#joke's on rio agatha figured it out herself

[harknessxo]

Okay I may sound insane but could I request a one shot or short story whatever you are more comfortable writing. The premises behind the story is the reader is an apothecary witch from Agatha’s past. Agatha has asked her to join them in walking the road as well as the others. She reluctantly agreed but not without attitude. The problem with going on this journey at least for the reader is that she’s not just a scorn witch from Agatha‘s past, but one that she would have considered a friend along time ago. Agatha would always come to her in order to be healed or for a remedy due to whatever difficult situation she got herself into overtime. They grew closer together, but Agatha made it apparent that she wasn’t capable of the type of relationship the reader was wanting from her. Not to the readers knowledge, but because of everything that had happened between her and Rio.

How the story starts is that they are currently on the road after completing the second trial in the studio and healing teen from his injury . At the campfire while all the different witches are trading their battle stories you listen to Agatha speak and then Rio. Somewhat connecting the dots on your own, but not fully believing it, not until you follow them both and watch the scene that unfolds between them in the fourth episode. It’s then that the reader realizes that maybe Agatha was always capable of feeling that type of emotional vulnerability but the reader just wasn’t worth it. How it ends is really up to you. It could be somehow Agatha figured out that the reader was spying on them and then fixes it in a sweet way to show that the reader is worth it. or it could be Agatha completely denying any change between her and Rio that she was only using manipulation tactics to see if teen was her son, a mix of both. I’m not picky.

Once again, if this is too insane, please ignore it. I do understand it’s completely random, but I do love your writing style and do you think you would do it absolute justice!!!!

THE GREATEST

Paring: Agatha Harkness x reader

Summary: look at the request ^

Warnings; angst…

Word Count: 2.0k

Part 2

A/n: I hope you like this anon! I know you lowkey wanted a happy ending but angst took over. I’m open to making a part two if you’d like! Also this originally had nothing to do with the song “The Greatest” but then I added a part of the lyrics so…

“Jen! Y/n! Do something please!” Agatha pleaded, holding Teen’s hand tightly. You and Jennifer looked at each other, trying to figure out something that would heal his wound and help him survive. You both quickly made a substance and spread it over his wound. He groaned in pain but the wound healed and he continued to sleep. You all gently picked him up and placed him in a better place to rest. Agatha stayed by his side, refusing to leave and the rest of you went to make a bonfire.

You sat down around the fire for an awkward moment before Alice chose to speak up to start a conversation. She shared her experience with her curse and her scars and soon everyone told their experiences except Rio. You didn’t like her from the second she dug herself out of the ground. You could tell there was immense tension between her and Agatha and you detested it.

“How is he?” Alice’s voice brought you back to reality. You looked up and saw Agatha taking a seat next to Rio.

“Mouthy,” she replied sarcastically.

“That’s a good sign,” Lilia commented.

“Agatha,” Jen started, “Why don’t you show us your battle scars?” Agatha hesitated for a moment before she started rolling up the sleeve of her left arm. Your eyes diverted to Rio who chuckled while she gave Agatha a knowing look.

“Knitting needle to the elbow,” she said, showing off the scar on her elbow, “You ever heard of the daughters of liberty?” of course you knew of them, you were the one that healed said scar but the rest shook their heads having no idea, “Exactly.” All the witches chuckled her light joke and you could tell Agatha enjoyed it. The joyful moment suddenly came to a stop when Rio decided to speak up.

“I’ve got a scar.” All eyes turned to Rio as she spoke. Agatha’s expression changed, her face becoming serious and a bit irritated.

“No you don’t,” Agatha was quick to deny. How would she know that? You thought.

“Yes I do,” she insisted, “…A long time ago, I loved someone,” she side eyed Agatha, “…and I had to do something I did not want to do even though it was my job,” she emphasized the last word and you saw Agatha looked away from the corner of your eye. She clenched her jaw, her eyes fixed elsewhere. The other witches exchanged glances, sensing the tension between the two. Rio continued to speak.

“And it hurt them,” there was a pause, “…she’s my scar.” It wasn’t hard to figure out who she was talking about and it angered you even further. Why did Agatha lie to you? Were they still together when you fell in love? Were you just not enough?

“I’m gonna go stretch my legs,” Agatha said standing and walking away, Rio hot on her trail. Curiosity got the better of you and decided to follow them, the worst decision you could have made.

You watched their interaction, the hug, the loving look, and before their lips touched you walked away. You had seen enough. You fought with every bone in your body trying to keep your sobs at bay. You felt so betrayed but you shouldn’t. Agatha had made it crystal clear that she couldn’t pursue a commitment relationship with you like you wanted. That she wouldn’t. It hurt to hear but maybe it was for the best, especially if she was still messing around with Rio.

You made your way back to the campfire, trying to hide the tears in your eyes. The others looked at you, noticing the change in your demeanor.

“Are you alright?” Lilia asked, her voice filled with concern.

“I’m f-fine,” your voice cracked a bit, “That last trial just had me a little shaken, that’s all.” Alice frowned and shifted closer to you, rubbing your back soothingly.

“Are you sure?” she asked.

“Mhm…” You gave her a reassuring smile before sitting back down by the fire. Alice didn’t seem convinced but didn’t press further. The others exchanged glances, clearly worried about you but they didn’t say anything. Soon Agatha came back taking a seat next to you with no trace of Rio but you remained silent. Agatha looked at you, noticing your lack of response. She was oblivious to the facts that you had seen her with Rio.

“Are you alright, sweetheart?” You didn’t reply and her eyebrows furrowed in confusion and concern. She gently placed her hand on your shoulder, trying to get your attention.

“Hey, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” you shrugged her hand off. She was taken aback by your cold response. She was used to you being more open and warm, not this.

“Bullshit,” she said firmly, crossing her arms.

“It’s not like you would fucking care,” you spat out, getting up and walking away. She wanted to go after you but Rio appeared and held her back.

“Let her cool off. I’m sure it’s nothing.” She said into Agatha’s ear.

“Yeah…maybe you’re right.”

—

After everyone was rested, you all continued to walk the road onto the next trial. Usually you would have stayed by Agatha's side but you chose to stay with Lilia and Alice this time. You thought Agatha hadn't noticed, too deep in a conversation with Rio but she did and she was not happy at all.

Agatha’s eyes narrowed as she watched you walk with Lilia and Alice. She tried to keep her cool, but the sight of you ignoring her and choosing to stay away from her made her feel frustrated and angry. She couldn’t understand why you were acting this way and why you were avoiding her. Her fist balled up tightly when she saw you laughing with Alice. Rio noticed Agatha’s reaction and placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Calm down, sweetheart. You’re going to give yourself wrinkles.”

“I just don’t understand what happened!” Agatha said, frustrated. Rio rolled her eyes before cupping Agatha’s face, making her look at her.

“Don’t worry about her. She’s probably just throwing a tantrum.” Agatha’s face was filled with irritation as she listened to Rio’s words.

“Tantrum? She’s never like this! I’ve never seen her this upset before, she’s avoiding me, she’s acting like a brat.”

“Relax, Agatha,” she kissed her cheek, “Just focus on me.” Her irritation slowly melted away as Rio kissed her cheek. She looked at her and took a deep breath, trying to push her worries about you to the back of her mind.

“You’re right,” she said, forcing a smile. She needed to keep Rio happy for now, just until they got to the end of the road.

Your eyes had wandered to the two women at some point and you regretted it immediately, seeing Rio kiss Agatha’s cheek. Rio looked in your direction while doing it with a smirk on her face. You wanted to lounge at her but for what? For Agatha? She didn’t want you anyway, you just had to come to peace with that.

Rio caught your eye and noticed the hurt and jealousy in your expression. She couldn’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction. She knew she was getting to you, and that only made her more determined to keep Agatha away from you.

You all eventually found the next trial inside another house. You all split up into pairs to find some sort of clue. Alice and Teen, Jen and Lilia and of course, Agatha and Rio. Lilia offered to go with you but you declined and said you could take care of yourself if something happened.

She had looked at you with concern but respected your decision. She nodded and went off with Jen to search the house. You were left alone, walking through the house and looking for clues. You could hear the others calling out to each other as they searched different rooms. Suddenly, you heard footsteps approaching you and you already knew who it was.

“Agatha, shouldn’t you be with Rio?” She appeared from behind you, her expression serious.

“Why are you avoiding me?”

“You seemed busy with Rio, that’s all.”

“You saw that…” she said, realizing what you were referring to.

“Yeah. You know, I thought you said you couldn’t pursue the type of relationship I wanted from you. Now I know you simply wouldn’t do it, with me at least. Why don’t you go back to your precious green witch. I’m sure she’s already missing you.” Agatha’s expression softened and she looked hurt by your words.

“It’s not like that…”

“Please,” you laughed, shaking your head, “Save it. I literally saw you two about to kiss.”

“You don’t understand…” she stepped closer.

“Agatha, what is there to understand? You lied to me. You said your heart was jaded and then I find out you have an ex lover who you seem to still be in love with.”

“Don’t act like you know everything. You don’t understand the situation between Rio and me.” Her eyes flashed with irritation.

“Then lay it out for me Harkness!” She clenched her jaw, her hands balling into fists. She took a deep breath before speaking.

“Rio and I…we have a complicated history. We were together a long time ago, and it didn’t end well. We had a falling out and we haven’t spoken in years. Seeing her again has brought up a lot of old feelings and emotions that I didn’t know how to deal with.”

“…do you love her?”

“No, of course not-” she said without hesitation.

“Then what’s the deal? Does she know that? Because she seems to know the effect you two have on me.”

“My sweet Y/n,” she cupped your face, “I just need her and the rest of the witches to get me to the end and then you and I can be together-”

“It’s not that simple Agatha,” you shoved her off, finally letting the tears fall, “I don’t even know if I can trust you. And what of her, huh? You’re just gonna leave her hanging? How do I know you won’t do the same with me? How do I know you’re not just using me?!”

“I’m not using you! I care about you, Y/n. You have to believe me.” She reached out to touch you but stopped herself.

“How can I?! You have a reputation, Agatha!” Her face fell, hurt by your words.

“You don’t trust me because of my reputation? I thought you knew me better than that…”

“So did I...” your voice broke at the end. She was speechless. She knew you were right. She had hurt you, and now you didn’t trust her. The realization hit her like a ton of bricks.*

“I…I don’t know what to say…”

“Then don’t say anything,” you tried to walk past her but she quickly grabbed your arm, stopping you from walking away.

“Please, don’t go. We need to talk about this.”

“What is there to talk about? You’ve made your choice and it clearly isn’t me.”

“That’s not true! I do care about you. I just…I don’t know what to do. Seeing Rio again has brought up all these memories and feelings that I thought I buried a long time ago. I don’t know how to handle it all.”

“Then come back once you’ve figured it out,” you roughly freed yourself from her grip and walked away to find Lilia and Jen. You didn’t want to walk away. You wanted to cling to her but you couldn’t get yourself into a situation where you would eventually get hurt…again.

Agatha watched you walk away, her heart breaking. She wanted to call out to you, to beg you to stay, but she knew she had messed up. She felt a mix of guilt and regret, knowing that she had hurt you deeply. She sank to the ground, her head in her hands. She replayed the argument over and over in her head, regretting every word she said. She wanted to make things right with you, but she knew it wouldn’t be easy. As much as she cared about you, she couldn’t deny the history she had with Rio. She was at a crossroads, torn between two people who both meant something to her.

Taglist; @oh-no-bummer @wandasreallover @polaris-likethestar

Agatha Harkness Taglist Sign Up Sheet

[witchingwithscissors]

Agathario AU | She said she was straight, then came back from Paris ready to beg for her girlfriend back.

Rio leaned quietly against the gallery wall, fingers nervously tracing the rim of a half-empty glass of cheap wine.

At twenty-seven, she had grown weary—tired of meaningless dates, fleeting connections, and empty promises. Working in music curation at an indie label, Rio lived her life through lyrics that articulated feelings she rarely expressed aloud. Beneath her easy smiles and casual demeanor lay a deeply romantic heart, longing desperately for genuine connection.

Her restless shifting knocked the wine glass, spilling crimson liquid across her scuffed boots. A soft, amused voice gently interrupted her embarrassment.

“Smooth,” teased the woman softly, eyes twinkling with gentle amusement.

Rio blushed instantly, captivated by her quiet, commanding presence. The woman, clearly older—about seven or eight years Rio guessed—held herself with graceful composure. Auburn hair neatly tied back, gold earrings catching subtly in the dim gallery lights, she exuded an elegant confidence.

“Grace is overrated,” Rio joked, heart fluttering nervously.

“Agreed,” the woman replied warmly, extending her hand. “I’m Agatha.”

“Rio,” she replied softly, feeling the warmth of Agatha’s handshake linger sweetly on her skin.

Their conversation flowed naturally—Agatha, an architect passionate about restoring forgotten spaces, listened thoughtfully to Rio’s excited ramblings about music and emotion. Rio was instantly drawn to Agatha’s reserved kindness, sensing depth beneath her careful surface. As the night wound down, Agatha lingered near the door with a softness that felt intentional.

“I’m glad I came tonight,” she said. “You’re…unexpected.”

Rio smiled. “I get that a lot.”

Their courtship unfolded gently—brunch dates stretched into afternoon walks with Rio’s dog named Billy, indie film screenings filled with subtle tension, and coffee shop visits punctuated by quiet laughter. Rio found herself quickly drawn to Agatha’s patient kindness, feeling increasingly captivated by every nuanced smile and guarded glance. She began pulling away from casual flings, stopped responding to flirtatious texts from other women, and found herself indifferent even to the most tempting figures in crowded bars. All Rio wanted was Agatha—beautiful, complex, and heartbreakingly cautious.

But it wasn’t easy.

Agatha, though deeply kind and attentive, always held part of herself back, subtly uncomfortable with public affection or overly intimate gestures. Rio noticed the gentle resistance—how Agatha pulled away slightly from her touch in public, or grew tense when Rio’s affection became too overt.

“Sorry,” Rio said softly one day, feeling embarrassed after gently taking Agatha’s hand on a crowded street.

“No, it’s not you,” Agatha murmured sincerely, looking away nervously. “I’m just… still figuring this all out.”

Rio understood immediately. She sensed Agatha might be recently out—or perhaps still partially closeted—and felt an aching tenderness for her cautious vulnerability. Rather than pull away, Rio leaned in patiently, offering gentle support without pushing too hard. Even when Agatha’s reserve hurt slightly, Rio responded with compassionate patience and gentle humor, teasing playfully to ease the tension.

There were moments when Agatha nearly let her guard down completely. One afternoon in the park, Rio joked about Agatha’s stuffy architectural jargon and tickled her waist until Agatha let out a surprised, unguarded laugh that made Rio’s heart stutter.

Behind closed doors, Agatha’s careful facade unraveled.

In the dim, familiar light of Rio’s apartment—after a dinner of traditional Puerto Rican dishes seasoned with stories and stirred with love—something shifted. The scent of sofrito still hung in the air, plates forgotten in the sink. Agatha stepped in close, pressing Rio gently against the counter, her hands trembling just slightly. And then she kissed her—slow, searching, like she was trying to memorize the shape of her safety. The kind of kiss that didn’t ask for permission, only patience.

“You’re different when it’s just us,” Rio whispered, tracing Agatha’s jawline softly.

Agatha met her gaze, voice tenderly vulnerable. “You make me feel safe. I just… need time to get there publicly.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” Rio assured softly, feeling her heart ache sweetly for Agatha’s delicate bravery.

Their intimacy unfolded like something sacred—slow, consuming, full of reverence. Rio moved with intention, her mouth learning Agatha’s body like a familiar song rediscovered. Every kiss was patient. Every touch, a question answered.

She took her time, lips dragging against the sensitive skin at the inside of Agatha’s thighs, relishing the way Agatha trembled beneath her. Agatha’s fingers twisted into the couch cushions, her hips jerking upward as Rio’s tongue circled again, and again.

She’d already come three times, soaked and wrecked, her body shaking with each wave—but Rio showed no signs of stopping. She stayed there, steady and warm, as if she was trying to etch her name into every nerve Agatha had.

“Fuck,” Agatha breathed out shakily, thighs quivering around Rio’s head as pleasure built again—slowly, inexorably, almost painfully.

Her knees tightened against Rio, breath stuttering unevenly. The sensation of each taste bud on Rio’s tongue dragging slowly against her overstimulated clit was almost too much.

“Baby—” Agatha gasped suddenly, voice rough and pleading.

Rio froze for half a second, her breath catching in her throat. Slowly, she lifted her head, lips slick, eyes wide with something between wonder and hunger. “Say that again.”

Agatha blinked up at her, dazed, vulnerable. “Baby.”

And Rio—God, Rio lit up like it meant everything.

Her mouth returned with new purpose, tongue relentless and loving, one hand anchoring Agatha’s thigh as she pushed her closer to the edge again. It was worship, pure and simple.

When Agatha shattered again, crying out into the thick, quiet air of Rio’s apartment, Rio didn’t stop—she kissed her through it, slow and gentle, like sealing a vow with her mouth. Agatha’s body trembled beneath her, breath caught on a broken sob.

Rio slid up slowly, her hands firm but careful, lips brushing against Agatha’s flushed cheek, her temple, her mouth.

“You did so good for me, baby,” she whispered, voice low and warm, every word dripping with praise. “Fucking beautiful.”

Agatha’s breath hitched at the tenderness in Rio’s voice, her heart aching sweetly amidst overwhelming sensation. Rio’s patience and confidence—her unwavering devotion—made Agatha feel truly seen, deeply cherished.

And Rio felt it too—the way she found herself smiling at Agatha’s texts in the middle of meetings, or hearing Agatha’s voice in every melancholy chord she laid down in the studio. She didn’t want anyone else. She wanted the woman who stiffened in public but melted in her arms, who flinched when touched unexpectedly but leaned in when she thought no one was watching.

One afternoon, after a long nap together, Rio overheard Agatha on a phone call in the next room.

“She’s… sweet. It’s nothing serious,” Agatha said casually. Her voice was light, but something in the way she said it made Rio go still.

She didn’t bring it up. She didn’t ask. But it lodged deep in her chest like a stone, and that night, when she kissed Agatha’s shoulder in bed, there was a flicker of hesitation.

Agatha invited her over one evening, tension radiating palpably.

“I have news,” Agatha began nervously, gaze lowered. “There’s a project in Paris—a major restoration. Career-changing, really. But it means months away. Possibly longer.”

Rio’s heart clenched painfully, pride and sadness battling fiercely inside her chest. “That’s incredible,” she said softly, hiding the ache behind genuine admiration. “You deserve that, Agatha.”

Agatha noticed Rio’s hidden pain, reaching out gently to touch her hand. “I promise we’ll stay connected. I’ll be better about communicating.”

Despite Agatha’s sincere intentions, their connection suffered quickly. Conversations grew infrequent, responses distant. Rio tried filling the silence with carefully curated playlists—songs that quietly begged for closeness. But the increasing silence hurt deeply.

One day, unable to bear the emotional distance, Rio impulsively texted Agatha, her heart wide open.

Rio: This song made me think of you. I miss you.

She waited. Five minutes. Fifteen. Forty. Three hours.

Finally, Agatha’s reply came. It was detached.

Agatha: Oh you’re sweet... but if I’m being honest with you, I’m straight. I think I was just experimenting.

The message hit Rio like a physical blow, knocking air from her lungs. Tears blurred her vision as pain radiated sharply through her chest. Her thumbs hovered, shaking, typing out the raw truth.

Rio: It wasn’t nothing.

Yet she deleted it quickly, feeling heartbreak burn bitterly at the corners of her eyes. Standing numb on a busy sidewalk, she felt suddenly small, foolish for believing her quiet devotion would ever be enough.

She walked home silently, music filling her headphones like an ironic elegy to her aching heart. Each step echoed painfully—every careful gesture, patient moment, tender touch seemingly discarded. Rio, the perfect girlfriend material, now felt utterly discarded, wounded by the woman she had patiently and deeply loved.

Rio spent weeks trying to recover from Agatha’s abrupt dismissal. Every song she heard seemed to remind her painfully of Agatha—of moments shared, gentle touches, whispered words. Her friends noticed her withdrawal, gently urging her to move on, but Rio felt frozen in heartbreak, unable to shake the belief that their connection had been real.

She stopped writing music for a while. Her keyboard collected dust. Even the studio felt hollow.

Meanwhile, in Paris, Agatha walked around in a city full of beauty, but everything felt gray. She poured herself into her work, overseeing blueprints, arguing with French contractors, trying to convince herself she was fine.

But she wasn’t.

Late at night, in the quiet of her apartment, Agatha would replay every moment with Rio. The softness of her voice. The way she looked when she cooked barefoot. Her laugh, her mouth, her patience.

She pulled up the old playlists, listening with headphones, tears slipping quietly down her cheeks. Each song Rio sent her was a love letter, and Agatha had deleted her.

She tried to explain it to herself in a hundred ways—she wasn’t ready, she panicked, she didn’t want to hurt Rio—but none of it held. The truth pressed down harder each night: she had been falling in love. With a woman. And she had run.

Agatha had spent her whole life controlling the narrative. She dated men. She kept things neat. Structured. Her queerness wasn’t something she had allowed herself to name. It felt too messy. Too vulnerable. Too real.

But Rio had changed that. Not by pushing. Just by being herself. By loving Agatha without needing her to be anything other than real.

Agatha realized she hadn’t been experimenting. She had been afraid.

And she’d made the biggest mistake of her life.

Agatha’s first text back was careful.

Agatha: I’m sorry. I think about you more than I want to admit.

Rio didn’t respond. Not at first. She stared at her phone, her heart clenching. Then she turned it over on her nightstand and left it there.

Days passed. Agatha tried again.

Agatha: I miss you. I was scared. That’s not an excuse. Can I see you when I get back?

Rio typed and deleted a dozen replies before finally sending it.

Rio: I’m not sure I can trust you again.

Agatha understood. But it only made her more determined.

When Agatha returned from Paris, she didn’t go to her apartment first. She went straight to Rio’s.

Rio opened the door wearing loose sweatpants paired with Agatha’s sleepover shirt, her hair up in a loose bun, eyes wide with surprise and something guarded.

“Hey,” Agatha said softly.

“You’re back.”

Agatha nodded. “I had to see you.”

They sat on Rio’s couch, stiff and silent for a while. Rio’s mutt curled up at their feet.

Agatha spoke first. “I panicked. I felt everything and it terrified me. And instead of sitting with that, I pushed you away.”

“You made me feel disposable,” Rio said quietly, voice low but even. “Like all the ways I showed up for you—meant nothing.”

Agatha nodded, throat tight. “It meant everything. That’s why I couldn’t handle it. You saw me. Really saw me. I’d never let someone that close before. And I didn’t know how to accept that I was in love with a woman. That I loved you.”

Rio looked at her, steady and quiet. “What are you looking for now, Agatha?”

Agatha’s voice shook. “I want to learn how to love you out loud. If you let me.”

Rio studied her for a long, quiet moment—long enough for Agatha to start shifting under the weight of it. Then she exhaled, slow and steady, like she was done giving anything away for free.

“I’ll let you try,” Rio said, voice calm but firm. “But you’re doing it my way now.”

She leaned in just enough for Agatha to feel the warmth of her breath. Her eyes didn’t waver.

“I’m not chasing you, Agatha. Not again.”

The older woman nodded, barely. “Okay,” she whispered. “Your way.”

Agatha started small—but deliberately. Every morning, a text.

Agatha: Good morning, hermosa.

Every night, a call

Agatha: Tell me about your day. I want to know everything.

But it was Rio who set the pace. Rio who decided when she would see Agatha, how often they talked, what level of affection she allowed. It wasn’t cruel—it was controlled. Intentional.

When they met for coffee, Rio reached for Agatha’s hand only when she felt ready. In public, it was Rio who initiated touch. When Agatha hesitated, Rio would tilt her head and say, “You want to be with me, you don’t hide me.”

Agatha swallowed it all—her discomfort, her fear—and nodded. She followed Rio’s lead, relearning how to love her with grace and humility.

They sat on Rio’s couch one night, a movie playing forgotten in the background. Agatha leaned into her, kissed her shoulder. Rio didn’t move.

“I haven’t stopped thinking about your mouth,” Agatha whispered.

“Say it louder,” Rio said.

Agatha shifted to straddle her. “I think about the way you kissed me. The way you touched me. You terrify me, Rio. You undo me.”

Rio held Agatha’s waist, steadying her. “Then let me.”

That night, Rio guided everything. She undressed Agatha slowly, watching her tremble, but never rushed. She pressed her down onto the sheets and murmured soft, dirty praise between kisses. When Agatha arched and sobbed beneath her, Rio whispered in her ear, “That’s mine. Say it.”

Agatha’s voice broke: “I’m yours. I’ve always been.”

One evening, over candlelight and wine, Rio leaned back and asked quietly, “What are we doing, Agatha?”

Agatha looked straight at her. “We’re building something. Something I’m not walking away from.”

“What do you want from me?” Rio asked. “For real.”

“I want you, Rio. I want to be seen with you. I want to wake up next to you. I want to tell everyone you’re mine.”

Rio studied her. “You’re sure?”

“I’m gay,” Agatha said, out loud for the first time, like it was a truth she could finally carry. “And I’m in love with you.”

They didn’t rush. They kissed like they had time. Made love like it was a prayer. Agatha surrendered everything—her doubt, her fear, her past. And Rio took it, kissed it away, showed her how it felt to be loved without shame.

Later, with Agatha’s head in her lap, Rio played with her hair and whispered, “I waited for you to catch up, cariño. But now I’m driving.”

Agatha smiled, blissed out and bare. “Thank God.”

Weeks passed.

Rio ran the show—not loud, not flashy, just steady. She chose the playlists, the date nights, the shitty road trip snacks. She fixed the leaky sink and left notes on the mirror in smudged eyeliner. Agatha—buttoned-up, always composed—thrived under it. She grew bolder, lighter, a little reckless in love. She never stopped showing up.

They danced barefoot in the kitchen. Rio cooked—usually pantsless, always with music on. Agatha cleaned, humming along, swaying at the sink. Billy barked like a tyrant from under the table.

Every now and then, Rio would catch Agatha staring at her across the room. She’d smirk, push up her sleeves, and ask, “You good, baby?”

And Agatha, softer now, would nod and whisper, “I’m home.”

[mandy-asimp]

When She Calls

Lilia Calderu x Life!reader (she/her)

Warnings: language, deaths, sprinkles of angst, fluff, smut (but that's for waaay down the build up), whole lotta friendship, I'm like 87% sure that's it

Summary: when Life is asked to make a promise, she doesn't seem to be able to say no.But that promise was going to be served out so much longer than what she could see.

Chapter 7

Story masterlist

chapter 8

Lilia’s home felt empty and cold. The warmth of the company sizzled out a while ago. She hadn’t slept alone since she was a child. It was keeping her up and stressed about the state of the other. “Where are you dolcezza?” She mumbled into the darkness. 

“Meow, meow, meow!” Life was there in a blink. Standing at the end of her bed on two feet in a white silky pajama set. She stood proud in her semi-natural form. “It seems I have nowhere to go now. This was the only place I could call home and…I’m sorry I lied to you for so long Lilia. It was easy to watch you as a cat and protect you with how fast they move. And I knew I wouldn’t be able to stop myself from telling you everything if you had asked once.”

The apology fell on deaf ears as Lilia scrambled out of the covers and to the end of the bed. Pulling Life into her embrace and holding her head tightly against her shoulder. “Nobody knew what happened to you. I was so worried.” She was crying but the other couldn’t see, she just knew. 

Life wrapped her arms around her in such a polite possessiveness. This was her greatest life ever created and she got to watch it all first hand. Holding her without saying anything, instead just reveling in the fact she was here in one piece. And honestly that’s all that seemed to matter between the two. That they were there together.

“Are you always naturally this heated as a human?” Lilia had asked all of a sudden. Backing out of the hold only slightly, Life’s hands felt perfect on her hips that were covered by the big shirt. They were doing the best job at chasing out the coldness. Lilia let her hands hold the round cheeks, even they held so much heat. “You’re like a personal heating pad…What happens now?”

“Whatever you want to happen, this is your life after all.” It was such a gentle joke, and the small giggle that followed was just as gentle. “So, what will you do with your life now Lilia? What adventures will you go on?”

Her lips curled up into a sad smile, “you already know that answer don’t you?” Her lashes fluttered softly in the night. 

And it was a silent agreement. Life did know what was about to follow. It’s why she crawled with Lilia further up the bed, opening her arms for the witch to lay soundly against her. Her ear pressed to where a heartbeat should’ve been. It would’ve been questioned by the mortal, but the comfort of the radiating heat pulled her into a deep sleep almost instantly. 

Leaving Life to stare widely as the grip around her waist only tightened and Lilia got impossibly closer. She’s never felt such a hold against her like this before. It was nice, she deemed after a moment. There was someone, a life she had watched over and protected, to not see her just as Life, but an equal. To hold her like an equal. Was this what Rio had experienced with Agatha? Was this the feeling that made Death bend to someone else’s needs? Why had Life never done this earlier? So many questions had ran circles in her mind as her arms held Lilia in place next to her. 

~

Lilia stirred to the drumming under her ear. It had only just begun, and it only grew louder and faster. Her eyes didn’t even open, her body just began to move to get away form the noise and back to the realm of sweet sleep. Unbeknownst to the sleeping woman, she had managed herself on top of Life and was trapping her to the mattress beneath. 

Life was absolutely perplexed by this uprising feeling. All night she had tried to figure out what the feeling was, and why she liked it so much. But the moment she finally searched through all the lives and feelings she's witnessed and pulled out what it was called, her heart had suddenly formed. The beats made her choke on her own realization. Lilia didn’t help by laying directly on top of her. The feeling was so overwhelming and prominent, eventually it had its natural effect.

The peppered curls shook and tried to bury themselves deeper into the others neck. Her steady breathing abruptly stopped and became a heavy huff. Lilia had sat up and her thighs caged in Life’s. Her cheeks were burning with blush and she had finally opened her eyes to reveal her blown pupils. “You’ve never felt this before have you?” Her voice was filled with the remainder of her sleep. Soft and yet rough. 

“I’ve never felt a lot of things…I only know of these feelings from other lives. Piecing together what a human could feel and trying to feel it myself.” Life felt her own cheeks begin to fill with a matching hue. Those brown eyes were swimming with so much of something she hardly knew.

“This is your first time feeling love?” Lilia’s question was genuine. Surely even Life has had someone to love? Yet she shrugged under her gaze. “How has Life herself never felt the greatest feeling she’s ever created?”

“I don’t know if I ever did create it…it was just something that was always there for people to find themselves. Is that what this feeling is though? Love?” Her grey eyes shone in the sunlight leaking in. 

Lilia couldn’t speak though. The leading emotion choked her up. She hadn’t felt it in so long herself. But here was Life…staring at her with only love and care in her eyes. It kept getting more and more intense the longer the two sat in silence, so intense her fingers began to scrunch up the silk top. Life’s pale midriff coming into view. Her soft tummy glistened naturally in the morning glow.

She didn’t stop herself from needing to touch the exposed skin. Needing to know if it was a s soft as it looked or if the moment her fingertips caught a simple touch Life would vanish from under her. It was in fact soft, and so was the gasp from above. Lilia’s eyes snapped back up, like she was back in the reality of their sacred moment. 

“What am I supposed to call you?” Lilia’s voice traveled so smoothly through the thickness of the air. Ringing loudly in Life’s ears and almost rendering her deaf. Her voice was the only thing Life wanted to hear forever. “Dolcezza can only be used in so many situations…what if I’m angry with you and want to curse your name?”

“My…name?”

“Yes, baby. What name will you give yourself?”

One beat of silence.

Two beats of silence.

Three beats. 

Your smile grew as you whispered your name so carefully into the world around you. And when she repeated it back to you, your body buzzed with an electrifying want. “Say it again, please?” She did. She repeated it over and over as she leaned down closer to you. “Lilia…” you murmured as she was right there, teasing you with the littlest of space.

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you,” she smirked right before closing the gap. Reveling in your whimper and the way your hands grasped her plush thighs. Squeezing them to stabilize you in the moment. However, it all ended too soon. Lilia sat back up and was gazing on your hazed face. “That’s a kiss sweet-thing. And what you’re radiating is indeed love. It must be why you suddenly have a beating heart.”

Your brows furrowed, but raised as she placed your own hand over the rhythm. It was steady but quick. “I think it beats for you then?” You seemed so childish to her now, learning of all these basic things.

Her cheeks warmed and her wised hand cupped your cheek. “You’re going to be full of curiosity now aren't you? Eager to know everything you’ve only watched?” 

“You’ll teach me it all right?!” You sat up now, neck craning back to stare up to her and arms wrapping around her. Your chin rested against her chest, eyes dilated as they beamed up. “What else is there with this? Does it go away? I hope not…I enjoy this feeling Lilia. I really, really enjoy what love feels like.”

She chuckled and placed a kiss on your hairline. “How can a natural being be reduced to a questionnaire?”

“Oh! Can you blame me! One minute I have no heartbeat, something even Rio has mentioned having, and then the next you’re giving me a kiss. Which might I add is a very pleasing act.  Of course I want to know more! You’re the only person I want to know it from though. You’re the one who made me even realize such a strong emotion.” You spewed the truth, partially because you were tired of lying or avoiding the truth with her. All you wanted was for her to let you stay by her side forever and ever. 

Lilia bit the inside of her cheek, trying to contain her bright smile. “You do know what this means right?”

“What?!”

“You’re absolutely devoted to me.” Her smirk implied so many things that eventually you would know what they all mean.

Your smile became toothy and you only laughed, “That's obvious! I’ve been devoted to protecting you forever!”

Her curls shook, “No baby, not in that way.” Your brows furrowed but she leaned closer again, you at first thought she was going to kiss you again, but instead she went for your ear. Whispering about the way she meant being devoted to you and your body naturally responded by gripping at her pajamas a little tighter. 

“Can we try that now?” Were the first words your brain could think of and they drew out a loud laugh. You were serious though, whatever she had just described to you, you wanted to try it.

“Maybe later, for now it’s time for breakfast. And after the adventure we just had, I could use something to eat. I'll even teach you how to cook.” She began slipping away from you, managing to get out of the bed but not far from you as you were instantly grabbing for her hand. She frowned at the sad look taking over your once joyous features. “Now what?”

“I don't know…you left and I just felt this wave of something…it was like an emptiness?” You followed her out the bedroom and to the kitchen, never letting go of her hand. 

Lilia felt her heart swell though. You had felt lonely the moment she just left you in the bed. You truly were devoted to her and didn’t even know how deep in you were. But she did. She read you like a second grade reading level book. With ease. “I’m never going to be alone again am I?”

“Why would you want to be alone?!” You managed your arms around her again and rested your chin on her shoulder as you both looked into the practically empty fridge. “There's not much in here…”

Her hum was in thought, “it seems we’re going to have to do a grocery trip. Usually I’m only cooking for one.”

“I would offer to eat the cat food again, but I don’t know. As a cat it tasted great, but I don’t think I’d enjoy it in this form.” You joked, “Is grocery shopping fun? I’ve never been.”

Your answer was a laugh as the woman brought you back to the bedroom to change. It wasn't till she looked at you expectantly that you realized she was asking if you were staying in here while she changed. And when you didn’t make the effort of leaving, her laughter only grew. “You have no idea how much fun teaching you is going to be. When someone goes to change, usually you give them privacy. After all, I have to get naked to change.”

“I can’t stay?”

Her smirk turned devilish in a flick of a switch. “If you do, that later might be now.” She stood near the door now, waiting for you to step through, but you really wanted to try that thing she whispered. So you stood still and blinked a few times. “Really?” You nodded. “Alrighty then, we can do the grocery shopping later. I’ll go first, teach you once how it's all done, and then you’ll get your turn. To show how much you remembered. Got it?”

“Got it!” You had no idea what was to come. 

~

Lilia was thriving in control. How she so easily got you onto the bed and under her with just a mere glance to the mattress. Her lips attacked all over your skin, covering your once untouched neck in a scarf of purple. Biting at your pulse anytime she passed it, reminding you that you were beating and now living for her. Feeling an overwhelming pleasure at hearing your gasp to each touch. “You’re so sensitive, dolcezza. I bet you’ve never even imagined being touched like this.”

“I..I didn’t know you could be touched..in such a way.” You were struggling to get your words together and out all at once. This was heavenly. The way her hands slid on your body to feel your bare skin. The way they would squeeze every so often, causing your body to arch itself into her hands.

“There's so many ways, you’ll tell me if it's too much right?” Her lips had stopped pressing against your skin and her hands stilled under the silk top. “I don’t want you to push yourself.”

“I’ll say something…promise. Just, please..keep going.” You were nowhere near being the big bad being she met on the road. You were hers now and forever. Of course, you didn’t know that yet though. 

Lilia though, oh she knew you were absolutely head over heels the moment she woke up to herself feeling the love. It’s why she couldn't help but tease how devoted you were. “So polite,” she hummed slowly. Her lips found home once again on you, only they dropped lower onto your collarbones and sucked hard. Making you whine at how good the harshness felt. “So responsive.” She did it again, only this time adding a sharp bite in tow. 

“Lilia-” you choked on her name and a hand fisted at her shirt again. She didn’t say much, too lost in you and the way you kept trying to arch into her. 

Her hands roamed, and roamed, and you groaned when they roamed right over your boobs. Running her fingers over the hardened buds only to pinch them carefully between them. “And to think I’m the only one who’s ever gotten you like this…I bet you’re just going to burst in no time. Then we’ll start all over again. Build you back to that edge you’ll feel.” Her words were right in your ear but the squeezing her hands did made them sound fuzzy and distant. Lilia Calderu was about to break you into her little ball of life. It wasn’t going to take much, just a few nudges into the right directions and you’ll be glued to her every second of the day. 

You could tell she knew what she was doing, and it must’ve been right cause it sure felt fucking right. “Wha..what else is there?” You moaned out, glossy eyes trained to the ceiling above you. From the white sky to Lilia, she stared down with pride.

“Now…now I’m going to eat you-”

“What?!” You cut her off with a worried wave taking over everything. “Why would you want to eat me?!”

She was still for a moment, not knowing how to tell you this. “Baby…I'm finding this a little hard to believe you don’t fully understand sex? You do know that's how any living thing is made, right? It’s what gives you someone to give a life?”

“People eat each other to produce babies?!”

“Oh my- why don’t I just show you?”

“I don’t want you to eat me!”

“I'm not going to eat you! I’ll tell you everything I’m doing, ok? That way you know exactly what’s happening.”

“And you promise this isn’t some scheme to eat me? Because this would take such an unfortunate turn if you do.”

Lilia chuckled and shook her head. “I promise. I'm gonna start by getting you out of this cute little set.” Her hands fiddled with your pajamas before pulling them off. Revealing your goddess sculpted body and all its glory. The fabrics fell to the floor next to the bed and then you were the only focus for her. 

She kissed her way down your entire body, peppering the most amount to your inner thighs up to your center. Eyeing the glistening folds that beckoned her closer. “It’ll feel…new at first, but just breathe and it'll melt into something better.”

You listened, taking a few deep breaths before you felt it. Her tongue swipes right through you and makes your body shiver instantly. Goosebumps rose all over you as she did it again. A hand found itself tangled into the curls. She kept repeating the action and she was right, it did melt into something better. So much better you began to squirm under her. “Lilia..I..” white heat started filling your body. “What..” 

“You taste so fucking sweet baby. So pure,” she spoked dangerously low and her hands tugged your thighs open wider. Preventing you from even thinking about closing them around her head. “Just like that baby,” she felt how your thighs tensed under her fingertips. “Let it take over. Don’t fight it.”

“Lil..” her name barely made it off your tongue as it was replaced with a sharp gasp. “Oh my- Lilia!” You cried her name as she gave you one final swipe. 

Her espresso iris' stared at you bare chest heaving with a deep red hue to it. Giving you the time you needed to catch yourself. Her hands brushed and massaged into your thighs the entire time. “And that my darling Life, is what being eaten out feels like.”

Instantly, you were staring with the biggest eyes she’s ever seen. “SO YOU DID EAT ME?!”

“Oh my god!” Lilia gave a belly-laugh before placing a kiss to your lips. You could taste yourself still on her and it rattled your heart a little more.

When she pulled away, you hummed. "It's only fair I get to eat you now. That way we're both eaten." Your words were soft but eyes determined.

She gave you another laugh, "we'll have to work on your sex talk, but yes I guess that would make it fair wouldn't it? Do you think you picked up enough? Or shall we go one more demonstration?" Her hand cupped your cheek and she stared down at you. Dominating your every thought.

You hummed for a brief moment. "I think I followed along enough. So Lilia Calderu! Prepare to be eaten!"

"Eaten out, dolcezza. Eaten out." She corrected before situating herself in the pillows. Her lustful gaze watching your every move, from how you crawled into her lap, to how your hands roamed over her covered chest.

You were much more delicate with your actions. Savoring everything that this new experience was bringing you. It was heavenly. Lilia was heavenly.

Your lips dropped to her neck eventually, mocking the way she had sucked down the expanse of it. Listening to her soft pants and hums. "There you go baby..." she encouraged you so sweetly.

With more pressure, you bared your teeth only slightly. Grazing across the vein and down. She shuddered under you. Finally hitting the collar of the big shirt, our brows furrowed as you brought yourself back to stare at her. "Is this where I take off your shirt?"

"Do you want to take off my shirt?" Her eyes challenged you. You stared at her covered chest for a moment longer, trying to picture it yourself but coming up short. Which made you realize how as a cat you gave her more privacy when changing than you ever noticed. Your golden curls bobbed around you. "Then take what you want. Do something about it."

Her words wrapped around you, do something about it. And something you did, hand sneaking to the hem before running the fabric under your fingers. Teasing yourself with how slow your hands seemed to work at removing the piece. But once it was off, you felt hot.

Lilia's index finger hooked under your chin and moved your gaze to hers. "You seriously haven't ever been intimate?" A shake of your head. "My baby's a virgin...well was." The taunting made you quietly whimper, a rush of heat covered you from head to toe. "I've taken your purity away."

"Will I ever get it back?" You so dumbly questioned.

Her chuckle was deep. Daring. Dangerous. Deceiving. "As long as you're with me, you will never have to worry about that sweet thing. Mama's gonna take good care of you."

You didn't get it. Why was she calling herself Mama? And why did it make your body shake suddenly? Did you like it? It sure did something to you but."I don't understand what I'm feeling."

"Explain it for me." She held your bare waist as you stared with such a far gone look.

"When you...when you call yourself mama, it made me feel something. It was warm, and it made me shudder. Am I supposed to be the one calling you mama?" You tried to keep up with the breathtaking witch. Really wanting to understand this..this sweet moment with her.

Her lips pressed to your neck again, sinking her teeth just barely into you. You whined, "you were feeling a rush of excitement."

"I've felt excited before, it's never felt like that."

"Mm, no baby, this is a different type of excitement. One that makes your body react with a need. Does your head feel a little fuzzy?" Her fingers were brushing back a few strands before holding the side of your head. You nodded slightly, truly feeling a slight fuzz to your thoughts as they rolled out of you. "Good, now keep letting it take over your thoughts and continue."

"But-."

"Continue." Lilia's voice hardened only slightly, but you heard it. Felt it too. It's what made you continue. Kissing all down her neck again and to her chest. You froze for a moment, not remembering exactly how it was she had held your own, much smaller boobs. Your glossy eyes flicked up to her. "You wanna suck mama's boobs, don't you? I can see it hidden in your eyes."

You blinked a few times over, each blink getting fuzzier than the last. It was like your head moved on its own though, as it bobbed up and down eagerly. "It'll be just like eating ice cream, you've had that before right?" You gave a much slower nod.

You looked at her waiting chest, "and this'll make you feel good?"

"So good baby, and after we'll explore more of what turns you on." That's what did it. The word exploring had you attached to the woman's breast in record speed. Sucking and swirling your tongue around like it was the best ice cream you had ever had. And quite frankly...she was. She was so sweet and delectable.

Lilia was instantly hooked on how well you worked that pretty tongue. Yeah, you were never going to leave her once she had her way. Her gasps and moans were low and tantalizing in your ear. Spurring you on with each passing second.

Her hand had to eventually pull you off her now bruised and swollen buds. Her chest taking deep falls as she wildly focused on you. "You think you can use that tongue while you-."

"I get to eat you now!" You were grinning and kissing your way so quickly down her. Making sure to still give her the attention she deserved. Yet right as you had her lying back and your lips pressed right above her underwear, she brought her hand to the back of your hair. Restricting you from moving any further.

"Say it." She demanded within her eyes and tone. You frowned, clearly confused once again. "Slip into the fuzziness baby, and say it. I know you want to. Stop fighting the worries and let it happen. I will be here to keep you safe, just like you did for me. "

Your lips quivered as you tried to let it out. To listen and slip into the fuzziness that was at this point surrounding your brain. "Mm...Mama.." you whispered it at first. Testing it on your lips before, "mama." You spoke it to her.

Lilia let that cunning smirk take over, "see baby, that wasn't so hard. Now go on and make mama feel good. Put that pretty tongue to work."

There wasn't another second spared, and just much like her boobs, you were hooked on her slick. How she melted against your tongue and kept herself so low and mannered. "Mm, you're practically a natural at this baby."

You felt it all suddenly as well. The fuzziness, the warmth of the room, the sex that filled the air. All of it. Your mind was clouded but you could feel the lust burning into your body as you ate her further and further. "Fuck...you're making mama feel so good."

Then it hit Lilia too. The way your were projecting your feeling without even noticing. Her body felt like it had grown a million times hotter and everything seemed so heightened. She could feel how your tongue swiveled and swerved against her core on a sensitive level. "Keep going, just like that....'m so close.."

You went deeper. How? Who honestly could say, but Lilia had never felt this much pleasure. You just knew how to do things to her without even knowing what you were doing.

Lilia had came with a cry of your name. Withering under you as she held a fistful of your hair to ride out her high. Only to let you go and crawl back up her body. Leaving a trail of sloppy kisses all the way to her lips. "Did I do good mama?"

"Absolutely amazing, baby." She was still catching her breath as you settled in next to her. "Do you need a break?" Your head shook and you were so curious to know what else she was about to introduce. "You trust me right?" Another nod, "no use those pretty words of yours."

"Yes, mama."

Her grin turned sinister as she was hit with a second wave. Flipping you both over so you were under her again. "The next thing will feel even better than the first."

"It gets better?" You were bubbling with excitement now, wanting to find out what was better than her eating you.

"Oh baby you have no idea how far better it'll get. But I want to take my time and work you up, build you to be able to handle mama's cock." She couldn't contain her plans anymore. Anyways, it wasn't like you really knew what she was talking about.

Your brows furrowed, but the questions. You had fell from you as two fingers plunged into you. A gasp left your lips and hands were instantly holding onto Lilia's shoulders. They moved slowly at first, letting you adjust to such a feeling. "This is called fingering. And I'll add as many as I please. Stretch your perfect pussy out just enough to barely slip into you later."

You whined in her ear as she begun speeding up, curling her skilled fingers just right. Her palm bumping against your clit with each thrust. Your thoughts were solely her and how she was making your body bend to her touch. "I can feel you so close already. So new to such a world, hun. So naive. But don't you worry a single thing, mama won't let anyone use it against you."

"Mama..." you mewled as your body began to grow hot once more. And right as you were on the edge of that white heat again, she slowed her movements. The tears were slipping past your temples before you even realized you were whining for more.

Lilia didn't think she would enjoy such a sight. You flushing and needing more of her so soon. The tears made her own pussy throb as she leaned in close and swiped them up with her tongue. "So perfect for me...it's like you were made for me. For mama to fuck anyway she wanted." Her fingers were moving viciously in you. "I'll never let you go again."

Her words slipped into your fogged brain and suddenly you were struggling to breathe and stay still. Withering against the sheets that were cooling your burning skin. "Please..." your plead came out a broken moan. Nails digging into her shoulders as she had you as putty in her hands.

But this was where that deception had shown itself. Lilia was no longer taking it easy on you. Not when you sounded so enticing pleading for more and more. Her pace was borderline ruthless in a blink. Railing into your quaking body as she watched you fall apart on her fingers. "Just like that, sweet girl. Cum all over my fingers..." She kept fucking you through the high, pushing you into a second wave within no time.

You tried to hum for her to stop, yet it only was lost to the cry of her name. Her lips were all over you and her hand kept going. She was relishing every drop of you. "Lilia...." You whined loudly as that third wave drowned you.

And as your eyes shut tight, Lilia's big brown eyes took in her work. You were spent beneath her and she wouldn't have had it any other way. She honestly wanted to push you to a fifth orgasm for the night, really it took every ounce of restraint for her not to, but with how heavy your breathing was she opted out of it.

Leaving you for only a brief second to grab a towel to clean you up. Not that you even processed her disappearance. "La mia dolcezza..." She whispered into the air.

Your eyes snapped open suddenly, sitting up and cradling her face with all the care and love in the world. "I love being your sweetness...I don't ever want to stop."

She was a bit perplexed at how you switched mindsets so casually, like it was a channel on tv. "You'll never have to worry about loosing that title. I promise you. After all, it's been yours for over four hundred years."

"I mean it though. Anytime you need me, all you have to do is whisper it and I'll be there in seconds flat."

And it was your truth. Whenever she had called for 'dolcezza' you were there within no time. Ready to always cater to her needs in the moment and keep her close till she no longer needed you. Life served to Lilia Calderu without ever needing a second thought.

"Then it's settled...you're mine forever." She sealed the deal with an actual kiss.

It felt meaningful and emotional. Warming every inch of the home and you didn't need her to tell you what emotion was settling between you two. You already knew it was love.

~

the end :)

A/N chat I forgot how much I loved writing chapters, I haven't done this in like years. BUT I hope you all enjoyed reading, I enjoyed writing this one!! thoughts, comments, and concerns are always welcomed but until the next fic!

[draco-glacialis]

General Head canons for Agatha All Along

• Agatha and Rio have a mansion hidden in a forest somewhere. They lived there and raised Nicky there. It’s heavily warded and has gargoyles guarding it. It’s bigger inside then outside due to magic means. Biggest room is the multi-storey library. Has a room dedicated to various magic crafts. (Eg a potions room, ritual room etc).

• Lilia and Agatha can cook really well. Alice is decent enough at cooking. Jen can cook the basics but expects it to be like potions too much. Keep Billy and Rio out of the kitchen. Especially if you don’t want it to burn down.

• Jen and Lilia are best at taking care of themselves. (Heathy sleep schedule; eats 3 meals a day etc). Alice is decent at it but has some off days. Billy is your typical teenager. Agatha can and will go days without sleeping or eating. This is partially due to being on the move for over 3 centuries and never having a stable home. Rio is Rio. She’ll only really eat Agatha’s cooking (she doesn’t have to eat; Agatha is more likely to eat this way) (she also doesn’t have to sleep; Agatha sleeps better when with Rio).

• Agatha drives a 1970 Dodge Charger (purple and black)

• Alice has a Ducati Monster.

• Rio knows all the languages due to being Death. Lilia, Alice and Agatha are multilingual.

• Lilia is like a grandmother figure to the coven. You pick a fight with Lilia you pick a fight with all of them.

• Post Road the coven try to reign in Agatha’s more homicidal tendencies. She begrudgingly becomes more chaotic neutral rather than chaotic evil. (She still kills it’s just not first course of action).

• Agatha makes a suspicious amount of cannibalism jokes. No one can tell if she’s actually joking or not. (Not even Rio).

• Lilia is the one to notice that Agatha doesn’t take care of herself. She’s the one to encourage Agatha to eat at least one meal a day.

• Post Road Jen makes her business more legitimate (no more law suits etc).

• Alice decides to bug Agatha into teaching her magic and witchcraft. She grew up hearing stories of Agatha (both good and bad; Agatha is shorter then she imagined)

• Part of the reason Jen hates Agatha so much is due to the rumours of Agatha trading her son for the Darkhold. Jen was a midwife and has a soft spot for children especially new borns.

• Agatha is actually a very creative and artistic person. In a quiet moment if she’s not learning she’s drawing/painting/doing photography. She has multiple bookcases to photo albums she has filled with pictures she’s taken. She also has paintings around the house; all works she’s done from her memories.

• A downside of Agatha being a creative person is that it 100% influences her darker side. She can get very creative when it comes to murder/causes malevolent chaos. This is made worse after she lose Nicky and Rio and later herself in grief and anger/fury.

• She also has photos from Westview. When Billy starts to remember the Hex she shows him the pictures she took. Later when he reunites with the rest of the Maximoffs she gives the album to them as a gift.

• Alice and Agatha have multiple piercings.

• They both also have tattoos. Agatha has various runes.

[cassiebones]

What headcanons would you have for Alice or Jen in Agatha All Along? :)

Alice was a mama's girl despite their difficult relationship. Her mother was much better at showing her love for Alice than Evanora was at showing hers (if there ever was any love for Agatha) but she focused so much on breaking a curse that Alice was certain was never actually real. Alice still craved her attention, always proud to show her something she made or playing her a new song that she learned.

Alice is not a morning person. She was the one who signed up for graveyard shifts as a cop. She thrived on late nights, the moon giving her more energy. She was always happy to take somebody's late night shifts for them. She sometimes had to work mornings, which made her long for the sweet release of Death.

Despite her moody, edgy style, she needs a crap ton of sugar in her coffee. She cannot drink it black like her co-workers always did. They teased her for this, but she was fine with her Cinnamon Dolce lattes, thank you very much.

That tattoo was not her mother's idea, originally. Alice saw her mother stressing out over the curse and looked up ways that she could protect herself in a more permanent way than wearing a necklace she may lose or something else like that. So she looked up the symbol and showed her mother, who didn't even hesitate to book her with a friend. Lorna held her hand the entire time, and Alice forced herself not to cry from the pain, trying to be brave for her mother.

Alice visited her mother's grave (which wasn't a real grave bc she didn't have enough of her mother to bury) on every major holiday, leaving flowers and crystals (because her mother believed in their power) and talking to her about how her life is going.

She had a cat, named Cheeto, who was the most orange cat you ever met. She loved him, though. She found him while working, when he was still a kitten. She fell in love with him immediately and brought him home with her after her shift ended. She told Jen about him before she died. Jen goes to her apartment after getting off The Road, and takes Cheeto home with her, honoring Alice in the only way she can.

Jen is almost the opposite of Alice.

She is a morning person. She likes to wake with the sun and do yoga and all that healthy shit. She has a brand to uphold, after all.

She does GRWM videos all the time, showing people what she puts in her organic smoothies (cutting out the part where she puts in protein powder that nobody can know she uses) and egg-white omelettes. She's a vegetarian onscreen only.

Again, it's her brand. Her last name is literally a vegetable (she makes cannibalism jokes when she adds kale to her smoothies).

She's always been openly bisexual and has several pieces of art that reflect that in her home. She laments about her dating life a lot online and has gotten several offers from her fans to be taken on dates. She almost always declines, but she's touched obviously by the interest.

She and Agatha had a situationship. Jen started to catch feelings, but Agatha was closed off emotionally because she was still hung up on Rio and the pain she'd caused. When Jen tried to get closer, Agatha pushed her away and was not nice about it. She figured it'd be easier if Jen hated her. Jen was definitely bitter, which is why she believed every bad thing that anybody had to say about Agatha, including that she traded away her own son for the Darkhold.

She bound herself, I think. I think Agatha was lying about having bound her in the 1920's. Not that I don't think she would have done that for money (she'd probably do it for shits and giggles tbh) but I don't think Agatha actually did it to Jen. I think Jen was so traumatized by the men who tried to bind her that she actually end up binding herself. She just convinced herself that it was them that bound her because it was the easier solution.

Jen genuinely loves hiking. It's the best way to unplug and just be herself for a little bit. She'll go to the nearest mountain and just walk for miles until she gets tired. She loves watching sunsets on these hikes. She also secretly loves camping because it reminds her of the years she had to spend living off the land as a younger witch.

She also really loves spas. She has a standing bi-weekly appointment at her local spa. She's a complicated person.

If Alice had lived, there's no doubt in my mind that she and Jen would have become a thing. Opposites attract and all that. They both have trauma, even if it's different kinds of trauma. I think they'd make a good pair.

Agatha would tease them and claim to be the reason they got together. She wouldn't exactly be wrong.

[nyx-aira]

I know many people here love the idea of Agatha and Rio having had a nice and loving relationship, well as nice and loving as it can be with Death and The Witch Killer as a couple, but I am much more intrigued in Rio being feral and not having and understanding human emotions

Hear me out:

(more under the cut because it gets long)

I love good fluffy agathario like the next person but what I really love is the idea of Rio trying to mimic human emotions and behaviour because she can't understand it

Rio is Death (with a capital D), she is a primordial being, a personified concept, a godlike entity. Rio doesn't feel emotions. She only feels the need to consume (yes I could make another post on how that mirrors Agatha's magical syphoning ability but it would probably be longee than this lol).

But over time she has learned to mimic things. Of course she has. She has had eternity to watch and learn because time doesn't matter to her, hey that's probably how she came up with the name Rio Vidal. She overheard people making jokes and in her own twisted way of wanting to be part of something as well, named herself "River of Life".

And that's where Agatha comes into play. Because Rio is obsessed with Agatha. She's different, which makes her interesting to Rio, so she observes. Kinda like a little kid catching a butterfly in a jar and observing it. Rio is fascinated. Wants to get closer to Agatha, learn more, keep her to herself. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if she came up with the name shortly after she met Agatha, just to see her reaction, to poke at her experiment, her obsession.

Rio is enamoured with Agatha, fascinated, and when Agatha returns that fascination, gives her attention, Rio is sold. She wants this one to herself, no matter which way. And the more time she spends with Agatha she tries to understand her. Now we have to remember, Rio doesn't get emotions. She can observe them and draw her conclusions (Rio did something, Agatha acted out, cried maybe, that's not a good thing so she files that information away) Rio can make sense of emotions on a surface level, she observes and she draws conclusions but she can't feel those things herself.

And in the way she is capable of, in the lack of her emotions, she does "love" Agatha. In her own way. She can't feel love but she can feel possession, wanting something to herself. So in her way she loves Agatha. Protects her from her mother, comforts her when she realises that she needs someone. And Rio has become quite good at it with all the time they have spent together. She knows Agatha, in and out, all her secrets, all her thoughts she doesn't want anyone to know. Not because she emphasises, she's incapable of that, but because she's been observing for so long and is able to draw logical conclusions.

And that makes such an interesting foundation of their relationship. Agatha, cast out by her peers and mother, finds solace in the only being that doesn't reject her for who she is. Death. And Death becomes enamoured with her, obsessed even, it's a twisted obsession. But it works in a way, because Death only wants more death and Agatha can give that to her, so they work out. Rio is on top of her game when Agatha is acting as her murderous self because that she can relate to the most. But when she isn't, when she's having "feelings", then Rio has to put on her detective hat and start figuring things out. And that makes it so interesting. Because if she interprets wrong and Agatha becomes cross with her, she might not want to spend time with Rio anymore, but Rio doesn't want to loose her favourite toy. So she has to figure things out she is incapable of understanding.

And yes, I wrote all this just because I love the idea of socially inept Rio just trying to figure out emotions, which do not make the slightest bit of sense to her. Because feral and unhinged Rio is my favourite and I just want to see Rio being put in situations that require human emotions and she turns into the shocked pikachu meme because she doesn't have a clue on how to act

[cdyssey]

Agatha All Along (1.06) Reactions:

AW. Teen’s Bar Mitzvah…

According to the program, he’s William Kaplan…

WAIT THAT’S THE GUY FROM PRIVATE PRACTICE

THE TRANSITION TO HIM DANCING IS SO GOOD

LILIAAAAAA. Love that Teen is intersecting with her even before the coven officially begins

god I would die for Patti lupone. Have I said that yet

OOOH????)$&) SHE PUT THE SIGIL ON HIM

HEARING WANDA AND VISION’S VOICES ON THE RADIO ADDED TEN YEARS TO MY LIFE

FUCK. THIS CAR CRASH. THAT WAS VISCERAL

I HAVE TEARS IN MY EYES BECAUSE OF HIS PARENTS’ GRIEF GODDAMN

BILLY INHABITING WILLIAM’S BODY DEAR FUCKING GODDDDDDDDDDDDD

ALIIIIIICE.

OH. HE CAN READ MINDS

lol, the dog barking at Billy bit reminds me of the dog barking at Annie pretending to be Hallie in the parent trap

Something, something about Billy being trapped in a stranger’s body and agatha being trapped in her own mind—that a similarity between them is that they both know what it is to be displaced by circumstances beyond their control

Aww, Billy’s boyfriend. 🥹 This Disney+ show being so unapologetically queer is everything to me

The fact that Wanda inadvertently caused William Kaplan’s death, and in doing so, saved her son

JENNNNNNNNNNNN

“You can melt the probiotic candles.” I love a hot con artist <333

RALPH FUCKING BOHNER. BOHNNERRIFIC69.

“She stole my house, completely ruined the market value.” FJSKFJDN

Monica mention!!!!!

THE LORNA WU COVER!!!!! I’m still gagged over the reveal that it was a protection spell for her daughter. 🥹 Like, so much of this show is about a mother’s love

The implication that she’s caused so many famous disasters <333 AND THAT SHE’S THEE JOLENE

has someone edited flaming locks of auburn hair on kathryn hahn yet

agatha having whole ass wiki pages of all her cunty and evil exploits. slay

IS TEEN THE BLACK HEART

AGATHA HALLUCINATED WEARING A DYKEY FLANNEL AKAKQOWJDIWOWKAOW AND CARRYING BEERS

she really created an elaborate hallucination of herself where she was the butch lesbian ever <33

The chase scene showing Agatha being far more clumsy than she internally imagined lmao. Kathryn Hahn the actress that you ARE

MRS. HAAAAART

BOHNER FAMILY REUNION. WATER HOSE AS A GUN.

Kathryn Hahn acting all butchy with minimal makeup is my Roman Empire. Her manspreading wearing a boner joke shirt is everything 2 me

AGATHA JUST STRAIFHT UP KICKING HIM JAKSJDJS.

god I’m so gay

cursed agatha is such a rife place to explore. the way she was so locked in her own reality is fucking TERRIFYING. it was all so very real to her, and her behavior here contextualizes the delicacy that Rio showed her, the kindness that the citizens of Westview treated her with.

She was sick, and they took care of her.

her clicking the pen over and over againnnn

The fact that Agatha is talking to Billy about his mom and he doesn’t know it

Agatha’s pained shock when her reality starts falling apart is fucking brutal

“Come on, I do not wanna go back in the closet.” AKIQKWJDJDFIOWOW

BABY GIRL CRAWLING OUT OF THE MUDDDD like an evil witch coming out to devastate mankind

“It’s nice to see you again.” Agatha was there for Billy’s creation and raising. And there’s something utterly fitting about the role she’s taken on for him now, something of a distorted mother figure

ARE THERE TEARS IN AGATHA’S EYES

,JASKKDJSKSNS, agatha not being able to count how many people she’s killed

I love when agatha is a fucking shithead. This show wouldn’t work if she didn’t absolutely suck 90% of the time

“But don’t you dare feel guilty about your talent. You survived like witches have been doing for centuries. You saw an opportunity, an empty vessel, and you moved in. So you broke the rules. Big deal! That’s what kept you alive! That’s what makes you special! It’s what makes you a witch.” OH, THAT’S COMING STRAIGHT FROM AGATHA’S HEART. Because she’s clearly remembering her mother and how her powers were dismissed and discouraged from the very start. And so she’s telling Billy what she probably wanted to hear for herself when she was his age.

I love that Agatha just wants to mentor the Maximoffs haha

“How about Robo-Papa? Lord knows where he is or in how many pieces.” FOUL WOWODJIWJRJDJ.

“You’re after TOBY.” KQOQODJDJUFISOALWKFJSOAK

“Gosh, you really are a Maximoff. Otherwise, none of this would be nearly as dramatic.” JWJDIWOWDID

I would watch 300 more seasons of Kathryn Hahn chewing the scenery like no one’s business

MAKING A MUSTACHE WITH HER HAIR EIWOWJFNSJSJ

she is so fucked up. <33 I love her. I love this fucking show

[detectivedreameater]

There’s Still Work To Do|| Winston and Marley

TIMING: Current PARTIES: @danetobelieve and @detectivedreameater SUMMARY: Marley needs Winston’s help to foster a lead on Roy’s operation. Neither of them can stand by after Roland’s sacrifice. CONTENT: Death mention, mass poisoning mention

Keeping oneself occupied was always a good way to ignore emotions. Marley had read that in a psychology book in high school and had also read that it was a common coping technique. At the time, she’d rolled her eyes about it, but now, without even thinking anything of it, she found herself doing just that. Too much had happened recently and she needed to concentrate and focus on the more important things-- taking down Roy and killing Tommy. But while both of those were out of the question at the moment, she had turned her eye to something else. It was technically Agatha’s case, but everyone was sharing information gathered about the poisoning at Pat’s Place. There was a name in the file that Marley had recognized-- as well as a face. Two of the four men her and Felix had taken down were in this file. What they had to do with the poisoning, she wasn’t sure, but she knew someone who could help her figure it out. All she needed to do was track their cell signals and trace their routes that night. And so, she found herself headed to Winston’s desk, back in the corner “IT” room, knocking softly. “Hey,” she said, standing in the doorway, “I’ve got a thing I need your help with.” She lowered her voice a bit, glancing over her shoulder. “It’s a Roy thing,” she said in a lowered tone.

 Winston couldn’t sit still. Physically, mentally, emotionally. Whatever you wanted to call it. Didn’t matter. They had to keep busy, because when they let their mind stop churning and when they let everything stop whirring that was when all of the emotions threatened to come crashing in. So they worked longer and harder then they had before. Working through cold cases and their own projects. They avoided going home. Trying not to have to talk to Rio too much just in case he realised what the problem was. But they couldn’t get Roland’s face out of their head. They couldn’t get Roland’s last words out and they were re-reading them for the millionth time when Marley knocked on the doorway. “Of course, come in and shut the door.” Winston turned to their laptop and tapped a few buttons that set up a nice little buzz of interference incase they were bugged (Roy must be bugging everything right?) and then murmured a quick enchantment that would soundproof the room to some degree. They were still working on the code to get this to happen automatically but it wasn’t exactly something that you could just rush, unfortunately. “What do you need and I’ll make it happen?” Anything to get back at that bastard. Anything to make sure that Roland hadn’t died for no reason. 

 Marley stepped inside and could instantly feel the strain coming from Winston. They weren’t exactly good at hiding their emotions, at least not in the capacity of their body language. But she opted to ignore it, for now. If they wanted to talk, they would, and she was sure they’d never want to talk to someone like her about that stuff, anyway. She set the file down next to them and pointed at the two men she recognized. “I’ve seen these two around, and I know they work for Roy. I’m hoping tracing where their cells were the day of the attack can help give us a lead or something. Obviously I can’t just say this to Keen, so I need a way for this lead to crop up so we can follow it, too.” Hopefully this would keep them busy enough for the moment, help provide some distraction. She knew it was distracting her enough, and if she could get her hands around another man’s throat to crush in vengeance for Sarge, it would just be a treat on top of everything else. “Think you can help with that?”

 With something to do, something to keep them busy, Winston was suddenly a little less glum. It was a temporary thing, of that much they were very aware. But they knew that they would be able to at least look into this and see if they could help Marley get back at Roy, even if it was in the smallest of ways, but that was something right? It had to be something because they were done wasting time. Wasting time had let Roland get killed and Winston couldn’t live with that again. “Okay, if you’ve got their information then tracing them shouldn’t be hard, the GPS towers in White Crest ping really regularly and keeping up with everything is not a huge problem. I can come up with a way to let this lead crop up so you can follow it up without it seeming … strange or out of character. Nothing to give Detective Keen the proverbial.” Winston was glad for the distraction. They were glad for anything to keep them busy and in their own way this was Marley keeping them safe and busy. “I can definitely help with it, I can probably help with it right now. It shouldn’t take me too long.” Winston glanced up at Marley and shrugged, before setting to work, tapping away on their keyboard. 

 “Perfect,” Marley answered, looking down at them with as much of a confident glance as she could muster. It wasn’t much of one, with the bandages still on her face and the pain of moving it still present-- but she tried for one, anyway, because it seemed like the kid could really use a confidence boost. “What would we do here without you?” she teased, standing up and folding her arms. “Yeah, I’ve got their numbers. Here,” she pulled her own phone out, clicking through a few things before setting it down in front of them. The note tab opened on it was labeled “Bookshop- Felicity” and below it were three phone numbers, labeled “Amy”, “Karen” and “Cameron”. “The first two are our guys,” she pointed out.

 The confidence in Marley’s eyes helped a little bit. Winston had taken their co-workers for granted before. That was a mistake that they were determined to never make again. It wasn’t worth making that mistake again. You never know when you might lose them. There were so many good people that they got to work with. Marley. Jane. Agatha. Cece. Kaden. Regan. Each had their own specific gifts to give and Winston would never forget them. “I’m sure that they’d find someone else that was equally useful to overwork and underpay,” Winston couldn't’ help the jokes, it distracted people away from asking how they were doing. A question that they could only answer with ‘fine’ or ‘I’m doing okay’ or ‘you know it’s just how it goes’. Winston quickly typed the numbers into their computer and began running a track and trace program which got no results straight away. Unsurprising. “So normal and conventional means haven’t worked, but I can do some … magic to work it out. But you know, you’ve got to pretend that I didn’t do magic to do this because I can’t have Captain Maynard finding out about me or really the supernatural, that’s something I do not want to explain.” 

 Marley chuckled. She shook her head and reached out to pat Winston on the shoulder. “Oh, kiddo,” she said, leaning over to watch the screen a bit closer, “I’ve been lying about magic since before you were born.” She paused. “Probably.” Admittedly, she didn’t know Winston’s age, but it was still funny to say. She moved around to lean against the desk next to them, crossing her arms over her chest again. “Work your magic, then,” she instructed, eager to watch. Magic was one thing she didn’t know too much about, and she’d never really cared for it, either. Her expertise was other supernatural species’, but it never hurt to learn more. “Pun intended.”

 Rolling their eyes, Winston had to admit that there weren’t many people that they would allow to call them kiddo. Marley was perhaps one of two, maybe three outside of their family. But she had saved their life and that gave her the right to call them whatever she wanted. “I’m 24” And Marley couldn’t be older then like 30ish, so what had she been lying about magic since she was a child? Winston somehow doubted that but they weren’t about to say it. What was the point? Grumbling under their breath, Winston pulled the leather wrist brace -- that Miriam had made for them -- off of their hand and held it over the webcam on the computer. Closing their eyes for a second they began the familiar steps of reaching out with their minds eye and feeling the very fabric of the data that they were trying to access surge beneath their very will and they began to work through it, sifting through GPS locations data and dates before they finally found what they were looking for. It was more difficult to move the information into a file but not out of their reach. A month ago perhaps but they had nothing but time to focus and practice now and it wasn’t long before the printers in the corner of the room began to whir and the information printed as a physical copy as well as saving in three separate locations, their work hard drive and two separate backups. Sweat glistening on their forehead, Winston lowered their hand shakily. “The information’s being printed as we speak.”

 Marley leaned back and watched as Winston began to do their thing. All magic was different, and it was fascinating every time observing it. It hardly looked like anything was happening at all, but the printer jumped to life and started whirring and Marley went over to where it was and watched curiously. It was printing GPS locations. Heading back over, she grabbed her phone from in front of them and started typing in the coordinates as they were printed. It was in White Crest. She zoomed in. It was a house, in a neighborhood on Harris Island. Interesting. The satellite map she was able to pull up showed several different cars parked outside, and-- “Here,” she said, heading back over to Winston, “that’s a video camera.” She tapped her phone screen. “Think you can tap into that and let us have a look? I just need one little thing for a tip off to make it seem real. Anything.”

 Magic still drained Winston particularly technomancy. Each time they tapped into it. They were convinced that it was all brand new. Now they were really starting to get a grasp on it. As the GPS pinpointed a specific location. Winston took a long deep breath and wicked the sweat from their brow with the back of their spare hand before wheeling over to another bank of monitors without rising from their chair. Swallowing back exhaustion they grabbed their very cold coffee and swallowed it, grabbing a handful of candy from a half empty packet on their desk before nodding. “Absolutely, I can tap into that.” They set to work, locating the camera and trying to access it in conventional methods. They didn’t try very hard. They didn’t have time for this. Roy was getting away with literal murder, of a police sergeant and here Winston was trying to play fair. Enough was enough. “One sec,” they grunted as they once more raised their palm and the eye on their hand blinked several times before rolling back in on itself and Winston was gazing through a traffic camera. Reaching out with their will, they forced it to turn on a screw that wasn’t built to turn and view the house. It didn’t take long before Winston was able to see various members of what they assumed was Roy’s operation. “I’ve got, three, maybe four targets loading stuff. This camera doesn’t usually have a view point so I assume they think it’s a blind spot. I can get it to take photos and print those photos off to give you more proof, is that going to be enough to go in?” Winston asked, already pretty sure that they knew the answer. They set to work, snapping grainy photos via the CCTV and sending it to the various backups and printing hard copies off for Marley to show Agatha. They could feel their energy gently sapping away as they worked. But it was worth it. Anything for Roland. 

 Whatever mojo they were working, it was doing its job real well. Marley watched the thing in their palm for a moment, curious about where they’d gotten an eyeball in their hand, reminded of the strange cultists they’d run into that had those exact same things. She didn’t care to press right now, not when everything was already tense. She nodded. “That’s absolutely perfect,” she said, already knowing they were doing just that. The printer whirred to life again and she went over to it, plucking them off one by one as they came out. “You’re a fucking godsend, Winston,” she said, turning to look back at them. She didn’t know how to make people feel better, that wasn’t her forte-- hell, she was pretty sure she hadn’t even helped Anita feel better about any of this-- but it was worth a try, right? “And as far as we’re concerned,” she said, coming back over to  them, “you’re irreplaceable around here.” It was quiet for a moment before she tacked on-- “If you tell anyone I said that, I’ll make your life a living nightmare.”

 Drained was an understatement. Winston really needed to spend more time practicing magic. They knew that the likes of Nell, Bea and Luce had been practicing it for a lifetime and that meant that their proverbial magical muscles were always going to be more attuned to this sort of thing then Winston’s and they were all so much stronger in magic then Winston. At least in terms of stamina. “Uh…” had Marley just told Winston that they were irreplaceable? That was unexpected and Winston wasn’t really sure how they were meant to react. “Honestly, I just it because they took Roland and I know I’m acting like I’m fine but I’m not but I won’t tell anyone that you said anything because I would hate to break your tough guy facade but that actually meant so much more to me then you could ever imagine.” Winston took a moment to swallow before the words kept tumbling out of their mouth. “Roland was one of the few people in this station who really seemed to think that I had any potential and I feel like people just don’t get it sometimes but hearing you say that is so....” Winston’s jaw snapped shut for a second and they swallowed three times before continuing. “It means a lot.” Their eyes glistened as they attempted to blink back tears. Now wasn’t the time to cry but even still. “I won’t tell anyone though, please go and ruin Roy’s day before I break down into tears and embarrass us both.” 

 Marley saw the tears and felt suddenly as if she’d done something very wrong. She didn’t know what to do, but then the kid was rambling about Roland and their feelings and how no one believed in them here. Okay, she was going to have to knock a few skulls around here. Discreetly, of course. She didn’t need people thinking she actually cared about Winston or anything, they were just useful and keeping them around was a benefit to everyone. Still… “It’s-- hard. You’re allowed to feel upset by what happened, ki-- Winston.” She glanced around, unfurling her arms a bit. “Just-- take it easy, okay? If you need time off, to yourself-- take it. We’re all grieving, in our own ways.” She paused, the words catching thickly in her throat. Drawing herself in. “Roland wouldn’t have wanted you to work yourself to death over him. Just-- remember that.” She didn’t know what to do next, so she just shuffled the papers she’d collected and headed to the door, pausing a moment. “And if anyone ever says that rude shit to you again, let me know,” she looked away, “I’ll take care of it.” And then she closed the door. She still had work to do.