House Drabble: Hugs

[out_there]

Written to cheer up researchgrrl:


House has never been the type of guy to hug randomly; if you need to greet or farewell someone, there are words you can use for that.

So Wilson was understandably surprised when House did just that: randomly hugged.

They were standing six feet from the elevators when House landed one hand on his shoulder and wrapped the other round his back. Even allowing for Wilson's surprise -- and there were very few things in the hospital that could have surprised him more -- and giving credit for the cane digging across his shoulders, it was still amazingly awkward.

After a moment, Wilson hugged back. He even gave House a manly pat on the shoulder, hoping that would signal the end of the clinch.

It didn't.

"Greg?"

"Shut up," House replied, forehead resting on Wilson's shoulder. He didn't sound emotional or choked up. Possibly he sounded a little annoyed, but House sounding annoyed was like a golf course looking green: it wouldn't be right otherwise.

"Okay."

Wilson patted House's shoulder again and tried to ignore the perplexed expressions of the nursing staff. Maybe Cuddy was hiding around a corner. That would explain this.

There was no sight of Cuddy when House -- looking shrewd and amused -- pulled back.

"Let's go to my office," he said, using one arm to press the cane to the floor and keeping the other arm around Wilson's shoulders.

It was unnerving. A slight extra weight, adjusting his step for House's slower tripod movements, and worst of all was the way passing nurses stared at them.

No, Wilson was wrong. The worst part was House's smirk. Clearly, he considered this top entertainment.

But Wilson was a good friend. He could wait until they got inside House's office, until they closed the glass door behind them. He wasn't enough of a good friend to wait until House had sat down, though. "Okay, what was all that about?"

"I don't know what you mean." House grinned. It was such a dare.

"Have you started hugging everyone in the hallways?"

"Only you." House eased himself into his chair, and then leaned back, propping his feet up on the desk. "And Chase one time, but that was only to watch him squirm."

"Of course it was. But that doesn't answer why you're doing it."

House shrugged. "You didn't ask why."

Wilson fought the urge to roll his eyes. House point-scored on gestures like that. "Then I'm asking now. Why did you hug me in the hallway?"

"Because I refuse to let The Man win."

"The Man?"

"In this case," House shrugged again, "Cuddy. We had a slight difference of opinion."

"Uh-huh?"

"She has childishly retaliated by having whatever passes for custodial staff here put a second coat of wax on the hall outside my office. Goes all the way up to the elevator."

"And you were hugging me because...?"

"It was fun?" House replied, and this time, Wilson did roll his eyes. House grinned, clearly taking his annoyance as a compliment. "It's more fun than falling flat on my ass as the cane goes skidding in the other direction. You have an objection?"

"Apart from the way the nurses seem to be wondering if we're dating--"

"Oh, they've always wondered that."

"--and the obvious joy I'd get from watching your ass hit the floor, I'm pretty much okay with it."

"In that case," House said, flicking the TV on, "report for hugging duty in an hour. I need to get lunch."

Comments

[out-there.livejournal.com]

I have added you to my friends list, hope you don't mind.

I don't mind at all! I tend to be pushed for time these days, so I don't add people to my default reading list, but since all the boring stuff on my LJ is FLocked, it seems only fair to friend people back.

I came here for the west wing fic but I really like your other stories too, and this one was delightful.

Thank you. I have to admit, I'm going through a whole Hugh Laurie phase at the moment. And the idea of random hugs from House is... more than a little frightening.