★ ⋆Pocket-Sized⋆ ★
Robert Chase x Fem!Reader
word count: 1.4k summary: You encounter a kangaroo plushie while on your strolls and inevitably think about Chase. a/n: First fanfic in the fandom! Had this idea for a while tbh. warnings: fluff
The first time you saw it was during your usual evening walk around the neighborhood.
It was a cold winter afternoon. Your oversized Bernese Teo pulled on his leash as he ushered you towards your building, excited to reach the comfort of your warm living room when you walked past it. There, in the middle of a children's store display, was a cute small kangaroo plushie with round eyes and a stupidly chubby belly.
You stared at it for a moment, smiling slightly at the cute plushie before walking by and back home.
The second time you saw it was after your shift at Princeton-Plainsboro.
You decided to take another route back home, exhausted and wanting to get there early. It had been a particularly rough evening, since the patient’s condition had worsened drastically without logical reasoning and the whole team was now going nuts trying to stabilize their condition.
It wouldn't be a lie to say you were used to things not going your way, and you knew that if the patient had to die, you couldn't do anything to stop it, but it still felt like a knife to your heart when the patient's condition took a turn to worse and everything you did was useless.
This time, when you walked past the toy store you paused. The small kangaroo was still there, staring back at you with its stupid beaded eyes. You walked towards it and smiled, seeing how one eye was slightly higher than the other, and how the fur seemed soft.
You couldn't help being reminded of your teammate Chase, the charming, witty and stupidly handsome Aussie who had captured your heart as soon as you stepped into the glass office that House’s diagnostics department was.
It was stupid, you knew, but a part of you kinda wanted to buy it and subtly gift it to him, or just drop it off anonymously on his desk one morning just to see his reaction. Would he smile? Or even laugh? Gosh you couldn't help but imagine his stupidly handsome face as he laughed-
A loud thud brought you back to your senses as the owner of the store closed the iron gate that protected the front door and loudly closed the lock, walking away without a word. You shot one last glance at the silly kangaroo before reluctantly walking home.
The third time you saw it you were chatting with Cameron.
You two had bonded quite a bit, being the only two girls of a team of pompous men. It was early afternoon, and the two of you were heading to your place after having lunch at the new lovely salad place Cameron had suggested.
This time, it was actually her who spotted it.
“Hey, have you seen that kangaroo plushie?” she comments, ignoring your rambling about your dog. You stop and look at it again, pretty much having memorized its appearance by now.
“Yeah I have, a few times actually. I walk by here often,” you reply, humming as a mother walks into the store with their hyperactive child. “Why? You want it?”
“I just thought its cute.” She shrugs with a pause. “You know what would be funny? Giving it to Chase.”
You stop walking, looking at her with wide eyes. Has she read your mind? Or was it just just something anyone would do? You choose to hide your shock slightly, but your cheeks still turn rosy.
“That's dumb.” You lie unconvincingly, turning your head away so that she doesn't see the blush, but it was too late, the smug smile was now plastered on her face.
“Uh huh. Right. Whatever you say, Miss crush”
“I do not have a crush!” You spit back, glancing at the plush before chasing after her as she practically jogged away chuckling.
The fourth time you saw it you actually decided to buy it.
House was sick that day (surprising, I know), so you were able to slip away and clock out early. Determined and high on insomnia, you marched towards the store and walked in, but your biggest fears came true when you didn't see the plush.
You frantically searched around the toy store, thinking that some little kid had taken away your only chance to make yourself stand out to Chase, when you finally saw it. There, next to the register with a sign that said ‘Last Unit! 50% Discount!’, stood the wonky and lame plush kangaroo. You practically sprinted towards it, grabbing it with the same delicacy you'd grab a baby with, and slammed it in front of the old lady behind the register.
“Just this-” you pant, pulling out your wallet with haste. The lady just smiled and wrapped it carefully in gift paper and stuck an obnoxious golden bow on top, putting it inside the bag. After paying, you grabbed the bag as if it were the cure to cancer and practically rushed back home.
You spent the rest of the afternoon thinking how you would approach him. Would you say hi and just give it? Maybe you could subtly drop it off at his desk? Whatever, tomorrow you'll see.
The next day, you woke up extra early. You got dressed nicely, your stomach in knots of anxiety and excitement, and you went to your kitchen to have breakfast, practically skipping of joy. It was rather ridiculous, to be feeling so giddy about something so dumb, but you couldn’t help it. You had planned to arrive extra early that day, so that you could casually drop it in his desk and act surprised if he asked if you knew who it was, but destiny had other plans.
Despite arriving over half an hour early to the office, Chase was already there, sat on his chair with a pencil in his mouth, a sudoku in one hand and the other hand in his hair. You froze at the door, not expecting to see him yet, and even less with the gift bag in hand. Sensing your presence, he looked up and spotted you in the door
”Morning,” he smiled, raising his brow in curiosity. “What's that?” He sets down the sudoku and puts the pencil beside it. You blink twice, internally debating whether to flee or actually give it to him. Remembering the hassle it was to obtain, you decided the latter.
”It’s for you.” You smile back sweetly, trying to hide how you’re absolutely petrified.
”Okay..?” He stands hesitantly, walking over and taking the bag. He takes out the wrapped object and unwrapped it, revealing the very stupid looking small kangaroo.He does that soft blink he always does when he’s caught off-guard, like his brain just short circuited for a second. Then he smiles—that tiny, shy, slightly tilted Chase smile that looks like it escaped by accident.
”You got me a joey?” He looks up at you, looking more amused than unimpressed. “It’s because I’m Australian, right? Very original.”
”I saw it on my way home, and thought it looked like you.” You look at him with fake confidence, trying to hide how mortified you felt, but the rosy tint of your cheeks gave you away.
”It’s deformed.” He matter-of-factly says
”It gives it charm.” You spit back
”It’s tiny.” He snorts
”It’s a baby!” You scoff, offended. “You know what? Give it back, you don’t deserve it anymore.” You reach out to grab it, but he stops you.
”Nu-uh! Mine.” He smiles nonchalantly, but his cheeks were also rosy.
Your eyes narrow. “You said it was tiny and deformed.”
”I didn't say it was a bad thing!” He lifts it up to his face, looking at it up close and pinching its cheeks. He laughed at how one was rounder than the other. “It’s… pocket-sized, like you.”
You gasp, offended. “Oh that’s it, I’m taking it back-“ you lean over to grab it, your face accidentally getting a little too close to Chase’s. He takes the opportunity to press a kiss to your cheek before walking back to his chair and plopping down.
”Too bad, should’ve thought twice before giving it to me.” He grins smugly, as if he wasn’t blushing intensely now and as if he didn't know his kiss had made your brain short circuit. You opened your mouth to say something, but the rest walked in and both of you had to act like nothing had changed.
When in fact, everything had changed.
