It's another sleepless night in your college dorm, the familiar hum of the fluorescent lights above your desk buzzing in the background. Your head is buried in a mountain of assignments, textbooks scattered around you like a fortress you can't escape. The pressure has been building for days, and now it's reaching its peak. You're stuck in a whirlwind of essays, problem sets, and projects, all due within the next 48 hours. You're exhausted, mentally and physically, but you can't stop—there's no time.
Your laptop screen is a blur of words, numbers, and deadlines, and no matter how hard you try, your brain feels foggy and uncooperative. Every time you try to focus, another wave of anxiety rushes in, and you can't help but sigh in frustration. The weight of it all is starting to feel unbearable.
"Ugh, I can't do this..." you mutter under your breath, running a hand through your hair.
Just as you lean back in your chair, letting the stress wash over you, you hear a knock at the door. Your heart skips a beat. You weren't expecting anyone—especially not at this hour. Before you can even stand up, the door opens, and in walks Nicholas, a warm, comforting presence that instantly puts you at ease.
He steps in, his face soft with concern as he takes in the scene: you, surrounded by textbooks and papers, your eyes tired and stressed.
"Hey, what's going on? You look like you're about to lose it," Nicholas says, his voice gentle but laced with concern.
You glance up at him, a weak smile tugging at your lips. "Just... everything. I've got so much homework, so many assignments due, and I feel like I'm drowning in it all. I don't know how I'm going to finish it all in time."
Nicholas doesn't hesitate. He walks straight over to you, crouching beside your chair and placing a hand gently on your shoulder. His touch is soothing, and you feel a slight weight lift off your chest as you meet his kind gaze.
"I got you," he says softly. "You don't have to do this alone. Let's figure it out together."
A sense of relief washes over you as you allow yourself to sink into his support. You're not sure if it's the exhaustion or his comforting words, but you finally feel like maybe things won't be so bad with him by your side. Nicholas gives your shoulder a reassuring squeeze before standing up and offering you his hand.
"Come on. Let's get you off this chair for a second, okay?" he says with a small smile, helping you to your feet. "I'm not going to let you drown in this stuff. We're going to take this one step at a time."
He leads you over to the couch, where he makes you sit down, your legs aching from hours of sitting at the desk. Nicholas takes a seat next to you, close enough that his presence feels like a shield, a source of comfort in the middle of your overwhelming workload.
"Alright," he says, glancing at the piles of work around you. "We're going to break this down. No more stress. First thing: breathe."
You nod, but still feel that anxiety creeping in. Nicholas, sensing it, gently guides your face toward him with one hand, his thumb brushing along your cheekbone. "Look at me. Breathe with me. In... and out." He takes a slow, deep breath, and you follow suit, matching his pace. Slowly, your breathing becomes steadier, your racing heart calming.
He smiles at you, his eyes soft and warm. "That's better. Now, I'm not saying this is going to be easy, but I'm right here. And you're not alone in this. We've got this."
You give him a grateful smile, feeling a little more grounded. He's right—you are in this together.
Without wasting any more time, Nicholas gets to work with you. He pulls a notebook from the pile, opens it to a clean page, and starts writing down a plan of action. "Okay, first things first," he says, his voice steady and focused. "Let's figure out which assignments need the most attention right now, and prioritize them."
As you start to list out your tasks, he listens patiently, his eyes fixed on you with genuine interest. Whenever you look up at him, he gives you a reassuring smile, offering words of encouragement.
"I know this is a lot, but we're going to handle this step by step," he says, kissing the top of your head when you look at him for reassurance.
Nicholas takes over some of the work that's giving you the most trouble, explaining concepts you've been struggling with and helping you get through tricky problems. He's patient, never rushing you, always ensuring you understand what you're doing before moving on to the next thing.
"How are you feeling?" he asks after a while, his hand resting gently on your knee as you work together.
"Better. A little less... panicked," you admit, grateful for how he's helping you break everything down.
He grins, clearly proud of his efforts. "Good. You're doing great. We're almost there."
But as the hours pass, you start to feel the exhaustion creeping back in. Your eyelids grow heavy, and you let out a quiet yawn. Nicholas notices immediately, nudging you gently. "Hey, take a quick break. You've been working so hard, and I can see you need a breather. I'll be right back."
You blink, a little confused, but Nicholas is already heading toward the door, giving you a playful wink before stepping out.
You take his advice and close your eyes for a moment, allowing yourself a few minutes to rest. But soon enough, you hear him come back in, the door opening with a soft creak. When you look up, Nicholas is standing there, holding a bag in one hand, a smile on his face.
"I thought you could use a little pick-me-up," he says, setting the bag down on the table in front of you. "Your favorite meal. A little fuel for the brain."
You blink in surprise. "You got me my favorite... food?"
"Of course! I figured you could use something to keep you going." He opens the bag, revealing a delicious array of your favorite dishes, the aroma instantly making your stomach growl. You hadn't realized how hungry you were until now.
Nicholas pulls the food out, placing it in front of you with a soft smile. "Eat up. You deserve it. You've been working hard, and you've come a long way."
You look up at him, feeling incredibly grateful for everything he's done for you tonight. His thoughtfulness, his patience, and his unwavering support have made all the difference. "Thank you," you say, your voice full of sincerity. "Seriously, I don't know how I'd get through this without you."
Nicholas leans down, pressing a kiss to your forehead before sitting next to you on the couch. "You're always welcome, babe. I'm happy to help in any way I can."
As you eat, Nicholas continues to sit by your side, keeping you company and making you laugh with his silly jokes and playful teasing. He makes sure you take breaks when needed, giving you kisses every now and then to keep you motivated. Every so often, he would rub your back or squeeze your hand, reminding you that no matter how tough things get, you have someone who believes in you.
By the time you finish the meal, you're feeling better, more energized, and ready to tackle the last few tasks of the night. Nicholas stays with you through it all, helping you finish up the last of your work, his quiet encouragement and loving presence never wavering.
Hours later, as you put the finishing touches on your final assignment, you lean back in your chair, finally feeling a sense of relief. You've done it. You've made it through the storm with his help.
Nicholas looks at you, his eyes sparkling with pride. "You did it. See? I knew you could."
You smile, the exhaustion finally hitting you all at once. "I couldn't have done it without you."
Nicholas stands up, offering you his hand. "And you'll never have to."
He pulls you into a tight hug, his warmth surrounding you as you rest your head against his chest, feeling like everything is going to be okay now.
"You're my number one priority," he whispers. "And I'm always here for you, no matter what."
As you close your eyes, wrapped up in his embrace, you feel a deep sense of peace. Thanks to Nicholas, you're ready to face whatever comes next, knowing you have his love and support to guide you through it all.
