The Rules of Engagement

Earlier in the afternoon, Monica hatched a plan for Chandler to come over to her apartment for some "goofing around". He did not need much convincing, and jumped at the opportunity for an overnight rendezvous when she called him at his office and brought it up. Monica had it all worked out. She usually got back from the restaurant after midnight when she worked a dinner shift. Once she got home, she would move around the apartment for a little while to unwind from the long day. Sometimes she would simply watch a little television or do a light clean up in the kitchen. She knew that if Chandler came over, and Rachel had overheard them, she probably would not suspect that anything was out of the ordinary and just assume it was Monica doing some last minute chores before bed. Chandler poked his head in the door around 1am, and the two of them then spent the rest of the night in her bedroom, doing their best to keep quiet while they had sex. They would take breaks and sometimes even fall asleep for a few minutes, but they always tried to enjoy one last, tender round of lovemaking before the sun came up.

Monica and Chandler relished this time alone, early in the morning, long before anyone else would be awake. They would lie next to each other (sometimes on top of each other), talking and laughing and trying to squeeze every last precious second from the clock in an attempt to maximize their time together. In these early morning hours, they could be themselves without pretense, with no filter on their quirks, no interruptions from their friends forcing them to act as if this wonderful magic between them did not exist. It was this little, private world that only the two of them inhabited throughout the night. A safe place to unapologetically be themselves with each other. A place where they found someone who actually liked them for who they were, and not who they pretended to be. It was almost as rewarding as the amazing sex they had been having. Almost.

Chandler knew he was going to have to leave soon and sneak back to his apartment. It was a strange time of the night for him. He hated to leave and would become anxious at the prospect of trying to escape undetected, but he was also completely mollified and at peace, lying in Monica's bed, side to side with this beautiful woman who enjoyed getting naked with him. He did not want to let that go even as the sun started to poke it's rays of light into the room. He never liked to be awake at this hour. He is not someone who got up early during the week and saw the sunrise. Instead, he would wring every last drop of sleep out of the morning. Now that he has been with Monica, that has all changed. He woke up giddy, no matter what hour it was, knowing that in a few short moments he would soon be rolling around in bed with her. Suddenly, it seemed that being awake with her, and watching the sun bathe her face with dawn's light, was the perfect way to start his day.

These late nights and early mornings should exhaust him, yet, Monica filled him with energy, and he never waned during these clandestine meetings. Although, by late afternoon, sitting in his office, a wave of exhaustion would wash over him, and he found himself sneaking naps at his desk behind closed doors. He was surprised that he still had an office to go to. Ever since they returned from London, he has called in sick, left work early, and shown up late. As far as Chandler was concerned, any inconvenience on his job due to his time with Monica was a non-issue. He simply did not care if he were fired. Oddly enough, over these last few weeks, he started to get more positive recognition from the senior staff. He wondered if his job was much easier than he had thought, or if they thought that perhaps, he was dying.

Monica's work schedule was more fluid that Chandler's, and the late nights had not bothered her too much since she has always survived on very little sleep. four or five hours a night was already pretty common for her. She did, from time-to-time take a quick nap on the couch in the afternoon before she had to go to the restaurant. But most days, Monica's go-to method for getting rejuvenated has always been her baths. A good soak with the right oils and perfect combination of scents had always been better for her than any nap she had ever taken. Both of them gladly suffered through a lack of sleep. Ever since Phoebe had the triplets and everything was getting back to normal, it had become harder to stay consistent with their sexual encounters. Especially during the day. They tended to sneak off to Chandler's room most nights, but Monica was a creature of habit, and she liked to sleep in her own bed. Her room always smelled nice, and her sheets were soft, and her pillows were clean. She simply preferred her place over his, even after Chandler reluctantly let her tidy up his room, which turned into a total home makeover. He didn't mind though, if new sheets and a few extra pillows was the price he had to pay to ensure a naked Monica Gellar would be in his room, then he would gladly oblige.

Monica and Chandler were actually proud of how much sex they were still capable of having right underneath everyone's nose, and they were still amazed at how sexually compatible they were. With Monica's newfound love of quickies, and Chandler's constant desire for her, they were able to have explosively satisfying, if risky, trysts almost every day and night. Constantly fearful of getting caught as they get one in quick before one of their other friends came around. Even when everyone was there in the apartment, they could not seem to control themselves, and were often overcome with passion and desire, leading to the two of them sneaking out the door sharing intimate kisses in the hallway under the guise of throwing out the trash.

The nights that they could sneak into each other's room were when they found themselves having the most time together. Often ending with thirty minutes or so of just lying in bed together, kissing, talking, laughing, and sharing light touches. They haven't admitted it to themselves yet, but these quiet moments are why they have been deliriously happy since they started their affair. The intimacy they experience as they lie in each other's arms has made everything more intense. They tell each other secrets. They shared their honest opinions about the other people in their lives. They admitted to and then defended each other from their own doubts and insecurities. They listened intently, were patient, and were genuinely kind to one another during these stolen instances at dawn. In these moonlight conversations, they revealed their true selves in a way they have never done before with anyone else. Both of them already comfortable with each other thanks to their long friendship, and now, with sex and true intimacy introduced into the equation, many more walls have come down. False modesty, bravado, anxiety, self-doubt; it all disappears when they were lying together like this.

Neither of them have been able to put to voice what they are feeling about this thing happening between them, and they both have real fear and trepidation about moving too far too fast. They have both had very little success dating before, and over the years they have shared countless dating horror stories with each other, reflecting on why it has always been so difficult for them to find love. Strangely enough, their shared experiences seemed to only strengthen their bond instead of work against them. Yet, this budding relation is built on more than just commiseration in misery. They like each other. They are interested in each other. They find each other funny. They have always laughed together, giggling over jokes they have told, trying to one-up the other's latest quip. There was joy in their daily interactions, that has only turned into bliss now that they were sleeping together.

Chandler was proving himself to be a good listener, which Monica had always known, but was still pleasantly surprised with. He wasn't like most men. He did not care about his job, and he never felt the need to release all of the tension that would build up for most people during the workday. It had allowed Monica to unload, almost nightly, in a way she never could before with anyone else. Normally, when she would talk about work with Rachel or Phoebe, as well-intentioned as they could be, they seemed to be waiting for their turn to talk. Chandler though took the time to listen to her. He would often deflect this earnest part of himself with a joke.

"Well, if I listen to your work stories after sex, then I get to hang out with the hot, naked lady who just had sex with me."

But it wasn't true. He actually paid attention and offered her thoughtful insight, which was a side of himself he rarely showed. Monica enjoyed having this version of him all to herself. This serious man who cared about her and what she had to say. This smart, attentive person who was so far removed from the nervous, anxiety-riddled jokester she had been accustomed to interacting with over the last couple of years.

For her part, Monica was good at making Chandler get to the point and stay on topic. She was not domineering or controlling, she just had this ability to keep him focused. If he did bring a problem to her and started to digress, she could keep him engaged enough to finish his point and she often helped him work it out. It was like she could decode his more self-sabotaging tendencies and find the center inside him. Unlocking this really wonderful man that was hiding inside. In moments like these, where they lied together, their legs entwined and their hands resting on each other's bodies, nothing else mattered anyway. Nothing else existed.

"So, can you really call in sick this much?"

Chandler looked down and kissed Monica on the top of her head. "Well, I guess we'll find out."

"Chandler."

"Look Mon, it's totally worth it. I can sleep in for a few hours and regain my strength and then after everyone goes to work later, no one will be in the apartment. That's just prime goofing around time."

They both laughed quietly as Monica rested her head on his chest. "Okay. I guess since Joey is going to be gone all day it makes sense."

"Maybe we should figure out a plan to optimize our time together, you know? Figure out everyone's work schedule." Chandler paused for a moment and feigned a concerned look. "Oh my god I sound like you."

Monica laughed and playfully slapped him on the chest, but then flashed him a sober expression as she picked her head up to look at him.

"Wait. Are you serious? Like a schedule where we can figure out who is around at what time?"

Chandler smiled. "Well, maybe that's a stupid idea. Who wants to have a coordinated, color-coded schedule where you keep track of all the optimal times you can have sex? I mean, how hot can cross-referencing charts before sex be?" He paused again and looked down at Monica. "Are you breathing heavy?"

"I think you might have just given me another orgasm." Monica sat up and pointed at him. "Is all this talk about making a sex binder just a way of asking to have more sex now? Because let me tell you, talking about color coordinating a schedule and making a sex binder is how you get more sex."

Chandler laughed and pulled Monica back down to lay beside him. He gave her a gentle squeeze as he wrapped his arms around her. It fell quiet and he looked down at her.

"Wait, were you being serious about more sex? Because we probably have about twelve minutes before I have to go."

Monica leaned up a bit, looked him in the eyes and bit her lip seductively. "Okay!"

Chandler bent down to look for his sock under the bed. He scanned the room quickly and saw Monica pulling out a thin binder from her closet. She already had a fistful of colored pens and some labeled dividers under her arm.

"Mon, what are you doing?"

She looked at him and sheepishly ducked her head into her shoulders. "Well, okay, don't laugh at me, but I'm making us a sex binder."

"Mon, I wasn't being serious about that." Chandler put his hand on her shoulder and gave her a sympathetic look. "Isn't the idea of a sex binder a bit ridiculous?"

Monica looked up sharply at him. "Being organized is not ridiculous. It's just good sense. Besides, we might be able to figure out how to have more sex."

Chandler shook his head, but then his eyes opened wide with excitement.

"More sex? I'll be right back! I'm going to go get Joey's date book!"

He gave her a quick kiss and ran out of her bedroom.