Chapter Text
Nick stared at his brother. He questioned to himself how it was even possible for one person to have that much energy. He'd been analyzing the youngest periodically throughout the day – mesmerized by his endurance and persistence. Chris was no stranger to bursts of energy or to expressing himself rather 'differently' than most – Matt's words. Although entertaining in car videos, the youngest's antics never failed to agitate the older two in times of needed focus - and this was one of those times.
In the evening, the three brothers had gathered around their kitchen table with hopes of brainstorming ideas for a surprise Wednesday video. Nick was growing annoyed by Chris's continuous distractions. What started as amusement had fastly turned into irritation. Mid-week was approaching, with it being Monday, and the pressure to execute their plan was building. Watching Chris shadow box Matt, Nick realized he should've known the brainstorming session this evening would prove unproductive. Given his brother's high energy since the painfully early hours of the morning, Nick should've known better that Chris wasn't in the space to get anything done. Meaning all three of them wouldn't be getting anything done.
"Alright, enough," Nick didn't even look up when he caught Chris's flying arm before it landed on Matt's face again.
Without giving him much attention, Nick placed and held Chris's arm at the younger's side – effectively shutting him down.
"Hey," Chris yelped.
"Can we? Please?" Nick motioned to the small white board he had in front of him on the table. He kept his grip on the youngest's forearm firm, keeping Chris from trying again to hit at him or Matt.
"Sorry Nicky," Chris used a mocking tone and playful grin to taunt the older, "forgot we were all serious and not allowed to have fun."
Chris broke his arm finally out of Nick's grasp and reached for a hug from the older. He tangled his fingers around the fabric of Nick's hoodie and pulled himself in by the grip, curling his head in towards Nick's shoulder.
"Get off me," the oldest declined, "God, you are too much sometimes," Nick pushed his brother's body away from his own with a palm to Chris's forehead.
Nick was losing all faith in the idea that their mini meeting would amount to anything useful. He had hoped Chris would be able to gather himself enough to provide even a couple good ideas for their Wednesday video but the chaotic side of his mind was clearly taking precedence over the creative one.
The youngest would often blame his 'creative brain' for being the reason for his excitable personality. Claiming he was a visionary who had little control over how his mind worked. He'd explain to his brothers he wouldn't change it for the world, albeit chaotic, his mind was also the reason they rarely ran out of content ideas It was a blessing and a curse. Chris told Nick and Matt on numerous occasions it was all part of being an innovative person. This evening, as Nick was attempting to utilize his brother's peculiar mind for some video ideas, the youngest couldn't gather enough focus to be helpful. In response, Nick and Matt were growing impatient.
"I don't feel well," Chris blurted out before tipping his chair back and wiping at his face. A long sigh accompanied his statement.
"Oh my god Chris, shut up, enough is enough" Nick sounded exhausted with the excuse, "please," he pleaded.
The older reached over to where Chris was tilting his chair back onto its back two legs. Nick grabbed Chris's thigh and pulled the younger back forward. The chair's front two legs hit the ground with a sharp bang – Chris lunging forward with the momentum. He almost smashed into the table in front of him with the force he'd gathered.
"Enough. Focus, please?" Nick lingered his hand for a moment, forcing Chris to stay in place and not move his chair again.
"Ughh," Chris let out a huff.
Nick let out an exhale. He watched Chris run his hands over his own face, Nick prayed it was a move to reset his focus. Nick let his hand off Chris's thigh, confident the younger was now ready to concentrate.
"This is boring, we don't have anything written down yet," Chris sounded whiny.
"Yeah Chris, because you won't fucking shut up, you've been yelling and jumping around like a crazy person!" Matt yelled across the table, clearly sharing mutual irritation with Nick.
"Boring? Am I boring you with our job? With our employment requirements?" Nick added on top of Matt's point.
The older two watched Chris process the comments. Nick flinched when the youngest made a move to bring him in for another half hug. Chris was pulling harshly at the collar of Nick's hoodie he had on, gripping the white fluffy fabric in his fist.
"M'sorry, I j-just, I feel li-like weird inside," he mumbled into Nick's body.
Suffocated by both his hoodie being stretched across his throat and Chris's hands once again on him, Nick felt trapped. He wanted to scream, to let out his frustration with volume, but he stopped himself - now feeling a sense of empathy. He knew well what Chris meant, even if the youngest never described it well. He knew when the hyperiness flooded his brother, Chris hated the feeling. He knew how uncomfortable he could become and how distressed it would make him - hot, itchy, restless. Swallowing down his knee-jerk reaction, Nick opted to let the hug happen. He set aside his annoyance in the interest of simply being there for his brother. He knew Chris loved the compression of hugs and Nick was above all else - a good brother.
"Okay, alright, c'mere then," Nick squeezed Chris a few times for good measure. Humouring him, he even scratched long strokes up and down his back in hopes to settle the youngest further.
"Relax, you're okay," Matt added from Chris's other side.
The middle triplet clearly shared the same thought process as the oldest. He too, rubbed at Chris's back, eager to settle him enough to maybe get one video idea out.
To Nick's dismay, Chris lingered in the hug way longer than expected. He should've known, given his life-long experience as Chris's triplet brother, he knew the youngest was never first to let go in an embrace. He was like a cast member at Disneyland, having some unspoken rule he wasn't allowed to let go of a hug first. Nick and Matt usually didn't mind, although tonight, it was severely pushing Nick's patience. Touched-out by the physical affection, Nick pushed Chris, gently, in the opposite direction of him.
"Go," Nick added, "over there, away," he shooed the younger, "go bother Matt,"
"Matt," Chris drew out vowels in the name.
"Absolutely not, no," Matt dodged his brother's hug, refusing to be his next victim.
"I don't feel well," Chris pouted again.
"Yeah, okay," Matt refused to fall into the trap his brother tried, "c'mon, don't start that," the middle triplet laughed.
"Chris be for real," Nick scoffed at the younger while he put away their unused stationery. The oldest gathered their 'ideas board' and the dry erase markers and put them away in their drawer.
"Really, I don't," Chris whispered mainly to himself. He took in a breath of realization, a wave of concern washed over his body. The previous feeling of trapped hyper energy had disappeared, leaving behind a feeling of true unease. His body felt heavy with the notion something was wrong. An ache pulled his attention, something setting deep in his bones. The aura of sickness washed through him, an achiness settled in every part of his body and he felt lightheaded in response.
Matt rolled his eyes at his younger brother, knowing all too well the game he was about to play. The youngest had a habit of amplifying his slight illnesses in favour of the added comfort the two older would give him in return. Matt knew him and Nick were just as much to blame for the positive reinforcement they gave, although it was borderline impossible to decline the youngest the comfort he sought out. This evening though, Matt guessed him and Nick were both mutually over Chris's behaviour.
"I don't feel well, I feel sick, I think I'm sick and I'm itchy and ach-" Chris rambled.
"Shut up, please, you're fine," Nick called over from the opposite side of the kitchen, "I promise you're literally fine, enough Chris,"
"Mm not, I'm being serious," Chris mumbled.
He felt a tinge of panic set low in his stomach. Chris could painfully feel the way the two older were discounting him now. He knew it was deserved, given how he'd just ruined their chances at a mid-week video. He could see on Matt's face how annoyed he was and more so on Nick's face. The oldest looked ready to disown him. He desperately searched his mind for ideas on how to turn the evening around. He could feel a headache creeping in, joining his now sore muscles. Something was inhabiting him, the notion made him feel nauseatingly vulnerable.
Chris knew turning the evening around would be difficult, considering just how much he'd agitated the older two. Although he wanted it, he knew asking for another hug or a scalp massage now was out of the question. Feeling desperate to keep his brothers both at least in close proximity, he suggested a movie. Even if they sat far away from him, Chris knew he'd feel comforted just with them in the same room.
"Can we watch something down here? Together?" Chris spoke up.
Chris watched Matt and Nick make eyes at one another - telepathically conveying messages about Chris, in front of him. Chris watched them both chuckle at whatever was said with the look. Then Nick spoke.
"Fine," he agreed.
+
"Chris, you need to relax. You are probably just stressed, which I am not sure what you have to be worried about, as you do absolutely nothing during the day. You can take a chill pill, and get off of me. Just stop touching me, okay?!"
Nick huffed, pushing Chris's hands off his. Nick started to feel the negative effects of having his brother attached to his hip for three hours. He knew Chris was the youngest, and that he would get distracted very easily but that didn't mean he always needed to be babied over every little thing.
"N-Nick, I'm sorry."
"Yeah, I'm sure you are."
Chris backs away, at Nick's request. He pulled a blanket over his body and sat still as Matt watched TikTok, and Nick watched RuPaul's Drag Race on their living room TV. Chris knew something wasn't right with himself, he felt weird, almost unnatural. Maybe they were right, it could be stress. His brothers were right, he "Never did anything during the day." So why would he be overly stressed and so tired? All Chris wanted was help, and comfort, which neither brother provided.
Although, the younger hadn't tried to get through to Matt yet. Located at the other end of the couch, Chris slowly and quietly scooted over toward his other older brother. He pulled the blanket along with him, and after arriving at Matt's spot he placed the blanket over both of them. He leaned onto Matt's shoulder, hoping for the best.
"What, Chris?! You are breathing down my neck now!"
Nope, nope, nope. This wasn't going the way he'd hoped.
"Whatcha doin'?"
"Just watching Tiktok, by myself..."
"Matt, please I-"
"Chris, stop, you are so annoying I can't handle it."
Chris couldn't believe how his brothers were treating him, he just wanted to talk. To let them know how he felt, and how he was concerned. They didn't seem to care in the slightest. This made Chris angry. He always tried to help his brothers when they felt sick, why wasn't any of them trying to help him at this moment? He stayed silent until Nick announced that he was ready for bed. With a yawn, he stood up.
"Alright folks, I'm headed to bed."
Was he going to invite Chris to bed? Nick normally would, almost every single night. He didn't want to sleep alone feeling like this. However, Nick never offered. Chris decided he would try to get Matt to let him sleep with him. If not, maybe he could sneak into Nick's room in the middle of the night. Chris didn't really know what he would do. With a small "night.' Nick headed upstairs.
"Are you tired yet, Matt?"
"A little, not too much though."
"Same."
A moment of silence passed.
"When we do go to sleep, can I stay with you tonight?"
"I don't know, Chris. I think you need to do some growing up. Don't you?"
Appalled, Chris didn't know what to say. What was going on with his brothers? They had never acted this way, never have been so mean and cold. On a night when Chris needed them the most. Without words, he walked down to the basement. He flopped onto the cold empty bed, not even bothering to cover himself up. The fever was keeping him warm enough, and eventually, his eyes became clouded. He drifted off to sleep.
+
Chris tossed and turned in the bed, his body soaked in a puddle of sweat. His body was so cold, yet it he felt extremely hot. He mindlessly glanced at his phone, it was 3:30 in the morning. The bones holding his body together hurt just from the small movement. He needed to get up, he needed help, but he couldn't do it alone.
"M-M-Matt.......N-Nick...."
He needed them now, he glanced around the room as hid vision went spotty. Chris yelled, he tried to scream but there was no use. Before he knew it, he leaned over the side of the bed and within a snap of a finger the room went dark. Unaware of the serious situation that was unfolding. His body went numb, and stayed that way.
+
Nick's icy blue eyes popped open, the sunlight burning his eyes intensely. He proceeded to grab his phone off the bedside table. It was 12:30 p.m. Nick felt the bed beside him, realizing that Chris never did try to sneak into his bed in the middle of the night. He figured Matt took him in for the night. After scrolling on all his socials, Nick headed down the stairs where he saw a wet-headed Matt sitting on the kitchen island.
"Hey Matt. Your hair looks insane, bro."
Nick exclaimed, ruffling Matt's messy hair.
"Hey maybe I should take a picture of your hair and post it, you know how much the girls love a 'Messy Matt Hair Moment'. They'd seriously be drooling."
"Bro stop."
Matt pushed Nick's hands away from his hair.
"Where's Chris? Still in your bed?"
Nick questioned, knowing his brother probably wasn't awake yet.
"No. He didn't stay with me last night..."
"What? He didn't?"
"No, I thought he'd come to your room at some point. He went downstairs right before I went to bed. I didn't think he'd stay there all night though."
The boys were puzzled, wondering why Chris stayed by himself last night. Normally, Chris hated to sleep by himself. A strange feeling cascaded through the kitchen. However, they just shook it off, knowing Chris always stayed up late playing Fortnite and listening to music.
"He probably stayed up late last night, probably just catching up on sleep now."
"Yeah, I'm sure you're right."
Matt had decided that pancakes sounded good for breakfast so Nick started cooking. Since they were unable to make a new "video ideas list" last night due to their brothers aggravating clinginess, Matt decided to take another shot at it.
"I mean, I have the period cramp machine already. Should we go ahead and do it?"
"Fuck no."
Nick hissed, stirring the batter.
"Okay, well what about another blind, mute, and deaf video."
"Overdone, tacky, and predictable."
"Alright then Nick, tell me one of your ideas then."
"I don't know."
"Exactly."
The pair had decided to put away the list during breakfast, knowing it would only cause more of a fight. They talked about Matt's personal project, Spacecamp, and about a movie Matt had watched last night. It was a truly wholesome conversation, which they normally wouldn't have because of Chris's attention deficit and neediness.
"You think it's weird that Chris still isn't up yet? It's after 1 now."
"That is strange. Shouldn't he be awake by now?"
Matt asked, feeling a tinge of worry in his stomach.
"I don't know, maybe I should go check on him?"
"You can, I'm sure he's still asleep or on his phone."
"Yeah, yeah, I'll be right back."
Nick walked down the stairs slowly, not expecting the scene he was walking into. Chris's bedroom door was open (that wasn't weird). As Nick quietly entered the room, he noticed that Chris seemed to look more pale than normal. As he got closer, Nick could see the sweat pouring down Chris's forehead. His eyes were shut, and he seemed like he was peacefully sleeping but Nick still decided to wake him up.
"Chris."
He rubbed Chris's shoulder, and that still didn't wake him up.
"Chris, Chris, it's time to wake up. It's legit 1 o'clock dude."
Nothing.
"You can't sleep all day."
"Chris...Chrissy..."
Finally, Chris's body started slowly moving.
"My god Chris, you were starting to scare me."
Nick joked, expecting his brother to laugh with him. But, he didn't react. His skin looked ghostly pale, even more than it did when Nick had entered his bedroom. Chris's eyes weren't fully opening. He tried to speak, but only gibberish escaped his mouth.
"I-I-I...."
"What, Chris?"
Nick questioned, his tone now becoming panicked and full of worry.
"W-Wanted-b-but I-"
"Chris, you aren't making any sense. Did you stay up late or something?"
"I-I felt-like-weekend-was-yesterday-but-now-"
Nick chuckled nervously, trying to distract himself from becoming scared. Maybe Chris was just having a hard time waking up for some reason. Who knows. Nick just needed his brother to wake up and act normal right now. But, that didn't happen.
"W-W-Was h-here-there-I-just-"
Chris's body began to shake, his forehead continued dripping with sweat, and his blue eyes popped open. Then, he shrieked out in pain. He began to make crying noises, but no tears were falling, he balled his hands up, grabbing his hair and pulling. This sounded like a scene from the exorcist, all the agonizing pain Chris was in became apparent.
"Chris, what the actual fuck?! Oh my god, uh,-"
Nick knew something was wrong now, and he needed help. Now! Without hesitation, he ran to the bottom of the steps, screaming Matt's name. His breathing quickened, and adrenaline took over his body completely. He was on autopilot. His only focus was getting help.
"MATT! MATT!!"
"What?"
Matt yelled back, confused.