Doe's POV:

I lazed in the lounge that sat by the low burning fireplace, book in hand and sipping on a lemony drink that Lily had dropped by.

Occasionally getting distracted by glancing up at Xander who worked on something at his desk.

Shirtless, may I add.

In his defense, I did humbly request to wear one of his shirts, and he simply gave me the one he had just put on.

And I wasn't complaining about the view at all.

So we both just stayed in our respective half of Xander's lounge clothes.

I had a feeling that neither of us planned on leaving the room today anyway, or especially not me.

Given the fact that my entire body hurt and I was completely covered in hickeys and the like.

My legs alone haven't known a moment of peace since he decided to get his tongue involved down there, aching at any minuscule movement.

Worth it.

I tried to focus my attention back on the book instead of the way he was somehow spinning the pen on his fingers.

At the focused gaze I could see thanks to the headband holding back his hair.

My stomach did a little unnecessary flip when that gaze flicked to me, followed by a strange question.

"Do you want to keep 'Doe'?"

I blinked at him, just raising a brow.

"As your name," He clarified, "For your official citizenship records. If you want to change it to something else, now's your chance."

Oh.

I didn't have to think about my answer for long.

"I wanna keep it," I told.

That name was the first thing I'd ever had to truly call mine. I couldn't imagine it being anything else.

He nodded, jotting something down.

"And if you had to choose a last name?"

I didn't think much on that one either, just began to blurt out the first one that came to mind.

"Vander-" I drew out the last sound for a few seconds, eyes widening as soon as I realized which last name I was about to say.

Oh shit.

I looked up to see the widely amused look on Xander's face, the pen slowly inching down onto the paper.

"Don't you dare write that down!"

He burst into a fit of innocent laughter.

"Fine fine," He dismissed, setting the pen down and turning the chair to face me.

He set his elbows on his knees, crossing his arms, "Any other last name options come to mind then?"

I'd never thought about anything like this.

The only last names I knew were that of vampiric royalty and Khloe's.

Was there some sort of rule a last name followed? A specific way it needed to sound compared to the first?

"Does it have to sound a certain way? Or have a certain amount of letters?" I asked.

All the ones I've heard were relatively long.

He gave a little shrug.

"Not necessarily. It's just a name like any other in this circumstance."

My brows drew together the longer I thought.

All of the last names I've heard had a certain right to it, and it was like my brain just suddenly forgot how to put together letters under this spotlight.

"I uh, you choose." I eventually blabbered out.

Xander had to have known what would work better than me, and I trusted him to not make a dumb decision.

With this, at least.

But then, he shook his head.

"I chose your first name on a whim and just got lucky that you liked it. You get to chose the other two."

"Two?!" I exclaimed, slamming the book shut.

His amusement lit up even more.

"Two indeed," He explained, "I'm gonna need a middle name and a last name for this form."

Middle name?

I didn't even know there was such a thing.

And now that I did, the knowledge that he had one and I just never knew crept up as well.

My eyes narrowed at him from across the room.

I always get surprised when discovering that I do not in fact know every basic thing about him.

His stories about his life were always something that I enjoyed listening to.

Stuff like that I knew would stay unknown until he told me, but something like a part of his name just felt so fundamental and yet I had no idea.

"Why don't I know your middle name?" I prodded.

Another shrug before he stood, "It's just never come up, I suppose."

I continued to eye him as he walked over and sat down in the cushioned rocking chair that faced me.

"It's coming up now," I deadpanned, "Give it."

He looked to be mildly enjoying my reaction to his unknown name.

"Augustus," He gave, "Named after my grandfather on my mom's side."

My hardened exterior softened at the answer, relaying his name in my head.

Alexander Augustus Vanderwood.

Wow.

Just thinking the entirety of his name stirred up a wildly unnecessary thump in my heart.

"Nico's is Elijah, from my grandfather on my dad's side."

Both of them from their grandfathers... and what about Khloe's?

Marcus was most likely in the same position as I was, so I don't think I could go to him with any ideas.

I thought through this for a second longer.

"But I don't have- I never got to know my grandparents."

"Neither have I," He admitted, "It doesn't have to come from any place in particular. It usually just depends on how or if the parents wanna incorporate something into their kids' names. You however get the luxury to decide what it will be yourself."

Luxury...

Still, that felt like so much pressure to make it perfect, even though I knew it was a pressure that I was only putting on myself.

I needed more time to think, but I also didn't want to do that in silence.

"You never met your grandparents?" I questioned.

That fact made sense for me given my past, but for a vampire whose lifespan is nearly 2000 years?

He didn't look bothered or saddened by the question by any means and answered just as casually.

"Nope. It's common for previous Lords and Ladies to leave their territory for a bit after passing down the title. As far as I know, dad's parents have been out seeing the world for the past few centuries."

"And your mom's parents?"

He was quiet for a bit this time.

"I honestly don't know. Mom has always been vague and secretive when it comes to her family for as long as I can remember. I guess I stopped asking at some point and just accepted it for what it was."

Had I not been fond of Caroline from our few encounters, I probably would be more suspicious, but my knowledge that vampires wildly differed from me helped me get over it and not question alongside Xander.

"Anyway, my point is that none of your names have to be meaningful or personal to you. It could just be something that sounds good to follow up your first name."

But what sounded good?!

I suppose I could go the semi-alliteration route that Xander's middle name had... But Nicos didn't have that and still had a nice ring to it.

My mind was crumbling under the freedom of it all. The number of options was almost too much.

"How soon do you need an answer?"

His eyes softened, most definitely picking up on the slight agitation my voice possessed.

"There's no rush" his words were as casual as the rest, "I can do the rest of the required documentation and just fill in the names last."

"Okay good," I sighed, "I think I wanna ask Khloe hers tomorrow to get some more examples."

As well as everyone else in her family and any friends she may have had.

I wanted all the examples I could get.

I was probably overthinking this, but it felt like something that deserved a little bit of overthinking.

Xander's full name fit him in an odd way. Same with Nico's.

Both their first and Middle names.

Or maybe my mind was just scrambling for any kind of patterns I could use in my decision-making.

I just wanted to make sure that whatever I picked encompassed me in the same way.

"You sure you don't just want to choose for me?" I double-checked.

He breathed out a quiet chuckle.

"I'm sure. This is your new life we're dealing with here. I want it to be all your own."

All my own?

Well, that didn't sound like a whole lot of fun.

I'll deal with that later, after I somehow manage to figure out this whole name thing.

"So I take it you're done with that for now?" I asked, gesturing back to his desk while I lifted my ice-cold drink.

"For now," he concluded, turning his head the other way towards the bathroom before returning it to me, "Wanna take another bath so you're not as sore for your convo with your friends tomorrow?"

I took a long sip from the straw.

A bath that I can actually enjoy this time since I'm not fighting off sleep.

"Do you plan on joining me?"

"If I'm invited," He replied.

I extended a hand for him to help me up since we both knew I currently couldn't do it myself, and even that had the muscles in my arms and abs aching.

"You are."