RWRB Oneshots

New Year's Eve Part 1 (Pre-Relationship) 4117w

*Sections have been taken from the book for a bit of context. (Therefore not owned by me)

This is based on books (I kind of hate that I have to specify that now) so June is included (as she should have been in the movie)

Alex is given all of three hours to mourn the loss of the Christmas tree before the chaos starts.

Every year this happens and every year he's surprised by the transformation and the army of ant-workers that create the dance floor, marquee, bar, lights, music system, red carpet photoshoot location and gods know what else.

Well... Nora knows what else, considering she and his sister June planned most of this.

That being said, there is still the menu to finalise, Snapchat filter to approve, and Alex finds himself on boxing day holed up in the Social Secretary's office with June. They're going over an endless pile of waivers they've gotten for everyone to sign after last year's fiasco.

Not only had Alex thrown up on a boyband member but a daughter of a Real Housewife had fallen down the rotunda stairs last year; Alex remains impressed that she didn't spill her margarita.

It's time once more for the Legendary Balls-Out Bananas White House Trio New Year's Eve Party.

Technically, the title is the Young America New Year's Eve Gala, or as named by at least one late-night host, the Millennial Correspondents' Dinner. Every year, Alex, June and Nora fill up the East Room on the first floor with three hundred or so of their friends, vague celebrity acquaintances, former hookups, potential political connections, and otherwise notable twenty-something.

The party is, officially, a fundraiser. And it generates so much money for charity and so much good PR for the First Family that even his mom approves. Christ even Zahra begrudgingly accepts its presence.

Alex on the other hand wants to love the event.

Well, that's a bit of a lie, he does enjoy partying, the music and lights and dancing, especially when he's drunk enough not to panic at the flashing lights and loud noises. But there's always that god awful overwhelming fireworks display that he dreads every year since he first experienced it.

His moms first election year had been terrifying, their first Fourth of July party equally so. He had been on edge all night, flinching at cameras and music until finally it all bubbled over at the fireworks display.

Psychologically he latched onto that– according to his therapist that is – which is what makes it the worst and best night of the year. Alex is so fixated on panicking over the fireworks that he barely concentrates on the other details. Which had translated from the Fourth of July to the New Year's Eve Party.

He's gotten better over the years. Better enough that he can relax during the parties, act normal and pretend though he's never fully got to enjoy himself just yet. Maybe this will be the year he gets to forget about the panic.

Alex still remembers being infuriated by his therapist, down right pissed off at discovering anxiety over anxiety was a thing.

Anxiety over anxiety.

As in you start worrying about social events because you're worried you're going to have a panic attack at the event. Suffering twice for no apparent reason other than his brain said so. Which is just fabulous.

"Um, excuse me," Alex is saying from a first-floor conference table, one hand full of confetti samples – do they want a metallic colour palette or a more subdued navy or gold, or apparently anything other than Alex suggested Howl's moving Castle theme – while staring at a copy of the finalised guest list. June and Nora stuff their faces with cake samples he's not privy to. "Who put Henry on here?"