N/A: Sorry for the wait! And one thing, Desert Wolf is named "Karin" from this chapter and on, since we finally got her name on canon. She was previously mentioned as Lara.
About Whisky and Chocolate
Coming back to Blink&Clean had been the easy part. Falling into a routine of punching and training with Hayden and shooting with Josh had been easy. Listening to Corey ramble while he worked on some poor bastard was easy.
Staring at Theo's face and not clawing it out was hard.
"You came back!" had been the first words yelled by Corey, right after she entered the Blink&Clean building and got her card back. Malia had blinked in astonishment, surprised by his reaction when she had only been away for two weeks.
"Yes, of course I came back"
"Theo said you were staying behind"
Those simple words made her blood burn and she had pushed Corey off of her, fearing for his safety, wishing she could go upstairs and clean the floor with Raeken's face. Instead, Malia offered Corey a bitter smile and went to the gym.
There were no classes right now, so she punched and trained, trying to channel her anger into something productive, but somehow only getting more furious. Raeken's face danced in her mind whenever she closed her eyes, and she pictured him as the punching bag, wanting to shred him into pieces.
"I wouldn't want to be the punching bag" Hayden smiled, leaning against the wall and startling Malia "Corey said you were back and in an awful mood"
"He's not wrong, leave me alone"
"Will we ever know what happened while you were away?"
"He used me for my family money. I was a case for him" Malia answered bluntly. She was sure Theo would grab the first chance he had to twist the truth and make himself a victim.
Hayden raised an eyebrow and sat down on an exercise bike "That's low even for him"
"Tell me about it" Malia kicked the bag and got back in her feet, turning to look at her friend "What do you want, Hayden?"
"It's Corey's birthday next week" she rolled her eyes "He wanted to invite you but was afraid you would bite his head off"
"Invite me to what?"
"Normally we go to a bar and get drunk, maybe dance" Malia could see that Hayden enjoyed nothing of this. She probably just went to make Corey happy.
"Fine" Malia hide a small smile from how surprised Hayden looked "Text me the address, I'll be there"
"Alright…" Hayden took a step back, clearly expecting a negative answer "Are you sure?"
"Yes, now let me practice"
"Are you sure?" she had been listening that phrase a lot now. Malia glared at Josh and took the gun from his hands, pointing at the target and pressing the trigger. The kick made her almost drop the gun and she let out a grunt.
"Whoa" Josh looked at the bullet holes "You suck at this"
"That's why you need to teach me"
"You teach martial arts, you gonna be fine without a gun" He gently took it from her fingers "Let's not let you near one of those babies ever again"
"Look" Malia took the gun from his hand again and pressed the barrel on his chest. Josh visibly paled. "I didn't come to Blink&Clean to be put in a corner, ok? I want in"
"You want to be an agent?"
"Maybe" She shrugged "I want to be the best, be it an agent or not"
Josh let out deep sigh and pushed the barrel away from his chest "Fine"
"Really?!" She pressed the trigger in her excitement and the man before her fell on pain, yelling blood murder "Oh shit, Josh!"
"First fucking lesson. Never leave your finger on the fucking trigger!" Josh yelled, pain tears on his cheek and his feet covered in blood "Take me to the medical bay"
Of course Josh only wanted to be treated by Corey and of course Theo had to be there. The second her eyes landed on him the old anger rose like flames inside her stomach.
It didn't help when he followed her outside, mocked her with excuses that didn't even begin to cover it and tried to justify himself. Malia wished he would die already, leave her alone. Stop interrupting her thoughts; stop reminding her what a big fool she had been to trust him.
"I warned you I was no good, you trusted me because you wanted to" Malia didn't heard those words, she felt them. Like a sound slap in her face. Peter had been yelling like a lunatic when the money vanished. Malia disliked the guy, knew he was a dangerous sociopath, but she also felt sorry for inflicting such thing on her blood family.
"Bullshit" she punched him and the felling of Theo's face underneath her knuckles was almost as good as his kisses between her legs had been. "I trusted you, because you gave me all the reasons too. You played me, Theo. Don't try to push on me, just because you're too pathetic to deal with your own guilt" Malia planned on breaking his pretty nose. Claw out his face until it stopped showing up in both wet dreams and nightmares.
"Uhum"
Desert Wolf wasn't happy. She grabbed Malia and pushed her outside the office as if the young woman was a little kid.
Malia sat outside and prayed Theo was being fired. She knew he loved his job and it was basically his entire personality. So nothing was fairer than pray for his utter destruction.
Instead, Raeken came out looking relieved and annoyed, mumbling a simple "She's telling you to come in"
Karin opened a dangerous smile when Malia walked in and sat before her.
"Did you fire Theo?"
"It's none of your business, Malia" she grabbed on papers and put them on a drawer "I'd ask for an explanation, but Agent TR Chimera already tired my patience."
"Oh, so you listen to him, but not me. Let's talk about what a bitch y-"
"Stop acting like you're five" Karin glared at her "Your punishment will be filling up papers for the Count&Numbers"
"So I'll fetch papers?"
"Pretty much" Desert Wolf made a gesture for her to leave and Malia was about to stand up, glad there hadn't been worse consequences, when her biologic mother said "Ah, Malia"
"Yes?"
"Are you training to become an agent? I saw that you signed up for medical, computer system and shooting classes"
"I just shot Josh on the leg, I don't think he'll want me as a student anymore" Malia shrugged.
Against her will Karin opened a sly smile "He'll get over it" and then her brows furrowed "So you are training to become a field agent."
"I want to dedicate myself fully to my job. This is not a game for me, despite what people think. This is my life and I've chosen it enough times for people start giving me credit for it"
"And by that you mean…?"
"I came back, didn't I?"
"Yes, you did" there was something sugary in her voice that made Malia flinch. A mockery, like Karin was wondering how much of her decision had been made to prove a point to Theo. Well, fuck Karin. Malia's choice to own her life had nothing to do with Raeken, even if he had been a catalyst of it.
"Malia"
Tate cursed mentally and opened the door, stepping out before turning around and repeating "Yes?"
"If you're ever apt to be a field agent… I'll make sure you are. Blink&Clean could use your fury on field."
"Hey, loser" Malia hugged Corey, smiling when he kissed her cheek and then eyed her from head to toes.
"You're hot tonight, Malia"
"Happy birthday" she smiled, rolling eyes and going to the bar table her friends were sharing. Josh was there; Hayden too, looking upset but still present. A handsome guy with tired eyes and who Malia was pretty sure she had seen before. Some more people she didn't even bother acknowledging.
Corey did introduce her to them, but she was getting itchy to dance, the music was too loud.
They drank, mocked Corey and someone scavenged a cheesy party hat to put on him. Malia discovered that drunk Corey was absolutely hilarious and that he would dance on top of tables with enough cheering.
"Hey" Hayden, the only one still sober of them, smiled and poked Malia's ribs "Doesn't that guy looks familiar?"
Malia turned around to see the person Hayden was pointing in the crowd and frowned. Stupid Raeken. "What's Theo doing here?"
"It's not him" Hayden squeezed her eyes "The hair is all wrong and I'm sure Raeken would kill himself before going anywhere in a blazer"
"Malia!" Corey squealed, grabbing her arm "Did you see the hot guy making fuck eyes with you across the bar?"
"I'm pretty sure it was with you"
The boy who Malia now knew was named Lucas glared at her and his grip on Corey's belt hook got a little tighter. "I don't think so… my gaydar is pretty sharp and that kid isn't queer, unfortunately"
"Corey, c'mon, you're wasted" Lucas said, his voice strained. Josh stepped on and pulled his friend out of Lucas' claws.
"C'mon, Corey, lets get you a bottle of water" Josh mumbled, throwing a glare to Lucas and walking away.
"What's the issue with these two?" Malia questioned, smiling a little.
"Josh is a little too protective of Corey. Lucas is just a plain ex-boyfriend asshole"
"Corey doesn't seem to know Lucas is an ex"
"Well, we all have our weakness" Hayden shrugged "Your weakness is reallyeye fucking you, by the way"
"Shut up" Malia rolled her eyes, not bothering to look at Theo's clone across the bar."C'mon, let's dance" she grabbed Hayden by the wrist and pulled her friend to the dance floor.
Hayden was a little grumpy for having been dragged to a club, mostly because she had had a nasty experience working in one a long time ago.
"I don't dance" her friend hissed, but Malia smiled and put her hands on her hips.
"You do now"
She closed eyes, letting the beat swallow her and danced away her frustrations. Got down to the ground, rolling hips in a lascivious way, and smiling to no one and everyone.
The muscle pain from shooting classes? Gone.
Hayden tugged her closer, a little shy and very annoyed.
Working with Counts&Numbers? Gone.
Malia turned around, feeling Hayden pressed on her back, small hands on her hips and trying to follow her movements.
Theo Raeken? Go-
"Hey" a guy put a hand on her shoulder and Malia snapped eyes open, noticing Hayden had left her without much of an explanation and now Theo's look alike was smiling at her.
"Hi..." She opened a breathless smile and he grinned back.
"I'm Mike!" He yelled over the noise and Malia let one of her hands rest on his elbow, pulling him closer so they would be dancing together. "I'm Malia" He was slower than her, a little awkward but definitely not shy. "Do you..." a loud noise and someone pushed past them, pushing Malia in his arms. Whatever he was saying got caught in his throat and Mike opened those dark eyes of his and lowered his head, his mouth suddenly closer to hers and Malia didn't mind it at all.
"Do I what?" it was supposedly a whisper, but the music was too loud and there were people jumping around them, yelling and laughing.
"Are you alone?"
Oh. Malia smiled and turned her head slightly, seeing Hayden near the bar with Corey, eyeing her with disapproval but a little of mischief. They would be fine.
"Yes"
His eyes were so incredibly chocolate. Eating her up the entire time they made out on his car. Asking in a breathless whisper "Maybe you should text your friend my address, otherwise they will get worried"
Malia wasn't planning on knowing anything about him. Only that Mike had chocolate eyes, hands a little too alike to Raeken and he kissed her well enough to make her clit throb.
However, somehow, when they stumbled to his couch kissing and almost falling over the coffee table, she learned he was awfully sweet.
"You like that?" Malia frowned, still on his lap, eyeing his CDs on the shelter behind Mike's couch.
"Like what?" he took off her shirt and his lips met her bra, teasing the black fabric with his teeth.
Malia palmed his chest and pushed him off her, walking to the CDs collection and smiling "This is some dark indie stuff for a guy like you"
"Should I be offended?" he chuckled, taking the CD she had picked and putting it on like it was some precious vinyl. Maybe it would be, given a few more years.
"Not at all" Malia smiled, the bass strings filling up Mike's living room. She undid her jeans and kicked them off, smiling under his hungry gaze.
"Malia?" Mike called, not entirely confused, more amused than anything. She bit her lower lip and turned around, dancing and looking at him over her shoulder, unclipping her bra.
His smile vanished and he licked his suddenly dry lips, leaning against the wall and crossing arms as if to hold himself still. Malia smirked and let her bra fall to the ground, raising arms and swinging by the beat, closing her eyes.
She let her hands fall to thighs, running them inside her legs, rubbing her wet thong with her index before pulling down the fabric, kicking it off. She heard him groan, somehow Mike's voice was closer and Malia hadn't heard him move.
He put a hand on her waist, the other tugged on her neck and he tilted her head back, smiling and kissing her. Malia grinned on his mouth, turning around and wrapping arms around his neck. His hands went to her butt and Mike lifted her, didn't breaking the kiss when she wrapped legs around his hips.
Mike lowered her on the couch, crawling on top of her and kissing her between the breasts.
"No" Malia groaned, tugging on his hair as his kisses went south "I wanna look in those grey eyes of yours"
Mike laughed, frowned and kissed her again "Too bad, because they are brown"
She woke up hours later, unable to remember going to his bed, but tangled in sheets nonetheless. Mike was facing her, asleep, and with eyes closed he looked way too alike to Raeken. Especially in the grim light.
"People call it creepy when you watch them sleep" he grumbled, smiling and slowly opening eyes, letting out a yawn "Are you hungry?"
"A little" Malia traced her thumb over his brows, watching him carefully "I should go"
"It's not even morning yet, you should stay" He smiled when she traced his mouth, biting on her finger "Stay"
"Is that how it works with your one night stands? You let them stay for breakfast and act all cute?"
"I wouldn't know" Mike sat up on the bed and put on his boxers "You're my first one night stand ever"
He was her first fuck since Stiles, but Malia wasn't about to go around sharing details. She followed him with a greedy gaze and sighed "I think we're already messing it up".
Mike was one hell of a cooker and by that Malia meant that he got two bowls and filled them with cereal and milk. If she somehow ended up cuddling on his couch, stealing the rest of his cereal… well, no one needed to know that.
"Will you call me?" Mike asked, after putting his name on her contacts and calling a cab. He was so absolutely perfect that he even offered to drive her home.
"No" Malia shook her head, pressed one last kiss on his mouth "Your music taste is pretty good, by the way"
"I know" he smirked, leaned against the doorstep and watched her go.
She didn't even bother trying to sleep. Instead, Malia took a shower and went straight to work.
"So? How was it? Not a total psycho, I hope"
"I sent you a safe text"
"Yes, but I was still worried" Hayden rolled eyes and they walked in the Blink&Clean building "Corey is not coming today, he's half dead with hangover"
"Well, I wouldn't expect anything else after last night" Malia smiled, pressing the button of the elevator "Mike was… good"
"Just good?" Hayden sounded disappointed. She pressed their floor's button and let out a sigh "I thought you wouldn't ditch us for just an ordinary guy, I guess I was wrong" she forced a fake offended voice.
Malia laughed and nudged her "Oh stop it. I didn't even ditch you, the party was already ending"
"No it wasn't. You missed the best part, when Josh and Lucas got in a fist fight and Corey threw peanuts on them yelling "take off your shirts""
"Really?"
"Yeah, you went home right before the best of the party" Hayden let out a smile "Really, Malia, wasn't it weird? He looked so weirdly like Theo"
"No, he didn't" Malia crossed her arms defensively "And if you really wanna know, my night was amazing"
"Go-" before Hayden was able of finishing her sentence, the elevator's door opened and Theo Raeken was standing before them. Malia let out a groan.
"Oh, look who's wasting our oxygen again" She mumbled, the second he entered the elevator. She hurried to leave, not wanting to share any space with him.
"Last time I checked, you enjoyed to share my oxygen… my saliva too, if I'm not wrong."
Malia turned to face him, Hayden's hand in her arm and an annoyed glare in her eyes. "Really, Theo?" Hayden groaned, but none of them heard her.
"Why don't you curl up somewhere and die, Raeken?" Malia barked, before she was pulled away.
As she was walking away, good day already ruined, she heard him yell "Don't worry, Malia, you won't see me around anymore!"
"What do you think he meant?" Hayden questioned, walking to the training rooms.
"Hopefully that he'll throw himself in front of a bus"
"You don't really want him dead" Hayden whispered back "I know he was the world biggest jerk, but there is something about your week with Theo that none of you two mention… and it seems to be some weird dark secret"
Malia knew what it was: Her being stupid enough to actually develop feelings for him. "I do, Hayden. I do want him dead"
"You said you wouldn't call" Mike smirked, opening the door to let her in. Malia offered him a big smile and raised the Chinese food box as an excuse.
"And I didn't"
He grinned and closed the door behind her, grabbing the box "Moo Shu Pork… Alright, I'll forgive that you never called."
"What are you doing?"
"Watching Cupcake War" he shrugged and sat down on the couch. Malia felt bad. She was using him and she knew first-hand how terrible it was to be used.
"I think I should go" all of her confidence vanished. Mike was a nice guy, he didn't deserve to have his feeling toyed and much less be used as a face replacement to her subconscious fantasies.
"Why? You just got here" He frowned "Is it my show? Because I can change channels, my god"
Malia laughed, hating him for a second "Stop being nice. I'm not nice"
"Oh, bad girl complex, uh?" He didn't even move from his spot on the couch "You bought me dinner, there's no way you're going home now"
"Mike…" she let out a sigh "I'm not good with this one night stand thing, but I'm sure it shouldn't be like this. I used you last night an-"
"Oh, I know."
"You know?"
"Yeah. I mean, I don't have grey eyes and my name doesn't starts with a 'T'" Mike shrugged, a playful smile on his face.
Shit, this was embarrassing.
"But I think…" he carried on "That if you're here, paying me dinner, and not with this guy, it means I've got something he doesn't have. Maybe it's my charming brown eyes, so soulful"
"Oh god, shut up" Malia laughed walking over to the couch and sitting down "So it doesn't bother you?"
"Not now, maybe it will in the future if there's a future. Who knows"
"You're…" crazy, hopeless "a dream, Mike."
"So, are you still seeing Theo's clone?"
"Who told you about Mike?" Malia growled, pressing the trigger and opening a smile. It wasn't a perfect shot, but it was close. One of her bests so far. It had been almost a month and half since
"Corey, he's an open mouth" Josh inspected her bullet holes and let out a whistle "You're getting really good, Malia"
"Thanks. And to answer your question, no, I'm not"
"Really?"
"He was…" too nice to fit my jerky type, apparently "We decided we would be better as friends"
"That's nice, I guess" he let out a smile.
"And what about your big ass crush on Corey?"
"He's my bestfriend, is not a crush" Josh rolled his eyes "You should have seen Corey when he used to date Lucas"
"Why?"
"He was a mess. I just don't want him to go back being an insecure ball of shyness again"
"Fine" Malia shrugged "What about hi-"
"Malia" a sharp voice made them both jump and, once again, her finger was resting on the trigger. Josh cursed when she missed his leg for just a few inches.
"FUCK, MALIA!"
She shushed him with an impatient gesture and turned to face Desert Wolf. Karin had arms crossed and she was carrying a folder.
"My office. Now"
Malia followed her without asking questions, anxious about missing practice or one class. Whatever was it that Karin needed, she was sure it would something impractical and stupid.
"Sit down, Malia" Desert Wolf took her place in the presidential chair and opened her big folder, a queasy smile dancing in her lips.
"What is it? I have a class to teach, I don't have time for small talk"
"I know. Your progress has been amazing. Off the charts, to be honest" those words were unpleasant for Karin to say and Malia loved the unwilling praise.
"Good" She didn't let it show. Crossed arms and leaned back in her chair, letting Desert Wolf know it wasn't a game for her.
"Have you heard of a team mission, Malia? I bet you did, since you've been studying all of the cases in the Doctor's files"
"Yes" Team missions were always expensive and rare.
"I have a team leaving tomorrow for a job" Malia knew where this was going "The job it's a simple track and recovery, but the contractor wanted more than a single agent, since it showed to be... useless, last time we tried it"
"You want me to be part of the team" It wasn't a question and Desert Wolf frowned slightly, maybe disturbed by the arrogance or startled by Malia's confidence.
"Yes. You're new, but your skills in fighting are pretty brilliant and a team mission would be the perfect environment to learn the tricks. I've got almost the entire team picked out, would you like to join?"
The first thing to cross Malia's mind was "yes", followed by a memory of her first day in Blink&Clean and Theo covered in blood. "I'm not killing people" the words blustered out "I want the job. I will take the job. But only on my terms: I'm not killing innocents"
Now Karin opened a smile "As frail as day one, uh" she mumbled under her breath, before signing something on the file and turning on the silver screen of her computer. Malia saw a collection of names and faces run by, but it was a single one that caught her attention: Raeken. Over it, in big red letters, was written "Neutralized".
"What is-"
"Classified" Desert Wolf cut her off, stopping scrolling when a big picture of Malia showed up. She wrote "Contracted" on it and turned for her daughter, closing the file and pushing it across the table "Good luck"