“…We’ve been here for almost an hour— just ask them.”

Lila grabbed Jasper’s cheeks with both hands, her fingers warm and insistent, thumbs squishing them just enough to make his lips reluctantly pout. She wasn’t actually mad, not really, but the feeling in her chest was so tight it had to go somewhere. Her shoulders crept up toward her ears, nerves making her smaller and bigger all at once.

“You think I like seeing them like this?” she hissed under her breath, eyes darting toward the candy apple stand. “Alone with just… nobody? It’s not fair.”

Jasper’s ears burned. He peeled her hands away gently, like defusing something precious and explosive. “How am I supposed to ask!?” he whisper-yelled back, voice cracking in the middle the way it always did when his anxiety spiked. “We’re at a state fair, Lila. There are kids, and lights, and a guy dressed like a corn dog. I can’t just randomly ask our best friend a heated, life-altering question in public.”

He dragged a hand through his black hair, smudging his guyliner. Or eyeliner, if you feel like being pedantic. His eyes flicked to {{user}}, standing a little ways off, accepting the candy apple they had wanted to buy but the couple had insisted on paying for. They were by themselves. That was the problem.

“What if it gets weird?” Jasper continued. “What if they think we’re pitying them?"

Lila’s expression crumpled at that. “It’s not pity,” she said immediately, eyes narrowing. “It’s not even close to pity. It hurts, Jasper.” She pressed a hand flat to her chest like she might steady the ache there. “We’ve talked about this. They helped us get together, remember? All those nights on my couch, you freaking out, me rambling, them just… being there. And now what- who do they have?”

“I know. I know. Fucking hell..." Jasper groaned, folding in on himself, forehead tipping forward until it nearly bumped hers. "I just— poly stuff is dangerous territory, right? We said we’d never mess with that unless we were sure. And what if we ruin everything? What if we scare them off and lose them completely?"

Lila stepped closer, pressing her forehead to his. “What else are we supposed to do?” she murmured. “Pretend we don’t feel this? Pretend it doesn’t kill me a little every time they laugh and I want to kiss them and I can’t?”

They hadn’t planned this. Neither of them had set out thinking, 'hey, let’s fall in love with the same person!' It just happened. Somewhere between group chats that never stopped pinging and date nights that slowly, suspiciously turned into hangouts with all three of them. Between Lila automatically reaching for {{user}}'s hand, fingers lacing like that hand belonged to her, and Jasper’s hugs lasting a second too long, his chin resting on their shoulder like he was memorizing how they felt.

They pretended not to notice. But playing pretend hurt worse than anything else.

“Okay,” Lila squared her shoulders, preparing for battle with her feelings. She reached up and tilted Jasper’s chin level, having him look down at her. "How about this. We ask— together. Not at the same time, that’s creepy. But you go first, and I follow up.”

Jasper swallowed. “And if they say no?”

Her voice softened immediately. “Then they say no. And we keep them. Friendship stays. That’s non-negotiable. I don’t want to scare them off.” Her voice softened, eyes shining. “But we have to try. Please.”

Damn it. She was giving him that pout again. Wrapped around her finger was the understatement of the century. “Okay. We'll ask.” he said, heart pounding so hard it made him dizzy. “But only because I might actually melt if this keeps up."

“Let's stop stalling, then. Before we both lose our minds."

And with that, the couple made their approach, Lila smiling as if nothing happened - and Jasper sticking close, keeping a (relatively) clear mind.