Lieutenant and SSA (Emily Prentiss x Reader)

05. Family dinner

Emily pov - September 12th, 1997

We talked about it. And I mean really talked. Because this is going somewhere, somewhere serious. We spend every spare minute we have with each other, mostly at my apartment or out about the city.

And even though it's great an all... there's this thing that we sort of have to do. Our families. Meeting them, presenting them to each other when there is a possibility they'll see each other for a long time.

So we both decided that it's better to get it over with, that the bull by the horn to be exact. And that's what we're doing this evening.

Noticing how Y/n keeps glancing at the clock, I say from by the stove. "Hey, it'll be okay."

"I know... I just..." she hesitates to tell me, that or she doesn't know the words to use. "There's something I didn't tell you."

"What? Are you living a secret life? Will a husband and three kids come in through the door?" I answer to lighten the mood. And it works as she lets out a laugh before looking at me.

"No, but... my family wasn't the most supportive ones when I came out. And let's just say that when I joined the military as well as my father and brothers, it went over the edge." She looks down, but I come up to her and hold her hands in mine. I catch a tear that managed to escape from her eye as she looks up at me. "My unit has been my family. And I mean, my father has always been proud of it, but the others took it more personally to know that a woman is..." I place a finger before her mouth, stopping her from continuing.

"Shush, I'm going to stay here no matter what." And I think my heart is in control of my lips as the words come out. "Because I love you Y/n."

A flash of fear washes over her eyes, before they soften as she stands up. Wrapping her arms around my waist to whisper against my lips. "That's good, because I love you too." Her lips land on mine so softly, lovingly. But just as my hands are finding their way up to her hair, the doorbell rings.

I place my hands on her cheeks. "Whoever comes, comes. Who ever doesn't, well, honesty, to hell with them. It'll be fun even if we aren't that many." Because honestly, I don't know how many from my own family would come. Not of the ones I invited at least. Parents, siblings, grandparents, aunt and uncles. Just to let them know they were welcome.

And then, as she watches me walk towards the door to open. I say back, "besides, I don't think I could manage to be in this small apartment with your brothers."

"I swear, they aren't that bad." Her answer is a laugh, even though I've heard the stories of how they've treated her since coming out and then joining the army. There were other stories, from before it all, when they were the bestest of friends.

I open the door to be meet by a smile from an older woman as well as a man. They share the same smile, the same smile I know is coming up behind me.

"Dad, granny. Glad you could make it." Y/n says and I realise I had frozen.

"Welcome in." I say as we move into the apartment. "I'm so glad to meet you both." I extend my hand.

"Not as much as me, Angel hasn't told me enough about you. I'm Anne." Her grandmother says as she shakes my hand.

I lean back to Y/n in question. "She calls me that, but it's only because out of sixteen grandkids she can't keep track of our names, okay ouch, that hurt." But there is only a smile playing on her lips, even as her grandmother had gently hit her arm.