Welcome Home (Hosie)

9

Let me know what you think...

~~~~~~

Josie didn't stop at the one drink Cleo made her.

In fact, she's borderline wasted.

By the time Hope is returning from wolfing out, her anger slightly abated but her heart still heavy, she finds Josie amongst very few of their friends around the fire, since everyone is pretty much dispersed into smaller groups now. She finds Josie barely able to stand on her own two feet, slurring her words and laughing drunkenly at them.

Hope sighs before making her way over to them, mostly addressing Cleo, Ben, and Jen, "Hey guys, where's Lizzie? She has my keys."

"You are leaving?" Cleo asks with a pout, "You should stay with us."

"No, I–" Hope is cut off by Josie, who apparently had a later reaction time to her question.

She sways slightly, "Lizzie's..." she looks around, "somewhere. Who cares?" She giggles for a second before becoming serious again, "Unless you're bored with me and want your other Gemini twin now?"

Hope deadpans at that, reaching out to steady her. "Maybe you should slow down, Jo."

Josie moves her hand holding her cup when Hope tries to reach for it, shooting Hope a bitter smile before pulling the rim of the cup to her lips and slurring out, "You know I'm not good at taking things slow when it comes to you, Hope."

Hope pinches the bridge of her nose briefly, growing more aware of their three friends still closeby, who definitely are hearing everything Josie is saying. After letting out an exasperated sigh, she glances in their direction.

Ben chuckles freely at the two, while Jen is trying to contain her amusement, and Cleo makes the motion of zipping up her lips and tossing away the key, "Our lips are sealed."

Ben nods, "Yeah, but you might want to seal hers." He points at Josie, who is sipping from her cup again.

Hope rolls her eyes, finally reaching out and taking the cup from Josie, "Alright, you're done."

Josie furrows her eyebrows when Hope takes her hand after telling their friends bye, and the Tribrid begins dragging her away, toward the cars. "Where are you taking me?"

"Home," Hope answers simply.

When Josie stumbles and nearly falls, Hope pauses in her tracks, turning to face the brunette, "How much did you have to drink?"

Josie hums, closing her eyes, which is a mistake since she immediately wobbles on her feet, and she presses a palm to her temple to try to get the world to stop spinning, "Mhmm."

Hope furrows her eyebrows, "What?"

"What?" Josie says, snapping her eyes open.

Hope deflates, mumbling, "I guess that answers my question. Way too much." She sighs softly. "Okay, hold on," Josie gives her a confused look until Hope quite literally sweeps her off her feet and begins carrying her bridal-style through the woods.

Josie wraps her arms around Hope's neck, closing her eyes as she lays her head on Hope's shoulder.

But, about halfway to the car, Hope stops walking, when Lizzie suddenly spots her and vamps in front of them, MG following behind. "What are you doing?"

Hope wants to roll her eyes, but she contains the urge. "I'm just taking her home, Lizzie. She's drunk."

"Not drunk," Josie holds a finger up, though she doesn't attempt to open her eyes or remove her head from Hope's shoulder.