When Lydia is three she reads the name, Madhavanalca on her right wrist, with help from her grandmother.
When Stiles is two his mother traces the name Lydia in perfect cursive on the back of his left shoulder and tells him that's the name of his soulmate. He tells her soul mates don't exist. And then his mother shows him 'Claudia' on his fathers pinky and he believes.
When Lydia is twelve she decides she wants a job that will take her anywhere but Beacon Hills, because no one in Beacon Hills is named Madhavanalca.
When Stiles is in the third grade he hears about Lydia Martin and her red hair. But when he sees her, he knows that she is his Lydia, and that her hair is strawberry blonde. He pretends he doesn't know, because Lydia could never be soulmates with him.
When Lydia is in eighth grade she decides to date Jackson. He may not be her soulmate, and he may have Amelia written on his mid back, but the make it work. They pretend they're perfect.
Stiles tells Scott that Lydia is his soulmate in sophomore year after Allison lets Lydia in on the supernatural. Scott tries to get Stiles to tell Lydia, but Stiles is determined to pretend it doesn't get to him. But he continues to get flustered around her.
Lydia kisses Stiles in junior year to stop his panic attack. And as she does it she pretends not to get goosebumps or feel the electric shocks lingering on her lips. They both pretend they don't want to do it again, albeit not very well.
During senior year Stiles saves Lydia, with help, from Eichen House. And when she nearly dies he wants to scream about how it's not fair. And when she breathes again, he pretends to not want to kiss her until it's gone again.
In freshman year of college the pack is having its weekly get together. Stiles is on Lydia's couch with a laptop in his lap, working on the only extra credit project for biology. Tracing his ancestors back to 1900. Lydia sat next to him as he typed away. She sees some of it, but is drawn to the name at the bottom.
Maohauanavea 'Stiles' Stilinski
"Stiles." She says, "What's your name?"
"Hm? Oh, I honestly can't pronounce it." He says and scratches the back of his neck. "Will you write it out for me?"
"Uh, yeah." He grabs a paper and pen and scribbles it down.
When Lydia looks at Stiles scrawl next to the name on her wrist she starts to laugh. Hysterical, relieved laughter. Because she can stop pretending she doesn't love Stiles. And when Stiles looks at her she smiles.
Because in Stiles' scrawl, Maohauanavea looks like Madhavanalca.
So she pulls his face to hers and kisses him. And when he responds it's like the Fourth of July. And when the pull apart she tells him that she loves him and shows him her wrist. He says it right back and blushes before showing her his shoulder.
And so, they stop pretending.
