House liked this bar. It was dark-ish, so it was hard to tell anyone's emotions, it had the local microbrew on draft and the smell of good ole down home cooking in the air, and decent music on the juke box. Wilson was sitting across the table from him, leaning back and allowing his vertebrae to settle back into place after the day's riding. They were about a week into their trip now, and as yet he still looked healthy and fit. House, for the moment, refused to think about the time when that would no longer be the case. Both were quietly contemplating their beers, and House was still choosing his dinner. Chicken stew and biscuits or the BBQ pork? Wilson's left eyebrow went up slightly in amused irritation when the new song came on, registering that it was once again Billy Joel disturbing his drinking mood. Billy was urging on his subject to let the girl know about his feelings, enthusiastically and Motown style.
"When you love someone, you're always insecure…"
"You can say that again, Billy…" House muttered under his breath.
Wilson leant forward: "Huh?"
"Nothing…"
"Tell her about it…"
If it only had been that simple. Wilson had decided to die. Even if he finally did tell him now they'd only have months left together, and then? The pain of their situation was bad enough as it was, there was absolutely no need to add officially being in love and physical affection to the equation on top of everything else.
"Give her something to believe…"
And if that was exactly what Wilson needed to give chemo a chance? Right now the cancer was probably still treatable… BLAH! Life was never that simple, unfortunately.
"Just a word or two that she gets from you, could be the difference that it makes…"
Really? Yeah, right…
Wilson looked at him again, the warm glow in his eyes conspiring with the lyrics to make him say it out loud: "You ok?"
"Yeah…" Damn these two Long Island Jewboys, messing with his heart like that.
"Tell her about it!"
But he couldn't, it would just make everything worse!
"Tell her about it!"
No he wouldn't!
"Tell her about it!"
"I love you…" There, he had said it, muttering, grudgingly, almost inaudibly.
"Huh?"
"You heard me…"
"I'm not sure I did, to be honest." Wilson looked surprised, amused and happy in equal measures.
"I love you…" Slightly louder this time.
Wilson chuckled: "Billy and bars… You better not make me hate this song, too."
"I promise I won't."
"I know you won't." Wilson got out his cell and started typing on the touch pad.
"Please, Wilson, not now…"
"Shut up and order our dinner, I gotta research treatment options!"
House immediately fell silent. There was no way he was gonna interfere with that.