F.R.I.E.N.D.S Imagines

loving you instead |part nine| (chandler)

you slowly opened the door, seeing joey sitting angrily on the small couch by the window, the hurt he was feeling evident from the expression on his face. there were many bottles surrounding him- seemingly making him appear smaller than he was as compared to the amount.

"joey," you muttered softly.

"i don't want to talk to you."

you sighed, running a hand through your hair.

"joey, you know we have to talk about this. i don't want to get all worked up like when ross and rachel did but-"

"but what, ____? but what," he said, his hurt and teary eyes looking into yours. you swallowed thickly.

"joey, please let me talk to you about this. i know you'll still be hurt after everything but you don't even know how i'm feeling about everything," you replied to his thick silence he provided.

"i know that you cheated on me with my best friend and apparently he's better than i ever will be so-"

"joey," you said, a stern tone laced into your voice. he looked up at you.

"listen to me."

he sat still, awaiting your words.

"look, i know you're upset about everything. i know i was a terrible girlfriend and i made you think i wouldn't ever cheat on you- and i wasn't ever planning on it ever nor did it ever cross my mind. joey, i love you, okay? maybe not in the way you'd want but i'll always still care about you- even if you don't care about me."

"____," he muttered. "you love chandler. you can't love two people at the same time."

"how the hell do you think i feel about monica and rachel then? phoebe? joey, you can love a lot of people just not in the way you'd want. you know that i'd never want-"

"____, i loved you. a whole lot."

you swallowed thickly, shutting your mouth so you could listen to his words. you stared at him while he continued to speak slowly.

"_____, i just don't think you understand how much love and trust i put into you. i thought you loved me too."

you blinked back a few tears.

"joey, i said that i do love you."

"no," he said, looking up into your teary eyes that were staring down at him. "i want you to love love me."

you bit your lip.

"joey, i'm sorry."

he looked up at you, standing up and walking over to where you were. you were never scared of him but right now- in this moment- you were scared of what he could or would do.

"no," he said softly, brushing back your hair from your face as you stared at him. "i'm sorry. sorry for ever loving you."

you shook your head, looking down at the floor.

"joey," you said gently. he leaned down and tried to press a soft kiss to your cheek but you moved away from him.

you hated yourself.

you let chandler kiss you while you were dating him but whenever joey tried to mend the moment and kiss your cheek, you felt the urge to move away from your once love.

you looked up at him to see if he noticed- which he definitely had. he let out a soft sigh.

"now you can't even let me touch you."

you shook your head.

"no, joey, look-" you tried to mend but he just chuckled gently. he didn't seem to be angry- just disappointed.

"it's okay, ____, i get you. you're in a relationship with someone but you let it happen once so i don't see why you couldn't do it again."

he walked away, shutting his door softly as you stood in shock in the apartment. he really just pulled that card on you.

chandler opened the door, the rest of the friends outside listening. you were standing there in pure shock.

chandler came up to you, pulling you into his arms as you held onto him tightly, resting your head in the crook of his neck.

monica stared.

"you really hurt him, _____," monica said.

you couldn't even say anything. you were in so much shock from what had just happened.

chandler held onto you tightly still, keeping you close to him as he leaned down and whispered something gently to you.

"____, do you want to stay with me tonight?"

you nodded, holding onto him still. he nodded when he received your answer.

you felt terrible.

-
later that night, you were laying in chandler's bed as he sat outside in the den with joey. they were watching baywatch together but it was quieter than usual.

you sat up, your hair moving to the front of your shoulders. you tucked some of it back, looking around for one of chandler's shirts that you could put on over your sleepwear.

you found one, sliding it on over your small body as you sat back down on the bed.

chandler opened the door just then, noticing you sitting there as you wiped your eyes gently.

"hey, hey, hey," he said as he caught your attention. you looked over at him. "i'm coming. it's alright."

when he sat down on the bed, he pulled you close to him, holding onto you tightly while you continued to wipe your eyes.

"i feel like a terrible person, chandler," you told him. "i feel like the worst person on this planet."

he held you close, pressing a gentle kiss to your neck. you felt cries begin to leave you body but chandler didn't want this.

he didn't want you to cry.

he didn't want any of this.

he spoke softly to you.

"____, listen to me, darling," he said, calling you the names he had always pictured saying to you. "i know this is tough right now but you need some sleep. you can't do this to yourself."

you didn't say anything, just continued to look down at chandler's hands that were together to keep you close to him.

"i love you, chandler," you admitted softly.

he smiled, pressing another kiss to your neck before he got out another sigh.

"alright, _____, time to sleep," he said.

quietly, you laid down on your pillow. you were trying to sleep but you just couldn't as you looked over at chandler who was already falling asleep.

with a little hesitation, you pressed yourself into his arms and up against his body. he didn't hesitate however to take your small, vulnerable body into his grasp.

he kept you close, feeling you let out a sigh as he held onto you.

he wished he could help more than what he was doing.

even though you'd tell him he was doing just fine.

-
sorry for the delay!

parts 2, 4, & 6 are all on ThunderAndRain 's page!!

treat people with kindness.

K.