#devils due publishing

[loricvampyr]

hack/slash: Cassie Hack

[hasbr0mniverse]

HasbrOmiverse Comic Of The Day - Devils’ Due Publishing Comics G.I. Joe A Real American Hero! #27 Cover By Tim Seeley, Andrew Pepoy, and Val Staples - Cover Date February 2004

[haveyoureadthiscomic-poll]

[onedegreeofsoniccomics]

Family Guy #1

Writer: Matt Fleckenstein

Pencils*: Ben Phillips & Rich Koslowski

Inks: Clayton Brown & Robert Grabe

Colors: Yesflat & Rudy Hall

Letters: Brian Crowley

[cryptocollectibles]

Voltron #2 (February 2004) by Devil's Due

By Dan Jolley, E.J. Su, and Clint Hilinski.

[blade-liger-4ever]

I love how Flint and Lady Jaye's whole relationship basically started as:

Flint: Hello, beautiful.

Lady Jaye: Hello, butthead.

And it ended with them getting married and having a daughter 😆

[graphicpolicy]

SDCC 2024: Massive Publishing and Devil's Due team for a new mature reader series, The Disavowed

SDCC 2024: Massive Publishing and Devil's Due team for a new mature reader series, The Disavowed #comics #comicbooks #SDCC #SDCC2024 #ComicCon

Massive Publishing has announced The Disavowed, a new “mature reader” series from the mind of Josh Blaylock that deconstructs the ‘80s retro phenomena with a brutal twist. The series, described by early reviewers as G.I. Joe meets The Boys, features interior artwork from artist Pop Mhan. This new five-issue comic series follows the rise and fall of a 1980s military super team formed to stop an…

[borninwinter81]

William Blake - an introduction for Good Omens fans

I have sent @neil-gaiman an ask regarding his feelings toward the poet/artist William Blake a couple of times, but no doubt due to the size of the poor man's inbox I haven't received a response. So I did a Google search to see if he's spoken about Blake before, and it did indeed come up with a fair few hits. I think you might enjoy seeing this Twitter post if you haven't already, the painting is from William Blake's illustrations to Paradise Lost.

It's not surprising that an author like Neil Gaiman might have an interest in Blake. A visionary from a young age, his imagination was such that he was surrounded by angels made visible in his mind's eye, and he interpreted these visions through poetry, painting and engraving, and self-printed and published many of his own works. This gave him complete freedom to say exactly what he wanted.

Though he had a passionate faith in God, he also had a deep distrust of the church as an institution, and disliked the use of religion as a means of control. This poem from "Songs of Experience" perhaps summarises his feelings best:

"I went to the Garden of Love,

And saw what I never had seen:

A Chapel was built in the midst,

Where I used to play on the green.

And the gates of this Chapel were shut,

And 'Thou shalt not' writ over the door;

So I turn'd to the Garden of Love,

That so many sweet flowers bore. 

And I saw it was filled with graves,

And tomb-stones where flowers should be:

And Priests in black gowns, were walking their rounds,

And binding with briars, my joys & desires."

In his poetry there is often an incongruity with the generally accepted religious ideas of what is good and evil, Angel and Demon. In The Marriage of Heaven and Hell (there's a title that should make any GO fan sit up and pay attention) he tells us that "in the book of Job, Milton's Messiah is called Satan", signifying that he feels it is Lucifer/the devil who is the true Messiah of Paradise Lost.

He gives us The Voice of the Devil and Proverbs of Hell, and has Angels being transformed into Demons through enlightenment. He tells us that Jesus broke all of the 10 commandments, yet was still virtuous because he acted according to his own morality rather than rules.

The god-figure of his later works, Urizen, generally comes across as malevolent, seeking to bind and control, whilst Los, the Satan/Messiah figure represents freedom, imagination and creativity.

"Restraining desire" and acting contrary to your own nature seem to be the only real evils for Blake.

He expressed his faith through a love of the world and the beauty in it, summed up in this quote:

"When the Sun rises do you not see a round Disk of fire somewhat like a Guinea? O no no I see an innumerable company of the Heavenly host crying Holy Holy Holy is the Lord God Almighty".

He saw "God" in everything, in all the wonders we have around us, and considered writers/poets and religious prophets as essentially the same, since they both have a connection to the divine, and express it through stories.

It's quite ironic that probably his most famous poem, Jerusalem (the one that starts "and did those feet in ancient times walk upon England's mountains green"), was made into a very popular church hymn, yet it is supposed to be satirical in nature. The poem recounts the myth that Jesus may have visited England in his boyhood, and Blake is expressing his disbelief at that notion and the unworthiness of England.

Did I have a point to all this? Mostly to show my hand as a massive Blake nerd, but also to hopefully demonstrate that there's a lot of common ground between his ideas and those expressed in a show/book like Good Omens, and hopefully to inspire some of you who may not be familiar with Blake to seek him out. In particular I'd recommend The Marriage of Heaven and Hell to any and all.

EDIT: I should have thought to include this, here's Michael Sheen reading a Blake poem. I have the CD this is from, he reads several by Blake, as well as other poets I love ❤️ 😍

[cbrownjc]

image credit: c2299cLance on Twitter

The above image is from the Episode 2x05 insider. And boy oh boy do I (did I?) have a question about this.

Because if that really is the book being published in the present day . . . then that pretty much upends the format of the show. Because the book being published means there is absolutely no reason for Daniel to stick around Dubai anymore IMO. Because why would he? His job is done.

And truth be told, I've long thought the interview would be finished in episode 2x08. That Daniel would finish it, and talk about heading home to being writing and editing it.

However, I never really thought he would actually leave. Because Daniel's character basically does leave the story at the end of Interview with the Vampire. And we don't see him again until Queen of the Damned, during the chase. (And we already know Season 3 is The Vampire Lestat).

But I really couldn't work out how the show could ever have that happen -- because that basically means Daniel's character leaving the show for a time. Possibly a long time, as time jumps just to account for the book being published would have to happen. And that, well . . .

See, I very much noticed how much Daniel's Parkinson's was making him shake this episode (2x05). And I in no way think Armand and Daniel are doing the Devil's Minion chase in the current day with Daniel having Parkinson's during a pandemic (which is still going on in the show's timeline). Sorry, no, not happening IMO. Because there is no damn reason for Armand to chase Daniel now, IMO. The reason Armand even did so in the first place was because he found Daniel fascinating/interesting. And well, as we just saw in episode 2x05 that already happened. It makes no sense that Armand would wait 50 freakin' years to follow up on that with a chase around the world.

So the book being published at the end of the interview always meant, to me, that it would mean bye-bye to Eric from the show. Which, I was NOT looking forward to. Because I honestly couldn't see any reason for Daniel's character to stick around, at least in Dubai, never mind the next part of the story. Especially if Lestat isn't going to be in Dubai and we might have to start doing freakin' time jumps to account for the publication of books.

And, once again, Daniel has a degenerative disease. That, once again, I noticed very well how much he was shaking from. So unless Devil's Minion really didn't happen in the past, there really was no way for Daniel to enter or be part of the story going forward. Because yes, I very much think Armand is going to be prepared to let Daniel leave Dubai and not stop him. Right now, Armand is very focused on keeping his life as it is in Dubai, and I think part of that is due to him not thinking Daniel would ever really remember anything of the past anyway.

So yeah, if that prop is for the book actually being published in the modern-day, I was already beginning to mourn Daniel leaving the show. Because from how I looked at it, I couldn't figure out any reason why his character would stay in Dubai, around these vampires anymore. Right now, if Daniel leaves Dubai, he leaves the show IMO. And probably for a good long while, given where the story is going. (With maybe Armand coming to see Daniel later at some point when he's dying to turn him or something, IDK).

And then, I was reminded -- by @nalyra-dreaming -- of this picture that Eric posted on Twitter a few months back:

And it all began to click.

Because for a real time there, for a few weeks at least after Eric first posted this, I seriously thought that Daniel's character was going to, well die.

Between the posting of this picture by Eric as well as a few other things, no joke, I was getting a real vibe about it, that Daniel was going to die this season . . . but not stay dead of course. I just held back on talking about it because it felt so damn early, story-wise, for it to happen.

And then something during the lead-up to the more recent press events made me stop thinking Daniel would die. And that Daniel's turning still wouldn't happen for a few more seasons yet.

But now . . . if the book really is going to be published . . .

I think it's going to be published posthumously. Or, at least, posthumously to the human world.

Because why would Daniel stick around in Dubai if the book is published? As we saw in the preview for next week, he's already saying to Justin Kirk he wants to get out of this alive. The minute he's done with the interview he's leaving, make no mistake about that. So why would Daniel stay?

Well, becoming an undead vampire would do it.

So everyone who wanted Eric's Daniel to become a vampire? You might actually be getting your wish this season. Because if those books above really are real and Daniel really is publishing it in the modern-day . . . then the only reason I can think of for him to not only stay in Dubai/on the show but not visibly age -- or get sicker like Daniel very much would wrt such time jumps that would require not only a publication of such a book but for Lestat to see it, read it, etc -- is this. Daniel becomes a vampire at the end of this season.

Because otherwise, IMO? There is no other reason for his character to stick around. Not from anything else I've thought of so far at least that would make any type of sense.

And what is going to force Armand's hand into turning Daniel? (Because yes, I do still think it's going to be Armand who does it) Well, very likely this . . .

gif credit: @hermit-frog

I already thought Daniel was going to get hurt when it came to this happening. But now I think Daniel getting hurt will be the least of it . . .

[animeyanderelover]

Can I request Fyodor, Jōno, Sigma, Tetchō, Yuki, and Kyo with a darling that enjoys solidarity? Pls and thank you❤️

Glad that I asked you before publishing this. For everyone’s information, it was meant to say that the darling enjoys solitude.

Tw: Yandere themes, toxic relationship, possessive behavior, obsession, delusional behavior, manipulation, abduction, isolation

Tags: @shumidehiro @leveyani @izanami78 @flaming-vulpix

Darling enjoys solitude

Fyodor Dostoevsky

🍎​Everything in life has its good and its bad aspects about it and the same concept applies to your preferences for solitude. On the positive side, it is quite delightful to have you already self-isolating all by yourself as Fyodor can keep very easily an eye out for you. But where is the fun? He is a terrible person who believes himself to do God's work yet the diabolical things he does surpass even the deesd committed by the devil himself. Fyodor sees it as a necessity to break you and shape you into someone new and he can't help but think that it might be less amusing to watch your life crumbling away as you prefer your solitude over the company of other people. Nevertheless, if you should be someone who is less prone to show your feelings very easily, he sees it more as a challenge than anything else to see how far he must go to finally shatter you to your core. It is a sick and twisted way of thinking but it is a deed that has to be done. After all you deserve all the suffering he is about to unleash on you.

Jouno Saigiku

♦️​Your preference to spend time alone is much appreciated and welcomed by Jouno who has always been far too possessive to let other people close to you. Whenever he seeks you out, he finds you most of the time alone and enjoys the fact that he can have your attention and company all for himself most of the time. Although it does increase his spite for the people you do actually keep close as he knows that they are very special to you if you bother to hang out with them. You are a fairly calm and composed person who enjoys their quietness and that is reflected in the relaxed composition of your heartbeat. As someone who can pick up on the emotions of others easily due to his enhanced senses, this only aids further in Saigiku's obsession as your emotions don't overwhelm him. Although similar to Fyodor he still has a sadistic streak and sometimes might try to trigger your emotions to go haywire to satiate his own desire. Your racing heartbeat is lovely to listen to at times after all.

Suehiro Tetchou

🌸​Tetchou is fairly normal for someone who has an unhealthy obsession going on but if you compare him to people like Saigiku, it should be no surprise. On the other hand he is quite dense at times and may make wrong assumptions which is unfortunately what happens in your case. He assumes that your preference to be alone is because you have social anxiety, even if that may simply not be the case. Growing from this hasty assumption of his, he grows more protective over you to the point where he actually ends up isolating you even if you want to spend time with others. Convinced that he is doing you a favor, he ends up taking over every social interaction of yours as you aren't even allowed to order something from the staff in a restaurant as he instead insists on doing so for you. It may not look like much but it can very much turn into a smothering overprotective behavior where your social skills drastically reduce themselves due to the social isolation he puts you through.

Sigma

☁️​You give him almost constantly anxiety due to your withdrawn personality which has him actively struggling out of fear that you'd be annoyed if he would attempt to talk with you. He doesn't want you to direct any negative feelings his way as he is much too sensitive for that so instead Sigma starts stalking and spying on you to collect as much information about you as possible. Knowledge is a weapon after all and he hopes that by finding out more about you, he can find a suitable way to approach you without getting on your nerves. He is most likely overthinking it all yet it's not like someone could just explain this to him. He does learn to appreciate it more later on as he can spend all of his time alone with you without having to worry about you expressing unhappiness about the isolation due to your preference os being alone. As foolish as it may be, he even has high hopes that you will forgive him the abduction he is currently planning as you have never been a fan of being under people to begin with.

Sohma Yuki

🐭​Yuki has been admiring you from a distance for a long time yet for multiple reasons he has never approached you before. Sometimes he wonders if you are someone like him though as he often sees you all by yourself, not bothering to mingle with other students. He wishes to talk with you yet his low self-confidence and his popularity have always kept him from doing so. When he eventually gathers the courage to seek you out and start a conversation with you, he only finds himself falling more for you. He feels comfortable and safe in your presence and the fact that most of the time you are by yourself only aids his secretly possessive side as he claims that time alone he has with you. Yuki quickly learns where he can find you when he feels the need to see you and sees it through that no one follows him so that no one can disturb the time he wants to have with you for himself. Things take a bad turn when he finds himself dependent on you though whenever he feels anxious or very stressed, leading him to suffer from a mental breakdown when he can't find you anywhere.

Sohma Kyo

🐈​Kyo may not show it but he feels initially worried when he catches you most of the time away from others, instead sitting all by yourself. He wonders if people don't like you or if you are very anxious yet he soon comes to realise that you just simply prefer to be by yourself. It does give him relief to know that he has nothing to worry about yet it also makes it more difficult to approach you, even though he has sworn to not get to know you due to the deal he made with Akito. The heart does what it wants though and so he finds himself commonly hiding from your sight as he watches how you spend time by yourself, reading a book or doing some work for school. It isn't enough to quench the longing in his heart yet he reminds himself that staying away from you is for the best. Kyo is very protective though and whenever he overhears someone calling you weird for always being alone, he reacts defensive and brash as he lashes out on the students for talking about you like this.

[petrichor-han]

easier; yoon jeonghan

PAIRING | jeonghan x afab!reader

CAST | yoon jeonghan

WC | 2.3k

GENRE | angst, fwb, lovers to exes

WARNINGS | explicit language, non-explicit sexual content (kissing, removing clothes, touching), alcohol consumption, toxic relationship, bad coping mechanisms, mentions of throwing up (due to intoxication)

SYNOPSIS | inspired by the song "easier" by 5SOS // he's your ex, and nothing more. that's what you tell all of your dates, and also what you tell yourself when you find yourself crying in your bathroom drunk at three in the morning. it would make your life infinitely better if you just let him go and moved on, but it's just not that easy to escape the devil in the form of yoon jeonghan.

A/N | uhhh hi everyone!! i doubt this will get any reach but hopefully someone will read this and enjoy it :,) i'm trying to get more comfortable with writing shorter fics so i can keep publishing while i'm in school and it's less pressure!

request to be added to current and future taglists HERE!

MASTERLIST | RAIN’S PLAYLIST

Your head pounds to the beat of the music, which is now much too loud for your liking, though it was just fine five minutes ago. Clinging to the grimy, slippery wall of the club bathroom stall, you slowly sink to the ground, feeling a wave of nausea overcome you, both from the tequila shots you’d chugged earlier and the smell of used tampons (you’d realized too late that you knelt down next to the sanitary product disposal). You fight the urge to cling to the porcelain bowl to steady yourself, repeating, it’s filthy, don’t touch it, over and over in your mind as you sway, trying to avoid falling over onto the sticky floor without touching any of the equally disgusting surroundings. Somehow, you manage, and the nausea disappears for a moment. Long enough for you to whip your phone out of your sweaty strapless bra and sloppily text your friends that you’re in the bathroom and probably need help getting out. And getting home. 

Then, your eyes linger on the last message you’d gotten from another contact. One that doesn’t have a profile picture, nor a name that the number is saved under. Even so, you know the number by heart. You recognize the area code when you see it in other places. When you see those combinations of numbers in your day-to-day life, sometimes you feel a lump forming in your throat, and you have to swallow past it and pretend like it doesn’t feel like your lungs are caving in on your chest.

The message is nothing special. It isn’t especially long or meaningful, and especially not something that you’re saving for sentimental value. No, the only reason it’s there is because you’re too much of a damn coward to actually block the number, and he’s too much of a narcissistic freak to leave you alone, even though you’ve been broken up for almost a year. 

An entire damn year. That’s how much time you’ve wasted on this man, and that isn’t even counting the time you actually spent in a relationship with him. 

Coming to this realization, you feel a sudden wave of motivation, coupled with the anxiety-inducing feeling of sobering up and realizing you’ve been hunched over in a sketchy club bathroom by yourself for the past twenty minutes, too drunk to even realize how gross it really is. You decide that this is your sign to call it a night, and seeing that your friends have responded to your text immediately, you simply shoot them another, telling them you’re going home, instead of venturing back out into the jungle-like atmosphere of the club, filled to the brim with animals looking to pounce–figuratively, of course. Though, the man by the entrance of the club with an intense amount of hair gel and a leopard print bow tie did somewhat resemble a hungry predator. 

You start to call for an Uber, but somehow your fingers dial his number instead. He picks up so fast your heart skips a beat, and you’re pissed off that it still does that–that he still has such an effect on you. You can’t even control it when the words start tumbling out of your mouth: how drunk you are, how you’re alone right now outside, your location… and finally, how much you miss him. He listens to you, and somehow without even saying a word he sounds smug. You feel guilt and shame pooling in your stomach as you pour your heart out to this man, who really couldn’t give less of a shit about you any more. He just likes the attention. He likes knowing that you still pine for him, and can’t be with anyone else because you only want him, even after a year of being apart. It’s flattering. It strokes his already stupidly oversized ego. You know this, yet you keep talking, until you’re suddenly sobbing. 

“Baby, you don’t have to cry. I’m on my way already, you know that, right?” he asks, his voice smooth and even as he comforts you nonchalantly. Perhaps that’s the worst part, how easily he seems to acknowledge your bitter feelings, and not care at all. He’s smart. He knows what he’s doing, how much he’s hurting you. You wonder if it hurts him too. 

You hiccup, still feeling tipsy. You didn’t throw up those tequila shots when you were in the bathroom earlier, and you can feel them swirling and burning in your stomach. You start to hunch over the side of the road, bending over the curb as you feel the burning sensation crawling up your throat. 

And suddenly, as humiliating as it is to admit, you’re throwing up all over the street, your vomit the color of the liquor you consumed, and completely liquid. You choke on it, because you haven’t learned your lesson that it burns twice as much coming back up, and feel it dripping from your nose. Disgusting, you think. I’m fucking disgusting. 

As you wallow in your self-pity and puddle of vomit, you feel a gentle, cool cloth pressing to your cheek, and for a moment you hope you’ve died and this must be an angel caressing your cheek before you ascend elsewhere. But as you look up, you see him–Jeonghan–and perhaps, bathed in the wane yellow lighting of his headlights, he is the closest thing to an angel on planet Earth. Certainly, he is ethereal enough–his blonde hair has grown out more, but he’s kept up with his roots, making the entirety of his flowing locks a pale white-blonde. His face, so smooth and pale in the cool night air, is so familiar and warm, even though he isn’t smiling, not even close. And his hands–his thin, bony hands, cool to the touch beneath his handkerchief as he presses it to your face, cleaning the bile that dribbles from your lips that you’re too lazy and intoxicated to wipe off yourself. 

“How did you get here so fast?” you ask, feeling embarrassed as soon as you speak; your words are much more slurred than you thought they’d be. Are you really still this drunk? 

“I still have your location,” he says simply, as if it’s normal. As if it’s not weird to be checking your ex’s location at two in the morning. He helps you stand up, and as you wobble, he resorts to just picking you up. You feel his lean muscles flexing beneath his thin shirt, and you sigh. He’s always been stronger than he looks, and you loved the way he made you feel weightless when he lifted you. 

He helps you into the passenger seat and does your seatbelt up for you. He hands you a bag, knowing you might feel sick again despite the short drive, and starts on his way back to your place. This makes you feel even more miserable–he used to take you back to the place you shared together, once. And then he would take you back to his place. But now, he doesn’t even stay the night with you. Lately, you’ve been worrying that one day, he’ll stop coming at all. But then again, as you look over at him and his easy smile, his almost lazy grip on the steering wheel as he speeds way past the limits down the road, perhaps not. After all, it’s not always you that calls first. Half the time it’s you picking him up somewhere as he looks up at you, with apathetic eyes as he clamps his lips shut, frustrating you to no end–he asked for you to come get him, so why can’t he talk to you? 

But tonight, you’re the pathetic one, the loser. He pulls up in front of your place, and he helps you out. He unlocks your door–he still has the key to your apartment on his keychain–and helps you inside. Neither of you say anything as he helps you undress, not trying to hide how his gaze lingers on your bare skin before he pulls your pajamas on. He even knows how to remove your makeup, and you sit on the edge of the bathtub in the flickering yellow light as he gently wipes away your cosmetics, one hand gently cupping your chin to hold your face steady. That gentle touch makes your breath hitch, and he notices. He pauses his movements, pulling the cotton pad away from your face, and looks into your eyes. You can’t tell what he’s thinking, and a flicker of doubt arises in your stomach. 

But then, like it’s nothing, he leans forward and captures your lips with his, his grip on your chin strengthening ever so slightly as he pulls you closer towards him, greedily. It’s selfish, the way he so eagerly kisses you, like he’s starved. Like he’s been missing you, and craving your touch–like only you could satisfy this carnal craving. You know it isn’t true, and it’s likely that numerous people have been in and out of the bed that you once shared with Jeonghan, but you like to pretend like it’s the truth. It eases the pain, that deep gnawing pain that only grows and never shrinks when you imagine Jeonghan with someone else. 

That’s why you kiss him back so desperately, matching his pathetic energy perfectly. The two of you cling to each other like two fools, dancing around the idea of what if instead of just giving it a try. Still, neither of you speak, your lips too busy pressed together in an animalistic frenzy. You feel dizzy with intoxication, both from alcohol and from Jeonghan, as you straddle him, whining softly as he bites your lower lip teasingly. 

But then, he pushes you away. Your heart stops. “We can’t,” he says softly, and for the first time, you see a hint of raw emotion behind those large, angelic eyes. He’d always been able to hide how he felt around you, no matter what he was going through. You bite your tongue as you ponder, why now? Why does he care more now? 

“Why not?” you ask, your tone coming across as much more wounded than intended. 

Jeonghan looks at you, surprised at the emotion in your voice. “You know why,” he says hastily, pulling away further. With every inch that he backs away, you feel another piece of your heart shattering. 

“It hasn’t stopped you before,” you say bitterly, crossing your arms. “Why do you suddenly care about fucking me after we’ve broken up?” 

“Maybe, I’m seeing someone,” he says suddenly, hesitating slightly after he says maybe. You feel your breath catch in your throat. It feels like you can’t breathe. Suddenly, you feel nauseous again, but when you gag, nothing physically happens. In your mind, you’re screaming, spewing everywhere. Your stomach clenches painfully. 

“Maybe? So you are seeing someone?” you say, trying not to cry. The liquor isn’t helping–it always makes you feel more emotional, even when nothing’s wrong. 

“It’s not serious yet, but I want to see where this goes,” he admits, sighing. He leans back against the wall of your bathroom. He doesn’t look like he belongs there–he’s too beautiful to be seen amongst an off-white wall bathed in pale yellow lighting, surrounded by cracks and chips in the crappy paint job. “So this… all of this, has to stop. Tonight.” 

You swallow hard. You can tell he’s looking at you, trying to gauge your reaction, but for once you’re stoic. You feel completely numb, all of that initial hurt and pain long gone. More than anything, you feel uncomfortable with the way he’s observing you, like he’s expecting you to make a scene or get really emotional. Instead, you just nod. “Okay,” you say. “It ends tonight.” 

He nods too. And really, he should have gotten up and left after that, leaving it at that. But the both of you knew better than that, and he stayed there, sitting on your perpetually damp bathroom rug and not complaining though mildew-scented water was surely soaking through his expensive slacks. 

Slowly, you move closer to him. He doesn’t advance towards you, but he doesn’t move away either. He calmly keeps an eye on you as you inch closer, and once you’re right beside him, he takes the initiative and kisses you again. It’s softer this time, more gentle, and you worry that this is because it’s your last. So you pull him close and deepen the kiss, making it messy and sloppy like it usually is when there is a guaranteed next time. He mirrors your actions, and it gives you a sense of familiarity and comfort, even though you know it’s a false sense. He would not be coming back after tonight. 

You make the most of your emotionless state, feeling a physical desire stronger than any emotion could make you want to stay away. The two of you don’t even bother to move to the bedroom, just a few feet away, before you start removing each other’s clothing in a frenzy, leaving them strewn all over your bathroom. Only when you’re clad in just a pair of panties does he pick you up, pressing hot kisses to your sensitive neck and making you shiver as he carries you to the bedroom, throwing you down on the bed. 

There’s that familiar look in his eye as he looks down at you, that hungry gaze that he always lays upon you before he devours you. As his fingers hook beneath the waistband of your panties, you lock eyes with him, trying to memorize every single detail of that expression–both because you know you’ll never see it again, and because you know for sure now that there’s someone else seeing it too. Yet, he dives in again, bringing you to the same heights only he knows how to accomplish, and you know that even though it’d be easier to just let go, there’s no way you possibly can.

© petrichor-han 2024, all rights reserved  

[clawbehavior]

Continue the story: The Devil Judge/Gahan edition

Fellow fandom folks,

We're doing a collaborative fic on A03 for The Devil Judge and Yohan/Gaon and we'd love for you to join. Here's how it works: each person writes one chapter of the story based on a topic we all voted on. You can write whatever you want in your chapter as long as it connects to chapters before it. This is a nice way to close out the third rewatch, get your creative writing juices flowing in a low-stress place, try your hand at writing if you're new, and importantly, celebrate jinyoung's impending return from the military on November 4th!! If 8 people or more join, we'll be writing until then!

How to join: Reblog or comment here if you want to write a chapter with us! Make sure to sign up by Thursday, September 5 if you want to write!!

Vote here: Answer this poll to vote on what our story will be about. Feel free to suggest other ideas. The topic with the most votes will get selected.

Writing logistics: After everyone signs up, I’ll put our names in a random generator to pick the order of writers.

How it works:

Publishing: You’ll have 1 week to read what’s been written so far and write your chapter. Chapters are due by Thursdays at 9 AM KST. I'll post a schedule.

Word count: Minimum of 2 sentences and not more than 500 words. This is a loose word count specifically to keep it chill. Don’t stress about making your chapter perfect. The idea is to have fun, go with the flow, and write whatever comes to you!

Posting on ao3: We’ll post the fic as one story with multiple authors. I’ll help you out when it’s your turn to add your chapter.

Keeping in touch: We can use a Tumblr post to brainstorm ideas and talk story stuff, or, if enough people are interested, I can set up a discord to chat

The goal is to have a good time and see where everyone’s creativity takes them.

Reblogging anyone I can think of to increase reach but obvs don't feel compelled to join if you're unable to. Please share so we can include everyone who's interested!!

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[scionsthings]

CHAVIER NATION ( composed by me and other 2 people i know ) TODAY WE RECEIVED A BEAUTIFUL GIFT

My dearest friend @lilithkan wrote a Chavier fanfiction for us and it's AMAZING

They asked me to publish it myself so here we go with a little highlight from me ( What did Bill do? Just read ;)) , comments and feedbacks are very much appreciated! Enjoy

Just for the ladies

Words: 1,597

Characters: Javier Escuella, Charles Smith, Bill Williamson

Rating: T

Warm flickers of flame from the candles created miniature light shows, while the popping noises from the bonfire created a peaceful atmosphere. It allowed the gang to have a calm evening, some of them were gathered at the table, but our attention is going to be next to the fire itself, where a couple of cowboys were sitting idly.

<<You want another drink?>>

Said Bill in a hoarse but playful tone, offering another one to Javier. Both their noses and cheeks were reddened by the effects of the tequila they were drinking.

<<O-of course, compadre!>>

Replied Javier, his tone of voice still cracking from laughing at a previous joke the two shared. Apparently… Bill thought that Charles, simply… Dressed terribly. Javier initially snickered at the fact that it was Bill Williamson, not exactly known for being well dressed himself, saying so about the hunter… But maybe the Mexican could lend the dark-skinned man some clothes and he wouldn't look too terrible as well.

As if it were foretold by fate… Or as they say, speak of the devil: Charles walked up to the bonfire, to then sit next to it, on a log. The mixed man had a plate of soup in his hands- apparently Pearson must've served dinner.

As Bill was pouring Javier another drink, the man currently wearing a sombrero turned to the hunter, who was idly minding his business, as usual. But the Mexican's inhibitions were partly gone due to the beverage he was drinking. So, as he sided towards Charles, Javier spilled some tequila on the ground due to the speed of the movement.

<<Hey! Don't waste it!>>

Bill's voice cracked, as if almost saddened by the waste. It did cost a lot, after all.

<<You know, the ladies said you'd be a catch if only you dressed a little better.>>

Javier said, with a small smirk drawn on his lips, implying subtly as a teasing joke to Bill that he was one of the “ladies”, due to reasons clearly unbeknownst to him. Bill didn't really seem to mind, either ignoring the joke or simply… Not understanding it.

<<Huh?>>

Replied Charles, barely looking up from his food.

<<I could dress you up a bit, see how you'd look with a more… Thought out, outfit.>>

Added Javier, his tone was genuine due to the fact that the thought of actually dressing the other up like a doll seemed kinda… Fun, unlike how it felt just a moment before when he was laughing at the idea.

Javier took a couple sips from the remaining tequila in his cup, and brought it quickly down on the log he was sitting on, with a thud.

<<What do you say, you in?>>

He then asked openly, leaning forward to the other a couple inches. Charles looked at the man in front of him, then the other behind him, catching a glimpse of him drinking… Once again, his gaze was on his food. He took another bite, to then slurp the remaining soup.

<<Sure. Why not.>>

Replied Charles, his tone of voice low and serious as usual- as if the situation needed his usual dire manners. And with that, the three got up and, as the two drunk ones in particular left a trail of little snickers behind them, they all got to where Javier slept. His stuff was neat and tidy, in contrast with most of the others’ things around there.

<<So, what are you thinking, Charles?>>

Javier asked, his voice modulated and fluctuating, almost rhythmic as if he were singing a song in his head and instinctively imitated its sound with his tone.

<<Nothing fancy.>>

Replied the hunter, his only wish being to not be ridiculed.

<<Oooh, but we wouldn't dream of that, now would we?>>

Said Bill, his voice was made more accentuated and a little dramatic by the alcohol in his veins.

<<Ugh.>>

This was Charles response- and with that, the Mexican began looking around his stuff, to then take out a white shirt, black pants and a blue jacket. Then, he lent them to Charles, with a playful and slightly mischievous grin drawn on his lips.

Charles’ expression was hardened, but it softened just a moment as the sight of a Javier that seemed just so… Excited, about something. Something that stupid, might he add. So, a light hint of a smile was drawn on Charles’ lips as he took the clothes in his hands.

_______________________________

<<¡Ayy! Soy estúpido, dìos mio.>>

Javier looked at the button on the ground. One of his best shirts, damaged because he didn’t think about the fact that Charles’ body type was… Different from his own.

And oh, he sure did notice that the buttons were having difficulty holding on, but he didn’t really mind the sight. And got distracted by… Definitely, nothing in particular. So, the thought of making him change back didn’t even cross his mind… And now, as Charles looked kind of embarrassed, Javier didn’t hold back the jacket he was keeping for the hunter, and on the contrary, he held it out for him to take.

<<With your chest out like that you’ll definitely attract alllll of the ladies.>>

The Mexican commented, somehow trying to lift up again the mood, but kind of in a clumsy way.

Charles’ lips curled for a moment in a small grimace of confusion, but his expression quickly turned back to his usual harsh one.

<<Are you sure? I may ruin this too.>>

The hunter said, his voice rough, referring to the jacket Javier was lending to him, ignoring his comment. The Mexican brought back the clothing attire for a moment, to look at Charles with a raised eyebrow. He then rolled his eyes and brought back up the jacket towards the mixed man.

<<Sì. Take it.>>

And with that, the hunter took the piece of clothing the other was lending him, to then put it on- only one arm, as he immediately felt that it was way too tight around his forearm.

Charles looked at this, then raised his sight back up to the Mexican as he heard Bill’s laughter in the background at that ridiculous sight of a giant man trying to wear smaller clothes. Charles groaned lightly, as Javier looked at that sight as well- but his expression wasn’t one of mockery as the bearded man’s, it was one of awe. The hunter had quite the defined muscles, which you could clearly see underneath the tight clothing.

<<Fuck this.>>

Said Charles, feeling mocked by the both of them. He took off the jacket and then the shirt, quickly putting back on his own blue one and walking away.

Javier looked at the mixed man as he did this, a disappointed look drawn on his face for a moment, then one of slight frustration. He looked at Bill, to then give him a slap on the back of his head.

<<¡Idìota!>>

Bill looked confused as Javier stormed off as well, walking up to Charles.

The hunter got to the side of the camp, looking at the trees, right behind Arthur’s tent. Javier got up to him, stumbling around due to the still lingering effects of the alcohol flowing in his veins.

<<Came to make a mockery out of me some more?>>

Said Charles, his arms crossed.

<<Just wanted to say that it's not exactly nice to leave that way without even saying bye. Loved the scene though, seemed like a teenage girl.>>

Replied Javier, his tone still mocking for some reason even though he literally went there to say sorry on behalf of Bill.

<<I’ll take that as a yes.>>

Said Charles, to then begin walking away again.

<<No, espera->>

The Mexican said, landing his hand on the other’s shoulder. He turned back around, looking at him with a slightly raised eyebrow.

<<I’m sorry for Bill’s behavior, Charles. But don’t mind him, he’s just an idiot, he doesn't mean any harm.>>

<<But you were mocking me too. I saw your little smile.>>

<<...Me?>>

Javier tilted his head slightly to the side, looking confused.

<<I didn’t and I wouldn’t->>

I mean, he would make fun of someone, but not Charles. Javier respected the hunter too much.

<<Yes you did. Don’t take me for an idiot. You thought I looked so ridiculous with your clothes that you became speechless.>>

<<I was just in… Awe, at… You have a great body, you know that?>>

Suddenly, Charles’ cheeks reddened but for a moment, drawing on his face a confused and surprised expression for the length of time of a flicker of the eye- easily missable.

<<Huh?>>

He couldn't say anything else. And because of that, Javier’s cheeks became red as well for a moment. The two of them could thank God that it was night and neither of them could see the other well.

<<We could… You know, go shopping instead. Buy some clothes that actually fit you, you know?>>

Said the Mexican, bringing together his hands for a moment out of nervousness, but hit them together instead of playing with them or anything of the sort.

The hunter moved his eyes around, looking for God knows what. Probably Bill, thinking that this might have been another way to make a fool out of him. But he didn't see him, and Javier seemed oh so genuine in his proposal. With a light grimace drawn on his face, Charles sighed, looking down for a moment, but quickly raised his sight back up at Javier.

<<...I’d like that.>>

Replied Charles, with a light smile finally drawn on his face.

[cryptocollectibles]

G.I. Joe Cobra Reborn #1 (January 2004) by Devil's Due Publishing

Written by Paul Jenkins, drawn by Eddy Barrows, Renato Arlem, Moises Damasceno, Jack Jadson, Wellington Dias, and Andrew Pepoy, cover by Tim Bradstreet.

[srbachchan]

DAY 5879

Jalsa, Mumbai Mar 23/24, 2024 Sat/Sun 10:23 AM

🪔 ,

March 24 .. birthday greetings to Ef AMIT Trivedi .. 🙏🏻🚩❤️

..

March 24 .. World TB Day .. prayers .. 🙏🏻

Spending the time with the words of Babuji is not just an education but a revelation of a poet's mind and soul .. a mind that wanders in the visionary hemisphere unknown and unseen in a relative World, but yet possessing the intelligence of the probability of a higher philosophy ..

For it all to come to me now , is a shame .. a shame of lost opportunity and time to have been spent in the research and his presence to be able to understand the deeper meanings in his thought ..

I did on the odd occasion give intent of his interpretation and reason for many of his thoughts .. and they were most revealing .. but then .. time passed away .. as did his presence ..

It is a known and accepted fact that genius of creative art, writing, painting, music or whatever form, has always been overlooked and never given its due during the lifetime of the artist .. and it has been recognised fact of this phenomena that coerces me to, yet again , mention here for consumption of the mass ..

A pity ..

But the efforts of time , or whatever is left in it for me , shall endeavour to give some exposure to Babuji's works and his incredible genius ..

The World has very seldom seen or experienced the greatness of such ..

Last night I spent time on one such random thought of his from a published work :

नई से नई, पुरानी से पुरानी

it contains works of his in short verses, or abstract from , blank verse - short and expressive , but of immense value for us all to think and wonder of how certain thoughts and the express of them , do get created ..

The title of the Poem :

KAVI KA RAKT .. A POETS’ BLOOD

meri band mutthiyaan dekhkar .. seeing my closed fists jis-jis ne mujhse poocha, .. all those that asked me “ismein kya hai” ? .. ‘what is inside them’ ? maine imaandaari se bataya , .. i told them with all honesty “ismein kya hai ? .. ‘what is in them ismein kadamb ka phool hai “ .. in them is the kadamb flower ? "(Neolamarckia cadamba, with English common names burflower-tree, laran, and Leichhardt pine,[2] and called kadam or cadamba[2]) aur logon ne is par .. and the people on this sahaj vishwaas kar liya .. did keep their instinctive believe

vo to jab .. that is, when meri mutthiyaan se .. from my clenched fists rakt ki boondein choone lagein .. drops of blood did start to drop tab logon ne mujhe avishwaas ki nazaron se ghoora, .. then, did the people did stare at me in disbelief mujhse kaha .. and they told me “mutthiyaan to kholo ।” "at least open your fists" aur jab maine mutthiyaan kholein .. and when I did open my clenched fists to unmein .. in them kantkeela dhature ka pahal nikala । .. did come out the thorn laden datura fruit !

(Datura is a genus of nine species of highly poisonous, vespertine-flowering plants belonging to the nightshade family. They are commonly known as thornapples or jimsonweeds, but are also known as devil's trumpets. Other English common names include moonflower, devil's weed, and hell's bells.)

main sharmaya, .. I was ashamed mera jhoot pakda gaya ,.. my lie was caught mujhe apne par aashcharya hua, .. I was filled with wonder , kyunki maine apni ankhein kholkar .. because I had with my open eyes kadamb ka phool apni mutthiyon mein liya tha । .. taken the kadamb flower in my clenched fists !

shayad mai apni bhavatishayata mein ।.. perhaps in the belief of my aatma , the self , the soul kante ko phool samjha, .. I thought the thorns to be a flower par kaanta , kaanta hi kaise reh gaya , .. but how did the thorn , remain a thorn phool kyun nahin bana , .. why did it not become a flower usnein toh ek kavi ka rakt piya tha । .. it had consumed the blood of a poet !!

the word भावा ति शय यता , bhavatishayyata seems to have been taken from a form of the mention in the scriptures of Hindu philosophy, saints and religion , which is why i believe it refers to his aatma, his soul , his inner .. perhaps a more 'cultured way' 😁 of expressing his thoughts ..

DATURA

KADAMB .. CADAMBA 👆🏼

My love and more ..

Amitabh Bachchan

[island-in-the-shadows]

The Finale, the Devil, His Minion & His Turning

Before I begin, let me state with clarity that I am not an expert in book lore. I’m, at best, semi-pro. I, however, do my due diligence when it comes to my passions and my hyperfixations and this has been one that has stuck around for most of my life. So, I wanted to weigh into the whole Devil’s Minion situation as pertains to how S2 ended as well as implications for the future of it combined with the bits and pieces of things we’ve heard RJ etc say regarding it. I know this is all a big kerfuffle one way or the other. I’m writing this mostly for myself, but I wanted to share with anyone who wants to read because fandom metas are fun even if we disagree with parts of them or even the whole of them. So, disclaimer aside, strap in for this very long post…

Let's talk about Devil's Minion and the implications of the Season 2 finale.

First things first, let’s discuss Daniel Molloy. He’s a difficult guy and I get why there’s a bunch of people who dislike him even though I can’t relate. I love him. I love that he’s a sassy loudmouth who has even louder opinions and can be horribly inappropriate. I love that, when he’s doing his thing, he’s like a dog with a bone and he won’t let go. I love that he has suffered for it because the consequence of being a dog with a bone, of having an addictive personality, of having sarcasm and sass as a defence mechanism, and of having a truly atrocious sense of self-preservation is that he got fucked up by vampires, blew up his life, “destroyed two marriages,” and “fucked up two daughters.” He’s not the character that people who want to black/white moralise this show can point to as a bastion of “goodness,” even if he was, until recently, the only human main character. In fact, it’s precisely because he was human that it made sense that he was a fucked up person. After all, all humans have their good and bad aspects. 

And then, he was turned (offscreen so that people like me can shout manically into the void). I LOVE that he was turned. I’ll get into the larger implications of it later but, for now, I want to explain why I enjoy Vampire Daniel.

For a bit of background, here’s what we know about his book counterpart in broad strokes: he smokes, he interviews Louis in San Francisco, he published Interview with the Vampire anonymously, he went to NOLA searching for Lestat but found Armand instead, cue here everything that has to do with the 12 years in which he and Armand were what they were together, he’s an ash blonde with violet eyes, he’s an addict, he’s a sarcastic loudmouth, he’s morbid, he went mad, he liked building miniature cityscapes, he spent most of the years of his madness (and some after he regained his sanity) with Marius, he and Armand reunite after +- 25-30 years of separation. That’s it. There’s a lot about him that you can certainly infer in the limited page amount where you can read about him, but that’s about it. We especially don’t get to know much about him after he is turned aside from when he got the vampire zoomies at Lestat’s concert and Maharet’s compound, his madness, Marius, his cityscapes, and his reunion with Armand.

Seeing Daniel Molloy be a vampirically amplified version of himself BY himself is, to me, extraordinary. Here, he’s, technically, unconnected to any of the other vampires and is standing on his own two feet. He chose to publish the book with his name on it (which is fucking insane when you think about it), he’s the one choosing to “call” Louis every week to check in on his bestie, he’s the one choosing to comment on some guys headphones before he eats him. In scant minutes we were presented with the vampire Daniel as an individual. This, in many ways, outdoes how he exists as a vampire in the books where he is never truly disconnected from one of two well-known vampires: Armand, and Marius. 

Secondly, we seldom, if ever, get a vampire in live-action film or TV who looks 60+ in mortal years who, by design, is a sexy swaggering sarcastic menace who wears a leather jacket, an AC/DC tee, and cunty sunglasses. I racked my brain trying to find other vampires who look “older” in human years and even asked friends to help me and, ultimately, came to the following list of best examples (but feel free to tell me more): Gary Oldman in Dracula who is made to look creepy before he gets de-aged in order to be “sexy,” Bill Nighy as Viktor in Underworld, who looks great and powerful, but he’s the villain and he’s not technically designed to inspire anything more than loathing, and Viago’s long-lost lover in What We Do in the Shadows, Katherine ( from which we get the fun Viago being a cradle snatcher meme). This is all my opinion, but it’s fantastic to have a man in his 70s with wrinkles and grey hair be turned into a vampire and be framed as desirable and powerful. Personally, I want to see more vampires who are adults and older adults vs consistently seeing teens and people in their early twenties.

That being said, as much as I love Daniel being a man/vampire in his seventies, this fact alone upends one of the major beats of the relationship between him and Armand as written in Queen of the Damned. The part that is irreparably changed has nothing to do with Daniel’s age because that is irrelevant to Armand who, in book canon, wanted Daniel to live a mortal life, much to Daniel’s chagrin. He even tells Daniel, “Don’t you realise that any one of us would give it up for one human lifetime?”

Daniel doesn't believe him but their arguments regarding mortality only have a level of resolution in 1985 when Armand turns a dying Daniel. What changes here is twofold: the first is that Akasha did not wake from her sleep (which tracks with the timeline of the show thus far, as she wakes up because of Lestat’s music and she ruins the world tour). The second is that, presuming that Daniel and Armand had a past in the 70s and 80s, which is very likely, Armand let Daniel go. Armand letting Daniel go is a HUGE change. Yes, part of him likely let Daniel go because he was still involved with Louis whereas in the book he didn’t have a partner at the time. However, presuming that Armand and Daniel’s relationship in the 70s and 80s was as codependent and obsessive as it was in the source material, letting this one mortal boy go was arguably one of the most emotionally difficult things Armand has ever had to do. It changes a whole host of things in their dynamic moving forward. 

This is why the fact that so many are turning on it now after 2x8 is a little baffling to me. I am a pessimist at heart, especially when it comes to things like this because I have been burned time and time again. It’s been a shock to me that so many who were rock solid on this after 2x5 are now panicking. And yet, I understand the concerns. 

For example, according to Louis and later repeated in interviews by Rolin and sort of by Assad, Daniel was turned out of “spite.” Assuming that this is true, it is devastating. In the source lore, Daniel was turned out of love. Armand tells Daniel he’ll turn him “[…]because I am a coward. And I love you too much to let you go.” Except, in the show’s universe, Armand has already let Daniel go once even if it wasn't because Daniel was dying. Then again do we know if the younger Daniel was dying? If he overdosed once or multiple times? No. But at some point, Armand let him go. At some point, Daniel’s memory of whatever time he spent with Armand was erased. Presuming that something like this happened, that act alone was not out of spite.

Further, it is Louis who said Daniel was “burdened out of spite.” Except Monsieur du Lac has a very particular perspective and is currently quite cross with his ex. Those words, if I may borrow from book Armand, “That’s Louis’ language.” Note that while Daniel retorts, “Make it up to me. We’ll do a follow-up book,” this comes after Louis says “I shouldn’t have left you alone with him.” Daniel neither confirms or denies that he was made out of spite. He’s, to some extent, assuaging Louis’ guilt while segueing to try to get something he wants from Louis. We didn’t see Daniel being turned so we can’t be certain where it happened or when it happened or why it happened. 

I know you’re probably reading this and going: but Rolin said they wouldn’t build the Dubai set again! Rolin said we won’t see the turning! Rolin said it was out of spite! Yes, fellow tumblrina, I know. But, like Claudia’s journals, like Louis’ or Armand’s narration of events across both seasons, anyone working on the show would have cause to obfuscate, omit, or lie. After all, was it not Rolin who also said we weren’t getting Rockstar Lestat when we are, in fact, getting Rockstar Lestat? Ah! That, my friends, is an unreliable witness.

Any creator can lie about their work for whatever reason they see fit including marketing or trying to keep spoilers away. To use a recent example, Andrew Garfield consistently and frequently lied that he was not in Spiderman: No Way Home. Oh, there was a set leak picture? No, that wasn’t him it was a double. He kept that party line until the movie came out, regardless if people knew or not. Same thing applies here and it creates doubt. The tricky part of this all is that, because Season 3 is The Vampire Lestat, it’s likely that anything we do see regarding Daniel and Armand will be quite limited. 

Another thing that truly frustrates longtime Devil’s Minion girlies, especially those who have religiously read the Devils Minion chapter (really, it’s the only thing we have to go off of because Anne Rice put Daniel on a shelf and never really took him off it except in vague mentions in other vampires’ stories and, I guess, she wanted us to go fuck ourselves because Daniel is basically a negative footnote in The Vampire Armand) is the implication that Daniel wants to know where the fuck his maker is because he has been abandoned. We keep thinking: Armand would never abandon a newly turned Daniel. I’ve seen plenty of posts and some fics fully assuming that Armand turned Daniel in the penthouse and then left him right then and there. Which tracks only if he were being made out of spite. Except, at this time, we simply do not know that that is the case. Likewise, we do not know that Armand immediately abandoned Daniel. 

Why are we assuming this? Because Louis says he left them alone? He did but, he also told Daniel to get his things because he’d “arrange a car and a plane to take you home”. With Louis’ money and power, he could’ve had Daniel on a plane to JFK in, tops, an hour. If we want to suppose that it was out of spite, then Louis just left Daniel alone with Armand right away? Louis didn’t change his clothes or pack a bag or grab a wallet to go to NOLA? He had his Amex with him at the hotel and he was wearing different clothes, so there is time unaccounted for in Dubai. Then we have to suppose that a newly turned and abandoned Daniel was alone or eating staff in the penthouse despite being expected on a flight that was probably private, because Louis wouldn’t have done it by half measure if he wanted Daniel out of there ASAP. Then we have to consider the amount of time that Louis was supposedly in NOLA. How long would it have taken him to go to NOLA, have his reunion with Lestat, wait out a hurricane, come back and find a fucked up Daniel in that penthouse? We’re still missing time.

I could present you a different scenario. I could say that Armand stalked Daniel back to NY (which would be on brand, but I digress) and turned him there out of spite or not out of spite. That Daniel remembers or doesn’t remember their past together. That Armand possibly stayed with Daniel some time until Daniel, rightfully pissed off for San Francisco or the gaslighting Armand did to Louis or directing the trial or erasing Daniel’s memories or any of the fucked up shit that Armand did in their shared past (there’s a LOT that this gremlin has done that would make Daniel angry), asked Armand to go away. I could even tell you that in Queen of the Damned Daniel and Armand fought, a lot. I could tell you that Daniel left Armand for months at a time when he was pissed off because Armand wouldn’t turn him. I could tell you that after Daniel was turned, things soured between him and Armand dramatically and, per Armand, Daniel left him.

  I can quote Queen of the Damned to state my case:

“Conversations, sparring matches, and downright fights became the rule.”

“Ugly fights, terrible fights, finally, Armand broken down, glassy-eyed with silent rage, then crying softly but uncontrollable as if some lost emotion had been rediscovered which threatened to tear him apart.”

“And the wandering started, the escaping, and Armand did not follow him. Armand would wait each time until Daniel begged to come back. Or until Daniel was beyond calling, until Daniel was on the verge of death itself. And then and only then, Armand would bring him back.”

I can quote The Vampire Armand for you in the parts relevant to Daniel to show you the contentious separation that also reeks of Armand’s self-loathing and his desire to complete his self-fulfilling prophecy even though it’s painful for me:

“…the boy, who had been my faithful mortal companion, and only sometimes an intolerable nuisance…”

“Daniel, though alive and wandering, though civil and gentle, can no more stand my company than I can stand his. Equipped with my powerful blood, he can contend with any who should be foolish enough to interrupt his plans for an evening, a month or a year, but he cannot contend with my continuous company and I cannot contend with his.”

“I pushed his face into the flesh of the first young innocent he had to slaughter for his inevitable thirst, and thereby fell off the pedestal on which he’d placed me in his demented, over imaginative, feverishly poetical and ever exuberant mortal mind.”

“[…]when gaining Daniel as a fledgling, I lost him as a mortal lover and gradually began to let him go.”

“[…] I rejoined the world in a way which I had not done since my fledgling, my one and only fledgling, Daniel Molloy, had left me. My love for Daniel had never been entirely honest, and always viciously possessive, and quite entangled with my own hatred of the world at large, and my confusion in the face of the baffling modern times which had begun to open up to me […] Daniel himself had no use for the world […] Heaping every luxury upon him, I only sickened him with mortal sweets so that finally he turned away from the riches I offered, becoming a vagabond. Mad, roaming the streets in rags, he shut out the world almost to the point of death, and I, weak, muddled, tormented by his beauty, and lusting for the living man and not the vampire he might become, only brought him over to us through the working of the Dark Trick because he would have died otherwise.”

“[…]he loathed me in his heart for having initiated him into Living Death, for having made him in one night an immortal and a regular Killer. As a mortal man, he had no real idea of the price we pay for what we are, and he did not want to learn the truth; he fled from it, in reckless dreams and spiteful wandering.”

The last sentence in the quote above fucking bullshit, by the way, because Daniel actively asked to see Armand kill and Armand told him no but, whatever.

“and so it was as I feared. Making him to be my mate, I made a minion who saw me all the more clearly as a monster. […] There was never any chance, no matter how beautiful the twilight gardens in which we wandered. Our souls were out of tune, our desires crossed and our resentments too common and well watered for the final flowering.”

But for all those quotes, for all the extrapolating, and for all the suppositions, we simply do not know. We weren’t given concrete answers to anything. Which, yes, is frustrating as all fuck. Because, if we read into it at face value, if we follow that this trend would destroy two characters and a core relationship and what it means to them both in the long run, then we have to accept defeat. We have to admit that the writers of this show don’t actually care about this pairing or these characters as individuals. We have to admit that something that we have wanted (and some of have wanted this since Queen of the Damned came out in 1988) is never going to happen. That we, like Louis, have been gaslit and taken advantage of. 

We’d have to reframe all the charged looks, the oddly sexual “yeah,” Armand knowing how to make drinks to Daniel’s exact tastes, Armand de-escalating Louis’ humiliation of Daniel (I know some of you think he was making it worse but, neither the tone of Armand’s voice or his facial expressions read that intention to me, sorry), the overly elaborate courses of food served to Daniel (which, to book readers, is a nod to when Armand ordered everything in a restaurant for Daniel), the brief announcement of a Night Island spinoff, Armand feeling the need to justify himself directly to Daniel in 2x6, putting Assad and Eric/Luke together for press stuff, etc. are all some sick trick. That they either want to make it into enemies to lovers (which it never really was) and forfeit its true meaning or, worse, that it’s all been shipbaiting to keep us on the hook when Devil’s Minion girlies already know that this is the Lestat and Louis show.

I get it. This is not what many of us wanted. We wanted to see the turning. We wanted to see it be about love. We wanted to see Daniel get even a hint of who he and Armand had been to each other in the past, because they definitely had one. We wanted confirmation that, once upon a time, Armand found some of his humanity through a mortal he loved and that, after 30+ years apart, he broke the rule he withheld for nearly 5 centuries because of his love for this boy. We got none of it. All we know is that Armand turned Daniel, that Daniel doesn’t know where his maker is, and that Daniel’s pissed at him. That’s it.

It leaves us, essentially, with nothing. Frankly, it’s more of a nothing than I thought we were going to get. Again, this is the Lestat and Louis show. They are the protagonists and it is their stories (apart and together) that are the A plot. So all that we can do, if we want to see a good version of Devil’s Minion, is wait and hope. Hope that the good writing that has been done in sections of the show holds true to this also. Hope that, given that the plot hole we ALL noticed in 1x2 was explained in 2x8, all of the subtle hints we have been given are actually going to pay off. Hope that this team, that has put a lot of love and care into this show, doesn’t massively fuck over two characters. Hope that someone gets Eric violet contacts in S3 (unless it’s like the theory @cbrownjc has regarding body swapping which would be very interesting---also if you haven't already, follow her, her blog is incredible and has fantastic insights) because if they can give Jacob green ones, there’s no fucking excuse. 

(Yes, this is a nitpick. As an aside, the established vamps do change shades of eye colour, because Louis and Lestat have had at least 2 shades of green and blue respectively in S2, and Armand had 3 shades of amber/brown/reddish orange in 2x8 ALONE. The weird bit with Daniel’s eyes specifically is how dramatic of a colour shade change it is, how quickly the change happens, and that, say it with me kids, NONE OF THE SHADES ARE VIOLET.)

Listen, this hasn’t really had a thesis statement but I’ve ranted enough that it could be an actual term paper. But I want to end this by saying that what gives me hope is that, thus far, the quality of this show, in every aspect, is fantastic. Heck, I get hope in the fact that the Loustat girlies have been DEEP in the trenches for two seasons and it’s getting a little better for them. Louis is where he needs to be at this point of the story and we know that Lestat, the real Lestat, is coming. Goodness knows, Sam’s gonna keep fighting to make sure it is the real Lestat, warts and all, even with the changes that most people didn’t like. So, let’s hope. Let’s hope that the showrunner/head writer is, yet again, being a massive troll. Let’s hope that the writing team actually understood what the point of Devil’s Minion was and where its beauty lay and that they don’t diminish it to be something entirely foreign. Let’s hope that the massive holes, the missing time, missing scenes, all equate to a net positive. Let’s not give up yet.

TL;DR Don’t be fatalistic about how S2 ended and what it means for Devil’s Minion, because there’s way too much that is missing to conclusively write it off at this time.