Chapter Text
When Alaric is finally done ranting about how she shouldn’t leave the town without warning him first even if Hope told her to do so, Lizzie just wants to fall asleep and forget about this awful day. Imagine her surprise when she opens her bedroom only to find Josie cuddling the she-devil. She glances at her sister’s face and can’t help but notice how peaceful she looks. She decides that Penelope isn’t as annoying when she makes her sister happy, especially because the last time she saw her twin, she was crying over that wannabe bird. At least, Penelope always puts her sister first, she can’t say the same about Landon, who, she’s sure, is now thinking about ways to get back with Hope. Josie deserves better than him, even if that person is Penelope. And so does Hope. She breathes in and decides to just go sleep in Hope’s room, she owns her that much after spending hours with Sebastian to bring Landon back to Mystic Falls
Besides, Lizzie sure as hell wouldn’t mind sharing some alone time with Hope. Ever since everyone remembered the tribrid, they haven’t spent as much time together as they used to when Hope was Lizzie’s secret to keep. With a huge smile now plastered on her face, she decides to go grab some snacks in the kitchen, maybe Hope will be up to watch a movie with her.
When she hears someone laughing and acknowledges it as Hope’s voice, she decides to join her and then go to the kitchen with her. Lizzie ignores the way Hope’s laughter just made her forget about her shitty day with Sebastian or the fact that her least favorite person on earth is back in her room and in Josie’s arms nonetheless.
She immediately spots Landon and Hope talking and before she can even make her presence known with a witty one liner, Landon is kissing her, and Hope is kissing him back. They don’t stop kissing and Lizzie is just stuck there watching them, her mouth is hanging open but no words come out. She wants to scream, to tell them to stop, to remind him that he had hurt Josie’s feelings just an hour ago. Her hand is resting on the wall and before she knows it she’s siphoning some magic. The lights glitch and it doesn’t interrupt them but it does make her realize that she’s about to have an episode so she stops siphoning, closes her mouth and walks away.
She thinks about going back to her room but remembers the blissful look on Josie’s face, she doesn’t want to disturb their reunion. So she goes to Hope’s room, assuming that she’ll spend the night in Landon’s room. Once she’s settled in her bed, she’s hit with Hope’s scent on the sheets. She tries to fall asleep but every time she closes her eyes, she picture them kissing over and over again. She knew that Hope still loved him and after all he was her boyfriend before Malivore, but she didn’t think that they would get back together so soon or ever. After their adventures in the 1980s, Lizzie was sure that Hope would try to move on from Landon but she was wrong.
After all, it’s expected, they are meant to be, the girl who lost everyone she loved and the boy who would always come back from death. They are both haunted by theirs fathers, one who wishes death upon his son, and the other who died sacrificing himself for his daughter, leaving her to blame herself for all the wrongs in the universe. Two lost souls who’ve found safety in each other. And she’s just the girl who’s doomed to merge with her twin. The girl who deep down knows she won’t make it. And while death is awaiting her, it could never quite hold Landon down too long. It was almost too perfect to be true.
But Lizzie knows that it isn’t perfect, she knows that Hope spends most of her time worrying about Landon while he wonders if he will ever be as strong as she is, if he will ever get to be the hero for once. Lizzie wouldn’t mind Hope being her hero. She knows how powerful the tribrid is, she’s felt her magic on many occasions. And to be honest, she craves it, the feeling of Hope’s magic flowing through her, of them being connected by magic, of her hands on Hope just taking and taking without worrying about draining or hurting her. The blonde knows how powerful Hope is, and she loves it. She has always been attracted to damaged and powerful souls and Hope, well, fitted perfectly this description.
The blonde didn’t expect that feeling, that pain in her chest, that desire to just disappear far away and never look back. Yet here she is searching for peace in Hope’s room, in her sheets and really in her scent. She couldn’t help it though, Hope has always been able to calm her down so quickly whenever she feels like an episode is coming. Especially, since their newfound friendship began, Hope has been her anchor, her rock, her shoulder to lean on. But here she is, alone and broken as per usual. Sometimes, she wishes she could just turn off her emotions, maybe then she will finally be the icy bitch everyone pictures her to be. And with thoughts of the tribrid clouding her mind, she fells asleep.
When she wakes up, she grunts at the sun hitting her eyes and closes them immediately. She stretches out and immediately looks around when she hears Hope laughing.
« Did you sleep well? » asks Hope raising a brow.
« Yeah… sorry I slept here without letting you know. The she-devil is back and already making my life more annoying. » Lizzie rolls her eyes and Hope chuckles and leaves her chair to sit on her bed. « They fell asleep together, I didn’t want to interrupt their little reunion. »
« Awww. Isn’t that nice of you? »
Lizzie closes her eyes, still tired. « Shut up. I just didn’t want to fall asleep in the same room as her. »
« Sure. »
Lizzie suddenly sits up, ready to push Hope out of her own bed, but she stops when her hands rest on Hope’s shoulders and she realizes how close they are. How Hope’s blue eyes directly stare at her own. How her smile is so bright it outshines the sun. Lizzie knows that the brunette can hear how fast her heart beats so she looks away from her face and that’s when she notices the hickey on her neck. That’s when Lizzie is reminded of everything that happened last nigh so she pulls away, her lips now forming a thin line. She quickly forces a smirk on her face, hoping that Hope didn’t notice how fast she pulled away as if the sight of the hickey on her skin burned her eyes.
« Had fun last night? » Hope blushes but doesn’t answer. « Looks like Santa made everyone wish come true but mine. » Lizzie chuckles bitterly.
« What do you mean? »
« Well, Josie got Penelope back and you’re dating Landon again, right? And me what do I get? Absolutely nothing. Guess this is what I deserve for being a bitch »
Hope holds Lizzie’s hand and squeezes it. « You’re not a bitch, Lizzie. »
« You know that you called me a bitch yesterday. »
« Oh Lizzie, » Hope caresses the blonde’s cheek, « you know I said it with all the love in the world. »
Lizzie can only grin at the tribrid and lean on her touch. « Don’t go soft on me, Mikaelson »
« You know you love it. » And for a few seconds, they just keep staring at each other’s ocean eyes, with shy smiles never leaving their faces. Lost in the moment, Lizzie wonders how they went from enemies to completely trusting each other with their lives and secrets. Hope breaks their eye contact and asks, « How did you know about Landon and I getting back together?»
« I saw you last night kissing him, didn’t feel like ruining whatever was happening. » She lets her finger runs down Hope’s neck until touching her hickey, « maybe I should have. » Hope shivers and takes a deep breath. « When I asked for you help to prevent Josie from having sex with Landon, I didn’t mean go have sex with him. »
« Lizzie! »
« What? You know I don’t like him. » Standing up, she says with an awkward smile, « I should go, thanks for letting me sleep here even though you didn’t know I was here. »
« Wait » feeling Hope’s hand around her wrist, the blonde turns around. « what’s your wish? You said that Santa made everyone’s wish come true but yours. »
You, Lizzie thinks. « Santa’s already gone. Guess I’ll have to wait till next Christmas, » she replies jokingly.
« Is it about Sebastian? »
Lizzie rolls her eyes, already annoyed just by hearing his name. « Please Sebastian is only an annoyance in my life, he could never compete with-, » she stops herself before she could say something that she’ll end up regretting.
« With who? » Hope asks
« It doesn’t matter anyways. I have to get ready for school. I’ll see you at lunch.» And before Hope can even reply the siphon is already gone and she’s left wondering what the hell this was.
When she enters her room, she’s met by a worried Josie who rushes to her.
« Thank God, you’re okay, » she says hugging her.
« Of course I am, why? »
« Well, you didn’t sleep here and I felt some pain in my chest earlier, I thought something happened to you. »
« Oh. Don’t worry it was nothing, » Lizzie replies looking away and then puffing, « you’re still here? Don’t you have a plane to catch, I am sure everyone is missing you in Belgium.»
« Lizzie! »
Penelope waves at Lizzie with a huge grin on her face. « Glad to see me? »
« No. »
« Well, get used to it cause I am back to stay. »
Lizzie groans but does notice the gleam in Josie’s eyes at Penelope’s words.
« Enough you two. Lizzie I’ll see you at lunch, I have to bring Penelope to dad so that he can give her back her old room. See you in class. »
« Later, » replies Lizzie as she stares at Josie grabbing Penelope’s hand and dragging her out of the room. Penelope smirks at her one last time and just like that she’s all alone. Looking up at the clock she realizes that she’s about to be late for her first class and decides to just skip it for the confort of her bed and music.
________
Lizzie checks her make up one last time and finally appears at Penelope’s welcome back party. She’s late, but at least everyone is already there. One look around the mild and she quickly notices Kaleb and the vamps playing beer pong against the wolfs. She smiles at the sight of Mg missing his shot and complaining about the wind being responsible for his failure. Then, she sees Hope dancing with Landon. She’s smiling and giving him her full attention as he tells her some story. She seems genuinely happy and that’s probably why it hurts her the most. She’s spent the whole week missing her and barely seing her in class. It looks like Hope didn’t miss her as much as she did because here she is having the time of her life with her boyfriend while she’s staring at them like some creep. She shakes her head and grabs herself a drink. Maybe the alcohol will ease her pain. Or at least, it’ll help her enjoy her night. And maybe, if she’s lucky she won’t even have to talk to Penelope.
She’s distracted from her thoughts by someone touching her shoulder, when she turns arounds she finds her sister and Penelope next to her.
Before Josie can speak, Penelope beats her to it. « Didn’t expect to see you at my party, » she smirks.
« Penelope! »
« Didn’t expect to see as many people ready to welcome back the she devil. » She smiles back at the witch.
« Lizzie! » Josie sighs.
« These two will never stop bantering Josie, you might just get used to it. » They all turn around to a smirking Hope Mikaelson.
Lizzie is staring at her, she knows she should look away but her eyes are mesmerized by the tribid. She hears them talking but doesn’t pay them any attention. Hope’s wearing the school’s uniform but it doesn’t matter. The blonde is sure that no matter what clothes she puts on Hope would always look good.
« Hey guys, I hope you don’t mind me stealing Lizzie aways from you. » Lizzie looks at her curiously.
« Please, I sure don’t mind, » replies Penelope.
Lizzie rolls her eyes at her. « She’s actually doing me a favor, my time is too precious to be wasted on you. »
« You’re still talking to me though. » Penelope laughs and Lizzie narrows her eyes at the raven haired girl, letting Hope pull her away.
« Wait, where are we going? »
« To play beer pong against Landon and Kaleb. »
« Oh. » Lizzie replies and stops walking.
« Are you okay Lizzie? »
« Yeah, just a bit tired. So, I think I’ll pass, » noticing Hope’s disappointment she adds with a fake smile, « but you’ll save me a dance won’t you? »
A cheeky smile spreads on the tribrid’s face. « Of course. »
She lets go of Lizzie’s hand and walks back to Landon, without once looking back. And just like that her fake smile disappears. She chugs her third drink. Mg and the vamps are yelling about taking shots, she decides to join them.