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The name Flashy Flash was one of the first lessons to be beaten into him. To drop his old name and accept this as his new one.
He was stubborn for his age though, and still in denial and shock of his new reality. He didn’t want to believe that his parents sold him, that they were never taking him back. He wanted it all to be a big misunderstanding.
Someone will explain things to him soon, he’ll be let go soon. Right?
He hoped so.
That hope was the first thing to die - and quickly too.
But he held onto his identity for a bit longer.
He received punishments atop the ones for trying to run whenever he spoke his own name. He handled it well enough in the beginning, but eventually it was too much.
He stopped trying to run.
He stopped speaking his own name.
But the punishments continued each time he refused to respond to Flashy Flash.
It took them a few tries until he started to listen, but they finally believed they got through to him - when really all they got was for him to simply play along.
He accepted the new name.
He let them turn him into exactly what they wanted, but let them believe he was weak.
Old punishments were replaced with the harshest training given to Class 5.
Within time, his old self was gone and he gradually became their top ninja.
Unbeknownst to them, in his place stood the village’s own undoing.
It wasn’t until he befriended Sonic that he said his own name again.
The other ninja had taken notice of the extra punishments Flash received in the past, and at one point in their friendship, brought it up to question what they were for.
Flash felt a twinge of sadness from the question, echoing through memories of his younger self. It was something he hadn't felt in years, along with the many other feelings Sonic seemed to reawaken within him.
After a moment of deciding whether he wanted to answer or not, and checking no one would overhear, Flash answered, “They were because I had insisted on using my old name.”
“Your old name?” Sonic asked. A brief look of confusion passed on his face before he asked, voice quieter, “From outside?”
Flash simply nodded as answer. It fell silent, Sonic’s wide eyes looking elsewhere as he thought to himself.
When he turned back to Flash, it was to ask, “What was it?”
The question was unexpected, catching Flash off guard. He wasn’t sure how to answer. He could lie - say he doesn’t remember it anymore.
But he does remember it. He’s kept it memorized in spite of being made to try and forget. Any time he hears his new name, his mind reminds him that the old him is dead.
Flash doesn’t know why Sonic wants to even know - other than plain curiosity. He wants to say there’s no harm in telling him, but if any of their instructors overheard either of them say it, they’re sure to be in trouble.
With that in mind, Flash leans close to Sonic, lowering his voice to a whisper.
“You can’t ever say it unless we’re absolutely alone, understood?”
“Yeah,” Sonic agrees, eager with the realization he’s getting an answer but still just as quiet.
“Promise me.” Flash holds his hand out to Sonic, little finger out. He had shown and explained pinky promises to Sonic shortly after they first became friends, and he waits until Sonic links their fingers to move closer and whisper his name in his ear.
Sonic repeats it, so quiet it’s almost silent. He smiles when he looks back up at Flash. “I like it.”
Flash gives a small smile in return. When he moves to pull away, Sonic follows closely after him, leaning forward to keep the distance small between them. He keeps a hold on Flash’s hand.
“Can you give me one?” Sonic asks, voice pleading.
“A name?” he asks.
Sonic nods as he leans closer, taking Flash’s hand in both of his now.
“Um.” Flash blinks, trying to think of one, but he hasn’t heard any outside names in so long.
He wants to give Sonic what he wants though, so he does his best to go through distant memories, trying to recall any names of family members or other kids.
One manages to actually stand out, and he closes the distance again to whisper it to Sonic.
“Is that good?” Flash asks unsure, hoping Sonic would like it.
“Yeah.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure. I like it a lot,” Sonic reassures, one hand letting go of Flash’s to cover and hide a growing smile.
He leans into Flash’s space now, whispering a quiet thanks, and the sound of Flash’s name causes an entirely new feeling in his chest.
Flash doesn’t know what it is, but it’s warm and bright, and it only grows when Sonic pulls away and smiles again, this time with no hand up to hide it.
They're still close, and it's adding to the new feeling Flash is experiencing, his heartbeat picking up - more so when Sonic quietly requests, "Say my name again."
And he does so, wondering if it gives Sonic the same feeling too.