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Chapter Text

Jack and Tommy sit in silent trepidation, watching on as the archeologists work at opening the safe with the utmost care. Neither utters a word in complaint - the old thing has been underwater for 75 years, and holds the most precious cargo. They can wait for the safe to be opened with the respect it deserves. 

The Lab diamond was the largest coloured diamond in the world, and had been on voyage to New York as an engagement present from the Halo's to whoever their son chose once they arrived. While Bad Halo, fortunately, survived the Titanic's sinking, his son, much less fortunately, did not, and he had sunk along with the diamond. 

The necklace that the diamond was attached to was being kept in a safe in their room, Bad had said so many a time since the sinking. And now Jack and Tommy had found it. 

The safe's lock opens. 

"Holy shit." Tommy whispers.

The door begins to open slowly.

"We did it." Jack's hands lift to his head, sliding over the buzz. 

"We did it!" Tommy yells, bouncing off his stool and running towards the now fully open safe. "Two years since the Titanic was found and we're the ones to only go and find the most precious, expensive, beautiful diamond in the world, and not only that--!"

He stops abruptly, eyes glued to the safe's interior. In it sat two pieces of paper and a ring. One with a diamond still solidly in place, but in no way the Lab diamond. 

"It's not in there."

"What?" Jack hisses, leaning closer to the safe and blinking rapidly as if that would magically change its belongings, "But- but... No! Bad said it was in here!"

He sighs, sinking to the floor with his head in his hands. 

"Get them all to the wash station, we'll see if there's any clue about what these are."

The first piece of paper is the most interesting. It's a poem. 

It twists with words of complete adoration, of a soul so ultimately entwined in two others that the melancholy of the irony of the love letter being found on a sunken ship couldn't even be called depressing. The beauty and love in its words is almost enough to make Tommy hurl, honestly.

Ignoring the affection flooding the paper, Tommy is drawn to the date, scribbled at the bottom. 14th April 1912, to a KJ. None of the Titanic's stateroom inhabitants had such initials. 

The second paper is far more crude, both in writing style and formality. It simply says 'Eat shit Schlatt', and is signed, even more fascinatingly, 15th April. There's no signature on the piece. 

"Schlatt?" Tommy reads aloud, "Who the fuck is Schlatt?" 

Niki, one of the researchers, perks up, "Oh, I've heard of him! He was a Democrat congressman for New York!" 

"He wasn't in the stateroom though," Jack frowns, "I don't even think he was on the ship. I'm sure I would remember a big politician's name." 

Niki shrugs, unhelpfully turning back to her unhelpful place where she is unhelpfully scrubbing the unhelpful safe to make sure the seasalt didn't unhelpfully crystallise on it. Tommy huffs to himself, turning to the last item.

The ring looks like any other ring. A gold band with a fair sized diamond embedded in it. Could have belonged to anyone in the first or second classes - maybe third if they'd really shilled out. Perhaps it was the ring that would be given to the Halo's new fiance, but something about that just didn't sit right with Tommy. 

Surely there was a reason for all three items being in the safe when the diamond was not...

"Schlatt was the congressman for the 25th section of New York from 1909 to 1913 when he died of a heart attack," Jack interrupts Tommy's thinking. When he looks at the other man, he's reading off his phone, "He became an advocate for safer maritime laws after the Titanic's sinking, despite not being on the ship. Oh, what a nice guy!" 

"Jack." 

"Or wait no, I just found he has a whole section to do with his controversies, maybe he wasn't."

"Jack."

"Oh no, that is not great..."

"Jack, we have a news crew showing up here in about half an hour and you're reading facts about some guy that wasn't even on the Titanic instead of looking at the artifacts."

It's less than a day after the news crew visits that another helicopter touches down on their boat. Tommy, Jack, and a handful of researchers stand outside, awaiting its arrival. Precious cargo is on board. 

Survivors. Which means 'answers' in Tommy's book.

The pilot gets out first, opening the door and holding a hand out. It's almost immediately ignored as the first passenger to climb out eyes the assistance and scowls, setting down his walking stick instead to disembark. 

The man is in his 90s, but he does well to not look too ancient, Tommy supposes. He has the look of someone always displeased but polite enough to not say anything, and reminds Tommy a little of his grandmother. On both ring fingers he wears a ring, and he does not appear to be dressed suitably for a ship in the middle of the Atlantic, in only a button down shirt and corduroy trousers, although he is wearing a hat to cover his balding head. 

His most defining feature by far is the scar that runs from chin - where it is wide and jagged - to eyebrow - where it is much smaller and healed over. The wound runs through his lips and left eye, which is a milky white, unseeing. 

Quackity Jacobs. 

The second man to step out the helicopter willingly takes the pilot's hand, using it to step onto the boat's deck with a surety about himself. He thanks the man, using the hand that had just been assistance to become an impromptu handshake. He, like his husband, wears his age well, though, unlike Quackity, he manages a smile from the moment the helicopter's door opens. It only brightens as he approaches Quackity, taking his hand with a warm grin and a kiss of the cheek as if they weren't just in a helicopter together. He wears two rings on his left ring finger and wears fashion far more suitable for his surroundings, a dark sweater with a puffy coat and thermals peeking out from beneath all that. 

He has no visible scarring, and if Tommy were to choose, he'd say the man's most noticeable feature is his hair, long and grey and pulled away from his eyes by a croquet headband. Tommy can imagine it being a gift from a grandchild. 

Sapnap Jacobs. 

Moving the men inside and out of the cold is easy. It's getting answers that's the hard part. 

"So..." Jack starts as Sapnap near immediately drifts away to look at the screens showing off the images the crew had taken of the Titanic on the sea floor. Niki is no help, pointing out different parts of the ship as Sapnap asks. Jack refocuses his attention to Quackity, "You know about the Lab diamond?"

Quackity is watching Sapnap, "Yes... but he'd know more than I would." 

"Why?" Tommy questions, leaning closer, "If he stole it, it's okay, you know. You can tell us."

Quackity's eyes cut back to the two, expression perhaps even more contrite than when he had stepped off the helicopter. 

"I was told the two of you found a piece of writing, is that correct?" 

"Yes, Mr Jacobs," Jack is up immediately, subtly slapping Tommy in the back of his head, "I apologise for my colleague. He was raised saying what he liked. Right this way."

"It's alright, I've met plenty of people raised worse. And please, call me Quackity," The old man stands up slowly, walking over to the preservative where the poem sits. 

He reads over it, a smile ghosting his face for the first time since stepping onto the ship. Sapnap, noticing that Quackity has moved, comes to join him too, smiling with the same far away expression the other wears. Tommy feels like he probably shouldn't be watching.

"There." Quackity says finally, pointing to a line, "That's where your diamond is." 

Ah. The line of the poem about a diamond. Which was a line describing Sapnap. 

Tommy made no effort to hide his sigh. Quackity's just flirting with his husband. 

"He never read that part to us," Quackity muttered quietly, more to himself and Sapnap, but it is almost instantly so quiet in the room, Tommy's sure everyone heard it. He, rather unsubtly, tries to catch a glance of what Quackity is referring to.

Sapnap just grins, tilting his head so it rested lightly against Quackity's own, "He never needed to, did he?"

Both men were looking at the last line. Tommy didn't blame them, the line was a loaded one, that told of a love so unimaginably deep as the author watched the world burn with their beloveds. 

The writer of the poem evidently loved these men just as much as they loved each other. And it would seem they loved him just as deeply in return. 

"Who was 'he'?" Jack asks quietly, the first to break the silence that had settled as the researchers watch. 

Sapnap laughs softly, "Who wasn't he?" 

"Karl was an enigma," Quackity agrees, smiling brighter yet, "I'd never met anyone like him before. I've never met anyone like him since. He was a mad man, dragging us to closed off sections of the ship, to parties we had no place being. He threw that engagement ring into the Halo safe with a note saying 'Eat shit Schlatt'." 

He gestured to the ring and the other note. (An engagement ring. A note to Schlatt.)

"He's half the reason the necklace isn't in there anymore," Sapnap agrees, hands entwining around Quackity's arm. There's a glint in his eye that feels like a dare. 

And Tommy's never been one to say no to a dare.

"Tell us more." 

Chapter Text

Sapnap noticed Quackity hours before he was given the chance to get his name. Before then, he was just the beautiful man Sapnap would likely never get to talk to.

Pulling away from Southampton was a wondrous event. Sapnap could barely see his own feet, what with every open space on the ship covered in passengers, no matter their class, waving to the little people on the docks below. Everyone looked so happy.

Everyone, except the man over on the second class promenade.

Sapnap didn't notice him for a while, he'd be embarrassed to admit. In fact, Southampton had long since faded from view before he looked away from the horizon. 

There was nothing that should have drawn him to the man. He was on the other side of the barrier separating first and second class in a nice suit, with tidy hair and a clean face. He was undeniably moneyed. And... alluring.

"Sapnap, come and socialise before we reach Cherbourg."

There was something off about him, though. Sapnap couldn't put a finger on it, but the suit was just a little too big, his hair a little too fixed, his face just a little too long to appear content about being on the maiden voyage of the most magnificent ship in the world. He was a mystery. Intriguing. 

"Sapnap, you've been out here long enough." 

He wasn't looking at Sapnap, no, Sapnap would never be caught so openly staring at someone. He had wedged himself between the railing and a lifeboat - an unnecessary addition to the boat's look, in Sapnap's opinion, what with the ship's unsinkability - and was staring to sea with an expression that could only be described as morose. Sapnap wondered what the ocean had ever done to this man.

"Sapnap, come on now."

He was new money, Sapnap realised. That must be the reason he looked so out of place, avoiding the other promenading second class passengers. Sapnap could call out, give him some advice--

"Sapnap, you ignore me one more time--"

"Bad!" Sapnap whipped around, coming face to face with the older man, "When did you come back out? Here to admire the horizon again?" 

Bad sighed, rubbing his temples, "You will be the death of me one day. The ship will be pulling into France in an hour or so, you can come out to the boat deck and wave again then. Now though, is vital time for socialisation! Philza Minecraft and his boys are on board, you know." 

Sapnap refrained from groaning but moved to follow Bad inside. Before he left boat deck entirely though, he chanced a glance back to the second class passenger.

He was gone. 

The mysterious passenger didn't cross Sapnap's mind again for a good few hours. His time was filled with polite chatting, musings about the new world of America, and the people that filled the country.

It was sickeningly boring. 

Even dinner wasn't a respite from the mind-numbing conversations. Wilbur Soot and his wife, Sally Soot, were parading around their newborn baby while Bad talked business with Philza, and Technoblade sat off to the side, looking as if he would rather be in the Titanic's gym than at dinner. 

Sapnap could almost relate. But Technoblade wore his Olympic medal around his neck as if he were daring people to come over and talk to him about it. The Minecrafts were so predictable. 

At the first opportunity, Sapnap slipped away. It was laughably easy, honestly. With the room so full of socialites, all nattering to one another, simply walking out of the room was no feat. 

And once he was out, he ran. 

The night air was warm. The sky was bright with stars and the wind whistled around his ears the moment he threw open the door onto the promenade deck. As the ship sped along, Sapnap sauntered over to one of the support columns, listening to the roar of the engines and the crash of the waves below. 

A smile, wide and free and nothing like he would wear around the Minecrafts or the rest of the socialites onboard the Titanic, broke onto his face.

Gripping onto the railing, he leaned over the side and took a deep breath in. It stung his throat and lungs, and Sapnap could positively attest that he had never felt more alive. A cheer - loud and wild and buried deep in Sapnap's chest - forced itself out, floated around in the air for a second, then was picked up by the wind and flew away from him. Sapnap watched it go for a second before pushing back, spinning on his heel and setting course towards the stern. 

He wanted to make use of the Titanic's freedom for as long as possible. 

After some time spent artfully dodging other first class passengers who were using the time before bed to have a cigar or two (which consisted of Sapnap ducking below the windows of the smoke room - he could hear Wilbur from outside, going on about some passenger he'd taken a dislike to), Sapnap made it to the end of the promenade deck. He could see the third class promenade below him from here, empty at this time of night, but still well-lit by the rest of the boat. 

Although now he looked closer, there was one person. There, right at the very stern of the ship, was a man. He had his back to Sapnap and was looking down, but there was something strangely familiar about the look of him...

The second class passenger from earlier! 

Sapnap opened his mouth to call out, introduce himself, before he registered that something was wrong. The man was leaning just a little too far over the side, and his hands had far too tight a grip. He was swaying precariously and he was on the wrong side of the railing. 

Shit, he was on the wrong side of the railing. 

Vaulting over the gate, Sapnap flew down the stairs, making a conscious effort to stay light on his feet so as not to shock the passenger one slip away from a watery grave. 

The stern of the ship felt colder than the bow had been, although that could just be the panic settling itself around Sapnap's bones. Nonetheless, the water surely couldn't be any warmer, and the closer Sapnap got to the man, the less he knew what to say. A million thoughts ran through his mind all at once, all crashing together to create not one thought cohesive enough to actually be of any help. Sapnap had been trained to talk his entire life, with all his galas and social events. He just needed to say something without scaring the man, whilst comforting him, and soothing enough to get him back onto the right side of the railing, and preferably a little funny. Should be easy enough.

Instead, what tumbled out his mouth was something along the lines of, "This isn't the second class promenade," As he grabbed the passenger's hand.

The morose expression the passenger had been wearing earlier in the day was turned to Sapnap with such force, he almost stumbled back. He could see the passenger's features clearer now he was up close, the moles that were scattered across his face rivaling the stars in the sky. 

"Leave me alone, dickhead!" 

His eyes were dark, so dark that they looked black in the night. Sapnap almost forgot how to breathe.

"You're beautiful."

His hands were cold in Sapnap's. His grip was still so tight on the railing that Sapnap could feel his knuckles move. The man blinked.

"What the-- What the fuck?" He coughed, looking away from Sapnap again. Sapnap would have protested if the man hadn't carried on speaking, "Is that any way to speak to an engaged man?" 

Sapnap looked down, catching the glint of a gold band on the man's left ring finger. 

"If you really wanted to get married, would you be jumping off the Titanic?" 

The passenger didn't look back at Sapnap. Perhaps that hadn't been the right thing to say. Sapnap cleared his throat awkwardly, continuing.

"I'm Sapnap." 

The silence returned. Sapnap was about to inform the man that he'd drag him back onto the ship himself when he finally spoke again. 

"You don't look like much of a third class passenger yourself."

Sapnap laughed despite himself, feeling the man's grip loosen a little.

"Oh, no! I was just avoiding the other first class passengers and... saw you," He shrugged, although he wasn't certain the man felt it, still looking to the ocean, "I saw you earlier, on boat deck. I wanted to talk to you then, but then Bad dragged me away. You look new to your money, I thought I could help you- you know, give you some tips." 

"I'm not--" The man exhaled sharply, "I'm Quackity."

Sapnap sighed, a smile lighting up his face. 

"You know, even with your fiance, you're still beautiful." 

Quackity burst into a fit of chortles, Sapnap's grin widening further.

"What the fuck man? Are all of you lot like this?" 

"More or less," Sapnap laughed, "Not to float my own boat, but I've been told I'm one of the better ones." 

Quackity groaned under his breath, although it didn't seem to be directed at Sapnap. 

"This is the life I've signed up for, huh?" 

Sapnap tilted his head, frowning as he rolled the question over in hid head, "What does that mean?"

"I'm marrying one of you lot, once I touch down in New York. This," Quackity motioned his head towards the waves, "Was my out." 

"Look, if you jump, I'm jumping in too." 

"...He's a right dick too."

It took Sapnap a moment to realise Quackity was talking about his presumed fiance. He furrowed his brow, smoothing a thumb over Quackity's hand in what he hoped was a soothing motion.

"Why didn't you say no then?" 

"I couldn't say--" 

"Don't do it!"

That was a new voice. A new voice, that spooked Sapnap enough to squeeze the hand in his grip, that had loosened considerably in his time conversing with Quackity, and just as well. 

Quackity shrieked, his feet slipping from beneath him as he tilted forwards, falling towards to ocean below. Swinging precariously by the one hand in Sapnap's grasp, he looked up. The lights of the ship twinkled in his eyes as they started to glaze over, his face paling rapidly and his chest heaving haphazardly.

"Sapnap," He choked, "Sapnap, I don't want to die. Sapnap, please."

"I've got you!" Sapnap reassured, head whipping around to the new guy, who got Quackity in this mess. He was frozen in place, about 10 feet away, "Oi! Come and help!" 

The man snapped into action, dashing towards the two of them. He leant over the railing, grabbing Quackity's free hand. Sapnap watched as the ring glared in the light. 

It wasn't this new man's fault, Sapnap thought idly. It was the ring and whoever was attached to it. 

"On three, pull." Sapnap instructed, keeping his eyes on Quackity, "You're gonna be alright, Quackity." 

"Hurry up!" Quackity snapped.

"Okay, okay..!" Adjusting his grip one last time, Sapnap took a deep breath. Gym work, don't fail him now, "One, two, three!"

Quackity went up unevenly. Sapnap was obviously more of the muscle, but the other man guided Quackity onto deck and sat him down on one of the wooden benches, spewing a hundred words a minute as he went. Sapnap just ended up following behind once he let go of Quackity's hand, awkwardly making sure he didn't run back to the stern again.

"Again, I'm really sorry. I just saw you from the, the boat deck and I couldn't leave you there. I was down as quick as possible, but it was just as well that this Sapnap fella was here already, or you would have gone in, yeah?" 

Taking a seat beside Quackity, Sapnap looked up at the man. His hair blew wildly in the wind, but looked soft to the touch. The sun had bleached the tips blond compared to the brunet of his roots, and his hands flew about as he talked. 

Sapnap promises that it's not like him to fall so easily for people usually. 

But this man had just helped save Quackity's life! It would have almost been a dishonour not to take one of his hands as it whizzed by Sapnap's head, pausing his rambling. 

"Who are you?" He breathed, "What family?" 

A completely normal question. A way to identify a man and keep in touch, should needs be. But the stranger paled considerably as if he had just been the one to tumble off the side of the Titanic, and began blabbering words Sapnap wasn't sure made sentences together. 

Before Sapnap could stop him, he'd pulled his hand free and was already half way towards the heart of the ship, turning a corner, and disappearing from sight. Sapnap frowned, eyes straying from one mysterious passenger to another - the one named Quackity and sitting beside him. He too was looking where the passenger had vanished.

"Are you alright?" Sapnap took Quackity's hand again. It was still cold. 

"I'm better," Quackity conceded, eyes trailing to their joined hands. 

"I'll," Sapnap floundered for a moment, "I'll walk you back to your room. No offence, but..."

Quackity snorted, rolling his eyes and standing up, "Yeah, yeah, you don't trust I won't slip and fall into the ocean again." A pause, where he looked down at Sapnap, still sat on the bench. Eventually, he tugged on their conjoined hands, "You can escort me back to my room."

The walk was in relative silence, the two of them listening to the machinery of the ship whir below them as they walked. Most passengers were asleep by now, so Sapnap avoided the misfortune of running into any socialites that might stop him.

Quackity was on D deck, in a room "fit for two but just for me", as was explained. Both men paused outside the door, unsure of how to depart for the night. Sapnap cleared his throat, Quackity glanced at the doorknob. 

"If you need anything, throughout the rest of the voyage, I'll be here." Sapnap settled on eventually, clasping his hands behind his back.

"Um, yeah. Thanks." Quackity smiled, a short, closed-lipped thing, before turning towards the door. 

"Can I invite you to dinner? Tomorrow night," Sapnap rushed out before he could think about it, "It will be good for your, erm, upcoming marriage to 'one of us'."

Quackity turned back, an unreadable expression on his face. It was better than the morose one, Sapnap supposed. 

"Sure," Quackity nodded slowly, as if he were still weighing the negatives and positives in his mind, "I'll see you tomorrow, Sapnap." 

"I'll see you tomorrow, Quackity. Have a good night!" 

Chapter Text

D-56. That was Quackity's room number.

It was the first thing Sapnap thought of when he woke up. It was the only thing on his mind as he got up and changed. It stayed in the corner of his mind as he checked out the gym, and as he avoided Bad and the other first class passengers as the sun rose higher above the horizon.

Gods, Sapnap hadn't even had breakfast and he couldn't think of anyone other than Quackity.

And that was how he found himself rocking back and fro on his heels after working up the nerve the give a sharp knock on the door of D-56.

He heard shuffling coming from inside the room before the door swung open minutely, a sliver of Quackity's face being lit up by the light of the hallway. He squinted at Sapnap for a moment, frowning.

"Sapnap?" He muttered, his voice rough with sleep, "What time is it?"

Sapnap scrambled for the pocket watch kept in his breast pocket, "It's 7:18. Did I wake you?"

Quackity rubbed his eyes, "Something like that."

"I was thinking that I could spend the day with you, maybe?" Sapnap looked away, "I know we're meeting up for dinner, but I..." He hadn't thought of an excuse.

"You're worried I'm gonna throw myself off the ship again?"

"Something like that."

Quackity smirked, slowly pulling the door open. He was still in his nightclothes.

"You can come in. You'll look like an idiot standing out here waiting."

"Oh, yeah, okay." Sapnap stepped forward as Quackity stepped back into the room.

It was a luxurious cabin, there was no doubt about it. Nothing on Sapnap's stateroom, obviously, but still nice. A bunk bed was fixed to the wall, with a bench fixed parallel, a mahogany wash station in between the two, and plenty of room to walk.

Sapnap whistled as he slid onto the bench, gazing around the room as Quackity started picking out clothes for the new day.

"This room would be first class on any other ship, you know."

"I think I overheard some other passenger saying that," Quackity smiled softly, "What does your room look like?"

"Bigger beds, themed rooms. Mine is based on Louis XVI decor! We've got chairs and tables, and I've got--" Sapnap faltered as Quackity began to strip out of his nightclothes, averting his eyes, "What are you doing?"

Quackity looked over his shoulder, "What? The closest bathroom is the communal toilet down the hall. I, frankly, can't be bothered to go all the way there. You're not too uncomfortable, are you?"

Sapnap cleared his throat unnecessarily, "No, no, not at all. You're okay with changing in front of me though, Mr Groom-To-Be?"

Although Sapnap was still looking away, he assumed Quackity rolled his eyes, turning back to his suit on the lower bunk, "I'm used to people seeing me in less, I don't mind."

"You're sure?"

Sapnap heard Quackity laugh, "I'm sure."

Sapnap looked up again as Quackity fastened his trousers. And because Sapnap had been taught to be respectable, he only stared at the man's back.

Well, despite the spacious room, there was nowhere else to look, really.

"You've got wings," He gasped.

Quackity stilled, if just for a moment, before resuming his task at hand. When he spoke, it was quiet.

"Yeah."

They weren't real wings. They were a tattoo, spreading from the tops of Quackity's shoulders where the arch of the wings curved, to the tips that curled around his waist, giving the illusion that they could have been real wings once but had been bound to his back for so long they had become a part of him. They were beautifully done.

"You look like..."

"An angel?" Quackity asked, still looking away.

"A duckling." Sapnap decided on, revelling in the surprised laugh he got in return.

"A duckling? Really?"

"Really." Sapnap reached out, then decided against it, with Quackity still looking away, "Can I touch them?"

"You're asking?" Quackity turned then, showing the tips of the wings that settled on his stomach. He took in Sapnap's partially outstretched hand, but looked the man in the face.

"Yes." Sapnap breathed.

"Well then..." Quackity closed his eyes, inhaling in preparation, "No."

It wasn't often that Sapnap was told 'no'. Even less by someone of a lower class than him. But he dropped his hand and nodded co-operatively, and Quackity, albeit slowly, took it as a sign that Sapnap would respect his wishes, and turned back to dressing himself.

As he pulled his shirt on and the wings disappeared from sight, he asked, "So what do you want to do today?"

Sapnap hummed, "I was thinking we could maybe look for the passenger who helped save you yesterday. He ran away before I could thank him."

And perhaps get to know him for more selfish reasons, his mind added, although Sapnap was quick to chase the thought out.

Quackity turned back to face Sapnap as he pulled his waistcoat on, fastening the buttons with a contemplative frown on his face. Nothing that made Sapnap worried that he'd refuse, but a small thing, only serving to highlight the soft roundness of his cheeks, marred only with the constellation of moles Sapnap had noticed in the dim light of last night.

His eyebrows raised a moment later, Quackity nodding as he picked up his jacket. Sapnap slapped his knees, standing with a grin.

"Where should we start?" Quackity asked as he offered his arm, something Sapnap was so used to doing that he jumped at the role reversal, near gripping Quackity's arm instead of the socially acceptable light entwine of arms.

"Second class promenade? He said he spotted you from boat deck, so it would make the most sense he was there."

They exhausted themselves by lunch. Sapnap promised to find Quackity after they ate, then departed, lamenting about some guy called Bad and the other upper class poshos.

Quackity watched him go with a soft smile, before trailing to the second class dining saloon, where he sat in the corner of the room and didn't make eye contact with anybody as he ate. He finished quickly, and supposed he had time for a smoke before he met up again with Sapnap.

The second class smoke room was on the bridge deck, with windows overlooking the stern of the ship. Gazing out, Quackity chewed on his cigarette as he took in the part of the ship he had so nearly lost his life last night. Where he'd so nearly escaped Schlatt.

He sighed, watching the smoke blow from his mouth then float above him as he tried to turn his thoughts elsewhere. Like, onto the mystery passenger.

After wandering around the second class promenade, Sapnap had pulled Quackity onto first class, with a mere smile of reassurance as they started to mingle with the upper class, but artfully dodged any conversation. There was a similar lack of luck there too, though, and there continued to be as they searched other first and second class spaces.

And with the unsuccessful hunt, brought thoughts of Sapnap. Sapnap, whose eyes lit up any time Quackity had something to say, and listened when Quackity spoke. Despite being of a higher class, higher than anybody Quackity felt he had the right to be talking to, he was easy to speak with.

Quackity had always prided himself on being able to talk to people. He couldn't have gotten into Schlatt's circle without his tongue and wit, and he was sure he heard a snake's hiss every time he opened his mouth, and everyone around Quackity knew so. He himself heard the same hiss in their voices.

Everyone he spoke to wanted something out of him. Everyone he spoke to had something he could, and would, get out of them.

But Sapnap spoke with him as if he just wanted conversation. As if he were the one that didn't deserve to be in Quackity's space, rather than the other way round. It was something Quackity wasn't used to.

It was sweet.

Quackity exhaled again, watching as the smoke blew onto the window before dissipating. The stern of the ship still stood on the other side.

At this time of day, it was full of third class passengers wanting to stretch their legs in the sun. Many were chatting amicably to others they had probably only just met, if Quackity remembered anything from his time before...

Before.

One woman laughed at a teen girl who was spinning around her, clapping her hands when the girl gave a bow. Another boy was hopping from bench to bench while another, of a similar age, chased after him with a stick.

And near the aft end of the stern, sitting in the bench Quackity had sat with Sapnap yesterday, was a man with a child, about the age of seven, both huddled over a book.

Snuffing out his cigarette on the window pane, Quackity was out of the room smoothly as a tornado, startling his fellow passengers as he crashed into tables in an effort to reach the door quicker. Some of the older men grumbled on his way, but Quackity couldn't be bothered to turn and issue them an apology as he flung the door open and began to run towards the stern.

Hopping over the barrier separating him from the third class passengers, Quackity continued his dash, eyes set on the brunet haired man on the aft bench.

He was creating a commotion and he knew it. A few men yelled at him, but, like in the smoke room, Quackity ignored them. The passenger, being so far away, didn't notice.

He didn't notice, in fact, until Quackity skidded to a halt in front of him - and even then it was the boy he was sharing a book with that tugged on the man's sleeve to alert him of Quackity's presence. He seemed entangled in the words, which was some accomplishment, what with how much Quackity was heaving in air after the short run.

"You," He managed, pointing a finger directly at the man's forehead. 

Quackity had never seen eyes so emotive. They were light hazel - almost yellow - a fact he'd missed being swept up by the man yesterday, and they flashed with confusion, swift recognition, then fear.

It was refreshing, Quackity thought, to see someone wear their heart so freely on their sleeve. It was so uncommon for him nowadays. Even Sapnap wasn't easily readable, with years of conditioning to mask any emotion deemed inordinate.

"Me," The man said meekly. He never took his eyes off his Quackity, but pushed the book into the kid's hand, pushing him off the bench.

Quackity watched the kid go, who ran up to the woman who'd been entertaining the teen girl earlier. His mother, Quackity presumed. 

"I really am sorry," The man before him sputtered, raising his hands in a somewhat lazy acquisition of guilt, although he seemed genuine. His eyes quickly lowered once Quackity turned back to him. Were he a worse man (and he was, but he couldn't bring himself to be so around this new man who was genuinely afraid of him) Quackity would have revelled in the power a little longer.

"What's your name?"

So maybe that was a lie. Quackity had already admitted he wasn't a good person, and he relished - just a little - in how the man stiffened as he had last night, but with no way out this time, he was forced to give in.

"Karl, sir."

"And that kid, is he your son?"

A startled laugh rattled out of the man, Karl, before he seemed to remember what position he was in and shook his head so fast his curls audibly smacked against his face.

"No, no, sir. They're just a kid I met yesterday. I was teaching them to read."

He could read. Interesting.

"You know, me and Sapnap - that's the other guy from last night - have been looking for you all today," Quackity bowed a little closer to Karl, although he had to back up almost immediately as Karl stood, looking every bit like the escapee from yesterday.

But Quackity had been anticipating something of a repeat, and his hand caught Karl's wrist before he could dash off again. Karl looked at his hand, conflicted for a second, before Quackity sat on the bench, planting himself firmly and with no escape for Karl. He sighed, but sat down too.

"I guess we've been looking in the wrong places all day," Quackity mused. Karl managed a soft laugh, refusing to look at Quackity.

"Unfortunately so, sir."

"Please, call me Quackity," Only then did Karl look into Quackity's eyes again, confusion palpable. Quackity grinned, dropping the pretense that he knew Karl had been so afraid of, "After all, I skipped a few barriers to get here."

An actual, full chest laugh was drawn out of Karl then, blinking at Quackity as if some illusion had slipped away from him in the moment.

"Life isn't any fun without skipping a few," He conceded as his laughs died down.

"Yeah, you get it!" Quackity encouraged, "You get to meet some interesting characters on both sides."

Karl, none too subtly, flicked his eyes down at his wrist, which was still captured by Quackity's hand, "You sure do."

Ah, who cares, Quackity was already in at the deep end.

"Sapnap invited me to dinner tonight," He didn't let his hand slip to Karl's, but his thumb involuntarily twitched, "I don't think he would be opposed to me bringing a plus one."

Quackity watched as Karl's face morphed from a soft smile to one of total shock, mouth falling open as he processed Quackity's request. The wind seemed to steal any words he had, but Quackity's hand stayed resolutely on his wrist as he waited.

Finally, Karl managed to utter, "Why me?"

"You saved my life yesterday."

"I did the opposite, actually."

Quackity rolled his eyes, "Shut up. You did. And I'm repaying the favour here," He stood, dropping Karl's hand slowly, "Sapnap and I want to thank you. That's why we were looking for you."

Karl's eyes swirled for a second with an emotion Quackity couldn't exactly decode, before it was washed away with a thankful smile. He nodded slowly.

"That might be nice."

"Great!" Quackity nodded towards midship, and for the first time he noticed how most of the third class passengers had moved away from the far aft to avoid him, "I'll go and find Sapnap, tell him to book another seat. It was lovely to meet you, Karl."

"A delight meeting you too, Quackity," Karl beamed, "Thank you for giving me the opportunity."

"Please, you make it sound like a business deal." Quackity grimaced for a moment, then shook his head and smiled again, "I'll see you at 7. At the grand staircase. Don't be late!"

Chapter Text

Karl had good clothes, sure he did. He made them himself, so they had to be good.

It's just, he was the only one who thought they were that good. Karl bartered with the women in town squares to get the boldest fabrics with the brightest patterns, and while he loved them with all his heart, most people he came across complained about the eyesore that was his fashion sense.

He frowned down at his bed, where he'd laid out his best clothes.

His shirt was a purple silk, something he was insanely proud to own - he'd spent a pretty penny on it, and even though he'd had to sleep under a bridge for the next month while he'd sewn it with a dull needle and old thread, he had no regret in buying it. His trousers were a maroon corduroy, a similar enough colour to the shirt that no-one complained when he wore them together. His waistcoat was an copen blue wool, and his jacket was tweed, a mixture of green and pink and blue.

Surely this would be good enough for first class dining, he reasoned as he started to pull the shirt on. The villages he travelled around didn't exactly have the upper class making conversation with the commoners, so it wasn't like he knew what they wore to dinner. For all he knew, he could turn up to the women wearing the suits and the men wearing the skirts.

As he fastened the last few buttons of his jacket, he was startled by a knocking on the door. It couldn't be any of his roommates, because they would just walk in, and it couldn't be the mother and the child he'd met yesterday, because he'd be able to hear them talking from the other side of the door if it were.

Cautiously pulling his door open, he came face to face with a valet, looking all too out of place in the hall with its wooden planks for floors and whitewashed walls.

"Yes?" Karl asked, wondering if the man had gotten lost.

"Your presence has been requested by Philza Minecraft, sir."

'Sir'? "Are you sure you've got the right cabin?" Karl floundered.

"Quite, sir."

Karl, with no response readily available at the tip of his tongue - which felt weird - stepped out of his room and began to follow the valet. As they went, Karl wracked his brain for any reason that Philza Minecraft would want to speak with him. Admittedly, he didn't know much about the man, just bits and pieces from Karl's reading about the American Civil War and the company the Minecraft's ran. The man and his family couldn't be more rich if they married into the monarchy, there was no reason that he should even know who Karl was.

The walk to the stateroom was in silence. Karl was too lost in his mind, and the valet didn't want to talk to him, so by the time they made it to the room, reaching towards the midship's fore of C Deck, it was a respite that Philza answered the knock on his door.

"Thank you, Henry," The skin around his eyes crinkled as he smiled, "You're dismissed."

The valet bowed before turning on his heel and walking down the tiled hall. Karl didn't watch him go, not taking his eyes off Philza.

Meaning, he saw the exact moment that the man took at good look at him and the smile dropped.

"What are you wearing?"

"Um," Karl looked down, feeling a little self conscious, "My best clothes, sir."

Philza laughed, something incredulous but not mocking, before guiding Karl into the stateroom. It was lavish, with polished mahogany walls, the wood paneling covering the white painted plating of the ship that Karl was getting used to staring at in his room, and a deep green carpet to compliment the deep wine red covers on the furniture in the room.

Philza stopped in front of the room's fireplace, where a mirror hung above the mantle. His eyes barely reached past it's ornate gilded frame, and although Karl could see his own face's reflection easily, he felt very small as Philza looked him up and down.

"Do you even know what you're about to walk into?" He asked as Karl tried to shy away from his stare.

Karl laughed, although it wasn't the same one that had slipped out when he had been with Quackity earlier, "Not really, no, sir."

Philza tutted and Karl did his best to not seem too fazed by it before the man turned to walk towards a wardrobe. Running a hand through his hair, Karl looked back at his reflection. Had he always had that scratch below his chin?

"I can smell you nerves from here, you know," A new voice said as a door opened, and Karl jumped so harshly he knocked his elbow on the mantelpiece. The new voice chuckled while he rubbed his wound and looked around.

A man stood at the door that had just been opened, presumably to the stateroom's en suite, leaning against the door frame. He was adorned in the same three piece as Philza, but wore no tie opposed to the older man's white one. His hair was a strawberry blond, although his beard was a dark brown, and he had the look of someone entertaining the slowest talker in the world.

"What are you wearing?"

Karl fought off a frown at the repeated question, but Philza just laughed, "I said exactly the same thing Techno!"

"What's wrong with my clothes?" Karl asked before remembering that he was in the presence of some of the richest passengers of the ship and biting his tongue.

Techno side eyed Karl but Philza, adversely, took it in stride as he turned back towards Karl with a suit draped over his arm, black and white just like his and Techno's. He wore a tolerant grin, waving his hand in Karl's direction.

"Well, they're a little... zany aren't they?" Karl looked down at himself. He knew they were, of course, that's why he liked them, "They make you stand out a little too much."

"You'll want to blend in tonight, if you want to survive." Techno said ominously and Karl gulped, feeling pinned into place by his stare, "All the socialites know each other on this ship already. You're a day late. You're a whole life late, really."

"Mate." Techno dropped Karl's gaze at Philza's warning tone, "Stop it."

There was an awkward silence for a moment before Techno pushed off the door frame, not giving Karl another glance before walking towards the door to the corridor.

"Those aren't my clothes are they?"

"Karl wouldn't fit in your clothes. They're Wilbur's."

"Good," And with that the door shut, leaving Philza and Karl alone again.

Philza crossed the space, handing the clothes over to Karl. He knew that he should probably go get changed, but he remained stood in front of the fire place as he stared at the starched collar of the dress shirt in his arms.

He'd snuck onto boat deck because there was nothing stopping him, other than a few signs. He'd seen Quackity and rushed to help him because he couldn't in his right mind watch someone jump to their death. He'd agreed to dinner because Quackity seemed to genuinely want to thank him.

He hadn't done any of it to deal with first class passengers that thought they were inherently better than him for their stuck up rules on etiquette and whatever they had to say about his fashion.

Philza noticed his lack of movement and pressed a hand to Karl's arm. Karl noticed his eyes were crystal blue.

"Don't mind what Techno says, mate," He said gently, and only in that moment did Karl pick up on the Phil's accent. It was northern - it was common.

"You..."

"I was about your age when I traveled to America for the first time," Philza laid a hand over Karl's, "You won't feel in place. You just need to pretend that you do. Can you do that?"

Karl looked back to the door Techno had just walked out of, resolve hardening in his chest. Phil smiled.

"Ignore what everyone else says. Go out there and own the floor you walk on." Karl nodded and Phil pat his arm and chuckled, "I mean, just look at Quackity. You'll be fine."

Philza left the room before Karl finished changing, leaving him with the gorgeous room to himself. If Karl were a worse man, he'd use the time to nick what he could, and although the thought did cross his mind for a moment as he looked around the extravagant and empty room, he shook it away immediately. He typically only stole what he needed, and well, there wasn't anything in this room he would ever have a use for, everything so pretentious and perfect. Besides, if it wasn't something he could sweet talk himself into having, it probably wasn't worth it.

And the culprit would pretty clearly be him if anything did go missing, and Karl would prefer to not to be handcuffed to a pole in the boiler rooms of the ship, or whatever criminals were faced with here.

The mirror sat directly opposite the bed, and Karl felt no guilt jumping up onto the satin quilt to check himself out. He wasn't wearing his shoes, so the Minecraft's shouldn't be too mad, if ever they found out.

Karl faltered as he saw himself. He rarely wore black and white, for the simple fact that it didn't look good on him. He'd be lying now if he said he looked bad, with the suit fitting him exceptionally - for although Karl made his own clothes, they couldn't get the title of 'tailor made' - but he realised something about the borrowed clothes. There was something incredibly lacking about them.

They lacked any personality. The suit was a carbon copy of Philza and Techno's. They made Karl look plain.

Still, Karl supposed, he only had to wear them for tonight. Gods, if Ranboo saw him like this, he probably wouldn't recognise Karl.

He laughed at the thought as he hopped off the bed to find his socks. Unlike the suit, Philza hadn't given him a different pair, and Karl grinned at the odd socks he'd left tucked in his scuffed shoes.

A little personality never killed anyone.

He arrived at the grand staircase ten minutes before seven, and although he felt wildly out of place, nobody bat an eyelid at the young gentleman stood next to the magnificent banister. There was no sign of Quackity or Sapnap yet; although Karl didn't think he'd be able to recognise Sapnap immediately after only spending a few seconds with him in the dark yesterday. The minutes ticked by slowly. Karl eventually resolved to just hold his hands behind his back to refrain from messing with them while he waited.

Karl didn't think he would have been called to Philza's room without the beck of either Sapnap or Quackity though, so he didn't feel nervous about the whole thing being a prank, because honestly, who invites a third class passenger to first class dinner on the world's most luxurious liner?

The clock struck seven. The two of them hadn't arrived. Karl began to get lost in his head.

He definitely wasn't late, like Quackity had instructed him not to be. The clock in the middle of the staircase confirmed so, and Karl had pretty good time keeping anyway.

...What if it was a prank, though? Karl really hadn't done much to deserve thanking, he'd actually put Quackity closer to death than intended. He wasn't really all that useful in helping the other man back onto the ship either, because Sapnap had been so much stronger and all Karl had done was run his mouth then run off because he didn't want to spend the rest of the voyage handcuffed to a pole in the boiler room.

What if Philza was in on the prank, and had lent the suit just to mess with Karl's head? Yeah, Karl could see that happening. Gods, they were probably all laughing at him right now. He was so--

"Karl! You made it!"

Quackity stood before him, a broad - a genuine - smile on his face. Another man, with short black hair, stood behind him with the same smile. Sapnap, it clicked in Karl's brain after a second.

"I don't think I could of refused, you were very insistent. Practically leaped on me."

Karl watched in cautious amusement as Quackity sputtered for a second before regaining composure, "I did not."

Karl turned his attention to Sapnap, who was still watching him, "He did."

"Sapnap, I didn't. I asked him like a gentleman!"

"He jumped over the barrier and ran at me."

"You didn't even notice I was there."

Sapnap laughed heartily, "You're not denying it though."

Quackity rolled his eyes, scoffing, but Karl could tell he wasn't genuinely annoyed. He enjoyed the dramatics for a moment before Sapnap cleared his throat.

"I don't believe we've formally met yet," He said, offering a hand out.

"Ah, of course," Karl bowed, kissing the hand's knuckles, "I'm Karl, sir."

Sapnap's face, which had been the most passive of the three so far, burst into flames. From his hairline to where his neck met the collar of his shirt, a rosy blush tainted the skin, and Sapnap looked away as soon as Karl met his eyes.

"Call me Sapnap, please."

Oh. Karl thought, delighted. He could work with this.

"You don't typically kiss the men's hands," Quackity hummed lowly as Karl rose, and Karl got a feeling that if he'd already started breaking a few social taboos tonight, there was no reason to stop now.

"Well, where's the fun in that?" He giggled, "Do you want me to kiss your hand too?"

Quackity didn't have any outward reaction like Sapnap had, but did stick his hand out wordlessly. With great amusement Karl took it, leaning down to acquaint lips to knuckles. He could definitely work with this.

"We should get going," Quackity said as Karl straightened again, but Karl noticed the way his eyes avoided Karl's, like Sapnap's had.

"Right. I'm starving!"

Karl was a likeable guy. He was chatty, and if people entertained him, he'd talk their ear off with tall tales and wild stories that usually got him into their good books. And he knew, obviously, that he was good looking, but rarely was he good enough to fascinate the upper class.

Following behind Sapnap and Quackity, Karl looked at the tiled floor, so unlike the wood in the lower decks. The chandeliers' light above glinted on the flooring, but didn't quite reach Karl's shoes, matte brown as they were. Navy blue and orange socks peaked out from underneath his trousers.

He just needed to survive tonight, he repeated in his head. He could fake it until then.

The air in the saloon was warmer than he'd expected. People smiled politely to one another, trading compliments while they awaited their food. It was much more held together than anything Karl had ever experienced.

Sapnap guided them towards a circular table where a group of people were already sat, Philza and Techno included. He sat next to a man with the same jet black hair as Sapnap's, and Quackity sat next to a woman with fiery red hair, leaving Karl to sit between them. He smiled at Philza, bowing his head in a silent thank you, one Philza returned with a light smile.

They'd arrived just in time, apparently, as starters were passed around the table as soon as they were sat. It was a soup, although it took Karl a minute - and Quackity's subtle pointing - for him to work out which spoon to pick up and begin to eat.

"Sapnap, are you going to introduce us to your new friends?" The man next to Sapnap asked.

"Introductions!" Sapnap repeated emphatically, "Everyone, this is Karl and Quackity," Karl raised his hand in a wave as he shuffled in his seat, which didn't wobble or creak as he moved. Quackity nodded in greeting beside him. Sapnap began to point around the circle, starting with the man to his left, "Karl and Quackity, this is Bad Halo, Philza Minecraft, Technoblade Minecraft, Wilbur Soot, little Fundy Soot, and Sally Soot."

"It's a pleasure to meet you both," Sally hummed before her attention was turned back to her baby, babbling to himself.

"The pleasure is ours, I assure you," Karl returned to the table.

Wilbur smiled genially, "Of course! We've heard from Sapnap your bravery last night, we wouldn't want our dear Quackity to have met an all too soon watery grave. I'd miss him greatly."

"Do you know each other?" Sapnap asked.

Quackity stayed suspiciously silent, sipping his soup and avoiding eye contact. Wilbur though, took the first chance he could to answer.

"Quackity and I go way back! Even before he--"

"Wilbur." Quackity's spoon was set down into his bowl slowly, but Karl could see the minute shake to his hands.

"What? I was just going to say before you got on the Titanic," Wilbur waved him off dismissively, although there was something about his tone that implied he wasn't done, "And why were you on the third class promenade at that time of night? Were you m--"

"The stern of a ship is breathtaking, especially at night," Karl interrupted, "The wind in your hair, the stars spread out above, the sky connecting with the sea as if you yourself have entered the night and landed on the moon, alone. It's quiet, far from the midship where there are people mingling below your feet, no, you are completely alone, just the sea below you. It's an adventure, something that takes commendable bravery, although I'm not sure you wo- Ah, thank you."

The waiters had arrived with the main course, placing them in front of the passengers on the table. Karl's mouth watered at the medium rare steak before him, adorned with decorative onions and potatoes. When he looked back up, the table was staring at him.

"What?"

Sapnap was obviously trying to hide his mirth, while Quackity stared at Karl with his jaw clenched as if he were desperately attempting to not copy the agape expression of everyone else on the table.

Bad looked away first, turning towards Philza with a half strained look, "You were telling us about Technoblade's Olympic trials?"

"Oh, yes," Philza nodded, beginning a tale of how Athens had been in the winter, and the get together he had managed to rope himself into with the fencing judges that had gotten a little out of hand with a little too much wine.

The evening dragged on slowly, with Sally leaving first with Fundy in her arms, claiming an early night for the baby. Before Bad and Philza had the chance to leave and drift to the smoke room, leaving Technoblade and Wilbur at the table, Sapnap stood, offering his arms to both Karl and Quackity.

"Would you two do me the honour of taking a walk before retiring to bed?"

"I couldn't say no to that," Karl laughed, taking his arm.

Quackity didn't say anything, keeping his eyes on Sapnap as he stood and took the other arm. Karl could feel the poorly-hidden stares from the rest of the table, but ignored them as he practically dragged Sapnap and Quackity out of the room.

It was only once the door swung shut behind the three of them that Karl was able to realise the warm atmosphere he'd felt entering the room had become stifling throughout the meal, and the deep breath he took in the cool air was as if he were breathing for the first time after being choked.

Once they were far enough away from the saloon for the stream of first class passengers to turn to a drip, Quackity slumped against a wall, his forehead pressed to the cold metal, "Fucking hell," He muttered.

"You're telling me," Karl groaned, doubling over with his hands on his knees, "I never want to wear a stuck up suit or be around so many stuck up people again."

Sapnap rubbed his neck awkwardly, glancing between the two of them, "I'm sorry. I didn't realise..."

He didn't say they are never like that, or I didn't know they'd act like that, and Karl saw how Quackity grimaced as he looked in Sapnap's direction. The evening needed brightening and they all knew it.

"It's okay, it's the thought that counts, right?" Karl sprung right back up again, holding his hands out in the direction of both men, "Now, I believe you offered us a mosey around the ship before bed?"

Sapnap brightened at the mention, grabbing Karl's hand a split second before Quackity silently took his offer as well. Karl beamed, pulling them forward.

They ended up on the first class promenade, empty now with most passengers still in the dining saloon or smoking. Quackity broke away from Karl's hold first, ambling towards the barrier overlooking the sea, simply staring out.

Still holding Sapnap's hand, Karl followed behind, situating himself to Quackity's left as he looked out.

"You were right," Quackity said quietly.

"Hm?"

"The sky does connect to the sea in the dark," Quackity continued, "I can't tell where the sky ends and the sea starts."

"Oh, yeah," Karl tilted his head to the side, staring at the horizon. If he squinted hard enough, he could see the faint black line, but that wasn't important, "I guess I've just been on enough ships to notice."

"All of the second class deck is covered in lifeboats, you don't pay for the ocean view."

"Bah," Sapnap scoffed, "They're pointless too. Who puts lifeboats on an unsinkable ship?"

"'Designed to be unsinkable'," Karl corrected, but the other two just blinked at him, "By all accounts, the ship could still sink. The Titanic is designed to stay afloat through some bad collisions, but it's always nice to have the lifeboats, just in case of a proper emergency. Like, Captain Smith is a well traversed man- he would make sure that lifeboats are only used in dire situations."

"Ah, don't say it like that," Quackity grumbled, "You're making it sound like a bad omen."

"It'll be fine," Sapnap stressed, leaning over the barrier to get a better look at Quackity, "'Designed to be unsinkable' sounds like a pretty decent bet to me."

Quackity rolled his eyes, a smile on his face, then yawned, stretching and shivering as a gust of wind passed around him. Karl took his hand again, and because Quackity didn't complain, began pulling him back towards the exit.

"I think it's bedtime for the tired passenger," He quipped as they made it inside, "Don't worry sir, I shall escort you back to your room." 

Quackity snorted, "Don't say it like that."

"I shall confabulate how I like, good man!"

"Shut up!"

Sapnap snickered, running a hand down his face as he watched the two.

The walk to Quackity's room was full of chatter between the three, and once they made it to D-56 another ten minutes was spent outside before Quackity yawned again and Karl pushed him inside, demanding he got a good night's sleep. Quackity only rolled his eyes in response, but bid the two of them goodnight and shut the door, leaving an empty hallway to Sapnap and Karl, hand in hand.

"Could I offer to walk the good gentlemen back to his room as well?" Sapnap asked, swinging their conjoined hands together.

"'The good gentleman'," Karl parroted back, but smiled softly as he began to walk towards the second class staircase, "Why, so you can get my room address? You need not be so sneaky, you poor spy, I'd give it to you in a heartbeat. Although, I do warn you that there are three other men sharing the room with me."

Sapnap barked a laugh, "You're in the bow of the ship? If I remember correctly, the space is for single men."

"Well, there are a few families on the lower decks, but generally, yep!" Karl snickered, sticking his face close to Sapnap's profile, "But why do you know that? Were you researching beforehand to find a third class man to adore for the voyage?"

"A good magician never reveals his secrets," Sapnap joked as they descended the stairs. Their footfalls echoed on the white walls.

Karl pushed the door open onto E deck, a long corridor ahead of him. He took a deep breath, gladly accepting the tang of salt in the air.

"Ah, Scotland Road," He exhaled, starting down the passageway.

"This corridor is a road?"

"Not really," Karl giggled, "It's named after a Liverpudlian street. Come on, we've got to be quiet now. A lot of the crews room's are down this stretch, I wouldn't want to disturb them."

"Wow, so generous," Karl wasn't looking at Sapnap, but he was pretty sure he'd rolled his eyes.

"Excuse you, I am lovely."

"You sure are."

Karl glanced at Sapnap, finding him staring. Oh, Sapnap was already down bad. And Karl hadn't even done anything! Maybe Sapnap had been looking for a third class man to woo on his way to New York. And that worked out, because Karl had been looking for anyone, really, to woo on the world's largest ocean liner.

Sapnap seemed to realise he'd been caught staring and looked ahead, clearing his throat. Karl though, had different plans, tugging him closer and setting his head on Sapnap's shoulder. They walked the rest of the way in silence.

In front of Karl's cabin door, the two came face to face. Sapnap's hand had become sweaty in Karl's palm, but he didn't care.

"I'll see you tomorrow," He whispered, and if Sapnap asked, Karl would have said it was because his roommates were sleeping just behind him, but it had the intended effect. Sapnap looked down at their still joined hands.

"How many times have you done this before?"

Karl's lips tugged up in a smirk, eyes flashing as he murmured, "Depends what you mean by 'this'..."

Sapnap, to Karl's surprise, was the one who pushed up to peck his lips. It lasted less than a second, and Karl didn't even have time to close his eyes and enjoy it before Sapnap pulled away, cheeks a flattering red.

He swung the conjoined hands again, eyebrows pinched in a way that could only look troubled, and for a moment, Karl thought there was something wrong. Before he could ask though, Sapnap was talking again.

"I like Quackity too."

Oh.

"Oh!" Karl blinked, before a grin broke onto his face, "I like him too!"

Sapnap looked unsure still, his eyes flicking between Karl's, trying to read him.

"We can find him tomorrow, if you want." Karl continued.

"I'd like that..."

"I like you," Karl stole another kiss, relishing in the surprised look on Sapnap's face after he comes back up, "And I like Quackity." Another kiss, "We'll sort it out all out tomorrow."

"Tomorrow," Sapnap agreed, taking Karl's face in his hand and guiding him down for a final, longer kiss, one that both were prepared for this time.

"Tomorrow," Karl breathed.

Sapnap eventually left, allowing Karl to slip into his room and get ready for bed as quick as possible. Gods, tomorrow couldn't come fast enough.

Chapter Text

Quackity lay in his room, staring at the bunk above him. Although no-one else shared the room with him, the mattress sagged through the slats under the weight of his bags. The same thing he always did. 

Schlatt always told him to hang up his clothes when they travelled together. Quackity found it pointless to take out clothes just to pack them up again in a few days, but he did as Schlatt said. 

But Schlatt wasn't on the Titanic. Schlatt was in New York, probably conning his way into getting more votes by visiting Ellis Island or something. He wouldn't stink of alcohol at this time of day. 

Quackity had always wanted a fairy tale romance. To be fair to himself, the stories his mother told him always had a working girl as the protagonist, who one day ran into a prince who saw her kindness and good will and swept her off her feet and was devoted to her and only her. 

He knew the stories weren't real. He saw the glassy look in his mother's eyes when she thought he wasn't looking. And his mother was the kindest and most benevolent woman, and no prince came and rescued them when they most needed it. 

So Quackity learnt the art of being backhanded. He stole, he lied, he let himself be used, and he used people. And it worked. 

He couldn't save his mother, but he saved himself. 

Quackity was selfish, but he met his prince through his selfishness. 

The prince wasn't all that devoted, and never really swept Quackity off his feet like his mother always told, but he was just as dirty as Quackity was. He was the prince Quackity deserved. 

Schlatt obviously saw it too. The voter fraud trick was one Quackity suggested. He negotiated the bribes in Schlatt's place. Quackity was the one who made his way into other politicians' houses to find blackmail.

He was... somewhat indifferent to it now. 

He'd had a chance to redefine himself, and where had it got him? In Schlatt's pocket with a Wilbur Soot shaped blob always following behind him. If getting on the Titanic hadn't reminded him well enough, last night had. 

He had been so sure that getting money would solve his problems when he was young. For a time it had, when he could put food on the table and keep the roof securely over his head. Then Quackity got greedy.

And high society wasn't all it was cracked up to be, was it? Even after Quackity got past the fact that everyone was probably inbred and were as oily as sardines, it still took him years to master the art of burying his heart as deep in his chest as he could and picking his words and lilt of voice just right before he came across Schlatt and all his money. 

Quackity felt sick. He'd never been happy, and he didn't deserve happiness anymore. 

But... he'd been euphoric spending time with Sapnap and Karl. He held his nerve around them, and he was as untroubled in their company as he had been for a while. They both reminded him of himself, and while that would usually be a bright red flag waving itself in figure of eights on loop in his mind, they managed to be better than alright. 

There was no denying that he was already attracted to them. 

It was a weird feeling, liking someone for more than just what they could offer him, and them entertaining him back without an expectation. 

Which is exactly why it couldn't last. 

Schlatt would be at the docks in New York, waiting for Quackity with a big slimy smile on his face that had too many teeth to be real, but the press would eat it up anyway. No amount of time spent with Sapnap or Karl would detract from the anguish he'd feel going back into Schlatt's arms.

So Quackity sighed again, pushing himself out of bed and began to search for clothes. 

He was going to jump, and he was going to jump today.

"The... quick brown fox jumped over the slow lazy dog."

"Well done, Ranboo!" Karl commended, clapping his hands at the five year old kid. He looked about seven, with his height, but the way Ranboo looked up from the notebook, the small smile growing on his face showed of his childish naivety. 

"Did I say it right?" 

"You got it perfect! And that sentence has all the letters of the alphabet in it, so you can basically read all the letters now." 

"Really?!" 

"Really." Karl ruffled Ranboo's hair, which whipped around in the wind as they sat together on third class promenade, in the same bench as yesterday when Quackity had run up to them. 

Karl hadn't seen Quackity yet today. He hadn't seen Sapnap either, and as much as he loved the jaunt to his room and any kisses that followed, both had neglected to plan any time to meet up again. 

Karl assumed Sapnap would find Quackity first then come and find Karl like yesterday, but this time they knew not to look in first and second class spaces. As much as Karl liked to think he could, he couldn't sweet talk his way into sneaking into those spaces since he'd given Philza's clothes back when he'd woken up. 

Although Karl would adore to see the second class library, he was pretty sure the two would have to stoop down to a third class life if they wanted to continue to meet up with him. Karl just hopes Sapnap won't refuse. 

Quackity seemed like a tougher cookie to crack. Although he had ran across third class promenade yesterday, he'd run straight off again, and he didn't seem like the type of person to want to associate with a lower class other than on his own terms. 

Karl could probably convince him.

Quackity was like a book locked shut in a restricted part of a library. Karl wanted desperately to see him open up, wanted to read him, discover his quirks, what made him smile, ask why he'd locked his heart away. He was a book Karl shouldn't have access too but hoped to worm far enough into Quackity's heart to get the key before the voyage was over. 

Sapnap, on the other hand, had practically threw his heart at Karl from the moment they had properly met last night. Karl didn't think that's what the upper class usually did when meeting a new person, and he didn't think it was all that common to kiss new people goodnight either. 

Sapnap was like a fine wine, Karl decided. He was dizzying and warm and Karl didn't get to drink nicee alcohol often, but he knew to savour it when he had it. He couldn't drain this cup though, not until New York swallowed Karl's life and a new adventure began. What would Sapnap do when they reached America, Karl wondered. What life drew Quackity to New York? 

"Karl?" 

Karl blinked, looking down at Ranboo, who was looking up with a pout. 

"Were you even listening?" He whined.

"I'm sorry! I got distracted." Ranboo rolled his eyes, "You know that guy who ran over here yesterday? He invited me to a first class dinner."

Karl expected Ranboo to be interested in the food. Ranboo was pretty content with the cabin biscuits and fresh bread they were given at supper time, but Karl was under no pretense that Ranboo believed the first class would eat the same as them. 

"My mom says that you 'like him'." Ranboo said instead.

Karl choked on his spit. 

"Did she?" 

"What does that even mean?" 

"What, liking someone?" 

"Well, I mean... what does it feel like with him?" 

Karl lightly thwacked Ranboo with a grin, "Who said I actually do like him, huh?" 

"My mom!" Ranboo giggled in a way only a child could.

"Doesn't mean it's true though!" Karl exclaimed, draping a hand over his head dramatically. 

"Well, is it true?" 

Karl grinned, glancing out of the side of his eye at Ranboo, "Yeah, it is." 

"So what's it like?" 

Karl stared out at the sea behind him for a second, at the ripples the Titanic caused as she cut through the waves, "...It's very loud. Ocean liners are usually really loud. There's so many people, all watching as they move around in this beautifully magnificent ship. And that's part of the appeal, right? The charming interiors, all lovingly put together, as if you were walking around a hotel and not a ship.

"But there's also all the people working hard to make the ship keep moving. You can't always see them, but they're the people who make the noise in the engine room." 

"Can't they be quieter?" Ranboo spoke up, "The engine noise keeps me awake at night." 

"They have to make the engine noise! It's how to ship keeps moving!" Karl laughed, "But Quackity and Sapnap - you haven't met him, but he's one of the first class people I met... at dinner, last night - they seem like the kind of people who would want to keep the ship working. And they don't mind if it's loud or quiet. It's not like anyt--" 

"But you just said Sapnap's first class. He wouldn't be working." 

"It's a metaphor Ranboo," The child stared back at Karl in blank confusion, "I'll teach it to you later. I just mean that I like them very much and I have hope they would want to make a relationship with me work too, until we make it to New York, you know?"

"Oh." Ranboo frowned, looking down at the book, "My mom and dad didn't really like each other very much. I don't think so, anyway. I can't really remember my dad very well. My mom says he dropped me when I was a baby." 

"Oh."

"But it's okay! Once we get to America she says it'll all calm down," Ranboo perked up, "The quick brown fox jumped over the slow lazy dog!" 

America, land of the free, Karl smiled sympathetically, writing down a new sentence for Ranboo to try. He only hoped the kid could stay free. 

Sapnap woke up much later than he usually did, a smile gracing his lips as he remembered last night. He pushed himself up, ready to start the day and find Quackity and Karl, before he noticed Bad sitting at the table across from him, fully dressed and frowning as he watched Sapnap.

"Don't think I didn't notice how you left before I could catch you yesterday." 

Sapnap groaned, resigning himself to fate as he slumped back in bed, watching Bad from the corner of his eye.

Bad looked tired, like he had purposefully woke up early to catch Sapnap. His eyes were bloodshot like he'd been crying, although Sapnap's not sure when he'd have found the time without waking Sapnap up. 

"I'm sorry for leaving the night before last." Sapnap started eventually, "Although, if I hadn't have wandered off, I'm not sure Quackity would still be here." 

"Right..." Bad's hands lay on the table, "I'm happy Quackity's still alive of course, it's a scary thought that someone could slip over the railings of this wonderful ship, but Sapnap..." 

Sapnap doesn't look at Bad, staring at the wall in front of him instead. It's white wood had green patterning with golden borders. Sapnap followed a line of the pattern with a bitter taste on his tongue. 

"You're not wearing your ring." He said instead. 

Bad stood slowly, walking over to Sapnap and taking his face in his hands. Warm, soft hands, just like Sapnap's, and Sapnap did nothing to pull away. 

"It's Skeppy's fault your head is so full of adventure," He muttered, bringing his forehead to Sapnap's, "I'm sorry."

Sapnap didn't know what Bad was apologising for. For the way he was brought up, for not wearing his ring, for the whole reason they were traveling to New York. It didn't matter. 

"Can't we just..." A million thoughts ran through his head, but none of them reached his lips, "Can't Eryn take my place?" 

"Eryn doesn't have your training," Bad pulled away, but kept Sapnap in his hands. 

Sapnap looked down at the bed, messing with his hands, "Why me?"

Bad sighed, dragging his hands away from Sapnap's face, traipsing to the centre of the room where a painting of the RMS Olympic hung. He touched the frame, eyes clouding over before he turned back to Sapnap with a wry smile.

"Who else could pick a better owner for the Lab Diamond?" 

Chapter Text

"But the Lab Diamond was in B--" 

"I'm tired!" Sapnap slaps his thighs, standing on creaky knees. Quackity rolls his eyes, and the grin fighting its way onto his face tells a man who has spent years adoring Sapnap's habit of interrupting people when he doesn't want to talk to them. 

Sapnap wanders back to the screens exhibiting the Titanic's wreck on the sea floor and Niki, whose been listening along to the men's stories silently, jumps back into action, and like that the rest of the room, that had become still listening as well, becomes alive again, researchers talking to each other and scribbling notes about the recovered items before them in the preservatives. 

Quackity gets up too, following Sapnap, letting Niki do the talking as he watches with a glint in his eyes. He doesn't seem like the talkative type, Tommy thinks. 

"We're not getting the answer out of them any time soon," Jack groans, his head in his hands.

Tommy pat his shoulder, "At least the Lab Diamond finally got mentioned!"

"Yeah, in the most confusing way! Where the fuck did it come from?!" 

"Language." Sapnap says idly from halfway across the room. Tommy and Jack look at him before dropping their volume, turning their heads together. 

"We're only on the 12th April. There's two more days before an iceberg even makes an appearance!" Jack rubs his eyes. 

Tommy considers for a moment, "I prefer to hear about it. I mean, I know it's not helpful to our search, but they're obviously not gonna answer any questions about the diamond. And these are survivors! Their stories are invaluable."

"More valuable than the Lab Diamond?" 

"More valuable than the Lab Diamond." Tommy assures in an extremely common moment of being the biggest man ever. 

Jack frowns, looking towards the safe. He has no come back, and Tommy knows it. While the allure of answers is nice, Tommy knows Jack is just as interested in the men's tale as he is. 

A romance story between all three classes. Something that could only occur on a doomed ship, Tommy muses. 

"You ever been told you have very nice eyes?" Jack says instead of a retaliation. 

"Got 'em from my great grandad, man," Tommy laughs.

"They're so blue?? What the hell was wrong with your grandad?" 

"Oh you know," Tommy shrugs, "Radioactive materials in the factory." 

Jack looks at Tommy like he doesn't believe him, which is stupid of him honestly. Where else would radioactive material be held that make eyes as crystal blue as his?

Quackity is slowly but surely ambling back over to them, Tommy realises when he looks away from Jack. If the tell tale tap of his walking stick against the floor isn't sign enough, the lack of companion by Sapnap's side is the kicker. 

Tommy grins, "A new day starts!" 

"A new day indeed."

"You're evidently still alive," Jack points out.

Quackity chuckles, a low, wispy thing from years of smoking and overuse - although it's hard to believe him in such a state now. 

"A new character entered my world - properly - on the 12th. I couldn't have died after meeting them."

Chapter Text

Quackity considered jumping off A deck, but it was busy by the time he left his room and if he jumped now a lifeboat would be down immediately. Then questions would be asked, questions Quackity didn't want to answer.

He walked up and down the deck, trying to find just one good spot that would make a decent jump, but found nowhere. All around was idle small talk between the upper crust about the weather being delightfully fair, or the way their room's chandelier shined just bright enough, or the most likely tepid water they'd been served at breakfast. 

Quackity had made a whole circle of the deck before he noticed something a few decks down. In the aft well deck, the same one he'd run across the day before to get to Karl, was the boy the Karl had been with, standing frozen in his place as an older boy, also third class but far bulkier, with cropped hair and bruised hands, leered over him.

And Quackity... shouldn't go down. There were signs telling the second class passengers to stay away from the stern of the ship, to keep to their own quarters. And Karl might see him, and that would halt his whole jumping-to-his-death plans.

But Quackity had ignored the signs yesterday. Quackity had never been one to stay in his own quarters. And Karl wasn't down there. It was just the two kids.

Quackity shouldn't go down. The older boy stomped right next to the younger's foot, making him jump and pale dangerously.

Quackity found the nearest stairs.

"Kid!" He called the moment he stepped onto well deck, relieved to see them both still there.

"Sir!" The older boy straightened up, obviously realising Quackity was a higher class.

"What's going on here?"

"Ranboo," He spat the name as he jabbed a finger in the boy's direction, "Stole my spinning top sir!"

"I did not!" Ranboo cried out, but with a poison laced glare from the older boy, they cowered back.

Quackity looked at the younger, the way his body curled in on itself in a way that couldn't be good for his back, the plain fear written on his face, the way he shook when he realised Quackity was watching him. He didn't look like the type to be able to hide a spinning top, let alone steal one.

"How much did your spinning top cost?" Quackity asked instead.

"Two guineas, sir."

Quackity internally grumbled, but reached into his pocket and took his wallet out, shelling out two guineas and handing them to the boy.

"Go buy a new one, and leave the kid alone."

The boy stared at the guineas in his hand with an astonished beam before nodding and scampering off without a thank you. Quackity didn't really care though, his focus on Ranboo.

"You alright?"

"Yeah..." Ranboo refused to look at Quackity.

"You sure? You don't look it."

Ranboo stayed quiet for a second before looking out to the sea, "They wouldn't actually throw me overboard if I had stolen it, right?"

"No." Quackity said instantly, "He said that to you?"

"I didn't steal it, I swear! Or, at least, I don't remember stealing it." Ranboo's fingers tangled together, "I don't always remember things."

"That's alright kid, you don't need to remember everything."

"I'm afraid of the water." Quackity blinked as Ranboo turned to look him - between his eyes, he noticed.

"Why are you on a ship then?" He huffed a laugh.

"Me and my mom travel around a lot."

"You and your mom, huh?" Quackity looked around at the empty well deck and sat down with his back to a wall. He pat the spot behind him, and there was only a moment on hesitation before Ranboo sat down beside him.

"I don't remember my dad." The boy continued.

There was a short pause before Quackity responded quietly, "Neither do I."

"I'm gonna get rich and help my mom, so we don't have to move as much," Ranboo smiled and Quackity felt his heart constrict in his chest, his breath escaping him, "I think I'll set up a company that finds gold and emeralds."

Quackity slowly looped a hand around Ranboo's shoulder, pulling him into a side hug, his eyes stinging. Not enough for any tears to form, but close.

"I don't think I want to get on a ship again once we get to America."

Quackity chuckled, "I think that's best if you're afraid of the water."

Schlatt had records of basically every immigrant that arrived into New York. Maybe Quackity could help him once they touched down. It always helped to have connections. He didn't even need to hide it from Schlatt, just say Ranboo is an apprentice of his, invite him to get togethers of the factory owners, get him used to the ropes.

"I've been looking for you!"

Quackity snapped out his daydream, his eyes meeting Karl's above him. The man had his hands on his hips, a grin splitting onto his face as he looked at Quackity's arm around Ranboo.

Quackity felt his heart drop for a second, thinking his plans for the day - and the rest of his life - had been ruined, but it was washed away as Karl plonked down in front of them with the grace of a falling piano. Crossing his legs, he leaned forwards to Ranboo.

"You disappeared on me, man! What the heck? It's a good thing you found Quackity!"

Ranboo nodded, "Quackity doesn't have a dad either!"

Quackity looked away awkwardly, but Karl carried on talking animatedly to Ranboo. He could probably slip away now, but...

Inexplicably, he didn't want to jump anymore. He had found a reason to hold on for a few more years in Ranboo, hadn't he?

"Hellooo, Quackity."

Karl was much closer that Quackity remembered when he turned back. He'd turned his slope to Quackity, his chin in his hand as he openly stared. A dopey grin adorned his features.

"You're cute when you're lost in thought."

Quackity scoffed, "Shut up."

Karl wasn't flirting. Quackity had seen him with Sapnap last night, the way he'd complimented both of them to no end, how he'd casually held their hands. He was probably like this with everyone.

"So rude," Karl bemoaned, tilting his head in Ranboo's direction but still staying close to Quackity, "Don't be like Quackity, Ranboo. Respect you elders."

Quackity grimaced - not visibly, but still, "Don't listen to Karl, Ranboo. How else are you meant to get rich without being a little bit rude?"

Ranboo pouted, seemingly thinking, before perking up, "I'll be the first to get rich and not be rude!"

Quackity tousled Ranboo's hair with a light laugh, "Can't wait to see it."

He looked back up at Karl only to see him watching him with a soft smile. Even when he realised that he'd been caught, Karl just seemed to melt into the hand still propping his head up, not taking his eyes off Quackity.

Quackity couldn't say the last time he'd been looked at like that. He was pretty socially inept at this stuff, but some sort of infatuation was drowning him with the way Karl looked at him.

Quackity could do sex. He could do romancing for the night, then slipping out of whoever's bed he was in to find secrets. He wasn't used to flat out romance. 

"Hello." Karl said again, quieter this time.

"Hi," Quackity said back, much more awkward than it should have been. He was meant to be suave, and yet the man before him had Quackity in the palm of his hand.

A few seconds passed with only the wind making any noise around them before Karl snorted, his face rolling into his hands to hide himself. Quackity felt his face warm, but kept his face straight as it could be watching Karl.

"You two like each other!" Ranboo crowed, pushing out of Quackity's arms and butting in between him and Karl. He placed his hands on Quackity's cheeks, looking at him with serious eyes. 

Karl's giggles trailed off, but Quackity could hear his smile when he spoke again, "Maybe."

It didn't sound like a question, but Quackity had long since learnt what was and wasn't a carefully chosen inquiry. So he smiled slowly, bringing a hand palm up in Karl's direction as he kept his attention fixed to Ranboo as he said a soft, "Yeah."

Ranboo's eyes flicked between Quackity's, attempting to search for something, before he seemed to find hit, nodding to himself and climbing back to where he had been positioned in the nook of Quackity's arm. Karl took Quackity's hand at the same time, and the warmth of his hand was only outshone by the warmth of his smile, toothy and true.

"Do you want to go find Sapnap?" He asked, "We promised to meet up but I haven't seen him all day."

"He woke me up at 7 yesterday, and it's," Quackity checked his wristwatch, an expensive gift from somebody down the line, "12:50 now. He's got to be somewhere around."

Karl began to stand, refusing to let go of Quackity's hand. Quackity stood too, bringing Ranboo with him, who let Karl lift him up onto his hip. It should have looked weird, such a lanky kid being carried, but Karl made it look easy.

"We'll start from the top and go down?" Quackity suggested.

"Sounds good to me."

A few people gave Karl and Ranboo a very noticeable side eye when the three arrived on second class promenade. Quackity felt a little satisfaction pulling Karl closer to him.

"I'm not usually this open, you know." He muttered, looking at their joined hands.

"People will always talk," Karl mused back, "You haven't let go of my hand."

Quackity sniffed, leading them closer to the barrier overlooking the first class promenade, "... I don't want to." 

"You've got a ring on."

The barrier was a white fence like the railings. The Engineer's promenade sat between first and second class, so Quackity had to squint to look over. He couldn't see Sapnap.

"Let's check A deck."

Quackity felt a bit weird staring through the windows of the first class lounge to search for Sapnap. A few people noticed him and Karl, but only scoffed and turned back to whatever they had been doing before. Still no Sapnap.

"It's okay, you know, it's just for the trip. I don't care, and I know Sapnap doesn't either."

Karl was choosing his words so Ranboo couldn't decode what they were talking about.

"There are more first class rooms on B Deck. He might be down there."

There were a few first class cafes on B deck too. Quackity walked straight past the second class smoke room and peeked through the windows of the Cafe Parisien. Karl followed suit. Quackity's hand had started to sweat in his. Quackity felt dirty - but not because of the clamminess.

It was a feeling he'd long since got used to, but that didn't mean he didn't like it any more than the first time he felt it. Karl was right after all, there was a ring on his finger that he was meant to be being faithful to.

"There he is!" Karl whispered at the same moment Quackity noticed Sapnap. He was sat in a wicker chair with the same guy from last night, Bad.

"How do we get his attention?" Quackity frowned, pulling away from the window before anybody could see them spying, "We can't just waltz in there and pull him away from whatever he's doing." 

Karl hummed, letting Ranboo down as they began to squirm around, dropping Quackity's hand in the process. Sapnap did have his back to the pair of them.

"I mean, we could just wait for him to come out?"

"Boring," Karl whined immediately.

"You're not coming up with any clever ideas yourself," Quackity teased.

"Hush it, you," Karl muttered, placing his hands on Quackity's cheeks in some sort of imitation of Ranboo's attempt to be serious earlier.

Quackity rolled his eyes, his grin squished between his cheeks, and the "okay" he said came out muffled.

And then they just stood there for a few seconds. The ship continued around them. Quackity shuffled a little closer, Karl's eyes began to search Quackity's face, landing on his lips when he licked them. Stayed there for longer than was socially acceptable. Quackity gave himself the pleasure of getting lost in Karl's eyes.

"Can I kiss you?" He practically breathed, hands lifting and landing on Karl's hips.

"Yes."

Despite the conformation, Quackity didn't move, watching Karl, who was watching him. Quackity thought someone passed them by, but he was too wrapped up in Karl's gaze to care.

Slowly, ever so slowly, he moved in. Karl smelt clean, he felt soft under Quackity's fingers. He wasn't clean shaven, but he had peach fuzz now Quackity was close enough to see it. The bridge of his nose slid against Karl's, and he noticed a bump, presumably a past broken nose, which only enamored him more.

Karl's eyes had become fixed to his, their lips mere millimeters apart. His hands had loosened their hold on Quackity's cheeks but remained resting on his face, tilting it slightly to align their lips. Just a little closer, and--

"MR SAPNAP!"

Karl and Quackity heads whipped over to Ranboo, who was smacking the window, drawing everyone's attention, including Sapnap's. Quackity stepped out of Karl's hold immediately at the audience and Karl ran to pull Ranboo back. Quackity brought a hand up in a half attempt at a wave in Sapnap's direction before deciding it made him look stupid and dropped it.

Sapnap jaw was slack for a moment before he burst into laughter. Doubling over, he smacked his knee a couple times in an ugly, ugly expression of his feelings.

Quackity fell for him a little harder.

Once Sapnap straightened up, wiping a tear from his eye that Quackity wasn't sure was genuine or not, he turned to Bad, presumably asking if he could leave. The older man's expression was sour, lips pressed in a thin line, but he eventually sighed, speaking a few more sharp words as Sapnap sprung out of his seat, but he appeared to be brushed off as Sapnap sped walked for the door. 

"Hello!" He laughed.

"I'm so sorry!"

"No, no!" Sapnap chuckled, looking between Quackity and Karl with a knowing, smug look, "You seemed a little preoccupied."

"We should have been watching Ranboo," Karl said anyway, Ranboo clinging onto his trouser leg at coming face to face with Sapnap for the first time.

Sapnap seemed to notice his discomfort, kneeling down to their level, and held his hand out to shake, "Hello little guy."

"Hello," Ranboo said feebly, shaking Sapnap's hand meekly. Ranboo's hand was small and scarred compared to Sapnap's. Quackity rubbed his hands together from where they were held behind his back.

"Where's all your might, huh? Where's the kid who just banged on the window looking for me?"

"You look at lot stronger that you did in there."

"Oh come on," Sapnap chuckled, "I'm not that strong!"

As if to prove his point, he flexed his arms - which showed no muscle, being covered by layers of formal wear - but Ranboo shied away further. When Sapnap realised he wasn't helping, he dropped his arm and the smile slid off his face.

Quackity snorted, looking away. Karl was watching the scene with a furrowed brow and small smile.

"What are you laughing at?" Sapnap pouted, looking up at Quackity.

"Nothing."

"Nothing," Sapnap parroted back in a higher pitch.

I don't care, and I know Sapnap doesn't either.

Quackity leaned down towards Sapnap's face, far closer than what was socially acceptable. Karl began to distract Ranboo while Sapnap took a sharp breath in and became so red Quackity could feel the heat emanating from him.

If anyone in the Cafe Parisien were to look out, they wouldn't see Sapnap on the floor, just Quackity bent double, perhaps retying a shoe. It gave Quackity some security as he purposefully flicked his eyes from Sapnap's eyes, to his lips, and back up again, Sapnap following weakly.

Although Sapnap wasn't readable from a safe talking distance like Karl was, up close and personal was a whole different story. The slow gulp he took, the minute tilt of his head as he anticipated Quackity's next move. Whatever he was expecting...

"I..." Quackity hummed, drawing just a little closer, just so their lips could brush in the slightest. Then he stood back upright quickly, watching in a mirth as Sapnap's head flew so fast to follow that he fell flat on his back, "Don't sound like that."

...Sapnap hadn't been expecting that.

He heard a squawk of Karl's laughter from where he was watching them from around the corner, where he'd presumably led Ranbo, but Quackity ignored them from the rapidly recovering Sapnap.

The man groaned from the floor, covering his red face with his hands. Quackity watched, a fondness bubbling inside his chest, before offering out his hand to help.

"You're terrible," Sapnap grumbled as he was pulled up.

"My methods are unorthodox," Quackity corrected, "But they work."

"You have experience?"

Even better than that, Quackity thought bitterly, I have a ring. But like hell he'd ever say those words aloud, so he just hummed noncommittally and dragged Sapnap towards the corner Karl had ducked behind.

Karl smiled brightly, a gleam in his eye as he watched the two of them. Sapnap looked anywhere but Karl, and Quackity was pretty sure that if the poor guy turned any more red he'd start bleeding. 

"Ranboo wants to go find his mom," Karl informed them, the playful glint colouring his words, "You can come too, if you want."

"Bad allowed me to spend the rest of the day with you, as long as I'm back in time for dinner."

Quackity shrugged, "I have nowhere else to be."

"She's probably still on the closed promenade, right?" Ranboo nodded as Karl pat his head, "Great! To the bow!"

The third class covered promenade turned out to be on D deck. Ranboo ran off the moment they passed through the door, and was lost to the mass of third class bodies within seconds.

Karl didn't seem bothered, instead tugging Quackity and Sapnap around the edge of the room until the reached a bar. Quackity watched as Karl began ordering drinks, but was quickly enraptured in a conversation with the barkeeper, and then with an older man who, if Quackity had to guess, was Swedish.

When they got their drinks, another passenger stopped Karl, and Quackity - feeling a bit too awkward to just stand there - slipped off and leaned against the wall on the outskirts of the room. For all he made his money out of talking to people nowadays, he did prefer to just sit back and watch. The naturalness about the third class passengers put him at ease like he never saw in other circles.

It wasn't long before Sapnap joined him, a small smile on his face.

"He does like to talk, doesn't he?"

Quackity snorted, "I don't think he knows the meaning of 'take a break'. He was on me the moment he found me earlier."

"He's so interesting though. I think he has a story for everything. He started talking to a girl and telling her how he once ran into a bunch of pirates akd helped them find a treasure chest."

"Do you think that actually happened?"

Sapnap barked out a laugh, "Surely. He went into too much detail for it to be fake."

"I mean, if you wanna believe that, man."

"What? Are you saying I'm gullible?"

"I'm not saying you're cynical."

A grin split across Quackity's face as Sapnap mock gasped, "I can think for myself!"

"You haven't got the street smarts," Quackity reasoned.

"And you do?"

"And I do." Quackity shrugged. After a moment, Sapnap seemed to realise Quackity wasn't lying, and it was as if a puzzle piece connected in his head, like he was trying to figure out who Quackity really was.

He leaned towards Quackity eagerly, "Tell me more."

Quackity didn't like anyone knowing a lot about his past, really. Wilbur thought he knew, thought he held the whole deck of cards, but Quackity wasn't so foolish as to reveal his entire hand to anyone.

"What do you really want to know?" He asked instead.

A minute frown worked itself onto Sapnap's face in his contemplation, eyes wandering to the crowd for the briefest moment before an almost imperceivable glimmer lit them up. Quackity liked being close enough to Sapnap to notice these things.

"Tell me anything about these people's lives," He implored, tone not giving much away, "I've been the son of a mining company owner and his husband - whose own father was the second cousin to Queen Alexandra - my whole life. I've had the best nannies and tutors and scholars a person could afford, but I don't know anything about how other people live."

Sapnap paused, and Quackity watched him as he waved a hand out to the crowd in a genuine bid to connect himself to them.

"They're people too, you know? No-one in my circle wants to acknowledge anyone but themselves exist, really. But everyone here has their own dreams and aspirations too."

"They do," Quackity agreed, "I wouldn't be here if they didn't."

"That's good. I'm glad." Sapnap took Quackity's hand. Quackity couldn't find a single part of him that wanted to pull away, not when Sapnap was looking at him like that, "I'm glad you're here."

"I think I'm glad I'm here too," Quackity replied, squeezing the hand in his.

A delighted grin adorned Sapnap's face, his other hand grabbing Quackity's, "That's all I could ask for."

"You're..." Quackity trailed off, rethinking his words, "I'm going to kiss you."

Sapnap let out a surprised laugh, "Hah! Yeah, okay!"

Quackity was pretty sure Sapnap thought he was joking, and for good reason after the trick he'd pulled earlier. But using the hands captured by Sapnap, Quackity pulled him forwards and had enough time to see Sapnap's eyes to widen and hear his gasp before his lips were pressed roughly against chapped ones, which should have been irritating, but managed not to be.

Sapnap responded enthusiastically, shutting his gaping mouth a moment later, effectively trapping Quackity's top lip between his before he pulled away and smattered direct hits to Quackity's lips, nose, cheeks, until Quackity was laughing affectionately at his antics. He could feel Sapnap's smile wherever his lips touched.

At some point they'd dropped each other's hands, Sapnap's coming to rest on Quackity's neck to move his face around when needs be, and Quackity's laying on Sapnap's chest.

"I meant it when I said that you're beautiful," Sapnap said between kisses, "And smart, and witty, and beautiful--"

"Stooop," Quackity whined, pushing on Sapnap's chest lightly enough for him to ignore, but much to his displeasure, Sapnap actually did pull away. Not far enough for them to part, no, they stayed pulled together, but no more kisses were given.

"You're adorable, Quackity," He said, a genuine spark in his eye and grin on his face.

Quackity had been called many things before, but adorable wasn't one of them. Sapnap seemed to have a habit of doing that.

"Shut up," Quackity said instead.

"Make me," Sapnap taunted back, and Quackity didn't think twice about leaning forwards and capturing Sapnap's lips in his again.

Unlike with Karl, the world didn't really fade around them as they kissed - which, to be fair, he and Karl hadn't even got the chance to kiss, just have some long run up with attention solely on themselves and not on the person they should have been paying attention to, Ranboo. It was far too loud in the open space for the noise to disappear, but Quackity didn't mind. He was okay with the idea that these people could see he was Sapnap's, if only for the voyage.

Because the world did not cease to exist with the long, chaste kiss, Quackity had no problem hearing the whistle beside them. Breaking the kiss by turning his head (so he could stay as close to Sapnap as possible) he found Karl, grinning impishly at the two of them.

"Hi Karl," Sapnap hummed, leaning his head against Quackity's.

"Hello!" Karl waved.

"Done meeting the rest of the third class passengers?" Quackity asked in greeting.

"Almost," Karl clapped his hands together as if he hadn't just interrupted them kissing, "I was going to introduce you to Ranboo's mother, but if you're too busy smooching that's fine..."

Quackity rolled his eyes goodnaturedly, offering Sapnap one more kiss before pulling out of his arms. The room was a lot cooler than he remembered it being, and he grabbed Sapnap's hand as a reminder of his warmth, Karl taking the other as they made their way through the tangle of bodies.

Quackity noticed Ranboo before he noticed his mother. The boy was hopping up and down in front of her, but he saw Karl and his face lit up again, grabbing his mother's hand and dragging her forwards, and she followed with an amused laugh.

"Karl!" She exclaimed when close enough.

"Bea!" Karl greeted back, "I'd like you to meet Quackity and Sapnap. They're the ones that took me to dinner last night."

Quackity couldn't really explain what Bea did next. Simultaneously jumping and curtsying in respect, her face twisted with a polite smile as her eyebrows knit together, making her look a tad bit constipated.

"Thank you, sirs, for giving Karl a chance."

"Everyone deserves a chance," Quackity insisted, holding a hand out despite the curtsy the woman held. She shook it, but her eyes remained lowered, "You've got an incredible son, from what I've seen. He cares about you a lot."

Bea laughed lightly, hugging Ranboo to her side, "He is a dear. I hope he hasn't been putting you through too much trouble."

"Not at all," Sapnap answered, as if he hadn't been disturbed by the kid not half an hour ago, "They're a well mannered child."

"He always has been a bit quiet," Quackity felt Karl squeeze his hand and he squeezed back, remembering the scene earlier, but neither said anything, "I wanted to thank you, Karl, for starting to teach him to read. They couldn't shut up about it yesterday."

"I'm just doing what anyone would do in my situation!" Karl laughed jovially, "It's not everyday a child wanders up to you and ask to read your stories."

"It's a lovely skill to have, still. I wish I knew how."

"I can teach you too, it doesn't just have to be Ranboo."

Bea's eyes flicked to Karl's hand in Quackity's, a dejected smile on her face, "Can't teach an old dog new tricks, I'm afraid. I'd be a bit useless."

Karl laughed, waving her off, "Nonsense! Come and find me at luncheon tomorrow, I'll teach you what I've taught Ranboo so far."

"I suppose I can make that," Bea chuckled, "I'll hold you to it then."

"Mom!" Ranboo perked up suddenly, "I forgot my jacket!"

"Oh no!" Bea exclaimed, giving the three men an apologetic look, "Let's go find it then."

"Bye Bea, bye Ranboo!"

"Bye!" Ranboo called back before the two disappeared into the crowd.

"You're teaching Ranboo how to read?" Sapnap asked as Karl continued to pull them through the space.

"Oh, yeah, I'm one of the lucky ones who knows how to, so I don't mind giving lessons to Ranboo while we're here."

"Did you teach yourself how to read?" Quackity watched as they got closer to another wall.

"Mhm," Karl gave a self satisfied nod, "I always wanted to write down my stories for the world to know them, I had to be able to write them down."

"You're a package deal, huh," Quackity snorted.

"A triple threat, if you will."

The three broke into laughter as Karl reached a door with a 'CREW ONLY' sign fixed to it. Ignoring the sign, he pushed the door open, peaking either way before opening it further and gesturing for Quackity and Sapnap to follow him.

Quackity, for one, followed easily. He was never one to say no to poking around in corners he wasn't meant to be, and being expressly invited into one of those spaces by someone obviously not allowed in either only made him more eager.

Sapnap, however, hung back.

"That says crew only."

 "We just established that I can read, nimrod," Karl rolled his eyes in amusement, "I'm taking you on an adventure."

Sapnap shuffled in place, glancing between the door sign and the two men he was caught up in for the rest of the trip.

"We'll get you back in time for dinner, right Karl?" Quackity mused, drawing a cross over his heart while Karl nodded vehemently, "You wouldn't say no to an adventure with us, right?"

Sapnap scrutinized the sign one more time before squaring his shoulders and taking the first step towards Karl and Quackity, to many cheers on their end. The door swung shut behind the three of them, and it was suddenly a lot quieter.

The sounds of the third class next door were muffled immediately, and the walls around them were considerably smaller. A winding staircase stood in front of them, which Karl began to descend, a silent understanding that the other two would follow him.

It got colder the lower they got. The whir of the engines got louder.

"Where are we going to end up?" Sapnap asked eventually after Quackity guessed they must have passed G Deck, the last deck for passengers.

"The Orlop Deck!" Karl exclaimed, jumping off the steps and finding another door to push himself through. Quackity glanced at Sapnap, who glanced back with a just as perplexed look.

He didn't notice he was shivering until Sapnap wrapped a hand around his waist, leading him towards where Karl had just ventured. His warmth radiated through the layers he wore, and Quackity subconsciously leaned a little closer as they walked.

"I think you just made up a word," Sapnap remarked, his words coming out as steam.

"Nope!" Karl threw his arms out, gesturing to the large room he'd brought them to, "Welcome to the storage hold!"

"Wh- How do you even know this place?" Quackity spluttered, eyes wide as he looked around at the wooden crates full of passengers belongings that wouldn't fit in their room's.

"I told you, I'm not one to stay where I'm told," Karl said as if it were simple as that, and he began to scale some of the crates to sit on the tallest, "This is usually the place stowaways force themselves into, but because this is Titanic's maiden voyage, I wouldn't be too worried."

"Nice to know," Quackity rolled his eyes, "Why's it so cold down here?"

"We're underwater."

"Underwater?" Sapnap frowned, "But we're only..."

"Nine decks down," Karl supplied, "The engines are back there, and the boilers are right below our feet, that's why it's so noisy."

"Damn." Quackity muttered, allowing his eyes to drift again. It seemed Sapnap was doing the same.

His eyes lit up, honing in on one piece of luggage in particular, "Is that an automobile?"

"Sure is," Karl chuckled as Quackity was dragged forwards as Sapnap was drawn towards the vehicle.

"I've never seen one so close in real life before," Quackity breathed, running a hand over the cold black metal of the roof.

Sapnap started poking around to hood, eventually finding a way to pop it open to examine the engine.

"Woah, how'd you do that?" Karl slid behind Sapnap, placing his head on Sapnap's shoulder.

"One of my servants is courting a mechanic, so I'll sneak out with him and watch them fix the cars." Sapnap pointed at a chunk of metal, "They're so interesting! I'm learning stuff about how cars work."

"You're learning how to fix cars?" Quackity inspected the automobile, but made no sense of the wires and misshapen lumps of the cool grey metal.

"Oh yeah," Sapnap grinned widely in Quackity's direction, "I'd love to be a mechanic if it wasn't for, you know."

Quackity nodded, a gentle understanding crossing between them. Sapnap was the direct opposite of him in his dreams, really. He seemed content with less, when all Quackity wanted was more - neither were happy with their current position. 

They moved together naturally, a soft peck full of appreciation for the other. Sapnap's thumb ran over Quackity's hip, smoothing over his shirt, as Quackity reached over towards Sapnap's opposite shoulder, accidentally smacking Karl in the face when he forgot he was there.

"Ow!"

"Oops," Quackity tilted his head back towards Karl, a teasing smile pulling at his lips, "Maybe you should stop interrupting Sapnap and I's kissing sessions."

Karl's eyes flashed as he grabbed the offending hand, "Just because Ranboo interrupted us earlier!"

"Aw, does the pretty boy want a kiss too?"

Karl's face didn't heat up like Sapnap's did, but his eyes widened in exactly the same way. It was wildly endearing, that they shared traits.

"Pretty?"

Quackity shrugged vaguely, smirking lightly. Karl, apparently fed up at being circumvented, grabbed Quackity's cheeks with his free hand and squashed their faces together, no sense of the slow atmosphere they'd surrounded themselves in on B deck.

Karl's kisses were adventurous, giddy and free and finally being given the chance to kiss Quackity. He set a completely different pace to Sapnap, near immediately opting for a kiss even the French would find crude, and smothering Quackity with his adoration.

Despite himself, Quackity still managed to realise Karl was a lot easier to read from his expression than with his kisses.

They parted, panting, and Quackity had time to hear Sapnap mutter something before he pushed Karl's chin towards himself and copied their kiss, far clumsier - from their position and speed Sapnap threw them into the kiss - but a clear attempt was made. Quackity could see how Karl melted, eyes drooping with a lovey-dovey look.

After a few seconds, Karl's grip on Quackity's hand began to slip, a clear sign he was running out of air but was far too stubborn to do anything about it. Quackity, being an oh so generous man, took it as his obligation to step in.

"Okay, lover boy, give Karl a chance to breathe," Quackity tilted Sapnap's chin away from Karl's, who collapsed against Sapnap's back with a drawn out groan that didn't sound all too displeased. Sapnap, to his credit, had the decency to look sheepish, and it made Quackity falter, "But, um, is this- are we..?"

"Oh, did Karl not say?" Sapnap glanced at him hopefully, "I like you both. I want to make it work, if you do."  

Quackity glanced between the two, before he said a quiet, "Yeah. Yeah, I'd like that."

Sapnap beamed and Karl rubbed his thumb over the hand in his grasp. It was soft for a moment, the three men wrapped up in one another, before Karl's thumb snagged on Quackity's ring.

To his credit, Karl didn't falter and kept his attention on Sapnap and Quackity, adjusting his thumb minutely to avoid the ring again. Still, the damage had been done. Quackity sighed, looking straight into Karl's eyes.

"I can't take it off."

Karl's eye brows furrowed, bringing the hand a little closer to his face to examine. Sapnap, admirably in Quackity's book, said nothing.

"It's not stuck on or anything," Quackity assured at Karl's scrutiny. The conformation did nothing to make the gaze lessen it's intensity, "I just... can't."

"Why?"

Quackity didn't like how his hand shook a little, "If I take it off... I'll forget I belong to him. Then I might not return to him."

Sapnap - who, of course, Quackity had told him about Schlatt when they met, when he was running his mouth in what he'd thought would be his last moments - spoke up, pulling Quackity closer to him still, "Would that be so bad, though?"

"I rely on him to keep me alive, he relies on me to keep his job. He'd find me. He'd use my name and track me down," Quackity inhaled slowly, using the cold to clear his head, "Keeping this ring on is my reminder. I'm sorry."

He wasn't sure who he was apologising to really. Not Schlatt, not Karl or Sapnap. Someone else, maybe. Nobody.

Karl took his face again, dropping his hand in the process, and held it. Sympathy was glistening in his eyes, but not pity. The kiss he gave was closed mouth, one Quackity understood as "we'll be your escape. You don't need to apologise."

Something twisted in Quackity's chest when they parted. A future flashed before his eyes without Schlatt, where Quackity was comfortable and happy, in a loving marriage on a homely ranch somewhere in the midwest.

What a foolish dream.

"I can barely feel my fingers," He said, "Can we go back to my room and warm up?"

"If you're inviting us into your room, I'm not going to say no," Sapnap offered, all three of them realising they needed the tonal shift.

Quackity tutted, "We've got to get you back to Bad for dinner, remember."  

"I think," Sapnap started, closing the hood of the car, taking one last admiring glance at it before turning his face to Quackity, "That Bad can survive one dinner without me. I've just been invited into somebody's bedroom!"

"Oh my Gods," Quackity mumbled under his breath, but he chuckled pleasantly as Sapnap hugged him closer, his heat a respite from the chill in the room.

What a day it had been. All he wanted to do was curl up and go to sleep, even if that meant missing dinner to stay in his room. No matter, Quackity supposed, as Karl led them back up the spiral staircase, he was in leagues better company than he had been at the start of the day.

Chapter Text

Quackity woke up the next day staring up at the same slats of the same bunk as yesterday, still bowing with the weight of Quackity's luggage. The room still looked the same, the mattress still white, the wood still brown.

But he awoke so much warmer than he had been yesterday.

He was flanked on either side, Karl pressed against the cabin wall and Sapnap on the edge. The bed was not made for three grown men to sleep in, but they'd managed to make it work - Quackity wasn't aware that Sapnap had fallen off the bed in the night, so it must have been fine.

Rolling his head to his right, Quackity felt his breath escape him as he watched Karl. The man was still sound asleep, chest rising and falling slowly. If Quackity thought Karl looked soft when he was awake, he looked softer bathed in the gentle morning light that filled the cabin, making his hair shine and skin glow.

His cheek was pressed to Quackity's shoulder, and Quackity, even though he shouldn't, found it hard not to find the drool pooling through his night clothes the smallest part endearing. Something about feeling comfortable enough to not be perfect - even if that logically wasn't true, what with Karl being asleep, but even unconsciously, Quackity wanted to believe.

Karl didn't move as Quackity brushed his curls away from his face, admiring him a little more, mouth agape and cutting off Quackity's blood supply in his arm. He lay there, letting Quackity marvel at him before he heard a shuffling from his other side.

Quackity gazed over to his left, where Sapnap lay watching him with a warm smile. A lot of things about Sapnap were warm, Quackity thought sluggishly.

The sun was treating Sapnap the same as it was treating Karl, making his glow in it's balmy light. His stubble was more noticeable than it had been in the dark of last night and his hair, short as it was, fell across his eyes as he observed.

They simply stared for a while, taking each other in in the silent, soft and cosy room. It almost made Quackity feel content.

But in time, Sapnap's eyes became glassy, and Quackity's heart sank. He knew that expression. He had been wearing it yesterday, tangled up in the cargo hold with the men he held in bed now.

Sapnap was imagining the future. A future that held both Karl and Quackity. An impossible dream.

A wistful, bordering melancholic look melted onto Sapnap's face, and Quackity couldn't take it because if Sapnap kept looking at him like that, Quacjity would start thinking about the future, and then he'd think of Schlatt again and there's nothing he would want to do less than think of Schlatt in the pleasant shelter of his room and the warmth of the two men around him.

So he reached to Sapnap and kissed him. He almost wished he hadn't.

The kiss is slow and deliberate, still a little rough around the edges with sleep, and Quackity sighed at the way their mouths melded together. Sapnap took the chance to deepen the kiss, and it only broke Quackity's heart further.

Sapnap tasted like his wishes. Quackity could feel Sapnap's adoration, everything his eyes had said, but a thousand times louder now there was no barrier between them.

It spoke to Sapnap's inexperience, really, that he'd let such emotions be transferred so easily. But Quackity didn't mind. Sapnap had fallen hard and fast for both him and Karl, and Quackity couldn't say he disliked being privy to such information.

His heart, on the other hand, needed time to come out. It was buried deep for a reason. He'd thrown himself at love one too many times before, and all he had to show for it was a tattoo and ring that signified being stuck with someone.

But Sapnap and Karl looked at him without expectation. They kissed him like he was worth kissing.

Sapnap tasted like he loved Quackity.

Quackity was worried he might start to love Sapnap soon.

If there were more time, he probably would have, Quackity realised. But the ocean liner arrived in New York in a few short days, and Quackity wasn't one to fall in love that quickly. Not anymore.

It was a far off dream, but Quackity quietly wished they could stay on the ship forever, with no pressure of Schlatt or the Minecraft's intruding in on them. Then maybe he could truly love Sapnap and Karl.

"You're beautiful," Sapnap pulled away first, taking a deep breath and pulling himself impossibly closer to Quackity on the already cramped bed. He looked at Quackity, then looked at Karl, then back to Quackity, "I wish..."

Quackity knew what Sapnap wished for. He couldn't bear to hear it.

So he started kissing him again. And again, and again.

"You're talking too much."

Sapnap could taste it on Quackity's lips.

"Okay."

Their kisses started to become desperate as Quackity wordlessly began to beg they ignore the outside world and believe it was only them, in his room, now and forever. Sapnap caught on quickly, holding Quackity tight as he shifted his arm out from under Karl and rolled on top of Sapnap.

He groaned as Quackity's hands found his hair, a breathless cacophony of all they couldn't say, a discordant harmony of two men pouring all they could offer to the other.

A mutual agreement. Quackity loved it. He hated it. It hurt him just as much as it soothed him with an overflowing joy he longed to hold on to but could already feel slipping from his fingers.

"Woah, not that I mind that show, but you sure you want me here for it?"

The two broke away from each other, panting as their eyes were drawn to Karl, who was watching them with wide eyes. He'd evidently just woken up, and Quackity found it in himself to feel a little guilty about moving around so much.

"Hi Karl," Sapnap managed between breaths.

"You can join us if you want," Quackity grinned, shooting Karl a sultry look as he tugged on Sapnap's hair again, revelling in the gasp it illicited.

But Karl laughed a little awkwardly, "I'm flattered but, I'm not really into, um, anything more than... kissing, you know?"

"Oh. Oh!" Quackity sat up abruptly, smacking his head and slipping off Sapnap and onto the floor. He groaned but bolstered himself up again immediately, looking at Karl sincerely, "That's fine. We'll respect that, right Sapnap?"

"One hundred per cent," Sapnap nodded, helping Quackity back onto the bed before taking Karl's hand, "Whatever you need."

Quackity pretended not to notice how Karl's eyes fogged over when he took his other hand, an unspoken understanding that made Quackity's heart hurt. While, of course, that could also just be Quackity projecting, the quiet whispered "thank you" was vindication enough.

Quackity rubbed a thumb over Karl's hand until he looked away, subtly rubbing his face with his shoulder. With a poorly plastered smile, he looked back, cocking his head to the side.

"What do we want to do today, then?"

Quackity sighed, for no real reason. There was a short silence as he thought to himself, then had an idea, "The third class passengers don't have a library do they? And you like to read?"

Karl practically sparked with how quickly he lit up, leaning forwards eagerly, "You'd let me into the library?!"

"I'd let you into the so esteemed library," Quackity rolled his eyes fondly, laying his head on Sapnap's shoulder, "Does that sound like a plan to you?"

"I said I'd follow you even off the ship, remember?" Quackity hid his grimace by looking away, "I'd love to visit the library with you two."

Karl practically dashed out of bed in his haste, only avoiding his face slamming into the floor with the help of Sapnap's reflexes. Quackity was not staring at his biceps as he righted Karl and told him to be more careful. Not that strong my ass.

Neither man had returned to their rooms last night, instead sleeping in their undergarments what with none of Quackity's nightclothes fitting them. So while they found their clothes from the previous day, Sapnap his suit, and Karl a yellow and blue ensemble, Quackity had the oh so difficult task of taking his sleeping garments off and finding something new to wear.

Sapnap didn't even blink this time as Quackity stripped away his layers, and Karl, sharing a room with three other men, held no complaint either - or at least, Quackity thought he'd have no complaint. But when he turned to the top bunk for a fresh suit, there was a gasp behind him. A distinctly Karl-ish gasp.

"What?" Quackity blinked over his shoulder.

"You didn't say you had wings!" Karl leaned closer, but didn't touch when Quackity tensed, "It must have been too dark last night for me to see them. They're majestic!"

"He looks like a duckling, doesn't he?"

"Oh, yes!" Karl nodded enthusiastically, "That must have- they're so pristine!"

"They cost a lot," Quackity acquiesced, turning back to his clothes, "I would hope they look nice."

Karl stepped in the space between Quackity and the shirt he was holding up, effectively trapping himself in Quackity's arms.

"I think you look nice," He leaned down and pressed a kiss to Quackity's nose.

"Shut up Karl."

"Is that your favourite phrase?" Karl frowned, faking hurt, "It's all you seem to say around me!"

"I say it because you never listen to me."

"I have too much adoration inside to keep it enclosed within my soul whenever you're around."

Quackity snickered, "You're queer."

"That I am," Karl kissed Quackity on the lips, although they were both smiling too wide for it be anything more than their faces pushed together.

Quackity drew away first, "Now go away, or there'll be no time to go to the library."

Karl squeaked, ducking out of Quackity's arms and returning to Sapnap's side as he finished buttoning up his waistcoat. They began chatting while Quackity kept dressing.

"Got any tattoos, Sapnap?"

"Bad would kill me if I got a tattoo," Sapnap laughed heartily, "I'm not even sure what I'd get if I did."

"A fire, easy," Quackity chimed in, "You're always so warm. And Karl would have a book."

"Because I'm so learned?"

"If you want to believe that."

"What's that meant to mean?!"

Quackity turned, brushing invisible dust off his suit as he chuckled at Karl, "Whatever you want it to mean."

Karl pouted, sticking his tongue out at Quackity as he found his room key and opened the door. He led the way as the other two walked behind him, mumbling to each other in voices too low for Quackity to hear; he didn't mind, he was too focused on trying to remember where the library was.

The ship was massive, and Quackity hadn't found it in himself to search out the library in the three days he'd been aboard. He and Sapnap had taken a quick look inside while looking for Karl yesterday, but they'd looked all around the upper class spaces, so that was a bit useless.

If it were any help, he remembered it was definitely part of the second class spaces, which meant it was aft of midship.

After a little confusion, he found it on C deck. Pushing the door open, he took a soft breath in, taking in the scent of fresh ink of new books coupled with the tea and coffee of fellow second class passengers enjoying the space, before turning to Sapnap and - arguably more importantly - Karl, as they followed behind him.

Karl's eyes practically glittered as they roamed around the shelves upon shelves of books that ran around the outskirts of the room, frozen in place at the threshold for a second before he leapt into action, running towards the first bookshelf and tracing a hand against the books' spines, searching. Sapnap accompanied Quackity as he found an unoccupied table in the centre of the room, sitting adjacent.

"I think we just missed the band's performance," Quackity hummed, watching as five musicians packed up their instruments and passengers began to file out of the room leaving it a little quieter, "What time is it?"

Sapnap grabbed his pocket watch, flicking it open, "Just after 11- Huh, I never usually sleep in so late."

"Karl and I make the best beds." Quackity snorted.

"Bad will probably be worried about where I am," Sapnap sighed, rubbing his eyes as he tucked the watch back into his breast pocket, "I've missed dinner and breakfast."

"He will survive," Quackity parroted back Sapnap's words, laying a hand over his. When he didn't look up, however, Quackity squeezed it, "You should go find him at lunch. Karl's leaving to meet Bea, and I'll find you both afterwards."

Sapnap's eyebrows drew together, "Are you sure?"

"I've survived this long by myself, thank you," Quackity rolled his eyes, a habit he realised he should probably stop before they hit New York. Schlatt called him rude whenever he did it, "I'll survive an hour of eating alone."

"If you're sure."

Quackity smiled softly. Sapnap had already proved he had a tendency to worry, although perhaps that was Quackity's fault with their... nontraditional meeting. Still, he found it sweet how he cared.

"I'm sure."

Sapnap acquiesced shortly thereafter, allowing Quackity to mess with his fingers while they waited for Karl to return.

And return he did, with a tower of books in his arms, from which Quackity could only see his eyes as they shone. A few second class passengers scoffed as Karl passed, but he paid them no mind as he dropped them onto the table, a few books falling and threatening to knock the whole tower's balance.

The Portrait of a Lady fell directly in front of Quackity. He hadn't read it before.

"Oh, I love Emma!" Sapnap said from where a book had landed in front of him.

"I didn't take you as the type to read Jane Austen," Quackity hummed, picking up the book in front of him and beginning to read.

"Her work in very interesting," Sapnap said emphatically, "I've had a lot of time to read, after all."

"Have you read..." Karl began picking through the stack, picking up one and considering, before placing it down again and choosing another one, a bright smile enveloping his face, "Their Wedding Journey?"

"Can't say I have," Sapnap laughed, trading Emma for the book Karl held out.

The three of them fell into a soft silence as they let each other read. Karl flicked through a few books at once, grabbing a small notebook from his pocket and scribbling with a stick of charcoal when he was so struck.

They lasted twenty minutes or so before Sapnap subtly stopped reading and began watching Karl as he wrote. By 'subtly', Quackity realised from the corner of his eye that Sapnap had stopped turning pages and was staring at Karl while he worked.

Karl, on the other hand, did not notice. He was so focused on his task his tongue stuck out the corner of his lips, his eyes never leaving the paper before him. When he stopped writing, it was to check one of the books he was filing through or sit back to assess his work so far. To Sapnap's credit, he was indeed captivating.

It was while he leant back that Sapnap took the opportunity to speak. Quackity busied himself with his book again, ignoring the fact he'd been watching Sapnap watch Karl.

"What are you writing?"

Karl startled, as if he hadn't expected either of the men to notice him, and flustered suddenly, looking down at his notebook.

"Just some ideas. How stories are structured, terminology, all that stuff."

Sapnap cocked his head to the side, "Can I read some?"

Karl rubbed his neck, but pushed the notebook towards Sapnap, "I mean, it's a bit of a mess at the moment, but sure."

"Thank you," Sapnap sung like he was used to getting his way. He probably was.

The Lady in the Portrait engaged him again as Sapnap began quizzing Karl. Something about the wild west, the bandits and sheriffs and duels that Karl imagined travelling there would be like. Quackity lost its meanings as the words began to get twisted with the story in front of him.

"You know," Karl said suddenly, leaning over the table towards Quackity, gaining his attention, "I like the name 'Quackity'. It fits, with the whole duck wings."

"They're not even meant to be duck wings," Quackity's lamented.

"Well, that's your artist's fault, isn't it?" Sapnap shot back cheekily, earning a giggle from Karl and a kick from Quackity under the table, "But yeah... Quackity is a really good name for you."

Quackity's eyes narrowed, focusing on the stack of books where they still stood, "How am I meant to be reacting to this?"

"However you want to," Karl grinned teasingly, resting his chin in his hands, "Quackity."

Quackity paused, eyes darting from Karl to Sapnap, tapping his finger against his book's spine. Eventually, he nodded, resigned himself to... whatever this was.

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"Okay," Quackity repeated, shrugging to himself and picking the book up again, "Live you life. I'm reading about a woman calling her aunt crazy."

"Okay Quackity," Sapnap hummed, turning back to the notebook.

"Don't make me start telling you to shut up too."

A foot found his leg under the table, clad in a stiff shoe but soft as it rubbed at his ankle. Quackity didn't look up, but he did feel his ears heat up at the shiteating grin in his peripheral.

"Shut up, Sapnap."

"I would, if I had been talking."

A passenger walked past their table, perfectly minding her own business, but caught Quackity's attention as he noticed the other passengers moving towards the door.

"What time is it?" He asked instead of looking back at Sapnap.

"It's... Oh, it's 12:04! Lunchtime."

Karl clicked his fingers together as he stole his notepad back, "Right! I've got to go find Bea and Ranboo."

"And I've got to go find Bad," Sapnap bemoaned. Quackity silently pat him on the shoulder.

"We'll meet back here in an hour or so?" He suggested, receiving conformation as he stood up.

And so they parted. Second class lunch was a lackluster event, especially from the dinner he'd had two nights ago, but Quackity didn't mind the solitary feeling as he sat off to the side.

He was finished not fifteen minutes later, and with nothing better to do, he wandered back to the library. He was surprised to find he was the first back.

In fact, he was the only one in the room. All the second class passengers were still at lunch, and it didn't look like they'd be returning, all tables empty besides the one the three of them had left their books scattered across.

Quackity drifted towards the table, picking up another books from Karl's stack, titled The Scarlet Letter.

Flipping to a random page, he began to read aloud to himself.

"'I might have known that, as I came out of the dismal forest, and entered this settlement of Christian men, the very first object to meet my eyes would be you, Hester Prynne, a statue of public shame and disgrace, before the people.'
'You know,' said Hester - for, depressed as she was, she could not endure this last quiet stab at the token of her shame - "you know that I was frank with you. I felt no love, nor feigned any.'
'True,' replied he; 'it was my fault!'"

He shut the book.

He picked up Their Wedding Journey from where Sapnap had placed it down. Flipping to another random page.

"'Isn't this charming,' she said gayly, 'It makes me think of those other journeys we took together. Do you remember how long we had to wait at Chambery? And that poor married military gentleman, with the plain wife and the two children and a tarnished uniform? He seemed to be somehow in misfortune, and his moustache hung down in a spiritless way while all the military moustaches curled and bristled with so much boldness.'"

He was slower to put the book down this time, but replaced it back where Sapnap had put it. He stared at it for a second. Shifted it so its spine was tilted away from him like it had been when he picked it up. Went back to the stack and found The Jungle.

He'd heard about The Jungle. Schlatt refused to read it after hearing about the reviews - the book was only a few years old but was an infatuating topic point in Quackity's circle, though Quackity himself had never had the chance to read it.

"The little person who leads the band is an inspired man. His guitar is out of tune, but still he is an inspired man - the hands of the muses have been laid upon him.
He has taught himself to play the guitar by practicing at night, after working all day on the 'killing beds.' You wonder where he can have gotten his trousers, eight inches off the floor, or you would wonder, if the excitement of his presence left you time to think of such things.
For he is an inspired man."

Quackity licked his lips, reading the passage again with a small, sad smile crossing his face. An inspired man, with the ingenuity to teach himself an instrument and complete his long days of work. An inspired man, indeed.

Chapter Text

"And here I thought I'd be the first one back."

Quackity didn't jump at the voice that seemingly spawned above him, but he did swear rather loud as he whipped around to see Karl, a sly smirk brightening his features.

"Weren't you spending time with Bea?" He scoffed lightly, pretending he hadn't just yelled in the middle of the quiet room.

"She was drawn away from my fascinating lesson by an older couple, planning something for tomorrow," Karl shrugged, "What're you reading now?"

"The Jungle," Quackity told him easily.

"Oh," Karl leaned down, pecking Quackity on the lips. Quackity heard the book shut quietly from where it was on the table, and he pulled away to give Karl a questioning eye, "It doesn't have the happiest ending."

"I'm used to bad endings."

"Well then it is my job to bring better endings your way," Karl hummed, before grabbing Quackity's shoulder, "I just remembered, I promised I'd show Ranboo the library! Is that alright?"

Quackity nodded, "Of course."

"We can go find him now before Sapnap returns! He's in the covered promenade at the moment, so it won't take too long," Karl heaved Quackity up from where he was sat, making his screech again.

"I could have got up by myself!"

"Boring," Karl sung, dropping Quackity on his feet.

"How are you so strong?" He groaned.

"Physical labour, baby!" Karl flexed his arms as if there was the slightest imitation of defined muscle on him, "Gotta have the best biceps to write thrilling romances, daring horrors, the usual, you know? Nothing on Sapnap, but still."

"Sure," Quackity shook his head, pulling the library doors open and walking towards the corridor through midship, "You alright with cutting through the first class room space to get there?"

"I'm always up for an adventure," Karl effused, grabbing his hand and entangling their fingers.

The corridor was magnificent, brightly lit with small chandeliers lighting the white wooden walls and patterned tiles beneath their feet. It was quiet, words muted behind stateroom doors and the tap of their heels the loudest thing as Quackity simply enjoyed Karl's company.

As they approached a corner, he could hear a few first class passengers walking towards them. Karl's eyes narrowed very slightly, looking around.

"I swear I've been here already..."

"Quackity?"

Quackity's heart plummeted to his feet as Wilbur and Techno were the passengers to round the corner. Because of course they just so happened to be in the exact same hallway of a nine deck ship at the same time as Quackity. Wilbur's eyebrows raised as his gazed flicked to Quackity and Karl's hands, still holding firmly to one another.

"What are you doing here?" Quackity scowled, taking a step back as Wilbur took the opportunity to step forwards.

"We could be asking you the same thing," Wilbur spread his arms wide, looking around. He held a shaving razor in his hand, blade encased in the handle, "This is the floor we sleep on after all. We were just going for a shave."

"Well, we were just passing through."

But Wilbur only moved closer, forcing Quackity to pull Karl back with him.

"Can't we have a civilised chat anymore?" Wilbur frowned, twirling the razor around in his fingers. It was a challenge. It irritated Quackity.

"No." He responded back succinctly, "And you know why."

"Why so cautious?" Wilbur leered, eyes sliding to Karl as if he were nothing more than an accessory to be discarded after being worn, "Your new little bed bug sure won't--"

"Don't call him that, you know his name. Or are you so small minded you've forgotten it already?" Quackity snapped back, leaning into Wilbur's space unexpectedly and dropping his voice to a hiss, "You know, it's still a double edged sword. Do you trust Technoblade to not to tattle on you to Philza?"

Wilbur paled minutely, but he kept his gaze fixed on Quackity, "You wouldn't."

"I'm only being cautious," Quackity pulled back into Karl's space. He flexed his free hand lethargically.

It drew Wilbur's attention. Quackity could see how the gold ring reflected in his eyes.

His mouth seemed to open in slow motion, with plenty of time for Quackity to make a decision. No thought was really put into said decision, but his mind was made up before Wilbur began to speak.

"And what of Schlatt?"

There were many ways for Quackity to answer. Schlatt was well, Schlatt was drinking, Schlatt had discovered why the British loved opium. Quackity didn't need to rise to Wilbur's bait.

Quackity punched him in the face.

Karl let go of his hand immediately, in fear or shock, Quackity didn't care. He was seething as Wilbur grabbed his mouth, howling in pain. Breathing deep, Quackity shook his fist, surprisingly numb after the direct hit. It had been too long since he'd punched something.

Wilbur didn't take long to recover, wiping the blood from his split lip and glaring at Quackity. It wasn't the first time they'd faced off, Quackity remembered, and it probably wouldn't be the last.

"It's like that, is it?" Wilbur muttered, voice thick with scorn, raising his own fist to fight back.

Quackity dodged it easily, taking the opportunity to elbow Wilbur in the gut, delighting in the groan he received in response. He didn't expect, however, Wilbur to grab his hair, pulling his face back up again.

That appeared to kick Karl into action, grabbing one of Quackity's arms to try and pull him away from the fight, but Wilbur stayed steadfast in his hair and Quackity was too focused on the sting to notice anyone but Wilbur.

"Since when do you fight dirty?" Quackity coughed as he brought a knee to Wilbur's groin, heaving a sigh as his hair was freed, though his collar was grabbed by the same hand near instantly.

"Since someone taught me how to," Wilbur hummed, bringing their faces close and taking the opportunity to knock their foreheads together, making Quackity woozy enough to be bodily turned out of Karl's grasp.

Quackity was pretty sure Wilbur was trying to trying to slam him on the floor, but instead he crashed into another, much bulkier body. Techno, who had been standing off to the side and watching as his brother fought another man, happened to be in the way of Quackity and the floor.

Being an Olympic fencer, Techno's reflexes were stupidly fast.

Being on his way to shave, Techno had a razor in his hand.

For some gods unknown reason, the blade was out.

A blinding pain ran through the left of Quackity's face.

And the world stopped. Quackity felt all three pairs of eyes burning into his skull as he fell onto his ass with the momentum that hitting Techno had generated. It was silent as he stared at his hands, feeling even dizzier than the smack to the head had already made him.

The floor looked kind of... fuzzy. But that couldn't be right, because it was tile and hard beneath him, not carpeted. His right eye felt a lot stronger than his left. He blinked.

A drop of ruby red blood fell onto his ring.

He screamed.

And like that the world started up again. The Minecraft's, realising the fact they'd just caused a potentially fatal injury, glanced at each other before booking it down the corridor they'd come from, probably afraid of the price on their reputation if they were found at the scene of a bloodied man with Techno holding a bloodied razor. It was never meant to be this serious, and they were abandoning before someone heard the commotion outside of their stateroom and felt the need to check.

Karl, adversely, was on his knees in seconds, attempting to put pressure on the wound and slow the flow of blood. There was a lot of blood, and it was ruining Karl's yellow shirt. All it did was make Quackity wail louder.

Karl, comprehending that Quackity needed medical assistance now but wasn't going to be moving by himself any time soon, took the right of Quackity's face into his hand, smearing blood on that half too. Quackity continued to sob, but Karl spoke to him slowly, hoping he'd hear and understand him through the pain.

"Shhh, shhh Q it's gonna be fine," He breathed, watching as Quackity's eyes - eye, actually, Karl couldn't see the left through the blood - found his, and a microscopic bit of tension drained from his body, although he continued to hiccup through his tears. Karl shifted his arm under Quackity's shoulder, narrating every move he made, "We're just gonna stand up, alright? We've gotta get you to the hospital."

Karl thanked every god he could think of that he recalled walking past the hospital when they'd escaped the stuck up first class dinner, being on D deck, and began lumbering towards the elevators. The corridors were blissfully empty, and Karl prayed they didn't run into anyone as they went.

"You're doing so good, so good Q, well done," He mumbled, staggering as Quackity fell faint against him, "No, no, no, come on, just a little farther."

Despite himself, Quackity managed to laugh, "I don't have a father."

"And I had two mothers and my aunt," Karl huffed, "And look at me go."

"Look at you go," Quackity slurred before a fresh wave of tears overtook him, "Thank you."

"This is the bare minimum, Q," Karl murmured quietly as they stopped in front of an elevator, waiting for it to come to them, "I'm sorry."

"'S not your fault."

"That's not what I was apologising for," Karl said simply. Quackity didn't respond, just kept crying.

Karl, in what he hoped was reassuring, rubbed his hand gently up and down Quackity's side, letting him cry out as he bled against Karl's shoulder. The fabric had almost immediately soaked through, but Karl didn't mind. He didn't need to be worried about his shirt.

"Karl? Quackity?"

Dread rising in his stomach, Karl turned his head at the voice, coming face to face with Bad, who was trying to somehow gawp reservedly at the scene before him. Karl felt Quackity slump against him even further.

"Mr Halo, sir," Karl tried to smile, but he was sure it was more of a snarl. It wasn't purposeful, but the adrenaline of the situation was catching up to him and he was even less concerned about civility than he usually was.

"What happened?" Bad spluttered, racing forwards and looping his arm under Quackity's, relieving some of the weight from Karl.

"I fell," Quackity mumbled.

Bad didn't look like he believed him, but had the decency not to say anything. Just as well, it would be difficult to create an excuse for the spat Quackity had been having, especially since he was the one who initiated it.

The elevator grates finally opened, a blinking bellboy moving aside to let the three of them in. He didn't ask questions, just started the elevator up as quickly as possible as Karl instructed they be taken down a level.

They travelled in silence, the only noise being Quackity's mewls that painted a picture of pure agony. He hadn't stopped gushing blood, and Karl was beginning to become severely distressed as they reached the hospital's doors.

The doctor took Quackity off their hands the moment they arrived, leading him into another room without much communication. Karl was silently thankful he didn't have to explain the fight to them as he found a place to sit, sighing heavily as he brought his hands to his lips, reciting a short prayer. Now all that was left to do was wait.

Wait with the torment in his mind and Bad.

Bad did not sit down. He stood before Karl, staring at the door Quackity had been taken through. When he spoke, he spoke to Karl.

"Sapnap is going to marry when we touch down in New York."

Karl licked his lips, forgetting he had blood on his hands. He grimaced, "So is Quackity."

"Quackity is different."

"How?"

Bad took a handkerchief out of his pocket, wiping what he could of Quackity's blood from himself as he explained, "Sapnap gets attached to those he likes very quickly. Granted, it doesn't happen often, but I know him well enough."

"And what exactly makes you so sure Quackity is different?"

"Everybody and their mother knows about Quackity," Bad scoffed, staring at the bloodstained handkerchief, "He isn't one to stay committed, not when the house of cards starts tumbling. Sapnap, on the other hand, will stick with things until their bloody end. I can't let him become so entangled with you that he forgets his duty."

Karl sneered, leaning back in his seat as he wiped his hands on his trousers, watching as Bad's eyes tracked the movement where they stained. Once he was done, he crossed his arms, where blood still stained his sleeves, "What the hell, man?"

"Language."

Karl ignored him, "He's his own person. I can't control my wiles."

"This marriage is crucial for the future of our company," Bad spoke in an even tone, but his eyes sparked with the same fire Sapnap smiled with, "He has been trained for this his whole life, and you will not get in our way."

"Have you ever considered putting people's lives ahead of your profits? Looked past your own nose?" Karl scorned, venom dripping from his words, "It's no wonder Sapnap wants to spend all his time with us if this is what the upper class is like."

"I only want what is for the best--"

"You think this is for the best? You think Sapnap is happy about you forcing him to marry?" Karl, admittedly, knew he was pulling at straws. After all, Sapnap hadn't explained his situation to Karl, so he had no idea if he would be happy. But by the way Bad's lips twitched down, he could guess he'd hit the nail on the head.

"He is content."

"But not happy?"

There was a moment of silence before Bad spoke again. The engines whirred in their silence.

"But not happy."

Karl exhaled, realising belatedly that he'd begun to lilt forwards as he berated Bad. He fell back again, staring at the ceiling to avoid Bad's gaze.

"It's just for the voyage," He assured quietly, "I'm not in love. The other two aren't either."

"Sapnap will be happy in New York," Bad replied back, just as quietly, and sounded more as if he were attempting to convince himself than Karl.

"If you say so, sir."

Bad turned to the door that would lead him back to the main body of the ship, but didn't start walking. He simply stared at it for a few moments, then frowned again.

"I only hope that I am making him happy," He muttered the next part lower, as if Karl was not meant to hear it, "I hope I'm making him proud."

Karl said nothing, watching with an unusual stoicness about him. It felt weird set on his face, being so expressive all the time.

Bad turned his head to him one last time, and there was something softer about him. Karl didn't trust it.

"You looked good in the suit at dinner. Refined, almost as if you belonged there," He shrugged, looking back to the door, "But I suppose looks can be a little artificial... A person can't be defined without character," He began to walk towards the door, "I hope you are truly happy by the end of this journey, Karl."

Karl's eyes followed Bad as he crossed the room. He was reaching for the doorknob when Karl called out to him.

"If you see Sapnap, tell him we're here."

Bad didn't look back, but Karl heard a quiet "okay" and then he was gone.

And Karl was left alone to his thoughts.

It was a short wait, but the new silence drowned Karl. His thoughts twisted with darker and darker scenarios each minute, hope fading at the quiet room Quackity had been led into. No news didn't mean good news, after all.

Eventually, he pressed his trembling hands between his knees to quell their shaking, eyes laser focused on the door in preparation for bad news.

When the door did open, the doctor stood alone. Their face was grim as they looked at Karl.

"Are you Schlatt?"

Karl startled, "What? No."

The doctor relaxed minorly, "He passed out before I started his stitches, but kept muttering- begging for a 'Schlatt' to stop, that he hadn't done anything wrong."

Karl's heart ached, "Can I go in and see him, please?"

He almost jumped up when the doctor stepped aside, allowing him access, "He's still unconscious, but he's stable. The face bleeds a lot when cut, so it probably looked worse than it was."

Quackity lay in a hospital bed, tucked under a thin sheet, his chest rising and falling steadily in such a way Karl could have almost convinced himself that he were asleep, if it wasn't for the bandages wrapped around his face, leaving only his right eye and cheekbone in view. Karl would have been worried about how Quackity was breathing if it hadn't been clear that he was.

"Oh, thank gods."

"He will likely be blind in his left eye," The doctor explained from where they stood at the door, giving them space, "Whatever sliced through him went pretty deep."

"...Oh."

"He'll need bandages for the rest of the voyage, and some time after that. Do you live with him?"

Karl's eyes flicked to the right, "Ah, no. We just met a few days ago."

He couldn't fight the feeling he was being judged, "But you will look after him until New York?"

"I will," Karl promised, a fiery passion igniting in his words. He'd never been so sure of anything in his life, Quackity's safety and comfort his number one in that moment.

The doctor was quiet for a moment, but eventually smiled, "I'll be outside if you need me. I assume you want to stay with him?"

"More than anything."

Karl was sat by Quackity's side before the doctor even left the room. He stared at his unconscious form for a few seconds and then reached for Quackity's hand from where it lay atop the covers. And Quackity lay still, cold in his grasp.

Karl doubled over onto the bed so his head lay next to Quackity's shoulder.

Took a few deep breaths.

And started sobbing.

"What the- what hell is going on, Quackity?" He cried, gripping Quackity's hand tight, "I don't live this kind of life."

Karl knew he wasn't a pretty crier. His face scrunched up, and his nose dripped and mixed with his tears. He still cried plenty often, but he didn't like crying in front of people, no matter if they were conscious or not.

"I'm worried about you, Q," He sniffed, but it did nothing for the snot soaking into the bed, "I don't get worried. I adore, and then I move on."

Ocean liners provided a wide array of people for him to sweep off their feet for a few days when he felt like it. He couldn't put a name to any face he'd been with before, but he knew with his entire being, that he would never forget Quackity or Sapnap.

Of course his romance on the Titanic would be anything but normal.

"I adore you," He whispered, "I adore you, and Sapnap, more than anyone I've adored before."

He knew he bore his heart to a hand that could not accept it.

"I don't know what I'm doing, Q," He admitted quietly, "I run into things headfirst, I don't plan this far ahead."

He began to curl back into his original sitting position, wiping at his cheeks with his non-bloody shoulder so he didn't need to let go of Quackity. The man was still passed out, cold.

A high pitch keen broke into the air, and it took a second for Karl to realise it was him who'd made the sound, bringing Quackity's hand to his lips, kissing it softly to try and sooth Quackity. He had no idea what was going on in his mind, but Karl wanted to protect him either way.

Half an hour passed. Karl stayed in the same position, Quackity's hand held to Karl's lips as he watched for any sign Quackity was in some sort of pain. None came, but he didn't wake up.

Karl wondered if Schlatt would help rewrap Quackity's bandages. He didn't seem like the type.

The thought wasn't allowed to fester in his mind, not when Sapnap arrived almost immediately after Karl thought it. Karl heard him before he saw him, the crashing of a door being thrown open, then the heavy thud of footfalls and a frantic voice asking for Quackity outside.

Despite himself, it drew a smile onto Karl's face as the door to the room he was sat in was thrown open, Sapnap panting as he rushed forwards before gracefully collapsing into the seat on the other side of Quackity. He mirrored Karl's position as he clung onto a hand before letting it drop back to where it had been lying originally.

If Quackity's hand was cold to Karl, it must have felt freezing in Sapnap, Karl thought vaguely.

"I thought you'd ditched on me," Sapnap muttered gently, eyes firmly set on Quackity's bandages.

"I'm offended you think we have the capability," Karl admonished playfully, his lips twitching in some attempt of a smile.

"What happened?"

"Q got into a fight with Wilbur. Got pushed into Techno and his shaving razor went," Karl swung a hand in imitation, "It wasn't on purpose, but. It cut pretty deep. I think it'll scar."

"Bastards," Sapnap spat, "I saw them just fifteen minutes ago, socialising as normally as ever. I thought they were purposefully ignoring me. Said Wilbur's split lip was from chasing Fundy into the bedpost."

Karl's stomach rolled with the knowledge. Did the Minecraft's actions hold so little consequence that they were able to parade around as if they hadn't just permanently altered a person's life?

"Are you okay?" Sapnap's voice snapped him out of it.

Karl blinked, taken aback for a moment before he mustered up, "Yes? I'm not the one who's in the hospital bed."

"But you saw it happen," Sapnap shook his head, his attention now solely on Karl, "And you brought him here. I'd be forgiven for thinking you were the one that stitched him up, with the amount of blood on you. It can't have been... fun."

Karl felt his heart warm hot enough to melt. He swayed unsteadily at the sudden rush of emotions clogging his head, building up behind his eyes in particular.

He began sobbing again.

Sapnap was by his side within a second, warm hands accompanied by soft kisses washing away tears. Karl wondered if his heart was trying to escape his rib cage by how fast it was beating.

"I'm sorry," He sniffled, scrabbling to push Sapnap's face away to hide his own, "You don't wanna see this."

"Don't tell me what I want," Sapnap grinned lopsidedly through Karl's fingers.

"You're... I don't--" A fresh wave of wails ripped out of Karl's throat, and Sapnap held him close, whispering sweet nothings and soothing him through it.

A puddle grew on Sapnap's shoulder, the salty tears mixing with the dried blood smeared across Karl's face darkening the black of Sapnap's suit, but Karl was far past caring anymore. He could cry in front of these two. Sapnap was holding him.

The cries ebbed away naturally over time, but when Karl pulled away, Sapnap still smiled at him, holding him with the same reassurance in his grip as always.

"Why do you care so much?" Karl asked before the words could properly formulate in his mind. He winced, but made no attempt to correct himself.

Sapnap shrugged, unfazed, "Skeppy said I have a big heart."

"I don't know who this 'Skeppy' is, but he's right."

Sapnap smiled gently, "He would have loved you. He was always one for an adventure," He glanced over at Quackity too, "He would have loved Quackity too."

"Is he who I have to thank for the passenger who dragged Q around to find me? Who's willing to spend time in third class spaces with me?"

Sapnap chuckled, nodding, "I was taught to be a gentleman. I'll want to do whatever makes you happy."

A warm feeling bubbled inside of Karl's gut, looking at where Sapnap still knelt on the floor before him. It would be so difficult to leave them once the voyage was over, he already knew.

The only indication that Quackity was waking up was that his breath became shorter, and then his eye flew open. He thrashed about for a moment before he turned to face Karl, and the fight left him instantly.

He tried to talk, or at least, from the noise he made, he sounded as if he were trying to talk before he realised his mouth was covered. He turned his head from Karl to Sapnap, who had remained by Karl, confusion glazing over his eye, and Karl practically jumped as he reached into his pocket, retrieving his notebook and charcoal to hand over to Quackity.

"You won't be able to talk for a while, not with that bandage on. You can use this in the mean time!"

Quackity looked blankly at the book, then to Karl, and then to the ceiling. When he did move, it was slow, and it took a moment for Karl to realise he was trying to sit up, and he and Sapnap rushed to assist him, adjusting pillows and giving him as little work as possible to be as comfortable as possible on a stiff hospital bed.

An exasperated sniff was their only response, but Karl just rolled his eyes as he propped Quackity against the wall. The book was taken off him shortly thereafter, and both Karl and Sapnap watched with baited breath as Quackity scribbled something down.

'Where are we?'

Sapnap glanced at Karl, Karl glanced at Quackity. When he spoke, his voice was still hoarse from crying.

"What do you last remember?"

'The fight.'

Quackity's handwriting was slanted, refined in a way that, if Karl didn't know better, he would think Quackity had been taught how to write from a young age. Maybe that was on purpose.

"You're not missing much," Karl sighed, "We're in the hospital, Q. Techno did you dirty."

'I can't feel my face.'

"Probably a numbing agent," Sapnap hummed, "I don't think you'd want to be able to feel your face right now."

"You'll get a cool scar out of it," Karl offered, which got a pause before Quackity picked up the notepad again. It's an agony watching him write, then scribble it all out, then start writing again.

'I don't want a scar.' He finally showed them. 'Schlatt already says enough about what I look like.'

A silence immediately suffocated the room. Sapnap, equally as lost for words as Karl, glanced between the book and Quackity for a moment before turning on his knees to face Quackity completely.

"Run away with me." He said resolutely, grabbing Quackity's hands. The book fell from his fingers as his eye widened and he stared as if Sapnap had suggested they kill Schlatt rather than run from him. Sapnap held Quackity's gaze, a hard, truthful glint about them, "Karl, you can come too."

"What?"

Sapnap took a deep breath, letting go of one of Quackity's hands to take Karl's, a fierce sincerity burning in his eye, "Run away with me. Leave the life you both are going to live and we can start anew."

Karl's mind immediately crumpled into a turmoil, a bowl of salt and sugar and sand and water, a melting pot of cold silicone. His face, he knew, shone with his uneasiness, but Sapnap looked as undeterred as before.

"But... But what about--"

"Do you have someone waiting for you- to give you a happy life?" His hands grasped together, begging, "Please, I can give it to you."

"You can't promise that," Karl breathed, and from the corner of his eye, he could see Quackity hunched over the notebook, scribbling as quick as he could.

"What if I could? I could get Bad to help, I could get money from--"

"No!" Karl recoiled despite Sapnap staying back, and his hands shot up to his head, fingers tangling with his hair as he tugged as hard as he could, tears beading in his eyes as Sapnap spoke, "No! You can't do that!"

"Do you not want to?" Sapnap asked in a quiet voice, sitting back on his haunches.

"You can't do this!" Karl screeched, voice full of vitriol, rocking back and fro with his hands still entangled in his hair, "No, you can't do this, please."

"Why?"

"Sapnap, please."

Sapnap appeared to physically deflate, nodding as his face fell into his hands. Quackity continued to write.

"I'm sorry."

"...It's okay."

A gentle hand took one of Karl's wrists, letting him adjust before letting it detangle itself and fall to Karl's lap, then repeated with the other. Instead of letting it fall like the other, Sapnap turned the hand to kiss its palm mildly. Karl watched him vacantly, fingers twitching lightly against the other man's stubble.

"Bad told me," He mumbled, "You can't uproot your life, abandon your company, your allyship, for us."

"I would though. I promise," Sapnap hummed against his hand.

"You can't."

"But I would."

Karl leant forwards, kissing Sapnap's forehead.

"You don't need to."

Sapnap looked like he wanted to say something else, but Quackity turned the book to them, a page of black scrawls from where he'd started writing and hurriedly changed it. Karl would have cringed at the waste of charcoal if not for the only legible word at the centre of the page, stark and large inside the mirage of scratch.

'No.'

Karl thought he could hear Sapnap's heart break with how fast his face dropped. Quackity's eye stayed steadfast on Sapnap's face, watching as his hands dropped to the floor in some effort to support himself, head hanging with them as he evidently tried to hold himself together.

Quackity flipped a page. There were more scribbled out phrases too, but one stood out, just like the last.

'I would, I promise. But, realistically, no.'

"Realistically?"

'Schlatt could track me easily by name. I'm more-' He scribbled the last part out, 'We wouldn't get far, with him waiting for me at the docks.'

"Oh."

'Sorry.'

"Nothing for you to apologise about." Sapnap reassured, although he seemed to be saying it more as a front as he sat back again, brushing off his hands from where they'd lay on the ground. He sighed, looking away, "It's just... I've never loved anyone like I've loved you two. I don't want to give all of this up when we arrive in America."

A jolt ran through Karl. That was his luck, telling Bad that Sapnap didn't love him only for him to declare the L Word less an two hours later. What irony.

"What the hell, you sap."

'Sap-nap' Quackity wrote, and the crinkle in his eye gave away the grin on his face.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sapnap snorted, instantly slipping into the immediate lighter atmosphere that settled in the room.

"Suits you, you know," Karl brought a finger to his chin, as if he were considering it and Quackity made a noise in his nose that sounded like he was trying to laugh, "Sapnap."

"Me."

"You."

'You're my favourite Sapnap out there.'

Sapnap spluttered, "Q, is this payback?"

Quackity shrugged, and Karl smothered a grin watching the two of them. If he looked past the whole 'love' thing, this was fun. They were fun. He liked being around them more than usual. A whizzing sense of calm filled him whenever he was around them, a quiet adrenaline fueled his actions whenever they spoke.

"Sorry to interrupt," A voice came from the door, and all three turned to the doctor, poking their head in, "I need to check Quackity's condition, then I'll be out of your hair again."

"Oh, of course!" Sapnap and Karl watched as the doctor began to unpin the bandage, staying right beside Quackity's bed.

The cut looked... okay, if Karl was being honest. It didn't look good, but he'd expected it to look worse, after everything. It had started to scab already, and the stitches were holding together.

His eye looked the worst. Can't stitch through an eye. It had stopped bleeding, but it looked.. wrong. Paler already, the eye and all its surrounding area was swollen badly, near closing it despite Quackity's best efforts to keep it open. He opened his mouth to try and talk, but the doctor only held up a hand, instructing him not to speak for the benefit of the stitches in his lips.

Karl didn't realise he was holding his breath until the doctor repinned the bandage. He exhaled slowly, refusing to look away from the freshly wrapped face and at the eye that gazed back at him.

"Can you breathe okay?"

Quackity nodded, keeping his eye on Karl and Sapnap. The doctor, noticing they weren't necessarily needed, slipped out of the room again.

'How do I look?'

It was definitely going to scar. There was no way a wound that looked like that wouldn't scar even in the best conditions - and Karl couldn't imagine that living with Schlatt would be the 'best conditions'.

"You look absolutely ravishing, enchanting, and every other word to describe a charming young man like yourself," Karl said immediately, moving from his chair to the bed, pushing his way next to Quackity, "As exquisite as a early spring morning, as divine as--"

"As captivating as a bird in flight!" Sapnap interrupted, butting his way onto the bed on the other side of Quackity, "Really, more gorgeous than words can describe."

'Sapnap.'

"Yes, dearest," Sapnap bat his eyelashes playfully, earning a shove that almost had him tumbling off the bed.

Karl took the right of Quackity's face before he could pick up the pad again to retort back at Sapnap, being very careful to avoid where the wound ran through. Tilting his head gently, Karl kissed where he assumed Quackity's lips were, then to the right some to make sure he didn't aggravate any stitches.

"You look just as striking as usual," He assured while Sapnap jumped at the chance to copy Karl, pressing kisses sensibly to Quackity's face, "I wouldn't want to spend my time with anyone less than perfect, and you," Karl poked Quackity's chest while the bandaged man pushed at Sapnap's chest with a huge amount of lackluster, "Were a real good catch, Q."

"We literally caught you- ack!" Sapnap whined from his spot on the floor, "It was a joke!"

Chapter Text

Karl stared at the whitewashed ceiling of the hospital the next morning, where he lay on the edge of the starch white bed, holding onto Quackity's sleeping form, and Sapnap on the other side. This wasn't what usually happened.

Karl fell asleep in the same bed as people regularly, but he didn't wake up like this. Feeling like this.

All his romances were fleeting. He never did strings attached, which is what made it so easy to move on.

He'd stopped believing in what the stories told a long time ago, the ones that said he'd find the one and they'd create a happy life together, because settling down meant staying down, and Karl despised the idea. Since he no longer had a family, he had no reason to stay anywhere for too long.

His heart was as wild as his brain, and it wandered with his legs. It didn't crave the comfort of a home, not when there was still so much to learn from the world.

Travelling meant building up a network of allies, writing meant keeping in touch with said people. Karl wouldn't have been able to score a ticket on the Titanic without them. And once he set foot in America, a whole new world of adventure and stories would be at his fingertips.

He would admit, it was easy to adore Sapnap and Quackity the way he currently was. They were funny and charming and respected Karl, and there was little more he could ask for. He held his hands out and they grabbed on without question. It only made him more endeared - the recklessness of their relationship was flattering, in a way.

But Karl moved on. He'd done this before, and would go on to have many a relationship after this.

When Sapnap had mentioned they run away, just the three of them on arrival to America, Karl was scared. He was impulsive, sure, but he wasn't stupid. This kind of relationship didn't work out. Fits of passion rarely ended in meaningful relationships, they were three souls on different journeys, they weren't even meant to meet.

He was inwardly glad that Quackity said no for him. He had a genuine reason, not just him being scared.

Despite all Karl wanted to turn tail and run at the idea of settling down, he didn't want this to end... not yet. He was far more comfortable in the presence of Quackity and Sapnap than he'd ever been with any other person before, besides his mothers, of course.

A mixing bowl of sugar, and salt, and sand, and water.

Karl was startled out of his head by a rough hand taking his. He almost choked as his head whipped to Quackity, whose eye was only half open, lidded and glazed with sleep still, but tracking Karl diligently.

Karl thought he saw himself in Quackity's eye as it gently woke up and began to crease in the corners. He knew that he was easy to read, and Quackity seemed to work out the moment he seriously looked at Karl.

The hand in his began to trace shapes across the palm, and Karl sighed, head lolling back to the ceiling. Despite Quackity's refusal to run away, he wasn't making it any easier for Karl to stop adoring him. After a few minutes of shared silence, Karl began to realise Quackity was writing invisible words in his hand. He caught the tail end of 'you are pretty handsome', to which he suppressed a snort over.

"No, you're pretty handsome." He argued back, and Quackity paused his antics for a moment before he started up again.

'Thank you'

"I did what anyone would do, Q."

'Not anyone'

"... No, I guess not."

Another lull followed, where Quackity looked at Karl and Karl looked at Quackity. Sapnap still lay asleep, pressed to Quackity's back. His arm was thrown across both of them, and had settled itself on Karl's hip in the night. It felt nice to be held by both of them.

Quackity moved slowly, drawing Karl's hand closer to their faces before he began to trace again.

'I love you'

Karl was sure the ship disappeared in that second, and he'd been dunked in the morning ocean, still chilly from the night. He didn't dare move an inch, battling valiantly to not give away a reaction.

To his surprise, his voice came out steady, a small smile gracing his face. Karl had never been much of an actor.

"Don't say that."

'I mean it'

Karl spluttered, a somewhat hollow laugh breaking out of his throat as he pushed Quackity's shoulder gently, careful not to do anymore harm.

"This is a weird way to say thank you."

Quackity just looked a little sad as he stared, unblinking at Karl. It broke Karl's heart a little, to see the wounded face twisted by his denial of love, so he surged forwards, kissing Quackity's eyelid before bringing his forehead to rest on the other man's.

Quackity captured Karl's hand again, bringing it to where his lips would be under the bandage. Karl hoped it meant he understood.

"Hnngr," Sapnap appeared to have awoken, if his stretching form was to be any indication. Neither Karl nor Quackity were all too candid as they watched Sapnap flex his arms in the hospital lights, "What's a weird way to say thank you?"

"Oh," Karl looked away, "Q was just being silly."

"I don't mind a bit of silly," Sapnap propped himself up on one arm, leaning over Quackity to kiss his uninjured half, "I love me a bit of silly, actually."

"I'm far too serious for that," Karl huffed jokingly, crossing his arms. The defense was only used to drag him forwards so Sapnap could capture his lips as a good morning.

"I love me a bit of seriousness too. I love every bit of both of you, honestly." He said softly between kisses, and Karl...

Karl was weak.

"Eww, morning breath," He lamented instead, pushing his face away, "Quackity doesn't have that problem."

Quackity casually sat up, already anticipating the peck Karl landed to the right of his lips.

"Someone's eager," Sapnap chuckled as Quackity turned to be kissed by him as well.

If he could, Karl is sure Quackity would have rolled his eyes, but instead, his head whipped from left to right, searching for his notepad. It must have fallen from his grasp while asleep, and after a quick check, Karl passed it to Quackity after finding it on the floor, along with the piece of charcoal.

'I just woke up with two of the finest guys on the ship.' Both Karl and Sapnap snorted as they read over Quackity's shoulder, 'I'm allowed to be eager.'

"Of course," Sapnap pulled Quackity so that his back was pressed against his chest, hooking his chin between the crook of his shoulder and neck.

Karl shuffled over to make room for them at the head of the bed, situating himself in front of Quackity and in between Sapnap's legs. From this position, he could see the downcast look Sapnap hid from Quackity. Karl did his best to ignore it, taking Quackity's hands as the other relaxed against Sapnap.

If Quackity had actually had wings, Karl could picture them unfurling cautiously as Sapnap began to mutter soft words in his ear and press kisses to his neck. The bound book looked unlocked.

A knock on the door startled the three, turning to the doctor as they walked into the room. They held a new bandage in one hand, and a dish of food in the other.

Karl shuffled back as they approached, but Sapnap stayed attached to Quackity as the doctor began to unwrap the bandage. The material came of clean, other than a scab or two that had peeled off in the night.

Quackity's eye was slightly less swollen than it had been last night, lens completely milky now. He blinked a few times, trying in vain to perceive any light to his left. It amounted in him bodily tilting as his depth perception was violently screwed off centre. If it hadn't been for Sapnap and Karl rushing to catch him, he most definitely would have ended up on the floor.

He must have learnt his lesson from yesterday, because he kept quiet as he chewed breakfast slowly and let Sapnap and Karl talk for him, about how well he was healing and how they could barely see the wound.

Quackity let himself be lied to.

The doctor began to rewrap his face as he was held tightly by both Sapnap and Karl. They were probably making it awkward for the doctor, but Karl couldn't find it in himself to care.

"It's healing nicely," The doctor nodded approvingly as they repinned the bandages, "And I would feel terrible to keep you and your lovers," Karl pointedly looked away, "In here for the rest of the ship's voyage. So, as long as you return every few hours to get your bandage rewrapped, you can go out and enjoy your days left on the ship."

Quackity nodded in understanding, brushing off Karl and Sapnap's attempt to aid him as he got up and stretched.

"A message was also sent for you this morning," The doctor continued as Quackity began to dress himself. His shirt was brown with dried blood, "From a J. Schlatt."

He stopped, bent over with his shirt in hand. Looked at the doctor.

"He won't be able to meet you at the docks on arrival."

The shirt fell on the floor.

"That's all there was to the message. No plans to meet anywhere else. Will you be okay in your current state?"

Quackity attempted to nod rapidly, before he winced painfully and gave the doctor a thumbs up. They didn't look entirely convinced, but left as the hospital door was knocked upon.

Alone again in the room, Quackity's whole body whipped to Sapnap, visible eye wide. He grabbed the notebook again, only drawing two quick lines before throwing it back onto the bed and proceeding to continue to collect his clothes.

The 'No.' from yesterday had been resolutely crossed out.

Karl's gasp mingled with Sapnap's, but unlike Karl, Sapnap practically threw himself at Quackity, who was in the process of buttoning up his shirt. He abandoned it as Sapnap swept him up, spinning in a circle before setting him down, devastatingly gentle, before taking the right on Quackity's face in his hand, letting Quackity wrap his arms around his waist. Even from the way away that Karl was, he could see the smile in his eye.

"You mean it?" Sapnap whispered, his face managing to light up even more when Quackity nodded slowly, with a look that said 'I want to try. With you.'

And who was Karl to break up such a heartwarming moment?

He was Karl Jacobs.

"Do you guys want to come to third class breakfast before we change out of our bloodied clothes?"

"This is what you get for breakfast?"

"I know, right! They actually give us meals on the Titanic!" Karl exclaimed, digging into his porridge that was more water than it was milk and oats. No bother to him, of course, food was food.

"Right..." Sapnap nodded slowly, taking a bite out of his marmalade covered bread. He did his best not to pull a face. Karl was acutely aware of the other third class passengers openly staring at the three of them, two thirds of their ensemble covered in dried blood, one with a bandage obscuring their face, and two in fine clothing so rare in steerage.

"What do you have for breakfast in first class?" He asked to keep conversation flowing instead.

"You sure you want to know? Might make you jealous."

"I'll bite," Karl grinned, leaning his elbows on the table, twirling his spoon around the bowl.

"Okay," Sapnap glanced at Quackity who, having already eaten, was writing in the notebook again, "Well, I usually have the baked apples and grilled mutton with these nutty crepe like things? And any of the other meats they have available."

"You big on meat and nuts, huh?" Karl snickered, tilting towards Sapnap with a wicked grin. He just snorted, taking another bite of his (noticeably stale) bread.

'I usually just have rolled oats. All the other food is way too rich for breakfast.' Quackity wrote, then paused before adding, 'Who the hell eats baked apples for breakfast?'

"They're nice!" Sapnap defended and Karl giggled to himself as they continued to bicker. God, they were easy to adore.

He was finished with his bowl of porridge by the time that Sapnap was accepted that maybe every type of meat on offer was a little excessive for breakfast. He watched them for a few more seconds, leaning on his hand as Quackity continued to write and Sapnap watched to combat whatever he spouted next.

"Karl, Karl!"

All three looked over at Ranboo, who was ambling over with a large grin. Karl pulled them up onto the bench next to him.

"Yeah?"

"There's a party tonight! In the general room with the piano!"

"A party! For who?"

Ranboo shrugged, barrelling on, "There's gonna be a guitar and a fiddle and my mom's gonna be playing the piano."

"Woah," Karl chuckled, nodding along, "I'd love to go! Guys?"

"Sounds fun! I'm down!"

Quackity nodded enthusiastically too, humming in his throat, before wincing and stopping abruptly.  Ranboo looked at him, tilting their head curiously.

"What happened to your face?"

Karl winced at the unminced words, subtly attempting to turn Ranboo's attention back to himself. It was not working.

"Well, you know Ranboo, it's best to..." He was cut off by the notebook being pushed towards Ranboo.

'I fought a shark'

Karl blinked as he reread the scrawl, and Ranboo laughed, "No you didn't!"

'I did'

"Sharks aren't on board! They're in the sea!"

'Flying sharks'

"Wh- really?!"

A raised eyebrow, something that was meant to look pleased, 'I fought it back into the ocean'

"Woah..."

'I understand why you're scared of water now. Got flying sharks.'

"Exactly!" Ranboo paused, "Will you be okay?"

'Practically already healed.' Quackity stared at the page for a second, before scribbling something else, 'I'll get a pretty cool scar out of it.'

"You're so brave, wow..."

"Isn't he?" Karl hummed softly, eyes wandering to Quackity and holding his gaze for a few seconds before the visible section of Quackity's face turned red and he looked back to the notebook.

'Shut up, Karl.'

Ranboo gasped, "Don't tell Karl to shut up!"

"Yeah!" Karl goaded, "I'm just a poor boy! All I have are my words!"

"And your good looks," Sapnap muttered, mostly to himself.

"So true," Karl agreed anyway, "That's all I have. My words, and my looks."

'And we wouldn't dream of taking that from you.' Despite them being written down, Karl couldn't help but feel that Quackity's words were bitter. 

"Thanks for the invite, Ranboo," Karl smiled at the kid instead of addressing the book, "We'll try and make it."

"Yeah?" Ranboo said, eyes focused on Quackity.

"Yeah," Karl confirmed as Quackity nodded.

Ranboo pushed off the bench and started to run back to where he'd come from, yelling to Bea that's they'd said yes. The commotion he caused made more heads turn and stare at them, and more to gape at Quackity. The three of them sat in silence for a second before Sapnap cleared his throat awkwardly.

"If you want, we can go to my stateroom. It's in a quieter area of the ship, we shouldn't run into anyone."

Karl agreed quickly, knowing it would be a welcome respite from the loud saloon, where the floor whirred over the engines and there were too many eyes attached to mouths that wanted to ask about Quackity.

"This is your room?!"

Karl gasped as he spun around the centre of the room, taking in the ornate details of the white and gold panelling, the faint green carpet floor, the marble vanity. Quackity sat on one of the turquoise beds, also staring around in wonder.

Sapnap chuckled as he sat next to Quackity, the other leaning against him as he scribbled something on the notepad that made Sapnap press a kiss to his freshly changed and non-bloodied shoulder.

"I'm serious!" Karl spluttered, pointing at the windows running along the wall, "You have stained glass! Not even Philza's room had those."

"You've been in Phil's room?"

"Yeah? He gave me the suit I wore to dinner," Karl tilted him head, sitting on the green chaise, "I thought you were the one who told him about me?"

"No?" Sapnap's nose scrunched up in disgust and Karl catalogued the expression as one of his favourites, "I wouldn't want to talk to a Minecraft even over telegram."

Karl didn't miss how Sapnap's hand wound tighter around Quackity as he spoke.

"Well someone had to have told him about me, because no way Philza Minecraft knew about barely even blue collar worker Karl Jacobs before offering me Wilbur's suit."

"The only people I told about you were Q, the wait staff that I had to tell for the reservation, and Bad! I d--" Sapnap's eyes widened, "Bad?!"

He seemed startled at the very idea of Bad being capable of offering a helping hand to a third class passenger so that he didn't embarrass himself at dinner.

"That's why he said what he did yesterday," Karl muttered, flopping back to stare at the ceiling.

"You talked to Bad? I thought he just saw you go into the hospital and then found me."

"No, he helped me carry Q down. Then had a go at me."

"He had a go at you? What did he say?"

Karl lifted his head to look at Sapnap, his expression controlled if not a little taut. He sighed, head falling back again.

"It doesn't matter. Nothing that wasn't true, I don't think."

He heard Sapnap exhale slowly, "That doesn't exactly fill me with hope."

Karl ignored him, "But he said something about the clothes. Said I looked like I belonged before I opened my mouth."

He heard someone get off the bed, and wasn't surprised when Sapnap entered his peripheral. He knelt down slowly, and turned Karl's head to face him with a painstakingly gentle hand.

"I love you, alright? Bad's full of shit, ignore what he says," He ended the sentence with a simple kiss, one Karl halfheartedly indulged in.

If only you knew, he thought as he broke away.

"Thanks, Sap," He said instead, subconsciously turning to Quackity. He still sat on the bed, but once he realised Karl was looking at him, flipped the notepad around so Karl could read what he'd written.

'Ew you've worn Wilbur's clothes'

That drew a laugh out of Karl, finally. He sat up slowly.

"It was terrible, man. They were so stiff, and for what? I felt like I was being choked by the collar, I swear," Subconsciously, Karl tugged on his own shirt collar, now a sea foam green. He'd hadn't realised while in the hospital, but the temperature had appeared to have taken a drop during the night, so Karl had pulled on a soft blue cardigan while changing in his room, "Men's fashion is so boring."

'Upper class fashion is so boring'

Karl pulled a face, "Even working class men's clothing is pretty boring," He paused to flip his collar up, "I'm breaking the mold over here."

"Sure you are," Sapnap hummed as he flipped the collar back down again.

'I preferred my working class clothes from before. Way less restrictive.'

"Before?" Karl cocked his head to the side as his gaze flicked from his notebook to Quackity's face, "Before what?"

Quackity's brow furrowed as he stared at Karl for a few seconds, before his eye widened and he began to write again.

'Do you think I've tried on working class clothes for fun?'

What?

...

Oh.

Oh...

"No offense, I wouldn't put it past you."

A muffled snicker made its way through the bandages, Quackity shaking his head as he continued to write.

'I see a lot of myself in Ranboo, honestly. He has the same dreams I did.'

Karl wasn't sure he had the right words for whatever Quackity was telling him. There was a momentary pause, and what surprised Karl was that Sapnap was the one to speak up.

"Is that why he prefers you?" Quackity blinked at the question, tilting his head questioningly until Sapnap continued, "I mean, the kid's infatuated with you. Both times I've seen him with you, they're practically hanging off every word you say- or write."

Quackity paused for a few moments, before shrugging and scribbling, 'Maybe I just know how to approach kids, unlike Mr I'm-Not-That-Strong-Then-Shows-Off-Muscles.'

Sapnap groaned as Karl burst into laughter, "He's got you there, Sap."

"I don't talk to many children! And all of them are usually impressed with my muscles," He groused, crossing his arms petulantly as Karl continued to giggle.

"Yeah, because they're conditioned to be polite."

"Are you saying my muscles aren't impressive?"

Karl chuckled as he wrapped his arms tightly around Sapnap, making sure to squeeze around his biceps. He could feel the vibrations of Sapnap's laughter from there.

"Of course they are, darling. Just maybe not the best conversation starter for a five year old."

"Darling?" Sapnap murmured, turning his head to look into Karl's eyes, "I like the sound of that."

Karl stuffed his face into Sapnap's chest so he would avoid seeing how Karl's face dropped. The pet name had slipped out, which was unusual for Karl. He picked his words and meant them. The least spontaneous thing about Karl was his vocabulary.

And maybe he wanted to motorboat Sapnap too.

"What time is it?" He asked after Sapnap had stopped laughing at his antics.

"I would answer, but you're blocking my access to my pocket watch."

"Hm," Karl squeezed Sapnap a little tighter, "Nah."

"Nah?"

"Tell me the time without looking. Your impeccable muscles are too nice to let go of just yet."

Sapnap sighed, resigning himself to fate and letting Karl pull him down to join him on the chaise. After a moment, a small object hit Karl's back, and he finally pulled away to see a wristwatch, wrist not included.

He picked it up carefully - it looked expensive - and checked the time. It was 11:40. Still too early for lunch, which would have been a convenient excuse to slip away and rethink his life choices. He hummed as he handed it back to Quackity.

"Where'd you get that?"

Quackity shrugged as he adjusted it to fit onto his wrist again, then scribbled, 'Gift. I've had it years now, from before I even met Schlatt. I'm surprised it still works.'

"It's nice," Sapnap whistled, "They cost a lot of money, you must have pleased someone rich."

'No-one I'm in contact with anymore.' Quackity coughed, low in his throat, and Karl could see how his face attempted to contort at the discomfort. 'I want to take this stupid bandage off.'

"Already getting bored of it?" Karl sighed sympathetically, "Sorry to say, Q, but it's your own new fashion trend for the next few weeks."

Quackity sniffed pettily, 'I've got to eat.'

"It's not time for lunch yet." Sapnap pointed out.

"And do you want to go to lunch without the bandage on yet?" Karl doubted.

Quackity looked down, an irritated twitch in his brow. Karl could see how his chest expanded slowly as he took a deep breath.

'I haven't even seen myself yet.'

There was a short silence. When Sapnap spoke, it was as if he spoke too loud he'd shatter the ship.

"The en suite's got a mirror. You can have a look in there, if you want."

Slowly, very slowly, Quackity nodded, setting down the notebook and getting up. Sapnap snapped up, Karl following just as quick.

Quackity was already unpinning the bandage before he made his way into the bathroom, letting the clean white material unravel itself as he walked. Karl caught Sapnap's hand as he began to move forwards.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" He whispered, "If he hates what he sees, I don't want him to... you know."

Sapnap looked unsure, but squeezed Karl's hand reassuringly, "If he does, we won't let him out of our sight. I promise you, he's too important to me now."

Karl held his gaze for a moment, thinking over his words. He sighed, "He's too important to me, as well."

Sapnap wrapped his hands around Karl's waist. He basked in the warmth, letting his eyes close as Sapnap rested his head on Karl's shoulder.

The quiet that blanketed them in that moment was almost enough to trick Karl that they were alone, that he really didn't have anything to fear. That his adoration had no repercussions.

A gasp from the bathroom broke them apart. They were dashing towards the door before either could comprehend the action.

Quackity was stood in front of the mirror, holding his own gaze as the bandage dropped from his hands into the sink.

He simply stared at himself for a few seconds, taking in the swollen eye, the stitches puncturing his skin, the dark crimson line trailing down his face. Karl and Sapnap trailed behind uncertainly, hands held in front of them preemptively in case Quackity faint at the sight of himself.

He took a deep breath, closing his eyes. Karl prepared for the worst.

His eyelashes fluttered as he opened them again, "It... doesn't look as bad as I thought it would."

His voice was hoarse yet soft. The way his face had smoothed out to avoid any pain from unnecessary movement of the scar, he somehow appeared younger now than when Karl had first properly met him, a vulnerability unleashed as he stared at his marred face.

"The scar will be a thin one, if you keep tending to it properly," Karl conceded.

Quackity's lips twitched up as he traced at his face, barely grazing the line of the scar with his finger.

"I don't... I don't mind it, actually," His seeing eye shone, "I look badass."

"Hell yeah you do, Q," Karl laughed, moving forwards to press a kiss to Quackity's hair, "You still shine brighter than the stars in the sky."

"Flatterer," Quackity huffed, but allowed Karl to hang off his shoulder.

"That's not a shut up," Sapnap mused ardently, moving to link his arms around one of Quackity's.

"Life's too short to tell pretty boys to shut up," Quackity shrugged, and Karl didn't have to look in the mirror to feel his face heat.

"As much as it pains me to say this, you probably should shut up though," Karl said, "Even if you are the prettiest one here." 

Quackity frowned, but yielded as he continued to stare at his face. Karl propped his chin atop his head and let his eyes wander.

The bathroom, unsurprisingly, was just as grand as the stateroom. There were no panelling to hide the white hull that were the walls, but there was a shower, toilet, and sink with a large mirror that comfortably held Karl, Quackity, and Sapnap's reflections. On the side Sapnap's room was, a door connecting the rooms stood, obviously, but another door mirrored it across the room.

"What's that door for?" He couldn't help but ask.

"Hm?" Sapnap looked over his shoulder at the offending door, "Oh. It's to room B-57."

"You have to share an en suite with them?" Karl pulled a face, "Seems counterintuitive."

Sapnap shrugged, "I haven't had any problem with them yet. I met the woman in the room on the first day, Rose I think her name was? Had a beautiful hat on, although it was so big it covered half her face."

Quackity swallowed, his eyes on the reflection of the door, "I don't really want to go out without my bandage on just yet."

"That's fine," Sapnap assured quickly, kissing Quackity's unscarred cheek, "Titanic's got this new thing called 'room service'. I can order lunch for us and they'll deliver it to our door."

Quackity didn't let any emotion pass over his face, schooled and held tight by many years of attempting to blend into the upper crust. But his voice betrayed him, just slightly, at the quiet, "thank you," He whispered and Sapnap pecked the corner of his lip.

Karl, once again, wished he could be given more time to adore them.

"I'm not putting that back on."

"Q, the whole point of us eating in here was that you didn't have to go out without it on."

Karl sat in between Sapnap and Quackity, who were both stood on either side of the room. Sapnap stood at the en suite's door, Quackity's bandage in his hands, while Quackity paced around the opposite wall, practically hissing as Sapnap held the bandage out towards him.

Lunch had been quite a modest affair. I had been on par with the dinner from the second night, which Karl shouldn't have found surprising, but he found it far more enjoyable, especially since the only tolerable first class passenger was around him this time.

Sapnap and Karl had attempted to make the experience as comfortable as possible for Quackity, fluffing the pillows and shifting the small table over to where he chose to sit. In the end, he huffed and sat on the floor, petulantly tearing into his grilled mutton until the other two gave in and sat with him.

Once they were finished, Sapnap had gathered up the plates and set them aside. And then gone to get the bandage from where it had been abandoned in the sink.

And Quackity reacted as if Sapnap had pulled his grandmother's clothes out of her coffin and was offering them to wear.

"Q, it's not even that big a deal," Karl tried, "We can wrap it then go down to the hospital and let the doctor give you a new one."

"No." Quackity spat, "That's still disgusting."

"It's only been on your face," Sapnap groaned.

"Well now it's been off my face," Quackity scowled, then winced and let his face fall back to near expressionless again. It was a little eerie. "I'm not putting it back on. Anything but that."

Sapnap huffed, bringing his hands - which were now clutching onto the fabric of the bandage - to his forehead, "What do you suggest instead then?"

That seemed to floor Quackity somewhat, like he hadn't thought that far ahead. His hand moved mindlessly to where the scar ran though his lower lip and his eye fell to the floor, but he just looked lost.

Karl took the moment to push off the floor, gently taking Quackity's hand away from his face and interlacing their fingers slowly enough that he hoped Quackity found it soothing. He appeared to, if the deep breath he took while watching Karl was any indication.

"Do you have anything in here that could cover Quackity's face in some way?" Karl turned to Sapnap, who had also calmed down slightly, dropping the bandage to the bed.

"Not unless you want to wear some dirty clothes over your face which... no, yeah, I didn't think so."

"Seriously? You don't have any hats or anything..?" Karl paused as Sapnap shrugged unhelpfully, then gasped, "Hats!"

"I've just told you I don't have any hats," Sapnap frowned.

"But the woman in B-57 does!"

"What?" Sapnap shook his head minutely like he didn't understand what Karl was saying, and even Quackity blinked at him owlishly, "What does Rose have to do with this?"

"You can get the hat she was wearing when you met! The one that covered half her face." Karl said like it was obvious. Because it was.

Sapnap's brow furrowed, but his eyes flicked to Quackity who, after a moment of consideration, shrugged and nodded.

"Okay..." Sapnap nodded too, as if making sure that its what Quackity had confirmed, "Okay. But she won't be in her room right now, so I can't knock and ask for it."

Karl snorted, "Sneak into her room through the en suite, obviously."

Quackity looked like he really wanted to start laughing as Sapnap's face dropped and he yelled, "What!?"

"What?!" Karl snickered, "If it's such a big hat, you should be in and out immediately."

"I'm not breaking into someone else's room!" Sapnap cried.

"It wouldn't be breaking in! Less breaking and entering, more like... borrowing and entering," Karl pouted in a way he knew was hard to say no to, "We'll return it as soon as Q has a new bandage."

"Come on, Sap," Quackity urged, batting his good eye in a way that felt vaguely similar to Karl's pout, "I'm not leaving this room without it. And we promised Ranboo we'd go to the party tonight."

He sighed dramatically, bringing a hand to his heart in a way that was more performative than his eye trick. Karl grasped on quickly, practically throwing himself onto Quackity's side as he brought his hand to his head.

"Oh Sap, think of Ranboo! How sad he'll be if we can't make it because you didn't steal a hat!"

Sapnap's eyes flicked to his pocket watch before he grumbled under his breath - something about pretty privilege and love - and turned on his heel towards the en suite with a put upon, "Fine!" 

As soon as the door swung shut behind him, Karl and Quackity doubled over in laughter, Quackity's more restrained than Karl's, but both still wracked with mirth. Even Karl's face hurt from how much he was smiling. 

"He's cute," Quackity sighed once they'd calmed some.

"You're cute," Karl responded, although he nodded in agreement.

Quackity's mouth opened as if to respond, but it shut just as quickly and he looked away, a small smile gracing his features. Karl grinned, wrapping himself around Quackity with a dopey grin.

"I was about to tell you to shut up, don't make me regret the decision," Quackity said resolutely, although he allowed the kiss to the corner of his lips. He sighed, "It's unfortunate I'm never gonna get another proper kiss out of you, Karl. I would have kissed you sooner and more often if I'd known I wouldn't get another chance."

Karl froze, "What?"

Quackity's hands started to run up Karl's sides, "I know you don't want to run away with Sapnap and me. I, out of all people, understand why you wouldn't, I really do."

Karl swallowed heavily, looking away, "Q..."

"It doesn't change how I feel about you. It wouldn't change the way Sapnap feels about you, I know it," He moved his hands off Karl's person, but Karl only had to lament for a moment before they took a hold of his face, cupping his cheeks so tenderly, "You don't have to be scared. Even if you don't love me, I love you. And even after we run, if you ever want to find us, we'd be there with open arms."

"Quackity..."

"I really am sad that I won't get to kiss you again," Quackity carried on, "I'm not all that religious but kissing you is heaven."

"Stop waxing me lyrical," Karl huffed, blinking rapidly, "You're meant to be the quiet one now."

"You've rubbed off on me," Quackity shrugged.

"I found it!"

"Sapnap!" Karl whirled towards the man emerging from the bathroom. The smile he slapped on became genuine as he properly looked at the hat Sapnap carried in with him.

"That is a beautiful merry widow hat!" He gasped, taking it from Sapnap to admire it closer.

The hat was a deep purple with a wide brim - more than enough to cover Quackity's face - and although the large cream taffeta bow wrapped around the top would obviously make him stand out as they travelled through the ship, it would block out any wandering eyes from catching a glimpse through the slightly sheer hat.

"Oh, Q, you are gonna look a picture," Karl hummed as he placed the hat delicately on Quackity's head, tilting it just so, then stepping back to admire him.

Quackity let himself be the model as Karl continued to adjust the hat to make sure he didn't look too odd wearing it, but sufficiently covered his face. He basked in the warm gazes he was held by, especially when Sapnap sat in a chair behind where Karl was pottering about, giving the occasional tip or comment, smile bright yet soft like a sunset.

Eventually Karl drew back, nodding to himself in satisfaction as he flitted around Quackity, making sure he was as covered as possible. Quackity had no doubt that he looked pretty stupid, in men's formal wear but in a large purple woman's hat, but when Karl and Sapnap looked at him like that, he thought that he'd probably go out stark naked if they asked him.

Sapnap stood, taking one of Quackity's hands while Karl took the other, "Let's get you down to the hospital then," He paled minutely, "I need to return that hat before Rose returns."

Quackity chuckled softly, letting Sapnap open the door. With these two by his side, he could do anything.

The doctor only gave them an odd look when they arrived, and didn't condemn them for taking off the bandage. Karl assured the doctor that Quackity had stayed quiet, and the doctor checked the stitches and condition of the scar before rewapping the bandage and sending them off again.

Quackity messed with the brim of the hat as they walked back to Sapnap's stateroom. More people were staring at him now than when he'd had the hat on, which wasn't all too surprising, but even after adorning the bandage for almost a full day now, he still felt self conscious.

He was usually so confident, and didn't care... too much... about his appearence, but the looks he was receiving from other passengers...

He was glad Schlatt had decided to piss off to who knows where on the day the Titanic touched down in New York. He wouldn't have to see how his face would pull into a grimace of pure disgust at the sight of him.

No, instead Quackity was leaving New York behind him as soon as he could and nobody needed to know except Sapnap and Karl. And at least one of them was going to follow, completely in earnest, and they would try and love him as they found their footing in the world, and...

Quackity was giving up everything he had worked for.

But he'd finally found his princes. And they had swept him off his feet from the moment they met, literally, figuratively, it didn't matter. He didn't deserve them, yet they clung onto him, and it seemed they would until their time together naturally came to an end. 

And he clung to them too. He was in love, it was only natural.

For the first time in a long time, Quackity was in love. And he would not let himself forget it.

So he relaxed minorly as Sapnap pulled him closer to his waist as they passed an elderly gentlewoman that took it upon herself to stare with as bewildered a look on her face at Quackity. He breathed slowly as Karl made a show of tangling their hands together as a well dressed twelve year old turned to his nanny and loudly asked what was wrong with him.

When they finally made it back to the stateroom, he felt like collapsing on the bed, but chose to sit first in the imitation of being held together before he flopped onto his back and groaned in his throat.

Sapnap chuckled as he retrieved the hat from Quackity's grasp and began to walk over to the en suite. Karl sank onto the bed beside him, patting his chest sympathetically as Quackity continued to grumble unintelligibly.

"I know, I know," He hummed, although Karl definitely did not know what Quackity was saying. Still, he felt comfort in the words, and sniffed one more time before closing his eye and letting Karl continue to murmur reassurances.

Until the en suite door was thrown open, Sapnap barrelling out, still holding the hat.

"She's in the room," He whispered urgently.

Both men on the bed sat up immediately, Karl matching Sapnap's volume and urgency, "Did she see you?"

"No, thank gods," Sapnap shook his head and Quackity managed a sigh of relief, "I just heard voices on the other side of the door before I opened it and booked it back in here."

"Okay, okay," Karl bit his lip as he thought up a plan, "Okay, stash the hat under the bed, or somewhere else that isn't too obvious, and then we should get out of here for... an hour or so, until she leaves for dinner. Then we return it! Easy."

Sapnap looked unsure, but voiced no word of it as he swept the curtain hiding the bottom of his bed aside and pushed the hat under the frame.

"Okay, hide the hat, done." He nodded resolutely, then turned to Karl, "Now let's get out of here before they come knocking.

"Although..." He glanced at Quackity, who picked up the notebook and charcoal from where it had remained on the bed, "Do you know anywhere that isn't too densely populated?"

Karl thought for a moment before he brightened and nodded. He grabbed both men's hand and began towards the door, a surety in his stride.

Quackity let out a sigh as Karl led them away from B-57 and towards the bow of the ship, where they passed surprisingly few passengers. It was barely 5 o'clock, but he supposed that other passengers would be busy at this time, socialising elsewhere on the ship.

Karl let go of them to shoulder open a door that broke them away from midship and into the cool air of the Atlantic. He took a deep breath, letting the cold refresh him, then kept walking forwards.

Quackity eyed the sign forbidding any passenger to go any further for fear of machinery mishaps, then followed right behind Karl. Sapnap hung back for a moment, then let out a loud grumble and followed as well. Although Quackity couldn't really move his face behind the bandage, a smile worked its way onto his lips as he grabbed Sapnap's hand and squeezed.

The three bypassed two large sets of chains, presumably attached to the ship's anchors, and then Karl was at the very front of the ship, leaning on the railing as he stared out into the horizon. Quackity situated himself on Karl's left as Sapnap joined his right, and the three stared out for a minute, basking in each others presence and the comfortable silence.

The sky was still blue, but the horizon was slowly lighting up yellow as the first hints of sunset edged into the setting. Quackity tilted his head against Karl's shoulder as he took a slow breath out, eyes glued to the horizon.

"There's so much out there," The taller man breathed, almost too quiet for Quackity to hear.

Unsure of how to respond, he pretended he hadn't heard at all.

After another long bout of silence, Karl perked up, smile that almost reached his eyes drawn across his face. He stepped away from the railing, although he was still close enough to grab onto it.

"Sap, stand on the first wrung of the railing right here and close your eyes."

"Okay," Sapnap agreed immediately, sliding into the space between Karl and the railing.

Karl's arms wove around Sapnap waist, holding him steady. Quackity watched as they stepped up together and Karl gently urged Sapnap to let go of the railing and open his eyes. He couldn't see Sapnap's reaction, but heard the exhale of breath in fascination of whatever he was experiencing.

After a minute or so, Karl stood down, Sapnap following with his eyes still out on the horizon.

"How'd you know all these things?" He sighed, turning his head to give Karl a kiss.

"I travel a lot," He hummed, "Snuck into every section of every ocean liner there is."

Sapnap snorted, stepping away from Karl's hold.

"Q, do you wanna have a go?"

Quackity nodded quickly, ignoring the sting to his face, and took Sapnap's place, closing his eye and allowing Karl to guide him as he had just done. He was slow and steady on Quackity's back, and it gave Quackity the sense of security needed to step up onto the railing and allow Karl to spread his arms.

"Okay, now open your eyes."

The words were whispered and lost in the wind instantly, but Quackity blinked his eye open immediately and let his breath escape him just as it had with Sapnap.

It was the same view as before, obviously, but with so little contact to the ship now that his feet were on the bar of the railing, and the wind in his ears blocking out the sounds of the heavy machinery, and nothing in his view but the slow moving waves below and the sky above, a whole new feeling captured Quackity. A feeling of rushing water and bitter snow, of holding and being held in comfort and nothing more.

Quackity felt like he was flying. 

He savoured the moment as Karl's grip rubbed up to his chest and down again, as the cool ocean air held him too and bolstered his dream, as the waves stayed crashing below him.

When Karl eventually stood down, Quackity loathed the idea of breaking the spell cast over him, but followed regardless. The sun was lower now, the sky gaining its first hints of orange as the blue became more and more washed out, lending itself to the deep purple it would soon become.

"Let's go back inside," Karl murmured, taking both of their hands again.

And if Quackity had thought he would go out naked if Karl or Sapnap asked before, he knew there was nothing he wouldn't do for them now. 

By the time they made it back to Sapnap's stateroom, Quackity had broken out the stupor Karl had put over him at the bow, enough to start feeling self conscious again when they passed a group of first class passengers in the corridor. Sapnap and Karl had held him close, but they couldn't block out the stares and whispers pointedly made behind fans and gloved hands.

He was the one to grab the hat from where it had remained under the bed, handing it to Sapnap as he took care to open the en suite's door quietly and sneak in. Quackity set Karl's notebook on the table as they both lay down on the other bed, Quackity half on top of Karl's chest and letting his eyes shut. He was healing, sue him for being tired.

The quiet contentment that set itself was hardly broken by Sapnap's return, thankfully sans hat this time. He lay a quick kiss on Quackity's jaw, and one on Karl's forehead before walking over to where a large portrait of another ship in the White Star Line hung. Quackity watched lethargically as Sapnap stared for a few moments, before swinging the portrait open on hidden hinges and revealing a safe behind it.

He glowered at it for a moment before twisting the dial systematically and throwing it open with a little too much force. He took a deep breath and rolled his neck as the safe's door smacked against the wall, calming himself for a second before reaching inside and retrieving a small black box.

Still lain across Karl, Quackity watched as Sapnap closed the safe door, leaving it unlocked, and swinging the portrait back again. The moment he made sure it was secured to the wall, he turned sharply to the two on the bed, walking over so briskly Quackity might have been afraid he were about to tell them to get out if he didn't know any better.

(He was glad he knew better.)

With a sharp set in his jaw, Sapnap dropped to his knees before the two watching him, setting the box on the edge of the bed. His fingers deftly worked the latch open, and he took out its contents before Karl or Quackity could peak in.

His hand found where Quackity had tangled his fingers with Karl's on his stomach, rubbing a warm thumb over Quackity's cool one.

"I would do anything for you," He started solemnly, "I promise."

"What's in the box, Sap?" Karl asked quietly.

Sapnap exhaled softly, then brought what he had taken out to eye level. It was a necklace made of fine, clear diamonds - or some kind of gem that looked like them anyway. The centre piece is what drew Quackity's eyes though. A large, light blue clean cut diamond sat surrounded by other small diamonds, carved in the vague shape of a heart.

"It was Bad's, before Skeppy died." Sapnap explained softly, allowing Quackity to take it slowly and hold it up so Karl could examine it too, "I'm meant to give it as an engagement gift when we reach New York, but I can't think of giving it to anyone other than the two of you now."

"Sapnap..."

"I know, Karl. But if you did chose to run away with us, I'd let you keep it. I'd let you sell it, if that's what the two of you want. I'd pawn it off in the blink of an eye if you asked."

Karl looked at the ceiling, and Quackity got a weird sense of deja vu as Karl attempted to blink away the glassiness in his eye. He considered tracing soft words onto Karl's palm like he had then too, but decided against it as Karl began to speak. He voice was thick, as if it were stuck in his throat and his words were actively fighting to escape him.

"I feel... I feel like I'm at a split in the road. And once I pick my road I won't be able to turn back."

"We'd try and give you everything, Karl," Sapnap promised steadily, Quackity nodding resolutely as he slipped off Karl and sat by Karl's head. 

Karl took a shaky breath, sitting up and collecting his tears in his cardigan sleeves. Quackity and Sapnap sat back as he shook himself and swung his legs off the side of the bed, ignoring their gazes.

"I'm going to write for a while," He moved to the other bed, collecting his notebook from where Quackity had left it and leaving them on the bed.

"Okay," Sapnap exhaled, shoulders drooping as he moved the box off the bed and took the necklace off Quackity, slipping it in his pocket. With one last glance at Karl, who was already curled up with his back to them, he crawled onto the bed beside Quackity, holding his face and looking into his eye and mumbling, "I wish I could kiss you."

Quackity slowly reached up to unpin his bandage, but Sapnap snatched his wrist before he could.

"Don't even think about it," He shook his head, giving Quackity a disapproving glare, "I'm not stealing that hat again."

Quackity snorted, dropping his hand and letting Sapnap kiss the corner of his face available for skin to skin kisses. He exhaled softly as Sapnap appeared to shoot at random across his face, and continued to once he started hitting his bandaged cheek.

"I'm trying to hit all your moles," Sapnap informed him once he reached Quackity's jaw, and Quackity huffed before he stilled as Sapnap lowered further and began kissing his neck.

He tilted his head back, just slightly. Sapnap latched on to the permission, kissing each mole one too many times. Gods, Quackity loved him.

His eyes fell shut as his hands found Sapnap's hair, carding through the silky strands with utter devotion. How he wished to kiss properly in the moment.

Upon finding a knot, he opened his eyes to work through it gently, then returned to letting his fingers slip through the hair. He did this until Sapnap fell still against his neck, breathing too shallow to be asleep but steady and warm against him.

Looking up, Quackity caught Karl's eye from across the room, and even from the distance, he could read Karl like a book. He was still split, but it looked like it physically pained him to not be with them, even though he was the one that had relegated himself to the other bed. When he noticed Quackity watching him, he looked down to his notebook, steeling himself for a moment before he got up and walked over to them.

"I wrote you a poem."

Sapnap turned his head in Quackity's embrace, offering his hand out. Karl took it.

"Do you want to read it to us?"

Karl nodded, kneeling beside the bed. Quackity was reminded of the near exact position Sapnap had been in not long ago.

"I was kind of inspired by Walt Whitman, and it's not even that good really, I just needed to put something down, and--"

"Karl." Sapnap squeezed the hand in his, "You wrote it about us. We'll love it no matter what."

Karl gulped, "Okay... okay then," He sighed, bringing the book up and beginning,
"Sailor, o sailor,
Have you seen my beaus,
The stars that hold their faces so dearly,
The waves that catch their skin

One, the apple of my eye,
A true diamond in the ruff.
If the ruff were rhinestone topaz,
Fake quartz and counterfeit emerald.
He shines brightest of all
A warm heart with blazing hands
Which hold so dearly true.

Two, the life most beautiful
Birds perch where he walks
Sharks cower when he raise a hand
The adoration of all, and rightly so.
Hard fought sapphire
With a future to be adored
And held steady in the cold.

The lucky few that hold these hands
The lips that get to kiss
They will never be enough,
But will adore them, no matter what."

He opened his mouth as if there were another verse, but then shut it and looked up, signifying the end.

"Oh Karl," Sapnap breathed, leaning over to kiss Karl properly, "I love you."

Karl looked ready to cry, "Don't say that. Please."

He sounded genuinely distressed.

"Okay," Sapnap said, then sat up and gestured towards the book. Karl gave it without a word, and Quackity took the empty hand. Sapnap read the poem once more, then took the corner of the page, "Can I?"

Karl nodded jerkily, "It's for you."

Sapnap ripped the page out. Quackity slid on the floor beside Karl and wrapped him in a tight hug. Sapnap stood. Walked over to the portrait. Swung it open and opened the safe. Put the page of the poem inside. Shut it. Swung the portrait back again.

"It's more important to me than any stupid piece of jewellery."

Karl broke into sobs.

It took a while for him to stop. Quackity held him through it, Sapnap joining them on the floor to join the hug, and both let Karl cry into their shoulders without a care for the wet patches he left.

"You're not making this easy for me," Karl cried some way through as he clung to Sapnap.

"I don't intend to," Sapnap had replied, which sent Karl into a whole new round of waterworks.

Quackity hung onto his arm with a steady grip, and slowly, very slowly, Karl's tears dried. He sighed glumly, scrubbing at his eyes for a moment before bringing his head up to face the two of them. Quackity marvelled at how his hair bounced with each movement.

"Do you want some water?" Sapnap offered, already reaching for a glass bottle by the bed.

"Thank you," Karl mumbled, taking a few sips while the other two watched on quietly, "I still haven't decided, not yet. I'm sorry."

"And that's perfectly okay," Sapnap insisted, "We've still got time to win you over."

Karl laughed wetly, taking a longer drink before placing the bottle down. He took a deep breath in, bringing the heels of his palms to his eyes before dragging them down his face as he exhaled.

"Gods, I can't go to the party like this."

He did look a bit of a mess. Puffy, bloodshot eyes and angry red cheeks, coupled with swollen lips from how he'd bit them trying to quiet himself and tear splattered shirt, didn't exactly leave Karl looking ready to go out just yet.

Quackity still thought he looked drop dead gorgeous.

"We can wait in here while you calm down some more," Sapnap offered, rubbing his hands up and down Karl's arm.

Karl sniffed, "Thank you."

Quackity couldn't help but feel he wasn't thanking them for the party.

Chapter Text

"Wait... You're the Halo?" Jack splutters, "As in Bad's son? The one--"

"That's me," Sapnap shrugs, smiling like this wasn't a major revelation to the rest of the team.

"But.. he--"

"It's best not to dwell on any inaccuracies," Sapnap shakes off, "It was 73 years ago, after all."

"What? No! That doesn't make any sense!"

"It's best to just let him be," Quackity whispers conspiratorially, "We've learnt the art of being as cryptic as possible over the years. You don't get this far without it, after everything we've gone through." 

"I'm finally cynical enough for the old Quackity Jacobs," Sapnap laughs, pressing a kiss to Quackity's cheek, slap bang in the middle of his scar.

Jack wants to ask. He wants so badly to know right now how Sapnap and Quackity survived the sinking - although he knows logically that they're getting to that - and what happened to the Lab diamond (Sapnap's (?) diamond). But there is so much that's happened in the years since too. There's a lifetime of stories behind their eyes and the Titanic is only one chapter. 

If he did ask, he knows he won't get a straight forwards answer anyways. 

Jack glances to Tommy, to see if he has anything to add or ask, but he's staring at the floor, uncharacteristically quiet, apparently lost in thought if his drawn facial features reveal anything. He doesn't appear to be listening, so it's up to Jack to talk. 

"You got your scar, then?" He says after very little deliberation, with not as much thought put behind as he should probably have put in. But Quackity does not sneer at the question, does not show any bitter distaste towards Jack's mindlessness, instead he smiles a very small smile. One that doesn't reach his eyes and is a far way off reaching them, but is warm. It pulls at the smile lines on his face, crinkles at the edge of his mouth, and Jack is instantly aware that Quackity has been asked many times throughout his life about his scar, although the context for those particular times have probably been wildly different to now. 

From the forehead downwards, the scar is diagonal but clean, but as it skirts by his nose, it widens and becomes jagged until the skin of the lip itself stretches and pulls at itself to reveal his top and bottom canine, before narrowing again underneath his chin, "I survived two world wars and all I have to show for my life is this scar." He pauses, looking at the screens again. Sapnap takes his hand, following his gaze. The stern, barely photographed for the damage done to it compared to the bow, shines bright as anything, "It was only made worse by the sinking."

Tommy looks up with the haste of a high speed train, and wears the expression of someone a speeding train is headed towards. Jack thinks he's about to speak, but his eyes flick between Quackity and Sapnap for a second before dropping again, all fight gone. 

Jack, a little lost by the display, decides to lighten the atmosphere some. Genially ignoring Tommy, he turns to Sapnap, starting up conversation again.

"You two are still together, evidently," He gestures between the two and Sapnap nods, a hearty grin on his face, wrinkles shrouding his eyes as he gazes at Quackity. 

"And I couldn't be happier about the fact."

"What happened with you allyship then..?" 

There is a glint in Sapnap's eyes as he taps the side of his nose, "That's a spoiler."

Quackity rolls his eyes fondly, "Those two stayed with me in the hospital, and were practically glued to my hip until... the sinking. I don't know how I thought I could live without them."

A statistic flashes in Jack's mind. 709 out of 1,497. It's what the story is most likely leading up to - the lack of a third by Quackity and Sapnap's sides speaks volumes.

"And... Jacobs?"

"His last name," Quackity smiles, his eyes far away, "We changed it after the Titanic sunk."

Sapnap hums, knocking his shoulder against Quackity's with a knowing beam, "His idea."

Quackity grins, rolling his eyes fondly at his husband's antics.

"This is it then?" Jack asks finally, when the invisible hand choking the words from his throat dissipates, "The final few hours."

"You say that like it's a bad thing," Quackity barks a laugh, "There still managed to be plenty of joy to behold before it sank."

"By all means, continue," Jack implores, subconsciously leaning forwards, "Don't let me hold you back." 

"I never did after falling for these two."

Chapter Text

The ship got louder the closer they got to the stern of the ship. The third class general room, Karl explained as he led them closer to through the ship, was just below the third class promenade, so right by the engines controlling the rudder gear, but another noise got increasingly louder as they got closer.

The sound of laughter. The sound of idle, excited chatter. The sounds of sweet music strung together with bright, off key singing. Of trivial jubilation.

There was a grin on Sapnap's face before Karl even reached the door and, with a dramatic drumroll, threw it open. The noise multiplied tenfold, and nobody in the space, each of them washed over in the faint yellow glow the flickering lightbulbs, took any interest in the mismatched trio as they walked in.

Sapnap's eyes widened as he took in the jovial atmosphere, watching as people were mingling with one another, laughing brashly as someone spilled a drink, dancing wildly in the confined space the passengers had set up for those who wanted to dance, next to the small band, where the trio of musicians joked as they artfully played their instruments. Bea sat at the piano, the stool angled in a way that she could lean back to contribute to the fiddler and guitarists' conversation.

Beside Sapnap, Quackity's eye sparkled as it looked around, capturing everything Sapnap was absorbing as well. His brow held a borderline wistful slope in it, especially as he skimmed over the band, and the hand he wrapped around Sapnap's waist as they both looked over at Karl felt like it was to anchor himself more than bring him closer to the man.

Speaking of Karl, if Sapnap hadn't been there (and been directly responsible) for his breakdown, he would never have believed Karl had been an emotional wreck an hour prior to joining the party. The way Karl held himself as he breezed around the space, greeting everyone that turned his way, the way he giggled and how his hands flew around as he began talking to a passenger, left him looking just like the regular Karl Sapnap had become so well acquainted with in the last few days. Even the red tint in his eyes barely left a hint of anything unpleasant.

But it was truthful. Karl didn't hold the burden of contempt anywhere in his body, and while Sapnap wasn't sure how much he trusted it, it relieved him that Karl was willing to stay by their sides for just a little while longer.

Sapnap found an unoccupied table near the edge of the room and led Quackity over, close to the band and the dance floor. No-one would disturb them there, not until Karl would finish his discussion with one person and accidentally lead three more over once he realised Sapnap and Quackity weren't with him anymore, but while Sapnap waited for that to inevitably happen, he used the time to gaze around the room in awe.

"Everyone's so... so free," He breathed slowly, as his eyes flitted from a father cradling his giggling daughter on his hip, to an elderly couple twirling one another around on the dance floor, to Karl, who had found Ranboo and was chatting his ears off, before returning to Quackity, who tilted his head subtly at the attention, "Why'd you give it up?"

Quackity looked down, the notebook in his hands twisting slowly before he put charcoal the paper. He stopped, crossed out what he had written, then began again. And again. And again. Finally, when he turned the notebook to Sapnap, the majority of the page was a mess with lines through half finished sentences.

'The man I was going to marry when I got to New York,' Sapnap pretended his heart didn't beat a little faster at the reminder of their plan to run away together, 'He basically owns the state at this point. He's the head of Tammany Hall, so we know all the people coming in and out.'

"Okay..?"

Quackity grumbled in his throat as he took back the notebook and kept writing.

'Did you know there are more Italians in New York than in Naples? And the US loves to promote its idea of the 'the melting pot', but 2/3 of the immigrants that come in live below the poverty line. I just,' Quackity took a deep breath that Sapnap could hear even over all the noise and the bandages to muffle it, 'I just couldn't do it anymore. And I ended up in the crowd that took me all the way up and I never looked back.'

Even behind the bandage, Sapnap could tell there was a soft smile dawning on Quackity's face from the way his eye crinkled slightly before he wrote, 'Until I met a couple of people who convinced me that maybe it doesn't have to be like that. Maybe I can live out west, become a homesteader. Support myself by being a tutor of some sort along with my partner(s), should they choose to follow.'

"I'd follow you anywhere," Sapnap nodded eagerly, "Can it be near a town? I always wanted to be close with my neighbours."

He could hear the cloaked laughter as Quackity nodded carefully as he scribbled, 'Of course. I've heard good things about Nevada. A nice place to start over, earn some good money and where no-one would ever look for us.'

"That sounds nice," Sapnap sighed at the picture of the land Quackity curated, then glanced back at Karl, who was still wrapped up in conversation, Ranboo holding onto his trouser leg, "I wish we could convince him to join."

A hand found his across the table, squeezing softly, 'We're doing our best.'

Sapnap snickered, propping his chin in his hand as he continued to stare across the room, "It's his choice at the end of the day. But... he'll cave soon enough."

Quackity laughed best he could too, also turning to watch Karl. As if he could feel their eyes on him, Karl looked around a moment later, noticing the lack of Sapnap or Quackity by his side. Ranboo pointed in their direction, saying something that got Karl to follow his gaze, and Sapnap wasn't a poet, but he felt that he could write several books, cover to cover, about the way Karl's face lit up upon finding them, and how he excused himself quickly enough from whatever conversation he had been having to pick up Ranboo and carry them over to the table.

"Quackity!" Was the first thing the kid exclaimed as he was set down, bouncing around Quackity excitedly, "How's your face?" 

'There's been no more flying sharks,' Quackity wrote and Ranboo giggled.

"I've been on lookout for them! I'll fight them all off for you," He grinned proudly.

'Even if you're afraid of the water?'

"That's more of a reason to fight them," Ranboo said seriously, "Me fighting them will make them afraid of the land. Then I'll be less afraid of the water, because they'll be afraid of me."

"That's really smart," Sapnap nodded, even as Ranboo balked and turned to look at him as if he hadn't expected Sapnap to be there, "And very brave."

"Yeah... yes, Mr Sapnap."

"Please, call me Sapnap," Ranboo scrunched their nose up in confusion, so Sapnap continued as Karl pressed an animated kiss to his cheek, "Gods know these two do, and I think you can have that privilege too."

"Sap... nap?"

"It's cool, right?"

"Why is that your name?"

"I didn't pick it," Sapnap shrugged as he felt Quackity kick him underneath the table, but made no move to show he'd felt it.

Ranboo smiled awkwardly, "I like it."

"Well then, I guess I have to keep it, now," Sapnap supposed, "If the great Ranboo likes it, I'll have to hold on tight and make sure no-one else steals it."

Ranboo chuckled slowly, then fell silent as he fidgeted with his hands. Sapnap, not one to fail that easy, deftly changed the topic.

"Your mom's a good piano player."

"She's the best!" Ranboo agreed, "She says she played for the Emperor of the Austro-Hungarian empire, but I think she's lying."

Sapnap laughed, "Has she ever tried to teach you how to play?"

"I can never remember which key is which. Why does it only go up to G then goes back to A again?"

"They have a point," Karl butt in, "And why are there sharps and flats? It's like, ten keys?"

Quackity shook his head at Karl's words but didn't write anything down, staring at the band for a moment before his attention returned to the table.

"I can't play any instruments either," Sapnap lamented to Ranboo, who shook their head sympathetically, "What if we start a band?"

"A tone deaf band?" Ranboo suggested, laughing, looking more comfortable now. Sapnap joined in with the laughter, nodding.

"With great hits such as Tuneless Tango, and Knives On A Chalkboard."

Ranboo continued to laugh even as his face scrunched up imagining the sound of the songs. Sapnap counted it as a win in his book.

Quackity's eyes had strayed to the band again. He was watching as they played another jaunty tune, one Sapnap only knew from the rough singing coming from those on the dance floor, an Irving Berlin of some kind. The song was nearing its end, if the sung words faded into hums meant anything, and Sapnap took the chance to take Quackity's hand.

"Do you play anything?" He asked, rubbing his thumb over Quackity's knuckles as his attention turned back to Sapnap. His eye flit left to right, before his shoulders sagged and he held his hand up in a so-so motion before miming a guitar.

Karl's hands slammed onto the table, making Quackity and Ranboo jump as Karl sprung up, "Do you want to play now?"

Quackity lifted his arms in a way to say 'you don't have to do that', but the look in his eye communicated something more along the lines of 'don't do that, please for gods' sake, do not make me play guitar right now.'

"Please?" Karl pouted that looked dangerously similar to the one he'd pulled on Sapnap earlier to make him steal Rose's hat, "I'd really like to hear you play."

"So would I," Sapnap hummed as he continued rubbing circles over Quackity's hand.

"And me!"

Quackity looked at Ranboo, conflict in his eyes, before exhaling and waving his hand at Karl, who laughed triumphantly as he jumped over to the band as the Irving Berlin song finished and began chatting to the guitarist. The hum of chatter grew as no-one else noticed the prolonged period of silence by the band, but eventually, the guitarist handed over the guitar, a wide grin on his face as he leant back against the wall to watch it be brought to Quackity.

A few passengers took notice then, hushing lowly as the guitar was handed over and Quackity plucked at the strings a few times and retuned it slightly. He was studiously ignoring the looks he was getting, and instead propped up the guitar against his leg as the room fell silent in anticipation.

He sighed quietly as Karl squeezed his shoulders in support and/or excitement. Sapnap wasn't sure, judging by the wolfish beam on Karl's face.

Quackity strummed a few chords slowly, unrelated in any way Sapnap could think of, before settling on a song and beginning. The rhythm settled in Sapnap's bones immediately, and he perked up at the recognisable song.

He stood, taking Karl's hands and dragging him towards the dance floor in the still quiet room. He'd memorised the lyrics from the days he sat with Bad and Skeppy and Eryn, and Skeppy would sing, terribly and offkey, pulling an amused Bad around in what was probably meant to be a dance but looked more like a circus master trying to entertain a tiger into the ring. For the same reason, he knew the song lended itself to being an excellent waltz.

He guided Karl's arms to wrap around his waist, then looped his own arms over the taller man's shoulders, bringing them into a not-very-traditional waltzing position as they began to step in time with one another.

"I am dreaming dear of you, day by day," Sapnap sang the first line alone, well aware of the crowd watching, but he didn't have it in him to care. His attention was on Karl, and diverting the room's eyes from Quackity, and as he started the second line and heard others join him, he hoped he was doing a good job.

Karl laughed merrily as they moved together, leaning their foreheads together and letting Sapnap's breath grace against his lips as the room began to chant the chorus.

Around the cacophony of noise, Sapnap hummed softly so only Karl could hear him, "Let me call you sweetheart, I'm in love with you," As if in response, Karl's arms tightened around him, and Sapnap kept the low volume as the song continued, "Let me hear you whisper that you love me too."

They kept moving together, steps methodical and never missing a beat. The rest of the room devolved into an unintelligible roar, akin to a chant at an English football game, as the majority of the passengers forgot the next few lines of the chorus but recognised the tune, until a resounding "Let me call you sweetheart, I'm in love with you!" echoed before the next verse began.

Sapnap kept his eyes on Karl as he sung the lyrics, word for word, noting how the man's cheeks became rosy as he looked to the floor. Bea and the fiddler had caught on someway through the chorus, bolstering Quackity's performance, and the added atmosphere almost made Sapnap stop and just... admire the world around him.

The bubbly and jovial characters surrounding him, each with their own story that had bought them here, to this very ship and then to this general room, creating a space that brought out the best in each person, each real life, some of who had travelled from across the world to find themselves here, and then they'd dissipate again once they reached America. It was a surreal thought, far too existential for anything Sapnap found his mind usually straying to, but he welcomed it.

He had been brought to behold himself in the midst of it, in the arms of one of his loves, and drowning in the music of another. This was all he wanted, now and forever. This was what it felt like to be in love. 

Karl's gaze slid from their embarrassed response of drilling holes into the floor over to Quackity as the second chorus began, and Sapnap found himself naturally following. Their third was watching them intently as he played on effortlessly. He didn't look away as two pairs of eyes found him, but puffed his chest out slightly when Sapnap sang "I'm in love with you," in his direction.

Ranboo said something by the man's side, and Quackity's shoulders shook in mirth as he nodded at the kid. Sapnap's arms slipped off Karl's shoulders and fell to his hips, caging his lanky arms in as they stayed watching as Ranboo bobbed his head to the music beside Quackity. He obviously didn't recognise the song, but was appreciating the merry atmosphere. Or being sat beside Quackity. Sapnap wouldn't be surprised if it was the latter.

The final chorus drew in, and Sapnap continued singing in Quackity's direction when he looked back. Practically pressed cheek to cheek with Karl, he could feel the smile on the taller man's face as Quackity unashamedly raked his eye over the dancing pair and allowed Sapnap to keep singing the overwhelmingly love-ridden lyrics at him.

"Keep the love light glowing in your eyes so true," Sapnap felt Karl nose at his cheek, turning his face so they were looking at each other again, and as the room lit up with the final "I'm in love with you!", soft lips found Sapnap's, soothing his senses and slowing his feet as he felt himself tilt back in a swoon inadvertently, but Karl expertly adapted into a dip. Sapnap sighed into the kiss.

Someone somewhere far off wolf whistled, but Sapnap paid them no mind as Karl brought them back up, pulling away in the process. Another song was stuck up by the band, and Sapnap heard Quackity follow along quickly enough, but he was too focused on chasing the lips to think too hard about the new song and how he should be dancing to it.

Karl snickered as he allowed one, two, three more kisses before his slapped Sapnap gently on the ass, eyes flicking to Ranboo.

"There are children present," He chided with a mirth-filled tone. Sapnap couldn't even find it in himself to be embarrassed, watching how Karl's eyes sparkled in a way they hadn't appeared to have done just moments ago.

The current music wasn't one that Sapnap was familiar with, but he refused to let the shine in Karl's eyes fade, so he just pulled him closer.

"Show me how to dance." 

"I would be honoured to."

Dancing with Karl was nothing like anything Sapnap had ever experienced. There were no stiff positions that needed to be held, no formal etiquette rules to follow, no set moves. He didn't even mind when Sapnap trod on his foot once or twice, and Sapnap made no fuss when the same was done back to him.

The movements were whatever felt right, Karl explained noncommittal when Sapnap asked. Whatever the body wanted to do, it would follow with the music.

And gods, there must have been music in Karl's steps because his body flowed so naturally with the songs, Sapnap couldn't help but feel like all his practice from professional tutors might as well have been just to keep the dance floor at home polished, as nothing would ever let him move with the grace and ease as Karl had.

Dancing with Karl was liberating.

And Sapnap told Karl as such, to which he got a laugh and calm words that Sapnap didn't know what he was talking about. But Sapnap heard no rejection in the words, and their bodies kept twirling together.

A few more songs passed, Karl and Sapnap holding tight to one another, before Karl pulled back. All he did was force the guitar out of Quackity's hands, returning it to the band, but Sapnap missed the way his body leaned against his. The brief misery that enraptured his heart quickly faded as Karl came back to him, and this time, another hand slotted into his, one distinctly cooler than his, one he'd known only days but could regale a lifetime with.

"You play beautifully," Sapnap complimented rather dumbly as he tugged Quackity closer, Karl following.

The three of them probably looked quite odd, arms wrapped around one another in their clumsily attempt of a three-way dance, but any eyes that were on them just bolstered Sapnap's pride. Him being seen with them. Letting go enough that nobody cared.

Karl positively sparked brighter than the stars as they moved around the floor, stars like all the nights Sapnap had sat on the balcony outside his window, staring at the sky and wishing for something, anything, different and new, the stars that Sapnap could swear were actually glimmering in the sky. Always inexplicably drawing Sapnap closer despite the distance.

Quackity was watching Karl with the same awe in his watchful eye. If Karl was the stars, Quackity was the moon (and not just because his bandaged face looked like it), his colder exterior willingly accepting - and slowly reflecting - the warmth he had been bombarded with by Sapnap and Karl.

Like he could feel Sapnap watching him, Quackity turned his gaze. Whatever he read in Sapnap's face made him soften just so, and Sapnap?

Sapnap misplaced his foot and ended up tumbling onto his back.

In quick succession, Quackity crashed down on top of him, Karl following last, the three of them ending up in a pile on the floor, much to the shock and amusement of the rest of the room. The three of them just blinked at one another.

"Wow," Sapnap breathed, "You two just fell for me."

Karl broke out into laughter, a honking thing Sapnap could only imagine coming from Karl, as he pushed off the two, Quackity dropping his face into the lapels of Sapnap's suit.

"You didn't hurt yourself, did you, Q?" A resolute shake of the head answered Sapnap's query, and then Quackity was clambering up as well, offering a hand to help Sapnap up as Karl's laughs pittered out and the rest of the room resumed their antics.

"That's enough alcohol for you, Sappitus Nappitus!" Karl crowed, pulling Sapnap back to the table where Ranboo was still giggling to himself.

"That one's not gonna catch on, Karl," Sapnap rolled his eyes before groaning, "I haven't even had a drink!"

"That's what they all say," Karl pat his head condescendingly and Quackity nodded his head like he was agreeing with Karl.

"I can't believe this," Sapnap bemoaned dramatically, "Traitors, both of you! Ranboo, you can attest for me, can't you?"

Ranboo's head shot up, likely not expecting to be picked upon, before their eyes flicked from Karl and Quackity to Sapnap and staring with the kind of abject horror only a child at a life or death crossroads could have.

"I don't even know what that means."

"It means to stand up for." 

"It also means to enroll for war," Karl supplied.

"No, it doesn't," Sapnap rolled his eyes, "You also have to be truthful, that's what attesting is."

Karl pulled a face behind Ranboo's head, but didn't say anything.

"Um, well," Ranboo frowned, conflicted as their eyes went back and fourth again, "I think I saw you... with a cup of something, earlier?"

It was obvious they was lying. His eyes stayed steadfast on Quackity's hands and his voice shook a touch too much, but it didn't stop Karl from howling in delight, pointing an accusatory finger at Sapnap as Sapnap's own jaw fell to the ground.

"Get dunked on, loser!" Karl cheered, and even Quackity seemed to be taking some amusement out of Ranboo's betrayal.

Just then, a voice called out over the room, "Five minutes until lights out, people!"

"Oh," Karl wiped tears from his eyes Sapnap wasn't even sure were fake from how much he'd been laughing, "I didn't realise it was almost 10. I'll go take Ranboo back to his room, give Bea some time to socialise. I'll see you guys tomorrow."

"We can come with you," Sapnap offered as Karl picked up Ranboo, who was yawning.

"It's alright," Karl leaned across the table, taking Sapnap's face in one hand and pressing a quick kiss to his lips, "I just need some alone time to think, yeah?"

Sapnap pouted as Karl withdrew with a soft look in his eyes. Catching the hand still on his cheek, he turned it and kissed the back in an imitation of Karl's first time shaking his hand.

"We'll be there, whether you like it or not, Jacobs," He promised quietly, and the edges of Karl's mouth twitched up, before turning down and he looked away.

"I'll see you tomorrow," He repeated, giving Quackity a kiss, and then he was gone.

Sapnap sunk into his seat, face in hands, exhaling loudly. Quackity leant against him too, curling an arm around his shoulder with a matching sigh. They stayed like that for a moment, simply acknowledging the other, before Sapnap's hands dropped and he looked up at Quackity, an attempt of a coy smile slapped on.

"Want to spend the night with me, Q?"

Quackity, to his credit, didn't laugh or roll his eyes, just offered his hand out. They walked back to Sapnap's stateroom in silence.

Outside the door, Sapnap paused before inserting the key, looking at Quackity imploringly.

"What if it doesn't work?" He whispered, like the words themselves couldn't bear to be heard by his own ears, "What if he says no in the end? What if he says yes, but we realise we weren't right for each other, and we really do rip him away from his dreams? What if we have bad neighbours?"

Quackity looked back at Sapnap, holding his gaze for a few long seconds, before he pulled the notebook out of his pocket.

'Then we move on.' Sapnap's eyebrows drew together, prompting Quackity to continue. 'I'm no poet like Karl, but I know sometimes life doesn't go to plan. Being with you was never part of my plan. Sometimes we work so hard for something and it still disappears from right under our noses. Sometimes we over-hype it and the end result is beyond disappointing. But we always have a choice, to stay static or to move on. Sometimes that's all you can do.'

"Oh, Quackity," Sapnap breathed, leaning back against the door, "I love you."

'I love you too, you Sap.'

"That's my name, don't wear it out," Sapnap took Quackity's hands, kissing the fingers before finally turning back to the door and opening it.

And immediately being hit with the sound of snoring.

How could he forget that Bad would be in the room?

Cursing under his breath, he felt Quackity pat his arm, and heard scribbling before the notebook with thrust in his face.

'It's fine. We can meet up tomorrow, you know my room number.'

Sapnap grimaced, but nodded his head, "Yeah, okay," He kissed the bandaged lips and watched as Quackity drifted away, not without one last message.

'We've got all the time in the world.'

Chapter Text

Sapnap didn't notice the collision.

At 11:40, from his stateroom on B deck, the graze of the iceberg wobbled the room ever so, but the softness of his pillows and mattress cushioned the tremble for Sapnap, and it wasn't even enough to make the fine glass and china rattle from where they were set out on the tables.

Sapnap was asleep.

So no, Sapnap didn't notice the collision. He was decked out in his pyjamas he hadn't worn in days because he'd been spending his nights with Karl and Quackity, and had fallen into an easy sleep after the day he'd just had.

His jacket was hung up beside his bed, the rest of his clothes already hung up to be worn another day.

He'd managed not to wake Bad in his attempt to get ready for bed, and he was infinitely grateful that he hadn't had to face his tired chagrin after being avoided since Quackity's fight.

Sapnap was about to discover there were things much worse than Bad's half asleep disappointment.

But at 11:40 on April 14th 1912 Sapnap was asleep. He wasn't aware how his life was about to flip upside down. And he wasn't aware of the choices he was about to make.

Because Sapnap didn't feel the collision.

Quackity noticed the collision.

At 11:40, sat alone in his cabin, the scrape of the iceberg shook the room ever so, but Quackity put the shake in his hand down to his inability to see out of his left eye, and the slight rattle of the wash basin down to an unsteady wave the Titanic had perhaps passed over.

Quackity was reapplying his bandage.

After leaving Sapnap's stateroom, he'd thought there was no harm in getting a clean bandage and letting the doctor check the condition of his wound once more before bed, but the doctor must have retired early that night because by the time Quackity arrived, nobody was in, so he'd just slipped a new bandage in his pocket and got on with it.

Quackity was rather accustomed to late nights, so his jacket and waistcoat had been tossed on the bench, and his socked feet were propped up while he figured out how to wrap the bandage in the correct way.

So while Quackity noticed the collision, he couldn't think about it for more than a second before realising he was going to go the rest of his life blind in his left eye, and that was a far more exciting idea to his brain than wondering what the small shake could mean.

So at 11:40 on April 14th 1912 Quackity was reapplying his bandage and quietly contemplating how bleak his future was. He wasn't aware how his choice to jump off the ship on the first day was about to affect the rest of his time on the ship. And he wasn't aware of how the choices he had made long, long ago were about to come crashing down on him.

Because Quackity barely felt the collision.

Karl noticed the collision.

At 11:40, from his cabin on E deck, the laceration of the iceberg quaked the room heavily, and the stiff mattress and dull pillow did nothing the hide the oscillation the room felt. The room's inhabitant's bags were tossed unceremoniously onto the floor, and Karl was thrown haphazardly out of bed.

Karl had been asleep.

His mind had been plaguing him ever since he'd departed with Ranboo, with thoughts of magnificent tattoos and warm hands, of impossibly soft smiles and even softer eyes and kisses that tasted of so much more than adoration, and this silly thing of love. Love, love, love.

The first thing Karl noticed after he was rudely awoken was how cold it was without Sapnap and Quackity beside him.

Was Karl in love?

He sprung up from his position on the floor, now impossibly awake, and scurried over to the porthole to try and work out what had caused such a jolt. A wall of something, painted dark blue with the evening light, was all he could see.

Then it passed, and Karl could see the calm ocean and the dark purple sky. There was no moon.

It was with a cold certainty that Karl turned his head back the way the wall of something had passed by. A looming iceberg stood proudly in the tranquil sea.

"Guys..." He coughed stiffly, turning back to the other three in the room, "I think we just hit an iceberg."

One of the other men, Karl could remember his name if given enough time, scoffed from where he had stayed safely in bed, "So what? It's not like we'll sink."

"And even if we do, you think there's enough lifeboats up there for us lot?" Another one mumbled as he buried himself back into his pillow.

"Well I'm not taking that risk," Karl said as he began pulling on his clothes from earlier, and picking up anything he thought important enough to keep, "You're welcome to join me."

Not one of them moved.

And at 11:40 on April 14th 1912 Karl was already leaving his cabin and starting the trek down Scotland Road to make his way to the 3rd class general room, unsure about the certainty of his future. He wasn't fully aware about the choices he was about to make, but he knew he'd have to make them. Karl was suddenly very aware that in the next few hours, his choices were most likely going to be his life or death.

Because Karl felt the collision.

Sapnap was awoken by a sharp rap on his door. He noticed that Bad's snores had stopped, so he had probably also been awoken by whoever was at the door as well.

It was still dark outside, so it was probably far too early for anyone to be at the door to ask anything reasonable, and Sapnap was far too tired to generate a reasonable response for them.

Groggily, Sapnap stood up, quietly hoping that maybe it was Quackity or Karl, coming by to drag him out before dawn to spend the day together. But upon opening the door, his heart fell at the sight of a put together steward stood on the other side.

"Sirs, the Captain requests you come to boat deck," He held out two life jackets from a group hung over his arm. Sapnap took them wearily, "Just a safety precaution."

"Right... What time is it?"

"Just gone midnight, sir. I'd advise putting some extra layers on, it's chilly tonight."

"We'll be up," Sapnap assured, and watched as the steward went to the next door along.

"I wonder what this is all about," Bad frowned as he took one of the life jackets, and Sapnap began pulling on his shoes, "You're not going out in your pyjamas, are you?"

"It's not that cold," Sapnap shrugged, but grabbed his jacket if only to appease Bad, "They'll probably send us back to bed soon enough anyway. What's the point in changing?"

Bad frowned, then started putting the clothes he'd got out back into the cupboard again. Sapnap stepped out into the hall, feeling Bad follow him shortly thereafter, and began their way to boat deck.

The top deck was full of other first class passengers like themselves, some of whom had made an effort to dress up, but most in their nightwear, holding their life jackets rather than wearing them. A few passengers Sapnap hadn't met were also filtering around - probably those of the second class, although Quackity wasn't in sight yet.

Everyone was milling about rather uselessly, although some boys had found a few large chunks of ice and were playing makeshift football with them. Sapnap wondered where it must have come from.

Bad sighed, exasperated, as he managed to flag down a harried looking officer, "What's going on?"

"The Titanic has run into some issues, sir. Don't worry, we've got it handled, we're just waiting for instructions from the Captain."

"Any estimate of when we'll be able to return to our rooms?"

The officer's jaw clenched in unease, "No, sir. I'd advise staying out here for now."

And then he was off towards the edge of the railing, where a crewman was battling with a knot in some rope.

"Odd."

Sapnap hummed in agreement, letting his eyes wander again. Finally, a familiar face stuck out, similarly searching.

"Q!" Sapnap called, waving frantically to get the other man's attention. Quackity was by his side a few seconds later, a questioning look in his eye.

"We don't really know what's going on," Sapnap explained. Quackity was one of the few dressed in his daytime clothes, something so very Quackity it made Sapnap's heart beat a little faster.

"Quackity," Bad's lips pursed, "I hope you're doing well."

Quackity stared, deadpan and icy, a picture of acerbic exasperation in just the corner of skin he had on show. He held Bad's eyes until the elder looked away and he himself turned to watch a few other passengers complain loudly at the disturbance to their sleep and shiver.

"Are you cold?" Sapnap asked immediately, stepping away from Bad and offering a hand to Quackity, "Let's take a walk."

The noise on deck now was only rival to the Titanic's departure, as more and more people were herded around with nowhere to go. Sapnap was yet to spot Karl- or any third class passenger, really.

A mechanical clanking noise could be heard from the other side of the ship, but Sapnap paid it no mind as he and Quackity made their way through the throng of people. Ahead of them a man with a white beard stood flocked by two officers. They appeared to be in deep conversation.

"That's Captain Smith," Sapnap said lowly, "Do you think we'll be able to ask him what's really going on?"

Quackity looked unsure, but offered little resistance as Sapnap pulled him forwards until they were at an eavesdropping distance. Only then did he tug Sapnap back so he wasn't interrupting the men.

"Hadn't we better get the women and children into the lifeboats, sir?" One of the officers asked, a grave set in his brow.

The Captain held a stern hand to him, but Sapnap could see that he was accepting something greatly tragic deep within himself, "Women and children first, yes."

The two officers scurried away a short time later, one to port, one to starboard, and Captain Smith was left alone, unaware of the two men that had been listening. Sapnap turned to Quackity, who would no doubt be mirroring his slack jawed expression is he could.

"Shit."

Sapnap realised that the clanking noise had been the lifeboats being prepared to be lowered, as he and Quackity made their way back through the crowd of people. One of the two officers that had been by Smith's side was trying to convince a group of women and children onto the first boat.

"Whatever for?" A man, someone Sapnap vaguely recognised as a first class passenger, guffawed, "We're much safer here than in that little boat!"

The officer's nose flared momentarily before he took a deep breath and continued calling for women and children. Nobody was really listening to him, many families stood huddled together. There still appeared to be no-one from third class on deck yet.

"Excuse me!" Sapnap called to the nearest crewman, who barely took his eyes off his work rigging the davit to a lifeboat, "Where are the steerage class passengers? Surely if you're getting lifeboats ready, they should be here too."

"We'll get to them eventually," The crewman stated flippantly, "We're just sorting this out now, okay?"

"Sure," Sapnap responded quietly, looking over at Quackity. He shook his head minutely.

"The ship's going to sink, boys," Both men jumped out of their skin, whipping around to be faced with Philza.

"Phil?" The man wore a life jacket, but held an extra in his arms.

"I spoke to the Captain, he estimates the ship has just about two hours to stay afloat." Philza said, looking out at the still sea grimly.

"What?" Sapnap muttered, "What happened to 'designed to be unsinkable'?"

"Too many things went wrong, too fast," Philza rubbed his chin, "We're in an ice field, ships aren't going to get here fast enough for the lifeboats to realistically act as ferries. I doubt there'll be time, or boat capacity for the third class passengers."

"But... but there's over a thousand of them!" Sapnap cried, "They're just going to leave them to die?"

"Look around, Sapnap," Philza gestured around far too calmly, "No-one is taking this seriously. By the time even half of these lifeboats are launched, it'll probably be too late to get the steerage passengers up. That's if they remember them at all."

Sapnap shivered for the first time that night, and felt Quackity begin to pull his hand. The extra life jacket was offered forwards to them then.

"Wilbur refused to wear it, but I'm sure you'll find someone who appreciates its use."

Sapnap took it, but Philza held on.

"You have far too strong a sense of morals. There's only room in the lifeboats for just over a thousand. Sometimes you can only save one person, and that person is yourself, you understand?"

Sapnap grit his teeth, pulling the life jacket out of Philza's hands.

"Thanks Phil. Try not to die while we help people." He let Quackity tug him over to the doorway, "Come on, Q, I know where Karl's room is."

Quackity nodded, a fond and knowing look in his eye.

"What? I walked him back to his room after dinner," Sapnap felt his face warming, "It's where I confessed I liked you."

Quackity looked at him with an expression that probably meant 'you told another man you liked me in front of his room??'

Sapnap chuckled, "Well, I kissed him, and then told him that I liked you. Uh, that doesn't sound great either, does it?"

Quackity rolled his eyes affectionately. It all worked out in the end, Sapnap thought with a smile. Now they just needed to find Karl and survive the night.

By the time they made it to Scotland Road, the sounds above their heads were muffled and the creaking from the inner workings of the ship were much more pronounced. One crew member ran down the corridor, ignoring Sapnap and Quackity completely, and threw a door open before slamming it shut behind him without a second glance.

Quackity exhaled loudly in the new silence. The tap of their feet echoed on the walls, and Sapnap was sure he was being paranoid, but he could swear he could hear rushing water if he strained his ears.

Finding the door he's stopped outside of a few days before, he knocked loudly, then pulled back, expecting a quick response. It didn't come. There was no response, in fact.

Quackity looked around as if he was wondering if Sapnap had got the right door.

"This is his room," Sapnap swore, knocking again, "Karl! It's Sap and Q."

The door finally swung open, a man who was certainly not Karl slouching on the doorframe.

"Karl's gone, man."

"Oh," Sapnap frowned, "Do you know where he went?"

"Don't know, don't care," He yawned as if Sapnap had just woken him.

"Okay... Well, the ship's sinking, I'd advise you get up to boat deck before the lifeboats all fill up."

"Again, don't care. I paid £7 for this trip, and no excuse you can muster to get into my room alone with your fling is going to change that."

The door was flung shut in Sapnap's face before he could refute the claim. He blinked, rather taken aback, before Quackity started walking back the way they'd come. Sapnap groaned to himself as he was lead back towards the aft staircase. The ship was massive, Karl could be anywhere.

It was probably just Sapnap imagining, but he could swear the walk back to the stairs was more difficult than the walk to the room had been.

"Got any ideas where Karl might be?" Sapnap asked.

Quackity paused, squinting before lighting up and miming the piano then pointing up. The general room was just on top of them, Sapnap realised, and the sound of a piano could be heard from above.

"It's as good a place to start as any," Sapnap hummed, "I'm so lucky to have you."

Quackity turned his back so Sapnap couldn't see his reaction and began marching up the stairs. With a hearty laugh, Sapnap followed.

A shout of his own name was what dragged him out of his head.

"Karl!"

He looked up, seeing Sapnap and Quackity pushing their way through the group of third class passengers that had congregated in the general room upon feeling the impact with the iceberg. Both looked immensely relieved, Sapnap's voice dripping with it. He rushed over, meeting them halfway.

"Quackity? Sapnap?"

"Oh, thank the gods we found you so fast," Sapnap sighed.

"What's going on?" Karl asked quietly, searching their faces. They looked grim. "I saw the iceberg, what--"

"Iceberg?" Sapnap interrupted, "Is that what happened?"

The tension in Karl's chest dissipated, "Oh, that's good. If you didn't even know that we hit an iceberg, then it's probably not even that big a deal. We can all start heading back to our rooms, right? What are you guys doing down here?"

"No, Karl," Sapnap looked around before dropping his volume, "The ship's going to sink."

"... What?" Karl breathed, "But... but no-one came to tell us?"

"They're prioritising first and second class at the moment." Sapnap explained gravely, "Karl, I don't think... anyone's going to come. It's all very busy on the upper decks right now."

Karl stared at Sapnap numbly as he processed the news, then met eyes with Quackity, "How long until she sinks?"

"Two hours."

"Two hours?" Karl hissed, eyes snapping back to Sapnap.

"Well, that's what Phil said," Sapnap began to ramble on as Karl's chest began to constrict.

He stumbled back a bit, not too much, as if he'd been shot, and his brain kicked into overdrive. As was standard in these kind of scenarios, the Captain had most likely ordered women and children onto the lifeboats first, so at this point Sapnap and Quackity probably weren't missing a spot on any vessel that would ensure their safety, but they could have waited on boat deck just in case. They should have waited on boat deck, it made no sense for them to be here now if they knew the ship was doomed.

Yet they'd descended into a sinking ship for him. Karl wasn't sure Sapnap and Quackity really understood the level of damage been done for a ship so big to go down so quickly, but they still knew the ship was going down. Karl's eyes slid from Sapnap, who was still talking, to Quackity, then down to the floor.

They'd left the safest place to be as of that moment to find him. They'd returned into the heart of a quickly submerging ship for him. 

"I love you," He muttered to the floor, cutting off Sapnap as he looked back up and between the two, "I love you," He confessed again, louder this time, "I love you, you stupid, stupid, charming, idiotic men. Who willingly goes back into a sinking ship for a man they've only known a few days?"

Quackity and Sapnap glanced at each other, before they turned back to Karl and shrugged, "We do."

Karl laughed incredulously, "You barely even know me."

"We know enough."

Quackity offered him hand out and tenuously, Karl took it. He took a shaky breath, running his free hand through his hair as he looked around the room.

"You'd really do love me, don't you?"

"Wouldn't have said it if we didn't," Sapnap promised, Quackity squeezing the hand in his.

A weak smile pushed its way onto Karl's lips, "Okay, let's start telling these lot about what's going on. More chance for people to get out."

Sapnap nodded, squinting at the number of people dotted around, "Let's take it slowly. Don't want to cause a mass panic."

"Yeah..." Karl spot Bea, sat at the piano and plinking at the keys despondantly, "Let's start over there."

A hum in approval, then all three were moving towards the woman.

"Bea!"

"Karl?" She looked up and the playing ceased. Her eyes looked tired and bloodshot, so different from how they'd sparkled playing the piano only hours earlier, "Mr. Sapnap, Mr. Quackity? What are you doing here at this time?"

"Bea, the iceberg I saw, it..." Karl looked back at the other two, who nodded encouragingly, "It did some pretty bad damage. The Titanic's gonna sink."

"No!" Bea gasped, her hand flying to her heart as she began trembling, "But..."

"We're going to tell everyone here to get up to boat deck while there's still lifeboats available. You get Ranboo and..." Karl looked around, suddenly noticing the lack of child ambling around the space, "Where's Ranboo?"

It was only then that Bea burst into tears.

"Oh, Karl," She sobbed, "Karl, he- we felt the collision so we decided to come up here but on the way, they just disappeared! I searched for them to no end, but he was just... gone."

"Where did you last see him?" Karl asked softly, kneeling beside her as she continued to bawl.

"It... It must have been just a few corridors down from our room."

"Okay... okay, Bea, it's gonna be okay," Karl said soothingly, standing, "I'll go and find him."

"Really?"

"Really."

Karl felt a presence beside him as Sapnap said from behind, "We'll come too."

"You don't need to," Karl contended instantly, "You keep telling everyone to go up to boat deck, I don't want to put you in danger."

"Karl," Sapnap levelled seriously, "I could have had the cosiest trip - the most comfortable life - had I just refused to go and find you the second day. But I'm stubborn. I saw a pretty boy and I refused to let the idea of you go," Quackity nodded like he'd had had to to put up with Sapnap during that time, "And now I've actually got you. I don't want to let you go again."

"You're literally gonna make me cry," Karl commented back just as seriously. Sapnap laughed and Quackity tangled their fingers together.

Bea bowed her head, "Please find my child."

"We'll do our best," Karl avowed, "You try and get people out here, Bea."

"I'll try," Bea gave a watery smile, "Be safe."

Chapter Text

"I know where Ranboo's room is," Karl told them as they crossed through C deck on their way to the grand staircase, which Sapnap guessed would probably spit them out a little closer to the kid's room, "They probably just forgot something and went back for it, then got lost trying to find his way back to Bea. It won't hurt to start searching there."

"We'll follow your lead," Sapnap nodded from where he and Quackity trailed behind Karl's strides.

"He's on F deck, port side. One of the families I told you about," The lights did not flicker, but Sapnap realised they had dimmed some from when he'd been woken.

"Sapnap?" A vaguely familiar voice called from behind. All three men stopped and turned, seeing Sally stood with Fundy in her arms, "And... Karl, and Quackity, yes?"

"Yeah. Hi, Mrs Soot."

"Are you on your way to boat deck? I've been trying to find Wilbur before I go."

Sapnap glanced back at the other two, "Sorry, we haven't seen him. But you should go up. The Titanic's going to sink. Phil told us."

"Oh..." Sally held Fundy a little closer to her chest, "If Phil said... But, but what about you? Why aren't you trying to escape now?"

"They're prioritising women and children first, you would find a lifeboat in no time," Sapnap assured, avoiding her last question, "Come, we'll escort you to the stairs."

"Alright," Sally accepted, walking beside Sapnap as they started again.

Upon making it to the grand staircase, Sapnap tried to guide Sally towards boat deck, but she caught his wrist as he began to descend instead of ascend.

"Where are you going? Why aren't you coming up?"

"There's... there's a child whose potentially trapped in the lower decks. We promised to find him," Fundy began crying, probably due to the disruption to his sleep and the active place the grand staircase was at that moment.

Sally's face dropped, and she began rocking him gently, "That's absolutely terrible. They must be so scared," She breathed, "I'm so sorry for delaying you so much. Nobody deserves that fate."

"It's alright," Sapnap guaranteed, "We were on this way anyway. You, get to boat deck, and stay safe."

He didn't wait for a response, dashing down the stairs after Karl and Quackity, who hadn't waited, were going down. It was colder. It was louder. The grand staircase tapered out into just a staircase the lower they got.

Sapnap, logically, knew that he'd been this low into the ship already, but it felt foreign to him now. It was noisy from the churning machinary, but so quiet and devoid of human life.

Cabin doors swayed open and shut along the endless corridors, obvious that the inhabitants had left in a rush after seeing or feeling the same as Karl had. Just as Sapnap was starting to get used to the lifelessness, the sharp crash of feet came running down an adjacent corridor and a boy - decidedly not Ranboo - hurtled around the corner.

He was a bulky kid, with cropped hair and bruised hands, and he was doused in sweat. His eyes fell to the three men and he cried out desperately as they continued the way he'd just come.

"Don't do it! You'll die, you hear, die!"

Quackity was the one that pushed ahead despite the boy's words, brow set as he marched further into the ship. The boy let out one last shout before he realised he wasn't going to get them to stop and continued running back towards safety.

Turning yet another corner, Quackity halted suddenly. When Sapnap caught up, his breath trapped in his throat as he looked out on the hallway, sloshing seawater halfway down the hall.

"You really don't have to follow," Karl breathed from between them, "The ship has suffered some catastrophic damage, you'd be so much safer on boat deck. I can try and find Ranboo by myself."

Quackity, in turn, grabbed Karl's hand, interlocking their fingers with a steely look in his eye that said 'no way in hell I'm leaving now.'

Sapnap nodded, taking Karl's other hand, "We've come this far, we're not abandoning you here."

Karl's eyes shone, pure exuberance and acceptance radiating off his person for a few moments, before he took a deep breath and began walking. It wasn't long before the beached corridor splashed immediately before them.

"Prime fuck, that's cold," Sapnap hissed as the water lapped into his shoe.

"We're in iceberg infested waters, I'd be more surprised if it weren't freezing."

The water barely reached the top of Sapnap's shoe by the time they turned down the next corner, and he could pretend it was bearable. If the water level didn't get any higher, he'd probably get used to it.

Fifteen minutes later, the water was up to his knees and only getting higher - and colder, somehow. Shivers wracked Sapnap's body, and weak whines were coming from Karl's other side. Karl himself wasn't doing too sharp either, his teeth were chattering noisily, but he was the one pulling the other two along when they started the lag.

They hadn't run into anyone else. Sapnap wasn't sure he would have been able to hear if there were any others as the ship clunked around him and the sound of running water grew ever louder.

Eventually, Karl stopped at a door. With no instruction, both Sapnap and Quackity dropped his hands so he could push it open tentatively. As hoped, it opened with no resistance.

The lights in the room were off, and only Karl probed further, Sapnap deciding to hang back in the corridor with Quackity. He prayed the child was in there and they could leave as soon as possible.

When Karl came back out, there was no Ranboo in his arms.

"If... if they were around here, we would have found them already," Karl forced out dejectedly, "It isn't safe to- to stay in cold water this long, let's go."

Sapnap didn't feel relief as they began the trek back. He didn't know what he felt. Disappointment, mainly. Probably.

He couldn't feel his feet.

He also couldn't help feeling that it had been a waste, terrible as it sounded. Ranboo might have found Bea in the time it had taken them to find his room. Worse, he could have become trapped on the deck below their feet, which nobody would be surviving by now.

Whatever the case, the three had been too late.

The knowledge weighed heavy on Sapnap's shoulders as he dragged his legs through the icy water. He was still in his pyjamas, for the gods' sake.

They were all quiet. A depressed acceptance gnawed at their conjoined hands. They hadn't done enough.

A scream ricocheted off the walls.

Karl was moving towards it before Sapnap could even compute where it had come from. He was being towed down a corridor he didn't think they had gone down before. They all looked the same to him.

"Hello?!" Karl called. The water jumped from their knees to mid thigh almost instantly.

Another shriek came, a lot closer.

Wading through the water was a slow and laborious task. The sound of rushing water was getting to the point it was almost at a roar until they rounded a final corner and the source of the water, a set of steps leading the G deck, revealed themselves.

And by the steps, there was Ranboo, clinging to the bar on the wall and chest deep in the water, although he looked like a drowned rat with the way his hair clung to his face and neck. They were sobbing and seemed paralysed watching as the water gushed at them.

"Ranboo!" Karl cried, surging forward through the tide of water with open arms. Sapnap and Quackity clung to each other as they watched.

"Karl- I don't--" A new wave of terrified bawls escaped the child, clinging harder to the bar even as Karl tried to pry him away, "The water- I can't- I--"

"It's okay, it's okay," Karl pacified, and Sapnap watched in utter veneration as he eased Ranboo into letting go of the bar and let himself be picked up, "You're so brave, well done."

Ranboo continued hyperventilating as all four began to push their way back to safety. Karl carried on his mollifying words as they went, telling Ranboo how valiant and strong they were being.

Eventually the water dropped down to Sapnap's knees again, then to his ankles, then they were back in the hallway they had started in, and when they turned the corner - the same corner the boy had told them to turn from - they were finally on dry floor again.

Sapnap breathed a sigh of relief at the same moment Ranboo collapsed in Karl's arms, probably the adrenaline wearing off. The halls now just seemed quiet with the vacancy of the swamping echo of water.

"Well, that was an adventure," Karl said eventually, false peppiness colouring his words.

"You can say that again," Sapnap muttered. Karl glanced over his shoulder from where he led the other two once again, and a soft smile graced his lips at the interlocked hands between the two.

"Let's get married when all of this is over." 

Sapnap nearly choked. Quackity tripped over his own feet.

They stared at Karl, who had turned back to traversing the winding corridors.

"What?"

"Married? Marriage? Nuptials? The thing people do when they love each other? Usually?" 

Sapnap blinked rapidly, "Yeah, we know what marriage is. We're just... surprised?"

Karl threw his head back and laughed. Sapnap wasn't sure if this was a joke or not.

"Not many men I know would do this," He gestured to Ranboo in his arms, "Any of this really," He looked around at the rooms lining the corridor, "For someone they really didn't care about."

"Ha," Sapnap's own laugh sounded strained even to him. He glanced at Quackity, who glanced back at him, "Well, yeah. I'd get married to you, both of you, in a heartbeat."

An affirmative hum came from Quackity as he nodded too.

The stairs finally came into view. Sapnap wasn't sure if the smile he heard in Karl's voice was from the relief of getting off F deck or in response to their confirmation.

"I'd love that."

Their feet dripped and squeaked on the stairs, but all Sapnap could feel now was an overwhelming joy, a serenity that had become so foreign to him as of late.

"Does this mean I get to call you two my fiances?"

Boat deck was still covered in the upperclass, uselessly lollygagging as the ship's crew attempted to coerce people into lifeboats. Sapnap could not care less for them, wanting only to ensure the safety of Ranboo and his loves, fiances.

They rushed to the first lifeboat they could find, low in its number still. The steward manning the boat didn't have a queue, but as they approached, she held up a hand.

"Women and children first, sirs," The steward repeated with a steely set in her brow.

"We don't know where his mother is right now," Sapnap argued, then cried out as the ship jolted suddenly, throwing everyone on deck back a few paces.

The steward's eyes flicked between the three before returning to Ranboo. She turned back to her lifeboat, which clearly only had room for multiple more, and stared stoically at it for a second.

"One of you may join the child," She settled on finally, all three men sighing in relief.

Karl and Quackity were looking expectantly at Sapnap before he could ask them who between the two would be the best fit. He blinked at their anticipatory gazes, then shook his head ardently.

"What? No, it can't be me. Quackity, you're the one that knows how to help him create the life they deserve."

"Quackity won't be able to help Ranboo if he's not living with Schlatt."

"Karl, you're the one that went out of your way to rescue him."

Karl's shoulders sagged and he looked at Sapnap like the next words pained him, "Sap, I can't give him the life he needs, and you know it."

"Come on, sirs, we're on a finite time scale," The steward gestured to the lifeboat impatiently. Sapnap held Karl's forceful stare with one of his own, but with another irritated cough from the steward, he relented, holding out his arms to take Ranboo, who was beginning to rouse.

"Fine," He groused, hoping his annoyance was clear, even as he kissed them both gently in departure, "Stay safe."

"Wow, so untrusting," Karl buried himself deeper in his cardigan as he watched Sapnap clamber into the boat, Ranboo clinging tight to him as he began to realise what was happening.

"It's going to be okay," Sapnap promised calmly, rubbing a soothing hand around Ranboo's back, "You're won't even feel the water."

"This is rickety as a canal boat, Mr Sapnap," Ranboo whispered desperately, staring at the whitewashed wooden slats.

"Don't look down. Just close your eyes or look at me if you have to," He appeased, "And it's just Sapnap, remember?"

"Sapnap?" A familiar voice said from beside him. When Sapnap turned, a shock of red hair smothered him.

"Sally," He smiled despite the situation, "How are you here still?"

"I kept looking around for Wilbur for a while, but no luck," Sally blushed, "Is that..?"

"The child I was going off to find, yes," Sapnap nodded encouragingly to Ranboo, "Ranboo, this is Sally, a... family friend."

Sally held out her hand to the child as if he were a grown adult, and the smile she gave was tender. Ranboo shook it gingerly, avoiding eye contact.

"Nice to meet you, Ranboo," Sally smiled, holding her baby up to show, "This is Fundy, he's asleep at the moment."

"Nice to meet you too," Ranboo replied quietly. Just then, the lifeboat jumped as it began its descent. Ranboo screeched, grabbing ahold of Sally's arm.

"We'll be stopping at A deck in case their are any more passengers to board down there," The steward, now in charge of the lifeboat's departure, informed.

"It's okay," Sapnap tried, "It's nothing like downstairs, and you survived that, didn't you?"

Although Sapnap had been attempting to replicate Karl, the words seemed to have the adverse effect on the kid this time. They just tightened their grip on Sally's arm. Sapnap's fingers twitched, but he had to admit, he had no idea what to do.

The short journey down was janky and awkward. Ranboo refused to let Sally's arm go even as they apologised repeatedly but insisted that they just couldn't let go. Sally, to her credit, laughed away his concerns gently, doing a much better job than Sapnap would have in calming the kid down.

Arriving at A deck, there were a few more willing to climb aboard the lifeboat than there had been on boat deck. They each boarded slowly, giving Sapnap enough time to look up and find Karl and Quackity, leaning over the side, holding each other as they watched the vessel descend.

Their faces were drawn, and even when they noticed Sapnap looking up at them, Karl couldn't manage a smile and Quackity's eye became glassy. They were accepting something, and that something didn't fill Sapnap with hope.

Oh, who was Sapnap kidding? He couldn't abandon them now.

"Sally, treat Ranboo like they're your own, or find any remaining family he may have, please," He begged quickly as the group awaiting to board dwindled.

"What?"

Sapnap looked back up. Neither man had moved.

"I can't lose them now, not after everything." He whispered.

Sally maneuvered Ranboo so he was holding onto her side, a smile, understanding and a little sad, dawning as she pat Sapnap on the shoulder.

"I'll love him like he's Fundy's sibling."

Then Sapnap was standing, tripping slightly as he veered back onboard, to the shouts of the steward and cries from everyone else in the little boat. He couldn't find it in him to care less. He needed to find his way back to his fiances.

Immediately dashing towards the first doorway he could, he was confronted with a large group of passengers, generally milling around around at the bottom of the grand staircase. Shoving his way through, he spotted Karl racing down the stairs, and he rushed to meet him halfway in front of the large clock in the centre.

Karl was on him the moment he was within arms reach, hands grappling at Sapnap's face in desperation to make sure he was real. Sapnap grasped onto his forearms, the weight of the situation finally weighing on his shoulder as Karl began to kiss him silly while ranting at him.

"What were you thinking, you silly, stupid man?!" Karl cried as he captured Sapnap's lips breathlessly, "You were safe! You were going to survive!"

"You jump, I jump, right?" Sapnap sobbed weakly, sagging against Karl.

"What?"

"It was something I said to Quackity when we first met," Sapnap explained halfheartedly, peeking behind Karl but finding no Quackity, "Where's Q?"

Karl's head whipped back, checking for their third. Nobody else was coming down the stairs.

"We both came running after we watched you jump out the boat..." He muttered, brow furrowing, "He was right behind me! His hand was in mine, then we passed through a hoard of first class passengers and it must have slipped."

"Which first class passengers? Did you recognise any of them?" 

Karl bit his lip as he tried to remember.

His eyes widened and his face dropped in a way that could never be good.

He could barely meet Sapnap's eyes.

"Oh. Oh no."

Seeing Sapnap hop out of the lifeboat and back into the doomed ship Quackity was stood on might have been the most terrifying moment of his life. Both he and Karl were moving before they could think about what they'd just witnessed.

By a door leading into the body of Titanic, a crowd of passengers who had felt the violent tilt of the boat a few minutes earlier had amassed as they began to understand that maybe things were going wrong. Karl, who'd took to leading the both of them, forced his way through, Quackity happily pushing away those that tried to get between them. The only thing on Quackity's mind was finding Sapnap, which meant he missed a far too twisted face pass until it was too late.

A hand grabbed his arm, too lithe to be Sapnap, too firm to be Karl. Before Quackity could process what was happening, he was being pried out of Karl's grasp and dragged the opposite way. He tried to cry out, but his mouth was sealed shut, and all too soon, Karl's head of hair had disappeared.

Prepared to fight his way out of the grasp that had caught him, Quackity turned to face his foe, only faltering momentarily when he realised who had him, before his resolve hardened in his chest and he began to struggle against the cold, steady hold tenfold.

Wilbur Soot did not flinch at the added resistance, lugging Quackity past the lifeboats and towards the stern of the ship with some sort of hidden muscles in his deceptively weak form. The closer towards aft they got, the more the panic and kerfuffle muted itself. By the time Wilbur began dragging Quackity down the second class stairs, it was quiet.

Quackity's protests began to weaken as he realised there was no way to escape until Wilbur decided to let him go. Typical. And then Wilbur did what Quackity dreaded most.

He began talking.

"You know, Quackity, I like the Titanic. It's like a five star hotel, you don't get that with anyone but the White Star Line," Quackity began to get worried as they kept going lower and lower, "I mean, the dining room, they've managed to make the portholes looks like average windows by distributing the light of two portholes into one big window pane! It's ingenious. Does the second class dining room do that?"

He glanced back, poisoned laced, "I'd have paid for a first class ticket for you."

Quackity did not react. Not noticeably. His jaw clenched and his breathing slowed to calm himself, but he held Wilbur's eyes until he turned away, finding the door to E deck and throwing it open. Scotland Road stood as it had when Quackity had come down with Sapnap earlier, but a gradient was now definitely noticeable.

Wilbur began walking again, "It was me that introduced you to Schlatt, remember? Worst mistake of my life. You don't even love him," Quackity tried tugging his arm away again, to no avail. Wilbur's hand just tightened to a painful level,  "He doesn't love you. How well does he even know you?" 

The question was rhetorical, but Wilbur quietened for just a moment, and Quackity became aware of the sound of rushing water coming from somewhere.

"You picked him just to spite me, didn't you? And then, when I am finally moving on with my life, when I am finally happy again, with a wife and a child, you just have to show up again, make me miss you all over. You are a selfish man, Quackity." Wilbur spat, his words echoing on the walls, "And then, in the height of all antagonism, when I am right there in front of you, you turn and pick Halo's boy, manipulate his still grieving state to cling onto you, and some steerage class passenger, the lowest of the low. I guess you never grew out of being a cheap whore."

The sound of the rushing water was getting louder, until they rounded a corner and the wooden hallway was beached. Wilbur stopped just before the water and stared at it, a manic twinge in his expression.

"The third class one, he likes his words, doesn't he? He'd love this, wouldn't he? It's a metaphor, or something."

Only then did he let go of Quackity's arm. Taking the chance he was given, Quackity attempted to run.

He needed to get as far away from Wilbur as possible. He needed to get back to Karl and Sapnap, who no doubt would have noticed he was missing by now. But right now, his main objective was to lose Wilbur until he found his fiances. 

Quackity did not care for a thing Wilbur had said. The man had a very narrow view of Quackity. Even back when they first met, Wilbur had never been the type Quackity thought was all that trustworthy. Still, the little information he knew he exacerbated for all it was worth. He filled in gaps of knowledge with his imagination, a dangerous thing.

Quackity needed to get back to Karl and Sapnap.

But before he could make it two strides, his collar was grabbed and he was tossed roughly into the freezing water. The back of his bandages began to soak through as Wilbur came to stand above, kicking water up as he towered over him.

"Let's name a few things I know about you that Schlatt doesn't. I'll start! You're nothing but a common whore." He stomped a foot right on Quackity's sternum, forcing the air out of him. Something Quackity had once done to him, "You will never be anything other than a common whore." He booted Quackity's stomach, making him turn in on himself to recoil. The saltwater dripped onto his wound, making it sting. Quackity tried to scream. "No-one will ever love you, not in a way that was meaningful like you had with me."

All that came out was a pathetic groan as Wilbur straddled him and slammed his face into the water, just long enough to coat the entire bandage. When he resurfaced, Wilbur kept talking.

"You understand that, right?" He asked, sickeningly patronising, "You are so utterly unlovable, it's laughable." He held Quackity's up by the cheeks. The water trickled through the bandages, making it infinitely more difficult to breathe.

Then Wilbur kissed him. Square on the lips. A searing pain shot through Quackity's face as he choked and began to thrash about to get Wilbur off him.

He didn't budge, but after what may as well have been years, Wilbur caught Quackity's wrist as it attempted to push his chest away. A glimmer of gold peaked through the cuff. Wilbur sighed as his full weight fell onto Quackity as he sat down, pulling the sleeve down to admire the watch.

"You still have the wristwatch I gave you! You never stopped loving me, did you?" Quackity's wound screeched in pain. He was pretty sure the sutures had come undone in his lips.

"Too bad I don't love you, anymore," Wilbur spat on Quackity face, yanking the watch off his wrist and tossing it further down the hall into the water.

Despite himself, Quackity's first thought was 'thank the gods.'

"May you die here, and never taint any others with the pretense you call 'love'," Wilbur scorned as he stood, splashing Quackity's face one last time for good measure before up and leaving.

Quackity heaved against his bandages for a few seconds, his waterboarded and beat up state leaving him weak and needing a moment to collect himself. When he came back, he realised his whole body was floating. The water level had increased tenfold since he'd arrived, and he needed to get out, quick.

He needed to find Karl and Sapnap.

Weakly, he dragged himself to standing using a bar on the corridor walls and began to stagger back the way he'd come. He was cold, his clothes were heavy and felt disgusting stuck to his skin, and every breath was a mammoth task.

Wheezing, Quackity reached up to the bandages to get them off as he stumbled against a wall to keep himself upright. He continued marching onward, devastating slow as he tried to find the pin, before remembering he'd knotted to bandage after losing the pin somewhere in his cabin.

Finding the lump of material, he tried to undo it with one hand, but with a sinking feeling he realised it had twisted beyond fixing, probably the water clogging it, along with his head having been thrown around. Frantically, Quackity gave up on the knot and began clawing at the front of his face, wanting only to breathe again.

The wet bandages peeled off slowly, then restuck to their spots plastering his face. Quackity coughed harshly, and gods, he felt worse than the time Schlatt had made him-- no. No, he shouldn't be thinking of Schlatt now, he just needed to find Karl and Sapnap. He felt some relief in finally seeing the end to Scotland Road.

Some determination filling his chest - or maybe that was just the seawater - Quackity found the strength to keep putting one foot in front of the other, until he could haul the door open and he was met with the sight of stairs. Right, he could do stairs. There couldn't be too many to get up to A deck.

His foot slipped on the third step, and Quackity came crashing down to flat ground again.

He groaned, but got back up onto his knees and began to move forward again. Clinging to the bannister, he began to haul himself up the flight. Staying low to the ground just meant that he was less likely to slip again, he reasoned.

By the time he reached D deck he was reduced to a crawl, what with his laboured breathing feeling a little easier without straining to cling to the bannister.

By the time he reached C deck his vision had begun to blacken in spots.

By B deck his whole body shook in a mix of exertion and the cold that wrapped its way around his core and radiated outwards. Gods, he was so cold.

Maybe... maybe they'd be in Sapnap's stateroom. Maybe if he could drag himself to Sapnap's room, Karl and Sapnap would be waiting there with open arms and warm embraces and then Quackity would be okay.

Dragging himself through the halls was a blur, something Quackity could only remember as his vision blurring around the edges and the ship creaking loudly beneath him. An unexpected lilt threw Quackity against the opposite wall at some point, the aches and pains across his body alighting before he continued to claw his way towards his goal. He could rest then.

By the time B-58's door stood mightily over him, Quackity was beyond exhausted. Raising a weak fist to knock, his elbow supporting him buckled and he fell flat on the floor. Still, he managed a feeble knock and awaited an answer.

None came.

Quackity's hand dropped to the floor with a thud as the last fight left his body. A shaky wail pushed past his lips as tears slipped out of his working eye, the saltwater mixing with the puddle he was leaving on the floor.

Had it all been for nought? Had Wilbur been right?

Maybe he should have let himself die down on E deck. It would have been easier than wasting his energy in the belief that anyone was coming to get him.

But he could rest now. The ship was going down, and he could go down with it. He'd never have to see Wilbur or Schlatt again.

Soft sobs of relief joined the ones of despair. It was going to be okay. He was never meant to get this far anyway.

He could rest now. He could sleep.

"Quackity?!"

Quackity's eye snapped open (when had he closed it?) at the sound of Karl's voice and the thump of feet racing down the hall, skidding to a stop beside him and rolling him over, propping his body up so Karl could check his breathing, which was raspy and faint now.

"Shit, Q, what happened?!" Sapnap cried as he quickly unlocked his room and ushered them in, Karl having to hoist Quackity up to help him. His legs collapsed the moment he was upright, and both men had to shoulder his weight just to get him inside. 

Once they got to the nearest bed, Quackity clung to Sapnap as Karl began to find a way to undo his bandages.

"Gods, Q, whoever wrapped this must hate you," He tried to joke as his deft fingers worked apart the material, and for the first time in however long it had been, Quackity breathed.

Then subsequently choked and began hacking his lungs out. A vomit can was placed into his hands just before he threw up a stream of mostly clear, salty bile with a string of blood dripping from his lips.

"Fuck," He coughed out eloquently as someones hand rubbed his back and the other pet his hair.

"Let it all out," Sapnap soothed calmly, "You're doing great."

"Ugh," Quackity articulated, to laughs from the other two. His voice was scratchy and his lips felt as if they were tearing apart (they probably were), but he still forced his back to straighten to speak, "I need to get out of these cl-clothes."

The other two were moving instantly. Sapnap was up and rooting through his cupboard for new clothes as Karl peeled the offending clothes off Quackity's body. Once he was stood in only his underwear, he shivered intensely and groaned at the garment that remained fixed to his wet body.

"I'm gonna take my underwear off, is... is that okay?"

Karl stepped away, allowing Quackity to stand by himself, and nodded, "Anything to see them duck wings, baby."

Quackity snorted as he was handed a new set of clothes that were definitely not his size with a kiss from Sapnap to the edge of his lips.

Supporting himself with the table, Quackity's body creaked and grated in pain as he bent over to discard the underwear and replaced them with the new trousers he'd been given. It was far from the first time he'd gone commando, he supposed, and now he could only hope that it wouldn't be his last.

The new clothes brought a homeliness, a comfort Quackity didn't know existed. The socks pooled at his ankles, the hem of the trousers just touched the floor, and the sleeves of the shirt fell past his fingers, yet he'd never self more comfortable in clothes than he had in that moment. When he turned to face the other two, both had their back turned to ensure his privacy, a fact that only warmed his heart further.

"I'm decent," He informed them as he took a few unsteady steps towards them.

Sapnap turned first, tutting at the ill fitting clothes and gently pulling Quackity towards him to roll up his sleeves, starting with the right.

"Sorry I don't have anything that fits."

Quackity let out a gravelly laugh, "You couldn't have known I was going to need them. You didn't even know me when you were packing your suitcase."

"I wish I had," Sapnap said honestly, "Would have set up my life in Nevada years ago for you."

He moved on to the left sleeve, Quackity watching with a soft smile before something caught his eye. The lights of the stateroom glinted on his engagement ring as it peaked into view, and Quackity's heart fell as he realised he'd been all too content to die with it on just minutes ago.

He let Sapnap finish before grabbing the ring and sliding it cleanly off his finger in view of both men. They watched in silent awe as he dropped it on the floor without a second care.

"I don't want to die with any evidence that I even ever met Schlatt," He explained simply, "Besides, I've also got two new, far better fiances now."

He grinned in a way he hopped looked impish, but his lips cracked and bitter copper dribbled into his mouth, so he had to drop the expression pretty quickly. Despite how repulsive he must have looked, both Karl and Sapnap faces' lit up like Quackity had just serenaded them the sweetest love song. He shook his head to himself, then shivered, his body still not acclimatised to the quiet stateroom's warmth compared to the hall.

"Get into bed," Sapnap instructed, sliding into the comforter first and holding it up for Quackity to crawl under, "You'll only make yourself worse if you don't warm up now."

Quackity's breath was wobbly as he exhaled and Karl lay on the his other side, encasing him in a snug hold. His eyes fluttered, but he didn't feel tired anymore.

"You can sleep, if you want," Karl whispered, fingers tracing his jaw lightly.

"Absolutely nothing is going on outside this room," Sapnap huffed, not in a way that was spiteful or broke the moment, but in a way that all three acknowledged the situation and came to the same conclusion. That they'd rather be here, together, than out there and separated again.

"I won't be able to sleep now, I'm in the arms of two very attractive men," Quackity's eyes snapped open, "Sorry."

"What are you apologising for?" Karl's head tilted, so it now lay on Quackity's shoulder in a mirror of the first night they'd slept together.

"I just made a sex joke."

Karl made a face that looked like he was thinking hard.

"That was a sex joke?" He frowned, "Wasn't a very good one."

A breath escaped Quackity's nose that probably would have been a laugh if he'd had the energy.

"I don't really have a lot of expertise in this area," He confessed, watching Karl's eyes as they tracked over his face, "I don't think I can recall a relationship of mine that hasn't centred more around the sex than the romance."

"It's fine," Karl affirmed, "I'm just not interested in 'the sex'. Not to say I can never have sex with you, just that I don't look at you and think 'oh yeah, they've got a butt I want to wreck'."

A startled half cough-half laugh forced itself out of Quackity's throat, and Sapnap doubled over into himself snickering.

"Jokes about it will usually go over my head, honestly," Karl continued, "You're all good. It would take something far worse to get me mad at you."

He rolled his head up to give Quackity a kiss on the chin. He began tracing figures onto his chest, and with a sinking feeling, Quackity was reminded of something.

"I ruined your notebook," He whispered faintly, "It was in my pocket the whole night, it'll be waterlogged now."

Karl's face twitched involuntarily at the sheer thought of the no doubt countless hours he had devoted to writing down key ideas and features being wasted, but in the same second he was drawing Quackity closer in acceptance before he sighed and rolled out of bed. Quackity watched nervously as he picked up Quackity's soaked trousers and fished the sopping notebook out.

He frowned at it for a second before taking a piece of charcoal from his own pocket and opening the notebook to a random, unused page. He scrawled something, careful that the page didn't rip under to force, then turned back to the bed, a bright smile on his face.

"What's the safe's code?"

Sapnap glanced at Quackity then back to Karl, "6214... why?"

Karl turned the notebook to them, as he bent down to pick up the discarded engagement ring. 'Eat shit Schlatt' was flipped back to Karl as he ripped the page out and proceeded to throw the portrait back, twisting the code into the safe with a certain whimsy only Karl could have in that certain circumstance, and he threw the page and ring neatly in. He paused, looking further into the safe before fully sticking his head and arms in, only to return with nothing in his hands. He secured the safe and hopped back over to them.

"So your relationship with Schlatt can sink with the Titanic," He explained simply as he wiped his hands and slid back into bed, tugging Quackity closer by the waist, "I don't mind that the notebook's gone. It just matters that you're here."

What once may have resulted in a 'shut up', now just elicited a soft smile and a heart beating a little faster.

"So..." Karl hummed after a few seconds of mutual staring into each others eyes lovingly, "Nevada, huh?"

Sapnap perked up, "Oh yeah, it was Q's idea."

"It's a relatively quiet state, no-one would look for us there, and we'd practically be paid to move there under the Homestead Act," Quackity listed then paused, "I'm not really much of a farmer, so I don't know how well that would end up though honestly."

"Good to know in advance," Sapnap chuckled, "As long as I'm with you, I'll be happy."

"Gods, you're corny," Quackity pulled a face, "Both of you."

"And proud," Karl nodded sincerely, "What about your alliance, though?"

Sapnap exhaled heavily, brow twitching as he spoke, "Bad knew I never wanted to take over the mining company. It's probably why he convinced Skeppy that they should adopt my brother, Eryn, when I turned 18.

"I was adopted as a baby, so I've been trained for business my whole life, but Eryn was a worker Skeppy saw a spark in. He'd lost both his parents at 10, so was working just to get by, and well... we never expected Skeppy to die so soon, and the mantle was thrown unceremoniously at me before Eryn could get used to it all.

"The whole alliance was some BS Bad came up with so I wouldn't be dealing with running a whole mining company by myself," Sapnap sighed again, "I always wanted to marry for love, and he knew it."

"And the business?"

"Will be fine," Sapnap stressed the last word, "Bad could run it if needs must, until Eryn's okay with taking over. I made out like I was content with all of it until we got on this ship and I met you two."

Karl was silent, then reached his hand over Quackity to find Sapnap's on top of the covers.

"Bad said you were content when he spoke to me, but he knew you weren't happy. He probably hoped that once you were in the swing of things in New York you would be."

"I wouldn't have been if it meant leaving you two behind." Sapnap vowed, "What... what else did he say to you? You were vague when talking about it before."

Karl laughed softly, "Like I said, nothing that wasn't true, really. Well, not the stuff he said about Quackity, but the stuff he said about you."

"Huh? What did he say about me?" Quackity scoffed as Karl pat his chest.

"Nothing I'd like to repeat." He said, and Quackity frowned. He and Bad had a... complicated history, nothing he'd like to unpack now, "But he told me Sapnap got attached to those he liked quickly."

"That's not a bad thing," Sapnap sniffed.

"He said you'd fallen in love with me," Karl smiled softly as he lay his head on Quackity's shoulder and rubbed his thumb across Sapnap's palm, "I denied it vehemently then because... because I couldn't accept I was in love with you. It's still weird to say out loud. I don't think I've ever been in love before."

"Well that's good," Quackity hummed, "Because we love you too."

"I'd like to explore what being in love is like with you in Nevada, if... if you'd still let me join you," Quackity realised this was the first time he'd seen Karl shy since they'd met, averting his eyes not in fear or doubt, but because he was holding his heart out and it could easily be crushed if they refused.

"Oh Karl," He breathed.

"Of course," Sapnap effused, "That's what we've been aiming for the entire time."

"Okay," Karl bit his lip as it grew into a smile, "I love you guys."

In the comfort of the stateroom, the sound of people's screams and the ship's groaning were swathed. The three could almost pretend that they were still sailing towards New York, Quackity thought as a tranquil silence overcame them.

It was broken when a muffled yet magnified call came from above. An older voice calling for all lifeboats to pull back to the ship followed by a sharp whistle.

All three stared at the ceiling, waiting for the announcement to end, before breathing a sigh altogether.

"As much as I hate to say it, we're going to have to survive the night to get to Nevada, and that's not happening if we stay here," Sapnap mourned.

"Are you gonna be okay, Q?" Karl asked as he slid out of bed.

"I'll be fine," Quackity assured, running his arms to keep himself from shivering again, "I'm more annoyed that I'm going to have to put those wet shoes on again."

"I don't think I have any in your size, sorry."

"It's fine," Quackity grimaced as his shoes squelched as he put them back on, "Hopefully we can find a lifeboat and I won't have to keep them on for too long."

Sapnap laughed, opening the door. Quackity hadn't noticed while in bed, but the Titanic was now definitely at a sharp incline. He had to hold onto the corridor's bar to stop his feet slipping as they walked down - literally down - the hall to the nearest stairs.

Making it to deck was a perilous adventure, with the ship shuddering beneath their feet and how it felt like they were walking down a hill each step they took. But make it to deck they did, where plenty of people still stood, clinging to the railings as they stared out at the lifeboats, which were a spread of maybe 40 to 100 metres away.

Quackity frowned. None of them appeared to be getting any closer to the ship despite clear instructions to do so.

"None of them are moving," He heard muttered someway off from another passenger, "Why aren't they moving?"

"They scared we'll rush their boats and sink them," Another passenger scoffed, "None of them are coming back."

Someone, below their feet on A deck, threw themself out of the ship, landing in the water with a splash. There were a lot of bodies in the water already, Quackity noticed.

"So much for getting into a lifeboat," He said quietly, so only Karl and Sapnap could hear him.

"We're going to survive the night," Karl promised, tangling their fingers together, "We will."

"We will," Sapnap echoed, much quieter.

A lot of the bodies in the water were face down and still. Quackity's stomach churned.

"We will."

Chapter Text

A loud snapping sound finally kicked them into action.

Quackity's head whipped around the see the supports holding one of the towering funnels snapping one by one, the giant metal structure crashing into the water.

"We need to get off," Karl more instructed than said, "The water's going to be cold but we'll get sucked under if we go down with the ship."

"Okay, okay," Sapnap sucked in breath, following Karl as he began carefully traversing down towards where boat met ocean, "If we get to a lifeboat, Quackity gets first dibs, of course."

"Of course," Karl echoed.

"I couldn't do that to you two," Quackity tried to argue, although he already knew he was fighting a losing battle.

"We can argue all we like when we get to a lifeboat," Karl said simply, as they passed the band.

They hadn't been there all night. In fact, they looked to be setting up in a rush. How nice of them, Quackity supposed, that they continue to play even when they could have been using the time to escape. How brave of them to risk their instruments. How courageous they were.

The violinist sharply elbowed the trumpet player as he fumbled with the silencer as the rest of the band started to play a song Quackity instantly recognised as Nearer, My God, To Thee.

"Come on Nas, we're meant to be calming passengers here, not making them more stressed."

"The gods used to shine down on me," He sighed to himself, then threw a smile Quackity's way as he began playing.

Karl stopped abruptly, staring at the mass of people thrashing around where the ocean met to deck. He seemed to calculate something in his head for a moment, then turned abruptly towards the edge of the boat and threw himself off, much to the distress of the other two.

He resurfaced soon enough, wiping his hair out of his eyes and holding his hands up in thumbs up.

"You've j-just gotta dunk yourself in!" He called, "Totally fine once you get-get used to it!"

Sapnap took a steadying breath, obviously mentally psyching himself up, then followed Karl's lead, vaulting himself into the ocean. He, predictably, bobbed right back up beside Karl.

"T-Totally fine!"

Quackity rocked on his feet, watching the two men. The drop was probably only ten or so feet down, he'd be fine. He'd be fine. He'd be fine.

He still screamed as he jumped, smacking the water hard as he could as he landed to keep his face out and his wound wouldn't pain him any more tonight. It worked, somewhat, as only up to his chin got soaked.

He sighed, instantly swivelling around to find Karl and Sapnap. Both were cheering nearby, and despite the frigid feeling that had already settled around Quackity's bones, he smiled. He loved them so much.

"Come on, let's get moving," Karl hummed, "Keep the body t-temperature up a little."

Quackity's body protested at the idea. It felt as though it were freezing in place, but he forced his legs to kick and his arms to scoop at the water like a routine, following Karl as they pulled away from the ship.

It got easier to move as they continued to get further from the sinking ship. Quackity wasn't sure if it was the suction the ship had on its immediate surrounding water or if he was just getting used to the temperature, but he felt a little stronger. Thank the gods.

"W-What's that?" Sapnap spoke up, slowing and pointing just to their left.

Something was drifting towards them, a white blob sticking out the water with a number of people scrambling to get on board. Quackity squinted, but with one eye out of action, he couldn't make out what it was. Karl though, didn't have the same problem.

"It... looks like an overturned lifeboat?" He hazarded a guess, then began swimming towards it, "Come on, let's check it o-out."

An overturned lifeboat it was, Quackity realised when they all got close enough to touch. Before he could attempt to clamber on, he felt a strong grip on his hips hoisting him up. He landed somewhat concisely, and managed to get onto his feet before he glanced around and noticed the boat was already full with about thirty others standing like him. Notably, none of them were Sapnap or Karl.

He glanced back down to the water, blood chilling at the picture of both men bobbing in the water, looking back up at him with resigned smiles.

"I-Is there really no more room?" He implored, but nobody moved.

"I fear if we add anymore weight, the boat will sink," A man - the same officer who had been in charge of the port side lifeboats, Quackity recognised - shook his head from where he was stood at the head of the lifeboat, "Then we'd be back in the same situation, wouldn't we?"

A loud cracking interrupted Quackity's next argument, and everyone's heads whirled to the Titanic, standing stern up in the water in front of them. A deafening noise, one that could have been mistaken for the boilers exploding, ripped through the night as the ship split in two and the stern came careening back down to the ocean. The bow disappeared beneath the waves.

Pieces of debris began floating towards the lifeboat, a familiar hunk of metal a part of them. Karl grabbed it, and Quackity realised it was the roof of the automobile they'd seen in the Orlop deck.

Karl began bullying Sapnap onto it, then dragged it beside where Quackity stood, like a child showing off how proud he was of a macaroni bracelet he'd made, not having potentially saved a life. 

"There's no ro-room on here for you," Sapnap pointed out quietly, gripping Karl's hand tightly where to lay on the metal. The other held onto the slats of the lifeboat, connecting the three of them.

"Not my-my fault you're s-so buff," Karl quipped back, but it was nullified by the severe shake in his voice.

Quackity crouched carefully, pulling Karl out the water gently so his top half was more draped over the limited space left on the boat. He gave a weak smile, even at the awkward position he was in, still holding Sapnap's hand.

A terrifying creaking and crashing noise filled the night air again as the stern had once again lifted and was sinking. Everyone watched in depressing wonderment as it finally submerged, and the Titanic was gone.

And for the first time that night, Quackity could hear absolutely nothing.

The sounds of screaming faded, the implosions of the ship under the surface ceased. The whole world might as well have gone silent.

Quackity realised there was no moon.

His breath escaped him in a puff of steam that disappeared before his eyes. It was fleeting, momentary. Quackity feared he'd be the same.

"The sea's very calm tonight," The officer at the front of the boat spoke, "I've never seen it like this before."

"Y-You wouldn't be able to stand on an upside down lifeboat if-if the sea was acting the way it usually d-does in the middle of the Atlantic," Karl contributed from where he lay, "We're very l-lucky tonight."

A muffled chuckle rippled around the boat.

"I'm sure another ship will be by soon," The officer assured, just as a flare, some way away, shot into the sky, brightening the night. A cheer was heard, not just from the overturned lifeboat, but from the various others scattered around, "See? Someone will be here in no time."

"Good," Sapnap sighed, "I can't wait for my m-marriage on dry land."

"That's the dream," Karl tittered to himself, then shivered, "Gods, it's c-cold."

"The water's well below freezing," The officer acquiesced, "If I had to guess, I'd say it must be around -2 degrees."

"Fahrenheit?!" Quackity squawked.

"No, not Fahrenheit. Celsius." The officer said like it was the most obvious thing.

"St-Still not g-great," Karl added.

"N-No," Sapnap nodded stiffly.

"I can swap with one of you," Quackity offered immediately, crouching again.

"It w-won't work," Karl smiled. Hip lips were turning blue, "You're m-much more important-t now-ow."

"Don't say that," Quackity snapped, "Sap, I'll swap with you."

"It'll r-rock the boat," Sapnap argued. The roof was making little warbles from how much he was shaking, "It's s-safer to just st-stay put, Q."

Quackity hated most that they were right. All he could do was stand again, and watch helplessly as they continued to wither before his eyes.

"We're less than half full, what do you mean you won't go back?!"

The steward refused to look at Ranboo, a long stream of steam being exhaled from her nose.

"We didn't go back when the Captain called for us for the same reason," She said steadily as she continued to guide the lifeboat away from where the Titanic had gone under, "Do you want the twenty five of us to survive, or none of us at all?"

"I... I don't care!" Ranboo cried, "My mom could be back there! Karl, and Quackity, and Sapnap, they'll be- We have to go back!"

Another voice peaked up from beside Ranboo. Sally, holding Fundy close to her chest so that he wouldn't feel the cold, nodded in encouragement, "Quite right. I saw the sacrifice Sapnap made to go back into the ship for those he loved - we all did. It'll be a great shame if it's all for nothing."

"Did someone say Sapnap?!" Someone from a boat they were about to pass shouted, and even in the dark night, Ranboo could see how the lifeboat rocked as whoever it was scurried to the side to listen.

"Yes- YES!" Ranboo called, "He jumped back into the ship for Quackity and Karl, and he could be in the water right now!! We need to go back!"

The sentiment in their lifeboat was shifting, and Ranboo could feel it. Even the steward was weakening.

Sally leaned over the side to continue the conversation, "Bad, your son made a great sacrifice for the ones he loves. We can't let it go to waste already."

The other lifeboat was silent for a moment, then an arm was stuck out towards them.

"Come on, my boat is only half full. If we can get the majority of the passengers from your boat into this one, yours will be empty."

The steward barely paused, before she was directing the boat closer. Ranboo sighed, relief coursing through his bones as people began to carefully step from one boat to another.

"I want to stay," They confessed as Sally held a hand out to lead them over, "I want to find them. I can do it, I... attest."

Sally smiled, "That's not quite how you use that word."

"Oh," Ranboo stared at the slats of the boat, then shrugged. 

Sally pressed a quick kiss to the crown of his head, "I believe in you."

Only the steward and Ranboo remained in the lifeboat. Everyone else had been safely transferred into the other boat, but just as the steward was about to pull away again, Bad - Ranboo thought it must be Bad, he had the same fire and flare in his movements that Sapnap did - stood, and clambered into the boat.

"I've already lost my husband, I'm not losing my son too."

There was various conversations happening on the overturned lifeboat. Everyone was making small talk with those around them. Quackity didn't care.

His priority was keeping Karl and Sapnap talking.

Neither looked their fittest. Their hair, once wet, had begun crystalising with tiny shards of ice, and they weren't even shaking anymore, with no energy to do so anymore.

One man, who the officer had called Phillips, had already been let go from the boat, his body having succumb to the cold. Quackity hadn't been able to watch as his lifeless corpse drifted away to join the countless others in the surrounding water.

"I never wanted a spring wedding," He told his fiances, "Thanks for saving me from that."

"Anything for y-you, Q," Sapnap managed. A delayed hum rattled out of Karl's chest.

"N-Never thought I'd get-t m-married," His eyes were glassy and unfocused, his voice no more than a mumble, "M-My mother-mother's wore... mushrooms to th-theirs."

Quackity didn't have it in him to guess what Karl was talking about.

"How about an autumn wedding then?" He continued, "That's when mushrooms are in season. And-And we can find somewhere in Nevada where we can--"

"Quackity."

Quackity fell silent at Karl's word. It couldn't have been more than a faint breath, but it echoed in Quackity's ears and he wouldn't have been able to continue talking even if he'd forced himself to.

"I've s-seen the world. Nevada's v-very f-far away." Karl's eyes drooped further. Quackity tried to move, tried to do something to keep him awake, but he was frozen in place, "I d-don't need Nevada to die happy, I j-just need you to stay alive-live."

The airpocket under the lifeboat had been running out slowly, and when Quackity knelt, his shins were once again washed in the icy water, then bobbed back up again as it adjusted.

"You're not going to die, you hear me?" He tried to be threatening, but Karl could barely crack open his eyes and the ice cold hand Quackity took barely twitched, "We're making it to Nevada, and we're going to be happy together, what don't you understand?"

Karl's face did something that was probably meant to be a smile, but in the end was more of a facial convulsion that ended before it had started. He dropped Quackity's hand to his lips, where he didn't kiss them as much as the fingers were pressed to his mouth.

And then he went still.

Quackity's heart stopped, "No. No, no, Karl, this isn't funny. Wake up."

Everyone else on the boat was tactfully looking away as Quackity used all his might to drag Karl just a little higher out the water, shaking him desperately.

"Come on," He begged. Sapnap also seemed to have got the hint, weakly jangling Karl's arm, "Not now, after everything we've just been through. Wake up! I need to tell you to shut up one more time, come on! Please, wake up."

In the lab, silence permeates. Nobody moves. Nobody speaks. Nobody dares to breathe.

Sapnap's gaze is far away, sat leaning on Quackity for support as he remembers. He looks like a man who has made peace with the tragic and terrifying night, and Jack now feels bad for dragging it all up again, for making him remember.

Quackity, on the other hand, looks at Sapnap, purely disgruntled. There's something that they know that the team in the lab don't, and that's okay.

Tommy, for the first time since the first break, speaks. He is still ashen and overall miserable, even compared to the two men telling the story, but his voice is even and strong when it eventually works its way out.

"I am so, so sorry--"

"I did not say that."

Everyone in the lab blinks at Quackity's words. Sapnap only smiles, a hint of playfulness that Jack wouldn't expect to be coming from a man recounting his fiance's death.

"Yes you did. I remember it distinctly."

Quackity scoffs with a nonchalance that doesn't really feel appropriate, "You were half dead yourself, I would trust your memory less than Ranboo's."

Jack raises his hands, "I'm sorry, what is going on?"

Quackity opens his mouth with some sort of desperately needed explanation, when all of a sudden The White Cliffs of Dover begins ringing out in the air. Sapnap jumps, reaching into his coat pocket and retrieving his phone with a small apology, and answers. Quackity purses his lips, but watches on.

"Hi kid," The man hums, "Yep... Yeah, you're right. We're almost done, so we'll be back soon to help. Yeah, yep, I attest. Mhm... mhm, Karl's meds are in the bathroom mirror."

A whole rooms worth of jaws fall to the floor. Sapnap doesn't seem to notice. Quackity rolls his eyes.

"Yep, yep. Okay, bye. Yeah, bye, bye, bye. Bye... Yes, yeah. Bye bye, bye, bye, bye. Bye. Love you too, Ranboo. Bye."

He ends the call, a bright smile on his face. Quackity's wears his own grin as he opens his mouth again.

"Where were we again?" He laughs, a gravelly old thing, "Right. We were telling you about Karl's death."

In anguish, Quackity held Karl's mouth to his ear, heaving a sigh in the faint wisp of breath that brushed his skin.

"Can we not just make a little more room?" He snapped at the officer, "We've already lost one man, and Karl needs every chance he can get right now."

"We've gained Joughin since then," The officer responded, jabbing a thumb at the man who was also draped over the other side of the boat.

"Joughin is half drunk, he'll be fine." Quackity spat brusquely.

Slowly but surely, the people aboard shuffled around a little so Quackity could stand and body Karl's weight so that the majority of him was up in the air. Hugging him tight, Quackity quietly prayed to every god he could think of that this would be enough for now. That their rescue was incoming and Karl would be alright. All of them would be alright.

And against all odds, Karl's eyelids fluttered against Quackity's cheek.

"I love you," Quackity whispered, "Stay alive, please."

Karl didn't respond - couldn't respond, Quackity was pretty sure - but his breaths got a little stronger, and Quackity felt safe in the hope as he continued to keep an eye on Sapnap, who, with no tether, now held Quackity's ankle lightly. A weak smile adorned his face.

"I love you."

The world was quiet. The ocean was still. Bodies bobbed around in the water, unmoving.

Karl breathed.

"Quackity?!"

The shout was quiet, but with nothing to echo off, it carried. Quackity couldn't tell where it had come from, but he knew the voice.

"Sapnap?!" That was a different voice.

"Karl?!" The first voice called again.

"Anyone?"

"Here!" The officer cried from the front of the boat, "There's thirty or so of us, stood but sinking!"

"Ranboo!" Quackity yelled.

"Bad..." Sapnap whispered.

The beam of a torch was swivelled in their direction. Quackity couldn't see who was holding it, but he knew they could see how his lips cracked, and split, and bled as a relieved smile broke onto his face.

The lifeboat Ranboo was in - a real, right side up lifeboat! - began rowing towards them in haste. The others on the upturned boat continued cheering as it got closer. Quackity's eye fogged up, and for a moment he was afraid he was becoming affected by the cold, but then a tear dripped down his face, and then another, and another.

He sobbed.

By the time he could see the blobs of three bodies in a boat, Sapnap had forced himself up onto his elbows so that they could see him too. A wail - not Ranboo's, so Bad's - pierced through the air at the sight of his son, but as hands reached over the boat towards him, he spoke weakly.

"No, t-treat Karl first."

The hands halted, recoiled. Quackity had to move for Karl, his maneuvering awkward but delicate while attempting to create the safest transition out of his arms, and Karl was safely transferred. He was immediately swaddled in blankets and disappeared out of sight.

Sapnap was collected next, Bad mumbling soothingly as his son was bundled up and joined Karl.

Quackity was loathe to move, as much as it pained him to not leap into the boat and gather his fiances in his arms. He turned to the rest of the boat, only to find them staring at him.

"Go on," The officer commanded. Quackity blinked.

"But Joughin--"

"Is half drunk. He'll be fine for a few more minutes." His words were repeated back at him, calmer, smoother this time, "Go, join them." 

Taking a deep breath, which pierced his lungs and reminded him he was alive, Quackity stepped over the edge of the lifeboat. Sapnap opened the pile of blankets he and Karl were submerged in, but before Quackity could join them, he caught Bad's eye from where he was watching him.

There was an inherent distrust that had never really disappeared, and a pity that Quackity had always hated, but there was something else now. A reverence, perhaps. A symbolic hand being offered out, a plea for peace. A sort of forgiveness.

A weight knocked against Quackity's thigh, dragging him away from whatever Bad was doing. A set of arms squeezed around his waist and he looked down at where Ranboo's face was pressed to his stomach.

"Quackity," He breathed, crumpling to the floor and pulling Quackity with him, where a heavy blanket was draped over their bodies.

Karl shivered for the first time in what felt like hours between three sets of arms. His eyes had closed again, but his torso rose and fell with steady, deep breaths, and his heart beat proudly under Quackity's palm.

The boat slowly filled with the rest of the passengers from the overturned lifeboat, but Quackity didn't care. He had a hard time caring about a lot of things, he realised, but even that wasn't enough to make him give two flying fucks about the others in the lifeboat. He stared at his fiances and child that lay with him, making sure they continued to fight the good fight of staying alive.

The lifeboat started moving again, searching for any other survivors once everyone was safely onboard. They didn't find many.

Conversations were started between the others in the boat - small talk once more, and discussions on how close the nearest ship would be for rescue, that sort of thing - but Quackity didn't contribute. He didn't move.

Hours passed. Quackity refused to close his eyes, just watching. Nothing happened.

Light was beginning to peak over the horizon by the time a ship arrived to their rescue. The commotion of those who'd remained awake on the little boat when they spot the looming mass was enough to wake a few that had fallen asleep, Sapnap included.

As he slowly awoke, he first found Karl, whose face was beginning to colour again, his lips pink once more. Quackity could feel under the blankets how his grip tightened around the man's body, and only then did his eyes find Quackity.

He could see how Sapnap flicked to his eyebags, his red eyes, his lethargic blinks. A hand found his, where it had remained on Karl's heart. For a moment they stayed there, feeling the definite beat together.

"You can rest now," Sapnap finally mumbled, "We did it. We survived the night."

Chapter Text

Tommy rubs his eyes, checks the clock. It's getting late, but he knows the men aren't done. They can't be done yet.

"All... All four of you survived?"

Quackity rolls his shoulders, a smile stretching his lips and further highlighting the pale scar. Beside him, Sapnap is watching the screens again. There's a dolls head the team found in the debris field between the bow and stern but refused to save the co-ordinates of, the thing staring into the camera with devoid eyes.

"We were very lucky," He says quietly.

"We all recognise that we were a... statistical anomaly," Quackity adds, patting Sapnap's thigh, "Sorry for leading you on to believe Karl had died. He would have come today, but in recent years his health has been failing him and his memory is... not what it once was."

"So Ranboo is looking after him for now," Sapnap finishes, running a thumb over Quackity's fingers.

Jack is the one that breaks the silence, "So, Bea..?"

"Once we boarded the RMS Carpathia, we searched for her. All over," Sapnap smiles dejectedly, something Tommy would have expected more from their recount of tumultuous survival, "I like to think she went down with the stern, the implosion would have killed her instantly. It would have been the least painful."

"Wilbur died too. I hope it was long and agonising." Quackity declares with less discretion. Tommy looks down at his hands, but he doesn't know why. He knew Wilbur Soot died on the Titanic already. He did.

When he looks back up, Sapnap is watching him with a thoughtful crease in his brow.

"You, you're... Fundy's boy, aren't you?"

Tommy's mouth opens. Closes again. Looks at Jack, then sticks his middle finger up at him because he deserves it.

"How did you..?"

"I may have left my 'life of luxury'," Sapnap makes air quotes with his fingers and pulls a face which Quackity snickers at, "But Bad and Eryn didn't. I know the upper echelon, very vaguely. Plus, Sally really cared about Ranboo, in the end."

"I was told hero stories about Wilbur when I was younger," Tommy confesses, unable to look either man in the eye, "And of Techno, and Phil. I'm so sorry."

Quackity scoffs, but Sapnap lays a placating hand on his shoulder and he loosens incrementally, muttering something about "twelve of fourty" and "five pounds", but Tommy tries not to think too much about it. Eventually, he looks back at the young man, expression still tight.

He licks his lips, "I don't forgive them. We don't forgive them. We never will."

Tommy deflates, nodding. He'd usually be up in arms if anyone insulted his family, but these were people that had known them, had been negatively effected by knowing them, and there was cold, hard proof of it before his very eyes.

He feels terrible.

"But I don't need to forgive you."

Tommy's head snaps up at Quackity's words.

"I don't need to forgive you." His fingers twitch from where they lie on his walking stick, "Your family suffered enough in the sinking, any generational trauma isn't necessary at this point."

"You think I blame Sally for letting me jumping back into the ship?" Sapnap points out.

"But..."

"What's done is done," Quackity leans on Sapnap, who lays a comforting hand on the small of his back, "I don't like to think about what would have happened if they hadn't been there. I'm okay- I'm happy with this ending."

"Still doesn't make it right."

"No, it doesn't." Quackity scratches his chin, right where the scar ends, "But you don't need to feel bad. You don't need to apologise. They could have done that years ago."

"Okay," Tommy finally sighs, and a silence expands around the room again.

It's dark outside. Tommy can see how the waves have calmed down since Quackity and Sapnap's arrival, the boat rocking gently in the tide. Two miles below their feet is a ship those men watched go down, and yet they've travelled all this way to tell their story.

But they can't be done yet.

"That doesn't explain it all though, does it?" Tommy remarks, "I mean, the necklace, your na--"

"Not quite," Sapnap interrupts, then nods in acknowledgment, and looks eagerly at Quackity.

"It's not a story for now," He waves his hand nonchalantly, "Tomorrow maybe, before we leave. It's not all that interesting, and I'm tired."

Tommy knows it isn't too late, but he hadn't been thinking of the old men's energy levels. He bites his tongue in his wish to know more. These men are stubborn and protective of their information, he'll only waste his time trying to get more now.

"We can do that," Jack answers in his place, "Let me show you to your room."

Chapter Text

Tommy tosses about in his bunk that night. He can't sleep.

He sighs in frustration, dropping his arms over his eyes. He'd tried everything he could think of, but the image of his great uncle slashing a man's face open, and another of his own grandfather purposefully leering over the same man as he struggled to breathe and was left for dead, just wouldn't leave him.

"I'm trying to sleep." Jack says unhelpfully from his bed below.

"Shut the fuck up," Is Tommy's immediate response, sitting up.

"How about you try shutting the fuck up?" Jack quips back, "You're the one keeping me awake."

"Die," Tommy responds effectively, sliding off the bed and finding his slippers.

Jack groans, "Where are you going now?"

"None of your business, Mani-bald," Jack gives him an unimpressed look that Tommy does not take to heart, "On a walk."

He's reaching for the door when he hears a response, "Wait. I'll come too."

"Why?" Tommy dismisses, "You'll have a quiet room with me gone."

"I can't sleep either," Jack shrugs from where he's finding a dressing gown and some shoes, "Can't stop thinking about their story."

Tommy doesn't respond further than a hum and pushing the door open, not waiting for Jack as he navigates the corridors to the outside. Jack can guess where he's going anyway.

The stars twinkle above his head, and Tommy can't see the moon as he leans against the railing. The ocean is calmer than it has been throughout the rest of their trip, which he supposes is the best for the old men onboard. All of the intense rocking that had disrupted the staff the first few days Tommy is sure would have been a hundred times worse on weak bones, he'd barely been able to keep up with it himself.

He squints out to the horizon. The only indication that the ocean starts is where the stars' glow begin to ripple. The lights that are always on behind Tommy ruin the effect it might have had - maybe at the stern it would be nicer.

"Today was a lot, huh?"

Ah, Jack had caught up. Tommy looks at him, then gives up and looks down at the ocean.

"This whole expedition was a mistake," He huffs, scuffing his heel on the floor, "We shouldn't be poking around over a thousand people's grave for some stupid necklace. We're destroying the Titanic the more we visit her."

Jack is silent for a minute, contemplating. They stand together, unmoving in a way that isn't characteristic of their usual dynamic.

"Never knew you could respect women like that," Is what Jack comes up with, which forces a laugh out of Tommy.

"I respect so many women, actually. I'm the biggest women respecter," He scoffs, then subdues a little, "I just don't understand the obsession with the Titanic. Why this ship out of the thousands that have sunk in history? Why not the Britannic's sinking, or the Lusitania, or even the Carpathia, the ship that came to the rescue for Titanic? No-one really cares about them like they do the Titanic. I can blame my family connection, but what do other people have?"

"There's a theatrical-ness about the whole thing, right?" Jack says after a moment, "The maiden voyage of a ship that was unsinkable - or practically, anyway - with a well travelled Captain on his final trip before retirement, with some of the most rich and influential people of the time aboard. It went down before the World Wars started, and to many it's a symbol of the death of a simpler time."

"I guess," Tommy pouts, leaning back and holding onto the railing to keep him from falling, "Still feels weird that people capi- capital- cap- what's the word?"

"Capitalise?"

"Yeah, that. People capitalise on a massive maritime disaster in this way," He says, well aware and embracing his mardy disposition, "We're just feeding them with this whole trip."

Jack's fingers tap against metal railing, "Well, I wouldn't be here without the capitalisation of the Titanic. The majority of the team wouldn't be here without the capitalisation. Doesn't make it right, but it's just a fact at the end of the day."

From where Tommy's leant back, he can just about see the stern. With no response to Jack, he turns and looks, then blinks. There's someone stood there, on the first railing and leaning over the edge.

"Is that..?"

Jack looks over too, takes in the white hair, the hands gripping the railing and swaying tentatively. There's a hat on his head, and a walking stick in hand.

"Shit!"

They're both making a mad dash towards Quackity without another word. If they lost one of the survivors on a trip to the Titanic so many years on the world news would have a field day.

It's only once they're close enough that they realise Sapnap's there too, standing on the boat's deck beside his husband, holding something out, over the ocean. They both chatting amicably to one another, so it doesn't look like Quackity's actually in danger of jumping.

"This isn't the room we gave you," Jack tries to say calmly, making the two turn and face them.

Tommy notices a flash of blue in Sapnap's palm, still outstretched.

"You had it the whole time?" He breathes, taking a slow step forwards.

"Perhaps," Sapnap says vaguely, retracting the hand and using it to help Quackity down, "It was my father's, Quackity and Karl never let me get rid of it. It's been collecting dust since 1912."

"It wouldn't be collecting dust if it were kept in a museum," Jack holds a timorous hand out, "It would be kept in a perfect condition, in fact."

"Why, though?" Sapnap tilts his head, "It didn't go down with the Titanic. It belonged to a few mismatched workers from Nevada."

"But it once belonged to the Halo's." Tommy argues, but then Jack frowns.

"They're nicknames, right?" He asks softly, "'Quackity' and 'Sapnap'. Nobody that boarded the ship had those names, but I assumed it was a sort of Titanic Orphans situation that never got resolved."

There's a moment of silence, then Quackity grins. "Very astute."

He takes a breath, and Sapnap lets him explain, "Karl came up with both of them, we liked them too much to let go," He looks back to the ocean, "The men we were went down with the Titanic. I don't know what deaths they had, but they died those 73 years ago."

"And so the diamond belongs to lie with them," Sapnap finishes, drawing his hand back out again.

"No!" Both Tommy and Jack cry, and Sapnap pauses. Drops the pendant so the Lab diamond sways in the wind. It's even more beautiful in person.

"Can't we just... hold it? For just a second," Jack pleads, hand still poised out. Sapnap stops, thinks about it. Quackity watches on with a critical stare.

"Okay," Sapnap finally settles on, quietly letting the rock drop into Jack's awaiting palm, although he keeps hold of the chain.

Jack lets out a shaky breath, holding it up to get a closer look at it. Runs a finger over it, then hands it over to Tommy like it pains him to let go.

Tommy can understand. They've spent a lot of money on this trip, and now what they've been searching for is literally in their grasp. It's weighty, the way real diamonds are, and it makes Tommy wonder why the men kept it to themselves for so long.

"It's the world's biggest diamond," Tommy whispers as Jack comes to hold the diamond between them, "Surely it's worth the museum."

Quackity shrugs, "What are diamonds if not pieces of carbon forced to look nice."

"Your story could be learned by thousands if it was preserved alongside the diamond," Jack attempts.

"Then all our hard work to make it on our own would be for nothing," Sapnap states, then adds with a tenderness that doesn't seem fair, "Do you really want the necklace that much?"

Jack's grip on the diamond tightens just slightly, "More than anything."

"Anything?"

The word is whispered, from Quackity. He's leaning on his walking stick, scars running down his fingers that paint a picture of a life he once led. The wrinkles on his face avoid his scar, making it stand out all the more.

Tommy's hand drops.

"No."

Jack looks at him like he's crazy, but lets his hand fall from the diamond too. Sapnap, watching them both carefully, swings his arm back, and the necklace flies from his hand and lands with a splash in the waves below.

Tommy's heart still jumps, Jack's breath still leaves him in a rush, but he knows they'll be okay.

There will be no point searching for the thing now. It's small, and although it's heavy, it's got two miles to travel before it hits the floor. He doubts it'll land anywhere close to the Titanic's wreck.

And that's okay.

They've done enough to the wreck already. Tommy's done disrupting a graveyard. He's probably cursed.

He's not done with his interest in the Titanic, that may never fade as long as it's a good story to tell, and probably much later after that too. But he's done with this trip, and may he never have to cross this gods' forsaken stretch of sea again.

Quackity and Sapnap go back to bed, hand in hand.

The Carpathia was a lot smaller than the Titanic. There was only one funnel, and it travelled slower through the water. They'd left the ice field hours ago, hours that Quackity had spent asleep in a room they'd been lent, arm strewn over Karl and hand settled in Sapnap's.

Well, that was sort of a lie. They'd all been carted towards the doctor before they'd been able to rest in a real bed again. 

The Carpathia's doctor hadn't been prepared for the barrage of hypothermia victims, and his bandage supply had run out by the time Quackity made it to him. He got stared at for a second (a lot of people had been staring at him. His lips were hanging open and he knew he was making it worse the longer he waited), before temporary stitches were administered and he was advised to get to a doctor on dry land as soon as possible.

Quackity didn't really care too much. As long as it didn't get infected, he was okay with the new look. He'd get an epic scar out of it.

Who he did care about however, were Karl and Sapnap.

Karl had been given gloves, mittens and four pairs of socks the moment he'd arrived onboard. He still shivered, even as the sun bathed his skin through the window.

"That's what hypothermia does," The doctor explained, checking his temperature as Quackity and Sapnap fretted to the side, "Keep him warm, it'll take a few days to get him back to a healthy temperature. But he'll live."

Sapnap was colder than he had been too, but not to the same degree as Karl. He was dizzy and confused if he moved too much, and his hands could barely grip the ladder they had to climb to get onto Carpathia's deck, but he would heal too.

"I'm just built different," He drawled, with his own pair of gloves on.

"It's because you're so-so hot," Karl laughed, jittered and washed in fatigue as his body worked with the minimal energy it had that wasn't working to warm him up.

They spent most of their time the first day in their new room. They'd be at sea for another 3 days before the Carpathia arrived in New York, and if they were going to run once they made it, they needed to be healthy.

Sally had promised to help Ranboo look for Bea, so the three could be alone Quackity suspected, and although he adored Ranboo, he wasn't complaining when he awoke. The room was blissfully quiet, a joy for his drowsy state, and even the muffled sound of a whistle outside was piercing to his ears. He couldn't imagine what it would be like if a child was in the room with them.

Cracking his eyes open, he was surprised to see both Sapnap and Karl awake, the latter shivering like a rhythm beneath him.

"Good morning," Sapnap said cheekily.

Quackity hummed, squashing his nose into Karl's collarbone as he remembered where they were and why, "What time is it?"

"Don't know," Sapnap arched his neck, searching, "I don't think there's a clock in here."

"What happened to your wristwatch?" Karl grumbled, sounding like he'd just woke up himself.

"I lost it," Quackity said maybe a little bit too quick.

Sapnap squinted at him, "Lost?" 

"Lost." Quackity affirmed, "It's... I'll tell you some other day."

"Was it after Sap jumped back onboard?"

Quackity's silence was probably answer if Sapnap's hand coming to hide his face was indication.

"I'm so sorry."

"Don't be, it was... cute," Quackity snickered, "What happened afterwards just. Wasn't."

The muted presence was thick, awkward and uneasy. Karl must have felt as though he were moving through molasses once he decided to ask the next question.

"Was it Wilbur?"

"...Yeah."

"Gods, I'm sorry. I should have been paying attention," Karl groaned. His voice wasn't shaking anymore, so that had to be a positive, "I was just so set on finding Sapnap, I wasn't paying attention--"

"It's fine," Quackity pat Karl's chest, "I mean, it's not, but I wasn't paying attention either. Can we not talk about it now?"

Both men looked like they wanted to push, but Karl yawned and the hand in Quackity's was slipping.

"Okay," Karl conceded, giving Quackity a sluggish kiss as he drifted off, "But you're not getting out of this."

Quackity hummed.

They were asleep within five minutes. Quackity, uselessly, was awake and wasn't going back to sleep anytime soon.

Sighing, he shuffled out of the bed, packing in his pillow and the comforter to make sure no heat escaped in his absence at Karl's side. Silently finding his (dry, blissfully dry) shoes, he slipped out the room without rousing the sleeping hypothermic beauties, and made his way outside.

The Carpathia's deck was cluttered with Titanic's lifeboats, and the air still held a chill as a reminder of the waters they had left, but Quackity didn't mind the coolness - not after the biting ice of last night.

Maneuvering past a lifeboat, he lent on the ship's railing and stared out. Out at the horizon, out at where the serene sea kissed the sky, where the sun hung high. Probably around midday, then.

"You survived." He heard from beside him. His head dropped, but he stayed put.

"Hello, Philza."

"The weather's nice."

Quackity lamented not staying in bed, "Sure."

"I hope it stays like this until New York."

"I don't care what it's like in New York, I'm not staying."

"Schlatt's moving?" Shit, he'd said too much. "I wasn't aware."

Quackity looked at Philza, and because he was on Quackity's left, he had to properly turn and look at him as he considered his next words. Oh, who cared, he'd already spilled too much.

"He isn't," Quackity shrugged, carefully, "I am."

"I didn't think that Schlatt would let you go like that," Philza's eyes flicked to Quackity's fingers, something that would have been unnoticeable if they hadn't stayed there just a moment too long upon realising a certain ring was missing.

Quackity teeth grit, "Look, I just spent all last night dragging myself around a sinking ship for two men and a child and none of them were called 'Schlatt'. Thank you," He smiled drily, voice dripping with saccharine, "For the life jacket, but I am not - none of us are - in your debt, you hear me?"

Philza's hands came up in surrender, "Loud and clear."

They both turned back to the ocean and stood in silence for a few moments. Quackity deliberated on whether he should just leave now or not.

"How are they?" Philza asked before he could finish the thought, "Did they make it too?"

"The kid's fine. The other two are both in bed, recovering from hypothermia." If Quackity sounded sharp and catty, he didn't care.

Philza didn't gasp. He might have had an outward reaction at the news, but Quackity wasn't watching him. However, he could hear how small his voice was when he next spoke.

"They were in the water?"

"All three of us were in the water. I was... lucky."

"Right." The following silence was thick, and Quackity really fancied his chances of just leaving now.

"I spoke to the telegram operator this morning," Philza continued, interrupting his chance to escape once again. Quackity bit back a groan, "They're very interested in the Titanic's sinking in New York."

Quackity scoffed, "Why? Ships sink all the time."

"I sell artillery, I don't know," Philza huffed, "Anyway, they don't know who survived and who didn't yet."

"So?"

"Schlatt will probably be at the docks to check," Philza spelt out for him, "If you want to run with Sapnap and... the other one, you'll need to have a plan."

Quackity exhaled slowly. He should probably say thank you. He hadn't thought of that, and if he hadn't, then Karl and Sapnap probably wouldn't have either. He ought to say thank you.

But Quackity was too stubborn to cough up another ounce of gratitude towards Philza, so he just continued to stare out at the horizon.

"Well then," Philza took a step back, recognising he wasn't getting anything else out of the man, "I'll see you around, Quackity."

I hope not, Quackity grimaced, but then turned back to the other man's retreating presence.

"Do you have the time?"

Philza held up his wrist, where a wristwatch - of course it was a wristwatch - with a black leather strap sat.

"2:20, why?"

"Don't have a clock in the room," Quackity answered simply, "Goodbye, Philza."

And then Philza was gone.

The deck behind Quackity was by no means quiet. There were reuniting families and sobbing lone passengers all juxtaposed with the Carpathia's original occupants, muttering to themselves about the lack of deck space. Quackity ignored it all.

Philza made a good point about Schlatt. He knew Quackity, knew his face (not exactly looking like this, but still), knew his hands, knew his clothes, knew his gait, knew his fake gaits, knew pretty much everything. Quackity was going to have to become a completely different person to pull a seamless disappearance from right under Schlatt's nose.

He'd have to tell Karl and Sapnap as well so they knew if they were caught that Schlatt wouldn't the most understanding that Quackity had chosen them over him. Actually, they might be able to help come up with ideas, not just for sneaking past Schlatt, but also for their travel plan of action.

As a conclusion, Quackity should probably get back to the room and discuss with the other two their escape plan.

Taking one more lengthy inhale, Quackity pushed himself away from the railing and began traversing his way back through the busy deck. It was too cold out here for him anyway.

About halfway to the door to get inside again, an unmissable voice called from behind him, "Quackity!"

Quackity was whirling around without a second thought, smile bright and a only a little painful as Ranboo came hurtling towards him. Sally was a few paces behind him, a smile of her own adorning her face as she watched.

"Ranboo!"

Quackity wasn't going to pretend he was strong enough to pick the child up, but knelt down so Ranboo could throw their arms around him, a hug he reciprocated.

"Any luck with finding Bea?"

"We haven't spotted her yet," Ranboo unlatched himself and began walking towards the same way Quackity was heading.

Sally came up beside Quackity as they followed, "They've started to come around with a census, see who made it and who didn't later."

She didn't look as if she'd slept.

Quackity had exhausted his time keeping up polite chatter for now, so he nodded vaguely as they made their way inside. His priorities were alive, he wasn't one to feel pity for those he didn't care about.

"You've gone past the door, kid," He called as Ranboo ambled past their room. They skidded to a halt and retraced their steps until Quackity stopped them again at the correct door. He began unlocking the door, but spoke once more to Sally, "Thanks, for looking after them."

"Of course," Sally nodded, "Anyway, I need to get back to Fundy. I left him with Techno-" She laughed to herself, "-You should have seen the look on his face."

Quackity allowed himself a small smile at the disgruntled look he imagined, opening the door and shushing Ranboo before they could call out and wake the two sleeping men. The kid waved goodbye to Sally as he slipped into the room, and even Quackity bowed his head in her direction.

"Thank you."

And then he shut the door in her face. Couldn't be too nice now.

The next time Karl and Sapnap awoke (because even with all Ranboo's rambunctious hubbub that a child could possess, he'd managed to keep it down enough that they only stirred momentarily, then continued their blissful sleep holding on another), Karl looked less pale, and Sapnap insisted on taking his own gloves off.

Karl had turned to where Quackity had left, attempting to kiss his head but getting a mouthful of pillow. Quackity laughed as Karl blinked groggily.

"What the..?"

"I'm here," Quackity whispered, running a hand through Karl's hair, "Sorry, I got restless, went for a walk. It's almost time for dinner now."

"Ughhhm," Karl grumbled, rolling over on top of Sapnap, who groaned but his arms automatically wound around his waist. Quackity tried to lean over to peck his forehead, but Karl turned his face into Sapnap's chest, "Only fiances who respect the sanctity of staying asleep in bed with me deserve to kiss this celestial body."

"Sure," Quackity felt a tugging at his leg, and absently pat Ranboo on the head, "Well, Ranboo and I are going to go eat, we'll bring you something back."

"Wait," Sapnap mumbled from where he was still crushed under Karl, "I want to get up and eat something."

"Are you well enough to be doing that yet?"

"I'm fine," Sapnap pouted, "I'll be okay going out for an hour."

"Leave me here to rot!" Karl cried melodramatically. Quackity ignored him, kissing Sapnap's hair, which seemed to have some sort of effect on Karl, because suddenly he was off Sapnap's chest and sat swaying slightly on the edge of the bed, "Actually, I think I'm better too. I think I should also go to eat and get a kiss."

"You're the one who said I couldn't kiss you," Quackity pointed out.

"Yeah well, I was wrong," Karl shrugged.

"Are you sure you're well enough to go out?" Sapnap hummed, sitting up as well and looking far more steady than Karl.

"I'll make it through."

Stubbornly, Karl stood. He wobbled a little, but managed to take the few steps needed to reach Quackity and press a firm kiss on the corner of his lips.

"See, I'm fine." He scoffed as he pulled away, only for a shiver to wrack his body immediately after.

He showed no signs of falling, but Quackity still grabbed his forearms to make sure he was stable. Karl's face coloured with embarrassment, but he stayed steadfast in his desire to leave the room.

Sapnap huffed, standing as well. He was steady, "Fine. But here, wear my jacket to keep you a little warmer as we go."

Karl beamed, shrugging the jacket on without a care for how the sleeves fell short of his wrists.

"I love you," He breathed, letting his lips get used to the words, "I love you all so much."

Sapnap beamed, "Love you too, Karl."

"I'm hungry!" Ranboo whined, pulling Quackity's fingers.

He laughed softly, fishing the key out of his pocket, "Okay, okay, we're all going now."

Dinner wasn't anything near as spectacular as the first or second class meals Quackity had had on the Titanic, but it's not like he was complaining. He was in the presence of those he loved, and he couldn't have been happier.

It was only as the group finished eating did a man, in the Carpathia's uniform, trot towards them, clipboard in hand.

"Excuse me, sirs? Need your names for the census," He gestured to his board.

"Oh, right!" Karl gestured to himself, charismatic character shining, "Karl Jacobs."

The crewman turned to Quackity next, sat beside Karl. He blinked, opened his mouth, closed it again. Then opened it again with a large smile that hurt his lips but felt right anyway.

"Quackity Jacobs."

Karl didn't do a good job at not looking like he'd seen a ghost.

"Right," The crewman didn't note on the weird name, just wrote it down diligently, "Relation?" 

"Husband," Quackity answered, smoother this time.

The crewman nodded, then turned to Sapnap.

"Sapnap Jacobs," Sapnap said, immediate and proud.

"Relation?"

"Husband."

"And the little guy?"

Karl must have recovered, because before anyone can say anything for Ranboo, he was interrupting them, "Sorry, could I ask if you've got a certain Bea Beloved on the census yet?"

The crewman flipped through the names. There was a lot of them already.

"Not yet, sir. She a relative?"

Karl's eyes flicked to Ranboo before returning to the crewman, "Yes. She's my... sister."

Karl wasn't very good at lying, Quackity noted.

Still, the crewman nodded, "If I come across her, I'll redirect her your way."

"Thank you."

Ranboo stuck his hand out at Quackity from across the table. Quackity held it.

"They're name's Ranboo Jacobs," He said, "He's our kid."

The crewman smiled as he wrote the final name, "It's nice to find so much of a family that survived," He sighed quietly, then departed with a, "Have a good trip!"

The four sat in silence for a moment.

"No way you just married me like that," Karl sputtered eventually, "No way."

Quackity broke into laughter, Sapnap following.

"This is no laughing matter!" Karl cried, "I want rings."

"I'll get you rings," Sapnap promised, "The biggest, shiniest, most expensive rings imaginable."

"How? You're not a Halo anymore."

The speed it took for Sapnap's face to fall was scary.

"I... hadn't thought about that."

"No, you didn't."

Sapnap shook his head, "I'll work to get the money."

Quackity soured. Sapnap didn't miss it.

"What? It.. can't be that hard."

An awkward, heavy silence coated the table. Ranboo slid off his seat, nabbing the key off Quackity and escaping the dicey atmosphere. Quackity didn't even try stop him.

"We... really don't know that much about each other." Quackity muttered eventually, pushing what remaining food was left on his plate around.

Karl hummed. They knew the least about him, really, but four days wasn't enough to actually fall in love. That took months, years even.

"Well," He sighed, leaning his elbows on the table, "We've got some time to learn about one another, right? Til death do us part, I think the term is."

Quackity huffed a laugh, leaning into Karl's side, "Yeah."

"I think so," Sapnap too, smiled a wane smile.

"And if it doesn't work," Quackity continued, "We don't have to stay together. It's about moving, remember? But..."

He held his two hands in front of him. Karl easily took one, Sapnap more hesitant with the other. They were hands Quackity didn't think he'd ever get bored of.

"I think we'll be fine."

"A hat!"

Quackity gave Karl a sidelong glance, "What?"

They were on the deck, sun shining above them. They'd been informed that they'd be pulling into New York soon, and Ranboo had insisted he needed to be the first to see the Statue of Liberty. Karl had protested that he needed to get up too, get some fresh air in his lungs, and with everyone else going out, Sapnap came out too.

The three of them were sat on a bench, Ranboo bouncing around by the Carpathia's railings, eyes sharp on the horizon and not paying attention to the men.

"We need something to hide your face, right?" Karl stated more than questioned. Quackity nodded anyway, "Well, we've already hidden your face before. We just need another hat!"

"I'm not sneaking into someone else's room again."

"Wouldn't ask you too," Karl pat Sapnap's knee in a condescending way that sounded like he probably would.

"We don't have a hat though."

"Semantics," Karl brushed off, "I think we need to talk more about how we're getting to Nevada more than talking about getting past Schlatt."

"I don't think you understand how important I am to him," Quackity deadpanned.

"And I don't doubt that," Karl contested, "But if we get bogged down in only the sneaking away part, we'll be stuck in New York without a getaway, and then we'll get caught."

"There's the railroads?" Sapnap suggested, "Quickest way to get from point A to point B."

"How much would it cost, though?" Karl grimaced.

"It can't be... that much?"

Quackity looked at Sapnap far too sweetly to be explaining this kind of situation to him, "Sap, we're dirt poor when we step foot in New York. And we've got a kid to worry about now. It's not gonna be that easy."

Sapnap was clearly miffed, but smoothed after a second, eyes gentle, "As long as I'm with you, I know we can make it together."

They all fell into silence as they contemplated.

There was a gauche cough from beside them. Three sets of heads whipped to the person standing there.

Sapnap stood abruptly, "Bad."

"Sapnap." There's something about Bad's face that betrayed that he heard much more than the conversation than any of them would have liked. He looked... Well, he certainly didn't look happy. "Can I speak with you? In private?"

Sapnap's shoulders squared, his posture straightened a little more, "Surely anything you have to say to me can also be shared with my husbands."

Karl would like to say Sapnap's voice was confident and suave as he faced off with Bad, but that would be a lie. Sapnap's voice petered off towards, the end, but Karl still commended the fact he finished his sentence.

It was worth it, too, to see Bad's face drop and silently mouth 'husbands' incredulously. His eyes met square with Quackity's, and the terror beneath those eyelids would keep both Karl and Quackity going for weeks as Quackity smiled pettily.

Bad's gaze snapped back to Sapnap, "We are going to talk, in private, now."

Sapnap didn't budge.

"Sapnap Halo--"

"Sapnap Jacobs."

"What kind of- doesn't matter. Sapnap. Jacobs. You will do as you are told. And I am telling you, we are going to talk, in private, far away from your husbands, right now, or gods give me strength."

Karl felt like he should interrupt, save Sapnap, but honestly? This was interesting.

Again, Sapnap didn't move.

Bad took a deep breath, "I'm going to start counting down from ten."

And then Sapnap bolted the other way, leaving Bad in the dust. The older man gasped, and took up chase immediately.

Quackity stared in the direction they'd gone, eyebrows furrowed and mouth making an 'o'. When he looked back at Karl, he too was staring in confused wonder.

"Should we have.. stopped him?"

Quackity's mouth moved wordlessly, trying to think about the scene. Eventually he settled on a, "No..?" Before he shook his head with surety, "Nah, it was entertaining."

Karl leaned back to stare at the doorway the two had disappeared through. Taking a breath as if he were about to say something, he stopped, exhaled, and nodded, "Yeah, true."

They sat in silence, watching Ranboo.

"You think they'll be okay?"

Karl shrugged, "Sapnap's got this."

"I kinda meant Ranboo."

""Oh." Karl gnawed at his lip, "Bea made it sound like they'd been travelling around for a while. I think this'll be just another trip for him until we make it to Nevada."

"Where were they travelling from?"

Karl shrugged, "Not sure, it's not something that's talked about openly. I think Bea was from Eastern Europe, but I have no idea about where she was when she and Ranboo began travelling."

Quackity whistled lowly, "She must have really been saving up for a ticket on Titanic."

"Yeah..." Karl sighed, forlornly watching Ranboo, "It sounded like they moved quickly though, kinda just up and left whichever country it was one night a few years ago."

Quackity's fingers tapped against his thigh, thinking.

"Ranboo?" The kid leaned backwards, but kept watching the horizon, "How did Bea and you get around when going country to country?"

"We did a lot of walking. Oh! And the canals! They kept us away from the traffic and had ducks. Sometimes they had boats on them, but we never went in one because they looked like they could fall over at any moment."

Karl turned to Quackity, eyebrows raised.

Quackity brought a finger to his lips, "I mean... I know some of the canal tracks in New York. They're not the first place Schlatt would think to look. And once we get far west enough, we could probably find a horse to take us the rest of the way. We have no luggage, so it's not like we'd need a cart."

"Would we have the money to rent a horse?" Karl asked, chewing on his lip.

"We'd find a horse."

Karl stared, brain processing what Quackity meant, then stared for a few more seconds as his brain rationalised why it would be good in the long run.

"I've never stolen something as big as a horse before."

Quackity tutted, "Oh, but you've stolen something much more important." Karl's head snapped to him, panic written all over his face, "You stole my heart."

The older man practically melted into the bench, throwing Quackity a faux dirty look, "Shut up."

"How the roles reverse!" Quackity gasped, "How the mighty fall victim to love!"

"You shouldn't even be able to talk right now, screw you," Karl moaned, "Where's that bandage when I need it?"

"Gone to the rich hypothermics who got here first."

"I regret falling in love with you," Karl groaned theatrically.

"Okay." Quackity contented blankly. "Love you too."

Karl grinned, "I think that's the first time you've actually said it to me."

"I love you?" It wasn't. Quackity didn't mention it. Karl nodded, "Huh. Well, I love you." 

"Say it again."

"I love you," Quackity twisted so his whole body was facing Karl, "I love you. I certainly love you more than Schlatt, I love you more than anything left in New York to tie me back, I love you more than the years I spent becoming a terrible, no good person. I love you."

"You're not that bad," Karl huffed, "I like to think I wouldn't fall for terrible, no good guys."

"Big talk for someone who fell in love with two rich men."

"I think if they're willing to give up their wealth and risk their livelihoods for the chance to kiss me a few more times, I'm okay," Then Karl softened, taking Quackity's face in hand, "And even if you did turn out to be a terrible, no good guy, I'd love you until you weren't."

"Cringe," Quackity blurted automatically. Not that it mattered, Karl burst into giggles.

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

The kiss that followed was less of a kiss and more Karl's lips artfully dodging Quackity's teeth as they enjoyed the simplicity of being together. Once Quackity's scar healed, they'd be able to kiss properly again, he realised.

Fuck, they were actually going to be together when that happened. Karl wasn't leaving. Quackity was going to heal. The universe might actually have been working in Quackity's favour for once.

"Guys!"

Karl pulled back to see Sapnap running towards them, devoid of Bad now. He waved a flat cap in his hand.

He was practically bouncing up and down when he came to a stop, "Bad said I could go with you!"

"What? Really?!"

Sapnap nodded eagerly, "We had a massive argument, but he finally settled. And! And, he even said he'd give us some money for the travel expenses!"

"Seriously?!" Karl coughed, "How did you manage to convince him of that?"

Sapnap sobered some, "I just... told him how I felt. Said I could never love anyone else now that I'd met you two, so the allyship would be a waste. Said I loved the company, but I'd rather be with you than generating more wealth than I know what to do with, stuck in an office all day while I know you two exist. Told him I'd run away regardless."

"That's very sweet of him..." Quackity hummed, "Did you hit him over the head so he could come to that conclusion? He's okay with you going off with me and Karl?"

"There was no violence involved!" Sapnap whined, then turned his head like his next words were embarrassing, "He just loves me. He wants to see me happy. And if that means giving us the comfort to move away and start anew, then he'll let me go. He'll stay in charge until Eryn can take over."

"Easy as you said it would be," Karl sighed.

"He thought I'd be happy in New York, but that's not feasible anymore. And he offered us money without me even asking for it, he just wants me to be comfortable. And if that means you guys are comfortable too, he'll give what he can."

Quackity squinted, "I still don't trust him."

"Yeah, that's fair."

"But if he's going to help..." Quackity exhaled. He changed the subject, "What's with the hat?"

"Oh!" Sapnap placed it on Quackity's head, "It's for you. It's not as grandiose as Rose's, but it'll hide your face, with the right angling."

Quackity snorted as Karl began fussing over him, same as he had with the other hat, "Did you sneak into someone's room and steal this?"

"No!" Sapnap cried, affronted, then paused, "Their door was open..."

"Oh my gods!" Karl stopped his bustling, whirling on Sapnap with stars in his eyes and asked with utter glee shining off his body, "Are we having a bad influence on you?"

"Stop it! I already feel bad!" Sapnap huffed, "I did it for Quackity."

Quackity smiled, not the wolf-like one he'd usually grin, but a soft, loving one.

"Thank you, Sap. You're the best of us."

The three fell into a steady silence, hands clasped in one another's.

An excited squeak came from Ranboo, "Look, look!"

There, someway in the distance but fast approaching, was Lady Liberty. A sight Quackity was used to seeing in his day to day life, and now (hopefully) never to be seen again.

He'd never have to step foot in the fucking state again if they pulled this off.

Adjusting the hat slightly, Quackity stared at the torch held high in the air.

"Let's do this."

Quackity saw Schlatt, briefly. He was harassing one of the Carpathia's crewmen, undoubtedly demanding he check the census list.

He didn't look at the group of four breeze past. None of the men Schlatt had arrived with noticed either.

Quackity didn't relax - couldn't relax - until they were far, far out of New York.

His knees might have collapsed beneath him at the tidal wave of relief, if he was still standing. Instead he was pressed to Sapnap's side, arm wound around Karl as they slept packed in on a twin bed, Ranboo sleeping serenely across the room.

Quackity was the only one awake.

The moonlight filtered through the gaps in the curtains from the inn they'd managed to find to the west of Illinois. One more state and they'd be able to get on the transcontinental railroad.

Then they'd be in Nevada.

Everything was going to be okay. He'd escaped Schlatt. They'd all survived.

Quackity fell asleep with a smile.

There was a diamond in Sapnap's jacket pocket.

They didn't find it until they'd made it to Nevada. Wordlessly, it was put away. For safekeeping.

Out of all of them, it was Karl that managed to get a job first.

Bad still sent them money, so it wasn't as if they were going to die if none of them found work immediately, but the security was nice.

The mechanics in the village mainly focused on trains, rather than automobiles, and there was a certain level of training needed before getting the job, training Sapnap had never needed before now. But, the head mechanic was kind, saw a spark in him, and he was offered an apprenticeship.

Quackity refused to leave the house until his face was healed, so no luck finding a job for him either.

But Karl got lucky. He saw the first ad in the newspaper and went for it.

"So you're going to be..?"

"A reporter!" Karl beamed, holding a newspaper up and pointing at the column he'd be replacing, "It's just local news, but they liked my writing, they like me, enough to hire me on a contract!"

Sapnap swept Karl up, spinning them round in a circle in their excitement. Quackity, now bandaged up again and routinely becoming the bane of the town doctor's existence, listened to their excited chatter as he sat with Ranboo, who they were preparing to go to school.

"It's better than a factory," Karl continued, "So much better than a factory. I can go out and explore still. And I can write as well! It's a win-win!"

"Hell yeah!" Sapnap cheered.

"We're set, we're set," Karl laughed jokingly, "And it's all down to Karl freaking Jacobs!!"

"Karl freaking Jacobs wouldn't be here without the genius of his husband, Quackity freaking Jacobs," Sapnap argued lightheartedly. Quackity fought the urge to stick his middle finger up, if only for the sake of Ranboo's innocence.

"And we couldn't have funded it without the very, very small amount Sapnap freaking Jacobs is available to," Karl giggled, then tilted his head onto Sapnap's shoulder, "I like my name on you."

"Well good," Sapnap placed a loud kiss on Karl's lips, "Because it's my name forever and ever now."

Quackity didn't pay them anymore attention, as all they did was just get sappy. He wrote another sentence out for Ranboo to read aloud.

None of them could see his small grin beneath the bandages.

They had neighbours, just as Sapnap had hoped for.

There wasn't many of them, at first, the community small and tight knit. It wasn't the kind of state people usually arrived into and stayed for very long. Just a stopping point for those trying to make it to California.

But for how rural the town was, they were friendly. Sapnap fell right in step with the others who had lived there all their life, even if he was slightly out of touch with them.

It was what he'd always dreamed of, he smiled to himself as he watched Karl fuss over the stove and Quackity chopped vegetables while he washed the dishes. Ranboo was sat at the kitchen's little table, drawing.

Or well, Sapnap had never known that this sort of togetherness existed, with long dinner tables and servant corners tucked out of sight. Rather, this is what he'd missed before he knew he was missing anything.

Ranboo tugged on his leg, and Sapnap looked down with a smile. The child held up the piece of paper he'd been drawing on.

It's a picture of the four of them, stick figures outside their house with the sun shining above. Ranboo (the smallest) was holding Karl (the tallest, with a book in one hand) and Quackity's (the one with wings protruding from his back and a hat hastily drawn on his head) hands, but another hand is protruding from the child's head to hold Sapnap's (he was the only one left, plain) hand, and Sapnap's heart melted.

The drawing would join the others they'd pinned onto the pantry door. The family deserved to show them off. Because that's what they were, a family.

In Sapnap's letters to Bad, he'd tell him endlessly how truly happy he was now.

The day the news spread to them that Schlatt had died, Quackity cried.

He sat alone, on the bathroom floor, in an empty house.

He didn't have the words to explain how he felt. He was happy, overwhelmingly so, sure. The constant presence in the back of his mind that Schlatt was still after him could rest now. He could hold his husband's hands, and kiss them, and be with them without the fear that someone would recognise him from before. He supposed the scar helped with that too.

But it wasn't always easy between the three. It'd only been a year, and they'd already had their fair share of fights. Three completely different backgrounds met on chance did that.

So the pity his mind resorted to after hearing about Schlatt's death was more than just a simple feeling that no-one should die so young, it was the pity that he'd didn't stay. With Schlatt there was no fights, because the first few had been so bad Quackity had stopped fighting back at all.

And Quackity hated it. Hated that he still longed to go back whenever things got bad here. Longed to have fallen to his demise on April 10th.

The thoughts were momentary, but they were there. Quackity hated himself.

Sapnap found him like that, on the floor curled up in a ball. They talked.

Karl found them sat together, on the floor and holding hands, exhausted. They talked some more.

There was less fighting. They kept talking.

It was going to be alright.

There was an influx in the community in the early 30s. Which, logically, meant a few more people who could read and write.

Karl should have been nervous, with more talent that the newspaper was willing to snap up. They didn't, though. Instead, they offered something much more interesting to Karl.

He didn't accept immediately. He went home and discussed with his husbands.

He got to travel for more than just local news, and he got to write. He couldn't have asked for more. The two hotties on the side were just a bonus.

He really couldn't ask for any more. This was love he had never let himself dream of, it put his own mother's to shame. He was so glad he had allowed himself be loved when he needed it most.

He was doing what he loved, in a place he loved, with men he loved and who loved him back. It was perfect.

They didn't get their rings until the 40s.

Quackity had come to the realisation long, long before then that no-one really wanted to hire him for very long, what with his scarring, so he took matters into his own hands.

The casino made them money. A lot of it.

And the rings looked lovely on his husband's fingers.

The years faded into memories. Ranboo never felt the need to move away, so all four of them were content with the life they'd built around them. Even as Karl's memory began to fail him, they pulled through, together, because that's all they'd known for so long. The Lab diamond was forgotten about in the attic.

Until one day Ranboo saw one of his father's faces on the news.

"Sapnap..?" They called. Sapnap looked up. His eyebrows furrowed.

"Huh." He looked at Quackity, who looked at Karl, asleep, then back to him, "I'd like to read his poetry again."

They return home, and as they cross the threshold, they announce they're arrival, as usual.

"We're back!"

Ranboo comes through the doorway to the living room, smiling brightly.

"Karl's just in there," He gestures back the way he'd come, "I think he's doing better today."

"That's good," Quackity gives the younger (although he's really not that young. None of them are anymore. It's a beautiful thing) a nod as he toes off his shoes.

"What did you end up doing with the diamond?"

"Let it rest where it belongs," Sapnap shrugs.

"You gave it to them?"

"No," Sapnap grins, reminiscent of the ones he wore in his more reckless days, "Why would I? It belonged to a mechanic, a journalist, and a casino owner in the end."

Quackity laughs, "Sounds like the start of a joke."

Ranboo shakes his head with a roll of the eyes, "It must have been a long journey, are you hungry?"

"A bit," Sapnap admits.

"I'll start dinner," Ranboo says, walking to the kitchen and leaving them alone.

Karl's sat in an armchair when the two walk into the room, idly watching the TV with little interest. When he hears them approach, he turns to them. He squints, his bottom lip rolls back into his mouth so he can worry it. His fingers twitch as Quackity takes one hand and Sapnap takes the other, each pressing a kiss to his forehead.

"Sorry, we've been gone for a few days," Sapnap hums, "But we're back now. I tell you, it would make a good story what we've just been through."

"You'll never guess who we met," Quackity pauses, although he doesn't expect an answer, "Sally's grandson! He's a researcher now, I suppose. I don't think we actually ever asked."

"Maybe a historian?"

Karl's still gazing at them, clearly wracking his brain for something.

"Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if he got on the trip because he has a family connection. Like 'oh please, my grandpa died on the Titanic!! Let me go find a diamond that doesn't belong to me!!!' Classic Soot family behaviour."

Sapnap chuckles, bringing the hand not holding Karl's to brush a stray lock of hair that's escaped Quackity's hat out of his face, brushing his finger's against the scar. Quackity leans into it, as he has done many a time before, staring, devoted, at one of the men he loves most in the whole world.

Karl's eyes clear suddenly, he smiles.

The two men turn to him, "You alright Karl?"

"I forget why I was ever so scared of loving you two."