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Reese didn't like being at D-Corp. The last time he'd been here, he'd gotten a nasty shot which had hurt and left him feeling cranky and weird all day. So when Wilbur had said they needed to go back, he was less than pleased. But there he was, none the less. A tech had taken the other man off into a room, to talk "business".

Which meant it had something to do with Poppa. Reese was starting to pick up on all the code words. When a phone call came in for Edge and Wilbur said it was "business", it usually meant Poppa would be out to all odd hours of the night working again. Sometimes it would last a few days, sometimes weeks...either way, Reese hated it when grownups talked "business".

He sat in one of the many waiting rooms, flipping through one of his dragon books. He was getting bored. They'd been in there for over an hour, if he was looking at the clock right. The seahorse boy gave a heavy sigh, looking out the door. It's not like he was in a dangerous place...it was D-Corp after all.

So, taking another look at the office...Reese rolled himself out. Take a left, down the hall...and another left, followed by a right. This was easy, the floors where nice and smooth and it was cake to roll himself along. No one even tried to stop him...the techs paid him no mind as they passed, assuming he was just one of the many children who resided at the facility.

Reese liked this.

Reese's head snapped around when he realized he'd been spoken too, his hair landing all over his face. His eyes were wide, inspecting behind his bangs, and quickly a great big smile spread across his mouth. New person! New person with kid! Pretty little thing, she looked like Ter...but pretty. Like a candy cane! He loved candy canes!

"Hi!" he said cheerily, waving his hand around. "My name'th Reethe, who're you?"

Oblivious much? He had no clue that the smaller girl was terrified, and mistook her clinging to the man as a special bond. Like how Poppa used to carry him around before he got so big. With one hand holding a wheel still, he'd turn himself to look at man and child...his tail curling happily around a foot rest.

(( You enjoy giving him words he can't say properly. Hahaha. But then again so do I. }:3 ))

Reese's brows furrowed deeply and he puffed air into his cheeks. Had he scared her? He hadn't meant to scare her! He was just being friendly. He wrinkled his nose as he slowly pushed the air out through his lips, making a small whoosh noise. He slumped in his chair, looking up at the pair with very apologetic eyes. She was kinda like that other seahorse girl he'd met before. She'd been shy too. He'd have to use his quiet voice if she was shy.

"I'm thorry, Thaedah...I didn't mean to thcare her," he said to the father figure type person. "I'm won't be loud anymore."

He perked though and slid over in his chair, once a little too big for him, when he was asked. He found he fit in it just right these days. Never mind his father telling him that he'd grow into - and out of - it eventually.

"Thee can thit," was the answer with a smile. "You can thit with me, Thaedah. It'th jutht my wheelchair. I uthe it to get around." He patted the spot next to him, still smiling.

(( Good god, this is the cutest picture in my head ever! -squeeee- Oh man, too cute! I can see older Reese given Saedah rides in his chair all the time! <3<3<3 ))

Reese blinked curiously as he watched the man try to pry the little girl off of his side. He'd try coaxing her lightly also, following the adult's lead, hoping that he could help.

"Come on, Thaedah...there'th nothing to be afraid of. My wheelchair won't hurt you...*GULP*"

He suddenly found himself being clung to. Well, that was new! Usually he was the one doing the latching. Man, is this what it felt like when he used to ride on his father's hip? He hoped he hadn't squeezed this hard; that could hurt after a while!

"Y...y-yeah," he said very slowly, his free arm patting the corresponding wheel on his chair. "My tail doethn't move the thame way your'th doeth. I need thith to get around."

"It'th not thcary. It'th jutht a chair...it can't hurt you," he tried to explain as gently as he could, making sure he kept using his quiet voice. At least she wasn't crying anymore.

"Do you wanna go for a ride witth me?" Maybe a short ride would show her it was safe?

Reese smiled some as he was hugged, thankfully not nearly as tight, and he squeezed her back gently. She sure was a funny thing...first she was scared of him, now she was hugging him. She didn't want to go, now she did. Ah well...girls where funny things.

"Ok. Lemme get the other thide." It was a little awkward, having to reach around her for the other wheel, but he managed. The way they ended up was with Saedah almost on Reese's lap.

"Hold on," he gently encouraged...pushing hard on the wheels. Yet they only shifted forward, as Reese hadn't thought about the extra weight of the girl making it harder to move. He snuffed through his nose, making a frustrated face.

"One more try," he muttered. He was strong, he could do this! He set his arms forward, pushing as hard as he could manage. They started to go, but barely. It was probably going to take an extra hand from Kuyoja to get them really rolling.

Reese blinked as it suddenly became much easier to push...glancing back, he'd smile when he noticed the teacher lending a helping hand.

"Thankth," he said with a grateful nod.

It was really up to Kuyoja as to how far he pushed and where they went. Reese was pretty sure that now they were going, he'd be okay pushing them around...but right now he was more able to focus on talking with Saedah.

"Yeah, all the time," Reese answered the little girl's question, patting the chair almost affectionately. "My poppa got it for me. Thith ith actually my thecond one...I outgrew the other one."

Forget the fact that at the time he denied needing the bigger chair; after all, it fit him now, yes? Honestly, soon it would probably start being almost too small for him. He absently wondered how many times he'd have to upgrade his chair.

"Why're you tho thcared of everything?" It was a sudden, blunt question. One he wasn't really sure she'd understand...after all, she was a lot younger than he was. "The world ithn't tho bad."

Anxiety? What was that? Reese wouldn't have known the word. Maybe the only thing he felt anxiety about was falling out of his chair...and even then, that was as it was happening to him, so it really doesn't count.

"Nothing to be afraid of," he replied simply to her question, lightly patting her shoulder. "Poppa taketh care of me and tho doeth Baka-Wilbur. Thee too."

"What thcary people?" he questioned, wondering who would be so mean as to scare poor Saedah. Why would anyone frighten such a cute little girl? That didn't sound right to him at all.

Reese listened to her...feeling a little pinched from her hug, but he wouldn't mention it. It seemed to make her feel better, and he wasn't about to make her feel scared or uncomfortable. This was a new friend, and he wanted to keep all his friends close.

He pondered what she said, though, and wrinkled his nose as he thought. Strangers were scary, huh? Reese couldn't remember a time he'd ever been afraid of meeting new people. Then again, all the new people he'd met had been friendly, nice people. People who had become his friends.

"Thrangerth are jutht friendth you haven't met yet," he said, sounding a little wise for his age.

It probably worried Edge that Reese was entirely too friendly for his own good...but then again, the boy was rarely alone. Who could kidnap him when he was always with someone?

"Courthe I'm throng," Reese boasted a bit, puffing out his chest. "I can do anything I thet my mind too." Poppa told him all the time, but it had been Cody to show him it was true.

"Thaedah throng too," Reese encouraged with a smile, playfully poking her side.