Yup, here I go projecting onto lovely characters again, I am a horrible person. And now, you get a multi-chapter story instead of a one-shot.
*the self harm is not super major, it's Kuroko scratching at his arms, and there's a little blood*
It's not often that Akashi is out. He's with their coach discussing practice matches, so his miracle players are on their own. Which usually wouldn't be an issue.
But one of the first string members is shouting for Midorima to get Akashi, but he's busy with getting everyone else out of the gym.
Kuroko's sitting against the wall, eyes wide, with his hands clamped onto his biceps, nails digging into his skin.
The first stringer gives up on Midorima and runs for Akashi himself.
Aomine and Murasakibara are screaming at each other in the middle of the court. There's a bruise blossoming on Aomine's face where Murasakibara's elbow had caught him as he was attempting a dunk. It was nothing but a rough dunk. But Aomine hadn't been in a good mood to start with and Murasakibara had been snippy in his reply. One of their teammates had tried to intervene before it became a physical fight, but he'd been shoved back hard enough to go crashing to the floor.
The two have progressed to almost grappling, Murasakibara has height but he's restraining himself, for now anyways. No matter how strong Aomine is, Murasakibara is capable of seriously injuring pretty much anyone. He knows that.
By this time, Midorima's managed to clear everyone out of the gym. It takes him a few moments to spot Kuroko. Which is strange, because usually it takes longer.
Kuroko is curled up, raking his nails up and down his biceps, his eyes fixed on the scene before him. From the rapid movements of his chest, Midorima is fairly certain that the smaller boy is having some kind of attack.
He runs over, putting himself in Kuroko's direct line of sight, so as to block the view of their fighting teammates.
"Kuroko, listen to me. Someone went to get Akashi, he'll be here soon and he'll take care of this. Can you hear me?"
There's no visible change, and Midorima really doesn't want to move him. Instead, he sits down properly, placing his legs on either side of Kuroko's body. The scratching is concerning and Midorima can see blood. He takes Kuroko's hands, holding them tightly before moving them to his own arms one at a time. His sleeves cover his biceps, it's not that big of deal. Besides Midorima would much rather endure a bit of stinging and a blood stained shirt than see Kuroko tearing up his skin.
Immediately, Kuroko digs his fingers into Midorima's biceps, but he doesn't start scratching. Midorima sets his own hands on the juncture of Kuroko's neck and shoulder, gently cradling his head.
"It will be fine, Akashi will take care of it," he says quietly.
Kuroko's crying, sharp breaths taking on a nasally quality
"Kuroko, can you hear me? Squeeze my arms twice if you can."
It takes a few minutes but Kuroko takes a stuttering breath and complies, the squeezes are spaced apart, forcing him to focus on the action. Midorima keeps talking, mundane things that pull Kuroko's attention away from the fight that's still going on. The boy's knuckles are white, straining, no doubt numb by now.
From what he can hear, it doesn't sound like they've killed each other. But they're still shouting, and Midorima's heard a few dull thuds of skin on skin.
Then, all at once, it stops, but Midorima doesn't bother turning around. No doubt Akashi's arrived, but Kuroko needs more of Midorima's attention than the two idiots about to get their souls sucked out by their very pissed off captain.
"Okay, Kuroko, it's over. Are you okay to be moved?" The two squeezes come after a minute or so and Midorima nods. Kuroko's not crying anymore, and his breathing is no longer erratic, but he's still not back to himself. Midorima speaks aloud everything he's doing, even before he does it, and Kuroko squeezes his arms in absent responses.
Midorima picks him up and carries him out of the gym, away from their captain's calculated anger, and sits with him outside. Slowly, he moves Kuroko's hands, absently massaging some feeling back into them.
Kuroko coughs, blinking and looking around.
"I'm sorry," he rasps after a moment. He's a mess, his face is red and blotchy, smeared in tears.
"Do you have attacks like this often?"
Kuroko just bows his head and sighs, shaking Midorima's hands from his. He starts rubbing at his eyes, before realizing that he still has blood under his fingernails. He settles instead for using his shirt.
"Sometimes, I'm okay now, thank you for helping me."
"Kuroko-"
"Please, I don't really like talking about them. They won't be a problem from here on out, I'm sure."
Midorima wants to press, but he only nods, withholding a sigh.
"Right, do you feel well enough to stand on your own?"
"Ah, I think I could use your help with that actually."
They don't exchange a single word as Midorima helps him to his feet and walks him back inside. Akashi looks irate, Aomine and Murasakibara are nowhere in sight.
"Kuroko, Midorima, there you are," Akashi turns his attention to the two of them and Midorima feels the slightest of chills rush down his back.
"Is everything settled?" Midorima asks.
"Yes. Kuroko, your arms."
"They're just scratches, they aren't serious."
"You're bleeding. Midorima, take him to the locker room, clean and bandage him up. Then go home, both of you."
That said, Akashi turns around and leaves the gym, likely to resume his meeting with their coach.
Luckily, Kuroko follows Midorima without complaint. He sits down on the bench and waits quietly as Midorima gets the first aid kit.
The scratches have stopped bleeding, they're shallow and, from what Midorima can see, there aren't any scars from previous episodes. Regardless, he cleans up the blood with alcohol wipes until the skin is spotless, pointedly ignoring Kuroko's light wincing. Once he's satisfied that the scratches are clean, he wraps Kuroko's biceps in gauze and tapes the bandages in place.
"Keep these on until you go to bed tonight, the bleeding should stop completely by then. Use bandaids afterwards."
Kuroko nods and starts to absently pick the dried blood from beneath his nails.
Midorima's left with a bit of a moral dilemma.
"Would you like me to accompany you on your walk home?"
"No, thank you for offering though, I'll be fine."
Without so much as a nod, Kuroko rises and walks the short distance to his locker. He doesn't bother changing, just pulls out his bag and clothes, then leaves.