It is about 65/span/iF(18C) degrees. The mist is heaviest At High and Franklin

“Hey! I resent that statement.” Seraphina says, looking not to Puritan in that skirt that is barely a skirt.

“What do you mean? I’ve been called a whore in chat enough, there’s definitely puritans in this town,” Tessa jokes, squishing back into her boyfriend.

Eric sets his phone down, humming softly and wrapping his arms around Tessa.

“I still think the other place was usable… Mist was only up to the ankles- People need to grow up and learn how to punch rats” Avalon complains maybe a bit too loudly, shaking his head and typing out another message on his phone before adding “Worst case scenario we would even take some butchering back home…”

Casey takes a moment to lean over to hit the button on the sound system which starts the first track. The sudden fast beat of drums and electric guitar would be infinitely more suited to a grungy venue and lacks the charm of a real band for back up. This doesn’t deter the femme in her glossy vinyl corset and skirt as she takes hold of the microphone. She’s quick to fire off her first lyrics of the night without ever bothering to introduce her song or even herself:

“Hey baby, you can have me”
“Kiss me, push me, wrap me in chains.”
“If I’m bad, discipline me”
“The bruises will heal, don’t worry I wont tell”

It only takes to the end of her first verse to shake off the nerves then she hammers into the next, peering out at the crowd with a sly smile

“I want to be a good girl,”
“But I’m oh so so bad.”
“Put me in chains”
“Make me behave”

“It was to the ankles, you should get your sight checked” Avalon replies with a shake of his head

“I figured you were, but I decided to do it anyway.” Seraphina tells Matias, eyes turning up to the stage to Casey as she begins to sing, rolling her ankle in that thick soled boot. “Avalon just thinks everyone is built like him.” She peers aside to Avalon, and sticks her tongue out. “It is better to be safe, than sorry, when an ice sprite decides to mosh.”

Eric casts an affronted glance at Seraphina at the words ice sprite, squinting at her suspiciously before he sniffs and picks up his phone again instead.

“Ice sprites are about one of the most fragile things you can find out there… They don’t take more damage than kobolds or rats” Avalon replies with a shake of his head, one of the few topics he actually knows about, pointing a finger and saying “The only threat they can pose is how the ice can lock you in place”

Seraphina doesn’t notice the look given her by Eric at first, pointing out to Tessa, “I like the dress a lot, Tessa, very flattering.” Then, to Eric, she has to wonder, “What is that look for?

As he listens to the song, Jasper blushes a bit but he slowly bobs his head to the beat.

“You can always go out hunting, Avalon, if you’re going to chastise people for wanting to enjoy an evening of music instead of punching a rat.” Seraphina reminds Avalon.

Jeremiah only has eyes for the stage, locked onto Casey’s performance as he taps his feet in time with the beat of the music.

Casey reaches up to flick one of her pig-tails as she puts some attitude on her next verse, its a command, not a request. Despite the contents of the words, she’s taking charge in the song.

“Take me baby”
“Take what you want”
“Take what you need”
“Take just a piece, or take all of me”

For Jeremiah at the couches, the femme singles him out for attention with a teasing wink as she moves her hips from one side to another, her vinyl skirt is just way too short for being on an elevated stage making her a prime target for peeping from anyone who would do that.

And then after having said something quietly, Seraphina raises her hands up to clap with the beat of Casey’s music.

Matias joins the applause after having been quietly listening to the music, his foot bobbing in time. While he does clap though he says something in an side to Seraphina

Jeremiah gives Casey a smile and the metal horns, sticking his tongue out as he does so, then grins.

“Yeah, maybe I’ll actually do that…” Avalon replies to Seraphina, maybe not as subtly said as her, pushing himself up from the couch he’s laying on, standing back upstraight and stretching for a moment or two before starting moving westwards, back towards the entrance of the coffee shop

“That man.” Seraphina remarks.

Eric coughs into his fist, trying to hide a grin. “Literally one of my favorite people,” he admits.

Changing her target, Casey focuses on someone this time with half lidded eyes and a more personal sultry touch to the lyrics as she sings them while maintaining eye contact.

“You say I’m a good girl”
“But on my knees I only do bad things”
“That look on your face tells me I’m doing right”
“But I know that its oh so wrong”

It’s then Casey reaches to the front zipper of her corset to pull it down slow. The moment the zipper hits the bottom the tight garment has nothing to retain the tension and it pops open to follow away to the floor where its simply kicked off to the side by a booted foot. She returns then to the chorus

“I just want to be a good girl”
“But I’m oh so so bad.”
“Put me in chains.”
“Try to make me behave”

Changing her target, Casey focuses on Eric this time with half lidded eyes and a more personal sultry touch to the lyrics as she sings them while maintaining eye contact.

“You say I’m a good girl”
“But on my knees I only do bad things”
“That look on your face tells me I’m doing right”
“But I know that its oh so wrong”

It’s then Casey reaches to the front zipper of her corset to pull it down slow. The moment the zipper hits the bottom the tight garment has nothing to retain the tension and it pops open to follow away to the floor where its simply kicked off to the side by a booted foot. She returns then to the chorus

“I just want to be a good girl”
“But I’m oh so so bad.”
“Put me in chains.”
“Try to make me behave”

Seraphina shrugs at Eric, “To each their own, I suppose.” She remarks, “I don’t have an issue with him to be honest. But he can be an asshole.”

Eric’s cheeks flash, instantly crimson from his neck to the tips of his ears. He uncertainly waves to Casey, though he quickly jerks his eyes away after the supportive gesture.

Damian clomps on in, heavy boots making his presence audible, before he turns to take a seat amongst the couches and chairs, nodding to Matias, Seraphina, and Tessa in turn.

“I heard someone mention Avril. You know there is one song you might enjoy that really speaks to me.” Casey says shortly after repeating her chorus one more time, the rhythm of her punk rock anthem does not stop it simply morphs into a recognizable cover of a fairly popular song.

“Hey, hey”
“I’ll let you walk all over me, me”
“You know that I’m a little tease, tease”
“But I want it, pretty please, please”
“You know, I’m crazy”
“I just wanna be your baby”
“You can fuck me, you can play me”
“You can love or you can hate me”

This time the femme doesn’t just stand there, she bounces on her toes to let her bra do its job trying to contain her. The femme twirls to put her back to the audience then she bends forward to let even the people who are not pervs peak the red glimpse of underwear under her vinyl skirt.

“Choke me ’cause I said so”
“Stroke me and feed my ego”
“I’ve been a bad girl, don’t you know?”
“Come get it, now or never”
“I’ll let you do whatever”
“I’ll be your bad girl, here we go”

She continues throughout this tease then she twist back to face the couches again, not focused on any one person now.

“Hey Damian,” Seraphina greets as she resumes her lean-to, amusement ticking in her gaze between the reactions of Jeremiah and Eric, and the polar opposite actions taken.

Damian chuckles softly, gaze drifting to the singer for a moment, “Definitely has the Avril vibe down pat… Good deal.” Turning back and accepting the quick hug, he nods, “Tess, always good to be seen.” Over to Matias, he ticks up a brow. “Professor. Been some time. Doing well, I trust?”

“Miss me, miss me, now you wanna kiss me”

Casey grins as she says the line. Then she breaks into the high pitched chorus. She simply can’t match Avril Lavigne in that high range but she does her best.

“Baby”
“You know I want a little taste, taste”
“So let me take you all the way, way”
“You know you’ll never be the same, same”
“One night”
“You wont forget the rest of your life”
“So come on over to the wild side”
“Buckle up and, baby, hold on tight”

The emo punk rocker is relentless as a film of sweat forms on her pale skin at the exertion of dancing and singing on the stage with such high energy.

“Damn, it’s so good,” Jasper murmurs while he watches Casey sing on stage. His one free hand moves to drum on the armrest while he grins.

Damian nods to Jasper, “She’s good, yeah. Reminds me of when I was sixteen and saw Avril live. Definitely better energy, though.” His gaze flits to the singer, before drawing back to those near him.”

Casey might as well have a stripper pole up on that stage with her as she unzips the back of her vinyl skirt and lets it drop from her hips to pool at her feet. She steps out of it.

“Miss me, miss me, now you wanna kiss me”
“We both know that you love me ’cause I’m so bad”

Without missing a beat the femme stoops to kneel at the edge of the stage to pick on Jeremiah again with a stare as she sings to him,

“I’ve been a bad girl”
“I’ve been a bad girl”
“I’ll be your bad girl”
“I’ll be your bad girl”
“I’ve been a bad girl”
“I’ve been a bad girl”
“I’ll be your bad girl”
“A fucking bad girl”

The femme stands again and the only thing left for the song is the chorus that she gives her all then when the music finally cuts she’s left to catch her breath. But she’s not done. She’s just on her way back towards the middle of the stage

Jeremiah continues to smile and dance to the beat, as he watches the young woman own the stage.

Matias says “Shy heart.“

Eric sits there, arms around Tessa, and honestly looking somewhat mortified. There’s no safe place for him to rest his eyes, and he’s squinting hard as if trying to find one.

“I did warn you,” Tessa says to Eric, stifling her laugh against him.

“Avalon was my ride home. But I don’t see that fucking asshole.” Casey breathes into the microphone. She feigns a pout then breaks into a grin, “That just means I need to find another ride doesn’t it?” The femme glances back to find the stool then she places her barely clad ass upon it to perch, knees together. The music finally returns but its nothing like before, the heavy guitar rifts and fast drums have gave way to something more acoustic and mellow. She holds the microphone right against her lips so that it catches the inhaling gasp of air she takes before she sings,

“Paint my lips in cherry red”
“Dress me up, wind my head”
“Ill smile wide, do what Im told”
“Just dont drop me, Im hollow inside”

The mellowness of the song gives a more relaxed atmosphere that suits the venue far more than the punk rock she’s been churning out.

“You can love me, you can break me”
“Either way, youre gonna take me”
“Put me high on your shelf”
“Make me the prize of your doll collection”

Casey closes her eyes for what must be the chorus, it could almost be a love song with how she sings it while the lyrics betray a rather unhealthy relationship if that was the case.

“Im your porcelain plaything, baby”
“Dont mind the cracks, you can add some more”
“Im your porcelain plaything, baby”
“Fragile is just the way you made me”

The femme opens her eyes to take in the general audience without picking anyone out of it.

“Twist my arm, I wont fight”
“Pull my strings, Ill sing all night”
“Every cracks a little proof”
“Ive been loved the way you do”

With a grip on the microphone to hold it so close that every breath she takes is picked up intentionally by the device. Her other hand moves over her exposed collar bone to trace it while she sings her slow song.

As if to threaten removal, Casey traces her fingertips down to the edge of her bra to slightly pull on it, teasing that she may pull it down but she lets the fabric slip her fingertips and return to position.

“Im not here for happily-ever-after”
Im just chasing your disaster
“If you drop me, I wont cry”
“Dress me up in your favorite sin”
“Paint my lips where you have been”
“Swap my parts, change my name”
“Ill still play your twisted game”

The chorus is revisted next, and repeated twice, the second time she really stresses the lines with real emotion.

“Im your porcelain plaything, baby”
“Dont mind the cracks, add some more”
“Im your porcelain plaything, baby”
“Fragile is just the way you made me”

As she finishes the last line the music trails off quieter and quieter until its gone and finally the femme brings the mic off her lips.

Jeremiah cheers and claps for Casey. “Woooo! Yeah!!!”

Seraphina leans in toward Matias to listen to what he has to whisper at her ear. She doesn’t reply back, but gives the man a few little pats on his knee, in time with the end of the song, and then in applause for the music from Casey.

Matias just lets out a cheerful whoop for the singer and then makes some comment to Tessa

Casey speaks into the microphone, “Thank you. I’m Casey Morgan.” she finally introduces herself at the end. Allowing that to be a fresher memory than her music. “You can find me someone. on myhaven and I do gigs freelance. I’m happy to spice up your events. Just get in touch.”

“Fifty bucks, do a request song?” Matias calls out from the couches

“It’s a trap, he wants Free Bird!” Jeremiah calls out, laughing.

Seraphina giggles at Jeremiah. “Oh God, no! Not Freebird!”

Casey perks up at Matias and she lifts her chin, only to laugh when Jeremiah interjects, “If it’s free bird you can go fuck yourself. If its something I know, Fifty dollars is fifty dollars.”

Matias pulls his phone back up and then flick flick flick tap, “Feel Like This by Ingrid Andress?”

Damian calls out, “Defying Gravity! Bring some musical theater in!”

“Who do you think I am? Adele?” Casey teases Matias, then at Damian’s suggestion she laughs and slips from her stool, “You look like a man who listens to Let It Go on repeat.”

“I mean, Adele is amazing!” Seraphina tells Casey. “And now I want to hear Let it Go.”

Casey pushes the microphone out in Seraphina’s general direction and encourages her, “So do I, So why don’t you get your pretty butt up here and sing for us?”

Damian lets out a laugh, shaking his head, “More ‘How Far I’ll Go’ or ‘ You’re Welcome’ than ‘Let It Go.’ Unless you want to do the Lydia The Bard villain cover of ‘Do You Want To Build A Snowman.'”

Matias betrays Seraphina by giving her a few nudges to get up off the couch and accept the mic from Casey , afterall she is so underdressed she must be cold. “You should tag in.” he agrees in a resonating baritone to Seraphina

Seraphina holds her hands up and shakes her head. “I’m not the one singing tonight! It’s your concert!” She looks highly amused, happy, and grinning. As if not just moments ago gave the man beside her a smile that looked far different.

Jasper is clapping and cheering towards Casey, a cinnamon roll on one hand as he smiles.

“My concert is over, but that doesn’t mean the night has to be over.” Casey is quick to dodge and weave the request in an effort to pull someone else into the fray, “Someone braver than I can sing Disney’s greatest hits.”

Eric calls out, “Beauty and the Beast,” before he catches himself and looks around, a bit abashed and seemingly surprised the words came from his own mouth.

Seraphina stands from the couch, and gives Casey a standing ovation for her performance, which was far more than she’d expected for sure. She bounces on her steel toes a couple times.

Damian shakes his head hurriedly, “I’m going to do everyone the favor and refrain from singing.” Turning to Jeremiah, he flashes a grin, “Be Our Guest. Jonathon Young cover is the best version.”

Damian shakes his head hurriedly, “I’m going to do everyone the favor and refrain from singing.” Turning to Eric, he flashes a grin, “Be Our Guest. Jonathon Young cover is the best version.”

Matias puts the jacket back on Seraphina’s shoulders, but not on her arms before standing ovation for Casey while commenting, “I need to skip out and handle something. See if you can get Avalon back here to sing Rocket Man like William Shatner.”

Matias says “He’d fucking kill it.“

Casey stoops to collect her clothes in her arms then she departs the microphone, lamenting, “I wasn’t lying. Avalon was my ride. Now I’m fucked.” she steps off the stage, sighing

“Don’t you have his number?” Seraphina asks. “He just went out to hunt some. I’m sure he’d come back for you!”

Eric says “you’re sure? I’m definitely NOT sure of that“

Eric says “I’d give it a 25/ chance“

“That’s a damn great concert,” Jasper says, rising up to his feet and stretching. “I should probably head home to get some sleep.”

“I can give you a ride, Casey.” Jeremiah offers. “It’s no problem, if you need one.”

Damian shrugs, “If you need a ride, I-” He cuts off as Jeremiah speaks, nodding to him. “There ya’ go.”

“Good for you!” Seraphina tells Casey. She turns to Matias, slipping her arms into her jacket to pull it on, for how little it actually covers. “Is there anything that I can help with?”

“See. Someone’s not an asshole.” Casey perks up, smiling towards Jeremiah. “Well. I’m ready to get the hell out of here. You?”

Jeremiah nods. “Have a good evening, folks.” he says, with a wave, as they head to the door.