Chuck awoke the next morning with a mixed feeling of happiness and anxiety. He was overjoyed to have spent the night with Blair, but dreaded the idea she might not have stayed until the morning. She had a habit of sneaking out in the early hours. Apprehensively he rolled over and let out a deep sigh of relief as he stared at the porcelain body beside him. He watched her sleeping silently for a moment, just breathing in and out.
"You know that's kinda creepy Bass." Blair said, he eyes still closed.
Chuck sniggered and sat up resting his head against the soft headboard still staring down at her. "Well good morning to you too."
Blair grinned and shuffled over closer to him, resting her head against his chest. She whispered, "What are you thinking about?"
Chuck scrunched his face at her, "Nothing Waldorf, I've been awake for exactly thirty seconds."
Blair clicked her tongue in disapproval.
"Come on then Waldorf..."
"What?" She asked looking up at him.
"Well you obviously have something on your mind you're dying to share." Chuck said as he gently brushed his fingers through her loose curls.
Blair sighed against his chest, "It's weird. I'm just..."
"What?" he asked with a hint of fear in his voice.
"...happy." she replied quietly.
Chuck relaxed at her words. "Don't worry around here I'm sure it wont last."
"I'm serious, I have school locked down, I'm back into Yale and you've finally given in!" she said cheerfully. "I win every time."
Chuck laughed, "At least you're not gloating."
"That's loosers talk." Blair said grinning at him. "But I do have to admit we make a good team Bass."
"What team?" Chuck scoffed. "I did all the work."
"Yes Bass, but I provided the...inspiration." Blair said pulling the sheet away and flashing her body at him.
"That you did Waldorf." Chuck said grabbing her and pulling her towards him and kissing her.
Blair giggled against his lips and struggled free from his grasp. She staggered still naked towards the dinner table from the night before and poured herself a glass of water, Chuck watched every inch of her as she moved. Blair eyed the box and cell-phone, Chuck's present.
"What you did Chuck...with Yale," she said softly, using his first name indicated she was being serious. "it was so sweet." She turned back to him. "Very uncharacteristic."
"Don't so too surprised." He said slightly indignant. "I am capable of nice gestures."
"I know, it was just the last thing I expected." She said. "When you gave me the box I thought..." she began but stopped herself before she said too much.
"Thought what?" Chuck asked.
Blair shook her head, "Nothing, never mind."
Chuck jumped out of the bed and wandered towards her. "Come on Waldorf, we're both here in our birthday suits" he said with a grin, "No reason to be shy."
Blair smiled, "It's nothing really. I was just being stupid." She said clutching the small box.
Chuck suddenly understood what Blair was trying not to say. He didn't know what to say.
Blair laughed, "It must have been all the champagne, went straight to my head. Made me fuzzy."
"Must have been." Chuck said quietly.
Blair tossed the box back on the table and brushed past Chuck, crashing back on the bed and snuggling under the sheets.
"So...what's the plan for today?" She said in a strained voice.
Chuck just shrugged still staring at the jewellery sized box. Then after a moment of silence he said, "First things first we need breakfast." He chuckled to himself as he dialled the number for room service.
Blair smiled at him, "what's so funny?"
Chuck shook his head, "You." He said pointing at her. "I just can't believe you thought I was actually going to propose!" he said now laughing loudly.
Blair simply stared at him, not laughing at all. "I don't quite see the hilarity."
Chuck hung up the phone. "Blair come on. You just made a joke about it."
"That's different." She said sitting up straight.
"Ok, so you can make a joke about it but I can't?" Chuck asked confused.
"Yes." She replied folding her arms.
"You're insane." Chuck said tossing the room-service menu aside.
"I just don't see why the idea of us getting married is so amazingly hilarious to you." Blair said seriously.
Chuck just stared at her, "Because it just is! Because of a million reasons!"
"Like?" she asked.
"Like the fact we're in high school, Blair we're still kids..." he yelled.
"But we're not like other kids are we Bass? I mean when you turn eighteen you wont be getting a second hand car and a watch. You'll be inheriting a billion dollar company!" Blair yelled back.
Chuck shot Blair a nasty look, "Is that why you want to marry me?"
"Of course not you idiot. I'm just saying the same rules don't apply to us." She said. "We're from a world where stuff like this gets planned out long before."
"Yea, like the future you had all planned with Nate." Chuck spat.
Blair rolled her eyes, "Ok yes I did always imagine my future with Nate...but not now." She said quietly. "Now I see something different...someone different. What do you see?"
Chuck couldn't help but laugh, "Who the hell knows! Come on Blair, why do we have to talk about this crap now? I mean we're not even sure what we are to each other I don't think we need to start worrying ourselves about matching towels and china patterns just yet."
Chuck was doing his best to lighten the very serious mood, truth was he didn't know what to say. These were not the issues Chuck Bass usually dealt with. To him thinking about his future was where he was going to party tomorrow night.
"What the hell does that mean?" Blair asked angrily.
"It means we're Chuck and Blair."
"Wow you really cleared that up, what would I do without your brilliant insight Bass!" Blair yelled sarcastically.
"It means we're two stubborn egotistical self-centred people." He said. "Its all about sex, power and winning. You said it yourself, you love to win. Its hardly the stuff of long lasting romance."
Blair sat there speechless.
"Besides..." Chuck continued. "I'm not sure I even want to get married."
"What?" Blair said completely shocked, she looked at him as though he just told her he believed the world was flat.
"I'm not the marrying kind." He said truthfully. "And despite all your pretences I don't think you are really. You don't really want a man trying you down."
Blair didn't say anything in response instead she jumped out of bed and hurriedly got dressed.
"Blair, what are you doing?" Chuck asked.
"Thank you Bass, you really are an eye-opener." Blair said slipping her heels on.
"Come on Blair don't go, this stuff doesn't matter..." Chuck pleaded. "Don't do this."
"I'm not doing anything. But I have just had the greatest moment of clarity." She said rounding on him. "I know you love me Bass. I know you do, and I love you. Probably always will. But you love you just that little bit more."
"Blair..." he began.
"No Chuck I'm not even mad, its not your fault this is just who you are. And it's all you're ever going to be able to give me." She said before kissing him on the cheek and walking to the door.
Chuck stood there dumbstruck.
Blair opened the door and looked back at him, "And if you do ever ask me I'll say no."