Thumbelina

Erwin woke abruptly, head muddled and eyes bleary from sleep and an alien weight across his chest. It took a moment for him to gather his bearings, but when he did he glanced down to the head resting atop his chest, dark hair mussed and cheeks pink from the warmth, small lips were slightly parted and the childish face sent a pang of protectiveness and something warm and soft, shooting through him. Erwin almost forgot about Rivaille's situation – but looking it in the face brought home once more how very real this entire thing was.

Rivaille shifted and mumbled in his sleep and Erwin smiled as he brushed his hair back and looped an arm around the tiny body. A careful roll and he was able to deposit Rivaille into the pocket of warmth he left behind, quickly tucking blankets around the man-child as he slid from the bed.

What time was it? Surely it was after dinner and he was somewhat surprised they managed to sleep through it. He would have to dig something from the kitchens, because Rivaille was likely to wake hungry and he himself felt the stirrings of hunger in his stomach at the thought of food. With a final glance to the sleeping bundle in his bed, mostly to reassure himself that nothing would happen here in the safety of his own rooms – Erwin slipped out of the room.

Rivaille woke while Erwin was away, rolling over in the bed and hitting a cool patch that told him it was empty. Eyes flicked open, small slits as he looked for Erwin but found the room empty instead, with a grumble he turned over to sleep more – it was warm and comfortable and he didn't feel like getting up and moving.

He never managed sleep, because the door was opening and Erwin stepping through with covered plates that smelt delectable and he couldn't help but hum and sit up, stomach grumbling complaints at the lack of food. Erwin smiled at the mussed, sleepy look his usually put-together Corporal sported and set the plates down on a table.

"We missed dinner, so this isn't much but it's better than nothing."

Rivaille didn't care, so long as it was food. Regretfully, he slid from the bed, rubbing at his eyes with the palm of his hand and yawning widely as he climbed into a chair. The food wasn't fancy, it never was – but it was filling enough to be able to sleep again comfortably.

It was obscene how much he wanted to sleep now, he didn't remember being so tired when he was actually a child – but then, the circumstances were a far cry from the comfort of the present.

There was no Erwin back then.

"We'll go into town tomorrow to find you clothes, we do still need to do that – despite the catastrophe today was."

Rivaille blinked from his silent musings as he chewed a bite from the bread and nodded, though he wasn't looking forward to it – he would do near anything to avoid those stupid pajamas Hanji gifted him.

Erwin left with the plates and laundry when they were done, saying he would return soon and with a drowsy grumble Rivaille climbed back into the bed. He was asleep again before Erwin returned and slipped in next to him, hesitating only a second before curling the tiny body in an arm and dragging Rivaille against the warmth of his chest. He didn't wake and Erwin bit down a smirk when he only burrowed closer.

It was crazy how easy it was to sleep with another body in the bed, when normally he sat awake until the early hours completing paperwork, unless the day was particularly rigorous.

~ * * Why, they are little! Just like me! * * ~

Morning came bright and early and with a very grumpy Rivaille who kicked and threw his hands at Erwin to leave him alone and let him sleep before he rooted farther under the blankets. Erwin snickered, and was faced with a mussed head and a sharp, but sleepy, glare.

"It's cold, the sun isn't up and there is no training…"

Erwin rolled his eyes and jerked the blankets away, dragging an indignant noise from Rivaille.

"There's no sun because it's overcast. It will like rain today, so get up so we can go into town before the crowds really start and make it back before the rain."

Rivaille made a noise of contempt but slid from the bed and glared his way into the stupid panda pajamas and other morning ablutions. Erwin didn't hesitate before swinging the man-child onto his hip, and smartly kept his mouth shut when RIvaille dropped his head back to his shoulder and was asleep again before they made it to the mess hall.

Eyes once again turned to them and noise hushed, apparently it was too shocking a sight to see their ruthless Commander carrying a child for a single day of acclimation to be enough. Erwin ignored them and took his seat, the movement waking Rivaille who shot Hanji a sour expression when she snickered too loudly into her coffee.

Stupid bitch. It was her fault this was even happening… but he couldn't exactly complain about the attention Erwin seemed to have no qualms bestowing. If this lasted too long, Rivaille feared he would become lazy – but didn't stop the man from cutting his food into small pieces and allowing him to eat sitting in his lap yet again. Rivaille did scramble down and into the empty chair when he was done, sipping at a hot cup of tea clasped in both small hands as he ignored the glances, looks – and Hanji's fucking snickering.

Erwin was done eating soon enough and swept Rivaille back into his arms as he left the hall to rising noise, Hanji closely following them with a bounce in her step as they headed for the stables.

"So I've been looking into it and I think I might know, theoretically, how to change Levi back."

Erwin paused and Rivaille raised his head, but he looked at her distrustfully and Hanji sniffed.

"There's nothing to try yet but it's progress at least."

"That is good news."

Erwin set Rivaille down, and nodded to them as he set off to gather horse and tack. Rivaille stood, rubbing at the stallion's nose while Erwin tossed blanket and saddle over his back. Obviously he still smelt the same, or enough so, because the now-giant beast kept nudging him with its nose until he rubbed at the velvety head and ignored Hanji's prattle about how the original formula was supposed to somehow be related to Titans or some shit.

Everything came back to Titans with her.

Rivaille found himself lifted and placed into the saddle while Erwin bridled the stallion and climbed on behind him. Hanji waved them away with a big grin – as if they were going somewhere far away and not just into the fucking town. Rivaille scoffed and rolled his eyes, body bouncing where he sat as the horse picked up speed from trot to relaxed canter.

It seemed in no time that they were entering town, stabling the horse and preparing to leap in to the crowds. Erwin very nearly started walking, but the small hand in his tugged sharply at his fingers and he looked back to find Rivaille gazing past him with a scowl on his face, he only briefly made eye contact before looking away again and Erwin understood.

"It won't hurt you to ask for help, you know."

He whispered as he crouched down, ignored the glare and picked the Corporal up, it was a bit surprising how carefully he clung to Erwin, eyes fixed on the crowds distrustfully. Obviously yesterday's excursion made more of an impact than Erwin thought, and he unconsciously brushed his thumb against the small of Rivaille's back. The man-child in his arms almost immediately relaxed – which was surprising considering just who it was Erwin was holding, but the blonde couldn't keep the touch of a smirk from his lips.

"Stop gloating."

The whisper was a violent hiss in his ear and Erwin chuckled as he opened the door to a seamstress and walked in. Rivaille looked ready to run when the woman directed them to the clothing and kept gushing about how adorable he was. Cheh, adorable. She looked like a moldy cow in his opinion, but he kept his lips sealed and settled for leveling her with a blank, unimpressed look that the bitch obviously found unnerving.

Yes, yes move along – he wasn't something to gawk at and pet and touch.

Rivaille thought – after the fucking clothes fiasco – that it would be the end of this insanity of shopping. No. It wasn't. Erwin had other ideas apparently.

Rivaille rested in the Commander's arms, cheek atop his shoulder and expression foul, although he was beginning to grasp that Erwin seemed to have a soft-spot for children that Rivaille found absolutely hysterical. His fingers curled tighter in Erwin's shirt and he turned his face to press against the man's shoulder with a sigh.

"Where are we going now?"

"You'll see."

Fucking asshole. Rivaille grumbled and wiggled, being difficult – but sat up, curiosity lighting his eyes at the soft tinkle of a bell. When he looked around he was met with… toys? Seriously? What the hell was Erwin's problem? He may be in the body of a child but he was thirty fucking years old. Erwin set him down and told him to just look around, and gave him one of those looks that made Rivaille want to punch him. With a sigh, he resigned himself to picking out a toy… or something – and wandered off down the aisles. He still glanced back every so often, when he was in range, to make sure Erwin was still there and he was. Talking up the shop keep with polite smiles and nods.

At one point he was gone and Rivaille froze, frustration and anger coiling instantly in his stomach because it happened again.

"Haven't you found anything yet?"

Rivaille jerked around, gaze immediately shooting to Erwin who held a toothbrush and… was that bubble bath(?) in his hands. His brow was furrowed in thought and Rivaille huffed, rolling his eyes and grabbing the asshole's hand.

"No."

Erwin sighed, seeming a bit put out, and Rivaille bit at his lip but a moment before tugging his Commander along behind him and continuing to browse. He'd taken his sweet time before, hoping they would leave and he could worm out of this… whatever it was. But RIvaille found he didn't, and never really had, liked that look on Erwin's face or the tone in his voice.

They were down the bathing aisle and Rivaille wondered since when children needed so much… stuff to bathe with. His wandering stopped, however, when he caught a glimpse of something small and yellow; that turned out to be one of those stupid rubber duck things that kids made messes with in the bath. Rivaille grimaced, but didn't immediately move away from the stupid thing, brows furrowed and eyes narrowed as he mentally cursed himself being distracted by the stupid thing.

"Do you want it?"

Rivalle looked away, cheeks warming a pale pink as he huffed and crossed his arms.

"No. It's just some stupid duck."

Erwin didn't say anything as Rivaille walked off, stubbornly refusing to look at the duck and with a roll of his eyes, the Commander grabbed it. It was strange, having a child to do things for (even if that wasn't technically correct) and it made a small part of Erwin pine for the life he could have had; maybe, if he was a passive, lazy, shit (as Rivaille had so eloquently put it once). Although, he couldn't blame all of this on his love of children; Erwin really just enjoyed watching his Corporal squirm when faced with something that threatened that taciturn reputation.

Erwin was smiling as he rounded the corner of the next aisle and froze, silencing whatever comment he was going to make at the sight of Rivaille holding a teddy bear almost as large as him with light brown, almost golden fur and blue eyes. He held it at the arms, thumbs rubbing against the plush material it was made out of and a fascinated expression on his face.

Erwin thought he may not make it until Hanji found a way to reverse this. Something in his brain was going to break.

His approach was silent, but Rivaille stilled had the mind of a seasoned soldier if not the body, and sharp eyes turned to him as the bear was shoved back on the shelf. Erwin's face was blank as the face turned up to him.

"Keep the bear if you want it."

Rivaille scowled and opened his mouth.

"Yes, yes you don't need such silly things – but I insist. Get it."

He gestured with a hand and Rivaille huffed, but grabbed for the toy, dragging it to his body and keeping the ill-tempered expression. But Erwin was no fool and he'd known the Corporal long enough to catch the brief glimmer in his eyes.

"Shall we?"

With a nod they returned to the front, paying for the items and leaving. Rivaille was more than ready to be gone from the town and just hoped the rain held off until they were back within the walls of the castle.

~ * * Take me home, please * * ~

The rain held off until after lunch, but the lightning began to fall before they cleared the forest in between headquarters and the town. Hanji met them at the door, watching the darkening sky with a frown of worry – the weather looked to be turning bad, if the black, swirling clouds and lancing flares of blinding white lightning, followed by the rumbling growl of thunder were anything to go by.

Her worry was forgotten when she spotted a sleeping Rivaille curled into Erwin's side with a large teddy bear clutched to him. She had to clasp hands to her mouth to stifle the shriek and wished despairingly for something – anything – to catch the adorable moment. However long this lasted, and the scientist was so tempted to ensure it was prolonged, RIvaille was never going to live down his behavior while stuck in this child body.

"Any more progress?"

Erwin questioned Hanji softly as she helped him carry things back to his quarters – she chose not to remark on why they weren't being taken to the Corporal's room. The scientist shrugged to answer him, gaze flicking to the man-child in the Commander's arms.

"Not really, I'm trying to be careful so I don't make him younger instead – or too old. It's hard to make appropriate guesswork – and who knows? It could even just wear off with time."

She grinned deviously then and sing-song voiced the next portion.

"You knoowwwww,"

Erwin cast Hanji an unimpressed stare, he wasn't up for her antics at the moment – not if they were to make jabs at Rivaille's condition anyway.

"What?"

"There are rumors flying, even though you said that is Rivaille's cousin – they all think he's the Corporal's bastard child or something. Some of them are pretty outlandish and others sound like some nasty romance novel."

Erwin sighed, shoulders sagging – he should've known they wouldn't just take his explanation at face value. Not with the striking similarities and attitude (well sort of); of course they would be suspicious he wasn't merely covering for the man's discrepancies. Erwin wouldn't ever have to, although he kept the details he knew of Rivaille's past to himself, as did any others who knew (mainly Hanji and Mike) – but there was nothing Erwin would have to lie for him for.

He sighed. "Let them talk, they'll do so anyway and I am not of the right constitution to argue with hormonal teenagers and their romantic ideals."

He grimaced and Hanji cackled, causing Rivaille to jerk awake and glare balefully at her before plopping his head back down and grumbling about stupid annoying women. The bear was clutched tighter and Erwin smirked as he opened the door to his office and deposited Rivaille on the couch – everything else was put away and the Commander regretfully took a seat at his desk to begin paperwork.

"Anything else to report?"

Hanji shook her head and saluted before leaving the two to whatever they planned to do.

Rivaille was quiet for a time after she left but eventually wormed his way to the floor and vanished. He wanted out of these stupid pajamas – the sooner the better and once in proper trousers and a long sleeved shirt, he grabbed a book and made himself comfortable reading it while Erwin worked – already considering the stack he would have to plough through once he was officially back 'on the clock' so to speak.

It was quiet for a long time, nothing but the hard splatter of rain and growling thunder to disrupt the comfortable silence. Rivaille flipped another page, enjoying the rare chance to indulge in a favored pass time that wasn't cleaning.

Cleaning. Another thing he would have a mountain to overcome when he was back to normal. He sighed at the thought and Erwin glanced up from his work.

"Bored?"

Rivaille shook his head, resting his cheek on the plush bear's stomach and looking over at the blonde.

"Dreading the filth that's going to cover the castle by the time Hanji finds a solution."

Erwin smiled, shook his head and signed off another document with a flourish.

"Ah, perhaps it will not be too bad. I can always assign teams to keep it clean for now."

Rivaille made a noise, half nodding in consideration.

"The idiots would probably fuck it up though. Tch, they have shit standards for cleanliness.

Erwin chuckled and set down the paperwork, checking the time as rain continued to pour down and hummed thoughtfully.

"Shall we join them for dinner tonight?"

Rivaille shrugged and sat up, legs hanging from the side of the couch.

"Might as well. No point staying in here."

~ * * And they live... happily ever after * * ~

Rivaille returned to his book after dinner, the stares fewer than before but the whispers and scrutiny intensified. The idiots kept swiveling around, trying to find a better look at his face but he'd kept his head resting against Erwin's shoulder – and when at the table, the bodies there obscured him enough that the worry was minimal.

Not that the idiots would put two and two together – but he really didn't need a bunch of shit head adolescents whispering about a bastard child or some such shit. Who knew what kind of stupidity that would stir up? Especially when the child went away to never be seen again.

He shifted on the bear, biting back a yawn and curling tighter to the warmth. There was a fire going, but it was low and the rain cast a chill throughout the castle. Erwin was in the next room, and Rivaille could hear water. He shifted again, attempting to ignore the cold seeping in through his clothes – but this body was so much less… tempered than his own, so he wiggled off the couch and tip toed into Erwin's room – relieved when the door to the bathing room was open.

"Erwin?"

The man looked up from water he had swilled and piled high with bubbles and Rivaille could only stare at the sight, take in the smell of lavender that filled the room along with the steam before blinking slowly back to Erwin.

"What is that?"

The Commander smirked and flicked some of the bubbles.

"Bubble bath. Want to join me? It's likely much warmer than this dreary castle."

An arched brow, Rivaille huffed, eyes narrowing – but he didn't refuse; and when he slipped into the steaming water it was sweet, sweet relief. However, it wasn't peaceful because the blonde bastard immediately shoved his face into a pile of foam and Rivaille jerked back spluttering and scrubbing at his face while Erwin smiled, laughed – if softly and those damned eyes twinkled and glimmered with mischief.

"What the fuck?!"

Again his ear was pinched and Rivaille whimpered at the sharp pain, eyes squeezing and watering from the force of the twist and Erwin suddenly looked far too stern to be sitting naked in a tub of bubbles.

"Language, Levi."

Rivaille rolled his eyes but sighed, still rubbing at his ear and pouting profusely up at the blonde man. Why was he even bothering with something so stupid? Erwin was ridiculous – but maybe he thought he could correct Rivaille's mouth now and it would stick when things were normal. HAH! He could only hope.

Erwin smile in the next moment and Rivaille blinked, confused until the rubber duck he recalled from the store earlier, was used to squirt water in his face. He jerked and spluttered, pouted but another was offered to him and he grinned before diving into the bubbles. Erwin stretched out a leg, looking for him but Rivaille wiggled himself around (well, for the most part) and dodged. He managed to squirt Erwin in the face and let a giggle slip at the image that made until he bit down the sound, realizing what he was doing, and red-faced – proceeded to dunk Erwin's head in bubbles as he snickered at his taciturn child-Corporal.

"Shut up."

The grumbled was ignored and the ducks set aside – water that had flown to the floor ignored as Rivaille ran tiny fingers through the thin blonde of Erwin's hair and mussed it into mohawks and other ridiculous shapes with the suds.

It was… peaceful, cathartic and Rivaille found himself not caring about maintaining dignity and pride and any sort of aloof disposition. Not when there was warmth bubbling in his stomach that had nothing to do with the water temperature, and felt so oddly like affection and happiness that he was almost terrified to observe it too closely, lest he lose it.

Erwin grabbed his tiny hands, turned them up to face him and tutted with a shake of his head.

"You're wrinkling. I think we've been in long enough – and the water is beginning to chill."

Rivaille checked his hands and grimaced at their state before nodding.

"Yeah, too much longer and I'll look like those awful prune things that are so common."

A shiver of disgust and he followed Erwin out, nearly collapsed when a towel that was three times his size was dropped atop his head. Erwin grinned at him and Rivaille felt heat swarm his cheeks as he offered a tentative smile back. He wasn't the only one succumbing to this situation and that fact was enough to loosen the tight shackles that were his reservations.

Once dry and clothed, Rivaille returned to the sofa and his bear (that he'd mentally dubbed Commander – fucking stupid as it was) and Erwin was right behind him, blanket in hand and draping it over his shoulders. He didn't sit, though, and Rivaille looked up at him in question.

"I assumed you would be done with work for the night."

A stated question and Erwin shook his head, tugging the blanket up onto those small, small shoulders.

"No, but I was going to make hot chocolate."

Rivaille perked up at this, eyes glittering as his lips parted in an 'o'.

"With marshmallows?"

Erwin bit back the huge grin and the urge to wrap Rivaille up in his arms and never let him go again to nod, brush fingers through that silken – if damp – hair and leave. Rivaille snuggled down against Commander while Erwin was gone, blanket pulled up to his nose and body pillowed by the plush toy that was more beside than directly beneath him. Knees were tucked to chest and hands balled into the soft fabric of the blanket – but again, Erwin was prompt in this as he was in anything.

The mug was warm in his hands, a second pleasant reprieve from the chill in the room as he sat up. Erwin reclined next to him, head falling back against the worn furniture and legs stretching out – impossibly long – in front of him. Rivaille shifted, drug his bear with him as he curled up against the Commander's side and sipped at the delectable liquid.

He loved hot chocolate, though he wasn't much of a fan of sweet things – there was simply something that warmed the soul when drinking it. It reminded him of cold, winter nights when he was a child, before tragedy struck.

Having a body, strong and large and safe to cuddle against only made the sense of nostalgia worse.

The cup paused, halfway to his lips and Rivaille sighed, Erwin was languidly running fingers through his hair – gaze focused to the ceiling, but it fell at the tired noise.

"Sleepy?"

Rivaille shook his head, lips pursed in thought as he shifted nervously against Erwin and considered holding his silence… but… He sighed, shifted farther and crawled into Erwin's lap – careful of his mug and pulled Commander into his vacated spot. Erwin didn't hesitate this time, already accustomed (and perhaps too quickly) to the idea of Rivaille wanting to touch anyone – much less snuggle.

"Just remembering. Drinking this, in this weather – reminds me of something my mother would do."

He shook his head, scoffed at himself before sipping at the hot chocolate again.

Erwin was silent for a moment, fingers carding through Rivaille's hair as he leaned against the blonde's chest. The silence was comfortable again, understanding without words – but such things were relatively expected after the twenty something years working together.

"It is… nostalgic for myself as well."

Rivaille hummed at the admission, understanding the leveling of ground that was done yet again – as it was in the bath. Erwin pulled the blanket over them, sifted until his legs rested on the length of the couch and empty mugs set on the table, Rivaille's bear tucked between him and the back of the couch. Peaceful. Something that was so strange in the midst of this war they fought – but it was a reprieve he hadn't realized he needed.

His eyes were drooping before he really had time to consider being sleepy or not – the comfort, warmth, lulling rhythm of rainfall; it was like a cocoon separating this little snippet of time from reality that he chose not to question (for once) and merely accept.

Rivaille was asleep again when Erwin brushed his lips across his forehead, brows furrowed from whatever dream he'd fallen into.

Notes: Written (though I hadn't originally planned to) as bribe answer from Hope Loneheart in exchange for stuff in LeviThumb... go read that btw it's fucking adorable *A* and Fairy Levi is unf ufnunfunf

Dunno if this is as tooth rottingly fluffy as the first part butttt w/e here it es.