Josie Saltzman; Interactions - Blog Posts

josie had lived her worst fear for three long years. so you'd think there'd be nothing the siphoner couldn't handle. well she wasn't that strong, all her life she'd been overcome with irrational fears. a faint blue light caught her attention, only moments ago she'd been looking for benni and then seconds later fear rose from her stomach. at first, josie wasn't even sure what she was scared of, just hyperaware of the way her chest began to tighten. before she could even pin point the source of the issue, someone ran into her causing her to fall backwards into the ground.

letting out a loud “oph” as she hit the ground, she looked up to see the other begging for her life. getting on her hands she crawled towards the other and did her best to calm them. "hey, it's okay i'm not making you chose anything." if there was something she understood, it was the overbearing fear of destiny.

Open for @inaducursehqstarters; plotdrop003

You have to chose. You have to choose. To be the bringer of Balance, Seventh Daughter.

Nova was shaking in fear. The witch didn't know what to choose. She tried to talk with the delusion of her mind almost pleading.

"That's a fluke! I don't have to choose anything!" Nova said.

You have to chose. You have to choose. To be the bringer of Balance, Seventh Daughter.

Nova gulped before she starting to run as fast as she could. She didn't have to choose if she ran from it right. Nova kept running as the delusion made the path twist and turn. Nova unknowingly collided into something.

The witch looked up with freightened eyes panting.

"Please. I beg of you don't make me choose."

josie watched the flames as they danced in the wind, she'd always loved the solstice bonfire. the snacks and traditions of burning wishes or just things you needed to let go of, all of it felt like home. to have lizzie back made it that much better. klaus's voice took her out of her thoughts, ones of all the women in her life both past and present. rolling her eyes, the siphoner gave him a smirk before shrugging. "tonight, i'll just be observing..." ever since the masquerade, josie couldn't help but be on edge. knowing that if anything there wouldn't be just one event ruined by hunters. "i don't trust anything about this event. normally i love it but...something just doesn't feel right."

open starter for ♔ @inaducursehqstarters location ♔ paradigm gardens

klaus  mikaelson  stood  near  the  bonfire,  drink  in  hand,  the  flames  casting  a  menacing  glow  on  his  face.  the  air  crackled  with  tension  as  much  as  it  did  with  magic.  his  gaze  was  sharp,  piercing  through  the  merriment  around  him.  a  newcomer  approached,  and  klaus's  lips  twisted  into  a  sardonic  smile.  "ah,  fresh  meat,"  he  drawled,  his  tone  dripping  with  annoyance.

"greeting and salutations"  he  continued,  voice  edged  with  sarcasm.  "do  try  not  to  get  in  anyone's  way."  he  took  a  slow  sip  of  his  drink,  eyes  never  leaving  the  intruder.  "it  would  be  such  a  shame  to  spoil  the  evening."

her lips pursed as she thought about it, the idea didn't sound so bad, having another person to talk about everything going on. that was the siphoner's speciality, worrying about what couldn't be controlled. lizzie was often the one to tell her that and for so long that was gone. so she lost her way, grew distant from others. now her twin was back and she felt something other than heartbreak. "okay, why not?" she questioned, to both herself and the other. "you might grow tired of me though, there's a lot of trauma going on." it was hard to see a therapist when most of your issues were based on the supernatural.

takashi wasn't able to read minds but he agreed that her face did give it away . " sometimes talking about it helps ." he spoke . takashi had a very strict upbringings and being the oldest he had to take care of his two siblings and recent assumed the role full time after his father died . most things the fox had to do on his own and apart of him was still leaning , while going to the loyola university and teaching martial art in the uptown district . " i could be you're sounding board if you like . "

she was hyper aware of everything, the way her clothing itched against her skin, something it hadn't done earlier. goosebumps rose on her arms as a calming voice took blanketed the worry. that voice, josie knew it from somewhere. with wide eyes the siphoner looked to see who was speaking, her brows furrowing as their gazes met. confusion and excitement ran through her veins, her heart beating faster from the whole ordeal. getting out of the car, josie looked at the other and smiled. "you umm, your voice it's familiar."

"have we met before?" there was no time for playing it cool, because all her thoughts and feelings swirled together. later josie would for sure kick herself for not acting mysterious. it felt like she knew this person before her and she couldn't shake that off.

clearly benni's self-preservation skills were severely lacking. being attacked twice since the masquerade should have sent the human packing back to florida tail between her legs. instead, they'd texted their aunt, hoping her arrival would be soon. benni couldn't leave. plus, one of her attackers had been very human, that could have happened to her anywhere. new orleans was too full of things begging to be uncovered, whether it was for work or the personal pleasure of solving every mystery that crossed her path.

then there was the woman who'd fully captured their attention at the masquerade. the woman who, through everything benni had been through in the past few days, had never left her brain. a mystery that brought a spike of excitement rather than fear. benni promised herself that she wouldn't leave the house past dark, if being cinderella saved her life, so be it. that meant she needed to spend as much time outside in the light as she could. finding themself at the stables wasn't expected, but was interesting none the less.

after getting out of her car, benni's gaze shifted to the car across from her. from what features she could make out, there was a sense of familiarity that flashed through her. ever the curious, benni was going to find out why and how. " excuse me, " they called out for the other to hopefully hear and either roll down the window, or step out so she could get a better look.

josie was working, picking an art piece from the cathedral that was being transferred to the museum for a new exhibit. she has walked these steps for as long as she can remember, but it wasn't like they weren't special, the siphoner just had much more on her mind. his touch sent her out of her daze, meeting his gaze with a raised eyebrow, because honestly she was going to tell him off for touching her, but then he spoke and she understood. nodding her head, she took a step back to the others side and looked up at the building. taking in the way it looked as the sun hit it at just the right angle.

allowing her shoulders to relax, a smile formed on josie's lips as she looked to the other. "have you been inside?" if he was this enamored by the outside, she couldn't imagine what he would think of the rest.

open starter: @inaducursehqstarters location: outside the st. louis cathedral "Oh wow, this is just ... wow," Isaac isn't usually one for so many words, but his excitement is getting the best of him. He's been standing at the foot of the Cathedral for twenty minutes, gawking up in awe. Nothing sings to him like a pretty building, and this one in particular is an opera. Isaac has reread the plaque at least four times, soaking in every detail. The architect was French (he loves the French!) and died before seeing the completed structure. Isaac will enjoy it enough for the both of them, he decides, because what better way to honor the memory. A person steps into his view, then, appearing to head for the door. Isaac reaches out instinctively to stop them, lest they disrupt his view (which in fairness, hasn't changed in the last twenty minutes, but still). "Not yet," he tells them gently, but his grip is strong, "You're already missing the best part."

josie's head had been in the clouds all week, her brain formulated plan after plan on how to find the mystery woman from the masquerade. still nothing of use actually came to mind, there was no way to track her by magic, because she had nothing that belonged to the other. it was beginning to feel hopeless, but she managed to press on. lizzie was alive and hope was the happiest she's ever been, sure it annoyed the siphoner. watching as people seemed to go back to normal, something she couldn't manage to do.

her facial expression must've matched each thought that passed, because a voice broke her out of her internal convo. raising an eyebrow she gave the other a soft smile. "oh i'm fine, i always forget that my face gives everything away." the only person to remind her those things, wasn't able to communicate that, not until now.

with: @inaducursehqstarters location: n/a

" are you okay ? "

this was so easy, the way their fingers interlocked, fitting together like pieces of a puzzle. a surge of warmth ran through her body, it being so intense that she also felt chills. she'd never felt this way before, like she was meant to be near someone and not because she needed to protect them, but because she needed to know more. for a moment, it seemed as if the two were floating on air, their bodies closer than most on the dance floor, josie's thumbs rubbed small slow circles on the sides of her waist as they swayed to the music. pure bliss, was the only way to describe the feeling that was bubbling in her chest.

a smile crept on her once pursed lips, noticing the way the others cheeks began to turn pink, or at least the part of her cheeks she could see. something which josie matched after the compliment benni gave. "thank you, i....." she was cut off, as screams began to replicate through the dance floor. looking the other in the eye, she began to speak sternly. "hey, we gotta get out of here. i saw a room with a big window in the back, everyone is going for exits so let's head that way." gripping benni's hand, she waited for a response, hoping the other would trust her.

" i won't step on your toes i promise, " benni joked with a gentle laugh. once their hands met, benni instinctively interlocking their fingers with the other's as she was moved closer. that pervious draw to the other woman seemed to only heighten as they were pulled into her orbit. as if there was some shift in benni's gravitational field and it was no longer the ground that kept her in place, but their intertwined hands. while it was an entirely knew feeling for the human, one that she would certainly investigate once it passed, for once, let herself just feel.

another soft laugh bubbled from her lips as the woman spoke once more. " my batting average isn't too shabby, " humor with the tiniest indication of deflection as the compliment brought the faintest hint of a flush to her cheeks. one that was mostly hidden under the mask resting over her features. " but, many are not as stunning as you. " even with the inability to properly see her under the mask, the comment was not hyperbole.

everything was going so well and had josie not been caught up in this rush of feelings, she would've been much more prepared for the other shoe to drop. first it was one scream and then soon it was followed by others, while they realized what was happening, waiters threw off their masks revealing their hunter identities. the siphoner's eyes darted from kaya to the exits, before standing at the others side. "there is an exit right there." she pointed a few feet to their right. "to use my magic i'm going to need to siphon it from you, is that okay? i won't use too much, so that you can still fight, but i can at least make sure no one hurts us." it felt so personal taking energy from another, something she'd really never discuss but since the two had just shared a soft moment, it felt proper to ask for consent.

"Oh, that's amazing," Kaya said. "I love it there. It feels almost like a safe place, like nothing bad could ever happen when you're surrounded by art. Maybe you could show me your favorite pieces some time?" Kaya asked as they continued to sway to the music. Of course, she'd noticed Josie's beauty before, but being this close to her, she felt her hands get clammy and her cheeks continue to blush no matter what was said. Or maybe that was just the hellhound in her, always on fire. "Oh, um, yes! I'm a painter actually. Mostly oil, lots of landscapes and figures. I have a piece up at Dutch Alley right now. It's actually a scene I did of Hope a few months ago."

josie found herself rolling her eyes, the same way she would for her step-father, but she had no time to say anything because screams echoed through the room. her slightly sipped champagne glass slipped out of her fingers, shattering onto the ground as waiters took of their masks and prepared to fight. "they're hunters, this whole thing was a trap." josie muttered under her breath, before flexing her fingers, preparing for a spell. "good thing you didn't drink tonight, how should we handle this?" it was so easy to brawl with others, she was known for being much better when not a party of one, the curse of being a siphoner.

"Most people don't compare me to nice things, so I won't hold it against you," he says smugly, tilting his champagne flute toward her to see the water inside. "I'm also on sober crew this evening, so you can keep it until you've drank more. Then I'll be expecting an answer."

josie had been looking for hope for a few hours, lizzie wasn't sure where she was and so the siphoner grew worried. in her mind now that lizzie was back, it was very possible she'd then lose hope. the search seemed impossible, until a bunch of women with blank stares left the bathroom in a rush. walking with purpose, she made her way into the room to see hope applying lipstick, that wasn't hers, while her cheeks appeared the same color. so that's what hope was doing, making out and possibly more with someone she didn't know. several emotions managed to attack the others nervous system. jealousy, excitement, and everything in between. making it evident that josie needed some type of therapy to get out of this codependent relationship.

taking a deep breath, she calmed all of her emotions doing her very best to smile. hope's words came spilling out, causing josie to walk up to her and clean the smudge of mascara under the others eyes. "well your kryptonite sure as hell wasn't a revolving door..." a soft giggle escaped her lips before looking in the stolen makeup bag. "not sure how we are going to fix the dress, if this was a man he should've known how to get where he needed to go without ripping this beautiful gown." rolling her eyes, men made her angry. the way they would just take things in their hands and not handle it with care. she'd always think of how she would treat them better, something she knew wasn't healthy. stuffing her anger down, she looked at hope with kind eyes. "listen, as long as you are having a good time that's all that matters, but don't let lizzie see those rips."

𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐒𝐄𝐃. ⸺ ( @iknowthvnd ) event: enchanted evening masquerade ball. setting: women's bathroom.

' SHIT, SHIT, SHIT, SHIT!! ' had been the word that ran through hope mikaelson's mind the second she'd come down from that blissful high enough to have remember her ' common sense ' not that it mattered much now, but as she stood in front of the mirror in the woman's bathroom, after compelling anyone inside so they'd leave ⸺ her attention settled on her appearance, from her ruined her, smudged make up and the most ' offending ' sight, at least it would be to her sister ( lizzie to be exact ) the ripped dressed, biting her bottom lip she looked through the make up bag she'd ' borrowed ' and pulled out a muted red lipstick, lifting to her lips her attention only shifted as the sound of a swishing door reached her ears. a prominent blush rose to her cheeks ( a common occurrence for the night ) as she turned and found herself with josie's doe eyed gaze. " hey jo... " her voice had gone up an octave, the sound causing her to clear her throat, there would be no way around the CONVERSATION she did not want to have. " would you believe me if i said.... i got into a fight with a revolving door and lost? " she paused once more... biting her bottom lip. " think i may have finally found tribid kryptonite. "

josie couldn't actually see the other, but it felt as if they hit her like a giant wave. placing her feet firmly on the ground, the siphoner stumbled on her words. "oh umm no i'd love a dance partner." her throat had gone dry, as warmth ran through her body. what the hell was happening? why was she taken by the woman? who was she? questions swirled in her brain, and for once josie wasn't expecting any answers. instead she just needed to be near to the other. the rest of the world blurred, the only thing sharp and clear being the beautiful woman that stood before her.

taking the others hand, she pulled her closer. feeling even more confident with her face covered, there was a rush of excitement that sent a shiver down her spine. swallowing softly, a smile crept on her lips as her words seemed to work once more. "i can't seem to think that many would turn down a dance with you."

benni didn't let the fact that she barely knew anyone stop her from enjoying herself. even as a young child they'd been able to make a friend anywhere, never really feeling out of sorts, naturally an extrovert. it wasn't long until she'd made her way to the dance floor. between dancing by herself or momentarily with someone around her. this song she was on her own after her last partner had excused themself to get another drink. the bump had her spinning on her heel to see who it was.

" no need to apologize for having fun, " they muse before fully facing the other while a gentle reassuring smile. a smile that grew as her gaze met the dark sparkling eyes of the other. the woman had a sort of indescribable glow about her, something that they felt drawn to. " would you like a dance partner ? " a hand out stretching slightly in an offer. " or are you more of a riding solo kinda gal ? " benni wanted to give her an easy out if she wasn't interested.

it was exciting to feel again, sure she'd felt emotions after the merge but they all seemed to have a blur over them. now it felt as if the world was clearer, josie could see the things so clearly missed before. such as the kaya looked as she blushed from the siphoners touch. the rush of excitement seemed to pulse through her whole being. as they began to sway to the music, josie tilted her head at the comment. a small smile creeping on her lips as she thought of the things hope might say about her. probably never mentioning the trip to europe and how that ended. "umm well i work at NOMA, so i get to see a lot of art daily. it was the one thing that kept me going after losing lizzie. i'd just get lost in paintings and decided if that was what made me happy, i might as well try it out." pausing, the siphoner smirked. "you draw right? maybe one day i can take a look?"

Kaya had been fortunate enough over the years to never lose anyone close to her. She assumed, rightfully so, that the process could really and truly change a person, down to their bones. With all the dead coming back to life, she was curious about how many changed family members and friends they were returning to, how fraught those relationships must be, but how good, too.

"That's really good," Kaya commented, having a hard time navigating a topic she didn't truly understand. "You deserve to be happy." As the song turned slower Kaya returned the girl's glance. At Josie's hands on her waist she felt a shock of excitement. Though the demon knew she liked girls, she didn't really have that much experience with them outside of friendship. Even the mere touch sent blush scattering over her cheeks. She felt warm, and not just from the alcohol. "Yes, definitely," she said, placing her hands on the girl's shoulders. The two swayed to the slow music. "So," Kaya started shyly, "I guess I don't really know that much about you, other than all the nice things Hope's said. Which, just to clarify, is a lot."

"i don't think i've been in a relationship at all..." the siphoner admitted, maybe it was the atmosphere, or maybe it was the drinks, but it felt as if she could say anything tonight. "there have been a lot of one night stands, but i don't think anyone has ever stayed long enough for it to be considered anything other than that." her eyes scanned the crowd, trying to spot someone who wasn't already paired up. "breaking up before a fancy ball is rough, but now you got some more choices. there are several pretty people in the room and a decent amount of the single ones are hovering near the bar. see anyone you like?"

"I both love and hate that I am single," she admitted as she looked over at Josie with a 'please entertain me' look on her face. "I've pretty much only been in 1 relationship in my life so I don't even know what my type is. Like of all times to break up we chose right before a ball"

josie blushed softly at kayas compliment, a warmth rushing through her body as they continued to dance. they'd seen each other often, kaya had a an odd relationship with hope due to who their parents were. something that the siphoner decided to stay out of, but she also enjoyed the others company. a lot of people their age, simply watched the trio exsist and stayed on the sidelines. something she completely understood because the bond was pretty scary. yet, she longed to be out of the codependency of it all. wanting to have her own type of life where she could be completely herself. "thanks, with lizzie back it just doesn't feel like that part of me is missing anymore. it's like i can start over and experience something other than grief."

the confession felt so weird to say out loud, the music turning into a slower song. with wide eyes, josie looked for any signs that kaya wanted out and couldn't seem to notice one, so instead she placed her hands on the others waist and smiled. "would you still like to dance?"

"You too! I mean, you look beautiful too." Why was Kaya so nervous? Or maybe she was just tipsier than she thought. Now all she could think about was whether or not her hands were too clammy. "It's nice to see you, and you seem like you're doing really good." Kaya had often felt like an outsider with the twins and Hope, their close knit family bond was great, and she'd never wanted to intrude on their time together. Now that she and Hope had become good friends, however, maybe there was space now, to befriend Lizzie and Josie a bit more, as well.

josie laughed softly at mavi's comment, it wasn't something she could relate to until tonight. for the past three years, the siphoner shut that part of her off. losing lizzie was far too much and because of it she lost all ability to love. but now that her twin was back from the dead and she stood watching couples as they danced with glee, she began to understand that longing. "well you are sorta right, i mean tonight we could do whatever we wanted and it's all because we are single." shrugging her shoulders, she looked to the other. "what's your type? maybe we can set you up with someone."

@inaducursehqstarters

She sat at one of the many tables, lucky enough to get one that was vacant - which surprised her seeing as how many people were here. "New Orleans parties are on hell of a thing," she mused to herself, resting her chin on the palm of her hand. "God I hate being single," she groaned, "it's so... boring"

"oh i'm fine don't worry about me." she smiled brightly at the other. "i wasn't paying attention, been pretending they are playing much different songs than they are." josie admitted all this easily, something she wasn't able to do often, but with alcohol in her veins and lizzie smiling as she talked with as many people as possible, it was hard to not feel as if in a daze. "you okay? sometimes when i'm not paying attention, i can be like a bull in a china shop."

Maybe it was because he didn't like crowds - the noise affecting him - that or he was just an awkward mess but he found himself fairly uncomfortable in the sea of people. He felt that he stood out, that all eyes were on him, and it was something that hadn't really gone away as he got older. Sighing, he looked for an open corner, not realizing that he was in someone's way until they bumped into him. "Shit," he said as he quickly turned around. "Are you okay?" he asked, gently grabbing her arm so she didn't fall

remembering the conversation with damon, made josie quickly agree to kaya's request to dance. nodding her head, she held onto the others hands and began to follow the rythm of her body. the song wasn't exactly that fun, but having had a few drinks, it felt as if the music was something she'd choose. "i'd love that!" josie replied, focusing on the other as they danced. "i heard you and hope got ready together. you both look beautiful." it was so easy to throw out compliments, when your other half was back. when nothing felt as if it was missing, josie realized that she had longed for other types of relationships. friends instead of just family or the small hellos to co-workers.

Kaya, fresh off a few shots from the bar, danced by herself to the slow, kind of boring music that floated through the air. She barely even noticed when Josie bumped into her, and she probably wouldn't have even said anything at all, just kept going about her swaying and enjoying of the music.

Instead, she grasped both of Josie's hands in hers. The two weren't exactly close, but Kaya had spent enough time around Hope that they'd hung out a few times here and there. The alcohol, however, made everyone in the room Kaya's best friend. "Do you want to dance?" she asked, cheerfully, holding both the girls hands and looking at her with a wide smile. "I mean, I know we were both already dancing, but do you want to dance, like, together?"

something stupid, the words ran through her ears before she let out another giggle. "you remind me of someone and i'm honestly not sure if you will take it as a compliment so i will keep it to myself until you've drank a bit more." josie wanted to have an extravagant night, but her idea of extravagant was so much different than damon's. if anything, all she wanted was to dance with a pretty girl and indulge in drinks with bubbles. "honestly i think the only cool thing i would make happen is them play a chappell roan song. it is pride month, so we can always use it."

Damon considers it for a moment. "I don't actually know," he admits, briefly tapping his fingers together trying to count, "But your very first one should be a lot cooler." He looks her over, then turns to survey the rest of the room, trying to inspire himself. "The good news is, you're young and fresh enough to do something very stupid but still be forgiven," he muses, "Might need you to take matters into your own hands and start something. For the good of the party, of course."

the siphoner was sure that she couldn't be brought down. her twin sister was back, hope wasn't mad at her, and it felt as if the world was placed back on it's axis. so even if damon was complaining, it didn't really bother her, instead she raised an eyebrow and smirked. "well yeah, you got to see parties when there were like no rules. so of course this is dull." taking a sip of her champagne, she shrugged her shoulders before eyeing the crowd again. "how many masquerades have you been too? cause i'm pretty sure this is my first."

open starter Though it was early in the night, Damon was growing bored by the serious lack of action. Most people still stood in groups chatting, neglecting the dancefloor and the bar a little too much for his liking. He'd been looking forward to a night to let loose, but not even the band seemed to be inspired yet. "Seriously?" he sulks aloud, "I've been to funerals with better live entertainment than this." @inaducursehqstarters

closed thread ⊹₊ ⋆ event 001 muses ⊹₊ ⋆ josie saltzman & lizzie saltzman & hope mikaelson location ⊹₊ ⋆ caroline and klaus's home plots ⊹₊ ⋆ josie and lizzie are getting ready in their old shared room. hope got ready with kaya but visits so the panda trio can officially reunite.

it felt like a fever dream, josie watched through the mirror as lizzie got ready for the masquerade, starring as if the girl hung the stars in the sky. for three years, she prayed to so many gods for the person before her to do this again. get ready for some wonderful night, were the only thing on their minds was having a good time. there of course were those parts of the siphoner that felt scared about it all, but it was being heavily overshadowed but how dreamy this felt. honestly, she couldn't put into words, for so long she had been unhappy and now it felt as if that never happened. the twins managed to match in a way, both wearing blue dresses, something that made them giggle because of course.

sitting at the vanity, she applied the last of her lipstick before turning to finally face lizzie. "is the blue eyeshadow too much?" she asked, an eyebrow arched in uncertainty.

@terroremarium

josie knew all too well how it felt, to spend hours going over words that were long and often made no sense. she'd done it for months with hope, after the merge and it drained every thing out of her. it was so easy to recognize and so she hadn't realized she was staring. placing her hands in the air, the siphoner smiled softly. "sorry, i just noticed you seem like you've had a rough day." getting up from her stool, josie made her way over to the other with tight lipped smile. "could i get you a drink? you know you can never go wrong with a dirty shirley. it's all the fun of childhood but slightly upgraded."

open to all @inaducursehqstarters where? vaughan'slounge

amelie let out a weary sigh as she rested her head on the cool surface of the bar table, exhaustion weighing heavily on her shoulders. the day's endless pursuit of elusive magic had left her drained, her mind swirling with endless questions and doubts. she had spent hours poring over ancient tomes and scrolls, searching for a glimmer of understanding, a hint of the knowledge she so desperately sought - and now? well, now she just wanted to get drunk, wasted even.

with a thud, she made a sound against the wood, too tired to care about the noise. her gaze drifted lazily across the dimly lit room, only to catch the stare of someone nearby. without lifting her head, she turned slightly to face them.

"is it a habit of yours to stare at young women?" she asked, her voice tinged with a hint of resignation. tonight, she had neither the energy nor the patience for anyone's idle scrutiny.

josie walked over to the scene just in time, to see the man speed away after handing mia a card. tilting her head, she made her way over to the other and giggled softly. "i guess there are worse things to be left with than a nice card and some balloons." she hadn't seen mia in so long, so she quickly gave the other a tight hug before pulling back and examining the display. "does the card have a name?"

location: rousseau's bar

Mia walked out from the back of the restaurant into the bar area when she spotted the collection of balloons being placed on the ground near the door. A delivery man was quick to hand her a card and then headed for the door before she could stop him. "Wait, these aren't for here," she called out, looking over the card, but the man was already gone. She looked up at the balloons with a smile. "What am I doing to do with you?"

@inaducursehqstarters

of course, lizzie thought that josie and hope brought her back, the three of them made a promise the night before the merge. to find a way to bring back whomever lost the merge and never stop trying. hope and josie did their best, dove into some terrifying magic in the process, but never managed to find any light at the end of the tunnel. holding her twin tightly, she took in the others smell and touch. something she yearned for since the last time the two held hands and prepared for the worst 3 years ago. shaking her head softly, the siphoner bit her lip as tears welled once again. "no, no we didn't. we tried lizzie, but no spell could bring you back and it broke the two of us."

that was summing it up nicely, she thought as she pulled away and looked into her sisters eyes. "lizzie i am so sorry, i failed you and i'll never forgive myself for it." this should've been a happier reunion, but the last 3 years had been hell for josie. she stopped enjoying things, only talking to people when it was required to then go home, alone. she was a shell of a person and even though their parents tried hard to get her back on track, josie would always find a way to fall off again. "i've honestly been a spinster since that night." she admitted.

hearing her sisters voice, her eyes shot open and the grin spread across her lips. “i mean, you do have a point, it is why you were always the smart one.” she grinned as she watched Josie. a sense of calmness washed over Lizzie. it felt amazing to hold Josie again. pulling back ever so slightly, fingers brushed away her sister tears. “well there is only one lizzie saltzman, so of course it’s really me.” she spoke, eyes examining Josie.

“why are you so shocked I’m here?” a knot forming in her stomach, the realisation that maybe josie and hope didn’t have any part in this. “surely you knew I would be back..”

blossom wasn't wrong, there really weren't many safe places in new orleans. not with the murders taking place. there were however a few places where josie felt at ease, her home and the boarding school. both had protective spells surrounding the building, making it hard for anything with bad intentions to enter. "very true, but when i got my apartment i made sure to say every boundary spell i knew. so my place should be a little safer than most."

the two met in school long ago, not that josie would ever actually talk to anyone other than hope and lizzie. but she'd do her best to say hello, since she had always respected how loving josh and aiden were. "i won't keep you long, promise just wanna pick your brain on a few things."

she knew it wasn’t the best to push people away, but then again, she couldn’t really explain what was going on and why this alleyway was screaming that a death was going to happen. but then again, anything could happen to anyone with the body count going up by the day.

“yeah, I think you’re right.” the small wrinkle of her nose for a moment. “although you could debate as to where is really safe at the moment.”

josie wiped the tears falling onto hope's cheek with her finger, doing her very best to be gentle and caring. the two of them didn't even really need to say anything, all of it had been said once they looked in each others eyes, but it still felt good to say it. for the siphoner, it felt as if the apology was long required, she'd write hope notes all the time only to burn them with the flick of her wrist. shaking her head slowly, she rested her palm on her sisters cheek and smiled. "me neither....what's worse is she isn't here in my head anymore and i can't seem to figure out why. she used to be there in the back of mind, but for the past few weeks, i can't feel her anymore."

taking a deep breath, she placed both hands on her lap. wanting to mention that even though lizzie wasn't in her mind, she was still felt. yet, there was a fear that mentioning it would send them on some mission only for the same outcome. so instead, she kept it to herself, waiting until she had proof. "did your mom come visit you in europe after i left? i'd hate to hear that you were alone..."

she'd toss and turn about it for months, unable to pick up the phone and call in fear of hearing the sorrow in the others voice. josie felt like a coward as she sat next to hope, it made her skin burn.

THE TRIBID HELD ON to her sister for dear life, pressing the siphoner to her as she felt her self exhale. being without josie for all of this time had proven to be ONE of the most heartbreaking things that had happened in her life time, the distance between them had been like losing a part of her soul and with such a large part of it gone already ( it had been buried with lizzie ) she hadn't been sure that she could make it through. the phrase ' there is always light at the end of a tunnel ' had begun to sound so incredibly cliche to her, that any mention of ' hope ' outside of her name felt like a SICK joke. and maybe she was too young to be so pessimistic but what else could she be? she had failed at keeping her PROMISE. and not just to josie, but lizzie too. failure did not settle well ⸺ call it a fallacy of being young, but maybe she'd bought into her own hype if only for a moment that staggeringly annoying confidence that ran in her family, had taken the limelight only to become extinguished just as fast as it was lit. she was EMBARRASED, and ashamed all reasons that stopped her from seeking josie out sooner. " there's nothing to forgive. " she assured the other, as she pulled back, hands placed on both of her arms, as she feared that the brunette would disappear as soon as she let go. " i shouldn't have... " a pause, tears formed in ocean colored eyes, and for once hope allowed them to fall. " i shouldn't have PROMISED what i couldn't keep. " she shook her head. " i'm so, sorry jo... " the disappointment in her tone was more than present, in fact it could be seen reflected in her the way she held herself. " i just can't... get used to a WORLD where she isn't here. "

"i'm sure someone had their parent tell them to stay inside and then it spiraled from there." social media got the news out quick, something that didn't work on the sides of the faction. "of course she does...." shaking her head, josie let out a soft sigh. her mother met well and she respected it, but something had broken in all of them after the merge and it was going to take a long time before it would feel even slightly easier. "i'm always going to be kind to mom, she is just worried and she isn't wrong, it's just hard because we need more time...i'm still figuring out how to be a person without my other half." it was still hard to talk about, knowing that she was now older than her twin sister, the whole ordeal was overwhelming, to say the least. "i'm actually on my way to be with all of you, but first i need to get these papers to the front desk."

Klaus nodded. "So it has spread to the general population," he noted to himself. That was not what they wanted. He nodded, looking around the place. After all art was still as peaceful to him today as it had been to him as a child. "Yes," Klaus said without missing a beat. "She wants to invite you over and then lock you all in the house for the rest of your human lives," he said honestly, though it was with a light tone. "So be a little kind on her." Klaus couldn't help but feel the same feeling given what was happening around them. "Though not to lure you back to the house, but we did pick you up something when we were traveling, when you are ready."

losing lizzie in the merge affected the whole family, caroline and klaus managed to react in a more loving way. most likely to show a good example for the rest of them. for josie and hope it seemed as if they'd lost a part of their soul. it was a feeling that really no one could relate too, even when they tried their hardest. maybe that was what pushed the two into such dangerous territory. what would you do to get your soul back? to get the piece of you that brought you happiness and joy? well you'd do anything and that's exactly what hope and josie did.

of course it ended badly, dark magic and grief don't mix well together, never have. it went on for months, almost a year, until josie called it quits. actually, she packed her things and didn't leave a note, knowing that there were no words to explain the way she felt. but that blurry moment in her life had passed and once it did she realized that it was just her. then nikolas lost his fiancee and the siphoner went to work doing what she does best, taking on others problems so that she wouldn't need to face her own.

hope's voice pulled josie out of her anxious thoughts, the way she sounded made the woman want to fall to the floor and beg for forgiveness. she wanted to say sorry while she sobbed, but it didn't happen, because that wasn't how the siphoner handled things. what she was able to do, was pull the other into a tight hug, while a sorrowful sigh left her shaky frame. "of course i wanted to see you, i wanted to see you the moment i ran away that night, but i couldn't do it..." trailing off, she pulled back, hands gripping hope's shoulders as if she'd blow away. "i'm so bad at this hope, but i'm sorry and i really wish i had handled us better."

"do you think you can forgive me?"

HOME THE VERY PLACE, hope both had run from and ran in simultaneous fashion, because home was family, it was security, childhood, NOTHING BAD ever happened there, the clear picture of a string of memories of three little girls ⸺ ever different, but the same too: like the sun, moon and stars, together they balanced each other out and the sound of endless afternoons filled with laughter, the one too many times that both she and josie had burst out laughing as lizzie made them join her for ' high tea ' being away had been solace, it had been calm, and avoidance all at the same time. grief, was a strange friend because that's what the emotion had become a constant companion that held on to the tribid like no other emotion she had KNOWN. that longing for the past and that shame of having done everything but keep the promise she'd made. failure loomed over hope mikaelson, ocean colored eyes avoided the door to ' her ' room, how would she have LOVED to hear her behind that door, she'd do anything to hear her lizzie mock her favorite pair of combat boots again, anything. perhaps that's what explained why she'd recruited josie on a ' dark magic ' around the world extravaganza, both girls had begun to tamper with elements neither of them could hope to wield much less control, and perhaps that's why they failed. because if the power of ' wishing ' worked, then lizzie would be BACK. they would have been able to mend that hole left in their family, change the sadness in caroline and her father's eyes. it had sounded so promising at first and now as the auburn headed girl laid on her childhood bed, tear filed blue eyes, she couldn't help but wonder who it was all for, and then came the knock ⸺ that instinct to pretend to be asleep, current events could wait, just ONE night... hope needed one moment where she could lament losing one of her sisters and then she heard it. " jo... " she whispered, dashing off her bed with impressive speed, she reached for the lock, and paused pulling her hand back from the doorknob for a second, before she turned it. " i'm here... " her voice was powerless, as eyes drifted downward. " i'm... " no she wasn't okay, but she didn't know how to talk about it, she hadn't for years. " i.. was going to... " another sharp pause. " i didn't think you'd WANT to see me. " respecting her space, that's what she'd tell herself it was, maybe if she said enough times she'd believe it and it would help her avoid facing the truth.

it was often that josie would see her twin sister in a crowd, only to blink and realize it was her mind playing tricks, because of course she wasn't actually there. yet, each time she closed her eyes tightly to re-open them, lizzie still managed to be standing there only feet away. "what the..." she trailed off, her whole face growing warm which was met with an icy chill. the whole thing was overstimulating and it didn't take long for the panic to bubble from her stomach into her chest.

the remark made her scowl, the same way she would before the merge. "elizabeth saltzman you can't seriously be risen from the dead and shocked that me of all people are staring." running to her twin, she hugged her tightly, not even waiting for the other to adjust. to hold lizzie near caused tears to fill josie's eyes. "is it really you?" with the way her life had been lately, she wouldn't be shocked if this was some sick joke.

location: a bench in the French quarter.

open: to all @inaducursehqstarters

she was enjoying the feeling of being alive, herself trying to ignore the feeling of uneasiness that was felt through ever bone and vein in her body. eyes closed, head tilted upwards, trying to catch the sun rays against her face. “you know, if you took a picture, it would last longer.” lizzie remarked, opening her eyes to look at the other.

being a siphoner meant that you sensed everything about another person. there was immense power radiating from the other and from her facial expressions, it was clear something was wrong. yet, josie also understood the reaction, she often pushed others away when needing them the most. a bad habit that got worse after the merge. so instead of insisting that there was a problem, she took a step back and tried another approach.

"there have been murders, all over the city. i think it'd be best if we headed somewhere safer." her voiced sounded a lot more calmer than she actually was.

she was just seeing things, her mind drifting off into the idea that something was going to happen when it wasn’t. yet, the vision she had seen, the vision that made her walk to the alleyway without realising it had dragged her here. “oh…nothing..nothing..” she commented, shaking her head, hoping it would shake the feeling in the pit of her stomach that something would happen.

hearing the other, she nodded her head, scratching the back of her neck. “I’m fine, really I am.” she commented, she was fine, well as fine as someone who kept having nightmares about death. “just..kinda zoned out I guess, didn’t mean to scare you if I did.”

josie quickly shook her head no to his question, work had not been kind today, honestly nothing had. after news of the murders hit, everyone went into a frenzy, quickly taking their things to head home where they assume they were safe. "the job is a little hard when everyone rushes out of the room scared. did you hear about the murders?" normally she wouldn't ask this question in the open, but it seemed as if klaus and her were the only ones left in the museum. "if i do need any magical paintings you know you're the first person i'd ask." the siphoner smirked before placing all the papers back in the folder.

"is mom holding an emergency meeting with the news?"

Klaus ignored his first instinct which was to compel the fool that ran into Josie to pick all the papers up for the both of them, but he knew better than that after this long. Instead he gave the fool a dismissive wave and told him to leave and moved to pick up the papers with Josie. "Work being kind to you?" He questioned. He would say it had been year since he had seen her but that just wasn't true given the phone calls and the texts and the video chats Caroline had with them all. "Do you need to find another magically rare piece for the gallery?" He joked, knowing he could pull one out of storage anytime.