Because of cheerleading AU’s, Derek/Scott/Kira feels and pocketlass.
“He has a tattoo,” Derek hisses, certain that he doesn’t sound nearly as scandalized as he feels. He pushes his mirrored aviators back into his hair, so he can look Kira in the eyes and better convey the ridiculousness of the entire situation.
Kira stares at him like she’s waiting for him to continue, like that’s not enough of a reason to keep Scott out of their squad in and of itself.
“Derek,” Kira says slowly after several seconds of them staring at each other, “you have a tattoo.”
“Not one that’s visible while we’re performing!” he defends.
Derek refuses to call what they do “cheering”. Cheering is for spectators. What they do is a finely honed craft and so he treats it that way. It’s performing, or cheerleading. They are leaders. They don’t practice; they train. And, most importantly, they compete.
“Cheerleading is a traditional and...and wholesome sport, Kira!” Derek tells her, hoping he can well enough express the seriousness of the matter so that even Kira, who is too sweet and soft hearted by half, can understand why they need to tell Scott no. “He is a mockery of the entire institution!”
“Der, you’re being kind of...” Kira drifts off, because she’s too nice to insult him even though he can read her like the latest edition of American Cheerleader -- cover to cover without putting it down.
She doesn’t seem to understand any of his concerns. She’s even still smiling. It’s almost like she’s not listening to him at all, except she’s Kira and she’s too...too caring and considerate to ever ignore someone.
“I’m just saying,” Derek tells her, trying to be more calm in the face of Kira’s ever pleasant expression (which sometimes he thinks she does because she knows he can’t get mad at her when she’s smiling like that), “that we can’t let a...a biker join our squad and represent us at competitive events! We’ll be laughed out of Regionals, let alone State! What do you expect the National judges to think of us when we have unsavoury characters on the squad?!”
Kira lets out an indelicate snort. “He’s a gymnast who happens to ride a dirt bike and has a tattoo. He’s not exactly a terrifying member of a gang.”
Kira blinks at him, once. Twice. Three times. Then, “Oh my God. You have a crush on him!”
“That’s not the--no, I don’t!” he argues. He doesn’t. Only a little bit. It doesn’t even really count.
He can already feel his cheeks and the tips of his ears heating up, but he knows he sounds convincing when Kira doesn’t tease him any further.
Instead, her expression brightens. “Well, I do. He’s gorgeous! And that smile!”
Something swoops in Derek’s gut at the idea of Scott and Kira dating. Of Scott and Kira kissing. Of Scott and Kira--
“But that’s not why I want him on the squad,” she adds, like she thinks Derek will call her out on that. Normally he might, but it’s Kira he’s talking to, and besides, he’s more concerned with the acrobatics his stomach has taken up.
“Of course not,” he agrees weakly.
“It doesn’t hurt, though,” she says with a cheeky grin.
He’s not entirely sure that the feeling twisting its way through him is jealousy, but he’s not sure what else to call it.
