Tolerate It || l.s ✓

Chapter 49

I'm late I'm late I know I'm kinda late but I'm on me hollibobs and atm have v little alone time so I keep forgetting to publish

after this, one more chappie- not sure when it'll be published though

also I wanna start publishing my new one asap but it might not be for a week or two

Harry was pacing back and forth, his hands scratching at his wrists. Today was the day that Harry was to meet Louis's family, and the thought of it was sending him into turmoil.

The shower came to a stop and Louis emerged from the bathroom. He immediately noticed Harry's state and he stepped towards him, stopping him in his tracks and taking each of his hands.

"Darling, you'll be okay." He frowned. "We don't have to do this if you don't want to."

"I just...I want them to like me Lou." Harry muttered, "I don't want anyone else to hate me. And this is your family. This is your family, Louis. This is important."

"Hey darling, look. Just look at me for a second." Louis looked Harry in the eyes. "Okay? You're okay." He dropped one of Harry's hands and began stroking Harry's hair instead. "They're going to love you. My mum and I are similar, yeah? We very rarely disagree on who we like or don't like. I love you, and so will my mum."

Harry nodded, taking a shuddery breath. "What do I wear? What the fuck do I wear?" He scrunched and unscrunched his free hand.

"Just wear your blue jeans and your colourful knitted cardi, yeah? You'll look cute."

Harry's teeth were sunk into his bottom lip as he nodded again, "yeah. Okay. Are you sure that's not too much? I don't want to be too much-"

"Darling," Louis cut Harry off with a kiss. "Just be yourself, yeah? Wear that and just be yourself. They'll adore you."

//

"No, nope, no. Can't do this." Harry shook his head. They were stood before Louis's family's front door, and Harry felt as though he could throw up.

"You can, you can do this." Louis encouraged him.

Harry opened his mouth to protest but before he could, the front door swung open.

"Hello!" A woman who could only be Louis's mother greeted them. Harry could immediately see the resemblance, and he hoped that their personalities were as similar as Louis had said. "Hello my darling," she first addressed Louis, pulling him in for a hug and a kiss to the cheek.

Louis replied with a chuckled "hi mum," squeezing her tightly in response.

"And you must be Harry." She turned to him.

"Yeah, um, Harry. My name's Harry." Harry nodded, getting flustered straight away. He held a hand out for her to shake but she ignored it, opting for a hug instead.

"I assume you already know but I'm Jay, Louis's mum. Nice to meet you, I like your cardi by the way."

"Thanks you." Harry smiled softly as he pulled away, "nice to meet you too."

"Come on in dears, I've put the kettle on. I'll make us tea then I'll call the kids down."

Louis and Harry stepped inside, slipping off their shoes and following Jay to the kitchen.

"How do you like your tea love?" Jay turned to Harry, pouring the boiling water into the mug, "milk, sugar?"

"Just a splash of milk please." Harry smiled politely. "You have a lovely kitchen."

"Thank you." Jay beamed, "I think I've ridden the garden centre of plants."

"You've got that in common." Louis chuckled. "Harry's house is filled with them, and now he's filled my house with them."

"Oh, I like you already." She pointed to Harry, a twinkle in her eye.

Harry blushed, playing with his hands nervously. Louis took one of his hands, bringing it up to his mouth for a quick peck.

They were both handed their tea and ushered into the living room where the pair curled up together on the sofa, Jay say in the armchair opposite. She called for the rest of her children and they all trailed down, standing in the doorway and watching Harry.

Harry cleared his throat lightly, shifting a little. Louis squeezed his hand, glaring at his siblings.

"Oi, get in 'ere and sit your arses down." He motioned to the living room, "you're freaking Harry out."

"Alright Harry?" The eldest girl nodded at him, a smile on her face, Harry remembered Louis showing him a photo of all his siblings and naming each.

"Lottie, right?" He spoke carefully, worried to get anything wrong.

"Lottie is correct." She nodded with a pleased grin, "well done. I see you've done your research."

"Lotts." Louis said in a warning tone.

"What? I'm being nice." She said, "I like him."

"You do?" Harry's eyebrows shot up and he immediately silenced himself, embarrassed.

"Yeah, I do. Louis's never brought any of his boyfriends home so you must be special."

"That makes me sound like a slut." Louis protested. "You're making it sound like I always slept around."

"Nobody's saying that Louis." Jay tutted, amusement in her eye. "Lottie is just saying that you've never been certain enough to introduce a boyfriend to us."

"It's cause you're the only one I've ever been head over heels in love with." Louis leaned across this whisper in Harry's ear. Harry gave him a bashful grin.

"Well, I'm honoured to have been introduced to you all." Harry spoke, "Louis speaks so highly of you, and I can see why."

Louis smiled proudly as he watched his boy interact with his family. Harry soon became at ease, his posture relaxing and his laughter becoming more frequent.

Eventually they all started to wonder around the house, thankfully making it seem a little less like Harry was being interviewed.

"Does Ernest still like tinned peaches?" Harry asked as him and Louis were left alone in the kitchen.

"Fucking loves them." Louis replied, fondness taking over as Harry remembered a tiny thing about his family.

"Can I give him some?" Harry tilted his head.

"Of course you can." Louis opened up the cupboard full of tins, taking out one of peaches. He opened it up, putting them in a plastic bowl with a plastic fork.

"Go feed this to him and you'll be his best friend." Louis handed it to Harry. Harry smiled, and he and Louis entered the living room again.

"Hey, Ernest." Harry cooed, crouching down before him. Ernest looked at him curiously. Harry held out the bowl of tinned peaches and Ernest's face lit up.

He reached out for the bowl from Harry and Harry let him hold the edges, whilst still keeping ahold of it to stop any spillages. He got a peach slice on the fork, lifting it up and moving it to Ernest's mouth like an aeroplane. Ernest chewed the peach, swallowing it before giggling a little.

Harry made a funny face at Ernest and Ernest burst into a fit of giggles. Louis crouched down next to Harry, wrapping his arms around Harry's shoulders and pressing a kiss to his cheek. "You're wonderful." He said.

"Welcome to the family, Harry." Jay grinned.

Harry turned around, surprised to see the entirety of Louis's family watching him with smiles on their faces. He tried his best to keep the blush at bay, but failed by a long shot.

"Yeah, welcome to the family." Lottie nodded. "You're everything we wanted you to be and more. Oh god help me I'm turning into you mum." She groaned and Jay swatted at her.

"That's a good thing." Jay teased.

"I promise I'll take care of Louis." Harry said shyly.

"We know you will."