┏━━━━━ ★ ━━━━━┑
𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓.
[0𝟖]. 𝐌𝐀𝐘𝐁𝐄 𝐈 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐃
𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐄𝐍𝐃.
【 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝐓𝐖𝐎】
━━━━━━━━━━━━

━━━━━━━━━━━━
❛ 𝘐'𝘔 𝘗𝘙𝘌𝘛𝘛𝘠 𝘚𝘜𝘙𝘌 𝘐'𝘔
𝘐𝘕 𝘓𝘖𝘝𝘌 𝘞𝘐𝘛𝘏 𝘠𝘖𝘜,
𝘏𝘖𝘗𝘌 𝘔𝘐𝘒𝘈𝘌𝘓𝘚𝘖𝘕 ❜
┗━━━━━ ★ ━━━━━┛

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐅𝐄𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐀𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐑 Seylah and Alaric were out of the motel room, leaving behind Landon, Hope and Nathaniel to reevaluate the conversation they had just had with Landon's deadbeat mother. Wednesday Addams was heartbroken, and it showed immensely on his face. But even then, Nathaniel wasn't going to continue touching his heart for the Kirby kid. However, the first one to acknowledge the heartbreak clearly radiating off Landon, as expected, was Hope.

"Landon," Hope sighed, eyeing him. "I'm really sorry."

All Landon could do was sigh. "Don't be. It'll be okay."

Hope was hesitant. "You can't trust her-"

"I don't," Landon was quick to reply, a shake to his voice. "But she's my mother, Hope. All I've ever wanted is a family. A home. So, I'm not gonna give up on her just because she's a little screwed up. That would be pretty hypocritical."

"You're not that screwed up," Hope tried fighting.

But Nathaniel scoffed at her words. "He is. We all are. Just leave him alone, Hope. Let him get his heart broken since he thinks Seylah will have a viable outcome. It would serve him right."

Landon turned towards Nathaniel. "The hell is your problem with me?"

Nathaniel huffed. "We've already had this conversation."

"And it did nothing to solve this beef you've had with me since the second you saw me," Landon shook his head, standing from his place on one of the motel beds. "You really feel that threatened by me that you take every chance you have to throw jabs at me?"

Nathaniel snorted incredulously. "Why the hell would I feel threatened by you, Wednesday? You're useless, you can't even keep yourself safe, princess. If this were a damn Scooby-Doo movie, you'd be Daphne."

"Nate, stop," Hope intervened, putting her left hand on Nathaniel's chest.

But Nathaniel shook his head, shrugging her hand off. "I'm not the one starting drama with this kid. I just stated the obvious, but if he wants to cry and lash out because mother of the year doesn't love him, then let him."

And that's all it took for Landon to take a swing at Nathaniel, but it was more than evident to everyone- though, the exception being Kirby- that the punch wouldn't land, it wouldn't even be close. Nathaniel was quick to hold onto Landon's wrist to twist it behind the kid's back, and heavy breathing soon ensued when Nathaniel pushed Landon into the wall while still holding onto him and pressing him harder against it.

"You done?" Nathaniel spat, his eyes glowing yellow as white veins began to pop furiously down his neck.

But Landon Kirby wasn't done.

Miner discomfort shot up Nathaniel's knee when Landon used the heel of his shoe to kick the nephilim, which only earned the Kirby kid to be turned around and be held by his neck. Nathaniel was livid, the grace in his veins palpitating rapidly, not letting him think straight. The nephilim was snapping, and there wasn't much that was going to be able to stop him if he didn't try to calm himself down.

"Nate!"

Nathaniel was choking Landon, that much the nephilim was aware of. Wednesday Addams was gasping and wheezing for air, but Nathaniel wasn't about to give it to him. There was so much anger pent up in the nephilim and Landon had pushed the right buttons to get him started.

And that's when it dawned on Nathaniel.

The burning rage seeping through him was jealousy.

"You're going to kill him!" Hope cried out.

Nathaniel's veins began to turn brighter. "You're weak, Landon. Don't try playing this game with me, because human or not, bad things will happen. So, I'll ask you one more time. Are. You. Fucking. Done?"

Landon quickly nodded, and with that, Nathaniel let go of him, watching as the Kirby kid fell to the ground, gasping for air. The moments following that were blurry. Nathaniel started feeling woozy, his heartbeat decreasing in rate and before he knew it, Seylah was on the ground next to Landon and someone was pulling at his arm.

"Hope, take him outside."

That sounded like Alaric.

It seemed that Hope quickly complied to that, because just as the nephilim blinked, he was in the parking-lot, sitting along the sidewalk with Hope cradling his face in her hands. The tribrid was talking, trying to get through to the nephilim, but Nathaniel was too focused on her lips and the way they moved to pay any attention to the words coming out of her mouth. The nephilim was lightheaded, but he was smittened as all hell with Hope Mikaelson and everything that had to do with her.

"I really want to kiss you," Nathaniel admitted through his fog.

That seemed to stun Hope in her place, but she didn't let go of his face or even tried to move at all. The tribrid did quickly stop talking after that though, and Nathaniel almost groaned that her lips weren't in movement anymore.

Hope vacillated. "Nate-"

"I've wanted to for weeks now," Nathaniel interrupted, his veins still prominent below his gold eyes. "But I don't want to if you're in love with him, Hope."

"What?" Hope was awestruck.

Nathaniel huffed, his heart beating rapidly in his chest. "I'm pretty sure I'm in love with you, Hope Mikaelson. Like, fuck, I would do anything for you kind of love. And if he's your happy place, then so be it. But I need to know if you love him so I can let go."

Nathaniel was almost sure Hope was going to lean in and kiss him, but there was so much hesitation in her eyes, that his heart slowly began to break in his chest. Maybe springing that onto the tribrid after almost killing Wednesday wasn't the best time, but Nathaniel was just so damn tired of having to deal with the possibility of Hope being in love with Landon, that the nephilim just wanted to rip off the band aid for good.

"Nate, I don't-"

Again, Hope refrained herself.

And Nathaniel knew his answer.

Heartbreak was one hell of a bitch, and for the first time in a really long time, Nathaniel wanted to cry his heart out but the emotions leaching through him were making him too tired to even begin to weep. Hope took notice of this- the hurt on Nathaniel's face and the jab at the nephilim's pride- and she seemed so upset by it.

But the nephilim didn't want her to be upset.

"It's okay, Hope," Nathaniel shook his head while he held onto Hope's hand as she slowly caressed his cheeks. "It's okay. I get it."

"No," Hope stopped Nathaniel, her eyes finding his. "I'm sorry. You just took me by surprise- I've been waiting for you to come to terms with your feelings since we were fourteen."

Nathaniel was stunned. "What?"

A second passed.

"I'm in love with you too."

Nathaniel choked on his own gasp, his heart skipping a beat as the nephilim searched the tribrid's eyes. Hope was certain, her eyes determined, and Nathaniel could feel the rush of adrenaline oozing through him. And when Hope's lips connected with his own in an earnest kiss, Nathaniel felt lightheaded, but nonetheless, the nephilim closed his eyes and moved his lips to the compass of hers. It felt like a dream and Nathaniel never wanted to wake up.

Before they knew it, Nathaniel hands were on her waist as Hope straddled his lap. The kiss heating up by the second, and Nathaniel couldn't stop asking himself why they hadn't done this sooner. The nephilim couldn't believe there was a time in his life where he hadn't been this close to Hope and he never wanted to experience that ever again. Nathaniel didn't want a life were Hope wasn't this close to him always.

Hope was his.

Just as much as Nathaniel was hers.

"For a second there," Nathaniel started after he separated himself slightly from Hope, his lips still hovering over hers. "I thought it was going to be Wednesday."

Hope shook her head. "It's always been you."

Nathaniel couldn't be happier with that statement, because it had all been in his head. Hope going after Landon, the way she cared for him- it wasn't love. Nathaniel had read it all wrong. The Mikaelson tribrid felt some twisted sense of duty towards the Kirby kid because she felt like she was the one to introduce him to the dangers of the supernatural world- though, that wasn't the case. And even if it was, Nathaniel and Alaric were just as guilty as she was, and she was taking the responsibility all for herself.

The following moments, as Nathaniel was pulled back into the motel room by Doctor Saltzman and Hope made a quick stop at Alaric's car, the tribrid was shot by a sleeping dart.

And Seylah was on the run.

"Wait, wait," Landon Kirby exasperatedly stood from the bed he was last sat on. "She got pregnant in Satan's mud bath?"

Nathaniel quickly pushed his finger into Landon's chest. "Watch it- I might hate him, but you don't get to mock him."

"Nate-" Alaric sighed, pulling the nephilim by his arm as far away from Landon as he could before turning to the Kirby kid. "That's a lot to take in, I know-"

Landon shook his head. "And now she's gone?"

"She's damn lucky I didn't get my hands on her first!" Nathaniel spat, gold flecks dancing in his green irises. "Seylah's dead the second we find her for even thinking darting Hope was a good idea to begin with."

Landon was just about to object.

But Alaric was faster as he waved his index finger in Nathaniel's face. "Woah, okay, no! We are not murdering this woman!"

And before Nathaniel could scoff at that, the door to the motel bathroom slowly opened to reveal a fish-type creature stood behind the frame. Landon was the first to jump and try to get as far away from it as possible, while Nathaniel on the other hand, positioned his body between Alaric and the newly found monster dripping green goo from its extremities.

A snarl abandoned the monster, and Nathaniel quickly used his telekinesis abilities with a wave of his hand to throw it into the wall farthest from the door. Ensuing that, the nephilim twisted his wrist and the bathroom door shut with a thud. Behind the door, the monster screeched, and everyone covered their ears.

"Ictus," Hope chanted as she entered the room, and Nathaniel could only assume that was to keep the monster from reopening the bathroom door. "Also: ick!"

"I'm a danger magnet!" Landon exclaimed.

Nathaniel rolled his eyes exasperatedly. "Pretty self-absorbed there, Wednesday. We've got bigger fish to fry!"

"What the hell was that?" Hope asked, ignoring the exchange.

"Uh- I'm guessing a Merman," Alaric replied dumbfounded as the creature began pounding on the door with brute force. "A very pissed Merman."

Hope huffed. "Why are the monsters still coming for them? We don't even have what they want!"

"I don't know," Alaric shook his head hurriedly, motioning the three teenagers to walk with him. "But we've got to get Landon out of here-"

"Oh, no."

Landon's voice brought in everyone's attention.

Hope was just about done. "What?"

"You said a necromancer told you the knife was one of the three keys, right?" Landon asked, his hands holding something in his backpack as he looked frantically at it.

"The Necromancer," Nathaniel corrected, quickly grasping onto Landon's words. The nephilim sighed heavily, his body beginning to vibrate with anger. "For the love of God, Wednesday, don't tell me you committed another theft."

But as expected, Landon turned towards everyone, holding what Nathaniel presumed would be the next key to Malivore. And if things could get any worse, the monster began pounding heavily at the door, making everyone nervous.

"Son of a bitch!" Alaric exclaimed in exhaustion.

Nathaniel held his forehead. "You're joking."

"This is Seylah's," Landon began to explain anxiously. "I picked it up, but I didn't steal it. I- not on purpose, anyway. I don't know how it got in there, just like I don't know what happened with the knife. I swear, I wouldn't do that again-"

"Okay, okay," Nathaniel interrupted, his patience growing thinner by the second. "We'll deal with your sticky fingers and your self-diagnosed Alzheimer's later. Right now, we've got another dilemma on our hands."

Just as that was said, the Merman growled, followed by a loud sound of water splashing.

"Oh, we've got to move," Alaric stated.

Everyone was quick to nod, and Landon quickly moved to put the artifact back into his bag, when Hope stopped him. "No, no, no, wait. Leave it, leave it."

Alaric shook his head, disbelieving of Hope's statement. "What? Are you out of your mind?"

Nathaniel nodded. "No, no. She's onto something. Think about it, Ric. That thing will take it to Malivore. We'll follow it and it'll lead us right to its door. We'll know where it is."

"I am not taking three teenagers to a covert military hiding place for a demon portal," Alaric swiftly explained, his eyes going crazy until they landed on Nathaniel. "Even less when one of those three teenagers happens to be Lucifer's lovechild."

Hope huffed. "You kind of have to."

"Why?"

"Because Seylah's going there."

There wasn't much fight after that and Hope quickly put Landon's voodoo bracelet into the artifact before placing it on a shelf. Following the Merman turned out to be a much more difficult task than anyone had anticipated because of its speed. And after minutes of perusing it in Alaric's car, the four came to a stop before a huge electric wired fence with the word Triad stamped onto it.

When the four left the car to investigate, there was a big cut into the fence, and just down the hill, their little fishy friend stood in the middle of the field.

"There," Nathaniel pointed at it.

The first to try and get close to the monster was Landon, and Hope was quick to hold him back by his shoulder. "Hey, stay back. He's dangerous."

Landon shook his head. "I have to get in there."

And just as he tried to run, Nathaniel pulled at Landon's collared shirt, holding him in place. The nephilim looked into the Kirby kid's eyes as he narrowed his own. "You're going to do as told and stay put where you don't get hurt, princess."

Just then, an explosion occurred.

And what followed was pure blackness.

▆▆▆▆▆▆ ★ ▆▆▆▆▆▆

unedited.
ummm, it finally fucking HAPPENED.
This is a slow burn, my dudes, but they
have finally admited their feelings to one
another, I am so proud of my babies.
ANYWHO, if you guys want, this is by
no means an obligation, but you can
go vote for this story in the TVD fanfic
awards if you think it's worthy,
( Mellsbelly is hosting it, go check it out ).