2D x Reader - Somefink In The Air

Chapter 15

"So," You began, hurling a weathered stick into the air. You watched it slice through the dimming sky, spinning like a boomerang. You watched Whale scramble madly after it.

"Whats it like being in a band?"

Stuart wasn't sure how to react, your question was all too familiar. Yet, it was so difficult to answer.

"Funny yew ask tha'." He mumbled, trailing along the paved stone path beside you. The dry hedge in the distance behind you both, a fading memory. "The band, it's like..."

He suddenly remembered the countless interviews, the clamoring fans and the persistent journalists shoving microphones into his face. This wasn't like those times, he realized, he felt he could be completely honest with you.

Whale reappeared, stick protruding from either side of his mouth, his expression triumphant. Stuart bent to prize it from his jaw, and threw it again. You noticed how his long arm allowed him to throw the stick with increased power, added grace. 

"You make it look like an art." You commented, impressed. Stuart snorted.

"Tha's it!" He said loudly. "Bein' in the band, it's sort of like an art." 

He spoke with purpose, staring you in the face. "Because yew could see some art once, an live the rest of yewr life never knowing the, uh." He paused. 

"The ugliness behind it. The blood, sweat an' tears it took to make tha' work. Because it's always fun an' games on the surface. An' even if yew do 'appen to know the artist's story, it becomes a... a quirk to sell 'em more." 

Stu frowned as he said what he said next, recreating a typical conversation - he'd heard it all before. 

"Gorillaz? The fake band with the guy with no eyes, the satanist an' the little Asian? Oh, an' I don't even know the last member. They 'ad another member?"

He dragged his feet as he walked, weighed down by an invisible burden. It took you a second to process his words, but once you had, you felt you understood completely what he was trying to say.

"Van Gogh?" You said finally. "The ginger artist with the missing ear, the beard and the sunflowers? Why'd he cut his ear off? Oh he was crazy. I didn't know he was crazy, thought he was just sad?" 

Stuart, who was then crouching to pick up a fallen stick, stopped to stare at you.

"...Exactly." He nodded slowly, gratitude in his expression. "Tha's exactly wha' it's like."

Whale waited patiently at his feet, tail swinging side to side. At Stuart's words, Whale stopped wagging his tail and gave Stu a look.

"Except we aren't as inspirational as Van Gogh, of course." Stu said quickly, glancing at Whale.

You laughed, it sounded like music to Stu. "Apples to oranges, Squashy! Apples to oranges."

"Yewr right, [Y/n]." He smiled.

There was a moment of comfortable silence before you spoke again.

"About your band members, though. I feel I know about Murdoc, enough for now anyway. Tell me what the others are like?"

Stu hesitated, unsure how to say it. "Actually, I thought yew should find out for yourself. Yew see..."

"I get to meet them?" You asked, honoured.

"Yeh, obviously." He laughed, shaking his head. "But um, yew see," He swapped the stick back and forth between his hands. "In the park yesterday, I may 'ave overheard yew talk about seeing [your favourite musician]. An' because of me yew didn't get to."