[for greg]

[more_flexible]

That morning, at the clothes box, Jack had met Buffy. He'd been here more than a year and so had she, but what was amazing was that in the past seven months (almost to the day) he hadn't ever even seen her. Sure, he'd wondered, he'd thought about that name...dreamed about that name on the lips of a raving madman. That name along with ropes and blades and smothering darkness.

He'd just thought he was handling it better.

He'd collected enough shellfish for he and Greg and threw together a quick lunch after he'd left the basement. If he could keep busy, he could keep from thinking about it. From thinking about her. She barely came up to his chest and she was so pretty and young and if she'd been bound and there had been...no. He couldn't keep doing this to himself. He'd done what he had to do to stay alive, and he'd done all he could to keep people like Buffy safe. He tried not to think about Maladicta being hit, tried not to think about how he'd failed to just keep the man there with him. He just needed to stop thinking about it.

Except he couldn't. It was on his mind the whole way to the treehouse.

Comments

[misanthrope_md]

"That's a hard question to answer, Jack. Do you know what you want, next week, next month?"

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"I want you," he said simply. "However...boyfriend. Friend. I don't know. Things have gone all to shit and I don't know if they're ever going back, but I know I want you in my life. I want your hands on me. I want to be in your bed...for more than sex."

That was about as close as he could get to this nebulous, unfamiliar idea. It wasn't a house and a dog and babies like Jane talked about, and it wasn't what he and the Doctor were trying to find.

"I'm sorry if that doesn't make any sense."

[misanthrope_md]

House looked at him for a second. "No, I... you think you don't already have that?"

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"I hope I have that. I don't want it to end. I hate not seeing you. I miss sleeping with you. I don't know...I keep wondering how selfish I can be."

[misanthrope_md]

"I've told you you're welcome back in my bed, Jack. What do you mean, selfish?"

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"I think I want to know your answer first," he replied, turning enough to look at Greg as much as he could. "Tell me what you want."

[misanthrope_md]

"I don't know, I don't really... think like that. If you're asking me if I want you, of course I do. You know that."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"I know. I do," Jack said, rising onto his elbows so his back bowed gracefully. "I feel like a fucking woman asking you this," he snorted, "but I know you don't like me fucking other people, and you know I'm not going to stop. Are you honestly okay with that?"

Although he didn't bother to mention that he hadn't done anything more than flirt with anyone in weeks. And he still didn't know anyone he wanted in bed more than House. That spark just wasn't there.

And he both hoped for and feared its return.

[misanthrope_md]

"No," House said honestly, "I'm not, but I'll deal with it. Besides, I still sleep with Rob, and I'm not a total hypocrite."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"I don't think you should have to deal with it, Greg," he said softly. "I...maybe, um...I might talk to the therapist about that, too. Sex..." he said, or more like asked. The last thing he wanted to do was talk any more about the two of them and have it make Greg mad again.

[misanthrope_md]

House just nodded. Then - "Scallop?" he offered weakly.

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"No," he answered, rolling a little to look straight at him. "But I wouldn't mind kissing you again."

[misanthrope_md]

"You have full reign," House promised, his lips twitching up a little. "To kiss me however you want."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

Jack reached up and caught Greg by the back of the neck, pulling him closer so he could kiss his throat and jaw, working up to his ear. "Full reign?" he whispered before biting his earlobe carefully.

[misanthrope_md]

House sucked in a breath. "Yeah. Consider my body... at your disposal."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

Without breaking the kisses, Jack slid his hand down to catch the hem of Greg's shirt and started to pull it off. "You won't be mad if I've got to stop?"

[misanthrope_md]

"N-n-no..." House promised, "but depending on how far you get you can't get mad if I have to disappear behind a tree for a moment at that point..."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"No disappearing," he whispered. "Stay with me...no matter what." He punctuated the request by sinking his teeth into Greg's throat after the shirt had come off.

[misanthrope_md]

"Jesus..." House gasped at the sudden sting of the bite. This wasn't exactly where he'd seen things going...

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

It was so much easier to lose himself in the moment like this with someone he trusted. Greg wouldn't hurt him, wouldn't scare him...he knew. He'd known since it happened. He'd stayed and had never pushed anything until Jack was ready.

He was also right; this wasn't the way to deal with it. He couldn't just bury everything behind sex. It felt good, yeah, but only for a little while. God, but he wanted that little while right now. To just quit worrying and be with Greg.

"Jack," he said, the smartass retort coming almost automatically.

[misanthrope_md]

"Jack," House repeated, "God I love you, Jack."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

His lips moved up the curve of Greg's throat, over the rough stubble that had to be almost two days' worth, and finally, hesitantly sought his mouth for a kiss. Even with his eyes closed, this time he didn't shy away.

[misanthrope_md]

House let Jack control the kiss, afraid that he'd get pushed away again. He put his hand on Jack's arm and trailed his fingers over his skin.

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

His body reacted instinctively, rising to press against Greg. He shifted a little so he could lay on his back, pulling at shoulders and ass to coax Greg to lay on him. "I want you," he purred. "I always want you."

[misanthrope_md]

House settled on top of him, shifting his weight onto his good leg braced by Jack's side. He hoped that Jack wasn't overcompensating, but he could pretend that he wasn't enjoying this.