To update you guys real quick on my situation, I turned 22, got a full-time internship, and now I'm working on another AU story. The idea that inspired it is quite different, the story itself shouldn't make sense, but nothing in their world does, right?

And also, to the lovely reader that told me about the chapters: that was my mistake, sorry! I don't even remember what I did to mess it up that much, but now it seems it's okay. Thank you for telling me!

Enjoy!

iv

Weeks had passed since Stu signed the contract, and his album was underway to being published under the artistic name of Gorillaz. He had come up with it once during a drunken chat with Russ on Skype and at about the same time, sent an email to El Diablo regarding that. Now with two artistic names for himself, it was decided that Gorillaz would apply to him and the rest of the band, and 2D would refer to him only. Oh well.

He had spent many hours working with Murdoc's team to come up with the best melodies for the songs that he insisted he would write them himself, by himself. He befriended many employees and other artists that were signed with El Diablo Records, some of which decided to collaborate with his music in one way or another to give him a little boost. Bobby Womack in particular became close friends with him rather quickly.

The equipment used to record everything was top notch and left him very impressed. Stu never wanted to leave the recording room and always felt a little disappointed when security would come around and tell him to go home because they had to close the building for the night. The entire process of producing his album, titled The Fall, left him so inspired and motivated that he would enter his apartment and immediately find a notebook to write lyrics and melodies for upcoming songs. Ideas were pouring from his brain at all times of the day, so he created the habit of taking a notepad and a pencil broken in half to wherever he went to write everything down so he would not forget.

The only things needed now were pictures for the cover and booklet, and a music video to promote The Fall as well. During the production of his album, he would cross paths with Noodle a few times, but they never spoke too much. Both of them were awfully busy and still aware of what happened in the elevator, the events still much too fresh in their minds. If they lingered around one another for more than necessary or tried to get a conversation going, it would get too awkward to handle and one of them would leave without a convincing excuse.

He was still mulling over if he should ask her out, but in the end, Stu never got anywhere.

One little detail that he had forgotten was that she was responsible for the fashion department of the company. Her mother worked in that field, after all, and so she took after her and was extremely tuned with it. When he found out she would be the one taking his measurements and designing his clothes, he nearly turned to ashes on the spot. The embarrassment of standing before his still-unsure-crush in just his underwear was far too much to bear, but Noodle was always so professional about it that it made it a little easier. Just a little.

"Love, yeh know I trust yeh an' I don' know what yeh heard in tha' flash drive, but this man's ugly as shit. Do yeh really want 'im to be our new star?"

Stu was standing ram-rod still on a stool as Noodle adjusted the tape measure around his naked torso. She sighed and tilted her head back, giving the singer a clear view of the pained look on her face. "Dad, you literally look like a burnt zucchini."

"A sexy burnt zucchini." Murdoc added from his spot by the window, and his daughter cringed.

"Oh my God, dad." Noodle released the tape and stepped away from the singer completely, rubbing her eyes tiredly whilst making a bee-line to the door and leaving the dressing room.

2D, as almost everyone called him now, except Noodle herself, shifted uncomfortably on the stool before deciding that he could step off it. With his feet on solid ground, he stole a glimpse of himself on the oval mirror nearby and tried not to frown at his reflection. He was so thin you could easily see his ribs and circle his wrist effortlessly with two fingers, yet he could eat an entire pizza and half a cake in one sitting without breaking a sweat. His super-fast metabolism was a gift from his late grandfather, his parents used to say, and he never thought of it as a curse until now.

In fact, he had never given his appearance much thought, aside from his hair and black eyes, until he started working with Murdoc. The man was always making comments on his looks, on how they should get implants for his missing teeth, on how he was not muscular or attractive enough to attract a large female fanbase. It was a bit degrading and made him feel somewhat insecure, but thankfully, there was always someone around to defend his honor a bit, and that someone was Noodle, the only one who ever talked back to him aside from the bigger stars.

Except, this time she was too tired to give him a little hand. Or so he thought.

She stormed into the room a minute later, a deep scowl on her face as she marched towards the owner of El Diablo Records. "I want you out."

"What." He deadpanned and did not move as much as a finger to leave.

"I want you out!" Noodle repeated, grabbing a fistful of his shirt and manhandling him out of his spot. "Out, out, out!"

Murdoc caught his footing and dusted away imaginary dirt from himself. "What tha fuck, Noodle?"

"I can't work with you here talking all the time and saying downright mean things to him. I–" Grabbing her head and feeling the two of them staring intensely at her, she let out a choked noise and whirled around quickly. "I need some fresh air."

Her hasty footsteps faded from earshot quicker than one would expect, and Murdoc ran a hand through his hair as he clicked his tongue against the back of his teeth. 2D did not want to think much of his reaction, what it meant or could mean, or why Noodle seemed so angry on his behalf. He retrieved his clothes from the chair he had left them and put them on, not realizing that his graphic shirt was inside out, and turned to face his superior.

"I'll... Talk wif 'er."

"Do tha'." Murdoc said lowly and showed his back to him. "Buy me some time while I think o' somethin'."

2D left the room and stopped the first person he bumped into, inquiring on her whereabouts and getting only a shrug as answer. He really had no time to look for her in every floor of the building, so he would have to think and try to remember an instance in which either Noodle or someone mentioned where she would go when she was angry, but he came up blank. It seemed that she had a good grasp on her emotions and rarely let them get out of her control, but there had to be a place she would go when she wanted some space.

He thought of the coffee shop and how she took him there for the interview because her dad's office was too cluttered and messy, and she could not concentrate in there. The singer was ready to head there when he paused for a second and thought that she would not find some peace there. He considered asking Murdoc where to go, but something told him that the man had his hands full already. Tapping his foot on the floor and searching his brain for a clue, 2D was getting more frustrated by the second until he remembered that he encountered her a fair number of times riding down the elevator, and Murdoc's office was on the last floor, so...

The rooftop.

It was a place 2D had never been to before, so he imagined it would be either dull and grey, or something out of a movie with grass and arches of roses scattered about with a big fountain in the center, if such thing was possible. Turns out, the rooftop of El Diablo Records was set somewhere in between. There was no grass and most of it was bare concrete, but there were some potted plants in an attempt to make the place more welcoming and lively. There was an unfinished construction site that would most likely serve as a place where the employees could meet and have fun, a wood bench that had seen better days, and that was where he found Noodle sitting with her legs hugged to her chest and her chin resting on her knees.

He approached her quietly and sat beside her, staring out at the sea of buildings of different colors and about the same height that stretched on ahead. The English skies were cloudy, gray, as expected. She said nothing to acknowledge his presence, and he wringed his hands together as he thought of something to say. He settled for something simple. "I just wanted to check on yeh." Stu tilted his head down to look at her face; she kept on staring ahead with hooded eyes. "Are yeh okay?"

Even when she was bummed out, she was too pretty. He should not be thinking that now. "Yeah." Noodle hardly sounded convincing as she shoved her nose into her arms. Her voice came out muffled. "He's been pissing me off a bit lately, that's all. Sorry you had to see that."

"Yeh don' 'ave to apologize." He glanced at his hand and wondered briefly if he should comfort her physically in some way. "Do yeh... Wanna talk 'bout it?"

She shook her head negatively and sighed, lowering her feet to the ground and crossing her legs at her ankles. "It's something I'd have to talk to him about, and I don't know how to approach the subject."

2D twiddled his thumbs and regarded her silently, kicking his legs in place, a habit that made itself known when he was worried over something. "Listen... Murdoc doesn' fink befo' speakin', but he's yer dad. He'll listen to yeh... I fink."

Noodle giggled a little at his uncertainty and gave him a rueful little smile. "Thanks, Stu." His breath caught in his throat as the sun broke through the clouds and illuminated half of her face.

He could not reply to her, because words failed him and they were interrupted by none other than Murdoc himself, who must have been listening to their little talk the entire time. The both of them stood up from the bench when said man cleared his throat aloud and walked over with heavy steps, his gaze focused solely on his daughter. 2D took that as his cue to leave, understanding that they needed some time alone.

Murdoc twisted his lips and dropped his shoulders as if in defeat, and began speaking with Stuart still nearby. "I know I am a gross old man tha' seems to 'ave no clue on 'ow to be nice an' organized, and I know I say a lot o' evil things and I could care less 'bout what tha fuck people think o' me, but I care 'bout what yeh think o' me." There was a pause, some shuffling of clothes, and he continued. "Yer me favorite daughter."

"I'm your only daughter, dad." Came her reply, once more muffled.

"Exactly." He stated proudly. "Yer brothers are a hassle. I can assure yeh none o' them ever heard this comin' from me."

Stu stole a glimpse at them as he opened the door to go back inside, a smile blooming on his face as he saw Murdoc with his arms tightly wrapped around her shoulders, and Noodle's hands gripping at the back of his black shirt in a white-knuckled grip. Her face was shoved in his chest and he had his chin propped on her head, eyes closed in an almost surreal display of serenity. Feeling like he was intruding in an intimate family moment, the singer looked away and stepped through the threshold, missing the last bit of their conversation before the heavy door closed behind him.

"Now, care to explain why on Earth yeh always seem like I personally attacked yeh when I talk shit 'bout 2D?"