A Name

"Haaah~" The woman lets out a long sigh of relief as she enters the bath with me. I did think that it was quite big, but to think it could fit the both of us inside. By this point, the warm water has reached past my chest, but it seem like the woman has turned off the water. "This is heaven~" She seems really happy right now, but I'm still confused about all of this. Is this bath meant to be something you relax in?

"My name's Charlotte by the way." She's introducing herself to me? I'm not sure what she said at the end there, but that's definitely a name, right?

"Ch-Charlotte..." I say what I think is her name.

"Mhmm! That's right." Charlotte... The name of the woman that took me out of that room and has given me this warmth... I'll remember it.

"Name..."

"Huh?" Seems like what I said has surprised her for some reason. Is she not understanding me?

"Name." I repeat the same words, only this time pointing a finger in my direction. She has a name, something that I don't have. No... Everyone has a name, I learnt that through my years in that room, but I never bothered to remember any of them. It could be that they said my name at some point and I just didn't understand, so I'm trying to seek some sort of confirmation here with Charlotte.

"Hmmm. That's right. You don't have a name, do you..." I don't? Well, not that it really changes anything. I've lived all this time without one so I'm not all that bothered by it. "How about, Shiro?"

"Shiro?" Is that meant to be my name?

"I know it's not too original, but I think it suits you, with your white hair and all." Is that my name? Am I understanding this right? She's naming me after my hair?

"Shiro..." I mutter the name to myself. It's the first time I've been given a name, but I'm unsure how I feel about it. Sure I now know this woman's name is Charlotte, but that's all I know of her; that and also her warmth...

"You like it?" I nod my head at her words, although I'm not sure if I like it or not. Maybe it's because I've been so used to being called 'that' or 'thing' or 'girl.' That's when a thought soon crossed my mind. Who gives people their names? Is it normal to have one? Is it something you're given? Thinking that, I wonder why for all this time no one has given me a name. So why now? Why has Charlotte given me a name just now? Am I even allowed to have a name? It shouldn't change anything, right?

"Aaah~ Come here!" Suddenly, I feel my body being pulled in as I feel Charlotte's arms wrap around me from behind. Are we getting out? "A bath is to relax. You've been through so much, so please..." She speaks in a soft voice, but I can't help but pick up a bit of pain in her tone. Not knowing what to do, I end up reaching for her arm that is wrapped around me.

"Thank you." I give her my thanks once more as I let her do as she pleases, although I can't help but feel the same sense of comfort coming from my back as two soft mounds press up against me. I instinctively use it like the pillow from earlier as my body loosens up in the warm bath.

"That's it... Relax. Let your body loosen up." She exhales deeply as I end up doing the same out of habit. She's been showing me around and teaching me words all day, so I end up following her lead as I start breathing deeply. Soon I feel my eyes growing heavier as I feel as though my body's floating in the water; weightless... "Hehehe." The last thing I hear is a soft giggle from Charlotte before I slowly pass out in her arms.

"...Sweet dreams, Shiro." I could barely hear her words as I soon drift off into a deep sleep, the warm water in combination of Charlotte's softness easily drifting me away in this darkness... Maybe this time I can have a dream that's not about 'that.'