Humanz

Things were.... different.

Tonight, Gorillaz were celebrating the release of their latest album 'Humanz'. They were having a huge party at their newest headquarters for Kong Studios. They had invited everyone and anyone for the massive throw-down to let everyone know- the Gorillaz were back, baby!

But something was off. 2D couldn't put his finger on it, but there was definitely something different about the atmosphere between the youngest member of the band, Noodle, and himself. Ever since her return after the Plastic Beach incident, though long ago it was, Noodle had matured. Physically of course, since she had been gone for 4 years, and obviously she would have changed mentally and matured, but the amount she had done so shocked all of the band members.
Russel no longer did the little fatherly things for Noodle he used to, like make her breakfast or do her laundry. She was much more independent than she was when she disappeared.
A couple of weeks after her return, Murdoc found Noodle on the couch in the living room with a bottle of vodka next to her feet on the floor. Noodle hadn't been one to drink before the El Mañana incident, but 2D supposed after everything she had been through, it gave her the right to drink when she felt like it. Noodle was also now a much more active smoker, leaving Russel the only one who didn't consider himself a nicotine addict.
2D recalled the moment he realized Noodle had changed. It was a late probably Tuesday night, maybe 3 AM? Approximately 3 months after she returned. 2D hadn't been able to sleep due to his infamous headaches, so he had gotten up to go to the bathroom to down a few painkillers. Noodle, however, was already in the bathroom. She was intensely studying her reflection and inspecting the scar under her eye from the crashing of her floating island. As he rounded the corner, 2D stopped when he saw her. He didn't say anything, just watched as she squirted a cream from some sort of blue tube on the counter and applied it to the blemish. As 2D watched, that is when it hit him: the Noodle who he had last seen, the fun loving, agile, wide open young girl who thought of everything as an opportunity - she was gone. This Noodle was a mystery. She was withdrawn, timid. She was quieter, she didn't sing to herself like she used to, like in the shower or when she cooked or when she did anything, really. But as he watched her, really watched her, 2D's ears perked when he heard her humming, just like she used to. She was humming to the tune of some pop song that was recently featured on the radio. After watching for just a couple more seconds, 2D turned and slumped quietly back to his room. He figured if she was up this late with her guard down, then she must not want anyone to disturb her, and 2D definitely wasn't going to be the one who shocked her back in to not humming at all.
A tap on his shoulder brought 2D back to the release party, and out of the memory party he was having in his head.
"Ohayo, 'D-chan! Are you enjoying yourself?" Noodle chirped, leaving her fingertips brushing on 2D's shoulder. "You look as if you've got something on your mind is all,"
"O 'ey there Noodz, I'm good. Jus' takin' a break from th' drinkin' is all. I'on wanna 'ave t' completely stop 'fore e'ryone's ready t' start!" 2D chuckled in reply, giving a toothy grin at the guitarist. Noodle smiled back, her face a bit red from the atmosphere of the room. "If you say so! I'll be ova there with Russ if you need me. Just holler!" And with that, her fingertips slid off of his shoulder and she was lost in the crowd. 2D's dark eyes followed her as she disappeared, going back to what he was just thinking about. The Noodle from before El Mañana, the Noodle from the bathroom scene, and the Noodle he knew now were all so different. The bathroom incident had been almost 7 years ago. The Noodle who he had just spoken with was the woman who he had grown to care for in a much different way than he had ever thought he would have. Since the bathroom incident, things had been different in a different way. 2D was noticing the smaller things Noodle did. Her facial expressions, the way she walked, how her hair fell over her eyes and brushed her shoulders, the way her lips curled when she cackled at something that wasn't supposed to be funny but she thought it was - he could go on. He felt like he knew her down to a T.
2D scanned the room for the Japanese woman. In a matter of seconds he found her, right with Russel where she had said she'd be. His eyes traced over her figure. The burgundy Kimono she had designed herself fit her absolutely perfectly. It accentuated every part of her body that 2D hadn't realized could be even more breathtaking, but left just the right parts covered and loose. 2D couldn't suppress a small smile. 'She s'definitely a magnificent girl 'at one.' he thought to himself, taking a sip from his beer. The alcohol wasn't having much of an affect on 2D, but it was definitely making him think things he knew he shouldn't be. 'Oi, wha's wrong wif me? Tha's Noodle! I's.....i's Noodle. Yer l'il luv! She's too young fer you. She's too pure. Too....' 2D wouldn't let himself think the word 'beautiful'. All of these thoughts of Noodle at once were clouding 2D's mind, so he decided to get up and take a few shots to remind himself to have fun and think of the party, and all of the new things to come with the return of the band.