051. Choke

The Question

Wilson had just taken a bite from his slice of pizza and as such when House made his slightly off-hand suggestion, he choked slightly before quickly swallowing his mouthful.

"You think we should do what?" he asked incredulously.

"I think we should get married," House repeated, his gaze remaining studiously on the TV.

"That's what I thought you said," Wilson said slowly. "Um…why?"

The last few months had been difficult, to say the least. Between the shooting, the failed ketamine treatment and House's frustration with both, things had become tense and…difficult. Things had finally come to a head about six weeks ago when House had snarled at him one time to many. He'd snapped and shoved the other man against the wall, yelling in his face for the thirty seconds it took to register the sudden squall of lust and desire his actions had prompted in House's eyes. Then there had been another thirty seconds of dead silence as House realised what he'd just given away and Wilson decided on his next course of action. Kissing House had seemed like something of a natural progression given everything else they'd been through over the years. He'd woken up the next morning in House's bed, slightly sore and with a sense of contentment he'd never felt before.

In the subsequent six weeks, they'd settled into a relationship with an almost surreal level of ease and Wilson had finally understood his wives' animosity towards House. He'd always been a bit baffled by it but if they'd somehow picked up these kinds of vibes between him and House then their odd jealousy and animosity made a fair amount of sense. But the last thing he'd ever expected to come out of House's mouth was a marriage proposal. As far as he was aware, House had never even contemplated marriage with Stacy and yet that was what he'd just put on the table.

"Why not?" House said with a hint of sullenness in his voice.

"Well, it's…not legal for a start," Wilson said carefully. "And…I never really thought you were the marrying type."

"We can get married in Canada," House said abruptly.

Wilson looked carefully at House and saw the wary defensiveness in the man's posture. He suddenly realised House was expecting him to treat this like a joke and say no. That House actually really, truly wanted this.

"Um, okay. When?" Wilson said simply.

He was rewarded when House's head whipped around, a looking of mixed surprise and delight in his eyes.

"Busy this weekend?" House said with utterly false casualness.

Wilson matched his tone. "Nope."

Which was how they ended up in Canada, standing side-by-side in front of a celebrant and a couple of witnesses in matching tuxedos (which Wilson had insisted on them wearing on something of a whim…then stuck to it when he saw how much such a trivial matter was irritating House…who had then made him pay in the most delicious manner when he'd worked out Wilson was just having a little fun with him) and exchanging vows and a pair of rings that House had produced from his luggage the previous day and refused to explain where he'd gotten them.

Once the paperwork was done and the celebrant and witnesses thanked, they returned to their hotel room. Wilson disappeared into the bathroom and when he returned he found House standing in front of the window, staring down at the ring on his finger. He walked up behind his husband…and didn't it feel very strange to say that…and wrapped his arms around House's waist, resting his chin on his shoulder.

"Problem?" he asked quietly.

He knew it wasn't bad when House leaned back into him slightly.

"You do this for all your wives?" House said archly.

"Yes and now apparently I do it for my husband. Though…you're a bit taller than my ex-wives," Wilson said dryly, waiting for House to tell him what was actually on his mind.

House snorted then his lips twitched into a grin. "Can you imagine how everyone is going to react when they see these rings?"

Wilson laughed. "Just don't go around frightening the nurses with it. They might decide to get some very creative revenge."

"Nah, I'm going to see who notices first," House replied, turning and giving Wilson a wicked smile. "My money's on Chase."

"Cameron," Wilson said dryly. "Or at least I hope so. Maybe she'll get the message."

"Aww, Jimmy, are you jealous?" House mocked as he pulled Wilson closer with his free hand.

Wilson tightened his grip on House and considered the question. "Maybe," he said finally.

House raised an eyebrow. "Maybe, huh?" He snorted with amusement. "In case you hadn't noticed, I married you."

"No, really?" Wilson said dryly. "So that's what we were doing today."

A grin flashed across House's face. "Yeah. So the jealousy, while very cute on you, Jimmy, isn't really necessary."

Wilson smiled ruefully then shifted his hands down to House's arse. "This is our wedding night."

House smiled slowly. "Something which you have ample experience with. Gonna make it good for me?"

House batted his eyelashes and Wilson snickered.

"Well, we've had plenty of practice," Wilson said as he started to shuffle them back towards the bed. "So, you think Chase will be the first to notice?"

"Yes," House said before he leaned forward and kissed Wilson. "No more talking about Chase, Foreman, Cameron, Cuddy or anyone else from the hospital. They put me off sex."

"Can't have that," Wilson said absently, concentrating more on the way House was kissing along his jaw and letting the conversation die in favour of his fourth and, as far as he was concerned, last wedding night.