Cath took a deep breath, looked out of the car window, reached out to the handle, opened the door, and immediately slammed it shut again. For the third time. The house in front of her was not particularly intimidating. It looked just like any old farmhouse. It was any old farmhouse. Except that wasn't strictly true, because it was Levi's farmhouse.

"Cather," Levi whined, "We've been sat here for fifteen minutes. I promise you my family are not going to bite."

Cath glared at him. "I know that. If they were vampires I would not be having this problem. I know vampires and magic!"

"Yes, you know magic and vampires," Levi said, "You know everything about Simon Snow. You know things about Simon Snow that any sane person would not want to know-"

"Hey!" Cath interrupted, offended, "There's nothing wrong with-"

"Never said there was," he said, smiling at her, "I'm just saying that my family are people just like you and me," he shot her a sly glance, "Well, maybe more like me than you. You are not normal."

"Oh, right," Cath scoffed, "And you are?"

Levi stuck his tongue out at her. "I'm just saying that there's nothing to worry about. They're going to love you."

"You have no way of knowing that."

"Yes, I do."

"Yeah?" Cath said, unconvinced, "How?"

"They're going to love you," he paused, turned his body so he was facing Cath completely, looked straight at her, and said, "Because I love you."
Cath couldn't ignore the happy fluttery feeling inside of her that never lessened, no matter how many times she heard him say it, but it was overshadowed by the anxiety currently battling for power in her stomach.

"That's a rubbish reason. What if they think I'm too weird? Or too nerdy? What if they think-"

Cath was cut off by Levi's hand, which she suddenly found pressed against her mouth. He leaned his face right up to hers, so close that it left her with nowhere to hide. He stared at her until she met his eyes, and only when she had held his gaze for more than three seconds did he speak. "You are weird, and you are nerdy. But those are not things my family will judge you on. They are things that will make them love you even more, because they are what make you, you. And you are my favourite person, so they cannot possibly be bad things. In fact, weird and nerdy are two of my favourite words."
There were tears welling up in Cath's eyes, and a laugh making its way out of her mouth. It made a strange huffing sound against Levi's hand, and he jerked his hand back, laughing.

Cath reached forward and grabbed his hand, bringing it up to her face. "Thank you," She breathed, and turned her face to kiss his palm.

Levi leaned forward and kissed her slowly. "I love you, Cather Avery."

"I love you, too."

Levi grinned at her and leaned back, "I know. You ready to go?"

Cath took a deep breath, and said, with conviction, "Yes."

Levi's grin somehow got even bigger, almost jumping off his face, and he leaped, yes, Cath thought, he actually leaped, out of the truck and came bounding up to her door.
He opened it, ignored Cath's scowl and her insistence that she was perfectly able to get out of a car by herself, and said, "Well, that's a relief. We've been parked outside the house so long my mom probably thinks you're weird."

Cath punched him in the arm, but he only laughed and continued, "Either that, or she'll think you've been ravishing me in the car."

Cath punched him in the other arm. Harder. Levi winced and rubbed at it.

"I really, really hate you sometimes." She said.

"I know." Levi said cheerfully. Cath scowled at him. Levi took her hand, laughing, and started walking up the driveway.

"Trust me," he said, kissing her hair, "They are going to love you. Just don't tell my mom how irresistibly hot you find all this." He ran his hand down in body in a ridiculously over the top gesture.

Cath laughed and replied with raised eyebrows and a "Don't worry, I was told not to lie."

Levi clutched his hands to his heart, "You wound me, woman! Wound me!"

"Oh shut up, you idiot. Let's go see your family."