It is Near's birthday!

And as such I am attempting to draw him a picture.
Mello: Hey, I didn't get anything on my birthday!
Me: *cowers slightly* I sang to you...
Mello: YOU STOPPED AFTER THE FIRST LINE OF THE CHORUS!
Me: I-it was a school day. That makes it a lot harder. And besides, I wrote something for you on the 26th!
Mello: Wha--how does that make up for it?
Me: Idunnoitdoesn'tI'lldrawyousomethingthisyearIpromisereally.

In any case there's no guarantee that this'll come out properly, anyway.

I forgot to mention, yesterday Dad and I made a birdhouse.
I expect I was rather reminiscient of Cody. Quiet, questioning eyes, trailing after him whatever he did... Psh. XD

I'll be working on the fanfiction in my head before I go to sleep. For now, I'm looking for inspiration!

Edit on the morning of 8/25: Instead I wrote Near a fanfiction.
Inspired by seikatsuryoku: 1/10.
--
Slowly, it occurred to Near that he was conscious again. The realization was mainly brought about by the sensation of two fingers against his right wrist—taking his pulse. Someone was taking care of him.
Near opened his eyes.
“…Doctor,” he said with a smile.
It would have seemed a strange thing indeed to see the skinny old man—a piece of his old life—here, of all places, if Near would have thought about it. In his current faintness, though, it was much easier to simply be comforted by the familiar face that returned his smile.
“Hello, N—” A conspicuous pause, and then an apologetic shrug. “Near. They said you were to be called that.”
Near nodded and sat up. They must have brought him back to his own room after he’d collapsed, he noted. He hoped it hadn’t stood out too much.
“Doctor, am I… am I fine?” he asked.
“Yes,” the doctor replied. “You’re fine, Near. It was another false alarm. You still have many years left to live.”
Near sighed deeply in relief. “Thank goodness,” he said. His voice suddenly seemed smaller. “I was scared, Doctor.”
Mild surprise showed in the doctor’s caring face. “I don’t blame you, Near,” he sympathized. “But that’s the first time you’ve ever admitted that to me.”
“It’s the first time I’ve ever been scared by it,” Near replied. His voice was back to normal. “Well, except for the first time. The first time I didn’t know what was going on. But since then I’ve never forgotten—my body is flawed, and I’ll probably die young. It’s resignation.”
“But you’re not resigned anymore?” Near shook his head. The doctor placed his hand on Near’s and asked softly, “Is it because of what happened to your mother?”
“Oh—no. It’s not about Mom’s death,” Near responded, shaking his head again, with quicker movements this time. “Or only in a very roundabout way, I suppose. There’s just something I’m looking forward to now. A reason I want to keep living.”
“And that reason is?”
Suddenly those emotions bubbled into Near’s chest again, hope and delight and pride, just as they had when L had shown Near his face and asked him to be his apprentice; his hands trembled in excitement. But he hid that joy and made his face apologetic.
“I can’t tell you, Doctor. I’m sorry.”
The doctor sighed. “I expected as much,” he admitted. “…Near, I hope you don’t mind me saying this, but from what I’ve seen, this is a strange place you’re living in. Are they treating you all right?”
“Oh, yes,” Near answered readily. And he hesitated, and his eyes fell on the clock next to his bed, confirming his suspicions. “I think I could ask you the same question, Doctor.”
“What do you mean?” the man replied, not faking confusion very well.
“The fastest plane in the world couldn’t have gotten you here this quickly, not from your hospital.”
“I-I was transferred.”
“I don’t doubt that,” Near said quietly. “But I’m sure we had a hand in it, didn’t we?”
The doctor pursed his lips and didn’t respond.
“You’re trying to hide it for my sake. There’s no need to do so; I already know that the House can be very… straight-forward. Compelling, if the need arises.” His mouth gave a wry twitch that was not quite a grimace. “All for this weak body of mine. I’m sorry. I hope it didn’t inconvenience you too much.”
“It’s a very lucrative position,” the doctor reassured him. “Much more so than my previous employment.”
“Of course it is,” Near agreed, “but money isn’t everything.< You had friends back there. And other patients.”
The doctor looked sad for a moment, but then ruffled Near’s hair. “I don’t want you to worry about those things, Near. You’re a child still.”
“I’m not as innocent as you think, Doctor.”
“No, I suppose not,” the doctor smiled, “but will you pretend for me?”
Near shrugged in appeasement. “I guess I can try.”