Chapter Text
jake was never the jealous type. he grew up in a loving household where kindness was second nature and giving back was a core value his mother instilled in him from a young age. because he was never short on affection or material things, he found it easy, natural, even, to share everything he had. so when his cousin ni-ki suddenly came into his life, there was no hesitation. jake welcomed him with open arms, excited to share all his interests, from his favorite music and games to his weekend routines.
it wasn’t that ni-ki’s family lacked financially, but something about him was different. he was aloof, timid—like a scaredy-cat who always lingered in the background, blending into other people’s shadows. that quiet sadness in ni-ki made jake instinctively protective. it later came to his realization that ni-ki’s family is the opposite of his, not loud or joyful, but distant and heavy, almost like it was carrying a permanent cloud over it.
from that moment on, jake silently promised to treat ni-ki like a little brother. he looked out for him, stood up for him, and included him in everything. as the years passed, their bond only grew stronger—built on shared experiences, trust, and an unspoken understanding that whatever one had, the other did too.
so when ni-ki showed interest in you the first time he met you, jake didn’t even hesitate. just like everything else he had, he offered you to ni-ki without question, without ever thinking twice about what that might mean for himself. he even let ni-ki stay in your condo unit, just to fulfill his cousin’s quiet wishes. to Jake, it wasn’t a sacrifice. it came naturally, like second nature, like carrying ni-ki’s desires was simply part of being the older brother.
it wasn’t a surprise that jake had his fair share of flings. the kind he met at clubs, in the middle of a heated pool game, or during casual moments between university classes. some were fleeting, others stuck around just long enough to leave a memory. sometimes he shared them—with his cousin, or with friends. whichever way worked, however they liked it.
to jake, it was never really about possession or permanence. people came and went, and he welcomed them the same way he did everything else in life, with open arms, an easy smile, and no strings attached.
when jake first introduced you to ni-ki as his first serious relationship, ni-ki was torn, the possibility of sharing you with jake was low and the possibility of losing jake to you was high. he couldn’t have any of those, so he gambled.
“kuys, how long have you been dating her?” he asked jake as they were driving back home one time.
“just a few weeks, i’m testing things out lang. why do you ask?” jake responded back, casually combing back his hair in the process.
“well… uh, she’s pretty and nice… but you didn’t tell me about her before tapos weeks na pala kayo?? bro i feel so betrayed.” ni-ki overreacts, even clutching his heart to dramatize his response.
“lol, just say you want her nalang. dami pa sinasabi eh.” the words glided easily out of jake’s mouth as if it’s a normal reaction a person would have when someone shows interest in their partner.
“are you being for real right now? i thought you’re being serious with her, you haven’t told anything about her, you’ve been dating for weeks. i thought you’re never going to share her with me.” to say ni-ki was flabbergasted is an understatement, here he is forming hypothetical situations in his mind on how to make his cousin agree to his proposition only to be mistaken like this.
“i told you i’ve been testing things out, i’ll tell you about it at a later time, but she’s one tough nut to crack, you’re going to need all those mind games of yours to make her agree.” jake reminds him, hands casually wrapped around the steering wheel, and ni-ki has never felt so eager to have someone this bad as this one.
it started with subtle hints, gentle nuzzles, the quiet sniffing of your neck, and soft nosing against your skin. then came the lingering touches: fingers brushing yours, hands slipping into your own, the slow comfort of shared cuddles. eventually, you grew used to it—accustomed to his warmth, to the way his fingertips danced lightly across your skin, to the way his breath curled against your ear like a secret. you memorized the strength of his arms when they wrapped around your hips, how his fingers traced patterns over bare skin, leaving behind a trail of fire that made you ache in places you didn’t know could hunger.
ni-ki made it feel natural; like this was meant to happen. like you were meant to follow his lead. his touch rewired something in you, bending the lines of right and wrong, softening your resistance. until one day, you stopped questioning it. you let him guide you into uncharted waters, no longer sure whether you were being seduced or surrendered willingly.
so when Jake came back unannounced and caught a glimpse of you and ni-ki—naked, tangled in each other under the soft hush of his apartment lights—he didn’t flinch. he didn’t slam the door or walk away. instead, he stood there for a moment, watching quietly, the weight of the scene pressing into his chest. not from jealousy. no, it wasn’t that.
it was the pull… the heavy pit that settled in his stomach at the thought of you, undone and willing, but this time under his touch. the idea of having you on his own terms, not as a gift or an accident, but something deliberate. something inevitable. it wasn’t just desire, it was the anticipation of finally breaking you down. of watching your morals shatter, piece by piece, until you stopped trying to hold on to them at all.
and the cruelest part? you wouldn’t even fight it.
you’d let it happen. you’d welcome it.
he doesn’t forget to remind ni-ki of their plan, texting, “just be sure to share your ate with me before having her all to yourself.” before he leaves both of you again.