There are 55,000 words and 24 chapters until now. It is actually pretty cool when you think about it. I mean, perfect thousand is hard to find in fanfictions. I almost didn't want to update because I am still entertained by it. But hey, I also like updating.

Also, more cool news is that there is a translated fanfiction of this one! How cool is that! There is this user, Elarel, who did it and is a great person, especially for asking my permission for this. There is a link in the bio if you guys want to check it out. It really is cool to find it in another language –even if I can't read it! Elarel, you are awesome and thank you!

Con XVIII

Envy

It's been quite some time after the whole Makara incident, a few weeks to be the minimum. And Dirk can't help but feel that John is getting more than used to the prison life.

As cute as he may be, there's been… stuff going on…

Jake and Dave have been… getting close to John. Jake especially…

"Aw~, eifersüchtig viel Dirky?" Dave teases.

"Halt den Mund, Arschloch."

Dave chuckles with a smug smirk on his face. "Oh come on Bruder, John is the best thing to happen to us in this shithole. Ich meine, look at the cutie. He's actually drawing pictures with English. And English looks actually sane."

Dirk doesn't say anything and simply hums. As much as Dirk wants to deny and say it's wrong, it is true. Jake looks sane and nothing like the weirdly cute guy who is amateur in murder and harms himself too much. He is actually drawing pictures with shitty crayons with John…

And John's drawings aren't that great. Dirk can draw a busty moe girl in a few minutes. John's drawings are utter Scheiße.

"Aren't you pissed that John is having his doe eyes on Jake?" Dirks asks in German.

Dave chuckles. "No, I got kisses from John. I'm closer to first base than you have."

Dirk narrows his eyes. He is not going to be jealous to his Arschloch Bruder. Dirk had kisses from Jake. Even though they were… well, it is nothing of romantic intention. Jake always had a reason to kiss him.

Of course, Dirk would never kiss back. Jake had told him what happened to his previous cellmate. And from the guards, Dirk already knows that he was in a hospital and then in a different prison for what Jake did to him.

"Shouldn't you tell your boyfriend about what you tried to do?" Dirks asks in German.

Dave frowns and looks away. It isn't a real surprise that Dave has an ironic anger issue problem but what he tried to do isn't something to forget. But at least Dave feels guilty about what he did, unlike other people…

"Bro, look, I got punched by the balls from you and I did let him go. I know I should be thinking since that's the only thing I can't seem to do and even though I didn't succeed, I fucked up." Dave replies in German. "I will ask for John's consent. I won't be a fucking douchebag, promise."

Dirk hums and nods at Dave's words. His eyes are on Jake who seems to be concentrating on drawing something. Dirk would be lying if he said that he isn't relieved that Jake is behaving saner but he would also be lying that he is… okay, yes, he's jealous that John is the one who's doing it.

There is more about Jake than just some vengeance-seeking psycho. Dirk sometimes listen to the tales Jake would say supposedly to himself when he's on his bunk. Jake would always make himself an adventure boy and that everything was an adventure, even picking out and farming pumpkins. And at times, Jake would "talk" to his niece about life in prison. And he would mention or talk about Dirk, always saying that Dirk is making it better for him…

"…Hey Dirk," Dave begins after an awkward and ironic silence took over them. "Do you think that maybe… maybe John will forgive me?"

Dirk looks at Dave and is a bit surprised at the question. Dave is usually a prideful prick at times but he knows how to hide his insecurities with ironic coolness or bloodlust anger. But he has feelings...

Scheiße, Dave is really in deep…

Dave deserves someone great and if John is really making Dave happy then…

"What are you talking about?" Dirk answers in German. "You are the Dave Strider. If Egbert can't forgive you, he doesn't deserve the Strider dick."

Dave smiles at this, his confidence is up and good. And then Dave chuckles. "Yeah, John is being quite a significant asset in this team, especially to English's sanity."

Of course, Dirk punches Dave on the shoulder and said nothing. Dave isn't going to give the satisfaction that he is jealous. But Dave chuckles anyway…

Dirk blows out a perfect cloud of smoke and sighs. Officer Connor separated him and Dave with Dirk going back to his cell. It's not Dirk's fault that Connor saw him punching his stupid brother again. But hey, at least Dirk has his cigarettes and lighter to pass the time.

Maybe Dirk can make a call to Roxy. But then again, Roxy might be too busy with her girlfriend…

It seems everyone that Dirk knows is getting out of the single status.

Of course Dirk had to set his eyes on the one guy who sees love as some combination of a distraction and a disaster.

Dirk has always been a rational guy but he doesn't understand his feelings.

Usually, he acts like he had certain emotions and feelings. But that's only in missions. Out of missions, Dirk can't help but feel more like… a robot.

At least Dave can act his true feelings and emotions, even with a straight face…

"Dirk… Are you here…?" Dirk looks where the voice is and sees Jake. Jake has a sane smile on him but both his arms are behind his back and obviously hiding something.

"Sup Jake," Dirk greets. He sits up and takes a big whiff in and puts out his cigarette. "You got something, don't you?"

Jake giggles and shows a more off smile. Dirk can't help but frown. Of course, only John seems to bring sanity to Jake… But Dirk doesn't look away. He's curious about what Jake is hiding. It is most likely the picture he was concentrating on.

"It's a surprise, Dirk…" Jake says with that bit off smile still on him. "I was drawing pretty pictures with Jadey-John… just like old times… And I made something for you…"

"For me?"

Jake nods enthusiastically.

He slowly reveals out a folded paper, showing that picture was folded in and ready to be revealed. Jake is actually bouncing on his toes. Dirk almost smiles at this. It's like that cute cliché about a kid showing his drawings to his parents, all excited and eager for half-assed praises.

"Tada~!" Jake sings out as he shows the picture he drew.

And Dirk is speechless.

Dirk was expecting John or his real niece Jade on the paper. But it wasn't. It was a shitty drawing of Jake and… him…

The orange dots that are supposedly eyes are saying it's Dirk.

The drawing has Jake and him have circles as heads, squares as bodies, and lines as limbs. Jake has green dot eyes and a smile with squiggle teeth sticking down to the ground. The Jake drawing even has a rectangle thing that's most likely a gun on one of his "hands".

The Dirk drawing has zigzags on his circle head that's most likely his hair but has no mouth. But he does have a drawn sword on him. It's not the best drawn sword, not by far, but it warms Dirk's heart –satisfaction, it gives Dirk satisfaction that Jake remembers that he likes swords.

There is no shitty background but there is a drawn dead guy with supposed pools of blood around him. That's definitely the "scoundrel" Dirk needs to help Jake kill. It's actually ironically cute.

But then there is the most surprising thing about the picture…

The Jake drawing and the Dirk drawing… they have their weird ass stick-line arm thing that isn't holding a weapon is, well… they are holding hands…

"I know my picture is very… elementary-like, Strider…" Jake murmurs, now looking…flustered…?! "I know my skills of art are quite inferior to many but… please do not laugh with insult…"

Now Dirk can't help but smile at this. This is way too ironically adorable for him. And to think that Jake can actually be flustered, Dirk really can't help but feel completely satisfied that he's the one and most likely only one to see Jake flustered in here.

"I really like it, Jake. Danke."

Jake has his eyes big and wide and looks at Dirk. He blinks and narrows his eyes at Dirk. Jake then takes a step back and stops narrowing his eyes. And finally, Jake smiles.

"Oh wonderful, Dirk… you're actually telling the truth once again!" Jake giggles. "I believe you would have said something about it being drawn of a toddler or a kindergartener, Strider…"

Jake walks to Dirk and actually sits next to him. "But I do fancy your honest liking and satisfaction at my drawing… It's very… nice…"

Dirk smiles at Jake. "I wouldn't laugh, Jake. You may not have practice or skills but you drew with honesty and you did draw something that you like."

Jake looks away and then he nods and licks his lips. But Dirk can see it. Jake's ears are red…

"Say Strider," Jake begins and says out loud. "John and I had a nice conversation… We talked about some things and…" Jake rubs the back of his neck. "Well, I was wondering about the number of the lady you are courting…"

Now, Dirk is confused and a bit curious at this request. "Why do you want to know, Jake?"

"Well… Johnny-Jade is too young and new to get phone-call privileges and he wants to know if there is anyone that can help with a pest…" Jake answers and then looks straight at Dirk. "I believe Miss Lalonde is in a similar work and occupation to yours, is she not…?"

Dirk couldn't conceal his surprise and shock that Jake knows this. But Jake goes on.

"She must be well-trained with a rifle as certain arm muscles are well built. Her flirts can be confusing as they are coded with your actions after your meeting. And no matter what perfume she uses, there is a hint of fired shots and heated metal on her…"

Dirk says nothing. Because what can he say? Jake just showed he isn't fully oblivious to everything. And Jake just…

"I really envy her, Dirk… She is a beautiful woman, nowhere near being a scoundrel… She is free and has not got caught like me… She sparks of fun and excitement and everything I don't seem to have… She has the beauty, the curves, the softness, the roughness, and the passion that I can't seem to have… And most of all…"

Jake then does the most shocking action today…

Dirk feels utterly speechless at what Jake is doing. Jake actually has one of his hands… caressing his cheek… His thumb is rubbing softly at the edge of Dirk's lips…

And then Jake speaks.

"She has you…"

Dirk can see the sincerity in Jake. But Dirk is still utterly speechless. His face is on fire. His heart is pumping blood way too loud and quick. And his mind is seriously blank.

"Oh the things I would do to be her and–…"

However, Jake stops. His eyebrows are high and his eyes are wide. Jake immediately takes his hand off of Dirk and scoots farther away from him.

But before Dirk recovers and asks, Jake quickly goes to his top bunk with no word.

Dirk sighs. Of course it wasn't going to be easy. Maybe Jake has some sort of romantic feeling for him but there's no way Jake will return his feelings. Jake will most likely reject him and beat him up.

Dirk doesn't know what will be worse, the rejection or the beating.

Dirk looks at the folded picture Jake left. It's true that Jake cares for him…

Dirk takes the picture and presses it on his chest. Dirk sighs again.

There are still cigarettes for him to smoke. But Jake is here and... it's not exactly Dirk can easily forget what just happened.

Dirk then touches his cheek, the warmth is still there…

And there's still hope that Jake will see he didn't need Roxy at all.

Jake is the one who has Dirk.

Yes, Dirk isn't the only one who is envying~. ;)

Also, ForeverSnow101, it will take some time (perhaps too much time :/) to find out who killed John's father. To be honest, I'm still planning and thinking about it. But here's a hint. It's not Dirk or Dave who did it.

And the next chapter will be Jake.