A Double Date Turns into a Triple (Blair/Dan)
Title: The Morning After Continues
Author: rogue_fangirl
Rating: This chapter is PG
Pairing: Blair/Dan, mentions of Dan/Serena
Word Count: 1,510
Spoilers: Up unitl 4.11
Summary: Nate convinces Dan to go on a double date with him, but Dan finds himself unready to put his encounter with Blair behind him.
Author's Notes: Sequel to Don't Stop Me Now, located here. I think it's gonna end up being five parts.
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.
“So Serena knew you slept with Blair, but she still begged for you?”
Nate was grinning at him with a mixture of incredulity and pride. Dan did not feel proud of himself.
“No, she didn't really beg, it was more like, 'Ben was a jerk so I guess I'll go with my plan B.' Part of me will always love her, or the idea of her, anyway, but the reality is that Serena will only be with me until she finds someone else.” He felt really stupid saying this, but it was the truth.
“And Blair?”
“Blair is...a moot point really,” Dan shrugged. “ She kicked me out, unfriended me on Facebook, and I haven't spoke to her since. Going after her would be as pointless as hitting on Ellen.”
Nate chuckled. “I think its safe to say that you should expand your dating pool beyond the women that I've slept with,” he smirked. “You're setting yourself up for unfair comparisons.”
“But I was going to ask for Juliet's number,” Dan joked, earning a soft punch on the shoulder from Nate.
******************
Later that week Nate called him and asked him to go on a double date with two Columbia girls.
“I don't know, man. After New Years I think I'm going to hold off on romance until June.”
“Come on, Dan. She said she promised her friend a night out that night and refuses to cancel on her. All I need is for you to show this girl the Humphery charm while I work the Archibald magic on her friend.”
“Why don't you just take her out next week?”
“Because you've had sex more recently than I have. It's embarrassing! I need to get laid. Come on, hey, I'll pay for dinner and drinks. I'll even provide condoms in case you get lucky. Please?”
Dan rolled his eyes and sighed. “Fine. When are you picking me up?”
******************
A limo showed up outside the loft the next day. Dan rolled his eyes when he spotted it, but was glad he chose to dress well for the occasion. When he climbed inside Nate was already there with the two girls, a brunette and a redhead, one on each side of him. The girls clutched champagne flutes and Nate raised his Stella Artois in greeting as he sat down next to the brunette.
“Ladies, this is my very good friend, Dan Humphrey. Dan, this is Laura,” he pointed to the brunette, who was to be his date, “and Amy,” he gestured to the redhead.
Dan shook both of their hands and grabbed a beer from the limo's mini-fridge.
“So what's on the agenda for tonight?” Dan asked, popping the top off of the bottle.
“We're on our way to our reservation, and then after dinner we're hitting this club I heard about for drinks,” Nate answered, looking casual yet excited.
“So, Laura, what's your major?” Dan asked his date.
“Psychology. Yours?”
“Literature. How do you like Columbia?”
Nate reached around Laura's shoulders and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Let's not talk about school. We should concentrate on having a good time.”
Both of the girls giggled at this even though it was not remotely funny. There goes my main conversation fodder. What am I supposed to talk about now, Universal Healthcare?
“Say, Amy. Do you have any tattoos?” Nate asked the redhead with a wink at Dan.
“Uh, yeah.”
“Can I see it?”
Amy giggled and pulled the waistband of her skirt down to reveal a rose below her left hipbone. Dan averted his eyes-she was Nate's date anyway.
“I have a tattoo, too,” Laura spoke up. She began undoing the buttons of her blouse until he could see a butterfly nestled in her cleavage. Dan glanced over and then looked away while Nate was staring at her breasts from the corner of his eye.
“I was there while she got it,” Amy said. “You should have seen her crying!”
“I don't blame her,” Nate grinned. “I'm unmarked myself, and I'm pretty sure Dan is too.”
“Haven't been able to choose which Faulkner quote should go on my wrist,” Dan joked halfheartedly, receiving no response.
They soon arrived at the restaurant. Inexplicably in sour mood, Dan searched for the priciest entree to punish Nate for making him come out in the first place. When the drinks arrived he just happened to look up to see Blair being seated with an attractive and well-dressed young man. She looked stunning, her hair curled perfectly without looking overdone, her makeup subtly bringing out her eyes and lips, and her blue dress hugging her thin frame. It was likely that she had already spotted him, for she was looking everywhere but in the direction of his table. When he finally looked away, Nate was fixing him with a concerned look that Dan ignored, taking a long pull off of his drink.
Dan stopped trying to contribute to the conversation at this point. Nate seemed to respond by being even more loquacious, the girls laughing in unison each time he opened his mouth. Annoying as it was, he was grateful that at the very least they were leaving him alone to sulk.
He ordered a steak and lobster, a choice that offended his date, who revealed that she was a strict vegan. When Nate ordered a vegan entree Dan realized that he was officially the fourth wheel to Nate's tricycle, but could hardly bring himself to be offended.
All he could think of was Blair sitting across the room, smiling serenely, holding hands with the man across the table. He kept trying to catch her looking at him, but never did, but her date shot him a dirty look at one point.
Dinner finished, Dan excused himself to the restroom. Nate came in when he was washing his hands, looking a bit annoyed.
“You're killing me, man,” he groaned, making his way to the urinal.
“I think you're doing fine without me, Archibald. They both want you, and they're bisexual.”
Nate zipped up and turned around flashing a wolfish grin. “What? You think so?”
“They were checking each other out during your little tattoo ploy. They laugh at everything you say, even if it isn't funny.”
“Dan?” Nate smiled innocently at him through the mirror as he washed up.
“What?”
“I need you to go home. I'll tell the girls you feel sick. And you can write a short story about Blair or whatever you were going to do before I made you go out in the first place.”
Dan sighed. “I will if you answer a question for me.”
“Sure, bro.”
“Do you think Blair likes that guy she's on a date with?”
“Nah, she's putting on a show for your sake. She thinks he's an idiot.”
Dan smiled at this.
“But Dan? Just because she wants you to be jealous, doesn't mean she likes you. Blair's crazy like that.”
******************
Dan left the restaurant an hailed a cab, but when the cabby asked his destination, he gave him Blair's address.
He asked the doorman if Blair had come home yet, and he shook his head. He found a chair and took out his notebook and began writing all the things he wanted to tell her on a clean sheet.
I like your hair. I like how your eyebrows arch superciliously at the very sight of me. I like that you take school seriously and read just as much as I do. I like that you will give up everything for those you love. I like that you are competitive. I like how you kiss. I like your frilly underwear and they way you remove it. I like hearing you speech French. I like that you're not my step sister. I like it when you sing off key.
Then in a new paragraph:
I used to hate how privileged you are, but I now see that your ambition allows you to earn all that you receive. I used to hate how Serena would drop everything to help you out, but I now see that you deserve to have loyal friends, perhaps more than she does. I used to hate Chuck just because he's a rich asshole, now I hate him because you gave everything to him and he left you with nothing. I used to hate your scheming, now I see that most of the time you scheme to help out those you love.
The hour got later and later, but Dan resolved to stay and wait for Blair to return. As each hour passed he became less certain that Nate was truthful in his assessment of Blair's date. As the sun began to rise the next day, his finally allowed himself to slump over in his chair and sleep however long security allows him to.
Author: rogue_fangirl
Rating: This chapter is PG
Pairing: Blair/Dan, mentions of Dan/Serena
Word Count: 1,510
Spoilers: Up unitl 4.11
Summary: Nate convinces Dan to go on a double date with him, but Dan finds himself unready to put his encounter with Blair behind him.
Author's Notes: Sequel to Don't Stop Me Now, located here. I think it's gonna end up being five parts.
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.
“So Serena knew you slept with Blair, but she still begged for you?”
Nate was grinning at him with a mixture of incredulity and pride. Dan did not feel proud of himself.
“No, she didn't really beg, it was more like, 'Ben was a jerk so I guess I'll go with my plan B.' Part of me will always love her, or the idea of her, anyway, but the reality is that Serena will only be with me until she finds someone else.” He felt really stupid saying this, but it was the truth.
“And Blair?”
“Blair is...a moot point really,” Dan shrugged. “ She kicked me out, unfriended me on Facebook, and I haven't spoke to her since. Going after her would be as pointless as hitting on Ellen.”
Nate chuckled. “I think its safe to say that you should expand your dating pool beyond the women that I've slept with,” he smirked. “You're setting yourself up for unfair comparisons.”
“But I was going to ask for Juliet's number,” Dan joked, earning a soft punch on the shoulder from Nate.
******************
Later that week Nate called him and asked him to go on a double date with two Columbia girls.
“I don't know, man. After New Years I think I'm going to hold off on romance until June.”
“Come on, Dan. She said she promised her friend a night out that night and refuses to cancel on her. All I need is for you to show this girl the Humphery charm while I work the Archibald magic on her friend.”
“Why don't you just take her out next week?”
“Because you've had sex more recently than I have. It's embarrassing! I need to get laid. Come on, hey, I'll pay for dinner and drinks. I'll even provide condoms in case you get lucky. Please?”
Dan rolled his eyes and sighed. “Fine. When are you picking me up?”
******************
A limo showed up outside the loft the next day. Dan rolled his eyes when he spotted it, but was glad he chose to dress well for the occasion. When he climbed inside Nate was already there with the two girls, a brunette and a redhead, one on each side of him. The girls clutched champagne flutes and Nate raised his Stella Artois in greeting as he sat down next to the brunette.
“Ladies, this is my very good friend, Dan Humphrey. Dan, this is Laura,” he pointed to the brunette, who was to be his date, “and Amy,” he gestured to the redhead.
Dan shook both of their hands and grabbed a beer from the limo's mini-fridge.
“So what's on the agenda for tonight?” Dan asked, popping the top off of the bottle.
“We're on our way to our reservation, and then after dinner we're hitting this club I heard about for drinks,” Nate answered, looking casual yet excited.
“So, Laura, what's your major?” Dan asked his date.
“Psychology. Yours?”
“Literature. How do you like Columbia?”
Nate reached around Laura's shoulders and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Let's not talk about school. We should concentrate on having a good time.”
Both of the girls giggled at this even though it was not remotely funny. There goes my main conversation fodder. What am I supposed to talk about now, Universal Healthcare?
“Say, Amy. Do you have any tattoos?” Nate asked the redhead with a wink at Dan.
“Uh, yeah.”
“Can I see it?”
Amy giggled and pulled the waistband of her skirt down to reveal a rose below her left hipbone. Dan averted his eyes-she was Nate's date anyway.
“I have a tattoo, too,” Laura spoke up. She began undoing the buttons of her blouse until he could see a butterfly nestled in her cleavage. Dan glanced over and then looked away while Nate was staring at her breasts from the corner of his eye.
“I was there while she got it,” Amy said. “You should have seen her crying!”
“I don't blame her,” Nate grinned. “I'm unmarked myself, and I'm pretty sure Dan is too.”
“Haven't been able to choose which Faulkner quote should go on my wrist,” Dan joked halfheartedly, receiving no response.
They soon arrived at the restaurant. Inexplicably in sour mood, Dan searched for the priciest entree to punish Nate for making him come out in the first place. When the drinks arrived he just happened to look up to see Blair being seated with an attractive and well-dressed young man. She looked stunning, her hair curled perfectly without looking overdone, her makeup subtly bringing out her eyes and lips, and her blue dress hugging her thin frame. It was likely that she had already spotted him, for she was looking everywhere but in the direction of his table. When he finally looked away, Nate was fixing him with a concerned look that Dan ignored, taking a long pull off of his drink.
Dan stopped trying to contribute to the conversation at this point. Nate seemed to respond by being even more loquacious, the girls laughing in unison each time he opened his mouth. Annoying as it was, he was grateful that at the very least they were leaving him alone to sulk.
He ordered a steak and lobster, a choice that offended his date, who revealed that she was a strict vegan. When Nate ordered a vegan entree Dan realized that he was officially the fourth wheel to Nate's tricycle, but could hardly bring himself to be offended.
All he could think of was Blair sitting across the room, smiling serenely, holding hands with the man across the table. He kept trying to catch her looking at him, but never did, but her date shot him a dirty look at one point.
Dinner finished, Dan excused himself to the restroom. Nate came in when he was washing his hands, looking a bit annoyed.
“You're killing me, man,” he groaned, making his way to the urinal.
“I think you're doing fine without me, Archibald. They both want you, and they're bisexual.”
Nate zipped up and turned around flashing a wolfish grin. “What? You think so?”
“They were checking each other out during your little tattoo ploy. They laugh at everything you say, even if it isn't funny.”
“Dan?” Nate smiled innocently at him through the mirror as he washed up.
“What?”
“I need you to go home. I'll tell the girls you feel sick. And you can write a short story about Blair or whatever you were going to do before I made you go out in the first place.”
Dan sighed. “I will if you answer a question for me.”
“Sure, bro.”
“Do you think Blair likes that guy she's on a date with?”
“Nah, she's putting on a show for your sake. She thinks he's an idiot.”
Dan smiled at this.
“But Dan? Just because she wants you to be jealous, doesn't mean she likes you. Blair's crazy like that.”
******************
Dan left the restaurant an hailed a cab, but when the cabby asked his destination, he gave him Blair's address.
He asked the doorman if Blair had come home yet, and he shook his head. He found a chair and took out his notebook and began writing all the things he wanted to tell her on a clean sheet.
I like your hair. I like how your eyebrows arch superciliously at the very sight of me. I like that you take school seriously and read just as much as I do. I like that you will give up everything for those you love. I like that you are competitive. I like how you kiss. I like your frilly underwear and they way you remove it. I like hearing you speech French. I like that you're not my step sister. I like it when you sing off key.
Then in a new paragraph:
I used to hate how privileged you are, but I now see that your ambition allows you to earn all that you receive. I used to hate how Serena would drop everything to help you out, but I now see that you deserve to have loyal friends, perhaps more than she does. I used to hate Chuck just because he's a rich asshole, now I hate him because you gave everything to him and he left you with nothing. I used to hate your scheming, now I see that most of the time you scheme to help out those you love.
The hour got later and later, but Dan resolved to stay and wait for Blair to return. As each hour passed he became less certain that Nate was truthful in his assessment of Blair's date. As the sun began to rise the next day, his finally allowed himself to slump over in his chair and sleep however long security allows him to.