eyes like stars

“this is so stupid.” romi laughs despite themselves, knowing that if any couple in here could have made it far it would have been them. “i don’t care about this show, though, i only care about you. i’ll go with you wherever, we can even buy that van you talked about, i don’t care. i know that i want to be with you outside of all of this.”

Dylan patiently waits. He won’t pressure her to talk, but he’ll gently nudge it out of her if need be. He can sense there’s something plaguing her thoughts and that naturally worries him. He presses a light kiss to the top of her head and holds her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. All Dylan can do in the moment is provide the support through physical affection since he doesn’t want to interrupt when they’ve found the courage to talk. There’s a few people Dylan believes are playing the game in here, and Romi’s definitely not one of them. If anything, they’re one of the most genuine people in this place, someone who has been through so many ups and downs and is just trying to deal with the shitty cards they’ve been dealt in the best way they know how to protect themselves and their emotions—something he relates to a lot. When Romi brings up the mean girl of Love Island, he can’t resist the urge to roll his eyes. He’s beginning to believe Jenny’s meanness stems from serious insecurities. It angers him that Jenny’s come for more people he cares about. “You’re not playing the game. You’re trying to deal with everything you’ve been through in here.” He feels like they all sometimes forget they’re on the receiving end of so much drama and emotional stressors that it will take a toll on them. He acknowledges casa amor had been one of his emotionally lowest moments since coming in here.

“Feelings aren’t meant to go away in a blink of an eye.” When him and Rhys, then him and Naomi ended things, he had to put on a brave face, power through in an environment that’s meant to be fast paced. Yeah, he had Naomi after Rhys, Adela after Naomi—both things that had made him optimistic about what would come, but it didn’t mean his feelings evaporated just like that. “Your thing with Dante is new compared to what you and Marcus had, but you ended things with Marcus for a reason, you pursued something with Dante for a reason. Why do you reckon you’ll hurt them?” he asks. There’s zero judgment in his tone, he’s just trying to probe a little, understand more what’s going through her mind. “I take what Jenny says with a grain of salt. I reckon she enjoys hurting people with her words. I would’ve laughed in her face, too, honestly. Whoever got bored, good riddance, mate. You put so much time and effort for people and you deserve the exact same in return.” He nods, acknowledging her words. “You wanted him to fight for you, or at least, put effort, right? I’ve felt that way in here. Does it make you terrible to want people to put in effort?” It’s what he wanted from Rhys and Naomi. He puts so much into a relationship, invests his emotions and time into building something that when he felt like a second option and realized he was fighting a losing battle, he pulled himself out of the equation quickly to protect himself. “If he goes for it now, what would you do?”

“ YOU ARE NOT RUINING ANYTHING. ”   why does she always think that ?   the but in her sentence stings more than it should, especially because in the end, romi is agreeing to what he had said. dante knows it’s for the best, and it’s not like he expected her to return his affection, but there is a moment of mourning for the loss of the relationship they could’ve had—one where marcus wasn’t in the picture. but he is, and dante reminds himself that just because they’re open, doesn’t mean him and romi’s relationship has to change. not really.   “ there is no need to rush anything. ”   picking up her hand, he gives it a small kiss. the irony of him saying that after saying the l-word is unfortunately lost on him.   “ we can still be me and you, no ?   this will not change things for us, i hope. ”

“ WHAT THE HELL ?   why are you never on my side ? ”   despite his words, josh’s tone is palyful.   “ i don’t understand what i’ve done wrong to make her make me sweat. it’s not like we were together when i hooked up in casa. she basically dumped me. ”   it’s funny how josh only claims naomi dumped him when he’s trying to be in the right.   “ also you’re terrible at your naomi impression. you didn’t even try her accent. ”   not that he can blame her, because the quebecois accent isn’t easy.   “ yeah, that’s how i feel. alright, ”   he takes a deep breath, though he’s smiling. a smile that downplays his nerves.   “ i think i’m gonna do it tomorrow. i have an idea. i feel like everyone on this show always does some grand gesture in front of everyone for this shit, but i feel like naomi would hate that, right ? ”

angel’s delighted that they got the reference, snorts a laugh. “god, that part fucked me up so bad,” he cringes dramatically, shivering. “no, it can be fun. doesn’t even have to include feet, there’s tons of other gross shit we can make each other do.” tongue presses against his front teeth, playful. “we could play truth or dare? unless you got some kinda competition idea. man, i wish we had uno or something…”

IS THAT JEALOUSY HE DETECTS FROM ROMI, or is josh reaching ?   his hazel eyes will only flicker over her for a moment, choosing not to say anything about it.   “ please, she didn’t throw herself at me, ”   josh’s eyes roll at the comment, though a smile if growing on his lips.   “ but i don’t know. it’s naomi, you know ?   she made me wait forever to ha— bake a cake with her. i don’t know if i should be waiting equally long for this too, but it seems stupid to wait. i’m not interested in anyone else, and she’s not either. ”   their argument yesterday made that painfully clear.

“ i think he puts up with me, but love ? ah… dunno about that one. ” would he have kissed romi if so ? debatable. clearly irrelevant that he tried to kiss naomi but whatever. josh still chose to bring that up at the absolute worst time. “ … are we trying to target anyone else ? anyone pissed you off recently ? ” except him, maybe. he’s not entirely sure if he did piss her off but he definitely didn’t manage to be whatever she wanted. it probably counts to some degree. he can’t help the way his smile grows as she laughs so easily, like they always could before everything went to shit. his gaze is taken by her lips, only returning up to their eyes once he realises he wants them on his. he feels guilty about it, having told dante it wasn’t what he wanted, for making it clear to eden he wanted something easy, when right now all he’s thinking about is how he’d rather forget all that and just pull them in by their waist, bring her to sit on top of him and get lost in each other. it’s her voice that brings his attention back, a reminder of what he’s trying to do; be friends, be comfortable at the very least with each other, how he shouldn’t be thinking about kissing them right now. he wonders if dante is right though, that she’s only really entertaining it because it’s what marcus wants. he hopes not, since he wouldn’t want that for her. “ yeah, like, a little patch right in the middle, or… a reverse mohawk or something. in a weird way, i think he’d rock it. ” though realistically josh is probably 50% hair, 50% abs. if you messed with either of those… how desirable is he really ? “ oh yeah, course. this would need to be documented, one hundo percent. ” he laughs. “ i’d do whatever i needed to for ‘ the shot ’. ” though in the villa that would probably mean hiding behind the kitchen counter or something.  “ really ? wanna bet on it ? ” because he simply doesn’t believe them, not at all. “ if he did, we’d see it coming. we’re waaaay smarter. and there’s two of us, so we’d have each other’s backs. ”

HE’S GRATEFUL WHEN SHE REACHES FOR HIM, wasting no time wrapping an arm around her as well, a kiss moving to the top of her head as she leans on him.   “ it should not scare you, ”   he tells her, point blank,   “ and you are not hurting me. as long as we are sitting like this, and i am with you, i am happy. i meant it when i said i do not need to have all of you. ”   a hand on her arm, he rubs it lightly.   “ you do not owe me anything, romi. i don’t want to be that kind of person to you. i’m sorry… i’m sorry if this is hurting you, though, ”   he adds, with a sideways glance in her direction. it’s not like he doesn’t notice the tears, reaching up to wipe one away carefully.

OF ALL THE THINGS SHE COULD SAY TO HIM, her doubting his words makes a wounded look cross his features.   “ i do, ”   he tells her, again.   “ love isn’t about how much you know about someone. it’s a feeling. i know how i feel about you, and i know you do not feel as strongly as i do, and that’s okay. i understand. ”   and he does, really. dante knows that unless they get into a situation where marcus is out of the picture—and maybe even back in california, surrounded by the people she cares about most—it’s doubtful that romi will ever grow to feel the same way about him. leaning forward, he presses a small kiss to the back of one of her hands.   “ it’s okay, ”   he tells her, gently.   “ i’m sorry if that’s not what you wanted to hear. ”   him offering to open their relationship up again, and him loving her.

THIS IS ALL OBVIOUSLY A VERY SERIOUS CONVERSATION BETWEEN THEM, the most serious they’ve had in days, but to dante it doesn’t feel as bleak as he can tell romi views it as. he knows enough about the show to know that the goal is to find someone you’ll be exclusive with, to reach that boyfriend and girlfriend phase, until you get voted off or the show ends. while he can see how many people would want that type of love and relationship from a place like this, dante isn’t looking for it right now. maybe he’s just used to taking whatever crumbs of love people in his life are willing to give him, but all it’s done is made him appreciative about how a little could go a long way. it’s why he means what he says about being able to share her, and why her asking about if he loves her just makes him smile softly, nodding.   “ i do. i love you, romi. ”   he’s definitely not thinking about how soon it is to say that, because dante is a firm believer that if you love someone, you tell them. there’s nothing embarrassing or shameful about the feeling, nor is it something that can come too soon. love is just love.   “ you don’t have to decide what you want to do right now. just… think about it, okay ?   i am not going anywhere. ”

TO BE HONEST, he hadn’t really considered what he’d do while romi continued to figure her stuff with marcus out. at the forefront of this conversation, romi’s been the only thing on his mind. eyebrows knit together now, genuinely considering it.   “ i don’t know, ”   he says, after a few seconds pause.   “ i did not think about that. i just know… you may say you have chosen me, but it does not feel like your heart is fully in it. ”   dante puts his champagne flute down so his free hand can cup the side of her face lightly, letting her look at him better.   “ i know you, romina octavio. you put others before yourself. i don’t know if you really wanted to cut things off with marcus so soon, or if you mean what you say, but… it seems like things are not finished there. i want to do what you would do for me. i do not need to have all of you to love you. ”

HIS HAND IS STILL ON HER LEG, thumb still brushing small circles on her skin, the physical touch between them being what steadies dante the most. the reaction romi gives is expected, but it doesn’t make him not wobble a little at her expression. maybe her question is fair, the way she phrases it, but dante’s quick to shake his head.   “ nobody, ”   he tells her, point blank.   “ i do not want to get to know anyone else, romi. ”   his mouth opens to say more, but it stalls for a beat.   “ but, marcus… ”   somehow he doesn’t know how to end that sentence, so he lets it trail off instead.