Falling ~ Stiles Stilinski

Calm Before the Storm

Derek's heart pounded as he chased after the kanima, his eyes fixed on its reptilian form slithering through the dark streets. He knew the stakes were high. The kanima was on a killing spree, and if they didn't catch it soon, more innocent lives would be lost.

"Allison, get Lydia home," Michaela ordered her voice firm despite the tension hanging in the air. "Scott, Stiles, and I will cut off Derek and the kanima."

Allison nodded, her expression grave, and helped a shaken to-the-bone Lydia into her black sedan.

As they approached the outskirts of town, the screech of tires filled the air as spikes on the road forced them to a sudden stop. Stiles groaned in frustration. "What now?" he muttered under his breath.

Before anyone could respond, Scott jumped out of the Jeep and took off after Derek and the kanima. Stiles shot a worried glance at Michaela in the backseat, who was calmly unwrapping a Snickers bar.

Seriously? Now?" Stiles asked, incredulous.

"What?" Michaela mumbled around a mouthful of candy. "Stress eating."

Stiles shook his head, noticing how Michaela's leg bounced nervously, her fingers fiddling with her mom's bracelet. The Jeep was filled with an uneasy silence, broken only by her fidgeting and the faint scent of chocolate mingling with the musty air.

What's on your mind?" he asked gently, hoping to ease some of her distress.

Michaela let out a dry laugh. "You mean besides Jackson turning into a giant lizard that can paralyze people with a flick of his tail?" she said, frustration edging her voice.

Stiles nodded, conceding her point. "Yeah, fair. But I can tell there's more going on," he said, meeting her gaze.

Michaela hesitated before opening up. "When Erica attacked me," she started, her voice wavering. Stiles could hear the tremor in her breath, the raw emotion beneath her words.

"It was like she got burned just from touching me. Like my body fought back on its own. And it's not the first time." Michaela's eyes dropped to her chocolate-stained fingers, her voice catching in her throat. "I think... I think something's wrong with me."

Stiles could feel the warmth radiating from her, the tension in her voice filling the small, confined space of the Jeep.

Michaela fell silent, her gaze fixed on the marks left by Erica's claws, the memory of the attack still heavy in her mind. The silence between them was thick with unspoken words and lingering fears.

"Hey," Stiles murmured, stepping closer, his voice a tender balm against the storm of her thoughts. "We'll figure this out, alright?" His hand gently rested on her arm, and she felt the warmth of his touch seep into her, grounding her in the present moment.

As he noticed the tension in her shoulders start to ease, his heart swelled with a protectiveness he didn't fully understand. "Once we handle this kanima mess, we'll get to the bottom of everything else," he continued, his voice low and sincere. He hesitated for a split second before reaching out to brush a strand of hair from her face, his fingers lingering longer than necessary. "Michaela, look at me," he whispered, his breath mingling with hers as their eyes locked. "There's nothing wrong with you. You're perfect." The words tumbled out before he could stop them, surprising him with their raw honesty.

A flicker of relief washed over Michaela, but it was quickly overshadowed by the intensity in Stiles' gaze. For a brief, electrifying moment, she could have sworn his eyes flicked to her lips, and her heart skipped a beat. Heat rushed to her cheeks, and she quickly looked away, biting her lip as she tried to steady her racing pulse.