Friends with "that Niccals kid" | Gorillaz High school AU

Magic City

"You got me lost in Magic City
You got me questioning it all
I hope that I make it back by Wednesday
And this Magic City lets me go"

(A/N: This chapter (and probably the next few) was/will be written while i'm on vacation and missing my bf, so prepare for lots of love shit related drama, that's all, kisses on all your cheeks mwah mwah)

As we drive to where we'll be staying, my uncle's house, I stare outside the window, wondering about the many opportunities the city holds.

I stare, astonished, at the bustling atmosphere of the city, more cars driving down the highway than there are cars in Sussex alone. Fast food places everywhere, people rushing to their destinations, double decker busses in a bright red color carrying people wherever.

It felt like I entered the city of opportunities, a city where one could achieve anything.

We get home faster than I expected, Uncle Rick's sister, Auntie Marie, and her twin sons rush to me, they were only 8 years old but always so excited to see me.

"STUART REMEMBER YOU TOLD US ABOUT YOUR HAIR?" Alphonce yells

"DO YOU THINK OUR HAIR WILL BE BLUE WHEN WE'RE ELEVEN?" Alan continues the thought

We get settled in in a guest room. I stare at the full pack of cigs Murdoc must've snuck into my bag, There was a lighter taped to it and the phrase "think of me when you smoke these" written hastily inside the box's lid, accompanied with a little heart.

My heart skips a beat as I excuse myself from the welcome wagon, knowing mum won't come looking for me until she's talked to everyone for an hour each.

I sneak into the garden, heading into my uncle's shed. It was not so big, but not too tiny either. I sit on the table, feeling like a big boy.

I light one up and follow Murdoc's instructions, thinking of him. His confession echoes through my brain as I panic on what to do next. I sigh, suddenly the shed door is being fiddled with.

When the person on the other end of the door realises it doesn't open, he starts body slamming it. Presumably we're talking about a smaller individual, as the thuds don't seem as loud. As the shed door flings open and I hastily exhale the smoke that was in my lungs, I see Morty stare at me.

"Wh- Where have you been, Stuart? Everyone's l- looking for you" he stutters, fatigued from fighting the door, as he realises what is in my hand

"Hey, uh, Morty, you won't tell my mother about this, right?" I ask, anxious

"Give me one"

"Get your own!" I talk back

"MOOO-"

"OKAY FINE" I rapidly hand him the cigarette box

We lock the shed door back and make small talk. Turns out, he isn't as annoying as I usually think he is. He has grown since I've last seen him. We have conversations, turns out the kid is a total porn addict.

We head back as Auntie Marie tells us about how we almost missed lunch and Morty had to make something up.

"Alright so we head back to Auntie Marie's house tomorrow and perhaps go on a walking tour on Wednesday, Thursday we visit Morty's family and Friday..?" mum lists like if she was one of those people at the end of medicine commercials "Oh right, Friday is Stuey's big day, aren't you excited?"

"Yes, indeed" I say, nervously pushing my food around on my plate, after these couple of days I can't eat.

I go up to my room, immediately dropping onto the memory foam mattress. I poke it and watch it slowly turn into it's original shape. I grab a notebook I brought and a pen, scribbling into it.

"Huh, that's good" I say, looking at the couple of lines I wrote. I warm up my voice and find the right notes. I sing the lines aloud.

"You got me lost in Magic City
You got me questioning it all
I hope that I make it back by Wednesday
And this Magic City lets me go"

"Keep your voice for the audition, sweetheart" mum chimes in, standing at the doorway of my room

I freeze, embarrassed, she laughs and goes about her own thing. I group call the girls and Russ to pass the time.

"HEY STUEEEEEY, WE MISS YOUUU" Paula sings into the microphone

"HEY STU, WHAT'S UP, BRING ME MCDONALDS OR I'LL SKIN YOU" Noodle yells

"Hey" says Russ

I talk to them for hours until I am called to dinner. I leave the call as the rest - presumably Noodle and Paula - keep it going until late at night. After dinner I realise I never texted Murdoc. Not one hey; how are you; we arrived safe and sound; whatever. I felt shitty and decided to call him.

"Hey. Auntie Marie made chocolate fudge for dessert" Morty informs me right as I step away and hover my thumb over the call button.

"Aight, thanks for telling me" I say, switching off my phone.

Murdoc's POV

I hope the kid is okay;

is what my brain kept telling me before I fell asleep and as soon as I woke up for the first time in his home yet without him.

I grab the five £100 bills that Rachel left on the table for me and wonder how I can safely break them down without a cashier or something fucking me over. Stupid paranoia I tell myself.

I leave the bills under a table mat for now and drink a coffee with a side of a cold hard cigarette. That's what I usually call "breakfast". I get Ace ready and dress up myself, heading to school.

At lunch I sit next to the girls and Russ, who all have a giddy smile on their faces.

"So, how'd it go-" Russ asks

"MURDY TELL US EVERYTHING, RUSSEL ALREADY TOLD HIS PART, NOW YOU" Noodle yells excitedly

"Chill, babes" Paula divaishly says, sipping a juice box

I slam my lunchbox onto the table. I sigh

"Oh... oh no..." Russel mumbles

"He... Well he didn't say no, but..."

"Uh oh" Paula reacts

"He got mad at me for asking right before his big travel and we postponed it"

"Oh god" Noodle sighs

"So, erm, what now?"