House

[london_spy]

Danny had spent part of the morning with John, then most of his day in class. When he finally got out the first thing he did was text Greg. He'd reached out to him the night before, but the other man had sounded stressed and busy. Danny hadn't wanted to pester him. They'd been through a lot in that place, and Danny knew Greg had to be worried about James.

Just got out of class. You free tonight? I'd like to see you.

He paused a beat, then sent another text.

I've missed you.

Comments

[drfeelbad]

House listened to this, and then he said gently, "I'm asking. And I'm not going to push for answers, but I'd really like to figure out how we can find them."

[london_spy]

"Trial and error, I suppose," Danny said. "More than anything, Greg, I just like being with you. I like the way you look at me, the way you touch me. I like this, laying in bed beside you, feeling comfortable and cared about."

[drfeelbad]

"Then let me be the first person to really care about what you like," House said softly. "I'm honored."

[london_spy]

Danny smiled warmly at that, leaning in and kissing Greg soundly.

[drfeelbad]

House returned the kiss, and then said, "Just... not tonight. I really am exhausted."

[london_spy]

Danny laughed warmly, kissing him again.

"Alright," he agreed. "You hungry? I could order us something in. We can eat in bed, watch telly till sleep creeps up on us."

[drfeelbad]

"Sure," said House. "Yes that's great, just don't be surprised if I fall asleep with a piece of pizza on my chest."

[london_spy]

"You'll look adorable, I'm sure," Danny teased, grabbing his phone and tapping in an order.

[drfeelbad]

While Danny was doing that, House just looked at him for a moment. When he was done, he said, "Danny I'm sorry I - " Then he stopped. Started over. "I just want you to know that I ah, I know that I'm lucky, to be loved by you."

[london_spy]

Danny glanced over, watching Greg a beat before returning his gaze to his phone.

"Don't expect you to say it back. It is what it is," Danny said softly.

[drfeelbad]

"I just wanted you to know that I don't take it lightly," House said. Even if a consequence of that was that he was even more sure he'd end up hurting him.

[london_spy]

"I know," Danny assured him softly. "I know that you don't. ...Like I said, it is what it is, and I'm alright with it."

[drfeelbad]

House nodded, and had the good sense not to say anything else about it. In fact, he found... he didn't know what else to say at all.

[london_spy]

Danny put the order in, deciding to let the conversation go.

"What do you feel like watching tonight? Film, maybe? I think I'm over all these 'Real' Housewives," he admitted.

[drfeelbad]

"Movie's good. You pick," House said. He knew odds were he wouldn't make it to the end anyway.

[london_spy]

Danny flicked through the films on offer, eventually settling on something French with a pretty man in it. Danny had simple tastes really when it came to entertainment. He liked a bit of titillation and some drama.

[drfeelbad]

A pretty man and an extremely attractive woman, to boot. The combination of this, and House's appreciation for it, suddenly made House realize something about Danny that he didn't know.

"Are you exclusively gay?" he suddenly asked Danny.

[london_spy]

"I am," Danny replied, nodding a little. "...Is that alright?"

[drfeelbad]

House shrugged. "Not at all. I was only curious... getting to know you." He paused. "And I assume it's not a problem that I'm not."

[london_spy]

"It doesn't bother me," Danny assured him. "I think as long as we're open and honest with one another, our sexual preferences aren't an issue."

[drfeelbad]

"Good," said House, and squeezed his arm. "I always got the impression that Fin was kind of worried I'd leave him for a woman. Though I get that. He was the first man I ever had a real relationship with."

[london_spy]

"...He was?" Danny asked, looking a bit uneasy. He didn't like the idea that Fin had been Greg's first anything.

[drfeelbad]

It was complicated, of course, because of the two versions of Fin. But that wasn't something to explain.

"I hooked up with a couple of guys in college," House said. "And there was, ah, a trans woman prostitute I was awfully fond of. But Fin was the first man I was ever in any kind of relationship with.

He'd almost said 'first man I had feelings for' but... that wasn't true. When he'd finally let himself admit it, he knew he'd had feelings for Wilson for years.

[london_spy]

"You don't have to explain, I was just surprised is all," Danny assured him.

[drfeelbad]

"I guess that's something you should know," House said after a moment, "that I don't have that much experience with dating men, all considered."