A/N: So this is one of the longer ones because even though I'm not a true fan of Dan, I like him better than the previous characters. There is more Chair in this one. A lot more Chuck... a lot. So I anticipate they will be getting longer. The next ones are the Non Judging Breakfast Club. I will be delving more into the Chair relationship because those are the people who have actually seen it. A warning for what you're about to read, some of it is slightly AU. It could have happened, but was never actually seen on screen. I just thought it was an interesting way to talk about Dan and his sin.
Disclaimer: No ownership of Gossip Girl for me... there would be wittier comebacks if I did
Wrath
Dan Humphrey
Dan was never really an angry person. He liked life. He was proud of his humble roots. He knew what he wanted in life. He knew what he was going to do for the rest of his life. He knew this because of one girl.
The first time Dan had ever laid eyes on Serena Van der Woodsen, he had been entranced. He wrote his first published piece about her. She was enchanting. She would also be the death of him.
Dan remembered the first time he lost his temper and the first person who he lost it to. None other than Chuck "The Devil Himself" Bass. Chuck had the world of the Upper East Side on its ears. He was charming and handsome (Dan guessed, he really didn't have the stomach for that evil arrogant son of a bitch).
Dan never blamed Serena for anything, but he was well aware that if it wasn't for Serena, he never would have been sucked into the alternate universe that was the Upper East Side. He would have known Chuck Bass, but never hit him. He would have known Blair Waldorf, but never been insulted by her. He would have known Nate Archibald, but never feel the searing heat of jealousy at his entrance into Dartmouth and Serena. (That didn't sound as gross in his head).
Dan knew Chuck was the vilest human being on earth before his fist even connected with Chuck's nose. He overheard him talking about perfection and violations. But never had Dan anticipated the true evil that was Chuck Bass.
Dan never even conceived that he would walk in on that piece of trash violating his sister. He knew he never would have walked in if it wasn't for Serena. He still didn't blame her.
Dan hadn't even realized it was Chuck Bass until a full five seconds after he had turned around. Chuck Bass had almost date—raped his sister. That was unforgiveable. Chuck sure as hell knew it now. That's what Dan told himself, at least.
The heat of anger flowed through Dan's veins. He wasn't in control of his body anymore. He was angry. Chuck sure as hell knew it then. At least, his nose did. He felt his fist smash into Chuck's face. He heard a slight grunt of a punch being taken. He couldn't have helped but think that it sounded like Chuck knew what he was doing. He couldn't help but think it looked and felt like Chuck had taken a punch before.
The thing that truly vexed Dan was Chuck's reaction. He wasn't even remorseful. He only seemed slightly annoyed that his nose was bleeding. The thing that Chuck was concerned about was that he didn't know who had just sucker punched him.
That was Chuck Bass in a nutshell. He didn't care what people thought of him or what he did. There was only one person who he cared that thought those things. Dan couldn't see that yet.
He didn't even see it. He was relayed it. It made sense. It made so much sense, Dan wondered why he hadn't seen it before. They were the perfect couple, if anything that Chuck was involved in could resemble a healthy relationship.
Dan lost his temper the second time the very next day; to the very same person. Chuck just knew how to play him. It almost seemed as though he had planned the whole thing to get Dan kicked out of that brunch. He wouldn't have put it past him.
He actually looked pleased after Dan had shoved him into that waiter. Dan reveled in that. That was the Upper East Side.
He also saw Blair Waldorf looking at him with satisfaction. She was glad hat he had pushed Chuck too. Those two were the same. Again, he wondered why he hadn't seen it before.
Dan was in the middle of a night club the next time he physically assaulted someone. This time it was a random stranger. But to Dan's own surprise, it was protecting Blair Waldorf. It could again, however, be connected to Chuck Bass. Little did Dan know that two weeks from then would Chuck and Blair cross the line between friends and… something else.
And little did Dan know that Chuck had actually seen the whole occurrence. He didn't know the heat of jealousy that Chuck felt when Dan protected Blair. He didn't feel Chuck's confusion at this strange flair; this new occurrence. Dan couldn't possibly know that Chuck was going through changes that he could not identify. Chuck cared about Blair but no one saw it. He didn't even see it until it was too late to go back.
Dan didn't seen Chuck accost Blair after the occurence before she left with her friends. He didn't see the worry that had flared in Chuck's eyes and the flattery that flared in Blair's. He couldn't understand that a friendship as simple as Chuck and Blair's had suddenly become so complicated.
They were the same changes that Dan had gone through the first time that he saw Serena. Dan had no idea that he was in the middle of True Love flaring to life.
From then on, Dan was in constant company of his friend called anger. He was always angry at Chuck. He hated Chuck for always getting what he wanted. He hated Chuck for coming in between something that he didn't belong in. Dan wasn't a fan of Nate or Blair, but it just didn't seem fair. And it was another reason for him to hate Chuck.
Dan hated Blair for submitting his sister to all of the things she did. He hated her for making Serena jump through hoops to earn her forgiveness. That didn't seem fair either, no matter what Serena had done. Maybe he was a little biased.
Dan hated Nate for thinking he had everything. He hated Nate for getting what Dan truly wanted without even trying. He hated Nate for having Serena; for being her first. He actually hated Nate for treating everyone the way he did, even Blair.
Ever since Dan had entered that world, he was always accompanied by anger. Dan found that he could never truly stop hating those around him.
