Domestic delight
A.N. In the series, House washes plates with both Stacy and Cuddy. Now it's Cameron's turn. I quite like the episodes where we get glimpses of House at home just doing normal stuff. This chapter is written after that fashion, and it's a theme to which I'll definitely return as we progress. I know it's pretty cuddly, but House is pretty cuddly in the series when he's happy, so yeah.
House awoke the next morning to an empty bed but the most delicious smell of frying bacon wafting through into the bedroom. He reached across and brushed his hand over the Cameron-shaped indentation in the memory foam mattress, smiling a little at its residual warmth and the recollection of their nocturnal activities. After a few minutes spent dozing, however, his rumbling stomach necessitated movement. Though a big fan of sleep, he liked food even more, and he threw back the covers, automatically testing for pain. Satisfied that the aches were merely a consequence of last night's run, he slipped into the pants strewn on the floor. A cursory search for his t-shirt revealed nothing.
Rather than enter the kitchen immediately he lingered in the doorway, observing the woman at work. Cameron was humming to herself as she fried various items in a huge pan, occasionally turning bacon and tomato over with a plastic spatula. The dressing gown she wore was yellow and black, emblazoned with the word 'Hufflepuff' across the lower back, and she had on a pair of pink fluffy slippers. Since she was unaware of House's presence, he took the opportunity to watch for a moment or two more, enjoying not just how the gown clung to her figure but also the warm fuzziness that arose in his heart at the disarmingly domestic scene. He couldn't remember the last time someone had cooked him breakfast.
Cameron turned to the coffee pot and saw House leaning against the doorjamb. "Dammit. I'd hoped to have this ready before you got up".
"That's OK. I won't hold it against you".
"I was gonna serve you breakfast in bed like you did for me last time". She frowned slightly, annoyed that her plan had fallen through, which in turn caused a smile to break across the other's face. "What're you gawping at?".
"Ah, nothing", he replied, "you just look really cute when you frown".
"You're weird". Nevertheless, she smiled too as they looked at each other. "Well?", she said finally.
"Well what?".
"Are you going to come over here and kiss me or what?". Cameron stood with hands on hips, the spatula still between her fingers.
House did so, meeting her lips whilst running his hand over the silken gown.
"Morning", she murmured, using her own to roam his back, feeling the muscles flex.
The sizzling pan drew her away after a few moments and House wrapped his arms around her from behind. "What's cooking?".
"This is what we call a full English fry-up. Everything goes in a single pan—tomatoes, sausages, bacon, eggs, and hash browns. I've even got some, er…", Cameron checked the label, "…black pudding, whatever that is".
House, who knew exactly what it was, kept quiet for the time being. "Smells great. What's with the English theme, though?".
Cameron sidestepped over to the kettle, which had finished boiling, and poured water into the pot for coffee. "Well, since I learnt that you liked cricket a while back, and since there's a good chance we'll be going to that conference in London next month, I thought it might be nice to get into the groove. Though it looks pretty greasy. We may have to go for another run afterwards".
"Hard pass on the run".
"Do you think it's cooked?", she asked, turning her face to the side and pecking his cheek.
"Yeah. Let's plate up and I'll make some fried bread in the leftover oil. Toss me a couple of slices?".
Cameron wriggled free from his grasp and did as asked.
After House had distributed the food he set about frying the bread, which was soon added to the breakfast pile. He took it all to the small kitchen table while she poured the coffee. "I couldn't find my t-shirt, by the way. Do you know where it went?".
"Did you, uh, look on the bookcase? I'll grab it". She got up from the table and disappeared into the bedroom, returning before long with the offending item, passing it across. "I got a bit excited last night, huh?".
House's eyes twinkled as he answered. "No complaints from my end. I pity your neighbours, though".
Cameron blushed and buried herself in her coffee. The pair ate in silence, making steady work. Only when she had completely finished the black pudding did House reveal what it was made of.
To his surprise, she merely shrugged and declared herself a fan.
"Really? When I had it with Wilson he went white as a sheet", he stated, heading back to the coffee pot for a refill.
"It tastes nice. That's all I care about. Anyway, I told you last week that I eat pretty much everything". Cameron pushed her plate away and folded her arms across her chest. "Have you given any more thought to the conference then?". For her part, she really hoped they would get the green light to attend. As she had told House in the office, it was too good an opportunity to pass up. She had finished her article and believed it to be extremely strong, but it never hurt to seek a final round of feedback before submission. Then there was the draw of experiencing a foreign city with him. The romantic possibilities sent a shiver down her spine, and she pulled the dressing gown around herself more tightly.
He sat back and tilted his head. "I think it's a good idea. I'll run it by Cuddy on Monday then we'll need to sit down with the others and figure out what we're going to present. If we can't think of a theme for a coherent panel, you guys can just present what you want, and I'll fall asleep in the back".
"Fine. Speaking of the others…", Cameron twirled her hair between her fingers but kept her gaze on the man across the table, "…Foreman knows about us, and Chase probably does as well". After she finished speaking, she held her breath, unsure how he would respond.
"Well, it was going to get out eventually". He didn't tell Cameron that Foreman had suspected his true feelings during the so-called assessment a couple of months ago. "I suppose there's only one thing left to do now".
"What's that?".
"Go public".
"Hmm. How'd you feel about that?", she asked, wiping up the last of the sauce with a piece of fried bread. It really was delicious.
"You answer first. You know I'm not massively keen on explaining 'feelings', but I will if you will", he countered, taking a sip of coffee.
"I think you can guess how I feel about it. Foreman knew ages ago that I liked you, so telling Chase as well is really no big deal as far as I'm concerned".
"That's as may be, but Chase still likes you, and I'd prefer to avoid any office tension if at all possible. We're a small team, and friction is no good. It was hard enough the week I came back". House was alluding to the frostiness that had arisen between the fellows after the Café Spoleto debacle. It had made differential diagnoses especially irritating and this was why he disliked discussing feelings. Not only were they hard to pin down in themselves, but their airing seldom led to anything positive. Still, a large part of him was willing to run that risk if it meant that he and Cameron wouldn't need to sneak around anymore.
Cameron rotated her mug between her fingers as she spoke. "You're right. But Chase is a big boy and we're not at school. He'll have to learn to deal with it, in my opinion".
House said nothing for a time, thinking over his companion's words. In a way, she was right: it really wasn't their problem whether or not Chase was OK with it. On the other hand, though, the Australian was a valued member of Diagnostics, and as its Head, House needed to ensure the department ran smoothly. But Cameron was worth the trouble. The slightly disconcerting fact was that she not only satisfied him; she made him happy, and that was an emotion he couldn't help but feel…happy about. You're tragic, Greg.
"I agree", he said finally. "We're all adults. Or, well, close to being an adult. It'll work out".
"You'd best hope I'm an adult", she smirked, "else the FBI will be knocking down your door this time tomorrow after what you did to me last night".
"Point taken", he replied, finishing the last of his drink and taking the dirty plates and cups to the sink.
"What do you think you're doing?".
"Err, washing up?". He began soaping the water and scrubbing the mugs.
"You still need to tell me what you think about us going public". Cameron tapped her fingernails on the wood.
"Get your stunning little ass over here, then, and I'll reveal all. You can dry". House tossed a dish towel across which landed on her face.
She grinned and set about drying the items he had already stacked.
"To tell the truth", he began after a moment or two, "I'm absolutely fine with telling the others. That's not to say that I wanna start yelling it from the rooftops. But I figure start small, y'know? The fact is, I really like being with you, so…yeah". House finished lamely and glanced at the other, who was smiling at him. "I'm not very good at this", he added, pulling his ear awkwardly.
"You're a lot better at it than you think you are, buster", she replied warmly.
"Yeah?".
"Yep".
The two worked in companionable silence for a time, each enjoying the proximity of the other. As Cameron thought about it, she couldn't recall the last time she had washed up with someone. She'd had a couple of short-term boyfriends since starting at PPTH, but they had been kept strictly at arm's length. And obviously Chase, during that night, had got nowhere near her plates. Given House's expertise with food, the more she could keep him in the kitchen (and the bedroom), the better for her.
House nudged her with his hip. "Are we gonna discuss the fact you're wearing a Harry Potter dressing gown or nah?".
"Not just Harry Potter. Hufflepuff". She did a little twirl. "I bet you're too much of a grumpy old goat to like that sort of thing, aren't you?".
House raised an eyebrow. "Hmm. Do another spin and I'll let you know".
Cameron did so, unable to see his eyes scan her body appreciatively.
"Nope. Massive fan", he grinned, finishing off the last of the tableware. "Actually, I have read the books…in Latin".
The woman laughed as she reached up to replace the pan on its hook. "Of course you have".
House waited until she had finished before pulling her towards him. "Thanks for breakfast".
"Thanks for rocking my world last night", she returned, tilting her lips upwards. "Now that you've revealed you can do that, I'll be wanting a House special more frequently than once a week…".
House rolled his eyes, but his words were playful. "That could be arranged. I need to hang out with Wilson too, though. He didn't explicitly say so, but I got the impression at the bar that he was missing me. I mean, who wouldn't?".
Cameron placed both her hands on his face. "Hey. You never need to justify to me why you want to see Wilson. I've no problem sharing you".
He smiled, touched at Cameron's thoughtfulness. "Well…", he said, hands moving to the tie of her gown, "…how about we burn off those breakfast calories by retiring to the bedroom for fifteen minutes…". In response, she moved her hands over his, preventing further movement. House raised an eyebrow: "…twenty-five minutes?". Still she refused to budge. "Fine, thirty minutes…", he offered. Her hand shifted but didn't completely drop. "Forty minutes and an encore of last night's performance. Final offer. Take it or leave it", he whispered.
Finally, Cameron's hands fell away, and House pulled the tie, eyes widening imperceptibly as her nakedness was revealed. He slowly pushed the garment from her shoulders, and it tumbled to the floor. A passionate kiss, both hands on her waist. She tasted of coffee and bacon. Yummy. "OK", he swallowed, "because it's you, I'll stretch to forty-five minutes. Then we're watching Star Wars".
With that, House half-led, half-pulled her into the bedroom.
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