“Baarelyyyy. I think I’m alright, I just haad a lot to- a lot to drink. Why am I not passing - I don’t want this. It’s too much yknow? Itsremindingmeofalltheshit I’ve done, and I... don’t like that. How many have I even done?” He asks to himself, far more alcohol in his system that anyone should be able to live with.
“Listen, I’m tired of you beating up Ridge!” He exclaims,cursing his own voice for wavering in fear at the voidweaver, who stood withher hands folded politely. When she smiled, he could feel the chill run up hisspine, making him clench his fists. And yet, it was the Ridge cowering in thecorner, tremoring like a beaten puppy, that made him resist the urge to runmiles away and never look back. He stares mother down and tries to look strong,like he wasn’t afraid someone with so much power, the very creator of timeherself.
Unfortunately, someone that can read minds knows fear.
He takes a step back as she steps forward, voice chillinglycalm and posture straight and proper.
“What did you just say? I can do what I please, he is myleast favourite child after all. This is how I show him his mistakes, it’s howI teach him. This is how I love my son.” She smiles, his words only riling Sjinup even more, fury flashing in his eyes and all fear temporarily forgotten,stepping forward with his fists clenched into a ball and knuckles white.
“That’s not love!” He practically yells, trying to containhimself but too far gone to even realize his mistakes before he said them.
“I’m tired of you treating my boyfriend like SHIT.”
All went quiet.
Ridge stopped shaking, looking up at Sjin in fear and wipingthe tears from his eyes. Mother pauses and purses her lips, tsking the farmerslowly. Sjin glances back at Ridge when he realizes his mistake, trying to puton a brave face and assuring himself he had done the right thing, sticking upfor himself and his boyfriend.
You can’t stand up to someone so powerful and not expectbacklash. Which is exactly what Sjin got. Everything went cold, his limbs nolonger working, words strangled in his throat. He couldn’t move, couldn’t talk,couldn’t breathe. He tries to look to the demigod for comfort, tries to yell orrun away, but instead he stands frozen, everything in his body feeling oddlynumb. Mother stares at him with eyes that cut like a blade, stepping closerwith her heels clicking on the tile.
“I don’t like it when people swear.” She reminds him,approaching far too fast for Sjin’s own comfort. If he could’ve looked away orclosed his eyes, he would, preparing for the immediate scalding burn or painfuldeath that would follow her approach. All he could to was stare, watch his doomapproach at a painfully slow pace, giving Sjin what felt like all the time inthe world to think things over.
“I think this is… your last offense. I’m afraid we’ll haveto remove you, you’ve insulted mother too many times, and we can’t have that,now can we?” She grins again, Sjin mentally screaming and begging for any helpthat would come his way, the word ‘remove’ sounding far too permanent for hisliking. He could feel himself starting to fade out, losing consciousness becauseof the lack of air.
Just as his vision began to go back, it returned, lettinghim fall to the floor and take a few long gasps for air, touching his throateven though there were no marks. Looking up with watery eyes, he sees only theback of Ridge’s coat, hearing a defiant “No.”
He wants to get back on his feet, to help Ridge and tell himto not screw up like he did, comfort the trembling demigod and protect him atall costs from the worst mother to ever exist. Instead, he stays on his knees,thankful for each long and deep breath he took. The conversation that followedwas muffled to Sjin, too wrapped up in gaining control of himself and hisbreathing to hear anything until he heard a thump, Ridge collapsing to theground with a yelp.
Jumping into panic mode, Sjin uses slowly moving muscles toreach the man lying on the floor, pulling Ridge’s head into his lap and lookingat his pain filled eyes. The demigod’s body twitched as if being shocked, Ridgemumbling incoherent sentences, only able to convey through the pain in his eyesthat this was very very bad. Sjin pressed a kiss to the demigod’s temple, upsetthat he had no way to help other than to watch. It would be over soon, motherwould stop the pain and eventually disappear back to god-knows-where, leavingSjin with some peace of mind and a very injured demigod to shower in kisses.
The pain didn’t stop for the demigod, shaking only gettingworse as mother looked down at the whole scene as it played out. Sjin’s eyeswidened, pulling him closer and looking up at mother, pleading and begging forher to stop, offering himself to endure the shock himself, but his requestswere ignored, despite how loud he begged.
“C’mon, please, I’ll do anything! Just don’t hurt himanymore! I’m sorry, he’s sorry, just-“
The farmer’s words were cut off by an actuallyunderstandable sentence from Ridge, what would end up being his last.
“I… love… you.” He manages to whisper, weakly cupping Sjin’scheek with one hand. Sjin knows how I love you’s end far too well with him,happy endings never pair with those three words for him. It’s always beforesomeone leaves, and this was not what he wanted.
“Nononononono-“
Ridge’s body disappears into dust, the pocketwatch andgolden gun hitting the floor and causing clatter as Sjin stares at them in puredisbelief. This cannot have happened, he assures himself as he picks up thepocketwatch, opening it and staring at it without words. Ridge cannot be dead.Ridge is not dead.
“There. Now he is back at my house. I will see you around,my dear. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of him.” Mother says with anotherunsettling smile, gone without a trace in a matter of seconds, seeminglymelting into the air. Sjin stares at the only two objects he had been leftwith, mouth agape. There was no way, he assures himself, no way that Ridge coud’vedied. He would always be there, he would always love me. That’s what he said.
It takes him a few days of just sitting there to cry, unableto move from the spot where he has last seen him. He would teleport into thecastle any time, smiling and saying that it was all a big joke.
Freezing in place, Sjin clenches his fists, his mind losing any of his free will. Slowly, he turns to face the demigod, looking completely normal but speaking with no resistance, letting his eyes show all the fear that he had.
The afterglow
That’s down below
Is when I see you smile.
And in your eyes
True love decides
Forever is a word that cries.
That I belong to you
That endless nights so far away are gone, and you
Could never love another.
And I love you too
I see it up above and now I feel the truth (x)
+ What are you real feelings about all the Ridge's you know. As detailed as possible please
“Uhhhh. Okay. I’ll start with the one I’ve known the longest. Ridgebitch.
I- I love him. I don’t really know what else to say. Sometimes he can be an ass, I don’t even remember half of our relationship apparently. I don’t know what he’s done to me, I know that he’s hurt me before. But, I always go back. He can be really sweet when he wants to, and I love how he’ll do anything to stay with me and keep me alive.
Ridgedong!
I gotta admit, I have an attraction to him. Its probably because of the other Ridge, or maybe just because he’s handsome. Doesn’t matter. He can be a real nag, and sometimes can be so annoying. ‘Sjin, why did you put poison in my food!?’ What a fucking scrub. I admire what he does, but how much power he has REALLY annoys me.
And new Ridge-
I haven’t talked to him a lot, but he seems okay. Sure, he punched me in the face and threatened to kill me, but I like bothering him. It’s fun! Nothing else.”