FIC: Trust (House)
Title: Trust
Author: JE / immortalje
Pairing: House/Chase
Summary: Chase does everything to win House's trust back.
Rating: FRT
AN: My entry for the chouse_ficswap
Challenger: smoke_baby
Challenge:
"Set sometime after the Vogler story line, House demands that Chase shows him just how far he'll go to regain his boss's trust.
Genre: Anything but fluff will do, I guess."
Beta: spellchecker, otherwise nobody
Trust
Chase had a week to think of a way to win House’s trust back. Not only that, House had demanded to know how far he was willing to go. The problem was that he’d do anything House would tell him, he would do the most humiliating tasks, run all errands, work night and day and even more. The question was should he give House this power over him? Could he survive this without totally losing himself in the process? Could he hand his heart over to House, knowing that it would be trashed mercilessly? Wasn’t that why he had gone to Vogler to begin with? To protect his heart from House, while keeping his job? He should have known that it wouldn’t work like that.
In a way, Chase knew that what he feared the most about what would happen once House had his heart and actually knew about it. He had a week to give House an answer that would let the other man know how much he cared. If House was actually listen that is. It would be just like House to miss the meaning behind it and miss just how much he was trashing Chase’s heart. A week to find the right formulation that would satisfy House into forgiving him.
It didn’t help at all that House was putting him down at every opportunity that presented itself. The week went by pretty fast despite all the work he had to do due to the tasks House wanted to be done by him.
The day House had wanted his answer had come and Chase dreaded the moment when House caught him alone and demanded the answer. He still didn’t know how to convey that he’d place himself at House’s mercy 24/7 in all matters that the older man could come up with, be they work related or personal.
At the end of the day, just as Cameron and Foreman were leaving House was calling him into his office.
“Come up with something good?” asked House after Chase had closed the door.
Chase sighed and walked over to the chair before letting himself fall into it. After a moment he started, “I… I’d do anything you tell me to do for however long you want me to.”
Chase didn’t dare look at House once this was out. He thought that he could have gotten that out much better, but it was done. No use in further humiliating him, House would do that enough anyway now that he had the chance. Not that he hadn’t done so before.
“Anything you say?” asked House with a grin.
Chase looked up at that and he wondered if this really had been the right choice. How was he supposed to know that House wouldn’t go too far? Pushing these doubts aside with the remainder that it was too late now anyway, Chase tried to stay calm. Swallowing, Chase nodded, “Anything.”
“Well, you could start by cleaning my apartment, naked. Want to have something to watch after all,” said House, his grin becoming even wider.
It was obvious that House was waiting for Chase to retract his offer. Only Chase hadn’t gotten this far just to turn tail now. Without blinking with his eyes, Chase responded, “When do you want me to start?”
Chase wasn’t sure, but he thought he caught a flicker of surprise before it was gone again. House stood up, this time looking happy, “How about right now?”
Chase was relieved to hear that. Doing it right now, or as soon as they arrived at House apartment, meant that he had less time to worry about it. He could focus on completing this first task instead. Wordlessly, he followed House to his car and let himself be driven to the other man’s apartment.
When he saw the state the apartment was in, he swallowed. He somehow had expected the older man to be cleaner. Then again, it wasn’t as if House was prone to bend down to get something of the floor, not with his leg. House quickly told him where he could place his clothes and where to find the cleaning utensils before sitting down on the couch and enjoying the show.
An hour later, Chase was glad when he noticed that House was starting to lose attention and started playing on his game boy. He hated the feeling of being watched, especially when he was naked.
~***~
Chase found that this was a start to a series of events like that. Aside from the additional (and often even mindless) tasks at work came cleaning and cooking duties for House, mostly naked, and becoming more and more frequent until they were nearly daily. Sometimes, Chase had the feeling as if House was close to demanding sexual favours of him, but House never asked. Worst of all, Chase wasn’t sure if he wanted House to ask or not. On one side, it would be embarrassing and most probably degrading as well. On the other it would be a fulfilment of Chase’s dreams. He couldn’t count how often he had dreamed of ways House and he could have sex together.
~***~
A month later, Chase didn’t know whether he should cry or be happy. Despite all the things House had him doing, Chase still enjoyed being around the other man, but the comments coming from House at every chance he had and where nobody could overhear them tore at his heart. In a way this had been the best and the worst month of his life.
The only difficulty that remained was Foreman’s new interest in him and his relationship with House. It was as if he knew something. He was always trying to run interference between House and him. Hell, House had already commented, albeit it was under the assumption that Chase and Foreman where somehow dating and other things along this line.
He leaned back in the locker room, glad that for once, House hadn’t told him to stop at his apartment, meaning he could enjoy an evening alone at his own flat for once. He’d have time to sort out anything that had gotten spoiled since he last went there for more than just falling onto the bed and being dead to the world.
Chase’s introspection was interrupted when Foreman entered and asked, “What’s going on with House and you? And I don’t want any excuses.”
“Nothing. I’m just paying for my betrayal. It’s nothing you should worry about,” answered Chase.
Foreman snorted, “Yeah right. With all the stuff you already did at work, you more than made up for it. And what about going home with House? What does he make you do there?”
“Nothing I didn’t agree to!” argued Chase back.
Foreman suddenly softened and said, “I can see how much you care about him and how much this treatment hurts you. Whatever this is, you should stop it now. He can’t fire you for it!”
“It’s not like that, alright? I can take care of myself,” defended Chase himself.
Foreman stepped closer and pushed him against the wall, “I can see that. You lost weight, you have dark circles beneath your eyes, and you’re always running around doing something. This isn’t healthy anymore. You’re not taking care of yourself at all.”
“It’s still my thing! I’d prefer it if you’d stay out of it,” said Chase angrily.
Foreman stepped back, letting Chase go, “If this continues, I’ll bring this to Cuddy’s attention. This isn’t right and is just waiting for you to make a mistake because you’re too tired. This love is killing you!”
Chase just looked away. He knew that Foreman was right, but he also knew that he wouldn’t ever get more and he needed it so much. He couldn’t just ban House from his mind, he had already overtaken it.
After some time he felt Foreman’s eyes leave him, followed by a locker opening and closing before Foreman left the locker room, leaving Chase to his thoughts.
Chase knew that Foreman was right; he wasn’t taking care of himself. The problem was that he didn’t care about taking care of himself. All he really cared about was House and having him trust him again, only his faith that House would trust him again was swindling every day he still hadn’t regained it, which just made him care even less about caring for himself. He always thought that the harder he worked the more likely House would finally forgive him, but the harder he worked, the more he felt the depression rising in him. He was an addict and House was his drug, a drug he didn’t want to give up.
Instead of lingering for much longer, he stood up and got his jacket out of his locker. He could still think at home before Cameron decided to have a talk with him. She was the last person he wanted to talk to.
~***~
What Chase didn’t know was that Wilson had every word of his argument with Foreman. And Wilson was just as worried. Not waiting for Chase to be done, he turned and headed to House’s office. It was time he had a talk with him.
“What do you want me to do?” asked House sarcastically when Wilson confronted him with Chase’s declining health, “Coddle him and put him to bed? Give him a goodnight kiss?”
“He cares about you. He as much as admitted that he loves you. Why do you think he’s willing to do all that for you? Because he wants this job? If you had wanted to fire him, he could have gone to Cuddy and complained and he would have kept this job. You don’t even know what Vogler had over him,” said Wilson exasperated.
House shrugged, “Who cares why he did it? He did it and that’s all that matters.”
“He’s a mistake waiting to happen in the state he’s in. And I bet you that Foreman and possibly Cameron will attest that you’ve been running him really hard this last month. It won’t be just him suffering for it, if that is what you plan,” added Wilson.
House raised an eyebrow, “Do I look as if I care?”
“You should care before Foreman goes true on his thread to go to Cuddy,” demanded Wilson.
When House didn’t answer, Wilson said, “If you ask me, than he’s hopelessly in love with you and take your abuse over being away from you any day. Don’t destroy him.”
Without another word Wilson left, leaving House to his thoughts, hoping that House would make the right decision.
~***~
The following day, Chase was surprised when House merely told him to do his clinic hours. The only thing House did beside that was watching Chase and it made him weary to run into House at every opportunity. It was as if House was suddenly stalking him and worst of all, House had that look that told everybody who dared to watch, that he was onto something. It was clear that House was diagnosing him.
Chase doubted that Foreman had told House about his abysmal abilities to take care of himself and House hadn’t cared so far. Had Foreman already gone to Cuddy? Chase doubted that, for once Cuddy wouldn’t have told House to take care of him. She would have questioned Chase about Foreman’s accusation concerning House. And there would have been screaming involved between Cuddy and House.
When he ran into Wilson and noticed the other man looking him over carefully, he knew who had talked with House. Before Wilson could say anything, he excused himself and walked off. He still needed to get some test results back for House. He knew that they were supposed to be back today and he figured he could fetch them before House told him to do so.
The next few days went the same way and Chase started to worry about what was wrong. Had House decided he had proven to be trustworthy? Was House just waiting for when to spring his next demand? Was House going to fire him after all?
Taking a short coffee break before going back to work, Chase thought that the coffee tasted strange, but he ignored it in favour of emptying it quickly and leaving the room again. Only he didn’t feel too well all of a sudden. The world was starting to spin around him and his eyes felt heavy. He thought he heard faint voices, but he couldn’t understand them. Instead he let his eyes close and surrendered to the darkness surrounding him.
“You drugged him?” asked Wilson aghast.
House waited for Wilson to lift Chase before saying, “I believe it was you who told me to do something about Chase’s health. I’m doing something. Now all I need you to do is put him into your car and from there into my bedroom. Should keep an eye on him with him being all drugged up.”
Wilson only rolled his eyes but did as House told him. “What do you plan to do with him once he wakes up again?” asked Wilson after a while.
House shrugged, “Don’t know yet. I’ll figure it out when he wakes up.”
Wilson couldn’t believe House sometimes. It was really a wonder that House managed to cure most of his patients. Once he had gotten Chase comfortable, he walked over to the driver’s side, while House started walking to his motorbike. House was already halfway through the garage when he suddenly turned and yelled, “Do you think it’s wise to tell him I care too as soon as he wakes up?”
Wilson hadn’t expected this question just as he was sitting down in his car, getting up again; he bumped his head against the frame. Holding his head he asked, “You sure know how to drop a bomb, do you?”
“I take that as a yes,” responded House with a grin before resuming walking away. Wilson sighed and wondered once again just why he was still House’s friend. Looking at Chase, he knew that it was the same reason why Chase still loved House after all the other man had done. Once he had gotten beneath your skin he wouldn’t leave again. He only hoped that things between House and Chase would work out. He hoped it for both House and Chase.
The End
Author: JE / immortalje
Pairing: House/Chase
Summary: Chase does everything to win House's trust back.
Rating: FRT
AN: My entry for the chouse_ficswap
Challenger: smoke_baby
Challenge:
"Set sometime after the Vogler story line, House demands that Chase shows him just how far he'll go to regain his boss's trust.
Genre: Anything but fluff will do, I guess."
Beta: spellchecker, otherwise nobody
Trust
Chase had a week to think of a way to win House’s trust back. Not only that, House had demanded to know how far he was willing to go. The problem was that he’d do anything House would tell him, he would do the most humiliating tasks, run all errands, work night and day and even more. The question was should he give House this power over him? Could he survive this without totally losing himself in the process? Could he hand his heart over to House, knowing that it would be trashed mercilessly? Wasn’t that why he had gone to Vogler to begin with? To protect his heart from House, while keeping his job? He should have known that it wouldn’t work like that.
In a way, Chase knew that what he feared the most about what would happen once House had his heart and actually knew about it. He had a week to give House an answer that would let the other man know how much he cared. If House was actually listen that is. It would be just like House to miss the meaning behind it and miss just how much he was trashing Chase’s heart. A week to find the right formulation that would satisfy House into forgiving him.
It didn’t help at all that House was putting him down at every opportunity that presented itself. The week went by pretty fast despite all the work he had to do due to the tasks House wanted to be done by him.
The day House had wanted his answer had come and Chase dreaded the moment when House caught him alone and demanded the answer. He still didn’t know how to convey that he’d place himself at House’s mercy 24/7 in all matters that the older man could come up with, be they work related or personal.
At the end of the day, just as Cameron and Foreman were leaving House was calling him into his office.
“Come up with something good?” asked House after Chase had closed the door.
Chase sighed and walked over to the chair before letting himself fall into it. After a moment he started, “I… I’d do anything you tell me to do for however long you want me to.”
Chase didn’t dare look at House once this was out. He thought that he could have gotten that out much better, but it was done. No use in further humiliating him, House would do that enough anyway now that he had the chance. Not that he hadn’t done so before.
“Anything you say?” asked House with a grin.
Chase looked up at that and he wondered if this really had been the right choice. How was he supposed to know that House wouldn’t go too far? Pushing these doubts aside with the remainder that it was too late now anyway, Chase tried to stay calm. Swallowing, Chase nodded, “Anything.”
“Well, you could start by cleaning my apartment, naked. Want to have something to watch after all,” said House, his grin becoming even wider.
It was obvious that House was waiting for Chase to retract his offer. Only Chase hadn’t gotten this far just to turn tail now. Without blinking with his eyes, Chase responded, “When do you want me to start?”
Chase wasn’t sure, but he thought he caught a flicker of surprise before it was gone again. House stood up, this time looking happy, “How about right now?”
Chase was relieved to hear that. Doing it right now, or as soon as they arrived at House apartment, meant that he had less time to worry about it. He could focus on completing this first task instead. Wordlessly, he followed House to his car and let himself be driven to the other man’s apartment.
When he saw the state the apartment was in, he swallowed. He somehow had expected the older man to be cleaner. Then again, it wasn’t as if House was prone to bend down to get something of the floor, not with his leg. House quickly told him where he could place his clothes and where to find the cleaning utensils before sitting down on the couch and enjoying the show.
An hour later, Chase was glad when he noticed that House was starting to lose attention and started playing on his game boy. He hated the feeling of being watched, especially when he was naked.
~***~
Chase found that this was a start to a series of events like that. Aside from the additional (and often even mindless) tasks at work came cleaning and cooking duties for House, mostly naked, and becoming more and more frequent until they were nearly daily. Sometimes, Chase had the feeling as if House was close to demanding sexual favours of him, but House never asked. Worst of all, Chase wasn’t sure if he wanted House to ask or not. On one side, it would be embarrassing and most probably degrading as well. On the other it would be a fulfilment of Chase’s dreams. He couldn’t count how often he had dreamed of ways House and he could have sex together.
~***~
A month later, Chase didn’t know whether he should cry or be happy. Despite all the things House had him doing, Chase still enjoyed being around the other man, but the comments coming from House at every chance he had and where nobody could overhear them tore at his heart. In a way this had been the best and the worst month of his life.
The only difficulty that remained was Foreman’s new interest in him and his relationship with House. It was as if he knew something. He was always trying to run interference between House and him. Hell, House had already commented, albeit it was under the assumption that Chase and Foreman where somehow dating and other things along this line.
He leaned back in the locker room, glad that for once, House hadn’t told him to stop at his apartment, meaning he could enjoy an evening alone at his own flat for once. He’d have time to sort out anything that had gotten spoiled since he last went there for more than just falling onto the bed and being dead to the world.
Chase’s introspection was interrupted when Foreman entered and asked, “What’s going on with House and you? And I don’t want any excuses.”
“Nothing. I’m just paying for my betrayal. It’s nothing you should worry about,” answered Chase.
Foreman snorted, “Yeah right. With all the stuff you already did at work, you more than made up for it. And what about going home with House? What does he make you do there?”
“Nothing I didn’t agree to!” argued Chase back.
Foreman suddenly softened and said, “I can see how much you care about him and how much this treatment hurts you. Whatever this is, you should stop it now. He can’t fire you for it!”
“It’s not like that, alright? I can take care of myself,” defended Chase himself.
Foreman stepped closer and pushed him against the wall, “I can see that. You lost weight, you have dark circles beneath your eyes, and you’re always running around doing something. This isn’t healthy anymore. You’re not taking care of yourself at all.”
“It’s still my thing! I’d prefer it if you’d stay out of it,” said Chase angrily.
Foreman stepped back, letting Chase go, “If this continues, I’ll bring this to Cuddy’s attention. This isn’t right and is just waiting for you to make a mistake because you’re too tired. This love is killing you!”
Chase just looked away. He knew that Foreman was right, but he also knew that he wouldn’t ever get more and he needed it so much. He couldn’t just ban House from his mind, he had already overtaken it.
After some time he felt Foreman’s eyes leave him, followed by a locker opening and closing before Foreman left the locker room, leaving Chase to his thoughts.
Chase knew that Foreman was right; he wasn’t taking care of himself. The problem was that he didn’t care about taking care of himself. All he really cared about was House and having him trust him again, only his faith that House would trust him again was swindling every day he still hadn’t regained it, which just made him care even less about caring for himself. He always thought that the harder he worked the more likely House would finally forgive him, but the harder he worked, the more he felt the depression rising in him. He was an addict and House was his drug, a drug he didn’t want to give up.
Instead of lingering for much longer, he stood up and got his jacket out of his locker. He could still think at home before Cameron decided to have a talk with him. She was the last person he wanted to talk to.
~***~
What Chase didn’t know was that Wilson had every word of his argument with Foreman. And Wilson was just as worried. Not waiting for Chase to be done, he turned and headed to House’s office. It was time he had a talk with him.
“What do you want me to do?” asked House sarcastically when Wilson confronted him with Chase’s declining health, “Coddle him and put him to bed? Give him a goodnight kiss?”
“He cares about you. He as much as admitted that he loves you. Why do you think he’s willing to do all that for you? Because he wants this job? If you had wanted to fire him, he could have gone to Cuddy and complained and he would have kept this job. You don’t even know what Vogler had over him,” said Wilson exasperated.
House shrugged, “Who cares why he did it? He did it and that’s all that matters.”
“He’s a mistake waiting to happen in the state he’s in. And I bet you that Foreman and possibly Cameron will attest that you’ve been running him really hard this last month. It won’t be just him suffering for it, if that is what you plan,” added Wilson.
House raised an eyebrow, “Do I look as if I care?”
“You should care before Foreman goes true on his thread to go to Cuddy,” demanded Wilson.
When House didn’t answer, Wilson said, “If you ask me, than he’s hopelessly in love with you and take your abuse over being away from you any day. Don’t destroy him.”
Without another word Wilson left, leaving House to his thoughts, hoping that House would make the right decision.
~***~
The following day, Chase was surprised when House merely told him to do his clinic hours. The only thing House did beside that was watching Chase and it made him weary to run into House at every opportunity. It was as if House was suddenly stalking him and worst of all, House had that look that told everybody who dared to watch, that he was onto something. It was clear that House was diagnosing him.
Chase doubted that Foreman had told House about his abysmal abilities to take care of himself and House hadn’t cared so far. Had Foreman already gone to Cuddy? Chase doubted that, for once Cuddy wouldn’t have told House to take care of him. She would have questioned Chase about Foreman’s accusation concerning House. And there would have been screaming involved between Cuddy and House.
When he ran into Wilson and noticed the other man looking him over carefully, he knew who had talked with House. Before Wilson could say anything, he excused himself and walked off. He still needed to get some test results back for House. He knew that they were supposed to be back today and he figured he could fetch them before House told him to do so.
The next few days went the same way and Chase started to worry about what was wrong. Had House decided he had proven to be trustworthy? Was House just waiting for when to spring his next demand? Was House going to fire him after all?
Taking a short coffee break before going back to work, Chase thought that the coffee tasted strange, but he ignored it in favour of emptying it quickly and leaving the room again. Only he didn’t feel too well all of a sudden. The world was starting to spin around him and his eyes felt heavy. He thought he heard faint voices, but he couldn’t understand them. Instead he let his eyes close and surrendered to the darkness surrounding him.
“You drugged him?” asked Wilson aghast.
House waited for Wilson to lift Chase before saying, “I believe it was you who told me to do something about Chase’s health. I’m doing something. Now all I need you to do is put him into your car and from there into my bedroom. Should keep an eye on him with him being all drugged up.”
Wilson only rolled his eyes but did as House told him. “What do you plan to do with him once he wakes up again?” asked Wilson after a while.
House shrugged, “Don’t know yet. I’ll figure it out when he wakes up.”
Wilson couldn’t believe House sometimes. It was really a wonder that House managed to cure most of his patients. Once he had gotten Chase comfortable, he walked over to the driver’s side, while House started walking to his motorbike. House was already halfway through the garage when he suddenly turned and yelled, “Do you think it’s wise to tell him I care too as soon as he wakes up?”
Wilson hadn’t expected this question just as he was sitting down in his car, getting up again; he bumped his head against the frame. Holding his head he asked, “You sure know how to drop a bomb, do you?”
“I take that as a yes,” responded House with a grin before resuming walking away. Wilson sighed and wondered once again just why he was still House’s friend. Looking at Chase, he knew that it was the same reason why Chase still loved House after all the other man had done. Once he had gotten beneath your skin he wouldn’t leave again. He only hoped that things between House and Chase would work out. He hoped it for both House and Chase.
The End