Word Count: 1516
Summary: "...he had somehow managed to sprawl out so much more than he usually did, as if he was trying to claim the entire mattress as his own."
Disclaimer: I don't own The Big Bang Theory or the characters.

Penny tiptoed into the bedroom, rubbing her tired eyes as she pulled her hair into a messy bun. The day had been long – her feet were sore from running around at work, and spending hours preparing for meetings, walking around trying to fix someone's mess. All she wanted now was to climb into bed and snuggle up, drifting into a peaceful sleep without a care in the world.

But as she reached the edge of the bed, she paused, staring at Leonard.

He was already there, of course. She should have expected that. But he had somehow managed to sprawl out so much more than he usually did, as if he was trying to claim the entire mattress as his own. Leonard was lying on his stomach, his arm flung over her side of the bed, his face buried in his pillow, and his breathing steady and slow. His glasses were perched neatly on the nightstand, and there was a little snore escaping from his slightly parted lips.

Penny sighed, shaking her head. "Leonard."

She stood there for a second, considering just letting him sleep in his self-claimed fortress of pillows. But no. She was too tired to try and deal with him in the morning when she could already feel her bed getting smaller and smaller with every inch of space he took up.

She nudged his shoulder lightly. "Leonard. Move."

Nothing.

She poked his arm harder this time. "Babe. Seriously. You're taking up half the bed."

Leonard didn't stir, only mumbling something that sounded like "Mmfh... quark..." before going completely still again.

Penny blinked, her eyes narrowing slightly. Did he just say quark?

She chuckled to herself, rolling her eyes with affection. God, he's such a nerd. Cute, but still...

Sighing, Penny decided that if Leonard wasn't going to move, she was just going to have to take the bed back herself.

With a small grunt of effort, she started climbing into the bed, wiggling her way under the covers. But Leonard was still sprawled across the entire mattress, his arm still draped lazily over her side. There was no room. Penny carefully shifted her weight, trying to maneuver herself around him without disturbing his sleep too much. But in the process of trying to squeeze in, her knee landed – right there.

Leonard shot up with a strangled gasp, his body jerking as if he'd just been electrocuted. His face twisted into a look of pain, and he immediately curled into himself, clutching his groin with one hand.

Penny froze, her heart skipping a beat. "Oh my God! Leonard, I am so sorry!" she exclaimed, wide-eyed, her voice full of concern.

Leonard let out a long, dramatic groan, squinting his eyes open just enough to glare at her. His hands were still very much protecting his… delicate area, but now he was seriously annoyed, and Penny could see it.

"Yeah, sure, just jam your knee right in my crotch, it's fine," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. And clearly in pain.

Penny couldn't help herself – she burst out laughing, clapping a hand over her mouth to stifle the noise.

"Leonard, I swear it was an accident!"

He just sighed dramatically, rolling onto his back with a heavy exhale, but his eyes were still narrowed. "Tell that to our future children."

Penny lost it again. She laughed so hard, she snorted, and her eyes crinkled with amusement. The noise just made Leonard's frown deepen, even though she could tell he was holding back a smile.

"Poor Leonard," she said with a teasing smile, "You okay?"

"I mean, I'm alive," he muttered, "but we're definitely not having kids anytime soon, thanks to you."

She reached over, brushing some of his hair from his forehead. "Aww, you poor baby," she said, her voice softening. "You need me to kiss it better?"

Leonard's eyes fluttered open a little more, and she could see the shift in his expression – he wasn't just teasing anymore. His smirk was slow, playful, and there was a hint of something more mischievous behind it.

"Yes. Please," he said in a low, almost too-serious voice, his eyes locking with hers.

Penny blinked, a little caught off guard. She raised an eyebrow. "Nice try, mister. I know exactly what you're up to."

He didn't back down, his smirk turning into something a little more flirty, his voice just a bit huskier now. "Come on, I'm in pain. The least you could do is–"

Penny rolled her eyes, already shifting away to get comfortable in bed. "I am way too tired for whatever you're about to suggest, Leonard."

He gave an exaggerated sigh, flopping back onto the pillow, but his eyes were still focused on her, the playful gleam not quite gone. "Figures," he mumbled dramatically, the faintest trace of a pout creeping onto his face.

Penny snickered, unable to resist reaching over and pressing a kiss to his cheek. "I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean to hurt you."

Leonard's pout softened just slightly, and he let out a quieter, more relaxed sigh as she settled back into the bed. "I love you, you know that?"

Penny smiled and snuggled into his side, resting her head on his chest. She could feel the warmth of his body through the fabric of his t-shirt, the soft rise and fall of his breathing beneath her cheek. The steady rhythm was comforting, grounding her as she relaxed into him. "I love you too, drama queen."

He wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her just a little closer. Penny shifted, getting more comfortable as she wriggled her cold feet under the covers and placed them directly against Leonard's legs.

Leonard stiffened instantly, jerking away. "OH MY GOD– PENNY!"

She giggled. "What? You're so warm, I just had to share the love."

"Your feet are freezing!" he groaned, trying to move away from her icy feet, but she held him close, trapping him in her warm, snug embrace.

"Maybe you should wear socks like I do," Leonard grumbled. "My feet aren't cold."

Penny raised an eyebrow, a smirk creeping onto her face. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize I had to be as fashionably challenged as you to avoid frostbite."

Leonard rolled his eyes but couldn't hold back a chuckle. "Socks aren't a fashion statement, Penny. They're just practical."

"Sure, because there's nothing more romantic than a pair of thick, woolen socks," she teased, leaning up to kiss his cheek.

Leonard sighed dramatically. "You're killing me here, Penny." He tried to move away from her icy feet, but she clung to him, unwilling to let go.

Penny couldn't help but grin. "That's what you get for hogging the bed, mister."

Leonard made a frustrated noise but didn't fight it anymore, instead letting his hands rest lazily on her back as he settled in beside her. "I just got physically assaulted, flirt rejected, and now I'm cold tortured? This is an abusive relationship."

Penny laughed softly, pressing a kiss to his chest. She could hear the slight beat of his heart, and the sound of his voice so relaxed made her feel even more at ease. "Mmm. But you love me."

Leonard's voice dropped to a softer tone, and his fingers began gently massaging her scalp as he adjusted his position, making sure he was comfortable with her nestled against him. She sighed contentedly, melting into his touch, showing him that she was as comfortable as he was."Yeah... I do."

She smiled, feeling a rush of warmth in her chest as she closed her eyes. Leonard always had a way of making her feel so safe and loved, even when he was being dramatic. The scent of his Star Wars shampoo, the gentle rhythm of his breathing, the soft warmth of his skin against hers... it all made the world outside feel so far away.

As they both lay there in the quiet, the only sounds were their gentle breathing and the faint hum of the apartment. Penny felt her eyelids getting heavy, her body slowly relaxing into Leonard's comforting warmth. She could hear his heartbeat, steady and slow, beneath her ear. His hand was warm on her back, and for a moment, everything felt perfectly right.

"Hey," she murmured softly.

"Hmm?" Leonard's voice was soft, sleepy, as he lazily kissed the top of her head.

"Still mad at me?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Leonard was quiet for a moment, his fingers still absently running through her hair. Then he sighed, long and drawn-out. "Ask me in the morning."

Penny smiled against his chest, feeling that familiar comfort of his arms around her. "Fair enough," she whispered.

With a contented sigh, she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep, her last thought being how much she loved him – even if she did knee him in the crotch.

The End

Based on a prompt I found "just jam your knee right in my crotch, it's fine". I could totally see that happen with those two and immediately started writing it. And yes, I'm once again pretending like episode 3 didn't happen and just put comments about kids in this story. They did end up having at least one, so... :) Hope everyone likes it!