Neighbor Dilemma (The Big Bang Theory x Male OC) (LGBT)

I - The Neighbor Conundrum

**INT. APARTMENT 4B - NIGHT**

Sheldon has just learned that their upstairs neighbor is moving out and he's not happy about it.

Sheldon: Amy, brace yourself! Our upstairs neighbor has moved out! The delicate equilibrium of our universe is now in jeopardy!

Amy: Sheldon, it's common for people to move out. I thought you'd be happy they're gone. You've been writing a lot of complaints to the tenant's association.

Sheldon: Yes, and the president is very supportive of my complaints.

Amy: Sheldon, you do realize you're the president, right? That's a whole new level of self-reinforcement.

Sheldon: Nonsense! This event disrupts our scheduled routine. How can I have my 9:15 PM complaint-writing session without any neighbors to complain about?

Amy: You once said their piano playing made you sleep like a freshly washed baby.

Sheldon: That's a valid complaint! It prevented me from completing my project.

Amy: You mean the project where you're trying to prove if toast always lands butter-side down, and if cats always land on their feet?

Sheldon: (glaring) I saw a video, and my physicist's curiosity was piqued.

Amy: Sheldon, it's just an apartment. People move all the time.

Sheldon: But this is different! The previous neighbor had a cat named Schrödinger. Every morning, I'd check to see if it was alive or dead. It was my quantum pet! Now, who will I argue with about wave functions?

Amy: Let's just go to sleep, Sheldon. Maybe the new neighbor will be equally fascinating. You never know.

Sheldon: We'll see. My 1440 Myers-Briggs questions are ready.

They head to bed, Sheldon already preparing for their future neighbor.

**INT. APARTMENT BUILDING LOBBY - DAY - 2 DAYS LATER**

Sheldon, Amy, Leonard, Penny, Howard, Bernadette, and Rajesh have just picked up their Chinese takeout order and are about to head upstairs when they see a young Filipino man with glasses pulling a huge suitcase and carrying a laptop bag.

Sheldon: Is there a seminar happening in Pasadena? Why do I see a Filipino man with a bulk of a suitcase?

Leonard: I don't know. We shouldn't gossip, Sheldon. Maybe we should help him.

Sheldon: (stopping Leonard) Hold on. I don't want my best friend mingling with strangers. What if he's a spy trying to steal our research and sell it to the Russians?

Rajesh: Or he's an orphan who discovers he's a wizard through an owl and a creepy giant man. (Everyone looks at Rajesh)

Penny: Can we stop this nonsense? Look at the guy. Leonard, Howard, help him, while the rest of us take the food upstairs.

Howard: Why me? I'm as frail as a butterfly on a flower.

Bernadette: Well, that butterfly will be crushed if you don't help that poor man. (Smacks her husband)

Leonard and Howard approach the man, who has about four suitcases and eight boxes.

Leonard: Hey buddy, need some help? You've got a lot of stuff there.

Howard: (whispering) Leonard, he has a Star Wars box. I repeat, a Star Wars box.

Leonard: (whispering) I know, you're making us look awkward.

Stranger: It's fine. There's an elevator I can cram most of this into.

Leonard: Oh, about that... the elevator here has been broken for years.

Stranger: (annoyed) Dang it! The landlord said there's an elevator. He didn't tell me it's a useless one. Who could have broken it?

Leonard: (remembering they were the reason) I know, crazy right?

Howard: (clearing throat) Before anything else, I'm Howard Wolowitz and this is Leonard Hofstadter. What brings you here, beautiful Filipino man? (Leonard nudges him)

Stranger: Oh, sorry. I'm Rafael Ruiz. I just moved here to Pasadena for work, and there's an open apartment on the 5th floor. So, I'll be living here.

Leonard: Oh yeah, the couple moved out a couple of days ago. I live in apartment 4A, just below yours. Welcome! (They shake hands, including Howard, who's still curious about the Star Wars box)

Howard: Uh, Rafael, what's your occupation? And also, what's inside that box? (points at the Star Wars one while wearing a Darth Vader belt buckle)

Rafael: I'm a software engineer, and that's my Star Wars collection. All of it is vintage and limited edition, still mint in box.

Howard: (gulps) You say...

Leonard: Let us help you as a welcome to the building.

Rafael: Thank you so much. Just grab the small boxes first. I'll handle the suitcases.

It takes them two hours to bring up the stuff to the 5th floor. Rafael thanks them by giving them dried mangoes and a pack of vegan chicharon, which Howard devours because he's hungry.

**INT. APARTMENT 4A - NIGHT**

The group huddles up to have dinner, and Sheldon is curious about the new neighbor Leonard and Howard helped.

**Sheldon**: Leonard, I have some questions.

Leonard: If it's about your underwear, yes, I "accidentally" threw it away.

Penny: Good one, babe.

Sheldon: That's another issue for another time. What I'm asking about is the new neighbor. I need to assess and do a thorough background check to ensure he won't bring harm to our building and the world.

Rajesh: In the words of Penny, creeper alert (to Sheldon). (High fives Penny)

Sheldon: This situation is highly irregular. We must weigh the pros and cons of his arrival.

Amy: Sheldon, you're overthinking this. We haven't even met him properly.

Sheldon: Then why is Howard hugging an empty pack of vegan pork rinds while chanting "R2D2 vintage"?

Bernadette: Yeah, I'm concerned. I might have to fight my marriage against a vegan rind.

Leonard: That's vegan chicharon. Rafael's nice and gave it to us, and Howard's mumbling because (whispers) he has a lot of rare and vintage Star Wars collectibles.

Rajesh: You mean, he has mint-in-box, 1978 to limited edition Star Wars collectibles? I would be mumbling too

Leonard: Yes, this guy (Howard) basically foamed at the mouth when he saw those. I don't know if it's his fanboy face or just hunger.

Bernadette: Yeah, I better get him checked.

Sheldon: Now I'm more skeptical about his presence.

Penny: I thought you liked Star Wars, Sheldon.

Sheldon: As much as I love the opening crawl and the sound of the lightsabers, I'm more intrigued by the human named Rafael Ruiz.

Rajesh and Penny: Creeper alert!

Sheldon just shrugs them off as he plans to further his observation and social experiment on their new, clueless neighbor Rafael. Maybe he could surprise them some more.