Work Text:
“So… what do you think she meant?” Alice whispered to the other two.
Jen sighed and rolled her eyes, “Clearly she was talking about Agatha. I mean, did you see the way they both acted?”
With a huff, Alice turned to Lilia, “Yeah but, what do you think happened? Job, what job?”
Lilia could only shrug and Jen frowned, “Can’t you see? Isn’t that like… your whole deal? What use are you if you-”
Lilia gasped dramatically and glared at her, “I will have you know my purpose on earth isn't directly linked to my usefulness. And besides, my visions have always been spontaneous. If you give me a tarot deck or glass ball I can, don't suppose you have those on your person, love?”
Jen looked away defeated at Lilia’s sarcasm and was about to ask another question when she heard leaves rustle. All the women turned to see purple trousers slowly move towards them under tree branches.
Agatha Harkness pushed the leaves above her head and slunk underneath towards the group, an indescribable expression present. There was… nothing. No pain, no happiness. There was a smile with no joy plastered on her face. A slow and unsure movement. Every part of her energy at this moment did not read as Agatha Harkness.
The other women braced for a shout, a scream, telling them to get off their asses and keep moving. But the purple witch just lowered herself down onto the log, freezing just before to grab the flower that was left. The other two wouldn't have noticed but Lilia did, a woman who has seen age, who has seen the burden of a long life filled with pain, a woman who lived through hearing of Evanora and her child that was born evil, she saw the glimmer of solemn silence within her eyes. But as quickly as it appeared it was gone, and Agatha tossed the flower gently into the fire, treating it with care before it burnt to ash.
The women exchanged looks as Agatha placed her head on fists, elbows resting on her knees. And she just stared. No words, no expressions, just quiet. A quiet look.
Very much not the Agatha Harkness they knew.
Another rustle as they heard Teen fumble over, careful to not get Agatha’s coat on the floor. He folded it gently in his hands and walked over to her, with the whole coven holding their breath.
“Hey Agatha, thank you. The coat is surprisingly warm,” Teen chuckled, handing it back to her. They all expected a stupid comment, sarcasm, a laugh, but all they received was Agatha slowly grasping it out of his hands and giving a half-hearted smile. She fished within an inside pocket and brought out a metal cassette player and loose earbud headphones.
Everyone watched with bated breath as she slowly slipped the buds into her ears and clicked play on the little box. Mixed in with the whistling wind and the leaves rustling was a small buzzing sound of the tape slowly unravelling, pulling the notes off the strip and into the witch's ears.
And all Agatha did was sit there and watch the branches sway and little fireflies dance.
This is not the Agatha Harkness the coven knows.
This is not the Agatha Harkness Jennifer Kale knows.
She is the only one of the four who knew Agatha in the past on a personal level. She has seen her scream, she has seen her smirk. She has seen her cackle, mock, intimidate, snarl, and bicker. She has seen her louder than life but now…
Slowly, Rio Vidal crept through the leaves back towards the fire and stopped when she saw Agatha closed off. The coven turned to look, saw her blank face, and turned back. Jen coughed and started a nonsense conversation to cut through the silence, with both other women taking the hint. Teen stood there awkwardly by the log as Rio glared him down. They stood in almost a battle of will before Agatha finally spoke up, “Sit down. You’re allowed to sit down”
Teen nodded nervously and plopped down onto the log whilst Rio scowled. Instead, she decided to sit on the floor next to the end of the log Agatha sat on, but this caused the purple witch to place her coat behind her and walk into the trees.
As her shadow disappeared, everyone went quiet again as they glared at Rio.
Rio just looked blankly, “What?”
✯
Agatha stopped at the border of the path and sighed. She leant against a tree, rubbing her arms and looking out into the forest. What an utter shit show, after finally wanting warmth, and letting down her walls, Rio had to-
She looked down at her hands and saw one of Rio’s hairs trapped in her ring. She swiftly pulled it out and noticed how it brushed against light splinters left over from building the little wooden tent for Teen.
A memory of camping in the forest with Rio and Nick flashed in her mind. How they walked and walked, Rio pointing out her favourite plants and Nick grabbing tightly onto Agatha’s hands. His young, little fingers stroked his mummy’s promise ring as they all conversed.
He skipped down next to her, Rio holding her other hand as they spotted woodland critters. They played in the water and Rio magicked a canopy tent for them to rest in. They told stories around the fire and snuggled under the moonlight. Agatha remembered the smile on Rio’s face from being both in and out of her element: deep within nature but filled with so much life.
That’s what they used to be: filled with life. Ironic, given who they both are. But they used to just be happy, love flowing between them so easily, with so much left over that they could give to their baby boy.
But now, Agatha was just… tired.
Tired of hurting, tired of fighting, tired of trying. She is so tired of trying. Trying to fix things, trying to compromise (which she must admit wasn’t her forte) and tired of trying to be around others. She knows everyone hates her, but there… there was the laughter she had never had. No one has ever laughed at her stories, at least not with her. She didn’t know what to do with herself.
And then Rio… she is trying so hard but it's difficult. She wants to collapse in her arms, she wants to punch and scream, she wants to cry together, she wants to kiss, she wants to talk. She wants so much and none of it works in her mind.
Rio rejected her offer. Her olive branch and invitation to start again. She has never done that.
First time for everything I suppose.
Agatha became lost in her thoughts, the visions of their past together playing in front of her, her heart begging for it to be her present reality.
She was so lost that she didn't notice the rustling behind her and the figure creeping out of the bushes. She couldn’t hear the footsteps getting closer over ‘Gypsy’ by Fleetwood Mac playing in her ears.
But she didn’t startle when a gently aged hand landed on her lower back. Instead, she slowly turned her head to face the worried look of Lilia.
“Hey Agatha, are you alright?”
Agatha just smirked and turned away. But the old woman didn’t leave. Rather, she kept her hand there and shuffled to her side, “You know, Rio is really weird. It both makes sense and doesn't that you were together.”
Agatha huffed in amusement, “How doesn’t it?”
Lilia smiled, “Well, no matter what people say, you are very poised. A woman of luxury. A woman of pazazz. You’re a performer, a superstar. And she is…”
“A mud-covered, fungi-infested, creepy dirtbag?”
“Yes, quite,” Lilia chuckled at Agatha’s response.
Agatha smiled wistfully out into the forest, “You know, she isn’t always like that. I mean, most of the time, yes. But she can also be ethereal and beautiful and kind-” Agatha froze, almost forgetting her anger in this moment.
“I guess I could see it,” Lilia conceded. “My point was, I guess, to try and ask if you both are still of the same levels you were. You’re both opposites so I’m just wondering if that still works. Or if you’re both…”
Agatha waited for her to finish, but Lilia just smiled, knowing the answer. The look of love is one feeling that is hard to hide from a psychic, even when your mask is as grand and elusive as Agatha’s.
“Anything you want to talk about?”
Agatha just shook her head staring into the distance. Lilia pierced her lips and rubbed her back. Heartbreak is one thing she would know, but a heart so damaged as Agatha’s? She couldn't imagine. She has heard stories, hell she lived through Agatha’s childhood. Every witch knew the basics of what Evanora did to her child to ‘rid the darkness from her’. And everyone stood back, accepting it was for the greater good. As a child had her whole life taken from her.
Although Lilia does not know Agatha on any level beyond talk and her own visions, this is the Agatha she expected. Someone who has had life kicked out of them. Lilia’s heart couldn't help but break.
“Well, if you need to talk, I’m here, okay?”
Agatha smiled warmly at her, one out of pure politeness. But then, something flickered behind her eye, recognising the honesty behind that statement. And she did something Lilia would never expect: she gave her a hug.
Not a big hug, not one that Agatha gives Rio or used to give Nick. Not one she gives to calm someone down or if she truly empathises with someone. It was just her wrapping her arms around the old woman’s shoulders and squeezing. And then she uttered the phrase Lilia would never expect as her hands slowly rose to reciprocate, “Thank you,” Agatha gently whispered into her ear.
But as quickly as the connection was there, it disappeared, and Agatha stepped back and leaned once again on the tree, looking out into the forest, hands stuffed into her pockets.
Lilia just stood in shock and it meant that neither noticed the pink figure walking towards them.
“You two alright?” Jen said, disturbing the quiet.
Lilia snapped out of it and nodded, looking cautiously at Agatha. She then mouthed towards Jen ‘Something happened with Rio’. Jen responded with an ‘Oh’ and nodded whilst walking over.
“Hey Ags-”
“Don’t call me that.”
“Fine. Hey Ms Harkness,” Jen said pointedly, annoyed but the immediate rebuttal, “I just want to know if you're alright. You don’t have to explain anything but-”
“I’m fine.”
“Well clearly not but alright,” Jen rolled her eyes and Lilia pierced her lips once more. She tried to return her hand to Agatha’s back but Agatha shook it off, popped her headphone back in and walked off, back to the campfire and presumably forcing everyone to start walking again.
Both women just shared a worried look and slowly trudged after her.
✯
Sure enough, they just saw Agatha put her coat on, her player in her pocket and flicked her hair dramatically.
Back to the same old Agatha.
“Right, let's get going. This trial isn’t going to solve itself,” Agatha said with the fake cheerfulness she always exhibits and starts storming off. The rest knew not to wait too long and hurried behind her, with Rio noticeably close but at a distance. The other three trailed behind as Teen hurried to Agatha’s side, as always.
They could feel Rio’s anger even from the distance they kept. They saw her crumple the flower in her hand and twirl her knife in the other as her gaze stared daggers into the back of Aga- no…
“I think she’s mad at Teen,” Alice whispered to the other two. They both adjusted their glances and agreed.
“You think it’s because of how close he’s getting?” Jen questioned.
“Most likely. She seems very… possessive,” Lilia concurred. They all muttered their agreements as they continued on.
Rio heard it all. Of course she did, they aren’t subtle. But she didn’t have the energy to argue. No, what she is using it for is to question why the hell Agatha would walk off. And why is she still entertaining this child?
Agatha always did this when she was in a bad place. She just won’t listen. Rio tries, she really does, to be patient. She has been angry and… aggressive this time but she has lost her for so long. And now Agatha has to detach herself from this boy. He has defied death once and she can see the abnormalities in his being. If he dies again, Rio will not hesitate.
And she can’t see Agatha that upset again. Begging and pleading. She can feel tears welling up thinking about the screams and pleas Agatha made when Rio…
The gossiping three’s attention was caught when they saw the green witch jog over to the other two. They saw green magic twirl around her hand as Agatha explained a spell to Teen and him hurriedly scribbling in his notebook.
Rio tapped her shoulder.
Agatha did not turn around.
Rio pulled her hair gently.
Agatha continued talking.
Teen looked at her quickly, face painted with worry, but kept scribbling in his book as Agatha waved her hand, accentuating everything she was saying.
Rio huffed and the three saw her sink into the dirt below. Before the shocked witches could even say anything, the green witch popped out in front of Agatha, on one knee, holding a deep purple flower, wrapped in poison ivy.
Agatha froze and the rest froze in turn. Rio raised her eyebrows and smirked.
And Agatha didn't move. No expression, no reaction. Nothing.
“You… you remember right? Your flower? What we had at our wedding?” Rio said seductively but with slight caution, desperately trying not to say the wrong thing.
Agatha scoffed and walked around her, Teen following like an anxious dog. The other three locked eyes with her and Rio’s face turned into one of anger. They flinched as she jumped up and stormed after the pair.
“I am trying to be civil,” Rio almost yelled with an annoyed smile on her face.
Agatha scoffed, waving her hand, “And I am focusing on the job. Which is the message I got from you. Now, hush darling, I am trying to teach this random boy the joys of teleportation,” Agatha said sarcastically, placing a hand on his back and throwing a smirk at Rio.
As Agatha turned back, the three observed the trees slowly bend and reach closer to Rio as her fist clenched.
This was going to be hard.
✯
The trial wasn’t appearing. Agatha’s thoughts screamed at her as she tried to come up with another topic to talk about as she questioned why they weren’t coming to anything. The rest appeared very quickly but now, there was no indication. The purple and green tones didn’t change so it’s not like they were in the wrong area.
“Can we take a break,” Lilia shouted from a few metres behind. “Not all of us are young.”
Agatha sighed and abruptly plopped onto the ground, crossing her legs and looking at her nails. The rest sat together just a little bit away and Teen looked anxiously from his mentor to the group, before deciding to join in with conversations instead of deathly silence.
Rio was left standing, unsure of how to proceed. Of course, she didn’t let that show, but the group kept giving her and the back of Agatha sideyes and whispers. Rio cursed those gossipy witches under her breath as she shuffled to Agatha.
She carefully sat down next to her, close enough that Agatha noticed but not touching.
Agatha played with a leaf on the floor as she saw a dark flower crawl into her peripherals. She couldn't help but giggle as it was slowly entering her line of sight.
Rio watched as Agatha’s hand carefully wrapped around the stem, nails stroking the green. She saw a small smile creep across her face and her eyes crinkle. “Did you know I called you a mud-covered creepy dirtbag earlier?”
Rio giggled and scooched a tiny bit closer. Agatha noticed but didn’t say anything, her eyes focusing on the flower. Rio was right, she did have it at their wedding. Aconite. Her flower, according to Rio. She had worn them in her hair and carried them in a bouquet, mixed with miscellaneous white and black flowers. But ivy was wrapped around each stem, tying them together.
Agatha grinned at the memory, remembering that the bouquet was still in their house, saved under a preservation spell. There were many things that Agatha couldn’t bear to part with, no matter how angry she became.
“Yeah, not completely incorrect. You said it during labour, I'm not surprised you say it now.” Rio quipped, smirking up at her.
Her wife chuckled and kept looking down, twirling the flower in her hand. Rio flicked her hand and ivy spouted from the bottom and twirled around it, causing Agatha to grin wildly at the magic.
“May I?” Rio said quietly. Agatha eyed her cautiously and saw Rio gesture behind her. She frowned but nodded and Rio shuffled behind.
Agatha held her breath slightly as Rio conjured a chunky wooden comb. Carefully, she strokes the brush through Agatha’s hair, causing a moan of pleasure to escape Agatha’s lips.
The purple witch has always loved her hair being played with. She used to conjure phantom figures just so they could scratch her scalp or twirl her strands with their magical fingers. But they were never real.
No, the first real being to do this was Rio. It was when they met each other in the woodland, Agatha bathing under a waterfall. Rio came over and gestured for her to sit, running soap through her tresses and massaging her scalp. She somehow knew what Agatha wanted from the first second of seeing her. And that has never wavered since then.
So the two just sat there in silence, with only the noise of the brush running through the chestnut brown hair. Rio missed the grey, she always believed it added a special touch but honestly, she wasn’t complaining. Not when she finally had Agatha before her.
The group near them were staring in awe, questioning how the hell they went from shouting and bickering to… well that. When Agatha moaned again as Rio scrapped it along her scalp, Lilia and Alice each placed a hand against Teen’s ears, all their faces morphed into utter shock.
They sat there resting for a whole hour, not a word was spoken between the lovers. Just actions that, as the saying goes, spoke louder than anything that could have been said.
Agatha revelled in the gentle attention, being handled with such care. And Rio, knowing how much this meant, appreciated how calm Agatha was being. She admits she has been harsh, but she only wants to see Agatha back at her best. Her Ags always wanted to transcend mortality, always focused on becoming greater than the gods themselves. And Rio thought of her as utterly divine, greater than anyone.
But now, Agatha has nothing, the empty embarrassing feeling clawing at her every time she breathes and doesn’t feel magic tingling at her skin. It was always in the back of her mind, how fragile she is now, how broken she is with no ‘superglue’ to patch her back up. Every crack slowly eroded with no magic to stop the dam from crumbling.
She has nothing.
But she could have Rio. At least, she hopes so. It will take time, and it will take pain, but she could have her again, if all the cards are dealt right.
“I think we should continue now, don’t you?” Agatha whispered behind her. Rio smiled gently and hopped up, extending an arm down to her lover. Agatha graciously took it and heaved herself up. She turned to the gossiping group, oblivious to the fact that their conversation for the past hour had solely been about the two.
Everyone started to slowly get up, stretching and laughing together. But Rio and Agatha only looked at each other.
Rio slowly caressed her cheek and smiled, twisting Agatha’s soft hair around her index finger. “Remember when Nick got gum stuck in your hair and neither of our magic could get it out?”
Agatha laughed brightly, causing both Rio to laugh in turn and the rest to go silent.
"Remember when he somehow cut locks of our hair whilst we were asleep to make that weird birthday present, without us realising?” Agatha reminisced joyfully.
Rio burst into even more laughter, “That weird little plait thing with the ribbon? Of course I remember! That was so weird!”
“I’m pretty sure he got the idea from you and your weird obsession with my hair,” Agatha said jokingly, narrowing her eyes and grinning.
“First of all, how could I not be? Your hair is divine,” Rio began, as they began walking off. “And secondly, it was so you! You gave him a lesson in the magical properties of hair in witchcraft two days beforehand! It was so your fault!”
“I gave him an education, you’re the one who directly caused his weird side. It’s in your DNA.”
They continued arguing down the path, but their words were full of mirth. Agatha howled and Rio bent over in laughter, both lost in the joys of their memories. The rest didn’t know what to do. So they just continued behind, silently, all starting to grin at the two getting along.
So this was the love that connected them. They could even feel it from metres away, the emotion so deep and rich. Their beings almost seemed bonded, souls mixing together as they walked, arm in arm.
The coven looked up and smiled as they saw the next trial up ahead, but the two lovebirds were so lost in laughter that they didn’t even notice, they just continued walking towards the creaky old house, reminiscing on what once was to forge a new future of what could be.