Tailored to Villain (On Hiatus)

Drake

"I will not withdraw my support for Johnson," Drake said steely to the man seated opposite him.

The man, Joseph, took a long drag of his thick cigar unperturbed by the rejection. His expression remained the same-his signature bulldog look. His fatty cheeks sagged grumly  down his face, his lips were downturned and his eyes just bore into whatever, or whoever, was in front of him like they weren't there. Whether it was breaking the legs of a nosy journalist or painting his wife's fingernails, the man's placid expression was worn like a glove and it never faltered. It meant one thing, a placid Joseph was a bored Joseph. Never a good thing in Drake's experience especially for the one saying fucking no to Joseph, like he was.

"It won't look good." Joseph slowly shook his head. "No, it won't.  How do you think people would see us if our family is all over the place like this? You supporting that Johnny fellow, me supporting the Rose Group. It's bad for our reputation. We can't be backing different political parties, people would be thinking we are fighting. Then they'd start to get stupid ideas, left, right, center." He smacked his lips in disgust and leaned back into the comfy armchair. He sucked the tip of his cigar a few times and blew a thick haze of smoke. "Look here, we need to get behind one guy for this running."

Drake turned his head away from the fresh onslaught of smoke coming his way. "I know what you saying, Uncle Joseph. But I can't get in with you this time. The Rose Group people have a solid stand in the Militarized Drone Research Limited Licensure Bill, that policy is not in my favor. I can't get behind that."

Joseph huffed and waved his hand holding the cigar, dismissing his nephew's point. Then he brought the cigar to rest snuggly between his lips. "Not that damned policy again."

"Yes, uncle. It may not affect the family or our united political front, but it affects my business, my company.

"Oh forget it now. It will just be a minor step back for your company. We can arrange other things to make up for it in the future, but for now, we need to stand as family."

"Family won't be the one affected, my company will."

"Your company, your company..." Joseph turned his head from side to side in exasperation as he spoke. "You don't become great on your own, do you? You do it with people together, same with family."

Drake looked at his uncle. He deeply respected the man as much as he did his own father. Thirty-five years of politics and groomed over sixteen godsons to govermental offices, had five subordinates in the Senate and a long line of political associates, Joseph commanded respect. Each time he had to refuse the man that afternoon, he felt his stomach tighten, not out of fear as as anyone else on his seat might have. It was out of respect, he admired to this man so much and to take a decision to be his opposition was as much difficult as was saying no each time. "I'm sorry but for this election, I'm throwing my weight for my candidate. I need to protect my interest."

And the interest of the whole goddamned country with it. Even if they didn't know it. Drake did, the policies the Rose Group was working on was a cripple baby.  Not now, but give it just a decade and the whole country would be scrambling to reform it.

Joseph bent over slightly and tapped the burning end of his cigar in the ashtray on the glass side table beside him. He peered up at Drake, his eyes dead serious. "I remember when you were a kid. You used to run in my backyard in your tiny, bright blue swimming trunks," he smiled, "then you used to yap 'why can't we all get along?'. So Drake, why can't we all get along?"

Drake closed his eyes and sighed. He looked at his uncle again. If someone had told that little boy in blue trunks that one day he and his uncle would be on opposing sides. He would have balked at the idea. Family was important, family grew strong together. Anyone who opposed one of them, opposed all of them,  at least that was how he was raised. And look at them now.