As Stuart Bloom In TBBT Chapter 67: The Halloween Couple's Costume

Novel: As Stuart Bloom In TBBT Author: WhatIf4132 Updated: Jun 03, 2026

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Now reading: Chapter 67: The Halloween Couple's Costume from As Stuart Bloom In TBBT, a Adventure novel by WhatIf4132.

"You look ridiculous."

Penny's examining in the Superman costu she rented. Full outfit—suit, cape, boots. Even the ridiculous curl in my hair that she insisted on.

"I look heroic."

"You look like you're going to a very specific birthday party."

"A birthday party for JUSTICE."

She laughs. "Okay, that was good. But you're still ridiculous."

"Says the woman in the 1940s pencil skirt."

"I'm Lois Lane. This is professional reporter attire." She adjusts her press badge. "See? Authenticity."

"The skirt's not authentic to any decade."

"The skirt is authentic to my legs. Which are fantastic."

Hard to argue with that.

We're in her apartnt. Halloween night. Party circuit planned—Howard and Bernadette's first, then so industry thing one of Penny's actress friends is throwing, then wherever the night takes us.

"Couples costus are objectively terrible," I observe.

"Couples costus are adorable."

"We're going to get so much mockery."

"We're going to win every contest." She takes my hand. "Now co on, Man of Steel. We have a city to save."

"That's not—"

"Shut up and let have the mont."

Howard and Bernadette's apartnt is packed. Thirty people cramd into a space designed for maybe fifteen.

We walk in. Every head turns.

"Holy shit," soone says.

"That's Superman," soone else observes.

"And Lois Lane," Penny adds. "Don't forget Lois."

The Attractiveness power's working overti. The costu fits perfectly—not rented-costu perfect, but actually-tailored perfect. My shoulders look broader. Jaw stronger. The whole thing just works.

"You look like you walked off the screen," Leonard says. He's dressed as Frodo. The costu's good but he looks exhausted. "How is that possible?"

"Good genetics."

"That's not—you know what, never mind." He spots Sheldon. "Hey, Sheldon's explaining his costu. This'll be good."

Sheldon's wearing a shirt with concentric circles. People keep asking what he is.

"The Doppler effect," he explains for the fourth ti. "The circles represent wavelength compression as the source approaches the observer. The red side indicates recession while the blue indicates approach. It's fundantal to understanding—"

"Nobody gets it," Raj stage-whispers to us.

"I get it," Amy defends.

"You don't count. You're legally required to get his jokes."

"That's not how legal requirents work."

Howard and Bernadette are Raggedy Ann and Andy. Cute but not innovative. Raj is himself but claims to be "Raj in a costu" which is either genius or lazy. Penny thinks lazy. I'm staying neutral.

"Costu contest at eleven," Bernadette announces. "Everyone who wants to enter gets judged."

"We're winning," Penny informs .

"Confident."

"Justified."

We win.

By acclamation. No contest. The runners-up—couple dressed as Mario and Princess Peach—don't even look upset. They nod respectfully.

"You guys look amazing," Mario concedes.

Prize is $50 gift card to Cheesecake Factory. Penny's thrilled anyway.

"Victory tastes like free appetizers," she declares.

Second party. Industry thing in the Hills. Bigger crowd, better booze, more elaborate costus.

We don't win here—couple dressed as Morticia and Goz Addams with legitimate prosthetics takes it. But we place second. $100 prize.

"We're making money on Halloween," Penny observes.

"Financially sound holiday."

"My dad would approve."

"Your dad approved of because I own businesses. The bar's pretty low."

"The bar is exactly where it should be."

Third party. Soone's loft in Arts District. Younger crowd. More experintal costus.

We win again.

This ti because Penny leans into the bit. Does the whole damsel-in-distress routine, makes "rescue" her from the "villain" (guy dressed as the Joker who's very drunk and playing along). Whole room's watching. She commits completely. I catch her, carry her to "safety."

Everyone applauds.

"You're a natural perforr," I tell her after.

"I know. That's why New York is—" She stops. "Never mind. Tonight's about costus and fun. Not that."

"Not that," I agree.

But 'that' is there. Has been all night. The unspoken thing following us between parties.

2 AM. Walking ho. Still in costu because neither of us wants to change yet.

LA's doing its night thing. Quiet streets. Occasional car. Distant sirens. The city breathing.

"This was perfect," Penny says.

"Three parties. Two wins. A hundred fifty dollars in prizes. Pretty good night."

"Not the contests. Just—this. Us." She stops walking. "Stuart, I need to say sothing."

My stomach drops.

"Okay."

"The New York thing. The callback. I've been trying not to think about it but I can't not think about it and—" She's choosing words carefully. "—I don't want this to end."

"Neither do I."

"But if I get cast. If they want . That's—" She pauses. "—that's my dream. The thing I've been working toward since I left Nebraska."

"I know."

"And you have two shops here. Marvel consulting. Your whole life is in LA."

"I know that too."

"So what do we do?"

"We wait. Find out if you get cast. Then we make a decision."

"What decision?"

"Whether we try long distance. Or whether we—" The words stick in my throat. "—acknowledge that timing's wrong."

"Like with lissa."

"Different. But similar."

She's crying. Not sobbing. Just quiet tears.