Disclaimer: I don't own MMFD or any of the characters.
She had thought that meeting Finn's parents was nerve wracking but that had been nothing when compared to the way her stomach was tied up in knots at the thought of Finn meeting her mum. Sure, she loved her mum but she was loud and tactless and prone to causing Rae extreme embarrassment and that was when she wasn't sat at the dinner table with boys who had Rae's heart held firmly between the palms of their hands. How would she behave around Rae's first boyfriend? Rae couldn't stop her mind from conjuring up snippets of mortifying questions and the presentation of baby photos that was sure to come.
Rae checked the clock on top of the fireplace. 'Ten minutes to six,' she thought. Finn was due to be at her house at six o'clock. 'Maybe there's still time to ring him and tell him not to come.' She pondered possible excuses; her mum had suddenly come down with a mysterious and very contagious illness, Karim's pet bird had gone rabid and pecked off his pinky finger, she had to leave immediately to visit long lost relatives in Hungary… She was jolted from her internal musings by the sound of the doorbell ringing shrilly through the house.
"Shit," she swore under her breath. That was him.
Her mum popped her head into the living room, a mischievous smile on her face. "That'll be the boyfriend then, will it? Don't just stand there, Rae, go let him in for God's sake!"
"Mum," Rae warned. "Go back in the kitchen and finish dinner, give me some time with him before I have to go through the shame of this stupid dinner."
"Alright, alright," her mum conceded and retreated back into the kitchen with her hands up in surrender. "Don't get your knickers in a twist," she called, causing Rae to scowl.
She made her way to the front door, her nerves jangling like keys on a chain. She felt light headed with apprehension, there was no way she was still going to have a boyfriend by the time this night was over. She took a deep calming breath before opening the door with a shaky, sweaty hand.
"Hi," Finn beamed from the doorstep. "I thought you were never gonna let me in!"
She smiled weakly at him, her mouth dry and stood aside to let him in. Her breath hitched in her chest when he kissed her quickly on the mouth as he entered.
"Y'alright?" he asked, a concerned frown on his impossibly handsome face as he kicked off his shoes.
"Yeah, I'm fine," she lied unconvincingly and led him through to the living room.
Once they were sat on the couch Finn took a long, hard look at Rae, his gaze was so intense she had to look away.
"Come on, Rae," he began. "What's wrong? You're my best friend, I can tell when somethin's wrong with ya."
She couldn't stop the smile that tugged at her lips at that. She was his best friend, and that was the most important thing in the world, even if she wasn't his girlfriend and there was no kissing and all that other lovely stuff it would still be enough.
'When did I get so soft?' she wondered.
"I'm nervous, alright?" she confessed in a hurried whisper. "I'm nervous my mum's going to scare you off."
He threw his head back then and laughed loudly and she punched him lightly on the arm.
"What's so funny?" she demanded.
"Rae," he said with that lopsided grin that made her stomach twist and tangle in the most delicious way. "That's not gonna happen. Nothing your mum, or anyone else, could say is gonna put me off ya."
He looked so certain, she almost believed him. He grabbed her hand and brought it to his mouth so that he could place a gentle kiss over her knuckles.
"I love you," he said seriously. "I love you and I'm going to love your family too, no matter how embarrassing they are. I'll love them even if they're the most annoying people I've ever met and ya know why?"
She shook her head.
"Because they're a part of you and I love every single thing about ya. Now stop bein' daft and gimme a proper a kiss."
Rae fought back the lump in her throat that had formed at Finn's words and wondered how she could have ever gotten so lucky. She placed her hands on either side of his face and kissed him deeply, hoping he would feel the gratitude she was pouring into the kiss.
"Oh my," her mum interrupted. "You must be Finn, let go of my daughter and come here and let me have a look at you!"
Finn flashed Rae a reassuring grin as she flushed crimson and got to his feet.
Maybe the night wouldn't go perfectly, but she finally felt certain that things were going to be okay.