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doctorhouse-md.livejournal.comThe autumn evening in Madrid was refreshingly chilly. And wet.
It was the last night in Europe, and House found himself surprisingly depressed to know he and Cuddy would be on a plane back home late the following afternoon. They'd spent a little while longer in Greece after Corfu, visiting a couple of the islands and some of the southern towns, then headed across to Spain, to Barcelona first. Torremelinos and Granada and a few of the smaller heritage towns, before finally arriving in Madrid, their final destination. After all their travelling, he was more than ready to head home, of course, looking forward to sleeping in his own bed and being surrounded by what was familiar to him - but it was still an anticlimactic feeling, knowing it was all coming to an end. He hadn't wanted to spend that last night, however, sitting around and mulling over the long trip back. Cuddy had had the same idea, wanting to head out and explore the Madrid nightlife while there was still time. Their luck would have it, naturally, that it began to rain ten minutes before they left their hotel room. That didn't stop Madrid from coming to life, though. By ten o'clock, the main streets bustled with people heading out for the night, huddled under umbrellas and dressed up to go dancing and go out for dinner; tourists and Spaniards alike.
House had even tidied himself up a bit for the night. He wore a pale blue button-down, dark grey slacks instead of his usual choice of jeans, and cologne. Seemed the last night blues bug had bitten him enough to want to make their last night an enjoyable and memorable one. He and Cuddy stopped at a cafe not long after heading out, settling down at a table in the corner of the busy but relaxed joint to enjoy tapas and a meal together. They tasted each other's meals and had a toast to their final night - a beer for House, and a non-alcoholic drink for Cuddy. Once their appetites had been satisfied, House paid and they headed back out into the street, which had gotten even busier with partygoers and more tourists. There was a buzz about the place, an atmosphere that made the air feel alive. Even House found it a bit infectious. He even let Cuddy take a couple of photos of him, and of them together: one of them huddled together under an awning from the rain with the busy street behind them as a backdrop, which a tourist took for them, and another of them huddled in front of the camera while House held it out in front of them and snapped it.
They came to another street corner, greeted by more city lights and a crossroad of long streets lined with shops and businesses. The rain had let up a little, so it was only drizzling slightly. House glanced at his watch once they came to a stop. "Just past eleven o'clock," he announced.
Nightlife took a while to come to life in Madrid, probably so partygoers could go all night long. House knew the nightlife in Madrid didn't die down on weekends until well into daybreak. Lucky their flight home tomorrow wasn't until late afternoon. He dropped his hand away and glanced down one street, then down another. He didn't really know what Cuddy wanted to do - hopefully not window shopping. He'd put up with it for a little bit if he had to, but only because it was their last night and Cuddy's last night to enjoy shopping. But beyond a little bit, he'd put a stop to it if it started getting out of hand.
"So, what do you want to do?" he asked, looking back the other way. The streets were alive with smells and sounds. A little further down, Latin-style music was bursting from one of the clubs nearby. And just a little way down from House in the other direction was a busker playing a guitar - badly - and singing - also badly. He looked down to Cuddy. "Night's still young. Well, by Madrid's standards."
It was the last night in Europe, and House found himself surprisingly depressed to know he and Cuddy would be on a plane back home late the following afternoon. They'd spent a little while longer in Greece after Corfu, visiting a couple of the islands and some of the southern towns, then headed across to Spain, to Barcelona first. Torremelinos and Granada and a few of the smaller heritage towns, before finally arriving in Madrid, their final destination. After all their travelling, he was more than ready to head home, of course, looking forward to sleeping in his own bed and being surrounded by what was familiar to him - but it was still an anticlimactic feeling, knowing it was all coming to an end. He hadn't wanted to spend that last night, however, sitting around and mulling over the long trip back. Cuddy had had the same idea, wanting to head out and explore the Madrid nightlife while there was still time. Their luck would have it, naturally, that it began to rain ten minutes before they left their hotel room. That didn't stop Madrid from coming to life, though. By ten o'clock, the main streets bustled with people heading out for the night, huddled under umbrellas and dressed up to go dancing and go out for dinner; tourists and Spaniards alike.
House had even tidied himself up a bit for the night. He wore a pale blue button-down, dark grey slacks instead of his usual choice of jeans, and cologne. Seemed the last night blues bug had bitten him enough to want to make their last night an enjoyable and memorable one. He and Cuddy stopped at a cafe not long after heading out, settling down at a table in the corner of the busy but relaxed joint to enjoy tapas and a meal together. They tasted each other's meals and had a toast to their final night - a beer for House, and a non-alcoholic drink for Cuddy. Once their appetites had been satisfied, House paid and they headed back out into the street, which had gotten even busier with partygoers and more tourists. There was a buzz about the place, an atmosphere that made the air feel alive. Even House found it a bit infectious. He even let Cuddy take a couple of photos of him, and of them together: one of them huddled together under an awning from the rain with the busy street behind them as a backdrop, which a tourist took for them, and another of them huddled in front of the camera while House held it out in front of them and snapped it.
They came to another street corner, greeted by more city lights and a crossroad of long streets lined with shops and businesses. The rain had let up a little, so it was only drizzling slightly. House glanced at his watch once they came to a stop. "Just past eleven o'clock," he announced.
Nightlife took a while to come to life in Madrid, probably so partygoers could go all night long. House knew the nightlife in Madrid didn't die down on weekends until well into daybreak. Lucky their flight home tomorrow wasn't until late afternoon. He dropped his hand away and glanced down one street, then down another. He didn't really know what Cuddy wanted to do - hopefully not window shopping. He'd put up with it for a little bit if he had to, but only because it was their last night and Cuddy's last night to enjoy shopping. But beyond a little bit, he'd put a stop to it if it started getting out of hand.
"So, what do you want to do?" he asked, looking back the other way. The streets were alive with smells and sounds. A little further down, Latin-style music was bursting from one of the clubs nearby. And just a little way down from House in the other direction was a busker playing a guitar - badly - and singing - also badly. He looked down to Cuddy. "Night's still young. Well, by Madrid's standards."
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