Here's where it's at folks. It's gonna start to get good...
Chapter 4: Snowed In
Well, here she was. On Stiles's own doorstep. Slightly blue and naked but very Lydia. He was stuck mid yawn with his hands stretched above his head and his jaw dangling in shock.
"Well - is anyone gonna get me a coat?" Lydia teased, shivering from the cold outside. She smirked when she saw recognition in his eyes and then his cheeks turned bright red in embarrassment. She shamelessly sashayed her way into his house and she felt Stiles's stare follow her in. She turned around and innocently batted her eyelashes at Stiles who was tripping over himself to close the front door.
Was Lydia Martin flirting with him? Oh no. She must be in worse condition than he thought she would be in. She's lost her mind...
Either way, even in the dim lighting, Stiles eyes were sparkling when they met hers. Lydia didn't feel embarrassed at all in front of him. She trusted him completely and knew he would never take advantage of her. Hell, he patiently waited as she dated Jackson and Aiden and still loved her even when he'd seen her at her worst. And Lydia Martin had been through it all.
Stop it Lydia, she scolded herself. You're only here because Stiles doesn't ask questions and can help you. You can trust him and hey he's a warm body. Snap out of it.
Suddenly, something clicked in Stiles's brain and he had a look of pure horror on his face. He immediately tore his eyes away from her and went on a frantic search for something for her to wear. "WAIT RIGHT THERE!" Stiles screamed as he sprinted up the stairs three at a time.
Lydia just chuckled at Stiles's awkwardness and relished in the warmth of his house. Her toes and fingers were beginning to thaw and the ice in her hair was melting and forming a puddle on the floor under her. She wandered into the kitchen to find some paper towels to wipe up her mess.
His kitchen was smaller than hers at home and everything was closer together which gave it a more homey feeling. There were a few dishes on the drying rack and loaves white and raisin bread were lined up on the counter. The cabinets were made of wood and the steel sink was a little leaky. The kitchen in Lydia's home was always spotless and there were never dishes drying or things out on the counters or the kitchen island. The cabinets were coated with a bland white paint and everything else was a cold, hard marble which gave it a barren and unnatural feel. Stiles's home was lived in and welcoming. She sighed as she grabbed a roll of paper towels and tried to shake away the sadness that came with the comparisons.
Suddenly, Stiles ran down the stairs with an arm full of clothes and freaked out when he didn't see Lydia in the living room. "LYDIA?! OH SHIT PLEASE NOT AGAIN. I should have taken her with me..."
She quickly stepped out of the kitchen and back into the living room. "It's ok Stiles! I'm still here. I just saw I was dripping onto your carpet and I wanted to get some paper to clean it up, that's all..." she explained.
"OOooOoOoOh god ok you're still naked. I mean why wouldn't you be. NEVERMIND," Stiles rambled. "WELL I'm going to leave these clothes on the couch and I'll let you chose what you want I guess and I think there's a towel in there somewhere..." He scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment, still turned away from Lydia. "J-just scream my name when you're ready. I MEAN- Just call me when you're decent," and he awkwardly left the living room.
Lydia giggled at Stiles's nervousness. After everything that they'd been through together, she couldn't help but feel happy that she still had that effect on him. He really was sweet and always gave her the best. The clothes on the couch were all neatly folded and spread out just for her. He brought her a clean towel, a red flannel, a yellow flannel, a pair of fuzzy socks, sweatpants, and a white tank top. She picked up the red flannel and gave it a deep sniff. It was soft and smelled like fresh pine and a light cologne, just like Stiles. She immediately let out a content, blissful sigh of happiness and laid it back down on the couch. She put on the tank top, pulled on the sweatpants, slipped into the surprisingly soft fuzzy socks and pulled on the red flannel without buttoning it up. The fresh towel was wrapped onto the top of her head around her soaked red hair and for the first time in two days, Lydia Martin put aside the nagging voice in her head about Stiles and felt absolutely content.
vuvuvuvuvuv
Stiles's mind was reeling. HE HAD FOUND LYDIA MARTIN NAKED AFTER DISAPPEARING FOR A SECOND TIME! He was glad she ended up finding him, but he was worried that if there was a next time, he wouldn't be there for her. He paced back and forth down the hallway near the staircase and decided to give his father a call at the station.
"Hey Dad I've got some news for you..." started Stiles. He could hear lots of orders being barked and phones ringing in the background of the call.
"STILES IF YOU BURNED THE HOUSE DOWN," threatened the Sheriff.
"No Dad it's fine. I just- it's Lydia. She showed up here in the middle of the snowstorm and you know she's completely naked, and I think there's a reason why she came here instead of going home."
"Oh thank god. You had me scared. As long as I know Lydia's safe with you I'm ok. I don't have a problem with her being at our house but make sure you take care of her if she's sick, alright son? I'll call her mom and..."
"NO DAD PLEASE DON'T! You have to trust me. Lydia will do that on her own time but I think she's... avoiding home for a reason. I know her parents are worried sick about her but I think she needs some time away from them. Please Dad..." Stiles reasoned.
Sheriff Stilinski sighed. "Stiles this is completely against protocols. I trust your judgement but those are her parents. They should know where their child is."
Stiles looked at the white mounds building up outside and he could see that it wasn't going to just stop there. "Dad give me two days. The snow's coming down so hard that nobody can drive anywhere anyways. Let me figure out what's wrong first. She'll contact them herself when she's ready."
"Fine Stiles. I don't have time to deal with you right now. The station is hectic and there are calls upon calls to answer. You get two days. Hopefully I'll see you by then, but at the rate this is going, we'll be lucky if we can see each other by Christmas. Love you and stay safe."
"Love you too Dad. Don't work too hard and stay inside, please," said Stiles. After the line disconnected, Stiles sighed and rubbed his eyes. He glanced at the grandfather clock at the end of the hallway. It had been an hour since Lydia first showed up and he had no idea what to do.
He was surprised to say the least when he saw her naked again and he lost all of his composure. He chuckled softly. His raging-hormone filled teenage self would be on the floor drooling but over the years he had gained more self control and self respect. Sure some body parts had a mind of their own but things were better now.
Just then, Lydia walked out into the hallway fully clothed and Stiles was on the verge of a heart attack. Even in sweats and a flannel, she was still gorgeous. Her grass green eyes were amplified by the red of the flannel and he stared into them with complete adoration. Not a dull grass green as in the color of a front lawn, desperately in need of a trim but the green of a rolling meadow dotted with wildflowers on a bright sunny day.
"Well Lydia I gotta say, you have a great sense of style," Stiles managed to choke out, "I would totally wear that."
Lydia placed her hand on her hip and looked at Stiles with amusement. Always trying to lighten the mood. He was so dorky it hurt. All of a sudden, she started shivering uncontrollably.
Stiles immediately rushed forward and encased her in a warm hug. He pulled her close and squeezed her comfortingly. A protective arm wrapped around her waist and he rubbed calming circles on her back. She immediately stopped shivering and melted into his embrace, tucking her head in the spot made just for her on Stiles's shoulder. She didn't realize how much she missed his hugs and relished in the feeling of his arms, toned from years of lacrosse practice, around her.
"Oh god Lydia where have you been? You had me worried out of my freaking mind," whispered Stiles as he buried his nose in the towel around her wet strawberry blonde hair.
He led Lydia to the couch and handed her three heavily knit quilts. He then plugged in a heated blanket and covered her. Stiles went to get some firewood and came back to see her bury herself underneath the three quilts and then she looked at him expectantly. It took almost every sliver of self control he had to continue lining the fireplace with firewood instead of diving under the covers next to her and smothering her with kisses while whispering sweet nothings in her ear. But, Stiles was a gentleman and he knew he had to respect Lydia, especially now because of how vulnerable she was.
She came here for a reason and I need to find out why.
Soon there was a roaring fire going and only the sounds of the crackling fire and the wind howling with ice and snow pelting the house were heard. Lydia and Stiles settled into a comfortable silence. He wasn't sure what to ask her and she wasn't ready to talk about what had happened. They both seemed to realize this and Stiles continued with his homework while Lydia tried to relax after her confusing time outside.
She took this time to take a good look at Stiles. His face was glowing in light cast from the dancing flames from the fireplace. Her eyes traced the sharpness of his jawline and the familiar upturn of his nose. His gelled hair stood up in its usual messy spikes and his eyebrows were furrowed as he looked at his unfinished AP Calculus. Small moles were scattered on his cheeks and down his neck, and Lydia couldn't help but wonder if they continued down his back and chest.
She was a little startled at her own thinking and curiosity. She never realized how easy Stiles was to look at and she didn't realize she thought of Stiles as anything more than a friend. She knew he had loved her since the third grade, but she'd always been too busy worrying about her social status (hence dating the captain of the lacrosse team and any guy that looked good) and recently, staying alive with all of the supernatural threats around her.
Stiles had saved her life multiple times and she had saved him, and Lydia knew it was an understatement to say that she trusted him with her life. It was deeper than that, but she always refused to acknowledge it.
Stiles turned away from his homework to catch Lydia staring at him with a calculating look. His warm whiskey colored eyes met her brilliant green eyes and he snapped her out of her thoughts with a goofy lopsided smile that screamed Stiles and hadn't changed since third grade despite everything else that had. Lydia blushed slightly before clearing her throat and offering a blindingly bright smile back.
"I'm hungry Stiles."
"Well, Ms. Martin, you've come to the right place because there is no one in the universe who can top my minestrone so sit back and relax. I'll be 40 minutes tops," Stiles said before jumping up from beside her on the couch. Lydia couldn't help but smile as her eyes lazily followed the energetic spazz bounding toward the kitchen.
