poly_chromatic | 035: VIDEO

Entry tags:

house m.d. - robert chase

035: VIDEO

[There's a petite blonde girl sitting on the edge of an unmade bed. She's wearing a Western Bulldogs football shirt which hangs low enough to almost conceal the baggy men's boxers.

The camera has been turned on deliberately. She stares at it.

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Just getting it over with.

[And she leans across to switch the feed off.]

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This is the fourth or fifth time, it doesn't even bother me anymore.

[It does, kind of.]

Fourth or fifth? No wonder you've had time to grow that in.

[And yes, he's still trying to figure out if he would.]

...Do you want some help?

I've lost count, honestly.

Help with what?

[And the top question Chase never thought he'd have to ask his wife is:]

Do you want me to help you shave.

[Are we still stuck on the beard thing?

Her eyes widen perceptibly, and then she laughs.]

Really?

[It's just so in your face.]

It's harder than it looks when you've let it go for a while.

[Yes, he is saying you've let yourself go, male Cameron.]

[You wish you could pull this off, Chase. Incredibly, she's still smirking.]

I can stand it for a day.

[Honestly she thinks it would suit her, if she were a him.]

Would you like to go bra shopping?

[He'd just like to know if she looks more her under the fuzz.

And like he can pass this one up-]

Love to. Can I rain-check it 'til tomorrow?

[That's exactly what she doesn't want to know. The more easily she can divorce her self from the image in the mirror, the closer she is to happy.]

You'll probably be a bit tougher to size tomorrow, but I'm sure someone can help you.

I think this could be a bonding experience.

[She is not letting you win this one.]

I'd be happy to help you buy yourself a bra.

[There's a long look at the camera until finally he folds his arms across his... bust.]

Maybe we could just get coffee.

[Did you just ask your currently male future ex-wife on a coffee date?]

Today?

[You say that like it's a strange thing.

Also, yes.]

If you're free.

If you can find somewhere with a liberal dress code.

[You're in luck, Roberta. This feels safe enough; she knows exactly how poorly you react to seeing her naked like this, after all.]

Slacks aren't as edgy as you think they are. I reckon we'll be all right.

[Look, he doesn't need more jealousy issues, okay.]

[Hey, if you'd played your cards right back then--

Well, maybe it's for the best that some memories are lost.]

You're on.

[It's highly debatable whether that would be playing his cards right. But later she'll find a note in her pigeon hole with an empty (unused) cardboard cup from that cart that parks up outside the hospital, and a time written inside the rim. He'll be sitting out on one of the benches to meet her.]

[The fact that she finds the coffee date stranger than their switched genders is either a testament to how warped the City has left her perceptions, or to how complicated even their most basic interactions have become.

Either way, she's only a minute or two behind schedule. Cameron looks if not comfortable at least resigned to her current state, in a pale blue shirt and a striped tie. It does take her a moment to spot him-- after all, he's not terribly familiar like this, even if he's not a stranger-- and then she heads over, casual as anything. The less she lets it affect her, the more in control she feels.]

[Cameron on the other hand is eminently recognisable, just not as herself. Chase stands up on seeing her come over, and immediately wishes he hadn't. Chairs are a great leveler.

Chase has gone for scrubs: perfect unisex wear in that no one looks any good in them.]

I won't say I've never had my masculinity threatened by a woman before, but this is ridiculous.

[It would be exaggerating to say she towers, but Cameron must admit there's a certain charm to the novelty of looking down rather than up. On curse days especially, one has to find the humor where one can.]

I'm not sure whether I should take that as a compliment.

[The voice may be unfamiliar but the wry tone is intact.]

Would it be better or worse if it was only one of us?

[the voice at least isn't a shock, even if it's more... resonant in person than via tinny network video. Chase mulls her question over. In truth, this is better for being mutual. So long as the curses aren't life-threatening, it can almost be nice to share.]

I'd have been more likely to let you help me pick out lingerie.

[It wouldn't be necessary the other way round. Cameron looks entirely more put together than Chase.]

You even remembered to save a tie?

I'd have been less likely to agree.

[Arch as ever, but somewhere beneath that incongruous and mighty beard, a grin is trying to twitch its way onto her lips. Good taste, Roberta.]

I thought it brought out my eyes,

[she answers, and leaves it at that.]

So. Coffee?

[A gentleman ought to pay, isn't that right? She fishes in her pocket for a few colorful coins.]

Your eyes are very pretty.

[Well, they are at least the feature that remains most like her. And he does keep sneaking glances. God forbid he voice aloud that the question that keeps running through his head is would it make me gay if... - her arch tone would rise to a point.]

Flat white? Around [and he holds up his fingers to indicate an inch.] this much sugar.

[Chances are she'd only laugh at him again, which to be fair is bad enough in its own way. The more uncomfortable he is the more forcibly at-ease she is. It's a defense mechanism, maybe. After four years, Cameron refuses to let the City get the better of her.

It often does, of course, but that's beside the point.]

Right. Just a minute, [she says with just a slight roll of those lovely eyes at the sugar measurement.]

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