AARON & JACKSON

-1912-

"The Smile"

The fresh sea air filled his lungs as Aaron now walked along the quieter boat deck, after waving off family and friends, the families and couples retreated back to unpack their belongings. Aaron wasn't bothered he didn't have a lot anyway, he much preferred to be up on deck for the air, his room was airy but very cramped, and he'd only be in there to sleep if he could help it.

He thought back to his home, a tiny village in the world, he'd miss it and the people, his mum but he was getting nowhere there. Doing errands for his uncle that almost got him arrested on several occasions however paid for his ticket on Titanic but he didn't mind, not now that he was on board and on his way, all 2,224 passengers and crew were on their way.

He ran his hand along the cold white railings as he walked along the deck, he reached a set of steps and he walked up them, revealing the bow of the ship, and from the look of it not really a place for passengers but as he looked around there were no warnings, he carried on but he was being careful, he looked around fascinated, two large chains both parallel to each other attached to the anchor which he couldn't see but he wasn't stupid, he knew what it was for. Aaron stopped on a metal grill at the very front of the bow. He looked down into where the chains continued into, he couldn't really see anything. He turned his attention directly ahead. "Wow" he breathed as he took in the sight, yes he'd seen it already but not from this point of view, the great expanse of the ocean, he was mesmerized. He held onto the railing and looked over; watching as the ship charged its way along, parting the water in the process, causing it to lap up harshly against the ship. Aaron smiled to himself and stood properly again and remained there for quite some time, thinking up plans in his head, big plans for his life. Then his thoughts crossed to his sexuality, if he and Adam became friends which certainly looked like was on the cards, should he in fact tell him? He wasn't so sure, maybe not yet he decided.

Jackson sat on the sofa in his state room with his mum and fiancé and listened to the endless chatter about art, he himself couldn't care less, yes he was a builder and helped build the ship he was now sat in and it could be seen as an art also but he had heard enough, their frank boring tones bore into his skull and he needed to get out. He stood up quite abruptly. "Where are you going love?" Hazel asked, acting as though no heated exchanged had occurred between her and Jackson. Keeping up appearances of course.

"I'm not a child mum" he told her bluntly, he sighed, realising his error, he didn't want an argument "I'm going for some air"

"Oh" Samantha smiled. "Well then I'll join you"

"You-" Jackson frowned, he didn't want her company "You don't have too"

"I'm not having my husband to be to wander this ship alone, and anyway I want to see it properly for myself too" she explained as she got to her feet and followed him.

Jackson rolled his eyes as he turned to open the door for her, she walked through first and he followed, she linked her arm through his as they walked, both nodding respectively to other first class passengers that were walking by them in the wide carpeted corridor, something that had been drilled into his brain to do. It's called being polite he recalled his mother's words in his mind.

"You were quite rude Jackson" Samantha stated as she gave him a disapproving look.

"I can't do anything right can I?" he asked harshly.

Samantha sighed, she had a feeling this would happen. "I will not argue with you out here?"

"Why? Putting on an act are we?" he frowned as he asked quietly.

"No, I don't know what you mean Jackson"

"This life" he spat. "It's wrong"

"And what can I ask is wrong about it?"

"First class" he mocked. "Everyone should be equal"

"Well if you want my opinion the class system is just we can't mingle with the likes of the people we saw coming on board" she told him.

Jackson clenched his jaw in frustration and remained silent until they were up on deck.

/

Aaron walked back the way he came but headed on up to the boat deck, he walked past doorways marked for first class only, he chuckled to himself and shook his head. He was glad of it actually, he'd only get looked down on, but on deck he was victim to it unfortunately, older men in their suits with their women at their arm wearing expensive dresses and big hats looked at him like he was a thug. He used to be when working for his uncle but they didn't know that, in fact Aaron could be nice when he wanted to be, no need to judge he thought to himself as he stared back at them with an equally as disgusted expression as he passed them.

"Ah there you are!" Adam called.

Aaron frowned as he quickly looked around but then saw him walking towards him. "So had enough air yet?" Adam smirked.

"Uh nah, quite like it up here actually"

Adam nodded. "Yeah it's not bad is it? Huge though"

Aaron laughed. "I don't think huge covers it"

"I know, I mean look at the size of them" Adam stated as he looked up to one of the funnels, Aaron followed his eye line, he wasn't that bothered.

Adam frowned. "You're a weird one"

"Why?" Aaron asked with a smirk as they continued walking.

"You don't say much"

"And you say too much" he shot back, with a smile on his face.

Adam nudged his shoulder and they laughed. A while later they had walked the length of one side of the ship and were walking up the other side but stopped halfway to take a breather, it was an open area, with benches a young boy was playing with a spinning top on the wooden deck, Aaron watched smiling.

Jackson and Samantha stopped on their walk, Jackson leaned against them looking down at the same open area where Aaron and Adam were sat, along with several others. Samantha stood beside him. He looked at her, wondering whether to ask the question, but he did. "Am I good enough?"

"Excuse me? Of course you are Jackson, I-I just have an iss-" she was cut off by Jackson sighing and shaking his head.

"Building?" he questioned.

"Well, yes, why do the work of the little people?"

"I may be rich Samantha but I'm the same as the people in steerage, I want to work, I want to physically feel like I've done a day's work when I get home, and do you know what when I' am working - building with the others, the 'little people' as you so arrogantly put it they respect that maybe you should take a leaf out of their book, I'm not a rich snob in their eyes, I'm not anyway but they don't see me as one, they don't judge by stereotype" he gave her a look, and she knew what he was getting at. That was aimed at her and his mum, for being a typical rich snob as Jackson so indirectly put it.

Adam sat looking around and laid his eyes on the woman standing on a higher level of deck, with another man but that didn't bother him. "Wow, she's a goddess"

Aaron frowned. "You're pushing above your weight" not particularly looking at who he was, but still watching the boy playing.

"You're not even looking!"

"I don't need to you're a perv mate"

Adam's eyebrows raised in surprise, then a grin curled his lips. "And you just called me mate"

Aaron frowned and shrugged. "yeah well..."

"yeah well what?" Adam smirked, waiting to hear it.

"Yeah well I suppose you are" Aaron looked at him and smiled.

"Told ya we would be!" he said happily and slapped his hand down on Aaron's shoulder then continued to watch the woman, who was still thankfully there. "Ahh Aaron seriously mate, I so would you have to have a look"

Aaron smirked at him then turned to look up. His mouth fell open slightly and he stared. He swallowed hard, still transfixed.

"Like I said, I would"

"Yeah...me too"

/

"You are not one of them Jackson" Samantha told him.

Jackson frowned, maybe he was being stupid, taking it a bit too far now but he didn't agree with it, his fiancé was a snob to put it bluntly or was he just trying to find reason to leave her, or for her to leave him so that he could live his life without having to air his secret. However though if it was to be aired, he had no qualms about that; only his mother did, it would ruin her precious reputation, but this was his life not hers.

"I mean look at those two" she continued unknowingly referring to Adam and Aaron.

Jackson just frowned and turned to look, and he ended up looking at one in particular, he was looking up too, their eyes met. Jackson's heart began to quicken and he was distracted for a second or two "What about them?" he asked, hesitant to break his gaze with the young handsome man but he did.

"Torn and dirty shabby clothes, they don't even look like they have bathed for weeks" she sniggered.

"Of course they have!" he defended.

"I'm tired of this now Jackson, you spend too much time with them, it does things to your mind, and I'd rather it stopped"

"And my job is with those kinds of people as you knew when we met, and I'm not stopping doing what I love"

"And I wonder what my father will say to that" she said with a raised eyebrow watching for any fault in Jackson's body language. There was none.

"Like I care what your father thinks"

Samantha huffed loudly and turned on her heel and left without him.

Finally! He thought, welcoming the peace. He leaned against the railing again and looked down but the man wasn't looking, he seemed to be in deep conversation with whom he could only guess to be his friend. Jackson began to stare and let his mind wander. He did love Samantha but not in a romantic way, at first it was when he was pushed into it by his mother, his mind gradually began to make him think he loved her when all along he didn't. The hold of love was quickly loosening its grip on him, it was more of a friends love if he thought about it, and he still ashamedly had sex with her, keeping up his pretence. He wasn't proud of it either but it had to be done. One day though he would be with whom he wanted to be with and fall in love with them willingly and for that person to love him back, not for his money, or his background, the family name, no for him, Jackson Walsh and everything that made him who he was. He longed for that day. He didn't know that it may just come a little sooner than he thought.

Aaron turned again surprised to see he was still there. He caught his gaze and smiled at him. Jackson smiled back.

TBC...