Technical Difficulties

Sushi, and Seduction?

Penny kept her eyes on the road, driving steadily and tuning out Sheldon and Amy's conversation. When the conversation got louder and more heated, she listened in. "Please refrain from holding my hand, Amy. As the Relationship Agreement states - "

Hold up. Amy was dating Sheldon!?

" - hand holding is only allowed if any of the following circumstances occur - one is in need of moral support during vaccinations, if either party are in danger of death, or if one is deserving of a hearty handshake after receiving a Nobel Prize."

"That's ridiculous, Sheldon. I must amend my previous opinion of the Relationship Agreement, in which I said it was romantic, to thinking it is completely preposterous."

Sheldon was offended. Penny could tell by his expression in her mirror. "Perhaps you would prefer me to terminate it. You do have two strikes."

Penny zoned out again for the rest of the journey.

Amy had spent the ride in huffy silence. Sheldon had remained silent and emotionless. When Penny finally pulled up outside, Amy burst from the car and ran to talk to Bernadette. Sheldon looked mystified at her odd behaviour.

Penny tried again to eat her sushi with the chopsticks properly, but always missed, or dropped it into her lap. "Here," Sheldon said. He took her hands and positioned them correctly with the chopsticks. Try as she might, Penny couldn't fight the warm fuzzies that spread from her hands to her heart. "Thank you, sweetie!"

Across the table, Amy was turning green. "Oh, so you'll hold my bestie's hands, but not mine?" she said, glowering. Sheldon made a sort of disbelieving laugh.

"I am showing her how to use her chopsticks correctly, Amy. Nothing in the Relationship Agreement states that I cannot help my friends."

Amy scoffed from across the table, and began fumbling with her chopsticks. "Sheldon, look, I can't use them! I need your instructions." Sheldon glanced up.

"Leonard, please assist Amy with her chopsticks," he said smoothly. Penny fought the urge to laugh at the look on Amy's face.

"Sheldon, you helped Penny, why can't you help me?"

"I am sitting next to Penny, therefore it is possible for me to help her. You, on the other hand, chose to sit 'as far away as possible' from me, as I recall." Amy scowled. Penny smirked. Sheldon had a smug smile on his face.

Leonard and Howard began talking about gaming, with Raj sipping his beer and participating eagerly. Bernadette was talking to Amy, but Amy still threw nasty glances across the table. Are they directed at me or Sheldon?

The tension in the car was so thick you could have cut it with a knife. Sparks flew from Amy's eyes, while Sheldon remained oblivious. Penny was glad when she pulled up at the apartment. Sheldon thanked her and made his way inside, but Amy pulled at Penny's arm.

"What is going on with you, bestie?" Amy said, half-fiercely, half-pleadingly. "Sheldon is my boyfriend! You were flirting with him! I know I am not familiar with many social techniques, but I recognised your shameless flirting!"

"Flirting!?" Penny hadn't meant it like that, but looking back...

"Holy crap. I was flirting with Sheldon Cooper," Penny breathed. "Penny, he's my first proper boyfriend. Stop trying to upstage me! I'll let it go this time as you're my Bestie, but in future - hands off!" With that, Amy strode off into the night. Penny just stood there, dumbfounded.