He closed his eyes and mentally scolded himself. If hed've known it was Daniel, he never would have picked up. He had half the mind to hang up on him, but decided against it. He didn’t want to hear him complaining later. He let out a breath. "You're here?"

"Yes.", Daniel replied.

       Sebastian walked over to the window and looked out to see that Daniel was indeed there, his black BMW parked just outside the pastel colored gates. "Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?"

"I can't drop by and surprise my cousin?"

"I don’t like surprises."

       Despite his answer, Sebastian went over to his desk and pushed the button down before speaking into the microphone. "Open the gates.", he told his guards. He then hung up the phone and went to go meet his cousin at the door. It didn’t take long for Daniel to come in and invade his privacy. He came in, trotted up the stairs and made his way right over to Sebastian's sacred chair, taking a seat.

"…yes, Daniel?", Sebastian asked, not even attempting to mask his irritation.

"Honestly. I think you should just tell the guards to let me in as I wish. I am your cousin."

       Sebastian folded his arms over his chest. "No. Because, if I did that, you'd always be over here. Is there something that you needed?", he asked. He knew he had to want something. He always did. He really just wanted for him to spit whatever it was out so that he could get back to his book and spend the rest of whatever was left of his day reading it alone.

       Daniel sat up in his chair, completely unfazed by the cold gaze directed at him. "Maxwell just arrived in town last night and he wants to celebrate the new business deal he just struck.", he replied, causing Sebastian to raise a brow at him.

"What does that have to do with me?"

"Well, I don’t know, Sebastian. Wouldn’t it make sense that he'd like to celebrate with his friends and family?"

"My answer is no.", he said with a glare directed at him.

"Why not? You'd be so cold that-"

"I'm busy.", Sebastian cut him off.

       Daniel gave him an exasperated look. "With what? This book here?", he asked before picking up the book that lay beside the chair, by the edge, causing the bookmark to fall out of it's place. Sebastian pinched the bridge of his nose and let out another breath.

"I've already made up my mind, Daniel."

       It was now Daniel's turn to glare. "Oh. You'll go to this celebration." The gaze he received from Sebastian could not be more dull. "Mm. If I don't?", he challenged him. He grew irritated as Daniel stood up with a stunned look on his face. "If you don't..", he said while walking towards Sebastian. When he was just inches away from him, he continued.

"My hand and your face will be best friends!"

       Here he went again with the threats. Sebastian rolled his eyes. "..so, you've retorted to threatening me, now?"

"Yes. I have. I will act real nice to you and when you go to sleep, I'll set your ass on fire!"

       Sebastian sighed. His threats didn’t scare him. They never did. He was just annoying. "Why do you want me to go so bad?" Daniel's facial expression softened. He really didn’t understand Sebastian sometimes. They were polar opposites. "..he's your brother, Sebastian."

"I didn’t ask for him to be."

"He's always gone to every one of the celebrations that have been thrown for you."

"Again. I never ask him to. He just shows up."

"Sebastian …"

       Having had enough, Sebastian let out an irritated sigh and caved in. "Fine. If I go, will you leave?" Daniel was so annoying and Sebastian refused to stand here and entertain him any longer. This was all wasting his time.

       A smile spread across Daniel's face. "Yes.", he said. "If you go." Sebastian once again rolled his eyes before agreeing to go. He wanted to wipe that smile right off of his face. He hated his cousin with a passion. Maybe he'd done something bad in his past life and was now being punished for it, because he could swear that just about everyone lived to bother him.

       That night, Sebastian walked into the bar and grimaced at the drunks who stumbled over their own feet. He could recognize some of them as Maxwell's friends and business partners. This 'celebration' was much too sloppy for his taste. He really didn’t want to be there. He searched the crowd for his brother. His plan was to just congratulate him and leave. He'd showed up and that's all he promised to do.

       With each passing second, he grew more and more frustrated. He couldn’t spot Maxwell anywhere. Still searching over the crowd, he grew somewhat content after spotting familiar red hair and strolling over to it. Thomas De'anthony. He was one person Sebastian felt he could put up with, mainly because they were similar in some aspect. Thomas was never loud company and they both enjoyed a good book as well as time alone.

       The red-head looked up from his wine and nodded to Sebastian in acknowledgement. "Hey.", he said. Sebastian nodded back. "You dragged into coming, too?"

"Yep.", De'anthony replied coolly.

       Sebastian put his left hand in his pocket and continued. "I'm looking for Maxwell. Just need to congratulate him so that I can go home." Thomas's bored expression did not change as he replied. "He's over there." Sebastian followed Thomas's gaze. He saw his brother in a dimly lit booth shacked up with Daniel, Aiden and a few girls. How unfortunate.

"Thanks.", he said.

"Don’t mention it."

       Sebastian made his way over to the familiar people, causing them all to look up. "Congratulations, Max-"

"Hey, Sebastian.", his brother said with a simple smile plastered apon his pale face.

"Why don’t you have a seat?"

     Sebastian briefly refused his older brother's offer. "I'm actually about to-" He was interrupted by Maxwell once again. "Sebastian. I just got back in town. You can't spend just a few minutes with me?"

"Boy. You sure are a horrible person to be that way, Sebastian.", Aiden joined.

       The young raven stood there, starring them down a little longer before calmly sitting opposite the two. It was only a few minutes, he figured. Nothing he couldn’t handle. A slight smile made its was onto Maxwell's face. "There. Now was that so hard?"

"Yes.", he replied.

       Maxwell let out a brief chuckle before filling them all in on exactly what kind of business deal he'd succeeded in landing.

"HoneyCutt Enterprises is quite the catch. I honestly don’t understand how you do the things you do.", chided in Daniel.

       Maxwell smirked victoriously. "It wasn’t that hard. You just have to know what people want and reel them in." Maxwell's attention then went from Daniel to Sebastian who wore a bitter expression. "Stop glaring, Sebastian." Sebastian narrowed his eyes at Maxwell before he continued. He didn’t think he was glaring. He wore his face as he always did.

       As Maxwell continued his conversation with Aiden and Daniel, one of the girls from the table kept smiling at Sebastian as she twirled a strand of her hair around one of her fingers. Sebastian scowled at her. "Sebastian. I said stop glaring.", Maxwell demanded and jumped right back into his conversation. Sebastian sighed. The girl would not take her eyes off of him and it irked him to no end. What? Did she have a staring problem?

       A few seconds later, Sebastian noticed Aiden look down at the bright screen of his phone and then lean in and say something to Maxwell before getting up from the table and leaving. He knew they were planning something. A few seconds later, Aiden returned with a girl and retook his seat as she took hers nest to Sebastian. She wore all red as it matched her red hair. Her heavy perfume began to nauseate Sebastian.

"Hey.", she spoke.

"…"

       He said nothing in return. Her trying to strike up a conversation with him was no coincidence. She'd been put up to it by those at the table. They were trying to hook them up. They were crazy they all thought something like this would work on Sebastian.

       She inched closer to Sebastian until her hips were touching his. "Sebastian, right?", she questioned. Sebastian wanted to just push her away, but even he wouldn’t put his hands on a woman. When one of the servers brought over two glasses of wine and set them in front of Sebastian and the young woman, Sebastian looked over to Aiden who was smiling at him.

This was so stupid.

       The girl placed a strand of hair behind her ear. "My name is Lisa, in case you were wondering.", she said. Sebastian sighed. Noticing their conversation was getting nowhere, Aiden spoke up. "That's a beautiful name. What's your profession, Lisa?" The girl smiled and replied, "I'm a lawyer."

"Wow. A lawyer? That's amazing.", Daniel answered.

       Sebastian shook his head. Some people's stupidity really baffled him sometimes. Did they really think Sebastian didn’t know this was all a part of their plan?

"Smile, Sebastian.", Maxwell said.

Sebastian pinched the bridge of his nose. "So, Sebastian.", the girl went on. "Maybe, la-"

"Look.", Sebastian cut her off.

       He sighed once again. "I understand that you came here under good intentions and I know the idiots at this table put you up to this. They probably told you that I am really lonely and that I am in need for a whore, but I assure you that I am not as I am not into whores, so your company is not needed."

"Sebastian!"

"I-I'm not..", she started in disbelief.

"..and I would appreciate it if you would just leave me alone."

"..okay."

       She got up and walked away in tears, leaving everyone speechless. Sebastian took a sip of the wine in front of him. "This wine is really good.", he said. It was somewhat different from the kind he usually drank, but it was nice. He'd have to ask the bartender what kind it was.

       Everyone at the table exchanged looks before turning their gazes back to Sebastian. He took another sip. He didn’t know why they were looking at him like that.

..the wine really was good.