Dents

[+] Glitter Freeze

"Are you kidding me?"

I stared at the fuzzy television screen in disbelief. I had been completely slaughtered in Guitar Hero for the hundredth time.

"Not kiddin' yew, luv," 2D giggled at me.

He ruffled my hair around, the stub of a still-burning cigarette resting between his teeth. The cherry cast a warm red glow over his smile. Meanwhile, the dancing lights of the television deepened the shadows engulfing us. A linen scented candle flickered weakly on the windowsill, highlighting the snowflakes outside as they fell balletically to the ground.

Spring had turned to summer and summer turned to autumn. Before we knew it, winter was upon us again. November was drawing to a close. Christmas was around the corner. The houses in the neighborhood surrounding us shone vividly against the night sky with all manner of gold crystalline icicle strings.

Our little townhouse wasn't one of them, of course. It was a black hole in the middle of a city in the throes of radiant celebration. Decorating seemed to be another unnoticed activity to add to the list of things that Murdoc usually took charge of.

"Yew 'ave to press continue too."

2D brushed his hand against mine as he pressed a button on my guitar.

The landline rang. Noodle rapped on the door to my room with the phone in hand. She had already answered the call and was here to route it to one of us. The door wasn't closed completely. It swung open lazily on its hinges in response to her knocking. She let herself inside. 

"2D, it's Murdoc," she said.

She reached the phone out to him. He didn't take it.

"Tell 'im I can't talk righ' now."

Noodle gave him a look like a discontented parent calling their sick child out from school. I thought I saw her roll her eyes. It was so discordant with her usual composure that I wasn't sure if she actually did or if I'd only imagined it.

She repeated, "He cannot talk right now."

There was an audible groan on the other side of the line followed by a slinging of curses. Noodle unmistakably rolled her eyes again and walked out of the room. She had been suckered in to a ten minute phone call that would feel like an eternity of foul droning. I pitied her a little. I didn't feel bad enough to step in for her, though.

2D and I resumed our face off with 'Institutionalized' by Suicidal Tendencies.

As expected, he beat me again. He could play any of the tracks on any installment of the games with such ease that it was impossible to even try to keep up with him. I'd at last, after months of practice, gotten to a point where I could play on Hard with some luck. 2D needed to play everything on Expert otherwise it bored him half to death. I found it a little odd that he was better at this than playing an actual guitar, though his real talent wasn't with either of those anyway.

The new album was coming along fantastically. He decided on a title out of the several he'd brainstormed over the course of our production. Ultimately, he chose 'The Now Now.' I didn't have to ask him what it meant. It was obvious enough to me.

We were living in our now, now. 

Despite our internal conflicts, our lives were not nearly as troubled as they had been under the constant reign of Murdoc's drunken abuse. However, we'd also become entirely despondent with one another without his presence to tie us together. 2D assumed the role of head of house and had finally given the band some solid ground to stand on.

He singlehandedly cleared up the fog of disorder that haunted us since Murdoc was initially incarcerated.

I was so preoccupied by my thoughts that I didn't notice 2D annihilated me once again with a perfect score. I set my guitar on the ground in submission. The will I'd gathered in myself to challenge him was decimated.

"Alright, alright. I get it. You're the authority on Guitar Hero," I sighed.

"Guess I'm going to have to get better at those Tony Hawk games."

2D set his guitar down and scooted closer to me. He wrapped his arms snugly around me and pulled me back onto the mattress. He nuzzled lovingly into my neck, his soft azure hair tickling my nose whenever he squirmed about. His hands were clammy with the cold. I didn't mind. The feel of his embrace intoxicated me.

"Yew sure are," he whispered, "I know yew can beat me if yew keep at et long enough."

I wasn't really convinced.

On the other hand, I also never believed I'd be able to roller skate. 2D encouraged me until I was able to prove myself wrong. I'd actually become pretty good at it the more I practiced.

He pecked my cheek a dozen times, gradually making his way closer to my lips. When he kissed me, I could taste his breath. I longed for his touch.

The cold air leaking through the poorly sealed window sent a shiver down my spine, yet the contact of his body generated a heat unlike any other.

"2D, can we get under the covers? I'm cold."

He kissed me again.

"'At reminds me, luv. I called up a bloke to fix the wata heater earlia. Should be good as new now."

He smiled. A devilish glint flashed in his dark eyes.

"How 'bout we take a showa instead?"