April 10, 1912. (6:45 PM)

As the sun began its slow descent beyond the horizon, dimming the daylight to a soft twilight, Nicholas was still sitting absorbed in a book in the second-class library, where the electric lights flickered into prominence, casting a warm, inviting glow over the pages before him. It was just another thing they had never had back home. Electric lighting had become more prominent recently, but they had yet to install it in their home. The stark contrast between the library's modern amenities and his humble home was not lost on Nicholas. He had heard from his brothers through letters about the new things they had found in New York, and electric lighting was one of those. He wondered how different it would be.  The ginger ale he had been drinking was running low, but he had been so engrossed in this book about an alien invasion that he had shifted away from the things around him. The room may have been busy with people coming, but Nicholas did not care. The only time he had been drawn back to reality in the last few hours was the bugle boy who had announced dinner with a noise almost making Nichols jump into fight mode. Alas, Sebastian had reassured him that all was, in fact, okay.

However, the book struggled to keep his attention as his eyes spotted Land outside the window. Outside, the Land was illuminated by the sun's setting, its golden rays casting a warm spring blanket across the fields and homes. Nicholas guessed this was France, more specifically Cherbourg. The ship was late but had attempted to catch up after the near incident earlier. The memory of that accident still sent a shiver down Nicholas's spine. He made a conscious effort to focus on the book, the steady rhythm of the engines keeping him calm, but the beautiful sight outside the window was a constant distraction, pulling at his attention. His gaze kept drifting up from the pages, his focus slowly drifting away into the clouds. Unbeknownst to Nicholas, Sebastian noticed his drifting and slowly began moving over to him. Sebastian had been friendly to Nicholas since he stepped foot in the library, but he kept putting it back in his mind. It was his job to be pleasant, after all; some of Nicholas wanted to hope he was being friendly for other reasons, but he did his best to ignore that.

The last of his attention faded; the book lowered from his gaze as his eyes shifted to the enchanting sunset out the window.  The outlines of Cherbourg were slowly coming into view now; he could see them in the distance; it helped that the Titanic was slowing. He could feel the hum of the engines grow quieter and quieter with each passing second. He wondered how many people would join them here and how many would then join them in Ireland. It was likely that the ship would be full of all sorts of different people. Some seemed nice; a young lady had waved to him earlier, but he speculated that not everyone would be so kind. He looked off at the city again; its shimmering lights reflected off the water, and the glowing sun behind the buildings cast its warm glow. It all seemed so picturesque to Nicholas, like something you would expect to see in an art gallery, though he hadn’t been to open before, so he may have been wrong in that assumption.  

"Enjoying the book?" Sebastian asked, walking towards him with grace, grace Nicholas had never seen before. Nicholas was still focused on the window as he responded, "It's been a great read so far". Sebastian chuckled. Nicholas placed the book on the table, unable to focus on it. He would return to it at a later day. He had seen many sunsets before, but this one felt extra special. After all, it was the first sunset Titanic had seen at sea. And here he was, getting to experience it.  "I was just trying to get a glimpse from here, but it's not quite the same through these small windows." He added with a sigh. He was saying this but didn't know why; it was not like Sebastian cared. He had a job and was curious if this was part of it. He pondered how long they would be in port before Sebastian's response pulled him back into reality. "Well, my shift is over now. I have some spare time". Nicholas turned to look at him, trying and failing to hide his shock. Sebastian's warm smile sent a shiver through his body.

"If you're trying to catch a view of Cherbourg, Mr. Goodwin, the boat deck offers a much clearer perspective," Sebastian suggested with a knowing smile, leaning slightly against the wall. The Steward's smile was still there; he was kind and helpful, but something else was shining, and Nicholas couldn't place his finger on that. Whatever it was, it felt nice. He had expected to go through this voyage alone and full of nerves, but here was a man trying his best to make the experience enjoyable. He would have to find a way to send compliments to the white star line for this service when he reached New York.  Seeing the picturesque French port in its full glory was tempting, but he wasn't sure he was ready to face the boat deck after what had happened earlier with the near collision. "Truthfully, sir, I do not think I could stomach going up to the boat deck alone after what happened earlier, but thank you for the suggestion".

Nicholas looked up at him in surprise. Why was this man so nice to him? Nicholas took a deep breath as he thought about the offer, glancing between Sebastian and the window. Could he even refuse an offer to see the sunset, a once-in-a-lifetime sight for him? He also couldn't but liked the idea of spending more time with Sebastian, away from the confines of the library.  His stomach sank, his mood souring as he realised his nerves would get in the way again, and he would miss such a beautiful sight. Sebastian glanced around the room for a second before returning to Nicholas. “I could take you; my shift is over for now,” Sebastian offered quickly. When he had brought over the ginger ale, the warm tone in his voice returned strongly. 

"That sounds wonderful," Nicholas finally said, standing up and grabbing his hat. He carefully placed it back onto his head as he turned to face Sebastian. "Will my glass be okay here? I don't want to leave a mess".   Nicholas still had to get used to having people around him who did things such as cleaning. He was so used to his parent's orders of never leaving a mess behind that it was hard.  Sebastian's response, however, calmed his nerves again: "It will be okay; the other stewards will clean that. Now let's go'". Nicholas nodded; Sebastian was in control now. They walked out of the library together, walking towards the boat deck. As they walked, Sebastian shared tidbits about the ship. Nicholas had forgotten that this was the crew's first time serving people on this ship. It was a whole new world for all of them.

They Arrived on the boat deck; Nicholas shivered as he pulled his coat closer. The sun was almost gone, and the evening chill had settled in. Sebastian seemed not to be phased by it, however. Nicholas had dealt with cold nights before, but something about this felt different. The distant calls of sailors, the gentle clanking of ship machinery and the soft splash of the sea against the hull interrupted the silence as they made their way over to the railing.  The Ship felt as if she was alive. Thankfully, the deck was less crowded now, and the hustle of daytime activities gave way to the quiet calm of night. Most people were inside reading, smoking or playing cards. Some had even retired to bed already, though Nicholas did not blame them. It had been an extremely hectic day. “There,” Sebastian pointed towards the horizon where the outline of Cherbourg stood against the dusky sky. Lights from the city sparkled like a constellation, a beautiful sight to behold. 

"Thank you for bringing me here," Nicholas said, looking at Sebastian. "I would've missed this staying inside." In the distance, a manor glowed brightly, its windows illuminated with light. Sebastian explained that this was an old manor turned into a hotel, likely holding for a time guests set to join them on the Titanic. This quiet moment on the deck, with the picturesque view of Cherbourg unfolding before them, deepened the budding connection between Nicholas and Sebastian. They exchanged conversation well, taking in the sights, but after some time, Nicholas decided it was time to retire; the ship would soon leave Cherbourg behind. "I suppose I should head back," Nicholas said reluctantly, his voice carrying a note of disappointment. He could have stayed out here all night watching the city, but truth be told, he was tired beyond belief. He turned to face Sebastian, a grateful smile on his lips. "Thank you for this, Sebastian. It's been a wonderful night."

Nicholas's heart raced from the shock as he found himself pulled close to Sebastian, their bodies mere inches apart. He looked up, meeting Sebastian's eyes, which reflected the lantern light. Nicholas was sure he could sense a flicker of something, but he pushed that aside once more. It was absurd. He was just being kind; that’s all it was. He kept repeating that to himself. “Thank you. I suppose I am not quite used to being at sea just yet”, Nicholas joked. Sebastian laughed again as he helped Nicholas to right himself fully. He responded, "No harm done; the deck can be treacherous at night, especially with the sea air making everything slick." Nicholas felt like less of an idiot with these reassurances.

Nicholas turned to leave, hopeful he would see Sebastian again tomorrow and, for that matter, the rest of the trip. He had been ever so kind so far.  Nicholas began to walk away slowly, his footsteps echoing on the deck. He was not watching where he was going as his worst nightmare came true. His balance faltered, and a quick surge of panic flitted across his face as he felt himself beginning to fall backwards. What a clumsy idiot, he thought as he could not regain control of his balance. He would look like an utter fool, and it wasn't even day two yet.  He prepared himself to hit the deck hard when, all of a sudden, Sebastian's reflexes kicked in. He reached out, grabbing Nicholas by the arm with one hand and steadying his back with the other. "Got you," he said, his voice a mixture of concern and relief. Nicholas breathed the most profound sigh of relief, likely his deepest since the near collision hours earlier.  

"Let's get you back to your cabin before it gets any darker", Sebastian said as he finally let go and stepped back, remaining close enough in case Nicholas fell again. He had not expected this level of help, but he supposed it couldent hurt.  As they walked back through the doorway into the warmth of the ship's interior, Nicholas felt something different, not just the warmth from escaping the night air. The brief scare on the deck had unexpectedly deepened his trust in Sebastian, leaving him with a grateful, lingering sense of connection as they returned to the second-class quarters. He wondered now what exactly the next few days could bring. Maybe it was a new connection.tion that he had never expected to form.