So normal people party or hang out on their birthdays, but I'm not a normal person so instead I wrote a Friends one shot! The general idea has been in my head for a little while so I've decided to write something about it. It's set somewhere between season 1 and 4 as Chandler and Monica are not together, and it's inspired by that time the friends decided to throw a surprise party for Rachel's birthday weeks before it, and she said that even Chandler's birthday was before hers. As they all looked surprised (they clearly didn't remember) and Chandler just uncomfortable, I thought that they could very well have forgotten about it another year.
It's not against the five other friends, but I find that sometimes Chandler is not really included/noticed (like when Monica said they were all together and they told her that Chandler wasn't here so nope, or the episode with Chandler's glasses and everyone thinking he used to have a pair and Ross and Monica thinking he was a lefty, etc.) so why not write about it! I hope you'll like :)
The phone was ringing too loud in the living-room. Chandler had thought about ignoring it, but just so it would stop, he stood to pick it up. As he walked out of his bedroom, the apartment's door flew open and Monica entered, smiling when she saw him.
"Hey Chandler! Are you okay?" she asked, taking in his state. He looked exhausted, as if he hadn't slept the night before or had had the worst day ever, and he was already in his boxers and a too-large sweater. He shrugged to answer, sitting on one of the stools in front of the kitchen counter. "Aren't you going to answer that?" she smiled, pointing at the phone, hoping to lighten his mood.
Before he could answer her, the phone beeped, Joey and Chandler's answering machine put the recorded message and there was a sigh right away.
"Hello son." Chandler froze, his eyes and mouth wide-opened, wondering how to react. He didn't want Monica to hear the message his father was about to leave, but he certainly didn't want to pick up the phone. He really didn't want Monica to know why his father called but his refusal to speak to his father won and he simply sighed, waiting for Monica to react at the words he knew were coming. "I won't be long this time, but I just wanted to wish you a happy birthday. I hope you're fine and that we'll talk someday soon. I love you."
Indeed, the message was short, for once. His father had left more than one message too long for the capacity of the phone. He was usually the one to delete them, and he wasn't sure Joey had really realized that his father tried to call him often. His messages were more and more spaced, but he still called for the important dates – both their birthdays, Christmas, and a couple more, but never Thanksgiving.
The thing was, it was Chandler Bing's birthday that day, but nobody had even acknowledged it, let alone wish it to him, and he had prayed that nobody would notice. Now Monica was staring at him with a mix of pity and confusion, and he hated it. He felt bad enough about it himself – that his best friends wouldn't even care about his birthday – and he certainly didn't want the whole group to feel bad about it as well. He really, really, didn't want to deal with pity and belated wishes now.
Although he had known nothing would happen when nobody had said anything, he had still hoped they would do something for him in the evening, a little surprise party maybe. He didn't want much, it wasn't his favorite date either and he didn't really care, but the idea of his friends not caring about it hurt.
Of course, they were a group of six friends always hanging out together, all living close together, and they all had flaws and behaviors that were more or less accepted by the group. Well, it was usually accepted, but could be criticized. Phoebe always would be the weird one, sometimes annoying them. Joey would always be rather dumb or slow to understand, and they would always tease him about it. Monica had her obsessive need to clean things, and they also sometimes mocked her about it. Chandler was classified as bad with women, and probably joking too much sometimes, which was more than okay with him.
He was less okay with the fact that they seem to forget a lot of things about him, or failed to notice them. Nobody could even remember his job. Maybe that one was his own fault, he had told them it was only a temporary job, and he probably didn't say the name that much. But his birthday... The group always did something for birthdays, whether it was a party with friends, sometimes colleagues, or just the six of them, there always was something. Not for Chandler, apparently.
But he had been okay with it by the end of the day. So what, it was only one day? He really didn't like his birthday much – even less now – and he didn't want anyone to wish it. Except some of his colleagues who had offered him a new stapler – even his colleagues remembered! – but he had guessed that checking their calendars daily must have helped them remember. Even if he knew that Rachel always did that, he had tried to ignore that particular thought, the fact that she hadn't even really written down his birthday, apparently, hurting a bit more.
And now Monica knew, and the whole group will know, and he had been so close to finishing the day without anyone noticing.
He could easily read Monica's eyes as they stared at each other. She was trying to come up with something to say. Maybe that they had planned a party the day after, making him believe they had forgotten. Maybe that they had joked around because he joked with them all the time. There were different ways to lie about it.
But Chandler knew it would be a lie, because she clearly had no idea about his birthday, and he knew that none of his best friends had a damn clue of what day it was – or what was happening on that day.
When she opened her mouth, he realized that he wasn't up to any bad lie, he didn't even want to play along and pretend he believed her. And he didn't want to see her, with guilt eating her face as she chewed on her lower lip.
He lifted his hand to stop her, pursing his lips and trying not to sound angry. He wasn't, actually. Maybe exhausted. Disappointed, at best. "It's okay," he said, smiling reassuringly.
"We..." she started, not convinced by her lie before it was even out.
"Mon," he simply sighed. He shook his head, and turned to retreat to his bedroom. He turned again and picked up the phone, deleting his father's message. "I'm gonna go to bed, good night," he nodded, quickly leaving.
"Chandler," she burst before he could disappear in his reassuring bedroom. He sighed, running a hand through his hair and knowing he wouldn't be able to avoid a discussion with her.
"Look... You've all been busy and it's not a big deal. So you forgot once? I forget lots of things too," he started, ready to put up a list, but he couldn't really think of anything in particular at the moment. "I probably forgot more than one of your birthdays, or... It just happens, okay?"
He wasn't angry at her for forgetting – maybe a little – but he really didn't want to have this conversation and he knew he would be harsh if she forced him into it. It was Monica, which meant that she would insist to talk so he would probably regret the following conversation.
"You never forgot anything... Maybe your gifts aren't the best, but you always remember."
"Well, guess I have less on my mind..." He rubbed his face and took one of Monica's hands in his own, pressing it against his chest. "Look... Please don't tell anyone, okay? They'll just feel sorry and there'll be tension in the air. You want to do something for me on my birthday? Keep it to yourself and please, please let me just... go sleep. And forget that this ever happened."
She seemed to hesitate, then looked away. She wasn't really in the strongest position. She had been the best friend who had forgotten about his birthday, she couldn't really tell him what to do or not. She squeezed his hands then nodded slightly.
"Thank you," he sighed. "I'll see you tomorrow. And really, I don't mind." Except he did, but who cared? Probably not his five friends who had forgotten about it, he sarcastically commented to himself.
"Chandler?" she called after him again, and he turned again, smiling this time. She walked to him and put one hand on his arm, tip toeing to kiss him on the cheek. He leaned in the kiss without meaning to, closing his eyes as it lingered. "Happy birthday," she whispered and left him alone.
She probably wasn't aware that Chandler had just wanted something that simple for his birthday, and she never saw the smile on his face after she left, but he was grateful that she had done it. His birthday didn't seem so bad now.
Oh and if you liked this, I could try to write a following where the friends try to make it up for forgetting his birthday ;)