Not a Valentine's date

Chapter 15

"Stiles?"

It's been almost two hours since their argument and they haven't shared a word. Lydia has been sitting at the table while Stiles has been almost lying on her couch and leaning against one of its arms, barefoot. He took the bestiary and at first he was probably reading it, but somewhere in the middle of their shared silence he began just flipping pages, not paying attention to it. For the last twenty five minutes he hasn't even moved; he's just been glaring at its cover.

Lydia knows this because she's been staring at the back of Stiles' head ever since he came back from the kitchen and sat down on her couch, and she's not sure what kept her from saying something for those two hours. She's hurting and he's hurting and it's neither's fault. Life happened and each of them moved in a different direction and it brought feelings she wasn't necessarily expecting, or at least not in such full force. And maybe it's pride or fear of getting hurt again by letting someone in. But Stiles is different, she knows, so she spent the last two hours debating with herself what she was supposed to do. By the time she gets up from her chair and walks the distance between them, Lydia is so nervous that she feels like she might break down and cry in a heartbeat.

At the mention of his name, Stiles is quick to place the bestiary on her coffee table and look up at her, moving to the side a little so that Lydia can sit beside him. He hasn't said anything because he doesn't want to push her away. He just got her back and he doesn't want to lose his friend again. He might have already said too much by admitting that her (thankfully not romantic) relationship with Parrish bothers him. But then again, she also wanted to know something.

"Stiles, I'm so sorry." She bites on her lower lip trying to hold back the tears, but in all honesty she wants nothing but to cry. There are too many feelings and this whole thing is overwhelming her. "This weekend was about you and I pushed you. I shouldn't have done that. It was selfish and insensitive of me, I'm so sorry."

By now Stiles has already sat up and took her trembling hands in his. "Hey." Lydia can't help it and soon a tear is rolling down her cheek. "Please don't cry."

"I'm sorry, I- I don't want you to be mad."

Stiles wipes away her tears, getting a little closer. "Shh. Lydia, come on. I'm not mad."

She sobs. "You should. I shouldn't have yelled at you."

"I yelled at you too. And I'm sorry I called you stubborn."

"I was being stubborn. But I- I just felt so angry, I'm so sorry."

Stiles pulls her into a hug and she rests her head on his shoulder. One of his hands runs soothingly up and down her back. "I know. I felt angry too. This stupid pull, I don't know..."

Lydia distances herself from him a bit. "Stiles, it wasn't just the tether," she murmurs, her cheeks turning red and not from the crying. "I mean, I felt it, the pull, but it was all me. I wanted you to ask the question," she confesses, her voice almost a hum.

Stiles lowers his head, avoiding her gaze. "I know." Lydia waits patiently for him to elaborate, waits until he's ready to face her again. He keeps his head down. "The tether just made me feel more irritable and impatient, I guess, but what I said... It was the same for me. I wanted to know too. I had to ask."

"Then why didn't you say something when you came back?"

"Probably for a similar reason why you didn't say anything either." Stiles pauses, still escaping her glance. "I don't want to mess us up but I don't think I can pretend that didn't happen."

"I know."

Lydia lets out a breath, nervous as she is, and Stiles finally looks her in the eyes. "Why did you want me to ask you?"

She figures there's no legitimate reason to lie, so she might as well tell the truth for a change. "I uh..." Lydia purses her lips. "I needed to know that you still care."

"What are you talking about?" The words are out of his mouth before he can stop them and his cheeks turn bright red. "Lydia, you know how I feel about you."

She shakes her head. "I don't. You don't know how it's been since..." She huffs, looking for the right words to explain. "I- It was a crush before, you've told me that, and then we got to know each other and became friends, and then we kissed but I was with Aiden and then Malia came along and there were so many things happening at the same time and I just... I wasn't so sure."

She keeps crying and Stiles tries his best not to do the same, his hands moving up to caress her cheeks. He stutters, his heart beating fast. "Lydia, what... What are you saying?"

Her words are barely a whisper. "There's something I might have realized a little too late."

And as if her words weren't enough, her big, beautiful emerald eyes are screaming at him. A wave of warmth rushes through his whole body and soul as realization dawns upon him. He feels peaceful, for once. A little teary himself, Stiles leans forward until their foreheads are touching, his thumb softly grazing her lips. Giving her that smug smile of his that she's learned to love - and miss - so much, Stiles whispers "It's not too late" before pulling her in for a kiss.