Paintball (Sheldon's view)
Sequel to Laundry Night
Knock knock knock Penny
Knock knock knock Penny
Knock knock knock Penny
She stumbled to the door, saw it was just after 9am. She flung open the door, causing Sheldon to throw an arm up to his throat in protection.
"Sheldon, there had better be a dead body," she warned. "Or an almost dead one." Her jaw clenched at the sight before her. Slowly she reached out and gingerly touched his paintball uniform. Splatters of yellow paint covered his legs, chest and helmet. She took his arm and dragged him inside.
Neither said a word as she removed the helmet and padded breastplate. Sheldon looked tired, she realized. She turned him toward her bedroom and gave a push.
"Penny," he squeaked. She shushed him and pointed to the bed.
"Sit, get out of those clothes and then get into the shower. I'll go next door and get you some clean things to wear." Her tone was gentle, but he could see the anger in her eyes.
"Penny, no one is allowed in my room," he reminded her. She shook her head at him and smiled. He smiled at her retreating form as she left the room. He pulled off his shirt and folded it neatly. He had spent the entire walk home in regret. Regret that he had accepted the invitation to paintball. Regret that he hadn't realized Leonard wasn't extending an olive branch, but a battering ram. Regret that he had left his keys in the apartment.
Yet, he mused, I don't regret knocking on her door. Penny had come to mean quite a bit to him these last months. He found himself not just accepting her presence when she dropped in, but actively seeking her out. They were spending almost every evening together. If she worked the morning shift, she would pick him up from work and they would watch movies, or play Age of Conan, or even just sit side by side and read. If she worked evenings, he would listen for her to come home and then meet her in the hall. Then they would have a meal and talk about their day.
It was better when Leonard was avoiding them, but lately he had begun hanging around the apartment. Sheldon suspected he did it to make them uncomfortable. When he was around they went to 4B. Sheldon was growing tired of Leonard's antics. Howard and Raj still avoided him as much as possible which was fine by him. They were sheep. They had followed Leonard's lead just as they always had. He had Penny and that was enough.
Lately she had been slowly introducing him to other people. Steve, who worked with her had a fondness for Dr. Who. He had been at the putt-putt windmill when they walked up and she had introduced them. They had finished the game while discussing who made the best doctor. Gail and Amanda, a couple Penny knew from her gym, were avid comic collectors. The girls had approached them at the mall one day and had admired his Flash shirt. And there was that other waitress friend of Penny's, Bernadette. She was a scientist, although it was only Biology. More and more, Sheldon was being pulled into Penny's life. He smiled as he stepped under the spray of water. He had to admit, he wasn't unhappy about it. So much had changed in the last few weeks. He knew it should panic him, but it didn't. Much. He heard a knock on the bathroom door and peered around the curtain. It opened slightly and Penny's arm waved some clothes to get his attention.
"I'll leave these on the bed," she said.
"Thank you," he said gently. "I will be out soon." He turned his thoughts back to the events of the last week. Surprisingly he enjoyed Penny's friends. They were not the academically driven people he was used to, but there was something about them he found entertaining. Steve had argued his case for Colin Baker rather well. Gail was more of an anime fan, but Amanda was well versed in the Marvel universe. But they had also talked of other things. Politics, movies, even music.
Suddenly Sheldon froze up. That was it. These people had few similar interests to him, but they had never once made him feel like an outcast. They had not laughed at the nerd. No jokes about his mannerisms or speech. They treated him like Penny did. As Sheldon the guy, not Sheldon the child genius, or Sheldon the robot. He stepped out of the shower and smiled. He rather liked that.
Paintball (Penny's view)
Penny grabbed her spare key to 4A and stomped across the hall. She was appalled but the way they had treated Sheldon. There was no excuse for it. She gathered up his chinos, underwear and socks. A black thermal was added to the pile while she debated over a tee. Flash or robot evolution. She finally decided on the orange Flash shirt when she heard the front door open. She quickly grabbed the pile and walked out into the hall. Raj was closest to her. Leonard and Howard were near the sink. Before anyone knew she was there, she grabbed Raj's weapon. She snapped open the cartridge and saw blue paint filled balls inside.
"Penny!" Leonard looked at her in shock. Then he spied the flash shirt and he frowned. "What are you doing with Sheldon's clothes?" Penny ignored him. She reached for Howard's gun and after a momentary struggle he gave it up. Red paint. She threw it down beside Raj's, uncaring if they ended up damaged. She looked at Leonard.
"Who wants to bet what color paintballs Leonard has? I've got my money on yellow." She put her hands on her hips. "Kinda like the streak down his back." Leonard sputtered, trying to deny it. She shook her head at him.
"You know, I used to think you were the nice guy. A good guy. But not anymore. You are nothing but a bully. A cowardly, vicious little bully."
Leonard smiled and held out his hands. "Come on, Penny. It's just a game. We were only playing with him."
Penny stepped in close. "Understand this, Leonard. If you ever try that crap on Sheldon again, I'll be the one playing with you. And you won't like my rules." Penny turned to leave and thought better of it. Swiftly she spun back to Leonard and drove her knee into his stomach. She bent down and whispered in his ear as he gasped.
"I'm betting that for once, you're glad to be short." Then she glared at the other two, who stumbled across the room and stalked out of the room. In the hallway, she leaned against her door and struggled to regain her composure. She didn't want to upset Sheldon anymore than he was already. Once she felt calmer, she went inside and took the clothes to Sheldon. Then she set about making tea. It was non-optional.