[Joey x Chandler] COMPILATION OF SHORT STORIES FROM AO3

TOW He's Back

It was almost as if he had never left. Chandler was beaming through his losses at the little foosball game they were playing, a twinkle in his eyes and everything. And Joey couldn't control that peculiar explosive feeling that was constricting his insides, making his stomach do abnormal things and his face hurt a little from too much uncontrollable smiling.

After the game, they watched some TV and small talked for hours until it seemed to be late enough for them to go to bed. Joey shouldn't, but he couldn't help remembering that moment when he had entered this apartment to find the mail moved to another spot, Chandler eating some other dude's food, looking like he was in heaven. He'd never imagined something like that would hurt so much. He knew he shouldn't but he had to ask.

"Hey, Chandler... Um... Eddie... before going nuts and everything, did you think he was a better roommate than me?"

Chandler looked at him incredulously, and Joey could swear the annoyance flashing across his mind was visible.

"What?"

"Joey. Are you seriously asking me this?"

"Well, yeah... What's the problem with the question?"

"It's a stupid question!" Chandler's good mood shifted so abruptly with the inquiry Joey confirmed his earlier thoughts. He shouldn't have said anything.

"What's so stupid about it?"

"Joey! That guy was insane. I was expecting to have my name on the news any time soon."

"You say that, but when I came in the other day you seemed to be enjoying his company..." Joey trailed off sheepishly, eyes glued to the ground. If possible, that annoyed Chandler even more.

"You had left! You're making it sound like I pushed you out of the apartment and replaced you with some random guy!"

"I know that's not what happened, Chandler! I know I was the one who left, you don't need to bring this up every time."

"I mentioned this exactly twice."

"And I hope it stops right there. Why are you so annoyed anyway, I'm just..." Yeah, continuing this conversation didn't sound like the smartest idea. "You know what, never mind."

"Thank God."

"Okay." He turned on his heels, heading for his former-but-now-current-again room.

"Great." Chandler did the same.

Both doors slammed loudly simultaneously.

Why was Chandler so weird, Joey kept asking himself the same question over and over again. He took all his clothes off; by his reckoning, it was indeed the perfect moment to go to sleep. He'd just come back and already managed to fight with Chandler. His roommate was weird, sure, but Joey knew he really shouldn't have asked anything in the first place.

As he crawled onto his bed, he faintly heard some noises that indicated Chandler was probably taking a shower, readying himself to go to bed too. Well, tomorrow we'll be okay, he thought as he got under the covers.

Dozing off in a minute, Joey was about to get louder in his snoring when he was startled by some knocking. He wrapped the covers around his waist and opened the door of the bedroom to find his best friend in his bathrobe, fidgeting a little. Joey almost spoke first, ready to stop Chandler right there, oh man if you want to fight let's do this tomorrow please I wanna sleep, but Chandler beat him to it and ended up speaking first.

"I really missed you." Chandler glanced at Joey's eyes as he said that, looking utterly uncomfortable, his gaze briefly moving to another direction right after. Joey somehow sensed there was more, so he just waited. They locked eyes again. "You're the best roommate I could ask for, and I'm really glad you're back. I really missed you."

It was hard to swallow the lump that formed in his throat, but Joey had to if he wanted to answer his friend properly.

"You have no idea how much I missed you."

They stared at each other for a second, shining eyes and soft smiles equally dominating their faces, but suddenly both were clearing their throats, pointing to their rooms, lousily informing each other they were going to bed.

Joey plopped on his mattress, staring at the ceiling in the dark room, smiling to himself. Being back sure felt amazing.