Chapter 5
It's the day after Stiles' release from hospital and Lydia has agreed to stay with him and keep him company. After all, it'd be cruel to leave him on his own after all that has happened and the awful state he's in.
They sit on Stiles' mattress, side by side, just casually chatting, until he brings up the elephant in the room- Allison's death. All day he has fretted over the fact that he may be to blame for Lydia's best friend's death. Stiles is searching for a scapegoat, unfortunately he just happened to find it in himself. "Stiles, listen to me! Don't be so ridiculous! Do you know how dumb you sound right now? And I thought you were the smart one…" Lydia trails off, restraining herself from lashing out, her nerves totally shot at, "If you don't shut up soon, I'm going to have to make you! God, I'm going to lose my mind!" She instantly cringes at those words, suddenly remembering the significance that they hold. "Lose your mind, huh? Been there, done that already. Consult me, free of charge, if you would like any help with that." There it is, Stiles' loveable sassiness. She's relieved to see him back to his usual self again (well however much he can be at this moment in time) but right now she just feels like wringing his neck like a wet towel. Not a good idea, Lydia, the cops of Beacon Hills already have enough crazy stuff to deal with as it is.
"There's no need to be like that with me, Stiles. I'm here to help you and all you're doing is complaining. I am this close to walking out the door right now." Lydia makes a tiny gesture with her hands to demonstrate this. Stiles sheepishly turns away, his face flushed and the snarky glint in his eye has disappeared. "Sorry, I forget… Lydia, I, uh, sorry…" Stiles stammers an almost incoherent apology whilst awkwardly running a hand through his bed-head hair, messing it up even more. Lydia can't stop herself from blushing, her icy composure quickly melting. "It's okay, I was only joking anyway…You know I wouldn't leave you, right?" Stiles' face lights up again at that, a playful smirk painted across his cheeks.
Lydia's heart skips a beat. Focus, Lydia, focus. She clears her throat audibly, relieving any tension hanging in the air. Without any warning, Stiles reaches out and grabs her hand. He grasps it firmly whilst peering into her eyes, as if attempting to read her thoughts. Lydia can't stop herself from thinking: brown eyes have never looked so inviting. Just as she's about to reclaim her palm and pull away, she changes her mind and squeezes his tighter instead, binding them closer. The pleasant warmth of his skin surprises her, causing tingling sensations to run up her spine and she involuntarily shivers. I always expected his hands to be cold for some reason. Stiles (assuming she's chilly) breaks away momentarily to shrug off his jacket, then gently places it over her bare shoulders. Lydia hopes that the smile she's desperately trying to conceal doesn't give anything away.
Stiles may be the one who needs caring for, but he still never fails to put others first. That's what I love about him… His eyes hold a lot more tragedy and pain that anybody should have to face, let alone a teenage boy. Lydia finds that she suddenly can't contain herself any longer and pulls Stiles into a strong, affectionate embrace. They stay that way for a good five minutes, him breathing in her soft, floral, familiar scent, and her feeling completely at ease for the first time in what feels like forever. "Hey, remember that time you said you'd go insane if you ever lost me?" Lydia feels tears prickling at the corners of her eyes, "Well, I almost did when I thought I'd lost you… Please don't ever leave me again, promise me Stiles, please promise me." She's sobbing freely now, salty tears cascading down her porcelain skin. God, I hate it when I cry. Stiles inches closer now, their faces only centimetres apart. He pauses to brush a teardrop away from her lips. Whilst stroking her hair and lightly circling his thumb over the back of her shaking hand, he whispers into her ear, "Hey, remember that time I told you I thought you looked really beautiful when you cry? You still do… And, I promise, Lydia, I promise."