Chapter XXII
Never Have I Ever
"I never ran across a politician's lawn in my underwear," Serena pronounced, her eyes wickedly trained on Nate as she held the bottle of Karkov.
"That's not fair," Nate protested. He had one arm casually draped over Vanessa, looking at Serena with indignation. "Everyone knows that story!" Vanessa turned the camera to him, with surprise, but she was interrupted before she could comment that he had failed to tell her that particular tale.
"Who said this game was fair?" Chuck queried.
It wasn't really clear how they started playing I never. It was something they hadn't done since junior year, if Chuck remembered correctly it was after a particular wild New Year's party. It had been quite revealing back then, now it was just an excuse to drink, for him at least, even if the alcohol could barely be called that. They hadn't bothered with glasses any more, rather taking the smallest sips from the bottle with disgusted faces, trying to see who would break first. Luckily Humphrey hadn't done anything so far, or Chuck was sure his leather seats would be covered in the other boys innards by now.
"Just drink it Nate," Blair said dismissively, slapping the other boy gently with her hand. She was much more relaxed now, she'd gone past the point of ensuring she had perfect posture. She had somehow ended up sitting next to Chuck, but she managed to be even further from him. She discretely rebuffed his subtle attempts to maintain contact with her, giving him warning looks until he'd finally given up and contented himself with just admiring how stunning she looked, even in disarray.
"Fine," Nate grumbled, good naturedly taking the bottle he took the smallest sip of the vodka, making a face at the taste and shaking his head. "Right, so I never…I never…" Nate paused, his brows furrowed as he tried to think of something.
"Anytime tonight would be nice Nathaniel," Chuck drawled, lazily turning his head to his best friend.
"I never kissed a dude," Nate said, struck by inspiration he grinned angelically at Chuck, raising his eyebrows wickedly and shoving the bottle in Chuck's direction.
Blair, thinking it was for her took it, rolling her eyes at Nate's apparent unoriginality she took a dainty sip, resisting the urge to splutter. She went to hand the bottle to Serena, when Chuck suddenly plucked it from her fingers and took a swig, to most of the limo's occupant's stunned surprise. He then shoved the bottle in Serena's unresisting fingers, who was staring at him with wide eyes.
"Wait…wait…did that just happen?" Dan asked for all of them, blinking slowly.
"You're joking, right?" Serena finally snapped out of her shock, demanding.
"I should be surprised, and yet your depravity does know no bounds Bass," Blair commented, composing herself and rolling her eyes. Out of all of them she was the least surprised.
"So let's clarify this," Vanessa said, training the camera on Chuck. "You, Chuck Bass, the apparently infamous womaniser, kiss boys?"
"It was one boy," Chuck clarified, unconcerned. "I kissed one boy."
"And did you like it?" Nate couldn't help asking, chuckling as Chuck scowled at him.
"It's not a big deal," Chuck commented to the others, deciding to exact revenge against Nate later. "Eric does it, on a regular basis, I'm sure."
"Yes, but Eric is attracted to boys, it's natural!" Serena pointed out.
"Unless there's something you're not telling us Bass?" Blair requested, a small wicked smile actually quirking her lips. "Was he a good kisser?"
"Definitely not the best I've ever had," Chuck drawled, giving her a meaningful dark look, she returned it with practiced indifference although he saw her hand curl into a small nervous fist unintentionally and smirked. "And I'll have you all know, I only kissed him to get into bed with a group of English models," he pronounced, turning his attention back to the others before he became suspiciously distracted.
"Does anyone else fail to see the logic there?" Dan queried.
"Humphrey, let me depart some words of wisdom," Chuck commented, leaning forward, "Women adore the challenge of a gay man."
"There are so many things wrong with that statement," Vanessa commented dryly.
"The models didn't seem to think so," Chuck smirked. "They seemed very eager, especially this one who could bend like a pr-"
"Stop right there! I will need therapy after this," Serena declared loudly, cutting off Chuck and quickly taking her obligatory sip from the bottle.
"You asked…" Chuck pointed out, shrugging, and glancing subtly defensively at Blair who was rolling her eyes in resigned disgust at him. Despite Serena's wild child reputation, Chuck was certainly the one most comfortable with sexuality, much to her perturbance.
"Yeah, but you didn't have to answer," Dan noted. "Sometimes sharing is not caring."
"It's not my fault you don't have anything to share," Chuck pointed out sardonically.
Dan had nothing to reply to this, it was true he hadn't had one opportunity to drink, devoid of most of the experiences the others seemed to have shared.
"You go next Dan," Serena said, shoving the bottle into her surprised boyfriend's hands sympathetically. "I'm running out of ideas."
"Thanks, what I've always wanted, a pity move from my girlfriend," Dan quipped.
"Just say something already Humphrey," Blair snapped irritably, shifting in her seat.
"Fine, I never fed the ducks in Central Park," Dan said, shoving the bottle in Blair's direction.
"Seriously?" Blair asked, for once Dan wasn't sure whether her look was one of derision or astonishment.
"Even when you were a kid?" Serena asked, a clear look of astonishment on her face.
"Well…it was a bit far to go to just feed some ducks…" Dan said awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand. "It's not really…"
"What are you doing?" Chuck asked, startled as Blair impulsively lent over him, putting her finger on the intercom button.
"Arthur, can you please take us to Central Park," Blair said, all business, without waiting for a reply she let go of the button and slid back into her seat. "What?" she demanded as the others in the limo all stared at her now, stunned. "Everyone needs to feed the ducks at Central Park one time in their life, even Humphrey."
"Is anyone else freezing?" Dan requested, trying to still his chattering teeth as he crossed his arms, attempting to keep as much body warmth as he could against the chill night air.
"Don't be such a baby," Blair scoffed, perhaps it was sheer will, or the vodka, but the cold didn't seem to faze her whatsoever, despite her thin dress.
"Will you just feed the ducks already," Chuck shoved the box of dried biscuits into Dan's numb fingers. Serena had somehow managed to find them the limo and commission Chuck to carry them. His face was completely unamused, his eyes darting around the dark park surrounding the lake to ensure no one was around to see them and report to Gossip Girl. He took a sip from the Karkov he'd brought along with him to withstand the ordeal.
"Don't they usually eat bread?" Dan asked blankly, looking down at the box, which was inexplicably open. "Also how long were they sitting under that seat for? I don't want to poison them!"
"How should I know?" Chuck looked derisively. "Do I look like I eat Jatz biscuits? I don't even know how they got there."
"I think they're mine," Nate piped in here with a lopsided grin as he raised his hand guiltily. He was feeling refreshed in the cool air, trailing behind the others as Vanessa took her time to fix the camera's light. "I get hungry after school, sixth period sport," he shrugged at Chuck's look. Chuck didn't even deignt to reply to that pathetic excuse for defiling his limo. Instead he turned his back on Nate, shaking his head. Nate took the oppurtunity to locate Vanessa, glancing behind him he saw she was still meandering along the path, deep in concentration as she adjusted the settings on her camera.
Sighing slightly he glanced over the dark pond, remembering when Blair had first forced the three of them to come out here and assist her with feeding the ducks. They had spent the day at her house, baking their own bread. Of course Chuck had many jokes to make about the art of baking. Serena and Nate had attempted to make their own loaf, without help from Dorota, and had ended up with a hard rock, dismal compared to Blair's immaculately soft loaf. They'd brought it to the park anyway, using it as a football as Blair scattered perfect crumbs for the ducks and shot them disapproving looks. Eventually, when Serena had grabbed Chuck's scarf as he lay lazily on the bench smoking, he had seized the rocky loaf and flung it into the middle of the pond. It had almost hit an unlucky duck, and Blair and Chuck had bickered all the way home about whether it would have been intended homicide or manslaughter, while Serena and Nate had laughed about a joke only they understood.
Remembering this Nate couldn't help his gaze turning wistfully to Serena. The vodka had produced a pleasant haze around everything, and the blonde seemed to shimmer slightly as she pushed Dan towards the edge of the lake playfully, her laughter floating across the water exactly as it had those years ago.
"Why so serious?" Vanessa queried in a fake sinister voice, coming to stand beside him.
"Nothing," Nate quickly turned his gaze from Serena to look at his girlfriend. Instead of being met with her striking eyes he was met with the lense of her silver camera, a barrier between them. Nate tried to not let his grin drop.
"Didn't look like nothing to me?" Vanessa queried curiously, obviously noticing something was slightly offhand about Nate's reply.
"Just remembering, you know…" Nate finally relented the information, trying hard to sound casual as he shrugged.
Once again that night Vanessa teetered on asking Nate to elaborate, but she didn't, feeling acutely aware of the distance between them, memories he had with Chuck, Blair and Serena that she could never share. So she shrugged slightly and turned the camera to focus on the ever familiar Dan as he attempted to crumble the Jatz biscuits, at Blair's insistence. She laughed slightly, trying to pretend she was completely absorbed by it and not aware of Nate standing slightly behind her, focused on something else entirely.
"Just throw it to the damn ducks already," Chuck sniped, his hand buried deeply in his pockets as he watched Dan try to separate the biscuits into bite size pieces, and just making a mess.
"We don't want them to choke," Blair declared, scowling at Chuck at his disconcern for the noble creatures of Central Park.
"Yeah Chuck, not everyone likes to commit duckicide," Serena proclaimed, sticking her tongue playfully out at Chuck.
"I don't see any ducks anyway," Chuck muttered, glaring over the dark water.
"They'll come," Blair stated with absolute certainty. "Now come on Humphrey," she pushed Dan roughly towards the water.
"Fine, fine," Dan shot them all a look, "I want this to go on record that this is not my idea!"
"Bohemian I hope you're getting this all on camera," Blair regally called behind her as she settled one of her perfect curls.
"Every second," Vanessa stated. Chuck glanced over, her and Nate were standing slightly away from the others as Vanessa got a wide frame. They weren't touching however, he wasn't sure as it seemed slightly hard to focus, but Nate's gaze seemed preoccupied with Serena…either that or he had developed some feeling for Dan while being his room mate…
"Here goes," Chuck pulled his gaze away from his friend to see Humphrey carefully scatter the pieces of biscuit in the water. All of them watched in silence as it floated, some pieces weighed down by water and sinking to the bottom. Beside that the water was perfectly still…
"Well that was anti-climatic," Dan commented wryly after a prolonged minute, brushing his hands off on his jeans.
"Told you there weren't any ducks around," Chuck raised his eyebrows as he looked at Blair.
"They just don't eat sub-standard stale biscuits that smell like Nate's sweaty gym bag," Blair sniffed superiorly.
"Wou-" before Chuck could finish the comment a commanding voice called across the lake.
"Hey you kids," a man's voice called out. Six gaze immediately turned to the source of the voice, two park officers were walking briskly towards them along the path, their gazes directed on them. Chuck, acutely aware of the bottle in his hand, instinctively shoved it at the nearest person, ironically Humphrey.
"Hey-" Dan began to protest, trying to shove it back. Chuck ignored him, his gaze locking on Blair's.
"Bribe?"
"Won't work, they're practically saintly with their integrity…"
"What do we do?" Dan hissed, his voice panicked, he couldn't afford to be arrested again.
"Run," Serena proclaimed impulsively, three eyes turned to her, then Chuck and Blair shared a look and shrugged.
"Run," Chuck confirmed. And that's exactly what they did. Serena and reluctantly Blair took a second to slip her heels off and pick them up, as if long practiced at this. Dan watched them with a stunned look on his face as Serena grabbed his free hand and tugged him along, starting after Chuck and Blair who were heading to the path that led to the nearest street. They passed a stunned Nate and Vanessa who were heading towards them.
"Run," Serena couldn't help giggling slightly at Nate's wide bright blue eyes, reminded of another time when four of them had to flee from an annoyed concierge. That time she had grabbed Nate to pull him along, but now her fingers were occupied with Dan…
They kept going and finally they heard Nate and Vanessa pounding behind them, luckily Vanessa had the sense to wear flat shoes.
"Hey," they heard the man shout again but they kept on going, following Chuck and Blair. They reached the city street probably long after the officers had stopped chasing them, but Serena didn't even notice. She didn't notice either her fingers had slipped from Dan's, his legs not as long as hers. She just felt the rush of adrenaline, the pure joy and thrill of doing something bad and getting away with it. She almost knocked into a gasping dishelved Blair on the street, unable to break fast enough, and they almost toppled onto the pavement.
"Serena," Blair exclaimed angrily, only managing to stay upright by grabbing onto Chuck's arm, and almost causing him to go down with them.
"Sorry B," Serena gasped, between a laugh and a breath of air.
"Did Nathaniel make it?" Chuck asked, glancing for his friend as he settled his hair and attempted to get his breathing under control. Sure enough Nate came jogging out of the park, Vanessa and Dan a little behind him, bringing up the rear.
"Man, I haven't seen you guys run like that since…"
"Don't," Blair snapped, her eyes going to the camera inexplicably still in Vanessa's possession. "We agreed not to talk about that! Clause fifteen Nate!"
"Clause fifteen?" Vanessa felt even more confused.
"The NJBC contract, Blair had it drawn up when were eleven or something…" Serena dismissed her question carelessly. "Oh my gosh I almost forgot about that! Do you even still have that B?"
"You had a friendship contract drawn up?" Vanessa repeated, her derision plain.
"We were kids! I'm sorry that while you were doing noble things at eleven like going vegan and wearing hessian sacks, we were practicing our contractual drafting," Blair snapped, bristling at her tone. "Besides it's none of your business Boheman. Now Chuck are you going to call Arthur before those idiots still puffing along somewhere in there decide to call the police on us?"
"Actually I don't think they'll be doing that…" Dan noted, glancing up from his watch as Chuck fished his phone from his pocket and sent out the text,
"Can you predict the future now Humphrey," Blair snapped shortly, leaning against Chuck naturally as she put her heels back on. Chuck started at her touch, but didn't comment. She was clearly preoccupied with being annoyed at having to do such an undignified thing as run in front of not only her friends, but two Brooklynites, especially Vanessa.
"No, but it's one," Dan said, tapping his watch. The others looked blankly at him and Dan sighed. "Don't you think maybe they were just trying to tell us the park was closing?"
"Oh," Blair sounded for all of them.
Then Serena began to giggle at the thought, and Nate followed. Dan gave an appreciative chuck and eventually even Blair couldn't help laughing along with her friend while Chuck didn't quash a small appreciative smirk at their own stupidity.
"Limos here," Vanessa noted quietly as the black stretch pulled up near the curb. She had pasted a smile on her face behind the camera, but she felt slightly left out at the intimate carefree mirth the others were sharing.
"After you," Chuck drawled, indicating to Blair as he opened the door and waving Arthur to stay in the driver's seat.
"Why thank you Bass," Blair said, sharing a look and a small smile with Chuck before she slid into one of the black seats.
"So where to next man?" Nate asked, going to follow after Blair without a glance at Vanessa.
"Home," Serena announced, she still held her heels loosely with the tips of her fingers. Her other hand had found its way into Dan's again. "My feet are killing me."
"I could use some scotch," Chuck smirked, sliding in behind Serena and Dan and leaving the door open for Vanessa to follow. She did so with a frown, irrationally annoyed she slammed it shut behind her, not that any of them noticed.
Chuck flicked on the light in 1812, wandering into the suite. It was in much the same state of disrepair as they had left it, the couch dragged to the end of the room, the tapes scattered on the table and the TV screen blank. The difference was their state of inebriation.
They had continued playing I never in the limo, until one suggestion by Humphrey had sparked a flame.
"I cannot believe you have never read Anna Karinina," Dan proclaimed once again loudly as he followed behind Chuck into the suite, absolutely scandalised at the fact, all his attention absorbed.
"I have read it Humphrey," Blair snapped, "I just never finished it! Don't be such a literary snob!"
"How can you have not finished it?" Dan reiterated, still astounded.
Chuck sighed slightly, shaking his head. Blair and Humphrey had been at it for fifteen minutes now.
"Even I finished it B.," Serena piped in, not minding being a bit self-defacing to tease her friends ego.
"I don't think I've ever heard of it," Nate muttered under his breath as he followed the other two into the familiar suite.
"You're joking right?" Vanessa asked, turning the camera on him with raised eyebrows. Nate felt himself blush slightly as he saw Vanessa realised he wasn't. "You at least rented the movie, right?" she supplied, not realising how condescending she sounded.
"It's not my type," he said defensively, frowning slightly at her tone.
"Stop making such a big deal out of it Cabbage Patch!" Blair's voice rose, cutting across Vanessa's reply.
"But why?" Dan demanded.
"Well the character just didn't appeal to me…" Blair said. "She was annoying!"
"Annoying?" Dan repeated dumbly.
"Yes, look at her. She gives up everything, her standing in society, her legacy, her money, for some stupid man who once he has her, doesn't want her anyway! I call that the height of stupidity!"
"Maybe the problem is, though Vronsky did initially want her, she never could be satisfied with just him, she wanted everything," surprisingly Chuck's bored drawl broke through the small bubble that had formed between Dan and Blair. They all glanced at him as he lent casually against the counter, fingers rested upon the bottle. "That's enough to drive any prideful mans want away, don't you think?"
Blair was speechless at his dark gaze on her, while the others were speechless for an entirely different reason.
"You've read Anna Karinina?" Vanessa asked in clear disbelief.
"I was on a twelve hour flight, it was the only form of entertainment I had," Chuck shrugged, as if that explained everything. "Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to go change because somewhere in the night somebody spilled their drink on my shirt sleeve." He looked pointedly at Dan before turning to his bedroom door, clicking it shut behind him.
"I never thought I'd say this, but Chuck Bass very occasionally amazes me," Vanessa noted.
Blair, instead of coming back with a cutting retort, just looked his closed bedroom door with thoughtful eyes before relieving her phone from her clutch and typing something.
"Serena," she proclaimed after she slid it back into her clutch, "Give me your key card."
"What for?" Serena asked, somehow while Blair was preoccupied her and Humphrey had ended up on the couch sitting painfully close to each other in the way only young people in love could unashamedly do in public.
"I need to powder my nose," Blair said, not bothering for permission she grabbed Serena's gold clutch which the blonde had carelessly discarded on the coffee table, rifling through it until she produced the Palace key card to her families penthouse suite.
"Why don't you just use Chuck's bathroom?" Serena queried distractedly.
"Because it's Chuck's," thinking she had put sufficient disdain in her voice she turned on her heels and exited the suite, not noticing Vanessa had her camera trained on her the whole time, a thoughtful look on her own face.
"Who's up for shots?" Nate asked, going to grab the bottle and some shot glasses, deciding to just abandon this evening in alcohol, as Chuck was always suggesting.
Vanessa, suitably distracted from her thoughts of Blair and Chuck, turned her attention on her boyfriend. "Are you sure you can handle anymore big boy?" she queried, hoping Nate would take the comment as it was meant to be, teasing.
"Please," Vanessa felt relieved at Nate's grin, once again appreciative of Nate's tendency to just let go of petty disagreements. Nate gave Vanessa and the camera an attempt at a leering look while he held the bottle in his hands. "I'm friends with Chuck Bass."
"Very convincing," Vanessa bit back a laugh, deciding wisely not tell him that his attempts at Chuck like seductive delivery made him look like his eyebrows were having a spasm.
Blair watched the door of 1812 impatiently from her place in front of the elevator doors. The corridor was quiet, not one peek from any of the occupants. Some laughter filtered through the door of 1812, Blair prevented herself from rolling at her eyes at Serena's loud giggle. No doubt the other four were employing some childish means to enjoy themselves. She resisted the urge to walk back down the corridor and re-enter the suite, deciding to give Chuck five more minutes. He didn't need it, however, the door opened and he stepped out, drawling something behind him he clicked it shut. He had exchanged his waistcoat and shirt for a crisp new white shirt, with a pink suit jacket on top. His purple bow tie was still in its place of honour upon his neck.
He glanced towards the elevator and confusion flickered across his face as he saw Blair standing, waiting there. She had told him to meet her up at the Van der Woodsen Bass suite, but had hesitated at the thought of Eric being up there. She decided the corridor was as good a rendezvous point as any. Chuck's smoothed his face out quickly, only showing the slightest bit of confusion in his eyes as he walked towards Blair.
"Want to discuss the themes in Anna Karinina further? Because really Waldorf, if I wanted to analyse Tolstoy I would ringing Ms Whitaker…" Chuck drawled as he came to stand in front of her, trying to play at being unamused. Blair ignored the fact that he had reverted to calling her Waldorf, pushing it aside as inconsequential.
"No, I wanted to do this," she said instead, grabbing Chuck by his lapels and pulling his lips to hers. As Chuck was sufficiently distracted, his lips responding automatically, she just had enough presence of mind to untangle one of her hands and slam her palm flat against the elevator button. The doors slid open obligingly and Blair dragged Chuck into the elevator.
"Hotel elevator, I admire your risk taking," Chuck smirked, as he took a second to remove his lips from hers and look at her admiringly.
"Emergency button Bass," Blair smirked playfully herself, pressing the red button on the panel, causing the elevator to abruptly stop.
"Have you done this before?" Chuck raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"No, have you?" Blair asked, failing to keep the slight note of sharpness from her voice.
"Surprisingly no," Chuck said, noticing her eyes beginning to turn from soft to interrogatory, and deciding not to clarify he hadn't done this in the Palace elevator. "But I can't wait to with you," smirking he pressed his lips against hers again and felt her relax as she melted into his embrace.
He pushed her against the elevator wall that acted as a mirror, his lips going to send a trailing blaze down her neck.
"Chuck," Blair breathed.
"Mmmm…" he murmured hoarsely, only lending her half an ear.
"Chuck," Blair said, tearing herself away from the moment for a second she gripped his hair, pulling his head up so his eyes met hers, their lips just a hairs breadth apart. "Do you want me?"
"I've never wanted anything more in my life," Chuck replied huskily, not really understanding the significance of the question as he felt the heat between them, answering blindly. Blair smiled in satisfaction and grabbed him by the lapels again, pulling him closer and kissing him hungrily.
"I'll go first," Blair proclaimed as she fixed her last curl in the mirror, then turned and pressed the emergency button to allow the elevator to start moving again.
"Go first where?" Chuck murmured huskily, brushing his own fingers through his hair and glancing lazily over at Blair under heavy lids as he fumbled with his bow tie.
"Into the suite. Then you give it five minutes and follow," she clarified, as if it was obvious. Chuck frowned slightly, turning to her.
"Don't you think this is becoming a bit trivial?" Chuck queried, trying to keep his voice to an unaffected drawl. "The two of us 'sneaking around'. It's all a bit 2007."
"There's nothing wrong with revisiting old history," Blair said, pasting an alluring smile upon her face, though Chuck didn't fail to notice the tenseness of her shoulders. "Now don't forget, at least five minutes, ten would be even better." With that last command she turned as the elevator doors opened and strutted out on her heels.
"Old history," Chuck repeated under his breath, turning back to the mirror he scowled at his ruffled reflection. His good mood dissipated, as quickly as it had come, something which seemed a recurring theme when it came to Blair lately…
Chuck strolled through his suite door ten minutes later. The others were sitting in various positions around the room. Blair was perched upon one side of the couch, looking perfectly angelic, while Dan and Serena were sitting on bar stools. Nate and Vanessa were on the love seat, Nate had a shot glass in hand, the bottle on the coffee table.
They all looked up at his entrance. Chuck knew his hair was still ruffled but he didn't care. He felt like going up to Blair and kissing her in front of everyone, declaring her is. He felt like making her admit that she cared about him, that she wanted him too. He felt like a drink…
Which is why he went directly for the coffee table, grabbing the bottle up and taking a sip.
"Hey man, where's the scotch?" Nate asked, grinning as Chuck entered the room. Chuck could tell his friend had one too many, his eyes were glazed and his grin had taken on a goofy quality.
It took Chuck a second to understand what the blonde was talking about, his excuse for leaving the suite. "They wouldn't serve me, something about my father and orders…" he answered evasively.
Nate didn't seem to notice anything amiss, shrugging it away. "Maybe you can help me out man, I can't think of anymore I nevers…?"
"You're still playing that game?" Chuck asked, going to sit on the other end of the couch. Blair stiffened but didn't move.
"Well what's your suggestion then?" Serena asked, she was tiring of the game herself.
"How about we raise the stakes a little?" Chuck queried, his eyes darkening slightly as he smirked.
"What are you suggesting?" Blair queried carefully.
"Remember post New Years Eve?" Chuck his head lazily on the couch to glance at Blair with a suggestive smirk and dissolute eyes. Blair quickly turned her gaze away from his and planted it on the blank TV, turning Chuck's smirk into another scowl.
"Truth or Dare," Serena proclaimed for all of them, laughing aloud. It seemed like it was a night to do a lot of reminiscing.
"I'm not sure…" Nate murmured, looking cautious. He still remembered the bottle of wist shire sauce he'd foolishly agreed to chug at Serena's challenge. He hadn't got past a mouthful before he'd emptied the contents of his stomach. He noticed the absence of Chuck's five hundred dollar rug the next day, not that his friend ever mentioned it.
"Come on Nathaniel, live a little," Dan drawled mockingly, a scarily good impersonation of Chuck.
"Humphrey, you're sitting on my bar stool, in my suite," Chuck reminded him.
"Bass your drinking my alcohol," Dan countered with.
"Touche," Chuck smirked as he glanced behind him to Dan, amused, actually conceding the point.
"So who should go first?" Nate asked, feeling slightly nervous. Somehow he always ended up doing the most embarrassing things.
"I thought of it so I shall Nathaniel," Chuck declared, before anyone could become vocal. "Now who shall be my first victim." He smirked slightly as his gaze brushed over Blair, who looked at him with a different type of passion. It was tempting to put her on the spot, then and there, but he knew if he did she would never forgive him. Sighing internally, he turned his eyes to the others in the room. Serena was prepared to do almost anything, Humphrey, though fun to play with, would be more enjoyable drunker. Nate was too easy. That left…
"Truth or dare?" he pronounced, turning his gaze to the Brooklynite. She had left her camera to rest on the coffee table, the red light indicating it was still recording them.
Vanessa met his gaze, considering. Her first instinct was to declare this all rather childish. But she knew from Blair's superior little smirk that this would just get her snide comments about being unable to take the heat. She considered truth, but looking at Chuck's smirk, who knew what secrets he knew about even her. Dare seemed her safest option, not very comforting though…
"Dare," she finally answered with.
"Interesting choice," Chuck commented, taking another sip from the bottle. "Let's see, what would be a befitting dare…I know what I want to ask…" Chuck leered.
"Nothing disgusting," Serena piped in here, deciding to remind him of the ancient rules.
"Hence why I didn't voice it sis," Chuck pouted slightly, glaring at the blonde. "Fine…I dare you to prank call someone for me…"
"Prank call, seriously?" Vanessa asked. "I thought you guys would be more hard core than that."
"We like to start off small," Chuck smirked, taking out his phone and flicking through the contacts.
"And what is it you want me to say to this person?" Vanessa asked.
"It's not what I want you to say, it's what I want you to sing," Chuck smirked wickedly, sharing a similar look with Blair as he held out the phone to the Brooklynite. Vanessa's confident grin immediately dropped. "That Titanic song, you know the one. I'm sure Baizen will love it."
"You're not serious?" Vanessa demanded.
"Deadly," Chuck drawled, his poker face on.
"Surprise, surprise, Brooklyn is backing out of a dare," Blair commented snidely, raising an eyebrow superiorly.
"I wasn't…but this is ridiculous!" Vanessa protested. "Dan!" she turned to look at her best friend for support.
"Well…you did say dare Vanessa, to Chuck Bass of all people…" Dan said, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly and avoiding her gaze.
"I'm pressing the call button, and I expect to hear singing," Chuck smirked as his thumb hovered over his phone screen.
"Or there will be consequences," Blair supported, giving her a dark look.
"Consequences, what is this, the mafia?" Vanessa queried.
"Uh…they're not kidding Vanessa," Nate muttered, "Last time I didn't do a dare, and somehow I ended up on my doorstep in a dress…"
"Just get it over with, like ripping off a band-aid," Serena provided sympathetically.
"Fine," Vanessa huffed, realising she was caged in from all sides she grabbed the phone from Chuck and pressed the button herself.
It took only three rings for someone to pick up, much to Vanessa's disappointment.
"What?" a hoarse voice sounded from the other end, obviously woken up by the ringing.
Vanessa sat there frozen for a minute, as the others watched her. It took Blair's superior little quirk of her lips to drive Vanessa into action.
"Every night I see you…" she began, her voice quiet.
"Sorry, what?" Carter queried on the other end. Vanessa felt her face redden slightly as Serena giggled. Vanessa berated herself, she didn't even know this guy, probably wouldn't ever see him, so what was she so embarrassed about?
"I see you, I feel you…" Vanessa continued, louder this time, though it cracked slightly as her mouth felt maddeningly dry. "That is how I know you go on-" By the third line the others were finding it hard to contain their laughter, and Vanessa felt her face growing redder. Unfortunately to add insult to injury her sister had gotten all the vocal talent in their family.
"Right, look it's flattering and all, but I'm not really into drunk grade school girls who like to giggle," Carter said, his voice unamused now. "And tell Chuck Bass next time I see him I owe him an ass kicking." Without waiting for an answer the phone dial tone sounded.
The laughter burst forth now, like a breaking tide. It was probably the alcohol, no definitely the alcohol, but they all found it disproportionately amusing. Nate tried to suppress his chuckles as Vanessa glared at him. She threw the phone back to Chuck who caught it expertly, chuckling.
"How many girls have you given his number too?" Vanessa asked. "You think he would have changed it by now…"
"He has," Chuck smirked. "But torturing him brings me enough amusement that I eventually find out his new one and post it in some very risqué advertisements."
"You're always so horrible to Carter," Serena felt the need to protest Chuck's mean spirit, though only half-heartedly, still laughing at Vanessa's red face.
"Did you get it?" Chuck asked, ignoring Serena's admonishment to turn to Blair who Vanessa only now realised was holding up her phone camera.
"Every minute," Blair smiled, flicking the phone shut and cocking her head at Vanessa's look.
"Got what?" Vanessa demanded.
"Just some insurance," Blair explained sweetly, "In case you ever get the need to copy that footage of us from tonight and spread it around."
"That's not cool guys," Dan protested, frowning slightly.
"It's only fair," Blair said, "We promise we won't show ours if Vanessa doesn't show hers. And Vanessa won't."
Vanessa gritted her teeth at Blair's superior smile, annoyance rising up in her.
"Not all of us need blackmail to keep us honourable!" Vanessa pointed out snappily.
"Perhaps, but it never hurts," Blair said.
"Come one guys, we were playing a game," Nate said quickly as he saw Vanessa was on the verge of saying some very nasty things. "Let's just relax okay."
"Yeah," Serena quickly cut in too, jumping up from the bar stool brightly. "It's your turn right, Vanessa. How about you ask me?"
"Thanks, but I think I'd rather ask Blair," Vanessa said through a painful smile. "So what's it going to be Blair, truth or dare?"
Blair resisted rolling her eyes at the other girl's venomous look. As if this Brooklynite could do anything to her.
"Truth," she decided, playing boredom as she was sure there was nothing Vanessa could ask her in front of this group of people that was particularly shocking.
"Were you, or were you not all over Chuck in the club tonight?" Vanessa asked, her eyes sparkling with vindictive satisfaction as Blair's eyes widened and her face paled.
"As if," Serena proclaimed, laughing. The mixture of vodka and high spirits made her tongue more loose, less inclined to think before she spoke. "Blair swore she wou-" she trailed off as she saw Blair's stunned face, and the way Chuck was looking at her. Blair contemplated denying it for a second, but then the red light blinking from the camera reminded her that all Vanessa had to do was press play...and then everyone would know anyway.
"It's nothing," Blair said quickly, attempting damage control at all their looks. "So me and Chuck were making out, big deal…"
"But I thought you said-" Serena began, frowning slightly in confusion.
"It's nothing Serena!" Blair snapped, perhaps her annoyance was disproportionate to the situation. Serena wasn't the only one to notice. "Just temporary insanity, it meant nothing!"
"Nothing, really?" Chuck repeated, his voice quiet, his eyes darkly trained on Blair's face. He rose, his jaw tense. Even here and now she wouldn't allow herself to admit anything between them, it was always just nothing between them with Blair…
"Of course," Blair answered after a moment's pause, avoiding his gaze. "We both knew that…" And that's when Chuck realised, Blair Waldorf would always be too ashamed to ever publicly admit she felt something for Chuck Bass. Blair was afraid of repeating her mistake of last summer, so instead they were repeating Chuck's mistake. The one where he allowed her to use him, at the cost of his pride, at the cost of his feelings… Maybe in the past, that was good enough, but now Chuck knew it wasn't…not for him…
Without looking at Blair he headed for the door, swinging it open he allowed it to slam behind him, his feet taking him to the elevator.
"Chuck wait…" Blair called out, he heard the door open behind him but he didn't pause, not until her fingers clutched his arm and forced him to stop and turn.
"Why should I?" Chuck growled, his eyes boring holes into her. "You can't even admit to Nate and Serena that we have anything!"
"Brooklyn-" Blair began.
"They don't matter," Chuck dismissed with a sneer.
"What do you care?" Blair queried.
"I don't, but you do!" Chuck pointed out.
"Chuck," she began, trying to cool his temper she attempted to smile, as if it was all one big joke, as if they could just kiss it away, like they had been doing all week. "It's not-"
"Say it," he snapped abruptly. He could tell she was slightly frightened by the intensity in his eyes, but he didn't care.
"I don't under-" she began. She never could give him a straight answer. Even when they were heading to Tuscany, there was some other reason to take the jet with him. With her there was always some other reason than him.
"Three words, eight letters, say it!" he demanded.
"I…I…" she stumbled over the words, her eyes wide as she looked at him. "I asked you first!" she changed tact, her eyes hardening slightly, her voice petulant.
"You can't even say it!" Chuck snapped in disgust.
"What does it matter? I'm prepared to settle!" Blair snapped back with frustration, her voice reprimanding, as if he should be glad, as if she was doing him a favour. What more could he want after all? He should be happy with rushed kisses in elevators, stolen touches when no one was looking. He was supposed to lap up any scraps of affection she deemed to throw to him from her table... He could tell she didn't understand. She was the one making the sacrifice here, settling. But did he really want to be with someone who was ashamed of who he was, who felt he was something to settle on? He was supposed to be Chuck Bass...
"I'm not…" he said coldly, cooly shaking her numb fingers off.
She watched him as the elevator doors slid open for him and he entered, pressing the button without looking at her. The metal slid shut between them and she let him go without saying a single word.
A/N: Soapy Drama filling haha. I require suspension of disbelief in this chapter for many things lol. I know unlikely Blair would ever run, especially bare foot. But put it down to the cheap alcohol ; P. I've been under using Nate a lot, I can kind of sympathise with the writers, though Nate had a way better storyline in season 2. I was pretty mean to Vanessa in this chapter. But I think she is the ultimate outsider, because she doesn't want to even try to understand like Dan. Maybe she can change…or maybe not ; P.
Thanks to ellibells and sallysally for reviewing last chapter : ).
I notice a lot of alerts and favourites, but only 2 reviews from these wonderful people . Come on guys please R&R. Reviews give me motivation to write more ; ).