[for greg]

[more_flexible]

Happy New Year. The nice thing about hypervodka was the lack of a hangover. He also had to cope with the lack of memory of the night before, but the hut looked the same and he'd actually gotten home and not wound up in someone else's bed. All in all, a good night. He wasn't sure, but he might have even gotten a kiss.

Greg was sleeping and Jack took the time to start reading the journal Daniel had given him. His thesis about the pyramids and alien civilizations. Interesting. Plausible, even. He only looked up when it sounded like Greg was waking up.

Comments

[misanthrope_md]

House was feeling considerably better. A week into detoxing, most of the serious non-pain-related symptoms were gone. No more chills, no more puking. His leg just throbbed like a motherfucker. And at this point he couldn't tell if it was still magnified from the withdrawal or just the normal non-Vicodin-medicated pain.

"Hey..." he murmured, turning over on his side towards Jack.

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

He laid the journal aside and got up. "Hey," he replied as he moved to the bed. "Feeling any better today?"

[misanthrope_md]

"Mmmmm quite a bit actually," House admitted. "I mean, relatively. I haven't thrown up since yesterday morning, after all."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"I noticed. Are you getting hungry at all?" It was so much easier to do this, now. If this part lasted for another week, he could handle it.

[misanthrope_md]

"A little, but it can wait." He yawned, sitting up a little. "Christ. I can't believe I'm actually feeling grateful and relieved, considering how much my leg still hurts."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"I thought it might. I still have the tylenol if you want it, and Wilson came over and brought this stuff," he said, tapping a packet on the table beside Greg. "It smells like shit, but he said it would help relax you. And Tosh said something last night, but I can't remember what exactly. Something about being sorry."

[misanthrope_md]

House had to think about that last one for a minute. "Oh... right. Yeah."

He scratched his nose with the back of his hand and added, "And do me a favor, Jack - the next time you get someone to babysit, make sure that I'm sober and fully clothed, yeah?"

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"Sorry about that. I really didn't expect anyone to come. I knew you'd think it was babysitting."

[misanthrope_md]

"Well if I hadn't been plastered I probably would have been kind of pissed, but in retrospect I'm glad you had a chance to rest - I just wish it hadn't been one of my students. Imagine trying to take me seriously after that."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"You'll just have to be extra mean to her," he grinned. "Make her forget she ever saw how hot you look, half naked and sweaty."

[misanthrope_md]

"Right," House snorted. "Because that's exactly what I meant. I was worried that she won't be able to concentrate because now she wants to do me."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"Who wouldn't?" he laughed, reaching over to brush Greg's hair back. "God, you look better." Not great, but better.

[misanthrope_md]

"That's how it works. I told you it would be over eventually."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"I know." His laughter dissipated almost immediately and he looked down. "I'm sorry. I did some things to you that...I'm sorry."

[misanthrope_md]

"Hey!" House snapped, "don't you dare. You have nothing to apologize for, christ, you've been some sort of... saint.'

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"I'm really not. When it got hard, I did what I always do. I left. But you were right...I come back eventually."

[misanthrope_md]

House sighed. "Jack, taking a few hours to sleep so that you don't make yourself sick as well does not count as leaving. I couldn't have asked for you to do more. Truly. Okay?"

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

He didn't believe it, not any more than he'd bought it when Lisa told him, but he nodded anyway. "I love you, you know. It was hell watching you go through that."

[misanthrope_md]

"I hope I wasn't..." House rubbed his temples. "I hope I didn't say anything that's going to like, haunt you for life." He honestly couldn't remember.

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"Nothing I can't get over," he assured him. "You're really not very creative. I'm the biggest idiot ever, I guess."

[misanthrope_md]

House lifted an eyebrow. "That was the best I could do?"

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"Well, you were in pain. Stick with what you know," he shrugged. If Greg didn't even remember, he wasn't going to dredge it up.

[misanthrope_md]

"Jack..." House sighed again, and reached for him.

"Thank you."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"It's nothing," Jack said, leaning in, reaching to hold the back of Greg's head. "I love you...and it's what I do."

[misanthrope_md]

"Things should be... back to normal in a few more days," said House. "More or less. My leg's hurting too much now to do much walking on it."