Florian stared into Heinz's piercing red eyes, searching for something—understanding, perhaps? But all he could see was quiet curiosity.
Slowly, his gaze dropped to the blankets pooled in his lap. His voice, when it came, was soft, almost unsure.
"My real name is Aden."
A fragile smile curved his lips. It felt strange—foreign, even—saying that name out loud. Months had passed since he last heard it, since he last was it. Somehow, it sounded distant now, like a memory from another life.
Heinz blinked, tilting his head slightly. "Aden?"
Florian gave a small nod.
"What an odd name," Heinz remarked, without malice, only honest confusion.
'As if Heinz is the most normal and common name in the world.' Florian bit the inside of his cheek and resisted the urge to roll his eyes.
"It's foreign," he replied simply.
"I could tell," Heinz said. Then, as if expecting more, he added, "What else?"
