GP - London Calling

[mist_mods]

It had been months now, and London remained. The mist hadn't rolled back in, they hadn't all been dragged back to the icy beaches, and life was normal. ...Sort of. ...At least for the people who'd started in London. For others it was like being dumped somewhere new again, forced to either try and make their way home, or build a new life in a new city.

(OTA! London is here to stay, though the mist is still lurking, waiting to creep back in now and then.)

Comments

[prince_of_nymphs]

The barman nodded and Fin grinned, waiting until they were alone again to speak.

"That sounds so bloody good. Honey and cream are better than booze for me," he admitted. "Like, literally, they get me quite drunk some how. ...It's a fae thing, I think."

[drfeelbad]

"Actually make the jack a double!" House called after the bartender. He looked back to Fin. "I remember."

[prince_of_nymphs]

Fin smiled softly, resting his elbows on the bar.

"You know all my secrets, huh?" he asked in a teasing tone.

[drfeelbad]

"Not all of them," said House honestly. "But maybe a few, sure. You want to even the playing field, feel free to ask me whatever. Though you already know what I drink."

[prince_of_nymphs]

Fin hummed thoughtfully, then grinned. "Alright, tell me about... The first time you realized you liked men as well as women."

[drfeelbad]

House looked a bit taken aback by the question, and was glad the whiskey appeared in front of him. He cleared his throat, and took a drink. "I, ah. The first time I was with a guy was in college, and then not again for a very long time."

[prince_of_nymphs]

"And do you generally prefer women then?" Fin asked curiously.

[drfeelbad]

"Yes," said House, because he wasn't going to lie about it, even if Fin didn't like the answer.

[prince_of_nymphs]

Fin didn't seem upset though, just thoughtful.

"Is there anyone at work you fancy?" he asked.

[drfeelbad]

"Fancy? No. I don't really get crushes, Fin. And I don't really do relationships anymore. Before I met other Fin I hadn't had sex with anyone in years that I wasn't paying by the hour, other than a really, really ill-advised relapse with my ex back in Princeton."

[prince_of_nymphs]

"Doesn't have to be a crush, just, you know, an appreciation," Fin shrugged. "I mean I wouldn't say I have a crush on Richard Vesting, but, you know, I still very much enjoyed being underneath him when we were on our second and third take in the grass."

[drfeelbad]

House arched an eyebrow. "Are you asking me if I find women and men attractive? Sure, who doesn't. Why, are you curious about my type?"

[prince_of_nymphs]

"Well you said I could ask whatever," Fin pointed out, pausing to sip his drink. "We can talk about something else though if you'd like."

[drfeelbad]

"No... it's fine, I offered," House said. He knocked back half of the whiskey and then said, "I always assumed I was straight, and that guy in college, he was just a kind of... fun anomaly. And then - "

He tapped his fingers on the edge of his glass. "Okay, fuck it. You were right, I had feelings for James."

[prince_of_nymphs]

"I knew it," Fin grinned, looking pleased with himself. "I knew it, I so knew it."

[drfeelbad]

House scowled. "Yes, well, it doesn't really matter at this point, does it? But I suppose that coming to grip with that, especially once I came here and realized how much I missed him, it helped me be more... open. To thinking beyond what I'd always assumed about myself."

[prince_of_nymphs]

"Of course it matters," Fin said, shaking his head and sipping his drink. Though he made no move to elaborate, he just moved on.

"Did you fancy him? Me, I mean. ...Other me, I should say. Or was it something that just happened?"

[drfeelbad]

"You want to know if I liked him? Really?" House hesitated, then said, "I can tell you the details of what happened between us, if you really want to know. If anyone deserves to, it's you."

[prince_of_nymphs]

Fin thought about it for a long moment, then nodded.

"I think I would," he decided. He didn't want to know about his other self's relationship with everyone, but with Greg it felt important.

[drfeelbad]

House gestured at the bartender for another round.

"I met him in a hotel bar," he said, looking down at his empty glass rather than directly at Fin. "I thought he was a prostitute, though I figured out I was wrong pretty quickly. He didn't mind. And I couldn't figure out why he was still talking to me. I certainly didn't care what he thought of me, but he didn't seem phased by my being more typical asshole self. He said he liked my sharp tongue. When I told him it was my birthday he offered to get me into a club... though once he left I didn't stay long either. I saw him next, by chance, in a different bar. He was completely fucked up. Will and Hex had completely fucked him up. I was afraid he was going to get alcohol poisoning, so I... I don't know, I looked after him."

[prince_of_nymphs]

"That's really sweet. ...I mean, the situation isn't sweet, but the fact you cared is," Fin said softly.

[drfeelbad]

"I was sympathetic," House said. "They'd really done a number on him. Anyway, by the time I ran into him by chance the third time... I don't know, I guess I was glad to see him. We got dinner, ran into Pippa." He glanced at Fin. "She's kind of a bitch, you know. But I don't consider that a bad thing, really. Anyway, she asked if we were fucking, and Fin's answer was that I wasn't interested. Which, you know, wasn't entirely accurate."

[prince_of_nymphs]

"Pippa? You mean Kelly, my sister?" He frowned. "She hated her middle name growing up. I wonder why she started using it. ...I wonder if she's still here, in London."

He seemed thoughtful for a moment, then took a swig from his glass.

"Anyway, that obviously changed. I mean, you did eventually hook up, so- How did that happen? What shifted in your relationship?"

[drfeelbad]

"Well I guess it was pretty much that moment," House said. "I mean, he'd always flirted with me though I didn't take it that seriously, and by then I was also afraid I was his type because I was an asshole. I mean, after what happened with Will and Hex. Anyway, he he thought I wasn't interested, and I told him that wasn't accurate. I didn't understand why he wanted me, but he did, so I asked him to come home with me, and... that was that."

[prince_of_nymphs]

Fin hummed thoughtfully, then nodded. "Well, for whatever it's worth to you, I think I've got very good taste in partners, and I want you," he smiled.