AN- For all of you who are bigger Jane Austen fans than that of Gossip Girl (Like I am), I apologize in advance. I'm not sure but you may feel that the story is going too fast (or too slow) as compared to Austen's master piece. But my only consolation is that this is in fact a Gossip Girl fanfiction and I have to keep true to its characters…Take time for Dan and Blair to function together and yet push the story forward.
That being said, I do hope you enjoy this chapter and a big thank you to bsloths.
He silently observes as Nate continues to smile at the blonde girl across the counter. The girl in turn blushes a deep red and distractedly slips an unusual amount of maple syrup into her coffee. He isn't too surprised; Nate just seems to have this kind of effect on women….He was like a Serena with test…osterone.
Nate chuckles as the helpless waitress looks at the cup in hand with a horrified expression. He turns around finally to glance at Dan, "Sorry. What were you talking about again?"
"Richard Clampton." Dan mutters half heartedly as his blue eyed companion gets easily distracted once more.
Sure, they are close friends now but he somehow just can't keep from wondering what he's doing here…at the other side of town, taking a coffee break with New York's own golden boy, trying desperately to get across to him that Richard Clampton knew next to nil about Victorian Literature.
Because really who in their right minds does not believe that Oscar Wilde was an absolute narcissist? Hell! Dorian Grey was the prime example of hedonism in that era and yet Dear Rickywould just not see the connection.
"So, your English professor is a narcissist?" Nate asks.
"He could well be one but no, what I'm saying is that Oscar Wilde wasa narcissist. He died in 1900." Dan explains tiredly, "Seriously Archibald. You have no idea what I'm talking about. Do you?"
Nate looks at him apologetically, making Dan ridden with guilt. It wasn't Nate's fault that Clampton was a stuck up male model and that it worried him sick every time Blair giggled uncharacteristically whenever Clampton as much as brushed past her during the rehearsals of 'Taming of The Shrew'.
The thing is that Dan prides himself for being somewhat of a responsible guy, what with a girl like Jenny for a younger sister, Serena as an ex girlfriend; so and on and so forth. So, it's impossible for him not to worry when Waldorf lands the lead for the play at a drop of a hat and rumours of her loaning the professor a few favours start to draw the circles. It doesn't help when he starts to imagine what would happen if Gossip Girl decides to make a heavy comeback with that blast. Worse, he fears that he would not live to see the next day if Serena hears about this while he was supposed to play Keeper to Waldorf.
When and how did he get stuck in this position?
He bites his lip in anxiety as Nate excuses himself to exchange numbers with the blonde. What if Blair was actually fancying herself in love with that joke of a professor? How was he supposed to handle that?
And then there is Charlotte…
Charlotte Wilkins as Blair finds out is an asset in more ways than one.
For one the girl dotes on Blair the way even Constance never had. She is new, awkward, dumb to a 'T', has orange hair and probably shops at a flea market, but there is something about her…ummm… well,roughness that makes Blair take pity on her.
In any case she hasn't been able to attend too many charity functions since she moved to NYU, thanks to her conviction to avoid a certain Bass and every now and then one needs a Jenny Humphrey sans the bitchiness to pass time.
It's also probably good for the soul or something.
"You really think this would suit me?" Charlotte asks looking at herself at the mirror suspiciously.
Blair grimaces at her reflection. Charlotte looks absolutely ridiculous and she really wouldn't have loaned her the dress but she just kept fawning endlessly at it. It wasn't much of a choice.
"Yeah…Well…The colour is …"
"Absolutely gorgeous. Oh! Blair, an Eleanor original. Thank you so much."
Blair however is saved from saying anything by a knock on the door.
Dan shoves the coffee in her hand, which in its own way has become synonymous with a hello.
She takes it without a word, moving a bit to the side to allow him to peer past her shoulder.
"Hi! Charl…" he begins as his eyes widen in shock. He looks questioningly at Blair who simply shrugs in response.
"Oh! Hello Dan," Charlotte chirps, "would love to stay and chat but I have to go pick up Blair's dry cleaning." She bustles around the room like a ball of energy pausing just long enough to thank Blair for the dress once more.
"You going to let her go out looking like that?" he asks under his breath as Charlotte breezes out.
"Didn't have a choice. She loved the dress so much I just had to give it to her." And his holier than thou attitude bloody well put this down as a deed done well. She looks up at him hopefully, vaguely disgusted that she is actually waiting for Dan Humphrey's approval.
"But it's parrot green! And she has orange hair and I might as well not start on the fact that it's probably two sizes too small for her. What were you thinking Waldorf?"
Yeah! Well, so much for being nice. "And you would know about fashion because of your amazing taste in clothes."
Dan automatically looks down at his grey flannels, which frankly weren't that bad but whatever; she ignores him as he continues to say something about how Charlotte would turn into another Lil' J if she continued to take advantage of her fan girl fanatics.
"Oh! Please Patch. I'm no Frankenstein. Jenny's callousness is probably in her genes." She takes another sip of the awesome coffee in her hand. She has to give it to Brooklyn Boy for knowing his caffeine, "and it's from my closet. I'm doing her a favour here if you haven't noticed."
"Yeah and therefore you have the poor, clueless girl looking like a peacock at a carnival."
She should kill herself for actually smiling at the image his retort constructs.
At least he bothers to knock.
"Jane Austen? Really?" she throws a glance at his neatly kept study table as she simply barges in. To think if he had been changing or had been in with Olivia, or Vanessa, or both.
"You sound surprised."
And she is. And slightly impressed as well. Somehow he had always come across as a J.R.R Tolkien type of person…But Austen? Romance with a pre Victorian subtlety? A guy who read Austen and admits to it…
There was perhaps still a lot to learn about Cabbage Patch.
"Do you know a Tom Sheppard? Fine arts major."
Dan frowns at her, "Actually I do. We kind of grew up across the street. Why?"
Blair sighs in exasperation and places herself on his bed (without permission. Of course.) "Figures!" She exclaims, "Anyway. I need you to keep him away from Charlotte."
"Charlotte?"
"Yeah. Charlotte Wilkins. About this high," Blair puts up her palm a foot above her own head, "Blue eyes…"
"…Orange hair. Yes I remember. What I mean is what has Tom got to do with her?"
"Something apparently." It was only this morning that a very excited, close to hyperventilating Charlotte had announced to her that she had been invited by this…Tom for an art exhibition downtown.
Humphrey of course does not understand the dire implications, "He has kohled eyes Patch! I cannot be seen with someone who hangs out with someone who grew up in Brooklyn."
Dan raises an eyebrow at her.
"Oh! Your Dad's married into the Van Der Woodsens now. You have officially earned yourself an exception," she explains.
He should be grateful. He thinks.
There is something so off putting about her friendship with Charlotte that he can't seem to put his finger on it. So he'll admit that he had initially encouraged Blair to try and make new friends…But this? Was it because he was scared for the poor clueless girl who knew nothing about the consequences of entering into Blair's lair…Or was it really the other way round?
And now Blair had the girl's social life also being monitored.
"What do you propose?" he asks tiredly and Blair brightens up instantly. He has seen the look before…He had after all lost his moral virginity to her!
The rest moves exactly in line.
Charlotte is out, picking up Blair's laundry once again while they practice Shakespearean dialogues at her penthouse.
She insists on it. To have more room to dramatize she says. It really doesn't help with the entire role playing though.
"Humphrey! You need to be more dominant with me. You have to tame me remember?"
It would be nice if she wasn't towering over him while she said this though.
Dan yawns from his position at the floor, "Blair. Relax. This isn't the Globe you know. I promise Clampton will still smile at you tomorrow morning."
He waits for her reaction and takes great pleasure in her blush.
But typical to all things relating Richard Clampton, Blair changes the topic, "I was thinking of getting Charlotte to the annual Bass brunch this time."
Dan snorts.
"It'll be a great opportunity for her to meet some classy men." She however continues uninterrupted.
And then it happens. The opening cue of a lifetime.
The elevator to her room blinks to announce the arrival of someone. Expecting Dorota, they both are surprised to see a very amused Nate Archibald coming in with Blair's laundry while a clearly injured Charlotte Wilkins holds on to him for support.
"Hey!" Nate greets them. "I ran…like literally ran into your friend downstairs. I think she pulled a muscle."
Dan doesn't have to look at Blair's face to know that it has totally lit up. He has learnt to catch her moods and what he can hear now is like the churning of wheels in her brain.
And he doesn't approve. He reallydoesn't approve. Does she not know the mess this would ensue?
He grabs her hand to stop her from the blunder he knows for certain she is about to make. Blair stares down at her arm, at the fingers held tightly around her delicate wrist. She glares up at Dan who seems to be fixated at the contact as well. He lets go immediately.
Instead he urgently whispers, "Please Blair. Not him."
AN- Yeah, well…So now you know whose playing who. Do let me know if you approve of the idea of Nate as Elton ? All that and every kind of suggestion is welcome. But you'll probably have to review for that? ..:)