#even if I can agree with the fact this is what Louis feels more personal to him

[persephoneflouwers]

It is definitely an UK or working class thing because Liam and Noel Gallagher are still seen as working class heroes and they have been famous since the 90s. It is more of the way they still behave and act like they are close to their roots than them being rich that makes people say they came from a working class family. Still mixing with the locals and not losing their accent etc. Louis is going to have that with him for the rest of his life too.

Sorry if I’m replying only now. I wasn’t ignoring, I just got back home from the hospital. Anyway, I would say that’s possibly what he chooses to be perceived and what he likes to represent. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I have never heard Louis describing himself as a working class representative. He is proud of the places he comes from, he is proud of his roots and he finds that inspiring in his daily life to maintain a connection with his past, I guess. But to me he’s been always pretty aware of his privileged position and conditions. You can see how many of the decisions he makes conciliate with this. You don’t have to defend him from me, I promise. I know Louis as my limited fan experience allows me to know him, I know what they meant with those words, I know his image and I know what they try to do. That doesn’t mean it was a clever way to phrase it. It’s not a complaint or an accusation. In my opinion, if you say something like that, you are going to have people pursing their lips and asking what you mean. If I’m honest to me the way Matt used those words in the caption felt more like an epithet than just description, but this is what it felt to me.

[hypermania]

Is it weird if the "Is that what makes you fascinating" scene is the hottest I've ever found Armand? He's usually so contained and careful, and there was such a wild edge to him there, and an emphasis on Assad's height and muscle rather than making him look waify as they usually do, and it was so compelling and weirdly sexy. And horrifying.

oh man. i watched season 2 after all of it had already aired and was fully spoiled on everything that was going to happen so i knew it was coming and it was the thing i was most looking forward to and i still wasn't prepared! nothing could have prepared me. it is *clenches fist* so good.

i'm personally more stuck on the fight between him and louis. there are two moments in particular that his physicality really gets me. the first is when louis is asking (taunting) him if he's going to be the gremlin or the good nurse, and this is armand's response:

i love this because you can see him warring with himself. he doesn't know if he's going to be the gremlin or the good nurse (and hilariously, i would argue he ends up being both: good nurse with louis and gremlin with daniel [and then eventually the good nurse with daniel as well when he's going to kill him].) but there's something about the way armand is holding himself here, like he knows that he's bigger, more powerful, stronger (and in the shots leading up to it, he is inarguably bigger. you can see that he's got height and width on louis as louis is screaming in his face!) but he's still holding himself back, despite everything he's already said to louis and everything he will say. he's still confining himself to a flesh and blood body.

the second is a few moments later:

the reason i love this one is because it's so human. the way he points with the cassette tape and then slams it down on the table is so incredulous lol. and i feel like it's the first moment where he really looks his full size. i don't know how to explain it but there's something very... masculine? i think? maybe? about the way he moves that isn't typically present in his demeanor and it makes him look every inch of his size. and yet!!! he still looks so human.

anyway i bring these moments up because i think they help make your point about the "is that what makes you fascinating?" scene(s). this episode is, i think, the first time we get a real look at who armand actually is. but despite the mask finally slipping in his fight with louis and his size being on full display, there's still something fairly ordinary about him. it's not until his face-to-face interactions with daniel that we see the deranged ancient vampire behind the almost cherubic face. he becomes otherworldly.

and it's very clear that we're supposed to understand that he's the most powerful thing in the room. he is a looming presence that takes up all the air. there are a lot of shots with angles like this where we're looking up at him with daniel:

and a lot of ones like this where ostensibly there are two people of similar size in the frame but he takes all the space up:

but i think the thing that makes the "is that what makes you fascinating?" scenes so horrifying is not his size, but the fact that he's not actually using it. he is larger than both daniel and louis and we're now acutely aware of that. but he doesn't put his hands on daniel at all. in fact, for quite some time he barely even glances at him. armand is terrifying here because he is so physically in control of his body and actions and so desperately out of control of his emotions and you can see it all over his face.

like?? he could snap daniel's neck with barely a thought. he is in the body of a sizeable man and has supernatural strength. but the danger here is the boyish desperation and longing on his face.

anyway this was all a very long-winded way of saying i see you anon and i agree lol

[chaotic-multi-fandom]

WHERE DOES IT START? ARUN, AMADEO, ARMAND

- My personal reflections on Armand's names in Interview with the Vampire (show version)

“Who am I Louis?” Armand asks while staring at a painting of a boy that only he would ever be able to recognize as himself. He stares at what is supposed to be his essence captured forever on a canvas, and yet the kneeling boy is a stranger to him. When he asks Louis this, he is earnest. Armand does not know who he is, and this lack of identity crushes and torments him. Armand seems to constantly define himself by his attachment to other people or things, such as a “servant”, as “the job (he) did not want” or as someone’s “companion” because he has never known anything else, he is never just “Armand;” he does not know who that is.

This is further reflected in his names, and the fact that despite having several none belong to him. First there’s Arun. This is supposedly the name he was born with, but even he is not sure of this due to his memory being clouded as a consequence all the horrors he suffered as a child. This name is not his, it is a name so linked to the abuse he endured that it has become the name of said abuse rather than the name of a person. His use of third person when talking about himself as “Arun” signals both a coping mechanism to distance himself from those experiences as well as the disconnect he feels from the identity attached to the name.

Then, there’s Amadeo. A name given to him by Marius, not only linking him directly with his maker and master but with God and worship, the name meaning “lover of god”. This name is also not his, but rather a projection of what Marius saw or expected in Armand. This is what we see in the painting, an ideal: a submissive, worshipful, whitewashed Armand degraded to kneel at the same level as the dog behind him, “basking in (his) worshipful mercy.” Regardless of how Armand did embody this role of worship and servitude during his time with Marius, that painting is not him, it is the fantasized construct that is Amadeo, who doesn’t really exist. When you think about it, Amadeo being a projection of those around him is not entirely different to “dreamstat” being a projection of Louis. This is of course largely my own interpretation and not fact, but I think anyone can agree that who is being portrayed in that painting is Armand only in name. It is simply another example of his body being used for a purpose, an artistic one in this case, his true essence and even features entirely forgotten and replaced by Amadeo’s. So, that name and the identity attached to it wasn’t entirely Armand’s either. Much like “Arun” being tied to his parents abandon and the brothel, Amadeo is trapped in the painting: just another property to be “sold” or “donated;” what Armand has always been treated as.

Finally, there is the name we call him by now: Armand. A name given to him by the Roman coven before sending him to the Paris coven, a collective that he is now supposed to lead and put before himself as an individual. It is a French name, a place he had no connection to before-hand and that only further distances him from who he might have once been, forcing him to adapt and assimilate into the new role he has been chained to. The name is a role in itself, as it means “soldier.” Furthermore, he is not a simple leader to this coven, he is the somewhat paternal and religious figure through which the coven; his “children,” serve Satan and through him, God. He is part of a “murky trinity” as Lestat calls it, a twisted parody of the holy trinity. So, “Armand” is once again much more than a name; it is another projection the lost and abandoned coven latches onto. Of course, they mostly refer to him as “maitre,” the implications of which I’ve already discussed in a different post. In this case, the dual titles “Armand” and “Maitre” are parallel to “Amadeo,” they both link Armand to the concepts of owner and God, except the roles change from being the owned worshiper to the worshiped owner. It remains someone else’s image, someone else’s name, one that prevents Armand from exploring who he is without it.

Armand does not have a name; how can he know who he is?

Even now he seeks the answer in Louis where he will not find it. There are, however, moments in which this seemed to be challenged. For example, shortly after meeting, Armand asks Louis to address him as such instead of “maitre” as his coven does. It is a moment in which he takes agency over what he wants to be called, a privilege he has never had before. Later, Louis calls him Arun as a way to indicate that he can see the person that lies behind the roles he plays, and that he can be himself around Louis. Yet these moments are still tainted. The name Armand does not reflect who he is, and in the conversation with Louis, Armand falls into his old patterns by addressing Louis as “maitre.” Plus, Louis too will go on to misuse this, but that’s a whole other topic. These instances, though revealing a more loving and honest side to Louis’ and Armand’s relationship in which they allow themselves to be open, they can not give Armand a sense of self. No one but himself can, and yet he doesn’t know how that is. It is a tragic never-ending paradox as immortal as he.

[frigidwife]

do you think louis chose/believed armand over claudia in the scene after armand threatens and chokes her? i was under the impression that louis reflexively disagreed with claudia because he didn't want to believe it, but the fact that he also reflexively lit armand's photo on fire makes me think his response to claudia ("he wouldn't do that"/"sit in your choice") was a denial of the real horror he was feeling, that he did believe her and just wished it wasn't true. i rewatched that scene and when he notices the picture is on fire, he waits a second before putting it out, which makes me think his commitment to armand following this scene wasn't out of genuine love, but a strategic choice made out of fear, the same way he martyred himself for lestat to turn claudia. i still see people talking about how much louis and armand did love each other, and i was briefly convinced when madeline called it out (though that scene also contains claudia thanking armand for not treating her like a child, so the legitimacy of the entire scene is thrown into question imo). but after rewatching the season, i don't think they were that devoted to each other. between the actors deliberately playing their flirtations super awkward, the fact that louis never commits until armand threatens claudia and his commitment itself following louis' pattern of chaining himself to his current lover/shark for claudia's survival (a pattern the show goes out of its way to emphasize with lestat's retelling of her turning), and the fact that armand apparently did choose the coven over louis...idk. maybe i'm biased and just sick of the idea that armand and louis' love is some torrid gothic romance when it seems clear that louis and armand's insistence that it was in dubai is deliberately at odds with what we saw, despite how hard they were trying to make it seem that way. even the way they gassed up their first meeting felt staged, and if we're supposed to understand that louis and armand's growing physical distance in dubai denotes emotional/romantic distance as louis' memories are restored, it seems in line to realize that the distance isn't what's new, nor is the performance of love; it's the realization that it is a performance. SORRY this got long, i feel like i'm going a little crazy because i feel the show is saying the exact opposite to much of the analysis on here. in a way i would love to be convinced towards a different perspective because then i could just relax

no i agree with you completely ur not insane and neither am i.... i havent watched that episode in a while but the way the events are sequenced it's not even ambiguous--the relationship with armand is strategic and it has been since the beginning. like i dont think louis's "he wouldn't do that" is even a denial of the kind of person armand is. Bc in the previous episode armand literally almost killed louis for the same secret he's just threatened claudia about. so why would he actually disbelieve her? (laying it out like this i'm realizing why the victim blaming interpretation of louis as ditzy is so prevalent lol.) his frustration reads to me like: i've already sacrificed my freedom and happiness so you can join the coven that you love so much, and now you're saying you don't like the coven? you can't tough it out and trust i have armand handled? the disbelief in "he wouldn't do that" is not that louis wants to believe armand is a better person; it's that louis wants to believe his control over armand is more complete, bc otherwise claudia is right and his sacrifices are doubly pointless. this is the same pattern we saw with louis and his siblings as a human--telling grace to worry about herself, telling lestat how they were four months from bankruptcy; he takes pains to keep them ignorant but then is frustrated they wont register his sacrifice; they see it as him pushing them away (literal knife to paul's throat). louis starting to burn the photograph is him giving up--claudia is ungrateful; this task is impossible. but then the dream lestat which is ofc just louis calls claudia "our daughter" and that's when louis stops burning the photograph of armand. at the reminder that no matter how he tries to accept her as grown and autonomous, she's his child first. and then you can see him double down and regroup--get rid of ghost lestat indulgence to commit fully to companionship with as much control as he can leverage

[ca-suffit]

i'm often mad when loustat fan said Louis should have killed antoinette himself bc Lestat wanted just to be desir and confident. But it's not true. Lestat stay for decade with Antoinette and the point is it didn't matter if she lived or not because had Louis killed Antoinette, Lestat would picked another person. Louis understand it well and I'm tired of the fandom wanted Louis to always prove himself in whatever Lestat put up on him. Antoinette might be a white woman, I feel like her worst hater are white women... which is weird bc they are using her whitness as a way to hate her. I think they hate her bc she's a woman. Because Lestat's whitness and the fact he's a cis guy never bother his fandom. I can't take those view on Antoinette seriously. I agree she's not an interesting character, just Lestat's pawn. The only upsetting thing is Antoinette, as a white woman, had some agency. She had her own income, her reputation but she throw it away in favor of a man who never give a shit about her. Yes, I understand she was manipulated but it sting. If she didn't become a vampire, and just stay in relationship with Lestat, she would have turn like Serena Joy in the Handmaid's Tale (from the Book who was a soprano).

Antoinette is hard for parts of the fandom to come to terms with bcuz fandoms are mostly made up of white women. It hits closer to home for those characters to exist and be shitty rather than other characters that are more removed from how ppl personally identify.

I come and go seeing comments in all directions about Antoinette and it's bcuz she's a white woman who was complicit in antiblackness bcuz she expected to benefit from it herself in the end. She didn't and it called attention to why she didn't and made ppl reflect on that and feel uncomfortable. It is meant to be a sad story but also reflective and critical of how white women often move in the world.

Louis never could have killed her bcuz he knew that's what Lestat wanted and it was one of the ways he retained any semblance of v mild control in the relationship. As u wrote, Louis doesn't have access to the same protections as any of the white ppl around him, so he's learned how to survive otherwise using other means, even as a vampire. Lestat knows Antoinette upsets Louis and Claudia acts as his mouth piece on it multiple times (illustrating the burden that children often take on with dysfunctional parents, as well as the emotional labor often piled on black girls/women). Lestat keeps waiting for Louis to vocally tell him himself to kill her and he won't, bcuz he doesn't want to verbalize his feelings like that. He's protective of his emotions and feels he's been dismissed a lot on the few instances he's said things out loud to Lestat, so why keep telling him this hurts him when it's obvious?? Why react at all?? It's the only way he can protect his pride and also dig at Lestat's own insecurities at the same time. Lestat and other white characters are used to being loud and abrasive to get reactions, but that's not something the other characters who aren't white can v safely do in return, which is why it's a much rarer occurrence and typically followed by a great consequence to them.

[aizenat]

This episode was the first full episode where we don’t have Claudia’s perspective to corroborate anything being said. And while her perspective is limited at times, if it aligns with what we’re seeing, it helps to discern truth from embellishment. But without it, this episode was messy in the sense that we got a lot of info but almost nothing to help us discern the facts. So now we have to rely on context clues and what we’ve learned so far, and let’s be forreal with how a lot of yall are NOT up for the task with this.

My biggest personal example being how quick you all were to believe and align with Lestat’s pov. Lestat the drama queen, the man with an admitted temper remembering how he watched Louis clutch at the air desperate for something to grab and stop his fall, who went across the ocean to step on stage and condemn the supposed love of his life to death. The Lestat who watched Claudia die on stage, and would have done the same with Louis on stage had Armand not did what he did to “save” Louis. But because he did it while crying, yall just buying everything he said? What?

Lestat is just as unreliable a narrator as Armand. And even Louis revealed this episode that he’s always going to remember himself in the worst light—or at least pursue that portrayal without argument—much more than Lestat and Armand because he carries his guilt with him in a way they don’t. He BLAMES himself for a lot of things they don’t blame themselves for. I believe Armand feels zero guilt for what he did to Claudia; just irritation it may have affected his relationship with Louis. Lestat doesn’t regret his actions, just that they sour his relationships with his paramours and result in him being alone again.

They regret the impact their actions have on them personally but not the result of their actions. Louis can be selfish too, but he feels the hurt he’s given fully. He feels how he failed Claudia, Grace and Mama Flo, Miss Lily even, and of course Paul. Even when he asks Lestat if he did something to cause Paul’s death, he always wondered because he likely blamed himself for bringing Lestat into their lives if Lestat had been responsible. Even if Lestat had done something, Louis would have found a way to make it his fault.

There’s a lot influencing this, but this episode really hit for home to me that Louis’ issues with guilt and shame, taking on the blame for things that aren’t his fault, also make him an unreliable narrative. Not because “oh he’s making people around him look worse so he looks better,” but actually because he makes excuses for them. He denied Lestat was abusive towards him, sympathizes with his tears of apologies and sob stories both after the fight last season and again at the trial, and he makes excuses for Armand’s inactivity. Even jumps to forgive him the second Armand implies he should carry some of the blame in situations too: he didn’t hesitate to believe he agreed with Armand on what to do with Daniel during that be apology scene. Louis runs to take blame in situations. It’s like he knows ifs hard to reconcile these men who claim to love hurting him so bad, so if he takes some of the blame for their actions, he can understand it.

It’s also, honestly, part of why he is quick to say things that he knows will go for the jugular. So he can say in the aftermath that he said horrible things “too,” as if they will mean he would have deserved what they do to him.

But it’s never that deep and words don’t ever excuse the level of violence and manipulation and control Lestat and Armand have used towards him. And the show is trying to emphasize that. Daniel not buying Louis’ excuses for Armand, insisting Armand sold Louis out despite being his boyfriend at the time; a betrayal that doesn’t justify 70+ more years of marriage. Claudia calling the audience (and subsequently the iwtv audience) out on gleefully accepting Lestat’s apology but not even giving her the opportunity to make one herself. And then I see fans do exactly that, using what Lestat says happened to undermine what we’ve seen so far.

Like all this hard work for the writers to make this shit plain for y’all to miss it every time.

[confirmeddead]

Thank you so much for replying to my super long ask! Really liked hearing your take on it all! And I look forward to your planned post about JA’s comments!

First, just to clarify I’m not against an enemies-to-lovers plot for Daniel and Armand, I just fear it would be the old rom-com trope of “hate each other but have sexual chemistry resulting in hooking up and then just eventually liking each other”. Cause that is a pretty shallow relationship dynamic, and I just want there to be something more to it. I agree there’s potential for something really interesting! Especially given San Francisco, Armand turning Daniel, them literally being ’bonded’ and the kinda enforced intimacy between them (sent an ask about that a long time ago, if you recall?^^).

I fear that the show is not halfway as interested in the relationship as we fans are. Like the above trope between them just doesn’t make any sense, but what if that is where the show is going? Especially given AZ’s comment about the line being thin between hate and love. Or in light of the fact that one of the show’s trademarks being foreshadowing and playing the long game - but there not being any real foreshadowing about DM? I know they’ve promised to do DM, but the lack of any personal moments/scenes between Armand and Daniel (the exception being ’rest’) just makes me worry it will be shallow and come out of nowhere. Like my nightmare is that Armand and Daniel will just be like “Guess we’re even/I freaking still hate your (both to each other)” -> cue make-out as a consequence of the sexual tension fueled by hatred-mixed attraction”. Obviously it would be done with better and more subtle dialogue, but the scenario itself isn’t… great. Because I agree with you that SF and Armand’s (and Daniel’s) respective past should add dimensions to their dynamic!

Could you clarify for me what you meant with Daniel not dropping the subject? I’m very curious and I don’t think I really understood what you meant? I assume you don’t mean the subject being why Armand turned him, if it was out of spite like Louis said (and AZ and Rolin stated)? Because if it’s due to spite/hatred there isn’t really anything more to nail down for Daniel, I think? I do like you theory that Armand still to some extent stalked Daniel, even if pastDM wasn’t a thing - it does make sense - and that in turn could be be part of why Daniel would now chase Armand - to nail down what Armand’s been doing around his life, if that’s what you mean? Possibly figuring out how to be fascinating and ending up curious about Daniel?

Or do you mean Daniel will pursue Armand as the subject because Armand is the (fascinating) subject to nail down? Cause I can see that being pretty compelling, and a good start of something between them. However, I don’t know if Daniel chasing Armand and demanding his story/time/guidance with vampirism would be something this Daniel would do - because of San Francisco/the Dubai turning (if it was out of spite). Daniel seemingly hates Armand after s2e5, because of what he put him through, understandably so (confirmed in interviews by EB). So I don’t see him expanding any great effort or in any way compromising his pride to ask/persuade Armand to share his tale or guidance. Daniel’s chasing after Armand to get him to tell his tale/or for guidance just feels out of synch with where Daniel is emotionally with Armand at the end of the season in that case? Maybe Daniel is emotionally over it after Dubai and due to exposing/breaking up Armand’s relationship with Louis as revenge, but I don’t know…? I have a hard time seeing Daniel asking anything of Armand at this moment, because of their past and bad blood (haha - see what I did there? :P). I could possibly see Armand starting to stalk/chase Daniel, falling into his old pattern of attaching himself to who broke apart his previous status quo though maybe?

I could easily see Daniel being fascinated with Armand and wanting his story (and I like that as a plot) and it could believably fuel a chase, but we never actually see this Daniel being fascinated by Armand in the show. This lack of foreshadowing is honestly what trips me up, because no matter the limited time the writers had there was definitely time for a single scene or even a just a moment hinting at it. Daniel was curious about Armand-as-Rashid, but after the season one finale he became mostly only suspicious and determined to expose him - which makes sense in context and doesn’t rule out any further curiosity, but we never got to see even a tiny hint of any? Not even in s2e3? Maybe I’m missing something though? We do see them make eyes at each other - so sexual chemistry, but no single line of dialogue revealing any hint of fascination or curiosity. Possibly Armand’s line about the proposal does reveal that he stalked Daniel, so that could be something but I’m not sure if that is the case. Daniel wants to write more books and know more of the vampiric world - he evidently decides to do a documentary of Lestat. So I guess I could maybe see Daniel demanding Armand share his tale as a kind of “least you can do since you attacked/turned me/tortured me back in the 70’s” - but I don’t know if that emotionally makes sense to Daniel at the end of s2 or why would Armand would acquiesce.

Rolin’s comments have irked me as well, especially him talking about Armand turning Daniel like it’s “the” DM thing. Of course it’s important that Armand is the one to turn Daniel, but that fact is a pretty small part of that makes the DM relationship what it is. The turning itself is arguably a bigger thing, but that apparently isn’t important enough to do on screen? Rolin also saying that any interaction between Daniel and Armand is DM annoyed me, because I can wait but please don’t put the bar of what DM is on the floor. I assume he said so because he’s surprised about the interest in the pairing and because we won’t see anything substantial still about DM in s3, so a way to manage expectations.

Very grateful for your previous reply, sorry for long ask (again) - I really like reading your ideas and speculation, and obviously feel free to disagree with any of my takes - I’m very curious to hear your view! Thank you!

Hi!

I actually don’t agree that there hasn’t been foreshadowing for them getting together. I think every moment between Armand and Daniel is important. I don’t mean “all moments are DM”, but every snarky comment, smirk, moment alone is just building viewers up to gasp at the Armand turned Daniel reveal. He interacts with Daniel SO MUCH in the show, even when he was playing Rashid. That shouldn’t be overlooked.

So funny story, I know people in my life (and others I’ve seen online) who have no clue about Devil’s Minion and aren’t on socials for the show. They’ve specifically pointed out the “weird vibes” between Daniel and Armand aka the flirty vibes. It’s funny that they don’t even realize this is a thing in the books.

And the moments between them in Dubai are always so… odd. The prayer scene and 2x3 one-on-one interview? I’m not saying they were flirting, but these were the moments people were seeing and going “huh” about. A lot goes on with just the eyes. Remember Eric’s comment about the eye acting going on in S2?

“We do a lot of looking at each other," he said of Daniel and Armand. "I do a lot of listening to Jacob, but we do a lot of looking, checking out each other as this relationship continues to go through quite a lot of changes in all the episodes."

I think this does say a lot. Armand’s eyes say so much. The small laughs during their moments together. SF Daniel could never make Armand smile like that. They’re asking us to use context clues- Armand can’t help but be drawn to Daniel.

And opening himself up to Daniel in 2x03, however embellished it may have been. He didn’t exactly portray himself in the best light. In 2x04 he tells his story in the museum. This is the same guy who asked Louis not to do the interview, tortured Daniel over the first one in SF, hid from Daniel in S1. And now he’s telling him about his abuse. It wasn’t necessary to the story, but he let Daniel know KNOWING Daniel’s history using someone’s past against them. There’s something there, something important.

The writing is never that black and grey, to me. I trust that it’s not going to be brushed off because, frankly, Eric is Rolin’s favorite. Like, his DREAM casting. He’s gonna put his whole foot into the writing (as the show has already done!). Eric’s enthusiasm for his character and future with Armand should be exciting for them. They can’t outright say things because a lot has changed in their dynamic and less is known to us about our Daniel’s future. Talking about plot lines for his future relationship seems like an irrelevant question from the press to the writers. It’s like asking where Claudia is in the present when season 2 hadn’t even aired- we’d get there eventually!

So with Daniel not dropping the subject, I’m talking about him being a journalist.

“'... Interviewed a fallen Catholic archbishop, four Enron vice presidents and if they've got something to hide they always start with some kind of disguise.'”

He’s good at his job- maybe not the wives and kids business, but his job? He nails it. He did that with and for Louis with the S2 finale reveal. Daniel doesn’t give off the vibe that he’d just sit back and shrug that his maker walked out on him. It’s not even about the hatred and spite, but about the why. We don’t know why, I don’t think he does, either. I definitely don’t think Louis does! No one knows what’s running through that thick skull of Armand’s. And with Armand’s backstory with Marius coming to the forefront at some point in the season, he’s getting puzzle pieces to the person Armand is. What does he do with them? He finishes the puzzle.

Again, I don’t think Daniel needs the guidance anymore. Daniel hasn’t needed guidance in years- he figures it out. Armand’s a fascinating subject but it’s gonna become more personal than that. It’s gonna be personal for him. This is his life now, that’s his maker. He can’t separate himself from his subject now. It’s going to come to a head when Marius is revealed to be alive, that’s my working theory. Oh, another lie from Armand? No… not a lie. Not at all. Armand’s been lied to and doesn’t even realize it. I’d love to see Daniel approach Armand with a white flag waved. Maybe he hates his maker, but Marius? He lied to his fledgling for damn near 500 years. Maybe he can almost forgive the crazy for a second to TELL HIM.

I genuinely think the “all interactions are DM” comment is bullshit. Like that man was SO tired of Devil’s Minion comments while beginning press for the TVL season. He’s had to hear it for years now. I don’t think they’re surprised at all that DM is popular, but Rolin takes me as the person to wear his feelings on his sleeve. Any comments he’s made are very “STOP ASKING ME. Here, have this or whatever.” I think when the DM questions become relevant, he’d happily answer.

Sorry if my comments are all over the place but thanks again for your ask!

[foreignswaggersession]

Thank you for your IWTV posts and clearing up misconceptions. Tbh I wouldn't be so annoyed if people weren't constantly determined to do as many bad faith readings as possible when it came to Louis and Armand's relationship. Like of course it was a very flawed and very complicated relationship, we know this! But it's so obvious when a fan is making a post about how it was "completely loveless and devoid of sexual intimacy" solely so their own otp could look better. So many examples that others have already pointed out, including that one take about Louis disliking the first TVD performance, so this means that he hates theater in general and prefers Lestat over Armand (excuse me, what?)

Also more than one person trying to say how loumand had more PDA and not just for Daniel in the Dubai interview. But that this meant "every affectionate gesture between them to ever happen including Paris was just for performance" and was not truly genuine compared to what was with Lestat? Um no shit, Louis and Lestat had more of their love scenes behind closed doors. But also consider the context with how things were in NOLA and Louis having to pose as another person (brother, business partner, etc) because of rumors surrounding him and his lover. How due to racial discrimination he couldn't even get into an opera house without playing Lestat's servant. Then skip forward to the 1940s when he believed he can actually be comfortable doing this openly "Paris was a formative sexual liberation", with him having those casual relationships with other men while cruising. To kissing and being affectionate with Armand in public and not give a damn who is watching or if he's being heckled for it. This isn't even trying to reduce Louis' previous relationships either or say they're less important, more that Louis' comfort with how he expressed his own sexuality and romantic gestures developed over time.

As for Dreamstat... guys he's an extension of Louis' inner thoughts (a complex mixture of emotions before Louis was ready to enter a new relationship), but he wasn't present during loumand sex scenes either... and Louis certainly wasn't having sex with Armand just for Dreamstat to watch??

Despite already knowing what's "endgame" some people still can't allow even a single moment of love, attraction and vulnerability between loumand to just exist without twisting it into something else, or making it actually about Lestat or Daniel while propping up their preferred pairing. good lord, I'm tired of this.

🥰thanks anon! i'm not as familiar with tv fandom so maybe i'm not understanding why people are so resistant to acknowledging louis's attraction to armand (even pre-claudia's murder) when they were together in canon. like in both the show and the book (and not in a future book, devil's minion stans). since when are people not allowed to enjoy different relationships at different times? i think it's silly to ignore or misrepresent whole sections of the plot just to feel like your favorite ship is the more romantic(?) or healthier (😂) ship, i guess? but yeah, recognizing any romance or attraction between louis and armand (especially from louis towards armand) makes some people angry, as though it undermines armand's abuse or any future relationship either party will have.

not much to add to what you said - the majority of fans only care about louis to the extent he cares about lestat, so they focus on dreamstat/lestat scenes in s2 and ignore the many scenes without him. then there are fans that can't let go of their s1 headcanons that conflict with new information from s2 (louis tops sometimes. it's just a fact now. please stop being weird about it.) i also hate the refusal to engage with louis's repeated statements about his changing relationship to his sexuality over time. his sexual preferences are not stuck in 1910, and i don't agree with pathologizing louis topping or having sex with men besides lestat (if you're not into it, just say that, but don't act like there's no evidence for louis enjoying a different sex life in the show).

i'm not a solo shipper and i love thinking about louis so it's not hard for me to imagine louis in multiple relationships (and in various positions 🥵), and lucky for me i get to see that on screen! cause that's what the show is about actually! louis! the titular vampire.

[brsb4hls]

Saw your post about Rolin and the possible disconnect between him and fandom. I think you might be right in some major ways - Rolin saying there will be “season and seasons”and that every interaction between them is DM might not mean what the fandom thinks.

I am interested in seeing an adaptation of the relationship, but I have to say that the latter half and ending of season two frustrated me. Basically because of how impersonal most of Daniel’s and Armand’s interactions were. I don’t mean that as opposed to romantic mind you (didn’t expect anything like that). I just wanted them to have any kind of personal dynamic and/or interaction at some point? The aftermath of s02e05 was really minimal in terms of of psychological fallout between them - sure Daniel’s angry and there’s the martini comment exchange, but otherwise it was all about Armand trying to save the situation with Louis (trying to spin everything relentlessly as AZ said). I just felt that it all was just in service to the bigger plot, at the cost of psychological realism (and character). Of course Daniel’s options were limited as he can’t really do anything to Armand - but expose the truth, but the relative “causal-ness” of s02e06 felt a bit… unrealistic (and convenient). If we’d seen Armand later turning Daniel in a rage as a consequence - him losing it as he lost Louis - him being angry at Daniel, that would have been something! A kind of showcase of an underlying tension - but Rolin skipping it kinda has made me think he just used the DM dynamic as a plot tool to reveal Armand’s lies. Him saying that the mere fact Armand turned him is something is really disappointing. I wouldn’t mind waiting to see it (since I agree IWTV is Louis’ story) but he’s said it’s not happening so… Plot and character moments can be married together in excellent ways, but I just really didn’t feel that was the case here.

I think to call something DM it has to be about Daniel and Armand, it has to be in some way personal. Armand panicking because his lies are being revealed isn’t it, and Daniel’s turning would have been it - but it was literally skipped so there has not really been any DM on screen. Maybe Armand “apologizing” without meaning a word could count, but I dunno. I would say the closest so far is Daniel’s annoyance (and vice versa) of Armand in s02e01 and s02e03. There’s been no real scene or dialogue actually showing these characters being curious or intrigued about on another - even in s02e05 Armand’s questioning of young Daniel is all anger and jealousy over Louis. He’s very quick to kill Daniel and very quick to being okay with letting him live, pretty nonchalant. Sure there is a few moments of them looking at each other which might indicate curiosity but those moments are so small and don’t have any context so I don’t think they even really count as crumbs (since they could mean anything or nothing). Like I was personally really into having them hate each other/be nemeses (plz give me point for proper plural form ;) ) but there was honestly so little. Like I’ve seen people reacting to this show being confused about why Daniel is relatively unfazed after s02e05 and/or asking if Louis and Daniel even told Armand that they remember. Yes, there’s scenes (sushi bar) which reveals more so people looking closely should be able to tell but it does say something about their minimal change of dynamic. If Rolin does dig into this dynamic next season and makes it personal - he has said they will at least have scenes - I’ll be happy, I just can’t help but worry a bit and I feel it’s too generous if fandom takes his words to mean we’ve already seen DM. Am I making any sense? I’m more than happy to be told I’m wrong or worry too much. Thanks for hearing me out! I enjoy reading your takes, as I feel you are quite sensible and avoid filling the gaps by projecting which I feel some other fans (and probably myself) at times do

Thank you for the long ask!

I was actually going back and forth for a while, since fandom can be pretty convincing, but looking back on my first impression when watching season 1 I was pissed they seemed to have cut the dm storyline by aging Daniel up (not that the age itself is a factor, more the 'lost time') and placing the show in recent times.

I think people might be a bit too positive for different reasons:

1) The ship is book canon, it already exists

2) The actors are ship positive

3) Assad does a lot of interesting micro expressions

4) Rolin does talk about it

Now for why that might not be enough:

1) Yes, it's canon, but a small part compared to a large book series

2) I think they are generally fan positive and think that dynamic is fun

3) Assad is clearly invested in that dynamic, he might have added something acting-wise from his own perspective

4) This is the main part, I think Rolin does have a 'red thread' for his show that's as close to the books as a 'modern' adaption allows. He will follow that thread but stray a bit to put in some extras for the fans.

The first two seasons were clearly about Louis, like the first book. Louis relationship to Lestat, to Armand, to Claudia.

With Daniel as a catalyst or plot device, like you said.

Third season will focus on Lestat.

Armand and Daniel will of course still be there, but not the main focus.

And I feel like Rolin treated dm more like an easter egg. Like Niki. Niki gets a tiny bit of screen time and the cut off hands are mentioned by Louis (unrelated to Niki) and part of the stage play graphics. Easter eggs for the fans.

If Rolin does the Lestat story with flashbacks (which he will, how else would you introduce Gabrielle f.e.) Niki might or might not get revisited.

Devil's minion got the easter egg treatment in the San Francisco bottle episode. There was past interaction, and an intense one, just not erotic or romantic.

Plus a blender mention. And from Rolin's perspective that might be enough.

Like, if he planned on filming as much of the books as possible, dm is not that prominent in the grant scheme of things.

It is prominent to fans of course, (like other characters that haven't even appeared yet are fan faves)

I personally was so taken in by that one chapter back in the day it easily became my favourite ship (and Armand my fave character).

But I think if we where to do statistics the majority of Vampire Chronicle fans are in it for Lestat (and Loustat as background otp, plus other Lestat relationships) or started out as Louis fans or simply fans of vampire horror drama.

And Rolin is trying to give those fans exactly what they want and now gets constantly asked about something that wasn't even exactly on his radar. That must be quite annoying.

And he does sound annoyed altho he's still answering playfully.

And I do agree with you about Daniel's and Armand's interactions. If we leave out Assad's possible extra acting choices there is mostly a competetive dynamic between them, where Armand is somewhat fond of Daniel from his own superior position, but also a bit condescending. And Daniel just wants to one up him.

Also yes, the missing fall out from 2x5. 'You tried to drain me, pal' especially the 'pal' that's such an understatement in regards to the whole situation. 6 days of physical and psychological torture and Armand just going 'well you also did drugs, same thing basically'.

So yes, while I do love to clown and enjoy all the dm posts and the cast being so positive about it, I don't think much was planned.

It might change due to popularity, depending on wether Rolin isn't too annoyed and how it fits the script.

They could also still do a reverse chase in the background without a 'romantic' plot simply with Armand going completely off the rails and Daniel still wanting to confront him about his turning.

I do hope for the classic enemies to whatever they have trope of course, but it doesn't have to happen. If every interaction between them is dm-coded already to Rolin he might simply go with a tense fledgling/maker thing.

Well, I cross my fingers, but if I'm staying realistic I don't get disappointed too much. ;)

And I gotta say, Rockstar Lestat looks fun af.

So that's at least something to look forward to.

And we'll always have Daniel being Armand's only fledgling! (Plus a ton of fan works, and that's always a comfort. But hey, maybe we do get a positive surprise.)

[sharonccrter]

Do you think there’s still a way they can fully redeem Lestat’s character for those viewers that don’t get past 1x05? I’ve never read the books so it kinda annoyed me that they would add a scene like this and potentially ruin the future of the character without it even being canon. I felt there was a chance they could have retconned it as a memory manipulation or something (I was fully expecting the memory to be a mesh of what Armand did to Lestat in the books (presumably??)) but that’s not gonna happen now.

Tbh it doesn’t bother me personally, I loved the apology scene and that it was clearly shown as something inexcusable and Lestat himself acknowledges it, but im not sure if it’s enough.

Another thing that I think the writers were trying to portray but some people aren’t really seeing is that Louis is a bit of a hypocrite. He attacks Lestat pretty brutally for putting hands on Claudia, but he himself does it later in the show. And then he excuses Armand for threatening Claudia and also doing the exact same thing?? But a lot of the audience won’t see those things as wrong because of how graphic and horrible that drop scene was in comparison (Which it totally was, it’s just that the writers don’t seem to see that they’re not comparable?).

On the other hand, I like Lestat being a complex character. There’s a lot they can do in s3 with his back story (I. e. Cycles of abuse with his father and maker that they hinted at). But I feel like there’s a big portion of the audience that won’t be accepting of it.

Basically I feel like the writers are a bit out of touch with their audience and how they’re writing is perceived, which is worrisome going forward😬

Sigh. This turned into a a word vomit and I apologize lmao but I was curious on your take

Eh, some people will never get over it, and that's their loss; in my opinion, they haven't ruined anything about Lestat's character. Yes, the scene was not in the book, but I understand why they did it, even if I'm not in love with the idea. It was for shock value but also to give Lestat more of an 'arc'.

I think it comes down to the fact that none of the characters are good people, Lestat has always been a deeply morally grey character who's done fucked up things, but he's such a compelling and exciting character that Anne Rice literally made him the main character and wrote 14 books from his POV.

She never claimed he was a good person, but he is a good character to write and read about. And yes, while I don't excuse Lestat's actions towards Louis. I do agree it's hypocritical for fans to say, "Louis was justified to act violently to Lestat because he laid hands on Claudia," when Louis has also laid hands on Claudia himself. Not to mention, Louis sat back and let Armand treat Claudia badly, and when she called him out, he had the audacity to say, "That doesn't sound like him."

Louis has always centred himself as the victim of the story. He even admits in episode 2x07 that he made himself more passive in the telling of how Claudia was made. Because he wasn't ready to face the bad shit he's done, and that's Louis's whole freaking character. I have to be honest here, Anon. I hated Louis in book 1; I do love him in the show because Jacob Anderson has done a fantastic job, but sometimes I just meh about the character.

If Lestat has a lot to atone for, and he does, he's not a good person, then Louis has a lot to atone for, too. I mean, hell, I even love Armand, the messy bitch that he is, because they're all bad people; that's literally point. And Yes, some people may not be able to get past 1x05, and hey, I do think there is still more to the story since Sam and the writers hinted at it being revisited in S3; but that's their problem.

I don't think the writers are out of touch; I think media literacy is dead, and people just don't know how to have fucking fun anymore. They also clearly don't understand what gothic horror is. But honestly, anon, I'm reaching the point where I don't care. They can either get on board or get off the train.

Also never apologise for sending long anons, happy to chat as long as you like :)

[crazykuroneko]

IWTV S2E01 First Watch Note

The notes I took while watching in case anyone is interested. Under the cut.

Anyway, I'm grateful they have improved the Episode Insider and now it's really something worth watching

• It's still a recap but the score slays already. Omg Daniel Hart you deserve all the awards

• I love how it says episode 8 and the silhouette of war torn Europe.

• On Claudia dreaming: Present Louis holding onto Claudia's diaries to provide a fact in the past

• Delainey is insane. Just from being silent, we could feel how torn Claudia is

• Interesting they gave ep 1 to a new director to set the tone

• So before this interview happened, when Louis still believed he killed Lestat in NOLA, he got to read this edited diaries and didn't understand what Claudia wrote? I mean, imagine reading the bitterness in her words yet you didn't know where they came from. The break down in Ep 7 triggers more memories for him to remember

• I think Daniel is similar to Lestat in a way. The more he's afraid of Armand the more crass he is. That Shah Rukh Khan comment, boy stfu

• It's insane how Louis posed dead Lestat like Jesus. 

• Okay, I'm gonna "translating" DreamStat lines like I did with dead Abigail Hobbs

• The way Dreamstat shows Louis still misses Lestat and starts to ponder if Claudia worth it. The resentment building.

• OH THE LOUSTAT LEITMOTIF AFTER LOUIS SAID SORRY TO DREAMSTAT. slower version of In Throes in Increasing Wonder

• The lines Dreamstat did are so loaded with meanings. Louis' guilt for killing Lestat; his fear that he will come for revenge; his fear that once he's finally in better place, everything will crumble again; and his longing for him just from how intimately they're talking

• Oh, Louis is obsessed to get everything right. That will gradually eat his mental stability 

• Photo of Grace as his wife. Louis you're so funny

• Real Rashid deserves a hell of bonus and a promotion istg

• I don't understand Russian etc, but the use of foreign language and accented English has been smooth so far. A world better than whatever the fuck Mayfair Witches did. And they only had to cover one language.

• "In a landfill and five years of garbage on top." Louis, garbage wouldn't stop him 😭. I wonder where Lestat has been for 5 years tho. Recovering with that many rats are easy. Okay, let's say 3/6 months on rats. Once he gets up, he could kill the first person coming to a landfill. Then it will be smooth sailing. One year tops to recover. Two years, if you'd think he's depressed over Louis killing him idk. 

• The emotion in Claudia's eyes 😭

• "Change the subject when the truth blinds you" Oh, she got him.

• That insane monologue Jacob does. Louis starting to remember which is true which is not (he re-remembers the fall, mind you). 

• So because the blood is bad, vampires there can't get warmer and feel their sadness and sickness as well. And when they want to turn someone, it's either fail or they turn into a revenant. At least according to Louis.

• Oh, Daciana can taste how strong their blood is. How long they can live. 

• I wonder what went through Claudia's head, seeing Daciana emulated herself. She (deservedly, after all his lies) didn't believe Lestat when he said his maker burnt himself. Ofc it didn't make any sense to her ears at that time, burning yourself after you turned someone. But now she witnessed it herself. Someone who could have told her everything, killing themselves after feeling lost and untethered (Daciana lost all of her fledlings)

• "My name is in some of those pages" Louis isn't even listening to his fear. He's deadset on this. And Armand is anxious.

• The face Armand made. Does Louis know he has men around his pinky just for a drop of his affection?

• Louis agreed with Armand to basically shut Daniel up and turn him into a fumble journalist again when he still wants the truth is interesting 

• Is that the groan? It's louder now.

• Daniel's reaction when seeing Loumand walking in together is so funny 🤣

• Wait, Session 7 is Ep 7. There are two sessions in this episode and it's Season 10 now. so, what happened in Season 8?

• The way Lestat is there during the You and Me lines, but it's not really Lestat. It's the embodiment of Louis' doubt on this new life he chose together. The way Claudia sitting there so small; Lestat lovingly softly gazing at her. Oh, Louis so wants to believe his words himself.

• Louis arrives in Paris with desperation to prove that this life is worth it; that killing Lestat was worth it; that he'll get that happiness. Even though he's afraid Lestat will come or it will crumble the moment he reaches it. Oh, Louis.

[pynkhues]

Gotta ramble a bit. The new trend of Louis 'the rockstar girlfriend' really starts to irk me. Mostly it's all fun and jokes but a lot of people really think this as a fact. And imo it's such an OOC concept. He's more of a "wealthy patron" kind of a guy, the record label owner etc.

He will NOT be standing in the middle of a sweaty screaming crowd, he will be in a private booth. he will NOT dress in low rise pants and slutty tank tops while waiting to sit on Lestat's lap, it's the other way around.

Am I missing something? Feels like yet another version of Louis the housewife and Lestat the patriarch but with 70s music scene terminology.

Yeah, I mean, we literally ended s2 on the note that Louis just wants to be left alone with the exception of mind calls with Daniel and the metaphorical door he's left open ajar for Lestat, I can't imagine he's going to want to be in a crowd of sweaty, fawning humans and pissed off baby vampires watching Lestat try to peacock his way out of a nervous breakdown, haha.

That's not to say I don't think he'll be around for the tour, I do, but like you said, I think it'll be in pretty specific contexts (and honestly, I don't even think they'll be back together until the end of the season, even if they do hook up).

I do think the fandom has problems with flattening Louis' character or cherry picking what they want to take from him, and of course, it's also indicative of that broader issue with same-sex ships where characters get forced into very constraining gender roles which can come across both as deeply sexist and homophobic, but I also think there's probably something to be said about mmm, a show that suddenly attracts a demographic of young fans? This is going to sound super weird probably, but I kinda put it a bit in the same category of people who think Lestat would like Taylor Swift's music - like, hoping not to rattle the cage with this one, but this man is a) 300 years old and b) bullied and murdered a tenor for being a bit pitchy lmao, I feel like there are better odds of Louis respecting her business acumen than either of them being a stan.

This isn't meant to be shade to younger fans (or Swift!) at all, of course, fandom space is for everyone and I've been that fan at points in my life, but, y'know, you bring your lived experience and ideas and fantasies to these sorts of spaces too, and I think that applies to how you might interpret or want to think / write about a character. To me, that idea of being that sort of rockstar girlfriend doesn't align with my interpretation of his character, nor with what I personally enjoy about him, but y'know, if people are having fun and being respectful, good for them. But yes, I agree that it's not my bag.

[foxes-that-run]

Walking in the wind

Harry Styles has a gift for answering a question and not answering it at all at once. In the Made in the A.M track by track he said WITW was inspired by Paul Simon’s song Graceland.

I love how Harry's solo work draws modern inspiration from his diverse music tastes and he encourages his fans to broaden their tastes. Hindsight being 20/20 you can see where he went with his debut in that short video and this song.

When Simon wrote Graceland he and Carrie Fisher were divorcing and his relationship with Art Garfunkel was bitter. Simon said Graceland was a metaphor for the journey to mend a broken heart. Much like 2015 Harry who had broken up with Taylor and was on tour as One Direction ended. Simon also went to Africa to make this album, much like Harry went to South America for debut.

Timeline

Made on the AM was written in Japan in February 2015. Harry talked being able to just write 'good songs' because it wouldn’t be toured which made space for a song like this. WITW was probably written between February and May 2015. Harry and Taylor had been close at the end of 2014, it was over on or by his 21st birthday 2 February 2015. His smile when he saw her at the start (0:29) of BBMAs showed no animosity, but it’s unlikely WITW was written after the BBMAs in May (Woman). He also started looking even sadder live then.

To rolling stone Julian Bunetta said:

“That title was born in Japan. Just the title of it and the idea of it. Everyone’s different experiences of what they’re going through, whether it’s this or that, I’d like to think that these songs can apply to more than just [one instance].”

Lyrics

[Verse 1: Harry] A week ago, you said to me "Do you believe I'll never be too far?" If you're lost, just look for me You'll find me in the region of the summer stars The fact that we can sit right here and say goodbye Means we've already won A necessity for apologies between you and me Baby, there is none

The relaxed and happy tone depicts their romantic friendship that continues. I think they genuinely cared for each other, are nice people who both prioritised their careers. To me, “the fact we can say goodbye means we’ve already won” shows that mutual respect for each other.

To me “Do you believe I’ll never be too far” is agreeing to be apart while they focus on being massively famous and together in the future.

In the context of their later work about being end game, the 1, sushi is about having only a piece of your persons life, in as it was and golden he sings about it being time or feel her taking over.

Harry does not have anyone that would never be too far in a literal sense, and although at that time he was always with 1D they have spoken in interviews that year of that not being good.

[Pre-Chorus: Niall] Ah-ooh, we had some good times, didn't we? Ah-ooh, we had some good tricks up our sleeve Ah-ooh, goodbyes are bittersweet But it's not the end, I'll see your face again

Taylor has a similar lyric in The 1 “But we were something, don't you think so? / Roaring 20s, / tossing pennies in the pool / And if my wishes came true / It would've been you” this is about appreciating the relationship.

[Chorus: All] And you will find me Yeah, you will find me In places that we've never been For reasons we don't understand Walking in the wind Walking in the wind

Where their earlier work on Red and other 1D albums sung about always wanting to be together and coping in their career by Made in the AM and Reputation onwards they started singing about being connected but apart, on faith they’d come back together.

[Verse 2: Louis] Yesterday, I went out To celebrate the birthday of a friend But as we raised our glasses up to make a toast I realised you were missing

This may be referring to Lily Aldridge’s birthday where they both were. Harry’s 21st birthday was 2 weeks later but Lily and Taylor were in Nashville. In Hunger he sang about making her cry on his birthday, if it was for Debut the 1 year to 2 timeframe line up for that. (Hunger also sings of “your stuff” as in music, doesn’t taste the same, as in Two Ghosts)

Later on 27 February he posted the overgrown winding wheel and she started dating CH.

[Bridge: Harry] And I know we'll be alright, child Just close your eyes and see I'll be by your side Any time you're needing me Oh, yeah

The bridge is similar to Fine Line, which also ends on “we’ll be alright” in Fine line he’s reflecting on being friends with someone he’s in love with. Here he is asking his muse to have faith that although they are not together he’s there for her. Also Sign of the Times "Just stop your crying / It'll be alright"

I just wanna love you leak

In September 2023 a leaked song, I just wanna love you referenced WITW with “A week ago you said to me: "We've started running out of time" / Crying over memories that we lost and cannot be found / Why don't we stop talking now? / (I just wanna love you)” which to me, in the sound and this lyric is the sequel to WITW, he’s saying it’s time. It also refers to Late night talking, and The 1 and Question…? Where they explore friendship with someone they love, in WITW they seem to agree to leave a live unresolved, on Harry’s House and Midnights they are contemplating that unresolved love.

[ca-suffit]

sorry how long this is, but this fandom is pissing me off so much and I need to rant a little before I explode lol.

-- madeleine (nonchalantly) says of sleeping with a literal nazi, "I was inviting a frightened boy to cradle my tits," and then when louis turns her we see this as a pleasant memory, and I'm supposed to believe someone who could take pity on a nazi (even if he "wasn't dedicated to the cause") and remember him fondly isn't going to be racist? so I'm the weird one for finding claudeine to be a gross ship and being exasperated by seeing edits of them flood my dash? and every time I talk about this on ANY platform, I mostly get ignored and the few people who do interact w my posts are denying it and saying she had to do it to survive, as if she didn't also literally say she grew up rich like 30 seconds prior.

-- a decent chunk of the anti lestat crowd insists he participated in the trial as an act of revenge and can't say his name w/o talking about how they hate him (bc his racism + abuse), and these are the same people going apeshit over ben daniels saying that santiago was gay and in love with armand, as if he isn't one of the most antiblack characters we've met on the show bc he was quite literally eager to put on the trial solely bc he hated louis for falling asleep during one of his performances. and don't get me started on his monologue about claudia's ashes. and yet ppl are excitedly eating ben's interview up. 🙄

-- the narrative literally showing us that lestat has changed since the attempted murder (going off script on the trial in defense of louis & claudia, taking accountability for his abuse, staying silent about the fact that he was the one to save louis & letting him leave w armand when we know how terrifying being alone is for lestat, spending decades living in that shack and eating rats to punish himself vs the hedonistic & decadent lifestyle we saw him living in s1) and the anti lestat crowd claiming this is just him being manipulative and are furious that the writers had louis forgive him. like normally I agree that it's in very poor taste to paint an abuser as sympathetic, but the thing about this show is that these characters are immortal and have all the time in the world to change. like this isn't the writers sweeping it under the rug, they're explicitly acknowledging how horrific lestat's behavior was and there are literally canon glimpses showing us that lestat has become a better person (and I'm sure this will be fleshed out more next season as we'll get his pov) and, like, isn't it a good thing to see an abusive character realize the error of their ways and alter their behavior and become better????? like it's fair to not want to see that, but this is the wrong show to be watching if you can't handle seeing abusers change their ways & being forgiven by the people they've hurt (especially since it's pretty much confirmed armand/daniel is going to happen at some point and given I'm sure they'll be circling around each other, I feel confident that louis will eventually forgive armand too)

ur fine, u can rant! I have a lot in my inbox but I try to get to it all eventually in whatever way.

idk how much u wanted me to comment on anything or not, but I'm gonna add comments and u do whatever u want with it.

a) ur never going to have an easy time criticizing a white woman in fandom. it reflects too much of what fandom is usually made up of and ppl will usually tell u it's misogyny to judge these characters if u ever try (most of the time it's not, but that's a convenient excuse to shut down convos).

the show intentionally makes everyone do p questionable shit, especially the white characters. it doesn't tell u how to feel about it, that's up to u. that makes ppl uncomfortable. it goes further too when it is someone like madeleine, who is otherwise seen in positive ways. it's reflective of real life and that's what scares ppl the most. nobody ever fits in a box of only "good" or "bad." a lot of what the book for IWTV asks too is what defines that anyways? and S1 also said "are we the sum of our worst moments?" so it is constantly asking u that and it is for u to decide and reflect on.

b) white, gay stuff is also gonna be popular in fandoms. ben daniels is also gay irl and his husband just died so there's crossover from that to praising his character bcuz ppl feel sympathy for him. I also think ppl detach more from his actions bcuz he's not romantically linked to the characters he's torturing. ppl also just honestly dgaf about antiblackness anyways so for most ppl it's easy to overlook. which is how we get posts like this.

I mean, u can also like whatever characters u like for any reason. some ppl like characters not bcuz they support what they do, but bcuz they're just enjoyable to watch in performance or connection to the plot or whatever. I think examining santiago after what ben said about his performance is something ppl should be able to do, and again it circles back to the stuff I wrote for madeleine. where does ur (general u) discomfort lie and why? as u said, if it's ppl who dislike lestat then it's worth looking at that too, why are the characters different then?

c) there's sort of 2 things happening for this part. the first is that 2x8 did have pacing issues, for whatever reasons. a lot of ppl felt like it flattened the plot and characters for the sake of making lestat look the best (over armand) and rly shoving it in out of nowhere. the second part is what u said about the themes. I've always figured they were going to explore forgiveness and personal growth, but I also know it isn't going to be easy for ppl to follow. hopefully the full seasons coming do a better job of this but for 2x8 there were a lot of reasons ppl felt crazy about the way it was shown to us. I also agree that other characters will have these journeys with each other too. it was just such a sharp turn for S2 to end on highlighting the white character we've otherwise seen as being p horrible and suddenly saying "it's the brown character who rly did the worst!" I don't think they intended to come across like that but it's how it landed for a lot of ppl. it doesn't mean ppl have an issue with the concept of forgiveness and stuff otherwise. we'll have to see how it goes. but ya there's 2 things going on there for this rn.

[alarrytale]

Hello Marte! I´m sure you saw or at least read what SC said about not owning 1D name and regreting it and I´m suprised it´s not talked about at your blog as well. I can guess all opinions about this from literally every larrie blog are basically the same so I guess you share the same - we know SC is evil and he would put boys through much bigger hell if he´d own the band´s name. Anyway what I wanted to share is that since that interview I got a feeling that if there will be a 1D reunion, it will be when SC will be gone for good like you know what I mean. Because boys will make sure they won´t make any more money to him with their reunion and so when the reunion will happen it will be because they want to not because they have to. So I guess this will happen in like 20 years according to SC´s age. And second thing is that I have a bad feeling from the way SC once again prooved he´s in fact an evil person and took not only boys but also other artists just like a product, there are a lot of secrets and traumas that will come out when he will be gone. So I just got into thinking there will be a document about him and it will be something as shocking as that one about M.J*ckson few years ago. No idea how much the music industry will change in like 20-25 years so not sure how much expose will be allowed but when talking about SC at least Louis and Liam (aka those two have the most trauma inside imo and with Louis is even worse because of his closet and bbg) will surely tell everything if they will be allowed by that time. You know, I just have a feeling we no way know anything actually what SC had done and it will be revealed after he´ll be gone.

So Simon Cowell can’t use the band’s name, create anything with their likeness, & can’t tour if all of them don’t agree, but we larries still think Harry & Louis are under a contract with Simon that are forcing them in the closet? I'm confused now

Hi, anons!

Sorry, i've been a bit busy and i can't keep up with all my asks.

Yes, we all agree that SC is evil and that he's done despicable things to a bunch of his acts in the name of making money. What i'm not so sure about is why he said what he said.

We know SC went on that podcast (or whatever it was) to get promo for his new boyband show, and he got the promo he wanted because of the provoking statement he made. So it must have been calculated and intentional. I also wonder if he admitted to having regrets and wanting something he can't have, because he knows he's got the last laugh, because Sony (his parent company when he ran Syco), owns and controls their images. SC also makes it appear like 1D is the one with the power, and that they're now free of SC. Which they are, because SC was just a middleman between 1D and Sony, but they are not free from the contracts SC made them sign. Not at all.

I'm also not entirely sure that we can trust SC's words and that everything he says is true. I think people in this fandom jump to conclusion a bit too fast, because he said something they want to hear, instead of asking themselves why he said what he did and how that's serving SC himself. SC also said that he doesn’t think there will be a 1D reunion. If 1D still got deliverables to Sony (a greatest hits album was reported on as part of their contract, and that isn't fulfilled yet), then they might be able to force them back together at some point (when they can't squeeze more out of H...). If 1D owns the One Direction name and use, that isn't of much help when Syco (and Sony) controls the images of it's band members.

We also know from contracts and from tabloid reports that anyone under a Cowe*l contract aren't allowed to speak ill of him or put him in a bad light. He can also use people contracted to him to defend himself from critisism (i think that was reported on in a tabloid one time). Eta. found it.

The contract has hundreds of clauses, one of which states it to be enforceable anywhere “in the world and solar system”.

Clause 32.4 says artists must not make any statement which “may be considered unduly negative, critical or derogatory of the Company – including its personnel and, in particular, Simon Cowell”.

So when Helene Horlyck is out there singing SC's praises, remember she was under contract on txf at the time...

[atruththatyoudeny]

Happy 28th! A warm and heartfelt thank you goes out to @pocketsunshineharry​ for being our omegaverse-queen and for always finding new (and old) fics to recommend ♥ Authors, you deserve all the love! Always.  ♥♥♥

Down the Line | sunflouwerhabit | [280k] “I hate all of you.” Louis’ cheeks flush. “You better watch yourself or Wootton is gonna release an article claiming all of our woes are a direct result of a serious Mario Kart addiction. He’s already got an insider ready to tell him Niall prances around the clubhouse pretending to be Yoshi.” Some of the boys chuckle, but Louis’ heart nearly stops when a honk sounds from second base. Everyone turns in that direction and Harry fucking Styles slaps a hand over his own mouth, as if trying to muffle the fact that he’s a motherfucking Siren. Louis stares. He wasn’t… it really wasn’t that funny? He couldn’t possibly be laughing at Louis, right? He… What? “Sorry,” Styles gasps. His shoulders shake as those dimples, which have had blogs and articles and entire columns dedicated to them, bloom. “Sorry…" Louis hates him. Louis hates him. Louis hates him. ~~~ OR: Star shortstop Louis Tomlinson only finds solace between the white-chalk lines of a baseball diamond, until Harry Styles- the absolute bane of his existence and (probably) the worst pitcher in Major League Baseball- becomes an overnight sensation in the city Louis calls home.

Teach me how to love | perfectdagger (sincerelyste) | [70k] Louis can’t believe he’s third wheeling, again, so he scans the bar trying to find something better to do. And as he does, he recognizes a face. That face looks angry, almost fuming and Louis takes a gulp from his beer and looks to the other side, pretending he didn’t even see the bloke, pretending he has no clue who that person coming over his way is. “You’ve told everyone and their mother that I’m a bad fucker?!” That’s how Harry greets him. Smooth. Not really. The one in which Harry is bad at sex and Louis spreads it all over town and to make up for it, decides to help him with no agenda of getting anything from it, but in the end, he ends up getting more than he bargained for.

just tell me you love me (that's all i need to hear) | finelinelarents | [21k] Harry has always been insecure about her the lack of experience surrounding her love life and is not helped by the fact her best friend - Louis, can get anyone she wants, just with the bat of an eye. She's everything Harry wants to be, confident, charming and incredibly gorgeous. When Louis decides to help set Harry up with someone in an attempt to make Harry feel better about herself, it doesn't go particularly well. On the verge of giving up and thinking she's destined to die alone, Harry finally finds a man who is interested in her. He's the man of her dreams with his big muscles and suave demeanour, Harry can't believe her luck. The only problem is that Louis doesn't agree. OR The one where they just can't get it right, until they do.

The Luna of Which Pack? | reader_chic_2 | [72k] “This is cute, Lou. Really loving this faux innocent look going on. But if you ever want to get back to your beloved Simon, you better start talking. I may be kind to my family, but you, darling, are not family.” Internally, Harry began patting himself on the back. He praised himself for not only besting the cunning, snarky omega, but also maximizing on this potentially negative opportunity that arose. Then, Louis chirped up with a slick grin. “Perfect. I’ll shut up. Can I sleep in your bed again? It’s really comfy. Reeks of lonely ruts, though. You should really change your sheets more often, you know.” . . . When Harry's wolves accidentally kidnap the intended Luna of Simon Cowell's pack, he must decide what to do with the irritating omega Louis Tomlinson that does not want to return home. With the elders disagreeing with the young, new pack alpha Styles, a war erupts due to his opposed decisions. And Louis finds himself right in the middle of it.

Unleashing Adoration | hazzahtomlinson | [6k] Harry needs a new job. Louis’ schedule has gotten a bit busy lately, so he trusts that Niall will find someone who can take care of his dog, Clifford, a few days a week. Somehow, Harry gets the job; and maybe a little more than he bargained for.

Halfway Home | Itsmotivatingcara | [103k] Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson were improbable childhood friends, much to Harry's dismay. They were thrown together each summer when Harry was forced to visit Louis' grandfathers' ranch in Black Hills, South Dakota. With each passing year their friendship blossomed into something more. When trail rides turned to stolen kisses, and tragedies turned to confessions, until they could no longer deny the inevitable draw they felt for one another. Though life and their future plans soon set them on different paths. Ten years later, Louis is the proud owner of Halfway Home Wildlife Refuge. Harry returns to the ranch to escape the perils of his past in London, and though their memories still haunt Louis, he won't let that deter him from his goals. However, someone has been keeping a close eye on the refuge, and possibly Louis specifically, and Harry's return may have unleashed more that just old passions. There's a hunter lurking in the Hills, someone who's decided they've bided their time long enough.

Invisible String | BoosBabycakes | [85k] Louis swears on his life that that man came out of literal nowhere and he thanks each lucky star for having good breaks in his car. This strange alpha also happens to be the most beautiful being Louis has laid his eyes on. For some unknown reason, the omega feels safe around the alpha. It might seem strange, but you can't always explain why or how things are the way they are. All you can really be sure of is that they happen for a reason. There's a higher power (call it what you want) that knows better and definitely knows more than you do.

now i think that i could love you back | maroonmoonlouis | [42k] “I do not care if she banishes me to my chambers for a month or the rest of the year, you two must see reason,” Louis protests, feeling a minor fit coming on. “He is nothing but an insufferable, cocky, cloddish, pitiful excuse for an Alpha, and he deserves to live the rest of his days in solitary, not me.” “My, my, what an array of abuse. I surely would loath to be this inadequate excuse of an Alpha you speak of, but alas I cannot relate to possessing such deficiency,” a honey-glazed voice drips out from behind Louis, and the omega can feel the steam pouring over, ready to burst out of his already flushed ears. - Or, the one where Omega Prince Louis is thrown a Courting Ceremony. A weekend full of competition ensues for his hand in marriage. As if he’s not already stressed about choosing his future Mate in three days, it’s just his luck that his enemy, Alpha Prince Harry has decided to partake as well.

You sunshine, you temptress | Darling28 | [88k] A story about a forbidden love & secrets that come to light. ❀ ❀ ❀ Eyes as green as the forest And eyes as blue as the lake When they met a love began Stronger than the tide And wilder than a river Fearless Despite the ban Fairy and wolf Together one

I like the way you say my name (when you soak it in grace) | louisismycat (tiflamomet) | [66k] “It’s like I’m fucking orbiting around you, you know? Like you’re some huge, beautiful planet, and I’m a piece of space junk lucky enough to be pulled in by you somehow, and now I can’t leave, even if I wanted to. And I really fucking don’t want to leave.” OR Louis is transferred to a new city to temporarily cover for his counterpart while he is on maternity leave for the next six months. His new co-workers talk endlessly about Harry, the omega who he’s covering for. And Louis finds himself jealous of whatever alpha as snatched him up. Until he learns Harry is actually an unmated omega three months out from becoming a single parent.