Her throat is still sore, aching dry like a rusty old tube, merely by the effect of three simple syllables. Three little words she never meant to say and now she will forever regret saying.
House's jaw is clenched tightly, making him look robotic, yet his eyes shows just the emotion she expected to see, the frozen shock, this painful awkwardness. No one said those words to him in years, in fact that last he heard of it must have been 10 years ago, just before life got a bit more complicated.
Her blue eyes are something or anticipation and disappointment, he is rather used to see that look. In seconds the muscles of her cheeks sink inside and she shakes her head sadly, her thick black hair moves with her, and he watches the black waves, remorseful as well.
"That was a stupid thing to say, forget it." Cuddy speaks, stretching her figure to straighten in front of him. "I'm vulnerable right now."
"You're stubborn." He corrects her, examining her face with his curious nature. Cuddy raises her brow, glaring at him semi-surprised. She didn't expect him to actually reply and right now she wants to run, before House will shot his arrows everywhere, but then again a part of her wants to stay and hear what he has to remind her.
"I don't know why you always want more, you know I can't give you anything."
He is right of course, and she knows it, he won't let any of them be happy. On a normal day, she would nod her head, she will go with a sarcastic remark, but the day she can't help but look at him dead in the eye and frown as she speak. "Sometimes I am tired of being childish, sometimes I want to enjoy whatever we have left of these life."
House nods with understand, lowering his eyes to the floor while a small bitter smile taints his face. "You are looking for joy with the wrong man."
His eyes return to hers, expecting to find sadness in there, but instead she just smiles and shakes her head, maybe because she thinks she can and will break him one day, maybe because she is just trying to fuck with his head. She doesn't remain there enough for him to find out, with an elegant move, she turns on her heels and walks away from him, leaving him wondering and dazed.
And for a moment there, he wishes he was vulnerable as well.