Leonard Hofstadter admired his boss, he really did. Sheldon was accomplished, intelligent, articulate and a truly original scientific mind – things that Leonard had spent his life looking for in a friend. He had yearned for animated discussions about physics, someone who could keep up with him. Not that his school friends, or the guys from the lumber yard, were bad company; they just couldn't give him the intellectual stimulation he had craved since his academic father had died and his learned mother had shut him out.
Leonard admired Sheldon Cooper, but some nights - if he let the thought in - he hated him.
Sheldon had been brilliant, but he had always been lucky - his mother had always loved and supported him, he had the opportunity to pursue school. His life was something that Leonard could only dream of (and had, on several occasions).
Some days; while Leonard organized repairs on Sheldon's spacious house, while he took notes on Sheldon's work, while he penned Sheldon's RSVP's to various events, while he watched Amelia love Sheldon despite his obvious rudeness - on those days it was all he could do to contain the hot fury he felt towards his gangly, awkward 'friend'.
A more well-adjusted man could have recognized his own jealousy, could have looked past it to see how lucky he was to have the life that Sheldon had given him.
Leonard just seethed silently, cursing fate for giving him so little and Sheldon so much, and felt for the comforting weight of the pistol at his bedside. It was just reassurance, he had no plans, but some days he just needed to know it was there.
Sheldon strode into the parlor suite, taking in the thick carpet and decadent furnishings; two neatly dressed maids bustled around unpacking cases and straightening bedsheets. He never ceased feeling like royalty in his own life, after his working class upbringing in Galveston.
One maid, Judy, gave him a quick smile as he entered.
"This is splendid, Doctor," Leonard remarked, walking up beside Sheldon, "absolute luxury!"
"It is indeed," Sheldon murmured
He looked over at Amelia, who was sitting at her vanity applying lipstick, having left the maids to put her dresses away. She, at least, was no stranger to this kind of pampering.
"Judy," he called, and the maid jumped to attention, "where are my drawings? I'd like to hang them in here"
"Oh darling, not those pictures again," Amelia moaned, turning around in her chair
Judy opened a packing crate containing several rolled pieces of paper, each one showing a collection of stars in various arrangements.
"These are accurate representations of the night sky, Amelia," Sheldon sighed impatiently, "they show the positions of the stars, and the patterns they form. These could be highly important records someday!"
"Or they could be garbage," she rolled her eyes, "everyone knows what the stars look like, Sheldon, the patterns are just coincidence"
"Even if that is the case, which I highly doubt, they're fascinating," he retorted, unrolling one of the drawings and taking in the majesty of the illustrated sky, "Hang them around the room please, Judy"
Amelia turned back to the mirror, knowing that to argue with her future husband would be wrong. She didn't understand much about his scientific passions, or his interest in the stars. He was a strange man, but a good man – she was lucky to have him.
"I don't mean to interrupt," Leonard called out as he ushered another maid away, "but I must go and ensure that the motorcar is in the correct area in storage before we meet for tea"
"Yes, please do, Leonard," Sheldon nodded, and walked over to Amelia, placing a hand awkwardly on her shoulder
"Shall we take a look around the decks?" he asked; voice stiff, "I believe we will be approaching France in a few hours"
Amelia jumped up, her face its usual picture of contentment, and took his hand.
"Of course, darling, let's," she smiled, "this room is exquisite, by the way. You treat me very well"
"Nonsense, Amelia," Sheldon tutted, "this is merely the standard to which I know you are accustomed, and to which I prefer to live. You are my fiancé; it is my duty to treat you 'like a queen' as they say"
"I love you, Sheldon," Amelia said, her voice measured – as though she was reading a script
He didn't reply. Sheldon Cooper could do a lot of things, but lying was not amongst his talents.
Just as he did not believe that Amelia really loved him, he was all but certain that he did not love her. He knew that he should be dissatisfied with this, but really his life had no place for love – he enjoyed his work, but knew that one day he would be expected to have a family. A woman like Amelia was the wisest choice; she was polite and well raised, intelligent enough and she seemed to enjoy his company. Love had never needed to come into it; he probably wouldn't have had time for it even if it did.
A/N - When writing this chapter I had to research information about the constellations and IT TURNS OUT that they weren't properly recognized and named until 1922! The more you know!