Categories > TV > House
Title: Cold Comfort
Author: seldra
Fandom: House M.D.
Pairing: House/Chase
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: owned by FOX and David Shore.
Summary: set after "The Mistake." Chase needs comfort.
Notes: This was written for the "10 Snuggles" challenge on LiveJournal. This time the prompt was "star gazing." I'm not sure this counts as "snuggling," but Chase does get a good snog.
House wasn’t all that surprised to find Chase on the roof, moping under the guise of star gazing. He’d gone up there just to escape Foreman’s smug stare, and it didn’t take much to figure out why Chase had wanted to escape. In the dark he couldn’t quite see the blond’s expression, but he didn’t need to – the last few days had shown him all he could handle of Chase looking scared, shaken and disgustingly close to tears.
Neither said anything for several minutes and House let his gaze travel to the night sky. The stars were faint and washed out, mostly obscured by the bright lights of Princeton. But if he used his imagination he could make out a few familiar constellations.
“Was it my fault?” Chase asked.
The question threw him for a second. He lost sight of Cassiopeia and was briefly annoyed. Why the hell is he asking me? I’m not the person you ask about these things. He should be crying on Cameron’s shoulder or something.
In fact, he almost opened his mouth to say ‘Obviously. She’d still be alive if you’d asked one simple question!’ But really, what would that accomplish? Sure he could make Chase cry – and then what? He’d retire at the age of twenty-seven and run back to Australia, terrified of ever treating another patient? And if that happened he’d lose a competent fellow and have to suffer through the agony of interviewing five to seven boring and less-pretty replacements. None of that sounded particularly appealing.
“I didn’t fire you, did I?”
It was short and to the point. He certainly wasn’t saying it to make Chase feel better or to assuage his own guilt. Though Chase’s hurt look when he’d realized House had known about his father and said nothing still flickered uncomfortably at the back of his mind. To ignore it, he turned back to the sky, trying to remember which blurry white dots were Andromeda.
“Actually you did just try to—”
House rolled his eyes, finally turning to face Chase. “Christ! Do you want me to comfort you or not?”
His eyes had adjusted well enough to make out Chase’s startled expression. In fact, he couldn't have looked more surprised if House had slapped him. He'd frozen in mid-sentence with his mouth still open.
“You’re a good doctor,” House said. “Well, maybe not yet. You could be.” He shifted uncomfortably, not an easy thing to do with a cane. Why did Chase have to look at him that way – like his words might mean something. Might mean a lot.
“Just don’t kill the next one and we’ll be fine.”
He put his hand on Chase’s shoulder. He didn’t know why he did it. It was a disturbingly familiar gesture. Overly-friendly. Chase didn’t seem to mind, just kept staring at him with those wide blue eyes.
Needy? Well, sort of. But wasn’t everyone at some point?
He leaned closer. Chase’s breath smelt minty.
This is just so you don’t have to give any damn interviews he told himself. And he wondered how bad it was when he didn’t believe his own internal monologue.
Chase’s lips were warm and pliant. His hair was incredibly soft under House’s hands. Once, Stacy had agreed to watch a friend’s kitten for a weekend. That was what Chase's hair reminded him of. It was just too soft. And his mouth – oh, it tasted good.
Was this taking advantage of him? Oh hell, after the week they’d been through they could both use a random make-out session on the hospital roof. As long as none of the nurses snuck out to have a smoke they’d be alright.
He cradled Chase’s head between his hands, a little disconcerted by how neatly he fit against him and how willingly the kiss deepened. It was warm and sweet-tasting and way too innocent and it could go in all sorts of directions House told himself he didn’t want to go. This was supposed to make everything simpler, not more complicated.
After a few minutes he broke the kiss and pulled away from a stunned Chase.
“Feel better?"
END
Author: seldra
Fandom: House M.D.
Pairing: House/Chase
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: owned by FOX and David Shore.
Summary: set after "The Mistake." Chase needs comfort.
Notes: This was written for the "10 Snuggles" challenge on LiveJournal. This time the prompt was "star gazing." I'm not sure this counts as "snuggling," but Chase does get a good snog.
House wasn’t all that surprised to find Chase on the roof, moping under the guise of star gazing. He’d gone up there just to escape Foreman’s smug stare, and it didn’t take much to figure out why Chase had wanted to escape. In the dark he couldn’t quite see the blond’s expression, but he didn’t need to – the last few days had shown him all he could handle of Chase looking scared, shaken and disgustingly close to tears.
Neither said anything for several minutes and House let his gaze travel to the night sky. The stars were faint and washed out, mostly obscured by the bright lights of Princeton. But if he used his imagination he could make out a few familiar constellations.
“Was it my fault?” Chase asked.
The question threw him for a second. He lost sight of Cassiopeia and was briefly annoyed. Why the hell is he asking me? I’m not the person you ask about these things. He should be crying on Cameron’s shoulder or something.
In fact, he almost opened his mouth to say ‘Obviously. She’d still be alive if you’d asked one simple question!’ But really, what would that accomplish? Sure he could make Chase cry – and then what? He’d retire at the age of twenty-seven and run back to Australia, terrified of ever treating another patient? And if that happened he’d lose a competent fellow and have to suffer through the agony of interviewing five to seven boring and less-pretty replacements. None of that sounded particularly appealing.
“I didn’t fire you, did I?”
It was short and to the point. He certainly wasn’t saying it to make Chase feel better or to assuage his own guilt. Though Chase’s hurt look when he’d realized House had known about his father and said nothing still flickered uncomfortably at the back of his mind. To ignore it, he turned back to the sky, trying to remember which blurry white dots were Andromeda.
“Actually you did just try to—”
House rolled his eyes, finally turning to face Chase. “Christ! Do you want me to comfort you or not?”
His eyes had adjusted well enough to make out Chase’s startled expression. In fact, he couldn't have looked more surprised if House had slapped him. He'd frozen in mid-sentence with his mouth still open.
“You’re a good doctor,” House said. “Well, maybe not yet. You could be.” He shifted uncomfortably, not an easy thing to do with a cane. Why did Chase have to look at him that way – like his words might mean something. Might mean a lot.
“Just don’t kill the next one and we’ll be fine.”
He put his hand on Chase’s shoulder. He didn’t know why he did it. It was a disturbingly familiar gesture. Overly-friendly. Chase didn’t seem to mind, just kept staring at him with those wide blue eyes.
Needy? Well, sort of. But wasn’t everyone at some point?
He leaned closer. Chase’s breath smelt minty.
This is just so you don’t have to give any damn interviews he told himself. And he wondered how bad it was when he didn’t believe his own internal monologue.
Chase’s lips were warm and pliant. His hair was incredibly soft under House’s hands. Once, Stacy had agreed to watch a friend’s kitten for a weekend. That was what Chase's hair reminded him of. It was just too soft. And his mouth – oh, it tasted good.
Was this taking advantage of him? Oh hell, after the week they’d been through they could both use a random make-out session on the hospital roof. As long as none of the nurses snuck out to have a smoke they’d be alright.
He cradled Chase’s head between his hands, a little disconcerted by how neatly he fit against him and how willingly the kiss deepened. It was warm and sweet-tasting and way too innocent and it could go in all sorts of directions House told himself he didn’t want to go. This was supposed to make everything simpler, not more complicated.
After a few minutes he broke the kiss and pulled away from a stunned Chase.
“Feel better?"
END
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