Noodle woke up in a car and wearing her dress again. 2D had most likely carried her out. He was holding her and a little hung over next to her in the back seat. He called an Uber perhaps. Cause Noodle hadn't noticed till now that she was in a unfamiliar car. She was in a slumped position when she sat up and saw Stuart laying there with her head on his shoulder. Perhaps he positioned her like that intentionally. Regardless she decided to lay against his body again. Noodle felt so sore she couldn't think. She was blank and quiet with aches and slightly roughed up from being scratched, bitten, and choked last night. Regardless, she was too tired to move and too comfortable to want to. She just fainted in his arms again. Feeling him rub her stomach and kiss her head. She was so sure that last night they said they weren't a couple. Not until the year ended. Not until Stu graduated...yet she was being pampered like a queen almost by him. His long uncut and clean nails tracing patterns on her before she was out of it again.

She woke back up at the house naked and in a bath robe. A note laid on the table by their bedside as she sat up.

Dear Noodle,

Went to class after we took a nap together. I undressed you cause I figured if you wear the same dress you might not be comfortable waking up. I didn't do anything wrong I promise. After we napped I left for class and I should be back in a few hours. I left some money so you could order us a pizza. Get whatever you want, I figured you would be too tired to cook.

Love,

2D

Noodle smiled and rubbed her eyes. She was so relieved he didn't want to be awkward after last night, although most was a blur. Plus the scratches and bruises may not have hurt anymore but they gave a good indication she had a good time last night. But that's when she had let it really sink in.

I slept with 2D last night.

2D was walking home. He sent a text out to Shia apologizing so by the time he came to class he found out that she and her girl gang all had some fun with Wayne. Which definitely was something to look forward to for them at the next party no doubt.

As Stuart made his way down the street he could hear and see a nearby bar with open karaoke not too far from the apartment. He grinned to himself and took a flyer. He tucked it in his pocket as a sweet surprise for later. But that's when he ran into one of his professors. "R-Rose! Hey I didn't think I'd see ya after so much time away..." He admitted a bit shaken up he would see her near a liesure building for the students. Rose had coffee colored skin and dark hair that was mid length and let down. She wore a pink turtle neck sweater and tight black pants, with a white long strapped small purse over her shoulder. "Stu? What a coincidence! Are you looking into the open karaoke night too?" She asked smirking. "It just so happens I was bringing my best voice to it tomorrow. Will I see you there?" She asked. 2D sweated for some odd reason. "Possibly. I'm bringing a date if she agrees."

"A date? That's adorable! Whose the lucky one?" She asked this with a voice like silk. 2D knew very well that Rose was good at getting any man she wanted. He knew he wouldn't fall for it, but with Noodle there with him...would Noodle know that?

I could just lie and not go wivh her...yeah. Fake it till yew make it Stuart...

"Just an old band mate of mine whose staying wivh me now. We got ah...supah' close in vhese recent years,"

"Ah but whats her name?" Rose asked curiously. "She...she goes by Noodle..."he confessed. Rose widened her eyes. "You two are dating yet you don't know her name?" She asked. 2D's face flushed. "She doesn't know it either. Turns out she has no memory before she was seven and she always lived wivh the band."

"So she's...younger then you too?" Rose purred this as the gossip fuel left 2D feeling drained. I regret sticking my dick in yew ya know that Rose?

"Anyway! I have ta get home now. S-see ya!" He chirped at full speed before shuffling back home a bit of a mess.

He must not have had good signal cause suddenly 2D was getting his phone blown up the minute he got home. Turns out all his guy friends from classes across the board were all oggling Noodle and were cheering 2D on for his prized catch. 2D read the texts and sighed. Either everyone at the party heard us, or Rose blabbed. Or both.

Most likely it was the former and not the latter, or else the entirety of his texts would just be discussing the age gap between himself and Noodle and questions about her life story that no one knew the answers to.

Noodle was on the couch with a gooey slice of pizza halfway coming out her mouth. She noticed 2D and changed the channel to what she had saved up on the video player. "I have a large collection of zombie films I recorded for us. Could be good yeah?" She asked. Noodle had a humble smile. 2D simply smirked a minute before cracking his knuckles. "Noodle?" he asked.

"Hm?"

"We should talk about last night..." Stuart said. Noodle took another bite of pizza. She didn't make eye contact anymore. "What's there to talk about?" she asked. Then Stuart sighed and sat on the couch. "Could've been nothing to talk about if the whole campus didn't know but...it knows. The whole school knows." Stuart confessed. Noodle swallowed. "How is that a problem?" She asked. "Vengeful former lays are prolly gonna try taking me from yew. But I just want to assure yew that-"

"Take you from me? You're not mine to begin with." Noodle said putting the slice down. "I agreed to help you get your life on track not add to it. I wanted to help you start life over but I'm not doing that as your girlfriend." Noodle told him as she looked at her lap. Stuart furrowed his brow. "Do yew really fink a grown man wouldn't know what he can handle?" Stuart asked. "Whatever the problem is luv, whatever the reason is fer yew not to want me this way..." He took her hand and held it, rubbing a thumb on her knuckles. "...let me help yew conquer it."

Noodle felt like she could just melt. "Wanna know why I have issues with staying with you? Fine. Let me be real then..." Noodle said sternly as she turned the TV off. Then she met his gaze again. "The problem is is that I'm scared to be in a relationship and then have to be responsible for someone and then it goes south. I don't want the drama and the issues that the other person may have to go through. I love you, Stuart. More then anything but..."

"...but? We already face drama and I accept whatever the problems we may face are. Yew fought demons before love. Literal demons! All alone might I add." 2D said. He scooted closer and kissed her cheek. "Yew tried to find yerself and dealt wivh such termoil I figured most would be dead after dealing wivh. Yet you're here like its a sign. Yew stood up for me and I chose to ask yew to run away wivh me cause I figured yew would have my back. For once I want to have yours!"

2D kissed her again to her surprise. She jumped but kissed him back. With hooded eyes she looked into the black ebony that showed her reflection. "I wanna support yew and me both. S'why I took yew away so we could escape. So tat I knew yew couldn't go back to Japan and so yew could have my back...I ran away wivh yew cause I love yew..."

He pressed his forehead to hers and shut his eyes.

"Love me back love?"