aro ace jake yes or no

YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES I'M SCREAMING IT INTO THE SKYYYYYYY YES OK

Jake Lockley my beloved aroace king. He's got different priorities. He loves and lives with every part of him, just not romantically. Man's got a lust for life but not for other people, you get it, yeah?

He makes connections on a communal scale in ways Marc and Steven don't. There's all the folks who find their way into the back of his cab, and the ones who want to chat, he'll chat with. He's not going to talk much about himself, so he gets to hear a lot about other people's lives and he gets to live a little vicariously through them. Sometimes if it's relevant, he might share a little funny story about his brothers.

Always with an eye out and an ear to the ground, Jake's the ground work specialist, and he knows people. He can handle himself in a crowded space, a bar, a club, etc, and everyone in that space is going to either like him or not ever know he was there. He likes slipping into the crowd, being a face amongst many on some stranger's night out.

There's also, of course, Gena and her kids. Jake has tried his best not to get too connected to specific people, but he can't help it with them. He's a wonderful cool uncle figure to them, and they call him Tio Jake accordingly. Jake is wonderful with kids because he never got to be one.

He and Frenchie V I B E ok, Frenchie absolutely welcomes Jake's unique brand of fuckery and often lighter (seeming) mood, always more willing to joke around than Marc. Frenchie is (at worst) perfectly fine with Jake's approach to things, and often agrees. They get each other and can just be around each other without overthinking. Frenchie is the only pilot Jake trusts, the only time he can stand being in a flying death trap. Jake is also the only driver Frenchie can stand, either, his pilot brain extending to the ground too.

Jake's feelings towards and relationship with Layla are different from Marc and Steven's. He loves her, absolutely, in his own way. They'd butt heads a little, especially at first, but they're very similar souls who want the same thing: the best for their boys. She and he have a truly wonderful relationship when all is said and done, she keeps him in check, calls him out when he needs to be, and they back each other up in calling out Marc and Steven and also in general badassery. They'd make amazing partners in crime.

Jake isn't big on physical touch, let alone affection, but after some time, he'll let Layla in in that way. Don't tell anyone, but he absolutely loves the feeling of her running her hands through his hair while he lies down with his head in her lap. She takes off his flat cap and sets it aside carefully, knowing how much it's a part of him, really, and runs her hand through his product-free, air-dried (Jake can't be bothered, he's wearing his hat anyway) curls, her fingertips grazing his scalp, and he finally, finally thinks he understands what the fuss is about, at least for a moment.

But, he doesn't need more than the tenderness here. Doesn't want it, really. Whatever love that he shares with those in his life? His friends, his partners, his brothers? It's more than enough.