The last thing in the world that he had wanted to do was spend time in a steam room with Greg House. Wilson leaned his head back again the wall and closed his eyes. The quiet and the warmth of the steam was starting to relax his tense muscles. After a few minutes he turned his head, opened his eyes a crack and looked at the figure seated beside him.

He'd mentioned the steam room this morning when House was having another of his allergy attacks. House had blown the suggestion off with his usual sarcasm. But he had appeared at Wilson's door just as the oncologist was finishing up the last of his charting and had practically dragged him out the office.

"Well you said you wanted to come to a steam room with me." House said indignantly in answer to Wilson's hesitation.

"I did NOT say that I wanted a steam with you. It was merely a suggestion for your allergies." Wilson protested.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah!" House smirked. "But I know you too well, Jimmy. Now lets go, we're going to be late." He thumped his cane up and down on the floor and stared at Wilson until the oncologist got up with a sigh and followed House out of the office.

Now here they were, seated side by side on a wooden bench, with steam billowing around them. House had his head against the wall with his eyes closed. The lines of pain on his face seemed eased.

Wilson watched in fascination as a bead of moisture on his friend's chest responded to gravity and moved down his body in a gentle zigzag pattern ending up inside his navel.
As he continued to watch, a second drop of water roll quickly down his friends chest, skirt around the belly button and disappeared under the towel that was draped low on House's abdomen. Wilson's breath caught for a moment and he watched as slowly another drop made it way down the same path and disappeared under the towel to join its partner.
Wilson squeezed his eyes shut. In response to his body's betrayal he quickly thought about the bone marrow biopsy that he had performed earlier today. When he opened them again he was staring into bright blue eyes that were watching him in amusement. He groaned silently and waited.

"What are you thinking about?" House asked innocently enough.

"Nothing." Wilson replied.

House rolled his eyes. "Well technically that's not true. We're never thinking about nothing." He leaned toward Wilson and continued. "I guess what I should say is, who are you thinking about?"

"Give it up, House, I'm not thinking about anyone." Wilson replied trying to keep from blushing.

"You say no but your face has that look on it." House grinned knowingly.

"What look?" Wilson asked trying to look innocent.

"The look that means the red light has lit up again." House answered and leaned back looking very pleased with himself.

Wilson ignored him and closed his eyes again. House was right, he was having impure thoughts and worst of all he was having impure thoughts about his best friend. He expected that House would persist. The older doctor hated a mystery or a puzzle. He always probed and dug until the puzzle was solved. But House appeared to have dropped the matter and Wilson started to relax again and enjoy the steam. He concentrated on feeling the moisture as it ran down his chest, arms and his face. It was soothing and he imagined his stress and frustration leaving his body as those drops rolled down his skin.
He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Maybe this was ok. He was actually enjoying this, as long as he didn't open his eyes and look at House.

Wilson felt a light touch on his shoulder, but he didn't open his eyes. The touch came again, more persistent. He opened his eyes and found himself looking into clear blue eyes. There was a look in them that he'd never seen before and the younger man thought he'd seen all of House's looks. The look was soft, with affection…desire. No not desire, that wasn't possible. Wilson wanted to move back away from the piercing eyes but couldn't move. He found he couldn't breath either. He watched as House lifted his hand again and ran a finger down his arm.

"What are you doing?" Wilson managed to croak.

"What you want me to do." House said with a little smile.

Wilson pushed himself away from House and batted his hand down. "Don't be such an ass." He said and stood up, grabbing his towel as it started to slide off his lap. He stood there glaring at his friend.

"Let me get this straight. You brought me here because you thought I wanted you. And you were going to do me a favor. What? Is it my birthday or something?" He said as he secured the towel more firmly around his waist and headed for the door. "Well thanks for the big sacrifice, House but I'm not interested."

For a cripple, Greg House was surprisingly mobile. He made it to the door almost the same time as Wilson and held the door shut with his hand.

"We still have half an hour in here." He said, not smiling this time.

"You know what? I don't care. I'm done. Thanks for the pleasant afternoon." Wilson said trying to push House's hand away so he could leave.

House was stronger than he looked. His hand didn't move and Wilson was still in the steam room.

He stood and stared at House in frustration for a few seconds and then walked over and sat down on the bench on the other side of the room.

House stood by the door for a little while more as if trying to decide if Wilson would try to bolt again.

"You know this could be considered kidnapping. Which I have to point out is illegal." Wilson reminded him.

This was actually starting to be funny. He knew House would never hurt him. He was starting to figure out that this was just one more of House's twisted games. Wilson planned on winning this one.

"Only if it's really against your will." House was smirking again. He left his post by the door and limped over to the bench that Wilson was sitting on.

Wilson started to get up but House put a hand on his shoulder. Wilson thought about getting up and leaving but he knew it would throw House off balance and he wasn't ready to actually hurt his friend so he kept his place on the bench.

"Relax, Jimmy. You're not in any danger." House mocked as he sat down on the bench beside him.

Wilson smiled in amusement. "Not worried. If I can't take a drug addicted cripple, then I really need to start working out more."

House put his hand on his chest and got a hurt look on his face. "Oh you wound me, Wilson."

Wilson just grinned wider. "So what's this game you're playing? It's a little beneath you, don't you think?"

House ignored him but took advantage of the fact that he had Wilson's attention. "You haven't been much fun lately."

Wilson didn't reply.

"I want to know why. I know your marriage isn't any good. But that's never been an issue. So what I figure is that you've fallen in love again." House said looking at Wilson closely.

"I haven't been any fun lately?" Wilson repeated trying his best to look hurt.

House scowled at him and said. "Who's the lucky woman? Assuming of course it's a woman."

"And that means what?" Wilson asked him serious now.

House just stared at him with wide eyes and said. "DUH!"

"I'm not in love with anyone." Wilson lied. "I think your radar is off. Too much Vicodin this week maybe?"

"Nope, just enough, as always." House assured him calmly. "You've got a secret, Dr Wilson and I'm the man to find out what it is."

"I don't know why I put up with your crap." Wilson said but he smiled as he looked at House.

"Cuz you adore me." House said leering at him.

"Yeah, that!" Wilson agreed rolling his eyes.

"So who is the new love?" House persisted.

"I don't want to talk about it." Wilson leaned his head back against the wall. "It can't ever work. I'm married…." His voice trailed off.

"Yeah, like that's stopped you before." House mocked.

Wilson shook his head. "This time it did. And I really don't want to talk about this. Lets just relax and enjoy the steam." He said, trying to keep the pleading note out of his voice.

He closed his eyes determined to ignore the man next to him. If this went any further he would end up telling House what he never wanted to tell him. Wilson could never refuse House anything. But this secret might be the one that ended a very screwed up friendship.

There was a movement next to him but he didn't open his eyes. Surprised he felt House's body against his. Arm against arm, hip against hip, leg against leg. His rational mind screamed at him to move away but the contact felt like home and he remained still. He turned his head and opened his eyes. House was looking back at him with soft blue eyes. The mocking and arrogance was gone for the moment. Wilson's heart leapt. His hand rose without him thinking about it and he reached over and ran his fingers lightly over the side of House's face. The stubble coarse but surprisingly soft under his touch. Mesmerized he watched his hand caressing his best friends face until finally House reached up and captured Wilson hand with his.

Wilson looked up and met House's eyes. "Greg?"

House nodded slightly and without even thinking about it Wilson leaned toward the other man. As he hesitated slightly, House moved in and captured his lips in soft kiss. Wilson moaned low in his throat at the contact. For a few seconds they explored the sensations until House moaned and opened his mouth. Wilson immediately deepened the kiss exploring House's mouth with his tongue. House raised his hand to the back of Wilson's head pulling him closer as his tongue dueled with Wilson's.

Wilson snaked his left arm around the older man's back as his right hand caressed the stubble again and traced a slow path to the back of his neck and up into the curly softness of House's hair.

Finally they broke apart gasping with the sensations and the need for oxygen. House leaned his forehead against Wilson's and stroked back a lock of hair that was plastered to Wilson's forehead. Wilson sighed, leaned forward and took House's bottom lip in his mouth and sucked softly enjoying the taste that was uniquely House.

With a groan House pulled Wilson close and claimed his mouth again.

And somewhere a red light burned out.

end

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