Flaws

2

"Is it okay if I adopt you?"

The question rang through Anastasia's pretty little head, echoing off it's very walls, and ultimately leaving her stunned. She, once again, didn't know how she was supposed to feel at the moment. Was she happy? Sad? Scared? Reluctant? Panicking? Nervous? Confused? How about D) all of the above?

"What?" The little girl asked the man, brown eyes blinking up at him in disbelief.

"I want to adopt you, Anastasia." Calum repeated, smiling nervously.

Naturally, Calum didn't want to do anything that would ever make anyone – especially a little girl whom he wanted to make a part of his family – uncomfortable. And although it would be a tough pill to swallow, if Anastasia didn't wish to be that member of his family, he wasn't going to be an ass about the situation and force her into it. That just didn't make sense to him. But as much as he held his morals up to a certain standard, he would much prefer if she just said yes, as at the moment, she wasn't saying much of anything.

"W-Why me?" She asked in astonishment and disbelief. "No one wants to adopt me."

Calum was taken back at her questioning, furrowing his brows to match just as hers were a few moments ago.

"How do you mean, love?" He asked. "Because I don't really know how to answer that."

"No one wanted me before, so why now? Why you? Why me?"

From all the reading he'd done on a child's development and caring for them, he knew that these questions were normal for a five year old. They were at an age where they could now form complete and coherent sentences, using a good sized vocabulary to do so, and that they now formed individual thought, therefore often questioning their surroundings. He knew this. Yet, somehow, all the reading he'd done never really prepared him for this. So, instead of trying to talk down to her and give her some forced answer that they both knew wasn't the real thing, he settled on the truth.

"I don't know." He spoke softly and with a small laugh. "I honestly don't know. All I know is that when I was matched up with you,  I thought that you were the most perfect little angel I'd ever seen, and that I wanted to adopt you. Simple as that. I want you to be the newest member of the Hood family, Anastasia, and if you'd like, Ms. Farges and I could make that happen."

"S-So... You'd be my daddy?" She asked timidly, no longer looking him in the eyes, but rather her shoes.

Calum laughed a little more and nodded, feeling slightly relieved.

"Yes." He responded. "If that's what you want, then yes, I would be your daddy."

(don't be pervy you sickos this is not the time for your daddy kink nonsense this is an innocent story thank you very much)

Anastasia stayed silent a little while longer, weighing out the pros and cons of the whole situation before deciding to take a leap of faith and nod her head slowly, accepting Mr. Hood's offer. And at that little nod, Calum was now over the moon. She had said yes. Calum was finally going to be a dad, and he was finally going to get to give his baby girl the life she deserved. A life full of love, and happiness, and light, and music, and all the other beautiful things that made the world go round.

"Really?" He asked in astonishment.

Anastasia nodded again, making Calum even happier. And in the heat of the moment, he reached over and brought her into his chest, one arm around her sight frame and the other cradling her head. He let a few tears of joy slip, sniffling before letting out a breathy laugh.

At first, Anastasia didn't know how to react to his sudden display of affection. She wasn't used to these types of gestures in the slightest. In fact, she couldn't remember the last time she'd been embraced like that, if she had been embraced like that at all. But after the initial shock wore off, she relaxed into it little by little, eventually wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Welcome to the family, Anastasia." Calum whispered into her ear, letting his emotions get the better of him for a moment.

Anastasia stayed silent at this. She still couldn't believe nor comprehend that she was going to be adopted, let alone by someone as seemingly nice as Mr. Hood. She'd seen too many kids to have been adopted, only to come back just weeks later, covered in various injuries. A part of her was still cautious about it, though, despite his apparent kindness.

"I'm sorry," Calum apologized, standing up to his full height and swiping under his eyes quickly. "I'm just excited. I'm sorry if I scared you."

"It's okay." Anastasia muttered, looking up at him. "You're very big."

Calum nodded and laughed, looking down at the soon-to-be baby girl Hood.

"Thank you, I suppose."

"You're welcome."

After watching the whole scene play out before her, Ms. Farges entered the room again, this time not being able to hide her shit-eating grin, Anastasia's care taker right behind her.

"Anastasia, it's time to go now." Ms. West informed her, moving toward the little girl.

She grabbed her hand and Calum almost whimpered, already so attached to the little girl. He didn't want her to leave. He wanted to just take her home and have the whole grueling process of adoption be over and done with already.

"Say goodbye, now." Ms. West continued.

"Goodbye, Mr. Hood." Anastasia said almost reluctantly, but politely, looking up into his big brown eyes.

"Goodbye, Anastasia. I'll see you soon. I promise."

And with that, Anastasia was walked out of the room and back to her temporary home to think over the day's events. But all she could think about was the fact that someone was finally going to adopt her, after all of her time in the system. And as much as she didn't want to show it, she was over the moon as well.