Work Text:
“Lizzie, I’m nervous, what if he doesn't like what I’m wearing? What if it’s too casual?” Gillion’s voice was clear in the dusk air, a crisp breeze blowing as the triton paced small circles on the deck of The Midnight Rose.
They were wearing an embroidered tube top with attached mesh that exposed their sculpted chest and shoulders while also making their appearance look flowy and feminine with the sleeves. Below, they wore a skirt that was fastened at their waist with multiple layers of sheer fabric that flowed out and gave the impression of a beautiful blue gradient that started as dark as the night sky and lightened as it settled above Gillion’s ankles.
“He’s not gonna care whether you’re dressed casually or not, he thinks you’re hot as hell anyway.” Lizzie responded flatly, sitting at an empty table that her crew usually used to play card games.
She’d admit that she was dressed a little fancier, being an enjoyer of having an occasion to get dressed up for. She wore a maroon button-up shirt with a dark, grey vest that was similar to the corsets she usually wore. Her neck was decorated in various silver, gold, and black bits of chain and leather necklaces and her shirt collar was popped open to show off her chest. She had her usual layering of belts around the waist, black leather pants, and heeled black boots.
Gillion blushed at the comment, his tail swishing under his skirt rapidly. “He does so much for me, I just want this night to feel perfect for him.” They commented.
Lizzie motioned for the triton to come sit by her side at the table, producing a chain in her hands with rubber wrapped around the ends that she easily twisted around her hands.
“C’mere, play with this and stop wearing skid marks into my deck with your pacing.” He took a pausing breath, bringing his hands up next to him and acknowledging that Lizzie was right, he was worrying himself far too much.
There was a reason the two of them were standing above deck in nicer-then-average clothes together, and that was that it was Caspian’s birthday. They were of course planning to get the two captain’s crews together and have a joint celebration of their friend’s 24th birthday, but as his respective partners, they wanted to do something smaller and special for him too.
So the two, through back and forth headstrong discussion about whether Caspian would rather go to a tavern or a fancy sit-down restaurant, decided to invite him on a bit of a surprise date. They’d told him to dress casually (as he always dressed nicely) and meet them on the deck of the ship at nightfall, which was soon.
They’d finished respectively getting ready earlier then expected, so now they sat together sharing Lizzie’s fidget chain. The two were mutual friends by agreement of sharing Caspian’s affections, but rarely had one-on-one interactions such as these.
There was a stretch of awkward silence, both unsure where to strike up a conversation when they weren’t actively planning. Gillion wasn’t a shy person, but he deeply valued the thoughts and impressions of his boyfriend’s wife.
“So, how did you meet Caspian?” He asked out of the silence, shifting the air between them to something familiar.
Lizzie paused the fidgeting with her end of the chain, digging those memories out of some old box in her brain. They hadn’t happened that long ago, they just seemed to be buried under layers of sludgy trauma.
“On a ship,” she answered curtly, switching to tapping on the table to keep her hands busy. “The people we were with were pirates but they were also fishermen, and they needed young hands that could not only operate the dredges but be small enough to stick their hands inside the fishing machines. I was sixteen and needed anywhere to sleep that wasn’t the fucking gutter in All-port. It was before I’d transitioned, so he slept in the bunk above me with the rest of the guys on the ship……now we’re batshit crazy pirates together.”
Gillion nodded along enthusiastically with wide eyes, listening to her brief explanation of the long story. “Destiny likes to choose odd paths like that.”
“Destiny, gods, whatever, I’m glad he didn’t give up on me when he definitely should’ve. He always kept believin’ in me which is what makes him such a good first mate,” She reminisced fondly, cracking a smile. “What about you, obviously I know how you two lovebirds met but what about his crazy gave you the hots for him?”
Gillion snorted, always amused by the Overseas strange euphemisms for love. “….He made my body feel quiet, and I liked that.”
She raised a single eyebrow at him.
“It’s odd to explain, but my body was woven together with lightning itself,” He opened his clawed hand slowly, flexing it and willing a small amount of lightning to crackle and pop in his palms and around his fingers. “It was made to burn, to smite, and as a result I feel this constant buzzing under my skin like a reminder that this was not the course chosen for me by destiny at birth. But when he touched me, the buzzing stopped, and I couldn’t stop thinking about him.”
He quickly extinguished the lightning by snapping his hand closed, a wistful yet adoration-filled expression on his face.
“That’s so grossly cute it makes me want to yarf,” She laughed, a reverberating sound. “I get what you mean though, he’s got this calm to him that I ain’t ever seen in any other person; like he’s got a way of making all the explosive thoughts in my head go quiet for a moment.”
Gillion nodded, understanding the feeling she spoke of. He looked like he was pondering for a couple of moments, twisting the chain between his fingers like it was a puzzle that they could solve.
“Y’know, when I began my courtship with him, I was rather worried that I may have to compete with you. Polygamy is not accepted in the Undersea and polyamory tows the line of socially acceptable, more often two suitors will duel for the person of their affections’ love and I’m very glad I did not have to fight you to the death.” They admitted, honest about that worry that had long faded from the forefront of their mind.
Lizzie thought that was ridiculous, trying not to snort at the thought of fighting Gillion over Caspian.
“No offense, but that’s pretty stupid.” She said bluntly. “It’s fuckin’ awesome to share someone you like! even if it’s not everyone’s cup of tea it should be none of their business what our relationships look like.”
Gillion motioned excitedly with his free hand, flapping it up and down in agreement. “Exactly! I never understood it, I never understood the need to choose.”
Lizzie straightened up in her chair, letting her single exposed eye briefly catch the gaze of Gillion’s big blue ones; a rare moment for two people who vehemently disliked eye contact. “The way I see it, you fill in the parts I can’t give him. All that kissy-touchy shit? Not my speed, not into that with anyone, but it’s cool that he can enjoy that with you. I like getting drunk with him, and you don’t. We pick up each other's slack.”
She looked away again, giving a shrug. Gillion however felt like the moisture in his eyes had increased to some degree, overwhelming happiness that he could exist in a place where he didn’t need to hide the way he loved.
“Can I give you a hug?” They blurted out, looking at her with intense emotion in their eyes.
Her eye widened in surprise, a little shocked at the request. She saw Gillion accept hugs on the regular, but she’d never actually seen the triton initiate one.
“Oh—sure?” She said, unintentionally letting her unsureness slip into her words. Gillion stood up, and she followed his lead. The triton quickly leaned in and enveloped the woman in a hug, his arms respectfully around her sides and his face buried in the crook of her shoulder.
She wasn’t quite sure how to reciprocate as her main form of physical affection was brief side-hugs and arm punches so she awkwardly opened her arms, ghosting them just above Gillion’s cool skin before settling her hands on his shoulders.
“Thank you.” she heard him murmur, and she gave him a little hum in response as she let herself lean into the hug for a brief moment.
A second or two after they separated from the friendly hug they both heard the distinct sound of wooden creaking from below deck and quickly saw familiar pale seafoam hair pop out from below the upper deck.
Caspian, as expected, was wearing something nice but casual. He had on a long-sleeved white button-up with the sleeves rolled up and a blue sash around his waist, his pants were a dark navy blue with hand embroidered gold patterns running up the sides of his legs, and of course his blue heeled boots and layered gold jewelry.
He climbed up and looked around the deck for a moment inquisitively before his eyes caught on his two partners where they told him to meet them. They both stepped around the table to greet them, but before either of them could speak he gasped softly at their appearances.
“Woah……you two look absolutely stunning.” He commented, taking in the intricate details of his partner’s outfits.
Lizzie in turn did a dramatic little twirl, showing her outfit off. “I know, right?”
Gillion simply stood there, a tiny anxious wag to his tail yet still a smile on his face.
“What’s the occasion?” The Genasi asked, curiosity and excitement in his eyes.
Gillion and Lizzie looked between each other, deciding who would speak silently. Lizzie smirked, bowing a bit and gesturing for Gillion to go forth with the explanation which made his fins flutter by the sides of his head.
“Well, soon it will be the date of your birth! And as both a celebration and a bit of a personal thank you, the two of us would love the highest honour of taking you, Caspian, on a proper date.” The triton proudly recited his words, ones that he’d practiced prior to the moment. With the same amount of practiced ease he stepped forward, bowing at a perfect ninety-degree angle to grab Caspian’s hand and kiss it.
Caspian’s eyes were wide and the rhythmic sway of his tail froze, processing the words. He nearly choked over himself thanking them, nearly stammering. “I-I did not expect anything special for my birthday, you two didn’t have to do this!”
Lizzie quickly commented. “Checkmate, we wanted to.” She stated simply.
“I-I don’t know what to say. You two have genuinely left me speechless—thank you.” He was clearly flustered, an almost purple, dark blue twinge to his cheeks that stood out against his golden eyeliner and blue lipstick. “May I embrace you both?”
Always the gentleman, he asked and received two nods of permission. Caspian immediately stepped to Gillion who was the closest standing to him. He put one arm around their exposed waist, pulling them in closely so their chests nearly pressed together despite the small height difference.
Gillion giggled as he cupped their face, leaning into his palm and staring at him with a lovestruck look. Caspian quickly glanced at Lizzie, asking for silent permission.
Lizzie was typically repulsed by the sight of people kissing and appreciated the ask before he continued. She gave him a little nod back, screwing up her face briefly to tease him.
That’s all the Genasi needed to lean in and kiss Gillion, his thin whiptail coming up to hold Gillion close as well. Gillion enthusiastically reciprocated, their lips falling into a loving and familiar rhythm. The kiss was short all things considered, but full of love and passion for each other.
When they separated Caspian was flushed, reveling in how nicely their bodies fit together in their hug. He gave his boyfriend a nudge to the chest affectionately and let go, turning towards Lizzie.
He stepped towards her and slid his hands lightly around her waist, maintaining a bit more space between the two of them then he’d kept between him and Gillion.
Unlike his dynamic with the triton where they simply threw themselves at each other and laughed about it, he waited for Lizzie to make the first move. She was typically shorter then him, but came up to a little bit above his eye level in her heeled boots.
“A hug, m’lady?” He offered to her.
She thought about it for a moment, in the meantime the pale blue man admired the jewelry adorning her neck and collarbones.
She decided to cup his jaw, rubbing her thumb across his blushing cheek. “It’s your birthday,” She sighed dramatically. “You can have a little more then that.”
Before he could process the words she held his face in place to peck a chaste kiss to his lips; a notably rare form of affection from the captain.
It was over before he realized but his eyes were wide, his mouth parted open in surprise and wishing to chase more of her lips. “I—I-I-“
“Don’t sweat it—next time you get one of those is your next birthday, got it?” She joked, both her hands moving down to smooth his collar as an excuse to touch his chest.
He gave a dumbfounded uh-huh nod, still very surprised.
Gillion barked a laugh at his surprise, stepping forward and linking elbows with Caspian. Lizzie repeated the same motion on the other side, connecting the three of them.
“I believe we have a date to escort you to?” Gillion giggled and nudged him.
Lizzie smiled on his other side, leaning into his arm. “Maybe dinner and then some dancing?”
Caspian felt the urge to cover his face with his hands, his whole face feeling incredibly warm.
“Heavens, you two are going to kill me……..”