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Remember Steve McQueen, the rat in 'Hunting' whom House catches for Stacy and whom he keeps as a pet? Suppose he were really an animagus who decides after due consideration of House's pet-keeping abilities to change back to his human form, which is that of a child somewhere between the ages of one and ten. (I'm trying to create a credible scenario for House to have a kid. If you don't like my scenario, choose your own from the plethora of kid-fics at the Pit.) So now House has Steve to take care of. Let's give little Stevie a face: imagine a younger version of Peter Pettigrew, looking for affection and recognition, but with a propensity to make himself scarce whenever disaster strikes. (This really makes no difference: you can make him a younger version of Justin Bieber if you prefer.) House nonetheless feels a certain amount of affection and an even larger degree of responsibility for the little rugrat.
Also imagine, if you please, that Huddy never happened. Imagine that House hitches up with some other person. I like to use Nora, Wilson's neighbour at the loft conversion, for this purpose because she excites neither sympathy nor aversion in me. She's good-looking, reasonably smart and no doormat. If you tend towards slash then choose someone of the male gender, but don't take anyone you like or dislike particularly. For the sake of simplicity I will from now on refer to House's partner as 'Nora'. Substitute 'Norbert' if you so wish (and if it doesn't remind you too much of Hagrid's Norwegian Ridgeback).
Suppose House and Nora have been dating for a longer period of time, say six months. During that time Nora has hardly acknowledged Steve's presence. She's babysat him a few times, but always with a show of reluctance. When she pops in at the hospital for an impromptu lunch date and meets Stevie there with House she pulls a face. She doesn't mind hinting that from her point of view boarding school would be a viable alternative to his presence - House isn't quite sure whether she's joking or not. In the six months that she's dated House she's never volunteered to keep the kid busy; when she suddenly and inexplicably offers to do so House is practically bowled over. Behind House's back she insults the child, calling him a moron, a lump of clay and thick as a whatever sandwich when talking about him to her friends. House, although unaware of the insults, is aware enough of Nora's low opinion of his child to be genuinely surprised and flattered when she calls Stevie a 'bright kid'.
I think if House were in a relationship like that, with a partner who was disrespectful of someone he considered his personal responsibility, we'd all be yelling, 'Dump her/him already, will you!' Instead, everyone in the forums, even in the Hilson ones, is talking about cosy family moments.
During the 'You don't lie to me. Ever,' arc I was firmly Team House. If there was anything to object to in House's behaviour I didn't notice it. I know there are people who are going to say, 'She knew what she was getting into and she said she doesn't want to change him, so she has no right to be upset if House is an absolute bastard about Rachel.' Quite. Only, Cuddy doesn't seem to be cherishing any sort of expectation at all, nor is she trying to change House. Her astonishment at his grudging admission that Rachel was a 'bright kid' (which one can say of almost any kid - it's not the mark of a genius) showed that she wasn't expecting anything of the sort from him and that she genuinely cherished the moment. That is SAD. The fact that Cuddy is fine with the situation does not excuse House. Cuddy shouldn't be fine with the situation, if only for Rachel's sake
I know that I'm seeing this from the wrong perspective. We're supposed to see House contented because he's getting the domesticity he's always craved while Cuddy has finally settled down after initially taking out her insecurities on House. In short, everyone's happy, House so much so that he he's helpful and supportive over and above his normal capacities. House's previous behaviour (and Cuddy's too) isn't meant as a slur on his character; it's meant to highlight this short period of bliss that is probably due to end next episode. But if this were real life I'd say, Woman, go back to Lucas.
Also imagine, if you please, that Huddy never happened. Imagine that House hitches up with some other person. I like to use Nora, Wilson's neighbour at the loft conversion, for this purpose because she excites neither sympathy nor aversion in me. She's good-looking, reasonably smart and no doormat. If you tend towards slash then choose someone of the male gender, but don't take anyone you like or dislike particularly. For the sake of simplicity I will from now on refer to House's partner as 'Nora'. Substitute 'Norbert' if you so wish (and if it doesn't remind you too much of Hagrid's Norwegian Ridgeback).
Suppose House and Nora have been dating for a longer period of time, say six months. During that time Nora has hardly acknowledged Steve's presence. She's babysat him a few times, but always with a show of reluctance. When she pops in at the hospital for an impromptu lunch date and meets Stevie there with House she pulls a face. She doesn't mind hinting that from her point of view boarding school would be a viable alternative to his presence - House isn't quite sure whether she's joking or not. In the six months that she's dated House she's never volunteered to keep the kid busy; when she suddenly and inexplicably offers to do so House is practically bowled over. Behind House's back she insults the child, calling him a moron, a lump of clay and thick as a whatever sandwich when talking about him to her friends. House, although unaware of the insults, is aware enough of Nora's low opinion of his child to be genuinely surprised and flattered when she calls Stevie a 'bright kid'.
I think if House were in a relationship like that, with a partner who was disrespectful of someone he considered his personal responsibility, we'd all be yelling, 'Dump her/him already, will you!' Instead, everyone in the forums, even in the Hilson ones, is talking about cosy family moments.
During the 'You don't lie to me. Ever,' arc I was firmly Team House. If there was anything to object to in House's behaviour I didn't notice it. I know there are people who are going to say, 'She knew what she was getting into and she said she doesn't want to change him, so she has no right to be upset if House is an absolute bastard about Rachel.' Quite. Only, Cuddy doesn't seem to be cherishing any sort of expectation at all, nor is she trying to change House. Her astonishment at his grudging admission that Rachel was a 'bright kid' (which one can say of almost any kid - it's not the mark of a genius) showed that she wasn't expecting anything of the sort from him and that she genuinely cherished the moment. That is SAD. The fact that Cuddy is fine with the situation does not excuse House. Cuddy shouldn't be fine with the situation, if only for Rachel's sake
I know that I'm seeing this from the wrong perspective. We're supposed to see House contented because he's getting the domesticity he's always craved while Cuddy has finally settled down after initially taking out her insecurities on House. In short, everyone's happy, House so much so that he he's helpful and supportive over and above his normal capacities. House's previous behaviour (and Cuddy's too) isn't meant as a slur on his character; it's meant to highlight this short period of bliss that is probably due to end next episode. But if this were real life I'd say, Woman, go back to Lucas.
no subject
Date: 2011-01-30 03:29 am (UTC)I think I can see where the storyline is headed; this is House trying on domesticity in the official name of getting regular sex, but more out of curiosity--to see if the role will fit. Now he's a little scared to find he has the capability to take on being a parent and a lover. I honestly don't think he will deliberately sabotage his relationship with Cuddy, I think it's inevitable because House can't be anything other than House, and being himself is too much for most people to handle. IMO Stacy was essentially correct: in a relationship with House, there's only room for one. That might not be absolutely 100% true now, but it's still true enough to cause ructions.
His behavior with Rachel doesn't surprise me. It makes sense to me that he'd use clicker training and a quantitative method to train her: rational and results-producing. That she grew closer to him was obviously a big surprise for House.