In the span of a breath, the deflating pang of regret vanished. Lydia gazed at Stiles and saw...everything. Understanding, care, patience, forgiveness, willingness... It was all there, same as it always was, all of it directed at her. She saw the boy she had been gravitating towards since he asked her to the Winter Formal, and she wanted nothing more than to dance with him again.
Summary: Since he had returned she hadn’t left his side. Their hands clasped together from the moment she saw him again. But in the rush of Stiles’ return, and all of their memories coming back as well, everyone had seemed to forget something. Something pretty important.
Notes: It’s actually been years since I’ve posted a fic so hopefully you all like this!
Read on ao3 if you wanna :)
They had gotten him back.
After a vicious fight against the Ghost Riders and figuring out how to get Stiles through the rift, they had finally gotten him back. It wasn’t easy and none of them had come out unharmed, but he was back. Stiles was back. With his dad, his best friends, and with his Lydia, and that was what mattered.
Since he had returned she hadn’t left his side. Their hands clasped together from the moment she saw him again. But in the rush of Stiles’ return, and all of their memories coming back as well, everyone had seemed to forget something. Something pretty important.
It only came to Lydia a few weeks later as she was wrapped in his arms watching a movie. It was random really, one of those thoughts you have for no absolute reason, it just kinda happened.
Her eyes go wide and a huge smile appears on her lips. “Mieczyslaw.” She says, and Stiles instantly tenses.
“What was that?” He asks, still looking straight forward.
“Mieczyslaw,” She repeats, sitting up. “your name! How could I have forgotten that?”
“I’m…um pretty sure you didn't know that before you lost all memories of me.”
Lydia shakes her head. “No no, your dad told us! The night he remembered you he came to Scotts house and he said it and I swear I thought he was speaking gibberish but-“
“Oh my god, I'm going to kill him.” Stiles groans, burying his face in a pillow. Lydia giggles pokes at his side.
“Oh come on it’s not that bad!”
“Yes it is! It makes me sound like an old polish man that like…farms goats or something. And obviously nobody can say it-“
“Mieczyslaw Miecyslaw Miecyslaw, there easy.” Lydia smirks.
Stiles snorts, turning his head away from the pillow to face Lydia. “Okay fine, but no one can spell it right.”
“M-I-E-C-Z-Y-S-L-A-W.”
Stiles rolls his eyes. “People with an average IQ.”
Lydia sighs and leans into his side. “Well I like your name. It’s cute. I could call you Mitchy as a fun little nickname.”
“Oh hell no you won’t.” He quickly pulls her into his lap and tickles her sides, knowing that’s where she's most ticklish.
“S-Stop!” Lydia squeals, giggling uncontrollably.
“Alright alright.” He agrees, stoping for a few moment to let her catch her breath but then starting again only seconds later. “But what’s my name?”
Two can play at this game. “M-Mieczyslaw!” She says through the laughter.
“Nope, try again!”
“Mitchy!” She laughs harder as he rolls his eyes.
“Guess I’ll just have to tickle you forever.”
“Okay okay I give! Stiles! Y-Your name is Stiles!”
“That’s what I thought.” He says with a smirk, giving her a quick kiss on the nose as she catches her breath.
“So I can never call you by your real name?” Lydia pouts, giving him those brown puppy dog eyes, knowing damn well he can’t resist them.
He gives a super exaggerated groan. “Okay, I guess you can. But only you…and Scott.”
“I have to share with Scott? Will I ever get any of you to myself?” She jokes.
“You get to make out with me! Scott doesn't get that.”
“Why do I have a hard time believing that?”
Stiles shrugs. “Scotty is a beautiful man, but my lips are reserved for you.” He leans in and gives her a soft kiss.
She blushes as she pulls away from the kiss. “I love you Mieczyslaw.”
“I love you more Lydia Camille-Grace Martin.”
She freezes. “Oh my god, who told you my middle name?”
She remembers how his eyes fluttered open when her small hand slid over his larger one. She remembers how he released the blanket he was clutching to grasp her palm.
She tells him about the drowsy but rather adoring way he gazed up at her when he sighed, “You came back.”
“You’re supposed to be sleeping,” she weakly reprimanded.
“Thought I told you... I sleep better when you’re with me.”
Not bothering to suppress a smile, she recalled, “You did say that, didn’t you?”
“Mmmwhat are you waiting for then? Get in.”
“Stiles, there’s hardly any sp—”
She remembers the droplets that leaked from his eyes when he appealed, “Please. We can share. I wanna... I wanna share everything with you, Lyds.”
She remembers the breath getting caught in her throat when she decided to step closer to Stiles and the way it released as soon as she had her arms around him.
Their bodies reconnected, her heart quickened, and Lydia suddenly realized...
That gesture, that hug he gifted her, was far from simple. Because it was from Stiles – the boy who threw his body over hers, put her well-being above his own, and wrapped her in warmth, without ever expecting a thing in return. By closing his arms around her, he had opened up a world of possibility. He gave her something more – a piece of himself, a piece of hope. And it made her want to hold him. Just a little bit closer...and a little bit longer too.
She remembers how intensely Stiles observed her, like he could see into her soul. Much to her surprise, she wanted to let him, even though it scared her to allow someone so close.
He lowered his voice to a whisper when he spoke the next time. The sincerity in his tone was like the ocean on a clear day – so pure, and deep, and expansive that she had no doubt Stiles meant it when he said, “Lydia Martin, you are something... You’re…incredible.”
She remembers his lips, silky and slightly parted. She remembers his minty breath ghosting across her face, his lashes casting long shadows over angled cheekbones, his skin dotted with a pattern of moles that put the constellations to shame. Her heart was made vulnerable by his eyes, sparking gold in the moonlight.
She remembers thinking she had just caught a glimpse of what heaven must be like.
She remembers the way Stiles’s eyes swiftly met hers, his expression conveying not just surprise but also relief and something...more.
It was all the assurance Lydia needed. There was no way she was leaving him. Not when he looked at her like that – like she was his salvation, like she could take his pain away, like he needed her as much as she needed him.
Oh my, a very long time. Like a decade. I watched TW back when it aired on MTV, and I’m sure I’m not the only one who felt sparks igniting between Stiles and Lydia as early as s1. For me, it was the Winter Formal that made me realize they could be something really special. It isn’t a perfect moment, but it was a memorable one. For one thing, it’s their first quality interaction. It shows that Stiles sees the real Lydia and proves his feelings for her are genuine. It’s also a wake-up call for Lydia. She doesn’t feel what Stiles feels, but his honesty gets through to her, makes her realize that she can and should be valued for who she really is. I also loved their chemistry, how the banter was balanced by just the right amount of softness. That scene stayed with me for days, weeks, and apparently…years. A surefire sign that I am gone for a pairing. I couldn’t wait to see more. As a bonus, every time Stydia were together, their potential – both as individuals and as a legitimate romantic couple – only became clearer.🧡💙 By the end of s2/early s3 I was fully committed to this relationship, and I've never wavered.
When I think about it now, I realize just how powerful their influence really is – because Stydia don’t actually share a lot of screen time in s1 and 2. Yet they leave such a lasting impression. We were fortunate. The quality of their moments – however few and fleeting – is undeniable. In large part, I have to give credit to Dylan and Holland. They were so great at portraying the bond between Stiles and Lydia. And the rest? Well, I guess when you put the two most compelling, intelligent, snarky characters within arm’s reach of each other…a fair amount of fireworks are bound to happen.
