anonymouspyt

[anonymouspyt]

Og my god my babtdoll angelface sweetie pie

[anonymouspyt]

[anonymouspyt]

Thank youuu 😌🫶🏽

The Studio Session 💌

Word Count: 4.9k

Warning(s): none

May 18th, 1987. Los Angeles, CA.

"All my Children will be back in a moment." the smooth tone of the voiceover boomed from the sound waves of the 1981 19-inch Hitachi-CT color tv. The commercials swiftly interrupted, flooding the screen with bright, attention grabbing advertisements.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Your legs were crossed and the base of your foot tapped lightly against the edge of the coffee table in your cousin's apartment. You were sitting on the couch, reading a magazine. You could hear your cousin laughing and your eyebrow lifted as you lifted your head up from the magazine. The current commercial faded into mere background noise as you focused in on your cousin, who was talking on the phone.

You'd just arrived in town last night, visiting from Georgia. Your cousin had always told you that anytime you wanted to come to L.A., you were more than welcome to stay with her, so you decided to take her up on that offer.

"Alright, I'll see you soon. Bye Michael." Your cousin, Siedah said with a light giggle and hung up the phone. She looks over at you with a grin.

You look over with anticipating eyes. "Soooo.." You grin at her before continuing, teasingly. "Was that Michael, Michael?"

Your cousin chuckles before answering you. "Yes Y/N, that was Michael Jackson on the phone. He wanted to touch base with me and make sure we were still on for our studio session today."

Suddenly, your interest piqued when you questioned her again, "Oh yeah.. it's that new song you're working on with him, for his upcoming album right?"

Now having your undivided attention, you recalled the moment she told you about the collaboration over the phone last week. It was just the other day when she was heading into session with Michael and Quincy Jones. Michael was still looking for someone to appear on the track, I Just Can't Stop Loving You, and what Siedah didn't know at the time was that both Michael and Quincy had decided to let her to be featured on it. They let her know once she got settled in the studio. She was so surprised when they gave her the news, you couldn't have been any prouder.

"Yup, the very one!" she replied, standing up and walking over to the coat rack to grab her black leather jacket. Siedah looked at you as she slid her arms in the jacket before she added, "We're meeting in West Hollywood within the hour. I gotta get going before traffic hits."

"How long does a studio session normally take?" You ask her curiously with a hint of nervousness.

Siedah shrugged as she adjusted her jacket on her body. "You never know how long a session is going to take. Hell, I never know. It could be a hour.. It could be 3 to 5 hours. Maybe even overnight.."

Still holding the magazine in your hands, you dropped it in your lap, reacting instinctively, and looked at her. "Overnight?!" You paused, taking in her neutral reaction. "What the hell am I supposed to do until you come back?" You said, frustration creeping in your voice. You weren't exactly thrilled to be cooped up in your cousin's apartment all by yourself in an unfamiliar city.

"I don't know cuzzo.. but hey, there's plenty to do out here to pass the time." Siedah said casually, trying to make light of the situation. She takes a step forward to look in the mirror and  fix the collar on her yellow blouse. "You can catch a cab and go see a movie at the TCL Chinese Theater, head down to the Pier in Santa Monica, or you could even go to Disneyland. There's so much to choose from!" she added.

You sat there and listened to your cousin throw out these suggestions. They weren't necessarily bad options but they weren't great options either. You thought it over briefly until another thought comes to mind. The wheels in your mind began to turn and, a mischievous grin slowly curled at the corners of your lips as you looked at her.

Siedah assessed your current disposition and looked at you crazily before questioning you. "What?"

"Let me come with you."

She furrowed her eyebrows at you and asked a follow up question. "Come where?"

You give her a duh look, your tone matching it's expression. "To the studio." To make it clearer for her, you added. "Let me come to the studio with you." Your cousin looked at you with an unconvinced grin for a couple moments.

It's as if she considered it for a moment, but then she hesitates before saying, "I don't know Y/N.."

"Oh come on, it's not everyday that your super talented cousin gets to work with THE Michael Jackson!" You try to say in a more convincing tone.

"I don't know Y/N.. Michael normally likes to keep his studio sessions private." Siedah said while grabbing her purse from the coat rack.

You got up from the couch and walked over to her, shaking her shoulders. "Come on Sid, pleaseee! It would be so much fun!" You pleaded. She looked at you, still unconvinced that she should bring you along. "I won't say a word, I promise. If he doesn't want me in the studio with you guys, I'll sit outside in the lobby.." You lifted your hands in surrender, shrugging your shoulders. "The least he can say is no, right?" You added on as a last ditch effort.

Your cousin looked at you for a few seconds more and breaks the look with a grin. She groaned playfully, "Alright, let's go.." You squealed and hugged her tightly. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" "Yeah yeah, hurry up Y/N! We gotta go!"

You let go of her, looking at her excitedly. "Let me go put on my boots and I'll be ready. Give me two seconds!" You dashed off to the spare guest room she'd allowed you to use while you're in town. Kicking off your house slippers by the door, you open the closet door and grab your black leather stiletto ankle boots. You could hear your cousin fussing at you while slipping one of them on from the other room, "Y/N, Let's go!" Her footsteps echoed towards the front door, and you could hear the jingling of her car keys as she pulled them out of her purse.

"Okay, okay! Keep your pants on!" You sassed as you reached for your black Chanel handbag with the double flap and gold-tone hardware.

"Yo ass is about to get left!" Siedah retorted while unlocking and opening the door.

"Alright, I'm coming! Damn!" You hop out the room with one heel on and the other in your hand. Using your free hand, you throw your purse strap over your shoulder and slip the other heel on your foot.

You walk over near Siedah to look in the mirror at your outfit, adjusting the gold chain embellishments on the sleeve of your blazer so it will hang properly. You can feel Siedah's eyes burning the side of your face. Turning to face her, you teased, "Whatcha waitin' on? Let's go." you chuckled on the way out. Your cousin just rolled her eyes as you passed her by, leaving her to follow in behind you and close the door on the way out, locking it behind her.

𝄞𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ 𓈈⭒♬ ﾟ.𝄞𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ 𓈈⭒♬ ﾟ.𝄞𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ 𓈈⭒♬ ﾟ.

The tires on Siedah's car come to a halt as she pulled into a parking spot next to a meter along the sidewalk. She turned the car off and reached in her coin purse to gather up some quarters. Once she had them, she looked over at you and placed the coins in your hand. "We're here." she said before getting out the car.

Holding the quarters tightly in your hand, you got out the car and took a good look at the building. "This is it?" You questioned your cousin, closing the car door and stepping onto the sidewalk to insert the quarters in the parking meter. It wasn't anything how you'd imagined it to look.

With a beige stucco finish, the studio has an industrial appeal to it. The studio has brown metal slatted louvers covering the long windows and the address number "8447" was cemented in brass above the doorway, simple but distinctive.

"Yup! This is it— Westlake Studios." Siedah replied, walking around the car from behind to step up onto the sidewalk. She continued walking until she reached the dark double doors and pressed the red button on the intercom next to it. "Mike Jack, it's Siedah. Let me in!" she said in a joking manner, taking her finger off the button. Your heart started pounding as you walked over to meet Siedah by the door. The magnitude of the situation trickled into your nerves like a thief in the night: You're about to meet Michael Jackson.

Shit.

The sound of the buzzer caused you to jump back a little. As soon as the door clicked, Siedah took the opportunity to open it, ushering you inside.

When you walked in, there were a plethora of different records plastered on the gold wall. From Luther to Chaka, so many legendary artists have their plaques displayed, almost like it was an official badge of honor. It was inspiring to see the records so up close in real time— so surreal.

"Siedah, you made it!" A smooth, velvety voice suddenly filled the room.

You turned over your shoulder and you see Michael Jackson, walking over to us. His broad shoulders are on full display with his black patched embroidered varsity jacket. Your lips parted ever so slightly as you saw him approaching, as if your body is already falling apart at the seams because of his presence.

Siedah hugs him as soon as he makes it over to her. "It's good to see you!" she hugged him warmly. A light chuckle escaped his lips when reciprocating the hug, giving her a light two pats on the back. "It's good to see you too." You observed their hug and couldn't help but think, he looks like he gives the best hugs.

Michael lets go of the hug and looks directly at you. "Who's this?"

When your eyes met his, you could've sworn your heart stopped beating for a few seconds. You've seen plenty of men with dark brown eyes in your lifetime but none of them compare to his. Hypnotic in their wake, the look in his eyes feel like a quiet invitation to draw you closer to him, an invitation you actually don't mind accepting..

Your cousin quickly remembered you were there and replied, "Oh, where are my manners? Michael, this is my cousin, Y/N L/N. Y/N, this is Michael."

He grins slightly and holds his hand out, "Hello.."

You place your hand in his large one, returning the smile. "Hi.."

Michael shook your hand gently. "It's very nice to meet you, Y/N." he said politely.

"Likewise.." You grin a bit wider when he says your name. It rolled off his tongue a little too good. If there was anyone else observing you, they'd might call you starstruck, but you couldn't help but stare at him. You thought to yourself, 'Let me let go of this man's hand before I get caught up...'

You cleared your throat slightly as you pulled your hand away, placing it by your sides. Siedah spoke up, "She's visiting me for the month and she was wondering—"

"She was wondering if I could sit in on your studio session today?" you cut your cousin off so you could ask Michael yourself. You spoke with confidence as you looked at him.

Michael just stared at you. It's almost if he was trying to size you up. Your gaze never faltered as he continued his assessment, studying you from the top of your curls down to the points of your boots.

He chuckled, clearly surprised by your sudden attitude, though it didn't seem to bother him in the slightest. "Okay, I don't see why not."

Siedah looked at him in shock, "Forreal?" This was surprising for her because Michael hardly ever invites people in the sessions with him. If you aren't working on his project specifically, you could not come in. And yet, here he was inviting you. He shrugged casually. "Yeah, it will be great to hear feedback from someone who's outside of the team." He flashed that charming Jackson smile to seal the deal.

"I won't mind giving it either.." you stated, referring to the feedback, of course.

Michael nodded, his smile unwavering as he turned his attention back to you. "Good."

You returned the smile as you continued looking at him. Siedah cut through the obvious tension in the air, saying, "Perfect! Let's get this show on the road, shall we?"

Michael looked at Siedah, grinned, and bowed sheepishly. "Yeah, of course!" he laughed, a bit embarrassed. "Follow me." he added, turning around. He veered towards the right, guiding us down the hallway. Your attention was now fixated on the occupied studios as you passed them by, more platinum plaques lining the walls with every step. It gave you goosebumps to know that you were walking down the hall where so many hit records had been made.

When we made it down to the end of the hall, you and Siedah stood on either side of Michael as he opened the door. You were met with a lacquered coated brown sign mounted on the olive green door with 'STUDIO D PRIVATE.' in gold brass lettering.

The minute he opened the door, your jaw dropped in awe. It was revealed that this particular studio spanned three stories. Though private, the atmosphere was incredibly welcoming. You took the opportunity to look around when you walked in. His own platinum plaques adorned the walls and his movie poster for Captain EO was pinned on the column right next to the studio entry way. To your right, a bathroom was tucked in the corner. If you didn't know any better, you might have mistaken this as an apartment rather than a studio.

"Watch your step, please." Michael warned quietly as he took a step up to lead you and Siedah in the control room. Upon entering, Quincy Jones was sitting infront of the sound board, chewing an apple. Bruce Swedien was sitting to his right, adjusting the knobs on the sound board.

Siedah walked over to both of them, giving them a hug. "Hey guys." Quincy patted her hand as she draped an arm around him and the other around Bruce.

"Hey Sid, you ready to rock today?" Quincy asked your cousin, tossing his apple hull in the trash. Michael stood near the doorframe next to you with his arms behind his back.

"You know it!" Siedah let go of them both and walked over to put her bag down in the single seat sofa in the corner. She took off her black leather jacket and yellow blouse, revealing a black midriff underneath. After tossing them next to her bag, she sifted through it to grab her water bottle, taking a couple sips to get her voice warmed up. Siedah decided to stay in the corner, clipping her locs with a duck pin out of her face as she continued to warm up.

Bruce turned over to see you standing next to Michael, causing him and Quincy to exchange looks before looking back over there. "Oh? Well who do we have here?" Bruce questioned, narrowing his eyes at Michael. Michael's cheeks grew hot and takes a couple steps over to the side, creating a bit of distance between you two.

Siedah walks back over to you and hugs your waist, "This is my cousin, Y/N. Y/N? This is Quincy Jones and Bruce Swedien, two of the most legendary record producers in the business!"

You wave at them both, "Hey, it's good to meet you both. I love your work. Both of you, I'm a huge fan!" You marvel at them as you walk over to shake their hands.

"Ah, thank you sweetheart." Quincy grins and looks over at Michael before looking back at you.

Bruce pats your hand and chuckles before answering, "Thank you, you're too kind. So Y/N, can you sing?"

"I can.. uh, I can carry a tune!" You grin bashfully. "But I'm only here to watch the session, if that's okay with you guys."

Quincy smirks a bit looking over at Michael. "If it's okay with Michael then it's okay with us! Are you okay with it, Smelly?" he said teasingly. The nickname caused you to look over at Michael with raised eyebrows and an amused grin.

Michael took note of your reaction to his nickname and smiled embarrassingly, shifting his gaze between you and Quincy, "Oh yeah.. I'm okay with it. Make yourself at home, Y/N."

You grin at him, walking down the two step staircase next the sound board to make your way to the white plush sofa that was sandwiched between the board and the window looking into the live room. You set your purse down as you looked over at him, "Thanks, I think I will." Though you said it politely, there was a subtle hint of flirtation beneath the appreciative comment.

As if the message was received, he sends a small grin your way. He now turns to Siedah who was coming his way. "Okay, let's get this party started!" she cheered.

Michael grins at her and says, "Alright, whenever you're ready Miss Siedah.." He gestures her to follow him in the live room and she does. He then walked over to the light switch to dim the room a bit, leaving a single spotlight over the two music stands placed in the center of the room and the tube condensers mics suspending from it's boom arm. He comes back over to Siedah, placed his hand on the small of her back as he lead her to her designated spot. They grin at each other and he pinched her elbow before making his way over to his spot.

Quincy pressed the mic button on the soundboard to cue them in, "Let's take it from the second verse." In the background, you could hear the audio from the tape machine distorting as it sped up.

"For this take, I really want you two to dig deep. I want to be able to feel the intensity of these lyrics— take me and listeners on the journey with you. Let's make it romantic, yeah?"

Both Michael and Siedah shuffled through their sheet music to pick up where they left off from the first session. Michael slipped his Ray-Bans wayfarers out of his pocket and put them on. Once adjusted, he glanced through the glass of the control room and gave a thumbs-up. Quincy acknowledged the gesture with a nod.

"Alright.. we're rolling..."

Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack.

The metronome struck in with a vengeance as the beautiful melody blared out, filling the room of its romantic energy.

𝄞𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ 𓈈⭒♬ ﾟ.𝄞𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ 𓈈⭒♬ ﾟ.𝄞𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ 𓈈⭒♬ ﾟ.

Exactly two hours have passed and you were starting to get the impression that little moment you and Michael shared before he started to record with Siedah was nothing more than just common courtesy.

It appears what you misinterpreted as attraction between you and Michael, that interpretation should have been more directed towards him and Siedah.

The subtle glances at each other, the laughing in between takes, Michael's boyish grin when your cousin would speak to him and not to mention, he'd throw cashews at her forehead during the recording— it was a lot to sit through. It felt like you were intruding ontheir private time together even though there was a barrier of glass separating the three of you.

Michael would periodically glance through the glass in the control room as Quincy gave them feedback between takes throughout the session. His sunglasses added an extra layer of being guarded and reserved when receiving direction.

You couldn't help but sigh to yourself as you looked at him. His never shifting focus is to be expected but it almost felt as if you weren't even there at all— completely disregarded.

Soon enough, the session was over. Siedah and Michael were still in the live room but had stepped away from the music stands as they were off to the side talking about something. Michael had his hands in the pockets of his varsity jacket while focusing on her talking. She must've said something funny because you could see them both laughing from afar.

You watched them laugh and even though you felt a pang in your chest, your stoic expression remained intact. Your poker face was impeccable.

After a few more minutes, they came out of the live room to come into the control room. Siedah came over to you directly and Michael went over to Bruce and Quincy to go over a few things.

You looked at your cousin as soon as she came over by the arm of the sofa. "Sooo how was it sitting in on your first professional session?" She asked you curiously.

"It was cool. I really enjoyed it." You nodded at your cousin with a feigned smile before continuing. "The song is truly beautiful. You guys sound good together." You said that genuinely because even though you were a bit salty, you were not going to deny the obvious.

"Thanks cuz, it was really fun! Mike's pretty cool to be around.." Siedah beamed.

"Seems that way." You looked at your cousin. She grinned at you before walking up the staircase to grab her things. Returning to the couch, she placed the items in the empty space next to you. You watched her as she slipped her yellow blouse back over her black midriff and adjusted her locs in the process.

You hesitated to address the elephant in the room. It weighed on you, unsure if asking the question would change things between you and Siedah. You noticed Michael walking Quincy and Bruce out of the control room. It wasn't until you heard the door of the studio open and close that you saw an opportunity. "Can I ask you something?" you blurted out.

"Of course. Anything." Siedah reassured as she stood infront of you.

"Are you and Michael like...." you began, trailing off. "..together or something?"

Siedah busted out laughing, a little louder than she anticipated. "Girl, hell no!"

You looked at her like she had truly lost it. "You could've fooled me."

"Girl no, we're just friends. I know what it could've looked like but I promise you, it's nothing more than that."

"I don't know Sid, it really looked like you two had something going on." you said almost reluctantly.

"Y/N, we don't okay? Michael is just.. like that. I can't really explain it but when he's comfortable around people, he tends to get a little... overly friendly. He means nothing by it, I swear." Siedah explained as you continued to look at her.

You looked at her, confused. What does she mean by 'He means nothing by it.' You paused before asking, "Siedah, why are you telling me this?"

Siedah froze, looking like a deer in headlights and walked over to peep out the control room to make sure the coast was still clear. After a moment, she returned to you and grinned, "Michael likes you, Y/N."

You furrow your eyebrows at her. "Wait what?"

"Yeah. He kept asking me about you throughout the entire session. You didn't notice that man staring at you the entire time?" Your cousin asked bluntly.

The realization hit you like a ton of bricks. When Michael was looking through the glass window periodically, he wasn't looking at Quincy or Bruce. He was really looking at you.

"He was not." You said, looking at her in total disbelief.

"Yeah. He was. I kept trying to get him go in there where you were so he could ask you out, but he kept chickening out. I'd tease him about being a scaredy cat, and he'd just laugh it off. He may not seem like it, but he can be really shy at times."

You were truly caught off guard by this admission, hanging onto every word your cousin said as you sat on the couch. Siedah looked at you with a knowing smirk on her face.

"What?" you spat, shooting her a side-eye.

"I know why you wanted to know, Y/N." Siedah taunted you, folding her arms as she stares.

You roll your eyes at her, "You do not." you grin, amusement in your tone. Of course, she does. She's your cousin she knows you inside and out.

"I saw that look you in your eye when you meet him. You not foolin' nobody!" Siedah grinned. "You know you think that man is finee."

"Okay, whatever." You wave her off, despite her being correct.

"Uh huh, y'all would be cute together, cousinnn. I'm rooting for you." Siedah joked, throwing a playful wink your way. You couldn't help but laugh. After laughing with you, she continued, "Anyway, you ready to go?"

"Yeah, let me go to the restroom first then I'll be ready." You responded as you got up, watching her throw her purse over her shoulder.

"Mkay, imma head out. See you at the car?" Siedah questioned on her way out of the control room.

"Yeah, I'll be right on out." you responded as you walked out the control room with her.

The two of you parted ways. Siedah went straight for door to exit the studio while you continued on to use the bathroom conveniently placed next to the control room. Once inside, you sat there, processing everything you'd just heard. Michael Jackson is interested in YOU. It was something you honestly couldn't believe, but the longer you sat in there, the more you realized it might not be as far-fetched as it initially seemed.

After washing and drying your hands, you stepped out the bathroom and headed back to the control room to retrieve your purse. Just as you reached it, the studio door opened again.

You were in the middle of putting your purse strap around your shoulder when Michael walked back into the control room. The two of you silently stared at each other for a moment, the door closing breaking the silence.

"Oh h-hey.. I thought you left.." Michael spoke up, looking at you.

"I was about to. I came back in here to get my purse." you responded, resuming your motions as you adjusted the strap around your shoulder. He quietly nods in response. The room fell silent once again but the energy was different this time.

He put his hands in his pant pockets and leaned against the end corner of one of the pillars by the sound board. Behind those Ray-Bans, he was absolutely checking you out, he couldn't help himself.

Michael watched you walk away from the couch, heading towards him. He knew that you were about to leave. His mind was screaming at him to say something, to do anything, just to keep you in there with him— even if it was just for a few more minutes.

"So.. what did you think of the song?" Michael asked, breaking the silence once again. He had been waiting to hear your opinion all day.

You took the step up to be right at hip level next to the sound board, not too far from him now. "I liked it a lot, the song is really beautiful." you responded honestly.

Michael slinked off the pillar, he spoke smoothly, "And what if I think you're really beautiful?" he stepped forward closing the gap in between you, looking down at you. "What then?"

You felt your breath hitch at the sudden change in his demeanor. You were not expecting him to be so forward.

"I... I'd say you have great taste.." you responded while looking at him.

He chuckles a bit before licking his lips. "Well, I guess we both have great taste then.." he flirted with ease, tilted his head a bit while looking at you.

"I guess so." you grinned. "Where was all of this energy earlier?"

Michael returns your grin, "I guess I was just waitin' on the right moment." He takes off his glasses for you to see his beautiful dark brown eyes. "The moment feels right, wouldn't you agree?"

"I'm starting to think you might be right. So what's next, hm?" you ask him, a playful smirk etched on your lips.

"Well, that depends on you. What do you think should happen now?" Michael said with a charming smirk.

You stepped up to him, leaning forward to adjust the collar of his shirt, which was tucked into his varsity jacket. "Well, I think maybe you should do like my cousin said and ask me out." you retorted, maintained eye contact with him as you watched his cheeks turn red. He hadn't expected you to find out about that.

Michael grins wider before nodding impressively, "Okay.." He bites his lip while looking at you before continuing, "Let's make it official, how's Saturday night?"

"Saturday night it is." you grinned, smoothing your hands across his varsity jacket before stepping back, letting your hands fall.

Before you got too far from him, Michael caught a hold of your hand gently. "I'll be waiting, Miss Y/N.." he whispered as he brought your hand to his lips, pressing a gentle kiss there.

You blushed as you watched him lower your hand. Slipping it out of his grasp, you clutched the strap of your purse and said softly, "Bye.."

Michael flashed his charming Jackson grin in your direction once more. "Bye." He watched you leave, his gaze lingering until you were out of sight.

[anonymouspyt]

Michael Jackson tap dancing.

[anonymouspyt]

Biiitch!!

Black girl magic!

[anonymouspyt]

The transition, the instrumental, Michael’s sultry voice, the background harmonies 😩🫠

[anonymouspyt]

Seat Filler 🏆

Word count: 5.4k

Warning(s): none

February 28th, 1984. Los Angeles, CA.

"Thank you. Someone will be guiding you to your seat momentarily." The coat checker advised as she handed you a ticket in exchange for your coat.

You took the red ticket from her hands and slipped it in your coin purse. "Thanks."

The Recording Academy has invited you to the 26th Annual Grammy Awards as a seat filler. This is the first time you've been invited to an award show of this caliber. They were looking to hire locals for this days before the event out of convenience so you gladly accepted.

"Y/N L/N?" one of the ushers questioned as he approachedd you with a clipboard in hand, double-checking it to enure he had the right name.

You nodded before responding. "Yes, that's me."

"Right this way, miss." they motioned, guiding you to follow them. As soon as you stepped toward them, they turned over their shoulder, leading you inside the Shine Auditorium.

You glanced look around the venue as you walked in with the usher. 

"A couple rules before the show starts: the show will be broadcasted so you can not leave your seat for any reason. No flash photography is allowed, and no autographs..." the usher spoke over his shoulder.

You nodded, trying to keep up with his long but quick strides.

"And for absolutely no reason at all: do not speak to the artists unless you're spoken to. Got it?" The usher continued while walking down the center aisle.

"Got it."

"Good." The usher turned to his right and stopped in front of your assigned seat, extending his hand to you, presenting it before continuing. "Enjoy the show."

You thanked the usher as you sat down, slipping your coin purse underneath the seat once you got comfortable. When you followed the usher with your gaze, they continued assigning seats to the other seat fillers, scattering them over the entire first floor. The remaining ones were escorted to the second floor.

After all of the seat fillers were placed, the ushers began bringing in the different artists and their teams who were nominated tonight. Slowly but surely, a steady hum of voices filled the auditorium. People were talking as the seats filled up, and you took another look around the venue. It wasn't too loud, and it wasn't too quiet; it was just right.

All of a sudden, you heard squeals of every pitch coming from the back half of the auditorium. When you turned over your shoulder to see what the fuss was about, in walked the very man whose aura seemed to carry the entire room. He strode in like he owned the place, his entourage and family members following in behind him.

The applause erupted in a tumultuous wave as people gave him a standing ovation, simply because he walked in the room. The ushers pivoted to escort the main attraction to his seat—the one next to you.

"Here you are, Mr. Jackson," the usher gestured him to his seat, much like he had done for you.

Shielded by his black-tinted Linda Farrow 6031 aviators, confidence oozed from every step he took. His shoulders were squared, and his sequined blue and yellow military jacket, paired with perfectly tailored pants, fit him just as well as the sequined glove on his left hand. As he walked down the row, you caught a better glimpse of him. He wore a slight smirk, his gaze directed toward you as he chewed his gum.

"Thank you, sir." Michael sat down in the theater seat, giving you a simple nod as a way of saying hello.

You smiled at him, then quickly looked away, biting the inside of your right cheek.

The usher slightly bowed to him and said, "Enjoy the show!" Then, with a turn on his heels, he left you both sitting there. You wanted to say something to him but you didn't want to risk it. The clear aroma of his cologne filled your senses, practically luring you to turn your head back in his direction. He was already looking at you.

"Hi." You spoke up. Rules were made to be broken right?

"Hi.." he grins, clearly appreciating your forwardness.

"I'm Y/N." you say, reaching your hand out over your body for him to shake.

"Michael." He shakes your hand with a smile, which, to you, felt like a small distraction as the sequins on his glove pricked your palm. You didn't mind it, but he let go of your hand just in case.

"Big night ahead of you, huh superstar?" You continued, referring to his record breaking 13 nominations for Thriller.

He chuckled bashfully, "Yeah.. it is."

You shifted in your seat to engage more actively in the conversation. "You excited?"

Michael mirrored your actions slightly, nodding before replying, "Oh yeah, I have a pretty good feeling about how the night will turn out."

"Really?"

"Of course. Being nominated an odd number of times, I'm certain I'll get at least half of that if not more. The odds are definitely in my favor."

Intrigued, you listened intently to Michael's confident hypothesis. "And he's humble too, ladies and gentlemen." you grinned at him.

"Hey!" Michael scoffed, feigning an appalled expression. He nudged you playfully which causes you to laugh. "I am very humble!"

"Uh huh."

Michael likes your playful energy, he's slowly becoming more interested in you by the minute. A smirk plays on his face which causes you to size him up. You continue to do so before speaking again. "What?"

"Let's make a bet."

Intrigued by his sudden remark, you look at him to continue. "What kind of bet?"

"If I win 7 awards tonight, you have to give me your phone number."

Taken back by the request, your sharp tongue got the best of you, "I don't have to give you anything." You smirk at him.

Michael's smile falters a bit before he licked his bottom lip. He wasn't expecting this answer but he also didn't mind the challenge. "You're right. You don't have to." He leaned closer to you to whisper, "but you'll want to." His smirk slowly returned.

"We'll see about that." You matched his smirk ever so slightly. It was clear as day as to why so many girls were easily swayed by his charms. And if you were being honest with yourself, it was working on you too.

He chuckled heartily as he heard your quick retort. You waited a beat before speaking again.

"If you don't win as many Grammys as you think you will, you have to let me wear your sunglasses for the rest of the night."

Michael raised his eyebrows at the request. He's never heard of anyone wanting to do something like that before. It amused him.

"You want me to take off my glasses?"

"Yup!"

"Okay, Y/N. You got yourself a deal!" he spoke confidently and used his gloveless hand to shake yours this time.

You grinned at him as the handshake lingered a little longer than intended.

The moment was interrupted by someone clearing their throat, causing Michael to look over his shoulder and you to look over his shoulder as well. It was Brooke Shields, Michael's date for the evening.

"The show's about to start." She spoke dryly, cutting her eyes at you before looking at him.

Behind his aviators, Michael had a sheepish look in his eyes with an apologetic smile to match as he looked at his date. He forgot she was sitting there. Shifting in his seat, he adjusted his jacket and sat up a bit straighter to look ahead.

Taking the hint, you turned your gaze from Michael and looked ahead at the well lit stage, watching the camera crew prepare to start taping the ceremony. The thought of you not only speaking to Michael, but you actually engaging in a conversation with him sent an unexpected thrill through you. You were excited to see which way the bet was going to go, though you were pretty confident you were going to win it.

*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚

“And the winner is, Michael Jackson!”

Michael grinned as he got up for the seventh time tonight, heading straight for the steps leading up to the podium.

You stood up along with everyone else, giving him a round of applause. He held the Grammy in his hands, looking around the room as he basked in the high energy and applause— yours included. He smirked slightly as his gaze met yours, clapping for him.

Throughout the evening, you and Michael became better acquainted. Though light, the conversations you shared during the ceremony were intriguing. Then, he remembered the bet the two of you made before the show started. He was reveling in this win.

Once he stepped up to the podium, everyone sat back down in their seats.

"Thank you, thank you." Michael leaned down to speak into the microphone. He could barely get the words out before the catcalls from the audience drowned him out. He continued his acceptance speech, bringing his sisters on stage with him to celebrate this win, thanking Steven Spielberg, Quincy Jones's wife Peggy, and his immediate family members, including Jermaine.

He looked around the room once more before his gaze landed on you.

"I made a deal with myself if I win one more award," he began. "Which is this award, which is seven, which is a record—" He flashed a slight smirk in your direction before adding, "I would take off my glasses." Michael stood up straighter, taunting you, wearing his smirk proudly.

You chuckle at his comment to yourself, folding your arms and rolling your eyes. You couldn't help but grin as you watched him on stage.

"I don't want to take them off really, but um.." he teased as he heard the audience roared with excitement. Most of the noise came directly from women on the second level, screaming, "Take it off! Take it off!"

He found himself licking his lips, then biting them as he listened to the crowd's chant. Glancing at his sisters, he asked them if he should do it. All three of them nodded with laughter, encouraging him to go along with it.

Michael turned back to you, speaking into the microphone, "Alright, well, a dear friend of mine told me that I should so I'm doing it for her, okay?" He smiles before continuing, holding his finger up, "And for the girls in the balcony!" He quickly removed his glasses, blowing a couple kisses to the crowd, followed by a wave.

You found yourself blushing as you clapped once more with the audience. After a few moments, Michael was made his way back to his seat, looking at you, clearly giddy about his win— both the award and this bet.

Holding back a grin, you kissed your teeth. "I guess congratulations are in order," you said, watching him sit down.

"Why thank you.. I'd certainly like to tell you I'd told you so now, but, I think I'd rather tell it to you over the phone later." he replied smoothly. His glasses were still off, so you could tell he was looking you up and down.

Rolling your eyes and grinning again, you shook your head at his relentless nature. "I don't think your date would like that very much." You teased, as you nodding your head in the direction of a very, envious Brooke Shields, who was glaring at you from the seat next to him.

Michael followed your gaze and chuckled before looking at you. "You have nothing to worry about."

You hum before continuing, "Doesn't look that way. She looks like she wants to drop a piano on my head right about now." You joked, causing Michael to laugh.

Michael briefly turned his head to look at her reaction again before focusing back on you. "Oh, ignore her, she's just jealous that I'm having more fun talking to you than to her." he mumbled.

"Does she have the right to be jealous, or are you two just friends?" You asked boldly.

Michael laughed and raised his eyebrow slightly. "Oh, she's just a friend." he said sincerely, before leaning in slightly to give you a closer look at his eyes. "Why do you ask?" He asked, coyly.

You grinned, your eyes flickering from his eyes to his lips. "Just curious.." you replied, before looking back in his eyes.

He took notice of you checking him out and smirked, speaking flirtatiously, "Is that so?"

"Yeah, that's so." You held his gaze while speaking to him.

"And is there a reason why you're checking me out so much?" His tongue darted out to wet his bottom lip before biting on it.

"Yeah.." you started, leaning over to him. "You have a booger." You grin amusingly.

Michael's eyes widened before letting out a laugh louder than he probably should've. "Oh shut up, I do not!" He protested jokingly, putting one hand over his face trying to cover his nose.

"Only one way to find out.." you shrugged, throwing a smirk his way.

Michael sighed and rolled his eyes dramatically, feigning defeat. "Fine, I suppose I shall go take care of this then. Make sure no cameras follow me, alright? Wouldn't want the world to know that even Michael Jackson can get boogers!" He said jokingly while getting up from his seat, putting his aviators back on.

You giggled at him, slightly scrunching your own nose.

Michael watched you before saying, "Oh don't you go scrunching that cute little nose at me."

"Oh so, my nose is cute now?"

He chuckled. "Of course it is. All of you is cute." He stated boldly, placing his hands on both of your armrests, caging you in. Clearly, he didn't care who was watching him right now.

"Is that so?" You asked, mocking him from earlier.

"Yes, that is so. Every part of you is quite cute, in fact." He spoke flirtatiously once again, his eyes roaming over you. Neither of you spoke for a couple moments, just looking at each other, the tension between you at an all-time high.

"You better get to that bathroom.." you grinned, biting your lip at him.

Michael's eyebrows raised, slightly narrowing his eyes at you, "If you keep looking at me like that, you'll make me want to stay put."

You hold your hands up in surrender. "Don't wanna keep you from relieving your nostrils.."

"You're right," he chuckled, pushing himself off of your chair and backing away. "I shouldn't keep them waiting."

You giggled at his sarcasm. He continued walking backwards, looking at you, his smirk turning into a smile. "Can't keep them waiting too long, y'know? they might cause a riot."

This made you laugh harder, which was exactly what he wanted. He had found himself enjoying making you laugh. You kept watching him as he walked backward down the middle aisle of the auditorium.

Michael laughed with you, scanning the room to make sure he wasn't going to trip on anything before focusing back on you. "I'll be right back, darling. Save my seat for me." He lowered his glasses to the bridge of his nose and winked at you before turning over his shoulder, walking toward the bathroom.

Michael didn't actually have a booger in his nose, but he will find that out soon enough. You laughed to yourself as you watched the door close from afar. As the show broke for a commercial break, you couldn't help but feel a set of eyes burning into the side of your face. You glanced over and found Brooke glaring at you. She didn't say a word— just sat there, looking like she has a stick up her ass.

"Can I help you?" You asked, finally breaking the silence.

Brooke frowned slightly. "No, I'm just wondering what you think you're doing. You've been getting a little too comfortable talking to Michael when you know he has a date."

"It's called having a conversation. You should try it sometime." you snorted.

Brooke rolled her eyes at your comment, not finding you amusing in the slightest. "Oh I know what a conversation is, thank you very much. I just prefer to have them with people who are worth my time." She replied with a snarky tone.

"Oh? So you think Michael isn't worth your time?" You grinned smugly as you asked her that.

Brooke scoffed. "I wasn't talking about him not being worth my time." She studied you before adding, "You, on the other hand, I'm not so sure. You seem too laid back for him."

You chuckled at her attempt to dig at you, "Maybe that's why he'd rather talk to me than talk to you.."

Brooke's face fell quickly, a hint of annoyance flashing in her eyes. She's trying to keep her cool but it's clear that your comment struck a nerve. A scowl formed on her face, speaking to you in a harsher tone, "Oh and just what makes you so special huh? You just think cause he spoke to you for a little bit that automatically makes you more desirable?"

"Of course, dear." You simply smirked. You were not thrown by her little comments.

Scoffing again, Brooke's scowl deepened, her irritation growing the more you open your mouth. "Oh please. You're far from special. You're just an average girl who got lucky enough to sit next to Michael. You're not worthy of his attention he's just talking to you because he's bored."

You grinned, "Careful, your projection is showing."

Brooke grits her teeth, throwing you another cold glare before replying sharply, "Oh shut up. I'm not projecting anything. I just know someone like you is not good enough for Michael. He deserves someone that's of his status."

"Oh gosh, someone like you?" You asked with feigned enthusiasm, your tone dripping with sarcasm.

Brooke scoffed again. "Yes someone like me. Someone who has elegance, grace, charm and most importantly, class. Someone that can actually hold a decent conversation and not make silly jokes just to get a cheap laugh."

This made you laugh. "Oh honey, if you could hold a decent conversation, he would be talking to you."

Brooke huffed in annoyance. "Like I need his attention. I have plenty of guys fighting for mine all the time. I could have any guy I want." 

You grinned, feigning a shocked reaction. "And as soon as they take one look at me, you'd be an afterthought." You paused dramatically before adding, "Oh!.... Kinda like now!"

Brooke's eyes burned with anger. "You really think you're that special? You're forgettable at best. No one would choose you over me."

"Keep telling yourself that."

"I don't need to keep telling myself what's true. Trust me darling, no one would pick you over me, not even Michael." Brooke huffed again, her patience was running thin.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night." You quipped. The commercial break soon came to an end, the camera crew resumed filming the show while you and Brooke continued.

Brooke's irritation was bubbling over. "My beauty and charm can beat yours any day. Your little jokes and carefree attitude will only get you so far, sweetheart."

"If that were the case, you'd be more than just.." you trailed off to look her up and down, "a friend." You smirked.

Brooke's eye twitched, another nerve was seemingly stricken. Your smirk only irritated her further. "Oh don't act like you know anything. You don't have a single clue about my relationship with Michael. We're more than just friends. We have something special! You wouldn't understand that."

You sat coolly in your seat before responding, "Then why didn't he tell me that?"

"Oh, well, He probably just forgot to mention it. He probably didn't think it was important since you're just... you know.. nothing compared to me." Brooke spoke defensively.

You chuckled, "I see."

Brooke has had it with your cocky attitude. She forced a smile, feigning a sympathetic look, "It's cute how you think you mean something to him though. You're just a temporary distraction, nothing more. Once I have his full attention, he'll forget you ever existed."

"We'll see what happens when he comes back won't we?" You say, calling her on her bluff.

She let out a small huff and replied in an icy tone, "Oh we'll see alright. When he comes back, he'll be all over me and you'll be nothing but a distant memory."

"Okay." You smirked.

Your arrogance was getting up under her skin. "Don't be so confident darling, you're delusional if you think you have a chance with him."

"And you're delusional if you think you'll be anything more than just a— what did you call it? A 'special friend'? You taunted her and laughed.

Brooke's anger flared up, her patience finally reaching its limit. "We are more than just special friends. We're... on a whole other level. But I wouldn't expect someone like you to understand the concept of true intimacy and connection."

"Girl, if I wanted Michael, I would have him eating out the palm of my hand. I don't have to throw myself at him just to get his attention. You've been sitting here all night, trying to fight to get his attention like a dog chasing its own tail. And despite your best efforts, it's still not enough." You shrugged.

Brooke was fuming. Her hands clenched into tight fists, visibly shaking from anger. "Oh, you think you're so damn special, don't you? You think you can just waltz in here and steal Michael away from me like it's nothing? Don't make me laugh. You're nothing but a cheap imitation of me. You don't even come close."

"What's cheap is that paper made fan you call a dress. Clearly, you must think I'm pretty special since you keep asking me that." You say to her, tilting your head for a moment, throwing her the same feigned sympathetic look she gave you earlier. "Awww, thank you honey. I'm flattered but I don't swing that way." You wink at her.

Brooke's eyes widened in shock, her mouth falling open slightly as she tries to process your words. Her face grew redder with anger as her body shook with rage. She was struggling to stay composed, trying to find a way to respond. "I— I... you.." She was at a loss for words, her mind going blank from anger and embarrassment.

You grin smugly at her lack of response. Michael soon comes back from the bathroom, making his way to the front row. He stood in front of the empty chair between you and Brooke— his chair. "So, what did I miss?" he asked.

"Nothing important," you replied with a smirk.

Michael chuckled, his smirk only growing as he looked between you and Brooke, noticing the irritated look on her face. His gaze lingered on her for a moment before he glanced back at you again, "Hmm, you sure? It feels pretty intense here." His tone was playful as he sat back down.

You watched him settle into his seat before casually saying, "I don't know... I think Brooke might have a crush on me or something." You teased, a slow grin spreading across your face.

He busts out laughing, his eyes widening slightly as he was surprised by your words. He glanced at Brooke, seeing her face turning slightly red and chuckled again. Michael looked back at you, his smile growing bigger as he continued to speak in a playful tone. "Oh, really? A crush on you, huh?"

You grin and shrug coyly at his question, earning another laugh out of Michael. He couldn't help but find this entire situation amusing. Michael smirked and leaned in closer to you.

"Hmm, I can't say that I'd blame her if she did have a crush on you. You are very beautiful." He said in a very flirtatious tone.

"I'm quite aware of that." You smirked.

"And so modest.." he teased.

"Careful Michael Jackson, flattery will get you everywhere." you gushed, teasing him right back.

Michael chuckled, his eyes taking in your face as if he's studying every detail. He kept his grin and his voice low and playful as he spoke, clearly enjoying the banter between you two. "Does it? Well, I guess I'll just have to keep on flattering you."

"You can try.." you grin a little wider.

Michael leaned in closer, closing the distance between you so he can whisper in your ear. "Darling, I'm gonna to do more than just try. I'll make sure that tonight will be a night you'll never forget." He grinned at you. You found yourself grinning back, amused by his determination.

You let him have the last word this time as you let your eyes wander. It's not lost on you how attractive this man is. This only made you more curious to see the lengths he would go to get you feening for him.

The moment was completely overtaken by the presenter announcing the Grammy for Record of the Year.

"And the winner is... Beat it by Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones, Thriller!"

Making it his eighth Grammy win, Michael smiled at you, slipping his aviators back on before standing up to retrace the steps he had been taking all evening.

You amusedly watched him head up to the stage, accepting the award alongside Quincy. From what you'd heard, no artist has ever won eight Grammy awards in one night, and the fact that Michael was able to accomplish such a feat truly amazed you. You could tell how overjoyed he was to receive this Grammy, and as you listened to his short but meaningful acceptance speech, you couldn't help but smile. You were genuinely happy for him.

After Quincy said a few words, he hugged Michael, and they went backstage, presumably to take photos with all of his trophies. Michael soon returned as the host for tonight's Grammy awards came back out on stage to close out the show.

"Congratulations again, Michael, you truly deserve it!" You spoke sincerely.

"Ahh, this is a nice change of pace," he teases you as he sat down, surprised by your genuine words. He had been expecting another smart remark.

You looked at him with a smile, your tone softening with warmth. "Thriller is a great album, I won't argue with that."

"Thank you, I really appreciate you saying that. It means a lot." Michael replied in a gentler tone, looking at you with sincerity. He enjoyed hearing your praises.

You grinned in response and looked away for a moment before Michael gently brought your attention back to him, his finger guiding your chin to face him. "So Y/N.. about that phone number.." he said, his voice low as he lightly traced down your jawline, his finger lingering near your ear. He gently brushed your hair behind your shoulder, his touch trailing along the outline of your shoulder. His eyes never left yours, his finger dangerously close to the thin strap of your dress.

"What about it?"

"I do believe that was apart of our bet. If I won 7 Grammys, I get your phone number."

"I did make a promise about giving that to you, didn't I?" you said, your breathing slightly irregular from his actions.

"Yes you did..." he replied, his hand moving to the small of your back. "Since I ended up with 8 Grammys I think I'd like to get your phone number and have a dance with you at the after-party." he added, his voice full of charm.

You chuckled dismissively, raising an eyebrow, "Now why are you trying to add stuff?"

"Technically, I'm not.." Michael smirked, noticing the puzzled expression on your face. He continued, "Think of it as a way to celebrate all of my wins tonight."

"Oh I see. And dancing with me is your guaranteed way to commemorate your wins?"

"You catch on fast." he said, his grin widening. "How else will I be able to keep a beautiful woman like you interested?" He asked honestly, his hand remaining on your back, caressing your skin with his thumb.

You chuckled at his question, amused. "That depends— do you think you can hold my attention beyond just one song?"

"Oh I can assure you," he smirked, "I'm hoping for an encore." 

"Are you really?"

"Absolutely, I'm good for it and by the end of the night, you'll be begging for more than just a dance with me."

"Well.." you chuckled at his bold claim, "I hate to burst your bubble but.." you lean forward as if you were about to kiss him. Michael's eyes widened slightly in surprise that you leaned forward, clearly anticipating a kiss. His heart quickened a bit as you were now centimeters away from his lips, you whisper. "I'm not interested." You leaned back to sit in your seat properly.

Michael watched you pull away and sat there, stunned. Just when he had you all figured out, here you go throwing him a curve ball. "You're not interested? C'mon girl stop playing.."

"I have a boyfriend." You smirked, savoring his reaction.

Michael blinks his eye a few times, his expression shifting to shock as your words settled in. He leaned back in his seat, visibly irritated by your admission. "A boyfriend? You have a boyfriend? You didn't think to share that information earlier?"

"A woman never kisses and tells.."

He rolled his eyes, shaking his head in annoyance. "Of course you wouldn't.. " he huffed in frustration before adding, "You're enjoying this, aren't you? Playing with me, knowing that you're out of reach— it's some kind of twisted game you're playing, huh?"

"Depends on if you can keep up long enough to stay in the game." You tilted your head before you continuing, "That is, if you can last that long..." You smirked as you said that. The double entendre was evident in your suggestive tone.

Though you do have a boyfriend, let the record show— you'd risk it all for Michael.

Michael chuckled as he caught onto your innuendo loud and clear. He shook his head slightly before leaning in closer again, determined not to back down from your flirtatious challenge, "Baby, you have no idea how long I can last.." he spoke lowly, a hint of sultriness lingered as much as his eyes did on yours.

"Hmm, we'll see about that." you say, challenging him as you slowly get up from your chair.

Michael watched you rise from your seat, taking this as a sign you were about to leave. His eyes were fixated on your body in fascination. He exhaled a breath, his voice laced with tension as he spoke. "And where do you think you're going?"

"Home." You said casually as you reached under your seat to retrieve your coin purse.

He leaned back in his seat frustratedly but his eyes stayed locked on you, "Home? So soon? We were just getting started.. you can't leave me hanging like this." He complained.

You took a step forward to stand before him, leaning in as you grabbed the armrests of his chair, your gaze locked directly on his face. "I can and I will." You smirked before turning your attention to Brooke. Lifting your hand, you showed her your palm, a clear indicator that if you wanted to have Michael eating out of the palm of your hand, you could— and you did. She grimaced at your gesture, causing you to smirk before flipping your palm and fluttering your fingers in a playful wave.

"Have a good night.." you spoke smoothly as you stood up straight. You walked away, leaving them both sitting there. You made a lasting impression on one of the biggest stars in the world. Talk about an ego boost. Confidence in your stride, you exited the auditorium with a smile on your face.

Though you hated to leave, you knew that you had no choice. As a seat filler, you weren't allowed to go to the after-party anyway.

Michael was stuck to his chair, watching you leave, his eyes following your every move. Despite your unwillingness to give in, he couldn't help but admit that you'd managed to capture his attention completely. You intrigued him in ways that he didn't know were possible and he knew that he had to see you again, no matter what.

[anonymouspyt]

Don’t mind if I do 😏😏😏🤭

Someone needs to lay this man god

[anonymouspyt]

" P o p u l a r E l e c t r o n i c s. "

[anonymouspyt]

oh michael in invincible era :( i just want to kiss him all over his face:(((((((( michael come home the kids MISS YOU

[anonymouspyt]

[anonymouspyt]

Exactly!

[anonymouspyt]

Y’all want the next imagine today or should I wait a couple days?

[anonymouspyt]

The Studio Session 💌

Word Count: 4.9k

Warning(s): none

May 18th, 1987. Los Angeles, CA.

"All my Children will be back in a moment." the smooth tone of the voiceover boomed from the sound waves of the 1981 19-inch Hitachi-CT color tv. The commercials swiftly interrupted, flooding the screen with bright, attention grabbing advertisements.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Your legs were crossed and the base of your foot tapped lightly against the edge of the coffee table in your cousin's apartment. You were sitting on the couch, reading a magazine. You could hear your cousin laughing and your eyebrow lifted as you lifted your head up from the magazine. The current commercial faded into mere background noise as you focused in on your cousin, who was talking on the phone.

You'd just arrived in town last night, visiting from Georgia. Your cousin had always told you that anytime you wanted to come to L.A., you were more than welcome to stay with her, so you decided to take her up on that offer.

"Alright, I'll see you soon. Bye Michael." Your cousin, Siedah said with a light giggle and hung up the phone. She looks over at you with a grin.

You look over with anticipating eyes. "Soooo.." You grin at her before continuing, teasingly. "Was that Michael, Michael?"

Your cousin chuckles before answering you. "Yes Y/N, that was Michael Jackson on the phone. He wanted to touch base with me and make sure we were still on for our studio session today."

Suddenly, your interest piqued when you questioned her again, "Oh yeah.. it's that new song you're working on with him, for his upcoming album right?"

Now having your undivided attention, you recalled the moment she told you about the collaboration over the phone last week. It was just the other day when she was heading into session with Michael and Quincy Jones. Michael was still looking for someone to appear on the track, I Just Can't Stop Loving You, and what Siedah didn't know at the time was that both Michael and Quincy had decided to let her to be featured on it. They let her know once she got settled in the studio. She was so surprised when they gave her the news, you couldn't have been any prouder.

"Yup, the very one!" she replied, standing up and walking over to the coat rack to grab her black leather jacket. Siedah looked at you as she slid her arms in the jacket before she added, "We're meeting in West Hollywood within the hour. I gotta get going before traffic hits."

"How long does a studio session normally take?" You ask her curiously with a hint of nervousness.

Siedah shrugged as she adjusted her jacket on her body. "You never know how long a session is going to take. Hell, I never know. It could be a hour.. It could be 3 to 5 hours. Maybe even overnight.."

Still holding the magazine in your hands, you dropped it in your lap, reacting instinctively, and looked at her. "Overnight?!" You paused, taking in her neutral reaction. "What the hell am I supposed to do until you come back?" You said, frustration creeping in your voice. You weren't exactly thrilled to be cooped up in your cousin's apartment all by yourself in an unfamiliar city.

"I don't know cuzzo.. but hey, there's plenty to do out here to pass the time." Siedah said casually, trying to make light of the situation. She takes a step forward to look in the mirror and  fix the collar on her yellow blouse. "You can catch a cab and go see a movie at the TCL Chinese Theater, head down to the Pier in Santa Monica, or you could even go to Disneyland. There's so much to choose from!" she added.

You sat there and listened to your cousin throw out these suggestions. They weren't necessarily bad options but they weren't great options either. You thought it over briefly until another thought comes to mind. The wheels in your mind began to turn and, a mischievous grin slowly curled at the corners of your lips as you looked at her.

Siedah assessed your current disposition and looked at you crazily before questioning you. "What?"

"Let me come with you."

She furrowed her eyebrows at you and asked a follow up question. "Come where?"

You give her a duh look, your tone matching it's expression. "To the studio." To make it clearer for her, you added. "Let me come to the studio with you." Your cousin looked at you with an unconvinced grin for a couple moments.

It's as if she considered it for a moment, but then she hesitates before saying, "I don't know Y/N.."

"Oh come on, it's not everyday that your super talented cousin gets to work with THE Michael Jackson!" You try to say in a more convincing tone.

"I don't know Y/N.. Michael normally likes to keep his studio sessions private." Siedah said while grabbing her purse from the coat rack.

You got up from the couch and walked over to her, shaking her shoulders. "Come on Sid, pleaseee! It would be so much fun!" You pleaded. She looked at you, still unconvinced that she should bring you along. "I won't say a word, I promise. If he doesn't want me in the studio with you guys, I'll sit outside in the lobby.." You lifted your hands in surrender, shrugging your shoulders. "The least he can say is no, right?" You added on as a last ditch effort.

Your cousin looked at you for a few seconds more and breaks the look with a grin. She groaned playfully, "Alright, let's go.." You squealed and hugged her tightly. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" "Yeah yeah, hurry up Y/N! We gotta go!"

You let go of her, looking at her excitedly. "Let me go put on my boots and I'll be ready. Give me two seconds!" You dashed off to the spare guest room she'd allowed you to use while you're in town. Kicking off your house slippers by the door, you open the closet door and grab your black leather stiletto ankle boots. You could hear your cousin fussing at you while slipping one of them on from the other room, "Y/N, Let's go!" Her footsteps echoed towards the front door, and you could hear the jingling of her car keys as she pulled them out of her purse.

"Okay, okay! Keep your pants on!" You sassed as you reached for your black Chanel handbag with the double flap and gold-tone hardware.

"Yo ass is about to get left!" Siedah retorted while unlocking and opening the door.

"Alright, I'm coming! Damn!" You hop out the room with one heel on and the other in your hand. Using your free hand, you throw your purse strap over your shoulder and slip the other heel on your foot.

You walk over near Siedah to look in the mirror at your outfit, adjusting the gold chain embellishments on the sleeve of your blazer so it will hang properly. You can feel Siedah's eyes burning the side of your face. Turning to face her, you teased, "Whatcha waitin' on? Let's go." you chuckled on the way out. Your cousin just rolled her eyes as you passed her by, leaving her to follow in behind you and close the door on the way out, locking it behind her.

𝄞𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ 𓈈⭒♬ ﾟ.𝄞𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ 𓈈⭒♬ ﾟ.𝄞𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ 𓈈⭒♬ ﾟ.

The tires on Siedah's car come to a halt as she pulled into a parking spot next to a meter along the sidewalk. She turned the car off and reached in her coin purse to gather up some quarters. Once she had them, she looked over at you and placed the coins in your hand. "We're here." she said before getting out the car.

Holding the quarters tightly in your hand, you got out the car and took a good look at the building. "This is it?" You questioned your cousin, closing the car door and stepping onto the sidewalk to insert the quarters in the parking meter. It wasn't anything how you'd imagined it to look.

With a beige stucco finish, the studio has an industrial appeal to it. The studio has brown metal slatted louvers covering the long windows and the address number "8447" was cemented in brass above the doorway, simple but distinctive.

"Yup! This is it— Westlake Studios." Siedah replied, walking around the car from behind to step up onto the sidewalk. She continued walking until she reached the dark double doors and pressed the red button on the intercom next to it. "Mike Jack, it's Siedah. Let me in!" she said in a joking manner, taking her finger off the button. Your heart started pounding as you walked over to meet Siedah by the door. The magnitude of the situation trickled into your nerves like a thief in the night: You're about to meet Michael Jackson.

Shit.

The sound of the buzzer caused you to jump back a little. As soon as the door clicked, Siedah took the opportunity to open it, ushering you inside.

When you walked in, there were a plethora of different records plastered on the gold wall. From Luther to Chaka, so many legendary artists have their plaques displayed, almost like it was an official badge of honor. It was inspiring to see the records so up close in real time— so surreal.

"Siedah, you made it!" A smooth, velvety voice suddenly filled the room.

You turned over your shoulder and you see Michael Jackson, walking over to us. His broad shoulders are on full display with his black patched embroidered varsity jacket. Your lips parted ever so slightly as you saw him approaching, as if your body is already falling apart at the seams because of his presence.

Siedah hugs him as soon as he makes it over to her. "It's good to see you!" she hugged him warmly. A light chuckle escaped his lips when reciprocating the hug, giving her a light two pats on the back. "It's good to see you too." You observed their hug and couldn't help but think, he looks like he gives the best hugs.

Michael lets go of the hug and looks directly at you. "Who's this?"

When your eyes met his, you could've sworn your heart stopped beating for a few seconds. You've seen plenty of men with dark brown eyes in your lifetime but none of them compare to his. Hypnotic in their wake, the look in his eyes feel like a quiet invitation to draw you closer to him, an invitation you actually don't mind accepting..

Your cousin quickly remembered you were there and replied, "Oh, where are my manners? Michael, this is my cousin, Y/N L/N. Y/N, this is Michael."

He grins slightly and holds his hand out, "Hello.."

You place your hand in his large one, returning the smile. "Hi.."

Michael shook your hand gently. "It's very nice to meet you, Y/N." he said politely.

"Likewise.." You grin a bit wider when he says your name. It rolled off his tongue a little too good. If there was anyone else observing you, they'd might call you starstruck, but you couldn't help but stare at him. You thought to yourself, 'Let me let go of this man's hand before I get caught up...'

You cleared your throat slightly as you pulled your hand away, placing it by your sides. Siedah spoke up, "She's visiting me for the month and she was wondering—"

"She was wondering if I could sit in on your studio session today?" you cut your cousin off so you could ask Michael yourself. You spoke with confidence as you looked at him.

Michael just stared at you. It's almost if he was trying to size you up. Your gaze never faltered as he continued his assessment, studying you from the top of your curls down to the points of your boots.

He chuckled, clearly surprised by your sudden attitude, though it didn't seem to bother him in the slightest. "Okay, I don't see why not."

Siedah looked at him in shock, "Forreal?" This was surprising for her because Michael hardly ever invites people in the sessions with him. If you aren't working on his project specifically, you could not come in. And yet, here he was inviting you. He shrugged casually. "Yeah, it will be great to hear feedback from someone who's outside of the team." He flashed that charming Jackson smile to seal the deal.

"I won't mind giving it either.." you stated, referring to the feedback, of course.

Michael nodded, his smile unwavering as he turned his attention back to you. "Good."

You returned the smile as you continued looking at him. Siedah cut through the obvious tension in the air, saying, "Perfect! Let's get this show on the road, shall we?"

Michael looked at Siedah, grinned, and bowed sheepishly. "Yeah, of course!" he laughed, a bit embarrassed. "Follow me." he added, turning around. He veered towards the right, guiding us down the hallway. Your attention was now fixated on the occupied studios as you passed them by, more platinum plaques lining the walls with every step. It gave you goosebumps to know that you were walking down the hall where so many hit records had been made.

When we made it down to the end of the hall, you and Siedah stood on either side of Michael as he opened the door. You were met with a lacquered coated brown sign mounted on the olive green door with 'STUDIO D PRIVATE.' in gold brass lettering.

The minute he opened the door, your jaw dropped in awe. It was revealed that this particular studio spanned three stories. Though private, the atmosphere was incredibly welcoming. You took the opportunity to look around when you walked in. His own platinum plaques adorned the walls and his movie poster for Captain EO was pinned on the column right next to the studio entry way. To your right, a bathroom was tucked in the corner. If you didn't know any better, you might have mistaken this as an apartment rather than a studio.

"Watch your step, please." Michael warned quietly as he took a step up to lead you and Siedah in the control room. Upon entering, Quincy Jones was sitting infront of the sound board, chewing an apple. Bruce Swedien was sitting to his right, adjusting the knobs on the sound board.

Siedah walked over to both of them, giving them a hug. "Hey guys." Quincy patted her hand as she draped an arm around him and the other around Bruce.

"Hey Sid, you ready to rock today?" Quincy asked your cousin, tossing his apple hull in the trash. Michael stood near the doorframe next to you with his arms behind his back.

"You know it!" Siedah let go of them both and walked over to put her bag down in the single seat sofa in the corner. She took off her black leather jacket and yellow blouse, revealing a black midriff underneath. After tossing them next to her bag, she sifted through it to grab her water bottle, taking a couple sips to get her voice warmed up. Siedah decided to stay in the corner, clipping her locs with a duck pin out of her face as she continued to warm up.

Bruce turned over to see you standing next to Michael, causing him and Quincy to exchange looks before looking back over there. "Oh? Well who do we have here?" Bruce questioned, narrowing his eyes at Michael. Michael's cheeks grew hot and takes a couple steps over to the side, creating a bit of distance between you two.

Siedah walks back over to you and hugs your waist, "This is my cousin, Y/N. Y/N? This is Quincy Jones and Bruce Swedien, two of the most legendary record producers in the business!"

You wave at them both, "Hey, it's good to meet you both. I love your work. Both of you, I'm a huge fan!" You marvel at them as you walk over to shake their hands.

"Ah, thank you sweetheart." Quincy grins and looks over at Michael before looking back at you.

Bruce pats your hand and chuckles before answering, "Thank you, you're too kind. So Y/N, can you sing?"

"I can.. uh, I can carry a tune!" You grin bashfully. "But I'm only here to watch the session, if that's okay with you guys."

Quincy smirks a bit looking over at Michael. "If it's okay with Michael then it's okay with us! Are you okay with it, Smelly?" he said teasingly. The nickname caused you to look over at Michael with raised eyebrows and an amused grin.

Michael took note of your reaction to his nickname and smiled embarrassingly, shifting his gaze between you and Quincy, "Oh yeah.. I'm okay with it. Make yourself at home, Y/N."

You grin at him, walking down the two step staircase next the sound board to make your way to the white plush sofa that was sandwiched between the board and the window looking into the live room. You set your purse down as you looked over at him, "Thanks, I think I will." Though you said it politely, there was a subtle hint of flirtation beneath the appreciative comment.

As if the message was received, he sends a small grin your way. He now turns to Siedah who was coming his way. "Okay, let's get this party started!" she cheered.

Michael grins at her and says, "Alright, whenever you're ready Miss Siedah.." He gestures her to follow him in the live room and she does. He then walked over to the light switch to dim the room a bit, leaving a single spotlight over the two music stands placed in the center of the room and the tube condensers mics suspending from it's boom arm. He comes back over to Siedah, placed his hand on the small of her back as he lead her to her designated spot. They grin at each other and he pinched her elbow before making his way over to his spot.

Quincy pressed the mic button on the soundboard to cue them in, "Let's take it from the second verse." In the background, you could hear the audio from the tape machine distorting as it sped up.

"For this take, I really want you two to dig deep. I want to be able to feel the intensity of these lyrics— take me and listeners on the journey with you. Let's make it romantic, yeah?"

Both Michael and Siedah shuffled through their sheet music to pick up where they left off from the first session. Michael slipped his Ray-Bans wayfarers out of his pocket and put them on. Once adjusted, he glanced through the glass of the control room and gave a thumbs-up. Quincy acknowledged the gesture with a nod.

"Alright.. we're rolling..."

Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack.

The metronome struck in with a vengeance as the beautiful melody blared out, filling the room of its romantic energy.

𝄞𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ 𓈈⭒♬ ﾟ.𝄞𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ 𓈈⭒♬ ﾟ.𝄞𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ 𓈈⭒♬ ﾟ.

Exactly two hours have passed and you were starting to get the impression that little moment you and Michael shared before he started to record with Siedah was nothing more than just common courtesy.

It appears what you misinterpreted as attraction between you and Michael, that interpretation should have been more directed towards him and Siedah.

The subtle glances at each other, the laughing in between takes, Michael's boyish grin when your cousin would speak to him and not to mention, he'd throw cashews at her forehead during the recording— it was a lot to sit through. It felt like you were intruding ontheir private time together even though there was a barrier of glass separating the three of you.

Michael would periodically glance through the glass in the control room as Quincy gave them feedback between takes throughout the session. His sunglasses added an extra layer of being guarded and reserved when receiving direction.

You couldn't help but sigh to yourself as you looked at him. His never shifting focus is to be expected but it almost felt as if you weren't even there at all— completely disregarded.

Soon enough, the session was over. Siedah and Michael were still in the live room but had stepped away from the music stands as they were off to the side talking about something. Michael had his hands in the pockets of his varsity jacket while focusing on her talking. She must've said something funny because you could see them both laughing from afar.

You watched them laugh and even though you felt a pang in your chest, your stoic expression remained intact. Your poker face was impeccable.

After a few more minutes, they came out of the live room to come into the control room. Siedah came over to you directly and Michael went over to Bruce and Quincy to go over a few things.

You looked at your cousin as soon as she came over by the arm of the sofa. "Sooo how was it sitting in on your first professional session?" She asked you curiously.

"It was cool. I really enjoyed it." You nodded at your cousin with a feigned smile before continuing. "The song is truly beautiful. You guys sound good together." You said that genuinely because even though you were a bit salty, you were not going to deny the obvious.

"Thanks cuz, it was really fun! Mike's pretty cool to be around.." Siedah beamed.

"Seems that way." You looked at your cousin. She grinned at you before walking up the staircase to grab her things. Returning to the couch, she placed the items in the empty space next to you. You watched her as she slipped her yellow blouse back over her black midriff and adjusted her locs in the process.

You hesitated to address the elephant in the room. It weighed on you, unsure if asking the question would change things between you and Siedah. You noticed Michael walking Quincy and Bruce out of the control room. It wasn't until you heard the door of the studio open and close that you saw an opportunity. "Can I ask you something?" you blurted out.

"Of course. Anything." Siedah reassured as she stood infront of you.

"Are you and Michael like...." you began, trailing off. "..together or something?"

Siedah busted out laughing, a little louder than she anticipated. "Girl, hell no!"

You looked at her like she had truly lost it. "You could've fooled me."

"Girl no, we're just friends. I know what it could've looked like but I promise you, it's nothing more than that."

"I don't know Sid, it really looked like you two had something going on." you said almost reluctantly.

"Y/N, we don't okay? Michael is just.. like that. I can't really explain it but when he's comfortable around people, he tends to get a little... overly friendly. He means nothing by it, I swear." Siedah explained as you continued to look at her.

You looked at her, confused. What does she mean by 'He means nothing by it.' You paused before asking, "Siedah, why are you telling me this?"

Siedah froze, looking like a deer in headlights and walked over to peep out the control room to make sure the coast was still clear. After a moment, she returned to you and grinned, "Michael likes you, Y/N."

You furrow your eyebrows at her. "Wait what?"

"Yeah. He kept asking me about you throughout the entire session. You didn't notice that man staring at you the entire time?" Your cousin asked bluntly.

The realization hit you like a ton of bricks. When Michael was looking through the glass window periodically, he wasn't looking at Quincy or Bruce. He was really looking at you.

"He was not." You said, looking at her in total disbelief.

"Yeah. He was. I kept trying to get him go in there where you were so he could ask you out, but he kept chickening out. I'd tease him about being a scaredy cat, and he'd just laugh it off. He may not seem like it, but he can be really shy at times."

You were truly caught off guard by this admission, hanging onto every word your cousin said as you sat on the couch. Siedah looked at you with a knowing smirk on her face.

"What?" you spat, shooting her a side-eye.

"I know why you wanted to know, Y/N." Siedah taunted you, folding her arms as she stares.

You roll your eyes at her, "You do not." you grin, amusement in your tone. Of course, she does. She's your cousin she knows you inside and out.

"I saw that look you in your eye when you meet him. You not foolin' nobody!" Siedah grinned. "You know you think that man is finee."

"Okay, whatever." You wave her off, despite her being correct.

"Uh huh, y'all would be cute together, cousinnn. I'm rooting for you." Siedah joked, throwing a playful wink your way. You couldn't help but laugh. After laughing with you, she continued, "Anyway, you ready to go?"

"Yeah, let me go to the restroom first then I'll be ready." You responded as you got up, watching her throw her purse over her shoulder.

"Mkay, imma head out. See you at the car?" Siedah questioned on her way out of the control room.

"Yeah, I'll be right on out." you responded as you walked out the control room with her.

The two of you parted ways. Siedah went straight for door to exit the studio while you continued on to use the bathroom conveniently placed next to the control room. Once inside, you sat there, processing everything you'd just heard. Michael Jackson is interested in YOU. It was something you honestly couldn't believe, but the longer you sat in there, the more you realized it might not be as far-fetched as it initially seemed.

After washing and drying your hands, you stepped out the bathroom and headed back to the control room to retrieve your purse. Just as you reached it, the studio door opened again.

You were in the middle of putting your purse strap around your shoulder when Michael walked back into the control room. The two of you silently stared at each other for a moment, the door closing breaking the silence.

"Oh h-hey.. I thought you left.." Michael spoke up, looking at you.

"I was about to. I came back in here to get my purse." you responded, resuming your motions as you adjusted the strap around your shoulder. He quietly nods in response. The room fell silent once again but the energy was different this time.

He put his hands in his pant pockets and leaned against the end corner of one of the pillars by the sound board. Behind those Ray-Bans, he was absolutely checking you out, he couldn't help himself.

Michael watched you walk away from the couch, heading towards him. He knew that you were about to leave. His mind was screaming at him to say something, to do anything, just to keep you in there with him— even if it was just for a few more minutes.

"So.. what did you think of the song?" Michael asked, breaking the silence once again. He had been waiting to hear your opinion all day.

You took the step up to be right at hip level next to the sound board, not too far from him now. "I liked it a lot, the song is really beautiful." you responded honestly.

Michael slinked off the pillar, he spoke smoothly, "And what if I think you're really beautiful?" he stepped forward closing the gap in between you, looking down at you. "What then?"

You felt your breath hitch at the sudden change in his demeanor. You were not expecting him to be so forward.

"I... I'd say you have great taste.." you responded while looking at him.

He chuckles a bit before licking his lips. "Well, I guess we both have great taste then.." he flirted with ease, tilted his head a bit while looking at you.

"I guess so." you grinned. "Where was all of this energy earlier?"

Michael returns your grin, "I guess I was just waitin' on the right moment." He takes off his glasses for you to see his beautiful dark brown eyes. "The moment feels right, wouldn't you agree?"

"I'm starting to think you might be right. So what's next, hm?" you ask him, a playful smirk etched on your lips.

"Well, that depends on you. What do you think should happen now?" Michael said with a charming smirk.

You stepped up to him, leaning forward to adjust the collar of his shirt, which was tucked into his varsity jacket. "Well, I think maybe you should do like my cousin said and ask me out." you retorted, maintained eye contact with him as you watched his cheeks turn red. He hadn't expected you to find out about that.

Michael grins wider before nodding impressively, "Okay.." He bites his lip while looking at you before continuing, "Let's make it official, how's Saturday night?"

"Saturday night it is." you grinned, smoothing your hands across his varsity jacket before stepping back, letting your hands fall.

Before you got too far from him, Michael caught a hold of your hand gently. "I'll be waiting, Miss Y/N.." he whispered as he brought your hand to his lips, pressing a gentle kiss there.

You blushed as you watched him lower your hand. Slipping it out of his grasp, you clutched the strap of your purse and said softly, "Bye.."

Michael flashed his charming Jackson grin in your direction once more. "Bye." He watched you leave, his gaze lingering until you were out of sight.

[anonymouspyt]

JUST BEAT IT!! 💥💥 Full body drawings are the bain of my existence

[anonymouspyt]

Posting the first imagine today. New masterlist coming soon 💖

[anonymouspyt]

🫠🫠🫠🫠