Just a little ficlet I pumped out during my winter vacation of watching two seasons of Community and taking care of all the babies in my family. It's not really a whole bunch of anything but it's cute and honestly based on a dream I had the other day. Don't be all worried that Jeff seems OOC, in my experience handsome businessmen like Jeff prefer a little cushion for the pushin'. Hope you enjoy your Valentine's fic!
Etymology
The study of the history of words, their origins, and how their form and meaning have changed over time.
xx
"What are you doing in the library?" Abed's naturally monotone voice held an air of interest as Jeff turned with a huff to glare at him.
"Gee I dunno Abed," Jeff snapped, turning back slightly to fiddle with a few books. Allowing himself a private triumph at seeing the person he had been watching was still immersed in her work. "Maybe I'm using it for its intended purpose."
Abed screwed his face up for a moment, looking down at the binder in Jeff's hand and back to the direction Jeff kept throwing strained glances at. "Are you stalking the librarian?" The colour drained from Jeff's face as he followed Abed's pointing gaze. The woman in question stood just a few inches shorter than him, a little overweight but in all the right places, long curling orange hair that complimented the multitude of freckles covering her impossibly pale skin. Her sharp blue eyes glanced over at them through thick black horn-rimmed glasses.
A blush passed her face and she turned away. Abed tilted his head as Jeff mimicked the gesture and stalked off down another aisle. Shrugging his thin shoulders, Abed meandered off to find his next class. Making sure Abed was gone, Jeff peered around a new shelf to watch the librarian replacing books on their rightful shelves. A short time passed, the librarian filling the shelves and Jeff watching her. Checking his watch he realized with a groan that his next class started in ten minutes.
Looking up for one last glance his stomach fell as the librarian began to climb a well used stool. 'She should know better', he thought, staring at her armful of books, 'she's always so clumsy.' As if jinxing her, she let out a little gasp and teetered on the stool. His feet were taking him towards her as she began to fall. In clutter of books, the librarian pulled a shelf down with her and landed hard on the floor.
"Imogen!" Jeff gasped, kneeling down to help her off the floor. The librarians chest was pumping hard under her emerald cardigan. "Are you okay?" His face was filled with worry when she nodded shyly and scrambled to her feet.
"Thanks Jeff," Imogen blushed when he began to help her pick up the mess of books.
Jeff shot her his winning smile and she saw stars. "It seems to be a habit now, I've spent six weeks of my summer cleaning up the paintball mess in here with you." Imogen tucked a stray curl behind her ear and peeked up at him over her glasses. With a silent sigh she realized his face was close enough it was hardly blurry during the gesture. The slightly older man cleared his throat and leaned against the shelves. "How've you been?" A deeper blush flooded Imogen's face as her nail picked at the corner of a paperback.
xx
"Sometimes it's a form of love just to talk to somebody that you have nothing in common with and still be fascinated by their presence." - David Byrne
xx
Sitting in his usual spot in the study room, Jeff had his eyes glued to his phone. A small smile held on his dipped head. Unnoticed by the others, but not Annie, she was the first to draw attention to it. "I've seen that look before," she narrowed her eyes at him and tilted her head. "But not on Jeff..."
Britta turned her almost wild eyes to the now scowling man. "Oh my God!" She half squealed, "Jeff! Are you in love?!"
"Oh it's probably just another one of your weekly conquests." Annie dismissed, shaking her head in a fluster. With a sigh, Jeff slammed his hands on the table and stood. The murmurs around the table froze and all eyes turned up to gape at him.
"Not that it's any of your buisness," he spoke sharply, anger flowing off him in waves. "And I'm only saying this because Imogen is not some conquest." At the slip of her name the women began a round of giggles and Troy nodded with pride. "She is a beautiful and independent young woman, and yes I really like her. So stay out of it." Finishing his scolding, Jeff turned and quickly made his way out of the study room.
"Does he mean Imogen as in school librarian Imogen?" Troy leaned forward on the table and gave a pointed look towards Annie. The girl in return shrugged and the entire group leaned in to look out the opposite windows. There said librarian was looking through a stack of books and slowly replacing them on their shelves.
xx
"What's worse than knowing you want something, besides knowing you can never have it?" - James Patterson
xx
"Oh Jeff," Shirley gasped as he entered the study room the next day. "I am so glad you have decided to put societies obsession with perfection behind you by choosing a gorgeous woman with a little meat on her bones." Jeff rolled his eyes, lifting his hand to say something that would most likely would have come out rude when Annie's obsessive curiosity took over the conversation.
"How did you two meet?" She squawked, wringing her hands and leaning forward with a wide grin.
"Annie," Britta rolled her eyes and spoke in a dumbed down tone, "she works in the library."
Annie blushed slightly and nodded her head, stating that she was aware before Jeff interrupted with an irritated sigh. "She slipped in her new shoes and pulled a magazine rack down on top of her."
"Just like the day I found you stalking her," Abed interjected nonchalantly. Silence fell, and just as suddenly the room erupted in shock and disgust.
"What kind of a world is this that an attractive man is not allowed to check out an equally attractive woman?" Jeff spoke over the kerfuffle. The women let out a string of 'aww's and he shook his head while rubbing his temples.
"How long has she worked here?" Troy asked, craning his neck to watch her dance around a corner to whatever music was playing softly on the library music system. Because face it, Greendale wouldn't have a regular library.
"Better question," Abed spoke over Jeff's attempt at an answer. "How long have you been stalking her?"
"She's worked here for about a year," Jeff grumbled, "And I don't stalk her." He shook his head with a look of distaste on his face.
"You've been stalking the librarian for a whole year and you've never said anything to her?" Annie squawked in offence.
Britta mirrored her gasping look and moved to tear a piece off of him as well. "All these relationship and hook-up hijinks and you've really been repressing the fact that you're a chubby chaser!"
Jeff's head lulled back as he groaned in exhaustion, catching sight of a bouquet of ginger curls and black silk he sat up and spun around quickly. "Imogen…" The name was a strangled gasp when Jeff met her gaze. Imogen's face was distorted from its usual serene expression to one of shock and upset. Tears swam in her oceanic eyes and had him standing from the chair. At his movement she turned and ran off down one of the hallways.
When Jeff turned back to his friends the wrath shadowing his face was more horrifying than they had ever seen. "Just so you guys know, she has severe depression," the lot of them looked down in utter shame at what Imogen had been witness to. "I tried asking her out on the first day she started here," Jeff continued through clenched teeth. "But she was still dealing with having to move to a new city to get away from her abusive ex." The more Jeff explained, the more the study group felt their stomachs drop. "So for the past year I've been sending her stupid little gifts and stupid little notes hoping to make even the slightest difference."
Shirley and Anna sounded out another 'aww' before Britta cut them off with a shaking head. "Wait that sounds crazy!"
Jeff lifted his hands and let them fall in defeat, "think about our lives, is it really that crazy?" They shrugged and nodded in agreement.
"Well when you think about it, if Jeff had it in him to pretend to be interested in Dungeons and Dragons for Neil," Shirley spoke up in her melodic tone. "Why wouldn't he try to make a pretty girl happy with little gestures like that?" Jeff lifted his hand towards Shirley and nodded with a disappointed look to the others. Shame filled the room again and he turned on his heel to find Imogen and apologize.
When Jeff finally caught up with Imogen she was standing in the furthest part of the library. Her shoulders shook as he walked up behind her slowly. He whispered her name and made her jump with a sniffle. The trademark blush passed her speckled cheeks when she turned to see him there. Cutting off his attempt at an apology, Imogen started to ramble almost incoherently about how she knew she repelled men, she knew he didn't actually like her, and how cruel it was for him to pine after her for a year.
"No," Jeff cut her off, his hands grasping her shoulders gently. Imogen jumped slightly under his touch and looked down at his hands like they were tentacles. "That's not it. I really like you. And I'm so glad you've finally started talking to me."
Imogen's face turned back up to his, her expression screwed up into genuine confusion. "I still don't get it," she whispered, tears drying on her face. "You're hot as fuck, and I'm," she trailed off, looking down at herself before finishing, "not a supermodel."
Stifling a laugh, Jeff smirked down at her. "I don't get it either, I mean you do dress well, you have perfectly curled hair." Matching his words, his right hand lifted to trail along the front of her hair. "You even have stylish retro glasses and a butload of cool tattoos." Realizing he was rambling, Jeff shook his head. "Damnit that's not what I'm trying to say."
"Are you complimenting me…?" Imogen's sad confusion turned to playful teasing, "or…?"
Jeff let out a sigh, "Imogen, listen," he brought his face a few inches closer to hers, almost feeling the heat from her blush. "You are smart, and funny, and I think you're the most beautiful woman I've ever met." A genuine smile passed over Imogen's face. "And that's why," Jeff grinned back. "I know you've been hurt, and I know I don't have the best track record with women. But I really like you, and I love making you laugh, so if you wanted to give anyone another chance before deciding to grow old alone, I begging you to let it be me."
xx
"The simple lack of her is more to me than others' presence." - Edward Thomas
xx
Happiness is always short lived for those who deal with the darkness of depression. It's like a beast that follows you around, stalking you every second, just waiting for your smile to falter or the wrong words to be heard. But some of us have found ways to deal with their shadow beast. For some it's carefully taken medication, for others, and for Imogen, it was will power and a little go-with-the-flow attitude.
Although manageable, depression always brings the worst out in the wrong people. And for Imogen, the wrong person was her overbearing mother. The ex Jeff had told his friends about, Imogen's mother thought he was perfect for her. She believed Imogen was going through a phase and would be back with her abuser any day. That knowledge had her enveloped in more bad days than good, but Jeff Winger and his band of misfits had her sun shining a little brighter with every laugh, joke, and silly adventure.
The one mistake Imogen made; an action that should never be seen as a mistake; had Imogen's mother locking her away in the psychiatric ward of Greendale General. Imogen was in love. Another day passed, and her phone was still locked up in locker 248 under her mother's request. Another day without being able to reach out to Jeff or the others.
As always, tears swam in her eyes as she made her way from her forced therapist meeting to her private apartment within the hospital. Pulling her cardigan tighter around the lavender lounge dress, she rounded the corner to see a group of people sitting on her couch. Gasping, she swung back, peeking through the window to realize it had been the friends she made through knowing Jeff. Pain coursed through her body, coupled with shame and panic. Feeling her breathing turn hectic, Imogen ran back the way she had come.
Finding the elevators again, she leaned against the wall and slammed her hand against the up button. Attempting to calm her breathing, Imogen closed her eyes and tried to stop the panic attack welling up inside her. Footsteps sounded behind her and her heart almost stopped, "Hey." Jeff's voice was calm and sent shivers up Imogen's spine as she opened her eyes to see him standing in front of her. "Forget something?"
Imogen shook her head, "I was just…"
Jeff cut her off, "running away?" His beautiful face frowned and he reached out to take her hand in his. "Imogen you can't run away when things get too hard to handle."
"I was going to jump off the roof," Imogen's head fell in shame.
"You can't-!" Jeff began to yell, his heart in the pit of his stomach as he cut himself off. "I love you Imogen, and in some crazy way those kids in there love you too. And I'm not going to let some stupid chemical imbalance in that sexy little brain of yours take you from us." Like always, Jeff knew just what to say to have Imogen's head turning back up to look at him with her exhausted eyes. "We're all so proud of you for not relying on medications and sticking to your guns even when faced with all this crap. And if your mother can't accept that sometimes you have sad days for no reason, or the fact that you're strong enough to leave an abusive relationship for an absolutely fantastic one," Jeff grinned at her small chuckle. "Then that's her problem. You're not going to get out of here until you can prove your depression isn't that severe and running off to kill yourself isn't going to help."
"But it is that severe," Imogen mumbled, "Jeff I've had it my whole life."
"Baby that's not the point. We need them to think you're cured so I can sign you out of here and we can get married." Jeff's words trailed off into a whisper. Imogen narrowed her eyes at him for a moment, trying to discern if she had heard him correctly. When a small blush crept up Jeff's neck she began to cry and threw her arms around his neck.
A chorus of 'awww's interrupted their reunion kiss and had Imogen turning to their friends with a batch of giggles. "Let's go watch some stupid old movies," Jeff let out a little sigh, putting his arm around her shoulders to lead her back down the hallway. Imogen smiled up at him, her hand reaching up to intertwine their fingers. They all shuffled back into her private room, where a potluck of her favorite foods and black and white movies were waiting for them.
xx
"I never asked you to earn me. I want only that you should need me. Your path is not one of merit. Bring the recurring desires of your mind to me, every time they emerge. They cannot shock me, for I willed them! Bring me your confusion, your fear, your craving, your anxiety, your inability to love the world, your hesitation to serve, your jealousy, all the deficiencies that defy your spiritual disciplines." - Sri Sathya Sai Baba