I own nothing but my own words.
Chapter 1: This Is Totally All Your Fault
"I can't believe he just left her!" Maya exclaimed.
"Not like it mattered," Landon said, "she could definitely handle herself."
Rafael shook his head and followed behind the cousins, smiling slightly.
A night out with Landon to the movies was never just a night out with the two of them anymore, but he was okay with that. Maya was cool.
Landon had made it clear to his newfound family that he and Rafael were a package deal. Rafael and Landon were brothers. It didn't matter how many aunts or cousins crawled out of the woodwork.
Rafael tended to hold himself back, still wary of new people and crowds, but he didn't mind Seylah, Sheriff Mac, or Maya. Ethan was already a friend before Landon was free of Malivore, so there was no stretch there.
Probably the only family member he didn't know how to take was the same one Landon didn't know how to take either.
Chad.
He wasn't really family, but Seylah had taken the guy under her wing, insisting on helping him. It would've been nice except Rafael knew Landon was already struggling with figuring out where he belonged now that he didn't have Hope anymore. Landon wanted to feel welcome in Seylah's new home when he wasn't at school—she had begun laying down roots in Mystic Falls to stay near her son and family—but he felt a bit like an intruder, like Seylah already had another son and Landon didn't really fit.
Rafael tried to help Landon see that Seylah was just trying to help the guy; that Seylah really did care about him so much she was willing to die for him, but Landon had always struggled with feeling like he didn't belong so it wasn't that easy to convince him.
Seylah would just have to put the work in herself.
It might be easier now that she had found Chad an actual job.
Or rather, Sheriff Mac had finally agreed to take him on after Seylah trained him a little.
Deputy Chad Wallobee reported for duty every morning bright and early at the Sheriff's Department. He was more of a gopher, doing all the less dangerous jobs that no one wanted to do—he even dressed up as Santa for a community toy drive hosted by the department. He was becoming quite the fixture in town, well liked and loved by everyone.
"Ugh, great," Landon said, stopping in his tracks and looking away.
"What?" Maya asked, looking around him.
Rafael didn't need to look. He already knew. He could feel her.
Hope.
"At least they're leaving," Landon said, shoving his hands into his pockets.
They all watched as Hope and Clarke left the Mystic Grill in their own little world, heading for the parking area.
"You know, when I first met her, I thought she was cool," Maya said.
"She was," Landon said, then corrected himself. "I mean, she is."
"It's okay to be angry at your ex, you know, cuz," Maya said. "I know if a girl I loved ditched me for my brother, I'd be. So angry."
"I'm not angry at her," Landon insisted. "I just… really miss her."
Losing Hope hadn't been easy for Landon. Rafael wouldn't have expected any less. It had completely blindsided him, coming back but losing the person he considered to be the love of his life.
Hope said she still wanted to be friends with Landon, but she was too busy catching up with school and saving the twins to even try. Rafael knew she didn't want to keep hurting Landon, but that's what she was doing.
"We can be angry at him though, right?" Maya asked.
Landon shrugged. "I don't even know anymore."
That was a typical Landon response lately. Malivore had done a number on him. It was part of the reason he didn't feel like he belonged anywhere anymore. Malivore had killed a few witches, unleashed an untold number of creatures on the town and Hope, but he had no idea what else his father had done. Rafael only knew tidbits. He figured no one would ever really know the whole truth.
Landon's response now just showed how far gone he was. It wasn't that he had forgiven Clarke for all that he had done to him before, it was that either Landon or his mother wouldn't be alive if Clarke hadn't stood up to Malivore and risked dying himself.
But saving someone's life didn't reconcile stealing their girl.
"Yes," Rafael corrected. "Yes, we can be angry at him."
"Good!" Maya said.
"Raf," Landon said, giving him a look.
"What?" Rafael said. "You can't expect me not to be angry."
"Right," Landon sighed, shaking his head and resuming his walk to the diner.
Rafael winced, looking down as he followed them, listening to Maya's chatter.
If Landon wasn't angry at Hope or Clarke, Rafael shouldn't be either. But he knew Landon could read between the lines. He knew Rafael's anger wasn't for Landon's sake but for his own.
Rafael didn't know where his loyalty was supposed to lie anymore. Before, he had sworn to keep himself away from Hope because he enjoyed being near her too much and he felt like that was betraying Landon.
Now that he was a hybrid, turned because of Hope, he felt a natural pull toward her. After the final showdown with Malivore, she had explained to him that it was her blood that had changed him, that had brought him back, that had saved him. And because of that, he would always be loyal to her, obeying her every word without a second thought unless he took the necessary steps to put an end to it—by turning into a wolf so many times that eventually the sire bond would break.
She promised to be very careful about the words she used around him. She had even asked if he wanted her to avoid coming near him at all.
He said no.
The natural pull drew him to her, made him unconsciously seek her out at times just in case she needed him. There was no way he would be able to resist being around her forever, which meant it was probably a good thing Hope and Landon were no longer together.
But was it really? And was it still betraying Landon to be near her, feeling the way he did about her, knowing Landon still loved her? Landon didn't act betrayed though, he acted resigned.
Landon knew Rafael was jealous of Clarke. Rafael tried to get past it, tried to forget about Hope. He had even tried to date other girls, but nothing would make his feelings for Hope go away. So every time he heard about Clarke or saw him, it made the anger he fought to constantly control rear its ugly head.
Even now, the more he looked toward the car in the parking lot where Hope and Clarke had disappeared into, the more he wondered why they hadn't pulled off yet. And the more he thought about Clarke being with the girl he wanted to be with… the more he wanted to release that anger and tear something apart.
"Raf?" Maya asked, looking back at him from the curb. "You coming?"
He tore his gaze away and clamped down on the anger immediately, grateful for the interruption. He rushed to meet up with her and Landon again.
Sometimes the anger he felt scared him. He knew being a hybrid would be different from being just a wolf.
He just hadn't expected to feel so much darker on the inside than before.
"Please?" Hope asked hopefully, giving him her best 'puppy dog eyes' look.
Clarke sighed deeply, clicking his seatbelt closed and starting the car.
"Go to a dance with a bunch of teenagers bumping and grinding, most of whom I actually taught at one time?" he asked.
"Yep!" she said, grinning.
Clarke was about as far from high school as one could get. He never actually went to one himself, and he had his fill of the place when he was running it. Now that he was the CEO of a secret organization contracted through the government, going to a high school dance wasn't exactly at the top of his list of things he wanted to do.
"I thought you didn't like holidays any longer, especially not Valentine's?" he remembered.
"As long as Cupid's evil brother doesn't show up and try to eat all the hearts, I'm good," Hope said. "It's just a silly Sweetheart Dance, I know, but hey…" She nudged him. "You're my sweetheart."
Well, when you put it that way, he sighed. "Fine. If I can get away."
"It's not 'til next month, but I figured if I asked far enough in advance, you could clear your schedule for it," Hope said
He could, and he would, but if he was on a mission, there was every chance he wouldn't get back in time.
"I'll do my best," he said.
"I mean, don't you want to bump and grind with me?" she teased.
"Do I need to answer that," he asked, smirking at her.
"No, not really," she grinned, leaning in close, having not buckled her seatbelt yet.
She reached up and trailed her middle and index finger down the side of his face just like always. He leaned into her hand, then grasped it and pulled her closer to him.
"Though I'm more partial to slow dances myself," he murmured.
He kissed her gently, a soft 'hello' that said how much he missed her this past week.
She pulled back and whispered, "I'm good with both." Then she leaned back up and kissed him with more fervor than he had shown.
Clarke lost himself in her mouth. He didn't think he would ever get used to this, being able to kiss her, touch her, hold her. Sometimes he wondered if he had been dreaming since the first time she kissed him, but it was all true. Hope Mikaelson loved him, and he loved her. She was his purpose, his heart, and he was going to spend the rest of his life with her.
He murmured against her lips, "Does this answer the question of where we're going next?"
"Uh huh," she nodded, still kissing him, running her fingers through his hair. "Let's go home."
Home. He had given her that, a home with him. She never called the Salvatore school 'home' anymore. Her home was with him, in the apartment he had gotten for them.
She didn't get to stay there as often as she wanted, the school had a lot of rules about students abusing their off campus privileges, but she had enthusiastically dove into furnishing and decorating the place. She was constantly emailing him things to ask his opinion. He moved some of his own things up from Georgia but most of that was personal items. The furniture, she had enough fun with that. It also helped with them being apart, having something that was theirs to discuss instead of school or work.
When he was in town, he just wanted to spend time with her. They didn't usually go out to dinner like they had tonight, usually he got in town early enough to make dinner for them himself. He preferred it like it was when they were on the run, just the two of them, forgetting about the outside world. And while they spent time together, he never assumed they would end up in bed every time he visited. Did he want her? Yes, every day, every hour, but he still always let her take the lead there. Over two months later, and he still was just as content to hold her as he was to make love to her.
It was already late, so the only reason to go 'home' instead of taking her back to the school meant that she was definitely feeling frisky that night. It also meant he would have to get her back to school by curfew after that, but he was definitely down…or should he say up… for it.
He gave her one last kiss, and then pulled back with a grin, biting his lip slightly. "Home, it is."
The second he opened the apartment door, Hope barely gave him time to get inside before she was on him.
She had missed him something fierce that week, and she had a surprise of her own for him that night which she couldn't wait to share. But wait she would, just a little longer.
He backed into the door, closing it, while leaning down to her kiss. She grasped her arms around his neck and jumped up. He didn't disappoint as he reached down and around, grasping her behind as she wrapped her legs around his waist.
He paused only long enough to lock the door before he was walking with her to the bedroom, kissing her the entire time.
When her back touched the bed, with him leaning down over her, she began to undo the buttons on his shirt. He took over, scrambling to finish and shrug it off his shoulders. She pulled her own shirt up and over her head, then worked on his belt while he pulled his t-shirt up and off. He took over once again to finish undressing, and she rushed to get the rest of her own clothes removed.
She felt like she had been waiting forever to touch him again.
Finally free from all the clothes, she scooted back so she wasn't hanging half off the bed, and he crawled up to join her, lying between her thighs, taking her mouth again with his. She gasped, feeling him rub himself against her where she was most aching for him.
She tried to wrap her legs around him, to draw him in closer, but he pulled back, kissing his way down to her stomach. She dropped her legs with a moan.
As he bit gently at the skin before licking and sucking, his fingers trailed down further until he found her and he slid his thumb up until it was pressing against her most sensitive spot.
Her hips jerked up and she moaned, "Ryan…"
With his thumb firmly in place, he reached and slid two fingers inside of her. She cried out and grabbed at his head, needing something to hold onto as his mouth worked its magic on her stomach and his fingers worked their magic inside of her.
When his head moved further down, she had to let go and grab hold of the covers. He used both thumbs to spread her open and then his tongue took the place his thumb had just vacated.
She practically screamed his name then, the pleasure engulfing her, "Ryan!"
He would've grinned if his mouth wasn't already occupied spelling his name out against her with his tongue. He loved all the sounds she made when he pleasured her, almost as much as he loved the taste of her.
Her hips moved gently against him, trying not to move too much even though his fingers were still inside of her, moving in and out, as his tongue slid against her. The pressure kept building though, and suddenly she was falling apart way too soon.
Crying out, she clenched against him, feeling like she was floundering, moaning and shivering as he continued on as if she hadn't just finished. "Ohhh, Ryan, please…" She wanted to feel him inside of her, but she loved what he was doing so much. "Come here…"
He finally let go and pulled his fingers out, kissing his way back up until he was mouthing at her neck and reaching over to the nightstand to take out protection.
Palming it, he pulled back, but stopped when she reached for it. Grinning, he rolled onto his back, taking her with him. That usually meant she wanted to have the honor of rolling it on.
Sliding into place on top of him, she held up the packet then tossed it to the side with a smirk.
"It's been over a month."
He stared up at her, trying to comprehend what she was saying in the midst of his pleasure filled fog.
She waited for him to catch up. She had done exactly what she said she would and gotten on birth control when she got back to Mystic Falls. Doctor Salvatore had reassured her that what she was taking was just as effective for a tribrid. She had been instructed that it was best to wait at least a month after starting the pill to have unprotected sex. She took it daily, being extra sure she never forgot. She knew how much he wanted to be skin to skin with her. She might not be ready to have a kid—and she still wasn't sure she would ever be ready—but she could give him this.
He knew about the wait, time must have slipped his mind because he had been too busy.
She knew the moment he understood because his gaze darkened and then he flipped her back over. He hovered above her, staring down, "Are you sure?"
"Yes," she nodded, reaching up to caress the side of his face, loving him so much for always thinking about her, always wanting to protect her.
He didn't need to hear anymore than that. He shifted to reach down between them, and she spread her legs even further apart, excited for this next part too.
Barely breathing, he lined himself up. He had been waiting for this for so long—the moment he got to be completely with her, no thin barrier between them.
Heat met heat as he pushed inside of her, driving himself deep, so deep, and then he was the one moaning and burying his face into her neck. He could stay like this forever.
She trailed her fingers down his back until she reached his hips. Grabbing hold, she drew her knees up on either side of him, moaning out as he sank deeper within her.
"Turn over?" she suggested.
"Oh no," he murmured into her neck, holding onto his control, "this one is all me."
"But you've been doing all the work," she teased.
"Not that you mind," he finally moved to smirk at her.
"Not really," she returned the smirk as she slid her hands from his hips to his behind, pulling him firmly against her.
He stopped her movements by kissing her once more and then he pulled back slightly before pushing forward inside of her again.
She moaned into his mouth and her hands found his back this time, gripping hold as he began to move. Hovering over her, his mouth moved from hers and his hands planted on either side of her, his pace picking up more speed with every thrust.
His eyes glazed over as he lost himself in her, staring at her sight unseen, focusing on the feel of her.
She shouldn't be surprised at how quickly he had gotten her hot again. He knew all the right ways to touch her. Feeling him inside of her, knowing it was just him and nothing else, she was melting. She felt like she was on fire.
Her nails clawed at his back as he slammed into her over and over again, feeling like he was trying to get as deep as possible. Whatever he was trying to do, she didn't want it to end, not when it felt this good. But all good things had to come to an end, especially when the fire threatening to engulf her exploded inside and she came with a shriek, digging her nails into his skin.
Hearing her, he allowed himself to lose control—this was the part he was most waiting for. The part when he finally released his pleasure deep inside of her. Groaning, he thrust erratically until he came, slamming as deep as he could when he did. Sheer bliss greeted him when he realized this was the first time he wouldn't have to immediately pull away from her. He could lie like this, stay inside of her, until he had to pull out…or until they were ready to go again.
"Love you so much," he managed to gasp out.
Reeling from the feel of everything, loving that he hadn't pulled away like always, she could barely move but she did enough to run a hand through his hair, smiling softly up at him and whispering, "Love you always."
After the long week, they fell asleep wrapped up in each other, neither wanting to leave the other's side. He knew he needed to get her back to school, but he couldn't resist the need to sleep with her once again through the night.
When she awoke the next morning, she knew immediately she screwed up.
"Crap."
Her voice woke him, but he just tugged her close.
"Ryan, we fell asleep," she said, trying to move away.
"Might as well make the most of it," he murmured, reaching to trace a finger down the side of her breast. "Hmm?"
"I…" she looked at him and was unable to resist, "I'm going to be in so much trouble if I'm caught."
"So, don't get caught," he said, rolling on top of her and immediately sliding home inside of her.
"Oh!" she moaned, not expecting him that soon, but she had practically woken up ready to have him again. "If I do, it's your fault."
He smirked at her along with a quick thrust, making her squeak. "How much do you want it?"
"Oh, so much," she said, pushing him over to his back and rising to straddle him, taking him inside of her again.
"Tell me again how it's my fault?" he groaned out as she began moving on top of him.
She didn't bother responding, she was too focused on seeking the pleasure only he could bring her.
She was definitely going to be screwed this morning, but hopefully it was only just this once.
Making herself invisible and carrying her boots, she tried to sneak in without anyone the wiser. She never should've signed up for a Saturday morning yoga class with the twins. She could've stayed at home with Ryan all day and hopefully no one would notice her absence.
But she had signed up because she wasn't supposed to stay the night off campus, so she figured she would be there to take the class. Then she could go back off campus and spend the day with Ryan when he was in town.
Seeing Doctor Saltzman sitting in a comfy chair with his morning paper, she held her breath being very careful about making any noise as she snuck by.
"Good morning," he said, still looking down at his paper.
She froze. How in the world would he know she was here? She was supposed to be invisible. She looked around, wondering if he was talking to someone else.
"Oh, I'm talking to you, Hope," he said, putting the paper down and pointing to a crystal on the table. "If you were caught up in your crystals class, you'd know exactly what that is and why your invisible spell doesn't work with it."
Groaning, she dropped the spell. "Um… good morning?" she said hopefully.
"You were out all night," he said, crossing his arms over his chest.
She opened her mouth to try to make up an excuse.
"And before you play the 'I'm eighteen' or the 'you're not my father' card," he interrupted her, holding up a hand. "I will remind you that this is a school with a curfew and you broke the rules."
Admitting defeat, she looked down and said, "It won't happen again."
"I know it won't because your off-campus privileges have been revoked for a month," he said firmly.
Her head swung up in shock, eyes wide, "But—!"
"Your headmaster has spoken," he said, standing up.
"You just don't like him," she couldn't resist saying, her panic warring with her frustration.
"Hope," he shook his head. "I don't care who you date. As long as you're a student at this school, you're my responsibility which means you follow the rules. Plus, you've got a lot of school work to catch up on if you want to graduate on time. You do want to graduate, don't you?"
"Yes," she said, sighing. "And I will. I've been working hard Doctor Saltzman, I swear!"
"Good, then maybe the extra time spent on campus will ensure that even more," he said, picking up his paper and his coffee. "Have a good day then. On campus."
Alyssa came in just then, dressed in her usual morning jogging outfit, clearly returning from her run.
"Oh great, you found her," Alyssa said to Doctor Saltzman, giving Hope a smirk. "I should've known she'd turn up, I just couldn't help but worry when I saw her bed hadn't been slept in," she finished sweetly.
Hope glared at her. No wonder Doctor Saltzman had been lying in wait.
"Argh!" she groaned out in frustration then stalked off to her room. Why, oh why, couldn't she still have a single!?
And how exactly was she going to get through a month of not seeing Ryan!?
"Breathe in."
Hope tried to calm down enough to do as she was instructed.
The class was supposed to be balancing on one leg with the other raised to the side and bent at the knee. Hands were pressed flat against each other, pulled to the chest.
It was a basic yoga pose for beginners, which is what they all were.
"Breathe out."
Caroline had been making changes to the curriculum for the semester but classes like yoga were all extra. It was something to help the students get exercise and free their minds at the same time.
Mostly, Hope figured she added it for Lizzie, to help with the blonde's continuous search to improve her mental health—which was why Hope had agreed to take the class with her.
But finding an inner peace right now was kind of hard to do when her roommate was two mats away and it was all she could do not to stalk over and make her fall from her perfectly balanced perch.
Hope nearly toppled over and had to put her foot down to steady herself.
"Hope, clear your mind and focus on your balance," the instructor said.
Nodding quickly, she tried the pose again.
"Calm down," Josie said quietly from her pose. "If you keep letting her get to you, it only gives her more power."
"I'd like to show her exactly who has more power," Hope said through clenched teeth.
"Ladies, please," Lizzie said, trying to maintain her stance while projecting as much positivity as possible. "Let's focus on resting our troubled waters instead of rocking the boat."
"Why don't you focus for the both of us?" Hope asked sharply.
"Stop blaming her," Lizzie said. "You broke the rules."
"Whose side are you on?" Hope asked.
"Yours," Josie said quickly. "But she's right. You knew you could get in trouble but you broke the rules anyway."
"And now you get to deal with the consequences," Lizzie said harmoniously.
"We fell asleep," Hope said tiredly. "It happens."
"I thought he didn't need to sleep?" Lizzie asked.
"He…doesn't," Hope admitted. She knew he did it on purpose so he could sleep with her. Well, he would definitely regret that mistake. She hadn't had time to call and let him know yet. She had to run to her room to shower and throw on her work out clothes. She made it to class right as it started. After this, she still needed to get breakfast because she was starving. Then she would finally be able to call and clue him in.
"So, is it really Alyssa's fault?" Lizzie asked.
"Stop with the logic," Hope said. "I hate logic. And she didn't have to tell Doctor Saltzman."
"How long have we known Alyssa Chang?" Josie asked. "It's not like this is anything new for her."
"Besides," Lizzie said. "What if something really had happened to you? Wouldn't it be better that she told someone? Not like you told anyone you wouldn't be back last night."
"Now raise your arms in the air above your head, keeping your hands together," the instructor said.
The girls all struggled to do as she said, trying to maintain their balance at the same time.
"How much longer is this class?" Hope asked. "The quest for inner peace isn't what my soul needs right now. I need to punch something."
"Aren't you sparring with Rafael and Ethan later?" Josie asked.
"That's tomorrow," Hope said.
Lizzie tried to keep a firm smile in place as she said, "Well, move it up to today. Not like you've got anything better to do."
"Ethan's not here," Hope said. "He's spending the day at home."
"Then just spar with Raf," Josie suggested.
Hope gave her a look.
"What?" Lizzie asked, seeing the look.
"Raf's been different since he turned," Hope said. "It's not that I don't want to be around him, it's just that…"
"He's still into you, isn't he?" Lizzie asked, smirking. "Of course."
"Its fine, he's fine," Hope said, shaking her head. "I just like it better when Ethan's there too."
Rafael was still into her, but whereas before he purposefully stayed away from her out of respect for Landon, he had absolutely no respect for Ryan. She knew he enjoyed being around her a little too much and while it was her responsibility to help him, she wasn't going to disrespect Ryan by spending alone time with someone she knew liked her. She would only spar with Rafael when someone else was around. She was very firm about that.
"Then punch something else?" Josie suggested.
"I wonder what Kaleb's doing?" Hope wondered aloud.
"You can't be serious."
Hope closed her eyes, wincing.
"I wish I wasn't."
Clarke painfully gripped his phone against his ear, his involuntary response to finding out why she hadn't come back to the apartment by noon as she said she would.
"He can't just—"
"He can, Ryan," she said. "Being who I am doesn't give me a free pass. I have to follow the rules. And I wasn't supposed to stay out all night. You knew that."
"Yeah, but…" he wanted to throw something. It was bad enough he couldn't see her every day like he wanted. Now he couldn't even see her outside of the school for a month?
"There's always the dance?" she offered.
"Right," he scoffed. The Valentine's dance was in mid-February and it was still January. Even then, they wouldn't be alone.
"I'll call you every day?" she said.
"You do already," he said. "How am I supposed to go that long without seeing you?"
"I've been asking myself the same question," she sighed.
He pinched the bridge of his nose, contemplating going to the school and telling Alaric Saltzman where he could shove his rules.
"I'll think of something," she said. "Maybe you can just visit here?"
"You know he follows us around the entire time whenever I do," he said, remembering the first and only time he visited her on campus. Alaric may be glad he helped his daughters, but he still didn't like him around the school. Clarke figured the headmaster had given up on keeping him and Hope apart, but everything else was still fair game. Given up until today, that was. At least it was only for a month and not the rest of the semester.
"It's better than nothing?" she said.
"True," he would give her that.
"I love you, Ryan," she said.
"I love you, Hope," he replied immediately.
"Oh, and hey, Ryan?"
"Yeah?"
"This is totally all your fault."
To be continued…
