Fic : A Little Help

[menolly_au]

Title: A Little Help
Characters: House & Wilson
Rating: PG
Spoilers: For 8.18 - Body & Soul
Words: Approx 650
Summary: Small episode tag to Body & Soul which ignores the promo for next episode. Wilson has to deal with House before he can deal with himself.



Wilson stood outside House's office and stared in. The noise was deafening. House had brought in his electric guitar, a massive amplifier and some sort of light machine and was currently rocking out, oblivious to everything around him. His eyes were closed and he was swaying to the music while the office was filled with a kaleidoscope of light, bouncing off every surface.

Wilson sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, he'd expected something like this, but that didn't mean he wanted to deal with it.

There was no-one else who would, or could, though, so he went in there and ripped the plug out of the wall, bringing the 'music' to an abrupt halt and cutting the light show short. House looked up and Wilson caught a trace of something in his expression before House pulled a face at him.

"Hey man, you're harshing my mellow." House turned away, reaching for the power cord and Wilson put a hand out to stop him.

"Don't. Just don't."

"Music gotta be free," House said, "step aside, those chords aren't going to play themselves." Wilson saw his grip tighten on his guitar.

"I'm not talking about the music," Wilson said, "I'm talking about you. Don't make this about you, House. It's not about you, not this time."

"Just because you've got cancer, you're going to be all me, me, me?"

"Shouldn't I be?" Wilson asked, raising his voice, his fist balling by his side. He was not going to let House provoke him, he took a deep steadying breath. "I know what's coming, House. I know what it's going to be like... I know too much. I can't do it if I have to worry about you as well. I need to know that you're not going to jump off any balconies, or run off and hide somewhere, that I'm not going to find you on your office floor next to a bottle of pills one morning. I need... I'm going to need you to be there... I'm going to need a friend."

House looked stubborn, "then you should have picked..."

"Don't. Just don't," Wilson repeated, " you picked me, you've gone on picking me for the last twenty years. And it's been all about you for most of that time. And that's... that's okay, I get it. Like you said, I drink neediness and," Wilson smiled ruefully, " there's nothing wrong with being Watson. I wanted to be there for you, despite all the crap it was fun, it was good. But now... now I need you."

House stared at him, all bravado gone from his stance. Their eyes met and then slowly House nodded, and then broke eye contact, looking away and fiddling with his guitar.

"Just so you know, I don't do bedpans, or holding your hair while you hurl," House said. "If you need shaving though, I'm your man."

"I'll bear that in mind," Wilson said, resisting the urge to run his hand through his hair protectively. "Thanks, House."

House nodded again and started playing, softly this time, and without the light show. Wilson took his cue and turned to go.

"You still have to buy me lunch," House called after him. "Just because you'll be puking doesn't mean I go hungry."

Wilson flapped a hand at him and kept walking, the soft guitar chords following him until he got back to his office. Wilson went and stared at his scans, still in the light box, and then snapped off the light and went to his computer and started clearing his schedule. He could do this. With a little help.

Comments

[rividori.livejournal.com]

In a lot of ways it's worse for the person to watch someone go through that, what Wilson will go through. I can definitely see Wilson making sure that House is going to be okay and there for him when he needs him before he can focus on himself.
I liked the line: "you picked me."
A deeper moment that's in character. Very nice.

[menolly-au.livejournal.com]

Thanks, glad you liked it :) I think this will be very hard for House, he will be terrified of losing Wilson.

[yarroway.livejournal.com]

This is my personal canon. If the writers don't put in a scene like it, they're idiots. A great exploration of House's fear of pain and tendency to run from emotion as it impacts Wilson's situation.

*mems*

[menolly-au.livejournal.com]

Thanks, glad you liked it :) It's going to be interesting to see how House deals with this, hopefully they might even have a few real conversations in there...

[petitecuriosity.livejournal.com]

Ouch. You just broke my heart. Although, with how many times I watched next week's promo, I think I'm becoming something of a masochist.

I agree with yarroway's comments.

I love the fact that the guitar is so loud, that the lights are so bright, with House trying to drown out the pain by stimulating his other senses.

I found this line to be particularly hard to read:

"Just because you've got cancer, you're going to be all me, me, me?"

It so well illustrates House's pain in his avoidance. If he's making it about himself, then he doesn't have to think about how it's about Wilson.

I love that Wilson is telling House just how much he needs him, in a way that is entirely in character, by telling him that he can't deal with House's normal means of escaping this because he needs him right now.

I love love love the line "you picked me" because it is soooo accurate.

And goodness, Wilson's entire speech that follows...I thought I was going to cry. He knows that his end is inevitable and he's expressing a sort of sorrowful acceptance...at least that's how I interpreted it but I could be wrong.

And ouch ouch House's reaction! So in character! It's as if the realization is hitting him as well, and he's indirectly telling Wilson he'll be there for him in his own House-ian sardonic fashion.

I love how you've integrated House's music so well into this too...denial and avoidance into calm and mournful acceptance in his playing. And Wilson hears those chords as he returns to his office, a quiet reminder that House will be there, and at the same time, House's expression if it. (Once again, merely my interpretation.)

[menolly-au.livejournal.com]

I think House will try and joke his way through this, but in the end the situation will get to him. I thought it a was interesting in the episode that House went to Wilson and opened up a little for once about how he was feeling (about Dominika leaving) only to have this bombshell dropped on him, now he needs to refocus from how bad he is feeling, to what Wilson needs.

Thanks for reading and commenting :)

[barefootpuddles.livejournal.com]

"Just because you've got cancer, you're going to be all me, me, me?"

I know petite found that line hard to read, but I found it funny and IC. House often uses humor and self-centerness to deflect. And he turns to music and repetitive behaviors when he needs to think.

I liked it a lot. Especially the little ending of Wilson away from House, but feeling a tiny bit better knowing that he has House in his corner.

[menolly-au.livejournal.com]

Thanks, glad you liked it :) I think House is going to be full on with the jokes until he's forced to face what is happening.

[justjuly4.livejournal.com]

Music is House's therapy. I loved the dialogue, House often turns to humor when he's in pain or uncertain how to act. He covers his worries with bad jokes.

[menolly-au.livejournal.com]

I wonder sometimes why House has stopped with the music the last couple of seasons, thought we might get some this episode, but no, he was just leaning against the piano. thanks for reading :)

[justjuly4.livejournal.com]

I miss him playing too. Love for music was an essential part of his personality, but now he seems very little interested in it.

[menolly-au.livejournal.com]

I'm working on the theory that he won't play the piano anymore because thats what he was doing when Amber appeared for the first time - I can't remember him playing after that (except for the piano in Mayfield) I mean, they surely can't have forgotten that House plays the piano? There's one right there!

[srsly-yes.livejournal.com]

This is so them. I teared up. Thank you. *mems*

[menolly-au.livejournal.com]

Thanks :) Glad you liked it :)

[rslhilson.livejournal.com]

This was perfect - canon absolutely needs a scene like this. Thank you <3

[menolly-au.livejournal.com]

Oh, Ii'm hoping for some really good House/Wilson scenes in canon, and maybe some deep conversations :) Thanks for reading!

[sassyjumper.livejournal.com]

Oh, I loved this. So perfectly IC, I could see and hear HL and RSL :)

I know a lot of people thought/or preferred that House be sick at the end. But I feel the opposite. One reason is because I think the show has done SickHouse to death (excuse the pun). But the biggest reason is that I really want the show to end with House as a doctor, House as a friend, House being strong and House caring. Maybe the "uplifting" part of the finale that HL referred to is that House is reminded, through this of all, of his very good qualities.

[menolly-au.livejournal.com]

Thanks! glad you liked it. I must admit I was on the prefer-House-to-be-sick side, but I do love watching House act as an actual doctor (something was has been missing from the show lately, he seems very hands off), so I'm coming round to this storyline (as long as it's not terminal )

[damigella-314.livejournal.com]

resisting the urge to run his hand through his hair protectively
Damn English! In Latin languages, there would be no moment of confusion when I consider whose hair exactly ;). [Yeah, I did figure it out. It's one thirty almost.]

"You still have to buy me lunch,"
I think this is what really really comforts Wilson. Life will go on, even with cancer. And maybe, possibly, he'll not die of this.

I now want to consider this the end of the show and never ever see the next episodes or hear of them.
But of course, I know I will not resist.

[menolly-au.livejournal.com]

Good grief - haven't you gone to bed yet ?? :)

Well, I wouldn't care if Wilson ran his hand through HOuse's hair protectively either :)

Oh, I wouldn't miss the Wilson-dying-on-House's-couch scene for anything (as long as he doesn't actually die)

[damigella-314.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't miss the Wilson-dying-on-House's-couch scene
Couldn't it just be la petite mort?

I know, I know, I should sleep. Why oh why didn't I insist to get sleeping pills when I saw the doctor?

[menolly-au.livejournal.com]

Couldn't it just be la petite mort?

Lol, maybe that comes after Wilson is better :)

Turning off the computer is a good first step to getting to sleep (that's what I told myself last night anyway :)

[taiga13.livejournal.com]

This is great, like everyone else I liked the "you picked me" line too. We've seen that other people are willing to be his friends (not MANY, but some), but he only seems to want Wilson.

[menolly-au.livejournal.com]

Thanks, glad you liked it :) Yes, even when House is apart from Wilson he looks for a Wilson-substitute, but nothing is as good as the original :)

[mnstrtruckslash.livejournal.com]

aw, I'm glad Wilson stood up for himself and got House to take responsibility/ agree to help take care of him.

[menolly-au.livejournal.com]

Thanks, I do like it when Wilson asserts himself a little bit :)

[chocolate-frapp.livejournal.com]

nicely done. I can totally hear them in my head.

[menolly-au.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it :)

[jezziejay.livejournal.com]

Perfect! You just get these two SO right. ♥

[menolly-au.livejournal.com]

Thanks, I'm glad you think so :)

[readingrat.livejournal.com]

I haven't watched the episode, but this is so like them. Your Wilson voice is excellent. And it's so like everyone else to leave it to Wilson to deal with House even when he has more than enough on his own plate.

[menolly-au.livejournal.com]

Thanks, glad you liked it without having seen the episode (I guess you couldn't help hearing the Big News :) I do think that part of Wilson dealing with his illness is going to be dealing with House's reaction to Wilson's illness.

[3rdgal12.livejournal.com]

"Just because you've got cancer, you're going to be all me, me, me?"

One of the most IC lines I've ever read. I actually heard that in my head.

Very well done!

[menolly-au.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Glad you liked it, thanks for reading :)