deelaundry: person holding a cane and blue folder in the same hand (folder)
[personal profile] deelaundry
Title: Jumping
Author: Dee Laundry
Characters: House, Cuddy, Wilson, with mention of Cuddy romance
Rating: PG
Words: 539
Notes: Spoilers through episode 6-7. Written for [livejournal.com profile] lauriestein, for [livejournal.com profile] house_stocking. Happy Holidays!

The first time Cuddy showed up on a Monday with an almost-entirely concealed black eye, House – trying to use the lessons learned at Mayfield about self-control – let Wilson talk him out of destroying Lucas’s credit record.

“You don’t know that Lucas is hurting her,” Wilson pointed out. “She says it’s from an accident she had while exercising.”

“Exercising. Yeah. Because elliptical machines are known for having a wicked left hook.”

“Ellipticals aren’t the only way to exercise. Besides,” Wilson continued, “if you ruin Lucas financially, then Cuddy will end up having to shoulder all their bills. And I know you don’t like to put that kind of burden on your friends.”

House rolled his eyes and jammed his fork into Wilson’s pasta bowl. “OK, OK, I’ll pay the damn cable bill.”

Cuddy smiled at him as she passed by their lunch table, looking completely at ease, and House decided he would trust Wilson this one time.

***

The second time Cuddy showed up with a black eye, this time accompanied by a contusion on her nose, House hauled Wilson’s ass into Cuddy’s office the moment they saw her.

“I’m sure there’s –” Wilson was saying, but House had no patience for Neville Chamberlain.

“Break up with Lucas, you idiot!” House roared.

Cuddy froze with her coat halfway off. “What? I thought we were past this, House.”

“While you may sometimes be begging for a spanking,” House continued, anger just barely contained, “there is no way in hell you deserve to get beaten. I don’t care if your daughter thinks he’s Anthony the Wiggle, Barney, and Santa Claus all rolled up into one, you have to break up with Lucas.”

“Oh,” Cuddy said over the sound of Wilson’s sputters, and calmly finished hanging up her coat.

“Break up –”

“No.” Cuddy patted House once on the arm and then moved behind her desk to sit. “Thank you for your concern, but this isn’t because of Lucas.” She gestured toward her face and smiled. “It was just a miscommunication with my setter.”

Oh.

“You have a dog?” Wilson asked, with his customary impeccable timing for providing a convenient target for House’s scorn.

Volleyball, you moron. She plays volleyball, and one of her teammates keeps clocking her in the face.”

“Only two times,” Cuddy protested. “And it is not going to happen again.” With a sigh, she caught Slowpoke Sam up to speed. “About a month ago I joined a five-five and under volleyball league. That means all players are five feet, five inches or shorter, and we lower the net from traditional height. I specialize in attacking, strongest spikes on my team.”

“Of course,” House commented. “The stilettos give you away.”

Cuddy smiled. “One of the setters on the team – a player who sets up the ball so I can spike it – has had a little bit of trouble getting out of my way. But it’s all settled now.” Cuddy’s smile widened, and House could swear he saw barracuda teeth. It was a good look on her.

“Next match is on Friday if you’d like to come,” she continued.

“Oh, I’m sure I’ll be –” was as far as House got before Wilson shoved him out the door.

(no subject)

Date: 2010-01-01 03:43 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] blackmare.livejournal.com
Excellent bait-and-switch job, here. Protective!House is fabulous, and it would be just like him to start "treating the problem" based on a wrong diagnosis.

Cuddy's barracuda smile is a thing of beauty. I hope we get to see more of it on the show, because House is right. It is a good look on her.

(no subject)

Date: 2010-01-02 01:12 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] deelaundry.livejournal.com
Thanks! You picked up on exactly the traits of House - and Cuddy - I wanted to highlight here.

(no subject)

Date: 2010-01-02 01:44 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] blackmare.livejournal.com
For what it's worth, it wasn't just House who was fooled. You had me, too -- even though it was so hard to imagine that Cuddy would ever put up with being hit.

I absolutely believe that House would go after anyone who hurt Cuddy. He is protective of "his" people, as rarely and as oddly as he shows that trait.

(no subject)

Date: 2010-01-01 04:01 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] recrudescence.livejournal.com
Hee! I saw the teaser and immediately jumped to the same conclusion as House. Well done.

(no subject)

Date: 2010-01-02 01:14 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] deelaundry.livejournal.com
Thank you! I'm glad you jumped to House's conclusion -- he's such a smart guy that it's hard to come up with circumstances that would "trick" him. : ) Fortunately, Lauriestein's prompt included "sports" and that put me on the right track.

(no subject)

Date: 2010-01-01 05:26 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] hibernia1.livejournal.com
Oh, marvelous! Love how House listened to Wilson and Wilson thinking of a dog and - I loved the whole story! Thanks so much for sharing!

(no subject)

Date: 2010-01-02 01:23 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] deelaundry.livejournal.com
It made me happy that House had learned enough at Mayfield that he'd be open to curbing his first impulse. Thank you!

(no subject)

Date: 2010-01-01 06:59 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] chocolate-frapp.livejournal.com
Hah! I KNEW House had some decency, even if it is misguided here.

(no subject)

Date: 2010-01-02 01:24 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] deelaundry.livejournal.com
House has a ton of decency! He just doesn't choose to show it at the same time everyone else would. : ) Thank you.

(no subject)

Date: 2010-01-02 03:00 pm (UTC)
ext_25649: House sucking a lollipop while staring at Wilson (hw_heart)
From: [identity profile] daisylily.livejournal.com
If you hadn't written this I'd have been worried about Cuddy and Lucas, but you did, so I wasn't :D

I can't quite see House believing that Lucas would hit Cuddy though - he (House) worked with Lucas for long enough to know him pretty well. If it had been with some random guy then I'd have had no problem.

Having said that, if House did believe it, that's exactly how he would react, and so would Wilson (damage limitation :D )

I can just imagine Cuddy dealing with the setter's bad aim, and her barracuda smile is always awesome.

(no subject)

Date: 2010-01-04 07:47 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] layne67.livejournal.com
Cuddy’s smile widened, and House could swear he saw barracuda teeth. It was a good look on her.

Oooh, I wouldn't like to be in that setter's place!! :))

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