moved to @batlesbianism

She paced in a circle beneath the vaulted ceiling, aimlessly fidgeting with a golden pendant in her hands. Agatha was saving her most extravagant dress for her grand finale, but she still enjoyed experimenting with the layers, as the outfit’s deep violet shawl swished with each step.

“Agatha?” A familiar voice chirps from just out of sight. The tone is steeped in emotion, and it’s one Agatha knows all too well. Marie rushes down in a flurry of feathers, stopping between the first two columns.

“Took you long enough,” Agatha rolls her eyes, trying to disguise her voice in a cloak of hatred. “The Hex is changing, Anna, and you can’t be sitting around just waiting for Wanda to find us.”

Marie stops in her tracks, tilting her head like any curious bird. This was unlike Agatha, she’d only come off as cold if she was faced with something she disliked, but before Marie could ponder any longer she’s ushered over by a sharp wave.

“What happened? Did you see something? Was it the kids?”

“No and no.” The witch holds out her closed hand to Marie, looking to the side as she does so. “It’s just that.. The Hex knows you’re with me.”

She opens her hand, and in her palm is a pendant. It’s a shiny little thing, a small heron with its wings outstretched in a crescent. A hole is punched into the brass tail to connect a small violet gem on a thin chain link.

Marie takes a hesitant step forward, and she takes a moment to inspect the necklace. Agatha looks back, her brows furrowing when she shakes her hand a bit. Marie gets the message and quickly plucks it up.

“Where’d you find this?” She asked, golden eyes fixated on the carved bird cradled in her hand.

“Bedside table, it was next to my amulet.” Agatha almost sounded offended that something associated with Marie would materialize near her. “Witches, we- Many of them gift their familiar a sort of pendant.. Anything worn near the head or heart works.”

Marie glances up, her hand closes around the pendant and she holds it closer.

“Are they usually enchanted?”

Agatha scowls, “Maybe half the time. I can assure you it won’t choke you, I didn’t have the time to curse it.”

The mutant swallows hard, she’s nervous. Would bring a familiar be detrimental? Let alone being Agatha’s familiar. So, she stalls, “You really trust me with whatever familiars do?”

“Not really,” She scoffs, “But you’ve been helping already, and Scratchy doesn’t count.”

Marie brings the necklace to her collar, letting the cool pendant rest on her skin as she clips it on in the back. A perfect fit, lying just above the dip of her dress. With her hands still behind her head, she keeps her eyes down, “Then does this mean you care about me..?”

Agatha grows tense, sharp blue eyes scrutinize Marie’s every movement, and she crosses her arms. “Of course not- Witches lose their familiars all the time! You’re being bound to suffer as I do- It’s- It’s just easier to have an extra soul to sell!”

The witch practically floundered to find her words, she was still upset that something as unpredictable as Wanda’s spell would stick her together with someone as fundamentally different than her as Marie.

But still, Marie smiles; it’s a slightly worried gesture, but a smile nonetheless. “But we’re bound, that’s why you’re so upset.”

“Oh, shove it..”

“The spell! That is why! It sees us, it’s basing itself on your thoughts!” Even through her racing heart, she’s excited, it’s not every day that you get to see into Agatha’s mind. Her right hand flies up to hold onto the necklace, the material warming up some. Agatha was bristling at this point, but not exactly with rage. Rather, embarrassment flooded her heart. Agatha Harkness shouldn’t feel of let anyone get close. And no one should get close to her.

Agatha recoils when Marie steps forward. “You care!” The mutant exclaims, her wings puffing up with a few excited flaps.

“I can’t, I-“ Agatha stutters, her expression wracked with grief. She pushes past Marie, storming away, “I don’t care, it’s like caring for another animal! It’s just a chore!”

Marie whirls around, her wings causing dust below her to swirl. Her hand lowers from the necklace and joins the other in fidgeting with one of her dress’s ruffles. Her brows knit together with her focus before she blurts out: “That’s what caring for you is like too!”

Agatha pauses at the bottom of the stairs, her hand lingering over the railing.