The lack of warmth about the air is accompanied with the smell of falling leaves as autumn takes hold. Once more the two are on the move again. They couldn't stay in that little apartment forever, no matter if it was becoming comfortable to them. 2-D was still a captive and Murdoc was still his kidnapper. Once more the feeling that Russel and Noodle were getting close was what haunted the other. It encouraged him to pack up their lives and set out for new sights. Even if deep down he did want a home for he and the blunette. Under such circumstances though, it wasn't possible. They had to keep moving. It was move or be separated now.
Murdoc had made love...fucked him again that morning before they left. Bags pressed to the wall closest the door, smoke rolling from a joint in the tray. The morning autumns light glowing in from the window onto their bed. Oddly enough it reminded the thinner male of the smell of syrup, apples and spices, pumpkin spice. It was so odd to smell such things with Murdoc a top him. Perhaps it was the atmosphere and the half smoked Joint.
Whatever the reason he had not bothered to question it, it took too much brain capacity, and although his headaches came less often he wasn't willing to risk it. After murdoc was pleased and 2-D was spent Muds began to move the bags to their car. As 2-D sat upon the bed he pondered curiously about the way Murdoc loved /fucked/ him this time. It was quiet, breathy, a few moans here and there but nothing loud like at night. He took a drag from the blunt and licks his lips through the gap in his teeth.
Perhaps Murdoc was actually one for atmosphere, though that was indeed shocking. Maybe Murdoc was trying to show a tender side of himself, maybe even a romantic side. And as usual as soon as the thought is there it is pushed far out of his mind. He's stupid to entertain the idea that the other would ever love him. A faceache like him. What was he worth to the demon other than a plaything, because Murdoc knew that 2-D would never tell him no, that even if he did he could always beat him into submission. It had nothing to do with love, nothing at all. And as unfortunate as that is Stuart did his best to accept it at that moment, no matter the amount of pain it brought him to think about.
So he didn't think about it and eventually crushed the rest of the joint in the tray before standing and stretching. He moved out of the room, picking up a bag, unsure which, and shuffled out to the car. He sat on the passenger side and placed the bag in his lap, so Murdoc wouldn't have to pack it with the few other things he had. And he waited patiently for the other to join him in the front seat. This took time since Murdoc had to fight and argue with the trunk, attempting to get the damn piece closed.
After initially slamming his body hard into it it clicked shut. He was pleased enough with this and moved to sit in the drivers side. He looked over to Stu, who was putting his seatbelt on. Again he was pleased. This would ensure that the other would not fly out the window should anything happen. That was reassuring, though he would never admit that out loud. He simply didn't wish for the other to be hurt again, and he had kept good on his word, except for one slip up that left a purple mark on 2-D's cheek. Even now it was visible in yellow brown. He silently detests himself.
Russ pulls the car into a parking spot at a gas station. Noodle, once again, has been making checkpoints on her map. Russel takes it upon himself to run inside to retrieve her cigarettes. The small asian girl sits and marks precise spots while she waits for the other to return. Her delicate hand marks scribbles on useless places and a long sigh emanates from her.
"Perhaps Russel-San is right…"
What chance did they really have of finding 2-D if indeed Murdoc did not wish to be found. It was quite the impossible sighs and shakes her head, her hair falling further over her eyes than it normally did. She was at a complete loss. There was no way they could do this was their. It was so odd. Usually the two had no trouble at all finding the two idiots. But this was all so much different than the times before. Maybe it was true, what Murdoc had said, what he had screamed to her and Russ the day before the kidnapping.
The idea that it could be true was horrifying. She jumps slightly when she hears the sound of gravel shifting beneath car tires as another car pulls up right next to them. She doesn't look up, and can just make out a man sauntering off angrily into the store. And had Noodle not have been in such a depression she may have recognized the gruff and nasty voice the man had. But she didn't.
She pays no mind to the neighboring car until she hears something slam against her window. She screams at it, a rather angry noise, and begins to curse in japanese at the man at her window. Her voice only ceases when she sees the frantic 2-D trying to pry the door open. He seems to be in a panic and noodle quickly points to the back and unlocks the car from him. Hard to focus on when every muscle is tightening and the other is screaming in a broken high pitched voice, begging her to open up.
She frantically unlocked the door and allowed him into the back of the car. She was shaking. She wanted to hug him, to listen to him, but if he was here she couldn't waste time. She pulled her cell from her pocket instantly setting to dialing Russ. He had to get out here now. They needed to go. Whatever they had come to pick up was nowhere near as important as the Cargo they now carried in the back of the car.
Inside Russ was picking up a snack for himself, when his phone went off there was a loud burst of the instrumental to 'Rock the House'. He pulls his phone from his pocket, looking at the caller ID. The ringtone, as expected had caught the attention of an unwelcomed guest.
"Russ you fuckin' shit! Wha' did ah say aboutchyoo followin!"
"Oh shit!"
With that the bassist bolted, the demon hot on his tail. He rushed as fast as he could to his car, throwing the door open and then slamming it quickly behind him. He started up the car, only then noticing the blue haired hitchhiker in the back. He took off as quickly as he could.
"Shit, Two, when did you get here?" He asked, shooting a quick look to his rear view.
"I jush go' in dah cah. Muhdshy kidnapped meh!" He screeches, looking back. Just as he feared the green devil was speeding after them.
"Russel San! Hit the gas! He's on our tail!" Noodle screeched and curled up, truly fearing that the demon would indeed kill them if he got the chance.
Russel threw the car into a quick turn, jerking those inside. Everyones heart was racing, thrumming in their chests like the beat of the drums. Russel took another harsh spin, hoping to throw Murdoc off of them. He seemed unshakable!
"Fucking hell, he just ain't getting the fuck off my tail!" Russel cursed. He looked ahead, seeing a great line of traffic. If he could pull it off they might have a chance.
He sped into the lanes, dodging cars narrowly till he burst out onto a long and empty road looking up once more to the rear. Finally he had lost Murdoc, leaving him trapped behind many cars which would keep him held in place for quite some time.
Stuart sat shivering and shuddering in the back of the car. His hands gripped at the edge of the backseat and he heaved great breaths of strain. His body was clearly tired, further underfed that what was even normal from him. And it was Noodle that noticed the bruise of the bluenettes cheek. She gave a breath full over worry and shook her head.
"He hurt you." She said, more of a comment than a question. And at this the blue bird turned his sights out the window.
"Only a bih, Ih...ih goh a loht behah." He tried to reassure the other, but she wasn't having it. It was clear she wanted so badly to punch something, but she settled for crushing an empty cigarette pack and holding it tight.
"It's alright, baby girl. We're gonna get him all set up, fixed like a new set a drums." One hand moved from the wheel to rub her shoulder gently. She turned from him, still angered with the demonic bassist.
They drove till the night fell and then made to find a motel, all deciding it best to sleep in the same room. It was set one bathroom, a small tub and shower to join. They allowed Stupot to bathe before anything else.
He cleaned himself slowly, dragging a rag over his flesh, and he realized for the first time in quite a long time that he that his bones ached and his muscles were sore. He lay back to let the water soothe him, the warmth of it so welcome, a contrast to the cold glare of Niccals. He flinched hard at the inner sights of a red and black eye. He was...so scared. Even now, with Noodle and Russel, he was scared.
Outside Russel leaned against the structure of the motel, a cigarette placed between his teeth as he pulled out his phone. He scrolled through pretty much nothing, only trying to occupy his hands with more than a smoke. It wasn't till Noodle joined him that he was to look up from the bright screen.
From her pocket she pulled her own pack, opening the top and retrieving her own smoke. She lit and stared off at the nothingness of the sky. A series of street lamps lit the sky so that no stars could particularly be seen, even if they were not quite in a town just yet. She looked over to Russ, looking him up and down.
"Thank you." She said, earning another glance from him.
He looked to her and though he knew he need not ask he did anyway.
"For?"
"You didn't give up, even when you wanted to. I know you did that for me...just...thank you."
"He's my friend too, Noods. Ain't nothing I wasn't willing to do."
"I see." Her voice died out in the darkness, followed only by a dispersing plume of smoke from her cigarette, and so with it their conversation.
The two sat still smoking in silence, sharing only glances when they thought the other was not looking. It wasn't till Noodle had stomped out her cigarette that she looked up to catch his gaze. She took a quick breath, then slowly exhaled, her eyes searching his face. Slowly she moved in front of him.
"What you thinkin', baby girl?"
The question was met with an answer that had no verbal form. At this she stood on her tiptoes, her arms wrapping around his neck as she dragged him down and meant to connect their lips. He held still, unsure if he should kiss back. After a moment he complies, his large hands meeting the small of her back to support her. The two stayed locked in a kiss until the motel door opened, and quickly they tore apart.
"I'm gon tah be gon off choo bed fow now, I'll shee you boff tomowwow." 2-D informed. Unable to speak they only nodded, which was enough for him and he retreated into the room. The silence only continued until Noodle made for the room, to of course be stopped by Russel's voice.
"Hey! Baby girl, we gonna get D back to his mama. After that, me and you gonna have a talk about. This lil' thin', whatever this was."
She stood still at this but complied with a nod after a time, and slipped into the room.
The car ride was but silence. The wheels of the old automobile crunched and ground over gravel that had some how gotten on the cement. Russel had kept his eyes on the road, both hands on the wheel, while Noodle had one hand out the window holding a half smoked cigarette. 2-D had taken to tapping his foot mindlessly as the scenery went by.
He hadn't told Noodle everything that had happened. He hadn't told Russ either. He didn't tell them about the touching, he didn't tell them how he'd had to be resurrected. He kept his mouth shut about everything. It was odd but he felt fully ashamed about the entire ordeal, though he wasn't sure why. None of it was his fault after all. Even so his mouth remained shut.
It was Noodle that spoke first, his tongue making some dry sound as it peeled off the roof of her mouth. Her speech came to succeed it.
"He said he loved you." She called back to Stuart, before bringing her cigarette back between her lips. Her statement earned her quite a glare from Russell, which she chose to ignore. "He said if we tried to find you he'd kill us. Not that we're really afraid of that jackass."
Another stern look from Russ. He preferred her not to swear, but there was no way he could be a hypocrite about it, especially now that she was old enough to decide on her own. She looked back to see the expression on 2-D's face. He was paying attention now, his brow furrowed.
With the way his forehead knitted up his age became far more clear. It showed wrinkles on his forehead that would otherwise lay flat, as though not there at all. His eyes squinted up brought out the ever hidden crowfeet near his temples. He seemed to be staring as though he hadn't heard right, or wasn't sure whether he had or hadn't.
If what Noodle was saying was true than all those times he'd thought he'd heard Murdoc say such things weren't so crazy. It was very possible indeed that it had absolutely been said. The singer felt his stomach churn.
"Stop veh car..." He choked, his voice weak and shaky. "M'gonna be shick."
Russ didn't take time to argue and he didn't take time to question. He quickly pulled over for the bluenette. Stuart threw the car door open and leaped out immediately. In a matter of moments he was doubled over on the ground, emptying the contents of his stomach into damp grass.
"You shouldn't a' told him that, Baby girl." He could hear Russ stating as his heaving came to an end.
He managed to shake his head, though it was doubtful that Russ had even seen him.
"She'sh fine." He managed, spitting once more to get the taste out of his mouth, and then making his way back into the car. He shut the door and slumped down, pulling his buckle to lock it in place.
"He deserved to know." He could hear Noodle whisper to Russel.
The rest of the way home was a few days trip. They stopped at Motels when they could and they slept in the car when needed. Nights like that no one slept comfortably. They would have just flown back or something but they didn't want the press all over Stuart, not after what he'd been through over the course of nearly a year.
When Stuart walked into his parents home for the first time since the incident his it was Mrs. Pot who first greeted him. She had thrown her arms around him and hugged him so tightly that he was likely to pop if she wasn't careful.
His father had even taken it upon himself to tug 2-D close with one arm and pat his shoulder. His mother had fed him and checked him over and over for any wounds. Most had healed except the now bright yellow bruise which was nearly healed.
Rachel talked Stuart into taking a bath, which he did. He wiped off dirt and grime from his time with the demon, and he let the bath water soothe his sore muscles. He breathed in deeply and relaxed in the tub, blowing bubbles into the water through his nose. His black eyes peered over the bathwater, which was beginning to turn a bit murky. He raised himself and finished cleaning before wrapping himself in a towel.
He was given some of his fathers pajama's to wear. They were baggy and they threatened to slide off of him but he made due. He had to hold the pants up on his lanky frame, since his hips weren't wide enough, and the shirt slid off of his shoulder, showing pale skin, and a scare that showed perfectly the shape of teeth. Everyone knew who's teeth had caused it of course. But no one brought it up when he joined his parents, Russel, and Noodle back in the den for some tea before bed.
They all talked and the environment was brought to be calm. Russ proved to be quite the gentlemen when Stuarts parents were around, and Rachel wouldn't stop hugging the poor drummer. She thanked him over and over again. She spoke with Noodle as well and talked well into the night with her.
Around one A.M everyone was well beat and it was Russ who had suggested he and Noodle take their leave. This left Stu-Pot alone with his parents. His dad gave him one last one armed hug while his mother took him up to his old bedroom. Rachel hadn't tucked him in since he was a young boy, but he let her tonight and she gave him a kiss on the forehead, and he gave her one on the cheek and that was that.
And come the next morning, as Rachel was too excited to sleep too long (and David roused when his wife did), and Stuart was still on edge, they talked over where Stu-Pot would stay and for how long.
Rachel and David both came to the conclusion that it would be best for the bluenette to stay home for a while, and Stuart who didn't want to be left alone at any time found it easy to agree. And so it was settled that until Stu-Pot's mind was at ease he was to stay at home with his mother and father.