Work Text:
Chandler looked at himself in the mirror. he hated his body, he hated the way he looked,
his stomach was too podgy, his legs and his arms were flabby too, his teeth were all crooked.
he had a scar from where his nipple was, and one of his toes was missing.
he just hated everything about himself. and every time he looked in the mirror, it
reminded him of all of his flaws and everything that he disliked about himself.
and it made him cringe every single time. it really did.
Because he knew that deep down he couldn't change these things. no matter how
hard he tried too, he just couldn't.
You're nothing but an ugly, fat, worthless piece of shit you know that!
You're nothing! and you'll always be nothing!
he looked at himself in the mirror and tears threatened to spill from his eyes.
but he held them back,
Because he wasn't going to cry. he wasn't, because
he was stronger than that.
he wasn't going to let his negative thoughts take and get the better of him,
because he was stronger than that.
And he wasn't going to let his get to him. because
he was better than that,
Suddenly he heard footsteps coming up behind him and then
he felt a hand on his shoulder.
"What's wrong?" Joey Said.
"It's... it's nothing" Chandler said his voice a bit wobbly as he spoke.
"Don't insult my intelligence Chan" Joey Said "I know what I saw, so come on out with it"
Chandler just looked at the floor.
"It's nothing" he said,
Joey took a deep breath to calm himself down.
"It's obviously not nothing if it's making you upset Chandler"
"Come on" Joey Said "let's go and sit down and you can tell me what's going on ok"
Chandler nodded timidly.
"Ok" he said,
And with that, Joey and Chandler walked out of the bathroom and they into the living room/Kitchen. They both walked over to the sofa, Chandler sat down on the sofa and then Joey sat down next to him.
After a few seconds Joey spoke up,
"So... what's up?" he Said.
Chandler didn't say anything he just looked at the floor,
"Talk to me Chan?" Joey said "what's going on?"
Chandler took a deep breath and sighed,
"It's just..." he started to say but then he stopped rather abruptly.
"It's just what?" Joey said his voice laced with worry,
"Do you like me Joe?" Chandler said.
And that broke Joey's heart into a million pieces. it really did,
because why would he even say that.
"Of course i like you Chandler" Joey said "you're my best friend, why
would you say that?"
"It's just I'm fat, I'm ugly, I'm worthless" Chandler said.
"No you're not" Joey said "you're not fat, or ugly, or worthless or
any of those things, so.. Don't even say that"
Chandler closed his eyes and he sighed,
"Yes... yes i am" he said.
"No you're not" Joey said,
"Yes i am" Chandler said.
"No, no you're not" Joey said "your kind, your caring, your patient, your smart, your funny, your loyal, and
you're a great friend"
"No... no I'm not" Chandler said "I'm a mess and you know it"
"You know that's not true" Joey said,
"Yes, yes it is" Chandler said.
"No it's not Chan" Joey said "so why would you say that?"
"Because it's true, that's why" Chandler said,
''No, no it's not'' Joey said trying to get Chandler to see that he was wrong.
''Y-yes I-iam'' Chandler said his voice breaking slightly,
Suddenly Chandler's breath hitched in his throat and a rogue tear slipped down his cheek.
Joey took notice of this, and he gently rubbed his hand up and down Chandler's shoulder.
"Hey don't cry" he Said soothingly as he continued to rub circles into Chandler's back,
Chandler sniffed.
"i-I'm Sorry" he Said his voice thick with tears,
"Don't be stupid" Joey Said "you've got nothing to be sorry for you hear me, nothing"
Chandler buried his face his hands, he sniffed, and he let out a rather shaky breath.
Joey gave Chandler a sad smile,
"C'mere" he Said holding his arms out.
Wasting not time at all. Chandler moved closer to Joey and moved into Joey's embrace,
Chandler buried his head into Joey's shoulder. he wrapped his arms around Joey's middle, and then he just broke down.
Joey took his arms and he wrapped them around Chandler, and he rubbed his back soothingly.
"Sssh sssh it's okay it's okay" he Said soothingly "I'm here"
They stayed like that for a while. Joey just rubbing circles into Chandler's back and whispering comforting things Chandler's ear, while Chandler just buried his his face in Joey's shoulder and cried and cried and cried.
After a while Chandler's sobs had subsided and his breathing had returned to normal.
After a few minutes Joey broke the silence that lingered over them and he spoke up.
"Are you okay?" he asked,
Chandler nodded timidly.
"Yeah" he said just above a whisper "sorry about that"
Joey brushed him off.
"It's fine" he said reassuringly.
"It is?" Chandler Said,
"Yeah" Joey Said "i understand"
"You do?" Chandler Said,
"Yeah you were just feeling insecure" Joey Said "and it's ok to feel like that sometimes"
"It is?" Chandler said feeling unsure.
Joey nodded,
"Yeah, it's completely normal" he said,
"It is?" Chandler Said.
"Yeah it is" Joey Said "we all fee l like from time to time, even I get insecure sometimes too"
"You do?" Chandler asked.
"Yeah" Joey Said "but it's fine though... because it will pass eventually"
Thanks Joe" Chandler said "you always know what to do to make me feel better"'
"Your my best friend Man" Joey Said "of course I'm going to be there for you when you need it"
"But seriously thanks though" Chandler Said,
"Anytime Chan" Joey Said "anytime"
and with that. he pulled him in for a hug.