𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐋𝐄𝐒𝐒 》JASON GRACE²

ᶜʰᵃᵖᵗᵉʳ ᵗʰʳᵉᵉ

''DON'T CRY.''

A blond little boy sobbed, knees drawn to his chest and eyes pressing harshly into his knees to try and block the tears from escaping. He couldn't cry, he had to get up and get back; just like his older sister did. Why couldn't he be like her? Or the women on TV- what were they called? Ama... Amazons? Why couldn't he be Wonder Woman?

Shocked, he looked up, revealing puffy eyes, scrambling back when he registered a face just inches from his, a girl, maybe a year or so older, had crouched down next to him, smiling way too wide for someone who was also clearly without a parent. ''Who-Who are you?'' He sniffed, arm reaching up to dig the bottom of his palm across his cheeks, trying to get rid of the evidence.

The girl pursed her lips, eyebrows pulling together as she looked around, she paused, fingers drumming against her knees. ''Well, I think the games over...'' She paused before turning to him again, the wide smile on her face once more as she extended her arm out. ''Name's 'Lani. What about you?''

He gulped, hiccuping slightly. ''Jason.''

''What are you crying for, Jason?''

He shrugged, deciding not to talk as he avoided eye-contact. Honestly, he wasn't too sure himself, his mother had said they were going to play together, but when he looked over his shoulder, she wasn't following him anymore. Did he lose her? Was she lost too? What if- He was crying again.

Noelani shuffled forwards, moving so she was sat next to him, but still facing the side of his face. She leant to pat him on the back. ''My mummy says that it's best to hug it out if you can't solve the reason. Do you want to hug?''

Jason sniffed, thinking about it. ''Yeah.'' He mumbled, a little annoyed that his eyes were still leaking in such large rivers, but he shuffled closer anyway, awkwardly leaning over her lap to rest his head on her shoulder, she wrapped her arms around him. ''I'm kind of lost too,'' she said, gathering that that was what was wrong.''

''I'm not lost, I think my mum is though, I can't find her- you don't think she left me, do you?''

Noelani shrugged, moving her head so she could look at him. ''Hard to tell, I wasn't there. My mummy left me, though. So you're not alone.''

''She left you? And you're not crying?''

Noelani looked forwards again, staring at a tree as she counted the indents on its bark. ''No, I'm on a mission. Makuahine just dropped me off and she'll be back to pick me up once I've accomplished it, I'm sure of it.''

Jason pulled away again, the tears having ran out. He rubbed his eyes with his palm again, moving his cheeks backwards as he tried to dry them off as well. ''Can I help?''

Noelani put a finger on her chin, studying him. ''Hmm. Sure!'' She grinned, pulling a teddy out from behind her. ''You're mission is to guard Pikachu!''

''Pikachu?'' He asked, taking the teddy from her as if it was glass, carefully cradling it to his chest as his eyes skimmed their surroundings for danger. ''But he isn't a Pikachu.''

''He can be whatever he wants to be.''

She said it so sternly, that Jason was beginning to wonder if he was the one that was wrong, had he got his Pokémon mixed up again? The kids at school always picked on him for things like that, said he took after his mother - whatever that means.

''Of course he can.'' Jason smiled for the first time and it made Noelani all the more excited, a warm bubbly feeling bubbling in her chest. ''Whoa... You're glowing.''