Cotillion Chaos (dair)

#6

Just in: Is lonely boy the Cinderella of this ball? Oh my... But with who? Who is the lucky princess? Xoxo, Gossip Girl.

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"Wow," he breathed out when he saw her the next morning. Blair was at the midpoint of her curling stairs dressed like a midsummer fae queen that had lost her wings for a gown of equal beauty. He at first thought she was dressed in white but the lights shimmered on her and gave her an iridescent effect that only made her more alluring to peer at.

Her hair and make up weren't even fully done and he felt breathless. He could never fully explain the pull of this woman. She caused him to lose his brakes or why else would he be here?

Like really? A Cotillion and him?

"Humphrey, you're late."

"Ah, sorry. The metro was slow," he said, dropping his bag on a table as he neared her. "Blair, you look... captivating." He physically found it hard to not watch the eye-catching performance, especially as she gave a pleased twirl with his words. The dress cupped her curves like a second skin and he didn't think he had ever seen her look more precious than when she was obviously quite pleased with her fashion choice.

"Thank you, Humphrey but now it's time to make you look presentable," she smirked as she took the last step of the staircase and pressed a hand to his chest.

Anywhere her hand touched lit up with sensation that buzzed his stomach in excitement and more. Thankfully he wasn't given any time to think about it before she was pushing him into the salon and into the grasp of a tailor.

"Nice to meet you," was all the tailor said to Dan before his measuring tape was out and flying. He felt more mannequin than man as his arms were moved and held up.

"I hope you don't mind but I decided to call the tailors to us. They're going to need the day for your whole ensemble while I have my last fitting." She lifted her arms for her tailor who immediately began taking Blair's last adjustment measurements. "Why fret all over town when we can just enjoy ourselves here?"

"Don't tell me you're embarrassed of me, Waldorf." He had expected to have to waste their day away in a handful of shops but that obviously wasn't the case with Blair Waldorf.

"More like trying to keep the surprise for tomorrow night. No reason to get spotted before we've had our fun."

Tomorrow was really going to be a surprise, His parents only approved the event because Cece had personally visited his parents in Brooklyn, weaving a tale about her cancer and how much she wanted to see Serena in a beautiful dress at her Cotillion because Cece wasn't sure if she would live to see Serena get married.

When Serena declined the invite, his parents expected that was the end of the ordeal. They didn't agree with the notion of the Cotillion and the "good graces" the cotillion taught young woman so they didn't know he had continued to go to the dance practices. Or that he was here now. Or that he was ditching his mom's art show tomorrow for a ball.

These decisions hit him suddenly. A moment of either pure lunacy or clarity as Blair talked about her measurements five feet away, he wondered truly why he was here? Why did he do this to himself? He literally had no skin in the game the moment Serena said no to the Cotillion and let her grandmother get in between them. He gave his word and his word had been fulfilled. He didn't need to keep showing up to practices. He didn't need to know those steps. He didn't need to subjugate himself to any of this classist, chattel ordeal.

But until these dance practices, he had never had Blair's full focus before or had any idea how magnetising her attention could be. He didn't realise how good she smelled or how attentive and gentle she was until she was in his arms. Honestly he should have ran when he had the chance. Escape would have been the safest option. He could be at home doing homework or trying to work shit out with Serena but he didn't do any of those things, instead he was at the Waldorf's with a personal tailor who was holding up colour swatches to his face for comparison.