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( In which Joey and you had been going out for a few months but ended up breaking up. Christmas is now on the way, and you're still the only one Joey has ever fallen in love with. )
Music: Christmas Lights, Coldplay
"Are you going to be okay sweetie?" Rachel asks, concern sparkling in her eyes as soon as she catches a glimpse of Joey picking up his coat on the way out of their apartment.
It's almost 6pm, that is to say an hour and a half before Monica's traditional Christmas dinner, and although the ravenette is usually very excited about food, all he wishes for now is to get some air. He smiles at Rachel, just like he always does.
"Yeah, I'll be back. See you Rach."
Before the young woman can dissuade him, he pushes the door close and hurtles down the staircase, bursting out free from the 'happy bubble' he has been locking himself up in around his friends.
He's even been struggling to talk to Chandler because, let's be real, he's Joey. Joey who holds hands with lavender girls and smirks at pretty boys, but who doesn't know how to love much. It would pass, he'd thought. But instead he did learn, and that first time was surely the hardest.
Not having thought of a precise route to follow, the actor simply stops at Central Perk to to get some a coffee to go then wanders in the streets around, breathing out cold steam and warming his hands on the white paper cup he's gripping. It hasn't started snowing yet in spite of the weather people being positive about it.
Colourful garlands shimmering on buildings, sounds of wrapping and bags crumpling and joyous faces don't make him as thrilled as they should, and the festive Christmas night only reminds him that he won't be spending it with you. As much as he has been trying to, Joey can't forget that he's let you go.
If only he didn't get scared. If only he knew how much it would hurt everybody.
After walking around the neighbourhood for a little longer, the Italian young man spots a small empty space between a newsdealer and a shop. He snuggles between the walls to take a seat on that only step, pressing his legs together and bending forward to absorb his own body heat. He looks at passers-by who don't pay much attention to him, caught up in their own christmas plans and thoughts; some of them smile to themselves, which helps warming up a piece of his heart.
But still, even if Joey can't be more grateful to have a loving friend group he knows will always be there for him, he can't stop feeling insanely lonely. It's so painfully wonderful, the way someone can crash into your life and make you the happiest you've ever been, then slip away and take everything back. The emptiness is the worst, the young man thinks, because there is nothing to fill it with but reminiscences.
Then, something catches his eye. Something so unexpected that it wrecks his guts, making him sit up straight in a spontaneous attempt to make sure he isn't dreaming. From across the street, Joey is staring at you with his chest burning and his heart drilling through it.
Next thing he knows, the ravenette is up on his feet, striding towards you, clenching the coffee paper cup in his hands, all the words he could've said then and could say now swirling inside his head. You still look as everlasting as before, as though there is no way Joey can lose you again. It's Christmas, cold and happy, pretty white Christmas, and maybe it seems like fate is real. Oh how he wishes for it to be.
"Y/n!" he calls, not paying the slightest bit of attention to people watching him. "Y/n, wait!"
You turn around, startled by the too-familiar voice calling for you. Your heart skips a bit as the glow of a lamppost ahead illuminates Joey, a surprised and torn smile adorning his still-so-pretty face.
"Joey!" your brain tries to come up with a hundred reasons why it shouldn't happen, but you push them all aside. After all, you haven't got the young man out of your mind for so long.
"How," his dark hazel eyes flutter on your features, and the smile is less sad. "How are you?"
"I'm alright, thank you, how are you?" you rub your cold hands together, the joy and relief to see Joey again having made you forget that it is actually freezing outside.
"I'm fine, I mean, I miss you" his smile fades softly, meaning he is serious. You've almost never seen him like that before. "Hey, can I get you a cup of coffee or something so we can catch up?"
To tell the truth, you have no particular plans this evening anyway; you'd visit your parents the next day and have friends over on New Year's Eve, but nothing on Christmas night.
And to tell the real truth — you still love Joey.
"That would be great," you grin, spotting a single snowflake spiraling down onto the ravenette's coat. "It looks like it's about to snow."
"Yeah," he smiles back, hopeful. "I can't believe you're here. It's Christmas night, and you're here." You begin walking towards the Central Perk coffeehouse without even having to discuss it. "Isn't that incredible? What are the odds of that? I've been thinking about you so much" he confesses.
"Me too" you say quietly, remembering how hard it was not to get over Joey. "I miss you too. I saw you in the streets once," you recall, "but you were with your friend Rachel and I didn't want to make you uncomfortable. What we had, it meant so much to me."
Joey decides it is best to tell you right away before his heart breaks again, before his tongue gets burnt to ashes by fear.
"Look, I'm sorry about what happened" he apologized, staring at you. "You should've come to me, there hasn't been a day where I haven't regretted us not being together anymore."
"So..." a moved smile makes it way on your lips, and you haven't realized it but you are both covered in tiny white ice sculptures by the time you get to Central Perk. You stand at the door. "Shall we start over?"
Joey smiles sincerely, nodding. "Well, hello, I'm Joey Tribbiani. How you doin'?" You scoff, which makes his smile grow fonder as he clears his throat. "Okay, uh, may I say that you look ravishing tonight ? Have we met before?"
"Thank you, and I believe we did, a long time ago" you shake his hand, beaming at the young man. "My name is Y/n Y/l/n, it's nice to meet you, Joey."
Then he holds the door open for you as you get it, going back to the place you've been in countless times with your ex-boyfriend and now new date, breathing in the sweet smell of muffins and tea.
