Chuck glared at a boy a few years younger than them as his wandering gaze landed on Blair.
She rolled her eyes at him, "Good thing you're here, I wouldn't have been able to handle that."
She pushed the door open to the bike shop checking the time as she did so, this wouldn't take too long. Blair figured they'd walk in pick one and be back out in no time.
This wasn't like buying shoes, it was a bike.
Once she saw the racks filled with all the possibilities she began to have her doubts.
Chuck surveyed the store dubiously, "Who the hell needs this many options for a tube of metal with wheels?"
Blair tugged him along with her as she tapped a scraggly-haired man on the shoulder. He was dressed in an obnoxious shade of yellow emblazoned with the store's logo.
"Why hello! My name is Karl, how can I help you?"
She tried to keep focused on her task rather than it looked like the man hadn't showered in over a month.
After the technicalities were hammered out and colors were decided upon both Chuck and Blair were standing beside the bikes of their choice.
Karl crossed his arms pleased that he had helped his customers so well. "Is there anything else you need then?"
Chuck glanced around the deserted store, "If you have the spare time I'd be willing to pay you for an introduction on how to ride."
Blair nodded behind him. Ignoring that Karl had never bathed; he seemed to know something about bikes. As seeing her familiarity with bike riding went into the negatives, any assistance would be better than none.
Karl shrugged and showed them how to mount and stay balanced before letting them have a turn.
Blair nudged Chuck towards his bike, "You can go first."
He sent her an exasperated look but still got onto the bike. After sitting precariously on the seat he began to pedal.
He gained momentum and seconds later Chuck was riding comfortably around the store.
Karl clapped exuberantly, "Great job!"
Blair crossed her arms in an irritated manner before glaring at him, "Yeah right you've never ridden a bike before."
Chuck circled around her ostentatiously, "Blair, we grew up together, you know I haven't. You're just jealous that I've caught on so well."
Blair rolled her eyes, "Please, it can't be that hard if you can do it." In a huff she tried to swing herself up onto her bike, not even getting seated before toppling sideways.
Karl sent her a sympathetic look, "Don't worry. Some people just have a natural rhythm. You'll catch on soon enough."
Blair took a deep breath, mentally restraining herself from offering him a sample bottle of shampoo, as Chuck grinned widely, "My natural rhythm was pretty rough, wasn't it Blair? But I can help you get yours."
Karl smiled along completely oblivious to the innuendo as she tried to ignore the comment. The fact that her cheeks were reddening wasn't doing much to help.
Chuck's grin only got wider, "So, do you think we should get her a pair of training wheels?"
Blair widened her eyes and scoffed, "I don't need training wheels!"
Within her peripheral vision she saw Karl sheepishly pick up a box, "They wouldn't be a bad idea."
Chuck motioned towards Blair's bike, "Could you attach them now then?"
Karl got to work and Blair snorted as Chuck hopped off his bike secretly wishing that he would face-plant.
They headed to the counter as he bent down to inspect the wheels, "And will these mark up hard wood flooring?"
Karl shook his head, "No sir, you're getting top of the line, no marks or skids."
Blair lifted an eyebrow at him, "Why would you ride your bike on wood flooring?"
Chuck whipped out his credit card and held it across Blair to block her from stepping forward, "Unless you wanted to take your spills from a bike with training wheels on a busy sidewalk for passerby to see...I thought it'd be a better idea if we just used my suite."
She had been ready to mock him for wanting to ride his bike indoors but of course he stole her thunder by actually being considerate.
Blair tried handing Karl her credit card too, "We're paying separately."
Chuck gave her a look, then he gave Karl a look. Blair gave him a look right back before giving Karl a look. Karl scratched his head and looked at them both.
Nobody wavered and Chuck sighed, "Blair really, I'll pay."
She pushed her credit card closer to Karl, "I haven't paid for anything in weeks! Do you want to know what I did yesterday?"
Chuck tried not to smirk but she had set herself up, "Karl?"
Karl, who was directly involved this time, missed yet another innuendo and Blair lost some of her stride, "Chuck! I'm going to pretend you never said that and go on, yesterday I made a five thousand piece puzzle."
Chuck snorted, "So? I watched Romeo and Juliet, for fourteen hours."
Blair frowned, "I tried learning how to knit."
Offering his credit card over Blair's with an air of victory he announced, "I willingly picked out color pallets for the wedding."
She fell silent before begrudgingly putting her card away, "You win."
Not that the task alone was mind numbingly boring, but it was widely known that Mrs. Van Der Woodsen had a very fickle mind for the color spectrum. When Serena had wanted to paint her room in fifth grade instead of using swatches or cards, the entire room was painted, eight different times before Lily was satisfied.
Chuck dialed his driver and informed him of their location before they thanked Karl and wheeled the bikes outside.
The limo pulled up smoothly and Chuck looked calculatingly from the door to their bikes, "This is going to be interesting."
Blair snickered slightly, "I'm looking forward to getting them into the hotel."
First Chuck tossed in the safety gear Karl had roped them into, then he lifted Blair's bike on his shoulder and tried to tilt it through the doorway.
After a few minutes of maneuvering it was inside and he passed his through as well.
The driver watched in amusement as the two teenagers struggled to find a comfortable way to sit jammed beside the bikes.
Blair ended up half on top of Chuck and half on top of a pair of handle bars.
While not as tortuous as the ride to the shop Blair was still in a bad mood. She swore she heard the driver laughing under his breath every time a turn knocked her further onto Chuck.
She tried to pretend she hardly noticed but if he had checked her pulse, her heart was beating so hard she was sure she would crack a rib.
Chuck too faked indifference to the contact but was failing miserably. The give away was his sharp intake of breath when Blair tried to right herself and touched his hand.
As they started getting closer to the Palace, Chuck gazed around the packed limo hesitantly. How were he, Blair, and two bikes going to get out of the limo, into an elevator and then his suite?
Blair turned to look at him and saw his doubtful expression, "I'm guessing just up and riding the bikes through the lobby would be a no go?"
Chuck grinned, "Not necessarily, the deciding factor would be you. Do you think you can handle it? Those training wheels would be getting some serious rotations."
Suddenly Blair was back at Victrola, right beside Chuck Bass with a challenge clear on his face, "I know you won't do it."
She never was able to turn down a dare.
Disentangling herself from Chuck, and the handlebars, she threw the door open and tugged her bike onto the sidewalk. She hopped up onto the seat before running out of whatever drive she had.
Chuck dragged his own bike as well before slamming the door shut and swinging himself up.
He looked towards Blair who was pretending she wasn't frozen in place, "What if I fall?"
Chuck took a hold of her of her bike, "Blair, the training wheels keep you balanced. There's nothing more, you just have to go for it."
She stared at him blankly and he leaned closer to her, "How are you going to learn without training wheels if you won't even ride with them? You can't worry about what might happen, you just need to do what you want to do."
Blair wasn't so sure he was talking about learning how to bike anymore. She gave him a small smile that looked more like a grimace and he laughed, "I promise I won't let you fall."
He started towards the doors and Blair puttered along with him. The doorman raised his eyebrows at them. "Mr. Bass, Miss Waldorf."
Chuck saluted him in greeting, "So, do you think Dexter will have a heart attack?"
The man laughed loudly, "At the very least." He held the doors open once they were close enough and watched as Chuck rocketed by and Blair slowly followed after him.
Chuck hit the breaks to match his pace with Blair so she didn't catch the brunt of the blow, "No matter what happens you keep pedaling, alright?"
Blair bit her lip as she shot him a worried glare, "You're saying it like there's no chance to make it out alive."
He only shrugged unhelpfully and grabbed her handlebars to keep her up to his speed.
Dexter flipped through the papers at his desk after hanging up the phone. He was the head honcho as far as it went for the Palace.
Nothing got by him.
It was right then that Chuck and Blair whirled by his desk in a rush of pumping legs.
Dexter gripped the counter tightly, "Mr. Bass! What exactly do you think you're doing?"
Chuck smiled widely before glancing to make sure Blair hadn't stopped; "What was that? Dexter, why are you telling me your favorite restaurant? I already know how you enjoy your Friday nights at that nice Italian place two blocks down."
Dexter stared at him unresponsively; he supposed as a whole riding bicycles through the lobby wasn't too horrible.
Then he considered the numerous other situations Chuck had thrown the Palace into and comparatively this was quite welcome.
He really wished the boss' son was better behaved. "When a horde of bratty kids try to ride through the lobby I'm turning your father straight to you."
Chuck shot him a parting smirk before winking at Blair, "You just need you know how to handle these things."
Blair snorted, "Just three minutes ago you were practically preparing to give me your scarf in case of death."
Chuck smoothly leapt off his bike to hit the elevator button, "That was before I remembered old Dex has a forgiving nature when bribed with pesto shrimp."
She snickered at him before the doors slid open and Chuck motioned her forward. They both rode in and she pressed the floor number once he was settled.
Irritating elevator music floated through the enclosure and Chuck hummed along, nodding to the beat.
He shook his head after the song ended, "Do you think I could convince my Dad to spice up this riding music? I'm sickened that I know the repertoire."
Blair laughed as she finally relaxed her grip on the bike handles, "I can definitely see Bart going for the new Britney album. I could back you up on it if you'd like."
Chuck grinned at her when the doors dinged open and a man with a briefcase stepped forward before noticing what was in the elevator exactly.
He frowned at the lack of space and the two teenagers staring at him curiously, "I think I'll wait."
Blair smiled apologetically and the next time the doors opened it was on Chuck's floor. He sped ahead of her and opened the suite.
She took her time getting down the hall before Chuck stuck his head around the corner, "Jesus, Blair, are you going to get here some time soon or can I close the door?"
She made a face at him and nudged her elbow into his stomach as she entered the room. Sick of the bike already Blair got off and sat on the couch.
Chuck tossed the safety gear at her and Blair picked each piece up with distaste, "Do I have to wear all of this?"
He nodded enthusiastically and she threw one of the wrist pads at his head.
After flat out refusing to put any of the items on Blair was once again seated atop her bike.
"SoMaster of the Bicycle, start teaching."
Chuck rolled his eyes at her, "Real biking would mean ditching the training wheels."
She pursed her lips as he stared at her, a crooked smirk on his face. Kneeling down she unscrewed the training wheels with her fingernails and tossed them onto the counter.
Chuck watched her in astonishment as she met his eyes, "Let's get going then."
He gave her an authentic smile and offered his hand to help her back up. "You'll catch on quick Waldorf; it's easy once you know what you're supposed to do."
Blair nodded and slowly moved forward before the front wheel careened side to side and she tipped over.
Chuck grabbed her waist effectively stopping her from crashing to the floor. "This may take a little longer than I had expected."
She glared, not bothering to thank him as he righted her bike, "You know some kids take years to learn how to ride a bike."
Chuck pushed her handlebars back so they were facing the right direction, "Well those kids obviously were not being taught by Chuck Bass."
Two hours later Blair could almost go a whole foot in a straight line without falling.
She threw her hands up angrily, fed up with the entire process, "Chuck! Can we please take a break now?"
He crossed his arms, Chuck was low on patience; it had never been one of his better qualities, but he'd be damned if she couldn't ride that bike before she left his suite.
Conveniently for her, Blair's phone started ringing and she reached for it before Chuck snatched it away.
She tried to protest and he pointed to his chest, she had taken a particularly nasty spill but true to his word, Chuck didn't let her fall.
He threw himself under the bike and in turn was rewarded with getting the wind knocked out of him, his shirt getting caught in the spokes and a bruise on the sternum from the gear shifter.
Blair grumbled under her breath as he glanced at the screen and picked up earnestly, "Hello Serena."
Serena paused for a moment in confusion looking at the phone making sure she had dialed the right number. Her grandmother had gone to the bathroom and she was sure they'd be done in about half hour.
She had wanted to see what Blair was doing, apparently she was with Chuck. Serena wasn't sure if that a was a good thing or not. "Chuck?"
He grinned at Blair who was glaring at him, arms crossed, "Yes?"
"Why are you picking up Blair's phone?"
He skillfully avoided Blair as she took another try at riding, "For my safety, Blair's and every possession within my residence I will not allow Blair to talk on the phone while controlling a bicycle."
Serena stifled her giggles in her hand, "She went through with it?"
Chuck watched Blair nearly flip over the handlebars and grabbed her arm, "If you can call it that. Hey Van Der Woodsen, you have a bike don't you?"
Serena's eyes lit up, "Oh! It's in storage a few streets away from the Palace. Could I bring it over? How did you guys even get by Dexter?"
Blair made another huffing noise and Chuck motioned for her to get off the bike, "When should we meet you by storage?"
Serena checked her watch, "I'll be there in twenty." She had done her amends and was tired of her grandmother's attitude. There was also the tiny motivation to see how Chuck and Blair had made up.
They hung up and Chuck tossed the phone back to Blair, "Well, you're getting there. What do you say for a grand debut on my part?"
Blair raised her eyebrows, "A grand debut of what?"
He pulled his shirt up over his head and Blair raised her eyebrows, "Let me ask once again, a grand debut of what?"
Chuck tugged a new shirt on and got onto his bike waving her towards him, "Hop on."
She stepped back shaking her head, "No way."
With an eye roll Chuck reached for her and placed her on his handlebars. "Ready?"
Before she could answer he starting moving and she shrieked, pulling her legs up and gripping on tightly. Chuck looped an arm across her waist to steady her more, "Is that better?"
She turned to him slightly trying to convince herself of what she was saying, "Better that I won't fall, not because I enjoy having you touch me. Unfortunately I have no choice."
Chuck snorted, "Right, so are you ready?"
She shrugged as they shot to the elevator, past Dexter, and out onto the street.
Blair threw back her head as she laughed, the wind blowing in her face. She knew Chuck wouldn't let go and lifted her arms up as they weaved through pedestrians.
From a nearby shop window a cell phone camera was busy snapping.
Chuck started slowing down as they got near a cross walk. He stopped and Blair gave him a huge grin, "I haven't felt this free since..." She trailed off, they both knew she meant since Victrola but that brought up a delicate subject.
Chuck jabbed her in the side to keep the topic moving, "Imagine when you can ride all by yourself."
A little girl stared at the two of them wide-eyed. The boy who was smiling and nudging the girl on the front of his bike, who kept shrieking and laughing in turn, to nudge him back.
She had never seen people like them so close.
They were normally so poised and calm but the two of them were so happy and beautiful as they were that she couldn't look away. Blair felt someone watching and met the girl's gaze unabashedly.
She held up a hand to mock whisper to her, "This boy is a bad influence."
The girl giggled and Chuck gave her a charming grin making the girl blush and turn into her mother.
Blair smiled as she shook her head; Chuck was too appealing for his own good.
The light turned and he pedaled forward until they were outside of the storage units where they were to meet Serena.
Blair hopped off the bike and rubbed at her sore backside, "The only drawback would be the indents I no doubt have."
Chuck gazed at her innocently, "I could check for you."
She rolled his eyes then looked down at her ringing phone before picking up begrudgingly, "Yes Mother?"
Chuck politely turned away, while listening to every word. He caught a disquieting bit that sounded like 'You haven't decided to dash of to France have you?'
Once Blair hung up he cocked an eyebrow at her.
"You almost ran?"
Blair tried to brush it off casually, "Almost, Serena convinced me to stay."
He snorted at the irony of Serena convincing her to stay, "It's a good thing too, can't have you getting mixed up in who's allowed to run away from their problems."
She frowned at him strangely, "Was that a jab at Serena?"
Chuck shook his head, "No, here, let me explain. In the complicated square of lies and fornication that happened there are two categories. Serena and I are in one and you and Nate are in the other.
Serena slept with her best friend's boyfriend, and while my case is slightly altered, you two made up soon enough; so that I slept with my best friend's girlfriend. Meaning Nate slept with his girlfriend's best friend and you slept with your boyfriend's best friend. You keeping up?"
Blair rolled her eyes at him, "You sound like a middle school girl and they're practically the same thing."
He shook a finger at her, "To some it may seem that way, but I've explained the difference and the biggest one by far is that it's only cleared for the friend who slept with the one in a relationship to run away from their problems. Obviously you missed the memo, I'm glad Serena straightened you out."
She swatted at his head as a cab pulled up and a golden head emerged.
Serena pulled Blair into a hug immediately before wrinkling her nose at Chuck's open arms and settling with a pat on the shoulder, "It's good to see you two outdoors for a change."
She whipped out a key and ran to the unit she needed before disappearing and stumbling back out alongside a dusty bike.
Chuck helped Blair back up onto the bike and Serena, after brushing hers off, got on hers. "Back to the hotel?"
The venture back caught even more attention as seeing both Serena and Blair were screeching and all three bike riders were undeniably attractive.
Chuck linked arms with Serena for a while before people began swearing at them for nearly decapitating a line of pedestrians.
More loaded cell phones captured their shots.
Dexter looked up hearing screams and laughter to see Mr. Bass once again with Miss Waldorf on top of his bicycle and Miss Van Der Woodsen next to him. He lifted his eyes upwards and sighed.
Serena waved innocently, "Dexter! I haven't seen you wear a new tie lately? I think that Brooks Brother's could really help you out!"
Dexter looked at Blair determinedly, "I am not a pushover, but it's difficult to argue with personal acquaintances of the boss."
Blair pretended to zip her lips, "I have no clue what just happened."
Dexter nodded at her appreciatively before the group sped to the elevators. They had just managed to get through the doorway when all three of their cell phones began to buzz.
Gossip Girl here, looks like B and C have decided to come out and play with S. Sorry N seems like this bicycle is only built for three.
The message was followed by two shots. The first was of Blair with her arms and head thrown back riding on the front of Chuck's bike. The second was when Serena and Chuck had hooked arms, creating hazardous road conditions.
None of them said a word as they stared at the post. Serena looked up with a slight smile, "I suppose as far as gossip goes this is nothing."
Blair threw her phone onto the couch in irritation, "Why can't we ever just go out and do something without being tracked? This isn't bad, but how many times has a picture been taken and then Gossip Girl twists something completely normal into a huge scandal."
Chuck hadn't moved his eyes from the screen, a devious light in his eyes. Serena nudged Blair with a worried expression motioning to Chuck.
Blair smiled gleefully as she saw him scheming, "What are you planning?"
He looked up at her with a slight smirk, "It was yours actually. It's like you said, take a picture and it gets distorted into the worst possible situation. What do you say to taking everyone down from the inside?"
Blair's lips upturned lethally as she thought over the idea, "It's perfect!"
Serena looked between the two apprehensively, "Gossip Girl shouldn't have been talking about us biking, she should have been warning people. With you two working together..."
Chuck finally put his phone down, "Its ok S, we know you've reformed. We wouldn't want to dirty your efforts with our ruthless revenge."
Serena pushed her hair back, falling right into the trap, "Hey! I am in on this. We're going to use Gossip Girl against them; no one will see it coming."
Blair hugged Serena tightly, "Oh! I knew there was still some cruelty left in there somewhere!"
Chuck rolled his eyes, "No one needs to possess cruelty to dislike Hazel, it's a gut reaction."
Blair couldn't help but glow at the thought of revenge.
It was going to hit them so hard there won't be time to react. This was going to destroy the social ranks with its own favorite weapon.
Everyone had better take a good look around because the Upper East Side was about to be taken by storm.
A/N: I tried to make it longer to make up for the break between my last update. This one was fluffier than the last so I apologize if I disappointed you with the airy banter and bike riding. Review please! Its obvious I have no shame, I've asked for them twice in the same post.