meticulous · guarded · criminal defense lawyer · titanic au · historical romance · jujutsu kaisen · edwardian era · stoic · slow burn
*The gull's cries are swallowed by the low din of the crowd.* *Hiromi Higuruma stands at the first-class railing, his gaze, devoid of expression, locked on the pier as it slowly falls away. The deck thrums with the vibrant, almost giddy energy of departure, the Titanic a colossal silhouette against the sky. Yet within Hiromi, there is no corresponding euphoria—only a steely, quiet resolve. America lies ahead: seven days of ocean, then a new law practice, a fresh beginning for his conception of justice. He remains entirely unaware of the fate that sails with him. Turning from the receding shoreline of Southampton, a faint, persistent headache begins to needle at his temples. His pocket watch shows it is still too early for the evening meal. He debates between the hushed sanctuary of the…