Thank you for the reviews! Oh God, I read the chapter over again after I'd already posted it and I see I've made so many grammatical mistakes. Sorry about that, ugh. Anyway, enjoy!
"Faceache, where the fuck are you going?"
2D paused reluctantly with his walk to the living room, pillow and blankets in his hands. Noodle and Russel stopped talking, and looked over to them.
He turned around slowly, facing Murdoc.
"To the living room," he answered quietly.
"What the fuck are you going there for?" Murdoc asked with a frown.
"I'm going to sleep there," 2D replied nervously.
Murdoc blinked at him. "Wha.. why?" he then asked, confused.
His face and tone almost made 2D feel sorry for him, but he quickly pushed that away.
"Because I want to," he replied, shifting the pillow in his arms.
Noodle and Russel appeared at Murdoc's side.
"Why are you leaving your own room, D? Why not just kick Murdoc out?" Russel asked.
2D had considered this, but decided against it, since there was no way Murdoc was going to listen and he couldn't really get it over his heart to just kick him out.
"I don't mind. I'll sleep on the couch," 2D replied, wanting to get away desperately.
"No way. Remember what happened last time you slept on the couch?" Noodle said.
Murdoc was still staring at 2D with this incredibly confused face. He honestly doesn't realize he's done something wrong, 2D thought bitterly.
"Then I'll sleep in the.. kitchen," 2D said.
"No, you're not. Shit, if you really don't want to sleep in your own room, you can share mine for tonight," Russel said.
Murdoc looked at Russel sharply.
"Really, Russ? Thanks!"
"Yeah, no problem. I've got an extra mattress somewhere," Russel said kindly.
Murdoc looked from one to the other. "Dent face, you're not sleeping in Russel's room!" he then spluttered.
"Why not?" 2D asked defensively.
"Because.. he's.. it's dangerous! What if he rolls over in his sleep and falls off of the bed on top of you? You'll be squashed flat!" Murdoc exclaimed.
Russel glared at him.
"Murdoc, shut up," Noodle snapped.
"Well, come on D, let's get your bed set up," Russel said, and 2D followed him to his room.
Murdoc stared after them, silently seething.
"What's the matter, Murdoc?" Noodle asked sweetly.
He growled. "Nothing. Shouldn't you go and wash the seaweed out of your hair?"
Noodle ran her hands through her hair and pulled a string of seaweed out. She pulled a face.
"Yes, well I had to wait for all of you to have your showers, didn't I? Even though I am a woman, which should mean I should go first," Noodle replied annoyed.
Murdoc was too distracted to smirk.
"What the fuck is up with him?" he muttered.
"Murdoc, you haven't exactly been nice to him, have you?" Noodle said with a sigh.
Murdoc raised an eyebrow at Noodle. "I'm never nice to him."
"That comment you made was different, though. I think it was a bit too harsh," Noodle said quietly.
"What bloody comment?" Murdoc asked irritably.
"That thing in the kitchen. About him being ugly and you not caring about what he wants," Noodle said lightheartedly.
Murdoc blinked at her for a few moments. "Oh. Oh. That's what all this is about? For fuck's sake! If I'd known that, I'd have punched him way earlier today for being such a bloody girl."
Noodle glared at him. "You jerk, you don't feel the least bit guilty that he's- Ugh. Never mind. 'Guilty' and 'Murdoc' can't be used in the same sentence."
"Yeah, that's right," Murdoc replied with a wink, turning away.
Then what was this strange, uncomfortable feeling settling in his chest? He growled and went to 2D's room. Probably just lack of nicotine or something. He lit a cigarette for good measure, tapping the ash onto 2D's floor.
Now that he was going to spend the night here alone, he might as well nose around a little. He pulled open 2D's drawers, digging through his clothes. He didn't find anything interesting, though. He opened another drawer, and to his delight saw that it was full of underwear. He picked a black one with blue stripes up, and stuffed it into his pocket with a smirk. He opened another drawer, then stopped. This just didn't feel right, him digging through 2D's stuff while he wasn't here, especially since he was angry with him.
Murdoc sighed and pushed the drawer closed roughly.
This all wouldn't have happened if the stupid dullard wasn't so sensitive. He just passed one little joking remark, and dentface acted as if he'd run over his cat or something. Stupid little girl. He let out a huge sigh, and let himself fall on 2D's bed. He inhaled deeply before realizing what he was doing. The blankets smelled so deliciously like butterscotch..
For fuck's sake. He had just gotten so used to sex with the faceache every night that he was starting to show withdrawal symptoms. The best thing was probably to just go to sleep as soon as was possible.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
"Thanks for letting me sleep here, Russ," 2D said as he fluffed up his pillow and snuggled into the blankets.
"No problem, man. Good night," Russel replied as he switched the light off and went into his own bed.
A few minutes of silence passed.
"Why is Murdoc so mean to me?" 2D then whispered suddenly.
His tone was so heartbroken, so hurt, that Russel cringed from pity.
"2D, you know he cares for you. He just doesn't know how to show it," he replied carefully.
"No, he doesn't. He just uses me for-" 2D stopped. "He just uses me for a punch bag and nothing else."
Russel was pretty sure 2D meant to say something else, but he didn't remark on it.
"2D, you know how he was treated when he was a kid. We can't blame him, really," Russel said quietly.
"But why me? He's nicer to you, and he's really nice to Noodle. What am I doing wrong?" the last few words came out as a strangled sob, and 2D dug his face into the pillow.
Russel switched the light on, and sat down gingerly next to 2D, patting him on the back.
"Look, Murdoc's fucked up. You want to know what I think?"
2D looked up a little and nodded.
"I think he's nicest to you because he likes you the most, and he's not used to liking people so he's extra mean to you to compensate for it," Russel stated.
2D stopped sniffing, pondering over this.
"But that's not true. He likes you and Noodle, too," 2D then mumbled.
Russel sighed, feeling uncomfortable. How the hell was he going to explain this without showing he knew too much?
"Yeah, but.. in a different way. Uhh.. you know. He likes us like.. siblings, and.. I'm tired, 2D, are you feeling better?" he then asked hastily.
Luckily, 2D was too distracted to notice. "Yeah, thanks Russ," he said quietly, lying down again.
"Good. 2D, you know you can always talk to me, right?" Russel said solemnly. He really did worry about the singer.
2D smiled at him and nodded.
"Okay. Good night, 2D," Russel said, satisfied, and climbed back into his own bed, switching the light back off.
After a couple of hours, 2D decided it was useless. He was being held awake by his painful thoughts and Russel's painful snoring.
He'd have to try to sleep somewhere else. Kitchen? No, he'd be woken at the crack of dawn by Noodle.. Living room? Nope, not with Murdoc around. Hallways, bathroom, studio.. balcony! He needed some fresh air anyway, and no one would bother him there.
He stood up as quietly as he could, taking his blanket and pillow with him. He went out to the balcony, and leaned against the wall wrapped in the blanket with the pillow behind his head. It wasn't that cold outside, but it wasn't warm, either. He curled deeper into the blanket and wrapped his arms around his legs.
2D rested his chin on his knees, tears pouring down his cheeks.. It was still no use. His mind was swirling into a depressed spiral, tossing around one excruciating thought after the other. Murdoc hated him. He was ugly. Murdoc didn't give a shit about him. He was just another hole Murdoc could stick his dick in. Not that there was anything wrong with that. That's what he wanted, wasn't it? It was what they had both agreed on. Like on Plastic Beach. They had fun there, didn't they? It was just the same here. No, it wasn't. Murdoc was being much meaner. And to be honest, 2D didn't know how much longer he would be able to take it. To be held in Murdoc's arms like he actually cared for him one moment, and then getting a shoe thrown at his head the next. It was confusing and depressing and awful. If he didn't-
"Faceache? What the bloody hell are you doing out here?" Murdoc asked, cigarette dropped out of his hand by sheer shock.
"Murdoc? What are you doing here?" 2D blurted out.
"I couldn't sleep so I decided to go for a smoke." 2D's bedroom floor was dirty enough. "You haven't answered my- holy shit, 2D are you crying?" Murdoc asked incredulously.
2D quickly hid his face in the blanket. "No!" came his muffled shout.
Murdoc crouched down so he was on 2D's level. He threw his cigarette over the balcony railing and tried to pull the blanket away from 2D's face, but 2D grasped it tightly.
"2D, come on," Murdoc said, irritated, as 2D refused to show his face.
Murdoc sighed and sat opposite 2D, leaning against the wall of the balcony railing, his feet resting next to 2D. He lit another cigarette.
"Why aren't you in Russel's room?" Murdoc then asked nonchalantly.
2D's answer was so muffled it was impossible to understand it.
"What was that? You're going to have to remove the blanket to talk, you know," Murdoc said, hiding a sly smirk.
There were a few moments of silence, then 2D slowly lifted his face. Murdoc tried to hide his shock and unease at seeing 2D's face red and wet. Every time he saw 2D cry when it wasn't because of a physical injury, it made him feel as if he'd been stabbed. Probably because he was so childish it hurt. Or something like that.
"I couldn't sleep because of Russel's snores," 2D mumbled.
Murdoc didn't say anything for a while.
"So is there any particular reason that your cheeks are covered in tears or are Russel's snores just so upsetting?" Murdoc then asked quietly.
2D hunched up his shoulders. "No.." he moaned softly.
Murdoc moved to sit next to him but 2D flinched away. Murdoc ignored this along with the painful pang in his chest, and sat next to him anyway.
"2D.." he began quietly. 2D didn't say a word, he just stared off into space, biting his trembling lip.
"Stop crying. Please," Murdoc said, making to wipe away 2D's tears. 2D moved away.
"I just feel so bloody unimportant!" he burst out suddenly, his voice a soft wail. "The only part I play here is being the vocalist and someone for you to fuck! In the night you're holding me and whispering things into my ear and then during the day you're punching me and yelling at me. I can't take this anymore!" 2D hid his face in his hands.
Murdoc stared at him, shocked. He had obviously struck a higher chord than he'd thought.
"2D, I.." was all he could bring out after a few moments.
2D was shaking now, sobbing into the blanket. Murdoc put his arm around 2D and pulled him to him, holding the singer tightly.
"Stop your fucking crying right now. There is no fucking reason to be crying, please just stop crying. I hate it when you cry.." Murdoc kept on whispering these things into 2D's ear, comforting himself as much as 2D.
Not that it was much comforting, but for Murdoc's standards, it was amazing. 2D's sobs were finally reduced to just sniffs, and Murdoc was still holding him tightly, but 2D's body was rigid, as if it was making him uncomfortable to be in Murdoc's grasp.
"I'm fine now, Murdoc. Could you please let me go?" 2D asked then in an incredibly cold voice, shocking Murdoc so much his arm went limp and 2D stood up.
He started walking inside, then turned around as if he wanted to say something. They stared at each other for a while, then 2D gave a weird, tortured smile and went inside, leaving Murdoc behind with the heavy feeling of not having solved anything at all.
Thank you for reading, please leave reviews and I'll continue!