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The Black Sea takes and takes and takes. Ever since Arlin went missing Chip had tried to imagine in his mind what the hole in the sea would truly be like, because he’d of course go there and save him one day.
This was nothing like what he expected.
He didn’t expect to go in without a heart, and how it would affect not only him but his friends. Gillion is feeling disconnected from his oath, Gryffon’s seeing things and it’s just all gone to shit.
How did he think he could do this? All this was going to do was get his friends killed.
And the worst part? He couldn’t even remember all of his friends. Bits and pieces of memories from the Black Rose and the Riptide Pirates seem so foggy. Like he was looking through a foggy lens and the only thing he could see was smudges of faces he was supposed to know.
But one stood out to him. A face that stood out to him the moment he met him. Gillion Tidestrider.
Whenever it seems like he started to doubt himself in this place Gillion was already there and reminding him to keep going.
They had just left the room where he heard Captain Rose’s voice. “You have to remember.” It kept playing over and over again in his mind. What if he couldn’t remember? What if he won’t be able to save Arlin all because of his stupid memory?
Gillion’s voice cut through the fog, “Chip? Are you alright?”
Chip shook his head, “‘m fine.”
“You started zoning out a bit, it’s okay to say you aren’t. Maybe-“
“He told me to remember, Gill.” Chip interrupted hastily, “He told me I had to remember so I could reach Arlin. But why if I can’t?”
The triton’s eyebrows furrowed, “Then we will handle it together. You’ve made it this far you can’t give up now. I won’t let you.”
Chip pinched his nose bridge and stopped walking abruptly. Gryffon and Drey took that as their cue to continue walking and let their captains talk.
Gillion didn’t even watch them leave and kept his eyes glued to Chip, “I’ll be here to remind you, you know that right?”
“I’m trying, Gill. I try to remember and I just can’t. Or I remember it but it’s not actually the memory, just the feeling of it.” He sighed, “That doesn’t make any sense.”
Chip started walking away, brushing past Gillion, but he caught his wrist before he fully could. “No, Chip, it does. I understand.” He immediately let go when he saw the other pirate look down.
There was silent for a moment. Then Chip spoke quietly, “You don’t have to just say you understand to make me feel better.”
“I’m not. You’ve known me long enough to know I would never lie to you.”
Chip went silent, searching Gillion’s eyes only to find the truth. “I don’t want to burden you with that. It’s me who’s forgettin’ everything. I’ve already put you through too much by you being here in the first place. You can’t even use your magic anymore.”
Gillion took a step closer, taking both of Chip’s hands in his own, “My magic is something I will deal with. And you haven’t forgotten everything, you’re still you Chip.”
“No i’m not.” The other pirate forced himself to rip his hands away from Gillion’s and tore off his bandana. “I’m not even here anymore.”
Gillion only let himself so much as wince at the appearance in front of him. But to him it was still Chip standing in front of him. Skin is missing and bones are visible, but it’s still him. “I don’t believe that. No matter what you try and make me believe i’m always going to think you’re still in there. Heart or no heart you’re still the person that pulled me out of the ocean that day, and still gave me purpose.”
Chip stood there stunned for a moment. If he could cry there would be tears in his eyes right now. “I love you.” He blurted out, looking right into his eyes as he said it.
The triton opened his mouth to say something but Chip continued before he could get a word out, “And I need you to understand that before whatever the fuck happens next. I love you, Gillion Tidestrider. In whatever way you want it to be, I don’t care. The only goddamn thing I remember anymore is you. I just love you, and I have since day one. But I pushed you away. And I pushed my feelings away and i’m sorry. I didn’t think some nobody orphan kid trying to recreate his childhood deserved such a strong and caring- so fucking caring person like you. I’m sorry I didn’t say it sooner I-“
He was cut off by Gillion abruptly closing the space, connecting his lips to where Chip’s lips would be. It was gross, if Gillion was being honest. The feeling was nowhere near what it was on Desire Island but for some reason it still felt so right. Like the taste of Chip still lingered on the reminiscence of his skin. But he didn’t care, Chip was here and not fully gone and that’s all he cared about.
Chip didn’t move for a moment, not processing yet that Gillion was literally kissing him. Again. The memory of that was now hazy, but what he could remember was what he tasted like. Salt. He of course couldn’t taste it now but he imagined that’s what it tasted like now. So he reached his hands up and carted through Gillion’s hair to try and remember that moment more.
Gillion was the one to pull apart, his breathing heavy with that smile on his face that made Chip want laugh. He just stared, then did something Chip didn’t expect. He just hugged him. Burying his face in what remained of the crook of his neck.
“I love you too, Chip. In whatever way you want it to be, I love you. Since before I knew anything about the Oversea I loved you. I don’t care if you think you’re a nobody, because as i’ve said, you gave me purpose. When no one believed in me you did. And that makes you everything, not nothing.”
Chip swore he could hear one of his bones snap with how hard the triton was holding him, but maybe that was his imagination. He just laughed. To Chip it was jarring, a sound he hadn’t heard from himself in a while, but to Gillion, it was music to his ears. “Gods we are so corny. You know you just kissed dead flesh right? I could’ve at least put my bandana back on before you decided to kiss me.”
“And i’d do it again.” Chip could see Gillion tail start wagging as he spoke. He shook his head with a smile on his face.
He then put on the bandana again and the dead flesh seemed to wash away in the span of seconds. When Gillion pulled back he was met with the Chip he met way back when, but without that spark in his eyes. And for some reason that didn’t make him love him any less.
Chip tightened it in his hair and started walking again, “I actually can’t believe you did that. All we need is some rain and it would’ve made that ten times cheesier.”
“I could make it rain.” There was a grin to his voice that made Chip stop walking. He turned to see Gillion’s hands outstretched, hands already glowing with magic.
“No! Don’t you dare get me wet, Tidestrider!”
“But you said you wanted rain! I can make it rain!”
Gryffon and Drey had stopped a little ahead to take a break. They were far enough away that they could only hear murmurs of what their captains were taking about but couldn’t fully make out any words. Moments later they see Chip running, Gillion not far behind him with hands reaching out towards him.
Their captain’s smiles made them smile. They turned to each other, Gryffon shrugging, and decided to follow along behind them. Their laughter echoed throughout the ever-expanding long corridor.