Hosie~ One Shots

The Forgotten Anniversary

Hope Mikaelson woke up with a smile on her face. Today was their anniversary—two years since she and Josie had finally admitted their feelings for each other and taken that leap from friends to something so much more. She had spent weeks planning her gift, carefully choosing each detail with the hope that it would make Josie feel as loved and cherished as she deserved.

But as the day wore on, that smile began to fade.

It started with breakfast. Hope had woken up early, excited to surprise Josie with her favorite: blueberry pancakes with a hint of lemon, just the way she liked them. But when Josie walked into the kitchen, bleary-eyed and adorable in her oversized T-shirt, she barely glanced at the table.

"Morning," Josie mumbled, kissing Hope on the cheek before grabbing a cup of coffee. "I'm running late for class—can we talk later?"

"Uh, sure," Hope replied, trying to mask her disappointment. "I made your favorite."

Josie blinked at the pancakes as if noticing them for the first time. "Oh! They look great, Hope. But I really have to go—I promised Lizzie I'd help her with something before class."

And just like that, Josie was out the door, leaving Hope alone in the kitchen with a plate of untouched pancakes and a sinking feeling in her chest.

It's okay, Hope told herself. She's probably just busy. We'll celebrate later.

But as the day dragged on, her optimism began to wane. In between classes and training, she had stolen glances at her phone, half expecting a sweet text from Josie—a reminder that she hadn't forgotten what day it was. But her phone remained silent, save for a few random messages about schoolwork and a reminder from Alaric about their next mission briefing.

By the time afternoon rolled around, Hope's anxiety had morphed into full-blown doubt. Every small interaction with Josie seemed off—detached, distracted, and devoid of the warmth that usually made Hope's heart flutter. When Josie casually mentioned she had plans to study with MG and Kaleb later, Hope had to bite her tongue to keep from asking if she had forgotten what today was.

Maybe I'm overthinking this, Hope thought as she sat in her room, staring at the small, wrapped box she had been carrying around all day. Maybe she's just playing it cool, waiting for the right moment.

But as the hours ticked by, that hope began to feel more and more like denial.

By the time evening fell, Hope was exhausted—not physically, but emotionally. She had spent the entire day walking on eggshells, waiting for something that never came. When she finally decided to head back to her dorm, it was with a heavy heart and a growing certainty that Josie had simply... forgotten.

She felt silly for how much that realization hurt. After everything they had been through, after all the battles they had fought and the love they had shared, was it so terrible to expect that today, of all days, would mean something special to both of them?

Lost in her thoughts, Hope pushed open the door to her dorm room, not even noticing the dimmed lights and the soft music playing in the background. It wasn't until she heard the rustle of movement that she snapped out of her daze, blinking in confusion.

"Surprise," a soft voice said.

Hope's heart leaped into her throat as she looked up to see Josie standing in the middle of the room, a shy, nervous smile on her face. The room was transformed—soft string lights were draped across the ceiling, casting a warm, golden glow, and there were scattered candles on every available surface, filling the space with a comforting vanilla scent. On the small table by the window, a vase of Hope's favorite flowers—lilies—stood tall and proud, alongside a bottle of sparkling cider and two glasses.

"Josie...?" Hope's voice was barely more than a whisper, her emotions a jumbled mix of surprise, confusion, and overwhelming relief.

Josie took a tentative step forward, her eyes searching Hope's with an almost pleading expression. "I'm sorry if I made you think I forgot," she said, her voice soft but sincere. "I've been planning this all week, but I didn't want to give anything away."

Hope felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes, the tension of the day melting away in the warmth of Josie's gaze. "You... didn't forget?"

"Of course not," Josie whispered, closing the distance between them and taking Hope's hands in her own. "How could I ever forget something so important?"

Hope's heart swelled with love and gratitude, the weight of the day's doubts suddenly feeling so insignificant compared to the overwhelming joy she felt now. "I thought..." She shook her head, a tear escaping down her cheek. "I thought maybe it didn't matter to you as much as it does to me."

Josie's eyes filled with regret and tenderness as she gently wiped the tear away with her thumb. "I'm so sorry I made you feel that way. I wanted this to be perfect, but I didn't realize I was making you worry."

Hope pulled Josie into a tight embrace, burying her face in her shoulder as she let out a shaky breath. "It's perfect," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "You're perfect."

Josie held her close, her own voice breaking slightly as she whispered back, "So are you, Hope. I love you so much."

For a long moment, they just stood there, wrapped in each other's arms, the world outside their little bubble forgotten. All the doubts, all the fears—they didn't matter anymore. What mattered was this, the love they shared, and the thoughtfulness that Josie had put into making this night special.

When they finally pulled back, Josie gave her a gentle smile and nodded towards the small table. "I thought we could have dinner together, just the two of us. I made your favorite—pasta carbonara."

Hope's eyes widened in delight. "You did all this... just for me?"

"For us," Josie corrected, leaning in to press a soft kiss to Hope's lips. "I wanted to show you how much you mean to me."

Hope's heart swelled with so much love she felt like she might burst. "Thank you," she whispered, holding Josie's gaze with a tenderness that only came from truly seeing someone for who they were. "This is... more than I ever could have hoped for."

They spent the evening wrapped in the warmth of each other's company, sharing stories, laughter, and gentle touches. The worries of the day faded into the background as they celebrated their love, the love that had weathered storms and grown stronger with every passing day.

As the night drew to a close, Hope found herself lying in Josie's arms, her head resting on her chest as they watched the flickering candlelight. She thought about how close she had come to doubting this, to doubting them, and she felt a renewed sense of gratitude for the girl who had shown her, time and time again, that their love was worth everything.

"I have something for you," Hope murmured, reaching into her pocket to pull out the small, wrapped box she had carried around all day.

Josie's eyes sparkled with curiosity as she accepted the gift, carefully unwrapping it to reveal a delicate silver necklace with a small, intricate charm in the shape of a a heart with their initials "H+J- Always & Forever".

"It's beautiful," Josie breathed, her fingers gently tracing the charm. "Hope, I love it."

"It's just a little something," Hope said, her voice soft with affection. "To remind you that no matter what, we'll always rise together."

Josie's eyes filled with tears as she leaned in to kiss Hope, her heart overflowing with love. "I'll cherish it, always."

They fell asleep that night wrapped in each other's arms, the soft glow of the candles still flickering around them, a testament to the love that had brought them together and would keep them strong. And as they drifted off to sleep, Hope knew, with absolute certainty, that no matter what the future held, they would face it together—because their love was something worth celebrating every single day.