Silent.

『 16 』

Later into the month, Commander Shadis announced that the cadets of the 104th T.S. were allowed to have a two-month rest break as a reward for their bravery and courage early on in their soldier lives. Feeling a bit guilty over the fact that the two had no home to go to, Neo felt generous and decided to invite both Mikasa and Armin, as well as Celena, of course, to his home for the two months in order to avoid the wrath of Keith Shadis. The day before the vacation began, Neo had sat down with his friends at the table and instantly asked the two teenagers the question.

"Armin, Mikasa. Celena and I are going back to the Trost District for these two months, and... well, I was wondering if you two would want to join us."

Armin, who engaged in a technique conversation with Annie and Celena merely minutes before, gazed at Neo with wide ocean-blue eyes.

"W - What? Neo, we can't!"

"Why not? I bet it won't bother my mom at all. It certainly won't bother me, Hakura, or Celi, right?" The young adult looked at his side to Celena, who instantly shook her head no. "Our house is kind of small, but we can make it fit."

"I'll come," Mikasa spoke up from her spot at the edge of the table.

"Mikasa! We can't! We don't want to bother you guys! Plus, you already have Celena with you!" Armin stuttered to be selfless.

Reiner sighed loudly from his spot across from Annie (who obviously was beside Celena), stretching his arm in front of Connie to slap Armin on the shoulder.

"Can you consider his offer, Armin?! I would do anything to get out of this place for two months." He stopped to give Neo a slight glare, to which the latter responded by ruffling his hair awkwardly. "Take the man's offer. You won't have to be here with Shadis' screaming."

Armin flinched under Reiner's large hand before shakenly nodding his head.

"T - True... You're right, can we come?"

"Well, I asked you first, didn't I?"

Celena gave Neo a small smile at his selflessness. To this day, her cousin still manages to take care of the ones younger than him, no matter what. She knew that his house was too small for six people; with only one room, they would all have to sleep together, three of them in sleeping bags.

Yet, he still tried.

Later that evening, before everyone went off to bed, they all saluted each other and said their goodbyes. Some would have to depart from the quarters they lived in for three years earlier in the morning; it was all based on how far they would have to travel to get home. Others stayed here, like Reiner, Annie, and Bertolt. As they all said their farewells, Celena couldn't help but feel down at the idea that some cadets should've been in the room with them. She hid all her sorrow deep inside her heart, where it continued to accumulate over the years. The selective mute turned away from Connie and Sasha, having just given them both a tense hug, and moved towards her two closest friends.

"Annie. Violet."

Violet sniffled for a moment, trying to hide her tears behind her hands. "This isn't farewell, you hear?" She moved quickly to wrap her arms around the ginger and the blonde. "We'll visit each other whenever we can!" Her voice whimpered at the end of the sentence.

"Don't be stupid, Violet. Of course, we'll visit each other." Annie said, drained of any emotion. But her eyes deceived her as they reflected Celena's image perfectly in a pool of love and rejection. The blonde fell deeper and deeper into the hole she had dug herself into two years ago, even if she was coldly rejected by the girl she loved.

Though, the worst part of all of it was she didn't mind at all.

"Yeah... We'll have to visit you, Celena, in the break!" The ginger smiled softly at the eagerness in Violet's bright eyes before nodding and moving away from the hug. "I'll send letters."