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If he’s going to be honest, Stiles started writing his proposal to Lydia the day he met her. It’s written in the way his hand intertwines with hers, the way he breathes into her hair when they sleep together, in how he still fucking fumbles around her like an idiot. However, those things are intangible, wisps of love that he can’t quite figure out how to put into words, and that’s where his problem lies. He’s written six drafts so far, and those are just ones he’s actually seriously considered. They’re all currently sitting in his wastebasket, just like you know, his hope.
Okay, maybe he’s being a bit of a drama queen. However, this is Lydia Martin, Lydia fucking Martin, a girl he never thought he’d be able to hold hands with in public or sit beside or really, do anything with. she’s an explosive package of sassy and smarts and the literal form of his happiness, all wrapped up in a petite frame of 5’3. this has to be perfect.
the ring at least he knows, is perfect. it’s reasonable sized, with a diamond set in the center that sparkles like Lydia’s eyes. He gets a pain in his chest every time he thinks of the woman who used to wear it, a long time ago now, but he knows she’d want Lydia to have it. he clutches it in his fist, like it’s a lifeline sometimes, and all he can think is, I love you Mom. Always.
so he does what he always does, and turns to his friends. they know how special she is, and they’ll be able to help him make sure the speech is worthy of a Emmy. that’s what they give for good writing, right?
scott is first of course, and even though this is he best friend, or maybe because this is his best friend, stiles hands’ shake and his voice cracks when he recites it to him. scott almost tears up, that is, until he realizes that stiles has prepared a thirty minute long speech.
“Dude. I know you love her, I get that, trust me. But thirty minutes?!” Scott shakes his head once again, looking quite like a puppy, wide eyed and shaggy haired.
“Right. Too long. Got it.” Pulling off the pen cap with his teeth, Stiles makes a note on the paper. Before he can even straighten back up properly, Scott has pulled him into an embrace, and he clings to his brother. “She’ll say yes, don’t worry.” Stiles lets out a weak sort of laugh because worrying is all he’s been doing lately.
Isaac is next, and although the werewolf rolls his eyes and calls Stiles an idiot, he thinks he detects a bit of a sniffle from him towards the end. the sniffle however, does not outweigh the 46 fucking editions Isaac made him make. who knew the beta was a budding poet?
Then there’s Derek, and the old sour wolf crosses his arms and rolls his eyes, and then scribbles down a few notes for Stiles to add, all of which are surprisingly brilliant. at this, stiles narrows his eyes in suspicion, and ends up wasting the rest of the day stalking Derek, leading him to discover that the former alpha, is a john mayer fan, a fact Stiles tucks away in his mind for future blackmail.
Of course he talks to Mama McCall next, and her reassuring words and fierce hugs are just what he needs to go to his dad next. They both cry, and Mr. Stilinski tells him he’s his mothers son, which, of course, ignites a another round of (very manly, goddamnit) sobbing.
Finally, he has the speech prepared, and he’s ready to go talk to the fiery haired girl herself. He’s almost out the door to do go do so when he runs past the picture frames in the hallway. He stops dead in front of one of them, realizing there’s still one person he has to talk to about this.
The photo of Allison is one of her smiling and laughing, and that’s how Stiles likes to always imagine her, a coping strategy he discovered years ago, sitting in front of her grave with promises to live well to make her death count. He stares down at her bright face in the photograph, and a tear splashes down on it. He wipes it away with his sleeve, and in a thick voice, tells her the speech, that he loves her, and that he’s sorry, because they all know she was supposed to be here for this. It’s a pain in his heart, in all of their hearts that they’re going to have to live with forever, but all wounds heal eventually, so he closes his eyes, thanks Allison for her time, and heads out to meet the girl of his dreams.
In the end, he completely forgets the speech. Blanks it when he sees her, but it’s too late to go back now so he kisses her like she kissed him, sitting on that locker room floor years ago, beck when she taught him how to breathe again. and they tumble together like the two electric currents they’ve always been, and it ends in something beautiful.
it ends with a ring and a yes and a promise signed with both their names.
sincerely, eternity.