Levihan Family Fluff

Dive On In

A/N:  In which Remy is 10, Ava is 5, Hanji is sometimes a big kid, and Levi has to deal with the aftermath of a rainy day.

They hadn't gone far from the market place when the rain started. At first it was just a light mist, but that quickly evolved into an inescapable downpour. It hadn't looked like it was going to rain, but Hanji wasn't exactly in tune with the weather. She had been a little too occupied with buying groceries, making sure Remy didn't steal anything, and keeping Ava from touching dangerous things to really notice the clouds rolling in.

At the moment, she and the kids were hiding out under a restaurant awning waiting for the rain to let up, but they needed to get home and change into some clothes that were dry and warm. She definitely didn't want the kids getting sick. Not only would she have sick precious children on her hands, but that would send Levi into overprotective, germ-killing, obsessively cleaning nurse-dad mode. Not exactly something she wanted to deal with right now.

"We might just have to make a break for it," Hanji said as she knelt down, adjusting Ava's scarf so it was at least covering her head. "It's only a little rain."

"No, it's not, Mom, it's a lot of rain," Remy said, shooting a glare at the offensive sky, "We're going to get really, really wet."

"I like it," Ava said with a smile. She stuck her hands into the sheet of water that was cascading off the top of the awning. "It's like swimming."

"It's nothing like swimming," Remy retorted.

"It sort of is." Hanji reached over and playfully tugged her ten-year-old's messy black hair. "Like you said, it's a lot of rain."

"Mmph."

"Where do birds go when it rains, Mama?" Ava asked, edging one foot out into the water before Remy pulled her back inside.

"They hide in the trees and other places, I think," Hanji said. She stood up and tied the bag that their groceries were in tighter, hoping that the bread didn't get wet on the way. "Are you two ready to go?"

"Yep!" Ava said, tucking her hand into Hanji's.

"Remy?"

"If I say no, can we stay here?"

"Nope!"

"Why did you even ask then..."

"Fantastic, let's go," Hanji said, grabbing her son by the arm and pulling him along through the awning's makeshift waterfall. They headed off toward home, leaning into the rain. It was slow-going, and she made sure to keep a grip on both kids and the groceries.

"Mom!" Remy shouted, pulling on her arm.

"What?" Hanji yelled over the rain.

Remy pulled his shoulders in and hunched down. His unruly black hair was plastered to his forehead, occasionally getting stuck to his glasses, and he looked miserable, like a cat who accidentally fell in the bath. "If we get washed away, do you think Papa would find us?"

Hanji laughed. "Yes, of course. But we're not getting washed away. And if we did, we would get stuck in front of a storm drain because we're too big to fit." She glanced down at Ava. "Except your sister." Hanji squeezed her daughter's hand. "Ava, stay away from the big storm drains."

"I will, Mama. Ooo, look!" On Hanji's opposite side, Ava suddenly jumped forward, right into a puddle in the cobblestones. The splash caught both Hanji and Remy, splattering them with muddy water.

Hanji grinned. Well, what was a little more water going to hurt?

"Have I told you guys that this is a perfect day," Remy said, rubbing his shirtsleeve over his glasses, his tone a complete deadpan, "Really. I'm having a great time. I love being drenched. It's my favorite."

Hanji, however, could read through some of that forced sarcasm. It wasn't like she didn't notice the envious look in his eyes as he watched Ava squish through the puddle. Sometimes it seemed like Remy was trying so hard to be mature and cool these days that he forgot that he was still a kid.

At the next puddle they came to, Hanji jumped with Ava which created a much bigger splash with a lot more mud. She knew a certain someone who was going to have a clean freak meltdown over all this dirt. Whatever, Levi.

"Hey!" Remy cried as he looked down at his mud-splattered pants, but the sides of his mouth were twitching.

Letting go of Ava's hand for a moment, Hanji leaned down and put her thumbs to the corners of his mouth and pushed up, forcing him to smile. "Quit trying to act so grown-up," she said quietly, "You're not going to be a kid for very long. Enjoy it." Then she playfully pulled at his cheeks. "Live a little, kiddo."

"That hurts," he said, batting at her hands, but he didn't meet her eyes.

For a few minutes, Hanji kept looking over at him as they walked, disappointed by his determined frown. However, at the next big puddle, she was startled by a blur that rush past her and then came back. She picked up Ava as a tidal wave of water rushed at them, soaking the two of them. When she looked back up, her hair dripping, there was Remy in the middle of the puddle with his arms crossed and a grin on his face.

"Got you, Mom," he shouted before rushing on to the next puddle.

"You just wait," she called after him. She knelt down by Ava. "How about you ride piggyback and we'll show your brother how puddle jumping is really done?"

"Yeah!"

As she settled Ava onto her back, Hanji let out a maniacal laugh. "We're coming for you, Remy!"

The rest of the way home was faster, what with Hanji and Remy racing to beat each other to puddles, and messier since the rain did finally start to let up, leaving more mud than water by the time they reached their townhouse near the barracks. When they headed up the front steps, Hanji set Ava down then paused to look at herself and the kids.

Remy was wiping off his glasses again. "Papa is gonna kill us."

They were all streaked with rain water and mud and grass from the park they had crossed through to get here. She could've sworn that Remy's shirt had been a uniform light grey when they left...now it was mostly brown. Ava's tunic and leggings were a lost cause. And on top of everything, she was sure that the groceries were partially ruined.

Remy had his hand on the doorknob when it suddenly opened, leaving him with his hand in midair.

Levi stared at them and then narrowed his eyes at Hanji. "What. Happened."

She grinned back, unfazed. "A supply run plus a spontaneous research expedition to see what makes grumpy ten-year-olds smile. I'm happy to report that results were positive."

Levi's frown softened a smidge. "Hanji..."

"Papa!" Ava collided with Levi's legs as she hugged him, initiating him into the muddy mess. "We went jumping in puddles, and it was a lot of fun, and we brought home bread. I think it's wet now. Did you have a nice day? We did!"

Levi was already reaching down to pick her up as Hanji and Remy shared a look of silent but complete agreement, tapping into the same mental wave length. Levi must have realized what was happening because Hanji could see the word 'no' start to form on his lips, but it was too late, even for him.

"Family hug formation!" Hanji shouted even as she and Remy wrapped their arms around Levi, getting him almost as dirty as the rest of them. In his arms, Ava hugged his neck.

Levi turned his head to look at Hanji. "You all smell, and we're getting rid of these clothes. All of you need baths."

Hanji stole a kiss before smudging a bit of dirt across his nose. "And now you need one, too."

"You're lucky I love you, Four-eyes," he said, but he still bumped his head against her shoulder.

Hanji just smirked before kissing him again, ignoring the loud protests coming from Remy and Ava.