8th October, 2022 - Los Angeles, California
As Lux begins to stir, she shifts beneath the covers, her body still heavy with the remnants of sleep. She blinks her eyes open, her vision foggy at first. But as the world around her slowly comes into focus, a wave of confusion sweeps over her. The unfamiliar room, with its strange surroundings, triggers a sharp jolt of memory. The events of the past 24 hours come crashing back.
She sits up, pushing herself into the corner of the bed where the headboard meets the wall, her big brown eyes still taking in her surroundings.
The room is nice and you can tell that whoever designed it put a lot of time and care into it. The bed she's currently sitting on is low to the ground, obviously intended for kids yet Lux fits in it perfectly. The sheets are warm and comfortable and Lux even had multiple pillows in different shapes and patters propped up against the headboard behind her back. There is even a small light pink canopy above the head of the bed, draping down and around Lux.
On the wall parallel, there's a string of fairy lights in the shape of a flower, glowing brightly against the morning light. The wall against the headboard is covered in a pretty light pink and purple floral wallpaper.
On the other side of the room there is a big white built in closet, containing what Lux can only imagine to be: clothes or murder weapons.
Beside the closet, in the corner of the room is what appears to be an armchair along with a small coffee table to the side of it. To the right of this, there is a long rectangular window except Lux can't see out because the blinds are drawn.
Lux pauses when she sees the window. If there's a window there's a way out.
As slowly and quietly as she can, Lux gets out of the bed, creeping towards the window.
It's only then when she realises that her outfit has been changed. She last remembers wearing her school uniform but now she seems to be wearing a pair of grey joggers and a light pink zip-up hoodie. The outfit is comfortable but she still cringes slightly at the thought of being changed whilst she was asleep. She doesn't like the idea of the men seeing her body. It was private and intimate but most importantly: something meant for her eyes only.
She hasn't noticed the diaper. Not yet at least.
She pulls one of the curtains to the side, cringing a little at the noise before looking out into the world. Her room seems to be at the back of the house so she has a clear view of the garden below. The garden is well kept with, the grass cut short with not a singular weed in sight. What immediately catches the small girls attention is the pool on the left of the garden.
Wow, these people must be rich, rich. She thinks
There's some extravagant looking lounge chairs dotted around the pool and even a slide which twists around, causing the person entering the water to land with a splash. To top it all off, there's even a children's play house in the right corner, a play set; complete with swings, a slide and monkey bars and even an in-ground trampoline.
She can tell by the scenery too that she's definitely not in New York anymore. New York definitely didn't have palm trees like the ones she can see here.
She shakes her head, mentally scolding herself for getting distracted. She puts her attention back on the windows but quickly notices the sensor. She may be young but she knows what an alarms system looks like and chances are that if she tries to open this window, there will be some kind of noise, alerting the men that they have a runner. Which is something she definitely doesn't want.
She sighs, wondering how she's going to get out of here. Yes her life at home wasn't amazing but she'd much rather be there than here, trapped with 2 strange men and a fake brother that she's never met before.
The door suddenly opens, causing the girl to flinch. She quickly turns around to see who it is.
"Morning baby" Sebastian chuckled, his heart clenching in his chest as he noticed his little girl was stood by the window. To say she looked cute right now was an understatement.
He had heard a few muffled sounds from the baby monitor when he was sat in bed, going over some work emails, and went to check it out.
Lux freezes like a deer caught in headlights when she sees the man. He's very tall (around 6'3 or 4 Lux recons) and looks to be in his late 20s. He had very dark brown, almost black, hair which was cut in a classic crew style, short and neat around the sides with just a hint of length on top, giving it a natural, slightly tousled texture. His eyes were just as dark as his hair and Lux could see quite a few tattoo's decorating his arms since he was wearing a short sleeve t-shirt. He definitely looked intimidating.
"What are you doing by the window, hm?" The man asks softly as he walks over to her, picking the young girl up.
Her body is stiff and full of tension as he holds her. Even as a young child and baby, Lux was never held much so this was very new for her.
Lux just stays silent, mainly out of fear but also because she doesn't know how to explain herself.
Sebastian isn't stupid and he knows that Lux was probably looking to climb out of the window. He's not particularly worried. He knows that the windows are tightly secured with an alarm system in place, making it impossible for her to escape.
Sebastian walks over to the arm chair, sitting down on it with Lux in his lap. He gazes down at her silently for a moment, his dark eyes studying her expression. He can sense her fear and anxiety, and he knows she's probably still feeling very overwhelmed.
"Did you sleep well, sweetheart?" He asks, gently brushing some of her hair away from her face.
There's a few seconds of silence before Lux finally speaks up. "Please let me go home" She begs in a quiet and pleading voice. "I won't tell the police or anything, just please, let me leave."
Sebastian's heart clenches a little as he hears the desperate plea in the little girl's voice. He knows that she must be so scared and confused right now, and his heart instinctively wants to soothe her.
He shifts her a little in his lap, holding her a little bit tighter. "Ah baby, you know we can't let you do that." He says softly. "You are home, Luxie."
"N-no" Lux whimpers, tears welling up in her eyes. She's frustrated that she's not allowed to leave and being treated like a baby. She's so used to having so much independence.
"No tears baby" Sebastian says. "We're going to have a good day today, isn't that right?"
Lux just hides her face in her hands, softly crying.
He gently pulls her hands away from her face, wanting to get her to look at him. "Hey, look at me," he says gently, his voice soft and soothing. "I know this is hard for you to understand, but you are staying here with us. It's not up for discussion."
"B-but" She whimpers before being cut off by the older man.
"No buts, sweetheart," he says, his tone leaving no room for argument. "You're staying here, and that's final. I promise you, you will feel better with time. You just need to give this a chance."
Lux just continues to cry softly, not willing to accept this as her new life.
"You know that me and papa know what's best for you Luxie." Sebastian says, trying to soothe her. He understands her fear and confusion, but he also knows that he needs to stay in control and not let her emotions sway his decision.
She doesn't really respond to his comment, a little too overwhelmed to properly grasp what he's saying.
He decides to switch his tactics, hoping that getting her to focus on something else will do her good.
"How about we go downstairs, baby. I'm sure that papa and August are dying to see you again." He tells her.
She stays silent but deep down she is a little bit curious about this 'August' boy that she's heard about.
"Can I walk?" Lux asks quietly as the man begins to carry her out of the room.
Sebastian thinks for a second before gently putting her on the ground. He would rather her to not have another breakdown right before meeting August so he decides to go along with her request. "Okay baby, but you have to hold my hand. Don't want you tripping or stumbling." He says, taking her small hand in his larger one.
The pair walk out of the room and down the hallway, passing lots of different rooms. Lux wonders what a person would need so many different rooms for. She lived in a 2 bedroom apartment her whole life so the fact she was even in a house with multiple floors was an alien environment for her.
As they walk down the stairs, she can hear the sound of laughter coming from somewhere inside the house.
Sebastian gently guides Lux towards the source of the laughter, speaking to her softly, "Sounds like August is having a good time, huh?" He glances down at the young girl.
As they turn a final corner, they enter a room which appears to be the dining room which is also connected to the kitchen.
Her eyes widen slightly when she sees a boy who appears to be 1 or 2 years older than her, sat in a high chair as one of the men from last night sit in front of him, feeding him. The boy has a huge grin on his face, a few smudges of what appears to be yogurt, smeared around his mouth. He seems to be wearing some type of onesie with a little dinosaur print all over it. In some ways he looks more like an overgrown baby than a teenager.
She notices very quickly that the teenager does really seem to be acting like a toddler. And he's not even grumpy about it. He seems to be enjoying himself. Where her thoughts might have been filled with confusion and perhaps a little disgust before, right now she's more intrigued than she cares to admit.
Sebastian clears his throat to notify his husband that they're there.
Vincent looks up from where he was feeding August, giving Sebastian a nod before turning his attention to the little girl. "Hey there, sweetheart," Vincent says with a warm smile, noticing her standing there. He gently pats August's head, telling him, "See who's here, Auggy?"
August's attention is immediately captivated by the girl in front of him, his eyes wide and a big smile on his face.
"My sissy!" August practically screams with pure excitement when he sees the girl.
His loud and enthusiastic announcement takes Lux by surprise, and she can't help but flinch a little at the sudden declaration.
"Sissy?" she says, her voice soft and confused, as she looks up at Sebastian. She's not exactly sure what August is trying to say or why he's calling her that.
"You're his little sister now baby, he's just excited to see you." Sebastian reassures, releasing the hold on her hand so that he can gently rub her lower back instead.
For some reason, Lux thought that August would be just as unhappy and scared as she is. He's obviously not.
"M'August! Big brother, Lux!" August says excitedly.
Lux just stares blankly at the boy before tilting her head up to look at Sebastian. "Why does he talk like that?"
Lux knows that her question sounded ruder than she intended for. She cringes a little as the words leave her mouth but at the same time she's simply just curious.
The earns the girl a firm stare from both men. Sebastian crouches down so that he's eye-to-eye with the smaller girl. "You need to be nice to August. He's a sweet boy who doesn't deserve to get his feelings hurt. I know you're upset about this situation but you know very well that August has nothing to do with it."
"Sorry" Lux mumbles quietly, staring at the floor.
Sebastian nods, standing back up and gently guides her closer to the pair.
Vincent sends Sebastian a quick glance when he notices the tear streaks on her cheeks from earlier this morning. Sebastian notices the look as well and he gives a small shake of his head, silently indicating to Vincent that they'll talk about it later.
"Hey baby" Vincent says softly as the pair approach. "Did you sleep well?"
Lux nods shyly, eyeing the teenager in the highchair.
"We tried to wait for breakfast so we could eat together but someone got too hungry." Vincent chuckles, ruffling the little boys hair causing him to giggle.
Sebastian chuckles too, bending down to give the boy a kiss on the top of his head.
"Let's get some food into your tummy too sweetheart, you must be hungry." Sebastian says, realising that it must of been quite a while since she last ate.
He puts his hands under her armpits, lifting her up easily before placing her in a highchair.
"Do I have to sit in this?" She asks quietly. Highchairs were for babies and she was 15.
He smiles at her question, his tone gentle and soft. "Yes, you do," he says. "You're sitting with us, so you have to sit in the chair like a good little girl."
"Fun sittin' in a highchair, Lulu! S'like a pirate lookout!" August says, wanting help his little sister.
"Please" Lux whimpers, a desperate expression on her face.
Sebastian crouches down to her level, his tone firm but gentle. "Sweetheart, you're staying in this chair. You need to trust that we know what's best for you."
Lux sighs, realising that they're set on their decision.
She's buckled into the chair by Sebastian so that she doesn't wiggle out. They don't usually use the buckles that the highchair comes with but they can see that it's necessary for the little one this morning.
Now that she's sat parallel to August and facing both men she can finally get a better look at the man called 'papa'.
He too seems to be a rather tall man - pretty much the exact same height as Sebastian. He has brown hair with a modern twist: a textured fade that was close-cropped on the sides but gradually lengthened to soft, wavy strands that framed his forehead in a gentle fringe. He also had these gentle dark green eyes which contrasted nicely against the colour of his hair. Like Sebastian, Lux could see that Vincent also had quite a few tattoos decorating his arms.
Both men had a simple gold wedding band on each of their ring fingers on their left hands along with a watch on their left wrists. Lux tilts her head so she can read the time on Sebastians watch. 9:47am. She's not sure how much she's slept in the past 24 hours but she knows that it must be a lot.
She's snapped out of thoughts when a bowl is placed in front of her. From what she can see, it's just plain vanilla yogurt with chunks of colourful fruit placed on top. She can't help but notice the fact that the yogurt and fruit look somewhat childish and not what a teenager would eat.
"Here you go darling." Sebastian says warmly. "You may feed yourself Lux."
Lux nods, glancing to the side where Vincent is still feeding August, occasionally using a napkin to wipe the boys mouth since he seems to be making quite the mess.
She knows it's wrong but she feels a small flicker of annoyance about the whole situation. How could these men brainwash a teenage boy into believing that he's an actual toddler. It all seemed so wrong.
Despite her conflicting emotions, she keeps quiet, not wanting to get in any trouble. Shyly, she picks up her the little pink rubber soon, scooping up a small spoonful of yogurt with a blueberry onto before putting it in her mouth. If she were at home she probably would have just had pop tart or some Lucky Charms cereal. This was yet another change for her.
"Yummy sissy?" August asks when he sees Lux taking a bite. His daddies coo at how sweet the little boy is being towards his sister.
Lux nods shyly, still not entirely sure how to act around the boy.
The men smile softly at this little interaction, glad that Lux is acting polite towards August - even if she's not sure how to communicate with him just yet.
The breakfast continues and both littles finish everything in their bowels. Lux didn't even realise how hungry she really was until she took her first bite.
"Good job Luxie" Vincent praises, picking up her empty bowl. "You finished your whole bowl."
He picks up August's empty bowel too, a fond smile on his face as he sees Sebastian wiping his face clean with a wet wipe. He takes the bowels to the kitchen, putting them into the dishwasher.
"Papa, play wif Lulu?" August asks Vincent when he comes back into the room.
Vincent nods, lifting the boy out his highchair before unstrapping Lux from hers and lifting her out too. "Yeah buddy, why don't you take Lux to the lounge whilst me and daddy clean up?"
August nods, excited to play with Lux. The lounge doesn't have nearly as many toys as the playroom does but there's still a good selection, neatly tucked and stored away on shelfs and boxes which match the decor of the room.
The boy takes ahold of Lux's hand, dragging her towards the lounge.
"Whachu wanna play?" The boy asks, lowering himself down to the ground and pulling out some of the boxes.
"Ummm" Lux mumbles shyly, taking a seat a few feet away from him on the floor. "I don't really mind."
She watches as the boy reaches for a box of legos. Well, not legos as she knows legos to be. The blocks are much larger, about the size of her palm since they're obviously intended for toddlers and babies.
"Play legos?" August asks, not really giving the girl a chance to reply before dumping the contents of the box onto the floor.
Lux just nods, watching as the boy begins to build some sort of tower with the big blocks. She examines him closely, analysing his features. He has light brown hair which swoops down messily in loose curls all over his face. He has big brown eyes, just like her and soft pale skin. He seems to be a little bigger than her too, at least a few inches taller and a couple pounds heavier, but he's still rather small.
Maybe that's why they were both taken. They're small and easy to grab. They can't fight back.
"So..." Lux begins quietly. "How long have you lived here?"
The boy looks up from his legos, staring directly at her before shrugging his shoulders. "Longgggg time" He finally says.
Lux gulps nervously, praying that his version of 'longgggg time' is just a few weeks.
"And you like it here?"
"Daddy n' papa make sure I do" He says, a big smile on his face. "Have lotsa fun every day!"
Lux nods again, her eyes still on the boy. He doesn't seem to be in any type of distress, not like she is.
"What are daddy and papa's real names?" Lux asks, realising that she's never once heard them speak to each other using their real names. They were always referred to as 'daddy' or 'papa'.
August just shrugs again, adding blocks to the tower and watching as it slowly grows. "Jus' dada n' papa"
Lux sighs but nods her head.
Before they have a chance to continue the conversation, the man referred to as 'papa' (Vincent) walks into the room.
"Hey there you two" Vincent says, his voice soft but also carrying authority as he steps into the room. He glances down at the scattered blocks on the floor as well as the partially built tower, assessing the situation and making sure everything is running smoothly.
August beams up at his papa, pointing proudly at the tower which is now almost a foot tall. "Look, Papa! Big tower!"
The man crouches down in front of the pair, reaching out to steady the structure. "Good job Auggi" He praises. "That's a strong one."
Lux watches them interact, wondering how August can be so happy and comfortable around the man who kidnapped him. Seeing the man act so gentle with August doesn't align with her own feelings of fear.
Vincent turns his attention to Lux, still smiling reassuringly at the girl. "You doing okay sweetheart?" He asks, studying her expression.
Lux feels her throat tighten, but she nods. "Yes" She says quietly. She hesitates, not sure if she's allowed to ask questions but compelled by the need for answers. "August said that he's been here a long time."
Vincent nods, his gaze staying on the young girl. "That's right sweetheart. He's been with us for a while, and we've taken good care of him. You'll see, Luxie - everything's going to be just fine."
"Okay," she murmurs, glancing back at August, who's oblivious to the tension, happily stacking more blocks onto his tower.
"Why don't you help him build?" Vincent suggests, his tone both encouraging and expectant.
"I guess.." Lux mumbles, reluctantly picking up a block and adding it to the base of the structure.
Vincent smiles, happy that Lux isn't trying to argue or protests right now. He stands back up to his full height.
"Okay, me and daddy are just going upstairs to get ready for the day. Will you two behave down here?" Vincent asks, his eyes zoning in on Lux.
August nods, oblivious to the tension on the room as he continues to happily stack blocks. Lux gives a small nod of the head too and Vincent smiles, leaving the room.
Lux and August remain seated on the soft carpet of the lounge floor. She lets August do most of the work but occasionally adds a block to the base if she sees the tower swaying a little too much.
Lux glances at the door every few moments, listening carefully for any footsteps or voices. Papa and the man he calls "Daddy" are somewhere upstairs, and the thought of them alone together sends a chill down her spine. She wonders what they're saying or if theyre making any plans to harm her or August.
She watches August build. He occasionally hums a little tune or makes a little 'hmph' sound when he doesn't know where to put the next block. He seems so unaware, so innocent, just like a little kid. Lux has a million questions racing through her mind. She wants to ask him more, to find out as much as she can about this place, about them. But she doesn't want August to get suspicious and tell the 'daddies'. So she stays silent.
"You like it at home sissy?" August asks, breaking the silence.
Lux hesitates, choosing her words carefully. "It's a little different than I'm used to"
August nods, continuing to stack the tower. Somehow, he looks deep in thought even whilst wearing a dinosaur onesie and playing with toys made for kids. "S'fun here Lulu, papa and daddy do everyfin for us"
Lux's stomach twists at his words. "Are we ever allowed outside?"
August looks back at Lux, a smile appearing on his face. "All da time wif papa n' daddy!"
"What about by yourself?"
August shakes his head. "Safer with daddies."
Lux looks down at the carpet, a sense of dread pooling in her stomach. She's never getting out of here.
They fall into silence again, and Lux helps August place the final block on the tower, watching it sway dangerously before settling. She looks down at her hands, feeling the weight of everything she doesn't know, of the questions she can't ask.
A few more minuets pass until the men finally enter the room again, ready and dressed for the day ahead.
They're both wearing petty casual outfits, jeans and a sweater or hoodie. The men didn't have any plans out taking the little ones out today so they dressed leisurely.
"Daddy! Papa! Look, it's taller than me now!" August says excitedly.
"Very impressive little ones" Sebastian says, reaching down to scoop the boy up into his arms.
Lux watches the interaction quietly. She's still very anxious and a bit overwhelmed by this whole situation.
"Now." Vincent begins. "Let's get you two dressed and ready for the day too, hm?" He asks, going over to Lux and lifting her up too, holding her on his hip.
Lux shifts uncomfortably but doesn't say anything.
"Can't have you running around in pyjamas all day, can we Luxie?" He asks, looking down at the small girl in his arms and giving her shoulder a playful little squeeze.
Reluctantly, she shakes her head.
The two men begins to walk out of the lounge and up the stairs, each carrying a little one on their hip.
Lux stays silent although internally, she's panicking.
"We'll get you all cleaned up baby. You'll feel much better once you're into some fresh clothes, hm?" Vincent says softly.
Lux nods, though her throat feels tight.
She watches as Sebastian and August disappear into what she can only assume is August's room. Vincent carries her a few more paces down the hall before they finally reach the same bedroom that she was in this morning.
Vincent sets Lux down onto the floor before walking over to her closet, opening the doors. She doesn't get a clear view of what's inside from where she's standing but she can tell that it's practically exploding with clothes.
Vincent rummages around for a few moments before pulling out a few items. There seems to be a pair of plain blue jeans, a long sleeve t-shirt and a light pink pastel sweater with a bunny pattern embroidered into the fabric.
It's not as babyish as she thought it would be. The only thing which seemed to be a little below her age group was the bunny print sweater. But it could be worse and for that, Lux was grateful.
"Alright, let's get you dressed sweetheart." Vincent says, approaching Lux with her new outfit in hand.
He sets the clothes on the bed before kneeling in front of her so that they are eye-to-eye. He reaches for the zipper of her hoodie, pulling it down before gently taking it off the girl.
"Wait." Lux freezes. "You're going to change me?"
"Yes sweetheart, I'll help you, just like how me and daddy help August. I know it can feel a little scary but we're here to take care of you." Vincent says, trying to reassure the nervous girl.
"N-no thank you" Lux stammers. This all feels a little too much more her and tears begin to well up in her eyes.
"Oh, sweetheart..." Vincent mumbles when he sees the tears start to form. "You're too little to change yourself Luxie, just let papa do it for you."
"Please" Lux begs, the tears now rolling down her cheeks.
Vincent just shakes his head, brushing away the tears with his thumb. He knows the quicker this is over and done with, the better it is for the small girl. He gives her a soft kiss of her forehead before continuing the process, ignoring her quiet pleading for him to stop.
With her jumper now off, he tugs her tank top off too and chucks it into the hamper to be washed. Her arms instinctively move to cover herself now that her top half is completely bare. She's thankful when Vincent quickly grabs her a new top and swiftly pulls it over her head, covering her back up.
She's given up now, letting the man help her into the bunny sweatshirt as well. In the mirror, she catches her reflection, her face red from crying, her eyes wide with fear, but she barely recognises herself. She looks small, vulnerable, exactly the way they want her to feel.
With her top half now done, Vincent gently pulls down the grey joggers she was previously wearing.
That's when Lux first notices it.
A diaper.
More tears instantly flood her eyes, her mind is jumbled with thoughts and she can't seem to get the right words out. The final shred of her independence, taken without her even realising it. She feels her cheeks burn, not just from embarrassment but from an overwhelming wave of helplessness.
"No..." She whispers, her voice barely audible, her hands instinctively moving to cover herself, to pull it off, but Vincent gently stops her.
"Luxie, sweetheart," he says, his voice as soothing as ever, but now it feels wrong, patronizing. "You're still a little one. This is what happens when you're small like you."
"I d-don't need a d-diaper" She cries, hiding her face in her hands.
Vincent uses this opportunity to quickly pull up her jeans so that she's fully dressed again. "There we go," Vincent says, his tone lighter, pleased with his work. "See? Now you're all set, sweetheart."
"Please don't make m-me use t-this." Lux cries, her mind still set on the diaper.
"C'mere" Vincent mumbles as he lifts the sobbing girl up, taking a seat in the arm chair and cradling Lux in his lap. "The changes will be completely private Lux. Just between me and daddy, okay?" He says, wanting her to feel better about the situation.
Lux can feel the chair rocking back and forth as Vincent cradles her. Even though she would never ever (not in a million years) admit it, it was helping to soothe her a little.
Reluctantly, she nods her head. Vincent's statement didn't really help her to feel better. She still had the same gut-wrenching anxious pit in her stomach but she wanted all the diaper talk to stop. She wanted to forget about it completely.
Vincent doesn't speak for a while, content to let the silence hang between them. He continues to rock her slowly, his movements deliberate and calm.
"You're safe here sweetheart." Vincent says breaking the silence. "No more grown up issues, no more worries. You just get to be a little girl."
Lux doesn't say anything. She's still not entirely sure what he means by 'safe'. To Lux there was no more safety. She had been ripped away from her home and taken to God knows where. She didn't feel safe in the slightest.