Chapter One:
"Did you know most serial killers are born in November?"
Theodora blinked slowly, her eyes focused on the busy streets ahead of her. People shoved past them, but she managed to glare away anybody from actually touching her. Her gaze flickered to the man walking beside her, a grey trench coat fluttering dramatically behind him in the wind.
"I don't believe that."
He sighed, "Good. I read it off the front page of some random teen magazine."
"You read Teen magazines?"
His dark brows knitted together, "No. I was waiting in line at the grocery store and the bright pink cover caught my attention."
Theodora rolled her eyes, "Sure, Mal. Whatever help's you sleep at night."
"How many times have I told you to stop calling me that."
"Don't remember."
They stopped at a street corner, waiting patiently until the light turned red and the blinking white figure appeared. They continued their way down the street, "It's been about 100." He told her, "Or more, probably."
They fell into silence, lasting for over ten minutes until they stopped at a completely ordinary looking building.
"You really don't know why they called you in for a meeting?" She questioned staring up at the modern architecture mixed in with the old and crumbling buildings that lined the streets. "Do you want me to go up with you?"
Malcolm shook his head, a foot landing on the first step. "No. They won't let you in anyways, you know that."
"I could be an F.B.I Agent if I wanted." Theodora protested, then proceeded to give her friend the finger as he ignored her, passing through the double doors and into the building.
She huffed, staring at the doors for a few more minutes until she turned and took off down the street. He'd be awhile, depending on what the meeting was about. Though Malcolm made it sound as if it was going to be dreadful, she was hopeful it would be something good. Like a promotion, she told him when they had briefly spoke about it on the way there.
A flashing OPEN sign caught her eyes and Theodora walked up to the small restaurant and slid through the door. A women appeared, bright eyed and giddy. Her eyes flickered behind her to a young man who only smirked, and Theodora had to cough loudly to gain her attention again.
"Can I order take out?"
"We don't do that, Miss." The women replied, "I can grab you a table for... erm, one?"
Theodora pursed her lips and shook her head, saying nothing as she turned around.
"Wait!" The young women called, causing her to turn around once more. "I'm sorry— I didn't mean to offend you."
"I'm not offended." Theodora said curtly, ignoring the glance the women sent behind her to that same man. She sighed, "Who's the guy?"
The women blinked slowly, clearly taken a back. "Who?"
Theodora studied the women, eyes trailing the path she had taken up to get to the stand, then chuckled. "The man you had exited the bathroom with."
"Excuse me?"
A step back, "Next time you want to do that in a public restaurant, keep the trail of clothes to a minimum and maybe don't keep looking at him with that look in your eyes."
The women's mouth formed a straight line, and Theodora could tell she was contemplating throwing her out.
"I'll leave before you start screaming at me. But it would be a shame if you lost your job within the next few days—"
"Who the hell are you?" She questioned, hands balled into fists. "How did—"
Another step back, a hand gripping the doorknob. "You're 'tells' Miss, it's actually quite obvious."
She swung open the door and stepped out into the street and immediately got trampled over by a large figure.
"Watch where you're going!" She grumbled, balancing herself. "Why the hell are you—" she paused as her eyes looked up and locked with theirs, "Malcolm?"
He huffed, taking off again and Theodora dashed after him.
"That was a quick meeting." She told him.
"They fired me."
She paused, eyes narrowing as her mind worked through his string of words. Eventually she whacked his arm with the back of her hand, "They can't just fire you!"
He looked down at her, "Yes they can. And they very much did."
"But you're the best—"
"I know." He said quietly, "They just don't think I'm in the right state of mind— or stable, at the moment."
Theodora opened her mouth, but quickly shut it. They were sort of right, as he wasn't in the best possible spot. But, he never really had been. The man took around 10 different meds every morning and even chained himself to his bed because his nightmares were so bad. Though she never brought it up with him, she didn't want to disagree with his case right now— not when she knew what caused it.
"Maybe it will be good to have a break." Theodora shrugged, "Some time off."
"I don't need time off."
"Well..."
He glared at her, shaking his head as they rushed back the way they came. She figured they were heading back to his ridiculously nice apartment to which she was inviting herself, not wanting to go home.
"Are you sure it's not just a temporary leave of absence?"
Another glare. "I'm sure. They were very flexible with the word fired."
"Fired can mean many different things, darling Malcolm—"
"Impersonation my mother won't help me this time, Theo."
"I remember you laughed so hard last time you choked on a brussel sprout."
They both huffed, and made their way back to his apartment in silence. She watched his hand shake as he tried to open the door, and how he dropped the keys as soon as it swung open.
Theodora bent down and grabbed them, dangling them on her thumb. "C'mon. Have a drink and calm down."
"I am calm." He told her, a hand forming a fist and shaking. "Drinks won't help me."
He rushed up the stairs, leaving her to lock the door. "Well, it'll help me." She mumbled taking the stairs two at a time.
She followed him up onto the main level, which opened up to a large kitchen and living room. It was open concept, but seemed much to open and the room felt ginormous. Theodora's entire apartment was about the size of his bedroom, which also was ridiculously large for it's purpose. For an entire apartment, it was hardly enough space.
He shrugged his jacket off and tossed it over a chair, scooping up a line of pill bottles and shoving them into a drawer. Theodora hopped up onto a bar stool, swivelling back and fourth as Malcolm leaned on the other side of the large island, facing her with an unreadable expression.
"It's not that bad." She watched him, eyes darting back and fourth across the counter.
"It's not that bad." He nodded, "It's not— no, no, it's pretty bad."
Theodora crossed her arms, pushing her foot against the ground as she slowly spun in circles. "I'm sorry."
He sighed, walking around the island and stopping in front of her. She was just about to go around in a second circle when his hands landed on the seat on either side of her.
"You don't need to say that." When the chair stopped he stood up, staring down at her with his oddly piercing eyes.
"I know." Theodora said honestly, "I didn't know what else to say without making it worse."
He stood there, expression blank until two fingers came and plucked his keys from around her thumb, keys she had forgotten she was holding. He shoved them into a pocket and made way for the staircase that would lead him to the front door.
"I'm off to visit my sister." He waved, about to vanish down the steps when Theodora clumsily jumped off the bar stool.
"What am I supposed to do?" She questioned, "Am I supposed to go home?"
His head popped up from behind the wall, "No. I need you for a case I've been working on."
"But you've been fired."
He shrugged, a playful look gleaming in his eyes. "Feel free to help yourself to anything in the fridge and if my mother stops by, do not let her in!"
"Malcolm—"
"Do not let her in, Theo!" He shouted, voice echoing down the staircase. "I'll be back soon."
And with that the door slammed, locks clicking. Theodora stood in the middle of her friends kitchen with arms crossed, hoping he could feel the glare she was sending him even from the world beyond his apartment.