ooh, thatâs a good question... by AU iâm assuming you mean the mafia au, in which case... iâd actually say iâm more proud of that. the mafia au is - in my opinion - very detailed compared to WD.
with WD i was able to take inspiration from canon, whereas the mafia au is something i feel is more self-built? iâm trying to make it as concrete as possible so that if i were to take out the character names and add in random ones, it would work as its own novel.
as someone who's been mocked her whole life for being 'too quiet', I just want to put this out: there's nothing wrong with being quiet. it's okay if you enjoy your company and others make you feel anxious. it's okay if words don't come easily to you. it's okay if sitting in the back is where you feel the most comfortable. it's okay if you don't want to get out of the house and have to interact with people. it's okay to skip out on events because social interactions tire you out. it's okay to make choices by putting yourself first. don't let anyone make you feel bad for wanting to be happy.
I usually don't post my story art here but since it's almost Halloween, have a Sabin and his mother master.
Sab can't free himself from his horrid past and keeps trying to avoid it but all that does leave his issues unaddressed and those cause him to make bad decisions.
(n.) The act of loving in return.
Theme: CoffeeShop!au, EnemiestoLovers!au
Pairing: CollegeStudent!Kihyun x Naomi (OC)
Side Wonwoo x Naomi
Word count: 6.1k
Genre: Fluff, angst and slightly suggestive content. (itâs just a couple lines)
A/N: I wrote this story for a friend of mine and I decided to release it on tumblr! Itâs a work of fiction so please donât come at me for portraying Jennie and Wonwoo as complete assholes
Naomi didnât realise college would be as stressful as it seemed. To top it off, for some unknown reason, drama would ensue where she walked. Did she ask for that? Not once in her life. But would she be free from drama and only have academic stress? Nope.
It all started in her freshman year when she entered the coffee shop that was in her campus. Classes were doing her bad and she regretted even opting for early morning classes. Why did she ever think she was going to do fine waking up at 7 in the morning and attending lectures from 8 till 11? She isnât aware still but she had to deal with it. Morning classes meant needing coffee and needing coffee meant zombie walking and that was exactly what she was doing while somehow still being cautious. However, life had to mess with her and not have her be cautious enough that morning because one minute sheâs fine and the next she has coffee spilt over her top.
(She wasnât too concerned about her top and she wanted to throw it away because it was old but she never found a solid reason to do so. She wanted to thank the stranger for helping her in their own way. What she was upset about was the spilt coffee. She needed caffeine to function and she could only afford so much in a day.)
Just as she looked up to see one of the most handsome men she couldâve ever spotted in her life and apologise, she stopped short because of the words that fell from his mouth.
âWatch where youâre going.â
Watch where Iâm going?
âExcuse me? You were the one who knocked into me?â
âWhatever.â
And with that, the guy went off. He didnât even have the audacity to apologise. Sighing, she took out the extra hoodie she always had in her bag and changed just a few minutes before her lecture hoping that she wouldnât have to see Mr Arrogant ever again for the remainder of the day. What would be the odds that he would be having the same lecture as hers? Odds were not in her favour. Mr Arrogant was in the same lecture as hers and the only seat available for her to sit was next to him. Cursing her fate, she walked and seated herself at the only available location.
âPlease donât go around knocking my things from my table too.â
She wanted to give him a fitting reply but before she even could, the professor walked in.
And that was how her rivalry with Yoo Kihyun began.
What hadnât changed was how much he despised her. She never understood why but she never bothered herself with arguments. She didnât want that complication nor had she signed up for it. Another reason was because Kihyun was Yoongiâs friend. When she initially found out, she wondered how the wonderful and soft hearted Min Yoongi was friends with the rude Yoo Kihyun. She later found out that Kihyun behaved that way only with her. She wouldnât admit it out loud to anyone, but she quite liked seeing him interact with others because he would grace them with that beautiful smile of his and she wondered why she never got those.
And as much as she loved Yoongi, she never could bug him with how Kihyun treated her. He always tried to make them get along and Naomi had even obliged once but Kihyun seemed to not budge from his hatred for her so she gave up.
But fate definitely had something lined up for them; something neither of them were expecting.
âJennie, leave if you arenât here as a customer. I donât want to create a scene here.â
âBut Kihyun, baby, Iâm sorry. I didnât mean it. I was only with Wonwoo to make you jealous because you wouldnât pay attention to me. I am sorry!â
âYou couldâve asked for my attention in other ways, you neednât have to cheat on me with someone else. Especially not with my friend.â
She cheated on Kihyun? No wonder he was in a bad mood. The girl, Jennie, however wouldnât stop. She constantly kept talking and trying to get on his good side.
Now, Naomi isnât the kind to intervene in otherâs business, but within the span of the last 5 minutes, Jennie had managed to tick off her as well.
âCould you please take this conversation somewhere else? Because you arenât just bothering him, youâre bothering other customers as well.â
And she turned away with that to find her coffee served.
âThanks, Jooheonieâ, she said with a smile.
He smiled back with those cute dimples of his popping up and walked back inside but not without giving Jennie the stink eye. Naomi turned very carefully because her coffee was hot but what she didnât realise that Jennie wanted to be a bitch and knock into Naomi and spilling the hot coffee onto her in the process.
Naomi let out a wail of cry in pain while Jennie just looked at her in the meanest possible manner and said, âkeep your thoughts to yourself and you wonât get hurt the next time.â
Naomi had tears spilling from her eyes as she looked at Jennie. Why would someone do that?
âThis is why I broke up with you. You just have to be a bitch, donât you?â Kihyun said somewhere near Naomi just as she felt his arm wrap around her.
Without casting Jennie a second glance he said to Naomi, âletâs get you treated, come on.â
As the two of them walked in, Naomi felt the pain reduce slightly. Jooheon on the other hand was freaking out.
âI will kill her. I swear to god. How dare she hurt Noona!? Hyung why didnât you kick her out before things went out of hand? Why did you even get with that bi-â
âJooheonâ Naomi said in a small voice. âCan you please get me some salt so I can clean up?â
âIâm such an idiot. Of course, Iâll be right back Noona.â
âThere you go. Take my hoodie. Iâll leave so you can changeâ, Kihyun said handing over his hoodie.
With a small smile and a nod Naomi took the hoodie and saw Kihyun make his way out, closing the door. Why do I have to go through all of this? That was the only thought running in her head as she changed and Jooheon later came in with some salt and water.
After she was done cleaning up, Kihyun walked in with a bag to put in her now coffee stained clothes.
âYou knowâ, she said jokingly to Kihyun so as to diffuse the tension between them. âI have to start associating you with spilt coffee.â
Kihyun on the other hand looked nowhere near less burdened. A very quiet yet loud apology left his mouth and Naomi looked at him in shock.
âIt isnât your-â
âIt is my fault. Had I kicked her out, none of this wouldâve happened. Iâm so sorry. Not just for today. And thank you for calling her out.â
âItâs not a problem Kihyun. You looked uncomfortable. And I really was getting annoyed. Iâll return this to you this Monday in class, okay?â
Funnily enough, she didnât have too many run-ins with Kihyun either. They hardly saw each other and for some strange reason, she found herself worrying over the guy. He was cheated on and she knew what it felt like.
She hadnât gotten hold of him to return his hoodie which meant that it was always in her bag now and unconsciously she ended up using it a rare few times, almost wearing it before she realised what she was doing.
The day that sheâd see Kihyun came soon enough, the following day after seeing Yoongi and Jimin, in fact. It was pure happenstance that she came across him. She didnât expect to see him where she did because people hardly ever visited the park Naomi loved so much for it was so quiet. She hesitated, not sure if she should talk to him. He looked like he wanted to be alone but then she decided that it was better that she returned his hoodie now. Who knew if sheâd see him around again as he seemed to be MIA enough.
âKihyun? I have been looking for you over a week now! Hereâs your hoodieâ she said holding out the hoodie over to him.
What she didnât expect though was for Kihyun to look as tired and drained as he looked and she felt something she couldnât identify in her chest.
âOh god, Kihyun. Have you rested or eaten these past few days? What happened?â
His voice too hoarse when he responded with a, âNever been better.â
âYou havenât lost your sarcasm, huh. Well, I should get going.â
Just as she turned around after placing the hoodie on his bag that lay beside him, she heard a small, âStay. Please. I donât think I can handle my thoughts anymore.â
Naomi didnât know what to do. On one hand, she didnât want to stay. Why should she when all the guy ever did was hate her and throw harsh words her way? But on the other hand, she couldnât refuse. For it wasnât like her to let someone be alone when they explicitly say the need her. This was also why she found herself sitting next to him and her actions gained her smile as thank you.
âSince you have too many thoughts plaguing your head, why donât you talk about them?â
âNo offense, but I donât think youâd understand how Iâm feeling now.â
She chuckled at that. How typical of Yoo Kihyun to assume she wouldnât know how he felt. He looked at her with a look that said what is wrong with you but she only proceeded to shake her head.
âYou know how Iâve never responded to whatever you threw my way these past years? It wasnât because I didnât know how to. It was because I know how much words hurt and how actions speak louder than words. You think a person wonât be offended when you say that? Youâre so horribly assuming of people that you think youâre the only one that undergoes pain. We all do. Youâre not someone the world revolves around, Kihyun.â
A sudden silence fell upon them as she said those words and they hit him like a truck. She allowed him to fall underneath them and think of the words he said every time he spoke. And soon enough, she saw guilt cloud his expression.
âI-Iâm sorry. I shouldnât have.â
âYouâre right; you shouldnât have done what you did all these years. Better late than never.â
âSo umm do you umm have youâŠ?â
âHave I been cheated on? Yes. And he was my first true love. Unfortunately, I wasnât his. I donât think he ever felt that way for anyone. I was just another notch on his belt, I suppose. I was lucky enough to not have slept with him. But the feelings were still there. The pain is still there but somehow, I moved on.â
âDo you mind if I asked who the guy was?â
âYouâd be surprised. The very man Jennie cheated on you with, Jeon Wonwoo.â
âSo heâs been making people miserable since forever?â
âKind of, yes. The worst part wasnât that he destroyed what I knew of love; the worst part was that he was a great friend of mine. I lost a friend and a lover all at once. Unfortunately, I didnât know of his tendencies to lead people on and break their heart.â
âWow. What a small world, huh? Who knew that theyâd cheat on us the way did?â
âI think itâs just a way of theirs to tell us that theyâre done with us, albeit a little too harsh. Whatever excuses they come up with almost seem patronising at the moment we find out.â
âWere you as awfully calm when you found out as you are now? Because if I were in Wonwooâs shoes, Iâd be running to the other end of the world.â
Naomi laughed a sad laugh at that.
âI just went numb. I shut people out for so long, I somehow made it easy for Wonwoo to ignore me. But then again, I made it difficult for everyone else in my life. I lost so many people because of one useless and unworthy act by a person I truly loved, it wasnât even funny.â
âThen how did you and Yoongi become friends? Because he doesnât trust human kind either.â
She smiled at that. It had been difficult for both of them to get used to each other, her more than him. But she was so glad that Yoongi and Jimin both took the effort to wade their way through her barriers and find a place for them in her heart.
âYoongi is persistentâ was all she said.
And that began their nightly routine of venting. It was not something anyone knew. None of Kihyunâs or Naomiâs friends knew about their late night rendezvous at the park. Night after night theyâd meet at the same spot and vent about their past and how their day was. Kihyun seemed to improve and slowly pull out of the darkness he had fallen into. His love for Jennie had somehow poisoned him and she was all he could think about for a while. The nights that he spent with Naomi, though, changed that.
What also made Naomi happy was that on some days, sheâd get the infamous Kihyun smile which she found adorable. His cheeks would push up and his eyes would almost disappear as a result and that never failed to make her giggle. When Jooheon saw them talking in a friendly manner, he almost dropped a customerâs order. He couldnât believe his eyes or ears when he saw them conversing.
Yoongi and Jimin were surprised too. Later in the day, the two of them cornered her and asked her what was happening. She wanted to tell them about the nightly routine but she felt as if sheâd jinx what Kihyun and she had. What she did tell them about, though, was the first night. Jimin seemed convinced but Yoongi, the ever perceptive human, was not. Naomi knew he knew that she was keeping something form them but he didnât push her to talk about it. He was well aware that he could ask either of them later on. But Yoongi seemed happy whenever he saw his two friends get along as well as they did and it seemed as if there wasnât a lot that could change their relationship.
Change is inevitable. Change is somehow the only constant the world knows. Change was also what made humanity mortal. And there was nothing anyone could do to stop it.
Just as night changed to day, so did the dynamics between Naomi and Kihyun. Somewhere along the line, they changed their points of view about each other. From strangers to enemies to acquaintances to friends, it really was a roller-coaster ride for the two of them and everyone around them. Naomi was happy that this kind of positive change happened in her life. Somehow, Kihyun had wedged his way into her life and while she was hesitant, she slowly allowed him in.
It scared her though. It scared her that she let him in so soon while it took her so much longer with Yoongi and Jimin. Wonwoo had to struggle a lot too to become her friend. But for some strange reason, it didnât take Kihyun long.
A part of her thought it was because of them venting about life to each other but the more rational part knew that it was because she was slowly falling for him. How ironic was it to have your logical side realise that you were falling for someone whoâs hated you for years and then managed to befriend you?
And she knew it was because every time sheâd see him smile, sheâd feel content. She always wanted to hear him talk. She never was the kind to give thought to what people vented out to her. Sheâd lend an ear to listen but she never thought over peopleâs problems except for Jimin and Yoongi and now Kihyun. She realised she didnât look at Kihyun the way she looked at Yoongi or Jimin. It was different, what she felt for Kihyun and she knew she was in trouble.
Because why would Kihyun like her the way she did, right? Why would he look at her and want to be with her? She was just one of the stars in his night sky; a dim, softly glowing star that remained small in front of the ones glowing brightly. There were a million women who could like him better and do him better than she ever could.
Little she did know that Kihyun had had enough of the harsh brightness. He wanted her warmth and gentleness and no one elseâs and Naomi was about to find this out in ways she couldnât have imagined.
The guy was handsome. She could see that as soon as she walked in and his smile shined so bright, she had to pause for a second.
âNoona!â a loud voice called out and suddenly her feet were off the ground and the world was spinning.
âJooheon stop! Iâm getting dizzy, you goof.â
âSorry! I just got excitedâ he said with a giggle. âNoona meet Hoseok hyung! He likes to be called Wonho though. Hyung, this is Naomi Noona!â
âHi! Youâre Jooheon and Kihyunâs friend, arenât you? Itâs nice to meet youâ he said with a smile and a gentle look in his eyes that made her soft.
âItâs nice to meet you too, Wonhoâ Naomi said before she proceeded to place her order.
âNoona! Iâm hosting a party along with my hyungs next friday. Please come! Yoongi hyung and Jiminie are coming too!â
âJooheon, you know how I feel about parties, right?â
âHey, if it makes you feel better, Iâm going to be sober. Iâm the designated driver for the night so we can hang outâ Wonho said. âIf you say no, he will become pouty and give you those puppy eyes and you donât want that.â
Naomi laughed and gave in when Jooheon immediately gave her the infamous puppy eyes on cue.
As she received her order, she said, âI guess Iâll see you guys in the evening then.â
Jooheon smiled but Wonho gave her a wink and said, âIâll be waiting!â
Friday evening came soon enough and for some absolutely unknown reason, Naomi was stressing over what to wear. Well, she knew the reason but she just didnât want to admit. She had Yoongi and Jimin come over to her place as she whined about being confused.
âNaomi, really, you just have to choose a pair of clothes to wear. Why. Are. You. Stressing.â
âI wish you knew the pain of not knowing what to wear, Yoongi. You just have to throw on a pair of jeans and shirt and youâre done. Youâd look good even if you wore a trash bag.â
âOkay Noona, let me help, yeah?â Jimin asked and she vigorously nodded yes.
As Jimin proceeded to look through, she sat beside Yoongi only to have him look at her with a smirk.
âWhat?â
âYouâre fretting because Kihyun is going to be there.â
She didnât want to blush but she did and that was a dead giveaway about her feelings for him which, of course, Yoongi picked on.
âYou both are so pathetic, itâs tiring.â
âIâm sorry? Pathetic?â
âYouâre both whipped for each other but what do you do? Keep it to yourselves and make everyone miserable.â
âYoongi. Seriously. You think Kihyun likes me like I like him?â
âNaomi, I donât think. I know.â
âWhy would you-?â
âNoona! Why havenât you ever worn this!?â Jimin popped up with a black sequin dress with a sweet heart neckline. Naomi had absolutely forgotten about it.
âThis will go great with these wedges!â he said, pointing at the shoes he held in his right hand.
âThanks Chim! Youâre the best, unlike some peopleâ with a look at Yoongi who just chuckled.
âI missed something, didnât I?â
The party was raging by the time Yoongi, Jimin and Naomi arrived at Jooheonâs place.
âI donât think Iâm going to last too long you guys.â
âNaomi, shut up. Enjoy, will you? This isnât my scene but itâs Jooheon.â
Sighing she made her way into the loud place and made her way straight to the kitchen along with the two boys. Jooheon spotted them almost immediately and went over to hug the three of them, thanking them for coming for which Yoongi flicked his forehead.
Naomi felt a tap on her shoulder and she turned around to see Wonho standing behind her.
âHeyâ she said with a smile.
âHi! You look stunning, Naomi.â
Naomi felt happy but she didnât feel anything else. Nonetheless, she thanked him. Yoongi and Jimin came to give Wonho a hug and started talking to him. With nothing to do, Naomiâs eyes wandered and unconsciously, she found herself looking for the red haired boy that had her heart.
âLooking for Kihyunnie hyung, noona?â Jooheon said with a very knowing smile.
Naomi couldnât respond with a solid response because she knew she was caught. Before she could say anything though, Wonho intervened and asked Naomi, âShall we dance together?â
Naomi, to say the least, was surprised. She wanted to go look for Kihyun and spend her night with him because all they would do was judge people together and laugh at the lame background stories theyâd make up about strangers.
Reluctantly, she said yes to Wonho for one dance. The smile that he awarded was too cute and it made her giggle.
âEnjoy noonaâ Jooheon said with a teasing smile.
Wonho was a complete gentleman. He made sure people werenât crashing into her as they were dancing and also made her laugh. Naomi seemed to forget her surroundings for a while and completely let loose. One song turned into two and two turned into four. What she didnât realise was Kihyunâs longing gaze on her.
âYou should tell her, manâ Yoongi told him.
âAnd spoil the fun sheâs having? She seems so happy and carefree with Wonho hyung, I donât want to spoil it for them.â
âYouâre not spoiling anything. If you donât tell her though, you will spoil what you have.â
âYou think so?â
âI know so. Besides, Jooheon mentioned she was looking for you. If she wasnât interested, would she be looking for you?â
That somehow encouraged Kihyun and he decided that it was now or never. The thing with Kihyun was that this wasnât just a fleeting crush on Naomi. That first night at the park made him realise that he never had hated Naomi. He felt something he didnât understand which he assumed as hate and acted on it.
Ever since they started spending time though, he realised just how amazing she was. He also realised why Yoongi was her friends with her. She radiated beauty, if you knew her well enough. She was open minded, intelligent, adorable and beautiful inside out. Sure she wasnât the prettiest woman heâd met, but her intelligence was unparalleled. She didnât have the usual boring opinions that he had heard from other girls who had only objective in mind and that was to impress him. She was the type to listen to every word you said and genuinely try and understand your troubles. She was genuine warmth that anyone would love to have in their lives. She was the kind to get excited over cats and dogs roaming about. Even as he stared at her dancing and enjoying herself, he couldnât help but smile. He never did objectify anyone, he never was the type of guy to do that. But god damn did she look hot in that dress. But her smile took the cake in his eyes. She was beautiful.Â
Kihyun had missed out on that beauty. He had missed out for two years when he couldâve had it all two years before. But now that he did have it, he didnât want to take her for granted. He wanted to make sure she knew how he felt about her, whether or not she felt the same. He wanted her to know just how wonderful she was. And he made his way to her when he saw them stop dancing for a moment.
It was time he came clean to her.
Naomi saw Wonho look behind her which made her turn around only to see Kihyun. Her heart which was racing from all the activity suddenly calmed down. She smiled from ear to ear as she tackled him in a hug.
âYouâre here!â she said in his ears for it was too loud.
âYes I amâ, he said pulling back with that oh so beautiful smile on his face. He leaned in again and said to her, âI needed to talk to you about something. Want to go out? Please?â
She looked at him worried. No one had ever felt right after they heard the words âwe need to talkâ. A frown etched on her face and yet she said yes. She held up a finger and asked Kihyun to wait as she turned around to apologise and thank Wonho.
âYou donât have to apologise, Naomi. I had fun tonightâ he said with a hug.
âI did tooâ, she said and smiled.
She then held the hand Kihyun had held out for her and safely made her way out of the loud party with him hoping that it was nothing too serious.
âIs everything okay, Hyunnie?â
âNaomi I need you to listen to everything I have to say, okay? Please just wait for me to finish and then say what you have to. Is that okay?â
âOf course.â
âI am so stupid, you knowâ, he said with a chuckle. âSo completely stupid because I missed out on the most wonderful person I have ever had the fortune to meet. It was such a happenstance that day when I crashed into you back in freshman year. I wanted to apologise but I was late and I took out my worry on you. It was only when I walked off did I realise what I had done. I wanted to beat myself up so bad. And then you had to be in the same class as me in freshman year. Hell, I was regretting taking biology not because of you, but because of what I did. But you made me feel something ever since I saw you and I couldnât understand what it was. What transpired between us made me think it was hate. Two years of me being utterly and terribly confused and so assuming of how I felt stopped me from being your friend.
âAnd then the first night at the park happened. And, my goodness, were you so strong that day. You were like fire itself and I realised I was captivated by you. And every day that followed was a surprise for me. You are an enigma, Naomi and somehow I canât seem to get enough of you. I donât think I ever can get enough.
âAt first I thought maybe I was obsessed. But as the days passed, I realised that it was all you. You being yourself is so god damn attractive, it makes me feel like Iâm nothing.
âI am so aware of how you deserve so much better than someone who used to  talk you down. You deserve someone that can treat you right. But I canât help the way I feel. I like you, Naomi. I like you so much, itâs crazy. I wonât call it love, not so soon, but I definitely like you enough to know that I want to spend my life with you.
âItâs okay if you donât feel the same way, you donât have to force yourself. I promise you that absolutely nothing will come in the way of our friendship.â
Naomi was stunned. She had tears welling up in her eyes. She had not heard anyone talk about her the way Kihyun had and she wanted to cry so hard but she held it in because she wanted him to know that she may not be as good as he was at words but she loved him just as much.
âWhat if I donât want that? What if I want more? Kihyun, you donât know how happy I am right now. I like you too. I like you a lot more than I should and do you know how much that scares me? Do you know how afraid I am that Iâll have my heart broken again? But the part of me that absolutely adores you wants nothing to do with those thoughts. All it wants is you and to be with you and call you mine.â
âNaomi, are you sure?â He looked like couldnât believe his ears.
She didnât know any other way to respond so she just tip-toed and pressed a chaste soft kiss on his lips.
âIs that an answer enough?â
He gave her the biggest smile and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a hug and whispered, âthank you, baby.â
And then they kissed and Naomi had never felt happier and safer than she did at that very instance.Â
Epilogue.
The years that followed the day that Kihyun made his confession were amazing to the two of them.
They took their time in confessing their love for each other. It was ironic how it came spilling out from Kihyun when he realised he was almost about to lose Naomi after a major fight. Neither of them remember the reason but they went on and on and Naomi finally broke which made Kihyun stop short. He quickly came to his senses and apologised for even raising his voice at her. He was the reason she was crying and he had to do something. He didnât want her to feel as if she didnât matter to him and that was the first time he confessed his love for her. And Naomi, as if it was a reflex, responded back with the same. They didnât leave each otherâs side that night.
The first time he made love to her was on the evening of their fifth anniversary when he asked her to stay with him for the rest of their lives. It was raw, passionate and so blissful, neither of them wanted to stop.
The first and the last time they made promises to each other was at the altar the following year. By the time the both of them had spoken their vows, there wasnât a single dry eye in the room.
The first time they both cried in happiness was two years later when the both of them held their little baby girl who had the prettiest eyes they had ever laid eyes on.
At the end of it all, Naomi had only said this to Kihyun, âThank you for loving me the way I have loved you and the way I will always love you.â
Kihyun only sealed that promise with a gentle but soft kiss.
A/N: Here it is! Later than I planned, but part 2 is ready to go! If you would like to be tagged in future chapters please let me know!
Part one Here
It had been a few weeks since Ella had her chat with Penelope, and she still couldnât get the words out of her head. She couldnât have a crush on Luke Alvez⊠could she? Even if she did, itâs not like it would actually happen, once he finds out the truth about her it will nip that one right in the bud.
âWe have a case.â Emily said from above. The profilers all closed up whatever they were working on and climbed the steps. Ella was the first one to the room and took a seat. Garcia was standing there and gave her a knowing look. Sure enough, everyone took the seats surrounding her, leaving one next to her unoccupied. Luke walked in last, coffee tumbler in hand and smiled at Ella. Sheepishly, she returned the smile and her eyes flew over to Garcia who was biting her lip to keep from laughing.
âAlright profilers, this one is⊠icky.â Garcia pinched her face in disgust as she pulled up the images. âThree bodies have been found in Mobile, Alabama. 35 year old Dave Janson, 27 year old Samantha Swanson, and 50 year old Paul Mueller.â
âDifferent ages, builds, hair color, sexes⊠what makes us think this is all the same guy?â Rossi asked, swiping through the pictures on his tablet.
âSo glad you asked, but not really.â Garcia pulled up three more pictures. âEach of the victims had this symbol carved into their chest.â They all stared at the symbols in confusion.
âIt looks like it could be some kind of characters, like a word.â Spencer zoomed in on the picture.
âItâs Hebrew.â Ella squinted at her screen. âAt least I think it is. It says ânaqamâ ⊠vengeance.â She felt the whole team put their eyes on her, confused looks on their faces.
âSince when do you know Hebrew?â Rossi questioned her.
âSo I took a class in college.â Ella shrugged her shoulders.
âWhyâŠ?â Luke was very genuinely confused.
âWell itâs proving to be useful now isnât it!â She stuck her tongue out at him and he chuckled.
âAlright, vengeance, is there anything initially that makes us think they had done something wrong?â Emily looked to Garcia, getting us back on track.
âNo, not at all. As far as Iâve been able to tell they were all very upstanding members of society. They had normal day jobs, familiesâŠâ Garcia trailed off.
âWell it looks like we have a lot of work to do. Wheels up in 30.â Emily shuffled the papers in front of her into a file and walked out of the room.
âHebrew, really?â Luke leaned forward in his chair and Ella rolled her eyes.
âShut up.â She couldnât hide the smirk that had formed on her lips though.
âElla can I talk to you?â Garcia tried to keep her voice calm but Ella knew what was going through her mind. She nodded her head and stood up, following Penelope to her office. Garcia closed the door and reached out squeezing Ellaâs arm in a death grip.
âOw! What are you doing?â Ella jumped back. Penelope put her things on her desk and rushed back over to where Ella was standing.
âHe is so, so into you!â Garcia whisper screamed, a giant smile on her face. Ella rolled her eyes and crossed her arms in front of her chest.
âPenelope Garcia! Do you know how hard these past three weeks have been with your words running through my head?â
The two girls were having a rapid fire whisper argument when a knock sounded at the door. They were inches from each other, hands up amidst their gestures in the small argument that they were happening. They snapped their heads toward the door when it opened. Luke raised an eyebrow as he looked between the two.
âAm I interrupting something?â
âNo.â They said in unison, relaxing their body language.
âRight⊠Ella, JJ wanted me to remind you to grab the um⊠what was it?â He furrowed his brow trying to remember. âOh! Grab the bob?â
Ellaâs eyes shot open as wide as saucers and Garcia choked on a laugh. She turned away from the door, unable to contain her laughter and Ella slapped her on the back of the arm.
âWhat? Is that wrong?â Poor Luke looked so confused.
âNo I got it. Bye Luke, see you on the jet in 10.â She shoved him out the door and slammed it shut. Garcia roared with laughter when Ella smacked her again. âAre you fucking kidding me? The Battery Operated Boyfriend? Garcia I will slap the shit out of you.â
âSee you when you get back.â Garcia said through fits of laughter.
As Ella walked onto the jet she couldnât help but chuckle to herself, it was kind of funny. Luke had no idea what he was talking about, and that somehow made it even funnier.
âI fucking hate you.â Ella said to JJ, a smile tugging at her lips as she plopped into her seat.
âGuys, major information!â Garciaâs face appeared on the screen.
âPenelope, we havenât even taken off yet.â Rossi said as we all turned toward the screen.
âWell Iâm sorry, do you want me to hold my information until youâre in the air?â She tilted her head sarcastically.
âOn with it, Garcia.â Emily urged.
âRight, sorry. I did some digging into their backgrounds just to see if anything popped up, trying to find the connection. Get this, they all belonged to a secret neo nazi organization.â Ellaâs eyes widened at the news.
âThat could explain the Hebrew on the bodies then.â Ella said.
âHow so?â Luke asked.
âIt could be a Jewish individual, seeking out revenge on those who want to hurt him.â She explained and the others nodded. Then she shrugged her shoulders and muttered under her breath âCan you really blame him?â
It had been two days since they arrived, and theyâd made no progress since they discovered the connection between the victims.
âHeâs never gone this long between kills before. What is he planning here?â Emily groaned in frustration.
âUsually this is a sign that he has an endgame in mind. Maybe heâs planning something bigger?â Reid suggested.
âThatâs it!â Ella slapped the table. âWhat better way to get vengeance than a targeted attack on a large group.â Before she even finished speaking Emily called Penelope.
âGarcia, are there any meetings happening within this organization anytime soon?â They could hear her fingers dancing furiously across the keys.
âTonight, Mobile event center, 7:00.â Garcia said. âAddresses are on your phones.â
âThatâs in 45 minutes.â
They sped off to the event center and jumped out of the SUVâs as fast as they could when the arrived
âAlvez, Ella â go in the back.â
Guns drawn they ran to the back of the event center. Luke twisted the door handle and nodded to Ella, letting her know that the door was unlocked. He pulled open the door and she stepped inside, gun drawn. She locked eyes with Luke and nodded again. They were walking through the conference rooms, hurriedly hoping to find him before he had a chance to hurt anyone.
âGot him.â Ella heard Rossiâs voice in her ear piece. Luke and Ella both holstered their guns and relaxed, when suddenly the fire alarms began blaring and the sprinklers started spraying.
âOut! Everybody out of the building!â Emily screamed into the ear pieces
Luke grabbed Ellaâs arm and pulled her toward the exit. They were sprinting as fast as they could toward the exit when they heard the blast. The ceiling behind them started crumbling.
âGo! Go!â Luke yelled, urging Ella to run faster. They were almost to the exit when Luke grabbed Ellaâs arms and dove out the door, shielding her body with his own as they reached the outside just in time, where they had once been standing now completely collapsed. They both breathed heavily, trying to catch their breath. Luke helped Ella to her feet and they brushed themselves off.
âAre you ok?â
âWhat was that you couldâve killed yourself.â Ella gasped, still out of breath.
âAre you ok?â Lukeâs voice was urgent and Ella met his gaze. His eyes were full of concern.
âYeah, Luke. Iâm fine.â Her voice confused, but soft. âAre you?â He nodded his head and pulled her into a hug.
âIs everybody out?â Emilyâs voice sounded. One by one their colleagues sounded in. âElla? Luke?â
âYeahâŠ.â Ella replied, still wrapped in Lukeâs arms. âWeâre fine.â
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