A Spiteful Unseen
The ride home was quiet mainly because JT kept giving the two brothers dirty looks if they attempted to input their opinion while he tried to get to know me. For my part, I tried to keep my answers short and monosyllabic if possible. He was not impressed, but my mama always told me that the less a boy knows about you, the better.
"How about I come pick you up here in the morning, rose?" JT offered as he turned onto my street. I shrugged.
"Okay, thank you" I said politely. He laughed again and tapped idly on the steering wheel.
"You're something special, Tasha" he said quietly. I tried to hide my smile.
"Oh..." I mumbled. I really didn't know what else to say. I'm so awkward sometimes, I swear I don't know what to do with myself.
"Well here you are. See you on Monday, right?" he asked with a tip of his pilot's hat.
I nodded eagerly. "Right. Bye" I waved and got out. Just as I got to the front door I sort of tripped up on the welcome mat. Lovely, Tasha.
I hurriedly unlocked the door and went inside to find my father passed out on the couch, a cigarette precariously poking out of his mouth and a bottle of liquor in his hand, fully dressed. I sighed and forced a small smile to my lips; at least this means I won't be getting into any trouble tonight.
I walked over to the hall closet and took out a blanket then went over to my dad and pulled his work boots and jacket off. I tucked him in with the blanket and put the cigarette in the astray. I had to pry the liquor from his slender fingers and once I did I put the bottle in the fridge.
I kissed him on the forehead and stroked his hair. "Night, Daddy"
"Aw, now would you look at that!" my grandpa wheezed.
"Pipe down old man" I muttered embarrassedly. He took one of my large ears between two crooked fingers.
"What was that?" he grinned.
"Nothing, ow, let go already!" I demanded.
"You're so much like your father, kid." he chuckled after releasing me. I rubbed my tender ear with a scowl.
"Don't wake him up, grandpa" I warned. He shoved his hands in his pockets and began circling me.
"Why not? Afraid he'll be angry when he finds out you've been gone 'alf the night?" he taunted.
"...Please have mercy, grandpa" I begged. He wouldn't, would he?
"Oh, don't worry. Your little secret's safe with me. Besides, it was only a matter of time before the chaps started noticing what a fit little bird my granddaughter is" he remarked knowingly.
"What?" I squawked. He lifted both brows and rolled his eyes dramatically.
"Oh come now, Tasha, you don't think I'm that daft not to know what goes on with the younger generations, do you? I was your age once" he pointed out.
"A very very very long time ago, yes" I smirked. He gave me a dirty look and ushered me towards the staircase.
"Come on, girlie. It's time for our little game" he grinned.
"Why do you make everything sound so dirty?" I grimaced.
"I like to think it's a natural talent of mine actually" he boasted shamelessly.
I rolled my eyes and headed to the guest room, grandpa's room now, and began shuffling the deck of cards on the nightstand.
Since grandpa didn't believe in taking a bath everyday he just took off his coat and shoes and sat on the floor with his back against the bed and waited patiently for me to finish dealing out the cards.
"You're getting better at that bridge, girlie" he complimented. "Still not better than your old paps, though"
"Of course" I smiled.
"How about 32 pounds tonight?" he betted. I shrugged; I was broke but I knew I'd win.
We played cards for an hour and a half before he got tired and went to bed. Of course he lost as per usual, but while he slept I slipped his money back in his coat pocket and kissed his cheek.
"Night Grandpa"
I could have sworn he replied but that's probably just my imagination. I showered and sleepily climbed into bed with a smile on my face; JT was all I could think about.
"Are you sure this okay? I mean, this isn't like...breaking and entering, is it?" Noodle asked a bit apprehensively.
"No, course not Noods! I used to live here some 30-odd years ago. It's my father's place" Murdoc assured her. He took a look around and scowled.
"Hmm...Seems my old man really let the place go. Nearly all of the kitchen's burned down to smithereens" he remarked. There was a crash in another part of the house.
"M'okay!" 2D called.
"Dullard..." Murdoc sighed. Noodle shot him a dirty look. "What?" he cried defensively.
The three band mates explored the old house and found it to be bare of anything useful besides some old records, an instrument or two, and a few pounds lying around here and there. The mutual need for food and their having found none brought them all together again.
Noodle sat on the bed cross-legged in Murdoc's old room while 2D sat next to her with his head in his hands. Muds paced the length of the room in front of them.
"So I need to find out what we're going to do about food since you two haven't found anything salvageable in that ruined kitchen. We'll probably have to-"
"Murdoc" 2D interjected softly.
"What is it, Faceache?" Murdoc growled in aggravation.
"I lost me pills in that chopper and I really need them now. Or, um, any pills would do" he stated humbly.
"And this is my problem...how?" Murdoc drawled impatiently.
"I have a 'eadache and i'ss only gettin' worse. I need some pills or I-"
"Well don't you think you oughta' find some instead of whining to me about it?" Murdoc suddenly shouted.
"Murdoc-san" Noodle cut in.
"Or wait, I've got a better idea! How about you grow a pair and deal with the pain already instead of being such a fucking pansy!" Muds snarled.
"Murdoc-san, that's enough!" Noodle stood abruptly with her slender fingers curled into fists. "If you won't give him any medicine tell me where your father used to keep his so I can go get some"
"For the love of-Noodle, why do you baby him so much? He's a grown man so let him be a man!" Murdoc shouted.
Noodle stalked right up to the bassist and yanked him down to her size by the front of his shirt.
"Look you Cockwaffler, if it weren't for us you've be cod food by now so I advise you to start being a little nicer" she whispered in her native Japanese tongue.
She then released him and stomped out of the room. Murdoc tried to smooth out his wrinkled shirt.
"I don't know what she just said, but it sounded pretty menacing. And she got all upset over you, Dullard! You'd think she'd be used to me by now" Murdoc ranted.
Within minutes the petite guitarist had returned with two containers in one hand and a glass of water in the other.
"Here, Stu-Chan. Take one of each right now and don't take any more than six a day." she instructed gently.
"Fank you Noodle-girl" 2D grinned weakly but appreciatively.
Murdoc sighed and left the room.
"Wot's his problem?" 2D griped.
"Don't know don't care" Noodle quipped. They shared a smile.
A million thoughts ran through my mind as I stood waiting for JT to come pick me up for school this morning. I began to fidget with the hem of my polo shirt anxiously and wondered again if he was really coming or if he had tricked me. I didn't think he'd trick me, but I could be wrong. This would be the first time ever having an older boy as a friend so I didn't know if I could trust him. The car honk ahead told me I could.
"Hey!" I greeted giddily as I practically ran to his familiar black car. JT got out and held something behind his back with a clever grin.
"Mornin' rose" he drawled. "Got something for you"
"What is it?" I asked curiously once I got in the passenger seat. Out of habit I reached for the safety belt I knew wasn't there.
"A rose for my rose" JT presented in that smooth voice of his; he gave me the dark flower with a smirk.
"Thank you" I beamed. "That's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me"
"That's the nicest thing I've ever said to anybody" he admitted with a twist of his lips. He started the car and turned on the radio.
"How about a bit of Pearl Jam, eh?" he suggested.
"I'm guessing that blank stare of yours means you've no clue who I'm talking about" he said wryly after I continued to gaze at him strangely. I nodded slowly.
He spent the better half of the next five minutes explaining to me just who they were, then played a bunch of other weird music while we rode to school; he called it alternative.
As I expected, I got a bunch of funny looks when JT walked me to my first class this morning, especially from the teachers. It made me feel like I was doing something I shouldn't be doing. I didn't like the feeling.
Just when I thought things couldn't get much worse…Murdoc thought dismally as a police car pulled up beside him. He had taken to wandering the streets of Trent out of pure frustration and had just begun to calm down when the copper showed up.
The passenger window rolled down and revealed two smiling teenaged faces. The two girls hopped out of the car and promptly grabbed the startled bassist then hurled him into the backseat.
"What in—what's going on here?" Muds demanded to know. The short blonde-haired girl who had started the car spoke up.
"Hello, Murdoc. You don't know us, but I'm Lyn and this is my best friend Amy. We're like, your biggest fans" she declared happily. Her blue eyes sparkled in the morning light.
"Yeah, we totally are." Amy agreed. She was busy smacking a piece of bubble gum between her powder pink lips, a compliment to the chocolate eyes buried beneath dark lashes.
"So where do you plan on taking me?" Murdoc asked a bit warily; if anything truly scared Murdoc, it was the teenage fangirls, especially 2D's fangirls. Now they were something else.
"Um…we haven't really thought things out that far" Amy confessed shyly.
"Yeah we saw you walking around here earlier, but we couldn't find a way to get you to stop, so I sort of borrowed daddy's car and pulled up alongside you" Lyn explained.
"Good thing your old man was off-duty today" Amy said under her breath.
"Well girls, would you mind doing me a favor?" Murdoc asked slyly. His mind was already figuring out a way to work this situation to his advantage.
"Sure!"
"Anything!"
They readily agreed. Murdoc gave them the directions and they headed towards the local bakery. They climbed out eagerly and opened the door for their idol before heading towards the entrance. He went straight to the back of the shop and gave the somewhat puzzled woman his order.
About ten question-filled minutes later, Murdoc convinced the girls to pay for the order with one of their daddy's credit cards. Then they all got back into the cop car and drove down to old man Niccalls' place.
"Now remember girls, breathe not a word of this to anyone else or I'll come and get ya, you hear?" Murdoc warned half-heartedly. By the time he walked into the house he wore a slight smile. Who'dve thought this old bloke had such a young following?
Murdoc made his way carefully to his old room and laid the boxes on the nightstand. He glanced briefly at his sleeping band mates before shaking his head with another small smile.
Noodle had curled up beside 2D and looked even more petite next to the taller man. 2D's shirt had risen up a bit and his dark hair was tousled. He mumbled something in his sleep lazily.
"Alright, get up!" Murdoc called after observing them. "Get up, I said!"
The two started to stir and once they smelled the pastries they hastened their movements. 2D was the first to fully awaken. He stared at the boxes then at Murdoc's retreating back. In a few moments the bassist had returned with plates and glasses of milk for the two musicians. By then Noodle was awake and confused as well.
"Wot's all dis' Murdoc?" 2D croaked softly. Murdoc placed a couple of donuts on a plate and began to eat heartily.
"What's it look like, Faceache?" Muds growled between bites. "S'food, so eat it!"
"Where did all this come from, Murdoc-san?" Noodle wanted to know.
"Less talking and more eating you two; I found an old Melodica and a guitar or two so we're going to run by a few songs today. Got to get into tip top shape if we're to make an album soon" Murdoc barked.
Reluctantly 2D put a baked good onto his own plate and bit into the sweet food. He washed it down with some of the milk. With child-like wide eyes, he stared at Murdoc.
"Fanks Muds" he said simply, and then continued to eat.
A lump had risen in the back of Murdoc's throat; he blamed the dryness of the baked bread.
"Yeah, whatever Faceache, just don't go prancing around like a five-year old because of all the sugar when it's time to sing on my album" Murdoc muttered uncomfortably.
"Arigatou, Murdoc-san" Noodle chimed in softly.
Now his eyes began to moisten. Murdoc blamed all the dust flying around in this old hovel and quickly turned his back to his two co-workers.
"Right, love, um you two meet me in the basement after you finish stuffing your faces, got that?" he grated and left before they could even answer.
"Wot's going on wiff him?" 2D asked.
"I don't know. I think he's just being his own weird self" Noodle guessed. She wiped her hands on her tights and stood to stretch. 2D followed her lead.
"Hm. I guess Murdoc ain't too bad 'den" the vocalist mused with a gapped smile.
You have no idea, Dullard Murdoc thought to himself as he stepped away from the door with a grim smirk.
My grades were steady, my health was pretty good, nothing happened at school today, and I'm not in any trouble so why does he want to talk to me? I wondered.
"Tasha, I noticed you've been spending a great deal of time with my son" Mr. Thomas began worriedly.
Oh that. "Yes sir, I have. He's my friend" I told him.
"I see. My son is twenty years old. He thinks a bit differently than you do, sweetie. What you call friendship could actually be a…something totally different." Mr. Thomas said gently.
"I don't understand" I frowned. What is he talking about?
"Just be careful around him, okay? Jorell is dangerous and I don't want him to hurt you, that's all" he explained.
"Alright well I'll be going now" I said politely. He nodded and bade me goodbye.
I didn't want to talk about it to JT but I still ended up slipping something out.
"JT am I your friend or something else?" I blurted as soon as I got into his car. He humored me with a deep grin.
"Depends; do you want to be something else?" he asked.
"Well what else is there?" I asked with a confused frown. He eyed me warily.
"Are you serious, rose?" he questioned with a tilt of his head.
"…yeah, why?"
"That's just a bit of a…naïve question, is all" he stated gently.
"You think I'm naïve?" I asked in alarm.
"No, I—"he started.
"Maybe your dad was right." I lamented.
"Right about what?" JT grinned.
"He said I was too young for you" I said shyly.
"Oh…" JT's grin was wiped cleanly off of his face. "I see"
"So I am too young? We can't be friends anymore?" I asked dismally.
"Of course you're not too young, not for me." He answered cryptically. "And as for being friends…well if you'd like, you could be more than a friend" he offered.
"As in…your girlfriend?" I breathed. He nodded slowly.
"Right." he affirmed.
"Okay"
"Okay?" he repeated.
"Yeah. You can be my boyfriend, JT" I grinned.
"Have you ever had one before?" he murmured while stroking my hair. I told him that I had not.
"I see" he said again. And that was the end of that conversation.
"What's going on at your old man's place?" he asked as we slowed to a stop in front of my grandpa's house. "That's some pretty wicked music playing in there"
Why is there music playing in my grandpa's house? I thought this place was abandoned.
"Let's go see about it, eh?" JT suggested. He got out and I followed him to the back door. He took my hand as we got to the basement.
"It's coming from down here, love" he said. We trekked downstairs and JT let my hand go to light a cigarette. When we reached the bottom, he froze and a slow smile spread about his face.
"It's really them! Tasha, why didn't you tell me you knew the Gorillaz?" JT exclaimed excitedly.
"Well I—"I started to reply, but the answer died in my throat when I caught sight of the tall blue-haired young man beside me. He turned fully around to face me and I screamed.
A/N: Tell me what you think of this. It used to be a little different under the title Handy Inconvenience, but I didn't like how that one was turning out. This version actually has a plot.