House

[raw_youth]

He had had a drink so he was full of liquid courage. Dodge needed a needle and he knew where to look. You'd have to be an idiot not to know where to look. He left the party with his white take out bag in hand, half a sandwich still in it. He went straight to the clinic and walked in, looking around and hoping he was lucky enough that all the

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[misanthrope_md]

House had been at the party for a while, and in fact still had a generous glass of scotch in his hand. But he wasn't on duty so it was okay - he was just in the clinic because he was scrounging for Tylenol. He didn't know why he was even bothering, really, except that his leg was killing him and before he drank himself into alcohol poisoning to escape it he should probably try something else.

The scotch was on the counter, his cane leaning against the side, and he was pushing aside various bottles in the cabinet, looking for the right one.

[raw_youth]

Dodge stopped when he saw the man rummaging through the cupboard. He didn't look like a doctor but he couldn't be sure. He was frozen to the spot as he tried to decide whether to proceed or flee.

It didn't take long for the need to fix decided for him. He walked over and opened a drawer without any idea where a needle might be kept.

"Seen needles?" he asked the man casually.

[misanthrope_md]

House turned, bottle in hand, and looked at the unfamiliar boy as he shook out a few pills.

"Sure have," he said. "Why, need to sew something?"

[raw_youth]

"Not that kind of needle," he said, opening another drawer. Bandaids, gauze, scissors. Nothing useful. Dodge looked up at the man and tried to look as sweet as he could.

"Can I get in that drawer behind you?" he asked, polite as he could manage, and then even added a "Please."

[misanthrope_md]

House didn't budge.

"Nope," he said. "I happen to know that the doctors don't like people poking around in here."

[raw_youth]

"But you were," Dodge pointed out. He looked the man over and decided to take a different approach. He smiled sweetly.

"Come on. I won't mess with anything else. I promise."

[misanthrope_md]

"I'm allowed," said House. "I'm one of the doctors. And just think how bad I'd look if I let some kid walk off with a needle."

[raw_youth]

"You're one of the doctors?" Dodge asked, then smiled a little more. He reached up and scrubbed his fingers through his hair.

"I just need one. You won't even miss it. I can, uh, trade for it?"

[misanthrope_md]

"Maybe I should ask what you need it for," House said. As if he didn't already know. "And you must be new here if you think you can pay me in mangoes or something."

[raw_youth]

"Mangoes? No," he said, holding up his hand. "But there are things. You're not going to spend the night alone, are you? You could have me. All night if you want. A needle for that is nothing. Come on, man..."

[misanthrope_md]

House's eyebrows shot up into his hairline. "You're offering me sex? Fuck, kid..."

He scrubbed a hand over his face. He was too drunk for this. Way, way, way too drunk for this.

Finally, he shook his head. But he did add, "But fuck did you find the right person to ask. If there was any doc on this whole island who might have considered taking that offer, it's the ex-junkie with the penchant for hookers. But it's bad enough I've still got some I took stashed away, I'd go to the special hell for taking you up on that."

[raw_youth]

"But it's okay," he said more quietly. "I haven't since I got here and, you know, a needle isn't all I need. You know?" He thought that maybe, just maybe, he could get taken back to the doctor's place and he could roll him for the rig he had there. It would save him from robbing the clinic.

[misanthrope_md]

House was still holding the Tylenol he had in his hand, and he popped them into his mouth and swallowed them before looking down at the guy with a little shake of his head. "You're better off just going cold turkey now and getting it over with," he said. "Trust me, I know what I'm talking about. How old are you anyway?"

[raw_youth]

"How old do you want me to be?" he asked, wetting his lips the way the Senator always liked. Since he'd learned that trick he'd gotten more tricks so he knew it must be good. He ignored the idea of going cold turkey. He'd already had a night of shakes and sweats but it didn't deter him from wanting to do the new dose he'd gotten tonight.

[misanthrope_md]

House found himself watching the kid's mouth - fuck. "I am way too drunk for this," he muttered, and closed the cabinet where he'd just gotten the pills. "Wrong answer," he said. "Don't look at me with those fuck-me eyes when as far as I know you could be sixteen." Even though he was pretty sure that wasn't the case. If House had to guess, he'd say twenty.

[raw_youth]

Dodge sighed and rolled his eyes. So young was bad.

"I'm nineteen," he lied. "Nineteen and a half. And my name's Dodge."

He could tell he was making some progress. He'd never had such a hard sell. Of course, he'd never tried to wheel and deal. It had always been pretty straightforward.