Stiles Stilinski x Reader- It’s always been you.
There was a knock at the door.
Three rapid-fire taps, a pause, then two more — the exact knock pattern Stiles had been using since you were both ten and thought you needed a secret code for everything.
You sighed and shuffled across the living room, one hand tugging your too-large hoodie tighter around your bandaged ribs.
When you pulled the door open, there he was.
Stiles Stilinski, standing on your porch with two overstuffed grocery bags, a sheepish grin, and his hair sticking up in a way that said he’d definitely lost a battle with his Jeep’s air vents.
“You” he said dramatically, pointing straight at you accusingly.
“Me?”you asked confused as to what you had done.
Stiles tutted pushing past you before you could speak, “You are officially on house arrest.”
You raised a brow. “House arrest?”
“Yep,” he said, dropping the bags onto your kitchen counter with a heavy thud. “By order of me. Sheriff’s son. That’s gotta mean something.”
“It means nothing to me, plus I can’t be on house arrest what about Lydia she needs help and hold on isn’t Derek hale running around turning teenagers into werewolves!?” you asked, crossing your arms carefully so you didn’t pull on your side too much.
“You exist. You’re reckless. You almost got turned into werewolf sushi two weeks ago. Lydia does need help yes, but you have already helped enough so leave that to us and also the Derek Hale thing-totally a conversation for later”he tried to change the subject quickly knowing you had many questions.
You smirked, leaning against the doorframe. “You are so odd sometimes Stilinski”
“Says the girl who ran straight at a supernatural serial killer with no weapon and a very questionable plan.”
“It was a solid plan!” you protested.
“You screamed”he interjected.
“Solid ish plan?”you offered.
Stiles threw his hands up. “Exactly my point! Hence—house arrest. Which includes,” he said, excitedly pulling items from the bags, “movies, junk food, and no emotionally and physically damaging supernatural activity for at least—” he checked an invisible watch, “—twelve hours.”
You laughed, a real one this time. A little cracked around the edges, but it made his shoulders drop a little, the tension easing out of him like he hadn’t realized how tight it was.
He set a tub of ice cream down with a flourish. “I also brought ice cream. Because I’m a great nurse. And a better best friend.”
“You’re a disaster,” you said fondly, grabbing a spoon from the drawer.
“No, we are both disasters”he said easily, nudging your hip with his.
The casual words hung in the air for a second too long.
He looked away first, suddenly way too interested in reorganizing your fridge.
Maybe healing wasn’t just about the stitches and the bruises.
Maybe it was this too—standing in a messy kitchen, with someone who made you feel like everything wasn’t completely broken yet.
The hallway smelled like cheap bleach and high school nerves.
You were finally off crutches — mostly. Your limp was still obvious, but you ditched them at your locker and refused to look back. If you could survive getting slashed open by a psychotic alpha, you could survive this.
“You sure you should be walking that much?” came a voice behind you — breathless, rushed, worried.
Stiles Stilinski was there, backpack half-zipped, shirt sleeves shoved up, hair sticking up like he’d sprinted across the parking lot to catch you.
You leaned back casually against your locker. “Gonna start carrying my books for me too, Stilinski?”
He flushed immediately, glancing down at your bag like he was about two seconds from actually offering. “If you want. I mean, I can. I could—I could carry you, if you need. Like a—like a… backpack but for people?”
You snorted. “I’m good, thanks.”
“Right, right,” he mumbled, shouldering his bag again and somehow managing to smack himself in the face with one of the straps. “Totally cool. Normal. Fine.”
You hid your smile as you started walking toward class.
He fell into step beside you, trying very hard not to hover but failing miserably.
Ever since the night of the Winter Formal — ever since Peter’s claws had torn into you — Stiles had been… different. Still sarcastic. Still quick with a joke. But around you?
He was all nervous hands, red ears, and tangled words.
And he couldn’t stop looking at you.
Every time you winced slightly.
Every time you adjusted your sweatshirt to hide the healing scars.
Every time you laughed like you meant it.
He noticed. He noticed everything. More than usual.
You slid into your usual seat near the back, sighing quietly as you stretched your leg out to ease the pressure off your side.
Stiles started toward the seat next to you—
—but someone beat him to it.
He dropped into the chair beside you, setting his worn backpack down with a soft thud. His movements were careful, almost too careful — like he was trying not to draw attention.
Isaac Lahey had never so much as looked at you before this year.
“Hey,” he said, voice low, almost cautious.
Isaac Lahey didn’t talk to you. Or anyone, really.
“You doing okay?” he asked, flicking a quick glance to your side, then your face.
“Yeah,” you said slowly, a little wary but polite. “Healing.”
Isaac smiled — small and almost apologetic. “Good. You… looked rough for a while.”
You huffed a short laugh. “Oh, thanks Lahey.”
At that exact moment, a chair scraped loudly against the floor.
You turned your head and found Stiles.
He was dropping into the seat directly on your left, clutching his notebook a little too tightly, the front of his sneakers practically bouncing against the floor.
He gave you a wide, almost manic grin that screamed everything’s fine, totally normal, I definitely didn’t just sprint across the room to sit next to you, please don’t notice how bad I am at breathing right now.
You smirked, biting your lip to hold back a laugh.
Stiles shifted in his seat like he couldn’t quite get comfortable, shooting a tight, sideways glare past you at Isaac.
Isaac, oblivious (or pretending to be), just smiled a little more and leaned a bit closer to you to whisper, “If you need someone to help carry your stuff… I’m around.”
From your left, Stiles made a wheeze-sputter noise that he tried (badly) to cover with a cough.
You barely kept it together, giving Isaac a polite nod, then tapping your pen against your notebook to hide your grin.
The entire class passed in a weird, hilarious tension bubble:
• Isaac subtly trying to make conversation when the teacher wasn’t looking.
• Stiles dropping his pencil twice, his notebook once, and almost elbowing you in the ribs when he tried to lean back coolly and missed the chair support entirely.
By the time the bell rand you were practically burning feeling Stiles eyes in the side of your face.
You gathered your things, letting Isaac head out first with a casual, “See you around.”
As you stepped into the hallway, Stiles right beside you, you didn’t even have to say anything.
You just turned your head slightly, caught his eye—
—and he was already looking at you.
Both of you raised your eyebrows almost at the same time.
“Bitten?”Stiles uttered out.
“Totally bitten”you agreed.
Stiles nodded once, almost imperceptibly, the corners of his mouth twitching in that way he always got when he was hiding panic under sarcasm.
You smirked, bumping your shoulder gently into his as you walked.
He bumped you back, just a little too carefully, like he was still terrified of hurting you.
You didn’t say it out loud. You didn’t need to.
You both knew exactly what Isaac Lahey was now.
And Stiles, judging by the way he kept glancing sideways at you like he wanted to chain you to his side for protection, was absolutely not okay with it.
The hallway buzzed with the usual noise — lockers slamming, sneakers squeaking, the heavy drone of bored teenagers.
You and Stiles walked side by side, your bag slung lightly over one shoulder, his bouncing awkwardly against his hip.
He slowed his steps naturally, unconsciously matching your slower, limping pace, never commenting on it, just being there like it was the most normal thing in the world.
“What makes you so sure he’s been bitten?” you asked, glancing sideways at him.
Stiles raised his eyebrows dramatically. “What makes you so sure, Stilinski?” you teased, bumping your hip lightly into his.
He huffed, pretending to be offended.
“Okay, theory time,” he said, launching into it with all the energy of someone who definitely spent way too long thinking about this.
“Isaac Lahey stares at you. Like, all the time. Literally for years. He’s just been, I don’t know, creepily lurking over in the corner—”
He paused, waving his hands vaguely around his own neck.
You let out a soft, amused snort.
“Anyways!” Stiles said louder, pointing a finger at you like you were on trial, “he didn’t have the confidence before to just walk up to you and talk to you.”
You slowed slightly as you reached your locker, eyebrows pulling together.
“What do you mean… staring?” you asked, genuinely confused, your hand tightening on your strap.
Stiles stopped too, spinning around to face you fully, walking backward a few steps like it physically hurt him that you didn’t already know this.
“C’mon, Y/N, you’ve never noticed?!”
You shook your head, blinking at him, utterly bewildered.
He stared at you like you’d just told him you didn’t know the sky was blue.
“The kid looked like he was trying to memorize your soul with his eyeballs every time you walked into a room!”
You opened your mouth to argue, but he steamrolled ahead, pointing at you again like he was listing official government evidence.
“Stop interrupting me! Anyways—that, and paired with the fact that he walked in today wearing a brand new Derek Hale™ approved leather jacket—”
he mimed air quotes furiously,
“—means he’s officially one of Derek’s glorious, broody little wolf cubs.”
“He was totally listening to our conversation in the corridor too what was that comment about holding your bag, he wasn’t even nearby when we were at your locker”Stiles explained.
“How do you know that?”you questioned raising an eyebrow.
“Well for one I’d notice that fucking scarf from a mile away- I mean what is that all about?”Stiles grew red in the face a fraction.
You laughed under your breath, unable to help it.
“I also have many theories-“ You began to explain as You and Stiles reached your next class. Stiles leaned against the locker next to yours like he hadn’t been doing that exact move since you were twelve — arms folded, expression cocky but still buzzing with that barely-contained worry just beneath the surface.
You started to spin your combination when the hallway noise shifted — just slightly.
Conversations paused. A few heads turned.
You glanced up instinctively — and there she was.
Erica Reyes. But not the Erica you remembered.
Gone was the girl who barely spoke, who kept her hair pinned back and her shoulders hunched, always half-hiding behind hoodies and lockers.
Now she walked like she owned the hallway.
Hair curled. Leather jacket zipped just enough to be intimidating. Boots that clicked like punctuation.
And confidence — radiating off her like static.
Stiles actually choked a little. “What the—”
You blinked. “Is that… Erica?”
He stared, eyebrows climbing so high they were practically in his hairline.
“She looks… different,” you muttered.
Stiles coughed into his hand. “Different? She looks like she walked off the set of The Craft and onto a Vogue cover.”
“Bitten, definitely fucking bitten”you whispered, shell shocked.
“She used to faint during PE,” he whispered like it was confidential government info. “She once panicked doing a chin-up. One.”
You leaned slightly out into the hallway Stiles following your actions seconds later, watching her glide past like she wasn’t even aware people were staring. Like she didn’t care.
But then — she glanced sideways. Just for a second.
Like she was in on something you weren’t yet.
“Why’d she look at you like that”Stiles murmured his mouth settling into a firm line.
“Me? I thought she was looking at you like that”you murmured back, your face matching his expression.
“Me? Why would she be looking at me like that?”Stiles eyes turned from curiousness to confusion.
“I don’t know, maybe because she has a raging crush on you”you answered quickly.
“What?! No way”he shook his head.
“C’mon Stiles, you’ve never noticed?”your mouth fell open slightly.
He shook his head, blinking at you, utterly bewildered.
Before you could fill Stiles in there was another shift in the atmosphere.
Rounding the corner minutes behind Erica, wearing that brand-new leather jacket, looking more like a threat than a background character.
He scanned the hallway — and his eyes landed right on you.
Stiles stiffened next to you like a drawn bowstring.
“Here we go,” he muttered.
Isaac walked up slowly, all calm eyes and quiet confidence. “Hey,” he said, voice soft. “You dropped something.”
He held out a pen. Yours. Must’ve fallen from your bag.
You took it. “Uh-Thanks. It’s always nice to have an extra pen”You offered him a small smile, gently taking it out of his hands.
Stiles’ pupils flickered between the two of you, as the exchanged lingered, Isaac holding on slightly as you took the pen from his grasp. The werewolf effect had settled in that dazzling, mysterious and broody effect that was working on you slightly.
“What’s with the scarf?”Stiles coughed out cutting the moment short. Earning glances from both you and Isaac. You pushed the pen into your pocket.
Isaac gave the faintest shrug “It’s literally December”, then looked back at you. “I’ll see you around, Y/N.”
You nodded once, and he walked away.
Stiles didn’t speak for a second.
Stiles turned to face you fully, serious now. “I don’t trust that guy, not even for a second”
Lunchtime rolled around and the four of you had taken over your usual table — the one slightly off to the side, where it was just quiet enough to talk without someone breathing down your neck.
Scott was mid-rant about Derek, Allison was picking at a salad like it had personally offended her, and you were trying not to laugh as Stiles attempted (and failed) to open a bag of chips with one hand while also gesturing wildly with the other.
“…I’m just saying,” he said through clenched teeth, tugging at the seal like it owed him money, “if Derek’s suddenly giving out bites like Oprah gives out cars, we’re gonna need a better system. Like a list. Or an application process.”
You snorted. “With references?”
“-Exactly,” he shot back, pointing at you with half a chip.
Scott rolled his eyes. “You two realize none of this is helpful, right?”
“It’s therapeutic,” you and Stiles said in sync, exchanging a quick glance that lingered a little too long.
Allison raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
A hand slammed down on the table so hard it made Stiles drop his chips again.
“What is holy hell is that?” Lydia Martin snapped, voice pitched somewhere between disgust and horror.
She was standing at the end of the table, eyes wide, lips parted in shock as she pointed across the cafeteria.
Erica was strutting between tables like she didn’t even know people were staring. Eyeliner sharp, heels hitting the floor like punctuation marks. And yes — the leather jacket was still making its appearance.
Then looked back at Lydia.
“You’ve only just seen?” you said dryly, raising a brow. She shot you a look that screamed obviously not. You and Lydia had gotten significantly closer since the whole ‘you kinda saved her life thing’.
After the Winter Formal, Lydia Martin was hospitalized with serious injuries from Peter Hale’s bite. Everyone expected her to turn into a werewolf — even Derek. But she didn’t. And that’s what made it worse.
She vanished from her hospital bed days later.
When she came back, she was… off.
Not in an obvious way at first. She was still Lydia — sharp-tongued, styled, pretending she wasn’t scared. But people noticed. Her hands shook sometimes. Her eyes drifted toward things no one else could see. She stopped showing up to class. She walked into the woods alone at night. And she had no memory of where she went.
Lydia was unraveling in front of everyone, and no one knew how to stop it.
Meanwhile, your wounds were different.
Peter didn’t bite you— he clawed. Deep. Along your ribs and side during the chaos of the lacrosse field.
But when you came back… you were still yourself.
Not hallucinating. Not breaking down.
You were more careful. More quiet. Less quick to speak in a room full of noise.
And that started to freak people out too — especially Derek.
Because while Lydia spiraled, you stayed steady.
And somehow, that was more unsettling.
“She looks like a backup dancer for Rihanna,” Stiles muttered, eyes still wide. “Like… a violent one.”
You all stared at each other for a second — no one laughing now. Lydia looked around at you all for an explanation because you couldn’t tell her the truth about the supernatural just yet.
Something was changing. Again.
And you could all feel it.
Scott, Stiles, and yourself stood off to the side as the police finished loading up the last of the scene. Isaac had just been taken in. Flashing lights paint streaks across the parking lot.
“His father’s dead. They think he was murdered”Scott explained to the two of you.
“Holy shit”you held your hands up to your mouth, feeling sadness for Isaac.
“Are they saying he’s a suspect?”Stiles quipped out.
“I’m not sure. Why?”Scotts eyebrow raised slightly.
“Because they can lock him in a holding cell for twenty-four hours…”your eyes widened as you realised.
“Like, overnight?”Scott’s eyes drifted between you and Stiles as he nodded tensely.
“How good are those holding cells at holding people?”Scott asked regretfully.
“People? Good. Werewolves? Probably not that good”Stiles answered grimly.
There’s a beat. The weight of the full moon sinks in. Everyone glances toward the police car disappearing down the street.
“Guys remember when I said I don’t have the urge to maim and kill?”Scott hummed out.
“Yeah…”Stilinski trailed off.
A cold silence settles between you. Stiles shifts uncomfortably.
“Isaac is probably still figuring out how to stop himself just like Scott did, If no one’s in that cell with him…”
“Then someone’s gonna get torn to pieces. Or he’s gonna tear himself apart trying not to”Stiles finished your sentence.
You stood there, the three of you, knowing that you were going to have to fix this—again—before someone else gets hurt. Your hand brushes your side without thinking, the faint reminder of Peter’s claws still there. The danger feels closer than ever.
Back in class, the teacher drones on at the front of the class, but none of you are paying attention. Scott leans over toward Stiles, whispering urgently. You lean forwards, clearly listening.
“What if he can’t control it?”Scott whispered.
“Then we’re all screwed”Stiles whispered back
“He’s locked up. Even if he loses control, how much damage can he really do inside a cell? I mean Scott survived handcuffed to a radiator”you murmured.
“Y/N… he also escaped that night , look Isaac is not going to politely sit there and breathe through it if he shifts”
“We have to get to him. Tonight.”McCall stated.
“You mean… break into the sheriff’s station during a full moon?”you bit down on your pencil.
“Exactly. Which, for the record, sounds both suicidal and illegal”Stiles confirmed, trying not to wave his hands around.
“Great. Let me grab my bag”you rubbed your hands together excitedly.
“Oh definitely no, You’re not going. Absolutely not. You’re still healing and I am not dragging you out of another bloody situation”Stiles stated shaking his head.
“That’s adorable. I’m going”you snorted seriously.
“ I hate to say it Stiles but she’s right. We need her. And she’s not just a bystander in this anymore”Scott reasoned.
The three of you exchange a look — not just worried, but committed. You’ve all done this dance before. And you’ll do it again. Because no one else is going to.
“Okay. But the second something goes sideways, you run. No arguments”Stiles warned.
“Only if you do too”you shot back quickly.
Stiles doesn’t answer. He doesn’t promise.
Sheriff Stilinski stood across from Jackson in the principals office, Jackson slouched arrogantly in a chair. The door is slightly ajar. Just outside, you, Stiles and Scott wait awkwardly. You swung back and forth on your chair trying to listen out for something important.
“Listen to me — you’re telling me that you knew Isaac’s father was hitting him?”The sheriff tutted out.
“Hitting him? He was kicking the crap out of him”Jackson corrected Noah.
“Did you ever say anything to anyone? A teacher? Parents? Anyone?”Stiles’ dad continued.
“Nope. It’s not my problem”Jackson shrugged.
“Asshole”you muttered as you held the decoy book up to your face.
“No. No, of course not. You know, it’s funny that the kids getting beaten up are always the ones who least deserve it”the sheriff replied dry and bitterly.
“Yeah”Jackson agreed, completely missing the point.
“…Wait, what?” It finally hit him.
Sheriff Stilinski grabbed the file that was sat on the table and started walking to the door.
“I think we’re done here”Noah shook his head opening the door, stepping out into the hallway where Scott, Stiles, and you are standing. Scott stiffened instinctively.
“Hi, Scott, hello miss y/n” he offered you half a smile.
You shyly lifted your hand to greet your best friends father.
A new voice cuts in from behind you.
“Boys, Y/n…Come on in”you turned your head to take a peak at who had called your name so boldly.
You turn to see Gerard Argent waiting behind the principal’s desk, hands folded like a well-practiced politician. His smile is all teeth.
“Scott McCall… Academically not the most accomplished, but I see you’ve become quite the star athlete!”he started off as the three of you piled into the office.
You shift slightly, instinctively stepping closer to Stiles, eyes narrowing.
“Mr. Stilinski… Oh, perfect grades, but little to no extracurriculars. Maybe you should try lacrosse?” The principals lack of awareness made you snort a little.
Stiles side eyed you. “Oh, actually, I’m already—“
“Y/n, amazing grades, a fair few extracurriculars and an interesting choice in friends, Sorry to hear about your…injury”Gerard’s voice trailed away like he knew something, like he knew everything.
“Hold on… McCall. You’re the Scott that was dating my granddaughter”Gerard’s attention turned back to your friend Scott who shuffled around in his seat.
So he does know everything.
“We were dating, but not anymore. Not dating, not seeing any of each other, or doing anything with each other at all—“Scott jumped into defence mode.
“Relax, Scott. You look like you’re about to crack a cyanide pill with your teeth”Gerard attempted to joke but it fell short.
“Just a hard breakup…”Scott rubbed the back of his neck.
“Oh, that’s too bad. You seem like a pretty nice kid to me”Gerard’s tone changes.
You crossed your arms, posture defensive. If you weren’t watching Gerard before you definitely were now— reading him, not buying the kind tone for a second.
“Now, listen, guys. Yes, I am the principal, but I really don’t want you to think of me as the enemy”he continued.
“Heh, is that so?”Stiles muttered under his breath.
“I so second that comment”you murmured back.
Gerard glances at you, the smile barely shifting. But the look in his eyes darkens — briefly.
“However, this being my first day, I do need to support my teachers. So unfortunately, someone is going to have to take the fall and stay behind for detention”he started up again gesturing between the three of you.
The three teens exchanged a look. Stiles sighs dramatically. You just glare at Gerard.
“You mean punish someone to make a point”you cut your eye at him.
“I prefer to think of it as setting a tone”Gerard grinned.
The hallway was mostly empty. Lights buzz overhead. The door to detention clicks shut behind them. You and Stiles step out, both looking exhausted and annoyed. Being the ones to take the fall and sit through detention.
Stiles pulled the phone out of his pocket and held it to his ear as it started ringing.
“Come on, come on…”his foot tapped impatiently.
“Stiles?”You could hear Allison’s voice buzzing through the speaker on the other end. She was currently rummaging through her families belongings on the sly.
“Hey, sorry— we just got out. What’s going on?”he answered sending you a brief nod.
“Is Y/N with you?”you heard as he pushed the loud speaker button.
“Who else do you think I’m with whenever I say ‘we’”he rolled his eyes as if it was common knowledge. It was.
“We need to do something right now. My family were asking me questions about Lydia and Y/n-about how they were attacked by Peter—and then they sent this guy out…”Allison’s words were rushed and urgent with a hint of panic.
“Wait, first of all what questions were they asking about y/n and second of all what guy?”Stiles eyes flickered over to you briefly.
“We will talk about the questions later, and the guy? He was dressed like a Sheriff’s deputy”Allison responded.
Your eyes land on Stiles, already frowning.
“That’s not normal. There aren’t that many deputies on call tonight”you noted.
“They’re sending him to the station for Isaac”Stiles thought aloud.
“He had this box—like something carved into it”Allison continued.
“What kind of carving?”you ask curiously as Allison flips pages. The line rustles.
“Hold on… I’m taking a picture”she calls out quickly.
Both of your heads snap towards the phone as Stiles’ phone pings with the incoming image.
“Yeah. Wolfsbane”Stiles ran his hands over his mouth.
You let out a fearful gulp, your eyes meeting Stiles once again. Finding them already trained on you.
“They’re not bringing him in to question him…”you shook your head.
“What does that mean?”Allisons voice rang down the phone.
“It means they’re gonna kill him.”Stiles’ stress levels rose.
“We need to get to the station. Now” Stiles looks at you as you speak— panic rising fast but controlled — and nodded.