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Chapter Text

Chapter One: Take to The Skies

Summary:
The Titanic - the Golden Empire’s pride of cruise ships prepares to sail on her maiden voyage to another region of the Empire’s domain. For some, it has been a relaxing vacation and a stress-free holiday since the end of the Galactic War. But for others, it is a ship for starting a new life and a story of new beginnings.

***

“Isn’t she lovely, Jack,” Jamie Bennet hollers as he stares at the magnificent ship docked in front of the trio. He keeps a strong hold on his younger sister, who he knows wants to run up and down the moor.

The white-hair young man rolls his eyes, trying to shoulder his heavy pack. Despite making, it here at the docks on time, it seems that the area is still crowded. He taps his boots against the surface as he sneers at the ship.

“Yeah, well every once in a while the Golden Empire can create a wonder instead of destroying someone’s home.”

Blue eyes turn to glance at his friend, and he winces at the disappointment in Jamie’s eyes. “I…shit-”

Jackson Overland Frost has dealt with bullies and hardened his heart against cruel words, but the sorrow on Jamie’s face makes his heart bleed without hesitation.

“Jack, you promised.”

The other male sputters. “I know. I know. I promise to have an open mind but come on.” He’s waving his right hand, indicating the colossal space cruise liner in front of them. “You know I’m right.”

A sigh exists from Jamie’s mouth as he places his little sister on the ground, but tightly grips her hand. Jack feels guilty as he can see the dark circles around his friend’s eyes, and he knows the stress Jamie is under. 

“Jack, I know how you feel about the Empire and if we could have found any other way to travel, we would have in a heartbeat.” Jamie rubs his temple. “But we have an opportunity to just…get away from it all”. A hand is placed on Jack’s shoulder, and the other male accepts his friend’s touch.

“We’ll have comfortable beds, enough to eat for once. At least for a few days, we can relax and relieve ourselves.” Jamie offers Jack a smile. “We deserve that much, don’t we- after everything we have been through, right?”

The white hair male looks down at Jamie’s hand that clasps his shoulder and almost winces at the cuts and dirt that decorate his friend’s hand. He could count each time Jamie had his fingers broken and bruised to the point where the bones had healed wrong. The dreams of an artist died the day he and Jack were forced to work in the mines to support themselves and Jamie’s little sister, Sophie. 

The guilt slams into Jack’s heart like a shooting star, and he internally scolds himself for bringing down the mood.

He pulls Jamie into a brotherly hug and sighs, trying to ease the tension. “I’m sorry - truly I am.” He looks down at little Sophie, who is now hugging his leg. He smiles at her and gently rubs her hair, causing the little girl to giggle.

“I will fix my attitude and try to relax.” He pulls away and gives his friend the familiar mischievous grin from their childhood. “Besides, you’re right - this is a new beginning.” The spirit of fun is slowly settling in his soul as he dances away from the siblings. “We’re the luckiest sons of bitches in the universe!”

He knows that Jamie is shaking his head but is also sharing a smile. Jack can shoulder the burden. He will do anything to keep his friend happy.

Golden eyes stare at the third-class ticket between his fingers. In the back of his mind, Pitch applauds himself for taking a step forward. He knows once his boots take a step onto the ship, there will be no turning back. He is abandoning everything that was his former life, but for the first time, he feels free.

Pitch hoists his bag onto his shoulder and powers through the crowd, ignoring the various bodies that bump against him. He keeps his head bowed and adjusts the flat stitched cap to hide his black hair. While his skin is now a different color and his eyes have changed, his facial features are still familiar to those who have witnessed his face daily because of the periodicals. 

Pitch wanted - no, he needed to hide and nothing would stop him from disappearing from the public’s eye.  

He is owed that much for how much he has sacrificed.

The loud foghorn bellows from above, telling Pitch that the ship was to sail soon. He quickly makes it to the entrance, producing his ticket and the false traveling papers that cost a fortune.

But it is worth it.

The gentleman who is handling arrivals forces Pitch to halt. He raises his eyebrow with a defiant expression, but deep inside, he panics.

Why did they stop him?

Do they know?

Has news of his absence already reached the port, and they were inspecting passengers for him?

“Is there something wrong,” he inquires with a sneer, revealing sharp teeth.

The attendant stares at Pitch before looking at the ticket and papers, then returns his gaze up to the awaiting gray-skinned man. 

“Nothing, sir. Just… you look familiar.” He presents the papers and ticket back to Pitch who hurriedly snatches them from the young man. 

“I guess I just have one of those faces.” He quickly bypasses the attendant, keeping his head down and under his hood. A bead of sweat trails down the side of his face, and he looks back at the ticket to find his room.

Too close - way too close , he chastises himself. 

If the other had called the soldiers over.

If someone inspected his belongings and paid closer attention.

Pitch shakes his head.

No. He’s finally on the ship and safe. He just needs to keep a low profile for the next five days while on the cruise. That’s why he chose Third Class as his accommodation. It was a completely different lifestyle than he is used to, but he has dealt with worse.

He can survive this. Just keep his head down and keep his emotions in check. 

Five days.

Stars help him.

Jack’s good mood turns to sorrow when he discovers that he will not be able to stay with Jamie and Sophie. As they are blood relatives, they received access to the family cabins. Unfortunately, Jack was not in this category and was forced to traverse to the other side of the ship. 

After a promise to find the siblings so they could watch the launch on the ship’s deck, Jack leaves the area, grumbling about the unfairness of it all. He knows Jamie can take care of himself and Sophie. And he doesn’t expect anything to happen on the ship. But Jack has always been on the other male’s side since they were children. They had each other's back through the good and the bad times.

And now they were separated.

Jack grits his teeth and digs his fingers into his covered shoulders, his heavy coat taking the brunt of the pain. 

He arrives at what appears to be the single men's area of the Third Class, and he detests the smell and loud noises coming from the unwashed bodies claiming the unoccupied rooms.

So focus on trying to find the closest room to bunk in, he is not paying attention to where his feet are taking him and his body collides with a tall, heavy beanpole of a man. There is a loud cry as Jack falls on top of the other, his elbows digging into the other’s side.

“Shit, I am so sorry,” he cries out as he immediately gets up and reaches down to help the other.  Golden, sharp eyes hold a moment of anger before a sigh leaves the man’s lips, and he allows Jack to help him. 

“It’s no trouble,” the man explains. “I, too, was not paying attention.” He offers Jack a smile, and he notices despite the sharp teeth that grace the taller man’s mouth, they are very clean and taken good care of.  More details stood out to Jack - the dark gray skin, the long nails darkened with black soot (at least he assumes it's soot), and how the other is trying to hide his face with his hood and cowl.

The horn goes off again and everyone is in a frenzy, pushing others out of the way to get to any available and furnished rooms. Jack is immediately knocked into the nearby room and turns to shout only to once again push into the chest of the other man. Before Jack tries to yell, it seems his lack of patience is shared with the other as the taller male pushes Jack off of him and closes the door.

The room has two regular-sized twin beds on either side of the wall, with a sink and mirror between the two. Each bed had a small dresser for clothes and personal items. It’s a small room but compared to the large cramp spaces with multiple bunk beds trying to fit in one, Jack considers this an upgrade.

The other man releases a puff of breath before scratching the back of his head. “This might seem… Look, I don’t know if you had any plans, but maybe we can share this room,” he offers.

Jack stares at him like he offered the keys to the kingdom. The other continues to ramble.

“I’m a quiet person and I will keep out of your way. I will say I do tend to snore but other than that, I am an excellent bunk mate-”

Jack can’t help it, he begins to laugh, causing the other to stop speaking and blush. “No need to sell yourself short. Was thinking about offering you the same deal.” He holds out his hand and offers a smile to the other.

“Jackson Overland Frost or Jack Frost, if you care. Residential menace and former miner from larth D85.”

The man gives a small laugh before taking Jack’s hand and giving it a strong shake.

“Pitch Black, at your service.” 

Jack notices that Pitch does not offer information about his previous home and occupation but accepts it as the other being private.

They release each other’s hands and after picking their designated beds begin to unpack and place their belongings in the dressers. Jack sees a violin case in Pitch’s hand, but before he can ask the other about it, it is placed underneath the bed.  

Another horn sounds off, and both men know that this is the last call before the ship sails away.

“Are you going up top to watch the launch,” Jack offers. He is slightly disappointed when Pitch shakes his head. 

“No. I…” Pitch gives a sad chuckle. “You’ve seen one launch, you’ve seen them all.” The other removes his boots and coat, revealing shoulder-length black hair and hidden muscles that Jack would have never suspected for someone as scrawny as Pitch. 

The taller man waves his hand. “If you wish to go, I can stay and make sure no one takes our room or our belongings.” He lies on the bed and closes his eyes. “I am going to rest here till dinner.”

Jack is tempted to pressure Pitch about watching the launch but seeing the exhaustion on the other’s face, he decides to allow him to rest. He can bug the other later. He bids farewell to his new bunk mate and leaves (though not before taking one of the two keys to their bedroom).

It takes him a few minutes to get through the crowd and find Jamie and Sophie. The two are still in their coats but no longer sporting their bags. Sophie is holding a teddy bear that she is mumbling to, but otherwise, the two do not look hassled or bothered.

Jack waves at the siblings, and after reuniting and sparing a few moments to converse about the state of their rooms, all three venture onto the desk, bypassing the other passengers. Jack ignores the sneers and scoffs from the First Class and reaches the edge of the bow of the ship. 

Jamie picks up Sophie and places the young girl on his shoulder. Jack knows she’s heavy but to Jamie, she’s worth the pain if he can allow the girl to smile more.

Soon, the Titanic’s horn bellows a final time before the ship begins to lurch forward. It pulls away from the docks, and Jack can see the people waving farewells and good vibes to the departing ship. Jack ignores the pain in his heart, knowing that none of the people left behind came to see him and Jamie off.

Instead, Jack climbs on the rails and outstretchs his arms.

There is no turning back. 

-End Chapter One

I have the second and third chapter partially written but I have been sick and overworked lately. Hopefully with my work schedule changing, I should have more time to work on my fanfics- definitely this one.

As an added bonus: please take mini figures of the main cast!

Jackson Overland Frost (Jack Frost)

Jamie & Sophie Bennett

Pitch J Black

Chapter Text

Chapter Two: First Night pt. I

“Ah, welcome back, Jack. Exhausted, no?”

Jack’s tired eyes look to see the owner of the residential complex and provide a smile to the jolly old man. No matter what state the young miner arrived in, Nicholas St. North always greeted him and Jamie with warmth and care.

“Yeah. Day was rough, but we survived.” 

North grunts but says nothing as he finishes typing on the data pad.  Jack shuffles his feet across the steel floor, exhaustion in his muscles.

“Jamie is still out. He's picking up Sophie from Katherine and picking up medication for his hands.”

North pauses his typing, and Jack notices the elderly man becoming a bit tense. Whenever Jack mentioned his friend’s injured hands or when North saw them, the other would get a faraway expression on his face, which was unusual, as nothing unsettles the large man.

It takes Jack snapping his fingers to break the man out of his stupor.

North gives a small gasp and then offers the anxious miner a smile. “Apologies,” he presents to Jack. “Sometimes my mind goes into overdrive, and my body freezes in the moment.

The young man shrugs, understanding.  Despite the ginormous man that is North, the owner is kind and jolly. He never snapped at people and always made time to fix or correct any maintenance issues within the building. He always upgraded the utilities if needed. Sure, the rent was pricey, but compared to the horror stories Jack had heard about other realtors, he knew that he and Jamie had lucked out in finding a home.

“Anyway,” the young man interjects, “I’ll head up. Can’t smell anything right now, but I bet I smell god awful.” It's a joke that Jack throws at North, as the other sometimes throws a tease back that Jack’s odor would chase his residents away.

Before the miner steps inside the steel cage elevator, North calls out to him. “Jack, if I can have a moment to speak to you privately. There’s something important we must discuss.”

~

Jack stares at the large manila envelope that North hands him. The weight of the papers and whatever else is inside makes him lose his breath for those few precious moments of silence.

“Go on,” urges North. “Open it.”

Jack does as he is instructed, and he pulls out documents that he immediately recognizes. Forms that listed not only his name but also Jamie’s and Sophie’s.  

The Office of THE DEPARTMENT OF ███████████ ███████████ hereby grants JACKSON OVERLAND FROST, JAMIE ALEXANDER BENNETT & SOPHIE MARIE BENNETT LEAVE OF MINING COLONY IARTH D85-

Jack releases a breath he didn’t realize he was holding.  His hands shake as his eyes continue reading the documents before him.

“North…how?” His voice is wavering, and it is taking all his strength not to run to the man and embrace him.

“I had a few favors that needed to be cashed in, and what better time than now to do so?” 

Jack sports a confused look, which prompts North to gesture to him to continue emptying the envelope of its contents. He promptly does so, and passports and three tickets to the Titanic fall out.

“I think it’s time,” North says as he leans back in his chair. “You’re both still young men and Sophie-” He sighs. “A young girl like her should not grow up in an environment like this.”  He picks up a picture frame on his desk, two men in the center smiling and arms thrown on each other’s shoulders.

“People like us- those who desire freedom and want to see the world? We don’t deserve to be caged and locked away.” North is now looking at Jack with intense eyes, those jolly blues now lost in a sorrowful memory he will not share with him.  

“Don’t make the mistake I made, Jack. Don’t let this opportunity pass you. Take your family and leave this place. Find a new home. Be happy.”

~

They are barely at the table before Jamie begins his interrogation. “So, what’s he like?”

“Eh?”

There’s a visible eye roll from his friend as he helps Sophie with her utensils. “Your bunkmate? You said you wanted to check up on him and disappeared for a few minutes.” The intense stare from Jamie makes Jack want to hide under the table. Not because he fears his friend, but he knows how Jamie gets when it comes to other people capturing Jack’s interest.

‘You think he would put all this effort into finding himself a girlfriend or into his paintings…’

“Look, I just wanted to see if Pitch wanted Dinner,” he explains with an eye roll.

Jamie covers his mouth in a jest as his face reddens. “Oh my!”

Jack shoves the young man. “Stop. I’m just being a good roommate.” Even though he had just met the man, Jack couldn't help but be curious about Pitch. 

When he went to check on the man, he had discovered Pitch sound asleep, curled in his bed like he was exhausted from the day’s work. Jack, instead of waking him, allowed the other to rest, though he promised to bring back something light from the table for the other to munch on.  

Speaking of light….

Jack observes as the stewards, all dressed in fancy black and white uniforms with gold trimmings, proceed to slowly bring out the meal for everyone. He watches in awe as a bountiful feast is provided for their table, and for the first time, Jack is pleased that neither he nor his pseudo-family will go to bed hungry. 

A bowl of rice soup is placed in front of him, hearty and thick, with a fresh roll that appears to be fresh from the oven. A plate is served next with a meaty slice of roast beef and brown gravy, along with sweet corn and boiled potatoes.

The steward who distributes their meal is a brownish Pooka with green eyes and a large smile on his face.  “For afters, we’ll be serving plum pudding, sweet sauce, and fruit as well,” he explains in a soft voice. 

Jack can hear his stomach growl as his eyes gaze upon the food in front of him. He turns to look at Jamie and Sophie, only to see both siblings immediately devouring the food on their plates. Well, Jamie was. Sophie was separating her food from the other so they were not touching. 

Almost a typical dinner for the three of them.

Jack thanks the steward, who wanders away to help the next table.

“Eat up, Jack,” exclaims Jamie. He shoves a spoonful of rice soup into his maw and gives out a moan. “Oh my stars, this is so freaking good. When was the last time we had a good meal like this before?”

Jack hesitates, his hand hovering over the spoon in front of him. For a moment, his sight is filled not with the numerous bodies of strangers and the crowded room of the cafeteria, but a lovely kitchen filled with warmth and love

Flashes of a woman’s smile and laughter, the smell of a hot cooked meal, a small voice calling his name-

“Jack?”

Jamie’s hand is on his shoulder now, and Jack quickly blinks away a teardrop before offering a serene smile. “I’m fine. Just…nostalgia.” He picks up his spoon and begins to devour the meal in front of them.

He can feel them.

Sharp claws dug into his skin, pulling him deeper into the abyss

It's cold
Dark
But for the first time, he finds comfort

He’s not ████████ █████████
He’s Pitch Black
He’s no one
He’s everything
Their Fear
Their Dread
Their Terror

It’s delicious on his tongue 
His body desires it all
Their Screams
Cries of Fear
He could do it-
Wipe out all their dream
Bathe in their horror

A wicked smile grows across his face 
Fingertips touch his cold lip as his tongue licks the air

How he hungers for vengeance
All those dreams - turning into nightmares

"̷̪̓P̸̤͒A̷̡͐P̷̦̅A̶͉͒"̶͕̆

He freezes. 

That voice - so familiar

NO, SHE IS DEAD
THEY’RE ALL DEAD
IT’S ALL YOUR FAULT
"̵̫͋█̷̭̑█̸̪̀█̶̮̆ ̴̟̉Ẁ̵̭H̴̰͘Y̴̲͝ ̵̺͠D̵̛̠I̶͙͝D̶̗̕ ̴̡̔Y̷͖͠O̸͔͂U̴̳͠ ̴̗̚L̵̗̾E̷̺͊A̵̢͝V̴̻̎E̸̠͋ ̷̗͛Ṳ̵͊S̵̨̀?̶̡̐!̷̮̒"̴͚̌

No, he didn’t mean to
They were supposed to be safe 
They were supposed to be safe!!

"̶̧̣̯̻̠̩͚̂͌͂̄͋͋͠Y̶̧̢̨̛̺̤̟͉̦͍̹͇̦͈̜͌̿̏̄̉̃Ǫ̴̥̟̯͕͍̖̩̬̫͈͖̙͊͂̈́̍̀̍̌̎̂̈́͐̐̈́̈̌͝Ụ̷͈̣̺̫͖͈̹̱̰̖̮͔͔̏͠ ̶̡̪̗̱̩̏͒̔̐̀̀̓̒̎̏̿̓͘͝L̶̨̨̺̘̖̻͙͇͕̙̠͔̹̝̖̆͊̈́̉̕͘͜ͅË̵̡͇̻͙̫̙̬̯̻́͂͑̈́͂̐̾́͗̋͂̐̒͑͆̕͠F̷̢̪͇͈͍̤̯͊͒̊̔̿̾̋̐͐͐̀́͒̄͘͜T̵̘̯͈̱͗͑̒ ̸̫͎̃́̏͛̾́͗̾͐̀̿͘͝U̸͕͍͂͋̈́́̚S̴̼͕̦̯͖̓ ̶̭̜̯̯̭̙̹̬̣̜͕͈̱̞̓̉̌̊̏͆̓͝T̵̡̡̖̠͎̯̣̹̪̬͉͙̓̃͜Ǒ̵̧̡̧̺̜̭̬̯̟̬̥͖̓̈͆̈́͌́̏̽̌͘͝͝ͅͅ ̶̫͓̫̗̞̩͍͈̹̱̞̰̥̠̟̜̽̍͂͂͗̆͗̒͊̑̐̾̚̕͜Ḑ̵̡̛͔͍̮̰͍̼̯̩̎̇͋̋͛͗̈́̔͌̕̚͠Į̵̧̙͉̳̩̞̪̟̯̹̼͓̠͓͓̓̈́͗͛͗̑̿̊̋́̀͜͝͠Ë̸̱̘̏̈́̅́̐̈́̏̀̋͆̏͝,̷̢̧̠̟͇̪̩̯̺̫̮͙̀̃̊̀̐͠ ̶̫̳͔̳̹̳̬͍̐͋͊̊͂̀̓̀̑̽̕͝͝S̶̜̫̆̑̾̔͂̂͆͌͌̎̆̚͜͠ͅƠ̶̢͇̣̭̮͖̰̥͍̪̙̣̤̠͚̋̈̀͆̓́́̓̉̄̀͂͌̔͘Ņ̷̢̛͍̟̥̯̜̲̱̟̱̹̩̗̩̳̈́͆͐͒̀̓́͆̉̉̑̈́͒̕͜͠͠!̷̹̙͇̺̀̓̆̿̋̀̑͘̕̕͝

“NO!”

Pitch rises quickly in his bed, breathing heavily as a cold sweat secretes from his skin. Violent tremors wrack his body, and he embraces himself to try and stop them. 

“A nightmare,” he whispers. “Shit…” He presses his knees to his chest, trying to remember the calming exercises he was taught.

‘1, 2, Breathe’

He takes a deep breath, inhaling the air deep into his lungs before exhaling. He does this several times, concentrating on calming himself down. Without another word, he reaches for his bag and grabs the small tin box from the pack. Flipping the top open, he pours the pellets into the palm of his hand. 

After mentally counting twice, he took one of the unhalved tablets and placed it into his mouth. Bitterness fills his mouth, and it is with practice and ease that he even swallows. 

Rising from the bed, Pitch reaches for one of the glasses placed on the sink between his and Jack’s beds. Water pours from the faucet, and he drains the full glass to wash the taste from his mouth.

He hated this.

‘Has it only been 3 years since-’

Pitch looks back at his medications, and for a moment, a dark thought crosses his mind of flushing these stars' forsaken things down the drain.  But it quickly vanishes as his mind regains clarity and sanity. He recovers his medicine and places it into his bag.

Once again, his intellect is his own - at least for now. 

Sighing, he slumps back into his bed. He’s not tired now - the rest he received, along with the jolt of anxiety, has made him a bit hyperactive. But Pitch vows to keep low, not wander around the ship.  He is fortunate enough to get a Third Class ticket, which keeps him away from the nobles of the First and Second Class.  All it takes is for one of those fools to study his face, and his plans would fall to pieces. 

Thankfully, it seems his roommate does not recognize his features with one of a certain General, and Pitch is thankful for that. 

Speaking of his roommate….

As Pitch wonders where Jack disappeared, the door to their cabin opens, revealing the young man. He tries to sneak in quietly as if not to awaken Pitch, only to be startled to see the other man awake and sitting up.

“Oh- shit. Did I wake you?”

Pitch chuckles. “Fortunately, you did not. I was already awake and a bit thirsty.” Not necessarily a lie, but he did not dare expound the true reasons for his abrupt awakening.

“I assumed we had already taken off,” he inquires. 

Jack enters and closes the door behind him. “Yeah. It's been about maybe 4 hours? Maybe 5 now?” He reaches into his coat pocket and pulls out something wrapped in a napkin. “Unfortunately, you did miss supper, though, but we should be having dinner soon?”

He presses the small bundle into Pitch’s hand, and he can feel the heat and smell of roast beef from within.

Jack rubs the back of his head as Pitch begins to unwrap the parcel. “Sorry, couldn’t grab more for you,” he explains. “They had rice soup and corn and potatoes.” The smile on Jack’s face does something to Pitch’s heart as he smells the meat and bread the other brought for him. “Not going to lie, but we believed it was a false advertisement about having meals on this ship.”

Though his body craves a different substance, Pitch can still eat physical food. Though not as much as before.  Still, when he bites into the roast beef sandwich, he gives a small moan. “Damn,” he mutters, and Jack lets out a laugh.

“Been a while since you had a good meal, right?”

Pitch nods as he continues to devour the rest of the sandwich.  “Honestly, I’ve been living on rations and street food for the last several weeks.”

Jack’s lips curl in disgust. “Street food, I can understand. But rations?” He crosses his arms across his torso. “Not in a million years.”

Pitch laughs as he wipes the grease from his hands. “I had to scrimp and save to buy a ticket,” he explains. “Prices skyrocketed after the war, and unless you have a meal card in certain areas, your options are limited.”

Jack scoffs. “Yeah, you’re telling me.” He leans against the wall, and Pitch can see that this is an upsetting topic to venture into.  He changes the subject, not wanting to upset the young man.

“So, did you get a chance to explore the ship?”

Jack’s eyes brighten, and Pitch swears that those blue eyes twinkle. “Yup,” he exclaims with glee. “Probably not as fancy as First Class, but the Third Class has some nice features.” He turns and opens the door. 

“Come on! Let me give you the grand, exciting tour of the great Titanic.”

Okay, so maybe dragging his tall roommate over the ship wasn’t as exciting as it could have been, but it got the man out of the stuffy room. Jack can see the stress on Pitch’s face, making him wonder about the man.  

So the young miner took it upon himself to drag the man through different areas, showing off the Game room (“I am actually impressed they have a billiards table and chess tables here.”), The Smoking room and the media area, which was filled with books and a small projector, were currently playing children’s fables.

It takes Jack pushing the Pitch away from the books that he claims were calling to him.

‘Tch, nerd.’

When they finally reach the Music Room, something shifts within Pitch. Jack could see subtle emotions in his roommate’s eyes, and he wasn't sure what to do if the other began to cry. Instead, Pitch strolls over to the piano that sits dead center of the room. His fingers gently caress the wood of the instruments before pressing one of the keys. He tilts his head as he presses several more, playing a small melody.

“It's out of tune,” Pitch whispers. There is a frown on his face now, and Jack cannot help but think that someone would be getting some pretty harsh words from the man.

“You used to be a music teacher,” inquires Jack as he leans against the wall.  

The other shakes his head, presenting a sad smile as he sits at the piano. “No. Funny enough, my mother taught me.” There is a slight pause and a faraway look in his eyes before Pitch continues speaking. “We didn’t own a piano when I was little, but she knew how to play. Taught me how to read musical notes and how to hold a decent hum.”

He presses a key once more, his head moving to whatever little jingle is playing in his head. “When my father finally built her the home of her dreams, the house that-” Pitch sniffs, and his hair hides his face. There is a lump in the man’s throat, and he cannot continue.

Jack reaches out, almost as if to place his hand on the other’s shoulder. He understood and recognized the smell of salty tears from the heavy pain within the other’s heart. 

“You don’t have to say anymore,” Jack encourages. “I think-no, I know what that’s like.”

The young miner remembers seeing kids with their mothers and how his heart aches for his own. Previously, he could not hear the name of his homeworld without bursting into tears, recalling the family and childhood he had lost.

Pitch gives a quiet nod before closing the piano down. He flicks the tears from his eyes before looking at Jack. “Shall we continue your tour, then?”

~

There is not much left to see for the Third Class floor, and with Suppertime arriving soon, Jack decides to bring Pitch to the Dining Hall. There are more people here this time, as the news of the Titanic staff preparing meals for the entire trip spread through the entire floor. Many, like Jack and Jamie, had brought their own food, not realizing the cost of the tickets included not only private rooms but entertainment and meals. 

Jack immediately spots Jamie and Sophie, mingling with a group of females in colorful garbs. 

“Jamie!” He gives his friend a wild wave, and the gesture is returned just as enthusiastically.

Soon, the trio is reunited, with Jack introducing an anxious Pitch to the siblings. Sophie hides behind Jamie while her brother grabs the older man’s hand. “So you’re the mysterious roommate my friend has been quiet about.” There’s a cheeky smile on Jamie’s face. “I was wondering who the other man who was taking Jack’s attention was like.”

Jack instantly feels his face become hot and gives a punch to Jamie’s shoulder. “Shush! I was just worried about him - Ugh, I mean-”  The embarrassment of admitting that in front of the man makes Jack want to throw himself out into Space.

He hears a small laugh and is surprised it is coming from Pitch. His eyes are closed, and small chuckles slip from deep within his throat. Jack finds himself thinking that he doesn’t mind being the butt of jokes if Pitch continues laughing like that.

 “I appreciate Jack’s caring nature. I did not realize how famished I was until he provided me a sandwich.”

Jack points his thumb at Pitch. “This one here has been surviving on street food and rations.”

Jamie stares at the taller man before giving a mock sob and pulling Pitch into a hug. “Oh, you poor man. Rations?” He releases the other, and Jack has to hold back a laugh at the owlish expression on Pitch’s face. “Don’t worry. Surprisingly, the ship provides full-course meals, so no more going to bed hungry for a while.”

At that exact moment, there is a growl from Jack’s stomach, and everyone turns to look at him. He just shrugs. “I mean, it is Supper Time,” the young man explains before grabbing Pitch’s hand.

Soon, both men are sitting across from Jamie and Sophie, enjoying the magnificent spread in front of them. Baked fish and bread warm from the oven litter the table, along with various bowls of fruits and vegetables. Glasses of water are set next to utensils and plates, ready for use. 

Jack is digging into the plate, slicing bits of the fish, and enjoying every bite. Meanwhile, Jamie is carefully helping Sophie with cutting her meal and making sure the food does not touch each other. 

But Pitch?

Jack notices that he isn’t in a rush to dig into his cuisine. The other appears to be nauseous, almost as if the sight of food was making him squeamish.

“Pitch, everything okay?”

The older male snaps out of his stupor and blinks. Pitch manages to stammer a response before clearing his throat. “Yes. Just admiring the spread.” He pours himself a cup of coffee, and Jack almost wants to reach over and steady the man’s shaking hands.

But his worries are for naught when Pitch takes his first sip and releases a sigh. The anxiety that the other had now gone, and a small smile graced his face.  “Just needed a little bit of a pick-me-up,” he explains. 
Jack raises an eyebrow. “And coffee is your go-to for that?” 

Pitch chuckles. “And what do you suggest I drink instead?”

Jack grins as he beckons a server over and asks for two bottles of ale. He doesn’t know why he’s showing off to Pitch or why he cares about the other’s choice of beverage, but he is in his element, and he’s not stopping. 
 
Soon, two glass bottles of ale sat in front of Jack and Pitch. The younger male feels his smile widen as he notices it's his favorite - Stellar Ale.

He took his gloves off, revealing light blue and white streaks decorating the skin of his hands and arms. He grabs the bottles and focuses on creating small ice crystals on the glass surface.  Soon, the ale is chilled as he sets Pitch’s back on the table. 

The taller male’s eyes are wide. “Interesting ability,” he praises, and Jack can’t help but blush.

“Was born in a region where it was snow and ice the majority of the time,” he explains, his heart aching for his homeworld. Gelida was a planet of glacial plains and polar desert, yet the atmosphere was majestic. He was born there, his roots tied to generations of his species that lived and prospered in the harsh environment.

Now it's gone - his culture wiped out and replaced by aristocratic resorts and cities. The name Gelida was erased and renamed Burgess.

Jack feels a hand on his shoulder and looks to see Pitch trying to comfort him. “Jack?”

He swallows the lump in his throat and offers a smile full of sunshine and fun. “I’m fine,” he delivers. “Just a bit homesick.”

Pitch studies him before placing the coffee down and grabs the ale bottle. He takes a sip, smacking his lips as if to sample the taste. He then gives a wicked grin before saying those awful words: 

“I had better.”

Jack goes on a rant, and Pitch just laughs.

~End Chapter