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#we are literally just like jeff and abed
conanssummerchild · 2 months
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me and my dad are like abed and jeff in the way that jeff always gets abeds references, theyre two characters that mirror eachother, they understand and relate to eachother in a way thats different from other characters relationships, but also in the way jeff fantasises about strangling abed, "you try to get him to do something normal without abusing him!", "youre a robot, abed". and still jeff goes in for two hugs before abed leaves.
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urfavnegronerd · 10 months
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1610 and reader cuddle session hcs 😄
here we gooooo
an absolute whore fiend for affection and physical touch
likes when you do that thing w/ your nails to massage his scalp
tries to talk to you/ start conversation while ur cuddling
cannot hold said conversation b/c he gets sleepy in ur arms
both miles' are like cats, but 1610 miles is a middle aged cat whos either really energetic or super sluggish whereas 42 is an old and tired bodega cat
in the least suggestive way you absolute horny fucks he is a minor stop being weird absolutely adores skin-skin contact
like he feels like he has to get closer to you
your body weight just flush against him?
10/10, no notes
forehead + nose kisses are absolutely a given
if you get acrylic nails he loves it when you rake them across the nape of his neck
also loves when ur thumb does that lil strokey thing on his hair
100% buys yall matching bonnets/durags
his fave way to cuddle is when his head is on ur chest and he's lying between ur legs stop. don't be weird.
b/c of all his spiderman stuff he's sore most of the time, specifically in his back/traps/shoulders (hello mans literally swings himself using his upper body weight) so when yall r laid up like that you give his upper back lil massages n shit
however
if ur an athlete he def babies u after practice when yall cuddle
like the whole nine
mans is a sweetheart and draws u like a bath or sum (i think 1610 and 42 would both do this tbh) and sits on the edge of the tub/toilet and just talks to you
or gives u a cute lil shoulder massage
if u get ur braids/hair/retwist and your scalp is literally screaming he'll let you lay on top of him with your head on his chest
if u fall asleep w/o ur bonnet/durag/headscarf on he puts it on for you
or sacrifices his hair and puts his on you
back to the original req chile anyway--
like i said he loves skin to skin contact
like mans is fully a baby
also he's a furnace literally 95% of the time, so during the winter u press up against his chest
almost always ends up asleep with his face on ur stomach (either ur bare stomach or his head is literally under ur shirt. if u have a lil (or a lot, honestly mans does not care about ur body type. also side note of me just being queer but when women have that lil pudge/pocket/bulge thing and wear tight skirts/dresses. WHEW. same thing w/ masc women omg teddy bear mascs are adorable. but i also love me some muscles anywho back to the req) pudge, muffin top, hip dip, whatever, he adores it. like fully massages those lil bits of u when ur cuddling. however if ur more muscly/ toned in ur stomach area he loves that too, esp tracing the muscle lines, like ur obliques or abs if you have them)
like i said he gets rly tired in ur presence cs you make him feel safe so when ur cuddling he gets all mumbly and his movements are all thick and syrupy and he gets to be a lil drowsy baby
yall ever seen those tiktoks w/ couples cooking and one of them is on their partners back? yeah, that's yall
"miles i have homework" *muffled in your stomach/neck w his arms wrapped around you* nuh uh "fuck you mean nuh uh?"\
its such a struggle to end cuddle sessions w him, literally the both of u want to stay tangled up like that together forever
when ur over his house and rio and jeff are home the two of you literally just fall asleep on the couch while cuddling
yall are that couple that sleeps and cuddles together all the time
u know that text chain that's like 'after class can i take a nap in your bed' "yeah" 'with you?' "duh" 'omg im so excited'
thats yall
rio and jeff literally had to bribe you to go on dates that weren't sleeping on the couch while watching movies
after the events of atsv he literally just wants to cuddle
i hope this what ur looking for anon!
xoxo,
rae <3
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rotting-butterscotch · 3 months
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so uh i just rewatched community for the 3rd, and possibly the last, time, and I'm gonna rant about it, especially because it's being taken off Netflix this month.
Community is literally the #1 best fucking show on this planet (with Brooklyn 99 and The Good Place being a 2 and 3), and no one can tell me otherwise. The writing is so fucking beautiful (except the writing of the romantic entanglements within the group, but im sure the fandom knows that already), and can be so funny yet heartbreaking at the same time.
Let's take "Geothermal Escapism" for an example (which to point out how amazing the writing is, has never failed to make me cry at the end of it). The symbolism of the hot lava game, the fact that Troy had to play into the whole "clone" thing just for Abed to be able to cope with him leaving (which proves yet again how much Troy and Abed do for eachother, and yes that *is* one of the reasons I ship trobed, but let's not get off-track more than we already have lol), the group saying all their good-byes at the end, and the way those good-byes characterize them so perfectly, it's literally a masterpiece of an episode.
And the fact that the viewers as a whole were supposed to just forget all of that the next episode baffles me, like make up your mind Dan Harmon, are you gonna make the best show of all time or ruin it by shoving jeffannie down our throats at the last episode???? (sorry, went off track)
Anyways, back to the writing: it's beautiful, but can be so dumb at the same time. Like, another example: "Emotional Consequences of Broadcast Television", a.k.a. the finale, which not only kind of does a call-back to s1 Jeff and Abed (Abed being ready to let go and embrace the future, and Jeff being so against it), but omggg the symbolism towards the end, where Jeff has driven Abed and Annie to the airport, and he's hugging them good-bye, and Jeff goes in for a second hug, because yet again he's afraid of change, and you can tell Abed is confused, but he goes with it anyways, because he gets it (actually I'm making this point based off of a comment under a compilation of Jeff and Abed, but whatever).
Jeff and Abed in s6 is literally Abed and Jeff in s1, and not only then, but literally everywhere in the series, you can tell how alike they are, how their traumas and troubles are so alike, yet they dealt with it differently, one with acceptance and one with denial.
And another point about how the writing can be so dumb sometimes: how can you literally point to jeffannie being an illogical and impossible ship, and literally have both members of this ship finally realize how unhealthy it in the *same* episode as is that ship's kiss scene?!?! Like, how does that make sense.
Anyways, my conclusion to this rant is: there's no conclusion lol, I just wanted to barf out all of my thoughts on this show onto here (and these aren't even all my thoughts on this show lol), as incoherent as they are. I'll miss this show so bad😭😭.
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Billy tries to be as quiet and inconspicuous as possible when he enters the living room, easing down into a seat on the sofa with a plate packed full of finger food in his hands.
He's been steadily picking at the spread in the kitchen all afternoon — he isn't even really hungry anymore, but it's at least something to keep him occupied. He tries not to think about how he's eating out of boredom as he pops a mini quiche in his mouth.
As if having a sixth sense, Eddie turns around in his seat on the floor. Spreads a smile and crawls toward the sofa, leaning his elbows in Billy’s lap as he gazes up at him like he’s some ethereal being.
“Hey, blondie,” he lilts. “Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes.”
Billy snorts.
“Aren’t you supposed to be playing your game?”
“We’re having an intermission,” Eddie huffs. Leans further into Billy’s lap and wraps his arms around his waist. “Besides, I miss you.”
“Miss me? Munson, we sleep in the same bed every night.”
“And?”
“And you’re a fuckin’ dork,” Billy chuckles.
Eddie pouts. Hides his face in the front of Billy’s hoodie, and the blond has to fight every urge he has to suck his stomach in, lest Eddie pout even harder.
It’s taken some getting used to, the changes in his body. Especially after he quit smoking.
Had he known he would develop a permanent case of the munchies, he might’ve just stayed his course. Maybe he’d still have abs.
Maybe he’d still feel sexy.
Regardless, here Eddie is, smushing his face into his stomach like he’s a pillow. Billy takes a bite out of a chocolate-covered strawberry and sets his plate on the brunet’s back. Eddie doesn’t seem to notice.
“Yeah, well, you’re gorgeous,” Eddie says like it’s an insult. “And smart, and sweet, and funny, and—“
“Jesus, I get it, you like me. You can stop now.”
Eddie shakes his head. Presses a kiss to Billy’s stomach, which has the blond’s face blossoming red, and rubs up and down at his sides.
“I adore you. Wanna snuggle with you all day everyday and never do anything else.”
“Not even play D&D?”
“Nope.”
From behind him, Grant and Jeff both scoff, and Billy spreads a smile. Cards his hand through Eddie’s hair.
“I don’t think the guys like that idea.”
“Tough shit. How am I expected to function when you come in here looking all pretty ‘n stuff?”
Billy chuckles. Eddie grins at the sound.
“I’m wearing pajamas,” Billy points out. “And my hair’s not even done.”
“I know,” Eddie sighs dreamily.
“Mm, well, if you’re cuddling me all the time, when does my other boyfriend get a chance? Doesn’t sound very fair to me.”
“I don’t see this other boyfriend that you speak of. Plus, I’m calling dibs for the rest of time, so he’s outta luck.”
“You’re telling me you’re never gonna cuddle with Stevie again? Just me, forever?”
Eddie ponders the question for a long moment, and Billy chuckles again.
“Damn,” he muses. “You really do like me that much, huh?”
“I do,” Eddie admits. “I would miss being Stevie’s little spoon, though.”
Gareth snorts, clapping his hand on the coffee table.
“Wait, you’re the little spoon? Big bad Munson is Steve Harrington’s little spoon,” he cackles. “That’s the best fucking thing I’ve ever heard.”
Billy grabs his plate again just in time for Eddie to sit up and swivel around enough to cast a glare at his friend. It makes Gareth laugh even harder.
“Dude, you’ve literally heard me call him my princess and shit before, but you’re choosing to make fun of me over this?”
“I always thought that was you poking fun at his masculinity or something.”
Eddie shakes his head and clicks his tongue.
“Stevie is my pretty princess,” he lilts. Glances up at Billy and chews his lip. “And Billy bear is my little babycakes. He’s the baby, actually.”
Billy’s face flushes red all the way down his neck.
“I am not,” he huffs.
“Yes huh, you’re baby girl, baby doll— you love that shit. We wouldn’t say any of it if you didn’t.”
There’s a polite chuckle from around the room and Billy scoffs.
Eddie notably softens. He rubs at Billy’s thighs, leaning forward to press another kiss to his stomach and humming pleasantly when his lips make contact.
“The nicknames just mean that we love you,” he coos.
“Guess I just think you both have weird taste,” Billy murmurs, then huffs a laugh to himself. “If I nicknamed myself, it’d probably be something like lardass.”
Eddie makes a shocked noise of offense and furrows his brows.
“Hey, no one talks about my boyfriend like that.”
“No? What’re you gonna do about it?”
“I’m gonna tell on you.” Billy’s smirk falters and Eddie hums triumphantly. “I’m gonna tell Steve. He’ll baby you about it and pull out some old family recipe he’s got locked away just to make you eat your words.”
Billy presses his lips together. Thinks about the last time he made a self-deprecating comment in front of Steve. Thinks about how it was definitely a handful of pounds ago.
“I’d rather you didn’t.”
He pushes his fingers into Eddie’s hair. The brunet leans into his touch, but spreads this sickening little grin. All teeth and no remorse.
“Then I guess you better take it back,” he lilts. Billy locks his jaw shut. Eddie clicks his tongue and pokes teasingly at his side. “There’s no downside for me, I like a little extra fluff. Nobody likes thin pancakes.”
“Pancakes?”
“Mhmm,” Eddie hums. “You’re like a stack of ‘em.”
Billy quirks a brow.
“How so?”
“I fuckin’ love pancakes.” Eddie flattens his palm against Billy’s side and rubs gently back and forth. “Plus, y’know, they’re soft and warm. Pillow-like.”
A little smile quirks at the corners of Billy’s mouth. Some part of him wants to take offense, but he can’t. Not when big brown eyes are gazing up at him so fondly. He scratches softly at Eddie’s scalp and has him all but purring, eyes slipping shut as he melts under the touch.
“You’ve never had crêpes?” Billy asks.
Eddie’s eyes crack open.
“What?”
“Crêpes,” Billy repeats. Chuckles when Eddie looks at him like he’s growing a second head. “Thin pancakes? They’re Stevie’s favorite, I’m surprised you didn’t notice. He always orders them when we go to the diner downtown.”
Eddie sits up straighter. Thinks hard for a moment, like his whole world is crashing down.
“Is that what those things are?”
“What did you think they were?”
“I dunno— not pancakes.” Eddie pouts when he’s laughed at, but still fixes Billy with a serious look. “Brushing past the fact that you just ruined my whole analogy, I maintain that you’re perfect just the way you are.” That little grin comes back full-fledged in a matter of seconds. “Besides, crêpes always have filling, don’t they?”
It’s Billy’s turn to pout while Eddie snickers at him.
“Whatever. Just don’t tell Steve.”
“Why, you scared he’s gonna put pounds on you?” Eddie pinches his side and earns a huff. “You still haven’t taken back what you said.”
“‘Cause I don’t want to. Don’t see why you’re so hung up on it.”
This time, Eddie looks… disappointed. It hurts Billy deep in his chest, like he swallowed a shard of tortilla chip that refuses to go down smoothly.
“If someone was talking shit about Steve right in front of you, what would you do?” Eddie asks.
“I’d rock their shit.”
“Why?”
Billy shrugs.
“I dunno, it’d piss me off.”
“And why’s that?”
“Because it’s Steve,” Billy huffs. “I don’t— I don’t like the idea of anyone talking shit about him. That’s my boyfriend.”
Eddie nods. Tilts his head to the side and slowly begins to rub up and down at Billy’s waist, similar to how he had been earlier.
“Then why is this any different? I still get to be upset when I hear someone talking shit about you, even if it’s you who’s doing the shit-talking.”
Billy’s mouth opens, but then promptly closes again. Is this the same guy who was comparing him to pancakes a minute ago?
A moment passes. Then another. Eddie just stares up at him expectantly, and Billy says nothing. It’s a stand-off. A battle of will. Billy’s fixing to cave when the front door opens and the tension is suddenly broken, yet somehow doubles at the same time.
“Intermission?” Steve asks.
He hangs his keys up and shrugs out of his coat once the door is shut behind him, already wearing an easy smile.
“Unofficially,” Gareth grumbles.
Eddie shoots him a glare, but is quick to soften when Steve leans over the back of the sofa and drapes his arms around Billy’s shoulders.
“Hey, baby,” Steve greets. Ignores the knowing giggle from around the room in favor of pressing a kiss into Billy’s curls. “Thought you’d still be asleep when I got back.”
More kisses land in his hair as Billy purses his lips.
“It’s almost six.”
“Mhmm,” Steve hums.
In an instant, Eddie gets this look on his face, and Billy’s stomach drops. He opens his mouth, but Steve is too quick.
“Have you just been eating junk?” He asks, gesturing to Billy’s plate.
The blond glances at his little collection of nibbled-at finger food. Tries not to think about how many plates of it he’s had already.
“Yeah, just… snacking,” he says timidly.
Steve tsks. Billy almost flinches at the sound.
“Well, that won’t do.” Steve nabs the plate from Billy’s hand and pops a cube of cheddar in his mouth. “Tell me what you want, bubs, and I’ll make it.”
Billy feels like he’s on fire.
“Lasagna?”
A sheepish smile finds its way onto his face when his chin is tilted up, and Steve plants a kiss directly on his lips.
“Coming right up.”
Then the brunet vanishes from behind the couch, padding into the kitchen to root around for a casserole dish before he’s even taken his shoes off.
On the floor, Eddie bites back on a giggle.
“I didn’t even have to tell him,” he whispers amusedly. Leans completely into Billy’s lap and hugs his torso again, half smothering himself in Billy’s stomach. “Hope you’re hungry, Bill, ‘cause it’s pancake time.”
For emphasis, he gives Billy’s side a squeeze, which has him huffing irritatedly.
“No, we’re having lasagna,” Steve calls. There’s a clatter as he moves about the kitchen. “We can have pancakes tomorrow night.”
Eddie gives in to the giggles, shoulders shaking as he hides his face in the front of Billy’s hoodie.
Finally accepting defeat, Billy sighs. Cards his fingers through Eddie’s hair while he laughs, trying to find it in himself to be upset about what’s to come.
But his mouth is already watering before the oven is even done preheating.
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hersterical · 10 days
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Some of my favorite fictional friendships who I think would be willing to get platonically married (some of these I ship both platonically and romantically and some of these I ship purely platonically)
(Stranger Things) Robin & Steve: Do I even need to explain this one?
(MCU) Kate & Yelena: This is doubly true if Yelena is ace and/or aro. I could also see them getting married on an assignment or something and then just not getting around to divorcing while joking about being work wives
(MCU) Clint & Natasha: I honestly only see this happening in a situation where Laura dies in a non-Thanos related incident
(Seinfeld) Jerry & George: They sincerely believe that it was just for the tax benefits. Hard to say if they ever become self-aware enough for it to become romantic
(Community) Annie & Abed: Got carried away with the bit. Abed doesn’t take marriage seriously enough to get a divorce and Annie likes the idea of being married and being able to refer to someone as her husband. They do eventually both grow to actually enjoy being platonically married to each other. Annie might eventually want a divorce when she realizes she’s a lesbian and falls in love with a woman. Abed might want a divorce if he sees how sad the marriage makes Troy
(Lotr) Legolas & Gimli: Same reasons for why they’d get married romantically but if they had no romantic feelings for each other
(X-Men Evolution) Rogue & Kitty: I could see them actually following through on an “if neither of us are married by the time we’re 40” kind of arrangement, though it’d take quite a bit of convincing on Kitty’s part and wouldn’t happen until their 50’s
(The Good Place) Jason & pretty much anyone except for Michael (and Janet): Literally canonically happened with Tahani, kind of canonically happened with Pillboi. Eleanore would definitely go for it if it got her out of a tough situation (and depending on her relationship status with Chidi). Would probably be able to guilt trip Chidi into it if it was really necessary to get Jason out of a bad situation
(SPOP) Bow and Sea Hawk: I don’t think this requires an explanation
(Willow) Kit & Elora: Only if there’s something that stops Kit from marrying Jade or if it’s on accident
Honorable Mentions
(Psych) Shawn & Gus: Shawn would no hesitation platonically marry Gus but Gus would not be up for it
(BBC Merlin) Arthur and Merlin: Would they be platonic life partners? Yes. Would they be romantically married? Yes. Would they get platonically married? No.
(X-Men Evolution) Kurt & Kitty: They would also have an ‘if neither of us are married by the time we’re 40’ kind of thing but Kurt’s too much of a romantic to go through with it
(Community) Jeff & Britta: It wouldn’t be romantic, and it wouldn’t be platonic, but a secret third thing (probably related to spite). We already almost saw it happen in the season two premiere
(Schitt’s Creek) Stevie and David: They would consider it in the pre-Patrick era, but David’s too much of a romantic to go through with it (did they have an ‘if we’re not married by the time we’re 40’ thing in canon? I can’t remember)
(New Girl) Winston and Cece: A classic Winston and Cece mess around would go too far and Cece would demand an immediate divorce (though dependings on the timing she might let it go longer than necessary just to watch Schmidt’s head explode regularly)
(BTVS) Tara and Oz: Sincerely don’t know if either of them would actually be down for this but I think it’d be tons of fun
(SPOP) Bow and Adora: I think they’d be perfectly happy to be platonically married but Glimmer would blow a gasket and Catra’s passive aggressiveness would be reaching very dangerous levels
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doverstar · 6 months
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abed/annie is my community otp, so I would love to hear your essay if you’re willing to share ♥️
girl it would be my pleasure
this is going to be an absolutely enormous word-vomit, please prepare-
I want to start off by saying I actually think Abed is genuinely a little bit crazy. Yes, he might be on the spectrum or have some disorder but the show is so loose with that it never really confirms it, so I’m not going to confirm it either, I just think there’s something-something-spectrum there but I’m not educated enough to understand exactly what they’re communicating he has or is dealing with. I think the safest thing to assume is indeed that he’s insane (he said it himself; he saw literal lava when Troy was leaving) but in a small, functional, unique way that doesn’t make him dangerous except when he wants to cut people’s arms off because “Evil Abed has taken over” hello someone do something about that –
Anyway. It’s super difficult for me to understand what goes on in his head episode-to-episode, but with Annie it’s actually easier? Abed has such a specific set of needs when it comes to relationships that it’s a miracle he found the study group at all. He’s so smart and creative and he’s actually very empathetic and sweet but he doesn’t always seem to know how to express things.
Annie is clearly Abed’s second-best friend in the show (it helps that the actor/actress are best friends too). When he can’t turn to Troy, he can always turn to Annie. She understands him and there’s never been a point where we see that start or end—it just naturally happened and they’re both used to it. Abed is always touching her, always sitting by her, always making eye contact with her, and if you pay close attention to even background scenes, he’s measuring her reactions to things more often than anyone else’s. If I had to guess, I think she’s the group member he understood faster than any of the others. Abed (this is, from what I’m told, part of being on the spectrum? but like I said I am uneducated and don’t want to definitively say something the show decided not to be clear about) needs certain things to be a certain way, or he can’t operate normally. He panics, or gets angry, or tries to mutilate Jeff Wingers. He genuinely thinks he is crazy, and he genuinely thinks no one he meets will be able to deal with him for an extended amount of time. (Let’s begin at the beginning from his POV.) Abed meets Annie (and the group), and she seems like the typical Molly Ringwald girl-next-door; pretty, smart, wants popularity, ambitious. That’s why he chose her when he created the study group. Annie is all of these cliched things, but hey, quickly it’s pretty clear Annie needs things to be a certain way. Annie needs structure and lists and good grades. So she gets it when Abed needs that, what a pleasant surprise! And part of that is that Annie empathizes with everyone around her, without even trying, so much so that she’s depicted often as the heart of the whole study group. She gets Abed, both because they’re the same in lots of ways and they’re the opposite. She can crush easily, explode easily, cry easily, laugh easily. Everything Abed has no idea how to emote. Annie is a volcano of emotions, and they’re triggered most when she’s feeling because of or on behalf of other people.
So here’s this girl near his own age who is orderly and structured, and knows how other people feel and can enter in with them emotionally, including Abed. She’s so nice, and tries so hard. She’s even good at playing pretend (Mixology Certification, party of one?). What a perfect leading lady for the life-movie Abed sees everywhere he goes (because that’s how he makes sense of the world). Annie is the ideal female star he’d want in any story: the girl full of passion and drive.
But then there’s Jeff—the study group’s Judd Nelson—presumably the perfect leading man. When Abed first handpicks the group in the pilot and first season, Jeff wants Britta. Hey, that makes sense, Britta seems to be the leading lady type, actually! She’s nice, she’s strong, she’s beautiful. Works perfectly. And look, Annie wants Troy—the brainy bubbly girl wants the dumb jock, that makes sense too. Everything works. Then things start changing within the dynamic. Troy is actually not that dumb, and not that sports-obsessed—he’s fun, and he’s the ideal bro for Abed, but he doesn’t work with Annie. Britta is not that nice, and not that strong—she’s bad at everything, and she doesn’t understand people, she just wants to and is constantly trying to portray (and then hopefully become) the kind of person that does. And Jeff is a stunted jerk who needs reformation.
Oh, Annie is Abed’s friend now too. She said it herself, and that’s rare in Abed’s life. She called them really good friends, and that’s so important to him that he’ll sit in a room for 26 straight hours with nothing to do because Annie asked him to do it. Troy is not the only character Abed would give up control for. There’s one other from the start, because the moment she told him with all her earnest doe-eyedness they were friends, she had him hook line and sinker.
Season 1 progresses. Jeff and Britta might still work, and Abed seems mildly interested in that if only for the cliches—maybe Britta can make him better. No, wait, Britta is bad at that too. Actually, they’re not good for each other. Actually, they’re bad for each other—they’re bad for everyone. But they have similar terrible flaws and habits, so maybe they do make a good pair. Still fine leads. Still works. And besides, Annie has filled in the place of Troy with hippie Vaughn, which is also fine. Doesn’t really work long-term, but Jeff and Britta drive the plot forward more anyway, so the focus should be on them, right? The group is working. The group is thriving. The TV of life moves along.
(Except Jeff kissed Annie to win the Man Is Good/Evil debate. And Abed predicted it. Which means he was thinking about that as a possibility, because he operates on variables and tries to understand outcomes so that he’s not surprised by anything and can keep his friends for longer by relating to and reacting to them better. Jeff has leading man vibes, Annie has leading lady vibes, that’s one potential outcome. And though he insists he’s just making hypotheses based on what he’s learned about his friends so far, when it does happen right in front of them in real life, they kiss, Abed is just as shocked as the others—he literally can’t take his eyes off them until the debate is won. Then afterward, he tells Shirley he can’t predict the future and uses his plans for Pierce being discovered as a genius next in his home-movies as an example, which he believes would never happen—then Britta calls Pierce a genius right in front of him and Abed looks visibly concerned. Maybe what he predicts about his friends will keep happening, even the things he thinks are the least likely of the potential outcomes. Maybe even Jeff and Annie as the two leads. But that doesn’t make sense, does it? Jeff and Britta are endgame, aren’t they? Annie is too young for a leading man like Jeff. Annie is too nice; Jeff is too selfish. Annie is gorgeous and driven, Jeff is handsome and needs fixing, that would work, no, it would change things too much, it’s too unlikely, back to Jeff and Britta, back to playing with Troy and studying film, don’t give it a second thought—)
Transfer dance happens. Annie is going away for the summer with Vaughn. Classic Annie, has his back, always doing the better thing for the plot, bringing a good end-of-Season twist, but it’s okay, as far as he knows she’ll be back in the fall and besides, Abed’s got to-roomie-or-not-roomie with Troy issues to deal with.
And then the new semester starts after the transfer dance. And Anthropology 101 happens (again, one of my favorite episodes for the group fight at the end when it comes to my lil ships). I’M GONNA TALK ABOUT ANTHROPOLOGY 101 NOW. For A CHUNK of time. Jeff and Britta are doing relationship-drama stuff Abed doesn’t quite care about, until Shirley suggests he’s being selfish and that a real friend would enter into Jeff and Britta’s [incredibly fake and nasty] “happiness” and Abed thinks that could work. Actually, progressing Jeff and Britta’s relationship is a goal he can definitely work with. In fact, if you pay attention to the show, whenever there is an opportunity to advance or out Jeff/Britta, Abed takes that opportunity. And whenever there is an opportunity to put JeffAnnie in an uncomfortable or inevitable, c’est la vie light (which two independence-heavy freaks like Jeff and Annie would consider negatively) he takes that too.
Abed urges Jeff/Britta to get married right there in the library before the fight, gives them the ring, because he thinks that’s the next logical step in their grossness. Special episode, all about Jeff/Britta, endgame endgame endgame! He can work with that. In fact, he’s happy to control that. He leaves the room to inexplicably get an Irish singer, dead-ringer Clooney, and a transportable wedding set.
When he comes back and tries to prep the group for the special wedding episode, everyone is tense and Jeff is bleeding from the nose, and Abed does not notice; he’s intent on advancing the plot and the endgame. Then Troy says, “Abed. Jeff made out with Annie.” And Abed’s immediate reaction is “What? Where? When?” And he looks unhappy, like the rest of them. Jeff made out with Annie, and that means everything Abed thought he understood is incorrect. (And I think it bothers the crap out of him and he doesn’t have the ability to unpack why that is the way most people do because he’s different. Surely he’s just angry for the same reasons the rest of the group is? That must be it. That must be why he’s angry specifically with Jeff, not Britta in any tangible way, or even Annie in a tangible way—until later, which I’ll talk about eventually.) Annie tells him they kissed after the transfer dance in a guilty voice, which is a sheepishness she does not respond with to any of the other members of the group. It’s almost like she’s picking up on Abed’s emotion specifically this time. And while everyone else in the group explodes, and Jeff reduces his kiss with Annie to something he should be ashamed of (accurate) because men are monsters who crave young flesh and Annie looks absolutely crushed like a deer in the headlights, Abed starts packing up to leave. And we only see how angry he is right then—he doesn’t enter into anyone else’s problems. We see him react to “Jeff made out with Annie”, and then this is the next time we see him react. Jeff asks where he’s going and Abed throws out a quippy “I now pronounce you cancelled” with a bounce of his eyebrows in an angry way, at Jeff, and when he tries to leave Jeff hurls insults at his back and Abed stops in the doorway, in a normal-person—again, angry—way and turns around and drops one of the sickest burns of the whole show, that TV makes sense and has “likeable leading men”, and says “In life, we have this. We have you.” And walks out. His anger is not directed at anybody else. He doesn’t help Troy with the Pierce situation. He doesn’t try to fix any of it. It’s like he heard “Jeff made out with Annie”, learned the specifics, and was standing there reeling until eventually he decided he couldn’t deal and went to leave, and wouldn’t have shown just how angry he was with Jeff unless Jeff had provoked him, which he did.
IT'S ALMOST LIKE HE’S MAD JEFF KISSED ANNIE, JUSSAYIN’-
let me pretend I’m a 14-year-old shippy fangirl in my reasoning, okay-
Abed likes logic, and as Season 2 continues, Jeff/Annie gets more and more logical. In fact, even though he has noticed that Jeff and Britta are secretly hooking up in the background of the Season, he is not surprised in Paradigms of Human Memory when Annie calls Jeff out for the will-they-won’t-they he’s been enacting with her, and even says there is something between the two of them, matter-of-factly, which Jeff refuses to own up to. But Abed and Annie are getting closer and closer, too. It’s subtle, but it’s clear they’re 100% comfortable around each other. That becomes super clear by Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas, when, besides Troy, Annie is the only other character to enter into Abed’s way of thinking and play with him, because it’s genuinely important to him and she recognizes that this is what he needs, when everyone else kind of drops off. She helps Abed and Troy stop Duncan from dealing with Abed in a practical, normal way, because she sees that Abed is dealing with something and can only deal with it his way to get through it. That’s incredibly rare for Abed, we see. He’s very attached to her—like I said, often touching her, often sitting by her, often reacting to her.
(I mean hi, in English As A Second Language, Abed thinks he won’t be affected by Annie’s Disney Face; when everyone else obeys Jeff in closing their eyes to it, Abed doesn’t. “Oh don’t worry about me, I can only connect to people through...movies...” literally stops in his tracks when he sees her Disney Face with the cutest wistful twitch of a smile. Jeff has to Indiana-Jones-reference him to make him look away. He doesn’t only connect to people through movies—at least, Annie can get through to him without the need of movies; he’s not a quirky lil robot, he can have normal feelings, but boy does it seem like Annie is the one bringing them out of him more often than most. she gets under his skin ajhzsdkejdb-)
Abed definitely has a crush on Annie. But he doesn’t know how to deal with that or portray it. To his mind, Annie should be with a leading man. Any time he flirts with her, he is pretending to be a leading man from a movie or show. (For a Few Paintballs More, anyone?) Because that’s who she should be paired off with. And that’s what she wants, right? She loooves Jeff Winger now. Britta’s not the leading lady, she never was, that role was always Annie’s, and it makes sense she wants Jeff, and it makes even more sense that Abed is observing the love story, not part of it. Abed is not the leading man, he’s the computer. He watches, analyzes, does not get involved or get the girl.
But he still wants her around, and he can have that much—in fact, when he moves in with Troy and Annie tells him she loves their place, Abed instantly suggests she move in. Not Abed and Troy. Just Abed, and he does not discuss it with his roommate. And Troy seems confused and surprised and gives Abed such an interesting look right after. Annie moves in, Abed agrees to sacrifice some of his routine for her (blanket fort for he and Troy, full bedroom for Annie), things are happy. Things are fine. She puts away his buttered noodles when he’s not finished with them, but she adapts to his needs when he expresses he doesn’t want her to do that; she breaks his Batman DVD but he adapts by forgiving her in a role he can express that in—Batman himself, plus, bonus, he gets to flirt with her as that leading man—and things are better. But then Annie starts trying to control things. Annie starts trying to make life go according to the movie in her head. She tries to get Britta and Troy together, which not only robs Abed of his best friend for a day and disrupts his routine, it makes him angry with Annie. And not just because she tampered with the group’s dynamic, which he doesn’t want anyone else but him to do. okay we’re caught up NOW I get to talk about Virtual Systems Analysis, which is my FAVORITE COMMUNITY EPISODE-
Throughout that episode, Annie is trying to speak in Abed’s language in the Dreamatorium in order to teach him empathy. In the past, she’s had success in communicating with him on his level, but this seems extra hard for some reason. She sees somehow through his expressionless face right away and sees he is angry with her, and though he tries to deflect by saying she’s going to ruin the group by meddling, she eventually does recognize what the problem is. At first she’s convinced Abed just wants Abed’s way and that he needs to be taught how to think of others first (she’s right), but he hears her say that to Troy and it spirals him right into the worry he always has—that he’s crazy, that he’s a problem, that he’ll never fit in because of that, and that when Annie (and anyone else) tries to deal with or fix him, they will get sick of it, give up, and toss him aside. He was already angry with her for a different reason, not just wanting his way again—but now he’s sure she’s done with Abed, too. So he becomes someone else, everyone else, to make his point: that she’s just messing with Britta and Troy so that nothing will stand in the way of her and Jeff.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT HE SAYS WHEN HE IS PRETENDING TO BE JEFF TO HER? He says, “With Abed gone, and Troy and Britta together, there’s nothing standing in the way of us.” With Abed gone. Why did he say that? Because with Abed gone, Annie gets to be in control of everyone? Obviously not. Or is it because out of everyone, every variable, the only other match that makes sense for Britta is Troy and the only other match that makes sense for Annie is-
Oops, Freudian slip. Oh, she’s not falling for it. And Abed is mad at her because he thinks she set up Britta and Troy so she could be with Jeff. Abed is mad that that’s what she wants. And when she tries to argue it’s not, he literally pretends he is her, logicking it out at her, trying to convince her that that is what she wants, because that’s what he thinks she wants, and her controlling things to cause JeffAnnie makes him mad. But c’est la vie, it’s inevitable anyway, right? Why isn’t she seeing that? Why is she trying to talk about him, he doesn’t want to talk about him, especially not after what she said about him— Then she fights back and tells him that she does not love Jeff, she loves the idea of being loved and if she can teach a guy like Jeff to love her, she’ll never be alone. And then she finds out that’s what Abed is afraid of, too. No—that’s what Abed is used to. “I’ve run the simulations, Annie. I don’t get married. [Why is that the first thing he said?] I don’t etc. etc.”
He’s afraid he’ll be alone, and people will always be getting tired of him and throwing him away. Didn’t Annie get tired of him? But she doesn’t, she’s not—in fact, she understands him. She shows him other members of the group understand that feeling, too. She uses his language to explain to him that he’s wrong, and that neither of them should be trying to make life go according to a script in their heads. Abed sees that she does understand, and if she can get into his head and understand him, she really can do it with anyone, and if she can do it, maybe he can too. Annie helps him and makes him a better person, because she reminds him to empathize, which is something Abed didn’t think he could do. Okay I just spent a long time talking about Abed’s perspective. A tiny bit of Annie now, because this is going on too long. As for Annie, she is afraid of being alone and unloved. She’s “psycho”, she’s crazy too, because someone who empathizes that much and can exude that much emotion does seem crazy to other people. She’s a different crazy than Abed, but her brand of psycho lends itself well to getting and communicating with him, because his crazy is escapism and her crazy is confrontation. His crazy is emotionless, her crazy is emotional. His crazy is control, her crazy is compassion. Her parents cut her off, her high school shunned her, Troy never noticed her, of course she’s scared of being ditched. Of being unimportant. Annie’s need to be perfect comes from the need to feel valued. And doesn’t Abed understand the need to not feel left alone? Doesn’t he understand everything needing to be just so, doesn’t he understand wanting to feel important but never expecting it? Just the computer. Just the observer. Wait. Didn’t he invite her to live with him, voluntarily? Doesn’t he always seem to be choosing her to sit by, don’t they always seem to be reassuring one another with a look or a touch? He gets how she feels about Jeff and Britta and their monopolization (hi Basic Sandwich), he gets when she’s feeling insecure, he gets when she needs to escape, just for a second, to pretend to be someone else in any given scenario so that she can take a risk or get out of her comfort zone, and he excels at that so they often do it together. They don’t have to be alone, they have each other. Annie doesn’t have to be perfect, Abed doesn’t have to be normal, and neither of them have to be in control. But nobody listens to me and instead we have Jeff kissing Annie and Brie Larson in a sweater. And don’t get me started on VCR Maintenance and Educational Publishing and why Abed and Annie are individually trying so hard to fight each other’s third-roommate preferences-
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just went back to watching community again and I cant-
so this time it's about 'Regional Holiday Music' 3x10,, and adhagsjjsb it's so fucking good because in a manner it sort of addresses all the wants of the characters right? because to convince them to join the Glee club they need to be incentivised and the incentive in this case is what's so interesting to me:
because 1. it starts with Abed and we all know Abed and how he's all he wants is to be together and loved and he chases the belongingness that he didn't find before in the study group right? but also literally the only thing that cory had to do to get him on board was talk about making him and his friends feel better and be together,,, but also it's literally because media of any kind be it behind the screens or people singing is so much simpler for him to understand cause they are catered and made in such a way that they are easy to perceive and take in without it being more complicated and involving other people's feelings in it
which is Great on its own but the second person to get 'caught' is Troy (because obv Troy will follow Abed wherever he goes, because even when he can't follow he'll wait for Abed to come back to him and tell him about his side quests or just be there for him, but I digress-) but also it's because there's this one thing he's always wanted to be a part of and could never but then comes Abed giving it to him on a silver platter and letting him do the things he wants even if it is by providing him with a loophole
and then third is pierce who even though I loathe him, i do understand (ish) because at the end of the day he's a man out of time and place, he's within people he doesn't understand and who don't want to understand him because all he wants to do is relive his glory days instead of rooting himself in the present (which in large part the study group help him with) (he'll never be my favourite character or even a liked one but I see him and I feel sad because of what he is and always will be and the way he came to be this way) all he ultimately wants is to be 'cool' maong his peers even though both of them operate on different understandings of cool (and yeahhhh)
fourth is Annie which, is very very weird to me because we never really get to know what her song was, what her one wish/incentive was,,, but also is it really that hard to assume that she would cave in when confronted by one of the first few people that she could safely feel as if in the company of friends with? also and this is a straight up hypothesis but I do feel that Annie didn't really get a song to convince her because it wasn't that hard to do it because it didn't really matter because at the end of the day it started with Abed telling her that he stayed for that experiment despite being angry because she was his friend,, and this was her way if reciprocating that (because it was just that given, be ause some things don't need to be explicitly stated to be explicit) (but then why did troy have one? because he was technically going against his entire belief system and the way he identified and looked at himself and that is life changing in some manners and he was still the second one and yeah)... maybe
the fifth one was Shirley and this one is rather simpler because at the end of the day, she traces and finds herself within her belief system rooted in Christianity (which while not for mez i can understand the way belief systems can be very all or nothing for some people) and she just wanted to educate and empower children and people with things that she herself feels empowered by (she goes about it entirely the wrong way ofc because forcing religion on others is never an answer but I don't think nad never have that she's coming at it from a malicious position or intention
then we have jeff and like Annie it's very curious that he doesn't get something that he wishes to incentivise him (at least that's the way I understand that episode) instead, we get to see what Annie and further the audience thinks or is supposed to think about Jeff. He's still that impenetrable (hehehe) person that no-one can actually understand because yes he's an asshole but he's constructed in a very stereotypic asshole kind of way so that's all we get to see from him at that point in time (that's all we're supposed to perceive him as which is why unlike others he never joins in on the song) instead all we get is that he also succumbed somehow. but we're never told what made him submit and give in,, we're always made to look at him from a distance (at least till that point in time and show trajectory) and he might be the main centre of the show (ish arguably more around Abed but plot more centered around him (also I'm very very biased cause I deeply resonate with Abed)) and yeah
and then Britta who again doesn't get a song at all because,, and again throwing arrows in the dark here,,, ofc she has a bad voice and narrative voice isn't really imp to Cory and his performance but also because much like Jeff, there's an induced sense of distance, wherein she technically is supposed to be the main female protag at that point (at least that's the intention it seems to have started with) but in many manners, she's reduced to just that, they make her dumb and so unlike the other main heroines (and I will never not be angry with the way they changed her character post season 1) that at the end of the day that's all she ends up being (again till that point in the show's trajectory)
and yeah ,, and then then at the end of everything, Abed gives up on what he wanted for the group as a whole because he realises that this is not actually happiness that it's creating in everyone, because it's forcing them into roles that they've been tricked into and that's never what he wanted,,, yes he wants them to be together but not at the cost of the happiness of even one of them or all of them and yeah
also anyone that says community is just a silly little show, it is. But it's also so much more because the way it talks about created families and families of choice and being an outsider and trying to find belongingness,,, and in the end finding a place that lets you be the trainwreck that you are and helps you embrace it, is insane and great. And I love the way community as a whole does all of that while feeling so organic and experimental but also insightful and a well thought out piece of media with actual things to say and yeah
(also very unconnected to anything I've just said but I truly despise Shirley's song with everything in me,, I'd ironically and unironically listen to all of the rest of the songs in this episode but not that one (yes including whatever was going on with that Annie mean girls esque but make it worse and yeah)(they are bops honestly 🤷‍♀️)
i will go now but yeah I love community (also also last thing but this is the only way that I'll ever be able to fully digest random musicals in any show because community just does it better, I said what I said.)
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ashsostrange · 9 months
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i’m (not) sorry to say, but miles is better off by himself.
idk if i’ve ever written a post this long, but i got energy tonight. y’all have been sucked into the black hole of shipping, so let me ground you and remind you of this amazing thing called being single. i’m gna talk ab margo and gwen, but mostly gwen bc she’s obv miles’ (main) love interest. i’ve said more than enough about why miles and gwen don’t work/make sense. if you wna be enlightened then feel free to click the links.
thoughts on ghostflower: here!
reblogging a moot's post w/ added thoughts: hereee!
i love ranting so let’s get it! 😛
i don't have much to say about margo bc sadly, she's barely there. what i will say though is that as cute as miles and margo would be together, there’s one more movie left lol. the third movie’s gna be busy as hell. there’s literally no time for romance, and to rush miles and margo (two people who just met) into liking each other in, like, a three hour timespan would just be terrible writing. plus, we all know she’s there for some bs having to do with miles nd gwen, which is literally soooooooo very lame, words can't describe. one, where are you finding the time to cram in jealousy/all this angsty romance mess when miles’ dad is ab to die and the universe is ab to collapse bc of a nigga that looks like the lovechild of a cardboard box and a cow?? two, is this really all margo is here for?? to make gwen jealous or “help miles realize he’s in love with gwen” ?? shameeee, like summer said. 😐 i’ve said it before and i’ll say it again: margo could be SO much more than a disposable love interest!!!
gwiles/ghostflower fans, i’m going to tell you something that will make you upset. i said i was coming for you and i meant it 🗣️‼️
before you yell at me and push smoke out of your ears, i need you to put your right hand on your chest and close your eyes. you feel your heartbeat? good. now, count to three while taking deep breaths and remember that none of this shit is real so you’d look stupid af trying to attack me. 🙃 some of y’all are getting TOO comfortable being unnecessarily disrespectful and ion like that lol. don’t try it here bc i’m on another level of not gaf!
listen, even if (when?) gwen and miles team up to save his dad, it won’t change the fact that gwen was keeping some hefty info from miles, yo. she was smiling in jeff’s face and cracking jokes like she didn’t know he was bout to die. y’all gotta be so very real with yourselves. you wouldn’t wna date, let alone be FRIENDS with someone who kept something that big from you, regardless of the circumstances or lack of ill intent. one of the most important people in your life concealing the fact that you’re about to lose another important person in your life is insane.
i’m aware that gwen didn’t tell miles about his dad because she genuinely thought it’d cause mass destruction if he saved jeff. thing is, even if miles knew that, i think he’d still feel betrayed. that’s 100% valid because this is his dad we’re talking about. he just lost his uncle not too long ago, too. i wouldn’t blame miles if he never wanted anything to do with gwen again. i wouldn’t blame bro if he got sick to his stomach every time he saw her. it’d be justified, bc if he never followed her that night, then he wouldn’t have had the chance to save jeff.
my point is that you can be a “good person” and still fuck up bad enough to make someone never wna speak to you again. miles is a sweetheart so he’ll probably forgive gwen. my thing is, miles forgiving gwen doesn’t mean the two of them are obligated to be friends again. they can handle it maturely, go their separate ways, nd never speak again. it’s really not even gna hurt y’all cuz it’s the last mf movie anyway??? 😭😭
if it isn’t clear by now, i don’t want miles and gwen together at all. they have no business being around each other frl 🙃 not as friends and definitely not as lovers. like, sure, that one scene where they’re swinging/talking on the bank was my absolute fav. it was cute. i shipped them before i really thought about it. that scene is still my fav, but my adoration for it isn’t gna stop me from keeping it real.
i really don’t care what anyone says or how in love they think these two are, this isn’t a “forgive and forget” situation. if the writers truly wanted gwen and miles to be involved romantically, then not only should they have structured their dynamic better, they shouldn’t have made gwen the person she was in this movie. love, love, LOVE redemption arcs because it’s a reminder that we're human and we're flawed, but you can’t redeem yourself from that. sorry. (not) i say miles should leave that girl alone 🤷‍♀️ leave all potential girls alone ffs.
in conclusion, it’s okay for miles to be single. he's 15 anyway, it's not like he'll die without a girl. i’m the suckiest sucker for anything to do with romance, but characters in film/animation don’t need to have love interests for a project to be considered good. if you feel like it does, then maybe ts you’re watching just sucks, lmao. a girl and a boy can be friends without one having feelings for the other, or both of 'em having mutual feelings. (in the media idk ab irl..) it’s time to stop forcing ts. please.
and it’s okay y’all, i promise you. it’s okay if miles and gwen don’t end up dating. it's okay if they reconcile and stay friends. it’s okay if they reconcile and don’t stay friends. though unlikely, it’s also okay if miles doesn’t forgive gwen at all! resolutions like these go to show that you can “forgive” someone without letting them have access to you anymore. that’s what miles needs to do. straying away from the “happy ending” everyone is expecting would be nice. it’d be a different approach and a realistic way to complete the franchise. (i’m not just saying this bc i love angst)
but before the gwiles (ugly ass ship name btw) fans start throwing up and telling me to end my shit, it’s 99% unlikely that anything i just stated will actually happen. we’re more than likely getting a kiss between miles and gwen, nd that’s bc the writers are probably high off the same dope they were on when they wrote gwen sneaking in thru miles’ window, j for his parents to be way more calm about it than any other normal parent would be. i could say some more about certain scenes but that's for another night.
miles doesn’t need to be with anyone. especially not gwen when it comes down to it.
oh and i HATE peter b. fuck that nigga. he was nun but an extra in this movie and i know he’s an opp in the next. 🙎‍♀️
that’s all! if you read allat then thanks, cuz i wrote a lot. if you're feeling angry, then go for a walk. this isn’t a place for any typa criticism bc i am right, therefore, i am not requesting confirmation. 🙌 i said what i said. have a good night.
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doppel-dean-er · 1 year
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a question that's always bugged me is: how do the Community characters make money?? we never get to see them working in the early seasons, yet they all somehow pay for their living areas. so, here's where I think the Greendale six work! :D
ABED: possibly the easiest and the hardest, there are a couple options: his dad's falafel business would make sense, but he might wanna distance himself from his dad, since he doesn't support his chosen career path, I think he likely does work in a kitchen somewhere, (1) because of his previous experience with it and (2) because it requires less people interaction than other jobs.
ANNIE: also has a couple options: in seasons 3/4 she would be a hospital receptionist so she can get a feel for the field she wants to pursue. before that, I can see her working as a tutor for middle/high school students. maybe a coffee shop? definitely not Starbucks though, like a locally owned one.
TROY: laser tag. He applied because he thought working there meant he got to play laser tag and get paid, and when he got the job he just decided to keep it even though he doesn't. firmly believe it also has an escape room or two, and every time they change the puzzles they have Troy run through them, because if Troy can do it, so can a child (he doesn't know that, he just likes doing the puzzles).
JEFF: Jeff refuses to be seen working anywhere. what if he runs into one of his old lawyer co-workers and they see him???!? I think Jeff would work at a call center, and convince the callers that "actually, you like your computer better like that." or "did they really mess up your order, or did they give you something better: an experience?"
SHIRLEY: I once went to this record store that was directly above a church, the floor literally shook with how loud the guy yelling "JESUS CHRIST! THE LORD!" and the Christian music was. I think Shirley works in a place like that, and says it's because "no one who isn't Christian could stand being in there for too long."
BRITTA: Britta sucks at holding a job, but she's good at getting hired. we know she both worked as a bartender and at Shirley's Sandwiches, but before that, she probably had like ten different jobs at various fast-food places and the like, before getting a job at a rad anarchist book store, which was the longest she ever held a job (and it was only like six months).
(bonus: Chang mugs people)
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g30citiesexe · 5 months
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community characters according to how i see them treated by fans but its all the worst possible ways ive seen them
abed. either infantilized to all hell and back or called a complete sociopath with no empathy selfish Dick no in between. these takes are both horrible.
jeff. stripped of all nuances and used a pseudo “literally me guys!” character for dudebros who think that Yes, leading on an 18 year old when you’re like What About 40 is a good idea and totally not Nasty Gross
britta. either irrelevant because she’s britta and We Don’t Care About Her She Sucks! or just used as endless fodder to make “Oh Brittas In This???” jokes, the most Original joke in the fandom Ever/j. annie. people who sexualize her Especially like older men who make “oh Annie’s pretty young 😏😏😏😏 😉 😉” jokes. i am going to kick your face i hate those jokes
pierce: Does Anyone like pierce??? if you do i have nothing to say to you. shirley: either completely overlooked or just mentioned as being Annoying Christian Lady. for shame that the writers didn’t give shirley as many plotlines after a certain point because maybe then this wouldn’t happen. and Maybe if the writers gave us more jeffshirley we could have gotten something good but Naur
troy: characterized only as being Abeds Boyfriend who exists only to Serve Abed as a Character and his whole arc revolves around him and Abed like you know oh its Barbie and Ken it’s Troy and Abed they can’t be individuals for more than Two Seconds and not being His Own Person which the show Totaaalllly didn’t have a whole arc about why this is a bad idea and how the idea of trobed Gay and Troy being His Own Person can coexist peacefully together and frolic happily in a meadow
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conanssummerchild · 4 months
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do i think the community characters are ableist:
this is based off of things in-show and just my personal opinions feel free to disagree tho
pierce: do i even have to say it. yes.
elroy: nah elroy is chill as fuck i literally love him
abed: no, i feel like he would ask a lot of rlly blunt questions tho and some ppl might feel offended
britta: i love britta but she would push someone elses wheelchair in public and be like "look! im helping a DIFFERENTLY ABLED PERSON"
annie: i feel like she would be accidentally ableist (as opposed to pierce) but apologise profusely when someone tells her shes being ableist
shirley: uhh idk actually i dont think she would actually say anything ableist and she would say "ooh thats not nice :(" if someone else did but then she would pity disabled ppl
chang: bro idfk correct me if im wrong but i think chang is the only one in the show whos actually literally never said anything ableist, like hes so unhinged atp that he doesnt even know or care
duncan: um, no? idk, the only thing we really know about duncan is hes british and hot for britta (same) but i dont recall him ever being ableist (again, correct me if im wrong) so im gonna give him the benefit of the doubt
troy: season one troy? probably, he probably said some shit and made fun of some autistic kids lets be real, but my son has had so much character developement and he would never now, like abed tho i feel like he might ask a lot of questions that could maybe be a bit invasive
jeff: jeff is so interesting bcs i dont actually think hes like naturally ableist, he thinks hes better than disabled ppl but not bcs theyre disabled just bcs he thinks hes better than everyone. however he is aware of ppls disabilities and if they piss him off he will probably use them against them which is not cool, thumbs down
the dean: oof im not sure abt this one i feel like he would try to be inclusive but not really get there and end up using offensive terms and stuff without meaning to and he would be supportive on paper but ehen someone disabled actually was. dis abled. he would be like "omg disabled ppl 😨😨" (IM NOT OVER HIM CALLING ABED PSYCHO OK STFU)
frankie: hmmm heres the thing about frankie she says abed 'doesnt know any better' and she calls her sister mentally retarded but she helped abed rlly well in the flashbacks episode instead of. yk. slapping him in the face and saying "you try to get him to do anything normal without abusing him" (FUCK YOU JEFF) so im not sure, but i would go with no probably
idk if i missed anyone but i would love to hear anyone eles thoughts on this
oh my fucking god i forgot about buzz hickey, yes he hates autistic ppl real, his existence is a hate crime
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what-gs-watching · 14 days
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"It said quarter to five, but it was quarter to ass…"
I’m sorry but it’s time for a quick appreciation post for Community’s season 5. I realize I shouldn’t be watching Community yet again since I was just into it like eight months ago and obviously wrote a love letter to it  but we’re here already so deal with it. 
This is an incredibly deep cut situation, but I don’t care. Season 5 has some of my all-time favorite episodes, even if it’s likely a lot of people gave up on the show before it ever came out because Dan Harmon had left for season 4 and there was always so much upheaval around it even being renewed and blah blah AND Donald Glover left that season.
Which, I admit, was devastating. But even so, there are a bunch of gems in the 13-episode run. 
Starting with "Basic Intergluteal Numismatics", wherein the study group tries to FINALLY solve the case of the Asscrack Bandit, a shadowy figure who’s running around campus dropping quarters down unsuspecting asscracks. Literally, that’s the entire premise. The episode is based on movies like Zodiac, it’s dark and brooding and it’s fucking hilarious because everyone takes it so seriously and it’s a perfect Community homage. They had BEN FOLDS do two different songs to include in it and they’re catchy as hell, honestly they fucking slap, and I’m still not sure who I think is the asscrack bandit, and I hope to never find out. 
Another pure favorite is “Geothermal Escapism”, which is Donald Glover’s final episode, and a perfect way to send him off. Abed declares a school-wide game of “the floor is lava” and it’s such a good replacement for the paintball game episodes. As usual, everyone in the school is completely committed to the bit except for Britta for once, who’s trying to force the group to properly deal with Troy leaving, she’s the surprising voice of reason throughout and the loophole they come up with to help Abed deal with losing his best friend is so Community. I cry everytime I watch this one - literally, their relationship is so pure and beautiful and sweet and the episode is simultaneously fun and bittersweet. 
Also, we can’t forget about "Analysis of Cork-Based Networking". The only reason I love this episode is like, a fairly small part of the entire story, but it makes me hysterically laugh every time. The group has formed a ‘Save Greendale’ committee and Annie is off navigating the labyrinth of bureaucracy which leaves Jeff, Shirley, Chang and Duncan to pick a theme for the midterm dance. After Chang has a meltdown, they agree to his pitch of “Bear down for midterms” which no one understands, but they commit to it. Eventually, they find out why Chang was so insistent on the theme, and it’s not great. I honest to god still yell “BEAR DOWN FOR MIDTERMS” when I’m dealing with something I don’t want to do. Like right now, with the case study I’m doing for an interview process. My husband always knows what I mean, and I love it.
Finally gang, "App Development and Condiments". Fucking Meowmeowbeanz. This is the episode where the entire school gets caught up in a social media app that lets them rate each other, and the entire social ecosystem falls apart. The important part here is that this episode was made BEFORE that Black Mirror episode you’re thinking about. Community is streets ahead, and always has been. The commentary is scathing, and fucking hilarious. 
I have no real point to any of this, I’ve just been thinking about it for the past two days and I had to get it out. I can never sing enough praises for Community. I’ve decided on this (10th? 15th? who knows) rewatch that it is literally my favorite show in the world. Like, it’s my desert island show and my comfort show and my comedy show and my sad show. It’s my every show.
Community, oh how I love you.
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veinsandknuckles · 2 years
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Reflect what you are, pt 2
Abed Nadir/Autistic f!Reader. In love and at a loss, Abed turns to self professed woman-expert Jeff Winger for advice with mixed results. Part 1 Rated: pg Warnings: casual ableism, casual sexism, autistic stereotypes, reference to the The Big Bang Theory. If I’ve missed anything, let me know. This fic hasn’t been BETA’d. As a disclaimer, I’ll say upfront that the reader insert’s experiences with and outward signs of autism are based on my own. It’s always impossible to write a reader insert neutrally enough to be projected onto by everyone and I think that’s especially true when portraying a disability that is at once so specific and so varied.  ——–
“...I think I’m in love.”
“Really.” Jeff didn’t look up from his phone.
Abed wasn’t sure why he’d picked Jeff as the right person to talk to. Perhaps it was just because Jeff had lingered in the study room after their last session, leaving them alone in the room, and if Abed didn’t tell someone, anyone, he might literally explode. “Yes. Definitely. I show all the classic signs.”
Jeff didn’t respond. Had his sarcastic, disinterested tone been more pointed than usual? It was hard to tell.
“Did you already know I’m in love?”
“With what’s-her-name, your new study buddy?” Jeff gave Abed a look. “Uh, yeah. I’m pretty sure everyone knows.”
“Oh.” Abed tapped his pen against the table and thought this over. “Do I talk about her a lot?”
“Not really, but we know you. It’s pretty suspicious if you take an interest in anyone who isn’t a fictional character.” Jeff put his phone down and leaned his elbows on the table. “Does this mean you’ve finally come to me for dating advice? It’s about time.”
“Normally, I wouldn’t need advice...”
Jeff’s eyes narrowed. “Because women throw themselves at you, for some reason.” He sounded resentful. “Yeah, I remember.”
“And usually I don’t really care either way.” Perhaps this wasn’t the best approach if he wanted Jeff’s help, but it was the truth. “I mean, the attention is nice, but it’s not important.”
“Well, if you’re ‘in love’” (here, Jeff made so many air quotes he threatened to sprain a finger) “that’s a whole different story.”
“Yeah. I’d be pretty upset if she didn’t like me back.”
“I’m sure. So what have you tried so far?”
“Hm.” What had he tried? Shockingly little, now that he came to think about it. “I’ve talked to her a little. We’re working on a project together for class. Oh, and yesterday I threatened to beat a guy up for disrespecting her.”
There was a long pause. “See, this is why you should come to me for inspiration instead of turning to the movies.”
“Yeah, but it was warranted. He’s a bully.”
“Yeah, but still. I never figured you’d go for the caveman approach.”
Abed shrugged. “I don’t really have an approach.”
“Yeah, we established that. So what’s this girl like?”
“I think she’s autistic.”
Jeff’s eyes widened and his mouth seemed to twitch. He didn’t make a face, but it seemed to take him some effort not to make a face. What was he trying to hide? Surprise? A lack of surprise? Amusement? Ridicule? Probably not envy, but what did Jeff know?
“Abed, that’s not a very nice way to sum up a person. We taught you better than that.”
Abed had it on pretty good authority that Jeff had pointed him out to strangers as ‘the robot’ and ‘just don’t call him Sheldon’ several times just this month, but for some reason, people tended to get uncomfortable if the spade joined in and also started calling itself a spade.
“Okay, this is clearly a sensitive issue for you. If I tell you she’s also beautiful and funny and attentive and kind and clever and beautiful, does that make you feel better?”
“That’s a pretty long list.” Jeff smiled. “Beautiful made it in twice, huh?”
It was a fair summary as far as Abed was concerned, repetition included, but Jeff needed to be brought down a peg or two.“I thought that would reassure you.”
Jeff stopped smiling. “Whatever. So if you care so much about her supposed personality, what do you guys actually have in common? Apart from, you know. The A word.”
“I’m not sure. We both pay attention in class, so we already have some similar interests.”
“Okay, so get her talking about those. Women love it when you pretend to care about their dumb opinions.”
Abed was very much convinced that this was not an uniquely female trait and he knew that if he chose to make a rebuttal, Jeff himself would make for an excellent exhibit A. But Jeff depended on his 90’s stand up comedian understanding of gender roles and it would be unfair to take that comfort away from him. Instead, he chose diplomacy. “If she has dumb opinions, I’ll lose interest. Even if she’s beautiful twice.”
“Yeah, you’re weird like that.”
“But I get shy around her, and I’m not used to being shy. I try to plan our conversations in advance, but then when I talk to her I forget everything I was going to say... And I don’t want to pretend to be someone else.”
“You’re overthinking this. Just go up to her and talk, ask more questions than you give answers and if she smiles and laughs at your jokes...” Jeff thought about it, then shook his head. “Huh. Yeah, I see the problem. You still can’t really read anyone. Even I can’t read you and I’m a master manipulator who’s known you for years. If she’s like you...” He seemed at a loss for words. “Don’t you have, like, a secret language or something? Bleep, bloop, Star Trek good?”
How should Abed know? It wasn’t like he’d been ushered into a secret society or subscribed to the local autism mailing list. Maybe there actually was a club and he just hadn’t been invited - that would be a fun, ironic twist. “Not one I know of.” The trekkie accusation he filed away for a later argument.
“Alright. So, when she’s happy or annoyed or on the rag, can you even tell?”
“I think so.”
Abed worried that Jeff misinterpreted the reason for his interest. He couldn’t tell if Jeff wanted to over or under emphasise the autism part, but he could tell Jeff didn’t get it. Sure, it was exciting to meet someone who functioned the way he did, but not because he expected or even wanted you to be a copy of himself. He wasn’t looking for the comedy staple where the weirdo, slash robot, slash dog’s love interest was played by the same actor, slash costume, slash dog in a wig or a pink bow. He was just as desperate to explore all your differences as your possible similarities, and the disability thing was just a small part of that. And he’d underplayed the “beautiful” part, but your mind really was not the only thing he wanted to explore. After all, you’d already turned his head months before he’d realised what you shared.
It dawned on Abed that he really would be just as excited to talk to you if the topics you chose made no sense to him - whatever you said would interest him, simply because you were the one talking. And if he ever accidentally tuned you out, he’d be happy just to watch your lips move.
How could he even begin to explain all of this? Or any of it? If Jeff had ever felt the same way, he would never admit to it.
“She emotes a lot.” By Abed’s standards, anyway. “I don’t think most people can really tell she’s autistic.”
“Why are you so fixated on this?”
“Well, in this case, I mean I think she’s more of a people person than I am. She blends in better than I do and that would take a lot of practice.” He paused. “I never really made friends before I got to Greendale, but...”
“You’re worried you might have some competition?”
Abed shook his head. If anything, competition would be reassuring. But why? “I don’t want her to like me because she has no other option. I want her to choose me.” If that was true, why did admitting it make his stomach feel so cold? Abed swallowed and voiced a fear he hadn’t even been conscious of before. “I’m worried I might be too weird for her.”
Now Jeff made a face even Abed could recognise, if only because he’d seen it so often over the years. It was a face of pained, awkward pity.
Abed was seriously starting to regret being so honest, especially with someone who clearly still expected him to be more ashamed of himself than he really was.  
But Jeff surprised him and his expression changed gradually into a less familiar smile. “Yeah... I think we all feel like that sometimes. I mean, not me, obviously.” Abed nodded and Jeff continued. “I hate to be a cliché, but if you absolutely have to be in love, I really think you should just try to be yourself. If she doesn’t like you, it’s better you rip the band-aid off quickly.” He reached out as if to give Abed a pat on the shoulder but seemed to think better of it and let his hand fall. “Who knows, she might like you better for being a bit weird - I know I get sick of hanging out with normal people all the time. Whatever that means.”
Abed nodded. Especially the band-aid argument appealed to him. Right now he felt that if he didn’t either get to touch you or let go of this obsession within the week, he’d just wither up and die. Wow. He might actually have to resort to a weekend of 80’s rom coms, either to look for inspiration for some big dramatic gesture of his own, or to do what most people probably did when they watched rom coms - daydream about his own crush and imagine you and him up there on the screen instead, kissing and holding on to each other for dear life while the music swelled and the rain pored.  This was so much worse than he’d thought.
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jim-bones-spock · 4 months
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Okay, alright, here’s my analysis of seasons 5 and 6 of Community, starting with Repilot (an episode that lives rent free in my mind!!!)
Repilot is the epitome of what I’m trying to say, it’s meta and dissecting the very essence of the show, since it’s a literal “do over” (Re-Pilot)
The ironic thing is that Jeff would have succeeded in his law practice if there wasn’t a season 5, but since we need him back at Greendale, Jeff fails.
Hard.
The episode is basically a huge mirror from the pilot episode.
The same character from season 1’s inciting incident, Allan, sends Jeff back to school. We see what Jeff would have become if he didn’t go to Greendale for four years, so we at least have this parallel to go on.
Our Jeff is not that defeated that he would go as low as Allan, right?
Right????
We already see Jeff’s delusion with the world, he’s back to his cynical self, drinking and wallowing. His red tie almost undone vs the red superhero suit in his commercial. It’s already darker but the narrative needs him in school, so it has to be a little extreme.
Then, Jeff goes back to Greendale. Immediately Leonard is there, blowing raspberries. Jeff sees his and Annie’s trophy. We’re having a much better time, even if it’s not for a long time.
Because Greendale has turned the camp and the chaos and the sheer stupidity to eleven. Because the narrative needs to remind us of how detached from reality the school is. Because it’s a TV show. There’s a class about ladders, for god’s sake.
It needs to be this wacky because the show has now shifted to: We’re gonna save Greendale. We’re gonna save the show, like it’s been saved on Yahoo.ca, whatever it takes.
When they get to the study room, the table has been buried - the show has been buried, too, but when everyone comes back (Abed: the Dean called me, I called everyone else) just like the pilot, they put life back into it.
Abed is still Jeff’s mirror here, and suggests that Jeff becomes a teacher at the school, because it would be the most TV-logical thing to do, especially since Jeff got his diploma in education hello!??
I LOVE how Jeff is like absolutely not. He’s still fighting the narrative, trying to make sense of his new role.
The Dean also has a very interesting speech about “Greendale is a good place for good people, that old spiel” basically having a cynical view of seasons 1-3 and making fun of the initial message of the show. We already know this, but Greendale has changed. Or maybe, Jeff has changed and is now starting to see the cracks.
Coming back to the study room, they immediately start to fall back into old patterns of bickering, because they all have something to hide and are too proud to admit they are miserable. Shirley brings them back to reality before they get too far. Once again, rooting us slowly into reality.
Jeff, for his part, forgot how good it felt to be bad. When he beats down Allan with his own tie… woof, that was rough. He takes the tie. Takes charge. Wants his own identity back, because it’s much easier to be bad than good. Much easier to pretend that he doesn’t care, than actually caring. Caring got him hurt.
Then Chang appears and makes fun of the absurdity of his character. It’s easy to see here, because when said out loud, Chang’s development is the most extreme. Like come on, amnesia? Get a grip, show!!!
Jeff then feels he has been robbed of his identity and starts to point out each character’s development:
Britta was an eclectic anarchist. She is now the airhead, which is heartbreaking and I don’t want to think about season 1 Britta too much or I go insane.
Shirley began the show by taking back her independence from her cheating husband and is now the one who cheated ???
Annie lost her go-getter attitude and settled for a job she hates.
Abed, multiple breakdowns. Like, at least one per season.
Troy’s Clive Owen Tumblr (what is his url u think) but no, seriously, always being with Abed and nothing else.
They did ended up like mixed up cartoons, and not only because of the “gas leak year”. They’ve become stereotypes, as sitcom characters often do. They’ve evolved, but perhaps not in the original direction intended, or not where we left then in season 3.
Now, it’s time for them to Get Something Back. Their narratives.
Annie says to Jeff: Greendale is in your hands. And it is. If Jeff talks long enough, he can make the people around him do things. It’s his power. Greendale’s fate is in his hands.
Then, Abed throws his words back at him: you make us see the right truth.
And that could be that Greendale is a place worth saving!!!! Jeff knows that, because, as usual, with one sentence, Abed has thrown off his resolve. Maybe Jeff needs to show them another thruth. But Jeff needs one last convincing first.
The Pierce hologram is my favorite. The fact that only Jeff could see it for some reason, echoes season 1 when Pierce was more of a grumpy grandpa that sometimes gave Jeff some nugget of wisdom and acted like a distorted father figure. Same here.
Jeff walks back in the school, screaming to the Dean about his power to destroy the place. But he won’t do it. He’s so desperate for something to matter once more and for that thing not to be dark and twisted.
And then. And Then. The Dean offers him a job.
Teacher.
The way Jeff looks up as he would be talking to god (non specific) when he whispers “Screw you Abed” as soon as he sees his path laid out for him: become a teacher at the school who, he thinks, stole 4 years of his life. He looks up like he’s delivering a monologue in theater, like he’s alone, like he’s praying.
As you can see, I feel VERY normal about the acting choices.
Screw you, Abed. Screw you, TV show. Screw you, logical way for my character to stay and have the rest of my story be mine, or trying to be.
The table burns, but that’s okay, because they build a new one together. This is truly theirs, now. They have the power to do anything.
And Jeff, well…
Jeff still, in his darkest moments, thought of his friends. In his most ironic moment, looked UP to Abed/his mirror/the narrative and said “Screw you…
…I’ll do it anyway.”
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readysteddiewoe · 1 year
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part 3 of modern spider-man!Steve au
Previous part << here
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Eddie was supposed to be having a good day. He’d woken up well after noon to a day void of any plans, free to spend it however he wanted, then had quickly gotten roped into playing DD for Jeff and Gareth for a party he doesn’t even want to attend. Maybe he can still salvage his evening. Talk to people, have some fun. But his mood sours further watching the newest attendees walk through the door, Robin Buckley and Steve Harrington with a t-shirt that might as well just be body paint, fuck.
Eddie scoffs to an audience of himself and his solo cup. God, drunk Eddie has more fun at parties, he misses him. He retreats into the kitchen with a bag of cheetos he stole, nay deserved, after watching Harrington take a body shot off of some girl.
A mere 15 minutes after, Harrington goes missing. Gareth and Jeff just roll their eyes when he points it out. It's not like Eddie was looking for him. No, he has better things to do with his life.
"You're giving him mixed signals, dude," Gareth accuses him.
"What mixed signals? There are no signals,"
"You literally glared at him when he tried to say 'hi' just now,"
"Yeah, and then you looked straight at him the whole time you were licking cheeto dust off your fingers," Adds Jeff, the traitor.
"We saw everything, slut,"
"Bet Steve would let you take a shot off his abs if you ask," Jeff wiggles his eyebrows at Eddie and gets a smack in return.
Later, while he's playing bartender for Gareth and Jeff (making nightmare inducing concoctions) as they watch with increasing trepidation, a frazzled looking Nancy Wheeler storms in. Eddie is aware that the three of them are staring and its a tiny bit creepy, but holy shit, it's not everyday you see a future valedictorian try to chug jungle juice like some frat-bro party animal. She manages maybe two whole sips.
Eddie, feeling some sort of duty to one of his lost sheep to bring his sister back home safe, speaks first. "You, uh, okay there, Wheeler?"
And so Wheeler goes into a long winded explanation about how she and Jonathan broke up (they're still friends though) many months ago and how she and Robin got closer when Nancy went to the movies one day, feeling super lonely and how they continued meeting up and hanging out and-- Eddie can totally see how Robin's influence has rubbed off on Wheeler from the way she's rambling-- one thing lead to another and now they've been secretly dating for almost a whole month and Robin keeps chickening out of telling Steve about it because he's her best friend (Eddie makes a mental note to ask her how that hell that happened) and she's terrified of hurting him.
She stops and takes in a huge breathe.
"Damn, Wheeler,"
"And that not even the worst part--" Oh she's not done yet.
Apparently the real drama happened when Steve had accidentally walked in on Robin and Nancy sucking faces in host's bedroom, but the story ends in a cliff hanger after Wheeler got thrown out of the room by the two of them so they can talk in private. Shame. They've all moved to a couch, watching the pale blue door of the room in question like they can x-ray-vision their way into seeing what's going on inside.
"I mean, I think I can take him if it comes to it," Nancy says, like Harrington is going to burst out of the room demanding to fight for his best friend's honour. Eddie finds the whole mental image hilarious, he almost wants it to happen. Nancy takes another big gulp from her solo cup and grimaces.
"I can take him," Eddie volunteers. Gareth almost snorts punch out of his nose. "What? You don't think I can take him?"
"I think she means fight, Eddie," Jeff quips from his other side, sending the rest into fits of giggles.
"You two can find your own way home later," he jabs a finger at them, unimpressed. Jeff is interrupted by the door to the room swinging open and they all rush to act natural as Robin skips out, throwing herself into the seat beside Nancy.
"All good, sweetheart," Robin announces and throws her a dorky wink. He's happy for them, but the drama-loving bitch in Eddie thinks that was anti-climatic.
He almost has a heart attack when Harrington basically materialises behind the couch with two glasses of water, handing one to Robin and the other to Nancy. When she does to take it from him, he doesn't let go. "Wheeler, I know you're stronger and smarter than me. But if you hurt her--"
"Steve!" Buckley hisses at him. Up close, Eddie can see every shift of muscle when Steve moves. Shit.
"You will fucking regret it," He lets go of the cup. And then wraps Nancy in those fucking arms (Eddie imagines his t-shirt weeping when he bends down) planting a big kiss on the side of her head. "I'm so happy for you two," he announces jovially.
The five of them sit in silence after Harrington bounds off to his next destination. Predictably, Robin breaks first, "Glad to see he's being very normal about this,"
"Wait, he swiped my drink," Lo and behold, Nancy sits solo-cup-less, only the glass of water in her hand.
------
It's scorching in his Spidey suit. A fire is not one of the events Dustin had planned for, but the fire engines are nowhere near so Steve has to try. At least his mask has built in filters effectively keeping out the smoke.
He finds her hunkered down on the bathroom floor, a wet towel blocking the gap between the floor and the door, another one she wears as a mask. All he feels is relief when he scoops her and she clings to him.
"Hold on," Steve feels a little bad when Erica yells the entire way they swing to the adjacent rooftop. She wobbles on her feet when he sets her down, but her voice is steady when she snarks at him.
"Thank you for scaring the hell out of me, Steve Harrington,"
Steve practically rips the mask off his face. "How the hell did you know it's me?" How the hell are these kids finding him out so easily, god.
"You're gonna want to build a voice modulator into your suit if you don't want more people finding out, dingus," arms crossed, Erica's eyebrows are raised as if saying, duh.
Steve sighs. Okay, fair point, he'll have to ask Dustin about that one. Again.
"I'll help," She grins.
------
A/n: scoops troop unite!!!
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simpforsix · 1 year
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watching community for the first time and every time abed is on screen i am filled with so much joy. 
as an autistic person i so rarely see myself represented on screen. i knew about the background of abed’s character before, how he was written by dan harmon who found out he was autistic because of writing his character. but i didn’t expect to feel so seen. 
usually i have to seek out autistic rep, like when i watched heartbreak high after seeing clips and analysis of their autistic character quinni (who was also amazing rep and made me feel seen). i have to seek it out so i know what to avoid, like the good doctor or pretty much any autistic character popular amongst allistics who think autism speaks is a good organization. so many characters i’ve seen lauded as good autistic rep have been hurtful, stereotypical, or just don’t represent my experiences, even if they are good representation. in a sitcom, especially from the era of community, i don’t expect to see good representation. i expect to see characters like sheldon cooper, who are autistic-coded in a way meant to mock autistic people and reinforce stereotypes, and who feel foreign to me.
but abed? holy shit, i was not expecting to almost cry about him when i first saw him. he is so clearly and unapologetically autistic in a way i wish i could be. he’s blunt, he doesn’t always get jokes, he’s awkward, and he’s so much like me. the way he observes others and picks up their mannerisms in ways allistics can’t comprehend is so relatable. the way he runs through different scenarios to learn how to act and react is exactly what i do before pretty much any social interaction. and the way he relates everything back to his special interests? i’ve never seen that side of autism represented on screen. i do that so much, and for so long i thought i was just rude or weird, when in fact i was just autistic and that’s how i relate to and understand the world. abed sees the world through his autism. it impacts every aspect of his character.
(also his special interest in inspector spacetime is literally me with my special interest in doctor who)
he’s also not the typical savant we see in media! i’m so tired of those depictions, since they make me feel like a failure. i failed most of my classes because of i’m autistic. i can’t handle all the homework or exams, and i can’t analyse things in a neurotypical way which often means allistics give me lower marks. but even though i’m not academically gifted, i’m still smart, and some of that is because i’m autistic. i’m really good at logical analysis, at music, and i know so much about my special interests. and it’s the same thing with abed! he’s not some academic genius who was a child prodigy and aces every class. but, like me and the other autistic people i know, he’s smart in other ways. he’s good at analysing people, at filmmaking, and is also super knowledgeable about his special interests. his value goes beyond his intelligence, unlike so many savant caricatures who are only used as human supercomputers. 
i also love the way he interacts with the other characters. they’re all weird in their own way, and abed doesn’t stick out. sure, he’s awkward and sometimes says the wrong thing, but he’s not devalued for that. i don’t like how he’s sometimes mocked for autistic traits, but luckily it’s few and far between and not triggering like other media has been for me. the other characters also stand up for him, like jeff getting into a fight during the christmas ep in season one, instead of laughing along. he’s also not treated like some poor child in need of saving by the allistics. autistic people are so frequently infantilized, and most media only encourages that. they also directly challenge that notion in the show, with the other characters worrying about abed’s sex life only for it to be revealed that abed fucks. 
his friendship (or romance) with troy is especially great. as an autistic person, i’m so tired of being expected to change so that people like me. because people do like me, autistic traits and all. a real friend, like troy, will listen to your infodumps. they’ll engage with your interests, and they’ll support you even when you have less socially acceptable traits, like a fear of change. they get to be super nerdy and weird and they don’t judge each other, because they’re being nerdy and weird together. like abed, i found it really hard to make friends, and i still only have a small group of friends, but i prefer it that way. the group wouldn’t be the same in his absence, because he brings value as a character. 
i appreciate abed’s awkwardness, the way he doesn’t dampen his autistic traits for the comfort of others. he doesn’t have some “character growth” arc where he learns to be more allistic. his autism isn’t a character flaw, it’s just another aspect of who he is. 
i also think it’s important to note that abed being arabic and muslim breaks stereotypes about autistic people. it is only recently that our wider society has begun discussing the lack of diversity in autism representation and it’s impacts. most autistic characters are cishet white men. this is based in the notion that the majority of autistic people are cishet white men, which comes from the history of only testing on cishet white boys and creating the diagnostic tools based on them. autism can present differently outside of that group, and it also creates bias in diagnosis. even though abed is still a cis man, being a poc breaks down the stereotype of white men being the only ones with autism. he also offers representation to a wider group of people, even now. while i’ve seen a bit more rep for autistic white women, the rep for autistic poc (especially woc) remains fairly nonexistent. 
on the topic of canon, i personally think abed is canonically autistic. it’s referenced a couple of times in the show, though it isn’t directly confirmed or denied. but considering dan harmon’s story, i think it’s clear that the autistic-coding is intentional. a character doesn’t have to outright say the words “i am autistic” for it to be canon. he has so many autistic traits that it is undeniable, and with dan harmon writing him i think it’s safe to say that he’s canonically autistic. keep in mind that this is my personal opinion and that other autistic people may have other opinions, all of which are valid. the debate of canon is complicated and everyone has different definitions. 
i wish there were more characters like abed. characters who are impacted by being autistic yet exist beyond that. characters who speak to an autistic audience, who are written by autistic people. autistic characters who are diverse, who are likeable, who are smart, who are capable.
seeing abed made me so emotional. i want more autistic characters who make me feel seen. i want more autistic characters who make me feel human.
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