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The night was quiet as they made their way down the sidewalk. It wasn’t that late, not for the other two, but Wilson felt himself flagging a little bit. He forced back a yawn every other sentence as he interjected in their rapid conversation, happy to be dragged along for the whirlwind ride that was the two of them bickering.
“It was obvious that he was using the ball of his foot that was furthest away from us. Nobody can actually levitate.”
“Maybe you can, Wicked Witch of the West. Of course he can’t levitate, everybody in that room was just very drunk, present company not included.”
“Yes, yes, it’s how you both saw through his clearly innate magical powers to the true human inside or whatever. It’s meant to be fun and- and silly! You’re meant to have fun!” He tugged on House’s arm a little, who raised an eyebrow in turn.
“We did have fun.”
“Buckets of it,” Amber clarified, her arm hooked in Wilson’s. “It’s just fun to pick this stuff apart, make it less mystical. It was nice spending the night together.”
“God knows when Cuddy will let us all have the same night off.” House kicked a pebble into the road, squeezing Wilson’s hand. This was a rarity for the three of them, a date together where they went out . It was usually that one or two of the trio had been given the night off or a rare day away from the hospital, and so they waited up for the third to get back to grab dinner together. More often than not, they’d all be working different hours, getting home at mishmashed times and grabbing rare but peaceful moments away and together where they could. House complicated things in a good way because House had an innate need to stick his nose in their businesses, and therefore spent a lot of time dragging his team back and forth from Radiology and Oncology when he could justify it.
He justified it often, Wilson noted, and felt his heart warm a little. “It’s rare. I should send her a thank you note or something, it might make her consider it more,” the yawn finally escaped, “often in the future.”
House scoffed loudly, throwing his (and Wilson’s) arm into the air. “Why are we praising her for giving her our allowed time off, Wilson? Has she got you in her pocket or something? In her bed? Are you spying on us?” He stopped still suddenly, face the picture of seriousness, and Wilson couldn’t stop the bubbling laughter. He was tired, even after a slow morning, and something about House’s incredulous look sent him over the edge.
The smirk was joined by Amber laughing from his other side as the three of them set off again, walking in companionable silence. The night air was frosted with a chill, all of them in coats with Amber and Wilson donning scarves. House had insisted he didn’t need one and, to his credit, had yet to complain about the weather. House’s hand was warm where it was still clasped inside Wilson’s. Amber was almost pressed into his side, her body heat hidden by her jacket but the pressure comforting against Wilson’s flank. The silence was warm , no tension between them. Perfectly at ease wandering down the side streets to get back to the bus station where they’d be able to get home. Usually Wilson would insist on driving them, enjoying the bickering from the back seats over the quiet din of his cassettes, but it was a beautifully starry night and they’d planned on having a couple of drinks. He was still perfectly steady on his feet and in control of himself, but he was pleasantly warm and tired. He’d struggle to stay awake on the bus back as his partners would take turns in nudging him gently until he insisted he wasn’t asleep. That was their routine, and that was what they liked.
“I really enjoyed it tonight. Thank you.” He broke the silence and didn’t realise until after he spoke that his voice was slightly hoarse, his vision a little blurry. The two whipped to look at him, concern painted over that usually piercing gaze, and he felt something soft curling in his stomach.
“Hey, is something the matter?” She squeezed his arm softly, hand running up and down the fabric of his coat. House stepped up from the road he’d been walking on previously, squeezing his hand in that all too familiar pattern to say he was here. No jokes, no nonsense, no judgement, he was here. They were both here for him, solid and comforting, so… present. They looked at each other, seemed to communicate something in just the widening and narrowing of their eyes, and came together. The three of them were now in some approximation of a circle, Wilson pressed close to a wall with the other two standing in front of him. Their elbows knocked as they examined his face, took note of his watery eyes and the gentle biting of his lip. It was a little awkward because it was dark and the sidewalk wasn’t exactly built for this weird - huddle, or whatever the fuck was happening - but Wilson just felt himself laughing. It was a little wet and choked.
“I’m just happy. I’m really happy.” He brought their hands to his chest, clutching them close because he couldn’t bear to let go. Wilson kissed their knuckles, tucked them close to his heart for safekeeping, as though a promise that he really was more than okay. He closed his eyes and tried to take deep breaths, calming himself down from the sudden flood of emotions that hit him. “Sorry. God, that was embarrassing. I just had a really nice night with both of you and I just- I don’t know. I don’t know. Thank you. I love you.”
“That was embarrassing. Are you gay or something?”
He hears a thump and he knows Amber just punched House in the arm. “I think he means to say that we love you too.”
“No, I meant that it was embarrassing. But we do love you, you big sap. Doesn’t mean you have to cry about it.”
It made him laugh, made his heart swell like it was a balloon filled with so much air it’d almost pop. He opened his eyes again. Saw the two of them shooting daggers at one another, saw that their arms were still touching and that they were standing as close together as they could without compromising House’s position on his cane. Saw that the street was still empty, heard the music from clubs and bars that hadn’t yet closed their door to new entrants but that were outside of their bubble of paradise in the backstreets of New Jersey.
He stepped forward and kissed Amber deeply, gently, with all the love he could pour into one kiss when he was wet with tears. He squeezed her hand that he still clutched, imagining the soft curve of her nails and the scar on the outside of her wrist from when she was a child. She kissed him tenderly, smiling even when they parted.
He turned to the side and kissed House honestly, delicately, with all the care he could pour into a kiss to make House understand. Their fingers laced together over his heart, imagining the way his nails were bitten all the way down and the times he’d bandaged House’s own wounds as an adult. He kissed back hard, eyes still closed when he pulled away.
“Thank you for helping me. With this, and with everything, and- and right now, when I’m too tired for my own good.”
They both nodded, looking like it was the most obvious thing in the world that they’d be here for him. He let go of their hands to wipe his face, as much as he hated being separated from them. He caught the back end of kisses being exchanged, pressed gently into temples as Amber offered her arm for House to balance on as he stepped down off the pavement again. They were almost at the station, which meant they were almost home, which meant Wilson was almost ready to fall asleep where he was standing. Crying knocked it out of him, even if it was only a little bit, and it was past the time he was usually outside.
“I’m alright now, I’ve calmed down. C’mon, let’s keep going.” He offered his arm to Amber and a hand to House, happy to be back where he belonged. Today had been good, even if he’d got a bit emotional at the end, and he really was going to thank Cuddy for making it happen.
They walked off together in easy conversation, House and Amber debating about another one of the magician’s tricks, and Wilson knowing exactly how it’d worked. He let them argue.