Yami's koi: How many… Ahh, fuck it. Here's the update.

That had not been any of the millions of thoughts she'd had concerning why the two men were not talking. Her eyes widened, and mouth opened ever so slightly, lips trembling.

Murdoc went on, unaware of the guitarist's inner torment as he glared up at the bunk bed's 'canopy.'

"Yeah… I thought he'd been actin' like he fancied someone lately… An' I figured, 'Hey, it migh' be me. Maybe I 'ave a chance 'ere.' Problem was, when I kissed 'im, turned out he dunna fancy me at all. He dunna even like men…" At this, the bassist's voice broke, and a single tear squeezed its way out from beneath the man's closed eyelids.

Noodle stared at Murdoc openly, gaping awfully. Her hand slipped down the pint glass she still held, and instantly, she threw the remaining water in there over herself.

As the wetness dripped off her kimono, face and hair, Noodle released a dry sob. So, her precious 2D has been kissed. She released an inward, private sigh as Murdoc carried on.

"So I stuck me self in 'ere… Wantin' to hide away for a while… Drink the night away… But that never gets yer anywhere, Noodle, and I want yer to remember that." Murdoc said, suddenly stern. His eyes opened, and he stared into her eyes firmly.

"Promise me you won't end up like me… Usin' booze as a way out…"

Noodle nodded. "Of course not." She smiled, although deep inside she was breaking. "Here… Finish this, and then try to get some more sleep. You can forget about what happened without drink…" She said soothingly, watching mutely as the man swallowed the water obediently, then lay there, waiting for Noodle to leave the room before he got changed.

However, when he summoned her back into his room, he stepped out of his bed to find that she was no longer there. He blearily stared around, knocking on a few nearby cupboards.

"Noodle?"

Noodle

Shivering from the combined force of the gripping wind and icy cold water that seemed to seep through her skin and into the very core of her bones, Noodle hurried her way across the car park and into the main building that was Kong studios.

When she made her way into one of the many corridors that led to her room, Noodle stared out into the darkness of the landfill. There was little movement from the waste this night, and only the sound of the howling winds could be heard, with the occasional snowflake being powered along by the force.

Slowly making her way back into her room, Noodle switched on the lights and gazed around at her room. A slight dent from where 2D has laid down on the sheets still sat, perfect and captured in time. She almost felt bad for wanting to go to sleep, but all the same, she pulled back the covers, removing the imprint sadly. Turning, Noodle reached for a spare kimono and yanked her wet one off, pulling the new one on before preparing herself for bed again. She then walked back into her main bedroom and fell onto the bed, sighing.

Noodle inhaled the oddly sweet scent that she knew to be 2D's own as she pulled the covers up on her lithe body a little higher. It was both heart wrenching and arousing that 2D had rested his body on this very same bed, on this very same day… Noodle turned over and tried not to think about it, but could not escape Murdoc's voice, Murdoc's confession.

"I 'ave a crush on 2D."

"But I feel so much more for him than that…" Noodle whimpered, holding herself tightly as she heard lightening crack outside. She turned over again, her voice muffled by the pillow slightly. "… I love him, and I don't even get half of what Murdoc managed to get…"

Tears instantly filled Noodle's eyes. The part of her that had previously been sexually aroused replaced itself with remorse, and the girl's eyes fell to a close, tears fluttering gracefully onto the bed sheets. Sure, now that she knew that 2D wasn't so utterly repulsed by her that he'd turned gay, but even so, he might as well be as unattainable as reaching the moon.

Besides, who was she to try and force her way into 2D's happiness… Into his life? Noodle turned over again, oddly restless. A lot had happened, and her mind was unable to shut itself down as quickly as it usually did. Sitting up, pressing her knees into her chest, Noodle rested her tired but busy mind there, shaking with both self-hate and with the force of her emotions.

All that she'd ever wanted was to be loved by 2D. And was that too much to ask? Whatever it was that seemed to be conspiring against her, it was winning. Along with an odd sense of jealousy and uneasiness in her stomach, heartache made itself known upon the impressionable young woman in an instant.

Noodle lifted her head off her knees, staring at her poster-filled wall sadly. She needed to get out of here. Now. There was little chance of her getting to sleep now, what with the lightening striking outside, and the thoughts that were compelling her mind to stay awake.

Before she knew it, her small feet were padding across the achingly cold floor, carrying Noodle downstairs to fuck knew where. And as she crept along the oddly silent corridor, she began to think.

Although Murdoc was, in fact, lusting after 2D, he was no competition, considering that 2D had no intentions of going out with a man. So that was one hurdle she could get around. Now that her temporary objective – finding out why 2D and Murdoc were acting so awkwardly – had been fulfilled, Noodle needed a new goal. And what better mission than to have his heart?

At that moment, Noodle stopped dead in her tracks.

'Listen to myself. I'm talking like I'm just another fan of him who just wants him because he's famous. I have nothing better to do, so I act like a slut and throw myself out there just to get noticed. Not only am I an attention seeker, but also a slut. Perfect.' Noodle rested her head against the wall, releasing a dry sob. It had come out quite loud, and just as the Japanese girl was about to push herself off of the wall, she felt herself falling.

"Holy shit!" Strong arms spared the girl the embarrassment of falling in front of her beloved. Noodle blushed, and then frowned when she remembered why and how 2D had been alerted to her presence.

"Thanks," She said curtly, making to walk off when 2D began to talk, leaving her little choice but to stay and listen.

"I can't get to sleep tonigh', it's stupid." He sighed, stretching to show off his shirtless torso. Despite herself, Noodle couldn't help but hungrily stare at the exposed flesh whilst 2D wasn't paying strict attention. "So why can't you sleep?"

Noodle started. She hadn't thought of how to answer that quite yet. Then the thunder outside answered the question for her when it cracked unexpectedly through the quiet, causing her to jump.

2D nodded. "It's not helpin' me, to tell yer the truth." He admitted, scratching his head absent-mindedly. "So… Yew wanna watch some TV with me?"

Noodle nodded, seeing she would have nothing better to do, other than brood over what could be. "Sure," She agreed, waiting as 2D pulled the fresh bed sheets from the spare bed hurriedly. They went downstairs together, finding nothing to say as they flicked through the endless channels of pornography and telly shopping, giving the rough hour to be watching TV.

"There's nowt on…" 2D muttered. "Unless you don't mind me watchin' South Park."

Noodle shook her head. "I don't mind at all. You watched Shaman King with me today, it's the least I can do." 2D grinned, and pulled the covers over the both of them, having both sat on the large sofa. Noodle suppressed the reflexive gasp that had arrived in her throat. Hoping that the dim light of the TV would hide her blush, Noodle cuddled herself in the vast covers, squeezing herself next to 2D – Luckily for them, the spare bedroom had only had a single bed in it.

As the cheesy theme music to the adult show came on, Noodle knew she would barely be able to stay awake for terribly long after being next to the man she loved. She yawned openly, and settled finally to watch the show. Quite frequently she found herself sniggering alongside 2D, finding it difficult to keep their noise level quiet.

"… Dude, you fucked a chicken."

Noodle shoved the cushion into her face, trying to quiet her laughter. She instantly began pairing people from South Park together with each other in her mind, feeling like such the little matchmaker. Combined with the heat radiating from 2D, and the heady lust that was almost a solid essence in the room, Noodle eventually drifted into a dream-like state, halfway between sleep and being awake.

And on this plane of now forced consciousness, Noodle knew never to judge whatever she felt as real. But when 2D giggled quietly next to her, mumbling something that sounded like a threat, aimed solely at himself, and felt a pair of lips touch her forehead before slipping into the sleep that embraced her, all she knew was one thing.

Her confidence in this theory had been shaken.

Murdoc's Winnebago, four o clock in the morning

Murdoc had managed to get less than an hour's worth of sleep. He was back to the drink again, not at all dissuaded by the waves of nausea that crashed over him with every can of the stuff. Sometimes he felt as if his bed was wobbling, as if an earthquake was causing it to shake violently against the Winnebago's thin walls, and at other times, he simply felt as if he wished to bash his head against the said wall.

He could barely remember what had occurred in the past twenty-eight and a half hours… Or was it twenty-four hours? Murdoc blinked his eyes rapidly, trying to rid his vision of those annoying tear droplets. He rubbed at his face, and realised it was sticky… Had he been crying before? The bassist shrugged, deciding that such information would neither help him in later life nor interest him.

However, these were just the effects that people would have been able to see. The internal effects ran so much deeper, as was to be expected. Despite common belief, Murdoc did have feelings. But for the simple reason that Murdoc did not wish everyone to know how he felt or why, no one felt they could understand or relate to his problems, when actually, such problems were of the norm.

The first, Murdoc thought, waving his beer can in the air, as if talking to someone in front of him, was that he had kissed… someone… He couldn't even say his name now… Did it hurt that much? To hear the name, 2D?

Murdoc felt another tear roll down his face. Yes, it seemed that it did.

The second problem was that someone else knew. But how? He had not seen anyone in the room at the time… Murdoc's brow furrowed, as he leaned forwards dangerously, his backside only just resting on the edge of the bed now. His thoughts consumed him, the blurs and frayed edges of memory combining with the liquor to give him a dizzying after glow… Not to mention a sore head, and arms, and stomach…

Wait, sore arms and stomach? Murdoc glanced around, and saw that he had fallen off of his bed. He giggled; clutching his beer can as he stared up at the stained ceiling.

"I fell!" He exclaimed, believing that someone was there. He could hear someone speaking to him… Who was she?

"Are you feeling all right?"

"'Course I ain't!" Murdoc snapped, swinging his arms so that they connected dully with the legs that supported his bunk beds. "I mean, look at meh! I'm as drunk as a whore on a hen nigh', an' you ask me if I'm all righ'? fuckin' 'ell, you're dumb…"

"Oh? Why would you think that, Murdoc?"

"Because I'm pissed, you dumb cow!" Murdoc exclaimed, the only coherent though in his mind being that this was obvious. This bird must be really thick.

"Here… Finish this, and then try to get some more sleep. You can forget about what happened without drink…"

And there she went again. Murdoc closed his eyes, groaning in exasperation. She was most certainly wrong.

"What 're you, a minor or somethin'?" He slurred, feeling a bit of wetness enter his mouth as he posed the question. He sipped his drink out of habit now, and felt his mouth bulge with an unpleasant taste.

Unable to contain the vile substance, Murdoc simply turned his head on the side, and allowed what felt like half of his organs come out through his mouth. Rancid bile and alcohol poured from the man's mouth and nose, burning the nose cavity and the back of the throat effectively. He choked on the vomit, feeling the foul stuff begin to spill onto his cheek, seeping into the carpet. The mere smell of his stomach lining was enough to force more of the substance up, and eventually, Murdoc could feel himself falling through the black abyss of nothingness.

His eyes fell to a hollow close.

Ten thirty in the morning

Noodle awoke with a very bad neck, and a very cold body. Curled up on the floor like a cat was 2D, who looked just adorable. He looked cold too, shivering, although never did he stir.

Noodle sniggered to herself, rubbing sleep out of her eyes groggily, whilst reaching for her camera phone, on the small table next to the couch. She opened up the phone application, and silently took a picture of the sleeping man, naming it 'So kawaii', for lack of a more imaginative title. As she went to go turn on the fire, 2D's eye opened a crack, and he got a very sneaky idea. He ever so slowly brought his hands to his face, and then grabbed Noodle's ankle very quickly as she walked past, screaming.

Noodle jumped at the unexpected contact, and she screamed, too, but much, much louder than the man lying on the floor. In a wild rush of adrenaline, she kicked out, managing to miss 2D by just half an inch. His eyes widened at the place where her foot had been, and he tried to calm her down, whilst attempting not to laugh his head off.

"I'm sorry Noodle… I didn' mean to scare yew." The man explained, smirking only for the briefest of moments, when he knew that Noodle would not hit him for it.

To his surprise, her mouth twitched, too. She hugged the man's middle, a large grin on her face. Now that her heart was pounding at its normal rate, and that her breathing had steadied, she could actually see the funny side to what had happened.

"You awrigh', darlin'?"

Noodle nodded against the man's chest, burying her face in his essence happily. It was a lovely morning, with snow frosting over the glass on the windowpane, with more of the flakes fluttering down from the grey heavens to rest on the carpet of snow already set onto the earth. Soon they would be eating breakfast, or preparing themselves to do battle once more in the misty snowstorm outside, and then later rest up, settling down with a steaming mug of hot chocolate. She smiled, and drew back, smiling coyly.

"Go on, 2D… You have yet to make me some breakfast!" Noodle said brightly, in response to 2D's warm and fuzzy look.

Of course, such a darling look evaporated quicker than snow in a desert.

"That's not fair… Why should I make the breakfast?" He whined, as they proceeded through the freezing corridors of Kong to the kitchen. Noodle stretched and sat herself down, giving 2D the need to look away when she did so… He really didn't need a boner so early in the morning…

"I can think of several reasons," Noodle said with a yawn, thinking as to what she wished to eat and drink so that 2D would make them for her. "Firstly, you're older than me, and therefore should have more experience in the kitchen than me. Second, I'm tired, so you should do it. Third, you just gave me the fright of my life."

2D laughed at the last one, finding himself beaten by the girl's radiant charm. "All righ', you win."

"I know," Noodle said smugly, sitting back in her chair, hearing her muscles groan at the movement. As 2D hurried about the kitchen, boiling kettles and switching on things, Noodle debated over whether to let 2D knew what she knew… Well, what Murdoc had drunkenly confessed to her.

But should she? Such things may disturb 2D, and maybe he didn't want anyone else to know about what happened. But what if that was the last thing that 2D wanted? There was so little Noodle knew about such matters. Sure, she had friends who were, in fact, bisexual, but had never had any experience in kissing that of her own gender. Besides, even if she had, she was old and wise enough now to understand that people react to the same situations very differently.

As Noodle pondered this, 2D gently lay her food beside her, and she ate and drank, feeling slightly guilty when she saw how much trouble 2D had gone to, all to ensure that she had received exactly what she had asked for. She blushed and thanked him repetitively, until 2D decided that yeah, he could live with this.

After a while of talking and commiserations for the wonderful and burn-free breakfast, Russel wandered in, vast stomach aching for food, like an alcoholic aches for food, as he so tenderly put it.

This again, made Noodle think about what had transpired yesterday. 2D did not notice her expression of concentration, as he had begun to talk with Russel animatedly.

It was then that Noodle made an instant decision, one that would have to be done.

"I'm going to go get Murdoc. He won't have eaten anything since dinner yesterday!"

At this, 2D's face dropped.

"Oh… Well… Awrigh', Noodle." He said reluctantly, turning his back slowly on the girl, now finding it hard to concentrate on whatever it was that Russel was talking to him about. Had it been any warmer, a sweat bead of fear would have appeared on his brow, glazing the pale skin there. Agitatedly, he turned around and tried to think of where Noodle would be. When he was almost sure she would be in the car park by now, he sighed and sipped his Chinese Herbal tea thoughtfully.

'Fuckin' 'ell…'

Noodle, outside the Winnebago

Noodle waited patiently outside the trailer, having knocked twice already. Sure, she knew Murdoc to be a heavy sleeper, but why wasn't he answering his mobile? She tried again, and got nothing more than a few resounding noises and his answer phone.

Perhaps he had gone out?

More than likely. Noodle sighed, thinking to peer in through the windows to eliminate any possibility that the man was still inside the Winnebago. She glanced around, and saw Murdoc, lying on his back, a half empty beer can in his hand, and something that looked like vomit on the floor.

Noodle backed away from the window… And for the second time that day, she screamed.

In the kitchen with Russel and 2D

Despite a majority of cells in 2D's body insisting otherwise, the man could have believed that he had just heard a very girlish scream. Shaking off the feeling, he turned back to Russel.

"You bought any prezzies yet?" He asked casually, draining the last of his tea in a hurry and receiving a mouthful of pure tealeaves.

Russel nodded. "Yeah, I got some the other day for you and Noodle-girl, but I don't have a fuckin' clue what to get Murdoc… What do you get for a miserable bastard who will throw whatever you get him in your face anyway?"

2D shrugged one shoulder lazily. Now that the heating was circulating through the Studio, things weren't quite so bad anymore. "Beats me."

He heard footsteps pounding in the corridor before watching as Noodle hurled herself into the room, leaning onto the table for support. Her eyes were wide with fright, body trembling with the impact of what she had just seen.

"Noodle? Why you ran, girl?" 2D asked, mildly curious.

Noodle shook her head.

"It's Murdoc… He's in his Winnebago… He's passed out… There's sick next to him… I think he's… Overdosed."

Yami's koi: so, the plot thickens.