secret santa

Kira closes the door to her locker and starts in surprise when she sees Lydia leaning behind it. She’s wearing a cunning smile that Kira knows well enough to be nervous about. Kira opens her mouth to ask her what she’s doing but is stopped by the other girl’s question,

“So…who do you have for Secret Santa?”

“I’m not telling you that!” Kira exclaims, “The whole point is that it’s a secret.”

The pack had drawn names from a hat at lunch earlier that day, and since she’d never been part of a gift exchange before, Kira was doubly determined not to spoil it.

“You could just tell me, I won’t say a word.”

“Well, what if I have you?” Kira replies. “Wouldn’t that-“

“You don’t.” Lydia juts in bluntly.

“How do you know that?”

She shrugs but Kira doesn’t believe her.

“You have Malia, don’t you?” her friend sighs.

“How do you-” Kira starts, “Wait, you organised Secret Santa! You set this up, didn’t you?”

Lydia shrugs again.

“Everyone knows you have a massive crush on her, I was just helping move things along.”

“No they don’t!” Kira feels her cheeks flushing in embarrassment.

“Oh please, even Derek noticed and he’s the most oblivious guy I know.”

The bell rings then, and in a desperate attempt to formulate a reply Kira asks,

“Well who do you have then?”

Lydia just smiles, mimicking Kira from earlier,

“I’m not telling you that, the whole point is that it’s a secret!”

A few days later, Kira’s at the mall with Malia of all people. She had hoped to go alone and shop for her Secret Santa present but when the other girl had heard she was going she’d wanted to come and Kira couldn’t exactly refuse.

“What would Isaac like for Christmas?” Malia muses. “Are socks a good present?”

“Why are you getting Isaac something for Christmas?” Kira asks.

“I got him for that Santa thing we did last week.”

“Malia!” Kira exclaims, “You’re not meant to tell anyone who you have forSecret Santa!”

“Oh. Oops. Well you know now, so you can help me pick something he’ll actually like!” She paused,

“I guess that means you won’t tell me who you have?”

“No! Why doesn’t anyone seem to play by the rules of Secret Santa?” Kira sighs in exasperation, resigning herself to the fact that she isn’t going to get anything productive done at the mall.

A couple of days before Christmas the pack gathers once more to exchange Secret Santa gifts. Kira had spent the past couple of weeks racking her brain trying to figure out the perfect present for Malia, and while she’d had lots of ideas, most of them were stupid, or something she didn’t think Malia would like. Kira had only decided on a decent gift a couple of days before and had been frantically trying to finish it right up until the morning of the gift exchange.

Lydia is the one to get everyone’s attention from where they’d been talking among themselves sprawled over the couches and the floor of her family’s lakehouse. The fire is on and Lydia had gone all out with the decorations. She hands out everyone’s gifts from the pile they’d left them in at the door and they open them in a circle, laughing as Isaac gets some socks with Christmas puddings on them and a festive scarf, and smiling when Allison opens a bracelet with an arrow charm on it. Kira gets a book about Japanese mythologies retold as fairy tales and finally it’s Malia’s turn. When she pulls the wrapping paper off the hand-bound book and opens it to reveal the photos carefully stuck down on each page, the smile that creeps across her face warms Kira’s heart. After a few moments she looks around the room, uttering a soft ‘thank you’ to her mystery gifter before she looks down again at her present.

Later, when Kira’s said her own thanks to Allison for her gift, everyone is collecting their things and beginning to leave. They’re all a little bit tipsy from Lydia’s mom’s homemade eggnog and Malia catches Kira in the hallway, pulling her further away from the rest of the pack.

“Hey,” she says softly.

Kira smiles,

“You’ve been quiet tonight. What’ve you been thinking?”

Malia smiles back,

“Just about my friends. It’s stupid, but I’m lucky to have you all. Thank you, again, for the book. I love it.”

Kira blushes,

“It’s nothing really. I left a couple of pages empty in the back if you want to add any new photos. And if you don’t like the ones I’ve chosen you can change them.”

Shaking her head, Malia replies,

“No, they’re perfect.”

She moves closer until Kira can smell the eggnog on her breath, and leans in to press her lips to Kira’s. It happens quickly, and she’s barely registered what’s happening before Malia’s pulling back. Still surprised, Kira asks,

“What was that for?”

Malia points upwards and Kira looks, spying the mistletoe dangling from the ceiling.

“Lydia did this, didn’t she?” Kira exclaims, finally recovering from what had just happened.  

“Well. She helped a little,” Malia admits, before leaning forward to peck Kira’s lips one more time.

“Merry Christmas Kira!”

She turns and disappears towards the door, pulling on her coat and shouting,

“Stiles, wait for me.”

Still slightly stunned, Kira leans back against the wall to collect herself for a few moments before heading out as well. She makes sure to give Lydia an extra tight hug and whispers in her ear,

“It’s Christmas, aren’t you better off as an elf rather than Cupid?”

Lydia only giggles,

Another Monday. Another day in Beacon Hills. Lydia was leaning in her bed but suddenly she woke up without any kind of effort. Slowly put her soft legs down from her bed and went to the right side of her room where was her window and opened jalousie to lighten her whole room with sunlight. She standed of the right of her window leaning a bit of her head to the wall with sad expression on her face. Maybe she was tired. Maybe she didn’t slept well. Maybe she studied to much before finals. Both of the options were true. Her hair was puted in a big bun and she was wearing white t-shirt with white shorts. The girl went to the bathroom and started washing out her face from the sleep.

She heard her mom knocking on her room’s door : “Honey, what would like to have for breakfast ?”

Lydia sighed while she started brushing her teeth with green teeth brush.

“Don’t worry, mom. I will make something myself, but you should get better to work.” Answered Lydia loud.

She heard as her mom’s foot steps moved to the other side and unbinded her hair to brush it. She looked a bit on the mirror and closed her eyes for some moment as she tried to remember last night. The flashbacks started coming to her head while she was getting her make up bag from the left side of the sink and looking for some foundation to put on her beautiful soft skin with foundation brush.

***

The touch. Touch of his fingers on Lydia’s shirt brought girl chills. The hand went from shoulder slowly down to her hips where the shirt ended. Then the guy’s hand went under girl’s shirt slowly going up, he did the same with his other hand. The girl was sitting on the table in his apartment and Jordan had no shirt on. He slowly bent down cloose to girl’s neck and gave her a small but passionate kisses on her neck slowly going up straight to her lips. The last kiss was on the lips. It was long never ending one passionate kiss on which Martin answered the same way as the lips both of them touched each other. For one moment she looked in his eyes so cloose that she felt his breath all over her body and smiled. The guy took over of his partner a shirt and holded Lydia underneath as she wrapped her arms around his neck and in next second both of them were already on his bed. He wrapped his arms around her while they both were sitting. Then in the next second they both lied on bed. Jordan was liying on Lydia and tried to take off his pants as the girl looked at him smiling. The guy puted his fingers underneath her back and pulled off Martin’s bra slowly as it went down on the ground. The girl got down her shorts with closed eyes and started to kiss passionetely Parrish by holding tight to his blond ash hair with her right hand while the other hand was holding to his back almost not even touching it. He kissed every part of her body with small soft kisses as the girl was holding the guy. In the end they both ended liying next to each other covered in blankets and spooning. He kissed the girl’s forehead and they both fall asleep. She still doesn’t know how did she got home safe and with clothes on.

***

Lydia went downstairs already dressed up in blue dress with flowers and blue boots on taking by the way her school bag and maked herself coffee. She stand against the kitchen table and tried to think about logical explanation but nothing come to her head.

***

Parrish sat down in his police office rubing his eyes off the sleep. In his head was coming the blurry picture of yesterday.

***

It was a late night at police station. All people almost were going home but only Parrish should keep watch tonight. For some ten minutes everyone was finally gone and came silence. Parrish bent down on his right hand with his face and fall almost asleep sighing. Then he got up in cause of  suddenness. He heard someone coming. He hold his gun out of his jeans pocket in his hands and pressed against the wall so like nobody could see him. The door to his office opened with creek and there was she, Lydia Martin. She looked around and then out of nowhere jumped up Parrish with his gun. She held her arm on her chest and sighed with spite.

“Well, I don’t like criminal.” said girl almsot screaming.

“Sorry.” Jordan put his gun down and looked calmly in her eyes.

In next moment she came slowly to him and held book in her hands.

“Here it’s. I found out more about you. I hope it helps !” the girl handed him green book with a big amount of colorfull bookmarks inside.

He handed his hand back and noded as gratitude’s sign. They stand for a while in silence and Lydia breathed slowly starring in his eyes. The girl got cloose to Parrish, so she could descry his eyes better with open mouth.

“They don’t seem to glow.” she whispered and touched with her right hand right side of deputy’s face.

The guy followed her hand with his eyelook and noded.

“I have no idea when they do.” he took Lydia’s hand imidiately from his face and puted it down.

In next second they looked in each other’s eyes and Parrish looked away.

“Anyway, it’s too late now. So it’s better if I drive you home.” he got from the table the key s to his car.

“As you wish.” Lydia fold her hands on her chest going the door side sighing.

He followed her by checking out her elegant walk on her high heels.

When they got to the car, he opened the door for Lydia as she noded with smile and sat down. The whole road they weren’t talking to each other.

“Drive me please to your house. I left there my car.” Lydia was looking forward without a blink and closed her eyes for a moment.

He looked at her for a second and noded.

“We are here.” said Jordan.

Lydia got up out of the car and went slowly to her’s. Parrish stand next to her before she got in. But in next second she felt some kinda pain going through her head. Parrish looked at her with care and tried to hold her cloose to him as she got better.

“I’m fine.” Lydia turned away and  rubbed her wrist.

“Don’t need to hide because I’m here for you no matter what.” he said by holding his arm on girl’s shoulder as she turned around and run to him with a soft kiss on his lips.

She moved away for a bit with apologie and holding her hands. Parrish looked straight at her and tighten her chin with his finger softly.

“Don’t need to.” he kissed her on the lips as strong as she did.

The moon was shining bright and they died just in each other’s arms. He hold her face as they were kissing. Then for a moment he stroked her cheeks gently and removed some of her tears. They moved slowly to his apartment as every step was followed with soft kiss on each other’s lips.

***

In the school Lydia was not able to function. When someone from teachers or even her friends asked her a question she couldn’t answer. It was not because she doesn’t know what exactly to answer. It was because she was like away from this world in another reality, in the clouds. Not dreaming but once again overthinking the last night.

***

Parrish woke up first from them two. He rubbed his eyes and sat down. After some time he looked at sleepy Martin and kissed her softly on the forehead. He tried to dress her up in her’s clothes as it was still early. After all he dresses him up as well. Later he bore the girl in his arms straight to her car to the backseat. He found the car keys in her bag. It was 5 in the morning. On tiptoes he find his way up to her room and puted Lydia on her bed without any noise as a profesional deputy. Once again he gently kissed her on the cheek. Then opened the window and jumped out of it with sad look in his eyes. He knew it was not acceptable to stay with her any second more.

***

Lydia after all lessons got up to her car and still overthinked last night as her keys fall down. She picked them up from the ground slowly and finally got in the car. She sat for a while and overthought the picture of the yesterday’s passionate night. In the end she got her whole strength and started driving eyes closed straight to the police station.

***

She was imidiately at her meeting point. With confidence she got up from the car and walked to the police office. With smile she asked for Parrish from other people who worked at police. Mr. Stilinski went slowly to Parrish’s office as he scrolled down in his documents.

“Parrish, take a break. There’s someone who wants to talk with you.” he sighed.

He got up surprised and saw Lydia in the window. She was staying calm looking a bit down.

“Is everything alright ?” he asked calmly as walking out of his office.

“More then it ever could be.” the girl whispered as he walked to her in a small distance and kissed him with long passionate kiss on his lips by wrapping around his neck with smile.

He answered the same and smiled looking straight in her beautiful eyes.

“You know, I don’t care what anyone will think because you drive me crazy.” she whispered him on his ear as they both melted in long soft kiss and smiled bright.

—

“Bowling? Really?” Lydia resisted the desire to roll her eyes. “Here we are, graduated seniors, and you wanna go bowling?”

Allison nodded earnestly. “Yeah, why not? That was one of the first times we ever really hung out, so why can’t it be our last too?”

Lydia immediately pursed her lips, snarky words dying on her tongue; she licked her lips slowly, then finally spoke. “Alright. But how exactly are you going to convince bowler extraordinaire Scott? And we both know Scott won’t do it without Stiles, they’re practically joined at the hip.” An amused smirk lilted Lydia’s lips at the thought of those two idiots. Her best friends.

Allison laughed lightly. “True.” She paused, deep in thought, before trying, “I don’t know. Stiles will be easier to convince than Scott, that’s for sure. So why not just convince Stiles then make him deal with Scott?”

Lydia nodded. Clasping her hands in front of herself, she declared, “Okay. So let’s get the gang back together one last time.”

***

Lydia slid into Allison’s car, long curls flouncing everywhere. A large smile split her face and she grabbed Allison’s hand from the steering wheel. “I did it! Scott and Stiles are coming bowling with us!”

Allison smiled gratefully at her. “Great!” She bit her lip, and said softly, “I’m really excited about this, Lydia.”

Lydia nodded; she shifted back in her chair, letting go of Allison’s hand. “I am, too.” She said, the corner of her lips pulling up slightly.

The car was comfortably silent for a while; the nice kind of silence shared between two people who are best friends (and more). As Allison went to turn, Lydia frowned. “Where are you going? The bowling alley is back that way.” She pointed in the opposite direction they were travelling.

“Oh, I invited Kira and Malia.” When Lydia didn’t respond, Allison added, “I felt bad. I mean, they’ve been a part of the pack for a year. It seemed mean to exclude them, considering they’ve been through hell and back with us.”

Lydia nodded. “I’m glad you did.” She grinned at her as Allison parked the car on the curb. Before Allison could unbuckle herself, Lydia put a hand on her arm. “You don’t have to go babe, I can do it.”

Allison smiled lovingly at her. She leaned over and kissed her cheek. “Thanks.”

Lydia unbuckled herself and got out of the car, all but running up to the door in excitement. The door opened on the second knock, revealing Kira and Malia, both back in normal clothes, instead of the ones the wore for the graduation earlier in the day. “Hey!” Lydia smiled.

“Hey. You have everything?” Malia asked, directing the question at Kira, who was shrugging on her coat.

“Yup!” Kira chirped, causing Malia and Lydia to smile.

“Alright then, let’s go!” Lydia said, turning on her heel and walking back down the driveway.

All three of them piled into the car, Lydia taking shot gun per usual with Kira and Malia sliding into the backseat.

“Are we picking anyone else up?” Kira asked, leaning towards the front as Allison pulled away from the curb.

“Nope! You guys are the only ones we had to pick up.” Allison replied.

“Good, because no one else could fit in your car.” Malia commented, causing the girls to break into laughter.

Once the laughter had died down some, Kira asked, “So what exactly are we doing? You never really specified.”

“Bowling!” Allison said excitedly. Besider her, Lydia sighed dramatically. “Oh, don’t pretend like you don’t love the idea.” Allison slapped Lydia’s knee lightly.

Lydia couldn’t help the laugh that ensued. “I guess you’re right.” She deadpans, assuming an air of “whatever”.

“You know I’m right.” Allison says confidently, smirking just a bit.

Behind them, Kira laughs. “Sexual tension much?” She quips, and again the car falls into easy laughter.

***

When Allison’s car pulled into a parking space near the front of the building, her headlights illuminated two figures standing just outside the main doors. Their backs were to the car, so the girls inside couldn’t tell who they were. “Is that Scott and Stiles?” Malia asks curiously.

Lydia frowns for a second before nodding. “Yeah, that’s them.”

Allison turned the car off and hopped out. “Scott! Stiles!” She called. The guys turned around, revealing that Lydia had been right (of course).

Both guys broke out into respective lopsided grins. “Hey!” Stiles said as Lydia, followed by Allison, Kira and Malia came to meet them at the door. “Why are you so late?”

Allison snorted. “We’re not late. Why were you so early?” The snark in her voice made Stiles grin mischievously.

“Hey, this was your plan.” With a wide sweeping gesture he opened the door. “After you, mamades.” Allison scoffed and shoved Stiles a bit as she passed him.  

Once everyone had gotten their shoes, payed, and split into teams, it was time to play.

Allison clapped her hands together. “I’m first!” She announced, not stopping for any objections (not that there were any).

She found a ball she liked, a dark and light green swirled ball, and took her spot in front of the alleyway.

Allison set her eyes on the pins arranged at the end of the alley and swung back her arm. The ball rolled down the lane and, of course, knocked out all of the pins. Allison heard a cheer erupt from behind her. Lydia was smiling from cheek to cheek. “Way to kick some ass Allison.” Lydia commented, causing the rest of the group to laugh (the other patrons sitting next to them didn’t find it quite as funny, but the teenagers didn’t care).

One by one everyone played their turns until only Lydia was left. And with a tie-breaker no less. Lydia bit her lip as she picked up her bright pink bowling ball. She moved out in front of the lane and got in position to throw the ball. “Don’t mess up!” Stiles called cheerfully, which was quickly followed up by an “Ow!” Lydia glanced behind her to see Stiles rubbing his arm and Malia settling back into her seat. She snorted at the sight before turning back to the lane. She didn’t realize how much she wanted to win this game until she realized it was her last chance to kick Scott and Stiles’ asses at something.

Realizing that her girlfriend had been standing up for far too long without throwing the ball, Allison jumped up from her seat and run over to Lydia. She planted a kiss on her cheek, and as she pulled back she whispered, “For good luck.” And as afterthought, she added, “Not that you need it.” with a wide grin.

Lydia dropped the high tension stance that she was in for a second to laugh as she watched her girlfriend bounce back to her seat. Thanks! She mouthed, and Allison nodded encouragingly.

Rolling her shoulders, Lydia swung back her arm and let the bowling ball fly. She watched it go down the track and, thank God, hit all but one of the pins. The relief that flooded her was unimaginable.

Malia yelled out suddenly, “We won! In your face!” She pointed at Stiles, whose jaw had dropped.

He groaned loudly. “God dammit! We were so close!”

Scott squeezed his neck. “Maybe someday, man.” Lydia couldn’t help but laugh at her friends. Allison grabbed her suddenly around the waist, pulling her close. “Congrats, hot shot. Don’t let it go to your head, though.”

The party was going to start around 7ish and it was about an hour til it began. Stiles had made a run to the store for Scott to grab some more chips, so at the moment, Scott was alone. He heard a knock on the door, and wondered why Stiles was knocking. Stiles had never knocked on his door before, and he had just left, so it couldn’t have been him. “Maybe it’s just someone early,” Scott thought. He opened the door and who was standing on the other side, were two people he hadn’t seen in a long time.

Derek and Braeden.

They were both beaming. Scott could tell they were happy about their surprise.

“Are we early?” Derek asked as he walked in.

“About an hour early.” Scott replied. “Nice sweater.”

Derek and Braeden were both wearing (nice) Christmas sweaters. Braeden’s was form fitting and classy. Derek’s was simple and warm.

Derek nodded at Braeden, “She wanted us to wear these.”

“I could’ve picked ugly ones.” she flashed Scott a knowing smile.

Braeden left Derek and Scott in the kitchen and walked to the living to put her presents under the tree. She looked around a bit and the homey Christmas decorations. She stopped suddenly as her eye caught the mistletoe hanging in the entryway to the living room.

“Derek Hale.”

He had been leaning against the counter talking to Scott, when he heard his name. He sat up, and Scott whipped his head around.

“I cannot believe you didn’t kiss me under this mistletoe.” She was trying to act menacing, but Derek could see right through it. Scott wasn’t so sure.

Derek smiled and walked over to her. He gave her a nice kiss and was smiling the whole time. Scott couldn’t help but smile either. Derek deserved this.

“Ok Scott it’s your turn.” Braeden smiled.

“What?” He laughed and walked over to them.

Braeden grabbed Scott by his shoulders and kissed him on the cheek.

He blushed a little, and looked at Derek. Derek rose an eyebrow.

“Don’t look at me.” He chuckled.

A knock on the door was heard, and Scott went to answer it.

For the rest of the night, any of the guests that came by were equally surprised to see Derek and Braeden. Hugs were given. And lots of laughs were shared.

Scott looked over the living room at all of his dearest friends. All them in red or green. All of them smiling. He caught Derek and Braeden kiss a few more times. He was overjoyed that nothing bad for once happened.

Finally a good Christmas.

There’s not many people inside—a group of teens sitting at a booth in the corner, loudly discussing their sex lives. If Malia had to guess, she’d say at least two of them are lying through their teeth. There’s only one guy in line, and a girl behind the counter who has bright blue braces. She smiles a lot, and Malia has a hard time looking away from the blue rubber bands.

“Now would probably be a good time,” she murmurs quietly.

“Not yet,” Scott says firmly.

So they wait, holding hands. Malia makes sure to smile adoringly up at Scott, acting as an ever doting girlfriend. He smiles back with his regular, full of sunshine grin. Honestly, it’s probably better that way. He already looks so loving, she’s not sure she—or anyone, for that matter—could survive a smile that contained any more admiration and appreciation.

The man in front of them collects his food, and suddenly Scott’s going down on one knee.

The cashier lets out a squeal. “Ohmigod!”

Malia can relate. Looking down at Scott, who’s looking up at her is—whoa. Her stomach swoops dangerously and—what the fuck. She should not be feeling this.

“Malia,” Scott says gently, and he pulls out the ring box. The ring box, which they purchased at Walmart, with a fake diamond ring. This is not real. “When I met you four years ago, I thought you were incredible, passionate, and more honest than anyone I’d ever met.”

“Ohmigod!” Blue braces is screeching again, and a manager has joined her at the counter, mouth agape.

Scott pauses to grin up at her. “But then you dated my best friend, and I thought for sure that all we would ever be is friends. Really good friends, which is awesome, but nothing more.”

“Fuck,” she whispers, because it sounds so genuine that she’s starting to think this isn’t just a ploy to get free chicken. Maybe Scott really does feel this way—except that’s ridiculous, because she would have smelled it on him.

The teens are starting to crowd around the napkin dispensers so they can get a better look at the proceedings.

“But then you were single, and I was single, and suddenly I had a chance to be with someone who always wanted to look out for me in the same way that I wanted to look out for them.” He chuckled. “And then we were together, and everything felt so right. And I want it to be this right forever. So… Will you marry me?”

“Yes,” she gasps out, and pulls Scott to his feet. She kisses him hard, and pretends it’s because it’s the way they should be acting.

Scott kisses back much softer, though, his hands coming up to cup her face until she slows down to his pace of gentle presses and nips that tuck deep into her lungs until she feels like she can only breathe with him.

When he pulls away, and she starts to come back into the present, she can hear the whooping of the teens and excited squeaks of the cashier. The manager, she thinks, is clapping.

“The ring,” Scott says softly, and slips it onto her ring finger.

She looks down on it, and smiles. “It’s beautiful.” It feels almost mechanical, because she doesn’t give a shit about the ring. All she really wants to know is how much of Scott’s little monologue—which was totally unscripted—was genuine.

God, she didn’t even know that she wanted Scott to have feelings for her. But here she is, dying to know. Breathless, she kisses him again, quickly.

“Congratulations!” the cashier cries out excitedly. She digs around behind the counter and pulls out a fistful of coupons. “Here, holy crap, you have to—“

The manager doesn’t even protest, just continues clapping. He kind of looks like a seal.

Chicken never tasted so good.

Scott drops her off at the apartment she shares with Allison. They’d shared an entire bucket of free chicken and two cokes that Scott had insisted on buying until the cashier had relented.

“Fuck,” she mutters to herself as he drives off. When had she fallen in love with Scott? Sometime between studying for math and running together in the woods, she supposes. What’s she supposed to do about it, though?

She looks down at her ring and smiles to herself. She’d bought the ring after reading about the trick online. And she’d thought about asking Stiles or Allison, but maybe somewhere inside of herself, she’d known about her feelings for Scott all along. Maybe she’d wanted this chance.

“Totally worth the internal conflict,” she says decisively, and walks up the stairs to her apartment.

“We should do this again sometime.”

It’s a text from Scott, and for some reason, it fills her up with something like hope.

“Who can resist free food?” she sends back, playing it cool. Maybe Scott does like her. He never really smells like much to her, recently, and she knows alphas can disguise their scents. So even if he was crushing, she’d never be able to smell it. But she can’t confirm that he does have feelings for her, either, so she won’t press.

“With such great company, too,” he replies.

Her breath catches. Maybe—“We could always hang out without free food. But I can buy you food, if that’s what you’re really interested in.” There. Playing it cool, and implying that a date wasn’t out of the question. She should write a book about flirting.

“A date?” comes the reply.

“Yes,” she types, and hits send before she can regret it. She’s never been the type to be cautious, anyway. Life’s too boring that way.

“Cool,” he sends, and adds a smiley.

“Thank you,” He said grabbing it. “But I doubt you came here just to give me this.”

“Ever the cop…” She muttered with a grin.

“Deputy.”

“Well, deputy.” Lydia drawled. “I figured you could use some company.”

“Why is that?” Parrish asked, holding open the door for her to step inside.

“No one should be alone on Christmas.” Lydia said sweetly, stepping in.

“It’s not Christmas yet, Lydia.”

“No, but it will be in,” She looked at her phone. “3 hours.”

He shook his head and lead her into his small single home kitchen. “Take a seat.” He gestured to a small dining table. Lydia did as asked and took a long sip of coffee. Parrish, however, watched her with a concerned expression. Lydia rolled her eyes. “I am 18,” She reminded him. “And compared to a homicidal lizard I once dated, you’re a teddy-bear.” Parrish managed the slightest of smiles. “So if you’re worried about legalities and my safety, don’t.” She finished, taking yet another sip. Parrish uttered a sigh and sat down across from her, taking a few gulps of his own coffee.

“You’re untamable.” Parrish said, leaning across the small table.

“I know,” Lydia mused. “It’s what keeps everyone I know on their toes.”

“May I…” Parrish trailed off.

“What?” Lydia asked, setting her coffee down.

“Umm.. Nevermind…” He blushed slightly.

“Jordan.” She said his first name so beautifully.

“I was going to ask if I could kiss you, if you stay until midnight.”

—–

Pulling on her other Jimmy Choo boot, Lydia recalled the end of a conversation  her and Allison had on the subject ages ago. It felt like yesterday.

What are you talking about? You’ve had boyfriends.

None like that.

Jackson could’ve been like that. He left for London weeks ago, and she wishes that things could’ve been different.  That they could’ve been different. But all the wishing in the world couldn’t change what did happen. It was never like that and it never will be.

She wanted to step on these other, more intense fluttery feelings until they were dust. They drove her mad. Mainly for two specific reasons:

One, they’ve been around for about months.

Two, they were for Stiles Stilinski.

Of all people in the world, Lydia thought as she braided her hair, of all the 3 billion people in the world…it has to be him.  

A car honk outside snapped her in focus. Her mother insisted on driving her since the temperature was slowly dropping towards freezing temperatures. Lydia didn’t mind the weather, though. It gave her time to think and look at the patterns frost made on glass windows.  Christmas was fast approaching. Even though there was never snow in Beacon Hills, there was always frost.  It just wasn’t the same as a Christmastime snowfall.

Whilst being driven to school, she wondered if there was a vaccine for these kinds of feelings. They messed with her head.

—

So when Stiles suggested that they go to a coffeehouse called Benning’s after classes ended, Lydia agreed.  She had seen one on the way to school, which had gone by in a whirl of Christmas lights and decorations. The Martins were Jewish; therefore they didn’t celebrate the holiday and exchanged gifts during Hanukah. Lydia was somewhat enthusiastic about Christmas, though. She enjoyed the spirit of the holiday, and the decorations, but putting them up in November was a bit much in her opinion.

That coffeehouse’s decorations were there since the day after Thanksgiving, and she made that known to Stiles when she arrived to him waiting outside. He replied with a short laugh, cheeks pink with the cold.

“That’s when Christmas starts for some people, Lydia. And by some people I mean a lot of people.”

“Are you implying that you are one of these people?”, she retorted.  

“Yep.” Stiles replied with a completely straight face, and with that he pushed open the wreath covered door.

She suspected as much. His red plaid and light green zip up jacket should’ve given it away completely, and it was only the first week of December.

—–

The scent of ground coffee and peppermint was potent as they both entered. Her boots and his sneakers squeaked under the tawny colored floor along with a pop star cover of “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” coming out of ceiling speakers. Blinking multicolored Christmas lights were strung along the deep brown walls that lined the leather booths.  Candy canes were placed in a glass jar near the counter, and the menu behind it was written on a chalkboard with red and green chalk.  Even the person behind the counter was festive in wearing a Santa hat.

A smile lit up on Lydia’s face, unbidden, at the sight of the decorations. Stiles thought her smile shined just as bright as the Christmas lights. He tucked the thought away as they waited in line, rocking back and forth.

Lydia picked a piece of dust from her midnight colored shrug. It had been a present from her mother a year or two ago, and was something she just picked blindly from her closet on account of running late. The cream dress, which fell to her knees, was the same.  Black and white compared to Stiles’ green and red.  She started thinking if this meant anything when it came time to order something, which ended up being a cappuccino with whipped cream and a candy cane stuck in.  His order ended up being hot chocolate with a candy cane, which piqued Lydia’s curiosity.  

“Wait, hot chocolate?”

“I only have coffee in the morning, and I heard its great here.” Stiles replied with a shrug of the shoulders.

“There’s a spot, c’mon.” He pointed to a booth in the corner of the room and started walking. Lydia followed, and small part of her wished he could’ve held her hand along the way.  She tried to push the thought away, but couldn’t.

—-

Burl Ives was singing about a “holly jolly” Christmas when both of them began chatting and sipping their respective drinks when Stiles started to wonder if Santa sneaking into houses was ethical.  “I mean really, he’s not a burglar because he leaves gifts…” he started off.  Lydia stirred hers cappuccino with the candy cane and countered every step of the way. She didn’t really believe in Santa Claus, on account of being Jewish and her being skeptical, but enjoyed a good argument regardless.

She was about to comment on Santa’s possible use of elf labor to obtain gifts when someone came up to them. Both of them looked up. It was the employee in the Santa hat that took their order earlier, a 20-something women with tanned skin, wavy blonde hair and dimples.  “Hi, um, I don’t know how to say this but…” The woman  paused for a second. “you two make a really cute couple,” Her emphasis was on ‘really’, and she was beaming.

—-

Stiles’ face turned the same shade of red as Rudolph the Reindeer’s nose. Lydia didn’t know faces could even blush that much. He started to stammer out ‘um’ and ‘what’ when she reached out across the table and took his hand without thinking.  The butterflies fluttered magnificently in her stomach as she stated, clearly, that “That’s so sweet of you to say, thank you.”

These feelings wouldn’t rest, so putting them into action  might be the solution to getting rid of them. She rubbed her thumb along his hand as the woman, whose name tag read Penelope, continued talking. Stiles was shocked into silence, but the red in his face dulled.

“So how long have you two been a couple?”

“Oh for about a year or so.” Lydia replied nonchalantly. “And I’ve been loving every minute of it. She turned to face him. Haven’t you, honey?”

Honey.

The red came back in his face as a quiet “sure” slipped from his mouth.

Lydia turned back to the woman. Her confused expression  prompted Lydia to make up an explanation. “He’s just had a bit too much coffee, and he’s been running on like no sleep. Bad combination.” She finished with a shake of the head. “He only has it in the mornings, by the way. That’s why I got him hot chocolate.”  Stiles began sipping the rest of it, trying to ignore the conversation. Both of them paid for their own drink.

“Oh.” Penelope replied, stretching out the word as Lydia nodded.  “So how’d you two get together?”

The hot chocolate Stiles was drinking was spit from his mouth in shock, and he released his hand. Somehow a little of it ended up on both Lydia and Penelope’s faces, with the latter surprisingly unperturbed.  Either stuff  like this happened often, or she was too in shock to react.  “I’ll just go get some napkins for you two, and myself.” Penelope uttered quietly, and turned to leave.  Neither of them spoke for what seemed like an hour, when in reality it was a few minutes.  It was Stiles who spoke first, as Penelope discreetly handed both of them napkins.  

“So….I’m sorry about the hot chocolate.” He spoke sheepishly.

“Its fine Stiles, just forget about it.” Tears threatened to fall, but Lydia blinked them away as she dabbed her face with a napkin.  “I don’t know why I did that.”

“Did what?”

“Saying what I said. About us being a couple.”  She started speaking faster, as if saying the words would release them from her thoughts. “I’ve been having these stupid romantic feelings for months and I don’t know how to get rid of them and I thought that I could get rid of them by doing this. You know, pretending.”

“Who are they for?” Stiles prodded.

You.  The word worked its way out of her subconscious but she dared not say it. “Some new guy in school, you don’t know him.” was what came out instead.

“Oh , cool.”

His tone betrayed  no disappointment.  

—

With the table cleaned and both drinks finished, the two left.  Stiles had driven her home, despite had what just occurred, and the rest of her day was at most mildly stimulating in doing homework and chores.

What she said was a lie, but it was a lie that gave her time to think. Because pretending didn’t make the feelings go away.They in fact had the opposite effect. Instead of the butterflies, the feeling became one of warmth that spread throughout her whole body.  She didn’t want to deny them anymore. It was clear Stiles didn’t feel the same yet, or didn’t overtly show it, but someday she hoped he would.

—

Lydia usually fell asleep to the sound of her own breathing. As she fell asleep that night, though, she played a song.

One of love and Christmas.

It was something quite a few of the neighbors he was friendly with would rely on. His Mom was always calling him a pushover for never being able to say no.

One day after coming back from a long shift at the vet a few blocks away from his building, he came home to find piles of boxes outside the apartment across the hall from his own. It had been empty a couple of weeks since his old neighbors Danny and Ethan had moved out of state when one of them got a transfer or promotion, it was hard to remember which. There had been whispers through the building of friends of friends showing some interest in their unit, but he hadn’t heard anything from his other neighbors about someone actually moving in.

The sight caused him to stop by his door with his keyring over his thumb, toying with the keys in his palm as he waited for any sign of his new neighbor. He was debating whether or not to actually help the neighbor in question with bringing their boxes so he could get to know them, but he was tired after a long week and the urge seemed to pass as the need for sleep after an exhausting day rose. He rubbed one of his eyes tiredly with the hand not clutching his keys and turned back to his door to unlock it. As he was about to make his way inside he felt a gaze following his path, and then closed the door behind him.

He didn’t think anymore about it as he threw his bag and keys aside, though he knew Stiles would be berating him for his lack of curiosity, and went to grab the leftover remains of his Thai take out from the night before for his dinner.

On his way out the door the next morning, he spotted the absence of boxes in the hallway and locked his door as Lydia from 5F appeared with a thud of her own door closing behind her.

He and the redhead had got on friendly terms after a few months of the two of them being up ridiculously early and taking the elevator together. Though there was an overbearing professional vibe that seemed to come with Lydia whenever he saw her. She wore heels that made her slightly taller than him and her wardrobe was filled with designer brands that he’d never heard of, let alone could afford. From their first few chats in the elevator he’d learned she was an Economics professor at the local university, and she took the subject very seriously. He’d learned that much after googling the basics and trying to talk to her about it, she’d been appalled at whoever had told him something so obviously and completely wrong…but then again she was a genius.

Compared to her other half Allison, who was a complete opposite of her and focused more on sports working as a volunteer lifeguard at weekends and a full time archery instructor, Lydia was uptight. He’d seen the couple together more than enough times to see how they balanced the other out and deeply loved each other with every fibre of their being. He had been surprised when he’d learned they weren’t married, but had never dared to bring that up again after the argument that had sprung between them, apparently Allison wanted to marry, but Lydia not.

“Morning Scott,” Lydia smiled as she sipped her coffee from the rather stylish travel mug clasped in one hand. It was something that she’d complained about in the beginning when Allison got on her case about her dependency on caffeine and how she should make her own instead of buying Starbucks if she needed it that badly.

“Hey Lydia,” Scott said, pushing his keys in his jeans pocket, trying to remember if he had a clean pair of scrubs at the office or if he needed to pick some up from the dry cleaners on the way, as they walked side by side down the corridor.

“You met our newest neighbor?” Lydia asked, letting him press the button for the elevator as she checked her manicured nails for chips or stray cuticles.

“Not yet. I came home late and they were still moving in. Why, have you?” Scott asked. The redhead murmured her answer behind another mouthful of coffee, though it did sound more like a yes. “Ally made me take over a ‘welcome to the building’ pie she brought from the bakery across the road on the way home. Probably just as well since you know I love Ally, but she can’t cook to save her life.”

Scott nodded in reluctant agreement. Their floor had been having monthly dinners in one or another apartment since they all moved in, everyone taking their turns so they could keep up on gossip and make other plans if they could find the time. It was always takeout night when it was Scott’s turn despite Stiles trying time and again to teach him simple, crowd pleasing dishes He just didn’t have the patience after a long day.

His first meal at Allison and Lydia’s had been memorable, to say the least. Allison had decided to try making homemade pizza from scratch, but had forgotten the yeast for the dough, so they hadn’t risen. Needless to say it had been a disaster, ending with them ordering in and Lydia cooking every time since, though how she found the time was anyone’s guess.

“So what’s the new neighbor like?” Scott asked as the doors opened and they merged into the crowd of other tenants from the higher floors.

“She’s a real sweetheart, apologised ten times for the mess and thanked me six times for the pie. She’s already agreed to take her turn at having everyone over at the end of the week, as long as she’s finished unpacking by then.” Lydia smiled, looking at him pointedly as the doors slid closed and the elevator started its descent to the fourth floor.

“What? Why are you looking at me like that?” Scott frowned, a feeling in the pit of his stomach saying he should have some idea as to what was going on.

“Like what? She was just curious about you, seeing as you’re one of her nearest neighbors, and was asking about you. Just don’t be surprised if she introduces herself before the dinner, that’s all I’m saying.” Lydia grinned knowingly behind her next mouthful of coffee.

Scott was about to open his mouth to ask how she was so sure about that when the elevator stopped on the third floor, the doors parting to reveal only Cora from 3B with her earphones in and her gaze on her phone as she texted someone. She was dressed like it was laundry day, and her only non-school day, in sweats and a crop top and her hair in a bun. It caused Scott to look down at his feet as she came in.

He’d had one date with her, if that, asking her out when they were both in the laundry room, him washing his scrubs since he couldn’t afford a dry cleaner that week and her doing her weekly washing. He’d only asked her after they’d both mentioned being sick of their friends in couples trying to set them up on blind dates. It seeming like a good idea at the time. The date hadn’t really been filled with sparks, even if the night that followed it had ended in her bed. They’d agreed it was a one off, and Cora had long since moved on while Scott stopped looking. There was no way to date someone when he were exhausted on those rare days he wasn’t in the Vet Office.

“Why do you think she’d be so focused on speaking to me sooner? I mean, I’m sure there’s still some people she hasn’t met on our floor yet,” Scott asked, turning his gaze back to Lydia. Cora had brushed past him and squashed into the back corner next to a guy who looked like he lived in one of the student units on the ninth floor reserved for the local university.

“I don’t know, just call it a woman’s intuition. And you know what they say, a woman’s intuition is never wrong.” Lydia said, her free hand now clasped around her phone as she texted someone one-handed, probably a reply to a text from Allison.

“Which means you asked her and know something but aren’t going to tell me.” Scott sighed, more than used to Lydia’s logical mind, as the elevator finally stopped at the foyer and everyone started to pile out.

Scott couldn’t stop thinking about who this woman was and if there really was more behind her determination to meet him than what Lydia had told him. He had a feeling he was going to be set up on a blind date again, one way or another.

XO

The next couple of days he still didn’t get to meet the new neighbor as it was the time of the month where most people were booking appointments for yearly vaccinations and check ups. That alone was usually something he and Isaac could handle, but add to that the fact it was getting close to Christmas too and people were getting pets to surprise family members, it meant they were also busy with spaying and neutering animals as much as they were looking after sick pets. He’d always collapse on his couch with his dinner the moment he was in the door, all intention of meeting the mysterious woman gone.

It seemed like she probably didn’t know his schedule, and there was a good chance she’d been coming when he was out. He highly doubted that Lydia wouldn’t have mentioned he was a vet to her. But there did start to be post-its left on his door every night when he got home, perfect cursive writing telling him she’d been there and for him to come see her when he had the chance.

One night he was dozing on the couch while only half watching a crappy reality show, often the only thing unbearable enough for him to give up and go to bed. He was just on the verge of doing just that when there was frantic series of knocks at his door. He could hear the person on the other side of the door cursing. He pushed himself upright and rubbed his eyes as he made his weary body get off the couch when the knocking started again, sounding a lot more frantic.

“Yeah I’m coming, hold on,” he sighed, hoping it wasn’t Mrs Jenks from the opposite end of the floor. She was often convinced there was something wrong with at least one of her three Yorkshire terriers and called on him to check on them. It was often just a ruse though, since she didn’t have many family or friends and just needed someone to speak to. Though why she didn’t call those friends she did had always puzzled him.

He rubbed his bleary eyes as he unlocked and opened the door, only to be blown away at the sight that met him.

A short petite Asian woman, a year or so younger than him, stood barefoot in the hallway dressed in a rather formal looking black dress, her ebony hair in waves on either side of her face, giving her the look of a supermodel. She was cursing into the phone pinned to her ear by one shoulder while her hands tried to reach for the zip which was caught in the middle of her shoulder blades. She was still yammering away when she looked up at the feel of his gaze on her, causing her to flush and hang up.

“Erm hi, I’m so sorry about this when we haven’t met properly yet but I’m your new neighbour Kira, I live across the hall, and I could really do with a little help.” She yammered, flustered.

“Well I have been waiting to meet you but…” Scott flirted causing her to blush even deeper and hold the unzipped part of the dress together at the small of her back.

“Not like this, I know I’m sorry. But I have an important opening that I need to be at or my manager will crucify me. But unfortunately the zipper got caught and refuses to budge.” Kira said, turning her back to him in the hopes that he could have a look at the problem for her.

“Don’t you have a roommate or boyfriend that could…?” Scott asked, as she removed one hand to catch all her hair and put it over her shoulder so it was out the way, leaving the line of her spine open to his gaze.

“No roommate and I don’t really have a boyfriend…at the moment.” Kira murmured, her gaze now on the floor.

“OK, just this once, though I doubt I’ll be much help.” Scott said, scratching the back of his neck as the knowledge she was single was filed away in the back of his mind for another time.

“Thanks so much! You just need to see why it’s caught and maybe free the zipper so I can do it properly.” Kira said, flashing him a smile over her shoulder as Scott brushed some lingering strands of hair out the way so he could see it better.

Scott let his gaze fix on what seemed to be the problem area, where the zipper seemed to have got jammed with a stray thread and in turn also caught on a bit of material from the hem keeping it in place. He managed to ease the zipper back the way it had come and separate it to check for damage, of which there was none, before carefully beginning to rezip it, stopping every so often to check it wasn’t going to get caught.

He had reached just below her shoulder blades when he spotted it, trying to distract himself from the bare skin before him and the collection of freckles that seemed to linger at the small of her back that he wanted to kiss. It was a large tattooed back piece of what seemed to be two foxes, one black and one white huddled close together almost in an intricate yin and yang sign in what seemed to be traditional Asian style. Around them were circles of flames getting bigger and bigger towards the edge of her back. The colors were flawless and each line perfection. Before he could stop himself his fingertips were brushing over the green eyes of the black fox.

He felt Kira’s skin pebbling under his touch and her body language stiffening a little like she hadn’t been expecting the contact, but when he came back to his senses and moved his hands back to the zipper he felt her body move as though chasing the feel of his skin against hers. He kept his gaze on the zipper until it was finally sitting closed at her tailbone and he made himself take a step back as Kira turned to look at him.

She looked even better to him at that moment and the urge to ask her a question, move to kiss her or something seemed to be broken when Kira’s phone rang again causing their locked gaze to break and Kira to offer him a small smile of thanks as she answered the call and made her way back into her apartment. He leaned there against the door frame, unable to stop himself as he watched her rush around her apartment, managing to balance in the middle of the floor as she put on black leather high heels with the phone still to her ear. She grabbed a clutch that looked like it was packed and a coat that was put over her forearms as she grabbed her keys before rushing out the door.

He watched her lock up and continue to talk with her phone now in her hand as she made her way down the corridor towards the stairs, leaving him to bite his lip and decide that it was time for some well-deserved sleep.

XO

The next night he came back to another post-it on his door, this time two simple words that he knew he was powerless to resist, no matter how tired he was feeling, ‘Come over.’ He stopped to throw his bag and coat in the apartment before going to Kira’s door and knocking a couple of times. He heard her yelp before calling she’d be right there, bringing a smile to his lips as he hovered there.

Soon the door opened revealing Kira looking completely different to how she had the night before, not as elegant and formal as Lydia standards, but just as beautiful. Her hair was up in a bun barely held in place with a hair tie, a pair of paint covered yoga pants and a t-shirt that used to be white but now seemed coated with every color imaginable on it. Her hands were coated in paint but there was a shy smile on her lips as she met his gaze.

“Hi Scott, thanks for coming over. Come in.” Kira smiled, stepping aside and letting him in.

Her apartment was pretty much the mirror image of his, only her living room seemed like it was part lounge and part studio. There were easels supporting canvas in various stages of progress with paint covered sheets covering the hardwood floor. The walls were covered in Japanese traditional art, though very sparingly so you could have the chance to actually take in the subject. The part Kira led him to was the living room part, a small loveseat and a recliner, the latter of which was also covered in a paint covered sheet, all facing a smaller than expected flat screen.

“So you’re an artist right?” Scott asked, once he was sitting on the loveseat while Kira perched on the edge of the recliner, toying with the edge of the sheet.

“Pretty much, been working towards a new exhibition since the recently opened one is an older one that my manager was insistent on moving to another gallery,” Kira nodded.

“Just traditional or are you more modern?” Scott asked causing Kira to smile at the fact he hadn’t just assumed.

“Modern, I do traditional every so often but modern is so much more fun. Gives you the chance to fixate on certain aspects of nature and the human condition. Though you didn’t come over for me to lecture you about art. I just, I wanted to thank you for helping me out last night. I know you didn’t have to but…” Kira said, Scott shrugged it off.

“It’s no problem. You needed someone to help you out and I was there…though I do have a question about your tattoo.” Scott said, causing Kira to shiver as though she was remembering his touch on her skin from the night before.

“And what’s that?” Kira asked, tilting her head so her bangs fell over her eyes.

“What’s the story behind it? I mean it looks amazingly intricate, it must have hurt like hell.” Scott said.

“Well when I was a kid, my parents would always tell me about the importance of yin and yang. About how you can only ever be whole as long as you can embrace both parts of you, your dark side and your good side. Though as I got older I began to wonder if they were speaking about the soulmate myth, about how you can only really be complete in life if you find your other half…someone who is your opposite but balances you out so perfectly. That’s what my tattoo’s about, about finding my other half…about what I imagine it will feel like to have him in my life, all fireworks and sparks, as well as pain. Kind of why it didn’t bother me how much it hurt to have it done. It took three sessions to get it finished.” Kira explained, a passionate tone in her voice as though it was something she had told many people since she’d had it done.

“And have you found him yet?” Scott asked, causing Kira to smile wistfully but shake her head.

“No, not yet, but I suppose I’ll just have to keep the faith that I’ll find him.”

Scott nodded and watched her brush her bangs out her face as she looked him over, like there was more to inviting him over than thanking him for helping her. It was that expression that stopped him from getting to his feet and making excuses about leaving. Being in her presence was much better than eating cold take out and indulging in boring TV. He’d rather see where she was going to go with it.

For a few moments neither of them moved from their spots until Kira had slid out her chair and moved towards him, biting her lip over and over as though trying to gather her courage, as though she knew if she didn’t do it she was going to regret letting the opportunity go. Finally, she stood in front of him, looking at him as her fingers fidgeted, her lips parted like there were words she wanted to say but couldn’t.

Finally Scott took pity on her, sliding his hand into hers and lacing their fingers together as he guided her closer towards him. She swallowed once she was stood between his legs and Scott brushed his free hand against the back of her neck guiding her until her forehead was rested against his and her body was willingly following him into the chair. He brushed her hair from her face as he pressed a gentle kiss to her lips, a kiss that had her gasping when he pulled away, her eyes wide.

His hand brushed against her cheek again with a soft smile on his lips that she soon mirrored, all sense of nerves and anxiety slipping from her features as she nudged his forehead with her own. His head tilted willingly as she kissed him deeply, her fingers combing through his hair as he nipped and sucked on her lips while his hands slid down the length of her body to pull her closer, his hand sliding under her shirt and brushing the small of her back where the white wolf sat.

Like they had both found the part of themselves that neither of them had even realised they were looking for until they were right there. Right where they needed to be with the person that finally made them whole.

Kira hugged her arms close to her body, pushing away thoughts of oh she’s cute, focusing instead on her problem.

“Um, I was wondering if you could spare a pot of coffee? My coffee maker broke and I still have to finish an assignment.”

She grinned. “Finish or start?”

“Start,” Kira admitted bashfully.

The girl - Malia, she read on her name tag - eyed her carefully and suggested, “Okay, how about you bring your laptop over here and I’ll make coffee? You’re close by, right?”

“Yeah, just across the street.”

“That sound good to you? Or do you want to wait here and bring the coffee back to your place?”

“Um…” Why not? She’d probably get it done faster. “…sure, I’ll bring my laptop over.”

“Great, I’ll see you soon.”

***

Kira was back in the diner in five minutes. Her heart pounded the whole way with nervousness, because, well…Malia was cute, she had to admit. And hadn’t she been single for long enough?

Malia looked up and smiled when Kira walked in. Kira gave an awkward wave and picked a booth to sit in. Malia brought over the coffee pot and a mug and slid into the other side of the booth.

“So,” she said with a mock serious look on her face, “we don’t get many customers in here at one in the morning.”

Kira blushed. “Yeah, I really should have started this essay two weeks ago.”

“Two weeks? Dang, that’s even more procrastinating than I thought. So what’s this essay on?”

“The internal hierarchy of political organizations and whether or not they are democratic.”

“Oooohh, that sounds really boring.”

“It is,” Kira said.

“Well, I’ll leave you to it,” Malia said, getting to her feet. Kia nodded, but secretly she wished Malia would stay.

She wasn’t facing the counter, so she couldn’t see if Malia was watching her.

Kira sighed. Time to get cracking on this essay.

***

4:12 A.M.

Kira got up to ask for another pot of coffee, which Malia was only too happy to provide her. She had one more paragraph to go…there! She was done.

Maybe she could get two hours of sleep before it was time to get up again.

She brought Malia everything, as she was somehow still up and still the only person in the diner.

Malia smiled.“Done already?”

“They’re going to have to take what they can get. I’m too tired to do anything else.”

“Okay, let me get you your bill.”

A few minutes passed while Kira packed up her stuff. She walked up to the counter when she was done, and Malia slid the bill across the table.

On the piece of paper, everything had been crossed out and Malia had written “taken care of.” And at the bottom was a phone number, which made Kira’s heart pound. She looked up at Malia, who winked.

“Kira and Mason are coming soon, put your milk duds away so we can go.”

“Imagine they were actually called milk duds like during sexy times and shit like that.” She slips the sweater on, hating it more than she did looking at it. It’s itchy, bright green and sings when she puts her hand against her side.

“You look precious.”

“I look like a moldy sausage.” Braeden snorts and throws an arm around Malia’s neck.

“Mold isn’t always awful…” She pinches Braeden’s ribs, wincing when she squeaks right in her ear.                          

Malia’s trying her best not to think about how uncomfortable this sweater is.

By trying not to, she means it’s all she’s thinking about.

This sweater sucks.

Braeden opens the front door and Malia hears Mason complaining about the walk up as Kira slithers her way into the bedroom, hitting her hip on Braeden’s bed in an attempt to throw herself into Malia.

“Wow, you look awful festive.” Mason says from the door, looking at her sweater like it’s making him physically sick.

“If there’s a contest though, you’ll win it.” Malia grins and he cocks his head to the side,

“An ugly sweater contest?”

“No, an ugly person contest.”

“That was a terrible come back, zero claps for you.” He sounds disappointed and Malia throws the comb at him, moving to the side to let Kira steal one of her nail polishes as per usual.

When they all settle in and Malia’s trained herself not to itch at her stomach, Braeden man handles her into a chair to do her makeup and Kira drones on about the guy who’s hosting the party in a tone that sounds too suggestive to be safe for anyone in the room.

“I went to high school with him, when my parents did that whole ‘year of exploration’ move to Cali.” She swipes a neon green polish over Mason’s thumb, rolling onto his lap to blow his nail dry. Malia watches her stocking clad feet swing in the air. “He’s really nice, and he got into Columbia on a scholarship so you know he has the brains. He’s very handsome, won prom king and rumor has it he has a huge s-”

“Who are you selling this guy to?” Malia asks, trying to stay still as Braeden drags a brush across her eyelid uncomfortably.

“You, obviously. He has all the brains, you have all the hot mess.” Mason responds, staring at his nails.

“Mason, when Braeden is finished I am going to kick your ass.” He mimics her, blowing his nails while Kira continues swinging her feet. “Kira…W-what are you supposed to be?” She watches the grin spread across her face slowly before she hops up, knocking Mason over in her excitement.

“I am a sexy elf, not my idea but… it’s sexy.” She laughs, shaking her head back and forth to make the bell on top of her hat jingle. Her outfit consisted of black and white striped stockings that made Malia’s head hurt, a ghastly green and red corset and a bright red skirt with green frills and gold confetti on it that looked as if it were sown in twenty five minutes while watching Parks and Rec.

“I made the skirt.” Mason says, beaming as Kira gives them a dramatic turn to show off the entire outfit. Malia is about to bury her face in her hands at their idiocy but Braeden pinches her just in time,

“I need to arch the other brow.”

“What does that even mean?” Mason groans, moving behind them to try and gage the situation.

“Mason, go start the car.”

The party is thirty minutes away in a really nice building, doorman and everything. Almost looks too nice for three assholes in Christmas sweaters and their slut elf.

“Kira, are you sure this is a costume party?” Mason asks, holding Malia by the elbow as they wait for the elevator. Kira grins, shaking the tiny bells on her head and twirls into the elevator. She’s having too much fun watching everyone squirm.

They hear the music from the hallway, a deep pulsating rhythm shaking the walls and Malia is already excited, it’s been too long since she’s actually danced with a bunch of strangers. Kira knocks on the door and throws her arms around the tall blond who opens it. He’s wearing a matching sexy elf outfit and Malia blushes from the obscenity of it, she’s pretty sure she sees a little peek of something she shouldn’t have. Mason, who was a little less subtle than she was, was staring openly and enjoying…openly.

“I couldn’t find a corset in time so I just borrowed a tank top from Lydia. Are these your friends? Hi, I’m Isaac.” He holds his hand out to Mason first, smug smirk on his face and Malia laughs loudly when his jaw drops like he can’t believe this half naked man is hitting on him. They get past all the greetings and Isaac shuffles them into the room, shouting over the music to tell them there was food in the kitchen.

It’s crowded and the music is fast paced and just her type, people are dancing in ugly sweaters and there are multiple bottles of alcohol next to a tiny white christmas tree. The christmas lights hanging from the ceilings and windows makes everything warm and festive and atmospheric. Braeden pulls her toward the liquor table, her head nodding to the music even though Malia knows she can’t stand techno.

“Want a dr-”

“Ahhh Ahhh, Mistletoe!” A random girl slurs behind them. Braeden looks up with as much annoyance as she can muster and finds the mistletoe strategically placed above the table. Malia waggles her eyebrows and presses a quick kiss to Braeden’s sticky lips, grinning at the faux disgust on her face when she pulls away. The girl behind them hoots and goes to annoy other party goers as Braeden pours Malia a cup of eggnog and leans against the wall.

“Dude must be loaded, a bottle this big costs like $80 and there’s four of them here. I might just have to make nice with some frat boys tonight.” Braeden grins behind her cup, looking as dangerous as a five year old in her singing Santa sweater.

“You’re such a gold digger.” Malia says, downing her drink and tossing her cup in the trash. She was scoping out the dance floor, eyeing the people standing around the ones grinding and jumping to the music.  

“Going to dance?”

“Of course I am.” Malia slithers her way to the dance floor, managing to separate herself from the others without looking standoffish. She notices someone in the crowd watching her, big brown eyes in awe as they follow her every movement. She smiles and the person gives her a dimpled grin that falters her steady rhythm, cause damn… He was cute. Malia waves the person in and he comes shyly, hiding his hands in an oversized wool sweater with a poorly sewn Santa on the front of his sweater.

“You look nervous.” She shouts over the music, slowing down so he can catch up. He’s swaying side to side, but to a different song entirely.

“Pretty girls don’t ask me to dance all the time.” He’s speaks softly, the tiny grin on his face keeps his dimples in sight and Malia’s heart swooning. She stops dancing completely when he gives up, face bright red and sheepish.

“I can see why.” He laughs and Malia uses this as a chance to inch closer to him.

“My mom is an amazing dancer but me, I think I’ve got 3 left feet.” Malia giggles, trailing her eyes over his sweater and wondering how he manages to make it look less ridiculous.

“I’m Malia.” She holds out her hand and he quirks an eyebrow before grabbing it.

“I’m Scott, I can’t dance.”

“Well, that’s fine and all but this is my song and I’m afraid you have no choice but to dance.” She grabs his arms and starts moving them in time to the beat, ignoring his wide eyes because she knows she’s blunt and straightforward and doesn’t have a moment to spare apologizing.

“I’m just gonna slow you down.” He shouts and Malia rolls her eyes and presses herself right up against Scott’s chest and wrapping her arms around his neck, never missing a beat.

“Shouldn’t be too hard now.” They dance like that for a while, Scott’s hands finally settling on her waist after the third song.

Malia isn’t sure she can stop smiling at this point.

“You aren’t that bad, just needed a little guidance.”

“I don’t think anyone can suck when you’re teaching them.” He’s blushing again and Malia finds it the most refreshing thing in the world, someone who managed to be charmed by her presence instead of turned on while pressed against her.

“Well yo-” A commotion on the other side of the room cuts her off and both Scott and Malia momentarily look at each other before they run towards the noise. There’s a circle around a tall lanky boy with blood dripping from his face onto his plaid shirt, on the other side Kira is fuming while Mason and Braeden stand off on the side laughing so hard they were on the floor.

“I think you broke my nose, fuck Kira.” Plaid Shirt groans and Kira flushes bright red, clenching her fist together.

“Next time think twice before grabbing someone’s ass without permission, you sleazy, disgusting, vacuous, small dick ass motherfu-” Malia picks her up by the waist before she actually reaches him and calls Mason over to make sure she doesn’t squirm her way off her shoulder. Braeden leads the way, laughing loudly once they get into the hallway.

“God, I hated that kid in high school. He swore he was fucking God’s Gift. That felt so good, I hope I didn’t ruin Scott’s party though.” Kira sighs, little bells on top of her hat jingling. When Malia let’s her down she shivers and smiles cheekily, tucking her hair behind her ear as she inspects her knuckles.

“Will you marry me?” Mason asks, throwing an arm around her shoulder as they walk to the elevator.

“You’re gay, I’m gay I don’t think it’ll work out.” They’re on the elevator, Braeden checking Kira’s knuckles, by the time Malia realizes she never got Scott’s number.

It’s been a week and Malia is still thinking about Scott, it has to be the dimples because he hasn’t left her mind not once. She has his number, courtesy of Kira. But she refuses to call him.

“Call him, you’re so stupid and difficult for no reason.” Braeden’s voice is muffled by half chewed sushi when she comes back into the room, dropping the tray in front of Kira and shoving her to the side. Malia’s staring at the piece of paper with Scott’s number on it, wishing it would burst into flames so she could ignore the temptation of calling him.

“Okay, no I will not call him okay. Kira freaking broke his best friend’s nose and on top of that, it’s creepy to call when he didn’t give me his number.”

“I’m not apologizing, Stiles is a piece of shit.” Kira says stubbornly around a tuna roll.

“I don’t want you to, I just don’t want to call him with all this mess hanging over my head.” Kira finally swallows and stares at her, chopsticks in mid air as she evaluates Malia.

“Scott is a really nice person, I really doubt he’s gonna find it creepy that you called him first or be mad that I hit Stiles. He probably doesn’t even remember it since Stiles gets his ass kicked literally everyday because he’s such an asshole. Call him so you can stop looking like the love of your life just ran away and I can stop feeling like I’m the quirky best friend in a stupid rom-com movie with Steve Carell.”

“You’re not quirky, you’re just a ball of fury and soy sauce.” Mason says from under his blanket, he coughs dramatically before looking at Malia like he’s ready to die and take her with him.

“So you have an ultimatum.” Braeden sighs, standing in front of her with her hands on her waist like an unamused parent. Kira smirks like she knows what’s coming and Malia feels like she’s being hunted or grounded, same thing really.

“You either call him and eat wonderful with us or you don’t get any of this sushi.” Braeden moves in front of the table and makes herself look as comfortable as possible.

“It’s good sushi too.” Mason’s half asleep but still manages to give her a condescending eyebrow from under his cocoon of blankets.

“I can go without eating.” Malia shrugs, sitting back in her seat and scrolling down her instagram feed. Her stomach decides at that moment to growl and she scowls at the huge plate of California rolls on the table, trying to convince herself that they in fact would not look better in her mouth.

“This soy sauce is really fresh, wow.” Kira says and Braeden makes noises that would suggest that it was, shoving three rolls in her mouth and once again making Malia’s stomach cry out to her. She lasts at least ten more seconds before she grabs the piece of paper and sighs,

“I don’t have to ask him on a date or anything right?” Her palms are sweating and she’s got sudden tunnel vision, she’s not going to survive this shit.

“No, just talk to him.“ Braeden urges, moving slightly away from the table as Malia types the number in.

By the third ring, Malia’s hyperventilating.

By the fifth one, she’s hoping he doesn’t pick up.

“This is Scott.” His voice comes through the speaker garbled and Malia loses feeling in her left arm. She didn’t even plan what she was going to say, she didn’t want to sound like an asshole but it seemed that that was her only option.

“Hey, Hi. Uhm, this is Malia. From the Christmas party. Uh.. Kira gave me your number.” The line is quiet for a second and she’s pretty positive he’s hung up until he laughs into the phone.

“Oh my god, I can’t believe my luck. I was just about to call you.” She can almost see his dimples as he speaks and a tiny smile settles on her face, she is whipped. Pitiful.

“Really, how?”

“Kira. I’ve been bugging her for it all week.” She’s blushing now, trying to hide her face from Braeden’s curious looks.

“So, I guess you wanted to talk to me? Do I owe you money?”

“You do actually but we can discuss that later. I actually wanted to convince you into letting me take you out, ice skating to be specific and I know you’re probably great at it but it would still be fun. I mean if you want to, I know you’ve known me for like…. two hours. I’m not a creep, I promise.Just trying to, uh, get to know a.. pretty…girl.” Malia laughs and goes into the kitchen, finally escaping constant knee slaps and nosy sound effects.

“How are you so sure that I won’t bust my ass?” Her voice hitches and she can feel the bones in her cheeks becoming sore from all the smiling she’s doing.

“I was kind of hoping that you would bust your ass so I could be your savior all night and be better than you at something.”

“That’s such an awful thing to do. I’m going to be sore all night if we do that.”

“So it’s a no then?”

“Oh no, it’s a definitely. How’s tomorrow sound?”

“4PM sounds perfect.” Malia bites her bottom lip, trying her best not to shout while still on the phone.

“Don’t be late.”

When he hangs up, stumbling over a simple goodbye, she screams and runs into the living room throwing herself on the couch and sighing like an overdramatic teen.

“We’re going on a date tomorrow.” Mason sits up, knocking the blanket into Kira’s face and Braeden claps her hands.

“I’m so glad, it’s gonna be great. I’m so grateful for all of these opportunities to do your makeup.” Braeden says, leaning on her leg and grinning at her.

“I can’t believe my happiness is being used for makeup purposes.” She groans, popping a California roll in her mouth.

Scott’s there by 3:45, shy, red nosed and standing in her doorway like a modern day prince charming.

“I’m not ready! You’re early!” She yells following him into the living room, sitting on the couch and watching him watch her.

“You look pretty cute, we could ice skate in our PJ’s.” Malia face heats up and she fixes him with a stare so cold it should’ve terrified him, instead he laughs rubbing at the side of his jaw.

“Why are you here so early?” She asks, walking back into her room and quickly slipping on her dress.

“Uh, I was sort of anxious. I thought if I came early, I wouldn’t feel like throwing up.”

“That’s gross, did I make you nervous?” She asks, coming out the room and watching Scott fiddle with his cellphone. He looks up at her and blushes, running his eyes over her quickly before smiling at his hands. “What? Should I not wear a dress?” She moves her hands over her dress, suddenly feeling self conscious and off track.

“N-n-no you look so great, and yeah you do make me nervous. You’re…great.” He grins and Malia rolls her eyes, slipping on her jacket and holding out her hand.

“That’s great. Let’s get going.” She’s trying to pretend like she isn’t floating off the compliment but the way her heart jumps when he grabs her hand let’s her know the jig is up.

Scott is out in the middle of the skating rink, jacket flapping behind him as he skates in circles while Malia… Malia was clinging on to the railing for dear life, watching her wonderful date taunt her.

“It’s not that scary, come on I’ll show you.” He shouts to her, holding his hands out and looking like the main character of one of those terrible rom com movies that Kira hates on skates.

“Mm, no. I have to protect my legs they’re my best assets.”

“I won’t let you fall, I promise.” Scott has his promise face on, Malia knows that much. It looks like he’s used that face multiple times to get what he wants, it looks like that face has never been told no a day in it’s life.

“Fine.” She holds one hand out, throwing herself into Scott’s chest when he finally reaches her.

“It’s like walking.” He mumbles into her hair, grabbing her wrist and pulling it off the rail.

“If it was like walking, I’d be fucking ice skating.” He laughs and pulls her out a little, trying to simultaneously spin and pull her head up.

“Your life is in my hands and you still have the balls to be snarky? I should drop you right now…” He loosens his arms slightly and Malia freaks out, legs buckling momentarily before finally giving out on her. She barely touches the ground before Scott has her up and in the stands, apologizing like he’s just hit her with his car.

“Fuck, that’s embarrassing.”

“Holy shit, I did not think you would fucking fall. I’m so sorry.” He’s started unlacing her skates and she pushes him away, scoffing at him when he throws an annoyed grunt towards her.

“I don’t understand how you could be so terrible at dancing but so graceful at ice skating.” Malia groans, slipping off her skates and rubbing her ankle. Scott is between laughing and crying, hands hovering in mid-air like he’s tempted to reach over and rub it for her.

“I don’t understand how you could injure yourself while being held up! Come, put your leg up here.” He doesn’t wait for her to stretch it out, just turns her body towards him and starts massaging at her ankle. The dip between his eyebrow and the way he keeps worrying at his lip makes Malia’s heart flutter and she can’t help it when her hand reaches across and rubs at his brow.

“You worry too much, it’s a little slip.  I’m like an expert at busting my ass, I’m not fragile.” He smiles softly, relaxing his face under her hands without stopping his own.

“I didn’t say you were fragile.” He mumbles, closing his hand around her ankle and looking towards her like he’s seeing someone completely different than who Malia sees everyday.

“Ready to go eat, Mcdreamy?”

“Taunt me again and you’ll be leaving this place on my shoulders.”

“That’s not even a good threat. Do you know how much I hate walking?” They’re both standing now, Scott’s arm around her waist like it belongs there.

“You hate walking but you love dancing, you hate snow but you love the cold. You’re like a walking paradox.” He half carries Malia to the cashier desk to drop their skates off.

“I didn’t say I hated snow, I said I specifically hate wh-”

“Ahhhhh, Mistletoe!” The clerk in front of them yells, pointing up with a huge grin on his face.

This seems to be a recurring theme in Malia’s life.

"Oh, he’s not my bo-”

Scott’s lips on hers are a welcome, hopefully recurring thing in her life.

She almost forgets to kiss him back, jumping to action and settling her hands on his neck to deepen the kiss. He smiles against her mouth and Malia doesn’t understand how this stupid silly boy could have her so enamored on their first date.

“Okay.. Excuse me… t-t-there’s a line forming.” The clerk says meekly. When Scott pulls away to pay, the poor kid’s neck is turning bright red and he can barely meet either of their eyes and hurting ankle be damned, Malia starts dragging a cackling Scott out of there as fast as she can.

“It’s not funny, that poor kid.” She whines outside, burying her face into her hands and walking away from the double doors.

“Come on it’s a little funny, not funnier than when you bust your ass in the rink but..” He laughs again, prying her hands away with one hand and pulling her into his side with the other.

“Keep making fun of me.” She pulls away to stand in front of him, wrapping her arms around his neck like they’ve been together for years.

“What you gonna do, sinner?” Malia presses her lips softly against his, moving away when he tries to deepen it. His eyes are still closed when she walks away, tiny smile gracing his face.

“Many things.”

“Come back here or we won’t go to this really fancy restaurant that I have made reservations to.”

“I kind of wanted Burger King.” She walks back over slowly, kissing his cheek when he pulls her in like she expected.

“That’s great because that’s exactly where we’re going.”

“You really know how to treat a gal.”

“Only my gal.” Her stomach flops and her cheeks start to burn, if she smiles any harder she might dislocate her jaw.