#something something THE CHASE did happen and something something armand did make daniel FORGET

[hoomanbeaning]

n.m.sanchez's initial meeting

[failvillain]

my headcanons about daniels wives and daughters:

(warning. it's long winded)

First wife, Alice:

I think hers is the story of many mid-century white american women: I think they met when she was in university, and he completely derailed her life.

I headcanon her as probably poor-ish and/or sheltered, probably got swept up by Daniel, thinking he's an adventurous and interesting kind of man. She may have been impressed by his apparent passion and drive (Louis-given!) and his seemingly multifaceted interests (Armand-funded!) early on. In a way, it's Armand who played a huge part in their courtship: he funded half the things he experienced, and influenced his way of thinking, which might've intrigued her further.

I headcanon her as either from a rural area or close enough; someone who would feel compelled to keep his babies and marry him to make the whole thing official and "right" - It WAS the 70s, and if we headcanon her as a person with a strong sense of tradition, maybe inherited from her own parents (conservatives?), then it becomes likely she'd stay with him if her pregnancy was unplanned.

It also helps explain that she just didn't pick up on clues about Daniel's sexuality if she's from a rural town and was never exposed to any of it.

To add to the external pressure, I think her mom is the Mad Men Betty Draper type, homemaker, kind of skeptical of Alice's college education - "Why are you arguing with him so much, Alice? He's such a nice man and he's trying to do right by you" vibes. Sweeping problems under the carpet as the go-to.

But I think she was JUST on the cusp of being free before meeting Daniel. I think she has the desire and drive, which is why she agrees to go with him to New York, Paris, wherever. I think she was the first person in her family to go to uni, and i think she was excited about studying and experiencing her third wave feminism moment, but then Daniel happened and she was catapulted back to where she started from. Wife and mother, like her mom.

I think being a mother to Kate (and a babysitter to Daniel) crushed her spirit and stifled her dreams. I think whatever ambitions she had in her youth before meeting Daniel were overtaken by being the wife of someone who is actually chasing his dreams (and chasing vampires, too). Again, common story in the 70s.

I think once she divorces him, she's able to have a better life, but she never lives up to her TRUE potential - while Daniel wins Pulitzers.

I think Daniel has fond feelings for Alice - which time, guilt and Armand-induced amnesia have amplified into full fledged love memories. Many memories he attributes to Alice, are Armand's.

This continued forgetting of their shared history was prevalent when they were married, too, which made her think he was cheating on her constantly - Why does he think we ever went to that restaurant? I've never been to Boston and I'm allergic to fish. Who did he go with? Whose perfume do I smell? Why does it feel like when we sleep together, he does things someone else wants?

At first, while he still remembers past DM, he's just lying to her. Traditional lying about his affair. After, when he doesn't remember cheating, he thinks she's paranoid. This drives her crazy, solidifies him as a liar in her view.

Her daughter learns to hate him bc Daniel is always missing/high. Alice dies eventually, like in 2002, leaving Kate virtually alone.

Today, Kate is a mess because she's isolated and angry. She'd be 40-ish, doing a job she doesn't like (something intensely "secure", like insurance) onto which she was pushed by her mom ("you're not gonna make the same mistake as me!" vibes). She has no family anymore (they've all stopped talking to Alice) and refuses to talk to Daniel. Ironically, her fiance (no, they're not married yet. Commitment issues) likes Daniel more than her, and continues to push for her to see him (he's a writer you see - he'd like a push in publishing). At the end of the story she leaves him <3

Second Wife, Name To Be Determined

I think she's, to the untrained eye (Daniel's!) a female Armand, because at the time of their meeting Daniel doesn't remember him anymore (I'm thinking early 90s?), but his subconscious is picking up on similarities.

She's South asian and elegant, younger, very well educated and rich, probably raised in England (hello Armand accent). It could make a whole lot of sense with migration patterns towards England in the middle of the 20. century, also.

Absolutely she has a career in her own right; she's a writer too, and a lot more critically acclaimed than Daniel is at this time - it's not a mentor/mentee moment, but a meeting of peers. She doesn't know this, but Armand has read her books.

She doesn't write about current events, her specialty is in History or Sociology - she's interested in finding reasons for things, patterns, and loves to take on research. She's self-assured, famous in her field, and values independence and intellectual pursuits above all else.

She likes Molloy from the start, because at this point in time (the early 90s) he seems refined, older, richer, smart, funny, famous and successful. The full package, if you're an adult woman who values her own time and worth. She (and Daniel likes that about her) is the type of person that values an adult relationship and enters it without sentimentality. She's even too practical, to be fair: it makes her ignore her gut feeling in favor of logic. But she's been raised this way; why ruin what seems to be a good thing?

She met him at an event where they were both invited as guests, a gallery opening probably, something her friends took her to. A place in which she can be chic and he can be wickedly funny, which he does well.

He makes jokes about the snotty guests. She finds him amusing.

She believes Daniel is like that, too - she doesn't immediately pick up on the fact that he's immature and selfish even in his 40s, because to her this looks like an ambitious and experienced man. What she has read about him is worthy of praise. She can't imagine his personal life being anything but edgy, just like his books, but reformed and mature.

In my head he disappeared the night before their wedding and showed up half an hour late to the ceremony, missing a tie and looking insane. Her entire family flew in to be in attendance. This is her first real glimpse into fuckup Daniel - And Wife Number Two is a bit disgusted. The "please, don't embarrass me motherfucker" lyric, but he did embarrass her. Multiple times.

She doesn't know yet, but will find out, of his ongoing addiction. She doesn't know it's still going on, because in his book he made it look like he's SO past it you guys.

I'm thinking they met when he was sober and had been for a while, but I don't think it lasted long after they got married. I think he had a serious relapse just before or right after marriage, fully shattering her view of him.

She slowly picks up on the fact that he's wearing about 4 masks at any time of day. She's worldly enough to understand that, EVEN THOUGH HE DENIES IT, he might be bi. The thing she cares about the most, though, is that he has to be FAITHFUL to her - and she's not entirely sure he is being faithful.

She's sure he'll end up tanking her and his career at the same time by acting stupid. I imagine a DUI, I imagine a very embarrassing interview in the L.A. Times where he isn't making any sense, high on god knows what. i imagine her being asked about him in interviews. She cheats back, because fuck him.

She has a daughter with him, Lenora, but she, too, hates him and loves him at the same time.

He's both absent and still hung up on the failure of his first marriage. Lenora hates that he talks about Kate and his previous family all the time, rather than focusing on taking care of the family he currently has. It makes her feel second best. She's always thought he preferred his first family and first daughter over her, also thanks to his inability to truly relate to her experience as someone who's half indian and the huge age gap they share. She basically doesn't even know the guy that well (his fault!) and thinks he doesn't like her very much (also his fault!). She'd do anything to get his attention, but is sure she'll never get it.

When divorced, the 2. wife remarries and forgets all about Daniel, but Leonora can't. The ugly thing is, she's much more like Daniel than he'd like to admit - though he notices, and because he hates himself, doesn't want to look at it while it's happening. She has a very well covered up drinking problem, which she disguises as being a party person. She lies often to the people around her, and it's gotten her expelled from uni, to her mother's dismay. She used to study to be a surgeon, but she wasn't sure about it, so she sabotaged herself until they took her choice away. She spends her days spending her mom's money. She drifts.

At the end of the series, the objective is to put Lenora and Kate together at Daniel's "funeral", making sure neither are alone in the world.

In my head, they meet in a cafe and bond over how awful he was before exchanging numbers.

[crazykuroneko]

IWTV S2E5 Musings

Long ass note under the cut, but tl;dr Louis & Old Daniel is my new brotp. Armand can't take it away from me. And Armand has a PhD in gaslighting

• The impersonal statements Daniel pointing out. The implanted phrases Armand supposedly gave to Louis. Somehow my mind recalls the "vampire bond" explanation. The way Louis said it in S1 is like he's reading from a book.

• Current Louis knows Santiago's plotting

• Of course Armand is a lame crypto man 😭

• "His methodology is never violent" Oh, Louis

• "Armand preserves my happiness, even when I don't or can't" 🚨

• Louis still likes his coffin lined with a green silk 😭

• Young Daniel acts like a loser. I'm so sorry, I'm trying to take him seriously but he's funny lol

• "You're lonely. You're thrill seeking" Oh he reads him so bad. Why Louis stay with Armand tho?

• Louis and Young Daniel are just saying exactlyyyyy to one another lol

• Louis was agitated when Young Daniel pointed out the use of past tense on Claudia

• Louis is already in suicidal mind set even before Armand comes

• Interesting. The way Louis is reading his thoughts here. As in literal reading. He can't be in Daniel's mind (e.g. seeing what Daniel is seeing), his ability is limited to what Daniel's thinking. And Daniel is not thinking to himself, he just opens the Talamasca recordings right away. Thus Louis can only feel Hesitation from his mind, bu he doesn't know exactly what for

• "You don't have enough to fear from Paris?" On revealing their nature. I knew Louis had the man in the park an Roget. But why does this sound something bigger happened in Paris with the humans?

• "Is it the gremlin or good nurse tonight?" Well, he decided to be both tonight 💀

• "Throw pillow" "Use Claudia just to circle back to Lestat" So rich of him to shade Louis for his guilt over Claudia when he's the one who killed her.

• "It's all coming back" "Paris.." Louis forgets most of Paris?

• "She's calling me" I wonder if Louis is remembering Claudia calling him during her last moments

• No, I don't think Armand expected or waited for Louis to come into the sun like that. But he's definitely MAD because of that

• Armand is on mission to figure out what makes Young Daniel and Lestat interesting to Louis. Because Louis said he's dull

• "An instinct to self-efface" yes, both Daniel and Louis have that

• Armand kept Louis writhing in pain w/o blood for 4 days???

• Not @ Dubai Louis still giving excuses for Armand to Daniel 😭

• Armand calling Lestat. Lestat doesn't know where Louis is. Armand refuses to tell where they are.

• "You try! You were there!" Newfound friends found bickering lol

• "If you want insanity back, if you want to escape this prison of emphaty" Armand really says "Yes, I'm caging you, but you think this is bad? Well, you had it worse with him you wanna go back there??"

• Armand's tone during the coffin scene is very soft, but he's actually making himself clear he's mad MAD. Mad that Louis is trying to goad Lestat back to him again through the interview. Seeing how Louis always fast to reassure Armand with "all I said is trash" about Lestat, this is definitely an old problem to them. It makes me curious what made Louis stay with Armand post-Paris. What happened in Paris exactly? Lestat definitely knows Louis is alive and with Armand, unlike in the books. What has made him stay away? Did Louis pull a Nicki on him in Paris? Edit: wait, what if Armand reaches out to Lestat here is the equivalent of him going to NOLA in TVL and goes "news flash, Louis is actually alive. we were/are together"? Daniel doesn't hear Armand's first sentence to Lestat. and by that time, Louis does know lestat is alive but still numb 🤔 Armand mentions if Louis wants Lestat to chase him again, that's definitely about Lestat coming to Paris after the patricide.

• "All you had to do was ask" he says to the burnt Louis who is in need of his blood. A war flashback to "The silence is cruel. But you're never cruel" but in worse condition.

• Armand, making it clear he is extremely mad at Louis for trying to reach Lestat, that Louis is ungrateful cos he's been treating him better than Lestat, then dangling this channel of communication to Lestat in front of him, making Louis feels bad and coercing him to reassure him again. Armand has a PhD in gaslighting.

• The words from Armand afterwards. Louis certainly knows his answer but well, you can't answer that if you don't want Armand blowing up again.

• Armand only answers Louis back with Maitre once Louis assures him that he will stay with him.

• "I'm a bright young reporter with a point of view" Young Daniel is full of life and optimistic. Stubborn, refusing Armand's words, but they work. Then Louis came, saying it back to him, give him more words to re-find that motivation to live. Give him words to live on.

• Ngl I almost teared up to this scene with Louis and Old Daniel. They're precious as friends.

• To alter and surpress Daniel's memory, Daniel is already under a stage where he's very easy to be influenced and they give more drugs again.

• Old Daniel beeds to stay alive. I want Louis has one (1) friend that call out his and his boyfriend(s)' bullshits 😭

[monstersinthecosmos]

Read your vamptember fic featuring Daniel Molloy. So good. And so clever. The carousel man song, the hint to what's to come 👌🏽👌🏽👌🏽👌🏽like the twofold way of interpretation. The carousel man of life, every day life that Daniel drags himself through with no respite and how it weighs him down. Cold and tiring. The carousel being that iconic scene at the restaurant, Armand once aware of him never letting him go. The Jeff Connie Daniel dynamic. This is something to be dissected separately. Daniel yearning to belong. "They adopt him like a pet"- the devil's minion era that's going to come in his life. Pet-Minion-the way Daniel refers to himself. There's something there that I don't have the brainpower to describe right now. This interaction gives basis to how Daniel would react later-an escape from life's carousel hence want for vampirism. But in looking for it he is trapped by the heady feeling of being chased by Armand. And then finally finally a way to belong with someone ( though with how Daniel tends to think it leans more into belonging to...). Even how the sex mirrors oof! Your mind!!

fgadklg okay listen can I tell you I forgot about the carousel restaurant, that was a happy accident, I JUST THINK THAT SONG SLAPS TBH. And I'm a loser for dropping song refs into fics any time I have the chance. And that song she specifically states she's 16 and in a relationship with an older man and it gets into that theme of bad relationships that you cannot get out of! You can't get off the carousel!!!

And like the carousel is always a great metaphor for shit relationship ! Palpable!! (Stuck on Repeat by Little Boots reminds me so much of it too but like a contemporary version. Or maybe my pool of reference is just Songs I Felt Strongly About When I Was the One in the Carousel.)

But there's something really potent to me about the power dynamic in their relationship (especially when they first meet); I think people forget how fucking young Daniel was. Age is almost not even relevant because this situation can't happen IRL, it's so exaggerated it's almost hard to know how to translate it. And aside from the stock reasons we can ask why age could create a power dynamic, it's so important to know that Armand is immortal. It's not just about him being very very old, it's about how he never had the experience of aging. Armand is even a person who, when he was turned, only had a couple years of working memory of his OWN life; age for him has never been easy to grasp even as a mortal. Twelve years will pass for him like nothing. He can use up Daniel's life span without even realizing it.

Anyway kdgdsakjl thank you so much for stopping by!! I have done a lot of thinking of Daniel over the years and considered who I think he is, or who he is in my fics, even though I hadn't made time to write it down yet. But like what type of person is this, who would be seduced by Louis's tale? What type of person survives twelve years of Armand? Where was his family? Was he unfulfilled in some way? Was he in the throes of young adult existential crisis???

WAS HE ALREADY LONELY, AND DID BEING STALKED FOR YEARS MAKE HIM MORE LONELY? WAS HE JUST LOOKING FOR A CONSTANT? COULD HE SEE THE GOOD IN PEOPLE IF HE TOOK A MOMENT TO LISTEN, EVEN HIS STALKER????? DID HE HAVE LOFTY AMBITIONS AND FEEL THE CRUSH OF TIME LIMITING HIS LIFE??? DID HE SPEND SO MUCH TIME AROUND SOMEONE WHO LOOKS 17 THAT IT GAVE HIM A PHOBIA ABOUT AGING???????????

lmao I love Daniel he makes me so sad :)

[kc-anathema]

Happy Endings To All in the Alternate Universe

Happy Endings To All in the Alternate Universe

Background: This is a response to the spec challenge, what if a vampire was made by a different vampire? This started out as a long story, akin to Fresco, but I got lazy and decided it would work better as a short flashback. But I still wanted a happy ending!

Disclaimers: I don't own these vampires, Anne Rice does.

Spoilers: Well, since this is all screwed up, it's not spoiling any of the vamp chron, is it? Well, maybe IwV. And TVL. And QotD. And...oh hell, all the damn Chron, okay?

Warning: Mild implied slash and violence, and some age tampering with Daniel and David. Hey, it's an alternate universe, they could be born at slightly different times!

Lestat sat perched on the roof of the small house he shared with his beloved fledgling. He wondered where his mother was, as he did every night. The last time he'd seen her was so very long ago, when he'd made her a vampire. She'd sent a letter a few years ago, but he hadn't heard from her since. He knew she was all right, running through the jungles of South America. Still, he wished she'd get in touch more often.

Marius had been so angry when he found out about her, he smiled sadly. His maker didn't like the fact that Lestat had made another vampire and turned her loose, but when he'd found out who she was to him, it was difficult to scold. Lestat had thought it would be hard to live with him after that, but then they'd found Armand soon after, and once they rescued him from the Theatre, Lestat was free to roam.

He'd felt a little sad after the battle, watching Marius cradling Armand and kissing him. The fight had been a hard one, not only destroying the nest of monsters but also getting Armand out safely. In fact, that was the only reason Marius had made Lestat in the first place. He'd walked in on Magnus, who had just finished draining Lestat, and immediately recognized the madness in the old vampire. Instead of finding help from Magnus in searching for his lost fledgling, Marius had helped destroy Magnus, but then he'd still needed assistance finding his fledgling...and Lestat had been right there, the chosen of Magnus.

So Marius remade Lestat.

At first Marius made it clear that Lestat was just a guide, saved only because he was needed. As time wore on, though, Marius grew to like this youngster, who was so brash and so frightened at the same time. Marius taught Lestat everything he needed to know, and showed him exactly what a pleasant relationship could be, without the fear or pain. They'd cultivated a close friendship, and Marius had told him all about Those That Must Be Kept, although he'd never shown them to him.

Still, they'd only made it to being friends, because Armand almost immediately came into the picture. Lestat'd felt slightly abandoned when Marius turned all of his attention to the small vampire who'd flown into his waiting arms, but he knew it was for the best. He'd returned to Nikki, and they'd been happy for awhile.

Nikki's playing only became more impassioned once he was given the Dark Gift, though, and soon he was so involved with his violin that he started to forget Lestat. A few years later he left him for a career on the stage, where he still played to this day. They still wrote each other and lived on civil terms, but now they were only friends.

"Lestat, it's getting early!"

"Coming!"

He turned fast and slipped in through the window, shutting it behind him. Books cluttered the entire room, stacked on desks and chairs and put in tall piles on the floor, threatening to trip him up. Of course there were shelves, but they were all full. He just shook his head with a smile and nimbly stepped around them, practically dancing down the stairs.

"Louis!"

His green-eyed beauty turned with a broad smile and held his arms out, catching Lestat up and whirling him around. His pretty fledgling was a wondrous creature; living with him was as miraculous as making him had been. Lestat had been as gentle as possible in giving him the Gift, and Louis had shown him what he'd missed when Marius had made him. Things had been so rushed in the castle, with the piles of blonde bodies around them and the knowledge that he was only alive to help his maker. Louis, though, was a creation of pure love, since Lestat knew then what it was like to be without love. He wanted his fledgling to have the happiest life possible, especially since his mortal life was so painful, running from his family and all.

"You must learn to come in earlier," Louis scolded him softly. "One of these days I will have to drag you inside, partially singed."

"Never, I promise," Lestat laughed. He tried to sit down and found a book on his seat. He picked it up and plopped into the sofa. "Charles Dickens again? But chere, he is so boring! Shakespeare is much more fun."

"If it were up to you, we would have nothing but Shakespeare in this house!" Louis smiled, draping himself across Lestat's lap.

"Well, at least we would only have thirty-seven plays and a volume of sonnets," Lestat replied. "Not these waterfalls of books teetering on the edges of shelves and tables."

"You said we were going to move soon."

"Yes, and we will, once I find the right place. Somewhere in New Orleans, the Garden District, I think. Out of these street apartments."

Louis sighed and lay his head on Lestat's chest. He didn't say anything, but his look told Lestat exactly what his fledgling was thinking about. Any mention of moving usually brought memories back of their first move, and the violent argument that had ensued.

"You can't forget her, can you?" he whispered.

"No," Louis sighed. "I wish...I wish I had not run by her, I wish I had done something for her."

"It's my fault for making you upset," Lestat said quietly. "I had not meant to make you cry that night, but I never expected you to run from me."

"I never thought you would chase me. I thought you were going to hurt me, I don't know why. God knows you haven't ever so much as raised your hand to me before."

"No one thinks clearly when they are distressed."

Louis just relaxed deeper into his arms. "I heard someone crying, and I turned, and...she was such a little girl. I could see her mother there, already dead. She looked at me, Lestat. She looked right at me! I wanted to go inside and help her...but then I heard you calling my name, so I ran away. I just wish I knew what happened to her."

"I'm sure she was all right," Lestat insisted. "What did you want me to do, make her one of us?"

Louis shook his head. "No..." He sighed and closed his eyes. "She's dead by now, isn't she?"

Lestat nodded. "It's been over a hundred and fifty years, at least. No mortal can last that long."

"I wonder where she is now. If my brother is with her..."

Lestat shook his head. "No, don't think about things like that. You know it only makes you sad, and then I get sad that gives me a headache."

Louis smiled and kissed him, wiping away the tears building in his eyes. "I'm sorry, my love. I just want to know if she is happy, and if my brother is happy."

"You won't know until you see them."

Louis shook his head. "No, that can wait for a long time to come. I don't want to leave you. Oh, but that reminds me, Armand called. He wanted to ask if he can borrow our copy of Phantom of the Opera."

"Why? He's already read it."

"Yes, but Daniel hasn't. Armand wants him to know what the book is like, since his fledgling still thinks the movie was an original screenplay."

"Danny isn't very bright, is he?"

"He's not that silly."

"You're only saying that because you gave him an interview."

"I never expected Armand to take him in."

"Neither did Marius. How is he getting along with that stuffy British man, anyway?"

"You did not hear?"

"Hear what?"

"David is one of us now." Lestat blinked hard. "You mean...eww, but David was so old!"

"He was only forty. That isn't such a bad age, not now."

"Maybe he could exchange with someone for a younger body," Lestat suggested.

"What odd ideas you have!" Louis laughed. "Personally, I was more surprised that Armand made Daniel so young."

"Fifteen isn't too young. He probably wanted someone he could see eye to eye."

"Lestat!"

"Well, it's true."

"You're going to get into serious trouble one of these nights, my love."

Lestat decided that now was probably not the best time to mention that he wanted to go back on stage as a rock star. Better wait 'till tomorrow. For now, though, the sky was beginning to turn a lighter shade, so he tightened his hold on Louis and picked him up, carrying him downstairs to their daytime sanctuary.

In the basement, Louis had designed a room that would withstand fire and flood and lock up tight so no one could get in. His most prized books were down here, but they were neatly packed on a shelf. The Oriental rug was three inches thick and spread to every corner of the room. There was one mahogany desk with a computer, but Lestat detested having to work in the bedroom. He insisted it was a room meant for relaxation alone.

The bed was a testament to that belief. A king's size, it was made slippery silk sheets with feather blankets and a velvet cover on top. The pillows were also stuffed with down and covered in silk, and the headboard was carved with flowers and vines. Despite Louis' modest nature, he loved this room.

Lestat turned on the small lamp, creating just enough light to see by. They both disrobed, putting their clothes away. Convincing his fledgling to change clothing night to night had taken some time, but finally Louis was no longer wearing shirts and pants to rags. Of course, having him nude in bed a marvelous plus.

Lestat slid into bed, pulling the covers back for Louis, who eagerly took his place beside his maker. Louis snuggled up to him, kissing him a few times, and didn't move as the blankets were pulled up to his throat. They couldn't see the sun, but they could feel exactly how close it was to rising.

"I love you," Louis said, putting his arms around him.

"And I love you." Lestat lay his head against Louis' shoulder. Long ago Louis had somehow gotten him to relinquish all power in bed, and it was one of the best things he'd ever done. The love and trust in this relationship was well worth the vulnerability. "Sweet dreams."

"Pleasant dreams," the fledgling replied, and turned off the light.

The End