Short piece I wrote for the fox_las challenge on LiveJournal. Pretty fluffy (not my usual thing).
"Use absence to increase respect and honor," House said smugly. "Law 16. Robert Greene's '48 Laws Of Power.'"
"Quoting some business version of the 'Art Of War' is not going to get you out of Christmas Eve dinner, House," said Wilson, exasperated.
House shrugged. "You know I don't like social gatherings. I don't want to go. You know there's no way to make me go, so…that's the end of it."
"We live together…we do…other stuff together," Wilson said, turning red. "My mom's only in town for a few days and you haven't seen her since we became…." Wilson cleared his throat.
"Bed buddies?" House teased. "Partners in the horizontal Mambo?"
"House!"
"What? Just trying to be helpful."
Wilson shook his head. "The point is, it would mean a lot to me for you to see my mother. All you have to do is put on a clean shirt, ride with me, and sit there looking pretty! And Cuddy will be there…you like Cuddy."
"'Like' is probably too strong of a term. I tolerate Cuddy. But not on my night off."
Wilson was expending all of his energy in trying not to become even more frustrated. "Why won't you do this one thing for me, House? After all the things I've done for you…the sacrifices…."
House shook his head. "Your guilt trip is not going to work. Go to your little Christmas dinner. But don't expect me to be there with you. I won't participate in this sham of a holiday."
Wilson almost softened. He knew that not only was House agnostic, but that the older man had some bad memories associated with Christmas. Still –
"It's not about Christmas. It's about me. It's about the fact that you won't do this small favor for me – what does that say about your commitment to this relationship? I don't have time to stand here and argue with you, House. I'm going to be late."
House shrugged, then picked up a text on Myotonic Dystrophy and pretended to read it.
Wilson threw up his hands and stormed out to face Christmas Dinner alone.
Much later that evening, a slightly more relaxed Wilson unlocked the apartment door and walked in. He was feeling a bit buzzed from the wine, and not as mad as he had been hours earlier. Still, he wanted to give House a piece of his mind.
What he didn't expect was the smell of fresh pine needles, mixed with an apple-cinnamon scent. Where was that coming from? It was then that he noticed the huge tree standing in the corner of the room. It was fully decorated – enough to compete with the tree in Rockefeller Center. There was even a star at the top.
Wrapped presents littered the floor underneath the tree, and there were lights strung around the room as well as on the tree. The lights suddenly flicked on to the sound of a "Ta-Da!" Wilson whirled around.
House was sitting on the couch with two glasses of wine, and he offered one to Wilson. He smiled and sat down next to House.
"You did all this while I was at dinner?"
House nodded, taking a sip of wine.
"So that's why you wouldn't come? You were planning all along to surprise me?"
House shrugged. "Law 3. Conceal your intentions."
Wilson laughed. Then he sobered a bit. "But House…you don't even like Christmas. Why would you go to all this trouble?"
House fidgeted a bit. "I like you. It seemed worth it. Do you like it?"
Wilson smiled and took the glass out of House's hand. It would only get in the way of what he planned to do next.