. . .My hand slipped?

Or Rants and I are in a never ending loop of inspiration, would take place the day before her third Pydian high school AU graphic.

XXX

Lydia isn't one to brag, at least not about this sort of thing, but making sure one Jordan Parrish ends up with her and Peter for the IB History project is probably one of the best bit of social manipulation she's ever done.

Not that she has to do much really considering he's the new kid amongst a web of connections already in place, but she has to occasionally nudge: like making sure Derek and Stiles end up with Boyd and Erica, or 'accidentally' bumping Jackson towards Danny and Ethan –a grouping she's 87% certain she's going to regret at a later date, or not-quite-whispering when Sally drifts towards them that Joel and Kat are still looking for a third partner. And in the end they're the only two that needed to be made a three and Parrish nervously shuffles over, clearly a little scared of being grouped with the most popular couple in school.

After introductions they don't really need, they fall silent as Mrs Carmichael outlines the whole project, Lydia managing to take notes while letting most of her mind wander.

According to Peter Talia was certain Parrish was a supernatural creature of some sort, though apparently none of the adults actually knew what exactly he was. Surreptitiously she sneaks a glance at him, he certainly doesn't look supernatural, then again neither did Stiles and he has magic, except for maybe those pale green eyes of his.

So Talia had tasked them, well Peter really but Talia well knew Peter didn't do much without her so them, with trying to find out. And while Derek and Peter were the same age, which had given Lydia a headache when she'd first found out they were uncle and nephew, it doesn't really surprise her that she hadn't asked Derek to help them. His personality is. . .rocky as the best of times and he still occasionally had trouble with with control though Stiles seemed to be helping with that.

All in all this might be the easiest thing she and Peter have ever done, yet she finds herself more interested than she probably should be. It doesn't help that Parrish is the sort of handsome that, if she weren't dating Peter, she'd go after in a hot second.

Carmichael finishes explaining and lets them get started on planning, with their historical person of choice due by the end of the week. In a flash she has her phone out, "so what's your schedule like Jordan?"

For a moment he fiddles with his own notebook. "Well I'm working until nine tonight, and the same tomorrow, but if I ask Carl he'll probably let me change my shift tomorrow if you have free time after school."

She will not blurt out the surprised question 'you have a job?' because it's beyond rude; especially since she knows nothing about him.

"I've got basketball tomorrow, but that lets out about five. Lydia?" Peter arches an eyebrow a fraction in prompting; even though he knows her schedule by heart.

So she shrugs. "My whole afternoon's free." She taps her pen against her desk twice. "Would seven work for everyone?"

"Yeah."

"Sure. Where do we want to meet?"

Before she can answer Peter's question with 'Beacon Brewers' Jordan turns a little pink, how is that adorable? "We could meet at my place."

Which is fantastic for snooping, but if things get awkward then there's none of the distractions offered by a public place. Now she's the one arching her eyebrow in a 'should we?' manner.

Peter's shrug is pure 'why not, but we should be careful,' enough so that she rolls her eyes at him.

"Alright, what's the address? And we should exchange phone numbers just in case." She quickly jots down both and rattles off hers and Peter's numbers, subtly slapping Peter's hand away when he tries to insinuate in between her skirt and blouse.

The bell rings, ending conversations as every one joins in the general scramble to pack everything away. She turns a little to face Jordan again as they join the stream of exiting students. "What's your favorite cookie?"

He blinks at her, "what?"

She'd probably find it adorable if she weren't in a bit of a rush. "What's your favorite kind of cookie?" She repeats.

Peter takes her hand in his and gives a brief tug.

"Snickerdoodle," Jordan finally answers. Which is good, they're relatively easy to make and she can do them and the ginger-molasses cookies Peter likes tomorrow in no time.

In response she just waves at Jordan as she and Peter head towards the science hall. "Could you get anything from his scent?"

He shrugs. "Some motor oil and grease, probably from his job."

For a brief moment Lydia wonders if it would be worth the money to take her car to all the mechanics in town in the hopes of seeing a messy and grease-stained Jordan. She quickly shoves it aside though, she's got Peter.

"And something. . .warm smelling." Peter continues, wrinkling his nose. "It was weird, that's the first time I haven't been able to pin down a smell." Which clearly annoys him to no end, she squeezes his hand in comfort before using her free hand to pull him down for a kiss.

Kissing Peter's always an adventure in the unexpected, each kiss is always different: this one is a lot of teeth, most of them sharper than any human's has a right to be. Sharp enough, in fact, that he nicks her bottom lip; though he quickly laps up the drop of blood he'd drawn and leeches the pain before she can really feel it. "Sorry."

She rolls her eyes. "If I don't complain you have no right to apologize. Now go on, or you'll be late."

"I might have to hold you to that," that possibly wicked promise is followed by a gentle and barely felt kiss on her nose before he's off dashing towards his biology class, leaving her to head towards IB Chem. The mysteries of Jordan rolling around in her brain.