A.N.- I am working on the second part for the mechanic AU, this is just to hold you guys over because I haven't updated in months! Once I finish, I will put the two pieces of the AU together, followed by this piece. I had a lot of sports and school stuff going on, not to mention the lack of Teen Wolf doesn't exactly help inspire or motivate me, but here's a little something-something for y'all. Enjoy!
Summary: From the third grade, Stiles knew that Lydia Martin didn't take no for an answer (Or, the four times Lydia wouldn't take no for an answer and the one time Stiles wouldn't either).
i.
It all started in Ms. Weber's third grade class. A small, eight year old Stiles was swinging by himself on the playground at recess. It was the very beginning of May and the temperature was steadily rising. Stiles usually spent recess with Scott, but his best friend had gotten in trouble that day for starting a food fight (even though Jackson was the one who really started it). Everyday, the two of them played something like cops and robbers or joined the two hand touch game with the other boys, but Stiles really didn't feel like doing anything without his partner in crime.
"Excuse me, can I have a turn?" Stiles heard a small, high pitched voice and he lookd up to see Lydia Martin.
Stiles had known Lydia since they were in the same first grade class two years ago, but they'd never really spoken. He just always noticed her red hair was pretty and reminded him of Ariel and strawberries. And now, she stood in front of him, her tiny hands planted firmly in fists on her hips and her head cocked to one side. Her long hair was in pigtails and she wore a pink dress with white shoes with little pink bows on them.
"What?" Stiles asked, his mind trailing off and forgetting what she had said. The small girl huffed in annoyance and crossed her arms over her chest.
"There's a 10 minute rule on the swings. And you've been on for 11." She said authoritatively.
"And how would you know?" He fired back as his legs kicked against the ground.
"I counted." And he could see the smug smirk on her face that she always wore whenever she finished the Math Puzzle before everybody else.
"But there's an empty swing right there." He pointed to the empty seat beside him but the girl in front of him merely shook her head, her pigtails swishing back and forth.
"That one doesn't go as high though. Besides, you could easily start another turn on that one because yours is technically over." Stiles noticed that her cheeks were starting to get pink, and they kinda matched the color of her dress.
"Well too bad because I'm not moving." He usually would've moved, but for some reason, he just wanted to push her buttons. He didn't really get why, but he wanted to see her react.
As expected, Lydia puffed out a breath and stomped her foot just slightly, her lips pursing into a tight line. And just to prove his point even further, he replicated her smirk from before and began kicking his legs a little bit, swinging back and forth.
She merely let her arms fall to her sides and walked past him, giving up the fight. At least that's what Stiles thought until he felt a small shove on his back and the next thing he knew he was laying face down in the wood chips.
He sat up, dusting the dirt and wood off his Mets sweatshirt and looked up at the swing he had jut fallen from. Lydia stood beside it, one hand quirked on her hip and the other wrapped firmly around the chain.
"Well too bad because I don't take no for an answer." She said, mocking his last sentence as she sat on the swing and began kicking her legs for momentum.
As Stiles walked away, rubbing his cheeks off, he looked back to see the girl with a victorious smile on her face, swinging back and forth contentedly. And from that moment on, he was a goner.
ii.
Stiles and Lydia's friendship had been a bit... strained ever since he began dating Malia. It wasn't like he had done it on purpose, but over the past few months they just drifted apart. Stiles told himself it was Alison, that Lydia couldn't handle it and that she had to grieve and cope on her own, but deep down he knew it was all just a bullshit lie he thought to make himself feel better.
It was a rainy night in the middle of April, towards the end of their junior year of high school. Typically, Stiles would be spending the night with Malia, more than likely helping her study, but Kira had dragged his girlfriend off to the mall to go dress shopping. The spring formal was just around the corner and the kitsune insisted that Malia had to go as some sort of right of passage.
Earlier, he had called and asked Scott if he wanted to come over and hangout, but his best friend had another shift with Deaton at the animal clinic. So here he was, on a rainy Saturday night, home alone and watching Star Wars.
He was surprised when he heard a knock at the door. His father was working the late shift at the station, and just about everybody else was busy so he didn't know who it could be. He got up to answer the door anyway.
"Lydia?" The strawberry blond girl was standing in front of him, wearing a cream colored sweater, brown leggings, and red rain boots. Her hair was tied up in a messy bun and she held an umbrella over her head in one hand, an AP physics textbook in the other. She lifted it up and shook it around as she smiled at him.
"I was wondering if you needed a study buddy for the big relativity test on Monday." She said shyly. Stiles glanced at the book with wide eyes. He had completely forgotten about that... He realized dumbly that she was still standing outside and the rain was practically coming down in buckets.
"Oh, come in." He said, stepping out of the way. Lydia walked in and murmured a 'thank you' before closing her umbrella and slipping off her rain boots. "You're a lifesaver Lydia, I totally forgot about that." Stiles said, shooting the banshee a smile before grabbing the textbook and leading her up the stairs.
As they silently made their way to his bedroom, Stiles tried to think back to the last time they had really spent time together, just the two of them, and he realized it had to have been months. He felt himself frown as guilt flooded his veins.
"Well, I'm glad I could help." Lydia said, plopping herself down on his bed. He watched as she began flipping through the book as he sat in the chair by his desk. "So, I was thinking we could start with Chapter 21?" She asked, looking up at him. He just nodded and smiled over at her.
"Sounds good to me."
And the night continued like that, with Lydia quizzing Stiles on anything that had to do with the concept of relativity and Stiles trying (and failing) to come up with hard questions to stump the girl genius. Before they knew it, an hour and a half had passed and all they had done the whole time was study physics.
"Well, I think I've crammed every single sentence in these chapters into my brain." Lydia joked, laughing and smiling as she gathered her belongings. Stiles glanced at the clock on his computer screen to see it only read 8:30. He was kind of bummed out she was leaving so soon. The night had reminded him of the months he spent with her, becoming friends and actually getting to know the real Lydia Martin. And sure, you could count the time they spent trying to crack the code to the deadpool, but when you're worth 20 million dead, there really isn't many laughs and good times to spare.
"Lydia, wait." Stiles said as the girl walked towards his door. She turned around, her textbook tucked underneath one arm.
"Yeah?"
"Why don't you stay for a while." For some reason, the question fell thick in the air and the room got tense. And for some reason, Stiles found himself begging her not to say no.
He felt relief wash over him as she cracked a smile and nodded. "Sure, like old times, right?"
So she stayed and Stiles insisted on watching Star Wars since he was 'so rudely interrupted in the middle of his marathon'. They ordered Chinese food from the local place in town and they tried to tie in the rules of relativity to Star Wars.
"Sorry I came over unexpected though." Lydia said as the credits to the second movie rolled down the television screen in front of them. Takeout boxes were laying on the table with empty fortune cookie wrappers beside them. "I should've called but I didn't really think of it. Where is Malia anyway?" She asked, bringing up the one subject they had managed to stay away from all night.
"Uh, she went shopping." Stiles mumbled. He felt bad that Lydia wasn't invited. He could've sworn Kira said she had asked her though. He watched as she widened her eyes and pursed her lips, the gears in her mind turning as she thought (a habit of hers he had noticed while ago). She sat up and placed her shrimp lo mein down on the table in front of her.
"Actually, I knew that." She admitted, looking down at the blanket that was thrown over her. "Kira invited me to go with them."
"So why didn't you?" Stiles was confused. Since when did Lydia of all people deny a shopping trip, let alone for the spring formal.
"Well, money's kind of tight with my family right now." She said quietly, folding her hands in her lap and staring at them. "And, I'm not going to the formal anyways."
"Lydia Martin not going to the spring formal? That's unheard of." Stiles joked as he sat up beside her, shutting the TV off and glancing at the clock. It was about 10:30, but they'd had later nights.
"There's just... nobody I really want to go with." She explained, a slight blush coming to her cheeks. "And besides, I knew that... if Malia was shopping, you might be free."
"What?" Stiles was really confused at that point. Lydia just looked up at him and it was the first time he looked at her, like really looked at her, in a long time. And he saw how sad she looked.
"Stiles, when's the last time we hung out like this?" He didn't need to answer, because they both knew it. It had been before Malia had come along, before Alison, before the nogitsune. And that was four months ago, at least. "I lost one best friend Stiles, I didn't need to lose the other one too." But there was something in the way she said it that gave the impression to him that there was more to the story than she was letting on.
But Stiles didn't say anything as he watched her gather her textbook and umbrella and slip on her rainboots by the door as she spit out her excuse. "It's late, I really should get home." She mumbled. And just as she was about to reach for the door, Stiles stopped her.
"Lydia, what is this really about?" She turned to face him as he stood up and he walked to where she stood, next to the door. "There's something you're not telling me."
"And I'm supposed to be able to tell you everything, right? Like how my family had to sell my grandmother's lakehouse because we're low on money, and how I might not be able to go to Stanford anymore? Or you know, how my best friend died, and I felt it in my bones when I stayed by your side? How I felt my best friend die and how everybody is just paired up now, except for me, right? I'm supposed to tell you all that. But the thing is Stiles, I can't remember the last time we talked, like really and actually talked besides Eichen House when we were two seconds away from dying. You're always with Malia, and we never get to spend time together. I understood that you were helping her adjust to human life, but then you guys got together and ever since, I can't call you my best friend anymore Stiles. You're not there for me the way you used to be."
And her voice cracked at the last second and Stiles never felt more like crap in his life than that moment where he officially made Lydia Martin, the girl he had been pining over for eight years, cry.
"So this is about Malia." He said quietly.
"No, it's not about her! It's about me, and it's about us, and-" She cut herself off midsentence, shaking her head and pressing her lips together. She just turned for the doorknob and opened the door.
"Lydia, wait, come on! Just talk to me." Stiles said as she opened up her umbrella and stepped outside into the pouring rain. She turned to face him and she just looked so defeated and alone and just sad that it tore him up inside.
"I know you like her Stiles. I know you're with her. I know. But I have to know... do you still have feelings for me?" He could barely hear her over the rain and the space between them, but it was just enough. And he watched as her whole body tensed and she waited in anticipation.
"Lydia..." He was going to say no. He was going to lie and say he had moved on, that he loved Malia now. He really was.
"Stiles..." She trailed off, and when she looked at him with that look, the same one that started it all on that damn playground, he knew he had to tell the truth.
And the truth was that he liked Malia, but he didn't love her. This girl, standing right in front of him in red rain boots that almost matched her hair and tears matting her eyelashes together, this girl was the one he would always love. He'd always have a special place for Lydia Martin, and nothing would ever change that. "Of course I do."
And he watched as she exhaled and nodded curtly before turning on her heel and hurrying down the driveway to her car. Stiles watched as she climbed in and pulled out, speeding off to the other side of town. His mind stayed on those three minutes for the rest of the night, because there was something about the way that she asked him that question that made him think, maybe, just maybe, Lydia Martin had feelings for him too after all.
And he thought about how guilty he felt for having feelings for someone other than Malia, but he knew it couldn't be avoided. It was inevitable, and denying it was impossible. Because Lydia Martin does not take no for an answer, and he learned that a long time ago.
iii.
After the incident in April, something just didn't sit right with Stiles. Everytime he was with Malia his mind would wander off to Lydia. He felt guilty but he couldn't help it. So it was inevitable when they broke up just before summer break. Surprisingly enough, Malia was the one to end things. She said she felt like something was different, she could sense it.
Stiles had taken the summer off. After all, Malia had been his first real relationship and he needed time. The last thing he wanted was to jump into another relationship, especially with Lydia. But that didn't stop the two from being inseperable. From theme parks to county fairs and carnivals, the two were always together, even if they were with the pack or the sheriff or just the two of them.
Stiles was just glad to be getting close to Lydia again, like the old times before everything had happened. She really opened up to him and vice versa. They talked about everything, from the future to the upcoming year, and even the past with Alison and Aiden. It felt like they had just taken a step back in their friendship but were starting to take two steps forward.
When September rolled around though, Stiles felt like he was running out of time. In less than a year they'd be off to college and he knew Lydia had been dreaming of Stanford since she was in elementary school, and he sure as hell wasn't getting into that school.
So he finally asked Lydia Martin to be his girlfriend, and she gladly accepted. E veryone either thought it was about time or they were very surprised by the pair. In fact, Coach Finstock had to ask three times before he got it right, that Bilinski was actually dating Jackson Whittemore's ex-girlfriend.
And in that same month, their pack (minus Liam) had applied to colleges in the beginning of the school year, sending out everything before the middle of the month. They all applied to multiple schools. They had their saftey schools, their dream schools, and the ones that fell in the mix.
It was November, in the middle of their Thanksgiving break in their senior year, and one by one their acceptance letters had come in.
Malia had applied to some state schools and was looking into the local community college, but she was holding off on her final decision. She was really looking into taking a year off before college to explore other options. Scott had gotten accepted into 4 out of 5 of his schools and was bouncing between USC, and Santa Barbara. Kira had been overjoyed when she accepted into UCLA, she had missed the city life more than anything. The pack's power couple were gonna try and work the long distance thing.
Then it came to Lydia. And of course, Lydia had gotten a letter back from almost every school, and so far they had all said yes (of course). UCLA, USC, Santa Barbara, and Berkley had all said yes. She was still waiting on Stanford.
And as for Stiles, he had only applied to three schools. He had one in every category: A safety, a regular choice, and a long shot. He'd heard back from the safety school he applied to and Berkeley. They had both said yes, which was a relief because Berkeley was his top choice.
Stiles was surprised by the pounding on his door at nine o'clock on a Sunday morning. They'd be going back to school after the long winter break in two days, the least his dad could let him do is get some sleep while he could. But nonetheless, Stiles got up and answered the door.
His father stood on the other side, but he wasn't alone. Lydia stood behind him, wearing a purple sweater dress, white leggings, a white scarf, and black knee high boots. Her strawberry blond hair was braided down her back and she must have walked to his house because her cheeks and nose were slightly flushed from the cold. California wasn't that cold compared to the rest of the U.S. in December, so he concluded that she definitely walked. She held an envelope in her hand.
"I know, you need your sleep and all, but this seemed like an emergency." His father said as he turned around and waved a hand over his head. "I'll start on the pancakes."
Stiles looked at his girlfriend, who was oddly quiet and still. He was confused until he noticed the logo on the envelope she had and it clicked. It was from Stanford.
"Lydia?" She took the few steps into his room, beginning to pace back and forth across the carpet. Her hands clutched the envelope like it was her life.
"You know how I've been dreaming about Stanford for as long as I can remember?" She asked. Stiles didn't get a chance to answer before she continued on. "Well now, I have this letter from them, and I haven't opened it yet. I got it yesterday afternoon." She stopped to turn and face him.
"Do you want me to read it for you?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at her. She began to shake her head and he was suddenly confused.
"No, that's not it. I'm not scared to open it because of what it says. I'm scared to open it because... well... because I think I've changed my mind." She said, locking eyes with him. He was extremely confused. Lydia Martin, the girl with a solid 4.0 GPA (if not higher) wasn't sure if she wanted to attend Stanford, the ivy league school of her dreams?
"What do you mean you've changed your mind? Lydia, all you've ever wanted was to go to Stanford and get your doctorate." He watched as she began to pace back and forth again, her mind trying to put her thoughts into words.
"Yeah, but the more I thought about it, the more I couldn't find a reason to. It's unreasonably expensive, highly selective, and besides, a degree is a degree no matter where you go." She went through her list of reasons, ticking each one off on her fingers. Stiles sighed and stood up, placing his hands on Lydia's sides to still her.
"There's financial aid and scholarships, and I already know you got some because you started applying, like, in August. And as far as getting in goes, they'd be crazy not to take you. You have the highest GPA I've ever heard of and you're valedictorian! And besides all that, you got a 2200 on the SAT. Lyds, it's Stanford. I'm pretty sure there's a considerable difference between a degree from UCLA and a degree from Stanford when you apply for a job." Lydia looked down at the ground, not meeting his eyes. She knew he had just contradicted every excuse for not accepting Stanford. "How about you open it and then you can really think about it, okay?"
She just shook her head again and clutched onto the envelope tighter. "No, I still have another really good reason."
"Oh, and what would that be?" Stiles asked, amused. He couldn't think of a single good reason to turn this opportunity down.
"Well..." Lydia started, placing the envelope down on his desk. "I was thinking about... us." After she said it, the room was thick with tension.
"Lydia..."
"Wait, I'm not finished. We both got into Berkeley, right? And after everything we've been through, do you really think it's a good idea for all of us to just split up and go to different schools, alone? And I don't just mean our relationship, even though I love you and-" Her whole body froze and she stopped dead in the middle of her sentence. They hadn't used the L-word yet...
"You love me?" He asked, a tone of awe in his voice as his eyes locked onto hers. Her lips stayed pressed in a thin line and she nodded sharply before a small smile broke out on her face.
"Yeah. Yeah, I do. And I want to go to Berkeley with you." She said. He felt his lips form their own smile as he pulled her in for a hug.
"I love you too Lydia." They stayed like that for what felt like a few minutes before Stiles pulled away. "But if you love me, you should open that letter and see what it says before you make any big decision."
Lydia sighed in defeat and grabbed the letter from where she had placed it. She carefully tore the seal and pulled out the folded letter. Stiles watched her as she scanned the first few lines and her eyes got wider and her mouth hung slightly agape.
"I got in." She said quietly, a bit surprised. Stiles just rolled his eyes and snatched the letter from her hands. Sure enough the first sentence stated her acceptance for the upcoming fall semester.
"Of course you did. And I still think you should go." Stiles said, handing the letter back to her. His girlfriend just crossed her arms and leaned against the dresser.
"I know you do. But I have my reasons." She stated authoritatively in the true Lydia Martin way.
"And I just invalidated all of them." Stiles pointed out, smirking at her. They could both be so stubborn, he didn't know how they worked sometimes.
"Not all of them." Lydia said, matching the smug expression on his face.
"Lydia, you can't just not go to Stanford for me."
"Sure I can, besides there's multiple reasons. You just happen to be higher up on the list."
"No."
Lydia just smiled as she turned and walked towards the door.
"We can talk about this later because I'm dying for some blueberry pancakes, but you know I don't take no for an answer."
Stiles shook his head. And for weeks Stiles made a good case. He thought he might have even convinced her but sure enough, in less than two months they had both mailed in their acceptance letters to Berkeley.
Lydia Martin doesn't take no for an answer, and he knew that, but she was starting to come around.
iv.
"So, how's USC?" Stiles asked into the phone as he stirred his coffee.
"It's good. I finally declared my major."
"Oh really, what is it?"
"Veterinarian studies. Predictable, right?" Stiles laughed as he nodded his head, even though his best friend couldn't see.
"A little bit man. And how's Kira?"
"She's good. We're good. She's taking a lot of courses and she's still sticking with teaching. How are you and Lydia?"
Stiles smiled as he looked towards their room. He could see her strawberry blonde hair splayed across the pillow, her body tangled in the sheets. "We're great. Lydia's killing herself with courses though, as usual. And I can't complain."
"Got any plans for tonight?"
"Yep, but Lydia hasn't been feeling that great so we'll see how it goes. I better run, I've got an eight o'clock class but I'll catch up with you later Scott."
"Yeah, see you later." His friend said as he hung up. Stiles placed his phone down and let his mind wander for a second.
Stiles and Lydia had been dating for a while. College had been great for the two of them. They had both settled on their majors in their first year. It was their sophomore year and the two had decided to get a small one bedroom apartment right off campus.
It was February, specifically Valentine's Day. Stiles had had the whole night planned out since New Years. It was their first Valentine's Day where there'd be no roommates or parents to crowd or watch over them. It would be just the two of them. All he wanted was to take his girlfriend out to celebrate. But for the past few days, Lydia had been coming down with something, and the last thing Stiles wanted was to take his girlfriend on a date when she was sick and couldn't enjoy it
He sighed as he stood up, grabbing his books from the desk and walking into their room. "Hey Lyds?" He whispered as he sat down beside her and brushed a hand through her hair. She merely moaned and rolled over. Stiles pushed the hair out of her face, he noted that she felt a little warm. "I've got class but I'll be back at 11, okay?" She just nodded her head and Stiles felt himself smile as he leaned down and kissed her forehead gently.
All throughout his class, Stiles went through the plans he had for them. He had reservations at the nicest restaurant in town. They'd have a nice dinner then maybe go for a walk through the park downtown. He even made sure they both had off work that night. He didn't want to do too much, he had to start the bar at a good level or else he wouldn't be able to top it year after year, which he intended to do.
After class ended Stiles made sure to get home to check on Lydia. He was looking forward to tonight, but if Lydia was sick then he'd be just as fine with a night in, making sure she got better. He entered their apartment, noting how silent it was. Usually by then, Lydia would be up and eating breakfast, watching the news or something. But sure enough when he walked into their apartment, she was nowhere to be found. He placed his backpack on the table before entering the room.
He saw her still bunched up underneath the covers, but her hair was tied up in a bun. He sighed and sat beside her on the bed, placing a hand on her forehead. It was even hotter than it was before.
"Geez Lydia." He murmured quietly. He knew there was no way she'd be okay for their plans tonight. He didn't mind though. He left her to rest some more and went to think of his new plans for that night. He had another class but it wasn't until 12, and he figured Lydia wouldn't be going to her classes so it would be best to head back to campus early.
He sighed, grabbing his keys and contemplating waking his girlfriend up. In the end, he opted to just leave a note telling her he'd be back later and to feel better. He walked back out to his Jeep, climbing into it and heading back to campus, his mind going through all the options he had.
He could run downtown before he returned home and get some chicken noodle soup, Theraflu, and some chocolate for when she was feeling a bit better. That seemed like the only option. He knew Lydia would resist at first, but hopefully a sick Lydia would take no for an answer because there was no way she was feeling up to his plans.
His afternoon classes seemed to fly by and by the time he was leaving campus, it was almost 5. Lydia knew that their reservations were at 6, but she probably still thought she'd be going. He knew he should run home and check on her, but he had a feeling she needed some good chicken noodle soup more so he made his way to the supermarket. He picked up anything he thought would help cure her and get her feeling a bit better. By the time he was on his way home, it was 5:30 and he was really hoping Lydia was still asleep in bed.
The second he entered their apartment, he knew she was up. The bathroom door was shut, the TV was on, and the bed was empty. It was quiet except for the low voices coming from the TV.
"Hey Lyds, I'm home. How are you feeling?" He asked through the bathroom door as he placed the bags down on the kitchen table.
"I'm feeling better." She said, but her voice was muffled by the door. She didn't sound congested or hoarse, so that was a good sign. Stiles still wasn't buying it though, Lydia could put on a pretty convincing act.
"How about you come out here and show me then?" He challenged, leaning across the table and crossing his arms. He waited for the click of the bathroom door to unlock and then she stepped into the living room.
"How do I look?" She asked, twirling around to give him what she like to call the 'full effect'. She was wearing a long sleeved red dress that reached her mid thighs, and at least three inch heels that matched. Her hair was in flowing curls behind her back and her lipstick matched the color of the dress. She looked great, like she was ready to go on a Valentine's date.
"Absolutely not." Stiles said, shaking his hand. Once he looked even closer, he could see the goosebumps that were present on Lydia's bare legs and the fatigue in her eyes was obvious. Stiles closed the space between them in three strides and pressed the back of his hand against Lydia's forehead before she could resist.
"Christ Lydia, you're burning up." He muttered, cradling her face in his hands. Her temperature must've been over a hundred, but she was smiling up at him as if she was fine.
"Stiles, it's just a bit of a fever, okay?" She said quietly, her eyes locked onto his. She was giving him the look that always made him cave, but not this time.
"If that's true why is your skin covered in goosebumps?" He asked, raising an eyebrow in suspicion. She merely rolled her eyes and walked away from him, grabbing her purse and coat.
"So I have the chills. I'm fine, really. I can handle a date Stiles." Stiles wasn't buying any of it, but she must have spent a while getting ready. She really looked amazing, even if she wasn't feeling too hot.
"Whether we go to the restaurant or whether we stay here, it's still gonna be a date." Stiles argued, glancing at the supplies he had just bought.
"Yes, but it's Valentine's Day Stiles! I want it to be a special date. You made plans for it and I want to go." She walked over to where he stood, placing a hand on his cheek. He could feel the difference in their temperatures but he didn't say anything. "I'll be fine, I promise." She said, using that look on him once again and...
"Okay, you win. But don't beg me to make you chicken noodle soup and watch the Notebook when we get back." He said, caving in and grabbing his coat too. Lydia threw her arms around his neck and thanked him by pressing her lips against his cheek before strutting out of their apartment.
Needless to say the date didn't last very long. Lydia ordered some plain pasta dish that she pushed around on her fork and Stiles was quick to pay the bill and skip dessert. By 8:00, they were cuddled up on the couch watching the Notebook with bowls of soup in front of them.
Stiles loved Lydia, with everything he had. Yes, she was stubborn, and yes, she didn't take no for an answer. And, at the end of the night they were exactly where Stiles knew they'd be. But if Lydia didn't take no for an answer, she wouldn't be with him at Berkeley to begin with, so maybe it wasn't such a bad thing that she never took no for an answer...
v.
He had waited so long for this day, and so had she. But they had very different reasons.
"How do I look?" Lydia asked as she walked into the living room full of their closest friends and family. She wore a green strapless dress underneath a blue cap and gown, and her smile was the most radiant thing Stiles had ever seen.
"You look beautiful Lyds." He stood up and walked across the living room to join her. Her mother was taking pictures and crying, and his father was beaming at him from beside Melissa McCall. Malia and Liam were clapping and cheering from the love-seat and Kira and Scott were just smiling at the couple.
They were finally graduating college. After four years of courses and school work and internships, in a matter of hours they'd have degrees in their hands. Of course Lydia would be going to grad school to get her doctorate, but she had decided to take a year off and get some experience first. A lab close to Beacon Hills had contacted her about doing some research for them as a forensic scientist. Stiles had already secured a job at Beacon Hills Police Department with his father. The future was looking bright for them.
`The ceremony was long and it dragged on but by the end of it, they held degrees in their hands and were surrounded by everyone they cared about. It couldn't get any better, could it? Of course they had to celebrate, and what better place than the Martin's. After all, who throws the best parties?
Everyone had a blast. They were scattered around the backyard and they reminisced about the good old days of high school and dead pools and kanimas. They talked about the past six years and everything that had happened, and they talked about the years to come and everything they could hope would happen. It was a night to remember, but Stiles wasn't ready to call it a night just yet.
By eleven o'clock, everybody had made their way to the kitchen for some pizza and drinks. Well, everybody except for Lydia. Stiles looked on from the patio as his girlfriend laid in the grass, staring up at the stars plastered against the sky. She was still wearing the green dress, her hair was fanned out around her and Stiles took a moment to take her in because in that moment, Stiles couldn't remember a time when Lydia was more beautiful. He smiled as she spotted him and waved him over, and he happily obliged. He plopped down next to her as she sat up into a sitting position.
"Wow, I can't believe it's only been six years since I got to know you. Can you believe that? Can you believe everything we've been through?" Lydia asked fondly, looking over at him. It was the same look he was used to, not the one from third grade or the one from Valentine's Day two years ago. No, it was a look of awe and love, and it was one she gave him often. It was the one that made him feel like he could do anything. And it was the one that gave him the ridiculous amount of courage and bravery he needed to speak.
"Lydia, I've liked you since the third grade. The day you pushed me off that swing was the day I realized how different you were. And I thought, at one point, that I loved you. But now I realize it wasn't even possible because I didn't know the real Lydia Martin. The only time I had seen her was that day on the playground. And I liked her a lot. Then we started talking, like really talking.
"We started spending time together. I got to know you. I got to know your fears and your hopes and I liked everything I saw. And I'm sorry I wasn't there for you when Allison died. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you after she died. And I'm sorry she can't be here now, because I know you'd give anything for that. But Lydia, I loved you then. Even when I was with Malia, you were always there. Nothing and nobody could change the way I felt about you.
"And it wasn't until you said you'd come to Berkeley with me that I realized you loved me too. I realized this could work. And I was surprised because as much as you showed it, I never thought it was possible to win over Lydia Martin. But you said you loved me. And the moment you said, I knew we'd be right here one day, I knew that the impossible was suddenly possible.
"Then, I fell in love with you. I would do anything and everything I could for you Lydia. When you were sick our sophomore year of college, all I wanted was to make you happy, to make you feel better. And I realized that you'd do the same for me when you got ready despite your fever of 102 and you still looked amazing, even if you didn't feel like it. I get that you wanted that date, but I know you didn't want to let me down. It was the same reason why I would've sat on the couch and watched the Notebook two times in a row and cooked you all the chicken noodle soup we had.
"Lydia, you are the most amazing woman I've ever known. You're smart, you're gorgeous, and the list is infinite but I'm trying to make a point. I am so in love with you Lydia Martin. And if I've learned anything the past six years that we've known each others, it's that you never take no for an answer, or at least that's what you always tell me. I think you're starting to come around, but for now I'll take a page out of your playbook."
Stiles finished his speech and dug around in his pocket before he found the small black box. Lydia had never lost the look in her eyes the whole time, and as he pulled the small black box out of his pocket he realized her eyes were teary and her lips cruved into the widest smile that made the radiant one from earlier dull in comparison. Lydia Martin was beautiful, radiant, stunning, gorgeous, amazing, and stubborn. And hopefully, she would agree to be his.
"Lydia Martin, will you marry me?" He asked, opening the box. In the soft vevet of the box lay his mother's wedding ring, a beautiful and simple thing that Stiles knew Lydia would love. She nodded her head yes and pursed her lips together before a grin spread out on her face and she laughed quietly, almost inaudibly and she looked at him.
"Of course I will." She said quietly, trying her best not to cry. She held out her left hand and he grinned as he slipped the ring onto her finger and it fit perfectly. It looked just as beautiful as he imagined it would. He looked up to see his fiancee looking down at the ring in awe, turning her hand from side to side.
"Good, because I wasn't gonna take no for an answer." He said, his voice quiet and light. She looked up at him and leaned forward, pressing her lips to his. He felt the tears on her face as her lips moved with his and he smiled as he kissed her back. When she pulled away, he found that she was smiling too as she tried to wipe the remainder of the tears away.
"I love you Stiles." Her eyes were fixed on his and he looked down at the ring once more. He had never felt more whole in his life, and he really didn't have words to explain it. So he merely grabbed her left hand and it brought it to his lips, pressing a kiss onto the backs of her fingers before intertwining their hands and wrapping the other around her shoulders, pulling her into his side. She rested her head on his shoulder and he pressed a kiss to her hair and nothing had ever felt more right in his life.
"I love you too Lydia." And he always would.
A.N.- I've had that in my drafts since November and I finally got around to finishing it. Well, let me know how you liked it!
