Waldorf-Rose Family Dinner
Disclaimer: I don't own Gossip Girl, the song "The Way I Loved You" by Taylor Swift, or basically anything else mentioned in this fic.
A/N: Please review! Thank you to all who have reviewed, and continue to review. I love reading them and it is so helpful to know what everyone thinks of this fic!
"So Chuck Bass is having dinner with the parents," Nate smirked at his best friend. "Never saw that one coming." Nate was lounging on Chuck's couch at the Palace, flipping through the channels on Chuck's new flatscreen, while Chuck was frantically pawing through his suit collection to find the right dress shirt.
"You look nervous," Nate chuckled, stating the obvious as Chuck threw yet another purple striped shirt on the floor. The maid would pick them up later.
"Scared shitless would be a more accurate description of my current condition, Einstein. Why do I let Blair talk me into doing these things? First it was making me go with her to those stupid ballets with all male casts, and then it was making me do all that volunteering crap with her because it looked good on her college apps. Now I'm having dinner with her parents? Is she trying to domesticate me or something?" Chuck ranted, searching through the heaping pile of dress shirts to find his beloved signature scarf.
"She has you on a leash, man," Nate laughed as he went back to the TV.
"At least it's worth it though. You wouldn't believe how good she is when—"
"Dear God, Chuck!" Nate grimaced. "Learn to censor! I don't want to know what my ex-girlfriend and best friend do when I'm not around!" His facial expression contorted into an even larger grimace when he realized what he was saying. "Wow that sounds so much worse when you say it out loud."
"Can we not get into this right now? I have to be there in fifteen minutes and I can't even decide on a shirt to wear," Chuck said with a look of frustration on his face and held up two seemingly identical purple shirts. "Pick one. I can't make up my mind."
"Uh…the one in your left hand." Nate now understood why Blair and Chuck had so much in common. At least Chuck never argued with whatever garment Nate ended up choosing.
"I have to go meet V," Nate said, checking his watch. "Good luck tonight, man. I'm sure it will be fine." He tried to give Chuck a reassuring smile, but his subconscious would not let him.
"Have fun with Punky Brewster. Don't catch anything while you're in Brooklyn. I hear there's another herpes outbreak going around over there."
"Funny, Chuck." Nate sarcastically laughed as he made his way out the door.
Chuck threw on the purple dress shirt Nate had picked, and grabbing his sport coat and cell phone, ran for the elevator. He would never forget how much the Waldorfs despised tardiness.
Chuck was thankful that Eleanor had begun to warm up to him over the last couple of weeks. He knew that she and Blair did not have the best relationship to begin with, and because of this Blair did not take much stock in her opinions. Deep down though, Chuck just wanted to be comparable to Eleanor's beloved ex-future son-in-law Nate. Chuck hated to admit it, but he was growing up.
He really did not have time, but knowing Eleanor, she would be expecting some sort of hostess gift from him. Fortunately, Blair's favorite florist was on the way to her penthouse.
Chuck had no idea what kind of flowers you were supposed to get for the mother of your girlfriend, and neither did the incompetent florist. He was running out of time and needed a bouquet fast. Chuck settled on hydrangeas, figuring that Blair would love them, despite whatever Eleanor thought.
When he finally made it to the Waldorf residence, Chuck nodded at the doorman on his way in and bolted to the elevator. He had to be in the penthouse in under a minute—Eleanor had probably already given up all hope on him.
His head was throbbing, and he could feel the beads of sweat forming around his collar. Looking down at his shirt, he knew that Nate had made the wrong decision. Could this elevator be any slower? Chuck Bass was having a panic attack.
Finally, the elevator dinged, and the doors began to open. Chuck stole a quick glance at his watch to check the time. He just made it, with seven seconds to spare.
Dorota was waiting for him in the entryway and gestured to take the flowers from him.
"Good evening, Mister Chuck," Dorota smiled as Cyrus, Eleanor, and Blair sauntered in from the dining room.
"Charles! So nice to see you!" Cyrus exclaimed as Chuck went to shake his hand.
"Good evening, Mrs. Rose. Thank you again for inviting me for dinner," Chuck attempted to smile at Eleanor, while Blair suppressed a laugh. She loved it when Chuck tried to impress her mother because it never seemed to work.
"We're happy that you could make it. Now, please, join us." Eleanor actually smiled back at him. Instantly, Chuck felt relieved. Maybe this won't be so bad after all.
Blair gave Chuck a quick peck and then took his hand in her own as they followed Eleanor and Cyrus into the dining room.
"I know you're trying to impress her," Blair whispered quietly so that Eleanor and Cyrus would not hear. "It's not going to work. Just be yourself—well, your good side that is." She squeezed his hand and gave him a reassuring look. "Trust me, it will be fine."
Small talk ensued over the first couple of courses, and if Chuck was not mistaken, he thought that Eleanor might actually tolerate his presence in her daughter's life.
Chuck had made it through four courses without a single drop of alcohol in his system. Not even the strongest scotch, however, could have prepared him for what Cyrus was about to ask.
"So Chuck, I know it still pretty premature to be thinking about this, but what are your intentions with Blair? Do you see yourself with her in the future?"
Now would have been a great time to crack open a bottle of tequila.
"Well…" Chuck began, and upon hearing himself tremble, reached for the glass of water in front of him. What is wrong with me? Humphrey stutters. Chuck Bass does not stutter.
He could feel Blair's intense stare, but forced himself not to glance back at her. He had to answer this the right way. Sure, he just might have thought about his future with Blair a few times, but that information did not need to be made public. He had to formulate an answer that would satisfy everyone at the dinner table, and he had to make sure that Blair would not get her hopes up. As much as Chuck wanted to marry her one day, there was always the nagging thought in the back of his mind reminding him of the "I'm Chuck Bass" clause.
He was bound to totally eff things up eventually, and they both knew it.
Chuck prepared for the worst. Without looking at Blair, he took her hand in his and cleared his throat. "As you know, Blair and I have been dating for a few months now, and it has never been straightforward and effortless between the two of us."
Cyrus gave a hearty chuckle and Eleanor glanced at him approvingly. "Well that could be the understatement of the year!" Cyrus joked, causing Eleanor to break out in laughter herself. Blair still could not stand how irritating her mother was when she was around Cyrus. She hated to say it, but if forced to choose between the two, she would probably pick the gnome.
"For now I think it would be best if we just focused on the present," Chuck finished. Blair looked like she was going to throw him out the window. Obviously not the answer she wanted to hear. Here goes nothing.
"But," he stalled. Chuck could not believe what he was about to do. In all honesty, if Blair asked him to commit murder, he would willingly go along with it. She could be so persuasive sometimes it was almost terrifying.
"Someday in the future, I would be honored to call Blair the next Mrs. Bass."
One Week Later
"You realize that Cyrus hasn't shut up about you for the past week, right? I think the gnome wants you to join his bridge club," Blair teased Chuck as they ate lunch in the school courtyard.
"I do tend to have that effect on people," Chuck smirked. "I've never been much of a bridge player though. I'm more into strip poker," He smirked and Blair rolled her eyes. "I do wonder, though…What are your thoughts on our future? And don't say you haven't given any thought to it because knowing you, you probably already have a dress picked out."
Damn. He knows me well, Blair thought to herself.
"I wouldn't have it any other way, Bass."
