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DJO in Miami, night two, 7/7/26

Via jenniferdenham

Daniel Molloy has driven away everyone who ever loved him, and he knows it.

By the time we see him in S1, he's been divorced twice, he's estranged from his children, and he has no friends to speak of. All he has is his career, which he holds onto as the one thing he did right in his life. He even tells Louis: I was bad at everything else, but I was a good journalist. He has accepted this about himself. He knows he was the problem in all his relationships - the choices he made and the hurt he caused are the reason he's alone. That is a HEAVY pill to swallow, especially when you're in your 70s and staring down the barrel of a terminal illness.

Then suddenly, he's a vampire. He's not dying anymore. Now he's going to live forever. What's he gonna do with all that time? The only thing he knows how to do is be a journalist, so that's what he does. He throws himself into making his documentary because it's literally all he has. He's not like Louis, whose mortal family still loved him and wanted him around even after he turned, or Lestat, who quickly made fledglings of the people he loved so they could spend eternity with him.

Daniel tells Louis: "Vampire loneliness - I get it now."

Daniel doesn't have people who love him. He ruined all that. All he's got is his career as a journalist. So that's what he spends his eternity on - he's gonna make his documentary and wring some truth out of Lestat, because it's a distraction from facing down eternity as an immortal who is not just alone, but who has lived a long life and come out if it with the conclusion that they are fundamentally unlovable and its their own damn fault.

And now here's his maker again. Fuck this guy, right? Armand is the one who gave him this immortality, which he's now going to have to spend alone and unloved. And to top it all off, Armand left Daniel too. At least this one time, Daniel can say that it wasn't his fault, and he can pour all his anger and frustration out on the one person who left him when he didn't deserve it.

And then Armand says, "By the way, I love you."

"I've been here the whole time. You thought you pushed everyone away? You didn't. I'm here. I've always been here."

"Do you remember all the times you were a bad husband? I was there and I still love you."

"Do you remember all the times you were a bad father? I know about that. I still love you."

"Those awful, shitty things you've done? I know about those too and I'm fine with them. You aren't repulsive to me. I still love you."

"I've cared for you at your worst, and I still love you."

"I know you need your career to give your life meaning. I'll even support you in that if you let me. Because I love you."

Inde Navarrette recreating Nikki's iconic moments OBSESSION (2026) Dir. Curry Barker

"Steve," Dustin says, trying to get his attention. His voice is caught in the back of his throat and it comes out more quietly than he means to. He clears his throat and tries again. "Steve."

Robin and Steve stop talking and turn, and the suave confidence that Dustin has tried to project falters when he sees Steve's face. He looks nervous, head tipped down like he's almost reluctant to look Dustin directly in the eyes.

Dustin clears his throat again and extends his hand. "Shall we?"

That's when Steve looks up properly, surprise and hesitation and what Dustin thinks might be hope warring on his face. He looks at Robin, who deftly plucks the drink Steve's clutching out of his hands. She slips back into the reception with a wink to Dustin.

The music pulses faintly through the glass doors, though the late-night choir of insect song fills the air more fully. Dustin reaches out and takes Steve's empty hand, tugging him forward gently, and Steve follows.

"Here," Dustin says, taking Steve's other hand and placing it on the slope of his shoulder. When Steve doesn't pull away, Dustin slides his own hand around Steve's waist to the small of his back, and without any other words, they start to move together. Their dress shoes click on the slate stones of the patio as they step and turn slowly, not following precise dance movements, but just the rhythm of their own bodies.

They know each other, how to accommodate the different lengths of their strides, when to follow and when to lead. It's somehow more natural than Dustin expects, and exactly what he knew it would be like.

"So you finally got your head out of your ass," Steve says, breaking the silence.

"Wow, you're such a romantic," Dustin responds sarcastically, though without any real heat. "You steal all the ladies' hearts with lines like that?"

Steve smiles wryly. "It's working, isn't it? Not like you were responding to all my other attempts," Steve spins them so he's walking Dustin backward, starting to take the lead.

"Oh, is that what that was? I think you're going to need to try harder than that, Steve," Dustin says, the rhythm of their banter picking up.

"It's not my fault you have no observational skills," Steve retorts. "What's a guy gotta do these days anyway?"

"You called me a mopey bastard and then stormed off. Am I supposed to be impressed by that?" Dustin says, grinning up at Steve, taking the lead back and dancing them toward a more remote part of the patio.

"You're not?" Steve asks, bringing his face closer to Dustin's. He can see the glimmer of amusement in his eyes. Dustin knows Steve loves their bickering just as much as Dustin does. "You're right here, aren't you? I think I'm plenty romantic."

"Well, now that you've got my full attention, why don't you give me your best line?"

They've all but stopped moving at this point, swaying back and forth at the edge of the patio, the dark lawn sweeping out before them while stars glitter overhead.

"Can I do something that will make sure you don't feel like you're in middle school anymore?" Steve says suggestively, voice a low, deep rumble. His eyes drop to Dustin's lips.

"Dude," Dustin says. "That's your best line? That sucks!"

Steve pulls back, affronted. "Oh, like you could do any better? Show me your moves, then, Romeo!"

Dustin rolls his eyes, wraps his fingers around Steve's tie and pulls him down for a kiss, feeling Steve melt against him.

"You drive me nuts, Henderson," Steve huffs a laugh against his lips, before running his fingers through Dustin's curls to kiss him again.

"Oh, I know," Dustin says, smiling so widely he can barely kiss back.

The end.