Chapter Text
gillion blinked his eyes open slowly as he's set down on the cot, groaning a little as he flinches away from the light of the lantern in the captain's quarters. through blurred vision, he can make out the figure of chip who scrambles to move the lantern a little further away out of direct eyesight.
“chiiiip. are there any spare healing potions?” gill turns onto his side to watch chip and winces as he moves. gillion distantly notes a sharp pain when moving his shoulder, and resigns to breathe through it. there was no way he'd have enough energy to heal himself after using so much magic already. chip feels sympathy for him- he could guesstimate how much pain he must be in if the first thing he asked upon stabilizing was about healing.
“yeah buddy, just hang on a sec,” chip replied softly, digging through the briefcase of holding and quickly retrieving a healing potion, skittering over to gill's side. “you were out for a second there. you gotta stop taking such big hits for us all the time, gill.”
“but you and jay are squishyyy and it is my duty to protect you both,” gillion rebutted, almost in a whiny tone. it was clear he was in a dazed state, teetering on the edge of unconsciousness. chip distantly wondered if he had a concussion.
“hey, no but's, mister. just cuz we can't take as much damage as you doesn't mean you have to soak up all the damage yourself! it just means me and jay have to, i dunno, lock in.” chip lightly prodded at gill's side, feeling a little bad after seeing him flinch at the small touch. “can you sit up for me?”
gillion steeled his face as he used his arms and core to shakily push himself to sit up in the cot, relaxing more once he'd shifted upright and was no longer moving as much. chip thought he looked so incredibly exhausted.
“okay, one healing potion comin' right up buddy.” chip winced a little upon noticing the skin on gillion's shoulder, dark purple bruises blotching up in a large patch. he wasn't positive what that meant medically, but imagined it could be a tear or a sprain or even a fracture; either way, the potion should heal whatever was going on internally. chip tipped gill’s head back with a gentle hand on his chin and uncorked the potion with his teeth, bringing it to gillion's lips and slowly pouring the potion into his mouth.
gillion was rather pliant and cooperative, barely even tensing, which was relatively unlike him. a deep set fatigue had settled in his bones- otherwise, he might have stiffened at the touch. as gill drank the contents of the flask, all the lesions on gill's body scabbed over unnaturally quickly. even the bruise on his shoulder seemed just a little bit fainter. “how do you feel?” chip rested his elbow on the cot and his head in his hand, sitting on his knees. gillion's eyes looked at chip dazed, blinking a couple times in rapid succession before answering with a sigh.
“better, i think. in less pain,” gillion replied, still cringing as he moves his shoulder but not feeling quite so much ache. “i can sleep the rest off. i feel tired, and fuzzy.”
“you need anything else?” chip tossed the empty vial in a little basket with other used containers. he cringed when remembering the fragile nature seconds after, though let out a quiet sigh of relief when it clinked against the others without breaking.
gillion hesitated for a moment- the only thing he could think to want seemed to be chip. “i am okay, chip. thank you,” he spoke softer than he meant to, perhaps because it felt like a lie slipping through his teeth. gill felt clingier than he usually did, and it struck him as relatively unfamiliar; his inhibitions dwindled with his fuzzy consciousness.
“anytime, buddy.” chip patted his knee in a gentle, friendly manner as he walked away, and gillion had the strange impulse to pull chip back to his side despite his aching injuries.
gillion was no stranger to impulsiveness, but there were impulses that were buried by the elders since he was a guppy that he had trouble wrenching free. he distinctly remembered a particularly firm lesson he was taught when he sought out comfort from one of the elders in the first couple of weeks of his training, nothing but a child.
the elder had hissed in harsh tones, shoving him away from his hiding spot behind their leg. they told gillion that fear and trust were weaknesses, that they could be exploited, that to get close was nothing but an opportunity to be stabbed in the back.
gillion knew that chip was not like the elders. he knew chip was much nicer, lovelier; however, the simple truth was that gillion feared the rejection he could face more than he feared a missed opportunity, and so his hand remained by his side. he would take what was offered and nothing more.
chip stooped down to blow out the flame in the lantern, casting the room in darkness except for the light coming from the cracked door. “if you need anything, just shout, okay? i'll be back to check up on you every once and a while. rest up buddy, you deserve it.”
“ok. i appreciate all that you've done, chip.” as chip reached the door, he offered gillion a soft smile and an “anytime, gill,” before disappearing behind it and closing it gently. gillion turned onto his side again, dragging the simple blanket left on the cot over himself. he felt no need for warmth, but he liked the comfort that being covered offered him. when he wasn't surrounded by water, the gentle touch of the fabric was a nice substitute. he closed his eyes, and tried to sleep.
his efforts seemed to be in vain as his mind couldn't help but stray back to the tan skinned, brown haired human who had rather tenderly cared for him, not for the first time. eventually, he figured that he must be “too tired to fall asleep,” (a phrase jay had said once before that never quite clicked in his head but it seemed like it would apply to this context) so he simply rested and let his mind wander a little instead.
he thought about his adventures so far with chip and how much they had changed since the beginning- since the moment he'd taken chip’s hand and let himself be pulled onto the ship- since he began to learn the truth of the oversea. the beauty in the people and their traditions, the creatures, the love that seemed to flow so freely here. the only affection he had found in the palaces of the undersea was from his sister, but he was surrounded by it here. friendly banter and trust amongst his companions felt like such a luxury to gillion. he cherished these moments with jay and chip.
barely 30 minutes had passed until the man in question re-entered the room quietly, seeing gillion with his eyes closed and wandering over to carefully fish (haha) gillion's hand from under the blanket and check his pulse to quell his own worries. gillion, who hadn't moved, tried to keep his breathing steady and heart beat low as to not worry chip. it didn't seem to work, as chip placed his hand on gillion's forehead to check his temperature with a small hum of disapproval. he tucked gillion back into his blanket, pulling it up over his shoulders (minding the wrenched one) and momentarily stepping out.
gillion breathed a sigh of both despair and relief, every fiber of his being feeling like it needed to be closer to his co-captain. the ability to drop his mask in chip’s absence was a weight off his bruised shoulders; he had already shown so much vulnerability, and maintaining what little dignity he had left as The Champion, someone who was never supposed to show they were hurting, was becoming increasingly more difficult.
chip had pressed fingers on his pulse point with such gentleness and reverence, taking such delicate care of the vulnerable parts of him. it made his face feel warmer than it already had, deep purpley blue flushing over his cheeks and fins at the thought.
before long, chip came back with a wet towel in his hands. he reached up and gingerly brushed the hair out of gill's face, tucking it behind his fins. he draped the towel across gillion's forehead, being extra cautious of any movement or noise as he sees gill's face twitch.
gillion was overcome with emotion, it spilling over the carefully constructed fortress around his heart. the way that chip had taken it upon himself to care for gillion with such tenderness so many times by now was unfathomable to him. he felt his eyes well up with more moisture than they usually carried. tears pushed through his eyelids and escaped down his face as he suppressed a shudder, ever the quiet crier.
chip had felt gillion's elevated pulse and heard his breathing hitch more than once, defaulting to assuming he was having a nightmare or that he was in pain. seeing the tears down gill's face only solidified his theory, so he crouched down beside the cot and gently shook gillion from his torso to avoid further hurting his shoulder.
“hey, gill. rise and shine,” chip breathed, and gillion opened his eyes slowly to make eye contact with chip. “i dunno if something is infected or what, but you were warm and.. crying, and i thought you might be in pain. you okay? feelin alright?” chip’s eyes were so full of concern as he brushed gill's tears away with his thumb. it only made gill's whole crying dilemma worse.
gill shakily breathed out before bringing his webbed hand to meet chip's tanned and scarred one on his face, pressing into the touch. he savored it like he'd never see it again. chip looked at him with so much softness. gillion thought even this felt like too much for him to have as a hiccup wracked through his body.
“what can i do to help, gill?” chip quietly asked him, not moving his hand from his face. gillion laid with a slack, shivering jaw for a few moments, furrowing his brows as he tried to formulate his thoughts. after a couple moments, he dejectedly pressed his face closer to chip's hand. “i… cannot articulate very well right now, chip.” gillion looked frustrated at his lack of words that typically flowed with ease, breaking eye contact.
chip thought for a moment before coming to a conclusion. “do you want to try to use the bracelets? would that be easier?” gillion let the idea settle in his mind before nodding his head once, and freeing chip's hand from his grasp. it was vulnerability, but it was communication. gillion could excuse himself this one time.
chip didn't venture too far, opening a few drawers in the quarters before digging out two bracelets. he slipped the receiving bracelet on his own wrist, offering the reading bracelet to gillion. gillion had sat up, folded and set the wet cloth down on a nearby barrel, and scooted himself up the cot. he sat criss cross near the top and left room for chip to sit across from him on the end. as gillion took the bracelet and slipped it on, his thoughts trickled into chip's own like a gentle stream as the human climbed onto the cot and sat down.
being able to read gill's mind was always fascinating to chip; he would see these bright lights over his vision anytime specific sounds or voices were heard. gill's own voice was a sort of dark indigo, where chip's was like a bright orange that would occasionally dip into light brown depending on his pitch. contrasting colors, yet they seemed to go so well together in chip's personal opinion.
gill's thoughts came less in words and more in feelings, able to be slowly peeled back from most apparent to the least. above everything, chip felt borderline overwhelming amounts of affection. he felt feelings of inadequacy and guilt and fear bubbling under the surface of it all. gillion didn't feel like he deserved to be taken care of in such a tender way- he felt the resources, time, and care could be better used elsewhere. should be used elsewhere.
he was afraid to let himself be vulnerable, to let himself show his pain or fear or affection. the memory of the elder had crossed his mind briefly as gillion fiddled with his fingers nervously- and of course, he thought about chip.
about scarred hands and a prosthetic pinkie, about tanned skin dotted with freckles and moles, about the general warmth of him that gillion seemed to enjoy. about his knack for mischief, his kind gestures and gentle care, about his ability to adapt and change and grow into a better person.
gillion thought about how he would always cherish those hands that pulled him from the water onto the deck of a ship (no matter how much they had changed; in fact, maybe he cherished them more through the changes) and gave him a direction when he was lacking one. how brown had soon become his favorite color after meeting chip. how gill would give his life to protect his crew, because they were good; it was one thing he knew for certain, and with great conviction.
chip couldn't help but blush a little (and his eyes definitely did NOT start watering) at all the sappy thoughts. gillion seemed to be trying to make himself look smaller despite his typical boisterous persona, his shoulders slouched and his tail wrapped around his figure, settled in his fidgeting hands.
gillion feared rejection; feared disappointment. despite how highly chip thought of gillion, gillion still believed chip might view him as weak and inadequate and a burden, of all the things the elders believed of him.
chip felt there was nothing more important to him in that moment than to show gillion he was loved.
he shuffled forward on the cot wordlessly, hearing gillion’s thoughts pick up and race- he saw his shoulders slightly tense and his eyes flinch at his movements, watching him with the intensity of a frightened animal- and any worry in his mind came to a stop as chip wrapped his arms around his torso and leaned into him, pressing his face into the crook of gillion’s neck.
gillion inched his own arms around chip, then clung to him like he might disappear. he thought of words in primordial, low tones and high clicks like whale song that chip didn't understand, but he could sense the feelings radiating off of the triton. comfort, affection, trust, and a giddy feeling that infected chip's brain and made him want to giggle like he was still a child.
chip squeezed gill in his arms a little harder until a very simple, very gillion “owie” echoed through his mind. gillion didn't actually verbalize it in fear chip would let go entirely, and he was right. chip backed up and it was kind of amusing to hear mind-gillion groan in disappointment and let go of chip, though he was unwilling.
chip gave gillion a lopsided grin before going to the briefcase to reach for the healing potions once more. gill was watching him from the cot with his head cocked slightly to the side.
“i’m gonna give you another potion. even if you’ve rested, you're still not lookin’ too hot.” it took a moment, but chip eventually saw replays of gill's recent memories, of his “rest” consisting of laying awake in the cot stuck on tender thoughts of chip.
chip felt pride bubble in his chest at gill's performance of faking sleep; it was nothing stellar, but certainly unexpected. he only felt a little embarrassment for how tenderly he brushed gill's hair out of his face when he thought he was asleep.
“i can get it, you don't have to do that for me. i’ll be fine soon anyways.” gill tried to get up off the cot before chip rushed over to put a hand to the center of his chest and gently push him back down with a sad amount of ease. he set another healing potion next to gill and plopped down beside him.
“just because you will be okay doesn't mean that you should have to feel bad in the moment, or that the hurt you feel right now doesn't matter. you're stuck with me till you drink that potion.” chip crossed his arms, leaning languidly against the wall that the cot was pushed up to.
chip was surprised to hear a quiet “hardly a threat if i want you here” from gill’s thoughts, repressed enough to where he could have imagined it. he grinned a little wickedly at the unintentional confession, and was proven he was in fact not hearing things as gillion’s fins tipped down in embarrassment upon realizing chip had heard that quiet murmur in the back of his mind.
chip’s cheshire grin only widened, leaning closer to gill. “somebody’s clingy,” he prodded, poking at gillion’s knee. “nuh uh.” gillion pouted, reaching for the potion before hesitating. he couldn't lie, after all.
“i admit i get only a little bit more… ‘affectionate,’ when i've lost some blood.” gillion murmured sheepishly, dejectedly bringing the healing potion to his lips and sipping its medicinal flavor down with a slight grimace.
chip almost felt nervous, even in his position slightly above gill’s form. “we could be clingy together. you know, as bros are,” chip cringed at himself, all his confidence drained. “only if you want to, and if it would help you feel okay then.. y'know..” he trailed off, looking at gill for a response. “are you asking me to ‘cuddle,’ chip?” gillion gave him a toothy smile, baring his sharp teeth.
chip broke eye contact, his ears growing redder by the second. “I DON'T KNOW, MAN! I JUST THOUGHT IT MIGHT MAKE YOU MORE COMFORTABLE OR SOMETHING!” chip was talking with his hands, making wide gestures with his arms before crossing them against his chest and slouching insecurely with an exaggerated pout on his face. he was an actor and a dramatic at heart.
only seconds later he felt gill's arms around him, manhandling him to lay down beside him. gill was laughing, and chip could feel the vibrations in his own chest as it infected him and he started to chuckle too. he wrapped his own arms around gill, feeling his heavy tail flop over his legs and begin thumping, almost as though it was wagging like a dog's. he could see their laughter in gillion's mind, light orangey-yellow and bright teal like wisps of light flashing across his vision.
as their laughter subsided, gillion nuzzled impossibly closer to chip, seemingly trying to soak up all the warmth radiating off his body. chip, on the other hand, was enjoying the feeling of gillion's cooled skin on his own- he often ran quite warm and found himself seeking relief from any surrounding heat. it was one of the reasons he opted to not wear a shirt most of the time, only his coat; the breeze could cool his skin off easier. also to show off his sick tattoos and scars. that was the main reason.
he was torn on whether he regretted that decision now as cold hands found their way under his coat and wrapped around his torso, causing him to shiver. chip distantly thought that when gillion said he was feeling clingy, he was NOT lying. though, gill didn't ever fully lie- he was getting better at little forms of it though, like pretending.
chip was more cautious in his movements, not wanting to cause gillion any more pain; though, he distantly noted the ache wasn't showing up in the back of the triton's mind anymore like it was before his second healing potion. he kicked off his boots and haphazardly let them drop off the side of the cot, tangling his legs with gill's.
chip honestly didn't think he'd felt this comfortable since cuddling with his sister in their youth (though lizzie was always a bit standoffish, they still had their moments) and knew the same went for gillion through their mind link. he kicked up the blanket on the edge of the cot to where his hands could reach it, and barely used any blanket himself as he focused on covering his cold-blooded compatriot.
gillion had nestled his face into the crook of chip's neck, his breath tickling tan skin. chip was struggling not to shiver with gill literally breathing down his nape, feeling his face get warmer. he could only imagine his flame tattoos were having the time of their little magic tattoo lives climbing up his face and flickering across his cheeks.
chip very gently brought his own arms to wrap around gillion, sliding one hand up around his upper back and the other lower to his waist. chip breathed a sigh, further relaxing against gillion's pleasantly cool skin.
“though i appreciate the gesture, chip, i think you are plenty warm for me. the blanket is a bit overkill,” gill chuckled, shifting his tail a little to try and move the blanket further off of his body. chip grinned, flopping his leg further over gillion to kick the blanket carelessly onto the ground, leaving his leg fully draped over gill's.
they lay there for a while, chip moving his hand from gill's upper back to his hair and absentmindedly combing through it with his fingers. it was thicker than his own, more coarse and durable to withstand the ocean currents. gillion leaned back into his hand almost instinctively, breathing out any remaining tension in his body until he was like putty in chip's hands.