question...?
Agatha slowly opened her eyes to find Rio watching her as if she were trying to memorize every single detail.
“Morning.”
“Have you been up all night?”
Rio shrugged. “Maybe.”
Agatha sighed. “Rio…”
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, I just–” Agatha sighed, burying her face in her pillow.
“It’s okay.” Rio rubbed her back. “I, uh, assume you remember waking up, then.”
Agatha nodded slowly.
“Do you want to talk about it?”
Agatha exhaled. “Tea first.”
“Okay.”
—
Rio handed Agatha one of the mugs. Agatha cupped her hands around it, trying to absorb the heat. Rio put the blanket around her shoulders before kissing her on the forehead.
“Thanks.”
“Of course, my love.” Rio pulled a chair next to her and sat down, taking a sip.
It was silent for a minute.
“Are you open to questions?”
“Yes.”
“Then I have a question.”
“Shoot.”
Rio looked puzzled.
“It means ask.”
“Oh, okay. Uh, last night, when I came back, were you up because you had another nightmare?”
Agatha tensed, gripping her mug. “Yeah, I just— It started, and you’re— when you’re here, it feels like everything’s okay.”
Rio tucked Agatha’s hair behind her ear, her eyes drifting over to the near-invisible scar on her cheekbone. “Is that from when she hit you?”
“Which one?” Agatha chuckled before seeing Rio’s worry. “Yeah, it’s— it’s from the one you saw.”
Rio sighed, tracing over it. “It’s not the only one, is it?”
“Far from it.”
“Including the ones on your back?”
“Y-yeah.”
Rio pulled back, sipping her tea. “She treated you so badly. Why do you keep her name?”
“What do you mean?”
“You don’t have to stay Agatha Harkness. Why do you choose to keep it?”
Agatha shrugged, taking a sip. “I’m— I’m not sure, really. I guess part of me just hoped she’d accept me someday, and we could be a proper family… I know that’s stupid, but—“
“No, it isn’t. I just don’t think it’s the right person.”
Agatha cupped her hands over Rio’s. “You’re the right person for me.”
Rio smiled softly as she interlaced her fingers with Agatha’s. “Is there anything you want to talk about?”
Agatha sighed. “I don’t know, I just– I don’t really know what to talk about.”
“That’s okay. We can just sit here, if that’s what you want.”
“Sounds great.” Agatha put her head on Rio’s shoulder. Rio stroked her hair, and they sat there, sipping tea.
“Are you still open to questions?”
“Yup.”
“Was that the first time it happened?”
Agatha scoffed. “You know it isn’t.”
“Yeah, but it’s never happened like that. At least, not that I’ve seen.”
“I, uh— it happened a few times a year when I was a kid, but it’s been happening far less often in the past… I don’t know, decade?”
“Is it always the same memory?”
“No, the only one that repeats is— is my trial.”
Rio traced over Agatha’s face before interlacing her fingers with hers. “I don’t know how to help.”
Agatha sat up, squeezing Rio’s hand. “You already are.”
Rio sighed, tracing her thumb over Agatha’s hand. “It’s not enough.”
“It’s more than enough. I promise.”
Rio smiled, leaning in for a kiss.