informed consent | short story + one shots

one in a million

Word count: 16,611

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Trigger warning: this chapter has no smut!! furthermore, it touches on a lot of angst, anxiety and panic attacks. please refrain from reading if this triggers you too much.

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Harry was nervous.

He stood in front of his mirror in the rented tux he had just gone to pick up, analysing it from every angle and muttering under his breath. It was a bit of a lighter green shade and he turned around, attempting to stare at his ass to see if it wasn't too tight.

Harry eventually sighed, "Niall!" He called out. His roommate didn't hesitate and just a moment later, Harry hear a knock on the door.

"Yeah?" Niall popped his head in, his lips curling into a little smirk when he saw Harry stressed out in a tux. He went to open his mouth but Harry held up his finger, "No. You don't get to make fun of me for this. This is serious, I'm meeting Mia's parents, okay? I know I look like an idiot but it's a formal event and I need to wear a tux."

"Looks like you're getting married." Niall chuckled, "That was all I was about to say."

"Sure." Harry rolled his eyes before exhaling and critically looking at himself, "Does it look weird? Is the sizing like... off?"

"The sizing?" Niall tilted his head to the side while walking a circle around Harry, "No, I don't think so?"

"Like around my ass? Or my shoulder?" He sighed, "I feel like the pants and the jacket should've been a different size. Like the pants feel too loose and the jacket too tight?"

"I think you're overthinking it just because you're nervous."

"Hell yes, I'm nervous." Harry mumbled, continuing to stare at himself, "Not as nervous as Mia, but still nervous."

Niall went to sit down on Harry's bed, "Why is Mia nervous?"

Harry swallowed, fiddling with his cufflinks, "She's always nervous around her parents. Hasn't actually seen them since September, since before she started school."

"Oh." Niall exhaled, "I thought she said they live close?"

Harry near huffed, "They do. Like just outside of the city. She's just not very close to them, they..." He nibbled his lip, pausing before he spilled everything to Niall before deciding not to. He pressed his lips together, "It doesn't matter."

Niall didn't push him and just glanced him over again, "I think the suit is fine, Harry. Y'look good. Mia's going to love it and you look absolutely splendid for the in-laws." He put on a posh British accent and Harry huffed out a chuckle, feeling a little lighter.

"Where do you have to go tonight? Is it like a dinner? Why the dressing-up?" Niall questioned.

Harry shook his head, "It's like a charity event that they host. I think they're insanely rich, to be honest. It's an annual thing, Mia said. So there's going to be a bunch of people there. It's in a hotel so we get a room there too for the night."

"Fancy." Niall whistled and Harry let out a breath, "Yeah. 'M not good at that."

"Harry, you're a charming guy and their daughter is madly in love with you. I'm sure you've got nothing to worry about." Niall tried to soothe him but Harry knew better. From the stories Mia's told, he had a hard time giving her parents and brother a fair chance. The way they spoke to her never sat right with him. They talked to her like she was stupid and like she was a child who couldn't think for herself.