Chapter Text
Chandler rubs his eyes listening to the hum and chatter of Central Perk around him in a daze. He wishes he could go sleep upstairs but... He bites his lip and checks his watch. Eddie's probably still awake or worse, hanging out in his room waiting for him. He takes a deep breath stiffening his lower lip and twists the napkin in his hand tearing a little piece off to ball up and flick at his cup gone cold. It hits the rim and bounces off landing next to the scatter of previous attempts.
"Hey, you mind?" Gunther asks from where he's clearing away cups. As if he doesn't have enough to do.
Chandler startles looking up. "S'sorry," he stutters.
Gunther frowns at the lack of witty retort. "You okay?"
His smile starts to waver. "Yeah," he says looking on the verge of tears.
Gunther always had his suspicions about Chandler, just a kind of quality, still, he tries to be tactful. "Don't you usually go home with Monica and her boyfriend?"
"I think they want to be alone tonight," he says lip wobbling.
"Oh." Gunther says awkwardly.
Chandler bites at his nail eyeing the other patrons with increasing unease. He feels so dizzy he doesn't want to break down in public.
"You uh, you want to stay at mine?" Gunther hesitantly offers.
"What?"
"You seem like you don't want to go home," he hedges. "If you need a place to crash for the night." He shrugs.
From behind him a lady lets out a shrill laugh and he winces. "Yeah," he says quickly. "That, that'd be okay."
"Hope the couch is okay." Gunther says pushing into his apartment.
A lamp's been left on by the living room sofa making the small space seem extra cozy.
"Yeah," Chandler says seriously. "Look, I really appreciate it."
Gunther bobs his head. "I'll just grab you a blanket."
When he comes back Chandler's curled up in a ball on the couch.
"Here." He gently drapes the blanket over him watching his lower lip start to wobble.
Awkwardly he sits beside him patting his back.
"Do you want me to call Monica for you?"
He shakes his head burying it in the couch cushion.
He really thinks they should know, but if he doesn't want to tell them...
"How about some cartoons?" He says scrambling for something to distract him. He grabs the remote and turns the volume low.
Chandler shifts his face away from the cushion and scrubs his eyes. "How, how did you know," he asks slowly, "about... me?"
"I could just tell. My sisters ex boyfriend was a little. I didn't really Interact with him much but I read up on it a lot."
"Oh," he says drowsily eyes flicking back to the TV.
Gunther sits there awhile longer patting his back until he falls asleep.
Chandler blinks awake from a restless sleep feeling more tired than before. He squints at the tv playing Sesame Street and sits up with a jolt.
"I made you some breakfast."
He blinks at Gunther trying to reorient himself and remember why he's here.
"Just some pancakes," he continues pouring up a glass of orange juice.
Chandler slowly makes his way over to the table and takes a seat.
" I'm running late for work but help yourself."
Chandler turns on him suddenly, throwing his arms around his waist and buries his head against his stomach.
Gunther's caught off guard for a moment but quickly puts his arms around him too and gently rubs his back.
"Sorry," he sniffles after a moment and pulls away.
"That's okay," he says awkwardly. "Listen, stay as long as you need, okay? I'll be back this afternoon."
Chandler nods staring at his plate. "Thanks," he rasps. "I appreciate it."
He's a few hours into his shift when the door clangs open and Monica and that guy's she's with comes in.
He worries his lip at their concerned faces and pretends to be busy behind the counter.
"And you've checked everywhere?" The man's asking as they step in line.
"Checked, called, literally everyone and everywhere. He didn't come home last night, Richard. Im worried," she says fighting back tears.
"I know," he sighs hugging her from behind. "We'll find him," he promises kissing her ear.
She takes a deep breath and plasters on a smile as they move up to the counter. "One black coffee and one chai latte to go please," she says sniffling a bit.
Gunther can't deal with the guilt gnawing in his belly and finds himself blurting "I know where he is."
She looks up, wide blue eyes startled. "What?"
"Chandler," he stutters. "I, I know where he is, but I um don't think he'd want-"
"Gunther," she warns.
He winces. He hates when she takes that tone.
"He's at my apartment," he says hanging his head.
"What, why?"
"Well, he was kind of upset last night and I don't think he wanted to disturb you."
"What, that's crazy," she says her voice starting to become shrill.
"Mon." Richard says gently squeezing her shoulders before pinning Gunther with a look. "Is he okay?"
"Yes." He nods quickly.
"Okay," he says squeezing Monica's shoulders again. "Okay, see? He's alright. What time do you get off?" He asks.
"I can leave in an hour." He offers.
Richard nods. "We'll follow you there and pick him up."
"I hope I did the right thing." Gunther wavers leading the way upstairs.
"You did." Richard assures.
Chandler sits on the cold bathroom tile hugging his knees. His anxiety hitting him ten fold when he woke up and realized he didn't go home last night. Mon's gonna be so upset. He glances at the toilet where he's already expelled the breakfast Gunther had made for him. His stomach rolls at the thought and he clutches it tighter wishing he were home with Richard and Monica with his doggy slippers and his bunny with the one eye.
He nearly jumps a foot when someone bangs on the door.
"Chandler." Richard calls.
His eyes widen. How did they find him here.
"Open this door right now, young man."
He squeezes his eyes shut pressing his palms into them. "Go away."
There's muffled voices in the hall and then the knob starts to rattle.
It feels like an eternity sitting there while they slowly take the knob apart and push their way in.
Chandler winces slouching lower.
"Are you okay?" Richard asks gently kneeling beside him.
He bites his lip flicking his gaze over his and Monica's worried faces and nods.
"You had us worried sick, you know that?"
"I'm sorry," he whispers.
"Honey, why didn't you call us?"
"I, I thought you should be alone. I've been over there so much."
Ever since he woke to Eddie's staring at him really but he can't tell them that."
Richard sighs reaching to smoothe his hair. "That's not for you to decide," he says. "Our relationship isn't your responsibility, understand?"
"We never want you to feel like you have to hide yourself away from us." Monica chimes in.
Richard cups the back of his neck gently kneading. "You need to tell us when something's going on so we can help you. Remember what we talked about?"
He nods slowly and frowns.
Last time he hid away and got sick they made a rule. Every time he doesn't take care of himself or doesn't come to them when he needs he gets a spanking from Richard.
"Are you gonna spank me?"
"What are the rules."
He twists his hands and mutters petulantly. "To tell."
Richard brushes a thumb along his brow. "And did you?"
He shakes his head.
"Then after dinner tonight you're getting a spanking."
"Eat." Richard says firmly.
"I don't like it," he grits out glaring at his plate of spanish rice with chicken.
"You ate it last week."
"I don't want it," he says through clenched teeth.
"Then you won't get chocolate milk."
"I don't care."
"Fine," he says setting his napkin down. "You want to be done and go ahead and get your spanking and get ready for bed then?"
Chandler's scowl deepens. "I don't care!" he says hitting the table causing his plate to tip off and spill out on the floor.
"You know what, young man?" Richard says pushing his chair back as Monica rushes to grab the broom. "I've had enough." He gets him by the arm and leads him over to the couch where he proceeds to make quick work pulling his pants down and tugging him over his lap.
His face heats as his bare bottom is exposed to the room.
"Stop squirming." Richard says firmly popping his behind. "You can be embarrassed all you want, but when you throw your dinner on the floor and neglect to take care of yourself you earn yourself a trip over daddy's lap," he says bringing his hand down again. "Do you understand?"
"Yes." he spits out.
Richard continues the spanking with a frown. It's never taken more than a few swats before he goes limp and concedes to behaving and letting them take care of him.
He's really fighting it.
He sighs and rubs a hand along Chandler's thighs while his breathing comes down.
"Don't make me have to spank you again," he warns.
The door opens and Chandler stiffens scrambling to get up, relieved to see it's only Phoebe.
"Oh good, you found him." She cheers.
He yanks his pants up angrily. "I got a spanking."
"Well you had everyone really worried," she scolds.
His face drops.
"You want to cuddle in the big chair?" She asks taking pity on him. "I'll tell you about the time my imaginary friend got us arrested."
Chandler thinks for a minute and nods coming to curl up next to her.
"You must be happy to have Joey back," she says after awhile.
Chandler startles from where he's been absently twirling the end of her ponytail. "What?"
She looks at him funny. "I said you must be happy Joey's moved back in."
He did?
"Oh," he says feeling Monica and Richard's eyes on him. "Y'yeah."
"Honey, is everything alright?" Richard asks.
"Yes," he says immediately. But inside he's panicking. What do they mean Joey's moved back in. He doesn't remember that. The whole week's been such a blur of anxiety and sleeplessness. A small part of his brain is screaming at him, what if he's hallucinating right now?
"Chandler?"
He pushes up from Phoebe's lap.
"I'm gonna go talk to Joey," he falters.
He's not little he tells himself firmly. He's a big boy and he can sleep in his own bed and, and... and everything will be okay. He can take care of himself