Hello everyone! Thank you for the feedback. Here's another. It's set in season 3, right after episode 3.09. It's also not really my best drabble, but I hope you will enjoy it anyway!
8. I'm sorry for your loss.
What should have alarmed him first was Cuddy's blatant absence that morning; the blinds of her office doors were shut, the clinic was a little bit more chaotic. He'd shrugged it off, assuming she was in surgery or having an early lunch with benefactors.
But then he'd talked to Wilson.
"You should apologize to Cuddy."
"What for?"
"She said you were mean to her."
"I'm always mean to her. It's called banter. Foreplay. You should look it up."
"Apologize to her, House."
He was mean to her. That part was true. But she'd barely ever talk to Wilson about it.
When he drove to her place, he wasn't thinking about apologizing. He was more curious to see how much he'd hurt her this time – to the extent where she told Wilson and skipped work to lick her wounds the next day. And when she opened the door with a deathly pale complexion, unkempt hair and a cup of tea, he did the math.
"What do you want House?" she asked. If she were hoping to sound intimidating, it didn't do the trick.
He couldn't think of a single thing to say.
"Just go," she sighed wearily as she began to close the door. "I'm not in the mood to deal with your antics."
"I'm sorry," he blurted out. This caught her attention. "For your loss."
He hastily kissed her cheek and limped away.
"Thanks," she whispered with the tiniest trace of a smile once he was too far to hear her.