Family man

'We share the habit of holding our head to one side. You can either do that to please, or to beg. I guess that's the case with you, you use that technique in every single situation, you're a master at it. With me, I guess it's nothing but a twitch.'

Wilson looked at him, with his head to one side.

'I'm sorry, I didn't hear you, the christmas songs are too loud here.'

'You going home?'

'Yes, I'm so glad I can be off tonight. I had to work till eleven last year.'

His eyes scanned House's face.

'You're not leaving, are you?'

'No, I'm not.'

'You want me to drop by?' he whispered after a few interns had passed by. 'Tonight? Tomorrow?'

'No.'

'Why not?'

'I won't be home, I'll be here. That way I won't have to give you a present, and you won't even notice, cause you won't be thinking of cranky limping Dr. House when you're at home, enjoying dinner with your lovely third wife.'

'Well,' Wilson sighed, closing his coat and pulling a cap over his ears. 'see you later, then.'

House watched him walk away.

'That cap is just...too cute,' he muttered, and went after him, all the way to the front door, and by the time he got there, Wilson was only a shadow under the lanterns. His cap was already covered with snow.

'What are you doing here?' Cuddy said when she noticed him.

'The wondrous places my leg takes me!' he said, spreading his arms.

At two that night, he hopped on his motorcycle and let it drive him home. The darkness of the night made him yawn. When a traffic light stopped him, he took a look at the guy next to him.

'Nice bike,' he said, nodding approvingly.

'Hey, thanks man,' the boy said, clearly proud of his vehicle.

'But you know what?'

The light switched to green.

'Mine's bigger,' he said before he sped off. 'God, I can't get enough of the looks on their faces...'

House found out that night that there's nothing worse than tv on christmas eve, after midnight. Singing kids, stupid movies that had nothing to do with christmas, news items that bored him. He stared at a muted movie of a christmas carol for a few minutes before he switched the thing off.

'I've always thought Ebenezer Scrooge was a hero,' he talked to himself. He sat down on the floor and closed his eyes. 'But he wasn't cool anymore by the end of the book.'

His fingers moved through the air, touching nothing.

'I hope you actually have been thinking of cranky limping Dr. House,' he said and lay down on his carpet.

'James...'

It was 6.30 that day when he returned at work. None of the guys he worked with was there yet, they usually began at nine or something. So he went upstairs and asked Cuddy for work.

'What is it with you?' she asked him. 'Usually you're willing to find any excuse not to work.'

'I woke up this morning and felt a sudden need to help out all of those poor people who are ill at christmas. I just want to reunite them with their families again, so they can be together, get drunk, you know?'

'This is christmas, isn't it? You couldn't stand being at home anymore? Why not call a hooker?'

House just smiled. 'I need all the work you can give me.'

'Well... This actually comes at the right moment.'

She handed over an enormous load of patient files. 'Have fun!'

'Thanks.' When he walked out of her office, she heard him say: 'I'm gonna stay up laaate tonight...'

She smiled. 'I am so not dropping by...'

Four o' clock.

'Wow, welcome back.'

'Yeah, hi. More, please.'

'You can go home now, House.'

'Don't feel like it, sorry.'

'Then start feeling like it. Go home!'

House sighed. 'Well...Goodnight then.'

A lantern shone on the bench he sat on. There was nobody on the street, except for a few people trying to get home. He was wondering if it would be too obvious he was waiting for him to pass by. Maybe he should hide behind a car or something.

Snow started to fall again. House waited for two hours. But Wilson didn't pass by. He was freezing and he was hungry. Home was the only option left.

He got up slowly and realised he was looking like a lonely old man now.

'House!'

'Huh?' he mumbled and turned around. He sighed. He was wearing his cap again.

'Were you waiting for me?'

'No, not at all, I simply enjoy freezing to death.'

'Greg, you actually are freezing to death.'

'Oh no! Please help me! Are you a doctor?'

Wilson held his head to one side. 'I am, so... let's go someplace we can help you better.'

House checked the street quickly. 'This place seems alright,' he whispered and slowly pressed his lips to Wilson's, where they stayed a few seconds.

'You know...You should shave, mr House. This could cause my skin to become irritated.'

'And you,' House said while fumbling with Wilson's tie, 'should get this untied. You're practically getting strangled this way.'

'This is the worst example of 'wrong erotic doctor humor' ever.'

'I want to check on you, James.'

'I see,' Wilson smiled.

House fell silent for a while, then looked Wilson in his eyes and asked: 'Can I really take you home with me tonight?'

'Yes.'

'What did you tell your wife?'

A guilty look flashed over his face. 'I lied to her.'

'Are you serious?'

Wilson nodded, clearly not proud of it.

'But you never do. You never lie to your wife, or exes, for that matter.'

'No, but I still did.'

'What about me? Do you ever lie to me?'

When he didn't get an answer, House took his hand. 'No problem, James. When you're always honest, people tend to hate you. Well, come on, let's get in my car. I'm freezing.'

They were kissing heavily even before they were inside House's apartment. In the dark, they bumped against furniture, trying to switch on the light, constantly bringing their lips together.

Wilson wondered how often this had happened in the past two years. He couldn't recall. All he knew was that he wanted more of him. And it almost seemed as if House felt the same way, considering the fact he was constantly trying to get him in his bed.

In a short break from kissing, Wilson put off his coat and his cap.

'Aw, why did you have to do that?' House pouted.

'Hmm?'

'Aw well...You're cute enough like this.'

'Did you just say I am...cute?'

'Oh hurry up James, enough talking.'

'You started...'

'No, I didn't.'

'Yes, you did.'

House didn't respond anymore and started undressing him quickly. Wilson closed his eyes, still not believing the desire in House for him. Countless kisses landed on his face, while more and more clothes silently dropped on the ground.

'Greg, we're still in the hallway...'

'God, I just can't wait to have you.'

'On Christmas?'

'No matter when.'

Wilson stroked House's hair, the kind of hair that's softer than you had ever thought. Everytime he did so, House fell silent and avoided his glance. Like a kid that's afraid to scare a butterfly.

'I like that,' he whispered.

'What?'

'What you're doing.'

Wilson pressed a kiss on his lips and smiled at the confused look on House's face.

'Everytime you do that,' he murmured, 'we end up having great sex.'

'Actually...yes.'

'James, if I may?'

'You may.'

The last clothes dropped. Their bodies turned towards each other, in a tight naked embrace.

Why was House like this? Why just with him?

Wilson knew that nobody, except for himself, would ever believe House capable of being as tender as he was now. But he didn't know why it only seemed to work with him. They both had girlfriends, now and then. But inbetween days, they kept running back to each other, without the thought of staying longer than a night. They couldn't, it was as simple as that. Why? Wilson didn't know that, either.

They rolled around on the bed like they always did, knowing exactly where to touch, where to kiss. Wilson moaned when House entered him. He never got used to that feeling, no matter how familiar it had become. Apart from Wilson's little noises, they didn't make a sound. House wasn't the person to whisper lovey-dovey stuff in Wilson's ear, though Wilson sometimes wished he was, not knowing whether he was doing everything right. After a groan from House and a twitch from Wilson they let go, House quickly lying down to give his leg some rest. Wilson put the blanket over them, carefully laid himself on top of House, and snuggled in his arms. He noticed he was still wearing his watch round his waist. Thirteen past nine, PM.

'What's up?'

'Thinking about Julie. Wondering what she's thinking.'

'She knows it all. I told her.'

'No, you didn't.'

'No, I didn't.'

'You sound as if you want to.'

House grinned. 'Not now. I'm too tired.'

'So am I.' He sighed. 'It was awesome.'

'Well, until we meet again, James. I'll see you again when the snow is covering the apartment complex.'

'That tired?'

'Yeah.'

'I'm leaving at eight tomorrow. Else I won't make it home.'

'Don't make her wait.'

'I won't.'

'But you love me better.'

'Who knows?'

'You couldn't live a day without me.'

'What about the weekends? That's two days.'

House slowly fell asleep, still mumbling.

'You're mine.'

March 17th, 2008

23.06