Lydia is lost in between a pile of open books and a handful of notes spread over her coffee table when she hears the lock of her front door being turned. The smile immediately appearing on her lips transforms into a full grin when she spots Stiles by the door with Ariel sitting comfortably on his shoulders, giggling like a lunatic.
She's never gonna get enough of watching Stiles interact with her daughter.
After being denied a romantic evening (Stiles and his plans be damned!), a rather short breakfast (in which, by short, Lydia means that Ariel was up almost from the moment she heard Stiles walk in the apartment, given Lydia and Stiles little to no time by themselves), and a whole day without him since Stiles stopped by the shop to get a feel of things before going back to work next Monday, Lydia has really missed her boyfriend.
The guilty thought that she should have asked someone to pick up Ariel for her so she could grab a moment alone with her boyfriend swiftly crosses her mind.
She's a terrible parent.
"Mommy, mommy! Look what Stiles gave me," Ariel yells, and Lydia takes notice of fresh flowers on her daughter's little hand. Stiles puts Ariel down safely and the girl runs to the couch to meet Lydia, excitedly showing off her present. "Look! Aren't they pretty?"
Lydia smells the small bouquet and smiles. "They sure are, hon. Have you thanked Stiles yet?"
"Mmm-hmm," the girl nods along, fascinated with the flowers. "Can I put them in my bedroom?"
"Sure," Lydia replies as Stiles closes the front door and she watches as he puts his keys and wallet on the small table closest to the door as if it's the most normal thing, as if this domesticity is already an intrinsic part of them. God, she's in deep. "Why don't you go change and then we can find somewhere to put them, sweetie?"
Ariel darts to her bedroom as soon as Lydia finishes talking, and Stiles is behind her on the couch before Lydia can get up to meet him. "Have a good day?," Stiles asks, kissing the top of her head.
Lydia pulls him down for a proper kiss. "Yeah. Long, though."
Stiles takes in the messiness of the coffee table. "Work giving you trouble?"
Lydia doesn't take her eyes off him as Stiles makes his way around the couch to sit beside her. Where did she ever find a man as good looking as him? "No," she replies, scooting closer to his side. "Just had a lot to catch up on."
Stiles drapes an arm over her shoulders lazily, moving a little near as well. "Me too. The shop's been really busy while I've been gone. I have a lot of work awaiting me next week."
"You can handle it," she states jovially, kissing his cheek. "And I know how much you've been itching to get back to it." She had noticed, several times over the weeks when Stiles had stayed over after his injuries, how antsy he would get sometimes without having much to do with all the free time when he couldn't move.
"I'm sure your dad and Scott have missed you there as well."
"Yeah." Stiles can't really deny how much he's missed it. He's relieved to finally be able to go back to work, especially with all the projects that he's eager to start, more so the ones that Lydia can't even dream about. "Ariel wants to stop by the shop sometime."
"Of course. I can pick her up from preschool some time and we can meet you there, go out for dinner perhaps."
"Or stop by the park. She was thrilled today," he grins, remembering the little redhead running around with Eric and Charlotte while they played with each other. Stiles had been the designated uncle to pick up some of the kids from preschool and school today, so he'd taken his time with them to visit a small park downtown. The one they usually frequent is bigger, but Stiles is still a little reticent to get behind the wheel after his injuries, so he'd decided to walk the kids instead. Having left Charlotte and Eric with their mothers as they left their shifts, Stiles had strolled through town with Ariel trailing close by, letting the girl delightfully gawk at every other window display that is already advertising the coming Christmas. "We found some flowers on the way, and she liked them so much that I just picked them up for her. They were also gonna be for you but I think she got to attached."
Lydia loves the warmth that always exudes from him whenever Stiles talks about Ariel. It's tantalizing, thinking that the more that Lydia gets to know him, the more she wants him. "You spoil her," she tells him. "You're the first man to ever give her flowers."
"Good," he replies with a soft smile. "She should be treated as if she's the best because she's the best. She's such a good kid, Lydia..."
Her lips are on his before he can grasp what's happing, a light touch that Lydia doesn't waste much time to turn into something more. Stiles is the one to put a stop to her advances, surprised at her forward ways when they're in the middle of the living room, and Ariel could walk in at any time. "What was that for?," he asks, something in the way that Lydia is looking at him softening his intent to know.
"Nothing. Just... Thank you. For being you."
"I'm very thankful to be me too," he replies jokingly, lamely, making Lydia grin.
She's about to dive in for another kiss when Ariel appears on the hallway, there's a "Ewww, you're kissing" followed by a girly giggle, and that's the end of that.
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Friday ends too fast, without any more developments, much to Lydia's dismay. To make her frustration worse, Stiles insists on spending the night at his house again, and she gets his reasoning of wanting her to rest when she spent all her day reading and he knows how it can tire her. Still, it didn't mean she'd perk up if other activities were to happen during the evening.
Stiles is resolute to stick to his plan, though.
So come Saturday morning, Lydia is becoming noticeably frustrated. She has never been this worked up over someone, more so when that someone is insistent they wait for the right time. Anticipation can be a great form of foreplay, or of getting blue balls or whatever the female equivalent to it is, but Lydia would much rather he just give in already. She cannot be held accountable should she jump him regardless of the time or place.
As if summoned by her wandering thoughts, Stiles comes in early as usual for breakfast, and Lydia realizes that she's still not used to the way her hear somersaults in her chest at the sight of him. And what a sight it is...
"Morning, Lyds."
"Morning," she says, blowing on her cup of tea. She leans back on the kitchen island as he approaches. "Sleep well?"
"Like a baby," he says with a grin and a kiss on her cheek, as if it amuses him that he can appear so unaffected by this tension that keeps building between them.
She needs release, for Christ's sake. "Well, I didn't," she tells him, watching him pick up a mug from the cabinet.
At her words, his hand stills in mid air as he turns to face her again. "Oh. I thought you'd be so tired that you'd doze off the second your head hit your pillow."
"So did I." Or not so much. "But I was frustrated."
At that, he perks up. "Too frustrated?"
"Insanely so," Lydia replies conversationally, turning to place her mug on the counter top and spread jam on a slice of bread. "Wanted to do a world of things about it," she teases, and it isn't at all untrue.
"Like what?" Lydia hears him, and finds that he's behind her, talking lowly in her ear. "What did you want to do?"
Lydia smirks, preparing another slice of bread for him as well. "Though a lot about just doing it myself. The anticipation is driving me up the wall."
"Is that so?," he murmurs, his voice husky, and Lydia fleetly thinks that it's too hot for early December. His hands grab her hips and pull her the slightest bit to him.
"Yes. A girl's gotta look out for herself."
Stiles kisses her neck once, twice, making his way down to where it meets her collarbone. "Patience, Lydia. Just one more day."
"The clock doesn't seems like it's moving," she complains with a sigh as he continues his ministrations, his hands roaming up her body until they brush her breasts. "Tomorrow is too far away."
"36 hours. It's all I ask for."
"You're asking for too much," Lydia whispers, leaning back against him.
Stiles turns her around and cups her cheeks, bringing his lips down on hers softly, but determined to have his way. "We're celebrating your birthday tomorrow, and I intend to please in more ways then one. But I have plans, and things in motion. So all I'm asking is for the day to celebrate you, and the night will be all ours. I promise."
"It better be good," she relents, believing it'll be nothing short of amazing.
Little does she know that despite having told her she'll still have to wait a day and a half, he intends on starting to carry his plans right at midnight.
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"I'm sorry for not being able to take in Ariel tonight," Allison tells Stiles regrettably later that day.
Well, that puts a damper on what he had in mind.
Their eyes on the fiery red hair of the four year old that's running around the McCall's living room, chasing a just as energized Eric at ten in the evening, Allison tries to continue. "But Claudia..."
It's not like he didn't have some... Rather improper plans to follow through with a child in the house, so plan B it'll have to be now. No other way around it. And he understands the situation Allison is in. "I know, don't worry about it," Stiles mumbles, but he can still tell that Allison knew exactly what his plans for Lydia were tonight. "Everything set for tomorrow, though?"
Lydia's birthday.
God, he can only hope he planned the perfect birthday for someone who's quickly becoming his whole life.
Allison senses his doubts and squeezes his shoulder comfortingly, a small, kind smile playing on her lips. "She's gonna love it, Stiles." His mind seems to quiet a little at her words. "We're all set. We've already called Isaac and your parents to confirm the arrangements, and Scott's on the phone with Derek right now. We'll make sure that everything goes according to plan, alright? We'll meet you at seven."
"On the dot, alright? Don't be late. There's a lot to do."
"Don't worry about it," she smiles. "It's going to go great."
Stiles hugs her before leaving. "Thanks, Alli." Catching Ariel by her waist as she's passing him by, Stiles holds her to his side. "Sorry, bug. We have to go. You'll play more with Eric tomorrow. With the others too, okay?" Ariel doesn't seem too convinced and almost goes to protest, but Stiles is learning that he has some kind of effect on her because the girl always concedes. It's strange, but in a way makes it feel as though she's his little girl. He tries not to dwell too much on it.
"Say goodbye, and we'll be off," he tells her, putting her on the ground again.
While Ariel goes say goodbye to Eric and Scott, Allison approaches and places a hand on his shoulder. What she says is surprising, but also not, and it only seems to add to this pile of emotions and feelings he has for the Martin girls. "You're really good with her, Stiles. She's really becoming attached to you. And I'd hazard a guess that you're becoming attached to her as well, but I can tell that you already are in deep. You've fallen for that little girl, haven't you?" Stiles only nods, silent, his eyes on Ariel the whole time. "Her father... He wasn't a good person, and she's never had the kind of influence a male figure would have had in her life. You're quickly becoming the person she looks up to." Allison squeezes his shoulder in comfort, knowing that he sometimes wonders how he could have ever cared so deeply, so quickly for a little girl that isn't his. "Don't be afraid to give into it. She won't hesitate to do it either. It's a beautiful thing."
Stiles thinks about it the whole ride home, and Allison's advice only seems to validate all the plans he made for Lydia's birthday. He can already tell he made the right ones.
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Author's Note: For a little insight on what's going to happen with little Claudia, for a hidden spoiler on Cora/Isaac's wedding, for Scallison and Stydia fluff, or truly if you just want to read a flashforward of Know Better, you can look up my Drabble #22 from my Birthday Drabbles Series.
Feel free to leave me a review to let me know what you're thinking of the story so far.
Until next time xx
Susana
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