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In the time that Gillion has known Chip, he has learned a few things.
Chip is stubborn. Chip is a spitfire, quick to act without thinking. He cares deeply and tries to hide it, but heart always ends up displayed on his wrist.
Still, the things he treasures are a little easier to keep behind sturdy walls. His refusal to speak on his vulnerable spots is consistently betrayed by his emotions. Words don’t need to be said for someone to see the fleet of regret, of pain, of rage, skitter across one’s face. Chip knows to keep his mouth shut, but his face remains open and readable, especially when he’s upset.
Chip is very, very upset right now.
Captain Lizzie— Elizabeth, as Chip knows her— stands her ground as Chip seethes beside her. Lizzie has just asked them to join in their fight against the Navy to restore peace to the region, both on land and in the Undersea. Gillion thinks it’s a great idea. Chip is not so easily persuaded.
“I pulled Jay out of the navy to keep her out of the war,” Chip is exclaiming now, and he isn’t shouting, but there’s a bite in his voice that makes Lizzie flinch. “I pulled Gillion out of the sea to keep him safe.” Chip’s eyes fleet up to meet Gillion’s for a split second, and his gaze softens, just a little, as if to say I’m not angry at you. He looks back up at Lizzie and the fire returns to his eyes. “I’m the captian. I’m not putting them in the middle of a war, and I’m especially not going to do it if you won’t give me a damn explanation!” Chip bangs his hand on the table separating himself from Lizzie now, and Gillion stiffens. “I’ve been looking for you for years. I’ve been looking for the others for years! You can’t just waltz back in here and expect me to join your crew without telling me—“
“I owe you nothing.” Lizzie’s voice cuts through his, cold and sharp like a blade. “All these years and you still haven’t learned that the world doesn’t revolve around you. Who are you to speak for your friends?” Lizzie gestures at Gillion and Jay. Jay bristles next to him. “Is this what they want? To sit on the sidelines? A good captain does not hold their crewmates back from their own fate.”
Chip turns to look at them. “Do you want to fight? Is that you want?” The question is a warning. Gillion can tell by the tone of his voice.
Jay doesn’t say anything, and that’s her answer. Gillion knows she doesn’t want to fight.
Gillion cares about Chip. He really does. But he can’t risk the Navy taking control over his home. He won’t let it happen. It’s been harder and harder for him to remember why he’s here as of late. He’s here to become strong so he can return to the Undersea and fulfill his destiny. He doesn’t have time for these relations, not when his home is in danger.
“I want to fight,” he declares, and Lizzie’s face shifts into something more satisfied. Chip looks like he’s been struck in the chest. “I need to protect—“
“You need to stay safe,” Chip growls. He turns on his heel to face Lizzie again. “Look, I get that you’re doing your thing here, but this is my crew. I’m the captain, not you. My crew has no business fighting in a war that doesn’t affect us. I won’t let it happen. We’re not doing it.” He turns his nose up at Lizzie, which admittedly looks pretty funny, considering the fact that Lizzie has about four inches on Chip. “Fight it yourself. Good luck.”
He storms out of the room before Lizzie can get another word in. She visibly deflated as soon as he’s out of sight, sinking into the chair she’s been standing at for the past fifteen minutes, and presses her hands to her temples. Caspian touches her shoulder once, gently, just to make sure she knows he’s there.
“Stupid fucking kid,” Lizzie spits, but Gillion can tell she doesn’t really hate him. She’s just frustrated. “There’s no way I’m getting through to him. I don’t know why I expected different.”
“I will talk to him,” Gillion decides, and Lizzie inhales slowly. “I want to fight this war. I will convince him.”
“Gil, he’s not gonna change his mind,” Jay tells him, fidgeting with the holster of her belt. “It’s not worth the fight.”
“I have to do this.” Gillion stares at Jay and tries to make her realize just how serious he is. He doesn’t want to lose Chip. That’s almost the last thing he wants, actually. The only thing that is more important to him than Chip right now is his home. He’s going to fight for it, with or without Chip’s permission.
Jay must feel something shift in his tone, because she sighs after a long moment. “Okay, I can’t stop you, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“I know what I’m getting into.” Gil leaves the room without another word.
Chip hasn’t made it far. He’s pacing up and down the hall, muttering to himself under his breath. He looks up when he hears Gillion come out, and his pacing comes to a stop as Gillion slowly closes the door behind him.
“We’re not doing it,” is the first thing Chip says. Gillion bristles a little bit.
“Whatever happened to ‘hello?’ ‘Nice to see you?’” Gillion thinks Chip will find it funny, but he stays stone-faced, and Gillion gets distracted for a moment, wondering if he’s using sarcasm correctly or if he fucked it up again.
Chip doesn’t give him much time to dwell on it. “Look, Gil, I know this is important to you, but we can’t join this fight. We already have a plan. We win the tournament, we get our money, and we leave. That’s been the plan since we got here.” He stares at the door, and his voice turns bitter. “I’m not just some dumb kid with a crush anymore. I’m not going to blindly listen to what Lizzie says because she’s Lizzie, and I’m sure as hell not going to drag my best friends into it, either.”
“Crush?” Gillion tilts his head. “You have a crush on—“
“Had. It’s not relevant.” Gillion knows this is something Jay would relentlessly tease him for, but Gillion can tell Chip is being serious. “She can’t expect to have some tight grip on me. I’m not going to follow her every move. I need to keep you and Jay safe.”
“Chip, listen to yourself. Do you think I am too weak to get by? I am perfectly capable of handling myself. I do not need anyone else to keep me safe.” He tries to keep his tone neutral, but Gillion is a little frustrated, too. “Jay, too. She’s a grown woman. We can make our own decisions.” He thinks about what Captain Lizzie had said: A good captain does not hold their crewmates back from their own fate.
“I don’t think you’re weak, Gillion. That’s not what this is about.” Chip has begun to pace again. “Listen. You and Jay are the only family I have, okay? Lizzie is in over her head. The Navy is powerful. There’s no way she’s going to be able to make a dent with the tiny army she has, even with someone as strong as you on her side.”
“I thought the mutual assumption was that she was going to find more people to join her before staging an attack.”
Chip huffs. “Okay, well, yeah, but still. She’s underestimating what the Navy is capable of. I mean, we’ve seen it firsthand. Zero was a total prison.”
“So you think the best course of action is to let them take over until the rest of the region undergoes what is happening in Zero?” Gillion shakes his head. “We have to act. This isn’t right.”
“Gods, Gillion, I don’t want to lose you!” Chip yanks at his own hair, pausing his pacing to stare at the triton. “That is the whole point! I don’t want you risking your life in a fight that we’re going to lose either way. You matter too much to me. I’m not going to let it happen.”
Gillion swallows. “You—“
“No, I’m not finished.” Chip stepped towards Gillion, striding up until their chests were almost touching. “Listen, Gil. I meant what I said. When I pulled out out of that ocean, it was to keep you safe. I know you now, and I know you’re strong. You could have stayed there. But it would have sucked ass, wouldn’t it? What, your options are to swim for what could be days on end to find land or go back home.” Chip’s gaze didn’t stray away from Gillion once. “I wanted to help you. And it’s the same now. I know you’re strong, but that doesn’t mean you have to run headfirst into every fight you see fit. And I know this one is important to you, but sometimes it just—“ Chip steps back, huffs frustratedly, runs a hand over his face. “You don’t have to fight for everyone all the time. I’m just trying to protect you from biting off more than you can chew, not to the point of your physical limitations, but—“ Chip sighs again. “Do you get what I’m saying?”
“I suppose,” Gillion says slowly. “But it is my duty to protect—“
“Oh my God,” Chip mutters under his breath. Before Gillion can figure out what’s happening, Chip is cupping his face and kissing him. It’s chaste, and Gillion knows it’s a tactic to shut him up, but it works. He stares at Chip when he pulls back. “Sometimes it’s okay to just shut up and listen, okay?” Chip’s face is bright red. “Do you get it now? I’m going to say it one more time.” He pokes Gillion’s chest. “I care about you. I want to keep you safe. You do not always have to be the one who does the protecting.”
Gillion is still at a loss for words, so he nods dumbly. His body feels electric.
Chip swallows and steps back. “I’m sorry, I just—“ He takes a deep breath. “Sometimes I don’t know how to just get it into your head. You’re not really much of a… words… guy.”
“No, it— I—“ Gillion has to take another moment to compose himself. “It is how you show affection. I understand.” Then, he ventures, “I am glad you did that. I think there have been some… unspoken… feelings between us for a while now.”
“Yeah,” Chip says breathlessly.
“I am sorry that this is the conversation that finally—“ Gillion can’t find the words to finish the sentence, so he just vaguely gestures between them. “I still wish you would consider what Lizzie is saying.” He forces himself to meet Chip’s eyes. “I want to protect you, too. That’s why I want to fight. I need to fulfill my duty to my people, but that includes you.”
Chip doesn’t know that Gillion vowed to protect Chip from the moment he let him onto that ship. Originally, it had come from a place of repayment. Chip had given him a purpose and a place to stay, so it was only appropriate that Gillion provide him the comfort of having someone to protect him when his own defenses faltered. Now, it had grown into something more personal. Gillion would give his own life before seeing Chip get hurt if he could help it.
“I will never stand down from an opportunity to protect the things I love,” Gillion finishes surely. Chip’s expression falters, something soft and warm and almost pained flickering in his face. He says nothing, but that damned face betrays him again; his Adam’s apple bobs as he swallows, and his eyes go shiny with a film of tears. He turns away a little bit so Gillion doesn’t see.
“I know,” Chip mutters, shakily. There’s a long, long pause.
“I will fight, with or without you.” Gillion’s voice is sturdy, sure.
“I know,” Chip repeats. A pause. “I’ll think about it, okay? I need to talk to Jay.”
Gillion nods solemnly, but hope sparks a warm glow in his chest. “I’m sure she’ll come around.”
Chip rolls his eyes. “Maybe if you’re the one doing the convincing.”
Gillion notes, with pride, that what he’d told Jay was right. He had been able to change Chip’s mind.
The implications of the kiss and the heat in Chip’s voice made his heart flitter. No wonder it had been so easy to convince him.
Gillion wants to put into words how much he cares about Chip and how happy he is that Chip is even considering joining him on this journey, but the young pirate had been right; Gillion isn’t one for words. So he tugs Chip into his arms, waits a moment for him to relax in his embrace, and plants a gentle kiss on his forehead. He hopes the gesture gets the point across.
The door creaks open and Jay comes out, giving the two of them a funny look when she sees them in each other’s embrace. Chip pulls himself out of Gillion’s arms and clears his throat. Jay raises an eyebrow at him and then looks up at Gillion.
“Caspian wants to talk to you,” she says. This piques Gillion’s interest. Maybe this is his chance to learn a thing or two from the other triton.
“Jay, you and I should go back to the inn.” Chip glances back at Gillion, gives him a tiny smile, and then begins to lead Jay down the hallway. “We’ve got a lot to talk about.”