connect [rich g. x fem!reader x jake d.]
( Can you do a Poly Rich x Fem Reader x Jake fic? Preferably where the reader is a big geek and likes to cosplay. (Probably met when reader was doing the costumes for the play) Â )
ok but i love this
ok this also went from âbig geek who likes to cosplayâ to âgeek, likes to cosplay, does costumes for drama dept. and knows shit about theatreâ because i couldnt resist tbh
this is 10,000 words. brb gonna go die
pls dont expect this from me since this was just something that i got rly rly into writing and got rly carried away
warnings: uhhh none that i can think of other than general language but let me know if im forgetting stuff
    Alright. You could do this. All you had to do was come up with costumes, take measurements, make everything by yourself, and have everything ready in time for dress rehearsal to begin - along with keeping up with schoolwork, going to Hobby Lobby (which, thank fuck you were getting a huge discount for, because otherwise youâd basically be destroying your own shit in order to make anything) to get everything you needed,  and basically do everything your average person needs to survive. So basically, you were ready to die a bit more inside and start multitasking - and lose sleep, but that was normal. What wasnât normal was the show you were doing costumes for. When Mr.Reyes mentioned doing Midsummer, you imagined youâd be spending your nights sewing costumes for fairies - not... zombies. But you forced a grin and told him youâd do your best, and clutched your sketchbook to your chest, the paper with the cast list and roles jammed in, and the script for the play sandwiched between binders in your bag.
    This was fine. Youâd go and watch one of their rehearsals to get an idea of how long everyone would have between costume changes, and Mr.Reyes would be speaking his vision to you as you would hastily scribble notes down, basically becoming a bobble-head as you tried to take into account everything. Youâd start doing homework during classes, read online for whatever book and bullshit your way through any quizzes. Maybe you could copy some (or almost all) answers off of Christine if sheâd let you. Then eventually youâd start spending your last class taking a nap with Christine in the drama room while the rest of the class did whatever - or working on whatever schoolwork you could if you werenât tired.
    The things you did for costume design.
    Christine was the first person you measured. Sheâd been through this numerous times before, telling you her height and weight happily and smiling at you. Her smile fell at one point as you were measuring her chest.
    âYou might want to be careful, [y/n],â she said softly, âI mean, I donât mean to be rude but...â She glanced over to where the rest of the cast sat, chatting among themselves. âI donât think they know how this works?â
    âYou donât sound rude!â You chirped, âtheyâre new to drama, right?â
    She nodded. âI donât mean to sound mean or anything - I just thought I should warn you that someone might take offense to you asking their weight? Sorry, I know that sounds kinda weird-â
    âNah, itâs cool, Christine,â you shrugged, âIâll explain that this is just for me to know and that this wonât be shared with anyone else. Thanks for the heads-up, though.â
    Christine only smiled. After her, you had Jake Dillinger next on your list. He gave you the information you needed without question, and you took to measuring. After the awkward silence began to creep in between you, he finally spoke.
    âDo you do this a lot?â
    You hummed as you looked up. âMeasuring people?â
    âYeah!â He smiled, âlike... costume stuff.â
    You nodded. âItâs kind of my passion.â
    Jake smiled at you. God, you knew how many people would kill to have Jake Dillinger even look their way - and here you were, tape measure around his waist without a second thought to it while you were fairly sure you had at least one pair of eyes on you. It didnât click until half-way through measuring his inseam that some of these people probably have never seen anyone taking anyoneâs measurements.Â
    Well, this was going to be fun.
    Next was Rich Goranski. He raised a brow when you asked for his height and weight, but the moment you were about to launch into your âI need to know this because itâs legit important for costuming-â speech, he shrugged and told you.Â
    âYou do realize how this looks, right?â He said, slightly smirking while you slightly slapped at his leg. âWhat?â
    âMove your leg.â
    âWhat?â He repeated, before moving his foot slightly, âoh.â
    âHow does this look, Rich?â You said, looking back up at him.
    âYou donât know?â
    âEnlighten me.â
    After a pause, he only frowned. âNever mind.â
    Thatâs what you thought.
    Jeremy was fine. He might have been somewhat awkward for a second, his eyes kept flickering from a spot on the wall to you as you measured anywhere below his waist, but he was quiet and didnât ask questions and let you work - taking any instructions without hesitation. Brooke was similar, although much happier and barely hesitated to give you her weight and height. Heck, she actually complimented you on your dress at one point - something youâd made earlier in the year. Jenna was similar, although much chattier - which was definitely fine. You actually liked it, compared to how quiet everyone else had been while youâd taken their measurements.
    Then came Chloe. Youâd known about her and Jakeâs relationship in the past, so maybe that was why sheâd been glaring at you the entire time you basically breathed around Jake. But she smiled.
    âHeight and weight?â
    She hesitated. âWhy?â
    You sighed. âThis will stay between you and me - I just need it for costuming reasons.â
    Chloe clicked her tongue before answering your question. Barely half a second later, she spoke once more. âI saw Jake was talking to you.â
    âAnd so did Christine and Rich and Brooke and Jenna.â You shrugged, âlook, Chloe, if youâre trying to say there was anything going on - there wasnât. I took his measurements, he asked if I do this a lot, and I told him I did since costumes are my thing. Heck, we havenât talked before today, so if youâre worried about anything between us-â
    âIâm not worried,â she snapped. âI just-â She frowned as she watched you fumble with the measuring tape, âI wouldnât want you to get any ideas since Jake obviously has his eyes on someone else.â
    You finally looked up after straightening out the tape. âWeâve barely ever talked before. Iâm not going to fall in love with him after one talk.â
    Chloe only stared at you for a moment, before letting you finish up your job. You shut the folder you kept, making sure all the papers were secure, shoving your measuring tape into your pocket, and snatching your bag from a chair. You thanked them for being patient, forcing your smile as you make a comment about how youâll pick up supplies and get things done as soon as you can, only receiving a halfhearted response from everyone but Christine and Mr.Reyes, which managed to evoke something from both Jeremy and Jake, which in turn managed to get the rest of the cast to give you more than youâd expected.
    Well, that really showed you how fickle people could be. Not that you needed it - but still. You werenât sure whether it was Jake or Jeremy that made them change their minds, but you left without thinking too much into it.Â
    You had work to do.
    A week later and youâre already buried in your work. The contents of your room have practically been shoved into the closet as you invested all your time into each little detail in each costume. You spent your days either working on small details while in different classes, spray painting shoes during drama, or scribbling in answers to homework due the next period (or day, if you were lucky), courtesy of Christine. If you had a chance, youâd crash on the small, cheap couch in the drama room for a bit, and then you were back home and sewing and (rarely) burning your fingers on hot glue.
    It was hell, but it was worth it.
    The rustling of paper and plastic bags caught your attention, snapping your attention away from the warming glue gun, which wasnât warming up fast enough for your liking. There stood Christine, admiring the different pieces of costumes that were strewn about - the bare bones of Brookeâs dress that still needed the bows fixed and lime green details, Christineâs own dress hanging on a hanger only needing tiny touch-ups, a shirt you found for Chloe that you had yet to touch, and one of Richâs costumes already near completion.
    âWow.â
    âYeah.â
    âYou need a break. Câmon,â she said, sitting on the edge your bed, âI brought food... and more hot glue sticks.â
    âYes!â You smiled, hopping up. You shoved your backpack from itâs spot, sitting cross-legged as you took one of the Chipotle cups from her.
    Christine sat on your bed, unfolding the bag as she hands you your usual order. You thank her and almost immediately break into your food. Sometimes you wonder how you ended up with such a great friend, considering she lets you copy off her work without question during your sleepless weeks and memorized your order (not that you havenât done the same, but still). Then again, ten years of friendship have made the two of you this close. Sleepovers and doing theatre together until high school - when you decided you didnât like doing it as much - and movie nights where the two of you screamed at stupid horror movies or shifted uncomfortably at random sex scenes or jammed out to movie musicals; all built up your friendship over the years, even if there were a few fights from time to time. In the end, you two were closer than anyone else you two knew.
    âJake asked me to come to his Halloween party on Friday,â she said as she opened the container containing her own order.
    âAnd?â
    âI think I might go.â She shrugged, âheâs so sweet, [y/n]. He suggested that we go as prince and princess.â
    âThatâs cute,â you smiled, âdo you still have that-â
    âRenaissance costume? Yeah,â she smiled, âit still fits! I mean, it was only a year ago, but still.â
    âWell... have fun, I guess,â you shrugged. She stared at you.
    âI was... actually going to take you with me? Jake said itâd be okay, and youâve been pretty stressed about all the costumes, and I just thought you could use a night out-â
    You traced circles into the condensation forming on the cup, awkwardly taking a sip. You did have a costume, so it wasnât like you werenât prepared. Albeit it be based off of a video game character, it was still something. âPeople are gonna say Iâm a geek.â
    âSo? People know that Iâm a theatre geek. Besides, if anyone says anything, at least you have the satisfaction that you made your costume yourself!â
    You eyed the pair of long-fall boots in the corner of your room, the portal gun youâd ordered resting against them. Maybe youâd at least ditch the portal gun for Halloween - you didnât want to risk damaging it, considering the house would probably be full of drunk teenagers. You looked back to Christine.
    âIâll go if we can have movie night on Saturday. Me, you, and a couple bags of discount Halloween candy,â you brushed a lock of hair behind your ear.Â
    âNo horror movies,â she said. You frowned.
    âFiiine. No Singing in the Rain.â
    She was taken aback, âbut [y/n]-â She paused, âactually, I have something better. Iâll pick you up.â
    The backyard was the quietest place, for some strange reason. The music wasnât threatening to knock pictures and paintings off of the walls, there wasnât the blazing heat of a hundred teenager bodies - quite the opposite, in fact, and you were wishing you brought some sort of jacket - and the lighting was dim. Sure, it wasnât dead silent - people littering the porch and lounging around the pool (or, if they didnât care enough, they stripped down to next to nothing and jumped into the icy water before letting out a scream at how fucking cold it is), but it wasnât too much. You sat in a porch swing, hugging a pillow and swaying back and forth as you wondered where Christine was. Maybe youâd convince her to leave a bit earlier than the two of you had planned, and youâd crash in her bed since fuck the couch, the couch is always cold.Â
    The swing suddenly jerked back, sending you immediately gripping onto the back and arm. When you turned to confront the fuck that decided to throw themselves into the spot next to you, you were met with the familiar face of a certain boy who asked you if you realized how âthisâ looked when you measured him. He sort of grinned at you, as you sink back into your spot, clutching the pillow closer to your chest. Just what you needed: Rich Goranski.
    âYâknow, I didnât expect to see you here,â he began suddenly, not caring to greet you, âbut Christine nâ Jake both mentioned you were around here somewhere, so...â
    âIâm taking a break.â You ran your thumb over the corner of the pillow. âFrom costumes,â you added on, âChristineâs making me.â
    He nodded and smiled again. âGood. You deserve to let loose sometimes.â He paused, âwho are you?â You looked at him, before he just gestured toward your body.
    You glanced down to your costume. âJust a video game character.â
    He didnât respond at first, but the moment your attention drifted back to the pillow, he spoke. âThatâs cool. Iâm Jason,â he said, âfrom the movies? Friday the 13th?â The mask gleamed in the low light from overhead, and you could barely see the red streak peeking out slightly from underneath it, boldly standing out against golden brown.
    You sort of smile. âI know. I like horror movies.â
    âYou do?â He sounded genuinely surprised. You didnât blame him, honestly - especially with the reaction you had earlier when all he really did was sit next to you.
    âYeah. I mean, I get fucking terrified, but theyâre still good.â
    He chuckled a little, reaching up and pushing at the edge of the slipping mask, poising it back at the top of his head, âyou wanna grab a drink?â
    âIâm fine.â
    Rich pressed his lips together, obviously not expecting you to reject his offer. He pushed back slightly, basically swaying the swing back and forth slowly. âYou do costume shit often?â
    You had to admit - you werenât fond of his word choice. But you shouldered your thoughts, squirming uncomfortably against the wood, âyeah. Kind of my passion.â You nearly decided against it, but you were already speaking, âI made this,â you gestured slightly toward your outfit. âAnd the boots, too,â you tapped your fingers against the metal curving out of the back.
    He didnât speak, just staring. âCan I?â He reached out a hand. You slowly nod.
    You barely knew Rich Goranski - at least, personally. He sprung up during sophomore year and was Jakeâs friend, and has slept with numerous girls if the rumors surrounding him were anything to go by. Plenty of people didnât catch his attention - you and Christine were never the object of his eye, as were many of your friends - but the ones that did seemed to be the popular, gorgeous girls that seemed fawned about by everyone. You heard about how he was one of those guys whoâs focus was basically getting into girlsâ pants and to watch out because his fingers like to roam or some bullshit.
    But here he sat, right next to you, tracing over the detail of your boots. His attention didnât wander to your thighs or chest or anything, and a smile tugged at the corners of your lips as he let out the softest gasp at the metal curve of the brace of the boots. Rich seemed genuinely interested, soaking in every part of what would be a complete cosplay if you had your portal gun - and heck, you kind of regret not bringing it if your boots were enough to stun him. For a moment, the cool Rich Goranski who makes stupid sexual comments faded away. For a moment, you saw someone else.
    And within a moment, his hand jerked back and he was gone. He leaned back, gave you a half of a grin, and eased back into his usual cocky, too cool for this shit persona. âIâll, uh, see you later,â he stood, the swing drawing back a little too quickly.
    The swing threw itself forward, and you nearly fell out if it werenât for Rich, quickly catching you by the shoulders, his fingers warm against your bare skin. He chuckled softly, tracing circles in your skin with his thumb.
    âYou alright?â He said softly. You dumbly nodded, movements slow as you leaned back. He smiled again, and for a split second, you swore you saw the fainted, thinnest pattern of a circuit creep onto his features, etched out across his freckled cheeks ever so faintly. âGood. I wouldnât want anything to happen to someone as cute as you.â
    His touch lingered a few seconds more before he stepped away, making another comment about how heâll see you later. The warmth of his touch seemed to haunt your skin, the circles he traced feeling as if it had been tattooed there, just as a reminder that that was real and Rich had just been talking to you. You dismissed the thoughts quickly, standing slowly and stretching, bones popping softly. Youâd find Christine and see if you two could leave. Passing out in Christineâs room sounded amazing, and the promise of sleep sounded like it might be able to wash off the ghost of a touch.
    You eventually found her on the couch, talking to some kid in a cyborg costume - Jeremy? You remembered his face and his body too well, honestly, but his name seemed to slip your mind - albeit it looked more like he just wore a onesie to the party as a last minute option. You couldnât really judge - he seemed happy. Whether it be from the fact he was talking to Christine, because who wouldnât be happy talking to Christine, or because he was at this party or because whatever, you couldnât be sure.
    âHey, [y/n]!â She smiled, âyou remember Jeremy, right?â
    Awkward kid that kept getting nervous when measured below the belt. âYeah. Hi,â you said, sinking into the spot next to Christine, waving at Jeremy. He sort of awkwardly smiles - that sort of smile thatâs just oozing with damn it her friend is here. The sort of shit you often saw in movies.
    âAnyway, you were saying?â Christine said, looking back to Jeremy.
    He stared, looking from her to you before deciding on whatever he was about to say. âI was wondering if, uh, you wanted to go out with me?â
    Oh shit, he actually went for it. You looked to Christine, before snagging the keys out of your pocket after seeing how tense she had immediately grown. You whispered, âIâll go get the car. Meet you in five.â And left the living room as quickly as you could.
    Thirty minutes later and youâre almost to Christineâs house, listening to her ramble about how Jeremy used to be kind of a sweetheart in the past - he didnât really talk to her, but he was âkind of adorkableâ whenever she saw him. Awkward, but adorkable. And now heâs changed and heâs changed from a dork to a dick sometimes, being one of the popular boys who hangs out with Rich and Jake.Â
    You ditched your boots in the car, following her into her house, listening to her now talk about the shit that Jake pulled and how she dumped him after seeing that he wasnât over Chloe. Within the next few thirty, you had showered and had donned the comfiest of pajamas and crawled into bed next to Christine.
    When you woke up, she was crying.
    âItâs Jake.â
    buzz
    âTheyâre saying Rich burned down his house-â
    buzz
    âJake had to jump out of a window-â
    buzz
    buzz
     â[y/n]-â
    You took her phone, it buzzing to life endlessly against your palm. Rumors were flying, blocked by your palm âhey, câmon. Halloween candy, movie day. Singinâ In the Rain. Alright?â
    Her arms were wrapped around you within seconds, her face hot with tears and buried in your neck. â... Yeah. Alright.â She felt your arms wrap around her, and you peek at her screen. Numbers she didnât know, numbers youâd never recognize, kept spitting rapid-fire across the screen.Â
    You shut off her phone. Sure, none of it was directed toward her, but jesus it was a lot to take in - especially because you knew where Christineâs mind was, even if it wasnât an active thought. There went multiple roles - roles she and Mr.Reyes probably couldnât handle alone. You traced circles in the thin fabric of her shirt.
     âEverything will be alright.â
    click click click
    âHe-ey, [y/n]!â
    click click click
    Was it rude to speed up when the other person was on crutches? Well... at least you had somewhat of a reason. You were Christineâs friend, and you still werenât completely sure how she felt about him - so youâd play it safe and avoid him as best as you can. But you slowed eventually, turning to face him, smiling a little.
    âHey, Jake,â you said, awkwardly shoving your hands into the pockets of your dress, rocking slightly on your heels. â... How are you?â
    He doesnât seemed phased by the fact you were kind of ignoring him, but smiles ever brighter now that you are talking to him. âIâm great!â
    For a second, you swore he didnât even realize he broke both of his legs. âThatâs good.â You sort of smiled, âwhereâs Chloe?â Fuck, why did you ask that-
    âIâm... not really sure. Probably with Brooke,â he said, âhey, have you finished any of my costumes?â
    âYouâre still in the play?â You asked slowly, before he nodded.
    âYeah! Itâs been pretty great, and I can still do most of my stuff, so... why not?â
    You nodded slowly, âIâll talk to Mr.Reyes about a costume parade tomorrow, since almost everything's done,â dear fuck, was that a lie, âand Iâll make any fixes necessary!â
    Jake nodded, still smiling. He had no idea what a costume parade was, did he? Whatever - he was smiling and heâd learn eventually.
    Time to buy as many energy drinks and stay up finishing every costume you could. Scratch that, finish every costume because you needed to. Would Christine probably get mad you were pushing yourself like that? Probably. Were you going to tell her? Nope. At least, not until after everything was done.
    âTomorrow I wonât be here to help you all with costume changes.â You announced, standing next to a rack of costumes backstage, âso I ask that you all please be careful and to help each other if possible. Yes, you might miss a cue since this will be the first time,â you ignore the look Christine gave you, âbut I will be here specifically to help with the quick changes after that. Iâve spent weeks making these costumes with quick changes in mind,â you plucked Jeremyâs reversible off of a hanger, âwhich is why Iâve kept most things simple and things that donât need much help getting in and out of. For example, this-â you hold up the jacket- âis whatâs called a reversible.â
    You slid your arms into it, it hanging slightly longer due to Jeremy being a bit of a string bean, âon one side, it looks like this. But,â you removed the article of clothing, flipping it inside out, âit becomes this when reversed. Hence the name: reversible.â
    At the lack of questions, you went on. âI assume you all have been informed of the costume parade? Basically, all you all will be doing is trying on your costumes and Iâll be discussing any changes that need to be made. Understood?â You barely had any reaction, before forcing another smile and continuing, âgood! Iâll be sitting out in the audience, so just come line up at the front of the stage when youâre all in your first costumes.â
    At the lack of any protests, you were out n the audience, planted in a seat next to the kid who does lighting - Josh. He didnât look up, eyes pinned to the phone in his hand as he switched from app to app, not really giving a shit. Eventually, after moments of dreadful silence, he looked over to yu and smiled a little.
    âCostume girl, right?â He said, and you realized the smile had been more of a smirk, as if he was planning something. You shrugged off the thought - he wouldnât be that stupid, messing with any of your costumes... unless he had a death wish.
    âYeah. Lighting boy, right?â You replied. If he wasnât going to even ask your name, you wouldnât use his.
    But he chuckled. âYeah. Right.â He looked back to his phone. âSo I hear you and Jake are... something.â
    What the fuck. âWe arenât? Where did you-â
    âI dunno. I donât just ask a cute guyâs best friend shit about how to woo him when I like him,â he shrugged, âI get my friends to do that shit so that I donât fuck it up halfway through saying his name.â
    âThat doesnât mean-â
    He cut you off, âplus, not naming any names, but a certain someone kept blabbing about how Jake never shuts up about you sometimes.â
    You rested your hands in your lap. How many times had you and Jake actually talked? Then again, how many times had he and Christine said a word to each other?
    Jake was cute - you couldnât deny that. But... did you really know him? At all? The question weighed down on you - and to no one but Christine, it was obvious you were distracted as you made small comments about each costume. You all but completely skipped over Jake, dealing with the thought that he was talking about you proving to be more difficult that you first hoped. Soon enough, you packed up your shit and left, practically dashing to the school parking lot, jamming your key inside the car and throwing your shit into the passenger seat.
    Jesus, fuck, you needed to be alone. Just for the rest of the day. You had plans you had to take care of tomorrow.
    The hospital was quiet, the only noise being the soft bustle of nurses and family members or friends and such. Your steps felt like they were echoing around you, your bag hanging low on your back as you searched for Richâs room. Eventually you find it, knocking softly first before slowly pushing the door open and slowly walking in. The lights were dim and you almost left, only to end up lingering for a moment. Was he asleep? Or... had he not woken up?
    The pale light of a cloudy morning flooded in the room, brushing over Richâs features and causing the faintest glint of light to reflect onto the floor from one of the balloons. You felt like an intruder, standing in near silence as  Rich breathed, burn scars creeping slightly up his neck and into sight. How badly was he hurt? Hell, how did the fire even start? He was fine when he was talking to you, wasnât he? Fuck if you knew. Part of you was glad that you and Christine had left earlier - but still rested the pit of dread in your that maybe you could have stopped this or something. Maybe you could have helped him, even if you werenât sure how. The gentle, doe-like eyes that greeted you as he stared in wonder at your effort, your sleepless nights, your patience - all wrapped up in a pair of fancy cosplay boots. His eyes were burned into your memory.
    You should go. Maybe you could come back in a few hours and maybe Rich would be awake-
    â.... [y/n]?â
    It was broken through a yawn, but Rich had definitely called your name. You turned away from the door, and his eyes were on you, squinting as he tried to make out your features before he suddenly smiled at the sight of you. You sort of smile awkwardly, walking in but pausing a the light switch, reaching up only to be stopped by Rich.
    âDonât. I... like it dark in here.â
    Whatever. His decision, right? Your hand fell back to your side slowly, and eventually you walked over to his bed. You hesitated to speak at first, but finally settled on the only question you could muster up, s you wrapped your fingers around the straps of your bad awkwardly. â... How have you been?â
    He frowned slightly. Oof. Probably not the best question to ask. He answered with a soft, âIâm here.â
    âA lot of people miss you,â you said, cautiously sitting at the foot of his bed, ready to move back up if necessary. He doesnât say anything about it. âIf anyone wanted to find your locker, they could. A lot of notes and shit are all over it,â you forced a smile. âItâs really sweet, honestly.â
    He doesnât respond at first. Rich just sat there, eyes on you as he tried to think of something - anything - to say. Gone was that cocky, flirtatious exterior for a moment. He was unsure, trying to muster up any words. âWhat have they been saying about me?â
    Holy shit, Rich Goranski has a lisp. You sort of smiled at the thought - what a cutie. âDifferent shit. I... think thereâs a couple people try to curve the rumors, but-â
    âYeah. I get it.â He frowned.
    âRich?â You were going to regret it, you knew it, but you couldnât shake the desire to ask. âWhat happened?â
    He doesnât answer again.Â
     âThe playâs going well,â you said, breaking the silence.
    âGood. Is... Chirstine mad about-â
    You cut him off quickly, âno! Definitely not, dude. No one could be mad at you.â
    âWhat about Jake?â
    âJakeâs... Jake. He hasnât been holding anything against you, honestly,â you said slowly.
    âHowâs Jeremy?â He suddenly asks.
    âJeremy? Heâs... still Jeremy, I guess.â
    âAlright.â He paused, studying your face. How tired did you look? Fuck, you knew you should have put on something - just enough makeup to cover the bags under your eyes at least. âHave you been sleeping?â
    You tensed at the question. Maybe not as much as you should... Fuck, you downed a energy drink just an hour ago to give you the strength to live through Sunday and not sleep until five in the afternoon.
    Apparently, your silence was enough of an answer. âGo home and sleep,â he said softly, âIâll still be here, i-if you want to come back-â
    âYeah. Iâll be here the day after the show.â You stand, âwe can talk more then, alright?â
    He nodded. He wanted to say something, but he left the words unsaid as you slowly leave the room. He looked over to the bear sitting on the table next to his bed, and frowned. âFuck.â
    Jake missed one of his cues the first night you helped him. Could he help it? He had a cute girl helping him in and out of his costumes. He liked the way youâd gently smooth out a wrinkle in a shirt or the way youâd smile after making sure everything was right. Was it stupid that he thought about your fingertips running across his chest as you blindly found the edge of his jacket, and that the fact your arms were around him for barely a minute drove him crazy? Fuck, he wasnât sure, but you were cute and it distracted him because you were so serious about this and he didnât wanna mess up but how could he focus when he had a cutie like you hanging around him, specifically there for him. Everyone else was fine on their own for the most part - maybe you had to zip up Brookeâs dress and help Jenna at least once, but other than that, you were the center of his attention.
    Was it bad that he really liked that? Fuck if he knew.
    He was going to ask you out. Sbarro? Sbarro. Sbarro was a good option - who didnât like pizza? He at least knew you did, considering one night Mr.Reyes ordered pizza for all of you before the second run through of the night. Then again, maybe Sbarro wasnât a good idea then - youâd probably be tired of pizza. Maybe just the mall in general - heâll try to pay for you if he can and maybe you two could just talk and maybe there wouldnât be someone to steal the attention away with their performance art.Â
    Did that sound needy? Fuck, it probably did. Heâll have to figure out how to ask you out. Hopefully Christine didnât say anything to you - then again, she didnât seem like the person to, and... she was oddly okay with him subtly bringing up the idea of dating you.
    "I canât believe it,â you hissed softly, âI spent weeks making costumes - and now Jeremy doesnât even fucking show up!â
    Jake frowned. You were pissed.Â
    âI mean, Jake, you broke both of your legs and youâre here. I just... I donât know,â you murmured. Your gaze fell to the floor, your arms crossed across your chest as you held back tears. You worked so fucking long and Jeremy just straight up blew off the entire play. Now Mr.Reyes had to make time to get through Richâs changes, and Jeremyâs and-
    Jakeâs hand was on your cheek. âHey,â he cooed softly, âitâll be alright. Jeremy will be here - he wouldnât blow off something this important.â
    You looked up at him and he was blown away. God, you had beautiful eyes. âYou think so?â
    âYeah!â He smiled, slowly tearing his hand away from your cheek, gripping the handgrip tightly. He hesitated for once, unsure about the timing, but decided hes go for it. âHey, [y/n]? I was wondering if maybe youâd-â
    âJeremy!â
    The two of you looked up as Jeremy strolled in, usurping your attention away from him. He could tell it was taking everything to prevent yourself from marching over to him and chewing him out. Maybe heâd tell you after the show - give you time to calm down since you were practically burning, hatred oozing out of every pore. He watched as you stared, watching Jeremy talk to Christine, holding up something before watching her turn and walk away from him.
        âPlaces for scene two, people!â
        Jake left you standing alone, seething as you stared down Jeremy. If looks could kill⊠Jake left you after a few moments, hesitating slightly.
        You kept staring at Jeremy. Something was off. He seemed⊠anxious, uncertainty beginning to practically drip from every inch of him, his hands still clutching some pink shoe-box he had drawn out of his bag. What was wrong with him? He used to be different - acting cool and so sure, save for Halloween night. He moved, intending on running out on stage - something thatâd ruin the show for sure - and before you could stop him, Mr.Reyes was already there, hand curled around his arm, fingers digging in and likely leaving bruises. He spat something in his face, only to push him back, exiting onto the stage.
        â[y/n]!â He said, voice shrill as he grabbed you by the shoulders. âYou havenât drank from that beaker, right?â
        Youâre confused, staring him down. âDude, thatâs a prop - Iâm not going to-â
        âGood! Fuck, I need you to go out there and take the beaker-â
        âJeremy, thatâd ruin the show for Christine, I canât-â
        âNo, you donât understand-â
        âIâm sorry that some of us care about the show! Seriously, call time was an hour ago and youâre late-â
        â[y/n], I wouldnât-â
        You were caught off guard by the sound of Brookeâs voice becoming rougher as she spoke her lines, filled with an newfound passion. You looked back to Jeremy. âWhat. Did. You. Do.â
        He tensed immediately, âI need you to get that beaker.â
        You nodded. âIâll see what I can do.â
        He tore away from you. Youâd apologize to Christine later, as you crept into the shadows of the curtains, putting on the headset, hearing soft humming.
        âJosh?â
        Heâs immediately quiet, âhuhwhat-â and, you assume, scrambling to sit up. âWhat? You arenât supposed to be on here-â
        âI need a blackout on stage.â
        âUh⊠itâs not the end of the scene? I mean, Iâd do it but I donât have a death wish right now since my lifeâs been pretty baller-â
        âFuck, Josh, I need-â        The door swung open, and in strolled some nerdy looking guy with glasses and a red hoodie, holding up a bottle of red soda. You nearly snapped at him if it werenât for the relief that immediately washed over Jeremy. You grew silent as you watched the two talk, Josh questioning everything as you then watched Jeremy go near silent before beginning to attack his friend - Michael, you were pretty sure. You whipped off the headset, tossing it down as you went to try and stop him.
        âJeremy! What the hell-â You managed to say, only to be met with the cold wooden floor seconds later.
        He had shoved you away, before he tearing himself away from Michael. âItâs taking over my body,â he said, âI need your help - Iâm sorry!â
        Michael was immediately after him, managing to somewhat hold him down. He nearly spoke to you if it werenât for the familiar click of Jakeâs crutches - and maybe it was better than he ask Jake, considering how Jeremy flailed against Michaelâs grasp and considering you probably wouldnât have been able to do shit with Jeremy writhing like that.
        âJake! This is gonna sound weird but -â he was cut off for a moment, tightening his grip around Jeremyâs wrist as he struggled, âif I hold down Jeremy, can you make him drink this Mountain Dew Red?â He didnât wait for an answer before tossing the bottle over to him, immediately returning to the task of keeping Jeremy down.
        Jake stared at the bottle, eyes catching a glimpse of you. He looked back to Michael, âactually⊠that doesnât sound weird at all.â
        Pain overtook him, spiraling through his head as the bottle slipped from his grasp. His head hung low with his face scrunched in pain, before it suddenly evaporated from his features, and he looked up. He feltâŠ
        Pretty fucking amazing, honestly.
        âJake?â You said softly, standing as you stepped over. âAre you alright?â
        When he looked back up to you, you recognized everything. The familiar, faint circuit pattern you swore you had seen on Rich seemed to disappear within seconds. And he smiled at you, unnerving you completely as he reached up and gently brushed a strand of hair out of your face.
        â[y/n], I feel boss.â He didnât stop smiling. Dear god. âNo,â he said quickly, âI feel more than that. Here, watch-â He said, throwing down his crutches. You nearly scrambled to pick them up if it werenât for Jake stopping you. âDonât. I donât need them anymore.â
        Jeremy piped up softly, staring at the phenomenon before him. âIt⊠healed your legs?â
        Jake only chuckled softly, âno! But I canât feel the pain anymore - itâs awesome!â He smiled, âyou could be like this too, yâknow. Painless,â he lowered his voice as he looked to you, âhappy. [y/n], you could be pretty boss with-â
        âWhatâs wrong with me now?â You said, staring at him.
         He seemed at a loss for words for a second. âNothing! But you could be more-â
        âJake,â you tore away from him slightly, âIâm fine with the way I am. I donât need,â you motioned toward his head, âwhatever you have to change me.â
        He seemed rejected. The moment Brooke and Chloe walked in, however, you had stumbled into his arms, scared from the sudden appearance. He didnât feel content, though. There you were, in his arms, warm underneath his touch, and he didnât feel as good as he should feel.Â
       The voice in his head snapped at him. Kiss her, was spat into his ear, or... get her the Mountain Dew yourself. Sheâll be much happier if you-
       Then you were gone, out of his arms as you moved out of the way of everything - trying your best to avoid anything. Everything. You were fucking terrified and it showed in your eyes and in the way your arms were folded too tightly across your chest as you only took in everything that occurred before you. Michael had sprinted out after seeing the bottle resting at Jakeâs feet, the pool of red soda hiding in the bottom. When the other four circled around him, you broke out of your spot, shoving past them.
        âMichael!â You had cried, arms ending up around him as the two of you fell back. When the group parted around you, you were awkwardly squished against him, both of you completely disheveled. You didnât notice Jakeâs eyes pinned to you, the voice in his head cooing itâs bullshit as it mocked him because look at her, sheâs all over Mell - she probably likes Michael because Michael Mell is a loser who likes video games and Michael wasnât like him-
         When Christine walked backstage, she was positively glowing. You went to say something, only to realize there was something so fucking wrong and that wasnât Christine. She was too rehearsed - as if every step had been laid out in front of her, every motion planned down to the exact millisecond, her smile plastered onto her face as she approached Jeremy. She said something to him, and he just stared in awe. You balled your fists, Michaelâs hoodie becoming crumpled in your hands. He reached up, fingers brushing over your arm.
        â[y/n], right?â He said softly, âlook, fuck, Iâm sorry-â
        You watched Christine lift the bottle to her lips, drinking. And then she screeched. One right after another - Chloe, then Brooke, then Jake, Mr.Reyes, then Jenna - and finally, Jeremy. And then they all collapsed around you, leaving you and Michael to cling to each other as you two let out a scream.
        Well. You two were fucked.
        A month later, your friend group had grown from just Christine and a couple other people to include not only Jake and Rich, but the rest of the playâs cast. Jeremy and Michael were giant nerds and you actually had plans to go to a con with them, them maybe also in cosplay if they could pull something together in time. The three of you spent the day sending endless selfies to the group chat of you all in last minute cosplays. At some point you fell asleep in the backseat of Michaelâs car, and when you checked the group chat later, found a picture with âshe slepâ underneath it. You expected to see some sort of comments from anyone else, but only saw a âlet her slepâ from Christine. You shrugged it off.
        At least, you did until Rich was sitting at the end of your bed one day, watching you sew a dress for a Zelda cosplay youâd been planning for months. It was only in the bare bones stage, but he was entranced with your fluid motions. He was supposed to be focused on math homework, pestering you with questions over content if he needed it. Heck, thatâs why he was there - you were going to tutor him unless he waved you off, telling you to work on your cosplay and heâll ask questions if he needs it. But he ended up getting through two problems before he gave up, watching your face as you furrowed your brow, humming softly as you continued to work. Fuck, the amount of concentration you had was adorable.
        ⊠Adorable? No. No, you werenât adorable. Well, you were, but you and Rich were only friends. He liked Jake, didnât he? Jake was cute and tall and kind of interested in him except neither of them made a move toward each other because⊠because.
        Because Jake was conflicted. Rich didnât know it, and neither did you, honestly -  but Jake often sat between the two of you, his heart aflutter in his chest as he realized almost daily that he was absolutely smitten with the both of you. But he was convinced you didnât like him - you liked Michael because Michael was kind of a dork and you were kind of a dork and why wouldnât you like Michael? Michael didnât try to convince you to change yourself. Michael didnât try to convince you that you could be better if you took some⊠weird thing that caused a voice in his head - hell, he still wasnât sure what happened that day. But he remembered what you told him, burning with anger as you recounted the shit he said to you only to realize that wasnât him and profusely apologize.Â
    Jake liked you. Jake liked Rich.
        Rich liked you. Rich liked Jake.Â
    You liked Jake. You liked Rich.
        Fuck.
        And there you sat, Richâs eyes practically burning a hole in your back as you worked, not knowing that you were busy shoving thoughts about how soft his hair looked sometimes and how you kind of wondered what itâd be like to kiss him out of mind. He didnât know your fingers fumbled and that you sort of ended up nicking your skin - not terrible, but breaking the skin enough that there was a bead of blood as you hissed. You heard the clatter of Richâs binder hitting the floor, breaking up as heâs beside you within seconds, taking your hand in his own.
        âIâm fine,â you mumbled, âsorry-â
        âFuck, hold on- where are the band-aids?â He said. You stared at him, before softly chuckling.
        âIâll be fine, Rich. It was just a little nick.â
        He stared at your finger, before his eyes met yours after a moment of hesitation, âyou sure?â
        You couldnât help but smile - was he worried about you? âIâll be fine, dude. Unless you wanna kiss it and make it better or some shit,â you laughed softly.
        Dear god, did you not know how much he wouldnât mind doing that? Even as fucking joke, it was probably the closest heâd get to kissing you honestly. He couldnât fucking help staring at you and wondering what itâd be like to smash his lips against yours and run his hands through your hair or what itâd be like to explore every inch of your skin. His thoughts kept running elsewhere and you chuckled as your attention wandered elsewhere. What were you-
    âYou should probably clean up your binder, Rich.â
        He followed your line of sight, only to find that his math binder had snapped open upon hitting the floor, papers askew. He sort of smiled, the warmth of his fingers leaving yours as he walked over, picking it up and throwing it onto your bed. He carelessly snatched up his papers, not caring whether shit got folded or crumpled as he shoved it all into the open plastic - heâd just fix it later, probably.
        âDid you finish your work?â You asked softly, bouncing on your heels. He looked to you, swiftly nodding -which was a lie, but you didnât know that.
        Before you knew it, he shoved his messy folder back into his backpack and left you, making up some excuse about how he needed to get home or whatever. He was gone before you could protest in any form, not giving you a chance to muster up any possible excuse for him to stay a bit longer.
        And you had to wonder. What made him leave so quickly?
        âSo⊠let me get this straight. You like Rich.â
        âMmhmm.âÂ
    âBut you also like Jake?âÂ
    You turned over, resting on your stomach as you watched Christine look through her closet, trying to find a cute shirt. â... Yeah.â
        âWhy donât you tell them that?â
        âChristine-â
        âNo, [y/n],â she said, âtell them that you like both of them?â
        âChristiiiine,â you whined, âthen Iâm gonna ruin everything because they probably donât even like me or - if they did, I canât have two boyfriends, can I?âÂ
       âWho says you canât?â She shrugged, pulling out a black shirt with flowers on it. âItâs called polyamory-â
        âI know about polyamory,â you cut her off, âbut I donât know about Rich or Jake- I mean, theyâd probably laugh at the idea, right?â
        She frowned as she looked back to you, âwhy donât you just⊠ask them?âÂ
       âChristine-â
        âJust⊠try?â
        What you didnât know was that Christine knew. Jake and Rich trusted her enough - and honestly, who didnât trust Christine? She was an angel and you often considered yourself blessed to be her best friend, honestly. Jake came to her days before you did, mentioning something about how you were cute and vaguely mentioning Rich in the same, love struck way. Rich, on the other hand, had been blunt - asking her for advice straight out only to be told the exact same thing she told you: to talk to both of you.
        The situation was this: you definitely werenât going to make the first move. That means you had to actually mention the idea and kind of confess your feelings for the both of them and essentially make the first move, which was just a thought that absolutely terrified you. Rich wasnât going to say anything either - more out of the fact he wasnât sure how to bring up the idea that heâd basically be down for banging both of you (without saying it like that, since he wasnât sure how youâd take it considering he was... kinda serious about it) without blurting it out. And Jake wasnât going to say anything, mainly out of the uncertainty about how to bring up the topic at some point.
        So that left Christine with the decision that sheâd try to push the three of you together, with some help. She may have vaguely mentioned the idea to Jeremy, and eventually managed to convince the rest of the group to get on board with this little scheme. Theyâd find a way to push the three of you together, since it was beginning to get blatantly obvious that there were mutual feelings between the three of you.
        One day, you and Jake and Rich ended up at the mall all at the same time, the rest of the group nowhere to be found. Then one-by-one, texts came in, an excuse given to why the rest of them werenât there. Sure, it was weird, but Rich won you and Jake stuffed bears out of a claw machine after betting that he could beat the machine, and the three of you ended up getting pretzels so the trip wasnât a waste at all.
        One night you ended up sitting in Jakeâs hotel room with both of them, watching some crappy movie. You forgot about the homework due the next day, the impending weight of a test in a few days or weeks, the world outside passing by. For once, you were content. Rich was happy, his head in your lap as you absentmindedly messed with his hair - which was definitely as soft as you thought it would be, honestly, what is his secret? And Jake had rested an arm around you, pulling you closer to him slightly, his other hand resting near Richâs. Youâd barely remember the movie, as you sort of sunk into Jake, his warmth lulling you to sleep. Rich looked up as he noticed you slowing to a stop, your head resting on Jakeâs shoulder. He couldnât lie - he was pretty sleepy too, but the sight of you snoozing away was adorable.
        The next morning, you woke up tangled up with Rich and Jake, the awkward imprint of a zipper going down one of your cheeks, and Richâs arms around your waist and his face pressed against your back. You didnât want to move - the both of them sleeping soundly. So you didnât - or at least, you avoided moving as much as you could. You only listened - the rise and fall of Jakeâs chest underneath you, his breathing soft and quiet, and Rich at your back, shifting in his sleep, snuggling closer to you. Everything felt tranquil, as if the world wasnât bustling outside with the business of morning. As if the only three people that existed were you and Jake and Rich. You smiled a little - because, well, that was a thought. Eventually you shut your eyes and somehow managed to realize one thing.
        You loved both of them.
    The group was conflicted. Because on one hand, the three of you were extremely close and seemed like everything had been resolved and that this was happening. On the other hand, none of you said a word about any of it. No announcement that hey weâre all dating, thatâs cool right of any sort, no kisses, nothing that would give anything away. Because, apparently, you three werenât dating. No matter how much Richâs hands rested at you and Jakeâs hips, sometimes squeezing gently to get any sort of a reaction from the both of you - usually a gentle nudge from you while Jake would become slightly flustered and glance down to Rich. You had the habit of bringing the two of them little things more often than anyone else - setting down one of Richâs favorite energy drinks in front of him on the days he needed it, or bringing them both coffee and muffins in the morning. Jake would get invested in what you or Rich was doing - plans, current problems, anything and everything.Â
    So then there was a bet. Christine said you werenât dating officially, and Jeremy sided with her. Jenna had bet that it was just a secret. Michael shrugged and said it hasnât happened - and after a moment, Brooke agreed. Chloe didnât bother to look up from her phone, hanging onto every word.
    âWhy would they hide it from us?â
    âI dunno, maybe theyâre just nervous-â
    âRich would have blurted it out by now, and [y/n] tells Christine everything.â
    âExactly!â
    â[y/n] doesnât tell me everything. She still has her secrets and I have mine-â
    âChristine, we all know thatâs bullshit.â
    âOh my god, theyâre dating,â Chloe said, breaking the conversation up, âand Jakeâs not going to say anything about it yet because this is new to him. Rich respects that, and [y/n] obviously wants to tell Christine but she doesnât want to ruin everything. Let. It. Go.â
    The first time Rich had kissed you was after a convention. You had just gotten back to your house, fumbling with yours keys when he had turned you to face him, smashing his lips against yours. Your keys hit the ground, your hands finding their way into his hair and he tugged you closer to him. It was sloppy and quick, but you didnât care. Thirty minutes later, you were curled up  with your head on his chest and dressed in the softest pajamas, looking up at the phone in his hand as he texted Jake to get his ass over here.Â
    The first time you and Jake kissed was the following morning as the two of you were up before Rich and the house was empty, so breakfast seemed like a good idea. Besides, Jake had bragged enough about his boss cooking skills, it was time to put them to the test. So while Jake searched your fridge for ingredients, you sat on the kitchen island, humming as you watched him. At one point the two of you began making small little comments toward each other, before Jake ended up standing between your legs, forehead against yours. You had closed the distance, pressing your lips against his for a quick, gentle kiss.
    A gentle kiss that ended with Jake all but on top of you, hungrily kissing you. Rich swinging into the kitchen was what broke you two up. He chuckled, made some comment as he walked over, getting a quick kiss from Jake - and then another from you - before the three of you teamed up to make breakfast.
    And by team up, you and Rich watched Jake make pancakes.
    The group found out one day when you had accidentally sent a selfie into the group chat, Rich in the background with a dog that was definitely too big to be called a puppy, captioned with âjake our bf is paying more attention to this puppy than me and i dont blame himâ and then a quick â hurry up and get here before we buy a dog love youâ before you shoved your phone in your pocket. You realized your mistake the moment there was a symphony of buzzes and chimes, and you saw literally everyone but Jake or Rich.
    âRich?â You croaked, pulling his attention as your nerves bundled themselves tightly, your hands shaking, âRich, fuck-â
    He was up and to you within seconds, âbabe? You alright?â He said softly, only to look to your phone once you held it up. âWait-â
    âRich, Jake didnât want us to say anything and I fucked up and texted the group chat and not him a-and heâs going to hate me-â
    So Rich did what he could: he called Jake, and within the next hour, the three of you were sitting on the bed in near silence. Phones kept buzzing will calls every so often - Christine being the most predominant of the names that popped up. Jake wrapped an arm around you, pressing a kiss to your forehead. He wasnât mad - you didnât mean to and he saw how upset you were over the entire thing. Sure, the three of you probably would have waited a lot longer to say anything to the group, but at least that wasnât a problem anymore, right? That picture of Rich was cute.
    Speaking of Rich, he had been the first one to break, checking his phone. After all, everyone could learn to love the real Richard Goranski and his lovers. Instead of happiness or anger, you and Jake were met with Richâs silence. When you looked, you saw why.
    First came a chorus of âi knew itâ in varying forms, before then there was the realization that none of you had responded. Then the chat turned to love: Christine beginning with saying she supported you three, and then there was just messages upon messages of how they supported the three of you, that they wouldnât go parading this around the school because who the fuck would do that, that theyâd all be here when you all finally decided to say something.
    You had to wonder how you came to have so many people like this in your life. First Christine, who you had years of friendship solidifying your bond stronger than steel. Now you had two boyfriends who you adored more than anything, a constellation of pure love developed between you three as you had nights where you three would just sit around and watch dumb movies and eat pizza while making stupid jokes, or dates around the town where the three of you played Pokemon Go and argued about whoâs team was better over lunch. The days where you and Rich would find Jake at work, making jokes about how he worked at Dickâs Sporting Goods (one time of which Jake responded with how Rich is âsporting goods,â which ended that conversation as you laughed and Rich grew flustered) or when you started working at Pinkberry and you had both of them with the rest of the group âbotheringâ you during work. And dear god, how you loved the rest of the group. They all supported you all, refuting any rumors before they could really take off (especially Jenna and Chloe, the two being extremely fast to stomp out anything before they could really start blazing). The three of you had undying support from them: something you all were grateful for. Heck, you had noticed that Christine had put stars by your, Jake, and Richâs names. When asked about it, she smiled.
    âYou guys are a constellation. Thatâs what poly relationships are called!â
    For the first time in months, you realized how loved you were. Jake had pressed a gentle kiss to your neck, arms around your torso. Rich pressed a soft, quick kiss to your lips, arms wrapped around you and Jake awkwardly as the three of you laid in near silence, the soft chatter from the TV filling the room.
    âHey... Rich? Jake?â You mumbled, âI love you.â
    They had both smiled. âWe love you too.â
since people wanted me to mention them:
@love-doesnt-discriminate @fly-like-a-grayson @heatherchandlxrs @linslovelylocks @1two-player-game1Â
sorry if i forgot anyone!!! this is just based off of the list i have
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