Life In Mystic Falls

Chapter 4

It was the first day, of the last week in July. Hope had spent most of the morning on FaceTime to Landon, before he had to get ready to go out with Matt. After she hung up the phone, she watched the new episode of one of her TV shows, before getting out her sketchbook. She sat on the floor of the sitting room in the Mikaelson manor, her sketchbook and pencils spread across the coffee table in front of her as she hummed along to the music playing through the TV. All her focus was on the piece of paper in front of her, so she didn't hear the front door open and close, until Landon cleared his throat behind her.

"What're you doing?" The phoenix asks, finally gaining her attention.

"Hey," Hope looks up slightly startled, "I didn't hear you come in."

"Yeah, I tried knocking, but I'm guessing you were too focused on your drawing to hear," Landon teases.

"I'm sorry," Hope apologises as she closes her sketchbook. "I guess once I start, I just don't know when to stop."

"Don't worry, it's okay. Can I at least see what you were drawing?" Landon asks, hand already reaching for the book on the table.

"Not until it's finished," Hope shakes her head and grabs her boyfriend's wrist, "but are you gonna tell me how the meeting with Dr Saltzman went?"

"It was good, we decided that I'd stay at the school during the week, since Matt's normally at work then anyway, and I'd stay at the house on weekends," Landon explains.

"That's great," the tribrid smiles as she moves onto the sofa next to her boyfriend. "You know we'll be together almost every day, are you sure you won't get sick of me?"

"No, I could never get sick of you," Landon assures his girlfriend, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Good," Hope smirks, as she turns to straddle her boyfriend's lap, "because you are never getting rid of me."

"Good."

Hope leans down and presses her lips against Landon's, "I love you," she tells him, running a hand through his curls.

"I love you too," he mumbles, as he presses his lips against his girlfriend's neck. Hope's hands move from Landon's hair down to the hem of his T-shirt, sliding it up a bit, to lightly drag her nails across his back, as he continues to suck on a spot underneath her jaw.

"If you're trying to leave a mark, it's not going to work," Hope grins as she tilts her head to the side, giving him better access to her neck. Instead of responding, Landon just moves his kisses down her neck and to her collarbone. Before they can go any further though, there's a loud knock at the door before it opens and closes.

"Hello?!" A voice calls out, causing Hope to jump off her boyfriend's lap and sit back down on the sofa, before two women walk into the room.

"Aunt Freya, Aunt Keelin," Hope leaps up to hug her two aunts, "what're you doing here?"

"We thought, we'd come visit before I'm too pregnant to fly," Keelin explains, as she embraces her niece.

"And you couldn't have called first?" Hope asks with a tight smile.

"I tried to tell her," Freya defends, "but she insisted that we surprise you, since this is the only week she could get off from the hospital."

"Anyway," Keelin waves off her wife's comment, "Landon, it's lovely to finally meet you."

Hope internally cringes at her aunt and plasters on a fake smile, "yeah, Landon, you've met my aunts: Freya and Keelin."

"Of course," Landon nods, "it's nice to actually meet you too."