drfeelbad | Astarion

Astarion

Surprisingly there were not many pubs in London that played American football on the televisions. Even then, it was usually like one television out of half a dozen above the bar. As a result, House had not only a regular pub that he went to this time of year but also a regular seat.

"Hey Greg," said the bartender as House slid onto a stool at the end of the bar and leaned his cane against it. He went ahead and poured a double of Jack Daniels on the rocks and pushed it to him without House having to ask. "Who's playing tonight?" he asked, as if he cared. But House appreciated the effort.

"Ohio State versus Rutgers," said House then added gleefully, "I'm just here to watch Ohio State get their asses kicked." He'd gone to Michigan.

"Hey can I also get a basket of chips?" he asked, and the bartender nodded and walked away.

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"And I'm still not, but there is a shocking lack of options," Astarion replied. "I enjoy not being dead though, and I'd like to carry on."

"Well, I'm willing to have a look," House said, "though speaking of bedside manner..." He gave him a pointed look before knocking back the rest of his drink. "Don't they tell you that you catch more doctors with honey than vinegar?"

"I don't currently know anyone who'd say such a thing,"Astarion assured him.

House snorted, amused. "I don't like honey anyway," he assured him, and pulled out his wallet to pay his tab.

Astarion paid as well, with money he'd 'found', then moved to stand. "Are we going now then? You do have an office, don't you? This isn't going to be some back alley nonsense, is it?"

"Now?" said House. "Well... sure. Good thing I can hold my liquor." And it wasn't as if he had anything better to do. "And yes, it's not far from here." After all, he lived above the clinic, and he always preferred pubs in stumbling distance.

"Lovely, lead the way," Astarion purred, hoping this wasn't about to be a waste of time.

House was thinking much the same thing.

"So are you going to give me the backstory?" he asked as they walked. "Or make me guess based now whatever I see under your skin."

"I told you. Modified, controlled, deadly virus that's a blessing and a curse. Blah, blah, blah," Astarion replied, pulling a face. "What more is there to know?"

“I suppose I’m wondering if there’s some sadistic monster snatching men off the street and modifying them against their will,” House said bluntly.

"Oh, he's not bothered about gender," Astorian replied, as if that somehow made it better, not worse.

The flippant response though was what made House not doubt Astarion's story for a moment.

"So this virus," he said. "We need to be very careful not to... cure it."

"Yes. Truth be told, if the virus can't be... Altered, or whatever - I still find it preferable to not having it all," he admitted.

House almost made a joke about him clearly not being that attached to his mind, but... he was still wrapping his head around what Astarion meant by being under someone's control, and it was making him twitchy.

Hell, that was half the reason he didn't have a cybernetic leg, and much of that was just based on paranoia.

"Well, we'll see what we can do," he finally said after a pause as they approached the clinic.

Astarion nearly mentioned that he didn't have much to pay with- Then thought better of it. Perhaps he could just see how much the other man could do and negotiate later. ...Or run, running was always an option. Or a fight. He wasn't above punching someone with a bad leg.

Honestly, he wasn't above much of anything when it came to self preservation.

"Is this it?" he asked with a note of disapproval as they approached the clinic. "I thought it might be... I don't know... Bigger, I suppose."

"I know a couple of scientists at Hart Industries if you're looking for luxury," House said dryly before unlocking the door and letting them in. The place was indeed exceptionally simple, in part because his assets mostly went to equipment when he could afford it.

"You wouldn't catch me dead there," Astarion assured him, following him inside and looking around.

"Just promise me I wont get tetanus."

House looked slightly offended. “Shall I fetch the silk sheet, sir?” he drawled, and opened the door to the main examining room. Which was quite sterile.

Astarion seemed to relax a bit, though his eyes seemed to sweep the room, as though expecting an attack.

"I don't bite," House said, and gestured to the exam table.

Astarion gave him a look, then perched himself on the exam table.

"It's been a long time since I was in a doctor's office," he admitted.

“I won’t make you bend over and cough,” House assured him. “But I do need to plug in and poke around. Port?”

Astarion offered his wrist, since that felt less vulnerable than offering the one in his neck.

House came over with a small device (state of the art), and looked at him for a second before plugging it in. Then he went over to a monitor and started pulling up data.

Astarion managed not to flinch when House plugged him in, only tensing a little. It didn't hurt, yet he tensed as though expecting it anyway.

"It's deep in there," he noted, suddenly a bit less arrogant and noticeably more vulnerable. "The virus, I mean."

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