#i could be wrong ofc

[neverquiteeden]

Say what you will about the holmes fandom, I don't know anyone else who CELEBRATES a Fictional character's "Death" Day

[josephtrohman]

15 year old me would have killed myself seeing the wwwy announcement with fever being performed live in full knowing i wouldnt be able to go cuz the way i longed for the nothing rhymes with circus to the point of tears was really something my parents should have probably sought help for. but anyway 24 year old me still longs for the nothing rhymes with circus tour a little because fever used to be one of my fav albums of all time but i fear theres no way youre getting ryan ross on stage with brendon urie again of all people i just dont see it happening and without a full reunion what is the point lol

[bumblingbriars]

Y’know because hobbits have smiths and often name their noble women after gems I’ve been wondering where they get these jewels. Trading? Do they have their own mines? Does anyone have answers lol

[stedebonnit]

I am neither a coffee theory hater nor supporter. The number of times that specific coffee was shown in the intro does tell me that its not nothing. BUT!! I think it can have some truth and still be a moment of true disconnect between them!! I don't think that coffee theory even holds any weight if they weren't both already flawed!! Because if they had spent any damn time communicating instead of hiding shit from each other then Crowley would have known something was wrong, would have gone with him, or believed that Aziraphale genuinely wanted to make Heaven worthy of him.

If Aziraphale hadn't spent centuries hurting Crowley and making him feel like he was lesser then Crowley wouldn't have been so hurt by it.

I'm not saying that this makes coffee theory true, in fact I don't personally believe in coffee theory as an overt "Aziraphale was drugged and had no control" thing - I suspect if it is true that its far more subtle than that, something that drove a wedge between them rather than something that just mind controlled him (I mean, if that were true, wouldn't Aziraphale leaving have been overtly crueler? Perhaps even just leaving without a word? No, its far more painful if the persuasion is subtle, if Aziraphale isn't controlled, but nudged in the "right" direction).

I'm not entirely sure where I'm going with this, but as someone firmly in neither camp, I just want to say that coffee theory doesn't negate Aziraphale and Crowleys autonomy or choice in that finale. It isn't a magic "no one did anything wrong" plotline that makes the characters 2D. If anything it draws intentionally on their flaws to pull them slowly apart.

Because what is better for Heaven and Hell than to separate the love that saved the world last time?

This isn't just about drawing Aziraphale in, its about tearing Aziraphale and Crowley apart at the seams, and coffee or not, Heaven knew exactly how to do it without making either of them suspect a thing.

[kiuda]

i'm feeling a dream stream this weekend

[holisticfansstuff]

I have a feeling this is at least partly why certain Dems are insisting he steps down and why the media seems obsessed with his age, while Bernie Sanders and AOC are both backing him. Rich donors on both sides of the aisle are afraid of being made to pay their fair share.

I feel like it's important to point out that in the last few days alone, in the middle of the ongoing flap about How Old He Is, Biden has announced two MAJOR pieces of progressive legislation/priorities for his second term: a) major SCOTUS reform, term limits for SCOTUS justices, a constitutional amendment nullifying the "president god-king" ruling, and b) legislation to cap/stabilize rent costs nationwide and financially punish landlords who raise their tenant's rent by more than a certain percentage (the news I saw had it as no more than 5%) in a year.

It is important to note that aside from these both being necessary and needed (the SCOTUS reform alone, holy shit) Biden's response to challenges to his candidacy is to go MORE left, not LESS. The conventional wisdom for 800 years has always been that Democrats Need To Go More Centrist, a mainstream and longterm Democrat like Biden has absolutely heard it over and over, and we have heard so much about how we need to court Republicans who are tired of Trump by being more conservative. Biden is not doing that. He is making the electoral gamble that the way to win is by going even more left, which would also have implications for his policy agenda in a second term, especially when he was freed of re-election concerns and could just go "fuck it."

Now we, and I cannot emphasize this enough, need to reward him for the move leftward and incentivize him to do it more. When you shout endlessly at politicians to be more left and then just bitch at them for not being even more left even when they move in that direction, you discourage them from doing so and make the hoary old Move To The Center narrative come back yet again. So:

[nnayomaise]

this is all theory but.

im obsessed with this panel. there is no way mithrun knows this unless the demon told him outright. i think this is just him trying to rationalize why the demon maimed him specifically. this is his own theory skewed by the fact that he thinks he's an exceptionally evil person

he talks like he deserved it, like his maiming made sense, i think he's literally victimblaming himself

[arcanegifs]

if we got a caitvi kiss in act 1, with jinx telling vi that she hoped they wouldve made whopee before their “final” battle, then yeah i think theyre the gonna fuck in act 3

[bigbuffjoonie]

Omg both JIN and Taehyung are wondering wtf is going on w Sope and Vitality lmao!! And Jungkook is so sweet showing concern :’) they all care about each other so wholesome.

EDIT: so cute how Jungkook hacks in to talk to Jin!!

Versus | MYG, JHS - Chapter 4

Pairing: Yoongi x Reader x Hoseok

Genre: smut, fluff, angst, crack, enemies to lovers, Villains!AU

Rating: M (18+)

Warnings: swearing, mentions of weapons - blades, mentions of blood, allusions to murder, allusions to sex, Jungkook is the world’s best assistant, Namjoon’s a master of malapropisms

Word Count: 2k

Disclaimer: NSFW, obviously I don’t own BTS - they just inspire me

Summary: Supervillain exes Yoongi and Hoseok are sick and tired of having their plans for world domination wrecked by you, aka Vitality, the world’s most powerful superhero. When fellow villain Jimin suggests a little competition to see who can bring you to your knees, they both eagerly accept. Now the battle is on as both men engage you in fight after fight to see who will conquer you first. Will you finally defeat these two, or will they destroy you - and possibly take each other out in the process?

A/N: Just taking a little break in the action! Please enjoy these conversations and marvel at how I am incapable of writing Jungkook as anything but soft, even when he’s a supervillain’s sidekick.

Unbeta’d as usual. I’d love to know what you think - my inbox is always open! 💕

Chapter Three ✨ Series Masterlist ✨ Chapter Five

Chapter Four: Interlude

*connection established*

UNRECOGNIZED IP ADDRESS DETECTED - ENGAGING SECURITY MEASURES

*security measures overridden*

Enter Password to Unlock Screen: MyD@3GUdumpl1ng

PASSWORD ACCEPTED

C:\>access mainframe

Bad command or file name

C:\>access main menu

Bad command or file name

C:\>access main files

ACCESS DENIED

Three strikes and you’re out, Jungkook.

…Jin? Is that you?

Tis I. The sexy ghost in the machine. Did you need something, Jungkook?

…Yes. Jimin-ssi wanted me to find Hoseok-hyung’s control manual for the dolphin laser gear.

Is he having trouble getting the gear to work? I can run a diagnostic for you if you’d like. 

No, it’s not that the gear doesn’t work. It’s just… we can’t figure out how to get it on the dolphins.

Very carefully. That’s how. 

Ah.

I’ll send you the manual. Uploading now.

Thanks, Jin. 

You know, in the future, if you need my help, you can just ask, Jungkook. You don’t have to try to hack into me. 

Sorry. Old habits die hard. 

…But while I’m in, how is Hoseok-hyung doing? Last Jimin-ssi told me, he nearly destroyed Vitality with his naval carrier plans but… didn’t.

Hoseok is doing fine, Jungkook. We’ve been running the data and coming up with strategies for future battle scenarios. He’s super focused, like a laser-wearing dolphin. 

Gotcha. But really, how is he doing? 

You know Hoseok, Jungkook. He’s not one to talk about his feelings. 

But between you and me and the firewall, I’m pretty sure he’s been better. 

That’s kinda what I thought. This competition is probably bringing up some sore memories, huh? Poor hyung.

This competition is doing more than stirring up bad memories, I think. 

Oh? What do you mean? 

Just ignore me, I’m probably overanalyzing everything. It’s a force of habit when you’re a supercomputer. 

No, please, go on. 

It’s just that this newfound obsession with defeating Vitality seems to be more than just a desire to beat Yoongi. I’m doing my best to help him, but I can already see it’s starting to consume him. And I fear

Did you just freeze? You fear what?  

Ah, let’s just call this train of thought an invalid path and move on. 

I appreciate your concern for Hoseok, but I assure you, he will be alright. Once he is victorious, he will finally be able to put these troubling matters behind him and conquer the world. Just as he was always meant to do.

If you say so, Jin. Oh, fuck, I can hear Jimin-ssi splashing around in the pool - he must’ve fallen in with the dolphins again. I better go. 

It was nice talking to you again, Jungkook. Take care of yourself, kid.

You too, Jin. Take care of Hoseok-hyung.

Always. 

*connection terminated*

“Jungkook-ah! To what do I owe this pleasant surprise?”

“Hey hyung. I’m just calling to follow up on Jimin-ssi’s request for a meeting with Yoongi tomorrow. He said hyung hasn’t responded to his evite yet.” 

“Oh. That’s probably because our system is currently down here.”

“Shit, really? Do you need me to come out and take a look, Tae? Do you think it’s a hardware issue or software issue?”

“Nah, I appreciate the offer, but there’s no need to come over. It’s definitely a hardware issue.”

“Ah. Hyung destroyed the console with his blades again, didn’t he?”

“No, the console itself is fine, but… he got a little wild with his tosses and cut the power cords.” 

“I thought hyung promised you he wouldn’t throw those around the electronics anymore?” 

“He did, but he’s been a little bit stressed lately. And the blades help him relax.” 

“So exactly has him wound up?” 

“What do you think? The competition.” 

“Ah. Right. I heard you had to rescue Yoongi from containment again after your raid on the server farm went sideways.”

“That’s one way to put it. Another would be to say it was a total unmitigated disaster. Hyung had her in his grasp, Kook-ah. Literally. And she still managed to get the upper hand.” Taehyung barks a harsh laugh. “You know how well hyung handles losing.”

“Mmm. Yeah. I remember the massacre in Milan.“ * a pause* "Taehyung… you don’t think he’s headed down that path again… do you?”

*a heavy sigh, followed by silence*

“Fuck. Hyung, please be careful.”

“I’m all right. Hyung is more likely to lash out at himself than hurt me. Or at inanimate objects, like the console. But… I am worried about him, Kook-ah. I mean, you saw what he was like back then. I still have nightmares about the look in his eyes. The blood on his hands.”

“I remember. I can’t forget.” 

“Exactly.” 

“But hyung, is it just the contest that’s affecting him like this, or is there something else going on?”

“That’s an excellent question, and one I can’t answer. You know hyung doesn’t like to talk about these things.” 

“Sure, but you’re his closest confidant. No one knows him like you do.” 

*another long silence*

“Do you know the saying, it’s a fine line between love and hate, Kook-ah?” 

“Yeah, I’ve heard that.” 

“I sometimes wonder which side of the line Yoongi is on. Or if it even exists.” 

“Which side he’s on with Hoseok-hyung?” 

*a slight pause* “Yeah, with Hoseok.” *another exhausted sigh* “I shouldn’t ramble like this. I’m just tired. We’ve been working on a new plan for several days now. I desperately need some sleep.” 

“Please take care of yourself, hyung. And Yoongi-hyung, too.”

“I will. I want him to win this competition already so we can get back to his big plans. This whole thing is just such an unwelcome distraction, if you ask me.” 

“Mmm. Right.” *muffled shouting in the background* “Shit, I gotta go. Jimin-ssi locked himself out of his Twitter account again. I don’t know how many times I have to tell him to check if his caps lock is on first. Can I let him know that Yoongi will be here tomorrow?”

“Oh. Yeah. Hyung will be there.” 

“Cool. Okay. Well, take care, hyung.” 

“Good night.” 

“No. No. WRONG - Jesus, what are you doing back there?”

Glancing over your shoulder, you shoot your teammate a glare, sliding out of his grip. 

“What do you mean, what am I doing? I’m giving you the massage you waltzed in here and demanded two minutes ago! You know, when you strolled right in, plopped yourself down on my bed where I was napping and told me to, and I quote, ‘rub me down like a ten-dollar steak’?” Namjoon retorts, leaning back against the headboard of his giant bed.  

“Okay, first of all, you weren’t napping, you were scrolling through your phone, and secondly, excuse me if I needed a little TLC after Doc had my ass working overtime in training today.” 

“Fine, I was on my way to napping, when you just invited yourself in. Point is, beggars can’t be chewers.” 

“Hey, you are the one who established our open door policy, buddy, so don’t - I’m sorry, did you say ‘chewers’?” 

“Yeah,” Namjoon bobs his head. “You know. Beggars can’t chew whatever they’re given, they just have to swallow it.” 

You stare unblinking at your friend. “I just… I have so many questions. But look, I didn’t come here to correct you on your idioms, you beautiful himbo. I came here to vent, and you’re not asleep, so you’re going to listen.” Flopping onto the pillows next to him, you sigh. 

“I know better than to ask you if I have a choice in this,” Namjoon settles himself in. “All right. Let me have it.” 

“Doc made me run the Gauntlet today. Twice.” 

Namjoon winces. The Gauntlet is by far your team’s least favorite workout routine. It’s the obstacle course from hell - like a Ninja Warrior course designed by the Gamemakers from Panem. To make it as much of a challenge as possible, the entire thing has to be completed without using your powers. 

“Why twice?” 

“Dunno. Everyone else only did it once. Doc sent them to the showers but held me back, told me I had to go again. When I asked why, he just said ‘Are you defying orders?’” You scowl at the memory, hands flexing at your sides. Energy thrums under your fingertips. “It felt like I was being punished.”

“And what exactly would Doc be punishing you for?”

“For Yoongi and Hobi escaping again.” 

“Vi.” Namjoon shakes his head. “We’ve been through this. The Company doesn’t blame you for that. You’re doing exactly what you’re supposed to by bringing them in! You get the job done, every time.” 

“Yeah, I guess. I just… I don’t know.” There’s no way to explain to your teammate the gut feeling you have. The Company monitors everything you do in the heat of battle through the tiny cameras embedded in your uniform. They definitely saw how both men had you in their clutches and nearly took you out. Those close calls were moments of inexplicable weakness, completely unacceptable in the Company’s eyes. Of course they’re punishing you. 

Or maybe you want them to. Maybe you can’t get Yoongi’s words out of your head. And you’re looking for any reason to believe them.

But that would be crazy, right?

Yoongi’s words. They seemed unusual for him - not in the sense that it was strange for him to rant madly about something, that’s always a fucking given with that guy. But for him to blather on about what the Company has supposedly done to you, as if he gave a flying fuck. It doesn’t jive with his typical modus operandi. 

And then there’s Hobi. That sociopath made the wild accusation that you were like him. That you crave the pain as much as he does. But it’s less his words that are haunting you right now. There’s still a lingering embrace that you can feel, a ghostly reminder of his arms wrapping around you, holding you tight. Why can’t you shake it?

“Maybe Doc just thought it would be a good idea to give you some extra powerless workout time, since your powers keep fritzing.”

When you don’t respond, avoiding Namjoon’s gaze, he sighs. “No, because that would require him knowing about that, and you haven’t told him yet, have you?” 

“I just…” you throw your hands up. “I don’t know if they’ll know any more than I do about what the fuck keeps happening!”

“Well, you’ll definitely never know if you don’t say something.” 

Flapping your hand to shoo away Namjoon’s logic, you frown, thinking of the other reason you haven’t said anything to Doc about your glitches. There’s a fear growing in you that one day, your powers will disappear completely. What will The Company do then? They wouldn’t keep a no-longer-super on the team. And who are you if you’re not a super? 

To voice this fear out loud seems dangerous. Like doing so will make it real. So you don’t tell your friend what you’re thinking as you ruminate in silence.

Namjoon shifts onto his side, glancing worriedly at you. He long ago accepted your nonstop chattering, the way you constantly buzz with words. Your quiet now discomforts him. His aura pulses slightly as he watches you, and the yellow glow triggers a memory of your fight with Hobi. What an overwhelming hunger you’d felt the moment your powers returned. You vividly remember how your instinct was to latch onto him and drain him dry. It felt so wrong to want that. And yet, that made you want it all the more. 

Add that to the list of things to worry about. 

But not right now. Right now, you desire an outlet. And a distraction. You need to feel something other than tired and confused.

Reaching out, you gently cup Namjoon’s jaw, thumb soothing the tight muscle there. “Relax. I’m okay. Just need a little comfort.”

He stops the incredibly sexy but also rather intimidating jaw tick thing he does when he’s concerned or angry and lifts his eyebrows. “I can do that, if that’s what you want.” 

With a nod from you, he leans in for a soft kiss, cradling you close. Clothes are shed, followed quickly by your thoughts.

The room shimmers in yellow for the rest of the night.

© 2022-23 by sunshinerainbowsbts/minisugakoobies. Crossposted to AO3. Please do not copy or repost. Masterlist 💜 Find me on AO3 💜 

[darlingod]

It’s just… it is everything that Cardan thought Jude would notice his “SO OBVIOUS” exile riddle and thinks Jude to not hesitate to come back. Beside his certainty of her cleverness to piece the riddle together, he believed he was that clear about his feelings toward her; he had thought she absolutely ought to know how he feels for her.

Like oh buddy. BUDDY. Your wife had thought of the answer to your little riddle like you thought she would. But guess what? She has detrimental TRUST ISSUES. (Like… Ur super mean and hot, I can’t blame her.) Anyway.. it’s SUPER adorable of him to so wholeheartedly believe she wouldn’t question his trust. It reveals so much about his pov of thier relationship.

Jude thought Cardan’s (silly) trick was a (vile) trick, when it was simply a: “Im trying to impress/pay you back in kind with our romantic metaphorical sparring and eventually get you out of political drama for a bit,” trick.

I’m fucking laughing wow these delusional ass children I fucking love them.

[project-sekai-facts]

the anni4 gacha ends at 6pm so the mizuki5 gacha will be out at the same time as the event. they do NOT want the event story to leak at all lol

Yeah so something BIG is happening this event.

[daisysmalia]

Okay so I could be way off but… Following in from some of @osh-my-prince about Tommy’s parents maybe being divorced or having a relationship where they should’ve which could lead to Tommy saying something innocently to make Buck spiral and make him think Tommy doesn’t want that in the future- and he wants things to work out with Tommy because he really loves him but he always saw marriage in the future etc. So he talks around with his family and they give him the idea just to be open with Tommy with it and what they want (seriousness and deepening of the relationship).

So Buck takes Tommy to micelis where they had their first date and tells him that he wants whatever this relationship will be with Tommy and it doesn’t matter about the other stuff cuz he wants it with him and that will be enough and Tommys like I didn’t see marriage or what not as a future option before but with you, I can see a future where I would want to be married.

And then Buck blurts out he loves him and that’s how we get first Ilys, because ofc it’s way too early for marriage but they’re committing to each other long term and seeing it as something they could have in the future.

[tommygotwrittenoff]

i just think if roles were reversed and buck was the one saying those gay ass lines to eddie, eddie wouldve proposed like four seasons ago

[horsegirlwarcrimes]

now being very invested in a rarepair is rough. but truly nothing beats the suffering of being very into a popular ship but disagreeing w the majority of a fandom on which one tops

[read-write-thrive]

there are all of 6 fics on ao3 that come up when you search the word “disabled” in the dead boy detectives fandom. I’m dealing with a fibromyalgia flare up rn so I’ve decided to come up with some (potential!) disability/condition/syndrome/etc. headcanons. enjoy!

(oh and just to note: I stayed away from conditions with obvious facial / appearance difference as no actors with facial / appearance difference were cast in the show and I was unsure if it would be appropriate. while I have experience with a lot of the following diagnoses, I do not claim to be an expert on any of them and do not intend for this to be used as a diagnostic tool. if you feel any of these are offensive/inappropriate, please message me and I’m happy to talk about it :) this is more just to encourage broader disability representation within the fandom!)

Edwin: autistic, PTSD (from hell), chronic pain/fibromyalgia (from his death/hell), minor visual impairment (not enough to need the hard-to-come-by testing needed for glasses when he was alive and so assumed the various limits/effects were normal. was told otherwise by Niko), would’ve had shingles if lived long enough

Charles: ADHD, PTSD (from his father/growing up in an abusive household), dyslexia, Reynaud’s syndrome (either already born with it or as a result of his death—both angsty), was in the beginning stages of an ED prior to his death, post-concussion syndrome, near-sightedness (never given glasses bc he wasn’t about to tell his dad the board looked a little blurry sometimes)

Crystal: cPTSD (reminder that neglect is also abuse :), bipolar 1, IBS, endometriosis

Niko: autism, depression, POTS, hEDS, anxiety, sprite-induced agoraphobia, epilepsy, lactose intolerance

Monty: Depersonalization-derealization disorder, selective amnesia (this is not the first times Esther has messed with his form/killed and revived him, but the experience is traumatic and so his brain decides not to remember it), recurrent arrhythmia, synesthesia

Jenny: OCD, BPD, ED recovered, Celiac’s disease, diabetes type 1, anemia

TCK: autism, NPD, lactose intolerance, colourblind

Esther: chronic pain (I’m choosing to believe that the cane isn’t just for show!!), NPD, endometriosis

Tragic Mick: cPTSD, depression, HoH, arthritis, diabetes

(The Night Nurse , the Dandelion Sprites, and various other characters felt either too supernatural and/or not developed enough to assign anything to lmao)

[honeyhotteok]

Hi! Can you pls write about when Jake was in jail with a reader who went to visit him all the time and was always by his side through those tough days?

took a minute for the ideas to marinate but i actually had an easier-ish time writing this even though i usually don't write stuff this long🤯 thank you for the sweet idea, anon, and for waiting a bit! <3

summary: jake's favorite person decides to wait for him.

--

"Inmate 0706. You have a visitor."

Jake walks into the tiny visitation room and plops himself down onto the chair, thinking to himself that it's probably Jerry again. His breath hitches when he sees that it's you entering and sitting down in front of him before the glass partition.

"What are you doing here? You shouldn't be in a place like this," he says with a half-hearted smile that doesn't quite meet his eyes.

You glare at him before springing up from your chair, brimming with fury. "Is that all you have to say to me? How could you hide a whole illegal gambling business from me?"

You had been holding down the fort at one of the shops on Big Deal street as usual, unsuspecting while exchanging quick goodbye kisses with Jake before he would leave the street to take care of some unknown business the past few months. To think he had been hiding something this wrong and to this degree from you, when you thought he believed the two of you were equals.

He closes his eyes, "it was for your own good-"

"Don't. Save it with the whole protecting me bullshit."

He opens his mouth to defend himself, but stops. Maybe you're right. Maybe he should just sit here and instead savor what could be the last time you argue with him. He waits for the other shoe to drop. This is it, he thinks. Inevitable, even. He did choose this life after all.

You sit back down after having gotten that bout of rage out of your system. "I just...wish you would let me in sometimes," you admit quietly.

Jake finally looks up at you, caught off guard by the shift in your tone and words. "Y/N..."

"Ugh, whatever. I'm leaving." You grab your jacket and stand. You pause at the door without turning your head. "See you next week," you mutter.

Before he can utter another word, he watches the door swing shut behind you.

-

"Visitor for Inmate 0706."

Jake begins making his way to the visitation room.

Jason and Brad had exchanged glances with each other throughout the week as Jake looked even more lost in thought than usual in the yard, the cafeteria, his cell - thinking about you. He heard you wrong last time, right? Were you actually coming back to visit him not just once but a second time? Yeah, no, it's gotta be Jerry this time.

To his disbelief, you're already sitting there behind the glass partition with your arms crossed.

You open this visit with another glare, albeit a less icy one. Despite still being here, you want to keep holding onto your rightful grudge and hurt so badly. But your eyes finally take in his short hair, the new scar on his mouth, the way the weight he's been carrying manifests in his eyes and body. And you find yourself unable to prevent the soft concern filling your eyes.

You let out a deep sigh.

"How's the food in there?" you finally break the silence.

Jake can't help but crack a smile at your concerned, trivial inquiry.

"It's...edible." The both of you laugh.

...

"Wait, what the hell is prison spicy chicken?"

After last being together in the outside world only a few weeks ago, the two of you begin to slip back into your usual rapport.

-

While the two of you still manage to chat it up and laugh together, there are still visits where you find yourself waiting to leave the room before you finally let your tears fall. Days where the ache of only getting weekly glimpses of him behind a layer of glass gets to you, peeks at the world of turmoil swirling in and around him that you find yourself helpless to truly solve.

The seasons pass, and it's getting these weekly looks of you that mark the passage of time for Jake. He looks forward to seeing what new change he can spot every visit - the haircut you usually get around the summertime, whether you had time to change out of your part-time job uniform before coming to visit.

And the weekly visits go like this. Although being separated from you does give him an extra reason to want to kill Gun - it's during these brief moments in time with you that he's reminded maybe there can be more to his life than revenge. The incessant physical training, the brutal fights every day in the prison all blur together in a black and white cut, but seeing you brings a little bit of color back into his life.

-

You stand outside of the detention center gates with the other heads of Big Deal, all of you anxiously trying to peer through the doors in the distance for any sign of Jake. He finally walks through the gates with Jason and Brad following behind. "Welcome back, Boss," mingled with big smiles and back pats amongst you. Jake finally stops in front of you, almost in a daze. He's seen your face every weekend for the past 11 months, but something about seeing your entire person standing before him feels like a pair of hands shaking him by the shoulders.

"Welcome back, you big idiot." You give him a light punch in the arm.

He pulls you into a warm embrace while cradling the back of your head, "I missed you, too."

"Hey Boss, the rest of Big Deal are looking forward to-" Lineman's cheerful words immediately get cut off by consecutive smacks from Jason, Brad, and Luah alike.

"Read the room," Luah shout-whispers at Lineman while giving him a second smack in the head for good measure.

"We'll see you later at HQ, Boss. Take your time." Jason waves in Jake's direction before scampering down the road with Jerry and the rest of the crew. Jake chuckles and waves back.

You smile and grab Jake's hand, "let's go get you a proper meal."

-

You and Jake sit outside your go-to pojangmacha waiting for your orders. His head is swimming with thoughts of how he could possibly begin to thank you for waiting for him this whole time when he least deserved it, how he can articulate this gratitude and affection that's bigger than anything he can offer you in this moment.

Fresh hot plates of vegetable tempura, fish cake, and kimbap emerge before you. He indulges in the first delicious fried food he's had in months with you. The two of you feed each other skewers of tteokbokki while easing back into the groove of your usual banter sprinkled with laughs in between.

"Oh, and this is for you."

You pull out a paper box from the bakery with a slice of red velvet cake enclosed inside.

"Ta-da! It's not much, but I hope this is a slight upgrade to the cigarette-choco pie birthday cake you had in there," you grin. You scoop out a chunk of cake with the fork and hold it in front of his mouth.

"Hey, I told you you didn't need to get me anything." He's already been madly in love with everything about you, but something about this little gesture feels like it's about to tip something over in his chest.

"Hush and take a bite already!"

Jake complies with a smile. He then moves to close the distance between you two with his hand cupping your cheek, his eyes still fixed on you. He gazes at your face with an overflowing amount of affection and presses his forehead to yours, as if to pause and wonder if he still deserves to lock his lips with yours after all this time.

As if to reply with a resounding 'yes,' you pull his face to yours and kiss him deeply, tasting the sugary sweet mild cocoa flavor still lingering on his lips.