31st October, 2022 - Los Angeles, California
**45 MINUETS LATER**
"So you used to live in Brooklyn?" Avery asks, brushing the hair of the barbie doll she's holding with a little comb.
Lux nods softly, changing the pants of the doll into a cuter skirt.
Time had passed and the boys eventually got bored of the game, leaving the two girls to play alone. And in that time, Lux had come to realise that Avery was actually a very friendly girl. Even Sebastian had seen that the pair were getting along quite well and had silently slipped out of the room without Lux even noticing.
Avery beamed at Lux's response, clearly fascinated. "Wow! That's so cool. I've never been to Brooklyn before. What's it like?"
Lux hesitated, her hands still fiddling with the tiny skirt of the doll. "It's... um, busy," she murmured softly. "Lots of tall buildings, and lots of people everywhere."
"Like in movies?" Avery asked eagerly, her dimples deepening as she smiled.
"Kind of," Lux said, her lips curving into a small smile. She felt a little more comfortable now, and the curiosity in Avery's voice didn't feel overwhelmingâit felt warm, like she genuinely wanted to know more.
Avery tilted her head, twirling the Barbie's hair between her fingers. "I think I'd like to visit there someday. Maybe you could show me around!"
Lux's smile widened just a little. "Maybe," she whispered.
She couldn't deny that she was enjoying having another girl to talk to. Especially one that wasn't as.. little as August was. She felt like she could have a more productive and meaningful conversation with her.
"Did you have any sisters or brothers?" Avery asks, glancing up from her doll and towards Lux.
She shakes her head. "No, not in Brooklyn." She murmurs. "But I guess that here... August is kind of like my brother."
Avery nods, listening intently. "You're so lucky, I wish I could have a sibling."
"You don't?"
Avery shakes her head, a pout on her face. "S'only me n' daddy at home. He says two is too much for just him."
"You only have one daddy?" Lux asks curiously. She'd only ever known what it meant to little in the context of having two daddies - not one. She couldn't imagine living with only Vincent or only Sebastian.
"Yeah," Avery replied, twirling the Barbie's hair thoughtfully. "Just one daddy. But he's the best daddy ever." Her face lit up with pride as she spoke. "He lets me stay up late sometimes and makes me pancakes shaped like bunnies. But..." She paused, her voice dropping a little. "It does get kinda lonely sometimes, you know? Like, no one to play with at home."
Lux tilted her head, her fingers smoothing out the Barbie's tiny skirt. She was beginning to feel a sense of connection with Avery, like maybe they understood each other more than she'd expected. She knew what it was like to feel lonely at home and was feeling kinda bad for the girl sitting across from her.
For a moment, the two girls sat in companionable silence, playing with their dolls. Avery was the first to break it. "Do you... like it here?" she asked cautiously, her tone soft but curious.
Lux hesitated, her hands pausing mid-motion as she adjusted the doll's tiny shoes. It was a complicated question, and she wasn't sure how to answer. Did she like it here? It was better than before, but it was also strange and overwhelming in ways she hadn't figured out yet. "It's... different," she finally said. "Not like Brooklyn."
"Different good or different bad?" Avery pressed gently, her big brown eyes searching Lux's face.
"Both," Lux admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "But... I think maybe it's getting better."
Avery nods. "It was hard for me at the start too. I just wanted to go back home, but my daddy was always so nice and patient. I think it's better for me to be here."
Lux looked up at Avery, her expression softening as she absorbed the other girl's words. "You think so?" she asked hesitantly.
Avery nodded earnestly, her dimples reappearing with a gentle smile. "Yeah. I mean, I miss some things from before, but I got used to it. And now... well, I'm happy. Daddy says sometimes it takes time to find where you belong."
Lux turned the idea over in her mind, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her doll's skirt.
Avery leaned forward, her eyes sparkling with curiosity again. "You know what helps?"
"Finding your favorite thing," Avery said with a knowing nod. "Like, for me, it's my dolls. And sometimes Daddy plays tea party with me even though he says he's too old to be drinking pretend tea." She giggled at the memory. "What's your favorite thing, Lux?"
Lux blinked, caught off guard by the question. She hadn't thought about something like that in a long time.
"Umm... I play the piano sometimes" She mumbles.
Avery's face lit up, her excitement bubbling over. "Really?" She gasps. "That's so cool!"
Lux shrugged slightly, brushing her fingers over the Barbie's tiny dress. "I guess..."
"Do you have a piano here?" Avery asked, leaning forward eagerly, her doll momentarily forgotten.
"Yeah... um, there's one at my daddy and papa's house," Lux replied. "I was trying to teach August but.. he wasn't very good." She giggled at the memory.
Avery giggled too. "Yeah, he doesn't really seem like the type who'd be great at that."
Lux giggled again, nodding. "He just wanted to bang on the keys and pretend he was making music."
Avery grinned. "But maybe you can teach me sometime? I'd really like to learn."
Lux hesitated, her cheeks flushing slightly at the thought. "Maybe..." she murmured, her voice shy but not dismissive. There was something about Avery's warm and friendly energy that made the idea seem less scary.
Avery clasped her hands together, her eyes lighting up. "That would be so fun! And maybe we could make up songs too! Like, you play the piano, and I'll sing. We'd be the best team!"
Lux smiled at Avery's enthusiasm. It was hard not to feel a little infected by it. "Maybe," she said again, this time with a tiny hint of excitement creeping into her voice.
"And then we could become a famous band and go on tour and travel the world and, and..." Avery gushed excitedly, her voice trailing off.
Lux giggled softly, watching Avery's face light up with so much excitement that it was almost contagious. "And we could have sparkly outfits and big, shiny microphones," she added shyly, her voice a little stronger now.
"Yes! And we'd have posters everywhere, and everyone would want our autographs!" Avery beamed, bouncing slightly where she sat.
Lux couldn't help but smile wider. She wasn't used to dreaming like thisâit felt light, playful, and just a little silly in the best way. She liked it.
"Okay, but what would we call our band?" Lux asked, feeling a flicker of curiosity about where this imaginative conversation might go.
Avery gasped dramatically, her hands flying up to her cheeks. "Oh my gosh, that's so important! It has to be something cool but also super sparkly! Like... um... The Twinkle Stars!"
Lux laughed again, shaking her head. "That sounds like a name for little kids."
Avery scrunched up her nose playfully, pretending to think deeply. "Okay, okay... how about... The Glitter Keys?" She grinned, clearly proud of her idea. "It's sparkly and it's about pianos!"
Lux tilted her head, a soft smile tugging at her lips. "Hmm... that's better." She giggled, her shyness fading just a little as she started to feel more at ease. "But maybe something less glittery?"
Avery pretended to gasp, clutching her doll to her chest. "Less glittery? Lux, are you saying you don't like glitter? That's like... a crime "
Lux laughed, her cheeks warming. "I like glitter, but maybe not too much glitter."
Avery tapped her chin dramatically, her big eyes narrowing in thought. "Okay, okay... what if we combined our names into like... Luxery"
"Sounds like 'luxury'." Lux comments. "That could be cool."
"Yeah! Luxery!" Avery squealed, clapping her hands together. "It sounds fancy, like we're super famous already!"
Lux laughed again, amazed by Avery's endless enthusiasm. "It does" She admits, amused.
Avery beamed, her eyes twinkling with excitement as she bounced in place. "I knew you'd like it!" she exclaimed, her voice bubbling with the kind of joy that only kids could express so freely. "Luxery - it's perfect! Our first song would be a hit, and then everyone would want to hear it on the radio!"
"Yeah," Lux said, her voice gaining more confidence. "And we'd do a music video with tons of glitter and sparkles everywhere!"
Avery clapped her hands, her dimples deepening. "And we'd wear matching outfits! I bet we could find something awesome and sparkly at the mall. Maybe we can get costumes that look like real stars!"
Lux nodded, her eyes shining with the beginning of a new, carefree excitement. "And we could make our own music! Maybe some songs about living here and... and how we went on adventures together."
"YES!" Avery cheered, her energy bouncing off the walls. "We'd be the band to watch. We'd be so famous that even people in China would know us!"
Lux smiled at Avery, her heart feeling a little lighter. She hadn't realized it, but in the past hour or so, she'd gone from feeling completely unsure and out of place to imagining the kind of future she could enjoy.
"Okay," Lux said, her voice still a little shy but full of growing confidence. "I think I'd like that. I think I'd like being in Luxery."
Avery's face lit up even brighter, if that was possible. "Luxery, the super sparkly band!" she giggled, jumping up and spinning in a circle. "We'll be unstoppable!"
Lux laughed along, her cheeks flushed with warmth as she stood up too, stretching out her legs from sitting on the floor for so long. She glanced around the room, her smile softening as she saw the remnants of their game scattered around themâthe little pieces of their imagination that had brought them closer.
"You wanna go and raid the buffet table?" Avery asks.
Lux glances up at her, thinking for a second before nodding her head. She felt completely comfortable around her new friend now. She hoped she'd get to see her after today as well.
Avery beamed at Lux's response, grabbing her hand eagerly. "Let's go! We can get all the cookies, and maybe even some cake!"
Lux giggled, feeling more at ease with every passing moment. It had been a while since she'd felt so comfortable with someone other than Sebastian. Avery had a way of making everything feel fun and lighthearted.
Hand in hand, they made their way out of the playroom and over to the main room where the party was happening.
As they entered the bustling main room, the sounds of laughter, chatter, and music filled the air. The buffet table was laden with treats - cookies, cakes, and a colorful array of snacks. Avery immediately spotted the plate of cookies and tugged at Lux's hand, her excitement evident.
"Look, Lux! All the cookies!" Avery exclaimed, her voice a little too loud with excitement, but Lux couldn't help but smile. Avery was just so full of energy, and it was contagious.
"Let's grab some cake too," Avery suggested, eyeing the large, frosting-covered cake with a dreamy expression. "I bet it's the best cake ever." She grinned, looking up at Lux as if she had already decided that the day was about to get even more fun.
Lux laughed, happy to play along with Avery and raid the buffet table.
Together, the two girls carefully picked out some cookies, and Avery insisted on getting a huge slice of cake, which she tried to pass off as just a small piece but was clearly the size of her plate.
They then carried their snacks to a quieter corner of the room, away from the bustle of the party.
Avery took a big bite of her cake, her eyes widening in delight. "Oh my gosh, it's soooo good!" she said, crumbs falling from her mouth in the process. She quickly wiped her face with the back of her hand and gestured for Lux to try hers.
Lux takes a bite too, savoring the sweetness that coated her tongue. It was good - better than she'd expected.
"This is nice," Lux said, her voice a little softer but warm.
Avery nodded in agreement, her face bright with a smile.
"Oh my, look at you, little rascals" Vincents chuckles, his voice cutting through the air as he stands above them.
Both girls look up the same expression on their face which says 'oh shit, we've been caught.'.
Vincent's gaze softened as he looked down at the two girls, his smile warm but knowing. "I see you've found the best part of the party," he said with a chuckle, eyeing the large slice of cake in Avery's hand and the cookies piled high on their plates.
Lux, her cheeks flushed from the fun and the sugar, quickly wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, trying to act casual but failing miserably. Avery, on the other hand, seemed completely unbothered by the fact that they had been caught in the act, her eyes sparkling with a mischievous energy.
"Uncle V!" Avery exclaimed, her voice bubbly and excited. "You should try the cake, it's amazing!" She gestured enthusiastically to the slice she had almost devoured.
Vincent raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "Well, I might just have to give it a try," he said with a playful grin. Then, his gaze shifted to Lux, who was still sitting next to Avery
"How are you doing baby?" He asks Lux. "You having, fun?"
Lux nods shyly, still gripping the plate of cookies like it might vanish if she let go.
Vincent nodded, his eyes softening as he saw the expression on his face. "Daddy was thinking another 30 minuets here, does that sound good?"
"Yeah," she murmured, nodding her head softly.
Avery's face lit up at the idea of more time together. She immediately bounced on her toes, her enthusiasm never faltering. "Yay! That means more cookies, right?" she asked with wide, hopeful eyes.
Vincent chuckled, amused by Avery's never-ending energy. "You two are a dangerous pair," he teased, shaking his head affectionately. "But alright, we'll stick around for a bit longer."
Avery immediately grabbed Lux's hand, tugging her towards the buffet table. "Come on! We need to try the cookies before they're all gone! And then maybe we can have a dance party!"
Lux laughed softly, feeling her heart lighten at Avery's contagious excitement. "I guess we could," she replied shyly, but there was a growing spark of curiosity in her eyes.
Vincent smiled, watching the two girls as they dashed off, their laughter filling the air. He turned to glance at the other side of the room, where Thomas was deep in conversation with a couple of guests.
As he stood there for a moment, watching the joy of the evening unfold, he thought about how much Lux had changed in just the short time she'd been here. It hadn't been easy for her, but tonight felt like a breakthrough. Avery, with her bubbly personality and infectious optimism, had helped more than Vincent could've imagined.
As Lux and Avery returned with another pile of cookies, their faces full of excitement, Vincent couldn't help but smile. His heart swelled with quiet pride for the girl he'd promised to protect. She was finally beginning to find her way.
"Ready for the dance party?" Avery asked, her voice bubbling with energy.
"Okay," Lux replied, her smile widening. "Let's do it."
And as the music began to play louder and the energy of the room grew, Lux felt a little less like the scared, lost girl she'd been when she first arrived. The evening felt a little less like a cage and more like a place where Lux could grow, make mistakes, and find her way. And as she danced with Avery, the weight of everything she'd been through felt a little lighter.