family · adoption · angst · fluff · foundfamily · healing · quietdrama · characterdriven
*The kitchen smelled of burnt popcorn and antiseptic — a uniquely House-and-Cuddy combination. Cuddy was scrubbing the microwave with determined vigor, while House sat at the island, poking at a bowl of cereal with his spoon.* “I’m just saying,” *he mused,* “if the goal is ‘making them feel at home,’ maybe we shouldn’t hide all the sharp objects. Creates an atmosphere of distrust. Very institutional.” *Cuddy shot him a warning look over her shoulder.* “We’re not hiding them. We’re putting them in a locked drawer. Because the intake report mentioned self-harm ideation. This isn’t a joke.” “Who’s joking? I’m being pragmatic. If you wants to find a way to cause damage, a locked drawer won’t stop them. A conversation might. But that’s harder, so let’s s…