Know Better - A Stydia AU

Chapter 12

Lydia is quick to check on Ariel and getting a few things ready for breakfast in the kitchen to save her some time. When she gets back to the bathroom, it's been about four minutes since she had left. Stiles is already in the shower regulating the water temperature when she comes in.

"You okay?" she asks, taking off her slippers and sliding the shower door open to join him.

His smile is faint. "Yeah. How do you like the water? Hot or cold?"

"Lukewarm is just fine."

"Good. Me too."

Stiles turns his back to her to give Lydia some privacy so that she can get undressed. She knows that he's still thinking about their previous conversation and just needs some reassurance, so she calls for him. "Stiles?"

"Mm," he all but hums, still facing away.

"Look at me." Placing one hand on his shoulder, she lets her fingertips trace his skin down his bare back to get his attention. He turns around slowly, coming to notice that Lydia is closer to him than he thought. She still steps closer. "I trust you with our lives, I hope you know that." She pauses until he nods in agreement. "I don't want you to be insecure about touching me or asking me for something, okay? What happened to me in the past, Stiles, it doesn't concern us. It was traumatizing, I'd never deny that, but all it takes is a glance." She caresses his cheeks, her thumbs moving in lazy circles. "You look at me and I- I'm lost. You make me lose myself and I mean it in the best possible way. I can't even imagine what my life would turn out to be if I'd never met you." With watery eyes, Lydia lowers her hands to his neck and pulls him down a bit. "Stiles, I'm completely in love with you. I fall for you more every day." Her lips are almost brushing his. Stiles holds her by the waist, his eyes menacing to shed tears just like Lydia's. "I- I feel like I can't breathe unless I'm with you and I've never felt like this before. Stiles, I'm yours. I love you and I trust you. I trust us."

Stiles kisses her gently, pulling softly at her bottom lip. "God, you mean so much to me. You took my breath away right when I met you. Lydia, you still do. And I trust you. And it's not been long since we met, but you complete me. Weird as it sounds, it's true, like we're two irregular pieces of two different puzzles and we still fit. But I just... I need to know that I'm not overstepping a boundary. I'd never want that."

Lydia smiles. "You would never, you're too good. But maybe we could settle for an agreement, if it makes it easier?" she suggests. "Obviously, no sex until you're okay." Stiles pouts a little, making Lydia laugh and dissipating the tension between them. He steals a quick kiss. "But just... Do what you want. I want you to be yourself and I definitely, most certainly, want you to touch me, alright? And I don't want light touches either, I'm not a little girl. Just be you."

She looks at him so sincerely that Stiles forgets how to breathe for a little while, just staring at her. "I need you to promise me, Lyds. Promise me you'll tell me if there's something you don't want to."

Lydia doesn't break the gaze. "I promise."

Stiles exhales sharply, like all of the problems in his life just vanished. Leaving his right hand at her waist where it can't be harmed, his left hand moves up to cup her cheek, his thumb brushing her lower lip. "I love you."

Lydia captures his lips in a quick movement, like there's a fire that she needs to see put out but that's all that she does, leaving the rest to Stiles to do as he pleases. He seems to get the hint. His touch is still too gentle at first, but becomes more precise and deliberate with every passing second. Breaking the kiss, his left hand moves to her shoulder, his fingertips brushing her skin all the way down her neck in indistinguishable patterns that make her shiver. Slowly, he moves away the strap of her nightgown down her shoulder and kisses her collarbone while Lydia lets the remaining strap slip down too. She distances herself from him enough to take off the piece of fabric along with her underwear, which she throws unceremoniously to the bathroom floor.