After Callahan's, Monday/Early Tuesday (04/10/06)

[geoff_chaucer]

[ooc: Locked to geoff_chaucer and gotcanewillpoke.]

He'd gotten drunk, very drunk, and had to give in and take a taxi home. It was well into the early hours of the morning when he finally did, and although he did his best to be quiet, inebriated people very rarely realize how much noise they're really making. He had it in mind just to crash on the couch, and deal with

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[gotcanewillpoke]

There would also be a major roadblack to his plan. A body already occupied the couch. Two boies, in fact, though the canine jumped down, and rushed to the door barking until he realised it was someone he knew stumbling into the house.

House sat up, rubbing his hand over his face. "Where the fuck have you been?" he demanded, voice raw with sleep.

[OOC: Am kidnapped today, and spending the night at my friend's house. Will be online, but I'm not sure when or how late]

[geoff_chaucer]

Even sober, and in good spirits, Geoff probably wouldn't have responded well to that question. And to be honest, it wasn't House's fault, it was just that Geoff wasn't used to being answerable to another when it came to how he spent his free time.

Also, he wasn't sober, and neither was he in good spirits.

So the reply House received was simply, "Out. Why aren't you in bed?"

[ooc: No worries, and have fun! I'll see you whenever you're about. :)]

[gotcanewillpoke]

"Out where?" House got to his feet, and offered no explanation as to why he wasn't upstairs.

He wasn't quite awake enough to realise how demanding he was sounding. He wasn't even sure what he was thinking. His thoughts weren't linear or fully cognitive. All he knew was that he was aggrevated and feeling threatened and terretorial.

[geoff_chaucer]

"You want a timeline of how I spent my day?" Geoff retorted, kicking his shoes off. Or rather, trying to kick his shoes off but ending up having to catch himself against the counter and cursing.

He rubbed at his hair, taking a breath to try and calm down, reminding himself that House hadn't done anything wrong. "I had a bad day. I went out for a drink," he said, a little sullenly.

[gotcanewillpoke]

"And you just had to pick tonight." House sneered at him. "Wilson's birthday party." He added and reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose.

[OOC: Will be afk for a bit *hugs*]

[geoff_chaucer]

"I didn't pick tonight, Greg, it just happened to be tonight," he shot back, beginning to feel defensive. If he wanted to go and have a drink or three, damn it, after the morning he'd had, well...

"He's your friend anyway, not mine. I doubt he even noticed I was missing."

Finally managing to get the shoes off, Geoff stood leaning on the counter for a minute, trying to decide whether he wanted to brave the stairs or just head for the nearest chair. Going upstairs might save him from further arguing, he decided, whereas sitting down would be an invitation toward continuing. So, mind made up, Geoff headed for the stairs, one eye out for Cash in hopes that the dog had the good sense not to get underfoot.

[ooc: See you later! *hugs*]

[gotcanewillpoke]

Cash was under the table in front of the couh. Hiding, and watching, eyes darting between House and Geoff.

House didn't have his cane in hand, so it was an awkward hop-step, but he put his arm out to block Geoff's path. "Of course he noticed. He noticed becuase I noticed." Anger and rejection swirled in and around each other in his mind.

"I wanted you to be there. With me, damn it."

[geoff_chaucer]

Geoff drew back slightly from the arm blocking his way, and wobbled a little. Scowling he looked from the arm up to House's face.

"If by chance you hadn't taken notice, Greg," he snapped, his accent thickening with the combination of alcohol and anger. "I'm drunk. Are you certain you want to have this argument now?"

[gotcanewillpoke]

"You're drunk, I'm wasted. What better time to have a knock down drag down fight?" House held his arm still, blocking the stairs. Geoff would have a real struggle to get him to budge. His eyes were bright and intense.

"In case you forgot, you're living in my house. I expect you to abide by certain expectations."

[geoff_chaucer]

"Your house. You're right, milord, I had forgot I was here on your sufference."

Geoff's voice had taken on a bitter, angry tone, and his jaw clenched as he spoke. "And these expectations...I suppose they're easy enough to figure. Make your breakfast, look after your dog, warm your bed. Have I left anything out? Shall I call Edward and tell him I won't be taking the employment he offered, because my lord won't allow it?"

By the end his voice was raised, and his face was becoming increasingly flushed.

[gotcanewillpoke]

His hand clenched into a fist, though he had no inclination to hit. He might have punched the wall, except the effort would likley have knocked him off balance.

He held Geoff's gaze for a moment then fell back, arm falling away from the stairs, back slumping against the wall. He pursed his lips, gnawed on the bottom one for a moment.

"I don't want to fight with you, Geoff. I'm tired and I'm high and I love you and I don't know why I'm being such a bastard except that I was worried about you and I wanted you to be there at the party and I don't know how to deal with all this shit going around in my head."

He brought his hand up to rub his face.

[geoff_chaucer]

Honestly, Geoff had got himself to the point where he was expecting a fight, and he stared at House for a moment when the man withdrew. It didn't seem right, didn't seem like something House would do.

And then what he'd said hit Geoff. I'm tired and I'm high...

"You had another dose. I thought you weren't going to. You said back in Fandom that you wanted to stop the medications, that...that Aziraphale fellow was helping you get better." His tone was accusatory, and the words tumbled out of his mouth before he could stop them. "I said I'd help you. I said I'd do whatever I could, and you said it was helping. Who gave it to you? Simon? Because I know Dr. Wilson wouldn't. Or was it just an excuse to see Simon again? Why didn't you take him to the party? Or your pretty lady Susan?"

[gotcanewillpoke]

So much for not intending to hit. His fist shot up before he had time to process what he was doing, and he growled with the effort of it. Been a long time since he'd hit anyone, or anything mroe than a wall. It felt good, really, to make the contact, to feel the resistance.

[geoff_chaucer]

Geoff...honestly hadn't expected it. He knew that House had a temper, but he just hadn't thought the man would strike him. Sober, he probably would have seen it coming long before it got to that point, and would have backed off. But drunk, Geoff wasn't that forward-thinking, and he didn't have the control over his words that he usually exercised.

The blow connected with his jaw, and sent him off-balance, backward so that he knocked against the back of the armchair and had to grab it to catch himself. He stared at House for a minute, stunned.

Then he turned and headed to the kitchen, fumbling to find his shoes and coat.

[gotcanewillpoke]

House was actually as stunned as Geoff and stood faping at himself. He was too stunned for a moment to move forward. He slumped against the wall again, breathing hard.

"Fuck."

[geoff_chaucer]

It took him a few minutes and some muttered cursing, but Geoff finally managed to get his shoes back on. Holding the coat in one hand, he turned and looked at House.

"When I sober up, I'll probably believe I deserved that. But you don't get to do it again. I'm going out. Maybe I'll come back. But not- not while it's like this."