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"Ronnie, play with me," Chandler begged as he jumped around the foosball table like a child.
"Okay, I already said 'no' three times now. Annoying me isn't going to get me to say yes but it will get you a soda can to the eye," She huffed as she blew on her nails
Chandler sighed as he rolled his eyes. "Why'd you have to get your nails done now," He complained, "Didn't you just do them a few days ago."
"Yeah but I got bored of the color," She explained as if it was obvious, "Why don't you play with your roommate?"
He paused as his face scrunched up in mild disdain. "He's not a big fan of foosball."
Veronica sat up straighter and her eyes brightened at the prospect of possible gossip. "Uh oh, are we not getting along with the new boy?"
"No he's, he's alright, just uh, he spends most of his time in his room," He explained slowly as he rubbed the back of his neck.
"Well, you're the one who decided to let a complete stranger move in," She shrugged before she sighed at the pointed look he gave her, "Okay, okay, fine I'll try to be helpful."
"Thank you," He huffed as he plopped down next to her and threw his head on her shoulder.
"Maybe you haven't taken the time to get to know him," She shrugged before she grabbed the tennis ball he'd been throwing into the air, "Let's fix that so you stop being mopey."
"No, no, no, we don't need to remedy that," He begged as he tried to stop her.
Chandler's eyes widened as he watched her throw the ball at Eddie's bedroom door.
"Oh yeah, it'll be fun," She nodded with a grin.
"What was that?" Eddie raised a brow as he stepped into the living room.
"Hi," Veronica sang, "I just thought that it would be fun if the three of us had some beers and got to know each other."
Eddie paused to think before he nodded. "Yeah alright, that sounds alright."
"Great!" She clapped her hands with a grin before faking a frown, "Oh, no! I just remembered Max is coming over but you two have fun. Bye!"
"That was so lame," Chandler scoffed under his breath as he walked her to the door
"What's lame is that I had to do that for you to talk to your roommate," She corrected sharply before pushing him towards Eddie, "Now, go make friends."
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Veronica hadn't been lying when she said she had plans with Max. The minute she left Chandler's apartment, she'd called him and the two had met up for an impromptu date. She couldn't believe how good everything was going with him. This had to be the best relationship she'd ever been in.
Rachel, who knew her love life best, had been the one to point that out to her. She'd never seen her best friend so happy and Max seemed to genuinely care about her, unlike her past boyfriends.
Veronica had been in her fair share of bad relationships, two of which had ended in cheating.
That was why it took her so long to agree to make this official with Max. They'd been dating for three months before she finally agreed to use the girlfriend and boyfriend labels. And now at six months, she'd never been happier.
Max had the exact same sentiments about his relationship with the younger girl. Everyone could see how much happier he was since he'd started dating her. Veronica King consumed most, if not all, his thoughts, and he couldn't have been happier about it. His friends all made fun of him for it, never having seen him so hung up on a girl before, not even his own wife.
Max, to Veronica's surprise, turned out to be quite the romantic. Always planning the sweetest dates, getting her flowers every other day, and just all around showering her with affection.
The two were sitting on her bed as she laid her head on his chest and he played with her hair. They'd been talking about her latest shopping trip, she was still shocked that he actively sought the topic because her ex's had always hated when she spoke about fashion.
She looked up at him and stared fondly into his eyes at that thought before she leaned up and pressed her lips to his. Her lips brushed his softly as he cupped her face affectionately and deepened the kiss. Soon enough, the sweet kiss turned passionate and heated as she moved to straddle him, her hands carding through his hair as his arms wrapped around her.
With a heavy sigh, Veronica reluctantly pulled away from him, knowing where this was going. She gave him a flirty smirk and a wink as she stumbled off the bed. Pressing a chaste kiss to his lips, she turned and rushed out of her room and towards the bathroom.
"Oh, hi," Rachel smiled breathlessly as the two met up in the living room.
"Hey," Veronica breathed out as she tried to straighten her hair out as best as she could.
"Hi," Monica grinned at the two when they joined her in the bathroom, "Richard just told me he loves me."
Rachel gasped and pulled her into a hug. "Oh my God, honey that's great."
"Monica, I'm so happy for you!" Veronica cooed and joined their hug.
"I know," She smiled before she huffed impatiently as she rummaged through the cabinet, "I just can't find..."
"Oh, they're in the top drawer. Hurry," Rachel laughed hurriedly as she jumped from one leg to the other excitedly.
"You need one too?" Monica giggled as she looked up at the two.
"Oh, yeah," Rachel and Veronica sang with excited smirks.
"I found them!" Monica cheered as she stood up with the box of condoms in her hands. She frowned when she only found one packet inside, "There's only one."
"Monica," They heard Richard's voice call as he stepped out of the room.
"Hi," She called, her voice strained, "Uh, we'll be right there, we're just trying to decide something."
"Ronnie?"
"Rachel," Ross growled seductively before he froze when he saw Max and Richard. He cleared his throat awkwardly, "Hey."
"Hey," Richard, clad only in his boxers and an unbuttoned shirt, smiled sheepishly at his girlfriend's brother, "They're just trying to decide something."
Max nodded slowly as he averted his gaze from the two, hoping to God that Veronica would hurry up. He did not need to see his best friend and one of his closest friend's son half-naked.
"Good, good, good," Ross sighed deeply as the three awkwardly stood in the living room, "So, is uh, was your mustache, did, used to be different?"
Richard shook his head. "No."
"Oh. How do you, uh, ya know, keep it so neat?"
"I have a little comb."
"Oh. And what do you call that?"
"A mustache comb," He said dryly.
"Interesting," Ross nodded as he pursed his lips.
In the bathroom, the girls were trying to decide who got the one and only condom.
"Okay, I-I will do your laundry for one month," Rachel begged the two as the condom rested on the sick tauntingly.
"No."
"I'll let you borrow anything from my closet whenever you want," Veronica wagered.
"No," Monica shot her down immediately.
Rachel paused, clearly taking it into deep consideration before she shook her head frantically. "No, no, I want to but no."
"I'll clean the apartment for two months!" Monica jumped in eagerly.
"You already do that!" Veronica huffed with a pointed glare, "We're not dumb, try again."
"Besides, you'd never trust us enough to clean," Rachel scoffed.
"Ugh!" The girls groaned in annoyance as they stared at the condom longingly.
"So, were you guys in 'Nam?" Ross asked as he looked between Max and Richard.
"No."
"Uh-uh."
Veronica smirked when a light-bulb went off in her head. "Ooh! Ooh! I know what to do. Okay, we'll close our eyes, so there's no cheating, and play rock-paper-scissors."
Rachel and Monica looked at each other before they nodded. "Yeah, okay."
"Okay, close your eyes," Veronica called and waved her hands in front of their faces to make sure they couldn't see, "No peeking. One the count of three."
The two nodded as they held out their hands and got ready while Veronica discreetly grabbed the condom and started inching out of the bathroom.
"No. You have got it completely wrong. John Savage was deerhunter, no legs. John Voit was coming home, couldn't feel his legs," Richard explained.
"No, no way. You've got it totally the other way around my friend. John Voit was..." Ross cut himself off when he noticed Veronica rushing out of the bathroom.
"One, two, three!" She called as she ran towards Max and pulled him into her room, locking the door behind them.
Monica and Rachel opened their eyes only to see Veronica and the condom gone.
"Ugh!" They screamed in anguish and annoyance.
"You have to admit, that was smart," Monica sighed as she and Rachel trudged out of the bathroom.
"... Yeah, I would have done the same thing if I thought of it," Rachel nodded glumly.
"Shall we?" Richard smiled down at Monica as he wrapped his arm around her.
"It's not gonna happen," Monica huffed deeply and pointed to Veronica's door, "They're doing it tonight, we can do it tomorrow."
Ross turned to Rachel in shock, silently asking if that meant them too. She nodded sadly before she pouted.
"In the future, if I could see the schedule beforehand," Richard joked as the couples retreated back into their rooms.
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"Did they just kill off Joey?" Monica gasped as she turned to the friends in shock.
They'd just watched Joey's character, Dr. Drake Ramoray, fall down an elevator shaft.
"No," Ross shook his head before they heard his body hit the bottom with a loud thump, "...Now, maybe."
The friends jumped off the couch and rushed to the door, Chandler grabbed Veronica's jacket for her knowing she always forgot it. As they thundered down the stairs he managed to help her shrug it on quickly before they got outside and hailed a taxi.
"C'mon. Open up!" Ross demanded as they all knocked on his door.
"Joey!" Rachel called.
"Open up. We want to talk to you," Chandler begged as he rubbed his arms up and down Veronica's arms to keep her warm.
For someone who forgot her jacket near constantly, she sure got cold a lot.
"I don't feel like talking," Joey whined as he crossed his arms, not moving off the couch.
"Oh c'mon Joey, we care about you," Rachel sighed sympathetically.
"We're worried about you," Phoebe added.
"And some of us really have to pee," Monica complained.
She jumped from one foot to the other as she tried to will away the dire urge to pee.
"C'mon man, Ronnie's freezing," Chandler huffed as he wrapped an arm around her.
At that, the door opened and the friends tumbled in.
"Sorry Joey," Monica called before she raced past him and towards the bathroom.
"Hey," He greeted softly as he wrapped a blanket around Veronica.
"Listen, sorry about your death, that really sucks," Chandler sighed and rubbed his shoulder comfortingly.
"We came over as soon as we saw."
"How could you not tell us?" Veronica frowned up at him as she wrapped the blanket around herself tightly.
Joey looked away from her and shrugged sheepishly. "I don't know, I was kinda hoping' no one would ever find out."
The friends shared a look but decided not to comment about it given everything that he was going through right now.
"Well, maybe they can find a way to bring you back," Rachel smiled optimistically.
"Nah," He shook his head, "They said that when they found my body, my brain was so smashed in that the only doctor that could have saved me was me. Supposed to be some kind of irony or something."
"But Joey, you're gonna be fine. You don't need that show, it was just a dumb soap opera," Phoebe scoffed.
"Phoebe, this was the greatest thing that ever happened to me."
She paused and nodded awkwardly. "...Yes, I was going to incorporate that. Oh good, here's Monica, she'll have something nice to say."
Monica froze at being put on the spot and licked her lips nervously. "Um, I straightened out your shower curtain so you won't get mildew," The friends gave her pointed looks, "What? To me that's nice."
"It's gonna be okay," Chandler reassured his best friend, "You know that, right?"
"No, I don't. It's like, ya know, you work your whole life for something' and you think that when you get it it's never gonna be as good as you thought it would be. But this so was. Ya know, it changed everything. Like the other day, I got this credit card application, and I was pre-approved. I've never been pre-approved for anything in my life."
"I'm sorry sweetie," Veronica grabbed his hand comfortingly.
"Yeah, Joey honey, I don't know if this'll mean anything to you but you'll always be pre-approved with us," Rachel smiled softly.
Joey shook his head. "No, that means nothing to me."
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"Hey," Phoebe greeted as she joined the girls at Central Perk.
"Hey."
"Ooh, so, did you read the book?" She asked Monica excitedly.
Monica grinned and sighed in delight. "Oh my God, it was incredible."
"Didn't it like totally speak to you?"
Veronica and Rachel shared a look, trying to see if the other had any idea what they were talking about. When they both shook their heads they turned back to Monica and Phoebe.
"Woah, woah, woah, what book is this?" Rachel asked.
"Rachel, Veronica, you have to read this book," Monica demanded, "It's called Be Your Own Windkeeper. It's about how women need to become more empowered."
"Yeah and there's wind," Phoebe gasped as if they were supposed to magically understand what significance that held, "And the wind can make us Goddesses. But you know who takes out wind? Men, they just take it."
"Men just take out wind?" Veronica frowned as her brows furrowed.
"Ya-huh," Phoebe scoffed, "All the time, cause they are the lightning bearers."
"Wow," Rachel gaped, clearly intrigued with this book, "Well that sounds kinda cool, kinda like The Hobbit."
"It is nothing like the Hobbit," Monica glared at her pointedly as if taking direct offense to any criticisms of the book, "It's like reading about every relationship I've ever had, except for Richard."
"Oh yes, no, Richard would never steal your wind," Phoebe agreed immediately, "No, 'cause he's yummy.
"Yes," Monica nodded with a dreamy sigh before her face scrunched up in disdain, "But all the other ones."
"Would Max steal my wind?" Veronica asked earnestly as she looked between the two.
"No."
"Nope," Phoebe reassured her confidently, "He's yummy too."
"Wow," Veronica sighed as she smiled, "I think I'm finally going to read something that isn't a Vogue magazine."
"Oh yes. Oh and, there's this part about how they're always like drinking from our pool of inner power, but God forbid we should take a sip," Phoebe grimaced with a heated scoff.
"Hey," Joey greeted as he walked in, "Anybody want a cruller?" He asked the girls before he made his way to the counter to order.
"Okay, this is a typical lightning-bearer thing. Right there, it's like, um, 'Hello, who wants one of my phallic-shaped man cakes?'" Phoebe glared at him as she used her man-voice.
"Uh, you are so right, Pheebs!" Veronica scoffed before turning to Joey in a huffed whisper, "Get me two of them but wait till they leave."
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"Oh, God," Rachel gasped as she set the book down, "Oh, God, I mean it's just so..."
"Isn't it," Monica agreed wholeheartedly.
"And that part about the y'know... Amazing," Veronica sighed as she clutched the book passionately.
She and Rachel had gone out and gotten a copy each after Monica and Phoebe's raving about it. They hadn't put the book down all night, even canceling plans with Max and Ross to finish it in one sitting.
"I mean this is like reading about my own life. This book could have been called 'Be Your Own Windkeeper Rachel'," She scoffed earnestly as she smiled down at the book.
"I don't think it would have sold a million copies but it would have made a nice gift for you," Phoebe shrugged.
"Hey you guys," Ross greeted as he joined the four at the couch in Central Perk.
"Hey."
"Sweetie we've gotta go," He told Rachel as he nodded his head to the door.
"No!"
He paused as his brows furrowed in confusion. "No?"
"No, why do we always have to do everything according to your time table?" She scoffed as she glared at him heatedly.
"...Actually it's the movie theatre that has the time schedule," He laughed awkwardly, "So you don't miss the beginning."
"No, see this isn't about the movie theatre, this is about you stealing my wind."
"You go girl," Monica cheered before she frowned, "I can't pull that off can I?"
"No you cannot," Veronica shook her head bluntly, "Never do that again."
"Okay," She nodded in agreement.
"Excuse me, your-your-your wind?" He stuttered as he tried to understand what was going on.
"Yes, my wind," Rachel nodded vehemently, "How do you expect me to grow if you won't let me blow?"
Ross paused before he gave her a small smile. "You-you know I-I don't have a- have a problem with that."
"Okay, I just, I just really need to be with myself right now," She threw her hands up in exasperation, "I'm sorry."
Phoebe cleared her throat loudly at that and gave Rachel a pointed look.
"You're right, I don't have to apologize," She nodded to her, "Sorry. Damnit!"
"I am so glad I'm not dating a lightning-bearer," Veronica sighed.
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"Okay, question number 28, have you ever allowed a lightning bearer to take your wind? I would have to say no," Phoebe shrugged flippantly as she jotted down her answer in the book.
They were currently sprawled across the apartment as they filled out a quiz at the end of the book.
Monica scoffed. "And I would have to say pah-huh."
"What?" Phoebe frowned at her.
"Do you not remember the puppet guy?"
"Yeah you like totally let him wash his feet in the pool of your inner power," Rachel nodded in agreement at the mention of one of her previous ex's.
"And his puppet too," Monica snarked.
"Yeah okay, well at least I didn't let some guy into the forest of my righteous truth on the first date," Phoebe smirked tauntingly at Monica.
"Who?" She glared at her confidently.
"Paul."
At that, she visibly deflated and her voice came out meek. "Oh."
"Okay, okay, moving on, next question. Number 29, have you ever betrayed another goddess for a lightning-bearer?" Rachel's eyes widened at the question and she hoped they weren't paying attention as she tried to brush past it, "Okay, number 30."
"Woah, woah, woah, let's go back to 29," Monica laughed darkly.
"Not uh, not to my recollection," She shrugged as she looked away from her.
"Yeah, alright, Danny Arshak, ninth grade. Oh, c'mon Rach, you know the bottle was totally pointing at me!" Monica huffed as she glared at her heatedly.
"Only 'cause you took up half the circle," She scoffed.
"Listen to you two. It's so sad. Looks like Veronica and I are gonna be going to the goddess meetings alone," Phoebe gave them an unimpressed look as she and Veronica shared a smirk.
"Well not when they find out you slept with Jason Hurley an hour after he broke up with Monica," Rachel bit out angrily.
"One hour?" Monica spat, "You are such a leaf blower!"
"Looks like it's just going to be me at the Goddess meeting," Veronica laughed mockingly.
"Oh yeah, right!" Monica laughed fakely, "Like you didn't go on that date with Jean-Claude Van Damme when Rachel only asked him for me!"
"Well, maybe if you were better in touch with your pool of inner power like I am then you would have asked him yourself!" She argued with pursed lips.
The girls glared at each other before Veronica, Rachel, and Monica stomped to their rooms and slammed their doors shut angrily.
Phoebe huffed and looked around the living room before settling for slapping the fridge door.
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"Here are your cakes," Rachel sang shyly as she set down three plates of cakes for the girls.
"We didn't order cake," Monica raised a brow, that being the first thing she'd said to her since the fight.
"No, I know, they're from me. Look you guys this is not good. I mean we have enough trouble with guys stealing our wind without taking it from each other."
"You're right," Veronica sighed.
"I love you, goddesses. I don't ever want to suck your wind again," Phoebe pouted.
With that, the four joined together in a tight group hug, a silent symbol of their forgiveness of each other.
"Thank you," Rachel smiled at her, "So are we good?"
"We're good."
"Yeah."
"Of course we are."
"Okay, then let me take these cakes back 'cause they're gonna take that out of my paycheck," She laughed sheepishly as she put the plates back onto her tray.
"No, no, hold on," Veronica stopped her and grabbed one of the cakes, "Put this on my tab."
"Awe," Phoebe cooed, "You kept one as a peace offering to us."
She paused and pursed her lips in disappointment. She got it for herself to enjoy but they'd just straightened everything out and she didn't want to stir up another fight. "... Yeah, alright, fine."
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〚𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑'𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄〛
Please don't forget to vote and comment! There's only one more chapter before we start season three, I'm so excited!
Have a great day and stay safe ♥♥