Sturniolo Triplets One Shots

Unsteady (Matt)

Matt Sturniolo stood by the window in their Los Angeles home, staring out at the city lights twinkling in the distance. The soft hum of the night was pierced by the familiar strains of "Unsteady" playing softly from his phone. He closed his eyes, letting the music wash over him, its haunting melody stirring memories and emotions long kept at bay.
Anxiety gripped his chest like a vise, tightening with each passing beat of the song. The lyrics resonated deeply tonight, echoing his own inner turmoil. He had always been the rock for his brothers, the stable one, but tonight, he felt anything but steady.
Images flashed through his mind—moments of doubt, fears of inadequacy, the relentless pressure to keep it together. His breath quickened, becoming shallow and erratic. The weight of expectations—his own and others'—pressed down on him, suffocating him in a blanket of dread.
The song's chorus played, and Matt felt tears prickle at the corners of his eyes. He tried to move, to escape the suffocating grip of anxiety, but his legs felt like lead. His heart raced, pounding in his ears like a drumbeat that wouldn't stop.
Nick noticed the change immediately, rushing to his side. "Matt, breathe," he urged, his voice a lifeline in the chaos. But Matt couldn't find his breath, couldn't silence the tumultuous thoughts racing through his mind.
"I can't," Matt gasped, his voice strained and raw. Panic surged through him, a tidal wave threatening to consume everything in its path. He felt dizzy, disconnected from reality, trapped in a nightmare of his own making.
Nick held him steady, grounding him with a firm grip on his shoulders. "Focus on me," Nick instructed gently, his voice cutting through the haze of panic. Slowly, painfully, Matt tried to match his brother's steady rhythm of breathing.
Minutes passed like hours, the world reduced to the sound of Nick's voice and the sensation of his brother's touch. Gradually, the storm inside him began to calm, the panic subsiding to a dull ache in his chest.
As the song faded into silence, Matt leaned heavily against Nick, drained and trembling. "Thank you," he whispered, his voice hoarse with emotion. Nick squeezed his shoulder in response, a silent vow to always be there.
Together, they stood in the quiet room, the weight of the night lingering around them. Tomorrow was another day, another chance to face his fears, but for now, in the aftermath of the storm, Matt found solace in the unconditional support of his brothers.
In the stillness of the early morning, as dawn painted the sky in hues of pink and gold, Matt knew that despite his struggles, he was not alone. Together, the Sturniolo triplets navigated the turbulent waters of life, bound by love, understanding, and the unbreakable bond of brotherhood.