augusta ☾ sturniolo imagines

sick and tired ♡

♡ ⋆˙⟡♡ ⋆˙⟡♡ ♡ ⋆˙⟡♡ ⋆˙⟡♡

      Everybody needs someone to care for them. For the triplets' whole lives, that person had been their mom. She was their superhero, her spidey-senses often knowing they were sick before they even felt it. She knew each of her children's individual needs in any given situation as well. She would make them soup when they were sick, talked them down when they were angry, and held them when they were upset.

      It's days like today that Nick wishes he wasn't so far away from home. He woke up that morning in a cold sweat with chills, even though he was wearing long sleeves under a mound of blankets. Then, he noticed the pounding in his head and the cramping in his stomach. He knew today wasn't going to be a good day, and he could really use some home-made soup and hugs from his mom right now.

      Since moving to LA, the triplets have been faced with doing a lot of their "firsts" without their parents. Matt made his first meal at home, Chris did his first load of laundry and dishes, and Nick had paid his first bill. And now, Nick was facing his first sickness on his own.

      He sighed. He loved the independence he and his brothers had, but he forgot it meant he also had to face moments like these alone.

      His stomach churned and he groaned and stuffed his face in his pillow, trying to force himself back to sleep.

      He could've called Matt or Chris to help him, they were in the same house after all. But he also knew teenage boys weren't the best caregivers. Especially not his brothers who could barely take care of themselves in good health. Chris probably would've just handed him a sprite, with a "feel better". Matt was repulsed by anything sickness or vomiting related, even the sound of throwing up would set him off into his own coughing fit. Plus, he didn't want to bother them on their only off day that week. So, he decided he would ride it out on his own.

      He didn't end up falling asleep, but he stayed in that position for a while. He couldn't get up to get medicine to help his pain, it hurt him to move anything. So he decided to suffer in silence, while reminiscing all the times he took not feeling like death itself for granted.

     When past lunchtime had rolled around and neither Chris or Matt had seen Nick, they knew something was wrong. Nick was usually the first in the house out of bed, often having to be the one to drag them up. Even on days Nick slept in, he was always up before lunchtime. So, after eating the leftover Taco Bell in the fridge, they both went up the stairs and to his room. Matt did a light knock, and after a few seconds with no response they opened the door anyways.

     When they opened it they saw Nick, halfway under a pile a blankets and halfway uncovered as if he couldn't decide if he was hot or cold. He was facing down with a pillow over his head. Even just by looking at him it wasn't hard for them to pick up on the fact he wasn't feeling well.

      They shared a look and started talking, unaware that he was awake. "Shit." Chris mumbled.

     "Yeah," Matt agreed, "What do we do? I've never had to take care of someone before."

     Nick's head was pounding listening to them, and he lashed out with the pillow still over his head, "What you don't do is talk so fucking loud. I'll be fine, just leave me be."

     Chris gave Matt a grimace, and they both backed out of the room quietly. They recongregated in the kitchen, "Ok, so really- what do we do, Chris? He's clearly not fine, and he's not gonna get better if we just leave him be."

      Chris contemplated for a moment, "I don't know, I can get him like a sprite?"

      Matt gave him a "really?" look, to which he reiterated, "I told you I don't know!"