[AU] Credits/Disclaimers: Only the idea is mine, everything else belongs to their respective creators. Accompanying image from Google.
His cravat was white. It was meant to remain white. With his level of care and precision with regards to cleanliness and maintenance of that which was under his jurisdiction, he had every intention of keeping things flawlessly, well, clean. Apparently, she did not care.
Granted it was not much in fashion these days to wear a cravat in the first place, but that did not excuse her impulse. It was her thought to have their first date in this godforsaken, hidden creek-side with slimy mud all around them. Things got dirty in mud. Did she not know that? Well, technically it was not actually muddy, the ground was just soft. But then again, he surmised, Nature would probably not betray him the way she had.
For all her elegance and composure, Mikasa Ackerman had tripped on a twig underneath her left knee when she had gotten up from her sitting position to pour Levi some red wine. Although, any and all accidents had been averted, as far as Mikasa was concerned, Levi begged to differ. In her moment of imbalance, she had lost control of her body for an instance and jolted the open wine bottle, accurately landing fat, bold and many drops of the luscious liquid on his cravat. Luckily, only the cravat – but his cravat! He had just looked down at his rapidly marring strip of fabric and scowled a little, when she had piped up, "Take it off, I will clean it since it is sort of my fault."
Generally, episodes like this demanded hefty punishment, but first date or not, with this girl, he was quite defenceless. He had obliged and glided the neckband off him and into her hands. She had carefully, under his scrutiny (she was aware), folded and tucked it in her bag. Well, he reasoned, he could live without the cravat. He would mourn the stain later.
Mikasa glanced at him coyly out the corner of her eye. Step One – Get that damned cravat off. Mission Accomplished. Step Two – Get him to loosen those top buttons of his shirt. Levi had better watch out. He would not know this ploy till he had succumbed. For all her inelegance and discomposure, Mikasa Ackerman had prevailed immaculately.