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"You actually made reservations and everything?" 2D asked, somewhat incredulous as they handed the waitress their menus after she took their orders.

Murdoc shrugged, suddenly looking a bit embarrassed. It fell silent, and 2D remembered why they were here in the first place. The small smile slid off his face as his fingers twitched nervously. He ached for a cigarette.

"So, Stu. How've you been? Really?" Murdoc asked casually, though 2D knew him better than that.

2D took a sip of his water, wondering how to answer. "Shitty." He might as well be honest.

Murdoc glanced at him before returning his gaze to his own hands. "Huh."

"What about you?"

"Same," he replied wryly. "Guess we've both made a bit of a mess of ourselves, eh."

The singer shrugged. "Apparently."

It was silent for a while before 2D spoke again. "Though I'd have thought that you would like it. Being away from the band, being able to do whatever you like, whenever and wherever. Me not – the rest of the band not being there to annoy you or whatever."

"Well, it'd surprise you. I mean, I've seen and done shit, yeah, but.. y'know."

"No," 2D said, as the waitress arrived with their food. "I don't know. Enlighten me." To the waitress, "Thanks, love."

She gave him a wink and a bright smile.

"Yeah, thanks. What do you mean, enlighten you?" Murdoc said with a frown.

2D decided to be a cunt. He deserved to, once in a while. "Yeah, Murdoc. Enlighten me. Why the fuck was the time you spent away from the band so shitty, eh? Was it because the girls weren't hot enough? Or because there wasn't anyone to make you waffles for breakfast? Or was it because you didn't have someone you could beat half to death every day for your own amusement? Did you get bored, was that it?"

Murdoc stared at him, his eyes narrowed. 2D stared back for a while, seething, before huffing and ferociously digging into his food.

"I don't want to spend this entire night fighting," the bassist then said through gritted teeth. It seemed to take a lot of effort.

"Oh, please. Now you want to be all peaceful? I could show you all the scars you left me over the years, if you'd like. Fuck, you're staring at two of them right now. Ever since we first met, all you've done is hurt me – and you went out with a bang, too. I thought that was the last time I was going to see you. The last memory I had of you was you squeezing my neck so hard I could feel it bruise. And never fucking mind the day before that. Kissing me like.. like that. And here we are, having fucking dinner for fuck's sake after -" his rant was interrupted by a piece of bread being chucked at his head.

"You going to let me fucking talk now, sun-beam?" Murdoc growled, and 2D rubbed his head indignantly.

"Those years were shitty. Not because of all the fucking reasons you named, but because – Satan, help me – I felt empty. More than usual. I was missing you.. so much. It didn't.. I mean.. I tried, at first. I was happy at the beginning, yeah. Or at least, I thought I was. I tried to shag as many women as I could, I went out and got piss-drunk and did crazy shit. But at the end of the day, it just.. didn't feel right," Murdoc said with a sigh, eyeing his food.

2D just looked at him wordlessly.

"And about that kiss.."

The singer tensed.

"I panicked. You know me. I was stupid and I panicked and almost killed you. And I'm.. I'm sorry."

2D didn't reply, just looked at him for a long time.

"The champagne's good," he then said.

Murdoc stared at him in confusion. 2D offered the bassist a small smile.

The latter grinned back. "Go on and pour me some, then."

2D did just that. They both knew the conversation wasn't over, but they also knew that that was for another time.

"I can't wait to get singing again," 2D sighed after taking a sip of his drink.

"I still can't believe you actually fucking worked at a funfair. What the fuck, mate?" Murdoc said good-naturedly.

"Well, I needed something to fill up my time with, didn't I? And it wasn't so bad. I met loads of Gorillaz fans.. girls, mostly.."

A muscle tightened in Murdoc's jaw, but he smirked. "Bet they showed you their appreciation and love for the band real proper, eh?"

2D grinned back. "You could say that."

2D spent a minute thinking about how much he loved and how much he hated this. This awkward, casual small-talk between two people who used to call each other their best mates – well, one of them, at least – and now they were talking about how time had been without each other. But he loved it because it was like he was getting to know Murdoc all over again. He hadn't realised how much he'd missed all of his quirks and stupid jokes and annoying phrases and his cocky, stuck up, arrogant 'fuck all' attitude. It felt like a huge chunk of his life had been missing, and he'd now found it again. However unhealthy and wrong he knew it was, he couldn't help it – nor could he care at the moment.

Later he would probably be smacked in the face by reality. But right now, he could just enjoy the bassist's presence.

"Are you even listening to me you bloody tool?"

"Erm.. sorry, what?" 2D blinked.

Murdoc rolled his eyes. "Oh, for fuck's.. I was saying that your hair looks different. Bluer, somehow."

2D threaded his fingers through it absent-mindedly. "Oh. Really?"

Murdoc nodded. "Yeah. And you're a lot less pink," he added with a snigger.

"Yeah well you're greener," 2D retorted.

Murdoc looked down at his hands for a few moments, frowning slightly and then giving the chuckling singer the finger. "Fuck you, no I'm not."

"Yeah, you are though. It suits you," he joked.

"Whatever, face ache."

"Hey, Muds?"

"Yeah?"

"I've missed you."

"I've missed you too, you ponce."

"Let's get out of here. I'm done and I could use a fag right about now," 2D suggested.

"Agreed." They called the girl over to leave the bill, and Murdoc didn't miss her slipping a piece of paper with her phone number in it – addressed to 2D. He'd forgotten they were a famous band and people still actually knew their names.

He tactfully snatched the piece of paper, putting the money on the table. As 2D was putting on his jacket he made a well-aimed throw for the bin.

It was fun to see the crumpled paper land in the bin, 2D's name still visible on one side. Murdoc decided to keep the wondering what the fuck was wrong with him for later, right now they were walking outside towards the cool night breeze, and he decided he'd put his arm around 2D's shoulder and keep it there, just because.

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