Wish

Lawliet sat alone in a corner of the orphanage with his knees hugged to his chest as usual. He was three years old. He didn't know who his parents were; all he knew was that he'd lived in the orphanage for his whole short life. He looked up to Mr. Wammy as a sort of father, the founder of the orphanage, but he played that same role to all of the children there, not just himself.

The boy was small and shy. He had big black eyes that seemed to have an opaque look to them, almost dead but deeper than the depths of an ocean. He was skinny and his limbs hung like a rag-doll's from his small frame. The youngling would often dream of having the perfect couple come in and adopt him, and he imagined their smiles and kind gestures or words. He sat watching as a child across the room played with some visitors who had come to adopt. This couple was young. The lady had a thick head of copper coloured hair, and she wore a plain green top with blue jean pants. The man had a moustache and his hair was equally as thick though greying in areas peeking out between the hazel-brown.
Lawliet watched longingly, wishing that they'd somehow notice him and play with him too. Maybe they could adopt two children, then he could have a sibling and they could be a happy family. He wished with all his might that somehow they'd notice him sitting in the corner of the room nearly out of sight; wishing that they'd suddenly turn and offer him a simple gesture of acceptance. But nothing came. The couple was much too busy with the other child to notice the poor creature sitting alone in the corner wishing more than ever that he was the one they were paying all their affections to. Lawliet sighed and got up to look for something to keep his mind off the persistent lump in his throat.

Later, during the evening, Lawliet was sitting on the steps of the orphanage watching the sun set beyond the horizon. Another day had passed, and still no one showed any interest in adopting him. He sighed sadly and rested his head on his knees. He couldn't understand why all the children in the orphanage seemed so care-free. Did no one feel the way he did? Did no one wish for parents as badly? Lawliet felt a sting in his eyes as tears pricked there, threatening to fall. The youngling wiped the tears away fiercely. He didn't want to cry. It just didn't seem right, and crying meant you were sad. Mr. Wammy always said that parents prefer to adopt happy and cheerful children, and Lawliet didn't want anyone to see him sad if it meant his chances of having a family became even slimmer.

"Lawliet," the boy jumped at hearing his name, "So this is where you are. It's time for everyone to be in bed."
The old man noticed the lack of response from the child and sat down next to him. Wammy seemed like a giant next to the shy and small Lawliet.

"Is everything all right my boy?" Wammy asked kindly. He sat with his fingers kneaded together in his lap.

The youngling nodded and sniffed; his dark eyes not turning from the horizon.

The old man sighed and placed a kind hand on the boy's shoulder. "I feel sorry for you Lawliet. You're so aware of the circumstances even though you're only three. Most of the other children your age still don't realize their situation yet."

The boy finally looked up at the man he'd held as a father-figure. "They don't realize?" He asked innocently.

Wammy nodded. "My boy, you are not average. Now, I don't want this going to your head, but you're gifted with awareness and intelligence beyond your years."

The boy assessed Wammy's previous sentence and then turned his gaze back to the horizon where only dim rays remained from the setting sun. "I don't want it," He whispered.

"Don't say that Lawliet. Be glad that you're gifted," Wammy said smiling, "Your charm and personality will attract dozens of parents. You'll see that one day you'll be found out by the most perfect of parents. I'll see to that personally."
The boy again met the old man's twinkling eyes. "You'll adopt me?"

Wammy's face fell, and he stumbled over his words as he spoke, "Now Lawliet, I would love to be your father, but you know I have to play a father's role to everyone here…" He faltered and trailed off.

Lawliet nodded nonetheless. "I know. I was just wishing."

The old man stared in silence at this boy prodigy filled with so much potential and wondered why none had seen this besides himself until now. Lawliet would make an outstanding son who would make his parents proud. Wammy couldn't take it any longer and he picked the boy up under the arms and swung him onto his shoulders. "Up, up and away we go."

Lawliet couldn't help laughing. "Up to the clouds," he added.

Wammy carried Lawliet to his bedroom which he shared with another five boys who were already in bed and fast asleep.

"Now L, I want you to get some sleep, you hear? Those bags under your eyes aren't going to get any better if you don't." Wammy warned as he lowered the child from his shoulders and onto the remaining empty bed in the room.

Lawliet nodded, "I understand. I'll go to sleep this time."

"Good. Well, sleep tight and don't let the bed bugs bite." Wammy said with a smile and left the room.

That night Lawliet slept well. Despite everything, he was happy. He was gifted, right? And even if he didn't ever get adopted, he'd always have Wammy.

The next day Lawliet was playing with the other children on the play gym. They were playing tag with each other, running to and fro tagging whoever happened to be the closest at the time. The boy with the opaque black eyes found himself tagged and he ran after a girl who giggled madly and took off around the corner of the orphanage just next to the gym. Lawliet followed her, bound and determined to tag her, but as he made the bend he crashed into something, no, someone. "Oh! Hey, watch out there kiddo." The female voice came.

The boy took a step back and looked up at the lady in front of him and blushed. "I'm sorry!" he said pleadingly.

The lady laughed and kneeled so she was at the youngling's eye level. "It's fine. So, who might you be?"

The boy was so nervous and excited now that his heart was pounding one hundred kilometres per second.

"L…Law...Lawliet!" He stammered.

"Lawliet, huh? That's a nice name," the lady said smiling, "I'm Mikhaila."

"Mikayla?" the boy repeated, "I like that name."

The lady's smile only widened, "So Lawliet, can you tell me which way I need to go to find Mr. Wammy?"

Lawliet took hold of her hand and led her inside the orphanage happily. They reached Wammy's office, and the boy knocked on the door confidently.

The door opened to reveal the kind old man smiling outwards. "Oh, hello," he greeted as he saw the young woman at his door and noticed her hand was clasped in a smaller one.

"Oh, Lawliet," he said, "So you showed her how to get here you clever boy."

"She's here to adopt me!" He said excitedly.

Mikhaila's face turned to an expression of surprise, then guilt. "Oh wow, hold your horses little guy," She said kneeling down once again to look the child in the eyes, "I'm here to help take care of everyone here."

The boy's face fell dramatically and he looked down at his shoes not knowing where else to direct his disappointment.

Mikhaila took the boy's chin in her right hand and gently pulled it up so his eyes met hers. "Hey, in a sense I'll be kind of like your mother since I'll be working with Wammy," she said encouragingly.

Opaque black stared wide-eyed into deep blue and the boy mustered a small smile. "Okay."

"Now you're talking! Well Lawliet, I'll be out shortly and then I'll play with everyone, including you, alright?"

The boy nodded, but didn't move, "I'll wait for your meeting to be over."

"Oh no," Mikhaila said waving her hands in front of her, "The meeting could take a long time. You go play and I'll come find you when I'm done."

That said, she winked at him and turned to step into the office where the door was shut behind her.

Lawliet stood staring at the door and then resolved to sit next to it, where he wouldn't be hit when it was opened, and wait.

Inside the office, Wammy and Mikhaila discussed their contract, and after all questions were settled, the young woman had to ask, "So, how old is Lawliet?"

Wammy sighed, "He's only three years old."

Mikhaila smiled sadly, "And he realizes that he has no parents…"

Wammy nodded. "Unfortunately, that seems to be the case. He's a bright boy, a very bright boy. He can already read at a six-year-old level. Lawliet is a child who likes to learn, and he can usually be found reading in the children's library," Wammy paused, "The boy doesn't really spend too much time with the other children, although he does on occasion."

Mikhaila nodded. "Yeah, I just ran into him while he was playing tag. That's how we met."

Wammy smiled, "I'm glad to know he does play some outside games, but Lawliet is so aware that he's an orphan… Anyone who watches the boy can easily tell how hard he tries to appeal to the adoptive parents, but somehow he has a hard time talking to them."

"Well, so far I think he's a sweet kid. He has time still. He's only three years old after all," The brunette said confidently.

Wammy smiled, "Quite right, quite right."

"Well, if it's alright with you Mr. Wammy, I'll be heading out to familiarize myself with the grounds, and I'll bring in my things to the room assigned to me."

Wammy stood and held out his hand to his new employee, "Yes, of course. Please make yourself at home. The orphanage needs more people like you miss."

Mikhaila smiled and opened the door to the office to find Lawliet sitting there asleep. He actually waited…she thought as she kneeled down next to the child and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. Slowly, Lawliet opened his dark eyes to meet Mikhaila's.

"The meeting is over kiddo," She whispered.

The youngling rubbed his eyes and stood up. Mikhaila steadied him as he stood there waking up little by little.

"Would you like to help me find my room?" She asked.

Lawliet's eyes lit up as he nodded energetically. The young lady laughed and told him which room she was staying in. Lawliet led her there without a second thought and helped carry in some of her things. He helped set up some small knick-knacks around the room, and as he went back to the box of things to pull out the next item, he pulled out a stuffed toy dog. It had floppy ears and a red bow tied around its neck. It was soft to the touch and very huggable.

"Oh, that's Blarney," Mikhaila said noticing Lawliet with the toy, "I've had him since I was around your age."

Lawliet examined the toy for a moment, "He doesn't look old."

Mikhaila smiled, "My mother didn't let me play with him until I was old enough to know how to take proper care of him. That's why he's still in good shape."

"It smells like you."

"What?"

"It smells like you," the boy repeated, "like apples."

The brunette laughed, "That must be my perfume."

"It's nice."

"Thank you Lawliet, I'm glad you like it."

As they continued unpacking, Lawliet couldn't help but hug the stuffed dog all the while. He felt a strange attachment to it, and it comforted him to hold it in his arms. Once they were done unpacking, it was late afternoon.

"Well Lawliet, thanks for all your help," Mikhaila said sitting on her bed with her little helper next to her.

He nodded, "My pleasure."

Mikhaila's eyes widened, "I'm sorry, say that again."

"My pleasure," he said again.

The young lady had a look of astonishment on her face, "Where'd you learn to say that?"

Lawliet looked up into a corner of the ceiling and placed the tip of his thumb to his lower lip in thought. "I read it in one of the story books in the library one time."

"Well, that's pretty impressive. I didn't know that kind of vocabulary when I was your age."

Lawliet looked up at Mikhaila with an innocent stare, "I want to learn more, but I've read all the books that I could, and I can't find any new ones," He finished.

Mikhaila thought about it for a moment before answering, "Well, I can bring you some new books if you like."

Lawliet's eyes lit up and he smiled widely, "Really?"

"Of course, what kind of books do you like?"

"I really like mystery books, and science, too." He said excitedly.

"Well then, I'll bring them tomorrow. I'm not going to be sleeping at the orphanage yet because I still have a couple things to straighten out back at the apartment. So I promise to bring some books for you when I come back."

Lawliet was overjoyed. No one had ever been this generous to him before. "Thank you!" He said as he unconsciously cuddled the stuffed dog in his arms. Mikhaila noticed this and smiled. "And you know what?" She asked.

Lawliet looked up inquisitively, "What?"

"I think Blarney likes you a lot, so you can sleep with him whenever you like, okay?"

The little boy, overcome by unlimited joy, jumped up and hugged Mikhaila around her neck tightly. She laughed and hugged back, "Alright, alright, you're welcome. Now, it's getting late so I have to go. Thanks for all your help Lawliet."

Once the boy had released Mikhaila from the hug, she bid him good night and left Blarney the dog with him. He walked her out to the parking lot and waved as she left. Once the car was out of sight, Lawliet hugged the stuffed animal close to him and turned to go inside. He felt an overwhelming happiness swell up in his chest as he made his way to his room to get ready for bed.

That night Lawliet had dreams of the times he'd have in the future with Mikhaila, and he felt like just maybe his wish was coming true.