white flag | hope mikaelson

chapter seventeen

(Malivore 1x05)

Lilah leans closer to the bathroom mirror as she tries to clasp her necklace, as if getting a better view of something she can't even see will help her get the hook into the small hoop. She squints her eyes in concentration, yelping in surprise whenever Hope appears in the mirror right behind her.

"You could knock," she grumbles.

Hope grins, amused. "The door's open, pest."

Lilah sighs as she clutches her necklace in one hand, giving up on clasping it. Her hands are much too shaky this morning to be putting on such a delicate, small chain. She meets Hope's eyes in the mirror, frowning at the tribrid's look. "What is it?"

"Here," Hope holds her hand out expectantly. "Let me do it for you."

Lilah hands her the necklace and Hope loops it around the girl's neck, pulling it taught to get as much length as possible. The blonde narrows her eyes, sending Hope a pointed look through their reflections. "Careful, buttercup," she cautions. "I'm incredibly sensitive."

Hope clasps the necklace and moves away, leaning against the doorframe with her arms folded. "I know," she says. At Lilah's glare, she surrenders, letting out a small laugh before sobering up. "Your dad's having an assembly downstairs."

Lilah grabs her brush from the bathroom counter and softly runs it through her wavy hair, not replying to Hope's information. She sees Hope gazing at her with pursed lips, the tribid obviously trying to understand Lilah's lack of response.

"Have you tried reaching out a little bit more?" Hope questions, studying the blonde.

Lilah looks up sharply, her blue eyes darkened. "A child shouldn't have to beg for a relationship with their parent, Hope. I'm not opposed to taking the steps to mend things with my dad, but I'm not taking the first one. That's his job."

Hope nods, falling silent.

The Saltzman pauses, sighing heavily as she shuffles over to Hope, her hands clasped in front of her. "I didn't mean to snap," she murmurs.

"You didn't," Hope reassures her, amused. "You've said worse. I can handle a little attitude, pest."

Lilah rolls her eyes, "we should get to that assembly. We wouldn't want a search party being sent out for us."

Hope hums, reaching up to straighten out Lilah's shirt from where it twisted when the girl was leaning over the bathroom counter. "Cute outfit," the Mikaelson comments.

The blonde grins, looking down at her clothes. "You think so?" She had thrown on a soft pink t-shirt and tucked it into a floral skirt, leaving her hair down in a soft waves from her shower the night before.

Hope scoffs out a laugh, "you know it is."

Lilah shrugs before brushing past Hope into their bedroom. She moves over to her desk and grabs her bag, slinging it over her shoulder while grabbing her phone from its charger. She hesitates before frowning and turning to the Mikaelson, who's still staring at her from across the room. "Can you—?" She stops, seeing Hope's gaze. "Why?"

"Why, what?"

"Why are you just staring?"

Hope raises her eyebrows, "I can't look?" Lilah frowns at her and the tribid huffs, trudging forward toward the younger girl. "Can I what?"

"I was gonna ask if you could keep my phone in your pocket," Lilah says sheepishly. "I don't have pockets and it'll get scratched up in my bag."

Hope grabs the device from the girl and slips it into her back pocket, giving Lilah an expectant look afterward. "Can we go to the assembly now?"