we meet again
The body lay on the grass, his face half burned. Death recognized him, having seen his smug face smiling as the women he claimed were evil burned at the stake. The women he had killed had told Rio his stories, and frankly, she would've killed him herself if she were allowed to.
His soul was yelling at her, but that wasn’t what Death was focused on.
She was focused on the woman who was kneeling over the body. Her features were sharper and her skin had started to crease, but it was the same curly dark hair and ocean-blue eyes from what felt like an eternity ago.
“You.” The words left Death’s mouth before she could think.
The soul continued yelling, but Death flicked her hand, expelling him to the afterlife. She knew he didn’t deserve it, and Agatha Harkness was way more important.
“How long has it been?”
“Uh,” Agatha pinned her brooch back on, not lifting her head. “A couple years.”
“Is that… long?”
The concept of time wasn't something Death could comprehend. When your days aren't limited, it's harder to see meaning in them.
“Depends who you ask.” Agatha stood up, dusting the soil off her hands. “I found one, by the way.”
“Found one what?”
She turned to Death, meeting her eyes. Ancients, she had missed those eyes.
“A name.”
“A… name?”
“For you.”
Death didn’t know what to say. No one had ever cared before.
“You didn’t have to.”
“But I did.”
Death’s lips twitched into a smile. “Then what might it be?”
Agatha smiled, the sunlight illuminating her ocean-blue eyes. “Rio Vidal.”
“Rio Vidal.” She repeated. “Sounds pretty.”
“Just like you.”
Rio knew it was impossible, but she could almost feel the blood rushing into her cheeks.
Agatha looked her up and down. “It means river of life. I thought it was fitting.”
Rio Vidal.
That meant more to Rio than words could ever express.
A voice in the back of her mind kept telling her that Agatha would back away and leave, that she would fear her just like everyone else always had.
Even so, Rio took a few steps toward her.
Agatha didn't back away.
Rio looked down at Agatha’s hands, taking them, then into her hypnotizing blue eyes.
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For… caring.”
Agatha pulled her into a hug, and something deep inside Rio felt different. It was a warm sensation, and it felt like… home.
Rio had never felt that before.
Agatha tightened her grip on Rio, and Rio wrapped her hands around Agatha.
Rio had never hugged anyone before.
She liked it.
“Your skin is cold,” Agatha stated.
“Oh. Sorry.”
“It’s okay.” Agatha pulled away, taking Rio’s hands instead. “I don’t mind.”
They met each other’s eyes, and for a moment, nothing else mattered. It was just them, all alone in the world.
But the tug of the afterlife wasn’t something Rio could ignore.
“I have to go,” Rio admitted in a whisper, though she didn’t want to.
Agatha smiled. “I live in a cottage by the woods here. Come find me when you’re done.”
Rio smiled, letting go of Agatha’s warm hands and entering the void.
“We’ll say hello again. Te veo.”