020. Acceptance

The Invitation

When Wilson walked into House's office, it was painfully obvious to him that House was brooding. If his friend's expression wasn't a dead giveaway, the loud and distinctly obnoxious music and the mutinous expressions on the faces of the three doctors out in the conference room were all the confirmation any sane person would need. Practically everyone else in the hospital would have left rather abruptly at this point but Wilson had never been afraid of any of House's sometimes destructive moods and instead he sauntered over and sat down in one of the chairs in front of the desk.

Wilson eyed House for a moment but when the other man kept brooding, knocking his cane from hand to hand, Wilson looked around, trying to find the source of House's abysmal mood. Nothing looked particularly out of the ordinary except for the letter lying open on House's desk. From what Wilson could see, it looked like an invitation of some description.

He eyed House for a little longer but when he didn't seem inclined to either look around or make any other kind of acknowledgement of Wilson's presence, Wilson reached out and plucked the letter off the desk. That got no more than a twitch and Wilson raised an eyebrow before reading what did in fact turn out to be an invitation.

Wilson read it through and then read it a second time. He then looked back up at House, torn between being concerned at House's reaction to something so…innocuous and laughing.

"House?" he said loudly enough to be heard over the music.

House turned his head enough to glare him, though after a moment Wilson realised House wasn't exactly glaring at him so much as the invitation in his hand. House reached out and stabbed at the stereo, silencing the music.

"House?" Wilson repeated slightly warily.

"Wilson," House snapped.

"Are you going?" Wilson asked.

House scowled. "Do I have a choice?"

"Well, you could always say no," Wilson said thoughtfully. "But then your mother would have guilt material on you for years."

"I repeat, do I have a choice?" House said acidly then he smiled evilly. "But it won't be too bad. You're coming with me, Jimmy."

"What?" Wilson yelped. "House, you can't just arbitrarily invite people like that."

"I didn't," House said smugly. "Look at the invitation. It says Gregory and friend. You're my friend so you're coming. I already told Mom."

"I somehow don't think I'm the kind of friend she meant," Wilson said dryly.

"You're the best kind of friend," House replied with a ridiculously overdone leer.

Wilson rolled his eyes and put the invitation back on the desk. "So when exactly were you planning on telling me about this?"

House shrugged. "Soon. Late enough that you couldn't find a way to weasel out of it."

"You've told your mother I'm coming, that makes the weaselling kind of difficult," Wilson said wryly.

House smirked. "That's a point."

Wilson sighed. "Are you going to tell me why you were brooding? Was it about this?"

House shrugged and snatched the invitation up, reading it again with a hint of disgust. "Wonder how Mom talked Dad into it," he muttered.

Wilson's lips twitched. "I think it's very sweet. Renewing their vows for their fiftieth wedding anniversary. Kind of romantic. Why wouldn't he agree?"

House gave Wilson a withering look. "Please do not put sweet, romantic and my Dad in the same sentence. I'd like to keep my lunch down, thank you."

Wilson chuckled. "It's not that bad, surely."

"I wasn't at my parents first wedding. Why would I want to be at their second?" House said grumpily.

"Well, I'd hope you weren't at their first one," Wilson said idly. "But as for the second…free beer? Free food?"

House brightened a little. "Hey, good point." He suddenly scowled. "Damn, I'm going to have to put up with the relatives."

House broke off at that point and he stared at Wilson with slowly growing childish glee.

"No," Wilson said firmly. "Whatever evil thought is growing in your mind, the answer is no. I am not getting into trouble with your mother."

House pouted. "Spoilsport. I wanted to shock the relatives."

"I think the fact that you'll be turning up with me will be surprise enough," Wilson said dryly.

"Hey," House said, the look of childish glee returning.

Wilson rolled his eyes then got to his feet. "Again, the answer is no."

House just chuckled at that. "Wanna bet I can change your mind?"

"Uh, no," Wilson replied as he headed for the door.