Impractical Jokers: [Joker]xReader Collection

Childhood Friends - Joe x Reader

      It feels like you've been friends since the dawn of time. Since meeting him in school, the pair of you had become inseparable, often spending every other night at one another's houses. Parents had grown up with a respective child, become good friends themselves due to how adamant their children were about staying together. All in all? You are as close as can be to Joe Gatto.

You're unsure as to when your view of him started changing. You've watched him mature over the years, watched that adorable face turn into something more chiselled, more manly; the firmness of his jaw captivating you, the depth of his eyes conveying more than friendliness now that you've become closer, the way he smells whenever you greet one another with a hug– so good. However it had happened, you're uninterested in it - you just know it HAS. Somewhere along the way, you'd both turned sixteen and beauty had swept across his face as if kissed by an angel; or perhaps your eyes had been opened, the essence of age clearing your vision.

As per tradition, you're on your way over to Gatto's house after your day at college, the pair of you talking animatedly about everything. Movies, the books you've read, college choices, nothing goes undisclosed, and as you arrive at his house, the young man opening the door for you as per his upbringing, you head inside and greet his mother like you would your own.

"Hi!" Bright and chirpy should be your middle name, what with the ear-splitting grin you give the woman before Joe joins your side. You spend a few minutes standing and talking with your best friend's mother before you both head upstairs, you poking your head into his sister's room and greeting them. They clap at your presence, beckon you to talk to them, declare you're sleeping in their room tonight so that you can all 'talk like girls'. You agree, giving Joe a little eye roll once you leave the room.

"Guess that's settled, then," you remark, nudging him with your elbow.

The boy laughs that brilliant laugh, dazzling smile on his face. "I guess, yeah. C'mon - let me whoop your ass on the Nintendo again."

"Pah! Cheek!" And that marks the beginning of your night, moving into the young man's bedroom, where everything is so painfully familiar it makes you smile more, breathe harder, love more deeply. Everything about him, from the duvet in which matches the alluring azure of his eyes to the neat stack of video games and movies that represents how well put together (and geeky) he is in his head, has a sense of familiarity throbbing in your skull. "All right, Gat-man. You're on."

The evening had passed quickly, a lot of quiet curse words passed between you as he'd completely wiped you out several times. Cheeks had puffed, an exaggerated pout shaping your lips as you glared at him and told him that he sucked. Gatto had scoffed, pushed you lightly, told you to do something useful with yourself whilst he busied himself with homework from his rucksack. It hadn't taken long for you to leave after that, mockingly warning him that you weren't coming back.

Now you're sitting in his sister's room, chin cupped in your hands as you listen to her detail her day with her love interest. He isn't her boyfriend yet, but they're close, approaching a suitable time to get together, and she could not be happier.

"He's just so dreamy," she sighs, hands clasped tightly as she thinks about him. A look of adoring wonderment crosses her face, you making the other sister laugh as you mimic her exaggeratedly. The pair round on you, grinning wickedly, the glow of the lava lamp settled between you giving their faces an eerie purple glow. "You're laughing a lot for somebody who's crushing on our dorky brother."

Whether it's indignation or a lack of readiness to admit to it, you rear back with your mouth hanging open. "I–I am NOT crushing on Joe!"