Sheldon looked over his notes once again, but kept drawing the same conclusion. This prank war with Penny was yielding unexpected side effects. At first, things had been normal. He pranked her then she pranked him. But slowly things were changing. It had begun with the firemen. He had thought it a great prank at first, until he noticed the two men who kept groping Penny. He felt guilty for that. Almost as guilty as the cracked ribs. He also felt upset slightly. He originally attributed it the guilt, but he understood now it was anger. He hadn't liked them touching her like that. It was disrespectful.
Then the kids had shown up at his office for a "field trip" with him as their guide. He had spent the afternoon after they had left plotting. He couldn't help but admire the way she had set him up though. And her voice on the phone had made him smile in spite of the chaos in his office.
Wrapping her in the plastic wrap had been the turning point. He tried to tell himself that it was just a technique to keep her from waking up, but he could not deny the thrill he had gotten running his fingers through her hair and softly singing Soft Kitty to her every time she mumbled or moved in her sleep.
Her whispered breath in his ear yesterday had convinced him. He was beginning to grow attracted to Penny. Emotionally, he already had a bond with her than was stronger than his bond with Leonard or any other friend. He trusted her. He liked her. They were friends. She was dependable and always stuck by him.
Now he was developing a physical need for Penny. He had always considered her attractive. There was no denying her physical attributes. He had just never set much stock in them before. However, she was beginning to elicit a more tangible response from him. He no longer objected to the small touches she gave him. In fact he looked forward to the light press of her leg when she sat beside him, a soft pat on his arm as she spoke, the brush of her finger tips over his when he handed her something.
Sheldon sighed as he closed his notebook. He wasn't sure what to do. Did he want to pursue this? If no, how could he rid himself of these fledgling feelings? If yes, how to proceed? He had no experience in relationships. He had never had a need to develop those skills. Other than a couple of experimental sexual encounters as a teen, he had never been attracted to anyone. He had always considered himself immune to sexual desire, above the need for intimacy.
Yet here he was, caught in the beginning stages of desire for someone else. And not just anyone else, either. It was Penny, his friend. The only woman he had purposely sought out. He couldn't regret that though. When she and Leonard had broken up, it had been uncomfortable losing her from his social circle. He did not make friends easily, or willingly, but Penny was his friend and he would loath to lose her. So, he had made a concerted effort to maintain that friendship so that while she and Leonard had struggled to overcome the discomfort of their break up and regain their own friendship, she was still a part of his life.
Sheldon prepared for bed and slid under the covers. Penny was important to him. How would changing the parameters of their friendship affect them? Sheldon was just drifting off to sleep when he shot up in bed.
What if Penny was not attracted to him? What if she had no interest in a romantic relationship with him? Sheldon was worried. If she didn't care for him as he cared for her, would he lose her altogether? Sheldon rose from his bed hurriedly. He grabbed up his notebook and began writing. He would need to ensure her attraction to him. He was going to need to woo Penny, and he might just have the perfect way to do it.
