【Ｏｈ．】

CHAPTER 3

Just doin' this to waste more time on the couch

Can you see me? I'm waiting for the right time

I can't read you but, if you want, the pleasure's all mine

"And it was interesting because he was so nice and offering to help me with Paula, it was a strange approach... but I mean, he barely even knows me." Stuart exclaimed brightly to Noodle, who was a close friend of Stuart's. She had her back on the counter, listening to Stu talk about Murdoc for around fifteen minutes straight. She was making a small snack for both of them, mac and cheese, so she was waiting for the noodles to soften. She nodded and turned around to stir the noodles "Well, maybe he's just a caring person, you know, one that would help an old lady or something." She was far off, but of course, neither of them really knew about him. "Yeah, maybe." Stuart agreed. Noodle thought for a moment as she stirred. He had never talked about a stranger this much and with added detail, she had never heard him describe how someone acted and how their voice sounded, or even what they looked like. Well... except for- "You know," she started; she looked to her side and glanced at Stuart, smiling knowingly "I've never seen you talk about someone else like this since you first met Paula... I think there's a pattern somewhere." Then she looked back at the pot. Stuart's expression faded, his mind going blank. He felt his chest tighten, and he became nervous and confused. He laughed "Noods, you know, I don't like men, right?" He chuckled a small bit after. She walked over to the sink with the pot in hand, draining the noodles. She hummed in response. Stu's eyes darted around the room, then he sighed annoyingly "Look, if I was, you would've told me, like how you figured out I was depressed before I did." Noodle stopped draining the water and looked at him. Her eyes were honest and soft. She stared solemnly as his body slumped. He felt his heartbeat nervously, and his eyes fell to the counter. "Oh." He said weakly. Noodle observed his face, seeing as his brows were furrowed and his jaw was moving ever so slightly, showing he was chewing on his tongue. He tapped his fingers on the counter fretfully, as he was in vague concentration. "I know, I would, 2D." Noodle said softly. She began to mix the cheese sauce into the noodles. Then a buzz was heard, which made him dart his eyes to his phone. She looked over at him, raising her eyebrows knowingly. Stu began to tear up, letting his head drop and his hands catching him. Noodle watched as Stuart's body began to shake as he quietly cried. She put the bowl down and moved around the table, sitting next to him and rubbing his back, comforting him. Her level of concern and confusion raised even more, as she had never seen him become so sensitive over someone unless they were close, or he tricked his mind for them to be. Paula, other friends, did make him upset, or overthink, but not cry unless it was extremely serious. She knew it was serious, the details, the sudden breakdown, he was going through something. Noodle just wanted to be there for him, as she always was, just to be patient and help him through it, even if it makes him happy in the end. She was all for it. His crying began to slow down, as his breathing became even again. He cried silently, never made noise except huffing which sometimes led to hyperventilating. It was useful, on his part, as it was hard to tell he was crying unless you looked straight at him, so he could cry behind people, and no one would know. "Hey, are you going to be alright?" Noodle said softly after a while. 2D lifted his head, wiping his eyes away from his tears politely, sniffing quietly. "Yeah, I just- I just don't know what to do... I'm so confused." Noodle nodded and patted his back before getting up. "I know, we'll just see how it goes?" She suggested. He nodded vaguely, allowing her to continue making the Mac N' Cheese. He was still extremely confused and in denial, he had never been attracted to the same gender in his life, never shown a sign of it as he grew up, and then Murdoc walks in and makes his mind turn into a fucked-up mess? He shook his head, surely, he was just overthinking again, like he usually does. It was a random stranger, being overly nice to him, -at least to Stuart- that flirted with him, it truly was just his personality. He shouldn't think too much of it, Murdoc probably does this with everyone he meets. Stuart convincing himself in his mind that way made his shoulders drop, relaxed. Noodle had the spoon in her mouth "The Mac N' Cheese is ready." 2D smiled weakly in response, his mind still distracting him. However, it was pretty good food, which took his mind off of pretty much everything.