Work Text:
"Just how long exactly will you be staying with us?"
Sheldon looks at you from across the table. You're sitting at the floor, legs crossed with Chinese Food in hand. You swallowed your food before looking at Leonard for help as you're not really one for confrontation.
Your brother got the hint, thankfully, as he faced his roommate, "Come on, Sheldon. She literally goes to the same workplace as us and she drives you everywhere when I can't! Can't she just stay here... as long as she wants?"
The man in the red shirt with a flash logo on it squints at you before changing his expression to a surprised one, "AS LONG AS SHE WANTS!?" He stood up and got something from the bookshelf, "May I remind you about the roommate agreement clause 13 which states, a non roommate can only stay a maximum of 3 days in a half, 7 if it's a family member..." Sheldon pointed at you, "she's been here for 3 months!"
"Sheldon, you're being rude." Leonard sets his food down, "Isn't there a clause saying you should be polite to our guests?"
"She's technically a squatter here now and not a guest anymore!" He complained as he placed the roommate agreement back on the shelf and stomping towards you.
His tall stature was before you that it hurts your neck craning upwards just to look at him. You looked up at him with sad eyes, unsure of what to do as he started at you intently asking, "so how long will you be staying with us?"
You just looked at him and slowly shrugged.
'Well that was cute' Sheldon thought to himself before blinking the thought away and pursing his lips and crossing his arms, "well... Fine. I'll help you look for an apartment then!"
"Really?" You stood up in excitement with a big smile on your face.
"I just don't get why Leonard can't do it" He looked at your brother with a glare.
"I am going on a business trip, Sheldon. I don't have time"
"Ugh fine." The man scoffed defeatedly as he turned back to you, "after work tomorrow. Don't be late."
"Yes!" You suddenly hugged him, "thank you, Sheldon." Jumping in joy before accidentally kissing his cheeks.
"A-a-aye that's not allowed" Leonard called out.
"Sorry," You wiped the kiss off Sheldon's cheek with your sleeve as he stood there stunned, "Just thankful. You know how I am when I am happy, Len."
Suddenly, the door bursts wide open revealing a hysterical Penny, tissue in hand as she wipes her tears.
"Oh my god, Penny." Leonard rushed to her side, "are you ok?"
"Oh... Come in" Sheldon sarcastically commented as he went back to his seat.
Penny sat down in the couch as she tried to calm herself down, "I am sorry. It's just... I can't afford my apartment anymore. I've haven't been just getting that acting bookings lately."
"Oh, Penny." Leonard cooed, "Y/N can be your roommate. In fact she can pay the whole two months rent up front."
"YES!" "WHAT?!" You and Sheldon both exclaimed.
"I thought you want her gone, Sheldon?" Your brother looked at his rommate out of confusion, "why take her out to look for apartments when it's safer is she's living just right down the hall?"
The three of you looked at him as the man eye's widen, "well, we already made plans! And besides I don't think Penny will be a great roommate for her, Y/N's so clean and Penny's... Well..."
"Oh I am fine with a messy person. You should've seen me in college. I've had great roommate ratings from my past messy roommates." You replied, "and yes I can pay rent quiet fine and if you're short on funds I can totally pay out of pocket"
"Really?" Penny looked at you with a smile, "aww Y/N you're so kind" She hugged you tightly as you hugged her back.
"Wouldn't she make a great sister in law?" Leonard commented as he watched you and Penny get along.
You laughed, "nice try, Leonard. I am not going to sell you out to Penny"
"Now hold on a minute" Sheldon Interrupted, "She's our guest and we can tell her when she should leave"
"That's so wrong" Penny looked at him perplexed, "She can stay with me, it's no problem."
You cross your arms, "Yeah Sheldon, don't you want me out of the apartment? I mean... You were asking me when am I leaving just 4 minutes ago"
He was quiet now.
Sheldon wasn't really sure why he was so oppose to the idea now that you have a solution to move to an apartment with Penny. Theirs wasn't exactly built for 3 people to live on.
"What if I need her to drive me to work?" Was all he could think about to quip.
"I'd still drive you to work dumbass, we go to work at the same time and even leave at the same time." You rolled your eyes, "it's great! I get to live close to Leonard and I get to live with Penny"
"Yay!" Penny hugged you again, "ok well I'll call the landlord and you can just move in tonight or tomorrow. Which ever you want. And also... I am not as dirty as Sheldon claims."
"I know Penny, I've been to your apartment." You sighed.
Penny jumped in joy and clapped her hands together as she rushed back to her apartment, "ok well, see you later roomie!"
"See you!" You waved her off.
You looked back at Sheldon who look annoyed at the scenario he just witness.
"What's wrong now?" Your brother complained.
"I need her to sign the roommate agreement saying she'll uphold to the promise of driving me to work as thanks for letting her stay here for free for three months" Sheldon's words came out fast.
Your brother looked at you for confirmation, "Sheldon," You sighed, "I'd be your personal driver forever if you want just a thanks for letting me stay here."
"Well that's fixed" Leonard smiled, "now eat."
You moved in with Penny the day after.
"Morning" Sheldon said to no one as he looked at the empty couch, "oh..."
Now that Leonard was out of town for a week, he was alone in the apartment by himself.
It was strange how sad he felt. He was always fine before Leonard. But it was your presence that he was missing which he finds odd.
You'd always say Good morning back at him and then offer him coffee like clockwork. And then you'd chat him about your latest theories and the maths of it.
And then Leonard would emerge out of his room to greet you guys.
But there was a one morning that he couldn't seem to shake in his head...
-memory-
"Morning" Sheldon greeted you, still in his robe.
"Good morning." You smiled at him, "coffee?"
You were leaning on the kitchen counter, taking the coffee from the isle in the front of you and sipped
"You always ask me that and yet I always say no" He replied as he took his cereal of the day from the top of the fridge, "big bran?"
"Yes please," You smiled, teaching out your cup of coffee to him. Even though he finds it psychotic that you take your cereal with coffee, he'd gotten used to it after 2 months and poured some on your cup, "mmhmm crunchy coffee, thanks."
He stared at you as he munch down his cereal, leaning down on the isle in front of you "you know I still find that psychotic."
"I know" You giggled, "you should've seen my mom's face when she found out I do it. Leonard says it was the most hilarious thing he ever saw."
"Oh yes, I bet it was just like my Meemaw's when she found out I could still remember her brisket recipe after telling me when I was 2" Sheldon smiled at the memory, "my dad was so happy, he was trying to get that out of her before mom even had me and Missy"
"Ah yeah, Leonard told me about you also having a twin and speaking of twins," You pulled out your phone, "look at this calculation that I made last night"
Sheldon immediately came to your side as he always did, leaning close to your face to see your phone screen.
You were tapping away on your phone unbeknownst with the fact that he was looking at you with adoration.
"Tada," You showed him the picture of your board, "so what do you think?"
"Hmm?" He looked back at the phone, "ah, needs a bit of polishing but the math is correct"
"Polishing? Really?" You looked up at him, seemingly unphased by the fact your noses were almost touching.
"Maybe if you use the Pythagorean Theorem, you'd make it shorter, also getting the same answers and thus saving you marker ink"
You shook your head lightly with amusement, "and what's wrong with the longer calculation?"
"Your department might have trouble compherending the math. Considering you're the only capable person in the Astrophysics department"
"Sheldon Lee Cooper, calling me smart" You smiled as you tested the waters by leaning a bit closer to him, "I'd take that as a compliment"
Looking at his lips then back to his eyes, maybe it was your imagination but you felt him get closer too, ghosting his lips on yours.
"Y/N" He whispered in your lips
"Sheldon..." You mimicked.
"Good morning!" Your brother walked into the living room, surprisingly chirpy.
You and Sheldon immediately pulled away from each other, accidentally grabbing each other's food. Putting Sheldon's spoon in your mouth as he drank your coffee on the same spot you drank on, you knew because of the light lipstick stain on the rim.
"Morning" You cleared your throat, "cereal?" You raised the bowl.
"No thanks" Leonard shook his head as he headed for the tea, "since when do you drink coffee Sheldon?"
"Since right now" He deadpanned, "she's using my bowl by the way. What a guest she is. I am getting ready for work."
Sheldon practically ran to the bathroom as you looked at your brother with a forced smile, "sorry"
-present-
Sheldon didn't realized that he was zoning out with the refrigerator door still open and the milk in his hand.
"Earth to Sheldon Lee Cooper?" You waved your hands in front of him, "are you getting probed by invisible aliens right now?"
"Oh good lord!" He held his chest in surprise, "knock next time, will you?"
"I did knock!" You defended yourself, "I waited outside for 5 minutes and I find you hear frozen with the fridge open... And you call me psychotic" Whispering the last part.
Sheldon looked at you with an annoyed expression as he closed the fridge, "what are you doing back here anyways? Already had enough of Penny?"
"No!" You shook your head, "she's great! Honestly. Couldn't ask for a better roommate. I just forgot my mug here."
Walking to the cupboard and taking out your navy blue ravenclaw designed mug before filling it with the coffee on the counter, "I hope you don't mind that I wanna do my breakfast here one last time"
"Cocoa puffs?" He offered you some in which you take as always.
The apartment was quiet as always but calm. The sun was just beginning to rise as the rays peeked through the window.
"I take it Leonard left already?" You sipped your coffee as you leaned on your back on the kitchen counter.
The man nodded as he ate his cereal "Yeah, yesterday after you left. He wanted to say goodbye but you were out with Penny shopping for a bed."
"And he didn't even text" You checked your phone and Sheldon's body responded immediately by walking to your side to check.
You looked at him confuse as he looks at your phone but decided to not call him out anyways and let him take a peek.
"Whose Bill Coffe Shop Guy?" He asked accusatorily.
Scoffing, you put your phone away as soon as you confirmed that your brother hadn't text you, "None of your business"
Sheldon backed a bit as he caught himself, "oh... Sorry."
"It's fine. I know you're a creature of habit and I've been here for three months doing the exact same thing every morning" You chuckled, "youre fine, Sheldon."
"I am sorry by the way. For yesterday, I shouldn't have confronted you like that."
"Nah it's fine. You were right anyways, I was overstaying my welcome as a guest. I am just glad it's all fixed now."
"I guess..." Sheldon's tone sounded unsure, "well you could always stay here again if you want"
You set your coffee down besides him as he leaned on the aisle, "don't be silly, where would I stay? And besides, I should really give the couch a break"
'In my room.' He thought.
"Why would I stay in your room?" You raised an eyebrow at him.
Sheldon froze in his spot, cheeks reddening, as he realized he said it out laud. "Bazinga!" He yelled before turning his heels to the bathroom, "I am getting ready for work"
"Ok..." You cleared your throat, "I'd wait for you in the car I guess..."