A Challenge a Day

by Katling

This is a series of ficlets written for the housefic50 and fanfic100 challenge prompts. They are all HouseWilson and range in rating from K to M but will be rated M overall.

67. Children

028. Children

The Difference

The children were the worst. Cancer was an ugly disease that claimed lives in ugly ways but it was at its most ugly with the children. It was heart wrenching in many ways, watching the children be brave for their parents, for their families. Watching them try not to cry when the pain got bad. Watching them swallow hard and dredge up a smile and even a joke from somewhere when their hair fell out and their energy and strength disappeared. And it always seemed like something died inside when one of them died.

House often mocked him when he got emotional; teased and taunted, shocking and horrifying their colleagues. Wilson never minded too much though. It hurt sometimes to hear those words come out of House's mouth, to see House dismiss these children that he did care about so much as though they were nothing. But he knew something that no one else did.

House did care. Deep down inside where he never allowed anyone to see he actually did give a damn about the people he treated, the people Wilson treated and Wilson himself. He'd deny it to his dying breath of course, something that made Wilson shake his head with exasperation at times. And he'd certainly never say anything, not even in the privacy of his own home, not even to Wilson.

So how did Wilson know this? Because even though House might not say it, might refuse to say it, might be unable to say it, he could and did show it. He showed it in the silence he allowed to reign when they returned to House's apartment after one of Wilson's children had died. He showed it in the calm music he would coax out of the piano when Wilson finally sighed and started to relax. He showed it in his little actions, his gentle caresses…one of the few times House was gentle. He showed it in the way he would make love to Wilson…for it was never just sex on those nights.

People often asked Wilson, usually in incredulous tones, how he managed to put up with House. A question that came most often after one of House's indifferent displays to one of his dead children. Wilson would always make some offhand, even slightly inane, response about familiarity breeding contempt and he'd smile. Many people would give him an odd look at that smile; it was a secretive smile, even a smug one. Because Wilson knew something they didn't and that made all the difference.