DISCLAIMER: I don't own any Death Note characters just Melanie.

Because You're You (A Near One Shot)

Near watched quietly from his window as the other children played outside in the yard. Today they were playing a game of soccer, and it was girls against boys. Mello was captain of one team, while a blonde girl was captain of the girls' team. Near had talked with her before, her name was Melanie. Continuing to watch, Near saw the whole thing play out. At first glance the game was that of normal friends competing with each other. But, if you looked closer you could see that this was more than a game to the two captains. No, this was a war.

You see, Mello and Melanie had never gotten along. When she was new to the orphanage, he picked on her. She hadn't been outspoken at all; she'd never speak up even when spoken to, and if she did speak she barely said anything. This infuriated Mello because, well, her disposition reminded him of Near. Near, as we know, doesn't do much besides play with toys or puzzles and sit around on the floor. And play with his hair. After a while though, Melanie got fed up with Mello's crap and snapped back at him one day, creating a stronger rivalry than before. There was a difference though; Melanie was loud. She was very loud, and obnoxious, a polar opposite to Near.

Near had only spoken to her once, but Melanie hadn't been mean to him about his calm, quiet demeanor. She didn't mind at all that he barely said anything during their conversation. She rather enjoyed the comfort of just knowing he was listening to what she had to say, and she wasn't just hearing his response. She loved the feeling of his respect for her words, Mello never gave her that, and normally he was the only one who talked to her, if you could call it talking that is. Near, to her, was a serenity she would cherish, her haven, if you will.

Melanie never really had an encounter with Near again, though she did see him occasionally in one of the rooms in the orphanage. The place was big though, and there weren't too many people she knew in it. She knew Mello and Near, had encountered Matt a few times with Mello, and knew some of the kids whose rooms were by her own. When it came down to it, she didn't really have any close friends. Mello was the closest thing she had to a friend, and that was only because they'd been feuding for a while and had learned about each other through it. She wanted a close friend and decided she might want to get to know Near, as he seemed kind to her.

She thought Near was like those puzzles he enjoyed ever-so-much. He was hard to put together; she knew him well from what he looked like, but never what was on the inside. He wasn't open to anyone, and never even spent time with people. So trying to put him together was something she wanted to do. With Mello on her back all the time it might be hard to manage, though. She never refused a challenge if she thought she could handle it, so she was consistently active in trying to beat Mello at his own game, whatever it may be.

Charging for the soccer ball, Melanie and another girl from her team collided, which ended with Melanie falling over the girl and twisting her ankle pretty badly. Wincing as she rose from the ground, Melanie apologized to the other girl, who seemed to be okay, and limped her way towards the orphanage, heading to get some ice for her ankle.

Near who had still been observing the phenomenon outside his window, had watched the person he held fascination in injure herself and then make her way towards the door. Pulling together his many toys he was playing with, Near motivated downstairs to where Melanie would be.

Melanie, having gotten assistance from Roger, had gained the necessary things to soothe the pain in her ankle, and was sitting on one of the lounge chairs in the foyer. Humming quietly to herself, Melanie adjusted the ice pack to her liking and situated herself comfortably in the chair. Hearing light footsteps, she turned her head towards the stairs only to find Near, her object of fascination, descending towards them and to her.

Cracking a smile, Melanie greeted him cheerily, "Near~ What are you up to?"

"…I was wondering if you, by chance, would like to work on puzzles with me."

"Sure, I'd love to! Come over here and we can get started."

Plopping himself down on the floor in front of her, Near set up the puzzle he was working on for her to see. Scrunching up her face, Melanie repositioned herself so she could see the pieces better. Staring intently at the pile, she stuck her tongue out a fraction of an inch and scrunched her brows together, in deep concentration. Near, who was watching her, though this action was rather….cute. Chewing slightly on her lip, Melanie squealed in delight as she found a piece that might work and shoved it in place. Clapping wildly, and giggling obnoxiously, the blonde grinned at Near exclaiming about her success loudly.

Even Near had to crack a small smile at this.

*~.~.~.~.*

After her ankle issue, Near and Melanie had become very close knit friends, though he still didn't say much. Melanie was ecstatic, and Near was happy (though he didn't show it) that he had finally gotten close to someone. Mello found their friendship convenient as well because it made his self-assigned duty to yell at them easier. After all, they were more than likely in the same place most of the time.

"Near~," a sing-song voice rang out, shattering the silence of his quaint room, making him look up.

"Near! I have an awesome puzzle for you! You have to work on it once you're done with all the others, 'kay?"

In response to Melanie's announcement, the quiet boy nodded from his position on the floor, putting another piece to his puzzle in its place.

"Oooh! Oooh! Near, Near! This piece goes right there!" Melanie shouted pointed hysterically at the puzzle in front of them.

"I suppose it does. Thank you, Melanie."

"Welcome~"

And so their clockwork puzzle schedule began once again.

*~.~.~.~.~.*

Soon enough, Near and Melanie had almost finished all of the puzzles and word games that Near had accumulated for them to solve. After they were finished with those, Near intended to make true his promise. He had placed the decorated and messily wrapped box which hid the puzzle Melanie gave him on the nightstand by his bed. To be frank, it was the only thing besides his toys that gave color to the bland, white room in which he resided.

The gift made Melanie smile every time she came to visit, which was often. Though it never moved from its place, she ogled it and grinned obnoxiously when she saw it. Speaking of Melanie, she would be in his room any moment now.

Five…Four….Three…Two…One…

Slender arms made their way around Near's neck as she flew into his room, tackling him to the floor.

"Near! Guess what!"

"…What?"

"I got you a present!"

"Did you, now?"

"Yup, here you go!"

And with that she handed him a small rubber duck. Inspecting it quietly for a minute, Near found he enjoyed the gift. The duck was faded, so it must have been old and adored. Looking up from his gift, Near shot her a questioning glance.

Looking at him, she smiled sheepishly and explained. "I collect ducks, whether their rubber, wood, plastic, you name it! I thought you might like one; you adore toys anyway."

Looking down at the small toy in his hands Near responded to her generosity, "Thank you."

"O-oh, umm…you're welcome, Near. Now, how about we start some puzzles, huh?"

Smiling softly, Near took out the few remaining puzzles he had to finish before he started on hers.

"Yes, let's."

*~.~.~.~.~*

Staring blankly at the extravagantly decorated box before him, Near twirled a strand of his hair quietly while waiting for Melanie. Suddenly, the door slammed into the wall, hinges creaking loudly in protest. Even with the noises to break the silence of his calm abode, Near didn't flinch. Or move. Or blink. He just sat there staring at the box.

"Melanie, would you like to help with this puzzle as well," Near asked patiently, motioning towards the object with a pale hand.

"U-uh, no…I'll just watch this time…" And with that, she plopped her butt down next to the boy on the floor, smiling sweetly with a tint of pink dusting her cheeks. Carefully removing ribbons, and tearing at the colorful wrapping paper, Near unearthed a bland, brown puzzle box from the colorful mass. Inspecting the box and all it's simplicity briefly, Near questioned its familiarity. Opening the box he found out why.

"…"

"Melanie, would you mind telling me as to why there are red marker lines on my white puzzle pieces?"

"…umm, why don't you see for yourself?"

Staring at her skeptically, Near sighed, a small amount of air leaving his lips.

"…Fine."

*~.~.~.~.~.~*

Having only five or so pieces left, Near was confused to see scrawl written out across his puzzle in red. It looked like Melanie had written something, but her handwriting was, well, to be quite frank, horrible. She scribbled out her words, letters connecting where they shouldn't, she'd forget to dot her 'I's or cross her 'T's, and then her 'A's looked like 'U's on occasion. Overall, you may need her to translate whatever language she wrote in for you.

Putting the last piece in place Near turned to Melanie, who was biting her lower lip and chewing on it in discomfort. Deciding that it may be better to figure it out himself, Near took on the challenge. Turning his head this way and that, his eyes widening and narrowing in concentration, Near tried his best to make out anything scrawled across the pieces.

"Putting you together is a challenge that'll never get old?"

Blushing, Melanie nodded. "Yea, I…I really enjoy our time together, and I love figuring you out piece by piece. You're just like one of your puzzles, you know? The white ones really, and not because of your hair or skin, or even your clothes. You're like those white puzzles because no matter how many times you put them together, you still haven't quite figured it out. You're like the white ones because your story is only just beginning, and you have that clean slate to be written upon as you go. You're like those white puzzles because you're you, Near."

Staring at her after her speech, his eyes softened as his intense gaze grew more understanding. Even a soft smile graced his lips.

"Thank you for that Melanie."

And all she could do was smile in return.