Human
Billy really wanted to leave Rio there and forget all about their little interaction. He really did. But the second he walked out of the coffee place he felt tightness in his chest. He just couldn’t get Rio’s words out of his head. She wouldn’t want me. I didn’t want to lose my wife again. He just couldn’t get the paradox of those sentences together out of his head. She didn’t want to lose Agatha but she didn’t want to see her. Yeah, that made sense. And it also pissed Billy off really much.
It was clear that something was wrong in the way that Rio presented herself. Something was off. It wasn’t Rio, not really. So all that he could think about is to have an expert share her opinion.
“What took you so long? What, they didn’t have “all soy nothing but chemicals and no animals whatsoever” milk?” Agatha smirked. Billy took her hand and dragged her to the coffee shop, “Hey, what..!”
“I need another coffee.”
“You have one in your hand right now!” without thinking twice Billy threw the cup out to the ground, “Alright, I suppose I could use a sweet treat.”
They made it inside the coffeehouse and only then Billy let Agatha’s hand go. Right when they went inside, Agatha saw her sitting at the table but so did Rio. It was too late to run.
“Here is your sweet treat,” Billy said, ordering another coffee. Agatha stood there for a mere seconds, watching Rio carefully and then turned to the door and attempted to walk away. Billy stopped her, “Nope, not happening,” he took his cup out of the counter and led Agatha to Rio’s table, “Welcome to the couples therapy, he insisted that Agatha sit down and eventually she did, but refused to look at Rio. “Alright,” sighed Billy, “Do you have anything you want to say to each other?” neither of them answered, “Great, I guess, I start,” he cleared his throat, “I think that you are both being stupid. You both want to be with each other but you are too hurt and too stubborn to make the first move. No, really, it’s not true, Agatha, surprisingly, made the first move but somehow it all got fucked again. My question is - how did that happen?” it went silent again. Billy looked between Agatha and Rio, waiting. Rio was anxious again, but she finally spoke.
“I didn’t know it was four months”, she said quietly, “It wasn’t my choice,” Agatha huffed at that.
“It never is, huh?” Billy watched like hurt appeared on her face.
“You said you forgave me,” she hissed.
“Well you said you’d be with me forever!” Agatha cried out loudly. Rio closed her eyes for a moment. She knew why it hurt her so much, of course she knew. Agatha was left abandoned, alone, vulnerable. And when she felt all of that she was starting to bite.
“And I meant it,” Rio really tried to remain steady and confident, even if only on the surface, “I will never leave you. I don’t want to. It wasn’t my choice,” she repeated.
“Then what happened?” Rio hesitated for a minute. It was still new. It was still scary. Being a living, breathing human was terrifying. But she looked at the other woman and remembered that Agatha has lived with the same fear that she is experiencing right now her whole life. She loved Rio through this fear. She gave birth to their son through this fear. She lost him also with it deep down in her chest. And even after all of that, with such a heartbreak she had the braveness to give Rio the second chance. Agatha didn’t care about the fear when it came to Rio, so Rio decided that, if she would be scared, then it would be only for her wife.
“I was fired,” Agatha scoffed and finally looked at Rio.
“That’s absurd! Death can’t be fired!” but then she looked. Really looked at Rio. There were slightly more wrinkles on her face. More natural blush on her cheeks. She was dressed in human clothing, in an adorable green sweater with little plants on it. Her hair looked more natural, not all black, with a little bit of the light strands in it. Agatha put her hand on Rio’s chest and felt it - heartbeat. Then she felt it fasten when she stood up and got closer to her. “You’re a human,” she whispered and Rio nodded, “But where were you? What happened?”
“I am not sure. Somehow I just know that that's all happened because I didn’t take you. Because I disobeyed the laws of nature. But in reality all I remember was floating in nothingness. And then I saw your eyes,” Agatha smiled at that, “and then I fell and appeared here,” she finished, eyes on Agatha, “I didn’t abandon you, I swear,” Rio stood up and grabbed Agatha’s forearm, fearing that she would walk away. But it didn’t happen. Agatha stood there, eyes on Rio, her hand on her chest and look of disbelief on her face.
“So you are just a witch, then?” Rio nodded, seeing Agatha’s eyes starting to fill with tears, “You don’t have to collect souls anymore?” again, a nod, “You can stay with me?” tears were running down Agatha’s cheeks and she really tried not to sob. Rio nodded again and they finally got closer and closer until their lips met. They were kissing hungirly, almost violently, like they didn’t for centuries. Rio pulled out first, still not used to her human body.
“Sorry, I am still figuring out that “kissing-and-breathing-at-the-same-time” thing,” she smiled and Agatha smiled back at her.
“We’ll figure it out.”
It was a promise.
“Look, I am really happy for you and all, but you really put up a show for a whole coffeehouse here.”
“What, I can’t kiss my wife? That’s homophobic, you know?”