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[personal profile] namaste
Title: Down The Badger Hole
Author: Namaste
Summary: The football bet gets more complicated once Cuddy hears about it. Spoilers for “Whatever It Takes.”
Part of the occasional fic series built around the prospect of House and Wilson betting on the football team at House’s alma mater, which began with Go Blue and continued in Hail To the Victors?, Tailgating and College Game Day

”Since when do you win if Michigan loses?” Cuddy asked.
Wilson looked at House. House shook his head slightly. “I was speaking metaphorically,” he said.




“I thought we were supposed to be watching a football game. This looks more like a tragedy.” Wilson looked over at House as the Wisconsin player scampered into the end zone.

House didn’t say anything.

“No, wait,” Wilson said, as Wisconsin pulled Michigan’s pass out of the air for an interception. “It’s more of a comedy, isn’t it?”

“More like a farce,” Cuddy said.

“No one asked you,” House said. “No one even invited you.”

“You’re in my office,” Cuddy pointed out.

“Better reception here.” House turned and looked at Cuddy. “And if I’ve got to kill time waiting for test results, it was either going to be here or the chapel, but some idiot wouldn’t let us watch there.”

“That’s because Father Thomas has services every Saturday afternoon.”

“Exactly. It’s a Saturday afternoon. Shouldn’t you be somewhere else? I hear there’s a one-day sale at Boudoir ‘n’ Bath.”

“I’d love to be anywhere else, but for some reason there’s a lot of paperwork involved whenever one of your employees poisons a patient.”

“One of your employees, you mean,” House said. “You were the one who insisted I hire a new team.”

“I wanted you to hire doctors. Not psychopaths.”

“Besides,” House pointed out, “you’re not even doing paperwork.”

Cuddy looked up from the TV screen and shook her head as Wisconsin made a field goal, extending its lead by another point to 37-21. “I’m taking a break,” she said, “and what’s wrong with using the doctor’s lounge? I seem to recall something about a plasma screen there.”

“Wilson hired an idiot,” House said.

“Jacobsen had it staked out for the Nebraska game,” Wilson said.

“And if Wilson had just fired him, like I told him to, we wouldn’t be having this discussion.”

“I’m not firing a guy for watching the wrong football game.”

“Why not? I have.”

Cuddy and Wilson stared at him. “And when the paperwork alleging illegal dismissal comes across my desk, I’m going to pretend I never heard that,” Cuddy said.

“Cut two hours off my clinic duty, and I’m going to pretend I never said it.”

“One hour.”

“Done.”

Wilson watched the screen as the final seconds ticked down and the Wisconsin players stormed the field in celebration. “Damn,” he said. “But Michigan will still go to a bowl game, right?”

House nodded. “Probably, but will play a crappier team, so I win again.”

“But if Ohio State loses to Illinois ...”

“Wait,” Cuddy said, “since when do you want to see Michigan in a bowl game?” She turned to House. “And since when do you win if Michigan loses?”

Wilson looked at House. House shook his head slightly. “I was speaking metaphorically,” he said.

“No, you weren’t.” Cuddy looked at House, then at Wilson. Wilson looked away, got up and walked over to turn off the TV. “What’s the new bet?”

“Why would you assume there’s a bet?” House asked.

Cuddy just stared at him.

“OK,” he said, “so there’s a bet.”

“And?”

“Two hundred bucks, when Michigan loses their bowl game,” Wilson said.

“Wilson cooks, when Michigan wins their bowl game,” House said.

“You bet on Michigan winning a bowl game?” Cuddy asked. “I was right the first time. You’re an idiot.”

“Three meals a week, for more than three months,” House said. “He’ll spend a lot more on food than two hundred dollars.”

“OK,” Cuddy said, “maybe you’re not an idiot.”

“But the odds are in my favor,” Wilson pointed out.

“Yes, but, three meals...” Cuddy paused, then studied Wilson. “How can I get a piece of the action?”

“You can’t,” House said.

Cuddy ignored him, looked at Wilson. “A hundred bucks if they lose,” she said, “and all you’ll have to do is make it lunch for two once a week.”

“I don’t even like you,” House said. “Why would I want to eat with you?”

“I don’t want to eat with you either. Eat wherever you want. I’m just in it for the food.” Cuddy glanced at House for just a moment, then turned back to Wilson. “Come on. It won’t be that hard to make an extra serving.”

House pointed his cane at Wilson. “Yes it will,” he said. “Take her bet, and our bet is off.”

Wilson crossed his arms over his chest, looked from House to Cuddy and back again.

Cuddy leaned forward and turned toward House. “Tell him to go along with it and I’ll cut your extra clinic hours for lying to me in half.”

“Wait, don’t I have a say in this?” Wilson asked.

“No,” House said. He studied Cuddy, then turned to Wilson and lowered his cane. “The more the merrier, I always say.”

“So?” Cuddy asked.

Wilson took a deep breath, held it for a moment, then let it out. “A hundred bucks?”

Cuddy nodded.

Wilson smiled, and held out a hand toward Cuddy. She shook it. “You’re in.”

(no subject)

Date: 2007-11-11 07:48 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] house-wilson75.livejournal.com
It was a good game, especially when i was there and watched Michigan lose...And Ohio State DID lose to Illinois *yay!*, anyways this was really cute ^_^

:P

(no subject)

Date: 2007-11-11 07:57 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] namasteyoga.livejournal.com
Thanks. I was at an event last night and an Ohio State fan was there, watching the end of the game trying to convince a bunch of people in Ann Arbor that we should actually feel sorry for Ohio State losing. Not likely, bud.

(no subject)

Date: 2007-11-11 08:01 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] house-wilson75.livejournal.com
Oh he is not going to get ANY sympathy AT ALL

(no subject)

Date: 2007-11-11 09:23 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] phineas-gatsby.livejournal.com
correct me if i'm wrong, but don't michigan and ohio state hate each other?

i mean, come on. that's silly! but this is funny funny funny! i can't wait to see how everything plays out...

(oh, and we're hosting michigan at the verizon center on thursday. hint. :)

(no subject)

Date: 2007-11-11 09:56 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] namasteyoga.livejournal.com
As they say around Michigan ... their favorite team is Michigan. Their second favorite team is whoever's playing Ohio State. (I'm sure the opposite is said at Ohio State.)

So what's going on at the Verizon Center, a basketball game?

(no subject)

Date: 2007-11-11 11:27 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] phineas-gatsby.livejournal.com
yup, hoyas v. wolverines. (at georgetown we try to pretend that football doesn't exist.) mostly it's me trying to prolong the laughs past the end of fb season...you are very funny!

(no subject)

Date: 2007-11-11 07:51 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mystcphoenxcafe.livejournal.com
Greetings!

*hehehehehehehe* Goodness, you're fast! I'd just checked earlier when I sat down to read the last section and there was no new fic.

Oh, the fun and games go on! *bounce, bounce, bounce* Love how Cuddy and House don't give Wilson a chance to have input into his own future. :lol

“More like a farce,” Cuddy said.
“No one asked you,” House said. “No one even invited you.”
“You’re in my office,” Cuddy pointed out.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

“Exactly. It’s a Saturday afternoon. Shouldn’t you be somewhere else? I hear there’s a one-day sale at Boudoir ‘n’ Bath.”
“I’d love to be anywhere else, but for some reason there’s a lot of paperwork involved whenever one of your employees poisons a patient.”

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
There is always that.... :-D

“I’m not firing a guy for watching the wrong football game.”
“Why not? I have.”
Cuddy and Wilson stared at him. “And when the paperwork alleging illegal dismissal comes across my desk, I’m going to pretend I never heard that,” Cuddy said.
“Cut two hours off my clinic duty, and I’m going to pretend I never said it.”
“One hour.”
“Done.”

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
Oh, the lessons in diplomatic maneuvering that one learns in dealing w/House! :-D

Cuddy leaned forward and turned toward House. “Tell him to go along with it and I’ll cut your extra clinic hours for lying to me in half.”
“Wait, don’t I have a say in this?” Wilson asked.
“No,” House said. He studied Cuddy, then turned to Wilson and lowered his cane. “The more the merrier, I always say.”

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
As I said, it is most amusing to watch them not give Wilson a say in his own future. And that he allows it. :-D (A secret desire to cook for a herd once more?)

So kyool! Two fics in this series in one day! (At least for me. The advantages in having one's life temporarily melt. :-P) *continues to bounce happily*

One tiny piece of typographical concrit - "House turned at looked at Cuddy." The first 'at' should be 'and'.

Thank'ee's for letting me know of this! :-) And for writing it too, for that matter. :-D
-Katrina

(no subject)

Date: 2007-11-11 07:58 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] namasteyoga.livejournal.com
Thanks. I fixed the typo.
I wasn't going to write one, but I could just hear Cuddy calling the game a farce, and had to go with it.

(no subject)

Date: 2007-11-11 08:06 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] npkedit.livejournal.com
Perhaps the best compliment I can give you (considering that I'm not really a fan of college football) is this: I'm going to be sorry when the season ends because we won't be getting new stories...unless you switch to basketball :-)

(no subject)

Date: 2007-11-11 08:58 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] namasteyoga.livejournal.com
Heh. Maybe I'll have to consider something for March Madness ... once the Big Bang work is done.

(no subject)

Date: 2007-11-11 08:33 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] phinnia.livejournal.com
Oh, marvelous. :-D

(no subject)

Date: 2007-11-11 08:59 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] namasteyoga.livejournal.com
Thanks. Considering I don't care that much about whether Michigan wins, this fic series gives me something to have fun with.

(no subject)

Date: 2007-11-11 08:47 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mer-duff.livejournal.com
It's been four years since Michigan won a bowl game. They're totally due. Says the moron who fully intends to bet on Michigan yet again this year.

Of course Cuddy would want in on the action! Who wouldn't wager on the chance for Wilson cooking?

(no subject)

Date: 2007-11-11 09:01 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] namasteyoga.livejournal.com
Well you're the one who gave Cuddy a sample of Wilson's cooking in the fic world, right? But *sigh* I'm afraid Wilson will just end up winning cash. Last year I hosted the most morose football watching party for Michigan, and two years ago it we watched the game in a sports bar filled with very, very depressed people .... and the tequila didn't really help.

(no subject)

Date: 2007-11-11 08:53 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] avidreadergirl.livejournal.com
Wonderful again! you rock! And I love that Cuddy is getting in on the action.

(no subject)

Date: 2007-11-11 09:01 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] namasteyoga.livejournal.com
I like to think that Cuddy's no fool. (Besides I want to use her in the bowl game fic, whenever that takes place.)

(no subject)

Date: 2007-11-11 08:53 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] silja-b.livejournal.com
Heh. I still have no idea what's going on with the bet but I'm laughing like a loon nonetheless.

(no subject)

Date: 2007-11-11 09:06 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] namasteyoga.livejournal.com
OK. Quick backgrounder. First off, the title? The University of Wisconsin's nickname is The Badgers. (Michigan is the Wolverines.) College teams are selected for their post-season games as part of the Bowl Championship Series. The higher they're ranked, the higher profile the bowl game, and typically the tougher the opponent. So the first key is to do well enough in the regular season to actually get an invite to a bowl game, then you wait to see which bowl you get and who your opponent will be.

And historically? Michigan completely sucks at bowl games, so Wilson's actually got a good bet here.

(no subject)

Date: 2007-11-11 09:13 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] namasteyoga.livejournal.com
And thinking it over .... I'm not all that convinced that House and Wilson fully understand the bet anymore. It is getting a little byzantine. Maybe I'll have to include a scene of them whiteboarding the ins and outs of it.

(no subject)

Date: 2007-11-11 09:43 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] silja-b.livejournal.com
Thank for the explanation – I think I get it now (and Giants just forced an incomplete against Dallas - see, I am expanding my horizons ;)

A whiteboard scene could be hilarious.

(no subject)

Date: 2007-11-11 10:19 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] chase-austenfan.livejournal.com
This was great. I loved Cuddy getting in on the action and I definately think that a whiteboard scene could be a riot.

It took me a minute with House being happy that MI lost,but the explaination definately made sense. At least that would be a good thing to them losing.

(no subject)

Date: 2007-11-11 11:19 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] namasteyoga.livejournal.com
Thanks. It is a rather complicated scheme right now, isn't it? As long as all the characters are enjoying it, why not? (And I don't believe House for one minute when he says he doesn't like Cuddy and wouldn't want to eat lunch with her.)

(no subject)

Date: 2007-11-11 10:31 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] pwcorgigirl.livejournal.com
This makes me wish I knew more about college football. (My college didn't have a team, though we were a soccer powerhouse.) The banter is just terrific, and you write such an awesome Cuddy: “I wanted you to hire doctors. Not psychopaths.”

(no subject)

Date: 2007-11-11 11:20 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] namasteyoga.livejournal.com
I wonder what she would say if she knew how close House came to hiring a not!doctor? But I can't help it. Cuddy just has to be a part of the football betting action. It wouldn't be the same without her.

(no subject)

Date: 2007-11-12 03:04 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] deelaundry.livejournal.com
You make me happy to read gen.

(no subject)

Date: 2007-11-12 11:46 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] namasteyoga.livejournal.com
Happy to read gen? Is this a pre-Christmas miracle? (Hee. I kid, I kid.)

(no subject)

Date: 2007-11-12 12:17 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] deelaundry.livejournal.com
I like to give compliments where they're due!

(no subject)

Date: 2007-11-12 07:50 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] wanderlonely.livejournal.com
Go Cuddy! Nice chapter! :D

(no subject)

Date: 2007-11-12 11:47 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] namasteyoga.livejournal.com
Thanks. I kind of like it when Cuddy gets her way.

(no subject)

Date: 2007-11-12 07:57 am (UTC)
ext_25649: House sucking a lollipop while staring at Wilson (Default)
From: [identity profile] daisylily.livejournal.com
Still very much enjoying this - especially the Cuddy joining in part. I know absolutely zero about US football teams, so I don't know who is likely to win or lose, but I can't wait to find out!

(no subject)

Date: 2007-11-12 11:48 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] namasteyoga.livejournal.com
Thanks. I never would have started this if Michigan hadn't had such a lousy start to the season. Maybe that's one of those lemonades from lemons parables.

(no subject)

Date: 2007-11-13 02:32 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] kidsnurse.livejournal.com
okay, so i'm still basking in the afterglow of florida's definitive win over south carolina [take that, steve spurrier], and i see this story on my friends page--and my resolve to read no fic for at least a week goes down the tubes.

and it's all your fault. what's worse is, i am absolutely following The Bet, and i enjoyed every word. judging from the other comments, i know far too much about football--but the upside to that is, it makes this series just that much more amusing and enjoyable. makes me wish, also that florida would play michigan--i'd love to read about that match-up as seen through the eyes of house and wilson!! ;-)

(no subject)

Date: 2007-11-13 04:39 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] namasteyoga.livejournal.com
That's all I wanted, to lure unsuspecting readers away from their best intentions. Heh. I hang out with people who know far more about football than I do. (I'm actually planning to hit one of them up for trivia to throw into future fics. His job, believe it or not, is that he's the archivist for UM athletics. He knows -- or has access -- to everything.

(no subject)

Date: 2007-11-13 04:56 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] kidsnurse.livejournal.com
...trivia to throw into future fics... He knows -- or has access -- to everything.

ahhh... a cunning plan, nefarious in nature, designed to subliminally teach football to the unsuspecting masses... and to insure that my abode [almost said 'house', but then that gets all sorts of confusing...] stays dirty, and that i stay glued to the laptop, and actually start caring about another team, which is as torturous as thinking about adding another fandom to my obsession with interest in house!

well--not only was that a helluva run-on sentence, it was amazingly effective practice in using html tags--if not capital letters!! ;-)

(no subject)

Date: 2007-11-15 04:16 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] merlynnod.livejournal.com
I hate football. I live in a college town, attend the University of Tennessee, half my family are professors at said university, I am forced every weekend to listen to football on the radio at work...The only thing I like about football is that when UT is playing, Kingston Pike is clear of the idiots who insist upon driving at 40 miles an hour. 60 is totally doable...but I digress. ;)

Despite my hatred of organized sports, I love this series. ;) Your writing of House, Cuddy, and Wilson is always perfectly in-character, and the convoluted snark between them all is always fantastic. ;) Looking forward to more! :)

(no subject)

Date: 2007-11-15 03:35 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] namasteyoga.livejournal.com
Thanks. In Ann Arbor, everything shuts down on football Saturdays. Saturday, we've got the Ohio State game in town, starting at noon. I'll start avoiding certain areas beginning Friday afternoon because the tailgate parties will begin nearly 24 hours in advance.

(no subject)

Date: 2007-11-16 05:10 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] angelfirenze.livejournal.com
Since I missed the scores for the game in question and want to know what happens when you write the conclusion of the bet, I'll just say that you've actually managed to get me interested in football. A miracle, I say. Then again, when you cross it with my favorite show and the school I've wanted to attend since sixth grade...

(no subject)

Date: 2007-11-18 01:55 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] crackt3h2nd.livejournal.com
*snerk* That was...cool. I wonder who won?

(If Wilson lost...well...good luck to ya.)