Hosie~ One Shots

Midnight Study

It was a quiet night at the Salvatore School for the Young and Gifted. The corridors were dark and empty, save for the soft glow of the moonlight filtering through the tall windows. Most students had retired to their dorms for the night, but in Hope Mikaelson's room, two figures remained huddled over a pile of books and notes.

Hope sighed, running a hand through her hair as she glanced at the clock. It was well past midnight, and she and Josie Saltzman had been studying for hours. Midterms were approaching, and with both of them being overachievers, they had decided to pull an all-nighter in preparation. The room was quiet except for the soft rustling of pages and the occasional scribbling of a pen.

Hope stole a glance at Josie, who was deeply focused on a particularly difficult spell. The flickering candlelight cast a warm glow on Josie's face, highlighting the delicate features Hope had come to admire so much. Josie's brow was furrowed in concentration, her bottom lip caught between her teeth as she read through the ancient text.

Hope smiled to herself, her heart swelling with affection. She had always admired Josie's dedication and kindness, but somewhere along the way, those feelings had grown into something deeper. Something she hadn't dared to admit out loud.

"Hope?" Josie's soft voice broke through her thoughts, and Hope quickly averted her gaze, pretending to be engrossed in her own work.

"Yeah?" Hope replied, trying to sound casual.

Josie looked up, her eyes meeting Hope's with a mixture of uncertainty and vulnerability. "Do you ever feel like... like no matter how much you try, you're never good enough?"

Hope blinked in surprise, not expecting such a heavy question. She noticed the weariness in Josie's eyes, the way her shoulders slumped slightly as if carrying an invisible weight.

"Josie..." Hope began, her voice gentle. "You are more than good enough. You're smart, talented, and you have the biggest heart of anyone I know. If anything, I'm the one who should be worried about not measuring up."

Josie shook her head, a small, sad smile tugging at her lips. "You're just saying that. You're Hope Mikaelson, the tribrid. You're strong and brave, and you always know what to do. I'm just... Josie. The girl who's always trying to please everyone and never quite succeeding."

Hope felt a pang in her chest at Josie's words. She hated seeing Josie doubt herself, especially when, in Hope's eyes, Josie was nothing short of extraordinary.

"You're wrong," Hope said firmly, reaching out to place a comforting hand on Josie's arm. "You succeed more than you know, Josie. You've helped so many people, including me. I wouldn't be who I am today without you."

Josie's eyes softened, and for a moment, they just looked at each other, the weight of the unspoken feelings between them hanging in the air. But then Josie broke the gaze, her exhaustion finally catching up to her.

"I'm sorry," Josie murmured, stifling a yawn. "I'm just really tired. I didn't mean to get all emotional."

Hope's expression softened, and she gave Josie's arm a gentle squeeze. "It's okay, Josie. You've been working really hard. Why don't you take a break? You look like you could use some rest."

Josie nodded, too tired to argue. She leaned back on Hope's bed, closing her eyes for a moment. Before Hope could say anything else, Josie's head gently rested on her shoulder, her breathing evening out as she drifted off to sleep.

Hope froze, her heart skipping a beat as she realized Josie was asleep... on her. She slowly relaxed, careful not to disturb her, and a small smile played on her lips. Josie looked so peaceful, her worries momentarily forgotten in the safety of Hope's presence.

For a few minutes, Hope just watched her, her heart swelling with a mix of affection and something deeper. She had been holding back her feelings for so long, afraid of ruining their friendship, but now, with Josie asleep beside her, the words she had kept buried for so long began to rise to the surface.

"I wish you knew how much you mean to me, Josie," Hope whispered, her voice barely audible. "You're everything I never knew I needed. I... I love you. More than I've ever loved anyone."

She paused, her throat tightening with emotion. "I don't know what I'd do without you. You make everything better just by being you, and I'm so scared of losing you. I just want to be with you, Josie. I want to protect you and make you happy because you deserve that. You deserve everything."

Hope's eyes glistened with unshed tears as she continued, her voice trembling. "I don't know if you'll ever feel the same way about me, but I just needed to say it, even if you'll never hear it. I love you, Josie Saltzman. And I think I always will."

Silence filled the room, the only sound being Josie's steady breathing. Hope let out a shaky breath, relieved and terrified at the same time. She had finally said the words, even if they were only meant for her own ears.

But then, Josie stirred, her head shifting slightly on Hope's shoulder. Hope held her breath, hoping she hadn't woken her up. But Josie didn't move, and Hope relaxed again, assuming she was still asleep.

However, what Hope didn't know was that Josie had been awake the whole time.

Josie's heart was pounding in her chest, her mind racing as she processed everything Hope had just said. She had heard every word, every confession, and it took everything in her not to react. She had always had feelings for Hope, but she never imagined that Hope felt the same way. Now, hearing the truth from Hope's own lips, Josie felt a warmth spread through her chest, a sense of relief and overwhelming joy.

Slowly, Josie opened her eyes, lifting her head from Hope's shoulder. She turned to face Hope, who was staring at her in shock, clearly not expecting her to be awake.

"Josie...?" Hope's voice was shaky, her eyes wide with surprise.

Josie smiled softly, her heart pounding with anticipation. "Did you mean what you said?"

Hope's face turned bright red, and she looked away, biting her lip nervously. "I... I didn't realize you were awake..."

"I was," Josie said gently, reaching out to take Hope's hand in hers. "And I heard everything."

Hope's eyes slowly met Josie's, fear and hope swirling in her gaze. "I'm sorry, Josie. I didn't mean to make things awkward, I just—"

Josie shook her head, silencing Hope with a soft squeeze of her hand. "Don't apologize, Hope. I'm glad you said those things. Because... I love you too."

Hope's breath caught in her throat, her eyes widening in disbelief. "You do?"

Josie nodded, her smile growing wider. "I've loved you for a long time, Hope. I just didn't know if you felt the same way."

Relief and joy washed over Hope, and she couldn't help the smile that spread across her face. "I can't believe this... I thought I'd ruined everything."

"You didn't ruin anything," Josie said, her voice filled with warmth and affection. "If anything, you made everything better."

Hope's heart swelled with happiness, and without thinking, she leaned in, gently pressing her lips to Josie's. It was a soft, tender kiss, filled with all the emotions they had been holding back for so long. When they finally pulled away, they were both smiling, their foreheads resting against each other.

"I love you, Josie," Hope whispered, her voice full of sincerity.

"I love you too, Hope," Josie replied, her eyes shining with happiness. "And I'm so glad I finally got to say it."

They sat there together, holding each other close, the weight of their unspoken feelings finally lifted.