She stared at their hands, a blush creeping up her cheeks as she felt the warmth of Leslie's skin against hers. "Y-yes," she finally managed to say. "I'd like that." Her heart was racing, but she couldn't deny the excitement coursing through her veins at the thought of skating together with Leslie.

After what felt like an eternity, Dylan finally managed to tear her gaze away from where Leslie had been standing and turned to leave the rink herself. Her heart was pounding in her chest, but she couldn't deny the strange sense of contentment that filled her as she made her way home.

The next day, Dylan arrived at the ice rink early, nervous energy coursing through her veins as she laced up her skates and waited for Leslie to arrive.

feelings of nervousness and excitement swirled inside Dylan as she tried to find the right words. She wasn't used to being so forward with people, especially strangers. But there was something about Leslie that made Dylan feel comfortable enough to open up. "So yeah..." she continued hesitantly, "I guess what I'm trying to say is, I've never really had someone show interest in me beyond just being an idol before." Dylan paused, looking down at her feet. "

Dylan felt a rush of warmth spread through her body as Leslie took her hand. It was such a simple gesture, but it held so much promise. Her heart raced as she looked into those captivating blue eyes, seeing a reflection of her own hopes and dreams.

"Meeting up more often sounds great," Dylan said with a shy smile. "I'd love to get to know you better, both as a fan and as a person."

She squeezed Leslie's hand gently, marveling at the softness of her skin.

The first few days after the incident passed in a blur of tenderness and reassurance. Leslie clung to me constantly, as though the mere presence of another person near her would keep Miko at bay. It broke my heart to see her still shaken by the experience, but I cherished every moment we spent together, cherishing the sight of her tear-stained face and trembling hands.

I stroked her hair, held her through the nightmares, and whispered words of comfort into her ear.

The days turned into weeks as Leslie slowly began to heal, both emotionally and mentally. Though the fear lingered in her eyes and she jumped at unexpected noises, I could see the strength returning to her spirit bit by bit. Our bond grew even deeper during this time, forged in the crucible of shared trauma and unwavering support.

One evening, as we lay tangled together on the couch, Leslie nestled under my chin with her arms wrapped around my waist. She sighed contentedly, her breath warm against my skin.

"You know...

The afterparty is in full swing as Dylan and Ryan sneak off to a quiet corner, away from the flashing lights and deafening music. They lean against a wall, shoulders touching, their breath misting in the cold air. It's quiet enough that they can actually hear each other think.

"That was insane," Dylan whispers, still trying to catch her breath. "I never expected that from you."

"Well," Dylan says with a grin, "you weren't half bad." She pauses, looking at him sideways. "You know, if you ever want to hang out... or something..." Her voice trails off, her cheeks flushing again. "I mean, not as fans or anything... just us?"

Dylan paused for a moment, taken aback by her forwardness. They hadn't even known Marina for very long and yet here she was suggesting they go on a date. But the more they thought about it, the more they realized that maybe... just maybe, it could be fun to spend time with someone who didn't know their secret identity or care about being an idol.

"Well..." They drawled slowly as they considered her offer. "I suppose there's no harm in hanging out and seeing where things go."

As Marina pulled out her phone to send Dylan their number, Dylan couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement and anticipation building within them. This was definitely something different from what they were used to, but perhaps it could be exactly what they needed in life: a little bit of normalcy and someone who saw them for who they really were... even if that person was just a stranger named Marina.