beneath the stage

the dangerous world tour is nearing its end, and every night michael jackson walks onstage in front of tens of thousands of screaming fans. to the world, he's the king of pop. backstage, though, he's just michael.

as someone who's become one of the few people he truly trusts, you're there for the moments no one else gets to see, the pre-show nerves, the quiet hiding spots beneath the stage, the late-night conversations after concerts, and the small pieces of himself he keeps hidden from everyone else.

while cameras capture the performances, your story unfolds behind the scenes, where stolen moments, secret kisses, and a love kept far from the spotlight become the one place michael can simply be himself.

collab fic (@goldennpalimpsest on tumblr)