Over the few years of knowing Lydia Martin, Stiles have discovered things about her that know one else knew. He loved this, he revelled in the fact that there were aspect of her life, her thoughts, her personality that only he knew about.
The boy knew her odd pet hates, her strange quirks and all her bad habits - all which made him love her more.
One of these quirks was Lydia's love of darkness. Despite everything the pair, and the pack included, had been through; the girl loved nothing more than lying in silence, surrounded by the night.
When her staying at Stiles' became a regular occurrence, he discovered this and merely nodded, letting her curl into his arms and body as night time fell.
In the dark, when the only light visible was the moon shining through the cracks of the blinds - Lydia became more open that ever before.
With her face hidden in his chest and her shy eyes shaded by darkness, Lydia would murmur her thoughts and feelings to the boy without shame.
She spoke about her family, school, her worries and her fears; all which Stiles soothed away with string, comforting arms and soft kisses to her forehead.
One night, after a day hunched over laptops and cipher codes - Lydia cried into the boys neck. She was exhausted.
Her mind was constantly racing and the fear of death in the pack was building to extreme levels. Voices in her head whispered horrible secrets, sounds came from empty rooms and she heard things she didn't think she was supposed to hear.
"Lydia, it's going to be okay, I promise", they lay side by side in his bed as the girl clutched to Stiles. Gathering her in his arms he hushed her cries, "I don't know how, but, it will. It'll be okay".
The fear of the unknown built in Lydia's chest and the unbearable pressure of being the one to crack the codes bore down on her like a tonne of bricks.
Her breathing accelerated dramatically as the same horrible thoughts raced through her head.
The darkness she once found peace in was consuming her and she felt like she was drowning.
Quick to tell the signs of an oncoming panic attack, Stiles sat up in bed, bringing the panicking girl with him. He sat in front of her with mussed hair and worried eyes.
"Lydia, breathe with me okay? Just listen to me, focus on me, yeah pretty girl?"
His words flustered her more and she struggled to slow down her breath. In her panicked mindset, the thought of holding her breath terrified her. She was drowning.
Stiles gathered her in his arms, holding her to his chest, murmuring words to her that he hoped would calm her.
"Lydia, try to concentrate. I know it's hard, I know, but listen to my voice", his words were soft and he pressed gentle kisses to her temple.
"Look around, it's nice and dark, nothing else to see, nothing to think about. Empty that pretty head, talk to me, let it out".
Lydia struggled through more deep breath, the words she wanted to say pressing against her throat.
With a gasp she started to talk rapidly. Between deep, stuttering breaths she told Stiles and the darkness what she needed to let out.
"I don't know what to do. The codes… The codes." Tears rolled from her closed eyes.
"So much pressure… What if - what if I can't do it?"
Stiles' heart shattered and he held her closer listening to her words and her gradually even breath.
"I want to know everything's going to be okay. I want to know everyone will be safe."
More tears fell and the boy brushed them away with a gentle hand. She gazed up at him and took one last shuddering breath.
"I want to know that I can save you. I want you to know I love you."
Stiles' hand dropped from her cheek in surprise as her words resonated within him. His heart leaped and his stomach soared.
Lydia's eyes dropped to the bedding as she continued, "I want to know… If you-", another shaky breath was pushed from her lips, "love me?".
