Moonlight Dreams
by: muaaimoi
"Dreams"
It's a very vague idea. It's always vague. It stays that way because she refuses to acknowledge it.
Penny's half asleep now, the guys are watching some weird Japanese cartoon, but the volumes low enough that it doesn't bother her. They set it so it wouldn't wake Sheldon.
He'd recently gone on something like a physics binge. He hadn't been stuck, not frustrated, manic, or desperate. He'd simply been obsessed. Scribbling furiously at his white boards. Twelve of them in total, all absolutely full now, with a small compact short hand she's pretty sure the rest of the guys are just as confused by as she is, going by the puzzled glances they keep shooting at them.
Sheldon hadn't acknowledged any of them existed for a good two days. Not even Bernadette's stern teacher voice had any effect.
It had only been half an hour ago when the last of the boards was full that Sheldon had stepped back and just crashed. Sprawled in his spot, like someone had flipped a switch and his brain had simple shut off. If he hadn't been breathing she would have thought he was dead. He sat corpse still, body lax, head tilted back. With just the bare beginnings wisps of stubble.
Penny knows she should get up. She should stand up and go home, to her bed. But she doesn't want to move. Some of it's that Sheldon had shifted at some point. Angled his body so that their bodies pressed against each other. He's surprisingly warm. It's like a guilty pleasure, Sheldon would never allow that much contact between them if he was awake. But most of it simply that she's bone tired. Penny doesn't want to move, especially now that her defenses are down and the realization that she finds Sheldon Cooper incredibly cute refuses to go away.
She'd thought so the first time too. Sheldon standing there, leaning on his white board, something about that moment, where he was smug, happy, yet almost shy, had always stayed with her. Through biting comments, attempted strikes, and just general Sheldon-y aggravating weirdness.
Then again, Penny thought, right before falling fully asleep, Sheldon had his moments.
xXx
"Do you think we should wake them up" Howard asked.
The sight before him was sort of freaking him out. Penny and Sheldon were both knocked out, which wouldn't have been so bad. Penny was a pretty sleeper, mouth slightly parted, dusky lashes fluttering ever so slightly in REM sleep. In fact, Howard had spent the last two hours watching her more than the anime series Leonard had put on TV.
It was how he'd noticed when Penny had shifted, somehow jostling Sheldon so that one of his arms fell around her, all but tucking her in at his side. For her part Penny had thrown a leg over one of Sheldon's. Wrapping one of her own arms around his waist. It was how they had ended up, undeniably, cuddling. Howard sort of hates how easily this sort of situation basically falls into Sheldon's lap. While the rest of them would happily give up an arm and a leg for the slightest chance of hugging such a pretty girl, Sheldon won't even appreciate it.
But he's been blessed with Bernadette, and he's trying rather desperately not to screw it up. He still had to admit that Penny was gorgeous though, no one could deny that, and that he was jealous that Sheldon had an arm around her. He'd been jealous of Leonard while he had the privileged too, but they all knew it was only a matter of time before he lost it, Leonard especially. It was why he had clung to her so desperately. Basically suffocating her until Penny couldn't take it anymore. Howard's familiar with the phenomenon.
It's not that he doesn't understand where he goes wrong, his social skills are arguably the best in their group, or maybe second best, after Leonard. His problem lies mostly around the fact that he can't help himself. It's easier to pretend he doesn't get it. Then at least he has an excuse when he messes up in the same way, again, and again. So he'd recognized the behavior in Leonard. Noticed the signs as Penny began to pull away. He'd seen it coming long before either of them had.
Watching Sheldon's arm around her feels different somehow. Their relationship has always been strange. Sheldon pays attention to Penny in a way he doesn't to anyone else. He notices things about her that the rest of them don't, even with their obvious advantages over him, like their ability to understand facial expressions.
Somehow, he thinks, that if Sheldon weren't such a robot, he might have had a chance with Penny.
" Well whoever does it is going to have to cover their throats." Leonard says. Reminding Howard he had asked a question.
" Why?" Bernadette asks.
Raj leans over to whisper in his ear.
"Clearly she doesn't know about the Eleven o'clock rule if she's asking about it." Howard responds. Turns to his Lovely Lady," If you wake Penny up before eleven o'clock in the morning she'll punch you in the throat, no exceptions."
" Oh. I didn't know that." Bernadette says, shoots the sleeping duo on the couch a considering look." You might want to chance it anyway. If they wake up on their own they won't be happy. And something tells me were all going to hear about it."
"Oh I'm going to hear about it anyway." Leonard says, resigned.
On the couch Sheldon shifts a little, Penny's head falls under his chin. Theirs something frighteningly like a soft smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
Howard can't help but think that Leonard's going to hear about a very different incident than he thinks.
xXx
Sheldon is dreaming.
The knowledge floats somewhere far from him, most attention drawn to the smile Penny is wearing while she presents him with a Hamburger. Sheldon always orders cheese burgers, and yet he takes it with a smile of his own. Happy to have it if only because Penny has presented it. It's sadly not a very foreign situation.
The more lucid part of his brain acknowledges the french toast he'd craved despite it being a porridge day. Penny is very good at making conflicting urges rise within him. The Penny in his dream produces a flash red Penny blossom she clips to her hair. Then a matching one she clips to his lapel. Sheldon is very confused. His confusion skyrockets as she sits sideways on his lap.
She feels warm.
" Sing me soft kitty!" Dream Penny demands.
" No." His dream self has the sense to reply. Soft kitty is only for when your sick.
" But I'm crazy." Dream Penny says." Crazy is a kind of sick."
" It is." His dream self agrees slowly. Somehow, even in a dream, the thought that Penny is openly acknowledging her inability to make logical sense seems too good to be true.
" What kind of crazy?" His dream self asks, clarification seems necessary. He might agree that she's crazy, but her craziness doesn't seem to fit any standard mental illness he's aware of.
" Crazy in love!" Dream Penny declares happily. " I'm still in love with Leonard. Isn't that crazy?"
Then Dream Penny bursts into tears.
Logically Sheldon knows that he's dreaming. His dream is simply recreating their first meeting, or mimicking certain portions. It makes no sense for his chest to ache at the declaration. It certainty makes no sense for him to hug Penny. Even when attempting to provide comfort, he has never gone that far. But his usual offer of " There, there. Sheldon's here." With a pat on the back is impossible. The words feel stuck in his throat. It's easier to hug her. Besides, she's already in his lap.
xXx
In the real world Sheldon shifts, wraps his arms around a sleeping Penny and pulls her into his lap. She snuggles closer.
xXx
Penny is wearing a fine red ball gown. This would be amazing, except she's wearing her waitressing shoes. One does not wear a fine ball gown with comfortable sneakers. It's just not done.
She looks around. Desperate for the strappy red heels she just knows will make the look.
Before her stand two roads. One looks well-worn, cobblestone and dirt easing the path along to what looks like a small town. The other road looks treacherous. More like a stony forest than a road. There are gnarled dark roots between small pebbles. Jagged stones peaking from the ground. But beyond it is a city. And some of the buildings seem to float.
Penny starts walking. City it is. Where else would you find the perfect pair of shoes? Shes wearing her comfortable sneakers anyway.
The road is tricky. She trips a lot, but manages not to fall. There's a particularly sharp stone she really regrets stepping on. But what's really a pain is hiking up her gown, she is not going to ruin it before she gets to wear it with the proper shoes. At least the city is worth it. It's beautiful, rising like a gleaming jewel in the distance. It just seems to get better, the closer she gets. Suddenly she finds herself at the gates. They seem to be made of laser's and glass.
"Password" A robotic voice demands.
Penny looks around, searching for a clue. She doesn't know the password. There is a wooshing sound overhead and Penny sees what is clearly a spaceship arriving. Suddenly, Penny knows.
" Password." The electronic voice repeats.
Penny is ready for it this time." Star Trek."
" Password confirmed." The voice says. In a moment the laser's are gone and the glass folds away.
Penny nods to herself, accomplished. Onward to the shoes.
xXx
In the real world Penny clutches at Sheldon possessively, a happy smile on her lips. Sheldon tighten his arms around her automatically.
xXx
Dream Penny has cried herself out.
When Sheldon finds he's capable of speech again he sings her soft kitty. His voice comes out roughly, as though he's the one that's been crying.
" Thanks." Dream Penny whispers against his neck when he finishes.
" If you stop loving Leonard, you won't be crazy." He offers. At least not the crazy she thinks she is.
" I'm always crazy when I fall in love." Dream Penny tells him." I love with all my heart."
Sheldon has nothing to say to that, except that words escape him anyway." How? How do you love someone whose not related to you like that?"
Dream Penny shifts in his lap to better look him in the eyes. She trains gleaming emerald eyes on him. You could never tell she had just been crying.
"I'll show you." She says.
xXx
" Penny." Sheldon murmurs softly into her hair.
xXx
Penny can't find a door. Most of the buildings she sees float, and she's finding it very frustrating.
"Penny." She hears someone say, and then she can see Sheldon at a distance. She rushes towards him, grateful. Sheldon is always good for directions.
"Hi Sheldon! I need to find shoes." She tells him with out fanfare.
" How curious." Sheldon says." I seem to find myself in possession of a pair of women's shoes."
" No-" Penny begins, about to ask for a store, but the words die in her throat. Because Sheldon is holding them. The perfect shoes to go with the gown. A deep, almost burgundy, red. And they're gorgeous, nine inch heels, perfectly shaped. They look like Manolo's.
xXx
Penny squirms happily in Sheldon's lap.
" Sheldon." She sighs, blissful.
xXx
Dream Penny is kissing him. It is nothing like the forceful press of lips he's familiar with. She kisses him softly. Carefully.
She kisses him like he matters to her.
She stops for a moment. Sighs his name. And kisses him achingly, carefully, again.
xXx
On the couch, Sheldon trembles for a moment, murmurs " Penny."
xXx
" Gimme!" Penny exclaims after a happy squeal.
" Hold your horses woman." Sheldon instructs." We must follow procedure."
Procedure? Is he kidding." It's just putting on shoes Sheldon! I've done it a hundred times!"
"Yes." Sheldon agrees easily. Then furthers her confusion by dropping to his knees." But I have not. Now come here."
" You're going to put them on for me?" Penny asks, bewildered.
" We must follow procedure." Sheldon repeats.
Penny shrugs. The shoes are finally going on her feet. What does she care how they get there. She quickly revises that opinion when Sheldon's large hands ease her out of her comfortable sneakers, socks and all. This is Sheldon, after all. And he's touching her feet.
" Doesn't that bother you?" Penny can't help but ask.
" Not at all." Sheldon tells her looking, blue eyes serious." You take excellent care of your feet."
Penny flushes. She didn't think he'd noticed. But then, Sheldon is always surprising her with what it does turn out he sees.
Sheldon opens the claps of the shoes purposely. Easing her feet into them delicately, inch by inch. It feels oddly intimate. It turns out Penny likes procedure, who knew?
Sheldon stands then, and she looks up at him.
xXx
Penny shifts ever so slightly, her face now tilted up.
xXx
Slowly, the kisses taper off.
Dream Penny hides her face in his neck.
" I could love you, you know. I could be crazy for you." She whispers.
"You could?" Sheldon asks, not recognizing the hope in his voice for what it is. He sounds strange to himself instead.
" Yes." She says. She's no longer whispering, speaking forcefully instead. She sounds sure." Do you think you could love me?"
Sheldon's hand seems to move of its own accord. He finds himself cupping her cheek. He looks down into those green, green eyes.
" Yes." He says. Leans down for another kiss.
xXx
Sheldon's hand tangles into Penny's blond hair. Tilts his face down. Their lips nearly graze.
xXx
" Thanks Sheldon." Penny's says, utterly sincere.
She is a full princess now. She twirls, delighted by the way the heavy skirt flares.
"Penny!" Sheldon exclaims, panicked," We aren't finished."
Penny rolls her eyes. But she's happy enough to indulge him. Princesses are gracious after all. She twirls towards him, surprised to find herself caught and pulled into his chest.
" We must do this properly Penny." Sheldon chastises her, voice oddly soft." It's only right for a prince to kiss his princess."
"Prince?" Penny questions. Then she remembers money freely lent, a ridiculous amount of gift baskets, traumatizing trips to the emergency room... Yeah, she could see it. Penny leans forward, happy and eager." If the shoe fits..."
Sheldon smiles at her. Assures," I made sure to get them in your size."
" Then kiss me!" Penny demands.
Sheldon does.
It's very soft.
xXx
Penny shifts again, arches her back the tiniest bit.
In the real world, they kiss.
xXx
When Sheldon wakes up he finds soft lips on his. He blinks slowly, mind working furiously to figure out how they'd managed to get like this. He comes up with an utter blank. The last thing he remembers is falling backwards on his spot. He whimpers, a high pitched noise of panic and distress. He doesn't know how Penny ended up on his lap.
The dream is still vivid in his mind, even if he can't recall all of it. A frustrating quality of his sleeping cycles he can sadly do nothing about. But he remembers the questions, his own alarming response, and freezes where he is. He doesn't know what to do. How to react. He wants this, he can acknowledge that now. He wants this, he does. But he doesn't know how he got it. Or if Penny would be happy being where she was.
He whimpers again, and this time the noise seems to wake Penny.
Sleepy green eyes blink up at him.
" Sheldon?" Penny questions against his lips. For a second, neither of them moves.
Then Penny jumps like a scalded cat, straight off his lap. Sheldon jumps to his feet after her, before he realizes what he's doing and retreats to his white board instead.
" What was that!" Penny says. Beginning to pace in front of the TV. It's more a statement than a question. But Sheldon answers anyway, of course he does. For such a smart guy the meaning of rhetorical completely escapes him.
" I believe we were kissing." He says.
" Yeah." Penny deadpans," I noticed. But how did we end up kissing?"
" I don't know!" Sheldon says, distressed, running a hand through his hair and resting his hand on the top of his whiteboard." The last thing I remember was finishing my draft."
He startled when Penny bursts into laughter.
" This is no laughing matter Penny." He scolds, offended.
" Sorry sweetie." Penny says, but something about the smile on her face negates it." I just had dejavu, you look exactly like you did the day we met, even the cowlicks are there."
She walks towards him as she says it. Invades his personal space further to run her hands through his hair.
In light of his recent revelation, he finds it hard to mind.
" I was wearing my fifth flash shirt, and plaid pants. As I am wearing neither now, it's hardly the same."
" It's the same Sheldon." Penny mutters, mostly to herself. She rarely remembers her dreams, but she gets the gist of it. The futuristic city where Sheldon made her a princess with those gorgeous strappy heels. And he'd been her prince.
" Who else would I be?" Sheldon asks, confused.
Penny smiles, gaze falling to his lips. They had been kissing. And he had only freaked after she had. Maybe it wasn't weird at all.
" If the shoe fits." Penny says.
This time she kisses him.
Neither of them ever do figure out she did it the first time too, though Sheldon will always harbor a quiet suspicion. Penny did describe herself as a big ol' five, after all.
xXx
Finally! Sometimes I'm pretty delusional in my optimism. Which was why I honestly thought I'd manage to have these gift fics up long before January. That clearly didn't happen. I was going to hold out until I finished all of them in the interest of fairness, but working on multiple projects simultaneously is not very conductive to that, apparently. Plus, lets be honest, it's stupidly idealistic of me, so here you go. I'll post them as I finish them. My rant now over with lets move on to the important bit of this AN:
Thank you so much Frust-Sheep! This fic is completely dedicated to you in thanks of your support through 2012. I hope you enjoy it, and this is what you wanted.