functions. He can actually do things he used to.

LET MY BABY GIRL BE A MESSY BITCH OF A FLEDGLING. Why?

BECAUSE HE FUCKING DESERVES IT.

Look at this man. Pure cunty ass sass coming off him in waves. As he should be allowed, being in his fledgling prime years.

[ghouldump]

✧ iwtv imagines

everything is gn!reader or fem!reader.

poc friendly !!

if requesting, please provide a generic summary, to give me an idea.

please follow for more, your support is appreciated.

002

beautiful deception

moving to paris, the last thing you expected was to come across the ancient vampire.

beautiful deception, untold truth

remembering the truth sometimes hurts, but perhaps love will prevail

bring me back to life

when he discovers something new, rejuvenating him from anything that has happened, and now he has to have her

teacher’s pet

hunting with armand as his new lovely fledgling and companion.

to be loved

idolized and worshipped by your coven members, alive but not living, things quickly change for you when you move to paris, and meet your soulmate.

ride the dragon

during the anticipated interview, daniel didn’t expect louis to have such an alluring companion

001 002 003

anything for you ii

all he wants is for you to be his perfect companion, yet you keep chasing the fleeting things of life.

as you are | bi!reader

cuddling together, the two of you share your experiences with past lovers.

come to me

lestat is willing to do anything to get his companion back, even if it means revealing his identity to the entire world.

diva

lestat is a handful to tour with but he's also incredibly handsome and charismatic.

fallen

princess of demacia, a marine kingdom is temporarily banished. she refuses to conform to the standard, being a heartless killer. wandering the water, she finds herself in new orleans, where she meets a vampire.

fangirl

meeting the vampire rockstar goes surprisingly well.

love me | bi!reader

as your companionship seems to be failing, you retreat, seeking comfort from a woman who looks awfully similar.

masquerade

even with your horrific background, he fell deeply for your heart.

pretty when you cry | bi!reader

when you are hunting, focused on your prey, you don't even realize how beautiful you look to lestat.

spider and the fly

when lestat uses louis as bait to lure and trap his actual prey.

sweet rapture | bi!reader

lestat is a firm believer that as a vampire, your very existence is about pleasure, but for the first time, he meets someone who shares this belief, even beyond his standards.

the miseducation of vampire lestat | series

The story of a forbidden love, when the young upcoming singer gets herself tangled in the dark world of the rockstar, Lestat. He is too captivating to leave, despite everyone’s efforts to keep the relationship from happening. However, the longer you are close to the brat prince, allowing him to consume your thoughts, the more you realize none of them — not a single one of them, actually knew anything genuine about him.

the night is ours

being awakened, naturally you go to your old love, only to find that he is now a rockstar, perhaps now you can have the happily ever after you both once wanted.

thicker than water

you should have known better than to entertain someone who would bring up the idea of leaving your husband and daughter.

trick or treat

sneaking into the supposedly empty townhouse, you are met by a surprise

tu es mon autre

he never thought he would meet someone who brought back such familiar feelings.

your best nightmare

being away from your companion, as both of you take on stardom, can be frustrating, but it is very rewarding to see your maker for the first time in months.

if only for one night

initially finding out about the de pointe du lac’s interest, you wanted to steer clear of him, until you accidentally ran into him and changed your entire perception

all i ask of you | loustat x reader

when lestat takes matters into his own hands, leaving louis to sit in his regret of not complying with your wishes.

back in my arms | loustat x reader

time traveling accidentally and you're able to relive bittersweet memories.

forever young | loustat x reader

you meet someone who reminds you of your maker, and naturally gravitate to them, but your family isn't as welcoming to the idea of the man.

for the love of a daughter | loustat x reader

out of fear, lestat does the unimaginable and has to try his hardest to win his family's trust back, but it may be too late

god complex | loustat x reader

you want out, realizing your little family isn't as perfect as you thought, but they would never let you slip away so easily.

l’amour de ma vie | loustat x reader

while you love your companions, it is no secret that they oftentimes exclude you, and it isn't until you leave that they go into panic mode.

trust | loumand x reader

born for stardom, but destined for chaos, the last thing you ever expected was for two old vampires to become your companions.

[iwtv-theories]

I find it so suspicious that in s2e5 (when Armand and Daniel first interact/meet): The Betty Hutton film that played on the tv was “perils of Pauline” (1947).

The main character is originally poor, and becomes part of the Parisian- theatre scene. Once she’s retired from the Parisian-theatre , she is proposed to in Paris . He says to her he “wants her” and asks her to marry him and “come back to America.” She explains Paris is her home so she can’t. So he then promises to stay in Paris with her ,if that’s the case . And she retorts that he doesn't know what it's like to be abandoned (Daniel used to do that a lot) . She tells him, that after he left, she imagined new and "violent" ways to get revenge. But now she isn't angry and just doesn’t love him anymore, and says they should “forget” each other . Then she says he can still enjoy himself cause “Paris is one of the gayest cities in the world” (diff context in the 40s, but still).Once he leaves upset- she cries cause it was all a performance/ character she was playing (and she still loved him/wanted to say yes to his marriage proposal).

And later he figured out it was lie- because her 'tell' is that she “moves her hands more” when she’s lying or putting on a facade . Hmmmmm , something something Armand stimming by rubbing his fingers together whenever he's anxious , agitated, etc . I still think Daniel conflated/mixed up Alice & Armand in his head.

This film continued to play , until Armand turned off the tv and talks to Daniel. The movie may have also been subtly inserted in the episode for a different reason too…

The song ('sewing machine') plays during the interview & when Daniel gets attacked by Louis. The song is originally from the film, and was later made available on the Spotify album called "A Time to Remember 1947", so it may be a tongue & cheek joke (about how it's a time they DON'T remember). The lyrics may also symbolically apply to Daniel and his profession too (as we see the lyrics play as they zoom in on his tape recorder). "The lyrics suggest that the sewing machine (tape recorder) is her 'best friend' and since it's her job, it's also a source of her livelihood . But the song also implies that it is consuming her life, leaving no time for romance. The character expresses that if she did not have the sewing machine (tape recorder), she would either 'come to a no good end ' (death) or lead a 'wicked life' (vampirism gone a muck?), indicating the importance and influence the machine has on her daily existence."

Also, maybe comparing Daniel to a film character that was a seamstress is loosely paralleling him to madeleine? Madeleine was Louis' 'first fledgling' , similar to how Daniel by the end of the season was Armand's 'first fledgling'.

I think all these reasons are simultaneously possible.But, idk any other reasons you guys think they may have mentioned the film?

[armandclocksitall]

Object of Your Pursuit (Chapter 1)

Armand x gn! Reader (no y/n used)

Warnings: descriptions of death, suicide ideation

Armand strode into the bar. He knew he would gain nothing from being here. No human food or drink could ever quench him, but he chose to be here to escape his own thoughts of what went down just a few days prior. A 77 year long relationship torn apart in a matter of days by the first person who ever saw him for who he was. The 500 year old vampire had never been found out so fast, had never been found out ever even by himself. Louis was right, Daniel Molloy truly was as fascinating as he made him out to be.

Daniel, his fledgling. Armand never intended to make another vampire, but Daniel was different. And now he was being tracked down by him.

He sat in the corner of the crowded room as he thought about how things would play out. Maybe he’d just let Daniel kill him; 500 years was a long enough life. He never found anyone who had any interest in sticking around so why wait around any longer?

Armand was there for hours watching the people pile in and out of the building, the chatter never dying down. A rowdy bachelor party that would grow to regret their decision to drink so much the night before, a girl crying in the bathroom being comforted by her best friend over a breakup that truly will benefit her down the road, a man face down at a table, dead to the world having drank himself into unconsciousness rather than face the things that scare him, different people with different lives yet not at all breaking any molds.

They were all so boring. He winced at the word– boring. Maybe the most hurtful of insults he ever received from the man he loved. Armand was the only one who remembers that night so vividly, by his own fault of course. He can’t even claim that he thought what he was doing was right, he knew of the monumental fuck ups he committed and how they’d likely come back to bite him but he still did them. Lied to Louis, took credit for Lestat’s actions, tortured Daniel, manipulated people time and time again for his own benefit. He couldn’t tell if he was sorry for doing it or just sorry he was caught but now he sit here alone and still like a statue waiting to figure out his next steps.

The doors of the bar slammed open again, a gust of wind blowing through the bar giving a slight break from the man-made humidity indoors. A group of college students filing in talking of their upcoming exams, truly nothing groundbreaking. Complaints of a professor, what pages to study, blah blah and more never ending blah.

But finally something caught the ancient one’s eye, one of the students looked just as agonizingly bored as he felt. He entered their mind for only a second before feeling the thoughts wash over him.

They were thinking of a clock, counting the seconds until they were away from this group, this town, the school, everything. Nothing was keeping their interest and they were sick to death of it.

Sick to death, Armand thought to himself. It had been a time since he last hunted and a burnt out student would be quite easy prey, already halfway lured into wanting some long awaited rest. Normally he enjoyed a bit of a challenge but at his age, finding someone to drain wasn’t exactly difficult. He had sat there for hours with the senseless musings of humanity droning through his mind, he deserved an easy end to his night.

He stared at them, willing them to turn and lock eyes.

“Come to me.” The words were smooth as they slithered their way into the ear of his prey. “Come to me.” The words he projected into Lestat’s mind so many years ago.

The student turned feeling his breath on their neck, the words so clearly spoken and meant for them. They expected him to be just an arms length away as they turned but were intrigued to find the apparent speaker of the command across the bar with an intense stare.

They broke from their group, a muttered excuse of needing to go that was paid no attention. Slowly, they made their way through the crowded room brushing shoulders with people who each smelled of a different type of alcohol that burned their nose. Their eyes never leaving the fire like irises of the vampire, they approached his table and stared down at him.

“Mind if I sit?”

Armand wordlessly nodded his head at the chair in front of him. They sat and absentmindedly swished their half empty drink around in its cup. Their eyes met again waiting for the other to strike up a conversation. Armand straightened in his seat realizing they had no intention of speaking first.

“You’re bored.”

“Yeah?” they looked at him puzzled, “It’s a Thursday night at a bar in a college town, what’s interesting about that?”

“Not just tonight. You’re bored in general,” he said with a face devoid of emotion. This wasn’t an assumption. He just knew.

“Maybe, but you’re certainly not adding any entertainment factor,” they spoke, ready to walk away from this strange man completely.

“I can offer you something that might add to it though. It might interest you to–”

They cut him off, “I’m not gonna hook up with you.”

“That wasn’t what I was offering, though I’m flattered you at least thought about it,” his stoney face finally broke into a smirk. “What I was going to say is that it might interest you to at least listen to and consider my proposal.”

The student growing from bored to frustrated at his conversational pacing motioned for him to continue.

“I have a, let’s say ‘hobby’, of tracking people down. It keeps things interesting for me at my advanced age,” he chuckled to himself. “Would you be interested perhaps in being my object of pursuit tonight?”

“Your object of pursuit?” they laughed at his wording while rolling their eyes, “I already told you I’m not interested in hooking up with you.”

“Like I told you, that’s not my intention.”

“Then what exactly is your intention and why the hell would I wanna be apart of any of this?”

“I could offer you whatever amount of money you needed to live comfortably, more than comfortably, for the rest of your life. All you would have to do is make it to a location of my choosing before sunrise,” he reasoned as if this was an everyday occurrence for him.

“You’d give me money for you to hunt me down?,” they asked incredulously. “But only if I make it to wherever by morning; and what exactly happens if I don’t make it there?”

Armand raised an eyebrow at them, making it out like the answer was quite obvious. His eyes felt like razor blades cutting into them from across the table.

Every joke they could’ve made in that moment suddenly fled from their mind realizing exactly what he was inferring. “You’ll kill me.”

“Only if I catch you.”

The stuffy bar felt cold and suffocating in an instant, like all the air was sucked out of the room and all that was left was the two of them in a standoff waiting for the next move; the younger of the two discovering just how much danger they were in.

The thought sobered them immediately. They were sat across from a killer. The way he spoke of this plan it seemed this was far from his first time making the proposal. His words popped in their head. “At my advanced age,” their eyes scanned his face in confusion. He couldn’t be more than thirty years old, but his eyes are what gave it away; he was much much older than he seemed. The glowing irises clued them in that who– what was sitting across from them was not entirely human. It terrified them to their core that they didn’t immediately jump away from the horror that was this man but he was right, they were bored out of their absolute mind of life. This offer ended in two possible outcomes; they make it to where he tells them to go and they live out their life in the lap of luxury or they die. And they felt sick to their stomach that they actually found excitement in it all; years of the mundane ended, the first sense of twisted joy they’ve felt in recent memory and its the offer of being hunted like a wild animal by this creature.

Armand watched the gears turn in their head, watched as they rolled the idea and all its potential. He slipped into their mind to see their thoughts race a thousand miles per hour until everything became clear. They would accept.

“Where do I need to go?”

He smiled warmly at them as if he wasn’t planning their death as they spoke. “There’s a church about 5 miles west of here called Saint Mary’s, no vehicles allowed; it takes the fun out of it for me.”

5 miles. He expected them to not even make it five miles before he killed them. The realization was grim but they shook his hand before standing, “I take it I’m not allowed to tell my friends I could potentially be gruesomely murdered tonight?”

“It would certainly complicate things for me, but it’s nothing I couldn’t handle quite quickly. I’ll even give you a five minute head start,” he said smugly before making a shooing motion with his hand, “the clock’s already started.”

They approached their friends rigidly saying their quick farewells for the night, a half assed excuse made about needing to wake up early the next morning. As they exited the bar they threw a single look over their shoulder, noticing his eyes never left them for a second; a shiver wracked their body as they headed into the cool atmosphere of a quickly emptying street.

They pulled up the address and directions to the church on their phone with shakey hands, their heart was pounding but despite the lump in their throat they couldn’t bring the tears to their eyes. Adrenaline was coursing through their veins and yet they weren’t upset at the prospect of dying. The student squared their shoulders and began a quick pace towards their location.

A five minute head start, Armand thought it was hilarious. He could give them an hour head start and would still catch them. Obviously he wouldn’t but he was at least generous enough to wait twenty before standing from his chair and making his way to the street. A dreadfully bored college student is easy prey but even if he wanted a simple hunt he’s never had an issue with playing with his food.

Within minutes he was caught up to the student, staying far enough away and concealed to the shadows that they wouldn’t notice. He expected slight terror, maybe some sniveling at the prospect of death, a full sprint even; adrenaline makes humans do funny things. But no, none of that when he showed up, not any of those things. He had noticed they were bored but he never predicted they would react so– odd? The two were in a park, about three miles from the church, they had made it a good distance in the time he had given them. There was no panic, they were listening to music through a pair of headphones. It was two o’clock in the morning in a park lit only by the occasional street lamp, they weren’t worried about a vampire brutally murdering them; they didn’t even seem to worry that being so unaware of their surroundings at such a time could get them killed by a random stranger.

Armand scoffed to himself. Were they not taking this seriously at all? They were at a bridge that overlooked a small stream when they stopped. He looked into their thoughts, preparing himself to be offended by this human’s apparent stupidity. They were stopping to admire how the lights bounced off the water– while a murderous creature was after them, while he was after them. The next thought is what caught him off guard though. They were thinking about how if they died tonight they left behind no real regrets; they had nothing to quite look forward to in their future. He saw they had a general disinterest in life but never suspected them to be suicidal, though most humans even when suicidal have some sense of yearning for life; this simply did not appear in the student’s head. There was no sense of hopelessness; just apathy, a preparedness for death should it come to them.

It hit him at that moment, they felt the same way he did following his separation from Louis. A feeble minded human potentially understanding the depth of vampiric loneliness? He shook the thought from his head walking away from the scene, he was simply overthinking things. This night would only end one way; he would feed on and kill them and move on with his life once again.

It was another hour before they finally approached the church. They hadn’t seen him the entire night and considered that maybe it was just some weird scare tactic. Maybe they weren’t actually being hunted for sport by some otherworldly creature disguising himself as man. They wandered up the street seeing steeple up ahead, just a few hundred feet before they were guaranteed safety. For a moment, hope swelled in their chest; they could actually succeed at something. That moment all but vanished seeing a figure standing in the shadowed doorway; it was him. The air left their body knowing this would be the end. Their feet began to drag as they walked towards the man. How did he get here so fast?

Armand’s eyes followed the student. He saw the minuscule glint in their eye thinking they had made it disappear in an instant. It would’ve brought him joy in any other situation, but for some reason now it just made him feel a bit guilty.

“So I didn’t make it in time,” they shrugged apathetically.

“No. You didn’t.”

The two were at a standstill across from one another. The older of them looking at the other with a sense of curiosity.

“You aren’t going to beg for your life?”

They shrugged, “I knew the terms of the deal, I didn’t get here before you did. I’m gonna die, that was what you said would happen.”

Armand was met with a wave of conflicting emotions; it was so rare for him to spare a human life, and never if it didn’t benefit him somehow. Allowing them to live offered him no advantage by any stretch of the imagination and yet he found himself moving aside and motioning for the student to pass him. They stared at him in confusion.

“What are you doing?”

“I haven’t touched the door yet so I suppose I’m not technically here.”

They held his stare as they walked past him and placed their palm on the door. “Does this mean you won’t kill me?”

He nodded already parting ways with the student, waving his hand dismissively, “I’ll see to it that the money is wired into your account, I’ve already got all your details so don’t worry about it.”

They stood there on the steps to the church speechless. What had changed since the beginning of the night? Before they had left the bar he seemed more than ready to kill them without so much as a second thought. They didn’t want to die but it left them with an overwhelming sense of frustration; who the hell was he? What the hell was his problem? They had half a mind to chase him down and demand these answers but by the time they had processed what had just happened he had disappeared into the darkness of the night without a single trace.

The following night, Armand was on the hunt again; tonight’s menu was a drunkard with an ego even bigger than his bar tab. He had no issue with this one, the man learned very quickly that this was to be taken seriously and was currently sprinting to his destination after Armand played a few mind tricks on him to raise the adrenaline. The vampire was waiting for a single mistake before he finally stepped in and was granted that wish as he watched the man trip over a curb, sprawled out over the sidewalk. Armand stepped out of the shadows next to him, making the man scramble away repeatedly failing to get to his feet.

“You were so close, a mile away and you would’ve made it,” Armand pouted mockingly. “You know the deal.”

The man was drunkenly sobbing, begging for his life as the creature before him stared him down apathetically. “Please, God, please. I don’t wanna die. If this is a message that I should clean myself up, I’ll do it. I’ll fix everything, please just don’t kill me, I’ll do anything. Just God, please!”

He sneered downwards. “God has nothing to do with this.” He spat, “You made your decision, you will die tonight by my hand.”

Terrified, the man finally made it to his feet and turned to run only to be grabbed by the collar and thrown into a nearby alley by Armand. He was effortlessly lifted by the 500 year old being, fangs sinking into his carotid.

Armand drank deeply from the man, his blood bitter with alcohol. It would have to do after the previous night’s happenings. The alcoholic’s heart slowed and he dropped his body waiting for it to come to a full stop. He was still haunted by that student unable to push them from his thoughts; who were they to occupy his own?

He quickly disposed of the body; he threw it in a dumpster, taking no care and breaking as many bones as needed to shove the limbs under piles of garbage. It was careless but the humans would likely write it off as another unsolved murder, no real suspicions had as long as he didn’t make a habit of this. He’s sure he would’ve taken more care if his mind wasn’t reeling thinking only of them. He was wandering the streets mindlessly having no true destination in mind. The sun would be up in a few hours, he should probably figure out where he is and find his way back to his coffin before sunrise. When he looked up he found himself in a residential part of the city, a place he’d never been before but around him he caught a familiar scent.

Armand rolled his eyes. Of course he would end up mindlessly wandering here. It was the scent of them. The apartments around him were all run down; fire escapes nearly coming off the sides of the buildings, iron bars over windows, sidewalks poorly paved and overgrown with weeds. He found himself calling out to them with the same words he had used the night before, “Come to me.”

Five minutes of prodding at their mind, summoning the student, a door to his left swung open. There they stood, in a frumpy pair of pajamas looking irritated at his presence.

“Decide you actually wanna kill me?” they jeered sarcastically.

“No, I spared you last night and I intend on sticking with that decision. I was just–” he paused, “in the area.”

They shifted their weight uncomfortably from side to side before making a decision, “Well if you wanna keep talking to me can we at least bring it inside; I don’t love wearing my pj’s in the street.”

He nodded before following them into the building up to their apartment. As he entered he noticed the inside was just as worn as the outside, albeit the decor added a bit of warmth to the room. It wasn’t highbrow interior design by any stretch of the imagination but it was lived in, something that could never be recreated by anyone else. Homemade blankets were strewn across a couch that had a few holes speckled over its fabric, the television was set to some random show on low volume, pictures framed on the wall some containing humans that the student seemed to care about, other just different pieces of art that they had collected over their time in this town. It was undeniably them.

They stared at him as he surveyed the room, silence overtook them for a full minute before he spoke. “This is where you live?”

Their eyebrow raised, “Yeah? I’ve lived here since I started college.”

“Are you going to get a new apartment with the money I gave you?”

They snorted, “Why? Are you planning on dropping by?”

His face was stone. Ignoring their quip, “Well now you can afford better, wouldn’t you want to live somewhere that isn’t so–” he chose his next words carefully so as to not offend them, “neglected.”

The student blinked, having not even considered the possibility of moving. “I mean, I guess I could. But I don’t think I will if I’m being completely honest.”

“You enjoy living here? Like this?”

“Well, a nicer place wouldn’t have my favorite sandwich shop up the street.” They laughed before thinking hard, “And just because I have money doesn’t necessarily mean I wanna completely change my lifestyle. I quit my job and paid off my student loans which is great since I don’t have to worry about those things anymore, but I don’t think buying into a luxurious lifestyle is gonna make me happy.”

“But you can buy whatever you want– do whatever you want.”

“Yeah, but money isn’t gonna buy me friends who care about me. Money won’t buy a family that isn’t constantly hovering, wondering how I’m doing since I moved three states away. I moved away specifically because of how bad they hovered and it still hasn’t stopped them. The government sucks, I’m stressed all the time, I don’t know if I’m happy with what I’m majoring in at college. Turning a hobby into a degree has taken all the joy out of what I once loved and I’m not even guaranteed a job once I get that degree. Money can buy comfort but it sure as hell won’t buy me happiness!” The words tumbled out of their mouth, their breath accelerated and tears came to their eyes. They groaned, bringing their hands to their face. “I’m sorry, that was a lot. I just don’t like thinking too hard about the future.”

Armand stood there stunned. They were right, in a very human way they were completely right. He was beyond rich and yet he also couldn’t achieve the happiness he had always yearned for. For the second time he was shocked that they had understood his exact issues. Who were they? Before he could think through his request, the words were blurted from his mouth, “Could I see you again?”

Read Chapter 2 Here

[monstersinthecosmos]

Little Drink as edging and MURDER as orgasming is the most mindbendingly hot and truthful parallel to ever be drawn. Just. Cannot get past it

 Yes, YES!!!

Like I know I’m Marius Brained and everything but even when I’m reading TVA and in Armand’s POV I am always like, god this must have been killing Marius. 🥵

The Devil’s Minion era (once they warm up to each other) and Venice Era are really the only times in canon we get to see a prolonged courtship between a vampire and human, yeah? But the books constantly tell us about how killing & drinking is the ultimate form of intimacy. (Notice me being very very mature and not devolving into an Asexual VC dissertation LMAO pin that for later). I’m not counting Lestat & David as a prolonged courtship because David was Not Interested and they weren’t sharing blood before Lestat finally turned him, and still David’s turning is explicitly described as rape and written to be erotic. But the overlap of Venice & Devil’s Minion is too obvious to ignore and we see the way the human/vampire relationship finds ways to translate their interspecies erotic desires by sharing sex acts (for the human) and blood (for the vampire).

STILL! 

The Little Drink isn’t all they need! Like they’re not just taking a little sip and fucking off for the night — Thorne describes it as being a bee going from flower to flower! Drinking from many many people! And the books tell us that it’s not ONLY the blood itself — it’s the murdering that’s the truly intimate and most special act!!!!! 

So anyway just.

Taking little sips for years and years ! The blue balls, my god. And finally getting to take him all the way!!!!!!! God. 🥵💦

Especially like reading B&G and knowing that Armand was like, Marius’s 3rd choice rebound during that time period LMAO. He wanted Botticelli and had to leave Florence to not kill him! He wanted Bianca and had to remove himself from her social circle to not kill her!!! 

This is my favorite Marius quote in VC, when he’s feeling like he’s going to murder Bianca — 

For a moment, I thought my powerful self-control would be lost. I would embrace her, whether or not she would have it, and take her rapidly by force from the very middle of her warm and safe rooms to the cold and fatal domain of my soul.

He finds Armand because he’s trying to like ethically source a fledgling (great job buddy that’s the worst anyone has ever done it) by choosing someone who’s on borrowed time, anyway! Blank slate that he can groom for vampirism!!!!!! 

I was just talking to @apoptoses today about how the concept of “this sounded cool until I actually tried it” comes up a bunch in VC — we were talking about Daniel romanticizing murder until he actually had to do it LOL — but same for Marius thinking he can just mold a trafficked boy to be a good vampire. So it’s not just like, Marius having a relationship with him and taking little sips as a fucking aperitif for The Act but like, he almost immediately changes his mind and doesn’t want to do it !!! He’s willing to deny himself !!! 

Gosh where’s that other thing he says in TVA…

“I’m coarsened by human blood. It's always the fact. Only in starvation do I find an ethereal purity.” "Ah, and you turn me from penance at every juncture," I said, "towards the senses, towards pleasure."

Just, oof. Especially for Marius who, from what we can tell, is a little more into humans than most of the cast? Like he’s someone that craves social connection and wants to be around them all the time. Even when he was alive and he was traveling to meet and study people in taverns. So I think there’s just a lot wrapped up in this ! 

I shared this a couple weeks ago but I wanna share it again because I think it will make everyone understand VC better and we’ll all write better fanfics for it LMAO it’s based on Hellraiser but it's the topic of eroticism in religious penance !!!!! Very excellent. 

But the eroticism of suffering! Of denial! Inside the universe of Written By Crazy Catholic Lady VC we also have to talk about how eroticism is the kill & the blood and how abstinence is akin to starvation - how it’s something actually painful.

Anyway I’m gonna leave it here I think because I’ll talk all day but I was poking through TVA and B&G for some quotes about this and I’m just !!!!!!

Marius on Armand:

I had never experienced such pure intimacy with a mortal, except with those I meant to kill. It gave me chills to have my arms around this boy, to press my lips to his cheeks and chin, his forehead, his tender closed eyes. Yes, the blood thirst rose, but I knew so well how to control it. I filled my nostrils with the smell of his youthful flesh.

"He is irresistible, but what am I to do?

Armand on Marius: 

"Amadeo," he said, his lips on my throat as they'd come a thousand times, only this time there came a sting, sharp, swift and gone. A thread stitched into my heart was jerked all of a sudden. I had become the thing between my legs, and was nothing but that. His mouth nestled against me, and again that thread snapped and again. I saw him staring, beastlike, from his chair, as if some ravener had come into him and banished all his civilized faculties and left him thus, hungry, with glazed eyes and reddening mouth, the glittering blood finding its myriad little paths over the silky margin of his lips. He rose, a drugged thing, and came towards me with a rhythm of movements that was alien and struck the coldest terror in my heart. His fingers flashed, closed, beckoned. I ran to him. He lifted me in both hands, clutching my arms ever so gently, and tucked his face against my neck. From the soles of my feet up my back through my arms and my neck and scalp, I felt it.

"Master, Master, Master, I love you." "Yes, well, that's not so unusual," he whispered. He didn't stop his kissing. He lapped at the blood. I writhed under the weight of his hand on my backside. "But the question is, Amadeo, why do I love you? Why? Why did I have to go into that stinking brothel and look upon you? I am strong by nature ... whatever my nature ..." He greedily kissed a large bruise on my thigh. I could feel his sucking at it, and then the tongue lapping it, eating the blood, and then his blood coming down into it.

And this from TVA when he finally does it:

He bent his lips. A sense of dreadful awesome finality swept over me. "You will die now to be with me in life eternal," he whispered in my ear. "Never for a moment must you really fear. I will hold your heart safe in my hands." His teeth cut into me, deeply, cruelly with the precision of twin daggers, and I heard my heart thud in my ears. My very bowels contracted, and my stomach was knotted in pain. Yet a savage pleasure swept through all my veins, a pleasure which coursed towards the wounds in my neck. I could feel my blood rush towards my Master, towards his thirst and my inevitable death. Even my hands were transfixed with vibrant sensation. Indeed, I seemed suddenly to be but a puppet map of circuitry, all of it aglow, as with a low, obvious and deliberate sound, my Master drank my life's blood. The sound of his heart, slow, steady, a deep reverberating pounding, filled my ears. The pain in my intestines was alchemized to a soft sheer rapture; my body lost all weight, all knowledge of itself in space. The throb of his heart was within me. My hands felt the long satin locks of his hair, but I did not hold to them. I floated, supported only by the insistent heartbeat and thrilling current of all my swiftly flowing blood. "I die now," I whispered. This ecstasy could not endure.

(What’s also funny is that the turning from Marius’s POV is so much about Armand’s religious ecstasy and revelations - thanks Catholic Lady but also that’s whole eroticism-mysticism thing again. Also the way that Marius treats it like a wedding so. Jsdkgla.)

I’m going to be so fucking honest with you, I was gonna pull a bunch of quotes and I think there were some more I was gonna look up but I got a little too squirmy reading these ones 🥵🥵🥵🥵 dhjkadslg I THINK I’VE MADE MY POINT.

[cbrownjc]

Three quick thoughts about EP 2x06 (spoilers):

Thought #1: So this episode gave me something I really wanted but I actually wasn't 100% sure we'd get this season -- which is Armand admitting that in over 500 years, for his entire vampire life, he's never made another vampire. Ever. I wasn't actually nervous that the show would change things to have Armand turn Madeleine -- since it was already spoiled in trailers that Louis (and Claudia) would do it -- but I could feel that whole situation being a perfect setup for revealing that Armand has never once made another vampire, and they did it. 😁 Just as in the books, Armand is being set up to only have one fledgling. And the show very much leaned into the bond that makes between two vampires, given the dialogue Louis and Madeleine exchanged about that, the feelings of that.

Thought #2: Look, maybe Justin Kirk's character could still be Marius, but if so? Then the writers are leaning super hard in trying to specifically get book readers to look the other way on this. Because of that "switch bodies with you" line they had him saying to Daniel? Come on! I've heard that we won't see his character on screen again this season, but IMO that doesn't mean anything IMO, and for now, my hackles are still up. And the reason I still can't shake the Marius deal wrt him is because --

Thought #3: You know, "eating" and going to the bathroom doesn't mean Rashid is human. And the fact that Justin Kirk's character came right up to Daniel to talk the minute he left? And then didn't have any fear, or even tried to excuse himself quickly after Rashid came back? Again, come on. Because, again, Rashid was the name of a character in Blood and Gold, the book that gave us Marius' backstory. That whole scene also made me think there is a connection between Justin Kirk's character and Rashid, just as much as it gave me Body Thief vibes. But yeah, we very much won't know anything either way until the finale, IMO (hopefully).

[writerformanymuses]

I told myself when I finished Part 1 of ADOC, I was going to catch up on all my TBR reading....

And I have been reading, but, man... I consume as much A03 as I write.

I have found so many cute fics today. I'm just gonna whore them out now, and you should consider reading them because I subbed to them today. I've had such fun.

-Can’t Learn to Tell the Truth Until You Learn to Lie by Nightcrawler247. (Gremlin time travel AU, loumand/loustat, WIP)

-Fifth Avenue by ohofcourse (Unholy Family Human Modern story, Lesdaughter and Divorced Loustat, FUCKING CLAUDELINE, WIP)

-Fledgling by thepettymusingsofmeat (Post s2, Lestat thinks Danlou is canon, and Daniel is fucking hilarious with it. I cackled the whole time at poor Lestat, WIP)

-all the while not knowing by cherhorowitz8 (You Got Mail Loustat AU, Indie bookstore Lou and Mega Chain Lestat, secret anon pen pals who don't know they're each others worst enemies. HONESTLY, anything by this author is perfection. Sub to the authors page while you're at it. They're perfect.)

-i wanna be yours by roxyhoney. (Rockstar Les, Manager Armand, and Bodyguard Louis Human AU, Minor DM, WIP)

-At a Moment's Notice by Showmeyourfangs (Wilsonsbabe). (Pride and Prejudice Loustat AU, so -chef's kiss-, Period piece, human AU, WIP)

-Now I Really Know I Could Never Let You Go by NepoVamp (happycampermel) (Human AU Divorced Loustat with lil Claudia wanting to spend Christmas together, WIP)

this is just what I've consumed today, honestly, just go hang out in the IWTV tag on a03 for a good time. we have such amazing people in the fandom. read what you like, ignore what you don't, and be supportive <3

[nalyra-dreaming]

I have just learned Claudia wasn't the only Loustat ''baby'' ?? I'm not sure if I want to know more or not ?

I have only read the first book,maybe i am wrong but during my reading i have never felt the daughter/fathers bond between Louis/Lestat and Claudia,whereas in the series they clearly make the distinction ''our daughter'' ''burned your daughter alive''. We can all agree that show!Claudia is their daughter,no matter her age, she remains their daughter right?

Is it a simplification of the show or do you also consider that book!Claudia is their daughter?

Would you also consider all Lestat's fledglings like his children? How do we make the distinction and in this case why Louis isn't his son? Or he is?... I promise i' m not trolling it's for my own comprehension of the show's dynamic between makers/fledglings (I swear it became my obsession recently i would devour anything about this,a podcast,videos,really long posts,any recommendations?).

Everytimes i think i understood everything about the bond there is something else to confuse me.

At first Louis was so sure about the vampire bond then Louis and Madeline happens and she can feel him but Louis doesn't have the same bond with her as he has with Lestat😵‍💫 then we will have Armand and Daniel another big case of confusion.

Sorry if everything i'm saying is confusing.

Is there parts in the books where Anne explain everything in details about the makers/fledglings? I know it's probably different on the show but I'll take it?

Thank you!

Hey!

I guess... the distinction is simply the personal intent for the turning.

Louis and Lestat have a bond that surpasses their actual maker-fledgling bond, because they share a heart. That is something that will become clearer as the show goes on. It's not an "automatic" bond that is the same between makers and fledglings. Lestat made Louis as his companion... not as a child.

For example, Lestat turns from and for love: Gabrielle, Nicolas, Louis, Claudia, Antoine(tte), David, Mona, Rose, Alain.

Not all of these are his "children", though all are his fledglings. Only Claudia and Rose are his children, even though when Rose is turned she is grown up (both Lestat and Louis are involved in her upbringing, and have obviously learned not to interfere too much until she was grown).

Yes, I do consider Claudia their daughter, Lestat speaks of her as such in the upcoming books as well, and the show will go there next season I bet. Remember, IWTV (both book and show) give us a distorted image of Lestat, for reasons that will become clearer in the upcoming books/seasons.

Anne doesn't really sit down to explain the bond, no, and she changes the lore a lot, too.

But ultimately it comes down to intent, as said.

Mona for example. Lestat turns her for Quinn, so she and Quinn will not have that maker-fledgling "silence" between them. But she is neither a child to Lestat, nor a lover, though she is his fledgling.

Louis probably realizes the difference in the bond he has with Lestat precisely when he turns Madeleine.

And Armand's bond to Daniel is forged by desperation and helpless and even defiant love. Theirs is much closer to what Louis and Lestat share.

Ultimately the cues are the emotions connected to the turning, imho.

Claudia was their daughter because they saw her as such. Rose will be their daughter (at least in the books), because they see her as such, too.

[weclassybouquetfun]

We bid a very fond adieu to INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE and the coven Théâtre des Vampires.

Take a bow, luvvies!

Especially Esme Appleton and Suzanne Andrade (who play Estelle and Celeste, respectively) the duo who are co-artistic directors of theatre 1927 which was responsible for the expressionism style of the plays and its projections.

Fans can at least rest easy knowing that there will be a third series.

Until then they and swoon over, swear over, sneer at or salute series two's finale.

SPOILER FILLED THOUGHTS

THE GOOD

-Pretty much everything: Louis avenging Claudia (and Madeleine though IIRC her name wasn't even uttered this episode).

The bad thing about a fantastic villain is losing them and Santiago you had to die.

You did what with Claudia's ashes???

But Ben Daniels, how do I love thee.

-Armand and how he fumbled a bad b*tch part 2. My maître made mistakes, yes. But I'm going to pull a page out of Claudia's playbook of how she asked the coven if she could cry and say she's sorry too. Can't Armand cry like Lestat and be forgiven? What do you mean what he did was unforgiveable?

It's terrible that Claudia was used as a pawn in Louis, Lestat and Armand's relationships. Louis needed her for salvation, Lestat had to turn her for the man she loved then resented her for the space she took in their relationship and then Armand, whether he was adhering to the Great Laws or not, went along with her murder IMO because he was fed up with Louis performing an affectation of love while Armand's neck was on the line.

Louis knew how to use Armand's vulnerabilities to keep him compliant and would turn cold when Armand wouldn't do what was being asked of him. Whether Santiago and the coven were gunning for Armand or not because of him letting the de Pointe du Lac de Lioncourts slide, Armand was ready to kill them because he hated that he was used and willingly let himself be used out of a need for love.

He was so angry that he workshopped his hurt with the coven. I absolutely loved that he gave Sam a note about how the script didn't go deep enough into Louis' hoarding. Armand sat there listening to Louis talk about his Grey Gardens years like,

Armand was fine with killing them in this protracted show trial, but had Louis burned, it would be a relatively quick death. I think when Armand heard Louis' screaming and knew he was approaching death, he had a change of heart and freed him.

And LOUIS STILL WOULDN'T LEAVE TOWN WHEN ASKED!

These three led their relationships as poorly as their joint hand hearts.

-That leads to the reveal that Lestat made the choice to save Louis over Claudia and Madeleine. Which I don't think was even much of a choice to him. Yes, he would rather not Claudia die, but he figured it was fait accompli because he knew these vampires (as he warned Claudia in S1) and knew their ruthlessness. But there was no way he was going to let Louis die.

He brags about having Akasha blood in him, but he's still bleeding from the ear when using that mind control power. You still need to level up after Akasha?? A booster from a more powerful vamp?

Claudia's death hurt him much more than he thought it would. He probably figured there would be feelings - she is his fledgling - but the horror and the finality of it devastated him. His daughter (and how great was it that Louis kept pushing that fact. She was their daughter.)

Which leads hovel Lestat.

Candlelit, ramshackled dwelling, with a wooden "piano", but practising with an iPad?

Lestat, if you don't get on Amazon and order one of these!

Lestat, know who you should bring on your tour? The grandson of Tom Anderson, Sidney.

The Louis and Lestat reunion was beautiful and perfect in every way. But then again, I love when characters have a powerful moment while chaos is around them.

And Louis chose himself! He didn't need to get back with Lestat, they both just really needed closure and forgiveness. The rest can come later.

And even though we will likely never know what Louis says to Lestat, I think he says "I love you" at the end because that would be the last bit of healing Louis needs because kept himself from saying those words to Lestat their entire relationship.

THE BAD

FIle Not Found

THE REST

-Sam isn't author Samuel Beckett, but Sam the Talamasca informant and helmet wearing DJ, possibly Deadmau5?

-At first I wondered why Louis' -whose family had a legacy in New Orleans- name would be lost to history, yet Lestat's alias is known. That Tom's and the Alderman's rep was still known, Louis' would as well and not just call him a Creole businessman. Then I wondered if it was because Grace "buried" Louis but her getting that crypt was symbolic. Even if their deed and other paperwork was under Lestat's aliases, the town knew who they were by name and I would think their names would be bandied about as much as Tom's as Louis and his "child bride" and Lestat went missing the same night as Tom, et al. But then I told myself I'm not Neil DeGrasse Tyson so I'm going to just enjoy and not logic police.

-In post-episode featurette Rollin says Daniel's vampire reveal happens when Daniel take off his sunglasses, meanwhile he's flashing almond shape nails throughout his interview. We know this man has been turned immediately.

-The limo driver talking about his wife wanting to see New Edition at Essence Fest - N.E actually did play Essence Fest in 2022 so hat tip to the writers for putting that in.

-Louis returning home albeit briefly. I love that this episode addresses his family. This is completion. He has put down everything he was carrying and is ready to move into his new life. This was what he wanted to do when he and Claudia first left, but he couldn't move on because of "killing" Lestat. He's exorcised his ghosts.

-A Reddit user pointed out that the name above the crypt Louis uses to store his fresh kills is "Mapothier" and posits if it is a nod to Tom Cruise as his real surname is "Mapother".

-Louis is still an AmEx holder, but now a black card haver.

-Louis was the knight and now he owns it.

Talk your sh*t, LDPDL!

-Not from the episode, but I love how Jacob does the excited smack and it doesn't jar Sam at all.

[wizardpink]

Hi! Random question, but do you think the show will have Daniel call Armand "boss" now that the Maître thing happened? I know it's very prevalent in the books, but it might have different and/or interesting Implications™ in the show.

This question reminded me of one of my favorite episodes of the It's Always Sunny podcast. Stay with me here because we are going on a journey.

If there's any journalist in the world, living right now, who doesn't have a boss, it's Daniel Molloy.

There was a post recently that said something about how the point in the story where the timeline shifts the most dramatically from the books to the show is in the early 80s, when Armand DOESN'T turn Daniel into a vampire. I think that is a major part of why the Devil's Minion storyline in the show scared and angered so many fans in the finale. It's so different from the story we fell in love with! But we were so focused on Armand being different (possibly turning Daniel out of spite) that we forgot that Daniel is the one who is really different, in a really genius and wonderful departure from the books.

In the books we know human Daniel primarily as a man in his early 20s through his early 30s, but who he is in his early 30s is extremely heavily influenced by all the things that happened to him in that previous decade. Meeting Louis, meeting Armand, being pursued by Armand, and finally becoming Armand's lover.

But show Daniel had a great big reset button pressed on his life either at the end of the interview or at the end of his and Armand's romance, and he got to experience a life that book Daniel never did, and as a result it shaped him into a man that I think book Daniel always would have become, until he got derailed. And it's fascinating how BOTH paths make perfect sense even though they start at the same pivotal point!

Book Daniel meets vampires and then immediately is sucked into their world permanently. It becomes his realm as well. And in that realm are hierarchies and power dynamics that he has to exist within. He becomes subservient in ways to Armand, to Marius, etc etc. I could go on but you know what I mean.

Show Daniel however! Show Daniel meets vampires and gets pushed OUT of their world back into the world of humanity. And yes, in that realm are hierarchies and power dynamics that he has to exist within. But they're upheld by human beings! People who are no better than Daniel himself, and certainly no more frightening than the shit he's already been through whether he can remember it or not. Show Daniel pursues any story, any lead he wants no matter how dangerous or powerful the subject matter may be. He writes what he wants when he wants, and it works because he's fucking good at it. And it doesn't always work out for him! He says he's been fired and rehired, he's been nearly killed when an interview subject gets skittish or tired of his bullshit. But the point is, he went out and he made his own damn rules. He's brash and opinionated and has zero filter. He'll say whatever he wants to anyone, demand answers and truth from anyone. And no one is gonna tell him he can't. They're gonna have to drag him out of here or kill him to shut him up.

Armand and Daniel's maker/fledgling, devil/minion dynamic is going to be SO DIFFERENT from the books and yet JUST as juicy because the important things -- the love, the longing, the passion, the understanding, the recognition -- that is all still there. But I don't see 69 year old Daniel Molloy falling over himself to worship and cowtow to Armand. My DREAM is we see BOTH dynamics just to juxtapose the two, and the strife it creates as two people who once loved each other try to get back to that place now that they aren't those people anymore.

So tl;dr, yes and no. If he says it, it's going to be like, one time and so dripping with sarcasm Armand will be fighting his fangs again. If we get an earnest pet name it'll be very private I feel (as opposed to Armand who would call Daniel his beloved in line at the post office).

Also on a personal note, "boss" is so deeply unsexy. Goons and henchmen call the Joker boss, I don't want that haha. Oh and also I have like zero recollection of him calling Armand "boss" in the books, that's a detail that my brain mulched up and ate years ago I guess. So I was the wrong person to ask this. Thanks for reading though! 😂

[mostlyvoid-partiallyflowers]

The most recent episode of Interview with a Vampire let's us see Lestat's side of the story and see how it compares to Louis' accounting of their relationship. As a result, it reaffirms just how unreliable of a narrator Louis is, but it also further illuminates elements of his character that the director and writers have been playing with since the beginning of the show.

There's this part in the episode where Lestat turns to Louis and apologizes and it's framed with Lestat turned to Louis on one side and Claudia on his other side. They're the angel and devil on Louis' shoulders, but who is the angel and who is the devil? And as my friend said, Armand and Daniel are placed into that same dynamic with Louis later on. We are being asked to decide who to trust, who's telling the truth, who's the good guy, but the fact of unreliability robs us of that decision.

This whole story is about Louis, he's the protagonist, though not the narrator, and he is constantly being pulled in two directions, no matter when or where he is in his story. He's a mind split in two, divided by nature and circumstance. He's vampire and human, owner and owned, father and child, angel and devil. He's both telling the story and being told the story. His history is a story he tells himself, and as we've seen, sometimes that story is not whole.

Louis is the angel who saved Claudia from the fire but he's also the devil who sentenced her to an life of endless torment, the adult trapped in the body of a child. He's the angel who rescued Lestat from his grief and also the devil who abandoned him, who couldn't love him, could only kill and leave him.

He's pulled in two directions, internally and externally at all times and so it's no wonder that he feels the need to confess, first to the priest, then Daniel, and then Daniel again.

He's desperate to be heard, a Black man with power in Jim Crow America who's controlled by his position as someone with a seat at the table but one who will never be considered equal. He doesn't belong to the Black community or the white community, he can't. He acts as a go-between, a bridge, one who is pushed and pulled until he can't take it anymore. He's a fledgling child to an undead father, he's a young queer man discovering his sexual identity with an infinitely experienced partner. He's confessing because he wants to be absolved, that human part of him that was raised Catholic, that child who believed, he wants to be saved. He wants to be seen.

Louis wants to attain a forever life that is morally pure, but he can't. He's been soiled by sin, by "the devil," as he calls Lestat, and he can never be clean again. Deep down, I think he knows this, but he can't stop trying to repent. He tries to self-flagellate by staying with Lestat and then tries to repent by killing him, but can't actually follow through. He follows Claudia to Europe to try and assuage his guilt. He sets himself on fire, attempts to burn himself at the stake, to purify his body, rid himself of the dark gift.

Louis is a man endlessly trying to account for the pain he has caused and he ultimately fails, over and over again, because he can't get rid of what he is. A monster. He's an endlessly hungry monster. He's hungry for love, for respect, for power, for forgiveness, for death. He's a hole that can never be filled. He can never truly acquire any of those things because he will always be punishing himself for wanting and needing them in the first place. He will never truly believe he deserves them and as a result, can't accept them if they are ever offered. He can never be absolved for he has damned himself by accepting the dark gift and thus has tainted himself past the point of saving.

[littlestsnicket]

title: lunch break

word count: .5k

post season 2; daniel and real rashid are aggrieved co-workers now; the workplace comedy i want the talamasca show to be and am certain i will not receive; set in the same verse as @mitzvahmelting’s rashid is a zoologist fic because i have adopted it as my personal canon

“Do you miss playing butler to the Stepford Wives?”

“We may share an employer, but I still find you immensely irritating.”

“How did you come by that gig anyway? And did the Talemasca recruit you before or after?”

Rashid sighs in a way that is so artfully restrained it comes all the way back around and makes him seem like a diva. “I hold a PhD in cryptozoology.”

“Are you bragging about your PhD to me? I’m not big on formal education.”

“No, that’s the best answer I can give to your question. I was of independent interest to both parties.”

“So Louis thought it was a good idea to hire a cryptozoologist as a butler.”

“I believe it was primarily Armand’s decision. He dealt with most of the minutiae of household management.”

“Why am I not surprised? Armand is weird, man.”

“And yet, I am significantly more fond of him than you. At moments like this, I regret my part in helping you destroy his marriage.”

“Still? He’s probably creeping around waiting to kill you for your betrayal.”

“If Armand wanted me dead, we would not be having this conversation. He would have done it when I found him lurking in my apartment.”

“That’s not fair, Rashid! I spend all of this time and effort trying to attract his attention and he just shows up in your apartment! Was he upset?”

“He allowed me to explain myself.”

“That’s surprisingly magnanimous of him.”

Rashid shrugs. “I wasn’t entirely certain until then, we never discussed it, but he knew I was a Talamasca agent. It wasn’t so large of a betrayal as it might have seemed.”

“So he paid you to spy on him.”

“I asked a similar question. Armand said he wasn’t aware he was at cross purposes with the Talamasca until extremely recently. But I reassured him that we had little interest in his personal affairs, and only provided Sam’s script on your explicit request, so he really only had one newly minted fledgling at which to direct his ire.”

“Throwing me under the bus, Rashid,” Daniel tsks.

“As I said, I don’t particularly like you. But you have little to fear. Armand is inexplicably fascinated by you.”

Daniel frowns. “I think Armand hired you because you sound like a butler and he’s fried his brain watching too much tv on his stupid fucking iPad.”

Rashid makes a face.

“Fine, man, I won’t insult Armand’s intelligence. Maybe he thinks you’re pretty.”

Rashid blushes at that. It’s so subtle Daniel might not have noticed without his heightened senses. He has to restrain himself from crowing and doesn’t do a particularly good job.

“Were you fucking?”

Rashid doesn’t say anything.

“You were!”

“No.” Rashid says, firmly. “And you are lucky the Talamasca doesn’t have an HR department.”

“I don’t believe that for a second, you wouldn’t have hesitated like that. Maybe you’re not exactly lying. Were you having sex so kinky it didn’t even look like sex anymore? I’m sure Armand is into some weird shit.”

Rashid pinches the bridge of his nose. “If I say yes, will you stop?”

“Depends how convincingly you say yes.”

Rashid fixes Daniel with an absolutely dead eyed expression, gathers up his uneaten lunch without breaking eye contact, and stalks out of the break room, slightly too quickly.

“You can’t hide from me Rashid!” Daniel calls after him. The careful deliberate lack of response is satisfying in its own way.

[loumandaniel]

Loumandaniel s3 predictions ( I don't necessarily mean this in a shippy way- this can be about characters too)? ( I know I know we don't have anything to go on- no shooting dates nothing but still).

at the end of the day, the hardest prediction is whether they'll cut the vampire lestat in half. i don't think they should because i'm tired of 8 episode seasons, but they may. anyways, i'm not sure how coherent this is, but ummm bon appétit:

for some plot, i do think louis will take over the interview when they revisit nola+claudia while daniel potentially chases down armand, or interviews marius mid way into s3. regarding armand, marius states in tvl that older vampires need to have another 'death' (sleep) to maintain their sanity with this unending life. so, my opinion has been that he's not intentionally missing from 2022-26, but sleeping under ground. it would be fun to have him wake up to lestat's music (i know this is something lestat does in that book, but idc because it's funnier with armand). he'll likely appear at some point because daniel will want to cross-reference the story of nicolas de lenfent and gabrielle with armand's version. also, in rolin's words they'll have "plot points leading up to devil's minion." there's also no doubt in my mind that an entire episode will be armand's backstory. my hope is that it's armand telling it to daniel rather than lestat, but who knows?

going forward with louis and daniel, situationship? not sure, but i can imagine daniel's begging for it. i think their relationship is on shaky ground from louis' perspective. louis retracted consent on the book, and daniel broke his trust by selling louis' entire life story anyway. to be honest, my number one theory has been that the book was a ploy to tell daniel his precautionary tale of vampirism before louis offered to turn him at the end of the interview. those jokes about louis and armand interviewing for a third? not jokes to me. i take armand's "i hope you'll join us" line in the finale literally. regardless, i think louis is carrying guilt for daniel - not guilt for his being turned, but rather HOW he was turned. that guilt is probably the only thing keeping daniel in louis' good graces. i'm sure the rumspringa journey daniel and lestat go on won't help either.

the big thing i hope and predict for louis and armand is that louis is reconciling that he still loves armand. like, i would really love a scene of louis telling lestat that there's still a lot of love for armand within him, even after learning the truth of the trial. it's something lestat can relate with. i mean, these guys do love armand, but armand is...well, he's armand. louis does forgive, and i don't think he's happy to lose armand. i could imagine he's hoping armand atones so he can have him back in his life. the difference between lestat and armand with louis is that lestat suffered for seventy-seven years with his shame, and armand did not. if he sees that armand is hurting, it would bend louis towards him in my opinion. and hey, after making an impulsive fledgling post-divorce? armand is suffering.

with armand and daniel, predictions get difficult because all we have is the book chapter and really cryptic comments from in and outside of the show (jacob's quotes specifically make me go red string theory crazy). i could expand some other time, but i do think louis and armand were more involved with daniel's life in the 70s than daniel knows. i think there will only be hints at whatever the fuck they've got going on in s3 though, and we won't have complete answers until qotd seasons.

also, i do think daniel's madness arc is definitely still on the table. in fact, i think he's losing his mind in s3. i think it's why armand abandoned him after turning. i've said it before, but daniel's eyes changing colors is either power level or instability. s3 could have moments where daniel is losing his mind, lost in a forgotten memory or start in on the dreams about (book spoilers) the twins. i love daniel being a sponge for characters so having him as this voltron of paul, claudia, amadeo, and nicki that louis, lestat, and armand project onto is so fun to think about.

[nightcolorz]

I feel like we don’t make enough emphasis on the fact that, at least in book canon, Armand is only ever shown sharing his blood with Daniel. He tells him several times, “you’re the first/only one” and yeah he tried it with Lestat but Lestat wasn’t having it (and up until the end he never does Armand), not even Louis whom he had a very long relationship with… like, they never exchanged blood. That’s absolutely insane to me and it kinda sucks that they changed it for the show and had Armand sharing his blood with literally everyone when it was so so special that Daniel was the first (and no one was ever mentioned after him in all of canon so… maybe truly the only one). Y’all he was truly saving himself for that man 🤕💔

YESSS I LOVE THIS!!! Armand has a lot of very particular and strict boundaries he upkeeps that alienate him from other vampires (such as refusing to have a fledgling), and let’s be real it’s probably bcus he has a lot of horrible trauma about being stripped of control and having no right to boundaries or autonomy. So I think it’s rlly very precious that Armand lets Daniel (and no one else) in those walls, it’s such a testament to how much Daniel changed him for the better and how much Armand trusts Daniel

[victorzsasz]

Daniel stalks through the dark park, eyes focused on the man walking ahead of him, their steps in-sync. There's a small desire path that leads to a big patch of trees a few meters ahead where Daniel intends to hunt his prey.

The closer they get, Daniel's hunger grows, his hearing focuses on the man's heartbeat and his fangs extend.

Still so cool.

The second the man is in position, Daniel strikes, with inhuman speed and strength he tackles the man into the trees, covering his mouth to stop him from screaming.

Daniel doesn't kill him straight away, he waits a few seconds until he smells the man's adrenaline course through his blood. He bites quick and deep, drinking heavily and greedily. The rush Daniel feels is like none other, like ten straight shot of adrenaline, out of all the different emotions Daniel has tried, fear is his favourite.

After he finishes draining the man, Daniel stands up, whipping blood from his mouth he suddenly freezes and strains to hear. He could've sworn he heard a footstep in the woods. He nearly jumps out of his skin when his cell phone goes off in his pocket. He answers without looking.

"Hello, Daniel Molloy." Daniel answers.

"o-oh, umm... Hi, Dad... honestly didn't think you'd answer..."

"oh! um, Hi! hello! what? uhhh why are you calling so late?" Daniel asks, genuinely surprised by his daughter's sudden call.

He hasn't talked to her since he told her his Parkinson's diagnosis, even then it was more of a curtesy call than a meaningful conversation.

" well... uh.. Well, I couldn't sleep because I was so, so angry and very very worried with... you... I uh, I saw your interview, I mean how could I not? it's gone viral, and I saw your book--"

"Did you read it?" Daniel cuts her off.

"uh, yes, yes I did read it and umm... Listen, I don't want to be judgmental, I want to just... I need to know, I'm sure it's been hard since your diagnosis, but... Dad, are you on drugs again?"

"what? no!" Daniel laughs, "no, no, honey, I'm fine. Better than fine. I uhh started a new treatment, it's been working wonders. I feel better than I have in decades."

"you do? that's fantastic! what's the treatment because I actually looked into a few lately and-"

Daniel tunes her out as all his attention turns to what he finally spots in the woods, a pair of big amber eyes. Daniel smiles.

".... I just want you to be in my life, and I want to be in yours. I just need to know I can trust-"

"uh, yeah yeah, I'm very sorry, I have to go. You caught me at a bad time, uhh, I'll text you my address. Come by say uhh 9pm tomorrow? that work for you? We'll have dinner, catch up, I'll explain everything, okay?" Daniel interrupts, clearly distracted.

"9 pm? I think I could--"

"great! fantastic, see you then, bye."

"Wait, Dad I wasn't--"

Daniel hangs up his phone, as Armand approaches from the shadows.

"Was wondering when you'd show up again." Daniel says dryly.

"my business took... longer than expected. my apologies. " Armand replies

"You know, telephones have been around for over 100 years. You could've called, texted, or even send an electronic letter to my electronic mailbox." Daniel argues.

Armand smiles softly, and wipes some blood from Daniel's lip with his thumb.

"Such a messy fledgling..." Armand says softly.

"Not like I have anyone who can teach me." Daniel says sarcastically.

"I'm staying."

"How long this time?"

Armand caresses Daniel's face, and Daniel leans into his touch.

"Forever. For eternity."

"You're so full of bullshit."

Armand kisses him, a longingly, an I missed you, kiss. The taste of blood still on Daniel's lips. Daniel intensifies the kiss, wanting more, wanting all of Armand. He missed his soft lips.

Hooking his fingers through two of Armand's belt loops, Daniel pulls the other vampire closer.

"Bite me." Daniel whispers.

"At home, my beloved." Armand smiles, "right now you have a mess to clean, yes?" Armand says, looking down.

Daniel follows his gaze to the body on the ground.

"oh. right. I was just going to bury it." Daniel replies.

Armand gives him a slightly confused and judgmental look.

"what? these nails are surprisingly great for digging, combine that with super speed. quick grave. Plus, no one ever actually notices disturbed dirt." Daniel defends himself.

"it's a bit... messy. Do you just go about the rest of your night with dirt covered hands?" Armand asks baffled.

"Dirt is easier to wash off and explain than blood. I'm sorry I don't have an incinerator or box of starving rats available." Daniel replies dryly

"whatever you do, do it quickly." Armand places a hand on Daniel's chest, "I'll meet you back at home, there's still a few more hours before sunrise."

Armand smiles slyly before flying off.

"Show off!" Daniel yells, watching Armand disappear into the night sky.

He turns his attention to the body, time to start digging.