Chapter Text
[Gray Timeline]
Jeff ignores Abed entirely in favour of following Shirley out of the room, and Annie follows on his heels. Britta grabs a slice of pizza in either hand to appease her munchies and runs after them.
"I hope Shirley's okay," Troy says, staring after them.
"Of course she will be," Pierce says gruffly, sounding oddly respectful. "She's a strong woman, she'll pull through. You should open the present I got you."
"I don't think that's a good idea," Abed says quickly.
"Why not?" Troy asks.
"It's a pretty obvious play off the unwanted gift trope. Or maybe chekhov's gun. Pierce is still upset that you're moving out of his mansion. What are the chances of something good being in the box?"
"Oh, yeah." Troy hands the box back to Pierce. "Thanks anyway, man."
He and Abed do the handshake while Pierce mutters angrily to himself. Shirley shuffles back into the room with the others on her heels, Britta wiping her empty hands on her pants.
"I'd like to apologise," she says, standing up straighter, a habit leftover from attending AA meetings. "I shouldn't have snapped at all of you."
Abed pretty much tunes her out after that. Shirley's a good person, her apology is sincere, it doesn't matter what the exact contents are and he has more important things to worry about. There's a group hug when she finishes speaking, and after they pull away the others sit back down at the table, but Abed pulls Pierce aside. "What's in the box?"
"That's none of your business."
"Pierce," Abed says darkly. "Anything you try to bring into this apartment is my business. What. Is. In. The. Box?"
"I, well, um." Pierce puffs his chest up and then deflates. "It's a traditional Norweigan troll. Troy seemed particularly fond of it when he was living in my mansion."
"I see," Abed says. He looks over his shoulder. "Troy, how do you feel about Norweigan Trolls?"
Troy's eyes go round and frightened and he shakes his head and refuses to answer.
"That's what I thought," Abed says. He looks at Pierce levelly. "You're going to help me dispose of it before it causes any harm."
"Excuse me?"
"I did. Once. But I won't twice. Outside, now." He gives Pierce a push toward the door and Pierce mutters but he carries the box outside anyway. Abed snags Troy's arm on his way through, barely dragging his attention away from Britta. "How do you defeat one?"
"One what?"
"A Norweigan Troll."
"Oh," Troy says distractedly. "Um. Well, you're supposed to eat it. Cut it up into little pieces if it's not doing anything actively evil. Keep a bit of it's hair if it dies easily, cos that's a good luck charm. I think. I'm not sure on that last one."
"Okay." He lets go and is pretty sure Troy doesn't even notice him following Pierce outside.