House as a friend

[deelaundry]

I feel like there've been a lot of posts, comments, and fics lately about how Wilson is not a very good friend to House. In the spirit of positivity, let's turn this around and list all the things House has done to be a good friend to Wilson.

I've got:
- House let Wilson stay with him after the Julie break-up
- House didn't turn Wilson in for sleeping with a patient

What else? The S4 season finale is fresh in all our minds, but things that happened in canon or were referenced in canon before then would be great.

(PS. Hi, I'm back.)

Comments

[pwcorgigirl.livejournal.com]

In "Histories," he tracked Wilson down and talked to him about his missing brother. (For House, stalking equals caring.) And, also in S1, he bought $1,000 worth of monster truck tickets to treat Wilson to a night out.

[deelaundry.livejournal.com]

Prodding Wilson to share about LLB is a good one. Wilson initially said it wasn't ("Didn't we have a conversation about friendship?" House: "I had some follow-up questions."), but by opening up, Wilson showed that it was.

I'm still pissed at Wilson for not rescheduling his dinner with Stacy to go to the Monster Trucks with House. >:( House wanted to go so badly. I think choosing the Monster Truck show was for House's own benefit, but getting a ticket for Wilson too was definitely a good friend move.

Thanks!

[dreamsofspike.livejournal.com]

House has on several occasions taken patients just because wilson wanted him to take them...hmmmm....i'll see if i can think of more...

[deelaundry.livejournal.com]

Wilson almost always has to make a strong case for it, though. Have we ever seen House take a boring patient just because Wilson asked?

From "Histories":
Foreman: Okay. Why are we on this case – just because Wilson asked?
House: Do I need a better reason?
Foreman: Most people wouldn’t, you do.

Hee!

But House does take patients more frequently at Wilson's urging than anyone else's (I think) so we can probably count that.

[nuclearfootball.livejournal.com]

I love you Dee please excuse my psychoses. <3

[deelaundry.livejournal.com]

I love you too, Jane, and I don't think you're psychotic. : )

[bell]

Don't know if this counts, but in "Insensitive," but House listened to Wilson when he warned House not to due a potentially dangerous procedure on the patient for his own benefit. And listening = good quality in friend.

And he apologized to Wilson in... "Family," I think? Right before buying the flame-cane. :D

[deelaundry.livejournal.com]

Ooh, that moment in Insensitive is one of my favorites! If the writers had had Wilson use that technique (pointing out the facts, and then asking House to re-think and make the best decision ("Wilson: Are you sure? Are you sure that you’re the right one to be making this call?")) instead of the interminable lecture method, early Season Three would have been a lot more pleasant. In general, though, I don't think listening to sense about your own rash actions counts as a gesture of good friendship.

The apology to Wilson in "Family" definitely counts, though. Even though House tried to say he was lying and immediately called Wilson pathetic, it was clear that the apology was meant. : )

[deelaundry.livejournal.com]

And he fed the dog human-sized dosages of Vicodin. And yelled at Wilson about the dog's behavior, even though Wilson never asked him to take Hector in. (Or, really, showed much love for or interest in the dog at all. Hmmm.) But, yeah, for House it definitely counts. : )

PS. I know you don't like the slash, but this little exchange in the intro of Hector made me laugh:

Wilson: She wants me to take Hector.
House: Pool boy?
Wilson: Dog.
House: No longer interested.

[shutterbug-12.livejournal.com]

Hmm. How interesting. To me, being a good friends isn't exactly about doing things for the other person, at least not exclusively. I think House is a good friend to Wilson in general, because of how he seems to get him, most of the time. Sure, he pries. Yes, he stalks. And, of course, he sometimes treats Wilson like a lab rat in an experiment. But he doesn't speak to Wilson like he's an idiot, for the most part, and he trusts him, confides in him. In general, I think, he keeps Wilson's secrets, even if he does use them as ammunition against him sometimes. Even though he wasn't happy about it, House didn't really try to sabotage Wilson's relationship with Amber. It just seems to me that they way they operate, even though it's a dysfunctional at times, points to 'House is a good friend" to me, despite that he doesn't make many gestures that say he is. If that...makes sense.

[deelaundry.livejournal.com]

Very true that friendship is not a tote board of things done for one another, not at all. And House is a complex, complicated individual, so sometimes gestures that look mean or impersonal are actually intended to be helpful. People have cited the practical jokes House played on Wilson during the "Odd Couple" arc as an example: the tricks were highly annoying to Wilson but House was trying (at least in part) to provide some humor and levity to keep Wilson from getting overwhelmed in negativity about the end of another marriage.

[chippers87.livejournal.com]

Not telling Wilson that Cuddy had only asked him out to dinner to ask him to be a donor and then wimped out. I know that seems like it's more of a gesture towards Cuddy, and usually I would argue that it is, but I also think that it could be played in Wilson's favor. Knowing Wilson, he probably would have been hurt in some way that Cuddy didn't feel that she could trust him with that kind of responsibility. So, House was being good to both of them. *dreamy sigh*

[deelaundry.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's a good example! It definitely would've been been unsurprising for House to taunt Wilson over that, and he didn't.

[dangomango.livejournal.com]

I feel like there've been a lot of posts, comments, and fics lately about how Wilson is not a very good friend to House Hee, this is why I'm friends with you - you make things positive (when has House been a good friend?), while I want to tell everyone to shut up, already! *g*

[dangomango.livejournal.com]

Of course, I am not trying to imply that House isn't a good friend D: (I just realized it sounded like I was)

Stupid complicated show.

[topaz-eyes.livejournal.com]

In "All In," Wilson was regaling House with how he won the tournament. House looked, IMHO, genuinely pleased for him.

PS. Welcome back! :-)

[deelaundry.livejournal.com]

Oh, that scene! With the warm light, and the tender smiles, and... Awwwwwww. That was such a shipper moment, sigh.

Thanks for the welcome back. It was a good vacation, but it's also nice to be home again.

[timbershiver.livejournal.com]

House is a delicate little precious snowflake and everyone else is a big old meanie-pants, you know that, Dee.

(and, what Topaz said: That look House gave when Wilson was telling him about winning the tournament was a moment of forgot-what-he-was-pissed-off-about-just-for-a-second-total-love, and Wilson didn't even see it! He was off in how own little poker-winning world! It was a totally off-guarded moment between House and the audience.)

[timbershiver.livejournal.com]

how own = his own!

[spoopy.livejournal.com]

Lol with the way people have been bitching about Wilson, I can hardly call them House/Wilson shippers. They remind me of those people who bitch on and on, constantly, about how much they hate the show, yet watch it every single week. Where's the enjoyment in pissing on everything?

[taiga13.livejournal.com]

God, yes. Wilson has done some bad things but every time it was because he was trying to help House; that doesn't mean it's okay, but I think it counts and House must too since he always forgives him. Whereas when House does bad things, it's because he's House.
When people talk about Wilson being a terrible friend I wonder if we're watching the same show! The guy who always drops everything to listen to House bitch or help him with a patient, who lets House steal his food and buys House lunch, who got thrown off the Board for trying to save House's job, who lied to the police to protect House and ended up losing his car, money and practice for it, who was ready to go to prison in House's place, who puts up with House embarrassing, ridiculing and abusing him? That bushy-eyebrowed guy who's always at House's side? That's Wilson. Who are these other people talking about?

[simmysim.livejournal.com]

this is a hard thing to list because House is an asshole. Like, you could analyze each interaction they have to see what they get out of it (House told a joke that took pressure off the situation, Wilson is slightly relieved), but laying down nice things House does for anyone is difficult. I mean, literally, a way House shows he cares: stealing 20 bucks from Wilson. :\\

[deelaundry.livejournal.com]

That's why I asked for help, 'cause it's hard. Most of the ways House shows that he likes Wilson are in the "slightly less of an asshole than he could've been" vein. Even those, most of the time there's some benefit for House in there, too. That House's motivations on almost everything he does (Wilson-related or not) stay a mystery is one of the best things about the show.

IDK, Simmy, IDK. One of the things that fans have proposed is that Chase would be a better friend for House than Wilson. Do you think so? I love S4 Chase (except the HAIR, oh GOD, machete time), and his interactions with House were awesome the whole season (when they occurred, of course). Do you think if House started hanging around Chase more, that Chase would be a better friend? Or would it turn into some weird co-dependent relationship similar to how House & Wilson are?

[poeia.livejournal.com]

When Wilson had his dinner with Cuddy (Forever), he took her spoon to screen for cancer. When Cuddy found out (I love the "you don't have dwarfism"), House took half the blame.

He invited Wilson down to the clinic to examine the teacher with the heart of silicone (Fidelity)

The practical jokes in Clueless were designed to keep Wilson from wallowing.

House gave Wilson theater tickets (Act Your Age)

He took in Hector, I think because Wilson couldn't while he was living in a hotel (Family)

He helped Wilson beat Cuddy at poker in All In. It was for his own reason -- he didn't want the game to end -- but if he hadn't, Wilson was about to lose so he wouldn't have had the chance to beat Berman from Accounting.

And, finally, we mustn't forget that in Act Your Age House sent Wilson flowers. ;P

[deelaundry.livejournal.com]

Good points! I was going to say I wasn't sure the theater tickets were a gesture of friendship* but considering House could've just thrown them in the trash, I guess they were. : )


*Heh, Wilson was so disappointed when House didn't want to go with him. Pouty and puppy dog eyes, so adorable.

[californiaquail.livejournal.com]

I know this is odd. But I was really bothered by House dumping Wilson's zen garden into the trash like that, and the little figurine the dead kid gave him.

Um...he brought Wilson coffee that one time. Oh wait, it was drugged.

Hmm...

[deelaundry.livejournal.com]

The zen garden/tchotchke dumping was very passive-aggressive, for House. If the two of them could actually talk to each other, they'd have a lot fewer problems. Of course, then we'd have less to write about in fanfic, so it's a double-edged sword. Heh.

[deelaundry.livejournal.com]

I love seeing how different people interpret the "I love you" in 97 Seconds. Some have thought it was said sarcastically, but I disagree. The writers may have meant it as sarcasm, but Hugh delivered it warmly and earnestly, IMO.

House totally keeps tabs on Wilson's health. He went nuts in that one episode simply because Wilson yawned at an odd time of the day, heh

House showing vulnerability around Wilson is exactly why I know House values Wilson's friendship. It's not for Wilson's benefit, though, which was what my original question was: what does House do to show that he is a good friend to Wilson. Spoilers for S5 seem to indicate we're going to see some clear, decisive action on House's part to put forth effort in the friendship (not that House didn't in "Wilson's Heart") and I can't wait to see what it is!

[pinglederry.livejournal.com]

OMG RLY

[hry2007.livejournal.com]

I think House's overall role in the relationship is to bring some fun, some adventure to Wilson's life, and that's huge.

[deelaundry.livejournal.com]

Yes, definitely. The practical jokes in the Odd Couple arc, and going bowling in the middle of the day in late S4, just as a few examples... House getting Wilson to lighten up is a pleasure to watch.

[daisylily.livejournal.com]

I am still too drugged* to come up with anything much, but (apart from agreeing with pretty much everything everyone else has said here) he shares experiences with Wilson - like the way he seeks him out to tell him about the new team thinking that House has syphilis. He even goes back to tell Wilson after he's been 'put off' by Amber being in Wilson's office when House first went to tell him.

*and that sounds great, out of context XD

[viquetoriana.livejournal.com]

I love thinking about and remembering these things, no matter how unfortunately hard it may be. Because sometimes the myriad instances of him being a bad friend are overwhelming. The Tritter arc was downright horrible! Not even "bad friend", just "bad". XD

A lot of good things have been brought up, here. I might could add the Christmas dinner at the end of Damned if You Do, and the way they were laughing and the rest, although that might be another instance of being a friend but not necessarily a good one. Although again, as has been said, a lot of House being a "good friend" is just him being a "little less than a total asshole", so...

Sorry for the commenting. I'll re-lurk now. XD