[He shrugs, and in a rare moment of honesty, offers something a little more.]
I almost married my ex. She shot me at a paintball game--doctors vs. lawyers. Took her on a date after. Some seafood joint that had the worst service in Jersey. She was pissed, I was pissed, the restaurant was pissed when I stood up on a chair and told everyone I was from the County Health Inspector's Office and basically everything except the tilapia had tested positive for salmonella.
They threw us out after that. She moved in a week later. Five years.
[At least, it makes Claire laugh. She was wondering why she was even trying; but here it is, for moments like this, where he's sincere. She looks down at her hands.]
You might actually have healthier relationships than me. I broke up with my ex because he was a vigilante.
She made a decision against my wishes that crippled me, and I drove her away. While I was in the middle of rehab. [House pulls his lips tight and shrugs.]
You win the healthier relationships run. As long as you don't actually go anywhere with me.
So she's responsible? For your leg? [She read enough about the Vicodin incident(s) to know that he had a bum leg. And also that he was still an addict.]
If you really are curious, because of my ex, I was kidnapped and nearly beaten to death by the Russian mafia. I'm still sometimes suffering from vertigo due to the concussion I had. But it's not a competition; I still have all my limbs intact.
[She shrugs, a smile on her lips.]
It seems to me like you're kind of a magnet for trouble. Going anywhere with you would be ill-advised.
Never trust a ruskie. That's what I always say. This Winter chick? Totally a commie bastard. Her server box is probably just covered with the sickle and star.
So, why'd you actually come here? If I'm so much trouble.
[She doesn't miss the way he ignores her question, but lets it go. No reason to turn the conversation sour right now, is there? They've got to spend this whole night in the same place, might as well try and make it somewhat enjoyable.
As enjoyable as Norfinbury can be, of course.]
Maybe I like trouble? Life would be so boring without it. Also, there's a 90% chance you would need some patching up, even if you didn't say anything.
Are you kidding? I bitch and whine when I'm hurt. [More or less.] I'm not like some of the other idiots around here. [Except in that he actually gets hurt.]
Anyway, I've got a decent medkit going. Strange was supposed to deliver some of my supplies to you. Did he?
But you also bitch and whine when you're not hurt, Dr House, so it's hard to tell when you actually need help. [ #notallmen. As if. ]
And you tend to get yourself into more dangerous situations than most people around here, which is a feat in itself, I guess. I guess I understand why, to an extent - the scientific part, anyway. Why you feel the need to push people you know full well could kill you, well... I imagine you're simply a masochist.
[ She nods, patting her backpack before returning her hand to her cup of coffee. Feeling warmth is a luxury she's not going to waste. ]
He did. I used some of it to patch him up, too. The two of you make a right pair.
I'm a narcotics addict and you think I'm a masochist? Golly, Nurse Temple. I'm just a crazy mixed up kid! [House props his chin up on a fist and bats his eyes as he leans forward over the table, setting his elbow down on it.]
And don't talk about Stranger Danger and me as a pair. He's too much of an ethical rube.
[Rolling her eyes. Claire still lets out a little chuckle. What an ass.]
I think you need someone with some ethics to keep you in check. But someone you can respect, somewhat.
[She can imagine his answer will be that he doesn't, actually, respect Strange, but she has a feeling he'd lying. Then again, that is one of the things Dr. House does best. ]
I wouldn't believe you if you told you didn't think the cape was awesome.
Depends on the person. [House leans in a little more.] And it depends on the challenge. Guys like Strange a dime a dozen. People yell at me all the time.
I find you very interesting. [There's a certain light to his eyes as he leans further across the table, then seems to catch himself and pull back. House polishes off the rest of his tepid coffee.] Unless I'm just another project for you. Then you're a dime a dozen.
[ Claire laughs, waving a dismissing hand between the two of them before dropping it on the table. Her disgusting hand wraps are moving around with her, making her hand look mummified. ]
You're no project. I know a lost cause when I see one, Dr. And you? You are the very definition of a lost cause.
[ Which, in turn, also makes him interesting. Someone who has nothing left to lose is often ready for anything, and House has proven time and again that he has nothing to lose.
Dropping her chin on her hand, her elbow on the table, she looks straight at him, something of a challenge in her eyes. ]
So, how d'you think this 'date' is going so far? Would take me out for coffee again?
[They're close enough. Just lean a little more forward on either side. House is fully aware this is a miserable 'first date,' but hey. A guy doesn't get any action if he doesn't ask for it.]
[ There's a part of Claire that wants to laugh it off, but another part of her - the one that's touch-hungry and desperately lonely in Norfinbury - that makes her lean in.
She's got nothing to lose. Dr House is a lot of things, but she's quite certain that he doesn't want a relationship, or any kind of strings, which Claire doesn't want either.
Might as well take some pleasure wherever she can. So she closes the gap between the two of them, and kisses him - just a little less than gentle. ]
[Oh... well. House had mostly been expecting her to laugh and pull back, tell him he's ridiculous. He's not going to look a hot nurse in the mouth. His eyes stay open, watching her as their lips meet and she presses forward. It's a long few seconds before he responds, waiting for this to be a joke or a trick or a hypothermia-induced hallucination. But here they are, Claire kissing him.
He raises a hand to her cheek and rises up slightly to deepen the kiss. House lets his eyes close and he loses himself for a few moments. When they break apart, she'll see some of his general wariness has fallen away. It's been replaced by something surprised and more vulnerable. House very rarely expects this kind of thing. Now that he has it, he's not sure what to do with it to avoid screwing it up.
There won't be anything between them past this moment--maybe something more physical--but he's not looking for a girlfriend. He doubts he'll even be nice to her; although, pretty girls have made him dumb in the past.]
Well, we're jumping up from a 3 stars our of 5 to a 4.
[ Claire would understand; beautiful men had made her pretty stupid in the past, too - throwing herself into danger for no reason other than make sure they were safe. And now here she is, sitting close to someone that might be more dangerous than all the superpowered people she could encounter in the world. A man so reckless he makes Matt seem like a small-time player. She's doing it again, and it's best for her to keep things casual as they can be.
One of them - most probably him - will be dead at some point soon, and she doesn't really want to go through that kind of pain. ]
Oh please, don't flatter me so much, how will my ego ever cope?
[ She likes this look on him, a little less guarded and angry than usual. But she's not fooling herself about it, either.
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Wow, we're nerds. And don't try to even pretend you're not as bad as me, here!
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Can we move past the bullshit smalltalk and onto more interesting things, now that we've established the nerd cred goes both ways?
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What do you want to know? You must have something in mind, otherwise you'd keep on going just for a chance to insult me, or people I like.
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With that kind of irresistible charm? I'm a sure thing.
[She sobers up after a moment, putting a hand to her mouth as she catches her breath.]
Does this strange mix of insults and bluntness ever work for you? Really?
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I almost married my ex. She shot me at a paintball game--doctors vs. lawyers. Took her on a date after. Some seafood joint that had the worst service in Jersey. She was pissed, I was pissed, the restaurant was pissed when I stood up on a chair and told everyone I was from the County Health Inspector's Office and basically everything except the tilapia had tested positive for salmonella.
They threw us out after that. She moved in a week later. Five years.
i'm so sorry about the delay OTL
[At least, it makes Claire laugh. She was wondering why she was even trying; but here it is, for moments like this, where he's sincere. She looks down at her hands.]
You might actually have healthier relationships than me. I broke up with my ex because he was a vigilante.
[She gives him a look, smiling.]
I sure know how to pick 'em.
No worries!
You win the healthier relationships run. As long as you don't actually go anywhere with me.
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If you really are curious, because of my ex, I was kidnapped and nearly beaten to death by the Russian mafia. I'm still sometimes suffering from vertigo due to the concussion I had. But it's not a competition; I still have all my limbs intact.
[She shrugs, a smile on her lips.]
It seems to me like you're kind of a magnet for trouble. Going anywhere with you would be ill-advised.
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Never trust a ruskie. That's what I always say. This Winter chick? Totally a commie bastard. Her server box is probably just covered with the sickle and star.
So, why'd you actually come here? If I'm so much trouble.
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As enjoyable as Norfinbury can be, of course.]
Maybe I like trouble? Life would be so boring without it. Also, there's a 90% chance you would need some patching up, even if you didn't say anything.
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Anyway, I've got a decent medkit going. Strange was supposed to deliver some of my supplies to you. Did he?
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And you tend to get yourself into more dangerous situations than most people around here, which is a feat in itself, I guess. I guess I understand why, to an extent - the scientific part, anyway. Why you feel the need to push people you know full well could kill you, well... I imagine you're simply a masochist.
[ She nods, patting her backpack before returning her hand to her cup of coffee. Feeling warmth is a luxury she's not going to waste. ]
He did. I used some of it to patch him up, too. The two of you make a right pair.
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And don't talk about Stranger Danger and me as a pair. He's too much of an ethical rube.
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I think you need someone with some ethics to keep you in check. But someone you can respect, somewhat.
[She can imagine his answer will be that he doesn't, actually, respect Strange, but she has a feeling he'd lying. Then again, that is one of the things Dr. House does best. ]
I wouldn't believe you if you told you didn't think the cape was awesome.
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[ Claire raises an eyebrow, fingers tight around her coffee mug. It's already far from steaming hot anymore. ]
Isn't that what you like? People who challenge you?
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What about me? Am I an interesting challenge?
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You're no project. I know a lost cause when I see one, Dr. And you? You are the very definition of a lost cause.
[ Which, in turn, also makes him interesting. Someone who has nothing left to lose is often ready for anything, and House has proven time and again that he has nothing to lose.
Dropping her chin on her hand, her elbow on the table, she looks straight at him, something of a challenge in her eyes. ]
So, how d'you think this 'date' is going so far? Would take me out for coffee again?
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[They're close enough. Just lean a little more forward on either side. House is fully aware this is a miserable 'first date,' but hey. A guy doesn't get any action if he doesn't ask for it.]
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She's got nothing to lose. Dr House is a lot of things, but she's quite certain that he doesn't want a relationship, or any kind of strings, which Claire doesn't want either.
Might as well take some pleasure wherever she can. So she closes the gap between the two of them, and kisses him - just a little less than gentle. ]
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He raises a hand to her cheek and rises up slightly to deepen the kiss. House lets his eyes close and he loses himself for a few moments. When they break apart, she'll see some of his general wariness has fallen away. It's been replaced by something surprised and more vulnerable. House very rarely expects this kind of thing. Now that he has it, he's not sure what to do with it to avoid screwing it up.
There won't be anything between them past this moment--maybe something more physical--but he's not looking for a girlfriend. He doubts he'll even be nice to her; although, pretty girls have made him dumb in the past.]
Well, we're jumping up from a 3 stars our of 5 to a 4.
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One of them - most probably him - will be dead at some point soon, and she doesn't really want to go through that kind of pain. ]
Oh please, don't flatter me so much, how will my ego ever cope?
[ She likes this look on him, a little less guarded and angry than usual. But she's not fooling herself about it, either.
It's a moment frozen in time in a frozen town. ]
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