2018.08.17 - Making the Cut

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*Scott explores his newly rediscovered werewolf powers, while Stiles fails to keep up, Coach Derek is gruff, and Selena and Mason enjoy the show. Dash makes contact with Stiles about a future encounter with the Night Angel.*

September 2015

Forks High School

Coach Derek has said more than once that he is willing to help Scott and Stiles practice for lacrosse team tryouts, and even though it's not the sport he coaches and he doesn't know all that much about it, he still knows more and has better resources than the average person. He could fill in if necessary as coach, for a practice or two, even if he's not going to try and coach during a game...but then, they should be well-practiced enough by then to win in that case, right? Maybe. He really doesn't know.

But what he does know is that lacrosse means sticks and balls, which brings a smirk to his face as he thinks back on Stiles and his remarks about ball-handling. Ball-handling. Derek tries not to grin *too* much when he looks at Stiles. Wouldn't want to give the boy a complex or something.

"So. Practice. You run. You throw the ball with your stick." Derek points to Stiles, then to Scott. "You catch. See how it goes. Then switch off." Simple and straightforward, like always, Derek works with an economy of words.

Scott McCall is living the dream. He is suited up in lacross gear, and not an inhaler in sight. He understands the basics, in fact the more he thinks about it. Scott realizes he really knows this game very well. Once he would have just said that was because of all the reports he had to write when he was sitting out of PE classes from his asthma. Now though, well now he just figures it is weird. One more thing on the growing list. He nods to Coach Derek and looks confident. "Ok, think we've got it."

Scott McCall flashes a grin at Stiles as he lowers the facemask of his helmet into place. "Ok, we've got this Stiles. Piece of cake.Ready?" He stretches and spins the stick like a quarter staff before effortlessly scooping the ball and starting off at a jog. Getting a dozen feet or so, and then throwing it lightly to Stiles. Or he is trying to throw it lightly. Like he was trying to break on the pool table the other night lightly too. "Incoming Stiles!"

Stiles grins and picks up his stick, giving it a bit of a twirl. He even manages not to drop it when he fumbles the catch. After a moment if panicked scrambling, he turns to grin at Derek again and says, "No sweat, Coach. We know the drill! We used to play all the time back in..." He trails off, as if he's lost his train of thought, then finishes a beat later, "...y'know, middle school and stuff." Reaching over to clap Scott on the shoulder, he says, "You can start off, and I'll see if I can keep up with your newfound sexified athleticism." His tone is teasing, but maybe there's some reality in there. Even so, he moves into position, adjusts his helmet, and when Scott fires the ball at him, his eyes go wide. He lunges, he leaps--and he eats turf, hitting the ground several seconds after the ball has already gone past. "...That'll be a no," he groans, starting to get back to his feet.

Dash stands back a bit from the field, Watching the others practice. His usually omnipresent black trencoat is gone, and he's wearing a blue baseball cap. Technically, he doesn't belong there. In fact, he doesn't even go to that school, but he's never let technicalities bother him. As he gazes out over the field, his eyes settle on the coach. Same height, build, and face structure that he had seen a few nights ago. His plan had worked! He walked over to the coach, a large -and very full- manilla envelope under his arm. He grins as he gets close to the coach. "Coach Hale!" He calls out, holding out the envelope for Derek. "The principal told me to run this over to you."

Mason is in his usual spot on the bleachers watching when people are practicing. And pretending to study.. Or half studying ... He watches quietly from the bleachers and Dash is there again. He watches wondering if things are going to go crazy again. Well either way he gets to watch the coach in short shorts again....

Dash stands back a bit from the field, Watching the others practice. His usually omnipresent black trencoat is gone, and he's wearing a blue baseball cap. Technically, he doesn't belong there. In fact, he doesn't even go to that school, but he's never let technicalities bother him. As he gazes out over the field, his eyes settle on Stiles. He walks over to Stiles, a large -and very full- manilla envelope under his arm. He spends a long moment looking at coach Hale, silently wondering something to himself. He shakes himself out of it and continues toward Stiles. He grins as he gets close to the Stiles. "Stilinski!" He calls out, holding out the envelope for him. "The school nurse told me to run this over to you. Some kind of health info thing you need to fill out if you're gonna be on the lacrosse team. There's some sensitive info, so you *might wanna open it in private*".

"*You* throw," Derek frowns at Scott, as he goes over to haul Stiles up and dust him off. "*You* catch. Pay attention, McCall." This is a perhaps unnecessarily thorough dusting, but then Stiles did eat a lot of turf. They probably need half of what he's wearing to complete the field. Plus, it's important to assess Stiles for any injuries since maybe he was listening where Scott clearly wasn't. "You okay?" He quietly inquires, looking Stiles right in the eyes.

But then Dash is there, and Derek takes a step back, looking him over. That's the kid from the other night...so Derek makes himself a little more scarce. He knows Dash is perceptive. Precocious, perhaps. While Stiles is engaged, Derek picks up the stick and flings the ball back in Scott's direction...maybe a little harder than he intended.

Scott McCall winces and says after a moments pause. "Sorry." Before moving to help Stiles back to his feet but stopping as Coach Derek gets there first. It is true, Scott is running faster, jumping further, throwing harder. All the things he spoke about in Jacob Black's driveway. If anything after acknowledging them it is like they are even more prominent still. Like he stopped being afraid of it, by just accepting it was crazy, but somehow also real. As the coach retreats, Scott adds "I guess I don't know the power of my own sexified athleticism yet." He catches the ball as it is thrown to him, but the stick jerks in his hand. That was some arm on the coach! He shrugs a little helplessly at the admonishment, but flashes one of those Scott McCall grins at him. "C'mon buddy you got this. Lets really impress Coach Derek."

Scott wanted to, he realized. Especially now that he had been chastised. Like some part of him wanted to show that he could do this now. Coach Derek, one of the few people that always supported his routinely failed bids at sports. He was always there gently urging him on, guiding, helping....*Mentoring!* The realization is like a cold spash of water. Was Coach Derek one of his mentors that Jacob Black referred to? He certainly fit the bill. But he didn't seem wrapped up in all the weirdness, was he? As Scott ponders that he looks at the envelope that Stiles gets from some random kid. "You didn't fill that out already? I did yesterday, turned my head and coughed and everything." Really cold hands. Not weird. But just the same, really cold hands.

Dash turns to Derek, shrugging. "Beats me. The nurse just asked me to deliver this. She said something about wanting to make sure this wouldn't interfere in some of his *other extracurricular activities*, health wise." He turns back to Stiles, flashing him a quick, mischievious grin.

Stiles accepts the hand up, looking a bit self-conscious at being dusted off so vigorously. Somehow, that just feels kinda... well, nevermind! He grins some at Derek and says, "Uh, thanks." Then Dash hands him the folder, Stiles blinks a couple of times, and then gives him a decisive nod. "Thanks, kid." He trots over to his duffel bag, carefully putting the envelope under all his stuff, and then returns to the field. He shoots Scott a *we'll talk later* look and smirks at the reference to coughing. "Mason, you wanna hang out with the new kid, here?" he calls over. Someone should keep an eye on Dash, after all. Getting back into position, he grins again at Scott. "Okay, I'm ready this time. I'll just pretend I'm a pool hall room wall."

Mason shrugs and offers Dash a seat next to him. He seems a little surprised he's always in tbe bleacher sbut other than Liam no one usually noticed him. He was just part of the sceenery. He wasn't used to people actually noticing him.

"Good!" Derek seems to be satisfied, and less severe, when Scott catches the ball and flashes that grin his direction. It's the kind of grin that is hard to stay cross with for any length of time. Call it a low-level super power of Scott's.

In all honesty, he's also kind of relieved. A few seconds after Derek whipped the ball across the field, he realized that he not only isn't particularly used to the sport, but also that he pitched it with a tremendous amount of force...one that he finds remarkable a boy Scott's age--and only last week wheezing into an inhaler--could catch so relatively easily.

The coach was ready to get Scott to throw to him while Stiles was busy, but then he gets back into place. Derek hands the stick over and steps back from Stiles. He's heard the story, and his thick eyebrows lower in a particularly strong hint of a frown. "There will be *no* embedding the ball in the Stiles," he states. This is not up for debate.

Scott McCall shakes his head to Stiles and looks sheepish. "No, you pass, I catch remember? Besides the pool hall wall looked pretty bad after that." Scott was not going to piss the coach off again, not when he was trying to impress him. Not that Derek alone wouldn't want to see Stiles hurt. Scott was pretty determined that wouldn't come to pass either. Scott McCall never wanted to see anyone hurt. Scanning the area he waves to Mason. "Hey Mason! Take some video for your friend Liam!" But then he gets ready for when Stiles passes the ball, nodding to that look he gets sent. Scott and Stiles have that unspoken language born of many misadventures together. He understood what his best friend was telling him, and so they would discuss it later.

Stiles rolls his eyes some, shaking his head, and grins again. "Oh, fine!" He scoops up the ball in his net, then moves over into position. He also laughs some and adds, "Don't worry, I'm pretty good at avoiding ba--" He stops, shakes his head, and says, "Nope. Just gonna throw." So, he takes position, takes aim, and then lets the ball fly at Scott with all his might. Heck, it's even a decent throw! Stiles is definitely not the athlete that Scott is, but he's not completely useless, either.

Dash takes a seat on the bleachers next to Mason, and watches the action below with a detached amusement. "So Mason, haven't seen you in a while, how're things?" He asks, turning to face him. He didn't bother telling him about all the other stuff he was upto, or that Stiles was upto it as well. He didn't know if Mason was at all involved, and didn't want to involve him if he was. He was, at the moment, the closest thing Dash had to a friend.

Mason hasn't met night angel, and its entirely possible he doesn't even know the Vigilante exsists. He hangs out with Scott a decent bit, but Stiles seems busy about half the time. Mason was busy studying still, and shrugs, pulling out his phone and starts filming since Scott asked him to. And yeah the pictures seemed to keep focusing on body parts rather than the game. From short shorts coach to Scott's booty and even the flailing stiles... All of the flailing stiles.

Mason hasn't met night angel, and its entirely possible he doesn't even know the Vigilante exsists. He hangs out with Scott a decent bit, but Stiles seems busy about half the time. Mason was busy studying still, and shrugs, pulling out his phone and starts filming since Scott asked him to. And yeah the pictures seemed to keep focusing on body parts rather than the game. From short shorts coach to Scott's booty and even the flailing stiles... All of the flailing stiles. He smile At Dash and says simply, "Pretty good... Nice view huh?"

Selena comes out of the gym with a purple backpack over one shoulder and a notebook and pen held in her other hand. She looks around the field to see what's going on and spots several people she's met recently both on the field and off. She gives a little nod of her head and moves over to sit on the opposite side of Mason from Dash and begins to chew on the end of her pen as she watches the practice with curiosity. "Hi guys." She says to Mason and Dash and whenever she can catch an eye, she waves at Scott and Stiles because... cute.

Short shorts! A clingy, mostly white t-shirt! And his usual athletic shoes. Coach Derek doesn't look too much different than usual, other than the shorts; most of the time he wears longer pants, like track pants or sweatpants, though he has tended lately more towards track pants since *supposedly* the sweatpants kept distracting people for some reason.

When Stiles pitches, Derek nods with approval, folding his arms over his chest. This has the added effect of making his pectoral muscles even easier to notice under the shirt. Not that it was hiding much of anything, of course. Happening to turn at the right moment, he catches Selena walking up and gives a nod of acknowledgement in her direction.

Scott McCall is grinning like an idiot as he leaps into the air, and spins on his axis. Scopping the ball out of the air mid-spin and landing back on the ground with a wild look of joy in his eyes. He could have fired that ball right back off at the end of the spin, but that would have been pretty extreme. Which as they had discussed was not what they were trying to do here. Gaping at what he just did, he runs over to Stiles. "Did you see that! I think we can make the team now." Then in a lower voice. "And yeah this is weird. But you know what? I am starting to love weird!" He looks over at Coach Derek to get his reaction as well. Waving as he does so to those on the bleachers. Really hoping that Mason had his phone out for that. Really, seriously hoping his phone was out and not zoomed in on his butt. Yes, he knew.

Stiles' jaw drops as Scott executes that leaping catch, and he pumps a fist into the air, whooping loudly. Yanking off his helmet, he points at Scott and says, "Now *that* is first line material! *Yes!*" His grin doesn't even falter as Scott declares his love for weird, and Stiles just beams at him. "Welcome to my world, Scotty," is all he says to that, bumping shoulders with his friend. He then spots Selena and returns her wave, grinning and pointing at Scott in a *see what he did!* sort of way. Turning to face Derek, Stiles calls over, "How 'bout it, Coach? You think Scott's about ready for try-outs?"

Dash grins back at Mason and says "Yes it is. Very nice view indeed." He had to admit he did find most of them attractive. He leaned back, taking all the sights in. Maybe,b he thought to himself, he could put his investigation on hold for a bit, have some fun. This certainly seemed like the right kind of town for it. He leans in closer to Mason and quietly asks "Who's the one kicking Stile's ass?"

Mason HAD caught It on his phone. And seriously it looked like a Move Liam would have done after a LOT of training with his dad. Liam had been trainign to be on the LAcrosse team for like 2 and a half years. And Scott seems to have picked it up over night. Yep another odd thing to add to the list.... The list he kept forgetting he had. He shrugs, "That's Scott you sorta met him when all the weirdness happen. He's pretty cool. He used to have asthma and suddenly he does stuff like that. And you know Selena. And if you don't know the Coach he's the one rocking the short shorts." HE waves to selena as she walks by thogh they're in the bleachers not on the field with scott stiles and Derek.

Selena turns a fetching shade of red when she realizes coach hunky-butt is actually nodding at her. She lifts her fingers and gives a slightly more subdued wave in his direction and quickly tucks her legs up under herself and studies her notebook with far too much interest, starting to spin tap her pen on it until she accidentally sends the pen zipping almost all the way to the field. She blinks and jumps up, running over quickly to retrieve her pen which sticks in the ground on the other side of the track lanes like a tiny arrow. She catches Stile's pointing and laughs, nodding her head, she offers a little *yaaay* and pumps both fists in the air for Scott.... though it's almost awkward with her dirt-covered pen in hand and her face all red.

Derek gives Scott a look-over once, then back up again and nods a single time. "Ready to try out," he answers Stiles. "But more practice won't hurt. Let's focus on getting you ready." He looks to Stiles with that. "We need to get you blowing their doors off," the coach rumbles, gesturing to Scott. "McCall. Dial your guns down. We need to make his hands into ball magnets."

Yeah, he went there. But he felt like it was going to happen sooner or later anyway. "Stiles. You up for this?"

Scott McCall looks utterly and completely elated at what he just did. It was as if the ball was just moving in slow motion. He knew just how to jump, just where he needed the stick. It was a combination of instinct, knowledge of the sport, and athleticism. All coming together into perfect harmony. Clapping Stiles on the shoulder he looks enthusiastically to Coach Derek and awaits his word on the topic. He nods to Coach Derek, when he is told he is ready. Keeping it together on the outside, but screaming in joy inside. Then he throws an arm around, and looks at Stiles. "You got it coach. I'll work with him before try outs. He'll be catching balls in his sleep. Two and three at a time. From ever direction." He pauses a moment, or at least slows down a little. Part of him realizing that somehow, that might sound wrong. But it is delivered with that Scott McCall optimism and that new found confidence and that helps make up for at least a small fraction of the potentially pervy vibe. Or in his mind it does anyway.

Laughing some, Stiles says, "Okay, fine, I'll become a true expert ball-handler. Magnetic, whatever. As long as it gets me on the team!" He returns Scott's side-hug, then goes to put his helmet back on. "Okay! Let me have some more shots, and try not to go all rocket-stick on me this time." He trots back over into position, hefts his lacrosse stick, and waits for the next shot. He's determined to catch it this time! Not only does he want to live up (at least partly) to Scott's newfound standard, but he'd really like to impress the spectators--to say nothing of the coach!

Mason has to say it looking over at Selena and blinking, "Did he just Say he's handle anybody's balls to get on the team?" Mason looks confused. Maybe Those two aren't best friends after all? He shrug and goes back to filming walking a little closer and grins the video around here would probably make for an awesome you tube channel.

Selena grins over at Mason, nodding her head. She carefully tries to wipe the dirt off of her pen on her pants leg. "I do think that's what he said... but I think it's Coach teasing him about the day we met. It was so funny. The ball jokes were all over the place and coach was totally right in there with us. It's kinda neat that he's not much older than us." She tilts her head a little. "I wonder.... Do you think he's on your team or mine?-- I mean with the ball jokes, probably yours huh?" She frowns faintly. "Course it wouldn't matter either way cuz... teacher." She sighs wistfully. "Too bad."

Derek catches how terrible Scott's phrasing is, and he glosses over it with only a slight widening of his smile. Stepping away from Stiles, watching as Scott backs up and readies the much-discussed ball, the coach finds his way over to the bleachers. "Hey," he calls to Selena and Mason, which is more verbally engaging than usual. "Did you touch base with the gymnastics club yet?" It's more aimed at Selena, of course, but Mason's included by virtue of being close by.

Scott McCall gets a pretty decent distance from Stiles, and starts carefully scooping and throwing balls to him. Varying and changing it up a bit with speed, height and angle to give Stiles a challenge. But being careful not to use to much weird on it. Noticing Mason not to far away he calls over to him. "Did you get it?" He can only of course mean one thing. But he looks pretty anxious to know.

Stiles doesn't catch 'em all. Still, he catches more than half! He gets all the easier shots, and he shows at least good instincts with the faster ones. His reflexes aren't quite there yet, but they could probably be improved with more practice. From his performance, he'll never probably be a *great* player, but he could be a decent enough member of the team if he keeps working at it. And if he doesn't get distracted. Like when he turns to watch Derek walk over to the others and gets bopped in the head with a ball. It doesn't hurt, but he sure looks startled. Grumbling to himself, he scoops up the ball and tosses it lightly back to Scott. "Show-off!" he calls out, but his voice still sounds cheerful. Weird or no weird, he's seriously proud of his friend.

"You mean Stiles offering to handle any balls he needs to to get on the team? Yeah Totally got that." HE yells probably a bit too loud to Scott. He grins as Selena and says in a much softer more private volume, " He's too old for me anyway. So he's on the Hot eye candy Team. Which is probably best anyway." He waits for a Glare from Stiles. Okay he's not the brat his friend Liam is.. but some on. That was too good to pass up.

Selena returns the favor from the other day when Stiles and Mason cheered for her climbing the rope. "Wooo Stiles! Go Stiles!" She calls out after him, pretending not to notice as he gets bopped in the head. Selena laugh at Mason's comment. "Oh come on!" She hisses playfully. "Older men are sooo me." She bats her lashes and lifts her shoulders. Although when she hears coach's voice, she freezes and gives Mason a horrified look. She looks over at the coach and her face turns red again. "Oooh. Uh-- Uh--- Yes I met with them earlier. Gonna practice with them first thing next week. They liked my moves." She answers Derek with a grin.

"Of course they did." Derek replies, nodding and actually looking more pleasant today than just the usual stoic, forbidding mien he typically presents the rest of the time. "After what you did on that rope...glad to hear it. You given it any more thought?" This, then, is directed at Mason. Derek is the inclusive coach, wanting every student he can find to be on some team for activity and fitness.

And while he waits for a response, Derek turns slightly, to watch the exchange of balls and sticks between Scott and Stiles.

Scott McCall grumbles in Mason's direction, since Scott *KNOWS* he knew what he meant. But he lets the matter go for now as he notices the the time displayed on the score board. "Ah man, Stiles we will have to practice your ball handling later. If you want to come over later we can practice more at my place. But Mom will be home soon with dinner. She has to go back in at ten again so I want to see her. Tell her about today." He tosses another couple of balls to Stiles, cheering him on as he does. But then waves to everyone as he heads for the locker rooms to shower and change. Stopping to smile at Coach Derek and say simply. "Thanks, for everything coach."

"Okay, I'll swing by after," Stiles calls after Scott. He's already planning to have dinner with his dad, who doesn't seem to work as many crazy hours these days as he did back in--well, back in the old days. Pulling off the mask and heading over to the bench, he sits down and starts packing up his gear. The packet of information Dash had brought him is calling his name, and Stiles can't wait to dig into it. Then, if he's lucky, he'll be able to track down the Night Angel and share it with him. The thought of a second meeting is quite enticing, indeed...