Rhythmic thudding is what slowly drew Nick from his slumber that he had fought so hard for.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Nick groaned slightly at the sound before he turned over in his bed, refusing to pay the noise anymore mind.

It had stopped. Thankfully.

The oldest triplet smiled to himself slightly as he settled back into his warm bed, the noise long forgotten.

BOOM

The eldest in the house jumped and sat upright on his bed.

His door was now ajar, making an indention in his drywall.

Two men were in his doorway, advancing on him.

A cold, vice-like grip clutched Nick's ability breath.

One man lunged for him, Nick instinctively moved, but his blankets were entailed within his legs. His mind hadn't cleared of his sleepy brain fog.

The fearful triplet hit the floor on the other side of his bed. He tried to detangle himself.

"Get off of me!"

He was kicking as a man put his weight on him. The feeling alone was horrifying. Nick screamed until a hand was put over his mouth. Hands managed to flip him onto his stomach on his own bedroom floor.

"What the fuck? Get the fuck off! Matt! Chris!" Nick was screaming and thrashing as his head was pushed against his cold floorboards.

"Shut the fuck up, kid," one man spoke. The rough, dark voice was enough to send chills down Nick's spine.

His hands were suddenly too tightly pressed together, the sound of a zip tie being closed echoed.

The shock flooding through Nick's body was overwhelming his ability to scream for help. This was only supposed to happen in movies.

"Don't worry, you'll see your brothers," spoke the other man in the room.

What was that supposed to mean?

Before he could think about it too much, he was yanked up. His feet shuffled as he was tugged around by his bound hands. The other man who was in front of him now locked eyes with him. His black ski mask hid everything but his dark brown eyes. Nick couldn't look away. The fear that was probably protruding through his own eyes wasn't connecting with his movements. 

The guy unlocked their eyes as he took something out of his pocket. 

Nick's eyes followed the movements. 

"No, don't," Nick was beginning to panic. 

He shuffled back and tried to fight against his attackers. 

"Hold fucking still or I will let my guy downstairs take out one of your brothers."

The eldest turned into stone. 

"Don't. Please fucking don't. W-What do you want, we can give-"

"Shut the fuck up. We'll get all that we need very shortly," assured the man in front of him. 

Nick wasn't given the chance to speak again as thick, black tape was slapped over his mouth. 

The force made his head move to the side and he thrashed in the other's man's grip in order to avoid it. That earned him a slap in the back of the head. 

He squeezed his eyes shut as he hadn't expected the sudden blunt force to his head. His body was going through so much at once that he was getting confused on what to feel. Any survival instincts he thought he had were officially out the door. 

He was lead to the top of their stairs. 

Nick could see the light glow of the living room lamp lightly grazing the top of the bottom step. It was a warm glow. He wished it was providing the same feeling it usually does. Usually it was on while he sat in the living room with his brothers. Now, he was ice cold with two strangers in the discomfort of his own home. 

Things like this shouldn't happen. Not to him. Not to his brothers. Never. 

He was lead down the stairs. The larger guy was behind him, holding his wrists. The smaller man lead the way down. 

Nick wasn't prepared to see the scene before him. 

Any air that he was taking in through his nose, rushed out of him. Panic clenched his every muscle. 

Matt and Chris were on their knees, their coffee table moved across the living room. They were in the middle of the room. Their hands bound and tape covered their mouths. The only difference? There was blood. Nick couldn't get a good look of where it had came from before he was pushed to the ground. He couldn't even catch himself. 

"MMMmm," was shouted in the background. The impact made his body tense. He wasn't able to gasp as he hit the floor. The tension in his muscles as they tried to brace himself made everything else hurt. 

Nick was tore up from the ground roughly, and shoved into the same sitting position as his brothers. He slightly bumped shoulders with Matt at the rough motions. 

He wasted no time in taking in his brother's appearances, wanting to assure them. Although, he wasn't able to assure himself anything. 

Chris was on the other side of Matt. The youngest had only boxers on, considering that's how he usually slept. 

Chris had slept on the couch. 

The oldest brunette glanced to the couch at the thought. He saw the way pillows and blanket were sprawled. They had probably gotten him first. 

The thought made Nick flinch. Chris was scared. His little brother made eye contact with him. 

"mm," Chris tried. Nick furrowed his brow but before he could even try anything, a fist flew into Chris' face, knocking him over. 

"MM!"

"MM!"

Matt flinched but immediately turned on his knees to face Chris. He tried to reach down with his shoulder but was ripped forward by his messy, dark hair. 

"Don't fucking move or look at each other," the largest of the three who now had Matt's hair enclosed in his fist spat into Matt's face before letting go. Nick had taken a look at Matt. 

The middle triplet had a white shirt on and boxers. Exactly what he himself had on. Though, his white shirt had speckles of blood on it. That's when he noticed dried blood on his younger brother's face. It had started from his nose and seemingly trickled down the black tape. 

"You keep giving us problems, we're shooting that one," the smallest of the attacker's motioned towards Chris who was then yanked up and sat back on his knees. Silent tears were trickling down his face. 

Matt didn't dare look anywhere. His blue eyes were locked onto the floor like it was the most interesting thing. His chest was rising and falling rapidly. 

Nick's heart was beating. 

What was going on. 

He didn't know what time it was, where they came from, who they are, what they want-

"You."

A finger was on him, pointing him out. 

A third man who Nick hadn't interacted with yet reached forward and ripped the tape off his face. Were his lips even attached anymore?

"Let's talk," the smallest squatted down. Those stupid, foreign eyes were interlocked with his again. 

Nick lipped his lips before he mustered up the courage to speak, worried that any small movement would mean something happening to one of his younger brothers, "I-I don't know what you want or who you are-."

"Let's start there then. As far as you're concerned, I'm one, this is two, and that's three," the largest smiled as he took a seat on their couch, or now number three. "We know who you three little triplets are. And we've come for some goodies. You see how we're covering ourselves up? That means you three have a chance to live. We don't want you to know who we are. However, if you manage to fuck this up, we'll make sure you know who we are. That way there's no choice but to kill you, for our own safety of course," a smug smile slid its way on the group leader's face. 

Nick was positive that his heart was going to pound out of his chest, "o-okay. J-Just what do you want?"

One smiled, "pretty simple. We just want some stuff that's gonna get us a pretty penny. Or just the pretty penny upfront."

"We don't carry cash on us like that," Nick admitted. 

The smallest glared, "you're telling me none of you have cash? If I find a single dollar-"

"MMmm," Chris hummed under the tape at the very end of their lineup they were forced into. 

Nick and One whipped their heads in the youngest's direction. 

"Two, let's hear him."

'Two' as they now called him, reached forward and ripped the tape off of Chris' face. The youngest triplet clenched his teeth together at the sudden stinging that graced his lips and face. 

One was still crouched in front of Nick, but looking at Chris. 

Chris was breathing heavy, his jaw aching. It reminded him of the fist that had come out of nowhere. He spared a small glance at Three who was sitting on the couch, his patience wearing thin. 

"We don't have all night, kid. We have to be out of here before sunrise," Two spoke. 

The youngest swallowed before looking at Nick and One, "I-I have cash. In my wallet. I-I don't know how much, but it's in my pants right there." He nodded his head toward his discarded pair of jeans he had slipped off before falling asleep on the couch. A small part of his brain remembered that he was in fact still in his boxers while tied up in his own living room. 

Two moved past him and grabbed the pair of jeans, the wallet falling out of the back pocket right into his hand. The trespasser opened it and took out the money. A few hundreds flashed, a grin following it. 

"Well, Mr. 'we don't carry any cash, what is all this?" One laughed as he counted the bills that were handed to him. 

The oldest triplet frowned slightly, "I-I didn't know. We usually don't. I promise."

One shoved the bills into his pocket before leaning back down, "don't lie to me. Don't try anything either. You'll end up with blood on that pretty white shirt. Take your bother for example." He had motioned to Matt who was staying silent, just watching and listening. The blood that was coming from his nose was completely dry on his face and once white t-shirt. 

"I just didn't realize," promised Nick. 

"Well, you have a chance to redeem yourself. Where's your expensive shit? I know you three definitely spend some money. Laptops, cameras, phones, jewelry, start coughing it up," One stood and clapped his hands together. Three stood at the sudden movement and started walking towards Matt. 

Nick flinched when he had watched the tape get ripped off of his triplet brother's mouth. Matt grunted slightly and made eye contact with the assailant. 

"Don't look at me like that. I'd hate to beat answers out of you," spat Three. Matt immediately avoided eye contact. Instead, he turned his head to see his older brother. 

Nick was panicking. Matt's face had blood on it. They were in their living room. Helpless. Being robbed of everything they had worked so hard for. 

"Are you okay?" Nick asked his younger brother. The middle triplet widened his eyes slightly in surprise at the bold move his brother made to speak to him. 

Matt merely nodded. 

"I said no speaking to each other. How do you think he got that bloodied nose, huh? Wouldn't shut the fuck up once we got him out of his room. This one didn't speak a word." One motioned towards Chris. The youngest wasn't looking at anyone, his gaze focused on the floor as his chest was rising and falling unevenly. 

That was so unlike the youngest. Silent. 

"And I know you guys. You think you were randomly stalked by that girl? We've been planning. Watching. We know people that are included in your every day lives. So, you three fuck this up, then we move to the next little YouTuber in the group. If this goes well, we leave the state, like always, and you never have to do this again. Well, maybe. We'll see how cruel this world is to three young men who have a little too much," One sneered. 

He had taken Nick's chin in a tight grasp. 

He inched closer before whispering to him, "and we know a lot about each of you. If you start acting out, screaming, calling for help, get us caught, anything," he paused slightly before smiling, "there will be consequences. We have four hours until sunlight. Four hours to get the shit we need and get out. We aren't wasting time."

He stood once more. 

"Take the youngest. He obviously knows how to get us our shit when we need it."

Nick and Matt snapped their heads to Chris who had finally looked up in panic. Three made his way to him and immediately ripped him to his feet by his arms that were still bound together. The youngest shuffled with Three, but kept his eyes on his brothers. 

"N-No, where are you taking him?"

"Calm down, Nicholas. He's just gonna take us to his stuff. You'll all get a turn. Be patient," One assured as he followed, but began to lead the way. Two took a seat on their coffee table that was still pushed out. He took out a pistol, allowing the brothers to see it. 

"Try anything Christopher, we take one out," called out Two. 

The youngest felt tears begin to well up in his eyes. He sniffled a little. 

"Don't fucking cry, kid. I don't play mister nice guy when they start crying," Three warned out loud as he began leading him away from Matt and Nick. 

"M-Matt! Nick!" 

He didn't know why he called out for his brothers. He felt unsafe. Out of his own control. Uncomfortable. Scared. 

"Shut the fuck up! What did I say about screaming!" One turned around as he had been leading them to Chris' room. 

Three stopped them as One got in his face, "what did I say about screaming, Nick?" 

Nick could practically hear his heart thudding in his chest as he watched One get in Chris' face, his eyes wild. His little brother was crying, in his boxers, held against his will. 

"I . . . Please, please, don't hurt him," Nick pleaded. Matt began to lose his ability to breathe. 

One never took his eyes off of Chris. 

"Chris, please. Just go. We'll be here-" Matt cried as he watched. His breathing uneven, miscalculated. 

The smallest assailant chuckled lightly before quickly pulling his fist back and allowing it to connect with the youngest triplet's jaw. 

"Chris!" 

The youngest cried out and felt his legs give up, but Three kept him up. 

Another punch. 

Another. 

And one more. 

Three pushed him forward. 

Chris curled in on himself slightly as he hit the floor. 

"Consequences." One spat as he took a breath and fixed his mask. 

"Take Matthew. We'll take him once he's able to walk again," ordered One. Three did as told. 

Matt was a mess. "Chris, fuck, kid. Are you okay? Chris," tears were cascading down the middle brother's face as he had to step over his own little brother to make his way to his bedroom with two of the three attackers. 

Nick was sobbing as he tried to get Chris to answer him. 

Chris groaned as he heard his brothers. 

Just four more hours.