the first noel
a/n: lowkeyyy this might be my fav story ive written so far... it honestly feels strange posting this in the middle of summer but christmas is my favorite holiday and i listen to holiday music year round sorry not sorry
genre: fluff
pairing: dangerous!michael jackson x reader
wc: 2.5k
summary: michael celebrates christmas for the first time as a husband and father.
cw: established relationship, domestic fluff, girl dad!michael
masterlist
christmas eve morning broke over neverland, and the sheer breathtaking scale of it all hit you the moment you opened your eyes. “insane” was truly the only word that did it justice, it’s less of a holiday display and more an entire living winter wonderland. every single tree across the sprawling estate is wrapped tightly in miles of glittering lights, framed by massive fresh evergreen wreaths that hung from nearly every doorway, while lush garlands draped over balconies, fences, and porch railings, stretching farther than the eye could see.
life sized toy soldiers stand solemnly at attention along the winding brick pathways, guarding the magic like silent sentinels. beyond them, the grand train station glowed beneath festive trim and twinkling lights, while the iconic carousel shimmered beneath thousands of bright bulbs, its painted horses turning lazily in the crisp morning air.
and beneath it all, tying the entire spectacle together, classic christmas music drifted softly from speakers concealed within the trees and flowerbeds. the melodies floated across the ranch, wrapping the entire surreal landscape in a nostalgic and enchanting bow.
cradling baby zuri carefully in your arms, you wandered downstairs, still rubbing the sleep from your eyes. the moment you reached the bottom step you froze. your gaze swept slowly across the room before drifting out the enormous windows overlooking the ranch. every inch of neverland sparkled. for a long moment you couldn’t even find the words. finally, your eyes landed on michael.
he stood proudly beside the towering christmas tree, adjusting a crooked ornament with the intense concentration of an artist putting the final touches on a masterpiece.
“you know she’s only four months old, right?” you ask, your voice a mix of disbelief and amusement.
“exactly.” michael looked down at zuri, his expression instantly softening before his eyes found yours again. “she deserves the full experience.”
before you could even finish taking in the view from the windows, michael had already disappeared toward the front door. “come on,” he called out over his shoulder with the excitement of a little boy. “you’ve only seen half of it.”
laughing, you adjusted zuri against your shoulder before settling her into her stroller. michael tucked the blanket snugly around her tiny frame, then reached for your hand as the three of you stepped out into the crisp california morning.
the cool air carried the faint sound of holiday music all around you. everywhere you looked, neverland glowed. nutcrackers stood watch outside the train station, oversized candy canes lined the walkways, and elegant wire reindeer shimmered beneath the trees as though they might spring to life at any moment. even the bronze statues scattered throughout the gardens wore knitted scarves and santa hats. it really looked as if your home had transformed overnight into a storybook.
as the three of you wandered along the winding pathways you watched michael pause every few feet to admire another decoration or straighten a ribbon that didn’t quite sit the way he wanted. his excitement was impossible to miss.
“be honest,” you said softly, nudging his side. “who is all this really for?”
a mischievous grin spread across his face. “what do you mean? it’s for the baby!” he nodded toward the sky. “and the reindeer. i have to make sure they know where to land.”
you laughed, rolling your eyes. but as his gaze moved over the shimmering carousel and the endless light covered trees, his teasing tone gently slipped away. he looked down at baby zuri sleeping peacefully in her stroller.
“i never really got to have christmas,” he admitted softly. “i’d always see it and hear people talk about it, but i never really got to live it.”
a quiet smile touched his lips as he admired the pink minnie mouse blanket covering her tiny legs. “ i guess i just want her to have the magic i missed.”
you looked over at him, your heart squeezing. “she’s so lucky,” you said softly, slipping your hand into his. “and she doesn’t even know it yet.”
his smile widened, a faint blush creeping across his cheeks as he glanced back down at your daughter.
the rest of christmas eve passed in exactly the way michael had always imagined. the three of you spent the afternoon baking cookies, though more flour ended up covering the kitchen counters than ever made into the mixing bowl. later came family photos beneath the large christmas tree, michael insisting on “just one more” until half a dozen disposable cameras had been filled with blurry portraits and one particularly cute picture of zuri clutching a snowflake shaped ornament.
as evening settled over neverland, the three of you bundled up once more and wandered the ranch under the twinkling lights. michael made sure to stop and point out the glowing reindeer and oversized candy canes to zuri, who seemed more fascinated by the lights than anything he was actually describing.
back inside, with mugs of hot cocoa warming your hands, michael curled into the couch with zuri nestled against his chest as he quietly read twas the night before christmas. she’d fallen asleep long before he’d reached the final page, but he read every word anyway. by the time the story ended, the ranch had fallen completely silent, with christmas morning only a few hours away.
the mattress shifted gently before the sun had even fully cleared the horizon. michael was already upright, sitting on the edge of the bed with his feet practically tapping against the floorboards. a wide, bright grin caught the dim morning light as he bounced slightly, unable to keep his restless excitement bottled up for a second longer.
“is it time?” he whispered, leaning over to gently nudge your shoulder. “i think it’s time. it’s officially christmas.”
before you could even fully open your eyes, a tiny yawn echoed from the bassinet near the foot of the bed. michael was on his feet instantly. he carefully lifted the baby into his arms, smoothing down the soft flannel of her mini festive pajamas, which, down to the exact shade of red and green plaid, perfectly matched his own and yours.
“look whos’ awake,” he cooed softly, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead as her tiny hands grasped at his face. “merry christmas, zuri.”
downstairs the living room had been transformed into an absolute haven of holiday cheer. flames roared merrily in the grand brick fireplace, sending orange light dancing across the hardwood floor and casting a rich glow over the towering evergreen tree, its tiny white bulbs glistening like frost. the faint, sweet aroma of hot chocolate and marshmallows drifted from two heavy ceramic mugs resting on the coffee table. michael settled onto the plush rug right in front of the tree, cross-legged cradling zuri securely against his chest as he motioned for you to join them.
“look at this,” he murmured, his voice hushed in awe as he reached out to tap a shimmering ornament, setting it into a soft swaying dance. he looked up at you, his eyes reflecting the warm glow of the lights. “isn’t this perfect?.”
you followed his gaze around the room, from the stockings hanging neatly above the fireplace, to the mountain of presents waiting beneath the tree, to the tiny baby resting safely in his arms. “it is,” you whispered.
for a few moments you took in the sound of christmas music playing lazily through the house and zuri’s sleepy little coos as she stared up at the lights overhead. the peaceful silence lasted exactly thirty seconds. suddenly, michael clapped his hands together, his excitement returning all at once.
“okay!” he announced, carefully setting zuri onto the rug between the two of you. “present time!”
michael sat amidst a sprawling mountain of velvet bows, boxes, and satin ribbons that stretched halfway across the living room rug. “okay, open this one next,” he said, his voice buzzing with anticipation as he slid a massive beautifully wrapped present toward zuri. within minutes, the living room looked as if a toy store had exploded. a hand carved rocking horse stood in the middle of the room, a custom mechanical music box played softly from the coffee table, and a life-sized teddy bear towered next to zuri’s tiny frame.
you carefully tore open the paper for her, presenting a stunning, intricate silver rattle engraved with her initials, ZKJ. zuri gave the rattle a cursory glance, immediately shoved it aside and reached out with both hands to clutch a crumpled piece of discarded red wrapping paper. michael blinked, watching in absolute silence as she balled it up, captivated by the loud, metallic crinkle.
“wait,” he said, leaning closer to swap the paper for a beautifully painted wooden train set. “look at the wheels on this one, z! they turn!”
she ignored the train entirely, lunging past his arms before diving headfirst into an empty cardboard box, happily slapping the sides and grabbing a loose piece of golden ribbon.
laughter bubbled inside your chest as you reached forward to attempt to lift her out of the box. “i told you michael! she’s a simple girl.”
michael sat back on his heels, utterly baffled, looking between the thousands of dollars worth of handcrafted toys and the plain, empty box currently occupying his daughter's entire world. “i spent three weeks searching for that train set.” another delighted crinkle echoed from the wrapping paper clutched in zuri’s tiny hands. “next year i’m only buying you boxes,” he says teasingly wagging his finger at your daughter.
once the chaos of crinkling paper settled and zuri was happily nested in her beloved cardboard fort, you reached under the tree to pull out a single simply wrapped gift. “your turn,” you said softly, handing it over to him.
michael looked up, surprised, before taking the gift into his hands. he untied the ribbon and carefully folded back the paper to reveal a custom, linen-bound hardcover book. elegant gold foil lettering caught the warm glow of the fireplace across its spine and cover. beneath the shimmering title was a delicate illustration of a little black boy standing beneath a giant, sprawling tree, reaching up to hold a single, softly glowing star.
michael ran his fingers over the textured cover, his voice quiet as he read the title out loud: the boy who never stopped believing. he paused, looking up with wide curious eyes, “what’s this?”
you simply smiled, “open it.”
he flipped open the heavy cover to the very first page, his eyes landing on the simple line of text. for michael, the boy who never stopped believing in magic, and the man who taught me to believe in it too. the lively, playful energy of the morning vanished, replaced by a deep stillness as he sat frozen on the floor. slowly, he turned the page. once upon a time, in a little town called gary, there lived a boy whose heart was far bigger than the world around him…
his thumb brushed gently along the edge of the paper as he smiled at the first illustration of a young michael, wide-eyed singing enthusiastically into a plastic hairbrush. a quiet chuckle escaped him before he turned the page, the soft texture of the paper rustling beneath his fingers. five bright-eyed brothers leaped across the soft watercolor pages, vintage microphones clutched tightly in their hands as impossible dreams danced around them.
another page. the palette shifted to pale lavenders and sage green. on the left page, a young man stood with his hands resting in his pockets, gazing toward a small hill where a pastel carousel turned under painted clouds, its brass poles gleaming alongside a miniature train chugging along a tiny track. michael’s fingers hovered over the corner of the paper, his breath catching in his chest as the next page unfolded. a quiet afternoon, a soft watercolor of a crowded room where two pairs of eyes met across the space. beside the drawing, the calligraphic ink spelled out the very first words he’d ever spoken to you.
he remained in silent awe as he continued flipping the pages. his eyes swept across a painting of white lace, dark velvet, and rose petals, capturing the exact tearful grin he’d worn at the altar. his smile softened. then came chapter six. michael went completely still. rendered in deep blues, the illustration captured a dim nursery in the early morning hours after the birth of your daughter. a tired, glowing michael sat rocking in a plush armchair, cradling a bundle so impossibly small her tiny face was barely bigger than his palm. he traced the watercolor swaddle with his index finger, his chest heaving softly as he swallowed back a lump in his throat.
slowly, he turned to the final chapter. his eyes widened, darting across the page in pure shock. a brick fireplace, a towering tree and three figures in identical plaid pajamas stare back at him. sitting square in the middle of the painted rug was a tiny baby girl kicking her feet in pure delight inside of a giant box, golden ribbon draped over head like a crown.
michael’s head snapped up. his eyes darted from the watercolor page directly to the rug in front of him, where zuri was currently babbling happily inside the empty box. he looked back at the page, then up at you, a gentle, breathless laugh breaking through the silence.
“you already made this?” he whispered, his voice trembling.
you gave him a warm, knowing grin, “i had to plan ahead.”
his hands shook slightly as he looked back down at the heavy book. his chest rose and fell in deep steady breaths as his eyes followed the script running along the bottom of the drawing: and just when the little dreamer thought he’d found every kind of magic the world had to offer, he discovered the greatest adventure of all was waiting for him at home.
a radiant smile spread across michael’s face. he gently brought the thick bookcovers together, pulling it against his chest and resting it over his heart as if it were made of glass. as he shifted his hold, the thick edge of a final unread leaf caught the light. michael paused, tracing his finger against the edge to open the book one last time. the page was entirely blank except for three small handwritten words nestled right in the center: to be continued.
a sudden tearful laugh spilled out him, rich and overflowing with emotion. he scooped you into his arms, pulling you tight against his side and pressing a warm, lingering kiss against your lips. “i don’t even know what to say,” he whispered.
“you don’t have to.”
michael’s eyes drifted back to zuri, still perfectly content in her cardboard kingdom, the ribbon now tangled his tiny ankles. he smiled through damp eyes, “i love you.”
with the storybook resting carefully in his lap and you tucked beneath his arm, the three of you sat together beneath the glow of the christmas tree, listening to the crackle of the fire and the joyful little squeals of your baby girl. outside, neverland sparkled beneath thousands of lights, but inside, everything that had once lived only in michael’s imagination had finally become his reality.
