Author's note: This just popped into my head. I think I did a little better keeping them in character. Last time, I admit, I wasn't actually trying that hard. I wanted a cutesy fluffy story just for the heck of it. This one isn't. I like it, though. Please review and let me know how I did on keeping them in character. I'm VERY new to the House/Chase thing, or House fanfiction for that matter, so I'm still kind of unsure about it. Constructive criticism is accepted.

Disclaimer: Obviously, I own nothing. If I did.... well....

Things You Tell The Bar Tender

House took another swig of his drink, some alcoholic beverage he was too far-gone to remember ordering, before glancing around the room with just a bit of resentment. He may not remember what he was drinking, but he still wasn't totally drunk yet. If he tried, he would remember. He just didn't want to. No, he was far too irritated to do that.

What he had originally planned as a night of getting wasted at his favorite bar to celebrate the turn of the year, which in his opinion was just another stupid day, had turned into a freaking staff party! He never should have told Cameron where he was going, who insisted he shouldn't be alone on New Year's Eve and began to invite every staff member at the hospital she came across.

"Stupid Cameron," he muttered, before taking another drink.

"What did Cameron do this time?" House glanced up to see the bar tender in front of him and filling his drink.

"I didn't ask for a refill," House mused.

"You always do, though," the bar tender replied. "I know you're done when you finish the drink and get up immediately. You didn't, which means you would have asked for more eventually. You didn't answer my question. What did Cameron do now?"

"How do you know about Cameron?" House asked, eying him suspiciously.

"You come in here a lot, remember? Or maybe you don't. I wouldn't be surprised, with the amount you always drink here, and then I have to call a cab for you. I know to cut you off when you start talking to me. You can be a talkative drunk sometimes," The bar tender replied with a shrug. "I'm Jason, by the way, since you probably don't remember the other million times I've told you that."

"Well, Jason," House started, still looking at Jason suspiciously, "Cameron is the one that invited all these people here."

"Oh, and of course, being you, you don't want a whole bunch of people here, especially if you know them. You prefer watching, but only if someone is acting something less than normal. Normalcy bores you."

"Do I really talk that much when I'm drunk?" House asked, feeling a little unnerved. He hopes not. That could be bad.

"Sometimes I can't get you to shut up," Jason laughed. "How's Wilson?"

Again, House was startled, before looking down at his drink. "Cameron invited him. He's here somewhere."

"Is Cuddy still wearing shirts that make her a walking-bull's-eye for perverted comments?"

"What else have I told you?" House sighed, annoyed with himself. "Wilson never said anything about me talking a lot when I'm drunk."

"Probably because you don't do it to everyone," Jason shrugged. "About two months ago I came in late. You were already drunk. The guy that had the shift before me said you'd been sitting there all night and hadn't said a word. The second you saw me you started talking my ass off until I decided to call you a cab when you almost fell off the stool."

"So you're just the unfortunate soul I apparently talk to when I'm drunk? Well, aren't you lucky?"

"It's better than the lottery," Jason said sarcastically.

"Don't you have something better to do than bug me?" House asked.

"Not really," Jason replied, shrugging again. "In case you haven't noticed, everyone else seems to be in favor of dancing rather than drinking," Jason said as he jerked his thumb at the dance floor before picking up some empty glasses other customers had left and began washing them. House frowned. How convenient; the sink was right in front of him. There was no escaping this guy.

House turned in the swivel chair and looked at the dance floor. Jason was right; the dance floor was packed, but there was hardly anyone at the bar. House scanned the dancing crowd, mentally seeing whom everyone had paired up with.

Wilson was dancing with some girl with a hat on. Obviously, a patient; no surprises there. Uninterested, House continued his gaze. Cuddy was chatting with a donor to the hospital. House rolled his eyes as he watched; she was obviously flirting, probably trying to get more money. Still uninterested, House began searching the crowd for his team.

Cameron was with some guy that was obviously drunk off his ass, trying to help him sit down in a booth across the room. Go figure, Miss Goody-Two-Shoes helping someone again. Foreman was dancing with some girl, if it could indeed be called dancing, which House suspected it couldn't. There is no way what those two were doing could be called dancing. House scanned the crowd, wondering what Chase was up to, but didn't see him. He continued searching until the next song ended, before giving up.

"So did you see any of your friends doing anything interesting?" House sighed in exasperation as Jason stood in front of him again.

"Oh not you again," House sighed.

"Oh, I give you drinks, you know you love me," Jason laughed. "So, are they?"

"Are they what?" House asked, feeling a bit irritated.

"Are they doing anything interesting?" Jason asked slowly, as if he was talking to a small child. House glared at him.

"No, they're all being predictable. Cuddy is with a donor, Wilson is with a patient, Cameron is playing caretaker, and Foreman found a way to have sex with his clothes on and call it dancing. Are you happy?"

"What about Robbie?"

"Robbie? You mean Chase?" House asked, confused. Why did Jason call Chase Robbie?

"Well, yes, unless you know more than one adorable Australian blonde boy with horrible fashion taste, at least at work," Jason replied.

"Adorable?" House asked, staring at Jason with confusion.

"Robbie is a friend of mine," Jason replied. "His apartment is across from mine. I didn't make the connection until about a month ago when you called him Wombat. The fashion thing is what threw me off, I think."

"Why would that throw you off? If he lives across the hall from you, then you should be familiar with how he dresses," House replied.

Suddenly the look on Jason's face made House wish he hadn't asked. "Look at what he's wearing when he's not at work, and then see if you really want to ask me that."

"I never see Chase outside of work. I've never seen Chase outside of work. He's not here, so I'll probably never know."

"Then who's that?" Jason asked, pointing to a far corner. House looked up and could have sworn his eyes nearly popped out of his head. Chase was here.

With his back pressed against a wall.

Making out….

With a guy.

What. The. Hell!

"Didn't know he was gay, I'm guessing?" House snapped his attention back to Jason. "I guess it's your lucky day then."

"My lucky day?" House asked, blinking.

"Just referring to something you said a few weeks ago," Jason laughed.

House sat there for an hour, though he didn't realize it as he became lost inside his own head. Since when was the wombat gay? More importantly, what was with that outfit? House had been more than shocked to see Chase in a black under armor shirt that of course fit him like a second skin, and those jeans! The black jeans Chase had been wearing were impossibly tight. House was sure he was probably commando under them, because it didn't look like the jeans were wrinkled, and he was sure there was no way Chase could have worn any without them bulging under the jeans. The outfit had been completed with black converse shoes, a studded belt, a chocker around his neck that looked more like a collar than anything, and matching wristbands. Even Chase's hair had been different. He'd gelled it or something, House wasn't sure. It was messy, but at the same time, it had looked sexy.

"Having fun?" House looked up, startled when he saw Chase slide into the seat next to him.

"Not nearly as fun as you, you little skank, you!" House shot back.

"So you saw that, then?" Chase laughed. "Sweet guy, but not that great of a kisser," Chase said as he leaned against the bar.

"You didn't seem to be complaining."

"No, but I was also doing all the work," Chase said as he rolled his eyes. "There's no fun in that."

Chase and House continued to talk until the crowd began to count down the New Year.

"Three, two, one!" House nearly jumped out of his seat when Chase suddenly leaned over and kissed him. It wasn't even a quick, shy kiss. It was hard, passionate, and confident.

"Jason told me what you said," Chase gasped as he finally pulled away for air. "You never told me you thought I was hot."

"You never told me you were gay," House said. "I had no reason to."

"Now you have one," Chase replied, as he pulled House back in for another kiss. "Your place or mine?" Chase asked when House pulled away.

"Mine," House replied, wrapping his arm forcefully around Chase's waist and pulling him out the door.