Start of Time | Stydia

-ships in the night

It isn't until Lydia turns up at Stiles' front door one day well into the holidays that he realises how much the emotional tether works both ways.

Ever since he'd sacrificed himself for his dad, it seemed Stiles was constantly needing someone to lean on, to trust, someone to talk to when he needed comforting. And that person had been Lydia.

He just hadn't realised just how much everything seemed to be having an effect on Lydia, because she seemed a lot more stressed out than letting on.

She stands on the porch like a lost boat that needs an anchor, something to keep it from floating away again. The moonlight is blocked from clouds, but gives a slight blue glow to Lydia's pale skin.

'Stiles? I- uh...actually, never mind. I'm going back home, this was a completely idiotic thing to do.' Lydia says, pressing her lips together, spinning around.

'Wait, Lydia,' Stiles says, reaching out to grab her arm, his fingers lightly circling her wrist, 'What's wrong?'

Lydia lets out a loud sigh, shoulders dropping a significant amount. Her hair, which is left loose and -in Stiles' opinion, looks just as perfect-, curls in the wind.

'Everything.' She shrugs, tucking a strand of her hair back. Lydia wasn't normally a person to make depressing comments, or to think pessimistically; she was just a realist stuck in a supernatural world most of the time. So to hear her say that absolutely everything in her life was not right made Stiles more than just concerned.

Instead of making a sarcastic comment here like he normally would have, he kicks the door open with his foot. Well, tries to. Instead, it just wedges shut, catching on the mat inside.

'Smooth move.' Lydia comments, corner of her mouth turning up, and Stiles makes a face before inviting her in.

Quietly, Lydia follows him into the house. She closes the door behind herself, and looks around the room again even though she's been in there a number of times.

They stand in the kitchen while Stiles makes Lydia a hot chocolate, and she starts talking.

'It's just, everything seems so...blue. I'm not too sure what word to use, you know? I mean, I'm distraught about Aiden, and losing it over my best friend, and Scott seems so caught up with helping Isaac, and Kira learning more about her powers and I just... I'm in the middle. And even though it feels like yesterday, it's been so many weeks, so much time gone without them. But I'm not moving on or even starting to get over this, Stiles. I know they'd want me to try and smile everyday but I can't.'

Stiles puts the mug down, and turns to face Lydia. She's leaning against the side, hands gripping the counter so tightly her knuckles are white. The worst thing is, she isn't even crying as she speaks, she just looks empty. Like a person who'd lost part of their soul.

'Hey, Lydia.' Stiles says quietly.

Lydia looks up at him, green eyes wide and innocent. Without makeup, Stiles can see her eyelashes are a light, coppery colour. She pauses for a second, as if waiting, but then flings her arms around him suddenly, her hands around his neck, her nose buried in his shoulder.

It takes Stiles a few seconds to calm down because Lydia isn't just holding his hand or touching his shoulder, she's properly hugging him. But then he understands how much she needs him right in that second, and Stiles wraps his arms around her waist, one hand knotted in her hair and the other holding her just as tight as she's holding him.

He's always wondered what it would be like for Lydia to actually rely on him, to need him. For Stiles to be the first person she turns to, and now it's real.

And he understands exactly why Deaton said they would be each other's emotional tether, whenever one needed comfort, it just felt right for the other one to be there.

That was how it felt now. That at 1:47 in the morning, on an average, cold night, that Stiles would be comforting Lydia in an average looking room, in an average house.

Normal.

Right.

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i don't really like this one but i really wanted to upload something for you guys bc the support i've gotten recently is amazing. so thank you, and as always, votes+comments would be appreciated :)