Title: Macy's Day Parade
Author: Katie
Email: [email protected]
Fandom: Friends
Pairing: Gunther/Joey, mild Chandler/Joey
Rating: PG
Category: Angst, semi-First Time
Summary: "Joey can't think like the others."
Notes: Much of this fic is inspired by Aug's "magnet," which she wrote for me for Not-So-Secret-Santa. The other part is from Green day's cd "Warning," more specifically "Macy's Day Parade."
Disclaimer: I do not own Friends. I do not own Green Day
***
Joey can't think like the others. He can't be quick like Chandler, or make up thousands of theories like Ross, or believe in things blindly like Phoebe. He knows this, and is reminded whenever he is around them. The seduction was the only thing he was ever good at. To make someone *want* him was just enough to get through life. It was like when he was acting. Joey just has to pretend he was James Bond and they come in flocks. It was the fake confidence that gets him places.
Joey wonders about people sometimes. It's usually people he knows nothing of. People he knows just in passing. Like when he takes walks, and sees the thousands on their lunch break, he wonders who they are or where they are going. Joey takes this as a sign that New York hasn't made him too rough. The big city life has gotten to his friends. They have lost all imagination, and forgot how to truly smile. Even Phoebe is caught up in the frenzy. She is in constant survival mode, taking without guilt.
Joey tries to not be like that anymore. He tries not to get in the Christmas gimme-gimme mania. He tries not to want the Barbie dolls of the world. Joey tries to remember when the shiniest wasn't necessarily the best.
Joey spends most of his time in Central Perk now. The place has changed so much since the beginning. At one time, the coffeehouse was a quirky sanctuary for the yuppies and GenXers. Now, it has turned into another Starbucks for the debutantes and Prom Kings. But there is one common variable-- Gunther. Gunther doesn't care about the transformation like Joey does. Gunther is just there to make good coffee and get paid. He masters his art like a street performer, not caring how insignificant it may be. Gunther just stands at the counter, with his insubordinate hair, gloating his kingdom of sorts.
Joey wishes he could be like Gunther. Joey knows that he has more than Gunther, but he has nothing that he can stake a claim to. Gunther has the rights to the best latte in the city, and to the shirts he wears. Joey's clothing belongs to a designer.
Gunther once told Joey that he would do anything to be him. Gunther said that Joey had everything in the world-- charm, good looks, and the girl. Joey denied it and turned away. Gunther laid his hand on Joey's trying to stop him. Gunther told Joey he was the luckiest man on Earth.
Joey is convinced that his right hand has Gunther's special powers in it. Joey tries to make the tingling feeling go up his arm, but it falls short. He knows that if he could that feeling to stick to his entire body he would not feel the gaping hole in his core.
Joey sits at the counter as much as possible. He watches Gunther like the people on the street. He studies him, hoping he can learn how to live like him. Gunther talks to Joey when he can, he tells him why Rotten was the driving force of the Sex Pistols, and what Europe is really like.
Joey is starting to become more of a best friend to Gunther than to Chandler. It makes him sad, but he knows that Chandler belongs to Monica, and it's for the better. Chandler cannot be Joey's friend like he wants him to be, and knows that trying to make him has ruined whatever was before. Gunther is more welcome to giving his time to answer Joey's questions and then some. Joey spends most of his time with Gunther learning his opinions on everything. Which is fine, because Joey ends up learning his own opinions.
Author: Katie
Email: [email protected]
Fandom: Friends
Pairing: Gunther/Joey, mild Chandler/Joey
Rating: PG
Category: Angst, semi-First Time
Summary: "Joey can't think like the others."
Notes: Much of this fic is inspired by Aug's "magnet," which she wrote for me for Not-So-Secret-Santa. The other part is from Green day's cd "Warning," more specifically "Macy's Day Parade."
Disclaimer: I do not own Friends. I do not own Green Day
***
Joey can't think like the others. He can't be quick like Chandler, or make up thousands of theories like Ross, or believe in things blindly like Phoebe. He knows this, and is reminded whenever he is around them. The seduction was the only thing he was ever good at. To make someone *want* him was just enough to get through life. It was like when he was acting. Joey just has to pretend he was James Bond and they come in flocks. It was the fake confidence that gets him places.
Joey wonders about people sometimes. It's usually people he knows nothing of. People he knows just in passing. Like when he takes walks, and sees the thousands on their lunch break, he wonders who they are or where they are going. Joey takes this as a sign that New York hasn't made him too rough. The big city life has gotten to his friends. They have lost all imagination, and forgot how to truly smile. Even Phoebe is caught up in the frenzy. She is in constant survival mode, taking without guilt.
Joey tries to not be like that anymore. He tries not to get in the Christmas gimme-gimme mania. He tries not to want the Barbie dolls of the world. Joey tries to remember when the shiniest wasn't necessarily the best.
Joey spends most of his time in Central Perk now. The place has changed so much since the beginning. At one time, the coffeehouse was a quirky sanctuary for the yuppies and GenXers. Now, it has turned into another Starbucks for the debutantes and Prom Kings. But there is one common variable-- Gunther. Gunther doesn't care about the transformation like Joey does. Gunther is just there to make good coffee and get paid. He masters his art like a street performer, not caring how insignificant it may be. Gunther just stands at the counter, with his insubordinate hair, gloating his kingdom of sorts.
Joey wishes he could be like Gunther. Joey knows that he has more than Gunther, but he has nothing that he can stake a claim to. Gunther has the rights to the best latte in the city, and to the shirts he wears. Joey's clothing belongs to a designer.
Gunther once told Joey that he would do anything to be him. Gunther said that Joey had everything in the world-- charm, good looks, and the girl. Joey denied it and turned away. Gunther laid his hand on Joey's trying to stop him. Gunther told Joey he was the luckiest man on Earth.
Joey is convinced that his right hand has Gunther's special powers in it. Joey tries to make the tingling feeling go up his arm, but it falls short. He knows that if he could that feeling to stick to his entire body he would not feel the gaping hole in his core.
Joey sits at the counter as much as possible. He watches Gunther like the people on the street. He studies him, hoping he can learn how to live like him. Gunther talks to Joey when he can, he tells him why Rotten was the driving force of the Sex Pistols, and what Europe is really like.
Joey is starting to become more of a best friend to Gunther than to Chandler. It makes him sad, but he knows that Chandler belongs to Monica, and it's for the better. Chandler cannot be Joey's friend like he wants him to be, and knows that trying to make him has ruined whatever was before. Gunther is more welcome to giving his time to answer Joey's questions and then some. Joey spends most of his time with Gunther learning his opinions on everything. Which is fine, because Joey ends up learning his own opinions.