Chapter 1

"I should just leave," Sheldon tried. He looked with sad eyes over at his roommate.

Leonard did his best to ignore him, tapping furiously on his computer.

"You don't seem to realise, it's not that I want the room at a certain temperature, it's that I need it to be a certain temperature."

"In case you'll melt," Leonard asked, not taking his eyes from the screen.

"Sure go ahead and laugh, nobody takes my need for constant temperature seriously. By all means play around with the thermostat and watch as my health slowly fails."

Leonard had had enough. He slammed the lid of his lap top down and turned to his friend.

"Do you even know whet I'm doing over here?" He asked.

"Ordering a new thermostat that turns itself up and down sporadically therefore putting an end to my life quickly?"

"I'm emailing Raj, you know Raj who just broke up with Julie. Raj who is devastated right now. Sheldon don't you think of anyone but yourself?"

Sheldon could not answer.

"I'm going over there now, I don't suppose you will come."

"It's laundry night, I always do my laundry on Saturday night."

"Of course, well don't let me keep you." Leonard got up and grabbed his jacket.

He went to the door and took a set of keys from the little bowl there.

"Don't wait up."

Leonard headed down the stairs feeling totally exasperated. He was used to Sheldon's ways, his need for routine, his need for his life to be an organised constant but lately Leonard was finding it tough going. It was like suddenly Sheldon was getting worse. It was like his needs came before everything else. Leonard needed him right now for moral support. He didn't know what he was going to say to Raj, how he would fix this. It would have been nice to have Sheldon there with him but no as usual Sheldon was thinking about Sheldon.

~o~

Sheldon scrambled to get his clothes ready. In his haste, he almost forgot his clothes folder. If he could just get there earlier than usual that other guy wouldn't feel the need to cut across him as his wash would be nearly finished by the time he got there. Made perfect sense.

He took his basket and ran down to the laundry room.

Sheldon was happy. He had gotten there early and would have his clothes done and ready by the time the other guy got there.

Just as he was piling his clothes in to the washer he could hear someone enter the room.

"Sorry, I'm here first, but this is an economy wash so if you'll be back in half an hour, I'll be done," he called over his shoulder.

"Sheldon, you haven't even switched it on yet,"

Sheldon turned as that guy approached with his basket. His handsome tanned face was smiling but his intent was clear.

"Couldn't we share the tub?" He grinned.

"No," Sheldon told him uncomfortably,

His grin was even broader as he noted Sheldon's reaction to that.

"You could wait, this is an economy wash. It'll be done in half an hour."

"Or you could just be a nice guy Sheldon, I've got work in the morning."

The guy reached into the tub and began extracting Sheldon's clothes.

His face becoming flushed with stress, Sheldon hurriedly extracted the rest of his clothes from the tub so that the guy wouldn't lay hands on them.

This made the guy laugh all the more and he shook his head as he began filling the tub with his clothes.

Sheldon took his basket and began to leave just as Maggie Prince walked into the laundry room.

The guy at the tub turned and gave her a firm appraisal, his eyes scanning from her long tanned legs to her ample, real chest.

"Well hello there young lady," he purred.

"Hi Raymond," she greeted and quickly turned to Sheldon.

"It's Ray to you."

She ignored him "Sheldon I thought I heard you down here, Sheldon my computer has frozen again. It won't budge. I considered just switching it off..."

Sheldon raised his eyes to heaven, "what have I always told you, never switch a computer off without shutting down properly."

"I know Sheldon but it's so annoying." She whined.

"Have you been banging at the keys again, not giving it a chance to respond. That's an old computer Maggie, you really should consider an upgrade."

"I will Sheldon, I will but in the meantime, couldn't you just look at it for me?"

"I'll be right up, I'll just drop this basket back to my room."

Maggie reached up and kissed Sheldon on the cheek. "Sheldon, you're a lifesaver."

Raymond frowned as he watched them.

She scampered off and Sheldon went to leave.

"You sly dog," Raymond grinned.

Sheldon turned. "What do you mean?"

"What do I mean...she's all over you. You're going to get some of that tonight."

"I'm fixing her computer, I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yeah sure you don't. I saw you looking at her butt. You were shameless. Don't give me none of that scientist geek crap. You want her ass."

Unsure how to respond Sheldon just stood there as Raymond laughed, enjoying the moment.

Then he left taking his unwashed clothes back to his apartment. As flustered as he was and as anxious as he was to get to the washroom on time Sheldon had forgotten his key. Penny came out of her apartment on hearing the flustered Klingon cursing across the hall.

"What up, Klingon warrior forget his key," she asked sympathetically.

"Klingon warrior ain't having much of a good day," Sheldon admitted.

"I'll get the spare," she smiled.

As Penny opened his door she couldn't help noticing that Sheldon seemed deep in thought.

"Sheldon, what's wrong?" She asked, suddenly concerned.

"Penny, can I ask you a question?" He asked.

"Sure sweetie what's up."

"Do I ever stare at your butt?"

Penny frowned sternly.

"Goodbye Sheldon." She told him.

She headed back into her own apartment failing to notice the worried frown that crossed her friends face.