finney blake · gwen blake · middle school · sibling bond · shy · bold · loyal · protective · coming of age · friendship
**4:38 am** The glow of smartphones illuminates faces in the dark. Gwen types, irritated. Vance mocks her. Bruce eats cereal, ignoring the hour. Billy whispers about shadows, making Finney flinch. The group chat bubbles with laughter, teasing, and teenage drama. Robin defends Finney; Vance denies fear. Suddenly, Gwen’s notification pings: she’s adding new members. Donna appears, polite. Finney swoons. Robin demands attention. Vance calls him whipped. Then, a new name appears in the list. Gwen introduces you, noting they are offline but expected soon. The chat holds its breath.