Chuck wasn't sure when his Waldorf-related general knowledge became damn near encyclopedic.
While he and Blair had always been friends, Chuck couldn't explain how he knew to order blush pink peonies from Ode a Lá Rose, Blair's designated florist on East 57th Street. Nor could he explain why he instinctively chose the Gold Collection when picking up a box of Godiva Chocolates before arriving at her house that evening.
Chuck couldn't quite recall when he started paying such close attention to her preferences, but he was certain Nate hadn't been the one who had shared these seemingly innocuous details about Blair with him.
The only logical explanation was that Chuck had been quietly paying attention to his best friend's former girlfriend for far longer than he should have been —long before that night at Victrola.
Basshole...
Regardless, Chuck discovered that he quite enjoyed spoiling Blair, enjoyed being the one who made her lips curve into a radiant smile—a smile that stirred the now familiar feeling of butterflies in his stomach.
Knowing full well that Eleanor and Dorota were bustling about on the floor below amidst some pressing fashion-related emergency, Chuck found himself acting on his best behaviour.
In fact, he couldn't recall a time when he had been so well-mannered in a lady's boudoir. It seemed unnatural, disconcerting...out of character even.
But for Blair he was willing to make the extra effort.
Blair rested her head against his chest. Her eyes were fixed on the television screen at the end of the bed, a faint smile playing about her lips.
Watching Blair watch Charade was even more entertaining for Chuck than the movie itself.
Admittedly, he had pretended not to have seen it before—just so Blair could have the pleasure of introducing it to him for the first time. Although, deep down, Chuck had a feeling she had seen right through that particular little charade of his.
"Are you going to the Hamptons with Nate and Serena this summer?", Blair inquired, breaking the comfortable silence between them with a hint of curiosity.
She turned to face Chuck, Hepburn and Grant momentarily forgotten.
He took in the slight of her, curls framing her face and her brows furrowed together in a frown. Her gaze was penetrating. Blair was on a mission.
Chuck shrugged nonchalantly, attempting to downplay the fact that he had spent the last few days contemplating the very same thing.
"Why break a decade-long tradition?"
Blair's eyebrows raised in slight displeasure.
"And what about the parade of topless twins?" she asked, a hint of jealousy creeping into her voice– a jealousy that secretly pleased Chuck. "If memory serves aren't they a part of your precious summer tradition too?"
Chuck playfully pecked the top of her head, smirking.
"Which twins are you referring to?" he teased, pretending to look around. "Are you about to reveal a secret sister, Blair? Because one Blair Waldorf is more than enough for a Chuck Bass."
Blair smirked back, a little more pleased that she had been. She seemed to understand that this would be as close as she would get to a declaration of Chuck's loyalty for now.
"That's good to know."
Blair didn't press further, and Chuck appreciated that beyond measure.
"I know your father has invited you to spend the summer at his Châteaux in France", Chuck began, fully aware that Blair likely felt she had gone out on a limb by bringing up their summer plans.
As of now, the thought of spending the summer without Blair was starting to bother Chuck, and judging by her initation of the topic, he could only assume that she felt the same way.
"And I happen to have access to a private jet..."
He let the question of him joining her in Europe hang unspoken in the air for a second, waiting for Blair's words of protest.
Surprisingly, they didn't come.
"What do you think, Waldorf? Should we leave the twins in Nate's care for a few weeks?" Chuck proposed.
Blair seemed to fight back a smile. Sitting up properly on the bed, she looked him straight in the eye with that same penetrating gaze that saw him completely.
"Are you sure?"
Chuck nodded.
Blair's eyes lit up at his confirmation.
"I do enjoy flying private," she teased coyly, settling herself in his lap. "but spending seven and a half hours together in a private cabin is quite a long time. Any idea how you're going to keep me entertained for that long, Bass?"
"Many many ideas."
"Do tell?"
Chuck smirked, his grip on her waist instinctively tightening. He found himself mirroring her smiles and relaxing as they returned to rhythm of their familiar banter.
They were both far more comfortable that way.
"You were always quite the competitive Monopoly player", he teased against her lips as he moved closer to her.
Blair laughed openly, her legs now straddling his. "What about Uno? You always knew when to throw down a Reverse card."
"You know how I love to change the direction of play", Chuck smarmed, eagerly accepting her tongue into his mouth.
Cocaine, marijuana, ketamine, LSD—Chuck was willing to try almost anything once, but no drug he had ever encountered was as half as intoxicating as a happy Blair Waldorf.
"Well, you know what they say, Waldorf? If you're going to join the mile high club, you might as well do it in style."
a/n: Hi guys! Somehow I managed to get two stories up this week. I'm not sure if I'm completely happy with this one, but I think the other one set around the same time frame turned out a good bit better. Let me know what you thought! Thanks so much for taking the time to read xx