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Post by Robert Chase on Mar 2, 2007 1:17:34 GMT -5
The fact that the first thing Cuddy did when she saw him was drain her alcohol was a -very- bad sign, to Chase. Of course he had had a lot of experience, growing up, with issues with alcohol and reasons to turn to it. Judging from the look she had given him upon his arrival, he was certain that this reason was because she was both disappointed and annoyed and figured drinking would take the edge off of having to be in his presence. Which, alone was -hardly- flattering, but combined with the look he got from the waiter as well as her mocking laughter...well, it was more than enough to make Chase just want to turn around and leave.
It would, at least, save him the embarrassment of what he had almost said. Which was the fact that this really wasn't at all a bad situation...not for him, anyway. Cuddy was...yes, she was intense and she could be downright scary...but she was also extremely attractive. There could have been much worse pranks for House to pull. But, upon seeing her reaction, he was very glad he hadn't said this. Clearly the prank hadn't been meant for -him- after all.
The Australian was just about to turn right around and leave...not particularly enjoying the way Cuddy was looking him over with her keen eyes. It was almost as though she was sizing him up, somehow, and he didn't like where he thought that was leading. Still, he stopped himself, surprised, as she moved the chair out across from her. Lifting a brow he faced her, listening to her as she told him he might as well sit down and socialize anyway.
In spite of the fact that she seemed completely sincere and that there was no reason she would lie, Chase still felt a bit weary of it. It was probably a bad idea to try and get along with -Cuddy- of all people who had hardly even given him a glance unless he was being sued, but...at the same time, she -did- have a point. More than one of them, if truth be told.
So, after a moment of hesitation, Chase returned her smile with a small one of his own, slowly sitting down in the seat. "No...of course I don't have anything better to do. I had planned to spend the night...well, walking into a trap and seeing where it lead. But...and, don't take this the wrong way or anything, but...this is pretty lame for House, as far as torture goes, for me, anyway."
As he spoke, Chase's eyes drifted to the side, watching as the waiter stepped forward again, clearly to ask him what he would have to drink, although that glare and jealousy were still beneath his eyes. Clearly the man wanted Cuddy and wished he was in Chase's spot. Although what he didn't know is that Chase wasn't in the spot to have Cuddy either so it didn't matter. "I'll just have water for now, thanks." He told the man, not intending to drink...not till later, at least. He was a lightweight and he knew it...and it seemed like a bad idea to get drunk when actually having a conversation with Cuddy.
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Post by Lisa Cuddy on Mar 2, 2007 2:07:36 GMT -5
Cuddy leaned forward tilting her head. Her hair fell over her shoulders, some falling into her face. She brushed it away, trying not to look sensual as she did but, ultimately, not having any choice in the matter. It really wasn’t her fault she simply oozed sexuality and beauty from every pore, her every movement captivating and somehow erotic. She could make a sandwich and it would turn people on. It was getting to the point where she knew she just had to accept it.
Cuddy took a generous sip of her drink, trying to make an expression that wouldn’t induce Chase to vomit or run away. It was difficult, not to play the boss with someone she was so used to doing it around.
“Then we made the same plans,” she said about his plans to walk into a trap. She smiled at him, almost giggling, but that was not something she generally did, so she refrained, “I wouldn’t take that the wrong way, believe me. I don’t know if you know this about me, or women in general, but we tend not to mind when people make vague, inarticulate compliments that they might not intend. It’s sort of endearing.”
Shaking her head, trying to rid herself of all thoughts House, she smiled at the waiter as he came by once more, just to touch up her glass. She knew what he wanted, but she barely gave him more than a cursory glance and an obligatory smirk. It was enough for him, of course, as he hurried away to, begrudgingly, fetch the water for Chase.
Cuddy, still nursing her drink, tried to think of good conversation. She was so used to having to deal with House in her time away from the hospital, she didn’t actually know how to treat other people from the hospital in the outside world. She frowned, every thought that came to her too blunt or inappropriate for the likes of Chase. Or anyone that wasn’t House, really.
“You clean up well.”
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Post by Robert Chase on Mar 2, 2007 2:36:40 GMT -5
Once again, purely because he was a man and thus unable to avoid such observations, Chase could not help but notice how Cuddy's hair fell in nice waves around her shoulders and she brushed it back, somehow remininsent of some kind of shampoo commerical. Only instead of being overdone and cheesy...she was purely sensual. Which, of course, was hard to ignore, especially considering the way she was dressed. But purely for the basis of this conversation and trying to stay on topic Chase did his best to ignore it, or, at the very least, not overtly stare at her as the waiter was.
Both amused and slightly annoyed at the way she was talking to him as though he was a child, Chase shook his head as she told him that women generally liked being complimented. He didn't bother to point out that a lot of times they -didn't- like it, particularly when coming from someone they didn't like back. So it was a fairly natural assumption that she wouldn't like to hear that from -him-...but he didn't bother pointing that out. Reminding Cuddy that she didn't like him didn't seem like a good move.
They sat in a silence for a moment in which Chase shifted a few times nervously. Yes, he knew that she was trying to relax and just wanted someone to talk to...but he couldn't help it. Even though they weren't at the hospital or on hours, she was -still- his boss and he still felt like he was being...tested somehow.
Looking at her again as she commented that he cleaned up well, Chase allowed himself a small smirk. "Yeah, well...usually I just close my eyes and pull out whatever from the closet, but on dates I figured I should at least attempt to match." There was a slight touch of sarcasm there, but it was more amused than anything else.
After a slight pause he realized that he should probably say something about how she looked as well. Picking up his napkin and fidgeting with it between his fingers, Chase spoke, "And, in case you hadn't noticed, or gotten that from what I said...You look...really...well, you look fantastic. But then, you always do, so it's not that much of a change, just more obvious now."
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Post by Lisa Cuddy on Mar 2, 2007 2:55:37 GMT -5
Cuddy smiled at his compliment, easing into the rhythm of idle conversation easily. She knew Chase was still on edge, and half imagined he was just waiting for her to go for his throat with her dinner fork, but she hoped he would be able to come out of that mentality soon. She really did want to enjoy herself, and if it meant being on a date with someone she barely knew, but for when he was breaking rules for House, then so be it. Their professional relationship was an altogether different world. They didn’t need to dwell on that. As far as she was concerned, he was a new face.
A new, handsome, intelligent, accented face. She sighed.
“Thank you. It’s been a while since I’ve been able to… you know, dress… like this. The hospital isn’t really a place for glamour. But, thank you. I’m glad… you know, it wasn’t wasted. At least, not entirely,” She shook her head, slightly embarrassed. She noted how very empty her glass was, and how the waiter seemed to be prowling around, just waiting to refill it. She also noticed that Chase had yet to receive his water. She chuckled, then contemplated the pace at which she was consuming alcohol. She was going to be hammered by the end of the night, which was not a good idea.
At least, she wasn’t entirely sure it was a good idea. Not yet, anyway. She sipped at the wine, almost ignoring herself entirely, watching Chase without paying attention to the thoughts behind her eyes.
“I hope you’re not too disappointed by this whole set up.”
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Post by Robert Chase on Mar 2, 2007 3:11:23 GMT -5
If it had been House sitting here, now, across from Cuddy, he probably would have done something like point out how she -still- dressed provocatively at the hospital anyway...or so Chase imagined he would. But he, however, was most definitely -not- House and was not stupid enough to say something like that. Which, really, he didn't even think was true anyway, and he doubted House really thought it was true either, he likely just said it to annoy her.
Also noticing that Cuddy was going through the wine rather quickly, Chase lifted a brow, forcing himself to stop fidgeting with his fork. He knew that she probably saw him as pathetic, sitting here across from her, hardly able to even make conversation with her like a normal person. But, upon watching her take yet another sip of wine, Chase realized she probably wasn't thinking too much about -him- at all and was probably thinking more along the lines of how fast she could go through her drinks to make this 'date' more appealing.
Amused at her statement, Chase shook his head slightly. "No, of course not...as I already said, this isn't at all a disappointment from -my- point of view. Especially since I was thinking House would've set it up with someone too old or too young or...a man. So sitting across from an extremely attractive woman is hardly a disappointment." Eyes still fixed to her glass as she took another sip, Chase smirked lightly before speaking.
"Though...you do know that you don't actually have to drink yourself to oblivion...you can retract your invitation and I can actually go if you would rather just avoid this awkwardness. And then you can call House and call him a bastard or whatever it is you -really- want to do other than sit across from me right now. Really, it's fine...I can probably try to find someone else to pick up...and you definitely can, judging from how many men are staring at you." Though privately Chase knew that he would probably end up going back to the hospital and making moon eyes at Cameron all night while she tried to work.
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Post by Lisa Cuddy on Mar 2, 2007 12:56:16 GMT -5
Cuddy laughed, shamefully putting her glass down and, blushing slightly, looking at him apologetically. She fixed her position in her chair so that she was a bit more directed towards him, leaning slightly forward. It was a position she used, she was almost sorry to admit, on many of her dates, to give the guy she was speaking to a bit of a better view. That wasn’t her goal here, though, it didn’t hurt, however. She simply wanted Chase to feel as if she were giving him a fair chance of it.
“I’m sorry, I wasn’t trying to drink -you- away, per se. In fact, the very last thing I want to do is call House. He’s the reason I’m resorting alcohol, anyway,” she laughed, slightly bitter and slightly something else, “If you’d rather go, that’s fine. I could just go home and get drunk there.”
She knew why she wanted to be drunk. Chase, as she had said, was not really involved in that. In fact, she doubted she would be treating a complete stranger much different at this point. Her encounter with House had left her with a growing hungry in the pit of her stomach, her sexual frustration reaching its peak. The faster she got drunk, passed out and forgot about the evening, the better.
Just one more lonely night.
“Aren’t you and Cameron something of a couple? I’m not really… up to date on the hospital gossip, but some things manage to drift my way. I’m sure you’d be much more happy with her as company. Better than your scary boss, anyday.”
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Post by Robert Chase on Mar 3, 2007 11:48:34 GMT -5
As she leaned forward Chase's eyes were, naturally, drawn to her chest. Only staring for a moment before he tore his eyes away and back to her own eyes, it was more than long enough to see with much more clarity that yes, House was right. Dean's of Medicine really can have nice breasts. But that really wasn't something that was productive to think about at the moment and he focused instead on what she was saying.
Shifting a little, frowning automatically as she brought up Cameron, Chase sighed. Of course that would be where it would turn, he had apparently made it so obvious to everyone in the entire hospital that he had a thing for Cameron. And of course, House spreading around the news that they had slept together didn't help matters either. Not that Chase had ever particularly been one for bragging about who he slept with, but...he had -especially- not wanted to when it came to Cameron. For reasons that he would rather not think about, at the moment.
Glancing up as the waiter -finally- brought his waiter, Chase sighed and brought a twenty out of his pocket. "Look, I don't care if you want my date..." After all, Cuddy -was- technically, his date. "You are still on the job and that includes taking care of all your customers, okay? So hurry up and bring me some wine as well..." Slipping him the money he added, "That's in trust that you'll move faster than a snail this time." That wasn't something Chase would normally do but he was sick of waiting and suddenly he rather felt like a drink himself.
Turning his attention back to Cuddy, he then answered her. "First of all, I wouldn't really rather go, I have no where -to- go and...like you said, you aren't my boss right now. I can get over that, let's just not...talk about work?" He suggested, although it was only fair that he answer her question as well. "And second of all..." Before he could even finish the waiter was already back again, still glancing lustfully at Cuddy, but now he actually filled up Chase's wine glass. Waiting until he backed off again, Chase finished.
"Second of all...Cameron and I are -not- a couple. She doesn't want...we...we're just not." Hesitating only a moment, Chase then reached for his glass and took a rather large sip of the wine for himself. For some reason thinking about himself and Cameron gave him the strong urge to want to drink.
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Post by Lisa Cuddy on Mar 3, 2007 12:18:51 GMT -5
The Dean of Medicine couldn’t help but smile as Chase’s mood shifted at the subject of Cameron. She hadn’t realized the two were having difficulties, or rather, that Chase was, with their relationship. It was true, she did not spend too much time out of her day following the romantic ties between her employees, but since the two worked so closely with House, she generally found herself with more knowledge about them than she knew what to do with. But, as second-hand information is wont to be, her information about them was incomplete.
Apparently Chase was harboring more feelings for Cameron than the young woman was willing to share in. It was slightly surprising, considering how sweet and handsome he was. Of course, she had only known him on a personal level for all of twenty minutes, and there might have been more to him than she could see. She sighed, not knowing what to tell him on that front.
Her own private life was a mess, so offering advice was not something she was keen on doing. More than likely, it would be terribly, embarrassingly, soul crushingly wrong, and she just did not want to risk doing that to poor Chase. She could almost relate to his aggravation, though, she held her personal situation in a different light. Not that she would even touch on that particular subject.
She laughed at the waiter. At least if this ‘date’ did not go too well, she had a backup. He was not bad looking, and seemed earnest enough. And Cuddy was just in the right state of mind for a random, meaningless one night stand. If the two doctors found themselves completely incompatible, at least the waiter would have a lucky night. Maybe he had already guessed that, and that was why he was treating Chase so poorly. At least money seemed as good a motivator for the waiter as her cleavage was.
How poetically complicated that man is, Cuddy thought ruefully.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to… bring up a touchy subject. But hey, at least I’ve got you drinking. I figure if I ask you a couple more questions, I’ll have you caught up with me. Then I won’t feel so bad about getting a bit tipsy on you,” she laughed, her smile one created to put people at ease, “but you’re right. Talking about work, people from work, or anything in that vein is a bad idea. So… uh…”
She frowned. With work out of the running for conversation starters, she suddenly found herself with nothing to say to him.
She took another hearty swallow of wine.
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Post by Robert Chase on Mar 15, 2007 14:13:59 GMT -5
Brushing her apology off with a slight wave of his hand, Chase took another, smaller, sip of the wine from his glass. While it might have normally been in his nature to not say anything at all...and if so, certainly deny that it was a touchy subject, he didn't feel like doing that. It wasn't as though Cuddy particularly cared about his personal life and she wasn't nosy just to be annoying because she wanted to know, like House was. So instead he settled with a "don't worry about it." Which seemed to cover everything.
Smiling a little at both her words about alcohol and the lull in the conversation, Chase took the opportunity to set his glass down. Thinking about his life was too depressing for him right now and that was dangerous with the alcohol around. Even though he knew that he didn't have to work tomorrow...he knew that it was perfectly legal of him to get sloshed at his age...he still found himself fighting against it. Most likely due to growing up the way he did but maybe in part due to the fact he is a doctor...but Chase could just not see, in any circumstance, how getting drunk was the answer. So, as much as he wanted to he tried to control it, at least a bit. He knew whose son he was, after all.
Lifting his gaze from his half empty wine glass up and across the table, he automatically focused on Cuddy. This wasn't really so bad. He went out with Cameron and Foreman occasionally...why should this be any different? What's more, this really was still a date...Cuddy had clearly dressed for the occasion...so why couldn't it really still -be- a date? Sure, he knew her...but so what? They could still relax and have a good time, she was attractive, so what was wrong with that?
Even though he knew better than to say anything about her appearance at work - she got more than enough of that from House - it seemed like a good bridge in the conversation to talking about something else. So, with that in mind, he gave her a light smile - the one that usual earned him positive reactions from the opposite sex. "You really do look fantastic this evening, Cuddy, the color suits you." Which was definitely true, after giving it a slight pause he shook his head, amused, "Now this would usually be the part where I ask what you do for a living, but since I already know that...how about we go with...what -do- you do in your spare time? If there is such a thing for you, of course."
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Post by Lisa Cuddy on Mar 15, 2007 22:51:57 GMT -5
Cuddy smiled at him. It was a well played, yet too infrequently used expression that she was near delighted to find a place for. Coy, yet bold, she seemed to know exactly how good she looked, and appreciated his ability to let her know. Nowhere near embarrassed or subtle, she rubbed the back of her neck and shrugged dismissively, trying her best not to laugh.
It was a strange mixture of reactions, all fighting to escape at once. Her valiant effort to keep them sorted paid off in that she was left with a radiant, immodest smile and a confident glint in her eyes. She realized that it was because of the smile he was giving her. It was handsome and magnetic, completely disarming. Or maybe that was the wine. Either way, she was enjoying it.
House was going to limp away in shame when he realized his plot to ruin their evening was derailed by the fact that Chase and Cuddy did not hate each other, and the opportunity to interact for one of the first times in their careers under the same hospital’s roof was a good one.
“I wish you wouldn’t flatter me. I might be forced to flirt with you, and I think you might implode with the idea that I might actually have more to my personal resume than ‘yelling’ and ‘administration stuff’.” She played with her hair, maintaining eye contact with Chase despite the lingering feeling that she was being a bit too assertive and blunt with him. She laughed genuinely at his comment about his usual date-conversation game plan, “Right. What do I do in my spare time?”
She looked thoughtful for a moment, swirling the liquid left in her wine glass around in a slow rhythm as she considered her answer.
“If I’m not working,” she couldn’t help but grin, “I’m usually out blindly dating random men. How about you? I hope not that same thing. That’s awkward, and leaves me wondering if I should be confused or insulted by your being here tonight.”
Alright, Lisa, no more wine. She thought to herself chidingly, but not without private amusement.
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Post by Robert Chase on Mar 16, 2007 4:45:31 GMT -5
Watching her reaction to his comment carefully - so as to decide whether it was welcome or not - Chase was pleased to see an alluring smile on her face and a look in her eyes that seemed to tell him that it -was- welcome. In spite of her words, which seemed to be quite contradictory to her actions - the flip of the hair, the mischievous look in her eye - Chase grinned back as she laughed at his comment.
Casually going for his own drink once more, Chase took a few sips before setting it down and laughing lightly at Cuddy's words. "Oh you really have nothing to worry about. I swear that I don't usually go out and blindly date random men. At least not since that one incident back home..." He spoke with a faint smirk but the words were not at all harsh, simply light and joking, teasing.
"I'm usually more up for picking out random women at work - whichever one I happen to see first - not so much the blind date. But that is just because I had no idea your quality of person ever did blind dates, perhaps I should look into it further." Following his words he gave her another gentle smile, hoping the compliment came out smoothly.
Because she had definitely been right that she has more to her than 'yelling' and the 'administration stuff', as she had phrased it. No, Chase was finding that she was witty, charming, and attractive. More than he would have possibly hoped for when he usually went out on dates.
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Post by Lisa Cuddy on Mar 16, 2007 14:57:14 GMT -5
Cuddy smiled, feeling more at ease as Chase relaxed. She was absorbed in their airy conversation, surprised that she was actually glad House had tried to pull a fast one on her. When she thought about it, she doubted she would have ever taken the time to speak to Chase in a personal setting on her own, considering she was generally occupied with other things at work whenever he entered her thoughts. He was an employee, after all, and not as aggravating and omni-present as House seemed to be.
She laughed at Chase's return to her comment, shaking her head.
"I hear dating in the workplace can be a dangerous business," she smiled, leaning forward on the table, her body language reflecting her interest in this playful discussion. She checked her rueful laugh, opting for a much lighter chuckle. It wasn't something she had 'heard' so much as something as she knew for a fact, "but maybe that's more of a female problem. Though, I can't imagine any woman on our staff would pass up the chance for a random date with you."
She considered tagging on an awkward 'besides me, of course', but eventually decided the strange pause she took to think about it was more than enough to deliver the thought. Besides, she thought approvingly, he isn't that bad looking, and who's to say I would have said no if he ever had the stones to ask me out?
She did know that she would have said no. Moral obligation would have kept her from this date, had she known it was with him in advance. It was her duty as Dean of Medicine to decline the advances of any member of her male staff. Well. Almost any member.
Somehow, morals never seemed to come into play when that one exception came into play.
"And I am pretty sure I don't know what you mean by 'my quality of person.' If I had any kind of quality at all, I would not have placed that ad to begin with." She smiled. The more she watched him, the more she wondered why he had no steady girlfriend. And, simultaneously, the easier it was for her to understand why he was a ladies man. He was handsome, smart (despite what House would have everyone believe), and dashing. He could, in theory, get any woman he wanted.
Except the one he really wanted.
She didn't say it out loud, but Cuddy knew Cameron was an idiot for passing up on something good that she could easily have and instead opting for a difficult, unrequited infatuation. The irony of the thought, the turnabout, and the analogy were not lost to her. She sipped at her drink, interrupted from both the conversation and her thoughts when the waiter, who was looking increasingly distressed, returned to take their orders.
She ordered casually, deigning to pay at least for herself and resolute about not giving Chase a choice in the matter, and waited for him to order his meal. She suddenly felt anxious, worrying privately that he would not want to stay for a meal, and had been planning on escaping with this opportunity. She couldn't blame him, of course, yet she could not ignore the mounting shadow of disappointment the very idea brought with it.
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Post by Robert Chase on Mar 28, 2007 1:36:06 GMT -5
Smiling lightly at her comment about how she couldn't imagine anyone on staff passing up the chance to date him, Chase refused to let her see how the comment effected him, negatively. Seeing as how it brought to the forefront that the fact the only woman on staff whom he had tried to ask out had shot him down before he had gotten the question out. But no, Cuddy was just being kind and polite, so there was no reason to mention something personal...And besides, it didn't show him in the kindest light, and that was the sort of thing he was reluctant to share with Cuddy now, seeing as how she -is- his date.
Shaking his head, Chase was going to reply that of course Cuddy was a high quality woman...and certainly that all of the men here seemed to agree with that...However the waiter returned before he could make this comment. Relaxing a bit more into the date, Chase was pleased to see Cuddy order for herself...and she ordered a full meal, meaning she was planning on staying to see this date through. Which was certainly something Chase was also planning on doing.
So when the waiter turned to him, he ordered for himself. Uncertain of whether he should pay for Cuddy as well or not, Chase ordered something cheap. After all, it wasn't as though he didn't have any money at all...but things were tight, and he certainly wanted to at least offer to pay for her. And even though he figured she'd probably want to pay for her part herself, if he somehow convinced her to let him pay then he certainly didn't want to worry about having money or not.
Of course thinking about the debt that he was in due to his mother and the lack of money from his father and the causes for both was not helping his mood any. Taking another, considerable sized sip, of the wine, Chase leaned back a little as the waiter scurried away with their orders.
"You should know very well that you have a high quality of person." Chase told her after a moment, deciding to go back to their conversation rather than attempting to bring up the bill - they would deal with that when the time came. "You, of course, did not have to place that add. I'm betting you were just trying to get in touch with a different type of person than those at the hospital...also, I imagine it is difficult to date someone that you know from around with the specter of House hanging over you."
Chase's tone now was lighter, more amused, although, if you looked very closely there was a hint of bitterness there as well. But he was betting that Cuddy wasn't looking more closely, no one ever did. "And there is always House himself...Most people seem to consider him perfect dating material so you must have a reason for not wanting that yourself." He commented, referring both to the fact that -Cameron- was in love with him and the fact that -he-, in turn, was in love, or at least lust, with Cuddy.
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Post by Lisa Cuddy on Mar 28, 2007 15:34:20 GMT -5
Cuddy flushed visibly at the mention of House, despite her best efforts to remain unruffled. She fixed Chase an almost warning look, intuition telling her he meant far more with that offhand comment than he wanted her to know. Just what, however, she could not yet figure out. She imagined he was taking a dig at her for her strange, taxing, stressful and completely addicting relationship she had with House, and that he, as well as most of the others on the staff, were simply waiting for the two to sort out their feelings once and for all. She was tired of these subtle jabs, almost as much so as she was the infuriating relationship limbo she consistently found herself in with House.
There was probably more. Something, she did not doubt, to do with Cameron, making the comment a slight attack. As if accusing Cuddy of not acting fast enough with House, thus letting Cameron develop her feelings for the older man and not for Chase. Cuddy took another sip of her drink, staring into the liquid now as she gathered her thoughts.
She knew she was just being paranoid, that any mention of House in an intimate setting always sent her into a spiral of awkward, irrational thoughts. Chase was probably just speaking harmlessly, trying to keep the conversation away from himself.
Of course, with all the years of verbal sparring she had under her belt against House, it was difficult for her to take an idle statement and not turn it into some sort of challenge. Before she could consciously order herself to play nice she was already replying, waving one hand noncommittally and smiling.
“Dating in the workplace is just too complicated. Of course you have feelings for the people you see and work with everyday, and of course some sort of physical reaction will develop if you focus on those feelings for too long. I try not to focus on feelings when I’m at work. I see House as an employee, and a constant thorn in my side. He’s aggravating and disrespectful. I can’t see past that, and I certainly don’t want to bring that home with me. It’s like you and Doctor Cameron, I suppose. Unless… you react differently to those... complicated feelings.”
She didn’t know if she was being honest or just talking in reaction to her insecurities about the whole subject. It was almost hostile, though, she spoke as she ever did: blunt and meaningful, her tone perfectly cut with an edge of authority she could never manage to leave behind at her desk in the hospital. She wished she had simply changed the subject, but they were here now and there was very little she could do about it. It was up to him to back down from the conversation and, at this point, she would not lose any respect for him if he did. It would give her the opportunity to apologize.
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Post by Robert Chase on Mar 28, 2007 21:55:08 GMT -5
As it wasn't the reaction he intended for her to have, Chase was somewhat surprised when Cuddy flushed at his mention of House. Of course he had known it wasn't the most tactful comment he could make, but he did not think it would affect her quite that strongly. After all, it should have been extremely obvious to her that House was at -least- in lust with her...so why would she blush at the mention of him? Unless of course it was because she returned those feelings and just didn't want to think about that at the moment.
Although, Chase realized, the most likely reason was nothing other than the alcohol she had consumed. It caused certain people to have strange reactions, most especially to loose control over their otherwise high inner defenses. Therefore, Chase was all ready to let it go, when Cuddy spoke first and he stared at her.
Just as he himself had been doing, Chase felt that Cuddy was talking from personal experience. But it was more than that. She was speaking directly to him, in response to what he had said about House. Which meant she must have taken it more personally than he thought...and that she knew more than he wanted -anyone- to know about his own private life.
Fighting to maintain his relaxed disposition, Chase kept his mask firmly on. Though when he smiled at Cuddy, it was one completely void of any kind of positive emotion and looked distinctly bitter. After all, Chase may have been extremely good at hiding his private life, but when few people ever bothered to try and pry...he really was a terrible liar. Not even his smile could lie for him.
"Of course everyone is bound to have complicated feelings. And I suppose it is just that you and I react very differently to how you deal with them. If you find their personality to your distaste than that does not mean you can not act on your physical desires...as long as you are two consenting adults who know this is nothing more than what it is. It's...convientant" And Chase's smiled turned into something more like a smirk as he said that last word, something that she had said to him all the same.
After all, if he could fool Cameron into thinking that's all he wanted from her and that would satisfy him, then why should it be any different with Cuddy?
Lifting his hand, body still outwardly relaxed, Chase took a casual sip of wine. As he set his glass down he swallowed his fear and leaned in closer to Cuddy, giving her a mischievous grin as he licked the last of the wine from his lips. "But then...I am probably just the stereotypical oversexed generalization of a man, but...I see nothing wrong with a good bit of...healthy activity."
Hardly daring to believe he had just said that to -Cuddy-, Chase sat back and glanced away, pretending to check for the waiter. Running a hand through his hair, he wondered what the hell he was thinking...it must have been the alcohol getting to him...
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