A Shenny Romance (Big Bang Theory Fanfic)

Chapter 18- Clandestine

Leonard woke up with a giant smile on his face for a change, the first thing on his mind not about how grueling the day would be or how Leslie Winkle may come and mercilessly tease him during lunch. It was that beautiful blonde across the hall whom he had been so in love with since he first set eyes on her.

Knock knock knock.

Knock knock knock.

Knock knock knock.

'Leonard, wake up!'

'Sheldon...' Leonard stuffed his face into a pillow. 'I think I'm down with the flu.'

'Are you joking? I am not really in the mood for jokes.'

'Unfortunately not, Sheldon... I can't move my limbs, my nose is blocked, and-- ACCHOO!'

'Aww, this is bad!'

'Don't worry about me, have a good day at work!'

'No, this is bad because now I have to wear my bus pants and I don't know which is worse, getting strangers' germs all over me or yours in this house.' Sheldon fretted. 'Anyway, please maintain at least half a mile of distance between us to prevent the spread of germs when I get home.'

'Alright, bye Sheldon,' Leonard said quickly, anticipating what was to come.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Morning, ' Leonard grinned, all chipper as Penny opened the door.

'Morning sweetie. ' Penny pecked her boyfriend's cheek and stifled a yawn. 'It's too damn early. '

'Well, I'm actually not going to work today. ' Leonard said playfully. 'And neither are you.'

'Ohmygod Leonard! Do you mean- are you skipping work? You badass! ' she teased.

'How does breakfast in bed sound?' Leonard tucked a stray piece of blond hair behind her ear.

'I'm craving waffles!' Penny grinned.

'So, what do you want to do today?'

'I dunno,' Penny shrugged. 'Ohh wait, how about that new rom-com in theatres? Ryan Gosling is irresistible.' she sighed wistfully.

'Really, you're cheating on me already?'

'Don't be a party pooper, I know you're a sciencey, factual kind of guy but everyone likes to see an attractive face and some loove.' Penny teased.

'Ugh, fine. But you have to come with me to the physics convention next week.'

'What? Can't you ask Sheldon? ' Penny pouted.

'He's not going, plus since I'm doing what you like you have to do the same for me.'

'Oh God, this sounds way too much like my challenge with Sheldon. ' Penny said light-heartedly, but she saw his expression go all funny. 'Hey, you ok? '

'Yeah. It's just... you guys are friends right? '

'Of course.' Penny nodded, a little too vehemently.

'And you don't like him... '

'Aww Leonard, are you jealous?' Penny snickered.

'I'm just...yknow, asking... '

'Sweetie, I'm over him.' Penny said firmly. 'Besides, he isn't nearly as gentle and sweet as you.' she smiled.

'Gosh, am I really the best boyfriend you've ever had?'

'Stop being egoistic already, ' Penny rolled her eyes playfully. 'Now, where are those waffles?'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Hey Cooper.' Barry Kripke peered into the half-open door of the lab. 'Can I come in?' he stepped in before Sheldon could say anything.

'What do you want, Kripke?' Sheldon raised an eyebrow.

'I heard what happened.' Kripke said. 'And I could use some of your hewp for my pwoject, so you're hired.'

'What makes you think I want to work with you?' Sheldon sighed.

'Because I know something that you don't.'

'Listen Kripke, you can taunt me for all you want but the fact of the matter is, I have PhDs in-'

'Not like that. I mean, about that pwetty blond lady you bwought in yesterday.' Kripke smirked.

'Penny is just a friend, and I don't think she would be the slightest bit interested in someone like you.'

'Hey, no need to be hawsh. It's just that I saw her with Weonard yesterday. And they were this close,' he held out his thumb and index finger, with only a few centimeters between them.

'But Penny doesn't like Leonard, not in that way.' Sheldon frowned, confused.

'I thought you didn't care, Cooper.' Kripke raised an eyebrow.

'I don't. But in any case, I will take up your offer since I don't have any plans in the meantime.' Sheldon said. 'That does not mean that I am obliged to follow the way you-'

'Awight, awight,' Kripke rolled his eyes. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~'

'I saw you crying,' Penny accused as the pair emerged from the cinema after watching the tear-jerking rom-com.

'I do not cry,' Leonard scoffed.

'You teared up, just admit it!' 

'It was my allergies!'

'Whatever you say, Hofstadter. I'm bursting, wait here while I go take a leak.' Penny handed him her handbag, her cup of Coke, her hoodie and the tube of lipstick which she was reapplying (and decided it was the wrong shade for her skin) and fled to the ladies'.

'Leonard?'

Leonard swivelled around, careful not to let his grip loosen on any of the items. 'Hey, Amy! What are you doing here?'

'I was sitting behind both of you all along.' she admitted.

'And you didn't think to say hi?' Leonard smiled. 'Who were you with?'

'Nobody. I was crying into a tub of  sweet popcorn and now it just tastes salty.' Amy sighed.

'Aww,' Leonard felt pretty guilty for getting so caught up with Penny that he had failed to hold up his end of the deal of bringing Sheldon closer to her. 'I-'

'About Sheldon,' Amy hesitated. 'I think I'll just let it go.'

'Are you serious about this?' Leonard asked. 'It didn't work out with me and Penny before, but now that I have this second chance, everything's going swimmingly.'

'Yeah I am.' Amy took a deep breath. 'If Sheldon loved me, he would do something about it. After all, he doesn't have an ounce of romance in his bones, so he won't take part in frivolous relationships.' Amy realised then that Sheldon must have been pretty serious about Penny if both of them had been together. Besides, I can't do this to Penny. She's my bestie now.' 

'I don't think so.' 

Amy's expression froze, and Leonard felt his heart plummet.

'I can't believe both of you. I thought you were being genuinely nice, but you just wanted me to be with you at the expense of how I feel about Sheldon.' Penny's betrayed expression was heartbreaking. 'And Amy, maybe this is why you don't have any friends. Because you suck at being one.' 

Penny grabbed her things from Leonard's arms, turned on her heel and stalked away. 

A/N: sorry for the long wait, I was having a severe writer's block! i hope you liked this though!