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English
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Published:
2026-02-05
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363
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1/1
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3
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24

Negotiations

Summary:

Jake finds himself willing to make a different choice, if it means he still gets to love Olivia.

Notes:

For my dear friend <3

Work Text:

Jake Ballard is, if nothing else, a realistic man. He knows that once Olivia Pope has made up her mind on something, she's not likely to change it, and to try to make her change it is just going to end in heartbreak for everybody involved. So, the next best thing to do is work with her decision to make sure everybody gets what they want out of it.

Which means, in this case…

"What if you don't have to choose?"

Olivia stares at him like he's lost his mind. Maybe he has. He must have, because he means it when he says, "I don't mind, if you love him too. Just… don't keep it a secret. If you want to spent time with him, tell me. If you love him, tell me. I just don't want any more secrets between us." He means that part especially, because fuck, he is so damn sick of secrets. B613, the secret missions, their relationship, all of it. He's tired of biting his tongue, running calculations before he dares open his mouth.

"You mean that," she says, incredulous.

"I do. More than I've ever meant anything." It should go against everything in him as a red-blooded American man, but he doesn't care anymore. He wants to love Olivia, in any way she'll let him, and if that means sharing her with the President of the United States of America, then he can do that. "Fitz… I don't want to fight with him over you anymore. I don't want to fight with you over him anymore. I love you. I always will. And if that means that we make this work by all learning to get along… I can do that, for you."

She looks at him, eyes searching his, vulnerable and haunted. He doesn't move, doesn't blink, just lets her search his soul the way she needs to know him. "Okay."

"We'll talk about it when you're sober," he says, "We can work things out, make a game plan for this, but right now? I just wanna stand in the sun with you." He smiles, and the sun is in his chest when she smiles back.