Fifty Ways to Love You - Emily Prentiss x OC

35. anniversary

[no warnings, just wanted to say that i don't know jack shit about cooking but my dad was a professional chef for 30 years so i'm doing my best okay?? lol enjoy]

One year together. I have been dating Certified Goddess Emily Prentiss for one year.

She was staying late, as always, but I had worked something out with JJ for her to take me home. "I'm sorry, baby, I'm really tired. You're coming over tonight, right?"

"Wouldn't miss it," she said. Emily wore a smile, and I hoped to god she didn't know what I was planning. I don't think she fully believed that I was just tired, and both of us knew what today was. She let me go anyway, not questioning further.

I got in JJ's car and we both sighed. "You got everything you need for tonight?" she asked me. "I got the flowers yesterday, so we just need to stop at my place and get them. Ready?" I nodded and buckled the seatbelt. "Great. You need help setting anything up? Making dinner?"

"Uh...maybe a little, if you don't mind? But if you've gotta get home..."

"No, I'm happy to help! Anything for you and Em."

I was storing my things in JJ's car anyway, and she helped me carry them upstairs. We transformed my apartment into a little piece of heaven for the woman I love.

I put the flowers in the center of the table, atop the off-white tablecloth I'd set down. JJ helped me string up lights and I grinned to see our handiwork.

"This is beautiful, Jayje, thank you so much for your help," I said, hugging her.

She hugged me back and said, "No problem, Galina. I hope all goes well tonight. I know you're nervous about asking her." I nodded, biting my lip. "Don't be. She loves you, and she basically lives with you at this point. You'll be fine. I'll see you later, 'right?"

"Bye, Jayje. Thank you,"

"Of course. Bye!" she called, heading out. I paced around the apartment until I finally pulled my head out of my ass long enough to start dinner.

Emily loved when I made lemon-roasted chicken, something I didn't make often, so I made buttered mashed potatoes and roasted broccoli to go with it. I cleaned at lightning speed, I wanted everything to be perfect for her.

She texted that she was leaving the office just as I was beginning the broccoli. Perfect. Right on schedule.

I plated our dinner and put the plates in the oven, the oven only set to 120 degrees so they wouldn't burn, overcook, or get too hot. She would be home soon anyway. It would be fine.

I found the view of the parking lot and watched her pull in. I pulled our dinner out of the oven and set it on the table. We never sat across from each other at the round table, just less of that, and now we had a centerpiece with the pink peonies I'd gotten her — which had been at JJ's for a day — so I didn't set us directly across from one another.

I heard her keys jingling outside the door and looked through the peephole to make sure it was her before I opened the door. I stepped into the hallway, only showing the bare minimum of the apartment I had to in order to get out. I left the door slightly ajar behind me.

"Hey, love. Close your eyes,"

"What, are you kidnapping me?" she laughed.

"Two feet outside our door? No. I just want you to be surprised,"

"Surprised by what?"

"Just trust me?" I asked. Emily smiled a little and nodded allowing me to stand behind her and cover her eyes with my hands. I kicked the door lightly, pushing it open, and kind of pushed her inside. I led her to the best view of everything JJ and I had done. "Keep them closed," I said. I took my hands off her closed eyes and stood in front of her. A big smile was frozen on my face as I told her, "Open."

Emily opened her eyes and I heard a quiet gasp. She looked around, her mouth agape, and smiled at the table. Before I knew it, she wrapped me in a tight hug and swayed slightly side-to-side.

"Do you like it?" I asked, my face buried in her shoulder as she was taller than me. I felt her nod.

"I..." When we pulled away, I saw she was crying. She wiped her tears with the middle knuckle of her finger and dried her hand on the waistband of her slacks. "God, Galina..."

"What?" I chuckled, taking her hands. She was shaking. "Are these happy tears, or...?"

"Yes," she laughed, "god, yes. No one's...no one's ever done anything like this for me before. Did you make dinner?" she asked, pointing to the table.

"Your favorite,"

"Oh my god, Galya, you—you're too good to me,"

"No, love, I want to make you happy. I love you so much, I want to give you the world. This is about as close as I could get tonight, though." We both chuckled. "Happy anniversary, Emily, my love,"

"Happy anniversary, darling."

Emily spent the meal with a bright expression, both at my cooking and the decor. Once we were done, we had cookie dough ice cream with dark chocolate syrup — I'd brought Emily to the dark side of ice cream choices. We ate on the couch and talked and laughed.

"I still can't believe you did all this for me. Galya, you make me so, so happy. I'm so lucky to be your girlfriend. You're...so thoughtful, and kind, and I don't deserve this. I wish I'd done more for you today,"

"No, god, Em, please, I wanted to do all of this. Trust me, it was worth it to see the look on your face when you opened your eyes. Oh, and you partially have JJ to thank for this. She helped me set up. And she kept those flowers at her house until today after work so you wouldn't know about them,"

"Pink peonies,"

"I gave you those on a date once, and you really loved them, so I thought maybe you'd like them tonight,"

"They're beautiful, Galya. But you're more beautiful,"

"That's so cheesy," I laughed. Emily smiled and kissed me.

"When are we ever not cheesy?"

"True, very true. I love you, Em,"

"I love you. Hey, I have a present for you." She got up and pulled a little box out of her purse. She handed it to me as she sat back down and anxiously awaited my opening of it.

It was a necklace, the pendant being two Venus symbols — the female symbol — with the rings locked, our names each engraved on one of the stems. I smiled and looked up at her.

"I love this, Em, this— it's perfect. You—thank you, my love. I love it,"

"I'm glad,"

"I have something for you, too,"

"You already did all of this!" she exclaimed, gesturing to the room. "How could there possibly be any more?"

"Just wait," I laughed. I grabbed the envelope from the shelf on the top of my closet where I knew she'd never look. She appeared confused, which I'd expected. "Just open it, baby."

Apprehensively, Emily took the envelope from my hands, reading her name on the back. She opened it to find a letter folded up. "Go ahead," I encouraged. I watched as she read it, and I awaited her reactions.