[Takes place during the Vegas trip. Just assume that no hand-twin plot occurred, so that Joey has more time to spend with Chandler. (I always thought the hand-twin plot was ridiculously dumb, anyway.)]
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After leaving his friends in the lobby, Joey stood in his gladiator costume and waited for more tourists to take pictures with.
Suddenly Chandler caught up to him. "Joe! There you are."
"Chandler? I thought you'd be making up with Monica after your fight."
"Not unless she comes and apologizes to me!" Chandler was still mad that Monica had lunch with her ex-boyfriend Richard.
"But--"
Chandler shook his head and waved it away. "Never mind, Joe! If that's how she wants to be about it, I don't care! I mean, I didn't come to Vegas just for her, you know? I came to see you."
"You did?"
"Of course!" He hugged Joey warmly. "I missed you. Come on, I haven't seen you in a week and you just walk off like that?" He met Joey's eyes uncertainly. "What, did you not really forgive me for what I said about your big break?"
"No, I did," Joey answered. "I just--I thought you'd be with her on your anniversary."
"Tell me about it!" Chandler rolled his eyes. "But I'm not gonna waste my time being pissed about that. Let's go somewhere and talk, Joe."
It did sound nice. "I can't. I'm working."
"Working? You don't need this job, Joe! Just stop waiting around for that movie, and come back to New York."
Joey shrugged. "I don't know." He was thinking about staying away from New York, as a way to let go of Chandler. If only the *Shutter Speed* movie would start up again, so that Joey could become a movie star and move to Hollywood!
"Please, Joe?" Chandler prompted. "Remember how we were supposed to take a road trip to Vegas before you kicked me out of the car? I say we drive back home together to make up for it."
"Really?" he was surprised. "What about Monica?"
"She's got some thinking to do, about whether Richard is more important to her, or me! I'm not gonna just hang around waiting for her to decide."
"But you want to just take off?" he frowned. This didn't sound like Chandler at all.
"Come on, we'll leave a note before we go. Phoebe's here for her, and Ross and Rachel are coming too." He scoffed. "She can even call up Richard for all I care!"
Joey remained torn.
Chandler held him close again. "Come on, it's like we hardly have time for each other anymore." He shook his head in disbelief and dismay. "I mean, how bad is it, when a sandwich means more to you than me?"
About a month ago, during a ride-along with Phoebe's cop boyfriend, Joey had dived to save his sandwich instead of Chandler. Joey didn't know it was still on his mind.
"Okay," he gave in with a shrug.
"Good!" Chandler smiled. "Now where'd you put the map?"
"In the car. I'll show you." They went off together and retrieved the map from the taxicab that Phoebe had loaned to Joey.
"Let's go up to my room and look at it," Chandler said. "You can change out of that silly costume, too."
***
When they were in Chandler's room, Joey changed into regular clothes from a bag that he had left in the trunk of the car, while Chandler spread the map out on the bed and looked at the two routes that Joey had highlighted. "Did you take the northern route when you drove down?"
"Yeah." Joey came and sat on the bed with him.
"Do you wanna go back that way, or take the southern route?"
Joey shrugged. "It doesn't matter. Uh, flip a coin." He knew better now than to play Phoebe's quick-questions game with Chandler. Although part of Joey stubbornly wondered if Chandler would have answered questions like, "Do you love me? Did you ever? Could you ever?"
Chandler flipped the coin and said, "Northern route it is. It's too late to leave now. We should pack, write our note, and leave first thing in the morning."
"I'll have to quit my gladiator job. And talk to the movie people too."
"Okay. I'll cash in my return ticket to New York." Chandler began folding up the map again. "Now, I'm not sure if Monica's gonna come back to this room tonight or stay with Phoebe, so can I grab my stuff and spend the night in your room?"
"My room?"
"Sure. What's the matter?" He frowned and stopped to figure out how to refold the map correctly. Tricky things, maps.
"Um, well, my room only has one bed."
"I don't care, as long as I don't have to fight with Monica about Richard."
"Yeah, but you know--one bed." He thought the point was obvious.
Tossing aside the map, Chandler turned and looked at him. "Come on, we've shared a bed before. I mean, without having sex."
"I know. I just..." He didn't like the idea of sleeping beside Chandler, however innocently, and having his feelings stirred up again.
Chandler offered, "Well, we can get another bed sent in, if you want."
Joey looked relieved and nodded. "Okay."
Chandler started packing his clothes and joked, "I might as well take all my stuff now, so she doesn't get any ideas from you dressing up those dogs in my sweater vests."
They laughed about that. Joey had been furious that Chandler didn't believe in his big break, so he made creative use of the clothes that Chandler had left in the taxicab.
"How about I take you out someplace nice for dinner?" Joey offered. "Look! Some guy tipped me a hundred bucks today."
Chandler was impressed. "Whoa! A hundred dollars?"
"Yeah, he was playing blackjack for like an hour and won $5,000."
Chandler smiled. "For a moment there, I thought the tip was for X-rated pictures of you."
Joey blushed. "Hey, I don't do that!"
"I know, I know!" Chandler came back to the bed and put his arm around Joey's shoulders. "So, um, where are you taking me for dinner?"
If Joey didn't know better, he'd think Chandler was flirting with him. But that was crazy. Joey shrugged. "Wherever you want. It's your anniversary."
Chandler laughed. "Yep. Although you wouldn't know it, since my girlfriend's off somewhere, probably calling up Dr. Richard."
"You don't know that." Joey started feeling guilty. "Um, maybe this road trip's a bad idea, Chandler."
"What?"
Joey shrugged. "I mean, it's your anniversary with Monica, not me. You should stick around and make up with her."
Chandler pouted. "No! I wanna be with you, Joe."
"But she's your girlfriend."
"So? I see her all the time! And she already said we could go on a road trip."
"But that was before our fight, and your fight, and my movie shutting down..."
"Yeah," Chandler agreed, "it's been a week, and I really missed you, Joe. Come on, let's be friends again."
"We *are* friends."
"Not like we used to be." At Joey's look, he quickly said, "I don't mean the sex. I can live without the sex. I mean everything else. How close we were, how inseparable." He frowned and looked hurt. "It used to be, I'd never have to question that you like me more than Ross. Or a sandwich!"
"Look, I was kidding about the sandwich!" Joey said, hoping he'd let it go. "If we're not together as much, it's just because you're busy with your girlfriend, you know? I still don't get why you're not making up with her now."
"Because I wanna spend time with you, okay! What's wrong with that?"
"Yeah, but how's she gonna take it when she reads your note and finds out that you went off with me?"
"I don't know. It's not like I ever told her that we've slept together. To her, we're just best friends."
"And to you, what are we?" There. He'd finally asked the question.
Chandler inhaled sharply and had no answer. He looked uncomfortable.
Joey got up from the bed. "Forget about the road trip. You go downstairs and make up with her." He started gathering up his gladiator costume, his bag, and the map.
"Don't go, Joe," Chandler said quietly.
"No, I better." He headed for the door.
Chandler jumped up from the bed and blocked the door. "Stay, please. I-I have to talk to you."
Joey sighed. "About your fight with her?"
"No. About, about the question you asked me just now. There's a reason why I couldn't answer. I, um..."
Joey waited, not sure if this was worth staying for.
Chandler sighed and motioned for Joey to sit again. "Please. Just give a minute."
Joey reluctantly set down his stuff on the floor and sat on the bed. He watched Chandler pace around and make various noises as he tried to come up with where to start.
"Okay, um, here goes." Chandler cleared his throat. "I-I saw you on a date."
"So?"
"It was a guy."
Joey blinked. "When?"
"Not long after the ride-along with Gary. I wanted to spend some time with you and mean more than a sandwich again. So I looked for you everywhere, and then I found an address that you wrote down and put in a coat pocket. I-I didn't mean to pry, but I was just getting worried. Anyway, I went there, and saw you sitting with him and--and kissing him."
"I see," Joey said.
Chandler thought this was a big deal, but apparently Joey didn't think so. "Why'd you--why'd you kiss him?" he asked, wringing his hands.
Joey shrugged. "To see if it felt the same." Of course it didn't. Joey could kiss Chandler all day, but other people never made him feel like Chandler did.
Chandler frowned bewilderedly, but struggled on, "I-I guess I was overreacting or something, 'cause when I saw you with him, I couldn't help feeling jealous somehow." He shrugged and laughed nervously. "I mean, that's--that's crazy, right?"
Joey said nothing and watched Chandler's eyes.
Chandler sat down on the bed and bit his lip. He was disappointed by Joey's subdued reaction, so he finished quickly, "Anyway, I thought I might be feeling something, that--that of course I shouldn't be feeling. So I wanted to have a road trip with you to sort things out about, about us."
Joey asked, "You were trying to seduce me?"
"No! I just, I just wanted to be alone with you. A few days driving together, hanging out like friends. Just some time to talk and watch you sleep in the car and figure out these feelings. That's all." He blushed and looked away. "I'm--I'm sorry for wasting your time. I just, I thought for a moment that, um, something was happening here, or that you felt... but never mind, I just--"
Joey pulled Chandler into his arms and kissed him passionately.
Chandler moaned and kissed him back, letting Joey push him onto the bed.
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After leaving his friends in the lobby, Joey stood in his gladiator costume and waited for more tourists to take pictures with.
Suddenly Chandler caught up to him. "Joe! There you are."
"Chandler? I thought you'd be making up with Monica after your fight."
"Not unless she comes and apologizes to me!" Chandler was still mad that Monica had lunch with her ex-boyfriend Richard.
"But--"
Chandler shook his head and waved it away. "Never mind, Joe! If that's how she wants to be about it, I don't care! I mean, I didn't come to Vegas just for her, you know? I came to see you."
"You did?"
"Of course!" He hugged Joey warmly. "I missed you. Come on, I haven't seen you in a week and you just walk off like that?" He met Joey's eyes uncertainly. "What, did you not really forgive me for what I said about your big break?"
"No, I did," Joey answered. "I just--I thought you'd be with her on your anniversary."
"Tell me about it!" Chandler rolled his eyes. "But I'm not gonna waste my time being pissed about that. Let's go somewhere and talk, Joe."
It did sound nice. "I can't. I'm working."
"Working? You don't need this job, Joe! Just stop waiting around for that movie, and come back to New York."
Joey shrugged. "I don't know." He was thinking about staying away from New York, as a way to let go of Chandler. If only the *Shutter Speed* movie would start up again, so that Joey could become a movie star and move to Hollywood!
"Please, Joe?" Chandler prompted. "Remember how we were supposed to take a road trip to Vegas before you kicked me out of the car? I say we drive back home together to make up for it."
"Really?" he was surprised. "What about Monica?"
"She's got some thinking to do, about whether Richard is more important to her, or me! I'm not gonna just hang around waiting for her to decide."
"But you want to just take off?" he frowned. This didn't sound like Chandler at all.
"Come on, we'll leave a note before we go. Phoebe's here for her, and Ross and Rachel are coming too." He scoffed. "She can even call up Richard for all I care!"
Joey remained torn.
Chandler held him close again. "Come on, it's like we hardly have time for each other anymore." He shook his head in disbelief and dismay. "I mean, how bad is it, when a sandwich means more to you than me?"
About a month ago, during a ride-along with Phoebe's cop boyfriend, Joey had dived to save his sandwich instead of Chandler. Joey didn't know it was still on his mind.
"Okay," he gave in with a shrug.
"Good!" Chandler smiled. "Now where'd you put the map?"
"In the car. I'll show you." They went off together and retrieved the map from the taxicab that Phoebe had loaned to Joey.
"Let's go up to my room and look at it," Chandler said. "You can change out of that silly costume, too."
***
When they were in Chandler's room, Joey changed into regular clothes from a bag that he had left in the trunk of the car, while Chandler spread the map out on the bed and looked at the two routes that Joey had highlighted. "Did you take the northern route when you drove down?"
"Yeah." Joey came and sat on the bed with him.
"Do you wanna go back that way, or take the southern route?"
Joey shrugged. "It doesn't matter. Uh, flip a coin." He knew better now than to play Phoebe's quick-questions game with Chandler. Although part of Joey stubbornly wondered if Chandler would have answered questions like, "Do you love me? Did you ever? Could you ever?"
Chandler flipped the coin and said, "Northern route it is. It's too late to leave now. We should pack, write our note, and leave first thing in the morning."
"I'll have to quit my gladiator job. And talk to the movie people too."
"Okay. I'll cash in my return ticket to New York." Chandler began folding up the map again. "Now, I'm not sure if Monica's gonna come back to this room tonight or stay with Phoebe, so can I grab my stuff and spend the night in your room?"
"My room?"
"Sure. What's the matter?" He frowned and stopped to figure out how to refold the map correctly. Tricky things, maps.
"Um, well, my room only has one bed."
"I don't care, as long as I don't have to fight with Monica about Richard."
"Yeah, but you know--one bed." He thought the point was obvious.
Tossing aside the map, Chandler turned and looked at him. "Come on, we've shared a bed before. I mean, without having sex."
"I know. I just..." He didn't like the idea of sleeping beside Chandler, however innocently, and having his feelings stirred up again.
Chandler offered, "Well, we can get another bed sent in, if you want."
Joey looked relieved and nodded. "Okay."
Chandler started packing his clothes and joked, "I might as well take all my stuff now, so she doesn't get any ideas from you dressing up those dogs in my sweater vests."
They laughed about that. Joey had been furious that Chandler didn't believe in his big break, so he made creative use of the clothes that Chandler had left in the taxicab.
"How about I take you out someplace nice for dinner?" Joey offered. "Look! Some guy tipped me a hundred bucks today."
Chandler was impressed. "Whoa! A hundred dollars?"
"Yeah, he was playing blackjack for like an hour and won $5,000."
Chandler smiled. "For a moment there, I thought the tip was for X-rated pictures of you."
Joey blushed. "Hey, I don't do that!"
"I know, I know!" Chandler came back to the bed and put his arm around Joey's shoulders. "So, um, where are you taking me for dinner?"
If Joey didn't know better, he'd think Chandler was flirting with him. But that was crazy. Joey shrugged. "Wherever you want. It's your anniversary."
Chandler laughed. "Yep. Although you wouldn't know it, since my girlfriend's off somewhere, probably calling up Dr. Richard."
"You don't know that." Joey started feeling guilty. "Um, maybe this road trip's a bad idea, Chandler."
"What?"
Joey shrugged. "I mean, it's your anniversary with Monica, not me. You should stick around and make up with her."
Chandler pouted. "No! I wanna be with you, Joe."
"But she's your girlfriend."
"So? I see her all the time! And she already said we could go on a road trip."
"But that was before our fight, and your fight, and my movie shutting down..."
"Yeah," Chandler agreed, "it's been a week, and I really missed you, Joe. Come on, let's be friends again."
"We *are* friends."
"Not like we used to be." At Joey's look, he quickly said, "I don't mean the sex. I can live without the sex. I mean everything else. How close we were, how inseparable." He frowned and looked hurt. "It used to be, I'd never have to question that you like me more than Ross. Or a sandwich!"
"Look, I was kidding about the sandwich!" Joey said, hoping he'd let it go. "If we're not together as much, it's just because you're busy with your girlfriend, you know? I still don't get why you're not making up with her now."
"Because I wanna spend time with you, okay! What's wrong with that?"
"Yeah, but how's she gonna take it when she reads your note and finds out that you went off with me?"
"I don't know. It's not like I ever told her that we've slept together. To her, we're just best friends."
"And to you, what are we?" There. He'd finally asked the question.
Chandler inhaled sharply and had no answer. He looked uncomfortable.
Joey got up from the bed. "Forget about the road trip. You go downstairs and make up with her." He started gathering up his gladiator costume, his bag, and the map.
"Don't go, Joe," Chandler said quietly.
"No, I better." He headed for the door.
Chandler jumped up from the bed and blocked the door. "Stay, please. I-I have to talk to you."
Joey sighed. "About your fight with her?"
"No. About, about the question you asked me just now. There's a reason why I couldn't answer. I, um..."
Joey waited, not sure if this was worth staying for.
Chandler sighed and motioned for Joey to sit again. "Please. Just give a minute."
Joey reluctantly set down his stuff on the floor and sat on the bed. He watched Chandler pace around and make various noises as he tried to come up with where to start.
"Okay, um, here goes." Chandler cleared his throat. "I-I saw you on a date."
"So?"
"It was a guy."
Joey blinked. "When?"
"Not long after the ride-along with Gary. I wanted to spend some time with you and mean more than a sandwich again. So I looked for you everywhere, and then I found an address that you wrote down and put in a coat pocket. I-I didn't mean to pry, but I was just getting worried. Anyway, I went there, and saw you sitting with him and--and kissing him."
"I see," Joey said.
Chandler thought this was a big deal, but apparently Joey didn't think so. "Why'd you--why'd you kiss him?" he asked, wringing his hands.
Joey shrugged. "To see if it felt the same." Of course it didn't. Joey could kiss Chandler all day, but other people never made him feel like Chandler did.
Chandler frowned bewilderedly, but struggled on, "I-I guess I was overreacting or something, 'cause when I saw you with him, I couldn't help feeling jealous somehow." He shrugged and laughed nervously. "I mean, that's--that's crazy, right?"
Joey said nothing and watched Chandler's eyes.
Chandler sat down on the bed and bit his lip. He was disappointed by Joey's subdued reaction, so he finished quickly, "Anyway, I thought I might be feeling something, that--that of course I shouldn't be feeling. So I wanted to have a road trip with you to sort things out about, about us."
Joey asked, "You were trying to seduce me?"
"No! I just, I just wanted to be alone with you. A few days driving together, hanging out like friends. Just some time to talk and watch you sleep in the car and figure out these feelings. That's all." He blushed and looked away. "I'm--I'm sorry for wasting your time. I just, I thought for a moment that, um, something was happening here, or that you felt... but never mind, I just--"
Joey pulled Chandler into his arms and kissed him passionately.
Chandler moaned and kissed him back, letting Joey push him onto the bed.
