Chapter Text
Hope has been dreading this for years. It's been a decade since she embraced her vampire self and a decade since Josie left for Belgium. An envelope lay on her front door; she lowered herself to pick it up. "To my best friend" was printed in a familiar handwriting below it, "to the one who never gave up on me".
Hope's heart lodged in her throat, a wild pulse that threatened to escape. They had been exchanging letters for years now, but this one was different—fancier, the paper more expensive. She immediately knew what it was about. With shaky breath, she ran a hand through her hair before opening it carefully. "Josette Saltzman and..."
Her eyes skipped through the name and the small paragraph that followed, quickly reading the content, her thoughts spun too fast to settle on the words, "Will you be my maid of honor?" Hope's mind was overflowing with thoughts; she knew this was coming. Josie and Robin had been dating for years now, and Jo had written about them in her letters. They chose letters over emails or texts, drawn to the subtle poetry of holding each other's words in their hands.
She blinked twice, forcing her eyes shut for a second, her mind racing, boiling with thoughts. She clears her throat, causing her mind to focus again. "Shit..." she curses under her breath, her voice just above a whisper. The tribrid looked up, disentangling her eyes from the ink that burned on the paper, making her realize she had been standing by her front door, in the middle of the hall, for a while now. Her hand slides into her bag, looking for the keys. Hope opens the door and walks inside. It's her mother's old apartment, the porch giving a direct view of her childhood bedroom, a comforting feature. She takes a moment to close the door and place her things on the kitchen counter, then walks to her mini wine fridge (a gift from her aunt Freya). After pouring herself some wine, she grabs her phone and calls her friend.
"Hi, Hope? Did you get my letter?" A familiar voice speaks up, not even waiting for Hope to speak, the excitement almost tangible. Hope can't help but smile at it.
"Yeah, yeah... That's what I called you about. I would love to be your maid of honor, Jo." The redhead smiled into her phone, it is heavy with sorrow but genuine. A comfortable silence set between them for a second, followed by Josie's excited gasp, the sound never fails to make Hope's heart flutter.
Hope sits on her counter and pulls the wine cup and bottle closer, drinking as she listens to her friend talk about her wedding, the dates, the menu, her dress... With occasional hums and chuckles, the conversation eventually came to an end.
"Hope, I love talking to you, but I need to go meet Lizzie to taste test some cakes." The excitement was still present in her tone. "I'll send you the schedule for your dress fitting, rehearsals, and all that stuff, byee, Hope..."
There was a slight pause, and Hope’s heart gave a small twist. Josie hesitated, then spoke again, softer now. "Hm, thank you, Hope, for everything... Especially the never giving up on me and stuff..." Her words are hesitant, but Hope could feel the sincerity in them, "Really."
Hope’s smile deepened, her voice gentle but filled with the weight of years of spoken feelings. "Thank you too, Jo..." she replied, the words spilling out with more emotion than she intended. She immediately regretted the last two glasses of wine as her mind felt too hazy to offer something deeper, more thoughtful, and meaningful.
The call ended, and Hope sat in silence for a moment, the warmth of the wine lingering in her veins, blurring her mind. She pushed herself up from the counter and made her way to the couch, her movements slow and heavy. With a soft thud, her body sank into the cushions, and she didn’t bother reaching for the blanket that lay folded at the edge. Instead, she let herself be swallowed by the softness of the cushions, the weight of the moment pressing down on her chest, unspoken and unresolved feelings getting buried even deeper as she slowly faded into sleep.
━━ ☽ ⚜ ☾ ━━
Hope stands beside the altar, wearing a metallic blue dress, the color meticulously chosen by Josie to match her maid of honor's eyes. She is fiddling with her rings, waiting for the ceremony to start.
For a moment, Hope allows herself to feel the weight of everything—the years of friendship, the memories, and the traumas that had shaped them both. So much had passed between them, so many times they’d been tested, yet here they were. She lets out a deep breath as she tries to steady the flutter in her chest, the realization of what this moment means settling over her like a heavy cloak.
Her focus leaves her hands, her eyes narrowing to where Josie will soon emerge, walking toward a new chapter of her life. A new beginning. Hope can feel the anticipation building in the air, but for a brief, quiet moment, she allows herself to be fully present—aware of the love and the bond that had brought them here, side by side, ready to celebrate Josie’s happiness, as much as she still feels a pang in her chest.
As the soft strains of music begin to play, Hope straightens, a small, reassuring smile tugging at her lips. Robin emerges first, their dirty blonde hair freshly cut, gleaming in the soft light. They’re dressed in a sharp white suit, a blue tie that matches Hope's dress perfectly, the same shade Josie had chosen with such intention. Robin’s face is alight with a wide, genuine smile, one that makes Hope’s heart swell. The joy in their eyes is unmistakable, a reflection of the love they have for Josie, and a reassurance that this moment, this day, is just the beginning of something beautiful.
Hope offers Robin a warm, encouraging smile as they make their way to their spot at the altar. Her gaze lingers on them for a moment, the pang in her chest momentarily disappearing as she observes their expression, how genuinely in love with Jo they are. With a final nod, Hope turns away, her heart still fluttering in her chest, and faces the aisle.
She straightens, her hands gently smoothing the fabric of her dress, the metallic blue catching the light once more. Hope’s breath catches in her throat as the soft strains of music fill the air once more, and she catches a glimpse of Josie. Their eyes meet, and for the first time in her life, the pain in her chest is unbearable; for the first time, it isn't a quiet feeling.
It should be me.
It should be me.
It should be me.
It should be me.
The thought repeats, relentless, gnawing at her insides with a force she can’t control. She forced her eyes shut; years of being the tribrid, of learning control, did not prepare her for how this would feel. She knows Josie deserves this, deserves Robin, deserves the love they’ve built, but in this moment, with Josie walking towards them, Hope can’t silence the ache, and right now, standing on the threshold of Josie’s new beginning, it all feels too much. It should be her.
Hope takes a deep breath, trying to push the thoughts away, trying to find a way to be happy, to be present for her friend in the way she knows Josie needs her, in the way she had always been for her. You never gave up on me, so no, I'm not gonna give up on you. The words echo in her mind, a promise once made by Josie, so full of meaning, so heavy with the weight of everything they had been through together. Hope clings to that promise now, using it to steady herself.
She’d never given up on Josie, and now, as Josie steps closer, she couldn’t. She wouldn’t.
All that matters right now is Josie, Hope reminds herself. Josie—walking toward the love of her life, her future, the life she has earned, the love she has found. Hope’s chest tightens with a quiet sorrow, but she swallows it down, focusing on the joy of the moment. Josie deserves this.
Hope lets herself feel the weight of the words Josie had spoken to her. She takes one more deep breath, grounding herself in the love and loyalty she’s always had for her best friend. She forces her smile back into place, a genuine smile; she does her best to hide the turmoil going on inside her. Josie was making her dreams come true, and that’s all Hope had ever wanted for her.
As Josie takes her final steps toward the altar, Hope’s heart swells with pride, and a quiet tear slips down her cheek. She’s here. She’s always here.
━━ ☽ ⚜ ☾ ━━
Hope rises from her seat, adjusting her dress as she stands with practiced grace. She then reaches for her glass of champagne, her fingers lightly brushing its stem. The subtle clink of the glass as she taps it gently brings the room to a hush, the sound drawing everyone’s attention.
As the quiet spreads, Hope looks around at the faces gathered before her, some familiar, the others products of the life Josie led on the other side of the globe. A slight smile plays at the corners of her lips, she breathes in, feeling the weight of the moment settle on her shoulders, and then, with the glass still in hand, she speaks in a steady, warm voice.
“For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Hope Mikaelson, Josie’s best friend, and, as her maid of honor tonight, I have the privilege of speaking about a woman who has meant more to me than words can truly express.” Hope clears her throat before continuing, moving her gaze to focus on her friend.
“I’ll never forget what you did for me when I lost myself, how you stood up for me, how you saved me. Josie, I've never spoken about this before, but at that moment, at the Salvatore School, you didn’t just show me what bravery looked like. You showed me the true meaning of loving someone deeply. As I looked into your eyes that day, I felt a hint of fear— fear that the bond between us could be shattered, and that woke something in me. And when you kept your promise and didn't give up on me...” A tear runs down her cheek, and Hope gently wipes it away with a soft chuckle. “Sorry,” she whispers before continuing.
“Josie, you’ve always had this quiet grace about you, this way of making people feel safe, loved, and accepted. Even when you felt broken, even when you doubted yourself, you never stopped being there for me. You never stopped being there for anyone who needed you. You taught me what it means to truly be selfless, to always fight for what you believe in, even when everyone else is against you.” Hope lifts her gaze from the paper in her hands, her eyes meeting the bride's, whose eyes look ever bigger right now, swollen with tears, but her face is lit up with a genuine smile.
“Tonight, as I stand by your side,” she continues, “I’m reminded of everything we’ve been through, the years at the Salvatore School, our late-night talks, the letters we exchanged when life took us in different directions. Each one of those moments has brought us here. And I am so proud to be standing beside you as you marry…” Hope shifts her gaze to Josie's spouse, “Robin, thank you for showing Josie a love that is patient, understanding, and unwavering. I’ve watched you two together, and it’s clear you’ve found something unique and beautiful. You’ve given her a safe place to land, a hand to hold when the world gets too loud, and I am so grateful for that.”
Hope places her speech down and takes the brunette's hand in hers, “Josie, we’ve seen the darkest parts of each other, and somehow, we’ve always found the light together. I can’t imagine my life without you in it, and I will never stop being here for you, no matter what life brings. Always and forever.” Her family motto is a subtle addition to her speech. With a tight squeeze and a soft smile, Hope ends her speech and gently releases her hand, turning to the guests, “To Josie and Robin, may your love only grow stronger with each passing day. Cheers."