Sweeter | BWWM One-Shots and Imagines

Fantasize | Dermot Kennedy

"Dermot this is my homegirl, Marsha, and my sister, Belle," James introduced them. Dermot smiled, reaching out to shake both of their hands. Belle studied his face for probably a little longer than necessary. She pointed to the stage. "You were really good up there. Do you write your own music too?" 

He scratched his ear, meeting her eyes to answer her. "I do, actually."

"You should keep coming and perform an original next time," James said, patting him on the shoulder. Belle nodded enthusiastically in agreement. Marsha snickered and Belle elbowed her side to shut her up. 

"I will. Do you guys ever get up there?" Dermot asked them, but his eyes were on Belle. Belle suddenly looked panicked. "Um...no... we don't...Marsha sings though," she said, gesturing to her friend. 

"And Belle does spoken word. We used to perform together, but we haven't in a while," Marsha explained, because obviously Belle couldn't speak. That was one too many details, but she didn't have time to be mad because the information seemed to please Dermot. 

"I'd love to see that sometime," he said, before taking another sip of the beer in his hand. Belle tried to smile but inside she just wanted to grimace. She hadn't performed in years. "Maybe." 

The next week, she saw him again. He performed an original song, called "Outnumbered" that literally made her want to fall in love. With him. She told him she loved it, and he thanked her and said the same thing he'd said before, with a smile. "I'd love to see you up there."

The week after, Dermot performed a song that she didn't catch the name of because all Belle could hear was the refrain, "if only you could see yourself in my eyes, you'd see you shine, you shine," and subsequently wish that he was singing that for her. 

He had more fans now, so it took a while for him to make it over to Belle's table. This time, he pulled up a chair right next to Belle, and she swore she could feel the heat of his body. "You were awesome, as usual," she told him shyly. 

He nodded his thanks, and then rested his arm on the table beside hers, giving her his full attention. She blushed under his gaze, thankful that he couldn't see it with her dark complexion. 

"So when am I going to see you up there?" he questioned, holding her eyes. Some scruff had grown out on his face, and this time, he posed his question more seriously than he had before. 

Marsha spoke up for her because she was ready to shrug again. "Next week," Marsha responded flatly. Belle whipped her head around to look over at her, incredulous. "Girl, what?"

"I already signed us up. It'll be fun, girl, just like old times." Belle was not having it, but she didn't want to make a fuss in front of Dermot. 

"Cheers to that," Dermot said, raising his beer in her direction. Belle could tell he was pleased, and that was the only thing that stopped her from crushing the moment. 

-------------------------------------------------

Next week came faster than Belle wanted it to. They had decided they would perform one of their more risque pieces from college, nothing new because writing would only stress her out. She'd taken hours to get dressed, choosing to wear a silk, cowl neck top, her favorite pair of curvy jeans, and hoops in her ears, for power. 

"Are you good?" Marsha asked, genuinely looking concerned for Belle. Belle glared up at her from where she sat with her head in her hands by the bar. "Do I look okay?" Belle said with a deadpan expression.

"Just take a shot and you'll be good. Tonight will be fine, stop being so scared. White boy might be a little shook but maybe y'all will finally suck face or something, shit."

Belle groaned but complied, downing the shot of Tequila with a grimace. It did make her feel a little lighter though. 

She didn't look for Dermot in the crowd before they went up on the stage to perform, because she knew seeing him would only make her heart race. Her nerves subsided a little as she took her place beside Marsha.

"Alright, here we go," she said. She looked up and caught Dermot's in the crowd and decided to have fun with this, holding his gaze for a moment before she began. Marsha started to hum.

*(Watch video in header)*

"I wanna do dumb things. I'm talking: strolling-in-the-park things. Stealing kisses straddled on park swings in the daylight while the ice cream van sings little melody like..."

"Twa da da dum...Da da da da dum..."

"I'm talking some midnight dedications of rare groove tunes, and all across London we're using real names too, 'cause we're not fazed by who cool, who a fool. See, I wanna do everything with you, so..."

"I Fantasize about you

said everyday

And I want to do just everything.

Said Baby

Said everything

and a I I I..."

"Now I want to run holdin' hands/ see, I know that we can do this, in a field of purple grass sprayed with green and white tulips under a sky washed orange by an everlasting sunset."

Belle stopped Marsha's singing. "And you know what? I ain't done yet."

"See, I want to catch a ride off some crimson- colored stallion/ We can sail off in a boat made of water, straight into horizon/ And we could catch a lift on a cloud that's silver lining's really platinum, but you know what?"

"Whaaaat?" Marsha sighed.

Belle laughed. "I still ain't done yet."

"See, I want to-

And I was thinking we could

And if you wouldn't mind a little...

And if you're ready we could always--

See-"

"I fantasize...

about you, 

everyday 

and I want to do just everything..." 

Towards the end of the piece, both of their voices got softer and she held gazes with Dermot again. He had to know she was talking to him.

"And...I, I, I Fantasize about you, said everyday & I want to do just everything. Baby, everything. I Fantasize about you, everyday & I want to do just..."

They walked off the stage to an applause that made Belle reconsider her decision to never perform again. She tried to play it cool, even though her heart was beating out of her chest in the wake of all the moves she'd just made. She hugged a few people, before meeting James and Dermot at a table in the back. James did a silly chef's kiss when he saw them. "My talented sisters."

"Had buddy over here speechless," James laughed, patting Dermot on the shoulder.

Belle couldn't look at Dermot, but she knew his face had to be redder than she'd ever seen it. She sat down beside him and he could feel his eyes on her.

"That was phenomenal," he finally spoke, touching her hand for a moment.

"Thanks," she said, summoning enough courage to look at him through a veil of her dreads. They just looked at each other for a few minutes, heat passing between them, until her thoughts made her turn away. I really just publicly admitted that I want to do everything with this man. 

She locked eyes with Marsha, who dragged James away to give them some privacy. Dermot's hand took hers again, and she could feel the guitar calluses on his finger tips.

"So," he said, and she turned her face back towards his to see a smirk on his face.

"I reckon we should at least go out first?"