Attack On Titan: Pure Blood

by JkAlex

Leaving behind a life on the inside, a boy from Stohess enlists in Recruit Troop No. 104, entering a world full of titans. But his goal was never clearer; he will join together with his brother and take back Wall Maria to bring hope. And he will do whatever it takes to get it done. He carries with him the blood of his family, granting him a unique power that he still does not know.

31. Special

N/A: Hello everyone, did you miss me? I know you did, don't be shy.

After all, it's been over a year since I last updated this story. The last chapter of the first season took place on September 4th, 2023.

I wrote this chapter just to show that this story is not dead. It's a special I've had in mind for a long time, and I've even written something, but I haven't been able to finish it because... things happened.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy it and that it reminds you of the essence of this story, how it all started and what has always made me proud of this story; the relationship between the characters. For me, writing this was like a cold shower and a cold beer on a hot Sunday day. It reminded me why I love writing so much.

And without further ado... Let's go!

---

Special

A sheep's birthday

Diary of a Recruit

Entry # 271

Even though graduation was still more than seven months away, I felt closer than ever.

It has been two and a half years since my training as a soldier began, but it feels like it has been much longer. So many things have happened in those two years that I couldn't capture them all in this journal even if I wanted to.

Good things... Bad things...

In retrospect, I should have made more use of the good things. And done the bad things differently. I know my father always told me that the mistakes we make in the past are what make us who we are today. And because of them, we can try to do things differently. We have to try to be better. We have to be better.

Good decisions come from experience, but experience comes from bad decisions.

Was it the right decision to enter the training to become a soldier?

Was it the right decision to join the Scouts?

And... Is it the right decision to push myself so hard to be in the top ten and to join the Military Police in the future?

I'm only 15 years old, so I don't have much experience to know if the decisions I've made or will make are the right ones.

I have not been able to sleep well these past few days because of these thoughts. And while I don't understand why I have so much uncertainty about the future, I do know why I have been thinking more about my past.

After all, it's this time of year, so I can't help but feel nostalgic and melancholy.

---

As the sun began to rise over the horizon, and as was the custom every morning, the bell began to ring, telling the young recruits that it was time to wake up.

In the men's dormitory, the boys reluctantly began to awaken amid groans and grunts of complaint.

Knowing that he would have to wake his bunk mate, an action that had been routine for him for over two years, Connie rolled over, eyes narrowed from sleep, only to find that no one was lying near him. He didn't think much about it because he had to get ready for another day of training.

Exactly five minutes after the last chime of the bell, the main door of the dormitory opened and through it walked Instructor Shadis, as stern and imposing as ever.

"All right, recruits, you know what to do!" exclaimed Shadis. "Start with twenty laps around the camp! And don't forget your ballast packs!"

When Connie was lined up like everyone else and ready to start another day of training, he looked around the dorm for his bunk mate, but he was nowhere to be found.

"Uh... Instructor Shadis," he said a little hesitantly, "Victor's not here."

"The recruit sheep? He was already running around the camp while you were sleeping and scratching your balls. Now move!"

Following their instructor's orders, the male recruits quickly moved out and grabbed the backpacks that the other instructors had already placed on the dormitory door.

On the other side of the bell tower, the door to the girls' dormitory opened, and they emerged dressed for another day of training. They grabbed the weighted backpacks and joined the boys to start running around the course.

There were a few light murmurs of good mornings and greetings between friends and acquaintances, but everyone was in a light sleep, having slept less than ten minutes before.

As they left the barren dirt field and entered the forest, the shade of the trees and the cool forest air were welcome to the recruits, waking up those who were still a bit sleepy.

"Huh? What's that?" Connie asked.

Up ahead on the path, a figure was advancing at a steady march. The backpack he was carrying and the soldier's uniform identified him as a recruit, just like them.

"It's Victor!" Krista exclaimed, recognizing the boy's black hair and short stature.

She quickly picked up her pace and approached him. Behind her, Ymir followed with a weary sigh.

"Victor, good morning!" Krista greeted him cheerfully when she reached his side.

He turned to her and gave her a small smile.

"Hey, Krista..." he greeted.

Krista blinked at the sight of him. They had just started training, but Victor looked tired. He was sweating profusely and breathing irregularly, but he was still moving steadily forward with no sign of stopping.

"Hey, Sheep, why the hell do you look so tired?" Ymir asked, standing next to Krista as they continued to jog.

"I've been running... since before training started," he said between breaths.

"Well, you look too tired to have run just ahead of us."

"No... I've been running since before dawn..."

"What?!" claimed Krista, alarmed and worried, "Why would you do that!?"

"I couldn't sleep..." Victor replied simply.

Krista frowned worriedly when she saw the dark circles under his eyes. It seemed that this wasn't just a one-night stand.

---

Although he had been running for hours before the workout began, Victor was still able to finish the race.

When they reached the small clearing in the woods that signaled the end of the race, he collapsed in the shade of a tree and took a deep breath.

"Here."

He looked up to see Annie holding a canteen of water. She didn't look at him as she leaned against the tree, keeping the same listless expression on her face, but her actions spoke louder than her words or her look.

"Thanks, Annie."

He took the canteen and drank, not caring that it dribbled a bit down his chin.

"You know you don't have to work so hard at training, right?" she asked. "If you just want to join the Scouts, you don't have to excel at every exercise. It's enough to complete them to graduate."

Victor stopped drinking and wiped the water from his mouth.

"I'm not doing this for the training..." he replied and held out the canteen.

Annie took it and drank from it, not caring in the least that he had drunk from it.

After all, they had been secretly together for half a year. Kisses, hugs and caresses were a common occurrence between them when they were alone.

"Why?" she asked curiously.

"It helps me... distract myself."

Annie turned to look at him and arched an eyebrow slightly. A part of her wanted to ask him what he meant, but she wouldn't insist, wouldn't bring it up. If he wanted to talk to her about what was bothering him, she would listen. And if he didn't, she would understand. That had been one of the foundations of their relationship, and in her opinion, the most important and the one she cherished most.

When she was upset or frustrated, Victor would pick up on it, but he never mentioned it or questioned her. Instead, he was simply there for her, offering his silent support. He had always respected her privacy. And that was one of the reasons why she liked him so much and why their relationship worked.

"I see," she nodded. "So... what do you say we have some close combat training this afternoon?"

He looked at her and raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Aren't you going to train with Eren this afternoon?" he asked.

"I was going to, but now I have other plans. If you want to distract yourself, I can think of... several ways."

A smile spread across Victor's face as he understood the meaning of Annie's words. She would put aside a previous commitment just to spend time with him.

"Thank you, Annie."

She watched him out of the corner of her eye. She watched his smile. That damn smile that made her stomach tingle and her heart warm.

Training would definitely not be the only thing they would do this afternoon when they were alone. And just thinking about it made her heart pound with anticipation.

---

When morning training was over, the recruits split up to perform their duties. Duties usually included cleaning the bathrooms, cleaning the dormitories, maintaining the ODM gear, helping in the kitchen, acting as lookouts in the watchtowers, etc. It was not uncommon for recruits to swap duties or take another recruit's turn. Shadis didn't mind, as long as the duties were performed and no recruit slacked off.

Some recruits preferred certain duties to others. Jean and Ymir preferred tower watch shifts because they could slack off and no one could say anything to them because they were 'doing their assigned duties'. Armin, Eren and Marco preferred the duty of maintaining the ODM, fascinated by its advanced mechanism. Krista liked cleaning the dorm, but not the bathroom.

Bathroom duty was more of a punishment that recruits did their best to avoid. And because it was a punishment, Connie and Sasha were the most likely recruits to do it.

Surprisingly, Mikasa's favorite duty was helping in the kitchen. A rather domestic duty and one that contrasted with the image many had of Mikasa, who was nicknamed 'Goddess of War' or 'Goddess of Scarves'. Both nicknames were given to her by Victor, much to Mikasa's frustration.

But there was no frustration as she peeled the potato skins with a speed and precision second only to her partner. Mikasa watched as Victor took only a few seconds to peel one potato and move on to the next.

'Maybe it's because of his experience in the kitchen,' she surmised, which made sense to her, considering Victor had told her that before he came here, he had been the one doing all the chores around the house. 'He's a homemaker.'

There was something else strange when she looked at him. Victor was strangely silent. Even as he peeled the potatoes, his expression showed that his mind was not on the task at hand, but somewhere far away.

"Victor?" she called.

He made a sound with his throat to indicate that he was listening, without taking his eyes off the potato he was peeling.

"Are you all right?"

"Why do you say that?" he asked, finishing the potato and picking up another.

"Just that you seem a little... distracted."

He paused for a second, staring at the knife in his hand, before continuing to peel the potato.

"I'm just... a little tired. Training has been very hard these days."

Mikasa nodded in agreement, but she wasn't entirely convinced as she continued to watch him out of the corner of her eye, watching him peel the potatoes with a distant look on his face.

It was strange to her. It hadn't been until half a year ago that Victor had changed not only his appearance, but also his strength, speed, endurance and abilities. In just a few months, he had risen above the 307 recruits, which was unheard of for them, as before he had been one of the worst recruits, those who constantly fought not to be expelled.

All of this confused her, but if there was one thing that was strange to her, it was that Victor acted... different. If you asked anyone else like Jean, Krista or Ymir, his closest friends, they would say that Victor acted exactly the same. The same joking, sarcastic, cheeky boy. But Mikasa didn't see him that way. Since half a year, he was acting more... distant with her. And she didn't like it.

For her, Victor was a completely different person. And it all started when he and Krista were kidnapped by those thieves. Since then... she beat him.

Mikasa frowned slightly as she remembered that bitter memory. She had made up with Victor. She had admitted her mistake, apologized, and he had accepted her apology. There was no bad blood between them anymore. They were friends again.

Then why had Victor been so distant from her these past few months?

'Honestly, I don't know how he came to like you,' Krista's words echoed in her head.

Mikasa stopped peeling potatoes.

Was that the reason? Did he act differently because of that? Had... Had his feelings changed because of what had happened that day? Because of what she had done?

Quickly, she pushed these thoughts aside. She didn't want to think about it. Surely, she was thinking too much. Besides, thinking about it only caused an uncomfortable feeling in her heart, along with a great deal of confusion. It was the first time she had ever felt this way, and it was a bit overwhelming.

They both continued peeling potatoes in an awkward silence. At least that's how Mikasa felt.

Then she heard something murmuring behind her. She turned around and saw Connie and Sasha, hiding behind a table, muttering to each other. Mikasa raised an eyebrow, but ignored them and continued peeling potatoes.

Then she heard wood creak slightly behind her back. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sasha hiding on the other side of the table. Mikasa would have missed it if she hadn't been paying attention.

Slowly, but surely, a hand reached across the table and made its way to the potatoes Victor was peeling. He didn't seem to notice because he continued to peel the potato. Mikasa noticed the look of growing anticipation and hunger on Sasha's face as she finally grabbed a potato and slowly began to pull her hand back... until Victor's hand rose and abruptly fell away. There was a sound of something being poked, and a scream of fear escaped Sasha's mouth.

Mikasa could see the horrified look on the girl's face as she saw a knife sink into her hand and pierce through to the hilt, but there was no blood. The knife had gone through her fingers and pinned the potato to the table.

"Mmm... I seem to have missed," Victor muttered, causing Sasha to quickly pull her hand away and fall on her butt. "Would you like to try again, Sasha?"

She looked up shakily and watched in fear as Victor drew the knife sharply.

"Sasha, run!" Connie shouted.

He abruptly emerged from his hiding place and ran for the exit, grabbing a peeled potato from Victor's pile.

"I'm... I'm sorry!" Sasha cried in horror as she stood up and ran out of the kitchen, quickly following Connie.

Victor grabbed a small bowl and threw it at the two fleeing recruits. The bowl hit Connie on the head, causing him to stumble and fall to the floor, dropping the potato he was holding. He got up and tried to pick it up, but a knife went and embedded itself in the potato, pinning it to the floor. Connie recoiled in fear and turned to look at Victor, who had thrown the knife.

"Try it again if you've got the balls, baldy," he said, squinting in his direction.

Connie didn't do it again and instead ran to where Sasha had gone.

"Don't you think you were a little too harsh?" Mikasa asked as Victor went to pick up the bowl and the potato that was still stuck to the floor.

"Nobody steals in the kitchen on my watch" was the only answer she got when Victor used some water to clean the dirt from the potato.

Mikasa frowned, there was something wrong with Victor, especially today.

---

When the day's training was over, all the recruits relaxed before dinner.

In the men's dormitory, Armin sat on his bunk, reading with interest the book he had in his hands. The book he was reading was about plants that had medicinal uses, and what he found most fascinating was how they were discovered.

"Did you know that the belladonna plant was used by women as makeup before it was used as a medicinal plant?" Armin said to Eren. "At first, women used it to dilate their pupils and give their cheeks a natural blush. As doctors continued to study the effects of this plant, they discovered that it could be used to relieve stomach pains, make a person breathe better, and even make the heart work better... However, if used in excess, it can cause hallucinations, disorientation, and can even lead to coma and then death. It's fascinating stuff, did your dad know all this, Eren?"

"Hmm? Maybe, I don't know..." he answered disinterestedly while he leaned his face back with the palm of his hand and looked out of the window with a slightly sullen expression.

Armin raised an eyebrow at his friend's attitude and turned to Reiner, who was playing a game of chess with Bertholdt.

"Hey, Reiner, do you know why Eren is like that?"

Reiner moved his knight to capture Bertholdt's bishop, but that caused him to move his rook and put Reiner in a position that threatened his king.

"Check," Bertolt announced.

Reiner frowned, finding no immediate way out.

"I think it's because Annie didn't want to practice with him today," Reiner replied, stalling for time while he thought of a strategy to get his king to safety.

Eren's brow furrowed in annoyance.

"I don't understand why she doesn't want to train today," he growled, "I'm so close to mastering this move of hers!"

"You could ask her to train this weekend," Armin suggested. "Tomorrow we're going to Trost to get supplies for the next few months, so we won't have any training."

"No, she also refused to train me this weekend. She said she had something important to do."

Reiner and Bertholdt shared a look, confused as to why Annie hadn't told them she was doing something important this weekend.

The door to the dormitory opened and some were surprised to see Victor, still in his training uniform, full of scratches and dirt.

"Victor? Have you been training so late?" Armin asked.

"Hm?" he mumbled absently.

"You were training?"

"Oh yeah... something like that," he replied and went to his bunk where he had his change of clothes.

"Hey, Captain Sheep, you almost missed dinner," Connie commented.

"And that would be a first," Jean added absentmindedly as he played cards with Marco. "You're almost as obsessed with food as Sasha."

A smile appeared on Victor's lips.

"I guess... the training has distracted me too much," he said cryptically.

Neither of them understood why he was smiling, but they decided to ignore it.

---

During dinner, while everyone was more engrossed in eating, Krista noticed that Victor had barely touched his soup and his bread was still untouched. He seemed more interested in writing what appeared to be a letter, and judging by its contents, it was quite long.

"Who are you writing to, Victor?" she asked curiously.

"To my father and my brother," he replied without looking up as he continued writing with one hand and showed her another letter already sealed and ready to be mailed with the other. "Since we are going to Trost tomorrow to resupply, it will be a good time to send it."

"And what are you writing about?"

Victor stopped writing, lifted his head and smiled at her.

"A little bit of everything. They insist I keep them updated on how I'm doing in training and the people I'm meeting."

She smiled encouragingly.

"Oh, so you're writing about us."

"I always write them a little about you."

The warm smile Victor gave her made Krista look away with a slight blush.

Ymir frowned.

"Hey, sheep, just because you have a girlfriend doesn't give you the right to flirt with me," she growled so that only they could hear.

"Sorry," he muttered, smiling a sad little smile before going back to writing the letter.

Krista and Ymir looked at each other in confusion. Normally, Victor would make a mocking or sarcastic comment and verbally argue with Ymir until Krista stepped in to stop them, playing the role of peacemaker between them. This was the interaction the three of them had been having for over two years now.

"Victor... Are you okay?" asked Krista. "You haven't been acting like yourself for days."

He looked at her and raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"You're always busy with something, you act distracted... and I can tell by the dark circles under your eyes that you haven't slept much. If something's bothering you, you can always tell us. We are your friends."

Victor looked a little confused but also worried as he looked away and pursed his lips slightly. It was strange for Krista to see him like this. He always looked so determined, so sure of himself. And it was that same confidence that made others trust him. She always knew it and always admired him for it.

It was a little disconcerting for her to see Victor act so closed to others.

He sighed and his shoulders slumped.

"Tomorrow is my birthday," he finally said.

Krista blinked in surprise. Was that what seemed to bother him so much? It made no sense to her.

"Oh? Is that all?" Ymir said, a bit scathingly. "Is that why you act like a beaten dog?"

"Are you sad because it's your birthday tomorrow?" Krista asked confused, "But it's your birthday! You should be happy and celebrate it. You have to!"

Victor shook his head sadly.

"Do you know what is next week?" he asked.

"Well... it's the second week of May," Krista said, looking confused. She had the feeling she was missing something important. Victor wouldn't mention it otherwise.

He nodded and then looked down somberly.

"And what was it about those dates four years ago?"

Krista thought about it but could not find an answer.

Beside her, she could see Ymir opening her eyes in understanding and looking at Victor with slight sympathy.

"The Wall Maria rescue mission," she said quietly. "It was when your mom... died."

Krista opened her eyes in shock and horror. She watched as Victor pursed his lips and nodded grimly.

Four years ago, Wall Maria fell. And on that day, humanity lost 1/3 of its territory, along with the deaths of thousands of people. And about a year later was their failed attempt to regain the lost territory. This recovery mission happened around this time four years ago. And those who participated in that mission...

Krista looked at Victor with grief and sadness.

"Victor... I... I'm sorry," she said sadly.

"It's okay... My birthday is only a few days before the anniversary of my mom's death," he laughed bitterly. "I'm sorry if I don't feel like celebrating. It's just that I... I feel it wouldn't be right."

Krista felt sorry for him. The way he always seemed to be, joking and optimistic, she sometimes forgot that he, like many others, had suffered losses that day, not to mention someone from the inner walls.

"You don't have to go through this alone," she reminded him, trying to comfort him with a sympathetic smile as she took his hand and squeezed it lightly. "You have us."

Ymir didn't say anything, but the fact that she didn't contradict her words showed that she felt the same way, even if she wouldn't admit it out loud. Krista knew her. Even with a frown, there was a slight glint of concern and sympathy in her eyes as she looked at Victor.

He looked at them both, and even though his features were distorted with sadness and distress, he gave them a small smile.

"Thank you..."

His voice came out somewhat choked and shaky, as if he had a lump in his throat. But his words and his smile, though sad, were honest.

---

The next day, as the recruits walked through the town of Trost carrying the supplies they would need, Annie watched in amazement, not for the first time, as Victor carried four wooden crates full of supplies in his arms as if they weighed nothing. Even Reiner struggled to carry two crates that weighed over 100 pounds.

How the hell did he have so much strength when he was so small? She didn't know. Her secret friend was not normal.

As they both set the crates down on one of the wagons, Annie let out a slightly tired sigh as she wiped the sweat from her brow. They had been hauling supplies all afternoon. And considering there were over 300 recruits, the supplies they needed for them were not few.

"You can take a break," Victor suggested. "We're almost done."

"I will," she said, tired of being used as a pack mule.

Annie leaned back against the carriage and let out a tired sigh as she looked up at the sky. The sun would be setting behind the walls soon, but it was still very early. They could still be at Trost for a few more hours before returning to camp.

Glancing sideways at Victor, who was taking a short break to get some water from a canteen, an idea popped into her head.

"Hey, Victor... Do you want to go for a walk before you head back to camp?" She suggested, "Have one of those donuts you got last time."

He turned to look at her, a little surprised that she was the one to suggest such a thing, but it didn't take him long to answer.

"I'd love to," he smiled.

Maybe it was the prospect of a 'date' with Annie or the fact that there weren't many supplies left to carry, but Victor ended up carrying what was left in just one more trip.

She found herself leaning against a stone pillar with her arms crossed, watching Victor set down the last five boxes under the stunned and dumbfounded gaze of Eren, who was obviously struggling to move just one box.

Victor shook off his hands and approached her with a smile on his face.

"Shall we go?"

Annie just nodded and followed him to the shop where the donuts he had bought in the past were sold.

They walked side by side in silence through the streets of Trost. Although the sun was about to set behind the walls, the stalls of the merchants were still quite lively, offering their wares to passersby.

Subtly, Annie glanced sideways at the stalls, looking for something that would catch her eye, but found nothing that would fit what she had in mind.

Finally, they reached the donut shop, and Annie raised an eyebrow when she saw a huge donut sitting on the door. For a second, she wondered if the donut was edible and not just a decoration. However, she quickly dismissed the idea because of how stupid it sounded.

Victor opened the door by ringing a small bell, and immediately Annie's nose was hit by the sweet smell that wafted through the shop, and her eyes fell directly on several display tables with showcases that allowed customers to see the variety of donuts that were available.

"Hi," a girl behind a counter greeted her warmly, "Can I help you with anything?"

The girl appeared to be a few years older than them, with wavy brown hair, amber eyes, and freckles on her nose.

"Yes, I'd like a dozen donuts to go, please," Victor said, smiling back at her. "If possible, I'd like the freshly made ones. I'll pay a little extra if necessary."

"Oh, that won't be necessary, handsome. I'll be happy to give you the newest ones."

The girl winked at him before walking to the back of the store, leaving a slightly tense atmosphere between Victor and Annie.

" 'Handsome', huh?" she muttered slowly, glancing sideways at him.

Victor gave her a cheeky grin.

"Well, she's not wrong."

Annie rolled her eyes in slight annoyance, but there was a small smile on her lips and she didn't deny his words. No girl could deny that Victor was attractive, his personality was sarcastic and teasing, but very charismatic. All this, combined with the fact that he seemed to have an air of elegance and nobility about him, made him a very remarkable guy among the male recruits, which caught the attention of many girls. Annie had lost count of the number of times the girls gossiped about the boys in the dorm, and in every conversation the names Victor, Reiner, and, surprisingly, Armin came up.

The maid returned with two paper bags full of donuts.

"Thank you," Victor said and put the coins on the counter.

"My pleasure, handsome," the girl winked again. "You can come back anytime."

Victor's warm smile faltered slightly at the flirtatious smile of the clerk, who glanced over the soldier's shoulder and tensed slightly at the somber look Annie gave her. By the time Victor turned to leave, however, her expression had returned to disinterested and apathetic as they walked out of the donut shop.

After walking for a few minutes, they found a small plaza where they could sit and eat the donuts. They only ate one bag, as Victor bought the other for Ymir and Krista, much to Annie's slight annoyance, as she could only eat four donuts.

As they both stood in comfortable silence, watching the people come and go through the square, a relaxed smile formed on Victor's lips.

"Thank you, Annie," he said.

She looked at him sideways, confused.

"For what?"

"For helping me."

"I don't know what you mean."

Annie tried to grab a donut, but Victor grabbed it first, earning an irritated look from his girlfriend.

"I mean... trying to distract me," he said, looking at her seriously. "I'm not stupid, Annie. You've been spending more time with me these days. You even went so far as to change your shifts in the kitchen with Ymir to coincide with mine and cancel your training with Eren in the afternoon so that you could train with me."

"I want to spend time with you, this is it."

She grabbed the donut Victor was holding and took a bite.

He didn't seem to mind because he continued to look at her seriously.

"You're worried," he said. "I know, and don't be, I'm fine."

"Well, you don't look fine," she said, giving him a hard look. "I know you, Victor. More than any of the recruits. You barely sleep, you overwork yourself in training, and all you do in your free time is writing in your diary. And I don't have to look at it to know why you write. Who you write for."

Victor didn't answer and looked at the ground, lost in thought.

Feeling a little guilty about her harsh words, Annie took his hand gently but firmly.

"I know it must be confusing and difficult for you to have your birthday and the anniversary of your mom's death so close together, but letting it affect you like this will only hurt you."

He looked up, a little surprised.

"Annie... How is it that you...?"

She gave him a small smile. That smile that was reserved only for him.

"I told you. I know you. A few months ago, on my birthday, you told me the date of yours. And considering what happened on the same day four years ago, it's not hard to put the pieces together."

Victor looked down again, shaking his head as he let out a humorless chuckle.

"Sometimes I forget how much perspective you have," he murmured. "You're right. I am confused. Mom was a Scout and died for it. And now I'm trying to join the Scouts."

"You are doing this for a good reason," she replied. "You're not doing it for some absurd crusade against the titans, inspired by a desire for revenge, like Eren. You do it for others. It's stupid and naive, but... I suppose it's also noble."

"I wonder if my mom would feel the same way. Would she be proud or angry? I guess I'll never know."

Annie pursed her lips into a thin line as she looked away from Victor's gaze and hand. It was her fault. Because of their actions four years ago, hundreds of people had lost family and loved ones to the titans. And now she stood before someone who had lost his mother because of it. Even if she had not killed her, her death indirectly weighed on her shoulders, as did the deaths of all those people at the hands of the titans after they had destroyed the Wall Maria.

That was the sin she would carry for the rest of her short life. An ineradicable and unforgivable sin.

Her hands were hopelessly stained with innocent blood.

"Victor... you... Do you hate titans?" she asked hesitantly.

"Are you asking about my mom?"

She nodded, feeling a strange, growing fear in her chest.

Victor seemed to think about the question for a few seconds before answering:

"No... I don't hate them."

"What...?" The surprise in Annie's voice was clear. "Don't you hate the titans for what they did to your mom?"

Much to her surprise, Victor shook his head.

"The titans weren't to blame for what happened to my mom," a grim expression graced his features. "It was the monarchy and the nobility. Those fucking bastards were the ones who ordered the 'Wall Maria Recovery Mission' four years ago. But everyone knows the truth, even if no one wants to talk about it. That mission was just an excuse to get rid of the number of mouths to feed. At least... that's the truth from the people of Wall Rose. There's an even more hidden truth behind it."

Annie listened carefully.

"And what is the truth in Wall Sina?"

She watched as Victor clenched his fists until they shook, and his knuckles turned white.

"That the 'recovery mission' wasn't to take back Wall Maria, or even to get rid of the excess mouths to feed. It was for the monarchy and the nobility to keep their land. If they had given it up, there would have been more land to grow food on, and more space for refugees not to have to live on the streets begging for a piece of bread. I'm not saying it would have been enough to feed all the refugees in Wall Rose, but at least they wouldn't all have been sent to their deaths. Those 250,000 people were sent to die in order to maintain the status quo, where the monarchy and the nobility remain at the top of society. My mom died so that they could keep their luxury... and that is something I can never forgive them for. They caused her death, not the titans. They are the ones I hate."

Annie remained silent. She assumed that this was the logic Victor had come to after years of thinking about it. But... Would he feel differently if he found out the truth? If he found out who she was... what she was? Would he hate her for what she had done? The thought of it made her uncomfortable and caused a growing fear that she tried hard to hide.

But if there was one thing she knew for sure, it was that she didn't want to see Victor so distressed. Even if she had never been good with words or with people in general, she would try to be a support for Victor. She would do it for him.

"I know... it must not be easy for you," she began, somewhat hesitantly. "To reconcile the fact that today is your birthday, a day you and your family were celebrating, with the fact that in a few days it's the anniversary of your mom's death. I guess it's been like this for the last few years. But are you sure this is how you should spend all your birthdays from now on? Mourning the loss of your mom?"

Victor kept his head down.

"Thanks for trying to cheer me up, Annie. I really appreciate it. But it's just that I... I can't. Before Wall Maria fell and that damn mission, I spent every single birthday with my family, with my mom. And now that she's gone, I can't find any reason to celebrate, especially with the anniversary of her death coming up in a few days. It would be like... disrespecting her death and forgetting her."

"I think living your life regretting her death is worse. The best thing is to live your life to the fullest with her in your memory" Annie looked up at the sky and watched as the sun was almost completely hidden behind the wall. "At least that's how I want you and my dad to live when I'm gone..."

Victor looked at her, surprised and confused by her words.

"Annie, did you...?"

"But this isn't about me, it's about you," she interrupted, rising from the bench. "It's up to you how you want to live your life. What will you choose? To stay stuck in the past or to live in the present?"

Victor stared at her for a moment, his wide eyes showing his confusion.

"Why do you always push me, whether it's to make a decision or take action?"

"I'm sorry if what I said sounded insensitive," she said, looking away and feeling a little distressed.

Victor shook his head.

"No, it's okay. You were just trying to support me" he looked at Trost City with a thoughtful expression on his face. "Hey, Annie, I... I've got something to do. You go ahead and get back to the others."

Before he could get an answer, Victor left the square and walked through the streets of the city, losing himself in the crowd.

Annie stood and watched him go with a flat expression on her face.

"Great, Annie. You had to comfort him, but in the end you chased him away. Just great."

She turned back to where the other recruits were gathering to head back to camp, cursing herself.

---

That night, after dinner, the girls were in their cabin, enjoying one of the few free moments they had during training. With most of them deep in conversation or their own affairs, almost no one heard the slight tapping on one of the windows. The only ones who did were Krista and Ymir, and only because their bunk was on one side of the window.

With a little hesitation, Krista opened the window and they both looked out to see who had knocked.

"Victor," Krista admitted in surprise.

He crouched down and looked around to see if anyone was around.

"Hey, girls, beautiful night, isn't it? Not as beautiful as you, though."

"What the hell are you doing here?" Ymir asked, frowning.

"Well, I was out for an evening stroll and since I was nearby, I decided to stop by and say hello."

Krista watched him, unbelieving and confused. Ymir, on the other hand, frowned even harder.

"Cut the crap," she growled. "Do you know what Shadis would do if he found you here?"

"He'd probably kick me in the balls if he thought I came here to get lucky with the girls," he said.

"If you know that, why are you here?"

"I came to tell you something. Listen, when they're all asleep, go into the woods to the place where I do my morning workout with Annie."

"Why would we do that?" Krista asked. "Besides, we don't even know where you two train."

"Annie will tell you. Anyway, I want you to tell her, Mikasa and Sasha to go there too. Tell her that we boys will be there as well. I've prepared something special."

"Something special? Why?"

Victor's eyes sparkled mischievously in the moonlight, and he smiled cryptically.

"Come if you want to find out."

Without another word, Victor hurried off and disappeared behind the hut as if he had never been there.

Krista and Ymir looked at each other, confused and intrigued.

---

After the lights went out and the other recruits were asleep, Krista and Ymir, accompanied by Annie, Mikasa and Sasha, sneaked out of one of the windows and slipped into the forest.

It was not difficult for Krista and Ymir to convince the others to sneak into the forest in the middle of the night. When they heard the proposal Victor had told them, they were immediately interested. Sasha had the idea to get something to eat, Mikasa agreed when she heard that the boys would go, Eren and Armin would most likely be there. And Annie just nodded without saying anything and started to lead them down the forest path to the place where she trained with Victor.

Sasha and Mikasa looked confused when Annie agreed to accompany them and lead them through the forest. Krista and Ymir, on the other hand, understood now that they knew about Annie and Victor's secret relationship.

"Uh, why do you think Victor called us?" Sasha asked, breaking the silence.

"I don't know, he didn't tell us anything," Krista replied.

Ymir gave Annie a sideways glance.

"What about you, Annie?" She asked, "Do you know anything?"

"Why should I?" Annie replied.

"He called us to the place where you train with him," Mikasa said, eyeing her suspiciously.

"I don't know what that idiot is up to. He didn't tell me anything."

Krista and Ymir exchanged a look. If Annie didn't know, then Victor hadn't told anyone.

Finally, they arrived at the small clearing where Annie and Victor trained in the mornings, and the girls were surprised at what they saw. Connie and Marco were carrying logs and placing them in the middle of the clearing, where a small fire was being stoked by Jean and Eren, who were discussing the best way to light the fire.

"You've been at it for a while, leave it to me," Eren said, trying to grab the stick Jean was using to light the fire.

"You need patience to light a fire, you idiot," Jean replied. "You couldn't light a fire if your life depended on it."

"What did you say, horseface?"

"You heard me, you suicidal bastard!"

"Now, now, let's just concentrate on starting the fire," Armin said, trying to calm them both down. "Victor will be here any minute to start cooking, so it will be better if we have everything ready when he arrives."

"Victor is going to cook?!" Sasha asked excitedly, announcing her arrival along with the girls.

"Oh, you came," Jean said.

"What is this all about?" Ymir asked.

Jean shrugged.

"Who knows. Victor told us to come here because he has something special planned."

"He told us. What is that damn sheep planning?"

"Your guess is as good as mine."

Jean tried again to light the campfire, and when he finally succeeded, Victor came into the clearing with Reiner and Bertholdt.

"Well, you didn't burn the forest," Victor commented. "Then I can start cooking."

Next to him, Reiner and Bertholdt put the other boxes on the ground with a groan of exhaustion.

"How the hell can he carry these crates like they're nothing, as small as he is?" muttered Reiner and put the two boxes down.

"I don't know..." replied Bertholdt and watched in disbelief as Victor put the three boxes down as if they weighed nothing.

"Victor, are you going to cook?!" called Sasha, approaching him. "Tell me, tell me, what are you going to cook?"

A mysterious smile formed on Victor's lips as he took out various cooking utensils and placed them in front of the fire.

"It's a dish you've never tasted before," he said with a cryptic smile. "I can assure you of that."

Sasha swallowed.

"I'm excited... and a little scared..." then his nose seemed to pick up a scent as she began to sniff. "Hmm? That smell... I know it. It comes from one of these boxes..."

Sasha looked at one of the boxes Victor had brought with him, causing him to tense up and get a worried look on his face.

"Oh, no. She noticed..." he said.

"That smell..." Sasha muttered, a predatory gleam in her eyes and drool dripping from her lips. "Meat!"

"Mikasa, hold her!" Victor shouted.

Sasha lunged at one of the crates like a wild animal, but was stopped by Mikasa, who caught her in a fierce grip.

"Sasha, control yourself," Mikasa said.

"But, Mikasa, it's meat!" Sasha protested, trying to break free of the grip. "And it's not just any meat! I can smell it!"

"You're right, Sasha," Victor said, pulling a large covered wooden bowl out of one of the crates. "This is no ordinary meat. And because of that..." He reached into the box and pulled out a coiled rope. "I'll have to take precautions with you."

Mikasa and Victor looked at each other and nodded at the same time. They all watched in disbelief as Victor, with Mikasa's help, tied Sasha to a tree, which struggled to free herself and eat the meat.

"Isn't that a bit excessive?" Krista asked, looking worriedly at Sasha.

"Not with the potato girl," Ymir said. "In fact, tighten the ropes even more."

When he had finished tying Sasha to the tree, Victor returned to his place by the fire and began to take out a long iron plate, which he placed over the fire, using two stones as a base, which he placed at the ends. They all approached curiously and sat down on the logs beside the fire. They watched carefully as Victor poured a small amount of yellowish liquid onto the iron plate and spread it evenly with his fingers.

"Uh... Victor," Eren called, confused by his friend's actions, "What are you doing? What is this strange liquid?"

"It is cooking oil, it will help me to cook the meat better," he explained and finished spreading it. "Don't worry, I washed my hands before I came. I had to do that so I could cook. Annie, would you help me with the bread?"

She nodded and went to sit beside him.

"What do you want me to do?" she asked.

"I just need you to cut it into slices as if you were making a sandwich."

As Annie pulled out the loaves of bread and began slicing them, Victor opened the wooden bowl, and they all looked curiously at the large ball of ground beef. They looked quizzically as Victor tore off a piece of the meatball and began to knead it in his hands.

"I have been studying new ways of cooking meat," he said, quickly passing the meatball from one hand to the other. "Normally, we just cook the meat by putting it on the fire and eating it, but the flavor is kind of bland. Even more so when you let it cool."

"Only an inner-wall boy like you would call the taste of meat bland," Jean said with a frown. "It's been years since any of us ate meat."

"I know, which is why I'm going to make sure you never forget the taste of this special meat. After all, tonight is a special night."

"Special?" Connie asked. "Is it someone's birthday or something?"

"Yep," Victor replied, stopping kneading the meat and placing it on a wooden board. "Mine."

Everyone looked at him in surprise for a second, except Krista, Ymir and Annie, who already knew. What surprised them was that Victor had decided to celebrate.

Once they got over their surprise, all the recruits came over to wish him a happy birthday and gave him a friendly pat on the back.

"Thanks guys, really," Victor said with a smile, looking touched. "This is the first time I've ever celebrated my birthday with... friends. It's nice."

"We could have celebrated it in the first year of training if you had told us," Reiner said.

"That's true," agreed Marco. "We would have celebrated the last two years together. Why didn't you tell us before?"

Krista looked worried as Victor looked away sadly and took another piece of meat to knead.

"I didn't celebrate my last few birthdays for... certain reasons," he said hesitantly. "I didn't feel it was right. But it's different now. Things have changed, and I have to adapt to that change. Stop remembering what was and accept what can be..."

The recruits looked at him in confusion. The only sound was the crackling of the campfire.

Victor laughed nervously.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make this a depressing night, this is supposed to be a party! Hey, Armando, check that box over there!"

Armin looked confused but did as he was told. When he checked the box, he was surprised when he reached inside and pulled out a guitar.

"A guitar? What am I supposed to do with this?"

Victor rolled his eyes.

"Obviously, you hit Eren over the head with it when he starts screaming about killing titans."

"Hey!" Eren shouted in annoyance.

The other recruits laughed, amused by his indignation.

"Yeah, seriously," Victor said, "You have to play it, Armin. Mikasa told me that you can play the guitar. Play something to set the mood."

Hesitantly, Armin sat down on a log and put the guitar on his lap. Everyone stared at him curiously and expectantly, which only made him look more nervous. After taking a deep breath, he began to strum the strings with his fingers. The forest clearing was filled with a soft, peaceful melody, accompanied by the crackling of flames in the moonlight, creating a dreamy scene.

"Wow, he's much better than I expected," Victor commented as he listened to him play.

"I guess he has another talent besides his mind," Annie said.

"Yeah..." Victor gave her a sideways glance. "Intelligent, a bit attractive, talented with music... You haven't fallen in love with him, have you?"

A smile fluttered from Annie's lips at Victor's jealousy, but she was able to suppress it.

"Maybe if things had been different. But there was a cheeky idiot who stepped forward."

"Mmm... I'm jealous of that idiot."

"It's kind of ironic to be jealous of yourself."

Victor chuckled and they both went back to preparing dinner. When Annie finished cutting the bread, she turned to help Victor knead the meat, but stopped when she saw someone approaching.

"Mikasa? What's wrong?" he asked, noticing her arrival.

"Let me help you," she said, sitting down next to him.

"You don't have to get your hands dirty. Besides, I'm only half done."

"I don't mind getting my hands dirty, we'll finish faster if we both do it. Besides, it's your birthday, you don't have to do it all by yourself."

"Okay..." Victor conceded, handing him a piece of meat. "Do you know how to do this?"

"Could you... teach me?"

"Uh, sure."

Annie narrowed her eyes as she watched them both kneading the meat, with Victor even going so far as to take Mikasa's hands and show her how to knead the meat.

"Uh, Annie?" spoke Victor, confused as he saw her grab a portion of meat. "What are you doing?"

"Helping you finish this," she replied, kneading the meat. "The sooner we finish, the sooner we'll eat."

There was a tense silence between the three recruits. Mikasa and Annie shared a challenging look as she kneaded the meat, competing to see who would finish first. When they were finished, Mikasa and Annie had kneaded the same amount, and Victor placed the meat on the iron griddle. The sound and smell of the meat cooking filled the clearing and caught the attention of the recruits. Armin even stopped playing, and Sasha struggled harder to free herself, but to no avail.

"Wow, that smells really good," Marco commented. "What did you do to make the meat smell so good?"

"Let's see... I used several spices," Victor said, placing all the slices of meat on the griddle, "I ground the meat, seasoned it with garlic powder, parsley, bread crumbs, egg whites, milk, salt and let it rest in a cool place for three hours. And the result is what you have before you."

Victor used a spatula to turn the meat, and everyone watched as it cooked on one side. When he finally felt it was cooked enough, he grabbed the meat with the spatula, placed it on one of the slices of bread that Annie had cut, and put another slice of bread on top, simulating a sandwich.

"Feast your eyes on this!" he exclaimed. "I present to you Victor's special meat. And who will have the honor of eating my first original dish will be... my beautiful Krista!"

"Me?" Krista pointed at herself.

"Sure, take a bite!"

Krista grabbed the meat in the middle of the bread. As she took a bite, her eyes widened in surprise as she savored the taste. The spices Victor had used enhanced the taste of the meat in a way she had never tasted before.

"It's... delicious!" she exclaimed, her hunger overtaking her manners as she took another bite, not caring that the others were watching. "What is this?! I have never tasted meat so delicious!"

The others gasped at the ferocity with which Krista devoured the food.

"I-I want some too!" Jean exclaimed, stepping forward.

"Hey, don't get ahead of yourself!" Eren scolded, pushing him aside to be first.

"Now, now, take it easy. There's enough for everyone," Victor said.

When they got their share, they all agreed that it was the most delicious meat they had ever tasted. Victor untied Sasha with the promise that if she lost control, he would tie her back to the tree and eat her portion of meat in front of her.

In the end, they all had fun. Armin picked up the guitar again and strummed the strings softly and quietly, while the others gathered around him and shared a meal by the light of the campfire, the moon and the stars.

"Well done," Annie praised as she sat down next to Victor. "I guess this is what you meant when you said you had something to do."

"Yeah... I'm sorry," he said, looking a little apologetic.

"You don't have to apologize. After all, you did it for us."

"It was because of you. If it wasn't for you, I doubt I would have wanted to do it."

"I didn't do anything," she refused. "It was you who decided."

"I did it because you encouraged me. I wasn't lying when I said you always push me. I'm a better person because of you."

Annie felt the blood rush to her cheeks and looked away, feeling a warm feeling flood her heart.

"Hey, Victor..." she murmured, somewhat hesitantly. "Since it's your birthday, I want to give you something..."

"Hey, Victor!" call Reiner. "What is all this?"

Everyone turned to see Reiner pull out several dark glass bottles from the crates.

A smile formed on Victor's lips as he stood up and grabbed one of the bottles to uncap it.

"These? They are bottles of wine from one of the most prestigious vineyards in all of Wall Sina," he explained, showing the label attached to the bottle. "They are coveted by all the nobles because they are some of the sweetest wines produced within the inner walls."

"H-how come you have something like that?" Connie asked.

Victor shrugged.

"Let's just say that my brother in the Scouts knows someone who's a cousin of someone whose friend is one of the vineyard workers. And he got this case of wine and sent it to me for my birthday."

"Your brother sure gives strange gifts," Jean commented.

Victor pushed his glasses down the bridge of his nose.

"You don't say. Well..." He reached into the boxes and pulled out several aluminum cups. "Who wants some?"

After a few seconds of hesitation, the recruits approached, cups in hand, ready to try. With their stomachs full of food, they could use something to aid their digestion.

When everyone had their cups full, they gathered around the campfire. Victor climbed onto a log and cleared his throat.

"Well, as host of this party, I'm glad you all came and are enjoying yourselves. My father always says that a meal is more delicious when you share it with those you love," he looked around with a smile on his face. "And I can safely say that this is the most delicious meal we've had since we started training over two years ago."

His words were greeted with smiles from all the recruits present.

Victor raised his own cup in the air.

"To Troop 104!" he cheered.

"CHEERS!" they all shouted, clinking their cups.

"To the birthday boy, Captain Sheep!" Connie toasted.

"CHEERS!"

"To humanity!" toasted Eren passionately.

Some looked at each other, but shrugged in the end.

"CHEERS!"

At the same time, they all took a sip from their cups and enjoyed the sweet taste of the wine.

"Wow, it's really sweet," Krista commented.

"Be careful, Krista," Victor warned. "This wine is deceptively sweet. Just one bottle is enough to intoxicate a hardcore alcoholic. Before you know it, you'll be down the bottle and doing the rain dance around the campfire."

"I'd like to see that!" Ymir laughed, holding the cup over Krista's mouth and forcing her to drink. "Drink! Drink!"

"Ymir, stop it!" Sasha stopped her, pushing the cup away from Krista's mouth, who drank more than half of the wine.

Ymir just laughed and took a deep gulp.

Victor watched as his fellow recruits began to drink. Judging by the look on his face, he was worried about what was going to happen.

---

With the moon high in the sky, signaling midnight, the impromptu party among the recruits of Troop 104 was in full swing.

Surprisingly, Ymir was the first to fall under the effects of the sweet, treacherous wine. She was laughing energetically as one of her arms was wrapped around Krista's waist, who had a noticeable blush on her cheeks. Although Victor wasn't sure if it was from the wine or the closeness of her secret lover. Instead, he simply decided to take another sip from his own cup.

"Hey, hey, even if you're the birthday boy, you shouldn't hog the drink all to yourself," Ymir said, grabbing his shoulders with her free arm and pulling him towards her. "Be a good host and fill my cup."

"Ymir, you're drunk," Victor said.

"Isn't that the point of bringing this sweet wine? This is a party! Let's have fun!" She pressed Krista harder against her body. "Although, I already have a way to have fun tonight..."

The blush on Krista's face grew deeper, and she drank from her cup to hide it, making Ymir laugh again.

Victor turned away from the couple, giving them some privacy and not wanting to hear any more of their suggestive conversation.

He approached the others, who seemed to be having a lively conversation around the campfire.

"Reiner, you promised not to tell!" Bertholdt reproached his friend, who laughed out loud at his embarrassment.

"Tell what?" asked Victor, interested as he sat down next to Annie.

"Oh, it's something that happened to Bertholdt in our first year," Reiner said. "Did you know that he once ran away from a bee thinking it was a wasp?"

The recruits laughed out loud at Bertholdt's indignant and embarrassed expression.

"Who would have thought that big Bertholdt would be afraid of a little bee?" laughed Victor.

"Leave me alone!" he muttered, doing his best to look small. "I was really afraid that time."

"Don't worry, buddy, we all have embarrassing moments," Reiner comforted him, patting his big friend on the shoulder.

"Oh, yeah? What about you, Reiner?" asked Victor. "Anything you'd like to share?"

"I don't have any embarrassing moments," he announced proudly.

Surprisingly, it was Annie who spoke:

"What about the time you threw a gas in front of me?"

Everyone looked at Annie in confusion for a second before bursting out laughing. Reiner's face immediately flushed.

"I-I thought no one was in the room!" he defended himself.

"Oh, dude, really? A gas?" Connie scoffed.

"You're not the one laughing at gas problems, Connie," Victor pointed out. "Or should I say Connie Fart Springer?"

"Fart Springer!" Sasha burst out laughing. "That's a good one."

"That's not true!" He vehemently denied. "I don't have gas problems!"

"Yes, you do," said Jean.

"You definitely do," Reiner agreed.

"You have enough gas at night, Connie," Armin nodded.

"And once you threw one so hard you woke yourself up," Victor said.

"Y-you...!" Connie muttered under his breath.

This time, it was Connie's turn to be the recipient of the recruits' laughter.

They all went back to refilling their cups with wine. By now they had drunk almost six bottles, and they were all beginning to feel the buzz of alcohol, some more than others.

"Man, if my mom saw me right now, she'd have a heart attack," Jean commented amused. "I never thought I'd have my first drink at boot camp. I always thought I would do it when I was in the Military Police."

"I don't know why you don't like it," Marco said.

Jean snorted but didn't deny his statement as he took another drink.

"I wonder if that's how Hannes got started?" Eren mused, staring at the wine in his own cup.

"Be careful not to follow in his footsteps," Armin advised, amused.

"Please, as if I would become an alcoholic like him."

With that he drank from his cup.

"Eren, don't overdo it," Mikasa warned.

"Yes, Eren, don't overdo it," Jean said in a mocking tone. "This man's drink might be too much for a kid like you."

"Who are you calling a kid?" Eren growled and stood up abruptly. Which was not a good idea because he was staggering from all the alcohol he had drunk.

Jean laughed out loud when he saw him stumble.

"See, I told you so!" he shouted as he drank from his cup, "You're a kid!"

"I'll show you what a kid I am!"

Eren was about to start a fight with Jean, but someone stepped in front of him.

"All right, take it easy," Victor said, "Let's not start a fight when we're under the influence of alcohol."

"Move, Victor! He asked for it!" said Eren. "I'm going to punch him in the face and see if I can fix that horse face of his!"

"Huh? Well, I'll beat you up and see if I can't bring you to your senses!" snarled Jean, who also stood up and faced him.

"Stop it!" ordered Victor, standing in the middle of them. "If you want to flex your muscles so badly, then do it another way."

Jean and Eren looked at Victor curiously.

"What do you suggest?" Eren asked.

A smile formed on Victor's lips.

"A arm wrestling."

Both recruits looked a little confused, but when they looked at each other, they gave each other a defiant look and nodded.

Jean and Eren stood face to face in front of a carved tree trunk as it got into position. Their duel caught the attention of the others, who approached with interest.

"Very well, I will supervise this," Victor announced, placing himself in the middle. "I want a clean confrontation with no cheating... although insults are allowed."

"Don't go crying to Mikasa if you lose," Jean scoffed, resting his elbow on the trunk.

Eren frowned and leaned on the trunk as well.

"I'm going to break your arm," Eren growled.

"Oh, how scary... I'm shaking..."

"Okay..." Victor grabbed Jean's and Eren's hands and checked if they were in the right position. "Now!"

Immediately, the arms of both recruits tensed, their faces scrunched up with effort as they tried to overpower each other.

"Come on, Jean!" Marco urged.

"You can do it, Eren!" Armin supported his friend.

After almost a minute, Jean began to give in, much to his despair.

"No, no!" he grunted and tried to counter Eren's strength.

But it was in vain. With a cry of effort, Eren managed to slam the back of Jean's hand against the trunk and won the confrontation.

"Hell yeah!" he shouted and raised his arms in victory.

"Damn..." complained Jean, who was patted on the back by Marco in an attempt to comfort him.

"That looks interesting," Reiner commented, sitting down where Jean had been. "I think I'll join in."

"Uh, you?" said Eren, sounding uncertain.

"What's the matter, Eren, are you afraid?"

Eren frowned and sat down again, looking defiantly at the strong blond boy.

"I'm ready!" he shouted confidently.

"Okay," Victor said, again acting as an overseer. "Now!"

The encounter didn't last long. Within seconds, Eren was overpowered by the superior strength of Reiner, who made little effort to smash the back of Eren's hand against the trunk.

"Damn it..." Eren grunted. "I lost."

"Well, you were up against Reiner," Armin said. "I think you did quite well."

Reiner laughed triumphantly and patted his biceps.

"These muscles aren't just for show," he exclaimed. "Look closely, these are the muscles of a man!"

Reiner flexed his arms and showed them off proudly. He even winked in Krista's direction.

Victor frowned and stood defiantly in front of Reiner.

"You're very proud of those bulging muscles of yours, Reiner," he said, putting his arm across the trunk. "Would you like to put them to the test?"

The recruits watched expectantly. In another situation, they would have no doubt that Reiner would easily defeat Victor, considering the remarkable size difference between the two recruits. But Victor had shown strength that belied his size, so no one would deny that the showdown would be interesting.

"Oh..." Reiner smiled defiantly as he sat up and positioned himself. "Are you sure? I don't want to hurt you."

"If you're so sure, let's make a bet," Victor suggested. "The winner gets a kiss from Krista."

"It's a deal!" Reiner exclaimed immediately.

Krista's cheeks turned red when she heard the bet between the two of them.

"Hey, don't you dare use my sweet Krista as a prize!" Ymir objected passionately.

"Come on, Freckles, have more faith in me," Victor smiled, "I will not lose to this overfed ox. Especially when Krista's lips are on the line."

He winked at Krista, who blushed even more and looked away in embarrassment as she drank her entire cup of wine.

Out of the corner of his eye, Victor saw that Ymir wasn't the only one upset about the bet. His blonde secret girlfriend gave him such a cold look that he felt a shiver run down his spine. Maybe the bet wasn't such a good idea, but the alcohol in his blood made his tongue looser than usual.

"Well, I'll be the judge then," Armin said, standing in the middle of them and holding his hands to make sure they were both in position. "Ready... Go!"

Many expected a fierce confrontation between the two, considering they were two of the strongest guys among all the recruits. What they definitely did not expect was that Victor overwhelmed Reiner with such force that not only did he beat him, but they could also hear a loud "crack" that left everyone stunned.

"R-Reiner...! Your shoulder... Your shoulder...!" Bertholdt muttered.

Reiner's face turned pale as he looked at his shoulder, which was in a position it shouldn't be, before he let out a cry of panic and pain.

"H-he dislocated it! The sheep has dislocated his shoulder!" Ymir shouted, laughing so hard that she had to clutch her stomach.

Ymir was not the only one who found the suffering of her fellow recruit amusing, as Annie covered her mouth as she looked away, although the shaking of her shoulders betrayed the amusement she felt.

Jean and Bertholdt went to Reiner's aid, causing him to grunt in pain as his shoulder returned to its proper place.

"H-hey... sorry about that, buddy" Victor apologized, holding out a bottle of wine. "Here, this will help numb the pain."

Reiner took the bottle and drank deeply from it.

"Don't worry... it was an absolute defeat," he said. "I didn't expect you to be so strong."

"No one did," Jean said.

Victor just laughed uncomfortably, not knowing how to respond.

"Well, since I won, I guess I'll take my prize," he turned to Krista, who gasped.

The blush on Krista's face was noticeable as he stood in front of her, though whether it was from the alcohol she had ingested or the embarrassment of being kissed in front of everyone was unknown.

"Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" chanted the boys, though the girls narrowed their eyes in disgust for different reasons.

Everyone watched expectantly as Victor gently grabbed her cheeks and began to pull her face closer.

Krista closed her eyes and leaned in, ready to meet his lips, but opened her eyes in surprise when Victor's lips did not meet hers, but planted a chaste kiss on her forehead.

The other recruits groaned in disappointment, others in jealousy, the only exceptions being Ymir and Annie, who relaxed in disguise.

"All right, my turn!" Eren announced.

Victor turned to him, confused.

"You want I kiss you too?"

A blush spread over Eren's cheeks.

"What?! No! I want to face you!"

"Eren, I don't think that's a good idea," Armin advised. "If you couldn't beat Reiner, I don't think you can beat Victor either."

"I won't know if I don't try!" he bellowed, before drinking what was left in his cup and getting into position. "I'm ready!"

Victor sighed, resigned. Eren wouldn't give up until he got what he wanted, he was stubborn as a mule. And under the influence of alcohol, he was even more stubborn.

He stood in front of him and shook his hand.

"Do you want to bet as well?" Victor asked. "Like kissing a girl or something?"

Eren's face flushed slightly, but he shook his head.

"I just want to beat you," he said.

"Mmm, that's boring. How about this? If you lose, you drink what's left of the last bottle we opened. And if you win..."

"You show me a fight move."

"Well, fair enough. Boring, but fair."

Armin acted as judge again, and when he gave the signal to start, Eren immediately used as much strength as possible to win, but Victor's arm didn't move an inch. In fact, he looked bored as he watched Eren apply so much force to his arm that the veins in his neck bulged.

"Hey, sheep, stop humiliating him!" Ymir said, earning a few laughs from the recruits.

Victor sighed and decided to end the match. Suddenly, he used his strength to overpower Eren in a second, but he used too much force, as he not only smashed the back of his hand against the trunk, but also sent Eren crashing to the ground.

"Oops..." said Victor.

"Damn... I lost again" Eren groaned and got up with a heavy frown on his face. He went straight to the living bottle and drank what was left of it until it was empty.

Victor laughed at him, but his laughter died in his throat as he saw the next person standing on the other side of the log, ready to challenge him.

"Mikasa... Are you sure?"

The only response he received was that she blinked defiantly in his direction and rested her elbow on the trunk, ready for the confrontation. Judging by the slight blush on her face, the alcohol had affected her as well.

"Victor and Mikasa will be competing in arm wrestling?" Sasha asked in a trembling tone. "Th-That will be exciting. My money is on Mikasa!"

"My money's on Victor!" said Connie. "I have faith that our Captain Sheep will be victorious!"

"O-obviously Mikasa will win!" said Jean, although he looked doubtful.

"But this is Victor we are talking about..." Marco thought.

"Ha! The sheep will win!" Ymir declared.

"Yes, he will," agreed Krista with a firm nod.

"You can do it, Mikasa!" Armin supported his friend.

"Do it, Mikasa!" Reiner shouted and held his shoulder. "Avenge me!"

"You heard the crowd," said Victor, getting into position and shaking Mikasa's hand. "Do you want to bet as well?"

Mikasa watched him carefully for a few seconds, as if considering something, until she finally said:

"If I win, you'll have to tell me your last name."

There was a tense silence in the clearing after Mikasa's statement. The only sound was the crackling of the campfire.

"Sorry, but no," Victor refused.

"Why?" Mikasa asked.

"Because it's personal."

"It is only your last name."

"I could say the same about your measurements. Will you tell me if I win?"

A slight blush colored Mikasa's cheeks. For some reason, she felt more aware when her hand was clasped with Victor's.

"That... is personal."

"So is my last name."

She narrowed her eyes in his direction.

"Why do you insist on hiding it?"

"And why do you insist on knowing?"

"Because I want to know more about you!"

Victor definitely hadn't expected this answer, and judging by the expressions on the others' faces, no one did either. He looked to Armin for a helping hand, but the blond boy looked as lost as he was. Eren looked confused. Jean frowned in annoyance and jealousy. Krista covered her mouth, and Ymir had a dumbfounded look on her face. And Annie...

'Oh, fuck...'

Annie stared at them with her cold blue eyes as she drank from her cup. Victor felt a shiver run down his spine.

"Listen, Mikasa..." he said, looking straight into her eyes. "I can't... tell you that. One day I will, I promise, but not today."

Mikasa looked at him carefully for a few seconds. Then her eyes slid down to her clasped hands and looked back up at him.

"If I win, you'll have to sit at the same table with Eren, Armin and me for a week," she said.

Victor relaxed and smiled.

"That doesn't sound so bad," he said.

"But you'll have to share half your lunch with me."

"That doesn't sound so good anymore."

"And you'll have to switch shifts with me when I have to clean the toilets."

"Hey, that's going too far."

A rare grin stretched Mikasa's lips.

"Afraid of losing?"

"Hell, no. Well then, I accept. But if I win..." A mischievous smile stretched his lips. "You'll have to sing a song for me. Armin told me that you have a very beautiful voice."

Mikasa opened her eyes in surprise and turned to look at Armin, who looked away.

"It's a deal," she agreed and squeezed Victor's hand tightly. "Don't think I'll hold back."

"I didn't expect you to," he replied, matching the strength of her grip. "I'm going to kick your ass...figuratively."

"Then..." Armin checked that they were both in position. "Ready? Go!"

Immediately, both tried to subdue the other, but neither gave in. Their arms shook from the force they used, but they didn't even move.

"Come on, Mikasa!" Sasha encouraged.

"You can do it, Victor!" Connie shouted.

"Mikasa, dislocate his shoulder!" grunted Reiner.

"I think that's too much!" said Marco.

"Don't you dare lose, you fucking sheep!" yelled Ymir.

Victor and Mikasa continued to face each other, gritting their teeth as they tried to overpower the other, but it was a stalemate. Their muscles tensed under their clothes and their knuckles turned white, but neither gave in.

"This is not advanced..." Armin muttered, looking at both of them.

Then an idea came to him. He went over to Eren and whispered something into his ear.

"What do you want me to say?" Eren asked.

"Just do it!" Armin insisted.

Eren looked doubtful, but nodded anyway.

"Go, Mikasa! You can do it!" he shouted, "I believe in you!"

Mikasa's eyes widened as she heard Eren supporting her and applying even more force, causing Victor's arm to begin to fall.

"Oh, Mikasa wins!" Sasha shouted excitedly, "Go, Mikasa!"

"Don't lose, Victor!" Krista supported her friend.

Ymir gave Krista a sideways glance and clicked her tongue.

"That damn sheep will lose at this rate," she muttered. "The things I do for that idiot..."

She walked over to Victor, who was about to lose to Mikasa, and whispered something in his ear.

Immediately, Victor's eyes widened in surprise, and under everyone's astonished gaze, he slowly began to gain ground.

"Wait... Is he coming back up?" Reiner said incredulously.

"Go, Victor!" Connie supported him.

With a grunt, Victor managed to slam the back of Mikasa's hand into the trunk and won the confrontation.

"Ha! I won!" Victor exclaimed, drinking the entire contents of his cup before proudly raising his arms in the air. "No one can defeat Victor! I'm invisible!"

"It's 'invincible', you idiot," Ymir said, rolling her eyes. "And you're not. You're just a fucking drunk."

"Drunk, but winner."

Victor laughed in amusement, though he stopped when Ymir and Krista stood beside him and, with a nod between them, planted a chaste kiss on his cheeks, making him blush hard.

"Fuck... This is the best birthday present I've ever gotten," he said with a big smile on his face.

"Well, don't get used to it," Ymir said.

"Damn, that idiot is getting all the attention from the girls," muttered Jean, feeling jealous.

Mikasa looked at her hand, frustrated that she had lost. Armin reached over and patted her shoulder, trying to comfort her.

"It's okay, Mikasa," he said. "You almost beat him."

"But I wanted to beat him, so he would sit with us..." she muttered, lowering her head. "So he would spend more time with us... with me... He hardly does that anymore..."

Armin looked at her in surprise. Who would have thought that Mikasa would be so honest and open with her feelings under the influence of alcohol?

"I'm sure he will if you tell him," Armin assured her.

Mikasa looked up with a somewhat pained expression, but finally nodded.

At that moment, Victor approached them and put an arm around both of them.

"Well, Mikasa, I think you owe me a song," he said.

Mikasa looked away as she lifted her scarf to hide the blush on her cheeks.

"It's okay if... Should I do it another time?" she asked in a strange display of shyness that puzzled Victor. She added quietly, "And... just you. I wouldn't feel comfortable with anyone else."

Though taken aback by her request, Victor nodded.

"All right, it'll be a promise between us."

A small smile formed on Mikasa's lips as she nodded.

As the tense atmosphere dissipated, the party atmosphere returned. The recruits went back to drinking the few remaining bottles of wine. A few cups later, Victor felt the call of nature and went to answer it. He wasn't the only one to feel it, as Reiner and Jean accompanied Victor into the woods to encourage the growth of the forest by watering some bushes.

When they returned a few minutes later, Annie noticed Reiner and Jean's somewhat shocked expressions, which she found curious, so she subtly moved closer to the conversation they were having, pretending to pour herself some more wine.

"I can't believe it..." Jean muttered to himself, "And it wasn't even fully awake..."

Looking sideways at him, Annie noticed the incredulous look Reiner gave Victor.

"How the hell can he have it so big down there if he's so short?" Reiner asked.

Annie felt her drink catch in her throat and almost spit it out of her nose, unable to believe what she had heard. The boys looked at her quizzically, but she passed it off as a coughing fit by coughing several times and looking away to hide the blush on her cheeks.

"Annie, are you okay?" Victor asked as he approached her.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine..." she mumbled, avoiding his gaze, although she could not help glancing at his crotch, wondering how true the boys' statements were.

Victor found her behavior strange, but didn't insist and just shrugged his shoulders.

Armin grabbed the guitar again, and although he was slightly under the influence of alcohol, he proved to have enough control over himself to set the mood again with a soft melody.

"Hey, Bertholdt" Reiner elbowed his friend. "Now's your chance, buddy. Someone's going to beat you to it if you don't do something."

"Do what?"

Reiner tilted his head toward Annie, who was sitting next to a rather drunk Victor, who was telling her the story of how he and his mother had come home one day to find his brother and his girlfriend in a rather compromising situation on the living room couch.

"He was in such a hurry to get dressed that he tripped over his own pants and fell to the floor with his ass in the air," Victor said. "My mom scolded him for hours about it."

"That must have been fun," Annie commented, sipping from her cup.

"Maybe for you. I couldn't get the image of my brother's ass and dick out of my head for a month."

Even if Annie didn't burst out laughing at the hilarious story, the small smile on her lips and the way her shoulders shook slightly showed how funny she found it.

"You see what I mean, you have to do something or Victor will beat you to it!" Reiner insisted to Bertholdt. "Just go and talk to Annie. She's been drinking, so she'll be more open."

"I'm not sure..." Bertholdt mumbled.

"Come on, man" Reiner slapped him hard on the shoulder. "It's now or never. Just go and tell her something."

Bertholdt still looked very uncertain and pale. But when he heard Annie laughing at something Victor had said to her, he seemed to make up his mind. He drank the entire contents of his cup in an attempt to cheer himself up and went straight to them.

"H-hey, Annie..." Bertholdt muttered in a shaky voice. "T-the... party's nice, don't you think? How did you like it?"

Annie looked at him, every trace of amusement gone from her face.

"Not bad," she said. "Why do you ask?"

"Oh, well... I-I just wanted to know if you're having a good time."

"I am" she raised an eyebrow. "Are you okay?"

"W-why do you ask?" Bertholdt spoke quickly.

"Dude, you look really pale," Victor pointed out. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Bertholdt wanted to answer that he was, but when he opened his mouth, not words came out, but the entire contents of his stomach. And as if that wasn't bad enough, he had done it all over Annie's legs, soaking her pants with vomit.

Bertholdt turned even paler and began to mumble an incomprehensible apology. The other recruits watched in shock at what had just happened. And when they saw the angry expression on Annie's face, they all thought the same thing.

'Oh, shit. She's going to kill him.'

Surprisingly, she didn't. Annie got up without a word when she went into the woods to clean her pants.

"Annie!"

She turned to see Victor stumbling toward her. Judging by the look on his face, the alcohol had taken its toll.

"What do you want, Victor?" she said, trying to control the anger in her voice. "I need to get cleaned up. I'm not going to the dorm smelling like vomit."

"Here, use this," he handed her a clothes brush. "I brought it for emergencies. To tell you the truth, I didn't think I'd use it."

She accepted the brush. It would be much more useful than scrubbing her pants on the grass on some rock.

"Thank you."

"You can wash your pants in the little stream over there."

"I know, that's where I was going."

"Uh... Do you need any help? I'm good at cleaning clothes."

Annie gave him a flat look.

"Victor, I'll have to take off my pants to clean them."

He nodded.

"Well, you'll have to if you want to clean them properly."

"I won't have my pants on, she clarified.

Victor raised an eyebrow.

"Of course, you'll clean them," he said obviously.

Annie rolled her eyes.

'God, the alcohol is making him even dumber than usual.'

"What I'm trying to say is that I'll be in underwear."

"Oh..." Victor's eyes widened in understanding, but then he smiled mischievously. "And you're sure you don't want my help?"

"No," she said flatly, "I don't want you to watch me wipe someone else's vomit off my pants while I'm in underwear. There's nothing sexy about it."

"Annie, I'm pretty sure you'd be sexy even if you were a fourteen-meter titan."

She tensed for a second, but when she heard Victor chuckling to himself, she just shrugged it off as the ramblings of a drunk.

"It's your birthday party, go and enjoy yourself," she said, "I'll be back in a minute."

Victor frowned thoughtfully, as if trying to sort out his fuzzy thoughts.

"All right..." he agreed.

Annie watched him return to the clearing. A small, amused smile formed on her lips.

'He's a dumb... But a sweet dumb.'

She walked through the woods until she found the small stream. The moon shone a silvery light high in the dark sky and was reflected by the surface of the water.

'This is humiliating,' she thought as she pulled off her pants and began scrubbing with the brush, 'Fuck you, Bertholdt.'

It took several minutes of intense scrubbing to get rid of the vomit on her pants. With any luck, the smell would also go away as she wrung them out, though she would have to endure the wet feeling when she put them back on before changing when she returned to the bedroom.

After wringing out her pants and putting them back on, ignoring the damp and uncomfortable feeling, she returned to the clearing, where she could see that most of the recruits could barely form a coherent word. Jean was lying on the ground, the sole of his foot trampling the face of Eren, who had also fallen.

"Suicidal bastard..." Jean stammered, kicking him with his foot.

"Horseface..." Eren replied in kind, throwing the cup he was holding at him and hitting him on the head.

"They're completely drunk," Reiner commented as he looked at the two of them, being one of those still in possession of his five senses.

"I told them this drinking duel wasn't a good idea," Armin said with a sigh as he drank from a cup, even though it only contained water. That was his way of not being affected by the wine.

"I think the party's over," Marco said. "We'd better get back to our dormitories."

The recruits nodded in agreement. At least from those who could react. Marco picked up Jean and helped him to the dormitories. Eren was helped by Armin, who struggled to carry his best friend.

"Come on, buddy, let's go back to the dormitories," Reiner said to Bertolt, who was hugging his knees in a secluded spot.

"I'll never drink again..." muttered Bertholdt, hiding his face. "I can't believe what I've done..."

Reiner patted him on the shoulder.

"Don't worry. I'm sure Annie will forget about it in the morning."

'I certainly won't,' she thought as she watched Reiner escort Bertholdt to the men's dormitory.

"Sasha, get up," Mikasa said, watching the girl lying on the ground.

"No~... I don't want the party to end~" she complained. "I want to keep eating and drinking~"

"You've eaten and drunk too much," she grabbed Sasha and lifted him onto her shoulders like a sack of potatoes. "It's time to go."

"No~... Victor, save me~"

Victor didn't seem to hear her as he continued to sit on a log, drinking the last remaining bottle of wine and singing a song under his breath about dedicate your heart.

"Hey, buddy, it's time to go," Connie said, approaching him.

Victor looked up, his eyelids drooping, and he had a disoriented look on his face.

"Huh? Go...? Go where...?" he asked, slurring his words.

"To the dorms, man. We have to sleep."

"I won't sleep with you, I'm not gay..."

"That's not what I meant! Come on, let's go."

Connie grabbed him and forced him to stand, but Victor pushed him away.

"Let go of me, you fucking homo... Fuck, I don't hate gays, but why are they after me? First Eren wants to kiss me... then Reiner and Jean look at my dick shamelessly... and now you want to sleep with me..."

"That's not what I meant, damn it!"

"Leave it," Annie said as she approached them. "I'll take care of him."

"Annie? Are you sure?" Connie asked.

She gave him a hard, cold look.

"I said I'll take care of him."

Connie tensed and wisely decided to leave.

Annie looked at Victor, who had gone back to sitting and drinking from the bottle.

"Hey, Victor," she said in a softer voice, "We have to go."

"I can't... I... I'm waiting for someone."

"Who?" Annie looked around the clearing, they were the only ones left. "Ymir and Krista?"

"Ymir and Krista... Freckles and the angel... Hehe... No, they had already left" Victor looked around to make sure that no one was around before he gestured for Annie to come closer and whispered to her. "I think... I think they went to fuck each other. I hope they used protection, it would be bad if one of them got pregnant..."

Annie looked at him like he was crazy, but no, he was just drunk.

"If you're not waiting for them, who are you waiting for?"

"I'm... waiting for Annie. She said she'd be back any minute..."

She sighed. This was going to be harder than she thought.

"Annie's already gone," she said. "And she asked me to take you to the dormitories. She... worries about you."

Victor chuckled.

"Yes... I know she does. She's a sweet girl on the inside, you know? It's just that she hides it under this layer of coldness and apathy towards everything and everyone. She puts up this... wall around herself to keep everyone away... even me."

"Why do you think that?" Annie asked, sitting down next to him.

"I can see it. I can see that she's hiding something, and she doesn't want to tell me because she's... she's afraid. She's afraid that if she tells me, everything will be different..."

She pressed her lips together in a thin line. Victor was absolutely right. She was afraid. She knew how everyone would react if they found out the truth. They would call her a traitor, hate her, maybe even try to kill her. And if she was honest with herself, she didn't care. She was willing to make enemies of the whole world if necessary to get home to her dad. If it was just for her, she wouldn't live in fear. But...

Annie looked at Victor out of the corner of her eye. He was the only person in the whole world who made her afraid, because she didn't know how he would react if he found out the truth. Would he hate her and try to kill her? Would he try to understand her and why she did what she did? Would he... accept her and try to convince her to join them?

She didn't know, and it was that ignorance, that uncertainty, that frightened her so much.

"Maybe... she doesn't want things to be different," she said finally. "Maybe she just wants... all of this to last a little longer..."

"Maybe you're right... I want it too. I want it to last much... much longer..." The bottle slipped from his fingers and he ended up leaning on her shoulder. "I love Annie. She's strong and yet so soft... She has a pair of... beautiful eyes and also... she is so beautiful..."

Annie opened her eyes, puzzled. Her cheeks flushed red as she turned to look at him.

"Victor, I..."

"Shhh" He put a finger to her lips. "Don't tell her..."

A small smile formed on Annie's lips as she took Victor's hand.

"Okay..."

As he leaned back against her shoulder and closed his eyes, Annie reached into her sweatshirt and pulled out a pocket watch. She looked at it for a few seconds before slipping it into Victor's front vest pocket and tying the chain to one of the buttons.

"Happy birthday."

She leaned back against him without letting go of his hand, enjoying the warmth she felt as their fingers intertwined. She knew she had to take him to the dormitories, but she wanted to have him all to herself at this moment. To enjoy this fleeting moment a little longer.

After all, Annie was a selfish person.

...

..

.

---

And that's all for now, dear readers.

I hope you enjoyed it. This chapter was written from the point of view of several characters, but not Victor. I wanted to do something different. To capture the way other characters see him.

I feel that what makes this story special to me, more than Victor's fascinating and yet unknown history, is the development of the relationship between the characters. It's something I'll always be proud of, and this chapter expresses that better than any other I've written.

If you want to see the fanarts I have made of this story, you can see them on my Pinterest account. I just uploaded one where, for the first time, Victor and Annie are seen together.

I hope you enjoyed it.

I just have one last question for you guys...

Do you want the second season to start?

I have already proven with this long chapter that I have not given up on this story. Now it's your turn to prove it, check out the review section!

And with nothing more to say... A psychological hug and until next time!