Chapter Text
Tensions were high aboard The Albatross after escaping The Block.
Ollie had been able to tell the moment they’d all gotten away from that prison. It had been hard to tell in the heat of escaping, but three captains were far quieter than normal and avoided each other like the plague. Chip and Jay barely spoke a word to each other that wasn’t an insult; Gillion barely spoke at all, only holding a conversation when Earl or Ollie practically forced him to.
It was eerie, the first day or so of this odd silence on The Albatross. Ollie was getting used to being alone with Alphonze and Earl when the captains were off doing whatever they did, so he was more or less used to the quiet, but it just felt weird. Chip would’ve normally checked up on him at least three times by now, and it was strange not seeing Gillion up on the deck or perched by the figurehead. Jay’s absence was less noticeable, as the pirate tended to keep to herself more, but it was still odd to not even see a glimpse of her fiery orange hair at least once a day.
Well, at least he knew ways to distract himself.
Ollie hovered his rook over an open space, glancing over at his opponent. Pretzel hadn’t taken her eyes off the piece he was holding, a calculated, almost hungry look in her eyes. Gillion sat next to the frogtopus, (Ollie was still congratulating himself on coaxing the triton from his seemingly never-ending training) surveying the board with the most carefully blank look Ollie’s ever seen.
It crossed Ollie’s mind, not for the first time, that maybe these two took chess a little too seriously.
Ollie places down the rook. Gillion tilts his head at him. Pretzel moves her queen and burbles something victoriously. Gillion smiles- the first smile Ollie’s seen on his face in two days, actually- and sweeps up Pretzel’s orb, surveying the board before triumphantly meeting Ollie’s gaze. “Checkmate.”
Ollie sighs, swallowing a curse, and starts to clean up the chessboard. “She just never loses, does she?”
“Pretzel is a master of battle strategy.” Gillion declares, holding the celebrating frogtopus close. “She will never be bested on the field.”
Ollie decides not to bring up the one time she actually did lose, instead focusing on cleaning up the board. He also doesn’t want to mention either that both he and Pretzel had agreed to this match knowing that Ollie would lose, especially in front of Gillion- he’d just wanted to get at least one of his captains out of the slump they all seemed to be in. Rigging a chess match for that goal was fine in his eyes, but it probably wouldn’t be in the triton’s.
Gillion stops him before he can start to put away all the chess pieces. Pretzel’s climbed just out of her orb, hovering over the open top and trilling at Ollie, that same determined spark in her eye. Gillion glances at her before turning back to Ollie, shifting his seat a bit closer to the makeshift table. “Seems like Pretzel wants to go again. Are you prepared to face her in battle once more, young Oliver?”
Ollie perks up, excited to play and actual match against the frogtpus-
The door to the kitchen bursts open before Ollie can say anything, previously muffled shouts of what seems to be an ongoing argument echoing out of it at full volume. Both Gillion and Ollie flinch as one of the captains stomp their way out of the door.
“-if you’re so passionate about a damn plate! ” Chip finishes. He reaches towards the door and promptly slams it shut on his fellow co-captain.
Jay stops its arc with her hand, barely wincing at the impact, and glares at Chip. “I’m not the dumbass who broke it in the first place- ”
“Oh, and it’s not like we have like a million others to use-”
“Just fucking clean up after yourself! I’m not asking you to go fight a kraken,” Chip gives her the most withering glare Ollie’s ever seen, but Jay brushes it off easily. “I’m just politely asking you to be responsible for once in your damn life!”
“Oh yeah, because ‘How the fuck did you break that’ is the politest way in the world to ask me.” Chip’s voice goes high and crackly when he’s mocking Jay, the redhead obviously taking offence to that. “Why not just help me rather than fucking shout at me to fix something I did by accident?”
“ Accident? ” Jay echoes, mocking Chip’s tone, “How the fuck was that an accident- ”
“Why don’t you question the dumbass that thought balancing it on the edge of the fucking counter was a smart idea-”
“I’m questioning the bitch that reached across the counter to fucking push it off first - ”
“That’s not -”
Gillion’s stood up by this point, hesitating in every step towards his friends like he really didn’t want to diffuse the situation but had to. Pretzel’s sunken back into her orb, sinking to the bottom with a distressed chitter. Ollie takes the orb and holds it close, trying to tear his eyes away from the ongoing fight. He doesn’t succeed.
“Seriously Chip, why are you making this to be such a big deal-”
Chip scoffs. “ Me ? I’m the one making this a big deal? What was the bullshit you said about taking responsibility again Jay?”
“You’re the one who snarked back at me!” Jay retaliated, taking a step towards Chip. She’s got a handful of inches on the other pirate, but Chip just folds his arms and meets her gaze with a sneer. “This could’ve been solved so easily but you just go on and fuck everything up again-”
“Not my fault you didn’t expect the self-proclaimed bastard to snark at you for being a dick.”
“Not my fault you broke the plate then.”
“That’s different- ”
Ollie hears approaching footsteps and turns to see Earl shuffling out of the kitchen, an oddly tired expression on his normally grouchy face. He walks over to the chessboard, though he doesn’t seem interested in a match as he studies the table and just straight-up ignores the ongoing fight and everything else around him. Ollie assumes this has been going on for a while then.
Gillion’s finally walked up to Jay and Chip, stopping about an arms length away from the two. “Whatever happened, I’m sure-”
“Stay out of this Gil.” Both Chip and Jay send the triton glares that could’ve lit the ship on fire with how much heat was behind them. Gillion doesn’t seem deterred though, quieting but keeping his stance.
Jay snaps back to Chip as if nothing had interrupted their argument. “How the fuck would that be different? I’m using your logic-”
“So inanimate objects have emotions now? That are above a persons ?” Chip bites back, one hand unfolding to casually rest on one of his swords. Ollie’s eyes widen- he recognizes a threat when he sees it. So does Gillion.
The triton takes Chip’s collar, tugging away from Jay back a bit more forcibly than Ollie thought was necessary. “This is not something worth dueling over, Chip-”
“Oh, and little jokes are? ” Chip doesn’t miss a beat, pushing Gillion off of him harshly. Gillion stumbles at the mention. Ollie hears Pretzel chirp in an even more distressed way. He decides to focus on trying to calm her down.
Jay shoves Chip back. “Not fucking cool, dude.”
“Not something for you to decide, Jay. ” Chip barks, gripping the hilt of his sword a bit tighter, “All I’m asking for is some sort of list to know what is and what isn’t ‘duel-worthy,’ since it seems like the qualifications are a bit fucking sporadic.”
“And all I’m asking is for you to not rope Gil into this.” Jay shoots back. Her hand is hovering over her pistol holster. “Don’t get him caught up in our shit.”
“Like you’re so good at preventing that, Ferin. ” The sarcasm and heat in Chip’s tone makes Ollie flinch. Jay freezes. “Please, give me tips on how to avoid that since you're such a good example.”
The captains were all silent for a beat, all glaring at one another with a fire that could’ve put the sun to shame. Ollie turns Pretzel’s orb so she doesn’t have to look at the fight, but the frogtopus just keeps spinning in the water to keep Gillion in sight.
Jay sighs, voice a bit quieter than it has been, though her tone is venomous. “Look Chip. If you think I can control what my family does and where they happen to be in Mana-”
“I’m not asking you to control, ” Chip clarifies, taking a step towards Jay. “I’m asking you to warn. How ‘bout next time we roll up to somewhere your family controls, warn your fucking crew that they could make a damn appearance.”
Gillion steps forwards before Jay can respond. “We all entered that prison knowing what we were getting into, Chip. None of us could’ve prepared-”
“One of us could, Gil.” Chip interrupted. He pointed at Gillion, nearly jabbing the triton in the chest. “That’s the issue.”
“How is-”
“You almost fucking died, Gillion.” Chip’s voice lost some of its volume, cracking on ‘died’, but the bite was still there. “We all almost fucking died. So sorry that I'm pissed that someone could’ve warned us beforehand about what we were getting into.”
Gillion took a breath before responding. “You can never plan for every outcome, Chip. Even if we were warned, almost nothing would have changed. Marshal John didn’t know what rooms there would be or what order- you cannot use Naval background to further your point.”
“Then why the fuck are you up here?!” Chip doesn’t quite shout, but the intensity and fire in his voice made it seem like he was screaming. “Then why did you come to the Overseas in the first place? Why was the great ‘Champion of the Undersea’ fucking banished? ”
That struck a nerve. Ollie swore the air got a few degrees colder as Gillion stepped towards Chip, fins flattened to his frame and eyes narrowed. Pretzel finally turned away from the fight, pressing up against the glass towards Ollie. He held the orb closer.
Gillion’s voice was somehow calm, despite all the signs of his anger. “The officer was threatening the well-being of my people. Do not twist my words-”
“I’m not twisting them.” Chip retorted. He stood firm, eye to eye with the triton. “ You aren’t giving me anything to work with. I’m assuming things based on what you’re telling me.”
“And if your assumptions are wrong?”
“Then fucking correct me! Tell me rather than just sulking by yourself!” Chip huffs, running his hands through his hair. He seems to deflate slightly, but neither him nor Gillion back down. Jay’s taken a step away from the fight by now, glancing between her co-captains as if unsure what to do.
Chip sighs again, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Gil, what I said to Jay goes for you too. If you know something that could be a danger to the crew or ship, warn me. Hell, just warn somebody. I don’t want anyone getting hurt because of something that could’ve been avoided.”
Gillion curls his hands into fists. The air hasn’t gotten any warmer. “I do not see how anything in my past could have or would have put any of you in danger.”
“Oh, I don’t know,” Chip threw his hands in the air, vigour returning as fast as it had left, “maybe someone could be after you? To make sure you stay away? Or maybe to drag you back to the fucking Undersea to be, I don’t know, executed or some shit? Why wouldn’t I be worried about that?!”
“And you think,” Gillion starts, talking through gritted and bared teeth, “that I would know anything about that? You think that I would put everyone on this ship in danger purposefully? ”
Ollie curled into himself more. The triton’s tone was low, quieter than normal but filled to the brim with danger, clearly telling everyone that could hear it to back off. Chip, however, didn’t take the hint and sauntered right up to Gillion, completely disregarding the flickering electricity running up and down the triton’s arms.
“Y’know what? Fuckin’ maybe. ” Chip’s no longer shouting, tone instead now low and fitting for a threatening pirate captain. Ollie, for the first time, finds himself scared of Chip, shrinking backwards as he continues. “I don’t fucking know what goes on in your head, Gillion, so maybe you could. It’s either tell me if it’s not something to worry about,” Chip raises his arm, pointing out to sea, but not breaking eye contact, “or get off the damn ship.”
It’s dead silent for several heartbeats, Chip and Gillion locked in a stare-down and refusing to budge. Jay stands practically frozen, arm raised as if she wants to reach out but doesn’t dare get closer. Even Alphonze, who’s been quietly steering the ship and giving the arguing captains no mind, is openly staring at the standstill. Earl and Ollie share a glance; this isn’t going to end well, is it?
Time ticks forwards. Surprisingly, Gillion’s the first to back off.
The triton’s eyes are glowing pure white when he turns, the coral growing from his head crackling faintly with electricity. He walks calmly over to the side of the ship, away from everyone else, and grips the railings.
Gillion pauses before he can heft himself over the railings, turning back towards Chip. His eyes are still pure white, still glowing, still glaring, but Ollie can’t help but feel like he looks more sad than angry.
“I thought we had rebuilt our trust in each other, Chip.” Gillion says. His tone is courteous, flat, words forced out of his throat with a barely discernible waver. “I suppose I was wrong.”
“Gil-” Jay tries, reaching out towards the triton.
Gillion jumps over the railings and disappears into the sea with barely a splash.
The deck was silent, no one daring to move before one of the captains would.
Chip groaned, turning on his heel and making his way towards the door that leads to the lower deck. “Alphonze,” Chip called, not turning to acknowledge the warforge, “lower the damn anchor. If he doesn’t come back tomorrow night, we’re fucking leaving. ”
“Chip, wait-”
“Fuck off, Jay.” Chip hisses, then steps through the door and slams it shut. Jay doesn’t attempt to follow.
It’s quiet again, save for Pretzel’s muffled chirps and the creaking of wood as Alphonze carries out his order. The ship slows to a stop as the anchor splashes into the sea, breaking Jay out of whatever reverie she’d been in.
Mumbling to herself, she whips around and all but marches to the main mast, swinging herself up the ladder and quickly climbing up to the crows nest. Ollie thinks about calling out to her, but decides against it when he catches a glimpse of her murderous expression.
Pretzel trills, bringing Ollie’s attention to her. She’s climbed out of her orb by now, leaning towards where Gillion had jumped off and chittering almost nervously. Ollie scoops her up and lets her climb up his arm, trying not to cringe at the feeling as she wraps herself around his shoulder and petting her in what he hopes is a soothing way as she settles.
Ollie turns towards Earl, who’s been staring holes into the half-put-away chessboard between them for about five minutes, but cuts himself off at the creak of wood. He turns towards the sound, half expecting to see Chip storming back out from below deck and jumps when he instead sees Marshal John helping Drey to walk up and sit on the deck next to him.
“The cats done fightin’?” Drey chuckles at his own joke, trailing off when no one else joins in. He rolls his eye. “C’mon. This can’t be the first time somethin’ like this’ happened.”
Marshal John just shrugs. Earl huffs. “Oh trust me, those bitches have fought too many times to count.” He pauses, then adds, “First time it’s ended that badly, though.”
“Eh,” Drey shrugs, and Ollie can imagine he’d wave his hand dismissively if he could’ve, “they’ll get over it.”
The three of them start up a conversation about something or other, Ollie tunes it out. He focuses on Pretzel, who keeps sneaking glances over to where Gillion had disappeared or down towards the sea as if waiting for something to appear. Ollie finds himself doing the same every so often, not quite sure what he’s looking for since he knows Gillion’s not going to surface again for a bit.
He… doesn’t exactly know what to do now. What are you supposed to do when the people you count as family by now have an argument that could break them apart right in front of you? He wants to go find Chip or climb up to Jay and let them vent or something, but after that?... Ollie would be lying if he said he wasn’t scared of his captains right now.
He could just ignore the problem, like the rest of the crew seems to be doing. But that just feels… wrong to him for whatever reason. He doesn’t want to ignore it, but he doesn’t exactly have anything else to do. He’s not sure Chip or Jay would appreciate company at the moment, and he can’t exactly breathe in water.
“Kid.” A rough voice startles Ollie out of his mind, halting his mindless fidgeting with a restless Pretzel. Drey had at some point taken Earl’s seat, both the old man and the marshal had disappeared by now. How long had he spent thinking in circles?
Drey raises an eyebrow when he jumps. “You alright?”
“Oh! Yeah, um…” Ollie trails off, lowering his eyes to watch Pretzel climb around on his hands. He didn’t really want to say what he was thinking about out loud, but it didn’t seem like Drey would take a white lie for an answer.
Taking a breath, Ollie opened his mouth, refusing to look up at Drey. “They’re… they’re gonna come back, right? Make up and everything?”
Drey doesn’t say anything at first, but Ollie can feel the man’s gaze burning into his skin. Ollie’s hands start twitching again, Pretzel taking the opportunity to entertain herself by playing with them. “‘Cuz I’m not sure how normal arguments work, but that seemed like a big one and whenever my- s-someone back home would get in a big fight with Mom they’d avoid each other for a while and I don’t want that happening here and-”
“Kid.” Drey cut him off, Ollie snapping his mouth shut at the tone. He sniffed. When had there been tears in his eyes?
Drey sighed, hesitating briefly before speaking up. “Y’know what? I’ll go see if I can talk them down. Man the storm before we go sailin’ straight into some rocks.”
“O-Oh, you don’t have to- I’m sure they’ll work it out-”
“Ollie.” Drey interrupted. “I’m doin’ us all a favour. ‘S no fun when the captains are angry.”
Ollie nodded, trying to forcibly relax his shoulders. He hasn’t gotten to know Drey well enough to fully trust him, but he knows that at least Jay and Chip would trust him in a heartbeat, so he trusts their judgment. He just hopes it's enough to do something.
Drey nods his head up towards the crows nest, where Ollie can somewhat see fiery red hair waving in the wind. “Now, can you fetch my niece for me? Can’t exactly meet ‘er up there.”
“Yes sir!”