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the-scarlet-witch-22 · 3 months ago

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The Lark Ascending (A Chaconne Story): Chapter 3 (Agatha Harkness x Reader)

Summary: Being a rising soloist isn't all it's cracked up to be as you face new challenges, all while encountering Agatha Harkness at every turn.

Word Count: 6.4k

A/N: Helloooo welcome to chapter 3! This chapter briefly deals with/mentions imposter syndrome & performance anxiety, so if either of those topics make you uncomfortable you have been warned. The piece mentioned in this chapter is Gluck's Melodie, from Orfeo ed Eurdice :) As always, thank you for reading & I hope you enjoy! Feel free to let me know what you think, my asks are always open!

Previous Chapter

There were few things in life that brought you as much peace as playing your violin. Taking a few hours to tune out the rest of the world and solely focus on your instrument was the fastest relief to whatever stressors were occurring. Unfortunately, that tranquility had all but vanished as of late- much to your dismay. But you tried to put it out of your mind- your week had been a blur of rehearsals, interviews, and press engagements to kick off the summer concert season, and this morning was no different. Before this evening’s big Donor’s Gala you would be leading a Master Class with promising young musicians in the area.

Getting out of the car, you took off your sunglasses, squinting as your eyes adjusted to the glaring sunlight. This morning’s temperature was significantly warmer than you anticipated, and you found yourself melting by the time you made it inside the symphony building. Setting your violin case on the ground, you allowed the AC to wash over you, while making a mental note to remember to bring a water bottle in the future as you had been forgetting all week. It was early enough the building was nearly deserted, or at least you thought so as you relaxed in the air conditioning.

“Still getting used to the LA heat, dear?”

Your heart nearly stopped in your chest as you dropped your keys. Whipping your head around, you were unsurprised to find Agatha staring back at you, amusement coloring her features. The conductor appeared to have entered the building right after you did, black sunglasses in one hand and her bag hanging off her shoulder.

While you looked like you were about to fall over, Agatha looked as put together as she always did, seemingly unaffected from the scorching temperatures.

“Agatha,” you breathed out, slowly regaining your composure as you gave the conductor a quick once over, the gears turning in your head. Symphony rehearsal wasn’t until the early afternoon, she was awfully early. “What are you doing here?”

“I’d assume the same reason as you; the Master Class,” Agatha pointed out before motioning to your keys that were still on the ground. “You might want to pick those up, it would be a shame if you lost them.”

Letting out an exasperated sigh, you reached down to pick them up, feeling Agatha’s gaze remain on you. “Last time I checked, I was running this class alone.”

“Clerical error.” Agatha insisted, carefully putting her sunglasses in her bag, before adding, “I’m sure someone was supposed to tell you I’d be joining you.”

“I’m sure.” You mused, thinking about how often this had been occurring as of late.

At first you didn’t think too much of Agatha’s unannounced appearances, because her explanations seemed logical enough at the time. When she dropped in on your interviews for your Artist in Residence with the LA Symphony, she claimed getting her interview done at the same time would be more efficient. During a meeting for PR, she rationalized needing to give her final approval as the orchestra’s music director. Even your late night practice sessions weren’t safe, as they almost always ended with the conductor sneaking up on you, her cackle echoing through the empty hall as you wondered if she was trying to kill you.

But the more she popped up, the more you wondered if her actions were as altruistic as she claimed them to be.

“Shall we?” Agatha prompted before taking off down the hallway, leaving you no choice but to follow her.

Walking in silence through the deserted building, you thought of possible conversation starters, and were stumped. As comfortable as you still felt around Agatha, it had been a long time since you’d been around her this frequently.

As if she could sense your hesitation, she gave you an inquisitive stare. “Stark tells me you’ll be gracing us with a performance this evening.”

“It’s just a little something,” you replied nonchalantly, ignoring the sinking feeling in your chest at the reminder, opening the stage door for the conductor. “Anything to help the orchestra.”

Agatha smirked, her hand grazing your shoulder as she brushed past you. “How chivalrous.”

Clearing your throat, ignoring the rush of butterflies from her brief touch, you changed the subject, as this was one of the few times you had been alone with Agatha all week. “So how have things been with the MSO?”

“Oh you know,” Agatha hummed, switching on the stage lights, “I’ve overseen a few personnel changes, but nothing else, really.”

“Personnel changes?” You questioned, wondering why she was being so vague while trying to recall if Monica had mentioned anything to you.

Agatha raised her eyebrows, appearing genuinely curious. “You haven’t heard?”

Before you could ask what she meant, one of the staff members came backstage, informing you the class would be starting in ten minutes.

Agatha started to walk out, but when she noticed you hadn’t moved she cocked her head to the side. “You’re not going to make me endure this on my own, are you?”

A small smile graced your lips at her jest. “Promise me you’ll be nice, they’re just kids.”

“I have no issues with the children,” Agatha insisted. “Their parents, on the other hand…”

“Not a fan of the hovering parent?” You joked, joining her onstage, the bright lights shining down on you.

Agatha frowned, a dark look in her eyes as she mulled over your words. “Not quite, no.”

The conductor set off down the stairs without another word, taking a seat in the front row, carelessly setting her bag down with a loud thump.

During your time together Agatha never mentioned much about her childhood, and you were never brave enough to ask. You knew from a few Google searches that her mother had been a rather well known concert pianist, but that was about it. Agatha had always been guarded, and as much as you tried to peel back the many layers that she used as self defense, you hadn’t managed to get through them all.

Taking a seat next to her, you checked the time to find there were a few minutes until you began. The sound of Agatha rustling through her bag was mere background noise as you scrolled through your phone. It wasn’t until you felt something cold against your arm did you notice a reusable water bottle was now resting on the armrest of your seat.

“What’s this?”

“You’re going to end up passing out on stage from dehydration.” Agatha said disapprovingly, her thick black frame glasses hanging low on the bridge of her nose as her head was tilted down, reading an updated copy of the Master Class schedule.

“I could have brought my own water,” you insisted, trying to ignore how touched you were by the thoughtful gesture.

The conductor folded the piece of paper she had been reading, adjusting her glasses as she gave you a pointed look. “I’ve watched you prance around like a parched baby deer all week, the last thing I need is for you to fall and break your violin.”

“Just my violin?”

Agatha pursed her lips, blue eyes twinkling as she evaded your question. “A simple thank you would suffice, dear.”

The weight of her gaze was nearly too much for you to bear, for you found it to be far more exposing than the brightest of stage lights, but you were unable to look away. Agatha’s fingers grasped the bottle, extending her arm until it was hovering over your legs.

The conductor looked at you expectantly, and you had never been one to deny her anything.

Lifting your hand, you accepted the bottle, fingers crossing hers as you held it in your palm.

“Thank you, Maestra,” you said, watching Agatha’s eyes drift to your intertwined fingers, neither of you moving from the contact.

Agatha lowly hummed, untangling her fingers from yours as her hand came to rest on your upper thigh. Neither of you spoke, but for once the silence felt less suffocating, allowing you to reminisce on a time where this had been normal. Closing your eyes, you wished you could stay this way forever.

The sound of voices outside the hall grew in volume, zapping you back to reality. Clearing her throat, Agatha gave your leg a gentle squeeze before letting go, and you poorly tried to hide your disappointment.

“Try to remember to drink that,” Agatha murmured as she stood up, and after a moment added, “I don’t want you to get hurt before the concert season begins.”

You weren’t sure why the confirmation that she still cared hit you as hard as it did, but you couldn’t keep the smile off your face for the entire Master Class. Agatha kept true to her word, and was on her best behavior. You only remembered halfway through the class how good she was with children, as the faint memory of the school concert day she once planned rang through clear as day.

She was still Agatha, of course. Her sarcasm and quick witted sense of humor could never be diminished, but she softened ever so slightly when offering advice after each musician performed. Her constructive criticism actually was constructive, and you were reminded how gifted of a teacher she was.

You did have to reign her in when a few overzealous parents insisted on voicing their own opinions, but overall you were pleased with the turnout.

It was surreal in a way, being in this new position. When you were younger your dream was to be a professional violinist, and it often felt as if that was the only thing you had ever been fully certain of. But you had been having a hard time finding your own way; to be able to fully accept that you had earned this. To believe that you were worthy. Looking at someone as astonishingly accomplished as Agatha Harkness, you couldn’t help but feel like a fraud.

It felt like a facade the majority of the time, your violin acting as your mask on stage, effectively shielding all of your doubts to the outside world. But it was difficult to present that version of yourself when you were standing next to Agatha, for you found yourself falling back in time to when you were nothing more than her assistant. Naturally leading you to wonder if the conductor still saw you in that imbalanced light, or if she could ever view you as her equal.

Once the last of the students left you lingered onstage, discreetly watching Agatha. The conductor was leaning against the grand piano, one hand perched on the edge while she scrolled through her phone.

“I can feel you staring,” Agatha called out, not looking up from whatever she was doing.

“I’m not staring,” you lied, clearing your throat as you took a step towards her. “Is everything alright?”

“Hm?” Agatha asked, finally glancing up at you. When you motioned to her phone, she arched an eyebrow. “Jealous I’m not giving you all of my attention?”

Spluttering, you shot her an indignant glare. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

Placing her phone on the piano, the conductor crossed her arms across her chest, smirking as she took a small step forward, invading all of your senses. “If you must know, I was going over tonight’s performance with the concertmaster, she had a few questions.”

It was then that you recalled last week’s symphony rehearsal, where you witnessed what you felt had been rather visible tension between Agatha and the concertmaster, Hela. Your stomach began twisting in uncomfortable knots at the memory, while you were forced to consider why the thought of Agatha being with someone else made you feel sick.

“Hela, right?” You asked, careful to keep any trace of the growing pit of anxiety from your tone.

“That’s right,” Agatha confirmed, an inscrutable expression on her face as she regarded you. “I’ve known her for quite some time. Her brother is the new CFO of the symphony.”

All thoughts of Hela were pushed to the back of your mind. Your eyes widened, unable to contain your surprise. “What? Where’s Hayward?”

“In prison,” Agatha replied casually. “Well, I'll take that back. He’s supposed to be in prison, but I’m sure he was able to get a reduced sentence. The woes of the wealthy white man.”

“Prison?”

“For fraud and embezzlement of all things,” Agatha shared conspiratorially, leaning in closer as she whispered, “I must say, it was quite a scandal. Still a bit of a mystery as to who tipped off the feds.”

The smug expression on her face was a dead giveaway, as Agatha had never been subtle.

The sigh left your mouth before you could stop it, lips curling downwards to form a frown. “Tell me you didn’t…”

“That I didn’t do what, dear? Uphold my duty to rid my orchestra of a bloodsucking leech?” Agatha countered, pacing around as she clasped her hands behind her back.

“But prison, Agatha? Really?”

The stage creaked with every step the conductor took, finally stopping when she stood directly behind you.

“If I remember correctly you were never fond of him either,” Agatha pointed out, her breath hot against your ear as you let out an involuntary shiver from the pleasurable sensation.

“I wasn’t,” you admitted truthfully, as Hayward had been a major thorn in both your and Agatha’s sides throughout the entirety of your time with the MSO.

“Besides, I didn’t make him do anything. He was guilty,” Agatha said honestly, and although you weren’t looking at her you knew she was telling you the truth. Embellishments and dramatics aside, she had never lied to you. “I merely sped up the process of justice being served.”

Allowing the conductor’s words to wash over you, there was a pause as you decided to change the subject. “So, Hela’s brother?”

“He’s business oriented like Hayward, but far more cunning. A lot more clever, as well. He’s also not actively attempting to sabotage me, so I’ve had more free time,” Agatha explained, and you then remembered what Monica had mentioned of Agatha being absent a lot this past season.

“I’m sure you’ve been awfully bored,” you replied, your brain fixating on Hela and if there was any correlation between her absences and a potential relationship with the concertmaster.

“I’ve found…ways to keep myself busy,” Agatha delicately responded, taking a small step back.

Turning around, you gave her a curious glance. “Really? Have you been doing anything interesting?”

“This and that,” Agatha vaguely offered, folding her hands across her chest.

Deciding to test your luck, you took a step towards her. “I’m sure you’ve been doing something worth mentioning. Any traveling?”

Narrowing her eyes, Agatha scanned yours, deep blue orbs searching for something unknown as she appeared to contemplate your question. “Can't say I’ve had time for any vacations while I’m running an orchestra.”

“Of course,” you agreed, pondering over Agatha’s words while coming to the realization that either Monica misspoke or Agatha, for the first time, had potentially lied to you. But why?

Taking your silence as an opportunity to strike, Agatha raised her right hand, index finger contemplatively tapping against her cheek as she observed you. “Quite nosey today, aren’t we?”

“I think a good musician should always try to be curious,” you weakly said, wondering why Agatha was being so secretive.

The conductor snorted, “I almost forgot how meddlesome violinists are as a species.”

Ignoring the dig, you approached her for a final time. There was so much you wanted to say, to ask, but you weren’t sure where to begin as the words kept getting caught in your throat.

“I know it’s been a long time,” you started to say, as this was the first time you had addressed the elephant in the room. “But I’d like to believe that after everything we’re friends, right?”

The words burned your tongue, but you ignored the unpleasant feeling. You and Agatha were friends, sort of, right?

Agatha stiffened at your words, and for a moment you allowed yourself to believe you saw a flicker of displeasure cross her features. But, as quickly as it appeared, it vanished. An uneasy silence fell between you, and even though Agatha was mere steps away it felt as though an ocean separated you.

“Yes, dear,” Agatha finally answered, voice uncharacteristically soft. “We’re friends.”

The sound of your phone dinging caught your attention, as you gave Agatha an apologetic smile. “I should probably check that. I’ll see you tonight?”

“Seven o’clock sharp,” Agatha reminded you as she traipsed across the stage, pulling her phone back out. “Don’t be late.”

The best way to prepare the day of a performance was to get plenty of rest and stay hydrated. There typically wasn’t enough time to make any major changes to whatever piece you were performing, so hours of practicing was both unnecessary and a waste of energy. Lacking something to do with your hands, you instead spent the hours leading up to the gala in a fretful state. This had been occurring more frequently with each new performance you took on. It didn’t matter the size of nature of the event, the self-doubt you normally could keep at bay had fully taken over.

While your violin had once been your safe haven, an escape from reality, it was now slowly turning into an anxiety fueled nightmare. Lately nothing you did felt right. Every bow change was jerky, each shift of your fingers ending flat. Your vibrato was too fast, but then too slow. Nothing was good enough, and the more you attempted to fix it the worse it became.

Burdened as you were, how you ended up at the gala on time was a mystery, but you skillfully avoided the majority of the orchestra’s donors as you slipped backstage. Tony had managed to deliver everything he promised; a beautifully decorated ballroom with a room full of wealthy donors who had come to be entertained for an evening.

Part of that entertainment including you, your brain reminded you, as you watched the ending of the orchestra’s performance of Danzón No, 2, Agatha’s hands cutting them off with a dramatic flourish of her baton. The room erupted in thunderous applause, and you forced yourself to look away as Agatha shook Hela’s hand before she exited the stage.

Greeting a few members of the orchestra who passed you, a cold sweat dripped down your back as you listened to Tony ramble on stage about reaching record high donations and how the night wasn’t over yet. You had to physically stop yourself from hearing his speech on the “treat” the audience was in for with the last performance; your performance. It didn’t feel right, receiving this praise, not when you could barely make it through the relatively easy piece of music you had selected for this evening.

“You’re on as soon as Tony is done,” Pepper reminded you as she walked past with her tablet, most likely tracking the incoming donations.

The rushing sound of blood filled your ears as you stiffened, hands feeling clammy as you struggled to hold onto your violin. While you were no stranger to pre-performance jitters, this was one of the worst experiences you had with it yet, the room beginning to spin as you closed your eyes.

You couldn’t do this, you couldn’t go on with the way you had been sounding all day.

Maybe you could pretend to faint, or be ill. The latter wouldn’t be too much of a lie with the way your stomach was churning at the mere thought of walking out on that stage.

There was a light touch on your shoulder, and you thought you heard someone saying something but it was hard to hear anything over your heart pounding in your chest.

“Darling?”

Agatha’s voice managed to cut through, and you felt her hand on your shoulder rub circles as you managed to take a shaky breath, slowly opening your eyes.

The conductor was hovering over you, concern etched on her face. You hadn’t felt her grab your violin and bow, but both were safely stashed on a table to your right. The room was far too bright, and your body far too hot as you squirmed.

“Are you alright?” Agatha asked quietly. “Do you need me to get you anything?”

You briefly noticed the backstage area was mostly cleared, a stark contrast to the crowded flow of musicians that were there mere seconds ago, but you paid that no mind.

“I know I need to go out there, but I don’t think I can,” you said, trying your best to breathe but the rapid tightening of your chest making it difficult to form complete sentences.

Narrowing her eyes, Agatha stepped away for a moment, grabbing a nervous looking stagehand and saying something incoherent to them before they hurried off. The conductor was back at your side, now holding a bottle of water as she opened it, handing it to you.

“Drink,” she gently urged you, and upon noticing your reluctance she sighed. “I know you don’t want to, but drink.”

Taking a small sip, you struggled to swallow, the cold liquid acting as a shock to your system.

“Good girl,” Agatha murmured, rubbing your back for a moment before pulling away. “Now, I need you to listen to me. Do you trust me?”

Your heart felt like it was about to give out, and the room was moving at such a rapid pace you had difficulty standing. There was almost nothing you were certain of, but the one thing that you had never truly doubted was your faith in Agatha.

You barely recognized the sound of your voice as you let out a meek yes.

“Stark is out there stalling,” Agatha explained, and it appeared she was actively refraining from rolling her eyes. “But he can’t stay out there forever, otherwise we might start to lose the money we’ve already raised.”

The tightness in your chest was gradually relenting, and you were able to breathe with more ease. “I’ll be fine to perform, I just need a minute.”

The conductor rolled her eyes at your comment. “A heroic offer, dear, but you’re not going out there alone. I’m going to perform with you. That little stagehand ran off to grab the sheet music. I’ve performed Gluck before, but it’s been a while.”

That managed to get your attention, and you stared at her in shock. Agatha almost always refused to perform the piano, and had only played for you once. Despite being considered one of the most gifted pianists of her generation, the conductor had not performed publicly in decades.

“You’re going to perform with me?”

Rolling her eyes again, the conductor gave you shoulder another squeeze. “You have heard of a duet before, haven’t you?”

The room stopped spinning, and you were able to open your mouth without feeling the need to vomit. Managing to give her a weak smile, the conductor nodded, handing you back your violin. The nerves were still there, but now Agatha was standing beside you as she instructed the same stagehand on how she wanted the piano positioned and you no longer felt like you were drowning.

Tony must have received the okay from Pepper to wrap up as he transitioned out of his long speech.

“Now, I know I’ve promised all of you a performance from our current Artist in Residence, but this is a special evening, isn’t it? I’m thrilled to announce she will be joined by the incredible, incomparable, Agatha Harkness. The Maestra will be putting down her baton to give all of you her first public piano performance in years.”

Agatha’s jaw clenched at that, but when she found you staring she gave you a reassuring nod.

There was more applause, and Tony jubilantly exited the stage, wishing you both good luck as he went to converse with Pepper.

“Just focus on me,” Agatha whispered in your ear before you walked out together, the applause deafening as she strolled over to the piano, taking a seat as she stretched her fingers out over the keys.

Positioning yourself to where you could see her in your line of vision, you planted your feet firmly on the ground. Raising your violin, you set your bow on the string, trying to ignore the unsteady feeling threatening to rise yet again.

Agatha’s finger pressed down on one of the keys, playing an A to allow you to tune your violin. Rolling your bow, you checked each string until you were satisfied, giving Agatha a discreet nod that you were ready to begin.

Locking eyes with Agatha, you raised your violin on an upbeat to cue her in. The second her fingers hit the keys, you were able to pretend there was no one else there, only the two of you. Moving through each measure, you focused on the notes you had memorized, and for the first time today it didn’t feel overwhelming. Your vibrato rang through with every note, and the sound didn’t make you want to throw your violin in a woodchipper.

Agatha was a sight to behold, hair carelessly thrown over her shoulders, sitting on the edge of the bench as she slightly slouched over, fingers dancing across the keys. Although she claimed she needed the music, you couldn’t help but notice she had barely glanced at it once, her focus on you. There was something so magical about watching her at the piano, even the simplest chord she played produced the most exquisite sound.

Melodie was a piece originally from the opera Orfeo ed Euridice. It had later been transcribed by Fritz Kreisler for piano and violin. It was a dance between the two instruments, with the violin line singing over the piano accompaniment. It was both beautiful and heartbreaking, and was a rather accurate representation of your emotional state as of late.

The hesitation you had been feeling now gone as you allowed yourself to relax, focusing on growing every phrase as you and Agatha played off each other. It was funny, you had never rehearsed this with the conductor, but you played perfectly in sync. Every breath you let out Agatha inhaled as you watched her lithe fingers stretch across the instrument to form various chord progressions.

As you entered the final phrase, your fingers delicately shifted down the fingerboard as you hit your last note, slowing the speed of your bow, and extending your vibrato as Agatha leisurely played her final chords until the noise died away.

Holding still, you finally released, and as you lowered your violin there was tumultuous applause from the crowd, but all you noticed was Agatha looking at you in a way you had never seen before.

The moment was over all too soon as Tony came back on stage, insisting you and Agatha receive a standing ovation as he gleefully announced that tonight’s gala produced an all time high number of donations. Agatha rolled her eyes discreetly at you, but you noticed how pleased she appeared.

You were swarmed by enthusiastic donors, and Agatha wasn’t faring much better. The conductor made sure you were able to put your violin away before Pepper had swooped in, insisting you take pictures.

Agatha sought you out long after the crowd dwindled, a glass of wine in each of her hands.

“Penny for your thoughts?” The conductor asked, offering you one of the glasses.

Quietly thanking her, you accepted the wine, taking a small sip, the alcohol swirling around your tongue and you turned to her in surprise as you swallowed. “Pinot Noir?”

“Your favorite, if I recall correctly,” Agatha politely remarked.

“That’s right,” you confirmed, taking another small sip before lowering your glass. “Thank you, for earlier. I’m sure you’re tired of saving me.”

Agatha’s lips curled downwards, her eyebrows creasing as she gave you an unreadable expression, as if she hadn’t witnessed your earlier anxiety attack. “I’m afraid I don’t know what you mean.”

“I don’t think I could have gone out there on my own,” you admitted, the truth a bitter embarrassment. “I’ve been having trouble with my confidence lately.” You motioned to the now empty space and stage. “With all of this, it's just getting worse.”

Nervously biting your lip, you half expected for Agatha to crack an off-hand, witty comment on how obvious that was given your backstage freak out, but the conductor set her wine glass down, giving you her full attention.

“Go on.”

“I…”

Pausing, you came to the stark realization you had never shared this with anyone out of fear of being judged. But then you looked at Agatha, her piercing blue eyes boring into yours, and your fears melted away.

“I don’t know what I’m doing most of the time,” you confessed, fidgeting with your hands as you stared at your feet. “This is all I ever wanted, but now that I’ve made it, I don’t know if I’m cut out for all of this…I don’t…”

“You feel like you don’t belong?” Agatha guessed, and upon your small nod she added, “You obsess over every miniscule detail of each performance, and it doesn’t matter how many people say it was good, it feels like it wasn’t great. Right?”

You felt your blood run cold, as the conductor managed to hit the bullseye of your recent anxieties. Blinking back the tears that had been threatening to escape, you took a deep breath before looking back up to find her pointedly staring at the ground.

“How do you know that?” You asked softly, surprise evident in your tone, because Agatha was the most confident person you had ever met.

“Perfectionism is practically conditioned into us from the day we begin learning music,” Agatha reflected, still not meeting your gaze. “You know, my mother was a rather successful pianist.”

When you refrained from commenting, because you did know that, Agatha continued. “She’s the reason I started playing the piano. Sometimes I think she only had a daughter not because she wanted a child, but because she wanted to mold another version of herself. Nothing that I wanted ever mattered, it was always about her.”

“I’m sorry,” you said sincerely, because you couldn’t imagine having a parent like that, but the conductor waved off your apology, clearing her throat.

“Don’t be. My mother was a fool, and she remained one for the rest of her life,” Agatha said, without a trace of sorrow in her voice. “My introduction to music was one filled with fear. I had been taught to never be satisfied with myself, because I could have been better. I wasted a large portion of my childhood seeking her approval, wanting for her to be proud of me. But I eventually learned that it’s impossible to win when you’re being set up for failure.”

This was the most vulnerable Agatha had ever allowed herself to be with you, and you nervously folded your hands across your chest.

“So what did you do?”

“Well, I moved across the country when I turned eighteen, and never saw her again until she was being put in the ground,” Agatha reminisced, finally daring to look up at you. “I’ve made my fair share of mistakes over the course of my career, but one thing I’ll never regret is embracing fear.”

“Embracing fear?” You repeated, unsure of where she was going.

“Those thoughts you’ve been having,” Agatha prompted, her attention focused solely on you, “they don’t go away. They’ll most likely just get worse. So, you can either succumb to it, and let the fear of failure win, or you can embrace it and allow yourself the ability to recognize that greatness doesn’t come from perfection; it comes from having the courage to try at all.”

You had unconsciously shifted closer to the conductor as she spoke, until your shoulders were nearly touching as you both leaned against the edge of the stage.

“Has that helped you?”

“As much as it can. Music is unique, as is every musician,” Agatha thoughtfully replied.

The gears in your brain turned, thinking back on the multiple instances where Agatha had made a member of the MSO cry.

“And do you use that advice when working with your own orchestra?”

“Funny,” Agatha deadpanned, grabbing her wine glass by the stem to take a sip before setting it back down. “There’s a difference between pushing yourself too hard versus settling for mediocrity.”

“I think that’s a bit harsh, isn’t it?” You pointed out. “They’re all world class musicians. I think sometimes you’re too hard on them.”

“They are,” Agatha confirmed, running a hand through her hair as you fixated in on her messy dark brown curls. “But some of them have become lazy. They don’t feel the need to improve at all, and that’s an insult to the craft. It’s my job as their conductor to make them want to perform at their very best.”

You knew Agatha meant well, and deep down you were sure the orchestra did as well.

“That makes sense, thank you.”

“For what it’s worth, I thought you were extraordinary this evening,” Agatha praised you, her hand coming to rest on top of yours. “You’ve always been extraordinary.”

The physical contact was a surprise, but not an unwelcome one. Relaxing under her touch, you felt your cheeks grow warm from the compliment. “Thank you, Agatha.”

Your glass of wine abandoned on the stage behind you, you allowed yourself the opportunity to enjoy this intimate exchange with the woman who had been haunting your memory for the past five years. Agatha, for her part, appeared to be comfortable as well, as her hand remained atop yours, unmoving from where she stood next to you.

“And for the record, Hela and I are friends,” Agatha murmured, grabbing your attention once more. Sensing your surprise that she picked up on what you had been hinting around, she rolled her eyes. “You’re a lot of things, darling, but you’ve never been subtle.”

Her words sounded eerily similar to what you had asked her earlier, but you had made it this far and after years of what if’s and errors of miscommunication, you had grown weary of the unknown.

“Friends….like how you and I are friends?” You quietly questioned, the implications of what you meant appeared to be obvious enough from the way Agatha gave you an amused smirk.

“No, dear,” Agatha murmured, raising her hand to gently stroke your cheek, looking at you in ways you had only been able to dream of. “Not like how you and I are friends.”

Tangling her fingers in your hair, Agatha chuckled at the involuntary shiver you let out as she leaned in, resting her forehead against yours. She was so close, and any self control you had mustered was slowly slipping. Your breathing turned shallow, eyes locked on her perfectly plump red lips.

There were so many things you wanted to say, but your brain short circuited as the conductor parted her lips, slowly moving towards yours. You could smell the wine on her breath, as you vividly pictured tasting it off her tongue. Using her free hand, Agatha tilted your chin up, forcing you to look at her, and you were lost gazing into her hazy blue eyes.

Before you could fully rationalize what you were doing, you leaned in, closing your eyes as your lips were about to meet. From the back of your mind, you thought you heard Agatha’s breath hitch as your heart raced from the anticipation.

A loud slam of a door caused you to break apart. Agatha ran a hand through her messy locks, breathing heavily and you felt your cheeks grow hot as she gave your hand a brief squeeze before stepping away from the stage, straightening her suit jacket.

A man came stumbling into the room before you could ask what almost just happened, holding what appeared to be a small cage. He looked familiar, did you know him from somewhere?

The man, who seemed to be oblivious to what he just walked into, spotted Agatha and began to nervously ramble.

“Maestra, I’m so sorry. The flight got delayed, and apparently you can’t only buy a first class ticket for an animal, so I was able to get myself one too. I tried to use my card to pay for it, but it didn’t go through, so I put it on yours. Then I tried to call you, but my phone stopped working. I tried to check into the hotel, but I realized I left my wallet at the airport. I remember you said you’d be here so I thought I’d come and-”

Holding up a hand to silence him, Agatha pinched the bridge of her nose in irritation. “It’s fine, Lang. Please stop, your voice is giving me a migraine.”

The man kept going, shuffling around uncomfortably. “Well I can pay you back for the ticket but with my current salary it will probably take me around…a year, maybe?”

Agatha waved her hand dismissively, shaking her head. “I said it’s fine, Lang. Consider that your holiday bonus.”

The conductor sauntered over to the man, reaching her hands out to grab the cage from him. Gently setting it down on a nearby table, she opened it, pulling out a rabbit. She scratched his ears as held him, annoyance gone as she gave you a small smile.

“Do you remember Scratchy, dear?”

Of course you did, you thought to yourself as Agatha brought Scratchy over to you, the hardened look in her eyes softening as you gave him a few pets. You discreetly nodded towards the man who was pacing the room, hands in his pockets, and Agatha sighed, her irritation appearing to return as she glanced back over at the man.

“Oh yes, I almost forgot. This is my assistant, Scott. He’ll be joining me for the rest of the summer.”

Scott gave you a quick wave and you couldn’t hide your surprise. This was Agatha’s assistant? He certainly wasn’t what you had pictured.

“Great,” you said, feigning enthusiasm, trying to pay attention to the conversation between Agatha and Scott, as the man told a rather strange story of his travel day.

The more he talked the more confused you were as to how Agatha hadn’t managed to fire him yet.

But, all you could really do was wonder what would have happened if Scott hadn’t interrupted, and what this meant for the rest of the summer; as opening night was quickly approaching. Your heart fluttered, as you realized the more time you spent with Agatha, the more you secretly wished you had never said goodbye to her all those years ago.

#agatha harkness x reader #agatha harkness #agatha all along #agatha harkness fanfiction

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agentoffangirling · 17 days ago

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Bc of all this stuff of "Billy is the first gay character in the MCU", I have decided to compile a list of queer characters in the MCU, sorted by date so y'all know who the actual firsts are

The conditions are thus:

It is confirmed in the project by either the character themselves or by another person. Maybe they speak of a partner, or say "I'm gay" onscreen

It is confirmed outside of the project by a director, actor, writer, etc. The specific thing about this is that it must be spoken about openly, not just "oh I like that idea!". No, it must be said, "yes, we intended for this" "this character is queer", you get the idea. This means cases like where Chloe Bennet voiced support for an openly bi Daisy Johnson in "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." will not be counted, for while she does like it, she doesn't confirm Daisy as bi

The project must be set in the MCU timeline. If it is the subject of a multiverse, then that must be when the multiverse started branching out. "Deadpool and Wolverine" counts, but all other X-Men movies will not count

With these conditions, it also means cases like Iceman will not be considered, as even though him being a mutant is written like a coming out scene, he is still treated as being entirely het

Does that make sense? Good, let's get going

Victoria Hand (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 1, 2013-2014): Lesbian, confirmed by actress

Isabelle Hartley (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 2, 2014-2015): Lesbian, stated by actress

Joey Gutierrez (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 3, 2015-2016): Gay, confirmed on screen

Jeri Hogarth (Jessica Jones, 2015-2019): Lesbian, confirmed on screen

Valkyrie (Thor: Ragnarok & Thor: Love and Thunder, 2017/2022): Bisexual, confirmed by actress and later confirmed on screen

Korg (Thor: Ragnarok & Thor: Love and Thunder, 2017/2022): Gay, only confirmed on screen in Love and Thunder

Karolina Dean (Runaways, 2017-2018): Lesbian, confirmed on screen

Nico Minoru (Runaways, 2017-2018): Bisexual, confirmed on screen

Ruby Hale (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 5, 2017-2018): Aesxual, confirmed by actress

Aneka (Black Panther & Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, 2018/2022): Lesbian, confirmed by actress

Ayo (Black Panther & Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, 2018/2022): Lesbian, confirmed on screen

Unnamed character played by Joe Russo (Avengers: Endgame, 2019): Unknown, confirmed on screen

Marcus Benson (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 6, 2019): Gay, confirmed on screen

Loki Laufeyson (Loki, 2021): Genderfluid and bisexual, confirmed on screen (it is worth noting that Loki was only confirmed as queer in the series, ten years after he made his debut, which is why I only count the series here. However our main timeline Loki is suggested to be same)

Sylvie Laufeydottir (Loki, 2021): Bisexual, confirmed by creators

Yelena Belova (Black Widow & Hawkeye, 2021): Aroace, hinted on screen, confirmed by writer

Phastos (Eternals, 2021): Gay, confirmed on screen

America Chavez (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, 2022): Lesbian, confirmed by actress

America's moms (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, 2022): Unknown, confirmed on screen

Mister Immortal (She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, 2022): Bisexual, confirmed on screen

Agatha Harkness (WandaVision & Agatha All Along, 2021/2024): Unknown, potentially sapphic or wlw, confirmed on screen

Rio Vidal (Agatha All Along, 2024): Unknown, potentially sapphic or wlw, confirmed on screen

Billy Maximoff (Agatha All Along, 2024): Gay, confirmed on screen

#queer characters #if y'all feel like any other characters should count just tell me #this is what i found based on research and my own knowledge #agents of shield #agatha all along #agatha x rio #billy maximoff #america chavez #loki #phastos #runaways #jeri hogarth #marvel #mcu

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wandamaximoffsbadgirl · 6 months ago

Note

19. “I want you. I need you.” Agatha Harkness

Overworked

Agatha Harkness x Big Boss!Fem!Reader

Summary: Agatha always brings you breakfast, and you want to reward her for being so good.

Word Count: 958

Warnings: 18+ MDNI, strap sucking (A sucks R's strap), R is overworking herself

A/N: Idk guys the last half of this I wrote while I was high~

Agatha had always been someone who always knew what she wanted. If she wanted someone's attention she took it and if she wanted someone's love she had it. With you though it had been different.

You were young, smart, rich; Agatha was immediately smitten by you and she tried to make it obvious, but all of her advances went ignored. Sure you were nice enough to her, you took the coffees she gave you and the bagels every morning like clock work.

You'd always be here before her and she wondered if you ever slept or left the office for that matter. You were the first one in and Agatha was sure you were the last one out. It's no surprise you had made team manager in less than a year and by the next year director of the floor.

One morning Agatha came in like always and made her way to your office. Before the door opened one hand was up ready to take the cup. Agatha smiled at you. You looked like you hadn't slept which was probably true with the deadlines coming up.

You absolutely needed the coffee. You'd been holding off taking a break knowing Agatha would show up. As you finish up your thought for an email to send out, taking the first sip and tasting your favorite blend with a smile.

“Thank you Aggie. You have no idea how much I need this.” You felt the ache in your back as you tried to stretch. You'd been hunched over your desk and laptop for hours now. An empty coffee cup and energy drink forgotten on the other side of your desk.

Agatha set down the bagel next to you with a smile as she tidied up your desk. Unwrapping the bagel, stuffed with cream cheese; you take a bite. Your stomach is thankful to have something other than caffeine and sugar.

“You don't have to do that sweetie. You aren't my assistant.” You say through a mouthful.

“Didn't your assistant quit last week?” Agatha raised an eyebrow, making you look away. You had a reputation for making your assistants quit. It wasn't your fault they couldn't keep up. “Besides I don't mind helping dear. I want to help you.” Agatha was the only one you allowed to give you a pet name. If anyone else did they'd be lectured about it.

“I appreciate it sweetie. I appreciate you coming in with breakfast every morning. I appreciate your attentiveness to everything about this job.” You caught Agatha off guard as she just stared for a moment before coming over to you.

You looked up from your seated position until she dropped to her knees, startling you momentarily until she looked up at you. Your heart fluttered and your stomach flipped. She looked perfect beneath you. Without thinking in your sleep deprived state you reached out, running your fingers through her hair. Your hand ran through her dark locks before swiping back so you cupped her cheek.

“You're always such a good girl sweetie. You know good girls deserve rewards.” You spoke, your voice dropping into a sultry tone. You felt Agatha shiver under your touch and words.

“I want you. I need you. All I've ever wanted is to be good enough for you.” Agatha admitted, a plea in her voice as her hands tightened on your pants.

“You should have said something sooner.” You brush your thumb over her soft skins, admiring the feeling.

“I tried dropping hints…” She tried to look away but you pulled her back.

“I'm not good with hints. I'm a very direct person sweetie you should know this by now.” Agatha nodded in understanding.

“I promise I'll be more direct from now on.” You smiled at her, the eagerness to please you.

“You're going to be a good girl for me aren't you?” she nodded eagerly. You unbutton your pants, pulling out your strap you wore almost all of the time. “I know you want to suck me off. Go on darling.” You helped guide her onto your faux cock which her lips wrapped around perfectly.

You watched her head bobbed magnificently, her movements shifting the strap perfectly against your clit. A low moan coming out of your mouth.

“Just like that darling. Keep going gonna make me cum sweet thing.” At the mention of cumming her movements speeding up. You threw your head back as she took you over the edge. “Fuck…Aggie…” You rolled your hips and she easily kept taking you down her throat until you fell back. Her lips popping off your cock. Her eyes sparkling up at you. “Did such a good job.”

She brushed up against your thigh before getting up as you tucked yourself back in. Getting yourself ready to get back to work.

“What are you doing?” Agatha asked.

“Getting back to work?” You looked up at her.

“It's Saturday dear.” She told you, your face scrunching up.

“No, it's Friday.”

“Dear…look at your phone.” You did and your face dropped.

“Oh so it is.” You looked back up at her. “So, wanna come back to my place?” You raised an eyebrow as you stood up, turning off your laptop.

“I would love to.” She smiled, grabbing your bag and coat, the two of you heading out together. You reached out, grabbing her hand and interlocked your fingers together as you headed down to the parking garage.

Agatha sighed, your body on hers as you breathed in and out evenly. Her fingers running through your hair.

“You know I didn't have this in mind, but this is what you needed dear.” Agatha whispered, kissing your forehead, making you smile in your sleep. This was exactly what both of you needed.

#ley writes #ley writes requests #agatha harkness x fem!reader #agatha harkness x reader #agatha x reader #agatha harkness

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devflamme · 1 month ago

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back at it again at krispy kreme!!! tumblr please let me put more pictures in the posts. i hate making multiple posts.

agatha all along spoilers below the cut 🫵

- this fucking sequence scared me so bad when i noticed the eyes on the mask. i know that jen noticed it too, but WHY THE FUCK didnt she tell that to somebody. "ok so theres a mask who has human eyes. can anyone see it too. am i going crazy?" jennifer girl oh my GODDDD

- i love when the coven members just have normal conversations like this one. this scene was really nice, even though the tone of it was dark (especially with lilia's visions). also, another thing: the casting directors did a GREAT job casting lorna and alice. they really look like theyre related.

- alice's "i'm sorry" just broke my heart. shes not the one to blame for the curse. and also another detail: she felt lighter during the start of this segment because the curse was "lifted" temporarily so that it could pass to the other coven members. really nice detail (if im right and not just taking things out of my ass)

- yay! gonna have my heart broken again because of a mentor/protegé dynamic!!! yay!!! i love life!!! oh my god please someone take me out of this suffering. it can be with a gun. i dont care.

- i do not have a screenshot of this but when teen got launched away and agatha was the first to run to him, even though she did not get close after and just let alice help him... god agatha harkness why do you do these things to yourself. and TO ME by consequence.

- i love their friendship so bad. "are you okay? you look okay". the protective instinct that alice has is very honorable and just so strong??? especially when the coven members started to catch on fire – she saw rios knife and just went for it so that she could make the circle around them. i love alice so fucking much bro

- im 100% sure that when agatha started to catch on fire and just kept on going through the song, she did not want the curse to go to teen. im 100% sure of that. im gonna cry

- EVERY TIME. EVERY FUCKING TIME THEY SING THE BALLAD, AGATHA LOOKS AT ALICE. is it because she knows that the ballad and lorna are sensitive subjects for alice to talk about? is agatha harkness softening up towards her coven members? gonna know in the next episode. please alice wu gulliver - dont die. please.

- ok this is just because agatha looks hot. i was struggling. kathryn hahn if youre free on tues-

anyway another post. this time only for agatha and rio. those FUCKERS.

#agatha all along #agatha harkness #teen agatha all along #jennifer kale #alice wu gulliver #lilia calderu #rio vidal

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lunargrrrl · 8 days ago

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Lights, Camera, Magic

Agatha Harkness sits in the director's chair of some of your favourite movies. Your world suddenly turns upside down when you're invited to audition for her latest screenplay, "Witching Hour".

Chapter 16

Dinner is served in a grand dining room, with elegant chandeliers casting a golden glow over the tables. Soft jazz plays in the background, mingling with the clinks of silverware and chatter. You glance at the set name placeholders, realising you’re seated slightly away from Agatha, opposite her and a few seats down, next to none other than Rio Vidal—the captivating woman you encountered on the roof terrace just moments ago. She exudes confidence in a tailored dark grey suit that perfectly complements her striking features and cool energy.

“I'm really glad I’m sitting next to you instead of some of these lizards,” Rio says, her voice light. “At least you know how to keep a conversation interesting. The last guy I talked to just wouldn’t stop bragging about his latest blockbuster flop.”

You chuckle. “I can imagine. It’s refreshing to talk to someone who’s real. I’m just trying to enjoy the moment and not get caught up in all the Hollywood nonsense. It’s all just… so intense.”

Rio nods. “Totally get that. It can feel like everyone’s just playing a part, trying to outshine one another. I mean, I love this industry, but sometimes it’s exhausting.” She glances around the room, lowering her voice. “I swear, if I have to hear one more person talk about their ‘vision’ for a film that’s been in development hell for years, I might just lose it.”

You laugh softly in reply as she leans in closer, a playful smile on her lips. “So, tell me, what do you do when you’re not charming the socks off everyone in this room?”

You take a sip of your drink, feeling the warmth of her compliment. “Well, the past year has just been so crazy, I don’t even know anymore. One minute, I was working for some tech company in my first job out of college, and the next, I’m here, auditioning for movies after some guy spotted me in a coffee shop. It feels like a dream that I’m just trying to keep up with.”

Rio raises an eyebrow, intrigued. “Talk about a plot twist. Honestly, I see why someone would want to scout you. It’s no wonder people can’t help but notice you.”

You laugh, feeling a flutter of connection. As dinner progresses, the conversation flows easily, filled with laughter and shared stories. As you chat, you can feel Agatha's gaze on you from across the table, her expression a mix of interest and something else—jealous, perhaps.

That familiar, possessive gaze that refuses to leave.

-*-✨-*-

Dinner draws to a close as the servers begin to prepare the table for dessert. Rio is mid-story when her hand brushes against yours as she gestures animatedly. “And then I told him, ‘If you think that’s impressive, wait until you see my next project!’” she finishes, a grin on her lips.

You burst into laughter, and the moment is light. Friendly. But then, you catch Agatha’s eyes flicking toward you, narrowing as she engages with the heavyweight next to her, flashing a smile that feels a touch too flirtatious for comfort.

You try to shake off the discomfort, refocusing on Rio. “So, what’s next for you? Tell me about that project you’re crewing up for next year?”

“Oh yeah, it’s a new script that I think will turn some heads, I reckon you’d be a perfect fit for one of the roles,” Rio replies, her enthusiasm infectious. “It’s a dark comedy about—”

But your attention drifts as you catch another glimpse of Agatha, who is now leaning a bit too close to her companion, laughing a little too hard at something they say. Her fingers graze their wrist, and you feel a knot of annoyance tighten in your stomach.

You turn back to Rio, forcing a smile. “That sounds amazing...”

As you attempt to redirect the conversation, Agatha’s laughter rings out again, this time drawing out her iconic cackle, and you feel the heat of frustration bubble up inside you. You steal another glance at her, catching her playing with the producer’s fingers, and that’s it.

“Excuse me for a second...” you mutter under your breath, pushing back your chair with a noise that draws attention. You stand abruptly, not caring if anyone is looking, and storm away from the table, the air around you suddenly feeling too stifling.

As you pace towards the exit, the soft murmur of conversation behind you fades, drowned out by the thudding of your heart in your chest. You reach the elevator, and the doors begin to slide shut just as you take a breath to steady yourself.

And the second that the doors almost close, is the same second that a hand shoots out, catching the door and forcing it back open.

Agatha.

Your mouth goes dry, and your heart skips, responding to her presence like clockwork.

“Going somewhere?” she asks, her voice smooth as silk, laced with an undertone that makes your pulse quicken.

“I just needed some air,” you reply, trying to sound casual, but the way she’s looking at you makes it impossible to hide the tremor in your voice.

“Air?” she echoes, stepping closer, her gaze steady and piercing. “Why? You seemed pretty… relaxed out there with Rio.”

Frustration bubbles up inside you, and you do your best to hold your composure. “And what about you? I saw you flirting with that producer all dinner.”

Agatha tilts her head, an amused smile dancing on her lips. “Flirting? Hardly. I was simply being professional, and sometimes you need to play into their hands in this industry.” Her expression furrows as she steps even closer, the air between you thick with electricity. “But I’ll admit, it’s adorable how you think you can tease me and get away with it, pet.”

She continues, leaning in, “Two can play at this game, sweetheart. Do you think I didn’t notice the way she looked at you? I think you were forgetting who you belong to.”

Your breath hitches at her words, the possessive undertone igniting within you. “Well, maybe I’m not so easy to claim.”

“Oh, but I think you are.” She steps closer, closing the space between you, “You just need a little reminder.”

Before you can respond, Agatha closes the distance between you with one swift, powerful motion, slamming you against the wall of the elevator. The cool metal presses against your back, causing you to gasp.

“Agatha…” you breathe, but she silences you with her lips, crashing into you with a fervour that ignites every nerve ending in your body. The kiss is urgent and demanding, her hands framing your face as she tilts your head to deepen the connection. You melt against her, responding with equal intensity, the frustration and heat of the moment fuelling your desire.

You gasp helplessly into her hot mouth as she brushes her tongue against yours, igniting a wildfire of longing that tears through you. Her kiss is a heady mix of passion and desperation, each sweep of her tongue sends shivers shaking all over you. You feel her breath hot and rapid against your skin, mixing with the soft sighs that escape from your lips.

Every second stretches into eternity as you lose yourself in her, the world outside the elevator fading into darkness. You explore the intoxicating taste of her lips, rich with the hint of the champagne you shared; the overwhelming strength of her hold wraps around you like a spell. You run your hands up her blazer, your fingers reaching and tangling in her long brown hair, pulling her even closer.

You want to surrender yourself to her completely.

A soft moan escapes your mouth, echoing in the confined space, and Agatha responds immediately, deepening the kiss. It’s as if she craves the sound, as if every whimper from your lips is a reward she cannot resist. Her mouth captures every ounce of your breath, each kiss a sweet torment that leaves you aching for more. She pulls your bottom lip into her mouth, teasingly grazing it with her teeth, sending a rush pooling through you that makes you whimper louder.

And the second that sound slips past your lips, is the same second that Agatha can’t contain the low, throaty sigh that escapes her.

Time seems to compress, each heartbeat reverberating in your chest, leaving you breathless and aching for more, as if every inch of you is ablaze—and only Agatha has the power to quell the flames.

And then, without a word, she reaches into her pocket, retrieving a sleek hotel key card. You manage to catch a glimpse of what it swipes on the elevator panel:

Penthouse Suite

Your breath catches.

Your heart thuds.

Every inch of you pulses at the implication.

Breaking the kiss once more, Agatha pulls back just enough to look into your eyes, her expression a mix of possessiveness and desire.

“It’s time to show you who you really belong to.”

Continue reading on AO3:

#agatha harkness #agatha x reader #agatha harkness fanfic #agatha harkness x reader #agatha all along #agatha x fem!reader

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flyinghassassin · 1 year ago

Text

Web of Lies

Summary: You arrived Westview searching for a happy life,but Wanda realized your plans.

Word count: 2400ish

Warnings: Angst,Hurt/Comfort,fluff,Agatha being a flirty menace.

Masterlist

A cheerful voice brought you out of your thoughts.

"Hello,Y/N, How are you?"

"Hi,Mrs. Maximoff, I'm fine. Thanks for asking. How are you?"

"I'm fine,thanks sweetie,but please call me Wanda; Mrs. Maximoff is too serious; we are next door neighbors; you have stayed at my house to eat or watch my children when I was busy," she replied smiling.

"Oh, sorry, Mrs. Maxi—I mean Wanda," you said.

"Don't worry, sweetie," she smiled. "This afternoon, Vis and I are going to organize the neighborhood meal; would you like to come? You just got to Westview a little while ago; I guess you don't know everyone yet. If you want to go, it's at 5:00 p.m."

"I'll try to come,but I'm not sure if—"

You were interrupted by the voice of a black-haired woman.

"Wanda,look at that pretty dress," said the raven-haired woman, pointing at the purple dress with gold ribbons.

You had seen her before, walking with Wanda or near the park. Her name was Agape, or something like that.

"My name is Agatha Harkness,hun. And yours?" She said it almost as if she had read your mind.

"Y/N, Miss Harkness. Pleased to meet you," you replied.

"Wanda,you never told me you had such a good-looking and well-mannered friend," said Agatha,nudging Wanda lightly with her elbow.

Wanda sighed and resumed talking to you.

"You're going to the neighborhood meal, then?" asked Wanda. "I'd love to have you there."

"Hun,you totally have to come. The food Wanda makes seems almost magical," she smiled. "Plus, I'd love to have you there too." she winked.

"Well, if you put it that way, I'll have to go." You smiled back.

"I'm glad, Y/N; the twins will be very happy to see you," Wanda said.

"I'll be glad to see you too, hun," said Agatha, winking. "See you later," she added, giving you two effusive kisses on the cheek, making you smell her perfume.

After saying goodbye to both women, you went to your house, and after looking left and right and checking that no one was looking at you, you opened the door.

You left your keys on a table in the hall, took off your shoes, and went to your room.

You took your phone out of your pocket and called the only number you had on that cell phone.

"Agent Y/LN speaking. I need to contact Tyler Hayward."

"Right away, agent," replied the voice on the other end of the line.

"Agent Y/L/N,I was told you wanted to talk to me."

"Yes, director,I have news about the mission at the Westview anomaly."

"Oh yeah? Good work, agent. Add the information to the device created to do the investigation. Any more information you want to disclose?"

"Yes director. I've been invited by Maximoff to the neighborhood potluck."

"Excellent. It will be a good opportunity to gather more information."

"Yes, Director."

"Don't make contact until absolutely necessary, agent. Things are tense, and we can't allow her to suspect you. Our other agent may be in danger of being discovered."

"Should I inform her?"

"No agent. Continue with the investigation," Hayward said before hanging up.

After Hayward hung up, you pulled out a small rectangular device with a button in the center.

From it emerged a hologram that displayed all the information you had gathered about Wanda and the anomaly, along with photos of her and other Westview locations and advertisements, connected to holographic threads with other information, creating a maze of threads, photos, and notes.

You added some more information that you had gotten, creating a data entry for Agatha Harkness and the meal you were going to attend.

After this, you rested for a while and prepared to attend the meal.

You got dressed, grabbed a couple of bottles of booze from the fridge, and headed towards the place where the neighborhood parties were being held.

You greeted the neighbors you met and went to Wanda, who smiled broadly when she saw you arrive.

"There was no need to have brought those drinks,honey."

"Don't worry, Wanda; you invited me, so it seemed like the right thing to do," you replied, smiling. "Where do you want me to leave them?"

"Put them in that cooler over there, along with the rest of the drinks".

You nodded, and after leaving the bottles, you went back to Wanda.

"I'm so glad you were encouraged to come, Y/N."

"Thanks, Wanda. Anyhow, I didn't have much to do this afternoon."

"Enjoy the food,honey. It's on that table over there."

"If you need help,let me know, Wanda." You smiled,trying to hide your true intentions as a S.W.O.R.D. agent. By talking to Wanda,she might relax and inadvertently reveal some secrets that could be useful.

"Don't worry, sweetie, enjoy."

You smiled and headed to the table,grabbing some food and pouring yourself a glass of your favorite drink.

You were talking to some of your neighbors and Wanda until a woman interrupted the conversation you were having with some neighbors.

"I'm so glad you could make it,hun," said Agatha. "Allow me to steal this extremely good-looking neighbor," she added, dragging you out of the conversation.

You let Agatha drag you to one of the tables in the corner and started talking with an abundance of flirting on her part, sometimes making you blush and stumble with your words.

However, thanks to the conversation, you managed to get important information about Wanda: she and her husband, Vision, had had a strong argument, which culminated with him leaving the house to go to sleep somewhere else.

After lunch, you went home and added the new information you had obtained to the information you already had.

After that, you went back to contact Hayward.

"Agent Y/L/N, I told you not to contact me again. This is the second time you have called me today."

"Director, I have important information."

"Release it right now, agent. If it's not good enough, I'm going to relegate you to desk duty."

You rolled your eyes when you heard this. You were one of the best agents S.W.O.R.D. had, and both Hayward and you knew it.

"Vision, the android synthroid, has had a falling out with Maximoff. They're not together right now."

"Great time to strike. I'll get the troops ready then and warn the agent we have there. Too bad Maximoff found out; now you're the only one there."

"This information had not been communicated to me."

"It was not deemed necessary."

"My safety is important. I believe that-"

"Silence, agent. Prepare for attack."

"Director, one last thing. I don't think Wanda is aware of the damage she causes people in the hex."

"I don't care about that. We're going on tonight. Grab your gear and get ready," Hayward replied dryly before hanging up.

"What an asshole!" you muttered.

You prepared your equipment and weapons and waited for nightfall so you could carefully escape from your house and join the rest of the agents.

"Agent Y/L/N, you finally arrived," said Hayward sarcastically.

"I live in Westview; I have to be careful not to be suspected."

"Nonsense. Get ready. Maximoff is coming."

You nodded, rolling your eyes, and after girding your helmet on your head, you waited for Wanda to arrive.

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The mission had not gone as expected.

Wanda had controlled the soldiers to target Hayward, and after a tense discussion, she returned to the hex, but not before taking an agent hostage.

She dragged you to her house without saying a word to you,and after arriving at her house, she took you to her basement and, with a snap of her fingers,chained you to a chair.

"Trying to attack my house doesn't seem like a good idea," she said, her voice marked by her Sokovian accent and anger.

You didn't respond, so she wouldn't recognize your voice.

"Oh, so the agent doesn't respond? Let's see who's behind this helmet, shall we?" She said, pulling the helmet off your head.

When she saw your face, it fell to the ground.

"You," she said, her voice marked by surprise and anger.

"Wanda,I'm sorry,I-"

"Shut up!" she snarled,her eyes glowing red. "Really Y/N? You've been in my house, you've been taking care of my kids,and it turns out that all this time,you were working for S.W.O.R.D."

"Wanda, I-"

She held up her hand, shushing you using her magic.

"You lied to me, Y/N. I let you into my house,I talked to you about my family,everything I lost,and this is how you repay me?" she said,tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

"Wanda, I'm sorry; I never meant to hurt you!"

"You never meant any harm." Wanda laughed dryly. "Lies. You took advantage of me,just like Monica! All S.W.O.R.D. is the same!"

"Is Monica okay?" you asked,with a lump in your throat.

"Yes. But I don't think she's going to be able to say the same about you. You're going to stay here,in chains,watching me destroy your beloved S.W.O.R.D.," he said menacingly,his eyes glowing red.

"Wanda, please,if you surrender peacefully, you can get a deal,but if you attack, you will lose all your chances."

Wanda walked up to you and grabbed your chin hard.

"Shut up before I send you back to S.W.O.R.D. so they can finish you off. For the hostage to come back safe and sound from a person as dangerous as me is not a good sign, is it?"

You nodded in fear.

"Wanda, please don't do anything you might regret."

"Do you regret all the harm you have done to me?" she replied hatefully. "Surely every time you spoke to me it was to get information out of me. Every smile,every joke, and every day taking care of my children was just one more opportunity for you. More information,more ideas on how to steal everything from me."

You didn't respond.

"Answer me Y/N!"

"I'm sorry, Wanda. I really am."

Wanda scoffed and turned away before glaring hatefully at you once again.

Then she went to your house, and with a flick of her wrist, the door opened, and she entered your house.

She walked to your room, looking for something you could gather information on.

After a few minutes, she found a cell phone and checked the contacts; there was only one: Tyler Hayward.

She called, and a male voice answered.

"Agent Y/LN,are you okay?"

"Your beloved agent can't come to the phone right now, Hayward. You've tried to trash everything I cared about,so now I'll return the favor."

"Wanda-"

The call was cut short when Wanda hung up and threw the cell phone on the floor,walking out of your house.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hayward's face denoted anger.

"Get a team ready. Now. The witch is going down."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Your mind was racing, looking for ways to get out of the chains that were trapping you.

After trying but not succeeding, you decided to take the last decision you had left: dislocate your thumbs so you could remove your hands and try to get the chains away from your body.

With a grunt of pain, you succeeded and pulled the chains away from your body.

You stood up, put your thumbs back in place, and grabbed your helmet.

You looked around the basement you were in to see if you could find any weapons, and after a while, you found your gun.

You checked and saw that you only had three bullets left.

You put on your helmet, and after putting on your bulletproof vest, you left Wanda's house to prevent her from dying.

After walking for a while, you reached the edge of the hex and got out.

You could hear the screams of agents, the sound of bullets, and the smell of gunpowder in the air, so you quickly went there.

You found Wanda, with a couple of cuts and a bloody nose, surrounded by several agents with some kind of electric gun that prevented her powers from working properly.

Your gaze met Hayward's, and at that moment, you made a decision. S.W.O.R.D. or Wanda The decision was easy.

You raised your gun and pointed it at one of your former comrades' weapons, causing an explosion of sparks to fly out of it and knock him out.

Wanda used that moment of surprise to knock out more agents while you ran to one of the cars, knocking out the driver with the butt of your gun and starting the car's engine.

A mixture of surprise and hatred crossed Wanda's face, and it was in that moment of distraction that a bullet pierced her shoulder, causing her to fall to the ground in pain.

You went to her aid, firing the two bullets that you had left and quickly pulling Wanda into the "borrowed" car.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

When Wanda opened her eyes again, the first thing she saw was your worried face.

She tried to get up, but a piercing pain shot through her shoulder.

"Careful, even if I took the bullet out of you, you're still hurt."

"Where the hell are we?" asked Wanda.

"My house. We'll be safe here for the time being."

"Why?

"Why what?

"Why did you save me?"

You sighed.

"Wanda, I really care about you. It may have been a mission for S.W.O.R.D., but it wasn't for me. I really cared about you. You were someone I could trust."

"Where are my children?"

"I left them my movies and food and told them you were with me to prepare a meal and discuss some stuff so you'll sleep here this night."

"Thank you."

You nodded and stood up.

"I'll bring you the food."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

You were awakened by a cry of pain.

You quickly ran to the room where Wanda was and found her sitting up in bed, wincing in pain.

"Have your stitches opened up?"

"N-No, it was just a bad dream."

"Do you want me to stay here just in case?"

Wanda hesitated, but after a few seconds, she nodded.

You pulled up a chair and stood next to the bed.

In a moment of boldness, you grabbed her hand.

"I'm going to show you that I really care about you, Wanda. I promise."

A smile bloomed on Wanda's lips.

"If you give me a dish this good again, I might start to believe it."

"Rest assured," you said. "Sleep," you said, giving Wanda a kiss on her forehead. "I'll be here for you."

#wanda maximoff #wanda maximoff x reader #wanda x reader #scarlet witch #scarlet witch x reader #wanda maximoff angst #wanda maximoff fluff

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cassiebones · 16 days ago

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Okay, but High School Drama club AU where the Coven all play their parts in the club:

Agatha and Jen warring for the lead

Rio as a goth techie, secretly in love with Agatha, though she tries to play it off, annoying Agatha instead so as not to reveal her true feelings

Lilia as the stage director/choreographer, who sees what's happening with the girls and tries to get them all to behave and get along, but fails more than she succeeds

Alice, who is the daughter of a famous musician, who can play every instrument, trying not to get pigeonholed by her mother's legacy, but still taking over the orchestra for the musical they're doing

Teen being the Freshman desperate to fit in with the rest of them and gluing himself to Agatha's side. They call him pet bc Rio once called him mascota and it stuck.

Everybody seeing the chemistry and energy between Agatha and Rio and trying to get them together by Lilia tricking Rio into auditioning "for extra credit" and immediately casting her opposite Agatha in the romantic leads

Agatha resisting because she knows how her mother feels about this kind of thing, but it's hard to deny her feelings for Rio, who makes her laugh and infuriates her and makes her so ridiculously happy like nobody ever has. Her mom has no chance of coming to see one of her shows (she never has before) so she allows herself to get swept away in it

Rio, who hates being in the spotlight but loves the chance to be this close to Agatha Harkness, actually shining brightly on stage, leading to a stellar performance

Alice and Jen getting together because why the fuck not

Just...Drama club AU

#probs gonna write this when i get home actually #agatha all along #drama club au

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unsolvedjarin · 1 year ago

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who i write for! ⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

you can request someone not on this list, but i might not make it if they feel uncomfortable to write for!

i also write for ships, as long as it’s a reasonable ship!

FORMULA 1: fernando alonso, sebastian vettel, mark webber, jenson button, toto wolff, kimi raikkonen, sergio perez, nico rosberg, lewis hamilton, carlos sainz, charles leclerc, SFW ONLY; lando norris, oscar piastri, daniel ricciardo, mick schumacher

STAR WARS: obi wan kenobi, cassian andor, poe dameron, din djarin, cobb vanth, director krennic, anakin skywalker, luke skywalker, padme amidala, han solo, fennec shand, rey skywalker, leia organa, ben solo, finn

MARVEL: stephen strange, tony stark, matt murdock, frank castle, steve rogers, baron zemo, marc spector, jake lockley, steven grant, bucky barnes, peter parker (tasm and mcu), carol danvers, agatha harkness, logan howlett, fox!erik lensherr, fox!charles xavier, miguel o’hara, peter b. parker

SUCCESSION: stewy hosseini, kendall roy, roman roy, shiv roy, tom wambsgans

THE LAST OF US (show/game): joel miller, ellie williams (tlou2 only), tommy miller

DOCTOR WHO: all the modern doctors, clara oswald, rose tyler, amy and rory (as a ship, not as individuals!)

LORD OF THE RINGS/THE HOBBIT: aragorn, faramir, boromir, legolas, kili oakenshield, thorin oakenshield, thranduil, SFW ONLY; bilbo baggins, merry brandybuck, pippin took

MISC: benji dunn (mi), remus lupin (harry potter), eggsy unwin (kingsmen), harry hart (kingsmen), agent whiskey (kingsmen), james norrington (potc)

˗ˋˏ ♡ ˎˊ˗

#navigation ★ ˊˎ˗#formula one #star wars #marvel #lord of the rings #the hobbit #doctor who #kingsmen #marauders #pirates of the caribbean #writing

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themovieblogonline · 2 days ago

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Marvel Studios’ Agatha All Along takes fans back to Westview, New Jersey, to follow the sassy yet scarred Agatha Harkness, played by the endlessly captivating Kathryn Hahn. The WandaVision spin-off, directed by showrunner Jac Schaeffer, taps into darker, mystical elements of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) with style and a healthy dose of campy, supernatural flair. Set three years after the events of WandaVision, the series delves deeper into Agatha’s psyche as she faces new allies, old foes, and the trials of the legendary Witches’ Road. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9pXbNz6Vbw Premise: After the finale of WandaVision left her spellbound in Westview, Agatha finds herself unexpectedly freed with the help of “Teen” (played by Joe Locke). This mysterious, goth-inflected teen dreams of traveling the Witches’ Road and, to Agatha’s dismay, knows more about witchcraft than any ordinary fanboy. Core themes: The heart of Agatha All Along lies in Agatha's relationships—both with her new coven and with the emotional scars from her past. Her struggles with vulnerability in a coven setup are particularly compelling, especially given that she’s spent centuries as a solitary figure, evoking sympathy even in her sassiest, most sarcastic moments. The storyline introduces Agatha’s motives in forming the coven as a mix of survival and a need for belonging, creating a layered character arc that keeps viewers invested. The show explores themes of redemption, loyalty, and acceptance, as Agatha tries to earn back her powers and come to terms with her past mistakes. The inclusion of the Witches’ Road, an MCU take on the archetypal hero’s journey, brings added suspense and mysticism, expanding the MCU's portrayal of witchcraft and grounding it in rich lore without overwhelming viewers unfamiliar with the comic origins. Hahn and Plaza are delightful: Kathryn Hahn shines as Agatha, deftly balancing her sardonic wit with subtle notes of vulnerability, making Agatha both compelling and relatable. Hahn’s portrayal elevates Agatha from a secondary character in WandaVision to a complex anti-heroine, and her chemistry with Joe Locke is undeniable. Locke brings youthful energy and humor as the gothic "Teen," whose secret identity adds intrigue and emotional stakes. Locke’s performance captures the impulsive nature of a teen discovering their identity, while also balancing the maturity of a soul who has experienced loss and trauma. Aubrey Plaza’s portrayal of Rio Vidal is a standout. Reuniting with her former lover, Agatha, adds layers to the story. She really brings a ton of tension and emotional depth. Plaza brings her usual dark humor and mysterious edge, creating a fascinating dynamic that keeps viewers guessing about her intentions. Patti LuPone as Lilia Calderu, a 450-year-old divination expert, adds a touch of eccentric wisdom to the coven. Her nonlinear perception of time and experience with magic offer unique perspectives and mystical insights, grounding the show’s supernatural elements. Supporting cast: Supporting characters, including Debra Jo Rupp’s Sharon Davis and Sasheer Zamata’s Jen Kale, bring levity and variety to Agatha's new coven. Sharon, still grappling with being perceived as “Mrs. Hart” from WandaVision, serves as a humorous but endearing character who begrudgingly adopts her new identity as a “green witch,” while Zamata’s portrayal of Jen provides a sense of practicality, especially as the potions expert. Schaeffer shines as director and showrunner: Showrunner and lead director Jac Schaeffer, known for her work on WandaVision, brings her knack for character-driven storytelling to Agatha All Along. Schaeffer’s direction offers a compelling blend of dark fantasy with vibrant humor and relatability. The pacing occasionally lags in the middle episodes as the coven assembles and faces introductory trials, which may be a drawback for those expecting more consistent action. However, Schaeffer uses this time to delve into character development, giving the show emotional weight that strengthens the climactic episodes. Schaeffer’s skill lies in balancing the series’ tonal shifts—from dark and brooding to campy and humorous—without veering into cliché. This tonal balance enriches Agatha’s arc, showcasing the contrast between her dark nature and her newfound desire for connection. Darkly beautiful visuals: The series’ visuals are hauntingly beautiful, with the Witches' Road rendered as an eerie, shifting landscape that reflects Agatha’s internal struggles. Dark forests, mystical symbols, and other gothic elements are rendered with a cinematic quality that immerses viewers in Agatha’s world, setting it apart from other MCU entries. The production design team deserves praise for incorporating magical elements into the characters’ wardrobe and coven artifacts, adding authenticity to the witchcraft lore that underscores Agatha’s journey. The series’ color palette leans heavily into dark purples, blacks, and greens, emphasizing the mystical and otherworldly. The design choices feel cohesive, enhancing the narrative’s darker elements and Agatha’s connection to traditional witchcraft. Practical effects blend with CGI to create spells and magical phenomena that feel grounded and believable, lending the series an organic charm that’s refreshing in a CGI-heavy genre. Leans into horror: As the 11th series in the MCU, Agatha All Along marks a stylistic shift toward supernatural and mystical elements, broadening the franchise’s narrative landscape. By focusing on Agatha—a character not traditionally viewed as heroic—the series allows Marvel to explore gray moral territory. The show’s reception will likely be split; fans of WandaVision and darker MCU narratives may appreciate this introspective, witchcraft-heavy story, while others may find the series’ pacing and darker tone a departure from the MCU's typical fare. Overall: For Marvel fans, this series enriches the backstory of characters and introduces new ones that could later have larger implications within the MCU. The introduction of the Witches' Road suggests possibilities for future storylines tied to the mystical side of Marvel, potentially influencing future series or films. Agatha All Along is a bold, intriguing addition to the MCU, blending gothic horror with character-driven drama to create a unique entry that showcases Agatha Harkness in all her complexity. While the series isn’t without its slow moments, its richly developed characters, engaging visuals, and exploration of witchcraft lore make it a compelling watch. Kathryn Hahn’s performance, coupled with Jac Schaeffer’s direction, transforms Agatha into a relatable anti-heroine, capable of carrying her own story.

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samsdisneydiary · 18 days ago

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Magic, Mayhem, and Melodies: Unraveling Agatha All Along with Director Rachel Goldberg

From our Friends at D23 Editor’s note: This article contains spoilers for Episodes 1–5 of Agatha All Along. “Darkest hour, wake thy power, earthly and divine.” Every Wednesday at 6 p.m. PT, this mystical chant heralds a new episode of Marvel Television’s Agatha All Along on Disney+. The series whisks viewers into the spellbinding world of Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn), a once-powerful witch…

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the-scarlet-witch-22 · 2 years ago

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The Darkhold Sonata (Agatha Harkness x Wanda Maximoff)

Word Count: 2.9K

Summary: Legendary film composer Agatha Harkness is given a new challenge when she’s asked to help Wanda Maximoff with the score for Stephen Strange’s newest movie.

A/N: Hi tumblr friends, I’m back with a new story! This was inspired by The Batman soundtrack, I love Michael Giacchino, and I think the overall ‘vibe’ is very Agatha coded. I’ve included the link to one of the songs that this story is based off of :) Anyways, I am not a composer or pianist so please keep that in mind while reading, but I hope y’all enjoy it. Please let me know your thoughts and as always my DM’s and asks are always open for questions! Oh, and if you would like to be added to the tag list please lemme know :)

youtube

The sound of thunderous applause roared throughout the packed Hollywood Bowl as Agatha took her final bow. Although she had been apprehensive at first of the LA Symphony’s idea of a “Maestra of the Movies” concert, she wasn’t displeased with the outcome. The concert sold out within hours, as many anxiously awaited the chance to hear some of her greatest compositions performed live. It was a fascinating experience, conducting her life’s work all at once; while she stood by every decision she ever made, it was interesting to watch her work progress over the years. From Academy Award winning scores to Grammy nominated soundtracks, Agatha Harkness knew she was the most decorated film composer the world had seen in decades.

Coming off her fifth Oscar win, Agatha made the difficult decision to take the next year off. There was a project she had waited years to start, and it would be near impossible to finish with some insipid director throwing deadlines at her. Exiting the stage, Agatha skillfully dodged members of the press who were hoping to get a quote, and she almost winced upon hearing the word ‘retirement.’ As her eyes scanned the crowd gathering backstage, she spotted the one individual who knew what she was working on. Stephen Strange. She figured he would be in attendance this evening. After all, most of the themes played were composed for his films.

Stephen Strange was one of the few directors Agatha could tolerate working with- even though he had an ego almost as big as her’s, they seemed to balance each other out. While most directors expected the score to fit the script, Stephen would always take Agatha’s opinions into consideration; although Agatha would usually bite the head off any director who tried to give a suggestion on what could be added to her music, Stephen gave constructive feedback that she could tolerate. They worked well together, and they had worked almost exclusively together for the past decade on various projects. It was also no secret that Stephen was struggling to find a new composer for his latest film, with Agatha taking her long sought hiatus.

“Strange,” Agatha greeted the director. “I didn’t realize you were coming.“

“And miss hearing the scores for most of my movies?” Stephen countered as a small smirk formed on his face.

Agatha rolled her eyes. “I believe you mean hearing the music that was accompanied by your homemade videos.”

Stephen laughed, shaking his head at the jab. “It’s good to see you, Agatha. Although, I’m surprised you agreed to this.” He motioned to the large crowd. “This doesn’t seem like your scene.”

Agatha frowned at the number of people that were accumulating. She had always been a private person, and tried to avoid the public eye as much as possible, a fact that Stephen knew well. “It’s not, but this is my life’s work. I couldn’t just trust someone else with it.”

“Not that you trust anyone with anything,” Stephen quipped, and Agatha sighed.

“Yes, yes, very funny. Now I’m assuming you didn’t drive all the way over here to just mock me, hm?” Agatha questioned, before adding. “It is rather presumptuous of me to assume you drove at all. Did you take the private jet again? God forbid you sit in an hour of traffic like the rest of us mere peasants.”

“You really don’t get nearly enough credit for your wit,” Stephen commented lightly, and Agatha noted how he was avoiding her question of why he was here. “But then again, you do spend most of your time locked away with only your piano to keep you company.”

“Yet I still have one more Academy Award than you,” Agatha fired out, as she motioned for the director to follow her to her dressing room. “Perhaps you should reconsider those month-long vacations in Europe.”

Upon reaching her dressing room, Agatha all but slammed the door shut. “Why are you really here?”

Stephen took a seat in an empty armchair before replying. “Agatha, you’re the most successful composer in the industry. You know I’ve enjoyed our time working together over the years.”

Stephen was right, Agatha had worked with him for a long time. They had their fair share of victories, with almost every recent project resulting in an Academy Award win. That was why Agatha knew he wanted something. She had to restrain herself from rolling her eyes. It wasn’t a surprise, everyone in Hollywood was always looking for favors. She could list off the number of directors and actors who had tried to convince her to give their children piano or composition lessons. But what could Stephen possibly want? He knew Agatha was taking the year to work on an independent project, and he knew better than to push her; it never ended well for those who tried.

Agatha took a seat across from the director, folding her hands in her lap. “And you know I don’t need, or want, your help to inflate my ego. What do you want, Strange?”

“I found a composer for the film,” Stephen explained, pulling a folder out of his bag, sliding it across the table. “She has a similar style to you, actually, which is why I chose her. I’m sure you’ve heard of her, she’s become quite popular in Europe. Here’s what she wrote for the main character’s theme.”

Opening the folder, Agatha’s eyes scanned the score and she scowled when she saw it. Wanda Maximoff. Of course. Agatha had heard plenty of the Sokovian composer, and she wasn’t impressed. She was a newer composer on the scene, but she had become rather well established over the past five years. Though Wanda seemed to grasp the most basic composition skills, Agatha felt that she always fell flat in comparison to the work of other film composers. “Why are you showing me this, Stephen? We both know I’m not working on this film.”

“We’ve known each other for a long time, Agatha,” Stephen stated, and in the many years Agatha had been acquainted with the director this had to be the first time he appeared to be nervous. “And you know I wouldn’t be coming to you if I thought I had other options.”

“Spit it out,” Agatha practically growled, her patience wearing down. She needed a drink.

“Wanda is gifted, and I have no doubt that she’s going to excel at this. But I chose this project with you in mind,” Stephen continued, and Agatha attempted to envision where he was going with this. “I was hoping you would consider looking over her progress with the score, to make sure she’s on the right track? This film has the potential to make it all the way through awards season, and this could be monumental for me.”

Agatha took a moment to consider his request before repeating her earlier words. “But I’m not working on the film, how does this benefit me? What, I help this Sokovian princess compose a breathtaking score and she gets all the credit?”

“Wanda has the potential to be a fresh talent in Hollywood,” Stephen pointed out. “If she succeeds, and everyone knows you were backing her, well that certainly wouldn’t hurt your reputation, right?”

“I don’t need a pat on the back from anyone, and I’m not grooming her. Find someone else. Maybe Stark or one of his lackeys.”

“Agatha,” Stephen rubbed his temple, and Agatha could tell he was growing tired of this argument. “I’m coming to you as a friend. I’m asking you, as my friend, to help me. Please, will you work with Wanda on the score?”

It wasn’t like Stephen to ask anyone for help, and Agatha knew he was serious about the potentially astounding success this movie held. Although Agatha would never, ever, admit it out loud, Stephen was one of the few people in this industry whom she trusted; he was her friend.

Sighing, Agatha finally nodded. “Fine. Send her to my studio on Monday morning. I’ll look over the score then.”

Before Stephen could get another word in she added. “And you’re buying me a drink. Let’s go.”

That Monday morning Agatha entered her private studio with a large cup of coffee- she had had a small studio built on her property a few years ago, and she personally thought it was one of the best decisions she ever made. The studio was well lit, with lots of windows and light shining in, framing the grand piano in the main room, where Agatha did most of her writing. The walls were lined with her awards, an almost overwhelming amount at this point. She had a small kitchen installed as well, for the days where she was so focused on a project and didn’t want to walk back to the house. Finishing her coffee, she sat at the piano and decided to get to work until Wanda showed up.

The only time Agatha felt at peace was when she was composing music. She always had dozens of themes and melodies floating around her head, playing on a loop, and the only way to get them out was by sitting at the piano and figuring out how to construct them. While a lot of the newer composers preferred online software, Agatha swore by doing everything by hand. It was the only right way to do it, as she didn’t believe it to be possible to feel the music if you were doing it through a screen. Composing had always come naturally to Agatha, and she never had any difficulty finishing a project, except for the one she was currently trying to work through.

The staff paper was nearly blank, as it had remained for almost a decade. It was untitled, and besides the key signature scribbled in her messy scrawl, the only writing was a short phrase that came to her in a dream. Every time she tried to add on to it, to continue the phrase or begin a new one, she was unable to. She was stuck, and it was a complicated puzzle she was intent on solving. Usually when she had difficulties writing for a film, she would watch over the scene and take notes, all while the various themes began to form in her brain. That was easy. But she had never experienced this mental block before.

Checking the time on her Cartier watch, Agatha shook her head at how late Wanda was before focusing her attention on her music. Attempting to find some inspiration, she began playing various riffs and chords on the piano in the key of B-flat minor. Composing was a lot like telling a story, and each part held equal importance. The introduction had to lure the audience in, and be captivating enough to make them want more. However, it was essential to not show all of your cards at once. Throughout the middle it was important to maintain a constant pulse, for falling off rhythm would be both distressing to the musicians reading the music, as well as potentially derailing the entire film. The ending was arguably the most difficult- wrapping things up in a way that made it cohesive was never easy. On top of that, it was fundamental to incorporate the main themes heard throughout the score, all while making sure it fit the director’s vision.

When Agatha thought of the composers who inspired her work, there were a few that immediately came to mind. There was Mahler, of course. The way he wrote his symphonies made it feel as if the music he was writing was coming to life off the page. Tchaikovsky made Agatha think of beautiful, soaring melodies that left an audience teary eyed. His works brought out the deepest emotions in both the performer and listener. Then there was Shostakovich. His abrupt contrasts in his music, and darker themes were intoxicating. There were others, of course. Holst, Sibelius, Beethoven, and at least a dozen others that Agatha studied over the years. But there was something special about the former three, something that resonated with Agatha.

Taking a deep breath, the composer closed her eyes as her fingers moved over the keys. Visualizing the notes, she tried to channel what she was feeling. Normally, Agatha was by no means an overly emotional person; she saved it all for her compositions, whose intensity she was renowned for. To her, it was crucial that no matter the level of musical expertise the audience held,that they were able to be overcome with whatever emotion Agatha wanted them to feel. That was the power of music. Even in a huge blockbuster filled with adventure and wonder, one of the shining features should be the tantalizing orchestral melodies, or the blaring trumpet solo.

As her fingers hit the keys, Agatha fell into the rhythm of the slow melody. The untitled piece was currently in a compound meter, labeled as a 6/8 time signature. That put an emphasis on the feeling of two big beats, so as she began her lethargic triplets, she was silently counting them to stay steady. The main melodic line was a phrase that Agatha played in a dream. It was full of hope and longing, and seemed to slowly lead further and further until it disappeared. The other times she had attempted to add on to it were futile, until today. Today she knew how to build onto the existing phrase, and lead into the next. Just as she was able to fully envision where she wanted to go, there was a knock on the door.

Of course. Huffing at the interruption, Agatha scrapped the piano bench across the wooden floor, yanking the door to her studio open. There in front of her stood an annoyed looking Wanda Maximoff. About time she showed up. The Sokovian composer’s messy auburn hair was pulled back, and she was dressed comfortably in jeans and a sweater. For the briefest of moments Agatha was stunned at how pretty she was. Wanda had a deep frown on her face, and her eyes kept darting back and forth as if she was annoyed with being there.

“You’re late,” Agatha said in lieu of a greeting, holding her arm out in invitation for Wanda to enter.

“You never gave Stephen a time,” Wanda corrected her, and Agatha frowned as the younger woman brushed past her. “Should we get this over with?”

Agatha was stunned at her tone, what exactly was Wanda annoyed by? She should be thrilled that Agatha wanted to work with her at all, as Agatha could think of a dozen other things she’d rather be doing. Leading the redhead through her quaint studio, she took a seat at the table. Wanda followed suit, and set her leather work bag down next to her. Agatha assumed the polite hostess greeting would be to offer Wanda a drink, but the composer saw no point in that. She was the one who wanted to get this over with, not Wanda.

“Stephen mentioned you finished the main character’s theme,” Agatha said conversationally, trying to keep her tone as polite as possible.

Wanda gave a small nod. “He said you looked at it over the weekend.”

Despite only being in Wanda’s presence for a few minutes, Agatha was beginning to get the feeling that the woman was about as thrilled as she was to be in this situation. “I glanced at it, and it was good. Perhaps I could take a look at the rest of it?”

Wanda opened her bag and pulled out her laptop, and Agatha grimaced. Of course she was using her computer. Wanda noticed the frown, and looked up at her. “Is something the matter?“

“No, no,” Agatha replied, thinking of the multiple favors Stephen Strange was going to owe her after this. “Carry on.”

After taking a few moments to get her score pulled up, Wanda slid the laptop across the table for Agatha to grab it. The composer took one look at the score and frowned again. She read it slowly, looking over each measure Wanda had completed, all the while making mental notes for things she would change. It wasn’t bad, not bad at all. Wanda was talented, Stephen was right. But she was sloppy at times. There were certain instrumental parts and phrases that didn’t quite fit together in some areas. Luckily that was something that could be resolved, as long as Wanda put in more effort. When Agatha was done, she closed the laptop, and was immediately met with Wanda staring at her with an unreadable expression.

“It’s not bad,” Agatha politely stated, still keeping her tone in check. “There are just a few things that could use tweaking. I’d suggest adding in more strings in the beginning, and perhaps more accents to emphasize certain notes.”

Wanda gave her an incredulous look. “Stephen said you were just going to look at everything, not that you would be making changes to my work.”

Any patience Agatha had left disappeared at that point. “I’m sorry if this is news to you, Maximoff, but constructive criticism is a big part of composition.”

“This wasn’t my idea to come here and work with you,” Wanda pointed out, growing more defensive. “I didn’t sign up to have my work torn apart by a has-been composer.”

Agatha could feel her blood boil at that statement. How dare that ungrateful imbecile even think to say that to her. Seething, she stood up, heading over to the grand piano. “Get out of my studio. Now.”

Wanda left without another word, whilst Agatha stewed at the piano, hoping that would be the last interaction she ever had with Wanda Maximoff.

#agatha harkness x wanda maximoff #agatha harkness #wanda maximoff #agatha wandavision #wandavision au #marvel au

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