Gardenias and a Sprite Can (The Big Bang Theory, Sheldon/Penny, #11)
Title: Gardenias and a Sprite Can
Author/Artist: mrsvc
Pairing: Sheldon/Penny
Fandom: The Big Bang Theory
Theme: #11, Gardenia
Disclaimer: I do not own The Big Bang Theory, Sheldon Cooper, Penny, or basically anything.
Warnings: None.
#11 Gardenia
Sheldon Cooper hated these department parties. They always seemed to end badly. The last one he attended ended in the termination of his work at the university. No, Sheldon Cooper did not like these department parties at all.
He found himself outside the college on a bench, sipping his Sprite and waiting on Leonard and the others to be done with their needy schmuzing. He was an asset to this institution and therefore did not need to kiss up to the new benefactor. He put the small straw between his lips and sucked as he watched Leslie Winkle pull her Victim of the Week into a bush. He could see her practically biting his lip off in what he supposed was a kiss before he stumbled into the brush and (thankfully) out of his sight. He huffed at this display of physiological neediness and once again resigned himself to live forever in the mystery of human interaction.
The straw slurped against the bottom of the empty can and he moved to go throw it away in a trash can before he saw her run from the building. She was wearing a large Gardenia in her bun and a white dress that seemed to glow in the moonlight. His eyebrows pushed together at the sight before she saw him and ran to him.
She didn't say a word, just sat next to him and laid her head on his shoulder and cried.
She cried because Leonard had brought her as arm candy. She thought that maybe they could go somewhere this time around. It wasn't right for him to hurt her again. Sheldon wanted to ask why she would think Leonard would do something like that before she drew in a shuddering breath and sobbed out the whole story.
How she had tried so hard to look beautiful for him.
How he had walked into the party with his eyes on everyone but her.
How she had overheard him and another scientist having a buddy-buddy moment on what a stud Leonard must be for scoring that.
How Leslie Winkle had actually insulted her before running off with another man to make Leonard notice her.
How jealous Leonard had been when Leslie looked over her shoulder to make sure she was watching.
She cried until the entire lapel of his sport coat was soaked with her make-up and tears. She reached over and pulled the matching hankerchief out of his breast pocket but he couldn't bring himself to speak, to protest. She wiped her face, smearing the mascara stains all over and blew her nose before she stuffed it back in his pocket. She sighed and buried her head back into his soaked shoulder. She breathed in the slight scent of his Dial Antibacterial body bar and something that smelled vaguely of paper.
"Thank you, Sheldon," she whispered. She patted his hand and she felt him smile a little. She stood up and told him she was going to the bathroom to reapply her make-up and that she would get his jacket cleaned for him. She smiled once and turned to go but Sheldon yelled for her.
"Penny!" he said, no emotion evident in his voice. She turned to see her Gardenia in his hand. He stood and walked to her.
"It must have fallen out when I was sobbing like a mess all over you. Than-" she started when he reached up and placed it carefully back in her hair. She knew he was putting it back in the exact spot she had worn it all evening. When he stepped back to ensure it was placed just as he liked it, she grabbed his hand and squeezed again. "Thank you." She entered the building and he picked up his Sprite and threw it in the trash.
Sheldon Cooper hated these department parties. They always seemed to end badly. The first one ended in him being canned and the second with Leonard back in a relationship with Leslie Winkle and Penny in tears. No, Sheldon Cooper did not like these department parties at all.
Author/Artist: mrsvc
Pairing: Sheldon/Penny
Fandom: The Big Bang Theory
Theme: #11, Gardenia
Disclaimer: I do not own The Big Bang Theory, Sheldon Cooper, Penny, or basically anything.
Warnings: None.
#11 Gardenia
Sheldon Cooper hated these department parties. They always seemed to end badly. The last one he attended ended in the termination of his work at the university. No, Sheldon Cooper did not like these department parties at all.
He found himself outside the college on a bench, sipping his Sprite and waiting on Leonard and the others to be done with their needy schmuzing. He was an asset to this institution and therefore did not need to kiss up to the new benefactor. He put the small straw between his lips and sucked as he watched Leslie Winkle pull her Victim of the Week into a bush. He could see her practically biting his lip off in what he supposed was a kiss before he stumbled into the brush and (thankfully) out of his sight. He huffed at this display of physiological neediness and once again resigned himself to live forever in the mystery of human interaction.
The straw slurped against the bottom of the empty can and he moved to go throw it away in a trash can before he saw her run from the building. She was wearing a large Gardenia in her bun and a white dress that seemed to glow in the moonlight. His eyebrows pushed together at the sight before she saw him and ran to him.
She didn't say a word, just sat next to him and laid her head on his shoulder and cried.
She cried because Leonard had brought her as arm candy. She thought that maybe they could go somewhere this time around. It wasn't right for him to hurt her again. Sheldon wanted to ask why she would think Leonard would do something like that before she drew in a shuddering breath and sobbed out the whole story.
How she had tried so hard to look beautiful for him.
How he had walked into the party with his eyes on everyone but her.
How she had overheard him and another scientist having a buddy-buddy moment on what a stud Leonard must be for scoring that.
How Leslie Winkle had actually insulted her before running off with another man to make Leonard notice her.
How jealous Leonard had been when Leslie looked over her shoulder to make sure she was watching.
She cried until the entire lapel of his sport coat was soaked with her make-up and tears. She reached over and pulled the matching hankerchief out of his breast pocket but he couldn't bring himself to speak, to protest. She wiped her face, smearing the mascara stains all over and blew her nose before she stuffed it back in his pocket. She sighed and buried her head back into his soaked shoulder. She breathed in the slight scent of his Dial Antibacterial body bar and something that smelled vaguely of paper.
"Thank you, Sheldon," she whispered. She patted his hand and she felt him smile a little. She stood up and told him she was going to the bathroom to reapply her make-up and that she would get his jacket cleaned for him. She smiled once and turned to go but Sheldon yelled for her.
"Penny!" he said, no emotion evident in his voice. She turned to see her Gardenia in his hand. He stood and walked to her.
"It must have fallen out when I was sobbing like a mess all over you. Than-" she started when he reached up and placed it carefully back in her hair. She knew he was putting it back in the exact spot she had worn it all evening. When he stepped back to ensure it was placed just as he liked it, she grabbed his hand and squeezed again. "Thank you." She entered the building and he picked up his Sprite and threw it in the trash.
Sheldon Cooper hated these department parties. They always seemed to end badly. The first one ended in him being canned and the second with Leonard back in a relationship with Leslie Winkle and Penny in tears. No, Sheldon Cooper did not like these department parties at all.