April Showers Prompt #13, Pain 101 (House)
Title: Pain 101
Author: mrstater
Prompt: #13, "We can't have the happiness of yesterday without the pain of today. That's the deal." (Shadowlands)
Fandom: House
Character(s)/Pairing(s): House, Wilson, mentions of House/Cuddy
Genre: general
Rating & Warnings: rated G
Word Count: 381 words
Summary: Wilson tries to help House understand the source of pain.
Author's Note: Set during season seven, but no spoilers to speak of.
"It hurts because you were happy," says Wilson, out of the blue one night as House interrupts a game of pool at the bar to pop a couple of Vicodin.
House swallows the pills deliberately. "No…" He stoops to rub his thigh and Wilson wonders if House even realizes he's doing it. "You see, Dr. Wilson, you should have learned in seventh grade biology that pain receptors in the nerve endings get signals from the brain--"
"I'm not talking about your leg, House. I'm talking about--"
"Cuddy?" House retrieves his pool cue and limps around the table to line up his next shot. "I told you, I'm over that."
Over that. Not even over her. If distancing himself isn't proof that House's heart is in as much pain as his leg, Wilson doesn't know what is, not to mention the fact that House just assumes Wilson's talking about Cuddy, but he bites his tongue to keep from voicing the psychoanalysis which will only prompt House to snark more.
"Happiness comes at a cost," Wilson says instead. "Nothing…no one…lasts forever, and when it ends, there will be pain. That's how it works. You can't avoid it."
"So I might as well embrace pain because I might be happy for a little while?" House says without looking up as he pockets a few balls in a shot that should be impossible for a crippled man who's hardly even paying attention to the game. "I hate to break it to you, Wilson, but you've just confirmed my philosophy."
"You have a philosophy?" asks Wilson, genuinely surprised. For House, philosophy's just a limp away from religion.
House's blue eyes level on him. "Life is pain. Anyone who says differently is selling something."
A chill and a wave of nausea ripple through Wilson, as is always the case when House makes such pronouncements that typify his life and ring true enough that Wilson fears House really is right about everything. But over the years of being House's friend, Wilson has learned not to show when he is shaken.
He picks up his pool cue and chalks it. "I always took you for more of an Ayn Rand kind of guy. I should have known you'd go in for the Dread Pirate Roberts."
House smirks.
Author: mrstater
Prompt: #13, "We can't have the happiness of yesterday without the pain of today. That's the deal." (Shadowlands)
Fandom: House
Character(s)/Pairing(s): House, Wilson, mentions of House/Cuddy
Genre: general
Rating & Warnings: rated G
Word Count: 381 words
Summary: Wilson tries to help House understand the source of pain.
Author's Note: Set during season seven, but no spoilers to speak of.
"It hurts because you were happy," says Wilson, out of the blue one night as House interrupts a game of pool at the bar to pop a couple of Vicodin.
House swallows the pills deliberately. "No…" He stoops to rub his thigh and Wilson wonders if House even realizes he's doing it. "You see, Dr. Wilson, you should have learned in seventh grade biology that pain receptors in the nerve endings get signals from the brain--"
"I'm not talking about your leg, House. I'm talking about--"
"Cuddy?" House retrieves his pool cue and limps around the table to line up his next shot. "I told you, I'm over that."
Over that. Not even over her. If distancing himself isn't proof that House's heart is in as much pain as his leg, Wilson doesn't know what is, not to mention the fact that House just assumes Wilson's talking about Cuddy, but he bites his tongue to keep from voicing the psychoanalysis which will only prompt House to snark more.
"Happiness comes at a cost," Wilson says instead. "Nothing…no one…lasts forever, and when it ends, there will be pain. That's how it works. You can't avoid it."
"So I might as well embrace pain because I might be happy for a little while?" House says without looking up as he pockets a few balls in a shot that should be impossible for a crippled man who's hardly even paying attention to the game. "I hate to break it to you, Wilson, but you've just confirmed my philosophy."
"You have a philosophy?" asks Wilson, genuinely surprised. For House, philosophy's just a limp away from religion.
House's blue eyes level on him. "Life is pain. Anyone who says differently is selling something."
A chill and a wave of nausea ripple through Wilson, as is always the case when House makes such pronouncements that typify his life and ring true enough that Wilson fears House really is right about everything. But over the years of being House's friend, Wilson has learned not to show when he is shaken.
He picks up his pool cue and chalks it. "I always took you for more of an Ayn Rand kind of guy. I should have known you'd go in for the Dread Pirate Roberts."
House smirks.