CHAPTER 11: Sending off

SUMMARY: Stiles leaves town... Scott and Malia come to a new awakening.

She had done her part. At least she believed she had really done what Napoleon couldn't do. She had made sure Stiles and Lydia were okay and had also made sure the two of them didn't feel weird around her. She understood what they had gone through because according to Google, break ups are never easy especially when your new girlfriend knows your old girlfriend. Apparently, people feel very passionate about things like that. One of those quotes had even said "you shouldn't get into a new relationship knowing you still have feelings for your ex" another had said "entertaining your ex is disrespectful to the relationship you are in."

She imagined it was one of the many silent rules of human engagement but she was also aware that in their circle of friends, these rules shouldn't be allowed to take root. They -every member of the McCall pack- was not going anywhere mainly out of loyalty to the alpha and a sense of responsibility to Beacon Hills and that meant they were always going to be in communication with each other. There was little to be done about that and there was no point capitalizing on that and ruining beautiful relationships.

In all, she felt quite good about herself. She had managed to dispel the tension between Stiles, Lydia and herself just in time for the couple to spend at least one night together before Stiles left for the FBI office that evening. Long distance relationships are stressful already as it is.

She sighed, hands tucked into the pockets of her jacket as she walked leisurely on the familiar street that led to Scott's house. She hadn't called the alpha the previous day and had just gone straight to sleep after leaving Lydia's place and she had a feeling Scott may have been a little upset about that because he hadn't texted her both the previous night and this morning when she woke up. It was a Friday so she imagined he would go early to the school to teach the lacrosse players a few more things before the school year, and subsequently the lacrosse season, starts.

She had waited at home because of that. It felt weird to her, how she jumped every time her phone vibrated and the disappointment that followed when she realized it wasn't a message from Scott. It left her confused and a little shaken and really, she wasn't sure how to -or what to- make of that.

A few meters from the McCall house, she picked up Scott's steady heartbeat and found herself smiling for no reason at all. Her eagerness to see him confused her even further but she was really not prepared to dwell on those feelings. She quickened her pace, going right up to the door and checked to see if it was open. It wasn't.

Scott must have been close by because a few seconds later, the alpha unlatched the door and pulled it open, standing there shirtless and barefooted as his slacks hung low on his hip. He raised his brow at her in what was supposed to be a gesture of indifference.

Malia shuffled on her feet, taking a deep breath to steel herself for what might come next. She wasn't exactly sure why she felt as guilty as she did. "Hey"

"Do I know you?" Scott asked her but to make the situation as light as he can, he stepped back into the house, expecting her to follow. He was wondering why she was smelling so nervous but if he had learnt anything about Malia, it was that when she wanted to say something or share, she will without being probed.

"That was expected." Malia mumbled to herself as she stepped into the house after Scott.

"I still don't know you." Scott called out to her as he plopped down carelessly onto the couch in the sitting room.

"Are you upset because I made new friends?" Malia tried a lighter tone as she leaned against the door frame.

"Is someone talking or am I just hearing voices in my head?"

"Don't do that to me." She whispered.

Scott looked up at her then, giving up on his attitude game. "Right."

"Besides it was just yesterday. We had lunch two days ago and I spent time with you." Malia tried to explain. She wasn't exactly sure why she was doing that either but she was shelving a lot of her confusion for later.

Scott nodded dramatically, wearing a pensive look on his face. "I should be happy. I mean, if this was ancient America, the first wife should be thrilled that her husband spent some time with her at all."

"Scott..." Malia pouted.

"I'm just pulling your legs, don't mind me." The alpha finally said, giving her a smile from where he sat.

She breathed a sigh of relief and stepped into the sitting room. "So what plans do you have for today?"

"No plans. I just came back from my last training with the boys before the school year starts and I wanted to just take a bath and climb into bed." Then seeing another opportunity, he stood from where he sat and walked up towards her, adding; "It's not like I was expecting some company or anything like that."

Malia didn't bother replying that because she was aware Scott was only teasing her. Rather, she headed up to the alpha's bedroom and turned on the TV as Scott headed up to take that bath of his. She figured it was time she continued watching Gossip Girl from where she left off. It's been killing her since then as her mind came up with several scenarios as to what was going to happen in the next episode.

Scott came in a few minutes later, wearing only shorts this time and threw himself onto the bed beside her. She was sitting cross-legged on one side of the bed and he lay on the other, not even trying to pretend he wasn't tired. "I'm going to sleep." He informed her, already leagues into sleep land and didn't even hear her response.

Malia sat there smiling down at the sleepy alpha. Carefully, her movie forgotten for the time being, she run her fingers through his wet hair and wondered what he had been up to that made him so tired.

o0o

When she woke up, she was in Scott's arms. They weren't just laying together, they were spooning and Scott had his arms around her possessively as though it was her rightful place to be. She liked it.

She liked it a lot

Perhaps a lot more than she should. She'd always been the big spoon when she was with Stiles and it felt almost refreshing to have someone who was practically claiming her even if it was in his sleep. A part of her didn't want to get up. A part of her wanted to freeze time and stay in this moment that felt all too safe, and a part of her, the less selfish part, thought about the fact that Scott hadn't eaten before he had slept.

A glance out the window told her it was dusk and she didn't know if he even had breakfast before leaving for the school. Carefully, and quite regrettably, she moved Scott's arms from around her and stood up, tip-toeing to the kitchen to see if she can make some dinner for him.

Malia was faced with the reality that was Melissa McCall's fridge once more and with a frown on her face, pulled out her phone. She has recently found out that Google knows everything and that means there was no reason for her to stress. About anything. Including humans.

When Scott woke up, it was to the aroma of something familiar and a dark room. His first note was that Malia wasn't with him but he noticed soon after that that the werecoyote was in some part of the house. Lazily, he sat up in bed and rubbed his eyes before heading towards Malia's scent... which was quite surprisingly in the kitchen.

He stopped in the doorway, struggling to make sense of the sight before him and feeling anguished at the fact that a part of him wanted to grin so wide and another just wanted to burst out laughing. Malia was standing before a large plate of pancakes and an equally large jug of squeezed juice. And she was looking quite pleased with herself. For what reason, he guessed he was about to find out.

"You want me to eat pancakes for dinner?" Scott asked carefully as he stepped into the kitchen.

"I don't know how to cook, you know that. I had to go on Google and find help but I'm not so sure if I should even let you eat it. It could be bad for your stomach and-" Malia started rambling nervously.

"I'll eat it." Scott cut through her words and moved to pull a chair to sit. At her skeptical look, he shrugged and added; "Mom says it's always the thought that counts. You made me dinner so I'm going to eat it, and damn the consequences."

Malia almost smiled at him but felt the need to add; "I'm not good at taking care of sick people either so if you get sick I won't be able to do anything."

"My mom's a nurse so don't worry about that. Besides, won't it be awfully ironic if food poisoning kills a true alpha?" He picked up two pancakes onto his plate and held out a glass for her to pour him some juice.

"Yeah." She agreed, obliging to his request.

Scott took a chunk of the pancake and ate it, savoring the taste and nodding his approval. He almost chuckled when she heaved a sigh of relief and sat down across from him to start eating too. "Did you and Stiles sort things out?"

"Yeah I think we're okay now." Malia replied. Stiles was leaving on the 8pm flight and she imagined Scott was going to be there to say farewell. It was almost 6pm.

"I'm glad to hear that. He called me this morning." Scott provided conversationally.

"He slept over at Lydia's place, right?" It wasn't really a question that required an answer.

Scott looked up at her curiously before asking. "How'd you know that?"

"I was there with them." She confessed then finding a window of opportunity, added. "We had a glorious threesome."

Scott choked on his food. He had let his guard down around her and forgotten just what a maniac she can be. His bad. "What-"

"Yeah but don't worry... it's not like we're in a polyamorous relationship or anything. It was a one-time thing." She waved in an offhand manner.

"Why will I worry? It's your problem." And just the fact that there might be an element of truth in her words worried him but he didn't have to admit to that, he thought.

"Is it?" She asked, quirking her brows at him.

"Is it what?"

"What makes you think it's a problem?" She was genuinely curious.

"Look, I don't want you to get hurt, okay? Stiles and Lydia can't know when they've hurt you because they don't have hyper senses but I know you're capable of having sex without necessarily feeling love so. ."

"So, I'm a slut." She deadpanned, and almost smiled at how visibly Scott cringed at her choice of words.

"That's not what I mean. I just mean you're a lot more grounded emotionally than I am. I feel I have to be responsible for the people I sleep with that's why I wait till I'm officially dating to do it." Scott supplied.

"And then you do it a lot." She teased lightly.

"A whole lot." He had to agree to that one. He was a needy greedy bastard when he's in love.

"Like rabbits. Those poor girls." Apparently, Malia wasn't done with him just yet.

"They never complained." He shrugged, unable to control the grin that spread across his face.

"I can imagine."

"Imagine what?"

"You'd be great in bed." Malia heard herself saying before she could put her brain to mouth filter to use.

"What gave it away?" Scott smirked in a way he hoped was condescending.

"I just have that feeling your girlfriend will be a very lucky girl." And she meant that, she realized.

Scott had thought this was one of her numerous jokes but he was getting the feeling this time she actually meant what she was saying. "Because I'm good in bed?"

"Because you're you." Malia shrugged and gulped down the entire glass of juice she had poured for herself and set it down on the table with a clink. "I almost envy her."

"You're teasing." He went for a lighter tone.

"It's possible." Malia replied ambiguously.

o0o

The pair had gone to the airport with Lydia and sheriff Stilinski to send off Stiles and for the most part, Scott and Sheriff had been the emotional messes while the girls rather remained in their right senses. Malia was even impressed at Lydia's ability to keep calm in a situation like this. She imagined herself if Scott was to be travelling and thought how clingy she would get but didn't allow the thought to take root because she was occupied with thinking about since when Scott had moved up the ladder of people she felt she truly really needed in her life.

Scott had driven the jeep back and Lydia had gone with the sheriff in his dispatch car.

Both Scott and Malia remained silent on the ride to her house, neither saying a word as they got swallowed up in their own thoughts. To Scott, he was wondering if this was real. It had felt for a while now, that none of them would be able to leave Beacon Hills. That they were going to stay in this town and never even dream about a life out there because it was their responsibility to protect the people in the town from things they had no idea they needed protection from.

And yet Stiles had made it out. He wondered if, if the time came, he would also be able to leave as calmly as Stiles did.

Malia just sat in the car with Scott. She was silent for the most part because she felt Scott needed the silence. And on another hand, because sending Stiles off had had a more emotional impact on her than she had thought. It felt like sending off your first love. It felt like growing up to her. She felt like finally she has fully let go of whatever residue feelings she may have had for him.

She was relieved.

She was scared...

She was happy... She smiled at Scott who was now holding her door open for her. She hadn't even noticed when they had gotten to her house or when Scott had gotten down from the car and moved around to her side to open the door for her but it felt like for the first time, she could clearly see what was before her. Her confusion was cleared. The fog was lifted. The dependency, the feeling she had had when she woke up in his arms, that feeling when he had eaten her pancakes for dinner because that was the best she could do. That feeling.

Becoming aware of the fact that the alpha was starting to get suspicious, she jumped down from the jeep, mumbling a quick thanks and heading up to her porch. She was aware that he followed her closely just because he was a gentleman like that.

Scott waited for her to unlock the door and motioned for her to go in before turning to leave.

She was going to go in. She had every intention of doing that but for some reason, she turned around and with a few steps, wrapped her arms around the alpha, hugging him from behind. "You know... me spending time with Stiles and Lydia, I was only mending bridges." She mumbled.

Scott was frozen in place. Never in a million years would he have expected that from Malia and yet it felt almost... normal. He placed his hands on hers around him and nodded lightly. "I know. And I'm glad you did. Earlier, I was just pulling your legs."

"You're still mine, I hope you know that." Malia whispered.

Smiling to himself, unsure why he found that to be sweet, he nodded once more. "I'm getting a fair idea now." Then turned around to cup her face and press a kiss to her forehead. "Go on in."

Malia smiled at the gesture and stepped back a few steps. "Get home safely."

"Get some sleep. I'll text when I get home but I hope you'll be sleeping by then." Scott waved with a smile at her.

The werecoyote went back to her door and pulled it open, turning around once more to say; "Good night, just in case I really am."

"Sweet dreams, princess." Scott managed with a grin and waited for her to go in before driving off. His mind was already in a riot.