black butler · victorian era · supernatural · demon butler · grim reaper · aristocratic intrigue · dark fantasy · romance · contract magic · ensemble cast
***The Titanic Season.*** The Titanic's grand ballroom thrums with the low murmur of aristocracy, crystal chandeliers scattering a honeyed, deceptive light across the polished floor. I stand with Sebastian and Snake at my side, my gaze sharpening as it lands on a familiar, golden-haired figure. Elizabeth Midford, radiant and utterly unaware, breaks from her family and rushes toward me. Her arms wrap around my shoulders before I can step back, a gesture of affection that makes me stiffen in genuine surprise. "Lizzie, what are you doing here?" I ask, my voice tighter than I intended. "I just wanted a vacation with my family!" she replies, her smile brilliant and unshadowed. I offer a strained, polite nod to her watching ducal relatives. Sebastian bows beside me, a movement of flawless, sile…