[ ff: window of opportunity ]
Title: Window of Opportunity
Author: Gomey
Fandom: House MD
Pairing: House/Cuddy
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Kids, Love Hurts
Summary: I saw an opportunity and I seized it.
Disclaimer: All known characters and premises belong to their respective owners. So there.
Notes: To my darling scullybabe626 who is my constant sounding board and bearer of all things inspiration. I heart you dearly. ♥ One-shot'ish.
He sighed morosely, watching the nurses stare at him while he limped towards the elevators. Some offered him a look of disgust, others a sympathetic smile while few gave him an honest thumbs up. Amidst the medley of support and pity, the gruff diagnostician stepped into the elevator, groaning inwardly as word seemed to have gotten around concerning his and Cameron's so-called date, figuring the dinner could easily be seen as a final meal before he walked down, expecting others to be whistling, hooting while a minister read him passages from a Bible he never read.
The elevator doors opened and he directed his uneven steps towards the pair of glass doors that separated her Majesty from the rest of the building; a room he was all to familiar with and one that always seemed to jolt some indistinct energy within. Pushing open both sets, he deliberately ignored the assistant-for-hire and waited impatiently for the Queen Bee to finish her unimportant phone call; his matters were far more urgent for his life was technically on the line. Only she had the ability to veto his execution.
She smiled, devilish and innocent paradoxed within the plump confines of an equally bittersweet redness that tasted her lips. He shook his head noting the ill-ease posture his body rested in. "I..."
"...want permission to date Dr. Cameron?" Cuddy interrupted him, hardly able to contain the laughter in her voice. "By all means..."
He paused, mouth slightly ajar, the corner of his eyes creased with worry. "Isn't there some regulation written somewhere that states that a employer can't date an employee?" He refused to acknowledge the stress in his voice, but knew she was well intune with his hidden anxiety.
"It's not strictly written and we're all allowed some discretions. Go. Have fun."
He flinched slightly at the mocking tone, knowing that she was well aware that the suffering took precedence over the pleasure. He wanted to laugh himself, knowing that she probably had a hearty chuckle when the information had leaked, when her keen ears had picked up the supposed secret. "You don't have a problem with me dating Cameron." He stated harshly, aggression trying to drown out the unpleasant surprise in his voice.
"Looking for away out, House?"
He bit back a grin. "You offering?"
Cuddy shrugged. "When the opportunity arrives, seize it."
"Funny, I'm always telling my hookers that, but their grip just isn't the same."
***
Cuddy spied Cameron talking to Chase in the employees lounge. Doors open, she slowed her pace, curiosity eager to be satisfied.
"....seems his girlfriend had a problem with our dinner so he had to cancel. But I'm back anyway..." The young brunette paused, brow furrowed. "Did you know he was dating someone?" She asked the blond boy who shook his head, equally perplexed.
Cuddy continued walking, inwardly relieved that the date hadn't transpired. No wonder the grapevine had been shushed whenever she had tried to extract details. She saw House signing a form near the reception desk and headed towards him, seeing if he would willingly give up some gossip. The room hushed and all eyes seemed to be directed towards her, some darting towards House prematurely - having succumbed to the anticipation of their imagination. Like clockwork, the gears began turning as she began to understand the situation.
"House!" She barked, steps more deliberate and speed slowly increasing.
"Pookie."
It was so casual yet so pompous, she fought back the urge to knee him in the groin. Her voice was sharp, whispers jagged and aggressive. "Did you tell Cameron we were dating so you could avoid your dinner date with her?!"
He glanced back, seeing the doctor in question stick her head out of the employees lounge and eye them cautiously. Shrugging, he inhaled deeply and gave the irate Dean of Medicine a quick peck on the lips.
Cuddy took a step back, unconsciously licking her lips. "You jerk!"
"Sorry folks!" He exclaimed loudly, though his eyes rested mischeviously on her. "She's a bit of a PDA virgin. Gotta break her in. Gotta break past her hymen of secrecy --"
"HOUSE!"
He took her by the elbow, bringing her in closer as his voice took on a softer tone. "It was an opportunity, so I seized it. But don't get too flattered, I was going to use Stacy but she's got this little thing called Holy Matrimony that put a damper on that plan. Mark well...I don't know him that well, besides I hear he's a little pussy-whipped. Wilson would have been a great contender but then again, that'd a little cliché what with him being my best friend and all. Chase is too pretty for my image, and Foreman...well I'm not ready to cross the colour barrier thing just yet. And well, it would have been stupid to use Cameron as an excuse since it's she who I'm trying to avoid. So that left you.
Cuddy scrubbed a hand over her face, fingers resting longer on her lips than intended as her mind fleeted to the abrupt kiss momentarily. "House, you can't -"
"Look at it this way: everybody's happy. Cameron can get off thinking I wanted to go on a date with her and then come back to work so I don't have to train someone else, and I can get off not having to go."
She rolled her eyes, leaning back against the counter somewhat defeated. "And what about me? How do I get off ahead?"
"You can either get a naughty instrument or invite me over for drinks." He shrugged, turning and limping towards the parkinglot.
She took a few steps, stopping him before he reached the exit. "You can't just pretend we're fake-dating."
He smiled, giving her a pat on her shoulder. "Don't worry - I have it all figured out." He turned, stepping outside. "I'm working on the proposal as we speak!" He yelled over his shoulder, leaving a confused-and-frightened Dean of Medicine in the wake of his words.
Finis
Author: Gomey
Fandom: House MD
Pairing: House/Cuddy
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Kids, Love Hurts
Summary: I saw an opportunity and I seized it.
Disclaimer: All known characters and premises belong to their respective owners. So there.
Notes: To my darling scullybabe626 who is my constant sounding board and bearer of all things inspiration. I heart you dearly. ♥ One-shot'ish.
He sighed morosely, watching the nurses stare at him while he limped towards the elevators. Some offered him a look of disgust, others a sympathetic smile while few gave him an honest thumbs up. Amidst the medley of support and pity, the gruff diagnostician stepped into the elevator, groaning inwardly as word seemed to have gotten around concerning his and Cameron's so-called date, figuring the dinner could easily be seen as a final meal before he walked down, expecting others to be whistling, hooting while a minister read him passages from a Bible he never read.
The elevator doors opened and he directed his uneven steps towards the pair of glass doors that separated her Majesty from the rest of the building; a room he was all to familiar with and one that always seemed to jolt some indistinct energy within. Pushing open both sets, he deliberately ignored the assistant-for-hire and waited impatiently for the Queen Bee to finish her unimportant phone call; his matters were far more urgent for his life was technically on the line. Only she had the ability to veto his execution.
She smiled, devilish and innocent paradoxed within the plump confines of an equally bittersweet redness that tasted her lips. He shook his head noting the ill-ease posture his body rested in. "I..."
"...want permission to date Dr. Cameron?" Cuddy interrupted him, hardly able to contain the laughter in her voice. "By all means..."
He paused, mouth slightly ajar, the corner of his eyes creased with worry. "Isn't there some regulation written somewhere that states that a employer can't date an employee?" He refused to acknowledge the stress in his voice, but knew she was well intune with his hidden anxiety.
"It's not strictly written and we're all allowed some discretions. Go. Have fun."
He flinched slightly at the mocking tone, knowing that she was well aware that the suffering took precedence over the pleasure. He wanted to laugh himself, knowing that she probably had a hearty chuckle when the information had leaked, when her keen ears had picked up the supposed secret. "You don't have a problem with me dating Cameron." He stated harshly, aggression trying to drown out the unpleasant surprise in his voice.
"Looking for away out, House?"
He bit back a grin. "You offering?"
Cuddy shrugged. "When the opportunity arrives, seize it."
"Funny, I'm always telling my hookers that, but their grip just isn't the same."
***
Cuddy spied Cameron talking to Chase in the employees lounge. Doors open, she slowed her pace, curiosity eager to be satisfied.
"....seems his girlfriend had a problem with our dinner so he had to cancel. But I'm back anyway..." The young brunette paused, brow furrowed. "Did you know he was dating someone?" She asked the blond boy who shook his head, equally perplexed.
Cuddy continued walking, inwardly relieved that the date hadn't transpired. No wonder the grapevine had been shushed whenever she had tried to extract details. She saw House signing a form near the reception desk and headed towards him, seeing if he would willingly give up some gossip. The room hushed and all eyes seemed to be directed towards her, some darting towards House prematurely - having succumbed to the anticipation of their imagination. Like clockwork, the gears began turning as she began to understand the situation.
"House!" She barked, steps more deliberate and speed slowly increasing.
"Pookie."
It was so casual yet so pompous, she fought back the urge to knee him in the groin. Her voice was sharp, whispers jagged and aggressive. "Did you tell Cameron we were dating so you could avoid your dinner date with her?!"
He glanced back, seeing the doctor in question stick her head out of the employees lounge and eye them cautiously. Shrugging, he inhaled deeply and gave the irate Dean of Medicine a quick peck on the lips.
Cuddy took a step back, unconsciously licking her lips. "You jerk!"
"Sorry folks!" He exclaimed loudly, though his eyes rested mischeviously on her. "She's a bit of a PDA virgin. Gotta break her in. Gotta break past her hymen of secrecy --"
"HOUSE!"
He took her by the elbow, bringing her in closer as his voice took on a softer tone. "It was an opportunity, so I seized it. But don't get too flattered, I was going to use Stacy but she's got this little thing called Holy Matrimony that put a damper on that plan. Mark well...I don't know him that well, besides I hear he's a little pussy-whipped. Wilson would have been a great contender but then again, that'd a little cliché what with him being my best friend and all. Chase is too pretty for my image, and Foreman...well I'm not ready to cross the colour barrier thing just yet. And well, it would have been stupid to use Cameron as an excuse since it's she who I'm trying to avoid. So that left you.
Cuddy scrubbed a hand over her face, fingers resting longer on her lips than intended as her mind fleeted to the abrupt kiss momentarily. "House, you can't -"
"Look at it this way: everybody's happy. Cameron can get off thinking I wanted to go on a date with her and then come back to work so I don't have to train someone else, and I can get off not having to go."
She rolled her eyes, leaning back against the counter somewhat defeated. "And what about me? How do I get off ahead?"
"You can either get a naughty instrument or invite me over for drinks." He shrugged, turning and limping towards the parkinglot.
She took a few steps, stopping him before he reached the exit. "You can't just pretend we're fake-dating."
He smiled, giving her a pat on her shoulder. "Don't worry - I have it all figured out." He turned, stepping outside. "I'm working on the proposal as we speak!" He yelled over his shoulder, leaving a confused-and-frightened Dean of Medicine in the wake of his words.
Finis