Work Text:
“Bloody cold,” Alec grumbled before grabbing a pack of tissues and trudging over to the front door. He slid his coat and shoes on, then slung his bag over his shoulder and opened the door. He shivered as the bitter morning air hit him. It was barely 10°C outside and he already felt like his ears were going to fall of. The detective huffed and slammed the door shut, shoving his hands in his pockets. As he walked to the station, he could already hear Miller berating him and fussing over his state. It was just a cold, but she was a mama hen. Just thinking about it gave him a headache.
He soon arrived, sniffling and coughing, and went straight to the bullpen. As usual, it was empty at this time, so he went to make a cup of tea, relishing in the silence. Once the microwave dinged, he pulled the cup out. “Are you really going to drink that?” came Miller’s voice as he remembered her horrified words upon seeing him do that for the first time. He scoffed to himself and opened the cupboard to get a teabag. But found the usual stash empty.
“Fuck’s sake,” he grumbled, looking between the only options available: chamomile and lemon. He opted for the chamomile and dropped the teabag into the steaming water, watching it slowly absorb the water and bob around a little at the darkening surface. Once back in his office, he put the tea down on his desk with more force than necessary, rolling his eyes when some of it dribbled down the side.
Ellie stepped into the bullpen and greeted her colleagues, dropping her bag by her desk. As she sat down and glanced through the shutters of Hardy’s office, she noticed Hardy looked even more grumpy and annoyed than usual. His scowl went to Mars and beyond. She scoffed, wondering what had him annoyed so early. People? That was a constant annoyance, not just today. Couldn’t find his blue suit jacket? Surely, he had a dozen, that was all he ever wore. Stepped in a dog’s poop? That was possible, she had noticed them getting more frequent on the cliff path - something should be done she supposed. Whatever it was, it had made the local grump even more grumpy.
She shook her head, turning to focus on her work. Paperwork. The bane of existence. She’s just finished up a minor shop-lifting case and now she had to write it all out. Joy, oh joy.
Alec had been working for an hour. Or trying to. His head was pounding and his lungs seemed determined to make him cough them up. And to add to it all, the tea was actually disgusting. He didn’t dare imagine the taste now it was cold and stewed. He groaned and rubbed his temples, throwing his head back to look at the ceiling -but immediately regretted it when the lights tried to burn his eyeballs out from inside. So, he dropped his head into his hands and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. After half a dozen seconds, he picked his pen up again and got back to work – or trying to work.
“God, he looks like shit,” DC Harford commented as she handed Ellie some document for the paperwork she was filling out.
“Yeah, more than usual at least,” Ellie agreed, sipping some tea. Lemon, the usual brown tea had run out, to everyone’s varying degrees of despair, “Wonder what’s got him like that.”
“Not sure I want to know, probably best to just let him be, let the steam off. He still doesn’t like me very much.”
“Hm, he sure keeps grudges. Don’t take it personally though, he’s a grumpy bastard.” Ellie replied with a shrug, although the corner of her mouth twitched upwards a little. “He’s only somewhat ok with my presence because I’ve imposed it upon him though all our cases.”
“I don’t know how you put up with his constant scowl and general I’ll-kill-you-on-sight vibe.”
“Neither do I.” Ellie admitted, then remembered they had work and sighed, glaring at the paperwork. “Thanks for the files, I should get back to it.”
Harford nodded and left, and Ellie looked down at the paperwork, reluctantly returning to scribbling. After many sighs, eye rubs, checking the number of pages left and glancing around for a distraction, something, anything, she finally finished. Relief she closed the report and stood up. Her chair screeched against the tiles and she cringed, gritting her teeth, before turning to Hardy’s office.
“Oi, sir, I’ve finished the report, just need you to check it.” Miller said as she barged in. Without even knocking. Alec’s hand clenched on the pen he was holding - although he hadn’t actually written anything for the past 30 minutes, instead just mulled over his life and the meaning of existence.
“Aye, good.” He replied, trying to appear somewhat prickly so Miller would leave quickly. But his throat betrayed him and it came out hoarse and squeaky. He cursed internally, and although he couldn’t see his DS’s face, he could sense the raised eyebrow and scrutinizing look.
“Are you-”
“I’m fine.” He cut her of, pretending to be focused on the paper in front of him.
“You don’t sound fine.”
“Clean yer ears then, ‘m fine.”
“Yeah, croaking like a frog and nose redder than Rudolph’s. You’re the definition-”
“Shut up Millarh and get back to work - also please tell someone we need tea, or I’m going to be the next murderer in town.” He protested again, although he then proceeded to cough. And cough. Oh, and cough again. And wait! Another cough.
“Sir don’t-”
“Miller.”
“You shouldn’t-”
“Millerr!”
“Why won’t-”
“MILLARH!” He snapped, head in his hands, palms digging into his temples and eyes shut tight. “For fuck’s sake please stop shouting.”
“Stop shouting?” Ellie repeated perplexed. She was talking normally, why was he telling her that.
“I’m not shouting, sir.”
“Yer giving me a bloody headache, just get back-” Hardy started to reply, but then his throat couldn’t take the sandpaper anymore and he started coughing again.
“Sir are you poorly?”
“S’ just a cold, get back to work.”
“It’s not though.”
“Yes, it is. A cold. And that’s it.”
“Sir a cold doesn’t make your body try to eject your lungs.”
“Aye, well maybe I’m having an allergic reaction to you going on at me.”
Ellie scoffed and rolled her eyes, staring at him for a few seconds. Was he really that daft? Apparently, she’d already witnessed his absence of survival instincts several times.
“Fine, suit yourself. Suffer in silence and be miserable if you please, I don’t care.”
She then proceeded to leave, closing the door with more force than necessary. He didn’t want her help, so she wasn’t going to waste her energy on him right now. He’d soon come to his senses, given the state he was in.
Alec was relieved she was gone. But God, he really did feel miserable. He hadn’t had a cold this bad in a long time. He tried his best to get back to work, but the letters seemed to be playing leapfrog and his brain was banging around his skull, trying to get out. He rubbed his temples and stretched, hoping to relieve some tension in his body, but instead his arms ached.
“Christ, am I really getting that old?” he asked himself, dropping his arms on the desk again. He huffed and leaned forward, resting his head in his arms, eyes closed. Closing them helped a little, light no longer seemed to want him dead. His relief was short lived though, as he then started feeling cold, shivers running down his back. He grabbed his coat and pulled it on, not caring that he was inside. It helped somewhat and soon he was asleep. Or rather started to drift of, and nearly did, until a voice was heard.
“HARDY!” Miller’s voice resounded, tearing through his ears. He flinched and sat up wearily, looking through the blinds to where the cry came from. Miller was briskly walking towards his office, coat on. Another case? Probably. Alec rubbed his eyes, suppressed another coughing fit, and stood up, reaching to open his office door.
Ellie raised an eyebrow as she saw the state her boss was in. He looked even worse than before. She opened her mouth, about to make a snarky remark as he pulled the door open, but then she stopped. Hardy took a step out of his office. But then he swayed. He gripped the door frame with a grimace and attempted to straighten and take a step forward. Only his body had other ideas, and his knees buckled, sending him crashing to the floor. Some files fell from the table he knocked in the process, but Ellie paid it no mind, instead dropping down beside Hardy.
“You’re an utter twat, Hardy!” She snapped, pressing a hand to his forehead. He was hotter than the radiator in Tom’s room, which was always on full tilt because her eldest son insisted on slowly cooking himself and exploding the electricity bill.
Alec grimaced, and mumbled “’M fine Millarh…” but quickly stopped when he saw her face through the haze. He tried to sit up and focus. Key word: tried. Because his arms ached and then gave way when he tried to push himself up from the floor. He sprawled on the hard tiles again. And they were cold, biting at his flesh, even through his clothes. He winced as the ceiling light mocked him from above, hurling photons at him. Ok, maybe Miller was right, he wasn’t fine, and it probably wasn’t just a cold. Although he would never admit that to her face.
“Just need a sec, Miller, stop fussing and get sum water.” He grumbled, voice hoarse as he finally managed to sit up.
“Sir, I’m done listening to you, I’m taking you home.” She replied sternly as his vision started to clear again so he was able to see her scowl.
“Just-”
“No shut up sir, or I’m getting Jenkinson to fire you.”
“You can’t do that, I’m yer boss.”
“Don’t be a smartarse.”
Alec huffed and rolled his eyes as Miller helped him stand. He relented and agreed to go home, but added he’d be back the next day. Which earned him a scoff, stern look and another insult. As the detectives walked out of the bullpen, they passed Katie Harford, who raised an eyebrow at them. Alec shot her a glare, then tried to protest when Miller told the DC he was being an unreasonable ass and she was taking him home before he killed himself. Which made Miller insult him again. He should keep a track of the variety and number he received from her, see which was most common and which was most creative. They then bumped into Bob and Miller told him to tell the Chief Super she was saving the DI from himself. This time Alec didn’t bother to protest. As they reached the car park, Alec stumbled again and Miller caught him. They didn’t say a word, but exchanged glances, silent understanding passing between them. A thanks, and a promise not to make a fuss. They helped the other in times of need, but they weren’t soft and cuddly.