Attack On Titan: Pure Blood

Chapter 19: Family dinner & a decision without regrets

"What a day..." Connie sighed wearily as he opened the door to their shared bedroom. "Although we have finally finished cleaning up the city."

Upon entering, he could see his roommate packing his belongings into a small bag.

"Hey, Victor, where are you going?" he asked, "We won't move in until the day after tomorrow."

The bespectacled boy looked up when he finished packing and slung the bag over his shoulders.

"I'm going to visit my father," he explained. "He came to Trost and will stay for a few days. So I'll take the opportunity to spend time with him and my brother."

"Oh, are you staying in a hotel? I heard that civilians have begun to re-inhabit Trost."

"Something like that. Don't worry. I'll be back when we have to choose which branch of the military we'll go to. Although I already have it clear."

Connie looked a little down when he heard that.

"Yeah... I also thought I had things clear when I wanted to join the Scout Corps. But considering what happened a few days ago..."

Victor smiled understandingly at him before patting his shoulder in a friendly manner.

"Don't worry, you still have time to think about it tonight."

Connie nodded absently before going to his bunk and collapsing on top of it.

Victor left his partner and headed out the door. When he left the male dorms, he found a familiar short blonde girl with a listless expression waiting for him at the entrance. Her expression softened slightly when she saw him approach.

"Are you sure you want to spend the night? Wouldn't it raise strange rumors?" Victor asked. Annie just looked at him impassively as she slung the bag containing her belongings over her shoulders. "Sorry. Stupid question. You never cared what other people said."

"I thought you didn't care either," she said.

Victor shrugged as they began to walk through the streets of Trost toward the site of his family's dwelling.

"I only care about the opinion of those who are close to me. Everyone else, as far as I'm concerned, they can screw each other."

A slight smile stretched across Annie's lips upon hearing that.

"That is a thought I can familiarize myself with."

"Speaking of family, are you ready to formally meet mine?"

Annie rolled her eyes in mild exasperation. If she didn't know better, she would say he didn't want her to meet his family.

"I'm sure, Victor. Just tell me something I need to know before I meet the alpha wolf and the pack."

He chuckled. Finding Annie's analogy amusing, considering the name of his father's company.

"Just ignore my brother's vulgar and sarcastic comments. And don't try to pretend to be someone you're not to please my father, and you'll be fine."

Victor smiled at her as he held out his hand to grab her. Annie didn't hesitate to grab his hand and start walking through the streets with him.

Once they reached his family's secondary residence, Victor studied it for a few seconds. Fortunately, it hadn't been damaged in any way during the Battle of Trost, just like the rest of the neighborhood. Maybe because it was right in front of the canal, which was the opposite side of the city where the titans had massed under Armin's strategy. He could see some families returning to their homes, or at least the ones that weren't totally destroyed. It will take some time for everything to return to normal.