For the prompt: "Imagine your OTP running into each other under the mistletoe. Person A blushes and goes to suggest that they don't have to kiss but Person B cuts them off with a kiss."
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In the last few months, things have been good.
Despite the pack's constant encounter with new supernatural beings that threaten their lives, relationships bloomed in one way or another. Scott and Kira are definitely a couple now and finally the Sheriff found the right way to ask Melissa out on a date. Derek and Braeden have been together since the beginning and Liam has been seeing a girl he met on a Halloween party. As for Malia, she eventually figured out her boyfriend is in love with somebody else and let him off the hook, and she's now more interested in skyping with a certain let-me-use-a-scarf-it-might-be-cold werewolf.
That's when everyone thought it would happen. Everyone aside from Stiles and Lydia, apparently, since they are the only ones who don't seem to realize this is their time to be together. Sure, the pair has been spending more time together and they actually seem to enjoy it, but neither has made a move so far and no one asks why. They probably just need time to figure it out.
The problem is they are driving everyone insane. When the pack is together, anyone can see how happy and enthusiastic Stiles and Lydia are around the other; they may even look a little infatuated. At some point, however, something happens and it begins. The sexual tension that not only Stiles and Lydia feel, but everyone else. It's almost palpable and that's usually when the pack will make some shitty excuse to leave. More in hopes of not having to stand it for long, but also to let them both do something about. They never do.
Everyone is frustrated, even Malia. She's actually the one coming up with the idea, mostly because she's still new at the whole human thing, so she's the one struggling the most with said tension, but also because she did not break up with Stiles only to have the pair separated. It's December 21st and the girls settled at Kira's for a night in; it's cold outside and they just want to have a little fun.
"Can we play truth or dare?" Malia suggests innocently. "I've never played before."
The girls agree sprightly, surely helped by a few empty glasses of strawberry dreamsicle. It starts easy, a few small truths rolling out of their tongues and some fun dares around the group, but it suddenly becomes a little more intimate when they start talking about their feelings. Even though Braeden goes with dare (she'll have to profess her feelings for Derek in front of everyone but she'll have to try not to laugh at the face they all know he'll make), Kira confesses she and Scott already did it and Malia is more than excited to share with them that Isaac will be back in Beacon Hills in time for the holidays and she might be starting to develop some feelings for him she can't quite place yet. Not that it's a lie, but it is the perfect excuse for the following events concerning Lydia.
"Your turn," Malia says smiling wide. "Lydia, truth or dare?"
No, Lydia Martin is not gonna talk about her feelings. And there's something about Malia's grin that makes Lydia go with "Dare." She regrets it immediately.
"Okay." Exactly what the girls wanted. "You'll have to kiss Stiles. On the lips. And with tongue. It has to last at least 30 seconds and it has to be in front of everyone, or else we won't take your word for it."
Lydia opens her mouth to protest and closes it soon after, not sure of what arguments she can invoke to break the deal. She's obviously flushed, but it can pass for too much drinking, right? "I want 'Truth'," she says bluntly.
"Lydia, you can't change your answer," Kira scolds, barely keeping her amusement to herself.
Lydia turns to Malia. "Then I want another dare."
"Sorry, I think I'm out of ideas," she says innocently.
"Malia, this is hardly appropriate."
"I don't see why. I'm okay with it." She shrugs her shoulders like it's no big deal. And it really isn't.
Braeden just has to pull the right strings to set it in motion. "Lydia Martin, are you backing out of a dare?" She pretends to look shocked.
Lydia could object. She should. But she's Lydia Martin. She does not back out of anything. After a few seconds of thinking all possible scenarios, she agrees. It can work. She can make it work. "How much time do I have?"
"I'm a good person," says Malia, smiling brighter. "You have until Christmas Eve."
f
Lydia didn't sleep that night after she got home, not until almost 5am, with all the unnerving feeling in her stomach. She knows what the girls are doing, of course she does, but she has to go along with it. What would they think if she didn't? It's not a big deal. When she gets up at noon, she texts Kira asking about their plans for the day. The pack, already reunited with Isaac, will meet at 3pm at the movie theater and they'll wait for her there. Great, she thinks, the sooner it's over, the better.
She has it all figured out. They'll watch the movie with the others and enjoy their pack time and then, when everyone is saying their goodbyes after the movie's over, she'll just walk up to him and kiss him. Just like that, plain and simple. Stiles being Stiles will go along with it; he'll just probably be a little stiff at first but she can work with that. In the end, she'll tell him it was a dare and they'll hopefully laugh about it and resume their perfect friendship without ruining everything.
Even in her head she knows this isn't bullet proof and she knows exactly when her plan will fall into pieces. Right after the kiss, when they'll open their eyes and stare at each other, that's when. She'll just have to hide her face in his shirt or look around to avoid it. It shouldn't be that hard, really.
As soon as she gets there she knows there are a lot of things she didn't consider, though. How hot he remembered to look this afternoon, for one, in his dark grey long-sleeved shirt a little too tight for Lydia to keep her thoughts in order, plus a leather jacket that just made him look… She closes her mouth and has to bite her lower lip hard even before greeting everyone because damn she wants to jump him right there.
Then, seating arrangements. Of course the pack would "accidentally" arrange for them to have to sit together. Stiles doesn't seem too bothered; he's really just enjoying the movie with his friends. Lydia, on the other hand, is not doing so well. All the hand-touching over the same bucket of popcorn, sharing their drink and the slight brush of their knees from time to time is leaving Lydia impatient and fidgety, and the worst part is she can't even look anywhere but to the screen. If she turns to her right there's Stiles and she really can't deal with his eyes right now; to her left, the others, and she won't give them the satisfaction just yet. It's been hard enough to keep her heartrate steady.
By the time the movie's over, she's restless and edgy and just wants to get it over with. He's heading towards his Jeep when she struts in his direction, determined to kiss the hell out of him.
He turns around when he hears someone call out his name and looks confused when he finds Lydia walking to him like she means business. Fuck. "Lyds…" He even takes a step back. "Is something wrong?"
His eyes tell her she may be approaching it the wrong way so she starts walking slower and smiles shyly. By the time she's right in front of him, he has already reached the Jeep and may or may not be considering getting in and driving away. Lydia has been acting weird all afternoon.
"No. Nothing's wrong." Her fingers start drawing undistinguishable patterns on his arms, starting on his wrists and moving up, as she slowly gets closer.
She's actually so close he can feel her breath on his neck. "Lydia, what are you doing?" She doesn't answer. Instead, she pushes him against the Jeep and her hands reach for the back of his neck to pull him down, chest meeting chest. She licks her lips.
f
She had it all figured out. She was going to kiss him and he was going to kiss her back. She'd tell him it was a dare and they'd pretend everything was the same and their friendship would still be intact, as they always seem to do. She thought of all possible scenarios. What she definitely did not consider was that Stiles wouldn't want to kiss her back.
Her lips are almost brushing his when he gets her hands from around his neck and brings her arms down, gently pushing her away. "Lydia, what are you doing?" he repeats, feeling a little breathless.
She looks astonished. What the hell? "Well, I was going to kiss you, obviously." It comes out a bit harsher than she intended, like somehow this is his fault. She knows her cheeks have to be bright red just like his are, and everyone is close by listening in; still, she doesn't move.
"Lydia, you're not kissing me." He tries not to look at her or it'll just make it worse. What the hell is she thinking? He steps aside and intends to go around the Jeep to the driver's side and sit behind the wheel but Lydia doesn't let him, placing her hand on his chest and pushing him once again against the Jeep. She looks a little angry.
"What?"
"I-" He takes her hand off his chest and successfully steps aside this time, one, two steps away from her. "I don't know what this is about, but you're not kissing me." He chuckles, trying to relieve the tension. Another step and he's already on the back of the Jeep. "We'll talk tomorrow, okay?" Stiles smiles awkwardly as he moves and gets inside the Jeep, not hesitating on leaving right away.
As for Lydia, she stands on her spot stupidly looking at the Jeep until it is out of her sight. Turning around to face the pack, everyone looks as shocked as she does, but Malia breaks out laughing.
"Don't worry. You still have two days left."
f
Scott calls him about half an hour later.
"What the hell was that, dude?"
"That's what I want to know." Stiles has been pacing around his room since he got home, not really able to stay still, at all.
"Lydia was gonna kiss you."
"I know. What was she thinking?" He scratches the back of his neck, nervous.
"Stiles, Lydia was gonna kiss you."
"I KNOW."
"Then why the hell did you stop her?"
"Why do you think?"
"Are you even serious?" Stiles had discussed it with Scott after he and Malia broke up and as he and Lydia grew closer. "You didn't let her kiss you because you have feelings for her?"
"Yes, Scott. Why else?"
"Stiles, are you even listening to yourself right now?" Scott really wants to laugh, but obviously can't. Stiles and Lydia are so into each other it's leaving them irrational.
"Scott, we've been over this. If we kiss, it becomes awkward and I'm not losing her, Scott, I can't. We're friends, good friends. It's way more than enough."
"Oh my god, you two are so stubborn. She wanted to kiss you, dumbass."
"Shut up, Scott." He exhales deeply. His breathing is far too uneven to keep this conversation going. "I need to hang up, I'll talk to you later."
"Stiles…" He's cut short by the beeping coming from the other line.
f
Lydia and Stiles don't talk again until they see each other the next afternoon. When they do, it's weird and their dynamics is all messed up, so they avoid it. They meet with Scott, Kira, Isaac and Malia at the mall for some last minute Christmas shopping and they try their best to go different stores so they don't have to be together.
When they're leaving, however, the group stays behind as Lydia follows him again to his Jeep. She hasn't even said a word to him and he's already defensive.
"Lydia, not this again."
"Stiles, let me ex-"
"Lydia, you are not kissing me."
"Why not?" she lashes out, taking a step forward.
"Why would you?" His tone is rising a little and they are getting too close so he takes a step back.
"It's a stupid dare, Stiles," she confesses.
He looks at her like he's not even seeing her straight. Grabbing her arm, he takes her to the other side of the Jeep, away from prying eyes. Like that's gonna make a difference; Scott can listen in.
"Are you kidding me right now?"
"Stiles…"
"You were gonna kiss me for a freaking dare? Lydia, we're friends."
"I know, Stiles." She struggles to get the words out. "That's why it shouldn't be such a big deal." Yeah, right.
"Just tell them we kissed."
"That's not how it works…"
They stay silent for a while after that. Stiles is not sure how it happened but they're close again, probably from the heat of the moment. He takes a few moments to consider it. Maybe it wouldn't be such a big deal. They are friends, they could probably work it out. Of course not.
He lowers his head in defeat. "I'm sorry, Lydia, I can't." It comes out a whisper.
She whispers back. "Why, Stiles?"
Their eyes lock and he gets lost. Things are already fucked up; might as well end it with honesty, he figures. "I can't kiss you because I'm in love with you." He pauses but she doesn't break their gaze. "If we kiss, this…" he gestures between them, "this is over. And I'm not sure I can live with that."
She takes a step forward and tries to reach for his hand but he steps back. "Stiles, I…"
"I'm gonna go and clear my head," he says, already opening the Jeep's door. "I'm sorry, Lyds."
They don't see the tear that escapes the other's eye.
f
Lydia wipes away her tear quickly and is walking so fast back to where the others are that they flinch simultaneously. She points an accusatory finger, first at Malia, then at the others.
"This… This is all your fault."
Malia is a little outraged. "How is it our fault? You're the ones who can't come to terms with your feelings."
Lydia freezes. Scott speaks next. "Lydia, he just told you he loves you."
"I heard it, Scott." She's almost shouting at him. "And then he told me he can't kiss me. I- I don't even…"
"Lydia, he just doesn't want to lose you as a friend, that's all," says Kira, putting her arms around the strawberry-blonde, trying to comfort her.
Lydia starts to panic. "Scott, I can't… I can't lose him either." She looks at him, helpless, soon breaking into tears, desperation taking over her. "Scott, he's my anchor."
He hugs her. "Hey, it's okay," he soothes her. "You'll figure it out. You always figure it out."
f
Everyone gets together at Derek's loft on Christmas Eve. The grown-ups handle the food and the pack arranges all the decorations. The place looks beautiful, there are Christmas' songs playing all over the loft and everyone's dressed up for the occasion.
Lydia is the last one arriving and tries her best to look cheerful, failing miserably. She tries to make small talk with a few of the others, offers to help out in the kitchen to get herself distracted but ever since she got there she felt a pull. The longer she tries to ignore it, the harder she can.
She's not the only one, at least, as Stiles is soon tapping on her shoulder and asking her if they can talk. She nods and they head to one of Derek's bedrooms upstairs. Closing the door shut behind him, Stiles doesn't even let Lydia speak.
"I'm a jerk. I'm an idiot and I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that yesterday. I freaked out and I shouldn't have snapped at you. It wasn't your fault. I'm the one who always messes it up and I need you to forgive me, Lydia, because what we have, it's perfect. Of course I want to kiss you but you're my friend and I can't lose you. You get me in a way most people don't and I don't want to change that. So can we please forget any of this happened and get back to what we were?"
His eyes are pleading as he waits for her to say something, anything. He feels like he's losing control, his chest moving up and down way too quickly.
"Breathe, Stiles."
"W- What?"
She places her hand on his shoulder and he's already feeling better. "Breathe." She waits for his breathing to even before she speaks again. "I'm sorry too, okay? I didn't mean for any of this to happen, it was just a stupid game. If I'd known better, I wouldn't have taken the dare."
He looks at her and tries a smile. "You're Lydia Martin, you don't quit."
"Well, there's a first time for everything, I guess. I don't need to forgive you, Stiles, I'm the one who got us into this mess, but I'm not sure we can forget about it either. What you said…"
"It's something I shouldn't have said, Lydia. We don't have to talk about it. I just want things to get back to what they were, okay?"
"They can't, Stiles. It's not the same anymore. You can't just tell me you love me and walk away. I…"
"Lydia…"
She stands straighter and lifts a finger, annoyed. "Shut up, Stiles. You interrupted me twice already. I'm not letting you do it again."
He opens his mouth to protest but she gives him a glare that has him speechless. He just nods.
"Two days ago, you stood me up and didn't give me a chance to talk. And yesterday, well it was worse because you actually said it, Stiles. You finally said it. You used actual words and I was gonna say something and you left. Again. So now you'll listen, Stiles, and you'll listen carefully." She pauses, waiting until he nods in understanding. "I love you too, okay? I'm in love with you and it freaks me out just how much I depend on you and it scares me, Stiles, so much." She gets closer to him and her arms wrap around his waist easily, her head finding solace in his chest. His arms are around her shoulders in a second. "You're my best friend, Stiles. I don't want to mess it up either."
The air seems to change around them. It's lighter, easier to breathe. He places his chin on top of her head. "So what now?"
"I don't know," she whispers. She means it and he gets it. If they make a move, it could be great or they could mess it up big time. If they don't, they can surely make it work just as friends but they'll have to live with the 'what if?'.
"We don't have to rush into a decision, right?" She nods and they smile. He takes her hand. "Come on, let's go downstairs. It's Christmas Eve, we should be having fun."
Tension relieved, even if just a little, they head back to meet the others, pretending to avoid everyone's eyes on them. They walk together towards the kitchen to see if someone needs help but when they get to the door, Melissa is coming out carrying an enormous tray and almost bumps into Lydia, who, to avoid collision, bumps into Stiles and ends up stepping on him.
"Sorry, sweetie," says Melissa, smiling apologetically and making her way to the table.
Lydia smiles back and turns to Stiles, looking up at him to say she's sorry but she can't form words, though. She's just staring up at the ceiling.
He starts chuckling but stops abruptly when he sees her blushing hard and follows her gaze.
"Mistletoe," he whispers. Fuck. Looking down at her again, he starts babbling. "Lyds, we don't have to…"
She gets on her tiptoes and crashes her lips to his, cutting him off with a kiss. It's not urgent or demanding, but it's deep. She makes sure to pour every emotion she has into it and he makes the most of it, kissing her back just as feverously. It's not long, but it's definite. Things are certainly different now. Breaking the kiss, they are smiling wide at each other, letting their eyes speak for them.
"Ahem."
Someone clears their throat and Stiles and Lydia, who might have forgotten they had an audience, jump slightly, startled, both blushing.
"That was hardly 30 seconds, Lydia," says Braeden, grinning.
"Shut up," she snarls back blushing harder, taking Stiles by the hand to meet the others at the table. "We've got time."
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A/N: Feel free to leave me a review to let me know what you thought of the story.
Until next time xx
Susana