Eh, I'm sure how I feel about it. Not my best, but we all need some pointless happy fanfic, especially right now, given the show is angst central. Dedicated to The Weekend Sinner who gave me the idea :)

In the short amount of time they'd known eachother, spending time with Serena seemed to inevitably end up with him in foreign places. Today, it would seem, is no exception.

A woman takes a moment to stare at him as she runs past him on the stairs, and Dan hopes he's in the right place. It is a fashion shoot, he can tell that much, but is it the right one?

How man fashion shoots can there possibly be?

Truthfully, he has no idea. But the idea of Serena Van der Woodsen waiting for him, for Dan Humphrey, compels him further up the stairs. As out of place as he feels, it's thankfully devoid of Blair, Chuck and Nate. So far anyway. He'd practically felt like an alien at the Kiss on the Lips party, a sensation dwarfed by how immensely out of place he was at the Bass Brunch. He's awkward socially, he knows that, and never moreso than around the pretentious peers from school, but for the first time in his life that-and them- had seemed so…insignificant. Though he knew disdainful eyes followed him everywhere on the Upper East Side, all Dan could see, all he cared about, were the ones of mischief and laughter, the blue eyes that regarded him with warmth and curiosity and….fondness?

Pull yourself together, Humphrey.

Two semi-dates- he isn't sure what to call them- and while Serena seems intrigued by him, Dan isn't sure in what capacity her interest lies.

Are we friends?

Are we more?

Are we neither?

Dan wishes he had more experience with girls, and a part of him is extremely reticent to believe Serena Van der Woodsen, the Serena Van der Woodsen is interested in him in any way. But as he gets to see a little more of Blair Waldorf- something he loathes to think will happen more frequently if Serena is interested in him like….like that- he notices how different Serena is. Girls on the Upper East Side cut their teeth on boys like him, girls like Blair, but Serena is something else. The conceit, the deliberate poise, the indifference, she has none of it. She's warm and wild and accidental, and she's so far beyond the girl he thought she was.

It only makes him more smitten (though he's not sure that's possible).

He finally reaches the end of the stairs, very slowly opening the door and glancing out. Maybe if he's in the wrong place they won't notice him and he can slink back to Brooklyn with some dignity intact. Dan surveys the garden, the tripods, clothes racks, cameras, people running to and fro, until he spies a head of loose blonde curls. She's sitting with a casual confidence that follows her everywhere, legs swinging beneath the table she's on as she watches Blair talking with an older brunette he assumes is her mother. Dan closes the door, feeling the conflicting surge of confidence and nervousness she inspires in him, and wanders over to her in slow, measured steps.

He's still trying to think of something witty or suave to greet her with when Serena turns in his direction, eyes lighting up when they reach him. His heart literally flutters, a feeling he didn't believe was real, and he can't help but believe she feels something for him. The goofy happiness on her face suggests as much. She hops from the table and bounds over to him, another thing he adores already. It's so ungainly, so not what a high society girl should do, so exuberant and sincere, and Dan feels a smile come unbidden to his face.

"Dan!" This feeling, the sheer pleasure at someone else's presence, is something Serena's never felt before. Of all the boys (men) she's been with, none made her feel this way. He's standing in front of her, brown eyes honest and inviting, one hand rolling up a sleeve and looking around at everything like he's been dropped on Mars. He's cute and sweet and a little bit awkward, and Serena's just so, so…happy, so happy he's here, and she isn't sure what to make of that yet.

"Hey, this is a nice spot. If my roof looked like this I might send more time up there." It's a typically Dan Humphrey thing to say, and though he seems to cringe at himself Serena giggles,

"I'm glad you're here."

She's glad I'm here, that's a good thing. I hope, there's no way that could be a bad thing...is there?

There's a distance between them, but Dan isn't sure how physical this should be at this point and Serena's never done something like this is earnest, so she settles for grabbing him by the hand and tugging him over to where she was sitting earlier. They settle down next to eachother, a few inches between their thighs on the table,

"I was about to send out a search party, you've been so punctual up until now." From someone else it might sound like nitpicking, but Serena has this way of speaking, with laughter on the edge of her voice, and Dan smiles crookedly at her,

"Yeah, I was held up in the hall, some woman thought I was here to help move props and gave me a plastic palm tree." Serena giggles, her eyes crinkling in mirth and he chuckles a little; it's closer to the truth than she probably thinks. Dan can see Blair from where he's sitting, strutting back and forth across the blank screen behind her, hair and makeup fixed in a deliberate perfection he dislikes. His brown eyes cross to Serena, who's looking at Blair with a sweet fondness he cannot understand.

Dan clears his throat, "So, I guess you're used to this sort of thing, growing up on the Upper East Side."

Serena's blue eyes regard him openly, "Fashion shoots?"

"Well, yeah, things like…this," He gestures vaguely in the direction of the cameras and people running around with hairspray and reflective sheets. She shrugs, wrinkling her nose a little. Dan knew she was sexy and beautiful, but he hadn't known until they'd started hanging out, or whatever it is they're doing, how damn cute she is.

"They were always happening, I guess, but I never took much notice. This is the most exciting thing," She mimics his hand movements, and Dan laughs a little, "like this I've ever been to."

Dan's brow furrows, "This is the best one? I'd hate to see the worst, what makes this more exciting?"

Serena glances down, biting her lip before meeting his gaze, smiling sheepishly, "Well, you're here."

If he had been standing, Dan might have fallen over.

Serena smiles with more confidence at him, his eyebrows raised in surprise and lips slightly parted, and her gaze lingers a second on those lips. He's nervous and sweet, but just looking at them she knows he's a good kisser, and she wonders what it would feel like.

Snap out of it!

She realises she's staring and immediately switches her gaze Blair. Dan is still a little dumbfounded and didn't notice her looking at his mouth, but her movement prompts him to respond.

"This is definitely the best one of these I've ever been to."

Serena turns back to him, "Really, what makes this one the best?" She says playfully. Dan has the quirkiest sense of humour, so honest and clever. It's a refreshing break from that of her peers who are so fixated on saying the right thing all the time, giving measured answers and jibes to everything.

Dan looks thoughtful, rubbing his chin, "The décor, it's so fresh, so edgy yet familiar, and the whole fake plant thing, can't go past plastic palms." Her laughter is bright and airy, and it makes him think of birds and wind chimes and other Disney clichés, "And of course, there's the company."

"Mmmhmm, the company?"

"Oh yes, there's this one blonde girl, she's delightful, I'll introduce you next time." They smile at eachother, and when Serena opens her mouth to answer she's cut off by the superior tone which can only belong to Blair Waldorf.

"Ugh, that man responsible for the lighting has no idea what he's doing, we're going to be here all day." She speaks directly to Serena before glancing in his direction with a disdainful hooded gaze,

"Can't say I expected to see you here, are you lost? Queens is that way." She points over her shoulder, and Dan bristles but Serena beats him to it,

"Blair," Its firm and chastising, but the petite brunette shrugs it off, turning her gaze back to the blonde,

"Don't worry, I have no energy to dedicate to him today. Do you think this dress makes me look bloated?"

Serena's eyes soften, and she takes her friend's hand, "You look great, B, really. It's going to be amazing!" There's an insecurity to Blair he's never seen before, and as she strolls back over at the call of her mother, he understands their friendship a little more.

Serena sighs, "I'm sorry about her…" Dan shrugs it off, "Its okay, the feeling is kinda mutual."

He doesn't want to overstep his bounds, but Dan's curiosity drives him forward, "No offense, but how are you two…how are you friends, with someone like that?"

Serena smiles wryly at him, thankfully appearing nonplussed by the question, which leads him to think she's answered it before.

"I know how she comes off, but Blair's a good friend." She laughs at his raised eyebrow and disbelieving look, "You've managed to see the worst of her, but I promise, once you get to know her she's smart and loyal and strong, when you're friends…" His face becomes more sceptical, and she laughs, "You'll dislike her less eventually."

Dan nods, still dubious. Wait…

"Eventually? So there's an eventually…" He trails off, gauging her reaction.

Serena likes this strange vibe he has, this confidence mingled with awkward nervousness, and she grins, "Well, this date is definitely going smoother than the last two."

He cheers internally, date! Dan nods, "Smoother maybe, but this one lacks the dramatic atmosphere of the others. Maybe we'll be lucky and Chuck Bass will show up, he was a common denominator in the less than optimal end to our other dates." Date, he loves the word…

Serena takes on a slightly baleful expression and looks down at her hands, "I'm sorry again, about Chuck…"

Dan's brow furrows, "You…don't have to apologise for Chuck Bass."

"I know, it's just…I've known him since we were kids, and I kinda feel responsible for the stupid things he does when you're around because you don't know him." Dan blinks at her, but she can see an understanding light in his eyes. Behind it there's a questioning. He's curious about what Chuck said at the Bass brunch but doesn't know how to ask it.

Serena's very reticent to talk about it, but Dan gives a sense of security that's foreign to her, something she's always wanted and never had. Her blue eyes meet his brown ones carefully. She sighs and hopes that if he was going to leave he'd have done so already.

"And I'm sorry about what he said last week, at the Palace…"

"That was about you, you don't have to be sorry for me."

"I do…" Dan scoots a little closer, and she takes strength from it, "I….there's a lot of things about me you don't know."

His mouth quirks crookedly, "I look forward to finding out."

"There not all things you'll…you might not like them."

Dan never would have thought Serena Van der Woodsen had this insecure, vulnerable side to her, but nevertheless her eyes are unfocused and she's fidgeting, and he feels so guilty for reacting so fiercely at the Bass brunch. Their…relationship…is very new; he doesn't know the protocol here and he doesn't know where the boundaries lie. All he knows is she looks wary and sort of afraid and he doesn't know what to say (for once).

Instead of words, he reaches across and places a hand over hers, closing his fingers around hers. It's simple and kind, and Serena looks up to see a confident, bright set of brown eyes.

"I'm not going anywhere."

He doesn't know her well enough yet to understand the significance of those words, that everyone in her life she'd ever loved or needed had gone somewhere. Serena's heard people say it before. This is the first time she believes it.

Need suggestions for future fics my lovelies :)