Hey! I decided to write a cute one shot (or a two chapter story). This has no relation to my other Peanuts story(ies). This is my favorite pairing! Beware LGBT Characters.
Schroeder was sitting at his piano annoyed as his hands kept fumbling around. He was trying to learn Beethoven's Sonata Hammerklavier Opus 106. The piece was a beast and even with almost 12 years of piano experience he was struggling. He had to learn the almost 40 minutes of complicated rhythms in less than a month and he was at his wits end.
Schroeder popped his fingers loudly and sighed as he tried to play again. Only to stumble hopelessly after a couple dozen measures. Frustration was an understatement for how he felt about this piece. He was in no mood for any disturbances as he began again. Then the bane of his existence entered his room loudly, scaring Schroeder out of his concentration. A frown deepened the lines of frustration across his face. He aimed an annoyed glare in Lucy's direction.
"Schroeder! How nice to see you! Your mom is the greatest, by the way," Lucy cheekily announced. Schroeder sighed, releasing a small amount of tension, the only reason his mom liked Lucy was because she helped her out with chores every once and a while.
"Sadly, I cannot say the same about you, I'm busy, now leave," Schroeder said dryly, as he pointed to the door. Lucy ignored him, not that surprised him or anything. She headed over and grabbed his stepping stool and climbed onto the baby grand piano. After he had gotten over his intimidation of larger pianos his mom worked to get him this one. He really cared about his baby. Lucy, on the other hand, was annoyed at the toys replacement because she could no longer easily climb onto it. Then she found out that you could shut the lid and bought a step stool. She always climbed on to the piano, even though Schroeder had expressed his disdain for her actions and that he was afraid she would damage something. Unfortunately, Lucy never seemed to care about what he said and she wonders why he doesn't like her.
Schroeder choose to ignore her and started to pound out a different part of the stupid sonata only to screw up again and again. Schroeder let out a frustrated sigh.
"Why are you having so much trouble?" Lucy asked. Schroeder snapped and smashed his hands down on the keys. Lucy jumped at the sudden clatter. Schroeder was frustrated and annoyed, and that equated to no patience, so he felt the only way to rid him of her was to be plain savage. Thus, he yelled at her.
"Because your ugly mug is disturbing my practice!" Lucy made a hurt expression, but Schroeder didn't care, "Can't I ever have a person who isn't a jerk come watch me? Huh?" He said as he slammed his hands onto the piano keys again. Lucy frowned and sat up and crossed her arms.
"Who would that be? Huh?" She hollered. Schroeder said the name he knew would infuriate her the most. Plus, it was the only person he would actually want to watch him play.
"Linus," Schroeder said devilishly. Lucy looked genuinely shocked and upset until the anger set in.
"My brother? You want to see my stupid brother!" She yelled as she jumped off of the piano, "Fine! If you're going to be that way about it! I'll leave!" She kept her word and stormed out the door. Good riddance thought Schroeder as the door slammed and he resumed practice.
A while later Schroeder heard the door open. He sighed, refused to look up, and he heard someone climbing onto the piano. He choose to ignore the intruder steadfastly, and continued to work on an especially complicated rhythm. When he fumbled and stopped playing in frustration, the intruder released a masculine chuckle. Huh? Schroeder finally looked up to see Linus laying on his piano. Remembering what he said to Lucy a light blush spread across his cheeks. Oh, no. This could get bad and he didn't need this stress in his life.
"Heylo," Linus greeted. Schroeder just stared, wondering what Lucy did to convince Linus to intrude on his practice. "Earth to Schroeder," Linus said as he snapped his fingers. Schroeder jumped acting guilty and his slight blush darkened.
"Hey Linus," Schroeder said awkwardly, "Why are you on my piano?" Schroeder blurted and Linus smiled shyly.
"Lucy told me that you wanted to have me watch you play for a change, so I decided to oblige you," Linus said, also know as Lucy threatened him. Linus' smile turned genuine as he let out a small laugh, "I just didn't expect to be watching you mess up." Schroeder blanched at comment. Well then, just insult away. After a second of thought Schroeder realised it wasn't Linus intention to insult him, he was trying to lighten the mood. However, how do you reply to something like that?
Schroeder awkwardly rubbed the back of his head, "This piece is very difficult, ya see, and I basically get my fingers tangled together trying to play it, it's frustrating," Schroeder admitted. Linus smiled and jumped off the piano.
"Maybe you should try to play it slower," Linus suggested as he sat down on the bench next to Schroeder. Schroeder noted that their legs were touching and felt his stomach tighten, what? Linus cleared his throat jarring Schroeder back into reality.
"Yeah... I'll do that," Schroeder said as he began one of the harder segments at a crawling tempo. He managed to play longer before his fingers tangled together. He flung his hands up in frustration and let out a groan. He was never going to get this right.
"Hey, it's okay you'll get it, I promise," Linus said softly offering him an encouraging smile. Schroeder smiled back, Linus had always been nice to him. Once again he tried to play only to land on the same result.
"Auugh!" Schroeder hollered, "I'm never going to get this piece right! My fingers and my brain just won't cooperate!" Schroeder felt defeated and just hung his head. He decided to steal a glance at Linus after a couple of moments, who was just smiling. Schroeder became annoyed; was his failure comical? He sat up quickly and Linus suddenly looked shy. Linus glanced at the piano, and to Schroeder's surprise, he lifted his hands up to play. Linus smiled lightly as he played a chord and then another.
"I hope you don't mind," Linus said as he played another chord.
"No, go ahead," Schroeder said intrigued to find out what he was going to try to play.
"Okay here I go," Linus pressed down one more chord and started to play the beginning bass part of Heart and Soul. Schroeder just looked at him dumbfounded. Linus gave Schroeder a huge smile as he tried to keep in time. Schroeder smiled back and joined in with the melody. They played for a little while until Linus finally messed up. Grinning ear to ear when he did. "Sorry, when the bass gets the melody I just can't keep up," Linus messed with his shirt in embarrassment. Schroeder felt his chest tighten, Linus had tried so hard to play a simple melody and failed. Oh! Linus was trying to make Schroeder feel better about the sonata he couldn't play. Schroeder felt a smile break out on his face, that was such a nice thing to do. Linus squirmed under Schroeder's gleeful stare. "Umm, I know it isn't what you normally play, but I thought you would enjoy playing with someone else," Linus' face was starting to turn red from embarrassment, and Schroeder couldn't help but notice that he looked absolutely adorable
"I really did enjoy playing with you," Schroeder paused and felt his own cheeks burn, "Thank you for taking my mind off of that stupid sonata."
"No problem, I'm happy to help," Linus smiled and he started to play the beginning of Heart and Soul again. Schroeder was suddenly overwhelmed by emotions. When it was time for Schroeder to begin playing he started to sing.
"Heart and soul, I fell in love with you," Schroeder sang softly and Linus' eyes widened, but he didn't stop playing, "lost control, the way a fool would do. Madly... Because you held me tight, And stole a kiss in the night." And that's exactly what Schroeder did. He reached out and grabbed Linus' shirt collar and pulled him into a kiss. Linus stiffened, but didn't pull away. As a warm feeling ran throughout Schroeder's body and it was wonderful. Then he suddenly realized what he was doing. His eyes shot open and he jumped away in panic. In his panic he fell off of the bench and landed on his ass on the floor. Schroeder had just kissed one of his best friends!
Linus mouth was hanging half open as he slowly opened his eyes as if proceeding what had just happened. Schroeder felt his heart speed up even more as he locked eyes with Linus.
"I, umm. I can, umm, e-explain," Schroeder stuttered. Linus said nothing as he simply blinked his eyes slowly. Schroeder felt sick to his stomach. He opened his mouth to speak again, but he closed it quickly when Linus lifted his hand up.
"You just... kissed me," Linus said slowly, Schroeder was now on the verge of tears. "You just kissed me!" Linus said again louder and then he opened his mouth as if he was going to say it again. Schroeder couldn't stand the ridicule again.
"I know!" Schroeder choked out, he blinked back tears that blurred his vision. "I know," he said quietly as he hugged his knees to chest. Schroeder had always liked Linus, but he had swore to himself that he would never act on it. When Linus had started to play Heart and Soul again Schroeder couldn't help himself, everything had been so perfect. Schroeder's face was hidden, when he felt a hand brush across his cheek. He looked up to see Linus staring into his soul. Schroeder blushed in shame. "I'm sorry." Linus said nothing, he just lightly grabbed Schroeder's chin and pulled his mouth onto his. Schroeder stiffened, then he felt Linus move his lips encouraging Schroeder to kiss back, timidly he did. Nothing had ever felt so perfect.
When Linus pulled away only few moments later, he was smiling. Schroeder was in a daze and just stared at Linus with his mouth hanging open. What just happened?
"There," Linus said with a teasing tone, "That is a first kiss worth remembering." Then Schroeder realized he had stolen Linus' first kiss, but oddly enough Linus didn't seem too upset about it. Honestly, that was Schroeder's first kiss on the lips too and he definitely wasn't upset about it.
"Umm," Schroeder had to swallow before he could continue, "Are you okay with this?" Linus furrowed his brows and shrugged.
"It was surprising, but yeah, I'm okay with it," Linus smiled, "You can get off of the floor now." Schroeder blinked and then shuffled off if the floor and back onto the bench next to Linus. Schroeder felt a goofy smile break out on his face.
"Hi," Schroeder smiled and Linus burst out laughing, "What? It my face funny or something."
"As a matter of fact it is," Linus smiled and leaned into kiss him again which Schroeder happily obliged him. Linus' lips were warm and felt really good against his own.