Chapter Text
Hope was staring out the window, watching a tall pretty brunette with her tiny toddler out in the yard. The toddler was waddling around and pointing inquisitively to everything. The pretty brunette--the mom--was engaging her child every time he pointed at anything. The scene just warms Hope’s heart.
It had been a week since their new neighbours had moved in and Hope couldn't believe someone was willing to live in that tiny old house across the street. It was barely standing by a thread.
When she first laid eyes on her new neighbours, Hope was floored by just how gorgeous the young woman was.
"Morning, mom."
Hope turned and smiled as she saw her daughter come into the kitchen.
Her daughter, Hayley, had the most luscious but wild curly dark hair, something she took after her father. But her other features mimic Hope’s, all down to the same shade of blue in their eyes. She knew the Mikaelson genes were strong, and Hayley was a prime example of the strong genes.
"Morning, sweetie. Made you some pancakes." Hope flipped some fresh warm pancakes onto a plate and set it in front of her.
"Thanks!" Hayley chirped as she began to eat.
Hope walked over to the fridge to grab some orange juice when she caught a glimpse of the pretty brunette smiling and laughing with her child. God, her smile was beautiful.
"Why don't you just go and introduce yourself?"
Hope blinked in confusion after she turned her head around to look at her daughter.
"Our new neighbour? Why don't you say hi instead of staring at her with that sad pining look from our kitchen window."
Hope gawked.
"I do not have a sad pining look!"
"Fine, your sad bedroom eyes then."
"Hayley Nikole Mikaelson!" Hope rarely ever used her mom voice on Hayley, or even her full name. But Hope feels like this situation warranted both.
Hayley rolled her eyes and continued to eat her pancakes.
"Your father is going to be here soon to drive you to rugby practice. So go get ready," Hope says. She could still feel her cheeks warm from the bedroom eyes comment. Ugh. Teenagers. Who even says “bedroom eyes” anymore? Hope is going to have a serious talk with Hayley about her vocabulary.
Hayley puts her empty plate in the sink and scampers off to get ready. Hope doesn't know where that kid got that sass from, though she suspects it's genetic because she's certain she was full of sarcasm and sass when she was Hayley's age.
Just then there was a knock on the front door.
"Coming!"
Hope headed over to the front entrance and opened the door. She was greeted by a lopsided smile and that same mess of curly black hair that resembles her daughter.
"Hey, Landon," Hope smiled.
"Morning, Hope," Landon said. "Hayley ready yet?"
"No, she just went up to go change. Come in." Hope stepped aside and allowed him in.
Once inside, the two just hung around the entrance. It wasn't awkward by any means, it was just comfier for them.
"How are things going? I heard the show Wade's writing for got picked up for another season! Congratulations!"
Landon smiled brightly. "Thank you. He's super excited about it and they're already having, like, discussions and--oh, he said they have two new writers on the team now too. "
"That's amazing," Hope paused. "That's amazing, right?"
"I think it is? It probably is."
Hope nodded.
Heavy quick footsteps rang down the steps as Hayley, in full rugby attire, gave her father a big hug.
"Hi, dad!"
"Hey, Hayley, you ready to go?"
"Yup!" She slings her duffle bag strap around her shoulder and is about to head out when she stops and turns to her parents. "Oh! Dad! Guess what?"
"What?"
Hayley gave a glance to her mom and grinned.
"Mom's crushing hard on our new neighbour across the street."
Hope's jaw drops and Landon just smirks.
"Is that so?" He asked, looking towards his ex. Hope just glares at both of them.
"It's not a crush."
"She keeps sending the new neighbour unknowing bedroom eyes from our kitchen window like a weird stalker," Hayley said deftly.
"Hayley Nikole Mikaelson!" This was the second time she's had to use her mom voice and her daughter's full name. Hope inwardly groaned. Could today be any more embarrassing?
Landon laughs and Hayley skips out the door.
"Landon!" Hope hissed.
"Sorry, sorry, it's just--" Landon wipes a tear from his eyes. "It's been a while since… Us, you know?"
Hope huffs.
She and Landon had been absolutely in love when they were teenagers. The whole cliche high school sweethearts. They even had plans to get married right out of high school because of how in love they were with each other. Until an accident happened that resulted in them becoming teen parents to one Hayley Mikaelson.
It wasn't all bad. Sure the stress of being teen parents and still being a kid themselves was rough, but they both had each other and their families for support (although her father was incredibly angry and murderous when they told their parents the news, he came around after being so involved during the pregnancy and helping out as much as he could before both her parents passed away).
But then things weren't okay between them and they decided it was better to end things than to let it continue. It wasn't fair to them or Hayley. They shared custody of Hayley, but Hope was primarily her sole caregiver.
"I have Hayley to think of." That was all Hope had said.
Landon looked at her with disbelief.
"That's the same thing I said when we were talking about Wade years ago."
"Okay! Yes! But… It… I just can't. It's too soon."
Landon sighed, shaking his head. "If you insist…"
"I do insist. And this conversation is over because you need to drive our daughter to her rugby practice or else she'll be late."
"Alright, alright," he chuckled. "I'll see you later."
"Bye, Landon."
As Landon and Hayley drove off, Hope glanced up and she saw the pretty brunette look at her. Hope felt her heart skip.
The pretty brunette waved at Hope, but she was so flustered by the exchanging of looks that she just shut the door closed.
Dammit.
Now the pretty brunette was going to think that she's cold and rude.
Maybe her daughter was right. Maybe she should just go up and say hi.
Hope pondered a little longer.
Nope.
No way she was going to do that.
Instead, Hope was going to work on her paintings in hopes of distracting herself from all the chaos that happened in the last half hour.
Hours later, Hope dipped her brushes in the murky glass of water with her other brushes that she used. She looked at her new piece and frowned. It wasn’t coming together as she had hoped. As she had wanted.
The colours were muddled, and the tone of the piece was confusing. Way too confusing for a collection about family.
Hope sighed and brushed her hand through her hair before she winced. She still had paint on them and now it's probably gotten in her hair. Today was not going the way she planned.
She left her studio and made a beeline to the kitchen. She opened her fridge and stared at the contents inside. It was chock-full of produce and an assortment of snacks and treats.
She checked the clock on the wall and frowned. It was five past one. She was too tired to cook lunch, so instead, she decided to go out.
Hope cleaned herself off--to the best of her abilities anyways--and headed into town.
Hope, distracted as she walked over to The Grill, wondered just what she could do to fix her current piece, or maybe it would be better to start from scratch.
As she was seated down, she glanced over to her right and froze in her seat.
It was the pretty brunette and her son!
Hope observed the two and realized that the pretty brunette had a full plate of food in front of her, untouched, while her kid was mashing his food together like it was playdoh. Hope winced, if only in solidarity because she has totally been through that before with Hayley.
Should she head over and help? Because it honestly seemed like the pretty brunette was having a rough time. And, like, they're neighbours. So it would be the responsible thing as neighbours to help each other out, right?
Before Hope could answer her own question, her body moved on its own and she found herself standing next to their table.
"Uh, hey," Hope started.
The pretty brunette jumps in her seat (cute) and turns around to look up at Hope with such big doe-like eyes (shit. Hope is doomed).
"Wh--uh, hi. Hi, hello…?"
Right.
This was where Hope was supposed to introduce herself.
With the biggest and friendliest smile she could muster, she stuck her hand out. "Hi, I'm Hope. Your neighbour from across the street? I couldn't help but notice you and your child from where I was seated. Just wanted to say hi."
Nailed it.
The pretty brunette blinked a few times as if contemplating something before she beamed up at Hope.
"I'm Josie," she says.
Josie.
Josie .
Hope is absolutely smitten.
"And this messy child is Leo--no! Leo! We do not play with our food!"
Leo was currently making his food into snowmen. Hope couldn't help but chuckle.
"Here," Hope says as she slides down into the chair. "Let me help. It looks like you've barely touched your food."
"What? Oh my gosh, no, I can't possibly let you do that. You must be busy with your own thing?" Josie asked with a pout.
Dear God, Hope is going to explode with fluffy feelings if Josie keeps this up.
"It's fine, really. I'm great with kids, have one myself," Hope chuckled.
Josie smiled.
"I, yeah. I noticed you and your daughter this morning." Josie started to eat while Hope was helping feed Leo. "You have a really beautiful daughter."
"It's the Mikaelson genes." Hope shrugged.
"How old is she?"
"Sixteen."
Josie winced. "Teen years... Tell me it gets better…"
"Hate to say it but…" Hope drifted off. Josie just groaned as she brushed Leo's hair aside.
"This little guy is already causing mommy trouble, aren't you?" Josie's voice was hitched up an octave as she playfully squeezed her son's cheeks, which earned a laugh from Leo.
"Mommy, mommy! Look! Snowma!" Leo held up the mushed-up food that he compiled -- and tried -- into a snowman.
Josie sighed and Hope had to fight the urge to wrap her arms around the brunette.
"It's okay. Hayley was like him when she was his age, if not worse. She would refuse to sit in a high chair and would only behave and eat if I was giving her a piggyback ride."
"Oh, geez," Josie laughed as she took a bite of her salad.
"Thank god she's not a toddler anymore. She was, and is, full of energy. Took her to do so many after-school activities to help but nothing stuck."
"Oh yeah?"
"Gymnastics, ballet, tap dancing, soccer, nothing."
"Is she doing a sport now? I saw she was in a uniform and had a duffle bag with her," Josie asked.
"Rugby," Hope answered, feeding Leo another spoonful of peas. "Thankfully this one stuck. She's been on her school's rugby team for a while and even won games."
"That's amazing! You and your husband must be so proud!"
Hope blinked.
What.
Husband?
Hus--
Oh shit!
"No!" Hope said, a little too forcefully. Josie's eyes widened from her response. "I mean, no. Landon, the guy from this morning--her father--no, we, we're not together. I mean, we were , but we aren't anymore. No. He's married and just helps with co-parenting."
Hope cringed at how flustered her explanation was, but she hoped it was enough to dissuade Josie from thinking she was with Landon. She had to make sure she came off single and so very ready to mingle (Hayley, don't laugh).
"That's actually so sweet," Josie smiled. "I sort of wish that was the thing with me and Leo and his… Ex mom…?" She furrowed her brow. Hope thought that was cute.
But Hope didn't miss the fact that Josie had said "ex mom". Meaning, Josie is into girls. Point for Hope!
"Oh yikes. What happened with you and your ex if it's not too much to ask?" Hope was curious. Very, curious.
Josie shrugged.
"It's complicated… Or as complicated as it gets."
"Oh! I, I'm sorry if I brought up a sore subject!"
Josie waved her hands. "No, no, it's totally fine!"
She bit her bottom lip and wow, Hope had to calm her mind because the thoughts running through her head were unreal (she's a grown adult for christ’s sake! Not a hormonal teenager).
"Long story short, my ex-wife and I wanted kids, we found a sperm donor we liked, I carried Leo, found out my ex was cheating on me while I was very pregnant," Josie groaned and Hope couldn't help but feel for the girl.
"Filed for divorce, gave birth, and then fought and won sole custody over Leo. The divorce was finally finalized but she insists we co-parent and demand visitation rights even though I have sole custody of my son..."
"Yeah, yeah no, that does sound complicated. Sorry, you and Leo had to go through all of that."
"Thanks. Hard to believe it all happened two-ish years ago. Leo's about to turn three soon, aren't you?"
Leo giggled and reached his hand out to Josie.
"Mommy, can we get ice cr'm, please please please?"
"I don't know. Were you a good boy today and ate your lunch?" Josie asked, wiping a bit of food from Leo's hands.
"No, I made a snowma, but it was a really really good snowma!" He beamed.
Josie pressed a gentle kiss on top of his head and giggled. "Okay, okay. We can get ice cream later. But you only get one flavour, alright?"
Leo nodded enthusiastically.
"Yes! Can, can I get strawberry, mommy? Please?"
"Of course you can, sweetie."
Josie and Leo wrapped up their lunch and Hope, for some reason, follows them out The Grill.
"Thanks for helping out," Josie said as she turned to Hope.
"It was nothing, really," Hope replied. Honestly, if Josie needed help again, Hope would for sure help without hesitation. Babysitting? Of course. Delivering lunch to her? Definitely. Hiding a body? One hundred fucking percent.
Josie just smiled that bright beautiful smile and Hope slightly melts on the inside. Just slightly.
"Leo, say bye to Hope."
Leo raised both his arms and waved them above his head. He still had a few food stains on his chin. How cute.
"Bye, bye!"
Before the pair could leave, Hope grabbed Josie's hand.
The brunette paused and looked at Hope questioningly.
Hope pulled her hand back immediately.
"Sorry! Oh my gosh, uh…" Dammit. Think Hope, think! "Your phone."
Josie furrowed her brows in confusion.
"To call me if you ever need anything."
Josie blinked and Hope was worried she was being too forward. That was until the brunette smiled brightly at her.
"Sure, yeah, uh, totally!"
Josie handed Hope her phone and the auburn girl had to do her best to keep her hands still. She couldn't believe she actually did it.
Once she inputted her number, she returned Josie's phone.
"I'll uhm, see you around?" Josie asked.
Hope nodded. "For sure."
Josie beamed. Then she turned to her son, who was busy having, what looked like a serious conversation with ants.
"Come one, Leo, we're going now."
"But mommy, the ants haven't overthrown the paperkey yet," Leo said, his eyes never leaving the rows of ants.
Hope raised a brow at Josie.
"His aunt--my sister, has been teaching him about toppling the patriarchy… I kept telling her to stop since he's just three, but she's stubborn. " Josie replied sheepishly.
"Hey, nothing wrong with learning about toppling the patriarchy at the age of three. Way better than what Hayley was focused on at his age. Her dad played The Shining when she was staying over at his place, and after that, she wouldn't stop pretending she was one of the twins." Hope shook her head at the memory. "She'd give me nightly heart attacks from just standing over my bed staring at me."
Josie giggled.
"You're right, defeating the patriarchy is way better than being a creepy kid in a horror movie."
"Told you," Hope smirked.
"We really should get going though. Bye, Hope."
"Bye, Josie."
Josie took Leo's tiny hand and they walked off. Hope stood there with a goofy smile on her face when Josie turned to look back at Hope.
Once they were gone, Hope suddenly felt like she had forgotten something.
Growl.
Hope's hand flew to her very empty, and probably angry, stomach.
"Shit."
Hope sagged as she walked right back into The Grill.
It was ten to five when Hope plopped down take-out dinner on the kitchen counter. She had gotten a message from Josie earlier and Hope couldn't help but feel giddy.
Gosh. She was turning back into a high schooler with a puppy crush who didn't know what to do.
Gross.
Hope made a mental note to not be so overly cheesy and embarrassing the next time she and Josie talk.
Just then, the front door opened. Hope headed out to the foyer to greet Hayley.
"Hey, sweetie. How was practice?"
Hayley, who was in the middle of taking off her shoes, shrugged.
"Like any other practice. It was good. Coach Machado made us run way too many laps today though, ugh."
Hope chuckled.
Hayley slid onto the barstool by the kitchen island and rested her head in her hands.
"What about you? How was your day?"
Hope hummed, wondering if she should tell her daughter about what transpired this afternoon. She unconsciously looked out the kitchen window for a split second and that seemed to be more than enough for her daughter to pick up on something.
"What, don't tell me you spent all day staring at our new neighbour with your sad bedroom eyes did you?" Hayley smirked.
"I do not have a sad bedroom eyes! What does that even mean?" Hope huffed. Hayley just cackled at her mom's reaction.
"Should I update it to sad pining bedroom eyes then?"
"Hayley Nik--"
"Yeah, yeah, third time using my full name." Hayley waved Hope off smugly. Hope hated that her daughter was kind of right. But there was no way she was going to admit that to her.
" Anyways ," Hope stressed. "My day was great. Met our new neighbours at the grill during lunch actually. A fine family. Very nice."
"Oh, one of them sure is fine," Hayley snickered.
Hope gaped.
"Hayley!"
"What? I have eyes, mom." Hayley shrugged with a big smirk plastered on her face.
"Where do you even get this attitude from," Hope asked as she shook her head. She grabbed some plates from the cupboard and set them on the counter.
"You."
Hope glared.
"And aunt Rebekah."
Hope rolled her eyes.
"So," Hayley hopped off the barstool and walked around the counter towards Hope. She wrapped her arms around her mother and rested her chin on Hope’s shoulder. "You gonna ask her out?"
"Are you trying to get me out of the house more so you can throw your little secret parties?"
It was Hayley's turn to be caught off guard. Hope couldn't help but smile.
"Don't think I don't know about your house party plans, Hayley."
Hayley grumbled something Hope wasn't able to pick up, but it was fine.
"And, no. I'm not going to ask her out. We literally just met. And, who knows if she's ready to date. She just finalized her divorce with her ex."
"Oh, fuck."
"Language," Hope said as she popped open the take-out container. She reached over to a drawer but Hayley beat her to it and handed her utensils.
"So, you're going to continue just being creepy and staring at her from afar?"
"I'd like to know what goes through your head when you say things like that," Hope said sourly.
Again, Hayley just smirked and shrugged.
The conversation was left as is, open-ended. Which was weird for Hope to think about. Because even if Josie wasn't currently dealing with so much personal shit, Hope would totally turn up her Mikaelson charm and ask the brunette out.
But she was-- is, dealing with personal shit.
Hope sighed.
She turned to look out the window and saw Josie and Leo back in the front yard.
Hope smiled.