Chapter one:

Matt is walking past the common room of the orphanage when he stops to look into the room. He sees Near and of course the other is alone. He's been thinking about things for awhile and he has come to believe that Near doesn't keep to himself because he thinks he is better than them. He thinks that there is more at play causing Near to be rather interesting to the red head. He may be friends with Mello however Near has always struck his curiosity. He decides that today he is going to approach the other. He takes a breath then starts walking towards the other.

Near looks up as Matt approaches. "Is there something that I can help you with?" He inquires in his usual monotone voice.

Matt stops when he is standing in front of Near allowing their eyes to meet with one another despite the red head wearing his favourite goggles. He sits down to join the other as said other watches him do so. "I know I'm friends with your rival. Whether or not you see it that way." He begins as he keeps their gazes locked with Near doing the exact same thing with him. "But I want to try to be friends."

Near watches Matt for a few moments as though looking for truthfulness and when he sees that the other is completely serious he turns to his puzzle. His right hand moving up to twirl a strand of his hair. "Matt doesn't need to feel any obligation to try to make friends."

"Well you're stuck with me trying." Matt pulls out his handheld gaming system from his pocket in his vest. "It is something I have decided that I want to do. I can have more than one friend." He lets Near do his puzzle as he plays his game. He figures that being able to stay close to the platinum haired boy is at least a good start towards getting close enough to be friends with him. He still remembers how much Near had tried to discourage Linda against hanging out with him, until her persistence won so he just stopped trying.

Linda has always been a bit annoying in some aspects so she doesn't have many friends and when she wants to be friends she hates giving up on that.

Everyone knew that even if Near doesn't see her as a friend she was going to win at some point.

The two fall into silence for a good few moments as they kind of just do their own thing.

To Matt's surprise Near is the one to break the silence first.

"Why does Matt want to be my friend so badly? He already has a wonderful friend in Mello." Near keeps his eyes on the puzzle that he is doing with one hand while the other hand continues to twirl a strand of his hair.

"I don't see why not." Matt shrugs though having paused his game to look at Near not minding that the other isn't looking back. "I can have both of you as friends. Besides I honestly have been thinking of making friends for a bit now. So why not just start the path down it? Yes I want to learn more about you however this goes both ways. You'll be learning more about me as well." He notices that both of Near's hands pause as he takes a moment before glancing up to meet his eyes with Matts once more. "It's kinda how friendship works." He adds as the two stare at each other.

After a few moments Near turns away again. "I see." Is all he says as he looks over the puzzle before him almost as if looking at it like a distraction.

Matt turns back to his game and before he can say anymore he hears footsteps. He looks in that direction and groans at seeing Linda.

Linda stops by the two and looks to Matt who looks back at her. "Matt? What are you doing here?"

"Hanging out." Matt answers simply. "I can hang with whoever I want." He can tell that Linda isn't too happy about this development.

Linda turns with a pout to Near. "How long has this been going on?" She demands and Matt rolls his eyes knowing that she had felt pride being the main one to hang around Near. She sees Matt as a threat to everything despite it being clear to anyone watching that Near doesn't see her as a friend in anyway shape or form.

"That isn't any of Linda's business." Near answers simply as he dumps his puzzle to do it again.

"Yes it is!" Linda protests to Near as she winces as if stung by Near brushing her off. "I thought I was your friend."

Near almost seems to want to groan at this. He instead busies himself with doing his puzzle. "Linda does not dictate what I do. If you don't like it then you don't have to be here."

Linda's eyes widen and a few tears appear. "Fine! I doubt this will last anyways!" She gives a glare at Matt before storming off.

Both Matt and Near sigh in relief though Near's is under his breath so not even Matt really notices that he had done so.

"Hah. She's probably going to see this as competition for your friendship." Matt chuckles softly as he turns back to looking to Near.

"One of you will give in eventually." Near mentions casually to which Matt gives a hum before responding.

"Well I am not going to give up." Matt tells Near. "I know that a lot of the other orphans think that you keep to yourself because you think that you're better than everyone else. However I think that there is something else and that you don't actually think that way."

Near pauses in his puzzling for a moment before resuming. He doesn't seem to notice that Matt had taken notice of the brief pause.

Matt feels like this is confirmation to his suspicions. Now he just needs to become Near's friend to learn more about him. He knows that it will not be an easy task, despite this he is willing to take this challenge head on. He does want to be genuine friends with the other. He isn't doing this just out of curiosity. He plans to remain friends even after he learns what he does want to learn about the other. He has no plans to abandon him.

No matter what happens.