TW: Mental Institute!AU, Angst, Hurt/Comfort

"Come on, science boy, what are you going to do about it?"

"Kick your ass, that's what!"

"With what, exactly? With my magic you'll be down for the count before any of your silly science gadgets can even power up!"

"That's not true! My mining laser is always powered up, and with this nano armour I'm invincible!"

"The melon suit? Really? Give me a break."

Ridge sighs, pinching the bridge of his noise and closing his eyes in frustration. Silently he prays that this tussle will go no further than the jabs and insults currently being slung back and forth. He shudders, recalling the last time the patients got physical, absently running his thumb over the now-faded bruise on his lower arm.

He feels Teep tense next to him and move forward slightly in his seat, and looks up at Rythian and Sjin. They're right up in each other's faces, all narrowed eyes and gritted teeth. Rythian takes a step forward, forcing Sjin to step back. He towers over the smaller man, looking especially intimidating as the setting sun throws his shadow over Sjin. Sips sits on the couch, observing, clenching and unclenching his fists, giving Rythian a hard stare with cold gray eyes.

But still, Sjin seems confident.

"That 'melon suit' is far superior to anything you could create!" he states, hands on his hips.

"Prove it." Rythian challenges, shoving him backwards.

Sjin stumbles, losing his footing with a gasp and landing hard on his backside. Sips jumps up with a roar and launches himself at Rythian. He's ready for him, almost like he expected it, and moves out of the way. But Sips swings himself round with the forward momentum and his fist collides with Rythian's jaw. He goes down.

Ridge jumps up, unclipping his taser from his belt, motioning for Teep to help him. Teep heads straight for Rythian, kneeling by the injured boy and quickly checking his jaw, shielding him from Sips as he closes in. While Sips is distracted, Ridge tasers him.

His entire body spasms and he drops like a stone. Ridge pins him while his muscles are still unresponsive to the beating he most likely wishes to incur. Sjin cries out and rushes at him, trying to pull him off his fallen friend. Ridge elbows him in the stomach. He falls back again, winded, coughing as he tries to keep it together. Ridge gestures to Minty, who walks into the room at that point, presumably to see what all the fuss is about, and she comforts him as he starts to cry.

"We'll put them in solitary for a while." he says to Teep.

The other nods, helping Rythian up, leading him toward the solitary cells. As Sips finally regains some control over his limbs and tries to kick him, Ridge sighs again.

/\/\/\/\/\

The following night is interesting.

'???' is what Teep signs at him when they both notice Sjin talking to himself.

Or rather, talking to someone who isn't actually present.

"Do you feel hungry at all, Sips?" Sjin asks the thin air he stares expectantly at. After a few seconds, he smiles. "Okay, I'll get us some food then!"

Ridge whispers to Minty and she nods, standing to approach Sjin, talking to him sweetly as she leads him away from the dining area and towards the bedrooms. Ridge watches them leave with a worried look. He thinks he might stay overnight to keep an eye on Sjin.

/\/\/\/\/\

The screaming starts at 1:53am exactly.

Ridge sits bolt upright in his bed, momentarily disorientated and confused. Once he recognizes his surroundings he practically leaps out the door, running for the source of the noise with great haste.

Teep is already standing outside Sjin's door. He explains the situation while Ridge catches his breath. He was doing a routine check on them and when he passed Sjin's door he heard the poor boy calling for his friend in his sleep, probably suffering from a nightmare. He sat up after a few seconds, panicked and breathing heavily. He looked around, still repeating the name, getting increasingly upset as no response was given. He started crying, which eventually developed into the screaming that he was still doing.

Ridge nods and gives the occasional "Uh-huh" at appropriate times as Teep signs. Sjin is still screaming even then. He's clawing at the walls, banging against them weakly with his fists, screaming Sips' name, searching for him in the darkness. They decide to wait for a bit before taking any action and in that time Sjin tires himself out, crawling back into bed with a few last heartbroken sobs.

Ridge shakes his head and decides to put some sleeping tablets in Sjin's food tomorrow.

/\/\/\/\/\

The day occurs without another incident. Sjin stays quiet the entire time, secluding himself to a corner and ignoring everyone, staring blankly at nothing. However, his food is also ignored. So Ridge spends the first few hours of the night wide awake and alert. When 2am comes and goes he gives up and falls asleep.

The instance his head hits the pillow Sjin sneaks by his office and into the solitary area, working the lock open with a bent paperclip. He begins knocking on the door to each cell, whispering into the little slot that opens inward.

"Sips? Sips, are you in there?"

He finds Rythian's cell when the mage spits an insult at him in response to his knock. He backs away with a quick apology and continues his search. He knocks on the door five down and across the hall from Rythian's and finally gets a positive response.

"Sjin!" Sips' voice sounds from the other side of the door, desperate and tired. "Oh god, Sjin, I've missed you so much."

"I missed you too, Sips!" Sjin replies, choking up a little. Their fingers intertwine best they can through the small gap.

"Can you get me out?"

"I-I think..." he fumbles with the paperclip, trying to work it into the lock unsuccessfully. After a few more moments of struggle, Sjin sighs and shakes his head. "No... No, I can't... This lock is kind of weird, it won't..." his knees buckle underneath him and he drops to the floor.

"Sips..." he whines, scrabbling at the lock. He's given up. Being separated from his companion too long has taken a severe toll on him. "Sips, please. I need you. I need..."

The door rattles on its hinges as agonised wails echo down the empty corridor. The sound of one lost soul yearning for another. Sips beats furiously at the iron door, cursing at it. Sjin sobs on the floor, leaning against the wall, face in his hands.

Ridge rounds the corner, hair a mess with his coat hastily thrown over his bare chest, woken by the commotion. He squints at them, rubs the sleep from his eyes and moves forward slowly.

"Sjin, buddy, its okay." He soothes, holding his hands out, palms up. "You'll be able to see Sips in a little while."

Sjin ignores him, vision blurred by the tears still flowing from his eyes. Ridge leans down next to him, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. The desired effect is quite the opposite as Sjin yelps and flinches away. Sips aims his angry cursing at Ridge now.

"Get away! Just let me be with him!" he growls.

Ridge rolls his eyes and moves toward Sjin again. He discreetly pulls a sedation syringe from a hidden pocket inside his coat and grabs Sjin's arm, injecting him with the serum, holding him down until he stops resisting.

Sips becomes twice as enraged and Ridge groans as he stands up, knowing he'll have to be sedated as well. Gulping, he reaches for the cell key and unlocks the door. Sips instantly lunges.

"You fucking bastard! If you hurt him I swear to Notch I will kill you!"

He sidesteps the snarling Sips. Forgetting the events of the other morning, he is floored when Sips expertly twists around and lands a good blow to the side of his face. He braces himself against the wall, dropping the syringe, groping for it blindly. Luckily, Sips takes his time, approaching him slowly and deliberately.

Ridge's fingers finally close around the cylindrical object. Sips grabs the collar of his coat and pulls him up to face level. He takes the opportunity to seize Sips' other arm and jab him with the needle. Sips lets go and clutches at his arm, mouth hanging open in shock, as Ridge falls to the floor with a huff. He picks himself up and moves away from the two, going to go wake Teep for help.

Sips drops to his knees, then onto his hands, and finally lies down as the serum begins to take effect. Sjin uncurls himself slightly, reaching out for him. Sips drags himself over and embraces his shivering companion, rubbing his back and whispering to him. He kisses him on the forehead before they both succumb to the inescapable shadow of sleep.

Credit to gamux on Ao3