The Holiday Kiss Hypothesis (2/2)
Title: The Holiday Kiss Hypothesis (2/2)
Spoilers: Everything up to and including most of Season 3
Rating: PG
Word Count: 4,014
Disclaimer: Everything you recognize is not mine... I only stake my claim on the plot and the Sheldon (but just to borrow - I swear I’ll give him back. You know, eventually).
A/N: Warning: Major schmoopage ahead. Oh well. I love them and I think they totally deserve some schmoop once in a while. Hope y’all like this too!
X-Posted to Paradox: community.livejournal.com/sheldon_penny/884550.html
The Holiday Kiss Hypothesis - Part Two
New Year’s Eve at midnight - January 1, 2010
Sheldon stood tall in the corner of Penny’s living room, silently surveying the sea of mostly intoxicated bodies swaying to what Penny loosely termed ‘music’. He tried not to fidget as he watched people bump and grind against each other in the midst of the mayhem of this so-called New Year’s party and asked himself - for the umpteenth time - what he was doing here when he could be snuggled up in bed.
He suppressed the feeling of acute discomfort and glanced longingly at the front door, beyond which sweet, sweet freedom awaited.
“Don’t even think about it.”
Penny. The bane of his existence - well, one of several, but the most consistently annoying, and the one in closest proximity to him at the moment - cleverly disguised as his friend. Of course - who else, really?
“I don’t know what you mean,” he stated loudly, his voice still getting lost in the music that the other neighbours didn’t seem to mind - this night at least. Penny just rolled her eyes.
“I see you looking to escape, Sheldon Cooper, and you can just forget about it,” she jovially told him as she squeezed past him and into the kitchen to re-fill a bowl with chips.
“I don’t see why my presence here is required.”
“You’re not going anywhere until I get my New Year’s kiss - that’s why,” she smirked up at him, mischief and a challenge glinting in her green eyes. “That a good enough reason for ya?”
Sheldon gulped. And for wont of something to do, he nodded.
“See you at midnight, sweetie. And try and enjoy the party!”
Listen to her, Sheldon thought to himself in disgust. When had ‘enjoy the party’ and ‘Sheldon Cooper’ ever been used in the same context? He glanced at the microwave clock. Fifteen minutes.
Why he waited, he couldn’t be certain. It surely had nothing to do with Penny’s Holiday Kiss Hypothesis. The one that she had teased him with on Christmas Day. The one he really, really wanted to disprove. He had hoped that kissing her would prove her wrong, but instead - instead, he found himself reliving that kiss on numerous occasions in the interim. Numerous occasion - when he should have been doing other, more important things like reading comic books, or you know - working.
His outer mien never betrayed his thoughts of course, but he would be lying if he denied that his gaze often slipped to Penny’s mouth, and he wondered - and imagined - what it would feel like to kiss her again. And er... again.
In the interest of science, of course. As if there could be any other viable reason for it.
Every good scientist knows that in order to prove any hypothesis correct, you must design an experiment accordingly and execute said experiment numerous times to prove reproducibility of results and show statistically significant data.
That was what he was doing. It wasn’t personal. It wasn’t. It was scientific. And Sheldon was down with that.
He visibly started when he heard the sudden quiet in the room, and a minute later - the countdown resonated through the room. A sick, shivery feeling started in his stomach and rose up through his chest and throat and threatened to choke him. He stilled his breathing - once, twice - but it was hard to slow his suddenly erratic heart rate. He looked over at Penny, his eyes finding her without hesitation as if he was somehow tuned into her location.
She was kissing Leonard.
Leonard.
Oh. He had forgotten about Leonard. Huh.
Then, suddenly, Penny stood before him - jade eyes sparkling and a smile on her face. His gaze dipped - involuntarily - to her mouth. He didn’t mean to, but he licked his lips.
Then she leaned up - hands braced on his chest - and kissed him and - impossible as it may have seemed - his mind went completely and utterly... blank.
Then he let Penny let him go and ran away -not like a scared little girl, absolutely not - to the sanctity and sanctuary of his bedroom.
***
Martin Luther King Day - January 18, 2010
Penny sighed.
She was seated - if you could call her slouch on the couch that - in the middle, between Sheldon and Leonard, watching TV, but not really paying attention to anything at all. The guys were talking around her but she was too tired from working a double shift - it was Martin Luther King Day and the Cheesecake Factory had been packed - to pay any attention to the conversation. She kept dozing off, her head listing to the right until it settled on Leonard’s shoulder - which, after a few minutes, started to give her a painful crick in her neck.
She shifted, briefly cracking one eye open to glance at the TV screen where they were watching Star Trek for, like, the thirtieth time. She didn’t mind though because she actually liked this movie. Chris Pine was hot and - yeah, she didn’t mind at all. She tried to get comfortable leaning her head back against the couch, but that meant slouching a bit more and her back ached already. Really - how did she get stuck with the middle cushion all the time? She cast a longing look at Sheldon’s spot with that awesome big, comfy, stripey cushion, but then sighed and turned back to the TV - it was one of her favourite scenes, the one with Spock and Uhura in the elevator.
The scene with the kiss - well, kisses - that Sheldon always complained were superfluous and unnecessary. She smirked and wondered how he felt about it now, after their Holiday Kiss Hypothesis experiment, and she looked over at him.
He was looking at her.
She gulped. His electric blue eyes felt like lasers where they burned into hers, but then she blinked and the look was gone. He was watching the screen again and she was sure she imagined the whole thing.
Except... except, his mouth had tightened at the corners, and his focus on the movie seemed too intense, even for Sheldon, and he seemed to be holding his breath. And... yeah.
Penny hurriedly looked away, her heartbeat skittering over itself.
Okay. So that wasn’t weird at all.
She blinked unseeingly at the screen. So. Their kisses on Christmas and New Year’s had been... nice. Friendly. Yes. Friendly and nice. Nice and friendly. Which made sense because they were both friends and they were both nice, right?
Except... except, for the tingling and the prickling of awareness that had ricocheted through her body. Through her head. Through her heart.
Crap. She had already given herself a whole damn lecture on the different reasons she should never think of those kisses again. The biggest reason of which was currently sitting on her right. Leonard. Her boyfriend, boyfriend, boyfriend.
She sighed again, pushing all thoughts of kisses - and kissing Sheldon - out of her head. If she could give her brain three strikes and banish these wayward thoughts from her head, she would have. Instead, she closed her eyes, leaned her head back and let sleep take her again.
***
It was dark when she stirred, coming awake quietly, too cozy and comfortable to get up all the way though. That’s when she realized she had dozed off with her head on Sheldon’s shoulder this time. And hey, whad’ya know? No crick. And he just sat there, reading a book - not a comic book, but a real one.
He turned his head to look down at her when she lifted her head off his shoulder.
“Finally.” He sounded supremely relieved.
“Sorry, Sheldon,” Penny mumbled sleepily, still not completely awake - and she was loathe to pull away from the warmth of his body, where her side pressed against his arm. “Did you stay here just ‘cause I...?”
“You seemed tired.”
“Mmm - double shift...”
“I know.”
“Thank you,” she said quietly. “Where is everyone?”
“Leonard went to drop off Raj and Howard.”
“I guess I should go home and get to bed.”
“Good idea - you have the early shift tomorrow. It should be less hectic though - the first day back after a holiday usually is.”
“Yes,” she looked up at him in surprise. He somehow always seemed to know her schedule, changes and all. “It usually is.”
They looked at each other in silence. The only light came from the lamp on the side table next to Sheldon, and it made the large room seem smaller somehow - more intimate. Very intimate. Penny found herself unable to drag her gaze away from Sheldon’s.
“It’s past my bed time, Penny,” he stated softly. A whisper, really. It made her look at his mouth, enthralled. She consciously snapped her mind back to reality.
“Er... yeah, sorry - sorry about that, Sheldon,” she muttered as she slowly - reluctantly - slid away from his body. “You should have woken me, sweetie,” she gently admonished him with a rueful smile.
“It’s a holiday today,” he told her - the words tumbling out of his mouth as if he hadn’t meant them to be spoken aloud - and she blinked at the non-sequitor.
It only took a few seconds for his meaning to sink in but even before then - before he said anything and before she knew what was happening - they were moving inexorably closer.
This kiss was sweeter than the first two; softer, fleeting - lips just ghosting over one another. There was no one else around this time; it wasn’t for show.
This time it meant... something.
Penny’s mouth opened on a small gasp as this realization struck her and in that split second, she felt Sheldon’s tongue lick softly at her bottom lip.
Nothing prepared her for the way her heart seemingly slammed into her ribs at that tiny contact. She was so startled that she pulled away, slightly scared. This wasn’t supposed to be happening, right? This was Sheldon, for crying out loud!
She stood - a little shaky on her feet. He looked up at her.
“Perhaps your hypothesis has some merit,” he said, his voice stunned, hushed... sexy.
Oh, God - this was so not happening.
Penny turned tail and ran for the safety of her own bedroom. And if she dreamt of Sheldon that night - well, that was nobody’s business but hers and nobody else needed to know. It meant nothing.
It didn’t. Right? Right.
***
Valentine’s Day- February 14, 2010
Sheldon had the utmost contempt for the premise - and even more so for the implementation - of Valentine’s Day.
First, the profusion of hearts and candy - everywhere one happened to look. Second, the disgusting over-emotive nature of - good grief - lovers in love. Third, annoying friends pestering the very life out of him by becoming demented over buying the perfect gift for their girlfriends.
It was enough to make him want to lock himself up in his room and throw away the key.
This year, V-Day fell on Cheesecake Factory night. Penny and Bernadette both wore red vests with their uniforms and they bustled about - both having been unable to get the busy day off. Howard and Leonard sported similar dejected looks as they followed their respective girlfriends across the restaurant. Raj was dejected too but drinking and Sheldon thought soon he would be inebriated enough to brave the bar.
He just hoped his friend didn’t need a wingman tonight.
***
Penny and Bernadette were busy.
Actually, busy didn’t even come close to describing how swamped they were. She could hardly remember the last time she had been able to sit down in what was quickly becoming a double shift of epic proportions.
But hey - at least the tips were making it worth their while.
She gave Bernadette a sympathetic smile and she noticed the usually bubbly girl exchange a sad look with Howard. Sucks to have a boyfriend and then not be able to spend V-Day with him. She wished she had a boyfriend to pine after like th... Oh.
Right.
She had Leonard.
Huh, Penny thought as she set a table in record time to keep the restaurant’s turnover rapid. She snuck a peek at Leonard at the boys’ regular table and was surprised to find him looking right back at her with sad, puppy-dog eyes.
All right - so he was bummed that she had to work today of all days - their first Valentine’s Day together - but come on. This was her only job, and seriously? She needed the money. His whiny attitude was totally getting on her last nerve.
Sometimes she just wanted to go Nebraska on his ass.
Then she felt like an ingrate. Leonard was like a near-perfect boyfriend: kind, attentive (sometimes a little too attentive though, and too clingy) and sweet (most of the time). He had done everything right today. She was treated to breakfast in bed - all right, coffee and store-bought muffins in bed - she had gotten the requisite flowers and heart-shaped box of chocolates, and a lovely pair of dangly earrings that she actually adored.
Until she found out that Bernadette got a similar pair and that Howard had picked them out; blue for Bernadette and green for Penny.
Howard.
Jeez. Why was this so hard?
Penny could feel those familiar stirrings of unrest whenever she spent time with Leonard in the recent past. Like there was no spark there.
Like maybe it was time to face the truth. Like what they were doing was just hanging out - as friends.
Just friends with benefits, and jeez - when had that become all right with her?
She was still thinking - obsessing - about that at the end of her shift when she heard a sudden ruckus in the part of the restaurant with the bar and, grabbing her hoodie and bag, she hurried there just in time to see Howard at the keyboard singing another original composition to Bernadette, this time to the tune of ‘My Girl’ just with a whole heck of a lot of baseball metaphors and how he was going to hit a home run tonight and make it to twenty-first base.
Penny snorted at that and couldn’t help the smile on her face as she took in Howard’s mile-wide smile and Bernadette’s bright, happy face.
And wasn’t that the way it should be?
With Leonard these days, everything seemed forced... unnatural. A choked sob bubbled up from somewhere deep inside her and she quickly went out the back entrance before she broke down and ruined everyone’s mood, figuring she would go back in a after getting a little fresh air.
She had only just gotten her emotions under control when Leonard walked up to her.
And bitched. Again.
And this time she had had enough.
And a five month relationship ended in five minutes.
She leaned back against the wall took a deep breath as Leonard stalked away in anger, muttering something about talking to her when she was rational again.
Yeah, so... Nebraska. Maybe with a side of junior-rodeo.
Then Leonard drove off in his car - without a thought of how Sheldon - or how she, for that matter - was going to get home. Then she descended into stupid and cried. She was a horrible, horrible person to break up with a nice guy like Leonard on Valentine’s Day - but... she just couldn’t anymore. Not even for another second, let alone another day.
She hastily wiped the tears from her face when she heard the back door open again.
“Penny?”
Sheldon. Of course it was. It made her want to cry again, but she controlled herself - not wanting to make him uncomfortable.
“Penny, are you all right?”
“Yeah,” she mumbled a little hoarsely, and the smile she gave him was watery. She noticed Raj was with him and she smiled at him too.
Both of them looked at her in concern. She sighed. “Leonard and I broke up.”
The horrified gasp was Raj’s. Sheldon was eerily silent, but the concerned look never once left his face.
“I’m sorry, sweetie,” she sniffed. “Leonard was kinda mad and he left in a hurry. You think you could give us a ride, Raj? I’m ready to leave now if you guys are.” Raj nodded and motioned towards the parking lot. She nodded in understanding and he turned away to get his car. He took about three steps and then turned around again, bit his lip in indecision, and then - obviously making his mind up about something - gave her the quickest hug in the history of the universe and hurried away before she could get a word past the sudden lump in her throat.
Her eyes flooded, and tears spilled over onto her cheeks.
“Penny...” Sheldon’s voice cracked on her name and before she even registered anything else, his arms wrapped around her, pulling her into his warm body. She froze momentarily but then it was all just too much to take and this time she just let the sobs wrack through her body.
Sheldon’s arms tightened their hold on her and her hands clutched at his ugly, ugly jacket.
The thought made her giggle and then she hiccupped - suddenly, ridiculously - fine.
‘Fine’ morphed into ‘content’ and then into what could only be described as ‘sappily happy’ as Sheldon hugged her (and it feels so awesome) and then the words just flowed from his mouth as if he had no control over them (his adorable effort to cheer her up, she thinks) and suddenly he’s rambling that considering some people think of Valentine’s Day as a holiday (even though it isn’t), one could argue that it could be considered as such (seeing as how gifts and cards are exchanged), and then ostensibly (his word, not hers of course), they could revisit her Holiday Kiss Hypothesis.
Penny lifted her face from the comfort of his clavicle and grinned up at him.
“Are you asking if you can kiss me, Sheldon?”
“Er... No? Perhaps it is inappropriate considering what just transpired...,” his voice trailed off. He looked afraid, as if he would bolt any second now. Penny tightened her grip on his jacket.
“Try again, Sheldon.”
“Er... Yes?” With a little sigh.
“Then... Yes.”
Penny’s eyes slipped closed and she waited with baited breath. And waited. The feel of his lips on her forehead is unexpected. An almost-
kiss.
“It’s an almost-holiday,” he says as if that explains everything. And she knew him. It made total sense to her. “And it’s not considered a statutory holiday in the state of California.”
Penny smiled and then placing her hands on his cheeks, she lifts up on her tiptoes and just before pressing her mouth against his, she tells him: “It is in the state of Penny.”
She brushed her lips over his as he huffed out a breath, and she knew - knew - how difficult it was for him not to argue with her, but then he just sighed and kissed her back, sucking her lower lip between his, before letting her do the same to him.
This kiss is different too. This kiss is comforting, warm and moist. It speaks of learning something new, something wonderful and it sparks a flame somewhere in Penny’s heart.
And she thinks it just maybe the most perfect Valentine’s Day kiss ever and it comes as naturally as breathing.
***
President’s Day and George Washington’s Birthday - February 15, 2010
The next morning, Sheldon screwed his courage to the sticking place and went to knock on Penny’s door.
And then tried very hard not to get distracted by the haphazard way her hair fell across her shoulders - and he most definitely was not distracted by her ‘Hello Kitty’ shorts.
He may have been a little distracted by the blue tank top she wore, though.
“Penny,” he started before his bravado could desert him, “I apologize if I over-stepped the bounds of our friendship last night. I realize I have nothing to base this on, but it felt like... it felt like perhaps I made a mistake. Perhaps I took advantage of a difficult time for you... a diffi...”
“Sheldon - honey - what are you talking about?”
“Perhaps kissing you last night was a mistake.”
“You really think that?” Penny asked him quietly - dejectedly - and he wanted to roar: No! It wasn’t a mistake. Everything about that kiss felt right except for maybe - the timing.
“I don’t know what to think,” he muttered instead.
“Then don’t think,” she flashed a smile up at him and his breath stuttered in response. “Do you know what day it is today, Sheldon?” He shook his head, and then - remembering - he nodded. “It’s President’s Day. I checked. It’s a statutory holiday.” He gulped as her hands grasped the lapels of his flannel robe, drew him closer and kissed him.
“It’s also George Washington’s birthday,” she whispered against his lips. “Two holidays in one,” she courteously informed him before kissing him again.
It may well have been the best of their kisses so far, and that was saying a lot because the one last night had been nothing short of spectacular.
His heart did a funny, little jump in his chest.
Honestly, he groaned and if his eyes had been open in that moment, he would have barely refrained from rolling them in disgust at the thought of that physiological impossibility. He was descending into madness - he was certain.
Perhaps he should call his mother. Perhaps it was time to get himself tested again.
***
St. Patrick’s Day - March 17, 2010
The knock on his apartment door came late that night. He was just getting ready for bed and did not appreciate the disruption. If it was Leonard returned from his date, claiming to have lost his keys again, he was going to give his roommate a strike.
He opened the door to his favourite neighbour instead, and then blushed furiously at that thought.
Sure, it was easier now - having this tumultuous, inexplicable affection for Penny taking over his thoughts - especially since she and Leonard had very definitely broken up.
Still - sometimes he felt guilty. And he had no idea why - logically it made no sense. Wait - actually that there hadn’t made any sense.
Sometimes nothing made sense except... Penny.
“It’s St. Paddy’s Day, Sheldon.” He blinked, not sure why she brought that up.
O-kay - so sometimes Penny made no sense at all.
“It’s a holiday in Ireland,” she explained with a playful smirk.
“Huh.” Realization dawned and he swallowed audibly. “We’re not in Ireland, and neither of us are Irish,” he felt obligated to point out, even though he felt his traitorous body gravitate towards her.
“That’s okay, sweetie - I’m one-eighth Irish. So, er... Kiss me, cowboy - I’m Irish.”
***
Memorial Day - May 31, 2010
Their Memorial Day kiss was... memorable.
It was charming, it was irresistible - it was Sheldon.
It was perfect.
***
Canada Day - July 1, 2010
“Sheldon?”
“It’s Canada Day.”
“Oh!” Penny giggled. “We’re not in Canada,” she whispered as she twined her arms around his neck and nuzzled his chin with her nose.
“Meemaw’s part-Canadian on her father’s mother’s side.”
“Oh. All right then. Are you gonna say it?”
“Kiss me, Penny - I’m Canadian.”
***
Independence Day - July 4, 2010
“Hey Sheldon?”
“Mmm?”
“Whose Holiday Kiss Hypothesis was correct - yours or mine?”
“I think it’s too soon to tell...”
“Sheldon.”
“Yours, definitely yours.”
“Huh. Maybe this science thing isn’t so hard after all.”
“Mmm.”
“Sheldon?”
“Mmm?”
“The next stat holiday is Labour Day.”
“But... but - that’s in September!”
“I know.”
“Oh.”
“Oh.”
***
Monday - July 5, 2010
Knock. Knock. Knock. “Penny.”
Knock. Knock. Knock. “Penny.”
Knock. Knock. Knock. “Penny.”
“Sheldon? Come on in.”
“I need to kiss you.”
“You need to, huh?”
“Yes. Definitely. Now.”
“Is it - like, Australia Day or something?”
“Not that I know of.”
“Oh. So...”
“It’s Monday, Penny. Just Monday.”
“Monday?”
“Monday.”
“I love you, Sheldon.”
“I... you...? Really? Me? I... I love you, Penny. I think I have for a really long time.”
“I think I have for a really long time too, Sheldon. So are we gonna do this?”
“Well, it is Monday after all.”
“I don’t know why people don’t like Mondays. I think it may just be my favourite day of the week.”
“Mmm... mine too... until maybe, you know - Tuesday.”
***
Spoilers: Everything up to and including most of Season 3
Rating: PG
Word Count: 4,014
Disclaimer: Everything you recognize is not mine... I only stake my claim on the plot and the Sheldon (but just to borrow - I swear I’ll give him back. You know, eventually).
A/N: Warning: Major schmoopage ahead. Oh well. I love them and I think they totally deserve some schmoop once in a while. Hope y’all like this too!
X-Posted to Paradox: community.livejournal.com/sheldon_penny/884550.html
The Holiday Kiss Hypothesis - Part Two
New Year’s Eve at midnight - January 1, 2010
Sheldon stood tall in the corner of Penny’s living room, silently surveying the sea of mostly intoxicated bodies swaying to what Penny loosely termed ‘music’. He tried not to fidget as he watched people bump and grind against each other in the midst of the mayhem of this so-called New Year’s party and asked himself - for the umpteenth time - what he was doing here when he could be snuggled up in bed.
He suppressed the feeling of acute discomfort and glanced longingly at the front door, beyond which sweet, sweet freedom awaited.
“Don’t even think about it.”
Penny. The bane of his existence - well, one of several, but the most consistently annoying, and the one in closest proximity to him at the moment - cleverly disguised as his friend. Of course - who else, really?
“I don’t know what you mean,” he stated loudly, his voice still getting lost in the music that the other neighbours didn’t seem to mind - this night at least. Penny just rolled her eyes.
“I see you looking to escape, Sheldon Cooper, and you can just forget about it,” she jovially told him as she squeezed past him and into the kitchen to re-fill a bowl with chips.
“I don’t see why my presence here is required.”
“You’re not going anywhere until I get my New Year’s kiss - that’s why,” she smirked up at him, mischief and a challenge glinting in her green eyes. “That a good enough reason for ya?”
Sheldon gulped. And for wont of something to do, he nodded.
“See you at midnight, sweetie. And try and enjoy the party!”
Listen to her, Sheldon thought to himself in disgust. When had ‘enjoy the party’ and ‘Sheldon Cooper’ ever been used in the same context? He glanced at the microwave clock. Fifteen minutes.
Why he waited, he couldn’t be certain. It surely had nothing to do with Penny’s Holiday Kiss Hypothesis. The one that she had teased him with on Christmas Day. The one he really, really wanted to disprove. He had hoped that kissing her would prove her wrong, but instead - instead, he found himself reliving that kiss on numerous occasions in the interim. Numerous occasion - when he should have been doing other, more important things like reading comic books, or you know - working.
His outer mien never betrayed his thoughts of course, but he would be lying if he denied that his gaze often slipped to Penny’s mouth, and he wondered - and imagined - what it would feel like to kiss her again. And er... again.
In the interest of science, of course. As if there could be any other viable reason for it.
Every good scientist knows that in order to prove any hypothesis correct, you must design an experiment accordingly and execute said experiment numerous times to prove reproducibility of results and show statistically significant data.
That was what he was doing. It wasn’t personal. It wasn’t. It was scientific. And Sheldon was down with that.
He visibly started when he heard the sudden quiet in the room, and a minute later - the countdown resonated through the room. A sick, shivery feeling started in his stomach and rose up through his chest and throat and threatened to choke him. He stilled his breathing - once, twice - but it was hard to slow his suddenly erratic heart rate. He looked over at Penny, his eyes finding her without hesitation as if he was somehow tuned into her location.
She was kissing Leonard.
Leonard.
Oh. He had forgotten about Leonard. Huh.
Then, suddenly, Penny stood before him - jade eyes sparkling and a smile on her face. His gaze dipped - involuntarily - to her mouth. He didn’t mean to, but he licked his lips.
Then she leaned up - hands braced on his chest - and kissed him and - impossible as it may have seemed - his mind went completely and utterly... blank.
Then he let Penny let him go and ran away -not like a scared little girl, absolutely not - to the sanctity and sanctuary of his bedroom.
***
Martin Luther King Day - January 18, 2010
Penny sighed.
She was seated - if you could call her slouch on the couch that - in the middle, between Sheldon and Leonard, watching TV, but not really paying attention to anything at all. The guys were talking around her but she was too tired from working a double shift - it was Martin Luther King Day and the Cheesecake Factory had been packed - to pay any attention to the conversation. She kept dozing off, her head listing to the right until it settled on Leonard’s shoulder - which, after a few minutes, started to give her a painful crick in her neck.
She shifted, briefly cracking one eye open to glance at the TV screen where they were watching Star Trek for, like, the thirtieth time. She didn’t mind though because she actually liked this movie. Chris Pine was hot and - yeah, she didn’t mind at all. She tried to get comfortable leaning her head back against the couch, but that meant slouching a bit more and her back ached already. Really - how did she get stuck with the middle cushion all the time? She cast a longing look at Sheldon’s spot with that awesome big, comfy, stripey cushion, but then sighed and turned back to the TV - it was one of her favourite scenes, the one with Spock and Uhura in the elevator.
The scene with the kiss - well, kisses - that Sheldon always complained were superfluous and unnecessary. She smirked and wondered how he felt about it now, after their Holiday Kiss Hypothesis experiment, and she looked over at him.
He was looking at her.
She gulped. His electric blue eyes felt like lasers where they burned into hers, but then she blinked and the look was gone. He was watching the screen again and she was sure she imagined the whole thing.
Except... except, his mouth had tightened at the corners, and his focus on the movie seemed too intense, even for Sheldon, and he seemed to be holding his breath. And... yeah.
Penny hurriedly looked away, her heartbeat skittering over itself.
Okay. So that wasn’t weird at all.
She blinked unseeingly at the screen. So. Their kisses on Christmas and New Year’s had been... nice. Friendly. Yes. Friendly and nice. Nice and friendly. Which made sense because they were both friends and they were both nice, right?
Except... except, for the tingling and the prickling of awareness that had ricocheted through her body. Through her head. Through her heart.
Crap. She had already given herself a whole damn lecture on the different reasons she should never think of those kisses again. The biggest reason of which was currently sitting on her right. Leonard. Her boyfriend, boyfriend, boyfriend.
She sighed again, pushing all thoughts of kisses - and kissing Sheldon - out of her head. If she could give her brain three strikes and banish these wayward thoughts from her head, she would have. Instead, she closed her eyes, leaned her head back and let sleep take her again.
***
It was dark when she stirred, coming awake quietly, too cozy and comfortable to get up all the way though. That’s when she realized she had dozed off with her head on Sheldon’s shoulder this time. And hey, whad’ya know? No crick. And he just sat there, reading a book - not a comic book, but a real one.
He turned his head to look down at her when she lifted her head off his shoulder.
“Finally.” He sounded supremely relieved.
“Sorry, Sheldon,” Penny mumbled sleepily, still not completely awake - and she was loathe to pull away from the warmth of his body, where her side pressed against his arm. “Did you stay here just ‘cause I...?”
“You seemed tired.”
“Mmm - double shift...”
“I know.”
“Thank you,” she said quietly. “Where is everyone?”
“Leonard went to drop off Raj and Howard.”
“I guess I should go home and get to bed.”
“Good idea - you have the early shift tomorrow. It should be less hectic though - the first day back after a holiday usually is.”
“Yes,” she looked up at him in surprise. He somehow always seemed to know her schedule, changes and all. “It usually is.”
They looked at each other in silence. The only light came from the lamp on the side table next to Sheldon, and it made the large room seem smaller somehow - more intimate. Very intimate. Penny found herself unable to drag her gaze away from Sheldon’s.
“It’s past my bed time, Penny,” he stated softly. A whisper, really. It made her look at his mouth, enthralled. She consciously snapped her mind back to reality.
“Er... yeah, sorry - sorry about that, Sheldon,” she muttered as she slowly - reluctantly - slid away from his body. “You should have woken me, sweetie,” she gently admonished him with a rueful smile.
“It’s a holiday today,” he told her - the words tumbling out of his mouth as if he hadn’t meant them to be spoken aloud - and she blinked at the non-sequitor.
It only took a few seconds for his meaning to sink in but even before then - before he said anything and before she knew what was happening - they were moving inexorably closer.
This kiss was sweeter than the first two; softer, fleeting - lips just ghosting over one another. There was no one else around this time; it wasn’t for show.
This time it meant... something.
Penny’s mouth opened on a small gasp as this realization struck her and in that split second, she felt Sheldon’s tongue lick softly at her bottom lip.
Nothing prepared her for the way her heart seemingly slammed into her ribs at that tiny contact. She was so startled that she pulled away, slightly scared. This wasn’t supposed to be happening, right? This was Sheldon, for crying out loud!
She stood - a little shaky on her feet. He looked up at her.
“Perhaps your hypothesis has some merit,” he said, his voice stunned, hushed... sexy.
Oh, God - this was so not happening.
Penny turned tail and ran for the safety of her own bedroom. And if she dreamt of Sheldon that night - well, that was nobody’s business but hers and nobody else needed to know. It meant nothing.
It didn’t. Right? Right.
***
Valentine’s Day- February 14, 2010
Sheldon had the utmost contempt for the premise - and even more so for the implementation - of Valentine’s Day.
First, the profusion of hearts and candy - everywhere one happened to look. Second, the disgusting over-emotive nature of - good grief - lovers in love. Third, annoying friends pestering the very life out of him by becoming demented over buying the perfect gift for their girlfriends.
It was enough to make him want to lock himself up in his room and throw away the key.
This year, V-Day fell on Cheesecake Factory night. Penny and Bernadette both wore red vests with their uniforms and they bustled about - both having been unable to get the busy day off. Howard and Leonard sported similar dejected looks as they followed their respective girlfriends across the restaurant. Raj was dejected too but drinking and Sheldon thought soon he would be inebriated enough to brave the bar.
He just hoped his friend didn’t need a wingman tonight.
***
Penny and Bernadette were busy.
Actually, busy didn’t even come close to describing how swamped they were. She could hardly remember the last time she had been able to sit down in what was quickly becoming a double shift of epic proportions.
But hey - at least the tips were making it worth their while.
She gave Bernadette a sympathetic smile and she noticed the usually bubbly girl exchange a sad look with Howard. Sucks to have a boyfriend and then not be able to spend V-Day with him. She wished she had a boyfriend to pine after like th... Oh.
Right.
She had Leonard.
Huh, Penny thought as she set a table in record time to keep the restaurant’s turnover rapid. She snuck a peek at Leonard at the boys’ regular table and was surprised to find him looking right back at her with sad, puppy-dog eyes.
All right - so he was bummed that she had to work today of all days - their first Valentine’s Day together - but come on. This was her only job, and seriously? She needed the money. His whiny attitude was totally getting on her last nerve.
Sometimes she just wanted to go Nebraska on his ass.
Then she felt like an ingrate. Leonard was like a near-perfect boyfriend: kind, attentive (sometimes a little too attentive though, and too clingy) and sweet (most of the time). He had done everything right today. She was treated to breakfast in bed - all right, coffee and store-bought muffins in bed - she had gotten the requisite flowers and heart-shaped box of chocolates, and a lovely pair of dangly earrings that she actually adored.
Until she found out that Bernadette got a similar pair and that Howard had picked them out; blue for Bernadette and green for Penny.
Howard.
Jeez. Why was this so hard?
Penny could feel those familiar stirrings of unrest whenever she spent time with Leonard in the recent past. Like there was no spark there.
Like maybe it was time to face the truth. Like what they were doing was just hanging out - as friends.
Just friends with benefits, and jeez - when had that become all right with her?
She was still thinking - obsessing - about that at the end of her shift when she heard a sudden ruckus in the part of the restaurant with the bar and, grabbing her hoodie and bag, she hurried there just in time to see Howard at the keyboard singing another original composition to Bernadette, this time to the tune of ‘My Girl’ just with a whole heck of a lot of baseball metaphors and how he was going to hit a home run tonight and make it to twenty-first base.
Penny snorted at that and couldn’t help the smile on her face as she took in Howard’s mile-wide smile and Bernadette’s bright, happy face.
And wasn’t that the way it should be?
With Leonard these days, everything seemed forced... unnatural. A choked sob bubbled up from somewhere deep inside her and she quickly went out the back entrance before she broke down and ruined everyone’s mood, figuring she would go back in a after getting a little fresh air.
She had only just gotten her emotions under control when Leonard walked up to her.
And bitched. Again.
And this time she had had enough.
And a five month relationship ended in five minutes.
She leaned back against the wall took a deep breath as Leonard stalked away in anger, muttering something about talking to her when she was rational again.
Yeah, so... Nebraska. Maybe with a side of junior-rodeo.
Then Leonard drove off in his car - without a thought of how Sheldon - or how she, for that matter - was going to get home. Then she descended into stupid and cried. She was a horrible, horrible person to break up with a nice guy like Leonard on Valentine’s Day - but... she just couldn’t anymore. Not even for another second, let alone another day.
She hastily wiped the tears from her face when she heard the back door open again.
“Penny?”
Sheldon. Of course it was. It made her want to cry again, but she controlled herself - not wanting to make him uncomfortable.
“Penny, are you all right?”
“Yeah,” she mumbled a little hoarsely, and the smile she gave him was watery. She noticed Raj was with him and she smiled at him too.
Both of them looked at her in concern. She sighed. “Leonard and I broke up.”
The horrified gasp was Raj’s. Sheldon was eerily silent, but the concerned look never once left his face.
“I’m sorry, sweetie,” she sniffed. “Leonard was kinda mad and he left in a hurry. You think you could give us a ride, Raj? I’m ready to leave now if you guys are.” Raj nodded and motioned towards the parking lot. She nodded in understanding and he turned away to get his car. He took about three steps and then turned around again, bit his lip in indecision, and then - obviously making his mind up about something - gave her the quickest hug in the history of the universe and hurried away before she could get a word past the sudden lump in her throat.
Her eyes flooded, and tears spilled over onto her cheeks.
“Penny...” Sheldon’s voice cracked on her name and before she even registered anything else, his arms wrapped around her, pulling her into his warm body. She froze momentarily but then it was all just too much to take and this time she just let the sobs wrack through her body.
Sheldon’s arms tightened their hold on her and her hands clutched at his ugly, ugly jacket.
The thought made her giggle and then she hiccupped - suddenly, ridiculously - fine.
‘Fine’ morphed into ‘content’ and then into what could only be described as ‘sappily happy’ as Sheldon hugged her (and it feels so awesome) and then the words just flowed from his mouth as if he had no control over them (his adorable effort to cheer her up, she thinks) and suddenly he’s rambling that considering some people think of Valentine’s Day as a holiday (even though it isn’t), one could argue that it could be considered as such (seeing as how gifts and cards are exchanged), and then ostensibly (his word, not hers of course), they could revisit her Holiday Kiss Hypothesis.
Penny lifted her face from the comfort of his clavicle and grinned up at him.
“Are you asking if you can kiss me, Sheldon?”
“Er... No? Perhaps it is inappropriate considering what just transpired...,” his voice trailed off. He looked afraid, as if he would bolt any second now. Penny tightened her grip on his jacket.
“Try again, Sheldon.”
“Er... Yes?” With a little sigh.
“Then... Yes.”
Penny’s eyes slipped closed and she waited with baited breath. And waited. The feel of his lips on her forehead is unexpected. An almost-
kiss.
“It’s an almost-holiday,” he says as if that explains everything. And she knew him. It made total sense to her. “And it’s not considered a statutory holiday in the state of California.”
Penny smiled and then placing her hands on his cheeks, she lifts up on her tiptoes and just before pressing her mouth against his, she tells him: “It is in the state of Penny.”
She brushed her lips over his as he huffed out a breath, and she knew - knew - how difficult it was for him not to argue with her, but then he just sighed and kissed her back, sucking her lower lip between his, before letting her do the same to him.
This kiss is different too. This kiss is comforting, warm and moist. It speaks of learning something new, something wonderful and it sparks a flame somewhere in Penny’s heart.
And she thinks it just maybe the most perfect Valentine’s Day kiss ever and it comes as naturally as breathing.
***
President’s Day and George Washington’s Birthday - February 15, 2010
The next morning, Sheldon screwed his courage to the sticking place and went to knock on Penny’s door.
And then tried very hard not to get distracted by the haphazard way her hair fell across her shoulders - and he most definitely was not distracted by her ‘Hello Kitty’ shorts.
He may have been a little distracted by the blue tank top she wore, though.
“Penny,” he started before his bravado could desert him, “I apologize if I over-stepped the bounds of our friendship last night. I realize I have nothing to base this on, but it felt like... it felt like perhaps I made a mistake. Perhaps I took advantage of a difficult time for you... a diffi...”
“Sheldon - honey - what are you talking about?”
“Perhaps kissing you last night was a mistake.”
“You really think that?” Penny asked him quietly - dejectedly - and he wanted to roar: No! It wasn’t a mistake. Everything about that kiss felt right except for maybe - the timing.
“I don’t know what to think,” he muttered instead.
“Then don’t think,” she flashed a smile up at him and his breath stuttered in response. “Do you know what day it is today, Sheldon?” He shook his head, and then - remembering - he nodded. “It’s President’s Day. I checked. It’s a statutory holiday.” He gulped as her hands grasped the lapels of his flannel robe, drew him closer and kissed him.
“It’s also George Washington’s birthday,” she whispered against his lips. “Two holidays in one,” she courteously informed him before kissing him again.
It may well have been the best of their kisses so far, and that was saying a lot because the one last night had been nothing short of spectacular.
His heart did a funny, little jump in his chest.
Honestly, he groaned and if his eyes had been open in that moment, he would have barely refrained from rolling them in disgust at the thought of that physiological impossibility. He was descending into madness - he was certain.
Perhaps he should call his mother. Perhaps it was time to get himself tested again.
***
St. Patrick’s Day - March 17, 2010
The knock on his apartment door came late that night. He was just getting ready for bed and did not appreciate the disruption. If it was Leonard returned from his date, claiming to have lost his keys again, he was going to give his roommate a strike.
He opened the door to his favourite neighbour instead, and then blushed furiously at that thought.
Sure, it was easier now - having this tumultuous, inexplicable affection for Penny taking over his thoughts - especially since she and Leonard had very definitely broken up.
Still - sometimes he felt guilty. And he had no idea why - logically it made no sense. Wait - actually that there hadn’t made any sense.
Sometimes nothing made sense except... Penny.
“It’s St. Paddy’s Day, Sheldon.” He blinked, not sure why she brought that up.
O-kay - so sometimes Penny made no sense at all.
“It’s a holiday in Ireland,” she explained with a playful smirk.
“Huh.” Realization dawned and he swallowed audibly. “We’re not in Ireland, and neither of us are Irish,” he felt obligated to point out, even though he felt his traitorous body gravitate towards her.
“That’s okay, sweetie - I’m one-eighth Irish. So, er... Kiss me, cowboy - I’m Irish.”
***
Memorial Day - May 31, 2010
Their Memorial Day kiss was... memorable.
It was charming, it was irresistible - it was Sheldon.
It was perfect.
***
Canada Day - July 1, 2010
“Sheldon?”
“It’s Canada Day.”
“Oh!” Penny giggled. “We’re not in Canada,” she whispered as she twined her arms around his neck and nuzzled his chin with her nose.
“Meemaw’s part-Canadian on her father’s mother’s side.”
“Oh. All right then. Are you gonna say it?”
“Kiss me, Penny - I’m Canadian.”
***
Independence Day - July 4, 2010
“Hey Sheldon?”
“Mmm?”
“Whose Holiday Kiss Hypothesis was correct - yours or mine?”
“I think it’s too soon to tell...”
“Sheldon.”
“Yours, definitely yours.”
“Huh. Maybe this science thing isn’t so hard after all.”
“Mmm.”
“Sheldon?”
“Mmm?”
“The next stat holiday is Labour Day.”
“But... but - that’s in September!”
“I know.”
“Oh.”
“Oh.”
***
Monday - July 5, 2010
Knock. Knock. Knock. “Penny.”
Knock. Knock. Knock. “Penny.”
Knock. Knock. Knock. “Penny.”
“Sheldon? Come on in.”
“I need to kiss you.”
“You need to, huh?”
“Yes. Definitely. Now.”
“Is it - like, Australia Day or something?”
“Not that I know of.”
“Oh. So...”
“It’s Monday, Penny. Just Monday.”
“Monday?”
“Monday.”
“I love you, Sheldon.”
“I... you...? Really? Me? I... I love you, Penny. I think I have for a really long time.”
“I think I have for a really long time too, Sheldon. So are we gonna do this?”
“Well, it is Monday after all.”
“I don’t know why people don’t like Mondays. I think it may just be my favourite day of the week.”
“Mmm... mine too... until maybe, you know - Tuesday.”
***