You and Marlon had just got back home from yโallโs lunch date. He took you to a new place that just opened up called โLoraโs Plaza.โ
Youโve been raving about it for weeks and he listened. The two of yall had an amazing time spent with laughter, flirts, and great music.
-
Your hand is on his thigh as he parks the car in the driveway right behind Michaelโs car that was also just parked. Marlon turns the car off and hops out, walking over to your side and opening your door.
โThank you, babe,โ you say. He gives you a smile. โAnd thank you for today, lunch was amazing,โ Marlon kisses your lips.
โAnything for my lady,โ he says. You laugh as the two of yall walk hand in hand.
โWell. Marlon, do you want to play?โ Michael asks.
โMike!โ Jackie says.
โHe just got back from his date, they gotta get an early start on desert,โ Jermaine playfully says. You roll your eyes out of disgust and Marlon shakes his head.
You look over at a sad Michael whoโs standing in front of his car.
โPlay what Michael?โ you ask.
โOh nothing,โ he mumbles. You let go of Marlonโs grip and walk over to him.
โSeriously, play what?โ you repeat. He holds up the twister board.
โWanna play with me?โ he softly asks.
โSure!โ Michaelโs eyes widen and he smiles.
โOkay! Iโll go set it up!โ Michael says. He runs inside of the house. Marlon makes his way over to you.
โWhy are you playing twister?โ Marlon asks, jaw clenching.
โBecause none of your brothers are playing with him,โ you say.
โSo.โ he says
โSo?โ you repeat.
โSo what?โ he says.
โMarlon, your brother pays for the house that you live in. The least you can do is play Twister with him,โ you say.
โToday was our day. Remember?โ Marlon says. โWake up, go to lunch, come back, sit by the pool, head to the bedโฆโ
โWe can still do all of that after I play twister with your brother,โ you tell him.
โWell, I donโt want you to,โ Marlon says.
โWell, I donโt care what you want me to do,โ you say. โIโm playing twister.โ
โNo youโre not,โ he sternly says.
โIโm not doing this with you right now,โ you bluntly say. โIโve been having a great day so far, excuse me for being a better person than you,โ
And with that you walk off from him. His brothers watching the entire performance. Jermaine lets out a low whistle
"Shut up!" Marlon yells.
"Michael about to steal your girl." Randy says.
You head inside. Marlon is quick on your heels.
โSo you truly think itโs okay for you to hangout in MY brothers bedroom, playing some twisting game.โ Marlon genuinely asks.
โYouโre speaking on Michael like heโll make a move on me!โ You fire back, turning back around to face him.
โYouโre not playing Twister!โ Marlon says. You shake your head at him and rolls your eyes. โThatโs disrespectful to me.โ
โYouโre not the boss of me,โ you say.
"But you're MY girlfriend," Marlon says. โIโm not letting you bend over in front of my brother!โ Marlon says.
โIโm not bending over in front of Michael, Iโm simply playing twister with him!!โ you repeat. โCanโt you see how lonely he is?โ
โHeโs not lonely!โ Marlon defends.
โWhat is he then?โ you ask.
โLook thatโs not my issue, youโre my priority,โ Marlon says.
โOh shut up Marlon, give me a break.โ you say.
โYou give me a break! Letโs go sit by the pool.โ Marlon says. โYou love the pool.โ
โY/N!โ Michael calls from the living room. You give Marlon a smile. You kiss his cheek and open the door leading to the room Michael is in.
โโ-
You and Michael play twister for the next hour. Your bodies become more and more tangled up as the rounds go on. The score is 2-4. Michael is obviously the winner.
โHow come youโre so good at this?โ you ask Michael, all out of breath.
โMe and Bubbles play all the time!โ Michael admits, laughing while scratching his arm. You laugh with him before becoming serious again.
โLook Mike, if you ever want somebody to play board games with you, Iโm always here,โ you tell him.
โNo Y/N, itโs fine.โ Michael starts. โI know youโre busy and all.
โTrust me, Iโm never busy enough to beat you in a board game,โ you say.
โPlease!โ Michael laughs. โYouโve been doing nothing but losing.โ
โAlright alright, donโt get cocky on me now,โ you say.
You and Michael continue to play Twister until the door opens. You have your left foot on red and your right hand on green. Youโre leaning over Michaels tangled body.
Your head whips to the door after hearing your boyfriend clear his throat. Marlon has his arms crossed.
"Having fun?" Marlon asks.
"So much fun!" Michael obliviously shouts. Marlon shakes his head. Micahel flicks the spinner and moves his dot, accidentally moving his face to where it has a perfect view of your butt.
"Mike, move," Marlon says.
"Huh?" Michael says.
"Move," Marlon repeats.
"Why?" Michael asks.
"Because that's my girlfriend." Marlon answers.
"We're playing twister," Michael says.
"I can see that."
"Then why are you asking me to move?" Michael asks. "I'm about to win."
โOne sec, Mike,โ you say. You get up and walk over to him.
โHey.โ you say.
โHi.โ Marlon says back.
โYou still mad princess?โ you ask him.
โDonโt play with me,โ Marlon says. You look away and then back towards him.
โWhat are you so worried about, babe?โ you ask him.
โWhat do you think?โ
โThatโs why Iโm asking you.โ you reiterate.
โSince when did your mouth get so smart?โ Marlon asks you. You open and close your mouth.
โMarlon, itโs just a game of twister,โ you reassure. โItโs not like Iโm going to marry your brother.โ
He shakes his head, poking his tongue against his cheek.
โYouโre just gonna have to trust me on this one,โ you say. He looks you deep in your eyes, in deep thought. โBaby,โ you softly say.
โI canโt believe you chose twister over me,โ Marlon says.
โI didnโt choose twister over you, Marlon!โ you defend.
โYes, you did,โ Marlon fires back. โHe's taking all of the attention.โ he starts to pout his lips.
โYouโre over reacting.โ
โ I just care a lot,โ Marlon says. You sigh.
โCome play with us then if you feel some type of way,โ you suggest. Marlon scoffs.
โIโm not playing some childrenโs game,โ Marlon argues. You smile and pull at his arm
He complains and squirms but you continue to move him over to the mat.
โYou ready to play?!โ Michael happily asks. โOh! Marlon are you playing too?โ
You look over at Marlon and give him a look.
He rolls his eyes, โYeah, Iโll play Mike.โ
The three of y'all play, Marlon would shoot glares to Michael if he got to close and would purposely shake the mat to see you fall.
Randy opens the door next.
"If it isn't my favorite throuple," Randy jokes, grabbing a brush from off Michael's dresser.
Truth be told, you don't even know why you came out in the first place. Well actually, the answer to that is simple. Your best friend, Brielle. She practically dragged you out of the house. Her excuse: "You shouldn't be moping around"
-
"What even is the meaning for this?โ you ask your friend. You look around the crowded room that you just walked into. Brielle interrupted your study session and made you get all dressed up for the new club that opened up a couple of blocks down.
"There is no meaning Y/N!" Bri says. "You're out and about in a mini sparkly backless dress, be happy," she says. And with that she grabs your hand and pulls you to the bar.
"Drinks on you?" you ask.
"Drinks on Calvin!" Bri corrects. Calvin is Bri's brand new boyfriend for a grand three days (new record of hers) and he's loaded with cash.
โOf course it is,โ you sarcastically say. Bri orders the drinks and the bartender hands them out to the two of you. You slouch over, boredom written all over your face.
โChin up, shoulders back, and have fun!โ Bri says, she downs her drink and scans the room. You roll your eyes.
โBri, what are you up to?โ you curiously ask. She gives you a mischievous smile. โI swear, if you leave me-โ
โByeeee gorgeous!!!โ she sings and sheโs already out of your sight.
You throw your head back out of frustration, looking back over to your drink thatโs staring you down.
โI should be at home in my pajamas eating ice cream but noooo,โ you say to yourself. You pick up the drink and take baby sips.
All of a sudden, the lights inside of the club dim. The music from the speakers whirls up. Everyone makes their way to the dance floor.
You roll your eyes, downing your drink. You leave the glass at the counter and walk towards the dance floor. The curtains on the stage began to shake, the announcer comes out.
"Is everyone having a good time tonight?" he asks, clearly tipsy. The crowd cheers and claps. The announcer chuckles. "Good to hear, well for tonight, I have a special team of performers for ya."
The crowd gets louder, everyone inching closer to the stage.
"Enjoy!" and with that, the announcer walks off the stage. The velvet red curtains began to shake and open, revealing five brothers. Three, that are in front of the microphones and two, that are back playing the instruments.
"Is that the Jackson 5?" you hear a group of girls scream in sync.
What did Brielle get you into?
Michael begins to sing. His voice fills the room as everyone yells.
Everyone in the club starts to dance. Couples come together to grind against one another or hold each other to the beat.
"Captivating, stimulating
She's such a sexy lady
Filled with space age design"
While Michael sings he interacts with the crowd. You can't help but sway your hips to the sound of his voice. Michael is engaging but your eyes wander to the brother next to him. Slightly taller than him, sporting the biggest smile. As if he notices that you're staring, he looks directly over to you.
Jermaine joins in while Michael dances
"She's moving, she's grooving
Dancing until the music stops, now
Yeah"
Michael spins again, getting tied up with the microphone chord but smoothly spins out of it.
"Rhythmatic, acrobatic
She's a dynamite attraction
At the drop of a coin she comes alive, yeah
She knows what she's doing
She's super bad now
She's geared to really blow your mind"
Then he glides across the stage, doing the robot. The crowd goes wild, hooting and hollering over him and his brother's moving in sync.
After the dance, Michael continues to sing. The brothers sing together, pointing at the crowd as they cheer for them. The beat starts to get steady as the singing stops.
Marlon takes his microphone off the stand and speaks, making his way down the staircase. You could've sworn he was coming your way.
"I think it's time that somebody from this crowd shows us what they got," Marlon says, eyes locked on you.
Marlon picks up the pace and stands in front of you, he grabs your hand and pulls you towards him. A crowd of people circle around the two of you, cheering both of you on.
You shake your head "no." Only making him pull you closer.
"You got it," Marlon says. He spins and then takes your hand, spinning you. Your body is frozen. "You don't like to dance?" Marlon asks you into the microphone.
"Make her dance Marlon!" Jackie says from the stage.
"Dance dance dance" the crowd starts to chant.
โNope,โ you shake your head. Your face is filled with embarrassment. He shakes his head with a laugh.
โI think youโre just nervous,โ he says. You tilt your head in confusion at him. "Come on, cha cha to the left and then to the right."
You attempt to follow his rules but instead you step on his foot. But, Marlon doesn't mind. He laughs and dances with you slowly.
You try to follow his foot movements again, familiarizing yourself with the pattern. He spins you again. The process repeats.
"Like this?" you ask.
"You got it, Baby." Marlon says. The two of you dance some more. Your nerves relaxed and your body was no longer feeling tensed. You and Marlon flowed perfectly together. His left hand lowers to your hip. His brothers still singing the interlude for the dance break while Tito strings out the beat on his guitar.
You spin once more, your chest pressed to his.
"Alright now, Marlon." Michael says. "We see you!" The crowd cheers in response.
You and Marlon stare at each other while dancing. His eyes flicker down to your lips and then back up. You pull yourself off of him. He walks backwards to the stage, still looking at you before fully turning around.
The brothers sing and dance some more before ending the song.
"Thank you Vegas!!!" Michael shouts. You can't wipe the toothy smile off your face and nor can Marlon, his eyes are still on you.
synopsis: josephโs mercilessness and control over his kidโsโ lives threaten to ruin the very new and very delicate relationship youโve built with marlon.
c/w: angst, comfort, lots of fluff and romance <3
word count: 3.7k
pairing: marlon jackson x f!reader (black reader in mind)
a/n: we need to be giving more love to the other jackson brothers okayyyy!! i tried changing my writing style a LITTLE bit so hopefully itโs less wordy and more imaginative LOL. also NOT proofread. enjoy!!
Song ยท 2018 ยท Duration 3:09
april, 1984 โ california. 10:48 p.m.
youโd been pacing around your bedroom for hours.ย
itโs been approximately 48 hours since you last got a hold of marlon, and you were slowly losing your mind.
it was a wednesday evening. you and marlon had planned to go to the aquarium for one of the many dates youโd had in the last few weeks. youโd been dating for the last two months after years of shy glances and flirty comments between the two of you.ย
this date wasnโt particularly special, but it had been your dream to go to the aquarium of the pacific. and he was going to make it happen for you.ย
โyou want to go all the way to the aquarium to see some damn frogs? he cackled, his head falling back onto your fluffy pink pillows.ย
you playfully rolled your eyes, swatting lightly at his chest in playful unrest. you both were sprawled on your bed, legs tangled and bodies intertwined as his arms tightened around your shoulders from laughter.ย
โtheyโre not just frogs, marlon,โ you started, your eyes refocusing on the ceiling above. โtheyโre the blue poison dart frogs! theyโre super rare and only found in suriname. iโve always wanted to see them and-โย
you paused, a sheepish grin coming over your cheeks. you tried to turn away from him, but his solid but gentle grip on your shoulders kept you in place.
you felt his gaze on the side of your face, all the humor from before escaping him.ย
โand what?โ he softly asked, his other hand tracing your arm with small shapes that meant nothing but an excuse to touch your skin.ย
โand i want to see them with you,โ you finished, your eyes shyly finding his own.ย
you felt your cheeks immediately redden at the proximity. at the eye contact boring through your head.ย
he lifted his hand from your arm to your chin, his index tracing the outline of your jaw. after a few seconds, he hooked his index finger under your jaw gently, bringing your face to his for a soft kiss.ย
his plush lips meshed with your own, a kiss that had you overly heated. in more ways than one.
he pulled away, keeping a distance just wide enough to lock eyes with you but close enough to breathe into each other.ย
โthen weโll go see those frogs, baby,โ he whispered, his eyes shifting between your own before reconnecting your lips.ย
yet, that date never happened. because he failed to show up to your house that afternoon. you were filled with a silent rage that had you wanting to poke holes through his tires.
but after a day of him not answering your calls, that anger shifted to worry.ย
which leads you back here. pacing your room like tom chasing jerry. you felt like a madwoman, but beyond that, you felt an aching pain in your chest that something was devastatingly wrong.ย
because even though you and marlon had been dating a short while, youโd known him for way longer. and you knew he wasnโt the type to leave you, or anyone for that matter, hanging in the dark with no call.
you debated driving yourself over to encino and walking into hayvenhurst yourself, but you knew joseph would throw a fit. you had to maintain your self-control.ย
he will call you, you tried to reassure yourself.ย
so why couldnโt you stop itching at that one spot behind your elbow? why couldnโt you stop gnawing on your bottom lip and chipping at your nails?ย
fuck it. you had to talk to him.ย
before you knew it, you were dialing the hayvenhurst home like it was on speed dial. which at this rate, it may as well be.
the phone began to ring, anticipation and anxiety beating into your bloodstream.
โcome on, come on,โ you whispered to yourself as the phone continued to dauntingly chime in your ear. you were beginning to lose hope until you heard the soft murmur of michaelโs voice on the other line.
โhello?โ he meekily greeted.ย
โuh, hey michael, itโs me,โ you responded, toying with the phone line nervously. he called back your name in surprise that you called the house and not marlon directly.
โis everything ok?โ
the calmness in his tone was both a reassurance and a curse.
your eyes darted between the wall and the floor, blinking back tears at the fact that there was a slight chance that marlon was okay and just ignoring you.ย
โyeah, well, no not exactly,โ you started. โiโve been trying to reach marlon for two days and he hasnโt been answering. i didnโt know if something happened or-โ
โoh, thatโs so weird,โ he intervened. โheโs literally upstairs in his room right now.โ
โohโฆโ you felt your heart sink. while you were glad that nothing had happened to him, you couldnโt help but fight the bulge building in your throat.
so he was intentionally ignoring you?โฆ
โi-is he ok? or did he say anyth-โ
โiโm actually shocked that he hasnโt called you considering-โ
โconsidering what, mike?โ you cut him off, your ears ringing with a daunting fury that nearly knocked you off the bed.ย
โerm, iโll let marlon tell you that,โ he started โ just joseph is up to his usual nonsense and โฆ marlonโs not taking it too well,โ he interrupted.
your face fell.
you knew marlon and his brothersโ relationships with their dad was nothing short of abusive and controlling. and while you couldnโt share all of your thoughts on his dad with marlon out of respect, you knew immediately that it was his father that was in the wrong.
and you knew you needed to be there for marlon. that you wanted to be.ย
โmike, can i come over?โ
there was a minute of pause on the other line. you were afraid youโd overstepped. as soon as you were about to renege your request, michael reponded.ย
โsure, but get here at midnight on the dot,โ you heard michael adjusting on the other line. โiโll let you in so that joseph doesnโt hear you.โ
you shut your eyes and sucked in a deep breath, mentally preparing for the spy-like journey ahead of you.ย
โthank you, mikeyโ
โof course. see you soon.โ
โย
12:00 a.m., encinoย
by the time you arrived to the expansive mahogany doors of the hayvenhurst estate, your palms had been sweating profusely.ย
youโd been here hundreds of times, yet this was different for you. because you werenโt showing up to support marlon during a hardship, you were showing up as his girlfriend.ย
in a time of despair.
without his knowledge.
you felt your skin crawling with inhibitions and regret. now that you were actually standing outside staring back at your disfigured reflection in the door, you felt like this was the worst idea youโd had in years.ย
you had to go back home, now.
just as quickly as you turned on the heels of your feet back to your car, you heard the soft click of a door opening behind you.
you heard michael whisper your name out into the brisk encino air, making you pause in your tracks.
โwere you leaving?โ he dejectedly asked. you didnโt have to look at him to know that a pout sat at his lips. you knew him and the entire family too well to know how they felt.
you turned back to his direction, quickly and quietly tiptoing your way to his presence. โi-iโm sorry, i thought i was overstepping. i didnโt want to bother you or him.โ
his face softened in rue that you felt that way.ย
โyou could never impose with us, youโre our family,โ he reached his hand to your shoulder in reassurance. you grinned softly as you leaned your head down to meet his touch.ย
โthanks mikey.โ
โnow come on, marlon should still be awake,โ he stated, his hand on your shoulder guiding you into the house.
when you stepped inside, you noticed how eerily quiet the mansion actually was. of course, it was midnight now, but even then, the soft laughter between jermaine and tito would ring through the halls. or the bounce of a basketball from jackieโs room providing enough of a sound to remind you that there was life in this house.
yet something had shifted since the last time you were here.
it was so quiet that you felt that you were intruding.
what the hell did joseph do?
michael ushered you up the staircase that you were all too familiar with, providing you a sense of comfort amidst the formidable silence. by the time heโd led you to the top of the stairs, he gave you a quick hug and mumbled a โgood luckโ in your ear before trekking to his own bedroom.ย
which left you here, peering at the wide expanse and overly decorated bedroom door of your boyfriend.ย
you didnโt know what felt worse: the anxiety of knocking on the door or the uncanny silence seeping from the other side of it.
despite yourself, you brought your knuckles to the flush door that stowed your adorable boyfriend away from your gaze.
you waited pensively for a few seconds, hoping to hear the slightest shift of a mattress spring or feet shuffling on carpeted floors. anything to highlight any sign of life behind that door.
but nothing.
your eyebrows furrowed with concern as you brought your knuckles to his door once more, knocking loudly enough to hopefully get through to his ears.ย
you waited a few more seconds, being met with a never ending silence once again.
was he there? was he asleep? did he have his headphones in?ย
your brain pondered over all the possible reasons why he might not be answering the door until you thought of another tactic.ย
your palm flattened against the smoothness of the door, almost as if you were listening for its heartbeat. instead of knocking, you whispered into the gap between the door and its hinges, โbaby, itโs me.โย
you pulled away slightly, leaving space for his potential reveal from beyond the door. you sucked in a deep breath, your hands forming into small fists from anxiety as you hoped your voice was enough of a force for him to unveil himself.
a split second had passed before you heard the first sign of life beyond the hatchway: his muffled footsteps.
thank god, you thought to yourself.
you backed up a few more steps to give him space and before you knew it, the door swung open to reveal a very handsome and fatigued marlon.
the first thing you noticed was his tight white shirt highlighting every muscle in his abdomen and arms. his blue baggy plaid pants hung low on his hips and his feet were adorned with the red fuzzy socks youโd bought him for christmas years ago.ย
you quickly shifted from perusing his lean figure to his eyes, which, for the first time in your years of knowing him, had looked different.
he was wearing eyeglasses.
and wow.
youโd never seen him in glasses before. shit, you didnโt even know that he owned or needed them. but you knew youโd be asking him to wear them more oftenโฆ
and you were definitely gawking. because even after decades of knowing him, years of loving him, and weeks of calling him yours, a simple and effortless look like this one still left you bewildered.
โbaby?โ his voice cut through to you. you quickly realized that heโd been trying to get your attention for the last few seconds.
totally not embarrassingโฆ
you quickly came back to a logical version of yourself. โoh yeahโฆ where the hell have you been marlon?โ you whisper-shouted.
you watched his face falter before he quickly fabricated a teasing smile, but you knew him too well.
โgirl, you know i just get too wrapped into the music shit. they donโt call me the dancing-est jackson for nothing,โ he quipped, jokingly doing the body roll in your direction.
normally youโd giggle, maybe even a full body laugh at how insane he looked doing this in the doorway of his room. but today was not that day.ย
you crossed your arms across your chest, a humorless expression taking over you. he stopped mid-dance, realizing you were not in the mood.
โfirst off, you know damn well youโre the only one who calls you that,โ you started, earning a chuckle from him. โand secondly, mike told me something happened with your dad. so spill.โ
his face dropped at that. you could tell you hit a nerve.
his eyes darted between your own with the sort of apprehension of a kid telling his mom he broke something. that only added to your nerves.
instead of responding, a small grin formed on his face. he gently brought your hands in his own and led you inside his bedroom. you didnโt fight it, the slight tug and warmth of his palms engulfing you in the scent that youโve missed for two days.
after he led you inside, he gently maneuvered behind you and closed the door gently as to not wake his parents. you turned to his direction, watching him lean against the now closed door with his hands behind his back.ย
his eyes danced over your figure, a smirk forming on his devilishly handsome lips. โcome here, baby.โ
you tried to fight it, you really did.ย
you knew he was stalling. but by the forces of nature, he was crushing any willpower you had left within you to remain serious and composed.
like a hypnotized person, your feet naturally guided you to his direction. your arms found comfort in wrapping around his waist as he brought his hands to either side of your head, pushing loose curls from the sides of your eyes to behind your ears.
the smirk that sat on his face shifted from seduction to longing, like he was genuinely happy to have you in his embrace. the warmth radiating from his toned physique was enough to make your knees buckle; you were lucky for the door holding you both up, or youโre sure you couldโve dragged both of yโall to the ground.ย
his eyes bore into your own as you looked up at him, searching for any ounce of anguish and disturbance at his two-day disappearance. but instead he was met with the worried but adorable furrow of your brows. all he wanted to do was kiss away the duress heโd caused you.
โiโm sorry for not making it to our date,โ he murmured, his eyes focused on your lips. โi know how much you wanted to see those poisonous ass frogs.โ
that got a giggle out of you, and he felt his mood brighten just a little bit.ย
instead of responding, you stood on the balls of your feet and pressed a kiss to his lips. his hands quickly followed suit, landing at your cheeks to angle your face to his. you felt his tongue pressing at your bottom lip, which was your sign to pull away before he fully took your attention away.
by the time you lowered back down, a pout had formed on his lips at the separation.ย
โmarlon, i-" you froze.
because it wasnโt just the pout that took you aback. it was his bloodshot and hooded eyes that made an appearance.
the illumination from his bedside lamp drew your attention to his reddened eyes and tear-soaked cheeks. and your heart sank.ย
had he been crying?
โmarlon, respectfully, the frogs can wait,โ you started. โyouโre more important.โย
his cheeks heated at that, his hands falling from the sides of your face to your waist, giving it a soft squeeze. โnow please, tell me whatโs wrong.โย
his eyes danced between yours in contemplation before he let out a deep sigh, almost in preparation to deliver the news. your hands rubbed the sides of his arms for reassurance.ย
โjoseph, he uh, wants us to go on a global tour,โ he started, his eyes now looking everywhere else but you. โfor a year and a half.โย
your hands froze in the middle of his arm. you looked up from his chest to his face to see a pensive and desolate look on his face, almost like heโd started to disassociate.ย
you brought your hand to his cheek to bring him back to reality with you, but that only caused him to stir away. heโd risen off the wall and made his way to the foot of his bed, leaving you by yourself.
โmarlon-"
โi tried to tell him i - that we - donโt want to do this,โ he continued, his hands dragging down his face in stress. โbut he simply said itโd be good for the family and that we donโt have a choice.โย
you slowly made your way to where he sat on his messy sheets. you closed the distance, now standing in between his legs where he sat on his bed. his hands naturally traced up the backs of your legs before sitting at your waist and giving it another squeeze.ย
your fingers delicately threaded through the coils at the nape of his neck, forcing him to look up at you. you noticed the tears threatening to spill over his waterline and your heart ached.
gently, you lifted his glasses off his head and placed them on his side. you wiped just under his eyes, catching a stray tear before it fell too far.
โi-i donโt even want to tour,โ he hiccuped. โnone of us do. i wanted to take some time off, i wanted to rest. i wanted to be with you.โย
you knew there was nothing you could say to him that could mitigate the situation. you felt the same way as him. you wanted him all to yourself and joseph had to get in the way of that.ย
you were hurting, but you didnโt want to overshadow how he felt. instead of coming up with solutions to fix this or complaining at the reality of it, you settled for consoling him.
you bent down, pressing a long kiss to his forehead. โwhen do you leave?โ you asked, your voice hoarse from swallowing back your own tears.
โnext month.โย
it was like joseph had punched you himself.ย
you couldn't believe that this was what the near future of your relationship with marlon would look like. what, phone calls marked by timezones and uneven schedules?
you both had just found your rhythm with each other, a tour right now would be the ultimate test and sacrifice of your newly declared love.
and you didn't know what to do.
you fell to his side, thighs being smushed together from the uneven weight of your bodies together. you leaned your head on his shoulder, a few loose tears having no choice but to escape downward. your fingers interlocked with his own as you sniffled, hoping he didn't catch that.
he turned his head to press a reciprocal kiss to your forehead, leaning his own head on top of yours. you both sat just like that for a few moments of silence and melancholy.
"i-um," you started, clearing your throat to find your words. "i'm sorry"
"baby, this isn't your fault-"
"i'm sorry that you had to deal with this news alone," you finished. "i wish you had told me, i would've been here."
marlon sucked in a deep breath, nodding softly against your head at his own error in hiding this from you for two days.
he lifted his head from yours and leaned backward onto his bed, his body facing the ceiling. you quickly joined him, your fingers still interlocked with each other.
"you shouldn't have to do this, you shouldn't have to deal with his unfair supervision over your life all the time. you deserve to be happy" you exasperated. "all i want is for you to be happy," you mumbled out.
"but it's never about me or my happiness at the end of the day, is it?" he challenged. you turned your head to look at him, seeing a contemplative look take over his features once again.
you joined him in looking back up at the ceiling, now pondering on what the near future of your relationship with him would look like. long phone calls? 24 hour visits every four months? catching his face on tv interviews at the nail salon?
as viscerally painful as it all sounded, you realized something.
that despite that separation and heartache, knowing marlon would be coming home to you at the end of it all made the ephemeral pain worth it.
that your love for him made it worth waiting.
"i'm not going to lie and say that we can change joseph's mind or-or that this will be easy for us," you muttered out after seconds of silence. "shit, i'm not even saying that i will be happy with this. but i do know that i'm willing to try, to fight for us."
that caused him to lift himself from his place on the bed, balancing on his forearm to peer down at you.
"because i love you."
the way his eyes softened was enough to put out the fire of anger that began to burn inside your chest. his fingers tightened around your own as he leaned forward, pressing his lips to yours, almost as if he was sealing your words like a promise.
he pulled back slightly to look at you. to look at how the light illuminating from the lamp gave you the perfect bronze glow. you looked absolutely perfect to him. perfect for him now and perfect for him for when he came home.
"i love you, too" he drawled, his eyes fixated deeply on your lips. "but once we see those frogs i don't know who'll have first place over my heart anymore."
"marlon," you laughed out loud, playfully slapping his chest and pushing him back onto his back on the bed.
you spent the rest of the evening exchanging soft kisses and jokes to ease the pain of your inevitable future.
but as long as you both had each other, the thought of being separated for months on end didn't feel as daunting as it did rewarding for when you reunited again.
--
a/n: ok I HOPE Y'ALL ENJOYED BC I JUST HAD TO GET THIS OUT OF MY HEAD LOL!!
Iโm in DESPERATE need for more Marlon Jackson fics like this man is sooooo mesmerizing I need every kind of fics of him like itโs a lifestyle at this point! Soooo if any of you have some Marlon fics send them here cause I NEED THEM RAAAAA!!!! Thank you โจ๐ฉต๐
Janet is your best friend. You two have been so close since forever. Y'all always have sleepovers, go shopping together, watch movies, everything. Y'all have an inseparable bond. But with that comes the non-stop loudness of her brothers.
Janet is always going on and on about how specifically Marlon and Michael are the rowdiest ones.
You don't believe it though, every time you go over to Janet's house, Marlon is quiet and shy. Barely looking your way.
---
Summer
"See! I told you Janet, this skirt is way too long," you complain, twirling in front of her bedroom window.
"Your skirts are practically belts." Janet says.
โTheyโre suppose to be!โ you defend. She rolls her eyes and flips through the magazine.
โI swear my husband has to look as good as the models in here,โ Janet says, eyes glued to the page before flipping it around to show you.
โForget looks, I want mine to have a brain for a change.โ you say. You remove the skirt.
โThatโs rare,โ Janet jokes.
The two of you laugh together.
โIs my bikini cute?โ you ask.
โYeah, the color is pretty.โ she tells you.
โGreat!!โ you say. โOh and guess what!!โ
โWhat?โ
โI booked my belly piercing appointment.โ you cheer.
โAre you serious?!โ Janet asks. โI asked my mom and-โ
Shouts and laughter are coming from downstairs.
โUgh I canโt even hear myself speak.โ Janet complains. You giggle. โYou ready to go swim?โ
โLetโs do it.โ you say. You and Janet walk out of her room and down the stairs, getting closer and closer to the living room where all the brothers are chilling.
Marlon is up in the middle cracking jokes loudly, his brothers laughing at him.
โCould you guys be any louder?โ Janet asks. Marlon turns around to say a comment until he sees you.
โOh.. sorry,โ Marlon goes quiet and sits back down. The brothers eye Marlon.
โSorry, you know how Marlon thinks heโs a comedian,โ Randy says. โHey Y/Nโ
โHey Randy,โ you say back. โHey boys,โ you say to the others. In sync they all speak, Marlon a little delayed, his eyes facing his hands in his lap.
โWeโll be out by the pool,โ Janet says, taking your hand once again and leading you outside.
โOkay, so this dream, it was so scary man I mean-โ Jermaine starts.
โIโm bored,โ Marlon blurts.
โYouโre bored?โ Jermaine asks.
โYeah, letโs like, I donโt know,โ Marlon starts. โGo outside? Play basketball.โ
The brothers look at each other again.
โBut we just got back inside,โ Tito says.
โAnd you were just complaining about the heat,โ Jermaine adds.
โWell you know, Iโm feeling a little cold,โ Marlon lies.
โIf you say so,โ Randy says. The brothers all get up and head outside to where they play basketball.
Once Marlon walks out the door he sees you cracking jokes with Jackie and Michael who are by the grill.
โSo youโre just not gonna feed me?โ you ask Jackie and Michael.
โFoods not ready,โ Michael says shyly.
โAnd no special treatment,โ Jackie adds.
โGuess Iโll starve!โ you dramatically say, walking from them. The two boys laugh as you walk away. โHey Marlon!โ you say, walking towards Marlon.
โHey,โ he says quickly. You pause in front of him.
โHowโs it going?โ you ask.
โPerfect.โ Marlon blurts out.
โThatโs great!โ you tell him.
โTotally.โ he responds. You give him one more smile before walking away. Before Marlon knew it, he let out a deep breath he didnโt even know he was holding.
โYou good?โ Tito asks him. โYou look like you saw a ghost.โ
โYeah, Iโm fine.โ Marlon says. Tito gives him one last look. He notices that Marlonโs eyes keep wandering back over to where youโre with.
โSo, are you going to join us in basketball?โ Tito asks. Marlon is pulled from the trance of you applying sunscreen to your body and turns to Tito.
โRight behind you,โ Marlon says. Tito shakes his head and walks away. You look up from your leg and towards Marlon, he quickly whips his head from you and walks off.
โIs it just me or is your brother acting a bit off?โ you ask Janet.
โTheyโre always acting off,โ she answers.
โBut really off,โ you clarify.
โWhich one?โ Janet asks.
โMarlon,โ you whisper. Janet stops setting up the umbrella and looks towards where Marlon is.
โHeโs his normal bubbly self,โ she says. You shrug your shoulders, dipping your legs in the pool. Occasionally you'd catch Marlon looking over, The second your eyes met, he'd look somewhere else.
Unfortunately, Randy catches this. Randy picks up the nearest Sprite can and walks over to Marlon.
"Y/N was asking for a Sprite, I have to go help Jackie, so hand this to her," Randy says, shoving it into Marlon's hand. Marlon grips the Sprite, looking over at you.
"Kill me," Marlon whispers, he slowly walks back over to you. "Hey Y/N, here you go,"
You and Janet look up at him.
"She didn't ask for one?" Janet says. Marlon's eyes widen.
"Hush!" you whisper to Janet. You bring your hand up to grab the Sprite, touching his fingers. Something in Marlon's body tenses once he feels the warmth of your fingertips. "Thank you Mar," you say.
Marlon musters out a nod before walking away. He sits down right next to Randy.
"You suck, she didn't ask for a Sprite." Marlon says.
"Wow! Really?" Randy sarcastically asks. "Did you touch her hand?
"What do you mean?" Marlon asks.
"You know, when you handed her the drink, did y'alls hands touch??" Randy pushes.
"Oh shut up Randy," Marlon says.
"Seriously though! You're sweating so hard," Randy says.
"Cause it's hot," Marlon defends.
"You just said it was cold." Randy tells him.
โFoods ready, go get the girls,โ Jackie says, more so to Marlon. Marlon points at himself to clarify if Jackie was asking him but Jackie is already walking off. Randy rubs Marlon's shoulders and pulls him up.
"Game face on," Randy says.
Marlon hypes himself up again before walking back over to you and Janet.
You look up from your Sprite and towards him. His breath hitches.
โBack again? Hey Mar,โ you say. Marlonโs mouth opens and closes. You couldโve sworn he was sweating.
โHey.โ he says. The two of you stare at each other for the next minute.
โMarlon?โ Janet asks. Marlon pulls his eyes from you.
โFoods ready,โ he mumbles and walks off.
โThat was weird.โ Janet says.
โVery,โ you squint your eyes watching him walk off. He trips over a stick, looking back to see if youโre watching. Once he does, he walks faster. You tilt your head at him.
โโโ
Jackie is passing out the food at the table. As you and Janet are walking up Marlon is making jokes.
โIโm gonna miss your food so much while youโre at the nursing home,โ Marlon says.
โIโm only 36..โ Jackie defends. The boys laugh.
โOkay im just gonna address the elephant in the room,โ Jermaine says. โWhy do you get so awkward around Y/N?โ he asks.
โWhat?โ Marlon says, almost choking on his water.
โOh come on, itโs like you freeze up when sheโs near,โ Randy adds.
โI donโt freeze up!โ Marlon defends.
โYes you do,โ the brothers say in sync. Marlon rolls his eyes.
โIf I knew any better, Iโd think you have a crush on Janetโs friend.โ Jermaine says.
โGood thing you donโt get paid for thinking,โ Marlon says.
โOh come on Mar,โ Tito says, mocking your voice.
โShut up Tito,โ Marlon says.
โCan I sit next to you?โ you ask Marlon, motioning to the empty seat next to him. He looks up and back down towards his lap, shaking his head yes.
You plop down next to him, shoulders touching.
His brothers looking at both of yโall.
Jermaine playfully shoves his shoulder, making Marlon push himself into your side.
โIโm so sorry! I didnโt mean to,โ Marlon quickly says.
โYouโre fine Mar,โ you say. โRelax.โ
Marlon doesnโt know how you have this effect on him. His palms are practically an ocean yet he feels at home when you're near.
"Can you do me a favor?" you ask Marlon out of the blue.
"Sure," he answers.
"Could you tie my bikini really tight?" you turn around and have your back face him. Marlon's jaw drops, as he looks over to his brothers for help.
"What do I do??" he mouths.
"Tie it dumbass" Jermaine mouths. Marlon scratches his neck. Jermaine rolls his eyes, he grabs Marlon's hands and throws them at your back.
Marlon grips the strings and ties them. His hands rapidly shake and he almost forgets how to breathe.
"All done," he says.
"Thank you Mar," you squeeze his arm. Now that killed him. His brothers silently laugh before Jackie clears the air.
โHow have you been?โ Jackie asks you.
โIโve been good, Iโm only in town for a wedding.โ you explain.
โShe still needs a date,โ Janet adds.
โI donโt have to have a date!โ you say.
โI think you should,โ Jermaine flirts.
โIf youโre offering then Iโm denying,โ you mumble. Everyone laughs, except Marlon, heโs too busy picking at his nails.
โWhat are you looking for in a date?โ Michael asks, redirecting the question.
โEh, nothing much really. Iโm planning on leaving early so I guess somebody who would keep me awake,โ you answer. Michael shoots Marlon a look.
Marlon turns his head away from Michael.
โOr someone whoโs a good dancer, I'd love to dance,โ you add. Michael kicks Marlonโs leg.
โOWโ Marlon blurts out.
โAre you okay?โ you ask.
โYeahโฆโ he mumbles.
โOkay, I canโt sit here for any longer,โ Tito says. โI have the perfect person for you to take on your date.โ Marlon looks up at Tito whoโs already looking at him. Tito offers a mischievous look and then looks over at you.
โTake Michael.โ
Marlonโs mouth drops, all of the brothers looking over at Tito.
โThatโs not a bad idea,โ Janet obliviously says. You think for a moment.
โAre you okay with that Michael?โ you ask. Michael looks over at Marlon and then back at you.
โUhm, sure. Letโs do it,โ Michael says.
โOkay, well, Iโm wearing a black satin dress,โ you say. Marlon rolls his eyes at Michael.
โI have to use the bathroom,โ Marlon interjects. Jumping up from his spot and speed walking inside. Your eyes follow his body.
โOkay, am I the only one noticing something is wrong with Marlon??โ you ask the brothers. They all look in between each other.
โWeโll go check on him,โ Michael says, pulling Titoโs arm with him.
โLet me finish my burger,โ Tito says but Michael is already pulling him.
โโโ
The two brothers walk into the house and see Marlon pacing back and forth.
โMarlon,โ Michael starts.
โHow could you!?โ Marlon yells. โMy own brother, really?โ
โTito volunteered me!โ Michael defends.
โYou couldโve said no you traitor,โ Marlon says.
โWait wait,โ Tito says but Michael begins speaking.
โWell maybe you should just man up and ask to be her date!โ Michael yells back.
โIโm nervous! Every time she comes near me I start to shake or freeze, I canโt talk to her!โ Marlon blurts out, pacing faster.
Marlon turns and points at Tito.
โAnd you know exactly what youโre doing,โ Marlon says. Tito throws up his arms.
โIf you like her so much then maybe go tell her?โ Tito recommends. Marlon scoffs, plopping down on the couch, head in his hands.
โWhatโs the worst that could happen Marlon?โ Michael asks.
โHave you seen her, Mike?โ Marlon says.
โYes? I was just outside with her,โ Michael says.
โNo Mike, have you seen her?โ Marlon says. โSheโs beautiful, sheโd never go for a guy like me.โ
Tito and Michael sit on the sides of Marlon.
โDonโt say that about yourself Marlon,โ Michael says.
โItโs true. Sheโs everything and more. And Iโm just, Marlon,โ he says. Tito sighs.
โMarlon, take a chance.โ Tito says. โDonโt think, just do.โ
โPlus, youโre a good dancer and youโre funny!โ Michael adds. Marlon thinks for a second.
โI know, butโ he starts.
โListen here Marlon, if you donโt go ask Y/N to be her date then Ima make Jermaine go with her.โ Tito says.
โWait but I thought I-โ Michael interjects.
โAnd you already know how that love story is gonna end if Jermaine gets his hands on her.โ Tito continues.
โThatโs true, youโd be an uncle,โ Michael agrees.
Marlon inhales and exhales. He stands up from the couch. Tito and Michael share looks.
You're sitting on top of Marlon's bed in your cutest pajamas waiting for him to show up. He promised that he'd be back home by 8 so you two could go out to dinner. But clearly, he's not here.
You let out another disappointed sigh.
You hear the front door open, his and his brothers voices are heard. Marlon's footsteps creep up the stairs, pausing at his bedroom door. The door opens and he walks in.
"I didn't think you'd still be awake," Marlon says, leaning in to give you a kiss.
"I don't know why you would think that," you say bluntly, dodging the kiss. "Especially given the fact that you promised me to a date tonight,"
Marlon immediately brings his hand to massage his forehead.
"Baby, I'm so sorry. I lost track of time. It slipped my mind," Marlon says.
"It slipped your mind?" you repeat.
"Baby." Marlon tries.
"Nope, it's whatever," you interrupt, you refuse to look at him. Marlon's face of regret turns to confusion.
"What?" he asks.
"I said, it's whatever," you climb underneath the cover, turning off the bedside lamp. Marlon freezes before walking over. He opens his mouth to say something but opts against it. He heads to the bathroom to shower before turning around.
"Wanna join me?" Marlon asks. You flip over onto your side, ignoring him.
---
The next morning you decided to keep yourself busy and away from Marlon so you woke up bright and early. You did your morning routine and dressed up in the cutest sundress. You quickly rushed out of the house. You went shopping, got your nails done, had brunch, and raced cars with Bill.
Afterwards, you come back to the shared family-home. You walk over to the living room and kick your feet up. Marlon enters.
"There you are! I woke up all alone this morning," Marlon says, he reaches down to kiss your lips but you turn your head. You grab the remote and turn on the television.
Marlon looks at you for a long time before going in for another kiss. You dodge it again. He opens his mouth but Michael walks in.
"Hey Marlon and Y/N," Michael says.
"Hey Michael!" the two of you say in sync. You get up from your spot and follow Michael to the kitchen.
"Did you bring back food?" Michael asks.
"Yeah, for you, Jermaine, Jackie, Randy, Tito, Toya," you say. Michael shakes his head in response and looks over at Marlon who's sad because his name wasnโt mentioned.
You walk away from the kitchen and back into the living room, Marlon follows behind you yet again, like a lost puppy.
"Baby, I said I was sorry," Marlon says. Randy hops onto the couch, changing the television channel. "Please, talk to me," he whispers.
"This silent treatment stuff is so childish." he mumbles.
"I don't even know what you're apologizing for but you just dug yourself a bigger hole," Randy laughs.
"Hey Randy," you start.
"What's up?" Randy asks.
"If you promised your girlfriend to a dinner that has been planned weeks in advance and you still manage to be hours late without calling her beforehand, do you think she has the right to be mad at you?" you ask him. Randy thinks for a second, scratching his chin.
"I wouldn't know, I'm married to the streets not a girl," he jokes. You roll your eyes and huff, looking back over at the television.
"I'm sorry," Marlon groans. You ignore him.
"Randy, can you tell Y/N that I'm sorry," Marlon asks Randy.
"Randy, can you tell Marlon that I don't care and he screwed up," you ask Randy.
"Marlon, Y/N said that you have a huge head and Y/N, Marlon said he's cheating on you," Randy says. "Thank me later." he hops up and walks away.
"Baby." Marlon tries.
"Love"
"Y/N"
"Pleaseeee" he begs, now standing in front of you. You just scoot over.
"Y/N, come on!" he begs again. "Can you just yell at me already?!" he blurts. You finally look at him.
"Yell at you?" you ask.
"Yes..." You shake your head and just look away. "Throw something, yell at me, this silent treatment is awful,"
You pick at the thread on the couch. Marlon covers your view of the television again, this time, sitting down on the coffee table.
"Y/N, I know that I screwed up, it won't happen again," Marlon says.
"You said that last time," you say.
"Baby-"
"No, Marlon!" you start. "You promised me to dinner"
"I had to work,"
"You always have to work!" you cut him off. "It's like there's never time for us," you continue.
Marlon looks at you, he rests his head on the palm of his hand. It's silent for the next few minutes.
"You don't care anymore," you add. Marlon shakes his head.
"I'll never stop caring," Marlon promises.
"You sure have a way of showing it," you say.
"That's not fair," Marlon says.
"How?" you ask. "How is it not fair?"
"Because I work hard for us," Marlon defends.
"Marlon, I know you do," you say.
"Then why are you treating this situation like I just don't care?" he asks. You open your mouth to speak.
"Caring isn't saying that you care Marlon, it's showing up."
He goes quiet and looks down at the carpet.
"And you never show up." you add.
"I didn't realize that I was making you feel like you weren't a priority" Marlon mutters.
"I shouldn't have to beg my boyfriend to show up," you say.
"You're right," Marlon says. "I've been absent in my own relationship and I'm sorry."
You smile at him.
"We just have to work together." you suggest.
"Definitely and I promise I will do better," Marlon starts. "You mean more to me more than I've been showing you lately." he says. You smile and hug him, he takes you into his lap.
"Y'all duke it out yet?" Randy asks, sitting back down on the couch.
"We're fine, Randy," you say.
"Good, cool cool." Randy mutters. "So uhm, you know that friend you have, Tiffany, right?" Randy asks you.
"What about her?" you ask.
"She single?" Randy asks.
"You can't be doing this right now," Marlon says. "I just got my lady back," he adds in between gritted teeth.
"And Marlon, I respect that, but Tiffany looking a little too fine lately." Randy says.
