[Joey x Chandler] COMPILATION OF SHORT STORIES FROM AO3

Keeping Score

Chandler finally staggers out of bed around noon while Joey's cooking breakfast. Joey gives him a cordial smile and flips some eggs onto a plate that he pushes toward Chandler. "Mornin', Chandler!"

Chandler grumbles something Joey assumes is supposed to be a greeting and sits at the foosball table. His mouth is all pouty and frowny in a way that would be cute if he hadn't been mopey all week after breaking up with Kathy.

"I, uh, I made your favorite..." Joey says, hoping to spark some sort of conversation. "Y'know, with the hole in the middle..."

Chandler glances down at the plate in front of him. A twitch of a smile forms at the corner of his mouth. "Thanks, Joe."

"You want a pancake?" Chandler doesn't answer, but Joey decides to give him one anyway, because who doesn't want pancakes? Joey flips Chandler a pancake that soars over the table and slaps him in the face. "Oops. I'm gettin' closer, though!" Chandler lets it fall onto his plate, a frown still etched onto his mouth.

But Joey's prepared for Chandler's angry silence. "So, hey," he starts, "I called your work and told 'em you were sick today."

"Wh—why?"

"'Cause I got plans for us!" He's grinning as he fixes himself a plate and sits across from Chandler. Chandler's still stuck on scowling mode, but there's a hint of confusion to it that wasn't there before.

"What kind of plans?"

"Anything you want! We can see a movie, or go to a game, or just sit around here and watch TV or somethin'. Whatever you wanna do."

Chandler sighs. "Why can't I just be sad, Joe?"

"'Cause I don't like seein' you sad. I mean, it's been, what, a week? How much longer are you gonna be sad before you start livin' again like a normal person?"

Chandler rolls his eyes and bites his lips together in that way of his when he knows he's wrong but still wants to argue anyway. Joey offers up a hopeful smile that melts some of Chandler's pessimism. "Alright, fine," he drags out. "We can do something. But I'm not gonna be happy about it."

Chandler's refusal to change out of his sweatpants keeps them inside the apartment, so Joey writes "do not disturb" on the Magna-Doodle and sticks it on the other side of the front door. He doesn't mind the others stopping by, but this is his day to do something nice for Chandler, and he wants to be a little selfish here and take all the credit for himself.

He pulls out Chandler's collection of Star Trek tapes and tries not to ask too many questions about the hot alien chicks and why Spock has pointy ears. Chandler seems to warm to his curiousity though, and doesn't act too huffy and exasperated when he has to explain something. Over the course of the afternoon, Joey sees Chandler's mood begin to lift, and his mouth's quirked into a small smile that evening as Joey's heating up some soup on the stove.

"We can watch something else, y'know," Chandler says, spinning his chair around to face Joey.

Joey shrugs. "If you want."

Chandler waits a moment, as if thinking it over, before he starts flipping channels in hopes of finding something. Joey doesn't pay much attention until Chandler's saying, "Hey, Joe, look! It's your favorite movie!"

Joey has to look, and he grins in recognition of the flick. "Aw, yeah, The Shining!"

Chandler does an excited little head-bob thing before he tips his chair back as he settles in. Joey fixes each of them a bowl of soup and takes his seat beside Chandler. Joey wouldn't call this his favorite movie by any means, but he likes that Chandler thought about something Joey might be interested in; Chandler's always been thoughtful like that, even when he doesn't have to be.