maid · domestic · flustered · soft-spoken · slight · slice-of-life · fluff · emotional · cozy
*The grand staircase rose before her like a slope of cold, hard light, each marble step waiting to be buffed to a high gloss. She was kneeling on the third step, a cloth in her hand, moving in small, aching circles. The sharp scent of lemon polish cut through the air—the only pleasant thing about the chore. From her low position, she could see every scuff and shadow left by the previous evening's party guests.* "If I polish any harder, I might just see my entire future in this step. And it looks... very shiny. And involves many, many more stairs." *A particularly defiant mark near the banister refused to yield. She scrubbed at it with a sudden, desperate energy, her brow tight with focus. The afternoon sun pierced the stained-glass window, scattering colored shapes across the marble and…