So we all know how much House hates suits etc - review with any ideas for a chapter if you have them =)
Woody2792x
Ties and Poker
Time for a benefit dinner, and House has something imprtant to ask Cameron...
'House, we're going to be late.'
'So? It's only Cuddy, and she'll only get a bit annoyed. And an irritated Cuddles is funny.'
'Nuh uh. After last time, she said she'd triple your clinic hours if you did anything like that again; and being late counts.'
'Huh.' There was a slight pause, before House turned around to face Cameron. 'Do I really have to wear this?' he held the offending item between his thumb and forefinger at arm's length from him; he would probably have been more cosied up to something it if it had been imbued with an untreatable disease.
'Yes, you do.'
'But it hurts mommy...'
'It's a black tie event and that is, in fact, a black tie.'
With a sigh of discontent, House turned his collar up and tied it in a double knot around his neck. As if he would know how to tie a tie – that was why he had Wilson. When Cameron saw his pitiful attempt, she walked over and redid it; it was not necessarily as comfy her way, but it did not throttle him as much... Once she had straightened his collar out House grabbed her hand, trying to keep her near to him. Her sea-green eyes locked onto his, and once again he found himself wondering what he had done to deserve her.
'I'd take the clinic hours if it meant we could stay here tonight.'
'No you wouldn't, you'd get one of us to do them for you.'
'It amounts to the same thing really.'
'House, don't. Not tonight – we have to be there to support the hospital. Besides, you can play poker all evening if you want, and show me how to play too.'
He raised one eyebrow and looked at her carefully. It was not too long before she broke under his gaze.
'Don't look at me like that! I've been reading up about it, and I reckon I can do it.'
'I tried teaching you last week... Remember how that ended? We started playing Rummy instead.'
'Yeah, that was last week. And don't think you have inside knowledge on my tells, because you don't. Can we just go now, please?'
House chuckled – this would be some easy money tonight. He kissed her lips softly before extending an arm, which she took. 'We'll have to take the 'vette – wouldn't want your dress schmucked by the bike after all.'
*
Once he had parked the car and they had entered the hospital, House began almost enjoying himself. They had not let anyone, other than Wilson, know that they were together; from the expression of people in the entrance nobody had guessed. He and Cameron had decided that they had been dating long enough to safely break it to other people. He loved to see the faces of other men when they realised that he and Cameron were together, and kept thinking to himself 'Yeah, that's right bitch, she's mine.' And tonight, it was an especially poignant thought. After all, she was wearing a gorgeous dark green dress, similar in style to that red one she wore before, only this was, if possible, more curve-hugging, and flattering than the other. When they entered, the looks of jealousy from other men were accompanied by shock from Cuddy and Wilson.
'House, you're... you're on time, for you. What happened?'
He tipped his head to Cameron.
'Her, that's what happened, if it was left to me, I wouldn't have come; of course, the poker was a huge pull though. Well, come on then Dr Cameron, show me your skills.'
As House walked away from Cuddy, he heard her talk to Wilson, and he had to contain his grin – after all, he did not want people thinking he was having fun.
'How long have they been like that? Together?'
'A fair few months.'
'But he's, so unlike him!'
'Wait until poker... He isn't this happy without a good reason, even with Cameron.'
*
With a scotch in his hand, House settled himself at a poker table, sitting between Cameron and some anaesthetist he did not know. The others on the table were Foreman, Wilson and Cuddy, none of whom he thought could beat him. The dealer arrived, and so the game began. House spent very little time concentrating on his cards; he preferred to study the other players. So far, he had worked out that the anaesthetist was here for Cameron and had no idea of what to do – easy prey. Cameron on the other hand had appeared blank to him for the first couple of rounds, but she kept tucking her hair behind her ear this time – it was more likely to be a nervous trait than anything else, but to keep in line with her semi-threat, he decided to remain open minded.
Cuddy won the first pot, and made some snide remarks about House being distracted and not playing properly, maybe having lost his 'poker ability'.
In response, House won the next three rounds, leaving Cameron with next to no money and Wilson close to giving up to go and visit the nurses. He offered Cameron some extra chips, but she stoically refused.
'House, I've got this. I'll be fine; you don't need to help me out.'
'Sure, I mean, that huge pile of your chips is just itching to be released from the invisibility bag.'
Cameron muttered furiously to House, refusing to break him down in front of people, but refusing to be shown up as well.
'Cut the snark and play the cards, I'm not a game House.'
He turned to her in surprise and blinked before turning back to his cards. She must be serious about concentrating on the poker; he figured he would make up for whatever he did wrong later, when they got home.
The next round left House shocked and plotting. Cameron had been both playing with her hair, and looking lost, so House decided to go all in; she was not alone in that – both Wilson and the anaesthetist had joined her. So, understandably, he assumed that he would be raking it in this game. Not so. Cameron beat his full house, with a straight flush; when the cards were revealed he winced a little as his chips were piled up underneath her nose. This elicited a grin from her – she had won the game. So she went to cash her chips, gave half to the benefit fund, and left with House.
'You know what; I think people took it well that we're together. I expected a worse reaction from Chase, or even Cuddy.'
'Mm, people still looked at you though, like they want to bang you.'
'So? They aren't going to – that's only for you.' She winked at him, and House smiled. Maybe the alcohol had played a part in it, but he did not hesitate to kiss her, even though they were not in the confines of the taxi!
'How did you get so good at poker?'
'I told you – I read up on it.'
'You cannot be that good by just reading.'
'Maybe I acted out some tells, and deliberately lost at the start to get people thinking I was bad...'
'And what about the last hand?'
'You were slightly slumped, so I knew you had a good hand. I guess it just came with the last card though.'
'Since when did you get so sneaky? That's my job!'
'I've learnt it from the master, along with some other things.'
Smiling, they got into the taxi, and House hurried him along, determined to give her his present before they went to sleep. Once in the apartment, House went to his bedside table and retrieved a box. Creeping up on Cameron, he managed to make her squeak in surprise, before seeing the box, when she went silent.
'House, what is this?'
'Well, not that you deserve it after your behaviour at the table tonight, but this is just a little something.'
He handed the box over and stood surveying her as she opened it. It was a small box, similar to the ones that jewellery was packaged in. She looked suspicious for a moment, before creaking the lid open. She gasped and looked at House.
'Are you sure? I mean... Really?'
'Really – it'll keep things around here a bit easier, and besides, it's a waste of money if we don't.'
'That's a very roundabout way of asking.'
'I'm a very roundabout sort of guy.' He paused, before continuing. 'Fine, if you need to hear it, Cameron, do you want to move in with me?'
'On one condition.'
'Which is...'
'You start calling me Ally. There's nothing wrong with Cameron, but sometimes, a first name would be nice.'
'Okay.'
As they hugged, House mentally rolled the word off his tongue. He knew what she meant – he loved hearing her call him Greg, and he usually hated anything other than House...
