Work Text:
“So, Kuro,” Jayden said. “Got any plans for the weekend?”
“Nah, not really,” Kuroba said in response. “Birthday’s coming up, but that’s not on the weekend. God, I’m turning 17. I really gotta take my driving test soon.”
“I thought your birthday was in March?” Elle said.
“Nah, not anymore,” Kuroba said. “Weird time travel + death-revival shenanigans. September 26th. Funnily enough, the day I started going here.”
“And you didn’t tell us?” Elle said, feigning offense.
“Not like I could. From your POVs this random new monster kid showed up. Woulda been weird if I just said to you all ‘Oh, by the way, today’s my birthday.’ You guys barely knew my name at the time.”
“Oh, speaking of names,” Jayden said. “Do you have a middle name you use? Considering you did have one with…” he gestured his hands vaguely “e-eeeh, do you still have one or have you gotten rid of it?”
“Y’know,” Kuroba said, putting their hand to their chin, “now that I think about it, I never thought of one. Monsters don’t usually have middle names, and neither do Japanese people, so I guess I just never thought of it.”
“Well if you could have one, what would you choose? Assuming you don’t wanna stick with your old one.” Elle asked.
“Hmm… I don’t know, I’ll have to think about it. Definitely would be choosing a new one though. The only connection to those two I’m willing to keep is Clover’s name and that’s their name.”
“Yeah, that’s fair,” Jayden said before taking a bite of her food. “Speaking of, how’s Clover doing?”
“Clove’s doin’ fine,” Kuroba said. “Although, I have noticed that they’ve been seeming a little bit, er… off for some reason. Like their head’s in an entirely separate place sometimes. I think I can see some form of color in their cheeks on occasion, but I’m not too sure. Other than that they’re perfectly fine.”
Jayden and Elle looked at each other for a bit before shaking their heads.
“What, is it something I gotta worry about?” Kuroba asked.
“Nah, nothin’ like that,” Jayden said. “They’re just being a middle schooler.”
Kuroba sighed. “Alright, I’ll take you guys’s word for it. Lunch’s almost over, so I’ll be seein’ you two later. Elle, we still up for working on the project at your place?”
“Yeah, gotta let my parents know. Otherwise they might mistake it to be a date or something. Eugh.”
“Eleeegh,” Kuroba stuck their tongue out in disgust. “Ew, I hate that. Haaah, welp, see ya later then.”
“See ya.”
—
“Alright, Kuro, WHAT have you been thinking about?” Clover asked.
“Hm? Whaddya mean?” Kuroba asked in turn.
“You’ve been thinking about something all weekend. So spill the beans.”
Kuroba sighed. “Well if you simply must know, Elle and Jayden brought up middle names and I’ve been trying to think of a good one for myself.”
“Aaaaaand have you?”
“As a matter of fact, I have. And I think it goes rather nice with my name.”
“Kaito.”
Kuroba rapidly turned their head to Clover in confusion.
“How… did you—”
“Kuroba Kaito. How was that so hard? Lemme guess, same kanji, too?” Kuroba just stared in unamused silence. “So that’s a yes. You just took his name wholesale? Cringe.”
“Alright then, what would you give yourself, huh?”
“A middle name for myself, eh? Hmm. Well I have to admit that the alliteration is nice, so maybe something starting with the kh sound. But also something luck-related, since you know. Clover. Hmmmmm…” Clover snapped their fingers. “Aha! Ko. Now, what can go well with luck… Luck… lucky… luckyyyyyyyyy seven. Soooo nana. Konana.” Kuroba took notice. “No, that doesn’t have a good feel. Kona? Eeeehhh still feels weird. In that case… Konan. Clover Konan Ketsukane. Yeah, that’s it.”
Kuroba could feel their eye twitching a bit. “Let me get this straight. You call me cringe for making my middle name Kaito, but then you turn around and make yours Conan?”
Clover wagged their finger in Kuroba’s face. “Tsk tsk tsk. Kónán not Conan. Big difference. His name’s in katakana. I used kanji. Therefore it’s a different name and not taken wholesale unlike yours.”
“Yu– n-nn no,” Kuroba stuttered. “No, that’s not how tha— That’s not how that works.”
“Hmmm~ Is that soooo~” Clover made a fake overly cutesy face with their finger on the side of their snout.
“Wuh… Y–You… You…” Kuroba started to get a bit angry. “Ugh, I can’t even say what I want to. Stupid swear filter. You… you…” Kuroba took a moment to find the right word to use. “Tuh- Seahorse!”
Clover got taken aback a bit and needed a bit to process what, exactly, they had just been called.
“Ok, technically you’re not wrong, since those two weren’t married when they had us… But still… Damn… Ow…”
“Well you kinda tested my patience with that one.”
“Yeah, no, honestly completely deserved. But still. Jeez. Sorry, Kai.”
“KAI?”
“Yeah… from Kaito. Honestly, I think it’s a good nickname. But if you don’t like it then I’ll change it.”
Kuroba exhaled. “No, I like it too. But you know this means I gotta think of a similar one for you now, right?”
“I look forward to hearing what you come up with. Can’t choose Ko cuz that’s my nickname for Kanako, though.”
“Oh, we gatekeeping nicknames?”
“Our voices are really similar, Kai. Could cause confusion.”
“Haaaaah, alrighty then, Hirai. What do you think about that?”
Clover thought for a moment. “I like it. Very clever. (Unlike your middle name.)”
Kuroba inhaled slowly. “I’m going to choose to ignore that last part,” they said through gritted teeth.
“(It was funny thooooooough~)" Clover said as an aside before turning to Kuroba. "Anyways, happy birthday, Kai. Hope you enjoyed my gift,” they winked.
“What, getting mocked?”
“Yyyyyyyyyyup. Finally gained ammo against you.”
“Yooouuu. Frickin’ brat. Must come with the name.”
“‘Course it does. But for real, happy birthday.”
“Thanks. You know, at least for once Uncle Star didn’t make it a huge deal.”
Clover snickered to themself. “(Don’t check the garage.)”
“What does that meeean?????????????????????????”