can you blame me for wanting a little bit more?

The pain

"Like you're waiting for something. Like you want me to say or do something. Just… stop it." 

To Hope's total surprise, Josie stops walking. The tribrid almost stop too, but instead she looks over her shoulder. She's surprised to see Josie heading in another hallway. Hope turns her head to look ahead of herself. For a moment, she feels relieved. Relieved because Josie finally understood that they're better off separated. However, an oddly familiar pain soon fills her chest and Hope's heart sink. Josie must be crying because of her. Again. 

Instead of heading to class, Hope goes straight to her room. As soon as the door is closed, Hope throws her bag on the other side of the room. The pain is unbearable. The Mikaelson girl gets under her blanket and curls herself into a ball. She just needs it to stop.

*

To Hope's total surprise, Josie keeps coming back to their training sessions. Every day the girl gets better, and Hope can't help but feel a little bit proud of her soulmate. 

The only thing that bugs Hope is the fact that Josie is taking her distance now. The brunette hasn't tried to make conversation with her for about a week now. Josie only speaks to Hope when she absolutely needs to. There's no lingering looks anymore, no small talk. 

After a total of ten days of this "Josie" silent treatment, Hope can't take it. Deep down, she knows Josie still cares. She feels her pain almost every night (even if now, Hope is starting to think this pain is partly her own). But Hope just needs to be sure. She needs to know Josie is not just shutting her out.

Alaric had to leave early today. He said something about finding Landon's mother. So, he left the girls alone to train, knowing full well Hope can handle training Josie. The Mikaelson girl has been wondering how she could get Josie to talk to her since the brunette always seems to disappear after their training time. 

So Hope decides to take advantage of their training time. As soon as she can, Hope sends Josie to the ground, as gently as she can. She quickly gets on top of the younger girl, using her weight to pine her to the ground. Josie tries to set herself free, but she doesn't manage to. It's then that she seems to realize that Hope did it on purpose. Josie stops struggling and looks into Hope's eyes, and that when Hope decides to speak.

"You're giving me the silent treatment now?"

Josie rolls her eyes. "I'm only giving you what you want."

Hope frowns. "I never asked you to stop talking to me."

"No, but you asked me to stop looking at you. So I stopped." Josie tries to push Hope off of her one more time and groans when Hope doesn't move. "Get off!"

Josie uses her hands to try and push Hope off, but Hope is having none of it. She uses both of her hands and pines Josie's hands to the ground.

"I feel your pain every night." Hope says, her face closer to Josie's than it was before.

Josie doesn't avoid Hope's eyes, instead she looks straight into them. It feels like Josie's looking straight into Hope's soul, and the Mikaelson girl couldn't look away even if she tried.

"That's only fair since you're the one hurting me." Josie says, her voice stone cold.

Josie's words are like a slap to Hope's face. The tribrid's hold loosen and Josie takes her chance to switch their position. Now that she's on top, Josie rests her hands on Hope's shoulders. When the Mikaelson girl looks up at the brunette, Josie can see the vulnerability in Hope's eyes. 

"Everything would be so simple if you'd only let yourself care."

It doesn't take a second for Hope to reply. "I've always cared."