Description: In which Stiles can't accept that yes, Lydia does want a fancy dress party for her birthday thank you very much.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but my imagination.

A/N: Although this is set at least after series 3 (if not 4 or later) Allison is in the story because who else will tease Lydia about Stiles. She ships it, she ships it Isaac tagged along because where Allison goes, there Isaac follows.

'Lydia's having a what?' Stiles asks incredulously.

'A fancy dress party,' Scott replies, 'for her birthday.'

'Lydia Martin?' Stiles raves, his eyebrows shooting up somewhere near his hairline. 'THE Lydia Martin?!'

'Do you know another Lydia Martin? Pretty sure it's the one you haven't stopped telling me about for the last oh I don't know; nearly ten years now, isn't it?' Scott teases.

Stiles huffs, still muttering under his breath; Scott doesn't hear much but the words Lydia and Fancy dress make frequent appearances.

They're making their way to class when they bump into Lydia in the hallway.

'Hey Lydia,' Scott beams at her, always happy to see one of his closest friends.

'Did I hear right?' Stiles demands as they come to a stop in front of her.

'Um?' Is all Lydia has chance to say before Stiles speaks again.

'You're having a fancy dress party for your birthday.'

'It's not a big deal Stiles.'

'Yeah right.'

'Why are you making it one?' Lydia asks.

'It's you… you'd never have a fancy dress party. You think they're for children or losers.'

Lydia looks down as if embarrassed, 'the old me maybe. In case you haven't noticed Stiles, I've changed quite a lot from who I used to be. So can we just drop it?'

Scott stands there looking between them and feeling though he's witnessed something private. And although he's done nothing wrong, he feels the need to apologise, instead he says, 'So, uh, does it have a theme?'

'You'll be getting the invites soon, but I suppose I can tell you two. It's Disney themed.'

Stiles is gobsmacked and he's sure it shows but he manages to hold his tongue for once. Scott and Stiles say goodbye to Lydia and head to class; coach is going to kill them for being late, only not so much that they can't play lacrosse.

They sit gathered around their usual lunchtime table; Scott and Kira, Allison and Isaac, Malia, Stiles and Lydia. For a while after Stiles and Malia had broken up this set up was awkward for almost everyone involved. For Lydia it had been much more awkward before that; she used to escape with Aiden - and when that was no longer an option she would sit in an empty classroom, studying as she ate lunch.

This lunchtime is different; everyone talks animatedly about Lydia's party. When Stiles catches her eyes and raises his eyebrows she just smirks at him; as if to say I told you so.

'I don't really remember Disney… wait what's that one with all the lions?' Malia is almost jumping, knowing that this is actually a conversation she can join in with.

'Umm… the Lion king?' Kira guesses.

'That's it!'

'Hey Malia, why don't you go as Nala?' Scott suggests.

'That's the girl lion, right?' Malia asks and Scott replies with a nod, 'that would be pretty funny.'

'So basically you're just gonna wear beige?' Isaac chips in.

'Shut up, Isaac,' Malia laughs.

'You, my lady…' Isaac turns to Allison, who's sitting beside him quietly, 'have the perfect complexion for Snow White.'

'And Isaac makes a pretty good point… for once,' Lydia grins down the table. 'A princess with excellent archery skills, now there's an interesting concept… Orrrr you could just go as Merida.'

'That would involve a giant curly wig,' Allison wrinkles her nose, 'no thank you.'

'Maybe Kira should go as Mulan?' Stiles suggests.

'Dude, that's really offensive; her mom's Japanese and her dad's Korean,' Scott says, jumping to his girlfriend's defence, or maybe just trying to prove how much he listens.

'I was talking about the fact they're both badasses who wield swords not their race.'

'Oh,' Scott says, deflated; Kira just giggles and kisses him on the cheek.

'Hey, so what's the hostess going as?' Allison pipes up.

Stiles perks up and looks across the table to where Lydia sits but she sits shaking her head, 'It's a surprise.'

'You have to tell us!' Malia says.

'Nope,' Lydia smiles, 'you'll have to wait and see.' It's at that moment that the bell rings, stopping the conversation. Stiles waits for Lydia to pack up her things so that they can walk to their next class.

'So, hey,' Lydia nudges him with her shoulder, 'you decided what you're coming as yet?'

'Not yet,' he smiles down at her, 'but you can be sure that when I have decided you're not going to know.'

'That's so unfair!' she laughs, 'it's my party!'

'And you'll just have to wait and see,' Stiles says, his eyes sparkling.

Stiles drives Scott home that day after school and is persuaded by Melissa to stay for dinner.

'When have I ever turned down dinner from my favourite cook?' Stiles says, 'I'll just give my dad a call.'

'Invite him; dinner will be ready for 7.'

'Okay.'

Stiles calls his dad as he follows Scott upstairs. When he's done he hangs up and grins at his best friend.

'He in?'

'If it involves your mum and cooking, he's in,' Stiles says with a smile on his face. 'Hey, Scott?'

'Yeah buddy?'

'Have you ever thought, well…' Stiles hesitates, 'do you ever think our parents would be good for each other?'

'What you mean like romantically?' Scott winces as he says it.

'Yeah, I mean, just in general.'

'Well, I've never really thought about them that way. Wait… have you?' Scott asks, squinting at his friend.

Stiles laughs at Scott's expression, 'What you have to understand, Scott. After my mother died, well there was a hole in my life. No matter how hard my dad tried, he just couldn't fill it; his alcohol problem didn't really help either. You know he used to drop me around here so I wouldn't have to see him like that? Well, your mum looked after me, like I was a second son; I'm not going to pretend I never thought about them getting married. I would've had a mom and a brother; you can't deny that they're a good fit.'

'Wow! I didn't even know you felt like that, Stiles.' Scott says, clearly blown away by his friend's speech. 'Maybe you're right,' Scott says, 'If I was to pick a man for mom, your dad would pretty much top the list.'

'He would own that list dude!' Stiles teases, it doesn't go unnoticed that Scott says 'for mom' rather than 'for my mom' and it warms his heart.

Listening at the door was not a great parenting move – that she knew - but having caught a snippet as she passed by, laundry basket in hand, Melissa stopped to listen.

What Stiles had said both touched and saddened her; the fact Stiles thinks of her almost as a mother brings a tear to her eye, because he's right – she has always thought of him as a second son. It's the fact that he needs a mother that rips her heart in two. Quietly she tip-toes past Scott's room, feeling like she's intruded far too long; pondering what Stiles had said.

'So,' Scott says, 'have you decided on an outfit?'

'Oh I don't know,' Stiles rests his head in both hands.

'Dude, you know Disney owns Marvel. It's obvious right?' Stiles only looks at him blankly, 'Hawkeye. Lydia could totally be your black widow.' Scott laughs.

Stiles perks up, 'did she tell you that?' he demands.

'No, whoa, chill!' Scott makes a soothing gesture with his hands, 'It was just a possibility.'

'Oh,' Stiles deflates; though he can't deny that seeing Lydia in a black widow costume would just about do him in.

'Also, if you were a good best friend,' he gives Scott a pointed look, 'you'd know that they own Star Wars too.'

'Perfect, I mean you can go as that Skywalker kid, right?'

'Luke?' Stiles wrinkles his nose, 'nah, but Han Solo is totally a costume I can get behind.'

'Well I'm going as Captain America,' Scott declares proudly and Stiles bursts out laughing. 'What?' Scott hits Stiles on the chest, 'dude!'

'Sorry,' says Stiles, wiping his eyes, 'it actually really suits you.'

It's past eleven when Stiles and his dad get home.

'Well that was fun, huh kid?' John says rubbing his face with his hands, 'makes a difference from my terrible cooking or take-out.'

'Melissa is an excellent cook,' Stiles grins.

'She's a hell of a woman,' John smiles back at his son, 'I'm beat,' he states, stretching and heading towards the stairs.

'Night dad.'

'Night son.'

It's funny, Stiles thinks as he sits at his computer; he can't actually remember the last time he researched something as frivolous as fancy dress costumes. Actually, he can't remember the last time he did any research that wasn't based on anything supernatural.

Stiles looks down at the invitation sat on his desk and smiles fondly; Lydia Martin doesn't do things by halves. The thick card is embossed with curvy writing; simple but with line drawings of Disney characters adorning the edges. He has just over a week to prepare his costume but he realises a Han Solo costume will require him to go out and buy things.

With a sigh, Stiles brings his favourite Star Wars clip up on YouTube when it finishes he glances over at his DVD collection, grinning.

It's the Thursday afterwards that he finishes Star Wars episode VI and he realises – as he watches the credits roll at 2am – that it's Lydia's birthday; which means he has exactly 3 days to find an outfit for her party. Crap.

It's 4am before he finds the perfect outfit; it's not Han Solo but it requires very little effort since his wardrobe holds most of the items of clothing he needs. Stiles is proud of himself.

At 6am his father wakes to find his son in the attic making a massive amount of noise.

'Stiles, what the hell are you doing?'

'Looking for mom's red scarf, do you know where it is?'

John's forehead creases into a frown; he'd stopped trying to work out his son a long time ago. 'Her clothes are in the boxes in the far right corner.' He pinches the bridge of his nose and wanders downstairs for coffee.

Stiles finds what he's looking for and grins triumphantly before glancing around him. Even he can tell he's made a mess; with a promise to clean it up when he gets home from school he clambers back down the ladder. His dad pokes his head round his bedroom door and lifts his eyebrows questioningly.

'Um, don't go up there until at least tomorrow,' says Stiles sheepishly.

Poking his head through the attic entrance, John curses.

'Damn it, Stiles. Just let me look for whatever it is you need next time,' he says to his son, half-jokingly.

There is a buzz around school that only grows more palpable by Friday afternoon. For everyone who is invited Lydia Martin's party is always the biggest social event of the year.

The gang spend Saturday together; helping Lydia to decorate and set up for the party. At around 4pm they all start heading their separate ways to get ready; Allison stays with Lydia having brought her costume with her that morning.

Lydia pulls out a dress from her closet; it has a black bodice and a sky blue skirt. It's short, as Lydia's dresses tend to be; when she puts it on Allison is struck by how pretty it looks on her. Lydia sits to do her hair, pulling half of it back before securing it with a big bow. The bow in question perfectly matches the colour of her skirt.

Allison loves watching Lydia get ready; it fascinates her how each move is precise, almost like a dance that only Lydia knows. Each step is methodical: a flick of her mascara wand, the way she twirls her hair just so, the perfect tracing of her lips. As she watches Allison thinks to herself: Lydia Martin is an artist.

'You didn't fancy donning a shell bra and fins, then?' Lydia wrinkles her nose at Allison's suggestion and they fall into giggles.

Allison is wearing a pretty yellow skirt and sheer blue top; accessorising with red. Isaac was right, Lydia thinks; with her dark hair and pale skin she makes an excellent Snow White, especially with her lips painted ruby.

'You never know, Lydia. Maybe tonight's the night you'll find your prince charming,'

'Prince Eric, thank you very much; besides, I'm just not the kind of girl things like that happen to,'

'Well I know one boy who treats you like a princess,' Allison's dimples show in the mirror.

Lydia's forehead creases and she looks genuinely confused.

'Who?'

'Seriously Lydia?'

'You mean…' Lydia hesitates, 'Stiles?'

'You know he adores you.'

'I didn't think…' Lydia shakes her head a little, finding a way to change the subject as quickly as possible.

It's typical that he's already running late and his Jeep won't start. Just as he fixes what needs fixing under the bonnet; he receives a call from Scott, resulting in his phone almost falling from his greasy fingers under the hood of the car… almost.

'Hey dude, where the hell are you? Lydia's been asking after you.'

'She has?' says Stiles as he resists the temptation to wipe his grease covered hands on his white shirt, 'I've had car trouble, it's all fixed now though.'

'Good, this party is wild! There are so many people here.'

'Give me ten minutes, I'll be there,' says Stiles rushing inside to wash his hands.

Twenty minutes later Stiles finds his stars-and-stripes clad friend.

'You look good man,' Scott shouts over the music, 'remind me who you are again.'

'I'm –' Stiles is cut off by a high pitched giggle coming from behind him and he turns to find Allison and Kira – dressed as Snow White and Mulan - stood behind him having to almost hold each other up.

'Wait, what?' Stiles asks with a bemused expression plastered across his face.

'Don't worry bro, I think they've had a little too much alcohol,' Scott pats his best buddy on the back.

'You… should go… find Lydia,' Allison manages to splutter in between giggles.

'Um, okay?' He looks around, 'does anyone know where she might be?'

Kira manages to sober up long enough to make vague hand movements and shout 'kitchen' so close to Stiles' ear that he winces.

Lydia used to love hosting parties, she thinks as she wades through the sea of people. Now she'd prefer a movie night with the pack or a slumber party with Allison. Who knew the chain of events that started with Scott becoming a werewolf would inspire her to change so much.

She sighed, being small had its uses, but when you were looking for someone at a crowded party it was extremely unhelpful. Maybe if I stand on the stairs and look down, she thinks, moving towards the stairs with a constant stream of excuse me and sorry.

Stiles looks around the kitchen, one of the emptier room but there's no sign of Lydia. Maybe if he texts her, Meet you in your bedroom in 5? (Probably more like 10 the state of this party)

Lydia feels her phone buzz from where she's holstered it in the top of her stockings. Okay, she shoots a text back. Perfect, she smiles, just enough time to fix her make-up in the bathroom.

'How did you find out?'

Stiles hears the voice from behind him as he stands looking out of Lydia's bedroom window. He turns to find Lydia herself looking beautiful as sin in a gorgeous dress. He sees the bow poking out over her strawberry blonde curls and breathes 'no way!'

'I didn't. I wanted to be Han Solo actually.' Lydia looks at him as he replies, her eyes travelling from his pushed back hair, to his black boots – taking in his slightly open white shirt and the red scarf tied around his waist – she surprises herself by humming inaudibly in appreciation.

'Well Allison told me I might find my Prince tonight.' She says.

'She did laugh manically when she saw me.'

'Maybe she was right.' Lydia smiles at the floor, moving towards him.

'Lydia, what are you saying?' Stiles asks, wide-eyed.

'Kiss me, Stiles.'

Despite waiting to hear those words fall from those gorgeous lips for approximately ten years, Stiles has to take a moment to process what he's hearing. Taking a step towards her he runs his hands down the bare skin of her back, until they come to rest at her waist. She'd taken her heels off as she'd entered her bedroom and so Stiles has to bend his head to bring himself close to her lips. He feels her hands stroking the back of his neck, tugging at the bottom of his hair as she stands on her tip-toes. Their lips move against each other and they take the time to savour this kiss. Stiles tangles his hand in her auburn curls and lets out a sound of happiness.

Lydia giggles and breaks the kiss, smiling up at him.

'So, what made you choose Prince Eric?' She asks, biting her lip.

'It was the easiest costume I could find; but I'm sure as hell glad I did.' He replies, twining their fingers together.