Title: Be Delicate (With This Love)
Genre: Television
Series: Teen Wolf
Characters: Derek Hale, Lydia Martin
Spoilers: season 3
Rating: G
Summary: A series of drabbles.
Disclaimer: HBO, baby. HBO.
Prompt: sheisimmune - I want Dydia AU where there was something between Lydia and Derek, and now she's miserable because he left with his sister, and Lydia doesn't know what to do with herself. Since her relationship with him was secret she can't talk about it with anyone and it makes everything even more difficult for her.

I overheard a broken heart a damaged love to say
That all is lost we've stumbled hard there's nothing left to save

"...they've settled in San Francisco, with some old pack mates. Cora said Derek isn't taking to being a beta very well, but he's working on it with a therapist." Stiles snorted in amusement, grinning over at her like she should be sharing his entertainment. "I'm imagining some kind of dog whisperer, proficient in understanding grunts and snarling."

"Everyone needs help sometimes, Stiles," Lydia replies, though she forces a smile to curve her brightly painted lips. She doesn't mention that she knows Stiles spent three years in therapy after his mother died, or that she has a regular appointment and limitless refills on her antidepressants. The fact that they're all so terribly flawed is one of those things friends don't talk about; it's one of the silent secrets that bind them together.

"Scott wants to go up there next weekend and visit, talk over some of the stuff that's going on with Peter, see if Derek has any idea what he's planning."

She bites back the words that suddenly claw at her throat, that she wants to go with them, wants to see his face just one more time. "You should take Isaac. He misses them."

"Yeah, the whole crew is going up there. We're going to take off early from school and stay until Sunday. You want to come?"

"No," she answered as nonchalantly as she could, though from the small glance Stiles gave her she knew it had been just a little too quickly given. "I think with you all out of town I'll take my mom up on the spa day. My pores have been very stressed lately."

"You're beautiful." He was sincere enough that she shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Memories of the one kiss they'd shared flashed in her thoughts but Lydia refused to give in to the guilt that swam through her. She and Stiles had already had that discussion and moved on, whereas she and Derek had never discussed anything and left the entire 'friendship' they'd been hesitantly trying to build in pieces on his loft floor.

"Thanks, but I could use a little peace and quiet anyways. Just...um..." she paused, trying to find the words that would be obscure enough for no one to notice anything, but pointed enough that Derek, if he cared, would understand the message she was sending. "Tell him I wish him well and that he enjoys his fresh start."

It was polite, disingenuous, and the only closure she'd probably be able to get.