A/N: I meant to write a short ficlet. Maybe a drabble even! But then I started writing and all this came out. I have stuff to do, damnit! Anyway, I hope this is somewhere close to what you wanted. I hope I left it in a place that could serve as a technical ending because I'm terrible at finishing multi-part stories. So say the two multi-part stories I have "in the works." I am posting this immediately after writing it... I'm really not sure I should be. Ah well.
Part 1 ----
"I think you'd be great as Danny Zuko." Jeff stopped in his tracks and turned to glare at Abed.
"I am not participating in your stupid film project, Abed." Abed stared back calmly.
"It's not a film project, Jeff. It's a musical stage show - we're doing Grease." Jeff sighed wearily and scrubbed a hand over his face.
"And why would I be perfect as Danny Zuko?" Abed studied him for a moment, nodding once, before he continued moving down the hallway. Jeff followed, catching up quickly.
"A few reasons. We're thinking Britta as Sandy." Abed caught Jeff's wince. "We'd having Vicki sing her parts from off-stage. We're thinking a Phoebe Buffay 'Smelly Cats' situation." Jeff didn't even bother attempting to hide his relief. "Your relatively mild chemistry will lend itself well to characters meant to convey the innocence of first love and it'll go over well with audiences." Jeff raised an eyebrow. Wasn't the saying 'sex sells' for a reason? "We're marketing it as a family-friendly event. Shirley insisted." Jeff nodded in understanding.
"I'm still not doing it." Abed didn't say a word. "That's one of the things I like about you, Abed, no misplaced guilt trips." Abed smiled and shot the finger guns at Jeff. They spotted the rest of the group in the cafeteria and joined them. The rush of conversation pushed their discussion to the back of Jeff's mind for the rest of lunch.
----
"What're you up to this weekend?" Jeff nudged Annie with his shoulder and wiggled his eyebrows at her. He got an exasperated smile and a head shake before she deigned to respond.
"I have auditions. For the school musical?" Jeff's eyes widened in surprise as he nodded. "They're still casting but Abed basically guaranteed me a part." She shrugged bashfully. "I was lead for Glee Club after all." She missed his eye roll but he stopped short at her next statement. "I'm really hoping I get cast as Rizzo!"
"Uh, what? Why?"
"Well, Sandy is blonde and I don't want to wear a wig. Remember the wig dance? That was awful! And I'm tired of playing the good girls! I think Rizzo is... More interesting." Jeff eyed her contemplatively, impressed.
"You sure you have the acting chops for it, Annie? Rizzo is a pret-ty bad girl." She arched a brow at him and smiled.
"She's a woman, Jeff. And the badder she is, the less I'll have to act." With a wink, she spun on her heel, and left him standing in her wake.
----
"Abed." The man in question looked up from his laptop at the sound of his name. "I need your help."
"I'm a bit short on time this week, Jeff. I make no promises." He glanced at his watch to verify the time once more. "What can I do for you?"
"I need to be in your movie. Play. Whatever."
"I expected this but not so soon. I figured you'd step in at the last possible moment when our lead was unexpectedly injured. What changed?" Jeff smiled at him as a delaying tactic as he desperately searched his mind for a believable excuse.
"Seems like a good group activity. Britta, Shirley, you, Annie... I heard Troy was helping build sets, he was thinking about auditioning for Frankie Valli's part, right?" Jeff kept the smile fixed on his face and hoped that his pearly whites would blind Abed to the truth.
"Did Annie tell you who she was hoping to play?" Jeff discretely bit his lip.
"She did." Abed nodded sagely.
"Okay. You'll have to try out just like everyone else, Jeff, but I'm sure we can fit you in." Jeff swallowed his excitement.
"Sure, sounds good. I'll see you tomorrow, Abed." He nodded at him but Abed had already turned his attention back to his laptop. Jeff took it as a good sign and hightailed it out of the room before he could reveal anything else.
"First up! Britta Perry, for Sandy - go!" Upon hearing her name, Britta sailed out on to the stage looking suspiciously like she had been pushed and cleared her throat.
"Okay. Hi. Um, I'm going to be singing 'Hopelessly Devoted To You' if that works?" Shirley nodded. The music was cued and Britta began. "Guess mine is not the first heart broken, my eyes are not the first to cry. I'm not the first to know there's just so getting over you..."
"She's not as godawful as she was last Christmas." Abed nodded in agreement at Shirley's words. "We could work with this, Abed."
"We could, Shirley. Correct me if I'm wrong, it's not my strong suit, but she's got the emotion down pat." Shirley let out a low 'mmhmm' and Abed continued. "We could have her and Vicki record the songs, layer them, and play them during the show so Britta would only have to lip synch." Shirley's eyes lit up.
"That sounds like an excellent plan." She turned to smile at him. "We make a good team, Nadir." He smiled.
"We do." He made a notation on the paper in front of him. "Thank you, Ms. Perry - we'll be in touch. Next!" Neil walked on stage and stood there quietly until the room quieted.
“I’m reading for Crater Face." Abed waved his hand for him to begin.
----
It was an hour later that Jeff found himself on stage before Shirley and Abed.
"I'm not entirely sure who should I be trying out for." He stood there awkwardly until Shirley took pity on him.
"You let us worry about that, Jeffrey. You just sing your little heart out, okay?" Receiving a nod in response, she smiled satisfied and gestured for him to begin.
"I'll be singing Greased Lightning." Taking a deep breath, he started to sing along with the music. Remembering the movie, he moved around, and throwing a wink to Shirley, gyrated his hips. "We'll get some purple fringe taillights and thirty inch fins, oh yeah. A Palomino dashboard and duel muffler twins, oh yeah!"
"Jeffrey!" The exclamation was hardly unexpected and it didn't throw him. Shirley was grinning anyway as he mimed driving. He finished the song a moment later and was surprised to hear applause. “Oh my, Jeff, that was… If there’s one thing you’ve got, it’s charm and charisma, Winger. Go on, get out of here. We’ll let you know.” He smiled brightly at Shirley and bounded off the stage, surprised to find a spring in his step.
The only thing he was sorry about right at that moment was having missed Annie's audition.
----
It was Monday around lunch that the cast list went up. Jeff and Annie glanced at each other before they both approached unhurriedly. Jeff ushered Annie in close to him as he pushed his way through the small crowd gathered around. They both examined the sheet of paper, Jeff pointed out her name, having found it first. He did his best to restrain his smile when he heard her little cheer. She wrapped an arm around his waist and squeezed. He dropped his arm down heavier around her shoulders, offering a congratulatory embrace.
"Jeff! There's your name!" His eyes found the line she was indicating with his finger and he nearly swallowed his tongue in surprise. He was playing Kenickie. He was playing Kenickie to Annie's Rizzo. And of course, because he was Jeff Winger after four years at Greendale, he blurted out the first thing that popped into his head.
Haha, thanks! Yeah, I think Kenickie and Rizzo, as an adult, are the more interesting couple. When I was younger, I loved the romance and innocence of Danny and Sandy. But I also love Stockard Channing now, so.
I actually think that Abed isn't a Jeff/Annie shipper. I think he prefers Jeff/Britta, at least from third season onward because it's less complicated and it means that Britta isn't distracting Troy and forcing things to change. liz_marcs made the point that Remedial Chaos Theory was in Abed's head and Jeff/Annie never worked out in them. Then in VSA, he essentially tells her that it won't work out and it's childish, etc. It follows right through to fourth season where he reimagines Jeff/Britta as the main couple again... But, uh, in response to your actual comment, I don't think he's above exploiting chemistry for the sake of his work.
I hadn't wanted to think of it like that either. *sigh* If it's any consolation, I really think it's just third season and onward when Abed starts realizing that it's the beginning of the end and change in inevitable... At least, that's my theory. I think he was A-OK with Jeff and Annie in the first two seasons.
I haven't actually cast all the characters in my head, just the mains. But oh man, Leonard as Coach Calhoun is gold. Feel free to run away with the prompt too!
Haha, there's a tiny bit more written and this might get turned into a full-fledged fic because I have this one plot point in my head that won't leave and since it hasn't happened yet... I'm supposed to be finishing up already existing fics, not starting new ones, damnit!
Go through the cast of Grease in your head! I think Britta is probably more Rizzo than Annie but I think there are definite elements of Sandy and Danny to her and Troy! Jeff could be Danny or Kenickie but once he heard Annie wanted to be Rizzo...
A/N: I meant to write a short ficlet. Maybe a drabble even! But then I started writing and all this came out. I have stuff to do, damnit! Anyway, I hope this is somewhere close to what you wanted. I hope I left it in a place that could serve as a technical ending because I'm terrible at finishing multi-part stories. So say the two multi-part stories I have "in the works." I am posting this immediately after writing it... I'm really not sure I should be. Ah well.
Part 1
----
"I think you'd be great as Danny Zuko." Jeff stopped in his tracks and turned to glare at Abed.
"I am not participating in your stupid film project, Abed." Abed stared back calmly.
"It's not a film project, Jeff. It's a musical stage show - we're doing Grease." Jeff sighed wearily and scrubbed a hand over his face.
"And why would I be perfect as Danny Zuko?" Abed studied him for a moment, nodding once, before he continued moving down the hallway. Jeff followed, catching up quickly.
"A few reasons. We're thinking Britta as Sandy." Abed caught Jeff's wince. "We'd having Vicki sing her parts from off-stage. We're thinking a Phoebe Buffay 'Smelly Cats' situation." Jeff didn't even bother attempting to hide his relief. "Your relatively mild chemistry will lend itself well to characters meant to convey the innocence of first love and it'll go over well with audiences." Jeff raised an eyebrow. Wasn't the saying 'sex sells' for a reason? "We're marketing it as a family-friendly event. Shirley insisted." Jeff nodded in understanding.
"I'm still not doing it." Abed didn't say a word. "That's one of the things I like about you, Abed, no misplaced guilt trips." Abed smiled and shot the finger guns at Jeff. They spotted the rest of the group in the cafeteria and joined them. The rush of conversation pushed their discussion to the back of Jeff's mind for the rest of lunch.
----
"What're you up to this weekend?" Jeff nudged Annie with his shoulder and wiggled his eyebrows at her. He got an exasperated smile and a head shake before she deigned to respond.
"I have auditions. For the school musical?" Jeff's eyes widened in surprise as he nodded. "They're still casting but Abed basically guaranteed me a part." She shrugged bashfully. "I was lead for Glee Club after all." She missed his eye roll but he stopped short at her next statement. "I'm really hoping I get cast as Rizzo!"
"Uh, what? Why?"
"Well, Sandy is blonde and I don't want to wear a wig. Remember the wig dance? That was awful! And I'm tired of playing the good girls! I think Rizzo is... More interesting." Jeff eyed her contemplatively, impressed.
"You sure you have the acting chops for it, Annie? Rizzo is a pret-ty bad girl." She arched a brow at him and smiled.
"She's a woman, Jeff. And the badder she is, the less I'll have to act." With a wink, she spun on her heel, and left him standing in her wake.
----
"Abed." The man in question looked up from his laptop at the sound of his name. "I need your help."
"I'm a bit short on time this week, Jeff. I make no promises." He glanced at his watch to verify the time once more. "What can I do for you?"
"I need to be in your movie. Play. Whatever."
"I expected this but not so soon. I figured you'd step in at the last possible moment when our lead was unexpectedly injured. What changed?" Jeff smiled at him as a delaying tactic as he desperately searched his mind for a believable excuse.
"Seems like a good group activity. Britta, Shirley, you, Annie... I heard Troy was helping build sets, he was thinking about auditioning for Frankie Valli's part, right?" Jeff kept the smile fixed on his face and hoped that his pearly whites would blind Abed to the truth.
"Did Annie tell you who she was hoping to play?" Jeff discretely bit his lip.
"She did." Abed nodded sagely.
"Okay. You'll have to try out just like everyone else, Jeff, but I'm sure we can fit you in." Jeff swallowed his excitement.
"Sure, sounds good. I'll see you tomorrow, Abed." He nodded at him but Abed had already turned his attention back to his laptop. Jeff took it as a good sign and hightailed it out of the room before he could reveal anything else.
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"First up! Britta Perry, for Sandy - go!" Upon hearing her name, Britta sailed out on to the stage looking suspiciously like she had been pushed and cleared her throat.
"Okay. Hi. Um, I'm going to be singing 'Hopelessly Devoted To You' if that works?" Shirley nodded. The music was cued and Britta began. "Guess mine is not the first heart broken, my eyes are not the first to cry. I'm not the first to know there's just so getting over you..."
"She's not as godawful as she was last Christmas." Abed nodded in agreement at Shirley's words. "We could work with this, Abed."
"We could, Shirley. Correct me if I'm wrong, it's not my strong suit, but she's got the emotion down pat." Shirley let out a low 'mmhmm' and Abed continued. "We could have her and Vicki record the songs, layer them, and play them during the show so Britta would only have to lip synch." Shirley's eyes lit up.
"That sounds like an excellent plan." She turned to smile at him. "We make a good team, Nadir." He smiled.
"We do." He made a notation on the paper in front of him. "Thank you, Ms. Perry - we'll be in touch. Next!" Neil walked on stage and stood there quietly until the room quieted.
“I’m reading for Crater Face." Abed waved his hand for him to begin.
----
It was an hour later that Jeff found himself on stage before Shirley and Abed.
"I'm not entirely sure who should I be trying out for." He stood there awkwardly until Shirley took pity on him.
"You let us worry about that, Jeffrey. You just sing your little heart out, okay?" Receiving a nod in response, she smiled satisfied and gestured for him to begin.
"I'll be singing Greased Lightning." Taking a deep breath, he started to sing along with the music. Remembering the movie, he moved around, and throwing a wink to Shirley, gyrated his hips. "We'll get some purple fringe taillights and thirty inch fins, oh yeah. A Palomino dashboard and duel muffler twins, oh yeah!"
"Jeffrey!" The exclamation was hardly unexpected and it didn't throw him. Shirley was grinning anyway as he mimed driving. He finished the song a moment later and was surprised to hear applause. “Oh my, Jeff, that was… If there’s one thing you’ve got, it’s charm and charisma, Winger. Go on, get out of here. We’ll let you know.” He smiled brightly at Shirley and bounded off the stage, surprised to find a spring in his step.
The only thing he was sorry about right at that moment was having missed Annie's audition.
----
It was Monday around lunch that the cast list went up. Jeff and Annie glanced at each other before they both approached unhurriedly. Jeff ushered Annie in close to him as he pushed his way through the small crowd gathered around. They both examined the sheet of paper, Jeff pointed out her name, having found it first. He did his best to restrain his smile when he heard her little cheer. She wrapped an arm around his waist and squeezed. He dropped his arm down heavier around her shoulders, offering a congratulatory embrace.
"Jeff! There's your name!" His eyes found the line she was indicating with his finger and he nearly swallowed his tongue in surprise. He was playing Kenickie. He was playing Kenickie to Annie's Rizzo. And of course, because he was Jeff Winger after four years at Greendale, he blurted out the first thing that popped into his head.
"Don't we have a make out scene?"
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Anyway, I this was am-ah-zing!
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Perfect.
Abed is a Jeff/Annie shipper! (But we knew that.)
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I actually think that Abed isn't a Jeff/Annie shipper. I think he prefers Jeff/Britta, at least from third season onward because it's less complicated and it means that Britta isn't distracting Troy and forcing things to change. liz_marcs made the point that Remedial Chaos Theory was in Abed's head and Jeff/Annie never worked out in them. Then in VSA, he essentially tells her that it won't work out and it's childish, etc. It follows right through to fourth season where he reimagines Jeff/Britta as the main couple again... But, uh, in response to your actual comment, I don't think he's above exploiting chemistry for the sake of his work.
tl;dr - Yay, you liked it! Thanks :)
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But you're right, Abed would never ever compromise his work on some romantic scheme of getting Jeff/Britta for the alpha couple, lol.
I have all sorts of Community/Grease ideas in my head. Leonard is playing Coach Calhoun, yes? This is your fault.
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I haven't actually cast all the characters in my head, just the mains. But oh man, Leonard as Coach Calhoun is gold. Feel free to run away with the prompt too!
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Go through the cast of Grease in your head! I think Britta is probably more Rizzo than Annie but I think there are definite elements of Sandy and Danny to her and Troy! Jeff could be Danny or Kenickie but once he heard Annie wanted to be Rizzo...
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