𝗠𝗘𝗔𝗡𝗧 𝗧𝗢 𝗕𝗘 // 𝗖.𝗙

𝓟𝓻𝓸𝓶𝓲𝓼𝓮

"DO WE really have to physically sit for our portraits?" Jeremiah asks, his voice slightly exasperated as he scrambles eggs in a pan, trying to block out the playful banter of Beau and Steven behind him. "Can't she just, like, look at a picture on her phone or something? Okay, get out!"

"What? Why?" The two boys whine, laughter bubbling up in their voices, clearly enjoying the chaos they were causing.

"She needs to see you in the flesh." Laurel chimes in, her tone teasing yet earnest. "You know, in order to capture your essence."

"Capture your essence, my ass." Sylvia mumbles, her eyes glued to the pages of her book, a subtle smirk on her lips as she shares a quiet laugh with Conrad, who sits beside her, clearly entertained by the scene unfolding.

This morning had been a quiet one for Sylvia; she hadn't spoken to anyone except for Conrad and Beau. The warmth of their presence was comforting, but the thought of engaging with the others made her feel a rush of embarrassment.

When it came to opening up to anyone beyond her small circle, she often felt like shutting down, retreating into the safety of her thoughts.

Yet, with Conrad beside her, she could feel the walls she had built around herself slowly beginning to crack, a glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, she could let others in too.

"While you're still young and full of hope." Laurel says, her voice light and teasing, causing Jeremiah, Beau, and Steven to turn and exchange glances before bursting into laughter. "Her words."

"Well, Conrad does not have hope, actually." Jeremiah replies, setting the spatula down with a smirk. "He's hopeless, but not as hopeless because he has Vi. But since she can't cure his hangover, my smoothie will."

"Can you please just hurry up?" Conrad urges, impatience creeping into his tone.

"I want one." Sylvia whispers to Conrad, her cheeks flushing slightly.

"We can share." He offers, a grin spreading across his face. "That is okay, right?"

"Mhm." She hums, a shy smile creeping back as she returns to her book.

"Go back to bed, all right?" Jeremiah says, shaking his head playfully. "Or let Vi keep reading to you!"

"Come on." Sylvia chuckles, patting her lap invitingly. Conrad grins and rests his head there, while she continues reading 'The Picture of Dorian Gray' by Oscar Wilde, the words flowing softly between them.

"She hasn't painted you guys since you were little." Laurel adds, her voice warm with nostalgia. "I think it'd be nice to have these portraits for when you're older."

"Old? No." Steven scoffs, shaking his head. "When I'm older, I'm sure there'll be, like, holograms or something I can watch myself, you know?"

"Do you know how stupid you sound?" Sylvia tilts her head at her brother, amusement dancing in her eyes. He opens his mouth to respond, but the sudden roar of the blender cuts him off.

The sound makes Conrad jump, his head colliding with the book in Sylvia's hands. She bites her lip, trying to hold back her laughter, while Conrad lets out a grunt and glares at her. "It's not funny."

"I'm not laughing." Sylvia says, raising her hands in mock surrender.

"You're about to." Conrad retorts, laying his head back down, clearly not ready to let this go.

"Are you accusing me of lying?" Sylvia gasps dramatically, placing a hand over her heart, her laughter bubbling just beneath the surface. "I would never."