The Scouts were exhausted. Armin was nodding off in front of the crackling campfire. Mikasa's head rested in Eren's lap. Karma was slumped over her knees. Sasha's weenie twirled lazily over the flames. Jean and Connie seemed to be the only ones with energy left in their systems.

"Alright, I know what'll wake you guys up," Connie said, exchanging a mischievous smirk with Jean.

"Anything but truth or dare," Levi said. He settled on the open log space beside Karma. She perked up at her captain's arrival, straightening her spine like a snap bracelet. "I'm not touching another horse's asshole."

"Fine, fine." Connie swatted a hand. "How 'bout a good old fashioned ghost story?"

Jean lit like a struck match. He glanced at Karma beside him, knowing how easily frightened she was. Already, sweat glimmered on her temple. "I've got one."

"Fine," Levi said. "Five minutes then you soldiers need to get to sleep."

"I only need two." Jean cleared his throat. All eyes lazed toward him. "Deep in the foggy woods, on a night like tonight, the Trost Strangler emerges, hunting for his next victim."

Karma folded her arms, determined not to be spooked by Jean's ridiculous stories. Mischief twinkled in his eye as he continued.

"It's said he seeks only the most beautiful young women to add to his collection…."

Karma tightened her arms across her chest.

"He finds his target gathered around a campfire. Petite, fair skin and hair, eyes like honey…"

A ghostly finger grazed her nape. She whirled her head but found only Levi, face stoney with boredom.

"The Trost Strangler watches her from afar. He creeps closer, fingers twitching to enclose her slender neck."

Karma's breathing quickened, her fingers couldn't hold still as they scrunched the fabric of her Scout jacket. Her eyes scanned the bored faces, illuminated by flickering light. No one else seemed bothered.

"Closer and closer he creeps. Until—"

Karma shrieked. The Trost Strangler clamped her neck from behind. She clamored to free herself from his grasp, seeking out the warmth beside her. Once she found safety, she clung to it with desperate fingers, her eyes hot with tears.

Connie's cackle erupted where the Trost Strangler had been. "Karma, the look on your face is priceless!" Jean, who had orchestrated the whole stunt, did not look as pleased as Connie.

Karma grounded herself. In her desperation, she had latched onto Levi. "Sorry, Captain." She slinked back to her seat, face burning hot.

"That's enough." Levi stood to stomp out the fire. "Bed. All of you."

"Yes, Captain."

Jean and Connie were crammed in a tent with Armin and Eren. The four of them discussed the events of the night.

"Yo," Connie slapped Jean's shoulder. "I didn't actually strangle her. Why are you so pissy?"

"Because she wasn't supposed to fawn all over Levi, it was supposed to be me."

"Levi was probably just closer," Armin said, yawning and nuzzling into his sleeping bag.

"No offense, horseface, but I'd cuddle up to Levi over you any day," Eren said.

"It didn't even seem like Levi enjoyed it." Connie squeezed Jean's shoulder.

"I'm sure she did though." Jean slumped into his palms with a pouted lip.

"You know what'll cheer you up?" Connie had that devilish gleam in his eye again. "Seeing her naked."

"We're not sneaking into the girl's showers again. Karma's grip is insane—I almost lost a nipple."

"No—skinny dipping, dude."

"Psh, no way. Levi would kill us."

"He's crashed asleep. He doesn't have to find out. This is your chance to pull a move."

Karma and Mikasa were huddled together in the adjacent tent, whispering while Sasha snored.

"It was like a reflex—I jumped onto Levi," Karma said, reenacting the scene with her hands.

"What was it like?"

"He smelled really good. And he's surprisingly buff."

"You should sneak into his tent for more cuddles."

"Mikasa, he would literally kill me."

"He could've easily shaken you off, but he let you hold onto him. He totally likes you."

"Well, I kind of actually like—"

"Guys," Connie's shaved head popped into the tent flap. "Skinny dipping. You in?"

"Huh?" Karma glanced at Mikasa, who mirrored her puckered brows. "It's like midnight?"

"Yeah, exactly. C'mon!"

"You really think we're gonna strip to our underwear to swim in freezing water?"

"No, you're gonna strip butt-naked. Look, I'm already butt—"

"Woah, woah. Alright, got it. We'll be out in a sec."

Karma's toe grazed the edge of the water. It wasn't as cold as she'd expected, but she was still hesitant to take off her clothes and join her friends, who were already splashing and playing in the lake. Armin and Eren and Connie were diving off large boulders. Sasha and Mikasa were cheering from the sidelines.

"What are you waiting for, shortcake?" There was only one person who called her that. Jean appeared at Karma's side. She tried not to admire his nude body in the dim moonlight, but it was hard to tear her eyes away.

"Nothing. It's just cold," she said, hugging her chest.

Jean was quick to reply as if he'd been anticipating a chance to say, "I'll keep you warm." She felt his hand curl up her sleeve. He reached her collarbone and loosened the top button. Karma swallowed down her heart.

"Jean…" she whispered as his hands sank lower. One-by-one, he unlatched the buttons over her chest until she was completely exposed to the night air. His velvety hands sculpted her bare waist, worshiping her figure.

"Please, Karma. Get in here." His raspy voice brushed her ear. A thrilling shiver blossomed through her.

"Where is this coming from?" she said, trying to keep the supports from shifting in her voice.

"I like you, Karma. God, have I not made that obvious enough?" Jean tugged the shirt off her shoulders, and it slumped into the pebbles. His hands moved to her hips. She felt her belt slide through the loops. "Let me see you."

Karma obeyed, sliding out of her slacks until she was in her underwear.

"Damn." Jean chewed his knuckle. Karma tried not to look at the twitching movement below his waist, but it was making her eager to strip more. To see how he'd react to her naked skin. She unlatched her bra and puddled her panties. Jean cursed and clenched his jaw and thighs.

Karma took his hand and guided him into the water behind her, toying with him and letting his fingers graze her bum. The moment they were submerged, he reeled her into his chest as if the teasing had made him savage.

"You know that story was meant to scare you into cuddling with me, not Levi."

Karma latched her legs around Jean's waist. An animalistic energy was emitting from his heavy breaths. He was barely containing himself from taking her. His fingers chewed into her soft curves like the crescent moons of his fingernails could brand her as his own.

Before Karma could form some sort of clever response, Jean's kiss stole her. She felt the force of his tongue pushing past her lips, opening her mouth. She could taste the char of roasted weenies and the sweet bite of apple cider. His lips were nectar. She squeezed her thighs and deepened the kiss, clinging and pulling the wet ends of his taupe hair.

Under the water, she felt his tip probing the burning between her legs.

"God, Karma. Please?" He gripped his shaft, angling it to find her entrance, anything to give way for his release. The tip licked the opening. Karma gasped as he slipped inside. "Fuck—"

The water sloshed around them. Karma buried her teeth into Jean's shoulder as he thrusted. She wasn't even worried about the moans slipping past her lips like droplets of oil. Her friends were far away, splashing and laughing. It was just her and Jean in this dizzy moment of bliss.

The pounding inside her swelled. Jean's girth found the right spot over and over, eliciting all kinds of shivers and curse words from both of them. His hands kneaded her breasts and waist, tenderizing her flesh and pulsing the heat between her legs brighter and brighter.

Jean gasped. He twitched inside of her and she felt his dribbling warmth just as she reached a peak of her own. In the mask of night under the black lake, their bodies trembled together in the tide of pleasure.

Karma breathed deeply against Jean's shoulder. His grip on her was secure, but relaxed as the tide receded.

"Holy shit, Karma," Jean whispered into her hair. "You're so hot." She pressed her lips into his neck, which was hot and dewy with sweat, much like the nape of her own.

"Jean, I really like you."

"Really? Cause Karma, I—"

"Enough." Captain Levi's boots glistened in the dim light just yards from where she and Jean were entangled. Karma's eyes raked higher until she found that cold displeasure settled in the downward curve of his lip. His fists were on his hips. His voice carried across the entire surface of the lake like a sail. "Bed. Now."

As Karma hurried into her clothes and wrung the lake from her hair, she wondered if Captain Levi had seen what happened between her and Jean. How long had he been standing off the shore like that? Did he hear her moan Jean's name? Watch her nuzzle into the stubble on his neck? The thought made her mortified.

She was the first one back in the tents. She couldn't even bear to look at Jean and scampered away while he was still buttoning up his shirt and calling after her. She settled into her sleeping bag and slammed her eyes shut, wishing she could scrub the memory of Levi catching them in the act.

Mikasa and Sasha came back and were asleep within minutes, but Karma was still awake. Not only did she just have one of the most magical, intimate, and vulnerable moments of her life, there was a chance her Scout Regiment Captain lay witness to the whole thing.

The canvas flap of the tent whooshed open. Karma knew it was Captain Levi, coming to berate her for latching onto him during the ghost story and fooling around with a fellow soldier. Would he dismiss her from the Scouts? Put her on permanent stable duty?

"Hey." It was Jean's voice. Her heart lightened, no longer a baseball in her chest. Karma heard him shuffle across the sleeping bags and Sasha's loose candy wrappers until he was right beside her. "Can we talk?"

"Sure." Karma sat up but felt Jean's strong hands guide her back down. He shuffled gracelessly into her sleeping bag. Luckily, Sasha and Mikasa seemed too worn out to stir at the noise.

"Sorry if Captain Levi freaked you out. I promise he didn't see anything," Jean said. Karma felt his fingers caress her cheek, intrigued by the curved shape and soft skin. It made her blush. She breathed in the lingering notes of that expensive cologne he bought in Trost.

"Are you sure he didn't?"

"Positive. He was just pissy that we woke him up."

"Were we that loud?"

"No, Connie and the rest of them were. Don't worry—they didn't see anything either."

"Thank God." Karma pressed her forehead against Jean's. He was so warm. She wanted to feel that warm all around her again. Inside her. Without the barrier of water between them or the fear of someone overhearing.

I'll keep you warm.

"I was trying to tell you something before." Jean's finger tiptoed to her lips. He traced the outline of them over and over like swirling ovals in the sand. Karma didn't dare disrupt the tingling sensation of his touch by speaking.

In the quiet, Jean whispered, "I love you, Karma. I always have."

Karma couldn't hold her lips still anymore. She smiled. "Damn, I just might love you back." Jean's finger was replaced by the press of his grinning lips.

"You're mine now, shortcake." He secured her against his chest and nuzzled his nose into her hair. "Get used to it." Karma closed her eyes, smiling.

"Can't imagine I ever will."