I Remember

"The claws are out, honey." Blair said with a low 'oooh' as she looked in the direction Leo's shade was being thrown. "In the same regard, don't yeah yeah, bullshit me, Leo." She let him know right back, laughter spilling from her with each passing word. The compliment from him only made her grin grow brighter, she certainly felt beautiful but it was nice to know she'd fulfilled her duties as plus one. "Is it? Well you've certainly got your money's worth on that bad boy." She let him know, taking in the sight of him. Leo was hot, full stop. She could acknowledge that, her friends certainly wouldn't let her forget it but the suit certainly upped that factor. "I think you're surely going to be one of the talking points once this all ends up in the paper." She teased. "Do you think Colette will rip your head off for that?"

"I mean a new bombshell has entered the villa so," he told her with a laugh and smoothed over his shirt, doing a little spin for her. "Nah, I'm the last thing she's thinking about today. I honestly haven't seen her smile this much since her first number one single," he admitted. "Just further proof that time is like the best and worst ally." He was smiling despite being so pensive, mostly because he had made Blair laugh and he was sure this was the most he had seen her smile too. Most of the time they were either hanging out on his couch, at the rec center or he was finding his way to her desk at her corporate job. This felt al little different, like they were somehow having a little more fun than usual and he was grateful for it. It could have also been the tequila talking because damn the bartender had a good but heavy hand.

"Oh, if you want to be a hater, you know you came to the right girl." Blair let Leo know, stopping them in their tracks. "Just say the word and I'll help you find something to hate on in here." She said, laughter spilling from her before they continued their way to the bar. "Or maybe he knew that your homegirl would have ripped his head off, had he." Blair didn't know too much about Colette but what she did know was that she was not one to be messed with. She was as talented as she was feisty. "This? Don't you start, I pulled this out from way back in my closet. I completely forgot I even had it." She said, jokingly as she'd clearly put some thought and care into what she looked like that day. Being a plus one came with a lot of pressures, add that to being the plus one of the ex-boyfriend. She was already fearing the awkwardness that would come from when she came face to face with the bride and groom, but she would help qualm it with her usual Blair sense of humor. "But thank you." She looked down at her dress, before looking back up at him. "You don't look half bad, yourself. Very cover of GQ, actually." She returned the compliment. "You really did. Not all of us have this great a support system." Blair said, as that was certainly something he could be really happy about today. "So, I need a bit of a rundown on who's who. I've got the bride and groom, of course. Ray and Day, the best couple to ever be a couple in Rosewood. Anyone else?"

"I appreciate that, the night is young so I'm sure I'll find something soon, like some of these outfit choices. Where did these people think they were going? This is a wedding, not a fucking club," he mumbled, glancing at the crowd for a moment. If there was a fashion police panel for this wedding, he'd definitely be on it. "Well yeah, that's too. The last thing we want is to encourage her wrath on such a lovely day. "Yeah, yeah bullshit. You look beautiful, Blair. Don't this little ol thing me, you read the moment well and you delivered." He smiled as he smoothed down his tie. "Why thank you, it's actually a new suit. I figured I wanted to look really good in the pictures from this thing." It would definitely be going to some newspaper and Leo did actually care about his reputation now that he was both a dancer and teacher.

"I can't even fault you for that, they are just that good." Blair let him know, happy to be by Leo's plus one for what was turning out to be the wedding of the year. Now you wouldn't know this at first glance but Blair loved weddings. Loved them. Not so much the idea of having to plan one of her own, but she loved attending them. "We should definitely do another. Shit, we should do two." She encouraged him, happy to see him in such high spirits. He was certainly stronger than most people she knew, as she wasn't so sure she'd be able to show face at an ex's wedding. But from what she'd gathered, Colette and Leo were okay. Their love ever changing and that was pretty dope to see. "A wedding dress really does suit her." She nodded, taking a hold of his arm. "I've been having a time. Ray and Day might soon become my favorite people, actually." Blair laughed, having enjoyed Ray's commentary over the event. "Now, I don't know about all of that. I definitely charged my social battery just for this event, but you do have really dope friends. It's not hard to enjoy their company."

"The signature drink isn't bad either, I mean I wanted to be a hater just a little bit but I'm finding it hard," he admitted, his expression reading as annoyed but he shook it away. There was no reason for him to hold onto bitterness. It all filled him with nostalgia but it also filled him with the same confusion around his life that he had felt so viscerally then. "Well yeah, they tend to have that affect on people. Ray lives for this shit. I'm surprised he was able to stop himself from interrupting the ceremony just for shits and giggles." He let out a laugh at the social battery remark, feeling that heavily but he was enjoying this outing and not itching to get back him to his dog and his bed. "That dress really suits you by the way," he told her as he looked at her before leading them to the bar. It wasn't like Leo hadn't noticed before but it occurred to him that he hadn't been as present when he picked her up earlier that afternoon, having been too nervous about entering this space, not totally trusting his own emotions. But he was calmer now, the drinks and the joint he had smoked with one of Colette's cousins had were doing wonders for his nerves. "Yeah I got pretty lucky with them, but don't tell them I said that out loud.

"How you holding up?" Blair asked Leo, patting his shoulder. She could only imagine the thoughts running through his mind. It wasn't every day that you got to witness the nuptials of your ex. "And don't front, we're way past that." She let him know with a small smile. "You need a cocktail, I got you. You need an empanada, I definitely got you. Those things are delicious, my god." ( @l-jackson )

"Oh no, I've had like enough empanadas for five people," he admitted with a laugh as he patted his stomach. The day had been nicer than he had expected but that hadn't made him feel any less awkward. When he was a teenager he had thought so much about this moment with Colette but standing here now, he was starting to realize just how far he was from that time now. "I think we should do another drink though," he said, smiling fully now as he looked at her, genuinely grateful for her concern. "I'm good actually. I gotta admit it's pretty nice to see her happy. I always knew she'd make a great bride," he admitted with a shrug before holding out his arm for Blair to take. "You been having fun mingling? I think you might even be giving your brother a run for his money."

"Oh, I know? Why do you think I asked." Blair let him know, as she'd been fortunate enough to have had a couple of dinners cooked by Leo and whilst everyone knew him for his talents in dance... he was just as good a cook. "What you called me?" She looked back at Leo, her face stone straight before she fell into a small fit of laughter. "I'm sorry, I had to go for it." She said, through her laughter. "I'm ready." Blair nodded, taking a deep breath before her face formed a smile that she was all to use to having to form. As insane as she'd assumed the afternoon would be, dealing with young children who were eager to let it be known what they wanted for the holidays— all had been relatively chill. The worst offensive being when a little sassy girl let her know that she wanted to take a picture with Santa solo. "Aside from world peace and more taxation for billionaires?" She asked Leo, twisting her lips. "I'm such a woman of my age... I honestly just want a couple of more furniture pieces."

Blair's energy was infectious and it made the time more enjoyable which was clear with how much fun the kids were having. Leo had to keep his laugh in check with how much little things were cracking him up, especially the girl who had just wanted to take a picture with him. "I mean obviously, Santa tries to get that done every year but I'm starting to think he's a capitalist, which would make sense considering it keeps him in business," Leo told her as softly as he could. The books his sisters had gifted him were definitely having their impact. "I hear that, a good and solid couch is hard to come by. Especially one that won't require you to take out a loan." He turned back to the crowd for the last group of kids before posing for a few photos with the elves. But Leo shuffled them all off so he could get a few good photos with Blair. "Oh this is definitely going on my instagram story. You know your brother is gonna love this," he teased once things started to wrap up.

"And typically not being the first choice would offend me but in this instance, I thank you for having a list you surely contacted before me." Blair let him know, with a small laugh before pointing out how great she believed his Santa laugh to be. "That we definitely do." She looked herself over, not believing that she was about to do this but she simply kept reminding her that this was in fact for a good cause. Plus, she did make the Mrs. Claus get up work for. "What do you mean? Weren't Mr. and Mrs. Claus always black? Because they certainly were in my house." Blair said, as the Bueller kids had grown up with figurines that depicted Santa as black. Which she'd come to learn wasn't the normal, much to her shock when she found herself at the age of five coming face to face with a white man calling himself Santa. "You might have to whip up something to eat pretty soon." She told him with bright smile, turning away from the mirror she'd been giving herself finishing touches. "Wait, wait." Blair let him know, as she noticed an integral part of his costume was missing. She located his glasses with relative ease, before making her way up to him to place them on. "And there you are. Santa Claus, as I live and breath."

"Food? That I can do. You got it." He smiled as she put the glasses on and leaned over to take a look at himself in the mirror. "Damn, I look good. Ho, ho ho," he added and laughed again, pretty sure he was having more fun this year than last year. But that could've been because of the edible that Tallulah had given him earlier since she had prescribed him an enjoyable holiday. "Let's do this shit," he told her and held out his arm for her so they could walk into the room where the kids were waiting. They went wild as they walked in, greeting them before they took their seats at the front of the room to hear everyone's wishes. They were halfway through when Leo finally got a chance to turn to her. "What's at the top of your wish list this year?"

"You know, out of all the ways I assumed you'd be cashing in your favor—" Blair pushed the tiny glasses that were currently sliding off of her nose. "this, in no way, was one of the possibilities." Blair found herself in a Mrs. Claus get up to match the Santa Claus ensemble that Leo himself was wearing in that moment. "Be entirely real with me. How ridiculous do I look right now?" She asked, a small smile finding itself on her features. Sure, this wasn't how she planned on enjoying her afternoon but at least it was for a good cause. Spreading holiday cheer for Leo's students. ( @l-jackson )

"Believe me, this wasn't at the top of my list either," he replied with a perfect Santa laugh that he had been working on all week. Leo looked her over and couldn't even stifle the rest of his laugh. "We both look fucking ridiculous but somehow are making it work. At least everyone will know Mr. and Mrs. Claus are Black." Which was the main thing for him when he stepped up again every year and his mother always showed up with all of his siblings to take pictures. His usual Mrs. Claus had moved out of town last year and Leo had found himself uncertain about where to go next. But his recent friendship with Blair felt solid, nice even and though her rarely asked new people for help, he had found it relatively easy to just put it out there when it came to Blair. "But now I feel like I still kind of owe you for this so you can cash in after today. Just tell Santa what you want."

Blair looked up to find herself in the company of Leo, a small smile finding itself on her features. She hated to admit it, but the guy had to have some sort of talent where he could spot the moment someone was about to take her over the edge and just appear to bring her back down. "Well, I happen to like this restaurant and someone didn't tell me they clearly liked it too so maybe had they, I wouldn't have been alone." She let him know with a playful roll of her eyes. "But I really do like the food and I didn't want to be home alone, moping around like Issa from Insecure."

"You wanted me to ask you out for Valentine's Day?" He didn't mean for it to sound like such an impossible thing but that was how it came out. He let out a soft laugh and scratched the back of his head. "Well true, but maybe you can join me in my take out? If I don't get back with the food Drake is gonna be mad at me, I told him we'd watch Just Wright, it's like weirdly his favorite. He also really loved the Last Holiday so maybe he's just a Queen Latifah fan which, I don't blame him at all." He heard his name being called and happily thanked them for the bag, leaving a tip. "Or you can hang out here on your own like the very strong and independent woman you are."

"No, actually the table is just for—" Blair had been saying before the hostess went off to do another task. Now, she understood that today was kind of a busy one for the restaurant industry as everyone in a relationship was surely trying to have a nice out with their significant other but what about the people like her? A single woman who just wanted to enjoy a night out by herself. "me. Is it truly such a crime for a single woman to want to enjoy a meal by herself today? I think not."

"The question is who wants to be at a restaurant by themselves for Valentine's Day? I don't need to see all of these people sucking face." Leo smiled as he saw her, having come to pick up an order for himself before going home to watch romantic movies that would surely make him cry. Not that he'd tell anyone that but it was his first time in a long time being single on Valentine's Day and he wasn't trying to be with the masses. "I mean unless the food is really that good, Bueller."

"You don't say," Blair said, teasingly. "Thank you so much for that insight. Dancers, they are just like us, can you believe?" She said, motioning her head exploding at said insight. "Yes, yes, I am being strategic." She nodded. "Fine, you can stay on my ass about it but I'm not going to make a move until I know for certain, things are going to work in my favor." That was just the way that Blair maneuvered in just about every aspect of her life and for the most part, it'd certainly worked in her favor. "Oh, I'm also waiting for the day I find myself sitting on the Supreme Court as there's far too many outdated ideologies being represented in those chairs." She laughed at the thought of Leo fangirling over her being a supreme court justice.

"Yeah, I didn't think it'd be breaking news but maybe I should pitch it to the local paper and let everyone else know," he teased, laughing at her theatrics. "I can respect that. But is there ever really a way to be sure? That kind of defeats the idea of taking a risk, you know? But alright, avoiding risk is one way to go." Leo had lived his life completely opposite. His entire career had started on a risk, on having the confidence to just stroll into a place he didn't belong. Even when he was auditioning he had been doing it for himself and yet it had turned his entire life around. He approached most things like that. "Exactly. Shit's a mess up there. It needs people like you."

Blair found herself smiling, as he spoke because she knew where he was coming from. It was from a place of wanting to see her succeed, it was nice to know someone was in her corner in such a way. "You got me there." She told him, before taking a small bite of a fry. "Of course, I have. Haven't you?" She asked him, teasingly. "Wait, you don't? That sort of seems a bit ludicrous. Why wouldn't y'all solve everything with a dance battle?" Blair rambled, as she would have thought that would have definitely taken care of any disagreements. If you were a better dancer than your rival, then... you automatically won. It made sense in her head. "Leo, I know how the power of words work. I'm just choosing to pick the right time to use said words." She told him, not wanting him to think of her as some sort of pushover. Which, sure she could have been seen as one as of late but she just knew that her time would come when her words would actually hold weight amongst her peers. Blair turned her attention towards Leo, at his question. She found herself shaking her head. "No, he's not literally the bane of my existence." She explained. "No, it's not terrible. I suppose I've been so used to being annoyed by him that the nicknames just sort of stuck." Blair said, taking a moment to sit in those words. While Flynn and her were not best friends by any means, they did have a mutual respect for one another. "Oh, he's one of those, huh?" She asked him, as she'd unfortunately been one of those as well. "I'll make sure to remind him just how lucky he is to have a brother like you. I wish I had someone to pick my laundry up." Blair said with a small laugh.

"Because real life is not a musical. I mean it's not that I haven't had dance battles but we also have a lot of good ol fashioned fights. Verbal and physical. The verbal ones are definitely the worst," he said, laughing as he recalled a few of them. Colette had been especially good in those. "Alright, alright. I get it, you're being strategic and shit, I can appreciate it. But don't think I'm still not gonna be on your ass about it. I'm waiting for the day you're sitting on the Supreme Court or like..General Counsel in the White House and I can tell everyone I knew you when."

"Don't low whistle me right now," Blair let Leo know with a playful roll of her eyes. "don't you think I already beat myself up about it enough." She told him, as they began their walk. "Well, maybe because I can't exactly STEP UP my way through my career of choice. I'm sure you could challenge some head choreographer in charge and battle him and get up higher on the ladder. I do that at the firm, I'll be thrown back down the ladder. I like where I happen to be on the ladder." She told Leo, a small smile working at her lips at the exchange between him and his dog, Drake. "Now you're just being ridiculous." Blair teased him, thanking hi as he handed her some fries. "It was okay..." She let him know. "We took the Bueller Christmas picture which is essentially a pissing contest between my brothers. Freddie, my older brother does something and Flynn, the bane of my existence has to do something to one up him and it just keeps going and going." Blair said, with a sigh. "Siblings, you know."

"Oh I'm sure you beat yourself up plenty already but all the more reason for you to say something." Leo let out a loud laugh and had to catch himself. "Okay you've definitely watched Step Up too many times. Do you think we solve every conflict with a dance battle? That's so unserious, Blair. I think you vastly underestimate how much I've been underestimated," he admitted. Sure people knew about his talent but it was because of that talent and jealousy that a lot of white people with power had tried to keep him out of other programs or advancements. Especially when they realized he wasn't there to be their buddy. "But saying nothing gets you nowhere is what I'm saying. But alright, I'll drop it." Leo nodded in understanding, though he sensed he had a different relationship with his siblings than he did. "Yeah I hear you. I mean I'm the oldest so all of them are annoying but I don't think I've ever referred to any of them as the bane of my existence. Is it that bad with you and Flynn?" Leo of course had met Flynn before, it was hard not to in a town like this. The guy knew how to throw a party but he could definitely be annoying so he could imagine growing up with him was a whole trip. But Leo couldn't imagine not getting along with his siblings. "My younger brother's in college now though so he's annoying as fuck with how much he thinks he's like the smartest person in the world. But he still needs me to come pick up his laundry so he's just a little baby still."