[round one] Strings, by zulu

[housebigbangmod]

Title: Strings
Author: zulu
Pairing: House/Foreman
Rating: NC-17
Length: 42 000 words
Spoilers: Through "Euphoria".
Summary: Because after Foreman fucks up, he might actually be teachable. Because House is the best one to knock him down and then show him what a moron he is. "Because he could be better," he says, and he hates that it's the truth, that he's telling it to Cuddy like it matters.
Excerpt:

Foreman raises an eyebrow and smiles infuriatingly. "I don't actually care if you're there, House."

House notches up the glare, but it might just be an exercise in futility by this point. "If you didn't care, you wouldn't be telling me about it," he says. "Which means that you do care, which means that it matters that I go."

Foreman doesn't bother replying to that. He opens the envelope, takes out one of the tickets, and drops it on House's desk. "The concert exists. The means of getting into the concert--these tickets--also exist, and you have yours and I have mine. They happen to be incredible seats," he says. "They happen to be next to each other. Beyond that, House--" He pauses, and his grin slides into a laugh. "I don't care. I've done what I can. I'm going to go and enjoy the music. Either you'll be there or you won't, but be aware that if you try to ruin my experience in any way--by talking, by kicking the seat ahead of us, by tripping anybody--especially me--with your cane, by critiquing the improvisation while it's happening, then I will grab your leg and squeeze." He raises an eyebrow, waiting for a response. House fights down a smile, but probably Foreman can tell, because he nods, satisfied. "If that's clear, then we should be okay."

Without another word, he turns and swaggers out of the office.

"Nice," House says, drawing the word out and watching Foreman go. This is why no one should be forced to wear a labcoat; it seriously obstructs his view.

"I sincerely hope you're referring to his ass, and not the way he just manipulated you," Wilson says, with a certain amount of resignation.

House shrugs comfortably. "No reason it can't be both."

zulu's Strings is an addition to her Percussion-verse stories, which follows the relationship of an alternate universe version of House and Foreman, where Foreman was not hired on as one of House's fellow, but in fact, works in PPTH's neurology department. Strings itself deals with an alternate version of the episode Euphoria and explores the impact of such an intense event on House and Foreman's burgeoning relationship. As in most of her stories, Strings benefits greatly from zulu's keen ear for dialogue, light sense of humor, and sharp attention to detail. The emotional beats of the story ring true, warm and painful in turns. All of their characters get their moments to shine, to come alive. Foreman's father in particular is well-drawn for a character who has only had a few appearances in canon. We, as the readers, already know how this story goes, but that doesn't mean it's not worth telling again.



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