#honeyfics

She huffed at the phone, hoping the stupid device knew that whatever text had been sent to her was not welcomed right now. Beside her, Levi appeared irritated. 

“I guess we’ll... talk later,” he grumbled.

Eris scratched her nose in an annoyed tick. She’d honestly rather not, but it was a conversation she knew needed to be had. 

“Sure. Later. But,” she interjected firmly, “I’ll say this one last time.” She looked Levi straight in the eye, keeping her tone gentle yet steady. By god, if they had to have this discussion again, she’d burn her hair off. “We might still be coupled up, but we’re not together and we haven’t been for a while. If you want to get back with Lucy or graft on another girl, I won’t stop you because honestly, I don’t care.”

Levi’s lips thinned as a sour expression formed on his face, but he kept quiet. Whether it was for the sake of the text or because her feelings had finally sunk in for him, she wasn’t sure. Either way, she was glad he chose silence.

Suppressing the urge to sigh, Eris dragged herself up and leaned over to snatch the phone from the table. She avoided looking in his direction as she shouted for the other Islanders to gather. 

“Guys! I got a text!”

They piled into the bedroom in a matter of seconds, some with breakfast still in their hands.

“Read it out, Eris!” Reese exclaimed. 

Tim took a bite of his toast before asking, “What do you reckon it is? Another challenge?”

“Oh, don’t talk with your mouth full, hun,” Jen tutted. Her expression, however, was still amused. “But I do hope we get treated for some dates.”

The two of them leered at each other, and Eris couldn’t help the pang of jealousy that hit her. That was what she wanted for herself, but it seemed like the one guy she did want in the villa didn’t want her back. 

Stuffing her bitterness down, Eris cleared her throat. 

“Alright, everyone ready?” she asked the group.

When they nodded, she lowered her gaze to the text and read it out loud. 

Islanders, tonight will be the last recoupling. The boys will be choosing their partners.

#thefinalcountdown #holdontight

Eris’ heart sank as she scanned the short missive again. Another recoupling? After they had one just last night? She knew for a while that she needed to find a better partner than Levi, but she thought she had more time. And of course the very last recoupling would be boy’s choice. She could very well be dumped from the villa tonight. 

She couldn’t stop her eyes from darting over to Jake, but she was surprised to see he was already staring back. He ducked his head immediately, looking oddly frustrated. In the next second, Jake bolted from the room without saying a word to anyone. 

Bemused and crestfallen, Eris sagged. She’s been having trouble reading him more than ever in the past few days, but him fleeing from her was very clearly a bad sign.

There were a few beats of silence that were shortly broken by Jen. Eris tuned it out as her mind reeled. She ignored the excited chatter of the room and flopped backwards onto the bed, resisting the urge to groan into the pillow. 

Shit morning indeed. 

x x x

Eris ambled through the villa alone, wondering how on earth she got herself into this situation. 

She had finished breakfast and conversed with the other Islanders in a daze, too worried about what tonight had in store for her. Since Levi wasn’t an option any longer, her thoughts were in shambles as she considered what else she could do. There was always the possibility of coupling up with Rohan as friends, but at this stage in the game, it wouldn’t be right. They both knew the attraction wasn’t there. They deserved better than that.

Eris didn’t care so much about winning. All she wanted was to find a future with someone on the show, and Rohan was not the boy to have that with. There was nobody else in the villa for her. 

Nobody but one, and he had barely looked at her all day.

She’s been dealing with the particular frustration that was Jake for what seemed like half her time there. At the very beginning it looked like he was into her, offering secret glances and smiles across the room that always seemed to verge on longing. They even coupled up for a bit. Those few days with Jake, being able to cuddle up with him in bed and find excuses to touch him in and out of challenges... 

Those days were undoubtedly the happiest she’s felt. To hear him say that he had wanted her to pick him too made Eris smile so wide, her cheeks hurt. 

But all of a sudden, things changed. Levi was grafting on her, and Jake backed off, insisting he didn’t want to stand in their way. Eris had never been so conflicted. On one hand, she couldn’t deny that Levi was attractive, and as a conceptual artist, she was also delighted to learn that they both shared a particular love for installation art. The way he chased after her was thrilling. It was nice being wanted by one of the most eligible Islanders on the show.

But with Jake, things were so... right. 

Early on, he confessed to Eris that he struggled to connect with the others, but she had no problem growing close to him. He started opening up to her after some gentle prodding on her part, then things just snapped into place for them. 

While they weren’t completely attached at the hip, Eris and Jake were damn close. He cracked wry jokes, often only for her ears and told at the most unexpected times. He spoke freely to her about his thoughts on the other Islanders and their couples. He allowed himself to be more selfish when he was with her instead of trying to maintain peace around the villa like he usually did. 

In the same vein, Eris was just as comfortable around him. She felt relaxed in his warm, easy presence, even when he wasn’t talking much. She enjoyed watching him do the most mundane things, like cook or take a swim in the pool. She forgot about trying, about keeping up appearances and making sure her face wasn’t sweaty or her makeup hadn’t smeared. 

Jake made her feel safe enough to rant to him and be quiet with him and be herself, unapologetically, around him.

What humbled her the most, however, was the fact that he opened up to her about his cheating past. 

Fittingly, he had told her about it the morning after the infamous mess that was Cherrygate. It had been early on in his adult life, barely past his 20s, and he’d been dating his then-girlfriend for almost two years. They met each other through a mutual friend, but they didn’t start dating until a few months later. Everyone had seen it coming. Everyone encouraged it too.

Things were fun in the beginning, but it didn’t take long for them both to realize they weren’t good for each other. Their constant arguments were never resolved, and their communication was never there. Jake suspected that they only stayed together for as long as they did because everyone expected it of them.

He was vague about the specifics of his infidelity. All Eris knew was that it started three months before the breakup with some girl who lived on the same street as him. When Jake found out his girlfriend had been cheating on him too, he confessed to his own affair, and they finally decided to split up. With so many mutual friends, the two of them saw each other occasionally, but they were mostly on good terms. Still, he admitted that even if they were both equally guilty parties, there were few things that hurt worse than being cheated on. 

Eris wasn’t exactly torn up about Levi kissing another girl. What did make her cry was knowing that Jake empathized with her enough to share something so private about his life. The other Islanders offered their comfort in their own ways, but Jake was the only one to hurt with her. The night Cherrygate occurred, he was there, wrapping a sturdy arm around her shoulders and telling her how strong she was, how much she didn’t deserve it. The morning after was no different. That was when he permanently cemented himself in her heart.

Eris had a stronger bond with Jake than with anyone else in the villa and even some of her friends back home. It came to the point where she had grown attuned to his emotions. From the subtle wrinkle in his forehead when he was troubled to the downturn of his lips when he was confused, it wasn’t difficult for her to figure out what he was feeling. Even her awareness of his physical presence had become second nature. Her ears could make out the timbre of his voice from the other side of the villa. Her eyes could recognize his silhouette in a darkened room.  

It was well-known that Jake was the most reserved Islander on the show. But she knew him. She knew him, and it was such a privilege that he allowed her. 

He was sweet. Funny. Self-assured. Romantic. Supportive. Considerate. And unquestionably the most beautiful man she’s ever laid eyes on. 

Jake was everything Eris wanted in a partner, and in a very short amount of time, she knew she was already starting to fall fast and hard for the quiet, cheeky chef. She had every intention of staying coupled up with him to see where they could go. 

So when Jake suggested to Eris that she and Levi had strong potential, she was more than a little upset. He didn’t fight for her or their couple, and it made Eris think that maybe he didn’t want her as much as she thought. 

He seemed so willing to let her go. And it hurt.

Eris wasn’t the type of person to internalize her feelings, but being humiliated like that on national television made her bite back her disappointment and put on a strong front instead. She had smiled tightly at Jake, then picked Levi for her date later that night, and when he kissed her, she didn’t fight it. She thought of the man she’d rather be kissing instead, but she didn’t fight it. Everything about it had felt off. His hands weren’t the same, his shoulders a touch too wide. 

Jake didn’t seem to mind any of it. That was the proverbial nail in the coffin that prompted her to choose Levi at the next coupling. Maybe it was the out Jake had been hoping for. After all, he didn’t look all too upset when he clapped along with everyone else at her decision. And he’s obviously been getting on well with Cherry. 

Eris couldn’t stop the small scowl that formed on her face. Fucking Cherry. That ugly, green-eyed monster of jealousy roared inside her whenever that girl so much as looked at Jake. But Eris would never compromise his happiness, and if Cherry made him happy, she’d suck it up.

With all of this drama happening, Eris was starting to wonder why she signed up for the show in the first place. She could’ve had failed relationships back home in Kent just as easily. She could’ve pined over yet another man who didn’t want her in the comfort of her own flat. 

She groaned and tugged at her hair. Mindlessly walking around the villa didn’t help much. Besides, Tim’s constant rapping could be heard wherever she went. It wasn’t like she could escape anywhere. 

Eris walked through the dressing room, her mind nowhere near concluded. But her tumultuous thoughts were interrupted at the sound of hurried footsteps behind her. 

She turned. A small gasp escaped her when she saw who it was. 

Jake strode right for her with a determination she’s never seen from him before. At first glance, he appeared cool and collected, but once she took in his crazed eyes, clenched jaw, and shaking hands, anticipation whirled in her stomach. 

“Jake?” 

“I’m sorry, Eris,” he breathed as he stopped a few feet from her. “I just — can I have a word?”

Her eyebrows knitted together. “Wha— Jake, what’s going on?”

“I have to...” He huffed and shook his head, clearly frustrated with himself. “There’s just something I need to tell you. Can we...?” He gestured to the doors of the roof terrace. 

It was clear that whatever it was he needed to say was big. Jake was rarely anything less than put together, and right now, he looked like he was on the precipice of a meltdown. 

Eris didn’t hesitate as she nodded. “Of course. Come on.”

They entered the terrace, luckily finding it empty. Jake took a seat, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees. His clasped hands sporadically squeezed and loosened. Eris eyed him in concern as she joined him on the bench. 

“Are you alright?” she asked. She’s never seen anyone in the villa look half as nervous as he did right now.

“I’m fine,” he assured. “It’s just... I’ve been thinking all day about whether or not I should say this. And it’s like — if I say it, I might ruin a friendship, or worse. It could be really bad for the villa.”

Jake sighed heavily and hung his head. He almost sounded like he was talking to himself with his next words. 

“But if I don’t say it, maybe I miss a chance to finally be happy?”

Eris’ frown deepened, and she felt a fluttering in her chest, something she couldn’t name. 

Confused as ever, she caved in to the urge to touch him and placed a hand on his arm. “You’re kind of scaring me. What is this about?”

Jake quieted. He stared at her hand, resting gently on his warm skin, and his gaze softened. When he remained silent, Eris squeezed in encouragement. 

He exhaled quietly.

“Fuck it.”

His eyes flashed, and he whipped his head up to stare her down. She almost recoiled. 

“I want you,” Jake blurted, his voice hoarse. “I want to be with you so bad, Eris. From day one... it’s always been you.”

Her jaw dropped to the floor. 

For a moment, nothing else registered other than the words I want you.

I want you.

Jake wanted her? 

Her?

It was appropriate that Eris’ response was just as bewildered. “Huh?” she said stupidly. 

Jake ran a hand through his unruly hair as he shot up from his seat to pace around. “Look, I realize I left it so late, but it’s the last recoupling this evening and I just had to say something, even though I might’ve ruined everything I’ve tried to make in here. Plus, you had all this stuff going on with Levi and I didn’t want to piss you off or ruin our friendship, so I kept quiet about it. But I can’t anymore. I need to know, or it’ll kill me.”

He stopped pacing and took a deep breath. Visibly bracing himself, Jake turned to her, his face verging on desperation. 

“Eris,” he rasped, “is there any chance for me? Could — could something happen between us?”

Stunned, Eris leaned back on the bench with her mouth agape. 

Shock coursed through her for a few long beats as silence stretched between them, his confession hanging in the air. The longer she sat there, utterly dumbstruck, the more Jake’s face fell. It took her a bit, but her brain caught up as she finally absorbed what he had said. 

I want you.

It’s always been you.

Something between us.

The world around her spun, but once the words got through to her, it careened to a complete halt. Suddenly Jake was the only thing she could see. 

Her heart soared. 

A short, disbelieving laugh bubbled out of her as the reality of his confession kicked in, and Jake’s shoulders drooped, looking like she had just kicked him in the gut. 

God, he was so adorable. 

Eris stood up and neared him. “Jake,” she barely managed.

He sighed and put on a brave face, attempting a weak but sincere smile. “It’s alright. I just couldn’t —”

Unable to resist any longer, Eris surged towards him and flung her arms around his neck as she crashed her lips against his. Jake gasped and froze, but once he realized what was happening, she felt his whole body shudder. He engulfed her in his tight embrace and returned the kiss with a fervor that made her stomach swoop. 

Finally, she thought before her mind quieted, focusing only on the sensation of Jake’s presence surrounding her entirely. She knew him, but this... This was new territory she couldn’t wait to explore. 

He moaned into the kiss, his eager hands wandering from her hips to her back until one of them traveled up to tangle itself in her hair. Her heart skipped two beats before running right out of her chest. He pulled her as close as humanly possible then closer still, and as a result they stumbled onto the nearest wall. Jake pressed her up against it, slanting his lips over hers. Eris whimpered a sigh when their tongues grazed, and she couldn’t stop her knees from buckling a little at the electrifying sensation that chased up her spine. 

His hands left a fiery trail wherever they went. When his mouth lowered to the side of her neck Eris gasped, her head tilting back and her fingernails digging into his shoulders. Jake hissed in pleasure and doubled his efforts on her neck by sucking lightly on her pulse point. If not for his firm grip around her, she would have fallen over at how heavenly it felt. His responding, dark chuckle at her reaction would have done her in next. 

For what felt like hours, they remained entwined in each other. Her head was dizzy by the time their kisses and frantic touches slowed down into something soft, content. When they finally pulled apart, Jake rested his forehead on hers, and they exchanged goofy, joyous smiles as they caught their breath. Whatever doubts she’d been carrying had all but vanished as his fingertips pressed into the flesh of her waist. 

“Just to be clear,” he panted, “this means you fancy me too, right?”

Eris laughed. “Yeah. But I could show you again if you’re still not sure.”

His grin grew even wider, and he ducked in for another short kiss. “You have no idea how terrified I was you were going to say no,” he admitted against her lips. 

“It’s always been you too,” she whispered. “But I didn’t think you liked me like that anymore.”

He briefly closed his eyes, and when they opened, they were full of regret. “I’m sorry. I acted like an idiot when we had coupled up. I somehow thought I had messed up my chance when I learned that Levi was grafting on you.”

“So you pushed me away,” she said quietly. 

“I convinced myself you were happier with him, so I tried to move on too.” He let out a humorless chuckle. “Not my finest moment, I’m aware.”

Eris gave him an apologetic look as she brought a hand up to the side of his face, running her thumb over his thin stubble. “I’m sorry too. I should have been honest and said something to let you know how much I liked you, but I... I don’t know. I guess I felt too wounded.”

He nodded. “I definitely could have made things easier, but I understand. I just wish we hadn’t wasted so much time together here.”

A dry smile appeared on her face. If they had actually communicated properly, they wouldn’t have gone through so much bullshit. It was as amusing as it was infuriating. “We’re a pair of dummies, huh?”

He chuckled. “I heard this place will do that to you. It’s practically our job, right? To stir as much drama as possible.”

“Well, I think it’s safe to say we take the cake there.” Eris wrinkled her nose. “How do you suppose everyone else will react?”

“We should talk about that, actually,” Jake sighed as he loosened his hold on her. The air shifted on a more serious note. “I don’t know what the situation is between you and Levi, but we’re still coupled with different people. It wouldn’t be right to surprise them with this at the recoupling later.”

A sense of dread settled in the pit of her stomach. “I told Levi we weren’t together anymore,” she muttered. “But I still need to talk to him.”

“Yeah. And I need to break up with Cherry.”

As much as Eris hated the idea of having that conversation, he was right. They couldn’t spring this on their partners at the last second, even if a part of her thought they deserved it a little. Damn Jake and his kind heart, otherwise she would ignore everyone and spend the rest of her time in the villa with him. 

“This afternoon, then,” she agreed. “We’ll have to get it done before the recoupling.”

“Right. I just don’t want to be that kind of guy. I’ve made enough mistakes in here as it is.”

Eris nodded, and when she caught the remorse in his expression, she stood on her tiptoes to gently kiss him again, feeling him smile against her lips. They pulled away, and she grabbed his wrist to press one last kiss on his palm. His gaze was full of reverence, making her heart clench. 

Jake suggested they get going so that hopefully, Levi and Cherry would calm down by the time the recoupling started. With reluctance, she parted from him and wished him luck with his talk with Cherry. He squeezed her shoulder in thanks as he returned the sentiment, then they left the rooftop. 

Eris walked through the villa in search of Levi, her head held high but her stomach rioting with nerves. She couldn’t imagine the backlash she’d get from both the Islanders and the audience watching, but she didn’t care.