Missing Moments

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Can't Do It

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Telling Annie no was like kicking a puppy as it lay trembling at his feet.  What was it about her?  Disney eyes?  Check.  Quivering lip?  Check.



Feelings deeper than they should be?  Check.



"Okay," he sighed, fighting the smile that came when she bounded toward him, hugging him tight.



"Thank you, Jeff!  I can't believe my car broke down just when--"



He didn't really hear the rest; his attention was on her bright eyes, no longer shimmering with tears, the infectious smile on her lips, and the feelings in his gut, warning him that, once again, he needed distance.

 

 

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A Summer of Waiting



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Jeff was humming.



Once he realized what he was doing, he tossed back another swig of beer.



Seeing Annie again after a whole summer without her was possibly the thing he was looking forward to the most.



The song he'd written in his head continued to play on a loop.



A week ago, Annie's Song had gotten stuck in his head.  It'd refused to be completely banished, so, he'd written an extra line to his own song.  But, it wasn't like they were really going to sleep together.



It was just a song.



He tossed back another swig of beer.

 

 

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The Subject of Lawyerish Fantasies



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"When pricked, do I not moan in pleasure-- ew!"  Annie tossed the sheet of paper on the table.  "I'm not reading that."



Jeff entered the study room with a scoff.  "Did the Asian Studies group leave erotic stories behind again?  I swear they do it on purpose."



"It's Abed's play.  I'm playing the part of... Leelota or something.  Apparently, it's a story about friendship, and a love that's taboo.  With a dragon?  Maybe a ninja.  He said we'd learn an important lesson."



Jeff spun on his heel, leaving the room.  "I'll kill him."



Annie smirked, watching him go.  "Too easy."

 

 

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Winning Influences and Friendly People



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Jeff didn't usually have sleepovers.  Not the platonic kind.  But when friends were in need, apparently, he had to open up his apartment for all of them to have a night of movies, popcorn, and, in Britta and Troy's case, flirting.



Rolling his eyes as they griped and playfully complained, he nudged Annie's shoulder.



She, oh-so casually, glanced at them from her position beside him on the couch.  She shook her head, sharing an amused, and partially nauseated, look with him.  "Wish they'd just do it already," she whispered, pushing his arm back to his side.



He pushed back, leaning on her to give him back the space she'd just stolen.  "On your own side, Edison."



Poking him in the chest, she snagged the bowl of popcorn from him, holding it out of his reach.  "Move over, couch-hog."



"Popcorn-thief!"



Shirley, Pierce, and Abed stood in the kitchen with fresh bowls of popcorn, straight from the microwave.



"They should just do it already," Abed said around a mouthful of popcorn.



"Mm-hm," Shirley muttered, eyes dark as she watched Jeff and Annie.



Pierce chuckled.  "Reminds me of the time I was driving down the highway and Christie Brinkley started flirting with me..."

 

 

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...On the Side



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"It's gonna scar!  Ow."



Britta rolled her eyes.  "I don't think so, you big baby."



Scowling at Britta, Annie gently dabbed at the blood on Jeff's cheek, while he occupied himself with glaring at Britta.  "I don't think it's going to scar."



"It had better not.  This face?  Is a masterpiece.  I haven't spent this much time and money moisturizing and getting the perfect five-o-clock shadow just to be--"



"I don't know..." Annie's lips curved up in a shy smile, "scars are kinda sexy."



Jeff's gaze slid to Annie.  "Are they?"



"Ugh!  You guys would flirt over mashed potatoes!"

 

 

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Mental Males



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"No, it really is an intervention, Jeff."



"Oh, come on, you guys!  So, I watch a lot of Mad Men.  So, what?"



"In what episode did Pete cheat on his wife?" Troy asked.



"Uh, trick question.  He cheated a lot."



Pierce rolled his eyes.  "Come on, Jeffrey.  We all see it.  Everyone but you and Boobs."



Annie huffed at Pierce.  "That's because there's nothing to see."



"...yeah."  Jeff avoided Annie's gaze.



Shirley gasped.  "He does see it!  For shame, Jeffrey.  You're going to hell."



"The Special Hell," Abed added, sharing a nod with Troy.



"Six seasons and a movie, buddy."

 

 

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Life, As Remembered



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"It's not like I can just walk up to Annie, tell her she's swell and ask her to the sock hop."



"Why not?  Worked in my day."



"So did-- wait.  Did you just add a decade to your age?"



Pierce's eyes widened as he poked Jeff in the shoulder.  "No.  You're stupid."



Jeff stared at Pierce.  "I didn't--"



"Whatever, gay boy.  I'm outtie."



Watching Pierce leave, Jeff sighed and shook his head.  "And now he's spouting slang from 15 years ago.  And I'm talking to myself in an empty auditorium.  Hey, my voice is kind of sexy in here."

 

 

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Things Pierce Shouldn't Be Allowed Near



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"...dig up a corpse and--"



"What are we doing?" Annie asked as she sat across from Britta, who, with the rest of the group, was staring at Pierce with varying degrees of 'what the hell?' face.  "Going on a corpse robbing mission?"



Pierce made a face, though he never looked up from his phone.  "Well, that's just sick.  Oh, Dirty Sanchez.  That looks interesting."



"Uh, Pierce.  I wouldn't--" Jeff began, but Pierce tilted his head to the side.



"DILLIGAF, Jeff?"



Jeff rolled his eyes and leaned past the chair beside him toward Annie.  He lowered his voice, eyes stuck on Pierce.  "He's discovered the Urban Dictionary."



"Oh, no!" Annie laughed, smacking her hand over her mouth.



"Don't encourage," Jeff warned her in a hiss.  "He's disturbing enough without help."



"Hey, Jeff, this one's about you!  Textual intercourse.  And this one's about you and Annie; Googly Eyes.  Hahaha, Duckfoot!  I've had that.  Oh, and, hey, Ay-bed, have you had your v-card stamped yet?"  He looked around the room, eyes wild, excitement just a little too high.  "This thing is awesome!  I'm gonna put 'streets ahead' on here!"



"You grab his phone, I'll get his arms," Troy yelled, jumping up.