Eridan
What you weren't expecting, was putting the sweater back on and feeling the sharp spikes of pain running through the bleeding forearms as they came into contact with the fabric. You stifled a half sob half groan, and cringed, falling to your knees on the floor.
"___?" A muffled voice asked from the other side of the door.
“I-I’ll be right there!” You said, your voice a half whine.
“___ wwhat’s wwrong?” You could hear the voice begin to fumble with the doorknob, and you finally realized who was on the other side. No, you couldn’t let him see you like this, Eridan would freak. “I’m comin’ in.” He warned, beginning to open the door. You ripped the fabric off your arms, throwing it the side.
“Please!! Don’t!” You could feel your face heat up, tears pooling just behind your shut eyelids. “You can’t!”
You didn’t hear the door open any more, and when you looked up it was open, but only little, you couldn’t see the violet blood. “___?” He asked again, your name—or shortened version that it was—coming out worried and almost scared.
“Please Eridan. Please just leave me alone.” Your voice dropped, head turning to look away from the door in shame.
“Damn, I don’t wwanna leave you alone if you’re hurt.” There was a brief shuffling on the other side of the open door, before he spoke again. “You got a pilloww or somefin? Don’t wwanna sit on this floor like a landdwweller for too long.”
“Y-yeah.” You sniffle, being sure to stay on your side of the door grabbing a throw pillow and sliding it around the door. The ring clad hang reached out to grab it, and there was more shuffling.
“Thanks.” He spoke.
The way he said it, it just got to you and you couldn’t help but let but let out a weak laugh. “You can be such a drama queen sometimes Eridan.”
“As a highblood, I resent that, ‘specially comin’ from somebody with blood like yours.” He replied, half offended.
“Yeah… Blood like mine…” You said, eyes looking down at your forearms, part of the sweater fabric in the scratches.
“Have you been doing that thing again? That human complex thing?” He asked. You looked up at the door, to where you could guess Eridan was sitting. “Normally somefin self-destructive like that is grounds for cullin’. Didn’t wwanna say anyfin, evven though you humans don’t exactly have cullin’.” Eridan sounded almost worried.
“What complex thing?” You ask back, a weak laugh preceding it.
“I may havve fins but I ain’t deaf. The music playin’ isn’t your normal mix.”
“You recognize my usual music mix?” You asked, hands gently holding the seem of your tank top.
“It’s normally not too bad…” He said, and you could almost hear the embarrassment.
“That makes me happy.” You replied quietly, a gentle smile gracing you lips. He always seemed so distant, he shied away from you whenever you were hanging out with Karkat or Feferi. The troll always seemed so anxious around you too, making you in turn afraid you were doing something wrong. But when you did talk, it was amazing. He seemed so snooty and just slightly whiny, but he could always get you to smile. He could be a bit war hungry in a chihuahua way, but you could always calm him down when you were talking one on one.
“Havve you hurt yourself?” He asked again. About to stifle out an answer, you hold one of your bleeding forearms, and wince. You can’t lie to him.
“…Yeah.”
“Can I come out from behind the damn door noww?” He asked.
You nodded, before speaking your confirmation. He stood, and the cape was the first thing you noticed. It just swayed in the slight breeze from the open door, and it made you weakly smile.
“Let’s get you cleaned up, ___.” He said, a hint of fear. You nodded, and took his hand to help you stand. Eridan led you to the bathroom, the troll careful to keep his hand just below the scratches. Whether or not it was for your comfort or so he didn’t get blood on his hand, you weren’t sure. He stood to the side of the sink as you cleaned your forearms, and uncomfortable silence resting over the two of you as Eridan left to grab a towel.
When he returned, your arms clean and raw, he started wrapping them. What you didn’t notice, was the purple bandages he used matched nearly exactly the fabric on his cape, and the boy seemed to hide mostly behind his scarf.
“Why didn’t you grab the white bandages?” The rainbow of colors were mostly there for when you should have to play doctor to any of the hemofacist or color specific trolls that came around; a powerful blue for Equius, the violet for Eridan, there was even a few red and blue band aids for Sollux.
"'Cus if you wwanna do this shit again, you wwon't be able to. A nice rich vviolet." He finished one arm, gently taking your other. "You'll be reminded of me. My color." He spoke somewhat quietly now. "___, your awwfully smart, your pretty good lookin', wwhy do you wwanna hurt yourself like this?"
"I'm not..." You murmured in return. "I'm weak, and pathetic, a-and I'm useless. This way I feel how I deserve to, my disgusting blood can spill and it can be good for everyone." You squeezed your eyes shut, and hiccuped as your tears spilled down your cheeks.
What you weren't expecting was a slightly cold pair of lips on your own. Your eyes didn't open, but your arms ran around Eridan's shoulders to pull the fishtroll flush against you. He was cold, but so warm. His arms moved to slowly hold you in return, and when you pulled away, out of breath, your head moved to nuzzle into his blue scarf, sobbing quietly and shaking in his grasp.
"___," His own voice seemed hurt, "You're none a those things. You're beautiful and nice and you treat me like a real person, and it hurts me so much to see you like this." He held you delicately, as if you were a doll in his grip. "I'm so flushed for you it's not evven funny, please promise you'll stop hurtin' yourself like this."
Your tears subsiding and your arms releasing him, your hands moved to rest gently on Eridan's cheeks. "Do you mean that?" You asked quietly, hands shaking slightly as you looked up at him. He didn't respond immediately, but the violet spreading across his face let you know.
"Did I fucking say that out loud? S-Shit." He mumbled, fins moving flat against his head.
"I love you too." You spoke, thumbs gently tracing the small freckles on Eridan's cheekbones. One of his hands released your back, and moved to gently grasp your bandaged arm. He moves the arm, pulling it and pressing a kiss to your palm.
"Promise you wwon't do this shit anymore?"
"Promise." You weakly chuckled, as Eridan's eyebrows wiggle childishly and he gently licked your palm. "Eridan!" You said, pulling your hands back and wiping the tears from your eyes.
"I missed that beautiful smile."