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"Wait, did you just... how did you.."

The human smiled politely. "Thank you, for your name."

My eyes darted back and forth, staring at nothing in particular as I searched through my memory of the conversation.

There was no way he could have tricked *me*, and yet, he had. I hadn't uttered my own name in eons, but this mortal man had just...

"How..." was all I could mutter. "How... How?"

"If I tell you, will you promise to not seek revenge?" The human said, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his worn leather jacket.

I tilted my head like a confused dog. "Why would... hmm. Ok, sure, human. I agree."

The man nodded, then turned and began walking away.

"Hey! Wait!" I called, sprinting to catch up to the taller human. "You were going to tell me..."

The man stopped and glanced down at me, with a mischievous grin. "Do you understand?"

I threw my hands up in frustration. "No, you big smelly ape, I don't! You asked me a question, then went to leave!"

The human turned back towards me, crossing his arms across his chest and sighing. "And you're supposed to be the trickster."

I tried to remain calm. I was very bad at it.

"This is no time for insolent games, Human! We-"

The human interrupted me. "What I didn't say is just as important as what I did." He said.

"What do you mean?" I asked, perplexed.

I hadn't been stumped by a human before, but then again, I hadn't revealed my name to one before today either. I guess this was just going to be a day full of first time experiences.

"All I said just then was '*If* I tell you, will you promise to not seek revenge'. I did not say I *would* tell you. You inferred that and acted upon your assumption."

"Yes, that's obvious." I lied, trying to mimic the human's smug posture.

"And yet you were surprised when I tried to leave." He said.

"Perhaps. But that still doesn't explain how you learned my name was Glixxatal." I said. "I don't even think I've spoken that name aloud in a thousand..."

The human's smile brightened as my own mood darkened.

"...years." I finished, staring up at the human.

/r/SlightlyColdStories

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Submitted by SlightlyColdWaffles on Tue, Nov 08, 2022 to /r/WritingPrompts/

The prompt

The Fae froze, running his mind back over the subtleties of the conversation, following it's hidden twists and clever turns, until he realizes. "Wait, did you just... how did you.." The human smiles politely. "Thank you, for your name"