Band practice was awkward and Muds wasn't having it, his displeased voicing loudly when 2D forgot a lyric or when Noodle missed her ques. Russel groaned, his head starting to ache, they had been at this for barely an hour and the session just wasn't going to happen it seemed. He wiped his sweat with his arm, stepping away from his set, he watched as Muds dropped his bass angrily, hand digging into his pocket for his smokes, he had been going through to his last ones, and when he discovered the empty box he grunted furiously, chucking the empty carton at 'D. Noodle started forwards, her mouth open like she were to say something but then stepped back, looking downcast. Russel set his sticks down, Murdoc stomping towards the door, flipping everyone off.

"Fuck off all o'you; shit fo' brains! Can't even work wit' non' o' you sober…"

Russel looked at the singer and guitarist, neither speaking a word as he walked to the door to follow Murdoc off. Something was strange, he felt it since he shrunk down to size, but he couldn't put his finger on it. He rapped his knuckles on the door, capturing Noodle's attention, shrugging helplessly.

"Want to get outta here? We can get that boba stuff you like," he said, happy to see her nod appreciatively.

She made her way to him, pausing midway to glace at 2D, who gazed at his microphone in a trance, before shaking her head, finishing her trot to the big man, exiting the room with a skip.

"You're paying!"

Door swung shut, Russel watching through the closing crack when the singer turned, his black eyes burning holes at the back of Noodle's head as she passed the corner.

Russel walked with Noodle, his eyes squinting against the sun, Muds long gone by the looks of his missing car. He hadn't been out very much since his downsizing but Noodle seemed to know where she was going and he trusted her not to get them lost.

They walked on the sidewalk, the trees covering them in shade, and Noodle taping away at her phone, the sounds of leaves being crushed under their feet. The trees rustled, a breeze coming through, Noodle trailed behind Russel before coming to a stop; he looked at her, her hair blowing and her face pointed towards the sun, eyes closed in its warmth, basking.

He looked up as well, the clear blue expanding in his sight, he thought of the band, 2D and his increased vapidness and Noodle with her unusual flighty nature. They were being weird, tiptoeing; like they couldn't stand to be in the same room and when they were they forgot how to act. He thought of Murdoc then, surely he noticed something.

Whatever it was, Russel wanted it to end soon.

2D's eye snapped open, huffing, panting erratically, head jerking to the corners of his room. No whale. He laid his head back down, trying to fall back asleep, groaning as the minutes flew. He tossed his blanket aside, rolling off his mattress.

"Five isn't too off from seven," he thought, pulling on a shirt as he left the room, making his way to the stairs, steps going slower when he heard a chair screech.

He stuck to the wall, blending to the shadow, peeking his head out just barely, eyes widening as he saw Russel, standing, arms crossed and upset at the green man who was still seated, limbs splayed out in boredom.

"-coming back home every night with her like that, I mean what the hell Muds?"

"S'nothin' wrong wit' having fun, better than doin' shit. Besides, not li' she's alone, she's got me in 'er circle."

"That's not the point, have you even looked at her? She looks like she hasn't slept in a month-,"

"Non' o' us sleep righ', the dollop fo' example, he dun sleep eva' 'n he loo' jus' fi-"

"Him, too, man! He's been super quiet, he's never done that. They both have been acting off; what happened?"

2D heard a squeak above him, whipping his head back at the source, his heart at his throat, feeling caught. Noodle. He blinked slowly, meeting her, locking when she blinked back, frozen. He gulped, not wanting to alert the other two of their presence and climbed the stairs, the voices of their bandmates drifting when he reaches her at the top. Even forgoing the final stair, he towered over her, his hand raising nervously, waving slightly.

"Hello."

"Hey," she whispered, her hand returning the gesture, fingers curling.

They stared at each other, uncomfortable and unable to talk. It had been a while since it was just them. 2D scratched the back of his neck, eyes flickering down as she worried her lip, looking at his painted nails, the lacquer chipping from when she last done them.

"Um, Noodle," he cleared this throat, her attention back on him, "I 'fink-"

"Fuck!"

2D and Noodle both cringed, Murdoc's voicing bellowing angrily from the kitchen.

"Wot' teh hell, Russ? I already fucking told you 'ere's nothin'! I fucking checked! Nothin' but her 'n her loopy 'ead. I 'old you once 'n I'll tell you again, fatass, she's fucking-!"

A loud crash from below startled them both causing 2D to jump forwards, frightened and Noodle flinched at the sounds of the chairs being upturned, Murdoc's yelling sputtering out, indicating foul play. She leaned slightly, she front brushing his, blushing when she realized how close he was, and he cleared his throat once more, reaching for her wrist, a hairsbreadth away, his voice overlapping Russel's angry tone in the background.

"I 'fink we need to talk, Noodle."