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“They’re probably going to have sex tonight,” Abed says matter-of-factly from the backseat.
Troy shrugs and grips the steering wheel tighter, ignoring the tiny flutter in his stomach that he feels every time he hears Abed’s voice. It’s easy; he’s used to ignoring it by now.
“Troy?” Abed says, and Troy can’t help sneaking a glance at his friend in the rearview mirror. Those gentle, inquisitive eyes meet his, and Troy quickly looks away.
“Yeah?” Troy replies.
Abed pauses for a minute, then finally says, “Why didn’t you drink?”
Troy considers lying, but after the crazy shitshow that has been the first hour of his birthday, he can’t be bothered. He pulls over in front of Abed’s dorm building and turns around in his seat.
“Because I saw you were drunk,” Troy says quietly. “And I wanted to take care of you.”
“You…” Abed takes a moment to process this, then flashes Troy that tiny smile he loves so much. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” says Troy, smiling back. “Come on, Abed, let’s get you to your room.”
Troy unbuckles his seatbelt, climbs out of the front seat, and opens the back door. Abed hasn’t moved. He’s staring at Troy with an intensity Troy has never seen before.
“Come on, you have to get out of the car, Abed,” Troy insists.
Abed blinks. “I love you.”
“Yeah, you mentioned,” Troy says. “And I love when you go to bed, because you’re drunk.”
“No,” Abed snaps, and Troy draws his arm back in surprise. “I don’t just love you, I’m in love with you. That’s what I meant. I’ve never felt like this about anyone else before.”
Troy freezes. “Wait, what?”
“I’m in love with you,” Abed says simply. “Okay, you can take me to bed now.”
“Abed…” Troy trails off, unable to put all his feelings into words.
Abed smiles sadly. “It’s okay if you don’t feel the same way, I completely underst—”
Troy stops him with a kiss.
He has kissed people before, certainly, but they were all girls, hand-picked in a careful display of makeshift heterosexuality. This is different. This is so much more… real, Troy supposes, than any of those kisses had been. Abed’s hand comes up to wrap around the back of his neck, and Troy briefly wonders if he’s dreaming, but no, not even his wildest dreams could create something this perfect.
***
That was last night. Troy wakes up with his arms still around Abed, who is quietly snoring against his chest. He smiles. This is what he’s always wanted.
Abed stirs and blinks awake. “Troy?” he says sleepily.
“Good morning, beautiful,” Troy replies.
“Beautiful? What? What’s going on? What are you even doing here?” Abed throws off the covers and pushes himself up and out of Troy’s arms.
Troy stares as Abed walks away. “Wait. Do you even remember last night?”
“Sure. We were in the car. You yelled at everyone. Jeff and Britta made out. You brought me home.”
“Anything else?” Troy says helplessly. “Anything you might have said? Anything that maybe I did in response? Nothing like that?”
Abed glances at him and shrugs. “Nope.”
“Got it,” Troy says.
“Why? What happened?”
Troy squeezes his eyes shut. “Nothing. It was nothing.”
“Okay,” Abed says brightly, and that’s it, Troy will just have to live with this forever.
“I should probably go back home, actually, get my stuff,” Troy says quietly.
Abed frowns at him. “Something’s wrong.” It isn’t a question.
Yeah, something is wrong, Troy wants to say. Because you said you were in love with me, and then I kissed you, and shit, Abed, I’ve never been in love before, or at least I hadn’t until I met you.
He chooses silence instead.
Abed shrugs. “Okay, well, thanks for taking care of me last night. And thanks for not drinking just so you could take me home.”
“Yeah, no problem,” says Troy.
It’s not until he’s halfway down the hall when he realizes it. Abed remembers the reason Troy didn’t drink. Which means he must remember—
Before he can think it through, Troy is running down the hallway, followed by annoyed shouts from rudely awakened students that he barely registers. He throws open the door to Abed’s room, and Abed is already in the doorway, waiting for him.
“Abed, I—”
This time, Abed is the one to interrupt him with a kiss.