Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Troy,” Abed said in his Batman voice. “Happy Halloween.”

“Happy Halloween, Batman.” Troy looked at the time. It was exactly midnight. “I understand that you’re a night time hero, but maybe you could have waited to wake me up so I didn’t have to sit quietly until we can do cool Batman things.”

Even when Troy was upset, he never used an aggressive nor a condescendingly sweet voice with Abed. Troy saw them as equals, and that’s what Abed liked about him.

“Who says we can’t do things between midnight and sunrise?” Abed asked, maintaining his voice.

“Uh, Annie?”

“Right…” Abed frowned, his voice steadily losing its gruffness. “Maybe we should go to bed.”

“Uh, no, Abed, it’s okay!” Troy blurted before Abed could go anywhere. “I mean, maybe, Batman,” the name made Abed smile. “We can do something quietly. And then go back to bed. And then breakfast?” Troy rambled, too excited to notice he was getting ahead of himself.

Chapter Text

Abed rushed into the study room, cape flowing behind him. “Happy Halloween, everybody,” he said in his Batman voice.

Troy groaned. “You just missed my friend Abed! Maybe if I run I can go get him.” Troy stood up to go, fully committed to his bit.

“Don’t worry, maybe I can meet your friend later. Right now, Batman will eat some cookies and sit in this empty seat.” Abed grabbed a Halloween cookie from the snack table and sat at his seat next to Troy. They “discreetly” performed their secret handshake.

Chapter Text

Troy and Abed were walking home from their study room party, trick-or-treat baskets in hand. They were adults and there was nowhere to trick-or-treat, but Annie planned the party and made baskets for everyone in the group.

“Maybe I can teach you how to do the Batman voice,” Abed smiled a very Abed smile. Troy could barely see his face under his cowl and the poor lighting of the sidewalk at night didn’t help, but he couldn’t keep his heart from whooshing at his smile.

They heard footsteps coming up from behind. Troy and Abed both moved to opposite sides of the sidewalk as they turned around. The figure, probably a large teen, thinking about it now, ran between them and snatched Troy’s basket from his hand. Troy cried out and, in an instant, Abed’s basket was shoved into his arms and Abed took off running.

For being so scrawny, Troy always seemed to forget how incredibly fast and athletic Abed is. He quickly caught up to the guy and jumped onto his back. Instead of fighting, for fear of any genuine trouble, Abed grabbed the basket and ran back to Troy in record time.

“Here you go, innocent civilian,” Abed said, proudly holding out the basket.

Troy smiled. “Abed, you didn’t have to do that for me.” He felt his face heat up. Good thing it’s dark and Abed doesn’t pick up on things like that very well.

“I would do anything for justice.” Abed declared in an incredibly low Batman voice. Troy took a mental note of the strange feeling that made him feel.

Chapter Text

They entered their apartment building— carrying both baskets— soon enough. After a brief but very enclosed elevator ride, they made it home. When they closed the door, Troy turned to Abed. “Hey Abed?” Troy said quietly.

“Yeah, Troy?” Abed looked him in the eyes. Troy felt just as closed in as he did in the elevator. In that moment, he realized that Abed doesn’t really have a concept of personal space. Troy took a deep breath.

“That was… kinda hot? When you were really like Batman.” Troy looked away from Abed’s gaze. Abed somehow got closer.

“Do you like the voice?” Just the question sent shivers down his spine. “I’ve been working on it.”
Troy wonders why he decided to start digging this hole. Probably because Abed is very attractive and Troy likes him. Apparently, Troy also likes torturing himself.

“Yeah,” he breathed. “I really do. Anyways, I should probably go to bed.”

“But I thought what you said was implying that you liked me? Did I read that wrong?” Abed frowned.

“No! No, not at all, Abed, you’re perfect. I just… I’m scared.”

“Why?”

“You’re so cool and hot and I don’t want to do anything you don’t want to do. And I don’t want to do anything I’m too scared to do, which is everything. I don’t want you to not like me anymore.”

“Troy, that’s not likely to ever happen. What do you want us to do?”

“I really don’t know. Can we just make this as natural as possible? Gosh, I shouldn’t have said anything.”

“No,” Abed said. “I like that you’re direct and very upfront. Lots of things are confusing to me. Sometimes, I think situations are one movie and they turn out to be another.”

“You thought today was gonna be a Batman movie and now it’s-“

“It’s also a Batman movie, but the part where the love interest tells him she’s in love. Except Batman usually says no or it doesn’t work out. Because he has to worry about Gotham. But I’m not saying no. And I think it will work out.”

“I really wish him and Selina could’ve worked it out…” Troy sighed.

“They can’t. They both act too fiercely independent to admit that they need each other and it always falls apart.” Troy frowned at this. “But I think we do need each other.”

“Like Joker and Harley Quinn?” Troy supplied.

“No… It’s a little too one-sided.”

“I wish it was two-sided.”

“We could both be Two-Face?” Abed suggested.

“I’d be anyone with you, partner.”