I sighed irritably and cast my eyes about the spacious and gaudily decorated ballroom. My foot tapped out of time with the blaring, dizzying music, displaying my impatience with the entire affair. Echo stood by me, the image of perfect compliance and blind devotion to her father. Only because of my in-depth knowledge of the child's ticks did I realize how utterly shallow this mask of innocence went. Her bright green eyes darted about the room, shining with mischief, yet simultaneously glazed with boredom. It was like watching fireworks contained beneath frosted glass. Finally, her gaze locked upon something across the spacious ballroom. The tot caught my gaze with her pleading eyes. Begging 'please please please let me go. I'll be careful, I won't make a scene and I'll be back in just a second, but I can't take one more minuet of this standing around!' Grudgingly I nodded my consent. No use in tormenting the child. She briefly threw her arms around my legs before releasing me and flouncing off, disappearing amidst the throngs of twirling couples waltzing across the floor. I hardly spared a thought to whatever had ensnared her attention so thoroughly before I returned to the state of boredom that was customary for me at these unfortunate social necessities.

I remember when I was actually forced to play a role in this tedious affair. When I would dawn a smile and play the gracious host, or the pleasant and charming guest. I remember Sebastian standing just behind me, offering gentle reminders to smile, and occasionally administering a firm reminder to behave. I caught myself sinking down into melancholy, and decided to go find my wayward charge as a remedy for any lingering thoughts of my ex butler.

I found her on the other side of the ballroom chatting animatedly with a tall, elegantly dressed man. I hardly spared Echo's new found companion a glance, however, as he was of no consequence to me. For all I cared he could be some visiting dignitary, or a servant like me. Human politics had ceased to amuse me years ago.

"Echo, I believe it's nearing your bedtime. We should probably find your father and request that we go home." I told the child, expecting her to jump at the chance to escape. The last thing I was expecting was her to want to remain at a ball any longer than she had to, so it came as a surprise when she groaned in a highly undignified fashion and stomped her foot petulantly.

"But I wanna stay and take to my new friend!" She wined. It was then I noticed that the stranger Echo had taken such an interest in had been observing me a little to carefully from the moment I had approached them. I turned to face the man, about to make a hasty departure, when my uncovered eye locked with two oh so familiar crimson ones.

"Se-Sebastian?"

AN: I know it's short and I haven't updated in forever (again) but this was the only place I felt I could leave it off and have it sound ok. It's my New Years resolution to update more frequently though, so fingers crossed.