This is my third Halloween story. Penny and some friends need impromptu costumes for a spur of the moment party. Can Sheldon and the boys help?


Sheldon and Leonard looked up as the front door opened and Penny stuck her head in. "Oh, good. Everyone's here!" she said happily. She opened the door wider and walked in with three women none of the others had met before.

"Guys, these are my friends, Sarah, Bernadette, and Lisa. Girls, meet Sheldon, Leonard, Howard and Raj. We need your help."

Leonard hurried over, pushing his glasses up his nose and smiling widely. "Of course! What can we do for you ladies?"

Howard sauntered over, trying to look suave. "I would be happy to lend you lovely ladies a hand." He wiggled his eyebrows. "Or any other body part you would like."

Penny rolled her eyes and looked at Sheldon. "We are heading to a last minute Halloween party and we need some costumes. Can you help us out?"

Sheldon stood and walked over. He circled the women, a look of contemplation in his eyes. "Hmmm. Possibly." He moved around to the front and clasped his hands behind his back. "What are my restrictions?"

Penny grinned. She loved negotiating with Sheldon. There was no guarantee she would win, so she always had to give it her all. "Nothing overly complicated. If it involves computer chips, or needs batteries, it's a no-go." She threw a glance toward Howard and Leonard. "Nothing slutty. Nothing I cannot pronounce. And," she pointed a finger at Sheldon, "I'm not putting down a deposit, or signing a rental agreement."

Sheldon huffed with annoyance. "Penny, that severely limits the available costumes I could loan you."

Penny smirked and crossed her arms. "So, the great Sheldon Cooper can't help us?"

Sheldon narrowed his eyes and took a step closer, towering over Penny's smaller frame. He would never admit it aloud, but he really loved challenges from his cornhusker. "Leonard, get the makeup kits! Howard, grab the sewing machines! Raj, get the ladies some sodas!"


Penny stifled a laugh as Raj blushed when he leaned in really close to Lisa and attached extensions to her ears to make them look elfish. Howard was taking in the hem of a Star Trek dress Raj had gotten from somewhere so it would fit Bernadette's tiny frame. Leonard was applying makeup to Sarah to make her look like a zombie. Unsurprisingly, a slightly slutty zombie, she realized with a sigh.

"Penny?"

She turned to face Sheldon. "My turn?"

He nodded, a glimmer of humor in his eyes. "I have gathered everything I need for your costume. Please come with me to the bathroom."

She followed him down the hall to the bathroom. "This isn't a ploy to make me kill a spider, is it?"

Sheldon snorted and opened the door. "Inside, please."

Penny stepped into the small room and looked at the pile of gauze curiously. "What's this? Planning on playing doctor?"

Sheldon grabbed her bikini hanging on the hook on the back of the door. Now she knew what he had gone to her apartment for. "You will need to remove your clothing and put this on. Once you have done so, knock to let me know."

Penny wasn't sure what made her do it. Some little devil on her shoulder, maybe. Or maybe she just couldn't resist tormenting Sheldon some. "Aren't you going to help me? I may need help with those ties."

Sheldon turned a bright red. He started to storm out, but he saw the light of victory in her eyes. She thought she had bested him. Sheldon squared his shoulders and shut the bathroom door. "Very well," he bit out. "If you insist."

Penny's eyes widened for a moment. She honestly hadn't thought he would take her up on it. Sheldon smirked at her and she knew he was calling her bluff. Penny wasn't about to let him win.

She grabbed the hem of her t-shirt and whipped it over her head. Sheldon's eyes rose to the ceiling. Penny unsnapped her jeans and he flinched. She slowly drew her zipper down and he shuddered.

Penny smirked and decided to stop tormenting him. She grabbed the bikini and reached out to turn Sheldon around. "Okay. No more teasing. I'll change and we can get this over with."

Penny turned and slipped out of her underwear and into the bikini. Somehow it seemed like she was less exposed even though there was about the same amount of material.

Sheldon gulped quietly as he watched Penny through the mirror over the sink. He knew he shouldn't look, but the hero always peeks. He finally forced his eyes shut as she reached up to tie the top behind her neck.

"Alright, all set," Penny said.

Sheldon took a deep breath and faced her. "Very well. Now, I am going to wrap the gauze around you and turn you into a mummy. Simple, inexpensive, and this does not require you to sign a rental agreement."

Penny grinned widely. "Wow. That's actually a really cool idea, Moon Pie."

Sheldon knelt on the floor and began with her left foot. Above him Penny chattered on about something. He wasn't sure what, to be honest. Something strange was going on. He wasn't able to focus on anything but the feel of Penny's skin under his fingers. The very skin he had seen exposed bit by bit in the mirror.

Warmth pooled in his stomach as he worked his way up to her knee. He opened another roll of gauze and started on the other leg. He swallowed hard as his fingers smoothed the gauze over her calf and reached for another roll. Slowly he worked his way around her knee, taking extra care to make sure there were no creases.

His breathing grew shallow and saliva filled his mouth forcing him to swallow. He grabbed more gauze and slowly continued, doing his best to try and sort through what he was feeling. He had been attracted to women before. Vaguely. But this was intense. It was almost a sensory overload. Sheldon blinked rapidly and tried to control his breathing.

Above him Penny continued talking uninterrupted. He caught the words 'busboy' and 'cheesecake' and realized she was telling him some story about work. He tried to focus on her words to distract him from her golden skin. He finished with her legs and started with her right hand. He gulped as her fingers curled around his for a second. He glanced up, but her gaze was on her other hand, checking out her nails.

"…told her that any guy who only tips 50 cents on a $30 meal is too cheap to take her anywhere she wants to go. More than likely, she'll end up at the Arby's and he'll…"

Sheldon's attention focused on his work again, relieved that Penny hadn't noticed his actions. He worked his way up both arms to her shoulders. Then he paused to take a deep breath before grabbing a new roll. He moved around behind her and began wrapping it around her waist.

Penny giggled and twitched slightly, making him freeze. "Sorry," she snickered. "I'm a bit ticklish."

Sheldon nodded, mouth dry. "I apologize. I will be more careful."

"Sure thing, Moon Pie," Penny said calmly, before launching back into her tale of waitressing hell.

His hands moved around her waist, encircling over and over again. Sheldon bit his bottom lip to keep from sighing wantonly. He paused for a moment to collect his composure before sliding the gauze across her breasts. He paid very close attention to his hands to keep from actually touching her there.

It was all about strength of will, he told himself. He was stronger than his desires. He was tougher than the allure of Penny's body. He forced his fingers to move smoothly, without trembling. Penny's voice remained background noise to him as he funneled all of his willpower into wrapping her in gauze without getting wrapped up in desire.


"Wow!" Penny said, examining herself in the mirror. She was covered from head to toe in gauze, but it didn't feel restrictive. Only her face was exposed, so her field of vision wasn't restricted.

Sheldon turned to throw away the gauze packages and cleared his throat. "Raj will do your makeup," he said gruffly. "I hope you enjoy your party."

Penny grinned as she spun to wrap her arms around him from behind. "Thanks, Moon Pie! I owe you one!"

Sheldon closed his eyes and leaned forward over the sink once she was out of the room. He turned on the tap and splashed cold water on his face. By the time he was composed again, the women had left for their party. Sheldon sat down in his spot and turned on the TV. He was going to watch Star Trek until he was over this and his well-ordered existence was back to normal.