RANE - Juice
Prompt from lisello

"Someone's excited." Mrs. Anderson remarked, shooting a playful smile at her youngest son as a five year old Shane struggled to tug her forward.

Green eyes were trained on the playground in the distance and in an instant, an excited grin graced the little boy's lips. At the sight of the tall slide, Shane pulled on his mother harder. "Hurry up, mom!"

Mrs. Anderson laughed. "Alright, alright. Settle down, spitfire."

Shane pouted, pausing in his efforts. "What does that mean?"

"Nevermind, honey." Mrs. Anderson smiled endearingly. "Now go and play. I'll be right here."

Shane let out a small cry of excitement before detaching himself from his mother's hold and shooting off towards the swings, where one empty seat remained.

He quickly claimed it and wasted no time in hurtling himself into the air, pushing off the dirt ground. He reached a height greater than last time. It was when his swing decreased in momentum that he noticed a pair of hazel eyes owned by a blonde, curly haired boy seated on the swings beside him watching him wordlessly.

Shane smiled at the boy. His mother had taught him to be polite. "Hi."

The boy, whose eyes widened at Shane's greeting, shrunk back in his seat. Hazel eyes were cast down. "H-Hi."

Tilting his head, Shane blinked curiously at the boy's meek behavior. "What's wrong?"

The boy shook his head frantically, a faint blush brandishing his pale cheeks.

Shane watched the boy for a moment, a look of innocent contemplation on his young face. Something about this shy boy seemed didn't seem okay to him. He looked a bit.. sad.

Resolutely, Shane stood from his seat as a few kids quickly fought to claim the seat he'd just abandoned. He stood before the boy, smiling warmly, and enveloped him in a small embrace. "Mom always hugs me when I don't feel too good, and I always feel better after she does." When he recoiled, he noted the very surprised look on the boy's face. "Do you feel better?"

The boy nodded sheepishly.

Shane grinned. "Good. What's your name?"

The boy issued him a look of uncertainty before smiling for the first time since their encounter. "Reed."

"Hey, Reed. I'm Shane. You wanna play on the sandbox? I'll teach you how to make a sandcastle." Shane offered.

Reed's smile brightened. "Sure."

And the pair bounded off.

"Hard at work, I see."

Shane turned to see his mother with two juice boxes in her hands, smiling down at them. He beamed at her, fumbling to show her his sandcastle. "Look mom! It's like the one Blaine and I made last time we came here."

Reed briefly wondered who Blaine was.

"Wow. Great job, honey." She issued Shane a fond smile before regarding Reed. "And who's this?"

Shane turned to Reed. "Oh, this is Reed. He wasn't feeling very good so I gave him a hug. Now he feels better, don't you?"

Reed nodded frantically, smiling shyly up at Mrs. Anderson.

She couldn't help but grin. "That was very nice of you. Well, I was watching from over there and thought you guys could use a drink."

Shane immediately reached for the juice box before his mother could puncture the straws into the holes. "I can do it myself." He said before firmly curling all his fingers around the straw and, with a hint of tongue peeking out from the corner of his lips, thrust it into the hole. He grinned proudly. "See?"

Mrs. Anderson laughed. "That was great."

"Can I do Reed's?"

Without hesitation, Mrs. Anderson handed her son the second juice box.

Shane repeated his actions without a hitch and surrendered the juice box to Reed. "Here you go, Reed." He smiled.

Reed, who was watching in awe because he honestly hadn't even tried to do that by himself yet, took it and smiled gratefully. "Thank you."

"Sure thing! Blaine's always the one who does that for me. Maybe I can be the one who does that for you." Shane said.

Reed smiled, feeling strange knots in his stomach but not knowing where it came from. "Okay."

And they proceeded with their work as Mrs. Anderson watched them knowingly, proudly.