As We Escape In A Carousel Carriage (Holiday Swapt Gift for lonegungal17)
Title: As We Escape In A Carousel Carriage
Rating: PG
Pairing: Penny/Sheldon
Disclaimers: TBBT and it's characters are not mine.
Summary: While at a carnival, Penny tries to avoid people that are not Sheldon.
A/N: This is a Paradox Secret Santa fic for lonegungal17 whose prompt was 'Penny and Sheldon visit an amusement park'. It is also a bit of future AU since, in my mind, it takes place around NEXT Christmas. Hope you enjoy!
Penny strolled down the walkway beside Sheldon, only half-listening to what he was saying. He seemed to be really enjoying explaining to her how the scams at some of the booths worked, so she had decided to just be quiet awhile and let him talk. Tearing off a piece of cotton candy, she popped it in her mouth - loving the way it dissolved almost instantly.
"...and that's why it is extremely difficult to knock all of the milk jars down with a single throw."
"Oh, sweetie, that's really fascinating."
Sheldon beamed at her.
"If you liked that, then you'll love how they rig the duck shoot. You see, the gun that is used is..."
Penny smiled and nodded as he continued his explanation. She hoped the other guys were enjoying the carnival as much as she was. When she got her six free tickets as a Christmas present from work, she knew exactly who she would be taking: Sheldon, Leonard, Raj, Howard and Bernadette.
Though, she could admit to herself that she was secretly glad when Howard and Bernadette had split off to to do their own thing, and Leonard had decided to join Raj on the Ferris Wheel. Howard had become more bearable since dating Bernadette, but he still got on her nerves. And Leonard...well, it was just nice to escape the tense atmosphere that hung around them ever since the break up.
Her eyes wandered ahead of her and then widened when she spotted Howard and Bernadette walking toward them. She wasn't quite ready to give up the good time she was having alone with Sheldon, so she frantically looked around for somewhere to hide. Then she recognized the twirling ride not fifty feet in front of them.
"Sheldon, look! A merry-go-round! Let's go on it! Please?!"
After looking a bit put-out at her interruption, Sheldon followed her pointing finger until his eyes landed on the large carousel just ahead. His expression changed from 'mildly annoyed' to 'happily interested' in the space of a heart beat.
"As it just so happens, Penny, I find carousels highly enjoyable and would be delighted to join you. Did you know that the first carousel was invented in..."
"Yeah, yeah. Come on! Howard and Bernadette are coming toward us, and I really don't feel like talking to them right now. Besides, the line's not too big, so if we hurry we can be in the next group."
Penny quickly pulled Sheldon along, and they got there just in time to board the carousel with a handful of other adults and children. She looked around, trying to pick a place to sit, when Sheldon grabbed her arm and drug her into a carriage with high sides. After the workers made sure everyone was seated, the ride began to move.
Sheldon squirmed to face her on the narrow bench they were sitting on.
"Penny, why didn't you want to join Howard and Bernadette?"
"I'm sorry, sweetie, but I was just having a good time hanging out with you and talking. You know, just the two of us. You don't mind, right?"
Sheldon crossed his legs to get more comfortable, and had to put one of his long arms across the back of their seat.
"Well, I suppose I cannot blame you for seizing an opportunity to have my undivided attention. Upon what topic would you like to converse?"
Penny racked her brain for something to talk to him about. Usually, she had no problem. Even when they were talking about awkward or uncomfortable subjects, she still found it surprisingly easy.
So why was her brain failing her now?
She looked up into his bright, blue eyes. Her mouth fell slightly open as if it was sure her brain would kick it into gear at any moment. His eyes darted down. Instead of looking into her own, they were now staring at her mouth. Sheldon Cooper was staring at her mouth.
Involuntarily, her tongue darted out to moisten her lips, and Penny watched as he followed the movement. She couldn't help it. She had to ask.
"Sheldon, would you like to kiss me?"
His Adam's apple bounced up and down as he swallowed, and his eyes again met hers.
"I - I thought you wanted to talk?"
"I changed my mind."
Penny wouldn't have been surprised if he had failed to hear her whispered words above the racket her heart was making at the moment but, to her relief, he responded with a shakily whispered, "Okay", before he slowly started to lean his head toward her.
While her stupid, slow brain was still trying to catch up with what was happening, her head and lips had no such problems.
She met Sheldon's lips in a soft, gentle kiss.
It only lasted maybe five seconds, then Sheldon pulled away. He looked at her for a moment, then he started to look everywhere BUT at her. After a few seconds more went by and he still didn't say anything, Penny cleared her throat.
"Sheldon? Honey? Are you okay?"
His eyes came back to hers and held.
"Of course I am, Penny. It's just as this is the first time I have initiated a kiss with someone, I am taking in all the sights and sounds around me as to make a complete sensory memory of the event."
"I see. So does that mean you...um...enjoyed it?"
Penny watched as a rare softness crept across his features.
"Very much so. And yourself?"
"Very much so."
Sheldon smiled at her, and she was about to lean forward to initiate a kiss of her own when a voice stopped her.
"Hey, guys! Do you mind if we join you?"
Penny looked past Sheldon at a grinning Howard and Bernadette.
"Oh, I would love that, Howard, but I don't think there's enough room."
"What do you mean? Of course there is, see?"
Howard helped Bernadette into the carriage and into the small seat across from her and Sheldon.
Penny's eyes widened as thoughts swirled around her head: There was another seat in the carriage. Which meant Sheldon hadn't had to sit by her. In her haste to get away from the others, she must've missed it. And then...other things happened. But, surely Sheldon hadn't missed it. And if he hadn't, then why had he sat next to her and not in the empty seat across from her?
Sheldon squeezed her shoulder with the hand that was attached to the arm that was lightly brushing her back.
Penny grinned as the realization hit her, and she leaned forward to whisper in his ear.
"You dog."
All she got in reply was a triumphant smirk, as they listened to Howard describe how he almost won Bernadette a unicorn in the duck shoot booth.
Rating: PG
Pairing: Penny/Sheldon
Disclaimers: TBBT and it's characters are not mine.
Summary: While at a carnival, Penny tries to avoid people that are not Sheldon.
A/N: This is a Paradox Secret Santa fic for lonegungal17 whose prompt was 'Penny and Sheldon visit an amusement park'. It is also a bit of future AU since, in my mind, it takes place around NEXT Christmas. Hope you enjoy!
Penny strolled down the walkway beside Sheldon, only half-listening to what he was saying. He seemed to be really enjoying explaining to her how the scams at some of the booths worked, so she had decided to just be quiet awhile and let him talk. Tearing off a piece of cotton candy, she popped it in her mouth - loving the way it dissolved almost instantly.
"...and that's why it is extremely difficult to knock all of the milk jars down with a single throw."
"Oh, sweetie, that's really fascinating."
Sheldon beamed at her.
"If you liked that, then you'll love how they rig the duck shoot. You see, the gun that is used is..."
Penny smiled and nodded as he continued his explanation. She hoped the other guys were enjoying the carnival as much as she was. When she got her six free tickets as a Christmas present from work, she knew exactly who she would be taking: Sheldon, Leonard, Raj, Howard and Bernadette.
Though, she could admit to herself that she was secretly glad when Howard and Bernadette had split off to to do their own thing, and Leonard had decided to join Raj on the Ferris Wheel. Howard had become more bearable since dating Bernadette, but he still got on her nerves. And Leonard...well, it was just nice to escape the tense atmosphere that hung around them ever since the break up.
Her eyes wandered ahead of her and then widened when she spotted Howard and Bernadette walking toward them. She wasn't quite ready to give up the good time she was having alone with Sheldon, so she frantically looked around for somewhere to hide. Then she recognized the twirling ride not fifty feet in front of them.
"Sheldon, look! A merry-go-round! Let's go on it! Please?!"
After looking a bit put-out at her interruption, Sheldon followed her pointing finger until his eyes landed on the large carousel just ahead. His expression changed from 'mildly annoyed' to 'happily interested' in the space of a heart beat.
"As it just so happens, Penny, I find carousels highly enjoyable and would be delighted to join you. Did you know that the first carousel was invented in..."
"Yeah, yeah. Come on! Howard and Bernadette are coming toward us, and I really don't feel like talking to them right now. Besides, the line's not too big, so if we hurry we can be in the next group."
Penny quickly pulled Sheldon along, and they got there just in time to board the carousel with a handful of other adults and children. She looked around, trying to pick a place to sit, when Sheldon grabbed her arm and drug her into a carriage with high sides. After the workers made sure everyone was seated, the ride began to move.
Sheldon squirmed to face her on the narrow bench they were sitting on.
"Penny, why didn't you want to join Howard and Bernadette?"
"I'm sorry, sweetie, but I was just having a good time hanging out with you and talking. You know, just the two of us. You don't mind, right?"
Sheldon crossed his legs to get more comfortable, and had to put one of his long arms across the back of their seat.
"Well, I suppose I cannot blame you for seizing an opportunity to have my undivided attention. Upon what topic would you like to converse?"
Penny racked her brain for something to talk to him about. Usually, she had no problem. Even when they were talking about awkward or uncomfortable subjects, she still found it surprisingly easy.
So why was her brain failing her now?
She looked up into his bright, blue eyes. Her mouth fell slightly open as if it was sure her brain would kick it into gear at any moment. His eyes darted down. Instead of looking into her own, they were now staring at her mouth. Sheldon Cooper was staring at her mouth.
Involuntarily, her tongue darted out to moisten her lips, and Penny watched as he followed the movement. She couldn't help it. She had to ask.
"Sheldon, would you like to kiss me?"
His Adam's apple bounced up and down as he swallowed, and his eyes again met hers.
"I - I thought you wanted to talk?"
"I changed my mind."
Penny wouldn't have been surprised if he had failed to hear her whispered words above the racket her heart was making at the moment but, to her relief, he responded with a shakily whispered, "Okay", before he slowly started to lean his head toward her.
While her stupid, slow brain was still trying to catch up with what was happening, her head and lips had no such problems.
She met Sheldon's lips in a soft, gentle kiss.
It only lasted maybe five seconds, then Sheldon pulled away. He looked at her for a moment, then he started to look everywhere BUT at her. After a few seconds more went by and he still didn't say anything, Penny cleared her throat.
"Sheldon? Honey? Are you okay?"
His eyes came back to hers and held.
"Of course I am, Penny. It's just as this is the first time I have initiated a kiss with someone, I am taking in all the sights and sounds around me as to make a complete sensory memory of the event."
"I see. So does that mean you...um...enjoyed it?"
Penny watched as a rare softness crept across his features.
"Very much so. And yourself?"
"Very much so."
Sheldon smiled at her, and she was about to lean forward to initiate a kiss of her own when a voice stopped her.
"Hey, guys! Do you mind if we join you?"
Penny looked past Sheldon at a grinning Howard and Bernadette.
"Oh, I would love that, Howard, but I don't think there's enough room."
"What do you mean? Of course there is, see?"
Howard helped Bernadette into the carriage and into the small seat across from her and Sheldon.
Penny's eyes widened as thoughts swirled around her head: There was another seat in the carriage. Which meant Sheldon hadn't had to sit by her. In her haste to get away from the others, she must've missed it. And then...other things happened. But, surely Sheldon hadn't missed it. And if he hadn't, then why had he sat next to her and not in the empty seat across from her?
Sheldon squeezed her shoulder with the hand that was attached to the arm that was lightly brushing her back.
Penny grinned as the realization hit her, and she leaned forward to whisper in his ear.
"You dog."
All she got in reply was a triumphant smirk, as they listened to Howard describe how he almost won Bernadette a unicorn in the duck shoot booth.