uhhhhh i thought i posted this a while ago but now i can’t find it. have some good platonic ralbert

requested by: someone lmao

word count: 505

warnings: none(?)

The rest of the boys inside the lodge were fast asleep. Elmer was snoring, and quite loudly. It was the first thing Albert heard when he woke up, the first thing that snapped him back to reality. His forehead was covered in sweat and his hands tingled and his feet were so, so sore, like he really was running away from the thing that was chasing him.

He wasn’t exactly sure what it was, just that it was big, and it was dark, and that he had to get away from it. Albert rolled back over in the top bunk, pressing his face into his pillow. He closed his eyes, trying to get back to sleep, hoping that he was only whimpering slightly. It was only a couple of seconds before someone was rapping on the bottom bunk. “You alright up there?”

Albert groaned. He didn’t…not want to talk to Race. He wanted to go back to sleep, but he didn’t see that happening in the near future. “No,” he whispered back down. “I had another nightmare.”

Race’s hand popped up from the bottom bunk, and Albert dangled his over so that their fingertips just barely touched. “Come tell me about it,” Race said. It was an offering, sure, but it was more of a command then anything.

It always helped Albert to explain what he was going through. Davey was the best at understanding; he always knew exactly what to say or how to link his dreams to the real world to make them make sense (he also had nightmares, too, so that was bonus). But Race was the best at listening. Davey would interrupt him constantly, trying to get a word or two in. Race would sit with him for the entire night and listen to him talk and not say a word until he paused, and often it was to make a witty quip about something unrelated to lighten the mood. It was nice to have both sides.

Albert silently climbed down from the down bunk, jumped off the bottom rung, and sat on the edge of Race’s bed. “It was…big.”

“It was big?”

He shrugged, running a hand through his hair. “Yeah, it was big. I don’t know exactly what it was, but…” Albert started running his hands together. “I had to get away from it, or it was gonna get me-“

“I won’t let anyone hurt you, you’re safe with me. You know that, Al.” Race slapped Albert gingerly on the arm. “Besides, you’re here, and not…wherever you were. You’re here, and you’re safe. Come here, you big goof.” He wrapped an arm around Albert’s waist and pulling him into the bed. “You know that, right? Friends look out for each other. You’re alright.”

Albert ducked himself into Race’s chest and listened to him breathing. “I know.” Elmer was, for the first time in a long time, relatively quiet, which let Albert focus on his own breathing, focus on trying to get back to sleep.

“You do?”

“I always have.”