27th November, 2022 - Los Angeles, California
Lux awakes to the soft glow of morning light seeping through the curtains, casting gentle streaks golden yellow across her room. She blinks sleepily, stretching out her tired body before glancing around and seeing her daddy still asleep next to her.
She wiggles a little, her small fingers reaching out to poke at Sebastian's nose.
"Daddy," she whispers, her voice hushed and sleepy.
When he doesn't stir, she does it again, this time pressing a bit more insistently. "Daddy, wake up."
Sebastian grumbles in response, his arm tightening instinctively around her small body. "Mmm... not yet, baby." he mumbles, voice thick with sleep.
Lux giggles softly, her tiny fingers now tracing the scruff on his jaw. She loves the scratchy feeling of it under her fingertips. "Tickly" she murmurs, rubbing her fingers over it again, entertained by the texture.
From the looks of, Sebastian has already gone back to sleep, his breathing deep and slow as Lux continues her quiet exploration of his face. She lightly pats his cheek, then pokes his lips with her finger, watching as they twitch slightly in response.
She moves onto his ears, though only 1 is accessible since the other one is pressed against the pillow, her small fingers tracing the curve of it curiously.
She decides that the ears are pretty underwhelming--they don't twitch or make funny sounds like the rest of his face--so she moves back to his lips, brushing her fingers over them.
Sebastian grumbles in his sleep again, his lips twitching as Lux's tiny fingers continue their exploration.
Lux, delighted by this little sound, presses her own lips against his, just for a second to see how he'll react.
Sebastian stirs at the soft kiss but remains asleep, his lips twitching upwards into a small smile.
Lux smiles to herself, pleased with the reaction she's gotten. She sits up a little, still resting her hands on her daddy's chest.
"Daddy m'gonna if check Papa n' August are wakey." She says, wriggling out of his arms and climbing out of the bed.
Sebastian stirs slightly, his arms wrapping around nothing in the place where Lux was laying. She quickly reaches over and grabs one of her stuffed animals, putting it in his arms instead.
With that done, she turns and pads quietly towards the door, slipping out into the hallway.
"Shhh," she whispered to herself, making a hushing motion with her finger to her lips. She tiptoed down the hallway, carefully navigating her way to the bedroom where Vincent and August were still sleeping.
She's about half way there when a faint sound distracts her. A knock on the front door--soft but undeniably there.
Lux froze, her little head tilting as she heard the knock echo through the quiet house. Her brow furrowed in confusion. Who could be at the door so early in the morning?
She hesitated, standing still for a moment, considering whether to continue her mission to check on Papa and August or investigate the sound. Her curiosity won out, and she padded slowly toward the stairs.
She walked down the stairs, hopping down the last two like a little bunny rabbit before entering the foyer.
She walked over to the door as another knock rung out and stood on her tippy toes to try and see through the peep hole. Obviously she was much too short.
Lux frowned and scrunched her face up, wondering what to do next. After a few seconds of careful consideration, she reached over and put her hand on the handle, trying to push it down so the door would open and she could see who was on the other side.
Much to her dismay it was locked.
Lux huffed softly, her little face scrunching up in concentration as she tugged at the door handle again. But it didn't budge.
Her eyes narrowed. "Lock," she muttered to herself, nodding as though she understood the problem. She wasn't sure what to do about it yet, but she wasn't about to give up. She looked around the foyer, searching for something she could use.
Another knock rung out and Lux was beginning to get frustrated with this person. Why were they knocking so much so early in the morning?
Suddenly, she spotted the key bowl on the small table near the door. It was just a little to the side, nestled between a couple of candles, but Lux knew exactly what it was. She often saw her daddy pick up the keys and go out with them, so she figured if she could get to those, maybe she could open the door.
With determination, she scampered over to the table and carefully grabbed the bowl, pulling it closer. Her hands fumbled over the metal objects until she finally grabbed a key. Holding it triumphantly, she marched back toward the door, her little legs moving with purpose.
It didn't take long for her to slot the key into the little hole. She turned it to the right but nothing happened so she tried turning it left and finally there was a soft clicking noise, signalling it was unlocked.
She pushed down on the handle once more, and this time, the door swung straight open revealing a man dressed in fancy slacks and a white shirt.
A solicitor--but obviously Lux didn't know what that was.
The man at the door blinked in surprise as the door swung open, revealing the tiny figure of Lux standing there, her hands still gripping the key. He looked down at her, confused at first, and then a little amused. "Well, hello there," he said with a smile. "Are your parents home?"
Lux just stared up at him, her head tilted as she studied him with big, serious eyes. "Daddy sleeping," she declared, as if that explained everything. "M'checking Papa an' August."
The mans eyes widened slightly at the sight of what appeared to be a young teenager talking so childishly. He paused for a minuet unsure of what to do. Did she have some type of mental disability?
He leaned down slightly, trying to make sense of the situation. "I see," he said slowly, his tone gentle but a little uncertain. "I'm sorry to disturb you. I'm just here toâ" He paused, not quite sure how to continue, given the strange scene before him.
Lux, still holding the key in one hand, looked up at him with those wide, serious eyes.
"Who you?" Lux asked. She wasn't scared, but she was definitely curious about this stranger who had appeared at their door, and the confusion from her lack of context made her more focused than usual.
"Umm," The man mumbled awkwardly. "My name's Mr. Collins, I work for a company that sells energy saving products like solar panels and LED bulbs. I was going to offer a great deal on them but it seems I've caught you at an... interesting time."
Lux scrunched up her nose, not really understanding what any of that meant. "S'lar panels?" she echoed, tilting her head.
Mr. Collins nodded. "Yes, solar panels. They help houses use the sun to make energy instead of using too much electricity. It's good for the planet." He smiled, trying to simplify his explanation.
Lux blinked at him, processing the words, though they only half-made sense. "Oh." She nodded seriously, then frowned. "Why you selling 'em so early? S'not nice to wake peoples up."
The man blushed, his cheeks turning slightly red as Lux spoke to him. "Yeah... I guess your right about that..." He mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck. "I thought I'd catch someone before they left for work."
Lux narrowed her eyes slightly, crossing her arms the way she'd seen her daddy do when he was unimpressed. "Well, they all sleepin'," she informed him, rocking back on her heels. "And I don't got no money for your s'lar panels."
Mr. Collins chuckled at her serious expression, clearly both amused and at a loss for how to proceed. "Well, I appreciate your honesty," he said with a small, nervous smile. "maybe you could get your par-"
The man was just about the finish his sentence when the sound of hurried footsteps down the stairs interrupted him and the and the tired--and still slightly sick--frame of Vincent came into view.
Vincent had woken up barely a minuet ago and had been absolutely horrified when he could hear Lux's faint voice talking to a man that wasn't him or Sebastian.
His exhaustion and sickness had been completely forgotten and adrenalin took over completely as he flung himself out of bed and jogged in the direction of Lux's voice.
"Lux," he said, his voice firm but not harsh as he strode toward her, scooping her up into his arms in one smooth motion. "What are you doing, baby?"
Lux blinked up at him, entirely unbothered. "Talkin' to Mr. Collins," she informed him seriously. "He gots s'lar panels. Makes energy."
Vincent exhaled sharply, his grip on her tightening just slightly as he turned his gaze to the man at the door. Mr. Collins, now looking rather flustered, raised his hands quickly in a gesture of innocence.
"I'm so sorryâI didn't mean to cause any trouble," he said hastily. "She answered the door before I even realized. I was just explaining my company's services. I didn't mean to startle anyone."
Vincent's jaw tensed. The rational part of him knew this was likely an unfortunate but innocent situationâa pushy salesman, a locked door, an overly curious child. But the other part of him, the part that had spent too many hours worrying about Lux's safety, burned with unease.
"You shouldn't be at the door at all," Vincent snapped, cradling Lux against his chest. "This is a private estate and there are 'no soliciting' signs everywhere."
Mr. Collins took a step back, his face reddening further at the mans harsh tone. "IâI understand, sir. I'm so sorry for the inconvenience. I didn't mean any harm, truly. I'll just be on my way."
Vincent stood still for a moment, trying to regain some calm. "Please do," he said firmly. "And make sure you respect private properties from now on. I'll call the cops if I see round here again, understand?"
Mr. Collins nodded quickly, his expression a mix of embarrassment and relief. He took a step back, his eyes lingering on Lux for a few more seconds than what Vincent was comfortable with, then turned, heading for the driveway with swift, almost apologetic strides.
Lux, oblivious to the full weight of the exchange, looked up at Vincent curiously as he cradled her close.
"Why he go away?" she asked, her tiny voice tinged with genuine confusion.
Vincent, still holding her tightly, took a deep breath, his heart rate finally slowing as the adrenaline began to ebb away. He shut the door, making to lock it securely before taking the key which was still in Lux's hand and placing it back into the bowl. "Because we don't let strangers in, sweetheart. You should never open the door for anyone you don't know. It's important to stay safe."
"But he wasn't mean" Lux said quietly.
"I know, but it's still not safe to talk to people at the door without asking first," Vincent explained gently, rubbing her back. "You almost gave papa a heart attack, baby."
Lux just looks at him, tilting her head curiously. "Papa feelin' all better now?" She asked, referring to his sickness.
Vincent let out a soft chuckle, his hands still soothing over Lux's back. He nodded, though the small, tired smile that tugged at his lips betrayed just how much the earlier fright had taken out of him. "A little bit better, sweetheart."
"Still sicky?" Lux frowns.
Vincent smiles softly, gently brushing some hair away from her face as he begins to walk out of the foyer and carry her back up the stairs. "A bit, baby."
"What 'bout Auggie?"
"Yeah, he's still a bit sicky too, sweetheart."
"Oh.." Lux's frown deepens. She'd been hoping for a chance to play with her brother today but that didn't seem like it was going to happen if August was still sick.
Vincent pressed a kiss to Lux's forehead, feeling her small fingers grip the fabric of his shirt as he carried her back to the bedroom. "We'll all get better soon," he assured her, keeping his voice gentle. "But for now, I think it's time for you to snuggle back in bed with Daddy, yeah?"
Lux hummed thoughtfully, her little fingers tracing along his collarbone as she considered. "Mmm... maybe. But not sleepy no more."
Vincent chuckled softly, stepping back into the master bedroom where Sebastian was still fast asleep, the stuffed animal Lux had placed in his arms now clutched tightly to his chest. The sight made Vincent's heart squeeze. Even in sleep, Sebastian was instinctively holding onto something, as if he knew Lux had been there just moments before.
"I'll get my laptop then and you guys can watch some cartoons, how about that?" He asked, leaning down and lightly shaking Seb awake.
Sebastian groaned softly, shifting in the bed as Vincent's hand gently shook his shoulder. His grip on the stuffed animal loosened slightly, his brow furrowing as he blinked his eyes open. "Mm? What's wrong?"
Vincent sighed, rubbing a hand over his face before nodding toward Lux, who was still curled in his arms. "Your daughter nearly gave me a heart attack this morning."
Sebastian blinked sleepily, his brain still catching up. "Huh?"
Lux squirmed slightly in Vincent's grasp and looked over at Sebastian with wide, innocent eyes. "M'just talkin' to Mr. Collins. He has s'lar panels," she informed him solemnly.
Sebastian's eyes sharpened instantly as he sat up, concern flickering through the lingering haze of sleep. "You were talking to who?"
Vincent exhaled, rubbing soothing circles into Lux's back to keep her calm. "A solicitor. He was at the door, and Lux got curious. Managed to unlock it, too."
Sebastian swore under his breath, suddenly wide awake. He sat up straighter, his hands reaching out to take Lux from Vincent.
Lux giggled as Sebastian scooped her into his lap, his arms wrapping protectively around her as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head.
"Baby," he murmured, tucking some stray hairs behind her ear. "You can't open the door for strangers, okay? Even if they seem nice."
Lux blinked up at him, her small fingers playing with the neckline of his shirt. "But he wasn't mean," she repeated.
"Luxie, I don't care if he was the nicest man on earth, you don't go answering doors without me or papa." He says firmly, trying to get the point across.
She pouted slightly, shifting in his lap. "But I wanted to see..." she mumbled.
Sebastian let out a breath, pressing another soft kiss to her forehead. "I know, baby. You're curious, and that's okay. But it's our job to keep you safe. That means no opening doors unless me or Papa are with you. Understand?"
Lux hesitated, then gave a small nod. "Okay, Daddy."
The men let out a sigh of relief, glad that she finally understood.
"We need to make sure the doors are child-locked." Vincent murmurs.
Sebastian nodded, rubbing a hand over his face. "I'll fix it today. We'll make sure it doesn't happen again."
Lux wriggled a little in Sebastian's arms. "M'not a baby," she murmured.
Sebastian sighed, squeezing her gently. "No, you're not, sweetheart. But you're still our little girl, and it's our job to keep you safe, no matter what."
Lux nibbled on her lip for a moment, then finally relented, tucking herself deeper into Sebastian's hold. She didn't quite understand why they were so worriedâMr. Collins hadn't seemed scary. But if Daddy and Papa said it was important, she would try to listen.
"Cartoons?" She asked, referring back to Vincents earlier suggestion.
Vincent nodded, exciting the room to grab his laptop from the study before returning, handing it over to Sebastian.
"You go rest, Vin." Sebastian said, looking up at Vincent who was still clearly a bit under the weather. "I'll bring you and Auggie up something to eat once she's more settled."
Vincent gave Sebastian a grateful look. "Thanks," he muttered quietly, rubbing his tired eyes. "Just... try not to let her open any more doors while you're sleeping."
Sebastian chuckled softly, his fingers threading through Lux's hair as she curled up against him. "I'll keep her safe, promise."
Lux, feeling a bit more settled in her daddy's lap, let out a big yawn and shifted to get more comfortable.
Sebastian opened the laptop, closing all the work tabs which had popped up onto the screen before going onto Disney+ and finding something that Lux might enjoy.
~~~
Just a little filler tbh, actual plot development coming soon ð¼