#she could only postpone agatha hating her. she wasnt gonna avoid it.

[rearranging-deck-chairs]

thinking abt at what point it became a pursuit, started it feeling like agatha had become the prey they maybe used to hunt together

because on day one after nicky dies she kills four witches. thats basically texting, right. i doubt she'd give up on pleading, threatening, begging, bribing and bargaining just because nicky is not alive anymore. even if death means gone is gone and even if theyve talked function and philosophy before and even if agatha understood exactly what it means for rio, that doesnt mean she'd accept it. brought you dinner, babe, give me back my son. and rio would say she cant.

"you gave him six years, just give him another" "hes dead, it only goes one way" "it was one day" "it's always one day" "this isnt fair" "since when does that play a part of any of our affairs" "he doesnt deserve this" "nobody does" "i dont deserve this" "i gave you time" "not enough!" "will it be enough tomorrow? will he deserve it tomorrow?" "you give him another day tomorrow" "i cant" "why not" "hes gone" "well get him back" "thats not how it works and you know that" "it works how we say it works" and rio just shakes her head "then why did he live" "because you wanted him to" "then why did he die" "because everything must" "not. him." "any mother wants her son to live" "im not any mother" "no, youre not"

and then agatha, out of patience, full of grief, and fizzing with fresh power, just blasts her, and the conversation ends with this new turn in their relationship; rio lying between the bodies like just another witch.

and then maybe rio said "i'll come for you too" and meant it as a comforting promise, maybe she only got up silently, opened her arms and offered a hug, and agatha panicked and ran.

killing 4-5 witches at a time, thats flirting, feed your kid and have some free time afterwards. killing hundreds at a time, thats keeping the death on your trail busy for long enough to disappear again.