the ship of dreams // lander titanic au // tmf

Impossible

12 April 1912

Luke is dressed for the day, and his mother is helping tie his tie.

"Luke, I will not tolerate you seeing that boy again. I absolutely forbid it. You need to respect my authority and understand that there will be consequences if you disobey me."

As Luke stares into his mothers eyes, he finds himself lost in thought, contemplating what he could do to make her love him. He wishes he had a deeper understanding of what makes her happy and what brings her joy, but he realizes that he may never fully comprehend her complexities. Despite his desire to win her over, he knows that love cannot be forced or manipulated. He takes a deep breath and accepts the uncertainty of the situation, hoping that someday she will see him in a different light.

"Oh, stop it, Mother. You'll give yourself a nosebleed."

Trudy pauses in the act of tying her son's tie, and with a sudden movement, she raises her hand and delivers a sharp slap to the side of his face. Luke flinches in pain and surprise, as his mother's face contorts with anger and frustration. The room falls silent, as the two of them stare at each other, the boy's hand still held up to his cheek, as if trying to soothe the pain.

"Luke, this is not a game! I saw you with him last night. Our situation is precarious. You know the money's gone!

"Of course I know it's gone. You remind me every day!"

Trudy turns her body to face Luke. "I do not understand why you don't want to marry her. It is a fine match, and it will insure our survival. She is a woman, you will own her money once you wed."

Luke feels hurt and lost. "How can you put this on my shoulders?"

"Do you want to see me working as a seamstress? Is that what you want? Do you want to see our fine things sold at an auction, our memories scattered to the winds? My God, Luke, how can you be so selfish?"

"This is so unfair."

"Of course it's unfair! It is the way of life. Our choices are never easy."

Trudy tightens the tie around Luke's neck, making it hard for him to breathe.

Trudy notices the disheartened look on her son's face and lets out a sigh. "I am sorry, Lucas, but I don't have a good feeling about that boy. He seems like trouble to me. I don't want him to be a bad influence on you. What do you like about that boy so much anyway? He is only but a worthless boy filling your head with disatster delusions."

-

It is an hour later. Luke and his mother are now attending a party up in the 1st class lounge.

Zander is walking with determination, followed by his sister Hailey. He quickly climbs the steps to B-Deck and steps over the gate separating 3rd from 1st class.

"He is a god among men, but he's in another world. Forget about him, Zander, he is to far out of reach." Hailey's heart sank as she watched her brother ignore her and walk away, feeling helpless and disappointed. She had been trying to convince him to reconsider, but it seemed like he was not willing to listen. Sometimes she wishes her brother was smarter.

As Zander dispersed into the crowd, he kept his eyes fixed on Luke, slowly making his way through the throngs of people. His heart was pounding in his chest as he weaved his way through the sea of bodies, determined to catch up to him.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he spotted Luke up ahead. He quickened his pace, tapping him on the arm as he turned, his expression a mix of surprise and confusion.

Without a word, they cut away from the group, moving towards a nearby door. Zander was quick to hold it open, gesturing for Luke to go in. The two of them disappeared through the doorway, leaving the noise and chaos of the party behind them.

Zander firmly closes the door behind him and turns to look up at Luke. His eyes are fixed on Luke's face, and his expression is a mix of confusion and frustration. Zander takes a deep breath before speaking, "Luke, I need answers. I can't keep going in circles with this. One second we are happy and the next you leave in a rush." Zander's voice is tense and firm, and there is a sense of urgency in his tone. He waits for Luke's response, staring intently at him.

"Zander, this is impossible. I can't see you."

"Why not?"

"Don't be absurd, Zander, you know exactly why. My mother... she suspects us. She forbids it. It is wrong for us to continue on."

Zander steps into Luke's space. He gently runs the backside of his fingers along Luke's cheek. He searched Luke's face, as if he was waiting for the objection, waiting for Luke to demand that he will leave Stacy entirely for him.

"I must marry Stacy, I will stand in your way no longer." Luke said firmly.

"Stand in my way," Zander pleaded, his voice just above a whisper. He grabbed Luke by the shoulders and demanded his attention, heartbreak painted on his face. "Run away with me," he begged.

If their situation had not been so unfortunate, Luke would have run away with Zander in a heartbeat; but it was nothing more than a childish fantasy. Luke had far too much responsibility, not just for himself, but his whole family.

"I know cannot solve your financial issues," Zander stated, gently cupping the man's cheek. His voice was even, but he communicated regret with his eyes, "I cannot free you from your duty, and I certainly cannot marry you. But you're amazing... and I know I have nothing to offer you, Luke. I know that. But I'm involved now. You jump, I jump, remember? I can't turn away without knowin' that you're goin' to be alright. I want to be with you."

Luke frowned, letting out a small sob as he nodded. Unable to bear witness to his anguish any longer, he pulled the man into a hug. Luke felt weak in his arms, like a scared, lost little boy.

"I wish that things were different," Luke admitted softly, fighting back the sting in his eyes as he stroked the man's purple hair, "I wish we could change our fate."

"But we cannot," Luke whispered into Zander's jacket.

A chill ran up Zanders spine as Luke spoke. No ale on earth could make him feel so high, so removed from reality. He wished he could stop time, live the rest of their days in that moment, hiding away from Luke's duty, from the prying eyes of the Ton.

Zander pulled back just far enough to look his love in the eye. "What will become of us?" he whined softly.

Luke grabbed both of his hands, placing one on his chest and one on Zander's. "We will carry our secrets in our hearts." he said softly.