React and Interact
Pair: Kevin/Sarah (friendship)
Requested by "Cloverbloom"
Note: In a bizarre turn of events, this takes place before the cartoon starts. Just for frame of reference
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Kevin was doing his level best to ignore the sniffling coming from across the street. He really just wanted to ride his bike, not get involved with whatever Sarah was throwing a tantrum about this time. Honestly, it would probably be best if he got out of there before the screaming started—because there was always screaming when Sarah was involved—but being all of eight years old, Kevin's parents didn't see fit to let him do more than ride around the block and then he'd be right back where he started. And probably in the middle of the tantrum.
Thus, Kevin was trying very hard to ignore Sarah. She had been sitting on her front lawn when he came outside and hadn't moved in the five minutes since. But it was unusual for the five-year-old to be so subdued, and Kevin was intrigued. He never was able to stop himself from trying to find out what was going on; not when Jimmy was crying about another inconsequential injury, not when the Eds were getting into trouble, and apparently not now, either.
With a put-upon sigh, Kevin turned his bike and rode across the street, coming to a halt at the curb in front of Sarah's house. "What's up, kid?"
Sarah sniffed. "Nothing." She huffed, crossing skinny arms over her chest.
"Sure." Kevin rolled his eyes, and so noticed the pink bike lying in the grass beside the girl, "Nice bike."
"It's a stupid bike!" Sarah asserted, shoving it further away from herself with her foot.
Sighing again, Kevin pushed the kickstand of his own bike down and aligned with the curb before sitting down on the sidewalk in front of Sarah. "Why is it stupid?"
"It's broken 'er something!" The girl replied.
"Huh?" Kevin moved closer to the item in question and checked it over, "Looks fine to me."
"Well then why can't I ride it?" Sarah demanded.
"Uh… do you know how to ride a bike?" Kevin raised an eyebrow in question.
Sarah scowled. "Well… no…"
"Tried training wheels?"
"I don't wanna use training wheels, I just wanna ride the bike!"
"Okay, okay!" Kevin put up his hands placatingly, "Look, if it'll get you to stop crying, I'll show you how to start."
Sarah shot him a suspicious look. "Why?"
Kevin shrugged. "I like bikes… and I'm good at riding them…" He shrugged again.
Still frowning slightly, Sarah picked herself up out of the grass. "Okay, fine. Show me."
Two hours and more screaming than Kevin had really signed up for later, Sarah laughed loudly as she rode her bike, unassisted, all the way down to the end of the cul-de-sac. She braked and got down without faltering, then turned and waved her arms. "I did it! I did it!"
Kevin, still standing at the head of the street, waved back. "Great! Come on back, I think you've got it!"
"Yeah!" Sarah cried, jumping back on the bike that was, obviously, no longer 'broken.'
Kevin grinned to himself, heading for his own bike. The kid wasn't so bad. Y'know, when she wasn't screaming or something.
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