Agatha All Along
Agatha flinched, her arm feeling an odd weight as something stone cold laid against her chest. She blinked, finding black hair over her face, blocking part of her vision. She didn’t move, not understanding why she was the one on her back. Agatha Harkness didn’t sleep on her back. Agatha Harkness didn’t sleep without being held in one form or another. She pushed the hair away from her face, blinking through the low glow of the morning light. The room came to life, but instead of meeting the florals of their room, she was met with blackened tendrils of vines, perished flowers floating to the ground, and the worst, the tree in the corner Rio was growing from scratch was now rotten, filling the room with a smell Agatha grew accustomed to when Rio was in a miserable mood.
Her eyes shot down the entity, stone dead against her bare chest. Rio’s skin was freezing, causing bumps along her body and her nipples stood at attention. She couldn’t move the covers over herself as she felt her body shiver. Agatha moved the mass of black hair away from her wife’s face and found a smile etched there and she wondered if Rio really fell asleep with a stupid smile. Part of her couldn’t help but laugh at the notion of it. They had been in a serious conversation before sleep took over them both. Agatha was sitting up with Rio laying haphazardly on her as they talked softly with each other. They still had yet to renew their vows, and getting back to the mortal world was something they had yet to plan and Rio had mentioned if they would have to talk to her other self about the idea of two random souls reappearing and the disruption it might cause. After that, Agatha had changed the topic, asking Rio what constellation she would be and thus, they fell asleep arguing about the stars.
Agatha jumped, her soul leaping for a moment as the body wrapped around her moved. It was still dead and the body moved as if it were animatronic. It turned on its side before reaching absently for her. She chuckled, moving behind the cold body, pressing herself against her and placing her arm underneath Rio’s head. Rio melted into her before turning to stone again.
I could perhaps get used to this, Agatha thought fondly as she took in her wife’s scent, expecting her to smell of her favorite earthy pine, but Rio only smelled like the decay in their room from the plants.
She wrinkled her nose, lifting her head away from Death. Sure she was Death’s wife, but alas, Agatha Harkness was still closer to human than not.
Or not, she frowned.
She stared at the glow of the sun, knowing they still had a couple hours until their duties called to them, but her gaze landed back on Rio’s decaying willowing tree in the corner. It was oozing a deep rot, one she had never seen their plants produced, even when her wife was angry. Her mind then went back to the fight her son and wife had. What even prompted it? Why did Nicky come back from his room when he specifically was told to stay until dinner? Agatha held her wife closer, the realization hitting her harder as sleep left her. Rio wasn’t supposed to be sleeping. Something was eating away at her and yet, this sleep didn’t add up to any of Nicky’s episodes. She kissed the cold shoulder softly, wondering if Rio felt it at all. Her body was dead, the weight in their bed real, but the way she had shifted made Agatha wonder if Rio was dreaming or how her brain was working as she slept. Rio didn’t seem to register her lips amongst her skin, so as the light slowly filtered into their, Agatha kept pressing her loving kisses into Lady Death’s skin, grounding herself as she waited for the entity to stir.
Rio’s body eventually twitched as an hour of pressing her firm kisses into the being. The warmth slowly returned to the skin against her until the body took a large breath in, but nonetheless clung to whatever sleep she was in. Agatha’s heart eased, feeling her Rio come back to her. She wrapped her arm tighter around her waist as her wife hummed in protest of being woken up. Agatha chuckled, pressing her kisses along her shoulder blades before nosying her way for Rio to open the crook of her neck for her. Her wife eventually gave in, allowing her to press her lips against perfect unmarked skin. Part of her wished to mark it, she always wished to mark the cosmic’s untouchable skin. She sucked into Rio’s neck this time causing her wife to let out gasp, an arm wrapped around until a firm hand held the back of her head, keeping her there. Agatha smiled into it, the pine scent returning as she sucked just under her wife’s jaw.
Rio held her close, her eyes closed as Agatha grew bold, her hand resting on Rio’s stomach slowly creeping lower. Her fingers grazed along her wife’s stomach before tapping lightly and tracing her hips. Her wife moved, her legs opening to welcome her fingers, but before she could even graze that beautiful patch of hair, their door was creaking open.
“Mama? Mami?”
Agatha and Rio pulled away surprised, Rio’s magic pulling the covers over their bodies. Agatha felt the heat in her cheeks as she stared at the boy in their room mortified. Her heart raced, pounding through her body as her mind out-ran it. Her thoughts spiralled, her breath caught as she wondered what he saw. Agatha’s eyes narrowed to Rio, seeing her own shocked expression. Her wife always knew when their son was near the room and it was thanks to Rio’s powers that she saved him from the trauma of their proclivities.
Why didn’t you sense him? her mind screamed as Rio audibly swallowed.
“What were you doing?” he asked, his large brown eyes staring up at them as he clutched his rabbit to his chest.
“Um–” Agatha’s mind raced for some excuse.
Nicky had seen them kiss plenty of times, even cuddling together, but this, she knew how it looked. She could see the confused and curious gears turning in their boy’s head. His eyes switched between the two of them, accessing their positions in the early morning light. His head tilted, his brows furrowing.
“Why don’t you have clothes on? Did you sleep like that?” his voice full of innocent wonder.
Agatha’s cheeks burned hot as Rio collected herself faster, “Mama and I were hot that’s all. Sometimes adults sleep without pjs, nothing to worry about.”
Nick’s eyes squinted at her, clearly not believing her, “Yeah, but you were so close and your kissing was weird.”
Goddesses give me strength, Agatha pleaded as Rio and her once more fished for an answer.
Rio answered again for them, “You know Mama and I kiss sometimes. It shows how much we love each other.”
Nicky shrugged, clearly bored now he turned back to Agatha, “Can I have pancakes now?”
Agatha breathed out, “Yes, sweetheart, your mami and I will be right down.”
Once their door shut, Agatha collapsed into the soft pillows, groaning as she covered her face with her hands, “My love, why didn’t you sense him?”
A soft chuckle echoed through the room, forcing Agatha to peak up at the entity with annoyance.
She sat up, glaring at her wife, “Oh, I know you’re not laughing right now.”
It only made her wife laugh harder, her head thrown back as the deep laugh brought the plants in the room back to life. Agatha’s eyes softened as her heart fluttered. She was beautiful like this, carefree and happy. She watched as morning sun caught in Rio’s raven hair, a soft sheen illuminating as her laughter calmed, beautiful browns meeting her eyes. Agatha forgot for a moment why she was annoyed, staring at her wife.
“It could have gone worse, plus you should have seen your face,” her wife leaned down, kissing the tip of nose, a smug smirk on her face.
Agatha groaned, forgetting how infuriatingly cute her wife is. She fell back into the bed as Rio loomed over her, her own hands moving hers away from her face as her laugh echoed again. She refused to meet her wife’s gaze as kisses peppered on her cheeks and lips. Rio moved over her wife, enjoying the embarrassment her wife was facing, her on the hand, she was fine. She took care of it, and it was only a matter of time before Nicky would walk on them. She thought fondly, wondering how annoyed he would be with them when he became a teenager.
She chuckled lightly, kissing her wife’s lips until the stubborn witch kissed her back. Her wife cupped her face like she was the most tender being in all the universes and Rio melted as always. Agatha pulled them away, her eyes searching hers before Rio caught the nervous expression there.
“Rio, my love, why didn’t you sense him?”
Rio froze, sitting up in her wife’s lap to create some distance but her wife closed it again, sitting up and placing her own hands on her wife’s hips.
“Um,” her mind raced through the thoughts.
Her magic was always aware of Nicky, how he was feeling, where he was, especially when he neared their room during their nights entangled, and now Nicky supposedly siphoning her strength and her own cosmic magic settling his, she should be connected to him more than ever. She darted her gaze away from her wife for a moment, but the black oozing of her tree caught her attention. She sprang up, startling the witch as she crossed the room in two easy strides.
“What the hell?” she said aloud, staring as the black ooze bubbled from the bark.
Rio let out her magic, trying to heal the willow, but she watched as it sparked, burning the young sapling and wilting it further.
“No,” Rio breathed out, yanking her hand back, staring at it as it personally betrayed her.
She closed her eyes, feeling her magic, the green and cosmic magic was mixing, a dangerous combination, and a wildness she hadn’t felt since the beginning of her existence. Her magic used to be wild, sparking out of control and unpredictable as wildfires. She breathed in, trying to separate and for a moment she succeeded. She breathed the green magic wrapping around the sapling, but the wildfire sparked again. She stepped back as her tree turned to dust before her eyes. Something stirred in her stomach as she held up her hands, watching the green and black mix. They seemed to have another master and then something else in Rio snapped. Tears poured from her eyes before she knew what was happening. She choked back a sob, covering her mouth as she turned to the other plants around the room, watching as they rotted in her presence before falling to the floor in piles of ash.
“My love?”
Agatha sat at the edge of the bed, watching her wife. She watched her lover’s mind turn, her magic flickering with a strange unruliness. Her body tensed, unsure if she should approach as tears streamed. Her heart ached as she remained frozen. Rio was always in control of her magic. She was the picture of control and tranquility. Lady Death controlled her emotions, her face never revealing how she felt when she was overwhelmed, but now Agatha stared as the entity, who has only ever cried over the deaths of her wife and son, cried over the deaths of her plants and over a moment where her magic was not in control.
At the sound of her voice, Rio whipped towards her, her eyes growing red as the bones appeared. She was ready to meet a full skeleton, but Rio’s body was a mix of death and life. Her lower jaw was Death, a form she preferred as the rest of her body would be human, but it was not. One arm was full of bone, mixed with rot as the other was perfectly human. Her legs revealed chunks of bone and flesh as if wolves were stealing bites of flesh from her. Her ribs, always on full display, remained untouched. Agatha breathed in sharply as Rio froze, staring down at her body with an angered cry, stepping into the shadows and disappearing.
“Rio– wait,” Agatha called after her as her own body moved through the shadows, but Rio was already lost in them.
Agatha stepped back, her body frozen as she stared at the wall where Rio stepped through. Her breath was held, a weight coming down on her and her body rattled with the shift. For a moment, all she could do was stand there, feeling the room pulse with tension. She’d seen Rio’s magic go wild before, but nothing like this. This was different. This wasn’t the contained wield of chaos Rio would wield with a grace only capable by a cosmic entity, no… this was something else entirely.
Her thoughts spun, trying to piece together what happened in the span of minutes between them. The balance Rio kept was a delicate one, one of life and death. She was a walking paradox and one with perfect control, but now? She had snapped. Her powers were crashing violently, unable to find that perfect balance on the scale. It was as though Rio had lost her grip entirely, and what she had once so effortlessly held as one now spiraled in a way Agatha had never witnessed.
Putting on her robe, Agatha turned, knowing her wife needed time alone. She would never push Rio, not after what happened before her eyes. She walked into the corridors, finding them even holding their breath. The air thickened her wake as she passed plants all turned to ash. The once vibrancy of her home was laced with a darker sentiment than death. It was strange, heartbreaking. Agatha could feel her wife’s pain, her distress– her deep, unsettling loss of control— but the most daunting thing of all was the silence that followed.
Rio, her wife, her rock, was no longer the center of calm. She retreated back to the shadows, her own grief and confusion consuming her. Agatha understood why Rio fled there, and was surprised she didn’t flee there sooner. Her wife was opening up more to her but the shadows were a comfort that Agatha would never deny her. The entity was never supposed to be human— to feel human emotion let alone love or have that love be so powerful, to create a child from scratch. The silence stretched on as she made her way down the stairs, finding more ash in her wake. She swallowed, freezing as she heard Nicky playing in the living room.
The silence became thicker.
Agatha could let Rio take her time, to hide as she needed, but a six year-old, who already screamed at Rio and told her that she would leave them… he wouldn’t understand. The fight still lingered in her mind, the fear on Nicky’s face, but she realized it wasn’t of Rio, it was of what Rio would do. She could easily tell her son that Rio had to take care of something work related, but that would lead to questions and her own son thinking that Rio had left them. Her wife could take days in the shadows, which was fine by her. She knew Rio was around, she wouldn’t stray far, if anything, Rio was right next to her, seeping in Agatha’s calming presence from afar.
Agatha didn’t bother reaching through, knowing it would upset her more. Instead, she pushed forward, knowing for now, Rio’s well-being was more important. Nicky would have to learn that Rio would never leave them. He would have to trust them. She froze again, thinking back to the moments of when Nicky was a babe and the distrust she had with Rio being near their son, and for a moment she blamed herself for how Nicky was acting. With a heavy sigh, she realized she couldn’t change it. It was done, and if Agatha Harkness could learn to trust, so could her son.
Walking in, her thumb brushed her locket around her neck grounding her as she made her way into the kitchen and started the order for breakfast. Nicky didn’t seem to notice her at first, which gave her a moment to think on how to approach him. She still had to ask him when he felt from his mami, whether he was siphoning Death’s powers or her strength, but there was also the matter of the fight. Their son had disrespected both of them.
First, Nicky didn’t listen to her. He had questioned her when she told him to go to his room. Then, instead of staying there and giving her wife breathing room, he came out. Finally, he had started a fight with Rio, accusing her of things she knew Rio had feared.
They had spent countless nights of Agatha reassuring her that she knew she was loved by her and that Nicky knew he was loved by her. Rio did feel like she left him during those years when she spent time away, but Agatha would only say it was her fault. She had driven her away, and she did everything in her power to give Nicky time. Agatha truly understood Rio loved her, probably more than anyone loved someone. Rio’s love was unconditional, one she took advantage of while in the living world, and one she would never do again in this world. It was her turn to show Rio that her love was unconditional, and that even meant through moments like these. Lately, she had calmed down, but after last night and then this morning, she wasn’t sure what Rio would be like.
Agatha thought back to Nicky, needing him to tell her both what he felt from Rio, but also to give out the correction of last night. She wished he could understand how much Rio sacrificed for him, for them, but how was a six year-old supposed to understand that the cosmic entity of Death, went against her very nature to create him and give him more time? Agatha could still barely process it herself some days. It was almost too much, but so was Agatha Harkness.
She sighed, mixing the batter absentmindedly, still trying to wrap her head around the events of her son and wife.
Always the dramatics, she mused to herself, knowing it would never not be this way.
“Mama?” Nicky appeared in the kitchen, staring up at her with soft eyes.
“Yes, honey?” she asked, pouring the batter into the pan on the stove.
Nicky regarded her for a moment before narrowing his eyes around the kitchen in search of Rio, “Where’s Mami?”
Fuck, she internally groaned, but didn’t pull away from her task, “Oh, she’s in the study, sweetheart. We had something pop up this morning after you left our room. She will be down later tonight.”
Agatha could punch herself, because that meant she had to find Rio before tonight, and knowing her wife, she wouldn’t want to come out from the shadows.
“Go ahead and set the table for the two of us.”
Nicky crossed his arms, “Can she at least join us for breakfast?”
It’s too early for this, she thought, but just shook her head.
“No, son. It was either me or your mami to attend this issue. I spent all day yesterday, so your mami volunteered.”
It wasn’t entirely a lie, but Agatha still had her duties on the throne. She cringed, knowing this was going to turn into a fight.
For now, Nicky took her story, grabbing the plates and forks and making his way to the kitchen counter to eat. She joined him, setting his pancake on his plate and having one forself. There were still two more and without a word, she grabbed another plate and the syrup before Nicky could see, and pushed the plate into the shadows, to show Rio she was there when she was ready. Turning back to her son, she eyed him, up and down as he struggled to cut the pancake.
She took his fork, cutting the treat herself as she spoke, “Nicky?”
“Yes, mama?”
“I was curious, what do you feel when you cling to mami?”
Nicky met her gaze, “What do you mean?”
“Like how she is able to stop the pain, how does she do that?”
Nicky took a bite, seeming to think on it before smiling, “Oh, it’s just a cold hug! Like your hugs are always warm, but hers are freezing. It stops the magic from hurting me.”
Agatha nodded, “Do you feel like you are more powerful in her embrace?”
She chose her words carefully, not wanting to ask her son directly if he was taking Rio’s powers.
He simply shook his head, “No. I just feel calm. When she hugs me, I feel both of our powers settling, and the cold is like a blanket.”
Agatha took a breath, still needing more confirmation, “Well, you know how Mami’s been more tired?”
He nodded, but still shoved his food into his mouth. She combed her fingers through his hair, needing something to ground herself through this question.
“Do you feel as if you are taking anything from Mami? We only were wondering because if you have taken after me, well, you might be accidentally taking her powers to settle yours.”
Nicky stopped eating, peering up at her as he narrowed his eyes to think, “No, I am not taking her powers. I mean I feel her magic within her, but it always stays the same. There’s a pulse from it, strong and steady. I like it, but I am not taking it.”
Agatha nodded, smiling down at him, “I believe you. We were just wondering.”
“Is something wrong with Mami? Is that why she has been acting strange?” his eyes grew big with worry.
She took him into her embrace, “She is not feeling like herself, but she is fine, honey. I promise. You know how strong your mami is.”
He frowned, his head bowing, as Agatha prayed he wouldn’t blame himself, “But she will be fine for tonight?”
Agatha cocked her head at him, not understanding what tonight was, but as if reading her mind, Nicky answered her question.
“You know, the night for the magic box. Mami said you would fix it.”
Agatha chuckled, “Did she now?”
He nodded adamantly, so sure of his mami’s words. Agatha chuckled, taking him into her arms as she led them to the couch. This next part she was going to hate, but not as much as Nicky.
“Actually, son, we need to discuss last night.”
He stared at her, his eyes wide, but remained quiet as she sat him on the couch before kneeling to his level.
“I told you specifically to stay in your room, correct?” she said, sharply, her anger now returning as the events of last night unfolded in her mind.
Nicky only stared at her, his expression stoic.
It was Rio staring back at her.
“Nicholas?” she said firmly, watching as he flinched, avoiding her eyes.
Oh, so I can make him flinch, but the embodiment of Death can’t? she thought, remembering the way he had refused to leave Rio’s angry gaze.
“Nicholas, look at me,” she said again, reaching forward with two fingers to raise his chin.
Tears were already glistening in his eyes.
She shook her head, “Don’t cry. I just need you to understand that actions have consequences. I told you to stay in your room, but then, you start a fight with your mami. Nicholas,” she said again, holding his gaze, wiping the tears from his cheeks. “You really hurt her with what you said. You can’t make accusations like that. Mami loves both of us more than you possibly understand. She is never going to leave, why would you even say such a thing?”
Her son remained frozen, tears heavy down his cheeks. She took a breath, knowing she needed to calm herself. She never wanted to yell at him, make him feel afraid. She wouldn’t allow herself to make her son afraid after what her own mother did to her. For a moment, cold eyes haunted her, the silver hair bright as her cheek burned with the phantom slap. No, her son would never face that cruelty from her. She was a good mother, better than Evanora Harkness ever was.
You weren’t born evil, my love. Your mother was. She saw how strong you are and couldn’t handle it. You have a beautiful and rare gift, and it’s one of the many things that I love about you, her wife’s voice echoed in her mind.
Agatha breathed through her tightening chest, the bitterness of her childhood creeping in and taking hold of her for a moment, even through Rio’s comforting words. She shook it off focusing on Nicky, who’s tear-stained face still avoided hers. His silence was suffocating, reminding her of her own fear as a child. She never spoke up, always too scared to voice her fears and worst, the fear was of her own mother, but Nicky wasn’t her. Nicky would never be her.
She wiped his tears, cradling his face as she did with Rio, wondering if mother was like son, and he was. He melted like Rio did when she did this. She wouldn't let him be scared.
She shushed him softly as hiccups filled the room, “Sweetheart, I understand you’re confused. Last night was a lot and I know Mami scared you, but she would never leave us. Right now, she is going through something that her and I are still figuring out, but that is for us to worry about. She is going to be fine, but you need to listen to us, okay?”
He nodded, meeting her gaze finally, “I’m sorry, mama, please. I was just scared–”
She gathered him into her arms, kissing his head as he buried himself into her neck, “Shh, I know, but you can’t let your fear control you like that.”
He sniffed, refusing to answer her, and her heart broke for a moment. She kissed his head again, rocking them back on forth as she moved to sit on the ground with him in her lap.
“Nicholas,” she said softly. “Mami and I love you so much. We both want the world for you, and you and I both know Mami would do anything to keep us safe. No one is going anywhere.”
“But–” he started, but Agatha shushed him again.
“We are not going anywhere, honey, and you have to know that you can talk to us. We are your parents, your moms. You have to talk to us when you don’t understand something or are scared, okay?”
He nodded into her neck, gripping onto her tighter. She smiled, slightly, kissing his head again.
“It’s okay to be scared, but I want you to promise me and your Mami one thing?”
He pulled away, rubbing his eyes before staring up at her, “Yeah?”
“I want you to promise us that you’ll always come to me or her when something confuses you or scares you. You can always talk to us.”
“Okay,” he agreed. “I promise.”
Agatha held him closer, “That’s my boy.”
The silence stretched for a moment, allowing Agatha to bathe in the tendernance with her son in her arms. He was cold, a reminder of Rio, and it warmed Agatha’s heart.
“Mama?” Nicky broke the silence.
“Yes, honey?”
“Does that mean we can’t watch the magic box tonight?” he asked, his eyes wide and pleading.
Agatha shook her head sternly, “No, we are not watching the magic box tonight. Today, I want you to read. Your toys will be there tomorrow, understand?”
He nodded but refused to let her go.
“And, son? Next time knock on our door when we are in our bed chambers,” she added.
***
Rio groaned as she collapsed onto the floor of their room. Everything was spinning her magic sparking from her fingertips. She looked around, realizing Agatha was probably still downstairs with Nicky. Last she was with her in the shadows was when she pushed a plate of pancakes for her, but the smell made her stomach twist. Her stomach continued, growling and making it hard to breathe. She needed something, anything as panic surged through her body. Everything was wrong, everything hurt— twisted inside her. She stood, pacing in the room as she held her stomach, trying to keep her raw and unruly magic inside. Something had changed inside her. She groaned, freezing as something else passed through her– something so terrifyingly human. She ran to their bathroom, barely making it into the sink as blood painted the porcelain bowl, dripping slowly into the drain. Before she could swear, another wave slammed into her. Tears ran hot down her cheeks as she stared at last night’s food.
What the hell is happening to me?
She stepped back against the wall, sliding to the floor as she cried. Her body trembled with each sob as she stared at the sink, holding blood and the meal she had eaten. The smell was of death, and for the first time in history, it made her insides churn. She clutched her stomach, trying to hold some semblance of being put together as her mind raced. Then the realization hit hard and fast. Nicky couldn’t be siphoning from her, her magic was still so powerful, no, this was something with her.
She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, before staring at the blood that was smeared there. Maybe her own powers were still settling in this realm. She was no longer just Death and she was starting to accept it.
That is it. I accepted it and now my powers must, she told herself, standing on shaking feet to rinse the sink out. Agatha won’t have to know about this. I will be fine in a week or so.
Rio was not fine within a week…
or two…
or three…
Her magic continued to surge out of control, her tiredness consuming her where she spent her time in between work passing out on the couch. Agatha sometimes would hold her, whispering sweet nothings into her ear to calm her. They both agreed it wasn’t Nicky and whatever conversation her wife had with Nicky calmed him. He asked her questions, revealing his fears for her to her. She was shocked, but nonetheless listened and calmed him. She ate less, not that her wife was worried, as she didn’t need to eat and only partook in the pleasure for a semblance of humanness, but the moments of nausea didn’t leave her. She hid it well from her wife, who never caught her. Rio was lucky it was in her nature to be aloof, so her disappearing to anywhere but near Nicky and Agatha, didn’t bother either of them. To them, it was just her.
Today was quiet, and she felt marginally better. Her nerves settled and this morning she didn’t puke. Rio played with her magic for a moment, feeling a sense of control. She breathed in, allowing the calm to wash over her. She was going to feel better. She was going back to herself. Rio leaned back against the couch, holding a cup of tea in her hands as the magic box echoed with the sounds of the Amazon jungle. Agatha gave her the day off, wanting her to relax and to be with Nicky who seemed more irritated with his powers. Agatha was in the plane in person, tending to matters instead from the throne room. Their subjects lately were strangely asking for their real presence instead of shadows and the wolves advised them it would be fine to show them who they ruled by. Rio had revealed herself last week amongst the witches and those who Agatha killed. She didn’t need her wife to deal with them. Everyone else could know who she was.
“Mami!” her son ran into the living room, breaking the peace.
She peered over, watching as he stepped over his toys and climbed into her lap. Rio chuckled, her magic setting her mug on the side table before wrapping her arms around him. Nicholas nuzzled under her chin, before grabbing at her shirt. Nicky hadn’t wanted Death in a while, and Rio knew she no could could reveal her ribs. She turned though, moving his hands up to her collarbones. She remained half human, her arms, shoulders and below her eyes fully skull, the rest human. Nicky accepted it, clinging roughly to her.
She ran her hands through his hair, humming to calm him as the narrator from the TV continued on:
“Cordyceps, a parasitic fungus capable of taking the minds of ants, has evolved. Here, a Brazilian tarantula, recently discovered with cordyceps. Her movements— more aggressive, faster, and erratic.”
She stared at the poor spider, thinking of her own who lived in the library. This one had bright orange spikes from her head, wrapping around her like its own type of poisonous web. Orange specks floated around her as she moved over the forest floor, infecting insects around her. For a moment she froze. Tarantulas were a couple degrees below human body temperatures, and if cordyceps were evolving, would the humans meet their end on that earth soon. Death would be busy and part of her hoped that meant that she and Agatha would be called to the living realm to help guide the souls to their realm.
“My Lady?” one of the wolves came before her, bowing low.
She nodded to them to continue, “There’s a soul in the throne room asking for an audience with you, well with Lady Agatha, but I figured I should let you know. She is refusing to leave.”
Rio’s eyebrows creased, “Who?”
The wolf shook her head, “She would not say, my Lady. I can watch the young prince, if that pleases you.”
Lady Death turned her attention to Nicholas, feeling him calm. Everything in her screamed to stay with him, but a soul in their throne room? Agatha and her never got personal visitors, and most importantly, why would a soul ask for her wife and not her. She caressed her son’s head, having him pull away.
“Stay here with the wolf. I will be right back, okay, mijo?” she said softly.
He nodded, solemnly as she stood, setting him back on the couch and allowing the wolf to join him as she made his rabbit appear. For a moment her magic wavered, but she honed it in, knowing it will still take some time. Changing out of sweatpants and her sweater, her cloak fell over her along with a simple gown and her jade crown. She walked towards the door, her steps silent and sure before pausing. A smirk painted her lips as she willed herself to manifest on her throne. She watched as the woman stepped back, surprised, but her face was covered in a tattered cloak. Rio tilted her head, having the wolves snarl at the soul.
“Bow before her Lady, peasant,” they snapped at her heels.
She did, keeping her face hidden. She nodded to the wolves, forcing her hood down to reveal long grey hair. Her face was still hidden, but blind rage took over Rio as she stood, Death snarling and cracking her bones at the sight before her. She knew she was here, but to show up before them, to be so near their son– Lady Death allowed the shadows to wrap around her, holding the woman in place as angry familiar blues met hers.
She kept her tone ice, “Evanora Harkness, what do I owe the displeasure?”
Evanora flinched, her strong stance wavering into her fear before the entity, “I have come to speak to my daughter, not whatever the fuck you are.”
Rio laughed at her defiance. She knew the woman was cold, powerful, but now the woman was nothing before her. She sat back down, motioning the wolves to leave them.
“Do you not know what I am?” she faked her pout, knowing it would get under the woman’s skin.
Evanora tried to stand, but the shadows held her, “You are the demon that dragged my daughter further into this madness.”
Rio barked her laugh, thundering through the hall, “You will wish I was a demon when I am done with you, Evanora. I am Lady Death and your daughter-in-law.”
Evanora froze at that, staring at Rio with wide eyes. She swallowed hard, now trying to escape. Rio laughed again, stepping towards her and allowing her hood to fall and to reveal her skeleton visage.
“My wife is busy at the moment, but either way, you will not be seeing her.”
Before either could continue, the sound of feet running caught their attention. Both turned and for a moment, Rio’s heart dropped into her stomach as Nicky raced into the throne room crying. The wolves were at his heels trying to stop him, but Nicky wasn’t having it. He sprinted faster racing past Evanora without a glance.
“Mami!” he cried as she pulled him against her chest, allowing his hands to wrap around her bones as he cried.
“My Lady, we are so sorry, he just–”
Rio held up her hand, silencing them as she swayed with him. She could feel Evanora’s eyes on them, the confusion and uncertainty consuming her. Nicky clutched to her, shaking as his magic felt hot, uncontrolled like hers.
“It’s okay, mijo,” whispered, turning her back to the woman before them, but that decision was a mistake.
Without realizing it, she revealed his face to the woman as Nicky pulled away from her neck, peering over her shoulder. He was curious who was kneeling before his mami, even through the pain, which was ebbing away with each breath. They locked eyes, and Nicholas felt something cold…and uncomfortable cold. It wasn’t the cold comfort of his mother, no this one sparked a fear inside him he couldn’t place as the woman gasped. Rio whipped around, needing to get the woman out of here, but it was too late.
“Is that…is…” she stuttered over words. “Is that Agatha’s son?”
Rio didn’t acknowledge the question, knowing the silence was enough of an answer. Agatha was going to be furious when she found out her mother knew of their son, but Evanora was powerless here. She no longer had power. Agatha made sure of it that night she killed her.
“Mami,” Nicky spoke up, his pain breaking into fear.
He remembered what he promised his Mama, and so decided to ask in front of the strange woman.
“Who is she? I’m scared,” he finished softly.
Rio pulled him closer, her heart aching at his words, but it was nothing compared to her anger as she turned to the wolves, “Take her to the pit and leave there to rot.”
The wolves came forward as she made her way down the stairs, refusing to release the woman from her shadows until they passed but as they passed, venom was spit at them.
“You realize what a disgrace this is! This child can’t possibly be happy with fucking Agatha Hakrness as a mother and fucking Death as whatever the hell you are–”
Rio allowed the shadows to strangle her as she turned, concentrating on her magic, but then the air grew colder. The temperature plummeted further than when Death was present. Her grip on Nicky loosened and she turned, watching as his form flickered. She watched as his skin faded into nothing, his eyes rolling until only white glowing orbs were present. His hair left his head as pristine bones matched her own. His jaw was sharp, a gap between his front two teeth like her own apparent as he stared at Evanora.
Evanora’s gaze widened in horror at the sight, but Rio’s heart swelled with pride. She couldn’t stop the pleased laugh escaping from her mouth as her hand caressed the back of his skull. She walked back into her home holding her son close as she finally got her son’s attention.
“Oh, Nicky, you are so handsome,” her voice drowning in pride as she placed her forehead against his. “My young prince of Death.”
His eyes lit up, meeting her gaze as skeletal hand came up, resting on her own cheekbones, “The magic doesn’t hurt anymore, mami.”
She nodded her head slightly, “This was what we were waiting for.”
Nicky kept his phalanges on her bones, tracing them before tracing his own cheekbones in curiosity. Then, he met her gaze, “That woman, she was Mama’s mother?”
Rio nodded as she made her way further into their home, “Yes, but don’t worry, mijo. I took care of her. She will never harm you and your Mama on my watch. Can you keep a secret for me, mijo?”
He nodded, his eyes lighting mischievously.
“Don’t tell Mama that woman came today. It will make her sad, okay?”
He nodded, “I promise, Mami. I don’t want to make her sad.”
She knew she would have to tell her wife soon. This was something she couldn’t hide from her and she deserved to know, but tonight they had to celebrate. Nicky was of her, was of Death, and him coming into his skeleton form was something they both had wondered if it were possible. Now that it was, Rio couldn’t keep her pride in check, but she also wanted to let her son know, this was something to be proud of and that Agatha would love both of them no matter what form they choose.
Rio chose to surprise her wife, dressing Nicky in a similar cloak she wore as they hid in the shadows together. Both of them eyed each other, a knowing smirk on display as they heard the door open, Agatha walking into their home. They watched her set her cloak on a rack on their door as she walked into the kitchen, her dress a deep purple and her hair braided back.
“Nicky? My love? I’m home,” she called and Rio covered her son’s mouth from laughing.
She knelt down nodding at him to transform which he did, a skeletal visage matching her own.
“Remember the plan, mijo?” she whispered.
He nodded enthusiastically, covering his own mouth as he vibrated with excitement. She pressed her forehead against his before pulling away.
“My love,” she spoke, her voice echoing through their home, carrying her ancient power. It was otherworldly, shaking the very foundation of their home.
Most mortals would fall to their knees in fear, but not Agatha. She simply crossed her arms, looking to the shadows expectantly.
Rio smirked, “We have a surprise for you.”
“Yeah, and who is this ‘we,’” her wife teased, tilting her head.
Rio moved Nicky behind her, stepping out from the shadows behind Agatha.
She smirked, leaning by her ear and whispering, “Boo.”
Agatha didn’t jump, simply turning and facing Death, “Unfortunately, that doesn’t make the tally, my love.”
Rio raised her head, feeling Nicky behind her. She kept her wife’s gaze as the silence stretched on.
Agatha broke it, “Well, my surprise?”
“Greedy as ever, Agatha Harkness.”
Her wife rolled her eyes, moving to pull Rio closer by her hips, “Harkness-Vidal, love, or did you forget who’s soul I am tied to?”
Rio clicked her teeth in laughter as her wife kissed the bone of her cheek and turned on her heel to move into the kitchen, “Where’s Nicky?”
Rio’s heart skipped a beat as Agatha’s question lingered in the air. Her eyes glinted with the knowledge that this moment was coming, the culmination of everything they’d worked for, and she couldn’t let her wife’s curiosity grow too strong.
With a grin, she whispered, “Patience, my love.”
She took a few steps back, giving Nicky the signal to reveal himself.
As she stepped aside, Nicky emerged, his form now fully skeletal, a perfect replica of Rio’s. The cloak he wore mirrored hers, the same dark fabric that swirled with an otherworldly energy as it moved. Agatha turned, raising an eyebrow at the unanswered question, but it quickly fell as she stared at the small entity beside Death. For a moment, the only sound was the tv in their living room, narrating another nature documentary. Agatha’s expression shifted, first to surprise, and then to something deeper– something softer, filled with love and awe she always felt for their child.
“Nicky?” she whispered, her voice full of wonder.
She stepped closer, her eyes scanning every inch of him. The sharpness of his skeletal features, the glowing orbs where his eyes should have been, the way he stood tall and proud beside Rio.
“My handsome boy,” she laughed, scooping him up in her arms and swinging him around before hugging him.
Nicky squealed with laughter, making both Rio and Agatha’s hearts swell with the sweet note. Agatha kissed his bony cheek, making his laughter infectious as she continued to pepper kisses all along his skull.
“Mama!” he giggled. “Stop!”
Agatha pulled away, the smile so big that it hurt her cheeks, “Oh, Nicky, you are perfect. I am so proud of you.”
Nicky smiled, sitting straight in her arms, “I am just like Mami!”
Agatha gave him a knowing smile as she pulled him closer, “Right you are, my darling prince of Death. Come on, let’s go make cookies to celebrate.”
Rio watched from a distance, a smile painting her features that made her eyes squint as her wife took their son into the kitchen and set him on the counter. Before she could join them, Rio’s stomach clenched hard, making her gasp. She held it, stepping back into the shadows and into her garden. She didn’t bother to stop herself as bent over into the patch of blackened azalea’s, watching as the blood contrasted with ooze of black. It was worse than ever and it didn’t want to stop until everything was covering her dead garden.
Lady Death crumbled to the ground, sobbing into her hands. It was overwhelming, between Evanora Harkness and whatever was wrong with her. Now it was clear, it wasn’t Nicky. This had nothing to do with Nicky, and worse, it was something she had no control over. She sobbed harder as she thought about having to tell Agatha about her mother and then over the worry she could cause her when she realized Rio was puking everyday. Then there would be the anger for Rio hiding it from her wife. Everything was falling apart around Rio.
Her chest constricted in on itself as more blood seeped into the soil beneath her, her vision blurred by tears that refused to stop falling. The shadows of the azaleas around her felt suffocating, closing in like the thoughts in her mind. The magic, the power, her control… all slipping away from her grasp, and the truth was, she didn't know what was going to happen to her. She was Lady Death, the embodiment of the end, the finality, and untouchable to human things, most of all sickness, but here she sat in the dirt, bleeding out for all to see.
What the fuck is going on? her mind screamed.
Her hand trembled as she wiped away more of the blood from her mouth, but it kept coming. It kept coming until her whole body trembled with exhaustion, the pain and dread sinking deep into her bones. The fear was paralyzing, a gnawing presence that refused to be ignored. She felt it, creeping into every crevice of her mind– the fear of losing control, of not being able to protect the ones she loved.
Nicky’s laughter, Agatha’s pride, the joy they felt in seeing Nicky’s transformation–
They can’t see this. They can’t!
They couldn’t know what was happening to her.
She closed her eyes tightly, trying to block out the feelings threatening to overwhelm her. She was supposed to be strong. She was supposed to be Death. But the reality was crashing down on her, suffocating her in a way that her power never had. What if it was too late to stop? What if this thing inside her, this sickness, spread until there was nothing left? What if she couldn’t be the mother Nicky deserved, the wife Agatha needed? She clutched her stomach, the cramps intensifying.
It wasn’t just the blood– it was the deep, gnawing fear that if she couldn’t control this, everything she had fought for would slip through her fingers. What if Agatha, her beloved Agatha, looked at her and saw her weakness? What if she saw that Rio couldn’t keep them safe anymore? The thought made her heart ache. She had promised Agatha, promised Nicky, that she would always protect them. But now, all she could do was bleed… to be consumed by something that didn’t care about power or love.
Her breath hitched as she bent over, her hands clutching the earth as if it could hold her together. She couldn’t let Agatha see this. She couldn’t burden her wife with this fear, with this sickness. Agatha had enough to worry about with the weight of their magical lives. And Nicky. Nicky deserved so much more than a broken mother. He deserved someone who could stand tall, who could be proud and strong as he was. Rio’s breath came in shallow gasps as the fear built inside her like a wave ready to crash over her. The world around her seemed distant, too far to reach. The shadows in her garden felt like they were pulling her down into the recesses of the earth. She could hear Nicky’s laughter echoing in her mind, and it only made the ache in her chest worse. What if she couldn’t protect him from this? She could almost feel Agatha’s arms around her, the strength in her embrace, but it felt so far away now. What would she say when she found out? Would Agatha forgive her for keeping this from her?
Rio wanted to scream, to release the pain and fear, but instead, all that came out was a sob: deep and raw. It was the weight of everything– everything she was losing, everything she couldn’t control. Her mind raced, spiraling with thoughts of everything that could go wrong. She would tell Agatha, eventually. But would it be too late? Would Agatha resent her for not being honest sooner? Or worse– would she see Rio as a liability, someone who couldn’t hold herself together long enough to be the partner and mother they needed? The crushing weight of those thoughts broke her, her body collapsing to the ground as she sobbed uncontrollably into her hands.
Rio refused to join them afterward, hiding into the shadows, even when Agatha looked for her. She couldn’t face them after what had happened in the garden, well not Nicky. She couldn’t worry him any further, their fight from long ago still echoing like a war cry in the back of her mind. Instead, Rio went to their chambers, sitting on the edge of their bed and staring at the ashes of her beloved willow. She felt hollow now and for a moment time didn’t pass. She just sat there, her face heavy from the tears she cried as her mind finally stilled from the battle she fought in the garden.
“Rio!” a voice shouted from behind her.
She turned, staring at her wife. Agatha had her arms crossed and her blue eyes bore the fire of her fury she was about to rain down upon her. Rio didn’t flinch. She simply turned away from her, staring back at the ashes on the ground.
“Don’t you dare turn your back on me, Rio,” Agatha seethed. “What the fuck is going on?”
Rio turned again meeting her wife’s angry gaze, but said nothing.
“First, you disappear after telling Nicky we were going to celebrate. You just left, without a fucking word. I don’t care if you do that to me, but to our son, Rio? I just had to calm him down and he cried himself to sleep, thinking you didn’t care!”
She flinched at that, but kept her gaze neutral.
“Then,” Agatha continued. “You know what I found out? You kept the fact that Evanora paid us a visit, saw our son, and you told Nicky not to tell me? I had to fucking hear it from the wolves, Rio.”
The silence was a blade, cutting through Rio, but it didn’t hurt as much as her stomach did. Her hand clenched it as her eyes left her wife’s, praying to the universe to not let this happen, not after how much she puked.
“Well? Say something!” her wife yelled, her arms thrown up.
“I-”
Rio froze, she couldn’t hold it back. She stood, running past her wife and into the bathroom where she painted their porcelain sink red again. In seconds, hands were on her, pulling her hair away from her face and rubbing her back. It didn’t stop for a while and the woman behind her remained quiet, rubbing gentle circles on her back as a means to comfort her. It didn’t. It made her want to cry harder than she already was through the spouts of vomit.
“My love, breathe, you’re going to choke,” Agatha’s voice was soft, laced with worry.
She did, breathing through her nose until the heaving stopped, and all Rio could do was let out a strangled sob. Her wife was quick, wiping her mouth before feeding her water to rinse away the tangy acidic taste that plagued her taste buds.
“My love–”
Rio didn’t let her finish, storming out of the bathroom, having to get away from the smell before she continued to vomit.
Agatha followed on her heels and grabbed her. She gasped as her wife spun her around to face her. Worry and concern painting her wife’s face now, replacing the anger that was once spat at her, and all Rio could do was cry.
Her wife cupped her face, wiping her tears with her thumbs, “My love, how long has this been going on?”
She sniffed, taking a few deep breaths, “Since-since the will-willow died.”
Agatha’s own mind raced as something in her chest cracked at seeing her wife like this. She could see the exhaustion in her wife’s eyes, the strain on her body, and worse, she saw something in Rio she never saw before: terror. It broke Agatha in ways she could not explain. She thought back to the willow, the day Rio recoiled and broke before her. She refused to talk about it when she finally found her. She thought about her sleeping, her constant fatigue, and her disappearances. Was she disappearing to vomit?
“My love, why didn’t you tell me? Please, you know you don’t have to go through anything alone.”
Rio’s sobs were quiet as she shook her head, “I-I thought I could control it, and that it would go away– or maybe I was reacting to the realm or Nicky’s transformation. I didn’t want to burden you or appear weak–”
“Rio, you would never burden me and you are not weak–”
“But-” she gasped, clutching her stomach again and pulling away from Agatha.
Agatha watched as her love groaned before looking in the mirror, staring at her stomach. She stared too, now wondering if there was something different in Rio. Her once fit form wasn’t there anymore. She was tired all the time, her magic was spiking out of control, and the nausea…
Her heart stopped for a moment. The thought was so sudden and jarring that Agatha almost recoiled, but she didn’t. She couldn’t. She kept her gaze fixed on her wife, watching the way she clutched her stomach, contorting with pain. She could feel her pulse quicken, a cold chill crawling up her spine with long pointed legs. The exhaustion, the vomiting, the sudden changes in her body. But it didn’t make sense. Rio was Death. They were dead. Life from both of them was impossible, but the longer she stared at Rio’s stomach, the more the thought burned its imprint on her mind.
She took a tentative step forward, kissing her wife’s shoulder, before taking her hand. Rio followed her as they stopped before the taller mirror of their closet. With ease, Agatha’s magic rendered Rio into a sports bra and a pair of sleeping shorts. Her hand was slow, shaking but slow as she reached around Rio’s waist, placing her hand on the cold skin of her wife’s belly. Rio stared at it in the mirror watching as Agatha moved slowly over her belly before sending out a pulse of magic. Agatha froze, not able to stop the way her breath caught. She could feel it, the change in Rio’s stomach.
“Agatha, what are you doing?” Rio spoke softly.
She had no words. How could she say it aloud, and to Lady Death of all beings? They were supposed to be dead. Life was supposed to be foreign to them, but Agatha could not deny the truth in Rio’s stomach. She froze as Rio pushed her hand away, stepping away from her. She moved back to their bed, her back facing her. Agatha didn’t push, but she knew what the silence had spoken between them. Rio needed to digest, understand what was happening to her.
Agatha slid in behind her, holding her tight as the silence continued on. Eventually, Agatha couldn’t stay awake, her eyelids growing heavy and no matter how hard she tried to fight it, sleep won in the end. The moment Rio heard the first snore. She moved, pulling her wife’s arm off of her and standing back in front of the mirror. Her hand moved to her stomach, cupping the small curve of it. She sent out her own magic and froze. A soul was inside her.
But how? Rio’s thoughts gathered again.
Her hand rubbed the curve of her stomach again. A pulse of magic flickered beneath her skin, familiar and warm in a way that was uniquely Agatha’s. The realization hit her like a wave, steady and unrelenting.
It was Agatha all along.
The sickness, the nausea, the fatigue…it was Agatha’s fault all along…unintentionally…
But this wasn’t something out of intent, no this was solely an accident. This wasn’t the result of some grand plan or hidden scheme. This was love. Agatha’s magic, bound so tightly with her own, had always been an expression of the bond they shared. It was how Agatha protected her, comforted her, cared for her. It was their soul tie. It was the same love that created Nicholas Scratch, and now that love created life where none should exist. Once more, their love defied all the odds, creating life from death, but this… this was something neither of them could predict. Her hand drifted back to her stomach, and a wave of emotion welled up inside her– fear, awe, love, and confusion all tangled together. The soul growing within her wasn’t just hers. It was theirs. A product of a love so deep, so powerful, that it had rewritten the rules of their existence once again.
As if sensing the shift, Agatha hummed, forcing Rio to look up into the mirror, finding her wife watching her. Her breath hitched, seeing the look of pride and concern mixing together in her wife’s eyes. Rio turned walking to sit on the edge of bed with her wife. Her wife sat up with a knowing smile, her hand on Rio’s stomach and threading their fingers together. Agatha placed her chin on Rio’s shoulder, kissing her neck tenderly.
“So, it was you all along,” Rio hummed, trying humor.
Agatha’s smile faltered for just a moment, her gaze softening as her hand lingered over Rio’s stomach.
“I suppose it was,” she murmured, her voice a mix of guilt and wonder. “But I never meant for this to happen, Rio. You have to know that.”
Rio leaned into her wife’s touch, threading their fingers tighter together.
“I do,” she whispered. “I know this wasn’t intentional. This… this isn’t something you could have planned. It’s just us.”
Agatha’s lips brushed against her neck again, a tender reassurance.
“It’s our magic,” she said quietly. “Our bond. It’s always been stronger than anything else, hasn’t it?”
Rio nodded, her free hand covering Agatha’s on her stomach.
“Stronger than death,” she said, her voice tinged with quiet awe. “And now, stronger than life.”
Agatha exhaled, her breath warm against Rio’s skin. “I don’t know what this means, or how it’s even possible, but…” She hesitated, her lips brushing against Rio’s shoulder. “I wouldn’t mind having another baby with you, my love. This feels like a second chance for us…for you, only if you are ready.”
Rio laughed lightly, “Were you ready to have Nicholas?”
Agatha kissed her neck again, humming in thought before saying, “No, but it’s worth it when you hold them, my love. And you will be glowing.”
Rio smiled, closing her eyes, “Then, I’m ready for this next adventure, my love.”