Now I’m covered in you
Agatha stood in the greenly lit garden, her eyes flashing with a mix of greed and fear. "Don’t take it all", was the last thing she heard before she felt the raw power of Billy's magic wash over her and she knew she wouldn’t be able to control it, she never could.
The chaos magick, so potent and untamed, was a siren's call she couldn't resist. Her magic clamped down on Billy's, and instinctively started to siphon the energy from him, her renewed magic surging through her veins like liquid fire. She felt herself lifting from the ground, the thorny shackles that previously had bound her wounded body gone. She could feel and hear herself manically laughing. And the pain where the countless cuts from the glass had been — gone. She stood again, but she barely noticed it, let alone saw how the teenager’s face welted away.
Lady Death got up again, angry at the Teen who had the audacity to attack her. But when she saw what was happening she froze. Would it be any other one being siphoned by her estranged wife she wouldn’t do anything, letting them die. But this was that stupid abomination, the Scarlet Witch’s son, he had cheated her once. And he would do it again, she was sure of it.
Then she would have to find his soul again, somehow convince him to come with her willingly and she couldn’t have that. So she used her green magic. Ivy shoot from the ground, massive ranks tightening around the boys feet. While others grew upwards and in mere seconds a shield of magickal ivy had formed around Agatha, effectively blocking off any magick, stopping the siphoning.
Agatha felt the ivy tighten around her, a sudden and unyielding force. Her eyes snapped to Rio, a snarl twisting her lips. "Rio", she growled, the power humming in her veins, "What have you done?" The ivy grew thicker, the leaves a vibrant, unnatural green that seemed to pulse.
With a flick of her wrist, Agatha sent a blast of magick at the barrier. The ivy writhed and snapped, exploding into tiny fragments, covering the dark blue and purple dress she now wore. As the shield broke away Agatha emerged, her eyes alight with a fury that had been centuries in the making.
She took a step toward Rio, her hands crackling with power. "That’s not your buisness, doesn’t that break one of your precious little ruels?" she spat, her voice like the rustle of dry leaves on a windless night. "It becomes my business when you’re trying to make my job harder", Rio shot back, before taking a moment to take in the spirit witch’s changed appearance that came with her renewed power.
A wave of relief she hadn’t anticipated washed over her at the sight of her wife, no longer magically defenceless, but as the strong witch she knew her as. "Power looks good on you", she commented, something like a grin playing at her lips despite her still palpable anger. "Honey, everything looks good on me", Agatha retorted, the heady feeling of power and adrenaline still rushing through her, as well as her love surging. She knew that grin, as faint as it was, all too well.
Taking her eyes off Rio for a brief moment they flicked to a shredded piece of ivy clinging to her dress. “I’m covered in…”, she began, her voice still tight with barely restrained anger. “Me?”, came the cackled response from Rio, her tone way too smug for Agatha’s liking. Her face contoured with disgust as she reached for the remains of a leave, picking it away with sharp fingers to toss it away. “You”, she growled, her eyes fixed on the entity standing before her.
The tense silence that followed, both witches starring at each other with an intensity that seemed to make the air crackle, was disrupted by a pained moan coming from the boy laying on the ground. His young face a pale grey and covered in wrinkles. He barely seemed conscious, his legs still tightly held down by ivy. Agatha turned to the noise, her eyes widening. Reality crashed over her.
Quickly she was at his side, kneeling next to him. Her hand reached out to gently brush his locks away. “I told you”, she breathed, not accusing but resigned. It wasn’t the first time no one listened, no one believe her. But it was different, he hadn’t attacked her, he had tried to help her. His only response was a pained sound, that brought tears to her eyes “no, no!” Agatha slowly looked up at Rio, who just stood there, watching. “Don’t take him”, she stopped herself, but they both heard it, the silent ‘too’.
They both knew what she meant - and the green witch’s face hardened. “We had a deal, Agatha”, she simply stated, referring to the weakened boy and her promise to hand him out to death. Rio slowly and deliberately walked until she towed over the keeling spirit witch. Her figers curled around her throat, squeezing it in a warning.
“You do this and his twin runs. Prey tell, how fast are you, Rio?”, Agatha bit back, furry in her teary eyes. With a huff Rio pushed her back before turning away, Agatha’s arm shot back to stabilise herself, before she leaned over Billy again. Carefully she conjured some of her magic, running it over the boys body, trying to force it back in, but it only resulted in another pained sound from him.
Rio's expression remained stoic as she faced away, the scent of the dying boy's fear and pain mixing with the natural decay around them. Her eyes searched the horizon, seeking the peace she had known before her wife saw her as a threat. "Our deal was clear, Agatha," she said, her voice echoing the finality of her words. "What makes this boy so special?" She clenched her fist as she saw Agatha trying to give him back some magick.
The weight of her duty pressed down on her, the scales of life and death tipping precariously in the balance. Her cloak fluttered in the breeze, a stark contrast to the stillness she exuded.
"Rio, please," Agatha's voice cracked, her eyes flicking up from the boy's pain-wracked features to meet the cold gaze of her wife. "I-I," she swallowed hard, the words lodging in her throat. "I saw him…”, but she thought better of it than voice what she was about to. “He tried to save me." Her hand hovered over Billy's chest, her magic pulsing with a fierce protectiveness.
The wind picked up around them, carrying the whispers of lost souls, and Agatha felt the gravity of her situation. "He didn't deserve this," she murmured, her eyes brimming with unshed tears.
But Agatha didn’t have to finish saying what she was about to, Rio knew it from the way she acted around him, had seen her. “You know her little sitcom aired, don’t you?”, Rio said with a sneer, turning back to face her wife. Her eyes narrowed at the mention of Wanda's creation, watching Agatha’s eyes widen slightly, but enough for her to notice.
"You know the rules. He's an aberration," she hissed, her grip on Billy's soul tightening, "But you, you've always had a soft spot for those who play with life and death, haven't you?" Her voice grew softer, the anger seeping away to reveal a deep sadness. "Is that what you've become? A charity for lost causes?"
"Don't call him that," Agatha's voice was low, almost a growl, "He was a little boy trying to survive!" Her hand hovered over Billy's head, a gentle wave of magic smoothing his hair and calming his ragged breathing. She glanced up at Rio, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "And I'm certainly no charity," she added, her voice stronger now. "But I won't stand by and watch you take him because of his mother's mistakes."
Rio's gaze softened momentarily, the edges of her eyes crinkling as she took in Agatha's fierce protection of Billy. "I know," she said, her voice tight. "But he's an abomination, Agatha. He shouldn't be here." Despite herself, she couldn't help the flicker of sadness in her eyes as she remembered their own lost son, Nicky. “He even somewhat looks like him in the right light, doesn’t he? Certainly did when he was little”, Rio mused, watching her wife’s reaction closely and she saw her pain, hidden beneath layers of denial and protection — but it was certainly there.
“Stop it! He’s not…”, Agatha interrupted her, fighting back her tears. “No he’s not”, Rio snapped, her hand dropping away from Billy as she turned to face Agatha fully. "But he's all you have left of her, isn’t he?"
"It’s not like… You know that I like to play!" Agatha shouted, her hand gestures wild as she sat back on her heels next to Billy, her eyes flashing with defiance, but her heart clenched. Was that really what Rio thought or was she just trying to provoke her?
"You know I did it for him!" The words hung in the air, charged with emotion. She knew Rio was hurt by her actions, but she had entered Westview for the power. That was what it had always been about since Nicky was born — her desperately trying to gain what she lacked. "And stop calling him an abomination for surviving!"
The words hit Rio like a physical blow, the pain of Agatha’s accusation searing through her. She had been waiting for Agatha, anger simmering beneath her calm exterior. But as she looked into her eyes, she saw the truth of her words. "Agatha," she whispered, her grip on Billy's soul loosening slightly. "I know you did. But some things are inevitable...", her eyes searched Agatha’s, beseeching her to understand. “I warned you, you shouldn’t have attached yourself to this boy.”
Agatha laughed, cold and humourlessly “that warning came too late.” She took another look at the teenager, his face still awfully wrinkled, but it seemed like he had gotten a little colour back into his face. “He still got time, and you wouldn’t have to search for him again. We could make him understand, one life in this body. Give him a chance to grow up, my love”, at the last sentence her eyes found Rio’s again.
The wind picked up, carrying with it a whisper of the countless souls that had passed through Rio's embrace. Her eyes searched Agatha's, the depth of her hurt reflected in their shadowy depths. "You know I can't do that," she said, her voice strained. "My duty is to the natural order, not to the whims of those who seek to bend it."
Agatha looked up at Rio, her eyes filled with a desperation she hadn't felt in centuries. "But he isn't dying, not now," she said urgently. "He's fighting, with everything he has, to live. Can you not feel that?" The wind played with the edges of her cloak, carrying the scent of death and decay. "Just give him a chance and we’ll make sure next time he comes willingly." Her gaze was unyielding. "Please, give him a chance to live, I know you don’t want his body to die now or you wouldn’t have stopped me."
Rio's expression was torn between anger and something else—perhaps a hint of pity. "Agatha," she began, her voice a mix of exasperation and pain, "You've always had a soft spot for the lost souls. It's one of the reasons I fell in love with you. But this... this is not your place to decide." She gestured to Billy, who was now visibly recovering, the chaos magic pulsating in his veins. "He's a part of something much larger than us, something that shouldn't be." She took a deep breath, the weight of her scythe heavy at her side. "You've meddled enough in this, my love. Let me do my job."
Agatha's eyes searched Rio's, the winds of the afterlife whispering around them. "Rio," she pleaded, her voice a caress, "just one life. Give him the time to understand, to grow. You know deep down, you don't want to fight his soul."
Her hand reached out, her fingers trembling slightly, and she gently touched Rio's. "You don’t have to be the end of everything beautiful," she whispered, her own power flaring up around her, a gentle warmth that contrasted with the chill of death that hung around the Lady.
Rio's eyes narrowed at Agatha's touch, the warmth of her words feeling like a mockery of the coldness that filled her heart. She took a step back, her hand dropping to the hilt of her scythe. "Don't," she warned, her voice low and dangerous. "You called me evil just minutes ago, and now you want me to bend the rules for your... whim?"
The pain of Agatha's accusations still stung, and she could feel the anger rising again, mixing with the sadness that had taken root in her soul. "I’ve had limited resources", the spirit witch quipped and Rio studied her, thinking of the countless souls she had collected. “And you’re telling me that a mere mortal’s whims are more important than the balance of life and death?”
"A mere mortal?" Agatha echoed, a hint of incredulity in her voice as she pushed herself to her feet, her eyes never leaving Rio's. "Me?" She paused, a sad smile playing on her lips as she dusted off her dress. "You’ve said yourself that it’s a wonder I even got a chance to live, let alone survive this often. You know I'm not just any mortal, my love."
Her gaze grew more intense. "Give Billy this one chance. He's not just a mortal, he's a survivor, like me." Rio's eyes narrowed, the anger in her voice replaced by a cool indifference. "Agatha," she said, her voice as smooth as the blade of her scythe, "Your soul never called out to me with such desperation, not like this anyway, not even when you were at your weakest. But this... this aberration," she gestured at Billy, "his soul is like a siren's call that I can't ignore and it’s giving me a headache."
She stepped closer to Agatha, their eyes locked in a silent battle of wills. "It's not just about the balance anymore. You've made it personal." Agatha felt the heat rising in her cheeks, a fiery mix of anger and desperation. She knew she was playing a dangerous game, but the love she had for Billy—the love she had for Rio—was a force she couldn’t control.
Her hands shot up to cup Rio’s face, her thumbs gently pressing into the tension she could feel building in the muscles around her eyes. “Good thing I know how to treat headaches,” she murmured, her voice thick with emotion. Her leg slid between Rio’s, her knee nudging upwards with a gentle but firm pressure, their bodies now mere inches apart. “Please, my love, don’t make me choose between you and him. You know I can’t do it.”
Rio’s eyes flashed with surprise and a spark of anger at Agatha’s audacious move. She had been waiting for her, expecting a fight, a challenge, but certainly not this. The warmth of Agatha’s thigh against her own brought forth a rush of conflicting emotions—desire, anger, and a hint of fear at the power dynamics shifting before her. Despite herself, she moaned softly, the sound slipping from her lips like a secret. Her gaze never left Agatha’s as she felt the pressure build between her legs.
The faint chaos magic swirling around Billy was a siren’s call, one she had been bound to answer for three years. But here was Agatha, her love, her heart’s bane, asking her to break the very laws she had sworn to uphold. The softness of her voice was a stark contrast to the steel in her eyes. “Agatha, you know what you’re asking of me...what you’re risking. If I don’t do this, the balance...”
"Rio," Agatha's voice was a gentle caress, her thumbs tracing the line of her wife's jaw as she leaned in closer, "I know what I'm asking, but I also know that you can find another way to restore the balance. Just this once," she whispered, her breath warm against Rio's cool cheek. "Let him live, and I swear, next time he's of age, he'll come to you willingly."
The pressure of her thigh increased, the warmth of her magic melding with the coolness of Rio's, creating an intoxicating blend that sent a shiver down the Lady's spine. "Please, for me," Agatha murmured, her eyes searching the depths of Rio's, willing her to understand.
Rio's eyes searched Agatha's, the storm of emotions within her threatening to break the dam of her stoic exterior. She had been waiting for Agatha, expecting a battle of wills, not this...this tenderness. "Agatha," she breathed, her voice trembling. "You know I can't just ignore the natural order."
But the words felt hollow, even to her own ears, as she found herself leaning into the warmth of Agatha's embrace. Her hand hovered over Billy, the chaos magic pulsing beneath his skin like a living beacon. The struggle between duty and love was palpable in the air around them.
Agatha felt the tension in Rio's body ease slightly as she intertwined their hands, her thumb circling the back of Rio's hand in a soothing motion. "I know you're hurt," she said softly, her eyes never leaving Rio's. "But I'm not asking you to ignore your duty," she added quickly, sensing the accusation in the air. "Just...bend it a little. For me." Her voice was a gentle coo, the warmth of her magic wrapping around their entwined fingers like a warm embrace.
"A few centuries are but a blink of an eye to the eternity you have, sweetheart," she whispered, her eyes holding Rio's gaze, a silent promise of understanding and love shimmering within them. "Let him live," she urged, her grip tightening slightly, "And I'll find a way to fix this mess without breaking the balance."
Rio's eyes searched Agatha's, the storm of anger and hurt swirling within them. For a moment, she considered resisting, but the desperation in Agatha's voice and the warmth of her touch were too much to bear. With a sigh that seemed to carry the weight of centuries, Rio nodded slowly. "Very well," she murmured, her voice strained. "But know that this is a grave mistake," she warned, her eyes still holding Agatha's, "One that may come back to haunt us both."
Her hand lifted, the ivy retreating back from Billy into the earth, the chaos magic within him momentarily still. "But for you," she said, her voice dropping to a whisper, "I will grant this... this aberration a reprieve." The words tasted bitter in her mouth, but she knew that the love she had for Agatha was stronger than her duty—or so she told herself, again.
Agatha felt the tension in the air dissipate slightly as the ivy retreated from Billy. She looked up at Rio with a mix of gratitude and defiance, the silent "thank you" on her lips never reaching her voice. But she felt the sting of Rio's words. "Quit calling him that," Agatha said, her voice sharp. But the reprimand was short lived, as Agatha's hand shot up, cupping Rio's cheek with surprising gentleness. Her thumb traced the line of her jaw, memorizing the contours as if she hadn't seen her in a millennium.
The anger in Rio's eyes flickered with something else—hurt, perhaps. And then, without warning, Agatha leaned in and kissed her, her lips soft and tender on Rio's, a silent apology and a plea for understanding. For a brief, fleeting moment, the chaos and the anger melted away, leaving only the warmth of their embrace. The world around them grew hazy, the battle between duty and love momentarily forgotten in the sanctity of their shared breath.
The kiss was a gentle promise of forgiveness, a whispered vow to find a way to navigate this tumultuous path together.
The kiss was a surprise, a spark in the coldness that had settled around Rio. Her eyes searched Agatha's for a moment, looking for the truth in them, before she responded with a passion that was both fierce and tender. But even as their lips moved together, the memory of their fight remained a shadow at the edge of her mind.
When Agatha finally pulled away, Rio stepped back, her hand dropping to her side, the warmth of the kiss lingering on her skin like a phantom touch. "You know this changes nothing," she said, her voice a soft growl. "The balance must be maintained." She glanced at Billy, the chaos magic still pulsing in his veins. "But for now, he stays."
Her eyes searched the horizon, the setting sun casting long shadows across the battlefield. "We will deal with the consequences together."
Agatha's eyes searched Rio's, the warmth of her magic retreating as the Lady Death stepped back. She felt the chill of the night air replace the warmth of their shared embrace, the weight of the world settling back onto her shoulders.
"I know," she murmured, her voice a soft caress. "But I had to try. For him." Her hand lingered in the air where her cheeks had been, as if she could still feel the coolness of Rio's skin. She knew the price they might pay for this moment of defiance, but the love for Billy was a wildfire in her chest that she couldn't ignore. "We'll find a way," she assured, her eyes shimmering with determination. "Together, as we've always done."