(Untitled)

[misanthrope_md]

The last time House had gotten drunk at the Winchester he'd ended up taking home a hot girl with good intentions but a serious lack of follow-through. This time it wasn't because he was expecting similar results, but rather for the simplest reason of all: His leg hurt

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[ffyddlon]

Gwen's actually planning on having lunch at the Winchester, more than anything else, but seeing House standing just outside makes her pause. She's only met him the once but it was pleasant enough, as such things went. It's not in her nature not to stop and ask about him and, if he needs something to go fetch it for him.

"Are you all right? Need...anything?"

[misanthrope_md]

It took a second for House's eyes to focus on her. "Hey, it's you," he said. "Did you ever find out you have a kid hidden away?"

[ffyddlon]

"Ah, yeah, been informed. Still not quite over it," Gwen says, and it's breezier than she actually feels. It's both easier and harder that she's met Nate now and she wants desperately just to forget that he's biologically her child.

"Are you sure you don't need something?"

[misanthrope_md]

"Uh..." He seemed to consider this for a moment. "You can make sure I make it to my house right over there without falling over."

[ffyddlon]

"Think I can manage," Gwen agrees, offering her arm if he wants to take it. She's a little cautious about that, though, because some people don't like feeling like they can't do something, she chief among them, and she doesn't know House well enough to know where he falls on that spectrum.

"Why are you pissed in the middle of the afternoon anyway?"

[misanthrope_md]

"My leg hurts," said House. He was even drunk enough not to take her arm. "Besides, what's the real difference between 2pm and 5pm in this place?"

[ffyddlon]

"None, I suppose," Gwen says, shrugging. "I was planning on it myself, actually, but I just wasn't sure what had you bothered. I can't be the only person around here having crises and making poor decisions."

[misanthrope_md]

"I've been stuck here for six years," said House. "Is that a good enough reason? Oh... look, I can see my house from here." He pointed vaguely.

[ffyddlon]

"It'll pass for my purposes," Gwen says, grinning at him a bit. "I'll walk vaguely in that direction and if you need me to spot you, let me know?"

She waits for a moment, biting her lip before asking her next question. "Were we friends? Before?"

[misanthrope_md]

"Nah," House said. "I'm not really friends with anyone. And for a while I was pretty sure you were trying to steal my boyfriend... oh, you know I was the first person you met here. Pool table. Fuck that was a long time ago. You know I've been here for six years?"

[ffyddlon]

"Your boyfriend? Who in the hell was that?" Gwen asks, wondering what kind of man would want both her and House and, more importantly, what kind of man House would want.

[misanthrope_md]

"Jack fucking Harkness," muttered House, and then added, "And don't you dare laugh."

[ffyddlon]

It's a good thing he told her not to because Gwen wants to laugh, desperately. Instead, she just shakes her head.

"Typical of Jack. Everyone's drawn to him like a fucking magnet."

[misanthrope_md]

"Yeah," said House, and there's a lifetime of bitterness in that single word.

"Hey look, it's my house." They were nearing the steps.

[ffyddlon]

"What went wrong, then? Unless it's too personal?" Gwen asks, wanting to shove her foot in her mouth for asking something so stupid. Oh yes, he's going to want to talk about that with someone he barely knows.

[misanthrope_md]

"In what universe would that not be personal?" House said with a snort. "He cheated on me and then kicked me out. We were happy, and then we weren't, and now he is, and I'm not. Story of my life. Fuck I hate it here."