Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroko no Basuke

Chapter 1

Akashi moved a piece on the shogi board. "It's been almost a month, he barely eats, he doesn't sleep, he just lays there. I don't know what to do."

Midorima moved his piece. "There is not much you can do. He needs time."

"But don't you think this is too long?" Akashi asked. He was not trying to be insensitive, but he just wanted his old mate back, not that soulless corpse in his bedroom.

"He is healing. I am a doctor not a psychologist, but I assume it is the same thing. The only thing that will heal him is the ultimate healer… time."

Akashi understood. "It's just that… I fell like Kuroko is hiding something from me."

Midorima raised an eyebrow, interested. "What makes you say that?"

"He use to look at me when he talked to me. I haven't seen his blue eyes in a week. And it got worse. We use to cuddle, he has nightmares and I would hold him, but now he won't even let me so much as touch him."

"And all that happened a week ago?" Midorima asked.

Akashi nodded. "He is not healing, he is getting worse." He said and moved his piece.

####

As Kuroko brushed his teeth, he looked at himself in the mirror. He looked awful. His beautiful pale skin looked sickly, dark bags highlighted his dead eyes, and he had lost a lot of weight. He hated what the reflection was showing, he wanted to live, but not like this.

An overwhelming urge hit him and he rushed to the toilet to vomit. He spit up bile, there was nothing left in him to throw up. Kuroko flushed the toilet and returned to brushing his teeth.

Words whispered in Kuroko's mind, they would not shut up. They kept him up every night, threatening Kuroko. Kuroko silenced the words in his mind. He did not want to hear anymore. He spit in the sink and looked up as he washed his face.

Hanamiya was in the mirror, smirking at him and he reached for Kuroko.

Kuroko screamed and punched the mirror, shattering it, leaving his fist bloody from the glass. Tears fell down Kuroko's face; he slid onto his knees and cried. Why was he so weak? He needed to tell Akashi, but would he accept him? Would anyone? What if Akashi turned him away? He was so scared, he needed help, but he didn't know who to go to. There was so much evidence.

Akashi kicked in the door, which Kuroko had locked and rushed to Kuroko who was on the floor, bleeding and crying. Akashi hugged his mate. "What happened?"

Kuroko pushed Akashi away.

"Kuroko, I need to know what happened."

Midorima entered with his signature black bag and began to pick glass out of Kuroko's hand with a pair of tweezers.

"I… broke a mirror." Kuroko whispered, shaking. Kuroko did not know if he was shaking from hunger, lack of sleep, or fear. Most likely was all three.

"Why did you break a mirror?" Akashi asked, trying to be patient.

"I saw him."

"Him? As in Hanamiya?"

Kuroko nodded slowly, never looking Akashi in the eyes.

"Kuroko, when was the last time you actually slept or ate something?" Midorima asked.

Kuroko thought for a bit. "I don't know." Kuroko admitted.

"Midorima, tell Himuro to cook up something for Kuroko, make it as nutritious as possible."

Midorima bowed and left his leader with his mate.

"Come, let's get you in bed." Akashi offered his hand to Kuroko, but Kuroko refused to use it and got up by himself.

Kuroko got in bed and let Akashi tuck him in.

"I will leave you alone. I know that you don't want to see me."

That was the opposite. Kuroko never wanted Akashi to leave, he wanted nothing more than to cuddle with his handsome vampire mate, but it he got too close he would…

Akashi turned out the lights. "Get some sleep, okay? Close your eyes, no thinking tonight. Just sleep."

"Okay. I love you." Kuroko whispered.

A thin smile traced Akashi's lips. "And I love you too Tetsuya. I love you more than the moon loves the stars in the night sky." Akashi closed the door and sighed. Why would Kuroko not talk to him? Was he mad at him? He just wanted to help his mate. He wanted to see Kuroko's beautiful smile again. He walked to the library, past Midorima. "You need to kick up your game; I don't want to win again."

Midorima smiled. "Yes sir."

They returned to their game, trying to get Akashi's mind off the current events.

####

Himuro peaked into the study, caring a tray with some chicken noodle soup and some home made bread. "Is Kuroko not in here with you?" He asked.

"No." Midorima said.

"Akashi, Kuroko is not in his room."