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]

"Yeah, of course," Danny nodded.

He waited for House to head out, then set about cleaning. He started in the bedroom, washing the sheets and Greg's laundry, then hanging it out to dry before heading to the market. He didn't have much to spend, but he managed to get a rather plump chicken and some good bread. On the walk home he gathered wild greens- Something Alex had taught him to do on their long walks.

By the time he was home the laundry was dry, and he put the chicken on to roast as he set about putting things away and making the bed, ready for Greg's return.

[drfeelbad]

House was gone longer than he'd anticipated, and when he returned he smelled cooking... and smiled when he saw Danny. "You've been busy," he said.

[london_spy]

"Oh, not really," Danny lied. "I did go buy a chicken though. And the sheets are clean now..."

[drfeelbad]

House cleared his throat. "That's um... thank you. Really, I'm sure the place needed a good clean, but... I hope you know that I didn't ask you to stay because I want someone to cook and clean for me."

[london_spy]

"I need to earn my keep," Danny replied. "Not- Not because I think you expect it, but for myself. I need to know I'm doing something."

[drfeelbad]

"Well I'd prefer for you to earn your keep as my assistant," House said. "But... I mean, I won't complain about the other stuff, too." He gave him a lopsided smile. "I can't cook for shit."

[london_spy]

"I'm not that good either, I only know a few dishes," Danny confessed. "I can cook a chicken though."

[drfeelbad]

"I really like chicken," House said. "Though also..."

He opened his cloak and pulled something out of a large pocket. A wrapped parcel that he opened on the table, revealing a decadent looking swirled cinnamon cake.

[london_spy]

"Hope that's not how they paid you today," Danny joked.

[drfeelbad]

House chuckled. "I mean I don't always get paid entirely in coin, but baked goods would be a first from them. No, I stopped by the bakery on the way back. They had the door open and it smelled kind of amazing. I thought you might like it."

[london_spy]

"It smells lovely. We should share it," Danny said with a smile.

[drfeelbad]

"Oh yes, that was my plan," House assured him. "Dessert? I may also have some wine around here somewhere..."

[london_spy]

"Wine with the chicken would be nice. Let me see if it's cooked and get it plated," Danny said, touching Greg's arm lightly on his way back to the stove.

[drfeelbad]

House watched him for a moment as he moved across the kitchen, and then went to a cabinet to find a bottle of wine.

Whatever it was about Phedre, he always ended up saying more to her than he intended, and somehow he'd ended up telling her about Danny. She'd come just short of cooing 'awwwwww' at him.

"It seems we surprised each other then," he said.

[london_spy]

Danny glanced back with a smile, nodding a little.

"I suppose we did," he agreed.

[drfeelbad]

"It can get rather slow around here," House said. "I go to people when I'm needed... beyond that I spent time tinkering and experimenting, and making remedies."

[london_spy]

"You could open an apothecary," Danny said.

[drfeelbad]

"That sounds like a lot of work," House said, as he managed to find a couple of wine goblets in the back of a cabinet.

[london_spy]

Danny shrugged, not expecting anyone to take his suggestions seriously.

[drfeelbad]

"Besides, I'm doing fine," said House. "I'm more interested in what you want to do."

[london_spy]

"Why?" Danny asked. "Sorry, that sounds... I didn't mean it to sound like I'm not touched you give a damn. I am. I just... I dunno. I don't have a plan."

[drfeelbad]

"No one ever does until they do," said House. He poured the wine, and handed one of the goblets to Danny.

Then - "Fuck. I sound like my father. I'm not saying there's something you have to be doing, just that... you could if you wanted to."

[london_spy]

"Hard to hold down a job when you're a wanted man," Danny said.

[drfeelbad]

"I mean I didn't say it had to be a job," House said. "I wondered what you want to do. Hell, maybe you want to paint or write poetry or build chairs or something."

[london_spy]

"What if I don't want to do anything yet? What if I just want to rest?" Danny asked.