Leonard sighed as he heard a knock at the door. He was exhausted from his gym session earlier that day; on his own, going to the gym was very boring and there was no challenge, and he found himself stuck in a repetitive routine. "Come in," he called, not bothering to get up and open the door since it was unlocked.
"Hey, Leonard," Penny's voice came through the door as she opened it slightly, looking in. "Can I come in?"
He knew she was just checking to see that Priya wasn't in, so he nodded. "Sure."
Penny walked in and closed the door behind her, chewing on her lip. She held out the plastic bag in her hand as she walked over to the couch. "Umm, here's your t-shirt back. I washed it, so there's no sick on it or anything."
"Oh, thanks," Leonard took the bag from her, looking inside it before standing up. Part of him wanted her to keep it; he liked the thought of her in his t-shirt, and the idea that she would still have something of his. He knew he was just being stupid, but it hurt a little that she was so ready to give him his things back. "I'll go get you your dress."
Penny sat down on the couch where Leonard had been sitting, enjoying the warmth he had left behind. She watched the commercials running on mute until he came back a few minutes later, holding her dress in his hands.
"Sorry, I didn't get a chance to wash it." He apologized, handing it to her and sitting next to her.
"That's okay," Penny shrugged. Somehow, giving Leonard his t-shirt and him giving her back her dress made her feel upset and dejected. It was like breaking up all over again; giving your ex their things back so you had nothing left of them. Only she knew that if she kept it, she would wear it, and it wouldn't help her in the slightest with trying to get over him; she didn't need to add to her addiction. Wearing it alone would only make her long for him even more, and she knew it. Penny looked around for a while, before her eyes fell on his gym bag. "Oh, yeah, sorry I didn't go to the gym today. I was going to text you."
"That's okay, it's not like a rule or something that we have to go together. It was a bit boring though, by myself. Why didn't you go today? Have you hurt yourself again?" Immediately he felt concern fill his body, aside from her birthday that was the only thing he could remember as a reason for her not going to the gym.
"No, no," Penny shook her head shyly, finding it sweet that he was so concerned about her. "I just have my period, I didn't feel like going."
She decided to miss out how incredibly, ridiculously, insanely happy she had been to wake up and realize she had her period. Her body didn't run like clockwork, so usually she wasn't bothered if she was a few days late. But being single, she hadn't been taking her pill everyday like she should, and she and Leonard hadn't always bothered with protection since it was always so unexpected and spontaneous. Naturally, she had begun to worry slightly that she hadn't received Mother Nature's gift yet, but could still feel the cramps and the slight nausea. She had never been so happy in her life to have it; she had practically danced out of the bathroom in celebration, cartwheeling across her front room.
But that was hardly a story she could tell Leonard, or an event she wished to repeat.
"Oh, fair enough." While they were dating, Leonard had gotten used to Penny talking - mainly moaning - about PMS and all sorts of girl problems. It had also taught him what he could say or do, and what to avoid. "Do you have enough candy?"
"I ate most of it," Penny frowned. "I have like, two chocolate bars left in case I need some before I get to the store. I just can't be bothered to go, and I already scavenged all the candy you gave me for my birthday. But I need to go to the store anyway, I ran out of painkillers and ice cream."
"Ah, don't want your survival supplies to run out." Leonard chuckled. "I guess my sore leg muscles and aching back are irrelevant compared to your cramps."
"Oh, did you over-exercise?" Penny pouted sympathetically. "Poor Leonard. If your back hurts, my dad taught me a really good little massage to help. Wanna give it a try?"
He sighed; he wasn't sure if Penny giving him a massage was a good idea at all. But his back hurt, and he knew Priya wouldn't give him a massage, and it just sounded so good. "Ok, sure."
Jumping off the couch, Penny grinned. "Okay. Lie down on your stomach and lift up your top."
Leonard shrugged off his hoodie and did as instructed. He used his hand to indicate to the lower part of his back. "This part hurts the most," He mumbled into the pillow.
Penny rolled up the sleeves of her sweater, trying to figure out whether she should stay standing or straddle him, which would be easier, but less appropriate. She leant forwards and began to work at his lower back, but it was uncomfortable and it was the wrong angle, so she cleared her throat. "I'm gonna have to... have to sit on you. Is that okay?"
"Yeah," Leonard replied nervously.
Biting her lip, Penny gently climbed on him and sat carefully. She smiled gently to herself as she wondered if the marks she had left on his ass had gone away yet. Taking a deep breath, she set her hands to work on Leonard's lower back, remembering everything her dad had told her. She remembered he had taught her so she could massage his back when it hurt after work; he would then treat her to some ice cream as a reward. As she got older she did it less often, but she always remembered it because it was always very relieving. She found that thinking of her dad kept her mind focused on just massaging Leonard's back, stopping her thoughts from straying.
"Is it working?" She asked after a while.
"Ugh, Penny, it feels so good."
Penny felt her breath hitch and her heart rate speed up instantly. Asking him and getting him to speak had been a bad idea; the way he had moaned slowly and said her name turned her on like a light switch. She began to slow her hands, which had begun to tremble slightly, as she tried to regulate her breathing, knowing she was too close to losing control. She fought every urge to grind her hips into him, looking around the room desperately trying to find a source of distraction, something to turn her back off. But she found nothing; even the Cylon Toaster seemed sexy right now. So she settled on going back to her earlier distraction; her dad. "Good." Her voice came out low and dry. She cleared her throat, blinking quickly. "My dad said it always helps."
"Mm." Leonard was grateful the massage, and also for the distracting thought of Penny's dad to keep his mind off the fact that it was Penny on top of him. He thought he could feel her tense slightly, but he figured that may well just be his imagination. He kept his mind on the distraction as he let Penny relieve his back of the uncomfortable pain that had been lingering.
They successfully made it through the massage with no further slips, and Penny grinned as she got off him. "There, done! You can sit up now." She waited until he had sat up and stretched, pulling his top down. She allowed herself to glance at his almost bare chest for a second and his abs, which were more defined than she remembered. "How does it feel?"
Leonard rolled his shoulders back and grinned. "Amazing. Thanks, Penny. That massage was better than painkillers."
"No problem. Think of it as repayment for all those back and stomach massages, which also were better than painkillers."
Leonard opened his mouth to offer her a massage in return; he knew she loved them and that they relaxed her. But he decided against it, things were different now. If he didn't have a girlfriend, he'd probably have offered Penny a massage, but he did have a girlfriend. And he hadn't exactly been the most faithful, honest boyfriend; he knew that. Control yourself, Leonard, he told himself, you can't just keep giving in.
However, he remembered that there was something that he could do. He walked to the kitchen and opened a cupboard, standing on his tiptoes, he reached for the top shelf. Penny giggled as he jumped slightly to grab whatever he was trying to get. He finally got a hold of it, and pulled it down, grinning when he closed the cupboard and turned around.
"I saved a bag of candy after Halloween." Leonard held out the bag as he walked over to Penny. "Eat your heart out."
"Oh my God!" Penny jumped up and down excitedly as she took the bag, hugging it to her. "You're the best!" As tears formed in her eyes, Penny shook her head. "Sorry. Hormones."
"Aw, that's okay." Leonard encircled her in his arms, being careful not to crush the candy she was still holding. He rubbed a few small circles on her lower back, where he remembered comforted her the most. There was a small ping, and he stepped back as the cooker alarm began to alert him that his lunch was ready.
"Watcha make?" Penny followed him over to the kitchen, opening the bag of candy and tearing open the first little chocolate bar she got her hands on.
"French fries," Leonard said, putting on an oven glove and pulling out the tray. "And chipolatas."
"Mm, looks good." Penny replied through a mouthful of chocolate. She watched as he put his food onto a plate, her mind racing with sausage innuendos. Just as she thought of a really good one, Leonard picked up the saltshaker from the counter and began to season his fries with a light layer of salt. She found herself biting her lip, chocolate bar hanging in her hand, as her imaginary salty-but-sexy bar scenario came back to the front of her mind. What I wouldn't give to be one of those french fries... so damn cozy with those sausages...
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Leonard raised a brow.
Penny blinked rapidly. "Just, umm, remembering something."
"O-kay..." Leonard shrugged as he put down the saltshaker.
Pick that damn thing back up! Penny frowned as he put it down, blushing slightly that a saltshaker, of all things, was turning her on. "I don't think your fries have enough salt."
"I actually put quite a lot on," Leonard said, confused. He picked the saltshaker back up and held it out to Penny. "This shaker allows for a quicker flow of a larger quantity of salt granules, because it has larges holes. See?"
"Yup," Penny stood up quickly, grabbing her candy bag. She shoved what was left of her chocolate bar in her mouth and jumped out of her seat, rushing over to the door. "I have to go."
Without further explanation, she was out the door, and Leonard was left to ponder what the hell was going on as he started eating his apparently under-salted fries and sausages.
A/N - This chapter is a little longer but I don't think you guys mind because you all liked the saltshaker. So I thought I'd put that in this chapter! To the Guest reviewer asking about getting something from Leonard - you will, some things just have to happen before I get to that point where we explore Leonard a bit more. Which shouldn't be too long away, I just keep getting ideas to go before it! So yeah, I'll get to him soon :) Hope you all enjoyed, don't forget to me a review, you know I love hearing from you lovely lot! :)