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Dinner and a Movie

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Penny sits beside him, keeping her body steady on her cushion, tempting though it may be to brush her jean clad thigh, again, against his warmth. She sits on her traitorous hands because if released, they will once more want to card through his hair.

Sheldon, board straight in his spot, holds the remote in the hand closest to Penny in a tight grip as if it alone will protect him from laying his hand on her rounded hip again. His other hand rubs nervously on the arm of the couch.

The Matrix plays in front of them - the greens and blues from the action sequence on the television screen reflect in their eyes and the light shifts over their reddened faces.

Penny is used to a certain amount of awkward silences with Sheldon. This time, it weighs heavily like she's breathing under water. "Can we talk about that kiss?" She blurts suddenly, not currently able to use any kind of finesse that this situation demands.

Sheldon pauses the film with a small flick of his forefinger. Neo has just begun his training with Morpheus, and the pause leaves Fishburne's fist in Reeves's stomach. "No," Sheldon says, not looking at her and presses the play button again.

Neo flies in the air and in slow motion, kicks Morpheus several times. Penny can feel each kick to her stomach.

Screw this, the voice inside her head says and Penny listens.

She grabs the remote out of Sheldon’s hand too fast for him to protest any louder than with a surprised squawk. Penny clicks the movie off and tosses it on Leonard’s empty chair. Their faces, no longer lit by the false lights on the screen are back to flushing pinks and reds.

Penny turns to Sheldon, her knee brushing his and it sends a jolt back to her body, which remembers instantly how it felt only ten minutes previously, when she was practically in his lap, her hands pulling at the hair at the nape of his head. Her scalp tingles with the memory of his fingers scratching lightly when they were tangled in her hair. Penny bites her bottom lip, still slightly swollen from making out with Sheldon.

Making out. With Sheldon. A strange combination of words, Penny thinks. Out loud, she says, “Sheldon, we can’t just ignore the fact that we were, only a few minutes ago, kissing like we are teenagers in the backseat of a car!”

“Yes, in fact I can ignore it. Given the choice of the red pill or the blue one, I’ll take the blue.” With that, Sheldon reaches for the remote.

Penny is too fast for him. She swings a leg over his and straddles his thighs, “Hold on. You’re saying that instead of admitting that you are attracted to me and liked kissing me, you’d rather go back into the matrix? Forget the real world? That doesn’t sound like the Sheldon Cooper I know.”

“I suppose not. But Penny, what would you have me do?” Sheldon twists in his spot to shift Penny off of his lap, then sighs deeply and places his hands back on her hips. “You know I am not, according to popular opinion, “boyfriend” material.” His fingers curl around her hips and Penny can feel his finger quotes against her jeans.

Penny slips her hands back into his hair at the nape of his neck. “Sheldon, are you attracted to me?” She says thinking nope, no finesse at all, Penny.

Sheldon’s blush travels down to his neck, “Evidently.” His left hand leaves her hip to twist a blonde curl around his fore- and index fingers until it resembles a double helix.

She wiggles herself further onto his lap until their bodies touch. She can feel his thundering heartbeat through his Green Lantern t-shirt. Or is that hers? “Okay. We are attracted to each other. That’s a big thing.”

“Yes,” Sheldon agrees. His fingers have dropped her curl and he inhales deeply, the smell of field berries warm on her skin fills his sinuses. “What do you propose we do with this information?”

“Well, a normal guy would ask the girl for a date.” Penny teases and shifts again on his lap for emphasis.

Sheldon snorts lightly, “I’m hardly what you would classify as normal, but I see your point.”

Sheldon shifts in his seat again, and Penny takes pity on him and slides back to the cushion beside him. Her thigh is still touching his though. “And?” She prods.

He clears his throat, “Penny, would you like to have a date with me? Dinner and a movie?”

Penny smiles, “Yes. Yes I will.”

“Excellent. I’ll get the pizza delivery order and you can get the remote and find the scene we left at in The Matrix.” Sheldon stands to get the menu from its place on the refrigerator door.

Penny fights the urge to outwardly face palm and grabs the remote. It’s progress, she tells herself, small though it may be.

End.