#i can yap for years about all the shit Agatha has internalised for DECADES from her shitty mom

[lilithschosen]

Yes yes, we're here for the filth prompts but the angst hat is tossed into the ring: Vidal comes home from a long work trip (having had barely any time to check in with Agnes) only to find out Agnes has had to spend nearly the entire time with Evanora Harkness.

you fuck (affectionate) i literally don't have Evanora alive in my headcanon because she SUCKS oh my god.

so uhhh tw: religious parent who wants her very obviously butch daughter to be femme and straight!

As Rio pulls into the driveway, she notices a car out front of their house. One she doesn't recognize. She thinks on it for a second, running through everyone in their social group who could have a car like that, but comes up on nothing and shrugs.

As she climbs out of the car, she leaves all of her shit from the trip behind. Too tired to care, she just wants to fall into Agatha's lap and hear what she's been up to for the last week. She didn't get a chance to check in much, worked to the bone on a case she was called back to Boston to help figure out. She was up early and stayed up late, the only time she had her phone in hand was to order meals for delivery. She tried to send Agatha little texts throughout the day, little heart emojis or reminders she loves her. She never got much back, but she figured it was because Agatha was doing something on her own.

As she opens the front door, she breathes in the scent of their home and sighs happily. "Hey babe?"

She hears a chair scrape against the wooden floor and soft footfalls approach from the other side of the door. She grins, shutting the door, so ready to see Agatha again.

Instead it was Evanora, Agatha's mom. Her smile drops, forming into a scowl.

"What the fuck are you doing here?"

Evanora crosses her arms over her chest, sizing up Rio as she turns her nose up to her. "That is no way to speak to me, Agent Vidal."

"Well this is my house," Rio gestures to the room they're standing in. "I can speak to you however I want under my roof."

Evanora clicks her tongue, shaking her head. "It's actually my daughter's home, one she lets you stay in out of the kindness of her heart. She should know better, though. You're nothing but trouble."

Rio stares at Evanora, eyes emotionless as she runs her tongue against the back of her teeth. She hears another chair scrape across hardwood and looks around Evanora to see Agatha. She tries to smile at her, but Agatha doesn't meet her. Instead Agatha stares at the floor, her hair falling down past her shoulder.

Rio's lip curls as she takes in Agatha's state of dress. Tight fitting sweater with feminine cut slacks, something she'd never seen Agatha in before. Evanora's impact no doubt.

"Hey baby," Rio moved past Evanora and wraps her arms around Agatha's waist. Agatha shrinks from the embrace, still not looking up. "I have so much to tell you."

Evanora grunts in disgust and straightens her conservative looking dress. "I can't believe you've seduced my god-fearing daughter into your ways of hedonism. I should rescue her from here, bring her back home."

Rio recoils, moving to stand between the mother and daughter. "You're not doing a fucking thing. Your daughter is perfect the way she is, not in this weird persona you're forcing on her."

Agatha's hand grips Rio's, eyes watering as she slowly looks up from the floor to her. If looks could kill, Evanora would've been long since dead from Rio's glare.

"You know what?" Rio says, reaching for the door, "You can go. You don't get to come here and dictate what is good for her when you never gave a shit about her to begin with."

Evanora gasps, clutching at her crucifix necklace, "How dare you!"

"No," Rio stays put, hand in Agatha's, "You have done nothing but beat your nonsense into her, smothering who she is. I love her for her, you don't even know her. Get the fuck out and stay out."

Evanora's eyes fall to her daughter, expecting Agatha to instead throw Rio out. She doesn't.

"God will know what you've done," she seethes as she stomps to the door. "He'll know, he'll weigh your soul, and you'll be cast out into the fiery chasm below."

"If that means I can live my truth and embrace your daughter for who she really, genuinely, is? So be it."

With that, Evanora leaves. Rio locks the door behind her, breathing slowly to calm herself down. When she feels levelheaded enough, she pulls Agatha into a hug. She holds the back of her head, keeping her close.

"Thank you," Agatha says, her voice so small Rio barely catches the words. "Thank you for saving me."

Rio kisses the side of her head, breathing in her inherent scent as it calms her. She feels guilty that she had to leave, that somehow Evanora decided to come visit at the same time. That she couldn't protect Agatha.

"She'll never bother you again, baby."

Agatha grips the back of Rio's shirt as she blinks away the tears. She exhales shakily, trying to calm down. She feels awful. The sweater her mother gave her itches, burns her skin like it was laced with acid, and the pants dig into her hips in such an unpleasant way. She shifts in Rio's arms, uncomfortable.

"Come on," Rio says gently, pressing one final kiss to Agatha's head before she steps back and takes her hand. "Let's get you out of this, we'll shower. I need it after that drive."

The two walk in silence, hand in hand, to the bathroom. Rio gingerly undresses Agatha, making mental note to throw the outside away or even burn it if she has the time. She starts the shower, helping Agatha in, then sheds her clothes as well.

As she climbs in, Agatha clings to her. Her hands touching wherever they can, grabbing and pulling her back to her. They stand under the hot water, letting the last week melt away and flow down the drain.

"Never again," Rio says, more to herself than Agatha. "That woman will never again know you, or us. I'll press charges if I have to, I'll have her thrown into a fucking prison so far away where she'll rot and be forgotten."

Agatha lets her rant, doesn't speak up or try to stop. She can't, she has no energy to. She lets Rio be angry for her. She'll be angry eventually, once the looming shadow of her mother finally disappears.

"I love you."

Rio leans back in Agatha's arms, smiling. "I love you too. Always."