Part 1: Truth or Dare

"Hurry up, Mikasa!"

The instant her horse was mounted, Karma took off for the sunny beach. Her burlap bag of sunblock and pink towels bounced against her hip. She twirled when she reached the gritty sand, admiring the grooves her toes and heels carved.

"I'm coming—hang on." Mikasa kicked off her riding boots and shouldered a basket loaded with cheese sandwiches and apple slices.

The rest of the regiment, scattered on the golden strip of beach, was hoisting mushroom-domed umbrellas, guiding floating towels to the ground, scouting for twigs and sticks by the cliff side, or splashing through chilly, ankle-deep water. Laughter and chatter swelled with the waves that dampened the shoreline and crashed on jutting boulders.

The wind was chilly, a perfect complement to the excess of sun. Karma paused to inhale. To think she'd gone her whole life without this air, heavy with seaweed and saltwater.

Sasha dropped her armful of mossy branches and sprinted to their side.

"You remembered the food right?" she said, lifting the basket's flap to inspect the condition of the sandwiches and sliced fruits. Mikasa snapped it shut.

"Don't worry, Sasha. We won't let you starve."

Sasha ticked off her fingers. "Okay we have sandwiches, apples, oranges, bread and cheese, weenies, an ocean of fish, juice pouches, and three cases of White Claws. I think that's enough for the night."

"Wait, who brought White Claws? I thought Levi said no alcohol?" Karma said.

"Not sure. Too late now." Sasha shrugged.

"Great." Karma dropped her bag and unloaded the towels and orange-scented sunscreen. "Well, enjoy yourselves now cause we might never get another beach day."

"Ugh, true. Levi's such a hard-ass," Sasha said with an eye roll. She jutted her elbow to a tree sprouting in the sand. Under the screen of shade sat Captain Levi, arms crossed. He watched Jean and Conny build sandcastles with a narrowed glare. Karma could imagine him grumbling, "Damn kids," under his breath.

"He's just paranoid," Mikasa said. "The guy doesn't know how to relax."

"But why? Titans are gone—he can afford a break," Karma said.

Waist-deep in the ocean and waving a neon frisbee, Eren hollered, "Guys! Get in here! It feels awesome!"

"Can you get my back real quick?" Karma asked Mikasa. She'd stripped down into her pink bikini and was holding out the bottle of sunscreen.

"Sure." Mikasa squirted a dollop—wafting with it a blast of citrus—and rubbed it on Karma's shoulder blades. The cold lotion made Karma squirm. "Hold still."

"I'm trying!" Karma couldn't stop giggling.

"Alrighty. Now this is what I came for." Jean smirked at the girls from beside his pitiful sand castle. "Can you get me next?"

Karma shook her head. "Nice try, horseface. Mikasa wouldn't touch you with anything duller than a sword."

"I wasn't asking her, shortcake."

Karma glowered—she hated that nickname. "Not on your life."

His smirk widened.

Conny perked up, "Hey, Jean, I can get your back—"

"No thanks. Working on my tan." Jean pushed himself to his feet to join Eren and Armin, who were in the water chugging silver cans and flinging the frisbee.

"All done." Mikasa rubbed in the sunscreen residue from her palms.

"Any white spots?" Karma circled her face.

"I mean, aside from your pasty skin, no."

At the edge of the shore, the cold ocean rolled over their toes and around their heels. Karma could feel the sand beneath her feet get sucked into the receding wave.

"The water feels so good. I needed this," Mikasa said, closing her eyes. Karma hummed in agreement. Then something tumbled by their feet—a conch shell, pearly and bumpy. Mikasa picked it up.

"Hey, give that to Eren," Karma said with an elbow nudge.

"What? Why?"

"As a symbol of your undying love, of course."

"You should give it to Captain Levi. Convince him to get in the water."

Karma peeked over at him. "Ew, why me?"

"Just give it to him." Mikasa shoved the shell to Karma and pushed her towards the tree.

"Fine. But only cause I want to."

Scattered tufts of grass and weeds squished between Karma's toes as she neared the tree. She cleared her throat. Captain Levi's eyes flitted up.

"Hey, Captain. Come hang out with everyone—the water's awesome."

"I'm fine."

Damn, he is.

Captain Levi's features were intriguingly sharp and handsome. Of course, this wasn't the first time Karma noticed, but having his full attention while wearing a skimpy bikini made her tongue spasm. Her words tumbled out sloppy and harsh.

"Well, you're being a loner. It's weird. Here's a shell." She dropped the conch and fled. It plopped into the sand by Levi's knee.

Karma scrambled back to Mikasa's side. "That was quick. How'd it go?" Mikasa said.

"Terribly. Horribly. All of the bad adverbs."

"I take it he's not coming in?"

"Nope," Karma said. "Forget him—let's go. Eren's got White Claws."

"We're definitely not gonna be allowed back."

Eren, Armin, and Jean cheered and raised their drinks when the girls waded out to meet them. The water was waist deep for everyone except Karma, who was up to her chest.

"You guys are just in time for Shoulder Wars," Eren said, passing them each a can of spiked seltzer.

"What's that?" Karma said, downing her drink. All of these water games were a foreign language to her—she'd never so much as dipped a toe in a pool.

"It's easy, shortcake." Jean crushed his empty can and tossed it to the shore. He sank into the water, then she was hoisted up on his shoulders. The alcohol was already starting to hum in her head, so she grasped at Jean's face for balance.

"Put me down!"

"Don't worry. I got you." Jean's voice was muffled in her palms.

Eren hoisted up Mikasa, who let out a shriek of delight.

"The goal is to knock your opponent into the water. And…go!" Armin raised his arm like a referee.

"My opponent? Is that you, horseface—"

Mikasa rammed her like a falling building. Arms swinging, Karma splashed backwards into the water.

She floundered to resurface, but her feet couldn't find the bottom. Light filtered above her, but when a wave surged and she tumbled like laundry, she lost all sense of direction.

Her air was depleting. Her mind was fogging. Worried voices were muffled. She thought she could hear her name. Then she caught sight of an arm and she was yanked back to the surface, choking and gasping.

Mikasa shoved Jean off so she could squeeze her. "Oh my God, Karma! I almost killed you!"

Karma coughed until her diaphragm ached, spewing flecks of burning saltwater. "Not your fault I can't swim."

Jean's hands were on his hips. "Only you could manage to drown in four feet of water. I think a 'thank you' is in order."

Had it only been four feet deep? Karma could've sworn it was triple that. Maybe drinking in the ocean and not knowing how to swim wasn't the best idea.

"Thank you for doing the bare minimum," she said.

Eren and Armin laughed, but Mikasa and Jean were silent. Mikasa with concern. Jean with irritation.

"That's enough of that game."

Captain Levi was up to his knees in the water. He looked winded. His pants were dark and clinging at the shins. He sloshed back to his tree before anyone could refute.

Jean scoffed. "What the hell? We weren't even that loud."

"Damn hard-ass," Eren grumbled.

Armin passed another round of chilled seltzers. "Any other ideas?"

Karma cracked hers open, but after nearly drowning, it tasted like black-cherry saltwater.

Jean took a long gulp and wiped his chin with his palm. "How about some Truth or Dare?"

"I dare you to drown," Karma said.

Mikasa nudged her. "Chill, it'll be fun."

"Oh, really?" Karma cupped a hand against Mikasa's ear and whispered, "I'm gonna dare Eren to kiss you."

Mikasa reeled back, eyes wide. "No, don't."

"Oh, come on. You want me to."

"There's no way that's even allowed."

Jean studied Karma and Mikasa with a devious grin. "Anything's fair game."

Armin side-eyed him. "Except for dying or permanent injuries, right?"

"Sure."

"I'll go first." Eren turned to Armin. "Alright, truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"Hmm… Is it true you had a wet dream about someone in the regiment?"

"What—who told you?"

"You talk in your sleep, dude."

"Then why'd you ask?!"

"Because it's hilarious. Guess a better question would've been 'who.'"

"Yeah, was it a guy or a girl?" Jean sniggered.

"My money's on Captain Levi. You get all stiff when he's around," Eren said, grinning.

Jean tsked. "Gross, Armin. You can't be having dreams like that about your captain."

"Okay, natural, subconscious events are off limits too." Armin's head was a sweaty cherry. Jean and Eren slapped each other on the backs, cackling.

"Guys, that was mean," Mikasa said. She turned to Karma. "Truth or dare?"

Karma choked down the rest of her White Claw with a rolling shiver and crushed the can. "Dare." The buzz was already making her antsy.

"I dare you to kiss Jean."

"What?!" Karma looked like she'd walked-in on her grandparents. Jean looked like he'd stumbled into a church butt-naked. "You said you weren't gonna be mean!"

"Then can we agree that kissing is against the rules?"

"Yeah alright, damn."

"Good. In that case, I dare you to run out, tap Captain Levi on the head, and run back."

"No, please. I'd rather kiss Jean."

"Hey!" Jean said.

"Too bad. Levi's waiting." Mikasa looked pleased.

Karma rolled her shoulders and straightened. "Fine."

She stomped out of the ocean. Sand grains clung to her feet and ankles as she approached the tree.

Captain Levi was holding the seashell in his fist. Karma was within tapping distance when he looked up. Her hand hesitated.

"Need something?" he said with that tone of bored authority.

Karma clasped her hands against her stomach, accidentally drawing Levi's eye to her bare skin. His attention and the seltzer buzz were stirring her brain into a flustering soup.

"Um, nope. Just here to pester you again about getting in the water. Alrighty, if that's a no then I'll be heading back." She patted his head twice and turned, but Levi stopped her.

"I'm not a damn dog. And I already went in the water." He tidied his hair and gestured to his still sopping pant legs.

"Oh yeah. Guess you're off the hook then. Please resume your sulking."

"I will." Captain Levi rolled the shell between his thumb and forefinger. "You need to be careful. No more White Claws."

Oh.

He hadn't gone into the water to lecture them for their rowdiness and ruin their fun, but to save her. She softened. "Alright. We're playing Truth or Dare. You sure you don't wanna come?"

"I'd rather watch."

"Fine, but don't think this is the last time I'm gonna bug you."

The edge of his lip perked. "Wouldn't dream of it."

Karma waded back to her friends. "Did I miss anything?"

Mikasa shrugged. "Armin drank a mouthful of saltwater, I explained to the gentlemen how menstruation works, and now it's Eren's turn."

"Hey, we asked that in confidence!" Jean was crimson.

"Alright, Eren. Who's up?" Karma said.

Eren scrunched his lips and scanned the circle, stopping on Jean. "Truth or dare?"

"Dare, obviously. Don't want you guys asking about my wet dreams."

Eren scanned the beach for inspiration. Just past the jutting boulders, was an eerie black mouth carved into the cliffside. He pointed at the sea cave. "I dare you to explore that."

Karma blurted a triumphant, "Ha!"

"By myself? What the hell? Armin only drank saltwater! That thing's flippin' sketchy—what if I break something?"

"Alright fine you can have a plus-one. Karma, truth or dare?"

"Dare—no dammit—truth."

"I dare you to go with him," Eren said, smirking.

"Fine." Karma threw her hands up. "Ten minutes tops. C'mon, Jean." She tugged him by the wrist toward the cliffside.

"Good luck!" Mikasa called after them as they reached the shore.

Karma shot her an unimpressed face then noticed Eren cracking up. Looking between the sea cave and its explorers, he whispered something to the group; Mikasa smacked his arm. Armin clasped a hand to his mouth. Karma's eyes widened.

Shit. What's in this cave?

They passed Levi's tree. He tracked them to the mound of jutting boulders.

Sasha and Conny were in the inlet, lounging on an inflatable donut and banana, munching on seaweed, and slurping whatever slimy ocean delicacies they'd foraged.

"Ew." Jean said what Karma was thinking. She laughed, then stifled it when she remembered that he calls her 'shortcake.'

They clambered the jutting rocks, sharp against their bare feet. Karma was within arm's reach of the top, but her foot slipped on a patch of algae. She shrieked, picturing her tiny body skidding down ten feet of stabbing rock and plunging into the raging ocean, limp like seaweed.

But Jean gripped her hand and lifted her to safety. "You klutz. You're not still drunk, are you?"

Her heart was spinning from the almost fatality. "No, I'm good. Thanks." That word usually tasted like saltwater, but this time it rolled off Karma's tongue like saltwater taffy.

"It was the bare minimum."

The rocks connected to the cliffside, and along the rugged terrain was a slick, but crossable trail. The wind whipped Karma's hair in every direction and sprayed her with buckets of ocean. There were some near slips and Karma had to cling to the cliff wall most of the time, but they finally reached the opening.

Water lapped like a tongue into the cave's mouth, but didn't flood it—the ground was wet, but walkable. It must be low-tide.

Karma ticked drowning off her mental list of Possible Ways to Die in a Sea Cave with Jean. Yet to be crossed off was the cave collapsing, being eaten by some slimy sea creature, getting lost and dying of annoyance from her company, and scurvy.

They stood at the cave's threshold with the ocean licking their heels. The sunlight glancing off the water provided some visibility, but they couldn't see more than three feet deep. Beyond that, the cave was seemingly endless.

Jean swept a hand. "Ladies first."

"What convenient chivalry."

"I prefer the term 'occasional gentleman.'"

Karma led them through the dank, echoey tunnel. Jean had to bend his neck as they walked. The walls glistened and the ground was spotted with puddles. Karma could hear the constant blup of unseen dripping water.

Fifteen feet in, they reached a wall.

"That's it? Not much of a cave," Jean said, sliding his hand along the slimy wall.

"Yeah, this is definitely a cove."

"Lame."

"Wanna go back?"

Jean gave her a face that said, "Hell no, we just got here."

Karma found a semi-flat rock and plopped down, hugging her legs to her tummy. Jean squatted across from her. They were eye-level despite Karma's rock being two feet tall.

"Friendly reminder that Truth or Dare was your idea," she said, eyeing him over the brim of her knees.

"Whatever."

Three blups.

"Stupid Eren, calling this a cave," Jean said.

Karma mirrored his half-smile. "Seriously, what a noob."

"He's so dumb—bet he thinks gouda is a type of cheese."

Karma raised a brow. "It is."

"Then what's that weird fruit?"

"A guava?" Karma stifled a full-smile.

Jean waved a hand. "Yeah, whatever. Sasha talks about so many foods it gets me all confused."

Karma tipped forward. "Come on. You think it's cute."

"What? Sasha?"

"Yeah, and how much she loves food."

"Her love of food is hilarious. I wouldn't call it 'cute.'"

"But you think Sasha's cute, right?"

"I mean, I guess." Jean gave an unconvincing shrug.

Karma pursed her lips. "Wait, I totally thought you liked Sasha this whole time."

"I like every girl who blinks in my direction." Jean stretched his feet out and rested his hands behind his head.

Karma touched her feet to the ground and hunched on her elbows. "Geez, must get tiring—all the hormones."

"Eh, I manage to keep it under control."

"Is that a fancy way of saying you've never kissed a girl?" Karma didn't suppress her teasing grin. Jean's cheeks pinkened.

"Well when the hell am I supposed to with all this Titan BS?"

"Titans are gone, horseface. Time to pull a move," Karma said. "Never know, Mikasa might come around—and that's coming from her best friend."

"Nah, Eren's number one. You and Armin can fight for second."

"Alright, fine, that's coming from her best girl friend."

"Now we're talking." Jean smirked.

"Grow up—you know there's a space in there."

"Yeah, a space for me."

Instead of kicking his shins, Karma sputtered an unexpected laugh. She clamped a hand to her mouth. "Dammit, forget you heard that."

"Forget the evidence of me growing on you? Nice try, shortcake."

"I can laugh at your jokes and still hate you."

The cocky edge in his tone softened. "You don't hate me." It was almost a question.

"Okay, fine. I don't."

Jean sat up straighter. "Good. I don't hate you either." He cleared his throat. He was nervous, which made Karma nervous. "I, uh, I actually like you."

"I actually like you too."

He shook his head. "That's not what I mean."

It hit her like a slapping wave. That's what Eren had been laughing about—the jerk set them up for some 'alone time.'

"Oh." Karma looked down at her bare toes. At her chipped baby blue nail polish that she and Mikasa had painted together, giggling and talking about boys. Talking about Jean.

Do I like Jean?

"Sorry. It's stupid. We should go back." Jean rose to leave, but Karma grabbed his wrist.

"Hang on. Sit," she said. Jean sat. Karma slipped off the rock to join him on the cave floor. "Look, for a steed you're not terrible looking. And your personality isn't a lost cause."

"Thanks?"

"I'm saying I might like you too."

"Might? It's pretty much a yes or no thing."

"Keep arguing with me and it'll be a no."

He pressed his lips.

"Good," she said. "I'm prepared to kill two birds with one stone. You'll get your first kiss and I'll figure out what in the world is going on with my hormones. Do we have a deal?"

"Karma, what the hell? I don't want my first kiss to be some hormone test."

"Fine, I guess it's a no then." Karma started to stand. He cursed.

"Wait."

She sat back down. Jean scooted toward her so their knees were touching. He leaned in. He cupped a hand on her cheek, hesitated for a breath, then pressed his lips onto hers.

Karma's hands curled around his neck. She pulled him closer. She explored his lips—they were soft and he tasted faintly of blackberries and saltwater. Her stomach was fluttering from the sensations—Jean's fingers caressing her neck and collarbone. His tongue rolling against her lips.

He moved closer, bumping his bare chest on hers, rubbing the sand-coated fabric of her bikini against her rawing skin. His skin was cold and damp, but his body was hard and toned. His hands slid to her hips. He tugged her onto his lap. His breathing quickened.

The kiss was heating up, and though she wanted to burn in that fire, Karma pulled away.

"Dammit…" she said.

Jean's hands dropped from her hips. "Was it bad?"

"No, it was perfect." And it was. It gave her butterflies and fogged her head more than the seltzer. So why did she stop? "There's something wrong with me."

"Nothing's wrong with you." Jean cracked a wan smile. "You like someone else."

"But I like you too, I think." She buried her face in her hands and groaned.

"It's alright, Karma. You just like this other guy more. Should've known I wouldn't stand a chance against Captain Levi."

"Captain Levi? No way. I don't like that hard-ass fun-sucker."

"Can't help who you like." Jean stood and offered Karma a hand.

"I'm sorry, Jean. I totally ruined your first kiss."

Jean slung his arm over her shoulders as they left the cove. "You kidding? That was awesome—I'm gonna brag to literally everyone with ears that I lost my lip-virginity to Karma, the badass Scout. Plus, I can add 'perfect kisser' to my resume."

"Your resume for what? The Occasional Gentleman's Club?"

"You already know."

They trekked back across the slick rocks, battling wind and ocean spray, to the strip of beach where their friends had started a crackling bonfire. The sun floated just above the line of the sea. Hues of orange and pink leaked across the sky. Two white seagulls squawked overhead, arcing inland.

Karma settled herself on the open log closest to Mikasa. The flames grasped at the sky and hazed the air with smoke and heat waves. The warmth dried her skin, though her swimsuit was still damp.

Jean sat beside her and wrapped an arm across her shoulders again. Mikasa's eyes widened, but Karma didn't notice. She was too busy looking for Captain Levi. He wasn't under the tree. She whirled her head in every direction until she spotted him tending to the horses. He pulled a brush through a mane and hand-fed the steed carrots and celery.

The cracks of fizzing drinks and the smell of smoked meat pulled Karma back to the bonfire. Eren had passed around another round of White Claws, which Karma declined. The fogginess had finally worn off and she refused to almost-drown again.

Sasha was skewering weenies and passing them around the fire. Jean handed her a stick. Karma twirled it for an even cook, but Conny, impatient, stuck his weenie directly into the flames until it was charred and blackened to his liking. He popped it in his mouth and guzzled cold seltzer to chase it down.

The sight made Karma turn to Jean and say, "Ew." They shared a private snicker.

Her weenie started to blister and sweat. She was already swallowing back excess saliva at the sight, but when she realized that there were only seven weenies—enough for everyone around the fire to have one—she rose.

"Where you going, shortcake?"

"I'm gonna give a weenie to a weenie."

"I knew you liked him. I love it when I'm right."