Not a Valentine's date

Chapter 6

Lydia is still feeling a little edgy and she doesn't really know why, so taking way more time in the bathroom than she expected is not really helping easing her nerves. She was supposed to take a quick shower and go help her mom in the kitchen, only she kept being interrupted by phone calls and text messages from friends checking in on her. Well, on Stiles.

Scott called Kira the second he hung up on Lydia, so Lydia barely had time to comb her hair and her phone was already ringing. Her conversation with Kira was brief and more of the same and, in the meantime, Scott must have talked to the Sheriff because when Lydia ended the call with the kitsune, she already had a text from Stiles' dad asking about him, to whom she replied quickly with 'Not sure. He's resting. I'll have him call you later'. When her phone gives her a rest, Lydia hops in the shower but by the time she's finished, she has a very concerned Melissa to calm down. Even though Stiles is not her son, he kind of is really, so she wants to see him and talk to him and Lydia has to promise she'll make him call her no matter what. There are a few more texts from other members of the pack but Lydia doesn't answer them, knowing that Scott will pass along the message.

Finally able to get to the kitchen without any more interruptions, she finds her mom working on lunch and is surprised when she sees Stiles beside her mother. She was hoping he would get some more sleep. "You're awake," she states dumbfounded.

For a moment there Stiles kind of forgot that it was Lydia's house too. Natalie is being incredibly nice to him and, like she said, helping her is distracting him from his wandering thoughts. Turning his attention to Lydia, Stiles gawks at the sight of her. Her hair is still wet and looks longer than Stiles had ever noticed; she's wearing grey sweatpants and a maroon sweatshirt and it's the most casual Stiles has ever seen her and she looks so small without her heels that he smiles bright. "Yeah, woke up a few minutes ago."

"Stiles is staying for lunch," the older woman explains. "I'll just go make a phone call, I'll be right back." Lydia narrows her eyes at her mom as the woman gets out of the kitchen. Natalie was never one for subtlety.

When Lydia makes her way towards Stiles, he stops what he's doing immediately and meets her halfway. He longs to touch her, to be close to her, and the only explanation he can come up with for anxious he feels is that it might be the tether, because he's had the biggest crush on her for years and he has never felt like this, like only her touch will make everything right. Lydia must feel the same way because she's the one reaching for his hand and stopping midway, afraid that she might be doing something she shouldn't. Stiles takes her hand anyway; it's like a need.

"Hey," he says, blushing a little. It's not like they haven't held hands before, but it feels different.

Lydia doesn't react right away. As soon as Stiles touched her, it felt so much easier to breathe that she ends up looking down at their hands, mesmerized. It must be the tether, she concludes. What else could it be? Staring up at him, she's flustered too. "Hi." He looks a little better, even if not much. "How did you sleep?"

"Like a baby," he whispers. "No nightmares, no waking up in the middle of the night, no looking around the room afraid there might be an assassin or a supernatural being lurking in the dark either. It's the best I've slept in a while, if I'm being honest." He bites his lower lip nervously because he's sure he slept like that because of her. It has to be the tether, right?

"I'm glad." Lydia smiles and her hand lets go of his grip to caress his cheek, her thumb softly brushing his skin. They both blush harder but Lydia can't help the movement; it's almost instinctive. "You look a little better but I think you still need some more rest. You could have stayed in bed, my mom wouldn't mind."

"It's okay," Stiles says, smiling shyly. "And thank you, for letting me stay."

"You would have done the same thing for me," she murmurs. Without realizing it they got closer and Lydia hadn't noticed until now that Stiles' hands rested on her waist. Involuntarily, Lydia purses her lips. Stiles does the same thing, mirroring Lydia in action and thought.

He could easily lower his head and kiss her; they are that close. Instead, and breaking their gaze, Stiles places the sweetest kiss on her forehead and mutters "Like I said, thank you."

Placing her arms around his waist, she hugs him tight and chuckles. "I'm supposed to be the one comforting you," she murmurs against his chest before looking up at him again.

They seem to be even closer now that his lips are almost brushing hers and Stiles smiles back, one of his hands tucking her wet hair behind her ear. "You are."

They jump apart quickly when Natalie comes back to the kitchen and heads to the stove, acting like she didn't see a thing. Lydia and Stiles both turn scarlet but laugh quietly, sneaking glances at each other and smiling as they start setting up the table.