EASY | chandler bing

eleven; happy new year

CHAPTER ELEVEN
･ﾟ:* ✧

the room buzzed with warm, fizzy excitement as the night crept over the city, snow swirling behind windows and covering the pavements and rooftops with thick, white flecks. although a couple of hours still stood between the group of friends and the toll of midnight bells, with its traditional cheers and wishes, the gay atmopshere that had engulfed the appartement was in full swing already.

"look, ugly naked guy is..." phoebe pointed at the window pane, peering through the frost-adorned glass. "wearing clothes?!" she noticed, visibly surprised by such an unfamiliar sight, before adding: "and having a party!"

"how's he, with clothes on?" caroline inquired, chuckling—before witnessing it herself, she had been told many stories about the man who more often than not appeared without any piece of clothing on in the building opposite theirs.

"weird... i don't like watching him with clothes, i feel like an intruder," phoebe's nose scrunched up as she spoke, and she covered her eyes.

"what's the matter?" joey joined in, squinting as he, too, took a look outside the window. "i still can't unsee his butt..."

gently hitting him on the arm, caroline couldn't help but chuckle as she shook her head.

"what's going on over there?" it was chandler's turn to add, noticing the group standing by the window.

"ugly naked is having a new year's party," caroline explained, rosier in the cheeks as chandler approached. now that he was beside her, there was nothing she could do but admire how breath-taking he looked, feeling her stomach tickle with warmth.

"oh no, maybe we should consider going to his instead," chandler said dramatically—though anyone who knew him could tell that he was joking—, and joey gave him a pat on the shoulder before getting back to the heart of the party.

left alone, chandler and caroline exchanged somewhat shy smiles, but were unable not to keep gazing into each other's eyes.

"so, how are you enjoying your first new year's eve with us?" chandler asked kindly, glancing at the living room where their group of friends was busy chatting or dancing to the festive tunes echoing in the flat.

"it's fantastic," carline confessed sincerely. "thank you so much for being so welcoming and sweet with me ever since i came back. instead of reconnecting with one friend only, i also gained five more amazing friends."

"phoebe should've told us about you earlier," chandler replied as sincerely, the risk being worth it—in a sudden rush of bravery, he wanted caroline to understand just how much she meant to him.

"i wouldn't dare to imagine what would've happened if i hadn't met you guys. my life would have been a lot more boring, to say the least," her greenish hazel eyes still fixed upon chandler's features, caroline knew, as the words poured from her lips, that she wouldn't have traded what she had now for the world. how was it possible that people could connect this deeply, this easily, yet meaningfully? the answer, unquestioned, lay within the beating human heart, the swirling spirit of the human being itself, whose body of stardust held trapped the irrepressible feeling, the urge for the other—the other, who was the key to oneself. 

the evening went on, the group exchanging stories and anecdotes; caroline found out about her new friends' past new-year-day memories or particularly remarkable celebrations, and shared hers with them in return. in addition to this, the dinner that monica had cooked turned out to indeed be as delicious as it smelled, and by eleven o'clock everybody sat around the extended kitchen table, complimenting the chef on the feast she had prepared. a bottle of champagne was left untouched at the center of the table, its golden crown of foil glimmering under the soft lights; it would be left untouched until the countdown to midnight began.

finally, the fateful moment came. chanting "12, 11, 10...", ross unscrewed the cork under his friends' eyes, releasing the pressure to make it pop out at midnight—white foam frothed underneath his fingertips, the amber liquid bubbling to accompany the announcement that it was officially midnight.

"happy new year chandler," caroline naturally turned to her friend.

"happy new year, caroline."

sharing a mutual look of gratitude, the pair realized that they both had rarely felt happier than in this moment. everything that had been holding them back previously loosening its grip on them, their lips met, and, as light-hearted voices congratulated each other all around the room, caroline and chandler realized that this new year had started just the right way.

—

it is a little late for a new year chapter, but i really wanted to finish this story which i took so much joy in writing. it felt, indeed, easy to write, and chandler and caroline's soft relationship was everything i needed to keep myself in a festive, cosy mood. i hope that you guys enjoyed it, thank you so much to anyone who voted, commented or simply read this. again i wish you a very happy new year, may 2020 be good to you <3