Not Near Enough (PG)

[deelaundry]

Posted to house_wilson

Title: Not Near Enough
Author: Dee Laundry
Pairing: House/Wilson
Rating: PG
Words: 197
Notes: Sequel to hannahrorlove’s excellent imbued-superpowers ’verse, introduced in Fight Down Height, and continued in Heart Thrown Open, Coming In Fast, and Leave Me to Lay.

A long time ago, before, House knew the height in the atmosphere at which oxygen levels drop dangerously low for humans. He knew this because he had read it in books, looked up as a curiosity among millions of others, a fact he’d simply wanted to have in his brain.

Now he knows it because Wilson flirts with that height far more often than House is comfortable with.

At night, usually. Clear, starry skies hold an almost irresistible attraction for Wilson. Peace, calm, acceptance – Wilson finds a serenity of solitude when flying that House hadn’t thought possible for the man. At night, with no one around, Wilson goes higher and higher, farther and farther away.

“You’re going to kill yourself,” House says. Pssht, Wilson replies.

“Seriously,” House says, and he can’t keep distress out of his voice. I’ll be more careful next time, Wilson replies fervently, eyes grave, every bit inside himself in solemn agreement. Then House and Wilson have sex.

Way back when, just after, House had realized that now Wilson wouldn’t be able to lie him. But that’s not true. Wilson can lie to him, because Wilson is very, very good at lying to himself.

Comments

[chocolate-frapp.livejournal.com]

yeah, I got firsties! I like this a lot.

[hannahrorlove.livejournal.com]

The repetition in higher and higher, farther and farther away still hits me very nicely.

[deelaundry.livejournal.com]

Thanks! If you haven't read Hannah's originals yet, I highly recommend them.

[deelaundry.livejournal.com]

The mirror-echo from canon is so strong -- House fearing that he'll lose Wilson not to another person, but to a feeling, a dependence, one that could lead to Wilson's death...

[phinnia.livejournal.com]

this is fantastic. especially the last paragraph.

[hannahrorlove.livejournal.com]

All fic is some sort of dialogue with the source material - part of what I love about AUs is the ability to speak about the canon in ways that aren't options in the conventional settings, being able to externalize metaphors and open up new patterns of interaction.

[hibernia1.livejournal.com]

Oh, so well done!!! So true, too! You always make me like Wilson again.

[deelaundry.livejournal.com]

Thank you. This has an atmosphere I'm not normally able to capture, but Hannah's 'verse just brought it out in me.

[deelaundry.livejournal.com]

Thank you! It's interesting you say that, because Wilson is being quite selfish here. Flying at the extreme heights brings him a solitary peace, a relief from his stesses, so euphoric that he is in danger of hurting himself (and thus accidentally upseting House).

[hibernia1.livejournal.com]

Yes, yes, but see, the thing that made me like him again was how you pointed out he's very, very good at lying to himself which reminds me how screwed up he is and how hard his life is, for him to have to lie to himself, and that made me like him again.

I mean, I want to strangle anyone that hurts House, but still...

Does that make any sense?

[daasgrrl.livejournal.com]

Glad you pointed me to the 'verse - I've read the first one now, and what I liked and found interesting was how that theme (that I got from it, anyway) about how Wilson's flying is kind of equivalent to House riding his motorbike is expanded on here.

[deelaundry.livejournal.com]

It's equivalent to House's motorbike, and to other dangerous things House does because they make him feel a certain way. Thanks!