Okay, so this was only supposed to be around 1k words. I dunno what happened, but I'm not mad about it. I looked at how many stories there were in this fandom and was surprised/concerned at the amount of smut, but hey, to each their own. So, I decided to add my contribution to the fandom :D
Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy it!

Everything had started well. In fact, the week had begun normal (well, as "normal" as it could be). Now that the quads were in college, they were studying different things.

Dawn had decided to continue her soccer career while pursuing a psychology degree. Ricky chose to go for a double major in biochemistry and business. Dicky was studying abroad in Australia and was going for a history degree. Nicky wasn't entirely sure what he wanted to do, so he was undecided for now. Of course, because finals were right around the corner, everyone was scrambling to complete any last-minute assignments.

However, that also caused some problems.

Monday night found Nicky in the living room. He had his chemistry book, notebook, pencil, and calculator in his lap with his laptop to his right. The youngest quad rubbed his temples, exhaustion tugging at his body. He was on his third cup of coffee that evening, but it did nothing except make him jittery. His eyes had just slipped closed when the front door slammed open. Jolting awake, Nicky looked over to see Dawn storming in; she dropped her backpack next to his before plopping down on the couch.

"You okay?" he asked, his eyes zeroing in on the dark circles under Dawn's eyelids.

"No," she whined. "I have a soccer game Wednesday night, but I have an English paper due that night! I have other classes I need to study for, but I don't want to fail English."

"Okay, but can't you write the paper between practice and tests?"

"If only it were that easy. Ugh, I wish I hadn't taken so many classes at once! I knew sixteen credits would be too much!"

Nicky winced in sympathy, his mind going to the seventeen credits he was taking and Ricky's eighteen. His body was begging for sleep and sustenance that wasn't coffee, but he ignored it in favour of his sister's state.

"You know, I could finish your paper for you," Nicky said.

"Oh, no, Nicky, I couldn't ask you to do that," Dawn answered. "I know you've got a lot on your plate already."

"It's no biggie. Besides, it would be one less thing for you to worry about."

She pursed her lips before sighing and bringing Nicky into a hug.

"Nicky, you are a lifesaver," she breathed. "Has anyone ever told you that?"

"I'm pretty sure I've heard that a few times over the years," he laughed before returning her embrace.

Soon, Dawn was sending him her rough draft. Glancing it over, he could see that she only had the main sentence structures and quotes needed for citations. Setting aside his chemistry notes, he started typing her essay while Dawn started on another assignment.

Nicky wasn't sure how long he had been working on the paper, but it had to have been for at least an hour when Dawn stood up with a yawn.

"I'm surprised you're not exhausted," Dawn teased.

"Who says I'm not?" he replied. Nicky immediately backtracked when Dawn's face turned into one of horror. "Relax, I'm fine. Your paper is in good hands."

Dawn chuckled before she ruffled his hair as she walked by. Picking up her backpack, she made her way upstairs.

"Goodnight, Nicky."

"Night, Dawn. Make sure you get some sleep."

She waved him off with a smile. Chuckling softly, Nicky turned his attention to the paper.

Nicky opened his eyes in confusion. Wasn't it just dark outside? Pushing himself upright, he frowned when he saw that the sun was high in the sky. Groaning, Nicky rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

"Good morning, Nicky."

Looking over the back of the couch, he saw Dawn smirking down at him.

"Hey, Dawn," he mumbled. "Why're you up so early?"

"Early? Nicky, it's 9:27 AM. If anything, it's pretty late."

The youngest quad blinked.

"9:27?"

"Yeah. Nicky, don't you have an exam today?"

"What's today?"

"It's Tuesday."

"Tuesday."

Wait a minute.

"Oh, crap! My chemistry final! Crap, crap, crap!"

Quickly, Nicky stumbled towards the stairs as he rushed to make himself look like he was functioning. Five minutes later, he was running out the door in fresh clothes and a thermos filled with coffee in his hands, thanks to Dawn.

The chemistry final didn't go as horrible as he thought. Luckily, he knew what he was doing, even if he was a bit sleep-deprived.

Finally getting home late afternoon, Nicky started studying for his history exam when Ricky walked into their bedroom. The blond collapsed face-first onto his bed.

"That bad, huh?" Nicky teased.

"I just—" Ricky started before sighing. "Tomorrow is going to suck."

"Why's that?"

"I have a calculus exam tomorrow, but I have the night shift tonight. And with the holidays coming up, I don't want to tell Dad that I can't work."

Nicky pursed his lips in thought.

"Not to worry. I'll handle the night shift."

"You will?" Ricky questioned.

"Yeah," Nicky smiled. "Besides, I don't have any exams tomorrow."

"Are you sure?"

"It'll be fine. You just focus on studying and resting up for tomorrow."

Ricky broke into a grin before pulling Nicky into a hug.

"You're the best, little brother."

"You're only older by a few seconds, don't rub it in."

The blond rolled his eyes before narrowing his eyes in concern.

"Are you feeling okay?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm fine."

Ricky looked like he wanted to add something more, but Nicky turned back to Dawn's English paper. The essay itself was almost finished; it just needed a few edits.

"So, what are you working on?" Ricky asked.

"Dawn's English paper," Nicky said.

"You mean you're editing her paper, right?"

Nicky shrugged, but he didn't try to correct his brother. Hands on his shoulders turned his chair around, making him look Ricky in the eye. He tried not to fall over when a wave of dizziness made him sway slightly, his head pulsing behind his eyes.

"Nicky, please tell me you're not writing Dawn's entire paper for her," Ricky pleaded.

"Technically, I'm not writing all of it since she already wrote the rough draft," Nicky answered.

That seemed to be the wrong thing to say because Ricky sighed deeply.

"Look, it's fine! She's busy with her other classes on top of soccer. Besides, it's just this once. You didn't see how tired she was last night, Ricky."

"You're right; I didn't," Ricky allowed. "But it's still not right."

"Relax. I'll have Dawn look it over before she sends it in, and that way, if she doesn't like what she sees, she can edit it herself."

Ricky sighed again, but he nodded his head.

"I hope you know what you're doing, Nicky."

Nicky smiled. "I suppose we'll find out."

"And… Done!"

"What's done?"

He glanced up at his father.

"Hi, Dad," he spoke.

"Hey, kiddo," Tom smiled. He sat next to his youngest son. "Whatcha got there? Also, not that I'm not happy you're here, but isn't Ricky supposed to be the one working tonight?"

"Oh, um, I'm helping Dawn with her essay," a half-truth, "and Ricky had to study for his calculus exam, so I said I'd take his shift today."

"So, what's that, then?"

"Just my history notes. I've got my history final coming up."

"I see. Well, I'll leave you to it."

Tom stood up and ruffled Nicky's hair. The youngest quad hummed and resumed his studying. Other than the occasional customer, there weren't many who came over to the cafe. Seeing as he hit a lull, Nicky thought about making himself a drink, but the thought of putting anything in his body made his stomach flip.

Meh, he'd eat something later. Soon, he laid his pounding head in his arms, his eyes closing. He never noticed just how good the darkness felt, the pain fading.

Gentle hands shook his shoulders.

"Nicky? Hey, Nicky. Come on; it's time to go."

He groaned. He didn't want to get up yet.

"I know, but I'm closing the shop."

Slowly, his eyes opened again, his father swimming into view.

"There he is," Tom teased lightly. "Ready to go home?"

Nicky smiled. Carefully, he stood up and stretched his arms over his head. Sighing, Nicky allowed his father to pull him to his side, an arm around his shoulders.

"Alright, let's go."

Wednesday passed in a blur, but Nicky managed to take a nap (something Ricky and Dawn were happy about). After waking up feeling refreshed, Nicky finished the last touches of his sister's paper before showing it to her.

"Oh, my gosh, thank you so much, Nicky!" she gushed.

"No problem," Nicky replied. "You just do well at the game tonight, okay?"

"Wait, you won't be there?"

"I want to be, but I've got an exam tomorrow morning. I'm really sorry, Dawn."

"It's okay. Besides, it's not like you haven't seen me play before."

"Still, I feel bad."

"Then stop. I forgive you in advance."

Nicky rolled his eyes, but he could see that Dawn was being genuine.

"Now, I've gotta go, but I will see you later."

He waved as Dawn walked out the door. Settling on the couch, he realised Dawn had forgotten to turn the paper in. Nicky quickly logged onto her laptop and uploaded the document to the website. He then texted his sister.

To Dawn: Hey, I turned in your essay for you :)

From Dawn: Nicky, you didn't have to do that!

To Dawn: Of course I did! You would have forgotten.

From Dawn: Shhh. Thank you :)

To Dawn: Of course :D

To Dawn: Good luck tonight!

From Dawn: Same to you :P

Nicky chuckled before laying out on the couch and closed his eyes. While his body felt marginally better than the night before, his headache was now a migraine. It wasn't too bad, though (all things considered). Sure, the lights made his head hurt, and he felt mildly nauseous, but it wasn't anything he couldn't handle.

A sudden crash made him jump, his senses on high alert. Nicky stood up with a groan before stumbling over to the kitchen, where the sound had originated. There, he saw Anne.

"Mom? Are you okay?"

"Oh, honey, I'm alright," she smiled. "I just dropped my keys and purse on the metal sheet pan. What about you?"

"I'm fine," Nicky lied. "What're you doing up so late?"

"Well, it was supposed to be a surprise, but Dicky's coming home for the holidays!"

Nicky felt his mood brighten.

"That's awesome! When's he supposed to be here?"

"His flight's going to land around 4:36 AM."

"So, when are you leaving to pick him up?"

"That's the problem. I have a doctor's appointment later in the morning, and your father has the shop to run. I thought he could open late tomorrow, but he doesn't think we can afford that. So, now I'm not sure what to do."

Nicky glanced at the clock and grimaced at the glowing 1:07. He knew the airport was a two-hour drive from the house. As much as he wanted to crawl into bed, he knew his mother needed him more. Taking in a deep breath, he rolled his shoulders back.

"Let me take care of it," Nicky said.

"Nicky, no, I can't ask you to do that," Anne argued.

"Why not? You need sleep, and I'm wide awake as it is. Besides, it means I get to see Dicky first."

Anne chuckled.

"Well, if you think you're up to it, I don't see why not," she relented. "Do you want someone to come with you?"

"No, no, it's okay. I'll see you guys later tomorrow," Nicky smiled.

Nicky grabbed his car keys and phone. Anne placed a kiss on his forehead before he walked out the door.

The drive to the airport was uneventful as there was little traffic on the highway. The harsh overhead lights did little to ease the throbbing in Nicky's temples, but it was worth it to finally be able to hug his brother. He was on his phone looking over some quick notes he'd saved when he heard his name.

"Nicky!" Dicky greeted. "It's been so long!"

Nicky grinned and pulled his brother into a warm embrace.

"I missed you," he admitted softly.

"I missed you, too," Dicky replied. "As much as I love Australia, I'm happy to be home."

Nicky wanted to respond, but the migraine pounding behind his eyes made it hard to concentrate, so he just squeezed a little tighter. Luckily, Dicky seemed to understand.

"How's about we go home, yeah?"

The two got Dicky's luggage into the trunk before they were on their way. Again, there was minimal traffic, but the ride home was more exciting than the drive there, in Nicky's opinion.

"Hey, before we get to the house, do you want to grab something?" Nicky asked. "I'm pretty sure there's a Starbucks around here."

"Sure, why not?" Dicky smiled.

An iced flat white, an iced espresso, and two croissants later, the two made it to the house at 7:13 AM. Nicky and Dicky threw their empty cups and bags away before heading inside. Nicky fought to keep the smile off his face when Ricky and Dawn rushed over to hug Dicky. A wave of nausea and dizziness made him pause in place.

"I'm gonna go put his bags in our room; I'll be right back!" Nicky rushed out before he ran up the stairs.

Quickly, he tossed the luggage to the floor before feeling his knees buckle. Nicky would have crashed onto the floor if he hadn't grabbed hold of his desk. The migraine that pulsed in his temples increased to a sharp stabbing, and all Nicky wanted to do was curl up under the covers and sleep. But, alas, he still had one more exam to take.

Groaning, Nicky blinked the spots from his vision and pushed himself off the desk. He started to walk out of the bedroom when the nausea worsened, his abdomen gurgling. Nicky slapped a hand over his mouth and ran to the bathroom. Falling onto his knees in front of the toilet, he threw up the half-digested croissant and coffee. Nicky closed his eyes as the world swayed dangerously and rested his head on the toilet seat.

Nicky didn't know how long he sat there on the bathroom floor, panting and waiting for his stomach to settle, but it was long enough. Carefully, he extracted himself from the toilet bowl and flushed his mess down. After rinsing out his mouth and brushing his teeth, Nicky grabbed his car keys and backpack before walking downstairs. The youngest quad had to blink away more dark spots once he reached the landing before the last few stairs.

"Nicky? You alright?"

Looking up, Nicky saw his three siblings watching him with concern. Ricky, Dicky, and Dawn looked ready to catch him should he fall.

"I'm fine," he waved off.

Slowly, he made his way to the front door.

"Where're you going?" Dicky asked.

"I'll be back soon," Nicky answered. "I've got one more test, and then I'm done."

With that, the youngest quad stumbled out the door. Nicky stopped to grab another cup of coffee on his way to campus. It didn't sit very well in his stomach, but he was past the point of caring. Besides, if he wanted to stay awake, he'd need it.

(The coffee didn't stay down very long; as soon as Nicky had gotten to campus, he'd thrown it up in the parking lot.)

Pulling into the driveway, Nicky parked the car before leaning his head back with a smile. Finally, the end of the semester was here. As long as he passed his classes, he was happy. He didn't care about anything else. Well, there was his GPA to consider, but that could wait. Right now, all he wanted was a celebratory cup of coffee and to relax with his siblings.

As he walked in the front door, Nicky felt three pairs of arms pull him into a hug; he gave a soft exhale as he reciprocated the gesture. He heard his siblings talking to him, but everything sounded like he was underwater, his vision swimming at an alarming rate. Nicky immediately pulled away. He knew his body was crashing, but he had been hoping it would hold up for a while longer. Three different protests sounded from his siblings when he wobbled on his feet.

"Maybe you should sit down," Dawn spoke, her hands hovering around Nicky's shoulders.

"I'm fine," Nicky insisted as he set his backpack down. "Besides, I want to hang out with you guys."

"How about you get some sleep?"

"I'll sleep later."

"You know, Dawn has a point," Ricky added. "You're looking kind of pale."

He swallowed and blinked before smiling.

"Nothing, a cup of coffee can't fix."

Nicky managed to take a few steps before his knees buckled. Reacting quickly, Dicky cradled him close and slowly lowered them to the couch. His eyes fell shut, his eyelids too heavy to keep them open.

"Whoa there," Dicky murmured. "It's okay; I've gotcha."

The youngest quad tried to squirm away, but a hand touched his neck before rubbing up and down his back.

"Relax, Nicky," Ricky's voice sounded from above him. "You can rest now."

Gentle fingers combed through his tangled locks, the scent of vanilla tickling his nose. Nails scratched his scalp, and Nicky couldn't help but hum in appreciation.

"You've taken care of us all this week," Dawn murmured. "Now, let us take care of you."

Sighing deep through his nose, Nicky finally allowed his body to rest.

The next time Nicky opened his eyes, he found himself on his bed. He tried pushing himself up, but his arms refused to cooperate, his head throbbing in protest. Finally, he gave up with a groan right as the door opened.

"Whoa, hey, don't get up yet," Ricky chastised lightly.

"How long was I out for?" Nicky asked, his voice thick with exhaustion.

"It's been almost six hours, I wanna say?"

His eyes widened.

"Six hours?!" Nicky yelled as he sat up.

It quickly turned out to be a bad idea when his head whirled. The older brother rolled his eyes and pushed the younger back.

"We were hoping you'd stay out for a while longer," Ricky confessed lightly. "You were so tired, Nicky. When was the last time you got a full night's sleep?"

The youngest quad bit his lip.

"I thought so," Ricky nodded. "Anyways, it's dinner time. Mom and Dad are out having a date night, but Mom said she made us lemon herb chicken pasta."

Nicky's stomach rumbled; he winced at the volume, his hand pressing over his midsection. After almost a week of not eating right, he hadn't realised how hungry he was. Ricky gave a fond sigh before helping his brother up.

"Come on; up you get," Ricky smiled.

Once Nicky was standing, he felt a wave of dizziness wash over him. Ricky quickly wrapped an arm around Nicky's waist and secured Nicky's arm over his shoulders.

"It's okay; I've got you."

Together, the two hobbled their way downstairs.

"There he is," Dawn teased lightly. "How was your nap?"

Nicky glared at his sister, but Ricky and Dicky could tell it was playful. Ricky set Nicky down on the couch, and the youngest sank into the cushions.

"You feeling any better?"

"I'm fine."

Ricky sighed. "I believe our idiot of a brother here meant to say that yes, he feels better, but he's hungry because he forgot to consume anything except coffee all this week."

"Hey, that's not true!" Dicky countered. "He ate a croissant; I saw it!"

"Yeah… About that."

Three sets of eyes turned to look at Nicky.

"I may have, sort of, thrown it up earlier," he grimaced. "Along with everything else."

"And when was this?" Ricky questioned.

"After coming home with Dicky. And once I got to campus."

Silence.

"You really need to take better care of yourself," Dawn sighed.

"I'm working on it," Nicky mumbled.

"Oh, yeah, I can tell," Ricky muttered darkly.

Dicky sat beside his younger brother and brought him in for a one-armed hug.

"We're just worried about you," Dicky said. "You've spent this whole week helping us out."

"Yeah, you did Dawn's English paper when you didn't have to; you took my shift when you were clearly tired, and you picked Dicky up from the airport the night before your last exam," Ricky listed.

The youngest quad looked away.

"We love you, Nicky," Dawn finished. "We just don't like how you've neglected to care for yourself the same way you have for us."

Nicky opened his mouth to comment when his stomach answered for him. He crossed his arms over his midsection before hiding his face into Dicky's neck while his cheeks grew hot in embarrassment.

"Alright, let's get some food in you," Ricky chuckled. "Dawn?"

"Already on it," she answered.

Once Dawn was in the kitchen, Ricky sat on the other side of Nicky. He gently shook Nicky's shoulder to make the youngest quad look at him. Slowly, Nicky blinked up at Ricky.

"So, how are you feeling?"

"I'm fine," Nicky replied.

"No, you're not!" Ricky yelled. He took in a deep breath after Nicky flinched back. "Look, I know it's hard to confess when something's wrong. But, admitting you have a problem is always the first step. In this case, allowing yourself to feel what your body's been trying to tell you is a good first step."

"So, Nicky, how do you feel?" Dicky asked.

The youngest quad bit his lip.

"It's okay not to be okay. You know that, right?"

As much as he wanted to deny everything, he couldn't keep running forever.

"To be honest, I don't feel too good," Nicky murmured.

"Well, I'm sure you'll feel better after you eat something," Dawn said, a plate in her hands.

Dicky reached out for the plate and set it in his lap. He stabbed the fork into some of the pasta and held it in front of Nicky's lips. Nicky furrowed his brows in confusion.

"Open up, Nicky," Dicky smiled.

Immediately, he glared at Dicky, but Nicky knew he was in no position to complain. He looked away as he opened his mouth. Dicky's face lit up as he fed his younger brother a bite of pasta. Nicky hummed in approval.

"Good, isn't it? Here comes another bite!"

"Don't say it like that, please," Nicky spoke.

"Sure thing, little brother."

The youngest quad scowled while Ricky and Dawn giggled. Nicky angrily ate the food off the fork in front of him, making his siblings laugh harder.

"I hate you," he mumbled.

"We love you too, Nicky," Ricky answered.

Nicky managed a few more bites before he felt nausea swirling in his stomach.

"N-no more."

"But you've only had a quarter of the plate!" Dawn argued.

"Please," Nicky begged. "I'll eat more later."

"Just one more bite."

One more bite turned into another, and soon, the plate was empty.

"See? That wasn't so hard, was it?" Dicky asked.

Not wanting to worry his siblings, Nicky nodded in agreement. His stomach was not happy with him, but he refused to listen to its protests. Slowly, Nicky stood up when a wave of dizziness made him sway dangerously.

"Whoa, easy there," Dawn spoke, her hands grabbing hold of Nicky's shoulders. "I think it's time for bed."

Nicky let his siblings corral him upstairs. Admittedly, he was still exhausted, even with his six-hour nap. The last thing he heard before passing out was three variations of "goodnight, Nicky."

There was no warning before Nicky was thrust out of sleep and into wakefulness. His eyes widened, and he bolted out of bed to the bathroom. Crashing onto his knees, he barely managed to get his chin over the lip of the bowl before he puked up the food his siblings had forced down his throat. Nicky gasped for breath, his stomach refusing to settle. He closed his eyes when the bathroom started blurring together.

"Nicky? You okay?"

Reluctantly, he opened his eyes to look at the fuzzy outlines of Ricky, Dicky, and Dawn. The world tilted and spun dangerously enough that his stomach rebelled. Nicky turned his face away from his siblings, but he wasn't fast enough to avoid throwing up onto the floor; he grimaced at the vomit chunks on his pyjamas and the tile under his knees. He heard Dawn shoo his brothers out of the bathroom before she sat beside Nicky.

"Oh, Nicky," Dawn cooed.

"'M sorry," Nicky mumbled. "You prolly think I'm gross."

"You don't have to apologise."

Another heave had Nicky leaning over the toilet, and Dawn rubbed his back.

"I'm sorry you don't feel good."

"Not your fault."

Finally, Nicky's stomach stopped its torment on his body. Panting, he started to lean against Dawn when he thought better of it and collapsed against the wall. Dawn stood up, and Nicky closed his eyes when everything started swimming. He could hear his sister flush the toilet and run the tap from the sink. Nicky was almost asleep when something cold and wet touched his face, startling him. His eyes flew open, a decision he immediately regretted when the world tipped; he couldn't stop the whimper that escaped his throat.

"I'm sorry, I probably should have warned you first," Dawn said.

"I's okay," Nicky slurred. "You jus' surprised me, is all."

Dawn hummed as she started cleaning the vomit from his face. Nicky wanted to protest that he wasn't a child, but he didn't think he could move even if he wanted to. Two sets of footsteps made him glance up; Ricky and Dicky stood in the doorframe, a glass of water in Dicky's hands and a clean set of pyjamas in Ricky's.

"I'll leave you two to it," Dawn spoke as she finished cleaning up Nicky's face.

Wait, what?

The confusion must have shown on his face since Dawn took pity on him. "Nicky, no offence or anything, but I don't think you're in a state to be by yourself."

Nicky shrugged. It was hard to be insulted when what she said was probably true. Smiling, Dawn patted his shoulder before leaving the bathroom. Dicky and Ricky placed the items they were holding on the counter.

"Okay, let's get you off the floor," Ricky began. "Dicky, come help me."

Together, the two older brothers picked Nicky up and sat him on the toilet lid. Nicky immediately leaned against the counter, the will to stay upright nonexistent. Carefully, Dicky peeled off the vomit-stained clothes while Ricky used the washcloth to wipe any remaining residue off Nicky's skin. Then, they put the clean pyjamas on Nicky and handed him the glass of water (he noticed it was only half-full).

"Take a few sips," Ricky instructed. "Not too much, though. I don't want you getting sick again."

"Thank you," Nicky murmured. "You didn't have to help me."

"Of course we did. You're our brother."

"Yeah," Dicky added. "Besides, it doesn't look like you would have gotten this far without us."

Suddenly, Ricky and Dicky seemed to take in Nicky's sluggish behaviour and frowned.

"Hey, Nicky?"

"Hmm?"

"I know you just threw up a few minutes ago, but are you feeling okay?" Ricky asked. "You seem a bit out of it."

"'M fine," Nicky answered. "'M jus' tired."

Ricky narrowed his eyes before cupping his hand to Nicky's forehead. He felt the heat radiating off the other, and the blond immediately started looking through the cabinet for the thermometer.

"Alright, Nicky, open up," Ricky ordered.

The youngest quad didn't protest as Ricky placed the thermometer under his tongue. When the device beeped, Ricky's eyes widened.

"103.1. No wonder you're out of it! You're sick!"

Quickly, Ricky and Dicky got Nicky back under the covers. The youngest quad was asleep before his head touched the pillow.

When Nicky opened his eyes, he was confused about how he got back into bed. Carefully, he left the comfort of his sheets and walked downstairs. There, Nicky saw his siblings sitting on the couch. He cleared his throat, and they turned to look at him.

"Welcome back to the world of the living," Dicky teased.

"Thank you?"

His brothers pulled him closer to the couch before seating him between Ricky and Dicky.

"Why didn't you tell us you were sick?" Dicky asked.

"I'm not sick," Nicky replied.

"Well, you had a high fever last night that would say otherwise," Ricky told him.

Nicky could only blink.

"Well, I feel better now," he said.

Dawn raised an eyebrow before cupping her fingers against Nicky's forehead.

"You don't feel too warm, but let's check your temperature just in case," Dawn spoke.

Ricky handed her the thermometer, and Nicky rolled his eyes. Once it beeped, he snatched it before any of his siblings could.

"What's it say?"

"It says I'm fine," Nicky answered.

"Forgive me if I don't believe you," Ricky said before taking the thermometer from his younger brother. "100 even. Not great, but better than last night."

"Wait, how bad was it last night?"

"You mean you don't remember?" Dicky questioned.

"Should I?"

The three exchanged concerned glances.

"How about this; what do you remember from last night?" Dawn started.

"I know I ran to the bathroom to throw up, but past that? Not much," Nicky admitted.

"You had a fever of 103.1, so I'm not surprised," Ricky said.

Nicky's eyes widened. "It was that high?!"

"Oh, yeah," Dicky nodded. "You were super out of it last night."

The youngest quad flopped back, his hands covering his face.

"I'm so sorry you had to deal with me like that."

"It's okay," Dawn said while ruffling Nicky's hair. "You're our brother, which means it's our job to take care of you."

She turned the TV on to some show about a family of six (previously seven) trying to save the world, and Nicky leaned against Ricky. Ricky, feeling the extra weight against him, pulled Nicky close. Feeling at ease, Nicky fell into a gentle sleep surrounded by his siblings.

Nicky spent the next few days lounging on the couch and up in bed, recovering from the mild stomach flu he managed to catch. The quads guessed the symptoms had started from the stress Nicky was under and had soon turned into an illness. Luckily (for all of them), it was nothing more than just a low-grade fever, headache, and fatigue after the first night.

At the moment, Nicky was napping against Dawn. Her fingers started running through his hair, and Ricky and Dicky watched as a pleased smile stretched across his lips.

"I think this is the most relaxed I've seen him in a while," Dawn commented.

Ricky and Dicky nodded in agreement.

"Is it weird for me to say that Nicky looks adorable when he's asleep?" Dicky asked.

"Maybe just a little bit," Ricky responded. "But, I can't say you're wrong."

A soft moan from Nicky made the three go quiet. The youngest quad's face screwed up with a hum of confusion as his eyes cracked open.

"Hey, Nicky," Ricky said. "Sorry for waking you up."

"'S okay," Nicky replied. He turned to look up at Dawn. "I'm sorry for falling asleep on you."

"You needed the sleep," Dawn waved off. "So, you feeling any better?"

"Much."

"That's good."

Nicky nodded in agreement before pausing. His older siblings exchanged a look that made him feel small.

"What is it?"

"We want to talk to you about something."

He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "Alright. About what?"

"About how you disregard your health," Ricky said bluntly.

Nicky flinched back.

"Look, all we want is for you to take care of yourself," Dawn sighed. "You've helped us a lot this week, even when you didn't have to."

"Well, yeah, that's my job," Nicky added.

"Since you're the youngest, technically, that's my job, not yours."

"So? Just because you're all older than me by a few seconds doesn't mean I can't take care of you! I can't let you all down again!"

Silence.

"Is that why you've been taking care of us? Because you're afraid to let us down?" Ricky asked.

"I, well, um," Nicky stuttered.

"You know, asking for help and admitting you need it doesn't mean you're letting us down," Dawn pointed out.

"Yeah, we ask each other for help all the time!" Dicky added.

The more Nicky thought about it, the more it made sense.

"Oh."

Dawn cupped Nicky's warm cheek, forcing him to look up.

"You could never let us down," she spoke. "Ever."

Nicky felt tears prick his eyes, and he tried blinking them away. It didn't work, however, and a lone tear made its way down his cheek and into Dawn's palm.

"And we love you, Nicky, so, so much."

"Oh."

Dicky, Dawn, and Ricky all gave Nicky a sad smile.

"I know I said this yesterday, but I need it to stick in your brain: it's okay not to be okay," Dicky reiterated.

The youngest quad couldn't stop the sob that made its way up his throat, and more tears fell from his green eyes. Unable to hold back, Dawn, Ricky, and Dicky pulled their brother into a hug when Nicky collapsed into Dawn.

"It's okay, Nicky; we're here," Dawn soothed.

Whatever control Nicky had left broke. He felt his siblings hug him tighter. And for the first time since they were kids, Nicky allowed his siblings to catch him when he fell.

After what felt like hours later, Nicky composed himself enough to pull away from his sibling's hold. He wiped his face to rid it of the tear tracks and snot.

"I'm sorry," Nicky said. "I shouldn't be so emotional."

"Knowing you, you've been holding back for a while now," Ricky teased.

"Yeah, Dawn cries all the time!" Dicky spoke.

"Excuse me?"

Nicky tensed. Quickly, he shuffled against Ricky when Dawn stood up to challenge Dicky. While they started arguing, Ricky combed his fingers through Nicky's hair.

"I know you said you were feeling better," Ricky started, "but are you really?"

The youngest quad opened his mouth to speak.

"And don't lie about being okay; because I know you're not."

"I wasn't going to," Nicky defended.

"Alright, alright, just making sure."

He listened to Dicky and Dawn bicker for a bit before replying.

"I may not be okay right now, but I will be. But I am better than I was."

Ricky smiled. "And that, Nicky, is enough for now."

Nicky leaned his head against Ricky's shoulder with a hum of contentment. He loved his siblings so much; he knew he'd do anything for them, no questions asked. Realistically, he knew Ricky, Dicky, and Dawn were the same. But, knowing that and knowing that were two different things.

And while Nicky knew he wasn't okay, he knew that was okay too. His siblings still loved him, and they always would.

So, how was it? Good? Bad? Meh? Lemme know! I love hearing how my writing is :D