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They are still kissing when a cold breeze makes Hope shiver despite Landon’s arms tightly wrapped around her. He pulls away kissing her cheek.
Landon presses his forehead against hers; her eyes still closed, “We should probably head back inside”, he whispers rubbing her cold arms. Her eyes flutter open before nodding, a small smile on her face.
They silently walk through the empty halls of the school and make their way to Landon and Raf’s room. He opens the door and notices Hope’s boots and bag on the chair next to his bed.
He turns around to look at her, removing his jacket. “Did you sleep here last night?”
“Uh, yeah, sorry. I don’t exactly have a room here yet, anyway.” Hope’s voice comes out shakier than she intended to. She’s still a little nervous and she knows that the kiss doesn’t necessarily mean they’re back together; they still need to talk about the elephant in the room, and if she was being honest with herself, she was scared.
“Don’t apologize. It’s okay.” Landon reassures her, taking her out of her thoughts. He then moves toward his drawer and hands her some cotton sweatpants and a t-shirt, “Here”.
Hope looks at him quizzingly. “I don’t assume you have pajamas here either, do you?” he jokes making her squint her eyes, grinning.
“Thank you.” She goes to change in the bathroom. When she comes back, she finds him sitting on his bed with his pajamas on himself. Landon gives her a small smile, “can we talk now or would you rather we do that tomorrow?” He asks.
“Now’s fine.”
“Then, come here.” Landon encourages, standing up and moving back the covers on the bed.
They lay down quietly for a few seconds, “So…”, he begins.
Hope clears her throat, “I honestly don’t know where to start.”
“Why don’t you start by telling me what happened after you snapped my neck right after we kissed?” he pokes her stomach trying to ease her nerves, she chuckles and playfully slaps his shoulder.
“I’m sorry about that”, she adds. Landon nods waiting for her to continue. “Um, I basically did a mimic spell so your brother couldn’t escape and made him jump into the pit with me.”
“Ok, and how did you get out?”
“Well, in a nutshell: because I’m a tribrid and all, I happen to be toxic to Malivore. Clarke figured it out sooner than I did; whenever Malivore tried to send me back he would grab onto me and Malivore, of course, didn’t want that so I was stuck over the summer until I left him behind as soon as I figured it out.” She explains.
“Once I was out, I came to the school,” Landon was listening intently, furrowed brow. “I ran into Dorian, he said everyone was already gone for the summer. I opened the school gates when he left, and then…” she looked away before adding, “well, I saw that you and Josie were kissing.”
He grabs her hand, “I’m sorry.”
“I know, but it wasn’t your fault either.” She’s keeping herself focused by playing with his fingers. “After that, I was about to leave town when another one of the monsters turned over a bus.”
“But why didn’t you just tell me you were back?”
“Funny you say that” she chuckled, “Holographic prism-you told me something similar that night, but what was I supposed to say, Landon? ‘Hey, I’m sorry but you two can’t do that, you’re my friend and that’s my boyfriend, please stop’?” she closes her eyes, sighing, “would you have even believed me?”
Landon doesn’t answer right away; however, he gets closer and lifts her chin, “Hey,” her watery eyes lock with his, “I can’t tell you what would’ve or wouldn’t have happened because even I don’t know that.” His thumb wipes the single tear that falls from her eye.
Hope leans into his hand currently on her cheek and kisses his palm, “I really missed you.” She whispers. He flashes her a smile before kissing the top of her head, inhaling deeply before moving back again so he can see her.
“Do you remember that night at the town’s square when I gave you the milkshake?” His voice breaking as he asks softly; she nods. “Well, I- I think my subconscious was trying to make me remember you by giving me hints over the summer.”
“What do you mean ‘over the summer’?”
“Every time I drowned myself, I would see flashes of you.” Landon moves some of her locks behind her ear while he continues, “Only bits and pieces, sometimes I could hear you clearer than others. I think that’s why I was so drawn to you then and at the game…and the times after.” He shrugs.
She stares at him for a moment, not saying anything which starts to make Landon nervous, “What?” he asks.
“Why were you drowning yourself, Landon?” Hope mutters, and the question takes him a little aback, so he takes some time before he answers.
“Honestly, I… I just felt like the most important part of my life was missing. And it was, you weren’t there and I didn’t know it, Raf wasn’t fully there either.” He sighs, shaking his head, “I don’t know, I guess the idea of being alone and immortal wasn’t all that appealing at the time.”
Hope wasn’t going to ask him what made him stop when she knew the answer already, and as much as it hurt her, she was glad he had Josie, and that they both had each other when they needed someone to contain them. She just wished things could’ve been a little different to save everyone from hurting.
“God, I shouldn’t have jumped in the first place,” she exhales deeply, avoiding his eyes. “I was only trying to protect you, and our friends but instead I-“
“Hey,” Landon interrupts her, “if I remember correctly, and I do now,” he winks, “I did say that I forgave you for anything that needed it.”
Hope looks up remembering the same words he told her at Triad’s headquarters.
“That still applies, Hope.”
They spend the next couple of hours catching up and putting all their fears and feelings on the table; Hope told him about her time in Malivore, how exhausted she was after a week of chasing the not-troll-but-cyclops and her heartbreak when she realized that despite him remembering her milkshake order, he was still with Josie, and she was the one giving him relationship advice.
Landon let out his bottled-up emotions, his guilt and anger for not remember her sooner, his frustration because she didn’t think to tell him before jumping into the pit, and the way he couldn’t keep his promises. He had hurt her again without even knowing, they had all ended up getting hurt, and with the monsters still after him, everything they went through felt pointless.
After some time, they decided a break and some snacks were needed, so now, they were both back in bed just enjoying each other’s warmth.
“Simu-you was adorable, you know,” Hope says, her finger drawing random patterns on his chest. He squeezes his left arm around her and turns his head to face her making a face.
“No, he was annoying,” he complains, “but he didn’t lie.” Hope moves from his side, lifting herself up and resting her head on her hand. “Yesterday, I was scared.” He continues. “That’s why I didn’t tell you how I felt, I didn’t want to hurt anyone so I left. I’m sorry for acting the way I did, I know it wasn’t fair to you-”
Hope leans forward and cuts him off kissing his lips. “But you were hurting too.” She says sitting properly. Landon pushes himself up on the bed too so he’s resting against the headboard; he’s about to continue but Hope interrupts him again.
“Don’t. What did we say earlier? No more apologies for at least a few days. We both hurt each other without meaning to, Landon.”
“Alright then, from now on, no more lies or secrets between us.” He proposes as he extends his right hand in front of her. She smiles and takes it. “You’re practically invincible, and I can’t be killed, at least not permanently anyway.”
“We don’t know that.”
“We don’t, but let’s just promise each other to not make stupidly impulsive decisions that involve self-sacrificing without letting the other one know about it first.”
“Okay”
“You have to say it, Mikaelson.” He nudges her.
“I promise to not make or do anything impulsive, Landon” her nose scrunches as she laughs, shaking her head. Landon stares in awe for a split second before launching forward and grabbing her face between his hands. They’re both smiling as their lips crash together. Hope’s hands immediately tangle in his hair, her thumb caressing his cheek.
He pulls away first, looking at her straight in the eyes. “We’re in this together, Hope. You don’t need to keep making sacrifices when you have friends who can lend you a hand from time to time.”
“I know.” She pecks his lips once more.
Landon notices the clock on the wall. 3:49 am.
“You ready to sleep now?”
“Yeah, I think so.” She says and cuddles closer to his body under the covers. “Thank you.” She mumbles into his chest, arms around him.
“What?”
“Nothing,” she laughs, “I love you, Landon Kirby.”
He hugs her tightly, closing his eyes, “I love you, too, Hope Mikaelson.”
After a long night full of vulnerability, tears and bad jokes, they were able to sleep through the night without any nightmares for the first time in weeks; the weight on their chests finally lifting.
They both knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but they could trust the other would be there to help them figure it out. They had finally found their way back to each other, and now, there was no going back.