Birthday drabbles

Drabble #3 - "Just relax, I'll wash your hair for you."

Drabble #3 - "Just relax, I'll wash your hair for you."

Pairing: Stiles/Lydia

Rating: Teen and Up Audiences

Summary: Lydia panics about her hair after coming homefrom battlefield.

Dedication: To Ness, . Happy birthday :)

xxx

"Lydia, just relax. I'll wash your hair for you."

It took him nearly an hour to get Lydia to agree with him, but upon further thinking Stiles understands.

They're both sitting on her bathtub, Stiles slowly massaging her head as he applies her shampoo with so much care it would seem he'd done it a thousand times before.

They don't talk for a while.

They came from their last battle, the one where everything bad had finally ended, and they're battered, scarred, emotionally exhausted. But Lydia's main concern is her hair. And why? Because her left hand was broken during the fight, and when Stiles drives Lydia home from the hospital it settles in her that she won't be able to do a few things by herself.

She's still feeling strange, like things are still not over yet, not really, and she's just so tired and cranky and still so frightened that by the time Stiles drops her off, she gets too anxious. Stiles offers to stay for the night and she gladly accepts it, but when they move upstairs to her bedroom and Lydia sees the mess her hair is, a few knots here and there, blood and dirt on it, an utter disarray, she almost starts crying.

It takes some convincing from Stiles but he gets it. Her beautiful hair, strawberry blonde locks that now - dare he say - look plain dirty, is one of the only things Lydia has always had under control over the years. And now with her hand hurt, she feels like she might lose it for the first time since their last battle. She doesn't want that and neither does Stiles, so he helps.

When Stiles moves to get the water running, Lydia doesn't even hesitate to getting undressed unceremoniously in front of him. She's tired of pretending, tired of not fighting for him and not choosing him before he gets snatched by someone else again. She's just so tired of it all.

Stiles understands that too. He had saved her from Eichen almost two months ago and since then they'd been inseparable. They could only stand so much suffering. Both single for the first time in a while, they've been trying to navigate their emotions. It hasn't been particularly easy but most things come natural to them, especially when unspoken.

He helps her undress without a second thought as well, not even caring that Lydia Martin is stark naked in front of him for the second time in his life because the only things he can focus on are the blood that still stains her face and arms, and the bruises pretty much all over. It sickens him.

He gets down on his knees beside the tub, instructing a dull Lydia to keep her hurt hand away from the water and to just sit quietly, that he'll try his best to leave her hair perfect as always.

He sees the way she relaxes a bit, but worry is still in her eyes when she turns to look at him, pleading. He knows she's still scared for what she feels will come next. He cups her cheeks, offering her a small smile. "Hey, we'll be okay, alright? It's over." His thumbs move lazily across her cheekbones. "It's finally over."

She stares at him for a few moments too long, searching his gaze for any lies. She doesn't find them. Reaching out to him with her good hand, Lydia smiles back kindly. "Can you just-" She tilts her head for him to get inside as well. They don't discuss it.

In a matter of minutes, Stiles takes care of her hair the way Lydia tells him to, between murmurs and soft sighs of relief that Lydia lets out and can only attribute to him, to how safe he always makes her feel. Stiles whispers in her ear that everything will be okay so many times that she almost starts to believe it.

He helps her wash her body as well, cleaning all the filth from her skin as quickly as he can as if afraid it would never leave. In the end, Lydia is more relaxed than he's seen her in months. He relaxes too.

He helps her put her pjs on and combs her hair when they're back in her bedroom, dries it patiently the way Lydia tells him to so that it doesn't tangle. She has to admit he's done an amazing job when he finishes, praises his patience for putting up with her fits.

They lie down on her bed quietly after that, Lydia curled up beside Stiles, engulfed in his warm and welcoming embrace. She has no idea how long they stay in silence like that.

Stiles plays with her hair, running his fingers through it as he waits for her to fall asleep. She doesn't, though. When he thinks she's almost dozing off, Lydia looks up at him for a moment before placing a chaste kiss on his lips. He looks back at her surprised, the corners of his lips tilting up instantly. "What was that for?"

"To thank you."

He caresses her cheek, giving in to a shy smile that Lydia hasn't seen many times before. "Can we talk about this tomorrow?"

She nods. He kisses the top of her head.

Lydia nuzzles against him, murmuring the next words against his chest, eyes fluttering close as sleep engulfs her. "Are you sure everything's really gonna be okay?"

He can finally see their future more clearly, now that Lydia is literally in his arms. They'll both go to Stanford. Scott might stay behind for community college and maybe along with Kira. Roscoe is thankfully alive to make the drives back and forth for sure, which is perfect.

And Stiles is certain that in one of their trips to Beacon Hills to visit their families and the pack, his dad will tell him he's dating someone (hopefully Melissa), and Liam and Mason will stay out of trouble under Scott's guidance until they graduate and then who knows what the future holds for them?

And in five years Stiles and Lydia will be moving in together officially, and not just as roommates in college. In another two, Stiles will propose. By the time they're thirty, he expects at least one little Martin-Stilinski running around the house.

The supernatural? He's not worried. They've endured so much already and they're still standing. Whatever might be thrown their way in the future, they'll figure it out. So yes, he's sure. "I am."

They fall asleep.

xxx

A/N: Feel free to leave me a review to let me know what you thought of the story.

Until next time xx
Susana