House MD Oneshots + Imagines

Burnt Out (James Wilson x Reader)

Working at Princeton-Plainsboro Hospital is brutal, to say the least. As the head of the cardiology department and a member of Gregory House's diagnostic team, your job is not only hectic but also underappreciated. You spend most of your days cycling between helping your patients, helping your coworker's patients, pouring over paperwork, being scolded by Cuddy, and being shat on by House, who insists that you stay on his team while constantly dismissing your ideas and implying that you're an idiot like he does with damn-near everyone else he works with.

So, yeah. Life is great.

Currently, you're sitting in the diagnostics conference room at the corner of the table. Chase, Cameron, Foreman, and Wilson are also sitting with you. Meanwhile, House is standing at the whiteboard, bouncing his tennis ball with one hand and using the other to write down your most recent patient's symptoms.

"Eleven year old caucasian female, admitted two days ago after falling unconscious during her first ever track meet. Her family's medical history is totally clean from what we can tell and she's had no problems prior to this, though they seem to be way behind on taking her and themselves to the doctor for regular visits. However, since being admitted, she's only displayed more symptoms and seems to be getting worse," House explains, seemingly unenthused. You wouldn't be surprised if he'd already figured it out. He likes to do that- to pretend that he has no idea what the patient's affliction is and then rag on everyone else for not being able to figure it out. "So far, we're dealing with high blood pressure, a one hundred one degree fever that refuses to break, hives, bloodshot eyes, and swelling across her entire body."

"Rheumatoid arthritis?" Cameron suggests, eager to be the first one to get at the new case. "I know she's young, but she could've developed it early and had it go undiagnosed."

"Before we start discussing the possibility of chronic diseases, shouldn't we test for strep and scarlet fever?" Chase questions. "If her parents are so bad about getting her medical care, it could have just been a minor illness that's developed into this."

"What about you two? (y/n), Foreman?" House pipes up, calling the two of you out since you've been totally silent since he started. You can't help but notice that he doesn't do the same to Wilson, who hasn't said anything either. "Nothing to say?"

Foreman shrugs.

"This isn't my ballpark. I'll let you figure it out, House. I'm sure you're just playing with us anyway. Compared to the last few cases, this seems like child's play."

Seemingly satisfied with that answer, House turns to you.

"And you?"

"Kawasaki disease? She has some of the symptoms," You half-heartedly answer.

"Just because you're a cardiologist doesn't mean that every patient that comes through these doors has a heart disease, you know," House scoffs with a roll of his icy blue eyes. "And she only has some of the symptoms for that. She doesn't fit into the main demographic for it either. That's the worst answer I've gotten out of you for a case all month. Are you even trying anymore?"

When House first hired you, you were excited- always trying your best and working after your already long hours to solve cases. As the years have gone by, though, you've lost your enthusiasm and frequently find yourself dreading the mornings where you and House's paths have to collide. You know he's only so cruel because he has problems of his own and because he has a motive (just like he has a motive for every other crazy thing he likes to do), but the fact that he picks on you so often when all you're doing is trying your best gets under your skin.

A couple years ago, you might've tried to argue back with him. Now, all you can do is avert your eyes and stare at the table as if it's the most interesting thing in the world. You're praying for a hole to just appear underneath you and suck you into the vacuum of space- or at least for everyone to continue chatting until the embarrassing situation is long forgotten- but instead, Cameron pipes up to defend you.