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1
Chip was having a hard time not staring. Maybe he was desperate, or he was just touch starved and lonely, but he couldn’t look away. Not when the events that just occurred clouded his mind and not when Gillion was talking to Marshall John with that soft smile on his face.
They were officially sailing away from Desire Island, the two boats loosely connected by several planks of wood as they drifted lazily through the sea. Earl was showing Ollie how to peel and juice a variety of fruits, with Jay sitting anxiously nearby. She was working on her bow and arrows, sharpening their tips and scratching something into her notebook while ensuring Earl didn’t get Ollie cut. Occasionally, one of the three would shout over to Gillion and John, who stood at the bow of the ship, and they would shout back. Chip wasn’t sure if they were too far to hear or if his ears were ringing from his head being too full of one thought: that damned kiss .
Sure, going to a place called Desire Island probably should have tipped him off to something, anything , at the very least, but no. Instead, Chip had assumed that being lured to an island by a pretty voice and seeing some hot ladies would be enough, and he let his guard down. He wasn’t expecting to be frozen, he wasn’t expecting to perform an act of love, and he most definitely was not expecting Gillion to tilt him back and kiss him like he did. It wasn’t Chip’s fault that he took to it like a moth to a flame.
Chip was handling the situation like an adult, though! He was handling it like an adult because he was an adult, and any adult would avoid Gillion as much as possible and offer to man the tiller out of kindness and definitely not to sulk alone.
Yep.
Huffing, he leaned against the quarterdeck railing, his knuckles practically white as he gripped the railing. Gillion grinned widely at John, sharp teeth glinting with the setting sun, and his finned ears dipped and swayed with his laughter. He was like a painting, his aquamarine skin contrasting beautifully against the orangey-red sky as the gentle marking on his cheeks and up his nose began to illuminate. Chip bit at the insides of his cheeks as he questioned if the triton had always been this beautiful.
When Gillion had first joined the crew, of course, Chip had noticed how handsome he was. He was stocky, much shorter than Chip yet much more well-built, and he had the sweetest sense of gentle curiosity Chip had ever seen. You’d have to be blind not to recognize how attractive he was, but still, Chip hadn’t seen Gillion like this, right?
Was Chip still drunk on that first kiss? Was there something in the water of the pond they stood above? Or maybe some sort of fumes on the entire island? Maybe something in the potion?
Whatever it was, Chip couldn’t look away. Not when the sky kissed Gillion’s side profile. Not when Chip could track how his Adam’s apple bobbed with his speech. Not when Chip looked back up at Gillion’s face, he was looking back at him.
Heat hit the human’s face like a punch as Gillion smiled, waving him down to join the party. Chip could see on his nose how red his face was as he turned away, walking further back onto the quarterdeck as if to adjust the tiller. Instead, he crouched next to it for several seconds, buried his face in his hands, and tried to calm the blush blooming up to his ears and down his neck.
It didn’t help. It didn’t help, but Chip couldn’t handle the thoughts that filled his head with an uncomfortable pressure. It didn’t help, but Chip couldn’t stand how fast and how hard his chest was beating. It didn’t help, but Chip couldn’t stand not kissing Gillion again, and before he could make sense of this thought, he was already down the stairs and halfway across the deck.
In all honesty, his only thought was to do it right there. To pull the man away from John, dip him just as he had been, and kiss him until he couldn’t breathe. That was the only thing he could think of as he pounded down the deck.
Of course, though, when he came face to face with the man, Chip could only freeze. His body felt hot and cold, and the blush that was just dissipating came back what felt like tenfold. Gillion just smiled, seemingly unaware.
Chip looked down at the deck.
“Gill, could- could we, uh,” he cleared his throat before looking back up. “Could I talk to you?”
“Yeah, of course,” Gillion bubbled. “What’s up?”
Chip could cry. If not for how embarrassed he was for how red his face was, then for how much more he wanted to kiss the other for that.
He just pinched the bridge of his nose.
“Alone, Gill,” he grumbled.
Gillion blinked for a moment. “Oh! Oh, yeah! Uh, I’ll be back in a moment, Marshall John.”
With that, the two walked back up the stairs, across the quarterdeck, and into the navigation room. Chip could only pretend he didn’t feel the quizzical (and somewhat judgmental) looks his crew and friends shot the two.
Chip let Gillion into the room first, closing the door tightly as if it would lessen the anxiety that boiled his stomach and brain. If anything, it only worsened it. He hadn’t been expecting to get this far, and now that he was, he didn’t know what to do or what words to say, but he crossed his arms anxiously and turned around nonetheless.
This, however, only made things impossibly worse. Gillion looked nervous as well, much less so, but anxious and awkward in the most uncharacteristic way. He looked more ashamed than anything.
“This is uhm,” he chewed anxiously at his lips, busying his hands with the loose material of his pants. “This is about the kiss, yes?”
Chip grimaced, less at his words and more so at his demeanor. He opened his mouth to speak, but Gillion continued.
“I apologize. What I did was… it was not ok, whether I deemed it necessary or not,” Gillion spoke, his head hung slightly as he stared anywhere but at Chip. “I understand if you wish for me to build the arena again or- or if you wish me to leave-“
“What,” Chip couldn’t help but cut him off, uncrossing his arms and taking a step forward. “No- Gill, you’re fine-“
Gillion shook his head, stepping back and bumping into the desk. “What I did was reprehensible-“
“Gillion,” Chip stopped him again, cupping the triton’s cheeks in his hands without a second thought. “I’m not mad. I wanted to talk to you because- uhm,” he stuttered as he realized where he was, what he was doing, and just how Gillion was looking up at him. Fuck. Chip was in deep. “I… haven’t been able to- fuckin’- stop… thinking about it. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you.”
Silence.
“Oh,” was all Gillion could muster, a coppery blue tint painting his cheeks.
Gods, Chip could feel himself vibrating with anxiety.
“You don’t have to agree or anything,” he all but whispered. “I just… I want to kiss you again. Properly, this time.”
He couldn’t decide what to do with his hands. He wanted to squeeze the other tight and kiss him hard or just hold him close, yet his lack of reaction made his stomach churn. Maybe he could find a corner of the boat to curl up in and ride his emotions out. Chip pulled back slightly.
“I- uhm-“
A hand landed on his left wrist, keeping it against Gillion’s face.
“No. No, you’re- you’re fine, I just,” the triton breathed a heavy breath. “Yeah. Yes.”
Chip could’ve sworn he felt his heart stop as he continued to stare down at the other, his own breath slowing as he waited for another confirmation. Gillion didn’t say anything; he just swiped his thumb against Chip’s wrist, tilting into the palm as he leaned in the slightest bit.
And that was all Chip needed before he pushed forward, his lips gentle against Gillion’s as his mind continued to boil. It wasn’t the frantic mess that Chip wanted, but the slow, even simmer led by Gillion that he needed. In any other situation, Chip would like to think he’d be able to set the pace, but Gillion’s lips were soft , and his movements were awkward and uncoordinated in the most addicting way, and oh- Chip took to it like a moth to a flame once more. All Gillion had to do was move the slightest bit, and he would chase like a desperate man, never overstepping his bounds but never letting the other sway too far away, either.
Gillion slid his hands up to the back of Chip’s hands, holding them close with a content sigh before he moved back down his arms. Chip shivered at the gentle touch, enjoying the way Gillion pulled him closer by his shirt. However, this new position was killing his neck.
They only parted for a second, Chip panting out a quiet, ”Come here.”
He lifted the other up and onto the desk, rubbing the base of his neck uncomfortably as he took the other in again. Gillion laughed against his lips, a smile pulling him away for a moment as he guided the human’s hands back up to his cheeks. Chip practically whined as he chased the other’s lips, displeased with how this only made Gillion laugh more.
“Ok, ok, I’m sorry,” Gillion continued to laugh, trying to continue the kiss but unable to contain his smile.
Chip grumbled, pulling back slightly but placing his hands on either side of the other and leaning his weight forward. “Stop bullying me.”
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” he laughed again, placing several simple kisses against his lips. “I’m not bullying you. I just like kissing you.”
He was sure his face was an unhealthy shade of red, and he’d say he felt lightheaded, but again, that’s where just about all of his blood was. Huffing, Chip placed the bridge of his nose against Gillion’s shoulder. He couldn’t decide how he felt about the way the other could make him blush so easily. Finally, though, they looked at each other again, a coy look gracing Gillion’s face.
“I don’t really know how things like this work,” the triton admitted.
Chip couldn’t help his smile. “Well, you’re pretty damn good at it-“
Gillion laughed. “No, no, I mean- I don’t know how uhm courtships work.”
Oh.
Oh!
Chip’s eyes went wide.
Gillion looked away. “Unless you didn’t want-“
“No no no,” Chip cut him off, taking his hand in his own. He cleared his throat, readjusting himself. “I- I don’t either, really. It’s been a while since I did anything like this.”
Gillion nodded, looking down at his lap, rubbing his rough fingertips over Chip’s hands.
“I’ve never done anything akin to this,” he muttered. “Not many others around me during my uhm younger years.”
“That’s ok,” Chip replied quietly. “I’ll show you what I know; you set the pace, yeah?”
Gillion smiled, looking back up. “Yeah.”
—
2
Chip buried his head in his hands as he plopped himself down onto the deck. He wasn’t angry, no, he couldn’t be, not when Gillion was… well, Gillion—but peeved? Irritated? Displeased and vexed? Oh yes. Oh fucking yes.
They had been attacked, Chip had been fucking eaten , and now Gillion had fucked off with the damned sea monster to who knows where. Not to mention he had fed the damn thing a magical fucking pearl that they had just gotten. Chip cared about the man more than words could say, but fucking Christ, did he want to slam his face into the deck sometimes.
Another body thunked down beside him.
“Comfy there,” Lizzie asked.
Chip glared at her from a spot in between his fingers. She looked back at him, a smug look on her face as her one good purple eye met his brown ones. He huffed and looked away.
“Shut the fuck up,” he grumbled, flopping backward both to get away from the cacao-skinned woman and to relax back onto the deck. He didn’t want to go to bed before he knew if Gillion was safe, but he was also quickly tiring as the stars danced above him.
“I’ll take that as a yes.” She laughed as she lay next to him, either not catching the hint or not caring. Either way, a part of Chip appreciated how it reminded him of their time on the Black Rose. “Where’d Gillion go off to?”
Chip groaned loudly, letting it come out in short, sob-like bursts. Lizzie only laughed more, taking joy in his pity. She, of course, knew he cared about his co-captain, but not how much, and not that it went beyond friendship. Not many people did, though.
Of course, Jay knew. For one, she was insanely perceptive and immediately picked up on the way the two often brushed up against each other when there was more than enough room for it not to occur. More obviously, and so much more embarrassingly, she had been awake for their sweet morning kisses more often than they’d like to admit. And of course, now that she knew, Chip hadn’t shut up about it, and she was the only one he could bemoan to about Gillion this! Gillion that! She was most definitely tired of him, but she couldn’t deny the calmness that came with their relationship.
He huffed, looking back up at the inky sky. “Hell if I know. Somewhere off with that sea monster.”
“Leviathan,” Jay corrected as she walked up, standing over the two. “Gill would pitch a fit if he heard you call it a sea monster.”
“Yeah, well, he can fucking cope,” Chip rolled his eyes.
Jay looked down at him with a knowing look. It was a teasing look, asking if he was sure he wanted to deal with Gillion’s rants when he came back . Chip raised his eyebrows with consideration, thinking of how he could divert the conversation.
“Ok, what the fuck is going on? I don’t like being on the outside of this conversation,” Lizzie punched Chip in the shoulder.
“Chip is being a disgusting bastard,” Jay replied, kicking him in the other shoulder.
“Ow! What the hell,” he whined, rubbing his shoulders. He shot Jay a glare as he sat up. “You know, you could, at the very least, add some variety to your insults. ‘Bastard’ is getting kinda stale.”
“I added ‘disgusting’ before it; I think that counts,” she shrugged.
“So we can bring up how fucking bad you smell,” Lizzie asked, provoking a loud laugh from Jay.
Chip squawked indignantly, defending himself as he yelled, “I do not smell bad!”
“You smell so bad,” Jay continued to laugh. “Chip, you literally got borfed.”
This caused another wave of laughter to bubble from both women, and Chip decided that they needed to pay. As fast as he could, he punched Lizzie hard in the stomach, causing her to curl in on herself as he rocketed up and over to Jay. She could barely let out a scream as he threw her over the railing, sending her into the waters below.
Lizzie was already up by the time Chip turned around, preparing to swing on him. Chip full body tackled her, ignoring the pain that first bloomed in his jaw and then his back as he picked her up. The layer of goo that covered his body made her struggle a little more difficult, but whether it was dumb luck or that she allowed it, he made his way over to the edge and threw himself over, taking her with him.
The next chunk of time was spent both trying to clean the last of the goo off his body and trying to survive as Lizzie attempted to drown him. That only lasted a minute, though, as he quickly realized trying to drown her back was quite effective. Finally, with some time to himself, Jay had thrown a bag of soap down to him, and he could scrub his body clean, taking extra time to make sure he smelled fine and not disturb Gillion’s sensitive nose.
Which, speaking of the man, he was still not back by the time he got onto the boat. It wasn’t incredibly worrying. Chip knew Gillion was capable of handling himself, especially when it came to leviathans. Still, Chip was ready to go to bed, and he preferred to be pressed up against the other.
So, Chip situated himself on the benches bolted to the cab of the boat, and waited, disguising his intentions as an offer to take watch. Both crews had taken it well, appreciating the chance to sleep after such chaotic circumstances. All of this would have been perfect if not for the fact that the next thing he knew, Jay was shaking him awake as she sat next to him.
“Great job keeping watch,” she snarked with a yawn.
The moon still hung high over their heads, and Chip groaned, leaning against her. Jay leaned back, placing her head atop his and throwing her blanket over them.
“Was Gillion in his tub,” he asked as he tried to keep his eyes open.
“No.”
He groaned again, pressing his face into her shoulder. “Motherfucker. Where the fuck is he?”
“I wouldn’t worry too much. He’s more feral than anything down there,” Jay reasoned. “Go to bed. Your shift is over.”
Chip huffed. “I wanna make sure he’s ok.“
She considered teasing him for the unsaid I’ll get lonely she could tell he was feeling. “He’s fine. He’ll appreciate it if you’re not dead on your feet.”
Unable to argue with her logic, he grumbled, stood, and stumbled towards the captain’s quarters. His eyes hardly opened during the short walk, and he passed out as soon as he hit the mattress.
The next time Chip awoke, it was supposed to be much slower. He had fallen into a dreamless slumber, not one where he felt like he blinked and woke up, but one where he felt like he had slept for a considerable amount of time. In any other situation, Chip would have taken several minutes to wake, but there was a lot of commotion coming from the deck, and the only thing he could hear was the typical boister of Gillion’s voice.
While he sounded fine, Chip knew Gillion, and knew sounding fine meant nothing to the other man. In a flash, he was up and out the door with a sleep-drunk sway in his step. Despite this, he was sure he got up in record time, all but bursting through the door.
The sun shone bright over the deck as it rose, lighting the scene before him. Lizzie and Jay were watching in amusement as (the very tall) Oliver tried to delicately hold Earl back from attacking Marshall John, the only clue as to why being a decimated orange next to the juicer. Marshall John was across the deck, standing excitedly next to Caspian as Gillion, of course, was ranting and raving about his adventures with his brother and best friend Dugon .
And by the gods, did Gillion look handsome. Maybe it was because he was in his element for so long, or maybe it was the excitement he was exuding, but once again, Chip wanted to kiss him right there on the deck. Much like last time, he marched over to the other.
Unlike last time, however, he got much closer to doing so. He cupped Gillion’s face tightly, adoring the nervous look that passed the triton’s face for a moment before pulling at his cheeks, creating a strange wshwo-wshwo-wshwo sound.
Once he was done, somewhat expectedly, and somewhat disappointingly, Gillion’s first words were, “Did you hear about what Dugon showed me?”
Chip sucked his lips in, moved his hands down to the man’s shoulders, and hung his head for a moment. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to, again, slam his face into the deck or kiss him until they collapsed back onto it.
“Are you ok,” he asked, looking back at him.
“Yeah, of course, why,” Gillion answered, looking genuinely confused.
Chip just nodded, relaxing back and standing with a stretch. “Tell me about Dugon.”
—
3
Gillion was becoming a problem for Chip. He hated to say or even think the words, but they were, unfortunately, true. He wasn’t angry, he really couldn’t be, but Gillion was going to kill him.
Chip had recently discovered the joys of calling the other “guppy,” something that always earned him a sweet lapis blue blush to pool in Gillion’s face. The first time he had used the pet name was one early morning when the rest of the crew was still asleep. Gillion was making eggs, already awake and ready for the day when Chip came in. He had been half asleep when he wrapped his arms around the shorter man, placing a gentle kiss on his gills as he murmured the name quietly. Emphasis on “had been asleep” because, in response, Gillion had turned around and kissed him until the eggs began to burn. Chip couldn’t complain, but it was a miracle no one had walked in on the two.
However, ever since that day, Gillion had seemingly thrown aside his prophecy, thrown aside any other life goals, and was now dead set on finding a pet name for him as well. Chip was willing to admit that he was easy to fluster, especially when it came to Gillion, but by the gods, were Gillion’s pet names bad . A good portion of the ones he had tried had to be from the UnderSea, the words being more than foreign to Chip and only confusing him.
A couple softer sounding names had forced a bit of a blush to his cheeks, others getting the shorter a smooch on the cheek. None, however, were getting the whirlwind of a kiss he was looking for. Seemingly getting impatient, the triton had recruited Jay to help him out, hoping she’d have something, anything useful. Instead, of course, Jay had been feeding him inexplicably worse nicknames, gross enough to get Chip to simply leave the other man to stand alone. Unfortunately for Chip, Gillion seemed more than happy to continue trying to get a similar reaction to the one time he was caught off guard by the triton calling him “Hot Pants.” Chip was never going to live that down in the eyes of Jay.
Chip would never admit it, but despite the disappointed look he gave the other, he did enjoy this little game. The names were always delivered quietly, a large grin painted on his face as their bodies brushed against one another. Sometimes, it was when they were in bed as they held each other close, a simple whisper in between their morning kisses, and other times, it was served where they were now.
With calm waters and no enemy in sight, the crew enjoyed such an occasion. Ollie was asleep down below deck after a busy day of helping the crew. Gryffon and Drey were seeing who could out-drink the other, with Earl egging them on. Gillion had taken the time to call Caspian for some training, but from the maniacal laugh Jay just let out, he’d say he was done with the call.
So Chip stayed where he was, walking a bit further towards the bow of the ship if anything, as he watched the moon rise over the horizon. He traced the familiar craters as he listened to the waves lap up against the boat, waiting to hear the giddy gate of Gillion’s padding feet.
Eventually, they came, and the triton suavely slid to lean against the railings. Chip couldn’t help but take a moment to admire his mischievous smile and hooded eyes. Just as Chip was thinking of risking it, leaning forward to press a chaste kiss against the grin, the moment was completely and utterly ruined as Gillion reiterated the pet name Jay just fed him in a voice that was far too smooth. “Sugar Tits.”
Chip couldn’t stop the loud laughter that ripped from his throat, doubling over to lean against the other man and unable to care if anyone was watching. He could feel Gillion’s chest pulse with laughter under his forehead. A hand fell on the back of his head briefly before it slid down, landing on Chip’s hand on the other’s hip. Chip took several deep breaths as he pulled away, scrubbing his face for a second, though never letting go of the hand.
“No. No, no, nononono. No,” was all he said, still laughing.
Gillion grinned at him. “No?”
“No,” Chip confirmed.
“I might have to do it again anyway,” the triton hummed, his voice lowering as Chip resituated himself against the railings. “I liked that reaction as well. You’re handsome when you laugh.”
“Well, thank you, but I think Jay hates us based on that one.” Chip smiled, bumping their hips as he lowered his voice as well. “And if anything, I should be calling you that.”
They laughed again as Chip moved his hand and knocked on Gillion’s chest. Gillion rolled his eyes as he pushed the hand off, quickly returning it to his other. Chip put one leg a bit further back as he turned more towards the other, using his long coat to hide their tight-held hands.
“Think so, Sailor,” he asked, feeling more bold being hidden by the taller man. Had it not been for that, Chip was sure he wouldn’t have blushed at all. “You liked that, too.”
“Shut. Up,” Chip grinned as the two shared a laugh again.
And while Gillion looked back out at the sea, Chip took the time to admire his boyfriend again. His markings were beginning to glow under the moonlight, and he could see the planet reflecting in the other’s eyes. He had tied his hair up in the messy ponytail that Chip always found himself calling him pretty in, a portion of the front hanging down and curling under his chin while the rest curled and twisted, fanning out like feathers at the back of his head.
He only stopped leaning forward when Gillion pulled away. Earl was yelling about his juice while Drey bickered back. Chip didn’t bother looking, he just followed Gillion as he took a step back, not allowing him to stray too far.
Gillion watched the others intently for a moment, only relaxing back down when the commotion quieted with Jay’s command. Still, Chip never looked away. His chest felt light and airy as he could feel his heart pounding away within it. He wasn’t sure how he had gotten so lucky.
When Gillion finally looked back up at him, his eyes widened for a moment. “Oh! I remembered another!”
Chip blinked as if to remind himself that he too was there on the boat. He cleared his throat slightly, “Hmm?”
“Back on Noctis, I think Mistress Matilda was right,” his smile was far too soft for Chip. “You are just like a puppy.”
And oh that shouldn’t have worked as well as it was. It so shouldn’t have worked as well as it was. He could see his nose turning a bright, bright shade of red, and Chip was half expecting his face to explode it felt so hot. Gillion just grinned, unable to contain his excitement as the other was sure his face was still darkening.
He didn’t say anything, just grabbed the other, threw him over his shoulder to use him to block his face from the others, and headed to the door. Gillion let out a loud laugh, trying to stabilize himself against the other as Chip began his fast stride. The others were most definitely staring, and Jay let out a laugh of her own, covering her mouth as she caught sight of Chip’s face. He just bit out a sharp “Fuck off.” as he walked through the door, Gillion smiling widely at her as he passed.
They barely got through the door before Chip put the other down, cupped his cheeks, and pulled him into several quick kisses. Gillion laughed into them, the two stumbling back as Chip kissed up to his ear and then down to his neck. Finally, he made his way back up to the other’s lips, enjoying a few more deep kisses before pulling away. Gillion just smiled up at him.
“Are you happy,” Chip asked, gently shaking the triton’s face.
“Quite,” Gillion hummed happily, leaning into the hands and fiddling with the fabric of Chip’s coat. “Finally got it.”
Chip grumbled, placing another chaste kiss against the corner of Gillion’s eye. “Yeah, yeah. Congratulations, or whatever.”
“Thank you, puppy,” he teased, leaning up for another kiss.
The human rolled his eyes, whispering a quick “Hush, you” before obliging in the other.
—
4
Chip woke up with a deep, shaky breath. His chest rose and fell in quick succession several more times as he scrubbed at his face. A mix of fresh and dried tear tracks traced down his face and scraped against his skin. It was just a nightmare.
He turned over. He should go back to sleep.
“We already did this! We already did this! It was fine, and then we went to that fucking hideout, and he killed both of you! So I don’t believe this!”
A knock sounded. Water stirred. Blue blood painted the ripples.
Chip sat up. He let out a heavy breath, trying to calm his breathing. Thick tears gathered in his eyes, replenishing almost as fast as he could wipe them away. His bedsheets felt cold and rough beneath him.
It was just a nightmare. It was just a nightmare, but that part? That was real, right?
“Chip, what’s your favorite flavor?”
A wet laugh.
“Raspberry. You know the cookies with the hole in the middle, and they put the jam in it?”
It was just a nightmare. It was a memory-turned nightmare, but a nightmare nonetheless.
He couldn’t stand the cold. Gillion preferred his tub, and Chip’s bed was a bit too small for the two. He couldn’t see into the tub. The room was too dark and the tub was too tall.
He still needed a moment before he trusted himself to stand.
“Do you happen to have any diamonds?”
A flurry of clothing. A regretful hiccup.
“No.”
Another long breath forced its way out of him as he tried to suppress the sob. Leaning forward and placing his forehead against the mattress, he almost forgot to breathe in. It only hurt. His whole body ached with emotion as he stood. He always got Gillion to sleep in his bed. He should really sleep in the tub with him more often.
It was just a nightmare, it was just a memory, but it had been plaguing him worse than when he himself went through the curse.
“I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry, JayJay. I’m so sorry, Chip.”
His whole body felt cold, like it was melting and falling apart. He fell to the ground next to the table.
It was a nightmare. It was a nightmare. It was a nightmare with bits of memory sewn in. It was a nightmare, and it was a memory, and Chip couldn’t tell where one ended and the other began.
The tub was empty.
“Chip, please-“
Heavy sobs ripped through him until he could taste metal on his tongue. He shook his head and held tight to the hand they were trying to tear away.
It was cold, and it was dry.
Chip felt like he was going to pass out. His head felt full, and his chest felt heavy as he turned away, covering his mouth. All he could do was stumble out of the room and towards the main deck.
That part wasn’t real. That part wasn’t fucking real, right? They had gotten the diamonds and they had gotten back in time, right? They had to. They had to or else Chip wouldn’t be able to handle whatever the fuck came next.
He burst through the door as fast as his weakened legs could push him. Lizzie’s boat was connected to theirs by several planks, and the two crews intermingled. Chip swept the deck with his eyes.
And while he was aware of the number of heads that turned to look at him, he couldn’t pull himself to care. Not when Gillion was standing across the deck, not when he was smiling with Caspian and Queen, and not when it dropped when he saw the other.
Gillion was quick to get to him, practically catching the taller man as he collapsed against his chest. Had he been able to, he would’ve kissed the other right then and there, anything to satiate the deep pool of need for the man in front of him. But between his muscles practically giving up on him and the deep, quivering frown he couldn’t pull off his face, all he could do was hold onto the other.
“Hey, what’s wrong? What happened,” he asked quietly, rubbing the taller man’s back.
Chip couldn’t stop the loud, strained cry that sounded in the back of his throat. He kept his face buried against Gillion’s shoulder, focusing on the dewy layer of moisture that warmed between their skin.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” was all he could say. He was unsure of what he was apologizing for.
He could feel the others staring, but he couldn’t care. Gillion was there and holding him tight. He was alive and ok. He was still there.
Whether it was an hour or just a second, Chip wasn’t sure, but the triton guided him away from the main deck. Gillion had first tried to bring him back to bed, but Chip had begged not to go back to that room. Of course, Gillion had agreed, and soon, they sat in the navigation room.
Chip hadn’t moved much from where he first fell into the other. Even while they walked, even while Gillion lifted him slightly to sit him on the desk, he had kept some tight grip on the other. At the very least, he had one hand in a white-knuckle grip on the other’s hand as he hid his face somewhere on Gillion, but right now, the two were utterly enveloped in each other.
Chip’s arms and legs were wrapped tight around the Triton, whose arms were around his waist as he rubbed calming circles into the Chip’s back. They sat like that for several minutes, with Chip calming his breathing and desperately holding onto the other while Gillion reassured him he was ok.
Gillion pulled away slightly, keeping one hand on Chip’s hip and the other moved to his face, wiping away the ever-continuing tears. Chip leaned into the palm, holding it close with a wet sniff.
“You ready to talk about it,” Gillion asked softly, studying his love’s face.
“I feel so stupid,” Chip coughed out, wincing at the way his throat ached. “I just- I had a stupid fucking n-nightmare about the fuckin’ curse and- just- it started off so real, with the pool a-and the bo-oat and then the- the diamonds-“
Getting back after Jay. A sullen room. Loud crying.
His voice cracked with emotion and he leaned forward, burying himself in the other’s neck once more. He sobbed pathetically against the other, unable to stop the loud cries he let out as mixtures of memories and nightmares flashed behind his eyes. Gillion placed a warm kiss against the crook of his neck, rubbing his back solemnly.
Cold hands that didn’t warm. Clouded eyes. A still chest.
“We-e couldn’t get them to you in ti-ime and you were-” he cut himself off with a wail, unable to finish the sentence. He just held tight to the other as if that would make everything better. “I couldn’t tell which was real and I just- fuck, Gillion . Ple-ease don’t- I can’t-“
“I’m not, I’m not. I’m here,” Gillion hushed him, pulling him as close as he could.
He placed several feather-light kisses on his cheeks as if he were the most delicate thing. And maybe he was because all he could do was cry into the touch. Months and months worth of stress and anxiety bubbled to the surface in an ugly display of affection.
He felt flayed, like his chest had been cracked open, and his heart was on display for whoever may see. His lungs and head ached horribly, and his fingers felt stiff from being clenched too hard for too long. Still, Gillion stayed, not just with him but next to him. Even when his cries started again, even when Chip was sure it would never end, Gillion stayed.
Chip sniffed again, relaxing slightly as his breathing calmed. He let his legs loosen, and his arms drop from their tight positions. Gillion took one of his hands.
He opened the palm, pressing it against Chip’s chest. “You’re ok,” Gillion promised, kissing his forehead. He moved the palm to be against his own chest, rubbing the back of it as Chip pushed it further against him. “And so am I. We’re ok.”
Chip nodded with a hiccup, bumping his forehead against the other’s. Gillion pushed back for a moment before pulling back. He wiped away his tears and pressed several kisses to his face, studying him for several seconds.
“Hey, you’re ok. I’m ok. We’re ok,” he reiterated, ending each with a kiss to his face. Finally, he pulled the other man into a deep kiss. “I love you so much.”
“I love you, too,” Chip reciprocated, though he pulled away rather quickly. “But, fuck, I’m so gross right now, don’t kiss me.”
Gillion just grinned, continuing his tirade of Chip’s collarbones and sternum, unable to reach the taller man’s face as he reached around him, searching through the drawers of the desk blindly. Chip curled in on him slightly, relaxing against the triton’s head despite the coral that dug into his chin. He felt exhausted. His eyes, nose, a throat hurt, he had a rancid headache, his muscles ached from holding on so tight to the other, and he was so fucking tired. He didn’t realize he began to fall asleep until a damp rag pressed against his face, making him jump.
Gillion whispered a quiet apology before he held the other gently, wiping his face clean of tears, snot, and spit. He took care to refold and press the cool rag against his eyes for several seconds, hoping to calm the stinging sensation of the puffy skin. Chip kept his eyes closed for the time, focusing on the feeling of Gillion’s movements, how his gills flexed and fluttered against his index fingers, and the way the other seemed to constantly smell of sea salt and petrichor.
“Here,” the triton whispered, placing the rag in one of Chip’s hands. “Blow your nose.”
Chip did as instructed before folding the rag again and setting it behind him. Gillion pushed his hair back, cupping his cheeks and rubbing his earlobe like Chip had done for him so many times before. It didn’t have the same effect on the human, but the thought still got him to melt into a puddle as Gillion pulled him down into another soft kiss.
“You’re nasty,” Chip murmured as if he weren’t leaning into the affection.
“For you? Of course,” Gillion replied, pulling his love closer and placing their foreheads together once more. “I love you. More than words can say, I love you.”
Chip nodded, ignoring the way tears fumbled their way back up to his eyes. “I love you too. Gods, do I love you.”
—
1
From Gillion’s point of view, all he did was go get his boyfriend for bed. He had been half asleep for what felt like hours, having switched from Chip’s bed, to his barrel, and back to Chip’s bed, but he still couldn’t sleep. Whether it was the thoughts filling his head or the chill of a bed only heated by himself, the triton wasn’t sure, but he knew bringing his boyfriend to bed would help either way.
They had finally settled down after leaving the Black Sea, but he was still struggling. Chip’s heart was back in place, his skin was warming, and his typical humor was returning, but Gillion was still struggling. He couldn’t get the images of his friends in so much pain out of his mind, so more often than not, he could be found pressed tightly against another. Occasionally, he’d find a place to tuck himself against Queen or Gryffon, finding comfort in their pulse points. More often, he was resting against Jay, either pressing his forehead against her neck or leaning against her as she worked. Mostly, of course, he was pressed into Chip.
He would press his face against his bare chest, feeling for his beating heart and taking in his warm scent. Other times, he’d be flush against his back as he tried to follow whatever Chip was doing without seeing his hands. Gillion had even been as bold as sitting in his lap during especially tough times, though, at that point, the rest of the crew had gotten so used to his need for skin-to-skin contact that they barely paid it any mind.
All that is to say that from Chip’s perspective, things had gone quite differently. For one, the situation had started far earlier. Again, Gillion hadn’t been sleeping well, so it was no surprise when he stated he was going to bed in the middle of the day. Chip had simply sent him off with a hug before he was pulled to help raise one of the sails.
But now, with the sun setting and calm waters, a majority of the crew sat amongst the deck, enjoying the serenity. Gryffon and Earl were teamed up playing chess against Marshall John, the two looking so engrossed in their plotting that they barely noticed that their opponent was dead asleep. Caspian and Queen had become fast friends, the two quickly budding up together as they discussed their interests.
“How does it feel?”
Chip blinked, turning from the ocean to look at Lizzie. She leaned against the railings by her hip, angled somewhat towards Chip. “Hmm?”
“Being alive again,” she clarified, glancing down at the keloid scar before his heart.
Jay stood just behind her, covering her face with her hands as she leaned her elbows on the ship's railings. “Lizzie…”
“What? It’s a genuine question,” she defended herself. “I would feel weirder not asking about it!”
As the two women continued to bicker on the morality of the question, Chip mulled over the question. He hadn’t put much thought into it; maybe it was because he hadn’t had a chance to, or maybe it was because it was such a heavy question. Since his revival, he had done a lot to keep himself from thinking of it, keeping his hands busy to keep his mind away from the topic.
How did it feel? Was it different from before? Could he remember the difference? What did he miss during his time as an undead? Did he miss anything about being an undead?
Finally, he spoke.
“Good,” he decided as he turned around to look out at the ocean once more. The setting sun had been warming his back, now doing the same to his face despite the chilling wind. It smelled strongly of salt water, warm wood, and a hint of the orange juice Earl had just recently squeezed. He could still taste the bitter, oaky flavor of the rum he had just finished, something Gillion always claimed tasted better on his lips. He smiled, relishing in the warmth of both the sun and the revelations. “It feels good.”
They both turned back to him, Jay placing her head on one of Lizzie’s shoulders and an arm over the other. The second nodded slightly, the jewelry in her dreads clinking together dully.
“Good,” she replied quietly, looking out with him. “You started to worry me.”
Under normal circumstances, Chip would have teased her for the confession, but a warm bubble welled up in his chest as the two stared at each other for a moment. Finally breaking the gaze to look back at the sunset, Chip could feel they both understood the silent I love you .
The entire deck had fallen quiet. Some were simply enjoying the view, basking in the orange-tinted light, while others were trying to listen in to the conversation. Either way, everyone snapped to attention when the captain’s quarters opened, Gillion stumbling out. It was by no means a loud noise, but it still seemed to echo across the silent deck.
Chip wasn’t sure he’d ever understand how, but without fail, the triton could always almost sniff him out. His eyes never opened; he simply shuffled his way over to Chip, buried his face against his chest with a deep breath, and hugged him tight. Chip could have melted.
“Good morning, sleepy,” he teased quietly, scratching softly at his scalp.
Gillion grumbled something against his chest, but between how slurred his words were and the fact his face was press flushed against Chip, the taller couldn’t understand a word. Not that he was trying to, to be quite honest. Lizzie smiled tauntingly, making a disgusting kissy face at him as Jay did nothing but smile knowingly at the two.
Chip shoved his middle finger at Lizzie, who reciprocated gleefully as Gillion continued to huff angrily against his chest. Lizzie was kind enough to be silent in her teasing, never getting too close to either man nor making much noise between her shuffling feet and exaggerated expressions. And while she didn’t grab the attention of Gillion, she was certainly pulling Chip’s away from the huffing bundle against his chest.
That was Chip’s first and only mistake during the situation. Gillion had continued to get a bit more persistent about his demands for Chip’s attention, grumbling a bit louder and pulling a bit harder at the edges of his coat. Of course, Chip was more focused on getting Lizzie to stop, so one moment, his head was turned towards her, and the next, a gentle hand was guiding his head forward and into a simple, sleepy kiss.
And Chip was nothing if not a weak man. While his own shock stopped him from reacting in any real way, he at least had half a mind to know that pulling away was a crime that was not worth committing. Instead, Chip just took the kiss, prayed his face wasn’t as red as he thought it was, and stared down at the smaller man as he settled himself against his neck. He could vaguely see Lizzie in his periphery, her mouth dropping wide open in a disbelieving grin before Jay slid a hand over her mouth, holding her back from laughing.
“Bedtime, puppy,” was all Gillion said as he practically collapsed against the other.
“Bedtime,” Chip mimicked, eyes wide and unable to ignore how he could see the blush on his nose. “Right. Right, right, right. Bedtime.”
Gillion didn’t have to say anything more for Chip to pick him up. He just kept himself pressed against the other’s neck and let himself get picked up. Chip placed one hand under his butt, using the other to point at Lizzie. She just continued to laugh silently, turning herself more against Jay as she shook. Once again, he flipped her off, looking around the deck as he did the same to the rest of the crew, who had similar reactions. Finally, he turned back to Lizzie, dragging his thumb in front of his throat, making sure to make room for Gillion as he mouthed, ‘ You’re so dead.’
Gillion pushed his face against his neck, squeezing the other tight with a shudder. “Wha’ ‘re you d’ing?”
He slowly walked backwards, giving Lizzie the middle finger one last time before scratching at Gillion’s head, keeping it against him. “Nothing, baby-“
The triton whined sadly. “What happened to Guppy ?”
And oh Chip was weak. Chip was a weak, weak man to the small voice that came out of the other. He couldn’t argue; he just held the other close as he headed towards the door.
He littered the man with tiny kisses, taking pride in the slight hum Gillion gave. “Alright, guppy, I’m sorry.”
“Bedtime,” Gillion repeated.
Chip mimicked him once more as the door closed behind them. He kicked off his shoes as he lay in bed, keeping the triton lying atop his chest heavily. He enjoyed the pressure as he pulled the blankets over them.
“You are so not gonna be happy tomorrow,” Chip laughed. “Good night, guppy.”
-
As expected, Gillion slept later into the morning. It was a new normal that Chip would be lying to say he enjoyed. He knew it was because the other was having such a hard time falling and staying asleep. Still, it would be another lie to say Chip disliked the mussy look he had when he first emerged from their sleeping quarters.
Chip had been tying a rope down when he heard quickened footsteps approaching him. Gillion had a deep blue haze on his face, Lizzie smiling widely behind him as she flipped Chip off. War had definitely begun.
“Chip,” Gillion practically growled in a whisper. “Why the fuck did Lizzie, Caspian, and fucking Gryffon all call me guppy ?”
Despite the small pool of displeasure that swirled in his chest, Chip couldn’t help his smile. Gillion had been adorable last night, and he was impossibly more so now, a sweet look of confusion and upset on his face.
Chip just threw his arms around his lover, pulling him into a deep kiss. Their noses bumped, and teeth clashed as Gillion fought against the obnoxious and exaggerated kiss. Chip did everything to make it as disgustingly sweet as possible: collapsing against the other, burying a hand in his hair, and groaning into the kiss.
Gillion looked flabbergasted as he pulled away.
“Good morning, guppy,” he hummed, enjoying how his blush grew impossibly darker.
Gillion groaned angrily, trying to decide whether or not to push the other away. “What- why- how- Chip !”
Chip frowned slightly, standing straighter as he angled their bodies to where the least amount of people could see either of their faces. “Hey, it’s ok, ok? Things happened-“
“ What happened,” he reiterated.
Chip took a moment to look down at him. Gillion was looking down at the floor, so he couldn’t see his face, but he still studied the other.
“You wanted to go to bed. I wasn’t giving you the attention I should have, so you kissed me,” he explained, another sad groan coming from the shorter man. He combed the triton’s hair back, urging him to look up. “They were bound to find out at some point, right? Maybe not when we wanted, but they know now.”
Gillion huffed, leaning into the hands that cupped his cheeks softly. “Still…”
“I know. But,” he kissed him softly, a slow, even kiss that they shared every morning. He kept his voice quiet, still wanting to enjoy some sort of privacy together. “I like kissing you in the sun. It’s just as warm as my love is for you.”
A soft smile forced itself onto Gillion’s face, and regardless of the anxiety that still scratched at him, he leaned up for another kiss. “You’re such a dork.”
“Always for you,” he returned, more than happy to oblige in other. The gentle slide of lips against lips always gave him tingles in the best way, and he couldn’t help the broad smile on his face. “So, I’m thinking we make us everyone’s problem in retaliation, yeah?”
The triton laughed, their conversation coming back to a normal volume as he wrapped his arms around the taller man’s neck. “And how do you suggest we do that?”
“Dangerous game you’re playing, talking to me like that,” Chip hummed a laugh, spinning them around so how could walk Gillion backwards towards the group. He kissed him once more on the lips before trailing kisses around his face. “How would you like to, Schmoopy?”
He kissed the other's cheeks over and over again, making him laugh loudly. “No! I take it back! I take it back!”
“Too late, baby girl,” the taller replied, the two fighting against each other. Gillion tried to get away from both Chip and the rest of the crew while Chip just continued to push them closer.
Chip could just barely hear Jay over Gillion’s pleas. Still, he heard a sarcastic “Thanks, Lizzie. I really wanted to see more of it.”
Gillion managed to get his back against Chip’s chest as he (half) tried to free himself from the tight hug. This seemed to only further provoke the quick kisses he placed on the man’s neck. He worked hard to punctuate each with a wet “mwah!” sound.
“Now everyone gets to know how much I love you, Noodle,” Chip laughed, enjoying the disgusted groans he got from the others.
“Get off of me,” Gillion cried, flailing wildly.
“Say it back,” Chip grunted as he struggled to contain the other. “Say it back and call me Pookie!”
Finally, Gillion was able to worm his leg behind Chip’s, kicking violently at the back of his knee and forcing it to collapse. At the same time, Lizzie threw a tankard at the two, and it hit Chip square in the forehead as Gillion made his great escape.