#i’m saying that lestat already has big naturals

[lestatslestits]

“Lestat big naturals” but it’s just a regular photo of him. Is that anything?

[bandedbulbussnarfblat]

Beyond Metaphor

here is my fic with Daniel and Lestat. It's set after the interview is over and Lestat finds Daniel in New York.

It’s been a year since the interview.  Daniel’s book based on it came out a few weeks ago.  It’s been hailed by critics as a masterpiece, both for its harrowing depiction of racism and the authentic portrayal of queer identities.  Of course, they think it’s fiction.  Metaphor.  They don’t know the very real danger they’re in.  That monsters do exist out there beyond metaphor.  

The book became a bestseller practically overnight.  Hell, his publicist is telling him about rumors of a movie script being talked about.  It’s all very exciting.  Daniel wishes he cared.  His daughters still aren’t speaking to him, so it’s not like he needs the money.  All money is good for now is to leave his loved ones.  With his health, he probably won’t be around to see the movie get released if it does get made.

Mortality beats a heavy drum.  

Daniel’s worries that the others will come for him.  He did expose them, after all, even if the world believes they are fiction.  He has Armand’s amulet for protection with a vial of his blood inside.  If he were to be approached by a vampire, he’s to break the vial and they’ll know what power protects him.  

As if it would do any good.  As if Armand has ever been any good for him.  Those freshly reborn memories are too painful to contend with, so Daniel forces them back.  

He’s back in Brooklyn, trying not to think of his inevitable demise.  Every day that ticks by brings him closer to death, and really, what’s the fucking point?  He’s bitter and he’s lonely.  He misses people he doesn’t want to miss.  He wants things he doesn’t want to want.

But he’s accepted his fate.  

So naturally, that’s when something has to happen to shake things up.  That something is Lestat de Lioncourt.  Daniel meets him after a book signing he agreed to over in Queens.  He’s just shuffling back into his home, stepping out of his shoes when a lamp clicks on.  

Sitting on his favorite armchair is a blond man with hair down to his shoulders, a strong jaw, and eerie, incandescent blue eyes.  His smile is slow and dangerous with a hint of fang showing.  “I assume I need no introduction.”

“Lestat.”

This isn’t how he imagined dying.  It had never occurred to him that Lestat might seek him out.  His hand goes to the amulet under his shirt and he clasps it.  He doesn’t want to break it, he discovers.  Such stupid sentimentality.  

He doubts it would matter anyway.  Lestat knows Armand.  He was pushed off a tower by him.  

Maybe letting on he knows Armand is a bad idea.

“Daniel Molloy,” Lestat says and smiles, big and manic.  “I’ve read your book.  I must say, I’m not a fan of the slander.”

“You come to kill me?  Go ahead; I’m dying already.”

Lestat makes himself comfortable in the chair.  “I’m not here to kill you.  I’m here to set the record straight.”

Great.  More vampire drama.

Daniel goes to the kitchen; and pulls open the cabinet with the glasses.  “I’m getting a drink.  You want anything?”

It’s just manners kicking in.  He’s seen Louis drink alcohol before, though it doesn’t seem to affect his kind the same.  He’s just pulling out a glass when he feels something behind him.  Daniel turns and Lestat is right there in his space.  He’s so startled, he drops the glass, but Lestat catches it midair.  

“I am feeling peckish, yes.”  Lestat’s smile is predatory and his teeth glint in the low light.  He runs the back of his pointer finger along Daniel’s jugular, down to the old bite scar.

Daniel gets a flash of memory.  Armand making the same gesture while Daniel squirms naked in front of him, so turned on and so ready to be bitten.  Lestat cocks his head to the side, reading his thoughts.  “Ah, one of Armand’s pets.  You’ve outlasted the others.”

Daniel feels very aware of the amulet around his neck.  He wonders if Lestat noticed it.  What would he think, to hear that Daniel wasn’t just another pet, but a lover?  That Armand still cares.  Still wants him.  Is still waiting for him.

“Aren’t you full of surprises?” Lestat says, and reaches for the amulet.  Daniel instinctively jerks it back.  Lestat drops his hand and takes another step forward.  They were already close, now they are practically touching.  “Do you remember what it was like, cheri?  To have his teeth inside you?”

His heart skips a beat and Daniel’s breath stops.  Lestat’s other arm comes around him to rest the glass on the counter.  He leaves it with his forearm resting against Daniel’s side.  His other hand trails up Daniel’s arm over his shoulder to the nape of his neck.  Lestat leans in towards his neck and breathes in his scent.  “I can show you what it’s like, to feel the embrace of a vampire.  You’ve been missing that, no?”

Lestat’s breath ghosts over Daniel’s throat and Daniel tries not to shiver.  “No.”

“Liar,” Lestat chides.  He brings his mouth to Daniel’s ear.  “I think I’ll enjoy taking Armand’s mortal minion.”

Daniel goes to step back, but the counter is behind him.  The hand on his nape tightens and Lestat tilts his head back.  He licks up Daniel’s jugular.  “Don’t fight it, mon vieux.  Let me taste you.”

A ragged gasp escapes Daniel at the contact.  He’s pretty sure Lestat isn’t going to wait for permission.   “Wait-”

Lestat doesn’t wait; he bites down and Daniel’s knees nearly buckle.  There’s pain, but it is extraordinary.  Every nerve in Daniel sings and he hums.  Pleasure unfurls from where Lestat’s mouth is sucking at his neck, traveling down his entire body.  It’s been so long since he’s felt this; he hadn’t realized how he craved it.

His hands go to Lestat’s shoulders and cling and a small moan escapes his lips.  Lestat’s arm goes around his waist and supports his weight.  Daniel feels like he’s in a haze, everything feels good and nothing hurts.  He doesn’t want it to ever stop.  If this is how dying feels, he’s ready to meet death.  

Lestat laughs against his throat and pulls back.  “Louis is too fond of you to kill you…yet.”  He presses a thumb to his fang and rubs it over the bite mark on Daniel’s neck.  It heals instantly, and Lestat steps back.  He returns to the living room and sits down in the arm chair.

Daniel pours a generous drink of brandy and swallows it back.  He refills and comes to join Lestat in the other room.  He sits down across on the couch and looks at Lestat.  “What do you mean, set the record straight?”

“Another book, telling my story.  I will tell it, you will write it.”

“I’m guessing saying no isn’t really an option.”

Lestat smiles.  “Oh Daniel, you know it is not.”

Daniel lets out a heavy sigh and tosses back his drink.  He grabs his laptop and sets it up to record.  “Go ahead.”

“I am The Vampire Lestat. I'm immortal. More or less. The light of the sun, the sustained heat of an intense fire-these things might destroy me. But then again, they might not. I'm six feet tall-”

“Bullshit,” Daniel cuts in.  “You’re 5’10 tops.”

“Don’t interrupt, Daniel,” Lestat says with a warning glance.

“You want me to tell your story, we use my methods,” Daniel says.  “That or walk.”

Lestat’s smile grows.  “I can see why he likes you.  You’re feisty.

“I’m old and out of fucks to give,” Daniel says.  He can’t believe he has to sit here and listen to this guy talk about himself after he just bit him without permission. It’s akin to rape.

“Ah, but you wanted it, mon cher.”

That’s not the point, but Daniel doesn’t press it.  Why bother?  Lestat is a monster; of course he does monstrous things.  Daniel will survive.  He always does.

“You gonna tell me your story or what?”

[cbrownjc]

So I am pretty much just going to ditto almost all of what @nalyra-dreaming and @virginiaisforvampires have said. I don’t have much else to add to what they’ve said in all honestly, as I would just be repeating them. 

Also, there’s much of it I think I’ve already written about before, which would just be more repeating. But here are a few reiterations and points:

1. I think there are some possibilities when it comes to what was behind Armand’s reaction to Louis’ offer to turn Daniel. Armand could very well still feel that he doesn’t want Daniel turned period. That he himself has already made plans to try and save Daniel’s life without damning him.

However, we might also find that, back when Daniel and Armand were together, Armand might have asked Louis to turn Daniel — and Louis said no, citing what Armand made him do wrt turning Madeline. Louis, just like Armand, doesn’t actually want to ever turn anyone into a vampire. Louis offering to do so now might very well be in part Louis trying to make up for such a rejection in the past, since bringing Daniel to Dubai was confirmed to have been his idea in the first place. 

2. I wrote about the moment Daniel requested a “cure for Parkinson’s” in this post. It is also a post in which I write about what/who might be behind Daniel’s altered memories as well, and why. And, if my feeling about this is correct, that is going to make a very big difference regarding some points below wrt Armand's feelings about all of this, particularly --

3. This. This is something I feel will very much be affected by whom/what I believe is actually behind Daniel’s altered memories, as I noted above (via the link to the meta I wrote about that). And because of what I believe, I actually do think Armand’s endgame will actually change, from what I suspect it initially was, once Daniel regains the memories of their past relationship.

Because, at the moment, I think Armand’s main goal is likely only to save Daniel’s life/not have him die. And that was his only goal, at first, when it came to Daniel, if what I feel is behind Daniel's memory wipe turns out to be true.

Because I feel that if things hadn’t escalated as they did at the end of Season 1, Armand would have never even revealed himself the way he did. 

But one of Louis’ clear goals since Daniel first arrived, in contrast to Armand, was to have Daniel regain his lost memories. And now that Daniel has started to regain his memories, I think Armand’s goals will start to change along with that the more Daniel remembers. It’ll be a very dynamic situation for Armand IMO as Season 2 progresses, until the moment Daniel fully remembers the relationship between them. 

4. After Season 2, I do think it will take some time before Daniel will be able to accept his feelings for Armand. I very much do think Season 3 is going to be Daniel resisting what his memories will continue to reveal to him about the past he and Armand had together, not least of which will be because he is dying. It won’t be something that he will just accept overnight. However, at some point, he will accept it, and allow those feelings he had for Armand to bloom within himself again. Because, as the quote @virginiaisforvampires posted, Daniel was never under any illusions about Armand, or his love for him. He knew exactly what Armand was when he fell in love with him. Such things will not deter him from Armand when he remembers those things again. Other things may hold Daniel back at first but not Armand’s vampire nature. 

5/6. I would really just be repeating what @nalyra-dreaming and @virginiaisforvampires have said in their excellent posts about this. I will add, however, that Louis is the one who is calling Daniel “our boy.” There is very clear affection behind that term. I’m not saying I think they were serious romantic lovers, as I think it will be made very clear that Lestat was and always will be the be-all, end-all for Louis in that regard, in probably the same way it will be shown to have been that for Daniel regarding Armand in the past as well. And I think that will be just one of the many similarities and parallels we will see between Louis and Daniel going into Season 2 and beyond. And probably is what helped them forge what I’m sure will be shown to be a very close relationship.

7. I think it will be after Season 2 that the truth of Armand and Daniel having been lovers in the past will finally be revealed and out in the open, not just to the audience but specifically to Daniel himself. And as @virginiaisforvampires said, that is when all bets will be off. Post-Season 2 seasons will begin a more in-depth look at the relationship between Daniel and Armand, particularly in more revealed past memories, and Daniel will have to deal with the reality of all of that, as well as his life and period post-Armand when he didn’t remember the relationship.   

As @nalyra-dreaming said, things will be particularly raw with Daniel and Armand during this time, there is no way it could not be. But it is a rawness they will be unable to avoid and will have to deal with. And, in doing so, the endgame will end up being them both, once again, making their way back to each other I feel very sure. 

About DM, having read som theories and speculations of yours and others I would love to add some of my thoughts and hear what you and @virginiaisforvampires and @cbrownjc thinks - if you are interested :)

1. Armand clearly reacted to Louis offering Daniel the Dark Gift, and reacted even more strongly to Daniel basically saying “No, thanks”. On the surface it seems in the latter instance that he was just offended by Daniel’s verbal barb, but I’m sure this is actually clever obfuscation by the writer/director/actor, no?

2. Given 1) and the foreknowledge of DM, Daniel responding ”A cure for Parkinson’s” when Armand (as Rashid) asked if Danial has everything he needs could be an unfired Chekhov’s gun…?

3. What really is/will become Armand’s endgame? I actually believe that it is as it seems, that Louis is the driving force behind this second interview. And that Armand actually be still be somewhat angry/resentful following the (presumed) breakup of DM. I think you speculated that Daniel might have wanted to leave to live a life since Armand refused to make him a vampire? While Armand might have wanted to spend the rest od Daniel’s mortal life with him? This would explain the charade, it being a way for Armand to either try to stop Daniel’s memories from resurfacing (per his request?) as well as Armand’s attitude in season one (as he seems annoyed with Daniel at times). Daniel’s terminal illness might be changing Armand’s mind however (á la DM), as previously suggested. Honestly? A part of me want to see some sort of fucked up Dracula situation, where it becomes clear gradually in a terrifying manner to Daniel that he is trapped by this ‘monster’ who claims to know him better than he knows himself/knows what’s best for him. The latter seemingly being a version of the dynamic playing out between Armand and Louis currently.

4. How will Daniel feel about Armand following season two? I think Daniel’s view of life and of the vampires has been shown to be quite different than to back in the 70s. His view of Armand must surely also be influenced by hearing of Louis’ bloody history of him? As he will presumably get to know Armand chiefly from Louis’ story and be quite critical of him - even viewing him as quite sinister as he realizes and gets Louis to realize the part Armand has played in tampering with their memories and Claudia’s death. Of course Armand is participating in the interview so his perspective will also come to light, and Daniel seems according to the trailers at one point be talking to Armand one-on-one. So he’s open to listening. I believe that Daniel’s view of Armand will be quite negative - even following the return of his memories, at least initially. That putting these memories and feelings together with his current view of life and view of Armand will be anything but simple. I would guess at this point that the romantic nature of their relationship is something that will be revealed very late - maybe even be a cliffhanger for the next season (together with other stuff).

5. A more nuanced view of Armand. However it wouldn’t completely surprise me if Louis, and possibly Daniel, somewhat consensually agreed to have some of their memories tampered with. I think Louis on some level after Claudia’s death might, due to his intense grief, wanted to emotionally “run away” so to speak. And that this series basically began with him for some reason or another now feeling ready to confront the past. So Armand’s seeming malevolence as a mind-manipulator will potentially be tampered by these facts. However Daniel will now presumably together with Louis find out about the role Armand played in Claudia’s death. Daniel’s empathy for Claudia is somewhat limited though, understandably as he has the human perspective and does, quite rightly, not excuse her murderous ways. But he might dislike Armand due to the self-serving aspect of the trial? Or maybe not?

6. At this point, I don’t think Louis and Daniel have been in a serious romantic relationship. I wouldn’t be surprised if they hooked up or something similar but Louis seemed very genuine and definitive in welcoming Daniel as a friend he met once/or a few times years ago recording the tapes. If he was hiding a past history and/or romantic relationship from Daniel I think he would behaved differently. Of course he could also not remember, but I don’t think that’s the case here.

7. I guess what I’m most curious about is what kind of dynamic will take form between Daniel and Armand during and immediately following season two? I would love to hear your thoughts. Also the Dracula comparison was not my idea but something I’ve read somewhere here. So sorry for long post! Love your blog!

Hey!

Glad you like! <3

Sorry this took a moment (the answer is also a bit longer^^)

He did. And yes, it might contain obfuscation, but mostly… I think Armand was almost afraid that Daniel would accept the gift from Louis. Maybe Louis offered before, maybe he did not, but Armand surely didn’t. And… Armand loves Daniel. Ultimately Daniel will be his only fledgling. There is a level of possessiveness to that, of course, and also to the not-healed bite marks on Daniel’s throat, which more than likely did not just stem from Louis’ attack (because Armand would have needed to heal Daniel there at least a bit, and over the following 12 years he bit Daniel often). I think there are a lot of things at play. For the book readers it is a nice little easter egg on various levels (both Daniel’s and Armand’s past together and also Armand’s personal past being referenced), but also something more hinted at, something we have not been shown yet. Though, given the title of that music part (Alice is in her third trimester) a while back - maybe we will get to see it. Something must have happened to make Armand let Daniel go, and the repeated refusal in the books served to open a rift between them. I could easily see that happen here as well. That said, it would mean that we will get a LOT more DM in s2 than thought so far… and I’m not sure that will be the case. What I could easily see is Daniel reminiscing (or getting memories back) about the moment he “got his shit together” as he called it in s1 - but I do not think we will get all of what that entailed yet.

Most certainly :) I think he’s already getting it. Fareed is not there to play around after all^^.

I have speculated that the aforementioned rift that developed through Armand’s repeated refusal to turn Daniel will lead to Daniel seeking other … comforts. But I think it would actually need a big reason (like a baby…) to make him struggle for real - and I could see someone else then decide to end that struggle. Put an end to the hunt/relationship because it was not good for Daniel, ultimately, and because Armand could not be moved. As per Armand… I think Armand did acquiesce to Louis’ wishes to have Daniel redo the interview, and he likely was not happy about it. I mean, imagine how it would be to see the love of your life... and said love of your life does not remember you. Verbally throws things at you. It must be a wild mix of feelings for Armand, from annoyance over helpless love to utter devastation. No wonder he tried to literally hide from it. I do think Armand was already aware of Daniel’s sickness - the aforementioned medicine by Fareed he is getting - that had to be prepared. Planned, designed. Researched. Whatever it is they are giving him is not what they claim it to be (the side effects don’t match), and… given Daniel is not stupid he might hone in on that pretty soon. Now, in the books there is a pharmaceutical empire that is led by a powerful ancient vampire, Gregory, and he and Seth (who is Akasha’s son and Fareed’s lover/maker) are roughly on the same level. Seth, but mostly Fareed, builds whole research centers for the vampires. There is a LOT of potential for the show to hook into that, and I actually think both the more physical sex and the absent death sleep during the day are thanks to Fareed. If that will ever be spelled out? No idea, but the first is something Fareed already makes happen in the books and the second is something he plans to remove… so I do think that is connected. I think whoever is orchestrating behind the scenes (coughs prime minister coughs) wanted to help Daniel to live long enough to maybe reconcile Armand and Daniel. And for that Daniel needs his memories back. If that is Armand though… the show will tell :)

Well, I think it will be the same as in the book when the memories come back - Daniel will realize that he “loved this thing”, this monster, despite everything. Despite knowing what Armand has done. That is part of the horror, that the lover overshadows everything he knows, and that he is, in a way, helpless against that. Oh, I’m sure there will be a development of feeling, of course. But ultimately Daniel will realize that he loved Armand - absolutely, totally - and then eventually he will realize that he still does. And that will make him just as confused and vulnerable and hurt, and emotional as it makes Armand.

I can easily see Louis saying something like “I want the pain to stop” or something similar, and then Armand taking that as his cue to interfere. The thing is, Armand back then… is not the Armand in Dubai. DM happened in-between and it changed him. So when Armand likely “tinkered” with Louis’ mind back then it was more to serve himself - when he “tinkered” with Louis’ mind later on it was likely to help Louis. However he did and what that tinkering might entail. So yes, Daniel might challenge him on his part in it all, of course. I am counting on it, actually. Because Daniel is there to pull the truth out of Armand - that is (part of) why the interview is being redone. And of course that will shape Daniel’s view of him further - only the feelings won’t care for that view when they come back. Armand was quite the “villain” in the earlier books - that changed a bit with the later ones. But he is still a coven master, and Lestat calls him “ruthless” in the books. The show will present both Armands to us in direct confrontation - and I bet the emotions of the audience will be just as tumultuous as Armand’s and Louis’ and Daniel’s own are by this confrontation.

Oh, Daniel and Louis… probably got along really well and even intimately during those 12 years. I think Louis definitely has a personal connection to him, much more than in the book. It’s a weird relationship triangle they have there, and soon Lestat will be added to the mix - and I bet it will be revealed that Daniel has met Lestat before (as well).

I think after s2 Daniel will still be an old man, still be the interviewer, the chronicler. But remembering much, much more, and therefore challenging whoever else is on that couch then (I expect Lestat) a lot more as well. For example wrt episode 5. I would bet real money that we will get episode 5 in s3 from Lestat’s POV. Because by now I think there was nothing random, or unplanned about it. This show is a puzzle, and we have had only a few pieces. I think Armand and Daniel… will be very … raw with each other. Emotions are high, vulnerability as well. There will be intimate moments, but also rejection. Daniel’s view on eternity will change at some point, and probably rather rapidly with the memories coming back. There will be anger at the meddling. Daniel is no pushover. He will challenge them, and especially Armand. At some point he will realize that he does not need to ask - he can demand, to an extent at least. And that will change the dynamic once more.

It will be very, very interesting to watch^^.

[ivebeenmade]

Not The Vampire Chronicles

(major reboot on an old love, work in progress of course but here’s the face claims and a little fic)

Lestat:

Louis: 

The monster has been listening for months. The man on the radio is all the more interesting as his mood becomes more and more obviously the signal to the end of his human life. But he can’t have that. As a generosity, a courtesy, he plans to allow the radio DJ to take his own life, to end his human life. 

It’s a favor. If he’s being honest with himself- something he tries very hard never to do- he’s never been this nervous. Not in all the years he was alive (longer than he claims but not all that long), and definitely not in the century or so (always exaggerated in the company of the undead) he’s been a vampire.

He’s only done it a few times, and almost every time either went wrong or the one he chose did, somehow. They often left him, for all the love he gave them.

Lestat believes that this one will be different. That they need each other. Each night, as he listens to him for several hours; the irony of the subject of his desire working a ‘graveyard shift’ isn’t lost on him. Those around him, who’ve been dead longer, would say he’d always just been there for the aesthetic. He’d fix his hair in the mirrors they could now catch their reflections in, and he’d laugh agreeably. He was the most beautiful monster you’d ever meet.

The DJ would be even more beautiful.

*

He’d had his gig since he left his home and family behind. It was for the best, he’d told himself, as they already expressed their disapproval that he wouldn’t make more of himself with the chances they’d given him.

It was all a thinly veiled excuse to ignore, to pretend that they never would have approved of any life he chose to live. Not unless he wanted to live it lonely.

Louis became a self fulfilling prophecy in LA anyway. He never could keep a relationship down, or really stomach most people anyway. Even on his late night show (a damn good gig that payed well enough to live in the expensive city) he’d gone off the rails on people when they called in. Losing his temper, for the DJ, boiled down to an even toned scathing retort that made him both all that much more popular and hated by ‘a certain type’.

A first generation American with a simple dream hadn’t met to be some kind of viral sensation. Too much attention for him. Between the music, the praise and critiques of bands’ latest albums, this gig had somehow become a big fucking deal.

It’s the night it gets personal- or maybe he was just feeling lonely that night and some random asshole asks the wrong question- that his mind gets made up.

Louis has been taking shots all night. Not abnormal for him, and it’s probably his natural tolerance for alcohol that’s kept his boss from getting the word that he’s not-quite-three-sheets-to-the-wind when he hosts the show (if they minded at all) that’s kept him from losing the only thing in this life that’s keeping him going. 

To be fair, and to take responsibility for himself, it’s not just one call that sends him over the edge. But it is. Some silly comment about the music he’s been playing, the ‘type’ it’s for, the ‘type’ some members of the band are, and he lets loose, rages, and signs off early. 

The message he leaves his fans with isn’t cryptic at all, telling them he’ll leave them with some good tunes but he couldn’t possibly promise what his replacement would do to them. For that he was sorry, “but fuck this, I’m out.” 

There’s no one to leave a note for, no one to apologise to. Except maybe himself but he’s never been good at that. He’s learned not to be too proud of anything, accept any praise for anything. There’s always a catch.

Swigging from the bottle now, when he reaches for the key he shouldn’t have to the roof of the station, he feels the wind and the end of the night surround him. There’s no more anger, frustration, he doesn’t hate his life at this moment. He doesn’t like it much either though. 

Right in front of him, there’s so much possibility, and right below him too. There’s his car, around the corner the janitor will just be getting in. He shouldn’t even hear this from where he starts his shift. No telling how long it’ll take to find him, but yet again he’s making it easy on everyone else. 

He doesn’t hesitate, doesn’t close his eyes. Louis isn’t sure he’ll die instantly, not everyone is that lucky he’s read, but he’s pretty sure this is the easiest way. His body certainly won’t be any trouble.

*

The monster Lestat knows that tonight is tonight. Hell, if every fan of the program doesn’t, they’re fools. Humans have a knack for that, though. 

He’d expected to have to follow Louis home, that he’d use some other method. But he’s just in time to see with his preternaturally honed sight, the DJ taking one final swig and, not jumping or falling, but just- letting go in a grand gesture. 

The body hits the car, so gracefully posed and if he’s already dead (even close to it) he looks so beautiful and alive. To give him the gift he remembers he must drain his blood; he can already smell the trickle of it, and knows that underneath this beautiful suicide the body is messy. His cold fingers find a fading pulse, and with a thrill he realises he’ll have to help him along before he gives him his own blood. 

Louis’ eyes are closed, and Lestat reaches out with his mind. He’s not conscious, not feeling this. And from the taste of him he was heavily intoxicated. Even after he cuts his own wrist (with a small knife Louis keeps hidden inside his coat- ah the poetry) it takes everything in him to wait the time it’ll take for the injuries from the fall to knit themselves back together. It’s then that there’s a groan from Louis. It pains the monster to hear it.

“What would the others think of this, eh,” Lestat mutters to himself. “I don’t mind, you’re worth it Louis.” He kneels next to the body, listening and waiting, in a dark suit with a subtle expensive brocade you wouldn’t see in this light. It’s the least flashy of his suits, something you have to be close to notice how expensive it is. The DJ, in turn, wears a simple pair of worn dark jeans and a bomber jacket. His modern hairstyle shaved close to the sides, the black curls slicked down on the top of his head dyed deep blue and purple here and there. Interesting, decorative, a lot of effort to put in if you’re suicidal.

Somewhere deep and dark and barely alive Louis hears a gentlemanly british accent; he’ll remember this as a fever dream later on even after Lestat fills in the details. Something about it is good, comforting; all said and done not familiar to him. He’ll remember death hugging him, and being ripped from it. When he comes out of it, he’s going to ask this bastard what the hell was so important about him to save his life. It had never mattered to anyone else. 

*

[thenightling]

My horror dislikes list

I love horror, particularly Gothic Horror as a genre. However there are certain common types of horror or sub-genres of horror I don’t really care for.  Just because I don’t like it, it doesn’t mean I don’t understand it or can’t appreciate that others might like it.    This is just my personal opinion and I mean no offense to anyone.  And some of what I may list will be controversial to some.   Bear that in mind.  Horror that I don't care for:

1.  This one is probably the most controversial so I’ll list it first. 

Most controversial:  H. P. Lovecraft.   It's not that he is "too wordy" or "long winded." (Never insult me like that.)  It's not that I "don't get it."  It’s not that he uses “archaic language.”  (These are real things people have assumed when I tell them I don’t like Lovecraft).  I just feel he's overrated.  I don't like his antisemitism, which was considered extreme by 1930s American standards.  And I don't like how he's credited with creating certain concepts that weren't really his doing.  His ideas about long sleeping ancient / forgotten Gods or Old Ones can be found as early as Goethe's Faust Part 2, if not earlier.   Other authors that had similar ideas before Lovecraft include George MacDonald, author of Lilith.     Sometimes I like when other people adapt Lovecraft.  I liked Neil Gaiman’s A Study in Emerald.  I liked the origin of Morpheus’ helm in Sandman: Overture (also Neil Gaiman).  I liked the two episodes of The Real Ghostbusters animated series inspired by Lovecraft.  I even like the spoof Lil Cthulhu.  But I’m just not a big fan of actual H. P. Lovecraft. This doesn’t mean I haven’t read it.  Nor does it mean I don’t understand it.  And I do appreciate his influence on pop culture.  I just feel he’s overrated.       2.  I don't like Rob Zombie movies.  It's all the same to me.  Boring, grimy, sweaty, eldgelordy- full of overused modern tropes like flickering lights, jump scares, and "I haven't showered in a month" antagonists.  He sucked the supernatural out of Halloween and there's nothing truly distinct about any of his films.  It's just a style that doesn't appeal to me. 3.   CG.  I love practical effects.  Most CG is lazy, cartoonish, and doesn't look like it's really there.  I know it can look realistic and gorgeous at time but most horror films don’t take that route.  Most horror directors use it lazily. There’s a Night of the Living dead 4 or 5 by the Syfy Channel where a manhole cover is clearly CG.  Why did a manhole cover have to be CG?!  And there’s CG blood in Spartacus: Blood and Sand, which is very distracting because it looks like jello flying at the camera.  The werewolves in An American werewolf in Paris are already dated and very fake looking yet the transformation in An American Werewolf in London still gets to people today.  The werewolves in An American werewolf in Paris didn't even look real by 90s standards.  They looked like beasts that escaped Who Framed Roger Rabbit.   In the Fright Night remake there's a scene where a windshield shatters in front of Amy's face and she screams on que but she doesn't flinch or blink, making it very clear the glass isn't really there.  Had it been sugar glass or ice to give the effect, there would have been a natural flinch.  I feel practical effects, if you can't guess how it was done, can be more unnerving and the reactions seem more real.  That's why some 80s fantasy is more unnerving for kids than some modern horror.    4.  Jump scares.  Jump scares are lazy.  Being startled is not the same as being afraid.  And when they add a musical chord to accompany the scare it's like idiot proofing ot say "This is where you should react."   The only jump scare that ever worked on me was when I was twelve-years-old watching Interview with the vampire.  Louis says "It's the carriage." and he goes down to the door. And you know damn good and well it's not the carriage.  He opens the door, there's no one there.   You know it's coming, but when he turns his head and Lestat's hand grabs his throat, I jumped the first time I saw that.  I knew it was coming.  But I still jumped.   To me a good scare is when it creeps in and crawls under your skin. When I was watching Let the Right One In I remembered thinking “Ah, this isn’t so scary.” and it was at the part where Eli climbs up the side of the hospital.  It was snowy outside, just as it was in the movie, and late at night.  And at that moment the power went out. For a split second (It was only a second) I thought “Oh, crap!  Vampire child’s gonna get me!”   And I was a grown woman in 2008.  I was twenty-six-years-old. Another incident that made me realize just how scary Gothic horror truly is was when I was watching a History Channel show about the real Castle Dracula.  And it mentioned the locals seeing mysterious lights and noises up in the castle so some priests were sent to bless the place.  A storm came in suddenly and the priests had to do the blessing from a distance.  (This was Poenari castle, not Bran.  Bran is used for tourists.  Poenari is where Vlad spent most of his time but it’s considered unsafe).  And as I watched this I remembered that storm summoning was supposed to be one of the vampire Dracula’s powers. At that moment the door creaked open And I practically leapt out of my skin.   That’s when I knew Dracula is actually scary.

I also had a nightmare once about being a werewolf in the style of The wolfman. In the dream I blacked out during the transformation and then suddenly it was hours or a day later and I knew I must have done something terrible and I found loved ones slaughtered.   I remember the guilt in that dream and I knew The Wolfman had reached me on a level most horror doesn’t, on a fear of what it must be like to be like him.           My most recent experience with a truly good sense of my skin crawling horror was watching an episode of DC Universe's Swamp Thing. A child is possessed with the ghost of Abby Arcane's dead childhood friend.   She's been singing their old song and acting ...well, weird.   "If you're her than prove it?"  She is smiling menacingly.  It looks like she'll do nothing.  Abby turns to walk away.  This is where most jump scares happen.  But it doesn't.  As she nears the door it slams shut but that isn't the end of it.  It's not just a stupid psych out jump scare the way most horror movies do now.  Instead the whole atmosphere of the room changes.  Everything becomes damp.  The lighting dims.   Everything becomes slightly off-kilter or "wrong" like in a nightmare.  It was so atmospheric, so spooky... It was the best Gothic horror moment I had seen in literally years.  I had goosebumps.  5.   The polarization of vampire fiction triggered by the Twilight fad.  Thankfully this is dying now.   But for a while vampires were divided into two styles.  The broody, whiny emo, or the mindless killing machine AKA "the Shark with legs."   I missed the balance of charming and charismatic, but also predatory.  I missed the likes of Frank Langella as Dracula and Chris Sarandon as Jerry Dandridge. The Fright Night remake was disappointing for this reason.  I hate that vampires rarely shapeshift now.  I hate the nerfing of their powers.   And I hate that Jerry's human-side was erased as a reactionary response to be anti-Twilight.   It ruined the remake for me.  6.   Ghosts that movie like a broken VHS tape.  The jerking movement ghosts of ghosts that suddenly flicker or spasm and suddenly are a few stepped forward without actually moving...  This works in Ringu / The Ring because she IS a damaged VHS tape but in other ghost stories it doesn't really work for me.  it takes me out of the story and I notice it's following a trend. 7.    Torture porn.   Pity, and gross-out is not fear.  It's like how that game show / reality show  "Fear Factor" confused fear with disgust. "eat these random cow pies" isn't fear, folks.   Actually Torture porn kind of bores me . I don't feel fear.  It's just drawn out mutilation and torture.  I may feel pity for the character or be disgusted by the graphic mutilations but I'm not afraid of it.  And it's lazy and cheap.  8.   Next on Lazy and cheap...  Found footage.  I HATE found footage movies.   Shaky cam and screams into a camera don't do it for me.  And they all feel the same.    9.   Most Zombie Apocalypse movies.  Most recent Zombie apocalypse movies bore me.    There are a few exceptions like the original Night of the Living Dead, which, at the time it was made was unique and atmospheric but many zombie films attempt to imitate it and it becomes bland and formulaic.   I also liked Return of the Living Dead because it was one of the first Zombie Apocalypse movies.  It hadn’t yet become dull and predictable to me that everyone huddles together and it becomes more and more futile until there is no one left or it’s utterly hopeless.  And so as things became repetitive I started to dislike the ‘zombie apocalypse genre.”   Exceptions include Night of the Living Dead and Return of the Living Dead.  I also like the original White Zombie and I walked with a Zombie but those are pre-Zombie Apocalypse.   There are a few zombie films I like that aren’t that scary but I like them because they are different.  Those include “My boyfriend’s back.”  (Daddy, I love him!”  “He’s a zombie, you freakin’ idiot!”  I love that line).    And Warm Bodies.   And please don’t use Warm Bodies to discredit my status as a horror fan.  I just like it because it’s different.  First, R isn’t that bad of a protagonist.  He’s more well developed than Edward Cullen and he spends half the movie eating the brains of the dead boyfriend of the girl he’s pining for, carrying bits of brain in his pocket.  There’s no sugar coating that.   Also it’s one of the few zombie apocalypse movies to have a happy ending.  Yeah, it’s sappy and a bit hamhanded bu tit has a sweet message.  Sometimes it’s okay to like sweet.

 10.   Remakes that suck the supernatural out of a supernatural story.  I’m tired of gritty.  I’m tired of “grounded in reality.”  The supernatural is scary because it is unknown.  In the case of Child’s Play, a hacked AI doesn’t seem as creepy to me as a soul of a serial killer seeking a new host body. Also the cynical part of me suspects the “grounding in reality” is a direct ploy to get a release in China, which does not like supernatural content in American import movies. This is part of why Disney / Marvel has been downplaying Marvel’s supernatural side.  I miss supernatural horror.   I’m tired of remakes literally sucking out the soul.  

11. Bonus: Anything based on a “true case” by The Warrens.  I believe in the paranormal.   I respect paranormal research but The Warrens were known con artists, even among paranormal researchers.   If you look at most of their haunted house cases there’s a particular formula.  Woman moves into dream home with loving, Catholic family. Weird things slowly start to happen. The husband is skeptical / getting possessed.  The wife goes to the church for help.  The priests can’t help or nothing happens in front of them.   Desperate she attends a Warrens lecture.  Never fear, The Warrens are here!  And lo’ and behold, the house is full of demons!  Demons only The Warrens know how to Handle.  This happens in The Haunted (Not to be confused with The Haunting), it happens in Gave Secrets: the story of Black Hope Cemetery and pretty much every other haunted house story they got involved in.   They made book and TV movie deals and later bigger Hollywood movie deals.  Now half the horror and Parapsychology world thinks they were demonology heroes and not the con artists who once ‘exorcised a werewolf” (Look it up.)  I am not a fan of The Warrens.

[thisismydesignhannibal]

Get To Know Me Followers

Rules | Answer the 20 questions and tag 20 amazing followers you’d like to get to know better! 

I'm gonna do this all at once Fannibals!

I've been tagged by some lovely Fannibals in some fun "getting to know you better" posts, but they've all been slightly different…so I thought I'd just combine all my answers into one monster-post.

Tagged by the lovelies: @fannibalmonica @hannibalnuxvomica @victorineb @whenever-possible-eat-the-rude @accio-sodium @nothing-here-is-vegetarian I feel like there were others too…but I can't find them. Tumblr is the devil.

Tagging a bunch of folks I’d love to know better, but I’m always interested in getting to know my fellow Fannibals, so I’d love ANYONE to chime in: @jadegreenworks @zacharybosch @theseavoices @purplesocrates @warpedchyld @avegetariancannibal @disraeligearsgoestumblin @devereauxsdisease @pka42 @sepia-ink @allionne @lecteronthelam @desperatelyseekingcannibals @wrathofthestag @slashyrogue @vulcanplomeeksoup @graham-muffin @he-s-dead-jim @whimsy-by-joja @kellucydar @hisvoicebrokemyheart @iamdragoonthegreat @azuresky2011 @avidreadr2004 @lovecrimecat @ishipthemsogoddamnhard @iamdragoonthegreat @camilleflyingrotten @existingcharactersdiehorribly @aviran007 @sirenja-and-the-stag @damnslippyplanet @redfivewritingby @hannigrammatic @byk23 @cinabre

Feel free to ignore me if you’ve been tagged already, or send me a link to your answers :) 

name | Cheryl

nicknames | NONE! For some reason I defy nicknaming…nothing has ever stuck…my friends called me Lippy in back in High School for about a month (I had/have authority issues :P) but that's it.

zodiac sign | Capricorn height | 5′7″ orientation | Bi, but I'm in a committed long-term relationship with a man. nationality | Canadian favorite fruit | Watermelon…I would like to see Hugh Dancy carrying some like pumpkins ;P

favorite season | Probably Spring, but Autumn would be a really close second favorite book | The Dark Tower series by Stephen King, the Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss and the Maddadam Trilogy by Margaret Attwood are all amazing series. I also have a very soft spot for Jane Austin and Oscar Wilde. The Road by Cormac McCarthy is a masterpiece. It's very hard to choose, I read a lot. favorite flower | Orchids or Peonies (I think their relationship with ants is utterly fascinating) favorite scent | citrus or eucalyptus favorite color | yellow favorite animal | cats or horses…I find their personalities oddly similar coffee, tea, or hot cocoa | TEA all the way! Specifically Earl Grey (Twinings), although I recently bought some Hannibal themed tea here that is giving the Twinings a run for its money. average sleep hours | 7-8

Hogwarts house: Ravenclaw

cat or dog person | I grew up with dogs but now I am a proud cat mom of 3. favorite fictional character | Hannibal Lecter. Will Graham is very very close second. Lestat de Lioncourt, Arya Stark, Roland Deschain, Elizabeth Bennet... Impossible to choose.  I could write an entire post just on this.  number of blankets you sleep with | Right now a light duvet and a light blanket.  In the summer, just a sheet.

dream trip |  Italy (Florence and Venice are at the top) I recently fulfilled my dream trip to Paris and Arles :)

Dream Job | Writer, but I work in the Environmental Sector and like that too. blog created | September 2016 number of followers | 1170 (I have no idea how that happened, and I didn't have time to do a 1000 follower appreciation post!  I promise to do one at 1500!)

Why I made a Tumblr | after watching Hannibal for the millionth time and starting to write fanfics for myself, I got tired of being in a vacuum.  I decided to deny my typical instinct to only lurk and decided to jump into the fandom.  I haven't looked back and it's been immensely gratifying to meet all the endlessly talented and supportive Fannibals out there.  I should have got on sooner!

Some More Questions from @fannibalmonica 's tag :)

1. Are you named after someone? 
My mom swears my dad chose Cheryl after some model that was big in the 70's or something. My dad denies it ;P

2. When was the last time you cried? 
I don't cry too easily at serious things…probably when my cat had to go for emergency surgery. BUT I cry super easily at dumb things, like marching bands or people singing in unison. I cry easily at movies…just did watching Logan. I get teary every time I hear the music from Mizumono (which they just had to go and make the menu music for the Season 2 Blu-ray!)

3. Do you like your handwriting? Meh…I write like someone with multiple personalities. My writing will look 10 different ways on the same page on the same day.  Maybe that means something…don't know.

4. What is your favorite lunch meat? I don't eat meat.  Well, seafood sometimes but I haven't eaten land meat for 18 years.

5. Do you have kids?
 No and I don't want them.  Not a fan.

6. If you were another person, would you be friends with you? Probably. I like to think I'm easy to talk to and I'm pretty open which is something I appreciate in others…but I'm also an introvert (ambivert?!) so I give people space and can sit in quiet.  I don't know…don't all introverts think they would rather spend time with themselves?

7. Do you use sarcasm?
 never

8. Do you still have your tonsils? Yes

9. Would you bungee jump? Nope.  I'm ok with maintaining my very reasonable aversion to throwing myself from bridges thanks.

10. What is your favorite kind of cereal? Cereal isn't my favourite…maybe Special K?

11. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off? 
Generally not if I don't have to. I rarely have shoes with laces now that I think about it…

12. Do you think you’re a strong person? 
THAT is a loaded question. Not as strong as I'd like to be, but stronger than many.  I've been through some stuff in life that felled others around me. I don't know.

13. What is your favorite ice cream? I don't really like ice cream much (I know, I know) but I guess Black Cherry.

14. What is the first thing you notice about people? Rudeness. Intelligence. Whether I think they're genuine or not.

15. What is the least favorite physical thing you like about yourself? This sentence doesn't make sense. I try my best not to think about that stuff. My body works right now…I'm currently healthy.

16. What color pants and shoes are you wearing now? Blue jeans and tan brown shoes.

17. What are you listening to right now? My cats yowling annoyingly and my BF trying to get them to shut the hell up for once.

18. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? 
If I was a crayon I'd prefer to be an "ugly" colour so people wouldn't use me.

19. Favorite smell? 
Horses (same same @fannibalmonica )

20. Who was the last person you spoke to on the phone? 
Pretty sure the only people I speak to on the phone anymore is my Mom/Dad.  Doesn't everyone just text now? And see each other in person?

21. Favorite sport to watch? Equestrian sports (same same again @fannibalmonica )

22. Hair color? 
Blond. 

23. Eye color? 
Brown…someone told me once that having naturally blonde hair and brown eyes is a somewhat unusual genetic combination.  They might have just been hitting on me though….any geneticists out there able to confirm?

24. Do you wear contacts? 
No.

25. Favorite food to eat? 
Chinese noodles. Vietnamese Noodles. Thai Noodles. I like noodles :)

26. Scary movies or comedy? 
Hmmm.  I like dark movies and even slasher movies but I don't like "jump out and surprise you with creepiness" movies…I don't startle well. I love dark/quirky/sad comedies.

27. Last movie you watched? I just watched Logan…and Gattaca from the 90's (it held up)

28. What color of shirt are you wearing? 
multicolour (brown/yellow) sweater

29. Summer or winter? Summer.

30. Hugs or kisses? Both.  Always both. Well …depends on the kiss ;P

31. What book are you currently reading? 
American Gods, I’ve gotta finish that again before the TV show starts @emotionally-gutted-by-hannibal @fannibalmonica *stealing your answers because SAME SAME*

32. Who do you miss right now? 
My city is getting REALLY expensive and lots of people have had to move away in recent years.  Some of my best friends now live way out of town :(

33. What is on your mouse pad? 
I don’t have one.

34. What is the last TV program you watched? Other than my obsessive re-watching of Hannibal? Um, I went back to watch United States of Tara (another sad 3rd season cancellation, but so worth a watch)

35. What is the best sound? 
Mads Mikkelsen’s voice (same same @fannibalmonica!)

36. Rolling Stones or The Beatles? 
Stooges! Bowie! Velvet Underground!

37. What is the furthest you have ever traveled? 
From Canada to Cambodia (via Tokyo)

38. Do you have a special talent? I feel like this calls for a cleverness I'm not sure I can muster after all these questions ;P How about maintaining professionalism at work when all I want to do is tell people they're entitled assholes who don't know anything about anything?  My utter inability to spend more than a minute or two NOT thinking about Hannibal? Making excuses to myself about the stuff I'm not doing that I should be doing? Seriously though, I think I'm kind.  I'd say my empathy is probably the best thing about me, even though it can be stressful for me (remind you of anyone Fannibals?)

39. Where were you born? Toronto, Canada

[aimaileafy]

Shipping Meme for Shippers ♥

1.     Talk about the first ship you ever had.

My very first ship has surely been GuriBuru, alias Green x Blue from PokeSpe. Yes I was “invested” in other shippings, like Ash/Misty or Usagi/Mamoru, but they were just like “canon and just cute”, set in stone, part of the story - nothing I had big interests in. But GuriBuru… hell I’ve thought a lot about them /o/ I was a very rapid shipper. Which is not an good idea, when you ship something in the pokemon fandom, with no hints whatsoever when you are not Ash and Misty. I mean if “She is in an obnoxious girl” counts as THE SHIPPING HINT PER EXCELLENCE you know how deep you have come.

2.     Talk about three of the most important ships throughout your life.

GuriBuru – I shipped it very unhealthy and strong, but it brought be to drawing and to writing and to the internet.

Himishipping – GuriBuru was the reason to write Himi and GuriBuru turned into Himishipping, my OTP for many years…

Glasshipping – but nothing beats my OTP. After all the years of “shipping” I can surely say that Glasshipping is my One True Shipping. Yes I shipped GuriBuru/Himishipping A LOT, but in comparison…? No I have never loved a relationship more then Nocturns and Youmas. Of course the have the advantage that I adore both characters so endlessly much… I also love Green, but a shipping is maked out of two and I just “like” Blue. He has never been one of my favourite characters – so it’s natural that Glasshipping has some advantages here.

I don’t have a OTP in every series and I don’t have tons of OTPs. The ONE TRUE SHIPPING is and has been for a way longer time someone would think… Glasshipping. That’s my OTP.

Honorable mentioning: Lestat/Louis - my very first BL-Shipping ever. Ive shipped them even in my “everything whats gay is bad”, which... says something about the ship and how funny and canon they have been. Lestat influences be a lot for Nocturn and their relationship shares some traits with the relationship Youma and Nocturns has in DeA... they have similar dynamics. I cant deny the inspiration haha /o/ even if Anne Rice did A FUCKING SPLENDID JOB in destroying the ship, they still make my heart go doki doki when I see art of them... or read parts of the first three books OR WATCH THAT FUCKING GAY MOVIE WERE EVEN MY MOTHER SAID GOD DAMN THEY ARE SO GAY. 

3.    What’s your current OTP?

Already said that. Glasshipping. Of course I also like other shippings, but I wont call them my OTPs. They are just ships I like and support. Nothing beats my love for Glasshipping. 

4.     What’s your current NOTP?

Even if I am not that invested in shippings and their wars… one should think that I don’t have many NOTPs but actually I have ^^° some shippings are just very annoying to me and hurt my eyes more then they should. I really cant stand Seiya x Usagi. I just cant. This is really the NOTP of my NOTPs. I can follow you for years, if we are not friends and you frequently post this shipping the chance is very high that I will un-follow IN A INSTANT WITHOUT HESITATION. This shipping is just a huge NOPE for me. I can understand why people ship them, I can understand why someone does not like UsaMamo and find Mamoru boring. But I hate it. Its not because I’m a rapid UsaMamo supporter… its more that I find the thought that Usagi should love someone else then Mamoru and betray him and her kingdom so damn out of character… AND A AFFAIR IN THE PRESENT WOULD KILL CHIBIUSA---------- DO NOT KILL CHIBIUSA------------ DO NOT TOUCH HER no no no NOTP.

NOPE YOU ARENT

5.     Do you have any poly ships?

…………..yes. To be honest, yes. Thanks to Pianist I kinda like Reitzel/Nocturn/Youma…. And a little bit Karsgaard/Youma/Nocturn

And in DeA I have a weakness for Yuuki/Azuma/Firey heheehehehehehhehehehehee

6.     How do you feel about love triangles?

Back in my younger years I WAS ALL OVER THEM. I mean look at the original Himi and ask me again haha…. I guess I still like them, but nowadays more Male x Male x Male, instead of two males and a girl. *looks to Kasra Youma and Nocturn and hides the ton of pictures I have of them*

7.     How do you feel about RPF?

What da fuck is this

8.     Have you ever shipped yourself with a character?

Nope.

9.     Do you have many ships that never got together at all?

Uff. The shippings I ship never get together. I actually don’t ship in the hope to see them together in the end. I do not need the canon to make me a happy shipper. I mean if you are a BL-Shipper you don’t really think that your two boys will end up together… the chances are just zero. You enjoy what you get (mostly friendship stuff) and hope that neither of your boys get a fucking love interest.

And if they do you rely on FFs (not me, I do not read FFs).

So, yes, I had a lot of shippings that never got together at all. Actually the most of them... even my former straight ships had some problems with getting together. But as I’ve said, I’ve never cared ^^” 

10.     Do you ship any characters that have never met?

Does Kasra and Youma count? I guess yes, since they never met in DeA BUT IF YOU THINK THAT STOPPS ME YOU ARE DEEPLY MISTAKEN

11.     Talk about your favorite first kiss.

*poker face* WHICH KISS---------- thats a privilege for someone who ships straight shippings. 

I really love Eriks and Christines kiss. The first and the last kiss �� that’s the best kind of first-kisses. Or dying while kissing. I like kisses with a deep meaning, not just sexual attraction or longing. Eriks and Christines kiss at the end of the book (and at the end of the musical) is a great example for that - of course it had Eriks longing for Christines love, but it is Christine who kisses him... and who knows why. Sacrifice? A trick to rescue Raoul? Just pure mercy with the “poor Erik”? Or just a sign for the love that never could have been? I love that we never get an answer for that... of course there are different interpretations and I really like that its up to the actors who plays Erik and Christine in the musical which meaning is behind this kiss. This kiss is really special; its beautiful and fascinating at the same time... not for nothing did it leave a huge impact on the media industry. People who dont know Phantom of the Opera still knows of this kiss of kisses. So I guess thats my favourite kiss? 

But I have to admit that the kiss that maked me scream the most and which I have watched more often then I should admit... were the kiss Erik and Christine shared in the australian version of Love Never dies ^^””” its just so passionate and... it totally got me off-guard SINCE I WASNT PREPARED FOR IT ALL. Its debatable if this kiss is really fitting for the characters or the whole meaning and plot of Phantom of the Opera (it kinda destroys the meaning of the first and final kiss of the original) BUT DAMN I LOVE IT 

12.     Have you ever been disappointed when your ship finally got together?

My ship does not end up together as explained in 9.

I was kinda annoyed by the fact that Flute got like… HOW MANY CHILDREN with Hamel?????? She is a fucking fighting princess and she got turned into a housewife????????? WHY

13.     Has a ship ever broken your heart?

Y E S

OH SO MANY YESES. If you – like me – are into the bittersweetest angst you love that. You are prepared for that. You jump right into the stakes that will crush you heart. GuriBuru killed me, Himishipping KILLED ME VERY OFTEN, Glasshipping….. not that much actually…. And Königshipping maked me depressed for a week or something. Damn you Kasra for loving Youma so much, that not even Glasshipping could heal me GOD DAMMIT KASRA I WASNT PREPARED FOR THE POWER OF YOUR LOVE  

14.     How do you feel about will they/won’t they?

I don’t understand the question? 

15.     Have you ever “shipped at first sight”?

Pffffft who do you think I AM OF COURSE

16.     Talk about a ship you initially disliked.

Christine and Raoul. Nowadays Im okay with it, but its really not my kind of ship. Its cute. But I don’t see why I should ship Christine with cute prince charming WHEN I HAVE ERIK

YES TOTALLY CHOOSING 2014 ERIK BECAUSE I CAN

17.     Talk about a pairing you’ve stopped shipping romantically.

Silence and Youma for… obvious reasons. Youma and Kaira for…. OBVIOUS REASONS

18.     Talk about a moment which made you question an entire ship.

The moment a fellow Phantom of the Opera-Fan said “I think their relationship is surely based in fascination”. I went into thinking-mode and came the conclusion

NOPE ITS NOT

19.     Have you ever shipped something despite yourself?

Again – I don’t understand the question.

20.     Talk about a ship you feel alone in shipping.

Glasshipping. But its okay. I love my ship enough for a whole fandom. Come here, Glasshipping, I love you.

21.     Is there a ship you just don’t get, but have nothing against?

Many of the popular BL-shippings. Draco/Harry, Seto/Yami, Ash/Gary… Im like “Yeah I understand them, but not really my kind of ship”……. The Cursed child maked me ship Draco/Harry a bit. But just a bit.

22.     Which of your ships have the best chemistry?

Glasshipping. Glasshipping! GLASSHIPPING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

23.     Which of your ships deserve better writing?

GLASSHIPPING I GUESS HAHAHAHhhhhaaaaa…haaaaaaaaa.haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

Okay, no, for real here. Its Lestat and Louis. They deserved SO MUCH BETTER. They had three awesome books; they had a great chemistry, loving and fighting against each other, but in the end they couldn’t be without the other... they had three awesome books... a third book that ended with a fucking dance in the sky and with the sentence that could come straight out of a glasshipping FF: “I hate you” “Oh, I know you love to hate me” AND THEY SAID THAT WITH A LOVING SMILE AND---------------

Then Anne Rice went bad-shitt insane, destroying her characters, her plot, their relationship, maked the shipping un-canon again with just cutting Louis out of the plot and letting Lestat have tons of other relationships and... okay Im getting salty. Very salty. She should never have re-discovered her christian faith. never. 

24.     Do you mostly ship canon pairings?

Im a BL-Shipper so…. Never. Does Christine and Erik count as canon? Do they? She marries Raoul, so… oh wait I have Chrono and Rosette from Chrno Crusade! I shipped them a lot when I was younger and their cute and bittersweet love story is sugar for my heeeart

25.     Have you ever shipped a pairing before you even started watching the show/movie simply because of gifs and graphics or similar?

Yes. Yes. Yes. All the time.  Because I just adore the fanworks so much (Doujis, FanArts, not FFs) and go down with them. But to be honest…. That’s were the shipping is. In the fandom. But in the end I always end to the watch/read the series. 

Kashu/Yasusada are an example. I liked their pictures and doujis and started watching Touken Ranbu Hanamaru and shipped them. 

Lelouch and Suzaku another. I liked their fanworks, watched the series… and didn’t shipped them. Code Geass is the prime example for how shippings ruin the fun of a show for me. I am SO MUCH NOT INTO FAN-SERVICE. I think Shipping-Fan-Service is an abomination of every series. See, we have Code Geass with an awesome written protagonist. A series about war and politics and all those serious themes which are handled will in a good storyline. We have Lelouch, who is a twisted and good looking main-character - how do you destroy all that? Simply with shippings. Lelouch had a TON OF shipping possibilities, kiss and hug-scenes with like every fucking girl and of course also typical BL-Scenes with Suzaku. I dont know about you, but I hate it, I cannot take that serious. Fan-Service destroys the plot and the character - and every shipping in its progress. Kiss and hugs are fine, maybe also with multiple characters BUT IT HAS TO MAKE SENSE FOR FUCKING SAKE AND _NOT_ BE THERE FOR THE FANS SO THEY CAN FIGHT OVER WHAT SHIP IS MORE CANON. I hate it, I hate it I HATE IT SO MUCH and I cannot understand how someone can enjoy it. 

Kaworu and Shinji the same as Kashu and Yasusada. IVE READ A TON of fanworks of them (Doujis, I NEVER read FFs) and when I watched NGE I was head over heals for them.  You know I come of the shipping and stay for the plot???? I mean no one can tell me that they a an NGE Fan for Kawoshins sake, since Kaworu is there for one fucking episode

So mostly it’s the other way round??? I first ship and then start the series???

WAIT THAT’S WRONG ISNT IT

26.     Have you noticed a pattern in your shipping? Is there a romantic dynamic you’re more drawn to?

Angst. Angst. ANGST. Yes, I really love angst (and for the record: I do not consider something that is sad to be angst. Something sad is just something sad. So you are not creating a angsty work just because someone dies, nope. Angst is Fatal Frame) when its done good. I am into abusive shippings, complicated shippings, shippings were the characters hate each other while loving each other. I love shippings that shows the deepest abyss of the characters, that make them turn bad shitt insane... or heal them, as seen in Glasshipping. Of course I also enjoy other shipps; great dynamics are important for me. But the easiest way, without any compromises are abusive rape shippings. Those will immediately catch my interests. I know that makes me sound kinda weird. But I ship something because I found their relationship interesting, not because I found them cute together; I want to see where they take each other... human psychology has always been interesting for me. One could say I like Stockholm Syndrome-Shippings, but I like it more complicated then that. Sometimes I hope for them to get together, find a solution for their problems (looking at you Engelsshipping... or Himishipping for that matter...) and sometimes I just enjoy their road down to hell (nods to Königsshipping). 

I guess the interssting thing here is that Glasshipping is not per se a angsty shipping. My OTP does not fall into this pattern: they are strictly opposite. Both are broken existences before Youma gives Nocturn a second life and they meet each other and start living together... they hate each other in the start, fight each other very seriously, but gradually they fall in love with each other and the love is it what heals them. 

I guess thats... the other way round. And maybe thats the reason why Glasshipping is so special to me. 

27.     Is there a ship you’ve shipped for most of your life?

One should not think that, but its actually Glasshipping I’ve shipped the longest.

28.     Does shipping come easily to you?

Yes and no. When a ship does remind me of one of my favourite Himi-Shippings, then yes. Shippings often annoy me.  

29.     Do you need to ship something to really enjoy a movie/book/tv show/comic?

No, not at all. Actually I think a ship can destroy much. Yes I watched some series because of a ship, but in the end I am very happy if the book I read or the manga I read or the anime I watch have no romance whatsoever. Love is overrated *sings Mikas song* There are a lot of other interesting things to enjoy.

30.     Name a couple of fandoms in which you have no ships.

I am actually not really invested in fandoms… Harry Potter (yes yes I ship Dumbledore/Grindelwald, but its not like I’ve read 7 books just to get the two sentences that did make the shipping canon), Sailor Moon (as I’ve said, I don’t really ship UsaMamo – its just part of the plot), Code Geass I guess and I would enjoy it much much more when they would not ship anything… Fatal Frame thanks game for existing and not having a romantic subplot… Zelda, since I do not really care for ZeLink or no ZeLink…

31.     Talk about one of your favorite headcanons for a ship you love.

I have so many glasshipping headcanons THE DOCUMENT WOULD BREAK. But my favourite...? I guess my favourite headcanons are those that involve them both and dancing, which shouldn’t be a surprise considering how many pictures and stories I have were they dance with each other. They are super talented dancers and both very romantic, so in my little glasshipping universe they dance whenever they have the chance to do so; when the music is right they just dance ♥ and sometimes in the middle of training... its also a sort of problem solver for them; no “make up sex”, no its “make up dance” for them ♥! Another very precious headcanon of mine is their sleeping schedule. Both often have terrible nightmares and don’t sleep well... but they do sleep well when the other is awake (like Youma is working and Nocturn sleeps on the couch), like they are protecting each others sleep. Since I am terrified of sleep and going to bed this is a very important aspect of their relationship for me.  

32.     Share five must-read fics.

I don’t read fics, so…

33.     Name your favorite fanartist(s).

BUT I HAVE A LOT OF THOSE: Tencal, Geranium, Dalc Rose, Getsumen-Spiral, Tetsusabi, Gemini, Inumania, Ririadoll.... TOO MANY OKAY

34.     Share your favorite fanmix for your OTP.

I would but 8tracks is down. Hate you 8tracks

35.     Recommend 1-5 shipper blogs.

I really like http://shadowcycle.tumblr.com/ èwe ♥! For my Kawoshin dosis and other interessting ships!

36.     Do you create fanmixes/gif sets/fanart/fic/fanvids and so on for you ships?

I create a lot of FFs, Artworks, Doujis, Fanmixes.... all Glasshipping but hej ITS MY OTP!!!!

37.      Do you have a favorite trope and/or AU for your OTP?

Since I found tropes a little bit... annoying... (the whole concept of putting tropes into an relationship/character - I think that... makes them seem flat) I cannot really answer that, since I don’t know the list of tropes????? Favourite AU-setting.... historical settings! I am so much not into high school or modern AUs. SO MUCH NOT. But everything historical? GIMME. I mean I have so many ideas for a French Revolution AU (actually with all Himi characters, not just Nocturn and Youma), but I guess I can be convinced for every AU. Its just that it takes a lot of research time, huh!  

38.     Do you like and use ship names?

Hehe yes I find them ridiculous and super stupid – so stupid that I like them xDDD ♥

39.     Is there a fictional relationship you’d really want for yourself?

No not really, since I am a happy single… but I really think that Glasshipping is the optimal healthy shipping one should strive for. Find a partner like Youma who accept you and your problems, tries to understand them, hugs you in the moment where you don’t know you need it and keeps distance in the moments were you need to be for yourself – and find a partner like Nocturn who constantly challenge your worldviews and brighten your horizon and brings joy to everyday life and who stays overly romantic even if you two has been together for 50+ years and for who your kisses are the biggest treasures of the earth (and who isn’t crazy like him).

FIND SOMEONE WHO LOOKS AT YOU LIKE THAT

AND DOES THAT EVEN IF YOU HAVE BEEN TOGETHER FOR 40 YEARS

Another one of my headcanons: they stay forever together u w u after thousands of hardships they end of being the ideal pair, totally glued together, that they are always mentioned in the same sentence, writing history together... but of course still beeing awesome individuals, important. 

40.     If you could change one thing about your OTP, what would that be?

Nothing. They are absolutely perfect. Maybe I would love when Kasra would be alive in DeA, since I love him as “love-rival” (this sounds like the biggest understatement ever…. Love-rival…. He is more like a love-warlord…), but I don’t need a rival for my ship to enjoy it to the max /o/!

Glasshipping 4 ever♥!  

[laughinglistener]

The Vampire Lestat

The Vampire Lestat

(The Vampire Chronicles, Book Two) By Anne Rice

Format: Audiobook Narrator: Simon Vance Length: 21 hours & 41 minutes Genres: Fiction, Adult, Fantasy, Horror, Supernatural Take a Peek:  Audible  |  Overdrive  |  Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Goodreads

Story Rating: 4 Stars Performance Rating: 5 Stars Overall Rating: 4 Stars ★★★★

My journey into the Vampire Chronicles continues with round two. Man, so far this series has the ability to overwhelm me and push my thoughts towards the existential like no other book ever has. After my intense love affair with Interview With A Vampire a couple weeks ago, I was hesitantly curious about this sequel. I hated Lestat so much the first time around, I wasn’t sure if I could stand a whole novel told from his perspective. To my surprise (though I shouldn’t have been because Anne Rice is a genius) I really loved it and found this prequel/sequel really fascinating.

via GIPHY

THE REHASH

The story begins a decade-ish after the first one ended, in the 1980s. Our favorite vamp has been “sleeping” underground for quite some time, but is stirred at the new sounds of life happening outside. Upon his wake, the obvious progression of civilization overwhelms Lestat and he is curious about everything around him; clothing, music, religion, pop culture, politics, books, philosophy… You get the idea. He loves this new age where people are free to express themselves and everyone accepts it without batting an eye. The societal rules that once held him back no longer apply and he decides to take advantage this, hunting down a rock band he enjoys and confronting them. Lestat reveals what he is and promises to make the band rich if given the chance. They don’t believe him, of course, but compliment the clever choice of name for his little “act.” This only confuses Lestat and he asks what they’re talking about, only to discover that Louis helped write a book that told their history to the public. He’s completely shocked. Without even trying or knowing, Lestat has become the most famous vampire in history—mostly because he was a big douchebag.

In response, Lestat immediately starts penning his own novel and we dive head first into his origins. It opens with him Hulking out and killing a pack of wolves that had been terrorizing his village. Everyone is extremely grateful that he had the courage to kill them and even bring gifts in gratitude. One of these gift givers is Nicolas de Lenfent, nicknamed Nicki, who was shunned from his wealthy family when he devoted himself to learning the violin. As a secret aspiring actor, Lestat is immediately intrigued by him and his mother Gabrielle encourages her son to make a new friend. After their first dinner, the two are inseparable and even become lovers. Eventually they decide to hit the road to Paris where they will be free to live out their dreams, but Lestat is hesitant because of his mother’s failing health. Gabrielle knows that she’ll probably be dead soon, but she still tells Lestat to go and be happy and live as much as he can for her. With her blessing, the two go to Paris and create a new life performing with a theater troupe. Lestat is finally happy, so obviously that’s when a random old-man vampire comes to his room and steals him away.

Without much preamble or warning, Lestat gets changed into a vampire. And since the poor guy isn’t confused enough, his maker then immediately kills himself by walking into a fire—So. Not. Cool. He’s left with little instruction or help and relies mainly on his instincts as a guide. Despite being warned to stay away from his loved ones, Lestat can’t seem to help himself and uses his new inherited wealth to shower them with gifts. Gabrielle is ecstatic and happy for her son’s forturne while Nicki is….. not. He doesn’t understand why Lestat left and is very bitter, which is torturous for our narrator. In the end, Lestat can’t stay away and eventually visits his theater troupe friends, including Nicki, who welcome him back with open arms until they realize he’s not quite human anymore. At the same time, Lestat’s mother Gabrielle takes a turn for the worse and surprises her son with a visit to see him one last time. Initially he tries to hide his vampy-ness, but can’t stand the thought of watching her die and offers her eternal life, which she very quickly accepts.

To make a very very very long story short, after Lestat turns Gabrielle and eventually Nicki too, they face great adversity that drives wedges between them all. Armand and his band of religious vamp-followers are not happy with how they’re conducting themselves, and eventually split Lestat’s coven apart. He is completely miserable and hopeless, finding brief relief with an ancient vampire named Marius, before he’s forced to leave him too. This horribly bitter state is how he finds Louis, and the rest we already know.

In the epilogue, we finally get to see Louis and Lestat reunited, giving me warm-fuzzies that I didn’t know I wanted until it was already happening. Plus, we get to see Lestat play a stadium show with his now famous rock band and it quickly turns sour when pissed off vampires decide to attack. Until next time…

THE GOOD

*Opens mouth. Closes it. Opens it again.* ……….Well. Hmmm. A lot to ponder this time around.

If I had told myself at the end of Interview With A Vampire that I would ship Louis and Lestat AND hate Armand’s guts by the end of this one, I would have laughed in my own face. No way. But somehow Anne Rice managed to completely turn my own opinion and I can’t help but like Lestat’s character. I’m not entirely sure when the switch got flipped, but I find myself at the end of a transformation I didn’t even know was occurring. In the first novel I wanted to wring his neck. Now whenever he does anything vaguely evil I laugh like I’m watching a mischievous kitten.

“Oh Lestat! He’s so CUTE when he’s trying to dismantle the entire vampire structure!”

During the first novel, I fell so hard for Louis with his big heart and brooding nature that I hated Lestat for him. To me, it seemed completely logical that Louis and Claudia tried to kill Lestat by setting his ass on fire. So you can imagine my surprise when Lestat manages to undermine the ENTIRE first book in a few short sentences, saying Louis has his own perspective on events and conveniently omitted all the good times they had together. Lestat even goes on to explain some of the horrible things he did, somehow making it okay. It was a brilliant move on Rice’s part that left me completely speechless with a burning need to re-read the first novel again.

And this is a little macabre to discuss in a lighthearted book review, but I would feel remiss not mentioning it. I have never had my own fear of death described quite so accurately before. It struck a chord inside of me. Fear of death is something we all share, but it’s a vast, baser kind of terror that’s hard to grasp or put in words and I think Anne Rice captured that fear amazingly. Somehow, after reading this, I feel like I have a better grasp on myself—like I know that part of me a little better. That’s both good and bad. I think everyone would rather remain in blissful ignorance when it comes to death, but it also made me feel not so alone.

THE UGLY

Similarly to Interview With A Vampire, this book felt looooonnnnnnng since Rice shoves hundreds of years into a few chapters, but it’s lenth was a little more tedious this time around than it was before. Despite the whole being-an-immortal-vampire thing, I can see a lot of myself in Louis, which played a big role in winning me over the first time around and put a positive spin on it’s long length. I was just happy to be spending more time with a character I really cared about. Even after Lestat won me over in this second book, I wasn’t invested and held him at a distance. My attention wasn’t completely captured and tended to drop in between major plot points.

Plus, it didn’t feel like I was reading about the same Lestat. The Lestat in this novel felt completely different than the one I experienced before. Maybe that’s because my feelings for him changed so drastically, or maybe this was done on purpose since the first book is in Louis’s perspective. Whatever the reason, it felt like I was reading a story about some other completely different vampire. It wasn’t until his reunion with Louis at the very end that I connected the two Lestat’s together in my mind. This is probably my problem and no fault of Rice’s and I might solve it for myself by re-reading the first novel, but I wish there had been a better way to bridge the gap between the two.

FINAL WORD

Personally, I just don’t think this book is as strong as the first one, but it’s still a good read. It makes you laugh, it makes you cry, it makes you think—it has everything! I would definitely give this a try if you loved the Interview With A Vampire as much as I did.

The Vampire Lestat was originally published on Laughing Listener