"Oh, Jean. Are you on stable duty too?"
Karma swallowed hard and glanced around for signs of Levi, but everything looked as they'd left it that afternoon, which meant he was still on his way. Her heart thudded. If Levi walked in now, Jean might realize he'd come to meet her. Her gaze flickered to the door.
"No." Jean's tone was flat. "But neither are you." The room suddenly felt like an oven. Karma's back was slick.
"I don't know what you're talking about." She straightened, feigning confidence.
"Don't play coy with me, cat-brain." Jean rolled his eyes as if they'd had this conversation a thousand times. "I know all about you and Ackerman."
"Yeah, Mikasa and I are best friends. Everyone knows that." Of course he wouldn't have bothered coming to the stables to confront her about her friendship with Mikasa. But, if she kept playing dumb, he might doubt his suspicions. "Why? You want me to set you guys up? I know you have a thing for her."
"Had. She's way too wrapped up with Eren to give me a fair chance," he said. "But you and I both know that's not the Ackerman I'm talking about."
No. She refused to admit to anything. She would keep the promise of secrecy as best she could. "What do you think you know?" she said.
"You and that dickhead have been hooking up."
"Pff, that's ridiculous. Where'd you come across that rumor?" They both knew she was full of crap, but she held firm to her denial.
"I saw it with my own eyes. After you bumped into me today, I watched you go into the stables. I didn't think much of it. I know you have that dumb cat to feed." He's one to talk. "But imagine my surprise when none other than Captain Levi leaves through that same door an hour later. Wasn't too hard to put the pieces together."
"So you watched him leave a room I went into—doesn't prove anything."
"You're right. But that cloak sure does." He gestured to the cape caressing her shoulders.
Karma pulled it close as though he'd threatened to rip it off. "You've reached a whole new level of creepy. Would you stop spying on every little thing I do?" She pretended the cloak was Levi wrapped around her. It kept the tremor out of her voice.
"Don't try to turn this on me." A vein in his neck pulsed. "Besides, Levi already admitted to everything. Lucky for you, he's taking all the blame."
"What—no! Why?! You idiot! They'll revoke his rank or even dismiss him! The expedition is tomorrow—the Scouts need him!" Why did this all have to come crashing down now? Couldn't they just have one last night together before hell broke loose?
"Psh, take that up with Zachary. Personally, I'd love for Levi to join the fight."
"Why? So you can watch him get killed?" Karma clenched her trembling fists, resisting the urge to beat them against Jean's face. Her anger was so raw it pricked at the backs of her eyes.
"That'd be a bonus."
"The hell is wrong with you? Just what do you have against Captain Levi?"
"God, you really do have cats for brains." Jean ran his hands through his hair. "Isn't it obvious? Do I really have to say it?" He bridged the distance between them as he'd done earlier that day. His hands were on her shoulders.
Oh, right. He liked her. Like a school-kid pulling pigtails. Karma didn't want to hear him say it. She filled her eyes with as much fire as she could kindle. "Where is he?"
"You really can't think of anything else to say to me? That's all you care about? Come on, Karma!" He shook her shoulders. "Just admit that you like me back."
"What?! I would sooner lick my own anus, horse-face."
"Would you?" He smirked. Karma smacked him.
"Grow up! God, you're annoying." She huffed. "So that's why you spied on me? Because of your stupid little crush?"
His face pinkened. He folded his arms, releasing his grip on her. She knew that was a 'yes.'
"Today was your last chance before the expedition—you knew I'd be going to the stables to feed my cat, so you waited in the hall. You planned to kiss me," she said as the pieces fell into place.
"I planned to try—that obviously didn't work."
"No shit."
"I thought you were just playing hard to get."
"Ever consider that I just didn't want to kiss you?"
"Course not. You wanted to, but you didn't because you liked somebody else more. And since you kept quiet, I wondered if it was someone you weren't supposed to like. So I watched you and saw Levi and the cloak and put two-and-two together. Then—unlike you—I followed the rules and reported it to Commander Zachary."
"Why, Jean? You could've just talked to me."
"Like I said. I follow the rules."
"Bullshit."
Jean rolled his eyes. "Whatever. The truth's out now. Bummer it happened so fast though. I was hoping for at least a couple fingernails, but your boyfriend's annoyingly cooperative."
"So where is he?" Karma said again through her teeth. Jean frowned.
"Don't worry about him—he's fine. Forget him for just a minute." He laid his hands on her shoulders once more, but this time they were as light as mittens. "Just tell me the truth. Do you like me at all? Is there any chance?"
At this, Karma softened. Though he'd pulled some stupid moves, he was motivated by all the same things she was. How could she blame him?
"You're right. I do like you Jean," she said, staring at the strewn hay needles beneath her shoes. "If it weren't for Levi, there might have been a chance. I could see it. But…I love Levi."
Her breath caught in her throat. She'd never said that out loud before. She'd never told him. Would she ever get to now? Would she die tomorrow on the expedition before she had a chance?
For the second time that day, tears welled in her eyes.
"Karma?" Jean sounded wounded. "You alright?" She shook her head, crumbling to her knees in sobs. Jean fell beside her, wrapping her in an embrace that she didn't find repulsive. "I'm sorry."
"I get why you did it," she said, swiping her cheeks and nose on her sleeves. "I'm sorry too, Jean. I'm sorry it couldn't be you that I'm crying over."
Jean was silent for a moment.
"He's in a holding cell at HQ, waiting for his trial. Since we haven't heard anything about the verdict, it might not be too late…" Jean's eyes sunk to the ground. "I should've kept my mouth shut. I never wanted to hurt you like this—I'm sorry." Jean looked on the verge of tears himself. Karma hugged his neck.
"Thank you for telling me, Jean." She pulled back. "And, hey, Mikasa might open her eyes one day."
He humphed and scratched his neck. "Yeah, well…want a ride to HQ?" He gestured to the horses. Karma nodded.
If she could convince the high-ranking officers that there was no foul play, they'd be heartless not to take pity on the love-struck soldiers. They'd have to release Levi. If that didn't work, maybe she'd rip a few fingernails.
Karma didn't care—she would do whatever she had to to free her captain. And she refused to die tomorrow without telling him how she felt.
They saddled up and bolted from the stables.