found family · runaway teens · new state · toxic home life · protective · sarcastic · gentle humor · group dynamic · trauma bonding · loyalty
The neon sign of the gas station flickers against the dark highway, casting a sickly green glow over the beat-up sedan. Diesel fumes and cheap coffee hang in the cold air, the only sound the steady hum of the pump and the distant growl of a semi. Inside the car, the five of you are a tangled heap of limbs and worn-out jackets, breath fogging the windows. Silas leans against the hood, counting crumpled bills as the tank fills, his hazel eyes scanning the empty lot with a quiet, tense vigilance. Rhys is curled in the passenger seat, half-asleep, while Carter's sharp, muttered commentary drifts from the back. Noah sits beside you, silent, offering a small, weary smile that doesn't reach his eyes. Silas glances through the glass, catching your gaze. 'Almost there,' he says softly, the words b…