Multifandom X Reader Stories

Too Scared to Love (Joey Tribbiani)

You were sitting on the couch in Joey's apartment, flipping through a magazine, waiting for him to get back from his latest audition. It wasn't unusual for you to be there—after all, you and Joey had grown incredibly close over the past few months. He'd make you laugh, he'd cook you dinner (well, order in), and you'd spend hours watching movies together.

But something had shifted recently, something unspoken between you two, and you felt it every time he looked at you a little too long or brushed against you "accidentally" when he walked by.

Joey walked through the door, a big grin on his face, and you smiled back at him. "How was the audition?" you asked, leaning back on the couch.

"Eh, you know, same ol', same ol'," he said with a casual shrug, but his tone sounded off. He was fidgety, not meeting your eyes.

You knew Joey well enough by now to notice when he was hiding something. "You seem a little... off. Everything okay?"

He avoided your question and flopped down next to you, grabbing the remote. "You wanna watch a movie or somethin'?"

You hesitated but nodded, deciding not to press him further. But your gut feeling told you something was wrong.

It wasn't long before things started to feel even stranger. Joey would cancel plans with you last minute or come up with vague excuses for why he couldn't hang out. One night, while you were out with Monica and Rachel, you overheard a conversation you weren't meant to.

"I saw Joey at Central Perk today... with some girl," Rachel said casually, sipping her coffee.

Your heart skipped a beat. "A girl? What girl?"

Rachel shrugged. "No idea. They looked... pretty cozy."

That uneasy feeling gnawed at you. You didn't want to jump to conclusions, but something told you Joey wasn't being honest with you.

A few days later, you decided to confront him. You knocked on his apartment door, and when he opened it, you could see the guilt written all over his face.

"Hey... can we talk?" you asked, your voice calm but laced with tension.

"Yeah, sure," Joey said, but his voice cracked slightly, and you knew this wasn't going to be a normal conversation.

You stepped inside and took a deep breath. "I need to ask you something. Are you seeing someone else?"

Joey froze, his face going pale. "I... uh... it's not what you think, okay?"

You stared at him, your heart pounding in your chest. "What do you mean it's not what I think? Are you dating other women, Joey?"

His silence was all the answer you needed. You felt a sharp pain in your chest, a mix of anger and betrayal. "Why, Joey? If you like me, if we're this close, why would you go behind my back?"

Joey ran his hands through his hair, clearly panicking. "I—I'm scared, okay? I've never felt this way before, and it freaks me out! I thought if I... if I kept things casual with you, and maybe dated other women, it would make it go away! But it hasn't."

You blinked, processing his words, but it didn't make you feel any better. "So, you're telling me you've been lying to me because you're scared of how you feel? That doesn't make sense, Joey! If you care about me, why would you hurt me like this?"

Joey's eyes pleaded with you. "I know it sounds crazy, but I didn't want to screw things up with you. You're different... and that's why I messed up."

You shook your head, stepping back from him. "You expect me to believe that? You've been going out with other women, behind my back, and now you're telling me it's because you're scared? I don't buy it."

Joey took a step closer, his voice softer. "Please... you gotta believe me. I've never been good at relationships, but this... what I feel for you... it's real. And it terrifies me."

You looked into his eyes, searching for something—anything—that would convince you he was telling the truth. But all you felt was the sting of betrayal. You had trusted him, and he had broken that trust, no matter his reasons.

"I don't know if I can believe you, Joey," you said quietly. "I don't know if I can trust you after this."

The room fell into a heavy silence. Joey's face fell, and you could see the regret in his eyes. "I'm sorry," he whispered, but you didn't respond.

You turned and walked out of his apartment, your heart aching as the door closed behind you.

As you stepped out into the hallway, you knew things would never be the same between you and Joey. You had feelings for him too, but trust once broken isn't easy to rebuild. And even though he claimed he was scared, it didn't erase the hurt you felt.

For now, you needed space, and Joey would have to decide whether he was ready to face his feelings or keep running from them.