Word Count: 337
Maybe Dean shouldn't be surprised to find Piers outside, cigarette in hand. He knows his boyfriend has been anxious about this day. Truth be told, he doesn't blame him. Meeting Dean's family had been easy. His friends, however, are his world.
"What if they don't like me?" Piers asks for the hundredth time that day. Dean notices the way his hand trembles, and it breaks his heart.
"Don't be ridiculous. Of course they'll like you."
And he really believes that. Sure, his friends might give Piers a hard time, but they're all good people. Seamus had been hesitant when he'd heard Dean was dating his Muggle neighbor, but he had come around. Hannah and Neville had been thrilled by the news, while Parvati Lavender had started planning their wedding immediately after discovering his and Piers' zodiac signs were compatible.
Piers doesn't look so convinced. He takes another drag on his cigarette, smoking down to the filter before dropping it to the ground and crushing it beneath his shoe. It's almost funny. Piers is a strong bloke. He's witty and charming, and his charisma means he'll be one hell of a lawyer someday. How is it possible that meeting five people could reduce him to a bundle of raw nerves?
Dean reaches out, brushing a bit of ash from Piers' yellow jumper. "Relax. You're amazing, okay?"
"I'm a Muggle," Piers reminds him. "They're witches and wizards. I'm not very amazing compared to them."
Dean snorts, eyes rolling. "You seem to forget that I come from a Muggle family," he reminds him.
Piers considers for a moment before shrugging. Though the anxiety is still clear in his dark eyes, Dean can see the way his posture relaxes, if only slightly. It's a step in the right direction. Within an hour, once he meets everyone and has a drink, he will be okay again. Everything will be fine.
Dean presses a soft, chaste kiss to Piers' forehead and takes his hand. "Come on. Lavender doesn't like to be kept waiting."
