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House makes a striking image leaning against the car outside the hospital. He’s all sharp angles and dull shadows in the crisp evening darkness. Fall had come quickly with a cold, sweeping wind and drizzling rain. It had been utterly pouring down earlier, but for now only damp asphalt and puddles remained. They’ve just finished work for the day, at a reasonable time no less, which is unusual these days. It was nearing six oclock, although the light had already disappeared and the sky had gone dark some time ago. House’s most recent case had just been discharged and he was looking forward to spending this Friday evening with Wilson.
Speaking of whom, House was growing impatient standing out in the cold waiting for him. Wilson had agreed to take him home and to spend the night with him, but he’d been held up by Cuddy on their way out. A gust of wind makes him shiver and shove his hands into his coat pockets. He flinches against the small cold raindrops. Hunching his shoulders and trying to shield his face in his coat, he looks out for Wilson.
There’s a very noticeable temperature change as Wilson pushes open the hospital door and steps outside, angling towards the car park. The metal of the door chills his fingers and palms. He hurries to his destination, knowing House will be waiting. He adjusts the strap on his weighty shoulder bag and steps carefully, knowing his dress shoes don’t have the best grip on wet ground like this. Taking a deep breath of night air hurts his nose, but it’s relaxing after a long day of work.
House looks up from where he was staring bitterly at the ground as soon as he catches sight of the figure in the darkness. It’s oddly quiet and the sound of Wilson’s footsteps carries easily. The breeze ruffles his brown hair and pick ups the edges of his coat while he walks. House exhales and it’s not quite cold enough to see his own breath, but it’s getting close.
“What took you so long?” House asks in an irritated tone, though it’s lacking any real bite.
“Sorry!” Wilson exclaims, “Cuddy asked me to sign off on a few things before the weekend.”
Wilson stops in front of House, glancing at him briefly before digging through his pocket for his keys. House looks stunning. Dishevelled as always, but the light catches the tiny droplets of water in his wild hair and his eyes sparkle like the wet ground. He feels tired, it weighs at him and he’s glad to spend the evening with House with the prospect of passing out not too much later.
“Right,” Wilson continues, preoccupied, “are we getting Chinese tonight or what?”
House doesn’t respond. Wilson looks up at him, slight confusion written across his face.
“Do you want to get some beers?” Wilson says, watching him curiously, “then we head back to y–”
A warm mouth is placed over his and the words are licked off his lips. He was not expecting this. House’s lips are so warm and his nose is freezing. He was not expecting his heart to swell like this. Two hands are cupping Wilson’s face lightly, sliding into soft hair. He opens his mouth to House without hesitation and lets the sensation of kissing his best friend flood through him. Wilson’s arms slide around House gracefully and pull him closer.
The slide of their lips is gentle, almost restrained, leisurely and unbothered by time. There’s a subtle sweetness to House’s lips and Wilson might just be addicted from one taste. House is a man who feels so much, yet shows none of it. But he’s showing it now through this kiss. It’s a burning intensity unlike anything Wilson has experienced before. There’s a deep vulnerability conveyed through the kiss. This is important. A monumental change. A split in their timeline.
It’s perfect. He wants this. Wilson’s heart beats rapidly in his chest, this feels right . Everything falls into place. He kisses back fiercely and is delighted by the scrape of House’s stubble. He leans into House’s fond touch as they kiss, adoring the care in House’s caress. House’s tongue licking gently over his teeth feels so loving, it makes Wilson weak at the knees.
They break the kiss slowly, it feels like it hasn’t lasted long enough. A thin string of saliva connects their mouths for a moment longer. Wilson smiles a boyish grin and looks down for a second, there’s a flush across his cheeks and he looks sincerely happy. The lingering taste of House almost burns his throat.
House is smiling too. More subtly and mostly with his eyes but there’s tenderness when he lets go of Wilson. His lips are kiss-wet and they feel chilled after a gust of soft wind swirls between them. He catches Wilson’s gaze and their eyes meet for a moment. He feels so open right now, like his heart is on full display, but he feels light.
“So, um,” Wilson stumbles over his words, still smiling, “let's go get some beers.”
“Yeah,” House says and clears his throat, “yeah let’s do that and go back to mine,”
Wilson almost hesitates before stepping away and unlocking the car to sit in the driver's side. He was afraid momentarily that after this moment of shocking exposure House might flee, but he seemed grounded and acted like nothing much had changed.
As they pull out of the hospital car park the rain starts again properly. It pours down, droplets drumming on the roof of the car loudly. The city lights blur together and stand out starkly in the darkness of the night. They make a quick stop for the Chinese takeout to pick up their order. Wilson debates sending House in to collect it but feels too mean making House walk through the rain with a bad leg and ultimately rushes in and out himself.
It’s a peaceful car ride. The sound of tires on wet roads is comforting background noise to House and Wilson’s banter. They picked up right where they left off, arguing over if it was wrong for Wilson to buy himself two lunches, expecting House to turn up. Maybe there should be something heavy and unspoken hanging between them, but there isn’t. It just feels like it always has.
It’s not a particularly long trip and they arrive at House’s apartment after a quick stop at the liquor store. Not long after, the two are spread out over House’s couch, just like normal. They joke together and laugh over noodles and beer like they have a hundred times before. They watch a movie and continuously tell one another to shut up until it becomes the main focus instead of the movie.
Compared to the bitter weather outside, House’s apartment feels wonderfully cosy. It makes Wilson sleepy before long. He tucks his socked feet up under him and curls into House’s side as they watch the credits roll. House pauses for a moment before sliding an arm around Wilson and pulling him close. He’s close to falling asleep and feels delightfully happy to have the comforting touch of his best friend. Or his lover. Whatever. House.
Nothing much feels different. They still feel like House and Wilson. Their feelings have always been there, it’s just that now maybe they could be more open. But nothing has to change, life goes on and this is just how they are now. Maybe this is how they always were.