//Riptide Campaign..!
*Spoilers for episode #40!*
So as someone who enjoys Gillion's super excited nature around or at the very mention of Mr Marshall John,, I wanted to put myself through the pain with an angsty headcanon ;') suffer with me >:)
The idea is that after the two ships had to leave the island before the navy could close in any more onto their ships and stuff, Gill still tries to get through to John with his shell? But is kept bing met with static. He misses his boy ;')
is this me being upset with the lack of John/Gill implications? maybe. maybe I'm sleep deprived and just want my boy to have a lil crush. >:(
TW// none that I know of? Just sad local fish boy,, if there are any, please let me know!! ^^
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A lot had happened within the last 48 hours. Gillion was still taking a bit to process everything, though he was certain he wasn't the only one. He had always heard from Chip and Jay about how ruthless and cruel the navy could be to those they saw as an enemy, but what happened on Jeraldo was something Gillion could never have imagined without experiencing it first-hand as he had. The sounds of panicked screams and the heat from raging fires. People had lost their homes in a matter of seconds once the navy had arrived. He knows that he as well as the others did their best to help everyone they could. Captain Lizzie and her crew had even taken on sick and wounded people onto their ship, to which Gillion as well as a kind-hearted and tall man was treating to the best of their abilities. Objectively, everyone had done everything in their power to get away from Jeraldo island.
This still didn't stop Gillion from having to fight the feeling he could've done more. In reality, all he had done was speak through a loud communicative device to the island, told everyone where to go and fight some scary relative of Jay's. He hadn't stayed on the island within the chaos all that much...If he had, he certainly wouldn't have left John's side. They were together at one point, at the very beginning of the navy's attack. Along with Jay and Caspian. The four of them were thinking through a plan, despite Jay's clear anxieties worsening with every word. John, of course, opted to help get the sick and wounded from the Respite district of the island onto the Crescent Moon. And then...
The sound of static filled Gillion's ears again, causing a wave of frustration to wash over him as he tiredly and quite harshly slammed the shell against the deck on which he was sitting. He took a few deep breaths, closing his eyes to regain what little patience he had. John wasn't gone. He had to have gotten away on another ship or something like that. He had to keep trying to contact him. He needed to know he was okay...Gillion tried again, having learned from the countless times he had tried to get into contact with Mashall John that although the conch shell only has a single use per day, that doesn't count if an attempt of contact isn't successful. In other words; Gillion might be up here for a while. He was met with a familiar silence for a few seconds and then was met with familiar static.
"You know, I've heard that you are this...' chosen one', but I feel as if even those of that high of a title should need rest, no? It is quite early to be sitting here making calls..."
Gillion jumped at the sudden voice from beside him, causing him to look up, seeing Caspian crossing his arms loosely with a small grin on his features.
"C-Caspian...What are you doing up? Did you need something..?"
Caspian fought a chuckle at Gillion's response, rolling his eyes as he sighed softly, sitting down next to him before speaking up, "I suppose I am just checking up on you...I noticed yesterday you seemed slightly off. So when I noticed that you didn't go down to get some rest, I decided to check tonight if that'd be the case once again. Which it indeed seems to be..."
Gillion hesitated. He had to admit, he wasn't always the best at hiding his emotions. He also just didn't believe in hiding one's emotions, unless it becomes an obstacle in a fight, of course. It was nice, that someone had noticed, but now he had to voice his worries...Which was less nice. Caspian seemed to notice this conflict Gillion was having, so he spoke again.
"Well considering I haven't received any calls from you, and your grip on that shell is pretty tight...You are trying to contact John?" Caspian took Gillion's tensed body language and silence as a hint he was correct in his assumptions. "Ah, I see. Well, I can't say that I am not also worried about him. He was a new addition to our crew after all. He had a very admirable fire within him. You both share that in common, now that I'm thinking back on it. It was...interesting to see you both interact with one another. You seemed to spark each other's adrenaline..." Caspian chuckled softly, raising a brow when he saw Gillion smile weakly.
"I just...He risked a lot to leave the navy the way he did. It'd be a shame for him to...fight in this rebellion to save those the navy considers enemies and...face some kind of punishment by the people he tried to escape. He was so excited to find Captain Lizzie, to be a part of a pirate crew...I suppose I just wish I did more alongside him. Maybe then he would've been able to be here with your crew."
Caspian's soft grin faded slightly as he watched Gillion express what he was so worried about, admittedly a little shocked at how much Gillion seemed to worry about John. He hadn't known the man for as long as Gillion, but the way he was speaking was as if the two had been friends for years, which Caspian was sure wasn't the case. Especially with Gillion's naivety with the overseas hinting that he hadn't been up here for a while, a few months at most.
"I see...Well, I think for how outnumbered we were, we did quite well. Gillion, every time you lose someone to a fight or battle while you come away from it more or less unscathed, you will always have thoughts of how you could've done more. If you hadn't done what you did, the people on the island would've either been hurt, killed or captured in some way or another. That in of itself is a very big achievement. Besides, we are both aware of how strong John is. He will be fine." Caspian nodded and placed a hand on Gillion's shoulder, this making the other triton meet his eyes for the second time. Gillion wasn't quite tearing up, but it was clear to see from his eyes alone how truly worried he was. It was clear enough to suggest that he wasn't going to feel better until John was in front of him unharmed. As inappropriate as it was at this moment, Caspian found his worry quite sweet.
"I...thank you, Caspian. I-I appreciate that. I guess I'm just...tired and frustrated."
"Well, I'm pretty certain that is from the relentless static noises you've subjected yourself to listening to for hours on end, friend. That noise alone would drive anyone to frustration." Caspian grinned his familiar grin, it only widening when Gillion chuckled and nodded in agreement.
"Yes, yes that...that is very true."
Caspian hummed, leaning back against the railings of the Midnight Rose. The two sat in comfortable silence for a while, Caspian looking to Gillion now and again to ensure he was okay, or as okay as he could be. After a couple of minutes, Caspian sighed loudly, and somewhat dramatically, standing up before looking down at Gillion. "Stay here, my friend. I will return shortly." And with that, Caspian made his way back onto the Crescent Moon, disappearing within the early morning darkness. Gillion did as Caspian had said, staying where he had been sitting for longer than he'd like to admit. He realised how alone he really had been, not having even brought Pretzel with him.
Caspian returned with his hands full with two large mugs, grinning when he spots Gillion's confused expression, carefully sitting back down next to him while passing him one of the two mugs. Gillion peered into the mug and looked back to Caspian, now raising an eyebrow.
"I-"
"Whenever I'm down about something or have complex feelings, I simply enjoy a nice drink! And since we are both tritons, why not have a drink of our people, yes?" Caspian chuckled and started on his drink. Gillion still sat there, looking at Caspian confusedly. Though, he supposed he shouldn't be too shocked. Caspian seemed to usually be in charge of the drinks, at least he was whilst they met at Rudy's Respite back at Jeraldo island. With this thought, Gillion nodded slowly and started on his own drink.
As Gillion started to drink the squirty, Caspian spoke, a grin evident through his tone. "Who knows, when John does come back, and he will, you can offer him a squirty as well!" Gillion's eyes widened before he choked on his drink, putting the mug down next to him as he coughed, his cheeks dusting with an obvious dark blue, his still wide eyes looking to Caspian.
"C-Caspian! I-" As Gillion coughed and stuttered, Caspian simply snickered, elbowing Gillion before taking another drink, clearly very proud of his comment and the reaction he got from Gillion, as well as having his assumptions on Gillion's feelings confirmed through just how flustered the other had become.
The two tritons stayed on the deck of the Midnight Rose, drinking while most of the time Gillion tried to justify his sudden flustered state, saying he was just caught off guard, and 'don't be so ridiculous Caspian'. Despite Gillion's embarrassed state, they both continued to sit and drink, however not excessively enough to the point they'd be drunk.
As the hours passed, the two continued to talk, though when they both noticed how long they had spent like this, Caspian stood once again, taking both mugs in his hands again. "As fun as this was, Gillion, I should go back...You should definitely get some rest throughout the day, though. Alright? We should do this again though!"
Gillion looked up, standing as well while nodding. "Yes, I will, thank you Caspian. For all of this. I...I really do appreciate it. And most definitely we should! It was nice." Gillion smiled, standing as well.
Caspian nodded back, smiling again before turning to leave, before he did he looked over his shoulder and grinned, "And try not to worry so much! Like you always say, my friend, believe in destiny, right?!" With that, Caspian made his way back over to the Crescent Moon.
Gillion stood there for a second, Caspian's leaving words sticking with him. Destiny. It wasn't strange for Gillion to experience a sense of tiredness from that word, so when he stood there feeling a familiar feeling of exhaustion with what Caspian had said, he simply accepted it. If it was so right to follow his destiny and follow fate as blindly as he had been taught to, and as he had been doing all of this time, then why was John surrounded by those navy officers back on Jeraldo island? Why wasn't John able to make it back with the rest of them..?
Gillion struggled to believe in destiny sometimes, having complex feelings already without needing the addition with what had happened 48 hours ago. Gillion didn't know much in terms of what he knew he definitely believed and what he wasn't as sure to believe with his prophecy and destiny. But standing on the deck of the Midnight Rose, completely alone now that Caspian was gone. He knew one thing for sure, for the first time in a while; Gillion Tidestrider knew that he didn't want to believe in destiny if it meant that he had to follow down a path without Marshall John in it.