I Hate the Way...

Part 45: 'Nothing New'

Hope wakes up first the following morning, chuckling quietly when she realizes Josie has an arm and leg lazily thrown across her body, hair tussled in her face as she sleeps soundly.

The auburnette thinks back to the evening before, about how Josie now knows that her family hexed her. Though Hope hasn't yet shared why she was hexed or all of its most devastating side effects, she's shared far more than she ever expected to share with her faux wife.

She also thinks back to what her aunt said. 'If you truly love her, you won't let her siphon that magic.' She knows that the hex is dark magic, and especially given Josie's intolerance to even earth magic, it would be dangerous for Josie to try siphoning the hex.

Though there was a time before she grew to know Josie and her suppression of magic, when she believed this fake marriage would be her key to freedom from the binds of this hex, she threw that thought out of her mind when she learned of Josie's magic suppression. And despite the fact that Josie siphoned a small amount of magic from her the other day, she still wouldn't be able to stomach the idea of her magic hurting Josie.

That's not because she loves Josie, though... She just cares about her. That's it.

With that in mind, Hope lets out a soft sigh as she lightly brushes the stray strand of hair out of Josie's face, admiring her tranquil beauty.

She could easily slip out of Josie's grasp to go for her usual morning 'swim,' but she remembers how Josie was worried last time she woke up and Hope wasn't with her. She also doesn't want to just abruptly wake Josie from her sleep. So she leans in to leave a couple of light kisses to Josie's jaw, then she moves lower to Josie's neck as the brunette begins to stir a bit, eyes beginning to flutter.

Josie lets out a content sigh at the feeling of Hope's lips against her neck, and a lazy soft smile finds her lips as she moves her fingers to tangle in auburnette locks, instinctively tilting her head for Hope to gain better access.

Josie shudders when she feels Hope's breath against her neck, as the Tribrid whispers between light kisses, "Good morning, beautiful."

Josie's smile grows as she hums sweetly, "It is now."

Josie was worried that her admission last night would push Hope away, that sometimes their marriage doesn't feel like an act.

But Hope supposes that's a good thing. They're getting along much better than before, and Josie isn't afraid to voice any needs she has, and Hope willingly complies with any need that should be met.

Hope can't help but grin into Josie's skin as she whispers again, between her trail of kisses going back up Josie's neck, "I'm gonna go for a swim," She finally pulls away after leaving a final kiss to Josie's cheek, "I didn't want you to worry."

Josie groans cutely, wrapping her arms around Hope's neck as she mumbles, "Or...we could just stay in bed all day."

Hope lets out a chuckle, "But then we would miss our date tonight."

Josie hums, moving her own lips to Hope's neck, husking near her ear, "I could make it up to you..."

Hope lets out a nearly inaudible growl, and Josie smirks into her skin at her success in affecting the Tribrid. She feels Hope's hands traveling up and down along her sides, beneath the material of her shirt, the sensation bringing goosebumps to Josie's skin as Hope asks teasingly, "What about you wanting to take a step back?"

Josie can't help but chuckle humorously as she whispers lowly, "You didn't think I was serious about that, did you?"

Hope furrows her eyebrows slightly, because she really did think Josie was serious.