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]

Danny offered a tired smile, then settled in and got comfortable.

[drfeelbad]

House hesitated, and then slipped an arm around him. "Is this ok?"

[london_spy]

Danny seemed unsure for a beat, then relaxed into it with a nod.

"Yes," he decided.

[drfeelbad]

House closed his eyes. "Sleep well, then. I'm glad you're back."

[london_spy]

"I'm glad to be here," Danny said, slipping an arm around him and allowing himself this moment of true intimacy.

[drfeelbad]

It had been so long since House had fallen asleep with someone in his own bed, and it was nice. Maybe they'd wake up in the morning and Danny would be horrified, but for right now, it was nice.

He even managed to sleep through the night without being woken up by pain.

[london_spy]

Danny slept well at first, then woke with a start in a cold sweat, shivering a bit and sitting up.

It wasn't unusual for him to wake up this way, haunted by the memory of finding his dead lover.

[drfeelbad]

House was woken by the jostling of the bed, and was disoriented for a moment before he remembered that Danny was there with him. House put a hand onto the small of his back. "Danny? You okay?"

[london_spy]

"Bad dream, I'm fine. It's fine. ...I'll make us some breakfast," he offered, glancing at Greg. "Eggs?"

[drfeelbad]

It was earlier than House usually woke up, but light was beginning to stream in through the windows.

"Uh... sure. Okay." House wasn't going to push it on the dream. People had bad dreams. He had them himself. Usually about fire.

[london_spy]

Danny gave Greg's shoulder a squeeze, as if thanking him for not asking.

"Let me wash up and dress, then I'll get breakfast started and make some tea."

He paused a beat, then gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

[drfeelbad]

House quirked a smile and swung a leg over to get out of the bed. He winced and rubbed his thigh before standing up. "Yes, I think there's some eggs. I try to remember to actually pick them up now."

[london_spy]

"I worry you don't eat right when I'm not here," Danny admitted as he freshened up and pulled on a shirt.

A simple statement that revealed more about Danny's feelings than he meant to.

[drfeelbad]

"I probably don't," House said. "Does whiskey count?" But it was kind of nice to hear that someone worried about him.

He pulled on a shirt as well, and even stopped himself from putting on the same one as yesterday. He got a fresh one from a drawer.

[london_spy]

Danny's wardrobe was limited, and he pulled on the same shirt as the day before, but took some clean trousers from the room he usually stayed in. A new wardrobe wasn't really in the budget.

Wandering to the kitchen he set about putting water on to boil and getting the coals hot enough to start frying up some eggs.

He wasn't a cook, but Alex had taught him enough.

[drfeelbad]

House came in behind him and made up a pot of the painkiller tea as well, filling it with water first once it was boiling.

"How'd you sleep?" he asked.

[london_spy]

"Good," Danny said. "Well, at first. The nightmares just come sometimes. It's like being dragged back through time to one of the worst moments of my life," he admitted.

"Nothing to do with you or your bed though. I'm just damaged or something."

[drfeelbad]

"Maybe a little," said House. "But... I'm sorry, that sucks. I have nightmares sometimes too. Uh. Similar kind of thing, probably. The damage."

[london_spy]

Danny looked over at him for a moment, then nodded his understanding.

"I see his body," he admitted after a moment, turning his attention back to the eggs. As if he couldn't look at House while he spoke of his past. "Alex's, I mean."

His gut twisted, and he swallowed hard before quickly putting their eggs on plates along with some potato he'd chopped up and cooked. "It's not every night though," he promised as he put one plate in front of Greg.

[drfeelbad]

House poured from the small pot of painkiller tea he'd made for himself first.

"Well you should at least have a comfortable bed if you're going to be waking up," he said. "I do, too. Not nightmares, as much, just... sometimes I don't sleep well."

He blew on the tea and then drank it quickly. It tasted like shit.

"Thanks," he added then, as he picked up a fork.

[london_spy]

Danny nodded, taking his own plate and sitting as well.

"I suppose at least you can brew potions when you can't sleep. That's a thing, isn't it? I've seen them at the markets sometimes, potions for rest and sleep."

[drfeelbad]

"Oh sure, I can whip up a sleeping draught, no problem," House said. "You can try it if you like. It ah, doesn't really help me. Insomnia isn't my issue, it's pain."

[london_spy]

"Which is why you drink that shit tea," Danny noted, nodding at the cup.

[drfeelbad]

"Yes," said House. "I can smoke it too, but this seems more civilized, despite the taste." He took a bite of the eggs.

[london_spy]

"Can't imagine you caring about being civilized. You sure it's not about trying to hide it?" Danny asked.