[OTA] A woman's work is never done
It was another typical day on the island, and therefore another typical stressful day for Cuddy. Being the Resort Manager never seemed to come without hassles, and over the last couple of days, there had been a dramatic influx of new arrivals complete with a small handful who just did not want to take the news rationally. This was where not only
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Then again, it didn't help that everything had been atypical ever since his little "date" with the doctor. Or... "resort manager." Whatever. Cuddy was still Cuddy, and she was still, to his chagrin, occupying more space inside his head than he probably would have offered in the first place should he have had that choice.
Limping over to the reception desk, House hung his cane on the lip of the wood and put his hands on top of the counter. "Does it really take more than four and a half hours to get someone to come and fix the elevator, or is this your way of saying you want me to keep you company down here?"
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She went back to her coffee, but was watching him over the top of it. It seemed things were easier for them both just to launch things right back to square one. Cuddy had looked forward to the date, though she had doubted either of them could actually pull it off. And her doubts had been well-seated. There wasn't much time in general that House was very far from her mind, but she gave into that glimmer of hope that island had maybe turned a corner for them. She had been wrong. They both seemed too set in their ways with the snarky push-and-pull tug-of-war for either of them to give out the upper hand without a fight... or to admit their feelings readily.
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This was getting ridiculous, and he wasn't talking about the elevator. House had actually enjoyed the date... the first 90% of it, at least. They had settled in somewhat comfortably at the bar, and ended up making somewhat normal conversation, much to his surprise... and delight, really. The night kind of took an interesting turn after House's numerous scotches and Cuddy's umpteenth Cosmo, and they had sauntered back to the resort together like a couple of college drunks. From what little he remembered, it was a relatively nice walk, and he could recall both of them laughing once or twice (from what, he couldn't remember for the life of him), and then everything sort of came to a screeching halt on the steps of Cuddy's bungalow. That, he remembered as clear as crystal. They had stood there across from one another, mute, for what seemed like forever, and the tension had been so thick he could have cut it with a knife. Both of them knew. And from what House gathered, both of them wanted it. And both of them, after stretched minutes, had mumbled an uncomfortable "goodnight" to one another and parted ways.
And she'd been on his mind consistently ever since.
"Why don't I just use my Delphic mind powers to will you to my beck and call?"
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She paused, her light eyes taking in the weathered features of his face. "Why wait twenty years to put them to the test if that is what you want?" she asked pointedly.
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He leaned over and rested his arms against the desktop, folding his hands, staring into her slate-blue eyes. "Oh come on, I've been using them all along. It's why you haven't permanently fired me yet. And why you went on that date with me. Watch this: What are you doing for dinner?"
[ooc: Shit, sorry this took so long. Life kind of exploded.]
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"So, is this why you're such an ass? You're punishing me for your evil mind powers only half working?" She paused and looked up at him, this being one of those moments he didn't have such a height over her. "You're asking me out again," she said, but it had a questioning air to it to equal the hint of uncertainty.
[ooc: No worries! You know me and my sporadic tags anyway! I knew you would come back ;)]
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"Yes, I'm punishing you. I know you're into that kind of thing," he admitted, leaning closer. "Do you want me to be asking you out again?" Again? You mean, you're actually acknowledging you did it the first time? Step up for you, Greg, he told himself.
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"What does it matter if I want it or not? It's whether the offer is on the table or not. If it's not, it's irrelevant," she returned and sipped her coffee, licking her lip as she swallowed. She leaned close, resting her elbow on the counter as her eyes swept over his face again. "I would probably be more receptive if you didn't open ever single one of our interaction with a combative argument or insult."
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God, they always did this. She always did this. Couldn't Cuddy just shut the hell up for once and take his dropped hints at something a bit greater than face value? House knew she was testing him. She only wanted it if he admitted he was willing to try. Having this kind of loaded conversation with her was like playing Russian Roulette... one of these days he'd say something akin to shooting himself in the face.
"It's only irrelevant if you want to take it as irrelevant. You're just avoiding." His eyes locked with hers again, attempting to figure out just what the hell she wanted. Did she want him to ask or not? Was she just stringing him along because this wasn't a side of him she normally saw? This whole thing could just be a game to her, and if that was the case, he sure as hell didn't want to be the one in checkmate. "I asked you out for drinks. That proved something in itself." he admitted, somewhat uncomfortably, grabbing his cane off the lip of the desk. "Your move now, Molokov."
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She looked at him evenly. "And you're just being typically annoying and evasive. If you want to ask me out on another date, House, you're just going to have to ask me. All that proved was you evaded into asking me into a date, just like you're doing all over again. Don't you think I deserve to be asked out in the proper manner like a lady?" she asked, tilting her head and keeping her face calm as she looked at him. "How do I know the first time just wasn't one of your typical experiments to prove I was desperate? And that this time is just because you didn't get sex the first time?"
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"I always get annoying and evasive when women don't put out on the first date," he quipped, pressing his lips together in a sarcastic smile.
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Throwing his own smirk right back, House turned to leave. "Fix the elevator, or my new bed will be your living room couch," he warned, limping toward the double doored exit of the resort.
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