Work Text:
A small slice of maple buttermilk pie sat idly on a plate at the supper table as Philip and Caleb hovered over it with hungry smiles on their faces while holding forks in their hands.
Their excited eyes started to sparkle as both boys stared down at the rich dessert before them.
The pie looked so perfect and well-made.
Its flaky and tender gold crust was complemented by the creamy custard filling, which was pure and smooth thanks to the well-mixed blend of brown sugar and maple syrup.
To enhance the pie's tanginess and sweetness, both lemon zest and cane sugar were sprinkled on top as a finishing touch.
When it came to pie, Philip and Caleb shared a similar fondness for the food.
However, the dessert was quite costly in the Puritan town of Gravesfield.
A single slice cost the boys all of their income that they had earned last week from their butter business.
But, in a way, the expense was worthwhile since maple buttermilk pie was their favorite treat.
Plus, purchasing the ingredients to bake their own at home was a no-go since Philip was far too little to use or be near the oven, and Caleb's baking skills weren't exactly the best at his age.
"Caleb, Caleb, Caleb!" Philip began as his voice chimed with such excitement.
"Who gets the first bite, huh?" he asked, eagerly wanting to know as he inquired the question to his brother a second time. "Who, who! Tell me! Tell me, tell me, tell me!"
Philip was unable to cease his buoyant bouncing.
This causes Caleb to let out a chuckle at his hyperactive little brother as he smiled a gentle smile at him, closing his eyes.
"Well," the blonde began. "I figured we'd cut the piece into two equal halves so that we both get one. That way, it's fair!" Caleb said, finishing his sentence in a tone that was both cheerful and calm.
His brown eyes begin to open back up again.
They spot Philip and soon take note of his messy, new appearance.
The brunette's mouth was now covered with pie as nothing but crumbs remained on the plate.
"Yay!" Philip cheered. "When do we get to do that?" he innocently asked, licking his lips.
Caleb was taken aback by his brother's rapid eating.
He didn't hear a single chewing sound come from him when his eyes were shut.
In spite of the slight shock, however, he chuckled, ruffling the pie theif's hair some.
"Hmm," he hummed. "Perhaps maybe next time, if someone doesn't decide to go gobbling it all down," Caleb answered, gently scolding his brother while sending him a stern look that was laced with playfulness.
Philip giggled with a grin, showing off all his teeth, which had bits of pie stuck in them.
Caleb could feel his teeth ache at the sweet sight.
This leads him to chuckle a third time
As sweet as the piece of pie could have been in his mouth, nothing was sweeter to Caleb than seeing Philip smile.
He would rather see him happy than have all the sweets in the world.