Sharp.

“It’s not really my name, you know.”

Faye, unsure what brought about this sudden confession, looked up from her magazine at the mummy lying across from her. “What are you talking about?”

“You asked me once what kind of name Spike is. It’s not.”

She stared at him for a minute, slightly shocked, before deciding to use his candid mood to her advantage. “Well, what is it then?”

He pulled himself up into a sitting position, and the action looked so painful that Faye found herself holding back a cringe. He seemed unphased by the pain, but laid his head on the back of the sofa and allowed his body to sink into the dent that he had made over the years. He didn’t look like he minded the pain much, but he did look exhausted. “Ben,” he said simply. “After my father—he was always Benny. Annie renamed me, I guess, when she took me in.”

When Faye didn’t say anything, he continued. “After my parents died I wandered around for a bit—then Annie caught me stealing a donut from her store. She said my name didn’t suit me, and started calling me Spike instead. I guess it was just because I was so skinny. I had lots of sharp points on me back then.”

Faye scoffed. “You still do, lunkhead. Have you ever seen your elbows?”

The mummy closed his eyes and settled further back into the couch, the ghost of a smile on his face. “At least Spike Speigel doesn’t sound as corny as Faye Valentine… I mean, seriously?”

“That’s not my name.”

“Didn’t think so. No one is actually named Valentine. That’s horrible.”

Neither spoke for a long while. Spike had begun to drift back to sleep when he heard her speak, so softly he had to strain to hear. “It’s Faye Kennedy.”

He stared at her, slightly puzzled. “But… you’re Asian, aren’t you?”

“My mother was Chinese. My father was an American. From Massachusetts. Apparently, he was a pretty influential guy. He was in politics. From what I’ve remembered, he was the one who secured government funding for the Gate Corporation… and that’s why…”

“You don’t need to explain it to me.” He reached over and patted her knee. “I’m a sharp guy.”

“Maybe that’s why she called you Spike,” Faye scoffed.

I think I might be done with these.
Probably not.

Review, s'il-vous plait.