Chapter Text
It was the first day back after the winter break, and Beacon Hills High was buzzing with whispers. The new semester was starting, but all anyone could talk about was the arrival of two new students—the Hales. After years of absence, Derek and Cora Hale were finally returning to Beacon Hills, and there was a mix of excitement and curiosity swirling through the hallways.
The Hales had left under mysterious circumstances when Derek was just a teenager, and no one had really seen or heard from them since. There were rumors of family tragedies, police investigations, even whispers about strange disappearances. No one was quite sure why they had been gone for so long, but now, the mystery surrounding them was back.
Stiles Stilinski didn’t pay much attention to rumors. Instead, he had spent the last couple of days in his usual way—running on caffeine, fidgeting constantly, and getting into trouble for his inability to sit still. His ADHD was something everyone was used to by now; it didn’t annoy anyone—well, not most people. His friends had learned that it was just part of who he was—charming, cheeky, and a little impulsive. He could shift from one topic to the next faster than a squirrel on espresso, and he wasn’t afraid to speak his mind. His charm often diffused what could have been awkward moments, and even the teachers found themselves laughing at his quirks rather than punishing him.
Stiles didn’t care about the Hales. That is, until he saw Derek.
***
Stiles had been walking through the crowded hallway, carrying a latte in one hand, texting Scott with the other, when he nearly bumped into someone. Super weird, because he’s pretty great at this specific task– he’s an expert at dodging people in the halls, having been doing it for two years.
“Whoa, sorry—” he looked up, and his words immediately froze in his throat.
Standing in front of him was a guy, a guy who looked like he could be carved from stone, with eyes that burned through him with an intensity Stiles could only describe as predatory. His jaw was sharp, dark hair a little too long, and there was something about him that made Stiles’ breath catch in his throat. He was taller than Stiles, broader too, like someone who didn’t just work out but spent hours on physical training, conditioning his body to be both powerful and intimidating.
It didn’t help that the guy was scowling, like it was his default facial expression.
“Uh—” Stiles started again, trying to muster some words, but the guy didn’t even blink. He was just standing there, silent and brooding, as if daring Stiles to make eye contact.
Stiles, of course, couldn't resist.
He raised an eyebrow. “Okay, I get it, you're the brooding, mysterious type. I’ve seen the look before. Works for some people. Not for me, but hey, you do you.”
The guy didn’t even respond. Just stared at him with that intense look. If anything, the scowl deepened.
Stiles stood awkwardly for a second, suddenly aware that his friends were watching nearby. Lydia, Jackson, and Allison were all whispering amongst themselves, eyeing the new guy with interest. Stiles had no idea who this dude was, but something about him screamed danger. It wasn’t just the look—it was the vibe. The air around him felt thick, like he was something more than just a regular student.
“You’re Derek, right?” Stiles finally blurted, his ADHD taking over, not caring if it came out too loud. “Hale? The Hale family? You’re back? Wow. Talk about making an entrance.”
Derek's frown twitched for just a second, like he was almost going to say something, just a twitch of his mouth, but quickly thought better of it. He just nodded stiffly, not saying a word.
Stiles blinked. “Okay, well, that’s the silent type. Got it.”
He shrugged, glancing at his friends, who were still watching with rapt attention. Of course, it only made Stiles more uncomfortable, so he shifted his weight and grinned at Derek, offering him a friendly but mischievous wink.
"Well, if you need directions or... I don’t know, some help with not scaring the crap out of people, feel free to ask," Stiles said, voice teasing but also a little nervous now, wondering why he cared at all about making this guy feel comfortable.
Derek, as usual, stayed silent. Stiles couldn’t decide whether it was fascinating or annoying. That said, his heart beat a little faster than it should have.
Stiles blinked, still processing the fact that he’d just tried to break through his icy wall of silence with an obnoxious grin. The tension between them was palpable, and for a moment, he wasn’t sure if Derek was going to either walk away or unleash a growl that would send him running in the other direction. Probably the second one.
But just as the silence stretched on, a soft, melodic voice cut through the awkwardness.
“Derek!”
A figure appeared from the hallway, striding toward them with an energy that contrasted so sharply with Derek’s stillness it was almost comical. Stiles barely had time to take in the image of Erica Reyes before she threw her arms around Derek, pulling him into a half-hug, half-chokehold that looked like it belonged in some bizarre greeting ritual.
“I’m sorry!” Erica said quickly, her voice laced with a sweet, apologetic warmth. “For the… uh, scowling... thing. He doesn’t bite. Well, unless you’re a real jerk, but I’d be more worried about him scaring the life out of you first.”
Stiles felt the tension in the air ease, the awkward silence dissipating as Erica practically dragged Derek away from him. She laughed, light and airy, a stark contrast to Derek’s heavy presence.
Derek barely reacted, not even flinching as Erica’s arm slipped around him like she’d done it a thousand times. But for a split second, Stiles saw something in Derek's eyes—some fleeting mix of confusion and embarrassment—as if he hadn't expected his old friend to intervene like this.
Erica was already pulling him back with a quiet, teasing tone. "C'mon, big guy, let's go. Don’t scare the poor guy too much—he’s just a little excited to meet you."
Derek didn’t seem to know how to respond to this, his expression unreadable. But as Erica led him away, the air around Stiles began to clear.
Her voice is clear as she says to him while they're walking away, “I’ve missed you some much.”
***
From behind Derek, Cora Hale had been watching the whole exchange with a slow-building, amused smile. She stood near the edge of the hallway, arms casually crossed over her chest, her eyes glinting with amusement.
She’d been observing her brother and Stiles for a while now, her gaze flicking between them as she tried to gauge what was happening. It was like watching a dog try to make friends with a cat that clearly didn’t want to play.
Cora bit her lip to suppress a giggle as Derek stood there, looking completely unprepared for the way Erica just swept in and defused the tension. The fact that Derek had, just moments earlier, been on the verge of scaring the life out of Stiles with his silence was not lost on Cora.
Her lips twitched as she leaned against the lockers, enjoying the scene in front of her. She could already tell that Stiles wasn’t going to give up on Derek anytime soon. That much was obvious from the way Stiles kept glancing at Derek even as he tried to backpedal in awkwardness.
As Erica continued to pull Derek away, Cora couldn’t resist the urge to laugh quietly to herself. The whole situation was just too funny.
Finally, with Derek and Erica rounding the corner, Cora straightened up, making her presence known. She gave Stiles a small, mischievous smile as she passed him, her eyes sparkling with unspoken amusement.
“Don’t worry, he’s not always like that,” Cora said as she walked by, her voice light but knowing. “But you do seem to have that effect on people, huh?”
Stiles turned to her, blinking, still a little dazed from the interaction with Derek. “What? You think I did that? That was all him! And he barely even talked! Did you see that? His whole vibe? Intense, like he’s just waiting for a reason to punch someone in the face. I mean, yeah, he’s hot, but holy crap, that was... scary.”
Cora raised an eyebrow, biting back a full grin. “Uh-huh. Sure. Whatever you say.” She laughed, her voice light and teasing. “You’ll figure him out eventually.”
Stiles watched her with narrowed eyes, but before he could respond, Cora was already walking past him, heading straight for Scott’s group. His group.
“Hey, Scott!” she greeted, giving him a friendly wave. Her smile was bright and warm as she joined them, immediately slipping into their conversation as if she had been a part of the group all along. Her presence brought a calmness to the group, and her energy was contagious. It only took a moment for her to bond with Lydia, Jackson, and Allison, seamlessly weaving herself into the circle. Introductions only taking a second.
***
Stiles blinked, still processing the odd, almost dizzying encounter. He rubbed the back of his neck, feeling like a fool, but also slightly giddy. He didn’t know what had just happened, but the whole thing had left him feeling a little lightheaded. Maybe it was because he’d never been that close to someone as intimidating as Derek before—someone who had that dark, brooding intensity that both unnerved and intrigued him.
He was aware of the fact that Cora had joined Scott’s side without hesitation, slipping into the social scene as if she’d been there all along. That wasn’t a surprise. Cora had the kind of personality that made everyone feel like they knew her. Still, as much as Stiles tried to convince himself he wasn’t rattled by the whole ordeal, he couldn’t stop thinking about Derek.
Stiles sighed and glanced back down the hall. Derek and Erica were gone, the tension now fully dissipated, leaving Stiles standing there alone with a lingering sense of curiosity gnawing at him.
That had been the most bizarre first meeting with a person he’d ever had.
“Well, that was… interesting,” he muttered to himself, shaking his head and heading off toward his locker, though his mind kept wandering back to Derek’s dark eyes and that unspoken tension between them.
Cora’s laugh had still been echoing in Stiles' ears as he walked toward the group, but now, his attention shifted back to the fact that maybe—just maybe—he'd been wrong about Derek. Perhaps there was more to him than just the cold, intimidating exterior.
Scott, Lydia, Allison, and Jackson were all deep in conversation when Stiles approached, but Cora, who had caught his eye from across the hallway, flashed him a knowing smile.
She couldn’t hide the gleam of mischief in her expression as she turned to Scott and the others, making herself at home with the group. Stiles smiles, she’ll fit right in.