He was running. Running as fast as his legs would carry him, but it still wasn't fast enough.

"No! Stay away!" he shouted, looking back for only a moment. He suddenly tripped over something and fell on the hard road before him.

"Did you really think you could get away that easily, boy?" Snyder spat. He tried to scoot away but it was no use. Snyder grabbed his leg to keep him from moving and raised his hand.

Romeo shot up and screamed. He looked around, breathing heavily with the nightmare replaying.

He was safe. He was in the Lodge House. But he didn't feel safe.

Even though Snyder was in jail after the events of the strike, several of the boys were still plagued with nightmares from their days in the Refuge.

For Romeo, his nightmares had been haunting for the past month. He knew his brothers were starting to worry about him but he couldn't tell them about the nightmares. They were just too awful.

So, he did what'd he'd been doing the past times he had a nightmare.

He quietly snuck out of the room and sat on the bench outside of the Lodge House with his elbows resting on his knees. He stared at the pavement, taking deep, slow, breaths, trying to calm himself.

But the nightmares still replayed.

He stood and kicked at a rock with an angry groan.

"You ok?"

Romeo jumped and spun around.

Racetrack stood by the door of the Lodge House, leaning against it with his hands in his pockets.

Romeo nodded a bit sheepishly but didn't reply.

"Rome, what's wrong? You haven't been getting any sleep, you've barely been selling any papes, and you've barely been eating. You jump at anyone's touch, even Jack's! What going on?" Race asked, pushing off the wall and walking over to his little brother.

Romeo hesitated and Race sat down on the bench, patting the spot next to him for his brother. Romeo sat and stared at his hands as he spilled out his fears and worries to Race, who listened intently.

By the end, Romeo was shaking and in tears from fear. Race took his little brother and pulled him into his lap, letting the younger boy cry.

Race hadn't even known Romeo had been in the Refuge. The kid was only thirteen!

After Romeo had calmed down, he asked, "Romeo, why didn't you come to me or Jack? Or Crutchie? We all would've helped you."

Romeo hesitated again before saying, "I don't know. You guys have enough to think about. I didn't think you needed to think about me too."

"Romeo, wake me up the next time you have a nightmare, ok? I'm a light sleeper and I'll be able to hear you ok?" he said.

His little brother nodded and Race asked, "Are you ready to go back inside?" Romeo nodded again and Race picked up the small boy and together, they went back inside.

By the time they reached Romeo's bed, the younger boy had fallen back to sleep.

Race gently laid him in his bed then went to his bed.

The next night, Race heard a small, scared voice whisper, "Race?"

Race opened his eyes and saw Romeo standing in front of the bed.

Understanding that he had had a nightmare, he got up and together the two went outside until Romeo had fallen asleep against Race.

This continued a few more nights and soon, Romeo's nightmares had vanished.

But each night, Race still checked on his little brother just to make sure.

And when Race would have nightmares, Romeo would comfort him just as Race comforted him.

A/N: I think is by far the fluffiest thing I have ever written. Thank you to Theater104 for giving me the idea for a Romeo/Race brotherly one-shot!

If any of you have a favorite character you would like to see in one of the one-shots or a special prompt you would like to see let me know in the comments! Thanks for reading! I hope you liked it!