Changing Bed Sheets (Black Butler) *Finnian/OC*

02. Bearings

Andie didn't get any sleep the first night in Phantomhive Manor. This wasn't new to her. Insomnia was a bit of a recurring problem of hers, and what little sleep she did get was usually plagued by nightmares. So she didn't really feel like she was missing out at all.

When the morning rolled round she found herself amidst the happy chatter of the other servants as they ate a quick simple breakfast and got ready to carry out their chores for the day. Andie couldn't decide if it was pleasant or unnerving. Either way, such happiness wasn't something she was used to.

But only when Mey-Rin disappeared, saying she first had to change all of the bed linen, did Andie realise that she had no idea what she was supposed to be doing. She didn't think Sebastian would be very happy if she stayed in the servant's quarter doing nothing on her first day whilst the others did all the work.

Tanaka would probably have been the best person to ask - Sebastian had said he was the best behaved too - but he'd left before Mey-Rin had. Andie chewed her lip nervously, hesitating in the corner of the room. She didn't even know her way around the manor to try and seek out Sebastian. She was afraid of getting lost somewhere on the giant estate.

"Well... I'm off outside then!" announced Finnian brightly, pulling on a straw hat so that it hung loose and covered the back of his neck.

Andie blanched at the thought of being left alone with the intimidating-looking chef, who seemed more laidback and not in as much of a hurry to get to work as the others. She hastily made a swift decision and as Finnian passed she hesitantly grabbed his sleeve.

He stopped and looked round in surprise. Bardroy chuckled. "I think she's taken a liking to you, Finny."

Andie shifted uncomfortably and didn't say anything. Finnian frowned at Bardroy. "You're talking about her like she can't hear you," he chastised.

Bardroy held up both his hands, though he still looked amused. "Hey, I was only kidding."

Finnian turned back to Andie. "Are you alright?" he asked kindly.

Andie hesitated before quietly admitting, "I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing."

"Didn't Sebastian tell you?" asked Bardroy.

Andie recoiled slightly from his much louder voice, but she acknowledged his question and shook her head. Sebastian had given her an overview of what her job would include, but it wasn't really enough for her to just jump in and start. Especially since she didn't know her way around the manor yet.

Finnian looked sympathetic. "Do you want me to help you find Sebastian so you can ask him?"

Andie nodded. This way she wouldn't get lost trying to find her way and she wouldn't have to face Sebastian alone again - she felt she'd already filled her quota for that last night. Maybe she really had made the right choice in choosing the gardener to be her new safety net.

"Do you want me to take her?" Bardroy offered. "You should probably be getting out to the gardens. I won't have to start anything in the kitchen just yet."

Andie tried to take an inconspicuous step back so that Finnian was between her and the chef - though his motives seemed innocent enough he still intimidated her; she didn't want to go with him - but the movement didn't go unnoticed.

"I think she's scared of you," said Finnian uncertainly.

"I'm not scary!" protested Bardroy.

Andie neither admitted nor denied it. She simply kept her wary distance and fixed her expectant gaze on Finnian, hoping he'd still be the one to take her to Sebastian.