title; hush, darling, you're just nervous.
summary; home made pie leads to a first kiss. [ficlet.]
pairing; linus x sally.

Linus blinks, taking in Charlie Brown's kitchen and the thin coating of flour that seems to be covering every possible surface. Dirty measuring cups and mixing bowls are in a lackadaisical pile in the sink, and something that looks vaguely orange and sweet smelling is dripping onto the linoleum floor. Charlie Brown sighs, running a hand through his platinum hair.

"We didn't have time to clean up," he notes with a tired smile, "Or rather Sally didn't."

Something deep in Linus's belly shifts and flutters at the name. At fifteen, Sally Brown had gotten rather pretty with cerulean eyes and the longest of lashes that swept delicately across the apples of her cheeks with every flirtatious wink and-

Linus swallows.

"Uh," he murmurs as his cheeks flood with heat, "what am I here for?"

He fingers what remains of his blanket, his precious security. Soft lips and baby blue sundresses against porcelain skin enter his mind; Linus nearly trips over the door frame when Charlie Brown leads him into the dinning room. Unlike the kitchen, its clean and decorated with autumn arrangements. The candles flickering next to the only two place settings at the table catch his eye.

Linus swallows, again, and Charlie Brown lets out another sigh. It sounds exasperated, maybe vaguely uncomfortable. "This," he replies. He presses a hand to the back of Linus's shoulders, and shoves him into the dimmed room.

The oldest Van pelt teeters, but doesn't topple. He shivers with – something. He looks startled, surprised, and, Charlie Brown notes with just a tad of brotherly concern, anxious. "Charlie Brown," the boy starts, but doesn't finish. He's seventeen, a boy with hormones and feelings, and eleven years of constant affection have finally gotten to him.

Charlie Brown can hear Sally upstairs, giggling humming to herself.

"Linus," says Charlie. He touches the top of his head, ruffling obsidian locks. "It's fine, it's okay," he murmurs, gently. It's encouragement, approval.

Linus relaxes.

Charlie Brown turns to leave.

Linus stops him with a, "Hey, Charlie Brown?"

Charlie Brown looks at him with a raised brow. The Van pelt boy is facing away from him, ears red as his favorite t-shirt. They both can hear light footsteps on the stairs, heels clicking excitedly against floor boards. "Yeah?" he answers.

"You're a good guy," Linus breathes, voice shaky and hoarse.

He decides not to tell his best friend he'll be listening until Linus says goodnight and takes home a slice of Sally's pumpkin pie to his mother and Lucy. He won't mention that after that inevitable goodnight kiss that he'll hear detail from his sister, every poetry-slicked line and sigh of "sweet baboo~!" Later, maybe, he'll tell Linus what he thinks of the whole thing, that he's the only boy he'll ever approve of for Sally.

Charlie Brown smiles.

"You too," he says.

a/n;

i have a sequel planned full of great pumpkin jokes.
and yes, charlie brown did just help his bff and sister get some.
wanna fight about it?

- kati.