Part 50

"They talk about you on campus, you know."

Lisa looked over at House as they trekked along the snow-covered sidewalk, back to his apartment. Their gloved hands were linked. Their breaths were coming out in visible puffs on the cold night air.

"And what are they saying?" he asked.

"That you're brilliant," she started with, "And that you're something of a mystery."

He sort of hummed but didn't respond.

"So exactly how smart are you?" she asked, knowing he was of above average intelligence. She'd have known that even if she hadn't taken a single class with him. It was there in his eyes … something. It wasn't something the average person possessed, even really smart people.

"Are you asking the size of my brain?" he said, glancing down at her, a somewhat suggestive smile on his mouth.

"I know how big the brain down there is," she smiled. "I'm asking about the one in your skull, you idiot."

He grinned. God, he loved to be challenged.

"If you're asking my IQ, I don't know," he confessed.

"You've never been tested?" she asked.

"I walked out. It was boring," he said, eyes on the snow crunching softly under their feet.

Lisa looked at him a moment. "You get bored easily," she said softly. "That's why you like games."

"Yeah," he said, unsurprised at her insight but didn't add anything to enhance her knowledge of him.

They walked a little further before she spoke again. "There's more to it," she said.

He glanced at her again, his expression serious. "I need distractions or my mind gets…"

His voice trailed off and he frowned. She could tell this wasn't something he talked about, and that he was struggling for words. She wanted to help him find them and searched through her memories, what she knew of him, his habits, and behaviors.

It was how he wrapped himself up things, like the games, sports, and music, things that required him to focus on the task at hand and shove all other thoughts aside, that led her to suggest, "Crowded?"

His smiled at her, that pride shining again.

"Very good, Cuddy," he complimented her, confirming her diagnosis.

"Sex helps?" she said, thinking it was another thing the required a singular focus. And she couldn't imagine him not taking advantage of that outlet. Most men did with impunity, for a lot less interesting reasons. Quieting a mind and not just slaking lust was an intriguing motivation.

"It has limited effectiveness," he said and glanced up along their path, "I don't turn to it often for that. No matter what the campus rumors are in regards to my sex life."

Lisa smiled. "So you know they think you're a lothario."

"People are idiots," he scoffed. "I'm not a monk but I'm selective."

"That sounds like I should be flattered," she said, curious as to how active he had been. Admittedly a part of her was jealous of every girl or woman who'd had him before her, but she also had to confess that she was undeniably benefitting from his experience.

"It's not flattery," House said in response, giving her hand a squeeze when he looked at her, gaze earnest, "You're not a selection."

Lisa squeezed his hand tighter. "Neither are you," she said softly, her heart loving what he'd just told her.

He looked happy at her answer.

Lisa was happy, too.

They walked the rest of the way to his place in companionable silence.