Puppy love || J5! Michael x Bsf! Reader ||
Synopsis: Finally after pinning after eachother for a year Michael gained the courage to officially make you his girlfriend but his father disapproved and kept you two away.
Pairing: pre otw! Michael x reader
Content Warnings: Mentions of parental abuse, implied physical abuse, emotional manipulation.
Request: era Michael x clingy reader!!!! I have no idea for a plot tho…💔
Tage for my angel: @miratate I'll tag you in part 2 as well if you'd like
Michael was your best friend. He always invited you over to his house to play board games or simply catch up. It was fairly obvious to anyone with eyes that the two of you were smitten with each other. You were always holding hands or greeting one another with a kiss on the cheek. But his shyness and your awkwardness often clashed, leaving neither of you willing to make the first move.
Michael always made time for you, inviting you to rehearsals or recording sessions whenever he could. His father, however, strongly disapproved. To him, you were nothing more than a distraction, a nuisance taking away precious time Michael could have been spending practicing instead of being all lovey-dovey. It made him furious.
Michael was getting ready for a show while you watched him as his makeup artist gently dabbed foundation across his face.
"Are you nervous?" you asked, meeting his eyes through the mirror. He shook his head.
"No... I'm not nervous." You tilted your head, a little concerned.
"You look like you have something on your mind."
Somehow, you always knew. "Something is on my mind."
That immediately caught your attention, and you subconsciously leaned a little closer to him.
He chewed hard on his bottom lip before shyly meeting your eyes through the mirror.
"Can I tell you about it later? When there aren't so many ears around?"
You reached out your hand, and he met you halfway, intertwining your fingers with his.
Once the makeup artist had finished, he slowly stood up, never letting go of your hand as he led you toward the backstage wing.
"Wish me luck?" he asked, sounding flustered as he let out a nervous chuckle.
You leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to the apple of his cheek. As he stepped onto the stage, you smiled, happy to see him looking so carefree under the lights.
Just as you turned to make your way back to your seat, Joseph's grim face startled you.
You knew he didn't like you, and that was putting it nicely.
"I don't want you distracting him so much."
You stuttered, the words catching in your throat. Joe took advantage of the fear he instilled in people.
"Don't be around him so much. The next time he invites you, decline."
And with that, he walked away without waiting for your response.
To him, his word was law.
You looked down at your feet, upset by how afraid you were.
You weren't afraid of what he would do to you. You knew he couldn't lay a hand on you without you making a scene.
But you knew he could hurt Michael.
You looked back out at the stage and watched him dance, so carefree as he lost himself in the music.
You didn't want him to get hurt.
The next time he invited you...You would decline.
You made your way back to your seat to watch the rest of his performance, and you could practically see the stars form in his eyes the moment you came into view.
He seemed lighter and brighter.
You smiled and enjoyed the performance, momentarily forgetting that it might be the last one you'd watch for a while.
When the performance was about to end, you took it as your cue to make your way behind the curtains before Michael had completely finished. You didn't want him to feel alone... or worse, have to face his father first.
You carefully squeezed past the crowd until you finally reached the backstage stairs.
A security guard gently stopped you. "You can't be back here, ma'am."
Before panic could take hold, you quickly explained,
"Oh, no. I'm Michael's friend... I was with him this morning."
The guard nodded once. "I'm aware, but Joseph told me you aren't allowed backstage anymore."
You stood there looking pathetically vulnerable, but there was nothing you could say.
Quietly, you turned around and made your way back to your seat. You hated this.
But if this was what it took to keep Michael safe...Then so be it.
You sat back down in your seat, and you could see Michael's face dim ever so slightly while he waved goodbye to everyone and thanked the audience.
Soon, he disappeared backstage, and the knots in your stomach tightened.
You didn't know where to go from here.
Normally, by now, you'd be hugging him, the two of you avoiding his father together. You'd be gushing about how amazing his performance was while he'd shyly smile at your praise.
There was a whole stage between you.
And his father would get to him first.
You left the auditorium with the rest of the fans before sneaking around to the back, where the tour bus would be taking the Jackson 5 back to their residence.
You hid behind the bus before quietly climbing into the luggage compartment, tucking yourself behind the suitcases.
But you weren't going to let Michael think you'd left him behind.
The bus door slid open with a harsh clang. You held your breath, too scared and frozen to get caught.
You'd look so foolish in front of his father.
Amid the loud chaos of his brothers talking over one another, you heard Michael's soft voice.
"She wasn't there...? Did she have somewhere else to be?"
It was quiet. Quiet enough that no one else seemed to notice.
Your ears had long since learned how to tune out every other voice and amplify his. You could hear him in the loudest of crowds.
The ride was anything but peaceful.
Such a harsh life for luggage.
With every bump and sharp turn, you found yourself clinging to the largest suitcase for dear life, hoping you wouldn't go tumbling around like a dried-up tumbleweed.
The bus eventually came to a red light. Curious, you carefully peeked your eyes over the seats.
You spotted the back of Michael's neck. You gently blew a puff of air at it. He immediately tensed, rubbing the back of his neck in confusion.
You blew again, a little harder this time, hoping to get his attention.
He slowly looked over his shoulder. The moment he saw your peeking eyes, he froze.
Without a word, he turned back around, suddenly much tenser than before.
His mind raced. He quickly slipped on his sunglasses, hoping to hide the fact that his heart was practically beating out of his chest.
A moment later, he cautiously reached his hand between the seats, his fingers poking through the narrow gap.
Hiding behind the suitcases once more, you gently reached out and held the tips of his fingers.
Separated by nothing more than the seat cushions, the two of you still found a way to reach for each other.
The bus finally came to a screeching halt.
You let out a quiet breath of relief.
You were certain you'd be covered in bruises, but this was far better than Michael ending up with bruises for other reasons.
The brothers stepped off the bus, exhausted.
Luckily for you, they were all too tired to carry their own luggage.
You waited patiently for a few minutes until the trunk door finally opened.
You heard Michael's gentle voice.
You carefully climbed out.
Michael immediately reached for you, steadying you so you wouldn't trip. The moment your feet were safely on the ground, he pulled you into a tight hug.
You hugged him back just as tightly. His hand slid to the back of your head, gently drawing you closer.
For a long moment, neither of you spoke. You simply stayed there, letting the comfort of each other's presence ground you.
The two of you gently pulled away, only for your faces to flush with embarrassment.
You both took a small step back from each other.
"That was very dangerous..." he said firmly, yet gently. "Don't do it again."
You nodded before quietly confessing,
"Joe banned me from going backstage." Michael's jaw tensed. Hatred flashed across his face.
He silently held out his hand to you.
You slipped your hand into his, and together the two of you quietly made your way through the back entrance before sneaking up to his room.
The door clicked shut behind the two of you.
A sudden surge of affection for Michael washed over you, one you couldn't hold back any longer.
You took another step forward, gently invading his space before pressing your lips to his.
His hand was already resting on your waist, as though he'd known it was only a matter of time before one of you finally gave in.
He shyly kissed you back, letting you take the lead.
Slowly, he closed his eyes completely and tilted his head, allowing the kiss to deepen naturally.
It lasted far longer than either of you had intended. When you finally pulled away, the two of you could only stare at each other as warmth crept across your cheeks.
"What... what was that for." It wasn't really a question.
He simply wanted to fill the silence.
Deep down, he already knew. He wanted to make the two of you official. He just didn't want to pressure you, knowing how complicated his life could be.
"...Can we be official?" you asked softly.
Before you had even finished speaking, he was already nodding. "Yeah," he breathed with a smile. "I've been waiting for you to ask for s'long."
You weren't sure what to do now. You hadn't exactly been expecting rejection, but no one ever tells you what you're supposed to do after your feelings are returned.
You shyly looked away. Michael was doing the exact same thing.
Michael gently tucked a strand of hair behind your ear, encouraging you to look at him.
You didn't hesitate. "I'll stay."
The rest of the night was filled with quiet giggles and shy kisses.
The two of you lay beneath the covers, hand in hand, whispering little secrets to one another between soft kisses.
His hand rested lightly on your waist, absentmindedly caressing it as though he needed to reassure himself that you were really there beside him.
You leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead.
Before you could pull too far away, he caught your lips in another shy kiss. "I don't want you getting involved with my father," he said, sounding almost frightened.
You gently shook your head.
"I don't want to talk about him right now."
He nodded. His father was a sore spot for the both of you.
Michael hummed in understanding, knowing all too well the discomfort his father brought.
"Okay... we won't talk about him."
Your eyes drifted down to the hand resting on your waist before meeting his gaze again. Shyly, you reached up and poked his cheek, unsure of what else to do with yourself.
He smiled. Gently, he pulled you closer until your face was tucked snugly into the crook of his neck.
"Let's sleep..." he murmured. "We don't have to worry about it anymore."
When morning came, the bedroom door was thrown open with a loud bang, causing the both of you to jolt awake.
"Did I not tell you not to be around him?" he snapped, pointing an accusing finger at you.
Michael immediately stepped in front of you, shielding you with his body despite the way he trembled.
"Don't point at her," he said, his voice shaky but firm.
"What'd you say?" Joe barked. "Speak up, boy!"
Michael looked away, shaking like a leaf.
You wanted nothing more than for the ground beneath you to split open and swallow you whole.
But the thought of leaving Michael alone with his agitated father rooted you to the spot.
You reached for Michael's arm and held onto it.
"You think you can run around playing boyfriend and girlfriend... being all puppy love and whatnot."
Neither of you said a word.
Joe continued. "That girl won't last a day in your world."
"She has a name," Michael spoke up.
Joe turned to him with a hard stare. "Does she now?" Michael nodded, his hands trembling at his sides.
"Don't call her... girl." He swallowed hard before forcing himself to continue. "She has a name."
Joe took a step closer to the bed, looming over the both of you. Michael squeezed his eyes shut, bracing himself for whatever was about to come.
"If you hit him, I'll call the police!" you shouted.
Michael's tense body froze. He looked at you in complete shock. He'd never expected you to stand between him and his ruthless father.
"Will you now?" Joe challenged, his voice calm and cold.
You straightened your back, refusing to move despite the fear making your whole body tremble.
"Y-Yeah... I will." You swallowed hard. "You abuse him."
Joe's expression became impossible to read. After a long moment of silence, he simply turned around and walked out of the room.
The bedroom door shut behind him. Only then did the two of you let out the breath you'd both been holding.
"Don't do that." His voice cracked.
"Don't do that again. Ever."
He shook his head, tears beginning to rim his eyes. "Don't stand between me and Joseph." He reached for your hands, holding them tightly.
"Please... don't ever do that."
His breathing became uneven. "I can't handle what he would do to you."
He looked down, trying to steady himself.
"He could beat and batter me all he wants..." His voice faltered. "But God... if he ever did anything to you..." He swallowed hard, his eyes glistening.
"I wouldn't forgive myself." His fingers tightened around yours. "Not for the rest of my life."
"Michael, I can't just stand by!" you pleaded.
"Promise me you won't do it again!" His voice rose for the first time, the desperation in it startling you more than the volume itself.
You stared at him for a moment before quietly answering, "...I promise."
The two of you sat there on the bed, still trying to catch your breath as the adrenaline slowly wore off.
You hated the worried look on his face. You leaned over and pressed a gentle kiss to the corner of his mouth.
His lips twitched into the smallest smile. He tried to hide it but he couldn't.
"I see it..." you teased with a grin.
He ducked his head, pretending not to know what you meant. "See whaat?"
You tried to poke his side to tickle him, but he dodged away.
And just like that, all the tension in the room finally disappeared.
That was until you got home.
Wanting to ask him a few things, you picked up the phone and dialed his number.
You frowned and tried again.
This time, an automated voice informed you that the number was no longer in service.
You stared at the receiver in disbelief. You couldn't reach him.
It all clicked into place.
Joe hadn't left the room to calm down.
He'd gone straight to have the house number changed. With the money he had, it was done within hours.
You stared at the silent telephone.
He hadn't just separated you from Michael. He'd erased the only way you had to reach him.
You'd never felt so humiliated.
Part 2 is in the works!! I'm just trying to do all the requests!
