Title: Soundtrack of a Life

[lovely_ambition]

Title: Soundtrack of a Life
Fandom: House M.D.
Pairing: House, Chase
Prompt: Sound
Word Count: 186
Rating: PG-13
Author's Notes: Set post-'Forever'.



The backdrop of Chase's entire existence is a melody set to the inability to say, 'No'. House takes inventory of things like this and notices - he's big on the noticing - and he keeps a tally in an old spiral notebook. The count of how many times Chase has said 'no' since he began rests at seven. Two and a half years of employment and he's said 'no' only seven times.

That's why Chase kisses Cancer Girls and sleeps with Cameron and probably wouldn't say no if a particularly attractive male grabbed his ass and invited him home.

House watches and listens to Chase talking with some NICU nurse, talking about Michael's life, how he couldn't have done anything, how he lost that boy's life.

Chase still looks defeated and out of it.

"Dwelling doesn't make it better," House calls out, interrupting Chase's escape from the ward. He stops, but doesn't head back to talk to House. "Come watch lesbian soft-core porn on mute with me and Wilson."

House isn't sure what to make of it when Chase gives him his eight 'no' and just keeps walking.

THE END

Comments

[blackcat333-99.livejournal.com]

Oh man - this feels like it should be an epilogue tag to Forever. Perfect. And yeah, Chase really was (fascinatingly) an enigma this ep. The baby's death/guilt issues were obvious, but all the rest was just the kind of mystery that House would find intriguing.

[lovely-ambition.livejournal.com]

Just, that palpable relief that showed on his face when he realized he didn't kill the baby was so, so telling.

And thank you for reading!

[yume-no-hikari.livejournal.com]

For some reason, this was just - perfect. I've been going through your recs, and I've enjoyed all of them, but this was - I don't know. I don't know why it hit me, but it did. Everything just resonated, Chase's feeling of being lost and whatever it was House was feeling - muted curiousity and quietness at the end and how he sort of had one of those moments, I guess, when he realizes that oh, the universe doesn't revolve around me... I really liked it. Mm.

[lovely-ambition.livejournal.com]

Normally, I always feel like short-fics get just brushed over, and I do really like this one, so I'm glad other people do too.

Thank you so, so much for the kind words and for reading.

[slave-o-spike.livejournal.com]

I seriously squeed when I found this journal of yours as you know that I love your House/Chase.

Anywho, I did not want to spam you to death here but I decided what the hell. On certain ones, I'm going to comment.

Like this one. This seriously would have been canon had they inserted it into the show. And this is so Chase. Despite what Foreman and Cameron thought, there were definite lines that were drawn in the sand for Chase. This, the Michael incident, was one of them.

Like the scene at the end of Finding Judas. Even after House punched him, he didn't react, he just kept trying to convince House about the little girl. Foreman and Cameron (well, House wouldn't have hit Cameron) would have reacted and it might have been too late for the girl.

Sorry. Rambling here. I just hate the bad rap Chase gets sometimes. This was perfect.

[lovely-ambition.livejournal.com]

I'm really glad that you enjoyed. I know sometimes I feel worthless when it's a small piece, as though it won't really make a difference, but it's good to see otherwise. Thank you so much for reading!