Chapter Text
Hope frowned as the light hit her eyes and she shield her face holding a hand to see past the blinding lights. She had accepted that stupid challenge, to find she was standing in front of a microphone, a crowd seemingly waiting for her.
What was this? Karaoke? When had she even gotten here?
However she had gotten there, the tribrid decided to take full advantage of the situation. She wasn’t about to let a group of teenagers decide they could kill her with some stage fright. Instead of doing what she wanted to do, (start feeding on students) the tribrid found herself using a quick spell before a melody started playing. Might as well make use of the situation.
The tribrid heard the background music start and she frowned as she recognized the tune. This wasn’t the one she wanted. Adele at that?
And yet, she just went along with it.
If you're not the one for me
She started off somewhat quiet as her hands discreetly wrung around the microphone. Her eyes caught sight of the girl she was looking for.
Josie. Of course it was Josie. It had always been Josie.
Then how come I can bring you to your knees?
She once remembered a conversation. Vaguely in the back of her mind. Something about blind spots. She remembered how Lizzie’s was Jo. And Hope’s at the time was Landon. Fucking Landon. She was glad that phase was over. He had been so detrimental for her how could she not see that? How toxic they had been, (literally) to each other.
But then she remembered considering maybe Josie’s was her. The thought crossed her mind a few times.
If you're not the one for me
Her eyes locked on to the siphoner as she sang. The crowd all but disappearing as her confidence grew.
Why do I hate the idea of being free?
She remembered that having her humanity shut off was starting to get boring. Because deep down, the tribrid always knew what she wanted. Or, perhaps, who she wanted.
And if I'm not the one for you
And yet the one she wanted? Had someone. A certain someone who was wrapped under her arm watching Hope with a narrowed gaze.
You've gotta stop holding me the way you do
It was like Hope got a boost of confidence as she swayed slightly as she sung the lyrics, swaying to the beat as she kept her gaze as the world melted away.
Oh, honey, if I'm not the one for you
Why have we been through what we have been through?
She remembered the craziness they went through. From coming to the Salvatore school, the school tour, the twins eleventh birthday party, the fanfic experience and Hope setting the woods on fire. Hope’s isolation until she became kindred spirits with Josie.
Memories flashing before her eyes too quickly to keep up with.
It's so cold out here in your wilderness
And ever since the brunette picked Finch it was like Hope was left abandoned. That’s how she felt at times, anyway. Josie had always been apart of her life, in some way, and now here she was.
I want you to be my keeper
She wanted Josie. Always had, deep down. Even without her humanity, she wasn’t entirely sure if she would be able to ever kill the brunette.
But not if you are so reckless
But it seemed not only her own self that kept her from that, but Josie as well.
If you're gonna let me down, let me down gently
Hope narrowed her gaze as she sang, as if she were challenging the siphoner.
Don't pretend that you don't want me
She knew that despite everything, there had to be some part of Josie that still longed to be with Hope.
Our love ain't water under the bridge
Just because her humanity was off, just because she had Finch, Hope knew she needed to remind the girl, remind herself as well that whatever was happening between them, wasn’t done. Not by a long shot.
If you're gonna let me down, let me down gently
She had been left, by far too many, far too quick to be heartbroken like she was nothing. She needed closure.
Don't pretend that you don't want me
Our love ain't water under the bridge
Woah-woah
Say that our love ain't water under the bridge
Hope sang the rest of the song, gaining confidence as she knew based off the look reflected on Josie’s face, she understood the song was for her.
Good.
The song slowly ended and Hope put the microphone back on its stand and promptly walked off the stage, not casting a second glance back at the girl she had sung to.
With her humanity off, Adele wasn’t really her taste.
———————
“Then tell me what was happening up there!”
At Finches words Josie sighed, tugging her arm out of her girlfriends grasp as she kept walking down the hallway.
“Nothing, Finch. Don’t worry about it.” She said somewhat placatingly. She hadn’t expected Hope to do what she had done up there.
“It’s not nothing! She was singing to you!” Finch accused, eyes narrowing.
“She wasn’t.” Josie said sternly.
Before the werewolf could respond, a new voice interrupted them.
“Actually, I was.”
At the recogniztion of who the voice belonged to, both Josie and Finch stopped in their tracks turning to see Hope. The tribrid was standing calmly near the end of the hall.
Great. Just what she needed. An absolutely unhinged tribrid to deal with.
“I knew it.” Finch hissed out before her eyes flickered back at Josie.
“So what— what happened between you two? Cause just ‘friends’ don’t sing about love being water under the bridge to each other.”
Josie sighed, feeling caught in a sticky situation. She had been essentially cornered, trapped between the two. Finch on one side and Hope on the other.
The siphon witch ran an uneasy hand through her hair.
“Listen, it doesn’t matter, what Hope said—”
“Oh, so it doesn’t matter? The little dance we’ve been doing around each other for years ?” The tribrid interrupted, taking a few steps towards Josie.
“I would honestly think you wouldn’t play stupid, Jo. You and I both know that you never got over your little crush on me.”
At the words, Josie felt her heart leap in her chest as she mentally scrambled for an explanation. Anything. She knew this position. She was prey. And Hope was the predator.
“ Crush?! ” At Finches voice grating with surprise, Josie nearly whirled around and told her girlfriend to can it. Nearly .
She was trying to remain level headed. But being stuck between your long time secret crush and your current girlfriend doesn’t afford many options of remaining calm. It felt like trying to defuse a bomb, but it crept closer to the time of detonation and there wasn’t much time to do rational things.
Deny it, and Hope might just come for her throat. Confirm it, and her girlfriend might just dump her.
There was no easy answer for this, and time was closing in.
“No, it’s— it’s complicated.” The girl tried to say.
“Bullshit. You and I both know that you never stopped crushing on me. I mean, hell . Didn’t you have Finch try and locate me and were staying up until god knows when, trying to figure out a way to help me?” Of course Hope wouldn’t let it go.
Josie caught her girlfriend’s eyes narrowing at the words being said before she caught her gaze, and Josie looked away.
“How do you know that?” Josie decided to ask instead.
“Word travels fast. Haven’t you heard the student gossip lately? Because I have.” Hope said bluntly.
“What gossip?!” Finch all about screeched.
At the sound of Finches insecurity Josie could see Hopes eyes practically light up with glee.
“I’m sure it’s nothing.” Josie tried weakly while shooting a glare towards Hope.
Unfortunately, it didn’t seem that the tribrid cared.
“Oh, you know. I scared some random student to tell me every detail of what had been happening since I left. And they mainly talked about how Josie Saltzman had a weird way of dealing with her grief.”
That made Josie bristle.
“How I deal with how you about murdered my father, is none of your business.” She snapped.
“Ooh, you got bite.” Hope responded with a grin that showed off nothing but teeth.
“How did Josie deal!? Did she cheat?!”
That also made Josie to whirl around giving her girlfriend a shocked look.
“Do you really think I would cheat ?!” She exclaimed.
“Well, clearly I don’t know you like I thought.” A hand gestures to the tribrid.
“Besides, it seems like she’s got a point. All you’ve been doing lately is ditching me. And for what?!”
“I am trying to get my fucking father out of a coma that—” Josie, filled with anger, whirled around pointing a harsh finger at the tribrid’s chest.
“ —You put him in,” she turned back around to face Finch.
“And in order to do that, we need Hope!”
“Hope this, Hope that. All you ever talk about is Hope!” Finch shot back her eyes glowing gold.
“That’s because she matters! And I seem to be the only person to care about her!” Josie shot back.
“Well then stop! Can’t you be normal amount of obsessed like the rest of us!?” Finch yelled back.
At the words Josie felt hurt, not responding but instead looking at her girlfriend in shock.
“As amusing as this is, I feel like I should break this up. I need to borrow Josie.” Hope said.
It was then Finch seemed to finally see Hope.
“ You . This is all of your fault.” She began. Josie immediately stepped up to her girlfriend.
“Finch. No. I promise you, this won’t work out well for you.” She murmured trying to calm down the werewolf.
“You really should heel , and listen to your owner,” Hope piped up with a shit eating grin.
Before Josie could even move two things happened.
Josie was all but shoved out of the way by Finch and nearly fell, before a hand steadied her for a split second it left as quickly as it came and then Hope had hoisted Finch up against the wall, forearm against the other girls throat.
“Shoving your girlfriend to attack me, isn’t such a smart move.” The tribrid growled out.
Finch snarled, snapping her teeth angrily at Hope as her eyes glowed.
Josie sighed quietly rubbing at her face.
“You can either can it, or I’ll snap your neck.” Hope snarled out getting in the other girls face.
“And leave Josie alone.”
Those words surprised Josie, as she looked up.
But she could see her girlfriend starting to struggle for breath and sighed. She strode over to grab the tribrid and siphon from her in hopes to get the girls attention but before she could there was a woosh of wind and Josie found herself pushed against a wall. Opposite of where Finch was on the ground trying to catch her breath.
“I’m just surprised.” Hope said eyes locked onto Josie’s.
But Josie didn’t see the surprise. Not necessarily. While her words were one thing, Josie could see it. Her eyes were telling a different story.
She seemed, offended? Perhaps hurt even.
“Well you shouldn’t be.” She whispered out.
Hope pulled away as Finch got up.
For a split second Josie thought there was going to be a round two before the werewolf spoke up.
“I am tired. All you ever seem to do is put Hope first. And when Lizzie warned me of that obsession, I wasn’t prepared for my girlfriend to be up in someone else’s business. Fuck all the shit you said about staying. You don’t. So I won’t. We’re done. ”
With that, Finch turned around, and stormed off.
Josie felt her heart plummet as she went to chase after her, before a hand stopped her and she looked to find Hope.
“Don’t. Don’t do it, unless you actually care about fixing the real issue. Don’t chase after her if you are going to keep loving me.”
It was Josie’s turn to look at the tribrid in complete and utter shock at the words, not even moving from surprise.
Instead she let her gaze linger on Finches retreating form, but made no move to follow the other girl.
She knew Hope was right. Even without her humanity she was right.
“You have to choose one of us. Eventually.” Came the whispered words.
Before Josie could say anything, a brush of wind and Hope was gone, leaving her in a completely empty hallway.