Set after S7E11 The Cooper Extraction – that is, before the famous kiss in the same season, before the ILY in season 8, but after The Cooper/Kripke Inversion. One of my favourite episodes still.

Just a fluffy, silly, little Christmas one-shot, based on one of the best tropes there is: mistletoe.

Enjoy.

The Mistletoe Obligation

Sheldon had returned home from watching his sister give birth – if he hadn't found the notion of coitus off-putting before, looking at the miracle of birth surely didn't help – just in time for the obligatory Christmas mixer at Caltech.

Sheldon didn't celebrate Christmas. He was an atheist after all, and giving presents was a very stressful and time-consuming activity. He hated that he had to go to the festivities at his job. The other option would have been to stay at his mother's for a couple of days, but his mother around Christmas time was even worse than any mandatory party the university could throw his way.

Sheldon looked at himself in the mirror. He looked pretty good in his suit, if he said so himself. He still dreaded going. A party at work meant he had to behave politely, wishing happy holidays to people he didn't care about, and endure meaningless chit-chat.

At least Amy would be with him.

Amy would be able to keep him from behaving too inappropriately. She had done so in the past. Times like this really made him realise how truly happy he was to have her for a girlfriend. Other times, she could be trying as hell, with her constant insinuations towards sex or hints that she wanted to kiss him.

But tonight, she would be an employee like him and nothing funny would happen. He was sure of it.

When he had asked her to be his girlfriend, he had been almost sure that she was the best possible match for him. It was a shame they differed so much on the subject of physical intimacy.

Sometimes, it made him wonder if they weren't the best match after all.

They arrived separately at the party. Leonard had driven him up, and left him to fend for himself as he looked for Koothrappali and Wolowitz. Sheldon had protested, but Leonard claimed that he'd rather spend time with them. He wasn't allowed to bring Penny due to the limited capacity of the cantina the party was held. Wolowitz and Koothrappali would be alone as well, so Leonard argued it was only logical to hang out with them.

Sheldon stood by the make-shift bar waiting for Amy to arrive. She was probably fashionably late. Penny really had the worst influence on her. Sipping his non-alcoholic drink – after the beer-drinking session with Howard's father in law that thanksgiving, he really didn't want any more – he looked around the room.

His friends were chatting amicably among themselves. He saw Ms Davis from the HR department making small talk with Barry Kripke. Leslie Winkle was talking to one the guys from her band. Everyone was dressed nicely, and acting as if they were having the best time. Sheldon rolled his eyes at the sham of it all.

A hand closed on his arm, and Sheldon startled. He only managed to save his drink just in time, it almost spilled over his suit. He looked to his left, and was met with Amy's smiling face.

She was dressed quite nicely as well. Her dress sparkled in the Christmas-lights that hung all over the ceiling. She wore a new cardigan, but it was different from the ones she usually wore. It was short and wasn't closed. He got an eyeful of her bosom as he looked her over.

He swallowed thickly. "You look nice," he muttered, and bent forward to press a kiss to her cheek. It was customary to do so, he reasoned. After all, they were at a party and his colleagues might talk if he greeted her in his usual stoic way: with a nod.

Amy blushed becomingly as he straightened himself. "Thank you, Sheldon," she was smiling brightly now, "you don't look too bad yourself."

Sheldon gave her his standard nod now anyway. "Right," he said, "let's get this over with, shall we." He grabbed her hand and pulled her with him to 'mingle' with their colleagues. The horror.

First, they talked with the guys for a while. It was comfortable, like their usual take-out nights on the couch. Sheldon wished they could just spend the evening with them, but Amy pointed out to him that party's like this one were the best place to talk to important people in an informal setting. If he ever needed a grant or would be on the short-list for tenure again, it would be beneficial for him that people knew who he was.

Reluctantly, Sheldon let Amy drag him to make tedious small talk with various middle-aged white men in suits.

They spent some time talking to President Siebert, who for some reason seemed more than a little surprised to see Sheldon there with a woman on his arm.

"And, Miss Fowler, you've been working here for how long now?" he asked, clearly impressed by her talk of her work at UCLA.

"It's Doctor Fowler, actually," Sheldon interrupted him, he felt insulted on Amy's behalf.

"Sheldon," Amy muttered through her teeth.

What had he done wrong this time?

"What?" he asked, clearly surprised, "you've worked hard for your doctorate, Amy. It should be recognized, I think."

President Siebert laughed heartily. "He's right, Doctor Fowler. My apologies."

"A couple months now, sir," Amy answered demurely, and Sheldon couldn't help but be impressed by how she presented herself. Poised, collected. He really could learn from her. He always managed to say the wrong thing, it seemed.

"Your employees have been nothing but welcoming and kind to me. I've enjoyed myself immensely here."

"Not too much I hope?" President Siebert raised his eyebrows playfully, "Doctor Cooper already has a bit of a reputation problem, you know."

Sheldon looked at him confused. Whatever could he mean? He looked at Amy for clarification, and to his surprise she was blushing furiously.

"Nothing of the sort, sir," she said, stuttering slightly.

President Siebert laughed uproariously this time. "I was joking, Doctor Fowler. A respected scientist like yourself and Doctor Cooper wouldn't be engaging in any kind of inappropriate behaviour in the workplace."

Sheldon stared at him. Was he seriously suggesting he and Amy would be having relations at work? Apart from the fact that their relationship wasn't like that, the idea that he, Sheldon Cooper, would do such a thing was preposterous.

President Siebert walked away to the bar for a refill.

Sheldon looked at Amy. She was fiddling with her bracelet, avoiding his eyes.

Why was it suddenly uncomfortable between the two of them?

It was always when there was talk of intimacy. The worst part had been when they had played Dungeons and Dragons those months ago. He had hoped that with their pretend sexual encounter, she would cease her talks of physical intimacy. She had, a bit. But others always brought it up. Why couldn't people just respect their privacy on this matter?

It was exactly situations like this that made him hate these kind of social gatherings.

He cleared his throat. "I think we've mingled enough for tonight," he muttered. "Did you want to stay longer, of would you like to leave?"

Amy had a sad look on her face – because of what President Siebert had said? – and she shrugged. "Yeah, I guess we could leave."

Sheldon sighed in relief. Thank the lord. He pulled Amy with him, waved at the guys quickly, and dragged her into the hall.

Whoever had been in charge of decorating, had really outdone himself. Every wall was donned with either Christmas lights, sprigs of holly or other red and green decorations.

They arrived at the empty class room turned to a cloakroom. The tables had been moved to the sides and coatracks lined up the room. Even this room was decorated.

Amy was suspiciously quiet. Sheldon looked back to her. Why was she sad? Had he done something wrong? He held her coat in his hands, ready to help her into it.

"Did you want to stay?" he asked.

Amy shook her head. "No, it's fine. I was just thinking, that's all," she gave him a soft smile, but it didn't reach her eyes.

Sheldon opened his mouth to reply, when he was interrupted by a lisping voice from the doorway. "Well, well, well… I should have known I'd find you in the coatroom with your girlfriend doing God knows what at a party like this, Cooper," Kripke spoke suggestively.

Drat. Sheldon felt the blood drain from his face. He never told Amy about his lies to Kripke about their non-existent sex-life.

Kripke was looking like the cat who ate the cream. He was eyeing Amy in a way that Sheldon really didn't like. Just because she was wearing pantyhose instead of her usual tights, didn't mean Kripke could ogle her legs like he was.

"We were just leaving, actually, Kripke," Sheldon said, giving him a curt nod. He turned away from Kripke, giving Amy a look that said 'don't mind him'. She just looked back at him.

He pulled the cloak across her shoulders, holding the lapels in his hands even when he was done.

"Right, going home for round two I presume," Kripke hollered, "I'm going to see if I can find a girl who'll kiss me under the mistletoe as well," he said, eyeing the ceiling above them. "Later, Cooper."

Sheldon huffed as he left. "Don't mind him, Amy, he's talking nonsense. He's obviously inebriated," he murmured.

But Amy wasn't listening. Her eyes were fixed on the ceiling. "Amy?" Sheldon asked, and followed her gaze.

Mistletoe.

"Ah," Sheldon said, "viscum album, from the family of Santalacaea. A parasite shrub that grows on other trees. You know it's poisonous, right?"

"Yes, Sheldon," she sighed. Was she tired? Since when didn't Amy like being lectured?

Suddenly he understood. There was this ridiculous notion of people kissing under a spring of mistletoe. They would end up married, according to the folklore. Was Amy upset that they were standing under the poisonous plant and they weren't kissing?

Should he kiss her?

She had been most helpful to him tonight; with President Siebert and the others. And just now, she completely ignored any crude comment Kripke had made.

Perhaps he should kiss her. You know, because of social convention.

He cleared his throat softly. "There are more fun factoids about mistletoe, though," he started before he could change his mind again.

He let go off her coat and moved his hand up to cradle Amy's face.

Amy looked up at him, hesitantly. Her eyes were big and her lips were parted slightly.

"Did you know I'm obligated to kiss you now?" Sheldon muttered, his face close to hers.

He could feel her tremble. Was she nervous? It wasn't as if they hadn't kissed before. She had kissed him twice already. And their D&D game had been far more intimate.

"Yes," Amy whispered. "But it's just a silly tradition."

Sheldon halted. Didn't she want him to?

"I thought you liked traditions?" Sheldon matched the volume of her voice. He was practically in her face right now.

"Besides, it's more a non-optional social convention, I believe…" he mumbled.

Stalling no further, Sheldon brushed his mouth against hers. He heard Amy inhale sharply. He pressed his lips against hers firmly, marvelling at the feeling of her mouth against his. He remembered everything about their previous kisses. Mostly, that they were short and one-sided.

This was different.

Pulling her closer with his other hand, he moved his lips against hers. Amy seemed to respond to him. Finally. Tentatively, her mouth moved against him. Sheldon squeezed her hip instinctively. He felt Amy's hands on his waist, holding him hesitantly.

Their lips kept moving against each other. It felt really good. What was the reason they didn't do this? Sheldon couldn't seem to remember.

Suddenly he felt something wet brush against his lips, and he pulled back in shock. What was that? Her tongue?

Amy was breathing deeply and regarded him insecurely.

Sheldon swallowed. Holding her gaze. What was she thinking? Never mind that. What was he thinking? His mind was a mess.

The only thing that he was certain of right now, was that he wanted to do it again.

So he pulled her face closer to his, and pressed another lingering kiss to her lips.

He would have to think this through. His actions and her responses. His responses.

"Merry Christmas, Amy," he muttered as he pulled away.

Amy exhaled shakenly and smiled at him timidly. She stood on tip-toe and kissed his cheek.

She was grinning uncontrollably, as she replied coyly. "I thought you didn't celebrate Saturnalia?"

It was in that moment that Sheldon was certain he couldn't have found a girl better suited for him anywhere.

END

And Happy Holidays to you and your loved ones.