#i wanted to be what daniel was to armand and what armand was to daniel

[yesimwriting]

On a rewatch of iwtv (of course) and in episode 4 of season 1 we see a bit of Daniel’s laptop notes, I wonder what his notes on bestie would be like:

Bestie

How is she affording Ubers here all the time and in the middle of the night? Private cars? Private walksss????

where are her other friends and are they normal? I hope they are normal

Can’t be seated next to Louis - too easy of a distraction

Laughs like Lucille Ball

“Like that time at The Stonewall Inn when we…” when we what - Louis doesn’t want me to know?? Or Armand??

Knows how to push buttons (almost endearingly, but I’m getting worried)

These notes are so endearing omg "laughs like Lucille Ball" is so sentimental to me 😭

Daniel spends five minutes alone with bestie and becomes the embodiment of the tiktok sound that goes 'Why are you with this middle aged weirdo? Does he have a lot of money?'

Anyway here are some bestie-centered notes on Daniel's laptop:

----

As unaware of the lengths that people will go to for her as Daisy Buchanan.

Capable of delivering insults in a way that keeps her from ever seeming like the problem.

Has asked about my health twice in the last three days, and seemed to mean it.

Either doesn't notice how often her vampire 'friends' look at her, or is really good at pretending to be unaware.

Got bored during one of the sessions and stole one of my notebooks to doodle. Drew a weirdly nice picture of me.

Scolded the Vampire Armand for not saying 'bless you' after I sneezed.

Regularly throws me apologetic looks when one of her friends says something she considers impolite.

Doesn't seem to think anything of Armand or Louis holding her hand.

Sighs when Louis recounts going back to Lestat.

Laughed at my telenovela joke.

Armand regularly brings her cut up fruit without being asked to. Is this an arrangement they have? Is she thinking about fruit or is it impulsive on Armand's part??

Wears a diamond on her ring finger every day. When asked about it, she just grinned and said, "Isn't it pretty? Louis got it for me." No further context has been provided.

Considers the Vampire Lestat a "loser". (I'd like to think she wouldn't say--or think--it to his face, but I sincerely doubt it).

Responded to a casual threat by telling Armand that he's not "as invulnerable as he thinks he is" and that she's "not above opening a window during peak daylight hours." Faced no repercussions for doing so.

Has a room to use as an art studio inside the penthouse. I only know this because she occasionally brings out paintings to show me (they're objectively well made)

[30yearsadevilsminion]

I want, or will write, a fic where there's no past Devil's Minion and Armand isn't impressed with older Daniel because he can hear Daniel's typical thoughts about Armand (ie he's really good looking, beautiful, etc.) Armand is used to hearing that, so he dismisses him.

What he doesn't realize until after Daniel remembers San Francisco is just because Daniel appreciates Armand's looks, he's not attracted to him. Until Daniel sees what a bloodthirsty monster he is. Then he's drawn to him, even though he tries to sublimate his sudden, raging horniness attraction with anger and competence.

But when Louis leaves them alone...

[loumandaniel]

Ebogo's bday got me curious. Do you think vampires celebrate their human bday or their turning day. Would Daniel celebrate it? Since you know if there was a part dm and each bday would have been less of a celebration and more of an occasion to fight about a looming mortality.

i’d imagine what they count and celebrate is tied to the parts of their humanity they want to hang onto. louis likely still marked his human birthday, separate from how long he’s been in the blood, to retain some connection to who he was. we know they celebrated claudia’s human birthday (her 17th). i think louis and claudia kept celebrating theirs too. small little moments traveling in europe together as a tether <3 i’d imagine louis stopped wanting the reminder after claudia died - too much ache.

with daniel, birthdays were a countdown to the end. vampirism gave him a new lease on life. he's a fledgling- he loves being a vampire so i imagine he cares more about the turning day (for now).

armand can’t remember his birthday. he only has his turning day.

with past dm, every birthday becomes a landmine: a reminder that daniel’s aging and armand is not. but armand's never felt what a birthday is supposed to be. there's something special about daniel aging. every birthday becomes a countdown. another year of daniel being daniel. armand clinging to it even when daniel pushes. i know the Big Fights would've started on daniel’s 27th birthday - every birthday after is a chasm between them.

[iwtv-theories]

How Iwtv may adapt “the vampire Armand” (theory)

Tw: given Armand’s trauma.

I personally don’t think a whole season will be dedicated to adapt tva. But, I do believe a subplot of his past will be developed over multiple seasons through flashbacks and other writing devices . We already have a new Indian writer hired for the show - who wrote a play about living in a brothel . so we’ll most likely dive more into his past and trauma . it’s also foreshadowed that Armand will eventually tell Daniel his story- similar to how Louis and Lestat did. Armand already told Daniel a (probably not quite accurate) depiction of his past with the children of Satan . And Armand saying to Daniel: “Do you want to hear my story? My first memory…” (could foreshadow he’ll eventually tell Daniel his entire story ).

But, given the nature of Armand’s past I assume a lot of scenes will be portrayed by Assad, and some scenes by a younger looking adult actor, along with darker scenes being verbally stated (similar to Claudia verbally recounting her trauma with Bruce, to Louis). But … I also believe that by the end of Armand’s story a huge “bomb” or several “revelations” will be revealed as Daniel asks “a few follow up questions.” Which indicate Marius is even worse than Armand openly admits or realizes. It would be similar to how Daniel at the end of s2, points out discrepancies in Louis’ story (that re-contextualize everything) .

I think Armand will have been turned as an adult, but I believe it’ll be revealed that Armand was younger in his past than the flashbacks indicate. Similar to how certain passages of Armand’s book made him seem much younger than what he claimed to be . In Armand’s own flashbacks he’d be a “BOY masquerading as a gentleman" (even deceiving the audience into thinking he was older). PS, the next things I mention are either from the books or show canon.

Daniel : “just some follow up questions. Your FIRST memory was being chased down by slavers , so you were young… you had to be only 3 or 4 then? No wonder you aren’t positive of your birth name. I ask cause you said you said you were 15 when Marius saved you from the brothel, right? But, you told me that the night he bought and made a move on you that you were “too young for wet pleasure“ - and then 2 years later that was no longer the case . So you’re saying you only started puberty at 17 years old? Are you sure you weren’t closer to Benji’s age when some of this stuff happened ?” (Benji is Armand’s 12 y foster son who was previously abused and trafficked) .

Daniel: “you told me in 2022 that you were a 514 year old vampire . So you were born in 1508? You said you were 20 years old  when ‘adoration of the shepherds’ was made. But historians say the painting was commissioned between 1520-1525. So you'd have been somewhere between the ages of 12-17 when he 'donated' you to his friends ."

Daniel: “ I don’t know how to say this, but… are you sure the other young boys (that lived with Marius ) didn’t get donated to his artist friends too? Those boys were being trained as painters and hanging out with Marius’ ilk all the time . They may have had a hard time saying no to Marius’ requests , as well. You even said there were rumors of 'bad boys' being 'banished’ from the house ‘immediately' , for saying disrespectful things about Marius. When you first met Ricardo and he painted you , why did he cry ,throw the paint brush and say“ a very different picture master has in mind for you.” Was he warning you that being painted by someone isn’t as nice as it seems? If Marius wasn’t with the other boys -why did he make all of them show their ankles because ‘to him the ankles of boys were beautiful’. Why were those young boys already experimenting with each other , going to brothels and hanging out with courtesans for fun, and teaching you how to read by showing you “frightening books about men and women in carnality.” Aren’t those all signs that they were exposed to that stuff way too early ?! Marius made you go to brothels to ‘train you’ to be better at bedding men and women. And when you were a kid, you said Marius took you to a “ luxurious house of pleasure", which kept … "only young boys.” You even said that , this boys-house was “Eastern styled” and that the boys looked “Egyptian or Babylonian" . He even bought a couch from that establishment. Are you sure he wasn’t a regular customer there ? Armand… I don’t think he bought you to 'rescue you from the brothel'. He bought you because you looked like the boys from his favorite establishment! And at Marius’ house, the first thing those boys did when they met you was say they “loved you” and wink… are you sure they weren’t taught to do that with all house guests? Are you sure Marius' palazzo wasn't just a high-end brothel of young boys?"

Armand describing Marius' palazzo...

Never forget Marius tried to marry pandora when she was 10 !That man is a repeat offender! I don’t trust Marius at all! idc if all the vamps in the books (or even AR respected him) . All my homies hate marius! And I feel like the show may re-contextualize some of those very questionable details sprinkled in the books , that were never addressed . I think the show will make Marius even worse than the books ! Iwtv writers tweeting: “Kendrick Lamar releases Marius diss track.” And in s2 Louis straight up says Marius “groomed” Armand. I don’t think, they’ll shy away from his questionable actions … but I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of the vamps initially fall for his charisma/wisdom (similar to how he garners respect from other vamps in the novels) . Similar to how a lot of abusers are often loved and respected by their peers. It was Marius after all that initially taught Amadeo how to 'lie' better. Not to mention (Marius' age and and drinking from Akasha would make ) his mind-gift and ability to control minds MUCH stronger than Armand's too . Which could (theoretically) have some scary narrative implications for the future... Daniel run before he tries to mess with your head .

[juude7]

might get my ass beat for this but i DON’T want to see devil’s minion in s3. sure i don’t mind seeing post-sf flashbacks (although they will just be armand stockholm syndrome-ing daniel) and it would be interesting to see the full extent of armand’s memory editing powers which would beg the question of what else has been altered and how much of the story we’ve been told was a lie. however dubai DM getting with armand AFTER he turns him feels like a stretch to me. if dm recovers his memories i can only imagine some kind of fondness mixed with bitter resentment, but i can’t see how the writers could push the plot in that direction, especially considering how dm and louis basically ganged up against armand it’s hard to imagine them getting together, even if dm recovers his memories

if they make sf dm and armand have their 12 yr long affair then they’d have fulfilled their obligation to the canon. i don’t think it’s necessary for it to resume in present day

[cannibalfogdreams]

Courtesy of @pessimisticfanboi I have stupid little thoughts filling my head about IWTV x Sinners and I'm in the midst of writing other stuff so: here. 🤭

Remmick trying frantically to explain to Daniel Malloy how he deeply regretted the course of the night and he just wanted Sammie to return his calls.

Trying to patiently explain that you had to have been there and that it was all in good intention.

Daniel Molloy, lowering his glasses and looking at what he's written so far, "And was there good intention behind ... telling Mrs. Chow that you were going to lick her pussy when you bit her? And that you were going to kill her daughter? And, that you-" several minutes of just recounting Remmick's confessed version of events but from the perspective of Stack, sitting beside them both as Armand slowly looks up from his ipad.

Remmick, head in hands.

Stack, "Oh, don't forget the-" Several more minutes of dragging Mr. Head-Vampire-Peace-and-Love-Remmick through the mud.

Remmick.

Sinking into his chair.

"Yeah... That was bad. 'M sorry."

[chicalepidopterareblogs]

I love the Armand/Marius dynamic (love what the show has done with Armand Marius name) and I'm so excited for what the show might bring into it along with Armand's age and ethnicity changes. I do find the paedo discourse rancid and worn out at this point cause it always degenerates into the usual sterile discussion about which crime committed in the VC (mutilation, rape, kidnapping, stalking, human trafficking, murder, torture, to name a few) is worse. That is honestly, in Louis's words, SO BORING, specially when we refuse to acknowledge the context to some of these crimes but not others.

Marius de Romanus is not just a "grown man". He is also an immeasurably old man an also immeasurably powerful vampire. Marimand is about the power imbalance that comes with the aberration that grooming already is but taken to a monstrous dimension. We all know that and we have no issue admiting it. Actually is the most appealing part of their relationship precisely because of the way it sort of keeps a dialogue with the affection and devotion that there is also there.

All of Marius's attachments and relationships, specially the romantic/sexual ones, will always be grooming-tinted because of all the above. Though we will have to wait to see the real effect that the show aging up Daniel will have on his relationship with Marius. I have the feeling that it might disappoint those who want to see Daniel killing Marius with hammers.

Do yo think this showrunner here would greenlit something like that?

[camellia-thea]

initially this post had some commentary about interests right now. and then it turned into a ramble about personal healing in the tags. so the interest post is going separately.

[cryptocism]

that half-blank, half-apocalyptic look

"i can b ur angle or yuor devil" etc etc "get a man who can do both" etc etc

obsessed with this vamp i think he should get to do whatever he wants forever

[shelfperson]

okay but WHYYY is no one talking about louis and daniel WHYYYYYYYYYY is no one talking about the greatest grandpa4grandpa relationship known to man and i don’t even mean romantically i mean in the most basic human platonic level their relationship is FASCINATING.

like louis SAUGHT HIM OUT after FIFTY YEARS he FOUND HIS BOY, this horrible infant who DID NOT UNDERSTAND A THING HE TOLD HIM, who saw his raw, decades-old pain and wanted in on it, AND HE GOES BACK FOR HIM BECAUSE HE KNOWS HE’S CHANGED. he can understand now. he can help him find the truth.

and like, they’re both absolutely terrified by each other because they’re both uniquely skilled at getting under each other’s skin and finding that truth (and also because… louis could just up and eat daniel anytime but shhhh…) and it’s because they UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER. louis’s interviewing daniel as much as daniel’s interviewing him, just. pulling teeth from each other’s head, trying to pull out all the rot with such violence and cruelty (from both of them!! daniel is a cockwallop!!) but they want to help each other they CARE ABOUT EACH OTHER.

LIKE THIS????

THIS FUCKING SHIT?????

GAGGED ME. RUINED ME. I HAD TO STOP AND TAKE A WALK AROUND THE ROOM.

(the gifs are from @loumands account btw. great work my guy)

[platoapproved]

iwtv ships + book quotes

[loumandforyou]

Armand + why would you say that if you have only met this man once

[fascinationstreetmp3]

i need daniel to be overcompensating for his insecurities so bad. 100 times more cocky and rude and aggressive and insensitive than he was as a human, falling back into old dangerous habits and vices, not just because now he has new energy and power and wealth to flaunt but because it's ALL he has, and he needs to cling onto it. play it up and revel in it so no one sees that underneath, he feels like a botched fledgling in the body of a sick, faded old man who maybe has no real idea why he was even made. that armand might think he failed in making him. that his maker didn't even really want him.

[queenoftheimps]

OK but imagine if Season 3 kicks off, Daniel is still trying to figure out where Armand is while tagging along on the Rockstar Lestat tour for the second book, he's having no luck figuring out where Armand has squirrelled away, then he winds up at some concert venue chatting with some aging punk who's around his mortal age and it gets mildly flirty and then LIKE A BAT OUT OF HELL, HERE COMES ARMAND WITH THE STEEL CHAIR

[the-woman-upstairs]

It is driving me…cuckoo bananas that Daniel uses his job as a socially acceptable way to chase the high he used to get from drugs and Armand not only is fully aware of this, but he himself then PROVIDES that very high when Daniel beats him and exposes his lies to Louis.

[electroempathy]

Happy Valentine's Day to the real lovers (the freaks and the perverts)