Flowers In The Walls

Two Strangers

Summary: Wilford has been looking into adoption for months now with little luck. On the day both him and Dark go to tell the orphanage they can't anymore, they spot two children Wilford isn't leaving without

A few months have gone by of appointments and meetings and disappointment. None of the children they have gone to see have stuck with the pink haired man. When they return the next week to meet with the child again, Wilford has to ask them their name for the second time. He does not believe that to mean their relationship would be a good one. And Dark cannot blame him. He himself cannot bring himself to remember all of these childrens names. There are too many, and none of them stick out to the two men - despite it not being Darks choice as to whom Wilford adopts.

When they go in to tell the people from the orphanage they would like to stop looking, they spot two children. They stand away from the others while they all play outside. The boy with blond hair is holding the girls hand as she picks things from off the ground and sticks it into her pockets. They do not look happy as they do so, strange expressions on their small, round faces instead.

"Alright Mr. Warfstache, Miss Price is able to see you now."

The woman who is helping them comes to a stop when she sees the two looking out the window. She comes up beside them to look out as well, spotting the two twins that have been there for almost three years now. She smiles, a tight look to it as her brows furrow in what appears to be worry.

"You don't want to waste your time on those two." she says, holding the files in her hand just below her breasts. "The girl has issues and her brother won't leave with anyone without her."

Dark and Wilford both turn to look at her at once. Dark has a scowl on his face, one he uses when he detects something he finds distasteful.

"What kind of issues?" Wilford beats him to the punch.

The woman looks even more uncomfortable now, glancing out the window in time to see the two children move away from where they stood in the shade slowly, heading towards another patch of overgrown grass in more shade on the opposite side of the yard. She clears her throat. And she looks down, fixing her glasses.

"We've been having a psychologist come in to help with it of course, but no matter what she still insists she is a little boy and not a little girl. We put her dresses and bows, refer to her by feminine things to be sure to reinforce it on her, but she stills insists on it." she smiles this time, as if told a sad but funny joke. "There's nothing wrong with the boy however. Many families have wanted to adopt him, but no one is willing to adopt a mentally challenged young girl just so they can have him."

Dark feels the anger boil inside of him and does not doubt Wilford is angry over this as well. The poor child, who has been saying the she is not a girl and is in fact a he, has been bullied by these people for who knew how long. It takes Dark all he can not to shout at them like he wants. If he does it would surely ruin Wilfords chances of ever adopting. All Dark can hope is that Wilford doesn't fall short in controlling his anger as Dark is struggling to do.

"Them. I want to adopt them. Issues-" he practically spits out the word. "And all."

They are taken into one of the rooms set up for meeting the children, and both Dark and Wilford are nervous to meet the two - twins is what they are told they are, both dropped off by a mother who couldn't get the daughter into therapy for her "issues". They sit in the chairs that are offered to them and wait.

Dark resorts to answering emails on his phone, while Wilford is twisting the end of his moustache in his anxiety. The sound of the clock ticking away puts the pink man on edge and Dark can see him rocking back and forth in the plastic seat out of the corner of his eye. He sets a hand on his khaki covered knee and then the door opens.

They are hand in hand in the doorway. The blond boy looks brave as he puffs his tiny chest out and holds his head up high. His twin stands half behind him. Her long brown hair full of loose ringlets cover half her face and she has her free fingers in her mouth, gnawing on them out of fear.

Dark can't help but to smile upon seeing them.

He knows Wilford will not leave until they are his.