A/N: This chapter is rated M (what, CB are in a secret relationship, did you expect any less?)
Chapter 15: I Know
My mama said to stay from guys like you.
She said they were nasty
Make me do things I don't wanna do
Stay away from bad boys they've got one thing on their mind
Their hormones are raging and they want it
all the time
-Save Ferris
It was the perfect day for a walk down Park Avenue, Blair mused, feeling the contented smile on her face and the bouncy little spring in her step. The sun was shining, flowers were blooming, birds were chirping…
Although, given that it was October in Manhattan, possibly some of this was just her imagination. She hummed a cheerful little tune to the beat of her footsteps, barely noticing the frigid breeze ruffling the hem of her skirt and the loose-set curls of her hair.
It was remarkable, the effect a late-night study break could have on a girl's disposition.
"Blair!" An exasperated voice impinged on her consciousness, and she blinked in surprise as Serena appeared beside her.
"I've been calling your name for the last two blocks," she complained, huffing a little in exertion.
"Oh, sorry, I must not have heard you," Blair replied contritely.
"Did you also not hear your phone when I called you four times last night?" Serena asked suspiciously.
"Well, I did mean to call you back, I was just… busy, and then it was so late…"
Serena eyed her with consummate skepticism, but Blair pretended not to notice, rummaging around in her handbag for her phone as they continued walking towards school.
"B…" The plaintive tone in her best friend's voice finally swayed her, and she came to a stop, sighing inwardly.
"Yes?" she asked brightly, giving Serena her most guileless smile.
Serena's expression clearly indicated that she was having none of it.
"What's going on between you and Chuck?"
Blair paused. Even though the secrecy had been her idea, there was still a part of her- the giddy, hormone-crazed, hopelessly infatuated part- that wanted nothing more than to brag about their newfound relationship to everyone she encountered.
To brag about how Chuck Bass, unrepentant playboy and disdainer of monogamy, was so into her that he was not only willing, but downright eager, to commit to a relationship. That he'd spent hours hunting down her favorite flowers in the middle of the night, and then presented them to her with a heartfelt apology and plea for forgiveness (she figured she could just omit the part where he was falling-down drunk).
That she'd spent most of the weekend having the best sex of anyone's life, and it made her toes curl up inside her Jimmy Choos just thinking about it.
She couldn't say any of that, of course- she had to stick to the plan, take things slowly until they were ready to go public. But in the meantime, she could at least confide in her best friend.
She glanced back and forth stealthily, making sure the street was clear of eavesdroppers.
"I mean, are you guys… together now?" Serena asked skeptically.
"We are," Blair confirmed, unable to keep the satisfied little smile off her face.
"Okay… wow." Serena blew out a long breath. "So Chuck is… your boyfriend."
Blair nodded happily, catching her lower lip between her teeth to keep from grinning like a crazy person.
"You seemed, uh… pretty upset with him on Saturday morning," Serena ventured. "But I guess you guys… worked things out?"
"You could say that," Blair replied saucily. "If 'working things out' is a euphemism for-"
"Nope, don't need details," Serena interrupted, cringing slightly in distaste. "As long as you're happy, B, then… I'm happy for you."
"Oh, I'm definitely happy," Blair assured her with a contented little sigh.
"Seriously, enough."
"I didn't even say anything!" Blair protested.
"You were thinking it, I could tell from the look on your face." Serena gave a quick shake of her head, as if trying to erase the image from her brain. "And I have to live with him, which is creepy enough already, so let's not up the ick factor."
"Anyway…" She paused to regroup. "How did Nate take it?"
"Oh… well." Blair became engrossed in removing an imaginary piece of lint from the lapel of her peacoat. "Chuck and I decided it's best if we keep it to ourselves for awhile."
Serena raised an eyebrow at her.
"You decided what now?"
"We agreed that we would tell everyone when we were ready," Blair replied, unperturbed. "Which is not yet."
"Or…" Serena countered, her brow furrowing in suspicion. "Chuck doesn't want to tie himself down by going public, and risk losing his hard-earned man-whore reputation… so this way he can have his cake and eat it too."
She winced slightly as she recognized her own unintentional innuendo.
"Serena." Blair rolled her eyes. "As sweet as this is, you being all protective of my virtue, it wasn't Chuck's idea. It was mine."
Serena stared at her in evident confusion.
"It's just that it's so soon after the breakup," Blair rationalized. "People would talk, and we don't want that sort of… scrutiny."
"So you're both just going to lie to Nate?" Serena asked doubtfully.
Blair felt herself growing defensive at the hint of accusation in her best friend's voice.
"What, so you now you're all concerned about Nate's feelings?" she retorted. "The same guy who's probably lost count of how many times he's broken up with me?"
"I didn't mean that, B," Serena attempted to placate her. "But you're all my friends, and I just… I don't want to see any of you get hurt… that's all."
"Well, as long as you keep this to yourself and let us handle it, nobody will," Blair replied firmly. "Shall we?"
She turned to continue down the sidewalk towards school, and Serena trailed after her, heaving a deep, apprehensive sigh.
Ten minutes later, the two girls were perched on the courtyard steps and sipping their morning lattes, a small group of minions gathered around them. They chattered amongst themselves- discussing their weekend exploits, complimenting each other's shoes and accessories, and making catty comments about passing underclassmen- but the atmosphere felt tense and uneasy.
Eventually there was an awkward pause in the conversation, with most of the girls casting covert glances in Blair's direction, but no one daring to speak first.
"So…" Iz finally addressed her, looking visibly nervous as Blair tilted her head towards her with an expectant expression. "What's going on with you and Nate?"
"Oh, that." Blair waved her hand dismissively, as if the end of her six year relationship were of little consequence. "Things had sort of been… cooling off for awhile. And since we were going out separate ways after graduation anyway, we decided we were just better off as friends."
A flurry of nodding heads followed her pronouncement, although several of the girls still looked unconvinced.
With good reason, Blair thought- after all, if she'd made that exact statement a year ago, it would've been total bullshit. But now, she was almost surprised at how genuine the words sounded… and felt.
Feeling a tingling sensation run up her spine, she glanced up to find a pair of hazel eyes observing her from across the courtyard. Chuck was lounging against the ivy-covered brick wall- hands in the pockets of his khaki trousers, leather messenger bag slung over one shoulder. To someone who didn't know any better, he appeared to be engaged in conversation with his step-brother; he nodded and chuckled in response to Eric's monologue, occasionally interjecting with his own undoubtedly snarky comments.
But over the younger boy's shoulder, his eyes were intently fixed on Blair.
A corresponding flush of warmth crept its way up her neck to her cheeks, and she couldn't help smiling at him, biting down on her lower lip to prevent it from turning into a full-scale grin. He smirked back and they held each other's gaze for a long moment… as if savoring their little secret.
Until Serena's deliberate throat clearing snapped her back to reality.
Blair glanced over and saw her friend regarding her with a raised brow, indicating that their eye-sexing hadn't been nearly as discreet as she'd thought.
Sighing inwardly, she returned her attention to the conversation going on around her.
"Did you guys hear about the party at Victrola on Saturday?" Hazel asked in a conspiratorial tone. "Kelsey's brother was there, he said it was wild."
"I heard Chuck had a threesome with two of the dancers," Kati whispered, wrinkling her nose in disgust.
"Dancers? More like hookers," Hazel scoffed.
"Well, I'm sure it wouldn't be the first time," Iz added derisively. "He is such a perv."
Blair's jaw tightened almost imperceptibly, but she remained silent.
No need to dignify that with a response, she decided. After all, she was like… 95% sure it hadn't happened.
"That's not what you said when you gave him a hand job at my birthday party," Kati snorted.
Iz turned a deep shade of pink, and Blair felt her heart suddenly jump into her throat.
"That was years ago," Iz replied dismissively. "And there was… a lot of alcohol involved."
Sighing in relief, and then berating herself for her overreaction, Blair casually sipped on her latte and avoided Serena's all-too-knowing gaze.
After all, she'd known what she was getting into with this relationship, and if she wanted to avoid people who'd been sexually involved with Chuck… well, she would have to exile herself from Manhattan. Possibly the entire tri-state area.
"Whatever." Kati rolled her eyes. "You were just pissed he didn't call you afterwards."
"Guess it wasn't much of a hand job," Hazel commented snarkily, and the rest of the girls tittered in response.
"I've never understood the point of hand jobs anyway," Kati added. "I mean… can't they just do that themselves?"
"Oh, is that why you've blown half of the lacrosse team?" Iz shot back.
Kati huffed in affront, narrowing her eyes in preparation for a retaliatory insult.
"Hey guys, can we dial back the slut-shaming a little?" Serena interjected suddenly.
Feeling her best friend's sympathetic gaze upon her, Blair felt a brief swell of gratitude at the interruption- followed by the realization that she definitely needed to get her wits together, if her reaction had been obvious enough for Serena to notice.
"Serena's right, ladies," she commented in a haughty voice. "As much as I enjoy hearing about all the boys you've… pleasured," she infused the word with as much disdain as possible, "you're not contestants on a trashy reality show, so please try to behave as if you actually had some class."
Suitably chastened, the girls nodded sheepishly, casting their eyes downwards.
"I just can't believe I got stuck with him as my lab partner," Kati groused. "Why is he even taking AP Chem? He obviously couldn't care less about school."
"I think Bart registered for him," Serena offered, with another sideways glance in Blair's direction.
"And how am I supposed to work with someone who isn't even there half the time?" Kati continued as if Serena hadn't spoken. "He didn't show up last Thursday or Friday, so of course he's totally useless with the lab report since he didn't even do the experiment…"
Blair bit her lip, frowning in consternation as Kati continued her tirade on Chuck's chronic absenteeism.
She obviously needed to stage an intervention before he managed to blow his grades for the entire semester. As crazy as she was about him, she couldn't publicly link herself with some kind of… slacker. The word alone was enough to send an unpleasant tremor through her body.
However, she also knew that any academic suggestions on her part would be met with a combination of eye-rolling and mockery from Chuck. As well as an immediate attempt to distract her, probably by sliding his hand up her thigh…
Clearly some subterfuge was in order.
Retrieving her phone from her handbag, she quickly typed out a text message.
what r u doing this afternoon?
Out of the corner of her eye, she could see him pull his phone out of his pocket, and her own buzzed a few moments later.
ditching after lunch, u?
Her brow furrowed as she read his reply. Seriously, he couldn't even make it through today? It was only Monday, for Christ's sake.
This was not an auspicious start to Operation Reform Chuck Bass.
She contemplated her options for a moment before an idea occurred to her, brilliant in its simplicity.
Because all Chuck really needed was proper motivation.
And she knew exactly how to motivate him.
thats a shame, she texted back.
y? was Chuck's response.
thinking about taking a study break during 7th, she replied, hoping the words came across just as coy as she intended.
They both had study hall during seventh period, so she figured a little romp in the janitor's closet wouldn't distract him too much from his… academic endeavors.
Her fingers fidgeted impatiently with her phone as she waited for it to vibrate again.
guess i could stick around for that. some 1 on 1 tutoring maybe?
This was almost too easy, she thought to herself.
She could feel him smirking at her from across the courtyard, and she permitted herself a triumphant little smile as she typed out her response.
see u at 1
Sure, maybe it was playing dirty, she conceded as she clicked "Send"- but a little well-intentioned bribery never hurt anyone. Tucking her phone away in her handbag, she glanced back at her circle of minions, the smile still lingering on her lips.
Until she caught Jenny Humphrey studying her shrewdly from across the steps, and her happy expression faded into one of barely-concealed annoyance. The younger girl had been aggravating her for months, and she was rapidly running out of patience.
But at least she had some small consolation- it was only a matter of time now before Jenny's blackmail material became worthless, and then she could cast the little Brooklynite back to the seventh circle of social exile where she belonged.
She allowed herself a brief thrill of pleasure as she imagined that glorious day.
After all, there was nothing quite like a good takedown.
.
.
Chuck sauntered down the east wing hallway, surreptitiously scanning the brass-plated room numbers out of the corner of his eye.
417, 418… 418-B.
A skeptical frown creased his forehead as he read the placard beneath it.
The yearbook office? he thought in puzzlement, retrieving his phone from his pocket to confirm the room number. He cast a stealthy glance up and down the hallway- ensuring there were no witnesses- before rapping lightly on the door, twisting the knob, and slipping inside.
He immediately came face-to-face with Blair; she was perched on top of a long oak desk, leaning back slightly on both palms, her tights-clad legs swinging beneath her. A beguiling smile crossed her face as she watched him pull the door closed and turn the lock.
"Hey," she murmured, moistening her upper lip with the tip of his tongue.
"Hey yourself," he returned. He gave her an appreciative once-over- down to her dangling feet, clad in navy t-strap pumps, up over her gray tights and pleated plaid skirt, crisp white blouse, navy school blazer, all the way to the red headband adorning her sleek brown curls.
No doubt about it, he thought- his girlfriend was smoking hot.
"So…" He cleared his throat, noticing that her blouse already had several buttons undone. "This is where yearbooks get made?"
"It is," she confirmed with a suggestive smile. "As the newest member of the yearbook committee, you'll probably become… very well-acquainted with it."
"Funny, I don't recall joining any committee…" he said wryly, taking a brief glance around the wood-paneled room. He noted the bookcases filled with leather-bound volumes, several heavy desks holding computers and printers, and a large empty work table.
Multiple flat surfaces, check.
Armless chairs, check.
There was even a conveniently-positioned window sill.
Chuck decided this room had a lot of potential.
"How else do you think you got a study hall pass?" Blair replied, a mischievous twinkle in her eye.
Clearly she was under the mistaken assumption that he'd actually bothered going to study hall- a fact that Chuck decided to skirt for the time being.
"So what kind of… time commitment are we talking here?" he asked in mock-deliberation, taking several steps closer.
"Well, the pass is for every Monday, Wednesday and Friday for the rest of the semester," she responded, clearly relishing her position of authority.
"Three times a week, huh?" he mused.
Truth be told, he wasn't in the habit of staying at school until 1pm, and certainly not three times a week- but the promise of Blair-related extracurricular activities was significant incentive.
"What, am I not worth it?" Blair crossed her legs, allowing one high-heeled pump to slip off her heel and swing from her toes.
"Oh no, you are very worth it," he replied with a smirk. "So… what exactly did I do to earn this position?"
"It seems the editor-in-chief has taken quite a liking to you," she replied, her eyes running over him appreciatively as he paced towards her.
"Well, in that case…" he murmured. "I would… consider it an honor."
He stepped up to the desk and she uncrossed her legs, her knees parting to allow him closer, his palms almost tingling in anticipation as they skated over the silky fabric of her tights. Guiding her thighs around his waist, he nestled his hips between them.
God, there was just something about those tights that aroused the fucking hell out of him. Every time he'd seen her that day, strutting down the hall in her little school uniform, all he'd been able to think about was ripping them off.
Preferably with his teeth, although he wasn't particular.
He felt her kicking off her shoes, which fell to the floor behind him with a quiet thud, and run her stocking-clad feet up the back of his thighs. Winding her arms around his shoulders, she slid one hand up to his jaw and cupped it in her palm.
A quiver of excitement rippled through him at the sensation- her fingers caressing the side of his face and trailing down to stroke his neck. Her calves pressed against his ass, pulling him closer to her.
The thrill of her openly wanting him.
"So does this make you my boss?" he asked in a husky voice.
She considered this for a moment, her lips pursed in thoughtfulness.
"Why, I believe it does," she concluded.
He could hear the little hitch in her throat when he pressed himself intimately against her, see the arousal warming her gaze as she peeped up at him through long, dark lashes.
"Well then." His hands slid back up her thighs and under her skirt, grasping her hips with both hands. "What's the first item on my… to do list?"
Her eyes remained fixed on his mouth as she stroked her fingertips around the shell of his ear, running them through the wavy hair curling behind it and pulling him closer.
"Me," she whispered, when their mouths were only inches apart.
Their lips finally met in a feverish kiss. His tongue sought out hers- stroking, thrusting, exploring her mouth with a passion that left them both breathless. After hitching her legs higher around his waist, he slid his hands up to the front of her blouse, popping open several more buttons to reveal a lacy crimson-colored bra.
A push-up bra that prominently displayed the rounded tops of her breasts.
"Very nice," he said against her mouth. "If I'd known this was underneath…" He palmed her breasts through the fabric and teased her nipples with tight, circular movements of his thumbs, eliciting a soft hum from low in her throat. "This shirt would've come off ten minutes ago."
Gripping the hair at the nape of his neck, she pulled his mouth back against hers in an impatient, demanding kiss. They quickly divested each other of their school blazers, hands and fingers fumbling over buttons in their eagerness to reach bare flesh. Chuck didn't bother with her skirt and reached underneath, tugging her tights down over her knees and then to her ankles in two swift motions. She helped him wrestle her feet free from the uncooperative stockings, which were promptly tossed over his shoulder, and pulled him back towards her by his belt buckle.
Chuck barely bit back a moan when he felt her hand slide down past his waist. Their kisses- hot, wet, and aggressive- took on an added urgency as she stroked the growing bulge in the front of his trousers.
And then, with a suddenness that left him dizzy, she pushed him back a step and hopped to her feet, spinning them both around so that he was pressed back against the desk.
"Blair-" he began in a questioning tone, the words catching in his throat when she sank to her knees in front of him.
"Looks like it's your lucky day, Bass," she murmured, a wicked grin tilting her lips as she undid his belt and unzipped his trousers with nimble fingers.
His brain felt sluggish, like it was two steps behind and struggling to grasp what his eyes were telling him.
Because his eyes were telling him that Blair Waldorf was about to blow him.
On school property.
Without even the slightest persuasion on his part.
He considered pinching himself, just to make sure he wasn't dreaming- but then decided he wouldn't want to wake up anyway.
His trousers hit the floor with a swish, followed soon after by his boxer briefs, and an audible breath escaped his lungs when her fingers wrapped around his firm cock. She stroked him, her dainty hand gliding easily over the supple skin, her other hand tracing teasing circles against his upper thigh.
When she paused and looked up at him, lashes fluttering provocatively over deep brown eyes, his entire body tensed in anticipation. The pink tip of her tongue swept across her upper lip and he felt himself twitch in her hand; his eyes remained fixed on her mouth as it slowly, deliberately, teasingly approached his cock.
She finally made contact, pressing an almost chaste kiss against the tip. A low groan rumbled in his throat at the delicious torture, every muscle fiber taut as he struggled to maintain control and not thrust his hips forward. His fingers clenched almost painfully into the desk while she placed feathery kisses down one side of his shaft and up the other, making a little noise of approval as he grew even harder in her hand.
When her tongue darted out, tracing light, playful circles around the swollen head, he closed his eyes to savor the sensation. His breathing became increasingly erratic as she teased him with gentle licks and kisses.
Then her tongue ran up the underside of his shaft in one long, languid stroke- and the resulting stab of desire was so potent, a sound suspiciously like a whimper fell from his lips.
"Please, Blair…" he said in a strained voice, his fingernails leaving indentations in the oak surface.
"Please what?" she asked innocently.
He opened his eyes to see her looking up at him a coy smile. Her gaze stayed locked on his as she gave him several slow, firm pumps with her hand, and he felt his hips arch forward of their own volition.
Finally showing some mercy, Blair took him into her mouth at last- first the head, sliding it across her lips and onto the wet, velvety roughness of her tongue, then gradually increasing the depth of her strokes until half of his length was engulfed in her hot little mouth.
And Chuck watched her through half-lidded eyes, breathing heavily as each stroke sent a throb of pleasure coursing through his body.
Ever since that one time he'd watched her applying lip gloss during English class sophomore year, this exact scenario had been a recurring fantasy of his. The very idea of Blair Waldorf, looking so chaste in her prim little school uniform, going down on him in an abandoned classroom, those glossy red lips wrapped around his cock… it had gotten him through several half-hearted hookups over the years, as well as a number of… solo ventures.
And the fact that it was actually happening could only mean one thing.
There was, in fact, a God. And he loved Chuck Bass.
"Fuck, Blair, that feels incredible," he groaned, releasing his grip on the desk to stroke one hand down the side of her head.
She made a little humming sound, the sensation reverberating all the way up his spine, and he came perilously close to losing control. Pulling his eyes upwards, he tried to concentrate on something, anything, besides the pleasure coiling tightly in his belly. He wanted to savor this experience for as long as possible.
His gaze caught on a pair of gray tights, dangling by one leg from a nearby computer monitor, and he smirked in amusement.
Until he felt the tip of his cock rub against the back of her throat, and his concentration shattered into a million pieces.
"Oh God," he gasped, his eyes rolling back in bliss as she deep-throated him. Between her hot, wet mouth enveloping him and the delicious friction of her tongue, he nearly came right then and there.
Taking several deep breaths, he stroked his fingers across her jaw and then into her hair, using his little remaining self-control to keep his grip relaxed and not pull her forward.
But he couldn't help looking down at her- watching her head bob up and down, hearing the sexy little noises she made. Feeling her lips wrapped tightly around him, gliding in sync with the rhythm of her hand. When she swirled her tongue against his shaft, he inhaled through clenched teeth, fighting in vain against the pleasure threatening to overwhelm him.
"Blair, I can't-" he said desperately. "I'm gonna come-"
He slid his hand down to her shoulder to push her back- but she kept going, quickening her pace. Her tongue stroked relentlessly, torturously, against the sensitive flesh until he couldn't hold back any longer.
"Oh fuck-" he choked out in one last warning, right before the aching tension inside him finally exploded.
A surge of ecstasy coursed through his shuddering body, and he groaned her name, again and again, his hips jerking uncontrollably as he released into her mouth.
Ebbing waves of pleasure continued to wash over him while he sagged back against the desk, grateful for the support of his suddenly weak-kneed body. His brain was still enveloped in post-orgasm fog, his breath coming in rapid, erratic pants, when Blair rose to her feet.
She delicately wiped her mouth with the back of her hand- and he would've chuckled at the fastidious gesture, if every one of his muscles weren't completely slackened with contentment.
"That was…" he trailed off, finishing with a sigh when he found his brain unable to think of words.
Blair just answered with a proud little smirk.
She stroked her hands down his chest, loosening his tie and working at the buttons of his shirt. When she began pressing a trail of kisses along his jaw, he felt a flush of heat ripple down his neck.
"I might need a few minutes to…. recover," he said apologetically.
She pulled back to look at him, and he couldn't help grinning at the pouty expression on her face.
Then, with a swift movement, he grasped her hips and spun her around. She squealed softly in surprise as he lifted her up to the edge of the desk, returning them to their prior position.
"But…" He leaned forward and whispered in her ear. "Perhaps I can entertain you in the meantime?"
He slid his hands up her bare thighs and traced along the lacy edge of her panties. Slipping one finger beneath, he skimmed along her velvety folds, drawing a breath of surprise at how wet she was.
"Mmm, what do we have here?" he murmured, drawing back to study her face. He stroked towards the apex of her sex and caressed the slick, swollen nub with circular motions. "Does it get you hot to suck me off?"
Her teeth sank into her lower lip, a naughty little grin curving her mouth- and the mere sight was so arousing, he felt an immediate rush of blood to his groin. Perhaps his second wind would arrive sooner than expected, he thought.
As their mouths met again in a passionate kiss, the taste of him still lingering on her tongue, he wondered to himself how he'd gotten so fucking lucky.
.
.
Jenny strolled down the corridor, dangling a hall pass carelessly on her index finger. She took her time - after all, she was in no hurry to return to Mr. O'Connell's riveting monologue on cell division- and was about to bend over the water fountain for a drink when a door opened further down the hall.
Spotting Blair's trademark headband, she took a quick step back into the shadows and watched as the brunette scanned the hallway. Apparently satisfied that it was empty, she quietly rapped on the door she'd come out of before turning to stroll off in the other direction.
She looked immaculate as usual- her hair perfectly coiffed, her makeup flawless, her outfit expertly coordinated.
Except her skirt was on sideways.
Jenny's eyes narrowed in suspicion as she watched Blair round the far corner, leaving the corridor empty. But within seconds, the door opened again and Chuck stepped out, pulling it closed behind him.
He didn't look anywhere near as put-together as Blair- his tie was crooked, his hair was mussed, and he was still tucking one shirt-tail into his pants. And he had a smug look of self-satisfaction on his face, like the cat that ate the canary.
Or did something to the canary, anyway, she thought disgustedly.
Realizing that she'd probably never have a better opportunity to put her plan into motion, Jenny steeled her nerves and strode towards him.
"Hey Chuck," she greeted him, her cheerful, confident tone belying the nerves churning inside her.
Startled, he spun around, his hands still adjusting the belt of his trousers.
"Oh, it's you," he replied disinterestedly, and looked her over for a beat. "Well, it was nice catching up with you, Jenny," he finished in a bored tone, and moved to brush past her.
Jenny's hand shot out and grabbed him by the arm, stopping him in his tracks.
Chuck looked down at her hand and then back up at her face, a hint of disbelief in his narrowed hazel eyes.
"Can I help you?" he asked in annoyance.
She hastily released his arm- honestly, she'd surprised herself by even having the nerve to touch him, that was definitely not part of the plan- and resisted the urge to wipe her now-perspiring palm down the side of her skirt.
"I think maybe we can help each other," she offered coyly, feigning self-assurance she didn't quite feel.
Chuck snorted out a mirthless laugh.
"That seems… highly unlikely to me," he replied in a dry tone, straightening his tie. "Now run along, Little J. Charity cases can't afford to cut class."
Jenny felt her hackles rise.
"Oh, but I assure you that we do share one common interest," she said in a cool voice that betrayed none of her anger. "Namely, the girl you just had sex with."
Chuck's fingers momentarily froze, pausing over the striped knot of silk before continuing their task. He turned to meet her gaze, the guarded depths of his eyes revealing nothing.
"I'm sorry, but you're going to have to be more specific," he replied evenly.
Jenny's lips curved into a sickly sweet smile.
"More specifically," she clarified, her tone hardening. "unless you want everyone to find out what's going on between you and Blair… I think you're going to want to listen to what I have to say."
At that moment, voices could be heard echoing through the hallway, growing louder as they approached. Grasping her by the arm, Chuck propelled her into the small room, shutting the door behind them with a snap. He released her arm immediately and took several steps backwards.
"Are you trying to blackmail me?" he asked with an arch of his eyebrow, a mixture of amusement and incredulity in his expression.
"I prefer to think of it as a mutually beneficial agreement," she replied, unperturbed.
"Ah, but you miscalculated," he said in a deceptively smooth tone. "Because I don't care if people find out. So there's no benefit on my end."
The hardness of his gaze unnerved her, but she'd come prepared for this argument.
"You know, I think Nate might care," she said, tapping one finger against her cheek in mock-deliberation. "I also think… Blair might."
And there it was- the flash of some indiscernible emotion in his otherwise impassive eyes.
It disappeared in an instant, replaced by a look of contempt.
"So you want me to do you some… favor," he emphasized the word with derision. "In exchange for sparing Nate and Blair's feelings?"
"Well, not just in exchange for that." she paused deliberately. "Because the favor benefits you as well."
"Does it now," he said, clearly unconvinced.
She nodded.
"And what is it, exactly?"
The cold hostility in his eyes would've scared off a lesser opponent, she thought with an inward shiver- but she straightened her spine and met his glare head-on.
"Oh, not much… just a suggestive word or two, dropped in Nate's ear," Jenny replied calmly. "About a girl he may be interested in going out with."
"You?" Chuck scoffed, and she felt her insides clench in resentment.
"Yes, me," she spat back.
She took a deep breath and tried to rein in her temper.
"Nate and I have shared… a few moments," she continued in a calmer tone. "We just never had a chance to move forward because he was always with Blair. Now that that's no longer the case…" she trailed off with a deliberate shrug.
"So you want me to convince Nate to ask you out," Chuck stated, a note of suspicion lingering in his voice.
"That's right," she replied with a devious little smile. "Rumor has it you can be… very convincing."
He tilted his head to the side, acknowledging the backhanded compliment.
"I fail to see how this benefits me in any way," he commented, still eying her warily.
"Because you want Blair all to yourself," Jenny said shrewdly. "And how long do you think that would last if Nate suddenly wanted her back?"
Chuck said nothing, a muscle in his jaw twitching almost imperceptibly as he stared back at her.
"But if I keep him occupied," she continued. "He won't be a threat."
"And what makes you think I consider him a threat?" Chuck asked tersely, his face fixed into an expressionless mask.
"I dunno, maybe spending your entire life watching Blair doodle 'Mrs. Nathaniel Archibald' in her diary?" Jenny shrugged. "Watching her go back to him over and over again?"
She paused for effect.
"The fact that she dumped you for him once already?"
She knew she'd hit a nerve when she saw his nostrils flared slightly in response.
And there, finally, was her proof- Chuck Bass had a weakness.
"So I figure this way… we both get what we want," she continued in the same smooth, calculating tone.
She looked at him expectantly, waiting for a reply- but he remained silent for a long moment, just studying her with that intense, disconcerting stare of his.
It made her feel like a bug under a magnifying glass, but she maintained her composure.
"Fine," he said shortly. "But I can't make any promises. Nate isn't going to do something just because I tell him to."
Jenny allowed herself a small smirk of satisfaction.
"Well, I'm sure you'll do your very, very best," she replied, patting him on the shoulder in the most patronizing way possible. "Pleasure doing business with you, Chuck."
"The pleasure is all yours," he said dryly, watching with hooded eyes as she exited the room.
Jenny had barely taken two steps out the door before her lips parted to reveal a radiant grin, and she allowed herself to half-walk, half-skip down the hallway towards homeroom.
God, there was nothing quite like a good takedown.
.
.
"Can you at least try to play defense this time?" Nate chided, tossing the basketball over to Chuck before stooping to tie his sneakers.
Chuck rolled his eyes and idly spun the ball back and forth between his palms.
Basketball wasn't really his sport of choice, but Nate got fed up with getting repeatedly owned on the squash court, so they tried to alternate every week or so.
"I mean, seriously, it's more challenging to shoot over Eric, and he's like five foot four," Nate went on, arching his eyebrows in challenge as he rose to his feet.
"I'll do my best," Chuck replied sardonically.
Resolving to put up more of a fight this time, he bounced the ball back over to Nate, unzipped the jacket of his track suit and tossed it on a nearby bench.
A scant five minutes later, having just been burned by three long-range jump-shots and two left-handed layups in a row, he was panting in exertion.
"10-2," Nate noted with some satisfaction, palming the ball with both hands. "Seriously dude, it's like you're not even trying."
Chuck narrowed his eyes and swiped at his sweaty forehead with one hand.
Nate dribbled the ball back and forth between his legs a few times, clearly showing off, before driving to the left- and Chuck scrambled to stay in front of him, reaching in to swipe the ball away with a quick dart of his hand.
Unfortunately, his lunging grab ended in a full-body collision. Knocked suddenly off-balance, their feet tangling underneath them, the two boys toppled onto the court in a sweaty heap.
Nate laughed as he rolled up to a seated position, brushing the dirt off of his warmup pants.
"Guess I had that coming," he commented drolly. "Water break?"
Chuck smirked and pulled himself to his feet. He dusted himself off as well, retrieving the wayward basketball before joining Nate on the sidelines.
"Hey, are you bringing anyone to the wedding this weekend?" Nate asked, in between long swallows from his water bottle.
Chuck scoffed.
"You know I always go stag to weddings, Nathaniel," he replied irreverently. "Why chain myself to one person for the evening with that kind… of variety at my disposal?"
The words sounded the same as always- just the right note of indifference, with a side of snarky innuendo- but somehow the sentiment felt more forced than usual.
"Meaning… you plan on hooking up with one of the bridemaids in the coat closet," Nate replied in amusement.
"Something like that." Chuck gave him a wry grin. "But you… do not have nearly the kind of game that requires, unfortunately."
Nate laughed, shooting him a look of mock-offense. "Hey, I know how to pick up girls!"
"You've spent your entire post-pubescent life in a relationship, and you've had sex with two women, total, both of whom basically threw themselves at you," Chuck summarized. "So no, I'm not convinced you have any idea how to pick up girls."
Nate sighed, acknowledging the accuracy of that barb. "Maybe I'll just stand still and look pretty?" he suggested.
Chuck laughed and shook his head. The sad thing was that Nate was probably right. After all, plenty of girls would fall all over themselves to-
A bolt of inspiration hit him as he realized this was the perfect opportunity to honor his little arrangement with Jenny Humphrey.
"That might work," he drawled, "but you'll have slim pickings at best- especially with me in the same room." He ducked to avoid the gym towel that Nate playfully threw at his head. "I'm serious, Nathaniel. If you want any female company that evening, your best bet is to bring it yourself," he concluded in a voice laden with innuendo.
Nate's brow furrowed in contemplation.
"Yeah, I thought about that," he admitted, tossing the water bottle over to Chuck. "But it's less than a week away, most of the girls already have dates."
Chuck nodded and pretended to consider this problem for a moment.
"Well, you know who probably doesn't," he offered, as if it had just occurred to him. "Jenny."
"Jenny Humphrey?" Nate replied skeptically.
"Yeah," Chuck said in a casual tone, as if this were a completely logical suggestion. "I mean, you guys are kind of friends, right?"
"Yeah, I guess so," Nate agreed, his forehead still slightly creased in uncertainty.
"And she's pretty… cute, I mean, she's all… blonde…" Chuck trailed off. "You like blondes, right?"
Shit, this was harder than he'd expected. Usually he was far more adept at lying, but singing Jenny Humphrey's praises was proving to be quite a challenge.
"Yeah, she's definitely cute," Nate agreed. He picked up the basketball and spun it atop his fingers, staring at it as it rotated around.
"And I doubt she's ever been to a society wedding before," Chuck added, unable to keep a hint of mockery from creeping into his voice. "You'd probably make her entire year."
Nate nodded, clearly pleased by the idea of himself as the noble benefactor -the white knight- doing a favor for some impoverished little Brooklynite.
"Yeah, that's not a bad idea, she's pretty fun to hang out with," he mused. "Maybe I'll give her a call."
Like shooting fish in a barrel, Chuck thought to himself, taking a long drink of water to hide his smirk.
"I wasn't going to go with anyone because I didn't want to upset Blair," Nate commented. "You know, like, I didn't want her to think I'd started dating someone else right away?"
Chuck nodded, still holding the water bottle to his lips to hide his expression.
"But my mom told me she's going with Carter Baizen," Nate continued with evident disgust. "Can you believe that?"
Chuck nearly choked mid-swallow, wondering for a moment if he'd misheard.
"Are you serious?" he finally got out, his attempt at scorn sounding more strained than usual.
"I know, right?" Nate shook his head. "I think maybe she's trying to make me jealous. I mean, it's like cotillion all over again."
The mere mention of that event was enough to make Chuck's heart clench. He turned to place the water bottle back on the bench, using sheer force of will to keep his expression composed.
"I mean, I'm fine with her dating someone else," Nate clarified, his words sounding entirely unconvincing to Chuck's ears. "It's just that it's Carter, you know? The guy's a jerk. Otherwise I wouldn't even care."
"Of course not," Chuck murmured distractedly.
"It's not like I'm expecting her to wait around for me," Nate added with unusual haste. "I mean, we said maybe in the future we could work things out, but, you know, she's free to date whoever she wants in the meantime. I'm totally fine with that."
The more Nate talked, the more Chuck felt sick to his stomach.
In the meantime? Was that all he was to Blair? Just one of many little…excursions during her temporary Nate-hiatus?
Possibly along with Carter fucking Baizen?
He couldn't even begin to process this right now.
"That's enough girl talk for now, Nathaniel," he forced himself to say with a bored sigh. "Let's get back to our game."
Nate bounded to his feet like an eager puppy and tossed the basketball back towards Chuck.
"Remember, you're down 10-2," he cheerfully called out over his shoulder as he jogged back onto the court.
Suddenly hit by the cosmic significance of Nate's words, Chuck fought hard to repress a groan.
Oh, there was a God, all right. And he hated Chuck Bass.
.
.
A/N: Hope you enjoyed! Thoughts on how their respective schemes are going to turn out? A) Splendidly, B) Trainwreck, C) Hot Sex, D) All of the above? As always, You + Reviews = Me + Very Happy.
Unrelated note: I also wrote a S5 two-shot you can find on my profile. It is rather… smutty and angsty. Smangsty?
Show related note: if you're interested in helping tweet some CB love during the 100th episode on Monday (and you should be!), please visit the savechuckandblair tumblr for details :)
As always, thanks to Terrabeth for all of her betaing and help reworking this chapter, as well a riveting discussion about the merits of BJs in fanfic.
And thanks to my favorite people in the whole world: 13maggi13, CBfanhere, Gem15stone, chaval, ellibells, annablake, Eternally Romantic, katharienne, Rossiee, notoutforawalk, Questacious, dreamgurl, S, GGfan73104, bfan, cb, CBBW3words8letters, maryl, LeftWriter224, Aliennut, Bellemme, Holyhead Harpies, Prinniegg, Arazadia, primadonna001, mlharper, livelybass, TerraBeth, aliceeeebeth, and msboskiera.