Chapter Text
August 10, 2024
Chris wakes up in his childhood bedroom with a strange sort of pit in his stomach.
His legs are tangled up in a pile of sheets and blankets, a result of his tossing and turning, and his feet are freezing despite being covered in socks. He hardly slept at all the night before, if you could even consider going to bed at 3AM and waking up at 5AM “sleep.”
Usually when Chris finds himself laying awake at night with racing thoughts, he doesn’t hesitate to seek out one or both of his triplet brothers.
Sometimes he’ll walk down the hall to Matt’s room, purposely stepping on the one creaky footboard in the hallway so Matt can hear him coming. He’ll open the door, offer a soft “hey,” and plop down on his designated side of Matt’s bed. Other times he’ll sneak down to Nick’s room, enter with a quiet knock, and burrow into the ridiculous amount of blankets and pillows that make up Nick’s bed.
They never ask what’s wrong. They know Chris, and knowing Chris means knowing that sometimes he just needs company. Chris has always preferred sleeping with someone else at his side, even when nothing is wrong, though Nick and Matt have an annoying way of being able to read straight through him no matter what he’s feeling.
Chris rarely tells them what exactly is going on in his head, but he doesn’t have to. They can somehow tell the difference between when he just wants company versus when he needs it. Maybe he’s just imagining it, but Chris swears they’re somehow gentler on the nights he sneaks into their rooms with his mind racing or stomach filled with knots.
And he’s sure tonight would’ve been no different. They’re right there, just steps away. But Chris feels paralyzed, glued to his bed, stuck to suffer this fate alone. By himself. Which is exactly how he’ll be spending the next week of his life.
Alone.
It’s an entirely foreign concept to him. And not one that he’s particularly excited to explore. Growing up as a triplet left pretty much no room for doing anything by himself, and Chris is fine with that. He did plenty of things individually— archery, parkour, guitar and drum lessons, classes in school— but he never did anything alone.
When he was at the training gym for parkour lessons, his dad and Matt were up in the observation deck, Matt’s identical blue eyes watching through the glass. When he’d finish guitar lessons and climb into his mom’s minivan with a guitar case nearly as big as him, Nick was always there to help him lug it into the back seat. Even the years in elementary school that Chris was the triplet chosen to be in a class by himself, and in high school when all three of them had slightly different schedules, he’d still see his brothers in passing every couple of hours. At recess, in the hallways, during electives or study hall, in the cafeteria at lunch, and if nothing else he could always count on being able to go home to their company.
Nick and Matt have always been there, floating in his orbit. Or rather, maybe he’s always been floating in theirs. Either way, Chris has never been away from them for more than a few hours. He’s spent a total of 21 years on earth, approximately 7,665 days, and he’s never been without his brothers for a single one of them. Until now.
And the thing is, Chris was really honestly pretty excited for this idea they’d had to spend a week apart. Nick has done his fair share of exploring his individuality and spending time apart from his brothers, and Matt and Chris both agreed it was probably time for them to do the same. So when their friend Madison invited Nick to join her for a leg of her international tour, they thought it’d be the perfect opportunity to each do their own thing.
Chris called dibs on staying at home in Boston, so Matt booked his plane tickets to go back to LA a week early. Chris made loose plans to hang out with Nate, to spend time with his parents, to go to some of his favorite places while he was home, and for weeks he’s been convincing himself that he’s actually kind of looking forward to it.
That was up until they were actually in Boston, back in their childhood home, and nerves started sneaking their way into the space between his ribs. And Chris' immediate reaction, just like it has been for the last 21 years, was to seek out his brothers. To go annoy Nick in his room or tag along with Matt on an errand, and suddenly it hit him in a way that felt far too real: for the next week, he wouldn’t be able to do that anymore.
It makes him feel like the biggest fucking baby ever.
He’ll be fine. He doesn’t need Nick and Matt. He knows that. And he knows that this week will probably, hopefully, prove to him that he really will be okay without them. But somehow that thought, the thought of them being okay without each other, feels just as scary.
Chris lets out a low groan, rubbing at his eyes that he’s sure are puffy with lack of sleep, and turns off his last alarm before it can even go off. He tugs on a hoodie and groggily shuffles to the hall bathroom, thinking that if he can’t sleep he can at least get somewhat ready for the day, go downstairs and eat a snack, maybe even spend a last little bit of time with Nick and Matt before they leave for the airport.
Or not. Because as he probably should’ve guessed, neither of them are downstairs in the kitchen when he gets there, or even 15 minutes later when they’re about to leave. It’s just him and his parents who are bustling around the house, his mom cleaning up breakfast and his dad getting ready to help load the car with all of Nick and Matt’s things. Chris sighs and pulls out his phone to text them, mentally preparing himself for the next week of his life to look just like this.
—
TRIPLETS
5:27 AM (EST)
Chris
matt are u awake
we’re leaving soon
Matt
after ur loud ass was banging around the bathroom??
yeah i’m fucking awake
Nick
gooood morning to you too sunshine!!
Chris
ok well then get ur bitch ass downstairs we’re leaving
also not a good morning at all actually nick
Nick
well aren’t you both just beacons of positivity this morning
Matt
oh because you’re always soooo positive nick
Chris
can yall stop fighting and help me and dad load the car
nick we need your suitcase
Nick
i need you to help me finish packing it
Matt
nick 💀
be so fucking for real
Chris
nick are you serious
we’re supposed to leave in like 10 minutes
Nick
i folded all my clothes and stuff
that’s like the hardest part
i just need help packing it
Matt
a 21 year old full grown adult btw
if packing is the easy part, just do it yourself ??
Chris
you know what
this is fine actually
just miss your flight and stay here !
😄
Matt
nice try kid 💔
Nick
a 21 year old full grown adult who always gets his suitcase packed for him
not gonna change that up today
Chris
why not
i’m a 21 year old full grown adult who's always with his brothers
and we’re changing THAT today
Nick
yeah bc that NEEDS to be changed
like fr
it’s for your own wellbeing
we need to grow and be independent
Chris
ok then pack ur own suitcase mr. independent
since you're so into growth and change
Matt
sounds like today is a great day for both of you to change 😀
Nick
perfect you can join in too
maybe you can try not being an ass
Matt
maybe you can try not pissing me off
Chris
NICK
i fr need your bag
like now
Nick
FINE i’m coming
give me like 2 seconds
if anything breaks its ur fault and ur paying for it
Chris
???
tf
no im not
Matt
chris do u have the vlog camera
Chris
yeah
but you’re taking it
Matt
ik that’s why i’m looking for it 😐
ok ready to go
coming down
Nick
me too !
TRIPLETS
8:34 AM (EST)
Matt
on the plane !
Nick
made it to our gate JUST in time
Matt
yeah lady at the desk was tweaking
Nick
for literally no reason too
the plane has just been sitting here forever we haven’t even started moving
Matt
fr i’ve watched almost a whole episode of breaking bad
Chris
trev misses u guys already
Nick
awww “trev” misses us 🥺🥰
Chris
fuck u i don’t miss you yet
it’s been like an hour
Matt
longest hour of your life i'm sure
Chris
matt shut up ur even worse than me
Matt
ME ???
i actually like being alone
Chris
🤨
Matt
just not in public !
Nick
we’re well aware
Chris
oh we know
Nick
omg we should do challenges while we’re apart
like matt you have to go to a party by yourself or something
Chris
matt going to a party AT ALL would be a challenge
Matt
FUCK no
absolutely not
Chris emphasized "FUCK no"
Chris
yeah i don’t think we need challenges
but we could have check ins
like about how much we miss each other
Nick
aw are you filming the first one right now???
Chris
no idiot the vlog hasn’t started yet and i don't miss you at all
Matt
technically the vlog has started
we filmed in the car
Chris
🤓☝🏼 “technically the vlog has started”
Matt disliked " 🤓☝🏼 "technically the vlog has started""
Nick
FINALLY
plane is moving!!!
about to take off soon i think
Chris
well i’m going back to sleep now
Matt
me too
if this lady behind me stops yapping
Nick
💀
good luck with that
i can literally hear her from my seat
Matt
i thank god every day for noise cancelling headphones
top 10 inventions ever
Chris
what are ur other top 9
Matt
idk
probably zoloft
and pomegranates
Nick
and garlic bread
Chris
pretty sure i only asked matt
we know ur answers nick
and they're all food
Nick
fuck you
matt literally said pomegranates
which also isn't even a real invention
Matt
tell that to god
Chris
💀
Nick
we know what yours is chris
Chris
?
can't wait to hear how wrong this guess is
Nick
phones bc u wouldn't make it a single day apart from me and matt if you couldn't text or call us
Chris
weak ass comeback
i expect better from u
Nick
don’t be a bitch just bc u know im right
Chris
i mean yeah im not gonna deny it
but idk why ur acting all tough when ur literally the same
Matt
i think we're ALL thankful for phones
also we're fr about to take off now
Nick
thanks victoria justice
Chris liked "also we're fr about to take off now"
Chris
love you guys, fly safe
text me when you land
Matt
we will
love you too
Nick
love you chris
❤️
TRIPLETS
12:33PM (PST)
3:33PM (EST)
Nick
LANDED
🥳🥳🥳🥳
Chris loved “LANDED”
Chris
at 3:33 !!!
Matt loved “at 3:33 !!!”
Nick
12:33 for us
but sure
Chris
ok and whats 1+2
3
3:33
Matt
how is THAT ur logic
like just say we’re from boston so EST wins
Nick
no actually i fuck with it
ur right chris
333
Chris
triplet type shi 😤😤
Nick
🙂↕️
wait matt where tf did u go
Matt
jet bridge
Nick
wtf
ur already off the plane ????
how
my seat was literally in front of u
Matt
only by 2 rows
i had my shit together and was ready to go
also have to piss SO bad
Chris
go piss gurl
Nick
ME TOO
wait for me i’m getting off rn
Chris
ur doing whatttt
Nick disliked “ur doing whatttt”
Matt
yeah so i already left
Nick
MATT
omfg u couldn’t wait 30 fucking seconds for me
Matt
NICK I HAVE TO PISS
Nick
ok well u could still hold it for me
Matt
hold what
my pee or ur dick ???
Chris
💀😭
Nick
stfu
don’t be a freak u know what i meant
Chris
nah bro u worded that BAD
Matt
acting like you need me to help you piss
Nick
i don’t need ur help idiot
i’m just appalled you couldn’t wait literally TWO SECONDS for me
Chris
acting like you don’t sprint off and leave us behind all the time
Matt emphasized “acting like you don’t sprint off and leave us behind all the time”
Nick
not my fault yall walk slow
also i don't do that when we’re TRAVELING TOGETHER
Matt
waiting for you now
by the first bathroom
since apparently you can’t go by yourself
🙄
Nick disliked “since apparently you can’t go by yourself”
Chris
yall look at this edit of us and quen
goes so hard
Nick
YEEEEESSSSSSSS
QUENNNNNNNN
need to collab w her again asap
or even just hang out
that was so fun
Matt
we need to learn how to actually cook first
i couldn’t even mix fucking pancakes 💀
Nick
yeah that was embarrassing for you
Chris
ok and you couldn’t even cut a potato the right way nick
Nick
and you couldn’t do fucking anything in the kitchen
Matt
okay i think we can ALL learn how to cook better
Nick
what is with you and this victoria justice quote today 😭
Matt
just trying to mediate !
Chris
wow there really is first time for everything
Matt disliked “wow there really is a first time for everything”
Nick
our cooking might have been ass
but our actual video content ate down
Chris
NUMBER 1 TRENDING VIRAL IKTR 😤😝😮💨💯
Matt
no fr that collab was actually rlly fun
Chris
she’s so fucking funny
not as funny as you though nick ❤️🥰🥰
Nick
you’re ridiculous
Chris
you love it
Nick
unfortunately
TRIPLETS
2:26PM (PST)
5:26PM (EST)
Matt
chris
Chris
?
Matt
we just had the craziest uber experience ever
Nick
no like actually bonkers
i thought we were being pranked
Matt emphasized "i thought we were being pranked"
Chris
????
Matt
well for starters, she drove us thru in n out
Nick
yeah and she needed to
that was our payment for listening to her wacky ass stories
Chris
wait whaaaat
tell me more
Nick
wait i feel like this has to wait for a car video
Chris
NOOOOO
fuck that
fr
you always do this shit
you say it needs to wait and then you forget to tell me
like stop edging me
just tell me now
Nick
ok damn !
Chris
😁
just call me
Matt
we’re still in the car with her 💀
almost home though
Nick
we’ll give you the highlights now and call you later
Chris loved “we’ll give you the highlights now and call you later”
Nick
let me start by saying... she’s so nice
truly a sweetheart
but just went through a WILD divorce
that we know wayyy too many details about now
Matt
literally spent the whole time we were in the drive thru reading us all of her texts between her and her exhusband
Nick
which were crazy
Matt
but then told us that she doesn’t even miss him bc she’s “way better than he ever was at fulfilling her own needs, if you know what i mean”
and we knew exactly what she meant
Nick emphasized “and we knew exactly what she meant”
Matt
but then she told us all about her favorite new toy anyways
Chris
no 💀
Matt
yep !
Chris
like actually no fucking way
Nick
she also had a huge ass bag of cat litter in the back seat
so i, the PASSENGER, literally had to move that shit to the front so that me and matt had a place to sit
Matt
okay but her cat was actually so cute though
he's orange and really fluffy
and his name is pumpkin 😭
Chris
she had the cat WITH HER?
Matt
no
sadly
Nick
honestly wouldn’t have been surprised if she did though
I was expecting him to jump out any second
Matt
bro i wish
that would have made all the crazy shit worth it
but no she just showed us a bunch of pictures and videos
she got him right after the divorce
Chris
wait how did you end up at in n out
Nick
i was trying to talk to matt
to like signal to her that we were having a convo
so that maybe she’d take a hint and stop talking to us
so i said “we should get in n out later” and she just joined in ???
and was like “oo yeah that sounds really good”
Matt
so i texted nick and was like deadass i bet if you asked her to drive us thru right now she would
Nick
and she did
Chris
you actually asked her ???
Nick
yes 💀
Matt
fucking hilarious
we bought her a shake
Nick
lowkey we’re kinda besties now
Chris
no that’s like actually crazy
i feel like yall are making this up
Matt
unfortunately we're not
also just got home !
call you in 5
Nick emphasized “call you in 5”
Chris loved “call you in 5”
—
And they do, call Chris. It’s only a couple minutes later when his phone lights up with an incoming facetime from Nick, which he answers to see two identical faces smiling back at him. They start to recount the story again from the top, Matt trying his hardest to talk between wheezing laughs and interjections from Nick, who keeps chiming in with his usual one liners and jokes.
Chris laughs until his stomach hurts, then shares pretty much every mundane detail of his own day since they left. They talk until they run out of words, and then Nick fills the space with off-key singing and vocal stims of trending TikTok sounds. If Chris closes his eyes, he can almost, almost, pretend he’s there with them.
He thinks back to Nick’s teasing and Matt’s joke earlier, about how they’re all thankful for phones and for facetime and for generally being alive in a century that allows them to be thousands of miles apart and still feel connected. He can’t help but think how true that is. How if for the next week, or in some far (like hopefully really, really far off) future, if Chris can’t be in their orbit, at least they’ll always have this.