"Guys, I'm gonna propose to Abed." Suddenly everyone kept quiet, "And I need your help."
The year was 2014. That year that was finishing was going to be their last one together. Most of them had already graduated —Jeff was back at Court, Britta was working with her first two patients, Shirley and Pierce's business was going swimmingly ...— but they had decided to take at least one class together, as to keep the group alive. Well, everything was changing now. Annie had been offered a job in France —some of her distant relatives she had recently found on Facebook—, Jeff was bussier and bussier (because, after all, he had never lost his touch), Pierce's eighth wife didn't like him wasting his time on college. And this last semester was all they had left as a study group.
Congratulations were in order. In the case of Shirley, she seemed sort of reluctant. But then again, she had remarried the guy who had cheated on her. She knew she coulnd't speak her mind. And Troy and Abed were her friends. A solemn "Oh, that's nice" was the only thing that escaped her mouth. Once everyone else had given him their blessing, Troy continued.
"So, how do you think I should do it?"
"Well, I'm not acquainted with the procedures of gay intercourse, but..."
"Pierce!" Jeff interrupted him frowning, turned to Troy changing his expression and asked, "Any ideas?"
"Well, no, but... I wanted to make it really special. Like... a movie reference." said Troy, and everyone agreed that that was the definition of special for Abed.
"Maybe from one of Abed's favourite films... Kill Bill?" Annie said, after keeping her ideas to herself for too long. Annie loved weddings. And she definitely had to be a part of this.
"Yeah, that's a terrible idea." replied Troy, "I'd like to stay alive, if that's not too much to ask."
"What about Cougar Town? Didnt't Monica marry the guy with the bar on Season 3?" suggested Jeff. Who knew he would actually be of help in something like this?
Troy's face brightened and couldn't but almost shout a "Yes! Perfect." Troy seemed very exited, "I'll go plan it in detail. Talk to you guys later." He went out of the study room almost running, came back, asked Annie a sheet of paper and a pen (he only carried a pillow in his bag, so there was no room for a notebook) and went out again.
"So, I was thinking... We should go TPing tonight." Suggested Troy.
"I thought that was only on Halloween. And if people refused to give you candy." Replied Abed, not particularly interested.
"But it's in my Bucket List, see?" Troy answered a little doubtful, trying to wear his best poker face. "Come on".
"Does it have to be tonight? There's a Star Trek, the Original Series marathon starting in half an hour.
"Yes, Abed, it has to be today. You're gonna ruin it." Said Troy a little upset, rolling his eyes, unconsciously regaining his confidence.
"Ruin what?"
"The surp- Hmm. Nothing." Troy started to panick, "Just. I just want to go TPing with my boyfriend. Is that too much to ask?" Now he was getting emotional. Abed didn't like when Troy got emotional. Even after all this time, he never knew exactly what to do. And he looked like he could start to cry soon.
"Ok, let's go." Finally replied Abed, "I'll get the law-breaking costumes."
Once in the house Troy had picked (He told Abed he had had some quarrel with the kids who lived there), they started throwing toilet paper at the huge tree in the front yard.
"I'll get more paper from the car, you finish up this tube" said Troy when they had run out of toilet paper.
"You know, this kind of reminds me of-" Abed paused, not knowing if he should make such comparisson, due to the implicancies of that episode. "Nevermind." he finished.
Troy had placed the car (an old car they had acquired a few months back, one that no one but them would have proud themselves to drive) stategically far. He started walking towards it and, at one point, Abed lost sight of him.
"Is there anybody out there?" asked suddenly a deep voice. Abed froze. The light of a torch dazzled him.
"Oh! Ok, look, officer.. hmm. It's a funny story-" replied Abed, happy to be able to quote from one of his favourite episodes of Cougar Town, even if it seemed as though he would be spending that night in a cell.
"Really?" said Troy, stepping forward, "I'm all ears".
"What?" said Abed, now actually puzzled.
"Hey, Abed!" said Britta waving from a bush. The whole group showed itself.
"The scene would have been more accurate if some of you had actually come along when we started TPing the tree, you know." said Abed, to what Britta replied with a "Boo!"
"But anyway, what is all of this about?" asked Abed cocking his head.
"I mean, didn't you say that you wanted a life full of surprises?" asked Troy in character, to what Abed replied "I have no recollection of saying such a thing."
"Just play along, man" whispered Troy a little upset. "And look! Everyone you love's here. And isn't this all kind of like a fairytale?" They both looked up to admire the tree. "I mean, when I send Tom to you in the bar, isn't it what you wanted?"
And at that moment, Abed understood everything. And that made him anxhious.
Troy kneeled in front of him, held a little box with a ring in one hand while taking Abed's hand with the other and looked at him, "I thought you wanted to do all the talking."
"I'm speechless" replied Abed, which was actually true (even though he wouldn't have expressed himself in those terms if he had been acting as Abed).
"Really, you?" Abed nodded. "I love you so much." They were both sharing loving looks. "Will you marry me?"
Abed bit his lip. He couldn't believe this was happening. He tried to stay calm and follow the script, but this was by far, the nicest thing anyone had ever done for him. Yes, he did want to spend his whole life with his soulmate. At that point, he broke character but still decided to quote Jules words.
"Ok, I'm gonna say yes, so don't get nervous," he said, with his regular machine-like voice, "I just wanna think of a way to say it so you know how happy you make me feel." Abed really meant those words. He thought to himself he had never been actually happy until he met Troy.
"That was pretty good." finished Troy, with a silly smile on his face. He put the ring on Abed's finger carefully. They held hands for a couple of seconds and then kissed passionately.
The rest of the group looked at them for a while —Annie crying and Jeff on the verge of tears— and then walked towards Troy and Abed and hugged them.
"Thank God this is an empty house" said Jeff after a couple of seconds, breaking the silence.
Troy's eyes started to widen.
"Yeah, ok. RUN" shouted Troy at the realization that he may had miscalculated that part a little.