Title: Curve of the Moon

Author: lillywhite1, but you can call me Casey.

Rating: Mature. M/M Sex and naughty words.

Fandom/Pairing(s): House MD. House/Wilson

Warnings: slash, mild angst

Disclaimer: I own nothing within but the fiction

Word count:

A/N or Summary: Response to applepi's challenge. James spends the night on House's couch after Julie throws him out. James tries to get up the courage to change an old pattern.

Lyrics: I saw you in the curve of the moon

In the shadow cast across my room

James' mind spun in circles as his body entrenched itself deeper into the contours of House's couch. Julie had kicked him out. Despite the fact that James had known this was coming for the longest time, it was still very hard to believe. As bad as it had gotten, he never thought it would end this way. There always seemed to be hope for them, at least that's what James had thought. But this was one fight that wouldn't be resolved.

The strangest thing was he didn't want it to resolve this time. Every fight that took place after James had failed to come home or smelled suspiciously of another lover had brought some sense of relief to James. Some part of him had always desired this ending. That part had grown over its previous boundaries; spilled over into the rest of him and stole the last few ounces of happiness that he had. Cancerous thoughts of freedom from his disappointing marriage invaded his subconscious then conscious mind. He'd spent so much time fighting that cancer. He had in fact spent his whole life fighting it. The battle was over. He'd lost.

And now he was here on House's couch with House just mere yards away.

They had always been this separate, but there was a greater distance that was now dispelled. That expansive stretch had disappeared and for the first time the only distance present was physical. Or was it? He'd asked for House's compassion and assistance earlier and all he got was rejection. Was it really possible for Wilson to finally get what he wanted tonight or was he just fooling himself?

The worst thing was, if he walked into House's bedroom right now and let the carnal desire break forth, he would most likely not meet with rejection in the obvious sense. House's guard was down. Stacy was finally out of the picture again and James was pretty sure that was wreaking havoc on House much more than he let on. James would get what he wanted tonight, but it was the following morning that really worried him. They had had sex before. The only problem was it was just that. Nothing would change between them and that was the problem Dr. James Wilson was turning over in his brain at the moment. It was time for change. He wanted more and he wasn't hindered by anything anymore. No sweet Jewish wife waiting for him at home. He checked the time on the microwave across the room. They had to be up for work in five hours, and he was still painfully aware of his wakefulness.

Then there was the distinctive noise of shuffling through the apartment. House was moving around in his room. James shut his eyes in pretense of sleep as his friend limped past the couch to the kitchen. He was wearing nothing but his boxer-briefs and a white undershirt. He leaned on the countertop for support as he popped open a prescription bottle and placed a white pill on the stark blackness of the granite counter. Water was taken from the tap and House swallowed two glassfuls along with the pill.

"I know you're awake."

James balked quietly from the couch.

"You make little wheezy noises through your nose when you're actually asleep."

"Not all the time." James protested.

House smiled in self-satisfaction. "Most of the time. But you definitely don't disagree in your sleep. Further proof that you are in fact awake."

"Okay. So what if I am awake?" James shifted in the mass of tangled blankets, "not that I'm admitting to being awake just yet. I could be dreaming."

House hobbled towards the couch after putting his glass in the sink.

"You could very well be dreaming," House's fingers trailed lightly over James' forearm seductively, "so you might as well come into the bedroom with me."

And with that, House was gone back into his room. James heard running water in the private bathroom as he shucked off the tangled sheets. He stripped off his shirt and hung it over the end of the bed. He stripped his pajama pants as well and slipped under the covers completely naked awaiting House's return. All of the lights were off save the one in behind the closed bathroom door. The curtains were separated to allow the full moon to shine down into the room. It was very beautiful.

The fan in the bathroom clicked off as did the light and James turned to see House standing in the doorframe. He looked magnificent as he always did to James. As gracefully as he could, House stripped his remaining clothes and climbed into bed on top of James.

"Jimmy." House touched the side of James' face. This was uncommon for House. He was never this affectionate. He must be even more messed up about Stacy than James had realized.

James could feel House against him in the bed. His skin was colder compared to the warmth of the bed. House's strong arms held him up above James. His legs moved tantalizingly over James', and his groin was already grinding into him. House was hard and James pressed his hardness back with a moan.

House kissed down James' chest. He bit hard into the soft recesses near James' hips and dipped his rough, sarcastic tongue into James' navel. James could feel the blood rushing from his brain to his cock as House kissed him lower and lower. The teasing was delicious and James pressed his hips up, hoping House's lips would brush across his sensitive tip.

House laughed at the undisguised desire and raked his tongue up the underside of the searching member. James gasped and moaned again.

Suddenly, House moved off to James' right and lay on his side. He pulled James' leg over his, spreading him. From under the covers, House produced a bottle of lube and spread it over his fingers. James felt the cold slickness against his entrance, and as House's long, dexterous fingers slid inside him, he relaxed as always and enjoyed the penetration. The slick-slide of House's fingers in and out of him got him closer than he should have allowed, so he reached between their bodies and grasped House's cock, giving it a few hard strokes to keep him hard and wanting. House growled with desire and bit into James' shoulder.

"Ready?"

"Yeah."

James regretted the loss of House's fingers, but he knew the bigger and better payoff that was coming. James rolled onto his stomach as House rolled the condom on himself and applied sufficient lubricant.

"Jimmy, I want you on your back."

James raised an eyebrow to the mattress. This was new. They had never looked at each other while they fucked. It just made it easier for the morning if they could create that separateness. James dropped the eyebrow before flipping over.

House keeled above him, hard and waiting. James raised his legs as House pressed himself at his entrance. Slowly, House slid inside of James and waiting sensitively for James to adapt and accept him. Before too long, House was deep inside and a slow rhythm began. James closed his eyes and nearly died for the delicious friction. His hands twisted themselves into the sheets as House pushed in and out of him.

James opened his eyes. House was staring at him, silent and focused.

Through the extraordinary pleasure, James could tell something was different. Very different. James closed his eyes again as House's cock thrust inside him again. He moaned deeply.

"Look at me."

James' eyes snapped open at House's words. They rarely talked during sex. Why was House forcing this intimacy on James? It was completely unlike him. But James did as he was told. House thrust faster inside of him and James' head fell back in pleasure. House bent further over him and hit his sweet spot. James gasped.

"Let me hear it. Talk to me." House thrust into him again and James cried out in pleasure.

"Oh god. You feel so good."

"How good?"

"Infinitely." James moaned again.

"Tell me."

James looked up into House's eyes. He seemed almost desperate to hear James' reply.

"Tell you what?" House thrust again and again with more fervor. James was at a loss for thought let alone words. Suddenly House stopped altogether. James was getting close. He balked and made small, pathetic sounds of need.

"Do you want this?"

"Yes!" But still House was still.

"How badly?"

"More than anything." James was stunned at House's stubborn stillness. What the hell did he want to hear?

"Do you need this?"

"Yes yes yes. Please, House!"

"Do you need me?" House was dead serious.

"…yes."

"You don't sound sure."

"I need you. Just as you need me."

There seemed to be a stand-off developing. House stared into James' eyes and James gave it right back to him. This was the one thing that House respected about James. He never backed down from House without a real fight. Slowly, House smiled. He thrust deep and fast. James gasped at the sudden movement.

"Good." He bent down and kissed James hard.

Afterwards, James lay in House's arms as the moonlight streamed in the window. The sweat on House's brow had not yet evaporated and it captured the moon. A luminescent glow outlined his lover's body and seemed to cradle him in the very crescent of the moon as James was bathed in shadow.

After all that had taken place tonight, James' mind spun over the new thoughts and hopes as it had over the previous problem. They were similar problems as now James had to find in himself a different kind of courage; the kind of courage that would enable him to withstand House's love. Truly, tomorrow would be different.