Partners (A Sleepy Hollow Fic)

[kestrel]

Ok, I've fallen madly in love with the new Sleepy Hollow series, and since Ichabod Crane is just a great big lanky pile of adorable, he was naturally begging for a little torture. I haven't written anything in far too long, so I apologise if this seems forced and awkward (it certainly felt that way!). Part two should be done in the next day or so with any luck. So, without further ado, enjoy!

*****

“This is stupid… he’s probably fine…”

Abbie grumbled to herself as she loaded two bags of groceries into her car before getting in herself. The first bag simply contained some basic, everyday essentials, and served as little more than an excuse for the visit she was about to make. The second bag was the one that troubled her, and she hoped the contents would be unnecessary. But there was a reason Quantico had been so keen to recruit her as a profiler. She was good at her job. She noticed things. And lately she had noticed a few troubling things about her newfound partner, the infuriating Ichabod Crane.

As she started the car and began the trip to the cabin in the woods where Crane currently resided, Abbie berated herself silently. Crane wasn’t so bad. Hell, they were facing down the apocalypse together. She trusted him with her life. But that didn’t mean he wasn’t superior, smug, and at times, outright cantankerous. Then again, she thought sadly, awakening two hundred or so years in the future to an incomprehensible new world, a most likely but possibly not dead wife, and the legions of Hell lining up to start the end of all things would make anyone a little tetchy.

What worried Abbie was that Crane had retreated to the lonely cabin, claiming to need a little peace and quiet to go over some old texts from the archives. That had raised red flags immediately. Crane was usually following close at her heels, making a menace of himself with his constant questions or attempting to draw her attention to the latest dusty old tome he had uncovered. For him to be voluntarily separated from her when they could be working together was worrying, but she could explain it away. Or at least, she could if it wasn’t for the pained, fatigued expression he wore when he thought she wasn’t looking. Or the slight flaws in his usually precise diction, a barely noticeable scratchiness or stuffiness that he was clearly hoping she wouldn’t notice. Fat chance of that, Abbie thought, tapping her fingers against the steering wheel in agitation. Noticing things was her job.

Hence why she found herself, a short while later, parking the car and stepping out with a bag of groceries under one arm, and a second bag full of tissues, cold medicine, tea and soup cans under the other. At least the lights were on, she thought, knocking sharply on the door. Crane was home. Then again, where else would he be? She felt a stab of pity as she realised once again that Crane was lost and alone in the town he had once known so well. That pity multiplied ten-fold as the door opened, revealing Ichabod Crane in all his miserable glory.

“Miss Mills? To what do I owe the pl… ple-ah… Ah… Ah-Hmptch!”

Abbie flinched in sympathy as Ichabod stifled a sneeze with what appeared to be tremendous difficulty. Once again, she was right and wished she wasn’t. Ichabod looked terrible. His face was frighteningly pale, save for the raw redness of his nose and the dark shadows beneath his eyes. A faint sheen of sweat covered his skin, and his hair had escaped its usual ponytail and hung in unkempt tangles around his face. He shivered miserably as the open door let in a gust of cold air, and Abbie quickly stepped inside and closed it, grimacing as Ichabod stifled another sneeze.

“Hhuh-HMPTCH!”

“Bless you, and hello to you, too. So this is why you wanted the time alone, huh? So you could die of pneumonia in peace?”

“There’s no call for dramatics, Miss Mills. I am hardly on death’s door,” Ichabod huffed irritably. “As I said, I merely wished to go over some texts in private. I may have caught a slight chill whilst doing so…”

His attempts at maintaining his dignity were undone when his breath caught on the last word, and a harsh cough escaped his lips, followed quickly by another. Eyes watering, he clamped his mouth shut and covered it firmly with one hand. His other arm wrapped around his chest as he tried in vain to smother the fit that overtook him. Abbie frowned, equally annoyed at his stubbornness and concerned with his condition. She began to raise a hand, some long-buried caretaking instinct telling her she should offer some show of comfort, but she quickly thought better of it. She made her way to the cabin’s tiny kitchen instead, calling back over her shoulder as she did so.

“If this is a slight chill, I’d hate to see you with the flu! Aren’t you lucky you’ve got an observant partner?”

She began unpacking supplies. Tissues, cough drops, an over the counter cold medicine, lemon and honey tea bags, cans of chicken soup and a thermometer. Ichabod recovered from his fit with some difficulty, swiping at his eyes and nose with a handkerchief that had seen more than its fair share of abuse. Looking at the supplies, his shoulders slumped slightly, brow furrowing in exasperation.

“I take it I will have the pleasure of your company this evening, then?”

At least, that was what Abbie thought he said. Congestion had rendered his voice all but unintelligible. Abbie threw him a box of tissues and set about putting the kettle on.

“Damn right you will. Did you think I’d let you curl up and die alone?”

Ichabod opened his mouth to speak, but managed only a desperate gasp before he lurched forward with another sneeze instead, this one only barely stifled.

“Heh-ETCHMPH! Excuse me… And no, I suppose not,” he gave his nose another swipe, grimacing as the handkerchief touched his inflamed nostrils, and looked at her with exhausted blue eyes. “But I rather wish you would.”

[Spoo]

*Unintelligible cooing noises*

Oh, kestrel! This is shaping up to be fantastic so far~ I love how Ichabod is trying to keep himself composed, but at the same time being gradually overwhelmed by his "chill". I also love how Abbie has no time for his nonsense. These two! They're so great together. I can't wait to read more.

[Gallatea]

Hnnnnnnnnngggghhhhhhh .... Oh yes pleaseeeee...

[SneezyHolmes]

oh dear god thankyou! I've been trolling around for some sleepy hollow fic, please do continue!

[Arty]

Oh joy!!! Oh yum!! Oh sick ichabod!!! HuZZAAHH!!

[GeldingWest]

Aaah! Yes! I've been dying to read a Sleepy Hollow sneezefic! <3

[facet]

.

Edited October 30, 2019 by facet
Removed by user.

[silentdreamer789]

Amazing! Really looking forward to more...can't imagine Ichabod will have any idea what to do with the 'supplies' - or tissues!