Warning: I'm not a writer. So, yeah. But I've been obsessing over Dan and Blair, and the hiatus is killing me. To keep some semblance of sanity (or insanity), I am writing a fanfic - for the very first time ever - to unburden my brain of all these thoughts about what's going to happen to DB after the hiatus. I didn't think I would publish it, but I might as well. Maybe it'll help others to cope with their Dair withdrawal issues. :D So, enjoy the first chapter! More to come.

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or GG.

2.28.11

Chapter 1: Distractions

They finally broke away from the kiss at the same time. Their lips inflamed, they stared at each other for what seemed like hours, their heartbeats ringing in their ears. You can cut the tension in the air with a knife.

"You need to go." Blair interjected.

"I should go." Dan blurted out at the same time.

For two people who claimed to have nothing in common and are in fact opposites, they sure have been agreeing a lot lately. They both nodded.

"Right." They said in unison.

Dan's hand started waving on its own accord. "Um. Good night, Blair." He stumbled into the elevator as if he'd forgotten how to walk, as Blair stood, alone in the foyer, frozen and unsure of what just happened.

"Dan! What are you doing here?" The elevator doors opened down in the lobby, and Dan found himself eye to eye with a girl he was so sure will always be the love of his life, but in this very instance, he couldn't for the life of him remember her name. Behind her was a sour-faced Chuck.

"Are you two all right?" Dan diverted her question without even knowing he had, while Blair's "what are you doing here?" from a few moments ago echoed in his brain.

"We don't have time to chit chat to the help. I need to talk to Blair. Now." Chuck walked past Dan into the elevator, while a burst of annoyance flashed through Dan's head.

She gave Dan a hug and whispered "Thanks for being here, but I need to go. Call you later?" The elevator door closed, leaving Dan all alone in the lobby. He left the one place he wanted to be at, and now he didn't know where to go. He felt light-headed as he floated his way across the lobby and back out to the streets.

Blair was startled by the whirl of the elevator, and snapped out of her trance. Her head instructed her to put her game face on and be ready to turn Dan away once he steps out of that elevator. Her heart – her heart – just wanted him to demand a kiss from her again.

But it wasn't Dan. It was Serena and Chuck. If she didn't know better, Blair would know that feeling in the pit of her stomach was disappointment.

"Is everything ok?" Blair felt herself saying. Her head insisted she had caught a lucky break. They just missed Dan. They didn't catch them. And now, Chuck and Serena's problems would distract her from staring at the ceiling of her bedroom all night, thinking about the last person in the world she thought she would think about. Lucky break indeed.

The kiss was plaguing him. It was the last thing on Dan's mind before he fell asleep, and it was the first thing on his mind when he woke up. Did he even sleep? It was just a kiss, he thought. Not even a real one, but a fake one; Just one kiss that proved, without a doubt, that there was nothing between him and Blair. He was sure about that. After all, he was back in Brooklyn, lying in his bed, alone, replaying the kiss over and over and over again in his head. How he felt when her lips touched his. How her tongue danced around in his mouth. How his tongue tossed and turned in hers. How mesmerizing her arms felt as they slid over his shoulders. How intoxicating her scent was as it enveloped him. How soft her skin felt as he held her tighter and tighter. How her body felt – No, Dan Humphrey was not obsessing over it at all, nor was he scared witless over how much he was not obsessing over a Ms. Blair Waldorf. Still in bed, he slid over to his nightstand and picked up his phone. Scrolling quickly, he highlighted her name, and paused.

His thumb hesitated over the call button. Should he call? Maybe a text instead. But what would he write?

"Hey, pal, want to check out that film at the Angelika?"

Or "let's go grab a friendly breakfast?"

Or "I'll be at the Beuys exhibit this afternoon, buddy. Do-over?"

Or "I can't stop thinking about you."

Dan Humphrey, hack writer. He flipped his phone closed. No point in sending a text when he didn't know what he wanted to say to Blair. But, he could already picture Blair's adorable look of disgust at the prospect of being called "buddy". He smiled at the thought, and rubbed his forehead. What did he do last night? He cursed himself for thinking of that plan in the first place. The kiss was supposed to make everything clear to him, so he could stop wandering around Manhattan all night thinking about Blair and what he might or might not feel. The kiss was supposed to fail, miserably, and give him a clear indication and proof that they are friends. Quick and simple. The perfect plan. Instead, his stupid pretentious all-consuming, paralyzing thought simply became even larger, more complicated, and even more paralyzing than ever. "Just One Kiss". This ridiculous stupid plan of his clearly sucked major balls. Dan Humphrey, the village idiot. He gripped his phone. Now what?

He yelped out loud when the phone started to ring.

*DAD* It said on the screen. Dan was the lousiest son ever. Lily was heading to prison, and here he was, obsessing over a girl who may or may not be more than just a friend. Or maybe they were never even friends. Were they? The phone vibrated now, ringing with more urgency, to remind him he just said he would stop obsessing like some lovesick teenager. Not that he was one. Dan Humphrey does not get lovesick over someone like Blair Waldorf. Right? He shook his head hard to rid himself of these thoughts and finally flipped open his phone.

"Hey Dad. Is everything ok? How are you doing?"

"Dan, could you come over now? We're going to have breakfast, altogether, as a family. We need to be here for each other."

"Of course. Please tell Lily we're all here for her. See you in a bit."

He should be a good son and tend to family. It would be a good distraction anyway.

After the somber family breakfast Dan was actually feeling pretty good. For about two hours, he hadn't thought about Blair or their kiss last night. He was cured. As he walked out onto the street, a decision was made. As long as he kept himself away from Blair and put his mind to being there for the fustercluck that was his family, he can do it. He can forget about that kiss. He can. It didn't have to mean anything at all. Maybe he was just traumatized by the event. Of course it's no big deal. What was he thinking? He turned a corner and –

"Ouch! Watch where you're going, you imbec- " Dan didn't want to look up, but his eyes betrayed him as they stare right into those doe eyes. All those feelings that arose from the kiss came rushing right back into his brain, to his detriment. But, did her eyes look a little excited at seeing him?

"Humphrey."

"Blair."

They stared at each other again, both unsure of what the other would say or do. Then again, they were the king and queen of denial. Blair took the lead, as she always did.

"I'm… about to head to Serena's, but it looks like you just did. How are things? Everyone all right?" Blair asked.

"I didn't just see Serena, I saw the whole fam – "Dan closed his mouth. OK, well, he's obviously lost his king of denial title. He quickly began talking again to divert the focus.

"Um, well, everyone's doing the best they can, I guess. A little bit on edge. Especially my dad – he was acting like nothing was wrong at and just kept making waffles throughout the whole breakfast. It was pretty unsettling. And I love waffles."

"Does that surprise you? It's textbook coping mechanism. Stage one – denial!" Blair stopped and realized she said the d word. She half-smiled nervously at Dan, and his heart skipped a beat. If Blair was a disease, he knew at that moment he didn't want to be cured.

"I want you." Dan blurted out before Blair could change the subject. He stepped forward and grabbed her arm gently. Blair looked down for a moment before shaking his hand off. She spun around and briskly walked down the street, and his legs carried him forward, following her along.

"Wow. Blair Waldorf, speechless. This must be a first." He always made jokes at the most awkward moments. He waited for Blair to blow him off with some insulting retort, but instead –

– in one swift move, she grabbed his shoulder and pushed him into a small alleyway along the side of the street. And just as quickly, her lips were suddenly pressed against his.