Fic: The Civilization of Sheldon Cooper (5/?)
*Sigh* Another chapter done. One more and this story will be done. It’s almost sad ending these sometimes. Anyway - enjoy and as always: Comments = Lurrrvvveee.
Shameless Plug: I wrote my first (and likely only) Jim/Kaley RPF because a plot bunny threatened my life if I didn’t give into its will. It’s called The Photoshoot and it’s posted on the Oh We Went There community. Even if you’re not into RPFs - I think it’s a fun read. The link’s here:
http://community.livejournal.com/ohwewentthere/14181.html?#cutid1
Title: The Civilization of Sheldon Cooper (5/?)
Spoilers: Everything up to and including 2 X 23
Rating: T
Word Count: 5,337
Disclaimer: Everything you recognize is not mine... I only stake my claim on the plot... and maybe Sheldon, if I can get him.
Part Five
Penny tumbled off the couch in her struggle to get up at the sound of the door opening. So, as the lights came on in the apartment, Leonard, Howard and Raj were greeted with the sight of her fanny in the air as she scrambled to her feet.
“Hello, beautiful.”
“Shut up, Howard.”
“Is Sheldon back yet?” Leonard asked her with a small smile. That was quick, Penny thought, usually it took at least a week before he offered the olive branch. She gave him a crooked smile in return.
“I don’t think so - I fell asleep on the couch. I would have woken up if he came in.”
“Oh, good - then we have time to set up,” Howard rubbed his hands together, a look of unholy glee on his face.
“Raj - why don’t you keep a lookout,” Leonard directed. Raj nodded and headed to the window. Leonard grabbed his laptop off his desk, sending his wheelie-chair skittering towards the door in his haste.
He and Howard positioned themselves behind the kitchen island, their eyes shrewdly studying the door to the apartment. Then they looked at each other and nodded. Penny stared at them in bewilderment.
“You’re right, Leonard - this location is best for when they enter the apartment.”
“If they come back here at all. Maybe they’ll go back to Cass’ hotel room.”
“Sheldon and hotel rooms - when he has his own room within easy driving distance?”
“Good point. Is it ready yet?”
“Just checking now,” Howard tapped away at the keyboard, hard-pressed to curb his obvious enthusiasm. Then he grinned lasciviously at Leonard. “We have lift-off.”
Penny could no longer stifle her curiousity.
“What the hell are you guys talking about?”
“We’re going to see first-hand what goes on with Sheldon and Cass when they get here,” Howard pointed to the apartment door. “The goodnight kiss?” Penny flinched. “The slow burn invitation to come in for the proverbial coffee? I’m getting hot just thinking about it.”
“Eww.” Penny grimaced. “Sheldon doesn’t do coffee! Wait - how are you watching them?” She eyed him suspiciously. He waggled his eyebrows.
“We have a camera set up over the elevator out there, and a remote control in here,” he leered at her playfully. “And yeah - Sheldon didn’t do coffee last week - or ever. But this week, oh man. Have you seen the hotness that is Cass? And Sheldon in his suit?” He looked at Leonard and Raj and all three of them nodded in emphatic agreement. “We’re expecting epic tonight.”
“Oh my God! Just when I think you can’t possibly sink to new depths...” Penny sputtered.
“My dear - you underestimate me,” Howard drawled. Penny rolled her eyes in disgust.
“You’re not watching Sheldon! Wait - when did you put that camera...” she paused, her eyes narrowing at the guilty look on Leonard’s face. “How long has that camera been up there?” She yelled loud enough to blister the paint on the walls.
“Penny...” Leonard started, only to be interrupted by an almost inhuman screech.
“GUUUHHHH-EEEEEEPPPPP!!!” Three heads snapped towards Raj in astonishment.
“What is it, boy?” Howard quipped. Raj tried to give him a withering glance but he couldn’t suppress his excitement. He gestured like a maniac towards the window.
There was a flurry of flailing and squealing; Penny shook her head in disbelief.
“He’s here - oh my God, Howard - make sure it’s working!” Leonard grabbed Howard in near panic.
“It’s working, it’s working - relax!” Howard reassured him as Raj rushed to his other side.
“Turn it off.” A lesser mortal would have caved at the dangerous tone of her voice, but not Howard Wolowitz on a mission.
“Make me,” he challenged, a steeliness in his eyes and voice she had never seen before. Both his hands took firm hold of the laptop, while Leonard and Raj showed their solidarity with him by putting their hands on the laptop too.
Who were they kidding? She could take the three of them with one hand tied behind her back and they knew it. Penny took a step towards them but that’s as far as she got.
There was a sudden thud on the other side of the door. Three pairs of male eyes became riveted to the laptop screen, their jaws dropping in unison.
“She’s... he’s... Oh my God! I’ve died and gone to heaven,” Howard breathed.
Penny suddenly felt sick to her stomach.
She spun towards the door just as the doorknob jiggled, her heart in her throat, and tears stinging her eyes at the thought of what she would see when the door opened.
Just then, the door did fall open, causing her to jump back involuntarily, as two bodies stumbled through the doorway. Penny gasped in horror, her tears momentarily clouding her vision.
She blinked them away just in time to see Sheldon backpedalling - long arms flailing like windmills - as he hastily backed away from Cass - who somehow remained standing - and into the apartment. Of course, he couldn’t see where he was going and Penny could only watch helplessly as he collided with Leonard’s chair and toppled over it, landing on the floor with a crash - the chair overturned, wheels still rolling, next to him.
“Oww!” He howled in pain, clutching his left elbow. Cass took a step closer to him, but Penny reached his side first, skidding to a stop next to him and falling on her knees.
“What the frack? Nooooo!!!” Howard cried. Penny ignored him and put her arms around Sheldon, helping him into a sitting position.
“Stay away from me!” Penny recoiled slightly but he was looking at Cass. He looked beseechingly up at Penny. “She tried to kiss me.” He grasped her arm with his injured one.
Despite her earlier heartache at that very thought, just moments ago, Penny fought hard to suppress the laughter that threatened to bubble up from a very relieved place deep inside her.
“Oh, sweetie...”
“She touched me!” Sheldon screeched, his voice getting shriller by the second. “We’re not even at the friendship stage where she’s allowed to enter my personal space! Penny - no one’s allowed to touch me unless they have my express written consent! Well, except for you of course but that’s neither here nor there! I feel violated.” He pressed close to her and whispered gruffly in her ear, the urgent movement of his lips against her earlobe sending shockwaves down her spine. “Get rid of her.”
“All right - okay, Sheldon. Just relax,” she looked up at a dazed Cass, and for once in her life - Penny had no idea what to say.
“I’m sorry, Sheldon...” Cass started to say, but Sheldon flashed a death glare her way and she immediately went mute.
Penny turned to the three stooges in the kitchen. “Guys?” Their identical expressions of stunned horror stayed resolutely in place. “Guys!” She yelled and Sheldon started in her arms. All three men looked from her to Cass and back to her again. “Talk to Cass, will you Leonard? I’m going to help Sheldon.” She looked up at Cass. “Sorry.”
Penny struggled to stand and slowly helped Sheldon up. He still looked at Cass as if she was going to jump his bones at any second, but when Penny grabbed his injured elbow by accident, he yelped in pain.
“Oh - that hurt!”
“I’m sorry, sweetie - here, let me take a look.” She gingerly lifted his arm and noticed that the sleeve of his shirt - his suit jacket lay on the floor by the still open door - had torn where she assumed the metal of the chair’s wheel base had cut into his arm. There was a some blood there, but the cut was not deep enough to require stitches. “It’s okay - it’s just a small cut...”
“A cut?!”
“Here we go,” Leonard lamented from the kitchen. Penny glared daggers at him.
“It’s just a little cut, Sheldon.”
“Just a little - Penny. My God - think of the bacteria amassing there as we speak! Thank goodness I had my tetanus shot last year. Good Lord - is there blood?”
“Not a lot...”
“Not a... oh! No wonder I feel faint,” he leaned into her, and she suddenly had to deal with his - not as inconsequential as one would expect - weight.
“Sheldon!” Penny sputtered in surprise, trying very hard not to burst out laughing.
“I also feel overly warm - you don’t think I’m getting feverish, do you?” He stared into her eyes, his own concerned and serious, and she blinked up at him, feeling a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. “Do you? Feel.” He ducked his head down and closer to hers.
“What?”
“Potential fever. Feel.” She bit down on her lip - hard - an obediently reached up to press her palm against his forehead. Her palm then slid down to cup his face. “You do feel a bit warm, but that’s probably from too much excitement just now.” She gently cradled his injured elbow in her hand as he moaned in distress. “Let’s get that cut cleaned and dressed, all right?”
“All right,” he mumbled as he let her guide him to his room. Once there, he closed the door behind them and stood by his bed while she retrieved the first aid kit from his dresser drawer, and looked at him. He looked down at her, his blue eyes innocent and hurt.
“People generally kiss goodnight at the end of a date, you know,” she said softly as she examined his wound. His shirt sleeve was in the way of her attending to it properly.
“It wasn’t a date!” He bristled, clearly taken aback at the idea. “Who said anything about a date? We were merely attempting to garner funds for our collaborative research. An idea I will have to seriously re-evaluate!”
“I think she thought it was a date.” Penny tried to conciliatory but it was little hard to do when a heart was doing a little happy dance in her chest.
“Why would she think that? I never gave her any indication of the sort! You know, for a brilliant scientist - that was incredibly silly of her!” Penny just looked at him and shook her head. “It still hurts, you know - you said you would dress it.” He lifted his elbow as if to remind her of his injury. She bit back a smile.
“You need to take off your shirt - the sleeve’s ripped and I won’t be able to clean the cut properly.”
“Okay,” he agreed, complacently holding his arms to his sides. Penny stared at him mutely for a second, and then bit her lip. Of course he expected her to do it. With her emotions in turmoil over seeing him in a suit earlier tonight, to her reaction to the thought of him kissing Cass - this was the last thing she needed. To undress him. She swallowed past the lump in her throat, and inhaled deeply to see if it would help quell the staccato drumbeat of her heart.
It didn’t.
She loosened his tie and she slowly inched it over his head, taking care not to let it snag anywhere, her fingers briefly lingering in his hair as she drew the tie over his head. Her hands shook slightly as she reached for the top button on his shirt - at some point earlier in the evening, he must have undone the button at the collar. Her fingers brushed lightly against his Adam’s apple as they undid the first button and it bobbed up and down his throat in response.
Penny studiously avoided his gaze, afraid of what he might see in her eyes. She was intensely aware of his quiet breathing; his breath issued forth in little puffs as she moved to the second and then the third buttons. She felt his stomach clench as she undid the fourth and then the fifth buttons and began slowly pulling up his shirt from where it had been neatly tucked into his pants.
She tried - desperately - to regulate her breathing, but broke into a surprised, breathless laugh when she saw what he wore underneath his now-ruined designer shirt.
“You wore your Superman t-shirt underneath?”
“The suit...” He paused to look at her, and shrugged. “It’s not really me. Wearing this underneath made it bearable.” Penny briefly stroked his jaw at that, and he leaned slightly into her touch but otherwise said nothing.
She tossed his shirt onto the bed and examined his elbow. The cut had stopped bleeding of course, but it still needed to be cleaned. Glad to have something productive to do, she picked up an alcohol wipe packet and ripped it open, quickly pressing it to Sheldon’s wound.
He yelped.
“Owww! That stings! Blow! ” Penny rolled her eyes as he held his elbow to her mouth. Stifling her laughter, she blew softly on his gash. She continued to dab at it with the alcohol wipe, alternately blowing on the wound, until the blood was cleaned up. Sheldon took one look at the bloody wipe and collapsed on the bed.
“It really hurts, Penny.”
“I know, honey,” she said as she got out a larger than average band-aid. “You didn’t hurt your back when you fell, did you?”
“Only time will tell,” he answered dramatically. She gave him a pointed look. “But it doesn’t hurt now.”
“Good. There, all better!” She pressed the band-aid on and completely without thinking pressed a kiss to his elbow. He frowned at her.
“I’m not a baby.”
“Oh, sweetie - you’re the biggest baby I know.” He pouted at that and she leaned down to look him in the eye. “But even grown-ups need kisses to make the boo-boos all better sometimes,” she teased, straightening up as she turned and put the first-aid kit away.
“Is that true?” She spun around to face him almost colliding into his chest, he had gotten up and was now standing so close; his proximity both startled and unnerved her. She gulped; what had he said?
“What? Oh, kisses, boo-boos - yeah.”
“I need more data before I can concur with that hypothesis.”
Before her mind could articulate a response, Sheldon leaned down and kissed her.
Sheldon.
Sheldon Cooper.
Sheldon Cooper was kissing her.
On the lips - his pressed lightly against hers.
Penny froze in shock. His mouth opened slightly and he briefly captured her upper lip between his. She could have sworn too that his tongue darted out to taste her lower lip.
Then it was over, and he loomed above her.
“Huh. It is true.” She stared dumbly up at him. “Thank you for taking care of me, Penny. I’m going to bed now - you can leave.” Penny didn’t react - still not having regained full use of her thought processes - but before she knew what was happening, Sheldon had gently propelled her out of his room. “Goodnight, Penny. Sweet Dreams.”
Then he closed the door in her face.
She wasn’t quite sure how she made it back to her apartment that night.
***
Knock. Knock. Knock. “Penny.”
Knock. Knock. Knock. “Penny.”
Knock. Knock. Knock. “Penny.”
“Sheldon!” Penny opened the door to his smiling face. He looked - normal, wearing his Green Lantern t-shirt, with a brown long-sleeved t-shirt underneath and dark khakis. Penny breathed a sigh of relief that hitched in her chest as he leaned back against her open apartment door and his smile went from sweet to sexy in the blink of an eye. She shook her head as if to clear it.
“Good morning, Penny,” he greeted her, his piercing blue gaze hooded - and flirty. But of course - he didn’t know that - could he? And after last night’s kiss, she felt ill-equipped to deal with a playful Sheldon - or any side of Sheldon for that matter. “It’s 11 a.m. Are you ready for waffles and the museum?”
“Just let me get my bag,” she heard herself say, against her better judgement. She took a deep, fortifying breath and followed him out, locking up behind her. “How’s your elbow?”
“Much better, thanks to your soothing ministrations,” he informed her with a smile as they walked downstairs.
“Good. I’m glad. Have you heard from Cass?”
“Yes, she sent me an email to apologize for her unruly behaviour. She also said that she hopes it won’t negatively impact on our collaboration.”
“And will it?”
“The jury’s still out,” he said after some thought as they exited the apartment building. “At least now I don’t have to modify my current social circle.”
“You went through our friendship forms?”
“I did.”
“And who was out?” She cornered him between her car and the lamp post she had parked next to.
“It hardly matters now, Penny,” he hedged, taking the keys from her hand and opening the car door himself. Penny shut it before he could even attempt getting in.
“Who was out, Sheldon?” They looked intently at one another.
“Wolowitz.” He didn’t twitch - and she was watching for it.
“But I only answered one question - the essay question.”
“I know,” he agreed, “but it was the most important question.”
“It was only worth 20%.”
“Quality trumps quantity.”
“Qual...? Now you’re just making that up!”
“I... I liked your answer. It made me happy.” He looked down at her with a small smile, sincerity shining in his eyes. “And who stays and who goes is entirely my prerogative. Oh, and I’ve also decided that you never need to fill out another questionnaire ever again.”
“Can I sit wherever I want, moonpie?” She teased. He glowered. She laughed.
He liked her answer. It made him happy. She didn’t have to fill out any more forms - ever! Penny couldn’t suppress the smile that sprang to her face and threw her arms around his neck in an impulsive hug. His arms immediately encircled her waist bringing her flush against his body. He rubbed his cheek lightly against hers, and as she held her breath, he pressed a small kiss to her temple before pulling away.
“Can we go now?”
She nodded and stepped out of his embrace, fleeing to the drivers’ side of the vehicle. It was only on getting into the car that she belatedly realized that she would be sitting less than a foot away from him while they drove to the restaurant. Luckily for her, this was Sheldon and he kept a running commentary on the origins of waffles going until her trepidation slowly faded away.
As they drove to the museum over an hour later, Penny felt considerably calmer. Sheldon hadn’t been acting any different really - and apart from the fact that she desperately wanted to know why he had kissed her the night before when he had so vehemently rejected a kiss from Cass - everything was just dandy.
***
If he was a man given to swearing, his use of all the expletives in the English language would have gotten him banned from the museum. For life.
But he didn’t swear - and he certainly wouldn’t even consider doing so in the presence of a lady - not to mention all the assorted children who had thronged to the museum that day. But the general public were getting on his nerves. Who knew the museum would be so busy on a Sunday afternoon?
At first, as he and Penny had strolled through the various exhibits - by mutual agreement, they had decided to save the Ancient Egypt exhibit for last - he had kept Penny informed on the fascinating histories behind certain intriguing artefacts. But then, just as they made it into the Egyptian exhibit, the crowds started rolling in - pushing and jostling, straining to take pictures without paying any attention to what they were seeing.
Even then, he would not have minded much, but he constantly kept getting separated from Penny. And all he had wanted to do since finding out the exhibit had re-opened was to share it with her and spend a quiet day in her stimulating company. Now instead, he found her cornered by some lummox who was trying to hit on her. Penny being Penny of course made short work of the Neanderthal’s no-doubt steroid-induced stupidity and sent him along his way - but the whole incident incensed Sheldon.
He didn’t stop to consider the reasons why.
Instead, he watched as she walked towards him, carefully avoiding a near-collision with a woman pushing a stroller. She paused for a minute to coo at the toddler in said stroller - she always did that whenever babies or small children came within twenty feet of her - and then made her way to him.
He reached out for her hand, and her fingers slipped into his with an ease borne of holding his hand many times in the past. Like when she dragged him for an impromptu walk in the park, or when she wanted some company to run boring errands, or even when she pulled him towards a storefront to exclaim in fascination over a pair of shoes - although why she would think women’s shoes interested him, he could never fathom. Still - it was always pleasant, if not always relaxing, to be in her company.
And damned if he was letting go of her hand anytime soon.
“Look, Sheldon - does that remind you of someone?” She asked at one point, flashing him a cheeky grin as she pointed to a glass display case containing the mummified remains of an ancient Egyptian in its sarcophagus. He tried to glare at her but ended up grinning instead, and she laughed in delight.
His heart constricted. He wished it would stop doing that every so often whenever he was in her company. It was distracting. It was unnerving.
Like last night when she had taken off his shirt. Or when he had decided, on impulse, to kiss her.
His heart thudded in his chest as he remembered the feel of her hands on his body, her fingers in his hair, her breath against his skin, the taste of her lips, the feel of her mouth pressed softly against his.
He didn’t know when or why he had begun allowing her such liberties with his person, but now - hers was the only touch he craved.
As evidenced by his initiation of the kiss. Which had made him feel spectacular. And spectacularly uncomfortable - which is why he had hastened her exit from his room. And why he had stood, his back against the door, for countless minutes before falling into bed - without first changing into his Saturday night pyjamas.
And it hadn’t even been a real kiss. She certainly had not done anything in response; in fact, a small-ish part of him had been petrified that she wouldn’t want to be with him anymore.
But then this morning - she had hugged him and all had been righted in his world. It was amazing how simple physical contact with Penny had the power to do that. Even when there had been spells in the past when she had not approached him in any physical manner - usually whilst one of their infamous verbal battles were raging - he would find some excuse to touch her, to make a connection ofsome sort with her. The contact - when initiated by him - was infrequent and subtle and platonic - but it had been enough for him.
And she had never really been his to touch.
But now - she had broken up with Leonard for good. Something about her mien when she had made that statement had indicated that she was ready to begin a new chapter in her life.
Could there be a new, albeit as-yet-undefined place for him in it?
He swallowed convulsively, and nearly jumped as Penny sidled closer to him as she tried to avoid bumping into a large man wearing the ugliest Hawaiian shirt imaginable. As the man leaned closer in his attempt to take a photograph of the mummy, Sheldon’s arm wound around Penny’s waist - of its own volition - and he pulled her in front of him, her back pressed flush up against his front. The move had been instinctive, but holding her there - next to him - suddenly became necessity.
She drew in a lungful of air, her stomach muscles clenching. His arm tightened around her and her startled gaze met his in their reflections on the glass display case.
It was now or never, Sheldon Cooper, he thought to himself.
He wrapped his other arm around her and pulled her impossibly closer, his eyes closing in bliss as he buried his face in her soft, blonde curls.
Penny shivered in his arms, her own hands clutching at his bare forearms. An almost illicit pleasure shot through his nerve-endings. Her head lolled back against his shoulder and he bent to press a warm kiss near the edge of her jaw, just below her ear. She shuddered.
“Jeez, get a room!”
Sheldon started to find Ugly-Hawaiian-Shirt Guy looking at them, his expression bordering on leery and contemptuous. Before he knew what was happening, Penny spun out of his arms and actually shoved at people nearby in her haste to get away from him.
He hesitated only a second before going after her. It was difficult though - what with all the people milling about, but suddenly, he saw her take a side exit and dash out of the building. His own progress was slow while inside but once outside, his long running strides ate up the distance between them with ease. He overtook her on the stairs down and ground to a halt two steps below her, his hands fastened on her upper arms.
For once their eyes met on the same level, hers clouded with confusion and his... terrified.
“I’m sorry!” Sheldon gasped.
“You are?”
“Aren’t you?” He stared at her - watching her emotions flit about her face. She wasn’t - he realized. She was just confused - and maybe a little scared - just like him. He released her and saw immediate disappointment flash in her eyes.
His hands somehow knew exactly what to do. They cupped her face.
His body knew - on an innate level - what was coming, and it primed itself.
His heart merely - rejoiced.
And then he kissed her. He poured every emotion he had ever felt for her into that kiss. It was instinctive - as was everything between Penny and him - it was primal.
His mouth fused over hers, and his tongue sliding into her mouth with ease. It toyed with hers, alternatively playful and cajoling. She moaned, her hands fisting in his shirt. His own hands moved to her waist - his sudden need to have her body pressed against his was overwhelming. She too, wound her arms around his neck, her fingers running through his hair.
It was the blare of a passing car’s horn that eventually drew them apart.
She stared at him - dazed.
“You know how to kiss,” she whispered in awe. Then she frowned. “Who taught you how to kiss?”
“Nobody.” His eyes bored into hers. “I just know how to kiss you.”
“Oh God - do you ever,” she breathed, her arousal evident in her voice, in her touch, in her eyes - which looked greener than they had ever looked in the past. “Don’t ever stop, Sheldon.”
He obliged by kissing her again, but broke it off not many seconds later.
“Penny,” he panted. “Granted this may be a side-entrance to the museum but it’s still a public place.”
“You didn’t have any issues with that a minute ago in there.”
“I forget everything when I touch you - it’s a disturbing trend.”
“The feeling is entirely mutual.”
“Let’s go home,” he suggested, his eyes blazing into hers. She grinned saucily.
“Yes, let’s.” Then she pulled him in for a kiss that almost made him forget his own name, before dragging him down the steps - his hand securely in hers - as she practically speed-walked to the carpark.
***
The ride home had been filled with heated glances and stolen kisses. The walk up the stairs to the fourth floor had been filled with giddy laughter and frenzied caresses. They paused before the last flight of stairs to the fourth floor landing though, as if suddenly recalling - as one - the reality that existed beyond the closed door of apartment 4A.
Leonard.
“Maybe we need to calm down a little,” she mused. “We can tell him tonight.”
“All right - that sounds feasible.”
“But then,” she looked at him, her hands against his chest, her expression both serious and sexy. “No matter how he takes it - you are coming over. And you’re staying the night.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She grinned at him and then sashayed up the stairs. He followed, trying very hard not to look at the delightful curve of her bottom in those shorts.
Oh, he was such a goner.
He paused momentarily at the door to his apartment, the key in his hand. He heard the guys’ voices and laughter inside, but his mind’s focus was still on Penny. He turned to look at her at the exact same moment she turned to look at him.
They stared at each other for a split second before their bodies met - in the middle of the landing between their two apartments - in a flurry of steps and dropped bags and keys.
It was a coming together of mouths and bodies and hearts and souls, in a kiss that caused time to stand still. Soft licks, tongues sliding past one another, moans of pleasure, puffs of warm breath, hands clutching, arms like vices - it was pure bliss.
“What the hell are you two doing?”
Sheldon and Penny sprang apart as they whirled around to stare at Leonard - his gaze shocked and angry - and Raj and Howard - their expressions just plain shocked. Penny grasped Sheldon’s hand and he squeezed it in support, a move not missed by Leonard.
“I can’t... Penny we broke up on Friday!” He yelled, angrier than any of them had ever seen him. “It’s Sunday and you’re kissing Sheldon? Is that why you broke up with me? For Sheldon?” He looked at Sheldon. “And you! You’re supposed to be my best friend. How could you do this to me?” He started shaking his head in disbelief.
“Leonard...” Sheldon started.
“I don’t want to talk to you right now, Sheldon - and frankly - I don’t know if I’ll ever want to talk to you - either of you - again!” And with that, he spun on his heel and thundered down the stairs.
They stared at his retreating form, and then the empty stairwell for a few seconds, before Sheldon looked back at Penny. She looked distraught. Anger welled up in him at Leonard’s callous disregard for her feelings. He pulled her into his embrace and she came willingly, winding her arms around his waist as she rested her head against his shoulder. He kissed the top of her head and looked at his other two friends, both of whom were still frozen in place, identical looks of amazement on their faces.
“Would you go after Leonard?” he asked them quietly. Howard snapped to attention first, and then elbowed Raj in the ribs.
“Yeah,” Howard reassured him, “we’ll take care of Leonard. He probably went cat shopping,” he quipped half-heartedly. “Sheldon - I’m sorry. We were taking down the camera... it was on - we didn’t mean to...”
“It’s fine - just go find Leonard.”
“All right. Come on, Raj.”
As they made their way down the stairs, Sheldon turned back to Penny.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered.
“For what? Leonard being a jerk? That’s not your fault,” she gave him a small smile and rose up on her tiptoes to press a soft kiss on his mouth. He couldn’t help but deepen the kiss, reluctantly drawing back at the sound of someone clearing their throat. They turned to see that Raj had returned to the top of the stairs.
They both looked at him quizzically.
Raj looked from Sheldon to Penny and then back again, a boyish smile playing about his features.
Then he grinned and flashed them a vehement double thumbs-up sign of approval.
Jai ho.
***
Shameless Plug: I wrote my first (and likely only) Jim/Kaley RPF because a plot bunny threatened my life if I didn’t give into its will. It’s called The Photoshoot and it’s posted on the Oh We Went There community. Even if you’re not into RPFs - I think it’s a fun read. The link’s here:
http://community.livejournal.com/ohwewentthere/14181.html?#cutid1
Title: The Civilization of Sheldon Cooper (5/?)
Spoilers: Everything up to and including 2 X 23
Rating: T
Word Count: 5,337
Disclaimer: Everything you recognize is not mine... I only stake my claim on the plot... and maybe Sheldon, if I can get him.
Part Five
Penny tumbled off the couch in her struggle to get up at the sound of the door opening. So, as the lights came on in the apartment, Leonard, Howard and Raj were greeted with the sight of her fanny in the air as she scrambled to her feet.
“Hello, beautiful.”
“Shut up, Howard.”
“Is Sheldon back yet?” Leonard asked her with a small smile. That was quick, Penny thought, usually it took at least a week before he offered the olive branch. She gave him a crooked smile in return.
“I don’t think so - I fell asleep on the couch. I would have woken up if he came in.”
“Oh, good - then we have time to set up,” Howard rubbed his hands together, a look of unholy glee on his face.
“Raj - why don’t you keep a lookout,” Leonard directed. Raj nodded and headed to the window. Leonard grabbed his laptop off his desk, sending his wheelie-chair skittering towards the door in his haste.
He and Howard positioned themselves behind the kitchen island, their eyes shrewdly studying the door to the apartment. Then they looked at each other and nodded. Penny stared at them in bewilderment.
“You’re right, Leonard - this location is best for when they enter the apartment.”
“If they come back here at all. Maybe they’ll go back to Cass’ hotel room.”
“Sheldon and hotel rooms - when he has his own room within easy driving distance?”
“Good point. Is it ready yet?”
“Just checking now,” Howard tapped away at the keyboard, hard-pressed to curb his obvious enthusiasm. Then he grinned lasciviously at Leonard. “We have lift-off.”
Penny could no longer stifle her curiousity.
“What the hell are you guys talking about?”
“We’re going to see first-hand what goes on with Sheldon and Cass when they get here,” Howard pointed to the apartment door. “The goodnight kiss?” Penny flinched. “The slow burn invitation to come in for the proverbial coffee? I’m getting hot just thinking about it.”
“Eww.” Penny grimaced. “Sheldon doesn’t do coffee! Wait - how are you watching them?” She eyed him suspiciously. He waggled his eyebrows.
“We have a camera set up over the elevator out there, and a remote control in here,” he leered at her playfully. “And yeah - Sheldon didn’t do coffee last week - or ever. But this week, oh man. Have you seen the hotness that is Cass? And Sheldon in his suit?” He looked at Leonard and Raj and all three of them nodded in emphatic agreement. “We’re expecting epic tonight.”
“Oh my God! Just when I think you can’t possibly sink to new depths...” Penny sputtered.
“My dear - you underestimate me,” Howard drawled. Penny rolled her eyes in disgust.
“You’re not watching Sheldon! Wait - when did you put that camera...” she paused, her eyes narrowing at the guilty look on Leonard’s face. “How long has that camera been up there?” She yelled loud enough to blister the paint on the walls.
“Penny...” Leonard started, only to be interrupted by an almost inhuman screech.
“GUUUHHHH-EEEEEEPPPPP!!!” Three heads snapped towards Raj in astonishment.
“What is it, boy?” Howard quipped. Raj tried to give him a withering glance but he couldn’t suppress his excitement. He gestured like a maniac towards the window.
There was a flurry of flailing and squealing; Penny shook her head in disbelief.
“He’s here - oh my God, Howard - make sure it’s working!” Leonard grabbed Howard in near panic.
“It’s working, it’s working - relax!” Howard reassured him as Raj rushed to his other side.
“Turn it off.” A lesser mortal would have caved at the dangerous tone of her voice, but not Howard Wolowitz on a mission.
“Make me,” he challenged, a steeliness in his eyes and voice she had never seen before. Both his hands took firm hold of the laptop, while Leonard and Raj showed their solidarity with him by putting their hands on the laptop too.
Who were they kidding? She could take the three of them with one hand tied behind her back and they knew it. Penny took a step towards them but that’s as far as she got.
There was a sudden thud on the other side of the door. Three pairs of male eyes became riveted to the laptop screen, their jaws dropping in unison.
“She’s... he’s... Oh my God! I’ve died and gone to heaven,” Howard breathed.
Penny suddenly felt sick to her stomach.
She spun towards the door just as the doorknob jiggled, her heart in her throat, and tears stinging her eyes at the thought of what she would see when the door opened.
Just then, the door did fall open, causing her to jump back involuntarily, as two bodies stumbled through the doorway. Penny gasped in horror, her tears momentarily clouding her vision.
She blinked them away just in time to see Sheldon backpedalling - long arms flailing like windmills - as he hastily backed away from Cass - who somehow remained standing - and into the apartment. Of course, he couldn’t see where he was going and Penny could only watch helplessly as he collided with Leonard’s chair and toppled over it, landing on the floor with a crash - the chair overturned, wheels still rolling, next to him.
“Oww!” He howled in pain, clutching his left elbow. Cass took a step closer to him, but Penny reached his side first, skidding to a stop next to him and falling on her knees.
“What the frack? Nooooo!!!” Howard cried. Penny ignored him and put her arms around Sheldon, helping him into a sitting position.
“Stay away from me!” Penny recoiled slightly but he was looking at Cass. He looked beseechingly up at Penny. “She tried to kiss me.” He grasped her arm with his injured one.
Despite her earlier heartache at that very thought, just moments ago, Penny fought hard to suppress the laughter that threatened to bubble up from a very relieved place deep inside her.
“Oh, sweetie...”
“She touched me!” Sheldon screeched, his voice getting shriller by the second. “We’re not even at the friendship stage where she’s allowed to enter my personal space! Penny - no one’s allowed to touch me unless they have my express written consent! Well, except for you of course but that’s neither here nor there! I feel violated.” He pressed close to her and whispered gruffly in her ear, the urgent movement of his lips against her earlobe sending shockwaves down her spine. “Get rid of her.”
“All right - okay, Sheldon. Just relax,” she looked up at a dazed Cass, and for once in her life - Penny had no idea what to say.
“I’m sorry, Sheldon...” Cass started to say, but Sheldon flashed a death glare her way and she immediately went mute.
Penny turned to the three stooges in the kitchen. “Guys?” Their identical expressions of stunned horror stayed resolutely in place. “Guys!” She yelled and Sheldon started in her arms. All three men looked from her to Cass and back to her again. “Talk to Cass, will you Leonard? I’m going to help Sheldon.” She looked up at Cass. “Sorry.”
Penny struggled to stand and slowly helped Sheldon up. He still looked at Cass as if she was going to jump his bones at any second, but when Penny grabbed his injured elbow by accident, he yelped in pain.
“Oh - that hurt!”
“I’m sorry, sweetie - here, let me take a look.” She gingerly lifted his arm and noticed that the sleeve of his shirt - his suit jacket lay on the floor by the still open door - had torn where she assumed the metal of the chair’s wheel base had cut into his arm. There was a some blood there, but the cut was not deep enough to require stitches. “It’s okay - it’s just a small cut...”
“A cut?!”
“Here we go,” Leonard lamented from the kitchen. Penny glared daggers at him.
“It’s just a little cut, Sheldon.”
“Just a little - Penny. My God - think of the bacteria amassing there as we speak! Thank goodness I had my tetanus shot last year. Good Lord - is there blood?”
“Not a lot...”
“Not a... oh! No wonder I feel faint,” he leaned into her, and she suddenly had to deal with his - not as inconsequential as one would expect - weight.
“Sheldon!” Penny sputtered in surprise, trying very hard not to burst out laughing.
“I also feel overly warm - you don’t think I’m getting feverish, do you?” He stared into her eyes, his own concerned and serious, and she blinked up at him, feeling a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. “Do you? Feel.” He ducked his head down and closer to hers.
“What?”
“Potential fever. Feel.” She bit down on her lip - hard - an obediently reached up to press her palm against his forehead. Her palm then slid down to cup his face. “You do feel a bit warm, but that’s probably from too much excitement just now.” She gently cradled his injured elbow in her hand as he moaned in distress. “Let’s get that cut cleaned and dressed, all right?”
“All right,” he mumbled as he let her guide him to his room. Once there, he closed the door behind them and stood by his bed while she retrieved the first aid kit from his dresser drawer, and looked at him. He looked down at her, his blue eyes innocent and hurt.
“People generally kiss goodnight at the end of a date, you know,” she said softly as she examined his wound. His shirt sleeve was in the way of her attending to it properly.
“It wasn’t a date!” He bristled, clearly taken aback at the idea. “Who said anything about a date? We were merely attempting to garner funds for our collaborative research. An idea I will have to seriously re-evaluate!”
“I think she thought it was a date.” Penny tried to conciliatory but it was little hard to do when a heart was doing a little happy dance in her chest.
“Why would she think that? I never gave her any indication of the sort! You know, for a brilliant scientist - that was incredibly silly of her!” Penny just looked at him and shook her head. “It still hurts, you know - you said you would dress it.” He lifted his elbow as if to remind her of his injury. She bit back a smile.
“You need to take off your shirt - the sleeve’s ripped and I won’t be able to clean the cut properly.”
“Okay,” he agreed, complacently holding his arms to his sides. Penny stared at him mutely for a second, and then bit her lip. Of course he expected her to do it. With her emotions in turmoil over seeing him in a suit earlier tonight, to her reaction to the thought of him kissing Cass - this was the last thing she needed. To undress him. She swallowed past the lump in her throat, and inhaled deeply to see if it would help quell the staccato drumbeat of her heart.
It didn’t.
She loosened his tie and she slowly inched it over his head, taking care not to let it snag anywhere, her fingers briefly lingering in his hair as she drew the tie over his head. Her hands shook slightly as she reached for the top button on his shirt - at some point earlier in the evening, he must have undone the button at the collar. Her fingers brushed lightly against his Adam’s apple as they undid the first button and it bobbed up and down his throat in response.
Penny studiously avoided his gaze, afraid of what he might see in her eyes. She was intensely aware of his quiet breathing; his breath issued forth in little puffs as she moved to the second and then the third buttons. She felt his stomach clench as she undid the fourth and then the fifth buttons and began slowly pulling up his shirt from where it had been neatly tucked into his pants.
She tried - desperately - to regulate her breathing, but broke into a surprised, breathless laugh when she saw what he wore underneath his now-ruined designer shirt.
“You wore your Superman t-shirt underneath?”
“The suit...” He paused to look at her, and shrugged. “It’s not really me. Wearing this underneath made it bearable.” Penny briefly stroked his jaw at that, and he leaned slightly into her touch but otherwise said nothing.
She tossed his shirt onto the bed and examined his elbow. The cut had stopped bleeding of course, but it still needed to be cleaned. Glad to have something productive to do, she picked up an alcohol wipe packet and ripped it open, quickly pressing it to Sheldon’s wound.
He yelped.
“Owww! That stings! Blow! ” Penny rolled her eyes as he held his elbow to her mouth. Stifling her laughter, she blew softly on his gash. She continued to dab at it with the alcohol wipe, alternately blowing on the wound, until the blood was cleaned up. Sheldon took one look at the bloody wipe and collapsed on the bed.
“It really hurts, Penny.”
“I know, honey,” she said as she got out a larger than average band-aid. “You didn’t hurt your back when you fell, did you?”
“Only time will tell,” he answered dramatically. She gave him a pointed look. “But it doesn’t hurt now.”
“Good. There, all better!” She pressed the band-aid on and completely without thinking pressed a kiss to his elbow. He frowned at her.
“I’m not a baby.”
“Oh, sweetie - you’re the biggest baby I know.” He pouted at that and she leaned down to look him in the eye. “But even grown-ups need kisses to make the boo-boos all better sometimes,” she teased, straightening up as she turned and put the first-aid kit away.
“Is that true?” She spun around to face him almost colliding into his chest, he had gotten up and was now standing so close; his proximity both startled and unnerved her. She gulped; what had he said?
“What? Oh, kisses, boo-boos - yeah.”
“I need more data before I can concur with that hypothesis.”
Before her mind could articulate a response, Sheldon leaned down and kissed her.
Sheldon.
Sheldon Cooper.
Sheldon Cooper was kissing her.
On the lips - his pressed lightly against hers.
Penny froze in shock. His mouth opened slightly and he briefly captured her upper lip between his. She could have sworn too that his tongue darted out to taste her lower lip.
Then it was over, and he loomed above her.
“Huh. It is true.” She stared dumbly up at him. “Thank you for taking care of me, Penny. I’m going to bed now - you can leave.” Penny didn’t react - still not having regained full use of her thought processes - but before she knew what was happening, Sheldon had gently propelled her out of his room. “Goodnight, Penny. Sweet Dreams.”
Then he closed the door in her face.
She wasn’t quite sure how she made it back to her apartment that night.
***
Knock. Knock. Knock. “Penny.”
Knock. Knock. Knock. “Penny.”
Knock. Knock. Knock. “Penny.”
“Sheldon!” Penny opened the door to his smiling face. He looked - normal, wearing his Green Lantern t-shirt, with a brown long-sleeved t-shirt underneath and dark khakis. Penny breathed a sigh of relief that hitched in her chest as he leaned back against her open apartment door and his smile went from sweet to sexy in the blink of an eye. She shook her head as if to clear it.
“Good morning, Penny,” he greeted her, his piercing blue gaze hooded - and flirty. But of course - he didn’t know that - could he? And after last night’s kiss, she felt ill-equipped to deal with a playful Sheldon - or any side of Sheldon for that matter. “It’s 11 a.m. Are you ready for waffles and the museum?”
“Just let me get my bag,” she heard herself say, against her better judgement. She took a deep, fortifying breath and followed him out, locking up behind her. “How’s your elbow?”
“Much better, thanks to your soothing ministrations,” he informed her with a smile as they walked downstairs.
“Good. I’m glad. Have you heard from Cass?”
“Yes, she sent me an email to apologize for her unruly behaviour. She also said that she hopes it won’t negatively impact on our collaboration.”
“And will it?”
“The jury’s still out,” he said after some thought as they exited the apartment building. “At least now I don’t have to modify my current social circle.”
“You went through our friendship forms?”
“I did.”
“And who was out?” She cornered him between her car and the lamp post she had parked next to.
“It hardly matters now, Penny,” he hedged, taking the keys from her hand and opening the car door himself. Penny shut it before he could even attempt getting in.
“Who was out, Sheldon?” They looked intently at one another.
“Wolowitz.” He didn’t twitch - and she was watching for it.
“But I only answered one question - the essay question.”
“I know,” he agreed, “but it was the most important question.”
“It was only worth 20%.”
“Quality trumps quantity.”
“Qual...? Now you’re just making that up!”
“I... I liked your answer. It made me happy.” He looked down at her with a small smile, sincerity shining in his eyes. “And who stays and who goes is entirely my prerogative. Oh, and I’ve also decided that you never need to fill out another questionnaire ever again.”
“Can I sit wherever I want, moonpie?” She teased. He glowered. She laughed.
He liked her answer. It made him happy. She didn’t have to fill out any more forms - ever! Penny couldn’t suppress the smile that sprang to her face and threw her arms around his neck in an impulsive hug. His arms immediately encircled her waist bringing her flush against his body. He rubbed his cheek lightly against hers, and as she held her breath, he pressed a small kiss to her temple before pulling away.
“Can we go now?”
She nodded and stepped out of his embrace, fleeing to the drivers’ side of the vehicle. It was only on getting into the car that she belatedly realized that she would be sitting less than a foot away from him while they drove to the restaurant. Luckily for her, this was Sheldon and he kept a running commentary on the origins of waffles going until her trepidation slowly faded away.
As they drove to the museum over an hour later, Penny felt considerably calmer. Sheldon hadn’t been acting any different really - and apart from the fact that she desperately wanted to know why he had kissed her the night before when he had so vehemently rejected a kiss from Cass - everything was just dandy.
***
If he was a man given to swearing, his use of all the expletives in the English language would have gotten him banned from the museum. For life.
But he didn’t swear - and he certainly wouldn’t even consider doing so in the presence of a lady - not to mention all the assorted children who had thronged to the museum that day. But the general public were getting on his nerves. Who knew the museum would be so busy on a Sunday afternoon?
At first, as he and Penny had strolled through the various exhibits - by mutual agreement, they had decided to save the Ancient Egypt exhibit for last - he had kept Penny informed on the fascinating histories behind certain intriguing artefacts. But then, just as they made it into the Egyptian exhibit, the crowds started rolling in - pushing and jostling, straining to take pictures without paying any attention to what they were seeing.
Even then, he would not have minded much, but he constantly kept getting separated from Penny. And all he had wanted to do since finding out the exhibit had re-opened was to share it with her and spend a quiet day in her stimulating company. Now instead, he found her cornered by some lummox who was trying to hit on her. Penny being Penny of course made short work of the Neanderthal’s no-doubt steroid-induced stupidity and sent him along his way - but the whole incident incensed Sheldon.
He didn’t stop to consider the reasons why.
Instead, he watched as she walked towards him, carefully avoiding a near-collision with a woman pushing a stroller. She paused for a minute to coo at the toddler in said stroller - she always did that whenever babies or small children came within twenty feet of her - and then made her way to him.
He reached out for her hand, and her fingers slipped into his with an ease borne of holding his hand many times in the past. Like when she dragged him for an impromptu walk in the park, or when she wanted some company to run boring errands, or even when she pulled him towards a storefront to exclaim in fascination over a pair of shoes - although why she would think women’s shoes interested him, he could never fathom. Still - it was always pleasant, if not always relaxing, to be in her company.
And damned if he was letting go of her hand anytime soon.
“Look, Sheldon - does that remind you of someone?” She asked at one point, flashing him a cheeky grin as she pointed to a glass display case containing the mummified remains of an ancient Egyptian in its sarcophagus. He tried to glare at her but ended up grinning instead, and she laughed in delight.
His heart constricted. He wished it would stop doing that every so often whenever he was in her company. It was distracting. It was unnerving.
Like last night when she had taken off his shirt. Or when he had decided, on impulse, to kiss her.
His heart thudded in his chest as he remembered the feel of her hands on his body, her fingers in his hair, her breath against his skin, the taste of her lips, the feel of her mouth pressed softly against his.
He didn’t know when or why he had begun allowing her such liberties with his person, but now - hers was the only touch he craved.
As evidenced by his initiation of the kiss. Which had made him feel spectacular. And spectacularly uncomfortable - which is why he had hastened her exit from his room. And why he had stood, his back against the door, for countless minutes before falling into bed - without first changing into his Saturday night pyjamas.
And it hadn’t even been a real kiss. She certainly had not done anything in response; in fact, a small-ish part of him had been petrified that she wouldn’t want to be with him anymore.
But then this morning - she had hugged him and all had been righted in his world. It was amazing how simple physical contact with Penny had the power to do that. Even when there had been spells in the past when she had not approached him in any physical manner - usually whilst one of their infamous verbal battles were raging - he would find some excuse to touch her, to make a connection ofsome sort with her. The contact - when initiated by him - was infrequent and subtle and platonic - but it had been enough for him.
And she had never really been his to touch.
But now - she had broken up with Leonard for good. Something about her mien when she had made that statement had indicated that she was ready to begin a new chapter in her life.
Could there be a new, albeit as-yet-undefined place for him in it?
He swallowed convulsively, and nearly jumped as Penny sidled closer to him as she tried to avoid bumping into a large man wearing the ugliest Hawaiian shirt imaginable. As the man leaned closer in his attempt to take a photograph of the mummy, Sheldon’s arm wound around Penny’s waist - of its own volition - and he pulled her in front of him, her back pressed flush up against his front. The move had been instinctive, but holding her there - next to him - suddenly became necessity.
She drew in a lungful of air, her stomach muscles clenching. His arm tightened around her and her startled gaze met his in their reflections on the glass display case.
It was now or never, Sheldon Cooper, he thought to himself.
He wrapped his other arm around her and pulled her impossibly closer, his eyes closing in bliss as he buried his face in her soft, blonde curls.
Penny shivered in his arms, her own hands clutching at his bare forearms. An almost illicit pleasure shot through his nerve-endings. Her head lolled back against his shoulder and he bent to press a warm kiss near the edge of her jaw, just below her ear. She shuddered.
“Jeez, get a room!”
Sheldon started to find Ugly-Hawaiian-Shirt Guy looking at them, his expression bordering on leery and contemptuous. Before he knew what was happening, Penny spun out of his arms and actually shoved at people nearby in her haste to get away from him.
He hesitated only a second before going after her. It was difficult though - what with all the people milling about, but suddenly, he saw her take a side exit and dash out of the building. His own progress was slow while inside but once outside, his long running strides ate up the distance between them with ease. He overtook her on the stairs down and ground to a halt two steps below her, his hands fastened on her upper arms.
For once their eyes met on the same level, hers clouded with confusion and his... terrified.
“I’m sorry!” Sheldon gasped.
“You are?”
“Aren’t you?” He stared at her - watching her emotions flit about her face. She wasn’t - he realized. She was just confused - and maybe a little scared - just like him. He released her and saw immediate disappointment flash in her eyes.
His hands somehow knew exactly what to do. They cupped her face.
His body knew - on an innate level - what was coming, and it primed itself.
His heart merely - rejoiced.
And then he kissed her. He poured every emotion he had ever felt for her into that kiss. It was instinctive - as was everything between Penny and him - it was primal.
His mouth fused over hers, and his tongue sliding into her mouth with ease. It toyed with hers, alternatively playful and cajoling. She moaned, her hands fisting in his shirt. His own hands moved to her waist - his sudden need to have her body pressed against his was overwhelming. She too, wound her arms around his neck, her fingers running through his hair.
It was the blare of a passing car’s horn that eventually drew them apart.
She stared at him - dazed.
“You know how to kiss,” she whispered in awe. Then she frowned. “Who taught you how to kiss?”
“Nobody.” His eyes bored into hers. “I just know how to kiss you.”
“Oh God - do you ever,” she breathed, her arousal evident in her voice, in her touch, in her eyes - which looked greener than they had ever looked in the past. “Don’t ever stop, Sheldon.”
He obliged by kissing her again, but broke it off not many seconds later.
“Penny,” he panted. “Granted this may be a side-entrance to the museum but it’s still a public place.”
“You didn’t have any issues with that a minute ago in there.”
“I forget everything when I touch you - it’s a disturbing trend.”
“The feeling is entirely mutual.”
“Let’s go home,” he suggested, his eyes blazing into hers. She grinned saucily.
“Yes, let’s.” Then she pulled him in for a kiss that almost made him forget his own name, before dragging him down the steps - his hand securely in hers - as she practically speed-walked to the carpark.
***
The ride home had been filled with heated glances and stolen kisses. The walk up the stairs to the fourth floor had been filled with giddy laughter and frenzied caresses. They paused before the last flight of stairs to the fourth floor landing though, as if suddenly recalling - as one - the reality that existed beyond the closed door of apartment 4A.
Leonard.
“Maybe we need to calm down a little,” she mused. “We can tell him tonight.”
“All right - that sounds feasible.”
“But then,” she looked at him, her hands against his chest, her expression both serious and sexy. “No matter how he takes it - you are coming over. And you’re staying the night.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She grinned at him and then sashayed up the stairs. He followed, trying very hard not to look at the delightful curve of her bottom in those shorts.
Oh, he was such a goner.
He paused momentarily at the door to his apartment, the key in his hand. He heard the guys’ voices and laughter inside, but his mind’s focus was still on Penny. He turned to look at her at the exact same moment she turned to look at him.
They stared at each other for a split second before their bodies met - in the middle of the landing between their two apartments - in a flurry of steps and dropped bags and keys.
It was a coming together of mouths and bodies and hearts and souls, in a kiss that caused time to stand still. Soft licks, tongues sliding past one another, moans of pleasure, puffs of warm breath, hands clutching, arms like vices - it was pure bliss.
“What the hell are you two doing?”
Sheldon and Penny sprang apart as they whirled around to stare at Leonard - his gaze shocked and angry - and Raj and Howard - their expressions just plain shocked. Penny grasped Sheldon’s hand and he squeezed it in support, a move not missed by Leonard.
“I can’t... Penny we broke up on Friday!” He yelled, angrier than any of them had ever seen him. “It’s Sunday and you’re kissing Sheldon? Is that why you broke up with me? For Sheldon?” He looked at Sheldon. “And you! You’re supposed to be my best friend. How could you do this to me?” He started shaking his head in disbelief.
“Leonard...” Sheldon started.
“I don’t want to talk to you right now, Sheldon - and frankly - I don’t know if I’ll ever want to talk to you - either of you - again!” And with that, he spun on his heel and thundered down the stairs.
They stared at his retreating form, and then the empty stairwell for a few seconds, before Sheldon looked back at Penny. She looked distraught. Anger welled up in him at Leonard’s callous disregard for her feelings. He pulled her into his embrace and she came willingly, winding her arms around his waist as she rested her head against his shoulder. He kissed the top of her head and looked at his other two friends, both of whom were still frozen in place, identical looks of amazement on their faces.
“Would you go after Leonard?” he asked them quietly. Howard snapped to attention first, and then elbowed Raj in the ribs.
“Yeah,” Howard reassured him, “we’ll take care of Leonard. He probably went cat shopping,” he quipped half-heartedly. “Sheldon - I’m sorry. We were taking down the camera... it was on - we didn’t mean to...”
“It’s fine - just go find Leonard.”
“All right. Come on, Raj.”
As they made their way down the stairs, Sheldon turned back to Penny.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered.
“For what? Leonard being a jerk? That’s not your fault,” she gave him a small smile and rose up on her tiptoes to press a soft kiss on his mouth. He couldn’t help but deepen the kiss, reluctantly drawing back at the sound of someone clearing their throat. They turned to see that Raj had returned to the top of the stairs.
They both looked at him quizzically.
Raj looked from Sheldon to Penny and then back again, a boyish smile playing about his features.
Then he grinned and flashed them a vehement double thumbs-up sign of approval.
Jai ho.
***