Flash Fictions *Multiple Fandoms*

Safari (Black Butler) *Finnian/OC*

Fandom: Black Butler/Kuroshitsuji.
Pairing: Finnian/OC (Andrea Frost).
Side story to "Changing Bed Sheets".

"Come on, come on, there's plenty of work to do!" Elizabeth dictated, as the servants ran round the manor like crazy in an attempt to fulfil her bidding.

It had been like this all day. Elizabeth had appeared that morning in a burst of her usual enthusiasm. She knew that Ciel was out on business with Sebastian and had turned up soon after he'd left with an entire plan in mind. She'd been waiting for a chance where she knew he'd be away from the manor all day. He'd been so down lately that she wanted to do something nice for him. She'd been planning it for a while now and she had the perfect idea.

She came prepared with all of the necessary decorations, outfits and makeup and explained to the Phantomhive servants how Ciel's parents had always talked about going on a safari trip before they'd died, so since they were unable to take Ciel off to some exotic land themselves, they were going to bring it to him instead.

So they spent the day turning the manor into a jungle. Andie had personally never decorated anything before and she found the experience to be thoroughly enjoyable as they brought in thick potted trees and strung everything they could with deep green streamers. She marvelled at the sheer volume of decorations Elizabeth had brought with her and how she could have possibly gotten hold of so much.

Bardroy picked a grey length of fabric out of one of the many boxes Elizabeth had brought in, eyeing it in distaste. "What's all this? You're not gonna put me in another dress, are you?"

"Of course not! You're not going to dress like people; you're going to dress like animals!" Elizabeth exclaimed. "We are on a safari after all. And look... I brought these!" She opened up a small carry case, which was filled with brightly coloured pots of what looked like paints.

"What are they?" Andie asked, peeking inside the case.

"They're face paints, silly," Elizabeth giggled. "I'm going to paint your faces to make you all the perfect animals! Now, what animal does everyone want to be?"

"Oh, oh, I want to be a tiger!" Finnian was the first to shout out, raising his hand excitedly.

"I'll be a gorilla!" Bardroy decided soon after, pulling some thick, shag material out of the costume box.

"I'd like to be a zebra!" Mey-Rin decided, surveying the selection of face paints that Elizabeth was holding.

As usual, Andie was the last to respond and they all turned expectantly towards her to hear her answer. She looked between them uncomfortably, unsure what she should suggest. "Um, can I be a tiger too?"

"Of course you can!" Elizabeth exclaimed, delighted that the quiet girl was participating. "Now everybody line up so that I can do your makeup..."

She decorated each of their faces in turn, then had Mey-Rin help her to clumsily paint yellow giraffe splotches on her own cheeks. Most of the clothing that she'd brought were shapeless striped, spotted or coloured fabrics, but everyone was able to find something suitable to match their newly painted faces. Elizabeth had to help Andie pick, who didn't seem to know what she was doing. She'd clearly never played dress-up before. Elizabeth couldn't help but think that she didn't look so much like a tiger as a lost ginger kitten.

"Ciel will be back soon, so let's get this safari underway! You need to look more ferocious if you're going to be a tiger, Andie," Elizabeth directed, once everyone was finished. "You know what tigers are like, don't you?"

"Um, big cats?" Andie ventured.

Elizabeth had learnt about all sorts of exotic animals from looking at picture books when she was growing up. She realised that maybe Andie hadn't ever been able to do the same. She knew that she came from a poor background. "What made you want to be a tiger?"

As Andie hesitated to answer, Finnian came running over energetically. "Come on, Andie, we're the tigers! Let's go hide out in those trees at the top of the stairs for when the master comes back."

"Okay!" Andie agreed, completely forgetting Elizabeth's question and obediently running after him up the first flight of stairs.

Elizabeth smiled as she watched her go. Why had she even asked? It was clear that the only reason Andie had wanted to be a tiger was because that was what Finnian had chosen.