A/N: Happy New Year's! I hope 2019 is amazing for all of you
This is dedicated to everyone who ships chimney and maddie.
Maddie stared ahead at the tv. It was only about thirty minutes until the New Year.
There were so many people in the middle of the city waiting for the ball to drop.
Chimney and Maddie had even talked about going, but they just ended up deciding on having a quiet night at her apartment.
And Maddie was perfectly fine with that. She wasn't even sure if she would've been able to handle that huge crowd anyway.
Some host was asking random people about their favorite memories of 2018.
Maddie had very few good things happen to her during the year. She could literally count them all on one hand.
There were four positive things that had happened to her: actually surviving and getting away from her husband, getting the chance to be with her little brother again, getting a good job where she was still able to help people, and meeting Chimney.
Maddie was brought out of her thoughts when she heard Chimney laugh beside of her.
"There's no way this guy swam with sharks. I don't believe him at all," he said.
Maddie smiled. "Most of these people are saying things that don't make much sense… it has to be because they're on tv," she suggested.
"Yeah, definitely."
Maddie shifted on the couch and looked at Chimney.
"So, what are some good things that happened to you this year?" Maddie asked.
"That list is very short, but surviving a rebar through my skull is definitely at the top… but other than that I'm coming up blank."
"Wait, no. I lied," Chimney said quickly. There was one other good thing that happened this year," he said before he glanced down at his hands.
Maddie waited for him to tell her what it was, but he didn't. She was starting to get very curious.
"What was it?" She asked.
Chimney moved his head to face her and he looked… embarrassed.
"It might be a little cheesy if I say it," he said.
Maddie smiled. "But aren't you the king of cheesiness? So, what's so bad about this that you can't say it?"
Chimney let out a little laugh. "You got me there… I was just thinking that I'm really happy that I met you and we became friends," he said.
'That wasn't cheesy," Maddie said, a smile forming on her lips.
"It wasn't?"
"No, because meeting you just happens to be on my very short list of good things that happened to me this year."
"Really?" Chimney asked, surprise evident in his voice.
"Of course. Hanging out with you has helped me in more ways than you can imagine," she admitted.
Maddie wasn't lying. Their friendship meant so much to her. He was her first actual friend in a very long time. Of course, she had friends at the hospital where she used to work, but she just felt like they weren't real friends. She had to always act so happy and that her life was great whenever she was around them. Everything just felt like a big lie.
But with Chimney, everything was all out in the open and they were always honest with each other. Maddie not only could be the person she always wanted to be, but she could also talk about her feelings whenever something was wrong. They didn't have to pretend with each other.
And Chimney was always there for Maddie no matter what. There was never any judgment. Whenever she needed a friend, he'd be there for her. Whenever she needed to laugh, he'd make her laugh. Whenever she needed someone to just listen, he'd do exactly that.
Chimney was always amazing.
He was a true friend.
He was honestly the most amazing friend that Maddie would ever have in her whole life.
No one could ever compare to him.
"And just to think that Buck is the only reason why we met in the first place," Chimney said. "If I hadn't came over with him to help you move that day, you would probably still think that Buck is referring to a chimney on a house every time he talks about me," he said, a grin forming on his lips.
Maddie covered her face in embarrassment. "I can't believe he told you that. How was I supposed to know that an actual person was named Chimney?"
Maddie uncovered her face and Chimney was shaking his head at her.
"Buck said you asked him why Bobby was talking to a chimney," he said before he started laughing.
Maddie smiled. "I was only just making sure Buck wasn't high or drunk."
"And there's nothing wrong with you thinking that people talk to chimneys?" He teased.
"Stop! It was an honest mistake," Maddie defended herself as she playfully pushed him.
"And Buck also said that you thought Chimney was a weird name," He said.
Maddie's mouth fell open a little as she looked over at him, but Chimney wasn't even annoyed. He was actually smiling.
"I was just a little surprised that someone had that nickname, but I don't think that anymore. I think it's unique and cute. I'm really sorry I said that… and I'm also killing Buck when he comes back."
Chimney laughed and shook his head. "You're forgiven. Besides, I could never get mad at you anyway. I think it's funny… and where is Buck? Is he still hanging out with Taylor Kelly?"
Maddie shook her head. "No, they've been finished. He actually went to over to Eddie's house when I told him you were coming over."
Chimney shifted on the couch, so he could face her. "Why?" He wondered.
Maddie shrugged. "I'm not really sure…" she trailed off.
She knew exactly why Buck had left. He had told her that he didn't want to get in the way. He had assumed that they wanted to be alone, and Maddie wasn't sure why he thought that. They had already told him they weren't dating twenty times.
But Maddie also knew that her dumb brother would open his big mouth to Chimney the next day. She loved him, but she hated how he couldn't keep his mouth shut for anything.
"He said that he didn't want to be in the way… whatever that means," Maddie said a few seconds later.
She knew that playing dumb in this situation wasn't very smart. She knew what her brother had meant, and she was positive that Chimney did too.
Maddie didn't even want to see Chimney's reaction, so she turned her head and looked at the tv.
They had already went through the whole dating thing once, and it had been awkward between them. Maddie just hoped they weren't heading in that direction again.
She heard Chimney let out a little nervous laugh beside her.
"He didn't want to hang out with us tonight because he's just mad that I think that you're the better Buckley," he joked a few moments later.
Maddie turned her head to look at him.
He had cracked a joke and he was smiling. Those were good things.
At least the situation hadn't turned awkward.
"Wait… did you actually tell him that?" Maddie asked.
Chimney smiled and shook his head. "I've never said anything like that to him. I was only kidding."
He stood up and stretched. "But now that we're on the subject, I do actually have a favorite Buckley. I wasn't kidding about that part," he said, his lips curving into a smile.
Before Maddie could even ask who it was, Chimney spoke again.
"Is it okay if I get some popcorn?"
"Of course," Maddie said.
Chimney nodded and began to make his way toward the kitchen.
"Do you need help finding anything?" Maddie shouted.
"No. I think I'll be okay. I'm pretty sure I know where everything is," he shouted back.
Chimney had actually spent so much time at Maddie's house that he knew where everything was located in the kitchen.
"It's funny," Chimney said. "I don't even remember where anything is in my own cabinets."
Maddie shook her head and laughed. "It's probably because you're never home."
"Probably."
And then, Maddie remembered; she still didn't know which Buckley was Chimney's favorite.
She definitely didn't want to turn it into a sibling rivalry; she had had enough of that when they were kids, but a part of her couldn't help but to be curious about it.
But it had to be Buck, right?
It had to be.
Chimney had known him longer; he had been friends with him a lot longer too.
But what if it wasn't Buck?
What if she was Chimney's favorite?
Maddie tapped the couch with her fingers as she continued to wonder who it was.
No matter how much she wondered, she would never truly know the answer if she wasn't going to ask Chimney.
Maddie heard the popcorn in the microwave, and she was sure that Chimney was gently hitting his hands against the countertop as if it were a drum.
Maddie glanced at her hand on the couch, and she immediately stopped tapping it.
They both had basically been doing the same thing.
Weird.
She only did that when she was thinking… was Chimney thinking too? If he was, what was he thinking about?
Maddie raised her hand and ran it across her forehead. She had too much on her mind.
"So…" Maddie began to speak.
This was her chance to ask.
"Are you gonna tell me or not?" She asked.
"Tell you what?" Chimney asked.
About that time the microwave beeped.
"Who's your favorite Buckley?"
Maddie heard Chimney move around the kitchen. He opened a cabinet and shut it a few seconds later.
And then, he opened the microwave door and shut that too.
Maddie thought that he hadn't heard her or he was ignoring her.
She couldn't help but to think it was the latter… until he spoke.
"You really don't know?" He asked.
She heard Chimney dump the popcorn into the bowl.
Maddie shrugged and immediately shook her head. He couldn't even see her.
"I don't think I do," she answered honestly.
Maddie sat up and looked toward the kitchen. Chimney should've already came back by then. He was already finished, so she wondered why he was still in there.
Maybe it was because he didn't want to face her.
And a part of Maddie understood that.
She had only pushed further on the subject because Chimney had been in a different room. She knew she most likely wouldn't have asked if he was sitting right beside her.
She heard Chimney laugh nervously and Maddie could picture what he looked liked so clearly… the way his lips would turn upward into a smile before he laughed, and how he would lower his head and look at the floor after.
"I thought it was obvious," he said after a few moments.
"I guess it isn't," Maddie said so quietly that she wasn't even sure if Chimney had heard her.
But he had.
"It should be though. Take a guess," he responded.
Maddie sat there and thought about what she was going to say.
"It's Buck, right?" Maddie asked.
She heard Chimney walk through the house and he showed up in the living room holding a huge bowl of popcorn in both of his hands. He began to shake his head with a small smile on his face.
"It's you, silly," he answered.
"Oh," Maddie said.
Of course, it had crossed her mind that maybe she was his favorite, but she didn't exactly expect him to say that.
Chimney tilted his head in confusion.
"You've known Buck longer. I was just expecting it to be him," Maddie said, shrugging.
Chimney sighed and shook his head again.
"I don't recall ever having movie nights with Buck or making him hot mustard when the delivery guy forgets it… or singing karaoke with him," He added, smirking.
Maddie smiled and shyly looked at her hands.
Those things were true. Chimney had never done any of those things with Buck. In fact, Maddie was positive that he didn't do anything like that with any of his other friends.
And that realization had made Maddie all warm inside.
It made her happy.
"True," Maddie said quietly.
Chimney made his way to the couch and placed the bowl of popcorn between them so they could both reach it.
Maddie looked over and gave him a smile.
"You're my favorite too… well, technically, you're my only friend, but if I did have more, you'd still be my favorite," Maddie said.
Chimney laughed. "I'll take it."
Maddie nodded her head and paid attention to the tv again. It was a little under twenty minutes until the year was over.
The host was now going around asking people about their New Year's resolutions and what they hoped to achieve during the next year.
"So, if you don't mind me asking, what are some of your resolutions for next year?" Chimney asked.
She turned her head to look at Chimney and a million things ran through her mind. It was going to be a whole new, different year. There were so many opportunities for Maddie and she had so many things she needed to work on.
"Umm," she began. "I really just wanna work on myself as a person, you know… work on my confidence, try new things… just concentrating on leaving certain things in the past. And I'd also like to try to at least read one or two books a month. What about you?"
"I guess I just want to make sure that I don't go back to trying to pretend to be someone I'm not. That wasn't a good lifestyle at all. I don't wanna try to be the tough guy anymore. I wanna be the guy who's a little scared of large dogs and snakes and sometimes heights, and who makes movie references every five minutes. I just wanna be Chimney," he said as he looked over at her.
Maddie nodded. "That's great because I really like the real you."
Chimney smiled. "It took me a long time, but I think I'm finally realizing that I do too."
Maddie grabbed a few pieces of popcorn and popped them into her mouth. Chimney did the same.
They sat in a comfortable silence after that. They were both completely satisfied with eating popcorn and watching tv.
When it had hit the five minute mark, people in the crowd had already begun to kiss.
Maddie's eyes widened. She had forgotten about having to see thousands of people to kiss on the tv.
Well, that was certainly going to be an awkward time for her and Chimney…
But she also knew that Chimney wasn't expecting anything. He hadn't told her that, but he didn't need to.
"So, there's about to be thirty billion people slobbering all over each other in the next few minutes. Gross," Chimney said as if kissing was the most disgusting thing he had ever witnessed.
Maddie smiled. He was confirming what she already knew. That was his way of saying that she didn't have to worry about him making the move to kiss her.
"So, you mean there's actually thirty billion people standing in the city?" Maddie joked.
Chimney moved forward and began to point his finger at the tv. He began to count the people that were there.
"Yeah, see? There's one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine… thirty billion," he said as he looked over and grinned at her.
Maddie laughed and shook her head.
It was at the three minute mark and Maddie felt Chimney's eyes on her.
"So…" Chimney said.
Maddie looked over at him. "So… what?"
"So, when it officially becomes 2019, and all of those other people are spreading germs all over each other, would you like to high five?"
It was a silly request, but Maddie loved it. She loved the idea of bringing in the new year high fiving her most favorite friend.
But something else had popped into her mind.
"What about if we high five and then hug?" Maddie suggested.
Chimney began to grin as he nodded. "That sounds like a plan."
Maddie nodded and relaxed against the couch.
Chimney began to laugh. "Maybe I should've gotten us some glasses with 2019 on them and little top hats that say "Happy New Year" on them."
Maddie grinned. "We can get that stuff next year."
"So, you're really making plans for us three-hundred and sixty five days away?" He teased.
Maddie shrugged. "There's no one else I'd rather spend it with."
He looked at her with the most serious expression on his face. "I feel the same way about you."
She gave him half a smile. "And I just really want to see how cute you look in a top hat," she said.
Chimney laughed. "I definitely won't look as cute as you."
Maddie shyly turned her head away from him and stared at the tv.
She absolutely loved how they could joke and call each other cute without it being weird.
It was a little less than one minute away from 2019, and Chimney stood up and stretched.
He walked over and grabbed Maddie's hand as she got up. They stood in front of each other, but both of their heads were turned in the direction of the tv… until there was only ten seconds left.
They both slowly turned their heads so they were facing each other. Chimney gave her a small smile and Maddie did the same.
"Five! Four! Three! Two! One! Happy New Year!" The thousands of people's voices came from the tv.
Both Chimney and Maddie raised their hands and gave each other a high five. They laughed as they did.
Maddie closed the very small space between them and wrapped her arms around him.
"Happy New Year, Chim," she whispered.
"Happy New Year, Maddie," he said, tightening his grip around her.
Tears suddenly began to fall down Maddie's cheek as a wave of emotions crashed into her. The god awful year of 2018 had ended, and it felt like weight had been lifted off Maddie's shoulders.
In the past, Maddie didn't really understand when some people said they felt relieved whenever a new year had started… but as she was stood there, she began to completely understand it.
Of course, every bad thing that had happened to her during 2018 wouldn't be forgotten so easily, but the year was over.
Maddie felt like she had a whole clean slate, and she was going to make 2019 the best year she could.
In that moment, Maddie felt like she could do or be anything she wanted. She felt almost at peace. She felt free.
And she was also happy.
Maddie was hugging Chimney, who she cared about so deeply, and she knew that he cared about her so damn much.
She was just so happy that she was bringing in the new year with him.
Maddie not only knew that she would make 2019 better herself, she also knew that Chimney would stay by her side and make it a better year too.
Maddie sniffled and Chimney immediately pulled away. He looked at her and concern was evident on his face.
"Did- Did I do something wrong?" He asked.
Maddie shook her head and tried to smile. "No, not at all. These are actually happy tears."
Chimney breathed a sigh of relief and immediately walked to the table beside the couch and grabbed Maddie a few tissues. He walked back over and handed them to her.
"Thank you," Maddie said as she took them.
She wiped at her eyes and looked at Chimney again.
"I just..." she began to speak. "I know that 2018 was just two minutes ago, and nothing has really changed since then, but I feel different. I feel free. I feel like I can breathe. I don't really know how to explain it, but I just feel really good."
"I've never told you this before, but I just want you to know that I think that you're so brave and strong and I'm so proud of you," Chimney said as he looked into her eyes.
Maddie really began to cry and Chimney grabbed the tissues out of her hands and wiped away the tears on her cheeks.
All she could do was stare at him.
Knowing that he thought all those things about her honestly meant everything to her.
Chimney placed her hand under her chin to move her head up and his thumb slid across her jawbone. Every inch of Maddie's body began to tingle and it took every ounce of strength she had to not let out a relaxed, soft moan.
Maddie wasn't used to someone being so gentle with her. She wasn't used to someone making her feel so safe.
She knew she shouldn't have felt that way. God, she knew it was awful to think like that, but she couldn't help it.
But whenever Chimney touched her, he was always so soft and gentle. And Maddie knew it was supposed to be that way, but she still couldn't stop herself from being surprised every time.
And another thing that got Maddie was the fact that Chimney always touched her as if she was the single most important person alive.
Chimney ran the back of his thumb across Maddie's cheek before he moved back.
But Maddie stepped forward and grabbed the tissues out of his hand. She shoved them in the pocket of her jeans.
"I'm just really thankful for you," she said after a moment.
She suddenly got the urge to kiss his cheek.
That was something she had thought of doing all kinds of times, she just never acted upon it. She had either thought it wasn't the right time to do it, or she wasn't feeling brave enough to even try.
But there she was feeling free, happy, and most of all, brave, and she just really wanted to kiss Chimney's cheek.
Now was a good time as any.
Maddie moved closer and grabbed his arm. Chimney immediately froze as her lips touched his cheek.
Maddie closed her eyes and let her lips linger on his skin for a few seconds.
When she finally pulled away, Chimney's eyes widened. He raised his hand and placed it exactly on the spot where Maddie had kissed him.
Maddie's eyes went to his hand and Chimney seemed to be dazed or in his own little world until he had noticed that Maddie was looking at him. He jumped a little and his hand quickly fell back to his side.
"That… that wasn't part of the… plan," Chimney said, referring to the deal they had made to high five and hug earlier.
Maddie shrugged and gave him a smile. "I would say it's the excitement of the New Year… I mean, I guess that's somewhat true, but I've also been wanting to do that for a while," she admitted.
Chimney grinned. "Well, either way... I, uh, I really appreciate it."
Maddie smiled at the floor before she sat down on the couch.
All the fun and excitement were over, and she was sure that Chimney was most likely getting going to go.
"Are you getting ready to leave?" She asked, looking up at him.
"Soon," he answered.
"Oh," Maddie said, trying not to sound disappointed, but she failed miserably.
Chimney's head tilted to the side in confusion. "You sound very disappointed."
"I just… I want to hang out with you more."
"I was only going to leave so you could get some sleep."
"I don't have to go in to work until tomorrow evening, so I'll be fine," Maddie said.
"Hmm," Chimney said, and then his lips slowly formed into a smile. "I'm off tomorrow, so I'll be fine too. I guess I could stay longer."
"But only if you want to," Maddie said quickly. She didn't want him to think he had to stay.
"Of course I want to," he answered.
Maddie smiled and Chimney sat down beside of her.
"Do you want to order a pizza?" She asked. I'm actually getting kind of hungry."
Chimney grinned. "Me too. I could definitely go for pizza."
He grabbed his phone out of his pocket and began to dial the number to their favorite pizza place: Miss Nadine's Pizza.
Maddie laughed a little because he literally had the number memorized.
"Tell them to hurry." She said.
Chimney looked up at Maddie and was confused. "What? Why?"
"I'm getting really hungry, Chim. I haven't eaten since last year."
Chimney laughed loudly and shook his head.
"Maddie Buckley, you're hilarious."
Maddie knew the joke wasn't that funny, but he laughed like it was the funniest thing he had ever heard. She figured that was because he loved the fact that his jokes and humor were slowly rubbing off on her.
The joke she had made was definitely something that Chimney would've said.
Chimney began to place their order in for the pizza and Maddie closely watched him with a small smile on her face.
Maddie had started off the new year with her best friend by her side, and so far, everything had been really great.
For once in her life, Maddie was looking forward to what the future had in store for her.