Emily Prentiss x Reader Oneshots

You Matter to Me

Things just were not going your way. Everywhere you turned, people in your life were canceling plans, ignoring you, and breaking promises that were important to you. You ran out of your medication and hadn't had the time or energy to get it refilled. To top it all off, Emily had been gone on back-to-back-to-back cases for three weeks that were brutal enough that she barely had time to call or text you. You were feeling down, dejected, and worthless.

Currently, you were sitting on the couch, wrapped up with your favorite Disneyland hoodie from a vacation you took a while back, hood cinched tight around your face. Your favorite, overused blanket was draped over your lap, and the newest season of your comfort show playing on the TV. You were texting your best friend but she lived back home and there was only so much help she could be from hundreds of miles away.

Out of the corner of your eye, you could see your phone lighting up—someone was calling you. Not in the mood to talk to anyone, you flipped it upside down so that you couldn't see the screen. With your hood still wrapped around your head, you laid down completely and tucked the blanket around your toes and under your chin, drifting off into a nightmare-riddled sleep.

When Emily walked in the door, using the key you had recently given her, she was already worried. She knew that you had been having a bit of a hard time and when you didn't answer the phone, her anxiety spiked. You always answered and wanted to hear her voice whenever she had time. Creeping into the house, she could hear you whimpering in your sleep. Emily crept closer to where you were on the couch and knelt by your head, sweeping your hair off your forehead.

"Oh, my sweet girl."

She gently tried to wake you and when you turned your head to face her fully and opened your eyes, her heart dropped when she saw the tears staining your cheeks and still rimming your eyes. When you saw her sitting in front of you, you frowned a little. You didn't want Emily to see you like this. And, you were stuck in your mind, the intrusive thoughts telling you that you aren't worth anyone's time, especially not Emily's running on loop, louder than even Emily's quiet words she was still whispering to you.

"Hey, Baby. Are you in there? Can you hear me?" Emily's big, brown eyes were worriedly scanning your face, her lips pursed.

You nodded your head. "Yeah," you said, voice soft and trembling.

Emily rubbed her hand up and down your arm not pressed into the couch, the warmth making you want to close your eyes again.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

You shook your head, looking away from Emily. She grabbed your chin between her finger and thumb, pulling your gaze back to her. "You don't have anything to be ashamed of, love. We can talk about it later, when you're ready."

Emily patted your shoulder and gestured for you to sit up, sliding in behind you on the couch, holding you tightly to her chest, both of you getting lost in the show flicking across the screen. Her hands traced patterns on your bare skin and she occasionally pressed kisses into your hair or took a second to press her nose to the crook of your neck, letting her bangs tickle your shoulder as she just breathed in your scent, inconspicuously taking comfort from you after so many hard cases in a row.

It took quite a while of relaxing a silent crying before you got enough nerve to start to talk.

"I feel worthless, Em."

Her grip on you tightened as she asked why.

"I just... I feel like I'm such a chore. I don't feel like I matter enough to anyone to be worth the hassle that it takes to make me feel loved. I just feel so sad and alone."

Emily pressed a kiss to the side of your head. "You matter to me, Y/N."

You huffed. "You have to say that. And besides, I know I am more than anyone should have to handle."

"Y/N/N, you matter to me, I promise you do. It's simple and plain, and not much to ask from somebody. It's easy to care about you, ma belle, you are so easy to love."

Your chest started to ache from her words, your mind struggling to accept what she was saying to you.

"I'm sorry I've been so sad, Emmy. I will try to be better."

Emily sat up straighter and turned you so that you could see her face.

"Y/N, I feel like I could find the whole meaning of life in those sad eyes. I know they have seen things you never quite say, but I hear. You don't have to apologize for being sad, you don't need to try to be better. You can come out of hiding, I'm right here beside you, and I'll stay as long as you let me. You and your feelings matter. I love you."

Tears sprung from your eyes and you fell into Emily's shoulder, letting out a sharp cry as she wrapped herself tightly around you. For the first time in a long time, maybe even ever, you felt safe, heard, and loved.

When you stopped crying and pulled away, Emily wiped your tears and smiled at you, some wetness glittering in her own eyes.

"I love you, Emily. Thank you."

"Is there anything I can do to help? I want to make this better for you."

You sat quietly for a long moment, running your fingers through the ends of Emily's hair as you thought.

"Will you please call me more when you're on a case? Even if it's 3 am or if you can only talk for a few minutes. And will you spend more time with me when you're home, maybe we can go on more dates?"

Emily's smile was kind as she answered you, "Of course, baby. I'm so sorry that I have contributed to making you feel like you don't matter and not prioritizing you enough. I will make sure to carve out more time to take care of my sweet girl." Her words were punctuated with kisses to your palms. "And I will take you on more dates, starting tomorrow."

You giggled at your lovely girlfriend. "This counts, Emmy. We can order some food and watch movies."

Emily leaned in and gave you your first real kiss of the evening. "I know, my love. But I want to take you out, too. Hotch has given us mandatory 3 days off, if not more, so I know that unless something incredibly out of left field happens, it will be you and me at our favorite place. Okay?"

You smiled brightly at your girlfriend, snuggling back into her embrace. "Yes. I love you."

"I love you, too. So much."