Phoebe open her eyes, blinking a few times as her eyes adjusted to the light that poured in through the gap in the curtains. She looked around her new room briefly before hearing Joey in the kitchen. She got up and put her hair up in a loose bun before going out to join him. As she walked out she saw him stood at the cooker, flipping a pancake.
"Ah morning, I was just about to come wake you," Joey said briefly smiling at her as he put pancakes onto a plate.
"Oh how come?" Phoebe asked stretching as she yawned.
"Well," Joey said putting the plate in front of her, "I made you breakfast."
A smile spread across Phoebe's face, "aw Joey that's so sweet of you."
"Yeah well I wanted my new guest to feel welcome," he said placing the golden syrup in front of her.
"Well I feel very welcome, thank you," Phoebe said sitting down.
"No problem," Joey said grinning, "I've got an audition in a bit."
"Really? Good luck, I'll be sending positive vibes," Phoebe said taking a mouth of her pancake.
"Thanks Pheebs," Joey replied genuinely happy, "anyway I better go get changed, you're lucky I'm even clothed, do you know what day it is?"
"Thursday?" Phoebe said confused.
"Yeah, Thursday, naked Thursday, but I'll wait until the welcoming wears off before I introduce you to that," Joey said winking, "I don't think you're quite ready for it yet."
Phoebe gave a small nod as she smiled and pursed her lips together, looking down slightly suppressing a small laugh at the thought.
Joey walked into his room to get changed, leaving Phoebe in the kitchen. Phoebe continued to eat her pancakes continuing to think about naked Thursday's a bit too much. When she finally realised what she was thinking about she jumped and shook her head.
By the time she finished her breakfast Joey was changed and ready to leave.
"Alright, I'll be back in a bit, I gave you the spare key right?" Joey asked.
"No you told me you lost it and you'd get another one cut for me yesterday," Phoebe reminded him.
"Ah shit," Joey said, "right straight after the audition I'll go get the key cut for you, do you wanna leave and go Monica's or something so I can lock up or you stay here till I get back from the audition?"
"I'll go over to Monica's, just give me five minutes," Phoebe said getting up.
"Okay," Joey said sitting down.
Phoebe put on her usual eccentric choice of clothing and sorted her hair, putting on her makeup.
"I'm ready," Phoebe said coming out of her bedroom.
Joey saw her and instantly smiled, it was almost like a reflex lately and it wasn't controllable either, he just continued to smile not saying a word.
"You okay Joey?" Phoebe asked with a worried look on her face.
Joey snapped out of his smile, "yeah fine, you ready?"
"Yeah I just said I was," Phoebe replied.
"Oh," Joey said standing up and opening the door for her.
"Aw, still such a gentleman," Phoebe said walking out, patting her hand across his chest.
"Yeah that won't change Pheebs," Joey said flashing a grin at her, again.
"What not even on naked Thursday's?" she asked teasingly as he locked the door.
He turned around and chuckled, not realising how close he was to her.
"Well, maybe then, just a little bit," he said slowly in a throaty voice, just as teasingly.
Phoebe had to catch her breath for a second and then had to re-catch it when she looked him in the eye.
The corners of his mouth turned upwards when he saw the effect it had on her.
Phoebe managed to get a hold herself and she playfully pushed him, "well then I'm not sure I want to meet this naked Thursday Joey."
"Ah you will Pheebs, everyone wants to eventually," he said as walked to the stairs, "I'll see you later yeah?"
"Yeah, good luck," Phoebe called after him as he went out of sight.
Phoebe spent most of her day at Central Perk, after Monica had left for work, attempting to write new songs. She couldn't seem to get Joey out of her head and it left her confused. Sure she had always found Joey attractive but when did he start taking this effect on her? She couldn't possibly have feelings for him, he was her best friend. Sure the others were her best friends too but out of all of the group she always felt closest to him, like he was the one who really understood her quirky ways. That was what it was, she was just so close to him that she had mixed up her feelings. She eventually gave up trying to write songs and went back up to Monica's where Rachel was.
"Hi Pheebs," Rachel said as she walked in.
"Hey," Phoebe replied sitting down on the couch.
"How was your first night living with Joey?" she asked.
"Yeah it was actually great, he made me pancakes this morning before he left for his audition," Phoebe responded.
"Aw that's sweet of him, staying at Monica's is okay but she's already getting picky about the mess I make, but it's not anything I wasn't used to before."
"Yeah, I don't think I'd be able to handle it," Phoebe said.
"It's hard work, believe me," Rachel replied laughing.
She stayed there for dinner when Monica and Chandler got back before deciding to go see Joey and ask him how the audition went. She knocked on the door and waited for an answer, but nothing. She knocked again, this time louder but there was still no answer. Wondering why he was back yet Phoebe went back over to Monica's.
"Back so soon?"Monica asked as Phoebe walked back in.
"Yeah, Joey's out and I've got no key," Phoebe said, "Chandler you don't have a spare key do you?"
"No he was supposed to give that key to you," Chandler said.
"Yeah he lost it, he was supposed to get another one cut yesterday but he forgot and so he said he's do it today."
"Oh well you're free to hang out here until he gets back," Monica said.
"Well duh that was the plan, what were you gonna do send me out into the hall?"
Monica raised her eyebrows, "well you're welcome."
Phoebe hung out there for a few more hours, listening out for Joey. At about twelve she decided to go back and try again, she banged on the door, slightly frustrated. There was still no answer. She went back to Monica's annoyed as she slumped on the couch.
"Is he still not there?" Monica asked.
"No, do you reckon he's alright?" Phoebe questioned.
"Yeah I'm sure he's fine, he may have had a bad audition and gone to a bar or something," Monica said.
"Probably, it wouldn't be the first time," Phoebe said yawning.
"Sweetie I'd offer to stay up with you but I've work early tomorrow morning, you're welcome to sleep on the couch if you need to."
"Yeah, thanks," Phoebe said lying down on the couch and resting her head on a pillow.
"I'll go get you some blankets," Monica said disappearing into her room for a few seconds.
"There you go," Monica said handing them to her.
"Thanks Mon'," Phoebe said letting out another yawn.
"Night Phoebe," she said as she made her way to her room.
"Night Monica," Phoebe replied sleepily allowing her eyes to close.
Phoebe woke up the next morning immediately wondering if Joey was finally home. Not bothering to check the time she went over to her apartment and banged on the door repeatedly. After the sixth or seventh bang she heard movement from within the apartment. She kept banging until the door opened. She went to shout at Joey but then stopped when she saw a woman stood in front of her.
The woman stepped outside the apartment.
"I was just leaving, you're not Joey's girlfriend are you?" she asked looking worried.
"No, no just his room mate," Phoebe replied.
"Okay, well tell Joey I'll call him, I've got to get ready for work."
"Uhuh will do," Phoebe said bluntly, too pissed at Joey to care.
"Okay, um, thanks," she said nervously hurrying off.
Phoebe slammed the door behind her as she walked in hoping to wake Joey. She stood at his bedroom door and listened hearing the sound of him softly snoring. She pounded her fist against his door. She heard Joey jump from the other side of the door, his footsteps quickly getting closer.
He opened his door with the bed sheet wrapped around his waist.
Joey saw Phoebe's face and suddenly became scared.
"Now listen Pheebs, I'm really really sorry-" Joey began.
"You left me all night Joey, all night! I stayed at Monica's, you do know that the arrangement was supposed to be that I was staying at yours?" Phoebe said her arms crossed tightly across her chest.
"Look Phoebe, if you'll just let me explain-"
"You have thirty seconds."
"Okay, uh, um, I had one the worst auditions I've ever had yesterday, so I went to a bar to try and cheer myself up, I met this really cute girl, I'm not sure where she is now, but anyway one thing led to another and she wanted me to go back to her place, I kept trying to convince her to come back to mine because I knew I had to let you in, but I was pretty drunk at this point and after a few more drinks she caved in and came back with me but by then I had completely forgotten about why we had to go to my apartment."
"That was forty seconds," Phoebe said.
"Phoebe, were you even listening at all, I really am sorry, I was just on such a downer, I'm sorry, I won't ever do it again," Joey said practically pleading for her forgiveness.
Phoebe paused for a long while and then sighed, "just please don't do that again, I'm guessing you didn't get the key either?"
"No, sorta slipped my mind, sorry," Joey said guiltily.
"Stop saying sorry," Phoebe said walking away from him and into her room, she was still way too pissed to talk to him.
Joey rubbed his face, taking a deep breath.
