This is just a little oneshot about Thirteen and Kutner, nothing too deep. I hope you enjoy! :)
Disclaimer: I do not and probably never will own House.
Pepsi
Remy Hadley looked up at the clock and raised her eyebrows. It was already lunchtime? Damn. The cafeteria was going to be packed. She swallowed. God, was she thirsty. Her stomach grumbled at her for being forgotten. And hungry. Thirteen pushed back from the desk she was working at. She had been working all through the morning trying to catch up on the paperwork House refused to do and had completely forgotten about lunch. Thirteen straightened the papers on the desk and made her way down to the cafeteria. As she walked, she thought of what to get to drink. What she wanted most, she decided, was a Pepsi. Pepsi, for some reason, always managed to make her feel better. Unfortunately, the only machine that carried Pepsi in her entire wing was ion the cafeteria. If you couldn't get to it, you had to go all the way to the pediatric floor of the hospital, and that took forever and was a major pain in the ass.
Thirteen pushed through the big double doors into the cafeteria and walked into a wall of sound made by chattering nurses and shouting doctors. She spotted her fellow, Chris Taub talking to an old guy in plaid and Lawrence Kutner, who was talking to a group of pretty young nurses. Thirteen ducked her head and made her way to the vending machine. She dug in her pocket for a dollar while the machine hummed in expectation. She fed the dollar into the machine's sticky old bill slot and traced her fingers down the buttons. Ah. There it was. Pepsi.
Suddenly, a hand snaked out of no where and jabbed the button. Clang! Down fell the Pepsi. "Ah." said Greg House, Thirteen's boss and, some said, the devil himself. He leaned on his good leg and scooped up the Pepsi. "Pepsi. Excellent choice."
Thirteen gave him her best glare as he sauntered off, drinking her Pepsi. Then, knowing there was nothing she could do about it, and reminding herself that she should be lucky to have this job, she fished for another dollar, putting it in the machine. She prodded the button and stared, dismayed, at the blinking red words. Sold out.
She let out a growl of frustration and banged her head against the machine.
"Thirteen? Are you ok?"
Kutner stood behind her, a box of French fries in one hand and a worried look in his dark eyes.
Thirteen flushed. She'd completely forgotten the crowded cafeteria. Kutner must have seen…
"Y-yeah." She mumbled.
Kutner appraised her. "You don't look fine. If you were fine, you wouldn't have that bruise on your forehead from head butting the machine." He lifted his hand and smoothed a loose strand of hair back from her forehead. Thirteen jerked in surprise, not expecting the contact. Kutner dropped his hand, clearly embarrassed. Thirteen felt guilt well up inside her. He had just been trying to help, after all.
"Um…" She hated to whine. It made her sound weak. "It was nothing, really. I just…House stole my Pepsi and I really wanted one and now they're sold out."
"Well, couldn't you just get a Coke instead?" Kutner pointed at the adjacent Coke machine. Thirteen shook her head.
"I can't stand Coke. I don't know why. I just…hate it."
"Oh."
An awkward silence fell. Kutner ate a French fry and cleared his throat. "Um…"
"Kutner! Come back!"
The two turned as one. One of the pretty nurses that Kutner had been joking with earlier was waving him over. He nodded and glanced back at Thirteen.
"I gotta…"
"Yeah."
"So…"
"Yeah."
Kutner smiled hesitantly and walked away. Thirteen watched him go and, spinning on her heel, left the cafeteria. For some reason, she was no longer hungry. In fact, she felt rather sick.
Finally, after clinic duty and subjecting to House's whims, the end of the day arrived. Thirteen paper clipped a stack of forms to be turned into Cuddy and placed it neatly on the end of the desk. She buried her head in her hands. Now she was really thirsty. She would have to stop at McDonalds or something…
Clunk.
Thirteen's head snapped up and she stared at Kutner's rapidly retreating back, noticing his neck was a dull reddish color. She looked down at the desktop and smiled, because sitting innocently on the desk in front of her was a Pepsi.
Well, I certainly hoped you liked it. Reviews are appreciated. :)
Love
Allie