Tick-tock
“One of you has to come with me”, Rio quickly looked at Billy and then her sight fell on Agatha, who was heavenly breathing, still recovering from the intense power grab, “That's how it's supposed to be”, she still had her eyes on Agatha, saying it directly to her, almost apologetic, “You,” she continued, now looking at Billy, “broke the rules”. Billy glanced at Agatha, not sure what to do next. She didn't seem to want to fight and so did Rio. They just stood there, in the middle of the Bohners garthen, staring at each other. Billy thought, maybe, they were speaking telepathically, but he wouldn't know.
So they stood there, Agatha looking at Rio and Rio looking at Agatha. Either of them not wanting to give up first. Too much pride. Too much hurt. Too much history.
And, what was left to say?
Agatha stood there, feeling frozen inside and out. She looked at Rio, in all of her glory. Looked at the woman who finally gave her a choice. Late for a few centuries, sure, but finally she got what she didn't get with Nicky. She could save this boy. And she is being a coward. She is not ready to die. She is scared. She doesn't want to. Because The Road, despite the fact that it was fake, still gave her. Not what she wanted, but what she needed. What she desired. She almost got it. Her second chance. Not with her boy, no, with another woman's son, but with her wife. With her coven. Coven of two with the secret third member.
“Tick-tock”, Rio whispered. Agatha looked at Billy. She sighed, feeling dizzy.
Well, in sickness and in health till Death do us apart it is. Except not exactly, no. She still can have time after. She just has to have faith that Rio would let her have this time with her.
All marriages eventually end with Death. Agatha Harkness was ahead of everybody else in the world already. Her marriage was with Death from the beginning.
She gathered all her courage and whispered, “I have a request for Death”. Rio looked at her again, curious, “When I go,” she starts, her voice shaking, “All I want to see and all I want to feel,” her eyes water but she continues anyway, “is you.” Rio doesn't answer right away. Everything goes quiet and all Agatha can hear is her own heart beat. But then, Rio starts to move closer to her and Agatha follows.
If she has to die today, it would be peaceful.
They finally meet in the middle, Agatha immediately landing her hands on Rios cheeks.
She looks her in the eyes and… Rio is crying. Silently.
“Request approved.” Agatha is ready to kiss her goodbye.
“I forgive you,” she leans forward, “I am sorry,” she feels Rios hands on the back of her neck, pulling her closer. Agatha smiles and is ready for Death to catch her.
“Stop!” Agatha opens her eyes. She sees a look of confusion in Rio's eyes and turns her head to look at Billy, who rushes to them, “Don't take her. I am responsible. Take me,” he says. Agatha wants to punch him. Dumb. Teen. “Don't,” she hisses at Billy, “Don't,” she says softer to Rio, “Take me. Let him live, please,” she can see the expression on Rio's face. Rio knows what Agatha is truly asking her to do. “Don't take this boy like you took our son”. “I finally have a choice, let me have this one”. And Rio knows that she has to give Agatha this one. She made her decision.
But she can't. She had to take their son and she isn't sure that taking her wife wouldn't break her.
Death does not suppose to have emotions. She has one purpose. One job. But somehow Rio ended up clinging to her wife, in the middle of suburban heaven, having two potential souls and unable to take either of them. “Alright,” she says, facing Billy, “I'll take you,” she can feel Agatha trying to brake out of her arms. “No!” she screams, “We made a deal!”
“But first,” Rio continues, not paying attention to Agatha's screams, still holding her wife tight in her arms, “I am going to forget about all of it for a few minutes,” she stares right into Billy's eyes, “And kiss my wife,” and without hesitation that's exactly what she does. She meets Agatha's lips with her own and feels like her wife melts under her touch. She pulls her closer and her mind goes blank.
And that is how Billy Maximoff became the first boy in the world who escaped Death.