Disclaimer: Sadly for me, the genius that is Gorillaz isn't my property. They belong Jamie Hewlett and Damon Albarn, lucky gits.
A/N: This is a little AU-ish... No Plastic Beach, and no angst. Noodle's... well, even I don't know what age Noodle is, to be honest. Let's just say she's old enough. :) Set in Kong - it just works better. And apologies for the crappy title. Anyhow, on with the story...
It was Christmas Eve, and Gorillaz were having a party. Well, to be more accurate, Murdoc was having a party to impress his 'friends' and half-forcing the rest of the band to take part. Right now, it was Noodle's turn to be cajoled.
"Noodle!" Murdoc called, standing in the middle of the sitting room with a bunch of pretty women who were all trying to wind themselves around him at the same time as avoiding the other party guests. "Move yer arse! Dance!"
"No thank you, Murdoc-sama," Noodle said primly, shaking her head. "I'm perfectly fine here, thank you."
"Damn right," Russel said from Noodle's side, shaking his head. "You don't ever want to end up like the sort of woman that Murdoc likes to dance with, Noodle-girl."
Noodle nodded her head in agreement – she didn't much like the women that Murdoc had for company. She didn't like their skimpy clothes or ratty hair. She didn't like the way they would leave their things hanging around – along with lipstick-stained mugs, piled high beside the sink. And she definitely wasn't a fan of the way they mocked the rest of Gorillaz. As if they were so much better.
"Yew 'specially don' wanna be that one." 2D said softly from Noodle's other side, indicating one girl in the centre of the floor.
"Seems she's losing her clothes, piece by piece. How terrible." Noodle laughed, while Russel simply looked scandalised.
"How Murdoc thinks this is appropriate for you, Noodle, I'll never know." He said darkly, glaring at Murdoc – who was grinning, blithely unaware of his bandmate's rage and clearly having the time of his life.
"Please, Russel-sama," Noodle smiled. "I'm not a child anymore."
It was true, Russel thought, looking at Noodle – she was definitely a far cry from the ten year old that had arrived in a Fed Ex crate. Nevertheless, he was still protective. Murdoc's lifestyle included things that, in his opinion, Noodle shouldn't be exposed to – especially now she was old enough to legally take part in most of it.
"Even grown-ups shouldn' 'ave t'see some fings." 2D said quietly, averting his eyes from Murdoc's bare-chested figure. This made Noodle laugh again as she stood, adjusting her long, raggedy black and white stockings.
"I'll leave if it makes you happy, Russel," she said, stretching.
"And go where?" He said sharply – it was, in his opinion, too late at night for Noodle to be going off on a night out.
"Relax! I'm only going to the kitchen for something to eat. Then I'll go to bed. Happy?" She smiled, leaning down to drop a kiss on his bald head.
"A'ight." Russel smiled. "Call if you need anything, ya hear?"
"Hai." She said, sauntering off on her long, skinny legs to the kitchen, where she raided the practically bare fridge, looking for sustenance. All she found was a few foreign beers, a jar of pickled onions, and a pitiful looking mince pie with a cocktail stick pointing out of the top. Attached to said stick was a label saying "MURDOC'S. SOD OFF."
Noodle smiled wryly and shook her head, moving to the cupboard. There was a tin of soup still in date, so she pulled it out and set about cooking herself her snack. She looked out of the window at the slowly drifting snow, waiting on their rickety old cooker getting up to speed on the heat front. When she heard a sound off to her right, she looked around. It was only 2D, who gave her a little wave as he entered the room.
"'Ello, Noodle, luv." He smiled, coming to stand next to her. "Wot's 'at yew makin'?"
"Pea and ham soup," she said, dainty nose wrinkled. "It's all I could find. Would you like a bowl, 2D-sama?"
"Please," He smiled, sitting down at the wobbly dining table. "Tryin' to stay ou' Muds' way."
"What are you meant to have done this time?" Noodle shook her head – Murdoc's constant rants at 2D were a less pleasant aspect of band life.
"He was singin' 'All I Want Fo' Christmas Is Me Two Fron' Teef' so I got up ter leave. But, eh..." 2D said awkwardly, ruffling his azure hair. "Well, I got up too fast, and I... er... I migh' 'ave knocked Muds backwards over the table..."
"Ahhh. Say no more." Noodle said sagely, nodding her purple head. That would annoy Murdoc. She plated up their soup and sat next to 2D, grabbing two spoons.
"So yew excited fo' Christmas, Noodle?" 2D asked between mouthfuls. Noodle shrugged.
"Christmas is for children. And Father Christmas doesn't exist. He's a false icon!" She laughed, waving her spoon around.
"Ahh, don' pretend, Noodle-girl," 2D grinned toothily. "Yew get jus' as excited as I do. When yew was little, yew used ter stay up as long as yew could, watchin' fo' Santa."
"And now I know better, 'D. Like I was saying to Russ, I'm not a child anymore."
"Well, then yew won' wanna get any presents, will yew?" 2D teased. "I'll jus' take it back ter the shop, won' I?"
"Now, when I said Christmas was for children..." Noodle backpedalled, laughing.
"Tha's wot I thought." 2D leaned over and rumpled her hair. She smiled, and they finished their meal in a companionable silence. Noodle got up to do the dishes, noticing as she did so that Murdoc and the half-dressed woman from earlier were stumbling down the hallway past the open door, locked in a furious embrace. Needless to say, the girl had less clothes than when she'd previously been seen. Noodle wrinkled her nose again.
"What do women see in Murdoc, 2D-sama? Honestly." She shook her head. "I mean, to want to kiss him... Eugh!"
"Paula did, and more." 2D said, stretching. "Beats me, though, luv."
Noodle paused a minute, unsure, then let the question that was burning to be asked out all in a rush.
"2D, whatskissinglike?" She burbled, blushing.
"Eh?" He said, somewhat dazed. "Wot's 'at?"
"Kissing." She said, more slowly this time, while wishing that she'd never brought the topic up at all. "What's it like?"
"S'awright, I s'pose – hang on a minute, Noodle – d'yew mean yew've never kissed anyone? Not ever?"
She shook her head, usually pale cheeks crimson.
"How'd 'at happen?" 2D laughed. Noodle huffed.
"Don't tease me, 2D-san! I've been busy with the band since I was 10, remember? I've not had any time for boyfriends!" She said, defensive. 2D smiled.
"I'm not teasin' yew, Noodle, luv," He laughed. "I'm jus' surprised , that's all. Yew're a pretty girl – all the boys should be after yew soon enough."
"Arigato, 2D," Noodle said, embarrased, before turning back to the sink and hurriedly scrubbing her dishes. The room fell silent, so all that could be heard was the noises of the party in the sitting room (and thankfully not the sounds of Murdoc's 'party', so to speak...)
Noodle stretched and pushed her hair out of her eyes, before turning around. 2D was still standing by the door, leaning on the frame. Above his head was a sprig of mistletoe, crudely tacked to the chipping wood. He smiled, nodding his head.
"You startled me, 2D-sama," She said quietly. "I thought you'd gone."
"Nah. Figured yew needed an extra present fo' Christmas." He said, waving one long-fingered hand at the mistletoe. "C'mere."
"Nani?" Noodle squeaked, so shocked she'd reverted to Japanese.
"C'mere!" He laughed again, before coming into the room, catching her wrist and pulling her back to the door. "I know 'm not much to look at, but yew gotta start somewhere, eh?"
Noodle nodded jerkily, heart hammering against her ribcage at a mile a minute.
"Now. Put your hands on me face." He said. She did as she was asked, noticing how smooth his skin was. "There – c'n I put me 'ands 'ere?" He said, placing warm, sure hands on her waist.
"Uh-hmm!" Noodle said again, voice high-pitched. It made 2D laugh.
"Don' be nervous, li'l love," he said, stroking her fringe from her face. Noodle looked into his eyes, for the first time truly noticing the beauty of his eight-ball fractures. Her stomach began fluttering even worse than it had been.
"What... what do I do now, 2D-kun?" She stammered.
"Nuffin'." He said, grinning.
He leaned down and gently pressed his lips to hers in a chaste, respectful kiss. Even still, it sent Noodle's pulse rate soaring. She felt like her head was about to fly right off her shoulders, like her heart was going to burst right out of her chest. Her knees trembled and she could hear her blood roaring in her ears -
And then it was all over. 2D stepped away with a broad, open smile and a warm expression.
"There yew go, Noodle-girl. 'At's wot kissin's like. Nuffin' special, see?"
Noodle couldn't even talk. She just gaped at 2D – nothing special? Was it him she'd been kissing? It seemed pretty damned special on her end.
"Anyway, Noods," 2D said, shrugging his broad, rounded shoulders. "'m goin' to bed. The quicker yew go to sleep, the quicker that bugger of a false icon Santa Claus comes. 'N, plus, I need to go while Murdoc's distracted." He smiled again, wrapping her in a friendly hug. "Na-night, luv. And Merry Christmas!"
"Night..." She said hoarsely. As soon as he was gone she flopped back into her seat at the table, unable to stand another minute.
Vaguely, she wondered if kissing other boys would be like that. Somehow, somewhere in her heart, she knew it wouldn't.
As a child, she'd stayed up all night for Santa.
Well, now she had someone else to be her new false icon.
Well, well, well... That ending's kinda corny, I know. But this was finished at 2:10 AM - we all know how the mind of a tired writer works. :) I just love Noodle & 2D, felt I should have a go at writing a little fic for them. I've got a vague idea for another one... I'll see how it goes. I definitely won't start writing/publishing it until GNFAS is done, though - I totally blame Gorillaz for the lack of updates on that front...
Anyway, R&R, etc, etc... and above all things, enjoy. Happy reading!
Cherry xxx