The Roommate

Summary:

Sheldon has a 'secret' roommate, someone who even his friends don't know about - until now. How is he? And why does their robotic friends start to behave strangle when with him?

Alt summary:

Leonard received a harsh upbringing and it affected him immensely and severely affected his personality and view on life. Luckily, he has a very special best friend who cares about him and shows Leonard that not all life is bad. But what feeling will grow and will they survive the end?

Prologue

'Wrong.' The voice was bland and revealed no emotions regarding the owner's feelings. His mother's face was almost equal to her voice, except her brows; they were crinkled in annoyance. 'You've done it wrong again,' she huffed. She paced in front of him, a scowl etched into her features. 'I don't understand why you are struggling with such basic work. Michael and Sarah didn't have the same issues. There must be something wrong with you, Leonard.'

Her words stung.

He feel so small under his mother's towering form. When he glanced up at her, he couldn't see her or her face but a massive, overpowering showdown with devil eyes shouting hate into his very being. Trembling, he whispered, 'I'm trying, Mummy.'

With a growl, Beverly snapped, 'Mother! I told you to call me Mother, Leonard. You're not a baby anymore. Is it too much to expect you to complete some basic mathematics?'

'I'm sorry, Mummy,' he mumbled before stiffening after realising he had called her mummy again. With lowered eyes, he endure her heated gaze as it felt like she was trying to tear him apart with her seething glare. Eventually, Beverly huffed and stomped from the room; presumably to find one of his sibling and feel like not all her children were complete failures.

Sitting on his bottom, the tiny boy tried to hold back his tears. Mummy always said tears weren't helpful just a bibliogical reaction to stress and stuff, he thought miserable. He had disappointing and upset his mother again. Looking back to his homework, Leonard thought over what he should do, the work was just too hard and he needed help but he couldn't dare ack his mother. He was suppose to do it himself. He couldn't ask Michael or Sarah for help because they would just tell their mother and he would be in even more trouble.

The silence was interrupted by a loud sound in the next room. It was his father's office. With a bright smile, he jumped up, 'Daddy! Daddy can help me.'

Creeping into the office, Leonard slowly approached his father's bent over figure; he was doing something on his desk. When he was close enough, the small boy would see his father was examining some bones. Nervously, he cleared his throat to ray and gain his father's attention but, after ten minutes, it became apparent Leonard would have to actually speak to gat his attention.

'D-Daddy?' He stammered, gently touching his father's sleeve.

The movement was so quick he didn't see it coming. One minute, he was nervously standing beside his father and the next he was lieing on the floor with a throbbing cheek.

'Boy! I told you not to interrupt me when I'm working!' His father was a tall man with a very stern features and broad shoulders.

'I - I need some help with my homework. It's - it's too hard for me...' His eyes were glued to the floor and he could taste the blood in his mouth. His aching cheek throbbed in time with his facing heart and his ears were full of rushing blood. Maybe asking his father wasn't such a good idea.

'Homework!?' The large man sneered. Tuning back to his work, Alfred gave his son the minimum attention needed for the conversation. 'You're too young for homework, Leonard, therefore you don't have any. Lying isn't a good habit to cultivate. Now, go to your room.'

Stricken, Leonard pleaded, 'Please, Daddy! Mummy gets mad if I don't do it right!' His eyes began to tear up. Why won't anyone help me?

Glancing at his son, Alfred noticed his Leonard's distraught face. Then something occurred to him. Maybe he was lying because he wanted some physical affection?

With a stiff smile, Alfred cheered, "Now, Leonard, you don't need to make up things and lie for a hug! You just need to ask. That's what you want, correct? Now come here, boy!'

Confused, Leonard hopped up and embraced his father. A hug was a rare, if not nonexistent things in the Hofstetter household; it would be a tragedy to not take one when offered.

Leonard wasn't hugged often and had never been by his father and, it seemed like his father didn't know how either. His big burly arms crushed Leonard's tiny boy agains his chest. The small boy quickly lost his breathe and began to turn red. The he was out of breathe the more panicked Leonard became and, soon, he was wacking his father on the back in an attempt to be released.

Task complete, Alfred quickly dropped his son from his grasp and, in one fluid motion, returned to his work. Leonard panted on the floor, shaking from his terrifying experience.

'There you go! I'm all hugged out. If you need physical affection again, address your mother. Now go to your room.' He didn't move his gazed from his work as he spoke and Leonard couldn't help but feel like his father didn't like him much.

With a red face and teary eyes again, Leonard fled the room and retreated to his own. He left his homework in the living room' he wouldn't be able to compete it alone so it could stay there until tomorrow. He flopped lifelessly onto his bed.

I suppose i'll have to do it on my own tomorrow, the sad boy thought. Scrubbing his eyes, his last thought before falling asleep was, What a lousy way to spend my fourth birthday...

END CHAPTER

A/N: I'm a slow updater but I hope you like the idea!