literature

Trembling in the Shadows

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Literature Text

Title:
Author: Terrabm (Siriusfanatic, Curiouswords)
Fandom: Sweeney Todd/ Sleepy Hollow
Pairing: Icheeney (Ichabod Crane/Sweeney Todd)
Rating: PG
Summary: for the prompt “Lullaby”



He was dreaming about her again. He could tell, seeing the distress upon his sleeping lover’s face. Todd watched over him as he whimpered softly and tossed restlessly in their bed, mouth twitching into a frown, eyebrows scrunched tightly together as if he was in pain.
Normally holding the man and talking to him softly as he slept would lull him back from the nightmare, but tonight Crane’s nightmarish memories would allow him no rest. He awoke finally with a jolt and a yell, bolting upward into Sweeney’s waiting arms. The Constable shook, not yet sure where he was, not fully away from the awful images in his mind’s eyes.
“You’re alright now, Ichabod,” the barber’s familiar low tones greeted him as he clung to the older man’s body, trembling like a fawn. How terrified he was, and how ashamed. Ichabod was supposed to be collected, composed, rational...not a frightened boy, weeping over his mother.
She’d been dead for nineteen years, but her memory was always fresh and new, always tearing at him, haunting him. More ghosts he could not escape.
“Oh Todd,” he breathed, pressing his face against Sweeney’s shoulder, clutching at his shirt with white-knuckled fingers. He felt warmth and wetness in his palms...the strange markings had begun to bleed again.
Todd kissed his neck and hair and shoulders, rubbing his back, soothing his tremors. “Quiet now, I’m here. It was only a dream, nothing more.”
But Todd knew well how terrible dreams could be, what the wrong kind could do to a man. He dreamt of Lucy often, and even though he knew it was only an illusion, it still tore at him each time.  “You dreamt of her again? Your mother?”
Ichabod nodded, but did not look up at the other man. His face was red and wet with tears and he didn’t want Sweeney to see.
“She was...in the room again?” he asked tentatively.
Ichabod had told him of the horrific way Mrs. Crane had met her untimely end. Nothing short of barbaric it was, mediaeval torture. The poor woman.
“You’re free of it now, Ichabod, don’t be frightened anymore.” he said. Crane still would not look at him, feeling ashamed of this deepest weakness in him.
Todd laid him back down, making them comfortable among the tangle of sheets and blankets, and Ichabod rolled away so that his back was to Todd. Sweeney pressed himself against the American’s back, laying his head against his.
“When, um...” the barber’s voice became even more quiet as he spoke now, with what seemed like a bit of uncertainty and embarrassment in his tone, “when Johanna couldn’t sleep...I would sing to her.”
Ichabod laid very still, slowly looking back at Todd out of the corner of his eye. “I’m not a child, Sweeney.”
“I know you’re not.” Todd amended quickly.
They laid together quietly for a moment or two, Ichabod sniffling softly and squeezing Todd’s hand out of sheer frustration with himself. Then Sweeney began to hum softly, low in his throat.
It had no distinctive tune, yet Ichabod felt like it was familiar to him. Maybe it was only the distress of his nightmare that made him think it, but he swore it sounded like something his own mother had once sang to him.
Sweeney earned a smile for his effort, and Crane rolled to face him again, lying on his chest with head on his shoulder. He fished from behind the pillow, in the secret place between the headboard and wall, his most precious belonging. The paper cardinal.
Sweeney continued to hum quietly while Ichabod spun the two strings, watching as the pictures on the circle became one in the spinning. The dream dissipated from his mind, leaving warm and comforting thoughts of he and Todd alone in the little room.
“I love you,” Sweeney said, kissing the American’s dark hair.
“I love you,” Ichabod answered, nuzzling beneath his chin. “You’re a kinder man than you let on, Todd. I wish you wouldn’t be so afraid to show it.”
After a long time, the constable’s fingers grew tired, he laid the toy down on his chest and fell asleep again, with Todd’s head leaning on his. No more nightmares would trouble him that night, not while Sweeney kept them at bay.
For the prompt "Lullaby" chosen by the very sweet :icongreeniny: who wanted sweet and fluffy Icheeney.
Oh the fluff! :heart: :faint:

I couldn't think of a proper song for Sweeney to sing to Ichabod, but I imagine it being like the haunting refrain from "Sleepy Hollow", imagine the music when Ichabod dreams about seeing his mother in the orchard...
© 2008 - 2024 terrabm
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I-Dance-To-MCR's avatar
This made me smile so big, who'd have known Sweeney could be so nice? XD <3

I want to hug Mr. Todd! He's probably all snuggly and muscley-strong and nom <3