Similitude of Ashes and Feathers

Chapter 3: Questions Continued

"... what do I call you?"

The angel tilted his head slightly as he looked at Aaron. "Do you mean like my name? Is that what you're wanting to know?" Aaron nodded and Alex's lips quirked into a lopsided expression, "I don't know if I should tell you that. Isn't it a bad idea to tell you my name? Seeing as you are a demon."

Aaron sighed, "if it makes you more comfortable you can just tell me your first name."

"... first I want to know your name."

"It's Aaron," he didn't hesitate to answer.

"Aaron what?"

"Burr. Aaron Burr."

Alex nodded, he had more power over Aaron if he knew his full name, not that he didn't with this deal already hanging over the demon's head. "My name is Alexander but you can call me Alex."

"I'd rather not. I'd feel more comfortable calling you by your actual name. It's degrading to not use proper names when you know them. If you'd rather I call you by your 'nickname' then I can, but I'd rather not."

"Alright, I suppose you don't have to if you don't want to." Alex shrugged. It wasn't a big deal to him if Aaron preferred it that way.

There was a short moment of silence before Aaron spoke up once more. "Do I get to know your full name?" His brow was raised in a mild emphasis of his curiosity.

"Nope," Alex beamed. "It would be better if you didn't. Don't you think so?"

Aaron sighed, disappointed and bothered by everything that was happening. "Whatever. It's fine, it's really not that big of a deal." It felt unfair and he was displeased, but he chose to lie about how it wasn't a big deal when to him it was.

"Good, glad you don't mind."

"Are all angels like you? I can't imagine a place like this being full of people like you. You're nothing like our books have described." It was terribly disappointing, although he tried to avoid saying that out loud.

"Well, I can say the same thing about you—uh, the second part I mean. An entire place with people like you would probably be good for us, you're not exactly the most aggressive demon. Definitely nothing like I've read about." Alex pursed his lips, "not that I'm disappointed. I just wasn't expecting you when I met my first demon. Not that exciting-"

Aaron's brows furrowed in confusion. "I thought you said you weren't disappointed?" That didn't exactly make it sound like he wasn't disappointed.

"I didn't say I was, just surprised is all." He shrugged, "hardly say it was a disappointment. Although I do have to ask, are all demons like you?"

He hesitated to answer, fidgeting with his hands for a moment. Of course, he was obligated to answer because of their deal. "No, not even close. It's terrible, most of them are just horrible."

"But there are good ones, such as yourself—assuming this isn't an act you're putting on." It didn't seem like an act. At least not to Alexander.

Aaron folded his arms across his chest and looked down at the floor. "Who knows, I'm a demon. I've heard lying is what we do." He muttered when he spoke those words, rolling his eyes. Alex's previous insistence on that particular phrase still upset the other boy.

"Yeah, sure. Anyway," he brushed the reaction off. "I have quite a few questions I'd like to ask. I just can't think of most of them off the top of my head." Alex walked over to his bookshelf, scanning the covers present before eventually pulling one out. He then proceeded to walk over to the chair he was standing by previously. It was a rather low chair, but he preferred it that way so his feet could be up higher on the footrest.