Chapter Text
Prompt: It’s going to be okay buddy, I’m right here.
Normal people don’t do this.
Abed’s sitting on the floor inside a bathroom stall, rocking back and forth on the tiles. He’s burning up.
A normal person wouldn’t be here. Normal people know how to control themselves when noises get too loud. Normal people can go to a store without losing it.
He takes some deep breathes, softly rubs his arms, and none of it works.
The thought occurs to him that he might stay this way forever.
(No no no no please no-)
He’s starting to bang his head on one of the stall walls, and he hates it, hates that this is what he does.
“Abed? Abed, buddy? Where are you?”
Troy.
Abed’s able to choke out an “I’m here, Troy, I’m here, in the men’s room-”, and something about the admission makes him cry harder.
In about 20 seconds, Abed hears footsteps coming near the other side of the stall door.
“Hey, buddy?”
No words. Just soft breathes.
“Um, okay, so things got pretty intense out there. Noise-wise.”
Abed does a sad kind of hum. Troy understands.
“What do you need? Just say the word, okay?”
“Nice things.”
Abed clears his throat, trying to bring himself back into focus.
“Tell me nice things.”
He hears Troy sitting down.
“Okay, let’s see...watching TV together, playing video games, your new camera with the cool lenses, doing your Batman voice to make Annie laugh, soft blankets, buttered noodles.”
Abed closes his eyes, and now the deep breathing comes easier to him.
“Superhero comics, Rubix cubes, the latest season of Inspector Spacetime, putting the DVDs in your favorite order, how much everyone is gonna love your movies, how much people love you.”
There’s a full minute that’s just breathing, and it’s soft and fragile and what Abed needs.
“I...think I’m ready to come out.”
Troy breathes a happy sigh, and somewhat clumsily gets on his feet again.
Abed unhooks the latch and opens the door, and he sees Troy. He’s glowing and starting to tear up all the same.
Abed doesn’t think he’s ever seen someone look so beautiful.