Characters/Pairing: Tracy Turnblad/Link Larkin
Word Count: 609
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He knew that nothing was more American than apple pie. The simple process of picking your apples off the tree, preparing them, and baking them in a flaky shell had the majority of its bystanders waiting with mouth-watering anticipation.
Link hated apple pie.
It wasn't that he didn't find it delicious, because let's face it – a slice of good apple pie will always be filed under 'good eats'. The problem he had with America's favorite pastry was the association it held with his mother. She loved baking; and apple pie was one of her favorites. He'd help her as best as he could, too. She'd always ask him to pick the biggest, shiniest apples; making sure he sampled at least one, he'd then helped her wash them. Apple pie, for the longest time, had been his favorite treat.
When she had died, he found it difficult to swallow any piece that was ever offered. No apple pie could compare to hers. Either the flavor wasn't complete, or the texture was off. There was always something wrong. Soon after, he simply swore off apple pie all together; deciding that it was far simpler to hate it then try and eat someone else's.
So when Tracy, oblivious to his hatred for the food, innocently bought him a slice of her first homemade apple pie, Link wasn't sure what to do. On one hand, he wanted to be supportive of her, and had always sampled her food before; but on the other hand, it was something he knew he wouldn't like… and he didn't want to hurt her feelings by refusing to at least try it. He sat in the Turnblad living room, surrounded by the family themselves as they watched him silently wage an inner war.
"It's okay if you don't want it," Tracy started; ready to return the apparently offensive food to the kitchen, when Link's hand on her arm stopped her.
"No, no – I'll have some. Sorry, I was thinking about the last time I had good apple pie." He offered her as bright a smile as he could and took the plate, grasping the spoon in his other hand. It looked really good, he had to admit. The pie seemed to be covered in caramel, and had a scoop of vanilla ice cream half melting on the side. Feeling all eyes on him, he took a cautious amount of ice cream, making sure to get some of the sticky topping, and added a bit of pie to complete a full spoonful. Knowing that the Turnblad's were all expecting his critique, he placed the desert in his mouth quickly, wanting to get it over with.
His eyes widened as he absorbed all the new flavors. The pie was still warm, apples juicy and bursting with a cinnamon flavor. The ice cream added a refreshing burst of vanilla, and the caramel completed the dish perfectly. He took a moment to savor the taste, mind drifting to his mother for a brief instant before it returned to the present. Finishing that bite, he looked at Tracy, who still waited for his response.
"Darlin', it's perfect," he grinned, watching her brighten immediately. Mrs. Turnblad, he noticed out of the corner of his eye, smiled happily at her husband who nodded approvingly.
Tracy smiled at him, "of course! What were you expecting?" She laughed, going to the kitchen to retrieve her own slice. He watched her go, taking another spoonful of the tasty concoction.
It was warm but cold, gooey and simply lip-smacking. He found that he could make one of what he hoped to be many corrections involving Tracy.
Link loved apple pie.
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A/N: Perkins, if you have one, has this scrumptiousness. I actually do hate apple pie, but I will make an exception only for this.
Oh, and I'm totally on a (fluffy) Trink-fix, so I may end up writing a lot more of them than others. I think it's no secret that they're my favorite…
Lastly, I'm most defiantly cheating… my beta is off bein' inspired (and leaving me incredibly jealous) so I'm posting it without her assessment…
I -heart- you so, molesta-fruitboy! (You know who you are.) Thanks for lookin' over this one, and the next one!