Sibling spotlight - billie and Finneas story

Holding onto innocence

Chapter 35: Holding Onto Innocence

As Y/N continued to doodle, she fell into a rhythm—her little sketches taking up page after page of the notepad. Each one was simple and innocent, filled with stars, rainbows, and cartoonish animals. Finneas and Billie sat nearby, watching her with soft smiles. The air in the room felt lighter now, even if it was only temporary.

At one point, Y/N rolled onto her stomach, kicking her legs playfully behind her, lost in her own world as she scribbled furiously with her pen. Billie and Finneas exchanged a glance, their hearts both warmed and saddened by this moment. Seeing Y/N like this, so carefree, was a reminder of how much she had been forced to grow up too soon.

But here she was, acting her age—just a kid with a notepad and a pen, creating a little world of her own.

“Hey, Billie, look at this one!” Y/N suddenly exclaimed, holding up her latest drawing. It was of a giant cat, towering over a city like some kind of friendly kaiju, its paws smashing into buildings but with a big goofy grin on its face.

Billie chuckled, moving closer to get a better look. “That’s awesome, Y/N. I’d totally watch that movie. The Cat-tastrophe!”

Finneas grinned, leaning in to inspect the drawing as well. “Yeah, this cat doesn’t seem like much of a menace. He looks like he’s just trying to get to his food bowl.”

Y/N giggled again, her eyes twinkling with amusement. “Yeah, he’s not a bad guy. Just misunderstood.”

Finneas playfully tapped his chin, pretending to think deeply. “Ah, a metaphor for life itself. Deep.”

Y/N rolled her eyes, but there was a smile on her face as she continued to draw, adding little explosions and cartoonish people running from the giant cat. Her innocence shone through, and for a moment, it was like all the heavy thoughts that had been weighing her down were far away.

As she worked on her masterpiece, she started humming softly to herself—a gentle, tuneless melody that filled the room with a sense of calm. Billie leaned back into the couch, closing her eyes and soaking in the sound. For the first time in what felt like ages, Y/N seemed content, even happy.

Finneas noticed it too. He nudged Billie’s arm and whispered, “She’s been through so much, but look at her now. She’s still got this light in her, this part of her that’s... untouchable.”

Billie opened her eyes and glanced over at Y/N, who was now lying flat on her back, doodling above her head as if gravity didn’t apply. “Yeah,” she murmured. “That’s what makes it so hard sometimes. I don’t want the world to crush that part of her.”

Finneas nodded. “She’s holding onto it, though. I think we just need to make sure she never lets go.”

For a while, they sat in silence, watching Y/N create her own little world on the pages in front of her. She seemed to be lost in it, her worries forgotten, if only for a short time. Every now and then, she’d glance up at them with a big grin, showing off her latest drawing, and each time, Billie and Finneas would gush over her creations like they were the best things they’d ever seen.

It felt normal. It felt like how things used to be before everything got so complicated.

After a while, Y/N sat up and stretched her arms above her head, yawning loudly. “I’m hungry,” she announced, her tone light and childlike again.

Billie smiled softly. “Wanna grab some snacks?”

Y/N nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah! Can we have popcorn? Like, the buttery kind?”

Finneas laughed. “I think we can manage that.” He got up and headed toward the kitchen, leaving Billie and Y/N sitting together on the floor.

Billie scooted closer, her voice soft. “I love seeing you like this, Y/N.”

Y/N looked up, a hint of confusion in her eyes. “Like what?”

“Happy. Relaxed.” Billie’s smile was gentle, filled with warmth. “It reminds me of when we were younger, before all the craziness.”

Y/N smiled back, though there was something a little sad behind her eyes. “Yeah... I miss that sometimes.”

Billie nodded, understanding. “Me too.”

For a moment, they sat together in comfortable silence, and it felt like things were okay again, like they were just two sisters hanging out, without the weight of fame or expectations looming over them.

Finneas came back with a big bowl of popcorn, the buttery smell filling the room. He plopped down on the floor beside them, holding the bowl out like it was a trophy. “Snack time!”

Y/N’s face lit up, and she grabbed a handful of popcorn, stuffing it into her mouth with a playful grin. “This is the best,” she mumbled between bites, crumbs falling into her lap.

Billie and Finneas laughed, joining her in the snacking, and for a little while, the room was filled with nothing but the sound of crunching popcorn and soft laughter. It felt like a small escape, a pocket of innocence in an otherwise complicated world.

But even as Y/N laughed and acted like a kid, Billie and Finneas couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness. They knew how fleeting these moments were, how quickly the world outside would come crashing back in. But for now, they held onto this—onto Y/N’s laughter, her innocence, her ability to find joy in the simple things.

No matter how hard things got, they would protect this part of her. The world could be cruel, but in these moments, in this little bubble of family and love, Y/N was safe.

And they would do everything in their power to keep it that way.