[Joey x Chandler] COMPILATION OF SHORT STORIES FROM AO3

The One Where Joey Moves Next Door

Chapter One: The One With The New NeighborChapter Text

Chandler was walking into his apartment building, trying to juggle the Chinese take-out he'd grabbed on his way home, and getting the keys out of his pocket, when he ran into someone, dropping the Chinese food.

"Crap, crap, crap!" Chandler muttered as he bent down to start picking up the food bags, and trying to spare the food that hadn't spilled onto the floor.

Part of him was aware of the guy he'd ran into bending down to help, but Chandler was too busy trying to save his dinner to pay too much attention. Monica was going to kill him!

The guy stood up when Chandler did, to hand him one of the bags. Chandler took a good look at him, realizing he must be new in the building. He had dark hair, and dark eyes, and he had to be around Chandler's age. He even looked like he had Italian blood in him.

"Sorry about that," the guy said, sticking his hands in his pockets, before taking one back out for a handshake. "I'm Joey Tribbiani, and I'm new here."

Chandler gave this 'Joey' a look, because seriously? Couldn't he see that he kind of had full hands, and was incapable of a handshake?

"The name is Chandler Bing," he said, once Joey put his hand down. "Where do you live?"

"Apartment 19," Joey responded, grinning like he'd won the lottery.

"Really?" Chandler was mildly surprised, to say the least. What were the odds that it had been that particular apartment where Joey moved into?

Joey smiled even wider, if that was possible. "Yeah! And it's a really great place, considering how it's just me living there."

Chandler was still having issues trying to get his keys out of his pocket, while carrying the Chinese food bags. Joey was watching him, with interest, before laughing. Chandler looked up from his struggle, glaring at the other man.

"What is so funny?" he asked.

"Ya' could've asked me to open the door for you." He had to choke it out between his laughter, which made Chandler glare at him even more.

"Well, would you please open the door?" he asked.

Joey must've missed the sarcasm, or just chose to ignore it, because he opened the door for Chandler. Chandler walked into his building, with Joey right behind him. While they walked up to the two apartments, Chandler couldn't help but wonder at how lucky it was for Joey; that of the different apartments available in the building, this guy just happened to move into the vacant one across the hall from Chandler and Monica. Chandler could introduce Joey to the group, and they would finally be balanced with three guys and three girls.

"So, where do you live?" Joey asked, breaking Chandler out of his thoughts.

"Apartment 20," Chandler responded.

Joey smiled. "Great! We're neighbors!"

Chandler smiled too, because even though Joey seemed kind of annoying, he felt the same way about Ross most days, but they were still pretty great friends. And Joey did seem kind of cool. After all, he did help Chandler out with the Chinese food and when he saw Chandler struggling with his keys.

"Well, here we are," Chandler said, once they got to their floor, and their apartments. "You wanna come over?" He gestured to apartment twenty, while still trying not to drop the Chinese food.

"Sure!" Joey replied, grinning still. Quietly, Chandler wondered if he ever stopped smiling, because it was sort of starting to get creepy. Although, him being happy a lot was good too.

Pushing those thoughts aside for now, Chandler awkwardly knocked on his door with his elbows, hoping Monica was home. Although, considering how she didn't have to go to work today, she should be. Unless her, Rachel, Phoebe, and Ross were down at Central Perk.

He sighed in relief when Monica opened the door.

"Hey, Mon," he greeted, kissing her on the cheek. "I hope you don't mind that I picked up a stranger."

Monica had dark, short hair, with beautiful crystal blue eyes. Chandler had by complete chance fallen in love with her, and he couldn't imagine anything more wonderful than being with her right now.

"Umm, alright," Monica replied, obviously not certain on how to respond to what Chandler had just said. Her blue eyes brightened when she saw the Chinese food in Chandler's hand. "Oh, great! You got my message! Put those over on the table, and I'll use them tonight for dinner."

Chandler quickly sat down the Chinese food bags on the table, and walked back to where Monica and Joey were both standing around awkwardly.

"Alright," Chandler spoke, just to break the silence. "Mon, meet Joey Tribbiani. He just moved in across the hall, and I figured the least we could do was make him feel welcome. Joey, this beautiful woman in front of you is Monica Geller, my wonderful fiancée."

Monica blushed at the introduction. "Hey, Joey," she said, sticking out her hand, which Joey grasped immediately, giving each other a handshake. "Nice to finally have a new neighbor."

"It's nice to even have a place of my own," Joey responded, babbling. "I've been living with my parents for so long that it's gonna be weird to live on my own, but I think I can do it."

Joey's grinning must've been infectious because Chandler found himself grinning as well, and when he looked at her, Monica was also smiling.

"Do you wanna stay for dinner?" Monica asked. "You can meet everyone else when they come over."

"They're coming?" Chandler asked, feeling stupid the second the question came out of his mouth.

"Most likely," Monica replied. "You know how much they like hanging out here."

Chandler knew she was right. It seemed like most of the time, the group was either hanging out here and his and Monica's place or at Central Perk, the small coffee place that they loved hanging out at. It wasn't that he minded, because really, he didn't. He liked that he could see all his friends so much.

"I'd like to be able to stay for dinner, but after moving stuff into my apartment all day, I would like to be able to take a shower."

Chandler laughed. "Go ahead and take one. We'll be waiting her with food."

Joey nodded, and left, leaving Chandler and Monica by themselves. It was quiet for a little bit, before Monica spoke.

"He seemed pretty cool. Kind of cute too, eh?"

Her question made Chandler feel uncomfortable. Was she seriously asking him if he thought their new guy neighbor was cute? He wasn't into guys, so it had to be some sort of test, right? Was he supposed to say yes, just to agree? Or was he supposed to say no, so that Mon wouldn't think he was going to try anything. The whole thing was just confusing.

Suddenly Monica started to laugh. He looked at her, raising his eyebrows questionably.

"You should've seen your face. You looked all panicky. I was asking for Phoebe's sake."

Chandler nodded his head. "Okay," he said. Inside, he felt relieved. If Mon had seriously wanted him to answer if he thought Joey was cute, he honestly couldn't say what he would've answered. He just hoped the conversation didn't get brought up again.