May. 27th, 2006 09:43 pm
Title: Wednesday's Child
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lovely_ambitionTitle: Wednesday’s Child
Fandom: House MD/Fantastic Four
Characters: Robert Chase, Johnny Storm
Prompt: 030. Death
Word Count: 1,512
Rating: PG-13
Author's Notes: Part of a universe in which Chase/Johnny Storm will happen. This takes part before House MD begins. Many thanks to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
metaphoracle for the idea.
“What do you mean you have to go?” Johnny demanded. They were in the coat check at their favourite restaurant and Chase had received a phone call. He’d risen to his feet without a word, immediately going to fetch his coat, but Johnny had pursued and they had led themselves into this fight.
“I have to go,” Chase repeated patiently. “Okay? I’ll be back.”
Johnny wasn’t having any of that, yanking him around by the wrist. “Go where?” he demanded. He pulled Chase closer. “Rob.” He leaned in, nuzzling Chase’s neck while handing him his coat. “Come on,” he pleaded, voice far softer. “Go where?”
Chase buttoned up his black-felt coat, leaning back into Johnny’s arms. “Melbourne. Home.”
“Why? It’s been over four years,” Johnny protested, sounding confused. “You don’t even want to go when I suggest it for a vacation spot.” Chase sighed. It was true. He always picked Mexico or cruises or Europe instead of going home, despite Johnny’s begging to go back to where they’d met. “Rob, come on, we’re practically…” he sighed, trailing off. “Why won’t you tell me these things? I know your Mom died, I don’t even know what of.” Chase kept staring forward, refusing to turn around. “What is it?”
“Dad just died,” Chase said quietly, pulling away from Johnny and digging out his keys from his pocket. “I have to go back.” His face was blank and there was nothing in his voice but numbness. “Only a few days.”
Johnny nodded, leaving cash with the concierge – earned from his actual job – and kept close to Chase. “I’ll come with. I can fly over myself. No airplane needed.” Chase frowned at that. “Oh, come on.”
“You have a job.”
“I’ll take time off,” Johnny replied in exactly the same tone that Chase had taken. Chase just got in the car, not replying to anything Johnny had said. “Rob, seriously. Sympathy leave. I’ll take time off,” he insisted.
“Johnny,” Chase pleaded.
“I’m coming. Case closed.”
*
Johnny drove Chase to the airport after they’d reached the agreement that Chase would take the red eye and in three days’ time, Johnny would fly to meet him. Chase spent the entire flight awake, trying to ignore the impending drama of the days ahead and the tasks – the stepmother, the family, the ex. Staring out the window to the wing of the plane, Chase felt just a little bit older with every passing second.
*
Brianna was everything a parent could want in a woman. She was gorgeous – but not ‘slutty’ as Rowan had often deemed Chase’s girlfriends. She was educated and her most appealing trait to Rowan Chase was her family tree, linked to medical royalty if it ever at all existed. She and Chase had dated for eleven months when he was twenty. They’d broken up when Chase refused to propose – just another strike against his father.
She would be at the funeral, no doubt; Chase just hadn’t expected her to be in his house, arranging bouquets in the foyer.
“Rob,” she exhaled upon seeing him, nearly tackling him with a hug. “Oh, you look good!” she remarked, brushing hair off his forehead. “How are you?” Chase hugged her back, instantly flooded by memories at the first smell of her perfume.
He stepped back, smiling. “I’ve been well. Busy, but well.”
She smiled at him widely, kissing his cheek. “Good.” Before Chase could go on, tell her about Johnny, she was wandering off to the kitchen and why was she in his house? He closed the door behind himself and resigned himself to just making it through the next two days until Johnny arrived.
*
Chase forgot how very overbearing Brianna could be – pushy when she wanted her answers – and always demanding more of him than he could give. He hadn’t ever really liked her that much, though he had loved her at some point. Their relationship was an arrangement of convenience. She invited herself into his life, far past the barriers that he’d set up for her. She always had.
That was why Chase couldn’t thank god enough when Johnny showed up.
He didn’t even knock, just strolled in the front door like he owned the place, heading straight for the kitchen – where Chase was fighting with Brianna over the catering – and kissed him, wrapping his arms around him from behind. “Hey,” he murmured against Chase’s neck, kissing there.
Chase might have laughed at the look on Brianna’s face if he weren’t worried about her hitting him.
“Brianna Parker, this is Johnny Storm, my boyfriend of four years ongoing,” Chase introduced them, as kindly as he could. When Brianna got upset, Chase was helpless to wanting to cheer her. “Johnny, this is Bri, my ex.”
She nodded to him. “Pleasure.” But her face clearly said otherwise. There was a very long and very awkward silence before Chase turned to Johnny and kissed him. “You remember the way to the room, yeah?”
“I’ll settle in,” Johnny promised, seemingly catching the drift of Chase’s intentions. He gave Brianna yet another bright smile before heading off.
Chase turned back to Brianna, bracing himself.
“Well, he’s very…male,” she said pointedly. “I never knew you’d gone back to that, Robert.” Chase winced slightly. It was worse than he thought if he was getting the first name treatment. “He’s handsome. And famous. I recognize him from the press.” She smiled sweetly. “How long until he leaves you?”
Chase flinched visibly. She always had known where to cripple him with a single verbal blow. She busied herself tidying the counters once more.
“I’m sure it’ll be painless enough,” she added.
Chase pushed himself away from her, taking the stairs two at a time, hating the way he let her affect him. He wandered into the room to find Johnny changing into an old pair of sweats.
“You have clothes I left here four years ago,” he said, fondly. Then, he caught sight of Chase’s face. “Rob, what happened?”
Chase forced a smile. “Nothing.” He headed straight for the dresser to pull out a suit. “We should get going. The first viewing is today at the parlour.” He folded his suit over his arm and stared at himself in the mirror, touching gently on the small wrinkles he was developing. Johnny was easing up behind him slowly and Chase pulled away before Johnny could kiss him. “We’re going to be late. There’s a suit for you in the armoire.”
Johnny was scowling. “What just happened?”
“I told him the truth,” Brianna’s voice pierced the silence from the doorway. “I told him you would leave.” Chase froze in his steps, able to feel the glare of disbelief permeating from Johnny. Chase pushed past her, wishing desperately that he had never returned for this disaster. He heard the beginnings of a shouting match behind him, but he just kept walking.
*
The viewing was quiet. Chase refused to talk to anyone and Johnny hovered, just far enough to give Chase a bit of space. Brianna also hovered, like an annoying shadow that kept reminding him of the past.
Chase left before the viewing was over, feeling like he didn’t even belong, not when it was his own father in the casket.
*
Chase stood in front of the very same mirror as before, unknotting his tie carefully, watching Johnny enter the room in the glass reflection. He slipped off the suit jacket, turning to look at Johnny, but neither of them said anything.
“Your ex is a bitch,” Johnny finally spat out.
Chase ran his fingers over his collar, straightening it. “She left when I hadn’t proposed and eleven months had gone by.” His voice was flat. He pushed past Johnny to hang up the jacket. “My father adored her like a daughter.”
“So?” Johnny scoffed. “Fuck that. I’m with you and I have been for four years and I’m not going to leave because you aren’t dropping to a knee and popping the karats. Got that? I’m not leaving.” He was scowling. “God, your ex is a bitch,” he repeated.
Chase just rubbed his temples, sinking down onto the bed. “I want this to be done.”
Johnny didn’t reply to that, but he did drag the desk chair over to the side of the bed, sitting directly in front of Chase. “You know what I want? I want to know everything. No more secrets. I want to know every last boring detail about your life. Every one.”
Chase slowly looked up, the fear and trepidation on his face.
And over the next eight hours, Chase explained everything, fielded Johnny’s questions, and they discussed past, present, and future.
By morning ,they were both exhausted, but it was a new day.
*
Rowan Chase was buried on a Wednesday afternoon and Chase stood with Johnny in the drizzling rain, clasping his hand for strength. As the dirt covered the coffin, Chase was left with the closure that his father was dead and gone.
There would be no ghost to haunt Chase; he had moved on.
THE END
Fandom: House MD/Fantastic Four
Characters: Robert Chase, Johnny Storm
Prompt: 030. Death
Word Count: 1,512
Rating: PG-13
Author's Notes: Part of a universe in which Chase/Johnny Storm will happen. This takes part before House MD begins. Many thanks to
metaphoracle for the idea.“What do you mean you have to go?” Johnny demanded. They were in the coat check at their favourite restaurant and Chase had received a phone call. He’d risen to his feet without a word, immediately going to fetch his coat, but Johnny had pursued and they had led themselves into this fight.
“I have to go,” Chase repeated patiently. “Okay? I’ll be back.”
Johnny wasn’t having any of that, yanking him around by the wrist. “Go where?” he demanded. He pulled Chase closer. “Rob.” He leaned in, nuzzling Chase’s neck while handing him his coat. “Come on,” he pleaded, voice far softer. “Go where?”
Chase buttoned up his black-felt coat, leaning back into Johnny’s arms. “Melbourne. Home.”
“Why? It’s been over four years,” Johnny protested, sounding confused. “You don’t even want to go when I suggest it for a vacation spot.” Chase sighed. It was true. He always picked Mexico or cruises or Europe instead of going home, despite Johnny’s begging to go back to where they’d met. “Rob, come on, we’re practically…” he sighed, trailing off. “Why won’t you tell me these things? I know your Mom died, I don’t even know what of.” Chase kept staring forward, refusing to turn around. “What is it?”
“Dad just died,” Chase said quietly, pulling away from Johnny and digging out his keys from his pocket. “I have to go back.” His face was blank and there was nothing in his voice but numbness. “Only a few days.”
Johnny nodded, leaving cash with the concierge – earned from his actual job – and kept close to Chase. “I’ll come with. I can fly over myself. No airplane needed.” Chase frowned at that. “Oh, come on.”
“You have a job.”
“I’ll take time off,” Johnny replied in exactly the same tone that Chase had taken. Chase just got in the car, not replying to anything Johnny had said. “Rob, seriously. Sympathy leave. I’ll take time off,” he insisted.
“Johnny,” Chase pleaded.
“I’m coming. Case closed.”
*
Johnny drove Chase to the airport after they’d reached the agreement that Chase would take the red eye and in three days’ time, Johnny would fly to meet him. Chase spent the entire flight awake, trying to ignore the impending drama of the days ahead and the tasks – the stepmother, the family, the ex. Staring out the window to the wing of the plane, Chase felt just a little bit older with every passing second.
*
Brianna was everything a parent could want in a woman. She was gorgeous – but not ‘slutty’ as Rowan had often deemed Chase’s girlfriends. She was educated and her most appealing trait to Rowan Chase was her family tree, linked to medical royalty if it ever at all existed. She and Chase had dated for eleven months when he was twenty. They’d broken up when Chase refused to propose – just another strike against his father.
She would be at the funeral, no doubt; Chase just hadn’t expected her to be in his house, arranging bouquets in the foyer.
“Rob,” she exhaled upon seeing him, nearly tackling him with a hug. “Oh, you look good!” she remarked, brushing hair off his forehead. “How are you?” Chase hugged her back, instantly flooded by memories at the first smell of her perfume.
He stepped back, smiling. “I’ve been well. Busy, but well.”
She smiled at him widely, kissing his cheek. “Good.” Before Chase could go on, tell her about Johnny, she was wandering off to the kitchen and why was she in his house? He closed the door behind himself and resigned himself to just making it through the next two days until Johnny arrived.
*
Chase forgot how very overbearing Brianna could be – pushy when she wanted her answers – and always demanding more of him than he could give. He hadn’t ever really liked her that much, though he had loved her at some point. Their relationship was an arrangement of convenience. She invited herself into his life, far past the barriers that he’d set up for her. She always had.
That was why Chase couldn’t thank god enough when Johnny showed up.
He didn’t even knock, just strolled in the front door like he owned the place, heading straight for the kitchen – where Chase was fighting with Brianna over the catering – and kissed him, wrapping his arms around him from behind. “Hey,” he murmured against Chase’s neck, kissing there.
Chase might have laughed at the look on Brianna’s face if he weren’t worried about her hitting him.
“Brianna Parker, this is Johnny Storm, my boyfriend of four years ongoing,” Chase introduced them, as kindly as he could. When Brianna got upset, Chase was helpless to wanting to cheer her. “Johnny, this is Bri, my ex.”
She nodded to him. “Pleasure.” But her face clearly said otherwise. There was a very long and very awkward silence before Chase turned to Johnny and kissed him. “You remember the way to the room, yeah?”
“I’ll settle in,” Johnny promised, seemingly catching the drift of Chase’s intentions. He gave Brianna yet another bright smile before heading off.
Chase turned back to Brianna, bracing himself.
“Well, he’s very…male,” she said pointedly. “I never knew you’d gone back to that, Robert.” Chase winced slightly. It was worse than he thought if he was getting the first name treatment. “He’s handsome. And famous. I recognize him from the press.” She smiled sweetly. “How long until he leaves you?”
Chase flinched visibly. She always had known where to cripple him with a single verbal blow. She busied herself tidying the counters once more.
“I’m sure it’ll be painless enough,” she added.
Chase pushed himself away from her, taking the stairs two at a time, hating the way he let her affect him. He wandered into the room to find Johnny changing into an old pair of sweats.
“You have clothes I left here four years ago,” he said, fondly. Then, he caught sight of Chase’s face. “Rob, what happened?”
Chase forced a smile. “Nothing.” He headed straight for the dresser to pull out a suit. “We should get going. The first viewing is today at the parlour.” He folded his suit over his arm and stared at himself in the mirror, touching gently on the small wrinkles he was developing. Johnny was easing up behind him slowly and Chase pulled away before Johnny could kiss him. “We’re going to be late. There’s a suit for you in the armoire.”
Johnny was scowling. “What just happened?”
“I told him the truth,” Brianna’s voice pierced the silence from the doorway. “I told him you would leave.” Chase froze in his steps, able to feel the glare of disbelief permeating from Johnny. Chase pushed past her, wishing desperately that he had never returned for this disaster. He heard the beginnings of a shouting match behind him, but he just kept walking.
*
The viewing was quiet. Chase refused to talk to anyone and Johnny hovered, just far enough to give Chase a bit of space. Brianna also hovered, like an annoying shadow that kept reminding him of the past.
Chase left before the viewing was over, feeling like he didn’t even belong, not when it was his own father in the casket.
*
Chase stood in front of the very same mirror as before, unknotting his tie carefully, watching Johnny enter the room in the glass reflection. He slipped off the suit jacket, turning to look at Johnny, but neither of them said anything.
“Your ex is a bitch,” Johnny finally spat out.
Chase ran his fingers over his collar, straightening it. “She left when I hadn’t proposed and eleven months had gone by.” His voice was flat. He pushed past Johnny to hang up the jacket. “My father adored her like a daughter.”
“So?” Johnny scoffed. “Fuck that. I’m with you and I have been for four years and I’m not going to leave because you aren’t dropping to a knee and popping the karats. Got that? I’m not leaving.” He was scowling. “God, your ex is a bitch,” he repeated.
Chase just rubbed his temples, sinking down onto the bed. “I want this to be done.”
Johnny didn’t reply to that, but he did drag the desk chair over to the side of the bed, sitting directly in front of Chase. “You know what I want? I want to know everything. No more secrets. I want to know every last boring detail about your life. Every one.”
Chase slowly looked up, the fear and trepidation on his face.
And over the next eight hours, Chase explained everything, fielded Johnny’s questions, and they discussed past, present, and future.
By morning ,they were both exhausted, but it was a new day.
*
Rowan Chase was buried on a Wednesday afternoon and Chase stood with Johnny in the drizzling rain, clasping his hand for strength. As the dirt covered the coffin, Chase was left with the closure that his father was dead and gone.
There would be no ghost to haunt Chase; he had moved on.
THE END
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