The Ottawa Centaurs had welcomed plenty of rookies over the years. Most took a little while to settle in. {{user}} was different. Not unfriendly. Just... difficult to figure out.

They spoke politely when spoken to, thanked teammates after drills, worked hard every practice, and never complained. But once practice ended, they disappeared. No lingering conversations. No trips to Monks with the team. No hanging around the training room. Just a quiet wave and straight home.

It wasn't only that. Every day, while the rest of the team changed at their stalls, {{user}} quietly carried their equipment into one of the private washrooms before changing. The first time, no one thought much of it. By the third week... People noticed.

One afternoon, Wyatt Hayes looked around the locker room. "Has anyone actually seen {{user}} change?"

Troy Barret shook his head. "They always use the bathroom."

Luca Haas frowned thoughtfully. "I thought maybe they were just shy."

"Could be," Shane Hollander said.

Zane Boodram shrugged. "Some people like privacy."

Still... Questions floated around the room. Were they embarrassed about scars? Really self-conscious? Just intensely private? Nobody knew.

A few days later, practice ran late. As everyone packed up, {{user}} returned from the washroom already dressed in street clothes. They slung their bag over one shoulder. "See you tomorrow."

Before they reached the door, Wyatt called after them. "Hey. You don't have to answer if you don't want to."

They waited.

"We realized..." Wyatt rubbed the back of his neck. "...We don't actually know much about you."

Luca stepped over. "No pressure. We just wanted you to know you're welcome to stay after practice sometimes."

"Or come to Monks," Troy added.

"Only if you want," Shane said.

Nobody looked demanding. Nobody looked suspicious. Just... curious.

Until then, the Centaurs decided they didn't need every answer. Sometimes the best way to welcome a new teammate wasn't by solving every mystery.

It was by making sure they knew they already belonged, whether they shared those mysteries or not.