Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Damian glared outside of the submarine's window, he had spent so much money on this moment alone and now it was finally going to become a reality.

He would feel bad, ya'know, for stealing from the dead. But he has come too far to turn back now. Too much time and money has long been spent.

"Look, boss! It really is here!" Emile had his face smushed against one of the Submarine's windows next to him. Damian sighed and tried to focus on the daydream in his mind.

If he can really find this necklace he'll rack up millions of dollars for this family. His father wouldn't be able to ignore him!

"Boss we should send out the bot now." Ewen reminded as he got up from his chair to the bot station.

"Yes, do send him out." Damian's eyes stayed on the Titanic which lay just outside the window. The heart of the sea was going to be in his grasp in no time.

A few beeps were heard when Ewen had turned on the bot and a screen flashed on above him. It showed the camera footage the bot was recording.

"Walkin' the dog," Ewen said as he guided the bot through the famous wreckage. "Booosssss How come he gets to do all the cool work?" Emile stretched.

"He seems more capable." Damian retorted without hesitation, finally turning around to watch the video feed. "No fair-" Emile was interrupted by Damian who now had a blueprint in his grasp.

"You're going to want to make a left here- watch the doorway" Damian's eyes burned with determination. He was uh- really serious about all this.

"There! First-class!" Damian pointed to the screen. "Why is the heart of the sea in a vault anyway?" Emile slugged as he grabbed himself a bag of chips.

"Good question, but who cares about that now? It's about to be payday," Ewen smirked.

Eventually, they found the room the vault happened to reside in.

"I got it! I really got it!" Ewen ordered the bot to carry the vault out so the crane could get it on the ship above. Damian's orders had gotten much more strict after the vault was in the bot's grasp.

Damian leaned into a walkie-talkie, "It's out, the cranes ready for use." '

---

A crowd had yet to disperse around the safe since it had emerged from the water.

"You got the camera boss?" Emile said as he looked over the shoulder of Damian who was setting up the film camera. "Alright, get this thing rolling," Damian said handing the camera to Emile.

The robot had started to get to work on cutting open the rusted metal, bright sparks of orange and red flew about as the iron was sliced.

"This will get you a fortune that will last a lifetime Boss..." Ewin muttered once the camera was filming. Damian took in a deep breath, he would finally have his father's attention, and he would finally get the praise he rightfully deserved as the second son of the Desmond family.

Damian leaned down and cracked open the safe to be met with.... a lot of brown muck.

Everyone in the crowd groaned as the awful smell infiltrated their noses. It was a good thing Damian had stepped back or his suit would be tainted by now.

Carefully, Ewin took the lead, as he didn't want his boss to get messy with all of the murky mess that was spilling out of the vault. He stuck his hand into the filth and pulled out- a book? a journal? huh...

Reaching deeper into the vault he found another piece of paper. The crowd had grown silent. "That- that can't be it, right? reach deeper!" Damian demanded, drops of anger leaking into his voice.

Ewin quickly dug further in but was left empty-handed.

Damian had dropped to his knees. Had he really wasted all of this money for a puny journal?! His hands curled up into a fist so tight his knuckles went pale.

"H-hey don't stress it, boss!" Emile tried "I mean hey, Picasso's career started off pretty rough but he eventually made it! right?"

Damian sighed making his way back to the laboratory without a word.

---

Damian was sat dejected as one of the employees cleaned off the piece of paper found in the vault. Emile and Ewin tried comforting their boss but failed horribly.

"Well, would you look at that..." Damian glared up to the water cleaning screen to see- a man? It was a finely sketched drawing of a man with- The heart of the sea!? His hair was very finely styled and uh- he uh, didn't have any clothes but that was beside the point!

It was as if the drawing was mocking him as the necklace he had been searching for dangled loosely from the naked man's neck.

as more muck was cleared off the drawing it appeared that something was scratched into the bottom of the sketch.

"April 14th, 1912 - Y. B."

Y.B.?

"Well if he isn't a looker." The employee muttered. Damian stood up and looked at the screen as the man in the picture became less and less dirty. Damian couldn't help but notice that he was drawn with a lot of care. You could see it in the lines that whoever this "Y.B." person was must have cared a great deal for the model.

interesting...

---

Yor's old hands brewed the tea as the news babbled. She had never paid much attention to the news. Nothing these days really seemed that exciting. Though she didn't expect much to happen after turning 100.

though, something had caught her attention, a certain word that sent a shiver down her spine and a shake in her sturdy hands.

"-...And so the titanic-" Yor's head snapped to the television set behind her. "uh- Mom?" Anya had noticed Yor's attention divert to the Tv. "Is something wrong?"

Yor stepped away from the tea kettle and took her cane with her into the living room. "Turn that up, dear," Yor said gently as she wadded over to the Tv. Her legs have long since given out on her.

Anya nodded and turned up the news, Yor watched intently.

"And so we have Damian Desmond, second son of Donavon Desmond. So Damian, what inspired you to start this mission in search of the Titanic's hidden treasures?" Yor's eyes were glued to the screen at the mention of that ship.

"Well, Tom this mission is all for my father. If I'm able to find something valuable then I'm sure our family would gain much respect, and though we have not found such treasure yet we did find this drawing dated all the way back to 1912," Yor froze as the sketch appeared on screen

"And you're sure such treasure is on the Titanic?" The news reporter asked quizically.

Damian nodded. "We have received intel of-" Yor turned off the T.V. "Anya where can I contact these people?"

---

"Trust me, boss you're going to want to speak with her, she's a little old, so you'll have to speak up, but still!"

Damian sighed. He had been dragged out of his makeshift study room for this. "This better be good Ewin."

"Trust me boss, you're not gonna regret this!" Ewen directed him to the phone where this supposed Lifesaver was on the line. "Hello?" Damian greeted

"Hello dear." The old woman's voice was sweet but it held a hint of smugness.

"I was just wondering if you had found the "Heart of the Ocean" yet, Mr. Desmond." Damian had almost dropped the phone. A smirk had appeared on Ewin's face, and Damian couldn't help but smile too.

"Alright, you've got my attention Miss uhh-"

"Yor." The lady replied.

"Well, you have my attention Miss Yor! So, can you tell me who the man in the picture is?"

There was a long pause and Damian almost lost trust until the response sounded.

"Why that man is Loid Forger, Mr. Desmond. I would know, I am the one who drew it after all."

---

"Boss are you sure about this?! I mean- What if he's just some old geezer who gets her kicks off of ridiculing the rich!?" Emile expressed his concerns but a smile remained on Damian's face anyway.

"And plus if anyone were really still around to this day then they'd be over 100!"

"Actually 101 next month!" Damian laughed as they made their way to the helipad. "All I'm saying is you shouldn't trust her so easily!"

"Emile, she knew about the Heart of the Sea! Only us and the passengers knew about that."

Emile didn't seem to have anything to say after that.

The sounds of the helicopter became louder and louder until it finally had landed, and out popped an older woman with barely any bags at all. Damian had expected her to have tons of luggage but he wasn't complaining. next out of the helicopter was a huge white dog who seems to have aged quite a bit.

lastly, a younger girl with shorter pink hair stepped down and stood next to Yor. She seemed about the same age as Damian so he could only imagine this was her caretaker.

"Alright, let's get you inside." Yelled Damian trying to be somewhat understandable over the roaring of the helicopter.

---

Yor sat in a chair studying the room she would be staying in for a bit. "How nice." She muttered, giving a pat to the dog which Damian learned carried the name of "Bond"

"So...Might you need anything?" Damian asked the woman who gently scratched under the ears of her dog.

"Why yes actually, if you wouldn't mind I'd like to see my picture," Yor said politely getting up and gripping her cane. "Of course." Responded Damian who directed her out of the room.

Taking a couple of turns they eventually arrived in the laboratory which also held Ewin and Emile. They greeted their boss as Yor walked over and stared at the picture, all of a sudden she was whipped with a wave of nostalgia.

Silver eyes carrying a gaze that could shatter bones. giggling along with the sounds of a pen scratching across paper. The feeling of blood rushing to her cheeks and-

"Uh- Ms. Briar?"

Yor snapped herself out of her trance and gently brushed her fingertips over the portrait. "He was quite the looker, wasn't he?" she admired.

"Louis the Sixteenth wore a fabulous stone, called the Blue Diamond of the Crown, which disappeared in 1792, about the time Louis lost everything from the neck up. The theory goes that the crown diamond was chopped too, recut into a heart-like shape... And it became Le Coeur de la Mer. The Heart of the Ocean. Today it would be worth more than the Hope Diamond." Explained Ewin. Yor nodded along.

"He had complained that it was dreadfully heavy." she paused, and pointed her finger to the necklace which hung from the model's neck in her picture."Though he had only worn it once for the picture."

Yor stared at the picture once more before handing it back to Damian.

"Are you really sure this is him, mom?" Anya asked, a light giggle in her tone. "Oh, I'm sure dear, couldn't be more sure honestly."
"You know if your mom is really who she says she is that means she drew this the day the Titanic sank," Damian stated matter of factly to Anya. Anya crossed her arms, in a playful tone she replied "I know,"

Emile walked over to Yor and said "And that makes you the Boss' new best friend!" Yor laughed quietly to herself before glancing at a few objects in which were strewn across an examination table.

"What's over here?" She stood glancing over the objects before a feeling of recognition shot through her aging bones.

"Those? Well, these are just some things we recovered from the room we got the drawing out of" Emile responded.

"These were his," Yor said, gently picking up a silver mirror. "Of course, the reflection has changed a little, but everything else looks just like it was back then," there was some awe in Yor's expression as she reluctantly put down the mirror.

Damian and Ewen shared a glance as Yor reminisced upon the objects. Leaning down next to Yor's chair, Ewen asked, "Are you ready to go back to the Titanic?"

---

The crew now stood in a different part of a lab where a screen was plopped in front of Yor. "And we now present, the sinking of the Titaniiic!" Emile shouted, jazz hands waving about. Ewen pushed him behind so he could take the lead on the presentation.

A graphic model of the titanic appeared on screen. "Alright so she hits the iceberg around the starboard side, and it punctures little holes in like morse code, and this is when-"

Yor spaced out as she watched the scientific analysis, clearly not interested in the matter.

once she stared paying attention again it seemed the presentation was over, as the ship was no longer on screen. "So? Whaddaya think?" Asked Emile.

Yor sat silently for a couple of seconds, thinking it over. "Well, I did enjoy the ehm- scientific analysis, but of course, the real thing was much different."

There was a moment of silence before Emile started talking again. "Well I mean- I wouldn't mind hearing a story...Is that alright Damian?"

The man in question looked at the ceiling as if debating whether they had the time for such antics, before shrugging. "A story couldn't hurt."

"Alright, well take a seat, this will be a long one."

.

.

.

Chapter Text

Yor Briar sat at a saloon, cards close to her chest. "Look's like somebody's life is about to change..." Yuri uttered with confidence.

"Why did you bet our tickets!?" One guy jabbed at his buddy, the latter replying with murmurs Yor couldn't hear as her brain was clouded with anticipation.

The time had come to lay down their cards, one man had a two pair, the other a simple pair. Yor laid down her cards which were also only a pair. She wasn't too good at cards.

"I'm sorry, Yor," Yuri said, his eyes glaring over his cards which were still hidden. "S-sorry for what?" Yor quiets her voice to a whisper, a look of worry crossing her face. "Did you lose our money?"

"I'm sorry you have to say goodbye to our home because we're going to America!" Yuri slammed his cards down on the table to reveal a full house, Yor could feel herself tear up.

"Oh, Yuri!" The two siblings got up and wrapped each other in a tight hug while their former opponents threw themselves into an argument over what they should have done. "I can't believe it, you won! We're going to America!" Yor escaped her little brother's grasp.

"No." Said the bartender. Yor shifted her head to see the man pointing at the clock. "The Titanic's going to America, in five minutes!" Yor's eyes drifted to the clock to see the man wasn't lying!

"Hurry Yuri hurry!" Yor grabbed their bags from under their table and with the help of her younger sibling swept the money in, quickly, the two hustled out the door to be met with the larger crowd outside.

Barely, the duo managed to squeeze their way through the traffic, yelling apologies as they bumped into everyone. Practically crawling up the steps they handed their tickets over. Yor could hear Yuri whispering "Please work please work, please work-"

"Alright, well have you been to the inspection queue?" Yor and Yuri took a quick glance at each other, afterwards in unison they said, "Of course!"

"We're Americans, we don't have lice." Yuri lied through his teeth as the officer nodded. "Alright, come aboard." The siblings could barely contain their excitement while they walked by the officer and into the ship.

Once they were out of ear-shot both of them squealed, Yuri more enthusiastically. "Let's get to our rooms! " Offered Yor, her bag of money still dangling over her shoulder.

---

Loid stepped out of the car, a stern look on his face as Fiona clung to his arm. "Aren't you excited?" She looked to meet his gaze but he didn't look back. "It's simply luxurious... It has squash courts, a Parisian cafe... even Turkish baths."

Loid didn't seem too interested in such things though. He was here for a mission and a mission only. Fiona sighed. "Your friend is so hard to impress..." She hummed to Frankie, who had set up this trip.

"Eh- I guess that's just the way he is. Hasn't been in the best mood these past few weeks." Frankie replied casually.

Loid was going over all the possibilities he could get to his target in his mind. He had been pulling too many all-nighters and bags showed under his eyes.

After finally getting through the crowded mess that was called "Inspection" it was almost time for them to board...

Loid scanned the poorer crowd of people. A piece of intel he had received was that the target was not of high class. unfortunately, he wasn't able to spot anyone like the picture he had been shown.

It was hard to believe the woman was of a lower class. The picture he was shown was a fine-looking woman with straight hair and fair skin. Before the group knew it the guard was already asking for their tickets which Frankie graciously handed in.

"Alright, please go ahead." The officer ordered as the next group took their former place in line. "Okay, let's go ahead and get to our room so-" Frankie was cut off

"You guys can go to the room, I think I'm gonna take a breath on the balcony real quick." Loid interrupted his voice remaining monotone. "Oh- well, as you wish Loid." Frankie watched as the man in question disappeared into the crowd.

"Huh."

---

Yor and Yuri tossed their bags onto the bunk beds, Yor letting the latter get the top bunk. There was another bunk bed next to theirs, but it seemed the people they would be sharing a room with hadn't shown up yet.

Yor sat on the bottom bunk, a sigh escaping her. They hadn't gotten a moment to rest since they left the bar. "Hey, Yuri? I think I'm gonna go up to the balcony." Yor chimed, shuffling her way to the door. Yuri nodded and Yor was off.

It was insane how big this ship was. Yor heard it was the biggest ship ever made, and now she was on it!

Though Yor was also here for other purposes. It was a good thing Yuri had won that poker game or her mission would have failed immediately. Apparently, she was on the lookout for a spy, though she had to be careful. She received word that this spy was a master of disguise.

She heard that she shouldn't be surprised if the man in the picture she received wasn't on the ship, and had instead taken up a different look.

Yor huffed as she made her way up the stairs. Who knows? Twilight could be right in front of her and she wouldn't even kn-

"AhH-!" Yor was knocked back as it felt like she had run into a wall. But before she could fall down the stairs a hand gripped her arm and pulled her towards the source.

"Uhm- excuse me but-" Yor paused her ramblings when she met eyes with the man that had caught her.

Twilight...

---

Twilight paused as he met eyes with the woman he caught. It was the person he was after, right here in his grasp...

Quickly, he pulled the woman up.

"My sincerest apologies, I'm Loid Forger. It's a pleasure to meet your acquaintance." Loid bowed, taking the women's hand and planting a peck to her knuckles.

Is this really the girl who was reported for killing their top spies? No matter, Twilight had many options here. Of course, he could always just kill her right here and now. Though thinking it over there are many faults with that plan.

She could have people on the ship with her, they would definitely know if she were to disappear. Also, if she is known for taking down spies like him, he was sure he would be in trouble if he tried.

Also, the tiny voice in his subconscious was telling him that was a bad idea, so instead Loid decided the friendly route was the way to go.

He would simply have to make her acquaintance and get information for now.

The black-haired woman flushed as he pulled away from her hand. "And you are?" He asked.

"Uh- Yor." Twilight awaited a last name that never came. Was she suspicious of him? Did she know who he was? Twilight internally shook his head. She couldn't know, all he did was greet her after all.

There was a long pause as the two were lost in their own thoughts, practically glaring daggers into each other.

"...Ah- well, I must be making my way to the balcony soon. And indeed, it was a pleasure meeting you." Yor quickly made her way around him as he stood there awkwardly. He hoped he could meet her again. After all, she was the main target of the mission.

---

Yor leaned on the railings letting the wind blow through her hair. They had already set off, of course, they weren't too far from shore. You could still see the coast. Kind of...

It was still hard to believe she was going to America, even if it was for a mission. Yor reflected on her meeting with the man she was supposed to murder. She didn't understand why he was being so formal about their meeting. From her perspective, it almost seemed like flirting, which she definitely wouldn't tolerate.

Though for now, Yor simply let the wind blow through her hair as she watched her home fade into the distance.

.

.

.

Chapter Text

The first night on the Titanic had arisen and Yor Forger was once again on the balcony. Muffled music could be heard from the other side of the ship and surprisingly not many people were around.

Only a few drunkards wandered aimlessly and every now and again a staff member would come by. It was only Yor and the pitch-black sky and the crashing waves.

Yuri must be fast asleep by now, it was pretty late. Once she does get to America maybe she can relax a little. Take a little break from this assassin business.

Then again, they would be low on cash. Yor pushed the thought out of her mind.

---

Twilight sat at a dinner table with many others of his class. Truly he wasn't paying much attention to the conversation that passed around the table. he was much too occupied in his own mind.

He hadn't eaten any of the steak laid out in front of him either. Twilight really wasn't in a good state right now with the stress of the sheer importance of this mission from W.I.S.E

With a sigh he got up from the table, Fiona who was sitting next to him glanced up at him with her usual stone-cold eyes.

"May I be excused?" The conversation paused itself while Frankie gave him the go-ahead. Pushing himself away from the table he could practically feel Fiona's stare burning through him.

He climbed up the stairs and pushed the double doors open to unleash the breeze onto him. He needed some fresh air at the moment.

He made his way to the back of the ship, where he suspected not many people to be. He leaned onto the railings as the dark water splashed far below.

He wondered, of course just wondered, what if he...

Twilight straightened his posture, not finding the will in himself to sweep the thought away just yet.

He climbed one rail, then another, and another, and before he knew it he found himself over the rails, the only thing keeping him from falling was his tight hold on the bar behind him.

This odd rush swept through his body when he gazed at just how far away the water was, yet it felt so close.

he could almost feel the cold splashes against his suit and he leaned over more, and more until-

"Loid?"

Twilight snapped his attention to the familiar voice of Yor Briar.

Yor rushed herself over to the man behind the railings. In an instant Twilight asserted, "Stop."

It wasn't like he wasn't trying to get saved right now, it's that he knows she's an assassin. And from the lack of a last name earlier there's a chance she knows his real identity. If that's the case he won't be letting this woman anywhere near him in this vulnerable state. Willingly that is.

"I'll jump if you come any closer." Yor stared at the gap between them. After a moment she took one step forward. Then another, and another.

"No you won't" She replied, a hand on her scarf which covered her mouth. "

"Huh?"

"Well, you would have done that already. Come on, take my hand." The raven-haired woman offered her hand to Loid Forger, who had a look of surprise with a hint of discontent plastered on his face.

"This doesn't concern you, you should head back inside." He murmured, almost losing his balance,

Twilight never loses his balance...

"Well I can't now, now I'm involved. Please just take my hand." This doesn't make any sense. Why was this assassin helping him? How could she just shrug off his blatant warnings?

Maybe it was for her fake persona, or maybe it was because she knew he was with other people on board, but Twilight felt it was something more than that.

"You must be leaving me be now.." He turned his head back to the wavy water below.

"Oh don't be absurd." She had already had enough and grabbed his hand and pulled him over. With a crash, Twilight was back on board and they were both on the floor now.

Twilight had landed, each hand on either side of her body as she laid on the ground below him, a heated flush sprawled across her face.

"Yor? YooooOOooooR?" Yuri's voice called out, getting closer and closer until a loud gasp was heard.

Quickly, the younger sibling ran over and kicked Twilight off of his beloved sister.

"You pervert! You dare do such nasty-"

"Yuri I was only helping him..." Yor said absentmindedly. Yuri's head, wide-eyed as ever, whipped over to said sister.

"Yor! You don't have to help such disgusting, intolerant, tr-"

"No Yuri I mean he almost died," Yor said, expression and tone much more serious than her younger brother's. quickly, Yuri's face softened.

"Ah, Yor you're such a hero, no matter how much of a degenerate somebody is you still go into help! That's my sister!" Yuri had shed a dramatic tear before dragging her away back to the room.

Quickly though, without realizing what he was doing, Twilight grabbed the woman's hand, to which Yuri bursted into another temper tantrum.

Ignoring the raging man, Twilight grabbed both of Yor's hands as she peered up at him. What was his intent?

"Please have my thanks, I'm sorry for such trouble, may I treat you to dinner?" Twilight had to wring more info out of this assassin. This was a perfect opportunity.

Yor's face flushed a bright red. "Ah- well, I guess I should accept." Twilight nodded, taking a piece of notepad paper from his inner pockets and writing down a location to meet at.

The exchange was made, and Yor dragged her sibling back into their room as Loid watched the two ramble their way out of sight.

---

Loid sat in his room, staring at his reflection as he gently set his hat down. His moment was halted though by the sight of a certain somebodies silhouette standing in his doorway.

"Fiona, what do you need?" Loid asked, turning around to look at the short-haired woman directly.

"Well, I couldn't help but notice your melancholy, and though I don't pester to know why, I got you something." Loid's interest had been caught, standing up from his chair the two walked over to each other, meeting in the center of the quiet, dimly lit room.

From behind her back, Fiona revealed a velvet-colored jewel case. Taking it, Fiona started speaking once more. "I was intent on saving this for the engagement party next week but I don't think it'll hurt to give it to you now. You know, to remind you of my adoration for you?"

Loid opened the box to be met with a large blue jewel. From looks alone, he could tell it was expensive.

"Fiona this is a-"

"A diamond, I know. 56 carats" Fiona took the necklace and gently wrapped it around her fiancé. Turning him to the mirror. Loid saw himself with the large gem around his neck, it was much too heavy for his tastes and-

"It was worn by Louis the Sixteenth. They call it Le Coeur de la Mer, the-"

"Heart of the Sea" Loid finished. A hand absentmindedly went up to graze the large diamond that dangled seamlessly from his neck."Fiona this is overwhelming." Loid muttered, his voice remaining seemingly calm despite his words.

"It's for royalty. And we are royalty" She finished, seeing her beloved squint at his reflection. He didn't look as pleased as she wanted him to.

"There's nothing I couldn't give you. There's nothing I'd deny you if you would deny me. Open your heart to me, Loid." Fiona said, almost pleadingly. Loid's gaze still lingered on the mirror, Fiona now had her arms wrapped around his own.

Though the Heart of the Sea was an ancient artifact of immeasurable worth Loid couldn't help but feel as though it were but a simple collar that she had laced around his neck.

.

.

.