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GET ON THE FLOOR! — episode three ⋆.˚

summary: you accompany your brother to the 26th annual grammy awards. and though you expected michael there, you were surprised to see the woman he brought along — brooke shields. you managed to hide your disappointment from the cameras, but being the little sister of julian meant that you had three more attentive ‘brothers.’

warnings: i do not know the entire ins and outs of michael’s life, that being said… a lot of creative liberties have been taken. just a reminder, this is a work of fiction, all references to real life people are entirely coincidental.

series masterlist — previous episode — next episode

FEBRUARY — 1984

The drive to the 26th Annual Grammys was anything but quiet. Then again, that was to be expected when you packed a limousine full of singers nominated for Song of the Year.

Julian occupied the seat closest to the partition. Beside him sat a woman named Allie May. You knew your brother had never been one to stay tied down, but it still stung that he hadn’t mentioned things were getting serious with someone. Serious enough to bring her as his plus one, no less.

Across from them sat Lenny and his date, Nevaeh King. The two sported matching afros that made them look adorable together. Across from them was Marvin, who hadn’t brought a date of his own. Kenny Cole, however, seemed more than happy to fill the empty seat.

That left Tommy beside you. He drummed a rhythm against his knee with restless fingers while Julian shamelessly serenaded Allie from across the limo.

Yeah, there was a lot going on.

But nothing held your attention quite like admiring your handiwork: their outfits.

It had taken weeks of planning, sketching, and alterations, but you’d managed to create four standout looks. The suits ranged from deep maroon to rich copper, each member wearing a slightly different shade. The trousers were cut into dramatic bell-bottoms, a tribute to the band’s disco roots, while the jackets featured a relaxed seventies silhouette accented with modern beading along the trim.

From there, each of them had made the look their own.

Julian left a few buttons undone at the collar, revealing his studded necklace. Lenny, as always, was decked out in rings. Marvin paired his suit with polished white shoes that gleamed under the limousine lights. And Tommy? Well, Tommy was just himself. That alone was a fashion statement.

Soon the limousine pulled to a stop just outside Shrine Auditorium. Flashing lights glittered across the red carpet in a relentless rhythm, illuminating the sea of stars and photographers gathered outside. The moment you stepped out of the limousine, cameramen surged forward, eager to capture your arrival.

Within seconds, flashes erupted from every direction. First came the group photos, with everyone included. Then, the cameras turned their attention solely on the members of Axis 79.

Once the photos were finished, you all were bombarded with reporters and columnists.

“Axis 79!” A woman yelled out, approaching the group. “It’s so great to see you! I love the outfits, are they custom designed?”

Almost instantly, all heads turned to you. Julian took the floor, briefly motioning to you. “Yes they were, they were all made by my sister.”

“That’s wonderful!”

You expected her to at least ask more about that subject, but the columnist quickly brushed past it.

‘What, is it because they aren’t wearing a big name?’ It became clear to you that she was a reporter who most likely worked for a tabloid outlet.

“Well, I see that most of you brought dates?” Nevaeh and Allie giggled at the woman’s question.

She took that as a sign of confirmation. “I can see that they are very beautiful women!”

She then turned towards Tommy. “I see that Miss [Surname] is accompanying you. Correct?”

‘Huh? So she does know who I am…’

Tommy nodded. “Yeah. I know it’s hard to believe since she looks so good, but she’s actually the plus-one.”

You rolled your eyes at Tommy’s joke, sighing into a soft smile.

The woman raised an eyebrow. “Now, is this something serious, or are you guys just friends?”

Tommy chuckled, wrapping an arm around your shoulder. “C’mon, she’s like a sister to me!”

“If you say so.” The reporter scribbles some things down before turning her attention towards you.

“Wow, what an avant-grade look! How daunting, it’s certainly not the classic look that we are used to seeing…” Her eyes trailed down your entire outfit. “With such a nice outfit like this, one might think you were famous for something!”

Now you raised an eyebrow. ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

Of course, you didn’t voice your thoughts. Instead you laughed along to what you suspected was a joke.

“Well, she’s been doing looks for celebrities.” Tommy offered, picking up on the slightly dismissive tone of the woman’s words.

“Who?”

“Some people here and there…” You begin.

“She worked on Thriller with Michael Jackson.” Marvin stated.

The woman tilted her head. “…Yeah, sure.”

“It was mostly makeup and special effects, but I really want to make a break with clothes.” You tell her.

The reporter nods, writing more things down. “Really? Well, let’s see if that goes anywhere.”

She then turned her focus to Marvin. “Well, are there any hints you can give me about upcoming releases?”

Tommy removed his arm from your shoulder, leaning down to whisper in your ear. “Is it just me or did she seem kind of odd?”

“Odd as in weirdly passive aggressive?” You whispered back. “Yeah, totally.”

°🥂⋆.ೃ🪩*

After that little “interview,” the group continued down the carpet. Unfortunately, you didn’t make it very far before another reporter swooped in and intercepted you.

“Axis! How are we feeling about your nominations tonight? Are we expecting big wins?”

To your surprise, Marvin actually entertained this question. That had to be a sign. Already she seemed less sensational than the other reporter. Since she was asking questions about the group's creative process, you stepped back, joining Nevah and Allie.

“I can’t believe we’re really here!” Allie squealed, looking around with baited breath.

“I’ve never been flashed more in my entire life...” You sighed.

Nevaeh held a hand up to her mouth, suppressing a giggle.

“—By the cameras!” You quickly tack on, as the two girls grinned.

You chatted with the girls, pretending to be busy all while listening in on as Marvin answered questions.

“Yes, our next album will be bigger than what we’ve usually produced.”

“Oh?”

“The music scene is changing, and we need to catch up.” Marvin shrugged. “Otherwise we’ll be a group stuck in a bygone era.”

“Well, I hope it’s not too big of a change.”

“Oh no!” Julian laughed. “We’ll have a new sound, but the vibe is still the same.”

Suddenly, loud screams and excited shouts erupted through the air. Out of the corner of your eye, you watched camera flashes explode in rapid succession, blending together into a blinding wall of white. What had once been a crowded but orderly carpet quickly descended into chaos as people surged toward the drop-off area. The sudden commotion was enough to make all of you turn and look.

Lenny whistled, placing his hands in his pockets. “That boy Mike sure does know how to make an entrance.”

Your heart thundered in your chest, the sound echoing in your ears. It was unreal. You watched as Michael stepped from the car like a shimmering beam of light. His blue-and-gold military-inspired jacket glittered with every movement, catching the flashes of countless cameras. A sparkling white glove covered one hand, while dark sunglasses concealed his eyes. There was something magnetic about him. The light seemed to find him no matter where he stood, drawing every gaze in his direction. Attention naturally gravitated towards him, and it made him look otherworldly.

‘Ahem.’ You had to force your eyes away from him. ‘Right. The interview.’

The reporter did a professional job wrapping things up, but by the way her eyes kept looking past you, it was clear that she was eager for a chance to speak with Michael.

‘You and me both…’

You hadn’t seen Michael Jackson since your dat— your hangout back in October. Since then, the two of you had only spoken over the phone. You’d called to check on him after his hospitalization earlier that year, worried about how he was doing. He answered, sounding tired, but hearing his voice was enough to reassure you that he was okay. For the media, tonight marked his first major appearance since the incident. Reporters were eager for a quote, a photograph, anything they could get from him. But you weren’t thinking about headlines or interviews. You just wanted to know that he was alright.

Before he left the car, he extended his arm out to help a woman out. That woman was none other than Brooke Shields. ‘What the — Brooke Shields? What are they doing together? I didn’t even know Michael knew her…’

They were not the only two in the car. Out came a small kid in the arms of Bill Bray. Honestly, it was just one surprise after another.

“You good?” You snapped back to reality once you felt Tommy tug your hand. The reporter was nowhere to be seen.

“Huh?”

“Don’t start daydreaming on me, we’re going inside.” Tommy said.

“Already?”

Julian chuckled bitterly. “Yeah. I guess everyone found someone better to interview.”

You cross your arms, giving your brother a look. ‘Was he seriously talking bad about Michael?’ “Don’t say that.”

“What?”

“Come on, you know these news outlets want to get a hit. You can’t blame the reporters for doing their jobs.”

“So Axis 79 won’t get them a hit?”

You shook your head. “I didn’t say that. Besides, she finished the interview, right? It’s not like she brushed us off, so I don’t see what the problem is.”

Julian didn’t say anything.

“Let’s not do this here.” Marvin warned. If anyone cared about the image of the group, it would be him. And his senses were telling him that you guys were one step away from a PR nightmare.

Julian sighed. “Look, I know the kid’s your friend—”

“Kid? You two are the same age.”

“Fine, sure. I’m just saying all this fame seems a little unprecedented to me.”

You laughed. “It’s his hard work and talent. Nothing seems unprecedented about it.”

“You wouldn’t get it.” Julian dismisses you altogether, walking ahead of the group. That was fine by you. Instead, you slowed your pace, walking behind the group.

Was the situation petty? Yes. It left everyone else in an uncomfortable situation and an overall sour mood. But you wouldn’t stand for it. Michael was a good friend of yours and didn’t deserve to be talked down upon. Especially to your face.

°🥂⋆.ೃ🪩*

Michael was optimistic. He knew Thriller had performed exceptionally well, and he felt confident about his chances in several of the categories for which he had been nominated. Thirteen nominations was an astonishing achievement — the highest number anyone had received so far. Out of all of them, he was certain he could bring home at least one award.

The moment he stepped onto the red carpet, he was met with a familiar whirlwind of noise. Reporters shouted questions over one another, camera flashes burst from every direction, and crowds called his name from behind the barricades. Celebrities, photographers, and fans blurred together.

Amid the chaos, he and his team managed to navigate through the crowd and find a relatively open stretch of carpet. The area was dotted with stars like Gladys Knight and countless others, all greeting one another, giving interviews, or lingering in conversation between appearances.

“Michael over here!”

“Michael is it true that you have received—”

“Are you dating Brooke Shields?”

“Michael this way!”

“Who are you wearing Michael—”

So much for peace and quiet. He still suffered from light headaches from his scalp injury, so the frequent yelling of his name left him feeling razzled. Michael had already expressed to Brooke and Bray that he wanted to get inside as quickly as possible. Meanwhile, Emmanuel seemed to enjoy all the attention he was getting, especially the cameras.

“Michael, I love the outfit!” A reporter approached Michael, shoving a microphone towards his face.

“Thank you. You're too kind.” Smile and move on, just as practiced.

Except… this reporter was unusually aggressive. She kept following after the group even though there was a wall of security blocking her. It seemed her strategy was to throw everything at the wall to see what would stick, and soon, she found it.

“All those studs, it reminds me of a similar dress I saw earlier this evening. It was worn by Miss [Surname]! Is the beadwork from the same people?”

The mere mention of your name caused Michael to halt in his tracks. “Miss [Surname]?”

A spark lit up the reporter’s eyes. She had been hoping to catch you in a lie, but now that she knew Michael recognized you, she saw an even better opportunity. If she couldn’t trip you up, maybe she could at least pry some information out of the connection between the two of you.

“Yes! She wore a stunning pink dress, I recall.”

Michael shook his head, a soft laugh leaving his lips. “No, it couldn’t have been the same people. [Name] told me that she was making her outfit herself. I got this jacket custom-made by Michael Bush and Dennis Thompkins. They are very good friends of mine. But I would love to see her dress, if it is so similar. I think it'd be wonderful if we were matching.”

The woman gasps. “You speak of her in such high regard!”

“Of course, I mean — we worked together. I’d like to consider us good friends.”

“There’s nothing romantic there, right?”

Michael nervously laughed. He felt as if it was in bad taste to ask such a question in front of his date. Seeing his hesitance, the woman backtracked.

“Sorry, of course not! You are accompanied by the lovely actress Brooke Shields. Besides, I believe Miss [Name] is currently with Tommy Knight.”

Michael’s eyes widened. Though the woman mumbled that last part, he heard it loud and clear. You and Tommy? Michael couldn’t believe it. In fact he didn’t. You would have told him if you were dating someone, right? He was extremely grateful for his sunglasses, because without them, everyone would have seen how his expression dimmed. Nevertheless, he gave the reporter a polite smile before leaving.

°🥂⋆.ೃ🪩*

The universe seemed to like playing tricks on you. The first trick was sitting you two rows behind Michael Jackson, slightly to his left. That gave you the perfect view to see him, and Brooke, in all their glory. Close to watch, but not enough to interact with. The second trick was not played on you, but on Axis 79. Unfortunately, ‘Record Of The Year’ — the only nomination they had — was won by Michael Jackson, who went on to win seven more awards in a single night. Of course you were ecstatic for him, he worked hard on Thriller, and truly, the album deserved its flowers. But part of you felt bad. The morale in your row was low, and though Axis showed good sportsmanship, you knew them. You could tell that this loss was big to them. The third trick had to be the conflicting feeling in your heart. Even though this was a hard moment, there was something about listening to Michael’s speech that made your heart flutter and forget all about the loss. Especially when he removed his sunglasses. God, was he gorgeous. His face was like an angel.

But then you had to watch him walk back to his seat, with his post-win afterglow and bright smile, and sit right next to Brooke.

Were you jealous? No way. You never felt jealous over anyone or anything. Not seriously anyways. Although… there was an unmistakable urge towards wanting to be sitting next to him. Did that date— lunch mean nothing to him? Why didn’t he ask you to be his date? After spiraling for a couple of minutes, you sighed. He wasn’t obligated to do anything with you. For all you knew, he was just being friendly.

‘Now I feel bad. This is what having your first romantic interaction in your twenties does to you…’ You sighed again. Then, you felt a brush against your thigh. It was Tommy’s knee.

He glanced at you. “Are you good?”

You shrugged, forcing a smile to your face. “Yeah, just tired. This is my first award show after all.”

Tommy nodded. “Ah, that’s understandable. I was like that too.”

Lenny, who overheard the conversation, joined in. “It’s a lot more fun when you win.”

“I bet it is…” You mumbled.

You didn’t catch it, but Tommy and Lenny looked at each other above your head. They could tell that something was wrong. Though you were smiling, you looked more bummed out than they did. They knew it couldn’t have been about the award, so it had to be about something else.

Lenny followed your eyes. Instead of looking towards the stage, your eyes were laser focused on a certain singer. Ah. Lenny understood it now. You had yourself a little crush.

°🥂⋆.ೃ🪩*

The night had finally come to a close. With the last award being presented, celebrities and invitees alike were making their way slowly out of the venue. From the corner of his eye Michael saw you. In all your pink glory. Your dress was nothing short of a beaded glitz, with a bright pink shawl around your arms, your hair styled elegantly into a layered cut. It was spectacularly beautiful. And shimmered in the lights, catching all the reflective flashes of the cameras.

Michael couldn’t believe you made that. You were really more talented than anyone in this venue knew. He’s always wanted to see it. Ever since you’ve been updating him on its progress for months now. Although he made an attempt to head in your direction, he was blocked.

“Ah, this way Mr. Jackson!” It was a guard leading him towards the interview room.

It was bad timing, but Michael knew he had to speak to you before the night ended.

In the interview room, all the cameras were pointed at Michael, his arm filled with golden trophies.

Although there were many interviewers and cameras in front of him, his eyes were trained on you. Were you in the center of attention? No. You were walking alongside your brother and his bandmates towards the exit. But you were stopped by some man. That was what Michael was focused on. What was he talking to you about? He didn’t need to hold your hand to ask you questions. And he certainly did not need to smile that bright. For the second time this night, Michael was glad that he wore sunglasses. No one could truly see where his eyes were wandering.

°🥂⋆.ೃ🪩*

Throughout the hustle and bustle, you finally made it towards the limousine. You were tired. Unlike earlier today, you were sure the vibe heading back home would be more somber. That was good for you. Maybe you could get some sleep and sort through your feelings.

Just before you lifted your heel into the car you felt a tap on your shoulder. Turning around, you saw Michael and his entourage. Your eyes widened. Not only were you shocked, but so was everyone else.

On Michael’s left arm, he held a small boy, but that still didn’t stop him from reaching out with his right, in an attempt to hug you.

You did, amidst the confusion. The hug was very comforting. He held you tight but gentle, his soft scent wafting over you as his hands brushed down to your waist, lingering just a bit, before falling away. “Hi [Name], I’ve been meaning to talk to you this whole time. I didn’t know if we’d get a chance to speak again.”

You smiled, your tiredness instantly disappeared. “Oh no, with all the reporters around, I don’t hold anything against you. Congratulations on your wins, you must be proud?”

Michael grinned. “More than proud. But it wasn’t just me, my team and everyone who worked hard deserve this win just as much as I did.”

You looked down to his hands. His Grammys were nowhere to be seen. Probably with a bodyguard for safe keeping then.

Suddenly, a short finger pointed towards your face.

“And who’s this?” You asked.

“This is Emmanuel Lewis, he’s a good friend of mine.” Michael introduced. “Emmanuel, this is Miss [Surname].”

“Hi!” Emmanuel answered excitedly. “Woah, you have glitter on your face!”

You chuckled. “Thank you, I know. Do you like them?” You turned your cheek to Emmanuel so he could see the side of your face.

The boy nodded. “Now you really look like a princess—”

Your smile widened. ‘Everyone knows kids don’t lie when it comes to compliments. I must really look good!’

Emmanuel turned towards Michael. "Doesn't she?”

If you needed the confirmation, Michael was there to solidify it. “He’s right, you really do look gorgeous tonight, [Name]. I wanted to say it first, but he beat me to it.”

You weren’t sure if it was the way he said it, or the way his eyes never left yours. Either way you were a puddle after his compliment, and your face felt really hot.

“…Thank you.”

Michael then gasped. “Oh! Also, I want you to meet Brooke.” He motioned to Brooke Shields. “Brooke, this is my good friend [Name] [Surname].”

You locked eyes with the model, shaking her hand with an equally bright smile. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“No, it’s nice to meet you! Your dress is absolutely amazing, I heard you made it yourself?”

You nodded. “Yes, I did. I’m happy you like it. But look at you, you’re stunning as well! Such an elegant look.”

She touched a hand to her chest. “Aw, you flatter me!”

After throwing around pleasantries, it was safe to say that you felt bad. Brooke seemed like a really nice person. It didn’t make sense to be jealous of her. Besides, you knew nothing about her relationship to Michael. It wasn’t good to jump to conclusions.

By now, it seemed as if every camera in the vicinity seemed to locate the King Of Pop, and was particularly interested in who captured his attention for such a long time.

“Well, I have to go, but I hope we can talk again Michael.”

Michael nodded, his grin wider than ever. “Of course, hopefully sooner than later?”

You waved at him. “Bye Michael, have a goodnight, rest well.” Then you turned towards Brooke and Emmanuel. “The two of you as well.”

The group smiled at you, saying their own goodbyes.

Once you got into the car, you were getting suspicious looks from everyone.

“You know Michael Jackson?” Neveah asked.

“I’d like to consider us as good friends.”

Tommy bumped his knee against your own. “Looks like you’re feeling a lot better now huh?”

You pushed him back. “What are you talking about? I’m just the same as I was before.”

Lenny chuckled. “Uh-huh.”

“No, I’m serious!”

Well, it looked like your quiet car ride was no longer an option.

TABLOID ARTICLE — JACKSON’S WANDERING EYE

022884; With all the attention heading towards the eight Grammys won by pop-singer Michael Jackson, most forget that celebrity gatherings are the perfect place to gauge relationships. The singer was accompanied by actress Brooke Shields who is no stranger to bombshell accusations. Although it seems not even a beauty like her is enough for the singer. His eyes kept trailing back to a certain lady on the red carpet. I won’t say who.

more on name’s look:

an: uhhh sorry this took so long idk what happened lmaoo 😭😭 BUTT next episode a little crossover and filled with cute moments!

as an empathetic person it hurts my soul whenever i see someone claim mj was guilty especially every other scroll on tiktok, and i was tired arguing with comments so…

i made this mega document of compiled evidence (photographic / transcriptions / court documents) that goes in depth to all the allegations and PROVES HIS INNOCENCE!! and points out inconsistencies with the accusers + their backgrounds and histories.

all work (except from my added commentary) is credited to decked out magazine by jael rucker. this person has been working for years providing evidence, and i have links to his writings all throughout the doc.

this was made mostly because i wanted people who genuinely wanted to know more about the topic to be informed without spouting: “where are your sources!” and also because i know people won’t take the time to research like jael did, and regurgitate information they see off tiktok, so i complied everything together in a way that would be easy to sift through and find whatever you need. also, for myself or others who work tirelessly to defend him and want an easy way to link a point of reference.

GET ON THE FLOOR! — episode two ⋆.˚

summary: after successful filming, michael invites you to a lunch date.

warnings: i do not know the entire ins and outs of michael’s life, that being said… a lot of creative liberties have been taken. just a reminder, this is a work of fiction, all references to real life people are entirely coincidental.

series masterlist — previous episode — next episode

OCTOBER — 1983

October in Los Angeles brought browning leaves, windier afternoons, and colder nights. You loved this time of year; it gave you the perfect excuse to layer clothes and experiment with more creative outfits. Better yet, you didn’t have to worry nearly as much about sweating your makeup off.

But that was the least of your concerns today. Today was finally the day you were getting lunch with Michael. It took every ounce of self-control not to call it a date — you didn’t want to get ahead of yourself. Still, it wasn’t often that you went out to eat with a guy, let alone in a way that felt even remotely romantic.

As embarrassing as it was to admit, you’d never exactly been lucky when it came to relationships. Not in high school, and definitely not in college. Unfortunately.

Today you were trying a fun makeup look. Sprawling multi-colored flourishes along the sides of your face, stars, and gradient eyeshadow. It looked as if a rainbow had exploded onto your face. Part of you thought it looked childish, but… you just bought a new palette, and what better way to test all the colors?

Sitting in front of the vanity in your room, you styled your hair into the perfect afro. Once it was to your liking, you spritzed a bit of perfume along your wrists and hair.

Before you left, you looked in the mirror to adjust your outfit. It was pretty simple. A plain baby pink turtleneck with a plaid skirt, along with some kitten heels.

‘Okay, now I think I’m ready to go.’

°🥂⋆.ೃ🪩*

The drive to Encino took a little over 30 minutes. You were going to meet Michael at this hole-in-the-wall diner that he frequented. But as you arrived at the street, you found yourself walking back and forth more times than you would like to admit.

‘Stacy’s Diner. It should be here but…’ You looked up at the building in front of you. It had the same address as what you wrote down, but there was no signage that distinguished it.

‘Well, there’s no other restaurant here…’ Taking the benefit of the doubt, you followed the next instructions you wrote down. ‘On the left, there should be an alleyway that leads to a back entrance.’

You looked to your left. There was an alleyway, and there was a door. But still, it felt strange. What if the door didn’t open? That would be embarrassing.

“Excuse me, miss.”

A sudden voice caused you to flinch. There was a man standing just before the alleyway. He looked a bit old, with copper brown hair and a bucket hat.

‘Was I so distracted that I didn’t see this man?’ You quickly moved out of the way. “Oh sorry—”

He shook his head. “Don’t worry, you aren’t blocking the way. Are you [Name] [Surname], by any chance?”

Your eyes widened. ‘Who was this person? How does he know my name?’

Seeing your fright, the man smiled softly. “Michael sent me. My name’s Bill. We saw you walk past this place about three times, he thought you might’ve been lost.”

Now you were truly embarrassed. “Did he? God, I must’ve looked like an idiot.”

Bill shook his head, leading you through the alley towards the back door. “Don’t worry about all that. The fault doesn’t lie with you.”

Once you stepped inside the building, you were greeted by the warm, cozy aroma of herbs, spices, and fresh greens. Bill guided you past the kitchen and down a quiet hallway before leading you into a private booth tucked away from the main dining area. The space was intimate, filled with potted plants, soft leather seating, a large window that let the light pour in, and Michael Jackson.

Once he saw you, a smile instantly graced his face. “Sorry for all the weird directions. I hope you understand.”

You knew that for a star like Michael, he had to be careful about being in public places. A simple activity — like lunch — could easily blow out of proportion and turn into a fan meeting. Even if you didn’t face these issues, you weren’t oblivious to the struggles.

You returned the smile, sliding into the seat across from him. “Don’t worry, I’m sure it was just precautions right?”

Michael nodded, though he wasn’t really listening anymore. His attention had drifted entirely to your face. To him, it looked almost magical. The delicate swirls of color, the soft blend of your eyeshadow, your long, fluttering lashes, the gentle curve of your lips — Michael cleared his throat, his eyes briefly darting outside.

Bill took a seat next to Michael, but left some distance just enough for the two of you to have some semblance of privacy.

“Well? How have you been?” You asked, grabbing a hold of the menu laid on the table.

“I’ve been wonderful. Working, but I’ve been good. What about you?”

You shrugged. There wasn’t anything particularly interesting happening in your life. In fact, this was the most significant event of this week. “I’m fine. There isn’t much that I’m doing right now… well, besides work.”

Michael hummed thoughtfully. “What are you working on?”

You flipped through the menu absently. “Sewing. My brother got invited to the Grammy’s, so I’m making their outfits…” Your words trailed off. There was no way Michael would be interested in something as boring as this. But when you looked up, Michael was looking at you with a distinct glimmer in his eyes.

“I know it’s probably a lot of work making clothes, but that sounds like fun.”

You paused. “…Yeah, actually, I don’t mind it too much. I like the process of seeing my sketches turn into the real deal. Right now, I’m just getting the fabrics together, hopefully they arrive on time so I can start piecing everything together.”

Michael listened carefully as you spoke, his eyes never leaving yours. In a way, it made you nervous. His eyes were so soft and beautiful that it made you shy.

Then, a woman came around to the booth. She wore an apron and held a notepad. “Good afternoon Mr. Jackson, have you two decided on what to order yet?”

“Oh, I’ll have my usual.” Michael then looked towards you.

“I’ll have a club sandwich and… some lemonade.”

The woman nodded before turning towards Bill. He shook his head.

“Alright then, I’ll be out with your orders in a few.”

You turned your attention back to Michael. “What about you? Are you going to the Grammy’s?”

He smiled. “I am. I have high hopes for that day. I’m sure Axis has high hopes too. Their latest album did pretty good, no?”

“Yeah, it did.” But you knew it wasn’t enough. They were always in the studio despite the many accolades they’ve received. You haven’t heard much, but apparently their next album is expected to be a collaboration. “Hopefully it’s enough to bring home a win.”

Michael shrugged. “Winning an award isn’t everything. As long as you’re happy with your work, it doesn’t matter what the media thinks of it.”

‘Wow… that’s some good advice.’ In the studio, you were used to hearing awards as the symbol of greatness. If your song didn’t perform exceptionally, it wasn’t a good song. But maybe thinking about it like that wasn’t the best. Everyone has different tastes. Something that’s avant-garde today can become a cult-classic tomorrow.

“By the way,” Michael continued, “I love your makeup.”

You felt your face warm. “Really? You don’t think it’s too childish?”

Michael shook his head. “No, I think it’s magical. If you see me staring, that’s why. I just can’t help it, you look so pretty.”

There was no stopping the smile that emerged on your face. “Aw, thank you. I just got a new palette and needed to test out all the colors. So I thought, ‘why not do it in a fun way?’”

Michael chuckled. “I see, you’re creative and resourceful.”

You didn’t think your heart could handle getting all these compliments. Thankfully, the waitress came just in time.

“Here you two are!” She placed two platters on the table. In front of Michael was a bowl of mac-n-cheese, chicken salad and orange juice. For you, there was your loaded club sandwich along with lemonade.

“This looks really good!” You exclaimed, rubbing your hands. “It’s a regular sandwich, but somehow it looks gourmet.”

“I told you this place was good. I eat here all the time.” Michael added.

The two of you lingered over lunch until the afternoon sun began to fade into evening. You had always imagined him as a serious person due to his music, but he turned out to be surprisingly shy at times, growing animated whenever the conversation drifted toward something he truly loved.

After eating, Michael offered to drive you home. That was kind of him, you did decide to come by cab after all.

“Oh my gosh, look, it's a road side carnival!” You pointed out the side of the window at the shimmering lights along the highway.

Michael eagerly turned, a similar excitement in his eyes. “Do you wanna go?”

You turned to Micheal with a wide smile. “Do I? Of course!”

°🥂⋆.ೃ🪩*

Although it took a fair amount of convincing, Bill eventually turned the car around and drove toward the carnival. The sun was beginning to set, painting the sky in soft shades of orange and pink. The carnival itself was small, with only a handful of thrill rides, a carousel, and rows of brightly lit game booths.

Michael had wanted to go on the bigger rides, but you quickly pointed out that your outfit wasn’t exactly ideal for that, especially considering you were wearing a mini skirt. He understood immediately, offering a compromise and steering the two of you toward the carnival games instead.

Now, the two of you stood side by side at a basketball booth, completely locked into a competition over who could score the most points.

“This is so rigged!” You cried out, tossing the basketball towards the hoop. It bounced off the rim and rolled back towards your hands.

You briefly looked towards Michael. He was doing better than you — already ten points ahead.

Michael snickered. “Are you sure it’s rigged, or do you just suck?”

You paused, giving him the hardest side-eye. Bill, who was leaning against Michael’s booth, let out a soft chuckle.

‘Oh okay. I see how it is. He wants to be funny. Well, I’ll show him funny.’ You reached over to steal one of his balls, throwing it towards your hoop.

“Hey, you cheater!”

It promptly hit the backboard with a loud bang, causing you to double over in laughter.

“That’s what you get.” Michael teased, taking the chance to steal one of your balls. He aimed towards his own hoop… and missed.

That was the nail in the coffin. You fell to the floor, clutching the game booth. “That’s what you get!”

Soon, the competition was forgotten. The two of you were too preoccupied trying to sabotage each other. At one point you two were fighting over the same ball.

But of course, the timer ran out and the final points flashed on the screen.

“That’s twelve to seven. You know what that means?” Michael proudly looked towards you. “I win.”

“Bill, what do you think?”

The man in question shrugged. “I’m just an observer.”

Michael placed his hands on his hips, a teasing expression on his face. “You owe me a milkshake.”

You folded your arms. “Alright, I’ll give you that win. But we will have a rematch.”

Michael smiled. “Fine by me,” he nudged your shoulder, “as long as you don’t cheat.”

°🥂⋆.ೃ🪩*

The three of you stopped at a small milkshake stall. You ordered two cherry milkshakes topped with strawberry syrup and bright red cherries. Was it a little dramatic? Maybe. But they looked undeniably cute.

You handed Michael his drink, taking a seat at the picnic tables nearby.

“Here you go Michael.”

“Thank you.”

The drink was surprisingly sweet, and refreshing. You didn’t like milkshakes much, but for some reason, the taste was exceptionally good. Maybe it was because you were drinking it with a friend?

You turned to Michael. To your surprise he was almost halfway done with his.

‘Woah, it’s barely been a minute yet!’ You thought to yourself. ‘He must really like sweets.’

The two of you sat in comfortable silence, watching the carnival crowd pass by. There was no awkwardness in the air. Just being within each other’s presence was enough. But that calm was broken by the sound of a voice.

“A-Are you Michael Jackson?”

The two of you turned around to the sound of a soft voice. It was a girl along with her mother. They both looked at Michael with wide eyes.

Michael gave them a polite smile. “Yeah, I am.”

The two looked at each other with wild expressions. “Go on sweetie.”

“Could I get an autograph?” The little girl asked, holding her wristband out to him.

Michael nodded. “Sure, although, I don’t have a pen…”

Bill pulled a black marker out from his coat pocket. “I got you, Joker.”

‘Well, it was fun while it lasted.’ The darkness was able to hide your appearance, but of course, Michael’s presence was so magnetic he naturally drew attention. Plus, now that it was dark, more people were entering the carnival. You should have known. Still Michael happily signed the wristband.

“Alright, you two have fun. Make sure to go on all the crazy rides.” Michael told them.

The little girl nodded eagerly before following after her mother. It was a cute scene, seeing how soft Michael was with children.

For Michael, he loved interacting with his fans, but he wanted to be respectful to you and your time. He was sure you didn’t want to watch him signing autographs the whole night, so he took that as a sign.

“How about we start heading back?” Michael stood up, offering a hand to you. “My offer still stands. I’ll drop you off.”

You took his hand, smiling. “Thanks, I’d like that.”

more about name’s look:

an: whew this took longer than i expected! it’s pretty short but i hoped you all like it! i can’t wait for next episode, i’ll probably enjoy writing that one because we get to see michael yearn.

GET ON THE FLOOR! — episode one ⋆.˚

summary: impressed by your makeup skills, michael invites you to work as a makeup artist while he shoots his short film — thriller.

warnings: i do not know the entire ins and outs of michael’s life, that being said… a lot of creative liberties have been taken. just a reminder, this is a work of fiction, all references to real life people are entirely coincidental.

series masterlist — previous episode — next episode

MAY — 1983

“Can I move yet?” Tommy muttered, shifting slightly as he tried to peek at himself in the mirror.

“No.” You pressed a finger gently against his cheek, guiding his face back toward you.

The faint rustle of notebook paper, scattered sheet music, and low chatter drifted through the studio. Behind the glass, Julian tested out lyrics under his breath, humming different notes while Lenny layered soft backup harmonies beside him. Marvin sat at the audio console, adjusting dials and replaying the same cues over and over again. The recording session had been dragging on for hours now, and progress seemed to have completely stalled. With nothing better to do, you’d decided to borrow Tommy and use him as practice for your makeup skills.

Stepping back, you studied his face. One half was painted a ghostly white, contoured with soft blues and grays that sharpened his features. Then, with black face paint, you exaggerated the details, hollowing his eyes and sketching the illusion of teeth and bone. It was the perfect skeleton.

“Now you can look.” You handed a mirror towards Tommy with a proud smile.

He immediately began examining himself. A bright smile appeared on his face as he lifted up his shaggy hair. “No way…” He moved his face around, testing different expressions. “I’ve always wondered how I’d look dead.”

You giggled, sitting along the armrest of the couch. This is what you enjoyed the most about doing makeup. It was the reactions you would get afterwards. The surprise, the pure love people felt when they saw their new look. For you, makeup wasn’t something simple. It was art, a form of self expression — a way to change your identity.

Just then, the door to the recording room opened. It was Julian. “Hey Tommy, we need you to redo a section… what in the hell?” His eyes widened. “Am I missing something, or is it not the middle of May?”

Tommy raised both of his hands up. “Boo. Did I scare ya’?”

He didn’t sound the least bit convincing, or scary. Julian rolled his eyes. “Stop playing around, we gotta get at least one good recording today.”

Tommy sighed, getting up from the couch to get his drumsticks.

Then Julian turned towards you. “What’s the deal with all the scary stuff? Yesterday was a zombie, a few days ago you had vampire teeth…”

Two months ago Michael Jackson asked if you had experience doing scary makeup. Sure you dabbled in some looks for Halloween, but it wasn’t your area of expertise. It’s been weeks since then. He hasn’t called you yet, but you didn’t see it as him going back on his word. If anything, it gave you time to practice and perfect your craft. This was Michael Jackson after all, he had enough money to get the most talented makeup artists on his team. You didn’t want to drag them down.

You shrugged. “It’s just practice.” You still haven’t told your brother about the gig. It wasn’t like you were scared of anything, it was just… you knew how he was. You didn’t want to mention anything until everything was set in place, just in case it happened to fall through.

“Oh wait, before you go.” You grabbed your compact camera, quickly jogging over to Tommy. “Let me take a picture for my album.”

You quickly snap a photo of his face, the front profile and the side angle. Later you could print the pictures out and file them away for safe keeping. You liked to document each look you did, along with the palette and colors used — just in case you wanted to recreate it.

Just then, a knock sounded outside the studio door. It was Kenny. He opened the door slightly, peeking in. “Oh, [Name], just the person I was looking for.”

‘Huh?’ You raised an eyebrow. “You’re looking for me and not,” your eyes trailed towards the boys singing behind the glass, “them?”

Kenny nodded. “Yeah. Your agent called.”

“Morgan did? What did she say?” Morgan Garett was your agent, and manager of sorts. If you wanted to be a serious makeup artist, you needed someone to take your calls when you weren’t around.

Kenny smiled. “Oh not much, just that you got a call from Michael Jackson.”

You dropped your camera.

“What?!” You jumped up, holding your face in shock. “Did he leave a message?”

“Yes he did.” Kenny chuckled, “It was quite long so Morgan wrote it down. But she wanted me to relay the message to you. It was something about a filming date.”

Oh Lord. It was finally happening. Michael didn’t forget about you. Not that you believed that for a second — no. But still, it felt surreal. You picked up your camera, tucking it into your purse along with your makeup palette, face paint, album, and brushes. You wanted nothing more than to go home and call Morgan to hear what Michael told her.

You threw open the door to the recording room, popping your head inside with the biggest smile on your face. Marvin flinched, a slightly annoyed look on his face. Julian looked back disturbed, removing his headphones. Both Lenny and Tommy raised an eyebrow, somehow it seemed as though they could tell why you interrupted them.

Then you spoke.

“I got a gig with Michael Jackson!”

JUNE — 1983

Filming for Thriller began in early June. Over the next few days, you spoke with Michael as he bounced around a couple of ideas, outlined the general premise of the film, and faxed over the shooting schedule. Before long, you found yourself in Angelino Heights, a part of the highly extensive filming crew.

On your first day on set, you were introduced to Rick Baker. He was in charge of the special effects team, one of the largest you’ve ever seen. He was an incredible man, talented with professional techniques and equipment. You got introduced to him and your co-workers, instantly getting briefed on the various looks you would have to do throughout the film. There was the werecat, the zombie sequence, Michael’s stage makeup, as well as Ola Ray’s. It sounded simple on paper, but if you multiplied this by the number of dancers, extras, and intricacies that went into each look — it was a daunting task.

You’d been put in charge of the background dancers and the makeup retouches. Under Rick’s guidance, you learned how to craft gruesome horror flesh effects using liquid rubber and grease paint. Before applying anything to the dancers, you practiced each design on mannequins, making the process quicker once filming began. It also gave Rick the opportunity to inspect every look beforehand and decide whether it matched the vision he had in mind.

Just as you added the last drop of blood from the split wound, you saw Rick approach you from the corner of your eye.

“How fun, it really looks like something from a horror film doesn’t it?” Rick quipped, looking thoughtfully at your work.

You laughed softly. “It does, I still can’t believe I made this. This is my second time using this technique, actually.”

Rick's eyes widened. “Really?” He walked around the mannequin. “[Name] [Surname] right? Michael mentioned your name to me. He said you had potential and asked if you could join the team.”

Now it was your turn to be surprised. Michael really said that about you? He hasn’t even gotten the chance to clearly see your work yet, but he spoke so highly of you. Well, you weren’t going to let his good word go to waste.

“I’m very grateful for this opportunity. I’ve always liked doing crazy makeup looks on myself, face painting, or making fun designs on others. But you probably can’t tell right now—” You laughed. “—Usually I’d have a full face on.”

Rick smiled. “No, I believe you. You have the perfect facial structure for it.”

Well that was certainly a compliment if you’ve ever heard one.

“You know, we drafted up a potential look for the metamorphosis. Would you like to look at it? Having some fresh eyes on it could help us.”

You placed your brush down, a slight twinkle in your eye. “Sure!”

Although, you didn’t know whether you could provide much feedback or if they would even take it.

You followed Rick as he led you to a separate area of the trailer, where an aisle stood with a picture of Michael’s face pinned to it.

“This is the base stage, but after a couple levels,” he flipped through the plastic with designs painted on top of them, overlaying them on Michael’s face, “we get the were-cat.”

You gasped. “Woah… that looks good. But how are you going to show the change? Building up the makeup?”

“At the start, yes. But the final transformation will be made from a face mold.” He then turned back towards you. “Have you ever done a mold on someone?”

You shook your head.

“Do you want to try it out?”

You smiled, like it was a no-brainer. “Of course I want to try it.”

“Well, welcome to the team!”

He then handed you a towel. “Also, you got a bit of paint on your cheek.”

You timidly grabbed the towel, a slightly embarrassed look on your face. “... Thank you.”

°🥂⋆.ೃ🪩*

By the end of June, you had perfected the zombie looks for the two dancers assigned to you. You also kept yourself busy learning how to create the silicone alginate mixture for the face molds, carefully studying every step that went into applying and removing it safely.

During that time, you hardly saw Michael. It made sense, he was probably buried in choreography rehearsals. Still, his absence didn’t slow the filming team down in the slightest. The entire production was in constant motion.

You often spent your breaks wandering around the set, watching everything come together piece by piece. One day, you’d find the crew constructing a replica of an old house; the next, they were crafting weathered graveyard props from scratch. As for today, you saw… Michael?

He was sitting on a table outside of the trailer, reading over something. You took the chance to approach him.

“Hi Michael.”

He looked up, his large brown eyes landing on you. A soft smile crossed his face. “Ah, [Name]. It’s nice to see you.”

“It is. This has to be the first time we’ve seen each other in person since our first meeting.”

Michael gasped. “You’re right! I’m sorry, it’s really busy on set.”

You shook your head. “No need to apologize, I’m settling in fine.”

Michael’s eyes trailed to the large album in your hand. “What’s that?”

You held it up. “This? It’s that album I mentioned to you before. It’s sort of a working portfolio. I wanted to take some pictures of the work I did and file them away.”

“Do you mind if I look through them?”

“Oh, of course not.” You placed the album on the table, nervously hovering beside it.

Michael immediately noticed, laughing as he patted the chair next to him. “You can sit down, you know. I’m not gonna bite. I promise.”

You took the seat next to him hesitantly. You didn’t know why it felt so strange. You weren’t usually nervous showing someone your work. But for some reason, you wanted to impress Michael.

You took a deep breath, opening the album. Immediately you were met with pictures of your own face. “It might seem a bit vain to have a bunch of pictures of my face, but I promise it’s not just photos of me.”

“That’s okay, I don’t mind looking at you.”

Oh?

Did he mean to say that… or were you just reading too deeply into things?

It was probably the latter.

“I really like this one right here. I mean, it’s incredible.” He flipped through the glossy pages, pointing at the ones that stood out to him, as well as random fun designs.

But there was one that caught his eye. It was the skeleton look you did on Tommy a few weeks ago.

“This was exactly what I was imagining. Something like this, but like a zombie… like I’m between life and death. Can you do that?”

“Sure I can!” There was probably the brightest smile on your face. If Thriller was a success, this could be huge for you.

Michael smiled. “Could I borrow that photo? I want to show it to Rick and John.”

“Of course.” You pulled the picture out from the glossy sleeve, handing it to Michael.

“I have a question, if you don’t mind me asking.” His eyes bore into your own. “How come you're not wearing any fun makeup?”

The question caught you off guard. Noticing that, Michael quickly backtracked. “Not that there’s anything wrong with how you look now! I just thought you were the type of person to come in with crazy looks everyday. The good kind of crazy.”

He didn’t need to explain himself. You could tell he didn’t have any malice behind asking. “That’s okay! I just didn’t want to seem like a big shot, you know? Besides, we're here for about twelve hours each day, working in the California heat. It just wouldn’t be practical.”

Michael nodded in understanding, but you swore you could see the tiniest hint of a pout. “Oh… I wish I could have seen some of your work in person.”

It felt as if you were committing a betrayal — even though you never promised him anything. Maybe when things got less hectic, you would do a fun look. Just for him. “Oh, that’s right! I haven’t seen you out here before, are you waiting for somebody?”

“Yeah, I’m getting my face molded today. Actually, I was supposed to be there five minutes ago.”

‘Shoot.’ You were so caught up in his pace, you forgot that you also had work to do. ‘Rick did say something about that yesterday, didn’t he?’

You quickly closed your album, and shot out of your seat. “Michael! We’re both late!”

°🥂⋆.ೃ🪩*

That was how the two of you ended up sprinting across the set, not stopping until you finally reached the makeup trailer. By the time you arrived, both of you were breathless — though Michael was handling it far better than you were.

“There you are!” John Landis, the director for the short film, opened the door with a relieved look on his face. “I was one second from calling Bill to ask about you.”

Rick peeked a head out. “Just in time Michael, and [Name] too.”

You looked at him apologetically, entering the trailer after them. “Sorry, for the delay.”

“It’s not her fault, I held her up.” Michael defended. “I finally settled on a look for the dance break.”

John clapped his hands. “Perfect.”

You placed your bags and album down at your station, putting on gloves before heading towards Rick. Michael was already seated in the chair, chatting to John. Rick handed you a container of the face mold, giving the other assistant a timer. The material could only stay on Michael’s face for so long, so it was important to work fast. Soon, the process began, and Rick worked methodically to cover Michael’s face. You observed the process, taking in every last detail.

You still weren’t sure why John was present, probably as emotional support, but he observed the process too.

After five minutes, the mold had set. Rick carefully removed it from Michael’s face while John handed him a towel.

“Here it is…” Rick held up the mold side-by-side to Michael's face, allowing him to look at it from the mirror.

‘Woah…’

“You alright there?" John asked, to which Michael responded with a soft laugh.

It was understandable. You wouldn’t be up for talking much if you just had silicone doused all over your face either.

°🥂⋆.ೃ🪩*

While you cleaned up the station, Michael took the chance to pull out your photograph, showing it to John and Rick.

“I want to do a look like this.”

John examined the photo, pushing his glasses up with a chuckle. “Now wait a second, isn’t that the drummer for Axis 79? How’d you convince him to do this?”

Michael shook his head, laughing. “No, I didn’t do anything. This is a picture I got from [Name]. She did it, and I want her to do something similar for me.”

Rick took a look at the picture. “Oh yeah, she can definitely handle it. I can help her out with the setup too.”

And so it happened. You were now in charge of two dancers, retouching, and Michael’s zombie makeup.

JULY — 1983

After a month on set, all the tension seemed to melt away. Your SFX coworkers had started to feel like a second family, with casual conversations, morning coffee runs, and late-night film sessions becoming part of your everyday routine. You grew especially close with the makeup artists stationed beside you, Billy and Addison. They were older and far more experienced, but they never hesitated to offer advice or pass along helpful tips.

Today was the first day of filming the zombie sequence. That meant you were responsible for making sure Michael’s makeup was on point. Nervous didn’t even begin to describe how you felt. Your palms warmed, almost as if all the makeup skills you’ve learned during the past month just flew out the window.

It was your third time pacing around the trailer, getting all the material you needed, brushes, and palettes set up.

“Are you looking for something?” Billy asked.

“Um… I think I misplaced the rubber cheekbone.”

Billy tilted his head towards the vanity in front of your chair. “You already set that up. It’s on the table right there.”

Indeed it was. You covered your face in embarrassment, laughing to yourself. “God, I must be losing my mind.”

Billy patted your shoulder. “After Michael, you should take a break. I’ve seen you run to and fro this whole day like a little mouse.”

It was a tempting offer, but you couldn’t. “I wish. I have to stick around for retouching during filming.”

You glanced down at your watch. It was already 4 p.m., with just enough daylight left to pour natural light through the trailer windows. If everything stayed on schedule, you could finish before sunset, just in time for Michael to be ready to film under the cover of night.

‘He should be coming any minute now—’

“Hey Mike!” Rick’s greeting immediately caused your head to shoot up.

Michael entered the SFX trailer, dressed in a simple white tee-shirt, with a bottle of orange juice in his hand. His hair had already been freshly styled, though it had been pushed back with a headband.

You silently thanked the previous hairdresser for the consideration; otherwise, his curls would’ve fallen directly into the way while you worked on his makeup. Michael greeted everyone as he made his way toward the back, towards you, a light smile resting on his face.

“Hi Michael, you can take a seat right here,” you patted the mesh backing of the chair.

“Okay,” he replied, settling in. “I’m excited for you to work your magic.”

He sat eagerly, glancing around the room. No matter how many times he stepped inside, he always seemed captivated by the array of gore masks hanging on display.

“Alright. I’m going to apply the prosthetic cheekbone to your face, then once I build it up, I’ll start the zombie makeup.”

Michael nodded. “Okay.”

You reached for the rubber cheekbone, smoothing the soft material onto Michael’s skin.

‘I cannot mess this up. If he doesn’t like it… I don’t know what I’ll do with my life.’ It was already a ton of pressure being one of the youngest here. But also because this was such a great opportunity to prove yourself. And you wanted to. So bad.

As you worked, your fingers began to twitch. Uh oh. The nervous jitters were coming back.

“So, how was filming so far?” You asked. Talking worked perfectly as a distraction. If your mind is focused on something else, it won’t have time to spare on the little things.

Michael was surprised. Of course he expected the usual greetings when he sat for makeup. But once the makeup artist started to work, the conversation usually died down.

Besides, John was usually the one who asked about how filming went, so imagine his surprise hearing it from you.

He shifted in his chair slightly. “Well, we did a dress rehearsal for the sequence and it looked great on camera. We haven’t shot anything new today, you know we can’t do much unless it’s dark, so I spent the day rehearsing with Ola. Um… sorry, you probably expected something more but it was pretty mundane so far.”

“Mundane?” You laughed. “At least you were moving. I’ve been standing all day, bending down just like this.”

Michael tilted his head. “I wouldn’t mind it. I mean, it seems very fun making brains and painting rotting flesh.”

“It’s fun at first, but then you realize how tedious it is.” You dropped your voice to a whisper. “But between you and me, we get a bit more leeway during reapplication since the zombies don’t have to look perfect.”

A grin spread throughout Michael’s face. “Ooo, I’m telling Rick.”

You gasped. “You wouldn’t!”

“Nah, I’m just messing with you.”

You lightly push his shoulder. Even though he was older than you by two years, he seemed almost like an annoying little brother.

Michael allowed you to work your magic on his face. He would close his eyes when requested, open them when asked, or let them wander — anything to avoid the vanity mirror in front of him. There were times when he struggled looking in the mirror, afraid to see a new pimple or a scar marring his skin. For a perfectionist like him, every imperfection was a huge blow to his self-esteem.

But that was another reason he enjoyed makeup. Besides the ability to change how you look and turn into a character, it could hide certain things. Michael took note of how carefully you applied the cosmetics to his face. Every request was gentle, every touch careful and respectful, as though he were a carved statue and you were Michelangelo himself. You’d grown so focused that you stopped talking altogether, as if even the slightest breath might throw off your precision. At one point, you absentmindedly handed him the eyeshadow palette to hold. He didn’t mind it at all. In fact, he found it quite funny.

‘Hm? What’s this?’ As you were applying face paint, you noticed a tan spot just along the side of his nose. “Oops, I think I might’ve used the wrong shade of concealer.”

You reached for a wet wipe to remove it, but Michael stopped you. “Oh… that’s my skin. I have a condition. My… vitiligo.”

You paused. “Oh. Do you want me to leave it be?”

He shook his head. “No, just cover it up.”

‘If you say so.’ Picking up your brush once again, you painted over the area. “Boop.”

“Boop?” Michael questioned, slightly amused.

“Sorry,” you chuckled, “That’s a little quirk I have. Ignore that.”

Michael didn’t want to ignore it. He found it a bit cute. As you returned back into your focused state, he decided to play a small prank on you. He used the edge of his finger to get just a bit of white faint paint. Then, when you weren’t looking, he poked your cheek.

“What was that?” You asked, your attention not breaking.

It took all of Michael’s strength to not break into laughter. “What was what?”

Your eyes flickered towards him. “I felt something.”

He shrugged. “I didn’t see anything.”

“Okay…”

After two hours, you finally finished the look. Addison, who was hanging around nearby, approached your chair. “Woah, that looks amazing. It’ll look great with the zombies.”

Michael examined himself in the mirror, testing out different expressions. Then he smiled. “It’s incredible. Thank you, [Name].”

“Of course.”

Then you heard Addison chuckle beside you. She folded her arms. “And here I thought that you would get through a session without getting any paint on you.”

“What? I seriously didn’t touch anything besides the palette and Michael’s face.”

“Oh yeah? Then what’s that?” She pointed at the side of your cheek.

Looking in the mirror, you saw it, a bright white spot of paint. That’s when uncontrollable laughter came from the seat.

“Michael!”

°🥂⋆.ೃ🪩*

Your favorite part of the day (or should you say night) had to be the filming. During the daytime it was sweltering hot, but at night your usual uniform consisted of capris and an oversized sweater. More often than not your hair was held in a high ponytail, your curls undefined, and your flyaways — well, flying away. Despite all of that, you found it fun. This was your first time being a part of a film crew. Despite the repetition, it never got tiring to you.

“Cut!” John’s voice rang out for the 4th time during the shooting of the interior of 1345 Carroll Avenue. He had mixed thoughts about how the zombies break-in was showing up on camera. He rubbed his chin, shifting his glasses slightly. “I want everyone to remember their order through the door. For the zombie under the floor, I need it to be a bit more powerful… like this—”

You shifted towards Ola, taking out a powder puff to dab away the sheen that accumulated around her T-zone.

“Has it really been that long?” She asked, taking on a more relaxed expression.

“It’s been our fourth reshooting of this scene.” You told her, sighing softly. “I think it might be the fog machine, it’s adding a lot of moisture into the set.”

Then you reached for a swatch of her scarlet lipstick, reapplying it on sides that faded.

“—You know what, I don’t think we’ll get a shot as good as the door entrance again. We can split it up. Cut to Michael, the windows, the zombies, then Ola.” John finished, heading back to his place behind the cameraman.

Everyone got up, returning back to their original positions. And you went back to your spot off-screen. It took about two more takes before John got the footage that he wanted. After that, everyone took a short break.

You immediately slumped onto a chair. ‘Finally, I’m off my legs…’ You closed your eyes for a bit, taking the time to rest. This entire filming process was slowly turning you nocturnal. Because of that, you took as many chances to get shut-eye as you could. Then you felt a cold droplet of water against your skin.

“Water?”

You cracked an eye open. Michael held a water bottle towards you, with Ola right behind him.

It took a lot to give him a smile. “Sure, thanks.”

Michael slumped on your right, while Ola took your left side. Out of all the people working on this short film, the three of you were around the same age. That made it easy for the three of you to form a little group once filming began.

“How have you two been holding up?” You asked.

Ola shrugged. “I’ve been screaming for like… thirty minutes straight. I hope it’s good enough. I don’t think I have the energy to redo any of that again.”

“John’s being a perfectionist,” Michael muttered, fiddling with the zipper of his bright red jacket, “like always.”

“Well you’re a perfectionist too Michael.” Ola laughed.

“Yeah, but John’s just being mean now.”

As if on cue, John soon appeared in front of you three, his hands on his hips. “Now what are you three whispering about?”

The three of you looked at each other, instantly going silent. But it wasn’t enough to deter him from the mischievous air.

“We said–”

You interrupted Michael. “We?”

“I said,” he adjusted, “that you were being mean.”

John cupped his ear, leaning closer. “I was being what?”

It was an obvious set up, but Michael fell for it. “You were being—”

Before he could finish his sentence, John picked him up, flipping him upside down.

“Pfft—” You broke into laughter, watching the scene unfold. You couldn’t believe it. For such a professional guy, John Landis was surprisingly childish.

°🥂⋆.ೃ🪩*

Someone had leaked the filming location for the dance break. Now, filming consisted of actual work and the occasional screaming from fans behind the ‘restricted-entry’ line. There was also the addition of another production team filming the behind the scenes. One night, during shooting, they stumbled on a particularly interesting interaction.

You were in the middle of retouching Michael’s makeup while the crew set up the fog machine. You never considered yourself short, but there were some times where you felt it a bit awkward looking up at him, since he was a few inches taller than you. But Michael was observant. So, he made sure to bend slightly.

“You have really long eyelashes.” Michael mentioned off-handedly.

You froze.

Ola burst out into laughter. “Don’t mind him, he always says random stuff like that.”

Michael looked off to the side. “No, don’t mind her. I really mean it, [Name]. They’re really pretty.”

You chuckled bashfully. There it was again. Another compliment that knew exactly how to make you blush like a little school girl. It was hardly professional. But to think Michael saw that as something beautiful when you looked like road-kill more days than not… it meant something to you.

Then, John appeared beside the three of you. “You see, I was under the impression that you were just a friend of Michael’s. But then I heard your full name from Rick, [Name] [Surname]. I put two and two together, and only now realized that you’re Julian [Surname]’s sister.”

John looked utterly stunned. His hands rested on his hips, his suit jacket flaring slightly as he stared at you like he’d just realized he was the last person let in on some massive secret.

Ola gasped. “Really? From Axis 79?”

You threw your head back. “Yes, but I never mentioned it to anyone because I didn’t think it mattered. I don’t sing or dance like them. I’m a nobody.”

“A nobody?” John laughed, patting Michael’s chest. “I better ask for an autograph now. Otherwise, she’ll see me in the airport and treat me like some regular shmuck.”

You laughed. John was doing a very good job distracting you. “John, I’d never do that to you!”

Michael smiled. “Don’t tease her too much.” He lightly pushed John’s shoulder. “She’s not that type of girl.”

While those two were conversing, you used a spare brush to dab blue eyeshadow onto John’s cheek. Ola giggled, as she watched it occur.

“There’s your autograph.” You teasingly said.

“Where?”

You pointed towards his cheek. He lifted a finger up, rubbing the powder off his face. “Ah, now I look like you on any given day. Covered head to toe in face paint.”

Your mouth dropped open. Meanwhile, the rest of them burst into laughter.

“I do not!” You turned to Ola. “Do I have anything on my face?”

She grinned, lightly tapping the side of your face. “Well you have a little something right there.”

‘No way. I can’t believe it.’

John wrapped an arm around your shoulder, pointing towards the camera nearby. “Would you zoom in on this? We look like twins don’t we?”

The camera zoomed into both of your faces, John with his simple mark, and you who, of course, had an array of different swatches on your face.

AUGUST — 1983

The filming had finally wrapped up mid-August. After months of work, the Thriller short-film was complete and up to the standard Michael imagined. As always, the final footage was shown to the entire crew, who watched in amazement as their hard work came to life. After the video finished playing on the projector, claps and cheers erupted all throughout the room.

Amid the congratulations, Michael walked to the front. “Again, I just wanted to thank everyone again for the amazing work and commitment put into this project. I couldn’t have done it without you all, and I hope you all loved it.”

“Of course we did!”

“Whoo!”

‘It’s incredible how much time we put into this just to get thirteen minutes of film. For movies, it must be on a whole different level than this.’ You looked around the room. Every single person in this room was responsible for this magic. And they all had the proudest looks on their faces, as if they knew they were about to be a part of history. Rick Baker, John Landis, Michael Jackson… all you could think about was updating your resume. But you were also somber. This marked the end of this collaboration. Although it was fun, if you didn’t get a new gig soon you would go back to being in the shadow of Axis 79. Probably designing their outfits for the next event or practicing makeup on unwilling participants.

You sighed, standing up. ‘I shouldn't think like that. This was a great experience for me. If I did as well as I thought, I’d have no problem getting myself out there.’

You grabbed your bags, and your keys. It was back to your hotel now. You had a flight to book and sleep to catch. Oh how you missed ten hours of sleep.

°🥂⋆.ೃ🪩*

Michael found himself held up with the footage team, going over the logistics. The plan was to officially release the film during December. But as this discussion was occurring, his attention kept flickering over to you. He wanted to speak to you before you left. About what? He wasn’t sure himself. What he did know was that he didn’t want you to leave without at least saying goodbye. Was it manners? No. He didn’t feel this need with anyone else. Maybe it was because you were so easy to talk to. Everyone around him was so serious. With you, Michael felt as if he could joke around and truly be himself. He didn’t get moments like that often. Maybe that was it.

With that newfound thought, Michael gained the courage. He didn’t just want to say goodbye. He wanted to see you later.

But first, he had to get out of this conversation.

°🥂⋆.ೃ🪩*

“[Name]!”

You turned around at the call of your name. It was Michael. He was jogging towards you.

“Michael? What is it?”

“Ah, it’s nothing much… it’s just that… I wanted to ask if you would be up for lunch sometime?”

You almost dropped your bag. You? Having lunch with Michael? ‘I didn’t think that he saw me in such a close light.’

“I did ask Ola, but she said she had a busy schedule coming up so…” Michael rambled on, taking your silence as hesitation.

“I’d love to. I don’t think I’ve had a good meal in months.” You giggled.

Michael smiled, he didn’t expect you to agree.

“But first, I miss my bed. So how about a week from now? Just call me, and this time I promise I’ll answer.”

“I’ll be holding you to that promise!”

an: this is so ridonkulousy long that i couldn’t even include the date scene in this chapter omg, butt i hope you all enjoy this chapter!

GET ON THE FLOOR! — episode zero ⋆.˚

summary: the first time michael met you was when he was invited to an exclusive celebrity afterparty, where the best singers of the time gathered. while he was honored to get an invite, he found himself more enthralled with the little sister of one of his favorite bands – axis 79.

warnings: i do not know the entire ins and outs of michael’s life, that being said… a lot of creative liberties have been taken. just a reminder, this is a work of fiction, all references to real life people are entirely coincidental.

series masterlist — next episode

MARCH — 1983

Tucked away on a gilded street somewhere in Los Angeles sat a small juke club, a hidden haven frequented by disco icons both young and old. Tonight, the place was alive with heat. It was the night after a small award show, and as always, those in the know slipped away from the flashing cameras and crowded venues to somewhere they could finally be free.

You slipped through a beaded curtain, fanning yourself lightly as you slumped onto a maroon beanbag. The heat was no joke. And the stale smoke drifting throughout the parlor made it even worse. Thankfully, the fabric of your paisley dress was thin and short — just how you liked it. But… you had already sweated out your blowout. That meant you had to keep your brown newsboy hat on, no matter if it trapped heat. You would rather look cute than stupid. That was just your stubborn nature.

You wanted to leave some time ago, but you couldn’t leave until your older brother Julian was ready. It was frustrating but you understood. Today was his day. His band — Axis 79 — had just won an award for best newcomer album. In a way, this was an after party, a way for him to connect with some of the big names in the industry.

You turned your head towards the main room. Sitting on bar stools were The Bee Gees. Donna Summer walked by, chatting with a group of friends. Producers mingled, singers exchanged compliments, and in the center of it all you saw your brother. He had the brightest smile on his face, framed with his high cheekbones and clean low cut. Next to him was Lenny Brooks, the twenty-six y.o bassist and funniest member of the band. You could spot him instantly due to his perfectly rounded afro and the expensive rings on his fingers. To Julian’s left was Marvin Vale, twenty-seven and known as the man behind the keyboard. And the one behind the group making a total fool of himself was Tommy Ray Knight, the twenty-two y.o drummer and your age mate.

You tilted your head back. Maybe getting a drink would clear your head… and cool you down.

°🥂⋆.ೃ🪩*

Michael didn’t often go to after parties. Sometimes, after a busy day, he liked to go somewhere quiet to clear his head. But, Quincy told him that it was important for him to attend this one. He said that it was a good networking opportunity, and so here he was.

Entering the venue alongside Quincy, Michael’s eyes widened. This place wasn’t what he expected. The low orange lights created a homey ambiance, along with the occasional chatter and laughter peppered throughout. It felt welcoming, and it shocked him how instantly he felt relaxed. Of course, Quincy wasn’t lying. Immediately Michael recognized some big names, and even bigger bands such as Kool & The Gang.

Quincy leaned down to Michael’s ear. “I know you mentioned being a fan of Axis 79, so I wanted to introduce you to them.”

Michael’s eyes immediately locked onto the four member group. It was true. Michael had so much admiration for the band, being able to break through at such a young age. He was the same age as their lead singer Julian [Surname], at just twenty four. Sure he had a successful career with the Jackson 5, but it’s only been a couple years since he released a solo-album, let alone been a solo artist.

“Yeah, let’s do that.” Michael stated, with a sudden determination (and twinkle) in his eye.

Although, Michael may have underestimated how much presence he has. As soon as he entered, the music got a little quieter, the conversations stalled, and everyone’s attention soon turned towards him. The man making a quiet ripple in the music industry.

As soon as he took a step forward, he was bombarded by people, excited to greet him and introduce themselves. Quincy could only chuckle silently to himself as watched their objective get farther and farther away. This would certainly be a long night.

°🥂⋆.ೃ🪩*

You got yourself a light drink and instantly felt better. You were the type of person who loved those childish sugary drinks. The ones so glittery and colorful that no “true adult” should drink it. But you loved them. And you were certain that you were the one keeping these drinks in business. As you turned away from the bar, you saw a crowd in front of you that was not there before. There were a bunch of people surrounding two guys, and as you got a closer look you almost dropped your drink.

‘No way. Is that Michael Jackson?’ You couldn’t believe it. This was the man you grew up watching sing and dance on TV. The greatest upcoming talent that’s been the talk of the town. You were in a room of celebrities, but they were lining up like fans just to speak with him. Even if many of them were his seniors.

You couldn’t see him well, but he wore a simple clean cut tuxedo, with dark shades on. Next to him was a man you could only assume to be Quincy Jones. You never met him yourself, but there were times when you sat in recording sessions and heard Marvin speak about the man — as a fellow producer himself.

You had half a mind to go introduce yourself to him, but then you paused. You weren’t anybody important. Just the kid sister of a band. What use would it be introducing yourself to him, besides being the same as a fan? Despite being in the same room, less than ten feet apart, he probably didn’t know you existed.

‘Well, that was depressing.’ You let out a sigh. ‘Besides, it’s probably best for me not to get tangled up with musicians.’

Just as you had that thought, the lights suddenly dimmed, and you heard a clank of a glass up from the stage. It was your brother, followed by Marvin, Lenny, and Tommy.

“Oh God,” you mumbled, raising a hand to your face. Those four idiots, alcohol, and a stage could only mean one thing… chaos.

You instantly make a beeline to their manager — Kenny Cole. He was seated on a couch nearby, watching the four men with baited breath.

“Hey Ken, did you know about this?” You asked, bending down slightly.

He shook his head. “No, but Marvin promised me that he’d keep the boys in check. It shouldn’t be too bad.”

You looked back towards the stage. You surely hoped so.

Julian cleared his throat, holding the microphone close. “First off, I want to thank everyone for coming out here today. Yes, I know you all didn’t come out here to celebrate our win, but it makes me feel better thinking y’all did.”

A few scattered laughs ring out throughout the crowd.

“But I know we have a few producers in the crowd, so I just wanted to thank everyone who worked to make our album possible. Those who worked with us in the studio tirelessly to ensure we put out…”

Your brother’s speech faded in your ear as you looked around. You always liked people watching. Just to see their expressions, their faces, their gait. You liked to wonder what kind of lives they lived, what they were thinking in the moment. Out of everyone in this room, no one knew who would be the next superstar, who would be a friend or foe, who would be out of your life just as quickly as they came in. Your attention then found itself on Michael Jackson, he watched the stage attentively — which was surprising. You never could build a perception of him. You knew he was a talented singer, a great dancer, and a soft spoken person who could be a bit shy. But that was about it. You didn’t read sensational articles about people. Especially since you knew that people had lives that media outlets couldn’t even begin to know about.

“That being said, a lot of people have been asking about our outfits.”

Your ears perked up. Turning back to the stage, it was Lenny who now took the mic. “We’ve been shining and dropping glitter all over this place. But no, it wasn’t a stylist who did it. Our thanks can only go out to the women behind our looks, Jules' little sister — [Name]!”

Cheers erupted throughout as the group showed off their dazzling outfits. They were all wearing classic disco attire, but each had their specific flair. Gold accents, glitter, rhinestones, flared denim, and patterned scarfs. This was not the work of a stylist, but of you.

“Yes, she didn’t just put these clothes together, every piece was hand sewn and designed by her.” Julian remarked, a proud look on his face as he scanned the crowd. Once he found you, he motioned for you to get on stage. “There she is, come on up here!”

You shook your head. You didn’t know how stars did it, but for you, someone who was used to being behind the scenes, this was a huge leap forward. You tried to hide behind Kenny, but he was useless, pushing you forward towards the stair. Tommy came down, taking your hand before leading you up.

Julian wrapped an arm around you, before pulling you to center stage. “As you can see, she is quite the fashionista herself.”

You did a small courtesy, twirling around to show off your outfit. Along with your orange paisley mini-dress (with a classic 70s cut), you wore knee high leather boots, a leather belt, and a beaded necklace.

You thought that would be enough, but of course, every older sibling's mission is to embarrass their younger sibling. And that was exactly what he did.

“You know, ever since we were younger, I thought she was a bit eccentric. She would always doodle on her face, and wear the funkiest things. But now I realize that it was all practice, so she could look like this…” He motioned up and down, before pointing to himself and the group. “... and we could look like this!”

More cheers and whoops erupted. It was all getting to you. With nothing better to do, you smiled nervously, attempting to hide your face in your brother's arms.

°🥂⋆.ೃ🪩*

Michael had never seen anyone as beautiful as you in his entire life. Maybe Diana Ross, but there was a certain uniqueness to you that was unlike anything he’s ever experienced before. Unlike anyone he’s ever seen before. And there was something about your mannerisms that made you endearing.

“My brother loves to talk, but I’ll keep my introduction short and sweet. Hi, my name is [Name] [Surname], I’m twenty two and I am a prospective stylist and makeup artist.”

Your voice was soft and even, like music to Michael's ears. And not screeching or annoying like Carol Burnett.

“This is one of my more simpler days, but I promise I can pull off more detailed looks than this.” The makeup you wore today was dated, pulling from popular 60s styles, but it only enhanced your features. Michael could tell that you were talented in your craft. If this was a simple day, he wondered what your more detailed days looked like.

“And… yeah, if anyone is interested in doing business I have some contact cards in my purse.”

Ending off your words with a bright smile, Michael was the first to clap. Not only did he think highly of Axis 79, he knew that there were a ton of people behind-the-scenes responsible for the success of many. You were one of those people.

“Since I’m a star, it’s my duty to use my nepotism to shout out my sister.” Julian joked, pointing over your head. “So make sure to give her a holler!”

The lights soon came back on, and many people clapped as the five left the stage. Before Michael knew it, he was already heading in your direction. Quincy followed, close behind. It was only when he saw Julian and the others did Michael remember to greet them before he got to you.

°🥂⋆.ೃ🪩*

“I still can’t believe you made me do that!” You huffed, lightly pushing your brother.

“Hey, if you’re gonna be a big name, you might as well get used to it now.” Julian shrugged.

“For once I agree with Jules.” Marvin added.

You sighed. It was truly four against one. There was no way you were winning this debate.

“Excuse me…”

Just then, a quiet voice broke through your conversation. You froze up. It was almost embarrassing how quickly you recognized that voice. But perhaps even more embarrassing how quickly you snapped your neck to look in his direction.

“If it isn’t Mr. Jackson himself!” Julian reached a hand out towards Michael, a bright smile on his face. “Julian [Surname].”

Michael gladly shook his hand. In his mind, he could see where you got your smile from. “I know who you are Julian, I’m a fan of your album. I listen to it sometimes in the studio.”

Julian turned around in shock. “Are y’all hearing this?”

Lenny chuckled. “We’re hearing it.” He then reached to shake Michael’s hand. “Thanks for the support, man. That really means a lot to us. Leon Brooks, but most call me Lenny.”

Michael then shook Tommy’s hand, as the two of them got around to introducing themselves.

Marvin was the next to speak. “That was some great work in Thriller. I listened to the instrumentals… the production is astounding.”

Michael smiled. “Thank you, but it’s not all me. I have great people I work with, including Quincy Jones who helps me with the songs and the beats.”

On cue, Quincy appeared by Michael’s side, shaking everyone’s hand. “I wanted to introduce him to you boys, but it looks like he beat me to it.”

Your attention drifted away from the conversation. That was usually how it went. You let the men talk while you found something to distract yourself. Unfortunately there was nothing nor no one nearby to lean to. That was until a warm brown hand appeared in front of you. You looked up at Michael in surprise. He wanted to meet you…?

‘Don’t be silly, he probably picked up how awkward it was for me to be standing here. It’s nothing more than that.’

“I know you already introduced yourself up there, but I just wanted to introduce myself. I’m Michael Jackson, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

You nervously extended a hand out, shaking his own. His hands were warm and soft.

“The pleasure is all mine Mr. Jackson, I’m [Name].”

“Oh please don’t worry about formalities. You can just call me Michael.”

Well now you’re confused. Did celebrities usually let people call them by first name basis, or was that just Michael?

“Alright.” You were too nervous to test it out, so you simply nodded.

“Actually… I wanted to talk to you because I’m interested in your makeup skills.”

Now you’re flabbergasted. The Michael Jackson was interested in your makeup skills? Just a few hours ago, you were certain he didn’t even know you existed!

Michael continued. “You see, I’m working on a short film for one of my songs and there’s a ton of visual effects that go into it. Well… I guess what I’m trying to ask is if you have any experience in that area. Like scary makeup.”

‘Scary makeup?’ You tilted your head. Sure it wasn’t something you usually did, but you were sure you could do it.

“I’ve done a ton of looks. I would say I have experience but it depends on what you’re looking for. I do have an album with pictures of makeup I’ve done for people. I would be happy to walk through them with you.”

The two of you were in your own little world, completely oblivious to those around. You spoke in an animated way, while Michael gestured into the air. To onlookers, it seemed to look like other nonsense, but somehow, it just made sense to the two of you.

While Marvin was locked into conversation with Quincy, Julian was speaking with their manager, leaving only Lenny and Tommy to witness what was happening. Although they couldn’t hear the contents of the discussion, based on the bright smiles on both of your faces — they could only assume that it was going well.

You then reached into your purse, pulling out a business card. “You can reach me at this number if you have any more questions, I look forward to working with you Mr. Jack— Michael.”

Michael grinned, pocketing the card. “So do I.”

Michael then turned to Quincy. “Hey Q, I think we should be heading back soon. Bill might get a little worried.”

Quincy ended his conversation with Marvin, nodding to Michael. The two of them wrapped up all that they needed to do, so it was the perfect time to end the night.

Before Michael left, he gave you a small nod.

Tommy appeared by your side, nudging your shoulder. “What was that all about?”

“What was what?”

“That whole secret conversation.”

You rolled your eyes. “There was no secret conversation. Michael was impressed with my skills and wanted to know if I could be a makeup artist in one of his short films.”

Tommy’s eyes widened. “Really? That’s huge [Name]! He’s released some pretty good things.”

“I know.” That’s why you were so nervous. For a man as big as Michael, you couldn’t mess this up. This was the first time your makeup skills would be put to the test. Not for an award show, or a simple look. But for a set, against cameras, harsh lighting, and various conditions. If you could impress Michael, he would be one hell of a reference. And you were up for the challenge.

more about name’s look:

an: i’m sorry that this chapter was extremely wordy but it needed to be for the worldbuilding!! i know you’re probably wondering who tf is axis 79 and why should i care about them, but trust, it’s important for the plot.

series masterlist — next episode

GET ON THE FLOOR! — mini series ⋆.˚

michael jackson x black coded reader

syn: this mini-series follows the relationship between you (the little sister to the lead singer of disco band axis 79, trying to make a name for yourself) and michael jackson (the rising king of pop).

pleaseread: this is a series heavily outside my comfort zone. i don’t usually write about real life celebrities but i fear michaelmania has taken over me. that being said, this series might have some suggestive moments but will not have smut (out of respect for him), because it’s uncomfortable for me to write that about real people dead or alive. thank you.

warnings: i do not know the entire ins and outs of michael’s life, that being said… a lot of creative liberties have been taken. just a reminder, this is a work of fiction, all references to real life people are entirely coincidental.

episode 00; ˗ˏˋ 🪩 ˎˊ˗

summary: the first time michael met you was when he was invited to an exclusive celebrity afterparty, where the best singers of the time gathered. while he was honored to get an invite, he found himself more enthralled with the little sister of one of his favorite bands – axis 79.

episode 01; ˗ˏˋ 🪩 ˎˊ˗

summary: impressed by your makeup skills, michael invites you to work as a makeup artist while he shoots his short film — thriller.

episode 02; ˗ˏˋ 🪩 ˎˊ˗

summary: after successful filming, michael invites you to a lunch date.

episode 03; ˗ˏˋ 🪩 ˎˊ˗

summary: you accompany your brother to the 26th annual grammy awards. and though you expected michael there, you were surprised to see the woman he brought along — brooke shields. you managed to hide your disappointment from the cameras, but being the little sister of julian meant that you had three more attentive ‘brothers.’

episode 04; ˗ˏˋ 🪩 ˎˊ˗

summary: michael is invited to your brother’s studio for help on a song. chaos, and lovely moments, follow afterwards…

episode 05; ˗ˏˋ 🪩 ˎˊ˗

summary: when kate collapses during a mission due to cramps, crown and vogel make it their mission to give her a rest filled day.

notes: requested by @cococio1 - i hope i managed to convey the story as best as you imagined!

[ WOODS - NIGHT ]

It was the night after a grueling mission with Roger, Alfons, and Elbert. It was too late to call a carriage so the four of us made our way back to Crown castle by foot.

Roger: “I can’t wait to get back and eat a nice meal. Some expensive beer sounds good right now. What do you guys say?”

Alfons: “No thanks. I don’t want to spend a moment longer with you.”

Elbert: “Mm. I’m sleepy.”

Roger: “Well, what about you lil lady? Would you like to join me?”

Kate: (To be honest, it doesn’t sound like a bad idea. I am hungry, but I’m also really tired.)

Kate: “Hm, that is tempting—”

Kate: “Ah!”

Suddenly, my step faltered as I tumbled forward.

Roger: “Kate!”

Roger was close enough to grab my arm, stopping me from falling face flat on the forest floor. Alfons and Elbert both looked back in concern.

Elbert: “Are you okay?”

Alfons: “Oh dear. It is quite dark, my dear. Be sure to watch your step.”

Kate: “Right…”

I looked down. There weren't any branches on the floor, so it was unlikely that I tripped. Still, I tried to walk forward. But I couldn’t get far. Each step felt like pins against my lower abdomen, and I quickly clutched my stomach in pain.

Roger: “Kate? Are you sure you’re okay?”

The pain was so unbearable, I could barely respond to Roger. Then, my eyesight became spotty, soon fading to white.

Alfons, Roger, Elbert: “!!”

Roger was quick to catch Kate as her weight fell onto his side. He wrapped an arm around her, instantly lifting her hair to check her forehead. Then he ran a finger along the side of her neck.

Roger: “Her temperature seems normal, and her pulse is okay. Did she seem sick to any of you two?”

Elbert and Alfons shook their heads.

Elbert: “Do you think she breathed something dangerous in?”

The mission the four had just been on involved an underground trafficking ring. They were investigating a suspicious chemical that had airborne properties. It was believed that it could knock a person out in a few minutes.

Alfons: “Although we took necessary precautions, it was highly possible that Kate could have gotten some in her system.”

Roger nodded, hoisting Kate up into his arms.

Roger: “It’s better to stay safe then sorry. Let’s get her to the lab.”

[ BASEMENT LABORATORY - NIGHT ]

I woke up feeling disorientated and bleary.

Kate: (Huh? Where am I?)

I attempted to sit up, but my muscles felt weak. Turning my head, I tried to make sense of where I was.

Kate: (The last thing I remember was walking back to the castle… and now I’m in Roger’s lab? What happened?)

From the corner of my eye, I saw Liam who was being attended to by Roger. As soon as I turned to him, his eyes widened.

Liam: “Kate!”

That caught Roger’s attention, who turned to me.

Roger: “Good, you’re finally awake. We were getting really worried for you.”

Roger appeared by my side, helping me sit up. Liam then handed me a glass of water. I drank it instantly, my parched throat thanking me.

Kate: “Sorry about that. I can’t believe I fainted.”

Roger: “Don’t worry about it. All that matters is how you’re feeling.”

I took a moment to examine myself. The dull ache in my stomach was familiar, but the headache made it hard to pinpoint the reason I collapsed.

Kate: “So far, it’s just a small headache. But I should be fine with some rest.”

Liam: “Are you sure? Don’t overwork yourself.”

I smiled at Liam.

Kate: “Don’t worry, I won’t.”

Roger helped me off the bed, leading me towards the door.

Roger: “Take it easy lil lady. If you need any pain medications, you can always come to me.”

I nodded.

Kate: “Of course.”

[ HALLWAY - NIGHT ]

I left Roger’s lab feeling better, but as I walked, the lingering pain only started to grow. Placing my hand against the wall for support, I slowly made my way to my room.

Kate: (I wonder why my stomach hurts so much. Could I be hungry? Maybe I need to use the bathroom. Or maybe… is it that time of the month? But it’s a bit early for that.)

Victor: “Kate?”

Up ahead, Victor was walking towards me. It wasn’t unusual for him to be up this late, although…

Kate: (I wish he didn’t see me in this state.)

Kate: “Ah, Victor. I was just heading back to my room.”

Victor: “I heard from Roger that you fainted.”

Kate: “I did but it’s okay. I think I just need to rest.”

Victor paused, then nodded in understanding.

Victor: “Of course, take all the time that you need.”

[ KATE’S BEDROOM - MORNING ]

The bright sunlight shone through the thin curtains of my room. In the distance, I could hear the faint noise of birds chirping. I rubbed my eyes. Sleeping managed to make my headache disappear but… there was an obvious wet feeling just between my legs.

Kate: (…Oh no.)

I lifted up the covers to see what I dreaded. Blood.

Kate: (I can’t believe I bleed through…)

It was strange. I would never get my menstrual cycle this early.

Kate: (Could it be the increased physical activity?)

Either way, I quickly got up, and removed the stained bedsheets. Then I went to the restroom to freshen up, change my dress and put on a sanitary belt.

Kate: (That explains the lingering stomach. It was a soft launch of my upcoming cramps…)

I opened my room door, popping my head out in search of a maid. Thankfully, down the hallway, there was one heading my way. I waved her over.

Maid: “Miss Kate, is something the matter?”

Kate: “Sorry, I may have stained the bedsheets. If it’s not too much to ask, could I have a new one brought up to my room?”

The maid nodded in understanding.

Maid: “Of course, I’ll take the dirty sheets and send them to be washed. Do you want a bucket of cold water brought in?”

Kate: “Yes, that would be great.”

The maid bowed then left with the sheets. But no sooner did that happen, there was another knock on the door.

Kate: (Hm? Did she already get the replacement bedding?)

I reached to open the door, but instead of seeing the maid, I saw William.

Kate: “William?”

William: “Not the person you were expecting?”

Kate: “Well… no. But, what brings you here?”

William: “I heard you collapsed. I just wanted to check up on you.”

Kate: “Oh yeah. Just a bit of pain.”

As I spoke, his eyes drifted to the bare bed. Putting two and two together, William instantly understood what was happening. He smiled down at me, extending a hand.

William: “If that’s the case, I hope you don’t mind me escorting you to breakfast?”

Kate: “I don’t mind at all!”

Kate: (It’s not everyday William escorts me. I wonder if something special is happening today?)

[ DINING ROOM - MORNING ]

In the dining room was the most exquisitely decorated table. There were lavender flowers placed all around, various teapots, sweet treats, scones, pancakes, biscuits, and every breakfast food I could imagine.

Kate: “Woah! Are we feeding an army?”

Victor then popped out, with mitts on and an apron around his torso. He carried another plate into the dining room and placed it right in front of me.

Victor: “Nonsense! This is all for you, my lovely Robin!”

Kate: “For me?”

Kate: (All this…?)

Upon seeing my shocked face, William laughed. He then gracefully picked up a strawberry from a nearby bowl.

William: “The majority of it. But Crown would be more than happy to aid you in eating it all.”

As he said that, he pushed the bowl of strawberries towards me. My eyes widened.

Kate: (It wasn’t everyday William decided to share his strawberries!)

Kate: “Thank you. Everything here looks delicious.”

Victor: “And tastes delicious too!”

There was so much food, I wasn’t sure what to eat first. But under the recommendation of William and Victor, I soon had two plates staked with food.

Roger: “I was going to ask how you’re feeling, but judging by how well you’re eating—I’d say you’re doing okay.”

Roger poked my cheek, which was full of food. I gulped it down, turning towards him.

Kate: “I’m doing better than yesterday. I thought it was a stomach ache, but it wasn’t. Just cramps.”

Roger nodded.

Roger: “Like I said before, if you need any pain relief you can come to me… or I could just give you medicine.”

It took a moment for the double meaning of his words to land, but once it did, I playfully pushed his chest.

Kate: “I think I’ll be fine!”

Harrison: “What’s this? Is there any reason all this food is here? Besides Victor being Victor…”

William: “No reason. We just decided to take care of our little Robin.”

Kate: (Wow. I didn’t even know everyone knew about what happened last night.)

Harrison: “Well, are you doing okay? You have a mission with Ellis and Jude right? Are you sure you’ll be fine?”

???: “Fine with what?”

As if on cue, Jude and Ellis walked in. Ellis seemed impressed by the spread of food on the table, and Jude wore his usual scowl.

Ellis: “Kate, are you okay? I heard about what happened.”

I nodded.

Kate: “Yes, I’m fine.”

Victor looked between us thoughtfully.

Victor: “You make a good point Harry. Kate, I grant you the permission to rest for as long as you need until you feel better.”

Jude: “Hm? What’s wrong with the bird?”

Kate: “It’s that time of the month again…”

Jude’s eyes widened in understanding. He knew all about the trials and tribulations that came with it. He did have a sister after all.

Ellis: “Don’t feel too lonely Kate. Jude and I will bring you something. How about a snack?”

Jude: “Just when will we have time to get that, ya’ loon?”

Kate: (I appreciate the thought, but I’m not expecting anything.)

[ STREET - MORNING ]

Ellis and Jude walked along the town street, on their way to Raven Co. There were many storefronts all around, with the newest gimmick, treat, or dress on display. Usually the two wouldn’t pay them any mind, but Jude’s focus seemed to be taken by a particular window. It was a candy store, and on display were various chocolates.

Ellis: “Good idea Jude. I hear chocolates are a popular craving. Kate would love it if we got one for her.

A displeased expression crossed Jude’s face.

Jude: “… Who said anything ‘bout buying chocolates fer the bird?”

Ellis ignored Jude’s words, scanning his eyes over the flavors on display.

Ellis: “Do you think she’d want the one with a jam filling?”

Jude shook his head, pointing to a box on a podium.

Jude: “Tch. Obviously she’d want those ones.”

Ellis nodded, a bright smile on his face.

Ellis: “You’re right. Good eye, Jude. You really care about Kate, don’t you?”

Realizing that he got caught in Ellis’ trap, Jude grumbled.

Jude: “…Whatever. Let’s just buy the damn thing.”

[ CASTLE WALKWAY - AFTERNOON ]

Kate: (I know Victor told me to rest but… I can’t just do nothing!)

Currently, I was carrying a load of paper to replace in my typewriter.

Kate: (If I’m going to stay in my room the whole week, I might as well get a head start on those reports.)

Up ahead, I saw a familiar figure—it was Ring. He walked with his head down, mumbling words under his breath. As he approached me, he didn’t bat an eye. He must be lost in thought.

Kate: “Ring?”

Ring: “Ah!”

Kate: “...Ah?”

Ring: “Miss Fairytale Keeper! A-Are you sure you should be out here?”

Kate: “Why shouldn’t I be out here? Is something happening?”

RIng: “Yes! Or—no. Well, it’s just that I heard you were injured.”

Kate: (Word sure does spread fast. But it’s kind of adorable how he’s concerned for me. Although… where did he get “injured” from?)

Kate: “No, I’m not injured. I was advised to rest, but it gets a bit boring after a while.”

Ring’s eyes widened. A hint of admiration flickered through them.

Ring: “Woah… you are such a hard worker.”

Kate: “Hm? What was that?”

Ring: “N-Nothing!”

???: “Ring, that won’t do.”

The sound of a voice behind me caused me to jump up in surprise. A familiar scent of ylang-ylang wafted through the air. It was Nica.

Nica: “Pft, what was that?”

Kate: “You scared me…”

Nica placed two hands against my shoulder.

Nica: “What my brother meant to say was that you shouldn’t work so hard today.”

On cue, Ring took the stack of papers from my arm, carrying them with ease. Nica, then led me away, with Ring walking beside me. It was almost as if they were my two bodyguards.

Ring: “Nica’s right. Just let us handle things while you heal.”

Kate: “You two don’t have to do this.”

Nica: “We want to. Besides, it won’t be any fun if you're exhausted.”

[ KATE’S BEDROOM - AFTERNOON }

The three of us finally made it to my room. I was escorted to my bed, and told to lay down. Ring placed the papers down on my desk, then moved to open the windows. Meanwhile, Nica fluffed up my pillows. A look crossed his face.

Nica: “Can you imagine me fluffing a pillow for a woman?”

He leaned closer to me, a teasing expression on his face.

Nica: “I don’t usually do this, so you better make use of me.”

I could feel my face redden.

Kate: “R-Right!”

Leaving them to pamper me, I laid down onto my bed. It was relaxing—not having to worry about doing anything but…

Kate: (It’s kind of embarrassing being taken care of like this.)

Ring: “Ahem. I have a book for you. In case you wanted to read it. B-But it’s okay if you don't!"

Kate: (A book?)

I took the book from Ring’s hand. Surprisingly, it was a novel that I’ve been wanting to read for a while now.

Kate: “Thank you! I really wanted to read this book!”

Ring became flustered, the tips of his ears warming to a bright red.

Ring: “O-Of course!”

Nica smiled at his brother before turning towards me.

Nica: “Well, we should be off. Come Ring. Let’s leave the Robin to read in peace.”

As the twins left, I opened the book. This was perfect. Along with working on reports, if I needed to take a break, I could read. Sure it may have been a cheesy romance book, but those were my favorite things to read. I never would expect Ring to get one for me.

[ KATE’S BEDROOM - EVENING ]

The bright rays of the sun began to set, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink. I flipped the page of my book, landing on the next chapter.

Kate: (It’s already so late? Time really does fly when you’re having fun.)

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

Kate: (Hm? I wasn’t expecting anyone.)

The doorknob turned before I could make a move to get up from the bed. Entering my room was Darius, holding a strange box in his arms.

Kate: “Darius?”

Kate: (If I’m being honest, he was the last person I was expecting…)

Kate: “Did you come to check on me too?”

Darius sighed, approaching me with a slightly distasteful look.

Darius: “No, I don’t check up on mere humans.”

Kate: (Even though he says that… he’s still here.)

Darius took a seat on the bed, folding his legs. In a way, he almost looked like a therapist.

Darius: “I came to see how the Robin was doing. Everyone was making such, so I decided to see what it was all about…”

Darius then looked over me, raising an eyebrow.

Darius: “...But you look healthy.”

Kate: “Well, it’s not like I’m injured. Just dealing with some cramps.”

Darius: “Hm.”

Darius then broke into a smile, petting the top of my head.

Darius: “You’re making a funny face! If you insist, I shall stay with you.”

Kate: “Huh? I didn’t say that—and what face was I making?”

Darius: “You don’t need to say it. Isn’t it an owner’s responsibility to know when their pet is sad?”

Darius then placed the box down on the bed, right on my lap. It looked to be a milk puzzle box.

Darius: “I usually work on these alone, but you can help me!”

Kate: (Did I just get put to work by Darius…?)

[ KATE’S BEDROOM - MORNING ]

Kate: (Mmh… It’s already morning…)

I stretched my arms, blinking away the sleep.

Kate: “I don’t even remember falling asleep. The last thing I remember was…”

The milk puzzles.

Looking around, I saw the puzzle box on the floor, along with the semi completed puzzle. Darius must have left it there. But that wasn’t all I saw, on my desk was a box of chocolates, with a note attached to it.

I picked it up to read.

Took too damn long fer us to decide on one. Ya’ better like them princess. Rest up soon.

It was clearly from Jude. And I suspected that Ellis had a hand in convincing him too. Still… the mere fact that they bought this for me brought a smile to my face.

Fin.