After a few more days in the hospital, Nate was cleared to leave and then he got in the car with the two adults, Watari driving and L sitting in the back with Nate held close to him. "When we get there, you will get a new name." L said to him, smiling. "Is there anything you want to be called?"

He shook his head.

L brought his finger up to his mouth in thought and then smiled. "How about 'Near'?"

"Near?" Nate blinked, then looked out the window as the front door of a building was thrown open and four kids ran out, yelling L's name excitedly - it made him want to curl up and pretend he didn't exist. He felt a hand tug on his and sighed, uncurling himself to climb out of the car with L, his hand held tightly in his.

If he thought the last group was bad, these guys were scary. One of them, a red-eyed guy that looked like L, looked Nate over and smiled. "He looks like a cottonball! So cute!" At his exclamation, Nate hid behind L, bringing the adult's hand with him and making him turn slightly.

"Aww, he's shy!" A blonde in a striped jacket said, grinning at Nate. "It's okay, little guy. We're not gonna hurt you."

Nate seriously wished he'd learned English before now, because he wasn't sure WHAT the others were saying! He tried to speak to them, but it was clear from their expressions that they didn't know Thai. He clung to L's leg and whimpered, and L sighed and picked him up, holding him in a comforting way.

The red-eyed guy's eyes widened at seeing L pick him up and his hands balled into fists of fury before he turned and started to walk away, but then he froze when L said something in English and turned to him. L then repeated the same thing to Nate, this time in Thai. "Near, you're going to be B's roommate, okay? I've asked him to help you get your things there." He brushed a hand over Near's hair and smiled before setting him down. "Good luck."

"I-I don't know English, though!" He clung to him. "I'm scared!"

B, the red-eyed guy, just rolled his eyes and said something SOUNDED offensive, but Near didn't understand it. L did, though, and gave him a look before ushering Near along. Near followed B quietly, holding his sewing kit and basket of cloth close as he went to the bedroom.

When they got there, B placed his stuff by a closet and said something in English, but then groaned when Near cocked his head to the side slightly in confusion, then yelled at the air, making Near jump. "W-What'd I do?!"

"Speak English, damnit!" B yelled, glaring at him, then picked up a book and threw it at him. Near opened it and then gave a confused expression before he sat on the ground, his finger moving over a word, then he looked up when B walked over to him. "You seriously can't understand English, Near?"

He didn't understand what the rest of it was, but he heard "Near" and blinked, closing the book before he stood up and looked at the older male, almost as if to say "Yes?"

"Well, we'll have to fix that." B huffed and then grabbed his hand, pulling him over to the bed before he pulled out a bunch of dictionaries. "Pick out which one you understand."

Near blinked and looked at the books, then picked up a Thai-to-English dictionary. "Ah, dictionary!" He said, and B face-palmed. The kid was STILL speaking that funny language and was now holding up the book like an idiot! What did L SEE in him?! The ability to look adorable?!

Near opened the dictionary, then smiled and sat back to read it like it was a novel. B just watched him as he read it, then reached over to the basket of cloth. "So…you sew, Near?" He asked, trying to make conversation. He held it up and made a sewing motion to indicate what he was saying, and Near nodded. "Ah. You sew a lot?"

Near looked up from the dictionary, looking at him in confusion before he pulled the doll out of his pocket and handed it to him before going back to reading. B took the doll and looked it over. "Did you…make this?" He held it up and made sewing motions before pointing to him. Near nodded slightly, then looked up as the door was opened suddenly as a greeneyed and red-haired boy in a striped shirt, gray jeans, a furry vest and goggles looked in.

"B, have you seen my—oh, hi!" He walked over. "Near, right?" He held out a hand. "I'm Matt!"

Near looked up at him, then blinked and picked up the pillow, handing it to him. Matt stared for a bt, then laughed, putting the pillow back on the bed. "Hey, B! He's got a sense of humor!"

"He doesn't know English." B held his head in his hands.

Matt blinked, then looked at him. "You don't know English, Near?"

"Matt, please go." B mumbled.

"Matt."

Matt blinked and looked at Near. "Hey, he said my name!"

The white-haired boy smiled and looked at B. "B!"

"Yes, yes." B mumbled. "Great, you can say names. Like that's a surprise."

Matt smiled. "And what's your name?" He pointed to him. "Name?"

Nay-m…it was something they were saying a lot…it had to do with him saying their names? He smiled and pointed to himself. "Near!"

Matt clapped his hands. "He's learning, he's learning!"

"Matt, get out!" B grabbed him and pushed him off the bed. "No, I don't have your Gameboy, ask A or Linda!"

Matt blinked, then pouted and left the room. "Fine, keep the adorableness all to yourself." He shut the door.

B rolled his eyes, then looked at Near. "Were you just copying us?"

Near blinked, cocking his head to the side slightly before he went back to reading, mumbling to himself in Thai, "He's kind of scary…"

After a while of reading, he closed the book and looked at B. "Sleep where B me?"

B blinked. "Sentence structure needs work, and on the same bed, duh."

Near nodded. "B Near now sleep?"

"No, B Near now eat." He said in a mocking tone, getting off of the bed.

Near got off the bed as well, and B turned to him,. "So…do you have anything that isn't both all white and pajamas?" He asked, looking at the younger boy.

Near shook his head. "All have I this."

"Right, okay. We'll fix that in town, AFTER we fix your talking issue. You just…stay quiet for a while, okay? Let me do all the talking." He wrapped an arm around his shoulders and led him along out of the room. "We'll unpack your stuff after lunch."

Near nodded and smiled, walking along with him. Despite his scary, red eyes, B seemed to be a nice guy! He looked around as they walked, catching bits of conversation until they went into the cafeteria, where, gosh it was noisy! He whimpered and left B to go run to a table that no one was sitting at and curled up. After a bit, he felt a shadow over him and B set down two trays of food before he sat down.

"What's up, cottonball?" He grinned and ruffled his hair. "Feeling upset? You don't like crowds?"

"Cottonball?" There was no mistaking what the boy said, and he blinked in confusion. Was he calling him a…geez, people thought of weird nicknames for him! Snowflake, Cottonball, what's next?!

"Yeah, because you're all white! Even your skin is so pale; it's almost white!" He grinned and pulled him close, wrapping his arms around him. "So, Cottonball, what's up?"

He looked up and then at him. "Ceiling is up. L is where?"

"L got called away on another case." Matt sat on the other side of Near and set down his food. "You've almost got that sentence structure down pat, Near!"

Near looked at him. "Matt, Gameboy find?"

Matt shook his head. "Nah, but I expect it'll turn up. Hey, wait!" He pointed at him. "You remembered what I said and translated it in your head, didn't you?"

Near blushed a bit and looked down shyly, picking at his food as he gave a small nod. B glared at Matt and held Near closer, his look saying quite clearly "He's mine". Matt frowned and stood up. "You know what, Near? I'm moving, are you coming with me?"

"Why eat together can't?" Near asked, looking at them both. What was going on? Why did Matt suddenly want to move, and B was holding him closer? "I want eat both with."

"With what? Ketchup?" The girl said as she came over. "Matt, I found your Gameboy!"

"You found it!" He got up and ran over to take it from her hand. "Oh, thank you, thank you!"

B smirked. "Geez, getting that worked up over a game. And, no, I'm not eating with him." He continued eating, one arm around Near's waist.

Near blinked and continued eating, smiling. For once, he wasn't being thrown around or picked on by the older kids.

B stood up after he'd made sure Near was finished eating and carried him out of the cafeteria. "C'mon, we still have to unpack your stuff, and I need to teach you sentence structure!" He smiled at him and walked at a brisk pace, ignoring Matt's yelling for him to stop. Once at their room, he plopped the smaller boy down on the bed and locked Matt out. "Right, so." He sat on the bed. "What language were you speaking? Where are you from?"

"Thai, Thailand from." Near said, smiling. "Where from B you?"

"Don't wanna talk about it." He lay back on the bed. "Alright, say this ' I am Near, from Thailand. I speak Thai'. Just like that."

"But, 'Near' my real name not!"

"Fine, say 'Nate Rivers', then!" He groaned.

Near was silent for a bit, then finally spoke. "How you know did my name Nate Rivers is?"

"I have my ways." He smiled and looked at him. "So, say it. Just like I did earlier. Or, you can say…uhm…" He picked up the doll. "'Here, this is my doll. I want you to hold it'." He handed it to him.

"Long." Near said, frowning. "Here, my doll, hold it." He handed it to him.

B laughed and ruffled the boy's white hair. "Hey, close enough!"

Near smiled and then yawned and curled up on the bed. "Near B sleep now?"

"Okay, let's edit that. Say 'Can we sleep now'." B pulled him into a sitting position.

"Can we sleep now?" He yawned at the end of the sentence.

"Nope!" B got off of the bed. "We have to unpack your stuff, and then I get to show you around Whammy's House!"

Near sighed and got off the bed, then walked over and unpacked more white pajamas, a lot of toys, more sewing kits, more cloth, socks, a comb, a small mirror, a dictionary, and some novel in Thai. "Done."

"We need to put them away." B said, standing up and putting the clothes and socks in the closet, the toys in an old, used box he had in here, the comb and mirror in the bathroom cabinet, the mirror in the closet, and the books on the table next to the bed, with the lamp. "There. NOW we're done. Let's go." He took his hand and led him out of the room.

Near let him lead him along, looking around curiously as they passed doors that B didn't open. "What those?"

"Empty rooms." B nodded. "We'll be getting more kids around here, and they won't be empty anymore. And it's 'what are those', Near." He chuckled and led him along, talking about what each room was. "This is the cafeteria, this is a classroom, this is…" He stopped short and frowned. "Let's move on."

Near pulled away and went to the room he avoided, pulling open the door to see Matt sitting on a bed and tacking away on a Gameboy. It took him a few seconds, but then he gasped and paused the game. "Near!" He smiled and got off the bed, walking over and picking the smaller boy up. "How'd you find my room, hm?"

"B walk I with and B walk by this room." He said, trying to piece the words together right. Did he manage it?

Matt smiled slightly. "So, B's with you?" He shut the door. "Not anymore!"

The door was pounded on as Matt carried Near to the bed. "Matt! You give me back my roommate, right now!"

"No way!" Matt said, sitting Near on the bed. "Hey, Near. You like video games?"

Near blinked and leaned in to see the game Matt started to play again, glancing up at the door when the banging stopped and then up at Matt. "Uhm…"

"Hm?" He looked at him, smiling.

"B…might…be…angry." He said quietly. "I…should…go." He slowly slid off to the bed and went towards the door, then yelped as arms went around his waist and pulled him close, so that he was on the bed again. "…Matt?"

"Don't go back to him." Matt gently lay him down and stroked his cheek. "Stay with me, Near." He whispered, leaning in to kiss him.

Near's eyes widened and he brought his hands up in front of him. "Don't!" He cried, turning his head away.

Matt blinked and backed away slightly, then watched as Near slipped off the bed and ran to open the door and run out of the room. "Near…" He bit his lip, silently cursing himself for going too fast for the little boy. And on the first day, too! He really should remember from now on that there's no kissing on the first date.

B was sitting on his bed, grumbling, when he heard the door opening and looked over to see Near walking in, looking scared. "Near? Near, what happened?" He flipped off the bed and ran over to pull him into his arms, holding him close. "What happened, Near?"

"M-Matt…" Near whimpered, clinging to him. "T-Tried…to…kiss…me."

"He what?" B growled and then shut the door before carrying Near over to the bed and tucking him in. "You take a nap, I'll take care of Matt." He turned to go, then blinked as he felt something gripping the back of his shirt. "…Near?"

"Don't go." He whispered, shivering. "Don't leave me…"

B frowned, then nodded, pulling him close. "Alright, I won't. Matt will just have to pay for trying that another day." He cackled softly, a wheezy cackle that kind of scared Near, and then nuzzled him. "I won't let him hurt you."

Near nodded and clung to him, smiling. "Don't go, don't leave me."

He nuzzled him, then gently lay him back down. "You take a nap. I'll wake you when it's dinnertime, okay, Nate?"

"Mm…You…used…my...real...name…again." He looked at him sleepily.

"Would you rather I call you 'Cottonball'?" He poked his nose and grinned.

He wriggled his nose and curled up. "Either…is…fine."

He nodded and then leaned over and kissed his hair. "Sleep tight."

-*N-*A-*T-*E-*N-*E-*A-*R-

Well, Nate's had a rather eventful day, hasn't he? Including a name-change.

Yes, as you can see, there is BBxNear and MattxNear going on here. If you don't like it, then that's your choice, 'cause I do. And this story is just adorable, so don't flame me.

Review, please! Then I'll put up the next one!