If there was one thing Not-Kitt had overlooked in going to the orphanage, it was the strange act of getting inside a car. Instead of being part of it with a detailed knowledge of its inner workings and the ability to direct it at will, he was now a simple passenger; unaware of its functions with no control whatsoever. It was...how was one supposed to react? From four wheels to two legs, he was now expected to sit in the very thing he once called his body. It was different. It was new. It was strange. He stared inside the car; the biting cold temporarily forgotten as he stood in front of the open door.

"You still doing alright? It's not going to bite."

"'How ya doin down there?' You're making me feel like a child."

He shook his head, the sound of Marley's voice breaking through Not-Kitt's daze. "It's nothing." He let out a breath, stealing himself as he climbed inside the car's cabin. For as strange as it was, his one solace was the warmth radiating from the heaters.

"There, that's not so bad, is it?" Marley said as he took his own spot in the driver's seat.

"Keep that up and you'll be on the wrong side of a 'car bites dog story.'"

Not-Kitt frowned, pausing holding his hands to the heater long enough to give Marley a disapproving look.

Marley chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. "...Right, sorry. Shall we get going then?"

/

The orphanage was a small, two storied building, the flaking pale paint belying a once polished white. Marley led the way to the front door, Not–Kitt following silently behind. The trip there had been the same; there was something very off about speaking, and as while he thought he still sounded the same, there was something missing that he couldn't quite put his finger on.

"Hope she's not too busy." Marley muttered under his breath as he rang the bell, smoothing his hair down and fidgeting with his shirt collar.

A boy that couldn't have been older than ten answered the door. "Ms. Millen!" He took one glance at Marley, turning around and yelling without even asking what Marley and Not-Kitt were there for.

"Yes, yes, what is it, Mike?" A woman appeared from the hall a moment later, brown hair frazzled with bags hanging under her eyes. Mike didn't answer her, instead opting to point at Marley and Not-Kitt before running off. Ms. Millen shook her head as she watched the boy run off, turning her gaze back to the door once he was out of sight. "It's good to see you again, Marley." She said with a soft smile. "Is this the boy Annette found?"

"That's right," Marley said with a nod, placing a hand on Not-Kitt's shoulder, "he's more on the quiet side, so he shouldn't cause you too much trouble."

Ms. Millen turned her gaze to Not-Kitt, a small sigh escaping her as she placed a hand to her cheek. "Scrawny little thing, aren't you?" She paused, looking for all the world as if she were about to say more on the subject, before shaking her head, as if to dismiss whatever thought had possessed her. "I'm afraid Annette didn't tell me your name." She added instead.

Not-Kitt didn't respond, instead looking anywhere but at Ms. Millen in a futile attempt to avoid the question. He still hadn't picked one out – and 'Kid' didn't sound all that appealing. How was he supposed to answer when he didn't have one? Just say to call him nothing?

In a stroke of pure luck, Marley saved Not-Kitt from his predicament. "He has amnesia, Mim."

"Oh, my stars you poor boy." Ms. Millen said, and Not-Kitt found himself engulfed by a pair of arms for the second time that day. Unlike before, however, all that remained was a creeping numbness, his mind going blank as it's only real defense against the events of the day.

"Thanks, Mim. I'll see you around. Possibly on Sunday? There's a pretty good movie that's supposed to be out…" Marley muttered out, the tips of his ears going red.

"I'll text you when I'm free." Ms. Millen said, the soft smile back upon her face.

"Perfect! I'll…um, I'll see you then." Marley left without so much as another word after that, desperately pulling his coat up to his burning cheeks.

Ms. Millen waved as Marley drove off, with one arm still around Not-Kitt. "Let's get going, shall we? I hope you don't mind sharing a room, but that's all the space we have."

Inside was larger than Annette's flower shop, but not by much. The front door opened to reveal an open first floor; leading immediately into the living room, a table and chairs shoved to the far-right wall as a makeshift dining room. A doorless entry laid to the left of the table, where one could just make out the tiny kitchen inside. From the worn, faded carpet to the old, rectangular windows on the far wall it was clear this place had been here for quite some time; worn down and past its prime.

It was fitting in a way; a boy lost to the world ending up in a place forgotten by time, save for convenience.

Ms. Millen led him up a small flight of stairs nestled in the wall across from the kitchen, up into the hallway above, passing the doors lining the walls on either side until they reached the last one on the left. Inside was a bedroom big enough for two twin beds with just enough room to walk by. A single dresser leaned crammed against the wall between the two beds, the chipping, off white color matching the walls of the building outside.

"Well, this is it. I know it's not much, but I hope you'll be comfortable enough." Ms. Millen said. "It looks like your roommate, Matt, is out for the moment, but I'm sure you'll meet him later." She laughed softly to herself, a fond smile on her face. "You really can't miss him either – he's quite chatty. Dinners at six, but feel free to come down before if you feel ready." She gave Not-Kitt's shoulder a squeeze before she left, gently closing the door after her, leaving him in total silence.

So, this is where he was to be for the foreseeable future... a sigh escaped him as he sat on the bed devoid of anything belonging to whoever 'Matt' happened to be. He fell back against the blankets, closing his eyes as he draped one arm over them. Without purpose, or even a reason to be, what did people do with their time? Was he supposed to just wait out the days until some merciful event came along to end his pointless existence?

"Hey, so you my new roommate?" It was only at the sound of a boy's voice was Not-Kitt finally pulled out of the daze he had fallen into. He peeked over towards the sound, to see a teenage boy standing in the doorway. At Not-Kitt's nod, the boy's face stretched into a wide smile, eyes glittering in excitement.

"Sweet! I was hoping I wouldn't be by myself for too long. Everything's better when you have company, you know?" The boy was loud, and compared to the calm of everyone else Not-Kitt had come in contact with, far too energetic. "Oh, my name's Matt! What's yours?" Matt added as he sat down with a thump on his own bed.

There it was again; stabbing and probing into his mind like an over eager surgeon. He sighed, covering his face with his arm again. It was clear he needed something to be called, and the world would not let him continue otherwise.

"…I don't know." His reply came out quiet and hushed; of one too tired to speak any louder. Despite the problem it was quickly becoming, the fact remained he didn't have a name, with no reason to expect to find one anytime soon.

"Wait, how's that work?" A pause. "Do you have amnesia or something?"

"It would appear so." Not-Kitt sat up, making to leave the room.

"Hey, where are you going? I didn't do anything, did I?"

It wasn't until Not-Kitt was at the door did he answer. "No, I just need some time to myself." It wasn't something he knew how to put into words – the nagging, prickling feeling of needing to be doing something but having neither the means nor the information to be doing so. Sitting still with nothing but his own fractured mind to occupy him was maddening; he had to move, to find something, anything, to distract himself with.

It was only when something out of the corner of his eye caught his attention did he pause in his way down the hall, backing up to stand in the open bathroom door to get a better look. A short, black haired boy watched him from inside the mirror hanging on the wall, a startlingly familiar pair of deep crimson eyes staring back at him.

Is that...?

With an unfamiliar heat rising in his cheeks, he held up a hand, waving slightly, only for the person in the mirror to wave back, completely in sync.

You're human now, and nothing is going to change that.

He shook his head, continuing his way down the hall. There was nothing quite like seeing your own reflection in the mirror to drive home the truth of reality.

He hadn't paid much attention to it before, but the living area downstairs was actually quite active; younger children ran around as they played, while the older kids lounged around on the couches and tables, entertaining themselves with everything from books to games.

He found himself drawn to the windows on the back wall, of the light pouring through them. It was warm standing in front of them, and before he even realized what he was doing, he had already climbed onto the window seat, entrapped by the sunlight streaming through. There was something oddly comforting about the rays that poured through despite the cold outside, the pure warmth filling him like a balm to ease his aching heart.

It was calm and peaceful in the window, coaxing him further into a blank state of mind, where he didn't have to think, didn't have to feel, and was allowed to simply stare out the window, unseeing.

/

"Hey, you okay?"

Not-Kitt blinked, finally tearing his eyes away from the outside to see Matt sitting on the edge of the window seat. "I'm…" he was going to say 'fine' but that wasn't really the truth, now was it? He was still in the same situation as before unfortunately, again faced with a question he didn't have the answer to. "…here." He finished dully with a shrug.

"I get that. It can be really hard adjusting, especially when you don't…well yeah." Matt paused, rubbing his neck. "…Just, you're not alone, okay?"

"…We just met; why are you so eager to help a stranger?"

"Because you looked lonely." Matt said with a small shrug. "It's a horrible feeling, not having anyone."

"Thank you." Not-Kitt said, the ghost of a smile starting to tug at the corner of his lips.

"Of course! What are roommates for?" Matt said with a bright smile. "It's almost time for food – do you want to go together?" He added, sliding off the window seat.

"I don't see why not." Not-Kitt said with a nod, following Matt off the ledge and motioning for him to lead the way.

"You know, you kinda reminded me of a cat sitting in the window like that." Matt said as he led them over to the kitchen table.

"I am not a cat."

"Yes, but have you considered the fact that you look like one?"

A soft yet genuine laugh escaped him, leaving a small smile in its place. "If you say so."

He was wrong before – he never was alone, not really. Annette was there first, and now there was Matt, who happily continued chatting away, with only the occasional input from Not-Kitt. He didn't mind though; he was content to simply listen, the constant input from Matt providing a welcome grounding effect, pulling him out of his own head and giving him an anchor to focus on.

Maybe, just maybe...I can do this after all.

-Xire