Chapter Text
Doctor House was walking around the hospital as usual. He spots Chase by the corner of his eye and first ignores him but then eyes back.
“Hmm?” says House to himself.
Wilson taps House on the shoulder and asks “What are you doing snooping around here?”
House looks at Wilson and replies “Well hello to you too. Im not quite sure.”
Wilson just shrugs and walks past. House clearly has something on his mind,but what thinks Wilson to himself.
The team gathers at the usual meeting spot,House opens the door, everyone had been waiting for him there.
Chase stands,Foreman sits down and Cameron leans against the wall.
House gathers his papers and says
”Cuddy gave me an interesting case. It appears we have a patient today who is suffering from anorexia…Well the opposite of it actually.” he pauses
“Male,35, 456 lbs is experiencing an altered image of himself, man seems to think he is an fitness model”
Cameron immediately asks “Any sign of brain damage or history with memory loss?”
House replies “The patient has no head trauma and no history of memory loss or delusions in his past.”
Foreman asks “Does anyone in his family experience mental disorders? ”
House replies and throws his papers to the table softly “Nooouu… Any other ideas?”
Everyone is silent,Chase doesn´t offer any feedback to House.
House asks ”And little Aussie ?Any bright ideas?”
Chase snaps “Why would we care about a crazy slob like that! Nothing special about this case,the patient is just fat and stupid.” says Chase angrily.
House raises his eyebrow and eyes Chase up and down “Looks like you and him have something in common then.”
Chase looks offended and puzzled “What's that supposed to mean?”
House comments snappily “You are walking around thinking you are 2 sizes smaller just like him.”
Everyone in the room looks confused and Foreman laughs. Chase just seems irritated like a little girl. He steps close to House.
“Okay what the hell is up your ass today?” he says through his teeth.
“Up yours!” he remarks playfully
Chase shakes his head and turns around storming out of the room “Whatever, I don't have time for a useless case like this!”
House stares at him as he goes and yells "Don't forget your ass here on the way out!”
Foreman and Cameron just rolled their eyes,and figured House wasn't happy about Chase refusing his case. Something about House´s comments seemed different though. After Foreman left Cameron stepped closer to House and asked.
“What was all that about? Some kind of new psychological terror to practice on Chase?” she asks curiously.
House makes a pretend surprised face as he shuffles his papers “Not really. I'm just surprised Chase would walk around like that.”
“Like what?” asks Cameron, even more confused.
“Like that. All caked up” he mocks and smirks smacking his lips.
Cameron rolls her eyes and makes a snarky comment “So what,you are into Chase now?”
House mocks “Not anymore than you are.”
“What are you trying to say?” asks Cameron even more confused,she is aware House knows about her and Chase's drunken night.
“Okayhhh” he smacks his lips,grabs his marker and scribbles something on the white board.
He continues “…I guess you haven't been keeping a keen eye on him lately” says House he sounds slightly disappointed and puts his marker down.
Cameron is as puzzled as ever. House passes by, taps Cameron on the shoulder and says in a mocking Australian accent “Cheer up mate” and leaves the room.
Cameron feels frustrated as her feelings towards House are still strong. She walks past the board and notices House's scribbles. Its extremely poorly drawn stick figure with a seemingly massive butt, with an arrow a text points “Chase”, meaning this mockery image is supposed to be Chase. Cameron just scoffs in amusement and wipes the drawing away, but deep down she is just thinking. Doctor House doesn't do things randomly,this must mean something,but what it means ,that Cameron is not so sure off.
Next day Cameron passes Chase down the hall, as he passes by she looks back at Chase,more specifically at his ass. Chase turns his head and smiles innocently and waves. Cameron storms off and nods,face flushed averting her eyes. She does not want Chase to catch her facial expression,it would be far too embarrassing.
This whole day Chase has been getting weird looks from Cameron, Chase wonders if he had done something to piss her off. So later he stops her and steps closer.
“Any reason you've been glaring at me this whole day?” he asks
Cameron denies “I haven't …” knowing damn well that's a lie and Chase knows it.
“Come on now, don´t be like that. You've been avoiding me the whole day.“ he says with his charming accent and hopeful smile.
Cameron blushes lightly and stares at Chase´s shirt and quickly turns away.
She mutters “Isn´t that shirt a bit tight?”
Chase raises his eyebrow as he leans on the table a bit and crosses his arms
“Huh? Whatcha mean?”
Cameron focuses now her eyes directly at his stomach that's neatly tucked in a blue dress shirt inside his khaki pants framed by a buckle belt. His stomach was sticking a bit over the belt,ever so slightly. Cameron had finally understood what House meant by his words yesterday. Chase had seemed to develop a bit of a pudge. Cameron didn´t really mind, but it somehow felt embarrassing to tell Chase,since he seemed completely oblivious to it. She didn´t want Chase to think that she had been eyeing him for no apparent reasons so she gathered her courage.
Cameron coughs and avoids eye contact “You heard what I said. Have you been skipping gym?” she remarks.
“Are you trying to say I'm fat?” he asks almost sarcastically,he is trying to catch her eye contact by stepping closer.
Cameron scoffs and feels frustrated,trying to avoid his eye contact “Not exactly but it seems like you've put on a few pounds.”
Chase places hands on his hips and scoffs “Yea right. Nice try. I'm not falling for one of those House mind games.” he says annoyed.
“Great then!” says Cameron as she storms out.
Week passes,and the team is working on new cases along with their “reverse anorexic” patient. Chase is also working on this case,he is not happy about it but it seems like House enjoys torturing him. Chase is snappy like a little girl as it is his turn to check the patient´s vitals. He is not up for a chat,especially with a fat delusional slob.
The patient with a thick Boston accent chats him up “So what's with the sour face, handsome?”
“Phh..” Chase rolls his eyes drawing the patient's blood without saying a thing.
He is already pissed off at House's weird remarks he had been getting for the past week and now dealing with this patient he would rather not help.
The patient chuggles “What? You too good to chat with me?”
Chase mutters trying to find the patient's veins, extremely annoyed “Maybe I am. Stop squirming.”
The patient raises his voice immediately “Who do you think you are? No need to be jealous of me.”
Chase slaps an empty blood bag to the ground angrily “Jealous of what?Your clogged up fatty veins?!I'm trying to draw your god damn blood,if there even is anything else here except fat.”
Patient gasps,Cameron and House had heard his last sentence,as they were about to check on Chase.
Chase had dropped his blood bag so he angrily reached out for it, suddenly a loud tearing noise can be heard as he bent over. Face full of shock and his bottom faced to his companions direction an unflattering sight meets their eyes. Chase had ripped his pants revealing his white underwear. His face dropped as he held his mouth in oval shape slowly realising what had just happened.
“What the fuck” he mutters trying to progress what had just happened.
The patient starts laughing loudly in his bed so the whole bed shakes under his weight.
House steps in and says in high sing tone “Akwaaaaaaard”
Chase´s face is red as he now sees both House and Cameron,he turns around quickly ,round-eyed and helpless.
The patient mocks him “Looks like you ain't as fly as you think,tubby.”
Chase runs out of the room,covering his ripped pants and yelling “Shut up!” at the patient as he storms out in a crab walk.
House and Cameron look at each other shocked and awkwardly.
House comments as he swings his cane and picks up the blood bag “Told ya. Chase…or should I say Ch-ass-e is twinning with our lovely patient.”
Patient laughs “Yea rite, only thing me and that tubby got in common is that we are both handsome.”
“Intresting” says House and continues “So you can spot a fatty but not one in mirror?” He pokes patient with the cane gently.
“Oh please,he ain't that plump ,but he sure has a dim view.” remarks the patient.
“Hmmm” House raises his eyebrows and starts drawing blood from the patient.
Cameron is shocked but then smirks and chuckles Chase's face and reaction was incredibly funny. House also found it amusing and throws a smug look at Cameron as well while he draws blood from the patient, they are all just in silence,speechless.
After the incident Chase doesn't show up at work for a few days,he takes the rest of the week off. Clearly too embarrassed wanting this whole thing to blow over, at least he hopes it does.
Chase walks into the room,everything looks and feels normal. House goes on about this week's case, everyone seems to get into work and no comment is even made about Chase's embarrassing incident,which he finds odd. He was sure House would tease him about it.
He goes to the changing room to change his clothes for the surgery. As he is changing and pulling his work pants up he notices something he hasn't before.
“Fuck? I'm really getting fat.” he mumbles as he softly touches a small chubby stomach he has developed.
But how he thinks to himself? He always eats healthy and hasn´t really eaten differently than he has in the past. He makes sure his eyes aren't deceiving him. Was he always like this? No. He also felt like his clothes felt tighter than usual. Maybe that's why his pants ripped. Chase couldn't afford anything like this to happen again. He would lose the very little respect he already had,especially from House. He panics in his mind but is determined.
“Okay Chase,starting today,strict diet!” he tells himself sighing but optimistically.
Chase takes stairs to the 10th floor,panting as he arrives at the surgery room, everyone already waiting. During breaks Chase is at the hospital's little chill room that has a mini gym,he is running on the running mat.
Cameron walks in and asks “Hey are you not eating lunch with us today?”
Chase is running with determination on the running mat without even looking at Cameron he says “No thanks,I'm good.”
“Alright” says Cameron and walks out.
“Hey.” says Chase suddenly to stop him
She turns around and asks “Yes? You've already changed your mind?”
He stutters“Yes,I mean no…It's just…do I…” he really wanted to ask Cameron about his appearance but didn´t just have the courage as he was remembering how Cameron saw his butt tearing his pants apart last week.
“Just what?” she asks
“Just nothing,I changed my mind. Enjoy your lunch!” He runs on the mat faster.
Cameron nods and walks out “Thanks” she says.
For the next following week Chase is seen carrying around green smoothies, House finds them nauseating. Chase also takes stairs everywhere and longest possible routes and seems to skip lunch spending all his spare time running on the running mat. However this all seems without effort. He has been slowly gaining more weight, so much in fact that completely clueless Foreman even notices.
“Whats with Chase?” he asks from House
“What's with what? His ass?” House comments as he is looking at his papers.
Foreman rolls his eyes “You know exactly what I mean.” he comments
House raises his eyes from the papers and looks at Foreman completely unseriously he answers “MMM I don't know maybe our “little”” he coughs “big,friend cursed him, since Chase seems to really hate fat people.”
Foreman looks at him unamused.
House raises his hands “Wow sorry,I mean “big boned” people.”
Suddenly a drop is heard.
“Oh come on!” says Chase, irritated as his green smoothie splashes on the floor.
House says through his teeth “You better get that nasty rabbit liquid out of my carpet. That garbage smells.”
Chase snaps back "It's not garbage!It's a kale smoothie. Some of us are trying to live healthy! You should try it sometime,maybe you'll live longer.”
House comments “Well I'm content with dying young.” he eyes Chase “Besides,I could hardly call whatever you are doing with yourself healthy.”
Chase's eyes widen, there it is,looks like House was waiting for just the right time to mock him. But he also knew House was right,Chase was not healthy,at least not in his mind. He had been putting on weight no matter what he had done the entire week.
“Oh come on! I've been really trying!” says Chase,like an child he throws the bottle from his hand “but fucking nothing works!”
House snappy as ever sitting there playing with his ball now says "Doesn't seem like it. Maybe you should accept your new life as the fat kid.” he bounces the ball to the wall and catches it as he continues with a mocking voice “But don't worry Chase we won't bully you. We wuv yu just the way yu awe” he makes a baby face.
Chase seems clearly upset and just as he is about to snap back at House but Foreman comes to him and puts his hand on his shoulder.
“Look,gaining weight is easy but losing it is hard. I'm sure you will be in shape in no time.” Foreman tries to cheer Chase.
Chase replies still irritated and bit sad“Thanks,I just don't get how I got here to begin with”
Foreman just shrugs.
House mocks “Too many scooby snacks. Ruh roh raggy”
Everyone leaves back to work,Chase is fed up with House. Cameron didn't say a single word the entire time,he thought Cameron was on his side. Maybe she isn't and agrees with House,Chase thinks to himself. What Cameron saw was very embarrassing either way.Chase and Cameron are behind the MRI control room together again. Cameron seems hyperfocused.
Chase works his courage up and asks “Uhh…Cameron?Do you..”
“Don't sputter. Just tell me. “ she replies coldly.
He turns his chair to Cameron and asks “Okay so look, do you also agree with House?”
Cameron scoffs “Pftt.Have I ever? About what though?”
Chase continues stuttering “ About…my weight.”
The words drop like a bomb to Cameron,she thinks to herself “Fuck,fuck , Has he noticed how I have stared at him.” She feels bad,but she also doesn't want to lie to Chase about her noticing his slight weight gain.
She replies “If you mean that you have put on some, then yes. It's not a big deal. House just likes to pick and tease about everything.” She comforts coldly eyes glued to the MRI brain screen.
Chase mutters “It´s not that just..its I just don't get it like how.”
He suddenly grabs Cameron´s hand and puts it on his stomach.
“I…Is it really that bad?” he asks Cameron sincerely.
Cameron feels his plush stomach,face red she looks at Chase speechless.
“Well…Tell me?Feel it.” he almost demands,with a serious face, blue eyes drilling into hers.
Cameron's eyes are on his stomach,she squeezes her hand lightly and feels his stomach. It feels soft. Even through his dress shirt you could feel how soft he had gotten. Chase really has put on some weight. Cameron has seen him shirtless before...This definitely was not the same stomach with abs she felt last time. However Cameron is not repulsed by this one bit. In fact,she is kind of smitten,so much that she gropes around his stomach for a bit. This moment feels intimate, sure she slept with Chase when she was high but right now she was not on drugs. She felt the same kind of attraction to him as she did that night just completely under different circumstances, the room,the scenario, even Chase's body, everything was different. She realises she has probably spent too much time touching him and lets go.
“Its not very noticeable “ she lies
"Don't lie now “ Chase tells her seriously
Cameron admits,avoiding his eyes “ Oh who cares Chase, you are a healthy guy. I'm sure you have nothing to worry about. This all will be gone in no time.”
Chase snaps “That's what I've been trying to do. Nothing is working! I'm sick!”
Cameron takes her glasses off and looks his way she says seriously “You are not sick,you are just chubby. Get over it, Chase. It can happen to all of us, you are not immune to junk food.”
“I have not been eating any junk food! I would never destroy my body like that. Everyday they bring here some zero self respect person who has just hogged themselves on the verge of death! Do you really think I´d do that?”
This angers Cameron “Great! Then go ahead Chase and cure obesity! Clearly you got it all figured out!” She slams brain scans papers to the table and walks out,leaving Chase there sitting alone.
Cameron just doesn't get it,how can a sensitive and kind guy like this just hate fat people so much. He acts like it is the end of the world that he himself has gotten a bit chubbier. It is not the end of the world. It really isn´t, Chase is just acting like a drama queen,thinks Cameron to herself.