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littlemissthunderstorms · 3 months

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warp speed chic pt.1

“the shining city on the fritz”

a tranquility base hotel and casino alternate universe.

———

you were in awe.

warm, glimmering lights hung down from the ceiling, the soft glittering reflections painting the walls like a mirrorball. smooth jazz filled the reception area, muddled by various chitter chatter and conversations. the whole atmosphere was warm and welcoming, but you couldn’t help the shiver than ran down your spine when you caught a glance out of one of the big windows, vast space scattered with stars and nebulas stretching on and on above the spectacular intergalactic city lights.

you caught yourself staring, jaw agape.

“can i help you miss?” a man with a sleek suit holding a clipboard looked up at you through his thick rimmed glasses, waiting for an answer. “oh- um, yes! i’m actually supposed to meet um..” you glanced at your card, “alex turner?” the man raised his eyebrows. “mr. turner you say?”

you nodded, not really aware of his importance, or if he had any at all. you just knew you were supposed to meet with him first thing. the man glanced down at his clipboard, shaking his head and scurrying over to the phone at the desk, where he fumbled with the buttons, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose while he waited for someone to pick up.

you clacked your nails on the desk, looking around as you waited, still breath taken by the gorgeous architecture, the way design flowed so beautifully throughout the space. “good evening mr. turner! sorry to trouble you sir, i’ve got someone who’s apparently supposed to be meeting- oh! great, i’ll send her right up. thank you- you too sir.”

you smiled at the man, nervously biting your lip. another dude in a sleek suit came up to the desk, annoyed. “jeremy, i’m the phone guy. what are you doing?” the man with the thick glasses, presumably named jeremy, rolled his eyes. “mark, i don’t want to hear it. go take this young ladies luggage up to her room,” he snapped back, quickly clacking away on his keyboard. “room 505.” mark scoffed, mustering a fake smile for you as he took your luggage and scurried away.

“sorry about him. he’s got a knack for directing calls... anyway, mr. turner’s been expecting you, follow me.” you smile and nod awkwardly, following him as he treks down a long, red carpeted hallway.

———

turns out, it’s a little frightening riding the elevator up to the top floor. you’ve never been too afraid of heights, but this elevator is a round tube of pure glass, giving you a chill inducing view of all the buildings as the lift rises, just getting higher and higher, the tops of the neon buildings getting lower and lower.

it was frightening for sure, but interesting nonetheless. the booming metro city outside was a design of neon lights and intricate architecture. surely there were many lives and different storylines sprawling and networking throughout the city, as there was everywhere but it seemed so much more captivating on the moon. you wondered what it was like to live here.

once the elevator reached the peak of the building, dinging as the doors slid open, you happily slid out into the hallway. “go straight down the hall, through that big door. that’s his office.” you nodded, a little intimidated now. “thank you sir.” he smiled. “have a wonderful evening miss.”

and with that he was gone, the elevator dinging once more as it closed, followed by the low hum of the lift descending back down, leaving you on your own. the top floor was eerily quiet, the lights dim. you took a deep breath before walking towards the huge door at the end of the hall, noticing the shiny gold plaque in the middle that read alexander turner, founder of tranquility base hotel & casino.

great. you were set to be talking to the goddamn owner of this place. you seemed very mentally unprepared, all you knew is that you would be working on designing the new wing that was just built, along with a team of designers. of course you were qualified for the job, and it was an honor to design for a place this spectacular, you were just a bit intimidated.

you quickly fluffed up your hair and smoothed down your shirt before knocking, your stomach knotting up. a muffled shuffling sound followed by a few heavy footsteps were heard from behind the door before it swung open.

the man that greeted you on the other side was quite striking. you didn’t quite know who you were expecting, but he was much younger than you imagined, probably no more of an age gap of 3 years between you and him, you assumed. the man wore a crisp, perfectly tailored navy blue suit, the cream button up below equally sleek. his dark hair was slicked back, his vampire-esque hairline on display.

“hello, it’s lovely to have you, i’m alex,” he shook your hand and you smiled, trying not to show your nerves as you introduced yourself. “come, have a seat,” he moved your chair out from under the desk, sitting in his own across from you after you’d sat down.

his office was a bit of a contrast from the rest of the establishment. instead of sleek, polished furniture and vast space, the room inhabited more of a homey, lived in essence. you could tell he’d actually done work here. mahogany bookcases lined the whole wall behind his desk, sprawling with books and journals. various paintings scattered the walls, an occasional sticky note or reminder stuck to a golden frame. instead of overhead lighting, vintage lamps scattered the room, basking the space in a comforting warmth that soothed your nerves.

he ran a hand through his gelled hair, fidgeting with the fold of his sleeves. “we’re really excited to have you here. i’ve got to say, i’m a big fan of your work.” this comment surprised you. “thank you, it’s an honor, really.” you smiled, your cheeks starting to hurt. “i just wanted to see you so i could get you all set up. just before you arrived, i emailed you everything you need to know, so um- just be sure to go over that.”

you nodded attentively. “tomorrow you’ll have a meeting with the other designers in the conference hall, which shouldn’t be tricky to find, there’s a map of the place attached to the email as well,” the man rambled on a bit, telling you a bit about the place, sometimes starting sentences just to never finish them, getting lost in his own thoughts.

you liked the way he spoke, his accent, the dreamlike quality his tone held. “any questions?” he chimed after telling you about the library. you shook your head. you had a lot of questions for him, so many you couldn’t even pick, and plus, you didn’t want to worry him anymore, so you saved those questions for another time, storing them in your mind as if they were books on his shelves. alex sat up, smoothing a hand over his blazer.

“well then, i’ll walk you to your room,” he smiled. “oh, that’s alright it’s no worry,” you stood up. surely he was busy, you didn’t want to bother him. he tilted his head. “do you know where it is?” you were silent for a moment, thinking of the plethora of hallways this place had, your chance of finding the suite on your own was small. “no…” you shook your head, smiling awkwardly.

———

“here you are, room 505,” he smiled, holding out a keycard for you. the walk to the suite area had been silent for the most part. the hotel was starting to quiet down since it was getting late. every so often he’d look back and give you a gentle smile before turning back, his heeled boots clacking against the sleek wood flooring. he was so intriguing to you, unlike anyone you’d ever met. you wouldn’t be surprised if he melted into the shadows, seeping away into darkness, like some sort of creature. you couldn’t explain it.

“thank you, mr. turner,” you smiled, grabbing the keycard. “it’s no problem, and call me alex,” he added, stepping away slightly as he realized he might’ve been a bit too close for comfort. “it was nice to meet you, alex.” he grinned. “it’s been a pleasure, have a wonderful night.”

as his footsteps faded off into the darkness, you held your keycard up to the scanner, eyes widening when the door clicked and swung open.

the place was stunning. a large, circular bed sat in the middle of the room, adorned in plush maroon and silky red pillows, with a matching maroon comforter. a white sheer lace bed curtain was tied to each of the four wooden posts, making a gorgeous canopy. the room was tasteful, soft, consisting of intricately designed carpets, sleek 70’s style furniture, and a plasma tv that slid down from the ceiling with a click of a button.

you almost squealed at the sight of the bathroom. the rooms porcelain tiles were pink and cream, matching with the patchwork carpet that sat in front of the clawfoot tub, which was filled with expensive soaps. you opened another sliding door to find a nearly empty walk-in closet, a cherry red silk robe hung on one of the racks, a matching pair of slippers below.

once you were snug in bed, practically melting into the mattress, being engulfed by the soft pillows, your eyes began to feel heavy. you slowly turned your head over to the exterior wall, sleepily gazing out of the large window. most of the city lights were off now, leaving only the inky black void of stars to lull you to sleep.

———

stepping into the conference room, you felt a little underdressed in your button down and slacks. there were about six other designers, all clad in an array of vibrancy. shiny space-age metallic tops, dynamic head scarfs, eccentric glasses. they all looked like they were set to walk a runway show, clearly you missed the memo.

you were a teensy bit late, thanks to the warm, soft bed that didn’t fail to keep you asleep through your alarm. you gave an awkward smile when they all turned to look at you, the door slamming a little too loud. you flushed, quickly setting your laptop and purse down as you pushed yourself into the seat across from alex, who gave you a gentle smile.

settling in, you looked up at the designer who was giving a presentation on his ideas for the new stargazing room. you fought to not scrunch your nose. white curtains? white furniture? white walls with gold detailing? it was cute, maybe for a suburban mom but it didn’t match the energy of the hotel whatsoever.

once it was your turn to present ideas, you couldn’t help but feel a little nervous. some of the other designers had okay ideas, but some were also good, and although you loved your plan, these people seemed intimidating.

for the stargazing area, you’d envisioned a more cozy, dreamlike room. the furniture and carpeting would be warm toned, various soft lamps and fairy lights scattered across the room. while you were walking everyone through your presentation, your nerves seemed to ease. when you turned back around to sit down, everyone was quiet, unreadable. great.

after each presentation was done, it was time to discuss. everyones attention redirected to alex. being the owner, he got a big say in the final decision. your heart raced once you heard him murmur your name. “i liked yours. we’ll go with that,” he concluded. “meeting over, see you guys tomorrow.”

your jaw was agape. no discussion, no nothing, he chose yours immediately. the other designers didn’t take it well either, mumbling and grumbling a bit as they gathered their things and stumbled out of the conference room.

the following week, you were in the conference room once again. everyone was discussing plans for the day spa, and you found yourself falling quiet. someone had suggested sleek wood paneled walls, which alex had liked. others had suggested fluorescent lighting installments, to which alex said no. you sat there, observing until alex turned to you. “what about you? any ideas?”

your cheeks flushed a bit. “i was thinking dim, hanging lights, a bunch of different kinds, all warm toned, it makes it more calming.” he fiddled with his pen, nodding and scribbling something down. “i like that.”

a designer across the table from you rolled his eyes subtly. you shrunk in your seat, feeling gross. you didn’t want to be known as some sort of suck up. you couldn’t help the way alex singled you out, agreeing with all your ideas.

nevertheless, it didn’t stop. you’d suggest paintings for the wall, he would agree, you’d bring up an interesting wallpaper, he’d find somewhere to put it, you’d point out curtains that complemented the room well, he’d nod approvingly and scribble it down on his notepad.

eventually, you learned to be quieter, trying to let the other designers have the spot light but sure enough, alex would ask you to share again, his eyes narrowing at you as he dismissed the annoyance that stifled the room.

every single time, you’d receive a subtle scoff or an eye roll from one of the other petty designers. you understood, it was annoying that they’d worked hard to get here and the majority of their ideas were being turned down, but still, were their egos just so fucking big that they couldn’t be at least a little happy for you?

———

the next morning, you found a loup mask outside your door. it was adorned in black satin and lace, small gold detailing outlining the eyes. underneath was a small, metallic gold envelope with an invitation inside.

you have been invited to the tranquility base masquerade party,

tonight, 7pm, @ the information action ratio, live music and free drinks.

so now here you were, clad in a black, lace dress, which mysteriously had showed up at your door later that morning, along with a stunning pair of gold earrings and a dainty necklace that matched the detailing on your mask. the black satin hugged you perfectly, making you wonder how they managed to nail your size and proportions.

chandeliers with bulbs of stars hung down in clusters, emitting a gentle glow. people danced and chatted, jazz flowing through the room from the band on the stage, the martini police. tons of different people wandered around, all masked and dressed in a variety of colors and textures.

letting your eyes linger, you spotted the group of designers all chatting at a booth. instead, you headed towards the bar, figuring they already hated you enough, why annoy them now. the bar was beautiful, lights lit up the whole structure, and as you ordered your martini, you couldn’t help but notice how good looking some of the bartenders were.

as you sipped your drink, you felt someone’s presence directly behind you, a little too close for comfort. you turned, trying to distinguish who was under the sparkly white cat mask. “so, are you fucking him or something?”

your eyebrows raised “huh?” the girl scoffed, and immediately you recognized her as one of the other designers. she had a model figure, super tall with platinum blonde hair, and a menacing scoff. she’d be a really good bully. “are you fucking alex? is that how you get him to pick all your ideas?”

you shook your head, cheeks flushed. “no. i have no idea why he favors me,” you stated, turning back to your drink when you felt a cold liquid down your back, making you gasp. you turned again, the blonde pretending to be shocked as she held her empty glass. “i’m so sorry! i’m so clumsy.”

you rolled your eyes, getting up and deciding you’d had enough. you just wanted to go back to your suite, shower and lay in bed. since you’d arrived, the crowd almost doubled in size. you fought your way through, bumping into a few shoulders as you tried not to step on dresses. a lady in a swan mask turned and bumped you, her feathery dress catching on your shoes. you lost balance, stumbling over your heels, about to fall onto another group of people when you felt strong hands on your waist, and in a whirlwind you were upright.

it was alex. he pulled you close to him and swept you away onto the dancefloor, his hand on your waist, a hand interlocked with yours. you almost didn’t recognize him at first. he wore a black masquerade mask, with dark shimmery sequins adorning the sides. his hair was fluffier, much unlike his usual slicked back look.

you looked up at him, noticing how your hand gripped his shoulder. he’d swept you away so swiftly, leaving you speechless. his dark eyes shimmered under the mask as he peered down at you, waiting for you to speak first. “i- i was just leaving,” you stuttered, hyperfixating on the way the spill made the wet satin stick to your skin. he made no remark, keeping his languid gaze, his mouth twisted into a subtle grin.

“there’s vodka all over my dress,” you added. alex shuffled, taking off his blazer and wrapping it around your shoulders. it didn’t help much, but you didn’t say anything. it was a nice gesture.

the mystery lingered in the back of your mind, you wanted to question him about his decisions to constantly favor you but his position of authority made you bite your tongue.

his position of authority. you noticed how many people were staring all of a sudden. you could sense it in his sharp suit, the expensive, musky cologne he wore. it was entrancing, he was quite entrancing himself, you couldn’t ignore it but you couldn’t do this. you didn’t want the taboo boss employee type of perception cast upon you and him. you wanted to be taken seriously. the other designers were already perceiving you as some sort of teachers pet. the thought instilled momentary nausea.

“alex, i’ve got to go,” you whispered. he looked down at you again. “i’ll walk you back.” you shook your head. “no, no thank you, i’ll manage.” you slipped out of his arms before handing him his blazer, maneuvering your way through the tight packed crowd, slipping around torsos and arms until you finally made it out into the secluded hallway.

you took a deep breath, the chatter, music, and clinking of glasses now muddled. the hall was dark, not counting the floor to ceiling window that casted a murky blue into the space. you pressed your hand up against the window. staring out, you still didn’t comprehend it all was real, convincing yourself that it was a dream, and dreams were merely fragments of space cut out and glued together, playing like a glitched out film reel in your sleep.

you snapped back to reality, the smell of vodka on your dress pungent. quickly, you headed back to your suite, heels clacking on the marble, loud in the silence.

———

hii! let me know what you think so far. sorry if this part is a little uneventful, i mostly wanted to set up the environment but trust, better things are coming.

taglist (let me know if you want to be added/removed)- @ultragirrl @inmyownfantasywrld @almluv @raven-ql @ohladymoon @yourstartreatment @missbabyjay @andulina567 @blair-s-world @rentsturner @indierockgirrl @kittyrob0t @averyzversi0n @michelleisheres-blog @kennedy-brooke @madeinuk @mathdebate00 @sstar-ggirl @tangointhequango @nela-cutie

#alex turner #alex turner x reader #arctic monkeys #humbug #alex turner fluff #alex turner one shot #suck it and see #tlsp #alex turner smut #tranquility base hotel and casino #tbhc era #tbhc

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tilebytiles · 2 months

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Star Treatment (Alex Turner x Reader) - Part 1

summary: there's a strange man named alex that has a strange obsession with you, and he makes the strangest offer of your life.

word count: 1.9k

warnings: none

There was a strange man named Alex.

You hadn't learned his last name yet, and as far as you knew, you never would. He never seemed like much for words (or interactions. or people in general, really), always settling himself at the same table in the corner of the café you worked at. The way the building was designed, large windows spanned across every wall except the back one, meaning he always basked in sunlight that beamed down as if he had been specially picked by God.

His routine was simple, almost to the extent of being mundane; not like you could complain, though, since you led an almost painfully simple life. He came in, ordered his coffee, did the bare minimum in terms of small talk, then sat at his precious corner table and sipped at his coffee every so often over the span of an hour, poring over documents he'd brought along in his briefcase or letting himself become entirely immersed in a book. You never pushed his boundaries, tried to go beyond the expectations you two had unintentionally set up, mostly because you didn't know how to. You weren't much for words, either, and as important as predictable days were to you, there was a small pang of guilt that came with the thought of shattering his routine to insert yourself further into it.

You hadn't expected today to be any different. Customers came and went, some more chatty than others, and you did your best to show them all the same kindness and cordiality, especially if they seemed like they weren't having a good day. You figured it was the least you could do to leave your mark on the world. The bell above the door chimed as Alex stepped in, dressed in his strangely typical cream-coloured suit and his crisp, perfectly white dress shirt. It was a bit odd that something so formal was the only attire you'd ever really seen him in, but again, you didn't think you could judge.

He stepped up to the counter, conveniently not halted by any other customers, and flashed you a small smile before his gaze snapped down to the countertop, much as it always did. He could never seem to keep his eyes focused on the same thing; they were always looking at the floor, the counter, the till, the wall, outside through the window, the other customers, their coffee and snacks, whatever he could possibly get his eyes on. Sometimes he looked you straight in the eye, but that was rare.

Normally, he would have recited his order by now, getting it out before you could even offer a 'hello', but he was still staring down at the counter, seemingly lost in thought. You decided to take the initiative and asked, "What can I get you today?"

His head snapped up, and his eyes widened for a moment before returning back to their usual size. "Sorry, uh- just the regular, please."

"Will that be all?"

"Yeah, thanks." You punched in his order as he was already reaching into his pocket, pulling out and opening up his wallet. He always gave you a bigger note than he needed to, insisting you kept the change. It had gotten to the point where you stopped arguing. You watched him, knowing there was no point in reciting the price; he had memorised it a while ago, even with tax. His movements halted, his fingers pausing as they crooked around the leather, then he slowly closed his wallet and looked up at you again. "Can I ask you something?"

You blinked in surprise. "Uh ... yeah. What is it?"

His wallet came open again, but instead of giving you his payment, he pulled out a small, folded piece of paper. It was slightly crumpled, you assumed from how much it might have jostled around in his wallet. Your surprise increased tenfold when he unfolded it and offered it to you. "I want to know if you'll come to this."

Slowly, you took the paper from him, your eyes scanning over the printed text. It was a rectangular slip with a baby blue background and a thin white border. The text was written in black, some kind of fancy font you didn't recognise. 'The chance of a lifetime!' it read. 'Attend the grand unveiling of the brand new Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino! Voucher valid for one person only.'

Your gaze wandered back up to meet his, which was ... anxious? It was hard to tell; the rest of his face didn't give much away. "A hotel?" you asked slowly.

He nodded. "It's, uh, it's been a dream of mine for a while. You've probably seen me ..." He trailed off, gesturing vaguely in the direction of his beloved table. "... with papers and such. I knew I had to invite people, and you were the first I thought of."

You had to hold back from letting out a sound. "Me? Why?"

He shrugged, his gaze drifting down to the till, then the floor, then back up to the counter. "Dunno. I've just seen so much of you, I figured it was only right."

You didn't really know what to say to that. You looked back down at the paper in your hands, mulling over the offer. You weren't sure what would make this hotel different from any other one you'd been in, but it was obvious he was antsy for you to come. You didn't want to be a jerk and turn him down. Besides, when was the last time you'd been in a hotel, anyway? It would be nice to get away from work for a bit.

"I'll come."

His face lit up at that, and he gave you another small smile, although you could swear it was bigger than the obligatory ones he normally gave you. "The, uh, details are on the back of the voucher. I look forward to seein' you there."

He started to walk away, but didn't make it more than two steps before you said, "Alex, you didn't pay."

With a sheepish smile, he returned and fished his wallet back out of his pocket. "I swear I'm not a thief. My mind is just ..." He made a waving gesture with his hand, his eyes widening for a moment for emphasis, and you couldn't suppress the small laugh that bubbled up within you.

Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino, huh?

•••••

On the back of the voucher were the details, as Alex had promised, but there were also instructions that bordered on disconcerting. 'All you really need is your phone and your wallet!' 'Don't bring any extra clothes- you won't need them!' 'Bring your pets, whatever kind of animal they are!'

And so, you found yourself stepping off the train, feeling strangely emptyhanded. The stress that was put on not bringing anything beyond what was absolutely necessary made you nervous; what kind of hotel was this? The last one you'd been in didn't even have free pads or tampons.

Your walk to the address that was neatly printed on the back of the voucher was short, although the stiff silence around you and the fact that you barely knew where you were going made it feel longer. You eventually arrived at a large, empty lot, surrounded by a tall chain-link fence. There was a tall, imposing man dressed in all black at the gate, standing with his arms crossed and his eyes hidden behind sunglasses. As you approached, you couldn't know for sure, but you knew he was eyeing you with nothing beyond contempt and confusion. You pulled the voucher out of your pocket and held it up to him. Silently, he took one look at it, then nodded. He unlocked the gate and pulled it open, the metal creaking and groaning as it dragged along the dry dirt beneath it. You folded the voucher and stuffed it back into your pocket, stepping out onto the lot.

There was already a rather large group of people, the wind carrying their chatter to you before you could even reach them. They looked and sounded about as excited and nervous as you were. You didn't think Alex would have invited so many people to a hotel opening, especially considering the hotel was nowhere in sight. You didn't even see Alex.

And then it hit you.

There was a fucking rocket.

Your jaw dropped at the sheer size of it; it was arguably one of the tallest things you'd ever seen, and you couldn't believe you were less than a kilometer away from it. The outside was coated in sleek silver metal, the screws they'd used to hold the thing together imperceptible from where you stood. There were windows scattered symmetrically across the outside, you guessed so people could marvel at the cosmos. As you got closer to the group of people, you realised they didn't seem even half as surprised about being so close to a goddamn rocket as you were. Had you just not gotten the memo?

As if he could sense your unease, Alex came up beside you, practically grinning. It was the happiest you'd seen him; the most emotion you'd ever seen on his face, actually. "Y/N," he said softly. "I'm glad you came."

"That's a fucking rocket," was all you could manage, pointing at the large contraption. "Why is there a rocket? Why does everyone else not seem impressed that you're loading us into a rocket?"

He gave a dismissive wave of his hand, muttering, "They're all press. They've been in the know about this whole thing for a while. Sort of, uh, against my will, I suppose." He sighed a little at the thought. "To answer your first question, though, there's a rocket because we're going into space."

You stared at him like he had just deconstructed Einstein's theories in front of you. "Why are we going into space?"

"That's where the hotel is."

"You built a hotel in space?" you all but yelled, making some of the people you now knew were journalists glance over at you.

He shushed you, doing a gesture with his hand and everything. "Yes, it's in space."

"And you didn't think to tell me when you invited me?"

He offered an apologetic smile. "In hindsight, yeah, that was, erm, a bit of a dick move. I'm sorry. But you're here now, yeah? Don't worry, it's all completely safe."

"Alex!" a man yelled from the door into the rocket. Like something out of a film, there was a metal ramp leading up to it. "We're ready to go!"

Alex nodded and headed for the ramp, leaving you absolutely bewildered. He ascended, the metal remaining both motionless and completely silent, then stopped and turned once he reached the top. "Thank you for coming, everyone," he said, needing to speak louder so he could be properly heard from where he stood. "I'm very pleased to have you all here. Once we're all situated on the rocket, we'll be heading up into space. It should take no more than a few days for us to get to the hotel, assuming there are no, um, kinks in the process. Once we get there, you'll all be staying for a week, and then we can come back and you can write your articles, yeah?"

Everyone began to pour into the rocket, and you remained at the back of the group, looking more like a straggler that had managed to sneak into the lot than someone that had been formally invited. When you reached the doorway, Alex smiled sympathetically at you and even gave your shoulder a small squeeze, as if that would make anything better. It didn't, but you appreciated the thought. "I promise it'll be fine," he said softly. "Just stick with me, yeah?"

What were you getting yourself into?

#alex turner #alex turner x reader #tranquility base hotel and casino #tbhc era #arctic monkeys #fanfic #alex turner x you #alex turner x y/n

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