𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐥𝐨 𝐎𝐧𝐞-𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐬/𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐬 ♡

𝖲𝗈𝗆𝖾𝗍𝗂𝗆𝖾𝗌 𝖸𝗈𝗎 𝖩𝗎𝗌𝗍 𝖭𝖾𝖾𝖽 𝖺 𝖧𝗎𝗀 𝖯𝖺𝗋𝗍 3 - 𝖭𝗂𝖼𝗄

Hey y'all hope everyone is having a good week. 

Words: 1091

Recap/Summary: Sometimes You Just Need a Hug Part 2: Interaction between Marylou and Nick. 

"You alright baby?" She patted his knee.

Nick didn't verbally respond. He crossed his arms on the table, burying his face in them.

"That was a lot, I know," she wasted no time rubbing her hand up and down his back and through his hair.

"I just-I hate-" He started, but stuttered on his words, "I hate I can't help them, and I'm stressed too but I can't- I can't say anything." Nick's voice was rushed and muffled by his arms.

"Hunny, you can talk to me. I understand your stressed baby. Why don't I come to your room we can talk hunny, okay?" Marylou's tone was sweet as always.

Nick just nodded into his arms, making slow movements as he got up from the stool.

"I'm going upstairs with Nick okay?" She made an effort not to raise her voice too much, just enough to carry across the room to her husband.

"Okay," Jimmy nodded softly, still completely engulfed by his youngest sons.

♡ Marylou had gently guided her second oldest by a hand on his back, towards the staircase. As they walked to his room, she followed behind him, listening to his sniffles and watching as he rubbed at his eyes with the back of his hands. Once they came to Nick's doorway she shuffled past him, moving him slightly to the side by his waist. Making it to his bed, she fixed his duvet, and neatened up the blankets. She pulled the duvet back from where it met the pillows and patted the spot below her, "c'mon hunny, c'mere." her voice was sweet toned. 

Nick didn't answer verbally, he made his way in the direction of his mom, sitting on his bed and swinging his legs under the blankets. He couldn't fight his overwhelming need to cry. His eyes and throat burned from refusing to release his true emotions. He could feel his temples ache as he clenched his teeth together in frustration. Annoyed with himself for feeling this way. 

"Nick, sweetheart," Marylou had positioned herself on the opposite side of the bed, moving in to sit beside where Nick was laying. She was propped up by a few pillows and the headboard as she hummed softly, "you don't need to bottle yourself up. Tell me what's wrong hunny." she positioned him so his head was on her lap, giving easier access to run her fingers through his hair and down his back. 

Her voice and soothing scalp massage acted as the catalyst for the tears that flooded down Nick's face. Unable to maintain control any longer, sobs ripped from his once stoic frame. His body curled itself closer to his mom, awkwardly holding position half in her arms. Desperate for comfort, he clung to the hug his mother had him in. Nick continued to cry out in emotional pain, his sobs taking advantage of their rare occurrence. No conversation was exchanged for several minutes, only a sweet mantra of you're okay's and I'm here baby's. coming from Marylou.  Nick lost his internal dialogue for once, the only thing in existence was the hand running up and down his back. The feeling all-encompassing his mind and body. He mediated in the peacefulness, the only sound being his mom's whispered words of comfort. 

Soon enough Nick, expectedly, became painfully self aware and embarrassed by his uncharacteristic emotional state. As sniffles took over his cries, his body became rigid in his mom's arms. No longer able to find peace in the comfort, he was reminded of his reality, shame creeping into his mental space. He wasn't unfamiliar with crying in his mom's arms, but he hadn't for years, this wasn't okay he thought to himself. Thoughts flooded his mind, feeling very much ashamed of the emotion he had surprised himself by revealing. He was about to isolate himself, about to lie and say he was now fine. However, his mom's started to whisper, "Nicky, can you tell me what's wrong hunny?", her tone full of concern and far from judgement. 

"I-I," he stuttered trying to even his breathing, his struggle meant with a kiss on his forehead, "I just feel overwhelmed sometimes, my mood is-is so influenced by them and I can't deal with it right now, on top of everything, like there's so much editing and filming and they both, like Chris has gone through. With everything with his allergies and tour and he's been so upset and I want to be there, but it's hard on me too. And Matt he helps and I'm not saying I don't want Chris or Matt to come to me, I like so much that they do I just get overwhelmed too you know." Nick rambled on as every singular event or emotion he had been through in the last couple weeks poured out as evidence for his stress. 

Marylou squeezed him, running fingers around his curls, "I know baby, you've always been the leader one and I know that's hard for you, you have to have time to take care of yourself too but I know that's hard when Chris and Matty need you too," she started, "would you ever think about a break hunny?" she questioned. 

"We can't, the fans, they wouldn't-" 

"Could you post older videos? That way you have a break but you still have videos."

Nick paused for a second, thinking about the suggestion. His mom, and his family as a whole didn't completely understand the ins and outs of his and his brothers' job. Which was a fair take, as it wasn't something his parent's had ever had to think about, he didn't expect them to understand the process of producing content. However, his mom, as uneducated on Youtube as she was, she did have a point. It was a valid proposition, posting older, or pre-recorded, Nick thought, videos so him and his brothers could take time for themselves again. 

"That actually would work, maybe over Christmas." Nick's mind raced with ideas of content, elated to bring the idea up with Matt and Chris. 

Dare I mention a Part 4? I really hope the Nick angst was good to read, I'm obvi not too familiar with writing literally anything other than Chris whump LOL. 

Correct me if I'm wrong but I feel like ending on that note is pretty self-explanatory? Like we know the vibes of the Christmas content, and thought it was fun to kinda tie all that into this storyline.