Archive of Our Own

   When Hope was little she used to be so curious about the red string attached to her pinky. She used to tilt her head and just stare at the wall it went through in wonder. 

   Because here was this string, a very long string, that just didn’t seem to care about objects but Hope could touch it. She could pull on it with her fingers and the string would move but other than that the string seemed to not give a shit about the objects it passed through like nothing. 

   She remembers asking her family about it. She remembers the stories they told her with tears in their eyes and sad smiles on their faces. 

   She remembers every detail and every warning she was given by her family regarding the string and her soulmate on the other end. 

   Hope doesn't know why she never said anything at first. She was young when she first met Josie under the disguise as Hope Marshall and maybe that’s why or all the warnings she received. 

   Josie never said anything either. 

   And as the years ticked by and Hope’s family went she started to realize why Josie never said anything. It was simple and not simple all at the same time. It was so heartbreaking but god, Hope knew of course it would be her. 

   Of course she would have an unrequited soulmate and of course it would be Josie fucking Saltzman. 

   And even with the knowledge Josie wasn’t her soulmate Hope could never find herself to try and date or explore. Because how could she? Josie was all consuming. She was bright and wonderful and soft and so not soft if you looked at her the right way. 

   She was absolutely everything to Hope and it screamed in her head. The poor girl never had a chance to think about anyone else and never would.

   Josie's name rang in her head like a beautiful song, a symphony that made her weep on days end but feel so much love and want and just overwhelming warmth.

   So to put it simply, Hope never had a chance. 

   To make matters worse she couldn’t stay away from Josie. They were friends, best friends and Hope even felt guilty for wanting more. 

   Josie deserved better, she would say to herself. It’s why she didn’t have Hope. It’s why Hope was alone because her family was a mess and Josie deserved the world not that. 

   Hope being 17 now, they had sort of a routine. They studied in the library together, ate with their friends and even sometimes went out to town together. 

  It was things friends did, Hope reminded herself. Josie held her hand like friends did, Josie looked at her like friends did, Josie hugged her and held her like friends did. 

   Friends, she reminded herself for the millionth time that day. 

   Right now they were in the library, books were sprawled out on the table and Josie was reading silently. The scratching of her pen was loud in Hope's ears but Josie's soothing heart was louder. 

   Hope's eyes wandered to the little string between them. It moved side to side as Josie wrote, the string twisted into a loop between them reaching down and almost touching the floor. 

   She fought back the sigh that wanted to escape her. She shifted in the wooden chair looking around the library. It was Saturday and she was surprised to even see as many kids as she did. 

   “Isn't there a party tonight?” Hope spoke. She looked towards the wall, seeing the time before looking back at the kids around them. 

   “Don’t even get me started,” Josie groaned. The pen she was once holding was dropped on the notebook roughly. “Lizzie has been going on and on about it since Wednesday when the new students arrived.”

   “Why?” Hope asked, confused. 

   Josie seemed distraught now, she rolled her shoulder before sitting back into the chair. “I think she’s trying to get MG jealous again,” she grumbled, “which just means that they’ll end up in our room and I’ll be kicked out again .”

   Hope chuckled lightly, the small glare Josie sent her doing the opposite of what Josie probably intended it to. It made Hope feel warm, a soft thrumming she wished she could sink into with the girl. 

   “Well,” Hope spoke lightly, she looked away from Josie and down at the books, “you're always welcome in my room.” 

   “I know,” Josie said, a softness to her voice. “I don’t want to disturb you though.”

   “Josie.” Hope looked up at her pointedly. “Seriously, it's fine. Haven't you been wanting to watch some movie anyway?”

   Josie gasped. She sat up quickly with a hand to her chest and if Hope couldn’t hear her heartbeat she might have thought something was actually wrong. 

   “Some movie?” Josie gasped again. “How dare you say encanto is just a movie.”

   “Jo,” Hope warned but the smile on her face couldn’t be diminished. 

   “It’s ok,” Josie wiped a fake tera away, “you haven’t seen it but once you do you will be opened to a whole new world.”

   Hope laughed then, not at the pun but the proud look on Josie's face. It was embarrassing how easily the girl had her wrapped around her finger. 

   Hope looked away needing to hide the blush on her face. “I’m assuming this means movie marathon?”

   “Yes! I-I mean if that’s…alright?”

   “Of course it is. We can watch whatever you want.”

   “Great! I’ve been wanting to watch Mulan again anyway! God, I’d skip the whole party if I could.” 

   “Why don’t you?” Hope asked looking back at her, which really was a bad idea because Josie was pouting with her eyebrows furrowed and it was just so cute. 

   “Because I have to go, Lizzies orders. Which means I’ll probably be ditched so she can flirt with Raf.”

   “Who’s Raf?” Hope asked, confused. 

   “The new student, remember?” Hope hummed, she didn’t really remember but didn’t care that much to remember the new students. “He's a wolf and his adoptive brother the Phoenix?”

   “The one Lizzie kept calling bird boy.”

   “Yes, that one. Which my dad was really excited, oddly, something about having a third species that doesn’t fit the whole,” Josie paused to wave her hand around, “I guess you're kind of a part of the club with him.”

   “I’m not a part of anything,” Hope scoffed, “and I especially don’t want to be compared to a fairy and phoenix.”

   “Oh yeah,” Josie giggled, “because you're the big bad tribrid?”

   “You know,” Hope huffed, turning to the girl with the glare, “I’m the most powerful supernatural being, right?”

   “Hopey the big bad tribrid,” Josie continued teasingly. 

   Hope bit her tongue. A smile tugged at her lips but she was set on frowning and trying to do a menacing glare. 

   Josie just continued to laugh to the point she twisted in her chair with her head thrown back. Some people even turned to look at them but their eyes didn’t stay long when catching Hope's gaze. 

   “Alright,” Hope let out, “that’s enough, quiet before you get us kicked out.”

   “I’m sorry, it’s dumb, I’m sorry,” Josie laughed. She brought her hand to her mouth to hold in her laugh. “You're right, you shouldn’t be compared to them,” Josie said in a serious voice but then broke out into a grin as she said, “because you are very scary.”

   “Alright! Look at the time.” Hope got up quickly, starting to gather her stuff. 

   “No! No!” Josie laughed standing up. She quickly grabbed ahold of Hope's arm to stop her. “I’m sorry, really.”

   “Yeah.” Hope rolled her eyes but continued to put her books in her bag. “But I should go anyway.”

   When she met Josie's eyes again all her earlier playfulness was gone. “What why?”

   “Because I have some stuff to do and Lizzie probably wants you to get ready for the party. It’s late, Josie.”

   Josie's eyes went to the wall where the clock was before groaning loudly. “But I don’t even want to go.”

   “And I don’t want your sister blaming me for you not going.” Hope slung her backpack over her shoulder and gave Josie a soft smile. “I’ll see you at the party and then after we can watch movies, ok?”

   “With candy?” Josie asked hopefully. 

   “Of course.”

   “Fine,” Josie sighed reluctantly, letting go of Hope. “You better come Hope.”

   “I will, I swear.”

   Josie brought her hand up holding her pinky out and Hope inhaled sharply. She tried not to look at the string that dangled between them as she laced her pinky with Josies. 

   “Good, you can go now.”

   Hope rolled her eyes trying to fight off the way her heart was stuttering her chest. “Bye Josie.” She turned around and didn’t look back. 

   She couldn’t. Not after that but if she did turn around she would have seen the way Josie looked down at the string between them and watched it grow the father Hope went. 

   If only she turned around. 

~

   Hope hated parties. She’s never really had the best case when it came to interacting with people. Her family name was one of the reasons for that but she was always a loner. 

   As soon as she had gotten to the party she wanted to leave, but of course she promised and would never break that. 

   She looked through the crowd trying to follow the string to find Josie like she had promised. The old mill was full of people dancing and shouting. The stench of alcohol was strong in the air. 

   Before she could even get halfway through the room a body rammed into her. Hope cursed, liquid spilling between them and on her shirt, her hands stilled on arms out of instinct. 

   “Oh my god,” a males voice let out, “I am so sorry, shit, oh my god.” Hope let go and looked up quickly. “Do you need help-“ The boy extended his hands but then faltered, “uh-“

   Hope looked down at her shirt where the beer stained her and sighed. She muttered a spell under her breath and instantly she was dry and clean. 

   “Watch where you're going,” she snapped. He jumped back a step, frowning.

   “I’m really sorry. My names Landon, by the way.” Hope looked at him for a moment and then a small oh left her mouth. 

   Lizzies voice rang in her head about a curly haired boy who she called some insult regarding a bird. 

   “Hope, bye.” She turned and continued walking. 

   “Wait!” Landon rushed after her squeezing next to her side. “Could I get you a drink?” She raised her eyebrow at him and his face flushed. “Just to-to say sorry for ruining your shirt, is all, I swear.”

   “No.”

   “I feel really bad,” Landon mumbled. “Can I somehow make it up to you?”

   Hope sighed. A part of her wnated so badly to snap at him and tell him to fuck off but she had been scolded so many times for being unescarily mean. 

   And he was new, Hope thought, he probably didn’t have anyone and here she was being an asshole. 

   “Fine, you can get me a drink.” As soon as it came out of her mouth he beamed at her. “But that’s it.”

   “Yeah! Of course!” She couldn’t say anything else before he disappeared. She snorted watching him fumble through the people and awkwardly apologize to them. 

   She wondered if she should just stay here or leave. She looked around finding her string and looking towards where it continued trying to find Josie but she was too short to see over most of the people here. 

  She reluctantly decided to stay but couldn’t help but curl her pinky into her hand to watch the string be tugged. It was ever so slightly and it waved in the air before it stopped and Hope sighed. 

   “Hey! I got it!” Landon shouted quickly coming up to her. He almost tripped over someone but her hand was on his arm in an instant. 

   “I know you're a phoenix and all but can you not walk?” 

   “Sorry.” Landon held out the drink to her with a hopefulness in his eyes. 

   Hope took it and immediately broke his gaze, letting go of him. “Thanks,” she muttered. 

   “So uh, this school is pretty cool,” he tried to start. “How long have you gone here?”

   It took Hope a moment to register his question, even him speaking as she was still searching. “Um, a few years.”

   “That’s cool! You know I didn’t even know I was supernatural till I accidentally died and Dr.Saltzman found me.”

   “You had to die to realize?” Hope asked, turning towards him. He nodded but didn’t seem phased at all by what he said, he seemed giddy if anything. 

   “It was awesome! I apparently burst into flames, after the whole fear of dying was over it sounds pretty cool.”

   Hope didn’t know how to respond to that and she doesn’t know whether to be thankful or not that someone shouted Landons name. 

   “Hey!” A boy came up to them with a goofy smile that only grew when he set eyes on Hope. “I’m Rafael.” He extended his hand and Hope reluctantly shook it. 

   “Hope.”

  “Oh, you're that tribrid girl Jed was mentioning.”

   Hope scoffed immediately, crossing her arms and finally taking a gulp of the drink Landon gave her. The alcohol burned her throat but she didn’t care. 

   “Tribrid?” Landon asked with childlike curiosity. 

   “Yeah, she’s all three.”

   “That’s incredible!” Hope paused her chugging to look at the boy. She felt like it was anything but incredible but didn’t bother saying that. 

   “I’m assuming you don’t like Jed?” Rafael asked with a chuckle. 

   “Dislike cannot describe the frustration he gives me.” 

   Rafael laughed. “Oh man, I totally agree. He wants me to submit to him and join his pack but I don’t know. This all seems a little much.”

   “Give it some time,” Hope mumbled. She looked past Rafael, her eyes lighting up when she finally found Josie. 

   She was moving before they could even speak again. Josie was with Lizzie whispering quickly and Hope just smiled at the twin banter. 

   And then Josie looked away for a split second and her eyes found Hope. “There you are!” Josie exclaimed, cutting Lizzie off mid sentence. “I was beginning to think you weren’t coming.”

   “I swore, didn’t I?” Hope raised an eyebrow. 

   “Ugh thank god, I was trying to tell her you were too short to find in the sea of people,” Lizzie spoke. 

   “Says the giant.” Lizzie gasped, her eyes widening. She looked at Josie for some back up then back at Hope. 

   “You do know you're supposed to be the all powerful right? Did it skip the height department?” She snarked. 

   “Hey!” Josie squeaked, grabbing her sister's arm, “look who’s here.” Lizzies glare was pulled away from Hope and behind her. 

   “Oh! Raf, hey! Hi,” Lizzie let out in a rush. Her face became flushed and Hope rolled her eyes. 

   She would never understand how Lizzie could flirt or even look at other people knowing her soulmate. But here Lizzie was staring at Rafael like he very well could be hers. 

   “Hey,” Landon butted in awkwardly with a wave. 

   Lizzie looked at him with almost disgust. “So Raf, how are you doing at the school.” Lizzie was all over him in a second, wrapping her arm around his. 

   Rafael looked at her then at Josie then back at her and Hope felt her gut twist. “Good,” he mumbled. 

   “Why don’t we get you a drink?” Lizzie was pulling him off and the boy looked back towards Landon before his attention was stolen by Lizzie again.

   “She did that faster than I thought she would,” Josie muttered. Hope couldn’t help but laugh, she wondered if that was somehow a new record but doubted it. 

   “Will he be ok with her?” Landon asked worriedly, his eyes not wavering from where they left. 

   “Yeah,” Josie spoke, “honestly, I don’t think Rafael is interested and my sister is just using him to make her soulmate jealous.”

   “Oh,” Landon let out. He frowned a second later, turning back to them. “I guess that’s good because he doesn’t like her but I didn’t expect that.”

   “It’s some dumb game they play,” Josie said. “I don’t get it, it’s awful. I could never do that to my soulmate.”

   Hope brought her drink up to her lips and gulped a few times at that. “I feel like my soulmate wouldn’t care if I explored,” Landon shrugged. “I mean, there’s no harm right?”

   Hope thinks if she ever tried to even explore she would explode from guilt. Of course she didn’t say that out loud and instead finished her drink off. 

   “I’m gonna get another.” She squeezed Josies arm gently. “I’ll be back, ok?”

   “Yeah, I’ll stay here.” Hope looked at Landon for a moment wondering, he was far from a threat so Hope left her with him. 

   She would go crazy if they kept bringing up soulmates. It was hard enough for Hope to know deep down Josie wasn’t hers but hearing Josie talk about it just made her heart ache worse. 

   She found the drink table rather quickly and poured her own. She tilted her head back, drinking it faster then she should. 

   “Woah there,” Mg came up to her laughing, “you good?” He questioned as he made his own drink. 

   Hope pulled the cup away from her mouth wiping her lips. “Fine,” she muttered. She looked down where her string was then back to meet Mgs eyes. “Your girlfriend is flirting again.”

   “I know,” he let out. She didn’t understand how unbothered he was. It irked her, maybe more now than it ever had. 

   “Can I ask you something?”

   “Of course!”

   “How are you so ok with her…doing that?” She asked slowly. 

   “Well, she’s mine,” he said simply. The simplicity of it all surprised her. “I can say that, no one else can. I know at the end of the day she wants me, I know that her doing this is just because she wants me and I know she loves me. We’re soulmates, that’s a forever.”

   Hope bit her bottom lip and leaned against the table. “I could never,” she whispered. 

   “Everyones different, me and Lizzie are perfect for eachother, hence the soulmates,” he laughed.

   Was it guilty of her to wish her and Josie were perfect for one another? That Hope wasn’t so awful? She wanted it, wanted Josie, but she couldn’t have her. 

   “Did something happen?” Mg asked after a moment, sounding concerned. 

   “Of course not,” Hope spoke instantly. She shook her head trying to dissolve all the thoughts as she looked at the vampire. “Go find her, I have to get back to Josie.”

   “Ok, bye Hope.” He seemed unsure but Hope left him instantly. 

~

   Hope has no idea how it happened. A few hours had passed and the party was in full swing. Everyone was nearing drunk or already drunk at this point and somehow she ended up with Landon. 

   He was going on and on about some game he played and how excited he was to have found someone at the school to play it with. Hope thinks it was Wade, but she’s not sure. 

   She glanced at where Josie was, who had Rafael's full attention. The boy was grinning so charmingly at her for awhile now that Hope was ready to burst. 

   She kept drinking when she saw them or when soulmates were brought up and it got to the point where she decided she shouldn’t drink. Because really if she kept going she would have a new slew of problems. 

   So now she had no drink, was looking at Rafael looking at Josie which had Lizzies attention because of course Lizzie wanted Rafael's attention and of course that meant Mg was staring at her like a lost puppy who was on the verge of a jealousy breakdown. 

   But Hope was great. 

   She wasn’t jealous. She was totally cool with Rafael getting closer to Josie and talking to her about stuff Hope couldn’t hear over the music and all the noise. 

  Scratch that. 

  Hope was totally jealous. 

  Hope was also totally maybe a tad bit annoyed watching Rafael put his hand on Josie’s arm. That was it, she called it. 

   Hope didn’t think, she walked away from Landon without another word and as if the students around her could sense the flames roaring off of her they parted. Good, she thought. 

   Hope came right up to Josie and slid her arm around the girls waist. At first Josie jumped but then relaxed back into Hope when she saw it was her. 

   “Where have you been?” Josie breathed out. “I was thinking you left.”

   “I got stuck with Landon.”

   On queue, of course Landon had followed her and showed up. “Hey! How’s it going?” Landon fell into Rafael's side, his best friend catching him and steadying him. 

   “Dude, are you drunk?” Landon hiccuped in return to Rafael’s question. 

   “No.” The answer came with a stumble the second he tried pulling away. “Maybe. I was drinking with Hope! She can-she can really drink.”

   Hope's nose scrunched up. Josie looked at her a little worridltvvut she ignored it. “I’m the tribrid, I go through alcohol fast. It takes me a lot to get drunk.”

   Landon stared at her for a while as if he was trying to process the words she was saying. “Oh. So, you aren't drunk?”

   “Nope.”

  Landon nodded resembling a bobble head before he turned to Rafael with a lopsided grin. “Dude, this place is crazy.”

   Rafael laughed and patted Landons back. “Yeah bud, I know. I think it might be time we head back?”

   “What?” Landon practically pouted. “But it’s only been an hour!”

   “Actually, I think it’s been three,” Josie says softly. “And if you’ve been drinking trying to keep up with Hope you better go lay down.”

   “Do you girls need to be walked back?” Rafael asked them. 

   Hope snorted. She didn’t mean to but she did. What did he think she was? Hope was the tribrid, the strongest creature alive and here this man was asking her if they were ok. 

   “We’re fine.” Hope didn’t miss how Josie flicked the side of her hand. She fought laughing by biting down on her tongue and forcing a smile to her face. 

   “Alright, thanks for the party. We’ll see you tomorrow.”

   “Bye-Bye hope!” Hope cringed at Landon and watched Rafael drag him away. 

   “I was suffocating,” Hope sighs once they were far enough. She turns, Josie still wrapped around her arm. 

   “Oh really? Is that why you came to me?” Josie raised an eyebrow at her and Hope just felt this need to tell her otherwise. 

   If only Hope could tell her how much she hated seeing her with Rafael. If only Hope could tell her how close she could have been to ripping them boy apart if he had moved any closer. 

   “Hope?” Pulled from her thoughts Hope locked with concerned brown eyes. “You are ok, right? You didn’t drink too much?”

   “Did we not go over me being the tribrid?”

   Josie rolled her eyes. She moved, settling her arms around Hope's neck giving the girl room to wrap her arms fully around Josie's waist. 

   “Tribrid or not alcohol still has effects.”

   “Your…” Hope paused, her face flushing before she even said it, “cute that you worry.”

   Josie blushed in return. “Well, someone has to keep you in line.”

   Hope laughed with the tilt of her head. Oh, if only Josie knew the power she held over her. Hope thinks the siphoned could ask Hope anything and she would do it. 

   “Oh!” Josie squealed, the action giving Hope butterflies. “I love this song! Can we dance, please? We can leave right after I promise!”

   Hope opened her mouth to protest. But as if Josie has to prove the point Hope just thought she pouted and oh, oh, poor Hope, at the mercy of a pretty girl. 

   “Fine.”

   Josie jumped up and down and before Hope knew it she was pulled into the center of the crowd. Bodies pushed and moved together as one but Josie kept her close. 

   Hope inhaled, smelling all the scented but picking Josie up the strongest. She could even smell her shampoo and the scent of the lipgloss she wore. 

   Hope felt blissful. With Josie she felt everything but now, watching her dance and swing her body around Hope was at peace. Her heart was racing, her mind was soaring and laughs bubbled up her throat. 

   She tried her best to follow Josie, to keep up with her dancing and be free just like the girl in front of her. “I’m much better at ballroom dancing,” Hope comments. 

   Josie grinned, ear to ear. “You did win Miss Mystic Falls for a reason. I think it…”

   “It’s what?” Josie giggled to herself, maybe the alcohol she had that night affected her more then Hope thought. 

   “Nothing, no.” Josie shook her head bringing her bottom lip between her teeth and sucking. 

   Hope had to force her eyes away. She rang the word ‘friend’ inside her head as many times as she could but it wa sno use as a second later Josie pulled her in by her hips. 

   “Let’s see- I don’t remember the steps really.” Josie was mostly muttering to herself now. 

   “Josie, this is not a ballroom song,” Hope says as soon as she realizes what she’s trying to do. 

   “But I want to do it!” Josie looked down at her like a puppy that had its toy taken away. 

   “Fine.” 

   Hope fixed their positions, moved Josie's hands to the correct spot and took a step to the side. She counted in her head, the people around them have them some space. 

   What were they going to do, she thought, tell the tribrid she can’t dance how she wants? Hope scoffed, if she wanted to ballroom dance she would ballroom dance. Especially if it was Josie's request. 

   She was sure they looked stupid. More than stupid. And the proximity didn’t help the way her heart raced in her chest or the butterflies in her stomach. 

   It made it worse, so much worse. Hope should have kept her eyes anywhere but Josie but all she saw was Josie. 

   How could she not? Josie was gleaming, glowing, the most beautiful person to Hope ever. Here Josie was right in front of her, as beautiful and happy as ever. 

   Hope melted. She was putty in the other girl's hands and Josie had no idea. 

   When the song had finished and Josie pulled away Hope had wanted to protest. She knew she had said one song but couldn’t they do one more? Or ten?

   “I’m tired.” Josie yawned, intertwining her hand with Hopes. “I still want to watch encanto.” 

   “We can try.” 

   Josie's cheeks puffed out in an adorable way. Hope forced herself to look away and began dragging them out of the old mill. 

   “But I don’t want to fall asleep during it. I like watching your reactions.”

   Fuck, that shouldn’t have given Hope the reaction it did. 

   “What about tomorrow?” Josie groaned in disdain and pushed herself more into Hope. “Ok, what about-“

   “No. Tomorrow. I was supposed to study with MG but that can be pushed.”

   “That can work.” 

   Hope smiled. She really shouldn’t feel so good hearing Josie move her plans to spend time with her but wow, moments like these, memories like these were why she was fucked. 

   With their hands intertwined Hope pulled them out of the old mill and into the woods. Josie stumbled a little, but with Hope right next to her she would make sure the brunette didn’t hurt herself. 

   She exhaled a shuddering breath when Josie leaned her head on her shoulder. She kept her eye straight, she had to, if she didn’t all she would see was the girl next to her. 

   Maybe Hope was drunk. 

   Maybe Hope had taken too much and all her feelings were bubbling to the surface like a pit of water. But that couldn’t happen, especially not now. 

   She had to get Josie back safely, a slightly tipsy and maybe drunk Josie back to her bedroom softly and that’s what mattered. 

   Not the way her heart beat in her chest. Not the way it felt when Josie breathed in and out her breath fanning across Hope's cheek in a cold chill. Not the way their intertwined hands had a dangling red string twisting together. 

   “You know,” Josie began in a low voice. “I didn’t want to come here but I think dancing with you made up for the rest of it.”

   “Really?” It took everything in her not to let her voice shake. 

   “Yeah. I think Rafael likes me, or something.” Hope but down on her tongue hard, the jealousy from earlier coming back like the aftereffects or second hit of a sickness you thought was gone. “Thank you.”

   “For what?” 

   “For coming over to me. You could have done it sooner though, not that he was really bothering me. I can take care of myself but he definitely was trying to flirt.”

   “Oh.” She didn’t know what else to say. The idea that Josie wanted her to come over and pull her away had her berating herself. 

   Why couldn’t she have noticed that? Why did she let Rafael talk to Josie for so long? “I didn’t…I couldn’t tell. I’m sorry.”

   “Oh Hopey,” Josie laughs lightly, “don’t feel sorry. He wasn’t doing anything wrong I just-“ Josie froze. Hope could imagine the pout on her face. “I wanted you, I guess.”

   Hope pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. She felt Josie squeeze her hand and with it her heart. “Yeah?”

   “Yeah. So it’s good we have tomorrow night.” Josie snuggled up closer to her, grabbing Hooes arm with her hand to hold her. 

   Hope was on fire. Josie's touch on her she felt deep in her skin, underlying shocks as if Josie somehow sent magic all up through her. 

   She wasn’t, Hope didn’t think Josie could even do that, and she definitely wasn’t siphoning. The effect Josie had on her was growing each day. 

   Which was bad, because one day Josie would find her soulmate and Hope would have to watch. It wouldn’t be like with Rafael, there wa sno saving Josie, and Hope didn’t want to take her happiness away. 

   “Hey Hope?” Josie broke the silence again. 

  “Yeah Jo?”

   Josie didn’t respond for a second but Hope felt the uptilt of her head as Josie looked up at the sky through the trees. “Nothing.” Josie shook her head. “I think I’m just tired.”

   “Don’t worry, I’ll get you home safe and sound. We’re almost at school.” With a hum in Hope's ear she knew Josie heard her.

   If only Hope could get to the school faster, she both wanted to stay with Josie forever and leave her for the night so she couldn’t hurt. 

   What a predicament her life was. 

~

    The next night Hope prepared every snack Josie could every want. She had her laptop prepared already open on Disney plus ready to watch wherever Josie desired. 

   As soon as she heard that knock on her door, she exhaled. Hope had this. Sure, last night she might have cried a little after dropping Josie off because her heart was on a thin line but hey, she was great!

   Hope opened the door to an extremely excited Josie holding two cups. “Is that-“

   “It is!” Josie squeals before Hope could even finish the question. 

   A smile bloomed on her face as she took the milkshake and with only one sip she was in heaven. Josie got her a peanut butter blast with whipped cream on the bottom, this girl was going to kill her. 

   “Thank you! Oh my god,” Hope couldn’t help but let out, following it up with another gulp of the milkshake. 

   Josie giggled at her sipping on her own drink as she entered the room. The door was shut behind her and Hope watched her practically akip over the bed. 

   “Oh! You got all the good stuff.” Josie sat with her legs crossed, her drink sitting between them and rooted through the snacks. 

   “Practically stole the entire kitchen,” Hope jokes. 

   She took a moment for herself. Her brain took a snapshot of the happy Josie on her bed. Hope could do this, just like she has been doing this. 

   With a sip of her milkshake to cool herself down Hope sat on the bed. She got comfy next to Josie as the girl now pulled the laptop closer. 

   “Encanto first, then Mulan, and then we can go from there via that ok?”

   Josie looked at Hope and Hope thought the question was absurd. Why would she ever say no? “Of course.”

   Josie leaned over so fast Hope almost didn’t register it as warm lips kissed her cheek. Hope froze. Her face burned red and Josie just went back to starting the movie. 

   “Are you good?” Josie asks a second later, looking at her out of the corner of her eye. 

   “Yeah!” Hope voice was too high. “Yes, of course,” Hope repeats, calming herself. “I’m ready for one of the best Disney movies or whatever.” 

   Josie knocked her shoulder into hers playfully. “You’ll love it.” Hope was sure she would love anything that had Josie involved. 

   As the movie started they shifted. Josie cuddled up more into her, something they always did when watching movies. 

   Hope was feeling extra sensitive however, maybe the alcohol had gotten to her last night. But she tried not to focus on it and instead what was going on on the screen. 

   Josie sang under her breath to each song, sometimes even mumbling the liens and Hope was so attuned to her. She found herself staring more at Josie than the movie but she tried, god, she tried. 

   And Josie watched her, sometimes they made eye contact and Josie would just burst into a little fit of giggles that had Hope right along with her. 

   The movie was amazing. Hope made comments about it knowing Josie liked it when she gave her opinion and in return Josie happily talked about it. 

   When the movie had finally ended, Hosies arms were around her waist and Hope had one of her hands gently running through her hair. Half the snacks were eating, and the milkshakes were long gone. 

   “Did you like it?” 

   “You have to ask,” Hope laughed. She carefully reached over to exit out of the movie and find Mulan. 

   “Yeah.” Hope looked down to a pouting Josie. She sucked her lip between her teeth. 

   “I loved it.”

   Josie grinned, snuggling right back into Hope's chest comfortably. The action sped her heart up, and with Josie right there she knew there wa sno way Josie didn’t hear it. 

   “It always makes me sad how they treated her. Sometimes I wish I could just hug her through the screen.” As she said if Josie tightened her arm around Hope. 

   “Yeah, I wished I could knock some sense into them all a few times.”

   “You and your tribrid strength,” Josie teased. “The scary tribrid there to protect others!”

   “You're mocking me, aren’t you?”

   Hope looked down with a small pout. “Nope. Teasing, just teasing.”

   “I am scary. People are scared of me.”

   “You are just a warm pillow, what is there to be scared of?” Josie looked up with shining eyes that rivaled the sun. 

   “Oh I’m an object now,” Hope scoffed, mock offended. “Is that all I am? A warm pillow to you?”

   “Maybe.” Josie clicked her tongue for effect and even squeezed Hope a little tighter. “You are so comfy. I could lay here all day.”

   Hope wished she would. She could fall asleep like this with Josie on top of her. Having Josie in her arms just felt so…right. 

   “Not to mention I like listening to your heart.”

   “Wa-what?” Hope quickly asked, her face flushing. Josie didn’t say anything back but her face tinted pink as if maybe she hadn’t meant to say what she did. 

   Or maybe she had, and just the thought of it had the younger girl blushing. Hope didn’t know, but the effect worked its way through her and with Josie's raised eyebrow in return she knew she heard her heart speed up. 

   “My mom, she said once that she listens to mine and Lizzie’s hearts a lot. It calms her and…I guess, I like that? It helps me feel grounded but this is the only way I can hear it. You know, because I don’t have supernatural hearing.” 

   The admission surprised her. Hope's heart grounded Josie. What did that even mean? How many times did Josie just listen to her heart and get distracted? 

   “Do you…ever listen to mine?” 

   “Yes,” Hope answered immediately. She nervously played with Josie's hair, brown eyes searched her own. “I…I sometimes hear it at night.” Hope blushed harder. “When it’s quiet and I can’t sleep I can…I can hear it from across the hall.”

   “Really?” Josie's eyes were wide now. Not in disgust or fear but awe and curiosity. “That’s so far, how do you do that?”

   “Comes naturally to me. I can’t even tell you at this point.”

   Josie just stared at her mouth parted and oh , Hope wanted to kiss her. 

   Hope wanted to kiss her so bad that she almost did. She leaned, almost an inch before gaining control of her body and halting. 

   Friend, she echoed in her head. But Kosie was staring at her like that and god, god, Hope was in way too deep. She was in far over her head 

   “What’s wrong?” Josie's eyebrows knitted and she brought her hand up to cup Hope's cheek. 

   The red string was visible. Hope tried not to look at it knowing if she did she might break entirely and Josie might know. 

   Hope opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. As if she was cursed, as if something forcibly stopped her words, her voice was lost. 

   “Hope?” Josie asked again. She pushed herself up lightly to stare deeper into her eyes. “Did I do something?”

   “No.” Hope shook her head, she cleared her throat. “No, you didn’t.”

   Josie didn’t understand. She knew by the way she looked at her but Hope just couldn’t tell her. She yearned, how do you tell someone that?

   Hope found herself leaning more into the palm of Josie's hand. The soft touch, the pads of her fingers pressing against her face anchored her in a way that crackled a small fire in her. 

   “Can we watch Mulan now?” 

   “But-“ Josie started to speak. Hope pleaded with her eyes, she couldn’t talk. She just wanted to lose herself to Josie's favorite movie. “Ok, ok.” As Josie laid back down on her, Hope sighed with a metaphorical weight on her chest. 

~

   The days that passed Hope found herself distancing herself from Josie. She had too, she couldn’t handle how badly she was falling this week. 

   If she just had some time apart, then maybe that would do it. But the string was still there and Hope still played with it between her fingers when she was alone. 

   About a week after the movie marathon night Hope was forced back to a party again. Lizzie had threatened her saying that Josie was going and the tribrid was making her sad. 

   Which was the last thing Hope wanted. But Josie was worried about her, could sense and see something was wrong and didn’t understand why Hope just wouldn’t tell her. 

   So she was at a party, which was actually less of a party and more of a super squad friend gathering with beer. The boys had set up a projector in the woods and the twins laid out blankets and pillows on the ground to watch movies on. 

   Hope would almost call it romantic. 

   She also found that Landon and Rafael had quickly been accepted into the friend group. Rafael was happy that Lizzie didn’t actually want him and seemed to get along with MG greatly now that they could be friends. 

   So that’s where Hope was, sitting on a blanket with a beer in her hand staring at the sheet hanging from the trees where the movie was supposed to play. 

   “What’s taking so long!” Lizzie groaned. Hope watched the blonde throw her head back and send a glare to Landon and Wade. 

   “You try setting up a projector in the woods,” Landon grumbled under his breath. It was too low for Lizzie to hear but Hope did and chuckled. 

   “Alright!” Kaleb ran right up to the front, his arms filled with snacks, MG appeared next to him seconds later. “We got popcorn, chocolate and cookies! Who’s having what!”

   “Gummy worms for my love,” MG smiles cheekily as he gives Lizzie the bag. Lizzie squealed in return, ripping it open and shoving a few in her mouth. 

   “I’ll have some popcorn,” Rafael said as he sat down on his own blanket. Kaleb threw him the bag and the wolf caught it with ease. 

   “Oh definitely popcorn!” Jed yelled, and caught his bag. 

   “Where’s Josie? She wanted the-“

   “Here! Sorry.” Josie came out of the woods from nowhere and took the bag from Kaleb with a sheepish smile. 

   “It’s chill. Anything else?”

   “Nope. Thank you!” 

   Hope tried not to hold her breath as Josie came and sat down next to her. She kept her eyes on the sheet, waiting for the movie to flicker on. 

   “Hope?” Josie's tentative voice forced her to look. “I uh- these are for you. Well, for us to share, but I asked for them for you.”

   Hope looked down to the bag of Reese's Josie was nervously fiddling with. It was her favorite candy. Josie got her her favorite candy and nothing for herself. 

   Fuck, Hope was an ass wasn’t she?

   “Thank you Jo,” Hope said softly. She tried not to show the way her heart ripped inside. 

   Josie smiled ever so softly at her. She opened the bag and handed Hope one of the candies. “How have you been?”

   “Good. You?” Hope hated small talk, especially with the awkwardness in the air. 

   And it shouldn’t be awkward. Josie was her best friend but Hope just couldn’t handle her feelings the last two weeks. 

   She almost felt light headed from them. As if she was physically hurting from the fact she couldn’t have Josie and was forcing herself away. 

   It was beyond stupid. Why couldn’t she handle this better? Why was she having such a difficult time? And the worst part was she was hurting Josie. Here Josie was being sweet and caring because she could tell something was wrong. 

   “I’ve been ok.” Josie gave her a smile but Hope knew there was something sad underneath it all. “I'm happy you joined us tonight. I honestly thought you wouldn’t.”

   Hope soared a glance at Lizzie who was occupied with MG and eating as many gummy worms as she could. Hope swallowed, she was only here because Lizzie threatened her. 

   “Im…I’m glad that makes you happy.” And Hope was, she was happy whenever Josie was and she never wanted to hurt the girl. But Hope had, Hope is hurting her. “I'm sorry for being…distant.”

   “It’s alright.” It wasn’t. But Josie reached for her hand and squeezed it and didn’t pull away. “It’s ok to need…space but I’m here. You know that right?”

   “Yeah, yeah I know.” Blue stared into brown so deeply Hope thought she might just drown in Josie’s eyes. 

   Speakers blared a second later and the marvel intro graced the sheet in front of them. “Got it!” Landon exclaimed and Hope heard him give Wade a high-five. 

   “Jesus,” Hope grumbled rubbing her ear. The boys happily came and sat down with everyone, taking their snacks from Kaleb who was sitting with Cleo. 

   “What is this?” Cleo asked, leaning into Kaleb. 

   “Only the best marvel movie created,” Lizzie responded with a scoff. 

   Everyone gave each other a look. “Don’t get her started, please,” MG muttered to the group. 

   “MG, I thought you preferred dc?” Wade asks him and if only you could see the look on Lizzies face. 

   “Dude!” MG threw a piece of popcorn smacking the boy right in the face. Jed broke out into laughs from it. “Not cool!”

   “It’s fine, I know what gets my soulmates nerd-gasms going.”

   “Nerd-gasms,” Hope repeated with disgust. 

   “That’s…awful,” Josie mumbled besides her. 

   “Whatever, can yall shut up so we can watch the movie?” Kaleb asked. 

   “I'm with him,” Rafael agreed. 

   With that everyone became silent and focused on the movie. Hope found herself being more attuned to Josie then it, just like how the movie marathon went. 

   She tried focusing on other things. Like the sounds of crickets in the woods. Or the sounds of anyone chewing whatever they were eating. Or even the movie. 

   Hope found herself eating more candy then she should. It was the only thing that got her to fully stop looking at Josie. 

   Look at candy, grab candy, unwrap candy, eat. The process was simple but held her attention in a way that just listening couldn’t. 

   That was until they bumped hands in the Reese’s bag. The fucking Reese’s bag. “Sorry.” Hope blushed and pulled her hand back. 

   “It’s alright,” Josie chuckled. She picked up two Reese’s and handed one of the candies to Hope. And then Hope couldn’t help but watch. 

   Josie unwrapped if, taking a small bite of the candy, her lips enveloping it and-

    Wow , Hope needed a drink. 

   “I'm gonna get another beer.” Hope pushed herself up off the ground. 

   “Coolers in the old mill!” Jed yelled at her. 

   Hope gave him a thumbs up and quickly left. She ate the candy on her way and upon spotting the cooler in the back corner opened it and took two drinks out. 

   She practically chugged the first one. The best dribbled down her chin but she wiped it with the back of her hand. She could hear fighting happening during the movie, the sound of explosions and shots being fired. 

   Hope set the now empty can on the cooler and took the second one with her as she exited the other side of the old mill. 

   She sighed, taking a deep breath and letting it fill her lungs entirely. A moment later she let it go, staring right up through the trees at the moon and the stars. 

   Hope wanted to be a good friend. She wanted to be the best friend that she could be. And she was failing even at that just because did he down stupid feelings. 

   Hope looked down at her hand. Her eyes zeroed in on the string and she sighed. In the moment for a short second she wishes she could just cut it off. As if it wasn’t some magical universe creation, just an actual string she could cut. 

   But would that make things harder or easier? Hope thinks harder, because in the end her feelings would still be there but she just wouldn’t have the string to stare at. 

   And as painful as it was, looking at it brought her an odd comfort. She hated admitting to that but it did. 

   “Are you alright?” Hope startled at Landon's voice. She looked over her shoulder to see the curly haired boy stepping out of the old mill and next to her. 

   “Just needed a breather I guess.” He nodded, standing next to her and looking up at the sky. “You?” Hope finds herself asking awkwardly. 

   “Same, I guess. And it was taking you a little long to get that beer.”

   Hope cringed. “Yeah,” she mumbled, “I just needed a minute.”

   They were both silent for a moment. Hope counted the stars she could see and found herself staring at the moon more than anything. 

   “Do you want to get out of here? I’m sure the forest is a lot quieter,” Landon asked hesitantly. 

   And if Hope was anyone else she would have been worried. But she was herself and she really did need to tear her thoughts away from Josie before she did something she would regret. 

   Like telling Josie, or kissing her, or even holding her hand for that matter because at this point that seemed ground breaking. 

   “That would be great, actually.” She grabbed his arm and pulled him away. 

   Landon stumbled as he walked, she didn’t mind. Not when air was on her mind and being able to breathe. 

   When they got a little deeper into the forest and could barely hear the movie Hope felt the weight on her lighten a little. 

   Landon was quiet as they walked. He tilted his head back at one point to look up at the sky again  and when the music from the movie was a dull thud to Hope without using her supernatural hearing she stopped. 

   “Are the hangouts here always like this?” Landon asked. 

   “I don’t go that often but I guess yeah. Movies are frequent, but the outside movie is a new development.” 

   She let go of him, walking towards a tree and sitting down with a huff. He stumbled over to her, sitting down a lot less gracefully. 

   “Raf seems happy here,” the boy mumbled. He fiddled with the end of his sleeve looking up at the sky. 

   “Are you?” Hope asked him. She could hear it in his voice when he said it, she didn’t need him to answer to know what his feelings were. 

   “I want him happy,” he whispered. “This place is cool but…weird.”

   Hope laughed loudly at that, probably because of the alcohol. She still had her unopened can in her hand and decided to open it. She took a sip, passing it to Landon when he looked at it. “God, you could say that again.”

   Landon sipped from it, handing it right back to her.  “It has all these dynamics and…” The silence was so loud as he trailed off.

   “You don’t fit in?” She mumbled to him. 

   He nodded his head, “I’ve never felt like I’ve fit in anywhere besides Raf.”

   Hope wondered for a moment. It was fleeting and quick but she shook it away as soon as she thought it. 

   “Well, you're looking at a supernatural abomination,” she hiccuped after she said it. “I am truly the only one of my kind.”

   “Do you feel lonely?” He asked gently. She thinks she wouldn’t have been able to hear it if it wasn’t for her hearing. 

   Was Hope lonely? In the sense of her being a tribrid she wasn’t sure. She shouldn’t exist, she knew that. She knew people tried killing her before she was even born. 

   She knew how many people feared her. How many people would do anything to make sure she didn’t exist anymore. 

   “I would never want to burden anyone with what I am,” she eventually came to the conclusion. “Am I lonely, yes, but not for that.”

   Silence overtook them and the sound of the movie was loud again. They both leaned against the tree with their heads tilted back up at the sky. 

   She wondered if her soulmate bond being unrequited was because of her being a tribrid. Maybe it was the universe's way of punishing her. 

   She squeezed her eyes shut. Her family loved her, she was their hope, but she felt so wrong sometimes. 

   She opened her eyes and wiped her face with the back of her hand and looked at the red string that went off to the old mill. 

   Hope fiddled with it. Pulling at it ever so gently. She wrapped it around her finger for a moment and watched it twirl back off when she pulled again. 

   She glanced at Landon, seeing his eyes were dazed as he stared up at the stars still. “Do you ever get used to it?” He asks. 

   “Being lonely?”

   Landon chewed on the bottom of his lip. “Being the only one of your kind.”

   “No.” Hope was honest, she would never be used to what she was. “But Landon, what you are and what I am isn’t the same. I'm sure your parents, one of them had to be what you were.” 

   “I guess,” he sighed. “I’ll never know though because they abandoned me and now I’m just…alone.”

   Hope’s skin prickled. She hated the way that made her feel. She hated how this conversation had her chest twisting and curling. 

   “Maybe we shouldn’t be lonely anymore,” Landon's voice spoke loudly in the silence. 

   “What does that even mean?” Hope asked, confused.

   Hope gasped as Landon started to lean in. Her eyes widened, and before she could even do or think anything fire bursted on his sleeve. 

   “Oh shit!” Hope shouted. Landons eyes flew open and he quickly began patting the fire off his arm. 

   “What the hell?” He cursed. Hope mumbled a spell under her breath and the fire went out in seconds 

   Her chest was heaving fast trying to wrap her mind around everything that jump happened. But then of course the sound of leaves crunching would be heard making her head snap. 

   “What’s going on here?” Josie asked and Hope's voice was stuck in her throat. Josie's hands were on her hips and her glare could kill, and might be killing Hope right now actually. 

   “I-I uh-“ Landon began to sputter. 

   “Get away from her,” Josie growled in a low voice. 

   “I’m sorry!” Landon shouted and stumbled up using the tree as support. “I should have asked- I’m so sorry!” He shouted and Hope was left to watch him run off into the forest. 

   “What…just happened?” Hope let out confused. 

   She looked up at Josie who didn’t stop glaring where Landon had run off to. Hope has never seen her so…angry before. It clicked a minute later, much slower then it would have clicked if she was sober. 

   “You set Landon on fire?” She asked with confusion. 

   Josie's head snapped down to her. “What! No…” Josie scratched the back of her neck.

   The lie was pitiful, it was so bad and the way Josie began to fiddle with the necklace Hope gave her around her neck spoke louder than words. 

   “Josie, incendia is your favorite spell.”

   “Well he was going to kiss you!” Josie shouted, stomping her foot on the ground and throwing her hand out. 

   Hope furrowed her eyebrows, “I can protect myself, you know?”

   “It would have been your first kiss and that’s not his to take,” Josie continued like she hadn’t even registered what Hope said. “And he didn’t even ask you? Who does that! He deserved it, he’s a phoenix anyway.”

   “What does that even mean?” Hope groaned, rubbing her head as it began to ache. She used the tree to help herself stand up. “You can’t just set people on fire, you know this.”

   “He deserved it.” Josie crossed her arms and met Hope's gaze with enough power to start a fire from nothing. 

   “Don’t you think you're being dramatic?”

   “Excuse me?” Hope registered her mistake as soon as the tone was on Josie's lips. Her whole body tensed and was screaming danger and for a tribrid that said a lot. “I’m being dramatic ?” She basically seethed taking long strides till she was right in front of Hope. 

   “I didn’t mean it like that, I-I just don’t understand why you're so upset.”

   Hopes back hit the tree again. Josie's eyes were intensely staring down into her own and Hope wondered what she was looking for. 

   “He didn’t ask and your first kiss isn’t his to take,” Josie repeated her sentence from earlier. 

   Finally, Hope took a moment to let the sentence sink into her. Her heart immediately sped up inside her chest. 

   No, Hope was wrong. Hope was actually insane and all the pining over Josie had driven her to the edge. Josie was just being a caring and protective best friend. 

   But, “who,” she paused, “who’s is it?” Hope whispered. 

   Maybe it was the alcohol making her hopeful. Maybe it was the way Josie didn’t break her gaze. Maybe it was how intoxicating being this close to Josie was to her. 

   “I could have pushed him off,” Hope whispered after a moment. The air was thick, way too thick between them. 

   “It…it’s mine to take,” Josie finally said and instantly the air was sucked from Hope's lungs. Her head was spinning. “Because you’re mine.”

  Hope's mouth fell open. “W-What?” She stumbled out. 

   Josie's demeanor faltered. Her expression softened and morphed into one that pulled at Hope's heart. 

   Josies eyes fell between them and Hope followed her gaze to the string between them. “I’m yours,” Josie repeated looking back up with fear in her eyes, “I am yours right?”

   “Yes,” Hope rushed out. “I-I thought- I thought you weren’t mine.”

   Josie took a step back, her worried features now morphing into confusion, “I thought we were together?”

   “What?” 

   The two stared at each other. Hope felt like her head was spinning. 

   Landon tried kissing her. Josie set Landon on fire. Hope was Josie's soulmate. 

   “You thought we were together?” Hope asked her confusion seeping through her words as much as it was displayed on her face. 

   “Well,” Josie fiddled with the necklace again, “I mean…we’ve known eachother since we were kids, Hope.”

   “We never talked about it.” Josie's cheeks puffed out as she tried to search for something to say but a whine left instead. “I’m so confused right now.”

   “You're confused, I’m confused!” Josie shouted back at her. Hope didn’t even have time to back away from Josie slapping her arm. “I thought we were together this whole time and you didn’t know!”

   “How was I supposed to know!” Hope yelled back, still trying to wrap her head around everything. 

   “We’re soulmates!” 

   “I thought it was one sided!” Hope screamed back and instantly Josie shut her mouth. 

   Hope groaned, closing her eyes. She took a deep breath as a wave of emotions flashed through her making her squeeze her eyes shut. 

   “I-I thought…because of what I am I was being punished, and god, you deserve so much better.”

   “What?”

   “You deserve better,” Hope repeated, forcing her eyes open to look up at Josie. “It was never brought up so I assumed it was unrequited because why would you love me.”

   “Hope,” Josie let out in a breath, “how could I not love you?”

   Hope's heart felt like it was being squeezed. Josie took a slow step forward taking Hope's hands in her own. “It’s not unrequited and I’m sorry for hurting you.”

   “What?” Hope asked, tilting her head. “You didn’t do anything. If anything I-I hurt you for avoiding you this week and I-I shouldn’t have done that. God in so stupid.”

   Josie's shoulders slumped, “you aren’t stupid at all and I did hurt you. I didn’t say anything, I just assumed we were both aware and this whole time you’ve been in so much pain thinking god knows what when Hope, you're all I ever think about.”

   Hope for a moment wondered if this was a dream. If she would blink and wake up but Josies touch on her was real and warm. Her eyes were full of so much care, and it had to be real. 

   Josie loved her. Josie was hers. This whole time Josie was hers and Hope was to blind and dumb to see it. 

   “You…thought we were together?” Hope asked slowly. A blush made it’s way onto Josie's face. 

   “Well, we are soulmates.”

   “We’re soulmates,” Hope said, the words sounding weird on her tongue but so very very right. 

   “I think we suck at communication,” Josie mumbled ducking her head. Hope laughed, it sounded wet and kind of sad but that was ok. 

   “We do and I’m still trying to wrap my head around this but,” Hope paused as she thought back to earlier. How infuriated Josie was about Landon trying to kiss her. “I think somethings waiting for you.”

   “What?” Josie looked up at her tilting her head. 

  “That first kiss of yours that is apparently yours to take.” Hope ran her thumb along Josie's knuckles as her face grew more red. 

   “O-oh,” Josie squeaked out. “Do you want-“

   “I’ve never wanted anything more.”

   They both inhaled sharply. “Ok,” Josie whispered, “ok,” she repeated. 

   Josie cupped Hope's cheek and Hope felt the world freeze. She was trapped in this moment as her eyes fluttered shut and they both leaned closer. Josies breath was hot against her face and god, god, Hope wished they weren’t so dumb. 

   “Can I?” Josie whispered. 

   “It is yours, isn’t it?” Hope whispered. Josie tilted her head down the inch they needed and it felt more then Hope could have dreamed. 

   It was everything, like something clicked inside of her and Hope didn’t want to catch her breath. She wanted to be breathless for the rest of eternity as she spun them around and pushed Josie back into the tree. 

   The taller girl groaned, Hope's hands found her hips and held her so close. It was needy, more needy than a first kiss should be and they both stumbled through it trying to guide one another. 

   “Hope,” Josie gasped, pulling back, “air.”

   Hope huffed out of her nose. The action made Josie giggle lightly pulling her into a much sweeter and quicker kiss. 

   “I think we have a lot to talk about,” Josie mumbled, “but for right now can we have this?”

   “Does this mean you don’t wanna watch the movie?” Hope asked teasingly. 

   Josie groaned, she slid down the tree a little. “I’ve wanted to kiss you for years, please.”

   “I can’t believe it,” Hope replied. She pulled back a little to open her eyes and look up at Josie. 

   After everything, after all the hurt and pain she went through. After all of Hopes overthinking Josie was hers. How dumb was she not to notice?

   Josie was hers, she repeated in her head. It didn’t sound real. It sounded fake but the way Josie touched her, the way she looked at her was so real. 

   That kiss was real, Hope could still feel the tingles against her lips and she craved, yearned, to do it again and again. 

   “I’m sorry,” Josie repeated. “I-I hate that I made you feel that way.”

   “You didn’t know.” Hope shrugged. “I guess we both could have said some things.”

   “We definitely aren’t going to tell Lizzie this, she would have a field day.” Hope laughed, her head falling onto Josie's shoulder. 

  “Oh god! That would be awful.”

 “She would have loved me setting Landon on fire.”

  “And we’re not doing that again because-“

  “We don’t set people on fire,” Josie recited with an eyeroll. 

   “Good.” Hope smirked at the blush that was on Josie's face. Hope tugged her down and shut her eyes resting their heads against one another. 

   Hope had way too many feelings. Big ones and complicated ones that made this so unbelievable. But Josie was here, she could feel her, still taste her on her lips and Josie was hers. 

   She let out a shaky breath, Josie's hands tightened on her holding her closer. 

   “When we’re less drunk we need to talk,” Josie mumbled. 

   “Yeah,” Hope agreed. “But for now can we do other things?”

   “Hope Mikaelson, what on earth are you suggesting?”

   “Josie,” Hope groaned, opening her eyes and pulling back enough to see the wide grin on Josie's face. 

   “Is that code for you wanna kiss me,” she teased. 

   “I want to kiss you and I want to go back to my room and watch movies alone and stare at you knowing we’re soulmates.”

   “Yeah?” Josie whispered so softly. 

   “Do you wanna kiss me or not Saltzman?” Josie giggled and kissed Hopes cheek causing her to freeze. 

   “Cat got your tongue?”

   “Are you always like this drunk?” Hope found herself saying, trying to search for any other words in her head. 

   “I’m not drunk. Come on,” Josie laughed. She pushed herself away from the tree and grabbed Hope's hand. “We can sneak into the kitchen for snacks!”

   Hope smiled as they began walking, Josie had a kick in her step. “I can’t tell if you're more happy about snacks or me.”

   “I always thought I had you,” Josie said and Hope felt the small tension in the air but Josie squeezed her hand, “now I’m gonna make it up to you.”

   “You don’t-“

   “Shush.” Josie put her finger to her lips with an impressive pout. “Tonight we kiss and watch disney movies and then tomorrow we can talk and go over everything.”

   “Which includes you not having to make up for anything,” Hope whispered but Josie ignored her pretending not to hear. 

   And Hope couldn’t find it in herself to argue because for so long she thought she was alone. She thought it was all one sided but here Josie was proving it all wrong. 

   Just mere minutes ago Hope was alone. She felt so alone and now she just wasn’t . That would take more time to wrap her head around and even more time fixing whatever problems they created. 

   But maybe, just maybe, she wasn’t being punished by the universe. Because Josie Saltzman was a god damn gift and somehow she had her. 

   Hope came to a stop and didn’t give Josie a second as the girl turned around confused. Hope stood up on her tippy toes using her hand to pull her down and kissed her. 

   She needed it. She had to feel Josie like that one more time, just to make sure again it was real. 

   And it was. It was so real and Josie felt so good beyond words she had to describe them. 

   “I’m never gonna get used to that,” Josie mumbled dazed. 

   “Good way?”

   “Yes, you have no idea.” 

   Hope laughed looking down at their intertwined hands and looked at the string that dangled from them. 

   “I do, actually. God I can’t believe you thought we were together and we never kissed,” Hope said beginning to laugh. 

   “Stop,” Josie whined, pulling back. “I thought we were going slow and your such a loner and physical contact has never been your strong suit.”

   Hope's heart melted at that. Josie was just trying to be a good soulmate in everything even if she never voiced everything to Hope. 

   “I can’t believe you didn’t know, I mean we go on dates all the time,” Josie replied with an eyeroll. 

   “Dates? What dates?” Hope asked as they started to walk again. 

   “What do you mean what dates?” Josie looked at her like she was crazy. “Hope we go into town all the time alone. We watch movies alone and cuddle each other all the time and we have study dates.”

   “Friends do that!” Hope argued. 

   “Do you let any of your other friends cuddle you while watching movies?” Josie raised an eyebrow and all arguments left Hope. “Exactly, dating.”

   “Well then,” Hope huffed, “what was our first date?” 

   Josie began giggling to herself, swinging their hands between them. “We were twelve and we had our first movie marathon together, we drank peanut butter blasts with whip cream on the bottom that I begged my dad to get.”

   “Oh come on! We were twelve, Jo.”

   “Fine! What about when we were 14 and went into town together? We went and ate at the mystic grill?”

   “I mean-“

   “Or! Or! When we were 15 and decided one day to watch every movie at the theater for no reason.”

   “That got boring really fast,” Hope mumbled. 

   “Or when we-“

   “Ok!” Hope yelled. “I get it, we’ve been on tons of dates and I’m an idiot.” 

   Josie smiled satisfied. “It’s ok, you're cute.”

   “Cute?” Hope stuttered. “I am not cute!”

   “Back to big scary tribrid,” Josie teased. 

   “We will skip the kitchen,” Hope said, trying to sound annoyed but there was a lightness in her voice. 

   “Yeah, sure.”

    “Shut up,” Hope replied instantly. 

   They bumped shoulders with each other and for once in Hope's life everything was perfect. In their bubble of tonight Hope felt like she could never be happier because Josie was hers. 

   God, she would never get used to that.