Written for the "International Day of Kissing" (July 6th) - but no slash
title: Rainclouds & Silver Linings (au)
author: the unreliable narratress
fandom: House MD
episode/spoiler: references to the end of season 5
characters: House & Wilson
rating: pg, gen, au
warning: none I can think of
summary: he expected there would be tears – short oneshot
a/n: AU because we all know how it ended. or you can look at it as an extension of what happened, like a missing scene, ending up on the floor of the cutter's room.
disclaimer: I have to feed a seven year old wabbit and a half a year old computer so please don't sue me. Seriously: I hope the idea to this story is mine, but I do not intend to touch the rights of the owner of the characters from House MD I've used. No moneymaking, no offence meant.
He expected there would be tears, eventually. Maybe he wasn't so sure why he expected Wilson to be the one who cried. Perhaps – as he was so fond of stating out loud – he actually secretly believed Wilson to be a closeted girl.
But when he walked away from the car, his own eyes clouded over. House blamed the rain for it and tried to tune everything out – even the looming future he was walking forward to. If there was such a thing as a future. You're allowed to feel a little gloomy, standing in front of the mental bin, right?
Then… the sound of expensive French shoes behind him, hitting rain-soaked asphalt with a slight squeak at the end, as if the leather itself protested to be subjected to such inelegant conditions.
Wilson.
Coming after him.
He tried to hobble along faster; with no hopes of escape as pain flared in his muscles, breaking even through the dull shroud of non-emotion that had settled over him since he stood in Cuddy's office, watching his world shatter.
A hand grabbed his shoulder and stopped his tumble forward.
He turned to tell him to go; to leave him alone – there was nothing else for Wilson to do. No way to help me, Jimmy - he thought, with visions of Amber dancing across his mind.
He turned to tell him to let it go… for once to see only rain on his face and to curb those motherly instincts which would drive him to touch and misplaced attempts of comforting… House didn't think he could subject himself to even a brotherly hug without hitting Jimmy with his cane afterwards. And wouldn't that be a shitty way to end their friendship? Even for him and his bag of failed relationships.
But Wilson did not attempt to hug him and - aside from the hand still on his shoulder - Wilson didn't even try to touch him otherwise.
Avoiding whatever emotion he might have found in the brown eyes, he looked away and closed his eyes.
Dreading whatever Wilson thought he had to tell him before they parted ways.
Instead of words he received a gentle, close-mouthed kiss; a whisper of lips grazing his temple. Then the sound of expensive French shoes walking on rain-slick asphalt again; this time clearly directed away from him. Accompanied by the jiggle of Wilson's car keys and the wet, smacking sound of gaskets releasing as he unlocked the door.
House opened his eyes and started to walk again. The rain continued to fall.
end
