The Way Things Are | By : Mekou Category: Singers/Bands/Musicians > Gorillaz Views: 3663 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0 |
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. I do not know the members of Gorillaz. I do not make any money from the writing of this story. |
Title: The Way Things Are
Rating: NC-17
Pairings: Noodle + 2D, Murdoc x 2D
Summary: Accepting the way things are is harder than it sounds.
Warnings: Coarse language, sex, angst…all the fun stuff. =D
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters nor am I making any form of profit from writing about them. Characters and anything that is obviously NOT mine is copyright to their respective owners. Thank you and have a nice day.
Note: I'm actually not sure what actually happened to his father and mother (It's an aspect of the Gorillaz plotline that I haven't paid detailed attention to), but for the sake of this fic let's pretend they both died a few years prior. More sappiness. Might actually be a bit more emotional than the previous chapter.
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Chapter 9: Family
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"Guys! I'm home!" Russel called out as he placed his suitcase and a large box of gifts his parents had brought him on the floor. He couldn't help but chuckle to himself. Home. This place was home.
As expected the soft pitter-patter of small feet was the first to be heard.
"Russel!" Noodle exclaimed with glee and as she attached herself to the drummer. She had really missed his presence while he was away. His comfort. And yes, even his bitterness towards Murdoc. Not that she didn't like having just the singer and the bassist around, but without Russel the family didn't seem whole.
She couldn't help but freeze for a moment at the thought. The band was her family...her only family. She knew she had siblings, but she only knew of them. She had no memories of her past family life. None at all.
"Don't get comfy." A familiar raspy voice said.
"Hello to you too, Muds." Russel said sarcastically. He ignored the man's statement and began taking off his coat.
"Hey, I said don't get comfy! We're going out." Murdoc growled angrily.
2D appeared a few moments later, with a jacket on and a pair of mittens sticking out of his pocket. He hated when his hands got cold and it the weather promised to be particularly chilly that day.
"You two can go out, but I just got back so I'm gonna go an rela-"
"No, we're ALL going. Noodle, get your coat. 2D, start up the Geep. And Russel, get your fucking coat BACK ON." Murdoc yelled and bashed his hand against the wall. Poor 2D looked as though he heart was about to jump out of his chest. Russel just blinked in confusion and Noodle couldn't help but giggle. He sounded exactly like a father. Well, like a father who had a temper problem, but still had love in him.
"Fine." Russel sighed. He knew better than to argue with Murdoc when he was THAT visibly angry. "Just lemme go take a piss first! Jeez."
They had been on the road for nearly half an hour and nothing had been spoken since they left. Murdoc was at the wheel, driving safer than usual (Abiding signs and going the speed limit). 2D sat the passenger seat watching the scenery as it went by. Noodle was in the back, behind 2D, listening to music on an Ipod she had picked up for herself months ago. Russel was just staring suspiciously at Murdoc. What was this trip about? Where were they going? Why did all of them have to be together for this?
"Muds, where the hell are we going?" Russel finally broke the silence. He couldn't take it anymore.
"Stoke."
"Your hometown?" Russel raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah."
"To your parent's grave?" 2D finish for him. Murdoc just gave a nod and turned his attention to looking for a turn off onto the highway.
Russel was slightly shocked, but chose to let it be. He figured it was the combination of his near death experience and possibly the fact that all he had talked about a few days ago was the fact that his parents were coming to see him. Murdoc didn't have that privilege...he almost felt a little sorry for him.
Nearly two hours went by and they finally arrive in Stoke-on-Trent, Murdoc's hometown. They would have arrived sooner but a quick bathroom break turned into window shopping as they browsed the little store they had stopped at. The Geep pulled into a small cemetery. The sky was still blue which came to a surprise to all the band members since they were so sued to rain and clouds, but there was still hint of sunset approaching if you looked at the shadows that sun had cast in the graveyard.
2D yawned and gave a stretch. The sound of doors opening and closing had awoken him from his cat nap. He jumped slightly when the first thing his eye caught was a tombstone with the name 'Stuart' on it. Thankfully, the last name was different. 'Barnes' or something. He wouldn't have nightmares about it.
Murdoc, who had said absolutely nothing during the entire trip, quietly stamped out his cigarette and began walking towards the tombstones, looking at each one carefully, reading the names. Once the other three got feeling back in their legs, they joined him, helping him search.
At the top of a hill, Murdoc stopped. There, Mother and Father, side by side, he found the resting place of his parents. He knelt down and brushed away some dead leaves and weeds, still just keeping silent.
Memories came flooding back, about what he had seen while he was in the hospital. While he was dying. For a few moments, he could hear the doctors and nursed shouting and scrambling around to stick some drugs in his veins to keep him alive. It had been like a wasted effort. He felt himself fading quickly. He couldn't breath. All of his senses were fading and then, a dark cloud from above seemed to swallow him whole. In that moment, he had died.
In his death dream, he sat up. Everything seemed hazy and unclear. He walked (or was he floating?) down dark hallways, watching as the world moved at a snail's pace. He entered a room where he saw Stu-pot. Noodle and Russel were there too, and they all looked very sad. Were they crying for him? Did the idea of him exiting from their lives make them sad? He had felt very guilt in that moment. He had always thought and believed that if he were to die no one would be sad for him. No one would miss him. But in that moment, he realized how wrong he was.
He continued on his journey until he came into a black void. The blackness went on forever and ever, but somewhere in it he saw a dim light. 'What a cliché death' he remembered mumbling to himself. But the light wasn't a tunnel. The light was something that seemed far out of reach no matter how fast he ran towards it. He couldn't explain why, but seeing it gave him a warm feeling. A feeling that he hadn't felt since his parents died.
His dream self started to fade and he remembered feeling scared. Was he passing on? No, it couldn't be the end yet! The light he had been chasing after seemed to grow bigger and bigger until it seemed to wash over him like a wave. This was turning out to be no cliché death.
But this time, he didn't die. His senses had come back and he heard a man talking to him, telling him he was gonna be alright and that he was going to let his friends know he was fine. Ten minutes later, he heard familiar voices next him.
"Murdoc?" Noodle's voice made him jump a little. The bassist turned around to give her a pat on the head and an uncharacteristically weak smile.
"Noodle, Luv. I think I need a bit of time to be alone with my thoughts."
Noodle said nothing and simply nodded. She gave him a quick hug before darting off to let the others know to leave him alone.
The three band members stood by the Geep, which was far enough away from Murdoc that they couldn't even see him. So they figured it was safe to discuss his odd behaviour quietly.
"What's up with Muds?" Russel was the first to start the conversation.
"I have no idea...he's been pretty um...affectionate...since he came back from the hospital." 2D blushed. He knew his band mates knew what was going on between Murdoc and him, but it was still rather awkward and a bit embarrassing to talk about it openly.
"It is often said that when people are close to death they see things that give them some sort of revelation on life. Perhaps that is what happened." Noodle said, sitting crouched and poking at the ground with a stick.
"Probably..." 2D lit a cigarette and inhaled deeply.
"Maybe he saw his parents?" Russel mused. "They say you see your loved ones when you die."
"That would explain a lot" 2D agreed. "By the way, how are your parents Russ?"
"They're good. Mom's lost a bit of weight since I last saw her and she looks gorgeous. Dad still looks the same though."
"It's the same way with my parents" 2D laughed "You look at pictures and my Mum looks different in every photo, but my Dad looks exactly the same. He even has the same facial expression!"
Both boys laughed until they looked down at their female band mate, who looked rather bored about the conversation. Or maybe she was just feeling left out?
"How about you, Noodle?" 2D gave her shoulder a poke. He must have hit a nerved because she twitched and giggled. "Do you remember your parents at all?"
"No." She said simply, sitting up and giving a stretch. "I don't remember anything about them."
"Nothing at all?" Russel raised an eyebrow. "Not even their names? Or what they looked like?"
"Nope. Nothing at all."
"That's a bit sad." 2D lowered his head, as though trying to think about what it would be like to not remember anything about his own parents. He also wondered why the subject never came up during their many nights on the rooftop of the Studios. Out of all the things they had discussed, the subject of her family was something they never even touched upon. "Do you miss them?"
"It's hard to miss something you have no memories of.” She confessed. “I do feel sad sometimes that I don't remember them at all, but I don't miss them. To me, it's almost like they never existed in the first place."
"So it's like you never had a family..." Russel felt a bit guilty about discussing this subject. There were a lot of things they never knew about each other.
"I do have a family." Noodle smiled brightly at both of them and then laughed. "A very, very unique one."
None of them had noticed the sky darkening as the night quickly approached until it had become noticeably colder. Noodle gave a shiver and buried herself inside the drummer's opened coat. 2D felt a bit jealous and gave her a playful glare. She returned the look with a flash of her tongue as she stuck it out at him. 2D grinned and darted towards Russel and wrapped his arms around the large man, being sure to keep Noodle trapped in between them.
"...The hell?" Russel raised an eyebrow at 2D, who hadn't seen the looks that the singer and guitarist had exchanged. "What are you doing, D?"
"Shut up. Warm." 2D grinned wider. He could feel Noodle trying to wiggle free and making a few muffled protests.
"What? An orgy and I wasn't invited? I'm hurt" Came a familiar raspy voice in a sarcastic tone.
"Ha ha. Very funny." Russel mocked. He moved which gave Noodle enough room to break free. She tried to run for it, but 2D caught her sleeve with his long arm and pulled her back. She collided with a thud into his chest and she just wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly in a hug.
He was feeling particularly playful with her. When she stuck her tongue out at him, that cute pink tongue, he remembered that one night where he had kissed her. He remembered how sinfully exciting yet so right it felt. He remembered all the times when she was close him when he wanted to kiss her again, but had lost the chance. In a way, he felt like he was falling in love with her. She was only young in age, but she was the most mature of the whole band. Truth be told, he often had to remind himself that she wasn't just a short woman.
Murdoc usually would have grumbled at such cute playfulness between his fellow band mates, but he just smiled and shook his head.
2D noticed that Murdoc was wearing sunglasses, which he briefly wondered if he should question about, but then realized why he was wearing them. Judging by the faint redness still clinging to the older man's cheeks, Murdoc had probably been crying.
"Sorry I took so long, mates. I err...had a lot to sort out."
"Hey, don't worry about it, man." Russel laid a gentle hand on the bassist's shoulder. A loud rumble ruined the otherwise tender moment. "I'm hungry..."
"And it's 2 hours until we get home..." 2D pouted. He was feeling rather famished as well.
"I know where we can eat." Murdoc said then motioned everyone to get in the Geep.
He took them to a small restaurant that his mother used to take him to when he was little. Good food, reasonable price. Murdoc was making up for all his silence during the day by just rambling on about things completely unrelated to the day. Songs ideas, places he wanted to visit, etc.
2D was finishing the last bit of his meal when he noticed Murdoc just staring thoughtfully at him. He pretended not to notice, but it was making him feel a bit uncomfortable.
“Stu-Pot, come with me.” Murdoc then ordered as he stood up.
“Hm? Where?” 2D pouted. He hoped he would still be able to get dessert.
“Just follow me.” Murdoc’ gruff voice commanded. 2D, loyal boy that he was, did as he was told. He followed the bassist into the men’s washroom.
For a while Murdoc had noticed the glances he’d been giving Noodle. He thought about how sometimes when they were alone together 2D would talk about her non-stop until one of them fell asleep.
“I’m just wondering...” Murdoc began “What’s going on with you and Noodle?”
“What do you mean?” 2D tried to hide the nervousness in his voice. Were his slightly lustful actions around her really that noticeable?
“You just seem to be giving her a lot of...special attention.” Murdoc crossed his arms and leaned against the counter. “We all know she has schoolgirl crush on you, but that’s all it is, Dullard. And it’s-”
“Wrong. Yes...I know it would be wrong to be intimate with someone so young.” 2D bit his lip. “But...”
“Hm?”
“She doesn’t remember her family at all, you know? She doesn’t remember her parents. She doesn’t remember anyone ever being close to her.” The singer paced the small washroom, looking for the right words to....hide any true feelings he had for the young guitarist.
“So?”
“So...I thought that I would give her memories. Give her something so that when she’s our ages she can look back on her childhood and have the same memories that we have. That’s all it is and nothing more.” It was a half lie and half truth, but he prayed that Murdoc would buy it.
“I see.” Murdoc agreed, though he really didn’t buy anything the dullard was saying. “Just know your boundaries. Or I’ll rip your dick off.”
2D gulped at the threat. Murdoc WOULD do it.
“Why...did you bring this up anyway?”
“I was just thinking...” He moved off the counter and walked towards his quivering lover. “I don’t want her get messed up like I did.” He moved in for what 2D thought would be a kiss, but instead Murdoc bit the singer’s lower lip.
“Ow!” He yelped and rushed to inspect the damage in the mirror. No blood, but it looked a bit swollen now. “Bastard.”
“Yeah, but you love me anyway.” Murdoc mocked with a wide grin on his face. 2D when to give him another insult, but the bassist was gone.
He hoped his lip wouldn’t be too sore to eat dessert.
After another hour eating, drinking and talking, they were on the road again. Heading home. 2D took the wheel this time, since Murdoc and Russel had their share of alcohol at the restaurant. They weren’t drunk, 2D just wanted to play it safe.
About halfway there, Noodle began dozing off. Russel noticed this, picked her up and dumped her on Murdoc’s lap. (He didn’t want her falling out of the Geep.) The older man shot a glare at the drummer but gave a sigh of defeat. Damn Noodle and her cuteness.
Finally, they were home. Noodle was (somewhat) awake again though she was still in Murdoc’s arms as they walked inside.
“I’ve been meaning to ask you, Muds...” Russel gave him a poke to make sure he was listening. “When you were dying an all, what was it like?”
Murdoc thought back again to what he had experienced.
“Dark. You can’t see a bloody thing.” He laughed.
“Did you see the light at the end of a tunnel that everyone always talks about?”
“There was a light, but it definitely wasn’t a tunnel.” Murdoc explained briefly that it was like a tiny dot that didn’t seem to get closer or farther when he moved towards it.
“What about loved ones? Lots of people say they see dead relatives or friends and such. Did you see flashes of your loved ones?” 2D asked.
Murdoc thought again. There were only three people he saw during that experience. He smiled.
“I did, mate. I did.”
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To be continued...
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