S C H M I C O || A collection of short stories

It's Okay (short drabble)

The past few days had been pretty rough for Nico. He couldn't really tell why but he felt... different; like nothing around him was going right. It was really starting to bring him down. Nico was noticing every minuscule detail about the way people talked to him, or the way their body language changed. He heard every sigh and every tut. Maybe it was just the fact he was constantly tired, so his mind was playing games with him.

It'd been a particularly difficult day at work for Nico. For the first time in years, he'd messed up. It wasn't anything big, not life-threatening for the patient but even so, he still messed up. It had been playing on his mind all day. The look that Link had given him only made him feel worse about the situation. The look of utter disappointment. When his shift had finally ended, he rushed to get changed and left without saying goodbye to anyone. All he wanted to do was get home and crawl into bed. In fact, he hadn't even waited for Levi.

They didn't live together but they pretty much spent every night together, so it was routine that Nico waited for Levi before they both headed back to his apartment. So when Levi had found out that Nico had left without a word to anyone, he was obviously very concerned. It wasn't like Nico to do such a thing. Levi had noticed that other the past few days Nico had been more concealed, his behavior was far different than normal. Even Taryn had commented on it at one point.

"I think something is wrong with Nico," Levi sighed, slinging his bag over his shoulder as he turned to face his friends. Casey, Dahlia, and Taryn all stopped and looked at him, exchanging glances. "What?"

"No, it's nothing. I just- I agree. He seems... distracted." Dahlia commented, to which Casey and Taryn both nodded in agreement.

"I heard Dr. Lincoln and him chatting earlier. I don't think I was meant to overhear the conversation but I couldn't help it, I'm nosy." Taryn lifted her shoulders in a shrug, an awkward grin tugging at the corner of her lips. Levi raised a brow at Helm.

"What did you overhear, exactly?"

"Well, Link didn't sound too happy. He was saying something to Nico about messing up, how he never does that and it was a rookie mistake. Something like that." Taryn rushed her words out, Levi struggling to catch them all. 

Once Levi had fully taken in what Helm had just spat at him, he took a deep breath and dug his phone out from his pocket. "I'm going to talk to him. I doubt he'll answer but I need to know he's okay."

"Nico is a strong soul, Levi. Saying that, even the strongest of souls can break. Trust your gut. If you feel like you need to go see him, do so." Casey spoke up from where he was stood. Levi shot him a thankful smile as he raised the phone to his ear, listening intently as the phone began to ring. And ring. And ring. 

It went to voicemail. 

"He's not answering. I'll see you guys tomorrow," Levi put his phone back in his pocket, waving goodbye to his friends before rushing off out the lounge. It wasn't like Nico to not answer his phone. All Levi wanted to do was make sure that Nico was okay. 

-

Nico was sat on the couch, the TV playing silently in the background, his legs pulled up to his chest. He wasn't watching the TV at all, it just felt comforting to have it on. He was staring off into space, his mind racing with thoughts of every wrong thing he'd done the past few days. Nico had never felt such a negative emotion such as this one before and it was overwhelming, exhausting even. 

He'd put his phone on silent as soon as he had come home. He didn't want to hear it ring anymore. He didn't want to have to deal with anyone other than himself at the moment. It wasn't like him to be feeling so down, it was so strange. It was difficult to comprehend such intense emotions.