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Hope didn’t care for the cold.
She would never outright admit it but she didn’t just hate it, she was scared of it. It brought back too many memories of The Hollow. She was always so cold when that thing was eating her alive.
She never had to worry much about feeling cold because Mystic Falls wasn’t exactly known for harsh winters and she’d activated her wolf side. Werewolves ran warm.
But this winter wasn’t just a harsh one. It was like someone had pissed off a weather-controlling being and they’d decided to rain down icy hell on the town of Mystic Falls.
That was MG’s working theory at least.
Not that Hope paid attention to what the other kids thought. She was above all of that. Besides, they were safer away from her.
“Not going to have fun in the snow?” A voice called Hope out of her depressing thoughts.
She’d know that voice anywhere, could pick it out of a noisy room. The smooth and light tone always used by the owner of said voice always made Hope feel warm.
Josie Saltzman was standing off to the side of the couch but she could still be seen out of the corner of Hope’s eye.
Mikaelsons didn’t get crushes but … Hope definitely had a crush.
Josie was just so warm.
Hope was drawn to her, she loved her energy and bright, bubbly personality. Josie was a spark waiting to be ignited but she already shined bright. At least to her — and Penelope Park but Hope preferred not to think of Josie’s ex who was very much still in love with the girl.
But Josie wasn’t allowed to know any of that. Hope had lost too many people already. Remembering her parents and uncle brought the cold rushing back in. She missed them.
She always would. And she deserved it, it was her fault that they were gone. She’d torn her family apart because she was so desperate to bring them back together.
“I’ll leave that to you and the rest of your little squad.” Hope replied snarkily, turning back to stare out the window. She desperately wished for Josie to take the hint and leave her alone.
Hope was lounging on the couch in what was once the Salvatore living room with her right leg crossed over her left, her head was resting lazily on her propped up left hand.
Unlike Lizzie, Josie never decided that she’d had enough. She kept trying to extend the olive branch, waiting for the day Hope would accept it.
Hope didn’t know how much longer she could keep pushing her away. One day she was going to snap and instead of accepting the olive branch, she would use it to pull Josie in close and never let go. If she got to have this one thing she’d never be able to go back. She’d immediately jump in the deep end of the pool.
Instead of giving up and walking away, Josie took a seat next to Hope.
“I haven’t seen you go outside in a while, since the temperature dropped actually.” It wasn’t a question and it was clear Josie didn’t mean it as one. She was offering Hope a listening ear.
Hope didn’t want to open up, she wanted Josie to leave her alone. No, that’s a lie. She wanted Josie to stay, it was better for Josie if she left while she could.
“Do you stalk people for fun or is this just some advanced form of people-watching?”
Hope wanted to pout when Josie didn’t even blink, she just raised an eyebrow at her response. Damn Lizzie Saltzman for making Josie immune to her snark.
“Neither, it’s just you really. It’s hard not to watch you,” Josie admitted turning her head to hide a shy smile, before turning back to Hope and moving the conversation forward like she hadn’t just knocked the wind out of Hope’s lungs, “don’t like the cold?”
Hope swallowed, her throat felt dry all of a sudden, “not everyone wants to spend time in the snow, making snow angels or whatever it is you and your friends have been doing out there the past few weeks.”
“Watch me a lot do you?” Josie attempted to tease but she was beaming much too bright for the tone to come through the right way.
“Yes — wait, I mean no — shit — that wasn’t what it sounded like,” Hope blurted out and started rambling, she was supposed to be the cool one damn it, “please, leave me to die out of embarrassment in peace.”
Josie placed her own hand atop Hope’s right hand which was resting on the couch in the space between them. Hope inhaled sharply, her gaze shooting downward to gape at the hand resting on her’s. She could feel Josie’s warmth. She wanted to absorb it.
To own it.
She could feel her body lean towards Josie of its own accord.
Josie’s smile turned shy again, “are you okay?”
Hope took a deep breath before gulping anxiously and wetting her bottom lip, a movement tracked by Josie, “no.”
The admission seemed to take Josie by surprise but her gaze softened, “okay.”
Josie used the hand resting atop Hope’s to lift her hand and move it to her knee. Once the space between them was free Josie scooted closer and rearranged herself so she could wrap an arm around Hope’s shoulders.
Hope leaned into the hold immediately. It was like a dam had broken and washed away all of her self-control.
“Josie —” Hope begun, lifting her head to warn Josie.
“No,” Josie was quick to interrupt, “it’s a hug, you need one.”
And just like that Hope crashed back into Josie. She could feel her body attempting to make itself as small as possible as if she could surround herself with Josie’s warmth.
“I miss them so much.” Hope’s voice cracked, her grief felt like it was exploding out of her.
Josie hummed, Hope could feel the vibrations it sent travelling down Josie’s chest, but refrained from saying anything. Even though she could no longer see her face Hope had a feeling Josie was curious.
“The Hollow was so cold. Now every time I shiver even the tiniest bit I’m filled with this overwhelming sadness,” Hope’s eyes welled up as she talked but she continued on, whispering her next words, Hope confessed, “and guilt .”
“I had a feeling. When Lizzie and I pulled that thing out of you we felt the chill,” Josie seemed to hesitate before choosing her next words very carefully, “Hope, it wasn’t your fault.”
“I offered my mum up to those Nazi Vampires on a silver platter when I kidnapped her! I was so desperate to have my family back I got my parents killed —” Hope broke off as a sob clawed its way out of her throat.
Josie tightened her hold on Hope, bringing her other hand up to caress the Tribrid’s cheeks.
“You didn’t know that would happen, you were just a fourteen-year-old who wanted her family to be reunited. Yeah, most people probably wouldn’t have kidnapped their mother but no one in this school is well-adjusted enough to not do the same thing if it would give them a family.”
Hope let out a soft bark of laughter before sniffling, “Lizzie would probably do it if it meant your mum would stop travelling.”
“Yeah, probably. Even I can admit that my twin is super co-dependent on our mum.”
Hope detached herself from Josie and leaned back to look at her face which was filled with worry and concern. But all Hope could focus on was how close their faces were. It was too late, now that she’d gotten a taste of the warmth she could never go back.
“How long have you been watching me?” Hope whispered, not wanting to break the moment.
“A long time, since before Roman stole you away.”
Hope leaned forward and pressed their foreheads together, moving her hands to rest on Josie’s hips, still whispering she muttered, “you’re warm.”
Josie seemed to get what she meant because instead of confusion, understanding crossed her features. Josie was the one to close the gap.
It was just their lips pressing together, a juvenile kiss, but Hope felt warmth blossom in her chest.
Hope leaned back and smiled softly at Josie, bringing a hand up to tuck a strand of hair behind Josie’s ear, “I’ve never made a snow angel before.”
Josie tilted her head at the admittance.
“When my mum was raising me by moving us around constantly and picking houses in the middle of nowhere I wasn’t allowed to go outside. It was too dangerous. After that was when I got possessed and I started hating the cold. I never did any of the things you have. I’ve barely left the school this winter.” Hope explained.
“It’s more fun with friends.” Josie bit her lip.
“Just friends?” Hope questioned, her voice hopeful.
“No, I’ve wanted this for too long.” Josie confessed.
Hope ran her tongue along her lips, wetting them, “I was trying to protect you.”
Josie stared at her in a way that made Hope feel like she was looking into her soul, “what made you stop?”
“You’ve never been this close to me before.” Hope shrugged.
“Well, when you’re ready we can go outside and see how you feel. Don’t try to embrace the cold if you’re not ready.”
Hope nibbled on her bottom lip, unsure of how to phrase what she wanted to say, “I think I’ll be good, as long as you’re there. And if you were offering more warm hugs I wouldn’t object.”
Josie’s lips twitched up, “is the great Hope Mikaelson asking me to cuddle with her?”
“Shut up, it’s huddling for warmth.” Hope huffed but her smile was too wide, it gave away that she wasn’t actually annoyed.
“Well,” Josie seemed to hesitate before saying her next words, “your girlfriend will be very happy to provide.”
Her girlfriend. Josie was Hope’s now.
Hope just had to yank Josie down for another, way less chaste, kiss after that.