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Lydia furrowed her brows. This was completely ridiculous.
What was Cora thinking, running around like this?
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Stiles answered, looking out onto the lake sceptically, “she looks like always to me.”
The sun was reflecting off the water, throwing glittering lights into the surrounding trees of the Preserve. The laughter of their friends carried across from where they were playing some kind of game.
“Hmmm…” Lydia shook her head. No. It was unacceptable.
She couldn’t figure it out.
Had Cora always been this toned? Her skin basically glowed in the late afternoon sun, looking smooth and very much touchable, and Lydia couldn’t even stand to look at the water droplets that rolled off her, as she climbed back onto shore, for fear of giving off traitorous chemo signals. Cora was wearing swim trunks for fucks sake. This was not supposed to be a turn on for Lydia. She was supposed to be done with jocks for good, dammit.
And her hair. She’d cut it and shaved her sides and back. It was the first thing Lydia had noticed this morning, after not seeing her in months, while everyone was away for college. Apparently, it had become too long and warm, with the summer and all. Lydia wanted to pull at it. It was horrible.
“Oh, I know that look,” Cora said as she made her way over to them, grabbing a drink from the water cooler they’d stashed next to them, in the shade of a big tree. “That’s the look you have when you’re solving a tricky equation! Did you bring your maths textbook over break?” She laughed.
Quickly, Lydia shook her head, “Don’t be silly, of course not. Just… thinking.” It wasn’t a lie. Nothing for a werewolf to catch.
Cora shrugged. She gulped down half the bottle, before splaying out on her towel. Her arms flexed as she crossed them behind her head and closed her eyes, relaxing.
Ridiculous.
Lydia couldn’t tear her eyes away from her.
She was glad that Stiles was too busy ogling a certain alpha werewolf to notice her odd behaviour, sitting next to him.
It wasn’t long before the rest of the pack joined them in the shade, ready for refreshments after hours in the water.
They spent the rest of the evening playing cards, eating snacks, and exchanging stories from college. It was nice having the pack together like that again, usually they were dispersed all over the country.
They all looked so happy, much more free and bubbly than any of them had been during high school. Lydia could tell that Derek was proud of all his betas, despite how much he missed them throughout the year. It was good.
Still, something was off, and it was Cora, and Lydia couldn’t help but steal glances at her all day, secretly hoping to catch her looking back.
As the sun was slowly starting to set, the group packed up their things and made their respective ways home in small clusters, with plans to have a big pack dinner and sleepover at the new Hale House this weekend.
Soon there were only four of them left.
Cora was still lounging on her towel while Derek and Stiles collected the last of their things.
Lydia was very aware of Cora’s presence.
“You want me to drop you off at home, Lyds?” Stiles asked as he stuffed his towel into his bag. Derek was just about to carry his stuff towards the parking lot.
Cora propped herself up next to her. “I can drive you, if you want,” she interjected, “Stiles, you can give Derek a ride and I’ll take Lydia in the Camaro.”
Lydia could see Derek’s eyebrows going confused, but her stomach fluttered traitorously at the thought. This seemed like the perfect opportunity to figure what the hell was going on with her.
“Yeah, I think I’d like to stay for a bit longer,” Lydia answered, smiling sweetly at the two guys.
“Don’t worry, I’ll drive safely,” Cora said, trying to convince both Stiles and her brother.
Stiles’ eyes narrowed at them, before his face erupted into a knowing grin.
“Okay, you silly kids, don’t stay out too late though. Derek, give your sister your keys.” And with that, he shouldered his backpack and walked over to his jeep.
Derek took a second longer, but then his eyes widened comically with understanding. “I don’t even wanna know. Just keep it out of my car.” He fumbled to get the keys out of his pocket and threw them at Cora, before jogging after Stiles.
Lydia could practically hear Stiles laughing at Derek in the distance as they drove away.
The implication made her blush ever so slightly.
They were alone now.
Cora scootched over onto the blanket to sit next to Lydia. For a while neither of them said anything, they just sat and looked at the sun slowly setting behind the tops of the trees, the last rays glowing purple and orange while stars started to emerge around a pale blue waxing crescent moon.
It was a clear night, the heat from a Californian July Day still clinging to their surroundings. With the rest of the pack gone, it had become quiet too, only the familiar noises of the forest breaking the silence.
Lydia agonized over whether she should say something or not. Whether she should just reach out to touch.
Cora beat her to it. Lydia’s heartbeat had probably betrayed her, or maybe she had smelled her nerves. Either way, Cora stood back up, reaching her hand out, to help Lydia up.
“Let’s go for a swim,” she said, as she pulled her to her feet, close enough to feel her body heat.
Lydia’s full body broke out in goosebumps, and it had nothing to do with the night. Quickly she pulled her hand back and tugged her dress over her head instead, which left her in her bikini. Dropping her clothes on the blanket, she ran towards the water, Cora following her on her heels, laughing with glee.
She dived in, staying under water for a few seconds, enjoying the eery way reality seemed warped under the water just for a little bit.
Cora jumped in right next to her, splashing her as soon as she broke back through the surface. With a yelp Lydia splashed back, attempting an escape by swimming away with the rest of her limbs. But without any luck, as she received another face full of water, while Cora laughed.
She didn’t need to use her werewolf strength to catch up with Lydia.
With a big smile, she caught her around the wrist.
Immediately, the mood changed again, the tension from before back, tenfold in the dusky light.
The water was shallower here, just enough for them to stand. Cora looped her arm around Lydia’s waist, pulled her close. And this time Lydia didn’t want to resist. She hooked her legs around Cora’s waist, arms around her shoulders, until they were pressed against each other, skin on skin.
“I’ve wanted to do this all day,” Cora murmured into the small space between them. Lydia watched her closely. “I could tell how you’ve been looking at me.” Her eyes flicked between her eyes and her mouth.
“I can’t figure you out,” Lydia admitted, hear heart beating quickly in her chest, “but I think you should kiss me.”
In the dark, Cora’s eyes glowed gold for just a fraction of a moment. She swallowed. “Yeah, I think that’s a great idea.”
She leaned in, Lydia meeting her half-way. There were the goosebumps again. The kiss was firm, their lips moving together with intent. Right away, Lydia felt hot, her eyes falling shut. A small noise escaped her throat as their tongues slid together, the heat between them completely tuning out the cooling water.
She moved one hand to the back of Cora’s head, burying her hand in her hair and pulling ever so slightly, giving in to her impulse. She was satisfied to hear Cora moan. Grabbing Lydia’s thighs, Cora pulled them flush together. She caught her lower lip between her teeth just for a second, before kissing her jaw and then her neck; Lydia stretched her head, to give her more surface to kiss and suck and bite at.
It felt so good.
“How about you drive me home now?” Lydia panted.
Cora hummed not quite ready to separate them just yet. Instead, she went back to kissing her thoroughly.
They stayed like that for a while, kissing, but it wasn’t enough, and Lydia started to move against Cora impatiently, needing her closer, needing to touch, wanting Cora to touch her.
And as Cora carried her out of the water, the two of them laughing breathlessly as she lowered Lydia back on the blanket, and straddled her while gently biting at her collarbone, which had Lydia sighing happily. It was then that Lydia decided that, actually, she was very okay with this new development, and that she’d figure it out soon enough. Whatever it was going to be.