"So she kicked you out of the house".
Charlie Brown and Linus were outside the tent, the former sitting against his front gate, and the latter leaning against the door of his tent.
"…and over basically nothing" Linus responded, musing.
"Just an overreaction to a broken crayon".
"…which is basically nothing Charlie Brown".
The two boys considered things for a bit, then Charlie Brown reached into his pocket and pulled out a sweet.
"You want one of these Linus?" he offered, "My parents got some for me, but it's the flavour I don't like"
"Thanks" Linus accepted and chewed on it for a moment, "I've got no clue what my parents are doing. Weren't home to disallow Lucy's….uh….lets call it…unsociability".
He chewed a bit more, "And why don't you like this flavour?. It not bad…"
"Linus"
"Okay Charlie Brown" he resumed his previous topic, "So my parents are at the hospital. Told me their reasons are a surprise".
"Well I doubt it's to get lollies of their own" Charlie Brown mentioned, "So, what are you going to do?"
"What am I going to do?" Linus considered for a moment, "eventually Lucy will leave the house today, and that's when I'll intercept her. Then, I'm going to start some negotiating".
He got up from the tent, "In fact, I'm going to do that right now".
"Linus, wait a moment", Charlie Brown got up as well, "I don't think you should be trying to do this…at least not now. You seem a bit stressed out"
Linus paused, and realised that he had experienced those feelings, at least sometimes.
"Okay…I'll do that", he nodded slightly as Charlie Brown patted his shoulder, "But in that case, can you talk to her instead?".
"Me?" Charlie Brown exclaimed, "Linus I'm not courageous enough to go and talk down Lucy. What about Peppermint Patty, or Schroeder".
"She'd only hear a marriage proposal from the latter, and from Patty she'd just..…..look I'd be more comfortable if it's you".
"I'm touched Linus, but I'll get nowhere" Charlie Brown shrugged.
"You won't" Linus insisted.
"I'll fail"
"Yes you will"
"No I…" Charlie Brown stopped himself and glared at him, "Cheap move Linus".
The younger boy chuckled slightly, but Charlie Brown could recognise that he was yearning for his help.
"Okay, for you Linus" he gave a friendly nudge to the other boy "I'll…I'll go see what I can manage".
Linus thanked him, and watched him as he left out the front gate. But he still had a itch to follow him, maybe be an observer of whatever he and Lucy talked about.
He then heard the door open and a young girl start speaking behind him
"Okay, Big Brother I need…"
Sally stopped a yard past the doorway as Linus turned to see her, "Hey Sally".
"…oh…Good morning" she quickly changed to a happy attitude.
"As for your brother, he's just left for a bit" Linus explained, then considered something, "Do you want to discuss your concerns with me instead?".
"It's fine, I don't think you'll "get" what I'll say".
Sally trailed a foot along the ground, "So Linus, is Japan or Egypt going to be good places for our honeymoon?. I wonder…".
Linus blinked as Sally went on crushing on him, and turned in the direction Charlie Brown went, "See you Sally".
"…so when do you hope to set a date?" she quiried.
"You've gotten out of hand, Lucy"
"I don't know what you think your problem is"
Charlie Brown had encountered Linus' sister at the town square later that morning, and he began discussing the situation he had been filled in on.
"My problem is that my best friend, and your brother…"
Lucy groaned, "Really, so you're intent on berating me. He broke my crayon".
"And you responded like that".
Hating being lectured, Lucy scowled, "There are other older sisters who…may feel the same".
"Well…as an older brother, I don't".
She laughed in response to his statement, "That's like Pinocchio comparing himself to a real boy".
Charlie Brown barely prevented himself from groaning, "If I'm being honest, you're being a real bad sist…"
"A bad WHAT, Charlie Brown" Lucy sneered, "…elaborate"
He grimaced in frustration "…never-mind".
"I took an opportunity when it was presented" she muttered out loud, "In my eyes, he's disowned. Not my family anymore".
"Excuse me!" Charlie Brown exclaimed, and gazed over to a nearby monument.
"And, if you're smart" Lucy clenched a fist at him, "you won't interfere".
Charlie Brown didn't look at her, sighing, "I'm very smart".
He kept looking away as she turned away and left.
.
Composing himself, Linus slowly emerged from behind the monument, walking up to his best friend.
"I…..well….that went badly" Charlie Brown admitted to him.
"No" a sarcastic Linus folded his arms, "maybe it didn't. I mean, I probably broke a constitutional law cause of that stupid crayon."
He looked aside, his tone also bitter, "it seems…seems I ought to report myself right now or something".
"Linus"
"Charlie Brown…" he turned back, and the two boys glanced at each other for a moment.
"…I…I think…think I'd prefer some alone time" the younger boy finally muttered.
His best friend nodded, and Linus trodded away from him.