Coffee
Pairing: Wilson/Cuddy/House friendship/angst
Summary: Drabble after the season 5 finale. Wilson ponders and drinks coffee.
He drinks his coffee black.
It was a trick Wilson picked up from Cuddy. Out of all of the things to learn from a friend, he picked her style of drinking coffee to copy.
It's easier dark. Bitter.
He figures he deserves the bitter taste. He doesn't want additional sweetener or milk. He doesn't want the specialized crème, or the vanilla flavored coffee downstairs in the employee lounge.
Instead he wants to drink original coffee in his chipped coffee cup he's had since college.
He can see the light on in her office, a dim glow under the closed blinds. He should talk to her.
He can't. They both missed it. It being the signs, the changes, the anything, the answer. Wilson knows it would be too easy to blame themselves for House's actions. For his downfall.
And if Wilson has learned anything from House: it's that life isn't easy. Even though there is an answer, it is hardly ever simple.
So instead of comforting her, instead of going home and drinking while watching old sitcoms on syndication, he sits in his office drinking coffee and looking over week old paperwork.
He knows she's doing the same thing. He knows, like himself, her mind is racing with all the things she feels she missed.
He also knows she'll talk to him. He knows everyone will talk to him.
And he'll drink his coffee. His bitter coffee. With every sip his face scowls, but, if he's going to be honest with himself, with every breath his face scowls. When they ask, "Wilson, what's wrong?"
He can say, "The coffee's bitter." With this thought, he silently thanks Cuddy for this subtle trick.