Upside Down [mxm] [editing]

Chapter 1

Cocktail parties had always been one of Alexander's favorite things. The sound of all those voices at once, the drone of life as it ebbed and flowed through the room like the tide, punctuated by the ting of jewelry against crystal or a bark of laughter here and there. It was a thing alive, a creature that needed to be nourished and cared for, that needed the right amount of attention, neither too little nor too much. And he, well, he was the perfect person to take on that challenge.

After all, it was his party. Not necessarily his party, but more a party for him, about him, held in his honor. How he loved thinking those words, feeling them swirl around in his mind. In his honor. The power of it was intoxicating and addictive and it filled him with a warmth that he seemed to radiate out from him, spilling into the room and onto those standing within his wake.

At least that was Alex's own mental explanation for the way his smile spread from his mouth onto the lips of others. Moving from one partygoer to the next as he worked his way across the room. There was some work to the whole thing, the reason for the evening and his brand new tuxedo. A combination congratulations/fundraiser where those who helped to elect him to his role attempted to push their own agendas (they could try) all while opening their wallets (thank you ever so). But the work of it all didn't taint this moment for Alex. This was the foundation of his pinnacle. He could hardly say it was the top, there was so much further to climb, no this was simply where he started. And what a place to start at that.

With a hearty slap against his back and another check pressed into his palm, Alex turned from one constituent with the full intention of heading onto the next. His companion for the evening, a graceful brunette with a small waist and a large bust, skilled in both conversation and coquettishness, had already found their next target. "This one's a doctor." She whispered through her smile as she piloted them across the room, hand resting firmly on Alex's forearm. "He's not the donor though. You're not really his type." She winked at him then, quite salaciously - leaving Alex hoping that half the room saw it - before continuing. "His husband's who we want. New money. Tons of guilt. No way to get rid of it. Well." Her nose wrinkled in the cutest way, giving Alex the fleeting thought that he wished he could be attracted to her. She really was so much fun. "He had no way until now."

"That's what I'm here for." Alex murmured as they shifted positions to turn, his hand sliding down the black satin of her dress to rest at the small of her back, guiding her to the next couple upon which they would bestow the greatness of their presence. "To help the people." A conspiratorial laugh formed in his throat, but stayed there, lodged like some bitter pill as Alex found himself suddenly fighting to keep everything else outward exactly the way it was supposed to be even as his fingers itched to dig into that satin-covered back and his feet suggested that it might be best if they were to run away.

Of course, he did none of those things. Instead, he was practiced and polished as always, only his heart beating furiously within his chest as his companion made the needed introductions. It was hard to hear, all the blood rushing around in his ears, but he didn't need to be told who the doctor, the donor's husband was.

He was older, but they both were. With wrinkles where there hadn't been and, at least in Julian's case, fetching streaks of silver-grey running through hair that had once been so close to jet. Those eyes though, so blue and expressive, they hadn't changed a whit, and in that moment they were somehow a mix of the defiant and apologetic.

The husband's hand was shook first, Alex all full of pleasantries and gratitude. The man had made a large donation to his election fund, even if Alex couldn't care to remember his name or even focus on him at all in that moment. No, all his mind was doing was churning about how to handle the next step, deciding which way to turn the conversation and just what admissions or omissions he was willing to make. In short, he was being a politician, and being a politician was what he did the very best.