House is everything he expected, in all the little ways. The way that he holds himself, that he doesn't look back, the way that he grabbed his wrist, but didn't hold on. They're walking out to the man's car, and Robert still isn't sure if there's a punchline, a moment when House pushes him away with that glitter in his eyes. But then House says hey, grabbing his attention, and the words that come after catch him by surprise, almost awe for a moment.

There's that finality, something in the tone and the look, and he recognizes it as one of those gateway moments, one of those last breaths where you can still say no, say stop. Chase never does, and this is no exception, except that the question in itself seems strange. He doesn't say anything at first, just walks in closer, until he's pushing into House's personal space. His head tilting slightly, like he's trying to put together some puzzle that doesn't quite fit together. It's a bad habit, and a dumb thing to get caught on, but he wants to know what he's really asking.

"You know the answer to that. You've known that for seven years. You know what I want. You've always known what I wanted." There could be a flicker of something bitter there, but there isn't. If anything it's a little resigned, but also a little breathless. And the answer, he supposes, is obvious, even if it takes a little too long for it to click in his slightly-tipsy head.

You can want something without acting on it. Chase has several reasons to tap out of his own desires, but he isn't that good a person, even if he wants to be. Part of it is that his relationship with Cameron has always been broken. But this... he can't back out. He doesn't even want to try.

"But I need this. If that's what you're asking." He says this instead of you because the later seems both too intimate and almost redundant.