a/n: for stydia secret santa on tumblr -

to: youreahotman || from: bansheemrtin

Despite the fact that it was approximately 57 degrees and Christmas Eve in the town of Beacon Hills, Stiles and Lydia's condo was adorned with everything christmas-y. From the tree that sat in the corner to the fake snow art that Lydia had painted on the window, there wasn't a single corner of their home that wasn't decorated. There was a garland hanging off the electric fireplace and fairy lights decorated the entire place. The white lights of the Christmas tree shone against the dark window where the night had taken over the sky as Lydia made her way around the apartment, cleaning up the mess they had made while wrapping, picking up the bows and ribbons and scraps of wrapping paper that had been scattered the floor.

Stiles silently creeped up behind Lydia, following her until he was close enough to wrap his arms around her waist and place an abundance of kisses on the exposed skin on her neck thanks to the messy bun placed atop her head.

"Stiles!" she giggled, tossing her head back in reckless abandon before turning around to face him, her fingers lacing together behind his neck, his own hands finding their way around her waist. "You know," she teased, "there wasn't any mistletoe. What's your excuse for kissing me?"

"Do I need one?" he asked. "I'm celebrating christmas with the woman I love. I don't exactly think an excuse is mandatory in this situation."

"Good answer," she said, placing a gentle peck on his lips.

They were interrupted by an ear piercing shriek. Lydia winced away from the kiss and turned to look in the direction of the noise, witnessing the little brown haired girl with her hands over her green eyes. Lydia giggled, her hand gently coming up over her mouth.

"Oh, Claudia," Lydia smiled, rushing over to pick up her daughter. "What's wrong?"

"You two… you guys were kissing," she said, making a face and sticking out her tongue, shaking her head aggressively.

"And do you have a problem with that, C?" Lydia asked.

Claudia pouted. "Yeah."
"And why is that, pumpkin?" Stiles asked, ruffling Claudia's long brown hair, which got him the evil eye from the little Stilinski munchkin.

"Because it's gross!" she cried out.

Stiles and Lydia looked at each other, smiling, rolling their eyes.

"But Mommy kisses you all the time, Clauds, and so does Daddy," Lydia reasoned.

"It's different."

"How?" Stiles inquired.

"I… I don't know. It just is."

"Well, darling," Lydia said, making her way over to the couch, sitting down and placing their daughter between herself and Stiles. "Mommy and Daddy love each other very much. And sometimes, we kiss to show each other that we love each other. Yes it's different, but it's the same way we kiss you to show you that we love you."

"Really?" Claudia asked.

"Yep, really," Stiles added, giving Claudia a peck on the cheek and then giving Lydia the same thing. "See? Dad loves you both, and that's just one way to show it."

"I… I think I get it now," she said. "But it's still weird."

Lydia laughed.

"Of course it is, pumpkin," Stiles told her.

That night, Claudia wrote a note to Santa and left out some milk and cookies for the jolly man as well as some carrots for his reindeer posse. A magic key for the condo was left outside the front door and Stiles and Lydia tucked their daughter into bed.

The couple shared more than one whispered laugh about Claudia's reactions earlier in the day, giving each other gentle kisses as they sipped hot cocoa and wrapped Santa's gifts, placing them gently under the tree before cuddling up in their king sized bed and shutting their eyes for the night, tangled together in pure bliss.

"Mommy! Daddy! It's Christmas Day!"

Stiles and Lydia are awoken by a shouting voice, and their little girl has run full force into their bedroom, jumping up and down on their bed to wake them up. The pair looks at each other, slowly awaking, smiling.

Ella Fitzgerald is playing on the speakers and the 1960's style christmas jazz has been Stiles' favourite tradition since he began to celebrate christmas with Lydia. Claudia rips into her presents, devouring them as if they were edible. She receives a new dress that she had been begging Stiles to get for her, a few Barbie dolls and some games. She is overjoyed with every gift she receives.

Once all of her gifts have been unwrapped, she gasps, runs to her room after grabbing a gift bag and some wrapping paper that she has torn off of one of her gifts. Lydia looks at Stiles, slightly confused, but he doesn't seem to have an answer as to why the little girl has dashed out of the living quarters with such odd supplies either.

"Claudia?" Lydia calls.

"One second!" she replies back, and Stiles hears the rustle of the wrapping paper being shoved somewhere.

"Pumpkin, what are you doing with that wrapping paper?" he asks.

"You'll see!"

She comes back into the room moments later, the wrapping paper haphazardly shoved into the gift bag and she hands it to them. "It's for both of you."

Stiles catches Lydia's glance, and he carefully takes the gift from Claudia, disposing of the wrapping paper that was on top and pulling out a hand drawn picture on a piece of white construction paper. It is captioned.

Mommy and Daddy love each other very much.
And they love me very much too.

The picture includes stick figures of Stiles and Lydia, kissing, with Claudia in the middle.

Stiles sees Lydia wipe a tear from her cheek.

"Oh no Mommy!" Claudia cries. "Don't cry!" she says as she wraps her arms around her mother's stomach. "I didn't mean to make you sad…"

"Oh don't worry, baby," Lydia says, pulling her daughter into her lap. "Mommy's crying because she's happy. So happy to have both of you," She says, kissing Claudia on the forehead, Stiles on the lips.

This time, Claudia does not wince. Instead, she beams proudly at her parents and when Lydia sees her smiling, it takes all the might in her not to burst into more tears of happiness.

She does anyways.