[Joey x Chandler] COMPILATION OF SHORT STORIES FROM AO3

TOW He's Gone

They've finished their coffee and said goodbye. Rachel was living with Ross again, so they left to their house. Phoebe was married to Mike, then she left when everybody else did. And, most importantly, the apartment across the hall was now completely empty. Joey felt the urge to get there and chat a little more with his best friends, the impulse so natural after many years of doing so, but he knew they wouldn't be there anymore. It hurt a little, although he's made peace with that feeling. He didn't want them to move out, but he understood their need to leave the big city, especially now with the twins and everything.

He would be alone more often from that moment on, which would obviously give him more free time than usual; he wasn't sure what good would come of it though.

It had just happened that day, but he already missed being thirty seconds away from his favorite married couple. He already missed Chandler.

Whenever Joey thought about Chandler, he was devoured by some long-term feelings, and he was sure he would never feel anything like this for anyone else. Ever.

Joey liked women, he was also sure of that, but whatever it was he felt for Chandler was much more urgent, much steadier, and way stronger than his feelings for his past crushes and love interests.

He wasn't really jealous of Monica. He wasn't even sure he wanted to have that kind of relationship with the guy; he'd never allowed himself to dwell on it. He just wanted to be around Chandler as much as possible, and he'd been able to do so for years. Chandler was more than The Best Friend. He was more than family. He was much more than a potential significant other. What Chandler represented, Joey couldn't really put a finger on it. He just knew whatever he felt for that mess of a man was out of this world, and something he would never want to replace. He would always keep those feelings intact inside him, like an altar on those church thingies or something.

Moments like this, Joey could never wrap his head around the way everybody else acted towards Chandler. Sure, he could be annoying with his incessant line of dumb jokes (half the time he couldn't even understand them), and he was prone to screwing up out of pure anxiety, but his best friend was cool – the coolest ever, dude! –, he was sweet and supportive. Chandler had been there for him since day one. He was certain Monica could see all those things. It was no surprise for him the fact that they got together and stayed together. Everybody thought Chandler was being unbelievably lucky when he had Monica, but Joey knew she was the lucky one. She had quite a man right there.

Chick Jr. and Duck Jr. were letting those cute little noises out, which made Joey remember the last moment he shared with Chandler alone. Chandler himself would say he was bad at moments like this, but Joey digressed. The heat from his best friend's body still lingered on his skin. Hugging Chandler always felt like home. He didn't have a home anymore.

Joey decided to stop this train of thought – he was never fit for living in Bitter Town. He wasn't even bitter, really. He was happy for him, for them. Chandler finally had everything he'd always wanted; he was finally feeling safe, with a good, happy family, and Joey, more than anyone else, knew how much his friend deserved happiness.

He just missed home.