Author: Sybella
Title: My Heart Broke Lose On the Wind
Character/Pairings: Blair/Dan, Blair/Nate, Nate/Vanessa, Rufus/Lily
Summary: Blair Waldorf thrives best in secret places.
Disclaimer: All the characters are the property of the CW and Cecily. This is merely my own wild imagination.
Pair of Heels
My Heart Broke Loose On The Wind.
Blair Waldorf thrives best in secret places- she is not made for the spotlight.
That's Serena's home- Serena with her ever burning halo of gold, shining into Brooklyn and out of it, shining into bars and clubs and rehab and every damn place on the planet but that halo survives it all- survives the darkest thing she could ever do.
She survives and she lives because she's Serena fucking van der Woodsen and that's something Blair Waldorf will never be.
So, yeah- she settles.
She settles for Nate's kisses and not his attention- his love but not his heart. She takes what she can get because not all of us can afford the luxury of choice (and Chuck is no longer an option).
She takes Nate Archibald because she loves him.
Always has, always will and she prays to hell that it's enough.
***
He takes long slow sip of his coffee- nothing tastes better than coffee in the morning. All hot and dark and arousing.
He needs it, too. Dan's always been one for late nights, no parties, perhaps but long hours of writing. Paper scratching against pen as his head tries to make words and he's never been less inspired in his life.
At one time it was Vanessa's skin, skin like cinnamon and eyes like green flecked gold that made his words flow fast and smooth. Then it was Serena, with her bubbly laugh, and long locks of gold.
Lately, however, his once endless well of creativity is as dry and dull as his love life and when Charlie Trout is the most inspiring thing he can write? Well, then Dan knows he needs a vacation. Paris, perhaps. Vienna. Budapest. Montreal, even.
It's the one time- the only time, he envies the Upper East Side prodigies with their trust funds and endless supply of cash. Jets, too.
The world is their oyster and Dan couldn't afford the jet set if he sold his soul to the devil.
So he settles, he supposes. For less- always less, never more. Takes a cup of coffee instead of a month in Tuscany and hopes it will spur those lazy brain cells into action.
Spotted- Lonely Boy checking out of Starbucks, six and Lexington, staring at his latte like it'll write the great American novel form him. Searching for inspiration at the bottom of a coffee cup? God speed, D. We don't happen to think it will help.
***
Blair's pulling on her heels when her phone buzzes and she scrunches her pretty nose at the update. If the hottest love affair around is Dan Humphrey meets hot beverage than maybe life is getting too boring.
How odd that her reconciliation with Nate was never reported.
Two blocks away and they weren't even hot enough to compete with Cabbage Patch and caffeine?
She's feeling more than usually insulted, so hits the third number on her speed dial (Dorota, of course, takes precedence and Serena is number two).
Nate picks up in two rings.
"Hey, sweetie," she coos into the phone.
"Blair." He sounds sleepy. He would be- it's a Saturday morning and most normal teenagers in their world prefer to lie abed till one at least. Lazing off hangovers most likely.
"I was just wondering when we were going to tell everyone about our reconciliation."
"Oh." The sheets ruffle and she can tell he's sitting up. "I thought you'd told Serena and it would just spread from there."
Blair rolls her eyes. The blonde isn't as big a gossip as Nate makes her out to be.
"Actually, I haven't told anyone yet. I was thinking we'd tell them together. Tomorrow. At brunch."
"That sounds acceptable," concedes her boyfriend, a tad too gracious for someone who wasn't exactly shouting the news off of rooftops himself.
Rooftops. She winces.
Nate seems to read her mind (the morning gets odder by the second)- "Chuck will be there."
She's already made her way down to the street and she slips in her sunglasses and squares her shoulders. "Screw Chuck," she says coolly.
There's a gulp at the other end of the line but before her boyfriend can reply, the line is dead.
None pushed Blair Waldorf's love life in the corner. She sighs and calls a cab.
She's going to cut a bitch.
***
"You slept with Chuck?" He can barely conceal the chagrin in his voice and whatever restraint that prevents him from yelling the question, is lost in his mangled features.
"Yes." Her voice is ashamed, skin red as beetroot and she doesn't even call him out on being judgmental. He has every right to be.
"Why?"
This makes her mad. "How would you feel, Dan? If the person you loved was disappearing into a bedroom with their latest squeeze, moments after the two of you broke up?"
He reaches forward, brushes the tears from her eyes and asks- "you love Nate?"
"I'm in love with Nathaniel Archibald. And I don't think that's going to change."
He staggers at the sadness in her voice.
She is in love with him- and her eyes make it clear that she couldn't imagine a worse fate.
Truthfully? Dan couldn't either.
From that angle, jumping into Chuck Bass' bed almost makes sense.