"C'mon ya fuckin' idiots the agency said they want five more songs fer a record by t'e end of t'e month." Murdoc said as he began tuning his bass.
Noodle glared at him from her spot on one of the amps and began yelling in Japanese; the older man looked expectantly at the small girl's translator.
"She doesn't like you referring to her as an idiot, she said she may not speak much English, but she still can understand enough to know you're insulting her." Alan said not even looking up at the bassist.
"Yeah whatever, dullard 'ad ta teach 'er shit didn't ya?"
"I t'ought it'd be fun ta teach 'er some words, least she don't 'it me all ta time." 2D said as he stood over his keyboard pressing down on random keys.
"Jus' get started, we're gonna start with 5/4 and 'ey Russ t'ey said t'ey liked t'e rap parts. So try an' get Del outta yer head for some of the tracks."
Russel mumbled something in reply.
The past five days had been spent with everybody going over songs, adjusting things that needed adjusted. 2D and Russel had made the Satanist change some of the song titles and a few of his choice words in the lyrics to make them more suitable. Murdoc had to admit he'd been easier to anger the past few days and as usual ended up taking the frustration out on the younger man. He tried to avoid attacking the blue haired man when Noodle was around since the last time he had punched him in front of the young girl she had knocked the bassist to the ground and began choking him. If she had been anybody else he would have thrown her out by the scruff of her neck, but she was a little kid who kind of scared the hell out of him sometimes. He also had the feeling that if it wasn't for her being there 2D probably would have left; there was no way in Hell that Murdoc would do something to chase the kid off now.
While they would work through the songs Murdoc would occasionally look over at the singer watching him. His black eyes always seemed so focus and the expression on his face was always so focused and there when he was playing music. He really could understand what the blue haired man had been saying about feeling dead when he had worked in that record shop. The regular life of college and a dead end job where nobody noticed you for anything at all wasn't meant for him. He wasn't anything like Murdoc though; he wanted to play music for the art of it and the passion. The Satanist had been that way, but that was very many years ago. Now he did it for the art, the money, and the things that he could get with it. He wanted to drown himself in sex and booze, he could do that without fame, but it wasn't the same. He had a feeling in the back of his mind that his charm wouldn't last forever, 2D would eventually get some girl, and without those things Murdoc would be alone. He didn't want to think about that, he wanted to know he could have any woman on Earth….He also wanted to know the singer would be a constant option.
Sometimes he worried the younger man had feelings for him, but if he did have any he never expressed them verbally. Murdoc knew it was all in his head, the kid was stupid, but he got what it was they had going on. They both knew it wasn't going anywhere past some comfort and mostly sex.
"'ey Mu'doc are we still gonna use t'e tracks Paula did?" 2D asked after they had finished recording for the night.
"No faceache, she didn't do no damn good, and we got Noodle in t'e band now so why botha wit it."
Noodle looked around at the mention of her name then went back to putting her guitar back in its case. Murdoc watched as she left the room with Alan and Russel right behind her. He was still grateful he hadn't had to play babysitter for the girl one time since she arrived.
"I was jus' wonderin' cause I like some t'e songs…Not all of 'em, but some."
"We might use 'em on somethin' else, just not our first album." Murdoc mumbled as he finished turning off the last of the equipment then picked up a bottle of whiskey he'd been drinking most of the night.
He waited for 2D to leave the room, but he continued standing there staring at him.
"Yew sure people won' get freaked out about me eyes; I don't want ta mess up yer band cause of somefink like t'at."
The bassist took a long drink before setting the bottle down on the ground. He looked around making sure nobody was anywhere near the room before he walked closer to the singer. Sometimes he did feel bad keeping the things they did so secretive, but honestly it wasn't anybody's damned business.
He placed a hand on 2D's shoulder gripping lightly; the younger man looked at him and smiled weakly.
"I told ya about t'at dullard; if t'ey don't like it t'en fuck em. I'm not replacin' ya cause of somethin' I did to yer face. Stop actin' like it's yer fault ya look t'is way cause it ain't." Murdoc said sternly, but still trying to comfort the taller man.
"I know, jus' I know 'ow much yew wan' t'is….I jus' like playin' music wit my friends, and I wanna make sure yew get wot yew always wanted too."
There were a million bad things fame could bring, most of which had corrupted Murdoc ages ago. He didn't want to see fame corrupt the man standing in front of him, he'd like for him to be smarter, but he didn't want to see him broken. He didn't want to see him become another junkie who only cared about money and what it could get him. He wished that 2D could just keep the nearly childish way he looked about being in a band, but he knew it'd disappear eventually. He'd try to let him keep it for as long as possible though, just like he'd try to keep him for his own personal gain for as long as possible.
Murdoc leaned in kissing him; 2D kissed him back just a second later. He felt long fingers tangling in his hair and a hand on his back pulling him in closer. Each time they did this there was less hesitation, he did miss the days where it was just the two of them working on music in a dingy little flat. He missed being able to kiss him or have sex with him at any time or any spot.
He heard a door closing somewhere near by and pulled away from the singer who gave him a look of confusion and hurt. A minute later Russel came into the room looking between the two men most likely making sure 2D wasn't bleeding or dead.
"Hey D Noodle started havin' one of her fits again, she keeps saying she wants you with her."
The singer nodded slowly and made his way towards the door, he looked back over his shoulder giving Murdoc another hurt look before leaving completely.
Those were the times he feared the younger man wanted something more from him.