26th November, 2022 - Los Angeles, California
"Uh oh..." Lux mumbled, staring into the small screen of the baby monitor as she sat next to Sebastian on the couch.
"Yeah..." Sebastian murmured back. "Uh oh indeed."
Unfortunately, August had gotten sick in the middle of the night and now Vincent had caught it too in the early hours of the morningâwhich was weird because Vincent almost never got sick. The pair were snuggled up in bed together now, Sebastian and Lux watching them through the monitor.
Vincent's usually vibrant face was pale, and August, his small body curled against his papa's side, looked equally drained. Lux, sensing the weight of the situation but not fully understanding it, leaned closer to the monitor, her big eyes filled with curiosity.
"Sleepy time?" She asked. "Night-night?"
Sebastian smiled faintly at Lux's question, brushing a strand of her soft hair behind her ear. "Yeah, baby," he said softly. "Night-night for them. They're resting so they can feel better."
Lux tilted her head, clearly unconvinced. Her little fingers reached out to touch the monitor screen as if she could somehow reach through and poke August or Vincent awake.
"Me too?" She asked quietly.
Sebastian's smile softened further, and he turned to scoop Lux into his lap. "No, sweetheart," he said gently, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "You're not sick, so you don't need as much rest."
Lux furrowed her tiny brows in contemplation, leaning back against Sebastian's chest as her thumb found its way to her mouthâa telltale sign that she was deep in thought.
"No thumb Luxie. We don't suck our thumbs, do we?" Sebastian says, gently tugging at her wrist in an attempt to her to her release the suction.
Lux frowned and gave a soft whine, putting her thumb back into her mouth.
Sebastian sighed softly but didn't push it further as his resolve quickly crumpled. He knew Lux was still learning how to navigate the world of self-soothing and comfort.
"Jus' Daddy n' Luxie today?" She asked quietly, thumb still in her mouth.
Sebastian's heart melted at the question, his arms tightening around Lux. He could feel the softness of her small body against him, and the innocent way she phrased it made everything seem so much more delicate.
"Yeah, just Daddy and Luxie today" He confirmed, kissing the top of her head once again. "Anything particular you want to do today, baby?"
"Swim." Lux said almost instantly, her eyes drifting towards the glass patio doors and outside to the outdoor pool. She'd been eyeing it for a while now, wanting to swim but her little mind didn't really understand that it was winter now and that she couldn't get the cast on her arm wet.
Sebastian chuckled softly, his hand gently caressing the back of Lux's head. "You want to swim, huh?" he said, his voice warm with affection. "I don't think the pool is a good idea today, sweetie. It's too cold, and with that cast..." he trailed off, not wanting to sound too firm but needing to be realistic.
Lux looked out the window longingly, her small brow furrowing in confusion. "No swim?" she repeated, her thumb still nestled in her mouth.
"Not today, baby." Sebastian sighed, glancing back at the monitor where Vincent and August were still resting peacefully. He was acutely aware of the quiet in the house now that the two of them were unwell, the usual chaos of their energetic little family temporarily paused.
"Wanna go out dada." Lux mumbled, looking up at him with pleading eyes.
"Go out?" Sebastian repeated, his voice soft with curiosity. "Where do you want to go, baby girl?"
Lux wriggled in his lap, her little hand pointing towards the front door with determination. "Out. See birds. See trees. See... stuff."
Sebastian smiled despite the heaviness of the morning. "You want to go outside and look at the birds and the trees, huh?" He hummed thoughtfully, looking back at the monitor one more time to make sure Vincent and August were still okay. The thought of taking Lux outside, even for a short walk, seemed like a good distraction for both of them.
"You know what, Luxie?" he said, his voice light. "I think we can do that. We can put on your shoes and your little jacket, and we can go outside for a bit. But we need to be careful, alright? We're going to make sure it's warm enough for you, and we won't stay out too long. Just a quick little adventure."
Lux's eyes lit up, her thumb slipping from her mouth as she clapped her hands together in excitement. "Yay!" she cheered softly, her voice full of pure joy. "See birds! See trees!"
Sebastian chuckled, rubbing her back in gentle circles as he stood up from the couch, still holding her in his arms. "Alright, sweet girl, let's get you ready."
He carried Lux toward the entryway, carefully helping her into her jacket and little shoes. She wiggled with excitement, too small to understand fully why things were a bit off today, but her world was simple: outside was a place of endless fascination.
"Big sky!" she exclaimed, pointing up at the expanse above them as they stepped out of the house and onto the driveway.
"Big sky, yes," Sebastian agreed, smiling as he let her run ahead just a few steps, her little legs bouncing as she explored.
"Birdie!" she squealed, spotting a sparrow darting across the sky.
"Yeah, I see it, baby," Sebastian murmured, his heart lightening a little as he watched her chase the birds in her own way, flapping her arms like wings although the heavy cast on her right arm was weighing her down considerably causing her to look more like a kid trying to fly than a bird herself.
Sebastian takes a few paces forward, reaching out and grabbing ahold of the little one, securing her good hand in his.
"Careful, Luxie," he said softly, his voice a bit more serious now. "We don't want you to trip with that cast, okay?"
Sebastian takes a few paces forward, reaching out and grabbing ahold of the little one, securing her good hand in his.
" 'member when I breaked my arm?" Lux asks, looking down at the cast and asking Sebastian if he remember as if he wasn't the one who sat in the hospital with her for hours and watched as the doctors wrapped her arm in the plaster.
"I do remember, babe." He chuckles. "You were so brave, weren't you?"
"Hurted a bit. Cried lots." Lux mumbles.
"I remember that too." He agrees. ""You were so strong though, Lux," he said softly, brushing a loose hair from her face. "You were really brave when it hurt. I was proud of you."
"Now s'all better." She says, her voice changing into a more positive tone.
Sebastian nodded in agreement, peering down at her as they continued to walk.
The days had started to pass by faster in the run up to December. Vincent and him had come to an agreement with Daniel that Lux was begin tutoring sessions with him every other day starting from next week to keep her mind stimulated and active.
They had also decided to spend Christmas down at one of their cabins in Canada, thinking a change of scenery could be nice.
"Leaves daddy" Lux points out, coming to a stop so she can look at some of the leaves that have fallen off the trees and onto the ground.
Sebastian smiles, bending down so he could better see the small pile of leaves Lux had stopped to admire. "Yeah, those are the leaves," he said gently, squatting down next to her and watching as she crouched, inspecting the different colors and shapes of the fallen foliage. "What do you think, Lux? Do you like the red ones, or the yellow ones better?"
"Red!" Lux decided enthusiastically, picking up a bright red leaf and holding it up for Sebastian to see. "Red's pretty!"
"Red's pretty indeed," Sebastian agreed, his heart swelling with affection for his little girl. He took the leaf from her carefully and gave it a gentle blow, sending it floating into the air for a moment before it drifted back down to the ground.
Lux bends down too, her good hand reaching out to pick some of the leaves off the ground.
"I've got..."
She pauses to count the number of leaves she's collected in her hand.
"Seven!"
"Seven, huh?" Sebastian grinned, glancing down at her handful of colorful leaves. "That's a lot of leaves, Luxie. What are you going to do with all those?"
Lux looked up at him with wide eyes, as if pondering the important question. "Give 'em to Papa! Make him feel better!" she declared, her little voice filled with determination.
Sebastian felt a lump form in his throat. He couldn't help but smile at the simplicity and sweetness of her gesture. "That's a lovely idea, baby. You know, I think Papa would really like that."
Lux nodded earnestly, transferring the leaves into her bad hand so that she could put her thumb back in her mouth. "Gonna make him happy!"
"Yeah, you'll definitely make him happy," Sebastian agreed softly, reaching down to help her stand up. He could tell that this was her way of offering comfort in the only way she knew how. Lux may not have fully understood what was going on with her papa and brother, but she understood kindness.
"Let's take those to him, huh?" Sebastian suggested, standing back up and gently guiding her back toward the house.
Lux's tiny legs moved quickly as she tottered ahead, determined to deliver her gift to Vincent.
"Papa's gonna love my leaves!"
"Absolutely, sweetheart," Sebastian said, his heart swelling with pride. "Let's go make him smile."
They entered the house, and Lux hurried straight to the bedroom where Vincent and August were still resting as soon as Sebastian had taken her shoes and coat off. Vincent, though pale, managed a soft smile when he saw Lux holding out the leaves toward him.
"Papa," Lux said with a sweet, matter-of-fact tone. "I got you leaves. Make you feel better!"
Vincent chuckled weakly, his eyes lighting up as he looked at the bright red and yellow leaves she'd picked. "You did, huh?" he said, his voice hoarse but warm. "Well, thank you, sweet girl."
August was still snuggled on top of the mans chest, fast asleep.
"Auggie nappin'?" Lux asks quietly.
"Yeah, Auggie's still napping," Vincent answered softly, his smile widening despite his fatigue.
Sebastian stood in the doorway, watching the interaction carefully to make sure Lux didn't get too rowdy.
Lux nodded seriously, carefully placing the leaves on the edge of Vincent's pillow, her small hands fumbling to make sure they're arranged neatly.
"Leaves for Papa," she said proudly. "Make you feel better."
Vincent's eyes softened as he looked at her, touched by the gesture. "I think that's exactly what I need," he said gently, reaching out to pat her head, being careful not to disturb August, who was still curled up against his chest. "These leaves are perfect, Lux. Thank you."
Lux grinned, satisfied with her work.
"Alright, sweetheart," Sebastian said softly, stepping forward to scoop her up once again. "I think it's time for us to go rest too. You're doing such a good job making Papa and Auggie happy."
Lux nodded, letting the man lift her up.
"Can I get you anything, babe?" Sebastian asked Vincent. "Drinks, something to eat, anything sounding interesting?"
Vincent gave a weak but grateful smile, shaking his head slightly. "I think I'll just stick with some water for now... maybe later I'll try a bit of soup. Thanks, though."
Sebastian nodded, understanding.
"Okay, baby," Sebastian said, gently rubbing her back. "Let's give Papa and Auggie some quiet time so they can rest, yeah?"
Lux nodded with a soft "Okay," clearly content in her role as little helper, and Sebastian carried her out of the room, giving Vincent a small, reassuring smile as he went.
---
"When can I have a snuggle with papa again?" Lux asks, sitting cross legged on her bed as she watches Sebastian undress.
The day had passed smoothy and it was now bedtime and since August and Vincent were still wiped out in the big bed, Sebastian figured he'd bunk with Lux tonight.
Sebastian paused for a moment, pulling off his shirt before answering.
"You want a snuggle with Papa again, huh?" He asked, his voice full of understanding.
Lux nodded, her little eyes looking up at him with a trace of sadness.
Sebastian's heart melted as he sat on the edge of Lux's bed wearing nothing but a pair of grey joggers. "I think Papa will be feeling better soon, sweet girl," he said gently, brushing her soft curls back from her face. "But right now, he's still resting. We don't want to wake him up, do we?"
Lux's face scrunched up in thought, her little brow furrowing as she processed what Sebastian had said. "No wake papa," she said slowly, nodding to herself as if making a serious decision. "I wait."
Sebastian chuckled softly. "That's right, you can wait, baby. You're such a good girl."
"But you can snuggle with me tonight," he added, settling in next to Lux and pulling her onto his bare chest.
Lux smiled softly, resting her head in the crook of his neck as the man got comfortable, sitting in a slightly upright position with her cradled against him. He reaches over to her bedside table, grabbing the bottle of warm milk he'd made just a few minuets ago.
Lux's little fingers wrapped around the bottle as Sebastian held it up to her mouth. She drank eagerly, her soft, rhythmic sips mixing with the quiet of the room.
Sebastian glanced down at her, marveling at how small and innocent she looked in that moment, so trusting and content in his arms. The weight of the day, with its worries and adjustments, seemed to ease just a bit as Lux nestled closer. She was warm against him, her body soft and relaxed as the milk did its magic.
"Feeling good, baby?" he asked quietly, his voice barely above a whisper. Lux nodded without lifting her head, still suckling at the bottle.
Sebastian smiled, adjusting her slightly so she was more comfortable.
He didn't mind doing this with her. Not now, not when she was so little and in need of the comfort. It reminded him of when he was a child, of simple things that made everything feel better.
He continued to rub her back gently, his fingers tracing soft circles against her warm skin.
Lux was a slow drinker too, not like he minded. He loved these quiet moments with her, the simple act of being close, of feeling her tiny body relax against his. He wasn't sure if he was trying to soothe her or himself, but it didn't matter. He loved feeling so paternal.
He had always known being a father would be fulfilling, but moments like thisâwhen it was just the two of them and no one elseâwere the ones that made everything feel complete.
Lux finished the bottle, her little hand still gripping it tightly as she let out a small, contented sigh. She nuzzled into his chest, clearly sleepy now, her thumb returning to her mouth as she began to drift off. Sebastian gently pried it out once again, but this time, she didn't protest. She was too tired.
"Good girl," he whispered, smoothing her hair back from her face and reaching for her binky instead.
He gently placed it into her mouth, watching as she latched on almost immediately and sighed contently against his chest. He adjusted the covers around them, making sure she was warm and comfortable. His own eyes felt heavy, but he knew he had a few more minutes of this precious time before the night fully settled in.
He leaned back, resting his head against the pillow, still cradling Lux in his arms. He could feel her tiny breaths, soft and steady, as she drifted off to sleep. The room was quiet, save for the occasional soft sounds of the house settling around them.
Lux's little hand gripped the waistband of his joggers, a small sign of trust. She had no idea how much he needed this, how much he needed her. The strength and love she gave him, even in her tiny, unspoken ways, was enough to carry him through.
"Goodnight, sweet girl." he murmured, pressing a soft kiss to the top of her head. "Daddy loves you"
And with that, he let himself slip into a peaceful sleep.
---
Just a little filler with a little Lux :)