The mind is a very easy thing to break, maneuver, and manipulate into thinking whatever you wanted it to and believe with enough denial or paranoia behind it. In Wilson's case, he needed to remind himself of that simple fact that he had learned in psychology just to keep himself from telling him that Chase was not ignoring him. Or maybe that was his mind's way of trying to deny such. Maybe he was thinking too hard about all of it. There was one thing that Wilson didn't have to think through to guarantee. This was one of the most stressful days that Wilson had while he was at the hospital. Perhaps the thought of Chase had lingered on his mind too much that it was starting to impair the way he thought of things.
Then he saw him, leaning against the front desk before him. He looked like he was about to head out.
"Chase?" Wilson asked, not realizing how fast he was walking up to the man until he stood beside him.
Slowly, Chase turned around. "Wilson."
"Hey…uh how are things?" Wilson nearly cussed himself at the awkwardness of the situation he created.
Chase looked back at him, not seeming to notice Wilson's awkwardness at all. He had always liked that about Chase. "Could be better." He tried to force a smile but Wilson could see the strain his cheek muscles went through when trying to create it.
Wilson could tell other things were off about Chase. His posture was different. He stood as if he was some sort of wounded animal, resting his arm against the counter for support. His chest also rose more, making Chase seem like the natural act of air intake was too much for his frail body.
"You okay?" Wilson didn't try to hide the concern in his voice. After all, Chase did look like he was going to pass out. Wilson was glad that Chase was finally talking to him. Maybe he had imagined the fact that Chase had been avoiding him in the first place. He had been in a lot of stress of the situation of him and House's relationship.
"Yeah, just—." Chase's phone rang, interrupting the short conversation that they had in days.
Though it seemed like Chase wasn't able to, his body tensed up even more.
"Okay." Chase said it to whoever was on the other line before shutting off the phone.
"I have to go," Chase said disappointment evident in his tone.
Wilson roughed up Chase's hair in a joking manner. "It's okay." Wilson laughed at Chase's expression. "I'll call you later."
Chase nodded once, smile still forced.
Chase walked out of the hospital and saw House there waiting for him. He had picked up the slack when his phone started ringing for the third time. Chase hadn't picked it up because he knew House would just repeat the first one over "Get your ass outside. Hurry up" Chase couldn't tell if house had been joking or not. Whether angry or sad, or happy, he always talked the same. It was his reactions that made chase understand what the other male was feeling during situations and though Chase couldn't read them 100% clearly it was a lot closer to knowing than just reading words.
Once Chase reached outside, his chest heaved from pain of the extra air intake he was forced to take.
They rode House's motorcycle to the apartment complex. It has always frightened him to ride on such a machine that you could be so vulnerable in. However, the first time he rode it, he had done it to impress House more than overcoming his fear. It gave him an unmistakable thrill.
"How was work?" Chase asked trying to add something to the silence that sounded so deadly on the streets after the motorcycle came to an stop after reaching their destination.
"Annoying. Cuddy doubled my hours. Guess I have to show up to work more." House continued to limp as he went closer to the apartment complex. "Speaking of while I was talking to Cuddy today, she said that someone did any x-ray. Do you know about that?"
"Oh uh me and Foreman wanted to test the patience's—."
"I don't think you need to check someone's ribs if they have head trauma." House laughed then abruptly said harshly, "Don't lie to me."
"I ..." chase didn't know what to say in response to House's drastic change in behavior.
"Someone couldn't keep their mouth shut," House basically sang, slamming the apartment door behind the two of them. Chase felt a feeling of dread as he heard the click of the locking door. House was closing him on him. Chase knew all too well on how he could avoid this. As long as he stayed away from any wall, House would not be able to slam him against it.
"House I swear I didn't tell anyone anything."
"Oh? So it just so happened that you and Foreman decided to take x-rays?"
"Okay yes I asked him to do an x-ray. But I didn't say anything! I just asked. I told him I fell!"
"You know…I always wondered what would happen if everyone knew that you liked being spanked…or how much you like being kinky? Would you like everyone to know the names you wanted to be called? Or the things you wanted to act out?"
All things he had told House in confidence. The thought of him releasing themscared him to death.
"That's not fair House! I didn't even want you to do those things to me! You knew I didn't want to go that far! Are you that cocky to the point that you don't even realize that you're not as good at covering up your tracks as you think you are?" Chase was scared, yes, but his emotions were controlling his reason.
"Are you insane?!" House snapped viciously. "You better stop this little act of yours otherwise I'll beat it out of you!"
"Act of what? People like Wilson care enough to—." Chase was cut off.
"Wilson?!" House stopped and chuckled darkly before saying "so this is why you're acting like this? Still got Wilson on your mind? Looks like someone hasn't learned their lesson. You couldn't have anyway since you were talking to him today…Oh yeah! By the way …why the hell were you talking to him today?!"
"House, I'm sorry. I didn't expect him to just show up next to me trying to start a conversation." Chase whined.
"Oh it wasn't the fact that he came up to you. It was the fact that he walked up and you replied instead of walking away."
"House…but I didn't even go to his house or follow him anywhere. Why won't you let me talk to him?!"
"I don't give a rat's ass if you didn't follow him. That's not the only thing I asked."
"House, tell me why."
"Stop playing stupid. You don't need an explanation, just don't talk to him! I've given you everything you've ever asked for. You want love? I gave you it! Attention? You've got it 24/7! But I ask you to leave one thing alone and you just can't for me?!"
"You're asking more than just that! You're asking to comply with an order without reason!"
"It's obvious. You're just playing this stupid game of 20 questions to get under my skin and you know how these types of situations end." House was hinting at another night of being hurt.
"What …are you talking about?" Chase, in all honesty, choked out.
"He fucking likes you!"
"What?"
There was no way that James Wilson liked him, Chase thought. He was too sophisticated and brilliant for someone like Chase. Wilson was the type of guy that fell for a genius person like Foreman. Besides, if he really liked him, why hadn't he asked Chase out? He dismissed House's words.
"You know his feelings for you!"
"No…What are you talking about?"
"You never knew that he has feelings for you? Are you that stupid? Or do you like the attention? He fucking wants to fuck you. What else would be the reason he'd want to even talk to you?" House added venomously. "Did you like it when he touched your hair? What other parts of you does he touch?!"
His hair? What did he mean by that? Was her referring to the time that Wilson had stroked his hair? Was that why he was so angry? On top of that, was what House said true? Chase stared into space, trying to figure everything out. Suddenly, Chase's phone rang…Chase looked down at his phone to see who it was; it was Wilson.
"Who is that? That's Wilson isn't it? Maybe that's why he keeps fucking calling! He wants more of what you gave him! You just can't keep yourself from taking it up the ass now can you? Why do you think I've never actually fucked you!" House was screaming, his face turning slightly red from the furry that arose within him.
"House!" Chase screamed. It hurt him for House to think so little of him to the point he suspected him of sleeping with Wilson. It hurt him even more when he knew the reference that House was referring to. He was talking about the time House had violated him with a cane and pumped him senseless when he put a ring around his member and the more Chase thought about it, the more pained he felt.
" I talk to him as a friend…so what…I'm with YOU! And I might not be if this keeps happening!" I screamed but as soon as the words were out of my mouth, I regretted them. He had made a peril; the same one that him tied to their bed post for 15 hours once again. House's face contorted in rage and Chase tensed, waiting for the repercussions of his words.
Suddenly, House lunged forward. While spinning himself to run down the hall, the curve of House's cane curled around his ankle and snatched him back. Chase fell on the floor, face slamming into the wood. He screamed as his rips impacted the floor with no protection.
Clumsily, Chase lost his balance as House yanked Chase back and flipped him over, his head banging against the step with a thud. "Ouch, House stop it!" Chase screamed. House pinned his moving legs underneath us with his own and used one hand to feel on Chase. It wasn't long before the beating. House let all his furry out on him. Shrieking, I struggled to get away but his grip only tightened and his wrist ached in protest of the rough treatment. His eyes were so rage induced—so filled with anger. Chase stared into them as he gripped his hair again and slammed his head back against the floor. He grabbed his hair again. House was planning on repeating the attack again.
Was House going to torture him all over again? His ribs couldn't receive any more damage. As the other day on the floor flashed in Chase's mind and for the first time his survival instinct told him to fight; without thinking, a knee came up and I kicked him, pulling my hair away from his hands to head butt him at the same time.
All of a sudden, Chase crawled away quickly, three steps ahead of House, who was just recovering from the attack before what he had just done hit him full force. He had never fought back against House. Ever. The thought had never crossed his mind for some reason; it just seemed like an insane concept to hurt House—someone so much in pain and self torture already that it seemed nothing could bring further harm.
Looking back, House saw him sit up, his brows furrowed in shock. But when their eyes met, the look cleared and was replaced by one of dark laughter. "Looks like you still has some fight left in you…I wonder how long you can last." House stood slowly but Chase didn't see what else was to come as he dashed to end of the hallway into their bedroom, slamming the door shut. Chase heard nothing coming from the hallway which for some reason frightened him even more. He shoved a dresser towards the door, trying to ignore the pain it was causing his ribs which were sure to receive more damage after all of this was over.
"Open the fucking door Chase!"
"No! Leave me alone!" Chase sat against the dresser that was shoved again the door. Even as he put all his weight on it, he could still feel the piece of furniture about to tumble over the tremendous force House excreted on the wall. It could lose its balance very quickly. Shoved his back against the dresser and pulled his hand up to his ears. But even though he tried to block out the sound of fury from the other man, he heard every threat coming from his mouth.
"Leave me alone!" Chase whimpered loudly like a bullied child. "Just leave me alone—I hate you!"
The banging and screams from the other side of the door stopped abruptly. The silence had frightened Chase more from the fear of anticipation. It was just as bad as the fear of dread.
"You what?!" House choked out with a cracking voice.
It became terribly silent outside the door as Chase backed away nervously before he heard a dull thud that got harsher each time it impacted with the door. House's breath sounded close.
Was he banging his head? "Damn it Chase, why do you do this to me? Every. Single. Time. I think things are going to be okay, you say some shit to fuck with my head. Do you not realize there are just some things you shouldn't say to me?"
"Just go!" Chase screamed. "You're scaring me Tyrone! Everything I do makes you mad! Just stop!" Chase was sobbing harder than he's ever had been. "Just stop hurting me!
The banging at the back of the door intensified and Chase could feel the dresser about to tumble over on his. Quickly he moved out of the way and ran into the closet right at the moment it was knocked over.
He ran into the closet, scared for his life as he heard the bedroom door open.
"You're all grown up Chase. Can't play hide and seek anymore." As if on instinct, House pulled ran to the closet and pulled him out. "Unfortunately for you, there aren't that many places to hide."
"House, please don't hurt—"
House slapped him. "Too late for begging." Chase'ss body fell on the bed faced down, increasing the crushing pain on his rib injury intensify. Tears flowed down his face as he tried to try them off with the bed sheets. Chase was faced down. He refused to turn his body around or say anything—he just lied there, shaking miserably at the anticipation at what his lover might do to him next.
He felt House's hand roam the back of his body. They rubbed his torso and made the way to the back of his neck. Suddenly, House grabbed his hair with a deadly grip.
"Your hair…" House said. He let go and Chase could hear him walking away.
He heard nothing but the shuffling of House's feet. He didn't hear the cling of the House's belt or the squeak of the bed. Chase finally decided to turn around when another sound caught his attention. It was the sound of water running. House came out momentarily later and looked at Chase.
"Take off your clothes."
It was something Chase had done to House many times—there was nothing to be embarrassed about. After all, the many bruises and welts in his skin were caused by his lover. What scared him was how he'd further embellish his flesh and how painful it would be this time. The fear was so great that he couldn't obey House. He just laid there and stared.
"I said, take 'em off!" House snapped.
Another moment of silence. Chase still couldn't bring himself to do it.
"Fine," House said in a tone that was suddenly too calm. "Keep 'em on."
House stormed up to Chase. When he was angry, his limp was barely noticeable…and he seemed to be a lot stronger.
He, with one hand, dragged Chase onto his feet and into the bathroom. It didn't help that Chase had not put up a struggle at all. House's pull on Chase's arm resulted in a painful popping of his shoulder. Before Chase could comprehend what the sound of running water came from, House threw him into the tub. It was then that he realized that it was filled with ice cold water. House had kept it on their purposefully. He made no attempt to mix the two temperatures and now as Chase struggled to get out, House held his body down, the heaviness from his clothes adding to the multiple downward forces acting on his body.
The freezing cold water felt like a million needles boring their way through his skin—into his bones. Naturally his body shuddered uncontrollably and his rapidly forming tears felt hot against his drenched skin. The apartment wasn't as big as others but the bathtub was big enough for his whole body length. House had it custom made for his leg.
Chase repeatedly struggled and fought the pain of his damaged ribs more than House. Gripping his hair again, House shoved Chase's body into the water. "Stay still," House commanded. When Chase refused to comply out of panic, House would dip his head into the water again and again.
The most frightening thing about it was the eye contact that House kept with him the whole entire time. It was like House loved to watch Chase's struggle for air—it seemed to give him an adrenaline rush. Chase's eyes, now stung with the freezing temperature of the water but didn't shut for two reasons—the first being the shock he had received while staring into House's menacing eyes while he wore a small smile on his face. The second was that he was starting to see red. Every time his head dipped back into the water he would see House's refracted reflection surrounded by red. Chase feared that if he closed his eyes, he would lose consciousness.
House let up for a while, stopping to get something from the other room. As Chase waited he felt warmness trickling down the back of his neck. When he touched the area he found out why he was seeing red. He was bleeding. The back of his head had been impacted on the bottom of the tub so many times that he started to bleed. He hadn't felt it because the freezing temperature of the water, which was now tainted with the color of crimson, had numbed it. But now that the upper half of his body was out of the water for the time being; he began to panic.
House returned to the bathroom. Chase hadn't looked yet, but he could tell that he was standing right next to him because of the way his warm body heat contrasted to Chase's. House touched his hair. He didn't grab it this time—he just touched. Right at the moment that Chase was about to be comforted by this he heard a snip. He felt a small tickle on his shoulder. Chase looked to see that it was a chunk of his hair. Another chunk fell off with another snip. House was cutting his hair.
Upon realizing this, Chase screamed and let out the pain the whole situation had given him. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry House please forgive me!" Chase pleaded in pain. He was pleading as his chest heaved in pain. Chase couldn't tell if it was because of the lack of air or his panic. "Please don't!"
"Please don't do what?" House asked in fake confusion. "Oh you mean this?" He cut off another huge chunk of Chase's hair.
"House…" Chase groaned in his arms. Even screaming hurt his ribs.
Chase grabbed at clutches of his hair that fell off his head. They fell in his arm with abundance and Chase shook as he looked at them. Chase cried…he wept. He sobbed loudly.
"Don't worry," House said. "It won't change the way I look at you." House continued shaving. "Besides, I never liked your hair this length."
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Chase cried as he felt more chunks fall onto his shoulders and down his back.
"I know you are." Another snip came as House continued disturbingly nonchalant. "But I have to do this to make sure that you won't do it again."
That night, Wilson decided to call Chase again.
"Stop calling!"
Wilson froze once he heard the words. There was so many things that he wanted to ask. "Chase?"
"Go away!" Chase screamed on the phone. "What do you want from me?"
"I was checking to see if you were okay and—." Wilson had attempted to say.
"Yeah well you only make things worse! Can't you take a hint that if I don't pick up I didn't want to talk to you?"
"Why are you saying this? Is House making you say this?" Wilson basically breathed through the phone through his attempts to hold back the fact that the man was starting to weep.
"Just leave me alone! You're just mad because you have no one to be happy with!"
He didn't know if Chase truly meant what he was saying but Wilson felt the sting. "Chase…"
"Never call again!" And with that Wilson heard the click of the phone conversation going off.
