Community: Manipulating a Dream
Title: Manipulating a Dream
Author: arliddian
Rating: PG
Fandom: Community
Characters/Pairing: Abed/Annie
Summary: Knowledge is power, especially in the Dreamatorium...
Word Count: 664
Author's Note: Written for the prompt mimic.
Warnings: Nil.
Disclaimer: Don't own it; don't sue me.
... I'd rather pretend I'll still be there at the end... - The Writer, Ellie Goulding
After the Greendale Hospital School incident, every now and then when Troy is out with Britta, Abed asks Annie if she'd like to join him in the Dreamatorium. She always says yes, clearly pleased and flattered to be invited into this exclusive game. He likes that she throws herself into it whole-heartedly, allowing herself to get caught up in the simulation. He makes sure to render dreamscapes that he knows they'll both enjoy.
The thing is, Abed has a lot of knowledge about Annie, gleaned from years of observing her patterns of behaviour. He knows what she likes, what she dislikes, what makes her tick, what makes her happy. And lately, he's been taking advantage of that knowledge when they're in the Dreamatorium.
He knows that she doesn't like to be the damsel in distress. She's more than capable of holding her own, and she's never content to be a passive female sidekick. He knows that Annie-in-real-life is insecure and uncomfortable about her sexuality, but Annie-playing-a-role often forgets that fact and can play the femme fatale just as well as Rita Hayworth. And he likes it when she forgets - the banter is much more fun that way.
He knows that she falls easily for the James Dean, Rebel Without a Cause type: the lovable rogue with a hidden heart of gold, the cool guy, the dangerous influence, the alpha-male. He knows exactly which characters will make her melt. He knows all the right lines to use, the right buttons to push. A wink and a slightly suggestive compliment will fluster her; stroking her cheek will make her eyelashes flutter. He likes the way she looks at him when he does these things. It's an attractive mixture of surprised and flattered and intrigued that brings a slight flush to her cheeks and a gleam to her eye.
So in the Dreamatorium, he has them re-enact scenes from Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Mad Men, Firefly, the Bond films, and 1940s film noir. Or he'll construct original scenarios and let her choose her own character in response to the one he plays, which is usually a vague approximation of Jeff - similar enough to affect her, but not so similar that she figures out what he's doing. He is suave and smooth, reckless and risk-taking, confident and self-assured. Their simulations often involve her character helping his to grow from amoral renegade to reluctant hero, or pit them against each other in a battle of wits and barely-concealed UST.
Their sessions escalate quickly, and almost always end on a romantic moment. More often than not, they end their scenes with a brief and passionate kiss, as if every scenario they run is in some way a homage to the paintball war of 2011. Abed never allows these moments to linger, but shuts down the simulation before Annie can get too emotionally invested. They revert to their normal selves immediately, and leave the room talking about safe, ordinary things.
Abed knows that eventually this will have to stop. Eventually, Jeff will finally make his move on Annie, or Annie's conscience will kick in and tell her that making out with her best friend every other week is probably not a good idea, even if it is all make-believe. Eventually, for one reason or another, their Dreamatorium encounters will cease. He'll stop playing characters and go back to being the Abed he is outside of that room: just Annie's emotionally-unavailable roommate and friend, nothing remotely close to a potential romantic interest.
But for now, he takes what he can get. For now, their games in the Dreamatorium are kept separate and safe from the insistent truth of reality. In that room, for just an hour at a time, he can be the focus of her affections. For just an hour, he can be what she wants, and what she wants him to be.
Fin
Author: arliddian
Rating: PG
Fandom: Community
Characters/Pairing: Abed/Annie
Summary: Knowledge is power, especially in the Dreamatorium...
Word Count: 664
Author's Note: Written for the prompt mimic.
Warnings: Nil.
Disclaimer: Don't own it; don't sue me.
... I'd rather pretend I'll still be there at the end... - The Writer, Ellie Goulding
After the Greendale Hospital School incident, every now and then when Troy is out with Britta, Abed asks Annie if she'd like to join him in the Dreamatorium. She always says yes, clearly pleased and flattered to be invited into this exclusive game. He likes that she throws herself into it whole-heartedly, allowing herself to get caught up in the simulation. He makes sure to render dreamscapes that he knows they'll both enjoy.
The thing is, Abed has a lot of knowledge about Annie, gleaned from years of observing her patterns of behaviour. He knows what she likes, what she dislikes, what makes her tick, what makes her happy. And lately, he's been taking advantage of that knowledge when they're in the Dreamatorium.
He knows that she doesn't like to be the damsel in distress. She's more than capable of holding her own, and she's never content to be a passive female sidekick. He knows that Annie-in-real-life is insecure and uncomfortable about her sexuality, but Annie-playing-a-role often forgets that fact and can play the femme fatale just as well as Rita Hayworth. And he likes it when she forgets - the banter is much more fun that way.
He knows that she falls easily for the James Dean, Rebel Without a Cause type: the lovable rogue with a hidden heart of gold, the cool guy, the dangerous influence, the alpha-male. He knows exactly which characters will make her melt. He knows all the right lines to use, the right buttons to push. A wink and a slightly suggestive compliment will fluster her; stroking her cheek will make her eyelashes flutter. He likes the way she looks at him when he does these things. It's an attractive mixture of surprised and flattered and intrigued that brings a slight flush to her cheeks and a gleam to her eye.
So in the Dreamatorium, he has them re-enact scenes from Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Mad Men, Firefly, the Bond films, and 1940s film noir. Or he'll construct original scenarios and let her choose her own character in response to the one he plays, which is usually a vague approximation of Jeff - similar enough to affect her, but not so similar that she figures out what he's doing. He is suave and smooth, reckless and risk-taking, confident and self-assured. Their simulations often involve her character helping his to grow from amoral renegade to reluctant hero, or pit them against each other in a battle of wits and barely-concealed UST.
Their sessions escalate quickly, and almost always end on a romantic moment. More often than not, they end their scenes with a brief and passionate kiss, as if every scenario they run is in some way a homage to the paintball war of 2011. Abed never allows these moments to linger, but shuts down the simulation before Annie can get too emotionally invested. They revert to their normal selves immediately, and leave the room talking about safe, ordinary things.
Abed knows that eventually this will have to stop. Eventually, Jeff will finally make his move on Annie, or Annie's conscience will kick in and tell her that making out with her best friend every other week is probably not a good idea, even if it is all make-believe. Eventually, for one reason or another, their Dreamatorium encounters will cease. He'll stop playing characters and go back to being the Abed he is outside of that room: just Annie's emotionally-unavailable roommate and friend, nothing remotely close to a potential romantic interest.
But for now, he takes what he can get. For now, their games in the Dreamatorium are kept separate and safe from the insistent truth of reality. In that room, for just an hour at a time, he can be the focus of her affections. For just an hour, he can be what she wants, and what she wants him to be.
Fin