A Year In Misery Almost Sort Of: Chapter Fifteen
Title: A Year In Misery Almost Sort Of
Chapter: Fifteen out of ?
Pairings: House/Cuddy
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Don't own 'em. Don't sue me.
Summary: Cuddy recalls her past and the relationship she had with House during the college days.
Start from the beginning
OR
Cuddy had to give House some credit. His reading of people was undeniably accurate. Of course, she always denied it, but he knew better. Even back then, he knew what he was talking about. As he grew older, his skill developed further. Cuddy often found herself even more exposed to him when she tried to hide herself.
And, as always, there were the people she had to deal with that House had managed to piss off in his antics. Occasionally, he was wrong, but for the most part, he could pick apart the psyche of nearly anyone. To do this day, Cuddy could never determine if his skill was a good thing or a bad one.
“Hey.” He slouched in the doorway, a familiar spot.
“Hey.” She looked up from the textbook she was reading at the table across the room in the med student lounge. “You over yourself?”
“Not yet.” He stepped into the room, but went no further.
She lowered her gaze and shut the book. She placed her palm on the cover and brought her eyes back up to him. “I told him.”
“Did he fear I would whisk you away with my good humor and charm?” he asked in return.
“He didn’t believe me,” her tone indicated her displeasure in this matter.
“That you’re human?” He began to cross the room now that her defenses were down, which made him feel more comfortable.
“He didn’t believe we were sort of friends.” Her eyes followed him as he drew closer.
“Is that something like friends with benefits?” He stopped on the other side of the table. “Because I’m not getting much of the benefits.”
She tore her eyes from him again and studied the scratch on the table top. “We broke up.”
He couldn’t hold back his smirk. “Over me?”
“Don’t flatter yourself.” She glared at him. “He didn’t believe me about you and he laughed at me. I don’t want to be in a relationship with someone who doubts me and my abilities.”
“I’d never doubt you,” he mocked sincerity as sat down across from her.
“That’s because you’re still trying to get me to love you,” she shot back, still glaring.
He leaned the chair back on its hind legs. “Is it working?”
“No,” she answered.
He let the chair drop to its rightful position. A calm washed over his face. “I’m sorry.”
This was the first time she ever heard him this sincere without a hint of sarcasm. “Thank you.”
His smirk was suddenly back and she feared the worst. “You slept with him.”
“What?” she asked, a tactic she picked up to stall.
“You did,” he accused, delight showing across his face.
She shook her head. “I didn’t.”
“You’re blushing.” He leaned forward.
She paused and let out a sigh. “I did.”
He leaned back in his chair again and smiled. “And now it’s over.”
“Yes,” she agreed and then added quickly, “but I ended it so it wasn’t about him using me for sex.”
“Oh, you used him.” He nodded, understanding.
“No,” she replied, offended.
“So you had sex with him...” He paused, letting the truth sit aloud before continuing, “and now it’s over...”
“You can stop analyzing it,” she snapped, wanting to slap the arrogance off his face.
He stared at her a moment and then said, “I don’t think you ended it just because if me.”
“Well, you’re right because I didn’t,” she shot back and folded her arms across her chest.
“You used it as an excuse,” he told her.
Her eyebrows drew together. “Then, what’s the real reason?”
“I don’t think you want me to answer that.” He shook his head and his tone only made her want to know even more. She was certain that was his aim.
She dropped her arms to her sides. “Why?”
“Truth hurts.” He gave a shrug.
She narrowed her eyes at him. “You think you know the truth?”
“I do know,” he insisted, leaning forward, wanting to draw her in.
“Fine,” she said shortly, straightening in her seat. “Tell me.”
He shook his head. “I can’t take it back if you don’t like it.”
“I know,” she replied, annoyed.
“Remember that I warned you.” He raised a pointed finger.
“House.” She gave him a warning now.
“Okay.” He jumped to his feet and began to pace, keeping his eyes in her. “What you said makes complete sense because you don’t want him to sidetrack you. However, the other part of this, that you didn’t mention, is that you’re scared.”
She raised her eyebrows. “Oh, give me a break.”
He stopped pacing. “You’re scared to get close. Scared to love someone.”
She shook her head at him. “But, why would-”
“Because you don’t want to be wrong,” he cut her off, knowing her thoughts before she said them. “You don’t want to be disappointed.”
“Who do I want to love, then?” she scoffed. “You?”
“Yes,” he answered as if it was obvious.
She stood to her feet, feeling the sudden need to get away from his piercing blues. “You’re saying all of this because-”
“Because you asked me to,” he finished her sentence.
“You’re wrong.”
She moved around the table, but he cut her off at the pass by stepping in front of her. He locked his eyes with hers.
“No,” he told her. “I’m not.”
She took a step back. “Why aren’t you in a relationship then, huh? Can’t love anyone?”
“We’re talking about you.” He kept his eyes on her.
“I’ve never seen you around with any women,” she said, folding her arms across her chest defensively.
“Doesn’t mean I haven’t been.” He shrugged. “I’ve slept with-”
“I’m not talking about sex,” she cut him off.
He gave her a look of annoyance. “I hurt your feelings, so now you want to turn on me?”
“You think you’re unlovable-”
“Not true,” he interrupted and went on the defense as well. “You-”
“And you deflect,” she finished her thought.
He frowned. They were at a standstill. He kept his eyes on her while she watched him, neither making a move.
He wanted to grab her, kiss her, make her come with him back to his room. Even if it had nothing to do with sex. Even if it was just to talk to her, to be around her for more than a few hours. But, that wasn’t going to happen. She was wise to him.
She waited for him to defend himself... or insult her. When he didn’t and she realized he had switched off into some other part of himself, she made her way back over to the table and sat down in her former seat.
He crossed back over to the table as well and sat down across from her. For the next hour, they sat in silence. She studied for her exam the next day and he studied her.
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter: Fifteen out of ?
Pairings: House/Cuddy
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Don't own 'em. Don't sue me.
Summary: Cuddy recalls her past and the relationship she had with House during the college days.
Start from the beginning
OR
Cuddy had to give House some credit. His reading of people was undeniably accurate. Of course, she always denied it, but he knew better. Even back then, he knew what he was talking about. As he grew older, his skill developed further. Cuddy often found herself even more exposed to him when she tried to hide herself.
And, as always, there were the people she had to deal with that House had managed to piss off in his antics. Occasionally, he was wrong, but for the most part, he could pick apart the psyche of nearly anyone. To do this day, Cuddy could never determine if his skill was a good thing or a bad one.
“Hey.” He slouched in the doorway, a familiar spot.
“Hey.” She looked up from the textbook she was reading at the table across the room in the med student lounge. “You over yourself?”
“Not yet.” He stepped into the room, but went no further.
She lowered her gaze and shut the book. She placed her palm on the cover and brought her eyes back up to him. “I told him.”
“Did he fear I would whisk you away with my good humor and charm?” he asked in return.
“He didn’t believe me,” her tone indicated her displeasure in this matter.
“That you’re human?” He began to cross the room now that her defenses were down, which made him feel more comfortable.
“He didn’t believe we were sort of friends.” Her eyes followed him as he drew closer.
“Is that something like friends with benefits?” He stopped on the other side of the table. “Because I’m not getting much of the benefits.”
She tore her eyes from him again and studied the scratch on the table top. “We broke up.”
He couldn’t hold back his smirk. “Over me?”
“Don’t flatter yourself.” She glared at him. “He didn’t believe me about you and he laughed at me. I don’t want to be in a relationship with someone who doubts me and my abilities.”
“I’d never doubt you,” he mocked sincerity as sat down across from her.
“That’s because you’re still trying to get me to love you,” she shot back, still glaring.
He leaned the chair back on its hind legs. “Is it working?”
“No,” she answered.
He let the chair drop to its rightful position. A calm washed over his face. “I’m sorry.”
This was the first time she ever heard him this sincere without a hint of sarcasm. “Thank you.”
His smirk was suddenly back and she feared the worst. “You slept with him.”
“What?” she asked, a tactic she picked up to stall.
“You did,” he accused, delight showing across his face.
She shook her head. “I didn’t.”
“You’re blushing.” He leaned forward.
She paused and let out a sigh. “I did.”
He leaned back in his chair again and smiled. “And now it’s over.”
“Yes,” she agreed and then added quickly, “but I ended it so it wasn’t about him using me for sex.”
“Oh, you used him.” He nodded, understanding.
“No,” she replied, offended.
“So you had sex with him...” He paused, letting the truth sit aloud before continuing, “and now it’s over...”
“You can stop analyzing it,” she snapped, wanting to slap the arrogance off his face.
He stared at her a moment and then said, “I don’t think you ended it just because if me.”
“Well, you’re right because I didn’t,” she shot back and folded her arms across her chest.
“You used it as an excuse,” he told her.
Her eyebrows drew together. “Then, what’s the real reason?”
“I don’t think you want me to answer that.” He shook his head and his tone only made her want to know even more. She was certain that was his aim.
She dropped her arms to her sides. “Why?”
“Truth hurts.” He gave a shrug.
She narrowed her eyes at him. “You think you know the truth?”
“I do know,” he insisted, leaning forward, wanting to draw her in.
“Fine,” she said shortly, straightening in her seat. “Tell me.”
He shook his head. “I can’t take it back if you don’t like it.”
“I know,” she replied, annoyed.
“Remember that I warned you.” He raised a pointed finger.
“House.” She gave him a warning now.
“Okay.” He jumped to his feet and began to pace, keeping his eyes in her. “What you said makes complete sense because you don’t want him to sidetrack you. However, the other part of this, that you didn’t mention, is that you’re scared.”
She raised her eyebrows. “Oh, give me a break.”
He stopped pacing. “You’re scared to get close. Scared to love someone.”
She shook her head at him. “But, why would-”
“Because you don’t want to be wrong,” he cut her off, knowing her thoughts before she said them. “You don’t want to be disappointed.”
“Who do I want to love, then?” she scoffed. “You?”
“Yes,” he answered as if it was obvious.
She stood to her feet, feeling the sudden need to get away from his piercing blues. “You’re saying all of this because-”
“Because you asked me to,” he finished her sentence.
“You’re wrong.”
She moved around the table, but he cut her off at the pass by stepping in front of her. He locked his eyes with hers.
“No,” he told her. “I’m not.”
She took a step back. “Why aren’t you in a relationship then, huh? Can’t love anyone?”
“We’re talking about you.” He kept his eyes on her.
“I’ve never seen you around with any women,” she said, folding her arms across her chest defensively.
“Doesn’t mean I haven’t been.” He shrugged. “I’ve slept with-”
“I’m not talking about sex,” she cut him off.
He gave her a look of annoyance. “I hurt your feelings, so now you want to turn on me?”
“You think you’re unlovable-”
“Not true,” he interrupted and went on the defense as well. “You-”
“And you deflect,” she finished her thought.
He frowned. They were at a standstill. He kept his eyes on her while she watched him, neither making a move.
He wanted to grab her, kiss her, make her come with him back to his room. Even if it had nothing to do with sex. Even if it was just to talk to her, to be around her for more than a few hours. But, that wasn’t going to happen. She was wise to him.
She waited for him to defend himself... or insult her. When he didn’t and she realized he had switched off into some other part of himself, she made her way back over to the table and sat down in her former seat.
He crossed back over to the table as well and sat down across from her. For the next hour, they sat in silence. She studied for her exam the next day and he studied her.
Chapter Sixteen