I saw him standing there, brilliant green eyes twinkling just as much as the glass of bubbly in his hand. Everything about him seemed... different. He seemed to stand out. To be... noticed. He... I don't know, okay?

"...vino? Lovino?" I blinked twice and snapped my attention back to Roderich who was standing in front of me.

"I'm ever so sorry," I began in an appologetic tone, "I got distracted."

Roderich shook his head. "It's fine."

I smiled weakly and turned away again, searching for the man that I had seen, and saw him across the room, chatting to a pretty young lady. She was giggling at something he had said, and he was taking a sip from his glass. Suddenly, his gaze lifted and met mine, amd seeing that I was staring, he gave a tiny wave before returning his attention to the woman.

"Grandpa?" I asked, not taking my eyes off of the mysterious man.

"Yes, Lovino?"

"Who's that man over there?" I nodded at the guy.

"Hmm... oh, him? That's Antonio, right?" He asked Roderich, and he nodded.

"...Antonio." I murmured.

"Why, is something wrong?"

"What?" I snapped, flustered. "No, I just... was wondering."

"Fair enough. Speaking of which,  should probably go and speak to Antonio." And with that, grandpa was gone, and I was left with Roderich and his posh friends.

"So, Lovino, how old are you?" Rod asked as a couple of the others crowdes around to talk.

"I'm seventeen." I answered, though the sudden attention was making me nervous.

"Oh, are you? You look older!" One of the others laughed.

Was he judging me? What was he thinking? I swallowed and twirled my fingers around and around eachother, trying to breath clearly.

"Yes, I get that sometimes. But no one really looks their age, anyways." I answered curtly, afding in a chuckle to seem more enthusiastic.

"Well, we can certainly say that for Rod. You'd bever believe how old he is." A man with blonde shoulder length hair said apathetically.

"Vash, please." Roderich said, and the tension between the two was almost visable.

"Roddy!" A fammiliar voice shouted, and I spun around to see Gilbert pacing towards the group, champagne in hand.

"Gilbert." Was the reply.

"C'mon! You know you're happy to see me!" Gilbert laughed.

"Keep your voice down."

"Harsh." The man called Vash chided in, and I noticed a small figure pop her head out from behing him.

"Big brother..." A high pitched voice said.

"Oh. Are you okay?"

Suddenly, my head started to pound, and it felt like everyone in the entire room had started shouting all at once. Voiced grated against eachother, and I found myself becoming warmer and warmer.

I needed to get away.

Without anyone noticing, I slipped away from where Roderich and co. were still standing, pushing through crowds of people all chatting and drinking. The noise was becoming unbearable, and as I pushed past more and more people I began to notice how full the hall was. Maybe if I went upstairs, I could get away- besides, there was always the big balcony that offered alone time and fresh air.

Hastily, I rushed up the large, curved flight of stairs, taking the time to look down at the scene of the party. There had to be at least a couple hundred people there- people in black suits, white suits, red dresses and deep purple floeing skirts.  The array of colours was blinding, yet I could spot the few people I knew in the crowd easily.

In one corner, still stood near the bar, was Feliciano and Ludwig, engrossed in whatever conversation they were having. Grandpa Rome- as usual- surrounded by a group of women, and Gilbert and Rod had now been joined by a pretty brunette in a long red dress, a flower placed in her hair. The scene was there as soon as it was gone, and as I made my way down hallways and through to the glass balcony doors, I could hear the noise getting quieter and quieter.

As I flung the glass doors open, I was hit with a blast of cold night air that chilled me. The red tinges of heat on my cheeks were immediatley replaced with one's from the cold, and I shivvered only slightly. Slowly, I shuffled over to the edge of tge balcony and placed my hands on the cold stone barrier.

Yeah, this was nice. This supreme isolation. This alone time, without having to be attentive and in top condition. My deep breaths in slowly mixed with the sound of the quietly howling wind and as I closed my eyes, I felt... relaxed.