Chapter Text
April 9, 1912
Day 0
Tommy’s lungs burned as he ran down every backstreet he could manage just to shake off his assailant. He guessed his luck finally ran out. He should have expected it; George’s defenses doubled ever since Dream got into town. Many mafia lackeys were running around, faces he hadn’t seen before and American accents that didn’t belong.
Usually, Tommy would just break into one of George’s many warehouses and steal some goods. It was a quick in and out. But now that Dream was here with his men; things were being treated more seriously than usual. Where George would purposefully lower the number of guards for when he usually sneaks in and would often let his trespasses slide, Dream disagreed with George’s methods.
Dream increased security the moment he arrived, making it one of his top priorities to capture him and stop his thievery once and for all. Despite the increased security, he still decided to break into one of the warehouses.
“Shit,” Tommy hissed as he ran into a dead-end alley. It seemed that he accidentally missed a turn, too frantic to realize until it was too late.
He heavily panted to catch his breath, turning around to finally face the consequences of his actions as a group of men turned around the corner.
“Pst, Tommy, up here.”
Tommy’s head snapped up towards the voice. His eyes widened when he saw Tubbo lower a ladder from the rooftop. He wasted no time, running straight towards the ladder. He shifted the bag of food he stole as he jumped onto the ladder. Tubbo struggled to raise the ladder as he climbed up.
The mafia lackeys started to run toward him, and he shrieked, “Pull harder!” He tried to quicken his pace.
Once he got to the top, Tubbo wrapped his hands around his wrist and pulled him up the rest of the way before he locked the ladder in place. He collapsed onto his back on the rooftop, still panting from all the effort. Tubbo took a peek at all the men cursing in frustration for letting the street rat slip from their fingers once again. Tubbo grinned and stuck his tongue out at them before they finally gave up and left.
“You good, boss man?”
Tommy sighed, “Yeah.”
Tubbo sat next to him on the rooftop, “What did you get this time?”
Tommy grinned as he pulled the bag off his shoulder, “Premium meats.”
Tubbo opened the bag, and a grin grew on his face as well, “What a great catch!”
“What about you, big man? What new info do you have this time?”
Tubbo continued to sort through the bag, “Well, I would tell you that Dream is visiting, but it turns out that you’ve figured that out for yourself.”
“What’s with Dream and George anyways?” Tommy groaned.
“I heard that they were dating.”
“Explains why Dream has such a possessive stick up his ass. I can’t get away with shit while he’s still here.”
“Security is going to get even tighter. I heard Dream has plans to hunt you down, not just when you sneak into one of George’s warehouses. It will get much harder for you until Dream returns to the States with his men.”
“There’s no way George would allow that.”
Tubbo frowned, “Not too sure about that one, big man. If George wouldn’t allow that, then he wouldn’t allow the increased security around his warehouse. Sure, George may be more lenient with you, but we also know that he is a pushover when it comes to Dream.”
“Do you know when he’ll go back to the States?”
“Nope,” Tubbo popped the ‘P.’
Tommy groaned as he sat up, “I can’t lie low doing next to nothing for an unknown period of time!”
Tubbo hummed, “Weeell, I might have an idea for you.”
Tommy perked up, “Really, what’s your idea?”
“You know that large ship that’s docked.”
“The Titanic?”
Tubbo nodded, “Sneak onto the ship. Things should cool down by time the ship gets back.”
Tommy frowned, “Isn’t that ship going to be filled with rich people? Won’t they be able to tell that I don’t belong there?”
“The ship is scheduled to set sail tomorrow. They’ve been loading and preparing the ship to set sail for about a week now. You could easily sneak into one of the staff’s luggage. While you’re in there, you can steal some of their clothing. You can just do what you do here, the Titanic is huge, and if you get caught, it’s not like they’re going to throw you off.”
Tommy stood on top of the roof and turned to face the port. The Titanic was pretty big, and if there were a lot of people, he could probably easily slip onto the ship and hide among them.
“So I what? Hang out around the ship until I see someone preparing to board and sneak into their luggage?”
“You could do that. Another option is going in tonight when it’s less guarded. It’ll probably be safer if you wait till the night. You might draw suspicion if you’re posted near the ship while waiting for a target. Not to mention, you still have to evade Dream’s men. Waiting there would make you a sitting duck.”
Tommy nodded, “So I sneak onto the ship, hide on it until it gets back here, then leave. If I get caught, they’ll throw me off at the first stop or when we get back. If they throw me off at the first stop, I can stow away on another ship bound to our port.”
“See, it's a full-proof plan. It’s better than getting caught by Dream’s lackeys and ending up dead on some back road or getting cinderblock tied to your feet and thrown into the ocean.”
Tommy gulped, “Yeah, that would fucking suck. I heard that drowning is one of the worst ways to die.”
“Definitely not a way I’d like to go.” Tubbo agreed
“Why don’t you board the Titanic with me? It’ll be boring if I’m alone.”
“Sorry, no can do, boss man. I have to look after Michael.”
“Ohhh. That one kid you were talking about earlier. I guess you decided to take care of him?”
Tubbo nodded, “Yeah, I couldn’t just leave him alone on the streets. He’s too young to take care of himself.”
“Surly, he could get a job as a paper boy, at least.”
“No, he’s like three… I think. I don’t know his actual age.”
“It’s not like you could take him to an orphanage, either.” Tommy grumbled, “They’ll just exploit him for free labor.”
Tubbo and Tommy had both come from orphanages; that was how they met and became friends. They both know very well how abusive and corrupt the orphanages could be. They ran away as soon as they were big enough to care for themselves. No one came to look for them; they were just orphanage rats, after all, two mouths that they had to feed. Why would they spend their time looking for two runaways when there was an abundance of homeless kids they could exploit?
“Speaking of Michael, I should be heading back to him.” Tubbo fished out a package of salted meat from the bag before he headed toward the ladder.
“Oh, wait!” Tommy pulled out an extra bag of the meat, “Take an extra; you’ve got two bellies to feed now.”
Tubbo took the meat with a grin, “Thanks. Be careful out there, and good luck on your journey.” He pushed the ladder down and began climbing down before he stopped, “Oh yeah, that ship will be filled with rich people. There will be lots of valuables worth stealing.”
Tommy grinned as well, “Sure thing, boss man. I’ll see if I can swipe stuff for the both of us.”
Wilbur strapped his guitar case over his back as he carried two bags of luggage, one in each hand. He grunted as he lugged the heavy bags over to the porter.
“Leave your bags here, and I can deliver them to your room. I just need your name, and I’ll check our books to see what room you’re located in.”
Wilbur sighed with relief as he set the bags down at the porter’s feet. At first, he wasn’t too sure if he had to carry his bags to his room or not. He wasn’t a paying guest on the Titanic; he was hired entertainment. He was told he and the rest of the hired entertainment had to board the ship a day before actual paying passengers started boarding.
“I’m Wilbur Soot.”
The porter paused in disbelief, “No fucking way. The Wilbur Soot? Sorry, but I will have to ask to see your papers.”
Wilbur chuckled. He wasn’t surprised. For those who had never seen him before, it would be hard to believe that he was the famous musician Wilbur Soot. He opened up his long coat and pulled out his identification, handing it to the man. The porter quickly took it to see if he had been lying or not. His eyes slightly widened when he realized that it had been the truth.
The porter returned his papers, “I knew Wilbur Soot would be here; I just never would have guessed.”
“It’s alright. I get that a lot.”
The porter grabbed his bags, “Well, please come aboard. Join the rest of the entertainment staff on the stage. If you happen to get lost, please ask one of the many staff to lead you to the stage. When you get to your room, your bags should be delivered.”
Wilbur nodded, “Thank you.”
Wilbur walked passed the porter and boarded the ship. Before now, he had only seen photos of the Titanic in newspapers. Now that he was here, he could see it was much larger in person. Undoubtedly, he would get lost trying to find his way to the stage, so he flagged down one of the passing staff.
“Hello, I’m one of the hired entertainers. Do you think you could lead me to the stage?”
The woman nodded, “Sure thing, sir. Right, this way.”
Wilbur held onto his guitar case strap as he followed the woman. He let his eyes wander as they walked. He took in the fancy decoration. Despite being on a ship, it felt nothing like a ship. If anything, it reminded him of an extravagant palace. The rooms were large and beautiful. One could do many things to entertain themselves on the ship. There was even a gym. It was all set up to cater to the rich and powerful.
Sure, he was famous and came from a successful and wealthy family; their family didn’t often flaunt their wealth and waste their money on such things. His father, Phil Watson, was the owner and CEO of his own company. His younger brother, Technoblade, was Phil’s apprentice and the heir to the company.
Though they didn’t usually spend frivolously, Phil and Techno were going to board the Titanic tomorrow as passengers. There were many business opportunities for Phil and many learning experiences for Techno.
Wilbur considered himself lucky. He got a free pass on the Titanic and got paid for his work. Not only that, but his family would be joining him too. That meant that he would be able to hang out with them while he was not working. It would be a nice vacation mixed with business and fun.
Speaking of work and business, Wilbur soon found himself standing in the entryway to a large theater. Many seats faced a large stage. He assumed this was the room where they would hold their leading entertainment. This would be where they would have plays and orchestra concerts. This would also be where he would do some of his performances.
“Thank you.”
The woman nodded then left. Wilbur walked into the room and made his way to the stage, where many other entertainers were waiting. They were supposed to meet up and discuss their schedules. Each act had different showings and locations where they would be performing. He knew that he wouldn’t only be performing on the stage in the theater, but he would perform in a few of the bars and restaurants on the Titanic.
Wilbur took a look at the rest of the entertainers. There were the orchestra members, there were a few quartets, and there were actors. He guessed that he would be the only one performing by himself. He would have thought there would at least be other single artists performing.
Who knows, maybe they just settled with him because he was one of the most famous up-and-coming musicians who was popular with both men and women? Not to mention that he was from the wealthy Watson family, so he would be more used to dealing with wealthy people in a formal setting.
Jokes on them, though. He considered himself the black sheep of the Watson family. He didn’t even use the Watson name, constantly referring to himself as ‘Soot.’ As the eldest brother, he was supposed to be the heir, but he refused and carved out his own path in life. Despite being good at putting on an act for formality, he much preferred being organic.
Wilbur perked up as a man in a suit who carried a briefcase walked onto the stage from backstage, “Hello, thank you for gathering. I’m one of the organizers of entertainment. I’ve brought you all you need to know.”
The others gather around the man who set his briefcase down and opened it, “In here, I have everyone’s schedules and maps. There is also sheet music for the orchestra and the quartets.”
Wilbur stood back as the man pulled out the papers. He watched as he stacked the schedules and the maps in two separate piles.
“Feel free to take a schedule and a map. I’ll pass out the sheet music.” The man continued to pass out each sheet music folder to the designated group.
Wilbur looked to the schedules and maps, taking one of each. He glanced over the program, noticing how it stated each performance's times, dates, and location. He was glad that they were given maps. There was no way he could memorize how to get in and out of each location. He wondered how the guests would do it.
The man closed his briefcase, “As you know, anytime you are not working, you are free to join the other guests and enjoy everything the Titanic has to offer. There aren’t many rules; just make sure you are where you should be and conduct yourselves appropriately. If you miss your performance, the payment will be deducted from your overall pay. Now that we have finished here feel free to explore or rest in your rooms.”
Wilbur shrugged. He supposed he could head to his room to put away his things before exploring. He had to learn his way around the ship, after all.
“Sir, we are sorry to report that the street rat got away.” The lackies bowed their heads.
“What, you can’t even catch one kid? Must I do everything myself?” Dream hissed, glaring down at the men.
“Boss, he wasn’t by himself. There was another kid helping him. We had him cornered, then the other kid showed u-”
“Are you telling me that two children beat you guys?” Dream growled.
“N-No! They didn’t attack us. The kid that showed up lowered a ladder, which allowed the first kid to escape. We tried to go after them, but the ladder was raised, and there was no other way to get up there.”
Dream pinched the brow of his nose and let out a long deep sigh of pure anger, “How long has that brat been running around? You’re no better than George’s men. Hell, you’re even worse. George’s men weren’t even trying to catch them.”
George sighed and placed his hand on Dream’s shoulder, “Come on, give it a rest, let it go.”
“George, don’t you think that you’ve been treating this lightly for far too long?”
George lowered his hand and glanced at the men, “I don’t see the point in chasing after some child on the streets. It’s not like he steals enough to make me lose any profit. He isn’t causing any harm to my assets either.”
“This isn’t just about profit.” Dream huffed, “This is about your image. What would happen once others discover that you let a street rat steal from you? Others will start doing the same; then, you will end up losing profit. What message does this send out to enemy mafia families? They will think you’re weak and start to move into your territory.”
George stayed silent as Dream continued to rant.
“You have to take this more seriously. Capture the kid and make him an example of what can happen to those who mess with you.” Dream demanded
George raised his brow, “It seems like you’re doing that well enough on your own.”
“We would be much more successful if you stepped in and defended your territory with me.”
“Dream, I’m not helping you hunt down a child, especially when I know you want to harm him to make an example out of him.”
Dream frowned, “When you put it that way, of course, it sounds bad.”
“Because that’s what it is. I can protect my territory on my own just fine. I’ve been doing that this entire time.”
“But-”
“Dream, Tommy has been stealing from me for years now. I haven’t lost a single piece of my territory, and my organization has not grown weak. I will not sanction your efforts to hunt down Tommy in my territory.”
Dream sighed in disappointment, “Fine.”
A slight smile graced George’s face when Dream finally decided to drop the subject, “Good because I have a present for you.”
“Really, what is it?” Dream seemed to perk up as George mentioned a present. He was worried that he accidentally upset George but was glad to see that it wasn’t a big deal.
George nodded, “Yup! Do you know that one large ship that’s docked in the port right now? That ship is called the Titanic and it sets sail tomorrow. It’s a luxury steamship, filled with extravagant entertainment. It’s a wonderful vacation. Also, the ship will be filled with many rich and powerful people. It is perfect for expanding contacts.”
Dream raised his brow in interest, “Oh, and why are you telling me this?”
George grinned, “Well, that’s why I invited you here in the first place. I got us both spots on the Titanic. Perfect for expanding our businesses while we have a nice getaway.”
Dream immediately wrapped his arms around George in a tight hug, “Aawww, you’re so sweet, goggy.”
George leaned away from Dream’s clinginess, “Yeah yeah, a simple thank you would suffice.”
“I love it when you play hard to get.” Dream let go of George, “I guess I should get my bags ready, then if we’re leaving tomorrow.”
“Luckily for me, I already packed my bags. I can sit back and relax.”
“No fair, you gotta help me pack my bags.” Dream huffed.
“Why would I do that? It’s your clothing.”
“You should help me pick out my clothing. I gotta wear stuff that you like.” Dream smirked.
George rolled his eyes and sighed before finally giving in, “Fine. But I’m going to pick out clothing that look stupid on you.”
“George.” Dream whined
It was finally dark, and Tommy was protected by the shadow of night. He had said his goodbyes to Tubbo, promising he would be back before he knew it. Dream should be back in the States once the Titanic arrived back in their ports.
Tommy scouted the runway up to the dock. Now that it was dark, it was left unguarded. All of the workers were sleeping. Once he made sure no one was around to catch him, he quickly made his way to the runway and snuck onto the Titanic.
He looked both ways once he was on deck. The ship was large, and now that he was onboard, he would have to find a place to hide until the ship set sail. Since the ship was so large, finding a hiding place shouldn’t be hard.
Tommy quickly ran across the deck. He wanted to get on the side of the deck that was facing away from the land. He didn’t want to get spotted by anyone on the ground. He was already running from the mafia; he didn’t need to run from the authority either.
As he ran to the other side, he paused when he reached the railing and turned his head to head down the side. Another man was standing on the deck while leaning against the railing. The man turned his head and looked at him with a surprised expression.
“What are you doing up here?” The man with brown curls asked.
Tommy narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms, “What are you doing up here?”
“I’m one of the hired entertainers, Wilbur soot.”
Tommy raised his brow; he needed to up his game, “Oh yeah, well, I’m one of the staff on board.”
“Oh yeah?” The man asked, amused, “Where is your uniform then?”
“It’s after hours, dumbass. I don’t have to work right now. We’re allowed to walk around the ship when we’re not working.”
Wilbur took a moment to stare at the blonde before making up his mind, “Very well… though it is hard to believe that they would let someone as dirty looking as you roam around the ship. This is a luxury steamship that caters to the filthy rich. Having unclean staff would be unbecoming of them.”
“Excuse me?!” Tommy hissed, “Unclean? Well, this is the Titanic that caters to the filthy rich. Having an entertainer on board that no one has ever heard of would be unbecoming of them.” He mocked.
Wilbur laughed, “There is no way you work as staff on this ship if you don’t know that Wilbur Soot is here as an entertainer. Every staff on this ship should know who is here as a guest and who is here as a hire. They were given a list of entertainers working on the Titanic.”
Ah shit. Tommy cursed. He really fucked himself over this time. He was gonna get kicked off and handed straight to the authorities. He guessed it was better than getting caught by the mafia and getting murdered.
Wilbur waved his hand, “Don’t worry. I’m not gonna get you in trouble. I wouldn’t be surprised if there were a few more stowaways on the ship. It’s a large ship; it would be hard to catch them all. Besides, I think it would be funny if someone ran around and disturbed the upper class.”
Tommy sighed, relaxing when the other said he wasn’t going to get him in trouble, “So do all of the entertainers sleep in the same bunking area, or do you guys get your own room?”
Wilbur shrugged, “The quartets are placed in the same bunking area, but the orchestra members are divided into different bunking areas. Because I’m the only single performer, I was given my own room. It’s smaller and less luxurious than the rooms for the paying passengers, but it isn’t as small as the group bunking for the other staff members.”
Tommy slowly nodded, a plan already forming in his head, “Well, if you’ll excuse me, I must find a place to hide.”
“I should probably retire; my first performance is tomorrow. Hope I see you around.”
“Same to you.” Tommy ran off.
Though when he ran off, he didn’t go too far. He went far enough to hide from Wilbur’s sight. He waited there until Wilbur walked off to his room. He slowly trailed behind him, making sure not to get caught. He stalked around the corner as Wilbur entered his room.
With a sly grin, he approached the door and flung it open, “Hello, roommate!”
Wilbur looked up with wide eyes, “Fuckin’ gremlin!”