request: Steven/Marc having a huge crush on the reader - Marcs more calm about it and stevens like nope can't talk to them - and then Jake just gets fed up like ... "hi reader, I just wanted to let you know, Steven and Marc have a huge crush on you - and so do I - and we were wondering if you'd like to go on a date because these two cowards have been annoying for months" fluff? - anon
pairing: steven grant x fem!reader x marc spector x jake lockley
summary: jake finally asks you out after marc and steven keep skirting around the issue.
word count: 1,021
warnings?: kinda bad but oh well, pet name (princess), not proofread
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Jake Lockley was really getting sick of their shit. For the most part, Jake didn't mind taking the back seat. He was fine with only coming out and fronting when he was needed. And, truthfully, his skillset wasn't needed very often. Marc by and large was able to handle things himself and, now that Steven had grown a bit more confident in his fighting abilities, Steven didn't really need someone stepping in. So, Jake didn't need to front unless there was the rare moment when either Steven or Marc couldn't go all the way.
And this, it seemed, was one of those moments.
Except, Steven and Marc weren't fighting a bad guy. They were acting as Khonshu's fist of vengeance. They weren't having to defend themselves. Nope. This was something completely, and utterly, normal, and it almost made Jake feel like he was in middle school, only recently finding out that girls don't have cooties and that, actually, it might be kinda nice to have a girlfriend. Because that was exactly how Marc and Steven were acting.
Truthfully, Jake could understand it. Because, well, he liked you, too. You were, to put it simply, the most amazing woman any one of them had ever met before. You were kind, you were crazy intelligent, you were witty, you were funny. It was like someone had taken everything all three of them could ever want in a partner and wrapped it all up nice and neatly with a bow in you. But every. single. time. he tried to make a move, Steven or Marc would suddenly front and stop Jake from asking you out. Which was beyond frustrating! Because all three of them liked you! So rarely were they all on the same page and yet Steven and Marc refused to ask you out?! God, it made Jake want to fucking scream.
Especially now, as Marc was talking to you at the supermarket.
"So, uh," Marc coughed awkwardly, leaning against a shelf but nearly falling over as he miscalculated the distance between him and the shelf.
"Shit, you okay, Marc?" you asked, reaching out to steady him.
Marc's face burned, ducking his head down so you couldn't see his pink-tinted cheeks. He coughed again. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. They must've been rearranging things in here again. Could've sworn that shelf was two inches closer."
You let a quiet laugh. Oh, Jake loved your laugh. He wanted to make you laugh all the time. "Or maybe you just have bad depth perception."
Before Marc could even respond, Steven fronted, blinking owlishly, before saying, "Sorry, love, err—I mean, Y/N, 'cause that's your name, not love, but, uhhh, we gotta head out now, yeah? Forgot that I had a shift this weekend! But we'll see ya 'round, yeah?"
"Wait—"
But Steven was gone, practically sprinting out of the store. And as the man ran off from the woman all three of them adored, Jake heard you mutter, "The museum's closed today."
What the hell was that!? Jake snapped as Steven ducked into an alley, trying to steady his breathing.
"What was that? That was me trying to avoid us being humiliated!" Steven said. "Look, I like what we've got going with Y/N right now. She's a good friend. I don't want to lose that when we inevitably make things awkward by asking her out when she's not interested! When she rejects us, nothing will ever be the same again. And I can't lose her. I just can't."
You have to try.
"No, I don't. I don't have to do anything. I don't want things to change—"
Marc jumped in, Jake, look. Steven and I are fine just being friends with her—
Well, I'm not! We all love her. And I know she loves us too. She's been waiting for one of us to make a move, and it's not fair that we've been making her wait so long, Jake said. Look, how are you two going to feel when she moves on and dates someone else? When she marries someone else? Are you guys really going to be okay with it? Or are you going to wallow in self-pity and kick yourselves for missing out on something great?
Neither of them answered.
I can you right now, I'm not waiting. I'm going to make the move. And neither one of you can stop me.
Jake fronted, taking a moment to calm his nerves. While he may have had more confidence about this entire thing than Marc and Steven, he still worried a little bit that this could ruin everything. But, dammit, he needed to try. He had to.
He walked back to the store, hoping that you were still there. And, thankfully, you were, still browsing the cereal aisle that Steven had left you in. Jake walked up to you, clearing his throat when he was a few feet away.
You jumped slightly, whipping around to look at him. "Hey! I thought Steven had to go to work?"
"He was lying, princess," Jake said. "You make him a bit nervous."
Your brows furrowed together. "Oh. I don't mean to. If, if there's anything I can do to make him more comfortable—"
"You make him nervous because he has a massive crush on you," Jake said, ignoring Steven's grumblings. "So does Marc. And so do I."
"Oh." You titled your head, blinking slowly. "All three of you like me?"
"Yes."
"And...and what are you going to do about it?"
"I'm going to take you out to dinner tonight. I'll get us a reservation at that restaurant you were talking about the other day. I'll tell you the time as soon I book the reservation."
You smiled slightly. "You're more forward than Marc and Steven."
"Only 'cause I can't wait any longer for them to get their shit together. So, what do you say? Will you go to dinner with me?"
You took a step towards him, pressing a kiss to his cheek. You leaned towards his ear, whispering, "I would love to."
