#the point about Louis not seeming connected is interesting

[opencommunion]

this call was released anonymously (understandably) but my local Palestinian organizers who I literally trust with my life have endorsed it, and it seems to be gaining momentum in multiple cities, so I encourage you all to get involved:

"A proposal to coordinate a multi-city economic blockade on April 15th in solidarity with Palestine recently received overwhelming commitments to participate around the US and internationally.

The proposal states that in each city, we will identify and blockade major choke points in the economy, focusing on points of production and circulation with the aim of causing the most economic impact, as did the port shutdowns in recent months in Oakland, California and Melbourne, Australia, as just a few examples.

There is a sense in the streets in this recent and unprecedented movement for Palestine that escalation has become necessary: there is a need to shift from symbolic actions to those that cause pain to the economy.

As Yemen is bombed to secure global trade, and billions of dollars are sent to the Zionist war machine, we must recognize that the global economy is complicit in genocide and together we will coordinate to disrupt and blockade economic logistical hubs and the flow of capital."

ETA: since I posted, organizers in St. Louis, Seoul, Brussels, and the Netherlands have signed onto the agreement, so if you saw this before and your city wasn't listed look again. anyone with the capacity to do some outreach, and a few connections to start with, could take the initiative to bring their city or region on board. read the solidarity agreement and check out the resources, and if you know trustworthy people in your area who might be interested in this sort of thing, talk to them about it.

remember that this isn't a series of protests (although some cities are organizing protests in conjunction), it's a commitment to take mass direct action and to maintain a united front in the face of any state repression. many organizers are (and have already been) using an affinity group model to actually coordinate those direct actions. autonomous groups can take action on April 15th whether or not others in their city/region have committed to this agreement. just do your homework (look up know-your-rights info specific to where you live + general direct action safety tips) and take good care of each other Blockades: a short guide to getting in the way Basic blockading Practical Protest Techniques: using your body Blockading: a guide ACT UP civil disobedience guide

[cyranonic]

I feel like one of the exchanges in S2 that fucks me up the most is this one between Louis and Madeleine that is so pivotal and yet happens basically in the background. It just says so much about who Louis is at this point in his life and why his relationship with Armand is so essentially tragic for them both.

For Armand, the ship has already sailed on betraying Louis and Claudia. He is seconds away from letting the coven ritually murder them and so NATURALLY that is the moment when Madeleine finally confirms the thing that he could never be certain of, the love that he wanted and yet could not quite trust was real. We see that in his face; the misery of that realization.

For Louis, it just devastates me to think about how much of his life has been about hiding his true self, afraid to reveal his softer feelings. In the first episode of the show, he tells Daniel that before Lestat he had never allowed himself to emotionally connect to another man. A big part of this is probably the homophobia of the time period when he was raised. Lestat seems to recognize this when he turns Louis, offering him the chance to be true to himself.

But even after Lestat, we see that Louis still struggles with this. He can allow himself to feel connected to Claudia because she is his child and then his sister. In his mortal life, Louis took on the role of provider for his family, allowing himself to show affection to his mother and sister through his role as a caretaker. Even with Paul, he is both brother and father, caring for him due to his mental illness. Becoming a vampire separated him from familial love, leading him to beg Lestat to turn Claudia so that he can yet again have that love that he connects to being a caretaker.

With Armand, Louis expresses sexual interest, but never emotional closeness. Their dynamic falls into the pattern of dominant and submissive, but without the openly expressed care and security needed to make that relationship work. Just as with Lestat, Louis has a pattern of withholding affection as a form of self-protection. He doesn't want to be vulnerable. He can laugh and joke about the sexual appeal of his partner, but is immediately uncomfortable when Madeleine brings up his deeper feelings.

I think a part of this is derived not just from Louis' queerness and his response to a homophobic society, but also his blackness. In New Orleans, he is constantly emasculated and infantilized by white men. Being called "boy" or being praised for "doing a good job" is a tactic that white supremacists use to remind Louis that he is vulnerable. And after that, combined with the trauma he experienced during his relationship with Lestat, Louis is sick of being vulnerable. So even when he is falling in love, even when his partner is a POC, Louis can't share those feelings. Louis' final words, "he knows," indicate that his withholding isn't malicious or manipulative. It's a hopeful rather than true statement. Louis wants Armand to know, but he shies away from actually having the conversation.

Anyways it's such a gut-punch moment to me that foreshadows how Louis and Armand's relationship had some potential for genuine love within it, but it was also pretty doomed from the start.

[doberbutts]

Jewish folks of tumblr, I have a question for anyone who knows a lot about the history of Germany 1890-1920, specifically in the Apolda region, and Jewish last names.

I am interested primarily because two different sources (one being a gentile doberman person, and the other being a nonpracticing Jewish person) have informed me that the last name Mann and names ending with the syllable Mann were primarily of Jewish ethnicity within Germany.

This is interesting to me because the doberman breed comes from the name of the creator- a tax collector in Apolda named Karl Fredrich Louis Dobermann. He made the breed to protect him because he was getting attacked while performing his job.

This is also interesting to me because MULTIPLE doberman history books that I've read have stated the breed lore that despite Hitler's seize of control of the breed during his rise to power in Germany, many of the breed's founders who took over the care and legacy of the breed after Dobermann's death were adamantly anti-Nazi, voiced disagreement with Hitler's ideals, and moved rapidly to get as many of the dogs out of the country as possible to prevent him from using them. This is repeated in American historical accounts- that at some point this country had a higher number of dobermans than Germany, right before the war officially broke out, and that German breeders were exporting their dogs here en masse to prevent the breed from being destroyed by the ensuing chaos.

In modern days, the breed is infested with far right, Q-anon, and neonazi reactionaries here within the US, owing a lot of that to its German roots and use during the war as well as its reputation as a fierce police and military dog both in Germany and here in the US.

I think it would be very interesting indeed if the breed had Jewish or Jewish-adjacent origins that were erased by Hitler's destruction. We already know that Dobermann himself was extremely cagey about his personal life as well as what went into the breed. We also know that at least two of the three people he passed the torch to were vocally anti-Hitler, if the history books are to be believed. And we know that the doberman history itself has experienced many purges of information, missing journals and pedigrees, cobbled together on a "stop paying attention to this" and "oh it was lost in the war".

We also know that this was commonplace among Jewish and Jewish-friendly communities to scrub the evidence of the existence of Jewish people present in an area to prevent them from coming to further harm as the SS began to search for anyone they might have missed.

Dobermann was buried as a German and, to my knowledge, was registered on the census as a German. I'm wondering if there could be any connection to Jewish community whatsoever, or if it just so happened that the early doberman people were not Nazis, or if the breed history books have got this so very wrong.

This comes especially as I watch the German Shepherd community once again get rocked with the realization that their own breed founder was proudly pro-Hitler, writing about it in his journals and breeding theory, while the doberman community mostly has 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️ I guess he didn't write it down 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️ to compare.

Again, I just find that very interesting, as "oops I guess there's no records" are a fairly common tactic used by freedom fighters and abolitionists worldwide to protect a vulnerable population. And it seems like an interesting coincidence, if the rest has any real truth to it.

[pucksandpower]

Charles Leclerc x CEO!Reader - Social Media AU

Formula 1 News: Everything We Know About Arnault Racing So Far

The team is owned by LVMH, the world’s leading luxury goods company, and is named after the prominent Arnault family, which includes LVMH’s chief operating officer Y/N Arnault, wife of Charles Leclerc. Y/N is the youngest daughter of Bernard Arnault, the world’s richest man, and is said to be his favored successor.

They are expected to benefit from the extensive resources and expertise of LVMH which boasts a diverse portfolio of luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Moët & Chandon, TAG Heuer, and Tiffany & Co. These assets could potentially provide Arnault Racing with a competitive edge on and off the track in a sport heavily reliant on business dealings.

As with any new team, Arnault Racing will face numerous challenges including building a strong technical staff, securing talented drivers, and establishing partnerships with sponsors and suppliers. However, the backing of LVMH’s vast resources and the Arnault family’s commitment to success bode well for their prospects.

While no official announcement has been made regarding Charles Leclerc’s involvement with Arnault Racing, his familial connection to the team coupled with his recent decision to step away from Scuderia Ferrari has fueled rumors and heightened interest in whether he will be part of Arnault Racing’s driver lineup … (Read more)

Press Conference of Arnault Racing CEO, Y/N Arnault, and Team Principal, Sebastian Vettel

REPORT Arnault Racing snags Adrian Newey: CEO Y/N Arnault says “whatever arbitrary figure you have in your head, triple it and that’s how much we offered him” (Aug 2023)

NEWS Red Bull loses LVMH-owned sponsor TAG Heuer as entry of Arnault Racing brings new conflict of interest (Dec 2023)

UPDATE A weekend of team bonding on the beach after the car launch? Charles Leclerc and Mick Schumacher talk about flourishing environment at Arnault Racing (Feb 2024)

FEATURE What to expect from Arnault Racing — data from preseason testing explained (Feb 2024)

REPORT Podiums and points: a strong start to the season for newcomers Arnault Racing (Mar 2024)

FEATURE The Prince that was promised: Charles Leclerc triumphs in Monaco (May 2024)

UPDATE Who are the ‘losers’ and ‘winners’ halfway through the season? Arnault closes in on Red Bull as Ferrari falls behind (Jul 2024)

FEATURE What could have been — Arnault’s Charles Leclerc tops the podium in Monza as Tifosi look on (Sep 2024)

NEWS Red Bull’s reign continues as Arnault brings home historic P2 in both the Drivers’ and Contructors’ championship during debut season (Nov 2024)

REPORT Arnault promises more competitive 2025 season following already impressive first year on the grid (Jan 2025)

“We find ourselves at the edge of our seats here in Abu Dhabi. It all comes down to this final lap of the season and the battle for the World Championship has reached its peak! Charles Leclerc of Arnault and Max Verstappen of Red Bull are locked in a fierce duel for the ultimate prize.”

“This is the moment every racing fan has been waiting for. The atmosphere here is electric and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Leclerc and Verstappen have been pushing the absolute limits of their cars and their skills throughout this intense race.”

“They certainly have. Both drivers have showcased their exceptional talent and determination all season long. It’s a clash of titans, and now, as they approach the final corners, it’s do-or-die time.”

“Leclerc has been holding onto the lead for the majority of this race but Verstappen is focused in his pursuit. The Dutchman is determined to wrestle this championship away from Leclerc’s grasp.”

“The tension is palpable here as they enter the final sector. Leclerc seems to be holding his ground but Verstappen is right on his tail, looking for the slightest opportunity to strike!”

“This is nail-biting stuff. The championship hangs in the balance as they approach the final turn. Leclerc takes a defensive line but Verstappen moves to the inside. He’s desperately trying to overtake!”

“Verstappen is side-by-side with Leclerc! They’re wheel-to-wheel! What an incredible battle! They both accelerate out of the corner …”

“They’re neck and neck! It’s an all-out sprint to the checkered flag. Who will emerge victorious?”

“Leclerc finds another gear! He edges ahead of Verstappen!”

“It’s a photo finish! They cross the line. And ... it’s Charles Leclerc! Charles Leclerc has done it! Charles Leclerc is the World Champion!”

“What an incredible end to the season. Charles Leclerc and Arnault Racing have taken the championship title in a heart-stopping finale!”

“This is the stuff of legends. Leclerc has proven himself a champion through and through today. The emotion in the Arnault Racing garage is indescribable!”

“What an amazing moment for Leclerc and his team. This race will be remembered for years to come. Congratulations to Charles Leclerc! Congratulations to Arnault Racing!”

y/narnault

Liked by charles_leclerc, arnaultracing, and 938,572 others

y/narnault ✨ Abu Dhabi, 2017 ✨

A chance encounter in the paddock with a hotshot young driver sent us both sprawling to the ground and ignited a spark that changed our lives forever. Our love story began in Yas Marina as Charles celebrated the end of the season after winning the F2 championship. Little did we know that this would be the start of a remarkable journey, both on and off the track

Fast forward to ...

✨ Abu Dhabi, 2025 ✨

As the CEO of Arnault Racing, it fills my heart with immense pride to witness our immensely talented driver win a much deserved World Drivers' Championship. As the wife of Charles Leclerc, it makes me even prouder to see the most amazing person I know finally be granted the fruit of his labors. There has been no sweeter feeling than chasing our dreams hand-in-hand

Eight years later, in Yas Marina once again, our journey came full circle. Our love, like a well-oiled machine, has only grown stronger with each challenge we faced. Working together as a team, we transformed dreams into reality and surpassed every limit. The joy of victory, the adrenaline of the race — it all pales in comparison to the love and support we share

To our extraordinary team at Arnault Racing, thank you for your relentless commitment and tireless efforts. Each one of you has played a vital role in making history this season and we truly could not have done it without you

Charles, my champion, you continue to inspire me every day with your talent, dedication, and resilient spirit. The road here has not always been easy but I am thankful for every obstacle we faced because they made us grow as people and as partners in both love and racing. We have weathered the storms and celebrated the triumphs. The countless hours of hard work, sacrifice, and pouring over data for so long that we forgot the cookies burning in the oven brought us to this extraordinary moment of victory. But beyond the increasingly crowded trophy cases and roaring crowds, it is our love that always shines the brightest. No matter where we may have placed in the standings, I was always content in knowing that we are P1 on the podium of life — and now we stand on top of both together

This chapter is just beginning. There are still many races left to win, many trophies left to raise, and many championships left to clinch

View all 2,614 comments

charles_leclerc From the moment we met, you have seen me not just as a driver or public figure but as a person with hopes, dreams, and flaws. You have been there for me through the setbacks and the victories and your faith in me never has wavered. Your belief in me pushed me to be the best version of myself and I will spend the rest of our lives eternally grateful for being sent such an angel. Our victories are not only measured by the number of trophies or the applause of the crowds but in the quiet moments we get to bask in the life we built together. Our love has always been the beacon that guides me, even in the darkest of times. It is the constant reminder that no matter where we stand in the standings, we have each other to lean on. I have no doubt that it is because of you that I stand here today. You are my pillar of strength, my constant motivation, and my rock. Without your love and support, none of this would have been possible. Thank you, mon amour, for believing in me, for supporting me, and for always standing by my side. It is fate that brought us together and destiny that irreversibly wove our hearts into one

f1wagupdates you two are singlehandedly keeping my belief in true love alive

formulanone how are they still in the honeymoon phase after eight years together and i can’t even get a text back?

arnaultracing there are power couples and then there is THE power couple 🤩

GQ France: An Interview with 2025 Formula 1 World Champion Charles Leclerc

charles_leclerc and y/narnault

Liked by arnaultracing, pierregasly, and 1,854,632 others

charles_leclerc Baby Leclerc will make their F1 debut in August 🍼

View all 3,927 comments

pierregasly hmmm i wonder what happened a little over nine months before the due date?

mickschumacher no wonder we couldn’t find them during the championship party 😳

arnaultracing a championship baby for our champions 🏆

lovelyleclerc oh to be reincarnated as their baby

leclercbabe it’s really getting gifted godly genes, money, and talent 😭

princecharles is it bad that i’m jealous of a baby that hasn’t even been born yet?

[lordofdestructionm]

Reading Mordecai Heller as a repressed gay man

The tragic attraction

This is a full post based on my response to a great analysis by @sedgewick-gayble

Let me start by saying that if you read Mordecai as being totally asexual/aromantic and any affection he has for other characters to be entirely platonic that is entirely valid and I respect that

However as this response by Tracy makes clear on the topic of fans reading Mordecai as gay there is an intentional ambiguity about it. Being 28 at the time of the main story his "lifestyle is certainly asexual" up to this point, yet "being ace and being gay are not mutually exclusive things" and people sometimes "don't know themselves or understand their own motivations all that well"

This leaves the possibility open that Mordecai is actively repressing his natural desires and feelings

Mordecai's early life didn't exactly provide much time or opportunity for "self discovery", even by the usual standards of the less than tolerant and understanding world of the early 20th century

Being born into an impoverished family and having his father die very early in his life leaving him and his Mother and two younger sisters in dire straits, Mordecai had to get to work and assume adult responsibilities pretty damn early.

As Tracy says "selling newspapers wasn't going to cut it" and so using his natural talent with numbers Mordecai starts bookkeeping for the mob. Is it any wonder someone with that background would develop such a serious and rigidly buttoned up demeanour?

Since being forced to abandon his mother and two sisters at the start of the 1920s and flee New York, being picked up by Atlas's due to his habit of collecting useful strays, Mordecai had very few people he was close to in St Louis. With his generally anti-social personality and not only lack of interest but discomfort with any sort of flirting or romantic entanglements, that would be unlikely to change

Side note: Probaby coincidence but

There are only two people who seem to make it onto that exclusive list of people that "count" for Mordecai, who he cares about and are able to bring things to the surface he would normally keep hidden

Atlas to Mordecai is not just an employer, he is the man who saved his life, the man who moulded a desperate fearful shabby young stray into the sharp professional he is today, who took him under his wing and made him his protege. Filling the empty space his father left in his life. His grief and desperate hunt for those responsible for his death are his big motivation (the strain of which is slowly tearing him apart)

That connection is undertsandable

Much more surprising on the surface is the bond with the partner Atlas teamed him up with soon after his arrival, Viktor Vasko.

The assumption at the start would have been that while their skill sets might compliment each other in the field there would have been no warmth in their dynamic.

Certainly not on Mordecai's part as Viktor appears to be a sum total of many things Mordecai hates. Viktor is unshaven, relatively casual in his attire, speaks a broken English, and hates people chattering or “noise, noise, noise” as he calls it. Clashing hard with his obsession with good grooming, high quality tailoring, correct grammar etc. Indeed Mordecai doesn't hesitate to nag/criticize Viktor for these things

Yet at the same time Mordecai has far better chemistry with Viktor than with anyone else, able to banter and bicker with him in a way you rarely if ever see with others

Its why when he gets tailored clothes for the first time Viktor is the first person he wants to show off too. Its why the one time he is intoxicated Viktor (and his large physique) are his chosen topic of converation. Its why at Christmas/Hanuhhah he gives him the gift of a tie while claiming its just because of the big guys poor fashion sense and that its "embarassing to be seen with him" (even that justification makes him sound like a nagging girlfriend)

A smaller detail is that during their iconic chess playing in the side content, set during their days staking out the remote town of Defiance, Viktor is shown very casually winning the game much to Mordecai's visible distress

This is hilarious but could also be taken as a metaphor for Viktor (possibly without even realizing it) breaking through his defensive emotional barriers

Something Mordecai doesn't know how to handle or respond to

The animated short only adds fuel to the fire

During their dispute over strategy Mordecai moves his face so close to Viktors that he almost knocks his cap off his head. His eyes at one point even dart down towards his mouth

Sharp eyed Vikdecai fans have also noted that Mordecai seems on some level to want the two of them to match

The tie being the same colour could simpy be Mordecai giving Viktor one of his own ties because its a joke gift and he just grabbed it on a whim to tease Viktor about his poor fashion choices

But think about the matching suits at the New Years party for 1926

I mean, seriously, not only is it the exact same style of suit in the same blue-grey colour distinct from everyone else, but they are standing in the perfect spots to be symmetrical to each other. Something that we all know means a lot to this compulsive man

Mordecai must have known there was going to be a big group photo ahead of time and then carefully planned this

Got matching suits made to his and Viktors measurements

Then most impressively convinced/nagged Viktor into cooperating (he may have taken off the tie and rolled up the sleeves but hey him playing along at all is quite a compromise from Viktor "I hate dressing up" Vasko)

Mordecai is intent on making Viktor retire and get out of danger, and avoid a situation where he gets sent to kill him by Marigold because he knows he could NOT do it, and his cover and investigation into Atlas's death would be over

He is horrified that Viktor is still working at Lackadaisy (though he again has to hide how much he cares) and that he has gotten not only hurt again but hurt by Mordecai again (albeit this time indirectly by stealing the guns)

Can this be read as simply platonic comradere? Absolutely

But there is something so *intense* in the fact he was willing to resort to kneecapping him. Its an extreme and desperate act that could only result from intense emotions, seemingly out of character for someone who tries very hard to appear logical and controlled.

While Vikdecai is a very fun ship when imagining them as an actual bickering married couple, I have often said that a tragic one-sided on Mordecai's part version of Vikdecai is the one that fits closest and surprisingly well into the canon.

His nagging and complaining about Viktor in that context take on a Tsundere aspect, both to protect himself from being found out and maybe even try and convince himself the uncomfortable alien feelings aren't there. He not only doesn't want others looking too hard at his feeling he doesn't want to examine them himself all that much

There is a heartbreaking but appealing angst to the idea of this extremely repressed man having such feelings for the first time in his life for his straight best friend and NOT knowing how to handle that. Having to perform the balancing act of being around him so much as his partner but being painfully aware that he can't let anyone catch on, especially not Viktor himself, as it would likely destroy his bond with the only person in town other than Atlas he is close to.

Though tragically he did that anyway later via the kneecapping, which while about trying to keep Viktor safe, he may now looking back try and tell himself its actually somehow "better" for Viktor to hate him for that

Because the big guy now wrongly thinks the feeling is mutual and that Mordecai never really cared about him, which may be better than (what Mordecai assumes would be) disgust at his partners doomed more than platonic feelings

Because he sees those feelings and his situation as a sad perfectly structured joke life has played on him

[queenoftheimps]

Artistic Expression as a Form of Love: aka Some Meta About Interview with the Vampire

hey guess who spent all of today putting off a really boring work task

So I'm just suddenly just having a lot of feelings about how love is tied to creation in Interview with the Vampire.

Specifically, each character's artistic impulses and what they say about their relationships, and how they use their creative output as a sort of love language.

From the very first episode, we see hints of this. Miss Lilly asks about Lestat's music box, which plays a song he wrote for Nicholas once upon a time, evidence of his love for someone who's been dead for over a century.

He later writes his own song for Louis, 'Come to Me', and Claudia makes the connection explicit while deliberately poking at him -- he wrote a song for each of his true loves, but does one signal love more strongly than the other?

She's being facetious to prod at him, but the show seems to genuinely make the point that we can track each characters' relationships through the art we see them create.

After all, we see it with Claudia herself later -- even before there's any discussion of becoming companions, we can feel Madeleine's compatibility with Claudia in the way she makes dresses for her.

Madeleine dresses Claudia as the grown woman she wants to be seen as, as she really is, even before she fully understands the circumstances of Claudia's age. It's telling that in Madeleine's dying vision, the one that convinces Louis of her love for Claudia, that Claudia is wearing a dress that Madeleine made for her.

By contrast, we see how Claudia is incompatible with the coven in the role that they have quite literally written for her. If Madeleine shows her love by treating Claudia as an adult, the coven shows their lack of caring by creating artwork where Claudia is forced into playing a part that diminishes her.

In turn, we can see Claudia's enthusiasm for the coven tied into her willingness to perform -- she starts off trying to smile her way through the situation, before quickly growing tired of the performance (and, relatedly, the coven itself).

But then again, how does the coven show its real loyalties? Well, with a painting.

We don't know who painted Lestat (Armand, possibly?), but having artwork of him in a place of prominence is pretty telling. But then again, the theater's creation is itself a reflection of art as a signifier of love & bonding -- Lestat suggests a theater to a lonely Armand as a way to regain a family/coven structure, after the last one fell apart.

Which makes particular sense for Armand, the character who most explicitly equates artistic expression with love and understanding. We see him underline it in his own telling of his backstory -- "No one has painted me in over 400 years." He associates painting with being seen and cared for by his maker --

-- and yet we, the audience, can plainly see what a warped, toxic relationship it was from the painting itself : a whitewashed version of Armand's face that doesn't truly look like him.

Hell, we even see Armand's betrayal of Louis in the form of creative expression -- to quote Daniel, "He directed the play!"

His treason isn't just that he sold Louis & Claudia out, it's that he participated in a creation that would condemn them. Artistic expression shows us love and loyalty in this world, yes, but it can also be used as a tool of abuse or betrayal.

Which brings us to Louis, he who has the eye for art but maybe not the skill for it, who never said 'I love you' to Lestat and wouldn't call Armand his companion, who ultimately gives up on creation in favor of becoming a collector.

It's especially interesting that his abandonment of photography is also explicitly tied to the end of his visions of Dreamstat. Even the one photo he takes that garners praise is one he tries taking of Armand & Dreamstat at the same time -- as if the closest he can get to expressing love through creation is something that blurs the lines between both men he has complicated feelings for. (Note that the scene where he develops the photo is directly after the "Show me the only way you know how to love" sequence of Louis bashing some guy's head into a wall.)

Hell, if we want to take it even further, we can even see some of this pretense in the inclusion of the Fred Stein photos (assuming Armand actually did sneak them in). On one level, we can see it as Armand trying to build up Louis' happiness, but on the other, it's him trying to build up the image of their romance.

After all, if artistic creation is a sign of love -- especially to Armand! -- what does it mean if Louis is openly disparaging his own abilities to make anything at all?

Taking it further, what does it say that he and Armand have a collection of photos of various boys over the years and expensive artwork hanging on every wall, but Louis doesn't seem to have taken any pictures of Armand in almost eighty years?

And hey, speaking of fascinating boys: what does it mean when Louis hasn't made anything creative of Armand since the 1940s, but he has no problem writing a book for ten hours with some guy he picked up at the bar?

Hell, writing a book where Louis spends ten hours talking about his life and hasn't even gotten up to the part with Armand yet? The supposed love of his life doesn't even garner a mention, to the point where Daniel didn't even know he existed when he arrives fifty years later.

And what does it mean when that book you never wrote is a giant hanging thread in your life, enough to create a connection strong enough that you remember that guy fifty years later and go back to that writing it? Even over the objections of the love of your life?

Especially when find out that Daniel's entire writing career is sparked in part by inspirational words given to him by Louis -- a sign of their bond withstanding the test of time, enough to make them friends after a fifty year absence.

That said, if we're working with the idea of artistic expression as proof of connection -- especially when it comes to Armand -- then it also makes perfect sense why Armand would insert himself into the interview once he's been revealed.

Then it's no longer about Louis & Daniel, or Louis & Lestat, it's about Louis & Armand and artistic proof of their connection! They're both now creating a story, a book that will include their entire romance! It's the first time that Armand has had the possibility of being an artistic subject in decades, so no wonder he's quick to latch onto it.

Even then, though: I think it's interesting that when Armand is talking to Daniel alone, the first story he thinks to tell him about is his relationship with Lestat. Make of that what you will.

(Also, I've said this before, but I am very curious what Armand's feelings towards Daniel will be after having an entire book written in which he plays a starring role.)

I think that this is all very rich with subtext and possible further progression, especially since we are about to enter a season where a new book is being written by Daniel and there's going to be an entire tour's worth of music being performed, all of it ripe with potential for further relationship nuance.

And while I don't want to wander too far into book spoiler territory, I think this might even neatly factor into a potential Season 4 -- especially since book fans will know that a specific musical performance is the catalyst for a lot of what happens in The Queen of the Damned.

[twopoppies]

Sorry to go back to Bg but I'm convinced Louis team was intending to let it fade into irrelevance until nobody remembered it until B's sugar daddy exposed her and he/his team did what they always do and overreact instead of using it and backdating the whole thing they went in the opposite direction and pushed to try and cover up the fact he had nothing to do with the kid for years. ( just like with larry,, there was no reason to do all that it just made people more interested in them) all they've done with it is made a bigger mess that's going to be MORE sus and make MORE people look deeper into everything when it finally ends or more likely gets exposed (disclaimer: i dont want him to be exposed it's just the fact is the bigger the lie the harder it is to keep 🤷‍♀️)

Yeah, I agree that Boobgate seemed to be the turning point. I don't think it was entirely an overreaction because they could have course-corrected if so. They haven't yet and it's been two years at this point. I really think there's some kind of legal issue he's trying not to get caught in. There's no way Sony would take the fall if the truth came out. It would all fall on Louis.

I'm not an attorney, but from what I can understand, falsely claiming to be a parent on a birth certificate can lead to serious legal consequences. At the federal level, there is no specific law criminalizing falsely signing a birth certificate, but this type of fraud can have various legal repercussions based on state laws.

False Information as Fraud: In California, knowingly providing false information on a birth certificate is considered a form of fraud, and the state may impose both civil and criminal penalties. California law treats falsely establishing paternity as perjury if done knowingly, which can be a felony with significant fines and potential jail time.

Paternity Presumption: In California, when a man signs a voluntary declaration of paternity, the law presumes he is the legal father. If he later claims he is not the biological father, he may face legal complications, especially if he signed the declaration while knowing he was not the biological parent. Depending on the state, this can be classified as a misdemeanor or felony offense with penalties including fines, imprisonment, or both.

Federal Involvement in Fraud Cases: If the false claim is part of a larger fraud scheme involving benefits, such as falsely claiming dependency benefits, federal charges could apply. For instance, fraudulently claiming a dependent on tax filings (if connected to a fraudulent birth certificate) could lead to charges for tax fraud or other federal offenses. I doubt Briana is filing taxes claiming Freddie as a dependent, but Tammi and Brett may be. Or Louis might be required to do it but isn't. I have no idea, but it's something to think about.

Consequences Beyond Criminal Penalties: Falsely signing a birth certificate can also have serious civil repercussions, especially in cases where paternity or custody rights are contested later. Courts may impose penalties, order repayment of child support or benefits fraudulently obtained (ie: requesting government assistance), and adjust parental rights or responsibilities (would this affect who has the right to care for Freddie and make decisions concerning his well-being?). Additionally, Louis' ability to keep his US Visa (thus being able to visit/tour/work in the US) could be compromised if he were found tp have committed fraud.

(If there are actual Family Law attorneys out there, please correct me if I'm wrong)

This is not to say he is stuck forever. But I think he needs to establish that he THOUGHT he was Freddie's dad for a long enough time to then have a DNA test and prove that he's not, but he can't appear to have known the whole time.

This, IMO, is why fans are better off just shutting up about it right now because constantly pointing out the pregnancy discrepancies, or how much he didn't do in those first five years, probably makes things more difficult for him.

[cbrownjc]

So it really seems like Armand is Alice - or Daniel's lost memories of Armand have been conflated with his memories of Alice, or something. I'd be really interested to know your thoughts on how much Louis knows? We see malicious triumph from him but (I think) not really an awareness that this specific memory has heavy shades of Armand in it, more like he was happy to weaponise any terrible memory of Daniel's that came to hand.

But how could Louis not know? If Armand and Daniel were together in the past I bet Louis knew about it and probably still does?

(Also your Tumblr is amazing and fascinating and ILU)

Hello! I'm glad you like my Tumblr and thank you for the amazingly kind words! *hugs* 💕

So, Armand & Daniel and Louis. Now, my gut feeling at the moment is that Louis knows a lot about what happened between Armand and Daniel. But possibly not everything.

Or, more directly, I do think it's possible that Louis doesn't fully know how serious it really got between Armand and Daniel; that Armand and Daniel actually truly, deeply, and sincerely fell in love with each other. I may be wrong about that (as I've only had a chance to watch the episode once so far), but there are some little things that are making me think that for now.

The main reason is that we now have an answer for why Louis has called Daniel "our boy" before. (Which he hasn't done this season yet, but I'm sure it's coming.) IMO the reason was indirectly revealed in the scene when Real Rashid brought out the pictures . . . and what Louis and Armand both said about who some of the pictures were of: which is that they were pictures of young human men that were kept with Louis and Armand -- in their company -- for a period of time.

These two -- Louis and Armand -- would basically add a third into their relationship at one time or another. And that they did so a LOT more than once. And that it was something that was always initiated by Louis -- probably because it was something that was Louis' idea to do in the first place, back when they first did so with whomever the first young man they pulled in was.

We don't know how long these young men were kept with them, but I don't think it's wrong to guess that some were kept for rather long periods. It was Louis who would draw these young men into them . . . then some would be drained dry at some point if they weren't just let go.

And Daniel was basically set to be the next in the long line of young men that Louis and Armand would do this with. That is what was initially happening that night at Polynesian Mary's. With Louis, once again, being the one to draw the young man -- in this case, Daniel -- in.

But what made everything different this time -- and what made Daniel different from all the young men that had come before him wrt this -- was that first interview. And I think Assad hinted in an interview during the press tour as to why Armand steps in and saves Daniel's life when Louis attacks Daniel. And that reason is that during that interview, Daniel is able to understand and connect with Louis in a way that Armand hasn't been able to during all their years together. And so becomes fascinated by Daniel because of that.

And I don't think I'm guessing that Armand never became fascinated in such a way with any of the other young men that Louis lured into a triad with them. (Or, if Armand ever did, it was a very fleeting thing).

So, I think in this instance, the third that was lured in by Louis actually ended up fully capturing Armand's attention and, eventually, his heart. And while, as with all the other young men they had done this with before, Daniel was very much "our boy" for both him and Armand in Louis' eyes . . . there were deeper emotions that were growing between Armand and Daniel during that time that Louis just didn't really see -- or that maybe Armand kept Louis from seeing.

Because remember, Armand is much more skilled at the Mind Gift than Louis is. And Louis, very possibly, might have still been under the veil that -- in the books -- his mind gets clouded over by Armand after they first leave Paris.

So there are many reasons Louis may not have fully noticed everything that was happening between Armand and Daniel during however long Daniel was with them. (And, IMO, it is very much looking like it was at least 12 years, which was the length of the whole Devil's Minion saga -- before Daniel was finally turned -- in the book QotD).

Louis knows some things I feel sure of. Like, Louis knows Armand and Daniel had sex because . . . yeah. Armand and Louis weren't just pulling in young human men to be a third with them to play cards or something. 😏 But I'm not sure that Louis knows about the full emotional depth (and heartbreak) of everything that went down between Armand and Daniel.

So yeah, Louis knows about Armand & Daniel -- because he was the one to draw Daniel in to be a third with him and Armand in the first place. But I don't think Louis knows just how deeply and emotionally serious it really got between them. And maybe it's mostly because Armand just kept that part of it from Louis.

As to the Alice = Armand thing and if Louis knows that. . . again I'm not sure. It is one reason I kind of still sort of lean toward the idea that Alice is a real person, but many things about her have been merged with Armand in Daniel's mind. And Louis doesn't actually know which is which.

However . . . Louis could very well know how serious it got between Armand and Daniel, and that Alice isn't real and just really is Armand; and Louis just did what he did -- emotionally going in on Daniel like that -- because Louis really just wanted to hurt Daniel in that way because Daniel had hurt him in the same way just by asking about Lestat like that. Louis does have a very sadistic streak in him, I think that has been very well-established. And it would just be the simplest answer too for it all as well.

[velvetvexations]

So, I've officially watched the IWTV series.

Sam Reid was fantastic and I'm disappointed I did not give him a chance largely because he was not the kinna guy I find beautiful in the way I felt Lestat should be, and because my initial reaction to making Louis Black while keeping him White was rolling my eyes and worrying about how their relationship would be presented. Both Tom Cruise and Stuart Townsend are Lestat to me in completely different ways, as they're two completely different characters, and I think Reid's Lestat is a third unique interpretation that hews closer to a synthesis of the Lestat of the first book with the Lestat of the later books.

The show's Louis is, for the most part, a fantastic character. One of the changes I initially hated was that changing him to a New Orleans business man around the turn of the century took away from him starting from a morally wrong position, and thus his hypocrisy, but as I've stated before I was mollified some learning he was a brothel owner, so they clearly had put enough thought into the issue that they felt the need to try and find a rough equivalent. I don't think they fully succeeded there - Louis, if anything, seemed like exactly the kinna guy you would hope was running a brothel, but the show did not abandon Louis' hypocrisy there and took pains to portray him as someone who was not honest with himself.

I again do not think they fully succeeded there, but the attempt was made, and I think that's better than if they just brushed off that aspect of the plot and left it to wither. I did really enjoy the depiction of his interest in art; it seemed like something he threw himself into because he was desperate to define himself, it was essentially a mid-undeath crisis. But as far as morality went, it was weird. Sure, he left that guy's wife to be killed, but other than that it was hard to tell how the show wanted me to feel about the fact that the main cast is all a bunch of serial killers with kills in the tens of thousands. I do not feel like this was properly engaged with, and it made it difficult to empathize with the interpersonal problems of mass murderers treating each other immorally, as though it were supposed to be shocking.

This made Claudia's desire to seek out more vampires odd. In the movie,* Louis and Lestat were the only vampires she'd ever known, so it made sense, after thinking they'd killed Lestat, that Claudia would want to find more. After Lestat and Antoinette and Bruce, this is instead portrayed as her wanting to find vampires that "aren't bastards" - but is that not already Louis? If that's her primary motivation, I do not understand Louis not being enough. In the movie, the search for more vampires comes off almost like a hobby, but in the series, it's tied to her need for companionship, even though she and Louis already have that, or should already have that. In the movie, she did not need a companion until she and Louis could feel themselves drifting apart, but here it never feels like they develop that kinna connection in the first place.

Throughout, Louis never feels like he honestly cares that much about Claudia? At least not in the past. Their relationship feels weirdly hollow from start to finish. He only even seems mildly perturbed when Armand is pretty viciously emotionally abusing her.

I think the reason for this is that the original relationship between them was soulmates. Claudia was Louis' next mistake after Lestat, in a way. The series doesn't want to go too hard on that because it's creepy and uncomfortable and awkward even though she's been wisely aged up a bit yet again, but the end result is that it can't really seem to decide what they are to each other. Louis goes back and forth between describing her as a sister and a daughter even after she made a point of demanding that she be treated as the former and not the latter.

Had I been the showrunner I'd have aged Claudia up even more so she could have the vaguely romantic relationship with Louis without it being a really difficult thing to watch as an audience member the way it is in the movie. I feel like that element is worth preserving even at the cost of most of the "she's going mad because her body is frozen at a hormonal hurricane" stuff, which the series certainly mentioned often but did not play with in a meaningful way, at least in my view. You could take that out and still have everything go basically the way it did. The bigger issue with that would be that it might somewhat negate Claudia being based on Ann Rice's daughter who died tragically young, but I don't think making her an older teenager when she died goes against that much more than making her a younger teenager. That's still tragically young, if not quite the same situation.

As for Claudia herself, one of the first things that got me interested after being sure I'd hate it is that I saw bits of both actresses in the series and was really impressed with how they seemed to embody the character. I stand by that, both performances are enthralling, but especially Delainey Hayles, which I only say because Bailey Bass did not get the chance to perform the even greater role Claudia was in season two. I really have no doubt Bass would have done equally as well.

Even so, while every second she was on frame was an amazing effort on the actresses' part that are triumphs in a vacuum, I have some issue with how Claudia was written over the course of the series. Aside from what I was talking about above about her desire for companionship, she was also the worst hit by the "am I supposed to care that they kill people?" thing, because her first few episodes they seem to lean in to the perspective that she's the worst of the bunch with her gleeful, out-of-control take to killing, but after that it feels like the audience is meant to view her as genuinely innocent and completely sympathetic. The fact that she killed innocent people on a regular basis was put even further to the side with her than it was with anyone else.

I'm a big fan of Claudia being fully Chaotic Evil, something Lestat created but could not foresee what he was unleashing. And of course, Claudia's whole thing in the film is that she is the exact opposite, in every way, of the innocent face she puts on to lure victims. I loved Claudia's character in the series and I don't necessarily mind that it was different, like with my three Lestats, I could accept this as something different, but this aspect to her arc felt inconsistent and the show seemed unwilling to examine it.

On the topic of her creation, I think I still would have preferred Lestat doing it to babytrap Louis, but changing it to Louis doing it to selfishly try and absolve himself of his guilt felt like a good stab at getting into Louis faults as a person, so I cannot be overly harsh on this point.

Something I thought the series did very, very well was making Armand so incredibly hatable. I noticed I was getting really annoyed at the possibility his and Louis' relationship was going to be validated, so the fact that he eventually was revealed to being the lying bastard that he was and did indeed plan the trial himself, and then took credit for Lestat saving Louis, was a very cathartic moment. Such a pathetic bastard.

I don't have much to compare Daniel to. Obviously Daniel is a much smaller role in the movie, really only coming alive in the last few minutes and serving as a tool for the greatest ending scene a film will ever have. People who have read the books past the first probably have more to say about that. Within the context of the series, he was occasionally bothersome, but that was in and of itself the point of his character in a lot of ways, serving to upset the narrative and flip the tables on Louis and Armand. That came across well.

Ultimately, in spite of the changes I enjoyed the series a lot and I'm very excited for the third season.

*which is my primary 'source' for the franchise, it's been nearly twenty years since I read the book but I've rewatched the film a few times a year for the past few years

[delicateperspective]

Lyrical Analysis of "Keep Driving"

I won’t lie, this is the one I have been the most excited yet the most terrified to do. It’s one of my favorite songs on Harry’s House—both for its creative artistry and for its loudness. Keep Driving is more than just a song; it’s a collection of snapshots, a stream-of-consciousness look at a relationship that is both deeply intimate and quietly fragile. At first listen, it feels like a list of disconnected images, but when you start piecing them together, a story emerges—one of love, nostalgia, longing, and the quiet fear that it could all fall apart.

For many listeners, this song feels random—a collection of phrases that don’t seem to connect. But when viewed through the lens of Harry’s history, especially his connection to Louis, the pieces start to fall into place. The references are oddly specific, and some of them are so pointedly linked to Louis that it raises the question:

Did Harry want us to know exactly who this was about?

He knows his lyrics will be dissected—why include such obvious clues?

Are we just finding connections that don’t exist, or is this song a carefully constructed puzzle for those paying attention?

And if so many of these lines can be explained with public-facing knowledge, is it possible that the others have meanings we just haven’t pieced together yet?

At a certain point, the number of connections starts to feel less like coincidence and more like intent. And with that in mind, let’s dive in.

If we analyze Harry’s House in reverse order, each song builds on the next, forming an emotional arc:

"Love of My Life" – Harry reflects on a love that changed everything for him. He lost it, but now has it again. This signals a reconciliation.

"Boyfriends" – He acknowledges that the relationship isn’t perfect. They’ve both made mistakes, but they always find their way back to each other.

"Satellite" – He’s finally ready to fully commit, but his partner isn’t quite ready to choose him publicly, completely. He’s waiting.

And now, we arrive at "Keep Driving."

This song is what happens after they’re back together. It’s domestic, fluffy, and filled with tiny moments that make up their life as a pair. But beneath the surface, there’s an unease, a tension—the recognition that things aren’t perfect, that there are problems lurking in the background, but instead of addressing them, they choose to just keep driving.

It’s not just about relationship struggles, though. There’s also a sense of blocking out the outside world. The world is chaotic, overwhelming, and sometimes the only thing you can do is shut it out and focus on the person you love.

Lyric Breakdown and Analysis

Black and white film camera

Harry has been into photography for years. He’s been seen using film cameras consistently, and black-and-white photography aligns with his nostalgic, artistic aesthetic. This is an image of capturing a moment, freezing time—an attempt to make something last forever.

Yellow sunglasses

In September 2019, Harry was seen wearing a very distinctive pair of yellow sunglasses. Given the timeline of when this song was written, it’s reasonable to assume this is a reference to those.

Ashtray, swimming pool

Harry doesn’t smoke, but Louis does. This line paints an image of their domestic life—possibly suggesting that Harry makes Louis smoke outside by the pool 😆

Hot Wax, jump off the roof

This is especially interesting because the official lyrics capitalize both "Hot" and "Wax," suggesting it’s not about literal candle wax but a proper noun—something specific. HotWax is a band that released singles like "Stay Cool" , "Pat the Killer Cat", and "Baked Beans" —all around the time this song was written.

Later, HotWax opened for Louis’ Away From Home Festival in 2023.

Harry and Louis both seem to have taken an interest in this band, making this a subtle but meaningful connection.

A small concern with how the engine sounds

This is a metaphor for the relationship. The car = their love, their journey together. The engine making a weird noise suggests that something feels off, but it’s "just a small concern"—one they don’t want to dwell on.

We held darkness in withheld clouds

This is one of the most poetic lines in the song. "Held darkness" – They’ve been through pain, struggles, secrets. "Withheld clouds" – They’re keeping it back, not talking about it, holding back the storm. Instead of addressing what’s wrong, they’re choosing to suppress it—at least for now. They’re holding off all of the internal and external issues facing them so they can enjoy this moment.

I would ask, 'Should we just keep driving?'

This is the central question of the song. Do we stop and deal with everything? Or do we just keep going, keep pretending everything is fine, keep holding onto what we have for as long as we can?

Maple syrup, coffee Pancakes for two Hash brown, egg yolk I will always love you

This section is absolutely packed with meaning. Harry and Louis’ love for pancakes and maple syrup has been well-documented since the early One Direction days.

January 2011: Tweet from the official 1D account: "Hey everyone, me and Harry have just had pancakes and maple syrup for breakfast. Great way to start the day! Miss you all! Louis and Harry x"

February 2012: Louis tweets: "Question is... Are they gonna serve pancakes at the Brits??"

Louis has celebrated National Pancake Day multiple times (2013, 2016, 2018).

One Direction Carpool Karaoke: In the aired version of the segment, we see Louis ordering food—a sausage McMuffin with egg, two hashbrowns, and a chocolate milkshake—while Harry only orders an iced tea. But in cut footage, Harry is later seen chewing while holding a hashbrown wrapper and drinking out of Louis’ chocolate shake. So, what does this mean? The implication is adorably domestic—Louis ordered for both of them, and they shared their food. It wasn’t even a big deal, just something natural between them. Now, let’s be real—why was this scene cut? Ben Winston (who directed the segment) has a history of editing out moments between Harry and Louis that could be seen as too "intimate" or "suggestive". If you were trying to minimize speculation about their relationship, this is exactly the kind of casual, boyfriend-coded moment you’d want to remove. It’s not about what they’re doing—it’s about how natural it looks. They don’t even think twice about sharing food, and that’s something couples do.

This isn’t just about food—it’s about history, shared memories, small moments of love that add up over time. The final line, "I will always love you," is the most direct expression of love in HIS ENTIRE DISCOGRAPHY.

Passports in footwells

This immediately evokes the idea of traveling—whether by car or airplane. "Footwell" refers to the floorboard of a vehicle, meaning the image here is of passports casually tossed on the floor—perhaps from frequent travel, perhaps from rushing to leave.

But Harry’s most infamous “passport” moment ties back to his relationship with Taylor Swift—or rather, the stunt that was his relationship with Taylor Swift. On New Year’s Eve 2012, Harry was set to meet Taylor in NYC to ring in the new year. However, he "lost" his passport and was delayed getting there. Many fans believe this was intentional, a way to avoid the highly publicized (and later mocked) NYE kiss he was expected to have with Taylor on national television. When he did arrive, his body language was stiff and unenthusiastic, and the entire interaction felt awkward and forced. If this line is referring to that moment, it could be Harry subtly referencing the absolute mess of PR relationships, travel schedules, and forced narratives that dictated so much of his public life at the time.

Kiss her and don't tells

This line immediately follows the passport reference, which makes it even more likely that it’s about stunts and forced public relationships. "Kiss her" could refer to being told to perform affection for the cameras, particularly with Taylor Swift, Kendall Jenner, or other PR pairings over the years. "Don't tells" sounds very much like a play on "don't ask, don't tell", which could be a nod to secrecy, suppression, and the unspoken rules of the industry. Essentially, this could be about being told to kiss a woman for the press while simultaneously having to hide the truth about his real relationship.

Wine glass

Probably red 😜 Considering Louis’ red wine and ginger ale (I'll add the proof that that is what he drinks on my Little Freak analysis), referenced explicitly in Little Freak and the song Grapejuice where Harry sings about drinking “something old and red.” Essentially, red wine has been a recurring symbol in this album.

Puff pass

This is a direct reference to weed, a phrase commonly used when sharing a joint. Louis was caught on video smoking weed with Zayn back in the 1D days, and he has been open about his use of it since then. Harry, however, has never explicitly admitted to smoking, but there’s plenty of evidence that he’s familiar with it—most notably, a clip where he smells a fan’s weed from the stage and gives her a thumbs-up.

CUTE NOTE: Louis’ song "Silver Tongues" contains the lyrics: "You said grass was a dirty drug, you like to preach with the vodka in your mug." Which sounds very much like "wine glass, puff pass". This could easily be playful banter, hinting at conversations they’ve had about weed vs. alcohol.

Tea with cyborgs

This feels like one of the more obvious lines that One Direction fans would recognize—yet its inclusion in a deeply personal love song would be strange if it wasn’t about a member of the band.

Most likely, this is a reference to the One Direction “Drag Me Down” music video, where Harry is explicitly shown drinking tea with robots at NASA. The behind-the-scenes footage confirms it was tea, making this a direct and intentional reference.

Beyond the surface-level connection, this ties back to another song on Harry’s House—"Satellite", for which the music video was filmed at the same NASA facility. If you’re listening to the album in order, this reference foreshadows the next song, but if you’re following our reverse-album theory, it builds on the themes we've already seen.

The phrase “tea with cyborgs” also plays with the idea of something ordinary (drinking tea) clashing with something unnatural (robots, space, the artificiality of public personas). In the context of Keep Driving, it could symbolize the strangeness of their reality—where normal moments of intimacy exist alongside the surreal, highly publicized world they had to navigate.

Riot America, science and edibles

This line is a perfect example of how Harry juxtaposes the chaos of the outside world with private, intimate moments of escape.

"Riot America" probably refers to the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020, which erupted across the U.S. following the murder of George Floyd. Harry himself participated in the protests in Los Angeles, marching alongside others, holding up a Black Lives Matter sign, and later publicly donating to bail funds for arrested protesters. The inclusion of this reference shows that the weight of the world is very much present in the song—it’s not just about personal struggles, but the larger political and social issues surrounding them.

"Science and edibles" then immediately follows, shifting from something heavy and serious to something light and personal. It could reference deep conversations they’ve had about life, the universe, and everything in between—topics that Harry, in particular, has always been fascinated by (he’s spoken about his love for physics and space multiple times). "Edibles" suggests a moment of relaxation, perhaps a way of escaping from the intensity of everything happening around them.

This contrast—protests and politics vs. science and weed—reflects the theme of Keep Driving: blocking out the noise and focusing on the person next to you, even as the world outside feels like it’s on fire.

Life hacks going viral in the bathroom

This line likely references @/onlyjayus, a TikTok creator who became insanely popular during quarantine for sharing life hacks from their bathroom mirror. Many of these hacks were psychologically based, which is interesting because Louis has expressed a strong interest in psychology in various interviews.

In my mind, I love to picture Harry finding these videos on TikTok and showing them to Louis during their quiet, alone moments—because he knows Louis would enjoy them (but refuses to use Tiktok). It’s a small, intimate detail that adds to the song’s theme of private moments shared between two people.

Cocaine, side boob Choke her with a sea view

This is one of the most open-to-interpretation lines, but what’s clear is that it evokes a very specific LA, party-culture aesthetic—one of excess, indulgence, and luxury. Cocaine is often associated with Hollywood, wealth, and the high-profile party scene, which Harry has been adjacent to for years. This isn’t the first time he’s referenced cocaine on this album (Daylight: “You were just doing cocaine in my kitchen, you never listen”), suggesting that drug culture was present in his environment. Whether this line is about personal experience or simply an observation, it contributes to the hedonistic, reckless energy of this part of the song.

"Side boob" is a very specific kind of sexual imagery—it’s not just about nudity, but about a glimpse of something, a partial view. In the context of an LA party scene, it could reference fashion trends (revealing dresses, casual sensuality) or the hyper-sexualized nature of Hollywood. Alternatively, if we apply the song’s larger themes, it could symbolize something (or someone) being seen, but only partially.

"Choke her with a sea view" is perhaps the most ambiguous line, and it can be interpreted in multiple ways:

A BDSM reference – Harry has occasionally played with themes of power dynamics and submission in his lyrics and performances. If this song is personal, this line could be an allusion to a sexual preference or private dynamic. With a seaview, of course, referencing that this act is done in LA.

A metaphor for excess and suffocation – The imagery of choking juxtaposed with a sea view (something peaceful, luxurious, and desirable) could symbolize feeling overwhelmed despite being surrounded by beauty and privilege.

A commentary on LA culture – The idea of having everything—stunning views, wealth, luxury—but still feeling trapped or consumed by the lifestyle fits with the broader themes of escapism vs. reality in Harry’s House.

Toothache, bad move, just act normal

At first glance, "toothache" might seem completely random, but it actually lines up perfectly with a public event in Louis' life. In March 2021, Louis tweeted: "Hope everyone is alright! Had my wisdom teeth taken out recently, ruthless stuff! I'll be on in a few days, Sending you all love."

The timing aligns with when Harry’s House was being written and recorded, making it very possible that this small, seemingly insignificant detail stuck with Harry enough to include it.

Then comes "bad move, just act normal." "Bad move" could refer to the pain or regret of getting his wisdom teeth out, but in the broader context of the song, it likely represents a larger mistake—something personal, perhaps even within their relationship. "Just act normal" is particularly interesting because it echoes a recurring theme in their history: pretending everything is fine, keeping up appearances, suppressing emotions. Whether it’s about stunts, PR relationships, or simply navigating their personal struggles in the public eye, this line suggests that instead of addressing things, the go-to response is to stay quiet, keep moving, and act like nothing’s wrong.

Moka pot Monday, it's all good

"Moka pot Monday"—a completely ordinary day, where they buy a moka pot and make coffee. "It's all good"—a moment of simple joy amidst all the noise. This contrast is so intentional—Harry is showing that, yes, there’s pain, mistakes, and the constant need to suppress emotions… but then there’s just a quiet Monday where they get a moka pot, and for a moment, everything feels okay. It perfectly encapsulates the theme of Keep Driving: the world is messy, the past is complicated, but instead of dwelling on it, they focus on the small, beautiful moments that make it all worth it.

Final Thoughts

"Keep Driving" is one of the most intimate and revealing tracks on Harry’s House. It doesn’t tell a linear story—instead, it feels like flipping through a scrapbook of memories, a mix of everyday moments and lingering anxieties. At its core, the song is about love, domesticity, and escapism—but not just in a romanticized way. There’s a deliberate tension woven throughout the lyrics, a sense that things aren’t perfect, but instead of stopping to fix them, they choose to keep going.

Harry has spent his solo career carefully navigating his public image, giving just enough for people to speculate but never confirming anything outright. But Keep Driving feels different—like a song written for someone who already knows exactly what it means. Harry is not subtle in this song. While much of his music is poetic and open to interpretation, Keep Driving is filled with strikingly specific details that seem impossible to ignore.

Beyond just Harry’s personal story, Keep Driving speaks to a universal experience—the feeling of wanting to block out the chaos of the world and just focus on someone you love. The juxtaposition of political turmoil ("Riot America") with quiet, intimate moments ("Moka pot Monday") mirrors the way people cope with uncertainty. The world is falling apart, but maybe if you just keep driving, keep moving forward, keep focusing on the small joys, it’ll be okay.

That’s why this song resonates so deeply—it isn’t just about who it’s about, but what it’s about: Love that persists despite challenges, Avoiding confrontation, choosing escapism instead, Finding comfort in small, mundane moments.

Keep Driving is a song that looks simple on the surface but becomes more profound the deeper you dig. It’s a love song, yes, but it’s also a song about choosing to keep going, even when things aren’t perfect. For Harry, it might be his way of documenting a love that has spanned years, survived hardships, and still exists in quiet moments like pancakes for two and moka pot Mondays. For listeners, it’s a reminder that sometimes, you don’t have to have all the answers. Sometimes, you just keep driving.

[yesimwriting]

I love the way you portray Armand!! Big kudos to you you absolutely nail the characterization. I have a question.

Will Armand ever change his approach/façade and become more gentle/openly caring towards reader, sometime someday in the future? Deep down he's a canon loverboy and if he becomes more loving/doting, will it happen when he separates from louis and officially is together/is at least trying to get with reader?

(I feel like sometime he WILL have to realize "oh shit maybe i should be nice if i actually want this persons affection")

I also have to praise you bc i noticed something random! I read somewhere that Anne Rice had planned for Armand to be the antihero/antagonist from the start, which is why he seems to be so... evil but then she confessed that Daniel and devils minion had changed her mind completely and boom! Armand villain no more. He's in love fr.

I can't help but notice the same theme going on in your bestie verse: hence the question.

(Side note: the audacity of this man to hate on readers favorite shows when this absolute NERD canonly likes the blade runner movies.

ps. expect more random armand facts)

Omg thank you so much!! Characterization is so important to me and Armand is so complex and I'm constantly worrying about making him seem like himself in terms of 'voice' if that makes sense.

That's such a good question and you bring up some really interesting points. I had no idea that Anne Rice chose to shift Armand away from being more of an antihero/antagonist because of Devil's Minion/his relationship with Daniel, from what I've read so far, that arc felt so natural I wouldn't have guessed that it wasn't pre-planned!

I just feel like Armand is so predisposed to allowing his affection to drown out all else. I think something that's a bit of driving force for him is a desire to feel like someone's first and only choice, so once he feels a deep enough connection to a potential love interest/partner to trust that they do love him to that extent, it makes sense for him to mellow out a little. A fully reciprocated attachment is one he doesn't have to 'manipulate' out of the person.

As far as bestie verse reader and how Armand might change his approach in the future, this is really making me want to write a more organized chapter series to better 'track' that development.

I haven't really been able to get into this yet, but Armand is doting on bestie in a hundred ways that she's unaware of. I just feel like when she's staying with Louis and Armand, or when they're staying with her, she's not doing a single thing.

She stumbles out of her heels after a night out and wakes up to them in her closet; she thinks about how nice a snack would be and less than ten minutes later, Armand's complaining about how she hasn't eaten enough today and bringing her something; she wakes up one day and realizes that she can't remember the last time she ran out of any hair or skin products...and now that she's thinking about, when was the last time she ran out of a paint color mid project?

However, as far as openly doting on reader, I can see Armand either convincing himself that his kindness his way of 'tricking' her into liking him, or it being a reaction to something she does that makes him feel more secure.

I think if bestie were to defend Armand during an argument with Louis or maybe sit with him while he's upset or doing his best to pretend he doesn't feel alone, he'd find it in him to care about her a little more openly.

I can also see him randomly worrying about losing bestie after reflecting on how close she is with Louis and coming to the sickening realization that if he wants her to want him...he's going to have to start being nice to her outside of his thoughts 💔

Not Blade Runner 😭 he's definitely just being a hater and complaining for the sake of it. I feel like he'd secretly become invested but pretend that it's a pain to watch them with her.

Also, yes, please feel free to send me all of the Armand facts you want :) Currently deeply fixated on analyzing him, which is why my response to this ask is so long (this is me apologizing for the slight rambling 😭)

[cyranonic]

Louis de Pointe du Lac is the most important vampire in the world and let me explain to you why.

I find it incredibly fascinating that Louis is pretty unique among vampires for both his identification with and his connection to mortal humans. This trait is generally pretty inconvenient to him at first, as he struggles to break his connection to his mortal family and to justify killing humans for sustenance. However, we later see that Louis' fascination with human art and culture makes him more appealing, more life-like to other vampires. Armand in particular seems drawn to Louis because of his continuing interest in the world around him, whereas the rest of the coven has "turned inward" and thus stopped sustaining his emotional needs.

In the books, Marius gives Lestat pretty much the same advice--stay invested in the contemporary world around you in order to keep yourself sane. Lestat passes that wisdom on to Armand and his coven, dragging them out of their medieval worldview and bringing them into the ideological world of Enlightenment rationality.

However, where I think Louis does something different, something special, something radically unique, is in his relationship to Daniel Molloy and the interview. Louis goes a step further than Lestat or Marius. He does not simply draw upon humans as a source of artistic inspiration; he engages with Daniel Molloy on his own terms. He is a vampire who wants to tell his story, not to other vampires, but to the human world. He does not want to understand the contemporary human psyche, he wants them to understand him too.

Louis' desire to tell his story to Daniel seems to be based on his desire to find out what was true, to renegotiate the gaps in his own memory, but I think the other key component of what he is doing rhetorically is asking Daniel to perceive him as a human. He reclaims that lost humanity that he has been seeking by telling the tale of his life on human terms, to a human listener. He takes care to show Daniel the ways that he is inhuman, feeding in front of him, but then his story effectively reverses those feelings of alienation. Ultimately, the judgement he is asking Daniel to make is not just "is this real" but also "do I still count as one of you?" And by the end of season 2, as they sit side by side in the rock garden, Daniel seems to be answering affirmatively.

No other vampire wants anything of the kind. In fact, the whole concept is expressly forbidden by vampire laws. Claudia comes the closest, but her lifestory is a diary, a tale told ostensibly only to herself. She narrates her vampiric existence with a lot of "humanity", but her audience remains solipsistic. Lestat derives a certain amount of glee from tricking mortals into believing he is one of them, then pulling the rug out from under their feet. Even Marius does not bother with writing down his life story or telling any of his secrets to anyone other than another vampire. And Armand clearly does not want Daniel or honestly anyone to get close to perceiving the truth about him.

However, I think that Louis and Daniel's published book changes things. Lestat in particular adopts Louis' perspective pretty quickly. The entire opening of The Vampire Lestat is a justification of himself to a human reader, framing the whole book as a message not just to other vampires, but as a correction to the mortals who Louis addressed. Eventually, almost every major character gets a book wherein they have the chance to tell their story, inevitably humanizing them in the process. Even the pretty villainous characters like Armand become more comprehensible through the process of self-narration, transforming the monster back into something closer to a person again.

So in conclusion, while in the books Lestat will eventually take the lead as a the character who is leading vampires into a new era, all of this is only possible because of the revolutionary thought that comes from Louis. And I am so excited to see where the show takes Louis next, as he declares his intention to go up against his own kind.

[nalyra-dreaming]

Is it true that Levan Akin said TVL is Lestat manipulating the audience?

In a podcast, ages ago, I talked about it here:

This is an excerpt:

“Because you don't want, I don't want the audience to feel that Louis is an idiot. You know what I mean? Like it has, you have to understand that Louis is like, okay, like he finally gave me something truthful and something real, he's being vulnerable. Speaking of sort of this intimacy and this question of the toxicity of this relationship, do you think Lestat deserves forgiveness? This is an interesting question because I was thinking about it. You know, when you read the books and when you read The Vampire Lestat, The Queen of the Damned, you know, this it's told from Lestat's perspective. So in a way, he's sort of manipulating the reader and you really love him and he's amazing and you're like inside his mind and he motivates all of his, you know, bad decisions and all of the bad stuff he does, you know, because you understand him.”

They were talking explicitly about Lestat retelling his story in 1x06 for Louis when Louis takes him back.

So that has to be seen in this context.

Also.

Look, I love Levan as a director, but he also had to sit down with Sam and have Lestat being not "evil" explained to him (I talked about it here), and... well. I don't align with all of his views. Nor the hosts on the podcast, but I have talked about that, because she and her guest do not (seem to) have the background knowledge about the chronicles. Also, if he equates Lestat's POV as manipulation... then Louis' is as well. Each POV is?! Also the question of "forgiveness" is something that the host and the fandom often go on about, but... within the VC? They're all monstrous, they all do terrible things. They're all killers. I find that is the wrong question.

And so I found this weird for Levan, because he said he read the books. He should be aware of some things. But... he also stays very much "in the episode" for his answers, so that has to be considered.

This isn't a comment on the big arc of the chronicles. It is one on the scene for 1x06.

Wrt Lestat and his POV - @virginiaisforvampires laid it out earlier here:

As TVL is now upcoming it is typical for some to dig this out and point fingers. Context is important though. And... who says it (and what their background is), too.

[tp66]

Madame de Montespan Birthing in Secret - Part 1/2

This story is set in the palace of Versailles, under the reign of Louis XIV, and is about the pregnant story of one of her mistresses: Madame de Montespan. It doesn't pretend to be historically accurate at any point.

If you like this scenario, I recommend you check out the Dropster story At the King's Pleasure. The 2015 series Versailles also played an important role in etching these courtly pregnancies into many of our minds.

Feel free to write any related or follow-up story with vanilla pregnancies. I’ll sure enjoy them.

__________________________________

At the great palace of Versailles, a twenty-seven year-old Madame de Montespan walks alone through a corridor. It’s past midnight, and this part of the palace does not have any candles to provide light. Only the moonlight that goes in through all the regularly spaced windows makes it possible for her to know where she is going. She is walking quite slowly, trying not to make any sound to get to her chambers without being noticed. She is coming from his majesty’s royal chambers, where she has been in a pleasurable sex encounter with the king. The night dress she is wearing under a dark coat is still wet in her lower part because the king made her come and squirt a couple of times.

Suddenly, she stops and makes a short gasp of surprise. She moves both her hands to her belly, to her pregnant belly, and for the first time she feels the baby moving in her.

“Oh, you’re awake, little one.” She thinks. “Sure, your mommy’s moves had woken you up.”

The fact is that Madame de Montespan is, as far as she knows, the favorite mistress of Louis XIV, the King of France. After all the times they had sex, she is unsurprisingly carrying his bastard. This is not really a secret within the court at Versailles, a king is supposed to have mistresses and Madame de Montespan became a widow a year ago, when her husband died during a battle. So, when she started to show clear signs of pregnancy, everybody assumed she was carrying a Bourbon bastard. Following the king’s orders, she never confirmed it, but it was clear for everybody that the king had a preference for her.

She is not worried at all about the other aristocrats judging her reputation for having extramarital relations. This is not her first pregnancy, she has two sons, and when her husband died, she thought that the best she could do was to get close to the royal family and try to be well-connected with the most powerful people of the country. That, she thought, would give her the opportunity to get really good positions for both her sons in the court. 

This romance with the king was not planned at all but, of course, she did nothing to stop it. She knew that a widow like her is likely to end up married to some ugly and odious old man, so she prefers to be in this sinful relationship. The king, a handsome man that is about her same age, is such a great lover. He made her have her first orgasm and is able to drive her crazy in the bed each time they meet.

Even though the gossiping about her pregnancy doesn’t worry her at all, there is one thing that sure does. The king seems to have a kink for pregnant women and, what’s more alarming, for pregnant women giving birth. She discovered it about a month after her arrival at Versailles. It was time for her majesty the queen to give birth to her second child. As tradition rules, royal births must be public, for everybody to be sure that a legitimate heir is brought to the world. Madame de Montespan had been flirting with the king for a week and, when the time came for witnessing the birth, she was at the king's side. They were alerted by a guard that the queen was close to start pushing the baby out. On their way to the chamber, she could hear other guards saying out loud that the royal birth was ready for anyone interested in witnessing it.

Once in place, the king and his guests were placed just in front of the birthing bed, the queen was laying on her back and with her legs spread in some wooden stirrups. The room was quite dark, but the laboring figure was lit with some candles near the bed. Everybody was in silence and the only sound was the heavy breaths of the queen. Not long after they arrived, the queen started pushing. She was screaming during each long push. It seemed she was having some troubles in bringing the baby out, and it took her about an hour of painful pushes to make the head appear in a teardrop shape in her pussy. Madame de Montespan remembered her two births on a birthing chair. They were hard to endure, especially the first one when she was just twenty-one years old but, compared to what she was seeing, they seemed almost easy.  

She understood that the queen was kept in such an uncomfortable position for the king to be able to better watch the baby coming out. The fact is that the king was enjoying each push and each scream her wife made, and everybody around could notice it because he had a boner during all the pushing state. Madame de Montespan was even more horrified when she saw how the queen had to push the baby’s head upwards, against gravity. When the queen finally pushed the whole baby out, releasing its shoulders in a final primal scream, the doctor immediately announced to the king that he had an heir.

The king was happy, but also so turned on. He had been with a boner for almost three hours, the time that it took the queen to push the baby out. He needed some relief, so he took Madame de Montespan with him to the nearest chamber. A small one with only a chest of drawers and a bed. She immediately knew what was about to happen and was not against it at all. When the king closed the door behind her, she bent towards the chest of drawers and lifted her clothes, exposing her butt. The king quickly took her hard dick out and put it in her. The king’s hard thrusts made her impact repeatedly into the piece of furniture as she screamed of pleasure. She quickly forgot the shocking experience she had just witnessed, as she was experiencing an unknown pleasure, better than what her husband had ever given her.

“YES… YES… OH… OH… OH SIRE… YEEESSS…” She begged with each of the king’s thrusts. “OH LORD… OOHH… OOOOOOOOOHHH…” She reached an orgasm and her legs began to shake. The king, noticing that she couldn’t stand herself up, guided her to the bed. She instinctively opened her legs widespread. The king got over her and continued fucking her roughly. He managed to unbutton her dress and reveal her breasts, which he began to grope. “AH… AH… OH… AH…” Her groans and her neck covered with sweat made the king imagine how she would look while birthing a baby. When that thought crossed his mind, he came in her.

Since that day, Madame de Montespan visited the king’s chamber three or four times a week. A month later, she found out she was pregnant. She was not sure how the king would react to this news, so she decided to postpone the announcement for a month. During that period, she carefully tried to get some signs of the king’s feelings about a possible pregnancy.

One evening, when she ended riding the king’s dick until they both reached an orgasm, she laid to rest at his side. Fully naked, sweating and with cum coming out her pussy, she said: “Sire, don’t you think we are taking too much risk getting me filled with your seed every time we meet? What would the court say if I end up pregnant?”

“Oh Athénaïs.” He called her by her name, as he usually does when they are alone. “Getting you pregnant is my only aim each time I fuck you.” He puts one hand on her flat belly. “I thought you already knew that. And just don’t care what the rest of the court will say. I know it will be hard for you, an unmarried woman, to stand all the gossipers making guesses about who the father of your future bastard would be, but remember that I’ll always be secretly by your side.”

“And what will happen to the child, Sire? What kind of life will he have as a bastard?”

“Don’t you worry about that. Our child won’t be like the many other illegitimate sons, born from cheap whores, whose fathers agreed in giving their surname. Our son will be the fruit of our romance, and I’ll make sure he will be a Bourbon. Of course, he won’t be in the line of succession to the throne, but being a Bourbon will help him.”

Madame de Montespan got fully sure that there wouldn’t be any problem in revealing her pregnancy after this conversation with the king. She decided that she would tell the king she was pregnant after two weeks, so as not to look suspicious. All she could think then was that she had done it. She had reached a position in which she and her sons would get a future full of wealths, and she had done it through a romance and a pregnancy with the king. What better way could exist?  

About a month after being sure she was pregnant, she announced it to the king. He reacted euphorically, kissing her and kissing her belly. Their relationship became even more passionate since the king knew about her pregnancy. She noticed how her growing bump made the king get more and more excited as the weeks went by. 

Now, back to the present, Madame de Montespan arrives at her chamber and lays naked on the bed rubbing her 25-weeks pregnant belly. Her belly is still small, but it grew enough for her to have to change almost all her wardrobe. In fact, now that she is laying down, her belly looks as tall as her breasts. She rubs it unconsciously because her mind is thinking about the last post-sex conversation she just had with the king. The king, enjoying her belly size and her grown breasts, confessed how he would enjoy being present at her birth. 

She, trying not to look shocked, assured him that it would be a pleasure for her to give birth in her presence. However, the image of the queen screaming wildly with her legs forced open and a head coming out her pussy and pointing to the roof made her become a bit scared. 

“What were you thinking, Athénaïs?” She starts thinking. “Oh, fuck! What will I do? He will order some doctor to tide me up in that horrendous thing! I will have to push a baby out of me in such an uncomfortable place! I can’t! I won’t!” As it was late, her thoughts began getting mixed with dreams in which she had a head hanging from her pussy as she tried to push the rest of the baby in the most unexpected positions.

Of course, by the following morning she feels tired, but she starts planning a way to evade the king's desires. She knows that one of her servants is the daughter of the gardener in charge of the north part of the palace. When she finds herself alone with her, she starts:

“Jacqueline, would you mind accompanying me for a walk? Today’s a wonderful day to be out of these walls.”

“Sure Madame. Do you want me to prepare some breakfast?”

“Oh, that would be great. Maybe something we can take with us.”

Half an hour later, both of them were crossing the north gate towards the garden.

“Look how beautiful these flowers are! Will you tell your father he’s doing a wonderful job?”

“I will Madame. I’m sure he will be glad.”

Madame de Montespan looked around to be sure they were alone.

“Let’s get a bit into the forest.” They get past the first trees and they stop walking. “Look, Jacqueline, I was wondering whether you could help me. Do you know any hidden shelter in this forest? Maybe some place your father uses to keep his tools or to eat and rest when it starts raining.”

“Hmm…” She realizes that this walk in the garden had a secret aim from the beginning. However, she can’t lose anything helping a rich woman so she answers: “Yes, there’s a place… A small cabin, my father uses it to take some rest. It’s in this same forest.” Fully decided to help, she adds. “Do you want to see it, Madame?”

“Sure, I’d like to take a look at it.”

They keep walking through the forest for about fifteen minutes until they can see a clearing in which stands a little wooden cabin. They keep their path until they reach the only door of the cabin.

“Can we take a look inside?”

“Yes Madame. It’s always open, and you don’t really have to ask me, it doesn’t belong to my father, although he is the only one using it by now.”

Madame de Montespan goes in first. The room is as tiny as she had judged from the outside. There is a table with a couple of bottles of wine at the right and a tiny fireplace, a repaired old chair in front of it and a small dirty bed opposite to the door. In the wall on the left, as well as hanging from the roof, there are plenty of the gardener’s tools. 

“Madame, I know that whatever you have in mind must not be of my interest but, if you tell me, I could help you.”

“Well Jacqueline…” She considers having at least one accomplice by her side. “In about four months, I will need this place to be cleaned, as I will secretly give birth to my child here.”

Jacqueline takes some time to respond. She is shocked by this revelation, but she quickly realizes that Madame de Montespan is carrying a child without having a husband. So, she has a reason to bring it to the world in private, far from the crowded palace.

“Alright, Madame. Sure, I can help with that.” She takes a look at the dirty room. “I’ll clean it up and make it a bit more comfortable.”

“I’m glad you want to help me. Jacqueline, if everything goes as planned, I’ll make sure you get a better job and a better pay. But it’s important to keep it a secret. Just the two of us must know what I’m planning to do.”

“I understand it, Madame. The only person I can think of that might make some questions is my father. I’ll tell him not to come around here for some time because some aristocrat needs this place to spend some time with her lover. It won’t be the first time, he’ll understand. But, Madame, are you really planning to give birth alone? Have you done it before?”

“Not really. At the birth of my two sons, I was assisted by a doctor and a midwife. However, there were no complications, so I felt they were there just to encourage me. I’m confident of doing it alone. Also, my second child felt easier than the first. Hopefully this one will be too.”

“Well, I’m the eldest of seven brothers, so I had to assist my mother in her last births. If you want me to, I could be with you when the time comes.”

“Jacqueline, that would be perfect.”

The two women return to the palace. In the following weeks and months, they don’t talk about the hidden cabin in the palace’s forests at all. Jacqueline goes there from time to time to make it a comfortable space, but she doesn’t give any news about that process to Madame de Montespan. They had agreed that any conversation inside the palace is likely to be heard by someone else, so the best way to keep it secret is by not talking about it. 

As weeks went by, Madame de Montespan noticed her pregnant belly grew. She could feel how some of her first pregnancy dresses got tighter and tighter around her bump until becoming useless. She even found uncomfortable with some of her more loose night dresses she had since before pregnancy. The child's weight increased more and more as weeks passed, so her moves turned less agile. Even after a short walk in the gardens, she feels exhausted and needs to take a rest.

Even though the other woman in the court talked about her size and how her fun with the king will bring her pain and suffering, Madame de Montespan stayed calm. Her husband was a really big man, so in her previous pregnancies she grew a bit more than in this one.

Her relation with the king improved. Now that her belly is round and tight, she spends most part of the evenings they share laying on the bed, letting the king rub and kiss her bump. Let’s remind ourselves that the king thinks she is pregnant for about four weeks less than she really is. So now she is in her thirty-ninth week, the king is excited about her size, believing she is just starting her ninth month.

Tonight she’s been asked by the king to visit his chamber. Although she is worried that her labor could start while being with the king, leaving her with no other option than giving birth for him, she knows she can’t refuse the invitation.

She goes to her chambers, where she gets ready for meeting the king. She uses a bit of perfume and styles her hair, just for the king to be able to put it in a mess. Not only that, but she also changes her clothes, going out, as usual, with just an almost transparent white dress under a coat. She knows that is the way to get the king excited, making him see her naked body as fast as possible. That is something impossible to do wearing a usual dress, they are heavy and make it difficult to get undressed sensually. With her current outfit, all she has to do is take off the coat and the king can immediately see her pregnant body’s shape. Especially when she does it in front of the fire, because her figure gets lightened from behind, making the dress appear almost transparent.

The king sees all her curves. He knows that not only her belly has changed. Her breasts are bigger and with darker areolas and her hips are wider, ready for the birth. He moves towards her and when he is close enough she takes his hands and places them on her belly. 

“Oh, look what we’ve got here.” He says rubbing her navel, now pointing out. He presses it softly as she makes an excited moan. With one hand making its way to her pussy, they both start walking close together towards the bed, placed at the other side of the room. She helps the king pull her dress up until he is able to start rubbing her pussy. Suddenly she stops walking, her moans becoming louder, feeling the king pleasuring her. The king makes her keep moving until they reach the bed. She lies on it, spreading her legs and the king crawls to meet her pussy with his mouth.

“Ooooh… Oh yes… Oooh yess… Ooh Sire…” She rubs her breasts as she gets more and more excited. Her belly makes it impossible for her to see what the king is doing, but she sure can feel it. “OOHH YES… OOHH… OOOOHH… OOAAAAAAHHH…” She screams, reaching an orgasm. 

The king stops pleasuring her and gives her time to get fully naked. He reaches one of the near tables to get a bottle full of oil. As Madame de Montespan lays down again, he opens it and pours some of the oil on her belly. She knows what to do now, let the king watch while she extends the oil over her naked body. 

She begins rubbing her belly, which immediately turns brighter, reflecting the light of the candles. She then passes both her hands between her breasts, moving them up and down a couple of times before rubbing her whole breasts. Now that her torso is covered with oil, she starts pleasuring herself, with one hand on her pussy and the other stimulating her nipples.

“Look Sire… Aahh… Look what you’ve done… Ohh… You made me look like Venus… Oohh… I’m your goddess… Aaahh… Your pregnant goddess… Oohh… OOHH… I’m yours… AAAHH… Take me… Take… AAAAAHHHH…” Her legs shake uncontrollably as she squirts, her arms grab her belly, and she lets her head fall back to the bed. Some of the liquid has gone far enough to reach the king, exciting him even more. When she recovers herself, she looks at the king while sensually biting one of her fingers. 

The king has had enough of the show and now wants to act. He starts moving towards her, slowly climbing all over her body. When he reaches her breasts, he gently bites one of them, just for a moment, before meeting Madame de Montespan’s lips. They kiss passionately for a while, until the king decides to stop. He goes off the bed and gives a hand to her to help her stand up. Then she bends over the bed, offering her pussy to the king. The king, having her dick already erect, puts two fingers up her thighs. Feeling how wet she is, he takes no time to wait before going in. She has her head between her elbows, resting on the bed, and she moans in pleasure feeling the king going in and out in the initial gentle thrusts. The king bends over her to grab her whole belly as he increases the speed. She starts to feel an orgasm building up so takes one hand to her clit to get more pleasure. When the king's thrusts turn more rough she comes, screaming wildly as she feels her legs get wet from her own squirt. The king keeps his fast rhythm, making her scream for over a minute until he comes in her, feeling her with his seed. 

Madame de Montespan goes up the bed and rests side-lying, still making some groans. The king lies behind her and kisses her neck while rubbing her belly. He feels it tighter and lower than before the sex.

“Athénaïs, If you keep orgasming this crazy, this child will be born in no time. Do you feel how tight your belly is?” The king says while rubbing her belly.

“Sure Sire, any day now you are gonna pop this baby out of me.” She tries to keep a sensual voice, but she knows that the king is right. While she was standing by the bed, being fucked hard and orgasming more than ever before, she felt her belly get tight and, as the king kept fucking her, she felt the baby fall deeper in her pelvis. She is really worried because she knows that since the belly drops, the birth could occur in a matter of hours.

[greedandenby]

Jacob & Sam talking about queerness in IWTV.

A compilation of stuff they've said in interviews.

(Long post!)

A.V. Club

Q: The show is being hailed as unabashedly queer as compared to the film adaptation. Why was that important to both of you and the show’s creators?

SR: It’s what’s written in the book. We’re doing the book and it’s the way it’s supposed to be.

JA: It’s true to the story.

SR: It’s true to what Anne wanted and, yeah… it’s time.

JA: It would be rude not to.

SR: Yeah.

Comicbook

Q: How important was it for the two of you to get this aspect of the story (the queerness of the books) not only correct, but to tell the full breadth and aspect of this very unique relationship?

JA: (…) For one, we have to acknowledge that the books are very queer. I think that IWTV Louis is not talking about it, at least in terms of Lestat.

SR: Until you get to the second half of the book. By the second half of the book, Louis does sort of start to acknowledge that it was something more, which I think is such a cool… (…) I think the relationship, the way Louis describes it in the beginning is sort of like, is it subtext or has he acknowledged it or is he just angry with the way it worked out? But I really feel that as we go on, the text is the text. It’s very clear that they’re in love and that they’re in a romantic relationship. I don’t think we would be doing the Anne Rice universe or doing the Vampire Chronicles if that wasn’t the case. I think it would be something else. And it would be a waste of time for us too because the fun stuff comes from the complexities of the relationship and the dynamics and all the detail and nuance that they have. If we’re doing a “will they won’t they” or, like, subtle glances across the room then you spend all the time on that tension rather than the really complicated toxic dynamic that exists between the two of them.

JA: Yeah, and then also playing that off against that tension and the aftermath of some of those fights. It suddenly rebuilds this sexual and emotional tension. Like you said, you get to explore the breadth of a relationship. But yeah, they’re each other’s endgame, aren’t they? In the books, they always come home to each other. I think it’s telling that that seems to be the denouement or the end of a lot of the novels: Louis and Lestat being petty and in love.

Esquire (Sept '22)

Q: The 1994 film adaptation of Interview With the Vampire shied away from depicting the romance between Lestat and Louis. Your adaptation is very explicit; at one point, we even see Lestat and Louis have sex while levitating. Rolin Jones described this series as “an excitable, aggressive, toxic, beautiful love story.” What did that mean to you, finally getting to tell the story in its full, explicit sensuality?

SR: I was very happy it was going that way, because it wouldn't be Interview With the Vampire if it didn't. It’s really important that we explored that, because a big part of their relationship is this intense connection. Anne Rice describes drinking each other's blood as incredibly erotic, almost like having sex. So how do you translate that on screen? I guess nude levitation translates quite well. I think it's really important that we don't shy away from it, because if we spend the whole season going, "Will they? Won't they?," we don't get to the really interesting parts of this complex relationship. Getting straight down to it means we can look at the dynamics of this pair—how they hurt each other and how they build each other up.

JA: With the levitating scene, we talked a lot about how you need those moments of joy and excitement and romance so it's not all about tortured Catholic guilt. We've seen vampire stories told that way before, and like Sam said, you then can't get into the messiness of their relationship. You have to really believe. You have to know that these two people are in love. Being in love is complicated and beautiful and messy.

IFC Center

Q: Sam, from the beginnings of the vampire traditions in literature and theatre, there’s often been a gay subtext. But for this adaptation, subtext becomes text.

SR: Yeah, I would say it’s not subtext, cause in Anne Rice it’s pretty damn clear. So it’s not subtext becomes text, it’s just text is now being text. And I think, fuckin’ yeah, it should be. If we’re going to do Anne Rice, we might as well do Anne Rice properly.

SR (about Lestat’s otherness): He’s come from some pretty intense experiences where he’s learned the history of vampires and things like that. And Lestat has come over from Europe to get away from the catechism of humanity and the way that’s kind of slapped on top of the vampires. That it’s all about self-flagellation in Christianity, Catholicism, that we’re all monsters and as a monster you have to serve Christ by being a servant of the Devil. You’re a monster: wake up and serve Christ. Which is what he’s discovered in his past. And Lestat thinks “That is garbage, and I’d much rather have a good time and I’d much rather celebrate myself.” Because he didn’t get a choice, he didn’t get to choose to become a vampire, he was forced into it. And I think we comment on it on the show, that all vampires are born out of trauma and that’s why people identify with them so well. Because they are traumatic, painful beings – often there’s sexual trauma in it as well. So he’s come to New Orleans to get out of that, to start his own new life, really. I think his bisexuality, his pansexuality has always been a part of that character when he was human, before he was a vampire, and I think that’s something he’s always embraced. It’s also something that’s quite heavily embraced in the vampire world as well, so it’s a nice space for that to work. And then once you become a very powerful being, the mess of humanity, all of these rules and things, they don’t matter.

io9

Q: Why are vampires associated with queerness?

SR: It’s being an outsider but also owning it, and owning a space. And they’re sexy and cool. They’re awesome.

JA: There’s definitely as well something about growing up marginalised, and sometimes (…) you feel like you relate to the monsters more when you grow up othered. You feel like “Oh, this is supposed to be scary but this creature’s being treated the same way that I’ve been treated sometimes”. There’s just something very welcoming and comforting about that and I think those ideas exist together.

SR: And they also live life by their own rules, define their own terms. It’s their own space, it’s not within any conformity. And actually, in our show, we do that a lot, like “Why are you so interested in this bullshit human existence?” I mean, there’s so much more than being confined to one thing or being told that you’re one thing by society.

Pride.com

Q: In this version, the queer subtext is out the door, it is fully textual. Why do you think that was important for this version?

SR: I mean, it’s funny when we talk about subtext because, like, I was a fan of the books previous to being a part of it, and I can see why, particularly in the first book, it could be considered subtext. But I feel like, especially from the second book or even the second half of the first book, it’s really text. And so I feel like it wouldn’t be Anne Rice’s IWTV or Anne Rice’s universe or Vampire Chronicles if that wasn’t properly dealt with and addressed. And as soon as you get through the fact that they’re in a romantic relationship and that they love each other very deeply, then you get to really look at what the hell this relationship was about, what are the nuance and the complexities of it, cause it’s not as straightforward.

ScreenRant at SDCC 2022

SR: I’m really excited for Anne Rice fans to actually get to see Louis and Lestat in a romantic relationship, and we’re not shying away from that in any way, shape or form at all, and don’t even bother… It’s straight up from the very beginning.

Q: Can’t say they’re besties?

SR: Never. No, it’s love at first sight.

JA: They actually kind of don’t like each other. They’re just very in love.

SR: Yeah, very in love. I mean, it’s love at first sight and Anne was very clear about that, for Lestat at least. Had to do a bit of wooing to get him there, but he gets there. So I’m excited for people to see that, because everyone deserves it.

TV Guide

SR: You can see these two monsters, these two men, kissing under Jesus Christ like they’re supposed to be and like they’re valued and important in the eyes of God, and they’re loved; or like they’re the antichrist and they’re here to burn that church down.

TV Insider

Q: Sam, Louis and Lestat’s romance is made explicitly clear in this version, and other than it being loyal to the book, why do you think that’s important for a modern series?

SR: I mean, it’s what exists in the world. Sometimes you hear people say that we’ve made the subtext text when actually we’ve just gone back to the text. It exists. So it’s important to honour that because that’s what was written and that’s why a lot of people love these stories. This love story exists and it’s a complicated love story and they’re complicated monsters who are in love. It would be a real shame if we didn’t honour that.

Vanity Fair / Little Gold Men Podcast(June ’24)

Q: I know a lot of queer viewers who have been drawn to this show, because it’s telling this really unabashed and fluid queer story that’s also […] this bizarre melange of tones and ideas. That feels like something that this community hasn’t gotten a whole lot of, and I think that’s one of the reasons it’s resonated so strongly.

JA: And that’s what I mean. If there were people that didn’t know that we could do this, didn’t know that this existed, that there was this space. That’s where I’m excited for more people to watch it. I don’t want to generalize about areas of America or the UK, but there are areas where you don’t get access to it. I think we can be very London-centric, LA-centric, New York-centric, and only see that. I would love it if there’s a kid who really needs this and sees it and is like, “I’m going to do my own thing,” or that’s just like, “I’m going to go out into the world feeling a little bit more comfortable in my skin today.” That’s beautiful.

Time Out (August ’24)

Q: It’s a LGBTQ+-centred story. Is it important to you to be a part of queer narratives?

JA: It’s unapologetic about its queerness and that’s beautiful. I see so many stories that skirt around things because they don’t want to offend anyone. My character is a Black creole man and he’s queer and he’s kind of awful, but those things aren’t all tied in together. For me, that’s the dream of representation: that our behaviour isn’t entirely tied in with our identity.

[twopoppies]

The more we see the “officially out” celebrities speaking out about coming out publicly being their worst decisions the more I’m reminded a reason why Harry and Louis chose to never explicitly disclose theirs.

Bowie said this back in the day, you would think times would change but just a week ago Billie admitted she never wanted to talk about her sexuality and relationships ever again.

I don’t think we can say that that’s the reason they haven’t explicitly come out. But, yes. As wonderful as it would feel to be free and not have to fake things, I think sometimes there’s a massive downside for celebrities.

I don’t know what caused Billie to say that, but it makes me really, really sad that something made her feel that way. I know Rupert Everett has said he regretted coming out when he did because he felt it damaged his career in a big way. But he also said:

“I think, all in all, I'm probably much happier than [other major stars who are keeping their sexuality a secret] are. I may not be as rich or successful, but at least I'm vaguely free to be myself.”

I’ve always found Bowie’s reasoning really interesting and so in line with who he seemed to be as a person.

“The quote has taken on far more in retrospect than actually it was at the time. I’m quite proud that I did it. On the other hand I didn’t want to carry a banner for any group of people, and I was as worried about that as the aftermath. Being approached by organisations. I didn’t want that. I didn’t feel like part of a group. I didn’t like that aspect of it: this is going to start overshadowing my writing and everything else that I do. But there you go.”

Full interview here

In some ways I can really see Harry feeling a similar way. Perhaps Louis, as well, although he never explicitly touches on sexuality in interviews. We may be overly focused on finding evidence of their relationship, but I doubt either would want it to overshadow their art.

I think sometimes it does, anyway. Because not saying anything somehow makes people want to know even more.

Harry has made it quite clear that, at least at this point, he doesn’t feel his sexuality is the world’s business. He’s not hiding it, though. And I think those of us who see the signs and hear the nuance are richer for it and feel a deeper connection to his art.

At the end of the day, I think each person has to make the choice for themselves and then live with how that choice changes them and their art.