Matt has a lot of strange habits, and Near notices all of them.
He makes a list in his head, never forgetting one. When he sees a new one, he adds it to the list. He doesn't think there's anything wrong with this.
Matt crinkles his nose when he's thinking really hard.
This is never during an important school assignment or anything of the sort. It's when he's tapping away furiously on some assorted handheld game system. It's when Mello turns away after smacking Matt in the back of the head for saying something that's "just really fucking stupid." It only lasts for a few seconds. Near always wonders what Matt is thinking about.
Matt touches his hair a lot.
It's a subconscious sort of move; reach up, adjust, and back down. He does this very often. Near wonders why, because Matt's messy red hair always falls just right. Why would he be unhappy with the current state of his physical apperance?
Matt smiles more when Mello's around.
Near thinks that Matt increases the number of smiles issued per day because he's making up for all of Mello's frowns. It is hard to see why someone as smart as Near wouldn't be able to see the real reason why Mello's presence prompts such lovely smiles from Matt.
Matt says, "... or whatever" more than the average person should.
"Yeah, the correct answer is C... or whatever." It's a habit that particulary annoys Near, because it's one that shows everyone just how self-conscious Matt really is. He's never fully sure of anything that he says. "How's that essay coming along?" "It's going good... or whatever." Near wonders why Matt doesn't seem to be aware of his own intellectual capabilities.
Matt never fights back.
Near watches day after day as Mello insults Matt, just in casual conversations, as if that's the way you're really supposed to treat your best friend. Sometimes, Mello will punch Matt, and Near doesn't see why Matt just doesn't punch Mello back. Matt will just concentrate on his game system, crinkle his nose, adjust his hair, and then wait for Mello to issue out another punishment because "you're such a fucking retard sometimes, Matt, seriously."
Matt has a lot of strange habits, and Near doesn't mind spending hours and hours dissecting every last one of them, because there's nothing wrong with that. There's nothing wrong with that, because Matt is just another observation.
