#marius de romanus when i get my hands on you

[arcadiiian]

i was wondering what the show was going to do with the whole "botticelli angel" thing and i actually could not be a bigger fan of how it was done . genuinely the whitewashed unrecognizable painting did something to me "no one has painted me in 400 years" was that even you!! or was that just all they saw you as!!! someone to project images of western beauty and desire on until the illusion could no longer hold up!!!!!!!

[dreadfuldevotee]

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

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

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

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

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

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

[monstersinthecosmos]

Marius and Armand taking a romantic vacation cruise somewhere where Marius introduces him to everyone on the ship as “my son”. They even go so far as to do all the corny planned activities and he says things like “that’s my boy” or “he gets his aim from my side of the family”. Then at night they go to the dance floor where they spend the the entire time dancing and slowing rubbing against each other and sucking drinks from one another’s fingers before retreating back to their cabin to have very loud sex with the door to their balcony and all the windows open. The next day they wear matching family vacation tees with some god awful font saying Team De Romanus on them for when they go ashore

I feel like you’re fucking with me because I used to work on cruise ships and you have no idea how many sugar baby couples I used to see and how we always had to feel them out the first day and figure out if it was a parent/child or if it was a couple except some of them hit the skimpy outfits and public makeout HARD so there was no mystery.

anyway thinking about the time I had to deliver a package to a guest room and it was the very handsome and fit 55 year old silver fox with his 19 year old boyfriend who wore very short shorts the whole cruise and how he came to answer he door all flushed in a bathrobe with the young man barely covered by a sheet in bed behind him 😂

he tipped really well, it was the best.

anyway you’re quite right; I imagine them in one of the more expensive cruise lines where there isn’t rowdy partying like seabourne or something, probably one with lots of sea days and less ports because he likes the feeling of drifting out there and can take Armand to visit these cities any time they want, no need to cram them all into one trip. He definitely shelled out for the spa packages and pays for Armand to get his hair cut and he’s never gotten an expensive haircut before where it was so relaxing to have people touch his scalp.

he also pays for dinner in the speciality restaurants every night instead of using the dining room where the food was included in ship fare; they get the dim candlelight corner tables so he can hand feed Armand, and Armand touches Marius’s cock under the table, they get drunk on fancy wine and the sommelier knows Marius’s name and gives him all the best first picks because he’s such a generous tipper.

more than one night he gave armand head up on the forward top deck when no one around so that armand could lay back in the deck chairs and watch the stars! He’s never been treated like this beofre!

anyway armand is young and reckless and gets a little too drunk most nights; marius fucks him gently so he doesn’t get the spins, it’s really nice with the way the ship rocks. He never feels seasick, more like he’s being cradled to sleep.

and you know armand sleeps in every morning and Marius is out having his coffee on the deck and attending all the scenic cruise lectures ! He loves educational stuff!!!

anyway listen. I could say more but. 🥸

[murfpersonalblog]

IWTV S2 Ep6 Musings - Claudeline (Spoilers)

Take a shot every time AMC puts Claudia in a yellow dress.

Poor Madeleine! I definitely didn't expect any of this from the teasers! A VESPA! Claudia to the rescue! (^0^)

This was so tender and sweet and adorably morbid.

(Lou's wild; he's like wtf is this female doing in my gay bed?) Claudia's so dang adorable, I can't, I wanna hug her and tell her everything will be ok. But AMC persists in dressing her in EFFING YELLOW. 😭

Lou said CLAUDIA effed things up, when LOUIS is the one LITERALLY effing Armand in the theatre! That "you picked the coven!" outburst must've dug up some DEMONS, to be talking to MY daughter that way. 😤

I'm rolling, stop it--cycles are cycling. Siblings talking about their interracial Francophile dating habits. XD

And then immediately DRAGGING Les for his blood, I CACKLED! Les's blood ain't good enough for Madz, but you want ARMAND to turn her!? Lawd, lemme tell you about MARIUS DE ROMANUS' blood. 😭🤣 Lestat is MILD. And Les isn't a bad Maker, all told, cuz he made Claudia an AMAZING vampire, for such a wee little girl. 🥰

Lou are you KIDDING ME!? Why is every word out your mouth this episode making me wanna throw hands!? Naaw Claudia, press him on it, he meant that ish! That's every midlife crisis single parent thinking the kids are getting in the way of their love life!

THE SCREAM I SCRUMPT!

Claudia de Lioncourt!? 😱

Ok, this ep OFFICIALLY MADE ME WANNA CHOKE ROLIN JONES--HOW DARE YOU SIR, YOU DAAAAARRRRREEEEEEEEE 😭 The patriarchy's real, omg my poor daughter! 😭😭😭😭

I never thought I'd see Armand & Madz just chilling in an ugly AF floral room in the year of our lord 2024, Rolin I love you, sir.

NGL, I hated that they made Madeleine a collaborator--I wish I would have as much of a cavalier attitude about having a KKK member "cradle my tits" as she did about being with a Nazi--IDGAF if the sky is burning and pigs are flying and the world's ending--I guess we're all dying virgins! 🥂 Sorry not sorry, but I didn't feel sorry for her at all, up until this episode.

But I guess I can see where they were going with it?

Weird flex, but ok. (No wonder armand said no, LOL.)

This made me LOL. XD

Madz getting (turnt out, who said that??) turned to Josephine Baker~!

STOP it, AMC. 😭 Madz fantasizing yellowdress!Claudia in sunlight--are all these redheads witches like the Twins, LOL?

RUDE, but I was thinking the same thing, it's an honest question, albeit petty.

Exactly, any parent would wanna know your intentions with their kid.

That must be sarcasm--Armand paraded you in Baby LouLou's lolita clothes for how long? 🤨

Not sapphic!Claudia with the bling & the makeup & the tatas out. 😍

Loving Madeleine's YELLOWish eyes, Rolin, Carol, you sickos.

Thank you for at least giving Claudeliene some happiness for like two seconds. 😭💔

Brace yourselves for Ep7. U_U

[herbeloved82]

Cherished memories stolen and shared

Written with @complicitsacrilege

It was a long time coming, but when Marius walked into the headquarters of the Talamasca he did it with determination in his eyes. They stole his paintings, the only remaining proof of what Marius lost in the night of the fire, and he wanted them back, for they had no reason to keep those personal parts of his life in their archives. 

Whatever possessed Teshkamen to create this group, Marius wasn’t inclined to play nice anymore.

The atmosphere wasn’t what he expected to find in a place that was devoted to observing and studying what humans shouldn’t be allowed to know. For once there were fewer people than he expected, and the second thing that surprised Marius were the thoughts reaching him. 

Those people were scared. Something had happened, horrifying enough that their minds couldn’t process it. The lingering emotions were enough to make Marius wonder, but they didn’t stop his steps as he reached the office of their leader. 

Marius was never interested in them enough to study if they gave themselves fancy names like humans would do when playing with powers they couldn’t even hope to understand, and if he was being unfair, well Marius wasn’t known to be humble. He knew he was better than them, more powerful, more rightful even. He had stopped apologizing for who he was and what he wanted when he survived Santino’s fire. 

At the end of the day, he was still there, walking on Earth, while Santino was rotting in his beloved hell, which Marius knew didn't exist. 

When he opened the door after a polite knock, for he still remembered his manners, the man he saw was older than he expected. His eyes, small and hidden behind the golden frame of heavy glasses, shone in fear when they saw him. 

Good, Marius thought, this man knew who he was, and while the thought bothered him on some level, in this moment it played in his favor. He would have hated to waste time when he was there for one reason only, to get back what was his, and leave.      

Reginald stood as quickly as his arthritis would allow at the sight of the vampire in his doorway. His thoughts buzzed with a sharp anxiety that made it difficult to catch the thread of them, “G-good evening,” he stammered, seeming unsure of whether or not human manners would be appropriate in such a situation. “How did you -” he stopped, blinking as he glanced over the vampire’s shoulder at the hall outside his office. How in the world did he get in here? “What can I do for you,” he asked instead.

Marius didn’t hide the small smile pulling at the corners of his lips. Oh this poor man had no idea of who he was, just what he was. 

“Don’t bother looking for your men. They don’t seem inclined to intervene.” He said matter of factly, then Marius moved a few more steps into the room before locking the door behind his back. This was supposed to be a private conversation. 

“And for what you can do for me, you can hand me back the paintings your associates had collected from my house in Venice, after the fire that destroyed my Palazzo.” 

While his posture didn’t change, there was a coldness in his voice that made it clear he was as dangerous as Reginald feared. 

“To answer your unspoken, and frankly rude question, my name is Marius de Romanus and the reason it wasn’t that hard for me to find you is because it was my maker who founded your little club.” 

Reginald’s eyes widened and his breath caught in his chest. He tried to step back but nearly tripped over the leg of his chair. “Y-your what? I - The Talamasca was founded,” his heart raced faster than an old man’s ought to, and sweat broke out on his forehead, “I - we don’t have… um,” he stopped again, seemingly unable to articulate the words he needed to say, but it was clear in his mind.

An image of a red-haired vampire, Andrei, he had said his name was. Blood. The slam of his head against the bookcase as the vampire threatened to choke him to death without so much as tasting his blood. The ache of the bruises that had not yet healed.

“They were - they were taken. I - we don’t have them a-any longer. He didn’t give me a choice.”

On any other occasion Marius’ rage would have been searing. Destructive enough that the whole place would have been left in ruin, but not today. Today Reginald’s words washed upon him like water upon a rock in the middle of the sea, for what his mind revealed was more important than any words that left his mouth. 

Andrei. Amadeo. His Amadeo was alive, and he was the one who took his paintings. Why? What for? Marius had so many questions, and he knew the only person who could answer them was now miles away, hidden from him by the curse that fell over every maker and fledgling. Never like now Marius had hated the silence between them. 

“Consider this your lucky day, Reginald. You can keep your life, for you gave me something I cherish above everything else, even those paintings that you have lost.”    

Reginald appeared to be at a loss for words, as he stumbled to speak, but couldn’t seem to. He didn’t understand, but he wanted to - needed to. In his long life, he had only met one other vampire in person, and that had been Andrei. In spite of the man’s fear, there was a deep undercurrent of curiosity that was desperate to be satiated. When else would he ever have a chance like this?

“I am truly sorry,” he responded meekly, “it couldn’t be prevented - he killed,” the words broke off as the faces of three of his men came to mind, now lost to him.

*** 

That was how the strangest game of cat and mouse between Andrei and Marius began. There was always something that kept them from crossing paths. Andrei was always a step ahead or two behind him. 

The silence between them never bothered Marius as much as now, when he knew his beloved was alive and yet he was so out of reach it felt the same as when he thought he had perished.   

The first time Marius heard about the Hermitage being robbed, he was in Prague, close enough to Russia to be one of the first to hear the news, but not enough to be there in time. He didn’t even leave his house after he learned which painting was taken. A still life he painted as the last attempt to paint again. 

He was in Rome when the Louvre went through the same. This time both the Gioconda and a portrait of the boys that some asinine critic attributed to Botticelli, were taken. 

He knew which one Andrei took, and while he was furious once again he was too far away to catch him, a part of him was glad that the painting was finally with someone who knew the boys and who had loved them as much as Marius did. 

A crypt in Rome was raided years after the last time Marius had heard about his art being stolen again. That time he had been in Egypt when Albinus’ portrait was taken. Its twin, Riccardo’s portrait had been damaged in the fire, and what was left of it Marius had buried with the remains of Riccardo himself that he found after Santino’s acolytes had revealed what had happened to him in hope of having their pathetic lives saved.   

It kept happening for decades, until fate decided it was time to change the rules of the game. 

Akasha woke up, bringing destruction and sorrow. She wanted all the power she once held, and more. She wanted to be worshiped like the Goddess she had been before, and in a century where Gods died every day, she found a fertile ground to raise once again. 

After the ruin of the world that was crumbling around them, Marius and Andrei’s path finally crossed.   

***

“Master,” Armand’s voice was barely above a whisper when he spoke. He was sure Marius hadn’t seen him yet, but from the glimpse of his crimson robe and blond hair, Armand knew exactly who had just entered the compound. With Akasha’s rampage and from what he knew of Marius, Armand had been terrified that he would never again see his master. But here he was again, after five hundred years.

Marius’s steps faltered for just a moment, the others around them were too busy with the plans and their fear to pay him attention, even with their ancient eyes on him, they missed the turmoil of emotions shining in his eyes as he looked at Andrei for the first time. 

“Andrei,” he whispered, aware that everyone could hear him, even when that name was spoken only for his beloved’s ears. “After so long, you are finally here in front of me. Real, not a fragment of my desperate mind. You are here.” 

Armand couldn’t move for several seconds at the sound of Marius’ voice. He could only stand wide-eyed and momentarily lost. “She didn’t kill you,” he whispered, “I thought -” but then the realization came to him that Marius knew of his theft.

“Not for lack of trying, I can assure you.” Marius’ bitter words slipped from his lips before he could stop them. “But I couldn’t die before I found you. You are the reason why I am still here, the reason why I fought to stay alive.” He finished, suddenly too tired to lie and make excuses. For the first time in centuries Marius laid his emotions bare for everyone to see. A vulnerability he would have hated just a few days before. 

“I went to the Talamasca and their leader, Reginald, told me of a vampire named Andrei who took my paintings. That’s when I found out you were alive. I have been chasing you blindly since then.” 

Armand was silent as he processed the words, understanding the implication slowly, “I thought you were dead,” he whispered. “I thought - and then I heard that you were not, that they were looking for you.” The moment he had seen his master’s work in the mind of one of the Talamasca members, he had known he had to have it. He had to find all of his master’s work - it was all he had.

Even without reading his mind, Marius could feel the pain coming from Armand - that was the name he caught in everyone else’s mind - in waves and he couldn’t stop himself. With a few steps he covered the distance between them and took Armand in his arms. Oh how much he had missed to have his beloved that close. He had thought, for a long time, that he would never fill the emptiness he left behind, but now here they were, changed and yet the same as their immortal bodies couldn’t show the scars left on them. 

“I thought you were gone. That I had lost you forever.” Marius had chosen the ground when the pain of his loss had pushed him to his limits. He wanted to forget everything and disappear, but his peace didn’t last long. Enkil and Akasha demanded his services, and Marius couldn’t deny them. 

Servitude had been his life for too long, the loneliness of taking care of them his shelter against the emotions that would drive him crazy. 

“I only found out that you were alive when I went to retrieve my paintings, the only memories I had of them and you - or at least I thought - that I found out you were alive.” 

He whispered those words while pampering Armand’s face with gentle kisses and light strokes of his elegant fingers. Marius couldn’t stop holding Armand, touching him was the only way Marius had to convince himself he was real, and not a dream brought by madness.  

Armand sank into Marius’ arms, feeling the tension that held him together dissipate in an instant as the world turned pink with tears that threatened to fall. This was all he had ever wanted, and all he thought he could never have again and it was here - his master was here.

“They were all I had of you, Master. I couldn’t leave them in the hands of those fools, not when I knew some of your works had survived.” He had hoarded all of them - every single one of Marius’ paintings that he could find, but no one else had ever laid their eyes upon them, not even Daniel.

“I can’t think of better hands to care for them than yours.” Marius said, and his words were a balm for both of their souls. “My art was always a way to remember. A way to keep those I loved with me, when time would have otherwise stolen them from me. My art is a diary, and there is no one I trust more with that part of me, the truest part of me, than you.” 

Amidst the chaos of the war council beginning behind them, the pair remained in each other’s arms until they were forced back into reality. Even then, however, they refused to be parted.

[hekateinhell]

it's a four day weekend where I'm at so I'm going to live up to my very unofficial title of AU Queen (thank you DA 💖) and rec three of my favorite VC AUs!

today's #vcficfriday includes:

The Radiance of All That Shines (4885 words) by Anonymous Chapters: 1/? Fandom: Vampire Chronicles - Anne Rice Rating: Explicit Warnings: Rape/Non-Con Relationships: Armand/Daniel Molloy, Armand/Marius de Romanus Characters: Armand (Vampire Chronicles), Marius de Romanus, Daniel Molloy, Alessandra (Vampire Chronicles) Additional Tags: Workplace Sexual Harassment, camboy armand, CEO marius, Sex Work, Masturbation, Modern AU, I'll add more tags as i go, Dubious Consent, asexual armand Summary: Armand starts camming so that he can feed himself while he does an unpaid internship at Marius's company. :)

OKAY THIS ONE IS JUST SO REALISTIC WITH ARMAND'S CHARACTERIZATION AND NAVIGATING EVERYTHING THAT COMES WITH CAMMING I CAN'T WAIT FOR IT TO BE UPDATED ANON PLEASE 👀👀

change ain't so sudden (it just hides as it's coming) (47007 words) by Ghost_Ness/@its-ness-ness Chapters: 20/20 Fandom: Vampire Chronicles Series - Anne Rice Rating: Mature Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Lestat de Lioncourt/Louis de Pointe du Lac, Armand/Daniel Molloy, Armand/Louis de Pointe du Lac Characters: Louis de Pointe du Lac, Lestat de Lioncourt, Armand (Vampire Chronicles), Daniel Molloy, Assorted Band Members also, Claudia (Vampire Chronicles) Additional Tags: Human AU, Kidfic, Soap Opera Drama, Vignettes, absolutely dysfunctional relationship(s), general assholery, queer 80s rock entourage AU, Trans!Louis, everyone here is a gay disaster, helplessly watching your friends make horrible life decisions, retelling of Claudia's life in very specific AU circumstances, excessive use of swear words, and catfighting, Child Death, Armand having an emotional crisis as usual, Substance Abuse Summary: “Louis wants a baby.” Lestat swirls his glass again, for want of something to busy his hands. The ice clinks terribly loud against the edges. "Does it sound like such a terrible idea?" It takes all of Armand's remaining willpower not to choke on his coffee. “You really think you can make that work? Do you even understand what you’re asking him to commit to? You can’t. You’re going to break his heart.” If anything’s consistent, it’s surely Lestat’s ability to misread situations, and Louis’ tendency to own a bleeding heart, even at the worst of times. The whole story (or most of it) from the perspective of two outside participants.

I was following along with this one as new chapters were being posted almost daily and when I tell you IT WAS A JOURNEY I WENT THROUGH IT WITH EVERY SINGLE CHAPTER 10/10 my favorite telenovela. SO, SO GOOD from the capturing the decadent 1980s vibe, the whole outsider POV, and translating canon characters and issues into a very unique scenario. Also just saying, 40k is the length of an entire novella so you can consider it your book for the week!

Walk on the Wild Side (29324 words) by @sunshinerambling Chapters: 6/? Fandom: Vampire Chronicles Series - Anne Rice Rating: Not Rated Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Armand/Daniel Molloy, Daniel Molloy/Alice, Armand/Marius de Romanus Characters: Armand (Vampire Chronicles), Daniel Molloy, Marius de Romanus, Alice, Lestat de Lioncourt Additional Tags: Streamer AU, Armand is a streamer, Yes he wears the maid costume, He also has a secret only fans, Daniel goes broke trying to pay for it, Hand Jobs, Over stimulation, onlyfans au, Interview With The Vampire - Freeform, thigh fucking, Maid Costume, Marius De Romanus is a Tech Giant, Dry Humping, Soft humiliation kink, Marius is rough with Armand perpetually, Daniel wants to fuck Armand so badly it makes him look stupid, Surprise Lestat appearance, Lestat is rough with Armand, Public Blow Jobs, Public Hand Jobs, Public Masturbation, Daniel and Armand get closer and closer Summary: Armand streams vintage video games. Daniel convinces himself that he's just here for the video games. Until he realizes Armand also has an OnlyFans for members of a certain tier that sits behind a hefty pay wall.

Watching the virtual dynamics between Daniel, Armand, and Marius play out has me scandalized. I'm HERE for any version of Daniel ruining (enhancing) his life over Armand and I also can't wait for the next update of this one!

December 2023 addition (since I have now done enough #vcficfriday posts to start rbing older ones and share them with new people 💖): THERE'S NOW THREE MORE CHAPTERS AND SHIT IS ESCALATING DELCIOUSLY!! NOW LESTAT HAS JOINED IN THE SHOW AND DO YOU SEE THESE TAGS??? PLEASE THIS IS SO GOOD!!!!

[uncivilcivilservice]

⚜️ : de Romanus men - Marius/Armand/Daniel (/Benji?!) head canons through the ages (together or separate)

So for some reason my brain interpreted this as Marius with each of the other de Romanus boys headcanons, so that's what I've written haha

Marius/Armand

Some of Marius's clothes seem to go mysteriously missing whenever he visits TG. Armand refuses to admit it's him that's stealing them, blaming Daniel, or on an occasion that a red sweater went missing while Daniel wasn't at TG, Louis.

Absolutely no one is buying it, but the other TG residents don't bother calling him out when they see him wearing Marius's clothes after he's left

Marius/Daniel

So important context is that part of my idea of Daniel's condition after leaving Armand is that he experiences difficulties talking (either physically getting the words out, or disorganised speech/disorders of thought, making it hard to be understood) and that this also affects the mind gift

As a result Marius and Daniel come up with a way for Daniel to communicate while holding Marius's hands

Examples:

- Squeezing right hand for yes, left for no

- Long, hard squeeze means "I'm not okay" or "something is wrong" and comes in handy even when Daniel can speak when they are out and about holding hands and Daniel starts feeling overwhelmed

- Three short squeezes means "I love you (too)". I absolutely stole this from a tumblr or reddit post and it's probably where this entire idea started, oops

- They also have signals for things like hungry/need to hunt, confused/lost/what's going on?, I want to be alone, I'm okay all things considered etc.

Marius & Benji

They help each other learn digital art skills

Benji helps set up the programmes and teaches Marius how to use the software and graphics tablets etc.

Marius teaches Benji how to actually use the tools and about how to use colour and, y'know, art stuff (I'm not an artist okay)

Benji enjoys spending time with his maker and learning about this stuff, but long term they bond more over photography than painting or drawing, and again Benji helps Marius get started with things like photoshop

[bandedbulbussnarfblat]

Remembrance-Chapter 4

The next chapter of my Daniel/Armand fic. Read it below or here

Daniel sleeps nearly ten hours after he goes to bed. He's not as young as he used to be, and the jet lag is a bitch. But if his memories are correct, he should have no trouble adjusting to a nocturnal sleep schedule. At least for the few days it takes to complete the interview. He hasn't thought past that. He can't. He needs to figure out why he's here first.

It's something he tries to mull over before falling asleep, but sleep takes him quickly. When he sleeps, he dreams. Flashes of memories that meld into fantasy. Armand's fangs in his neck, his blood in his mouth. Armand's hand pressed in his hair, holding Daniel's mouth to his throat. Armand's teeth buried into his femoral artery.

He wakes with an erection, like some horny teenager. He refuses to do anything about it from spite. He's not about to touch himself thinking about someone who probably erased his memories. Especially when that person can read minds. Instead he takes a cold shower and does some work. He gets caught up in it for a long while. Eventually he gets bored and starts snooping.

Daniel finds himself in the dining room looking at the paintings. One catches his eye, of Christ surrounded by small imp-like demons. It's not bad, but he doesn't recognize it.

“It's Venetian,” a voice says. A voice Daniel would recognize anywhere. He turns and sees Armand, dressed all in black, wearing those same leather gloves and brown contacts. He's carrying around that Ipad. He looks good. Daniel hates that he notices, that Armand can still affect him after all these years.

“A contemporary of Tintoretto's.”

Daniel leans closer to read the name of the artist. “Marius de Romanus. Sounds familiar.”

“Does he? Little of his work survives. Mr. de Pointe du Lac covets the rare. Not many have heard of him.”

Shit, familiar for the wrong reasons then. One of them probably showed him this painting before. Luckily, Daniel is spared having to think of something to say by a loud, creaking sound. “Do you hear that? I keep hearing that sound.”

“Well, the building sways a bit, but that is according to it's design, given the height. We call it the groan,” Armand says, suspicion seemingly gone. Daniel thinks he may have dodged a bullet. Armand opens his Ipad—and what does he do on that thing anyway? Daniel wouldn't be surprised if he had cameras installed that he used to spy. Probably a good thing he didn't have that morning wank.

“It won't disturb your meal, which is ready now.”

Daniel can't help but poke a little. He wants to see how far this charade goes. “Did you always work for him?”

“Please have a seat.” Armand is dismissive, turning to leave.

“I mean, is it only work or are you an he...?” Armand has to give something away at that. Louis is one of the great loves of his life. He'd once told Daniel that he was the other. Daniel had been naive enough to believe him.

“I serve a god. It is my honor to serve.” Armand sounds testy. Daniel wonders if maybe his presence isn't having an effect after all. Armand rarely loses his calm front.

A risk-taker at heart, Daniel replies “Kinky.”

There's the very slightest twitch at the corner of Armand's mouth. Trying not to smile. Well, at least Daniel knows he still amuses him.

“Mr. de Pointe du Lac will join you at course seven,” Armand says, walking away.

“Seven, wait, how many courses are there?” Daniel says, but Armand ignores him. “Fattening me up for the inevitable end?”

Armand is gone.

As servants in masks come in carrying food and drink, Daniel is struck by another memory. It's years ago, back in the days when Armand was still playing that he would kill Daniel. Daniel arrives at the Copley to find Armand sitting in the dinning room. Daniel is led to his table.

“Daniel, please sit down. I've already ordered your dinner,” Armand says, the picture of politeness, save the vicious smile.

Daniel sits and plate after plate is brought and spread over the table. People are staring. “You know, I'm not really hungry. Wanna get out of here?”

Armand leans across the table like he's confiding a secret. “I didn't know what you would like, so I ordered everything on the menu.”

Daniel blushes beat red. Armand's smile becomes giddy. He's enjoying this, the bastard.

“You think you can drive me crazy, don't you?” Daniel snaps, suddenly furious. “Chasing me around the globe. Well, it won't work. Every time I see you, you annoy me back to sanity.”

He jabs his fork at the closest dish and tears into it savagely. He eats some from every plate, a little of this, a little of that. What does it matter what he eats? He's Hansel in the witch's hut being fed candy.

Armand leans back and crosses his arms across his chest, laughing and laughing. It's the first time Daniel has heard him laugh, and it's silky, seductive. He tries not to think about it, not to let his eyes linger on Armand's smile. He's not crazy enough to be attracted to a man who wants to kill him. Still, he drinks his wine as quickly as possible, hoping to get drunk fast.

Daniel puts the memory out of his mind. He's more interested in the servants putting down cling wrap on the other side of the table. He wonders what that's about, but doesn't ask. Figures he wouldn't get an answer. He sits through course after course, watching the staff come in and prepare Louis's side of the table. There's a box with a blood bag brought out and prepared for Louis, who arrives after six boring courses.

“There he is,” Daniel says as Louis steps in. Something seems off about him. “You missed at least three or four endangered species.”

“I want to apologize for my outburst earlier. I can assure you, it will not happen again.”

Daniel wonders if he's talking about when he called him disrespectful and not worthy of his story, or the tear. He's not going to ask. “Memory is a monster. We forget, it doesn't.”

He sets up his tape recorder as Louis sits. Asks for the music to be turned down. It's great for atmosphere, but terrible for recording. The servant brings out a fresh plate of food. It's hard not to think of the staff as servants, when Louis is this absurdly wealthy. This is super hero billionaire wealthy. If he gets any richer, he'll need an arch nemesis. Daniel isn't really listening while he describes the food.”

“...and AB negative fresh from the farm. Bon appetit.”

That bit catches Daniel's attention. “Part of me wants to ask about the farm-”

Louis cuts him off, “Two vampires walk into a church. That's where we left off.”

Well, Daniel can ask about the farm later. If Louis wants to get down to it, he wants to hear. “Blissing out post priesticide.”

Louis begins his recollection, tells of the pain of the transformation, of Lestat's blood giggling inside him. He describes feeling as though he spent his life as a dead man and could now receive the secrets of existence. It...sounds familiar.

“You were fucking loaded.” Daniel says. He's been high enough to recognize being high when it's described to him.

“Beyond articulation.”

He talks about Lestat taking him hunting, how he was a baby bird desperate to feed, but not ready to hunt. Daniel wonders if that's what he would have been, had Armand gave in and turned him. But of course, Armand had never even entertained the idea. Naturally, Louis refused if Armand refused. Daniel had always knew he would, but he had tried it once, during those early days of him and Armand being together...

/

Technically, the apartment belongs to Daniel as his name is on the lease, but Armand pays for everything. Or Louis and he pay for it together. Daniel doesn't know. If Louis or Armand were a woman, he'd say they were married. But men can't marry men. They both get confused when he tries to apply human terms to their relationship anyway.

It's all very new, this thing. Louis has only came around a few times. But he's here now in Armand and Daniel's apartment. Of course, he has his own place with Armand. They are basically married. And it does cause Daniel some anxiety, from time to time. Armand's known Louis longer, he has to love him more. What if he gets tired of Daniel? What if Louis gets tired of Armand being with Daniel?

Daniel won't be with them forever. He's only mortal. Why settle for a human when there's a vampire waiting at home? As much as he's adrift in a sea of jealousy, he does like knowing there will be someone to love Armand after he's gone. Someone to love Louis too. He thinks that's why Armand left them alone together tonight, to bond. Armand is out hunting, while Louis had drank deeply from Daniel to not need to.

Daniel should have been more hesitant, after the first time, but he was all for the idea. Louis has been skipping meals lately. And Armand was there to supervise.

He had watched the whole exchange rapturously. It only made it more erotic, and Daniel had begged, begged Armand to come over and touch him. But Armand had told him to wait until after he came back, had kissed him and whispered into his ear all the dirty things he would do upon his return.

That was thirty minutes ago and Daniel is getting antsy. He supposes he could take the edge off with Louis, but he doesn't know if that's allowed. Armand hasn't exactly discussed the rules. What are he and Louis, anyway? It feels like a conversation they should have at some point.

But that's not the conversation he wants to have with Louis.

“Hey,” he says, nudging Louis with his foot. Louis in on the other end of the couch reading. Reading Les Miserables, which he's already read before, so Daniel doesn't feel bad interrupting. Louis glances over at him and smiles, like he's just remembered he's there. He tends to get in his head, sometimes.

“Yes, Daniel?” He sticks his bookmark in the book and closes it. His tone is all indulgence. It sort of makes Daniel's heart flutter.

“Can I ask you a hypothetical question?” he asks and crowds closer to him for good measure. Fuck it, why not be brave? He swings a leg over Louis lap so he straddling him. Louis's hands come to his waist. Daniel hopes this is okay. (He'll realize later, Armand probably got him all worked up and left them alone so something would happen. But, of course, Daniel has to ruin it.)

“What would you—hypothetically—think of me as a vampire?”

Louis frowns. “We're not doing this.”

“So if I asked you-”

Louis moves him off his lap and sits him down. He's angry now. Shit. “You think I'd go behind his back and do that?”

No, but Daniel had to ask. Had to try. “You don't get it! You get to have him forever, and I have what? A few years, until he gets sick of me?”

Daniel slides off the couch, stomach twisted in knots. He buries hands in his hair and paces the room. “I wanna be with him forever. Why doesn't he want that too?”

Louis sighs, anger seeming to ebb out of him with it. “Daniel-”

“Forget it, man,” says Daniel. “I get it. You're forever; I'm temporary.”

He storms off before Louis can respond and doesn't return until hours later. When he does, Louis is gone and Armand and he have an awful fight. It ends in Daniel crying and Armand leaving. When he returns the next night, Daniel forgets about the fight, so happy to have him back. The next week, Louis joins them and things are back normal.

Daniel never broaches the subject with Louis again.

/

Louis tells Daniel all about his first kill, going out into the sun and burning, Lesat and the coffin.

“Helluva bender,” Daniel says. The more he hears about this Lestat, the less he likes him. He's almost entirely sure if Louis or Armand turned someone, they'd show more care.

“He rushed me headlong through the encounter as if it were something to put behind us,” Louis says. “Death, rebirth, coming out, homicide, too many firsts for one night.”

Louis deserved better than that. It's Daniel's first thought. It's the next he says aloud. “Coming out? You robbed a daughter of her father, maybe a pet pony. How's sexuality play in that?”

“It's a complicated question, Daniel, and we shouldn't conflate it with the salesman's death.”

“Humor me,” Daniel says. If it's heading where he thinks it is, Louis may be more fucked up in regards to his sexuality than Daniel ever was.

“To satisfy your fixation, being transformed by Lestat, being desired by him, bedding down with him, was an overture of sorts to that side of my nature.”

“To the shame of queer theorists everywhere,” says Daniel. Louis is indeed fucked up. He was rushed into coming out before he was ready. Daniel wonders if vampires have psychologists. Surely one of them had the clever idea to turn a shrink or two, just to keep up their mental health.

“I got in that coffin of my own free will. In the quiet dark, we were equals.”

Daniel grabs the mic and speaks into it sarcastically, “White master, black student, but equal in quiet dark.”

Jesus, did Louis not know how he sounded?

“Provocation,” says Louis, and he's not happy. “Is this the primary tool one walks away with after downloading your Internet class?”

Okay, so the Internet class is a little hackneyed.

The staff come in and deliver more food. Food for Daniel. Louis gets a fucking fox. It sounds distressed. Poor fucker. Daniel feels sorry for it. But it's only Louis trying to provoke him, and Daniel's not going to let him. He's a goddamn professional.

“Back to the salesman for a sec,” Daniel says. “Clearly, you were haunted by it, the taste of his blood in the back of your throat, up in your gums.”

What is he doing? He's too old to be playing this game with Louis. But Louis knows him. He asked for him for a reason. He knows Daniel won't stop until he gets the truth, no matter how many buttons he has to press.

“Let me ask you, Daniel, do you contemplate the life of the rabbit before you cut it? Or do you simply cut?” Louis is stroking the fox as he speaks, almost as though petting it. Then he bites into it and blood spurts out. He looks at Daniel with intensity as he drinks, pulling back with a bloody mouth.

It'd be more effective if Daniel didn't know it was all theatrics. Hell, he's wasting more of that blood than he's drinking.

“Vampires are killers, apex predators whose all-seeing eyes were meant to give them detachment, the ability to see human life in its entirety, not with any mawkish sorrow, but with the thrilling satisfaction of being the end of that life and having a hand in the divine plan.”

“Don't expect every reader to swallow that one.” Daniel says.

Where does he begin to poke holes into Louis words? Do you contemplate the life of the rabbit? No, but he's never been a fucking rabbit, has he? There's a clear difference. And mawkish sorrow? What was mawkish about feeling remorse for ending a human life? Daniel's own human life had once been quite valuable to Louis. That's not even getting into the mention of the divine plan, because Daniel isn't touching Louis's Catholic guilt with a ten foot pole.

“That's the purpose,” says Louis. “Our book must be a warning as much as anything.”

And why do people need a warning? Why now? What exactly has Louis worried?

Louis wipes his mouth, but it's still a bloody mess. Then, like a flip has been switched, Louis continues “It was the right line of questioning. I was haunted by the salesman, and as a fledgling vampire, I did not readily take to killing.”

Louis keeps talking, about his want to retain some measure of humanity, of not wanting to separate his life. Of his mother and Grace. And then he gets to the part with the man who dared call him an 'exceptional Negro.' His voice becomes elevated, containing actual emotion.

“I had powers now and decades of rage to process, and it was both random and unfortunate, the man picked that night to dabble in fuckery. If not him, it would have been the next man.”

It's a nice line. Readers will like that a lot better than the other bullshit. No one liked racists except racists.

Louis continues his tale and Daniel lets him, scribbling notes furiously. Until he gets to the baby.

“I no longer kill,” Louis says. “My last victim was in the year 2000.”

“Some Y2K disagreement?” Daniel snarks. Who gives a shit about that? He wants to know about the baby.

“I want our readers to understand that.”

“Okay,” Daniel says, “Did you eat the baby?”

“I sit here a master of my instincts.”

“Mm-hmm,” Daniel doesn't bother the try to sound like he believes him. He remembers that first night they met, the pain of Louis's fangs in his neck, the sureness he was going to die. “And what about the others out there? Have they mastered theirs?”

“Just the opposite,” says Louis. “Most of them are slaves to the blood, exhausted from decades, centuries of hiding, giddy to increase their numbers.”

There's that superiority complex Daniel remembers.

Daniel ignores the staff coming in and pouring Louis more blood, setting up a chair beside him. He has more important things on his mind. “Two questions—did you eat the baby? And is the pandemic the opening they've been waiting for?”

“Pandemic, the unraveling of geopolitical foundations.”

“And you know this how? You guys have a thread on 8chan?” Daniel says. Louis and Armand had always been so careful to keep information of other vampires away from Daniel. Too afraid he'd seek them out to try to have them turn him and end up dead. Daniel's glad for it now; it's something he would have done back then.

“I hear them,” says Louis. “Our thoughts can travel thousands of miles to one another. I can stand out on my balcony, close my eyes, and they're plotting speeds to me.”

“Why?” Daniel can't help the question that slips out. Why would they want to come for Louis? Armand makes sense, Daniel can recall him mentioning once that he killed fledgling vampires. That would have to piss off a few vampires, especially those that turned them. But Louis? What was his crime?

Louis doesn't answer the question. “One of them, a brute in Madagascar, calls it 'the great conversion'.”

“The great conversion?” says Daniel. A few decades ago he would have been all for it. “Well, good luck with that, because most people I know like to play a little ball in the afternoon, or maybe go down to the beach, catch a few rays.”

“Yes. What on earth would a meth-addicted son of a coal miner in West Virginia want with eternal life?”

A solid unit of a man comes and sits beside Louis. Daniel has a sneaking suspicion what he's there for. He needs to work faster; there's no way he'll be able to keep a clear head watching Louis feed from some guy. Just the thought brings up memories he has to trample down. “Did you eat the baby?”

“Or the Arab youth whose family was wiped from existence...”

“Did you eat the baby?”

“...by a Western drone.” Louis continues like he hasn't spoken. He turns to the man next to him. “Hello, Damek.”

“Hey,” says Damek, and it sounds familiar. Louis has most certainly done this with him before.

Daniel doesn't want to look, but he can't tear his eyes away as Louis bites into Damek's neck. It makes him think back to years ago, of the times Louis had drank from him. One moment in particular stands out...

/

Louis has been in one of his moods, so he's staying with Daniel and Armand. Daniel had suggested it when Armand told him he'd have to leave for awhile. He thought the change of scenery could be good for Louis.

He's been right so far. Louis's mood has improved in the week since he's been here. It's improved enough to lead them here, in the bedroom. Daniel is spread across blood red silk sheets, Louis slotted between his thighs and fucking him lazily. Armand is just out of reach in a black velvet winged back chair, watching them intensely. Daniel is watching him watch them and everything feels soft and hazy.

He's a little high, but it's only from some weed he smoked earlier to help get the creative juices flowing. Instead it made him horny as hell and he had declared if one of them didn't fuck him, he would die. So he finds himself here, stuffed full of Louis' cock with Armand's eyes burning into him.

Daniel moans and digs a heel into the back of Louis' thigh. The thing about vampires is they have stamina for miles, and didn't mind taking their damn time. Armand has been known to fuck him through one orgasm and right into another before he finishes himself. Louis usually isn't so cruel—he'll give Daniel what he wants, if Daniel asks nice enough.

Desperately, he reaches out to Armand, but Armand is just out of reach. Daniel wants him. Wants both of them at once, both inside him, stretching him and filling him up. They've not done that yet. Louis is always so careful of him, he'd never agree to it. Armand doesn't mind getting a little rough with him; he can see inside Daniel's head to know exactly when enough is enough.

Daniel whines and Armand chuckles. Daniel knows Armand is telepathically telling Louis what to do to him—this show is for him, after all. “Come on, baby. Please.”

He isn't even sure who he's asking at this point.

Louis's mouth trails along his clavicle, over his shoulder, up to his neck. He mouths there, kissing and and sucking. Daniel grips unto his shoulder and tosses his head back in offering. Armand is sitting cross-legged, only his dilated pupils indicating he's affected by what he sees.

“Bite him,” he orders Louis simply.

Louis does so at once and Daniel digs nails into his back, whole body jerking in pleasure. It's good, it's so good. He's on fire and burning in ecstasy. Louis drinks from him in long pulls and it sends jolts down his body. Usually they only take a little, not enough to affect Daniel's health. And doesn't Louis normally stop by now? Daniel doesn't care; he feels like he's floating. He's dizzy and drowsy and his vision is beginning to go spotty.

Dimly, he can hear Armand speaking. “Enough, Louis.”

Louis doesn't stop though, and Daniel's eyelids feel so heavy, too heavy to lift. He'll just rest them a second.

When he opens his eyes, Louis and Armand are outside of the bedroom door and he is on his back in the bed with the covers drawn around him. Armand looks furious, angrier than Daniel has ever seen him. And he's never seen that anger directed at Louis. Daniel can barely hear their low whispers.

“He fainted,” Armand says, soft but incensed. “If you'd been feeding properly, you wouldn't have lost control.”

Louis looks aghast and guilty. “I stopped when he passed out. I'd never hurt him, you know that.”

He sounds more like he's trying to convince himself.

Daniel doesn't like it. He doesn't want them fighting, and he's fine, really. “Hey,” he calls out and both turn to look at him. “It's my fault. Forgot to eat. Got caught up in working.”

Louis takes a step forward. “Daniel, I'm sor-”

He doesn't get to finish his apology before Armand has stepped into the room and closed the door in his face. He's practically radiating fury. Daniel figures the space is probably as much for Louis' benefit. Armand can be vicious when he's angry; he wouldn't want to turn that anger on Louis.

Then, Daniel is in Armand's arms on the bed with gentle fingers running through his hair. He still feels so sleepy. He snuggles into Armand and closes his eyes. “Don't be mad. 'M okay,” he slurs, before falling into sleep.

Louis doesn't drink from him for a long time after that.

/

Damek doesn't seem to enjoy it the same way Daniel did. He tries to start a conversation, for one, something Daniel normally didn't have the coherency to do. Unfortunately, he speaks in Russian.

Louis pops off with a wet squelch. “He's American, Damek.”

“You like Dubai?” Damek asks as Louis returns to his neck. The way Louis is slurping away over there, Damek is going to need a juice box, like they give out after you donate blood.

Daniel is too caught up in it to respond immediately. “I, ah, I haven't had the time to sight-see.”

This whole display is probably meant to make him uneasy. It makes him uncomfortable, but not in the way he imagines Louis intended. He's glad for age and the steady supply of alcohol keeping his arousal from showing.

“Go to Kite Beach,” Damek says. “It's good. Kites.”

Louis pulls away and pats Damek on the shoulder. “Thank you, Damek. See you soon.”

Damek stands and sways.

“As I was saying, I no longer kill.”

“You might have a drinking problem,” Daniel says, watching as Damek steps forward and reaches for the wall. He breathes heavily and looks ready to faint.

“Rashid!” Louis calls. Damek hits the floor with a grunt.

Daniel glances over long enough to see his chest still rising and falling. He'll be fine. Back to more important matters. “The baby.”

Louis says he didn't eat the baby. Daniel isn't sure he believes him.

Louis goes on to talk about Lestat, how Lestat likes it when he fought back, how there was a kind of worship on Louis' part. And doesn't Daniel understand that? Had he not seen Armand as some sort of wicked god in those early days? A god or a devil or both. And hadn't Armand first loved him because he fought back? How they had fought in those early days, before he'd admitted his feelings.

He goes on about those early years, his distaste for the hunt, the kill. The death of an opera singer whose mind he read as he died. How Lestat had a way about him, how he was under his power.

“Lestat was wrong. I was never going to be a natural. I was never going to savor the aftertaste,” Louis says as dessert is brought out. “I was a shame-ridden second, a fumbling, despondent killer, a botched vampire.”

It reminds Daniel of the old days. Louis would fall into these self-loathing moods. Back then, Daniel had never truly understood it. Being a vampire was akin to being a god. Why should Louis suffer so? He lacked the maturity to understand. Had believed once you became a monster, surely things like human guilt would disappear. But Louis always had the bit of humanity clinging to him, didn't he?

“I try to have a human dish once a week to maintain the thread,” Louis explains, as the food is placed before him. That's new; Daniel can't recall Louis ever doing it in the past. Sometimes, he or Armand would have Daniel feast on a certain food for days before they feed from him. That's as close as he remembers them getting.

“There was an offhand remark in your memoir about this dessert. I hope you don't mind.”

Daniel recognizes the desert. He'd had it with Alice, yes, but it wasn't the first time. That had been with Armand. Maybe some subconscious part of him had tried to recreate the moment with her. Though his memories of her are nothing compared to what he remembers of Armand.

He loved her though, he's sure of it. He just loved Armand more.

“What's this taste like to you?” Daniel asks, curious and needing to keep his thoughts in line.

“Like almost all human food—like paste, like chalk, like soap.”

“This is the dessert I had after I proposed to my first wife, after I got my shit together.” Daniel confides. After his memories of his time with Armand disappear. Would he have loved Alice, if he remembered Armand? “We were in Paris. Little cafe on the Rue Servandoni, up the way from Saint-Sulpice.”

“I know it. It's a beautiful street.”

Of course he knows it. Daniel vaguely remembers Armand mentioning something about riding around with Louis on a Vespa on that street, in the early days of their courtship. They had walked together along the street, Armand warm from a fresh kill and Daniel beside him, arms brushing. They had talked and talked, and Armand had taken him to the cafe to eat. Daniel had a habit of forgetting to eat in those days. Armand had ordered him this very dessert.

“Alice—half of her eyebrow was blonde, like a mutt. She always dyed it back to brown,” Daniel says, but he thinks of Armand. Of how he would wear those brown contacts when they went out in public to blend in. How Daniel had preferred when he didn't bother. “I liked it when she left it alone.”

Daniel suddenly aches acutely for the past.

He closes the laptop. That's enough reminiscing for one day.

[random-imagines-blog]

Vampire Heart {Marius De Romanus Oneshot}

Requested by: @horselover1994 Wordcount: 2355 Summary: David introduces you to his obsession.

The underground organization known as the Talasmasca was very much a secret - which was perfect, because keeping secrets was one of it’s sole functions. You had been roped into it when you were arrested for breaking into the archives of a little-known library, looking for information on vampires. Why had you been looking, they had asked you, once you were seated in front of the council. “Small girls may have big imaginations, but I know I didn’t imagine what I had seen when I was young,” was what you had answered. The council only had more questions so eventually, you had to tell your story. What had happened when you were young, what you had overseen, what you had experienced - it was a hard story to swallow, but they had been able to confirm the event that you had come across. “Sometimes, I still get those goosebumps when I am walking around at night.” You told them, looking at your hands rather than the people seated at the table. “I know there’s something still out there, and I need the information, the proof.”

“Luckily you found us then,” The man who had introduced himself as David had said, standing up from his chair. The rest of the council nodded in agreement, and then departed from the room to let David explain to you exactly what the Talamasca was. Even with his explanation, it blew your mind that there was a secret society that kept records on creatures such as werewolves, witches, spirits and especially vampires, which was David’s specialty. You listened as he told you a brief story about the one vampire who always seemed to slip through his fingers, who was a bit of an obsession to him. Marius De Romanus. A tour of his office showed off the paintings of one vampire, and you could feel why David was so intrigued. He was absolutely beautiful, and your heart seemed to want to escape your chest and fly off to find him.

“I feel it too, David, what you feel for Marius,” You admitted to him one day. “I - I can’t explain it but there’s something...” You looked at one of the paintings. He had his finger to his lips in this painting, in a perfect pout that made you lick your bottom lip. “Thank you for showing me these.”

“You’re welcome,” David said, his eye twinkling with excitement that someone else shared his infatuation. When you left his office, you were looking over your shoulder once more at the painting that was still on display. One more step and you wouldn’t see it anymore - and now it was gone. That painting was all that you could think about during the tour through the different offices and libraries, and to your own nook. You were new, so an office of your own would have to wait.

-

The library was full of interesting books, but hardly any of them mentioned the vampire Marius. What was strange to you was that you had come here to find some information on the vampire that had attacked your family, but he had disappeared almost entirely from your mind in exchange for the handsome vampire whose portrait you saw for only a moment. “Please, please, anything, just a tidbit,” You said, pushing your hair out of your face as you went through one of the many tomes.

“Don’t work too hard now,” A friendly voice came up from behind you. Entering the library was David, with a conflicted expression on his face. You didn’t appreciate the break but knew that you needed it, so you slid a bookmark into the book and closed it slowly.

“It’s hard not to - so many resources at my disposal,” You said with a grin. “To be honest, it’s hard not to get sidetracked.”

“I understand that,” David said, nodding. He came up behind you and looked at the title of the book that you had been reading. “Interesting, that one. You must remember your purpose however for being here. Other research can wait until you’ve finished.”

“You’re right,” You sighed, admitting defeat. “How are you today, David?”

“Tonight,” He corrected. “I was wondering if you would like to join me at an event tonight. It is rather fancy dress, but I’m sure we can find you something appropriate.”

“I didn’t know the Talamasca had fancy dress parties,” You said, snorting at the idea of the stuffy-looking librarians you had met dressed up in cocktail dresses. David shook his head, an interested smile on his face as he thought of the same thing.

“Not the Talamasca. The Vampire Lestat.”

-

This was a once in a lifetime offer, so of course you took it. The Talamasca had it’s connections to Lestat through the vampire Jessie, who had once been one of the researchers in the secret organization. David had promised to introduce the two of you, as well as Lestat. He was known to be a bit of a drama queen, so you made sure to dress up enough that he would have no issue with you. Velvet and lace, a choker to protect your neck, your hair styled to perfection. And a spritz of perfume to hopefully hide the smell of the human blood pumping through your veins.

“We won’t be the only humans there,” David said when he had come to pick you up, in equally gothic attire. It wasn’t all that odd to see him like this - the man was almost always dressed in black on a day to day basis. But he had worn his good glasses, which made you realize that he was trying to impress someone.

“You think that Marius will be there?” You questioned, stepping outside of your home and locked the door behind you.

“Well, there is always a chance,” David said, blushing as he was caught. “It’s going to be a grand affair, many vampires, many ... interesting ones.”

“Oh no, we’re going to be the most boring ones at the party,” You teased.

The man in glasses laughed as he escorted you to the car that was taking the two of you to the party. “You have no idea how right you are.”

You weren’t used to fancy parties. Sitting in the couch in your pajamas with a big book and Netflix playing in the background was more your speed. Or even having a few friends around with pizza and a good old game of Cards Against Humanity was the most rambunctious you became. So what you walked into was something that you didn’t know how to prepare for.

Everything was dark, which is what you had expected. The only lighting in the whole place were candelabra and a large chandelier with twinkling crystals catching the lights of the candles within, illuminating the area with a dull yellow light. “It’s beautiful,” You said, looking around at everything. There seemed to be a nature theme along the more macabre, like skulls with rose petals scattered around them, vines leading from the inner walls to the outer where a garden glowing with moonlight was adorned with a still pool, showing there was not even a breeze.

“Well, it is designed by Lestat. He’s got interesting taste,” David said, keeping close to you. The seats were made of velvet, and though most were red, some had animal print. The details on the chairs and couch were leather, which you felt with your hands as you sat down to catch your breath. A woman paler than the stars themselves came around with a tray with wineglasses, one of which you accepted after smelling it to be sure it was not blood.

“Right, so where is the mysterious rockstar?” You asked David, sipping on the red wine. You may not know much about wine, definitely not a connoisseur but this tasted delicious. It took a minute to realize that the sounds were the buzz of other conversations, not of David’s voice, and when you looked up at him, you saw him staring intently in another direction. You followed his eye line to see the man from the paintings, standing there in the flesh.

The vampire’s eyes flickered from David’s to yours, and then stayed on you. He had a glass in hand, and he raised it in a toast. Completely hypnotized by seeing this person who has been on your mind for months, you raised your own. David stepped forward, but a small clique of vampires crossed the room between he and Marius. Once their line had departed, Marius was nowhere to be seen, not even a shadow of where he had been. Completely gone.

“Have you met him before?” You asked David, since the both of you continued to stare at the empty space.

“Once. Months ago,” David said back, clearing his throat and finally looked away.

“I think you should introduce us.” You said, without really thinking, then stumbled to explain yourself. “It would be a good excuse to talk to him again, I mean.”

“Why would you need an excuse to talk to me?” A voice came from beside you. It was more accented than you had thought it would be. The short haired vampire that you and David had been staring at appeared by your side, with hardly a breeze to give evidence to his movements.

“Marius,” David breathed. “You’re here.”

“I was invited. Though the music - is not my taste.” The vampire looked straight at you. Quickly, but in a motion that seemed effortless, he took hold of your hand. It surprised you just how cold he was. This is the closest that you have been to a vampire since your horrible encounter as a child. “I am Marius. I do believe David has told you about me.”

“And shown me your portraits.” You said at David’s expense. It was worth it to see him start to turn pink, although it did worry you how many of the guests here turned to look at him when the blood rushed to his face. “I am y/n, pleasure to meet you at last.”

“Appreciate the night with me.” It came out more as an order than a request but you were more than happy to obey. With his hand still holding yours, the two of you left the party and went out to the grand courtyard, where the moon showed it’s full face. It was a perfect night, with not the slightest chill from the wind. Everything seemed so still, that a breath felt like you were desecrating the place. You kept your lips shut, not wanting to ruin anything with the sound of your breathing. It was very obvious that the vampire next to you was not even pretending to inhale or exhale.

“How are you finding our city?” You asked, unable to handle the stillness any longer. Marius may have eternity to stand around and enjoy the nights, but you had a very human schedule.

“It is very showy,” Marius said, surprising you with a smile. His fangs were slightly noticeable, but that was because you were looking for them. He was alive much too long to feel any sort of insecurity, and so when he caught you, he smiled wider, giving you a better view. “Do you want to feel them?”

“Pardon?” You asked, eyes wide. You caught your horror and laughed it off, hoping you didn’t offend. “I’m not the type who wants to live forever.”

“That is not what I meant,” Marius said, raising an eyebrow. “We are able to bite without turning. As a Talasmacan, I would thought you would know that.”

“Is it that obvious that I am ... one of them?” You asked. If you were to answer his offer, you weren’t sure of what you would say. A yes might stumble out, in a move to attempt to please him.

“Yes, and no,” He said, walking in a circle around you, taking you in from every angle. “I know you are because you came with David, but you are not like the rest of them. You do not seem to see me as a study subject, am I wrong?”

“No,” You said, sighing your relief. You did believe that the Talamsca was full of stuffy people who tended to look at the vampires, werewolves and unknowns of this world as beings, not as the humans that they once were. It was an honor to study around them, but not to be one of them. “You are not wrong. But I must ask, why do you taunt David like that? You know that you are-”

“His obsession?” Marius laughed. “I am well aware, he has been following my life for most of his.” He looked up towards the moonlight, which only showed off the beauty of his face. No painter had gotten him just right yet. There was something about his jawline, his smile, his eyes that they could not capture. “I am more interested in you than in David.”

“Why?” You asked, staring at him. “He knows much more about your vampire culture than I do.”

“Culture?” Marius laughed at the word you used. “No, no. It is not about that. You remind me of someone that I knew long ago, in the beginning of my vampire life. Or unlife, I should say. Someone that I had fallen in love with before my heart had completely turned dark.”

“You still have hearts?” You asked, shocked, then blushed at your interruption. “I’m sorry, please, continue.”

“If we did not have hearts, what would the hunters put their stakes through?” Marius asked with a grin, like it was a funny joke. You laughed nervously, hoping you didn’t offend. “You look exactly like them. You smell like them. I was drawn to you. I feel as if...”

“As if what?” You asked, breath caught in your throat.

“As if I may have another chance.”

“Marius-” The way that he looked at you then, under that moonlight, made you stop speaking for a moment. It was like you had forgotten every word that you knew, save for his name. His eyes - they sparkled with such a longing that it took your breath away. But you eventually found it, swallowed, and continued. “You know that I’m not that person, right?” You questioned.

“I know,” Marius smiled. “But that does not mean that I will not love you.”

[murfpersonalblog]

I'm dumping my Omegaverse AU headcanons about The Vampire Armand here, as they don't really fit in my storyboard itself.

Cuz here's the thing about Armand.

Every frikkin adaptation's done him radically different. (We don't talk about QotD's Armand in this house! 😤)

Book Armand? Esp. from TVA? That whiny spoiled bratty out-of-control know-it-all easily impressionable jailbait with 1000 boy(man)friends in 1000 different taverns, wet-behind-the-ears I think I'm big & bad enough to hack down Marius' door with an effing battle axe and swordfight my ex boytoy cuz I'm a maneater just tryna make my undead lover/father-figure jealous enough to BITE me, balls-haven't-even-dropped-yet but I'm humping Beta Bianca one second cuz I'm Grown(TM) and hiding under her bed from Alpha Marius' scolding the next? Chile, that's an Omega.

If LDPDL thought he was hot stuff posing as a Beta, well Amadeo had already patented the Conflicted Dynamics Syndrome formula centuries ago, thinking he could act like an Alpha and get away with it, meanwhile living under the roof & rule of THE ALPHAMUS MAXIMUS, Marius de Romanus. 😂 .

Overcompensation is a thing, which is why he went buck wild as the coven leader of the Children of Darkness/Satan, ruling with a titanium fist because he's short and baby-faced and pretty and his voice will permanently crack since he's stuck as a frikkin 16/17 yr old for the rest of forever and he doesn't have an Alpha Voice he can use on anyone, just a mean streak a mile wide and a effton of uber-powerful vampire blood 1-degree of separation from Akasha herself backing him up (not that he knew that, ofc).

(If you can't tell, Armand's my favorite character in the VC books. 😅)

Like, of course he lost his mind panting after Marius in TVA, and then panting after Lestat in TVL, and then panting after Louis in IWTV, and then panting after Daniel in QotD, and then panting after Marius again in BC. Messy boots! In the end, I think the healthiest relationship he ever had was with his kids (by Marius), Benji & Sybelle. Some people just need to stay single till they're truly ready to mingle. (I've already said I don't like Devil's Minion--Daniel was the literal antithesis of "healthy"--Sybelle had more sense in her head than Daniel at some points.)

Movie Armand? That sexy BAMF slow-walking up that stage like a KING, whose face launched at least 5 seasons of the funniest vampire show I've ever seen on TV? That's an Alpha, baby. 😎 Yeah, he just sat there and let Santiago run roughshod all over Louis, acting like everything was out of his hands and big bad Santiago was in charge, I didn't know~!  🥺👉👈 But he also just sat there and let Louis run roughshod all over the entire frikkin theatre, flambé style, so he could start a new coven with his new boo-thang Louis. GOAT. 

AMC!Armand? Who the eff knows. 😅

Back when all we had was S1, I was pretty firm in my belief that Armand was a Beta. Even without the "Rashid" ruse, he's just so chill & zen & unbothered, never flying into extreme bouts of emotion like Alpha Daniel & Omega Louis. He balances them out and knows how to neutralize situations whereas the other two just snipe at each other, out for blood. That's certified Beta behavior, to be the only one in the room with working braincells.

But JFC, these S2 crumbs have had me feeling a type of waaaay~! 👀

And this is why I get so reticent about talking about Loumand, and Devil's Minion, and Lesmand, cuz half the time I think AMC's cooking up to have Armand be Satan incarnate, just manipulating EVERYONE; and other times I'm like watch they give this dude the most tragic backstory and paint him as the ultimate cinnamon roll.

So yeah, at the end of the day, Armand can run the entire GAMUT--he's the most complex character in TVC, IMO.

Which is probably why I love him so much, but am also SO SCARED to see what AMC does with him, cuz they really have the space & opportunity to really commit to how AR initially portrayed him, as THE big bad boogeyman of the vampires (until Akasha & Rhosh, ofc).