DISCLAIMER: I don't own anyone you recognize. Nor do I own Queen's.
A/N: This is more of a blurb than a chapter scene, but it's been on my mind for a while and OopsyDasey (aka shyesplease) thought it was okay to post.
"Here comes the new batch."
Derek looks up from his spot on the bench; casually tightening his laces, to Sam, and then following his line of sight out to the new kids on the ice, hoping to play Gael hockey this year.
"Were we ever that green?" Sam wonders aloud. They're Juniors now, and Freshman year seems so long ago.
Derek snorts. "Speak for yourself," he jokes. "I'm a Hockey God, remember?" His high school self-appointed title may have dropped in usage since Derek realized during his second week of practice just how much more effort it was gonna take to be up to par, and just how much bigger the college pond was, but it still remained a lingering joke between the two of them.
"Oh, right," Sam drawls sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "How could I forget?"
Derek stands. "Come on, let's go see how much work we've got cut out for us." He's seen the incomers' stats, now it's time to see what they can do.
What it looks like they're doing though, is staring at Casey, who's sitting close to the home bench, doing her homework.
She's agreed to give her roommate the dorm for the night, for a visiting boyfriend, which means Casey's taking the couch in Derek & Sam's suite when practice is over. She's not paying any attention to the ice, whatsoever, but even from his spot, Derek can swear he sees drool practically coming out of freshman Loren's mouth.
Derek just shakes his head.
As the team runs drills, it's easy to tell who's been working out over the off-season and who's gonna need to be whipped into shape. Derek exchanges a couple of smirks with some of the other teammates as they watch the freshmen run suicides.
"Looks like Loren's still got his eye on your girl, Venturi," Michael St. John chuckles.
Derek lets out an amused snort as he tracks the boys on the ice. "For all the good it's gonna do him. He's gonna wear himself out too quick trying to show off and Case isn't gonna pull her nose out of that book until it's time to go home."
Funny how three years ago he'd be fervently denying that Casey was his ANYTHING, let alone his girl, instead of actually focusing on the new recruits with the team Captain. Besides, it's not like the whole team doesn't know the truth anyways. He proves correct about Casey anyways. She only glances up once when the coach uses his whistle for the first time, and then promptly goes back to her studying after tossing a quick wave Sam's way. She doesn't even notice Loren. Derek almost, almost feels bad for the kid.
She only looks up at the end and she, Sam and Derek make their way to the Prince.
Loren watches them go.
"You're outta luck, kid," St. John warns the kid affably.
"She's not available?" the boy asks, failing miserably to sound not completely lovesick.
"Not to you," the Captain says.
The younger boy frowns. "She with Venturi?"
"Yeah," Micheal agrees with a smirk. "She is." It's true anyways, even if the answer isn't exactly accurate to the question Loren implies. At least, not yet.
OopsyDasey seems to think Casey would have a thing or two to say about the presumption, but what Casey doesn't know won't hurt her. Don't you agree?
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