Easter with the Engstlers
Pairing: Emily Engstler x Reader
Summary: Based on this request.
You had never been this nervous in your life. Not for job interviews, not for final exams, not even for the time you accidentally knocked over Emily’s championship trophy while cleaning. Nothing compared to the way your heart pounded as you sat in the passenger seat of Emily’s car, gripping the small basket of Easter chocolates you had brought for her family like your life depended on it.
Emily, always attuned to your emotions, glanced over at you with a smirk, her right hand leaving the steering wheel to squeeze your knee reassuringly. "Babe, you're acting like I'm throwing you to the wolves," she teased.
You exhaled sharply, looking at her with wide, nervous eyes. "What if they don't like me?"
Emily let out an amused snort. "Not possible. You’re adorable, and my mom has already called me, like, five times just to say how excited she is to meet you."
You frowned slightly, still unconvinced. "Yeah, but what if—"
"Baby," Emily interrupted, her tone soft but firm. She reached for your hand, intertwining her fingers with yours as she brought it to her lips for a gentle kiss. "They are going to love you. And if they don’t, I’ll just elope with you and cut them all off. No big deal."
You rolled your eyes, but a laugh bubbled out despite your nerves. "Emily."
"What? Problem solved," she said with a wink.
Before you could argue, Emily pulled into the driveway of a cozy-looking home, the front lawn decorated with pastel-coloured Easter eggs and bunny cutouts.
As soon as Emily put the car in park, the front door burst open. A woman—Emily’s mom, you assumed—practically flew down the steps, her arms wide open before you had even managed to unbuckle your seatbelt.
"You're finally here!" she exclaimed excitedly.
You barely had time to react before you were engulfed in a warm, motherly hug. "Oh my goodness, look at you!" she gushed, pulling back slightly to hold your face in her hands like she had known you forever.
"Hi, Mrs. Engstler," you managed, your voice slightly muffled against her shoulder.
"Oh, none of that 'Mrs.' stuff. Call me Marilyn, sweetheart," she insisted, beaming at you. Then, she turned to Emily with a knowing grin. "You didn’t tell me how cute she is!"
Emily chuckled. "I did, actually. You just weren’t listening."
Marilyn rolled her eyes before looping her arm through yours and leading you inside as if you were already family. Emily followed behind, shaking her head with an affectionate smile.
The inside of the house was warm and inviting. The scent of baked ham, mashed potatoes, and fresh bread filled the air, making your stomach grumble despite your nerves. Laughter echoed from the dining room, and before you could fully process what was happening, you were being introduced to the rest of Emily’s family.
Her dad, a tall man with a strong build, approached with a friendly grin and a firm handshake. "Great to finally meet the person my daughter won’t shut up about."
Your eyes widened slightly, and Emily groaned. "Dad."
He just laughed. "What? It’s a good thing! Means she really likes you."
A small tug at your hand made you glance down, where one of Emily’s younger cousins was peering up at you with big, curious eyes. "Emily said you're really good at finding things," the little girl announced.
You blinked. "Oh, uh…" You looked at Emily, who only shrugged innocently.
"I told them you always find my missing socks," she said, smirking.
The little girl beamed. "That means you have to help us with the Easter egg hunt later!"
Before you could respond, Emily’s grandma appeared, patting your arm as she handed you a plate of devilled eggs. "Eat, sweetheart. You’re too small. We’ll fix that today."
Emily snickered as you were practically force-fed by her grandmother, who clearly believed food was the solution to everything. You had barely finished your first plate before her aunts started pulling you into conversation, asking about your job, your hobbies, and—of course—what you saw in Emily.
"She must be bossy," one of her aunts teased with a wink.
You grinned, shooting Emily a playful look. "Oh, definitely."
Emily gasped dramatically. "Excuse me?"
"Don’t act like you’re not," you teased, bumping your shoulder against hers.
Her uncle, who had been mostly quiet, let out a booming laugh. "Yep, she fits right in."
The warmth of the family, the easy conversation, the laughter—it all melted your nerves away. You weren’t just meeting Emily’s family. You were being welcomed into it.
After dinner, you were dragged outside for the annual family Easter egg hunt. Emily’s little cousins insisted you were on their team, calling you their "lucky charm." Emily, of course, was their biggest competitor, and she took the game way too seriously.
At one point, you spotted an egg tucked behind a flower pot and grabbed it just a second before Emily could.
"Ha! Got it!" you cheered, holding it up triumphantly.
Emily narrowed her eyes at you, her hands on her hips. "You’re lucky I love you," she muttered, though there was a glint of amusement in her eyes.
You smirked. "You let me win because you love me."
She rolled her eyes but didn’t deny it. Instead, she pulled you into her arms, tucking her chin over your head. "Yeah, yeah," she murmured.
As the egg hunt wound down, the family gathered around the fire pit in the backyard, passing around gooey s'mores and sharing stories. Emily sat beside you, her arm draped around your shoulders, keeping you pressed against her warmth.
Her mom nudged you playfully. "So, when are you bringing your family to meet us?"
Your eyes widened slightly at the question, but before you could respond, Emily spoke up, her voice filled with certainty.
"Hopefully soon," she said, her thumb rubbing slow circles against your arm. "Because they need to see how happy she makes me."
A chorus of awws and teasing whistles filled the air, making Emily groan. But when you looked up at her, you saw nothing but sincerity in her gaze.
Your heart swelled with emotion as you turned back to her mom. "I’d love that," you said softly.
As the night continued, you realised you had been nervous for nothing. Emily’s family had welcomed you with open arms, treating you like one of their own. And as you leaned into Emily’s side, feeling completely at home, you knew this was just the beginning of many holidays spent with the Engstlers.
And honestly? You wouldn’t have it any other way.
