Danny

[drfeelbad]

This was exceptionally stupid, but when Danny left again House kind of missed him.

No, he told himself, he missed having someone cook eggs and tidy up. Insisted to himself, really. Because obviously House was not lonely.

He did, however, actually smile when there was a knock at the door and Danny was on the other side.

"Well," he said. "That took you long enough."

Comments

[london_spy]

The kiss lingered, but eventually it had to break. Danny looked dazed and uneasy as he drew away.

He couldn't help but feel like he'd just ruined something. That's what he always wound up doing after all.

[drfeelbad]

House looked at him for a long moment, trying to read him. And he couldn't get a good read, but saw the uneasiness as part of it.

"I wanted that," he finally said, the words spilling out. "But if you regret it... it's fine, we can pretend it didn't happen. And it won't impact your welcome here."

[london_spy]

"I don't- I don't regret it," Danny assured him. "I just- I don't want to ruin our friendship either. You're the only friend I have, House."

[drfeelbad]

"Did you kiss me because you wanted to?" House asked.

[london_spy]

Really, you want to grill me about my motives? I don't know. Yes? I think? I don't know. I know I wanted to in that moment, it felt right," Danny said, sighing softly.

[drfeelbad]

House put both hands on either side of his face and kissed him again. Wanting it, but also wanting to see how he reacted.

[london_spy]

Danny went still for a beat, then returned the kiss.

He still didn't know how he felt, didn't want to think. Kissing was good. Kissing was easy.

[drfeelbad]

House broke the kiss, and stroked his cheek. "Tell me the truth. Would this make you more or less likely to run from me?"

[london_spy]

"I'm not- I wasn't going to run. I'm not planning to run, I don't need coaxing to stay," Danny said quietly, studying House for a moment. "Did you want to kiss me? Or am I just here?" he asked softly.

[drfeelbad]

"I've been dreaming about kissing you," House confessed. "And felt like a total shit for it."

[london_spy]

"Why?" Danny asked, not used to people feeling any kind of guilt about wanting him. He'd learned the hard way that the only thing that had kept Scottie from making a move was his ability not to get so drunk he'd slip up and say something. ...Until he did.

[drfeelbad]

"I mean... I'm a lot older than you, and you work for me," House said. "And I didn't want you to think that I - expected anything, in exchange for letting you stay here." Not to mention his conversation with John about how he didn't fuck the strays he took in...

[london_spy]

"It's nice you even think about that stuff. A lot of people don't," Danny replied. "Or they do and don't care."

[drfeelbad]

"Well you've found me out," said House. "I'm not that particular flavor of asshole. At least... not to people I like. Which to be fair is a tall bar."

[london_spy]

"Well now you've killed the mystery," Danny joked dryly, pushing his hair back, not sure what to do.

"I don't want everything to change though. I like our relationship, I feel comfortable with you."

[drfeelbad]

House rubbed the back of his neck. God, he wanted him. But also... he had a point.

"Well do you want to just... sleep in my bed?"

[london_spy]

Danny thought about that for a moment, then nodded.

"Alright," he said. "If you don't mind."

[drfeelbad]

"Yeah, no it's fine," House said with a small smile. "Come on, I'm beat." And he started towards his bedroom.

[london_spy]

Danny followed along, looking around the man's room as they entered.

"Nice room," he noted.

[drfeelbad]

It wasn't quite as cluttered as the rest of the house, mostly because House didn't do much here but sleep, and coincidentally he'd actually put away laundry for the first time in a while the day before. The bed was also large, though unmade.

"Thanks," said House. There hadn't been anyone else in the bed in quite a while, though he didn't say that. "It's ah... more comfortable than the cot in your room."

[london_spy]

"Cot's better than other places I've slept," Danny assured him. "This is luxury," he added with an awkward little laugh.

[drfeelbad]

House suddenly wondered if this was weird, suggesting that Danny sleep in his bed. In some ways it was more intimate than sex, which could have just been a quick go on the couch and then they went their separate ways.

House usually just slept naked, but well, no. He'd stayed at home today though and was only wearing loose linen pants and a simple shirt, so he just took off his socks, and then after a brief hesitation, his shirt as well before climbing into the bed. "Well, I like it," he said.

[london_spy]

Danny stripped down to his underclothes and climbed into bed.

"It's nice," he said softly. "Soft. Soft feels so rare and lush. Everything in this world is so hard and coarse."

[drfeelbad]

"Especially the people," said House. He pulled the soft, warm comforter over both of them. "I thought this place should be softer."

[london_spy]

"Yeah," Danny said softly. "It is- It's lovely, Greg."