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After working for the man for so long, being subject to his many tendencies, and witnessing him perform as close to miracles as a human could get, Chase could say without a doubt that this was the most surprising thing he'd ever seen House do.
It started simple enough, after that speed dating event he, House and Wilson went to, they've started hanging out more and more, mostly going to bars, Chase has yet to go to their condo.
So they go to a local bar, they drink, they talk, and it never fails to surprise Chase how much fun he seems to have with these two, their sense of humor seems to fit right there with his.
And usually they're a bit more responsible with how much they drink, well, he and Wilson are anyway, so he's not sure exactly what made them drink more than usual this time around.
To be fair, he didn't drink much more than he usually does, the same could be sort of said for Wilson, but House? Yeah, he's pretty much shitfaced.
He's so drunk he can barely sit upright let alone walk, an act which he struggles with already when sober, so it only made sense for Chase to help Wilson take House home.
Now, House is a pretty tall guy, and while he may be on the slimmer side, he's still heavy, and they're still drunk, so it takes the combined effort of Chase and Wilson to carry him to a cab they called.
And Chase keeps helping Wilson, carrying House out of the cab, through the first floor of their building, into the elevator, struggling to keep House upright as he leans his full weight on them both, his face right next to Chase's, closer than it's ever been, and Chase isn't thinking about how close House's face is anyway.
How easy it would be to kiss him, he's definitely not thinking about that at all.
They carry House to the condo, and Wilson leaves House leaning more towards Chase as he opens the door, and in the few seconds it takes Wilson to unlock said door, Chase feels House moving his head against him and turns a little to look at him properly and House-
He's nuzzling his face to Chase's jaw-
Chase must have died, he drank too much and he died and is now having this unexplainable dream or vision or what have you-
Why is House's face still touching Chase's?
But before he can even gather enough brain power to panic, Wilson has got the door and is back on House's other side to support his weight, jostling House enough that his head hangs back between his shoulders.
It must be a drunken one time kind of thing, Chase decides to believe and shoves what happened to the back of his mind to obsess over in the comfort of his own home.
They stumble inside and land in a heap on the couch, with Chase stuck under House, his chest to House's back, and Wilson is right there tangled with House's legs.
Chase stills, and tries in vain to still his heartbeat because it feels like his heart is going to jump out of his chest.
House is warm on top of him, and it doesn't seem like he plans on going anywhere because instead of getting off of Chase, he turns around and buries his face in the crook between Chase's neck and shoulder, getting himself comfortable and very clearly trying to kill Chase.
Because how is he supposed to have House in his arms and still be okay?
And he must be more drunk than he thought he was, because what he does next can't be explained otherwise -Chase refuses to have it explained any other way- he wraps his arms around House and rests his cheek on top of House's head.
He stays like this for seconds, maybe minutes, hours even who knows, before it occurs to him that Wilson has gone quiet.
He raises his head to look at Wilson and finds him looking back at him intently, a small smile adorning his face, and Chase feels heat spreading through his face at the knowledgeable look.
'This is not what it looks like' he wants to say to defend himself, but it's a lie and they both know it, because it is what it looks like, and what it looks like is him cuddling with House rather than pushing him back and going home like any sane person would do.
But he's tired, and drunk, and tonight he just can't be bothered to care anymore, besides, it's House's fault and he'll stick to that narrative when House wakes up to find himself in Chase's arms and undoubtedly start making fun of Chase to dispel any awkwardness he might be feeling himself.
And Chase is sure House is going to find out because he's not making any effort to get out from under him, and Wilson isn't offering to help him, and Chase is feeling sleepy so he's going to sleep.
With that thought in mind, Chase sets to get more comfortable, tightening his hold on House, might as well enjoy it while it lasts, burrowing his nose into House's hair and breathing in.
He feels his muscles relaxing with each inhale and exhale, his heartbeat calming down to synchronise with House's, and his eyelids growing heavier and heavier as sleep finally takes him.
***
House is comfortable, very comfortable , unusually so, he can't remember the last time he's been this comfortable.
He opens his eyes slowly, taking in the sunlight as it lights up the room, the living room his brain supplies. He must've slept on the couch.
So why and how is he comfortable?
Oh, his brain helpfully supplies again, it probably, possibly, might have something to do with warm and soft body laying under him, the arms wrapped around him and the shoulder his face is plastered to.
Huh, it certainly took him longer than it should've to realise a human being was this close to him, he really shouldn't get this drunk again.
Did he end up cuddling with Wilson again? It wouldn't be the first time it happened, and Wilson doesn't seem to mind so House didn't see a reason to stop. But no, the body under him feels different than Wilson's.
He lifts his head to get a look and finds Chase right in his face, well, to say this was unexpected would be an understatement.
But House isn't one to look for the comfort of others, and a tender, soft smile draws on his face as he resettles back in the crook of Chase's neck, it is after all, pretty comfortable.
He'll make fun of Chase later.