#lestat :((

[yesimwriting]

I think bestie would be incredibly understanding about Lestat and his trauma with Gabrielle because first of all she’s grown up in a time that has way more information about how harmful those kinds of relationships are and how it’s genuinely never the child’s fault even and especially if they’re conditioned to like it and seek after it. I think she would be so heartbroken and sick over it like genuinely.

I don’t know if she’s ever seen Lestat in that kind of light before or even just one that wasn’t blinding and confident and just like so unapologetically him I think she would immediately feel so maternal and protective of him. Obviously not in the same way she does with Armand but still like “that poor boy he deserved to be protected” kind of way.

Also I think Lestat would be genuinely devastated at the sight of her crying or trying to hold back tears when she finds out because it would hit him so hard

When Louis found out about it he was justifiably horrified especially because Lestat’s first instinct was to defend it, he genuinely doesn’t know what else to do with himself but defend it because of the shame and the years and years of pain and trauma

Also him throwing up genuinely made me need to pause because that was such a childlike gut instinct. This relationship that he’s never truly felt safe or stable in being showed to someone else and being met with basically a mirror of his own shame and self hate and confusion from the person he loves most in the world

It’s not that he didn’t know it was wrong but that’s his mommy she’s the only person who even began to understand him how could he ever say no to her no matter how confusing it is or uncomfortable it makes him feel

Bestie would genuinely be distraught at the thought of it, or god forbid seeing any of it

I think she would feel an overwhelming need to just sit with him and hold his hand for a little

Also side note: Armand would be sick seeing her comfort him bc first of all why is she being so gentle with Lestat and not him and second of the fact that the comfort and gentleness she’s giving is in the context of childhood sexual assault would, for lack of better words, touch something in him that I don’t know if he knows how to deal with or process. It would sit with him and make him feel sick that despite what’s happened she can only see the good and the child that needed protection from an abuser even if that abuse is still happening and the abuser is his mom. Armand can’t even forgive or even really fully understand what happened to him how and why can she be so forgiving especially to Lestat of all people

I’m so angsty about Lestat and his relationship with Gabrielle. Like get away from him, he’s just a baby 😭

Bestie really would be the most understanding about it. She’d probably feel some shock and discomfort right after finding out, but she’d never feel disgusted by Lestat. It would never occur to her to blame him for that.

Like you said, Bestie has a modern understanding of incestuous relationships and consent. A child can never consent to an adult, especially not a parental figure that has groomed them into thinking that they want that kind of relationship with them.

She’d be so heartsick, especially after seeing the way Lestat still seeks out Gabrielle for affection and comfort. After finding out about their romantic relationship, I think Bestie would instantly clock that it’s rooted in Lestat’s desire to have her really look at him.

Bestie would feel so maternal over Lestat after finding out. Like you said, it’s obviously different than the way she feels when she wants to take care of Armand. Lestat would just seem so vulnerable and in need of someone to keep him safe that she’d have to do something to ‘protect’ him.

He’d seem so different from the larger than life persona in that moment. I think Lestat might have a harder time watching Bestie almost tear up than he would have if she seemed disgusted. Her transparent sadness would make him think about how depressing his relationship with Gabrielle really is.

The scene of Lestat throwing up punched me in a gut. When he saw someone he loves be repulsed by their relationship, he couldn’t deflect anymore. It did feel particularly childlike, and the way that he only calmed down after Louis comforted him. Ugh that’s what he’s been looking for the entire time :(

Bestie really would be distraught after hearing about Lestat and Gabrielle’s relationship or, even worse, seeing a part of it. She’d be so overwhelmed by the need to just sit with him for a bit, quietly holding his hand and dragging her thumb over his knuckles soothingly.

The side note is so good and so interesting to think about. Armand would be sick over Bestie comforting Lestat, especially over a trauma that he’s also experienced. Seeing her be able to look beyond a person and their actions so that she can comfort the wounded child would make Armand so emotional.

It would make him think about a lot of things he doesn’t know how to deal with. Armand has such a complicated relationship with his past trauma. I think there are parts of it he doesn’t fully understand and maybe even parts of it he doesn’t see as wrong.

He’d be so confused and distressed by Bestie’s willingness to give Lestat so much grace over his relationship with Gabrielle. How can she have so much sympathy and understanding for Lestat of all people?

Armand really should have a long conversation with Bestie about his trauma. I think he’d be a little scared to be that vulnerable with her, though. Maybe seeing the way she reacts to Lestat’s traumatic relationship might make it easier for him to open up to her.