House was still excited to think about the massage he'd just been given. His leg felt so much better right now, even without the help from the Vicodin. Chase had told him to stay right where he was while he changed into some dry clothes, and then the kid had brought House his dinner and a cold beer to enjoy in the couch.
"God bless you!" House said as he was handed the beer. "You'll make a wonderful housewife some day!"
"Ha-ha, very funny! I just happen to know what you like!" Chase said, moving a chair to the other side of the small coffee table so that he was facing House. This way, he was also blocking the TV.
"Oh, I thought you'd let me watch TV while we're eating! You're not the ideal housewife after all, I suppose!" House moaned dramatically and rolled his eyes.
"Come on, House, I thought it'd be nice to have a chat instead!" Chase said, not taking House's complaining too seriously. "Don't you agree?"
"Sure," House was stuffing his face now and it was becoming impossible for Chase to even understand what he was saying now that his mouth was full, "'were… always... strict… wi' Cam'ron?" House chewed loudly, not even bothered to keep his mouth closed. It was like eating with a small child.
"Hold on, I can't understand a word you're saying!" Chase laughed, looking at his boss with amazement in his eyes. He was the only person who could pull this acting-like-a-baby thing off and still be sexy.
House swallowed his food. "I said: Were you always this strict with Cameron? Did you also forbid her to watch TV when you were eating with her?"
"Yeah, right!" Chase snorted. "Try the other way around! She was the one who taught me my manners, you know! She always used to say that watching TV in the middle of your dinner was a bad habit!"
House looked up, still champing his food without a care. "That's just stupid! No, I don't like that rule one bit!"
"Well, I tried arguing with her in the beginning," Chase admitted with a grin, "but she never liked it when I disagreed with her."
House made a sound to indicate that he wasn't surprised to hear this. "Reminds me of Stacy! She was all 'don't do this, don't do that!' She wouldn't even let me put my feet up on the table!"
Chase raised an eyebrow. "Well, guess what," he said and pointed to the coffee table between them, "this is my place and I say: Put your feet up on the table all you want!"
House was speechless for a second. Even Wilson was hesitant to let him do that whenever he was visiting at his apartment. He looked at Chase and he felt like he was truly free to be himself. So he instantly put his feet up on the table, already feeling at home. "Well this – this is amazing!" He said and took a sip from his beer. "A guy like me could really get used to this!"
"You've earned it," Chase said, leaning back in the chair, "besides, I don't like telling people what they can and cannot do!"
"I know." House smiled at the thought. "You're nothing like Cameron! Thank God for that!"
"Oh, she wasn't so bad!" Chase felt like he had to say something to defend his ex-wife even if there had been some really bad experiences. "She just liked to, I don't know, mother people. But at the same time, she would also correct me and complain about me to her girl friends when she thought that I wasn't Mr. Perfect!" Chase chuckled. "You know, she would sometimes make me feel like I wasn't good enough. She was always acting like she deserved to find someone better than me!"
House had no idea what to say. He wanted to tell Chase that Cameron had been utterly wrong and that she could never find a man half as good as him. But he was scared to reveal how much he actually liked his employee. So instead, he brought up Stacy again. "Women are like that sometimes. Well, some women at least! Stacy used to scold and tell me off all the time. She never understood my sense of humour!" Or my pranks, House thought to himself.
"Well, not a lot of people do, House!" Chase remarked. But naturally, he failed to mention that he himself was an exception. He'd always loved his boss's irony. He couldn't imagine himself getting upset about House's jokes and puns.
They were both silent for a moment. Then House said: "You know what? I think you need me to reverse all the crap that Cameron taught you! I think you need me to help you get rid of those manners. Her influence on you was too good! No man should ever have to change himself just to make a woman think that he is perfect!"
Chase shook his head. Oh, this was so typical of House! "What are you saying? Should I let you have a bad influence on me in order to cancel out Cameron's?"
"Well, I don't know. I'm just saying that I could always test you every now and then!"
"Test me?" Chase frowned. "How would you do that?"
House thought for a moment. "I will make you break one of her rules. Right here and now. I think that might make you feel better! So tell me, how about breaking her "no TV" rule? That seems like a great place to start!"
Chase should have seen this coming. House wasn't a believer of taking no for an answer. It was like trying to take the remote away from a four-year-old. House wouldn't give up until he'd won it back. "All right," he said and moved the chair so it wasn't blocking the TV anymore, "you might have a point! I guess it would feel good to do something that I have been denied for years!"
"Yes, I am very smart!" House agreed. "And I am always right, too. You can consider this TV-watching a new kind of therapy! Invented by me!"
"Sure!" Chase decided to just play along with it. "And what do I owe you for teaching me this valuable lesson?"
"How about another beer?" House suggested and raised his empty bottle to demonstrate that he'd run out. "I'm thirsty!"
A few minutes later, they were sitting next to each other in the couch, watching comedy shows and drinking beers. As they finished eating, Chase took out the empty trays and then he returned to the couch, taking his seat right next to his boss again. They were both enjoying themselves immensely. They'd lost all track of time – it was like the world outside had stopped existing. There was no one else but the two of them. When the programme had ended, they turned off the TV and went back to just talking. And laughing.
They had never noticed it before, but they both found that the other was so easy to talk to. They got along so well and even though he knew that House's past had been full of pain, Chase really felt like they had something in common. He felt like he understood House. He understood that the things he'd been through had changed him, but at the same time, he knew that he wasn't a hopeless case. House would sometimes pretend that he was; pushing people around him away because he didn't want them to get too close to him. But it was all an act. Chase knew that House needed people even if he was afraid to show it. He'd been hurt so many times and he was obviously afraid to trust someone again, but Chase wanted him to know that he should never be afraid to trust him. He could never do anything to let House down. He'd rather die than hurt the man who'd been through so much already.
Chase really wanted to change the subject and ask House about the kisses they had shared. But he was afraid that this was something House wasn't ready or willing to discuss. He feared that he'd read too much into House's romantic gestures. It had all felt so good, so right – but what if House didn't mean anything by it? What if he'd only been looking to get laid and he'd only turned to Chase because he knew that he wasn't supposed to turn anyone down this week? No – that was just too silly, Chase told himself. House would never take advantage like that! He wasn't one to just kiss an employee for the fun of it. It had to be more meaningful than that!
Meanwhile, House was looking at Chase and it hit him that he was more comfortable around him than he'd ever been with any of his past girlfriends. He'd already experienced more joy and happiness kissing this kid than he'd ever experienced it with Stacy. She had never allowed House to be himself. She had been trying to change him, just like Cameron had been trying to change Chase. But House and Chase were both so alike. House couldn't believe himself for only realizing all of this now. Stacy had never made him happy. She had only made him feel ashamed of himself. Chase, however – he knew how to make House feel. For the first time, he wasn't being judged at all.
But there was still one thing. House had never been with another man before, obviously. He had never been attracted to other men before he met Chase. Meeting Chase had changed him completely. He'd liked the Australian from day one, but when he'd started a relationship with Cameron, House had forced himself to forget about it. Now that Chase was divorced and on his own again, House was desperate to take a next step with him. He would never forgive himself if he lost Chase to someone else – again.
Chase had to be his! But how? House was scared that the kid wouldn't want to be in a relationship with someone who was twenty years older than him. What if Chase wasn't interested in him at all? House was starting to fall for him and he just couldn't afford to get hurt again. It would be too much. Too painful. It would probably kill him.
What if Chase was only doing this because Foreman had made a bet with him? What if he would dump House as soon as the bet was over? What if House was making a fool of himself now? Had he been an idiot to even kiss Chase? Maybe he had gotten his hopes up too high. He wanted Chase so bad, but what if he could never have him?
Suddenly Chase interrupted House's string of thoughts by putting down his beer on the table and turning to face him. He looked him in the eyes for a moment and they both turned completely silent. House couldn't even make jokes now. He was utterly overwhelmed by the way Chase was looking at him.
"House, I…" Chase couldn't find the words to say. He wanted to tell his boss so many things. He wanted to ask him a million questions, but they had all escaped him now. So instead, he moved closer to House, slowly enough for the other man to stop him if he wanted to back out. But when House didn't move at all, Chase carefully pressed his lips against his. The Aussie's lips brushed over House's in such a sweet manner. It almost felt like he was caressing him with his mouth. It felt so affectionate and loving. House remembered how he had merely forced his own tongue down Chase's throat in the exam room and it made him feel slightly guilty – even if it had been sexy as hell, he'd left out the sense of romance. Chase was reminding him of that just now – how to be romantic.
House had no idea that he could enjoy a kiss this much. It was fantastic. Once again, his feelings for Chase had been taken to a new level. There was no going back. He couldn't get enough. The touch of his wonderful employee was beginning to turn into a pure addiction for him, House realized. He wanted to give in. He wanted Chase so bad…
House raised a hand to caress Chase's cheek, doing his best to return the romantic gesture. Then he ran his fingers through the soft strands of blond hair and the need for more overpowered him. He took a hold of Chase's hands and leaned in, trying to push his employee down into the cushions. When he was overwhelmed with impatience, House practically mounted him, making sure that Chase was on his back and trapped underneath him. Chase giggled – he didn't resist at all.
"Oh you can laugh all you want!" House smiled at him. "But you're in big trouble now!"
He tried to push him further down into the cushions, making sure that his full body was covering the Australian's. Chase would soon stop giggling – House was gonna make sure of that. He captured his lips and deepened the kiss immediately. He'd come to quite like the inside of the Aussie's mouth, but then he reminded himself that the kiss should be more experimental this time. He wanted to try out something different. House began to nibble at Chase's bottom lip, biting down on it a few times. He tried to be careful; he would have hated for it to hurt but Chase only seemed thrilled. House noted that he'd already left little bite marks. Chase's lips were so soft and the biting had made them turn slightly pink. House licked the bite marks with his tongue, slowly and thoroughly. Then he started sucking on the entire lip, as if he was trying to suck out the taste of it. Chase's sweet, wonderful taste…
He felt Chase move underneath him, so House secured the grip he had of Chase's hands, pinning him down as a reminder of the fact that there was no escape. House was not releasing him yet. He began to kiss his face, moving his lips over the Aussie's cheeks, chin, nose and forehead. Then he moved on to the kid's neck – and exactly that earned him the reaction from Chase that he'd hoped for. He could feel Chase shiver and tremble underneath him, so House made the oral attacks even more intense. He was able to look past the bruising and the hickeys that had been put there by another man. It didn't matter now. House was sure that no one had ever kissed Chase as intensely as he was doing it right now… He bit down on his neck and followed up by licking the warm skin with his tongue. He repeated this little procedure a couple of times: He bit Chase, but made sure to make up for it by licking and kissing the small marks that were made on his skin. His lovely, tanned skin.
"You're so delicious!" House whispered in his ear. "So delicious…"
Chase sighed and moaned loudly every time House bit down on his exposed skin. And when House had suddenly whispered those words in his ear, he had started trembling and his entire body had jerked. He was now completely unable to control himself. When his body had jerked, though, House had done his best to cancel it out by making himself heavier, pushing Chase's body further down on the couch, holding him very still. House realized that Chase's ears seemed to be a particularly sensitive area. He grinned devilishly as he took the small earlobe into his mouth and sucked on it. Chase squirmed and attempted to move his body again, but House was the strongest one of them.
"Oh, isn't your skin just nice and sensitive?" House teased him and breathed right into his ear canal on purpose. Chase gasped and made an attempt to turn his head to the side, but this wasn't enough to stop House. "Nice try!" House chuckled, right before sticking the tip of his tongue in there.
"Oh God, House!" Chase exclaimed. "Please - no!"
Oh how wonderful, House thought. Chase wasn't only sensitive to his touch, he was also ticklish! He couldn't have asked for anything better. He started moving the tip of his tongue again and Chase squirmed, unable to remain still even though his entire body had been trapped. House returned to the kid's bare neck, moving the tip of his tongue slowly from the earlobe and all the way down to the collar bone. Then he attacked Chase's Adam's apple by ghosting his lips across it, suddenly breathing heavily.
Chase let out a whimper as he kept struggling underneath House's body weight. He made a half-hearted attempt to free his hands, but House was prepared for this and he made sure to pin down the Aussie all over again. He couldn't believe how turned on he was by all of this – it was every little noise that Chase was making, along with every movement, every jerk, every shiver… It all added up. He loved the idea of overpowering his young employee. He liked taking control and being the dominant one. Chase was so responsive. House could never have done anything like this to Stacy – she would never have moaned or done anything to indicate that she was enjoying his touches. He had never wanted to touch her that badly anyway. Sure, he'd been attracted to her, but it was nothing compared to his feelings for Chase…
Wait – did House really have feelings for the kid? What the hell was he thinking? It was all moving too fast all of a sudden. After all, they had only been kissing each other a few times by now. Nothing about their relationship had been serious so far. Now that House came to think of it, he hadn't even done anything to Chase that Cuddy and Taub hadn't already done. Not really.
Chase moaned and began to squirm again, and just like that, House froze. He'd come to realize that his groin was pressed against Chase's pelvis and like that wasn't bad enough – House was now very aware of the fact that he was erect. How long had he been that way? Jesus Christ, he was sure that Chase must have noticed it, too! There was no hiding it. It was all too late!
In the blink of an eye, House had released Chase's hands and now he struggled to lift himself off of the kid. He was finally able to sit in an upright position on the couch, but his legs were still mingled with Chase's.
"House, what's wrong?" Chase looked up at him in deep concern. "Is it your leg? Did it start cramping again?" He moved to untangle himself from his boss. "Here, let me help you…"
"No," House said and turned his face the other way, "no, it's not my leg. I-I'm sorry, but I can't do this. I thought I could, but I can't!" House stood up from the couch, trying to maintain his balance.
"Wait, what are you talking about?" Chase now looked even more terrified than before. He didn't understand a word! House had seemed so eager, so content only a few seconds ago! What the hell happened?
"I have to go!"
House took a few steps towards the door. He already felt like a jerk for turning his back on the kid and leaving him like this, but there was no other way. He simply couldn't deal with his emotions right now. He was so confused. He could barely recognize himself. He had to take some time alone to think this through. He didn't want to make any mistakes – he didn't want to end up with a broken heart again. If Chase had only been playing him so far because he didn't want to lose his bet with Foreman, House needed to find out and stop whatever he'd been doing with him before it was too late. This time, House had to look out for himself. Even if that meant hurting Chase instead.
He glanced at Chase who was still on the couch, looking more lost and baffled than ever. His eyes had turned wide with wonder and his lips were slightly parted as if he was about to ask a question. His hair had become messy and this tormented House in particular – how could be bring himself to abandon someone so beautiful when he could have had him right here, right now?
"I'm sorry," House said again and he sounded hoarse, "please don't call me or anything. I'll just see you tomorrow at work. It's easier this way, trust me!"
He approached the door, and even though Chase called out his name numerous times, he walked out of the apartment without further hesitation. As he shut the door behind him and was facing the stairs again, though, his leg started to cramp. The sudden pain was killing him, but House couldn't tell if the pain was related to his physical or emotional distress. All he knew was that it hurt like a bitch.
Life had turned ugly again. He decided that he needed Wilson's help more than anything. Yes, Wilson would know what to do. Perhaps he could even help House figure out what Chase's true intentions were. Wilson could find out if the kid had been bluffing or not when he'd kissed House. Because that was the one question he desperately needed answered.