Tom's teasing about Ichabbie inspired this one-shot. Lol. I'm about to destroy your feels. In a good way. You're welcome. :)
Crane and Abbie walked into her house. Jenny went to the bar and probably wouldn't be back home for a while. Crane was quiet and sat on the sofa while Abbie put her gun up; she took off her boots and jacket when she walked into the living room. It was a long night fighting demons again. The Apocalypse was getting heavier and heavier as they got further into it. Who knew what Pandora would send next? Abbie sighed. She stepped in front of Crane. He stared at her, wrapped his arms around her waist. Her fingers slid through his hair. He closed his eyes.
"I'm tired, Leftenant," he said.
"I know. Me, too. I need a bath." She kissed him on his forehead and walked away.
As the water filled the tub in the bathroom, Abbie undressed. She watched the bubbles rise. She sighed. These always calmed her down. She stepped in the warm water, sat down in the tub. Listening to the water pour, she sighed again and closed her eyes. She started to lean back, but the door opened. Her eyes opened. She didn't bother looking, knowing who it was. She played with the bubbles and scooted up when his clothes dropped to the floor. She heard him step into the water; some of it splashed as he tried to sit down. Smiling to herself, she thought, That's what he gets for being so tall. She played with his knees when they finally touched the side of her legs. Abbie turned off the water. When she leaned back, her back was against Crane's chest. He searched for her hands and knotted them. They both sighed. He kissed the side of her neck. She closed her eyes again.
"This is relaxing," he said as he played with her fingers.
"It is. I used to do this when I was younger. When mama and Jenny were asleep, I'd get out of bed and run a bubble bath. I would sit in it until it was cold."
He rubbed her arms. "How come?"
"It was stability from everything, you know?"
"Did it temporarily cease your troubles?"
"It did." She paused. "I enjoyed it."
Crane grabbed her hands again. They pressed their palms together and matted their fingers again.
"I'm glad I can experience this with you, Abbie."
"I've been telling you to take a bath with me, Crane. For two months." She chuckled.
"Indeed. However, I was trying to respect your privacy. I didn't want to intrude."
Abbie glanced at him. "We've slept together. You've already seen me naked."
"Yes, but a lady needs her privacy at times."
"You're so old-fashioned, Crane." She turned back around, then wrapped his arms around her as tight as she could.
"You wouldn't have it any other way, Leftenant."
She smiled. "I wouldn't."
Nothing else was said. The only conversation they had was through breathing. When she breathed, he breathed. That was enough. That was all they needed in the moment. He could be dead. She could be dead. All they had in the quiet was the reminder of the other when they inhaled. Sometimes they breathed together. Sometimes they didn't. One would be behind, but they would kiss the other's fingers or the edge of a shoulder to let the other know they were still there, still right behind them. They breathed and bathed with each other until the water was cold.
Crane got out of the tub first to dry off; he was too cold. He sat on the toilet with the towel wrapped around him. He held one out for her when she stepped out. She shivered as he dried off the front of her body. Then she turned around. She didn't mind the dripping water. He would catch it.
"What happens if we don't win, Crane?"
Unhurried, yet swift with the towel, he soaked the water from all of its places. She inhaled as his breaths imprinted small puffs on her back.
"We can say we fought with our every being." He touched her shoulders and kissed the crease of her neck. "We can say we fought for humanity, for choice."
"What else?"
His lips skimmed her shoulder. "For family."
The spot between her neck and back was warm. Crane's hands rested on the sides of her waist.
"Is that all?"
"For love, for each other." He paused. "We fought for each other."
She threaded their fingers together. Little by little, his kisses tailed after the other down her spine. As Abbie closed her eyes, she freed a small gasp.