#will graham’s gonna be a stepfather again

[flock-of-cassowaries]

Father-daughter fridge comparison.

On the one hand, shame on the prodigal father for (not) raising a daughter whose fridge contains nothing but champaign. The fact that he had absolutely no idea she existed is no excuse. She is not only a hazard to others - she is a hazard to herself.

On the other hand, though - at least daughter’s not playing Incriminating Evidence Chicken every time one of her fuck-friends grabs a snack.

[ohprettyweeper-moved]

OYE Timestamp: New Year’s

Summary: Tyler and Americus, and Frank and Emerson, spend their first New Year’s as couples.  Pairing: Tyler x OFC Americus, Frank Iero x OFC Emerson Word Count: 1430 Warnings: None?

Anon Request: For your December requests can I request a time stamp for Open Your Eyes? What did the couples do for New Years Eve? Thank you!!!

Thanks for requesting, Nonnie! If anyone hasn’t read Open Your Eyes yet, you can find it here!

Wanna request a fic?

The week after Christmas found both couples ready to celebrate the New Year together. Frank and Emerson were with her family in Jersey, while Americus and Tyler were back in Los Angeles, preparing for the new tour that would start at the end of January. 

“You were in Los Angeles for like a minute and a half,” Americus teased Emerson during their FaceTime call. 

“I know,” Emerson giggled, “but I had that shoot that came up real quick, and I couldn’t turn it down. I’m back in Jersey until Mom’s wedding in a couple of weeks. At least we got to have lunch and catch up!”

“Beer, burritos, and boys,” Americus sighed. “My favorite kind of lunch date.”

Emerson laughed again. “Same. You and Tyler have big plans?”

“Mmm, kinda. Our families are going to hang out and play games. Nothing too crazy.”

“Same here — well, Frankie’s hanging out with me and my family, anyway.”

They talked about their plans for the next week or so, and then finished off the call. Emerson plugged her phone into the charger, then headed downstairs to help her mother finish getting the food ready for everyone coming over that evening. 

“You told them not to embarrass me, right?”

Graham stepped up behind them and snuck a sweet pickle from the tray. “You really think it matters, Em?”

“Graham!” Tanya scolded, swatting him away from the snacks. “Everyone will be here in thirty minutes — why don’t you make yourself useful and fill the cooler?”

Her stepfather winked at Emerson before going off to do what his fiancee had directed him to do. Emerson nudged her mom with her elbow.

“Be nice to him. I actually like him. Don’t you remember how long it took you to get someone I like?”

Tanya smiled. “He is pretty great, isn’t he? And, speaking of great, where’s Frank?”

“Upstairs, taking a shower.” Emerson let out a deep breath. “Am I crazy? I’ve dived in deep with this one, but it’s quick, and right on the heels of John.”

Tanya snorted. “Your ex’s name is Jeff, sweetheart. And I think if Frank is good enough to make you forget your ex’s name after you dated the other guy for two years, you’re on the right track.”

Emerson bit her lip and took a deep breath, knowing that her mom was right. The timing had been just exactly perfect for Frank to come in and capture her heart. 

Nervous about where Tyler was leading her, Americus toyed with the locket around her neck. The wind was calm, so it wasn’t as cold as the snow-laden ground would normally give away. They walked down the street hand-in-hand, until they were in the field down the street from his house where they used to go when they were kids. In the middle of the field was a blanket, spread out in the snow, and with a candle at each corner, keeping the blanket from flying away. 

“Ty …” she whispered, taking it in. 

“I wanted to do Christmas lights, but I wasn’t sure how to do that in the middle of the field.”

“This is amazing,” Americus smiled. “Uh, there’s still like three hours till midnight, though. We’re not staying out here the whole time, right?”

Tyler chuckled and helped her sit down on the blanket. He sat down, too, pulling her between his legs with her back against his chest. “No, we’re not staying out here the whole time. I just wanted to talk to you, and this seemed like the place to do it.”

Her fingers went to the locket again, this time wrapping around it tightly. “I hate that phrase.”

“I know, and I’m sorry,” he said softly, holding her tighter. “It’s — over the last few weeks, I’ve remembered what it was like when we were kids. I could always talk to you, I always wanted to be around you. I know we talked about feelings that were there before, but I think — I really think maybe I was in love with you back then, and I just didn’t know it.”

Americus leaned her head back on his shoulder, turning so that she could kiss his cheek. “I know just what you mean.”

“I’m glad you do,” Tyler said, tugging her arm gently so that she turned to look at him, “because I still love you now, ‘Mericus. I tried to push it away, thinking that I was falling again, but this isn’t a new feeling. It’s familiar, and it’s you.”

Americus thought her heart might beat out of her chest. Tears welled in her eyes, illuminated by the candles around the blanket. Instead of overthinking this like she had done way too often in her life, Americus let her heart answer him. 

“I love you, too, Tyler,” she whispered. 

He broke into a full grin, pulling her in for a strong kiss. She threw her arms around his neck, so Tyler stood them up. Sitting down and holding her just wasn’t enough; he needed to pick her up off the ground and kiss her … which was exactly what he did. 

Ten! Nine! Eight! 

As the midnight countdown started, Frank pulled Emerson out onto the front porch. The Christmas lights still on the house illuminated their faces as the countdown continued. When it hit midnight on the East Coast, Frank cupped Emerson’s face with his hands and kissed her sweetly. She pulled back with a smile. 

“You can kiss me in front of my mom, you know,” Emerson teased. 

“I know. But I wanted our first kiss of the year to be in the same place where we had our first ever kiss.”

For that, Emerson went up on tiptoe to kiss him again. “How’d I get so lucky to find you?”

Frank pretended to think for a minute. “Mmm, I think it started with you looking for a job?”

Emerson laughed, leaning against him. “True, true. Guess it’s a good thing you decided to get into the shoe game.”

“Yeah,” Frank agreed, kissing the tip of her nose. “Guess so.”

They stood like that for a few minutes, until Tanya and Graham came out with glasses of champagne for everyone. Frank and Emerson toasted with each other, and then sipped at the bubbly drink. 

Later that night, when they were tucked warm next to each other in bed, Frank propped his head up on one hand, his hand on her tummy. 

“So, your mom’s wedding is in a couple of weeks?”

Emerson nodded. “Yeah. You’re gonna come with me, right?”

“Well …” Frank drawled out, “actually, I was thinking, maybe I would just stick around here until the wedding. I don’t have to stay here with you, I can get a hotel. I wanna spend more time getting to know you, Emerson. Spend more time getting to know this amazing woman that has stolen my heart.”

Emerson smiled, remembering that she had thought something very similar that morning. “That sounds perfect, Frankie. And please — don’t worry about a hotel, unless you really want the space. Mom and Graham won’t mind, and I certainly don’t.”

Frank leaned forward to kiss her before letting his head fall to the pillow. He pulled Emerson to his side and kissed her forehead. 

“Happy New Year, Emmy.”

She smiled, her cheek against his chest. “Happy New Year, Frankie.”

When midnight came to Ohio, Americus and Tyler shared a soft kiss before turning and exchanging hugs with their family members. More board games ensued, until Americus could no longer stifle the yawns that were encouraging her to hit the hay. 

“C’mon, trooper,” Tyler encouraged, tugging her out of her chair. “I’ll tuck you into my bed.”

Americus nodded, waving at everyone as she held tight to Tyler’s hand and followed him down the stairs. She traded out her jeans for a pair of Tyler’s sweatpants and crawled onto his bed. Her eyes were already closed when she pulled the elastic from her hair and flipped it onto her wrist. 

Tyler smoothed the hair back from her face and kissed her temple. “I’m gonna hang out for a while, then I’ll come down with you, okay?”

Americus nodded. “Love you, Ty.”

He smiled. “I love you, ‘Mericus.”

Before he turned off the light and headed back upstairs, Tyler took one more glance at the girl in his bed — his childhood crush who had become the love of his life — and smiled. 

“Perfect way to bring in the New Year,” Tyler whispered to himself before flipping the switch for the lights and heading back upstairs.