this cannot be happening.

you were just trying to sleep in peace in your hotel room, feeling clean and cozy under the bedsheets after your shower.

your headphones were on, turned up to a volume slightly louder than it should be while you doomscrolled on your phone until your eyes felt heavy.

and right as they were about to close, phone slipping away from your slacked hand, you see it.

a huge spider crawling up the wall into your direction.

you hop out of the bed immediately, feeling the kind of fear that is only experienced silently.

you shake your head, grabbing your phone and a key card, walking out of the room, letting the eight-legged demon take your $325 a night hotel room.

there’s absolutely no way your going back in there without a hazmat suit and 100 pounds of heavy duty bug spray. but definitely you don’t have that.

walking down the hallway, though, is the next best thing.

the fine man staying next door to you.

jaafar jackson.

you knew who he was, given that you were a huge michael jackson fan. but you tried to stay calm the first time you saw him while checking in so you didn’t come off as a crazy fan, and smiled at him.

he smiled back.

here that same person comes, strolling down the hallway and offering you a small wave and the same smile from before.

the perfect savior.

“hey there, stranger!” great start. now you sound creepy. it works, though, because he slows to a stop a few feet away from you

you explain your situation, dramatizing it slightly more than it should be, but it gets the job done. you also offer him food as a payment. the cherry on top.

it works, though, because he nods and walks to your door.

“sure. did you wanna help me or..”

“nope! i believe in you, stranger.” you quickly say, profusely shaking your head and holding out the key card for him.

“alright then, stranger.”

he huffs a laugh and takes the keycard from your hand, tapping it onto the lock and heading inside your room.

you’re not waiting for that long when he finally comes out, a slight pinch of his brows paired with darting eyes.

“what? why do you look scared now?”

“i didn’t see a spider in there.”

oh hell no. what if it’s in your stuff now? what if it started laying eggs in all of your underwear? so much for knight in shining armor-

“i’m kidding. i got it.” he says, the corner of his mouth pulling into a charming grin as he walks to his room.

“you- that was not funny.”

“i’m sorry, i’m sorry. i couldn’t help myself.”

he’s chuckling at this point, half at his own joke, but mostly at your reaction. you watch him laugh, scoffing and taking the keycard back from him.