london_spy | House

It was a strange series of events that had led him here, and as he sat in the waiting room of the local A&E, Danny went back through it all hour by hour.

6PM: With class out Danny was back to hunting for the lunatic who'd been targeting fellow students, drugging them and then dumping them at home with no sign of sexual or physical assault. He'd stopped home, changed into club clothes, and set out.

7PM: he'd been walking from the tube to the club when a car started driving along side him- A familiar car. Rich's car.

The window came down, and Rich leaned out. "Get in," the man said, prompting Danny to flip him off.

Rich laughed, then spoke again. "I know who you're after- If you want them, get in the damn car, Danny."

8PM: Rich had dumped him down the block, having given him a list of what he knew. Apparently he wasn't a fan of this guy either, and while Danny wouldn't consider him a trustworthy source, it wasn't like he had much more to go off.

9PM: He'd headed into the club, spoken to someone Rich had suggested might be in on it all, and had let himself have a drink or two so he didn't stand out like a sore thumb.

10PM: Okay, maybe a drink too many.

11PM: He'd called a car, apparently now was the prime time. He'd used the correct service and rejected drivers until he found one who seemed to fit the bill.

11:15PM: The man had complementary water. It was sealed, and so he took one.

11:30PM: Everything was slow. Fuzzy.

<i>I warned you. STOP. FOLLOWING. ME.</i>

Was it midnight now? Danny squinted at the clock. He was still drugged, not bleeding, but he was certain his ribs were broken and his left eye was struggling to focus. But he had to wait. They said he had to wait.

His hand was shaking as he pulled out his phone. The screen was shattered but it was still working. Should he call someone? Text someone? No, best not. Best to just go it alone.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

london_spy

Danny just shrugged and climbed in as well. He only kept the car at all because it reminded him of little trips with Scottie. It was sentimental more than anything.

From:

drfeelbad

House revved the engine and was glad to find it had a little pep to it, then drove out of the driveway and towards the city. Glancing over at Danny every once in a while to make sure he seemed okay.

From:

london_spy

Danny was fine. Sore, sure, but eager to see this through.

"How is your friend?" he asked as they drove. "I should have asked earlier. ...Is he doing okay? Still seems well enough?"

From:

drfeelbad

"He's... he's fine, mostly," House said, feeling a little strange talking about Wilson to Danny. "Tired sometimes."

From:

london_spy

"And you? How are you holding up?" Danny asked next. And it was all genuine. Yes, he fancied Greg, and yes, his heart still ached, but he cared. He couldn't help but care.

Caring had, at some point, become his greatest weakness.

From:

drfeelbad

House was quiet for a moment and then confessed, "I've been better," while looking straight out the car windshield.

From:

london_spy

"Do you want to talk about it?" Danny offered quietly.

From:

drfeelbad

House glanced at him briefly, before looking back at the road. "I don't think that's a good idea, do you?"

From:

london_spy

"Fine," Danny sighed. "I'll talk then, because you're the one who wanted to be friends, and that's what friends do. ...My ex texted me yesterday, and even though I should have deleted it, I'm still thinking about texting him back," he said, looking out the window as he spoke.

"Scottie hated him," he laughed, looking over at Greg and smiling as he shook his head. "I mean, Scottie hated most of my boyfriends, but this one... He got rough a few times and Scottie couldn't forgive that, but that was a long time ago now. He's working at a bank now, he's grown up... I dunno. He wants to get a coffee, and I'm tempted, but I keep hearing Scottie in my head telling me not to be a fool."

From:

drfeelbad

House looked at him again, this time a little sharply. "Scottie sounds like a smart guy, and let me channel him for you and tell you not to be an idiot," he said. Then looked back to the road. "And no, this isn't because I don't want you to see someone, it's because I don't want you to see someone who hurt you. Jesus."

From:

london_spy

Danny rolled his eyes. "That was ages ago, and it was two times, maybe three, I don't remember. Besides, it's just coffee. He'll probably not ring me back after he finds out I'm positive anyway," he admitted, smile fading a bit.

"I'm allowed to not want to be lonely. Besides, maybe he's just looking to make friends. I keep trying to get on with people at school, but- It's hard. They're all so immature."

From:

drfeelbad

"You are allowed to want not to be lonely," House confirmed, quietly. Then he sighed, and decided to offer something of his own. "Wilson wants me to keep dating, or something."

From:

london_spy

"Well, if you want I can give you his number," Danny joked, mostly because he wasn't going to take that even remotely seriously. Greg had made his feelings very clear.

From:

drfeelbad

House rolled his eyes at that, and decided not to elaborate more on the subject. "Well if you want I can hook you up with whoever else Hex and Fin just collectively dumped," he said with a snort.

From:

london_spy

"Pass. I do like Hex though," he admitted. "He's nice. I actually thought I might ask him to work with me once I get my PI business set up. He seemed really keen when I brought it up. ...You're still sour about Fin then?"

Honestly, Danny didn't get it. The guy seemed like a twat.

From:

drfeelbad

"I'm pissed that he ghosted me and made me find out from Hex," House said after a long pause. "Beyond that... I knew this was going to happen eventually. I'm not pissed at him for that."

From:

london_spy

"Right," Danny replied, biting back a snide comment about how his cock must be sugar coated to have them both hooked.

Instead he said something that was probably even more shitty.

"So you weren't going to dump him now you're fucking James?"

From:

drfeelbad

House kept his eyes on the road, but there was an almost imperceptible wince at that statement.

"I don't know," he said honestly. "James didn't want me to. I needed to talk to Fin. Which is how I found out he was avoiding me. And, easy as that, the choice was out of my hands anyway."

From:

london_spy

"Right. It was just fucking though- So if I'd said I just wanted to fuck, it would have been fine, right? The wrong is the whole not wanting to hurt you. Not dying, not going to leave you for someone else, so clearly the worst option. Got it. I mean, honestly, I've got shit taste too, so we're clearly just too compatible," Danny snorted, tapping the window when they neared their destination.

"There's parking there."

From:

drfeelbad

House waited until he'd pulled into a parking spot, and yanked the keys out and glared at Danny. "Look, I'm sorry for whatever I did to piss you off, but can you just shut the fuck up about things you don't understand?" And then he got out of the car and slammed the door.

From:

london_spy

Danny flinched at the slammed door, smirk fading. He supposed he'd gotten what he wanted really- To get under Greg's skin, to make an impact finally.

Didn't feel good though.

Exhaling, he slipped out of the car and followed.

"I wasn't being serious," he muttered as he walked alongside the other man.

From:

drfeelbad

"You can be pissed at me, just be pissed with reality and not whatever you're making up to villainize me," House said without looking at him as they walked. "I feel bad enough as it is, okay?"

From:

london_spy

"I'm not trying to make you the villain, I like you," Danny replied. "...Whatever, let's just find your cop."

From:

drfeelbad

"It's all right, Danny," House said, sounding tired. They approached the fountain where Bond was supposed to meet them. "He's not a cop, exactly," House said. "At least, I don't think so."