Fic: Birthday Card (House/Cuddy)
Title: Birthday Card
Fandom: House MD
Characters: House/Cuddy
Prompt: birthday card
Word Count: 521
Rating: PG
Summary: He notices she acts strangely on his birthday, almost avoiding him at times.
Notes: Written for beth_soprano.
He notices she acts strangely on his birthday, almost avoiding him at times. When he mocks her ability as a doctor she returns an insult but it doesn’t hold the same weight behind it. Her heart isn’t in it. Usually he wouldn’t mind that so much. It would mean he’d get his way. But this time, he can tell. Something is going on that he doesn’t know about.
He barges into her office with that thought in mind and lets his cane clap loudly on the floor a few times. “Packing on the pounds, hmm?” he greets her. It’s a lie. In fact he’s certain she’s lost weight recently. The intent behind his words is to get a reaction. Any words will do.
“House, go away,” she says.
“House, go away,” he says back.
“I mean it. Don’t you have work to do?”
His eyes light up and the corner of his mouth twitches into a smirk as he takes a step closer to her. “I mean it. Don’t you have work to do?”
“House is going to do extra clinic hours this week.”
“He is not,” he disagrees.
There’s a rustling sound as she flips through a file and then the slap of it hitting her desk. “House. What do you want?”
“I want what every guy wants,” he answers flippantly. He reaches her desk and a pen holder catches his attention. Picking it up gingerly between two fingers he fiddles with it. “Bike, booze, a few hookers.” He trails off and his fingers pause on the pen holder.
“What do you want from me?”
“Well I have a bike,” he says. “You could buy me booze. Or better yet, are you interested in a new job title? I’m sure you would do great!”
“Funny.” She flicks a strand of hair back from her face.
Shrugging, he lets a smile spread across his face. “Why are you avoiding me?”
“I’m not avoiding you. Avoiding you would mean I would be some place that isn’t here. Which sadly I am not.” Another file in her grasp, she pierces him with her eyes.
“You’re acting strangely. Something is different with you today.” He twirls his cane. “I’m thinking it has to do with my birthday.”
She swallows and says nothing.
“I’m right, aren’t I?”
“House-“
“I am! So what is it? Do you have something against me turning a year older? Do you feel left out? I could give you a present if you are,” he teases.
“No! Of course not. I-“
“Trashed my birthday card again?”
“Again? How did you know-?”
He smirks. “I have my ways.”
Tapping her desk lightly with the tip of his cane, he gives a short nod and turns. “My desk could use some more paperwork,” he hints. “And I don’t mean the work kind of paperwork so much as other non-work paper. Cameron gets the work stuff.”
“Hmmm.” With an almost puzzled look, she considers him. “Maybe there’ll be some of that non-work paper on your desk after lunch then.”
He smiles once his back is turned and he’s on his way out the door.
fin.
Fandom: House MD
Characters: House/Cuddy
Prompt: birthday card
Word Count: 521
Rating: PG
Summary: He notices she acts strangely on his birthday, almost avoiding him at times.
Notes: Written for beth_soprano.
He notices she acts strangely on his birthday, almost avoiding him at times. When he mocks her ability as a doctor she returns an insult but it doesn’t hold the same weight behind it. Her heart isn’t in it. Usually he wouldn’t mind that so much. It would mean he’d get his way. But this time, he can tell. Something is going on that he doesn’t know about.
He barges into her office with that thought in mind and lets his cane clap loudly on the floor a few times. “Packing on the pounds, hmm?” he greets her. It’s a lie. In fact he’s certain she’s lost weight recently. The intent behind his words is to get a reaction. Any words will do.
“House, go away,” she says.
“House, go away,” he says back.
“I mean it. Don’t you have work to do?”
His eyes light up and the corner of his mouth twitches into a smirk as he takes a step closer to her. “I mean it. Don’t you have work to do?”
“House is going to do extra clinic hours this week.”
“He is not,” he disagrees.
There’s a rustling sound as she flips through a file and then the slap of it hitting her desk. “House. What do you want?”
“I want what every guy wants,” he answers flippantly. He reaches her desk and a pen holder catches his attention. Picking it up gingerly between two fingers he fiddles with it. “Bike, booze, a few hookers.” He trails off and his fingers pause on the pen holder.
“What do you want from me?”
“Well I have a bike,” he says. “You could buy me booze. Or better yet, are you interested in a new job title? I’m sure you would do great!”
“Funny.” She flicks a strand of hair back from her face.
Shrugging, he lets a smile spread across his face. “Why are you avoiding me?”
“I’m not avoiding you. Avoiding you would mean I would be some place that isn’t here. Which sadly I am not.” Another file in her grasp, she pierces him with her eyes.
“You’re acting strangely. Something is different with you today.” He twirls his cane. “I’m thinking it has to do with my birthday.”
She swallows and says nothing.
“I’m right, aren’t I?”
“House-“
“I am! So what is it? Do you have something against me turning a year older? Do you feel left out? I could give you a present if you are,” he teases.
“No! Of course not. I-“
“Trashed my birthday card again?”
“Again? How did you know-?”
He smirks. “I have my ways.”
Tapping her desk lightly with the tip of his cane, he gives a short nod and turns. “My desk could use some more paperwork,” he hints. “And I don’t mean the work kind of paperwork so much as other non-work paper. Cameron gets the work stuff.”
“Hmmm.” With an almost puzzled look, she considers him. “Maybe there’ll be some of that non-work paper on your desk after lunch then.”
He smiles once his back is turned and he’s on his way out the door.
fin.