#wonder where she got that from eh murdoc?

[gorillaz-girl]

lmao what would they do without her

[peppermint2d]

F#$%ing uh, Calm after the Storm cuz the Storm Thing

Chapter 1:

When you took the job at the Essex Enquirer, you had hoped to work in your speciality, investigative war journalism. Since every taxi you tried refused to take you to Kong Studios, right now, the only war you're dealing with is the fight you're having with your GPS. The winding road, plus the rain, and the fact that your company car was ten years old caused your GPS to think you were driving in circles. Luckily, you could see your destination already. In fact, most of Essex could see Kong Studios, the haunted building on top of a great hill.

As a sort of hazing, all new employees get assigned to local entertainment news. You cringe when you heard about the guy who had to write about the mysterious appearance and subsequent disappearance of the shit statue in the city centre. Thankfully, your assignment was much tamer: you only had to interview a local band. You bought their EP "Tomorrow Comes Today" and have been blasting it on the way over. They sounded amazing, and with each repeat of the record, you became more and more excited to talk to them.

But with each kilometre you drive closer to Kong, you become more and more nervous about the surroundings. The heavy rain that was coming in was not helping anything either. There were thunderstorm warnings for that weekend, but it wasn't supposed to be for another day, so you hope the rain will let up soon for some outdoor shots of the band. You stop your car in front of the gothic gates that spelt "Kong" out in the metal bars. You push on them and they do not budge. You see a little intercom box and press the button, a loud buzz signalling that the thing still worked.

"Huh? Who's there?" A gruff voice answered your call.

"Hi. Mr Niccals? I'm here for the interview."

He grumbled. "Right, yeah. Forgot about that." Another buzz punctuated his sentence and signalled the opening of the doors.

You were soaked to the bones as you finished the drive up to Kong. You couldn't tell if your shivers were because of the fact that you were cold or because of the fact that you were driving through a cemetery.

You park your car and rush under the cover of the doorway with your camera and notepad. You knock on the double doors, and although you let your host know you were there earlier, it was a couple minutes before he even opened the door, shirtless, which you filed away to be included in your article.

His eyes looked you up and down "So you're the reporter, eh? I figured they'd over some crazy bat for local news, but I guess I'm special, right?" He smirked at you, his eyes hungry.

"I suppose so. May I?" You gesture to the doorway that he was blocking.

He stepped out of the way, closing the door after you. "I could give you a tour and find the rest of the band?"

"Was I unexpected? I'm so sorry." You flush. Your first assignment and your boss forgot to tell your subjects. How professional.

"It's alright, pet. We get so many journalists that we are always prepared." He slung his arm around your shoulders, leading you around the ground floor.

"So, Mr Niccals, how did you come to own Kong?"

He frowned. "Call me Murdoc, babes. Mr Niccals is my father."

"Right, sorry, Murdoc?"

He hummed, "Just like that." He cleared his throat. "I found it online about two years ago. It was supposed to be a short-term thing, but the owners, they just threw me the keys and left. So I figured I was the owner then. The bowling alley is right in here, by the way." You hurriedly scribbled what he said down.

Your interview continued like that, you asking questions ( "Have you been in any other bands?") and Murdoc answering them ( "Loads. None quite matched my skill though.") while you walked from room to room ( "Here's the recording studio. Found that pelt myself, I really think it brings the room together.") and took notes (Murdoc does not wear deodorant and should).

"Here's the best room of the house. Our very own carpark."

"An eighteenth-century mansion has a carpark?" you asked in disbelief.

He led you inside the space. "I think the biker gang put it in. Crazy bastards. At least now I have a spot for my Winnebago! Want to see it?"

"I'm fine, Murdoc. I don't need to see your private quarters for the article."

"Who said anything about it being for the article? I have real Egyptian silk, mmmm." He started to lead you to his Winnebago.

You stopped walking with him, causing him to stop as well. "Interview first, yeah?" You didn't know any other way of turning him down without running the risk of him cancelling the interview altogether. You start to head over to a doorway that you thought led back upstairs.

"Those go to dents-for-eyes' room. This way takes us upstairs, pet." You climbed the stairs with him. "Up here's really only the kitchen, lounge, and Noodle and Russel's rooms."

He was right, the stairs led directly into the kitchen. All of the rest of the band was gathered there, huddled around a stack of pizza boxes. "Oi! Where did the pizza come from?"

"We ordered it when you were playing dress-up." One of the band members said, and judging by his accent, he was from America.

Murdoc stomped. "I was not playing dress-up! I was trying on costumes for the show!"

You got out your notebook and wrote that down. You could feel the attention of the band on you now. "Oh sorry, I'm here to interview you!"

"Oh, cool. I'm Russel," The American said, "that's Noodle," he pointed at a child who was claiming an entire pizza pie for herself, "and the blue one's 2D."

"Konichiwa!"

"Nice to meet yew!"

You smiled back and greeted them both. The blue one, 2D, was certainly blue, or at least his spikey hair was. His eyes, on the other hand, were pitch black, none of the whites of his eyes was visible. It gave him a unique look and you wonder if it was done intentionally.

Noodle picked up a slice and was about to eat it when you said "I hate to interrupt dinner, but if you could pose for some pictures before you eat, I would really appreciate it. None of that pizza sauce on your faces."

Noodle grumbled but complied, putting the pizza down.

"Where'd yew want the photos?" 2D asked.

You look at Murdoc. "Would it be alright if we take them in the studio?" He shrugged his shoulders and led the way downstairs.

The band posed like they were in the middle of performing. The only issue was that 2D was so tall, that, from your angle, he covered Russel. You spent a little bit of time repositioning them until it was perfect. Just as you were about to take the photo, the lights in the studio went out. The lights everywhere went out.

"A bleeding outage? Right now?" Murdoc fumed.

"I'm sure it will turn on again soon, in the meantime, I guess you can get back to dinner." From somewhere in the darkness, Noodle cheered. "But someone is going to have to help me out of here, I can't see anything."

"You and 2D" Russel chuckled.

Only Murdoc had a phone on him, so he used it to light the way. It especially came in handy when everyone grabbed their food and sat at the table. Murdoc sat at the head, of course, with Noodle and Russel on one side, and you and 2D on the other. Everyone started to eat and you watched them all, mentally taking notes on their habits. You were not surprised that Murdoc chewed with his mouth open. What did surprise you was that the other men actually used their napkins properly.

"'ave yew 'ad dinner? Would yew like some?" 2D offered some of his pizza to you, but you declined. You were bound to get home soon anyway and it would just be unprofessional to eat your guest's food.

"She doesn't need your pizza, Face Ache, she will be getting plenty of my sausage tonight." Murdoc snickered, but no one else at the table joined him.

You awkwardly cleared your throat. "Would you guys be okay with answering some questions while you eat?" They all hummed in agreement while they ate. "So how did you all meet?"

The table became a little tense and all of the members looked at Murdoc. He set his pizza down. "I met 2D first, hit him with a car. Then he joined my band."

"Tell the 'ole story." 2D grumpily persisted.

"Fine. My buddies and I were looking for some keyboards. We crashed into where 2D worked and I hit his eye, proper breaking the thing and sent him into a coma. I had to oversee the poor little mutt as my punishment. I took him to a Tesco and was pulling some wicked tricks that the girls loved. Apparently one of my doughnuts was too fast because 2D went flying through the windshield and hit his face on the curb, breaking the other eye. When he stood up, he was so powerful, I knew I had to have him in my band."

"I 'ad no choice in the matter."

"As if you would say no."

As they start arguing over 2D's involvement, you were still processing the story you heard. Murdoc doesn't seem to be the best person. Murdoc doesn't seem to even be a good person. He seems actively dangerous, and you don't want to be around him longer than you need to. You make note of the whole story and add in a personal note to look up his criminal record.

"So, Russel, how did you join Gorillaz?"

"Murdoc kidnapped me."

That's really not helping his case. "Please tell me that Murdoc had nothing to do with Noodle's joining?"

"Nah, she just randomly showed up one day in a FedEx crate. Played the best guitar I've ever heard and only said her name. Everything else is just Japanese." Russel looked over to Noodle, who nodded, understanding exactly what you guys were talking about.

This was certainly some band. You ask a couple more questions, as required by your boss. "Which song on the EP is your favourite?" "Tomorrow Comes Today." "When can we expect a full album?" "Soon." "Are you surprised by the attention you're receiving?" Murdoc, of course, thought he deserved more, but the other members were much more humble.

After you finish that up, you tell them to pretend like you're not there to get a grasp of their dynamics. They eventually went back into their normal rhythm of banter, but that doesn't stop 2D from trying to include you in their conversation.

They finish their food and 2D gets his portable DVD player and puts on some zombie movie. You're surprised that they let Noodle watch it considering how young she is, but she seems the most enthusiastic. You don't join them on the couch, opting for the floor where the light from the player illuminated their faces. Since you didn't get a picture, you may need to have a drawing instead. You're nearly done when Murdoc announces a piss break and gets up, Noodle and Russel, grabbing snacks.

2D stayed behind on the couch. "Yew know, yew make funny faces when yew draw."

"You were watching me? Oh god, that's embarrassing."

"Seen dis movie loads before, so I got bored and 'ave been watchin you the 'ole time. Sorry, I forget about the 'ole no pupils fing. Freaks people out. Nofing up 'ere to remember that wif though." He gestures to his head.

"No, no, no you're good! I was just too busy drawing to pay attention." you laugh and try to play it off. In reality, it did startle you a bit initially to learn he was staring at you, but honestly, you don't mind and just got to get better at guessing where his focus is.

He smiles wide, showing off his missing teeth, and it lits up the room as if the generators were back on. "Soda?" You nod.

2D and the rest of the band return to the couch, having to wait for Murdoc who apparently has a bladder the size of a horse. He hands you your soda, peeps a glance at your drawing, and gives you a thumbs-up of approval.

You drink the soda and start penning what you think your article may look like. However, the sugar high fades quickly and you're exhausted.

Sharp pain in your side wakes you up and you yelp. You hear the band laugh at what's happened, everyone, except for Murdoc who is groaning on the floor beside you. "Bloody 'ell! What the fuck are you doing on the floor?"

You gulp. "Sleeping?"

"You can do that in my Winnebago with me instead of on the ground, love," Murdoc suggests, wiggling his eyebrows.

"I'll settle for the couch over the ground, if you don't mind me staying over that is. So, where are your duvets?" The band members look around and collectively shrug. "No blankets... I'll just suffer the cold."

"My offer still stands." It did sound slightly better now, but the prospect of him also being there upset you.

"I can survive the cold for one night." Famous last words.

It was freezing in Kong Studios. Your teeth were chattering and you couldn't feel your toes. It's been like this since you woke up after only sleeping an hour.

How are you supposed to warm up? You tried exercising, which was good until you sweated a little and that cooled to ice. Now you're even colder than before. Perfect.

You start to walk around, trying to warm up and think. You couldn't start a fire, not only do you not know how to start a fire, but you also do not want to burn the studio down. And they didn't have blankets... but maybe they have big coats?

You retrace your steps from the tour of the place, heading to where you hope was their rooms. You really only remember trying to get Murdoc to stop leading you back to his Winnebago. You inadvertently walked to the carpark since it was really the only place you could remember to navigate in the dark. Kong Studios certainly didn't feel homey before the lights went out and now the hairs on the back of your neck are standing on edge.

It was pitch black in the hallway, so you ran your hand along one of the walls, yelping every time it touched the edge of a picture frame. You feel the wall take a right and you follow it down, seeing a sliver of light emitting from under a door. Light? Such an unfamiliar sight now. You pray that it was not the bathroom with Murdoc and scented candles inside as you gently knock on the door. You would even prefer Noodle, who would be the worst suited to help you, than Murdoc. The light is certainly coming from a scented candle. A heady scent of vanilla has slipped under the door and is extending into the hallway. Your knock received no answer so you tried again, this time louder.

Louder.

Louder.

At this point, any louder and you would have woken up the other members. So, you open the door a creak to peek inside.

What a sight to behold. The light from the candle made 2D's hair shine a bright azure and cast huge shadows on his far wall as he danced to his cassette tape. His dancing was awful but endearing; he looked like a baby dear that was still getting used to using its limbs. Abruptly, he stopped and you thought he finally noticed you, but then he rushed over to the papers by the candle and wrote something down, which you could only assume was a lyric.

Without any warning, he looked up and made eye contact with you. You stared at his black eyes, waiting for him to say something. He hummed and crossed out a part of the writing.

You had watched him for long enough, so you knocked again, which gained his attention. "Noodle? Is that yew?"

You opened the door further, "No, uh sorry to bother you so late..."

He began to tidy up the papers he was working on, tucking them behind him. "Hiya! What can I do for yew? Got more questions?"

You're so glad that he didn't mind your intrusion. His light smile put you at ease. "Yeah, I suppose I have one. You don't have anything to keep warm with? Like a jacket maybe?" You were surprised that he wasn't bothered by the cold, only wearing a T-shirt over a thin long-sleeved shirt.

"Oh. Yew cold? I might 'ave somefin! May swallow you 'ole though." His voice cracked as he spoke as he started digging through the piles of clothes on the floor, looking for something. He pulled out a blue jacket, not unlike the colour of his hair, and held it out. "This is one of me favourites! I fink it looks punk, don't yew?" You nod. It did indeed look wicked. "Go on, put it on! I would like it back when yew're done, if that's alright." He looked so nervous asking for his own property to be returned.

You smiled warmly at him. "Of course 2D, you have my word." You slip it on, and he was right, it was way too big on you! Most noticeably in the arm length, where the edges of the sleeves hung off your arms. It was heavy and warm and smelled like cigarettes and something else, something you could only imagine as 2D. It felt like a safe hug. Maybe 2D should be nervous about you keeping it. "I see why it's your favourite."

He scratched the back of his head. "Yeah. I 'ope to wear it in a music video! If Murdoc lets me, that is." At this point, he sits back down again. "Wanna stay? I've gots more zombie mofies! Like Dawn of the Dead... or Evil Dead... or Zombie Flesh Ea'ers!"

"Sure, but I'm winded." You yawn and snuggle deeper into the jacket.

"Don worry! I'll pause it if yew fall asleep." He grins and pats the ground next to him, where you join him. "Which ones 'ave you seen before?"

"None of them. Which is your favourite?"

"NONE OF 'EM? Well then, we gotta watch Dawn of the Dead, it's the first Zombi mofie!" He loads the film and puts the tiny player in front of both of you, turning off the candle to make the lighting better. "I'm so excited for yew to watch dis! It's been a couple monfs since I saw it meself."

He lets the movie play, occasionally pausing to explain why a certain scene was so impressive in horror movie history. You barely watch the film, rather you pay attention to 2D, mentally tracing the look of excitement on his face and committing his hand gestures to memory. You never know what may be important for your article.

[greywindys]

Hello I was wondering if you could please explain to me what are the "problematic" things 2-D has canonly done? How is he controlling when hes angry? I always see people talking about how hes done bad stuff but no one really expands on it. The only bad thing Ive seen is him be too arrogant but what else has he done? -A Curious Casual Fan

So to clarify, the main convo on this blog has been about the argument between 2D and Murdoc in this fic I’m writing. I explained more about what was going on with 2D in that argument here. In case you don’t read it, to put it succinctly, 2D’s exclamations about the power dynamics in their relationship are specific to the story and his relationship with Murdoc. It’s has been building for over 200,000 words. I also wouldn’t call him controlling in canon or in the fic. As some readers have pointed out, he’s thus far gone into their relationship at Murdoc’s pace, spent chapter listening to Murdoc etc. As for canon? I also wouldn’t say he’s controlling but he does specifically comment on power dynamics in this interview from 2005. 

2-D: I think you’re misunderstanding something. Murdoc thinks he is in control of this. He’s not. He thinks he’s got his teeth into me, but again, he hasn’t. Laugh now, but one day I’ll be in control. As for credit, that’s something you put into your mobile phone, innit?

As for problematic things? I’m not a huge fan of that word because it suggests that the person or character being discussed can’t be liked or seen as a good person anymore which I don’t agree with. 2D isn’t perfect. He’s a good person but he’s made mistakes and he has a judgemental and a mean streak. But imo, that doesn’t make him bad, it makes him layered. So instead look the following not as a callout but more as evidence of instances where 2D has been cocky, selfish and not the nicest person. But it doesn’t mean he’s a bad person.

The most common thing you’ll see people bring up is the fact that he has numerous children who he doesn’t talk to (and presumably has never met) AND that he’s usually behind on child support. Other fans will have explanations as to why this isn’t true but In my view, if the writers went to the effort to show it, it was intended to be canon. Especially for writing purposes of Murdoc having the belief that his mother left him all the while growing closer to 2D who is a parent who did the leaving to these unknown kids. That’s a thought-provoking layer to the relationship, imo.

He’s said some less than kind things about women in ROTO - “Yeah she’s nice. I fancied her since Murdoc lent me his copy of the Wickerman. But her arse looks a lot smaller in real life.” (about Britt Eckland) and from a 2001 interview - “Christina’s (Aguilara) out straight away for looking like a man in drag. She looks like the singer of Twisted Sister or that other bloke Courtney Love. Urgh!!” 

He made a prison rape joke about Murdoc in We are the Dury: Murdoc: Prison food is rubbish! I don’t think I could ever eat another burrito in my life. 2D: Yeah, but you still like a bit of Mexican sausage, eh, Murdoc?

He occasionally zaps people with a tazer (or used to at least) : “2D: I like my tazar gun. I think you’re meant to use it for zapping cows or something, but I just like mucking about buzzing my mates in the back od the neck. Great fun. And my triple plasma screen entertainment system.”

And this isn’t mean just gross lmao but he also asked Murdoc if he smelled his fart once: 2D: I blew-off on stage once. It was really wiffy. Did you smell it Murdoc? Did you? Did you? Murdoc: Shut up.

He also tried to take credit for a song Murdoc wrote in ROTO.

In phase 5, a lot what 2D’s done has been more prank related such as selling Murdoc’s Geep behind his back and being shady during interviews (I don’t have the time to cite everything here).

[stevie-writes-the-pain-away]

Alcoholics Anonymous - Chapter Five

       I rubbed my eyes and shook my head, hoping to fling whatever sleepy feeling I had off my body. I glanced up from my lap for only the fourth time during that session despite all the talking that went on. I only ever listened when Murdoc spoke but nobody else's voice excited me enough to keep an ear open. I hated how obvious I made it when I wasn't feeling my best but I couldn't dare waste my energy on pretending when I had an evening shift, as well as a morning shift I needed to attend during the upcoming 24 hours. I needed whatever power I had left to make it through the next hour alone.

       The session seemed to speed by faster than usual and I was the first to leave in a hassle. I hurried out of the building and proceeded to walk home, keeping my head down in misery. I told myself to go home rather than waste my time outside, but I didn't think it would hurt to get some fresh air with the state I was in. As I walked across the city towards my apartment, I acknowledged how empty the park was. It was probably because the weather didn't look any better than it typically did, I reminded myself. The playground was a wasteland and there were only a couple teenagers in the field a small walk away from where I stood. Looking around, I ambled towards the swings, hesitating to sit.

       Sitting in a swing brought a cloud of nostalgia and memories over my head, but it felt unfortunate to be reminded of the better times. I swatted the headache away and bit my lip, clutching the chains of the swing as the hole in my chest only grew more profound.

       "(Y/N)?" I heard a familiar voice from behind me. I snapped my head around as my heart skipped a beat, but it was just Murdoc. He stood wearing a pained smile, "May I sit?" I slowly nodded and he sauntered towards me, sitting down on the swing next to mine. There were a few moments of silence as I ran the tips of my shoes through the sand below us, tracing random lines. I then began kicking at the ground, erasing the masterpiece and starting over.

       "Did . . . Did you follow me here?" I asked, keeping my eyes away from him.

       "Ehh," Murdoc sighed. "I guess you could interpret it as such but not for any creepy reason . . . I just wondered how you were doing." I looked at him, curious. He was wondering how I was doing? "I know you're usually quiet during sessions, but you seemed a little unhinged today," he commented. "Is something bugging ya?"

       "A little," I answered, feeling like a child. I shook my head, "Yeah."

       "Wanna tell me?"

       Could I? Was it a good idea? "Last night didn't go as well as I hoped it would," I said, looking at him.

       "W-what'd you do?" Murdoc asked. He didn't seem concerned but instead confused as to how anything I did could be bad.

       "I . . . went out with a group of people and ended up . . . drinking . . . And I couldn't stop." I felt so ashamed for what had happened but Murdoc didn't seem to understand why I reacted to the problem the way I did.

       "It's all apart of the process, love," he replied with a comforting smile.

       I furrowed my brows, immediately addled. "The process of rehab includes drinking?"

       Murdoc laughed, "Not exactly." I blinked at him, wondering where he was going with his lecture. "The point of rehab is to make mistakes and learn from them. I'd know," he said, taking out a box of cigarettes from the pocket of his leather jacket. "You won't always be perfect and you shouldn't beat yourself up when you slip. Your goal may be to stay away from drinking but every once in awhile, especially for kids like you who work so hard, you'll need a little sip. Even if it escalates to . . . not being able to stop," he expressed, talking with his arms. "Sometimes it isn't easy, of course, but you'll never get better if you don't fuck up a little. You should never put yourself down like that, you've been working too hard to deserve that."

       I was surprised to find Murdoc making such a speech. Both surprised and grateful he noticed how hard I tried to better myself. I appreciated his advice, even if it didn't feel very realistically healthy. "Thank you," I said.

       He was about to light his cigarette before he stopped and turned his head to me, our eyes instantly locking. "For what?" he blinked, genuinely clueless.

       "For believing in me," I answered. "Nobody's really encouraged me like that before."

       Murdoc smiled and lit his cigarette, placing it in between his lips while he put his lighter away. He held the fag gently in between his two fingers, making his deep thinking visible. "Well, thank you too."

       "For what?" I chuckled.

       "For listening." I smiled at him before looking back at the ground, the aching feeling in my chest filling with an explosive, bubbly feeling of delight. He sighed and got up, "Well, I know it isn't as easy as '1-2-3' to cure a melancholy heart, but perhaps a little trip to the café wouldn't hurt if you'd like to join me?"

       I followed his eyes as he stood, my mood only swaying up the more he talked. "Yeah, sure!" I agreed, standing up as well. He nodded, a genuine smile twisting his lips as he began to walk. I followed beside him as we made our way down the park's gravel paths and towards the busy street.

       "Did you grow up here?" He asked.

       "I came here for university . . . My friends and family visited me every once in a while." I said. I told myself to be open but it only made me uncomfortable, causing me to instantly shut up about it. "Y-you?"

       "Grew up in Stoke-On-Trent, moved here back in . . . 1995 maybe?"

       I'd heard of Stoke-On-Trent, but nothing exactly good. "What made you move?"

       "My job," he said, keeping his eyes staring straightforward. I kept my eyes on him, not noticing I was inching closer to him.

       We made it to one of the many small coffee shops in the city, Murdoc opening the door for me to go first. I said thank you and targetted first empty two-person table I saw by the front window. Murdoc followed me, sitting across from me. As I got comfortable, he suddenly got up, "Thirsty? Hungry, maybe?"

       I just nervously smiled and shrugged, "I don't have money on me right now, so I'll just-"

       "I'll pay," he offered, pulling out his wallet from his back pocket.

       "Oh, no, no, no! Don't waste your money on me," I pleaded. "I'm not very hungry."

       "Oh, come on," he smiled, tapping the leather wallet as he watched me. "Want a warm drink? Cold drink?"

       I hated to have him buy me something, but I didn't have anything to eat in fear of throwing up during my hangover that morning. "I . . ." I sighed. "I . . . wouldn't mind a (insert beverage), I guess."

       His expression lightened up into something more gentle than enthusiastic. "You're worth more than that, (Y/N). Are you sure you don't want anything to eat, as well? It's my treat." I shook my head. "I'll get you a muffin," he decided for me. I watched him walk away in awe, both flattered and doubtful.

       I had worth? Did he genuinely mean that?

       "Thanks," I said just loud enough for him to hear.

       He turned on his heel at the sound of my voice. "Sure thing," he replied with a cocky grin before continuing.

       Perhaps him having me let him order food for me was his way of making himself look and feel good. It was shallow of me to think of him like that and I didn't want to believe it but I couldn't get past his comment. I wasn't worth anything was I?

       I frowned as I thought about it but I couldn't let him notice. As he came back and sat down, impatiently tapping his foot against the ground, I swapped it for a smile and looked up to him. "I'm gonna pay you back someday," I said.

       "Don't even dare," he responded. "It's a gift," he concluded.

       "Bet," I dared, keeping my eyes on him.

       A waitress came over a few minutes later, placing our food down in front of us. "Enjoy," she smiled, walking away. I took my muffin into my hands and began to eat, casually glancing up at Murdoc. He pulled out something from his jacket pocket, catching my attention easily enough. He looked towards the front desk and out from under the table, his hand appeared, holding a silver flask. My eyes widened at the sight, looking back at the cashier lady as well in hopes she wouldn't catch him. As he poured the alcohol into his coffee, the scent of vodka hit me like a brick and I backed up, biting my lip.

       "Shouldn't you stay away from alcohol?" I questioned quietly, hoping I didn't offend.

       "Hmm?" Murdoc mumbled, glancing up at me. "Oh," he responded, staring at his flask. He screwed on the cap and stored it away in his jacket again. "Eh, as I said before, I'm hopeless when it comes to rehabilitation. Besides, I couldn't care less about my health," he claimed, stirring his alcohol-infused coffee with a spoon.

       "I'm sure if you tried you could get better," I encouraged.

       "The only thing staying sober benefits is the people around me," he chuckled, pointing around the room with his finger and taking a sip with his other hand. Placing the mug down on the table, he shook his head, "Don't mean to be such a horrible influence, but . . ."

       I shook my head and tried smiling sweetly, "Don't worry about it. I understand where you're coming from . . ."

       Murdoc looked up at me and grinned, turning his head to the window. "It sucks when the people around you expect you to be happier sober, y'know?"

       I looked up, unsure of what to say. "I guess."

       He looked to me again, his expression dropping from a straight face to a small frown. "What's wrong?"

       "Well, I don't have anybody close to me to tell me that, honestly. But I can understand how bugged I'd be if somebody said that to me too."

       "You don't? No friends? Family?"

       I shook my head. "Lost all my friends and I'm just not . . . close with my family anymore, I could say," I explained.

       Murdoc blinked, turning his body away from the window. "I'm sorry about that," he said. "W-who convinced you to get help?"

       "Myself, I guess."

       "Hmm . . ." Murdoc tapped his long chipped nails on the table. "Did you start for any reason in particular?"

       "Drinking or rehab?"

       He shrugged, "Either if you don't mind sharing."

       "Oh . . . I mean, I wanted to get better, y'know? So . . . I decided a while back that I wanted to make something of myself and wanted to be successful. Now I've got three part-time jobs, I've been saving up to finish my bachelor's degree I started back in my early twenties, and . . . I started drinking to numb myself when something happened during university . . . I don't really wanna talk about it." I looked down awkwardly, picking at my nails as Murdoc's expression turned sympathetic almost. He seemed to listen closely to me, but I didn't take that as something personal. It's the normal person's job to care for other persons too, after all.

       "I can understand that. What were you studying in?" he asked with a peaceful smile.

       "I was studying for an English degree," I grinned. "I've always dreamed to do something with my writing," I continued. I took a sip of my drink and watched the small ripples in the cup bounce off of each other.

       I heard Murdoc chuckle and take another sip, biting his lip. "I, uh . . ." he stammered, contemplating whether or not to speak. I looked up at him, promptly intrigued about what he had to say. "I earned a doctorate in anthropology . . . different cultures and such, but I never exactly did anything with it."

       I was happy to hear he was successful in something. Murdoc looked like the type to rebel against school and not care about his education or career. It was great to know how far he got to get a doctorate. "What do you do instead?"

       "I, uhh . . ." he chuckled nervously. He rubbed the back of his head, "Music industry. I just hang around and organize files and . . . Yeah, it's a pretty chill job."

       I nodded. It must've felt secure having a real full-time job instead of working as a cashier in some café as I did. "When and . . . why did you drink?"

       "Eh . . . I might as well have been an alcoholic since . . . what, twelve?" he chuckled. "It didn't get worse until I was in my twenties. That was a long time ago," he laughed. "I mean, I am an old man," he joked. I laughed with him and he took another sip of his drink, nearly emptying his mug. "Y'know, I had to leave my position where I didn't need to take care of responsibilities and such . . . So becoming an adult and being kicked out of my place, as if I really belonged there," he mumbled the last part. "It was tough. So I decided to drown it all out with vodka ubungo . . ." His smirk slowly faded. He took out his flask again and I began to feel bad for asking. Was I making him feel worse? Was I triggering him to drink more? "Apart from the horrifying truth of maturing into adulthood that stressed me into drinking, it's also the section of my life as a child . . . I grew up in a pretty fucked up home. Beatings and all that stuff," he explained. My heart dropped at the sound of that. He might've put on this costume as some tough, aggressive man, but I couldn't imagine how hurt he must've bee after something like that. He unscrewed the cap and poured the rest of the alcohol in. After another sniff of vodka, I felt the overwhelming urge to engulf myself in a bottle too. He opened his mouth to continue but a booming voice shouted from across the room.

       "Excuse me, sir!" Both of us instinctively looked towards the direction the voice was coming from and I felt myself choke on my breath. "No outside food or drink is allowed, I'm afraid," a waitress called from the front desk.

       Murdoc blinked slowly, rolling his eyes. "I'm sure a little sauce won't kill anybody, love!" My eyes widened at him and my jaw nearly dropped, he would surely get us kicked out. My face flushed an embarrassingly bright red, watching him talk back to the lady.

       "I'm sorry, sir, but that just isn't allowed!"

       A man from the table beside us addressed us and I whipped my head towards the stranger while Murdoc kept his focus on the staff member. "Just listen to the lady, alright?" he suggested. Looking around the café, everybody's eyes were on us and I shrunk in my spot.

       I looked back at Murdoc who kept on smirking. Despite how scary the situation was becoming, the scene felt so perfect for a careless man like Murdoc. "C'mon, I ain't hurting anybody!" he exclaimed, waving his arms. My heart was pumping in my throat at this point and I winced, watching the lady begin to walk out from behind the desk, along with another male server from across the room. Murdoc leaned in close to me and whispered, "Can you run fast?"

       "What?"

       "Sir-" the lady continued, trying to keep the situation under control. But Murdoc left his flask behind as it fell to the floor, standing up when they came closer. He reached out his arm and took my hand in his tightly, sprinting for the door. By force, I lept from my seat and followed closely behind him as we heard shouting continue from behind us. Nearly shoving a few customers around us, Murdoc pulled me out of the building and down the sidewalk. He was running so fast I almost tripped, I was just barely keeping up. We rammed through the crowded mob, hiding us from the view of the café and I could hear Murdoc laughing excitedly in front of me, causing me to contagiously laugh with him. As we dashed down the street, I glanced back for a second, unexplainable joy and adrenaline filling my chest as we kept going. We booked it a few blocks and crossed multiple streets before finally stopping at a corner, dying to catch our breaths.

       "Jesus Christ, Murdoc!" I shouted, laughing. I didn't think either of us noticed we were still holding hands as he leaned against the brick wall of the building, gasping and panting. He kept smiling and I leaned against the wall with him, my chest against his arm as I looked at him, astonished.

       He looked down at me and I could still feel his chest rise and fall. We both stopped smiling for a second, replacing our heavy breathing with steadying breaths as we stared at each other. He blinked before shaking his head and smiling again, looking away. "They can do many things to me, but they can't take away my Grey Goose," he shouted, pumping his fist into the air. Bubbly laughter escaped my lips and I leaned into him more, happily gripping his hand tighter. His greasy hair was now a fluffy, wavy mess and I could see the satisfaction in his eyes after escaping the scene of the crime. I couldn't have imagined different.

       I sighed with realization. "That . . ." I started before inhaling deeply. Murdoc looked back at me, awaiting my comment under construction. "That was the most fun I've had in years," I admitted, keeping my (E/C) irises on his.

       Murdoc's expression looked bewildered for a moment. "Really?" It was quiet between us as I nodded. "Huh," he responded, resting his hand on my head. "I gotta take you out more," he finished, proceeding to scruff my hair. I laughed and he pulled away, gesturing to follow him down the sidewalk with the nudge of his head. He began to walk and I followed closely beside him, wondering where the day would take us.

[gorillaz-2d-imagines-blog]

Retrospect: Part 1

2:45 AM--

Murdoc was driving quickly, a little too quickly, down the road, swerving at every turn last minute. As soon as you’d driven off, he’d known exactly where you’d go…and now he was in desperate pursuit of you, though far behind. His head was pounding, an after effect of all the alcohol he’d consumed earlier that evening.

You’d left several hours before, and now it was at least two in the morning. Everything was silent. No cars sharing the road, not a soul outside of the homes lining the street every now and then. The buildings were dark, and the only light came from street lights and the moon, which glowed overhead.  

He turned past an alleyway, eyes narrowed as he spotted a sort of misshapen mass at the end of the road surrounded by red and blue flashing lights. The road was blocked by police cars and firetrucks about halfway down the way, and a small gathering of confused, tired people had formed around the barricades. Murdoc stopped his car and stumbled out onto the street to investigate, his heart heavy and panic-stricken.

As he wandered closer, he could see a car door lying on the ground, dented and bent at an odd angle…there was a prominent scratch on the front of it, just under the window. It had been colored over with a permanent marker…he remembered. That’s why it appeared so faint even though it was such a deep scratch. It was your car door, he knew it. He suddenly recalled the day when he’d accidentally caused that scratch in the door and tried his best to hide it before you walked outside and saw it yourself. He’d failed. That scratch was still there. And now that car door was torn completely apart from the car and lying, mangled, on the street. He dared to get closer to the scene…

And suddenly, there it was. There was the rest of your car. Crushed like a tin soda can on the road at the intersection. It had taken quite the beating, and as he wandered closer, he could see thin puddles of blood gleaming on the street surrounding the accident. A few meters away from your totaled car was a truck and another smaller car, equally as mangled.

“(Y/N)!!” Murdoc shouted suddenly, his voice hoarse. He grabbed a police officer by the collar of his uniform and gave him a wild, desperate look. “Where is she?!” he demanded. The officer pushed him away in alarm.

“Hey…you’re—“

“Where is (Y/N)!!” he repeated, louder this time. People were starting to pull out their phones to snap a video or a quick photo of the “crazed man threatening the police”.

“I’m afraid I don’t know who you’re talking about-“

“That’s her car!!!” he pointed at the wreckage. “That’s her car right there! Where is she?!” the man glanced from the car to Murdoc before replying.

“All four victims were taken by ambulance to the nearest hospital.”

“When?!”

“Ehh…thirty or so minutes? We called in a crew to get the mess cleaned up—“

“Was she alive?!” Murdoc demanded, his voice raising in pitch. The officer gave him a confused look.

“I’m not sure. I wasn’t here right away. My team and I got here as the ambulances were leaving.” The man explained. Murdoc looked around at the people who were now gathered around him rather than the accident, recording his every move on their cell phones. His normal scowl reappeared and he ran off towards his car, shoving past them violently.

“Ah sod off! All of ye! You’re no help!!” and with that he clambered into his car, turned the key in the ignition, and drove off down the road, kicking up dust in his wake as he raced to the hospital with his bloodshot eyes and ragged breath…

  11:57 PM--

“You never listen!”

“Oh here we go again. You know dearie you may be pretty but that doesn’t make you any less annoying.”

“I don’t understand why you always have to bring it to this!”

“I can’t stand you…”

“Murdoc, just listen to me, I’m trying to talk to you!” You exclaimed. Murdoc rolled his eyes and slouched against the wall further, his eyes shaded. He took a ragged, angry breath.

“You want to know why I did it, don’t you?” he grumbled sourly. You crossed your arms and nodded.

“Of course…are you going to tell me?” you moved closer to hear him, but he turned his face away.

“I was out with those girls because unlike you, they don’t give me a hard time!!!” he said, suddenly raising his voice angrily. “With you everything is, ‘oh Murdoc do this’ ‘Murdoc that’ ‘don’t stay out so late, Murdoc’ ‘where ‘ave you been, Murdoc???’ You’re not my mum! I spent the day with those girls so that I might just have a chance to know what it’s like to be happy! What it’s like to be with someone who isn’t like you!! Because you know what you are? You’re a bitch! An annoying bitch! An’ every second I’m around you is misery!!” he finished his shouting fit, teeth bared, only a few feet away from your face. You could smell the alcohol on his breath. Suddenly everything was silent…you couldn’t move. You felt frozen in place, your heart pounding in your chest so loudly you could hear it in your ears, and it was the only sound in the room besides your shallow, shaky breaths. Finally, you managed to speak.

“Go to bed, Murdoc…you’re drunk.” You murmured, shaking your head. “You don’t know what you’re saying. Come on.” You nodded for him to follow you as you started making your way away from him. He scoffed.

“Oh I know perfectly well what I’m saying.” He growled, clenching his hands into fists.

“And what are you saying?” you wondered meekly.

“I want you out of my life…” he said quietly. “I never loved you. All you’ve ever done is make me feel miserable.” Your eyes welled up with frustrated tears and you suddenly and quickly slapped him across his face. He reeled backwards, stunned, and you turned towards the door.

“Fine then! I’ll leave!” you screamed, yanking the front door open and stepping outside. “See how you like it!” Murdoc spat on the ground, sneering at you.

“Eh fuck off. See if I care…” his voice took on a taunting tone as you slammed the door shut as loudly as you possibly could, shaking the whole house. He stood where he was, panting, his eyes slightly bloodshot…the entire block was quiet enough now for him to hear you open the car door, start the engine, and drive away, tires screeching against the asphalt…

[gorillazsenarioz-blog]

Would you be able to do out of body(L) for murdoc? Thank you so much for doing this I love your writing!

A/N: thank you c: sorry it took so long, I barley got the chance to write anything lately. I hope you enjoy it 💓

•••

Murdoc stood at the front of the sketchy house, shifting from foot to foot before knocking on the door. It seemed like the right place, closed up windows, old paint, and by the sound of the door, a lot of locks. The door cracks open to reveal a petite girls face. Now that was something he wasn’t expecting but at the same time he didn’t know what he was expecting. When it comes to a sacrifice like selling your soul, you don’t really know what to expect. “Murdoc Niccals?” She says with a stern voice.“That’s m-” he’s cut off by the shock of being yanked in by the bundle of cloth from his shirt in the small girls fist. “Listen to me, this is very important, some members here are new so we will be reciting the ritual. You must listen to them carefully and do every right. Got it? Leave all of your belongings at the door, and enter the room to the left when you’re ready. It won’t take long and you must listen, can’t repeat it enough. You understand?”“Got it,” Murdoc shrugs off, hiding the fact that he’s surprised he found someone so small who’s more demanding than him. He drops his jacket and keys on the couch and follows the girl to the room. He’s introduces to another eight people before the form a circle in the candle lit room. The girl begins to recite the ritual, talking about why they have gathered and where they will go, to relax the body and let free. Then she begins the movements. A couple of jumps, stomps, and swings happen, eyes closed and hands connected while she continues to recite. “…and let us in. We are gathered here today to sell the souls of Murdoc Niccals, Natalie Morgan, Johnson Jones….”Luckily Murdoc already had an idea so he wasn’t completely lost. That was until he begins to feel out of his body. Visions of a fiery core hit him and he feels like he’s falling. Right when he’s about to make an impact the vision ends to a new on of him and his band. He’s in the crowd but also on stage, 2D is singing his heart out while Noodle is shredding her guitar and Russel is banging the drums, hyping the crowd. The Murdoc on stage is at the edge, sticking his tongue having all the people in the front war swoon. The Murdoc in the crowd falls in love with the image of his successful band, celebrating by dancing with the crowd before seeing the girl. She turns to him and smiles before walking out a back door. Murdoc follows after her, opening the door before falling into an abyss in the nonexistent exit. Right on impact he’s back to reality. “Now we shall get what we have payed for,” says the girl, before unlatching hands, everyone in the room coming back to reality. “Alright guys, if you saw a vision, it went successfully, if you didn’t come to me after. Remember that this is very risky. You no longer have a soul, many things can go wrong. You can always come back if you manage to screw something up, I can’t give examples because that wouldn’t help either. You must never speak of this to anyone or else the penalty of death will come to you. Have a wonderful life while you can.”Everyone begins to go their separate ways, Murdoc retrieving his keys and walking outside to what was apparently now daylight. He winces in the brightness before putting on some sunglasses and getting into his car. He sits back a bit, growing accustomed to the slight empty feeling in him, assuring himself it’s nothing a little alcohol can’t fix and driving back home. Once he gets to the house he grabs a random bottle of alcohol, pours it into a cup, and sits on the couch to watch tv. “Hey, what were you all night,” 2D greets him as he walks into the kitchen, a hint of curiosity in his tone.Murdoc thinks back to the night, a little devilish smile appearing when he remembers what the future now holds.“Eh,” he shrugs. “With a one night stand.”

[rhinestone-fries]

Can I have an imagine for the band going sightseeing with their s/o please? Thank you! ^-^

How cute! This will be fun. 

I should be doing homework rn shhhhh

Russel:

-Where does Russ take you?

-America, of course! 

-He knows the place well, seeing as it’s his place of birth, and he wants you to enjoy yourself to the fullest. 

-Plus, he’s the kind to take his time and really appreciate things in full detail, so he doesn’t mind seeing the same thing more than once. 

-Takes you to the main attractions of course, such as the Statue of Liberty and the Grand Canyon.

-You’re having the time of your life, and every time Russ sees you smiling at something, he kisses your cheek. 

-always holding your hand 

-Spend a night in vegas, though it stays relatively calm. Nothing too wild, and that’s how you both like it. You enjoy a few drinks and go to some of the biggest casinos, just because the flashing lights catch your attention. 

-When you’re not seeing the main attractions, Russ is showing you the best places to eat! 

-He knows all the hidden joints, and each new place he takes you to has something that’s the best in the world according to him. 

-”Oh, I know a place that does the best curly fries in the world!”, “These guys make the best nachos in the world,” “Best coffees in the world,” “Best pizza,” etc. 

-You definitely go to Disneyland as if you’d pass that up

Noodle:

-Australia! 

-She’s only been a handful of times, but she knows you’ll love it. 

-She takes you to all the best theme parks and capital cities with wonderful night life. 

-You spend the most time by the Great Barrier Reef together, and go snorkeling there more than once. 

-Lots of starlight dinners and walks on the beach at night 

-which sometimes end up being more than just a walk wink wonk

-She likes the native animals, so you visit a lot of native life sanctuaries.

-You see Ayers rock together, and watch as it changes colour when the sun sets. 

-Stay out there to look at the stars when the sky lights up.

-Lots and lots of cuddles. 

-she has to kill all the spiders for you

-You bet that you do a roadtrip and see all the big sculptures. 

-Big Banana? You saw it twice because you both thought it was hilarious. 

-She seems so delighted to see you happy and seeing your happiness makes her smile too. 

-Basically you both spend the entire trip smiling

Murdoc:

-FRANCE 

-this boy is so fuckin cheesy

-This is so not his vibe, but he took you because he knew it would make you happy. 

-expects to have a shitty time 

-ends up enjoying it more than you

-walks around with his arm around your shoulders everywhere you go.

-Sooooo many delicious meals and romantic dinners on balconies. 

-Eiffel Tower? Dare you even ask? 

-You’re blown away by the tower lighting up against the night sky, and when Murdoc sees the raw joy on your face, he slips your hand in his and kisses the top of your head. 

-oh my g od you hire a tandem bike one day and he h as to wear the fuckign heLMEt

-he actually really enjoys the louvre? Seriously admires the art and wants to have a portrait of himself done to put up in his living room.

-of course you do, Murdoc. 

-He can’t go to Notre Dame. For obvious reasons.

2D:

-Somewhere very, very far away from any kind of beach. 

-He won’t be able to do the beach again for a while. 

-Takes you around England!

-neither of you wanted to go anywhere too far and unfamiliar. 

-lots of shopping! 

-Big Ben is, of course, a priority. Buckingham Palace too. 

-you both do a roadtrip around england, and he shows you the places where significant things took place, such as the music store he was working in when murdoc crashed into his head, Kong Studios, even his old school! 

-with so much driving going on, you both spend a lot of  time listening to music in the car and singing along. 

-when one of your favourites comes on, you stick your head out the window and belt it out as loud as you can down an empty highway.

-he swears that in that moment, he’s never been more in love with you. 

-lots of days spent indoors frackling cuddling due to rainy weather. Neither of you mind, though. 

-whenever he goes anywhere, though, even just to get something to drink, he always brings back a flower. By the end of the trip you’ve got a whole bouquet. 

-He feels a little bad that he couldn’t take you somewhere exotic, but promises to make it up to you somehow. 

-’D, time with you is better than any fucking holiday what t eh fuCK