Not a Valentine's date

Chapter 17

"Stiles, you're not coming over!"

Stiles and Lydia have been on the phone for the better part of two hours.

After he left Kira, the boy went home and this time talking to his dad actually proved fruitful. The man apologized for not listening and not being more supportive at times; Stiles for doing what he thinks is right, which usually translates in getting into trouble and almost getting himself killed without his dad knowing about it. They talked about lots of things. Claudia, a subject frequently kept under wraps; his possession and how it still affects them. Malia was a tough subject because what his dad saw in their relationship wasn't what Stiles and the werecoyote actually had and it surprised the man. The Sheriff promised to be more attentive in the future; Stiles that he wouldn't withhold any more information from his dad.

At that, the man told him about Lydia and what she'd shared with him that morning, leaving a stunned Stiles open mouthed and speechless. Okay, Lydia cared; Stiles knew that already. But just how much? Is it even conceivable, in reality, that Lydia might have deeper feelings for him? Because she never ended up putting it in words but then again they kept being interrupted. Leaving his dad in the kitchen, who was amused to see his son realize something that was mostly kind of evident, Stiles ran up to his room to call Lydia and tell her about the conversation with his dad.

Lydia had been a little nervous during his absence, probably due to Stiles being nervous himself about the talk with the Sheriff. Stiles was nervous, so Lydia had been too. Probably the tether, she figured. As soon as her phone rings, she picks up and listens to the boy ramble about it all. He deliberately chooses to leave the part that concerns Lydia to the very end, so in the meantime he talks to her about his mother and she listens avidly. How he misses her and how things were at home when he was little. How he met Scott in a sandbox when they were four and how they have been inseparable ever since.

He tells her stories of his childhood. How he almost broke an arm when he first learned how to ride a bike because when he went to show Scott his newfound skill, he almost ran over his best friend and ended up falling off of his bike and against Scott, who scraped his knees. How he'd been such a prick about getting a boa when he was ten that his dad got him one just to see him scared of it and for the young boy to regret his decision; instead, he ended up keeping it until one day he lost sight of it for one second and never saw it again. How he had his first kiss when he was thirteen with one of his neighbors, a pretty brunette that lived down the street and that had a crush on him and that Stiles had to turn down because he had a crush on somebody else.

He also tells her how his mom used to bake a cake or prepare a special dessert every other Sunday and how he would help her in the kitchen. How he still remembers that when his dad came back from work every afternoon, he'd kiss his mom on the cheek and she'd blush and laugh like she was infatuated with the Sheriff and wasn't even married to the man. How Stiles and his dad started appreciating every single minute they had with her when they found out she was sick. How Stiles had spent hours keeping her company in her hospital room while his dad was working. How he was holding her hand when she took her last breath. How sometimes Lydia reminds him of her with her wit and intelligence and kindness (that yes, Stiles is aware she doesn't show much but that he knows she has).

By then, both Stiles and Lydia are crying silently but they don't stop talking. He tells her how it went with his dad after his mom's death, how Stiles had to grow up so fast in such a short amount of time. That he remembers Melissa would stop by sometimes, bringing Scott along to keep Stiles company while she took care of his dad. How Stiles had grown to trust and rely on Melissa more than he ever expected, seeing her as a motherly figure. He even confesses to Lydia that, back when he was possessed and went to find Melissa at the hospital, he faintly remembers calling her 'mom' before falling asleep but that he never talked to her about it, mostly because he's not sure it really happened.