Thanks folks for the reviews and support! I hope you did your homework. Look up Mendelbrot Fractal so you know what get Sheldon's motor running.
On with the show!
Sheldon
Next Monday, Sheldon started up his daily lunch video chat with Leonard at their scheduled time, but had to wait three minutes for him to join. "Right on time I see."
"Learning sarcasm, I see." Leonard joked.
"Why yes! Amy is giving me lessons." He smiled up at Amy when she brought him a promised sandwich of fried bologna with a touch of mustard on the bottom and a little grape jelly on the top. She had even cut off the crusts for him. He thanked her, and she kissed him on the head. When Sheldon turned back to the camera, both Penny and Leonard were on screen, slacked jawed and wide-eyed.
"What?" Sheldon asked before he took a bite out of his sandwich.
"Is Amy living with you?"
"Oh, did I forget to mention that?" Sheldon mouthed thank you to Amy when she brought him a glass of Strawberry Quik.
"When did this happen?" Penny managed to get out before, raising her voice, "AMY! CALL ME!" Penny's face left screen as Amy scrambled to another room.
Leonard leaned into the camera and asked, "Sheldon, that's a big step. Are you guys ready for that? I mean you've only just met her."
"Don't be silly, Leonard, I've known Amy for almost a year."
"You didn't know her full name for six months!"
"Names don't matter. Unless it's the name on a Scientific Paper or the name of 121st element.'
"The one time I mess up Periodic Bingo! One time!"
Sheldon huffed, he had heard Leonard's excuses before. "Yes, well... a failure we all regret. Now, on to other topics. Have you read the paper I wrote last week? I was thinking Amy and I could publish-"
"Amy helped you write that?"
Sheldon had forgotten how taxing Leonard could be. Amy and he had worked on the paper for weeks. Every waking hour they worked their new idea for the beginnings of Universe's expansion and Leonard couldn't be bothered to look at the first page! "Did you not see the title page? Again, Leonard, names..."
"Sheldon, I'm not done worrying about you and this new relationship."
"That's fair. I still worry about you and Penny."
"That's sweet."
Sheldon wasn't too sure, but he thought Leonard might be being sarcastic. He made a mental note to ask Amy about it.
He said to Leonard, "Anyway, Amy is going to move in permanently, so if anything happens between you and Penny, you're on your own." However, despite his confident assertion, he still hadn't broached the subject with Amy, though Leonard did not need to know that. She had agreed to stay with him until after quarantine was over and given how good this sandwich was, Sheldon hoped quarantine would last forever.
"Amy's going to move in? Sheldon, this is really fast, even for you. I would have thought if you EVER did find a girl, that it would probably take 5 years of dating, before you even kissed, let alone, move in, or write papers together. Next thing you know, you'll be getting married and having kids."
Sheldon smiled through his sandwich and said, after he swallowed, "Why would I wait to kiss Amy for five years? That's crazy. That kinda of stuff only happens on TV shows when they want to string the audience along. Not real life." He tisked at his former roommate and took another bite.
"Well our current situation doesn't feel like real life. The whole country locked down, and then all the unrest and protests. But... there is a little hope...Bernadette was called back to work. They might have a line on a vaccine."
Sheldon choked on the last bite of his sandwich. He hoped for a vaccine sure... everyone did... but not yet, it would mean Amy might move out sooner. He no longer needed another person in the apartment, he had discovered that about himself. It was Amy. He liked the little things about having Amy around. Her fruity shampoo, her little sandwiches. The way she cocked her head when she was thinking about something, her excitement over 70's shows and the way she concentrates when she knits. Things that might have upset him in other situations, or with other people, did not bother him if it was Amy.
"I wouldn't count on any vaccine any time soon, Leonard."
"Always the optimist, Sheldon."
Sheldon smiled and said with pride, "I know. It's my best quality."
"Get more sarcasm lessons from Amy." Leonard hung up. Sheldon cleared away his plate and went to look for Amy. He could hear through her bedroom door that she still speaking to Penny. He thought she said something about wireless vibrations and plush covered handcuffs, but he couldn't be sure.
Sheldon returned to the living room and started a video game, but kept his phone near so he could see if got a text from Amy. He paused his game after about an hour, he went back to the hall, Amy was still giggling and laughing and he thought he heard Bernadette's voice and for some reason, Raj, but again, he couldn't be sure.
He returned to the living room. "Golly, girls sure can talk."
Eventually, Amy came out of her room, wearing a very secretive smile. She went to the kitchen and put some bread in the toaster. Sheldon waited for her to tell him about the phone call, but she said nothing. Instead, she started humming and buttered the toast when it popped up.
"Alright... What are you up to, little lady."
"What do you mean?"
"Smiling, laughing... humming? This is Penny's doing. What do you have planned?"
"No plans, we've just had a nice group video call. That's all. Raj gave me a good idea."
Sheldon waited for Amy to go into more detail, but she just bit on a corner of toast and then licked her lips of crumbs as she looked at him. Then pulling her phone out of her pocket and texted him.
"I just heard of a new science fiction show that's like a western." She sent a picture of the Inara, the main sexy character from Firefly. She included a link on Amazon for a costume. A red low-cut dress with a gold bodice that he knew Amy would look amazing in.
Sheldon fumbled with his phone as he texted back. "Like Firefly? You want to try Firefly for our next Session?" He looked up and waited for her to respond as he crossed his legs and hoped she would not notice the effect the suggestion had had on him.
She didn't take her eyes off him as she texted, a skill he had yet to master. She smirked when she finished her text and put her phone back in her pocket, turned around and headed to the bedroom.
"I think this is very intriguing, don't you?" She quoted the background to the character. "...we started training at twelve, years of discipline and preparation before the physical act of pleasure was even mentioned. Control was the first lesson, and the last."
Sheldon whimpered and immediately ordered the Inara costume for rush shipment.
A few minutes later, Raj sent him a winky emoji icon. He hit the like button.
Their intimacy sessions continued, becoming more heated, more intense and unlike their date nights, Sheldon didn't need to codify kissing, since it might depend upon the scenario requirement, but more often than not, he found a way to fit the practice in.
The session based on Guardians of the Galaxy where they had had cover each other in protective lotions in order to attack Thanos wasn't his best plan, but the session continued in the shower which was inspired, if he did say so himself. He loved how Amy's interest in science fiction fueled each session and she didn't complain when he chose the media, since he always called it "research." When he said he wanted to do a session based on Westworld, Amy jumped at the chance, and hand-made her costume in Western garb.
Sheldon loved sleeping with Amy every Thursday night, and waking next to her warm body. However, they had yet to have coitus. He was waiting for a special day to gift Amy his genitals, and Amy didn't seem to mind the delay.
In July they were invited to a live streamed wedding. Raj and the baker woman were married in a crazy Elvis wedding in Vegas, including a car and an off-key serenade by the King of Rock. Sheldon was disappointed that the wedding took place on their scheduled July date night, but Amy was thrilled that she had been invited, and even insisted on wearing a bridesmaid's dress even though they couldn't attend personally.
Raj had never looked happier with his extra 20 pounds from too much cake and a bride who oozed smiles like frosting. Sheldon realized that Raj was the last of his friends to marry and he was pleased that his friend had finally found someone to share his life with. But for some reason he found himself in a state of anxiety. He reasoned that it must be because Raj's wedding had thrown off his schedule.
As their scheduled date night had been interrupted, Sheldon agreed, exceptionally, to reschedule it for the following week. Amy had instructed that he had to arrange something that didn't involve science fiction. He told Amy that her restrictions of "No science Fiction mumbo jumbo" on date night was unreasonable, and suggested they alternate who decided what they would do. Amy agreed, but stated that arrangements for this date night was still his responsibility.
Two days before the night in question he was still struggling to come up with something romantic to do in the apartment. Date night for him meant wearing nice clothes, having dinner in an overpriced restaurant, and according to the internet, some kind of unexpected event. Sheldon hated unexpected events. He just wanted his spaghetti and hot dogs and sit with Amy. He'd even watch her silly Little House on the Prairie show just to get out of this obligation. But this was their first real in-person date night and he wanted to make it special. He did not want to count the hazmat suit incident – he thought that best forgotten.
So for dinner, he decided to cook chicken-fried bison because who doesn't love meat fried like chicken. He was wearing his nice clothes, and then he noticed a spot on his favorite striped shirt. He made a quick visit to the bathroom to work on the stain as the oil warmed up in the pan. And, even though you could not see anything through the Visqueen, he had moved Amy's workstation from the platform overlooking the Pasadena City Hall dome so that he could take her dancing there for the "Special event'. They could only do four by four square dancing but that was better than nothing.
The fire alarm disturbed his cleaning routine. He ran to the kitchen at the same time as Amy, who was already dressed for the evening in a pretty dress with pink and white flowers on. The oil had caught the pan on fire; he doused the fire with the water for the pasta, spattering grease on the shirt he had just cleaned. Amy ripped the Visqueen off and threw open the window to let the smoke out.
"Boy! That was exciting." she laughed, but Sheldon wasn't amused.
"I need a new shirt."
"You need a whole new outfit. You go change into your most comfortable clothes and I will start on a new dinner.'
"But Amy, its date night." He protested. He wanted to give her something special and his favorite clothes were not special.
"Exactly. Date night should be fun for both of us. Not torture. Now go on, or those stains will set."
Sheldon went to his room and changed into his Flash red shirt and new pants. He left the clothes in the tub with soap to soak, and by the time he came back to the kitchen to start a new dinner, the room was smoke-free and the wafting smell of tomato sauce and fried hot dogs replaced that of burned grease.
Amy turned around with a big plate of his favorite food and a smile just as wide, but Sheldon didn't return it. "I'm sorry date night is ruined."
"Nonsense. This is great. And you made a good choice on that shirt since any sauce you might spill won't show up." She offered him a glass of grape juice but he turned it down. For now.
"Are we going to eat up there?" Sheldon noticed she had moved her workstation table back to the landing with two chairs. "We need to re-Visqueen the window."
"Let's leave that off for now. It's so nice to see outside and it will be like being in a restaurant. Besides which we need fresh air."
Sheldon groused but she was right, they did need to recycle the air in the apartment. He just hoped COVID wasn't transmitted by air.
They ate dinner overlooking the city lights. Amy poured him a glass of his favorite grape juice, and she had a sip of wine. He had never eaten on the landing before, but he didn't want her to get any ideas about having this as a permanent arrangement.
"Don't worry. I don't think you should have a dining table up here. That might cause us to break up." She giggled and took another sip of her wine.
"Breaking up over a table? What hokum." Sheldon laughed and added, "I was going suggest we dance up here."
"Dancing is nice, maybe next month. For now, I'd just like to sit up here and look out over the city." Amy cleared the plates away and moved the chairs so that they were both facing the window. They sat quietly, just staring at a city and lights below. She reached out and held his hand for a moment. "This is nice."
"It is..." Sheldon admitted.
"We should do this every date night." She said as she stared out the window with the happy face he loved.
"You mean that?"
Amy sat up and thought for a second, "Yes. I mean, date night is just about being together. Just being with you, no TV, no distractions. This is romantic to me. I know you like that dinner, and it's not like we can go out because of COVID. I can make that for us every date night, it can be just like our Thursday routine."
"Are you just trying to get out next month's plans because you have nothing?"
"I have a plan, so if you want to dress in Victorian clothes, with a dinner of pickled oysters followed by Squeak Piggy Squeak, I'm down." Amy shrugged and then snickered under her breath.
Sheldon squeezed her hand, "No... you're right. This is perfect."
They watched the city for a while, and soon the alarm sounded for Date night to be over. Sheldon walked her to her room, and gave her a kiss good night. She said it was the best date night she had ever had and just to push the rules, she kissed him again on the cheek before she closed her door.
Sheldon dressed for bed, and lay staring at the ceiling, but could not sleep. The disruption to his plans must have caused his distress. Or maybe the change in the schedule disturbed him because tonight should have been another session, not date night. He wanted to text Amy, but just as he was about to pick up his phone, he saw the alert for an incoming text.
"You can't sleep."
"No."
"I really didn't want bison." Amy texted back. "I know change is upsetting to you."
"I don't think it's that. I think its other things."
"Our sessions."She had guessed right, though he didn't want to admit it.
"Possibly."
He heard the door of her room open and then Amy's voice at the door, "Can I come in?"
"Yes." He sat up and greeted her. She sat on the edge of the bed and held his hand. "I bet we could come up with a session, if you like."
"Maybe..." He pulled down the covers for her to join him on the bed. She climbed in and she curled up next to him, as she often did after a heated session. No physical release was needed. Tonight he just wanted to be with her, to have her body close to him.
He laid back, with her on his chest and his arm around her. Then said, in a whisper, as if he couldn't censor his thoughts around her, "You know... I could have my collectible room back if we shared a room."
Amy said nothing, as if the decision was all his. But gave a satisfied sigh on his chest, "Whatever you wish." And drifted off to sleep.
AMY
She had loved sleeping with him on Thursdays, especially when he dreamed. As he slept, she sometimes heard him work through a problem, or better, he would say something naughty and she knew he was thinking of their intimacy sessions. So, when he had suggested they move their rooms together, she had jumped at the chance. Their intimacy sessions, were heavenly, their monthly date night was like icing on the cake, but to be able to sleep in his arms and wake up next to him, was like sprinkles on the icing of the perfect cake.
The following weekend, after Sheldon had made room for Amy's stuff in his room and moved all his little toys back in the spare room, Amy woke with Sheldon cuddled into her like a cat. She stretched out and turned over on to her side to get up, but Sheldon held onto her, and pulled her back into his arms with a groan, and told her to stop moving the flux capacitor.
After Sheldon mumbled something about getting 'Marty to the Clock Tower', he tossed on his side and Amy was able to make her escape.
She showered, dressed and started breakfast before she heard Sheldon stumble down the hall. "Amy? You let me sleep too long."
"You were up late with your Friday Star Trek game."
Sheldon corrected her, "Star Wars and yes... Leonard and Howard were terrible and Raj was distracted with some kind of brownie making nonsense. I had to carry the whole team."
"Hence why I made your favorite." Amy placed a plate of pancakes in front of him in the shape of the Mandelbrot set of fractals. A little fat blob of dough like a peach with a small bit on the side, and Sheldon loved them. Not the complicated structure of a true fractal, but Sheldon didn't care about accuracy when he came to breakfast food, especially pancakes.
"Fractal cakes! my favorite. You're the best, Amy." He took a huge bite and then curled up the side of his mouth, with a drip of syrup on his lips, he said, "So, you're in a randy mood."
"I don't see how you can equate the Mandelbrot set to a woman's buttocks, but that was not my intention." She wiped the side of his mouth with a napkin. "I just wanted to do something nice." As she cleaned the kitchen, she didn't notice Sheldon had come up behind her. She turned around and nearly jumped out of her skin.
Sheldon put his hands on her waist and pulled her roughly close to him. "You don't understand how complex numbers with regular intervals can equate to a perfect figure? Repeating patterns curves and..." He leaned down and kissed her. Unscheduled and unprompted, and the best kiss she had ever felt on her lips from a man who outdid himself on a regular basis. The taste of maple syrup mixed with his minty toothpaste and Amy nearly melted like hot batter in his arms.
Sheldon pulled away, but kept his hands on her hips, and smiled as he looked down at her.
"I love you." The words escaped her. She held her chest with one hand and her mouth the other. She wanted to pull them back. They had never said those exact words, though she had felt them for months and had almost told him when he had turned up at the circuit dating event. However, instead of dismissing the words as a symptom of hormones as she feared, Sheldon plucked them out of the air and gave them back to her, with a larger smile.
"I love you, too." He said it, as if it was the easiest thing in the world for him. As if he had those words on his tongue for months, and he just needed an excuse to say them. He leaned down and kissed her again.
I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving (US Peps) and stay safe out there! Thanks again for reviews!