𝚗𝚎𝚛𝚘 ꕤ

⏾⋆.˚

[nyxlocke]

── .✦ life ain’t so bad at all ✮⋆˙

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁. ☁️ NERO’s HUB .ᐟ ˎˊ˗

⋮ ⌗ nero ⧽ 17, she / her, intp, ravenclaw, basic dni┆

☼︎ sag | ☽ aquarius | ↑ gemini

⤷ marvel, dc, star wars, atla, jjk, bridgerton, michael jackson ִֶָ🪽་༘

rules | about me | reqs/inbox are open!

‘ if you live it off the wall ‧₊ ᵎᵎ 🦢 ⋅ ˚✮

divider crdt: @uzmacchiato

[nyxlocke]

overthinking while writing a fic is so frustrating bcs i’m literally still lore building in the story and i’m already thinking i might’ve written too much when its literally essential to understand the plot LMAO 😭

[nyxlocke]

Okay, but a reader who has her exes still pining over her, including michael and other heavy hitters in the industry. She's an it girl because of her fashion and her music, and when asked about her in interviews, her exes still get all giddy and shy when talking about her. She reconnects with michael, and they end up getting back together before getting married privately.

dear anon i fear u ate with this 😝 IM GONNA COOK UP SOMETHING REAL NICE FOR YOU WITH THIS!! might sprinkle a little bit of jealous!michael in there too.. 🫢

[nyxlocke]

˖ 𑣲 ݁˖ — how will i know ᝰ .ᐣ

𑣲⋆ everybody has already noticed the undeniable chemistry you have with the king of pop, maybe its about time you come to terms with how you really feel about him.

⋆𐙚 ̊. pairing: michael jackson x f!singer!reader

⋆𐙚 ̊. genre: cutesy slow burn, fluff, ‘he fell first but she fell harder’ trope, flirty mj crumbs!!!!!!

⋆𐙚 ̊. warning/s: not proofread, michael and reader are oblivious idiots in love.

⋆𐙚 ̊. a/n: this fic is inspired by ‘how will i know’ by whitney houston which really sums up the way this chapter will go so i recommend giving it a listen! i really cant decide whether this should be a mini series or not 😭 but i can confirm a part three 🫶🏻 the ending is kinda buns i’m so sorry :((

⋆𐙚 ̊. part I | … | …

⋆𐙚 ̊. taglist: @starryeyedmoonlight @eternal-life94

──── ⋆.˚ ☁️⋆ ────

“this is take one of ‘i just can’t stop loving you’.”

the studio is in session. the sound engineer spoke into the mic from inside the control room of michael’s studio, pressing the play button as the tape began to play the track. you and michael stood inside the dim booth facing each other, trying your hardest to ignore the way the camera people lingered from behind you quietly shooting the entire thing.

the day started out pretty normal before the recording. you got up early, got yourself some breakfast and made sure to choose your best outfit and makeup combo convincing yourself it was purely for your own pleasure, not for a certain someone who has been on your mind for days.

ever since that night, michael has invaded your headspace. usually, you weren’t easily distracted given by the work ethic you’ve picked up early on in life—but god, this man had you acting differently.

just the other day, you were having a small meeting with two your producers about an idea you had for a song. they loved the concept you came up with and began pitching their own, just a few things to deliver the idea to a home-run.

wanting to write it down, you reached behind you feeling for your notebook until you got a hold of it. flipping through the pages, you noticed the corner of a page with handwriting you don’t recognize. your brows furrowed in confusion trying to make out what it said, until the realization hit you.

‘please sleep on a soft mattress and eat on time, you’ve been working well enough.

— michael :)’

michael had written you a note. the sight of it warmed your heart regardless of the initial confusion, he must’ve wrote it in secret before leaving that night.

the thought of him going out of his way to look out for you made you break into a wide grin, completely forgetting about the fact that you were sitting across three people who saw your expression shift in real time for no reason.

nicole clearing her throat snapped you out of your daze, meeting their puzzled expression with the smile still on your face. it finally registered to you—the corners of your lip gradually deflating.

“you okay, sweetie?” nicole asked.

“me? uh, yeah. yeah, i am!” you scrambled to close the notebook and tossed it over to your studio couch, adjusting yourself on your seat. as if nothing happened, you quickly shifted the conversation back to the meeting.

it was rather embarrassing almost giving yourself away like that, it was just a note for god’s sake!

you thought to yourself; michael was just looking out for you because he wanted you to be in your best condition for rehearsals, he was just being a good friend. he certainly can’t have you sleep deprived during recording now, can he?

in present time, the recording went smooth as expected. the both of you delivered great vocals and instantly got the approval from quincy—but you can’t say the same for the documentary crew.

the both of you didn’t do as much as they hoped for besides swaying and occasionally smiling at each other. they didn’t look as satisfied with the footage they got from your first take, you could almost feel and hear their disappointment despite the headphones you wore.

perhaps michael sensed your unease looking at them exchanging whispers with each other, taking a couple side glances at you. you tried your best to ignore them, you were warned days before after all. but was it really necessary to talk about you in such manner? who knows what they were talking about.

“hey fellas,” michael suddenly said, looking at them through his dark shades. “why don’t you get some footage from quincy for this next take?”

michael’s gaze followed the crew as they wasted no time packing their things and moving back inside for the filming.

as soon as the padded door closed, you let out an audible sigh of relief. michael glanced at you, giving an apologetic smile. “you alright?” he asked.

you nodded, hanging the headphones around your neck. “yeah, thank you for that…”

“it’s no problem, they were already gettin’ on my nerves since they arrived.” you chuckled while michael complained through gritted teeth.

you rolled your eyes with a grin, “i don’t blame you, they were all up on me breathing down my neck.”

michael shook his head laughing, finding amusement in your shared grievances. he initially told everybody to keep a respectful distance, at least for your sake considering you hadn’t been around cameras for as long as a documentary shooting, but alas, they didn’t care.

when the speakers began its feedback above you, quincy’s voice came through. “alright guys, that was perfect but we gon’ take another for good measure. i need more feelings this time, okay?” he says.

the both of you raised a thumbs up, putting your headphones back on—feeling rather comfortable this time without the camera crew around.

you faced each other once more, but something shifted. with the mic in front of you, you had to stay faced forward which also meant keeping michael by your eyeline. maybe it’s just the both of you finally warming up to one another, but he couldn’t contain himself from grinning for some reason.

he kept biting his lip from cracking a smile and giving himself away, but michael eventually gave up and just covered his mouth with his hand—smiling like an idiot into his palm.

you noticed it of course, and you being you, you tried to play it off. but you just couldn’t ignore the way michael became giddy all of a sudden that it piqued your interest, ultimately leading you to be infected by his burst of energy and failed miserably at hiding your own giggles when the track played at such a bad timing.

you squeezed your eyes and mouth shut from potentially ruining the take, but michael’s high pitched giggle must’ve been heard through the mic when the music stopped abruptly.

“michael, we heard you laughin’ back here” quincy said into the mic, keeping his tone light despite the interruption.

“i know, i’m sorry q.” he chuckled to himself, steadying himself on the music stand trying to calm down.

you had a teasing smile on your face when michael’s eyes met yours from behind his glasses. you simply tilted your head at him with an arched brow and got a dismissed wave of his hand in return.

thankfully for the both of you, you managed to get through about three takes without bursting into laughter. it’s on the fourth when the camera crew went back in to shoot the both of you.

you felt that subtle shift in the atmosphere again when they came in. up until now. your spirits were high being in a booth with michael singing a duet, as well as experimenting with certain runs and nuances that could work on the track.

your attention began drifting back to your thoughts when michael called your name, pointing his two fingers towards his eyes twice.

“just look at me, okay?” he said loud enough to be heard just between the two of you.

you just stared at him for a minute and gave a single nod.

you cursed at yourself for being too anxious at being filmed for more than twenty minutes that you had michael jackson performing interventions. but you’d be lying if you said zeroing in on him didn’t help.

michael gave you silent approval with a smile. he wanted to make sure everything was perfect for the both of you, which meant prioritizing your state of comfortability as well. he has always been attentive when it comes to people, but he felt more protective with you.

his hand flexed on his side. for a brief moment, michael fought the urge to just reach out and pull you back from your thoughts himself.

“this is take five of ‘i just can’t stop loving you’.”

the music played again and you found yourself still looking directly at michael holding your gaze, both of you swaying side to side. as soon as the familiar synth run cued the first verse, michael began singing.

‘Each time the wind blows,

I hear your voice so

I call your name

Whispers at morning

Our love is dawning

Heaven's glad you came’

the camera shot michael from your view as he sang directly to you, the sound of his mellow voice filling your ears like a sweet symphony.

‘You know how I feel

This thing can't go wrong

I'm so proud to say I love you’

‘Your love's got me high

I long to get by

This time is forever

Love is the answer’

you stepped into the mic for your verse, your eyes fluttering shut—ignoring the familiar feeling of butterflies in your stomach.

‘I hear your voice now

You are my choice now, the love you bring

Heaven's in my heart

At your call, I hear harps and angels sing’

‘You know how I feel, this thing can't go wrong

I can't live my life without you’

michael shifted his stance toward the mic as if to close the distance.

‘I just can't hold on’

‘i feel we belong,’ you followed.

‘my life ain’t worth living—‘

‘if i can’t be with you’ michael seemingly gestured at you before you finally sang the chorus in unison.

from the control room, quincy and the sound engineer watched the two of you through the glass windows. quincy had already caught on michael’s subtle antics since the beginning of the session, but t was being blatantly obvious with the chemistry you were showing right now.

the sound engineer leaned toward quincy from his chair, “well, they’re surely making this easier for the documentary folks.”

quincy could only shake his head with a grin. “you thinkin’ what i’m thinking?”

“chemistry is off the charts, i’m tellin’ you that” they shared a chuckle just as you were finishing the chorus.

‘’cause i just can’t stop loving you’

──── ⋆.˚ ☁️⋆ ────

the day ended with seven takes in total much to your surprise, and a couple interviews from a journalist that was present in the booth with you. nicole arrived at the studio soon after to check in while you, quincy, michael and the sound engineer listened to each recording trying to determine which one would be then used for the final cut.

almost every take was flawless and unique on its own, it was becoming difficult to come to a unanimous decision by the third recording.

michael thought the fifth take was the best, saying that it sounded more natural in feeling—nicole thought so too, even mentioning how she could hear the genuine ecstasy in your voices. but quincy begged to differ and said the sixth felt more vocally in harmony with the instruments.

it took quite a bit of arguing to finally come to an agreement on using certain sections from both takes for the sound engineer to edit together.

throughout the debate, you could only think of how amusing it is to witness michael and quincy’s dynamic firsthand when it came down to making music—you’ve heard stories from a few people you worked with describing it as if they were witnessing the mona lisa be painted for the first time, and they aren’t wrong.

a few hours later, you were free to go. you began to pack your essentials into your bag as nicole waited for you outside the studio. despite just finishing a recording session with michael jackson, you were still kept on a tight schedule for a meeting in 15 minutes. it doesn’t seem fair, not when you just spent the entire day with him doing what you both loved.

you didn’t want to leave yet, but perhaps if you fixed your things a lot slower—the executives will change their mind and reschedule. yeah, that could work.

it must be your subconscious suddenly gaining the ability to appear on top of your head and expose your thoughts when michael soon appeared beside you.

“hey thank you so much for today, really. i can’t thank you enough for agreeing to sing with me on this track.” michael said as he approached your hunched figure.

you swiftly turned to him with a smile on your face when you met his eyes, “of course! i honestly should be thanking you for putting so much faith in me.”

“i wouldn’t have had it any other way, i’ve always wanted to sing with you since you made your first album.” he mentioned with a shy smile, his hands coming to hide behind his back.

“been dancing around the idea for a few years until this particular song finally gave me that opportunity,” he adds.

“you listened to it?” you blurted out with genuine surprise, your eyes almost popping out of your skull.

“i loved it, i always play it in my room at hayvenhurst when i need a boost.”

you share a giggle in disbelief. the last thing you expected was michael listening to your album and actually owning your record in his personal collection. it put things into perspective how he must’ve been following your craft from afar and ultimately led him to pick you out of all the greatest female singers right now.

“so, i’m guessing you’re a fan now?” it was a risky question, but you made the joke purely out of being playful.

“surely by now i should be more than that, don’t you think?”

oh…?

the smile on your face froze as you stared at michael trying to process what he had said. someone must’ve heard that, right?

“wha—“

“i mean,” he cleared his throat into his fist, his eyes glancing toward the floor. “i just hope after today, we’d be friends.”

“oh…” then it clicked. “oh! yes, absolutely!”

“and as friends,” michael then reached for your coat from the bench in the booth, handing it to you as he finally met your eyes. “…would you like to have dinner sometime?”

it felt like a second truck had hit right onto your head at his offer. well obviously co-workers have dinner, right? artists occasionally gather for one too. so, what are you so nervous about? it’s not like he’s asking you out and be his eternally which, to be fair, would be nice but that’s besides the point!

michael jackson just asked you out to dinner.

“i mea—well, yes!” you squeaked as you gingerly took the coat from his hand. the familiar flushing heat threatening to creep up to your cheeks.

michael nodded with a dampened smile, actively trying to contain himself from exploding in relief. “great,” he says, “i’ll see you then.”

to make matters worse for you, michael initiated a hug. you wanted to play it off so bad as you wrapped your arms around his shoulders, but your heart hammered relentlessly against your chest—you were almost certain he must’ve felt it when his hand snaked from your waist to your back as he embraced you.

michael sure kept his word and actually brought you out to dinner after a few days. what’s surprising is that he rented the entire place out to yourselves for the night. no paparazzis, no security or crazed fans—just you and michael.

the course they presented you with was amazing and delicious paired with the great conversation you were having with michael since you both arrived. from first impressions, embarrassing moments to some career-focused topics, it got you to know him better beyond being a performer.

you thought highly of him when it came to music, it was no doubt he is truly a musical genius. but you’ve always wondered what makes michael ‘michael’, and now you understand why there will never be anyone like him. as soon as you asked him, michael immediately perked up. it is one of those rare cases where someone was actually interested in his creative process, and michael gladly shared all of it with you.

but above all else, you saw a man whose heart is pure, whose heart is full of dreams for a better future. it was admirable how michael stayed kind and saw the good in everything despite how cruel the industry can be, it made your heart shatter hearing how much he had to deal with all the tabloids trying to tear him down—calling him ‘weird’ or ‘odd’ for not conforming to any standard. all you could think of is that he is the standard.

after the desert, the night soon ended with you having wine and a glass of fresh orange juice for michael before he led you back to the limo. you sat in comfortable silence throughout the ride back home, gazing at all the city lights illuminating against the night sky.

the limo came to a halt in front of your house after several minutes. michael was about to get the door himself when you reached for his arm to stop him, saying people might see him and cause a scene in the neighborhood. he simply chuckled, shaking his head. he still insisted on getting the door for you. it would be rude of him not to, as he said.

you wasted no time and got the door yourself before he could say anything back, but to be fair, you were only looking out for him. the last thing michael needed was a late night stampede of people blocking him on his way home. you just couldn’t risk it.

your hand rests against the car door as you hunched near the opening. “thank you so much for tonight, michael. truly.” you said with a smile. “it’s one of the best nights i’ve had in a while.”

“it’s my pleasure,” michael met your smile with his own. his voice had become slightly rough from tiredness but still kept his tone light with you. “you go on and get some sleep now.”

“i will,” you giggled. “goodnight michael.”

“goodnight angel.”

you shut the door closed and waved goodbye as they drove off to a distance.

the limo had gone far enough by then after a minute, far enough where michael wouldn’t see you over the rearview mirror freaking out in your lawn over the nickname michael had given you.

‘angel’, that’s what he called you. an angel.

the nickname hadn’t left your mind ‘til midnight, even after you came back from a much needed shower. the scene repeated endlessly like a broken record in your mind while you blowdried your hair by a vanity, staring straight into the mirror smiling right at yourself.

the affection in his voice with the way he said it made it seem less like a nickname, like it was something he’s been calling you for years. the effortless warmth of it all is what made your knees almost buckle in your lawn.

at that point the butterflies came back in its full glory. and instead of ignoring it, you welcomed it. you let yourself sit with the way he made you feel. turning off the dryer, you placed your palm over your rapidly beating heart and let out a deep breath.

he always seems to know what made you weak with every compliment that he gives you, the way his warm body feels against your own with every embrace and those gorgeous doe eyes of his when he looks at you from across the studio.

or when he isn’t afraid to look out after you compared to the men you’ve met that can’t even meet the bare minimum of respecting women.

michael has always been known to be the friendliest person ever. but why does it feel otherwise with you…?

a million questions raced through your head that opened a can of worms you could no longer contain. but no, that would be taking his actions out of context. it’s only been a couple days with him, is it even possible to already feel this way?

you recalled your first meeting during the triumph tour just to sort through all the evidence. you remembered how michael could barely look at you as he spoke, he was acting too shy for a man who supposedly isn’t head over heels for you.

then you have him personally requesting you to sing a love song with him, then his rendezvous at your studio, him owning your records, the note, the entire recording session and now him taking you out to dinner and calling you ‘angel’.

and now he is on your mind constantly, probably way too much for a person who’s your colleague first and foremost.

perhaps it isn’t even him, maybe it’s just you finally realizing you’re falling for him.

your eyes shot wide open at the sound of your bedside phone suddenly ringing. you swore you almost jumped out of your skin at the intrusion, but then the suspicion rose.

who the hell would be calling at this hour?

you debated picking up the phone for a moment, it could easily well be a prank call or something really important that just couldn’t wait until the morning. though the worse case scenario so far is being called by nicole at midnight to bear bad news about another executive complaining to change her album.

you stood and approached your bedside drawer where your lamp and phone sat on, picking up the call on the fourth ring with hesitation.

“hello…?” your voice stayed small, trying to hear the other end after a beat of silence.

“hey, it’s applehead.”

you almost threw the phone on the ground right then and there. michael somehow got a hold of your landline number and called at freaking 12:22 am.

your grip on the phone tightened as you cleared your throat, “michael?” you asked just to be sure. well, you already knew applehead was a nickname of his—you just couldn’t believe the fact that it was actually him calling.

“yeah, it’s me. i hope ‘m not botherin’ you.” you could hear michael’s chuckle from the other end.

“no! oh my goodness, not at all.” you replied with a sigh of relief, “i just thought it was a prank caller for a minute.”

michael acknowledged you with a hum in understanding, he had his fair share of prank callers in the past. “i can assure you i’m not one,” he says.

you smiled into the transmitter, sitting on the edge of your bed. “how’d you get my number?” the genuine curiosity in your tone reassured michael at the thought of you getting mad at him for calling.

“i asked nicole for it,” he admitted sheepishly. “just needed to know you made it home okay.”

“michael,” you paused, biting your bottom lip. “i’ve been home for a couple hours, you brought me home.” you lightly pointed out.

the other line went silent, you were certain you heard michael shift his head away from the phone to curse at himself.

you thought it was adorable, but for his sake you pretended to be clueless about it.

“i ought to start comin’ up with better excuses, don’t i?” michael finally spoke, chuckling at himself for slipping.

you threw your head back trying to restrain yourself from physically lunging forward to the floor. god, this man will be the death of you.

“i suppose you do have some work to do in that aspect.”

you hear him laugh in the receiver, even his laugh through the phone was so damn attractive to you.

“what’re you doing still up?” you leaned against your headboard to get more comfortable, twirling the landline cord around your finger.

“i couldn’t sleep,” michael softly sighed. “haven’t been able to for a while.”

there was that well-acquainted feeling of sympathy in your chest upon hearing michael’s reason, you knew the feeling all too well, you spent several nights up ‘til the morning yourself.

“is something in your mind?” you asked, trying your hardest to mask your worry behind a simple question.

“..quite a few.” michael responded, his fingers playing with the hem of his pajama shirt. “it’s the album.”

“what about it?”

“it’s nothin’, just thinking of ways to make it perfect.” he states.

“oh michael, i’m sure it already is perfect.” you assured him, you should’ve known that would be something that kept him up all night.

“i know, but we still got a long way to go.” michael said, the corner of his lips tugging to a short smirk. “you were incredible by the way.”

“in the recording, i mean.” he added.

you chuckled, rubbing the back of your neck at yet another compliment. “oh c’mon, you’re making me shy over here.”

“yeah?” michael drawled.

“honestly!” you managed to say in response despite the shivers you felt down your nape. “y’know you gotta stop before i crawl into a hole and stay in there forever.”

“alright, ‘m sorry,” michael laughed, “i can’t have you hidin’ from me when we got a song to make.”

“exactly. it’s gonna be a problem, i’m telling you.” you deadpanned, shrugging to yourself.

the both of you stayed up talking to each other for about an hour, naturally picking up where you left off at the restaurant in the comfort of your own home. michael was grateful you never tried to end the call once much to his relief—you didn’t seem to mind his rambling to the point of encouraging it by asking more questions, he thought it was hilarious but he also felt guilty in a way for talking too much. it helped distract him from his own thoughts for a while.

on the other hand, you loved how much of a good storyteller michael is and how articulate he was with his words. he could talk all day and night and you’d still be there listening attentively. back at the restaurant, you remembered michael explaining how lonely he gets, something that came with the fame he grew up with. he had friends, but he felt it was rare to have an actual connection with them. a real one.

it was a notion you both shared since choosing to devote yourselves to music, perhaps it’s why you seem to cherish michael so much regardless of how recently you just reconnected. you understood him deep in your soul.

“hey,” you said after a beat of silence. “can i ask you something?”

“of course,” he says.

thinking about it now, you realize how awkward this question might sound. “i was just wondering…” you purse your lips together. “what made you write the song?”

michael was puzzled at first, but he eventually caught on. “the song?”

“yeah—‘i just can’t stop loving you’,” you cringed at the mention of the title because of how stupid it sounds now. why on earth would you even ask knowing how worked up you were getting since that night in the studio.

“it just seems so—y’know like.. i write love songs myself and i often have some sort of muse—or escort..? kind of… well, actually you know what—“

at that point you went on a ramble yourself trying to come up with excuses to try and save yourself out of the situation, michael could only listen in amusement.

after a while once you noticed his silence, you stopped yourself and cleared your throat in embarrassment. “okay i’m sorry, you—i.. did you have something to say?”

michael shook his head laughing, “i suppose i did write it with a person in mind.”

‘well i’ll be damned,’ you thought to yourself.

“the idea of your love bein’ so strong for someone that your life feels incomplete without them,” he paused. “for the longest time i felt that way for her.”

michael’s voice gradually became softer and meek, as if he was actively trying to hide despite being on the phone. he’s never been this nervous before, not when he’s talking to the person he longed for years. the very reason the song even exists.

your eyes fluttered shut, “do you still feel that way?”

“i do,” he says.

a soft chuckle escaped your lips, shaking your head against the pillow you placed in between your head and the headboard long ago. “i guess you must really love her then.”

“oh, you have no idea..” michael curled in his bed, sighing into the transmitter.

the silence settled in again, one that the two of you didn’t dare to break this time. because if you did, you were afraid of what would come out of it. it was a risk the both of you weren’t willing to take for now, not with a whole release of a single hanging over you.

[nyxlocke]

╰┈➤ RULES .ᐟ

basic dni

strictly sfw <3

i do NOT condone the use of ai

i do NOT write smut! the farthest i’ll go is being suggestive.

f!reader and gn!reader are accepted.

reqs containing inc3st, p3dophilia, etc. will NOT be entertained.

kindly go into my inbox first to ask for certain tropes and i’ll most likely answer depending if i am able to write for them 🫶🏻

please be specific about your asks! i will do my best to bring them to life as much as possible :)

i write for: marvel, dc, bridgerton, jjk, star wars and michael jackson!

please be patient when it comes to reqs! i cannot guarantee that i will be able to write all of them as i am balancing school and working, but trust that i will be trying to get reqs out if i can :)

reqs/inbox are always open!

[nyxlocke]

𖥻 ׁ ׅ about nero ! ׁ ׅ ☁️

.𖥔 ݁ ˖ 🪩 — ゛baby, i’ll stay, heaven can wait ⸝⸝ ⟢ٰ

who are you? i’m nero! but you can also refer to me as nyx depending on how long you’ve been following my page ‹𝟹

how old are you? im currently seventeen turning eighteen :)

what do you like? i like reading and writing, watching movies, listening to music, cooking and collecting comics! i also enjoy fashion as well.

do you have any favorites? i certainly do! i loveee marvel, dc and star wars. they’re mainly the reason why i even started this page in the first place. since i love music as well, i am very fond of arctic monkeys, ariana grande, fleetwood mac, michael jackson and lady gaga!

what are your works inspired by? they are usually inspired by my current hyper-fixation at a point in my life. but i get most of them from listening to songs and base my plots around them as if that certain song were to be the soundtrack! ^^

favorite characters? ZEN’IN MAKI, suguru geto, bob reynolds, cassian andor, obi-wan kenobi, ahsoka tano, cassandra cain, yelena belova, DICK GRAYSON, jason todd, winston bishop, rachel green, janine teagues, peter parker, inumaki toge, tengen uzui, katana, sue storm, makkari and more!

(divider crdt: @pixopix)

[nyxlocke]

currently writing part two of my mj fic <3

i think this is also a good time to say that i will be officially opening my requests once more but allow me to make an updated rule for requesting just for good measure!

SOOOO excited to bring your ideas to life 🫶🏻🤍

[nyxlocke]

omg we have the same user!! twinnies

HEYYY TWINNN 😍😍😍

[nyxlocke]

𝜗𝜚⋆₊˚ 🪩 — i just cant stop loving you

𑣲⋆ after making an impression on michael as their opening act four years ago, he is now making his third studio album but he just can’t seem to find the right singer for this track. do you accept being his duet?

⋆𐙚 ̊. pairing: michael jackson x f!singer!reader

⋆𐙚 ̊. genre: fluff with lots of romantic tension, slow-burn, ‘he fell first, she fell harder’ trope <3

⋆𐙚 ̊. warning/s: lots of lore building up to the duet so there isnt much romance for now (i got carried away so i am cutting this into two parts 🤫), reader hasn’t figured out their feelings…yet. not proofread! i apologize for any mistakes or grammatical errors

⋆𐙚 ̊. a/n: its been a while yall but the michael movie had me THINKINGGGG 😝 so i thought i’d write a little fic about one of my favorite songs from michael jackson. this is also sorta inspired by a tweet i made LOL, enjoy! 🫶🏻

⋆𐙚 ̊. part I | part II | …

──── ⋆.˚💿⋆ ────

as an up and coming artist in the 70s,

it can be quite difficult to break into the industry unless you get signed on to a decent recording company and hire a manager that have your best interest at heart, but above all—you must have the drive and commitment.

for years, you’ve never stopped writing music and recording them on tape as demos to send out. every lyric and melody was done by you and a single acoustic guitar that you were given on your fifteenth birthday. your family always knew that you would become a star one day seeing how serious you were about making music, especially with the work ethic you possessed despite having to balance graduating from school.

success didn’t come easy of course. it took you about three years to grasp at any opportunity to play your music in small gigs at bars and town events at eighteen, then another two years of doing the same thing until you were discovered singing in a jazz bar.

fortunately for you. it ultimately led you to be signed onto epic records under cbs at freshly twenty years old in 1978.

being thrusted upon a chaotic industry at the cusp of adulthood, you were brought under nicole’s care who you soon recognized to be your most trusted manager and acted as your second parent in the music industry. she always made sure you were protected and provided for, personally and artistically.

you swore on your life you wouldn’t have been the artist that you are today without her help.

since signing on, you were given the chance to finally produce all the music you’ve saved up in the vault for a proper debut album. you were hungry for success, you strived for perfection until it exceeded all expectations even if it meant being too ambitious. or spending countless of sleepless nights working closely with your producer and nicole’s persistent reminders to eat on time.

until a year later, you finally released the album and it was an instant hit.

1981

that was the first time you performed on stage in front of a huge crowd, it was a memory you remembered like yesterday. cbs told nicole it was good exposure after releasing a debut album, though she believed you would’ve still gathered a crowd either way with a talent like yours, but of course, they insisted.

the jackson 5 were currently on tour then for the triumph tour, and you were chosen to open for them the first few nights.

so there you were dressed elegantly from head to toe, clad in shining jewelry as the spotlight shone on you. you began to perform two to three songs from your debut album and soon after introduced your rendition of ‘never can say goodbye’ to end the set.

you walked back towards the microphone stand after having a sip of water to rehydrate your throat and vocal chords. at that point, you’ve already warmed up with performing towards a huge crowd. though it was such a shame your confidence grew when it was already ending.

the keys and strings began to softly play the intro, followed by the bass and guitar playing along with the tune. the drums then soon began to set the beat as you sang,

‘never can say goodbye,

no, no, no, no i

never can say goodbye,

even though the pain and heartaches

seem to follow me wherever i go—‘

you went on to sing and perform the song to the crowd—gently swaying to the rhythm and surrendering yourself to the music under the spotlight. you couldn’t fight the huge smile starting to form once the music had begun to swell towards its huge finale.

from backstage, the area bustled with stylists, makeup assistants and production people rushing around for showtime—but the brothers simply watched you through the small tv monitor while they did their warmup.

“some pipes she got there,” tito said as he approached the monitor from a corner.

“right on. she’s under nicole, isn’t she?” marlon asked standing beside tito, watching intently as your performance came faintly to a finish from the monitor.

“i think so, yeah. she signed on a year ago.” jackie said.

marlon had a teasing grin on his face, his gaze turning towards the couch behind them. “now we know where to reach her from. ain’t that right, michael?”

michael snapped his attention away from the screen where he had been glued onto since you came out. a blush creeping up his neck while marlon and jackie simply chuckled at each other when he tried to play it off.

“please stop.” michael said, fighting a smile from forming as he stood and walked over to a vanity. he totally wasn’t checking you out from the mirror.

three albums, five singles and three eps later—you are now an established singer-songwriter by 1985 whose name is beginning to see its rise in the industry. most of your discography has been well received by the critics and the public, showering you with praise for staying true and grounded to your own sound. it was only a matter of time before they start demanding something new and creative outside of your comfort zone.

you’ve always been experimental before fame even found you, but the pressure this time was different.

there were deadlines and useless advice from executives who think they knew better. the industry over the course of four years have also become competitive with artists like george michael, prince and madonna putting out a hit after hit.

not to mention michael who has had an incredible solo career so far since his album ‘off the wall’ released. ‘thriller’ then went on to become a global success three years later, and it somehow made you swell with pride too knowing you opened for him and his brothers back in ‘81.

after your set that night, michael ran into you backstage and pulled you aside for a quick chat.

“you did a terrific job out there, the song suited your voice well.” he said with a smile to which you returned timidly.

“oh god, i—thank you!” it was all you could manage to get out. it was your chance to make a good first impression on michael jackson and you’ve already made a fool of yourself (or so you thought).

“nothing beats the original though, of course.” michael grinned at the compliment, his hand coming up to rub the back of his neck.

“you’re too kind,” he said, “but i just wanted to say i’m glad they chose you to open for us.”

michael paused, “you were perfect.”

that alone made your heart skip a beat. if that compliment had come from another man, you would’ve gagged and thrown up on the spot but with michael—you could tell that he absolutely meant it with so much love and respect for you.

you’ve always been a fan of the jackson 5 obviously, but michael was just different on his own. he had a god-given talent which made him a force of nature, his two previous albums definitely proved that.

so now that you heard through the grapevine that he was working on a new one, you’ve been on edge anticipating for its release.

──── ⋆.˚💿⋆ ────

“michael, if you don’t make a decision by this weekend we won’t be able to get the recording done at all.” quincy said sitting by the eq table.

michael and quincy had spent about two weeks at this point narrowing possible artists to feature on his track, ‘i just can’t stop loving you’, the eighth track on his third studio album.

just like you, michael loved to experiment with his sound. he leaned towards pop a lot in his discography but with ‘bad’, he kept those elements combined with rockier rhythms, synthesizers and strings to further elevate his sound.

with this track, it’s one among the songs he wrote with a featured artist in mind.

the lyrics were intimate, emotional and sweet—the secret ingredient to making the perfect love song. michael poured his heart into writing it to perfection, and it felt just as important to him that the right singer sang it with the same amount of emotion intended for the listener to truly understand what he wanted to portray.

quincy understood that as his producer and began curating a list of possible and/or available female artists michael could perform it with, but none of them felt right.

michael originally intended to have whitney houston on the track but her label had declined, setting him back to square one.

“i know, q. i’m sorry, the people you’ve chosen are incredible but…” michael sighed, biting his bottom lip in thought.

“it doesn’t feel right.”

“you’ve said that about five times now, mike.” quincy said with a scoff, a smirk growing on his face when michael gave him a weary smile.

just as the silence of sleep deprivation and exhaustion slowly settled in, the image of you popped up in michael’s mind. he shifted in his seat remembering the sound of your voice, the way you commanded the crowd and how they seem to be entranced by your vocals.

he beelined towards his record player, sorting through his vinyl collection ‘til he found yours.

the cover had an image of you posing on a dark stage and a spotlight shining behind you, leaving a mere silhouette of a performer standing on stage.

he took the disk and carefully set it onto the record player, placing the needle on top as it spins—playing the intro of your opening track.

quincy turned to the sound of an r&b track suddenly playing through the speakers, slightly confused yet intrigued.

as soon as the vocals started, quincy immediately recognized it to be yours. he spun his chair to face michael who stood by the record player, bopping his head along with the music.

“isn’t this the ‘81 girl you wouldn’t stop talkin’ about?” quincy mentioned.

“yeah, it is.” michael said.

for a second, quincy looked suspiciously at michael just to be playful. he leaned forward to rest his elbows on his lap, “well, what do you think about her?”

“i think she’s great,” michael beamed, “in fact i think she’d be amazing on the track.”

quincy simply lets out a quiet chuckle, he knew.

“i don’t know mike, don’t you think it is too straightforward?”

“straightforward?”

“i don’t think it’s a good idea to be singing such sweet words to a nice lady upon your first meeting” quincy shrugged. “it sends the wrong message.”

michael wore a thin smile and rolled his eyes, his finger lifting the needle off the record player abruptly stopping the music.

“it’s not gonna be our first time meeting, q. i already spoke to her back then.” michael recalled.

“it’s been four years hasn’t it?” quincy said.

he nodded, “she’s wonderful. you should’ve seen the way she performed that night, it was magical.”

he walked back over to his chair, plopping down as he let out a deep exhale—smiling to himself.

“it was like listening to a siren’s song.” he added, his eyes sparkling behind his aviators thinking about you. “she had me in a trance backstage, i thought i’d make a fool out of myself talkin’ to her after.”

“and you think she’s the one?” quincy said looking at him through his shades.

michael shrugged, “i know she is.”

──── ⋆.˚💿⋆ ────

about a week and a half later, nicole came barging into your studio in a weirdly good mood. you paid no mind, it was nice to see her relaxed than her usual tensed composure during busy schedules.

the both of you fell into your usual routine—checking in, progress updates, feedback and going over schedules. you were cleared up for the weekend until tuesday besides a few meetings for visuals on your upcoming album, until nicole brought up topic you never thought you’d hear at a time like this.

“you a big fan of michael, honey?”

you looked up to her from your notebook, the pen between your fingers fell dull against the paper in the middle of writing a lyric—it was pretty damn good too. the question caught you off guard that you swore your brain short circuited for a second.

“michael jackson? hell yeah” you still answered with glee despite yourself.

“mhm, just checking. he wants you on his new album.”

silence. pure silence.

it was almost irritating how casually nicole dropped this news on you. michael freaking jackson asked what now?

“michael jackson wants me on his album?” you echoed nicole’s word as you sat in your studio dumbfounded.

“he specifically asked for you, sweetie” nicole said, taking a cigarette out of a box and lighting it.

“it’s a duet, he’s planning to release it as a single prior to the album’s release.” she added, smoke coming out of her mouth as she spoke. a smirk tugged at her lips.

the fact that michael specifically requested for you to be featured was a huge terrifying honor. at some point you thought nicole was pulling a sick joke on you but she seemed serious. you weren’t doubting her of course, it just felt too good to be true.

“but why me?” you asked, fidgeting with the edges of your notebook suddenly feeling uneasy.

“honey, are you seriously asking me that?” nicole raised a brow, crossing an arm across her chest while her cigarette sat between her fingers idly. “you practically had the man weak in the knees four years ago.”

“what does that have to do with the duet…?” you stared.

she chuckled, placing a hand on your shoulder. “what i’m saying is, michael has a good eye for talented artists. he likes to be around them, especially when they fit his vision perfectly for a project.”

“and you, my dear, fit the bill.” she added.

nicole then began to pull out a folder from her bag and handing it to you. “but you tell me,” she said.

“it seems there are other reasons as well.” she trailed off.

you opened the folder to see the lyric sheet, it read ‘i just can’t stop loving you’ at the very top with michael’s name credited for songwriting.

you began to skim through each verse, a particular one catching your eye.

‘You know how I feel

This thing can't go wrong

I'm so proud to say I love you

Your love's got me high

I long to get by

This time is forever

Love is the answer’

it was a love song right off the bat. you could feel heat creeping up to your cheeks at the thought of singing such intimate and loving lyrics at michael.

you cleared your throat after a while, closing the folder and setting it down next to you. “well, it’s uh—it looks amazing.”

nicole saw the brief hesitation in your face, but she knew herself you were an incredible choice for the song. she saw backstage how michael attentively watched you sing on stage four years ago, his eyes still glued onto the monitor even when his brothers began teasing.

not to mention your first conversation. nicole noticed the grin on your faces never leaving afterwards, she also swore michael performed ten times harder that night.

“now, i don’t wanna assume anything that’s personal,” nicole states, “but whatever it is that you’re dealing with, just bring that into the booth.”

“i’ll tell quincy and michael you’re in.”

──── ⋆.˚💿⋆ ────

a few days later, you received the demo for the track and the updated sheet with your lines indicated. you played the recording through the speakers in your studio, leaning back against the leather seat of your chair.

michael had recorded a spoken intro.

the strings began to slowly swell as he spoke,

‘i just want to lay next to you for a while,

you look so beautiful tonight.

your eyes are so lovely,

your mouth is so sweet.

a lot of people misunderstand me,

that’s because they don’t know me at all.’

you were focused for a while, spinning mindlessly on the chair as you listened intently. but you couldn’t ignore the butterflies in your stomach at the sound of his voice. the gentle sensuality of it all made it difficult to focus, not when it seems like he’s speaking directly to you.

just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse for you, he continued.

‘i just want to touch you,

and hold you

i need you,

god, i need you

i love you so much.’

the music then finally started and you were left stunned and heaving. the heat in the room suddenly felt warmer by the second, your throat ran dry and your heart felt like it fell in your stomach.

“jesus christ,” you said reaching for a glass of water.

thank god nicole wasn’t there…

for hours on end, you went on to study and rehearse the song. humming with the melody until you got it down to sing along with the lyrics included. you always found the process to be therapeutic and rewarding once you got it right, it made recordings easier to get through besides the inevitable retakes.

the more you rehearsed, the more the music came naturally to you. your sheet was filled with written notes at that point as a guide for certain stylistic choices and tweaks—not that it needed fixing of course.

though you must’ve lost track of time when a knock came at your door, one that was steady and firm in rhythm. you glanced at your watch and it read ‘10:36 PM’. mentally cursing at yourself, it was probably nicole urging you to get dinner this instant—except it wasn’t. you got up with the sheet still in your hand, walking towards the door sluggishly.

“yes, i already had dinner if you’re here to—“ you stopped speaking at once.

it was michael.

for a moment, your brain refused to process who was before you while he simply stood there in the hallway—arms behind his back wearing casual attire and his hair somehow still perfectly styled despite the hour, offering a hesitant smile.

you expected anyone but michael to be knocking at your studio this late. surprised would be an understatement to describe how you felt right now. you urged yourself to do something… anything really but nothing came out.

you stammered trying to conjure up at least a greeting until you eventually gave up when michael’s soft chuckle cut through your struggle.

“is that so?” he said, crossing his arms.

“oh god—michael i.. i didn’t know you were coming” you bit the inside of your cheek. surely you must’ve overlooked a sticky note nicole placed somewhere?

michael shook his head, his expression sheepish as he spoke. “i know, it’s alright. i should’ve let you know, i’m sorry for just showin’ up unannounced.”

“no! no, it’s okay! please come in,” you stood aside and let michael into your studio.

michael carefully moves past you through the threshold, his cologne leaving a trail as he entered a rather comfy space—for a second he forgot it was supposed to be a studio. warm lights, scattered notes, a few trinkets and a throw blanket by the couch suggesting you’ve slept here before.

he took it all in as you closed the door and approached the mixing console in a hurry in attempt to tidy things up a little.

“excuse the mess, i’ve been here since the afternoon.” you cleared your throat, gathering your notes into a neat pile. looking up at michael, you offered an apologetic smile his way.

“it’s fine. it feels like home in here,” he comments.

you chuckled, nodding once. “yeah, at this point it kinda became one.”

“i get what you mean,” michael gingerly sat on the edge of your couch, both hands settling on his knees. “y’know it’s getting late, you should head home soon.” he says, glancing toward the blanket on the other side of the couch.

your ears perked up, movement slowly coming to a halt. “of course, yeah—i.. i will after all this” you gestured vaguely around you.

michael bit his bottom lip, nodding once even when he knew you were probably lying.

you both settled into comfortable silence for a while, waiting on each other to speak. michael had his eyes on the ground, fidgeting with the denim fabric of his jeans. he was completely silent, so you took the liberty of asking what has been eating at your mind since you opened the damn door.

“hey uh,” you called out. “i just wanted to ask, what made you stop by?”

michael looks up to you, pursing his lips at the question. it sure took him a bit to tell the reason.

“i was nearby and i sorta heard the demo from the hallway—just wanted to see if i was hearing it right,” he says, “can’t have our song leaked before release.”

our song. not his, ours.

considering you were only lending a voice as a duet, michael claims it to as a song he considers to be yours as well. it was something one could easily miss, but it was a sweet gesture coming from him.

you took in his response, nodding your head with a smile as a form of acknowledgement. it was pretty silly but also a fair reason. you understood the stakes of having a song leaked prior to its release, it’s absolute hell.

“i understand.” you paused as you sat in a separate chair, “…was i playing it too loud?”

michael shook his head in reassurance, a thin smile forming. “i wouldn’t stress about it.”

“oh thank god,” you sighed in relief. you thought you were about to get told off by michael jackson himself.

michael found it endearing how much you cared about the volume and not at the fact that you were at the studio since the afternoon until nearing midnight. but that also showed how much care you put into your work despite working too late, a habit an artists knows all too well. it solidified why you were a perfect choice for the duet, michael thanked his instincts for it.

“did you think i was gonna get angry at you?” he said with a tilt of his head.

“would you get mad if i said kind of?” you sheepishly responded, sinking further into your chair.

he leaned against his elbows resting on his knees, “i’d never, silly.” he snickers.

you both shared a giggle at how silly the situation was, especially on your part. now that you thought about it, you’ve never seen michael be mad once. he kept his composure all the time and offered nothing but kindness and respect to everyone he met, including you even after your last proper conversation four years ago.

“were you rehearsing?” he asked.

“i was, yeah.” you said reaching for your sheet, skimming through the notes you made. “i got it all down so, there’s nothing to worry about.” you smiled at him with confidence, but that was your first mistake.

michael perked up and leaned forward.

“can i hear it?”

shit.

“like… right now?”

michael simply nodded, briefly gesturing a hand at you to proceed. “please.”

he didn’t elaborate further.

at this point you were trapped. you set yourself up and fell into his trap at the same time, how dumber could you possibly get? now, you have no other choice but to perform impromptu to michael jackson with a song that he made.

mind you, this was all you’ve been doing for hours and somehow you still felt unprepared.

your throat progressively went dry like a desert and michael sat there with so much excitement anticipating, how could you possibly turn him down?

“right, uhm.. i’ll just—“ you reached over to one of the panels and pressed a button replaying the demo from the start. you adjusted the volume moderately enough for your raw vocals to be heard over michael’s vocals.

he leaned against the couch comfortably, an arm slung over the top of it. michael’s gaze never once left you, a striking contrast to his awkward composure earlier.

you tried so hard to ignore his stare piercing through you as if acting like you were engrossed in the lyrics would help, you could almost feel a bead of sweat trickle down your back.

as your part was coming up, you took a deep breath and let your feelings guide your emotions in singing the verse. the naturally soft but sensual tone you were going for worked so well with the intimacy of the music—michael could tell you understood the context of the piece.

you continued singing until the chorus as you ended with singing the song’s title. maybe it was the intimidating silence that followed, but you couldn’t dare to look at michael properly afterwards.

the demo continued to play softly in the background filling in the deafening silence from michael. thoughts began to race inside your mind, it invited all the worse possible things michael could be thinking about into your head. was it a note you missed? did he not like the style you were going for? oh god, did your voice crac—

“perfect.”

your head snapped up from the sheet, michael beamed after what felt like an eternity.

“it sounds better than i imagined,” he said with a chuckle.

you let out a deep breath you had no idea you were holding the entire time, michael’s approval meant the world to you because it was all you needed. he put a lot of his trust into you delivering the duet as intended, from convincing quincy jones to personally requesting you on a project from your shared label, and the fact that you’ve possibly exceeded his expectations judging by his reaction was both relieving and validating.

“you really think so?” you couldn’t fight the grin you eventually gave into after seeing his reaction.

“i asked for you to be on this track for a reason!” michael said looking at you with sparkles in his eyes trying his best to reassure you. “i already knew it was going to be.”

you smiled at him, suddenly feeling shy under his gaze. “i’m glad…”

michael pointed at your sheet, noticing all the notes you made for each verse. “i can tell you’ve been studying it, you got it all down perfectly.”

“it’s kind of what i’ve been doing for the past few hours, i was worried i wouldn’t live up to your expectation…” you admitted nervously.

“i can assure you my expectations were exceeded,” michael chuckled softly.

you allowed yourself to properly look at michael this time—his curls were a lot longer than the last time you saw him, tied into a half ponytail with loose strands that framed his face. he carried himself with quiet confidence and a commanding presence without even having to say anything.

it made you realize just how much has changed over the course of four years since you stood on stage as a rookie artist opening for the jackson 5. back then, you were a nervous wreck of a young artist with something to prove. you were determined to show why you belong on stage. and now, you are sitting across from michael jackson—not as an opening act, but as a respected fellow artist he trusted enough to call a colleague and a friend.

not to mention the studio you were in—the place where you’ve spent the last few years building your career. countless nights were spent within these walls writing songs, recording vocals and pursuing greatness long after everyone has gone home for the night.

it witnessed every version of the artist you’ve become.

michael thought the same.

since the night you stood on stage and sang to the audience, you made a lasting impression on him. michael took a mental note of the way you were naturally commanding the audience, something he thought was an incredible feat for an opening act. the concert remained on a high thanks to you, it motivated him to perform despite the exhaustion he felt.

when he learned you were making your debut, he couldn’t help but feel proud of how far you’ve come since the triumph tour. he made sure to catch the premiere of your music video the day it dropped and kept a copy of your records close at hand in both his room and studio at hayvenhurst—eventually becoming a part of his musical rotation.

he followed the entirety of your music career from an artist’s perspective, until he ultimately got to know you better beyond being a performer. michael saw several of your interviews talking about whatever journalists would throw at you, something about a favorite food to eat during a studio session (he isn’t sure if that was it, he wasn’t listening).

regardless, you answered with so much grace and kindness despite how invasive and disrespectful some of them could be, simply dancing around it until they grew tired of probing. michael found it funny, but admirable at the same time. it was one of your many charms he found himself falling for.

before he knew it, michael was yearning to be yours,

perhaps it’s why writing the song came naturally to him.

you broke the silence by clearing your throat, sliding over to the mixing console doing something but nothing at the same time. the buttons suddenly looked rather interesting.

“well, uhm—when will recording start?” you asked, your voice cracking just a bit.

“in two days, but we’ll rehearse before then.” michael explained calmly as he stood up, shoving his hands inside the pockets of his jeans with a sigh.

“i should also probably warn you… they’ll be shootin’ a documentary about it.” he added, a hand coming up to rub the back of his neck.

it caught you off guard a bit, but it didn’t bother you at all. the thought of your duet being immortalized through the documentary sent a small shiver down your spine.

“that’s alright with me,” you smiled up to him, “it’s a part of the job.”

michael’s lip tugged to a lopsided grin. he swayed back and forth on his toes and heels as he nodded. “alright then,” he said.

for a while the two of you just looked at each other, unable to move for some reason until the sound of somebody knocking on your door startled the both of you.

you quickly got up to check, cracking the door enough to let you take a peak before gradually pulling it open.

“nicole? i thought you’ve gone home already,” you said the moment you saw her standing in front of your studio—a takeout bag in hand.

“yeah i was until they told me you’ve been here since three in the afternoon—“ nicole’s eyes drifted past you and locked eyes with michael standing behind you sheepishly.

she froze, adjusting her tone to greet the man. “oh michael, i didn’t expect you to be here.”

“it’s okay, i was just about to leave anyway.” he smiled, already making his way toward the door. michael’s hand came up right beside you and gave your shoulder a gentle squeeze, “i’ll see you tomorrow.”

you gave him a single nod as he walked past the both of you—his touch leaving a phantom feeling on your shoulder. your eyes never left michael as he made his way toward the elevator. instinctively, you called out to him on a whim,

“goodnight michael!”

he looked over his shoulder and gave you grin, waving his hand goodbye as he rounded a corner.

“…the hell was that” nicole stared at you, her brows furrowed in confusion and skepticism.

“the hell was what?” you said.

“that. right there,” nicole jutted her chin at you—your feet planted in studio while your torso practically hung forward toward the hallway as you clung onto the door frame.

“i don’t know what you’re talking about—“

“what was michael jackson doing in your studio at 11:00 pm?” nicole finally elaborated, her tone emphasizing the current time.

you licked your lips and bit it between your teeth, debating whether to have your fun and lie or simply tell the truth that you almost got the song leaked in the hallway.

“i was rehearsing and he kind of… sort of.. heard from the hallway and knocked on my door. he stopped it from getting possibly leaked—“ you trailed off as you shifted your gaze towards the floor.

nicole’s hand came up to massage her temple, audibly sighing while you scrambled to come up with a defense.

she simply held her pointer finger out to you as you came to a stop, she clearly didn’t have the energy to scold you this late. “save it. just take the damn food and go home.”

to be continued… ₊˚⊹♡

[nyxlocke]

yall gon have me released from writer’s block with all this new atla content GOOD GOD

[nyxlocke]

fantastic four fic but reader is sue’s assistant and she tries to set them up with johnny 🥰🥰

[nyxlocke]

YALL I'VE GOT TWO BOB FICS DRAFTED RN WE PRAYED FOR TIMES LIKE THIS ❤️

[nyxlocke]

Yall the thunderbolts movie has me coming out of writing hibernation...

[nyxlocke]

okay so, hear me out...

[nyxlocke]

Words I Held Back — Gojo Satoru x GN!Reader

× :: summary — satoru is gone and sukuna remains victorious while you had to stay on the sidelines, however, a note managed to find its way into your pocket– what could it be?

× :: pairing — gojo satoru x gn!reader

× :: genre — angst, oneshot

× :: warning (s) — some ooc and oos instances!

× :: a/n — aaaand we're back in the game after months of disappearing 😎 hey folks! i'm gonna have to start yall off with a recent hyperfixation of mine (aka jjk) about our glorious blue eyed king 🙏🏻 this is my first time writing some angst and about anime, so apologies in advance! i'm also sorry if this was pretty short :<

now that satoru was gone, you felt as if a big part of your soul was gone too. it didn't feel real, it didn't feel possible but sukuna managed to do the impossible. you were angry at yourself, you should've been there with him— everyone should've been. you were in complete shock, you wanted to blame yourself but there was no time to even mourn the loss of satoru gojo, you had to help shoko with other injured people that needed your assistance.

tears wouldn't stop falling down your cheeks, they all fell on their own thinking about him alone. you worked on patching up sorcerers although they couldn't help but notice how stained with tears your face was while you cleaned their wounds in a blank expression. you never bothered to wipe them on your own since new patients are coming in every second, you had to put them first before yourself.

eventually, you stood up to get yourself a nice cup of tea to calm your nerves. however, you felt a piece of paper in the depths of your pocket when you placed your hands in them. you carefully fished it out and noticed a something written in them. you gasped under your breath when you realized who it's from...

"y/n, it's satoru.

if you're seeing this then that probably means i'm in shinjuku right now~ i wrote this letter for you to read since i know how anxious you get in serious missions that involved special grades. i also wanted to write this letter because, well, i've been meaning to tell you something for a while now actually. these are the words i held back, y/n. i never had the guts to tell you in person so this is probably the only reasonable way of letting you know. you've always been the source of my motivation to keep going, you kept my world spinning even if it was slowly caving in towards me. you made me realize how much my worth is as a person... as my self, and i'd like to thank you for that.

right now, i'm fighting in that city for everyone. i wouldn't be able to forgive myself if i died on that field and leave you like that without any further explanation, i'm really sorry. but at least i died knowing i've fought and gave my all for the person i love earnestly. i remember when we were still first years and you've only then discovered your true cursed technique with me, you were so happy. i fell in love with you right there and then. i didn't think it would be possible for somebody like me to develop these feelings for you, i didn't want to admit it because i know i wasn't strong enough yet to protect you. i thought i needed to prove myself first to be worth of your love, but i realized that i already was even if i didn't. that was foolish of me, wasn't it? hahaha

i guess i was also scared, most of the people i loved are always harmed or endangered, so all i really wanted was to keep you safe in this cruel world, free from danger like me. love is the most twisted curse of them all, but here i am completely bewitched by you. whatever our fate may be, i only wish for your happiness to be found— even if it's not with me. you probably already know what i'm about to tell you but you always forget (dumbass !) sleep on time, eat on time and remember that you're the strongest.. second after me though of course :P

let's talk when i get back!

— g. s. "

you completely broke down by the end, sinking onto the floor on your knees as tears slowly stained the paper. your heart shattered into pieces like glass when everything finally caught up to you, why must the world be so cruel? nanami, haibara, suguru, and now satoru. one by one, everyone is being taken from you without any reason why other than beastly curses being bloodthirsty for murder and power. satoru deserved to live longer away from constant danger, he deserved the happiness that was ripped from him a long time ago.

the both of you could've lived a wonderful life together, but all of that was gone in a flash.

"satoru... i didn't k-know... i'm really sorry" you muttered under your breath, your nails digging into the skin of your thigh. your hands then came up towards your face in attempt to muffle your sobbing. shaking hands, silent cries and heavy tears falling, the folded letter abandoned in front of you as guilt slowly consumed you inside.

from that day on, gojo satoru was dead.

[nyxlocke]

hello baby I love your theme !! i saw you were doing jason todd x readers so i’m gonna shoot my shot OFC NO PRESSURE

so we all know bruce is rich so jason must be as well but WHAT IF reader also came from a rich powerful family of Gotham, I think they would maybe meet through a gala or something and Dick would joke to Jason about how he is drooling at the sight of reader IDK BABES IT’S UP TO YOU, i hope it inspires you <3

City of Stars — Jason Todd x F!Reader

↷ summary — what happens if one of the bat sons meet the striking heiress of another powerful family? ˎˊ˗

↷ pairing — jason todd x f!reader ˎˊ˗

↷ genre — romance, fluff, slight comedy and eventual angst ˎˊ˗

↷ warning/s — a few curse words here and there ˎˊ˗

↷ a/n — hey!! tysm for this prompt oml its the cutest, and ik its a bit of a cliché but reader is an heiress to stark industries here 😭 i figured it would be interesting since, contrary to popular belief, tony and bruce wouldn't get along so it offers the question what would happen if their children got together (tea 👀🍵) this isn't based on anything btw! so there might be some ooc instances. OH AND I'll probably make a part 2 of this soon if i get motivationekehwjd soooo i hope you enjoy reading! ˎˊ˗

— wayne manor, present day

bruce fixed yet another gala for the year, inviting multiple billionare ceos and business owners to the humble party. gotham city strived under the great care of his trusted partners even when crime and corruption still runs in the city. the bat took care of that of course, with the help of his sons and daughters who also attended the event in simple dresses and suits and ties tailored to their liking.

the gala had been going on for a few hours or so which eventually became boring enough for jason to take a few shots and drinks by the bar as he scanned the crowd with people in bejeweled clothes and shimmering jewelry that blinded him as the chandelier shined on them. "is all that really neccessary.." he mumbled to himself, taking a sip of his 3rd drink of the night. "yes it is, would you rather people come into sweats like you would?" dick suddenly chimed in as he walked up towards jason and leaned against the counter of the bar, asking for a drink of his choice.

"It wouldn't hurt to try next year" jason said with a stern look on his face, occassionally shooting up a short smile to people walking by. "if bruce allows it, i doubt he would. the man practically lives in a suit and tie" dick replied, "well, tough shit grayson. you might be forgetting being the rebel is sort of my thing" jason shot back with a smirk. "ah, my bad" grayson said with a chuckle as he sipped on champagne. "so, anyone caught your eye yet?" "If you mean spoiled little kids running around with chocolate smeared on their faces then yeah" jason sighed while dick suppressed a laugh. "c'mon man, there's at least gotta be someone" "dick, i didn't come here to look for 'someone' nor do i ever plan to"

and right when jason uttered those words with no remorse, he immediately swallowed them right back when he caught a glimpse of you in the crowd. the dark yellow dress you wore complimenting the red of his suit, its like a match made in gotham, as one would say. the man had to double take in your way when you slowly walked through the room with your father, tony stark. the man behind stark industries, one of the richest companies based in new york. jason knew they recently opened a branch within the city to make way for new advanced technology and scientific engineering. that was probably the reason why you're here from jason's assumption.

"i'd say otherwise" dick snuck up beside jason and whispered to taunt him, his eyes following the lady that caught his brother's attention. "..what?" the other finally said, snapping out of it. "you should go up to her instead of drooling over here, you look like a total loser dude" dick patted his shoulder which annoyed jason. "cut it out dick, i'm not going up to her" "why not?" "i have other things to tend to" "like?" "...shut up" "jason, this is your only shot. are you gonna waste it on brooding the whole night?" "i'm NOT taking any of your dating advice" "i didn't say you have to date her dipshit, what could a friendly conversation lead to?" "a can of worms, go figure" jason then started walking away from dick as soon as he sets the glass down on the counter.

"jay c'mon," dick caught up to him which released a frustrated groan from jason. "she seems like a nice woman" "you're really living up to your name right now, stop it" jason said through gritted teeth.

in other people's point of view, it looks like two grown men are silently arguing in the corner of the big hall which then caught your attention soon after. you wanted to get to know bruce's children after he warmly welcomed you and your family to gotham before they got down to talking business, it obviously lost your interest so you quietly excused yourself from the conversation to wander the mansion.

you stumbled upon one of his daughters and had a nice conversation, they didn't seem intimidating as they said they'd be— not until you went up to his sons. you mentally prepared yourself as you slowly walked over to the duo, straightening the slight wrinkles on your dress and patting down your necklace.

"uhm, hello there. i hope i'm not interrupting" you called out to them which caught their attention. dick and jason quickly arranged themselves to look presentable, even if they were just arguing seconds ago. "hey" jason said as he cleared his throat, to which you replied with a smile. "its a wonderful party, i see mr. wayne has good taste" you tried to sound polite as possible...was it even worth trying?

"yeah, definitely" dick nodded his head. "i'm richard by the way, richard grayson. but you can call me dick" "oh uhm, pardon?" "it's unusual, i know. but trust me its fine" you couldn't help but slightly giggle at his statement, he was quite the charm. jason, on the other hand, couldn't stand seeing the two of you almost get along. he had to do something if he wanted to win you over.

you then looked over to him in anticipation, "jason" he says. "jason todd" he added. "it's nice meeting you, i've heard..interesting things about you" you said as you reached out your hand for a shake as he returned the gesture. "mhm, that's..great i guess" he nodded. "well uhm, i just wanted to come over and say hi. if our dads are gonna work together i should probably get to know his children too as a courtesy" you said with a smile, talking to bruce's oldest sons was quite nerve wrecking to say the least. they were tall, fit, sharp and certainly attractive, they're also intelligent one might add.

"huh" jason blurted out. "i didn't know bruce and mr. stark had to work together" he said. "oh, mr. wayne didn't mention anything?" "he never does" he replied. "hmm, that's a bit odd.." "trust me, everything's odd when you're around him" you couldn't help but chuckle which took jason back a bit, seeing you find his 'joke' funny enough. it was...adorable.

"i'll take your word for it, jason" hearing you say his name was like hearing angels sing to him. he didn't even realize he was developing a crush on someone he just met at a random gala, that never happened before. it must be something about you that attracted jason a lot.

"oh and, do you know where to get some fresh air? all this business talk has been making me ill for the past hour" you asked, a bit embarrassed to say it in front of them. but they seem to get your pain. "I'll let my brother show you, he knows this place a lot more than i do" "wh— you literally live here" jason whispered loudly. "i'll see you around ms. stark, i look forward to working with you soon" and just like that, dick had left you and jason alone.

your eyes followed dick as he walked back into the crowd until he was no longer seen, your gaze returning back to jason who was just staring at you unconsciously. at some point, you found yourself admiring his features for a moment. his eyes that shined against the light, his ruffled hair that sat prettily on his forehead, and his prominent jawline. 'he's cute...i guess' you thought to yourself, not until he cleared his throat when the silence got too loud.

"sooo, shall i show you around or are you gonna keep staring at me?" he said which made you lift a brow. "staring at yo— weren't you the one staring at me first?" you argued, making jason laugh at your protest. "relax, i was kidding" he added, flicking his head towards the staircase for you to follow him. "y'know, for a sec i thought you were a royal of some sort" jason started as the both of you went up. "how so?" you asked. "i don't know, you look all elegant and..the way you speak" you chuckled at his remark. "should i be flattered or is that a bad thing?" "not at all" jason said, a short smile forming. "well, that's what my mother taught me. she didn't want me to be a 'smartmouth' like my dad. he's probably annoying mr. wayne by now because of it" "bruce has already been around smartmouths enough," he turned towards you, "exhibit a" then gestures to himself.

you couldn't help but chuckle at jason. "is that so?" you asked with an exaggerated tone. "i didn't take you for a smartmouth if i'm being honest, more quite the opposite really" "well you might've if we met under different circumstances" "maybe, maybe not" you looked up to him with a mischievous glint in your eyes, a slight smirk forming on his face.

as the two of you walk through the empty halls of the mansion, you both reach the huge balcony where the doors are wide open. the cold breeze seeping through the curtains which sent shivers down your spine. you tried to fight the chills around your skin, but it was evident to jason you were clearly freezing. he unbuttoned his blazer and wrapped it around your shoulders, giving them a quick squeeze when you thanked him. "ahh, this is nice" you exhaled, relief washing over you when the distinct conversations are finally blocked. you stared into the dimmed city lights of gotham, poorly glistening from where you stood.

"it kinda is" jason added, his hands now both in his pockets as he admired the view...and you.

the longer you stared, the longer a thought began lingering. you cracked your head to the side to look at jason standing behind you, ushering him to come forward. "so uh, how long have you been here?" you started. "since birth, i'm pretty much stuck here" jason answered as he leaned against the railings. "but either way, gotham is my home afterall. i don't think i'll ever have the chance to leave this behind, even if i wanted to" there was a bit of sentiment behind his words, but you understood him. you were also pretty much stuck in one place before your father finally agreed to take you elsewhere, to finally let you handle things your own way when you came of age.

he was always protective over you which partially hindered you from living up to your true potential, but now that he's giving you a part of his legacy you have the chance to prove yourself.

"how was it like? y'know, growing up in a city like this" you followed up. "nothing to sugarcoat i'll tell you that, but uh...that's probably a story for another day" jason says, a quick glance to your direction. "another day?" "yeah another day" he said, studying your reaction. his eyes gleamed with hope, hoping that you'd understand where he's getting at. "are– are you saying—" "yes, ms. stark. i, jason todd, am hoping to see you another day"

your cheeks flushed pink, the heartfelt conversation suddenly turning into whatever this was. it was a pleasant surprise. "i— well, i don't see why i'd say no to that offer" you said with the brightest smile on your face. jason contained a smile however, letting his head fall down between his arms while he sighed in relief. that could've gone the wrong way. he tapped against the stone railing and brought his head back up, his cheeks also dusted pink. "a'ight so, when can i see you then?" he raised a brow.

"i'm in the city for the next few weeks, come visit at the flat two blocks away from the stark industries site. i'm at the third floor, second door to your right" jason took note of that mentally, making sure he got every detail down. "right," he nodded. "uhhh, how do they say this— so it's..a date?"

"it's a date, mr. todd"

[nyxlocke]

Guys...what do we think about this jason

In a divergent-esque fic 👀