040. Nut

Last To Know

"He's allergic to nuts?" Wilson said incredulously.

He was standing in the corridor outside the hospital room House currently inhabited. House was asleep, exhausted by the anaphylaxis and the subsequent epinephrine and fuss. Wilson was standing in the corridor staring at Cuddy, who was nodding wearily, with stunned incomprehension.

"Chestnuts to be precise," she said absently, looking down at the file she was carrying. "Well, the family of nuts that includes chestnuts."

"Since when?" Wilson demanded, his voice a little ragged.

That edge to Wilson's voice got Cuddy's attention and she looked up from the file in surprise.

"You didn't know?"

"No!" Wilson said in a half-shout.

"Oh," Cuddy said, sounding rather nonplussed. "I thought…"

Wilson stared at her for a long moment then turned on his heel and stalked back into the room. He sat down in the chair beside the bed with a thump, feeling stunned and slightly lost.

"Hey," House said in a hoarse voice, startling Wilson.

"Hey," Wilson replied, feeling fractured and unsure. He looked up and saw that House was awake, his eyes half-open and watching him lazily.

A silence fell in the room and Wilson had no idea how to break it. Finally House did.

"Water?"

"Oh, yes," Wilson said, moving jerkily to grab the glass on the bedside table. He helped House take several sips of water then put the glass back and returned to his seat, fidgeting with his lab coat and trying not to feel hurt.

He knew he'd failed miserably on that last score when House snapped, "What? You're moping and giving me sad little hurt looks."

Wilson opened and closed his mouth a couple of times then blurted out, "You're allergic to nuts."

"You noticed?" House said with as much sarcasm as he could muster. "What gave it away? The whole unable to breathe thing? You know everyone always says blue is my colour but I guess that doesn't count when it's my face."

"I didn't know," Wilson said suddenly, tensing and unable to stop the hurt look this time.

House gave him a long look then understanding washed over his face.

"Ah," he said finally.

"Ah? That's all you've got to say?" Wilson demanded, leaping to his feet and pacing the room wildly. "You're allergic to nuts and you never told me? I…why?"

The last was said rather plaintively and was accompanied by Wilson almost falling back down into the chair.

"It wasn't important," House said with exasperation. "I avoid chestnuts and I usually don't have such an extreme reaction anyway. It's usually only a mild allergy." He paused and looked thoughtful. "Then again, I guess that's the first time since I found out that I was allergic that I've eaten a whole chestnut and I accidentally had more than one. I suppose it was bound to trigger an acute reaction."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Wilson asked. He felt like he was stuck on that point and couldn't seem to shake himself loose. It was only a matter of time before House got truly irritated with him.

"Because it's not a problem," House snapped. "I was tired and not paying attention and I didn't check. It's the first time it's happened in years and it won't happen again."

Wilson opened his mouth then closed it with a snap. When he opened it again, something came out that he hadn't intended.

"You scared me."

House looked startled then his eyes narrowed in a calculating manner as he stared at Wilson. Wilson shifted uncomfortably under the regard and had a moment to wonder exactly what it was he was revealing. Suddenly the calculating expression disappeared from House's face and was replaced by one of smug amusement and equally smug satisfaction.

"Come here," he said imperiously, patting the edge of the bed.

"Um, why?" Wilson said warily as he stayed right where he was.

"Wilson. Come. Here," House said, enunciating each word clearly and hoisting himself into a more upright position.

Wilson slowly got up and gingerly sat down in the bed where House's had been patting.

"Good boy," House said with amusement then he reached out and grabbed Wilson's tie, yanking him into a kiss.

Wilson made a muffled protest then lost all will to complain when House's tongue licked his bottom lip then plunged inside his mouth. His half-hearted protest turned into a moan and he leaned into the kiss, letting House thoroughly explore his mouth then returning the favour at House's encouragement. One of his hands was curled around House's neck while the other was resting against House's chest where he could feel the other man's heart beating rapidly. They finally separated when both were breathless and Wilson stared at House with questioning eyes.

"Your timing sucks," House said with a self-satisfied grin.

Wilson blinked. "What?" he said with surprise as he snatched his hands back nervously.

"I'm stuck in here overnight and this is the time to choose to tell me you've been pining over me?" House said with mock-indignation. "You could have done this earlier when we could have used my perfectly comfortable bed to have lots of obscenely good sex."

Wilson's mouth open and closed a few times then he finally had to chuckle.

"Yes, I can see this is all my fault," he said dryly.

"I'm glad you realise that," House said with a grin.

Wilson grinned back and placed one hand on House's thigh. "I guess you've got something to look forward to then."

House settled back with a smug smirk and reached out and entwined his fingers with Wilson's. "Guess we both do."