Was being completly normal about loumand yet again and rewarched the Arun/Maitre scene from s2 e4 and I feel the need to yap about it.
While I do think Louis and Armand had their D/s dynamic for most of the time they were together this scene really shows how far both of them are taking that.
Firsty: Armand saying: "You summoned me" when he arrives. That on its own could just be a phrase to say "You asked me to come" but in the scene prior to that Dreamstat also says Louis "summond" Armand and Dreamstat being a ficment of Louis imagination, Louis himself discribes this action as summoning Armand. He isn't asking him to come he is telling Armand to come to him and know he won't be refused.
Then, througout the first part of their conversation (from "the center isn't holding" to right after "I used to be real good at running things") Armand keeps interupting Louis while he explains his plan for the coven, saying things like "you should [...] leave", "I can't [do that]" ect. Louis shuts that down by saying "I'm a little wet". Armand pulls out an umbrella and and holds it over Louis and from that point the interuptions stop. Because Louis has just proven a point. The unspoken words are: "See? You are going to do what I want anyway. I don't even have to say it" from Armands pov this is probably more conplicated but I'm guessing aside from the fear of losing Louis he did in that moment probably feel good about doing what Louis wants and making him comfortable.
Then the whole conversation about what Armand wants and that he isn't doing what he wants when he wants because of the coven. ("Everyone is doing what they want when they want." "Everyone except for you") that than leads up to Louis saying, about Santiago and by exension the coven, "And thats were you can decide if you want him back or if you want something else."
Armands answer is very trelling here because he doesn't say that he doesn't want the coven and then goes from there, he imediatly jumps to: "I want you. I want you more than anything in the world." Armand straight up does not know who he is without either Marius or the coven. He knows how to be either Amadeo or Armand. And I don't think he was really thinking about wanting as much as needing here. Its just the next logical conclusion in his mind. If he can't have the coven anymore than there is only Louis to tell him who he is now.
"Are you sure about that, Arun?" When I tell you how I freaked out when I heard that line for the first time. There are two perspectives to this scene. I think Louis means this as a way of saying. "Outside of the coven or Marius or anything else, if you just consider yourself, who you actually are, do you want this?" Because Arun is his given name, to Louis that must be the truest form of Armand because it was before all those things happened to him. But what he is forgeting is that Armand isn't even sure his name was Arun and even less who Arun was. To Armand this is saying "Don't be Armand for the coven or Amadeo for Marius. Be Arun for me." And Armand who has no sense of identety cladly takes that. Its probably a good thing to be told by Louis who he has to be in order to please. It gives him security.
So he says: "Yes, Maitre." After that Louis pulls out two cigaretts and gives Armand one but does not use tha lighter he has to light them, instead he looks at Armand who uses his fire gift to light them. Then Louis throws the lighter away. Symbolically I see that as him saying he plans for this to last as in "I don't need that anymore. I got you now." Wich probably lets Armand slip further into that whole servant role for Louis.
So I am in no way saying all this mess is Louis fault or excusing Armands actions. I'm just saying that whole thing was teriblly mishandled on both sides and all of these people need so much thearapy.
