the hokum hierarchy determinator {tbbt - sheldon/penny}

[slybrunette]

Title: The Hokum Hierarchy Determinator
Fandom: The Big Bang Theory
Characters/Pairings: Sheldon/Penny
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 9,839
Author's Note: This is the most nervous I've ever been about a fic in this fandom, just fyi. Thanks to all the peeps on twitter who were so encouraging. There are more author's notes at the end of this fic that will

Comments

[renisanz]

I really like how you wrote this as almost a series of vignettes. It's cool when you have a story that starts in the middle and backtracks so you get to see how the person got to that point, and the reader is still left uncertain as to how it all is going to end. Quite a few moments made me smile, because you wrote them both so in-character.

He sits there and waits for her to continue. When she doesn’t, he prompts, “I’m not sure what part of that statement I’m supposed to reply to or in what form.”

“A nice ‘okay’ would work.”

“Oh. Okay.”

At first I didn't know how to feel about the ending, because I expected something more climactic. But now, after mulling over it a few minutes, I think it works because all along, Sheldon and Penny had been progressing towards this change in their relationship, or rather, Penny realizing it, and so it makes sense for them to just slip into this new paradigm.

And, omg, how heartbreaking was it for Sheldon to be holding his feelings in for all that time, but not fighting at all when Penny actually initiating things between them? I could definitely see that happening.

[slybrunette]

The ending isn't the ending that I envisioned. It's an ending that I can rationalize to myself however, and as you said it works because they kind of already were at this point, to a degree, it's just the realization and acknowledgment of it that's different.

Anyways, I'm so glad to hear that it worked for you and that you enjoyed it! Thank you for reading and for the wonderful feedback!