Ready to Run

Chapter 35

Once they set foot back on the land, Harry gets all nervous again. All the way through the airport until he sits in Louis' car, then when Louis starts his car. Harry's leg bounces, which stresses Louis out, and he bites at his nails.

"Baby." Louis says, but Harry is looking out of the window and does not pay real attention to him. Louis puts what he hopes is a reassuring hand on his boyfriend's thigh -in hope it will stop bouncing, too- as he rubs softly. "H, it's gonna be okay, I promise. She will absolutely adore you. Maybe even more than me." He chuckles and Harry lets out a breathy laugh.

It is only a twenty minute drive to his house, and he does not know how his mum will react so Louis is obviously nervous too. But he can't let it show, because Harry would freak out even more and he does not need that right now.

Harry turns his head to Louis and sighs loudly, letting his head fall on the headrest. "I'm just- It's your mum, Lou. I want her to like me. I know how much she means to you."

"And do you even know how much you mean to me?" Louis asks, raising an eyebrow despite his gaze being focused on the road. "If it were anyone else, they wouldn't even go near my family before a few months of relationship. Here you are, meeting my family after less than a month. If I wasn't sure about you, you wouldn't be here, love." He reassures and Harry sighs again.

"Okay. Yeah." He breathes. "You also mean a lot to me, Hero." Louis sees his smile from the corner of his eye and can't stop the small grin from tugging at his lips, either. Harry slides his fingers in between Louis' and they stay this way for the remainder of the drive.  

Louis is excited. God, his (first) boyfriend is going to meet his mum! It is exciting, thrilling, a bit scary on the edge but still! If he was not sure his mum would absolutely love Harry, he would not have brought him here. But he is sure that she will love him, because honestly, who could hate this man?

"Are we here?" Harry asks, his voice betraying nervousness, as Louis parks in the driveway of his house.

"We are, my love. Are you ready?" Louis asks, watching his boyfriend's face which is in his house's direction. Louis does not move and waits for Harry to tell him he is ready. He knows it is probably overwhelming, so he does not want to pressure him in any way.

"Yeah, I am. She seems lovely, from what you've told me. I don't see why I'm nervous. I'm only meeting my boyfriend's family, who cares?" He says, shrugging.

Uh oh, Louis thinks. Harry is panicking a little and Louis does not quite know what to do. Harry rambles a lot when he is nervous, it seems.

"Well, not me. I don't care. I mean! Yes, I do care, of course I care, but like, it's just your family, right? Nothing can go wrong. Why would they not like me? It's gonna be okay-"

"H." Louis says, trying to grab his lover's attention. But Harry is not deterred.

"Oh my god, I don't even look presentable!" He exclaims, gasping as he looks down at his beige trousers and black loose shirt. To be honest, Louis finds him quite beautiful in this, but maybe he is not objective enough. "What're they gonna think about me!"

"You look plenty presentable, baby, don't you torture yourself too mu-" He does not get the chance to pursue.

"You only say that because you love me, right now your opinion does not mean much. You'd find me beautifully dressed even without anything on."

"Particularly without anything on." Louis chimes in and almost wants to laugh at the glare Harry sends him. But he does not, knowing well enough that Harry is troubled by all of this.

"You're such a cu-" He huffs but is cut off by Louis cupping his jaw and shutting him up with his lips. Not that Harry seems to mind as he relaxes and kisses Louis back, practically melting under his touch.