The Goodbye Hug- Part 1 (option 1)coin_jarJune 19 2009, 19:06:36 UTC
I just cranked this out. I've written P/S before, but never posted anything, so here goes. ----- When the world was going to end, Penny expected it to affect her in many ways. Food shortages. Power outs. Price inflation. What she did not expect was the biggest and most profound change it would make: the loss of Sheldon Cooper, who was called upon as an unlikely but necessary member of the effort to save humanity.
“Goodbye Penny. I have enjoyed being your neighbor and friend.” He shook her hand and turned on his heels to the stairs, the government-protected rental truck waiting for him outside. “Wait, that’s it?” she looked downright flabbergasted. He stopped. “Is there something I forgot?” “Not exactly, just--” “Then we’re done here. I wish you luck in your future endeavors but I must be leaving.” Sheldon took another step towards the stairs. “Oh, no you don’t.” Penny marched after him and tried to grab his shoulder. Not being able to reach it comfortable, she aimed for the next best thing: his elbow. Penny grabbed a fistful of his undershirt sleeve. Sheldon stopped again, and looked over his shoulder at her. “Release me, Penny, I really must be going.” She said nothing, but stared at him pointedly. “Penny, you’re stretching my shirt.” Nothing. Sheldon turned fully around to face her and she let his sleeve go. “Alright. What is so important that you had to detain me any longer.” “I dunno. It’s just…” She looked away shyly and he tapped his foot. “You didn’t even give me a goodbye hug.”
The Goodbye Hug- Part 2coin_jarJune 19 2009, 19:09:55 UTC
He rolled his eyes. “Oh, Penny. I gave you one hug. One. How long ago was that?”
“A while, but--”
“And you still can’t get this silly notion out of your head?”
“It’s just nice, Sheldon, okay? It would make me feel better. Please? I won’t tell anyone.” Sheldon checked the hallways for signs of life. “See? No one’s around, Sweetie. Just one quick hug for the road?” She extended her arms to him and stepped forward. He recoiled ever so slightly, but gave in as she took another step.
“C’mere.” The pads of Penny’s fingers landed on his back ever so gently, testing the waters. Sheldon relaxed to her touch and lifted his arms up and around her. Her hands slid closer together, almost meeting at his spine. His climbed up toward her shoulder blades, ending up somewhere in the middle of her back. Penny rested her head on his shoulder and stayed there, hoping faintly that Sheldon would lay his head on hers. Surprisingly, the genius took his cue, resting his cheek behind her pompadour, mussing it slightly.
It was different from the first and only other hug they’d shared. Their motions were warmer, more fluid, more natural. Sheldon and Penny had grown closer since the Saturnalia Miracle, but a goodbye hug was still a huge leap forward in their relationship.
Penny smiled. The intimacy of this hug violated everything Sheldon stood for since she first met him, but he broke that line for her-even on their last day together-because she earned it. No one else had, or at least not quite in the same way. Penny squeezed him tightly one last time and Sheldon knew his cue again. He squeezed back, then slowly released her.
They pulled apart, their arms dropping to their sides, and looked at one another cautiously. Penny cupped her elbows in her hands. Sheldon studied her face intently.
“I guess,” she smiled sadly, “you better go now.”
“Yes,” he replied automatically, still looking at her with penetrating eyes. Penny got nervous and looked away.
“Go on,” she nudged him playfully. “The world needs Dr. Sheldon Cooper more than I do.”
“Yes,” he said again, nodding his head and gradually snapping out of whatever trance he was in. He started to walk away, but halted once more at the top of the stairs. Sheldon turned around one last time to look at her squarely. “Penny?”
She looked up from the area of floor she was kicking with her toe. “Knowing you has meant a lot to me. Thank you.” He smiled a small little smile at her. The smile was so genuine that she lost her breath for a moment.
“Y-yeah, Sheldon. Me too,” was all Penny could manage before he nodded and headed down the stairs.
Penny stayed in the hall, half expecting him to run back up and tell her…something. She wasn’t sure what but she wanted him to know and she wanted him to say it. Whatever it was.
Maybe, Penny thought, after he saved to world, Sheldon would rush up those stairs. And he would say what she wanted to here.
Re: The Goodbye Hug- Part 2rj_andersonJune 19 2009, 19:20:35 UTC
Oh, I liked this a lot! Especially Sheldon's attitude that he'd given her one hug a long time ago and that should be enough -- so very Sheldon. I hope you'll continue this!
Re: The Goodbye Hug- Part 2coin_jarJune 20 2009, 16:07:25 UTC
I accidentally lied! I did continue the story. Guess there was a little more in this idea than i gave it credit, huh? The comments below have part three, split into three parts.
Re: The Goodbye Hug- Part 2coin_jarJune 20 2009, 15:39:58 UTC
Errr, I started drabbling. Hope that's okay.
Sheldon's knuckles hovered above the door. He drew a deep breath and knocked three times. "Penny." He moved his fist to knock again, but before they reached the door, it was flung open by Penny. Penny, whose clothes were stained and ill-fitting. Whose greasy hair was tangled up in a messy bun. Whose face glowed at the sight of the hero himself: Dr. Sheldon Cooper, PhD, Defender of the Earth (or at least that’s the title Time magazine hoped would catch on).
"Sheldon!" she practically leapt onto him, strangling his torso with her arms, squeezing out Sheldon’s compulsion to finish his special knock.
The genius was taken aback. A part of him almost wanted to be snide. Another hug, Penny? Is this really necessary? But an equally strong part of him was inclined to reciprocate the hug to his utmost abilities.
Before any sort action could be taken by Sheldon, Penny released him, blushing. "Sorry, it's just been so long and...I saw you on the news!"
"Did you?" Sheldon didn't like being on television. He enjoyed the fame and recognition but something about watching himself on screen made Sheldon feel uncomfortable. (When Sheldon confessed that to his friends, Leonard simply welcomed Sheldon to their world.)
"It was amazing. And kinda nice to see people other than me get confused by all your techno babble."
“It wasn’t babble, Penny. The formulas and theories I helped develop saved not only your life, but civilization as we know it.”
“God,” Penny grinned as she ushered him into her apartment. “It’s like you never left.”
Re: The Goodbye Hug- Part 2coin_jarJune 20 2009, 04:59:57 UTC
Ah, the dreaded "super obvious spelling mistake that could potentially ruin the last sentence for the reader". Dang homonyms!
I really really hope to see more of this fic you spoke of, since if its like this guaranteed I'll love it. Wow, thank you. You'll definitely see more, because the positive response is incredibly encouraging.
Re: The Goodbye Hug- Part 3coin_jarJune 20 2009, 15:55:17 UTC
This is a continuation of the drabble that's a response to the little drabble under irrel's comment. So I guess technically part three, which I could have changed earlier.
Sheldon examined the state of her apartment. It was as messy as ever--messier, if that was possible.
“Indeed, it feels as though I never left,” he was slightly baffled that Penny still was not able to keep her apartment clean, despite the tips and tricks he passed on to her. Aren’t people supposed to find the strength during a crisis to do things they previously could not do? How could this principle not apply to Penny?
“Hey! I’ve had other things to worry about, y’know,” Penny said defensively. They glared at one another. Sheldon really did feel as though he had never left until Penny’s glare melted into a warm, caring gaze and her scowl turned up at the corners.
“I just can’t believe it!” she said lightly as she moved toward him again, arms wrapping around him tightly. “You are really back, Sheldon. Really, really back!”
She let him go only to look him over again. There he was, in the flesh, same as ever. “I’m sorry, I’m still not over it.”
“I hope you will get ‘over it’ soon, Penny. I find the increasing frequency of these hugs troubling .”
Re: The Goodbye Hug- Part 3 (cont)coin_jarJune 20 2009, 16:02:40 UTC
“We knew one another for almost exactly fifteen months before we first hugged. Our second hug occurred roughly nine months and three weeks after that. It only took five months and one week for us to hug a third time. And the fourth was--” he checked his watch, “--approximately two minutes and thirty seconds after the third.”
“…so?” Penny wasn’t sure what his point was.
“Penelope, at this rate you’ll be embracing me every hour of every day. If we continue in this fashion, you may as well just sleep with your arms wrapped around me.” To anyone else this would be a rather sexually charged suggestion, but not Sheldon. “You have never had any previous trouble understanding our physical and emotional boundaries and I’m curious as to why our unspoken arrangement seems to have changed.”
“What can I say, Sheldon? I guess distance does make the heart grow fonder--even for a wackadoodle like you. Besides, I’m proud of you." She though for a moment and shrugged. "Mostly, it’s fun to watch you squirm.” She giggled and gave him another quick hug.
“Dear Lord, Penny,” Sheldon rolled his eyes but stayed otherwise perfectly still during Penny’s attack. “If this is what happens to you when we are apart I’m afraid to leave again.”
Re: The Goodbye Hug- Part 3 (cont)renisanzJune 20 2009, 16:10:07 UTC
XD XD XD
This was so perfect. LOL. I love how Sheldon says all these things that coming from anyone else, would have a completely different meaning. Still, he let her hug him again at the end. :)
-----
When the world was going to end, Penny expected it to affect her in many ways. Food shortages. Power outs. Price inflation. What she did not expect was the biggest and most profound change it would make: the loss of Sheldon Cooper, who was called upon as an unlikely but necessary member of the effort to save humanity.
“Goodbye Penny. I have enjoyed being your neighbor and friend.” He shook her hand and turned on his heels to the stairs, the government-protected rental truck waiting for him outside.
“Wait, that’s it?” she looked downright flabbergasted.
He stopped. “Is there something I forgot?”
“Not exactly, just--”
“Then we’re done here. I wish you luck in your future endeavors but I must be leaving.”
Sheldon took another step towards the stairs. “Oh, no you don’t.” Penny marched after him and tried to grab his shoulder. Not being able to reach it comfortable, she aimed for the next best thing: his elbow. Penny grabbed a fistful of his undershirt sleeve.
Sheldon stopped again, and looked over his shoulder at her. “Release me, Penny, I really must be going.” She said nothing, but stared at him pointedly. “Penny, you’re stretching my shirt.” Nothing. Sheldon turned fully around to face her and she let his sleeve go.
“Alright. What is so important that you had to detain me any longer.”
“I dunno. It’s just…” She looked away shyly and he tapped his foot. “You didn’t even give me a goodbye hug.”
Reply
“A while, but--”
“And you still can’t get this silly notion out of your head?”
“It’s just nice, Sheldon, okay? It would make me feel better. Please? I won’t tell anyone.” Sheldon checked the hallways for signs of life. “See? No one’s around, Sweetie. Just one quick hug for the road?” She extended her arms to him and stepped forward. He recoiled ever so slightly, but gave in as she took another step.
“C’mere.” The pads of Penny’s fingers landed on his back ever so gently, testing the waters. Sheldon relaxed to her touch and lifted his arms up and around her. Her hands slid closer together, almost meeting at his spine. His climbed up toward her shoulder blades, ending up somewhere in the middle of her back. Penny rested her head on his shoulder and stayed there, hoping faintly that Sheldon would lay his head on hers. Surprisingly, the genius took his cue, resting his cheek behind her pompadour, mussing it slightly.
It was different from the first and only other hug they’d shared. Their motions were warmer, more fluid, more natural. Sheldon and Penny had grown closer since the Saturnalia Miracle, but a goodbye hug was still a huge leap forward in their relationship.
Penny smiled. The intimacy of this hug violated everything Sheldon stood for since she first met him, but he broke that line for her-even on their last day together-because she earned it. No one else had, or at least not quite in the same way. Penny squeezed him tightly one last time and Sheldon knew his cue again. He squeezed back, then slowly released her.
They pulled apart, their arms dropping to their sides, and looked at one another cautiously. Penny cupped her elbows in her hands. Sheldon studied her face intently.
“I guess,” she smiled sadly, “you better go now.”
“Yes,” he replied automatically, still looking at her with penetrating eyes. Penny got nervous and looked away.
“Go on,” she nudged him playfully. “The world needs Dr. Sheldon Cooper more than I do.”
“Yes,” he said again, nodding his head and gradually snapping out of whatever trance he was in. He started to walk away, but halted once more at the top of the stairs. Sheldon turned around one last time to look at her squarely. “Penny?”
She looked up from the area of floor she was kicking with her toe.
“Knowing you has meant a lot to me. Thank you.” He smiled a small little smile at her. The smile was so genuine that she lost her breath for a moment.
“Y-yeah, Sheldon. Me too,” was all Penny could manage before he nodded and headed down the stairs.
Penny stayed in the hall, half expecting him to run back up and tell her…something. She wasn’t sure what but she wanted him to know and she wanted him to say it. Whatever it was.
Maybe, Penny thought, after he saved to world, Sheldon would rush up those stairs. And he would say what she wanted to here.
Reply
Reply
That's actually really all I have for this story, but I am writing another one that should be posted later today.
Reply
Reply
I hope he saves the world and goes back to Penny!
Reply
Sheldon's knuckles hovered above the door. He drew a deep breath and knocked three times. "Penny." He moved his fist to knock again, but before they reached the door, it was flung open by Penny. Penny, whose clothes were stained and ill-fitting. Whose greasy hair was tangled up in a messy bun. Whose face glowed at the sight of the hero himself: Dr. Sheldon Cooper, PhD, Defender of the Earth (or at least that’s the title Time magazine hoped would catch on).
"Sheldon!" she practically leapt onto him, strangling his torso with her arms, squeezing out Sheldon’s compulsion to finish his special knock.
The genius was taken aback. A part of him almost wanted to be snide. Another hug, Penny? Is this really necessary? But an equally strong part of him was inclined to reciprocate the hug to his utmost abilities.
Before any sort action could be taken by Sheldon, Penny released him, blushing. "Sorry, it's just been so long and...I saw you on the news!"
"Did you?" Sheldon didn't like being on television. He enjoyed the fame and recognition but something about watching himself on screen made Sheldon feel uncomfortable. (When Sheldon confessed that to his friends, Leonard simply welcomed Sheldon to their world.)
"It was amazing. And kinda nice to see people other than me get confused by all your techno babble."
“It wasn’t babble, Penny. The formulas and theories I helped develop saved not only your life, but civilization as we know it.”
“God,” Penny grinned as she ushered him into her apartment. “It’s like you never left.”
Reply
(The comment has been removed)
I really really hope to see more of this fic you spoke of, since if its like this guaranteed I'll love it.
Wow, thank you. You'll definitely see more, because the positive response is incredibly encouraging.
Reply
He needs to save the world and come back for a third hug. It's like a potato chip, you can't have just one.
Reply
Sheldon examined the state of her apartment. It was as messy as ever--messier, if that was possible.
“Indeed, it feels as though I never left,” he was slightly baffled that Penny still was not able to keep her apartment clean, despite the tips and tricks he passed on to her. Aren’t people supposed to find the strength during a crisis to do things they previously could not do? How could this principle not apply to Penny?
“Hey! I’ve had other things to worry about, y’know,” Penny said defensively. They glared at one another. Sheldon really did feel as though he had never left until Penny’s glare melted into a warm, caring gaze and her scowl turned up at the corners.
“I just can’t believe it!” she said lightly as she moved toward him again, arms wrapping around him tightly. “You are really back, Sheldon. Really, really back!”
She let him go only to look him over again. There he was, in the flesh, same as ever. “I’m sorry, I’m still not over it.”
“I hope you will get ‘over it’ soon, Penny. I find the increasing frequency of these hugs troubling .”
“What do you mean?”
Reply
Reply
“…so?” Penny wasn’t sure what his point was.
“Penelope, at this rate you’ll be embracing me every hour of every day. If we continue in this fashion, you may as well just sleep with your arms wrapped around me.” To anyone else this would be a rather sexually charged suggestion, but not Sheldon. “You have never had any previous trouble understanding our physical and emotional boundaries and I’m curious as to why our unspoken arrangement seems to have changed.”
“What can I say, Sheldon? I guess distance does make the heart grow fonder--even for a wackadoodle like you. Besides, I’m proud of you." She though for a moment and shrugged. "Mostly, it’s fun to watch you squirm.” She giggled and gave him another quick hug.
“Dear Lord, Penny,” Sheldon rolled his eyes but stayed otherwise perfectly still during Penny’s attack. “If this is what happens to you when we are apart I’m afraid to leave again.”
Reply
This was so perfect. LOL. I love how Sheldon says all these things that coming from anyone else, would have a completely different meaning. Still, he let her hug him again at the end. :)
Reply
Reply
Leave a comment