The trip to House's apartment seemed to take longer than it ever had, the first leg of it by subway and spent occasionally intentionally brushing up against Chase in the crowded car, until the crowd narrowed as their stop approached and they were able to sit comfortably. Or well, House was. Chase sat but he looked anything but comfortable, shifting a bit in his seat, and House looked as if he had no idea why. They switched to the train, and once they'd reached their stop, House's apartment was in walking distance.

House leads the way in and up the short flight of stairs, and unlocks the door to let them in. Some time has passed, things don't feel quite so urgent once they make it in through the door, but that doesn't mean he wants him any less. He gives his duffel bag a toss into a nearby chair and hands his jacket up by the door and shuts it behind them.

"Livingroom," he says, as if it's not obvious. "Kitchen's through there, bathroom's down the hall, bedroom to the left." His hand finds Chase's and skims past it like he might be thinking about holding hands with him, but instead takes his duffel bag away from him and tosses it down on top of his own.