(I LOVE YOU)¹ jake peralta

four.

THE PACK OF SOUR PATCH KIDS IN OLIVER'S POCKET WEIGHED DOWN HIS JACKET, leaving no space for his hand, allowing the cool air to form goosebumps up his arm.

he sat silently on the roof, peering over the edge across the street, waiting for jake.

"hey, sorry i was late, i had to grab something," a voice from behind oliver spoke out, breaking the silence for a moment until they were reconsumed by it. the only sounds came from the street below.

***

"hey ollie, can i ask you something?" jake's voice came out quiet, after the two had been sitting in silence for a little over an hour. oliver nodded, thankful that jake didn't hate him, scared of what would come next.

"i was wondering, did i do anything wrong or say something that upset you? you've just been avoiding me and i was really worried that---"

"jake, you didn't do anything wrong," oliver cut in before jake could finish. "i said something and i got insecure and worried and i was stupid. i'm really sorry."

"one more thing, ollie?"

"what's up?"

"i love you lots too."

jake punctuated his sentence with a kiss, both taking oliver off guard. the kiss tasted like coffee with too much milk and sour candies. oliver pulled away after a moment or two and rested his head in the hollow of jake's shoulder. oliver reached into his pocket and pulled out the bag of sour patch kids, handing them to jake. "i got these for you."

"ollie, what is the real reason for you avoiding me?" oliver looked down at the ground, focusing on a small puddle before talking a deep breath and answering.

"i love you. but i was scared you didn't love me back, because you're jake and could have anyone and i'm oliver. and i let it slip out that i loved you and i was so embarrassed because i had convinced myself that you loved amy, or hell, even charles and just dating me so it will be easier for you to get to them and i was never gonna tell you that i loved you or any of this and i feel so stupid. i tried hard not to love but you're just so goddamn lovable. i'm really sorry, for everything."

"but i love you, so don't be jealous. and thanks for telling me. now that i know how lovable i am, i can use more amazing, probably die hard related pick up lines."

"yeah? like that time you tripped me and then said 'i guess you're really falling for me'?" oliver let out a laugh as he remembered the memory, when he was walking from his desk to holt's office and jake stuck his foot out.

"rosa gave me that one!" jake replied, joining in on the laughter.

"i'm pretty sure she only gave that to you because she wanted you to trip someone, and this way, it seemed 'adorable' as apposed to 'mean and painful'."

"it was not painful!" jake leaned his head on top of oliver's, his still resting on jake's shoulder.

"yeah, it was! i banged my knee on gina's desk but the worst part was how she didn't let me forget it."

it was silent for a moment, but instead of thick, heavy awkwardness, the two stared out in a comfortable quiet, both half asleep.

"wait... tiger on jacket, medium build, jean jacket," oliver suddenly announced, startling jake. "jake, that's our guy!"

***

"the perp confessed to the first two fires and the third attempted one. the stakeout was a success... and it appears the two of you are friends," holt finished, using the pen in his hand to gesture to jake and oliver's interlaced hands.

"jake, i have a question," oliver said once they exited holt's office."

"yes, i will come over to your apartment with pizza and john wick."

"not what i was gonna ask but sure, sounds great."

"oh, what's up?" jake asked as they stood by his desk.

"am i still listed as 'olive garden' in your phone?"

"uh... no, of course not..."

"bitch! too bad there isn't a good pun for your name," oliver retaliated as he walked over to his desk.

"you'll find one eventually, olive garden."

***

john wick exploded throughout the apartment.  jake and oliver cuddled close into each other as the plot unfolded on the screen.  they were on the second movie and oliver was on the verge of sleep.  the conflicts of the job offer and telling jake wrestled in oliver's stomach as he tried to blink away the sleepiness and focus on the movie.

"jake, i need to tell you something," oliver finally said as he leaned over to pause the movie, keanu reeves momentarily stuck, mid kill.

"sure, what's up?"  jake turned to face him, making oliver's stomach turn.

"i got a job offer."

"wait, really?  ollie, that's amazing!"  jake smiled widely, looking proud as oliver struggled to fight his nerves.

"the fbi offered me a job as a detective," he paused before continuing.  "the job i've wanted ever since i was a kid, ever since career day in sixth grade, when a detective came in to talk to us."

"well, you have to take it!"

"jake, it's in la."  jake's smile faded slightly but not entirely.  "that 2789 miles,"  oliver continued.  "they need an answer by the seventeenth."

"that's in five days.  have you made a decision?"

"i talked to holt, but i didn't tell anyone else.  i have no idea what to do.  i'm torn.  so instead of thinking about what to do and trying to come to a decision, i procrastinated and watched a lot of netflix.  most of the time, if something like this comes up, they choose love.  and sometimes, it doesn't work out.  i have no idea what to do."

"do what your gut says.  don't think about how everyone will react, think about what's best for you."

"well, it's nice in la.  but i don't know anyone.  and the nine nine is my family.  but it's been my dream job, and i'd get away from my parents.  but i'd miss everyone so much and i hate saying goodbye."

it was silent for a few moments before jake unpaused john wick, but oliver was unable to focus.  he started to fall into a light nap, with the decision still whirling around in his head.  the sick feeling in his stomach grew, as he recalled all the pros and cons of taking in the job and doing to los angeles.

he succumbed to sleep when jake took his hand and locked their fingers together.