Chapter Text
This shit hurts.
There were many thoughts racing through Gill’s mind at the moment; but that was certainly the most prominent. His left side was lit with burns that sucked the moisture off of his body. His chest ached like he had broken several ribs, a pain he knew well. He could hear a wheeze every time he drew a breath, and he couldn’t find his sword or his co-captains. Gill turned his head, the dirt he was laying on mushed against his face. He needed to get up. He needed to find his family. Gill pushed up on his elbows, his whole body trembling as he lifted his head. He moved to stand up, but his hand must have slipped. Next thing Gill knew he was face down in the mud again and his right arm was in agony.
Nausea rolled like waves in his stomach and Gill could hardly keep it down. He scrunched his eyes tight. At least focusing on not vomiting was a great distraction from whatever was wrong with his arm. When his stomach settled, Gill slowly blinked his eyes open and saw his right arm. Just the arm. As in there wasn’t a hand.
Oh, gods.
Gill couldn’t hold back the nausea this time, and he threw up down his own chest. His hand was gone. His vision blurred, and his stomach rolled again. His hand was gone.
“Gill!” Something touched his back, and Gill saw a flash of brown hair in his peripheral vision. Chip? He prayed it was Chip. Gill felt himself be rolled over to his back - thankfully away from the vomit. He couldn’t hold in the groan as his body screamed in protest.
“Hey, hey, hey - stay with me, bud.” A warm hand tapped Gill’s cheek. Gill blinked his eyes against the bright sunlight, and Chip’s worried face came into view.
“Ch’p?” Gill’s voice was barely louder than a whisper, but Chip still heard him. Chip smiled broadly, but it didn’t quite reach his panicked eyes. Huh, was something wrong?
“Hey, buddy! Are you alright? Are you hurt?” Chip spoke quickly, like he wasn’t getting enough air. Something must be wrong with him.
“M’ arm…”
Chip was hunched over Gill protectively, their faces inches apart. So Gill had a perfect view to watch as Chip saw his limb. Chip’s mouth dropped open in shock, and his eyes grew somehow more panicked.
“Oh... Oh shit! ” Chip yelled. The volume made Gill’s head throb like it had been split down the middle.
Chip reached out for Gill’s limb, but then hesitated.
“Gill, this is bad - like, really bad.”
“Chip, I know that-“ Every word he spoke was clipped, like it was taking every bit of Gill’s determination to speak.
“Yeah, I know - I need to heal this. I need to cauterize it, Gill.”
Oh.
“‘s still bl..ding?” Gill asked.
“What?”
“It’s still bleeding?” Gill forced out between gritted teeth. He wanted to check for himself but he couldn’t stomach looking down again. He just needed to stay awake. Chip would save him.
“Yeah! Yeah, it’s pretty bad actually. Look I know it probably hurts now, but I need to stop the bleeding, and that’s gonna make it hurt worse.” Chip’s eyes were frantically searching Gill’s face, for what Gill wasn’t sure. Chip should really pay some more attention to their surroundings. Weren’t they in the middle of a battle a few seconds ago? Gill sucked in a breath and winced at the way it rattled in his chest.
“I trust you, Chibo.”
“Okay, okay. Let’s do this,” Before Gill could process what ‘this’ was, there was a piece of leather shoved into Gill’s face.
“Bite down on this,” Chip sounded every bit like the captain he was. Confident and commanding. Gill weakly obeyed and sunk his sharp teeth into the leather strap.
“Ready, Gill?” Chip looked at him again, the panic in his eyes was still there. But there was confidence now too. Gill nodded his head once and braced for… what was he bracing for again?
Oh, that .
There was fire - it had to be actual fire - on his limb. The burning sent shocks up his whole arm. Gill threw his head back and tried to scramble away from the torture, but the arms around him held firm. The smell of burned flesh permeated his nose, and the smoke choked him. but nothing could distract him from the searing pain in his arm.
Then, mercifully, it stopped. He could hear the sound of someone sobbing, and it took Gill several moments to realize it was him.
“It’s okay Gill, I know, I know. I got you buddy.”
Chip. Chip was still here. Chip was holding him in his lap, pressing Gill into his chest and gently removing the piece of leather from his mouth. Gill relaxed into Chip’s hold and breathed deep as he tried to calm himself. The usual warmth and smell of burning that followed Chip wasn’t as comforting right now, but it was still Chip.
For a moment, Gill and Chip sat there and held each other. Gill tried desperately to focus on the sounds of Chip’s ragged breaths and not the muddled voices screaming around them, or the pain in his body. At least it no longer sounded like a fight; a physical one anyway. Surely this was something Jay and the others could handle by themselves, right? Gill could afford to lay here and rest for a bit.
Just as Gill closed his eyes, Chip was tapping him on the cheek.
“Hell no, Gillion. You stay awake.” Chip commanded. “That’s an order. I am your captain, and I’m ordering you! Do you hear me?” It had to be one of the heaviest things he’s ever lifted, but Gill opened his eyes.
“I am also your captain, though.” Gill couldn’t hold back a smirk as he spoke. And Gill breathed a little bit easier as Chip laughed loudly. Gill’s body shook with the force of it.
“I love you, man.” Chip said. “Now hold on, I gotta heal you.”
Wait.
What?
Gill hummed questioningly, but Chip didn’t stop to answer. He just wrapped his arms tighter around Gill in a big bear hug. They were pressed so close that Gill could feel as Chip took a steadying breath. Then warmth spread from every spot that Chip was touching, and Gill felt as his body mended itself. His skin tingled as it healed from the deep burns and cuts, and his ribs shifted back into place. Gill finally felt like he could take a full breath.
“You alright?” Chip asked, after the healing sensation stopped.
“I love you too, Chibo.” Gill replied. Chip’s new healing abilities were thorough, Gill’s body felt much better, like he was whole again. Yet he was plagued with confusion. “But when did you learn to heal?”
“Oh, I didn’t tell you?” Chip asked, the tips of his ears and his cheeks slowly turned red.
“Not that I can recall.”
“Oh… I, uh - wanted to learn how to heal you guys cause you guys always heal me, so I - just taught myself how to do it.” Chip said, his gaze fixed on the charred battlefields around them. At least he was finally keeping an eye out for them.
“You taught yourself?” Gill asked, awed at him.
“Um, yeah? Well - it wasn’t easy and it took a lot of -“
“That’s incredible!” Gill exclaimed. With his newfound energy, Gill raised them both to sitting positions. Chip merely blinked as Gill continued. “You really taught yourself? It took me years to learn it myself even with the Elders’ teachings!”
“Well, it’s not like the Elders were that good at their jobs…” Chip muttered, and Gill could kiss him.
Gill couldn’t quite wrap his head around it. He spent his whole life isolated from any kind of emotional connection. Even after his banishment, Gill couldn't understand romantic relationships, or how someone could feel so strongly about another person.
But along came Chip, who taught him so much about the world. Jay and Chip taught him so much about love. Different kinds of love, sure - but Gill had learned so much from them in such a short time. And he could confidently say he understood part of what he had heard about in stories. The stories talked of feelings rushing over someone, filling their hearts with so much warmth their chests could burst. Gill felt that now, staring at his co-captain and best friend. A human who had learned how to heal all by himself just to help his friends. Someone who defended Gill at every chance he could get. Chip loved with every part of himself, and Gill needed to show him the same love in return.
“Uh, Gill? We really need to go,” Chip said, his brows furrowed. Gill reached up with his only hand and tried to smooth the wrinkles on Chip’s forehead. Then he closed his eyes, slowly leaned forward and pressed his forehead to Chip’s. A kiss didn’t seem appropriate right now, especially with how Chip reacted the last time - so this would have to do.
“Thank you, Chip.” Gill whispered. Chip didn’t respond, he just sat there gaping like a fish.
“You guys need a hand?” Gryffon’s gruff voice broke through their silence. Chip leapt away from Gill like he had been burnt. Gill looked to Gryffon, shocked at his silent approach and his quick observation.
“Yes, actually. How did you know?” Gillion replied.
“Uh, it was just an expr- oh shit.” Gryffon stopped as he took notice of Gill’s lack of limb. Then he raised up his gun arm. “I know a guy who can make that into a gun, if you want.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Gill said politely, he also politely ignored Chip’s poorly concealed chuckling.
“Alright, come on - let’s go find the others,” Chip rose to his feet as he spoke, and he stuck out a hand to help Gill up. “Plus I’m sure Jay could make you a new one, maybe she’ll even make a matching one.” Chip wiggled his robotic pinkie at Gill with a playful smirk, and Gill was overwhelmed again with how much he loves Chip. Despite the pain and exhaustion he felt, Gillion smiled.
“Let’s go home.”