Casual
“I thought you thought of me better
You said, "We're not together"... “
Agatha
Somehow, in her brain, a long low waisted black skirt and a tight black blouse would do the job of looking professional and sexy at the same time. At least she hoped Rio would think so.
Wait. Why in the hell was she considering Rio’s thoughts?
Oh, actually, it’s normal to want to arouse the person you are sleeping with… casually. It is super normal to want their eyes only on you, forgetting the existence of other people
Light makeup and the same body spray she used on her date with Rio. Good choice. Not at all intended to impress Rio. But in hopes it would.
Lilia asked her to arrive a little earlier, along with Natasha. Both of them waited at the door.
“Appropriate look for when you know a certain patient is coming to dinner…” Natasha began, eyebrow raised.
“I dress for myself,” Agatha said, not missing a beat.
“Agatha, we need to talk about this, she’s been avoiding the conversation and—”
“There is nothing to talk about, Natasha”
“there’s so many thi—”
The front door creaked open, cutting her off. Lilia with a warm smile.
“Sorry for keeping you waiting, come on in” and as they do, she checks out Agatha’s outfit “that’s… an interesting choice”
“Thank you, Lilia” the sarcasm tone at its finest form.
✨✨✨
As they helped with the finishing touches—folded napkins too perfectly pressed to be casual, wine glasses that cost more than rent—the guests began to arrive. Hospital directors. Shareholders. And finally, the basketball players.
"You’re going to give yourself whiplash with how fast you turn every time the door opens," Wanda murmured as she glided up beside Agatha.
“what?”
“You’re staring at the door, Agatha”
“Am not”
As if on cue, the door swings open and reviews the one she’s -has not- been waiting for.
Rio decided it was a good idea to wear a mini skirt and blazer, paired with sleek black pantyhose. And she topped it off with a brand new cane, the kind only an old rich man—or Rio—could pull off. It was bedazzled, deep green.
It didn’t take long for Rio’s eyes to find Agatha’s, before Rio was swallowed up by a few of teammates and shareholders. Still, her gaze kept drifting back—Agatha, then the people chattering around her, then Agatha again.
After fifteen long minutes, she finally broke free. Walking towards the doctor, slipping to Agatha’s side, just outside the dining room. She hands Agatha a glass of red wine.
“Hi, Dr Harkness…” Soft and slow.
Agatha looked at her—up close now. She took the glass. Rio was smiling. And smelled so fucking good.
“Vidal.” She manages to keep it cool, while inside she is holding on for dear life.
“How are you?” Vidal’s tone was a mix of politeness and genuine curiosity.
“I’m well. You?” Agatha turned slightly to face her, sipping her wine, eyes never leaving hers.
“I’m alright” Rio mirrored the movement, took a sip—and then leaned in.
The move was so sudden, so close, Agatha flinched.
“You look so fucking hot,” Rio whispered, letting her breath brush against Agatha’s ear. Then—closer still—smelling her “And you smell so fucking good.”
Agatha was seconds away from unraveling.
“Rio…” is more a plea than a warning. Vidal heard it well and pulled back.
“I’ll see you around” and the motherfucking wink.
✨✨✨
The dinner party is going well, but the doctor and the basketball star? They were two teenagers again, texting.
Rio Vidal
I need you to cover yourself, it’s torture looking at you and not being able to touch you.
Me
Behave. Owners of the hospital are here.
Rio Vidal
They are not in the bathroom…
Agatha has red cheeks and it’s looking down at her phone, thinking about what to respond
“Agatha, are you even listening to me?” Wanda complains
“Yes, woman! Oh my god”
“Well, care to share your thoughts? She’s being too secretive about it, apparently there’s a big change at the hospital’s directorship or something”
Agatha is far gone, she wasn’t listening, she couldn’t care less. So she typed.
Me
Meet me down the hall, last door to the right. Three knocks.
Then she turns back to Wanda
“Wands, would you be so kind and lie if anyone asks about me? Thanks, you’re a doll”
“What-”
It takes Rio 5 minutes to get to the bathroom down the hall. Three knocks.
“Hey,” Agatha says, voice low, eyes sharp.
“Hey,” Rio answers, like it’s nothing
“Took you long enough”
“Try dodging the person who pays your salary while she asks about where are you going and then try lying to her smart ass. Not to forget my fucking knee—”
“Come here” She grabs Rio by her blazer, yanking her forward into a kiss. Locking the door behind her quickly. She backs them toward the marble sink — big, solid, perfect. “You had no business coming to a dinner party in this fit” Agatha mutters between kisses.
“Why?” Rio murmurs, lips brushing hers
“It’s not appropriate” Her fingers slide into Rio’s hair, gripping tight,
Rio groans at the pull and answers with her body, hands landing on Agatha’s hips, nails biting through silk.
“Just say I look hot,” she says, placing wet kisses down Agatha’s throat.
“Fuck. You do” Her voice breaks when Rio’s tongue traces a line to her ear, teeth sinking into the lobe.
“Say it all!” Rio whispers
“you look—” Moan so filthy Rio thought she might need to pray asking for forgiveness.
“I’ll take it”
“Rio…”
“What do you want, baby?” The pet name hits deep. Agatha's stomach flips “Want me inside?”
“Please”
Without a second thought, she pushes up Agatha’s skirt and lifts her onto the edge of the sink. Arm around her waist, grounding her, the other slipping between her legs.
“I love how wet you get — so fast” Rio murmurs, thumb drawing slow circles over her clit, making Agatha moan a little loud and bratty “Is it only for me?”
“It-” Agatha chokes on the truth and swallows it. Almost says yes. She can’t say it. Not to Rio, not to herself. “Fuck me”
She means it as a command, but it sounds more like a prayer.
Underwear to the side, two fingers in and Rio takes her lips in a kiss that swallows her moan. Agatha’s hips rocking into the rhythm
Her legs shake, head rests on Rio’s shoulder as the younger one keeps working her through it.
Agatha’s breathing is ragged, fingers clutching at the back of Rio’s neck like she’s afraid to let go.
She drags her lips to her ear. “Taste me,” she whispers, voice barely there.
Rio pulls back just enough to look at her.
“Why don’t you taste yourself?” she says, cocky. Her fingers pull out slow and she brings them to Agatha’s lips. “You taste so good, baby.”
Agatha doesn’t hesitate — lips part, tongue flicking out, tasting herself off Rio’s fingers. And Rio watches, head feeling dizzy, like she’s barely holding it together.
But then — Agatha’s phone buzzes.
“Your phone is buzzing” Rio is inside her again, thrusting harder now, making Agatha gasp and grab at the counter for balance.
“Let it ring,” Agatha breathes, back arching.
But it never stops.
“It’s Wanda,” Rio mutters, breathing warm against her neck.
Agatha blindly fumbles for the phone, she grabs it and swipes to answer, barely able to steady her voice. “H-Hey”
“Where the hell are you?” Wanda’s voice is crisp “Dinner’s about to be served, Lilia is asking for you”
Rio’s fingers don’t stop. If anything, they get slower. Crueler. Agatha bites down on her own lip.
Head thrown back, trying to remember how words work. “Just needed some air.”
“You sound weird. Are you okay?” Wanda asks, sharper now.
“I’m fine. I’ll be— right there.”
“Hurry up, please. I can’t think of more excuses”
“We should go back” She warns Rio
“Okay”
✨✨
Everyone was already seated and the only places available were by Wanda’s side. She side eyed them.
“Well, I hope you air was real pure for it to take it so long for you to breath it”
“I thought it took so little” Rio shrugged while sitting down and before Agatha could even answer, Lilia started to speak at the end of the table, Joanne by her side.
“I’ve gathered you here because I have some news to share. As you know, I am married to this beautiful woman right here, and I have promised her I would one day take a long vacation and increase our quality time together. So my dear coworkers, from the hospital directors to the women representing my exciting teams, I will be taking six months off” the room starts to commotion, people asking questions, making comments “I know! I know we are in the middle of the season, but you have capable people working with you, we have an injured player, but she’s been doing well with the newest Dr-”
“I’ll say…” Wanda murmurs under her breath, but Agatha hears it and gives her a little kick under the table. But at the same time, she feels Rio’s hands on her knee, calming her stress out.
“Um.. Lilia, who is going to be replacing you mid season? We have a system that works, all of your girls are being treated at the hospital” One of the Hospital’s shareholders asks.
“And they will continue to be. I have a very capable and responsible woman covering for me for the next six months. She is a bit late though, due to her flight being delayed, but she will join us shortly.”
“Do we know her?”
“No, she is coming from London, she just had an amazing year working for three top hospitals, she will know how to manage it. We already had this conversation with the Hospital owners last week but this dinner is for us to enjoy and celebrate the new things, eat up!”
No one would argue with Lilia, everyone dug right in and ate their food, having light conversations and right in the middle of that, the new person arrived. Lilia made her way to the door, bringing her closer and everyone turned their heads to face them.
“Everyone, this is Anne, she will be taking over my duties for now”
Anne.
The blonde from the college tour.
The blonde who took her out for ice cream.
The blonde she kissed.
The blonde she asked to leave.
Now, Anne was standing in front of her. She hadn’t aged a day. Hair shorter, wardrobe sharper—like a senator.
“Hey, everyone! Sorry I’m late!” Anne said.
Their eyes met. Agatha was silently begging the universe for an answer: How the hell did you end up here?
“You okay?” Rio asked gently, her hand finding Agatha’s knee again.
“I need some water,” Agatha muttered, already rising and slipping out of the dining room while the others welcomed Anne.
Rio looked at Wanda confused, she tried to get up and go after Agatha but Wanda was faster.
Agatha had her head down, hands on the sink and breathing heavily.
Wanda approached her slowly
“Hey, what happened?” she asked, voice low and warm.
“I don’t know… how the hell is she here?”
“Is she your ex?”
Agatha had never talked about that day with anyone other than Lilia and Joanne. She never named names though.
“We went on a date once” she said finally, facing Wanda, letting her gently swipe a tear away.
“Did she hurt you on the date? I could smack her face for you” The joke made Agatha let out a tiny laugh and Wanda smiled. “Seriously, though, do we need to talk to Lilia?”
“No… It’s not her. She-” Agatha stopped, inhaled deeply. “After the date, I went home. We kissed. My mother saw. She said things no one could forgive her for, Wanda. She was cruel. She was evil. And seeing Anne tonight just… brought all of that back. And these… confusing feelings. I don’t know.”
“Do you want to leave?”
“Maybe, but later. I don’t wanna make a scene”
“Okay… Rio is worried, you know”
Before Agatha could say anything to that, Anne entered the kitchen
“Excuse me…” She said
Wanda looked at Agatha. “Do you want me to stay?”
“It’s okay” Agatha gave a small shake of her head.
Once she was alone with Anne, they hugged as a greeting move. It felt weird, it felt out of place. It felt like she wasn’t deserving of a hug or that she was dirty. All the feelings from that day were brought back.
“I’m sorry I didn’t reach out,” Anne said, keeping a respectful distance. “I saw your name on the hospital’s website, but… texting felt weird.
“It still feels weird.” She agreed “You look great, though,” Agatha added.
“You too. I see you made a good life for yourself. Is the mother here?”
“God no! She died.”
“Oh thank god- Wait, no, sorry!”
“Don’t. I’m glad”
“So, is that your girlfriend out there?”
“What do you mean? The redhead? No, she’s just a friend.”
“I mean the brunette, Rio Vidal, she was sitting next to you, looking at you in a certain way…”
“Oh, Rio… she, um… no, we’re nothing, she’s my patient at the hospital”
“We’re nothing” was what Rio heard as she was making her way to the kitchen to check on Agatha.
If she could run, she would. But all she could do was ask Natasha to call the driver and take her home.
Natasha helped her outside, scanning Rio’s face.
“Are you sure you’re okay? Did you fall?”
Only looked at her with glassy eyes, shaking her head.
“Text me when you get home”
Rio only let herself cry once she got home.
We’re nothing. We’re nothing. Am I nothing?
She knew this was casual. But in reality nothing about it really was. But to be nothing?
“Hey, where’s Rio?” Agatha asked Natasha once she made her way to the living room, where everyone was having drinks after dinner
“She left”
“What? Why?”
“I don’t know, Agatha. You tell me.”
“What do you mean?”
"One minute she’s laughing with you, the next she’s in the car, barely holding it together.”
“Where did she go?”
“Home. I hope”
Agatha turned on her heel and grabbed the key to one of Lilia’s cars.
“Where the fuck are you going?” Natasha called, following her.
“If she’s hurt she needs me”
She hits the gas.
✨✨✨
“Rio, it’s me, open up” Agatha banged at the door and by the third knock, Rio opens it.
“What do you want?”
“Why did you leave? What happened?”
“Why are you so worried? I’m nothing to you, right?”
“What are you talking about? Why is everyone spitting phrases out in the air like I’m supposed to magically get it?!”
She stepped inside and shut the door behind her.
“Let me make it easier for you then. I don’t want this anymore.”
“What?”
“You can go and reminisce whatever the fuck you had with your old friend that just magically showed up to work as my fucking boss and I won’t bother you anymore. Actually, I’m not even bothering you since I’m nothing to you”
“Why are you saying this?”
“I heard you. Talking to her”
Oh.
Oh.
“Wait, I didn’t mean it like that-”
“How did you mean it then?”
“I meant we were not together. Officially”
“We’re not to-” Rio takes a deep breath and spins in a circle before standing still again “What the hell are we then?”
“We talked about this, Rio, this was supposed to be casual, I couldn’t-”
“This” Rio motions between them “was never casual. You fucking know it. I know it. We can’t keep our hands to ourselves, we fucked in every single place we could because we cannot resist each other. You moaned my name like it meant something. And it did. It was sweet, Agatha. Not just hot. Sweet. As exciting as it was, it was never casual. It will never be casual to me. So if that’s what you want, go be casual with Lilia’s wannabe and let me be nothing away from you.”
“Rio…” She tried reaching out
“Don’t”
“I’m sorry”
And she left.
It was never casual.
She couldn’t admit that because to want something real, meant exposing parts of herself she had buried for years. She had been hurt too many times. By exes, by her own mother, who had made love feel like a punishment and an obligation. She had learned the hard way: wanting too much was wrong.
And there’s Nicky. She couldn't risk inviting someone into that sacred space, only for them to leave. People always left.
It was easier to destroy now then to let someone else do it after.
Sometimes when you screw up, there’s no turning back.