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fembuckTitle: Tango in D Minor
Author: Janine
Fandom: Gossip Girl
Pairing: Serena/Blair
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I don’t own them.
Summary: Blair and Serena’s relationship continues to grow. Sequel to Audrey Can Wait and Here We Go
Part Four
Two Weeks Later
Serena put her book down on the table and reached for her coffee, her eyes lifting to scan the world beyond the window, a look of surprise coming across her features a moment later as she reached out to tap the glass, waving at the figure she had spotted walking by.
“Big as it is,
They hadn’t really spoken to each other much after the most awkward movie night ever, but he’d had time to deal with the demise of the romance that never was and he was beginning to think that they might actually be able to pull off the friends thing for real.
“Have a seat. The Raisin Cinnamon French Toast is great here, you should totally try it,” Serena said kicking back the seat opposite her. “Unless you’ve been here before and already have a favorite. In that case, disregard all of the above,” she went on smiling as he took a seat.
“I’ve never been, thanks for the recommendation,” Dan said relaying the order to a waitress who materialized by the table a few seconds later. “So, you look …” Dan began once he had ordered taking a good look at Serena for the first time. “A little … down,” he continued trying to be as diplomatic as possible. The truth was that he had only seen her look better.
“It’s just been a rough couple of weeks,” Serena said sighing before shrugging a little and smiling.
For days after the night Blair had called herself frigid the brunette had refused to allow Serena to do more than hug her and kiss her. Blair had relented somewhat in the past week but Serena still found herself being hesitant to touch the brunette because tension and anxiety radiated from Blair in waves whenever it seemed like things might get heated between them again. They were still spending as much time together as they had before but there was a strain and self-consciousness to their interactions that was starting to get to Serena. And the worse part about it was that she had absolutely not idea what to do about it.
“You wanna talk about it?” Dan asked seeing a small frown appear on Serena’s lips as her gaze momentarily lost focus. Even though his romantic aspirations had fallen through in regards to Serena, there was still a part of him that looked her at and just wanted to try and help put her together again. “Friends, right?”
“I,” Serena began forcing a smile onto her face before shaking her head lightly. “Yeah, I do actually, but I probably shouldn’t,” she continued ruefully.
“Ah,” Dan said knowledgably, nodding his head, “Romantic trouble.”
Serena looked over at him a bit uncomfortably.
“Don’t worry. I’m not being passive aggressive or anything,” Dan said a moment later realizing she could have interpreted his comment as a dig after the reason she had given him for not seeing each other. “It’s water under the bridge, really. You can date whoever you want,” he said making a mockingly grandiose sweeping motion with his hand to try and make his words as un-condescending as possible.
Serena leaned back in her chair regarding him silently for a few seconds, her gaze inscrutable.
“Why are you so certain I’m dating someone?” Serena asked finally looking over him, willing to take his assurance that they were fine at face value. It was one of the things she had always liked about Dan. He didn’t play games. He just laid things out there just as it were. “Even Gossip Girl doesn’t think I’m dating anyone.”
“Okay, feel free to throw your coffee at me and storm out here if I’m wrong, but you are dating someone,” Dan responded squaring his shoulders as if he was going into battle. He was confident about the conclusion he had come to after months of surreptitiously watching Serena and trying to figure out what happened between them. Well, he was fairly confident anyway. At the very least he was mostly confident. Okay, he was maybe just pretty confident, but that was still something. “Gossip Girl just hasn’t picked up on it because it’s not a guy,” he continued breathing in deeply as he kept his gaze focused on Serena.
Serena stared at Dan unblinkingly in response.
“Blair,” Dan went on somewhat unnerved by the blonde’s look, not sure whether she was seconds away from breaking down and confirming his suspicion or taking him up on that offer to bathe him in coffee.
“Why would you,” Serena began softly blinking rapidly though her eyes were still on him.
“You were holding hands at the movie,” Dan responded simply, shrugging a little.
“Oh, you saw that,” Serena muttered softly before a little smile touched the corner of her lips.
It helped explain why he gave up on her so quickly after the movie. The truth was her ego had been a little damaged when he had given up so easily. However, she could understand him not wanting to lose her to girl … twice.
“So do you want to talk about it?” Dan asked again taking her comment as an affirmative response to the ‘are you dating Blair’ question.
Serena smiled at that, a genuine one that reached her eyes, but shook her head again a second later looking tempted but uncertain. It would be weird to talk about what was going on with her and Blair with the guy she had almost dated, but didn’t because she and Blair got together instead.
No matter how much she wanted to talk about it with someone she really shouldn’t …
“It’s just … I kind of know how guys feel,” Serena said glancing up and looking over at Dan.
‘Right, so much for the not talking about it thing,’ she thought to herself.
Dan’s eyebrows shot up at that. That wasn’t what he was expecting to hear. He didn’t really know what he was expecting her to say, just that it wasn’t that.
“How so?”
Serena sighed deeply and leaned back in her chair. “I shouldn’t talk about it,” she said.
“You obviously want to talk about it, and well, you can trust me,” Dan said seriously leaning forward, resting his elbows on the table. “I’m not going to tell anyone. Besides, I’m pretty sure that no one else knows, so I’m kind of your only option,” he finished smiling crookedly.
Serena smiled at him and rolled her eyes, her fingers playing with the edge of the table. He was right, she did want to talk about it, and she really didn’t have anyone else to talk about it with. She was beginning to drive herself insane going over the same information again and again in her head and maybe if she got an outside opinion she might be able to …
“She won’t have sex with me,” Serena blurted out, her voice mercifully soft as she said it, her eyes widening when she realized what had just come out of her mouth. She had meant to allude to the situation, to be tactful and coy, not to … well, she supposed it didn’t really matter anymore.
Dan blinked rapidly, nodding his head slightly in rapid succession.
“Okay,” he said finally, chewing on his bottom lip and staring at Serena with an uncertain smile on his face.
He hadn’t expected that either. He thought that maybe she had inadvertently called Blair fat, or had forgotten her birthday, or had worn white after Labor Day or something. But sex … Serena and Blair … and sex … together … or the lack of it. No, he had not expected that.
Serena slumped back in her chair upon seeing Dan’s reaction. She knew she shouldn’t have said anything.
“Why?” Dan asked seeing Serena begin to shut down. “I mean why won’t she … you know,” he continued making a vague hand motion to indicate the act he couldn’t think about without getting distracted and kind of turned on. He needed to focus, he was being a friend. He was more than his hormones. Or at least he would keep telling himself that.
“I don’t know, I think … Blair is very controlled,” Serena began softly, thoughtfully, relaxing a bit more with every word, “and it scares her to think about losing that … even with me.”
Dan leaned back in his chair, “Well, I’m not exactly Oprah, but maybe …” he began deciding that as long as they didn’t talk about make-up or Justin Timberlake that he could possibly handle being Serena’s ‘girlfriend’ for the afternoon.
---
Part Five
Waldorf Brownstone
//Spotted: Queen B, looking fabulous in Chanel, loaded down with bags on 5th. What treasure troves of fashion lay inside of those brand name bags? Unfortunately, most of us will never find out.
It’s strange to see B out these days without BFF, S. Could there be trouble at Tiffany’s? We here at Gossip Girl certainly hope not. The Waldorf-van der Woodsen tag-team warms our cold and jaded little heart, and we wish the two hotties the best of luck. //
Blair sighed and glared at her laptop screen as if she could melt it with the fury in her eyes alone. She had to keep up with her press but often it was a thankless task. She actually didn’t mind the first part of the report since she did look very good in that Chanel dress. Her mother had even commented on it which was about as common as seeing a monkey with a pancake on its head. She did not appreciate the speculation about her relationship with Serena however.
Normally she wouldn’t let Gossip Girl’s ramblings get to her, but her relationship with Serena had been a source of anxiety and panic for her in the past few weeks and she didn’t appreciate a complete stranger speculating about it … especially because she was certain that there was trouble at Tiffany’s.
She had overreacted when Serena had tried to move things to third base and she hadn’t been able to do it, she realized that now. For days after the incident she had barely let Serena touch her fearing what would happen if things got serious again and she couldn’t complete the mission.
She had managed to force herself to loosen up a little bit in the last week, but things were still strained between them. Serena seemed to be uncertain what type of touching would be allowed and what would make her shut down and had been very careful and hesitant with her. And even though Blair would have liked a bit more contact, she didn’t push it, because how could she risk getting Serena worked up if she knew she couldn’t take care of her?
Sighing again Blair scrolled further down the screen to see the next bit of gossip. Hopefully reading about how someone else’s life sucked would cheer her up.
//Spotted: S and Lonely Boy sharing a table at Red Flame Coffee Shop. Could it be that our young paramour is lonely no more? Gossip Gawkers report that S and Lonely shared a long and intimate conversation over French toast and coffee. Has S already been taken off of the market again? (And before we even knew she was back on it, naughty girl!)
Only time will tell, but here are some pictures of the biscuties.
L’amour or lunch? You decide.//
Blair stared at the images of Serena and Dan seated opposite each other at the coffee shop. They were intently focused on each other and in many pictures both had their elbows on the table were leaning towards each other as if they were completely riveted by one another. And as if that wasn’t bad enough, there was even a picture of Serena eating some French toast off of the plate in front of Dan.
Blair shut her laptop quickly and stood, standing immobile by her desk for a moment before she moved slowly over to her bed and collapsed on it.
She had talked to Serena a couple of hours after she left the coffee shop and all Serena had said to her was, “I ran into Dan”.
Blair hugged her pillow to her.
“I ran into Dan” was not an adequate description of what had happened when Serena had in fact had an hour and a half long conversation with Dan that included sharing food items.
“I had coffee with Dan,” or “I talked with Dan,” would have been vague but somewhat accurate. But “I ran into Dan” did not even begin to cover it.
Blair released her pillow and stared up at the ceiling trying unsuccessfully to blink back tears.
Something needed to be done, she thought as she rolled back onto her side and hugged her pillow again as she curled into the fetal position.
There was no way that she was going to lose Serena, especially not to a ‘Fish t-shirt wearing, wanna-be hipster, John Cusack-Woody Allen if they mated, public-transit riding, no trust fund, non-legacy’ loser like Dan Humphrey.
Nobody put Blair Waldorf in the corner, nobody.
Blair sniffled and brought her hands up to her face wiping away the tear tracks that had formed.
She was going to fight for her woman.
To be continued ...
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no subject
Date: 2007-11-03 05:56 pm (UTC)Yes! Let her seduce the now unwitting, unsuspecting hottie that is the van der Woodsen!
I can't wait......
As to the rest of this, it's great, as usual.
I love how Dan wants to be S's friend and yet he's totally turned on by the idea!
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Date: 2007-11-03 07:07 pm (UTC)I love Blair too much to make her suffer for too long, lol. Besides, if there's one thing we know about Blair its that she's proactive.
Let her seduce the now unwitting, unsuspecting hottie that is the van der Woodsen!
Hey, get out of my head! lol, that's the next chapter and she plans it typical over the top Waldorf style! *loves Blair*
I love how Dan wants to be S's friend and yet he's totally turned on by the idea!
How could he not be turned on? Really, Dan only gets awesome points for working past the sexiness of Waldsen and trying to help. He's such a good guy, I totally love the idea of him as Serena's male besty.
no subject
Date: 2007-11-03 08:36 pm (UTC)An over the top Waldorf flavored seduction is just what the doctor ordered. ANd I like your head.
Dan is a sweet, earnest guy so I like that S could have that level headedness in at someone in her life.
no subject
Date: 2007-11-05 12:20 am (UTC)Definitely not. Blair is a mover and a shaker. Seriously, she had the mind of a General, or a criminal mastermind or something. She's like a teenage girl version of Prof. Moriarty and I love her for it.
An over the top Waldorf flavored seduction is just what the doctor ordered.
So true. There's always room for "an over the top Waldorf flavored seduction".
Dan is a sweet, earnest guy so I like that S could have that level headedness in at someone in her life.
Yeah, she definitely needs that. Eric is a good listener too, but there are somethings she just can't talk about with her little brother and sex problems with Blair is one of them! lol. And maybe it's because Penn and Blake have known each other since they were kids, but they have a great platonic vibe that works well for S/D true!friend.
no subject
Date: 2007-11-05 01:20 am (UTC)So true. There's always room for "an over the top Waldorf flavored seduction".
Of frakking course there is!
And uh, any hints on when this may occur? You've made me desperate.
no subject
Date: 2007-11-05 01:46 am (UTC)Nothing, everything is completely lovable!
Of frakking course there is!
Take THAT Jello!
And uh, any hints on when this may occur? You've made me desperate.
The Waldorf flavored seduction will take place in the next chapter. That's all I'll say about it though ;)
no subject
Date: 2007-11-03 06:03 pm (UTC)You're really building this up. I don't even watch this show, and I still little squeed aloud when I saw that you'd updated. I really, really want them to be all mushy and happy together, and I can't wait for more. Pleasepleaseplease write more :)
no subject
Date: 2007-11-03 07:10 pm (UTC)lol, nobody stands a chance against Blair when she puts her mind to something!
I really, really want them to be all mushy and happy together, and I can't wait for more. Pleasepleaseplease write more :)
Ultimately, I love my Waldsen mushy and happy together as well, so don't worry with will return to their awesome cute roots ... after THE ANGST! lol
Thanks for responding, and I'm totally glad your enjoying the stories even without watching the show [small voice]you should watch it though, they're so gay for each other ... and so pretty[/small voice].
no subject
Date: 2007-11-03 06:56 pm (UTC)I loved Blair reading GG and conceding that she, indeed, looked awesome. But I felt so bad for her - between the Serena awkwardness and then finding out S "ran into Dan" for over an hour. Seems like desperate times call for desperate measures.
And Blair's insult of Dan was pretty hilarious. That's the bitchy girl I know and love.
no subject
Date: 2007-11-03 07:16 pm (UTC)lol, me too. It seems so fitting in a way, and I can totally picture it and it's love.
They're awesome friends, and Serena needs someone to talk to. That's the problem of dating your bff, sometimes you need a separation of the two.
So true. Plus, Dan is so normal and level-headed that she'll get good advice from him. Eric's also a good person for her to talk to, but not about her sex life with Blair, so Dan is the go to man.
I loved Blair reading GG and conceding that she, indeed, looked awesome.
I don't understand how Blair's arrogance can be so charming but it is.
between the Serena awkwardness and then finding out S "ran into Dan" for over an hour. Seems like desperate times call for desperate measures.
Yeah, it's kind of been one thing after another and they're all hitting her in like her most sensitive area. It's definitely time for her to pull out the big guns ... Serena has no idea what's coming lol
And Blair's insult of Dan was pretty hilarious. That's the bitchy girl I know and love.
lol, Waldorf insults are the best kind of insults. I never want her to change. A non-bitchy and hilarious Blair would make me cry.
no subject
Date: 2007-11-03 07:16 pm (UTC)Nobody put Blair Waldorf in the corner, nobody.
Love it :P
no subject
Date: 2007-11-03 07:33 pm (UTC)lol, I know. With this one I've literally had to force myself to remember that they have lives away from each other, and know other people and have family's and that it cannot be one constant ball of cuteness with them cracking jokes and making out (unfortunately).
Waldsen is just so much more interesting than everyone else!
Love it
Drama queen Blair is a thing of beauty, lol
no subject
Date: 2007-11-03 08:46 pm (UTC)Love that Dan and Serena are future besties (I can just see it happening).
Love that Blair was reading GG. Your GG was spot on!
Normally I wouldn't condone Blair jumping to conclusions like that, but I love that she's going to fight for her woman!
There was no way that she was going to lose Serena, especially not to a ‘Fish t-shirt wearing, wanna-be hipster, John Cusack-Woody Allen if they mated, public-transit riding, no trust fund, non-legacy’ loser like Dan Humphrey.
I love that description! My Inner Blair cheered even though sometimes I like Dan. I especially like him in this story. I totally think he'd handle it like that.
Nobody put Blair Waldorf in the corner, nobody.
LMAO. I almost fell off of my seat.
More now? Please?
no subject
Date: 2007-11-04 11:58 pm (UTC)The idea of Dan as #2 Bestie is definitely one I can get behind, in fact I down right dig it!
Love that Blair was reading GG. Your GG was spot on!
I'm glad that GG was okay. I haven't read the books so I was just going on the show. I love that Kirsten Bell is voicing GG though, because she has such a wonderful and distinctive sarcastic tone that I could totally hear her delivering the lines when I was writing them.
My Inner Blair cheered even though sometimes I like Dan. I especially like him in this story. I totally think he'd handle it like that.
It was done with love. I like Dan, but I enjoy mocking him, just like I LOVED his description of Blair to Rufus. As much as I love Blair that was some funny shit.
And yeah, he'd totally be the perfect person to come out to first. Especially since in the books I understand he has some issues with his sexuality, so Serena really lucked out there.
LMAO. I almost fell off of my seat.
I love drama!queen Blair, she's precious.
More now? Please?
Soon, more is on the way, I promise!
no subject
Date: 2007-11-03 09:21 pm (UTC)it was so good, you should join the GG writing team.
I'm constantly amazed at how well you write the three characters.
can't wait for another update, thanks for the best Blair/Serena fic ever.
no subject
Date: 2007-11-04 11:59 pm (UTC)Dream job? Is that you calling? lol, seriously, how sweet would that be? *sigh* I makes for a wonderful dream.
Thanks so much for the feedback, I'm glad that you're continuing to enjoy the story. I'll try not to keep you waiting for too long for the next part ;)
no subject
Date: 2007-11-03 11:15 pm (UTC)Just started reading this and have to join the chorus of "Wow!" As usual, you've taken a show I don't even watch and completely, compellingly sucked me in. Damn!
Also, I love that it's not that easy with these two - the sex, that is. So much of the fanfic I read that deals with virginity or first time sex just...doesn't deal with it. It's all golden and perfect and so obviously someone's fantasy of a first time experience. I remember it being absolutely terrifying and exhilarating all at once and I think you've captured that beautifully. Especially with Blair, who's so tightly controlled OF COURSE this would be complicated and not easily negotiated.
wow, I'm babbling. Loving it and can't wait for more. As usual *g*
no subject
Date: 2007-11-05 12:07 am (UTC)Especially with Blair, who's so tightly controlled OF COURSE this would be complicated and not easily negotiated.
With Blair being Blair it would have been disingenuous to have her just fall into bed easily with Serena. I kind of love that about Blair. Despite how awesomely good looking, and rich, and stylish, and witty she is, she's teenage girl with all of the insecurities and such that come with it.
Loving it and can't wait for more.
I'll try not to keep you waiting too long for the next part!
no subject
Date: 2007-11-04 02:57 am (UTC)this was brilliant and your Gossip Girl is very cool :)
no subject
Date: 2007-11-05 12:08 am (UTC)I'm glad you liked the update, and I'll try to have the next part up soon :D
no subject
Date: 2007-11-04 03:44 am (UTC)“It’s just … I kind of know how guys feel,” Serena said glancing up and looking over at Dan.
Serena's really getting in touch with her inner teenage boy and Dan is quite the guy for listening to all of it without being *too* interested, lol!
So glad Blair is sharpening up her strategy and taking the initiative. Ha! We'll see who's the brain of this operation. Can't wait for where you're going to go with this next :D.
no subject
Date: 2007-11-05 12:12 am (UTC)It's hard out there for a
pimpteenage girl! And Serena isn't great with the impulse control and thinking through her actions so trying to all coy and silent about it would be so hard for her. But if you have to spill, Dan is a good person to spill to.Serena's really getting in touch with her inner teenage boy
lol, so true. I kind of love Serena's hormonalness. She's all "gotta be sensitive, gotta take it slow" but Blair and her Blairness makes her hormones overload.
So glad Blair is sharpening up her strategy and taking the initiative.
Blair is definitely proactive. No way she's going to sit around and lose (though you wouldn't have, B!) her boo.
I'll try not to keep you waiting too long for the next part :D
no subject
Date: 2007-11-04 04:59 am (UTC)Poor Blair. If Serena doesn't want you, I certainly do! Also, if GG busted S/D talking, let's hope she didn't hear the convo!
Her mother had even commented on it which was about as common as seeing a monkey with a pancake on its head.
That had me rolling on the floor. It was such a perfect Blair thought.
There was no way that she was going to lose Serena, especially not to a ‘Fish t-shirt wearing, wanna-be hipster, John Cusack-Woody Allen if they mated, public-transit riding, no trust fund, non-legacy’ loser like Dan Humphrey.
OMG so perfect. It reminds me of D's description of her to Rufus!
Nobody put Blair Waldorf in the corner, nobody.
WIN!
Now I'm anxiously waiting more more more! You can be such a tease!
no subject
Date: 2007-11-05 12:16 am (UTC)Let's not talk crazy now! lol.
Also, if GG busted S/D talking, let's hope she didn't hear the convo!
Nah, no conversation leakage. The pictures were taken discretely from a distance. Also, if GG had heard the conversation there's no way she would have run with a story about S and Lonely Boy, lol. S trying to get into B's pants totally would have been a bigger story!
It reminds me of D's description of her to Rufus!
Aw, I'm glad it reminded you of that. I think that scene, Dan's description of Blair was when I officially feel in love with the show. As much as I love Blair, that was pure brilliance.
You can be such a tease!
I have it on good authority that everybody loves a tease!
I'll try not to keep you waiting for too long however ;)
no subject
Date: 2007-11-05 03:28 am (UTC)Yeah, I'm quite aware that it'd take a lot to seperate those two. *le sigh* Now I shall have to find my own Blair.
As much as I love Blair, that was pure brilliance.
His description was pretty much dead on. It's also pretty much why I love Blair (add that to the gay with Serena and that's EXACTLY why!)
I have it on good authority that everybody loves a tease!
Unfortunately, that is SO true.
no subject
Date: 2007-11-05 05:38 am (UTC)Also the whole Blair's rant was priceless, so Waldorf.
She was going to fight for her woman.
no subject
Date: 2007-11-05 05:40 am (UTC)Again love Dan here, actually I could heard Penn's voice on my head whenever Dan was talking lol Good work. And I totally love the S/D team, because how much as I like Dan on the show still I can't see THAT kind of chemistry with Serena. Not like the one she have with Blair anyway. So far, I think that the bff thing could work better. I'm glad that she at least can talk with someone about Blair and stuff because you know, poor Serena... she being this huge force of energy must be dying with all this.
Also the whole Blair's rant was priceless, so Waldorf.
She was going to fight for her woman.
Go Blair! that's my girl.I know how you can be when you put your mind onto something, plus resolved!Blair is utterly hot :)
Awesome update like always, I can't wait for next chapter
no subject
Date: 2007-11-05 06:30 am (UTC)can't wait for the next part!
no subject
Date: 2007-11-06 12:31 am (UTC)The last line is pretty cliche, but it's one that works so well you've gotta use it. Honestly, there's nothing hotter than fighting for love (especially when it's Waldsen love)
Next part is up now, so I hope you like it :D
no subject
Date: 2007-11-05 08:01 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-11-06 12:32 am (UTC)The next part is up now, so I hope you enjoy that too :D
no subject
Date: 2007-11-06 03:13 am (UTC)I'm absolutely in love with your story. Can't wait for the next update!
no subject
Date: 2007-11-07 12:55 pm (UTC)