Little Lux

28

11th November, 2022 - Los Angeles, California

"Baby, I know it's embarrassing but daddy needs you to be comfortable." Sebastian says, holding the small girls hand as he guides her through the store.

Lux whines, her eyes fixated on the ground as they walk. "But they fit." She mumbles, refusing to look up.

"Luxie, they most definitely do not. They were at least two sizes too big on you." Sebastian says, spotting the girls underwear section and steering her over to the organised racks.

He crouches down beside her, lowering himself to her eye level, and offers her a small smile. "It's not a big deal. We'll just find the right size, and I promise, we'll be done before you know it."

Lux huffs and crosses her arms, still avoiding his gaze. It was bad enough that she'd gotten her period. Now she was being forced to pick out new underwear since the original pairs were too big. This was humiliating to say the least.

Sebastian sighed softly, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. He knew this was hard for her - everything felt like the end of the world at her age - but he also knew he had to guide her through it. "How about this?" he offered, his voice calm and steady. "You pick the ones you like, and I won't say anything about the sizes or anything else. Just tell me which ones, and I'll handle the rest, okay?"

Lux shifted uncomfortably, biting her lip as she glanced at the racks in front of her. The bright colors and silly cartoon characters were enough to make her cringe. She was growing up—she wanted to feel older, more mature - but there was no escaping the fact that she still needed clothes that actually fit.

After a moment, she finally peeked up at him, her arms still crossed tightly. "Can I at least pick ones that aren't... babyish?"

Sebastian grinned, sensing a crack in her stubborn resolve. "Of course. Whatever makes you feel comfortable, sweetheart. This is about you, not me." He let go of her hand, giving her a little space. "Take your time. I'll be right here."

Lux hesitated for a moment longer before stepping closer to the rack. She thumbed through the rows of neatly folded options, her expression somewhere between embarrassment and concentration.

She didn't want to admit it, but knowing Sebastian wasn't going to push her or tease her made it a little easier.

She finally pulled out a pair - simple, lightly coloured with a tiny lace trim that wasn't too much but still made her feel a little more grown up. "These," she said quietly, holding them out to him.

Sebastian took them with a warm smile. "Good choice. Do you want to grab a few more? You'll need enough to last the week, you know."

Lux groaned dramatically, her arms flopping to her sides. "Fine," she muttered, but her tone lacked the edge it had before. She quickly grabbed a few more pairs, making sure they were all in the same style. She handed them over without a word, her cheeks still pink.

Sebastian stood and patted her shoulder. "See? That wasn't so bad, was it?"

Lux shot him a glare. "It was terrible."

Sebastian chuckled softly, tucking the small pile of underwear under his arm as he began steering her towards the checkout counter. "Well, if that was 'terrible,' I think you handled it like a total pro. I'm proud of you, babe."

Lux rolled her eyes, though her lips twitched as if she were fighting a smile. "You're just saying that."

"Nope," Sebastian said, his tone playful but sincere. "I mean it. And to celebrate surviving this 'horrific' ordeal, how about we stop at a cafe on the way home? Grab a little treat?"