Chapter Text
Levi stared at his phone. He blinked a few times to confirm the text preview.
It wasn’t often Karin messaged him directly, much less with an attachment. Oftentimes, it was something formal, like a reminder to practice proper table manners or an unsolicited comment about how not to fold his napkin like he was “wrapping a burrito.” But every once in a while, her texts were different. Like the time she sent him detailed instructions on how to surprise Marina with her favorite flowers (“lilies, not roses. Do not be basic,”) after Levi accidentally upset his girlfriend (which often happened without his realization). Or the time Karin asked him to help her move an antique bookshelf she’d “rescued” from a garage sale, insisting that it was his “military duty” to assist her.
Honestly, Levi wasn’t sure if she liked him, tolerated him, or just didn’t want him to embarrass Marina by proxy. Either way, he respected the hell out of her. Even if she scared him a little.
So when the text came through, his first thought was that he’d forgotten to do something important. Maybe Marina mentioned an anniversary or event that he’d blanked on, and Karin was here to make sure he didn’t screw it up. Or something like that.
He opened the message and…
A picture loaded and Levi died on the spot. Or at least it felt like it, considering his soul effectively left his body.
There, easily in 4K plus detail, was Karin. Or more accurately, Karin wearing almost nothing at all. The photo was a “for Daan’s eye only” photo. It was definitely not for a poor, innocent boy who just wanted to eat leftover pizza and watch a movie with his girlfriend.”
Then, the follow-up notifications came:
Karin: “DELETE THAT NOW.”
Karin: “LEVI, I SWEAR TO GOD.”
Karin: “DELETE IT, DELETE IT, DELETE IT.”
Levi dropped the phone like it was on fire. "Oh shit!" he whispered harshly as his hands flew up to his head. He couldn’t unsee it. It was burned into his brain. He looked to the doorway, hoping Marina wouldn’t have poor timing and walk in. He began to pace around the room, panicking as another barrage of texts rolled in.
Karin: “If you tell ANYONE about this, I swear to God.”
Karin: “Don’t even THINK about showing Marina.”
Karin: “DO. NOT. SCREENSHOT.”
Levi quickly picked up his phone. His brain scrambled for a coherent response, but, well, what the hell was he supposed to say?
Levi: “I didn’t look! I didn’t even look! I mean I saw it but I didn’t REALLY see!”
Levi: “I’m deleting it”
Levi: “I’M DELETING IT RIGHT NOW OMG PLEASE FORGIVE ME”
He hit send, only for another text to immediately arrive:
Karin: “You BETTER have already deleted it. Or so help me God.”
He swiped to delete the photo, his hands sweaty and shaking. It was deleting a nude (kinda), but to Levi, it might as well have been disarming a bomb. Once it was gone, he typed back:
Levi: “It’s gone. It never happened. I don’t even know what you’re talking about. What are photos even? I’m blind now.”
Silence. He stared at his phone. Waiting. Praying. Then, finally, a single text:
Karin: “Good.”
Levi collapsed onto the couch, face buried in his hands. Just as he started to calm down, Marina strolled in, holding two mugs of hot cocoa. "What's with you? You look like you’ve seen a ghost."
He peeked at her from between his fingers. "Worse."
"What’s worse than a ghost?"
"Karin’s boobs."