Gossip Girl Fanfic: Arms (1/?)
Title: Arms
Author: katharospistis
Pairing: Dan/Blair
Rating: PG (for now)
Summary: You put your arms around me and I'm home...
Words: 1,115
Disclaimer: All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.
Warnings: Pics up immediately after the events of "Cross Rhodes". Not sure if it's going anywhere, and it may be awful, I've never written GG fanfic, and actually just got into GG a few weeks ago (when I watched the entire series on Netflix in the span of about 4 days.)
When Dan's phone vibrates on the desk, he is staring blankly at the screen of his laptop.
His brain feels fuzzy, and despite being several hours since he's left the hospital, he can't stop lifting his fingers to his lips. He isn't certain why this kiss feels so different from the ones he has shared with Blair Waldorf in the past. This one had been the most perfunctory, which he found slightly ironic, given Blair's attempt at deflecting earlier that afternoon at the Upright Citizen's Brigade.
He is lying to himself. He knows exactly why it feels different, why his mouth feels tingly and numb, and why, despite staring at his computer until his eyes cross, he can't focus on it long enough to type a single sentence.
She has feelings for him. She, Blair Waldorf, has feelings for him, Dan Humphrey. He gave her an ultimatum and she admitted her feelings. She kissed him, in public, a subtle gesture from a girl who knows nothing about subtlety.
Shaking his head to clear it of the look on her face as she told him how she felt, how she looked when she kissed him goodbye, he slides his finger across the screen of his phone, leaning forward to read the text message.
It's over. Family breakfast tomorrow. Love you. -Dad
Dan sighs deeply and sits back in his chair, pressing his palms to his eyes until he sees colors. After a few moments, he runs his fingers into his hair, pulling lightly at the strands.
A soft knock at the door pulls his focus. Glancing at the time on the screen of his phone, his brow furrows, and he wonders who would show up at one in the morning.
When he opens the door, thin arms immediately encircle his waist, and his instincts take over. He slides his arms around Blair Waldorf's back, pulling her flush against him as he drops his chin to the top of her head.
He's not sure how long they stand there in the doorway, silent, unmoving. Finally, she clears her throat and pulls back from him slightly, forcing him to lift his chin. She looks up at him, the picture of composure as she takes her hands back from his hips. He crosses his arms over his chest, swallowing as she steps past him and begins to unbutton her coat.
"Is Serena okay?" he asks quietly when she has removed her coat and scarf and laid them carefully on the arm of the sofa. Blair doesn't answer and instead of waiting for a response, he walks into the kitchen and begins to prepare the tea that she will inevitably ask for. She takes a seat at the bar, smoothing her skirt once she is settled on the bar stool.
"I didn't even know she was sick," Blair finally says, when Dan places a steaming mug in front of her. She curls her fingers around it, savoring the warmth. "My best friend's grandmother just died of cancer, and I didn't even know she was sick."
Dan frowns, stepping forward and leaning his elbows on the counter. "Blair, no one knew she was sick. Serena didn't even know. CeCe wanted it kept secret."
"But I should have known!" she exclaims suddenly, jerking her hands back from her mug, some of the hot liquid sloshing out onto the counter top. She swallows, lowering her eyes, but not before Dan notices they are rimmed with tears. "I have been too wrapped up in myself, in everything that I'm going through... I'm selfish."
She says this with a note of finality that Dan finds slightly unnerving.
"You have had a lot to deal with the last few months, I think anyone would understand that you've been preoccupied," he says after a long moment, coming around the counter to sit next to her. He hesitates a moment before he reaches out to take her hand. Her fingers twine with his automatically, as if they've always done this, and he sighs. "You can't beat yourself up for this, Blair. Serena didn't know. Lily didn't know. None of us knew. If you had known, you would have been there for Serena, and you will be now."
She scoffs derisively at this, rolling her eyes. "I'm obviously there for her now. I left the hospital and instead of going home, to be with her, I got in a car and immediately came here. I didn't even question it. I just got in a car because the only thing I wanted in the world was to hold onto you for a while."
Dan is stunned by her open admission for much longer than he feels is cool, but try as he might, he can't come up with a response. She turns to look at him. "May I?"
"Er... may you what?" he asks, dumbly.
"Hold onto you for a while?"
Dan blinks at her, and instead of waiting for a reply, she leans forward, pressing her lips lightly against his. He kisses her back, a reflex at this point, and when she pulls back, she stands and squeezes his hand, urging him to follow her. He does.
She makes him wait for a moment as she goes into the bathroom to change into one of his shirts, and he sits on the bed awkwardly, then stands up and pulls the comforter back. Then, after a few moments, he goes to make the bed back up, certain now that he has no idea what is about to happen.
When she walks back into the room, dressed in one of his most worn out raglan t-shirts, he stops fidgeting with the bedspread and just watches her as she calmly pulls it back and climbs underneath. When he makes no effort to join her, she lifts the other side up for him and pats the mattress. He swallows, his jaw twitching, and then takes the blanket from her and climbs underneath. He settles himself on his back, keeping his eyes on the ceiling while she rolls onto her side. After a few moments, her hand reaches back and she tugs at his arm until he turns on his side, and she scoots so that her back is flat against his chest, settling his hand at her navel.
"You're the big spoon," she explains simply, and she closes her eyes. At this, Dan can't help but smile, and he wraps his arm more tightly around her stomach, pressing his face into her shoulder as she wraps her arms around the one he has across her waist.
"Goodnight, Humphrey," she whispers, so quietly he almost doesn't hear it. He smiles into her hair.
"Goodnight."