Author’s Note: Here’s the newest update! Finally! Apologies for taking an extra few weeks but I got here, we ready! I’m posting this a day earlier than I normally would because I’m impatient and just want it out there for y’all. I also only proof read this a few times so it’s likely riddled in mistakes. I hope you like it anyways.
In this one, we have a little party here, and a little party there. Tension thick enough to cut with scissors and perhaps Jealous!Dieter makes an appearance. I can’t be too sure though ♀️ Guess you’ll have to read and find out. Their outfits are based off these costumes: 1,2,3,4. Bisous!
Next update for this little series is coming soon. I try and update every Friday.
Summary: Dieter Bravo is the celebrity host on a new dating reality TV show and she was signed up by her friends as a joke. She decides to try and stick it out for the prize money and keep everyone else away from her.
Disclaimer: ✨ If you are under 21, please do not interact.✨
“Car dans mes yeux, ça se voit La fièvre dans les yeux, oui ça se voit Mon cœur se serre, j'ai du feu dans la voix Le plus souvent, c'est quand je pense à toi” Fever (feat. Angèle) - Dua Lipa
Anthony nearly tripped over his own feet when he spotted Dieter standing near the edge of the pool. At first it was due to him being out in the main area, which wasn’t cause for much concern, but when he realized who was floating in the pool he jumped into action. He whipped out his walkie and immediately sent word to Jemma while smacking the camera guy closest to him and pointing in the their direction.
“Pan over,” Anthony hissed, “Pan over!”
They quickly set themselves up and even the boom mic was adjusted accordingly to try and pick up on their conversation. Of course Dieter chose to approach her now. She wasn’t wearing a mic pack. Anything related to water meant they weren’t required to wear their mics and Anthony had to give Dieter kudos. The man was slick. He may have come off aloof, but he’d given some thought to what he was doing.
Anthony crouched down and watched the tiny screen of the camera with thinly veiled glee. This was it, this was the content they were looking for. They all watched as Dieter sat down, inviting her to join him and the rest was going to be history. He could feel it.
He grinned to himself, without meaning too, he’d become invested in these two, and not just because their situation was a priority for him. After him and Jemma had gone through all the original tapes and the subsequent ones that came along at the end of each filming day, he found himself wrapped up in whatever world these two were currently in. It was hard no to be. There was a certain magic watching their relationship unfold. Especially when they didn’t know that there was a whole crew dedicated to their story and however it turned out.
Anthony had been the one to push the dates when introducing the new contestants. At the time is was a tactic to try and rock the boat, so to speak. However, it didn’t have the affect any of them were expecting. Well that wasn’t entirely true. Kevin fell for the trap, hook, line and sinker. The fall out giving them an amazing sequence for the show and mixing up the dynamic within the whole group. But when it came to the other two, all bets were off. Instead of causing a rift, it brought the two of them closer together and he wasn’t even bothering to pretend it wasn’t an exciting turn of events.
Between him, Jemma and their little crew, they needed to find more ways to foster the budding relationship developing. Anthony had a few ideas up his sleeves, and hopefully everyone else was on board. Tonight, allowing him to put one of those ideas into motion. See what kind of traction it would bring them. Altogether they needed more ways to keep these two in each other’s orbits. For the show of course, but also for all of them to see how this all played out.
The whole crew of them assigned to this secret project were all equally invested in their turnout. None of them had any idea how it was going to go, given Dieter’s reputation, the rules of the show and well, how opposed to making any kind of meaningful interaction their rogue contestant was. However, for the past few days, it was becoming much more obvious how willing both parties were to be around each other. It may not be the explosive dramatic event that they were used too, but watching them slowly come around was arguably even more satisfying.
Anthony’s walkie chimed to life and as he looked down to grab it, the mic guy kicked him int he shin to get his attention. With a curse on his lips, Anthony looked up to find the guy inclining his head aggressively towards their subjects. Anthony furrowed his brow but looked over at them, then down onto the screen of the camera to find it zooming in. Anthony’s mouth dropped at the subtle but direct touch. There was quiet intimacy in the way Dieter’s hand clutched at her calf, then the swipe of his finger along her bare ankle. The contrast of their skin tones illuminating in the bright sunlight.
All of them held their breath, waiting to see the reaction. None of them knew what to expect but seeing the way she lifted her feet to cross them over Dieter’s thigh had them all vibrating with anticipation. It was the first time they’d openly touched each other, and they’d gotten it all on camera. This was so much more than any of them had expected. Anthony grinned widely to himself, plucking his walkie off his belt and connecting with Jemma. This opened up a whole new chest of opportunities.
~(TRC)~
She stared at herself in the bathroom mirror. There was a lot of commotion going on around her but she was immune to it. She smoothed her hands down the front of her costume, the one-piece suit bright and colourful. A mix between lime green and electric blue. She turned from side to side, admiring the matching coloured feathers that she had strapped to her upper arms. She’d fastened her head piece on and loved the way it framed her face.
She felt great. She couldn’t expressly pinpoint why. Maybe it was the outfit, or maybe it was the fact that her housemates were warming up to her again, or perhaps it was because she spent time with Dieter earlier in the day. Whatever it was it had her excited for the night ahead of her.
She continued to primp and prime herself in preparation for their welcome party coming up. They hadn’t had one since the very first night, but with new contestants around, the producers decided now would be a good time to throw one. If they’d announced this a few days ago, she would’ve been annoyed at having to join in, but today? Today, she was all in. She was ready to have fun.
She backed away from the mirror and was quickly flanked by Jasmine, Shereen and Christina. The new girl, Tamara, was still gathering her berrings to the house dynamics and it didn’t help her case that she was one of the parties to wrong Christina. It had proven to be a bit of a switch in the ordering of most liked to least liked and she found herself no longer at the very bottom. She felt bad for Tamara, but she was balancing on a thin rope and wasn’t sure when it would eventually snap.
She felt bad, but looking over at the newest housemate, she didn’t appear to be bothered in any way and that settled her guilt for the time being. There would be time to offer an olive branch later. At least tonight they were all getting the chance to relax and unwind in fun way that would hopefully quiet down the drama.
The feathers framing her arms began to shift and she looked over to find Jasmine repositioning the arm band to straighten them out a bit more. She smiled over at her and Jasmine winked back. As a group they continued to get ready together, all of them fawning over the vibrant colours and accessories of their costumes.
Every now and then, when there was a quiet moment, she let herself drift back to this morning and spending time with Dieter. She wondered if he’d make an appearance at the party. She hadn’t figured out if he was into the whole scene or if he really was here to stay lowkey and only do exactly what was written out in his contract. She let herself fall into false hope that he’d at least stick around for a drink or two.
She touched up her mascara, leaning closer into the vanity mirror and found herself lost in her memories. Even thinking his name had her nerves on edge in the best way. Everything about him felt electric and caused a current to run through her. She couldn’t explain it, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to try. She felt a tingle on her ankle and smirked to herself as she felt the phantom caress from this morning. She could still feel his warm hands laid out comfortably on her legs and she had to hide the sigh threatening to escape.
“Hey,” Jasmine bumped her hip against hers, “You good?”
“Hmm?” She murmured, glancing up to see Jasmine staring at her with an amused expression. She flushed a bit at being caught up in her thoughts as if Jasmine knew what she was thinking about and gave a hasty smile, “Yeah. Yeah, I’m good.”
Jasmine arched an eyebrow and gave her a potent stare. She capped her mascara and turned to stare back at Jas. Jasmine grinned and nodded, appearing to accept her answer but with a look of ‘we’ll talk later’. She gulped, it was as if Jasmine knew something. Not that there was really anything to know. Dieter and her being friendly with one another wasn’t new. She was sure all the other housemates were on a good terms with him. She knew she had a little bit more of a friendship with him, but that’s all it was. They were friends by proximity and it was fun. There was nothing else to know.
She continued to stare as Jasmine walked over to one of the smaller vanities and adjusted her eye shadow. There really wasn’t anything to know. Dieter and her were friends. She scrunched up her nose knowing full well she was lying to herself but wasn’t going to acknowledge it.
~(TRC)~
Dieter allowed himself to be corralled by Jemma and a few of the other crew members to attend the festivities. It was with veiled reluctance that he agreed. He was unsure about getting too involved with ongoings of the contestants, but there was a tingling at the base of his spine that drove him to making the decision. He wanted to be there. He could continue lying to himself but deep down he knew exactly why he wanted to be in attendance. However, he would continue to ignore the obvious inklings of real emotions growing in him.
The last party the house hosted had been at the very beginning and he was scarce for that one. Sticking around only to make sure all his pleasantries were administered and then retreating to his room to unwind. However, now he knew the contestants a bit better and wasn’t as adverse to mingling. At least, not when it came to her. They had a good rapport, light and carefree. To him, she was a breath of fresh air. Someone who was more than aware of his celebrity but didn’t boil him down to only that. She saw past the fame. She saw him.
He knew that he was letting himself be convinced to participate, past more than just having his presence there. The crew had persuaded him into following the dress code. He sighed, realizing now that it may have been a better idea to sit this one out. Make his contractual appearance and then leave it be. Perhaps putting up a bit more of a fight at how much they were expecting from him.
He didn’t dislike the theme, it was fun and set the tone but that’s what he was worried about. The tone of the evening. A party was one thing, but the theme of Carnival was another. He wasn’t sure he had the stamina to keep up with the rest. He closed his eyes, his age catching up to him for a moment. Albeit this would be a much less smaller version, it still had the potential to keep up with the traditional energies.
He glanced down at the intense blue shorts and thick neck piece set on the edge of his bed. He knew the idea behind the costume was to go shirtless, but he was honest enough with himself that he didn’t want to be that exposed. He crossed his arms over hiss chest and drummed his fingers along his forearm, considering his options. He didn’t have much by way of wardrobe, but what he did have was simple enough to match with the colours he was presented with.
Resigned to his predicament, he grabbed the shorts, headpiece, and necklace and stopped to grab a plain white linen button up. It only took him a few minutes to get himself dressed and he glanced at himself in the mirror. It wasn’t much but he found that he liked it. He couldn’t be one hundred percent sure, and maybe it was the colours, brighter than anything he’d wear regularly, or it was the prospect of getting more time with her, but he felt good. There was a low simmer inside his chest that had him looking forward to the night ahead.
He shrugged his shoulders, shifting his shirt until it sat more comfortably on him. He opted to leave it unbuttoned, playing to the theme but still giving himself more comfort. He turned the tap on, running his hands underneath it and then running his fingers through his hair. He wet his curls and detangled them with a few swipes of his hands until his signature tousled look was set in place.
Checking for all his essentials, he pat down his pockets before reaching for the door. He did one last scan of the room and paused when he caught sight of his night table. He turned over the options in his mind. He argued with himself that he wasn’t old, but on the other hand he was older than them. He knew it probably wasn’t the best idea nor solution but it would help him keep up with the rest. He’d pay for it in the morning, but he figured that he could deal with those repercussions when he was presented with them. Nothing to worry himself over in the present.
Resolved in his decision making, he stepped up to the piece of furniture and pulled the drawer open. He picked up the baggie and opened it gently. He scooped up a small amount, only enough for a bump, and snorted it. He sniffed deeply, making sure he get it all and then rubbed his fingers against the tip of his nose before closing the baggie and dropping it down in to the drawer again.
With renewed vigor, he pushed the drawer shut and rolled his shoulders back. Now he was ready. He checked the time then left, letting his door slam shut behind him.
~(TRC)~
They had been called to gather on the beach, where the crew had set up a little dancefloor and bar for them. Their crew was acting as their bartender as well as the DJ. The speakers were placed in a square around the designated area and quiet house music was playing in the background. She laughed to herself when she noticed the speaker they’d dressed up. Even Betty was out to party tonight.
Jemma and Anthony signalled for everyone to group together and come closer to the speaker, while they waited for their host to come down. She was standing, sandwiched between Jasmine and Shereen, with Christina hovering close to Jas’ other side. Tamara was a little ways off to the far side of Shereen and then the boys were all milled around to their left, hyping each other up while they waited for the kick off.
She noticed right away as the crew starting to reposition themselves, cameras pointing in the opposite direction, and when she followed their lead, she found herself watching as Dieter walked down the pathway leading to their little paradise on the beach. She felt the air in her lungs cease and she froze. He hadn’t laid eyes on her yet, but she knew he’d notice right away, just as she had.
Jasmine felt her reaction and looked over at her, studying her face before following her line of sight. Jasmine let out a quiet noise, akin to a gasp and she snapped back to focus. She furrowed her brows in feigned confusion and turned to Jasmine. Jasmine’s eyes were wide, a flicker of understanding in her eyes. Remembering to start breathing again, she inhaled noisly but continued to pretend like she didn’t know what assumptions Jasmine was connecting together.
She turned her attention back to Dieter only to find his gaze now leveled on her. His eyes roamed her body, taking stock of every detail of her costume. She noticed as his eyes snapped over to Jemma and then back to her. That was interesting. It made her wonder, did the crew know about their little nightly meets? Did they know about the drugs? Did them knowing change things for her?
Before she could be overwhelmed by her thoughts, Betty chimed to life and Dieter dazzled them all with his lopsided grin. Shereen handed her a drink and she thanked her silently, taking a deep gulp from it and then paying attention to the announcements being made.
It was all par for the course. No, tonight wasn’t a free for all. Yes, the rules still applied. Of course, have fun, blow of steam and most of all, dance! Once Dieter and Betty finished up their spiel, a new round of drinks were handed out and the music was turned up until she could feel the bass beating in time with her heart.
She was immediately pulled into the group, both Jasmine and Shereen spinning her around with them. She giggled out loud, closing her eyes and letting the vibes take over. She lifted her hands into the air and danced around with the girls, letting loose and shedding all her anxieties. She jumped up and down with Christina, bopping along to a new song, singing the lyrics out loud to each other.
Her and Shereen wrapped their arms around each other and two stepped their way side by side, waving their drink filled hands as they shouted along to another song. She reaches out and grabs Jasmine’s hand, twirling her around and then being twirled around in turn. They laughed and smiled as they all celebrated together. The sun was setting further and further, casting a beautiful glow over the group and splashing oranges and purples across the horizon.
Everything about the night was turning out to be perfect. Or, almost perfect.
~(TRC)~
Dieter wasn’t sure what to do with himself. As soon as the music started, he was handed a cup, filled to the brim with something sweet and alcoholic. All the contestants had taken over the dancefloor and he was not getting caught up in that. Instead, he leaned against one of the tall bar tables they had placed periodically around the dancefloor. Jemma joined him for a little bit, keeping up some small talk and pleasantries but she was eventually called away by the job and she left him to occupy his own company.
He had half a mind to ask her about the situation he’d found himself in, but Jemma seemed too innocent to have a hidden agenda. He’d have to keep a close eye on her for a bit. Maybe it was a coincidence but given that this was a reality TV show, he highly doubted it. He knew they’d be noticed together this afternoon but that didn’t necessarily mean anything. He’d been spotted chumming it up with other contestants before. How would his time with her stand out in any way.
Regardless, he found himself constantly distracted. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from her even if he tried. From the second he laid eyes on her, he’d been captured. It wasn’t only because of her costume, but also because the moment their eyes met, he was reminded of every revelation he was trying to suppress. All the things he was willfully in denial about. They had fun together. They were friends.
He was sure he could’ve left a long time ago, but every time he mustered up the energy to leave she did something to make him want to stay. He hadn’t even spoken to her directly since the party started, but she continued to hold his attention. The way her body swayed in tune to every song without fail. The carefree way she threw her hands into the air. The shimmy of her shoulders when she leaned into one of the other contestants. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her. Everything she did calling to him. He cleared his throat and slammed back the reminder of his drink.
He’d lost count a while ago of how many cups he’s downed. He was well and truly tipsy and rolling with it. He felt his inhibitions loosen, not that they were all that tightened up in the first place. If he had been anywhere else, he’d have jumped into the fray already, but here, he was less on display and he wanted to keep it that way.
He noticed as she stopped dancing, fanning at her face and miming something to her companions. She slipped her way through the group and under moving limbs until she was a few steps away. He watched as she glanced around, taking in her surroundings and zeroing in on him. She flashed him a brillant smile and he gripped the table top to steady himself. She bounced over to him, her feathers fluttering with her movements.
He immediately turned to the bar and grabbed the nearest bottle of alcohol and glasses. He didn’t even register what he’d grabbed, choosing instead to start pouring. When she approached the table, he held out the glass to her and she accepted with a nod and a smile. He waited until she took a sip for him to raise his own glass and drink.
As she set her glass down on the table, she leaned her forearms on it and tilted her head up at him.
He smirked down at her, and winked, “We match.”
He waved an aloof hand between the two of them, bringing the fact that their costumes were the only two that matched into the spotlight. She grinned and nodded, laughing.
“I can only assume you had something to do with this?” She quipped, “Do I need to report a peeping Tom among us?”
He arched an eyebrow at her, pinning her with a heated stare, “I wouldn’t stoop that low. I’d seek you out and you know I would.”
She pulled back, a look of astonishment on her face. It was the most forward thing he’d said to her. Bordering on acknowledging the current between them. The one they were content to let run it’s course without ever outrightly admitting to anything.
He chuckled at her reaction and rolled his eyes playfully, “If we’re going to blame anyone, I would bet on Jemma, or one of the other crew members. They seem to enjoy causing ripples in the routine.”
She nodded in agreement and then moved to slide around the table and stand directly next to him.
“Are you having fun at least?” She asked, “You’ve been over here in this corner all night, alone.”
He glanced down at her, belatedly noticing how close she now stood to him. He swallowed and nodded, “Yeah, yeah I’m alright. I’ve had something to keep me entertained the whole time.”
She raised her eyebrows at his response but the recognition of his unsaid words registering in her expression. She grabbed her drink without taking her eyes off him and took a sip.
“Well I’m glad that you’ve found something to keep you occupied.” She smiled as she set her glass back down on the table, then turned to watch her housemates on the dancefloor, “I’m sure that whatever it is was enjoying the attention you gave it.”
His grin widened as he watched her side profile. He could see as she shot a glance over at him under hooded eyes and he stepped in even closer, brushing his chest against her shoulder. In tune with his movements, she shifted on her feet until she was angled against him in an open ‘v’ towards the beach.
He bowed in closer to her, crowding her space and watching her reaction carefully. He didn’t want to make her uncomfortable but she pulled him in with her presence. Everything in him wanting to be as close to her as he could possibly get. She gave him a soft smile, her eyes glittering as she looked up at him. He wanted nothing more than to grab at her hip and tug her the miniscule distance between them and line her body against his. But, he knew he shouldn’t. He flexed his fingers, curling them into a fist and then relaxing them. Leaving his hand to hang in the empty space behind her.
He let out an exhale, watching as his breath washed over her face causing her eyes to flutter shut. He ground his teeth together as her head tilted up, the column of her neck elongating. He rolled his lips together, desperately shutting down all the ideas that were starting to swirl in his head. All of the experiences he’d been turning a blind eye to now bubbling to the surface. Falling victim to his own urges, he leaned in, his lips only a few inches away from her ear and murmured her name. He felt the shiver that ran through her then kept his gaze trained on hers as she turned to meet his.
“Hey babes!” A voice called out towards them, shocking them both out of their reverie. “Come back, we miss you!”
Their attentions snapped towards the caller, both of them abruptly stepping apart. Her shoulder knocked backwards into him and he let out a soft grunt before moving to the side. However, losing his presence behind her had her stumbling into the open space. She flung a hand out in an attempt to catch the table and bring herself balance but he was faster. His reactions kicked in and he reached out and wrapped an arm around her waist, and tugging her forward. She fell into him, her hands landing flat against his chest, keeping her steady.
His heart raced, realizing that he’d unintentionally done exactly what he was trying to avoid moments before. She stared up at him and he stared down at her. Her chest was expanding against his, while his breath came in heavy pants. She swallowed thickly as they found themselves nose to nose, staring deep into each others eyes.
It was a long moment where they held onto each other, stunned into silence. The air around them charged with the unspoken connection between them. Sooner than he would’ve liked, he felt her breathing level out and her fingers contract against him before she was pushing away. He let her go, his arms falling back to his sides and then tucking his hands safely away into his pockets.
The music of the night slowly trickled back into his awareness and he spared a look over at the dancefloor. Jasmine was standing on the sidelines, smirking over at the two of them. He closed his eyes and let out an exhale through his nose. That could be a problem, one that he didn’t want to have but one that he also didn’t want her to have to deal with.
Realistically, nothing had even happened. Whatever it was that this was between them could easily be waved away. He didn’t want to complicate things for himself. He didn’t even know what it would mean if he fraternised with the contestants. Was it even allowed? Had there been a clause written into his contract? He didn’t remember one but he also only skimmed it, trusting his lawyers to warn him of anything truly shady. He nearly groaned out loud when he thought of all the implications that could arise.
His eyes snapped open, when a warm hand laid across his forearm, tearing him out of his thoughts. He focused his gaze and found her giving him a soft, almost shy smile. An expression he’d yet to see grace her features and it sent him reeling. A moment of true vulnerability from her and he was caught up in what his fucking contract might say.
He forced himself to calm down while she backed away, walking backwards towards the dancefloor. He angled himself to the side, studying her as she went. She kept the smile on her mouth, letting it slowly curl into a smirk and he laughed lightly to himself when he saw it. She gave him a cheeky wink and went to turn away but then paused. He held his breath, waiting for what would come next.
“Goodnight, Bravo.” She called over at him.
He laughed, his shoulders shaking with his mirth. The tension was still thick between them but she managed to find a way to dissipate it while also keeping their fire ignited. He inclined his head towards her, offering her the same sentiments and with one last bright grin, she spun around and rejoined her housemates.
He faded into the shadows, taking a moment to himself while he let his eyes wander up and down her body while she fell into step with one of the guys on the dance floor. If this had been any other situation he’d immediately have his back up, jealous and ready to start a fight. But not tonight. Not here. Something about their situation made him pause. He knew there was nothing to be up in arms about.
He had her. She had him. Whether either of them was ready to admit it or not.
He turned on his heel and with a hidden smile for himself, he retreated back to the house to call it a night.
Word Count: 2900 Rating: R to Mature for the whole series, nobody under 18, scram.
Warnings: Language
Summary: You have known “Dieter Bravo” since you were kids and you two used to be thick as thieves before his big breaks when he developed a serious douchebag (and cocaine) problem. The big problem you two have isn’t a lack of compatibility or trust or whatnot, it’s that Dee continues not to acknowledge that you two have a fucking child. That he named Pickle.
^this be the vibes folks, come on in and buckle up.
A/N: As promised the Epilogue. There is plenty of room for requests of these guys :)
Click Keep Reading only if you have read the Rating and Warnings and understand the warnings may not be complete to avoid listing spoilers. As AO3 says ‘creator chooses not to use warnings’. This work is rated Mature and you should be over 18 to engage by clicking keep reading you agree you are the proper age for adult content and themes.
This story ultimately being about Dieter growing the fuck up, learning how to be himself as Diego, and loving and letting himself be loved by his family is perfect.
