Eren stared incredulously up at the captain. Levi's lips were thin and his expression stone. "I. Said. Eat it. Eren." The boy wrinkled his nose and furrowed his brows in a grimace when the dessert was set harshly in front of his face. Swallowing Levi's essence had been bad enough, but now Eren was to eat his own, with cobbler no less? The captain's nostrils flared at the boy's hesitation before he gripped the back of Eren's collar and shoved his face down, holding it just above the dessert. "Now."

A fleeting whine ran up Eren's throat as he opened his mouth to take a hesitant nibble, immediately shaking his head and retching when the saltiness hit his taste buds. Levi huffed and reached behind the boy's body to pinch his sac sharply, a startled yelp springing from Eren's lips. "Eat." The boy sniffled and lowered his head once more, this time taking a decent bite of the dessert, the saltiness mixing terribly with the tartness of the blueberries and the sweet crunchiness of the crumble.

Eren ate silently, swallowing each bite like the spoonful of castor oil he had been fed every morning by the servants in exchange for permission to play, letting each morsel slide quickly past his tongue, too quickly to register any unsightly flavors. "No, Eren, not like that. I want you to taste it," the captain brushed his fingers fondly through Eren's hair and traced them down the boy's cheek to lift his chin up, pinching his cheeks together forcefully as he raised Eren's face. "That's it, good boy. Chew it nice and slow for me, just like that."

"How do you like it, Eren?" the man cooed in mockingly, his eyes as cold as ever, "does Daddy Levi make good dessert?" The boy swallowed heavily and averted his eyes away, the aftertaste of his pleasure grossly thick on his tongue. "Yes, sir—daddy. I like it." Eren stifled a grimace. "It's…delicious." The corner of the captain's lip turned up slightly as he tilted his head to the side and lowered his voice to an almost inaudible whisper. "Then you should have no problem finishing every last bite."

The captain turned up his face and gazed down his nose in satisfaction before shooting a momentary glance at Erwin. The commander had tensed one hand against Armin's hip and brought the index finger of the other to his bottom lip, rubbing it thoughtfully as he looked on. "Well," the man stood suddenly, a startled Armin sliding quickly off his lap, "I do think we should be going now," Erwin said curtly. His eyes then widened and fell onto the boy at his side as he pulled him close by the waist. "It's very clear that Armin has much to learn from your Eren, Levi. And I think it best to return home," he stroked the boy's hair absentmindedly, "and start the training immediately."

Eren's chewing had halted in an instant as he slowly brought his eyes up to meet Armin's. The boy was trembling up a storm in the commander's arm, his teeth tearing at his bottom lip. "Hmm, so soon," Levi mused as he traced his ring finger lightly down Eren's spine, admiring its curve before looking back up at Erwin. "No matter. I'll walk you out." The captain made his way towards the doorway and turned back slightly to face the boy. "Eren, you stay here and finish up. I don't want to see a single drop of your shameful, filthy juices left on that cobbler."

"Yes, sir." The boy watched the men retreat down to the entry hall, Armin lingering to give Eren one last fleeting glance before uttering a feeble goodbye. Eren sat back on his knees and lifted his hand in a dejected wave, his eyes falling back sadly onto the dessert as the boy vanished down the corridor. With a defeated sigh, Eren scarfed down what was left of the cobbler, using every ounce of his will to stifle his gagging as a thick glob of semen and blueberry slid down his throat. But at least it had been the last of it.

Eren lifted his head abruptly up from the dessert as the captain's light footsteps became more and more apparent through the hallway. "I finished all of the cobbler, sir!" the boy reported dutifully, crawling forward along the table towards Levi as the man neared the marble edge. "Yes, but you made a mess of your face, Eren," Levi tsked as the boy darted his tongue out hastily to lick away the blue stains circling his mouth, trying and failing to reach the ones that patched his cheeks and the tip of his nose. "Messy pup, messy, messy pup. Come here," the captain chided as he clutched Eren's chin and dragged a napkin firmly across his lips, wiping the boy clean in an instant. "I want you to go wash up, Eren. And be in bed by the time I finish cleaning up here." Levi removed Eren's collar gently and gave his rump an affectionate clap as the boy nodded and slipped languidly off the table to crawl hurriedly up the stairs.

The boy slipped quietly into the master bathroom and turned the faucet of the bathtub, watching, almost transfixed as the water spewed out forcefully, ultimately deciding to rinse his mouth out in the sink as he waited for the large extravagant tub to fill. Eren sighed in relief, his mouth finally free of the taste of tart berries and his own salty bitterness, and slid his body down into the hot water, wasting no time in beginning to scrub himself with the washcloth he had fetched off the towel rack. Amid his mindless work, Eren couldn't help but wonder what was to become of his new friend. The boy bit his lip and dropped his hands limply into the water, letting them float aimlessly at his sides. Surely the commander was bound to award Armin similar treatment to what Eren had received just earlier. No, it would be even worse, seeing as Erwin would still continue violating the boy's bottom every night just as he had been doing already, the bastard.

The loud clatter of dishes and silverware downstairs snapped Eren suddenly from his musings. The captain was probably nearly finished by now and the thought spurred Eren to hastily wash the rest of his body as well as his hair before climbing out and draining the tub as he toweled off. The boy folded the plush cloth neatly and set it on the tub's edge as Levi had instructed before padding out silently through the hallway on his hands and knees and into the master bedroom.

Eren had barely slipped the covers snugly over his shoulders when the heavy oak door opened and a dim light flooded the room. "All clean, Eren?" the captain supposed as he turned to the bureau to shed his uniform in favor for his nightshirt and shorts. "Yes, sir." The boy sat up in the bed to regard Levi with want as the man undressed, his muscles tensing beneath the skin as he knotted his shoulders to let his button up shirt slip off and fall to his wrists before shedding it into the hamper. Eren couldn't help but gawk at Levi every time he changed his clothes; it was too bold, he knew that, but the captain never seemed to notice. Or care for that matter.

The boy climbed eagerly back under the covers as Levi made his way to the bed, slipping gracefully between the sheets and opening his arms, inviting Eren to settle comfortably within them as he did every night without fail. The boy nuzzled his face into the crook of the captain's neck before he crinkled his nose and lifted his face slightly. "Sir, Christmas is in two days." Levi grunted, his eyes already shut, and guided Eren's face back into his collarbone. "But sir, aren't we going to have a tree?" the boy persisted, his eyes wide with worry. The captain opened his eyes and focused them sharply on Eren's face, the beginnings of a pout creeping along the boy's bottom lip. "Eren, we don't celebrate Christmas in this house. It's a meaningless holiday of false cheer and fleeting kindness that only lasts through the season," Levi said curtly, his lips thinning as he spoke. "But as soon as January rolls around, people return to being selfish and shitty."

Eren's lip trembled violently before he threw his arms around Levi's neck tightly, nearly choking the man. "But—but sir! I used to decorate the tree every year with Miss Christa and then-," the boy sniffed loudly, "and then Chef Ral would give me hot chocolate when I would help her prepare the roast pig and-!" Levi clapped his hand against Eren's behind and his mouth onto the boy's lips, effectively stopping the whines in their tracks, his tongue slipping inside slowly, Eren's eyes falling shut in content, the sharp pain on his backside forgotten as the captain claimed his mouth. The boy's face grew hot and his body shivered; Eren hadn't been kissed like this since the day Levi had taken him to the meadow, and by no means had he gotten accustomed to it. The boy's lips were nervous and inexperienced, but they let out a small moan and yielded to the captain nevertheless, all too willingly. "S-sir…".

"Not used to daddy's kisses yet, are you?" Levi whispered huskily into Eren's lips, the boy mewling and writhing in the man's arms as his tongue explored more and more of Eren's mouth. The boy clutched at the back of Levi's shoulders, pressing his body as close to the captain as he could. Surely this was what lovers did, share kisses-the wet kind of kisses-and embrace like this, Eren thought as his tongue strained sloppily against Levi's. There could be no doubt now that the captain loved Eren, he wouldn't be touching him like this if he didn't. "Eren," the captain withdrew his lips, ignoring the boy's protesting whimpers, "I will have a tree up by the time you wake tomorrow. You will help me decorate it and we will celebrate our first Christmas together. How does that sound?"

The boy pulled away to study the captain's face, his eyes wide and shining as a toothy grin spread across his lips. "You really mean it, sir?" Eren exclaimed, tugging eagerly at the sleeve of Levi's nightshirt, "We'll really have a tree?" The captain rubbed his temples and released a fatigued sigh. "Yes, Eren." The boy gave a delighted squeal and dug himself snugly back into the man's chest. "Thank you, daddy! I—mean sir, thank you, sir!"

Levi held the boy tightly and stroked his hair as he settled his own head down into the pillow. "Enough. It's bed time, Eren. Get some sleep now." The boy cozied up into Levi's neck and intertwined his legs with the captain's, letting his eyes fall shut as his mind began to haze. "Yes, sir."

Eren's eyes fluttered open as a sudden weight on the mattress caused it to sag and sink down slightly. The boy inched over to where Levi sat and rested his head on the man's bare thigh, his eyes slipping back shut lazily as he toyed with a string on the captain's shorts. Levi arched up a thin brow only to narrow his eyes and pinch Eren's ear sharply, causing the boy to start with a pained gasp. "What do we say, Eren?"

"Sorry sir. We say 'good morning, captain'." Eren mumbled as he rubbed his smarting ear with a grimace before rising up on his knees to face Levi, lowering his eyes as respectfully as he could, not wanting to start the day off on a negative note. The captain drew out the boy's collar from the bedside table drawer and lifted Eren's chin to expose his neck, running his thumb up and down the skin for a moment. "We have lots of things to do today, Eren," Levi muttered, buckling the collar before centering it so the brass name tag rested cleanly at the base of the boy's neck. "Let's get to work."

Eren eagerly led the way down the stairs, his backside bobbing up and down teasingly as he crawled, the captain eyeing it warily. "This way, Eren. To the den."

The aroma of pine tickled Eren's nose before he had a chance to cross the threshold into the room. "Captain, look, there it is! You actually brought it, we're really having a Christmas tree!" The boy squealed and giggled as he bounded forward to examine it fervently, crawling around its base, running his fingers through the needles and relishing the fresh scent they released. The tree was modest, not breaking six feet, nothing to compare against the monster that stood proudly in the palace's grand hall. But its size was of no importance. Levi had brought it special, just for Eren. And that was enough. More than enough. The boy turned on his knees to regard Levi tenderly, the captain standing stiffly in the doorway, his arms crossed and his face cold.

"Thank you, sir." Eren padded forward slowly and knelt up to wrap his arms around the captain's hips, nuzzling his face into Levi's navel. "This means a lot to me." The captain lowered his eyes and brushed a lock of hair from the boy's forehead, bending low to gently place his lips there instead. "You're very welcome, Eren," the man sighed, "Now let's get to work." A determined smile broke out on the boy's face before he turned and leapt back over to the tree, throwing his fists excitedly into the air as he rose up on his knees. "Alright! Eren's first Christmas with Captain can officially begin!"

Levi shook his head and rolled his eyes before he made to retrieve the two boxes that had been sitting atop the coffee table, setting them down at the base of the tree with a grunt. "Now then, this should be enough to make things…festive," the captain uttered, raising a brow as he stood back up straight.

Eren wasted no time in pawing hungrily through the boxes, his fingers tangling in strings of holly and tinsel, long strands of red and gold ribbon, before they found the delicate glass spun ornaments buried beneath the clutter. "Sir," the boy raised his face quickly back up to Levi, "this is perfect! I—we—are going to have so much fun! I'll show you, it'll be worth it!" The captain blinked and huffed before he leaned forward to ruffle Eren's hair for a moment. It had better be worth it, considering Levi had frozen his bones going into town this morning to acquire the tree and decorations. "Get going then, you spoiled pup. Enjoy it."

Eren flashed a wide toothy grin before snatching up a strand of gold tinsel and turning to the task at hand. The boy bit his lip and furrowed his brows in concentration as he knelt up to string the tinsel delicately along the lower branches, the captain narrowing his eyes as he looked on. "Eren, spread your legs while you work. Keep your knees apart."

"Yes, sir!" The boy immediately opened his legs and continued uninterrupted, Levi's eyes flashing as he beheld Eren's welcoming behind, the back of the boy's organ peeking out shyly from between his thighs. "That's my good boy," the captain breathed, sauntering forward and bending down to give Eren's rump a firm squeeze. A thick blush spread across the boy's cheeks, his ears and neck growing hot the longer Levi's hand lingered. "Sir," Eren lowered his eyes and shifted them about bashfully, "aren't you going to decorate with me?"

The captain pinched Eren's backside thoughtfully. "Of course I'm going to decorate with you," Levi said, his breath hot in the boy's ear, "I'll take care of the top half of the tree, you handle the bottom." Eren angled his head to one side and knotted his brow, his bottom lip pushing out a tad as he frowned. "But I want to put the star on the top." The man tutted quietly, his gaze hardening. "You'd have to stand up to do it, Eren, and we can't have that, now can we?" Levi bared his teeth slightly, "Puppies don't stand on two legs, they stay on the floor. You know that."

"Yes, captain, I…understand." The boy lowered his gaze demurely and turned back to his half strung tinsel, slinking around the tree's circumference to hang it along the lower boughs. Levi squatted down and massaged the back of Eren's neck under his collar, the boy whirling around quickly to bury his face in the man's chest. "Don't pout, Eren," Levi cooed, his eyes icy and slitted, "You should appreciate what I've done here. I brought this tree because I love you, and it's still not enough? All because of a little star? Tsch, such a selfish, selfish boy."

Eren's eyes were fear stricken before he lunged forward and threw his arms around the captain's shoulders, effectively knocking Levi onto the carpeted floor as he showered hurried kisses over every inch of the man's face. "No, no sir! I'm grateful—I appreciate this a lot! I'm sorry, I—I love you!" Levi huffed in exaggeration and allowed the boy to dig his face desperately into the angle of his jaw before sitting upright. "Oi, Eren! That's enough! It's alright, I forgive you. Just get back to your tree, you silly brat." Eren planted a large wet kiss on the captain's cheek and bounded back to his work, taking the strands of ribbons in his hands to layer them among the boughs.

Levi stood slowly and soon grabbed a box himself, meticulously placing each ornament on its own branch. "Here, captain," Eren offered up a string of holly, only to blush and crinkle his nose happily when the captain bent down to kiss its tip gently. "Thank you, Eren, that'll look lovely."

Eren grinned and cheerfully decked the rest of his half of the tree with the glass ornaments, carefully hanging one on each bough, as Levi had done. The captain then placed the golden glass star neatly on the top branch and stood back finally, his eyes sweeping over the tree slowly. "Hmm, everything seems to be in order. Good job, Eren, you did beautifully." The boy paused and thought for a moment before scuttling under the tree and snatching up a spare ribbon to place it haphazardly atop his head.

"Look, sir, look, look!" Eren giggled, his face peeking out from beneath the bottom boughs, "I'm a Christmas gift!" Levi blinked, wondering what on Earth he had done to deserve such a child, and paced forward towards Eren, sinking down on his haunches to hold the boy's face in his hands. "Yes, you are, Eren." The boy's cheeks rounded and reddened as he smiled, the captain guiding the boy out from under the branches to wrap his arms gently around Eren's slender hips.

"A very precious gift indeed. Now come on, we need to get ourselves dressed. We're going into town to pick out your present."