House limped heavily over towards the kitchen; grunting slightly as he bent down to pull out some plates from his cupboard; Wilson watched him with a doctor's precision; noting how House was using his arms to pull himself up from the lower position, before reaching down and using one of his hands to manoeuvre his right leg underneath his body before pulling himself up into a standing position. House glanced over at Wilson who snapped out of his trance when his friend's piercing blue eyes caught onto him and rushed over to help, which House waved off; "just grab the cups and cutlery, Wilson," he mumbled under his breath, continuing to limp over towards the table and began unwrapping the food packages.

"Leg hurting more than usual?" Wilson queried.

"Uh-huh, that's why I took the day off," House answered shortly, near on snatching the serving spoon out of Wilson's hand and serving himself up a huge portion.

At least his pain levels aren't affecting his appetite Wilson thought hopefully, "so…. Just random leg pain, is that it? But you never take time off,"

"'Random' isn't the word I'd use, Wilson, but yeah; pain has been worse last night and today, and I'm entitled to a day off without getting a third degree, so let's just eat," House dismissed.

Wilson sat down as House grabbed his bottle of Maker's Mark and poured four fingers into the glass before tossing it back, and refilling another four fingers; but this time not throwing any back.

"So, we have some stuff to talk about," Wilson began.

"Seems as though we do," House repeated, "why don't you start?" before shovelling in another forkful of food into his mouth.

"House," Wilson glanced up, meeting his friend's beautiful big blue orbs, "I don't want to make this awkward or anything – but I need you to know that… I… have had feelings for you for quite a while. I don't really know what initially set them off- but I do…. House, I think that I might be, umm, gay, at least for you,"

This perked up House's attention, although Wilson wasn't exactly sure why it would; it had seemed obvious before that Wilson had felt this way, at least in Wilson's mind.

"Wilson… I haven't," House's voice shook and Wilson involuntarily grimaced, awaiting the rejection he felt was immediately incoming, "I haven't been with another guy since… since university; Dylan was his name," House added on uselessly.

Wilson laughed dryly and awkwardly; "well that's fitting then, because I haven't been with another guy since university either. Adam,"

House smiled awkwardly, "I do like you Wilson, and…." He took in a deep shaking breath, "I have… thought about you in these ways… but I'm scared Wilson, if we break up; then I've not just lost my partner; I've lost my only friend too,"

"I understand House, but if that happened, then we can always just go back to being friends, no strings attached," Wilson reassured, trying not to let the growing excitement and anticipation show in his voice.

"It doesn't always work out that way, Stacy left, she didn't stay my friend. Everything got too hard for her," House mused, mindlessly pushing his dinner around on his plate, before taking a swig from his glass, "want some?"

"No thanks House," Wilson picked up on the diversion immediately, "House- I'm… I'm not Stacy, remember? I have seen you at your absolute worst and I have never left you, its never even crossed my mind to leave you, why do you think a relationship would be any different? God, House, I've done just about everything for you and seen just about everything there is to see anyway. I've helped you to the bathroom, I've helped shower you, dress you, carried you into bed, gotten you your meds, picked you up from the floor…"

House halted him with a stopping hand and a shake of the head, "I don't need a memory lesson, Wilson, I remember all of that too. But a relationship… a relationship adds extra layers where there aren't in friendship. There are extra hurdles, more things that I'm limited in. Like did you think that there might be more things that neither of us considered…. Like that I could only have sex in certain positions because of my leg?"

Wilson halted his frown as soon as he felt it forming. He hadn't thought of that; but as he gave himself a moment to think about it in further detail; he knew his response; "House, I… I don't care if we can only have sex in certain positions. I want to be with you for you. Sex is just… an added bonus," he reached out and grabbed House's hand and held it in his own.

House sighed, shaking his head, "maybe now, but what about in six months' time, when you're bored and inevitably go out to find your own… fun. Wilson, I can't be with a man who cheats… I just, I can't. You don't understand, Wilson, how much that will absolutely tear me up inside for you of all people to do that to me," House tried to pull his hand away, but Wilson held on to it for dear life, trying and praying that he could somehow telekinetically communicate to House that he would never dream of doing such a thing.

House smiled weakly before downing the rest of his glass to loosen his nerves; "you say that now Wilson, but what about in three years' time; when you're bored, the sex isn't exciting anymore, everything is the same, the monotony has dug in deep and you're itching for some new experiences, what happens then? Because I know what happened with your wives. And I'm sure that every time you crashed on my couch after being found out weren't the only times that you've strayed, were they?"

Wilson sighed deeply, "no, you're right House, they weren't. But… I didn't stray because I wanted more exotic sex; if I really wanted that I could have simply gone with you to the brothel and gotten it there with no chance of being caught," House blushed red, dropping eye contact momentarily as Wilson continued, "I cheated because like I said last night; my exes weren't you, House. You were the one who I was fantasising about. You were the one that I was thinking about while in bed," House raised an eyebrow of suspicion, "no, not like that," Wilson amended; "when I have my own private time, it's you I think of, not them, not some random woman. You, and only you,"

House's voice shook, "okay…so if we were to… give this a go… I need to know that you're as completely in on it as I am, Wilson. Please, please don't hurt me," House's voice shook, like that of a terrified child, and all Wilson felt in response was to want to comfort that inner child, to tell him, no, to show him, that everything was going to be alright, to promise and comfort him.

"I promise," Wilson gave House's hand a little squeeze, before leaning in and kissing House gently on his lips; feeling his rough stubble on his chin and tasting the bitter taste of Maker's Mark on House's lips and tongue.