9th October, 2022 - Los Angeles, California
"I know baby, you're still so sleepy, hm?" Vincent coos, lifting the younger girl out of her bed and holding her against his chest.
It was currently 8:30am and the two men were busy waking the two littles so that they could start the day.
Lux lets out a muffled groan, her head nuzzled in the crook of his neck. She had been so warm and peaceful but before she knew it, her slumber was disturbed and she was being lifted out of her little cozy bed.
Vincent chuckles, bouncing the girl in his arms a bit in hopes that'll help wake her up. "You look so cozy in your pyjamas sweetheart"
She glances down out her outfit, grimacing a little when she remember the whole ordeal of having someone change her into them like a baby. The pyjamas were comfy though, just a traditional pair of pyjama pants with a long sleeve button up top. They had a cute little print on them too - little baby reindeers embroidered into the fabric.
Vincent brushes his hand through her hair, trying to tame the messy strands.
"I heard you did a little reading with daddy last night Luxie"
She nods shyly remembering the events of last night.
"What did you read sweetheart. Tell papa what you read." He says gently, hoping she'll open up a little.
"Umm... 'The Tale of Peter Rabbit'." She says softly, rubbing her eyes as she begins to fully wake up.
"Yeah?" Vincent hums, his hand still gently stroking her blonde hair. "Did you enjoy it?"
She nods shyly, her cheeks heating up a little as she just admitted to enjoying a book for children.
Vincent nods, reaching for the hairbrush when he realises his hand isn't quite working. He sets her back down onto the bed before running the brush through her hair a few times to get all the tangles out.
"You have very pretty hair Luxie" Vincent complements.
"Thank you" She whispers, her cheeks heating up again. It was weird having so much paternal male affection. Lux had grown used to the weird affection that her mom's boyfriends would sometimes give her. This dynamic was totally different. It seemed more caring and innocent, something she wasn't quite used to from older men.
Vincent finishes brushing out her hair but doesn't change her out of her pyjamas quite yet. That can wait.
He holds his hand out for Lux to take. "Come on baby, let's get some breakfast in you, hm?"
Lux takes his hand, following him out of her room and grateful that he's allowing her to walk.
They walk down the hall, which is slowly becoming familiar to the small girl, down the stairs and to the left before entering the dining room.
This morning, however, she's greeted with a different sight than the one she was met with last morning. Instead of a cheerful and bubbly August, excited for the day, she sees Sebastian trying his best to console the boy who's crying and very upset.
"W-wanna stay h-home t-today Dada!" August cries, pushing away the sippy cup which Sebastian is trying to offer the small boy in hopes of it calming him down. "P-play wif Lulu!"
"Shhh, I know baby" Sebastian says, rubbing his hand up and down on his back.
"What's wrong with him?" Lux asks quietly, not even protesting when Vincent lifts her up into her highchair since she's too engrossed in the scene in front of her.
"He's just upset that he's going out with the nanny today instead of staying home with us." Vincent explains.
"H-he's leaving?" Lux stammers.
Was this forever? Now that they had her, were they going to dump August in some random ditch to fend for himself?
"No sweetheart, the nanny is who will be looking after you two whilst me and daddy are busy. He's just going out for a fun day with her instead." Vincent explains, grabbing the bowl of oatmeal and sprinkling it with some cinnamon sugar for Lux.
"I'm not going with?" She asks quietly. "Why"
"You, my sweet girl, are going to have a nice day with me and daddy at home. You're not quite ready for the nanny just yet." He says, pulling a chair out so that he can sit in front of Lux and feed her.
The only reason August was going out with the nanny today was because the two men wanted some one-on-one time with the little girl to help her adjust. They hope it'll settle her more if she can have the immediate attention of both men.
"Oh" Lux mumbles, glancing back at August who's still very upset.
Vincent smiles softly. "He's okay baby, he's just a little upset that he's not going to be at home today. The nanny is a lovely lady, he's usually very exited to be her. I promise"
"D-dada stay h-home!" August continues to wail, choking on his sobs.
"Baby you're going to have such a fun time." Sebastian says softly. "Much better than having a lousy old boring day at home, hm?"
They weren't really going to have a 'lousy old boring day'. Sebastian was just trying to make August feel better.
"You know, I heard that Josh is joining you today at Sarah's house. Maybe she'll take you two swimming again. That'll be fun, hm?" Vincent says, joining in on trying to console the boy.
Josh? Who's Josh, Lux thinks.
"Y-yeah" August sniffles. "Like swimming"
"I know you do baby" Sebastian smiles. "Now come one, let's stop those tears. Daddy doesn't like to see his baby boy so upset."
As August's sobs quieted into sniffles, Lux watched the scene intently. It was strange, almost fascinating, to see Sebastian and Vincent interact so tenderly with August. The care they showed was genuine, a far cry from the kind of attention she'd known.
"Good boy," Sebastian murmured as he gently wiped August's tear-streaked face with a soft cloth. "Now, finish your juice for Dada, and we'll get you all ready to go."
Vincent turns his attention back to Lux, his expression soft and patient. "Now, my sweet girl, let's get some breakfast into that little tummy of yours, okay?" He scooped up a small spoonful of oatmeal and brought it toward her.
Lux hesitated, a faint blush creeping onto her cheeks. She hated thisâbeing fed like a babyâbut she didn't want to provoke any anger or discomfort. Reluctantly, she opened her mouth and took the spoonful.
Her eyes flickered back to August, who now sipped from his sippy cup with a subdued expression. In a way, he looked 'younger' than her, though she knew he wasn't. His tears had dried, and he was quietly leaning into Sebastian, who whispered something soothing to him.
"Who's Josh?" she asked, breaking the silence as Vincent offered her another spoonful.
"He's a little boy that the nanny also takes care of," Vincent explained, carefully feeding her. "He and August are good friends. They love playing together. You'll meet him eventually, but for now, we're focusing on you settling in with us."
She frowns at the phrase 'settling in'. She doesn't want to settle.
Vincent ignores her expression, feeding her another spoonful.
"You said August and the nanny go swimming sometimes," Lux said, trying to piece things together.
Vincent nodded as he offered her another spoonful of the oatmeal. "That's right, sweet girl. The nanny has a pool at her house, she sometimes takes the littles for a swim. August loves it. He's like a little fish in the water."
This must be a very wealthy area for everyone to have a pool, Lux thinks. She's already seen the massive outdoor pool and jacuzzi the men have here at their own house. A luxury that she knows a lot of people cannot afford.
By the time she'd finished her oatmeal, August was being coaxed into a little jacket by Sebastian, his earlier sadness now reduced to a pout. She wonders how much longer August had been awake before her. He was already dressed and ready whilst she was still sat in her pyjamas.
"Why don't you give Luxie a nice big hug?" Sebastian offers, wanting August to be less upset about leaving his new sister.
A cheesy grin appears on the boys face and without hesitation, he wraps his arms around his sister who's still sat in her highchair.
"Bye-bye sissy" He says, placing a wet kiss on her cheek which makes both men laugh. "Love you lots and lots forever"
Lux just nods shyly at August's display of affection, wiping away the kiss when he's not looking. It was wet and gross on her cheek.
"Bye-bye" She replies quietly.
There's a sudden knock at the front door and Sebastian leads August out of the room. She can hear the muffled sounds of two adults, Sebastian and the nanny, having a brief conversation before the door is shut again and Sebastian returns.
"Now, little miss, how about a relaxing morning?" Vincent suggested. "We thought we'd spend some time together and maybe do something fun, just the three of us."
Lux hesitated, not wanting to commit to anything too childish. "What kind of fun?" she asked cautiously.
Sebastian chuckled softly as he pulled a chair closer to join them. "We'll let you decide, sweetheart. Maybe some coloring, or a game? We could even bake cookies later if you'd like."
She blinked, surprised. "Bake cookies?"
"Of course," Vincent chimed in. "You like cookies, don't you? You can even pick what kindâchocolate chip, peanut butter, or maybe something festive?" It is October after all and halloween is just around the corner.
"Can't have peanut butter" Lux says. "Allergic"
"What?" Vincent asks, a little surprised. They had spent so long figuring out everything about Lux yet somehow they missed this little, yet crucial, detail. "Your allergic?"
Lux nods.
"How bad is it Luxie?" Sebastian asks, wondering how they missed this important piece of information.
"Not that bad." She mumbles. "Just makes my throat itchy and my tummy hurt."
The men nod. At least she wasn't anaphylactic. But it was still worrying.
"Baby is it just peanuts or is there more?" Vincent asks, brushing her hair away from her face.
"Only peanuts"
"Okay" Sebastian breathes out, relived. "No peanuts for you. Ever."
"That's right, no peanuts," Vincent echoed firmly. "We'll make sure of it, sweetheart. Thank you for telling us."
She nods shyly.
"Now, what do you think about those cookies? Chocolate chip? Or maybe something Halloween-themed? We've got little pumpkin and ghost-shaped cutters we could use." Vincent said softly, brushing her cheek with his thumb.
"Halloween ones?" She mumbled, the idea of cookiesâespecially ones she could help makeâstarting to soften her resolve.
"Perfect choice," Vincent said, standing and ruffling her hair playfully. "How about we get you dressed first, and then we can head to the kitchen?"
"Okay" She agrees quietly as she's lifts out of the highchair and carried back up to her room by Vincent.
He sets her down on the floor before going over to her closet and rummaging around. Finally, he pulls out an outfit, holding it up for her to see.
To her surprise, it didn't look too bad. There was a light pink Ralph Lauren knitted sweater, one of the ones with that classic bear sewn in on the front. Along with that there was a little white skirt and a white top with little purple stripes for her to wear under the sweater.
It could be worse. It could be a lot worse.
"How about this sweetheart?" Vincent asks.
She nods, fidgeting in her spot as she waits for him to change her.
"Can I change myself?" She asks quietly. It was worth a try, right?
The just gives her a sympathetic look before shaking his head. "No baby, we talked about this. Remember?"
She sighs but nods her head. Despite this only being her second day, she knew not to argue with them. It was no use.
She lets him change her, starting with her pyjama top. He unbuttons the front before pulling it off her and replacing it was the stripy one and then putting the sweater over it. Next he pulls down her pyjama pants. Lux grimaces when she sees the diaper. She had almost forgotten about it. Almost.
"You still dry sweetheart?" He asks softly.
Lux doesn't even need to question what he's asking her. She already knows.
For the millionth time today, a red tint creeps up her neck and onto her cheeks. She quickly nods her head, hoping he'll cover her up soon.
He swiftly puts the little white skirt on her and even puts some little socks on her feet. "There we go baby" He smiles. "All dressed and ready for the day. You look adorable."
Lux glanced at herself in the mirror hesitantly. Adorable wasn't the word she'd use, but at least the outfit wasn't as humiliating as she'd feared. The soft fabric and the warm sweater felt nice against her skin, but she couldn't shake the uncomfortable awareness of the diaper beneath her skirt. It felt bulky, like a constant reminder of how little control she had in this strange new world.
"Now let's head to the kitchen and get a start on those cookies. I'm sure daddy is ready and waiting downstairs." He held out his hand again, and Lux hesitated before slipping her small hand into his. Together, they made their way back downstairs to the kitchen, where Sebastian was already setting out ingredients on the marble countertop.
"There she is" Sebastian smiles, spotting his little girl. "You look like a little chef already, Luxie."
"Never baked cookies before." Lux admits quietly.
"That's okay little one, this is all about learning and practicing." Vincent says, squeezing her little shoulders supportively.
She watches as Sebastian grabs a small apron for her, slipping it over her head and tying it around her waist. "Can't have any flour or dough getting on these sweet little clothes, can we?"
Her hair is also tied up into a low ponytail so that her hair stays clean.
"There," Sebastian said, stepping back to admire her. "Now you really look the part."
They got to work quickly. Vincent guided her hands as she sifted the flour, while Sebastian showed her how to measure out sugar and butter. Lux watched carefully, mimicking their movements. Despite her initial reluctance, she found herself getting absorbed in the process. She took her job as their little assistant pretty seriously and she felt this odd need to not disappoint them.
"Can I stir the bowl?" she asked, surprising herself with how much she wanted to be involved.
"Of course, sweetheart," Vincent said, passing her the wooden spoon. "Mix it all up nice and slow. Just like that, good girl."
They were pretty simple to make since they were just plain sugar cookies but the men didn't want to overwhelm her with too much too soon. She was already very fragile.
Once the mixing is done, Sebastian helps Lux roll out the dough so that it's nice and flat - ready for the cookie cutters. He then set out the cookie cutters, demonstrating how to press them into the rolled out dough.
"Your turn," he encouraged. "Which shape do you want to start with?"
Lux picked up the pumpkin cutter, pressing it into the dough carefully. "Like this?"
"Exactly like that," Vincent said, watching her closely. "You're a natural, baby."
Cookie after cookie took shape under her hands, and soon they had trays full of festive shapes ready for the oven. There were some ghosts, some pumpkins, some spiders and even some cookies shaped into leaves. Lux felt a tiny flicker of prideâshe'd actually done something right.
They're placed into the oven at 350F by Vincent since according to them, Lux was too little to be by such a hot object.
"Now we gotta wait 10 minuets for them to bake and then probably anther 15 to give them a chance to cool down before you can decorate them. What would you like to do in the meantime sweet girl?" Sebastian asks, gently taking off her little apron.
Lux shifted nervously, unsure of what to suggest. "I don't know... what do you think?"
"Well, we could read a story, or maybe play with some toys. There's no rush, baby. Whatever you feel like." Sebastian says, giving her a gentle smile.
Vincent chimed in from behind her, "Or we could just sit and chat for a bit. It doesn't have to be anything big."
Lux considered it, biting her lip. "Maybe... we can sit? Just... talk?"
Sebastian's smile widened as he nodded. "Of course, sweetheart. Let's get comfortable in the living room."
The three of them moved to the plush, cozy couch, and Vincent helped her up, positioning her between him and Sebastian. It felt odd being nestled between themâprotected on both sides.
"So, Luxie," Sebastian began gently, leaning back slightly but keeping his attention on her. "What's something you used to like to do? Before you came to us?"
The question caught her off guard. Her eyes widened slightly, and she stared at her lap, twisting the hem of her skirt in her fingers. "Um... I guess I liked drawing. A little."
"Drawing? That's wonderful," Vincent said warmly. "What did you like to draw?"
"Just... stuff," she said vaguely, fidgeting. "I wasn't very good."
"I'm sure you're much better than you think sweet girl." Sebastian says. "You know, we've got plenty of drawing supplies up in the playroom. All kind of arts and crafts. Maybe you would like to draw something later?"
"Maybe," Lux replied hesitantly, her voice barely above a whisper. She wasn't sure if she was ready to expose herself like that yet, even with something as simple as a drawing.
The men nod, satisfied. The room falls into a comfortable silence.
"Can I... ask you guys something?" Lux finally says, her voice small.
"Anything."
"Why are you doing this?" She asks, her voice wavering. "Making me into a baby, I mean."
Vincent spoke first, his voice soft and careful. "It's not about making you into a baby, Luxie. It's about giving you the care you might not have had before. Sometimes, starting over and being nurtured can help you heal."
"B-but" Lux mumbles. She can feel that familiar sting starting up in her eyes and a lump forming in her throat. "I don't need healing."
"Luxie you've been through a lot more than any kid your age should have to go through." Sebastian says firmly. "This is just a way for us to show you it's okay to let go for a little while. To trust us to take care of you."
"No" Lux stammers, tears burning at her eyes. "You d-don't know a-anything a-about me."
Sebastian's voice was calm, steady. "You're wrong, Luxie. Whilst we don't know everything we do know enough to see that you're carrying so much more than you should. And it's not fair for you to bear it alone."
Vincent placed a steady hand on her back, rubbing small circles as he added, "This isn't about forcing you to do anything you don't want to do, Luxie. It's about giving you a safe place to be yourself. To feel cared for. To feel like a kid again. Because you're still a kid, baby girl. You deserve to feel that."
"No!" Lux suddenly shrieks, jumping off the couch and taking a few steps away from them.
"Woah, Luxie" Sebastian states. "Why are we shrieking, sweet girl? That's not very nice."
"I don't want this!" She shouts. "You c-can't just d-decide e-everything for me!"
Sebastian and Vincent exchanged a look, both keeping their expressions calm and steady despite the outburst. They had been having such a nice morning.
Vincent stood slowly, taking a careful step toward her. "Luxie, sweetheart," he said gently, his tone measured, "it's okay to feel upset. But we're not trying to hurt you. We just want what's best for you."
"What's best for me?" she mumbles, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "What's best for me is to be at home. Orâor anywhere but here!"
Sebastian's calm exterior cracked just slightly, his brow furrowing in concern. "Lux you're not being very kind right now, sweetheart. Remember the rules we talked about yesterday?"
"I d-don't need your stupid rules!" She shoulder, momentarily hiding her face in her hands. She didn't like other people seeing her cry.
"Lux I thin-" Vincent begins but she interrupts him.
"No! Leave m-me a-alone!" She says, her voice rising again as she turns around and tries to storm away only to be caught by Vincent who wraps his large hand around her upper arm, preventing her from getting very farm.
"Darling I think you need to go in the time out corner for a few minuets, you're not being very nice right now." He says.
Lux feels her heart drop into her stomach. The time out corner? She wasn't a kid. "I-I'm not a baby! You can't put me in time out!" she protested, her voice trembling with frustration and embarrassment.
Sebastian rose from the couch, his expression calm but resolute. "Luxie, sweetheart, you're upset right now, and that's okay. But yelling and being disrespectful isn't how we handle those feelings, is it?"
Lux didn't answer, her lips pressing into a tight, defiant line. Her chest rose and fell with heavy breaths as she glared at the floor.
Vincent crouched slightly, lowering himself to her eye level, though his grip on her arm didn't waver. "We're not doing this to punish you, sweetheart. We're doing this to help you calm down. Five minutes in the corner to cool off, and then we'll talk, okay?"
"I don't wanna!" she shouted, stamping her foot. It was an impulsive act, one she immediately regretted as Sebastian raised an eyebrow, the smallest shift in his expression signaling that her outburst wasn't helping her case.
"Luxie," Sebastian said, his voice soft but firm, "this isn't a choice. You need to take a moment to reset. We'll be right here when you're ready."
Tears burned in her eyes as Vincent gently guided her toward a small nook near the edge of the living room. It wasn't particularly imposingâjust a softly lit corner with a small cushioned chair and a shelf of picture books nearby. Still, the idea of being put there felt utterly demeaning.
"Sit down, sweetheart," Vincent instructed, his voice kind but unyielding. He waited until she reluctantly plopped onto the cushion, arms crossed tightly over her chest. "We'll set the timer for five minutes. Once it's up, we'll come talk, alright?"
Lux didn't respond, her cheeks hot with shame and frustration. Vincent gave her a soft pat on the head before stepping back toward the couch, leaving her alone.
The silence pressed in as the minutes ticked by. Lux's breathing slowly steadied, and the initial rush of anger began to ebb, leaving behind a hollow ache of embarrassment. She wiped at her damp cheeks, refusing to let herself cry fully. She hated how childish this all feltâhow childish she felt.
Across the room, Sebastian and Vincent spoke in hushed tones, their eyes flicking toward her occasionally. They didn't seem angry, just... concerned. That somehow made her feel worse.
When the timer finally beeped, Sebastian approached her first, crouching down beside her. "Luxie," he said gently, "are you ready to talk now?"
She sniffled, nodding reluctantly but keeping her gaze fixed on the floor.
Sebastian reached out, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. "Thank you for sitting in time out, sweetheart. I know it wasn't easy, but you did a good job calming down."
"Now what's gotten you so upset my sweet girl?" Vincent asks, lifting her up onto the sofa so that she can sit between the two men.
Lux hesitated, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her skirt. "I... I don't like being told what to do," she mumbled finally. "It's not fair."
"We understand that, sweetheart," Vincent said, his voice warm with understanding. "But rules are important to keep everyone safe and happy. It's not about controlling youâit's about helping you feel secure."
"But I don't feel secure," she admitted, her voice breaking slightly. "I feel... trapped. Like I don't have a choice in anything."
Sebastian nodded thoughtfully. "That makes sense, baby. You've had a lot of control taken away from you recently, and that's a big adjustment, hm?" He was trying to validate her emotions, letting her know that it was okay to feel like this.
"And that's okay Luxie" Vincent chimes in. "It's okay to feel a little upset and scared. But what isn't okay is taking those emotions out on the people around you, isn't it?"
Hesitantly, she nods her head. She did feel a little bit guilty for her outburst.
"What do we say now baby? I think you owe a little apology" Sebastian says, gently wiping his thumb over her tear streaked cheek.
"Sorry..." Lux mumbles quietly.
"Sorry who?" Sebastian coaxes.
She lets out a shaky breath, knowing what she has to say.
"Sorry daddy and papa. I didn't mean to be bad."
The men instantly soften when they hear her call them 'daddy and papa'. This was the first time.
"You weren't bad Luxie. Just confused, yeah?" Vincent says softly.
"Okay" She agrees quietly.
"Good girl," Vincent murmured, his smile warm and reassuring. "Now, how about we go check on those cookies, hm? I bet they're ready to be decorated."
Her bottom lip trembled as she processed their words. The sincerity in their voices was hard to ignore. Slowly, she nodded, a small flicker of trust beginning to take root. She let them guide her back to the kitchen, where the aroma of freshly baked cookies filled the air.
The cookies were already out of the oven and cooling down on the counter. She must of been too upset to notice one of the men go to take them out of the oven. Though she still felt a lingering unease, she also felt something elseâsomething she hadn't expected. A tiny, fragile sense of safety.