#but still. i still want my privacy

[knifegremliin]

go fuck yourself.

[dreadfuldevotee]

I'd like to discuss the elephant in the room. Why did we get zero Loumand sex scenes? We got hints and implications, but season 1 was pretty explicit. Do we think that that's a creative choice or something else is happening?

I'm glad I ended up ruminating on this for about a week because episode 7 & 8 really solidified my opinion on it.

I do wanna start by saying that it's very clear to me that there was supposed to be more explicit scenes between them. There has been some thoughts tossed around that censorship happened with the 9 pm timeslot (as opposed to the 10 pm timeslot of S1). I believed this hearing Assad and Jacob talk about the BDSM dynamic between Louis and Armand, but what really sold me on this was Production Designer Mara LePere-Schloop talking about the bedroom set and more specifically about their beautifully carved custom headboard. (If you're a production nerd like me or just want to know more about the design philosophy of IWTV I recommend giving the entire thing a listen!).

I think there are several reasons I think as to why they decided to leave any more explicit scenes on the cutting room floor but above them all is: you cannot separate Armand's sexuality from his abuse. I am really against pulling a "well if you read the books" card but reading just the first couple chapters of "The Vampire Armand" makes me understand so much about not only Armand as a character, but the care being taken to his adaptation. It's clear to me that alongside Rolin & Co.'s commitment to not watering him down to a one-dimensional villain they are also trying to not fall into Anne Rice's tendency to romanticize his trauma.

Sex and sexuality is not the same pillar of Louis and Armand's relationship it was in Louis and Lestat's and so I don't believe their story suffers from the lack of on-screen sex. But I also firmly believe that maybe we don't need to be slutting out the character who we literally just watched talk about how he doesn't remember his life before being sex trafficked. And even when he was "freed" he was still being repeatedly assaulted at the hands of, and under the eye Marius de Romanus. Like it is extremely important to remember that Armand's craving for dominion in his relationships is a manifestation of trauma that deserves the same level of care and depth given to every other trauma portrayed in this show.

I think people have gotten too comfortable calling IWTV a romance when it has always been Gothic Horror. Romance and sex are pivotal to the story but I have found the demands for sex scenes this season a bit absurd and also? unfounded? Loustat share more kisses on screen but there are two sex scenes and both are very plot relevant. I truly figured we were all in agreement that the eroticism of this show is found in the various displays of power, and the dynamics it creates and not the actual clapping of ass-cheeks...which also wasn't happening in S1 either. S2 does not suffer because of the lack of sex-scenes, but the likelihood if it suffering trying to make one work is

[joshuamj]

In Time and Stars

[al-luviec]

juvie buddies

[owlheartt]

Take more of my art, neeeeeeeerd

[ishikawayukis]

obviously they won't say anything about it because they only comment on things that are nonsensical, but even kcarats are mad about this collab so i do wonder if they'll end up saying anything or will just act stupid lmfao

[hashtag-dads]

Guess what came early!!!!!!!! :3

[thebirdandhersong]

Lol. Lol. Lol.

[makorragal-312]

My Adventures with Superman must have saw my suffering from last episode's rooftop scene and peeped my plea for a Clois rooftop kiss because good lord, that whole scene exceeded my expectations!

The music.

The scenery.

The lighting.

The blushing.

The way Clark just lunged in and lifted Lois up.

The way he spun the two of them as they went further into the air.

The sun peeking behind Clark and Lois as they're kissing.

The forehead touch when Clark says "I love you, too."

The soft chuckle Lois lets out after he says it.

The smiles on their faces before Lois goes in for another kiss.

ABSOLUTE CINEMA.

[nametakensff]

.

[hooved]

i wanna go to anthrocon sooooo bad but i'm worried i won't be able to save up enough money for it 😔

[katyspersonal]

I've had one of the worst crying fits in a while just. Simply venting from time to time, to friends or the void, no longer helps.. I assumed there was the logic same as throwing up - you let it out and thus heal. But it seems like it was more like linking fire logic - it keeps offering remedy for as long as possible, but meanwhile all the banished darkness keeps stocking into a dam (the deep) until the dam inevitably fills...

My problem is that my biggest problem can not be solved. It is permanent. I thought I was strong enough to just assume it as my new life, but recent months the ugliest things possible are finding their way in my heart. In retrospective I suspected that the day where I finally die (metaphorically!) will come and it will feel like a blessing to finally give up and drown, no more struggle. The day it finally eats me could not come soon enough, I thought. And yet somehow after everything I feel nothing but scared and disgusted, and still clinging to the words offering focus I've heard before, to my concepts of morality even after I saw how it is all pointless. I don't know what it is that still makes me resist even if I see that I can't anymore and falling apart at the seams. Recently I even screamed for God's help even though I am not a Christian. It is this bad. I can't ignore or resist this problem any longer, I can't manage by just venting every time it hurts because the metaphorical dam is full, I can't solve it... What do I do...?

I am developing the feelings I didn't know I had capacity for and feelings that have no place in this world... unless they do, and I just don't see the way to "turn" safely. To accept all this without giving up or becoming a horrible person, but just 'allowing' it. In other words I don't know how to break in the same way as a chunk of metal melts to be shaped into a new thing. So I'll just break eventually, after I keep up for a bit longer. I have no choice but to let out and then immediately pick myself up with hope right after, but this option has expired its function.

[drakonovisny]

i've been complaining about my aunt and cousin ever since we moved in together, but now knowing that we're gonna move away soon is making me sad. i'm gonna miss them 😭

[jlf23tumble]

https://twitter.com/xrckdyou/status/1777312221044834377

The man could not be more clear. And he is so incredibly kind about it despite the fact it obviously bothers him for the reasons he says and likely others. So sad the people who want to “free him” are those keeping him in a box.

Thanks for this! I'd love to see the whole thing, but it's been harder to get full interviews this go round (that's on me, gotta dig, don't have time). That said, I did a quick lurk around twitter and tumblr, and jesusssssssssssss, he said what he said and was pretty clear, even resigned about it, and yet! You either get variations of a) wahh, he's gaslighting us again (which, lmao, nope) or b) well, he didn't deny it, LOLZ, #married. When I tell you he resents his fans, dot dot dot, oof, yeah, it's honestly no wonder

[angels444yuri]

cannot put into words how badly i want to move out. love my parents but i don't know how much longer i can go without complete control of my time,,,

[spideyhexx]

I did say was done talking about it but just wanna reply to the anon who sent me the long ask, I agree with everything you said like that’s EXACTLY how I feel and my best advice as im handling it too, is to just block accounts/pages whatever is causing those feelings or popping up, and if you find yourself thinking about it, or wanting to go check things, try to redirect yourself to smth positive!