𝐅𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 ━━ HOPE MIKAELSON.

11

"WHAT IS THIS PLACE?" Hope asked, staring at the place in awe and amazement.

"I used to come here with my mom," Jaxon replied, "and when I feel like shit, you know?"

"Is the water safe?" She asked, looking at the clear water below her as she stood on a rock, gripping Jaxon's hand tightly so she wouldn't slip and fall, "what is there's some sort of creatures lurking in there?"

"I don't know, why don't you check?" He asked making her looked at him with her brows raised, "are you crazy? I'm not going to—" she was cut off when he easily lifted her off the ground and threw her in the water. Hope gasped, breathing heavily as she resurfaced while he stood there and laughed, "see? No creatures."

"Fuck you!" Hope groaned, "I haven't brought any clothes with me."

"That's alright. I won't look at you," He joked and when he received a glare from her, he clarified, "relax, I've got clothes in my car. And you're a witch. Can't you like dry yourself up? Anyway, I'm gonna jump."

Hope said nothing and watched as he removed his shirt. She didn't give him time to remove his pants when she muttered a spell under her breath making him fall into the water with a splash as well.

"Couldn't be one more second without me?" He teased, wiping the water off his face with his hand before pushing the strands of his hair which fell on his face aside.

"Whatever helps you sleep." Hope rolled her eyes to which Jaxon said, "I don't sleep."

"About that," she began, looking at him while playing with the water, "is it physically or mentally?"

"You wanna play therapist now?" He raised his brows making her shake her head, "no, I was just curious."

"Mentally," he responded, looking at her face, at the droplets of water that were trailing down, at the one drop on her lower lip. "I— I've got nightmares that prevents me from sleeping."

"Oh," she shot him a look, "what are they about? Your mom?" He only nodded once in response but said nothing as she continued, "you could take sleeping pills. They help."

"Not me, they don't. You take them?" He narrowed his eyes at her. Hope shook her head in response, "rarely. I don't get nightmares all the time."

"Come on, there's something behind that waterfall." He pointed to the waterfall in the middle, "follow me. We gotta swim there— be careful the water's kinda deep."

"Okay," she said and began to swim towards the waterfall, following Jaxon. True to his words, the water realty was deep. However, they managed to reach the waterfall and she followed him as he swam through it.

"See?" He pointed to the small sand land which was just a few centimetres away from them, "it's like some sort of cave." The place was covered with rocks, no lights were through yet it was lit up by some unknown source of light.

"I love this place," Hope breathed out, grabbing the hand Jaxon extended to her so he could pull her up as he already went there. They stood on the sand and stared down at the water below them. "Nice hiding place," she said, smiling, "nobody would ever find you if you come to hide here."

"Well except you, that is." He said making her nod her head, "except me. Am I seriously the only one you've brought here?"

"Yeah— well except my mom," he sat down on the sand, bringing his knees up before placing his arms on them, linking his hand, "it would be nice if you don't show this place to anyone."

"I won't," she sat next to him, "can I ask you something?" He hummed in response and she asked, "why did you bring me here?"

"I've never seen you cry before." He blurted out, "I couldn't see you that way. I don't know what got into me." She smiled at that before dropping her head on his shoulder. He didn't move or said anything— he just allowed her be. "Thank you," she said after a few minutes of silence, "this... This means a lot to me. Nobody's ever cheered me up before— well since after... you know."

"Anytime." He muttered, unsure whether he liked what he was feeling at that time or not. But he knew what they were called— fucking butterflies.