Little Lux

21

31st October, 2022 - Los Angeles, California

**45 MINUETS LATER**

"So you used to live in Brooklyn?" Avery asks, brushing the hair of the barbie doll she's holding with a little comb.

Lux nods softly, changing the pants of the doll into a cuter skirt.

Time had passed and the boys eventually got bored of the game, leaving the two girls to play alone. And in that time, Lux had come to realise that Avery was actually a very friendly girl. Even Sebastian had seen that the pair were getting along quite well and had silently slipped out of the room without Lux even noticing.

Avery beamed at Lux's response, clearly fascinated. "Wow! That's so cool. I've never been to Brooklyn before. What's it like?"

Lux hesitated, her hands still fiddling with the tiny skirt of the doll. "It's... um, busy," she murmured softly. "Lots of tall buildings, and lots of people everywhere."

"Like in movies?" Avery asked eagerly, her dimples deepening as she smiled.

"Kind of," Lux said, her lips curving into a small smile. She felt a little more comfortable now, and the curiosity in Avery's voice didn't feel overwhelming—it felt warm, like she genuinely wanted to know more.

Avery tilted her head, twirling the Barbie's hair between her fingers. "I think I'd like to visit there someday. Maybe you could show me around!"

Lux's smile widened just a little. "Maybe," she whispered.

She couldn't deny that she was enjoying having another girl to talk to. Especially one that wasn't as.. little as August was. She felt like she could have a more productive and meaningful conversation with her.

"Did you have any sisters or brothers?" Avery asks, glancing up from her doll and towards Lux.

She shakes her head. "No, not in Brooklyn." She murmurs. "But I guess that here... August is kind of like my brother."

Avery nods, listening intently. "You're so lucky, I wish I could have a sibling."

"You don't?"

Avery shakes her head, a pout on her face. "S'only me n' daddy at home. He says two is too much for just him."

"You only have one daddy?" Lux asks curiously. She'd only ever known what it meant to little in the context of having two daddies - not one. She couldn't imagine living with only Vincent or only Sebastian.

"Yeah," Avery replied, twirling the Barbie's hair thoughtfully. "Just one daddy. But he's the best daddy ever." Her face lit up with pride as she spoke. "He lets me stay up late sometimes and makes me pancakes shaped like bunnies. But..." She paused, her voice dropping a little. "It does get kinda lonely sometimes, you know? Like, no one to play with at home."

Lux tilted her head, her fingers smoothing out the Barbie's tiny skirt. She was beginning to feel a sense of connection with Avery, like maybe they understood each other more than she'd expected. She knew what it was like to feel lonely at home and was feeling kinda bad for the girl sitting across from her.

For a moment, the two girls sat in companionable silence, playing with their dolls. Avery was the first to break it. "Do you... like it here?" she asked cautiously, her tone soft but curious.

Lux hesitated, her hands pausing mid-motion as she adjusted the doll's tiny shoes. It was a complicated question, and she wasn't sure how to answer. Did she like it here? It was better than before, but it was also strange and overwhelming in ways she hadn't figured out yet. "It's... different," she finally said. "Not like Brooklyn."