Chapter Text
“Woah.. we’re kissing… we’re kissing.” Chandler stuttered.
“Well, not anymore.” Monica mumbled.
“We don’t do that.”
“Well, I thought it will be fun.”
“How drunk are you?”
“Drunk enough to want to do this, but not drunk enough that you feel bad for taking advantage.”
“That’s the perfect amount.”
They kissed for hours, minutes, moments that couldn’t fit in a clock, eh what is time anyway? It felt weird that this experience didn’t feel new or unexpected to both of them.
“Woah. Monica, wait.” Chandler caught hold of Monica’s hand which was trying to sneak its way into his pants.
“What?”
“We can’t do this. Ugh.. You’re drunk.”
“No I said…”
“I know what you said, and trust me there’s a part of me that’s kicking me in the nuts right now for saying this, but I don’t want to do anything that you might regret later.”
“I won’t”
They kissed again and again. Chandler definitely didn’t want to stop kissing her. He felt like he had taken a puff from his first cigarette. His head swam with everything Monica. Her smell, the feel of her in his arms, her hair, the flavour of her lipstick, the texture of her skin. He wanted to spend the rest of the night learning everything about her. But, this was Ross’ sister and she was drunk. It would break him if she regretted this tomorrow morning.
He gently pushed her away and rested his head on her shoulders.
“I can’t”
“Ugh. I should have found Joey first.”
Chandler eyebrows went up and he felt like she’d stabbed him until he lifted his head and saw her smiling in defeat.
“Maybe, I should drop you off to him.” he said, and maybe with an edge because suddenly he hated visualizing her with his best friend.
“Or, maybe you can drop me off to my room.”
He felt a weird sense of relief that she wouldn’t go looking for anyone else. Monica had wanted to sleep with him tonight. He didn’t doubt that a sober Monica would never want him this way, but he liked that drunk Monica kept trying to inch her hands inside his shirt.
He laughed. “Monicaaa”
He couldn’t help kissing her again. It was weird, he was the sober one, but when they stopped kissing this time he needed a minute to bring the room back into focus.
It took about five minutes to drop Monica off to her room and every second was agony. She couldn’t walk straight and he had to keep one arm over her waist and hold her hand in another. Her waist was so dainty but strong. She was strong. Her hair smelled like coconut. He wanted to bite her ear. Chandler pictured his old pool boy to stop himself from doing anything.
At her door, when he was fumbling through her clutch to get the key, her head rolled over onto his shoulders and his stomach dropped to the ground. He felt humbled by the trust she placed in him. He made sure she was cozy and kept a glass of water on the nightstand and ran as fast as he could.
–x–
The next morning, Monica took Chandler’s hand as they started walking towards the alter. This was the first time they had been within earshot after last night. Weirdly, she wasn’t embarrassed. No part of last night felt wrong. There was a whole army of earthworms in her stomach and she was nervous.
“Listen. About last night…” she began nervously.
Chandler squeezed her arm. “Hey. It’s me. We don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”
“I want to apologize. I didn’t mean to…”
“Kiss the hell out of me? Make me see stars? Gave me a night to remember?”
Monica chuckled. “Stop. I’m trying to apologize.”
“And I’m trying to say there is nothing to apologize. You were drunk and upset and I was… well irresistible. And we kissed. Let’s say we both enjoyed it and let’s just chalk it up as crazy stuff that happened in London and forget about it okay?”
She loved that he was making it so easy for her. She had been a bit nervous about what this would mean to their friendship.
“All right. We did enjoy it.”
Now, he laughed and weirdly she felt a bit proud of herself for making him laugh. Monica frowned. That was new. Since when did she worry about being funny for Chandler?
They didn’t get a chance to speak for the entire afternoon. Ross said Rachel’s name at the alter and it was a whole fiasco. Monica was busy consoling Ross and Chandler was busy staying away from Emily’s dad.
On their plane back, they were seated next to each other. Despite what she tried to tell herself, Monica couldn’t help being a bit conscious. A mere 15 hours ago, this man’s tongue was in her mouth. She felt hot. She turned on the overhead mini fan.
“Hot?”
“What?!”
Chandler drew back at her shrill voice.
“Are you okay, Monica?”
“I’m okay. Why? Are you not okay? Are you okay?”
“Woah. Is the altitude affecting you, like Joey?”
They both looked to see Joey hugged in his seat like a baby. He was moaning softly and the air hostess was wiping his brow.
Monica laughed.
“But, honestly are you okay?”
“Yeah.” she said softly. She wasn’t lying. She felt better and it helped that they spent the time talking and reminiscing about their time in London. Nothing about them felt weird and she was happy.
–x–
Seeing Phoebe pregnant was always a novel experience. It somehow felt like she was bigger and scarier than before they left for London.
“Hey, you guys are back!” Phoebe exclaimed.
They hugged and rejoiced and told stories about their time in London. They carefully avoided talking about the wedding disaster.
Joey left first to say hi to the chick and the duck. Phoebe followed saying she wanted to see her apartment. And it was Chandler and Monica alone.
“So, back to work from tomorrow. The holiday is officially over.” Monica said as she lugged her bags to her room.
“Ugh don’t remind me. I think if I keep quiet and stay at home, my boss really won’t notice I’m skipping work.”
She smiled. “I wish I didn’t have to have a job.”
“You know what I wish? I wish I didn’t have to eat three times a day. I don’t get why we can’t just eat once and be done, you know?”
“Huh. Eat once and be done. That would reduce my work hours.”
“See!”
They smiled at each other and Monica wished she could spend the rest of the day with him. The thought was so weird and uncalled for that her smiled dropped. She reminded herself that what happened in London had to stay in London.
“Well, I will let you go unpack.” she said walking towards the kitchen.
“Oh, I wish you hadn’t. Now I really have to.”
She laughed. Chandler picked up an apple from the kitchen table and juggled with it.
“Listen uh…” Monica began “I was having a tough time that night. With alcohol and that guy thinking I was Ross’ mother.”
“Right.” Chandler smiled.
“I guess I’m trying to thank you for being there for me.”
“Aww. Of course, always.”
Chandler enveloped her in a tight hug. She hadn’t prepared herself for it. This was Chandler, her brother’s college roommate and the man from across the hall. He’d hugged her a thousand times. Monica wasn’t ready for it to feel different. Her heart was racing and his silly deodorant suddenly smelled great. His hands were rubbing her back and Monica someone wanted to inch closer and merge into him.
It was only after he let go and went to his house to pack that she was able to move. She walked in jelly legs to the chair and sat down in a daze.
“Oh, no.”