Title: Brilliant Feat
Rating: M, for language and a couple sorta sexual thingers.
Pairing: Derek/Casey
Disclaimer: trust me, if i owned LWD, these two would have gotten together a looong time ago

When You Say Nothing At All – Ronan Keating

Casey isn't stupid. She knows that she can't, shouldn't, won't go into this relationship expecting him to wax poetics and be her very own Prince Charming. The closest she'd get to any kind of royalty with him is his stinky, crumbling car that he takes so much pride in, the one that George gave him (officially) for his 18th birthday. She knows that he hates PDA—hated it with Kendra, hated it with Sally (although with her, he was willing to tolerate it), and hated it with Emily, and all the random flings between.

She's not expecting midnight serenades or for him to climb her trellis, because for one, she's heard his singing voice, and it's not pretty. Two, he lives right down the hall, so climbing her trellis would be inconvenient and, well, impossible because she doesn't have one. She doesn't expect him to openly declare his affection to the world, to announce in the halls that she's in love with him and he feels something for her.

He can't say the words, and she's not surprised. But she knows he does love her. Sometimes, in the halls at school, when the stares of their classmates are affecting her to the point of tears, he'll take her hand, give it a quick squeeze, kiss her temple, and leave her feeling warm as he briskly strides away. Late at night, when she's pillowed on his chest, fingers trailing imaginary patterns on his skin, she feels it. He watches her, silent, and smiles as she dozes off. There's something in his eyes, his smile, his touch, that lets her know that he needs her, will protect her, will love her.

It's Derek…and for as loud and abrasive as he is, he says it best when he says nothing at all.

Storm – Lifehouse

Sometimes, he feels like he's drowning. Because, you know, of course he'd get fucked over enough to fall in love with his step-sister. His god damn step-sister. And he didn't even know it until the keener had gone to Julliard in New York for a dance program for three weeks of the summer before they left for college, and by that point he felt like it was too out of reach to even try.

The worst part is, is that he wants so badly to blame her for doing this to him, but he knows that she has no idea what she's done. She has no idea that every time he provokes her, he only does it to watch her chest rise and fall, to see her cheeks flush, to see her lips form his name in an irritated shout. He wants to blame her for making it more than physical, for making him want to just look in her eyes long enough to figure out what color they really are, for making him want to hold her at night and be there just in case she gets cold.

And it's killing him.

As it were, barely surviving has become familiar, and for now…he's comfortable drowning. As long as one day, she'll wake up long enough to save him.

The Way I Loved You – Taylor Swift

Hey Smerek—
I found this letter in the trash bin, along with some other junk from Casey's room. I only noticed it cos it had your name on it and her return address, and well…you know how much Casey DOESN'T talk about you…but I thought you'd want to read this before the wedding this Sunday.
Go get her!
Love,
Your amazing 17 year old sister, Smarti

Dear Derek,

I met someone. His name is John…he's sensible, and incredible, and all my friends tell me he's perfect for me. He says everything I want to hear and I shouldn't ask for anything better. He's my perfect Ivanhoe—he opens the door, and tells me I look beautiful, and I should feel happy.

But I miss screaming and fighting and kissing in the rain. I miss being so in love that I act out of my mind, because that's the way I loved you.

He's so different than you…he respects my space, calls when he promises he will, he gets along with my mom and George, and he's willing to give me everything I want, but I miss our fights. I miss breaking down and coming undone with you, falling so hard that I didn't know if you'd be there to catch me and yet you always were.

He doesn't even know I'm faking my smiles, the way you always did. He's safe and predictable, and you were wild, crazy, unpredictable, and I shouldn't miss you this much. I don't want to miss you this much.

But I miss the feeling you gave me…like I was so in love I was willing to do anything for you. I didn't know I could feel that much.

That's the way I loved you.

Why didn't you love me back?

I'm probably not going to send this letter…even if I did, you wouldn't respond. You're the one who told me you were holding me back. I wish you knew that you never did…that you were my driving force, my life…

John proposed to me last night. I said yes.

I wish it were you.

-Casey

Best Days – Matt White

"Everytime I look at you, you always look so beautiful."

Casey raised an eyebrow at her step-brother, and rolled her eyes. "Since when did you become such a sap?"

"Hey," he frowned, drawing his eyebrows together. "It's not sappy. I was being…cute. I was!" he protested again at her disbelieving stare. "Oh, shut up. You try thinking of something nice to say when your naked step-sister is pressed against you in all the right places."

"Right," Casey said dryly. "I'll keep that in mind the next time Marti and I have a sleepover. Ew, gross much?"

Derek shivered, running a hand down the curve of her back and sliding his palm over her butt, hauling her more firmly against him. She drew in a quick gasp of air as his erection ground against her, and he bit his lip. "I'm gonna let that one go," he whispered, thrusting against her. "Because you're sweaty, and we're lying naked under the covers." He planted a kiss on her neck. "These are the best days of my life….stop laughing!"

Grand Theft Autumn – Fall Out Boy

Casey gasped as Derek threw open her door, startling her in the midst of applying her sparkly blue eye shadow. "Der-ek!" she moaned, staring at her reflection in despair. "What could you possibly need right now?"

He didn't give her an answer, instead shutting her door with a snap, and locking it behind him. She stiffened in her chair and turned around quickly, staring at him as he advanced on her. "Derek, what the hell-"

He hauled her out of the chair, gripping her by the upper arms, and backed her up against her closed door. He slid one of his legs between hers, and slid his mouth against her neck. She struggled against him for a moment, before going limp in his arms. His tongue stopped the swirling patterns it was making on her neck and he brought himself eye level with you.

"Where's your boy tonight?" he growled, pushing his pelvis more firmly against her. She gave a breathy moan, and he smirked, chest filling with male pride. "I hope he's a gentleman."

"More than you are," she whispered raggedly, eyes falling shut as her head tilted backwards to allow him more skin to kiss. She moaned again, louder, as he sucked on the skin, bruising her and leaving marks on her neck that claimed 'Mine' loud and clear.

"Promise he won't find out what I know," Derek said against her, hands moving from her upper arms to caress the bare skin underneath the silky top she wore. "Promise me he won't find out that you like it when you're kissed under your left ear, that you moan when I kiss you, that you can get your bra off with one hand faster than I can with two, which just means I less time to wait til I see you naked. Promise he won't find out that you like it when I fuck you, that you like it when we…" he sneered, "make love."

"Derek," she whispers, shoving him away from her a little. "I-"

And then she sees it: the hesitation, the doubt, the fear, and the love, flickering right there under the surface of his conflicted brown eyes. His own ministrations paused as he awaited her answer, and she swallowed.

"I promise."

Where Does The Good Go – Tegan and Sara

"Look me in the eyes and tell me you don't find me attractive!"

Derek stared at Casey as her chest heaved in agitation, as her face flushed and tears stained her cheeks. Each breath she drew was a shuddering, gasping sob, and his arms itched to reach out and hold her.

He couldn't. Wouldn't. Shouldn't. He had spent years fighting this, dammit, and nothing she could say or do would make him let down his guard long enough to be that way with her. She was Casey, Klutzilla, the super-keener, Grubby the Grade Grubber, his step-sister. There was no fucking way in hell he was ever going to cross that line with her.

"I don't."

Even if it did break his heart to watch her walk away.

Defying Gravity – Original Broadway Cast WICKED

something has changed within me something is not the same i'm through with playing by the rules of someone else's game too late for second guessing too late to go back to sleep it's time to trust my instincts close my eyes and leap

Derek hated to admit it…but he really liked this stupid musical that Casey was in. It was her debut on Broadway, and she was playing the Wicked Witch of the West in some weird musical based on an even weirder book (yeah, he read it…well, tried to at least). He'd always known that Casey was a good singer, but clearly the four years they'd spent apart had given her time to properly hone her talent and become even better.

it's time to try defying gravity i think i'll try defying gravity and you'll never bring me down (can't i make you understand you're having delusions of grandeur) i'm through accepting limits cos someone says they're so some things i cannot change until i try i'll never know

He watched, intrigued, as her character (Alphabet or something…okay, Elphaba, and yeah he knew her name) fought to fit in and stand out at the same time, to have friends but maintain her individuality, and fought the Wizard who was oppressing the Animals of Oz.

too long i've been afraid of losing love i guess i lost well if that's love it comes at much too high a cost

He felt chills down his spine as Casey and her co-star clutched hands and sang to one another. The Gale Force guards burst into the room in which Elphaba and Glinda were hidden, and Elphaba escaped into the shadows. Derek squirmed in his seat, trying to see where she'd gone.

"It's not her you're after! It's me! It's me!" he heard.

Derek's eyes nearly popped out of his head as Casey rose a good twenty feet above the stage, her cape billowing out behind her, green skin eerily illuminated under the fog and stage lights as she wielded her broomstick.

"So if you care to find me, look to the western sky! As someone told me lately, everyone deserves a chance to fly! And if I'm flying solo, at least I'm flying free. To those who ground me, take a message back from me…"

He'd be damned to admit it to anyone, but the play had actually brought tears to his eyes. Also, that he was planning on kissing the hell out of his step-sister as soon as she got that green crap off her face.

This Year's Love – David Gray

Casey looks gorgeous in her white wedding dress.

Though, and Derek will admit this to very few people, she looks damn good in just about everything she wears. But tonight, she's practically glowing. She has a small, delicate tiara perched atop her head, the thin diamond choker she got from her husband on Valentine's Day rests delicately on her collarbone, and the rings on her left hand glitter in the light.

Her dress is "white taffeta side draped trumpet gown, with a sweetheart neckline, empire waist, and chapel train." Whatever the fuck that means. He only knows cos he heard Nora and Casey yammer on about it about a thousand times between the time they bought it, and the time she walked down the aisle. And, as much as he doesn't care about all the fashion terms, she looks stunning.

Standing from his chair, he straightens his tie and shoves his hands into his pockets as he walks towards her. She's smiling up at her dance partner, a soft look in her eyes and a loving smile on her face. Derek lays a hand on the other man's shoulder and smirks. "Mind if I cut in?"

He slips in anyway, not waiting for an answer, and his right hand wraps around her waist and his left takes her raised right hand, and grasps it firmly. "Derek," she scowls at him, but the look is half-hearted. She's too happy to be angry.

"I still think you're crazy," he says casually, watching the tendrils of her hair sway in time with their bodies. "For, you know. Actually marrying that asshole."

Her nose lifts and she gives him a playfully disdainful sniff. "I'll have you know he's a good man. He loves me, treats me well…most of the time, anyway." There's a joking in her tone that drains him of any retort, because her happy smile absolutely dazzles him. Then suddenly, it dims, and she casts her eyes down. "Actually, he's the crazy one," she murmurs quietly. "I'm not sure why he'd ever want to tie himself down to me when he could have anyone-"

He stills their dancing, and lets go of her hand. As he uses his left hand to lift her chin, his wedding ring glints and catches his eye. She looks at him, eyes wet with tears and emotion, and he leans forward and gives her a sweet kiss. "I might be an asshole," he whispers against her mouth. "But you make me the happiest asshole in Canada. I love you so much, Mrs. Venturi."

She grins against his mouth, and he thanks God for the millionth time for his beautiful bride.

Between the Lines – Sara Bareilles

If there's one thing Casey's gotten ridiculously adept at doing, it's knowing what Derek really means when he talks to her. Behind his sneers and taunts and jabs is a kindness and tenderness that he only shows behind closed doors, when the rest of the family is asleep. In the dark, he whispers to her how much he loves her, and touches her tenderly and kisses her softly.

But in public, they speak in code.

"I can't stand you" is "I love you more than you could ever know."

"Never talk to me again" is "I want to push you up against a wall and kiss you senseless."

"Fuck you" is "I want to fuck you."

"Smooth move, Klutzilla" is "Are you hurt? Are you sure you're okay?"

"I've got a date tonight, so try and be less of lame keener, and stay out of my way. I'll need the car by eight" is "Let's drive around and go somewhere we can be alone. Is eight okay?"

"I hate you" is "You hurt my feelings."

"So? I don't care" is "I'm sorry."

"Der-EK!" is…well, "Der-EK!"

There's a myriad of words and phrases that are nothing at all like they sound. To others, they truly despise each other. To Derek and Casey, it's the only way they can publically convey their feelings without getting judged by their peers. Their relationship is unconventional, at best, and too fresh and new still to them to open it to their friends and family.

Casey has a feeling that Lizzie knows what's going on, but she's always been annoyingly perceptive but very trustworthy. She'd sooner come to Casey than Edwin, which the former appreciates greatly. For however smart Lizzie is, though, Casey's confident she'll never be able to crack their code.

They're just too good at reading in between the lines.

Question – Old 97's

"Why are you so nervous?"

Derek looked up from his place on the picnic bench and made eye contact with Casey. She was perched on the table top, legs crossed Indian style, as she gazed down at him. "I'm not nervous," he scoffed. I'm fucking terrified.

She rolled her eyes and let out an unladylike snort. "Der-ek. I think I've known you long enough to know when you're nervous. Your foot won't stop bouncing. You keep taking really deep breaths like you're getting ready for something. You've run your hand through your hair like a million times, and-"

"Will you marry me?" he blurted out. Then, he winced, because that really wasn't the way he thought that this would go. He knew she wanted romance and candlelight and rose petals and probably poetry, and then they'd make sweet, tender love afterwards. But dammit, this ring had been burning a hole in his pocket for at least a month, and he couldn't wait any longer until she's his officially.

Her eyes were wide, and, for once, shocked into silence. Then, her mouth closed and her gaze filled with tears, and she raised a shaking hand to her mouth. Tears trailed down her face as she continued to stare at him.

"What the hell?" he asked, startled.

She moved her hand so he can see her brilliant smile, and she whispered, "It's a good cry." She bit her lip, moving her gaze to her hand. She appeared to be thinking hard, so he waited as patiently as possible.

Which, in fact, was not very patiently at all.

"Well?"

"Yes," tumbled from her lips, and she tumbled into his arms. "A thousand, million times yes!" The force of her impact caused them to tumble to the ground, and he landed on his back with her in his arms. The ring in his pocket dug into her thigh and he wiggled a hand between them to retrieve it.

It shined in the sunlight as he slid it onto her finger.