Sibling spotlight - billie and Finneas story

A new melody

Chapter: A New Melody

The blanket fort was warm, cozy, and filled with a quiet kind of peace. Y/N was nestled between Billie and Finneas, the soft glow of the fairy lights casting a golden hue over their faces as the movie droned on in the background. It was one of those moments where time felt like it slowed down, and for the first time in days, Y/N felt a little more grounded, a little more present.

Billie, still holding Y/N’s hand, started humming softly to herself. It was just a simple melody, barely louder than a whisper, but it had a hypnotic rhythm. Y/N glanced over at her sister, noticing the far-off look in her eyes. Billie often got like this when she was deep in thought, her mind drifting toward music without even realizing it.

The hum turned into a quiet string of notes, and Finneas, sitting on Y/N’s other side, perked up. His fingers instinctively started tapping a beat on the pillow in front of him, matching Billie’s rhythm. Without saying a word, he picked up the tune, adding a soft harmony to Billie’s hum, their voices blending together effortlessly.

Y/N watched them for a moment, something stirring inside her. It was like watching magic unfold in front of her—how they could take something as simple as a hum and turn it into the start of something beautiful. She bit her lip, feeling a familiar pull inside her, one she hadn’t felt in a while. It was the urge to create, to make music, to let the melodies inside her spill out.

She reached over for the acoustic guitar that was leaning against the wall. It had been a while since she’d played it, but the feel of the strings under her fingers brought back a sense of comfort. Without thinking too much, Y/N strummed a few quiet chords, something soft and simple, but it fit the melody Billie and Finneas were creating. The sound filled the small space of the fort, and for the first time in what felt like forever, Y/N felt like she was part of something again.

Billie turned to Y/N, her eyes lighting up as she recognized the chords. “That’s perfect,” she whispered, her voice barely audible but full of excitement. “Keep going.”

Y/N smiled, her fingers moving a little more confidently now. She played the chords again, adding a soft variation here and there, and Billie’s hum shifted to match it. Finneas started tapping the rhythm on his knees, his eyes focused, his mind clearly already thinking about how to build on the sound.

They kept going, letting the music take over the quiet atmosphere of the living room. No one said much—they didn’t need to. It was an unspoken language between them, a rhythm they all understood. The melody grew, layer by layer, each of them adding something different but essential.

Y/N found herself lost in the moment, her mind no longer clouded with doubt or fear of what others might think. This was different. This wasn’t about the world outside, the comments, or the expectations. It was just them—her, Billie, and Finneas—making music together, something they had done their whole lives.

Billie’s voice finally broke through the melody, singing a few scattered lyrics that didn’t quite form a full sentence yet, but the emotion behind it was clear. It was raw, vulnerable, the kind of feeling that couldn’t be planned but just happened in the moment.

Finneas grinned as he hummed along, his voice low and grounding the melody. “I think we’ve got something here,” he said, his voice quiet but excited. “We should definitely build on this.”

Y/N felt a spark of warmth in her chest, the feeling of being part of something bigger, something beautiful. She hadn’t planned on playing with them, hadn’t even thought about it—yet here they were, creating a song that hadn’t existed an hour ago.

“Maybe…” Y/N hesitated for a moment, but the excitement in the air was contagious. “Maybe we could keep working on it later. I don’t want to lose it.”

Billie smiled at her, the kind of smile that was both proud and encouraging. “We won’t lose it. It’s here now. We’ll keep it going.”

Y/N’s fingers danced across the guitar strings, strumming the chords one more time before letting the sound fade into silence. It felt good to play again, to be part of the creative process with her siblings, even if it was just for a few minutes. The heaviness that had settled in her chest earlier wasn’t completely gone, but there was a flicker of something—something lighter.

Finneas leaned back, his eyes still bright with the idea forming in his head. “You know, this could be a really special song. Something raw, something real. I think we’re onto something.”

Billie nodded in agreement, her mind clearly buzzing with ideas. “Yeah, I can feel it. It’s different.”

Y/N sat back, hugging the guitar close to her chest. For the first time in a long while, she didn’t feel like she was being crushed under the weight of expectation. It wasn’t about what anyone else thought. It wasn’t about the pressure to be perfect or the fear of judgment. It was just about the music, and in that moment, that was enough.

Billie’s hand rested gently on Y/N’s knee. “We’ll finish this song together. No rush, no pressure. Just… whenever it feels right.”

Y/N nodded, a small smile tugging at her lips. “Yeah… I’d like that.”

They stayed like that for a while longer, the three of them wrapped up in their blanket fort, surrounded by the remnants of a new song and the warmth of being together. It wasn’t perfect—it didn’t have to be. But for the first time in days, Y/N felt a little bit of the spark she thought she had lost return.

And maybe, just maybe, this was the start of something new—something that wasn’t just about the music, but about healing too. Together.