A/N Had a bit of a trouble with this one but I think it turned out okay in the end. It's shorter than the rest but I wanted to leave it like this. It just seemed like the right thing to do.
Reviews make Ranebows appear so don't forget to tell me what you think *blows kisses*

The next school day went surprisingly well. He attended all of his classes, he sat with Kurt and Blaine for lunch, and then went to his room, called his mom to ask about her latest clothing line (not because he was interested all that much but because Kurt told him he had to), finished his homework, took a shower and went to bed.

His third day was almost exactly the same, except, you know, he had different classes, and he didn't talk to his mom about her line because, as much as he loved Kurt and found his interest amusing, there wasn't much that could change in a day.

His fourth day was quite similar again.
So was his fifth.

And then it was Monday again. A day that held no deeper meaning for Reed as he got dressed and walked out of his room quickly answering Kurt's text about lunch with a simple "Sure!".

But just one floor down from Reeds room a curly haired dancer was up already and was now blocking the bathroom and effectively pissing his older brother off.

"Shane, for the love of God, get out or I'll be late for class. Why are you up anyway?"- Blaine was already dressed as he figured that showering wasn't a possibility and that he should be lucky if he had enough time to brush his teeth and gel his hair down.

"I had to get ready and make sure I look good ok?"- he got out of the bathroom looking more "prep school boy" then Blaine has ever seen him. For once his tie was straight, his blazer and shirt were wrinkle free, and his hair was curly as ever but was somehow tidy and falling softly around his face.
"Hey you do look good…or you know...you look like you hadn't overslept but actually took the time to get ready for school."- Blaine teased his brother and as he claimed the bathroom decided that he didn't want to make him feel bad by mentioning that he knew what brought this change.

Ever since THE Monday, Reeds first day of school, Shane was trying to see the small painter again but it was as if he had disappeared from the face of the Earth. And with Kurt and Blaine assuring him that Reed just needs time and that it would be better if he didn't sit with them when he was there, Shane was starting to feel even worse. He just wanted to see him. No talking, no occupying personal space or acting like a lunatic. He just wanted to see his Bambi (and yes he knew his name by now but was still calling him that…because in his dreams, they were together, Shane was holding him in his arms, and his little angel would blush perfectly every time he used the nickname…he just hoped dreams do come true sometimes).

Blaine rushed out of the room with a loud goodbye that got cut off by the slamming door and then Shane was alone with his thoughts for another hour.
-

When the bell rang Shane was already in front of his chem lab waiting. Faces that were coming out were not really interesting to him until a mop of familiar, strawberry blonde curls caught his eye. He wanted Reed to notice him without calling his name and scaring him so he stood there and waited.
Just when he started to worry that the entire week of waiting and hoping would go to waste, the small boy looked up and locked his big brown eyes with Shanes.

Shane saw those beautiful eyes get bigger as they started to fill with fear, and in that moment his own worst nightmare came true. Reed was afraid of HIM.

He didn't want to see that. His heart was aching with the desire to just take him in his arms and tell him he would never do anything to hurt or scare him and that he would keep him safe and protected from the entire world if necessary.

He didn't do that of course. He wasn't an idiot no matter what Blaine said.

Reed was still standing in front of him, craning his neck to look up at the boy so much taller than him, and Shane decided that the best thing to do was to just act normal and friendly without forcing the blonde to think he needs to talk to him.

So he just looked straight into his eyes ("and God could he be any more perfect…ok…calm down Shane") and offered him a small smile and nodded in greeting as he walked past him and entered the classroom.

He didn't want to go. If it were up to him he would just stand there, looking at him for the rest of time and he would be just fine like that. But he wanted Reed to feel safe. And he didn't feel safe when he was around so he would just let go of his plan to become his friend and keep his distance as long as it was necessary.

He slumped down in his chair as the teacher started the lesson feeling both extremely proud of himself for being able to tame his own crazy personality, and depressed because he realized that his Bambi will probably never really be HIS at all.
-

Reed walked into his classroom after coming back from his shock. First he thought his heart is gonna stop when he walked out and nearly bumped into Shane. He half expected him to be angry and yell at him because of his escape the week before. But the dancer just looked at him ("and really his eyes look so much warmer than Marcuse's have ever looked") and smiled, nodded and walked away before he could even react.

What would he do anyway? He was too scared and to confused to actually say hi, or even smile back or anything.

And suddenly he felt bad about it. Shane did nothing to him. He was nice, he didn't demand an explanation from him, he didn't force his company on him. He was close enough to make him uncomfortable if he wanted to, but he didn't. He just smiled and left.

"…there are still nice people in the world…"- words were ringing in his head as his teacher kept going about who knows what.

And that was what made Reed dig out his best "brave boy" attitude and make a decision.
The next time Shane Anderson says hi, he would be sure to say it back.
-

As it turned out he had to wait for the next time for a whole week again. Either Shane had only one of his classes next to him or Reed was just way too short to see him over the heads of the other students. And honestly from where he was ("near the ground pretty much") it wasn't really possible to tell the difference between the people wearing matching blazers and ties.

He still had lunch with Kurt and Blaine every day. He just liked the couple so much. Kurt soon became his go to person for his weekend outfits and he found himself lending the tall boy some of his own clothes that his mother kept sending even though some of the things were not his size at all. Kurt loved it and it made Reed happy he could do something for his new friend.

He liked Blaine too. The older boy was more serious than his sarcastic diva boyfriend but he had a great sense of humor and not once Reed found himself snickering to one silly thing or another that the prefect said.

He couldn't believe it but he rather liked being at Dalton. He was even thinking about asking for permission to join the arts club and earn himself the right to use their studio to paint instead of messing up his room with paint every time he lost his coordination with a brush in his hand.
Other then Kurt and Blaine he didn't really talk much to his classmates but he was fine with it. He didn't want to answer any questions and respected his two friends for not asking or pushing him to talk to them. In order to show him that he could count on them they both shared their stories of bullying, and name calling and the rest of the awful stuff they went through that got them there.
He told them he would tell them one day. Just…not yet. And they were okay with that. He liked them even more.
-

Come another Monday Reed sat in his seat in chemistry looking positively wrecked. His decision to greet Shane the next time he saw him seemed perfect at the time. He felt stupid for avoiding and fearing someone who had never done anything to him. After scolding himself for that he felt brave enough to say hi or smile or something.

But now, only a few minutes away from THE meeting he was feeling just a little bit less brave then he did the past week. He weighed his options. He could just keep his eyes down and rush out and maybe Shane won't even see him (being a midget sometimes came in handy after all).

He got mad at himself for even thinking that. He would smile. He can smile for the love of God, it's not that hard to do it. The bell rang. Okay. Here we go.
-

Shane stood in front of his new favorite room in the world and jumped as the bell rang and pulled him out of his thoughts that were, as always, filled with big brown eyes, and pale skin, and pink lips, and those adorable curls.

He searched the crowd for the familiar face and found a pair of eyes he's been dreaming of looking right at him.

His breath got caught in his lungs and his heart was threatening to burst out of his chest when a small smile grazed his angelic features. Shane was starting to think that he's not gonna make it out of this alive. His Bambi was standing in front of him and smiling….AT HIM.

He was flashing him that perfect smile of his and Shane's brain worked long enough to make him smile back, and then just short circuited as the boy left for his next class.

He entered his classroom and sat down next to Nick as always turning to him and whispering:"That boy will be the death of me, Nick. I swear to God, he is."

Nick just snickered at him and started taking notes as the teacher started the lesson.
-

Things changed for them after that first smile.
If Reed thought he only ever saw Shane on Mondays, he was now seeing him everywhere. Between the classes, on the staircases of Windsor House, in the small kitchen where he went sometimes to make tea….

And oddly enough, he was ok with that. Sometimes Shane would catch him off guard and the fear would return. But then he would smile in the passing and assure Reed that he was harmless and he was just saying hi.

They weren't friends. They've never even spoken to each other. But they smiled.

For everyone else that would hardly be a reason for celebration. But Shane knew it was a step forward. Almost invisible, barely there, but a step forward anyway.

Towards what, he didn't know. But whatever Reed was ok with, so was he. And it's always going to be about Reed when it comes to Shane.

Anything to keep him comfortable, safe, happy, and maybe, if he'll let him someday, loved.