menolly_au (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
menolly_au) wrote2014-09-10 09:08 am
menolly_au) wrote2014-09-10 09:08 am
Entry tags:
Random piece of fic
Random snippet of fic I wrote which I'm posting here because why not? It probably won't go any further but I just wanted to write something.
No warnings - AU.
"Hey, House! At least pretend like you're working!"
"You told me not to talk to the customers," House replied, his gaze never leaving his target. "Just doing what you said, boss."
"I said that you should restock the front display, not sit on your ass staring at that guy." Foreman followed the line of House's sight. At the front of the coffee shop a man was sitting, nursing his cup of coffee. He hadn't noticed House's scrutiny because he was busy staring out of the front window of the shop. There was a good view of the busy intersection, but nothing else that seemed to warrant such focus.
"This is the fourth time he's come this week. He always sits there and stares out," House said.
"So he's a regular customer. We do have them."
"The coffee in this place is lousy, Foreman. He's not here for the coffee."
"The coffee pays your damned wages. Not that you earn them. Now get back to work."
"I'm taking my break," House said. He grabbed his cane from where it was resting against the counter.
"Your break? I hadn't noticed that you've done any work today!" Foreman frowned at him. "I'm going to have to call Cuddy."
"You do that. I saved her brat's life, remember? She's not going to fire me." House grinned at Foreman's furious expression and started to walk away.
"Don't harass that guy, House."
"Wouldn't dream of it," House muttered as he made his way towards his prey.
"Is everything to your liking, sir?" he asked, in his best Cameron imitation as he hovered over the man's table.
The man looked up, startled. He was older than House had first thought. Up close he could see lines of strain on the youthful features. His eyes were a warm brown, and although he wore casual clothes they were clearly expensive, and immaculately ironed. His eyes flicked over House, first noticing the cane and then assessing House's face. There was some puzzlement in his voice when he answered.
"Yes, everything is fine, thanks. Do you ask all your customers?"
House shrugged, pulling up a chair and straddling it, still facing the man. "The boss doesn't like me talking to the customers."
"And yet here you are. Talking to me. I guess you don't like being employed." House noted with interest that he hadn't protested having a sudden dining companion.
"His boss owes me a big favour." House reached over and picked up the stranger's slightly dry looking slice of mud cake. It wasn't like the guy had been eating it. He took a big bite. Yeah, that was pretty shit. Like the coffee. He took another bite, because - hey, free food. Brown eyes was still watching him, more amused than indignant. Interesting.
"I hope it's a huge favour," he said, his gaze flicking across to behind the counter, "because your boss is on the phone and he doesn't look happy."
"Yep. Saved her kid's life. Nobody on the East Coast could work out was wrong with her, except for me."
"You're a doctor?" The bushy eyebrows above the brown eyes lifted up.
"Yep."
"And you're working here?"
"This is a temporary gig. The Medical Board benched me for a year to punish me for saving the brat. Kid's Mom owns this dive. I need the money. I have expensive habits." He put out his hand. "Greg House."
Brown eyes stared at him for a moment and then slowly put out his own. "James Wilson."
"Cool," House nodded. "Want to go fuck somewhere?"
James Wilson didn't miss a beat. "Maybe later, I'll pencil it into my diary." He went back to looking out the window.
No warnings - AU.
"Hey, House! At least pretend like you're working!"
"You told me not to talk to the customers," House replied, his gaze never leaving his target. "Just doing what you said, boss."
"I said that you should restock the front display, not sit on your ass staring at that guy." Foreman followed the line of House's sight. At the front of the coffee shop a man was sitting, nursing his cup of coffee. He hadn't noticed House's scrutiny because he was busy staring out of the front window of the shop. There was a good view of the busy intersection, but nothing else that seemed to warrant such focus.
"This is the fourth time he's come this week. He always sits there and stares out," House said.
"So he's a regular customer. We do have them."
"The coffee in this place is lousy, Foreman. He's not here for the coffee."
"The coffee pays your damned wages. Not that you earn them. Now get back to work."
"I'm taking my break," House said. He grabbed his cane from where it was resting against the counter.
"Your break? I hadn't noticed that you've done any work today!" Foreman frowned at him. "I'm going to have to call Cuddy."
"You do that. I saved her brat's life, remember? She's not going to fire me." House grinned at Foreman's furious expression and started to walk away.
"Don't harass that guy, House."
"Wouldn't dream of it," House muttered as he made his way towards his prey.
"Is everything to your liking, sir?" he asked, in his best Cameron imitation as he hovered over the man's table.
The man looked up, startled. He was older than House had first thought. Up close he could see lines of strain on the youthful features. His eyes were a warm brown, and although he wore casual clothes they were clearly expensive, and immaculately ironed. His eyes flicked over House, first noticing the cane and then assessing House's face. There was some puzzlement in his voice when he answered.
"Yes, everything is fine, thanks. Do you ask all your customers?"
House shrugged, pulling up a chair and straddling it, still facing the man. "The boss doesn't like me talking to the customers."
"And yet here you are. Talking to me. I guess you don't like being employed." House noted with interest that he hadn't protested having a sudden dining companion.
"His boss owes me a big favour." House reached over and picked up the stranger's slightly dry looking slice of mud cake. It wasn't like the guy had been eating it. He took a big bite. Yeah, that was pretty shit. Like the coffee. He took another bite, because - hey, free food. Brown eyes was still watching him, more amused than indignant. Interesting.
"I hope it's a huge favour," he said, his gaze flicking across to behind the counter, "because your boss is on the phone and he doesn't look happy."
"Yep. Saved her kid's life. Nobody on the East Coast could work out was wrong with her, except for me."
"You're a doctor?" The bushy eyebrows above the brown eyes lifted up.
"Yep."
"And you're working here?"
"This is a temporary gig. The Medical Board benched me for a year to punish me for saving the brat. Kid's Mom owns this dive. I need the money. I have expensive habits." He put out his hand. "Greg House."
Brown eyes stared at him for a moment and then slowly put out his own. "James Wilson."
"Cool," House nodded. "Want to go fuck somewhere?"
James Wilson didn't miss a beat. "Maybe later, I'll pencil it into my diary." He went back to looking out the window.
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:D
I hope it talks to you some more. I'm interested to see where it would lead.
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Yeah, where it leads would be the big stumbling block to doing more of this :)
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This is great fun! thanks for sharing it. I hope it this AU talks to you again.
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Love how you inserted Foreman, Cuddy, Rachel, and Cameron in the story (Chase must be lurking somewhere), and of course, Wilson who is the catalyst that gets House off his duff and eating officially free food. Love for you to continue, even if it was just meandering dialogue, but your snippet is a delight as is.
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Ooh - do you have any details??
Oh yeah - Chase is out the back room or something :) Meandering dialogue I can do, it's just plots I have problems with :) Thanks for reading!
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and whether Wilson penciled it in.no subject
I'd love to see House work in a coffee shop or any retail establishment. It would be hilarious. And intriguing too the way he reads people.
Thanks for the little snippet.
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I never knew barista fic was a "thing".
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Details... gotta think back... My original had college students, House (doctoral candidate) and Wilson (undergrad) working in a coffeehouse. One was new and being trained by the other. Snark and possible schmoop ensues. The second... lol... "The Road from Tibet" was a post finale fic. Wilson survives his cancer and has a yen to travel to Tibet, House tags along. After their "enlightenment" (term used as loosely as a triple crochet stitch), they buy a coffeehouse/Casablanca-style nightclub (because the guys look so good in tuxedos). Wilson hosts and House is the main attraction, the barista. He assesses customers by observation, and creates unique coffees for them.
Yeah, plot was the sticking point for both ideas. All I had were setups.
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And boyish looking undergrad Wilson, yum! It would be interesting if Wilson was the old experienced hand and House was the newbie - and Wilson was taking it all terribly seriously while House was 'yeah, just here for the money' (and the cute undergrad...)
ETA - Perchance is Cameron helping Chase inventory cups? ;) Oh yes, excellent idea! Poor Foreman, you have to feel sorry for him - his staff is no help at all :)
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And yes, Wilson penciled it in -repeatedly ;)Thanks for reading!
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Thanks for reading!
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Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for reading!
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Exactly! I hear echoes of "I thought you did the dishes last night. It was your day." Exasperated!Wilson is a must.
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And I hate coffeeshop AUs. :-D
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Glad you enjoyed it, and thanks for reading!