The silence in the apartment was palpable, with the three sprawled out on the couch. Howard was the first to break the silence.
"This isn't working," he said. "We need to decide among ourselves who's going to try something with Missy. We can't all go after her at the same time. Otherwise, we'll end up scaring the girl off."
Leonard, leaning against the couch next to Raj, raised an eyebrow and gave a sarcastic smile.
"Like… what just happened?" he asked.
Howard nodded, "Exactly! We practically trampled each other, man. She's probably sitting there right now thinking we're a bunch of desperate guys."
Raj, who had been quiet until then, straightened up on the couch and crossed his arms, "Well, I think I've already established a certain connection with Missy, and she's reciprocating. It's only fair that I get to try."
Howard rolled his eyes but nodded, "Fair enough, but I also deserve at least a shot. Out of the three of us, I'm the only one who's never had a real opportunity with any girl."
The two turned to Leonard, who had been quiet until then. He was at a loss for words for a moment. Leonard scratched the back of his neck, thinking of a response.
"Well… Sheldon is my friend. And Missy is his sister. I think, out of consideration, it would be fair if I tried?"
Howard quickly made a wrong-answer sound.
"Wrong! This has nothing to do with Sheldon." Howard made a cutting gesture with his hand. "You're out, Leonard."
Leonard stammered, feeling wronged.
"No, wait, that's not fair! I've been putting up with Sheldon for years, dealing with his quirks, his absurd apartment rules… and I've never, ever gotten any sort of advantage from it. Then, when a real opportunity finally comes along…" Leonard threw his hands up, frustrated.
Leonard took a deep breath. He pointed to Sheldon, who was at the table, completely oblivious to the conversation, fiddling with his laptop with two noise-canceling headphones on.
"Why don't we ask Sheldon's opinion?" Leonard suggested.
Raj and Howard exchanged glances, shrugged, and agreed. "Go ahead, good luck," Howard said, half-laughing.
Leonard stood up, walked over to Sheldon, and gave him a light tap on the shoulder. Sheldon removed the headphones and looked at Leonard with his usual expression.
"What is it?"
Leonard tried to sound casual. "We were just discussing who should, you know… try something with Missy. Your sister."
Sheldon frowned, confused. "And what does that have to do with me? Her love life isn't my concern."
Leonard rolled his eyes, trying to explain it better. "Whoever ends up with her will basically be part of your family. That includes family dinners, holidays, and get-togethers, you know? It would make sense if I tried. I'm kind of your best friend," he said with a grin, giving Sheldon a pat on the shoulder.
Sheldon paused for a second, pondering. "You're absolutely right, Leonard."
Leonard smiled, already thinking he'd been chosen. But Sheldon continued: "You're out."
Leonard was stunned. "Seriously? Again!"
Sheldon remained unmoved. "Yes, Leonard. Let's start with the fact that you have an unstable relationship with any form of authority. Furthermore, you're notoriously bad at handling problems under emotional pressure. You tend to let your insecurities undermine your assertiveness. And lastly, you're lactose intolerant… it would be a disaster."
Leonard: "…"
Howard, laughing heartily, stepped forward. "Alright, maybe I'm the most suitable."
Sheldon gave Howard a critical look. "Howard, you're out too."
Howard nearly choked. "What? Why?"
Sheldon began counting on his fingers. "First, your history of questionable approaches. Second, your overly proud behavior that masks latent insecurity. And third… well, you're short."
Howard staggered back as if stabbed in the heart, leaning on Raj for support.
"Sheldon, that was cruel. There are three things you never say to a man!" Raj said, still holding Howard, "You don't criticize his work, don't question his masculinity, and definitely don't mention his height."
"It's a simple fact. It's not cruel if it's true."
Sheldon stood up from where he was, adjusting his shirt, and turned to the three on the couch.
"Listen, none of you are suited to have a relationship with my sister. I'm not talking about trivial end-of-year parties or simple family gatherings. I'm talking about the essential incompatibility between each of you and Missy."
The three stared at Sheldon, waiting for the final blow.
Sheldon sighed, as if delivering the final strike. "But, even considering your flaws, the bigger issue is Missy. She has her own flaws. She's stubborn, disorganized, and has a tendency to procrastinate important decisions. Not to mention she has an annoying habit of eating with her mouth open when she's distracted. Besides—"
Raj cleared his throat, trying to get Sheldon's attention, but he was lost in his monologue. Raj coughed again, louder this time, forcing Sheldon to stop and look disdainfully.
"What is it, Raj? I'm in the middle of a logical explanation."
Raj nodded towards the door. Sheldon, curious, turned around and saw them. Missy and Penny were standing there, the door already open.
Missy, with her arms crossed, glared at her brother, her eyes narrowed. "How long have I been here? Long enough."
Sheldon swallowed hard. "Missy, I…"
She didn't care about his attempt to explain. "We need to talk. Now."
Without hesitation, Missy reached out and grabbed Sheldon's ear, pulling him down the hallway.
"But… but… this is an inappropriate use of physical force…" Sheldon tried to protest, as he was dragged down the hallway to his room.
Penny shook her head with a smile. "I like her."
…
A few minutes passed before Sheldon returned to the living room, with Missy right behind him.
Sheldon's legs were trembling as he walked awkwardly. "After a recent… conversation… with my sister, I've come to the conclusion that I don't have the permission or the right to interfere or comment on Missy's relationships."
He stopped speaking and glanced sideways at Missy, who crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.
"I mean, Missy doesn't have any flaws! She's absolutely perfect. And, of course, she doesn't eat with her mouth open. That was a mistake on my part." He nodded.
Missy smiled with satisfaction, giving a slight nod of approval, then turned to Raj, Howard, and Leonard, who were still on the couch.
"And you guys…" Missy began, her voice firm, causing the three of them to shrink back. Instinctively, they all covered their privates with their hands.
"Sheldon told me what you were doing. So, forget it. I'm not some trophy to be fought over, and I'm definitely not going to be treated like some consolation prize in any ego-driven game you're playing."
"If any of you even think about continuing with this nonsense, you'll have to deal with me directly. And trust me, you don't want that."
The three exchanged quick glances, shrinking into the couch. Missy crossed her arms and tilted her head.
"Are we clear?"
They all nodded vigorously at the same time.
.
.
.
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A/N: I don't really know Missy's personality well, since I haven't watched Young Sheldon, but I still believe her personality would have changed a lot since the The Big Bang Theory days. So, I'll create her character based on my preferences. Since she's going to be the FML (female lead), it would be boring to make her like Raj in just one or two chapters. She needs to discover his personality, his interests, and they need to get to know each other… so, I'm going to take my time with that. But don't worry, now that she's finally appeared, I'll show more of her in the story. (I still have a few chapters to release, and this scene isn't over yet.) Please leave plenty of comments to support the author. \0/