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."