A/N: You know, I'm pretty surprised at myself for updating this so soon. Lol. I mean those one-shots and three-shots just like…attack me and make me write them. XD Even today I think I'm going to end up writing one just for the sake of Halloween. Lol. Though, if it doesn't happen it's b/c I was trying to get up this chapter for y'all, even if like no one is reading and reviewing it, which makes me sad. *tear* Anyhow, chapter 9. Enjoy!
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Ch.9—Crushed
"Roses."
"Mmm," he nodded, "Quite so." He glanced up at her expression, noticing the restrained smile. Once again he had managed to conjure up the perfect gift. "Do you like them?"
She sighed, avoiding his gaze. "They're alright." She shrugged.
"Alright?" he questioned, skeptically.
She nodded, finding her eyes staring back into his. "Yes, Chuck. Alright."
He set the flowers on the table beside them and gathered her up in his arms, relishing in the feel of her fingers moving around on his back. He purred into her ear. "Are you sure?"
The words caught her by surprise and shivers ran through her. She gulped. "Absolutely," she breathed. He laid several sweet, wet kisses along her neck, blowing warm breaths across them. She shivered again. "Chuck," she breathed.
"Mmm?"
"Thank-you," she mumbled, losing herself in him. He lifted his head and dropped a small peck on her nose.
"You're welcome," he said, backing away and making for the door. Her eyes narrowed.
"Chuck!"
He turned around, thrilled by her disappointment in his teasing departure. He would have never left her so soon anyways. He had been waiting all day to see her, and to add to that, he had only been there five minutes.
"Yes?"
Her furrowed face relaxed. "You're teasing me," she concluded.
"It disappoints me you did not realize it immediately."
She smirked and walked towards him, kissing him on instant and wrapping her arms around his neck.
"It's been three hours. I missed you," she slurred in between kisses. He was tempted to ask her what she was actually saying, since it was hardly decipherable, but he knew and didn't correct her. He loved her like this. When she was so intoxicated by him she couldn't even speak correctly.
"Missed you too," he groaned when she grabbed hold of his collar and pulled him closer to her. He went willingly, tightening his hold on her waist and walking with her as she moved backwards towards the couch. She lowered her lips to his neck and nipped at his ear lobe. He lost himself in her wild brunette curls and began moving his gripping hands along the side of her body, suddenly lamenting that there were no buttons or easy ways of getting her blouse off.
She sensed his frown. "Disapproval?" she whispered hotly in his ear.
He laughed. "Unlikely. Well, maybe your choice of clothing today," he smirked when her head reared back to look at him quizzically. He sighed at the lack of her lips sucking against his skin. "Exactly."
Her eyebrows furrowed further. "Explain."
He raised his eyebrows in humor. "Your shirt was not going to come off unless you stopped…that," he sighed again, remembering his lamentation and falling back into the surface sorrow.
She slipped the blouse over her head, letting it drop onto the floor. "Better?"
"Mmm," he moaned, zeroing in on her bra-encased breasts. She smirked.
"Well," she lifted his face to her eyes, "while we're at a halt…"
He frowned.
"I thought I should let you know that you now have no option but to take Jenny to the Constance formal." She beamed.
His eyebrows furrowed and his frown increased. "Blair—"
She placed one of his hands on her breast but he pulled it away, regrettably. A small frown appeared on her face now. Apparently physical teasing wasn't always a guaranteed distraction when trying to get her way, not when Chuck Bass was concerned about her.
"What?" she asked, frustrated.
"I told you before—"
"And I told you I was okay with it," she insisted, placing a hand over his mouth.
"Blair." He pulled her hand away, holding tightly to it.
"By the end of the conversation I told you I was okay."
He shook his head incredulously at her.
"I'm not going to stop being insecure if I can't prove to myself that you can be okay with another girl for a couple hours. I can handle it. You're not going to cheat on me," she nearly shouted at him, but he took no offense. It was so clear she was trying to convince herself more than anyone else.
He sighed. "I'm not."
"I know," she offered a small smile.
He shook his head, sitting on a chair donning the table beside them, where the roses now made their home.
"I don't know what it's going to take for—"
"This," she insisted—more forcefully this time. She took a seat on the chair opposite him and held tightly to the hands still encasing her own. "I don't mean to be so insecure," she stared down at the floor. "But if you could just—"
"Okay," he accepted, looking into her deep brown eyes and pulling her chin up. He pulled her to him and kissed her softly on the lips, leaning his forehead against hers when they parted.
She sighed in relief. He felt he had heard this sigh too often, ever since Serena had come back. And even though he wanted to blame all of this on the peppy blonde, he knew she hadn't wanted this spiral any more than he did, than Blair did certainly. Serena was just shining light on a possibility. He and Blair were so untrustworthy to others. It was probably expected that at some time or another they would be towards each other. He had to be strong for her.
"On one condition," he said.
"What?" she breathed, wrapping her arms around his neck again.
"We have got to stop interrupting these heavy make-out sessions for deep topics."
She looked up at him, smiling.
Butterflies.
"What if it's my way of showing you I love you?" she teased.
He smirked. "I can think of better ways." Leaning in, he kissed her, and she deepened the kiss, moving from her chair to his lap, wrapping her legs about his waist. He stood and moved back in the direction of the couch.
She moaned.
"For a second there, I thought you were going to put your top back on," he pulled her closer as they landed on the soft cushions. "You know, for fury's sake."
She smiled against him, kissing him harder and teasing the buckle on his belt. He groaned. "You are far too fearful, Bass. If anything, I would have taken more off."
He played with the zipper on her short skirt.
God, he loved this woman.
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Jenny Humphrey's new room was large, and the new clothes that came with it were far more extravagant than she could have even dreamed of purchasing before. Nevertheless, it was the day of the Constance-St. Judes Alumni Ball, and she needed some assistance in making herself presentable.
"Now, I'm no upper east sider, but I do think the deep red looks far more dazzling on you than the bright pink err—magenta."
Jenny turned around and rolled her eyes at Vanessa.
"Thanks," she almost said mockingly, taking the red dress from the girl's hands.
Vanessa nearly scoffed. "Hey if you want to where the pink one, by all means. But…uh, fall's just around the corner and pink," she sighed, breaking off her own sentence.
"No, You're right, V," she smiled into the full-length mirror. "This one is perfect." She spun towards her again. "Get my make-up for me?"
Vanessa nodded. "Right away, your Majesty," she bowed, giggling a bit and heading off towards the bathroom. There was a knock on the door when she left, and Jenny turned to see Dan standing in the doorway, a hand covering his eyes.
"Is it safe?" he called into the room.
"Dan."
"What? What does that mean? Can I come in?"
"Dan!" she called, finding his behavior ridiculous.
He cleared his throat, slowly feeling around on the floor with his feet. Jenny crossed her arms across her chest, folding the tow dresses over her elbows. Then, Vanessa—in the rush that she was—bumped straight into the blinded boy and the two fell down to the floor.
"Dan!"
"Vanessa!"
"Jenny!"
Dan uncovered his eyes with the simultaneous calling and placed the previously used hand to soothe his now aching back. Vanessa was sprawled over his legs, and Jenny was gaping at the sight, wanting to help both of them somehow at the same time but not knowing how to do it.
"A-are you okay?" she winced. Both Dan and Vanessa nodded to her and got to their feet. "I'm…clothed, Dan," she confirmed.
He sighed. "I see that."
"I thought you would've realized that with how I—"
"Yeah, thinking back on that…I can see where you would put those two thoughts together."
Jenny nodded, fixing her gaze back on Vanessa who had spilled half her make-up on the carpet some feet away. The two sighed, and Dan quickly made his way out of the room, briefly mumbling some distorted comment of how Jenny would look great. Both girls walked over to the spilled contents and brought it all back to its original encasement.
"So, I hear Chuck's taking you," the dark-haired girl prompted. Jenny sucked in a breath, and Vanessa laid a steady hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay with that?" The blonde shook her head briefly in way of shrugging it off.
"I've come to peace with it?" she glanced up at the girl crouching across from her. All of the makeup had been gathered and the two wandered over to the huge bed and sat down.
"Meaning?"
She sighed. "Meaning…Chuck and I aren't at a good place, we never were really," she scoffed, "but Blair insists on it."
"Blair?" Vanessa asked, in disbelief.
The blonde nodded. "Yeah, tell me about it."
She shook her head. "It's never really a good idea to get involved with those two," she muttered.
"I think they're good for each other though," Jenny contemplated.
"Oh, I know they're good for each other," Vanessa spat and Jenny's eyes narrowed at the tone in which she carried. More for the fact that the brush was moving harsher across her hair now. She turned to face her before any make-up was applied.
"Okay V? Besides the obvious, are you holding some sort of grudge against Chuck and Blair?" she raised an eyebrow.
"No, no of course not. I just…"
"Don't understand them?"
She smiled softly, and nodded her head. "Yeah."
Jenny turned back around, smirking. "Welcome to the club."
Vanessa chuckled, brushing through the blonde's hair with more ease and less friction now.
"Though," she lifted a finger, "Contrary to popular belief, they really do bring out the best in each other, instead of the worst."
She shook her head. "Really?"
Jenny nodded. "Yep. Serena testifies this to me nearly every day. She even says that out of the two of them, Chuck comes out being more mature."
"Ha! I could have told you that one. Turn around."
Jenny turned towards her so the makeup could begin to be applied. "How's that?"
Vanessa cleared her throat. "Let's just say I've had a few interactions with Chuck and Blair. In at least one of them Chuck was definitely the more mature individual, the one with more of a heart."
Jenny shrugged. "Well, regardless, I wouldn't have seen it coming."
She nodded. "Yeah, I suppose. Though—" she chuckled, silencing herself when she caught the blonde's quizzical stare. "Close your eyes." Jenny did so and the eye shadow and mascara were applied. Soon after the lip gloss and other such necessary make-up were applied. When the girls finally looked at the masterpiece Vanessa had created, they were pretty in awe.
"Thank-you, Vanessa," Jenny beamed.
"Hey, thank yourself. You're the one with the gorgeous figure and flawless skin." She nudged her, going to gather the make-up back together as Jenny slipped into the sparkling deep red dress. When the dark-haired girl turned back around, box in hand, Jenny's outfit was complete except for the pair of sparkling silver shoes in the corner of the room.
She smiled at herself in the mirror, then sighed.
"What?"
Jenny shook her head. "Nothing. I just remembered I was being escorted to this thing by Chuck."
Vanessa giggled, wrapping her arms around the girl. "Hey, he's not so bad—" Jenny turned to her.
"Now, do you say that because you slept with him or because he almost bought that old broken down bar?" she quirked an eyebrow and laughed as Vanessa pushed her aside.
"Both mistakes," she defended.
Jenny nodded, in both teasing and acceptance. "I'm sure."
She rolled her eyes. "Do you need anything else?" she asked, bringing the studded silver shoes over to her dolled-up friend. Jenny shook her head.
"Nope. I think that's about it. Now all I have to do is…" she sighed, groaning at the thought.
"….wait for Chuck," Vanessa smirked, finishing her sentence. She hugged the girl on approaching the doorway. "You'll be fine, and you look beautiful."
She smiled. "Thank-you Vanessa, for everything."
"Of course! Oh, and in regards to Chuck—"
She winced. "Yeah?" she asked, hesitantly.
Vanessa chuckled. "Just think—he's thinking of Blair all the time. He's only doing this as a favor to Lily." She nodded on her way out, and Jenny smiled at that final sentiment. Vanessa was right. Chuck wasn't doing this because he wanted to or because it was some sick game he was playing with Blair. He was doing it because Lily asked him to, and strangely enough that didn't make her feel better. In fact, it made her feel worse.
She looked back at herself in the mirror and contemplated the last words she said to Chuck and their last real exchange in the previous school year. The Kiss on the Lips party had changed everything, and suddenly his motives for taking her to tonight's event were very important to Jenny Humphrey. She didn't want Chuck Bass did take her to the Constance-St. Judes Alumni Ball because he had to; she wanted him to take her because he wanted to. She wanted Chuck to want to take her.
That thought alone made her forgive him instantly. She knew he wasn't the same guy he was on their first real encounter. What she had said to Vanessa had been true, and Blair did bring out the best in him. Was it so bad that she wanted to be on good terms with this new Chuck Bass?
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Sigh.
No matter how many ways he twisted it and untwisted it, he could not get that ridiculous tie suitable positioned around his collar.
Blair bit her lip watching him with adoring his eyes. She was incredibly humored by the situation and had to keep from laughing since he could probably see her through the mirror in which was reflecting his and her image. It was how she had come to witness this.
She cleared her throat. "Need help?"
He looked up at her in the mirror. "No," he scoffed, "I've got this," he said, pushing away his frustrated mindset.
She nodded, trying to be convincing. When he sighed again after trying a few more times, she rose from her seat on the bed and walked towards him. He tried to push her away at first, knowing she wanted to just fix the tie for him, however when she kissed him instead…lips, jaw, neck…he forgot entirely who he was and where he was going. It was then that she fingered her way up to his tie and tied it while he was unawares.
Chuck's eyes opened when she stopped kissing him. She was smiling, smirking rather and that's when he noticed it. The tie. It was perfect.
He rolled his eyes, inspecting it in the mirror just to make sure.
"Satisfied?" she quirked an eyebrow, and it infuriated him to no end. He glared at her in the mirror's reflection. His expression eased though, and he found himself helplessly forgetting about the whole tie together. He turned to her and smirked.
"Always," he kissed her, moving past her to grab his formal jacket and attach the constant-appearing watch to his wrist, hiding it in the sleeve of his suit.
"Are you excited?" she asked, coming up behind him to encircle her arms about his waist. He smiled softly at the feel of her arms around him, butterflies bursting in his stomach.
"Not as excited as I would be if you were coming with me," he swayed the two of them slowly.
Blair rolled her eyes, walking across the room to examine herself in the mirror. "It's a high school formal, Chuck. If it were extended to all ages of course I'd be your date."
He turned to her and nodded. "Of course."
"You're only going because Lily specifically asked you to take Jenny, who apparently didn't have any other options?"
Chuck raised his eyebrows briefly. "Apparently," he slid his hands into his pockets. "And because you went to Jenny yourself and insisted that she had to go with me."
She looked to him and walked towards the bed. "Everything I said is true. Everybody does know who you're coming home to, and it is a good first impression to make if you're going to be the new queen of Constance."
He sighed, coming towards her and sitting on the bed beside her. "I know. I just feel—"
She shook her head.
"But are you su—"
"Chuck," she put a finger to his lips, sighing, "I'm okay with it. Really. I insist on it."
He searched her eyes desperately. If he found even the hint of her not wanting this to happen, he wouldn't go through with it—not even if she begged him to. But he couldn't find anything. There was only encouragement, humor and maybe even a little excitement. The only thing close to jealousy or insecurity he found was the slight loneliness she would feel when he wasn't next to her for a few hours.
"And what are you going to do while I'm gone?" he played with his tie, straightening it down the front of his shirt. His position relaxed.
She crossed one knee over the other. "I'll probably just call Serena or watch—"
"Breakfast at Tiffany's," he smirked, catching the slight frown on her face which probably interpreted into her thinking he was making fun of her. He leaned in and kissed her. "I love you," he whispered, and then felt the creeping back of a smile on her face. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer.
"I love you too," she said, stifling a few giggles.
He kissed her again and then pulled away. "I better get going."
She nodded.
"I'll miss you."
"Well obviously," she rolled her eyes at him and he smiled wildly at her. He stood to his feet and she stood with him, her flared white skirt spinning with her as she went.
"I don't care what Jenny or any other girl wears, you and this little white skirt make a beautiful combination."
Her eyes twinkled at him and she smiled wider.
"Though," he looked her up and down, "I have to admit—the birthday suit does come off a little nicer."
She gaped, and pushed him away playfully, but couldn't keep the giggles from escaping her lips. "Go to your dumb formal."
He smirked, pulling her in for a quick kiss before heading out the door. He grabbed the single rose resting on the kitchen table on his way out and Blair couldn't help but see the similarities between that rose and the roses he had brought home for her earlier in the day. Stop it, she told herself. Stop being so insecure, she commanded.
The door clicked shut and she was all alone. There was no sound coming from anywhere. You couldn't even hear any traffic or late-night anything from outside their Upper East Side windows. But all the lights were on, and she shivered in the warm room. She missed him already, and he probably wasn't even to his limo yet.
Her phone vibrated.
Wait up for me
-C
Sigh. She had an incredible boyfriend and she had nothing to be worried about. Blair Waldorf could be insecure at times, but she almost never let a simple idea suggested even by her best friend affect her this much. None of this over-exaggerated insistence made sense in her head, but she figured that didn't matter. Feelings often flooded over into what was fact and tangible. This was why she had to let Chuck go with the petite blonde. If she put him directly into another girl's arms—soon to be relative or not—and he came back to her completely faithful, even her feelings wouldn't be able to believe in infidelity. Besides, Jenny didn't even seem that enthused to be going with the Basstard.
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"S, what's wrong?"
The sniffles on the other end definitely signaled something major. When Blair had spotted Serena's name across the color ID of her cell phone she had felt an eerie feeling. Sure, she had planned on calling the bouncy blonde eventually, just to pass time until Chuck came back, but this was not the way she had planned on the phone call going down.
"I broke up with him."
Blair gulped, her eyebrows furrowing. "What do you mean? Broke up with who—Carter?"
A teary sigh escaped her. "Yeah…it's just—he just—"
"It's okay, it's okay. I'm sure he did something awful."
"What?" Serena asked, confused. "When I talked to you about him earlier you said you'd help me win Nate and Chuck over. I thought you didn't have any issues with Carter."
Blair sighed. "I didn't say I didn't have issues. They're just not as severe as Nate's, and certainly not Chuck's. Talk about absolute rivals," she cringed.
The blonde shook her head. "Okay, well, I broke up with him because of the two of you."
"What?!" she asked, suddenly a little offended. "What did we do?"
She sighed. "Everything apparently," she shrugged, "He's not fond of you and he just wouldn't quit, and I told him I couldn't be with him if he couldn't at least try to be civil with my step-brother and best friend..."
Blair bit her lip sympathetically.
"I mean, I really wanted to go with him to tonight's dance, but…" she sighed again, "well, it's over."
"Tonight's dance?" she asked, confused.
Another teary sigh. "Yeah…"
"S, what are you talking about?"
Her eyebrows furrowed. "Don't you know? I heard Chuck was going, I just figured that meant with you."
Blair gaped, suddenly coming to the realization of what had happened. She gulped. "Who's Jenny going with?"
"Jenny?" she asked, really confused now. "I have no idea. I would say Eric, but I'm pretty sure he's going with Jonathan, or doing something else with him probably."
"So…no one then?"
"Yeah, I guess," she said blankly, not coming to any conclusions and simply letting the words slip out of her mouth, still consumed in how she had ended things with Carter and why. "Oh!" she suddenly refocused, "Unless my mom set her up with someone."
"Lily?" Blair's eyebrows fused.
"Mmhmm," she nodded. "She likes to get her family together and paired up for these types of things," she chuckled softly.
Blair shook her head incredulously.
"So wait, you must not be with Chuck now, then—"
"What's this dance for?" she demanded.
"Uh…Constance and St. Judes alumni—"
"So not just the high school?"
"No, wh—?"
Dial tone.
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A/N: So, I fear that last scene was too short, but I still hope you liked the chapter as a whole. What the heck, though? It almost looks like I put in Vanessa having a tid bit of feelings for Chuck in that second scene! *gapes at self* Well, don't take it like that…if you did, she doesn't and won't. It is just her contemplations on past experiences with CB and how it's affected her views. Heh. Oh, and if you all didn't even contemplate CV notions, don't even put the thought in your head. XD It was just something I noticed while rereading. Lol. Hopefully I'll be able to update something tomorrow too, but no guarantees. Please review! I hope you had a lovely Halloween. ;)
