Fanfiction - Community - New Beginnings
Title: New Beginnings
Fandom/Universe: Community
Character(s): Britta, Slater, Troy, Abed
Rating: K+
“Hey.” A pause. “I don’t think he’s coming back.”
Britta looks up at Slater and rubs awkwardly at her forearm. She casts a half-hearted glance back at the curtains Jeff had disappeared through and tries her best not to look pathetic. She straightens out her back and sucks in a deep breath.
“Yeah. I think you’re right.”
She notices Slater shuffling her feet back and forth as if trying to decide something. Britta quirks an eyebrow.
“What?”
Slater scowls at her for a second and then lets out a long sigh.
“Can I sit?” Slater asks. Britta lets out a loud cough and whips her head up to stare straight at Slater.
“Excuse me?”
“Look, you’re not the only one who’s…” Slater stops herself and steps backwards. “You know what?” Inhale. “Forget it. I’ll just go.”
Britta can feel a sharp, angry ‘Good’ forming on the tip of her tongue, but she bites it back.
“W-wait.” She reaches out a hand and taps Slater’s arm. “What is it?”
Slater gestures to the chair beside Britta once again.
“Is it okay if I -?”
“Yeah, it’s… it’s fine.”
Slater takes the seat next to her and they both sit in awkward silence for a few moments.
Britta’s whole left side burns from sitting this close to Slater. She can feel a thousand insults cycling through her mind and she really wants to let them loose - blame this whole entire mess on the woman sitting beside her, but for some reason… the fire’s gone out.
“I guess… that’s it then.” Slater says finally. “For me.”
And Britta gets that.
“Yeah.” She nods. “Yeah, for me too.”
And it’s funny because she hates this woman sitting next to her, but they’re finally on equal ground and it sucks.
“I’m…” Britta starts. She wants to end that sentence with ‘Sorry’ but she’s not sure she means it. At least, she isn’t sorry for not liking Slater or falling for Jeff. Not really. And she isn’t even sorry for fighting with Slater tonight, because she’d been holding all that passive aggressive anger in since that stupid Halloween Dance and it had to come out somehow.
But she still wishes….
“Me too.” Slater agrees. “This sucks.”
And it’s their own faults, but it’s still kind of nice to be able to commiserate.
“I didn’t… mean for this.” Britta says suddenly. “I never wanted this. This is… petty. And for what?”
“Jeff Winger.” Slater says.
“Jeff Winger.” Britta repeats letting the name roll of her tongue like exhaling smoke.
“I don’t like you.” Slater tells her, turning to meet Britta’s gaze. “I never have. I always knew that… I knew it was more than just friendship between you too. But it’s not just jealousy. I hate you because I think the shit you believe in is stupid.”
“Ditto. And I guess it’s a little too late to claim that it is just friendship, huh?”
“You said you loved him.” Slater points out.
“Ah. So did you.”
“I was copying you, remember?” Slater teases and Britta cracks a smile.
“Yeah well… heat of the moment.”
They lapse into silence again.
“Did you mean it?”
“What?” Britta asks. “You mean do I love him?”
“Yeah.” Slater attempts to say nonchalantly, but Britta can tell that the other woman really wants an answer.
It’s weird, Britta realizes then. These are totally slumber party questions and they’re grown women and it’s all over Jeff Winger and that’s stupid.
“I don’t know.” Britta answers honestly. “I don’t think I know him well enough to say for sure. I don’t think I know myself well enough to know for sure.” She leans back in her chair and lets out a groan. “Well what about you?”
“I could have.” Slater says firmly. “If he’d given me that second chance. But he turned me down. I have enough self-respect not to ask again or beg for it. He made his choice and it’s not me.”
Britta’s breath catches.
“It’s…” Her voice falters. “It’s not me either.”
And then it’s done. The coffin nailed shut.
“Oh.” Britta lets out a soft sound and immediately covers her mouth with her hand. Another soft sob escapes from her unbidden and then she can’t stop. “Oh.” She cries, burrowing her face into her hands.
Slater does not comfort Britta, but she also does not abandon her. She stares off in the other direction until Britta’s sobs quiet down.
“I’m upset.” Britta says like it’s a revelation. “When did that happen? When did I start feeling… this?”
“I can’t help you there.” Slater says, but the words are soft. “This is not an area I’m comfortable with.”
“It’s okay.” Britta shakes her head. “I don’t need -“
“I know.” Slater leans back a moment and then with a heavy sigh pushes herself off the chair. “Well, I think that’s enough drama for one semester.” She turns to Britta and holds out a hand. “You leaving too?”
Britta looks around at the mostly empty party and nods.
“Yeah. I should go.”
“Don’t forget your crown,” Slater teases pointing to the garish rhinestone-encrusted toy tiara sitting on the chair next to Britta’s. Britta cringes, but picks it up nonetheless.
“What a shitty reminder this is gonna be. I should just throw it out now and be done with it.” Britta says scanning the area for a garbage can. She spots one in the corner by where Starburns had passed out hours earlier and is about to head over to it when Slater reaches out a hand to stop her.
“Don’t throw it away.” She says suddenly.
“Why -?” Britta starts, but Slater cuts her off.
“I think you should hold onto it. Maybe one day this all won’t seem so awful. Or maybe you can keep it as a reminder to never get emotionally involved with Jeff fucking Winger. Either way.” Slater shrugs.
Britta studies the plastic toy in her hand and then smiles faintly.
“Yeah, okay. That’s not a bad idea.” She turns. “Thank you, Professor Slater.”
Slater reaches out her hand and Britta grabs for it.
“You can call me Michelle, Britta.”
“Right. Okay.” Britta agrees, heat rising on the back of her neck. “I’ll do that…” She pauses, but manages to stammer out a squeaky: “Michelle.”
Slater cringes and shakes her head.
“Okay, that’s a little weird.”
“I know!” Britta agrees, crinkling her nose. “So, Professor Slater then?”
“Yeah, for now anyway.” Slater gives Britta’s hand a small squeeze and then lets go. “Good night, Britta.”
“Good night, Professor.”
With that Slater turns to leave, sidestepping a drunken, teetering Professor Duncan on her way to the exit. Britta smiles as she goes.
“Hey.”
Britta turns to find Abed holding tightly to a rather sick looking Troy. Britta lets out a small gasp and reaches out a hand to help Abed hold him steady.
“Whoa, what happened to him?”
“Too much cookie-friendship.” Abed says shaking his head. “Could you take him home, Britta?”
“Yeah,” Britta agrees. “Just help me get him to my car, okay?”
Together they help lead Troy outside and down to where Britta’s car is parked. Halfway down the steps Troy asks them to stop. They lower him to the ground and Abed keeps watch while Britta rubs small circles on Troy’s back.
Troy’s bent with his head between his knees when he suddenly turns his head a little to the left and smiles tiredly at Britta.
“Jeff’s a dumbass.”
Britta stares at him, her eyebrows furrowing.
“What?”
“Nothing.” He turns to Abed. “Hey, I’m good. Help me up?”
“Yeah.” Abed nods and bends down to help lift Troy again. Britta is frozen for a moment still not quite sure what to make of things, but for some reason she feels warmer than she did a few minutes ago. Abed tilts his head in Britta’s direction and nods towards the car only a few feet away from them now. “Britta?”
“Yeah, sorry.” She says slipping her arm back around Troy. He tightens his grip on her shoulder for just a moment and Britta sometimes really hates how small and frightened Greendale makes her feel.
It’s strange, she thinks to herself, that there’s nowhere else she really wants to be.
With that she helps lead her friends down into the darkness of the parking lot.
a/n: I have many thoughts on the Season Finale! I will post them soonish (I hope!). In the meantime this is my TOTALLY CANON NOW scenario of what happens to Britta and Slater after Jeff vanishes. They aren't friends, but they're both in the same boat and it's not a fun one. I'm honestly not sure if Slater would approach Britta without prompting, but I wanted Britta to be the one who was more unsure of what to do and so this worked best.
Also I slipped in Britta/Troy at the end because LOLOLOLOL SEKRIT OTP.
Also also... f-first time writing Community characters? DID I FAIL?! D:
Fandom/Universe: Community
Character(s): Britta, Slater, Troy, Abed
Rating: K+
“Hey.” A pause. “I don’t think he’s coming back.”
Britta looks up at Slater and rubs awkwardly at her forearm. She casts a half-hearted glance back at the curtains Jeff had disappeared through and tries her best not to look pathetic. She straightens out her back and sucks in a deep breath.
“Yeah. I think you’re right.”
She notices Slater shuffling her feet back and forth as if trying to decide something. Britta quirks an eyebrow.
“What?”
Slater scowls at her for a second and then lets out a long sigh.
“Can I sit?” Slater asks. Britta lets out a loud cough and whips her head up to stare straight at Slater.
“Excuse me?”
“Look, you’re not the only one who’s…” Slater stops herself and steps backwards. “You know what?” Inhale. “Forget it. I’ll just go.”
Britta can feel a sharp, angry ‘Good’ forming on the tip of her tongue, but she bites it back.
“W-wait.” She reaches out a hand and taps Slater’s arm. “What is it?”
Slater gestures to the chair beside Britta once again.
“Is it okay if I -?”
“Yeah, it’s… it’s fine.”
Slater takes the seat next to her and they both sit in awkward silence for a few moments.
Britta’s whole left side burns from sitting this close to Slater. She can feel a thousand insults cycling through her mind and she really wants to let them loose - blame this whole entire mess on the woman sitting beside her, but for some reason… the fire’s gone out.
“I guess… that’s it then.” Slater says finally. “For me.”
And Britta gets that.
“Yeah.” She nods. “Yeah, for me too.”
And it’s funny because she hates this woman sitting next to her, but they’re finally on equal ground and it sucks.
“I’m…” Britta starts. She wants to end that sentence with ‘Sorry’ but she’s not sure she means it. At least, she isn’t sorry for not liking Slater or falling for Jeff. Not really. And she isn’t even sorry for fighting with Slater tonight, because she’d been holding all that passive aggressive anger in since that stupid Halloween Dance and it had to come out somehow.
But she still wishes….
“Me too.” Slater agrees. “This sucks.”
And it’s their own faults, but it’s still kind of nice to be able to commiserate.
“I didn’t… mean for this.” Britta says suddenly. “I never wanted this. This is… petty. And for what?”
“Jeff Winger.” Slater says.
“Jeff Winger.” Britta repeats letting the name roll of her tongue like exhaling smoke.
“I don’t like you.” Slater tells her, turning to meet Britta’s gaze. “I never have. I always knew that… I knew it was more than just friendship between you too. But it’s not just jealousy. I hate you because I think the shit you believe in is stupid.”
“Ditto. And I guess it’s a little too late to claim that it is just friendship, huh?”
“You said you loved him.” Slater points out.
“Ah. So did you.”
“I was copying you, remember?” Slater teases and Britta cracks a smile.
“Yeah well… heat of the moment.”
They lapse into silence again.
“Did you mean it?”
“What?” Britta asks. “You mean do I love him?”
“Yeah.” Slater attempts to say nonchalantly, but Britta can tell that the other woman really wants an answer.
It’s weird, Britta realizes then. These are totally slumber party questions and they’re grown women and it’s all over Jeff Winger and that’s stupid.
“I don’t know.” Britta answers honestly. “I don’t think I know him well enough to say for sure. I don’t think I know myself well enough to know for sure.” She leans back in her chair and lets out a groan. “Well what about you?”
“I could have.” Slater says firmly. “If he’d given me that second chance. But he turned me down. I have enough self-respect not to ask again or beg for it. He made his choice and it’s not me.”
Britta’s breath catches.
“It’s…” Her voice falters. “It’s not me either.”
And then it’s done. The coffin nailed shut.
“Oh.” Britta lets out a soft sound and immediately covers her mouth with her hand. Another soft sob escapes from her unbidden and then she can’t stop. “Oh.” She cries, burrowing her face into her hands.
Slater does not comfort Britta, but she also does not abandon her. She stares off in the other direction until Britta’s sobs quiet down.
“I’m upset.” Britta says like it’s a revelation. “When did that happen? When did I start feeling… this?”
“I can’t help you there.” Slater says, but the words are soft. “This is not an area I’m comfortable with.”
“It’s okay.” Britta shakes her head. “I don’t need -“
“I know.” Slater leans back a moment and then with a heavy sigh pushes herself off the chair. “Well, I think that’s enough drama for one semester.” She turns to Britta and holds out a hand. “You leaving too?”
Britta looks around at the mostly empty party and nods.
“Yeah. I should go.”
“Don’t forget your crown,” Slater teases pointing to the garish rhinestone-encrusted toy tiara sitting on the chair next to Britta’s. Britta cringes, but picks it up nonetheless.
“What a shitty reminder this is gonna be. I should just throw it out now and be done with it.” Britta says scanning the area for a garbage can. She spots one in the corner by where Starburns had passed out hours earlier and is about to head over to it when Slater reaches out a hand to stop her.
“Don’t throw it away.” She says suddenly.
“Why -?” Britta starts, but Slater cuts her off.
“I think you should hold onto it. Maybe one day this all won’t seem so awful. Or maybe you can keep it as a reminder to never get emotionally involved with Jeff fucking Winger. Either way.” Slater shrugs.
Britta studies the plastic toy in her hand and then smiles faintly.
“Yeah, okay. That’s not a bad idea.” She turns. “Thank you, Professor Slater.”
Slater reaches out her hand and Britta grabs for it.
“You can call me Michelle, Britta.”
“Right. Okay.” Britta agrees, heat rising on the back of her neck. “I’ll do that…” She pauses, but manages to stammer out a squeaky: “Michelle.”
Slater cringes and shakes her head.
“Okay, that’s a little weird.”
“I know!” Britta agrees, crinkling her nose. “So, Professor Slater then?”
“Yeah, for now anyway.” Slater gives Britta’s hand a small squeeze and then lets go. “Good night, Britta.”
“Good night, Professor.”
With that Slater turns to leave, sidestepping a drunken, teetering Professor Duncan on her way to the exit. Britta smiles as she goes.
“Hey.”
Britta turns to find Abed holding tightly to a rather sick looking Troy. Britta lets out a small gasp and reaches out a hand to help Abed hold him steady.
“Whoa, what happened to him?”
“Too much cookie-friendship.” Abed says shaking his head. “Could you take him home, Britta?”
“Yeah,” Britta agrees. “Just help me get him to my car, okay?”
Together they help lead Troy outside and down to where Britta’s car is parked. Halfway down the steps Troy asks them to stop. They lower him to the ground and Abed keeps watch while Britta rubs small circles on Troy’s back.
Troy’s bent with his head between his knees when he suddenly turns his head a little to the left and smiles tiredly at Britta.
“Jeff’s a dumbass.”
Britta stares at him, her eyebrows furrowing.
“What?”
“Nothing.” He turns to Abed. “Hey, I’m good. Help me up?”
“Yeah.” Abed nods and bends down to help lift Troy again. Britta is frozen for a moment still not quite sure what to make of things, but for some reason she feels warmer than she did a few minutes ago. Abed tilts his head in Britta’s direction and nods towards the car only a few feet away from them now. “Britta?”
“Yeah, sorry.” She says slipping her arm back around Troy. He tightens his grip on her shoulder for just a moment and Britta sometimes really hates how small and frightened Greendale makes her feel.
It’s strange, she thinks to herself, that there’s nowhere else she really wants to be.
With that she helps lead her friends down into the darkness of the parking lot.
a/n: I have many thoughts on the Season Finale! I will post them soonish (I hope!). In the meantime this is my TOTALLY CANON NOW scenario of what happens to Britta and Slater after Jeff vanishes. They aren't friends, but they're both in the same boat and it's not a fun one. I'm honestly not sure if Slater would approach Britta without prompting, but I wanted Britta to be the one who was more unsure of what to do and so this worked best.
Also I slipped in Britta/Troy at the end because LOLOLOLOL SEKRIT OTP.
Also also... f-first time writing Community characters? DID I FAIL?! D: