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"Guys, I've realized something about myself" Jeff said with a big smile on his face as he entered the study room. The rest of the group looked up at him.
"You are gay" Pierce guessed.
"Uh, no" Jeff shook his head as he set down his bag by the leg of the table and sat down. "I'm... Aromantic"
The room went still.
"Sorry, you're whatnow?" Shirley asked. Everyone else seemed equally confused- Except for Britta, that is.
"I call bullshit" the blonde spoke up. Everyone looked at her. Jeff seemed uncomfortable.
"Um-
"If you're aromantic, what's with all the advances you've been trying to make on me since day one?" she asked.
"I think you're hot and wanted to have sex with you, not a whole relationship" Jeff said and then winced as he realized how that came out. Britta scoffed. "I didn't mean it like that"
"Okay, Jeff" she rolled her eyes. The man looked hurt, which was odd, but seriously who the hell did he think he was? There were people out there who were actually aromantic and here he was flagging the label around because he had commitment iss-
He got up and left the room.
Abed walked into he and Jeff's dorm room and took in the sad expression on his roommate's face.
"So, what's aromantic?" he asked. Jeff chuckled humorlessly.
"You heard what Britta said" Jeff sighed. "It doesn't matter"
"Britta tends to do surface-level research on a lot of things, but she rarely actually makes an effort to understand them" Abed replied. "I'd like to know what it means to you, since you're the one who this is actually about"
Jeff smiled weakly at his friend before taking a deep breath and giving an explanation.
"I've just never saw myself in a real relationship with anyone" he explained. "Romantically, I mean. Sex is nice. Friends are nice. But the idea of dating someone just isn't all that compelling to me" he continued. "And it's not just an issue of not wanting to commit"
"Okay" Abed said. Jeff stared at him for a moment.
"Okay?"
"Okay" Abed repeated. "Do you want me to tell Britta that?"
"No, no, I'll do it" Jeff replied before groaning in annoyance. "This whole thing is so dumb..."
"I don't think it's dumb"
"Well, thank you, Abed"
"Britta, hey" Jeff said meekly as he approached the blonde in the line of the cafe. She rolled her eyes and looked away but didn't tell him to fuck off, so he supposed he could continue. "I want to talk about what happened"
"Are you done pretending to be something your not so you don't have to own up to your bullshit?"
"Britta, I'm not pretending to be anything, I-"
"Right, right" she laughed humorlessly. "Of course. Because big and mighty Jeff Winger never does anything wrong"
"Britta, lis-"
"He'd never treat a woman like an object he can just fuck and then throw out. No, no, cause he's different and special"
"Brit-"
"He's 'aromantic', so it's all perfectly well and good if he-"
"BRITTA!" he shouted and a few people turned in their direction, concerned. Britta's mouth clamped shut as she stared at the agitated man. "Sorry... Sorry, I didn't mean to yell" he apologized. She still said nothing. "I just... Look, I'll buy your breakfast, but please just... Sit and listen to what I have to say?"
"Okay, Jeff" she agreed quietly before pulling out her phone to text him her order as she sat at one of the smaller tables.
He returned a few minutes later with two coffees, a croissant, and the sandwich that Britta had asked for as well. He sat by her at the table and handed her her breakfast before contemplating his next words, grateful that she just remained patient.
"I've never felt... The urge to get romantically involved with people" he explained. "It's not that I have a fear of commitment or anything like that, I just don't want it" he continued. "And yeah, sex is nice. I like having sex with people, but just so long as we're... Friends. The thought of anything becoming more than platonic fuck buddies just... It isn't appealing to me"
"...Jeff-"
"What?"
"I'm sorry" Britta sighed. Jeff's eyes widened. "I mean, I'm sure you can understand why I was on guard, but still... I shouldn't have said those things. If this is how you really feel, then I'm sorry, and I accept you"
"So... Does that mean we can be fuck buddies now?"
"Very funny"
Jeff walked in for study group with a weak smile on this face. "I'm gonna try this again"
Abed smiled. Britta nodded.
"I am Aromantic" he said, this time with more confidence. In response to the confused looks, he continued. "It just means I don't feel the want or urge to date people. I don't feel that spark, and I'd like for all my relationships to remain platonic"
"Oh, okay" Troy nodded genuinely. "That makes sense"
"Thank you for telling us, Jeff" Shirley smiled.
"This actually makes a lot of sense" Annie laughed lightheartedly.
"Pierce?" Jeff asked, looking at the old man. The man seemed to consider this for a moment before speaking.
"So... You're still gay, right?"