Chuck Bass hasn't hugged many people in his life. He's not a hugger, because there was never anybody there to hug him.

His father had proudly put a hand on his shoulder once, and it was the most physical their relationship had ever gotten (at least the most physical in a good way, because his father had a mean right hook sometimes and for a long time at least Chuck knew he cared enough to touch him at all).

He was happy with that. Content.

But after a while that slowly changes.

Nate gave him what he thought was a hug once, one of those bro's-over-ho's things that all boys do. Then as they became closer those turning into actual hugs, filled with support and for a while he thought that was all he was going to get and he wasn't that bothered by it. His best friend could hug him, he'd take it what he could.

Then Serena starts hugging him, and Serena's hugs were a tangle of long sun kissed limbs and mouthfuls of golden hair. They left you breathless and happy, and with a feeling that everything would be fine. Serena hugged everybody, even somebody like him, with all his darkness. It's like she forgives him for all his bad thoughts and wrongdoings.

Then her arms are gone and he realises everybody probably feels this way when she hugs them. All warm and surrounded by sunshine, but filled with a sudden loss. And he's content she sees him like all those other people, even when he's not.

It takes a while, one limo, a few fights and a lot of matching outfits later, but when Blair hugs him it all changes.

Blair's hugs were soft and sweet (not clinging or choking and there's no hair in his mouth and she doesn't smell like pot), and while comforting, they're nothing like Serena's or Nate's.

They're better.

So, so much better.

They don't tell you everything is going to be fine, but they do tell you that whatever happens, all those bad thoughts, terrible thoughts and words and actions, she'll be there, holding your hand, giving out hugs, because she loves you, every part of you, but she only gives those hugs to the lucky few. Only to those who've scaled the walls and settled themselves into her heart.

Her hugs tell him she understands that darkness, doesn't need to forgive it or offer support over the fact, because she has it too. Her hugs tell him he's safe, he's home.

Because Nate hugs everybody, so does Serena. It's part of their light. They're both selfish, like all people having grown up in the Upper East Side are, but they're both good people, wanting to be more, so they take bits of everybody around them, weave themselves into their lives and shine their light onto them.

With Blair, it's so different. He doesn't have to feel like everybody else, doesn't have to be content with that. He knows he's important.

Because Blair Waldorf isn't a hugger. Hasn't had many people in her life she wants to hug (air-kisses and linked arms are nothing to her), and when Chuck becomes one of those people, the precious few, he cherishes it in a way that's dark and secret and in hiding from the rest of the world, and he knows only Blair really gets how incredibly important it is.

She hugs him often.

Because Nate and Serena were huggers, had always been. And Chuck knows he and Blair had always been there, watching the effects of those hugs, sometimes wanting them, often getting them, and always left breathless but a little empty without them, until they found out how good it felt to hug each other.

The feeling lasts.

The feelings last.

And he doesn't have to wait until the next one, doesn't have to hold his breath and pray for another like he does with the other members of the Non-Judging Breakfast Club, doesn't have to worry about them suddenly stopping, because he knows he's going to get it. Get many, many more.

Because neither of them are huggers.

Except when they're together they kind of are.