Chapter Text
"Hey Britta? Can I talk to you about something?" The blonde's ears perked up at the sound of being wanted. Perhaps her psych class would finally come in handy and she could diagnose Troy with some outrageous mental illness. She gave him a quick smile as she shoved her textbook into her bag.
"Sure, what's up?"
"Eh..." Troy looked around the study room. He thought it would have been emptied, or be empty soon, but Annie and Shirley were still chatting away, and Pierce was sitting on his chair staring into space. He certainly didn't want Pierce around. "Do you mind if we go somewhere else to talk?"
"Oh don't worry Troy, we were just lea-ving!" Shirley said in her lilting syllables, grabbing her comically sized bag and Annies arm. She jostled Annie out, but before she went, Troy could hear her whisper in Brittas ear- "Tell me what he says, okay?" Shirley was the biggest gossiper he knew, and even though he didn’t think Jesus would approve, he was grateful for her intense nosiness. This wasn't going to be an easy conversation to have, and even though she just wanted drama, she still did him a favour. Now the issue of Pierce.
"Erm...oh!" Troy thought of an idea on the spot. "I heard Jeff really doesn't want you in the cafeteria today. Yeah, he says he'll be furious if you show up."
"SCREW HIM." Pierce cried, almost tripping over the chair in his haste. He snatched up his pens and nearly sprinted to the cafeteria, sweat beading with the anticipation of being left out and being able to expose Jeff.
“Man that guys weird.” he muttered under his breath. Despite living with Pierce for a year, he still had no clue what went on in the guy's brain. Probably just boobs and racism.
The room was empty now. Without even opening his eyes, he knew where everything was- study room F was essentially his second home. Apart from his actual home. Abeds chair lay bare, he was sick at home. He had been throwing up the whole night, and even though he looked a lot better in the morning, Troy wished he was home to look after him. But alas, class waited and he couldn’t afford to miss any more that semester.. He did recruit Jeff to go check up on him though, the reason why he had already left, instead of staying later to make sarcastic jokes/ hit on Annie. Only Britta remained, and oh god, she had put on her therapist glasses just for him.
"So what's up Troy! Tell me what's been troubling you." She patted the couch next to her, and he laughed and rolled his eyes.
"It's not really like that. Okay. Erm..." He swallowed and looked at her. He was really doing this.
"We've been close for a really long time right? I consider you one of my best friends, and you were the first person I thought of when I realised I needed to talk to someone about this and I couldn't keep putting it off."
"Awwww Troy!!!!" Britta basically attacked him with a hug, her face practically glowing.
He was happy to hug back, rolling his eyes a little at her aggressiveness but welcoming any contact from her. Maybe out of fear she wouldn't want to touch him again after this. She sat back and clasped her hands, waiting for him to go on. Swallowing, he kept going.
"So yeah. That's why you. And you're the first person I've ever really told, and it's all pretty new to me as well, and if you never want to talk to me again I understand, but the thing is Britta, I-"
"Oh my god Troy, do you have herpes??" Brittas face turned to shock.
"No Britta, what the hell??!?! Why would I have herpes??"
She looked away, abashed.
"I don't know, it just seemed like that was what you were leading up to..." she muttered.
"You really are the worst." He sunk back into the couch and rubbed his eyes. "I was trying to tell you I'm gay."
"Seriously??"
"Yeah, seriously."
"Not seriously like in the bad way of course, I support the gays and I love the gays, I lived in New York so I saw so many gays-"
"Britta please shut up."
"Sorry."
"Well yeah. That's it. Please don't tell anyone." He regretted his decision almost immediately. She'd made things weird, he felt nauseous, and now it was out in the open he wanted to snatch back his secret and shove it away. Forever. Not looking her in the eyes, scared to see the disappointment he feared plagued them, he made to get up. To go home, get a shower and rub the day off. Britta grabbed his arm.
"No, no don't leave, I'll be cool I promise." He tried to shake her off, so terribly embarrassed, but man, she had a strong grip. Like a therapist gorilla.
"Thanks for telling me. That couldn't have been easy for you, and even though I'm not going to be homophobic OBVIOUSLY, I'm literally an activist." (This last part was a smug sort of whisper) ", it still must have been hard to get out, and...well I'm proud of you. And of course I would never tell anyone. Lips sealed."
He smiled, and stopped struggling against her tight grip. Sitting back down, he grabbed her hand and squeezed it. "Thanks Britta."
"Are you going to tell anyone else? No pressure though."
He hadn't really thought about it. Just getting the words out his mouth was struggle enough, he couldn't even think of telling his family or even the study group. To be honest, he had just wanted to say it out loud, and see whether he would explode or not.
"I don't know."
"I would think about it. I honestly think the study group would be more accepting than you think. And I don't see why you wouldn't tell Abed."
"I don't wanna tell Abed." The phrase burst out of him.
"Why not?" Britta looked concerned, eyebrows knitted together.
"I just...don't want our friendship to change. I don't want him to hate me, and not want to sleep in the same bunk bed, and not want to watch movies together anymore." Even the thought of telling Abed made his palms sweaty. He couldn't live without his best friend, especially over something as stupid as his sexuality.
"Honestly Troy, I don't think Abed will care. I thought he was gay until I saw him staring at Annie's boobs. Which, weird by the way." He chuckled.
"Yeah I don't know. Maybe."
"A month." He was confused. "In a month, we wait to see if you're comfortable to tell the study group and Abed, and if you are, we just get it out the way. If not, we can reassess a month after that."
He thought about it. "That sounds good actually."
"And I think you should tell Abed separately. Just the two of you." He could tell she was smirking a little but he didn't know what for.
"Alright. Seriously Britta, thank you."
"No, thank you." She wrapped him in a hug again before he could complain. "I love you."
"I love you too."