Characters: Archie Hopper, Anton "Tiny" the Giant, Ruby Lucas

Pairings: Red Cricket, but the focus is on the Archie Anton broship

Author's note: Based on a prompt from Shahrezad1

. o O o .

"Henry showed me a picture of a cricket earlier."

Archie Hopper looked up from his late lunch in surprise. The giant, or rather former giant, Archie amended idly, had stopped next to his table, looking awkward and almost painfully shy as he played with a seam on the sleeve of his jacket, not quite brave enough to meet Archie's eyes.

"A-apparently it was to scale, too." The giant blushed, still looking more at the sleeve he was worrying than the person he was addressing, and Archie sat back with a faint smile as he guessed where the strange conversation was headed – and why.

"It- it was very... very little," the giant stuttered. "Tiny, even. Very little..."

"Yes," Archie nodded in agreement. "Crickets are quite small in relation to humans, and I would imagine even more so for a giant - even one in human form." His smile warmed as the giant finally dared a quick look at him and he gestured to the chair opposite his. "Please, won't you join me? Anton was it?"

Anton blushed a deeper red, but nodded and smiled shyly as he sat down. Archie held out his hand over the small table and Anton took it with only a second's hesitation.

"Very nice to finally meet you, Anton. I'm Archie Hopper... but I guess you knew that."

The former giant gave him a bashful smile, daring to look Archie in the eye for a moment before looking away again.

"And I take it Henry also told you about my previous form."

"Yeah, he-he showed me his book and everything. I... I wasn't going to bother you, but Leroy said that you wouldn't mind. A-and that you're a great guy who... who help people... feel less sad."

Archie took a sip from his coffee to cover his surprise at the compliment from Leroy, but Anton didn't seem to notice him stalling.

"Well, I certainly do my best to help," Archie said as he sat the cup back down, clearing his throat. "Mostly I find that people are very good at helping themselves, with just a little guidance and support. Sometimes it's enough to know that someone will listen."

Anton started worrying his sleeve again. Making up his mind Archie made eye contact with Ruby who immediately made her way over to them.

"Could I get this to go, please, Ruby?" He gave Anton a smile when the giant looked up in surprise. "Anton and I are going to get some fresh air. I think I've been cooped up in my office long enough to deserve a walk."

Ruby smiled, but the knowing look on her face told him she knew what he was doing. "Sure thing, Archie! On one condition."

Surprised Archie was about to ask her what the condition was when she instead turned to Anton to give him a mock stern look.

"I'll wrap up his food and let you guys get outta here on one condition, which is that you make sure he doesn't forget to eat it later. Can you do that for me, Anton? Left to his own devices he'll forget the food as soon as he steps out the door."

Anton chuckled and nodded. "I'll do my best, Ruby, I promise."

"Good," Ruby nodded and took Archie's plate. Giving Archie a wink she added, "I'll be right back," before leaving. Archie followed her with his eyes until she stepped into the kitchen and wondered how she knew about his eating habits. True, he ate at the diner most days, since he wasn't much of a cook – it had annoyed him that he had never gotten the hang of it, but after the curse broke it made more sense – but how did she know that he often forgot about the food he brought home with him or to his office?

"She cares about you."

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Ruby. She cares about you. She's joking, but she's worried that you're not taking care of yourself."

"Oh, but I'm fine, there's no need for her to worry."

Anton looked at him, for the first time not shying away from his eyes. Archie idly noted that the former giant was more comfortable talking about others than himself. He filed the observation away for later.

"She and her grandmother have been so kind to me, taking me in even though I can't pay them yet," Anton told him. "They and the dwarves have all been so kind to me, so welcoming."

He was about to say more when Ruby came back with Archie's food. She put it down before Archie and gave him a mock stern look and a wag of her finger, before turning to Anton with the same mock stern look and he nodded gravely, raising both hands to his heart. Ruby smirked and gave his shoulder a squeeze before turning back to Archie.

"I'll eat it, Ruby," he promised, wanting to reassure her and soothe the genuine worry he could see - but not quite understand - in her eyes. "Anton here is sure to keep me in line."

It didn't seem to be quite what she'd hoped to hear, but she smiled and nodded before going back to the counter. Archie felt a fluttering in his stomach that he couldn't explain, so instead he pushed it away and rose.

"Ready, Anton?"

"Yes." The former giant nodded and rose as well, and together they made their way out of the diner.

They walked in companionable silence as they made their way out of the town centre at a leisurely pace, but when they neared the Toll Bridge Anton haltingly started speaking. As Archie had suspected the former giant found it much easier to open up when he could keep in motion and not have to look at the person he was talking to. The words tumbled from his mouth with more and more surety, but never once did he look at Archie for more than a quick moment, instead keeping his eyes on the forest vista around them.

Archie let him talk, only speaking when the flow of words seemed to dry up, and only then a few choice questions or comments to get the giant back on track. The sun was sinking low on the horizon by the time Anton fell completely silent. Archie clapped the other man on the shoulder and smiled reassuringly.

"Feel a little better?"

"A little, yeah." Anton sounded almost reluctant to admit it.

"Good. This has been an excellent start, and I'm very proud of you for being brave enough to share your thoughts with me."

Anton shrugged, but couldn't keep a pleased smile off his blushing face.

"I can help you," Archie promised. "With the nightmares and the sadness. It will take time, but it can get better. Like you said, you have practically been adopted by the dwarfs, even been given a name by the pick axe – and that's nothing short of incredible, Anton! I have been around for a long while and I have never heard of anyone who have been given a dwarf name outside of the mines! It's an honour not granted anyone outside dwarf-kind... and it proves beyond a doubt that they are in earnest when they say you are a brother of theirs now. You have been given a chance to move on."

"What, you're not going to say I should start anew? New friends, new family? Leave the past and the pain behind?"

"No," Archie shook his head at Anton's sad and bitter tone. "The past will always stay with us, and pain cannot be left behind. You have to work through both, or both the past and the pain will stop you from living for the future. Or even the present." Anton stubbornly looked to the ground, fighting back tears, and Archie added in a softer tone: "Even though you have found a new family does not mean you have forgotten or disregarded your old one, Anton. It doesn't mean you love them any less. You won't be dishonouring your family's memory by moving on."

They stood in silence for a few minutes before Archie tugged at Anton's shoulder and they started back toward the town. When they came to the Bed and Breakfast Anton hesitantly asked if Archie had the time to take a walk like this another day. He didn't have money to pay him yet, but… Archie waved away Anton's concern and fished a card out of his wallet, giving it to the tiny giant with the assurance that they would figure something out - and stressing that Anton shouldn't hesitate to call or drop by the office whenever he needed to talk. That's what Archie was there for, after all.

They bid their farewells and Archie had started walking down the street towards his office when Anton called his name, making him turn around to see the rotund man waving at him with a grin.

"The food!" Anton hollered down the street after Archie. "Remember the food!"

For a second Archie didn't understand, but then the pieces fell into place and he burst out laughing.

"I will!" He lifted the little bag of food - which had completely slipped his mind, just like Ruby had predicted - and waved back at Anton. "Thanks for the reminder! I'll eat, I promise!"

"Make sure you do, or Ruby will be mad at both of us!"

Archie laughed again and repeated his promise. Satisfied Anton entered the Bed and Breakfast and Archie resumed his trek towards his office… or, he decided, the diner. He checked his watch, seeing Ruby still had an hour left of her shift, and dropped the food bag in a nearby trash can. He would go to the diner and eat there. Hopefully Ruby's worry would ease if she saw it with her own eyes.

And maybe, if it was quiet, she'd be able to join him.