Title: stay awake ~ nick sturniolo
One second Nick was arguing with Chris about how they should film the intro to their next video — standing on the desk was not a good idea — and the next second, his foot slipped on the edge of the chair.
Matt didn’t even have time to shout before Nick hit the floor.
There was a sickening crack when his head connected with the hardwood.
Chris was on the floor before Matt could move, panicked hands already on Nick’s shoulders, shaking lightly. “Nick? Dude? Are you—”
Nick blinked up at him, dazed. “What…? What happened…?”
“You fell, idiot!” Chris’s voice cracked with fear more than frustration. “You hit your head — you hit it hard. Are you okay? Do you feel sick? Can you see? Can you hear me? Do you know where you are?”
Nick blinked again, slower this time. “Stop yelling at me.”
Chris deflated immediately, scrubbing a hand down his face. “Sorry. Sorry, I’m just— Matt, help me, please.”
Matt was already beside them, crouching low to look at Nick’s face. His stomach turned when he noticed how pale Nick had gone, how his pupils weren’t focusing right.
“Okay. Okay, this is fine,” Matt said, more to himself than anyone else. “Nick, look at me. How’s your head?”
Nick winced. “Loud. Hurts. Really dizzy.”
Matt exchanged a look with Chris. “We’re not messing around with this. Concussion. We need to keep him awake.”
Chris nodded quickly, helping Matt ease Nick into a sitting position against the couch. Nick groaned at the movement, head lolling a little before Matt steadied him with a careful hand to the back of his neck.
“You’re alright,” Matt said gently. “You’re alright, we’ve got you. Just stay with us, okay? No sleeping yet.”
Nick’s breathing was shallow, uneven. “Feels bad. Like… nauseous.”
Chris was already back with a trash can and a glass of water. “Here. Just in case.”
Matt settled onto the floor beside Nick, close enough to keep him upright if he started to slump. “Tell me what day it is.”
Nick scowled weakly. “Seriously?”
“Yeah. Seriously. Humor me.”
Nick groaned. “That’s not good.”
Chris swore under his breath. “Should we take him to the ER? Matt?”
Matt hesitated. He didn’t want to overreact, but Nick’s eyes weren’t right, and his words were starting to slur the longer he sat there.
“Yeah,” Matt said, firm now. “Get your keys. We’re not risking it.”
Chris was gone in a flash. Matt stayed where he was, one hand pressed steady against Nick’s back, grounding him.
“You’re doing good,” Matt said, quieter now. “I know this sucks, but you’re doing really good. Just stay awake for me a little longer.”
Nick’s head tipped toward Matt’s shoulder, heavy and clumsy. “M’sorry. Didn’t mean to… fall.”
“I know. It’s okay. That’s not what I’m worried about right now.”
Nick made a small, miserable sound in his throat. “Feel like I’m gonna throw up.”
“That’s fine too. We’re prepared.”
Chris reappeared, jacket already in hand. “Car’s running.”
Between them, they got Nick upright, though his legs didn’t want to cooperate. Matt practically carried him out to the car while Chris hovered, pale and panicked.
In the backseat, Matt kept a hand on Nick’s shoulder the whole time, squeezing gently whenever Nick’s eyes started to drift closed.
“Stay with me, Nick. Talk to me.”
“Hurts,” Nick mumbled. “Everything… spinning.”
Chris drove faster than he probably should have.
The ER felt like an eternity.
Nick leaned heavily against Matt on the waiting room couch, head buried against his brother’s shoulder. His skin was clammy, his breath shallow, his words increasingly slurred.
Matt kept talking. Kept him grounded. Kept him awake.
“You remember where we are now?”
Nick groaned. “Hospital. Hate hospitals.”
Chris sat on Nick’s other side, rubbing slow circles between his shoulder blades. “Same, dude. But we had to. You scared the hell out of us.”
Nick didn’t answer, but he didn’t pass out, either. That was a win.
Finally, they were called back.
The doctor was calm but serious. Confirmed the concussion. Ordered scans. Told them what they already knew: Nick needed monitoring. Rest. No screens. No stress. Keep him awake for a while, then let him sleep, but carefully.
They took him home sore, miserable, and silent.
Matt settled him on the couch this time — no stairs allowed — with pillows behind him, a bucket beside him, and a cold pack against the back of his neck.
Chris hovered. “You want anything? Ice pack? Water? Food?”
Nick just shook his head.
Matt sat on the floor again, leaning back against the couch so he could see Nick’s face. “You good if we stay here? Keep you company?”
For the first time since the fall, Nick cracked the faintest, tired smile. “Don’t leave.”
“Not going anywhere,” Matt promised.
Chris dragged out a blanket, threw it over all three of them like it might help. “Guess we’re having a sleepover on the couch tonight.”
Nick closed his eyes briefly but kept answering when Matt poked him, kept murmuring quiet responses, kept squeezing Chris’s hand whenever the dizziness spiked.
It was slow. Quiet. Soft.
But when Nick finally whispered, “Thanks, guys. Love you,” it made everything worth it.
Matt smiled. “Love you too.”
Chris nodded. “Even if you’re the dumbest triplet alive.”
Nick huffed a laugh. “Still your favorite.”
And Matt, watching his brothers curled beneath the blanket, thought maybe they’d all be okay after all.