Little Lux

16

October 17th, 2022 - Los Angeles, California.

"Let's see, they've got vampires, princesses, a silly clown..." Vincent says, scrolling through the home page of a halloween costume website. He was sat on the couch, Lux on his left and August to his right with his laptop in his lap.

"...and even dinosaurs," Vincent added with a playful lilt to his voice as he glanced at August, who perked up slightly at the mention of his favorite creatures.

Vincent smiled, tilting the laptop slightly so August could get a better look. "Did you spot something you like, buddy?"

August nodded vigorously, his eyes wide with excitement. He reached out, tapping at the screen with his finger - his tiny hand leaving faint smudges on the glass. "Dino," he mumbled, a spark of enthusiasm creeping into his voice.

The costume was built like a one piece onesie - with the hood being the head of the dinosaur, lined with pointy white triangles as teeth. It was dark green with a light green patch over the stomach area of the costume for added detail and it even had a tail coming out the back with thegamizers along the top of it. It was impressive - especially for a dinosaur.

Vincent beamed at her, clearly pleased. "Good choice. Let's add it to the cart, then." He clicked the button, and a little confetti animation popped up on the screen, signaling the addition. August clapped his hands at the visual, giggling softly.

"And what about you, sweetheart?" Vincent turned his attention back to Lux, his tone gentle but encouraging. "What kind of costume are you thinking about?"

Lux hesitated, shifting against Vincent so she could get a better look at the screen. "I don't know," she mumbled, shrugging. "It's not really my thing, I guess."

Vincent raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "Not your thing? I think we can find something fun. Come on, take a look." He shifted the laptop closer to her, scrolling slowly through the options.

She glanced back at the screen, her expression a mix of uncertainty and curiosity. The costumes ranged from classic witches and pirates to more elaborate outfits like fairies, superheroes, and storybook characters. One caught her eye - a simple yet elegant angel costume, complete with soft feathery wings and a delicate silver halo.

Vincent noticed the way her gaze lingered on the angel costume and paused scrolling. "Hmm," he murmured with a warm smile. "You like that one, don't you?"

Lux's cheeks flushed, and she quickly shook her head, pulling back slightly. "It's okay, I guess," she mumbled, trying to sound indifferent.

August peeked over Vincent's arm, his little fingers reaching out to touch the screen again. "Angel," he said softly, his voice tinged with awe.

Vincent chuckled, giving Lux a knowing look. "I think August approves. And I think you'd look beautiful in it." He murmurs, leaning down to kiss the top of her head, "But it's your choice, sweetheart. If you don't want it, we can keep looking."

Lux hesitated, her eyes flickering back to the screen. The idea of dressing up as something so pure and radiant felt foreign to her. She didn't feel like an angel, not after everything that had happened. But at the same time, the costume itself was appealing - soft, simple, and maybe a way to start feeling a little better about herself

"Maybe that one," she said quietly, her voice barely audible.

Vincent's smile widened as he clicked to add the costume to the cart. "Good choice, angel," he said softly, his words carrying a hint of pride.

Lux wasn't too sure why they were buying halloween costumes. She'd never celebrated it once in her life - apart from the occasional halloween activity they'd do at school - and she was sure she was much too old to start now. But seeing how happy it made August, Lux went along with it.