"Get yer hands offa me ya crazy bastard!" Mifune shouted, swinging his arms and legs, as his father had him hoisted up off the floor with one hand. Eight years and his parents were already sick of his attitude and sailor's mouth. Like he didn't get it from them, those hypocrites. It wasn't long before the paperwork was filled out and Mifune was thrown into the room with a bunch of other sorry suckers. He kicked at the door with the bottom of his foot, frowning heavily. "Open this shit up, I'm not staying here! I'll run away!"

"You shouldn't do that." A soft voice made the redhead turn around, facing a pinkette with big teal eyes.

"Yeah, and what's it to you?"

"I'd hate to see you get in trouble on your first day." He extended an elegant hand for a nine year old, smiling, "I'm C."

Mifune was silent for a while before he scoffed, turning back around to kick the door once more. "Did I ask? No. Go away."

Most of the children in Wammy's had at least one friend. Some even had small groups. But they didn't come to this orphanage for normal lives and normal friendships. Hell, they didn't even come to be adopted. Sure, there was a chance someone could be willing to adopt them, but it was extremely difficult to get a child from here - especially if potential was saw in him or her to succeed L. The owner, Watari, really wouldn't let him go. Because L was shown to the children to be the most brilliant detective in the world - one all children had to be shaped into his copies.

Being that A, followed by B, were the two runner ups for that position, they were considered the smartest and had more work than others. A was now distracted more than he had been a couple years ago by schoolwork, feeling extremely pressured to do his best and succeed L. Although B was pressured as well, it really didn't affect him. He wasn't bothered because..well..he didn't really want this. Didn't really want to be L. Didn't even admire him like the other children. And the fact that A was too busy for him sometimes really, really, bothered him. The only one in Wammy's, other than Z, that actually cared about him. Difference was, he loved A and not Z.

Leaving the blonde haired nine year old to his work, B shrugged dejectedly and walked downstairs into the living room, immediately noticing the small commotion between C, a child he watched but never really talked to, and someone he'd never seen before.. The curious eight year old read the name and lifespan above his head, absently biting his thumb out of habit. How interesting...

C sighed softly. He didn't understand this boy. He was trying to keep him from getting into trouble, but he just wouldn't listen. This one was gonna be hard to shape into L. He wouldn't even come close. Not that C was close himself. Sure he was smart, but he couldn't be a detective like L. He wasn't one to get his hands dirty. He looked around the room for a brief moment, catching a glimpse of B. He gave a friendly wave before turning back to the newbie, who was still beating up the door. He put a hand on his shoulder to pull him back.

"Alright, cut that- Woah!" He leaned back, just barely avoiding the redhead's fist.

"Don't touch me!" Mifune snapped. When he saw a strange black haired brat staring in his direction, he got even more angry. "What're you looking at, y'fuckin' weirdo?"

B's eyes widened a bit. No one ever talked to him like that. The last time anyone did, they went missing... How unfortunate.

The eight year old's hands balled into fists, though he knew he had to keep his cool. A would tear his head off if he got into trouble again. Besides, he could strike back.. but in a much smarter way. He might've had a nasty temper, but he wasn't just intelligent school wise.

"That's not very nice to call someone a weirdo.. Mifune."

Hazel eyes went wide at the nosy kid. "How do you know my name? I don't know you! Stay outta my business!"

C looked back and forth between the two, "Ah, that's B, he's-"

"No one fuckin' asked you!" Mifune snapped at C, who jumped back, a bit dejected. The redhead returned his attention to B. "Imma ask again, how d'you know my name?"

"It's a secret."

A small smirk tugged at B's lips. He started walking forward, and didn't show his surprise in the slightest when Mifune refused to back down.

"You're new, so you don't know it yet... But the smart ones stay away from me."

Of course Mifune didn't back down. He never did. In fact, he even dared to take a step closer, puffing his chest out in an effort to intimidate the dark haired boy. "Yeah? Well I'm not smart, and I certainly don't give a fuck."

C sighed, giving up. These little kids always have to put up a fight. He felt like an old man in comparison, even though he was only a year older, and decided to just go and make his way to the library.

"I can certainly tell." B answered both statements with a taunting kind of smirk. B was about an inch shorter than the other, and he would continue to be short for his age until his growth spurt once he hit 13. But other children were still intimidated even with the shorter height.

"You just got here... Would you really want to go missing?"

Mifune looked down at him with annoyance, his hands clenching into fists.

"So now yer threatening me, huh? Well how about you shut your God damn mouth, Shortie!" He shouted, shoving B backwards.

Whenever someone touched B, it automatically caused him to snap. His eye twitched, and he charged forward, actually head-butting the taller with enough strength to shove him back onto the floor. After that, he straddled his waist as he delivered one punch after the other.

A came bounding down the stairs a second later, having heard the commotion from his room at the top of the staircase.

"B!"

Used to B's actions, he raced forward to try to pull him off. But the blonde was also cautious, since B had been known to hit him too when in rage.

Mifune fell back, blood coming from his nose. "Son of a-" He guarded his face with his arms, up until the point where someone else dragged B off.

The spit fire jumped up, tackling both boys to the floor, throwing wild punches and screaming incoherently.

B growled. No one touched his A. In an instant, B was shoving A off so he could attack the other again, both bloody fists flying once more. There was punching, kicking, scratching, tugging, screaming, biting- it took at least four people to pull B off. The two boys were rolling around on the floor each seeming as though they were trying to kill the other, though Mifune was taking most of the punches. Then the adults came, and began to drag B out of the living room. This was usually when he was taken to the solitary room for time out – even sedated in some cases.

B was kicking and screaming, even trying to bite the hands on him. But he was taken away with very little struggle, like it was routine to them. A, worried as he was, was not allowed to follow and was instead taken to the infirmary with Mifune, arranging to have both boys' beds beside each other.

Mifune's arms were crossed as nurses tended to his wounds, more adults standing nearby in case the redhead was to lash out again. He was muttering angrily under his breath, mostly bad things about B and the place he found himself in.

Once they were both patched up, A took the opportunity to say something. "I'm sorry, M..."

It took a minute to realize the other kid was talking to him. "Eh? Wachu call me that for? My name's Mifune, didn't ya hear the nurse say it? And you don't have'ta apologize. It's that dickhead's fault. Wha's his name? B?"

"That's your Wammy's alias, first letter of your name.." The blonde explained, rubbing the back of his neck. "Eh, yeah, B is my..." He shook his head. "He's very temperamental, but he's not mean.. Just misunderstood.. He only attacks people who touch him or hurt his feelings, and it isn't even his fault."

"That's stupid." M grumbled. Great. Now he had to be a letter of the alphabet. Greeeeeat. "And I don't care! I'm glad I hurt his feelings! He should mind his own business." Mifune flinched suddenly, hissing as the nurse began to tend to his split lip. He turned back to A. "So you got a crush on him?"

A blushed. Luckily the old nurse didn't care at all, but none of the other adults of Wammy's would like it at all. "W-We're with each other..." He answered quietly.

Mifune blinked, then made a face. "Gross. You two are like, 6 years old. You gotta grow up to have a boyfriend. Ain't you heard of cooties?"

"Actually he's 8, I'm 9... And..you don't understand." A shook his head with a sigh.

"Nope, I don't understand, and I don't want to." He crossed his arms, hissing at the rubbing alcohol on his cuts. "Be more careful, lady!"

The blonde sighed. He laid down on his small white bed, blue eyes gazing up at the chipped white paint on the ceiling.

oOo

Having heard about what happened, Z was unable to find B and went downstairs to the library, hoping that A might be there. After seeing the blonde's favorite spot was empty, he realized he wasn't.

C, of course, heard what happened. Poor B got locked in the solitary room once again. C, unlike most people in Wammy's, didn't have any actual friends to fall back on. He spoke to everyone and anyone, but there was no one he knew on a personal level, no one who would have his back if things went to hell. Good thing he was an optimist and didn't think anything bad like that would happen.

When Z walked into the library, the pinkette lifted his head, smiling at the male. "Hey, Z." he greeted as he walked past his table.

Z gave a nod back, sighing somewhat disappointedly when he discovered A wasn't there. He must be in the infirmary... And if he was getting patched up, that old nurse would just shoo him out.

The raven sighed and plopped down in a chair in front of C. "Did you see what happened?"

C was pleasantly surprised when Z sat in front of him, and closed the book he'd been reading gently, as if the old thing would fall apart at any wrong touch.

"No. But I greeted the new kid. He's very rude. B picked a fight with him and I'm assuming that newbie got hurt and B ended up in the solitary room. I heard A got involved too, but I don't really know."

Z sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, head down. "Damn it, B."

It really was impossible to keep him out of trouble, wasn't it? Z and A would know firsthand. Besides, A wasn't the only one who had feelings for the troublemaker…

C stared at Z, reading him up and down like one of his books. He was very aware of the feelings he held for B. But C also knew he'd never know the feeling of two people being in love with him at once, like B had. In fact, he'd never really.. like liked anyone before. B was cute and all, in his opinion, but Z…

Instead, he simply crossed his legs, brushing a stand of hair behind his ear. "You shouldn't worry too much. You of all people should know B is always fine. But that aside, how are your studies coming?"

Z scoffed. "Nneh.." He waved a hand dismissively, to show they were coming along just fine.. Not excellently, of course, but fine. He really didn't study often, but still more than B. So how did B always manage to rank second without even trying?

He knew what C would say next and beat him to it with a smirk. "I should study more, right?"

C opened his mouth to scold him, but Z beat him to the punch. He smiled, giving a light laugh. "Yes you should."

He wished he could be as lucky as A or B. Him and A studied harder than anyone else, yet he thought himself nowhere close to being considered a possibility. He sighed, opening his book again. "I suppose you're going to want to continue your search for A, so I won't hold you up anymore."

The raven shrugged casually, leaning back a bit more in the chair so he could put his feet up lazily on the table. "Nah. He might be in the infirmary, and with my luck I'd probably get into a disagreement with the kid B fought with."

He blinked, eyeing C's books. "Unless I'm hindering you from studying."

"Ah." C gave a slight nod in understanding, staring at him when he put his feet up on the table. What terrible manners...

"No, I can study any time. I don't mind talking." He gave a small smile, closing his book once again. "It's refreshing. What would you like to talk about?"

He half expected C to want to return to his studies, like A would, and was pleasantly surprised when he turned out to be wrong.

"Anything unrelated to schoolwork, I guess.." He snickered.

C blinked, twiddling his fingers in his lap as he thought. All he ever really talked about was schoolwork. "Well...um... How was your day?" He asked blandly, for lack of any better conversation.

Z raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "My two friends are probably gonna be gone for the rest of the day, the new kid sounds like an ass, and I haven't been studying so I'm pretty sure I won't do so well on tomorrow's exam - which also happens to be October 16." It was a significant date.

He frowned. "Yeah, not so well."

C tilted his head a bit. "Oh...? Well... I suppose you can hang out with me today, if that doesn't bother you. And I can help you study for the test." He paused for a moment before continuing, his voice hesitant, "What's so special about October 16th?"

"Oh joy."

Z sighed and averted his emerald green eyes away. "Mum died." Three years ago on October 16, Zack's abusive father was arrested after a six year old Zack called the police, coming home to find his Mother had been killed. And by him, to make things worse. His recurring nightmares wouldn't even leave him alone for just one night. And everyone in Wammy's knew what happened - who knew why.

"Oh...I'm sorry to hear that." That's right. C had heard about that from others in the orphanage. He had no idea that was tomorrow. He didn't know what to say after that. He wished there was something he could do, really. They sat in uncomfortable silence, C avoiding eye contact.

Z looked up from his legs and shook his head.

"Oh no, no - No awkward pauses or forced apologizes. I hate them.
Forget I even brought anything up." He shook his head and dug out a jar of strawberry jam from his backpack. He didn't like the stuff very much, but he had a strong influence to continue eating it.

C smiled and nodded, grateful for that. "Alright. Um... what else should we talk about then?" He looked down at the strawberry jam, a common trademark of B. "You're awfully fond of him, aren't you?"

Z shrugged, looking down at the jar with an almost embarrassed expression on his face. "Yeah.. I dunno. He got me into the stuff." He swirled his finger in absentminded circles inside the jar, scooping up some of the strawberry substance.

"Want some?"

C noticed the somewhat bashful look on his face when he mentioned B. He really liked him a lot, didn't he? He would've mentioned it again, but Z asked if he wanted some.

"You know, you really shouldn't be eating in the library...but...sure. Why not? Do you have a spoon?"

"Nope."

The raven smirked and stuck out the jar towards his friend, licking jam off his lips. "Tastes better without one, anyways."

The pinkette blinked, not one to eat food without a utensil, unless it was pizza or something. "Um, okay..." He stuck his finger in, scooping some up before sliding it in his mouth. Not bad.

Zack smiled. "You like it, don't you?" He could instantly tell. Z actually also liked apricot jam... But unless he was looking for trouble or hour long rants from B, he wouldn't dare eat the stuff within fifty feet of him. B hated apricot jam.

C gave a bit of a laugh, nodding. "Yeah, it's yummy. Ah...do you mind if I have some more?" He asked, pointing his finger towards the jam jar.

"Sure." He'd be happy to share. He put the jar right on C's side of the table, as if he didn't care how much he took. "Go right ahead."

C smiled, dipping his finger in the jam once again. It was nice to hang out with Z, rather than just read all the time.

"Do you like sweets?" Z suddenly asked.

"I love sweets, actually." C confirmed with a smile.

An idea came to mind. "Usually after lights out, I sneak downstairs to the fridge with B for cake. He'll be in the solitary room tonight, though.. And we never get caught."

C blinked his teal eyes at Z again. "Is that an invitation?" He asked curiously, the corners of his lips curling into a grin.

Z nodded and smiled. "Long as you're ready after lights out, I'd like it if you were with me."

The older smiled brightly, nodding. "Okay. I'll be ready, promise." This could be really exciting! He'd never done anything like that before.

The mischievous raven grinned. "Awesome." He stood from his seat, slinging the black backpack over one shoulder. "I'm gonna go to the infirmary now."

C nodded. "Alright, cool. I'll see you later then." He gave a little wave, then went straight back to his book.

Z dropped his backpack off in his bedroom before walking downstairs to the infirmary, expecting to find both A and, unfortunately, the new kid there.

oOo

After both the boys were patched up, A and Mifune were left alone. A didn't know what to say after earlier, and simply laid back on the bed with a sigh. He hoped B would be let out soon…

Mifune looked over at A, laying down in his little cot. Boring... "So...you and that other kid are like...boyfriend and girlfriend?" He asked curiously. "I mean, yer not a girl, but one of ya gotta be the girlfriend."

A blushed and folded his arms across his chest, fixing his blue eyes on the ceiling so he wouldn't have to look anywhere else. "B is my boyfriend..." Which would make him the girlfriend. Great.

"Ah. So you are the girlfriend. I guess yer kinda cute. Not as cute as...some other kid I know. But he's a whole 3 years older than me." He gave a shrug, as if he didn't care. "So how come this place looks like a school?"

A suddenly found himself curious about the other boy Mifune was talking about, and reminded himself to ask after answering his question. "Wammy's House is a school orphanage. We attend here because we're all smart enough to be in line to succeed L – the world's greatest detective. And.. I'm first up, B's second."

Mifune looked bored at A's explanation. "So yer tellin' me I don't go to public school anymore? I dunno who L is, and I kinda don't care. I don't wanna succeed him."

The blonde blinked. "This school was founded for the purpose of succeeding L." He pointed to a white poster across the room, only an L in gothic font shown on it. "No one's supposed to know what he looks like or his real name, but B and I do."

M was silent for a while, staring at the L on the wall. "That's stupid. I want nothing to do with it." With that, he stood, shoving his hands in his pockets and shuffling towards the door. "I'm leaving this place."

"Wait!" A hopped off the bed as well, walking towards him while remaining slightly behind. "You can't leave."

Mifune looked back at A in confusion. "Eh? The hell you mean I can't leave? I sure as hell don't wanna stay here!"

"I know, but you can't leave. They'll make you stay. Trust me, the only way out's when you're 18.. Least if you slack off a lot, you won't have to worry about being pushed into succeeding L."

Mifune scoffed crossing his arms. "Oh yeah? Well I hold a record in my neighborhood for running away. A whole 6 times, ya hear? Once I left for a week, then came back cause I was hungry. If I can escape my shitty parents, I can escape this place too!" He turned to leave again, only to bump into some other dark haired brat. "Watch where yer goin', dumbass! Can't y'see I'm wounded?!"

Z grunted, combing his fingers through his precious hair that got messed up. "You must be the new kid." It didn't take a genius to figure that out.

A walked up quickly, both palms raised as he stepped between them, facing Mifune. "B and I have tried before - you can't get out."

Mifune sucked his teeth in irritation, glaring at A, then at the new bastard to walk in. "So why don't y'try leaving with me instead? Hell, let's rally up a whole bunch'a is and we'll just go. They can't stop us! What happened ta free will? I'm not stayin' in this shit hole!"

"Hey!"

Z stepped in front of A and shoved Mifune back with one hand, looking as intimidating as he could. "Wammy's isn't as bad of a place as you think. Show some appreciation, kid, you're stuck here anyway."

Mifune looked ready to launch himself at the dark haired boy, fists clenching. "Who th'hell said you could touch me?! I ain't stayin' here and that's that!"

"Then go! But don't berate my home, dumbass!" Him and B were both temperamental, but in different ways. B wouldn't act unless triggered, where as Z did whatever the hell he wanted.

A pulled Z back a bit, "That's enough…"

Oh, he would've had a lot more to say if he knew what the hell berate meant-!

"How about this; fuck you, fuck this building, I'm leaving, buh-bye." He pushed past the other kid, walking down the hall. How the hell did he get out of here...?

Z stuck his arm in front of A. "He won't make it out. Don't waste your time." A gave a heavy sigh and reluctantly nodded, walking back into the infirmary without even bothering to listen to Z's mumbling.

"Can't we go one day without this bullshit?"