Avenging Annie (Black Butler FanFic) ~Book One~

Annie's Unusual Exhaustion

The ride home was sought to in silence. The bumps we went over only made me dig my fingernails into Grell's stomach, since he thought it was funny to make the horse run like a racehorse over the logs and boulders. 

"EEP!" I screamed, burying my face into his back. "SLOW DOWN! YOU'LL KILL US BOTH!" I exaggerated.

"You sure?" He squeaked, hoping over yet another log. "I'm a reaper! Its near impossible to kill a reaper!"

"But its not impossible! Sebastian nearly did!" Ciel yelled, his horse simply walking over the log.

 "Oh, hush up!" Grell hissed. 

"Grell, be nice." I whispered. He simply nodded, getting his layered hair all in my face. 

When the woods began to clear and the manor came into sight, I couldn't have been happier. Ciel''s servants stood in front, waving their hands happily. Annie stood beside them, a forced smile upon her face. 

What's wrong with her? I asked myself.

As we pulled our horses up to the front, everybody hopped off as Sebastian and Grell took them somewhere else. I ran up to Annie and gave her a bear hug, smiling as Baldroy, Mei-Ryn, and Finny all joined in the hug.

"Come on, Master Ciel! Get in here!" Baldroy squeaked.

"Definitely not. I do not show affection, and I certainly do not hug." Ciel answered, sticking up his nose.

"Aw, come one Master! Just this once?" Finny begged.

"No." He hissed.

"Please, Ciel? For Annie and I?" I asked. Annie shot her head up and shook it lightly, only for me to notice. He huffed, walking over and wrapped his short arms around Annie's back. She began to blush and glared at me.

"Just this one time!" Ciel reminded. I nodded.

"Of course." I answered, tightening my grip along with everyone else. Ciel tightened his squeeze on Annie and she blushed a bit more.

"Thank you!" She mouthed, not letting any sound escape her lips. I winked and let go, along with the rest of them. 

Bags hung from Annie's eyes as she forced out another smile. She looked tired as the white part in her sea-blue eyes was bloodshot.

"Are you okay, Annie? You look pretty exhausted if you ask me." I pointed it. She simply nodded.

"I'm fine. But I have to ask, who was that man you were on a horse with, Sissy?" She asked, her voice getting more anticipated with every word.

"Oh, him?" I started. "That was Grell. He's, uh, staying here for a while, according to Ciel." 

"Is that true?!" She asked, smiling big and turning to Ciel. He nodded. "Is he a nice person?" 

"Uh, sure..." He murmured.

Sebastian and Grell peeped their heads around the corner and smiled. My sister turned her head and ran up to Grell, pulling on his coat.

"Hi there! I hope you enjoy your stay as much as I do!" She squeaked, smiling very wide.

"I will. Now, who would you happen to be?" He smiled, looking up at me. I turned my head, trying to act as if I hadn't seen him at all.

"I'm Annie, Riley's sister!" She squeaked.

"Oh, I've heard much about you." He patted her head and walked over to me. "She's charming."

"Yeah, a little." I answered as he wrapped his hand around my waist. "I just wonder how she can look so tired and be so excitable at the same time!" 

"The youth work in many strange ways." He answered.

Obviously, that's true. I thought. But there's still something not right about this... Hm... I can't put my finger on it!

Maybe its just my imagination...