Teen Wolf Recs, part 1
As promised, this is a post full of Teen Wolf fic recs. I have not included WIPs, and I'm saving any fic written for/because of me for a second, special round. But since I've fallen headfirst into this fandom, I figured I might as well spread the love.
A lot of the recs are Sterek fic -- I'm not really a Sterek shipper per se, but that's the overwhelming majority of the fic out there, and I'm easily persuaded when the writing is good. I'll rec the Sterek stuff first, and then put other pairings below that.
Sterek recs below!
A Californian Werewolf in New York by dancinbutterfly and knight_tracer
When Derek finally realizes that there's nothing left for him in Beacon Hills, he goes back to New York, gets a life, falls in love and finds his home.
This may be the fic I've recced to people most often. It's just so great -- a Derek character study that is overwhelmingly HOPEFUL and happy without being out of character. It's about Derek putting his life together, having interests and hobbies, building a pack beyond the one he made out of desperation, and making a life in my favorite city. It features slow burn Sterek where the relationship develops over distance while they're both adults, they're each capable of being attracted to other dudes, and Derek doesn't have to be super-toppy all the time, thus breaking some of my least favorite Teen Wolf fic tropes. Plus, it features Oz from Buffy in a natural crossover that will be a treat for Buffy fans but should not be a deterrant for non-fans -- all you need to know is in the story. This fic was also made simultaneously with a podfic, so if podfic is your thing, I highly recommend that, too!
Every Step You Take by Nokomis
Stiles accidentally ends up magically bound to Derek. It’s super.
Some tropes I am unabashedly addicted to. "Magically stuck together for an indeterminate amount of time" is one of them. And this is a great example, full of in-character snark and awkwardness and emotions. It made me grin like crazy on the train as I read it. All the supporting characters are really well-handled, too, and it's long and plotty. If you like the trope and/or Sterek as a ship, this is something you want to read.
It Spins Like a Wheel Inside You by cherry_darling
"Do you remember your first full moon?" Laura asks. Her front is pressed against Derek’s side, he can feel her ribs under the thin cotton of her Led Zeppelin T-shirt and they’re wedged together on a double bed in a tiny hotel on the outskirts of a small town in North Carolina. ; Derek and Laura before and after the fire.
Oh, god, this fic is painful and beautiful and makes me want to cry ugly tears, but I promise it has a hopeful ending. It's Derek character study, primarily, with lots of backstory (including various Hales and Derek/OMC ships, which make me happy because so few people are willing to acknowledge Derek's queerness as anything beyond being Stilesexual), but mostly it's a story about Derek and Laura and their bond as siblings and everything that breaks them and ultimately breaks them apart. I just want all the fic in the world about Derek and his family and his pain, and this fic totally hit the spot. The Sterek is almost incidental -- I recommend this even if the ship isn't your cup of tea.
Important Things by suzvoy
Stiles learns that even with werewolves, giant lizards and psychopathic hunters on the loose, life can still find other ways to screw with you. Case in point: everyone keeps assuming he and Derek are a couple. What the hell?
This is a long, meaty fic with fantastic character voices and a lot of humor. The misunderstandings never triggered my embarrassment squick, and all the character interactions are spot-on, particularly scenes between Stiles and his dad. There's some mate tropes, but not to an extent that I was bothered by them. And mostly, it's just a lovely Stiles character study, with him coming to terms with his sexuality and his feelings for Derek, and that's the kind of thing I eat up like CANDY. Highly recommended.
DILF by twentysomething
"Today is Scott's first day of kindergarten and Derek is terrified."
This is a human AU in which Scott and Jackson are Laura Hale's kids who Derek adopted after their death, and Stiles is Scott's kindergarten teacher. Sterek ensues. I'll be honest -- I'm usually not an AU person. (Beyond the "getting stuck in an AU sense -- I mean always-an-AU stories aren't usually my thing.) But I'm a sucker for kidfic, and this is WONDERFUL kidfic. The kids actually feel like real children, and the Derek and Stiles characterizations are great. The Sterek is good, too, but mostly I just love the kidfic adorableness, which is perfect and lovely.
Alpha Spikes by starbeast
AU. Alphas are like royalty and are offered their choice of any age eighteen-and-up virgin Omega for each year's heat season, as a 'thank-you' to all they've done for their compounds throughout the year. Derek is an Alpha and...yeah, Stiles. Stiles is an Omega. And still a virgin. In every way. And he's just turned eighteen. This...is not his day.
Probably the only Omegaverse story I will ever read, much less recommend. But a friend recced this, and I gave it a shot, and it's really, really compelling, despite my general dislike of AUs, Omegaverse, knotting, and a lot of Sterek porn. That's a weird way to sell a story, but this is one of the most widely-read fics in the fandom for a reason. It's hot, the characterization is perfect, and the worldbuilding is actually really cool and fascinating. Oh, also, there is bonus Jackson/Danny in the background, if that's a selling point!
To Have Outlived the Night by stillane
Derek steps away from the window. “You helped me. They took that as a declaration.”
This is a long, plotty fic that I love to bits. It involves a pretend boyfriends trope, and while it takes a bit of a leap of logic to buy that as the only solution to the crisis Derek and Stiles face, the characterization and plottiness more than make up for it. While the Sterek is great, the real highlights come from the A-plot, with different hunter factions going after our heroes, and the B-plot, where Derek and Stiles solve an old case of the Sheriff's. Plus, there's some great Allison characterization that works to heal her relationship with the pack and with Derek in particular. I highly recommend this to anyone who just likes good storytelling, even if they're not a Sterek fan.
In Word and in Deed by leilabell
Stiles has stopped saying "I love you." Derek wants to know why.
I don't know if it was because I was sick or if because stories about fraught relationships naturally make me sad, but I sobbed like a baby over this fic, and I NEVER cry at text. I promise it has a happy ending, but to get there you have to go through an incredibly realistic portrait of a relationship falling apart, and it's beautiful and heartbreaking and perfect.
Five Times the Sheriff Found Derek Hale in his Son's Bedroom by suzvoy
There's a pattern Sheriff Stilinski just can't ignore.
What it says on the tin. This fic has a lovely Sheriff voice, and I love the chance to see a perspective on Sterek from someone outside the pairing.
Spiral by verity
The first time Darcy Hale came into the Stilinski house through the front door-she was there to talk with Stiles's dad, to do damage control, probably, now that Stiles had come clean and sent everyone in the pack panicked late-night text messages-the first time, she paused just inside and stared at one of the pictures on the wall. It was Stiles with her mom, standing in front of their Christmas tree, from right after they found out her mom was sick. "Who's that?" Darcy said.
I go back and forth on whether or not I actually ship Sterek, but when they're lesbians it's not even a QUESTION. And this is a really great example of why. Always a girl!Derek and always a girl!Stiles, dealing with their histories of loss and grief. There's lots of Laura Hale and Mama Stilinski characterization as a result, which I am always in favor of. Basically, this fic is just beautiful -- and apparently there are sequels, which I did not realize and which I have to go read RIGHT NOW.
Now, for non-Sterek recs...
not the sentimental type by rollingwithimpunity (Danny/Jackson)
It's not a respectful thing to think, but Danny's not exactly surprised when Jackson dies from doing something stupid (sad yes, surprised no). The coming back to life is unexpected.
This is a fantastic Danny point of view, a totally reasonable extrapolation of what he MUST have gone through in the aftermath of that episode, and the Jackson voice is spot-on, in all his douchebaggery. I love how this fic portrays their relationship, how they're still so THEM despite all the changes in their lives and their friendship.
Lay Down Your Armour (and Let's End this War) by havent_got_a_clue (Chris/Peter)
Chris Argent, college student, meets Peter Hale and his whole world changes.
I am REALLY into the idea of Chris/Peter, and this fic certainly satisfies the desire for backstory where they were lovers. Becauser they REALLY SHOULD BE. But what I love more about this fic is the Chris Argent character study, this glimpse at a young man trying to be a good person growing up with Gerard for a father and the weight of expectation of becoming a hunter thrust upon him. The bits with Kate are especially heartbreaking, because she's still his little sister in some ways, still a silly teenager, but it's so clear that she's already too far gone to save, that she's going to grow up twisted because of their father. This fic is sad and beautiful.
Metamorphosis by ahab2692 (Jackson gen with Jackson/Stiles)
It's a thing born of hate and desperation.
This is not a happy story, but it's wonderfully told, dealing with Jackson in the aftermath of the kanima mess in a way that's believable and resonant, if brutal. Trigger warning for Matt/Jackson noncon backstory applies, but it's not glorified in any way. This is Jackson trying and failing to pick up the pieces, realizing that transformation doesn't fix everything and going to Stiles for what he needs.
Next Thursday by wldnst (Danny/Stiles)
In which Stiles Stilinski has a werewolf for a best friend, a support group for that, hot chocolate with Lydia Martin and Danny Mahealani every Thursday evening, and an extremely anticlimactic coming out experience.
This fic is the CUTEST THING. I always want more Danny and more Lydia and this provides both in spades, and the Stiles POV that ties it all together is great. The Stiles/Danny is a slow burn and is absolutely fantastic, and I just want to squish them together and pinch their cheeks. If you're looking for something about the humans trying to live lives beyond the werewolf drama, this is definitely something you want to be reading.
A lot of the recs are Sterek fic -- I'm not really a Sterek shipper per se, but that's the overwhelming majority of the fic out there, and I'm easily persuaded when the writing is good. I'll rec the Sterek stuff first, and then put other pairings below that.
Sterek recs below!
A Californian Werewolf in New York by dancinbutterfly and knight_tracer
When Derek finally realizes that there's nothing left for him in Beacon Hills, he goes back to New York, gets a life, falls in love and finds his home.
This may be the fic I've recced to people most often. It's just so great -- a Derek character study that is overwhelmingly HOPEFUL and happy without being out of character. It's about Derek putting his life together, having interests and hobbies, building a pack beyond the one he made out of desperation, and making a life in my favorite city. It features slow burn Sterek where the relationship develops over distance while they're both adults, they're each capable of being attracted to other dudes, and Derek doesn't have to be super-toppy all the time, thus breaking some of my least favorite Teen Wolf fic tropes. Plus, it features Oz from Buffy in a natural crossover that will be a treat for Buffy fans but should not be a deterrant for non-fans -- all you need to know is in the story. This fic was also made simultaneously with a podfic, so if podfic is your thing, I highly recommend that, too!
Every Step You Take by Nokomis
Stiles accidentally ends up magically bound to Derek. It’s super.
Some tropes I am unabashedly addicted to. "Magically stuck together for an indeterminate amount of time" is one of them. And this is a great example, full of in-character snark and awkwardness and emotions. It made me grin like crazy on the train as I read it. All the supporting characters are really well-handled, too, and it's long and plotty. If you like the trope and/or Sterek as a ship, this is something you want to read.
It Spins Like a Wheel Inside You by cherry_darling
"Do you remember your first full moon?" Laura asks. Her front is pressed against Derek’s side, he can feel her ribs under the thin cotton of her Led Zeppelin T-shirt and they’re wedged together on a double bed in a tiny hotel on the outskirts of a small town in North Carolina. ; Derek and Laura before and after the fire.
Oh, god, this fic is painful and beautiful and makes me want to cry ugly tears, but I promise it has a hopeful ending. It's Derek character study, primarily, with lots of backstory (including various Hales and Derek/OMC ships, which make me happy because so few people are willing to acknowledge Derek's queerness as anything beyond being Stilesexual), but mostly it's a story about Derek and Laura and their bond as siblings and everything that breaks them and ultimately breaks them apart. I just want all the fic in the world about Derek and his family and his pain, and this fic totally hit the spot. The Sterek is almost incidental -- I recommend this even if the ship isn't your cup of tea.
Important Things by suzvoy
Stiles learns that even with werewolves, giant lizards and psychopathic hunters on the loose, life can still find other ways to screw with you. Case in point: everyone keeps assuming he and Derek are a couple. What the hell?
This is a long, meaty fic with fantastic character voices and a lot of humor. The misunderstandings never triggered my embarrassment squick, and all the character interactions are spot-on, particularly scenes between Stiles and his dad. There's some mate tropes, but not to an extent that I was bothered by them. And mostly, it's just a lovely Stiles character study, with him coming to terms with his sexuality and his feelings for Derek, and that's the kind of thing I eat up like CANDY. Highly recommended.
DILF by twentysomething
"Today is Scott's first day of kindergarten and Derek is terrified."
This is a human AU in which Scott and Jackson are Laura Hale's kids who Derek adopted after their death, and Stiles is Scott's kindergarten teacher. Sterek ensues. I'll be honest -- I'm usually not an AU person. (Beyond the "getting stuck in an AU sense -- I mean always-an-AU stories aren't usually my thing.) But I'm a sucker for kidfic, and this is WONDERFUL kidfic. The kids actually feel like real children, and the Derek and Stiles characterizations are great. The Sterek is good, too, but mostly I just love the kidfic adorableness, which is perfect and lovely.
Alpha Spikes by starbeast
AU. Alphas are like royalty and are offered their choice of any age eighteen-and-up virgin Omega for each year's heat season, as a 'thank-you' to all they've done for their compounds throughout the year. Derek is an Alpha and...yeah, Stiles. Stiles is an Omega. And still a virgin. In every way. And he's just turned eighteen. This...is not his day.
Probably the only Omegaverse story I will ever read, much less recommend. But a friend recced this, and I gave it a shot, and it's really, really compelling, despite my general dislike of AUs, Omegaverse, knotting, and a lot of Sterek porn. That's a weird way to sell a story, but this is one of the most widely-read fics in the fandom for a reason. It's hot, the characterization is perfect, and the worldbuilding is actually really cool and fascinating. Oh, also, there is bonus Jackson/Danny in the background, if that's a selling point!
To Have Outlived the Night by stillane
Derek steps away from the window. “You helped me. They took that as a declaration.”
This is a long, plotty fic that I love to bits. It involves a pretend boyfriends trope, and while it takes a bit of a leap of logic to buy that as the only solution to the crisis Derek and Stiles face, the characterization and plottiness more than make up for it. While the Sterek is great, the real highlights come from the A-plot, with different hunter factions going after our heroes, and the B-plot, where Derek and Stiles solve an old case of the Sheriff's. Plus, there's some great Allison characterization that works to heal her relationship with the pack and with Derek in particular. I highly recommend this to anyone who just likes good storytelling, even if they're not a Sterek fan.
In Word and in Deed by leilabell
Stiles has stopped saying "I love you." Derek wants to know why.
I don't know if it was because I was sick or if because stories about fraught relationships naturally make me sad, but I sobbed like a baby over this fic, and I NEVER cry at text. I promise it has a happy ending, but to get there you have to go through an incredibly realistic portrait of a relationship falling apart, and it's beautiful and heartbreaking and perfect.
Five Times the Sheriff Found Derek Hale in his Son's Bedroom by suzvoy
There's a pattern Sheriff Stilinski just can't ignore.
What it says on the tin. This fic has a lovely Sheriff voice, and I love the chance to see a perspective on Sterek from someone outside the pairing.
Spiral by verity
The first time Darcy Hale came into the Stilinski house through the front door-she was there to talk with Stiles's dad, to do damage control, probably, now that Stiles had come clean and sent everyone in the pack panicked late-night text messages-the first time, she paused just inside and stared at one of the pictures on the wall. It was Stiles with her mom, standing in front of their Christmas tree, from right after they found out her mom was sick. "Who's that?" Darcy said.
I go back and forth on whether or not I actually ship Sterek, but when they're lesbians it's not even a QUESTION. And this is a really great example of why. Always a girl!Derek and always a girl!Stiles, dealing with their histories of loss and grief. There's lots of Laura Hale and Mama Stilinski characterization as a result, which I am always in favor of. Basically, this fic is just beautiful -- and apparently there are sequels, which I did not realize and which I have to go read RIGHT NOW.
Now, for non-Sterek recs...
not the sentimental type by rollingwithimpunity (Danny/Jackson)
It's not a respectful thing to think, but Danny's not exactly surprised when Jackson dies from doing something stupid (sad yes, surprised no). The coming back to life is unexpected.
This is a fantastic Danny point of view, a totally reasonable extrapolation of what he MUST have gone through in the aftermath of that episode, and the Jackson voice is spot-on, in all his douchebaggery. I love how this fic portrays their relationship, how they're still so THEM despite all the changes in their lives and their friendship.
Lay Down Your Armour (and Let's End this War) by havent_got_a_clue (Chris/Peter)
Chris Argent, college student, meets Peter Hale and his whole world changes.
I am REALLY into the idea of Chris/Peter, and this fic certainly satisfies the desire for backstory where they were lovers. Becauser they REALLY SHOULD BE. But what I love more about this fic is the Chris Argent character study, this glimpse at a young man trying to be a good person growing up with Gerard for a father and the weight of expectation of becoming a hunter thrust upon him. The bits with Kate are especially heartbreaking, because she's still his little sister in some ways, still a silly teenager, but it's so clear that she's already too far gone to save, that she's going to grow up twisted because of their father. This fic is sad and beautiful.
Metamorphosis by ahab2692 (Jackson gen with Jackson/Stiles)
It's a thing born of hate and desperation.
This is not a happy story, but it's wonderfully told, dealing with Jackson in the aftermath of the kanima mess in a way that's believable and resonant, if brutal. Trigger warning for Matt/Jackson noncon backstory applies, but it's not glorified in any way. This is Jackson trying and failing to pick up the pieces, realizing that transformation doesn't fix everything and going to Stiles for what he needs.
Next Thursday by wldnst (Danny/Stiles)
In which Stiles Stilinski has a werewolf for a best friend, a support group for that, hot chocolate with Lydia Martin and Danny Mahealani every Thursday evening, and an extremely anticlimactic coming out experience.
This fic is the CUTEST THING. I always want more Danny and more Lydia and this provides both in spades, and the Stiles POV that ties it all together is great. The Stiles/Danny is a slow burn and is absolutely fantastic, and I just want to squish them together and pinch their cheeks. If you're looking for something about the humans trying to live lives beyond the werewolf drama, this is definitely something you want to be reading.