one direction preferences / imagines

he meets your child from a past relationship

Harry - Tanner was not at all sold on there being a guy besides him in your life. He was pretty protective over you even though he was only five. All morning, he had been asking questions about this Harry fellow and trying to get some idea of what he was like. On the side lines, you sat in the wind on a blanket with Harry, talking in low tones about who was who on the field and if they were friends with Tanner or not. He was a good soccer player for a boy so young, but most importantly, he really liked it and you loved watching him. The group of moms had been really good to you since you were the only single one in the group. It was fun to bring Harry along and introduce him to a good part of your world. "You were so good, babe!" Reaching down both your open palms, you greeted Tanner as he ran over in his grass stained uniform, hair a mess. He gave you two high fives loudly before stopping himself right where he stood. He paid his attention to only you, not really noticing Harry smiling right next to you and eagerly waiting to be properly introduced. It was probably unknown to Tanner, but Harry had met him before. He had come by very late at night to see you while Tanner was fast asleep and then he was forced out of your bed early in the morning because you didn't want Tanner to wake up and see him then. "You killed it out there." Harry spoke up, happiness the only sound in his voice, but Tanner barely acknowledged him at all. "Did you see me score?" Your son asked, causing you to laugh. It must have been a rhetorical question. "Of course, I did! It was awesome." You were bent down between Harry and Tanner now, folding up the tartan blanket you had been sitting on to protect your new jeans from the mud and green grass. "You're an awesome footballer, Tanner." Harry tried again, a little harder this time. It was enough to bring your boy's eyes up to Harry's. He looked at him like he was a foreign alien. "It's soccer, not football." Tanner corrected, but before Harry could explain that where he was from the game was called football, Tanner took control of the conversation. "Do you love my Mom?" You nearly choked on your breath, the boldness of the question stunning Harry where he stood. It was as if Tanner was the full grown one of the pair and Harry was the one who barely met the other's waist. "Tanner, don't be nosey." You warned, standing up to your feet and putting one hand on Harry's back for support. "You can't be with someone if you don't love them." In five year old terms, Tanner shared what he knew, his stare evil on Harry. No guy would ever be good enough for his Mom, that much Tanner knew to be true. "I do." Harry stunned you this time, your head turning immediately to give him your most quizzical look. "I love your mother very much." "You're nice to her?" "Always. I don't pull her pigtails unless she really deserves it." He joked, but only you and he laughed. Tanner was not the least bit amused. "And I'm allowed to kick you if she gets sad because of you?" He crossed his small arms over his boney chest and asked as if the question wasn't ridiculous. "No kicking. We don't kick people." Always a mother, you answered before Harry could. Leaning down and cupping his knees, Harry put his face as close as he could to your son's as he could without touching it and nodded. "Anywhere you want, you can kick me if that happens." Harry confirmed. "Are you done, Tanner?" Above them both, you spoke up and moved your hair from your face as the wind kept blowing it in front of your eyes. "One more." He said to only Harry, his potential enemy and potential playmate. "What's cooler? A T-Rex or Triceratops?" Harry and Tanner held one another's stares for what felt like minutes, but it was really just a count of three. He mulled it over and hummed his lips together, but Harry was pretty sure he could pass this test. His confidence was kept under wraps though. He really did want a good relationship with Tanner. Harry was just a big kid himself. "Is this a trick question?" He checked before locking in any solid answer. "Yeah. Obviously, pterodactyls are the coolest." As fast as he could, nearly slurring his words, Tanner responded and walked away from Harry, content with who you had chosen, and took your hand to head to the parking lot. It was a rule, where there were cars, Tanner had to hold someone's hand. It wasn't spoken out loud, but Harry knew that he had aced the exam. He stood up, cracking his neck, and rushed after you two. "Who wants ice cream?" He asked, knowing you for sure would be down.