Yellow Roses
As he wrote a word on his card and waited for an envelope he glanced about the embowered shop, and his eye lit on a cluster of yellow roses. He had never seen any as sun-golden before, and his first impulse was to send them to May instead of the lilies. But they did not look like her-there was something too rich, too strong, in their fiery beauty. In a sudden revulsion of mood, and almost without knowing what he did, he signed to the florist to lay the roses in another long box, and slipped his card into a second envelope, on which he wrote the name of the Countess Olenska; then, just as he was turning away, he drew the card out again, and left the empty envelope on the box. – Chapter 9, The Age of Innocence
Dan Humphrey is not a flowers guy; he's always found them slightly cliché. He's more of a rare book slash sneak a Christmas tree into your hotel kind of guy.
He's not sure why he does it the first time or any other time after that for that matter.
It's probably because he feels guilty although he really shouldn't considering Blair almost had him expelled although he probably shouldn't have told Rachel about the whole Lord Marcus Lady Catherine debacle either.
It's just that ever since he first met Blair and Serena all he's heard about is Blair and Yale. SO even though he isn't technically responsible he still feels bad that she had been rejected from Yale and witnessing her very public breakdown at the Van Der Bilt party.
That's why early Monday morning he steals of the plastic yellow roses from the prop closet and tapes it her locker along with a torn bit of paper with 'Sorry' scribbled on it. It's rather an unsophisticated gesture he thinks looking it over but it helps ease his conscience and after all it's only Blair Waldorf.
Later that day in the courtyard he receives a text from her saying a simple Me too. He looks up and sees Blair across the courtyard surrounded by her minions and she gives him a quick smile. Dan gives her a quick smile back before diving back into Fitzgerald.
The second time is almost exactly a year later.
"Well the replacement the agency sent over is completely useless, I've already yelled at her three times this morning" Eleanor said marching into Blair's room and throwing the curtains open allowing light to flood the room.
Blair groaned and buried herself further under the duvet.
"The sooner Dorota gets back from honeymoon the better" Eleanor said "Oh for heaven's sake Blair get up, you can't wallow for ever"
Yes she could Blair thought she wasn't leaving this bed until the pain went away
"Someone sent you flowers" Eleanor said temptingly
Blair peeked her eyes over the duvet and saw her mother holding a beautiful bouquet of yellow roses. Slowly she rose from her cocoon and held out her hands a peculiar warm feeling coming over her.
"I thought you made things clear with Charles last night" Eleanor sniffed handing her the bouquet "Well at least you can say he's persistent"
"They're not from Chuck" Blair said smiling at the flowers.
Eleanor leaned over as Blair opened the card nestled amongst the roses
Hope you feel better
Dan
"Ah" Eleanor said a strange smile coming over her face and walked out of the room.
Blair looked up from smelling the roses sharply. Ah what did ah mean, they were only roses and it was only Dan Humphrey.
The third time it happens is somewhat expected for some parties and less so for others.
"This comforter blocks out so much noise they could sell it at Bose" Chuck said reappearing from under the duvet.
"This has got to end" Blair sighed, things were beginning to get out of hand
"I thought it just did" Chuck replied his words laced with innuendo.
"That was the last time"
Hearing footsteps approach the room Blair quickly shoved Chuck back down and pulled the duvet up to her chin.
"Oh and before I forget these came for you" Serena said reentering the room carrying a large bouquet of yellow roses "I guess they're a late birthday present or something"
Chuck reappeared quickly and sneered at the yellow roses Blair was smelling as he slid up next to her on the bed.
"Who's sending you flowers" trying to hide a surge of jealously
"Dan" Blair said without thinking
"Humphrey. What is hum drum Humphrey doing sending you flowers" Chuck said not liking this development one bit
"Well he did ruin my birthday party, it's just an apology" Blair said simply lightly fingering the flowers
Chuck didn't like the way Blair was looking at the apology
"Well clearly he doesn't know a thing about you, yellow roses" Chuck scoffed "Your favorite flowers are peonies"
"You're right" Blair said realizing they were heading down a dangerous path and put the roses on her side table. She was quite sure Chuck had never read The Age of Innocence and she wasn't about to fill him in on why Humphrey had chosen yellow roses in particular.
Chuck satisfied he had thoroughly disparaged Brooklyn leaned over fully intent on recommencing their earlier activities.
The fourth time was by request.
"Where are my roses?" she snapped
"What?" Dan said rather confused, he'd been expecting a call from Nate and so picked up the phone fully unaware of who was on the other end.
"You got me fired and I want roses" she repeated petulantly
"Yeah but I also got you rehired and took all of the blame" he reminded her
"Well you still embarrassed me in front of New York's publishing elite"
"How about this" Dan suggested "I'll bring them to the Degas exhibition at the Morgan on Sunday"
There was a long pause before Blair replied "Fine, be there at 10.30, I'll meet you there at 11" and with that she hung up.
So on Sunday Dan and Blair met at the prearranged time and he gives her a smaller bouquet of yellow roses that she carried around the gallery and they ignored the fact that to most people it looked like they were on a date.
The fifth time it doesn't happen
Blair had decided not to marry Prince Louis something she had told Dan and Chuck had nothing to do with them and everything to do with her not wanting a husband quite yet.
Since the broken engagement Dan and Blair had lived in an unambiguous state of not quite friends, not quite lovers
They watch My Beautiful Launderette one evening at the loft and Daniel Day Lewis reminds Blair of something that has been niggling away at her ever since Dan first stuck a plastic yellow rose to her locker three years ago
"You know I'm not Countess Olenska right" Blair said quietly and Dan turned his head looking slightly confused
"I'm not a free spirit, I don't flout social convention, I look down on those who have been hit by scandal and I wore white to my cotillion not black satin"
"I know" Dan said simply and returned to watching the film
Blair doesn't really think Dan understands what she's trying to say "I just mean, I'm not like that, Serena is more..."
"Blair" Dan pauses Omar and Johnny decorating the launderette and turns on the sofa to face her fully "I have no disillusions as to who you are, I'm fully aware of who Blair Waldorf is and for the record I've never really considered myself to be the golden boy of Upper East Side society either"
Blair smiled at that.
"I've always thought that was more Serena and Nate's story anyway" he said smiling
"But I'm not May Welland" Blair interjected quickly
Dan laughed "No, you are definitely not May Welland"
"So who are we then?"
"I don't know" Dan said and tucking a stray curl behind her ear and softly grazing her cheek "I think we're just us"
"So, why the roses then?" Blair asked now quite confused, if he wasn't drawing parallels what was he doing.
"Probably because that play was the first time I thought about you in a way I probably shouldn't have" Dan said quietly
"Oh" Blair blushed "You never said anything "
"Well I still thought you were a bitch" Dan said fondly "Actually falling in love with you didn't come till later"
"Oh" Blair said quieter still and slowly leaning forward she kissed him softly and smiles as he kisses her back.
When they go on their first date, a viewing of Le Diner de Cons at Film Forum, he gives her a small fluffy orangutan and although she misses the roses she likes the orangutan better because Dan Humphrey has never really been a flowers kind of guy.
Hi, this is my first Gossip Girl fanfic so please review and let me know how I did