𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲. ever wonder how different the jacksons would be if they were country? read more to find out!
𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠(𝐬). cowboy! michael x pregnant wife! reader
𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭. slice of life, fluff, pregnancy (obviously), non-famous au
The screen door of the back porch always had a distinct, lazy creak to it—one that Michael swore he’d fix every Saturday for the past three summers, right alongside the loose floorboard by the icebox, but never quite got around to. Honestly, you didn’t mind it. That little squeak was the soundtrack to your life out here on the Jackson family compound, a sprawling stretch of green pasture, white railed fences, and ancient weeping willows tucked deep away in the heart of the country. It meant he was home. It meant safety.
You wiped your flour dusted hands on your gingham apron, turning away from the wooden kitchen counter just as heavy, worn in leather boots stepped across the threshold. Michael walked in with his straw cowboy hat tipped back, a smudge of dark, rich soil smeared across his high cheekbone, and that wide, heart melting smile that still made your chest flutter like you were sixteen years old and sneaking out to the county fair.
"Mmm, Lord have mercy, what is that heavenly smell?" he drawled, his voice rich and velvety with just enough of that deep country sugar wrapped around every syllable. He tossed his leather work gloves onto the side table with a soft thud and closed the distance between you in three long, deliberate strides.
Before you could even draw a breath to answer, his large, calloused cowboy hands—hands that could effortlessly wrestle a stubborn stallion or gently cradle a newborn calf—settled with absolute reverence right over the curve of your belly. He let out a long, contented sigh, his broad shoulders dropping as he pressed his forehead softly against yours.
"How's my two favorite girls doin' today?" he murmured, his thumb tracing a slow, hypnotic circle against the cotton fabric of your dress. "Mama called the landline about an hour ago, sugar. Said if I didn't drag you down to the Sunday cookout tonight, she's gonna hitch up the truck herself and drive out here to check on us. You know how she gets."
You giggled, the sound light and airy, resting your hands against his broad chest, feeling the sturdy, dependable strength of him—all solid muscle, sun-warmed cotton, and endless comfort. "Tell her we wouldn't miss it for the world, Michael. But only if Randy promises to leave that beat up guitar alone long enough for us to actually eat a plate of that potato salad without a serenade."
Michael chuckled, a deep, rumbling vibration that rumbled right through his chest and into your palms. He pressed one slow, lingering kiss right to the tip of your nose, tasting faintly of black coffee and fresh morning air. "Now, you know Randy can't go an hour without showin' off his minor chords. But I'll tell him to hush if he knows what's good for him. You just worry about keepin' that sweet self of yours rested."
"Rested," you echoed with a playful, teasing arch of your brow, stepping back just enough to look up at him through your lashes. "Michael, I've slept twelve hours, taken three different naps on the porch swing, and watched the blue jays migrate twice today. If I rest any more, I’m gonna turn into a boulder."
"Ain't nothing wrong with bein' a rock, darlin'," he shot back instantly, deadpan, his dark eyes sparkling with that teasing mischief you loved so much. "Especially when you're growin' a whole human being inside you. Speaking of... what are you up to at this ungodly hour of the afternoon?" He peered past your shoulder at the kitchen counter, where a bowl of sliced green mangoes sat beside a heavy jar of pickled jalapeños and a small shaker of red chili flakes.
Michael’s nose crinkled instantly, his expression shifting from pure adoration to mild, loving bewilderment. "Jesus, baby. Are you gonna eat those? That ain't even natural. I swear, you've got the tastebuds of a wild raccoon since you got pregnant."
"Hey!" You swatted playfully at his arm, though you couldn't stop the grin from spreading across your face. "Don't you go judgin' my cravings, mister. Your daughter—or son, we don't know yet—has very specific demands. And right now, those demands require maximum acidity and enough spice to clear out the entire state of Georgia."
"Well, if it makes my sweet belle happy, you can chew on the whole garden," Michael murmured softly, his tone shifting back into that honeyed southern warmth as he wrapped his arms around you again, pulling you flush against his frame. He lowered his head, pressing slow, lazy kisses down the column of your neck, making you shiver despite the heavy summer heat pressing in through the open kitchen windows. "Just... let your big ol' cowboy husband open that jar for you so you don't hurt your finger. Please? For me?"
Living on the Jackson family compound meant that privacy was a relative term, but nobody ever really complained about it. The sprawling land had been divided up generations ago, meaning Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, and Randy all had their own homesteads scattered across the rolling hills and dense pine thickets, all connected by a web of dusty horseback trails and dirt roads. Most days, nobody even bothered starting up a motor vehicle unless they were heading all the way into town for feed or flour. You’d regularly look out the front window and see Marlon trotting past on his horse, tipping his hat in greeting, or hear the faint strum of a guitar drifting over the tree line from Tito's back porch some evenings.
By mid afternoon, the sun was baking the countryside in a thick, golden haze, turning the air lazy and heavy with the hum of cicadas. You had migrated out to the wide, wraparound front porch, sinking deep into the cushioned wooden rocking chair with a tall, sweating mason jar of sweet tea loaded with mint leaves.
Michael was out by the stables, helping his Jackie with a particularly high strung gelding, but you could still keep an eye on him through the screen if you leaned just right. He looked like something straight out of a glossy magazine spread—all lean lines, dusty denim, and quiet confidence.
Before you could even take a sip of your tea, the familiar rhythmic thud of hooves sounded up the long gravel driveway. You shaded your eyes against the glare, a smile breaking across your face as Rebbie and La Toya rode up, tethering their horses to the hitching post by the front steps before hiking up their long denim skirts and making a beeline for the porch.
"Well, look at the prettiest picture in all the county," Rebbie called out warmly, climbing the steps with a wide, radiant smile and leaning down to press a soft, fragrant kiss to your cheek. "How you feeling, sweetheart? Michael hasn't worked you to death around here, has he? I swear, I saw him run past my home earlier looking like he was ready to put you in a glass case."
"He practically wants to," you laughed, pulling La Toya into a hug next. "I tried to pick a single dandelion out by the flowerbed this morning, and you would've thought I was trying to hoist a fifty pound feed sack."
La Toya laughed, a rich, musical sound, as she dropped a heavy canvas tote bag right onto the porch table. "Oh, lord, that sounds just like him. They all get that stubborn streak straight from Daddy, but Michael takes it to a whole 'nother level when it comes to you. Speaking of... we brought loot."
"Loot?" your eyes lit up.
"Oh yes," Rebbie said, unzipping the tote. "We were up in the attic cleaning out some of the old cedar chests this week, and we found the little hand stitched baby quilts Mama made back when the boys were little, plus some little denim overalls and cute bonnets. We figured you and Michael could use them way more than the moths could. Besides, you know how Mama is—she expects every single one of her grandbabies wrapped in family tradition from day one."
As if summoned by the mere mention of her name, another set of hoofbeats crunched down the drive. This time, it was Janet, riding bareback on a sleek black mare with a wide brimmed straw hat pulled low over her curls, her boots dangling effortlessly against the horse's flank. She slid off with easy grace, leading the horse toward the trough before jogging up the steps two at a time, holding a brown paper bakery box.
"Don't tell me y'all are already talking about the baby clothes without me," Janet announced, tossing her hat onto the porch rail and collapsing into the rocking chair beside you with an dramatic sigh. "Hey, gorgeous. How’s the most pampered pregnant woman in the tri-state area?"
"I'm surviving, thanks to an endless supply of sweet tea and aggressive overprotection," you beamed, opening the bakery box Janet slid across the table. Inside were warm, sugary peach turnovers straight from the bakery down in town. Your sweet southern belle exterior melted instantly into pure, unadulterated joy. "Oh, Janet, you're an angel sent straight from heaven. Do you know what these babies do to a woman?"
"Oh, I know everything," Janet laughed, leaning back and fanning herself with a magazine. "And speaking of Michael... look out yonder. Here comes your shadow."
You turned your head. Sure enough, Michael was walking up from the stables, having shed his heavy work shirt to reveal a fitted white undersweater that clung to his broad chest and sun kissed shoulders. He was wiping his brow with a bandana, his cowboy hat dangling from his hand, his dark eyes locked entirely on you the second he stepped onto the porch.
The sisters all exchanged knowing, affectionate grins.
"Well, look at the man," La Toya teased softly, leaning over to whisper to you. "Look at him walking like a proud rooster. You can't even blink without him checkin' your pulse."
Michael mounted the steps, his gaze sweeping over his sisters with a warm, welcoming smile before instantly zeroing back in on you. He walked right up to your rocking chair, ignoring the collective snickering of his sisters, and dropped down right onto one knee on the worn wooden planks.
Without a word, his large, warm palm slid protectively over your stomach, resting right against the bump beneath your sundress. He let out a long, heavy sigh of relief, leaning his forehead gently against your knee.
"Hey, darlin'," he murmured softly, his voice thick with that deep, rolling southern drawl. "You been sittin' out here in this heat too long? Do you need me to carry you inside? I can carry you inside like right now."
"Michael, I am sitting in the shade, on a breeze-y porch, surrounded by my sisters, eating a peach turnover," you laughed, resting your fingers gently in his dark, damp curls, carding your fingers through the soft strands. "I'm okay. I promise you."
"Mmm-hmmm," Janet chimed in from the side, crossing her arms with an amused smirk. "We just dropped off some of Mama's old stuff and some tiny overalls for the baby. But good luck getting Michael to let the kid wear anything that hasn't been individually inspected and approved by the Department of Overprotective Fathers."
Michael shot his sister a dry, sideways look, though he couldn't hide the sheepish grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. He didn't move his hand an inch from your stomach. "Hush up, Janet. A man's supposed to take care of his family. And these little overalls are gonna look mighty cute on a little boy or girl running around these pastures."
"A boy who's gonna be put in a bubble wrap suit," Rebbie muttered under her breath, earning a round of quiet laughter from the girls.
Michael just shook his head, looking back up at you with those deep, expressive eyes filled with so much unfiltered love it made your heart ache. He pressed a long, reverent kiss right to the back of your hand, lingering there. "Don't you listen to 'em, sugar. They're just jealous 'cause I treat you like the queen you are."
By late afternoon, the sun had dipped lower, casting long, amber shadows across the countryside and turning the air a glorious shade of dusty gold. The heat of the day had finally broken just enough to leave behind a warm, humid breeze that carried the scent of pine needles, sweet honeysuckle, and damp earth.
"Come on," Michael murmured quietly, standing up from his kneeling position and offering you his large, calloused hand. He helped you gracefully out of the rocking chair, his arm immediately wrapping securely around your waist. "Before Mama starts blowing up the landline again about us being late for Sunday dinner, I want to show you something down by the lake."
"The lake?" you raised an eyebrow, letting him guide you down the front steps and across the soft, cool grass. "Honey, we're going to see the whole family in an hour. What's down at the lake?"
"Just a little surprise," he smiled, his teeth flashing bright against his tanned skin. "You've been working hard being pregnant all day, and I figured we needed a quiet minute just to ourselves before the whole family circus descends on us."
The walk down to the private lake on the property was short, winding through a narrow path shaded by ancient oak trees draped in Spanish moss. As you cleared the tree line, the water opened up before you like a sheet of hammered glass, perfectly reflecting the fiery pinks and oranges of the descending sun. A small wooden dock stretched out over the glassy surface, surrounded by tall cattails and the gentle rustle of evening reeds.
Michael led you out onto the weathered wooden planks of the dock. The air down here was noticeably cooler, smelling of fresh water and sweet summer mud.
You looked over at him, noticing that he had already kicked off his boots and stripped down to a simple pair of swim trunks under his jeans. He reached down, pulling his shirt off completely and tossing it onto the dock, revealing a physique carved from years of hard farm labor—broad shoulders, lean muscle, and sun kissed brown skin.
"Michael Joseph Jackson," you laughed, crossing your arms over your sundress as a breeze ruffled your hair. "What are you up to?"
He grinned, already backing slowly off the edge of the dock and wading out into the cool, clear water until it reached his waist. He let out a long, luxurious sigh of satisfaction, resting his forearms on the surface of the water and looking up at you with a soft, nervous expression.
"The water's perfect, darlin'," he called out, his voice echoing softly across the lake. "Come on down. Get out that dress and get in here with me."
You looked down at yourself, then back at him. You quickly unbuttoned your sundress, letting it drop to the wooden planks of the dock, standing there in the golden hour light with your rounded baby bump proudly on display, framed by your matching black bra and underwear.
Michael’s breath hitched. His eyes widened, locking onto you with a mixture of absolute awe and immediate, rising panic.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait a minute, sugar—hold on!" Michael suddenly stammered, his hands flying up out of the water in a frantic motion. He took a hasty step backward, nearly tripping over his own feet in the shallow water. "Now, hold your horses! Don't you go jumpin' off that dock! The water's deep right there, baby, you walk down the ladder slow, hear me? Please? Let me just come up there and help you—"
You couldn't help it. The sound of his frantic, overprotective southern drawl trying to issue safety instructions while he floundered in waist deep water was entirely too funny. You let out a bright, ringing laugh that echoed across the quiet lake.
"Michael, I can swim just fine!" you called out, giggling as you walked to the very edge of the wooden planks.
"Y/N, I'm serious! Don't you dare—my heart can't take it, baby, please, just use the ladder—" he pleaded, taking another desperate step closer to the dock, his hands outstretched like he was trying to catch a falling star.
"Catch me if you can, cowboy!" you laughed, and with a joyful leap, you launched yourself off the edge of the dock, soaring through the warm evening air before plunging straight into the glassy water with a massive, glorious splash.
For a split second, total silence fell over the lake except for the ripples expanding outward in golden rings. Then, you broke the surface, slicking your wet hair back from your face, gasping slightly at the refreshing chill of the water, and laughing so hard your ribs ached.
Michael stood frozen a few feet away, water dripping from his chin, his eyes wide with a mixture of sheer shock and lingering heart palpitations.
"Lord have mercy on my soul," he breathed, shaking his head as a slow, helpless grin broke across his face. In two long strides, he waded through the water and reached you, wrapping his strong arms around your waist and hauling you firmly against his chest before you could even catch your breath.
"You are gonna give me a full blown heart attack before this baby is even born, I swear to the good Lord above," he scolded, though his voice was thick with adoration as he pressed a fierce, soaking wet kiss to your forehead, then your cheek, and finally your lips.
"You worried too much, Mr. Jackson," you teased, resting your hands against his broad, wet shoulders, floating effortlessly in his arms as he held you securely against him.
"I love you too much, you mean," he murmured softly, his large hand sliding down to rest directly over your belly beneath the water, his thumb rubbing gentle, soothing circles against your skin. He leaned his forehead against yours, closing his eyes as the sun dipped completely below the tree line, painting the sky in shades of deep violet and gold.
"Come on," he whispered, pressing one last slow, sweet kiss to your lips. "Let's get dried off and head up to Mama's before the whole family comes lookin' for us."
With the evening breeze rustling the pines and the crickets beginning their nightly chorus, Michael scooped you up into his arms, carrying you out of the water and up the dusty trail toward home, exactly where you belonged.