Thank you so much to my readers, and especially the reviews, Ashastana and Arnold. I really appreciate it and it helps me write! Warning: Mello, Near, and possibly Watari's real names (again). I doubt I'll state this warning again.

November 19, 2008

L

"L…" I looked up from where I was reading, my legs curled under me. In front of me were Mihael, Matt, and Nate, though Matt seemed utterly nervous, being new to the orphanage and Nate was keeping himself well hidden behind the others.

"What is it, boys?" I asked. I was seventeen, and the boys were very young. They were only three and four, but we would talk or play sometimes. I was rather attached to them at times, and they would occasionally search me out, but this was different. I didn't know Matt well yet, he'd only been there for a few weeks, but he seemed to get along with Mihael beautifully.

"Read us a story," Mihael said. I blinked.

"A story?" They all nodded. "Well, to get a bedtime story, you have to be ready for bed. Are you?"

"Yes!" they all chimed together.

"Look, we pud on our bajamas all by ourselfes, and even brushed our teefs." Matt had a slight lisp, due to the…treatment he had received from his older siblings, but it was getting better.

"Yes, I see. Well, I suppose you need tucked in, then."

"But, L, we sleep in different rooms," Mihael reminded me.

"Oh, that's right," I said, glancing up at the ceiling and putting my thumb to my lips in false contemplation. "Well, what will we have to do about this?"

"Read to us heyr," Nate whispered. "Please." I smiled. They were so cute; I couldn't deny them something so simple.

"Alright. What would you like me to read?" A book was instantly produced and I glanced it over. Deeming it acceptable, I told them to sit down. I set the book I had been reading before aside and began to read to them from the Grimm's Fairy Tale book they had. I edited the material a little, to make it less gruesome for them. After two stories, Mihael was nodding and Nate was almost completely asleep, curled up on the floor with his hands pillowing his head. "Okay, that's enough for tonight. It's time to go to bed. Would you like me to tuck you in?"

"Yes, please," Mihael yawned, as Matt nodded in agreement and Nate blinked away the sleep so he could walk to his room.

I took them each to bed and tucked them in carefully. "Goodnight, Mihael," I whispered to him as he laid his head down.

"G'night, L…" I gently kissed his forehead, and then left the room to take Matt to bed.

After tucking him in, I softly rubbed our noses together in an 'Eskimo kiss'. He smiled, and I ruffled his hair slightly before going to take Nate to bed. I carried him the rest of the way, because he was falling asleep while walking. I tucked him in and whispered goodnight. He barely answered, he was so far gone, but as I turned to go, he took my hand. I looked back, and his eyes were open. I smiled, seeing the question in them: 'why don't I get one?'.

I leaned down, kissed his cheek, and said goodnight again. After that night, the boys came to me for stories almost every night, and they got jealous if I didn't give them all the same kisses after tucking them in. It was cute to see them argue over which one was the best to get, but I didn't want them to fight, so I started giving them all the 'Eskimos' with a kiss to the forehead afterward.

It made me so happy to have this evening time with them, especially after I could start thinking of them as 'mine' and not just abandoned children. They were mine and they never had to worry about their parents coming back for them, because I would stop them at all costs.