Too Gay for This

They'd gotten back from the quote-unquote Road weeks ago, and everything was going fine, more than fine.

Agatha had actually bought the house from Ralph. Billy had to deal with him because the man was adamant about never seeing a witch again. Agatha did, however, write a shitty apology letter because Rio, under the command of Lilia (whom she would never admit she was actually scared of), threatened Agatha with a month-long stay in the downstairs living room. It had worked wonders. 

The house that Agatha now owned (something she absolutely loved to remind others of), was magically enlarged from the inside. After the damn Hex Westview was insanely overcharged and something that simple didn't even take that much effort, especially when done with the coven's magic. Especially when inside that coven were: a spirit witch, The Green Witch and, at the time, one of the Maximoff's twins. 

Lilia, choosing to willingly ignore the amount of stereotypes this was supporting, had her own tower. A tower she absolutely adored. Her coven may have been her family, with her for centuries before either have met, but great Motherthey could be a handful, a massive handful.

Jen had her own potion space in the basement, something she did not complain about in the slightest, even if she was next to the laundry room. And the coven room, unlike the rest she didn't even have to walk a flight of stairs, choosing to ignore the fact that her bedroom was on the first floor. And that they were all witches and walking was oftentimes overrated anyway.

Her, Alice and Tommy shared a floor. Tommy had joined them almost immediately, as his body was an orphan living in the streets and Rio, well, she continued to terrify Billy whenever he was over (often enough). When he learned that she held back, slightly, when Eddie was around, he stopped dragging his feet and after two weeks back brought him over for lunch. Eddie, much to almost everyone's surprise, did not once consider running for the hills, or even walking out. He actually played into Rio's insanities, which almost led to an entire prank war.

After thoroughly embarrassing Billy at said lunch, they all agreed that he was coven-approved. Billy definitely didn't grin like an idiot, nope, he didn't know in the slightest what everyone was talking about, he definitely did not love that his coven. 'Your dysfunctional pack of mothers my Heart, your difunctional pack of mothers.' Eddie would correct him after Billy had been walking circles in his room at the Kaplan's one evening. 

Save for minor hiccups it was going well overall. Jen and Alice would both protest at 'minor' hiccups since Agatha and Rio often didn't bother silencing their bedroom on the second floor and they loved to jump each other's bones all day every day. It hadn't occurred to either of the younger witches that Tommy had a room on the same floor, yet never seemed to know what they were complaining about. The couple silenced his room specifically. 

"You know, runes are a thing?" Jen not so nicely suggested during their weekly movie night, when they had to get along, unlike game night when they were permitted to antagonise each other as much as they wanted to, but then had to bear the consequences. Use of magic and anything resulting in blood was strictly off limits ('Anybody's blood', clarified Alice, concerned about the fact that it required specification in the first place.)

That didn't mean that they stopped testing whatever boundaries were left. Rio especially loved to pop out of the weirdest places, overhead lights included of course, along with the garden, toilet, walls... whatever she felt like. Or just appearing doing one creepy thing or another, like munching on rocks, big or small, didn't matter. Tommy and Eddie handled it the best, they just played her game. That sometimes included Nerf wars, at 3 am on more than one occasion. 

Four weeks after their return from the Road things had finally settled enough that they all now had a working routine, a lot of which included them spending time separately ('or you know, at work, like an adult' 'well, some of us have enough employees that we can take a certain amount of time off').

Those four weeks later Alice had had enough of the horny upstairs neighbours. Even her insomniac self needed to sleep. "It's fucking three am, one would think even you two useless lesbians need to sleep!!" she'd taken to banging with a broom on the ceiling. 

It didn't work, which was not much of a surprise. Alice took to actually trying to soundproof her room and added loud music, or headphones, but come on, her period was coming she wanted to sleep as much as possible before her insomnia would be multiplied by the damn cramps. 

"You two, before the kid comes down, I don't care how horny you are, use your fucking silencing spells, some of us are trying to sleep in the deep hours of the night." It was about the tenth complaint she'd raised in the past week.

"We did.." Agatha started and then she remembered what exactly transpired, judging by the blush spreading, well, everywhere. "Aand then both casters got distracted."

"Again, use your fucking runes you idiots, they exist for a reason! I shouldn't have to explain it to the two of you, Miss Death and Miss 'I have outrun and outsmarted everyone I've ever met.' " Jen came down the stairs and headed immediately for the coffee machine, daggers in her eyes.  "Alice isn't the only one who would appreciate sleep during the night." despite the anger in her voice she did not bang with the dishes.

Agatha was opening her mouth to say something smart incredibly teasing but got poked in the ribs by Rio and ended up shutting her mouth and returning to her breakfast. Whenever her wife stopped chaos instead of initiating it, Agatha took a step back.

So she just grinned into her mug now almost devoid of all liquid. Breakfast was usually the quietest meal of the day. Often enough at least two coven members were still sleeping and the rest weren't morning people, unless driving chaos or over-caffeinated from an all-nighter. 

By the time Lilia came down they'd all gotten it out of their system with the glares and were in the stage of eating that would revolve around their plans for the day, minus teasing. The Sicilian witch wasn't used to seeing such configuration calmed down on their own and after grabbing her own mug of tea shot Alice a questioning look. She might not be trusted with her own wellbeing, but out of the four, she wasn't the chaos gremlin. 

"Don't look at me, I had nothing to do with" She messily waved her hand around the table, intentionally not pointing to either of her coven-mates. "Whatever this is, I may be the protection witch, but nothing in my powers can cause them to be this civil, even during the breakfast time." She dug into her own breakfast and shot Rio a look when she remained silent, given this was a moment where she would usually chime in, even if it was to get a rise out of either Agatha and/or Jen.

"No comment?" Lilia's eyebrows continued to go up as she poured milk into her cereal.

Rio looked up silently, assessed everyone like they were a threat, and then looked down again. She really wasn't in the headspace to talk.

Her silence continued the trend of raised eyebrows and pointed looks from everyone but Agatha. She was considering options of getting the two of them out of the situation to somewhere safer, alone. 

In the end, it was Jen who provided the solution for her, albeit not in the manner she would have preferred. There were more than enough other scenarios.

"No comments from the creepy lurker?"

Rio just stood up and forgetting about her own magic essentially ran up the stairs. Agatha gave her about five seconds to be out of immediate earshot and then turned to Jen, who had the decency to look at least semi-guilty. 

"I-" Apparently she didn't know what to say, and while any other time would have been different, but the potions witch was not Agatha's primary focus. 

"It wasn't you, or just you." She abandoned her place at the table and teleported herself to their room. There, quickly, she grabbed herself and Rio a hoodie and, like any normal adult, climbed out of the window on the balcony and continued on the roof via freshly grown vines, climbing up.

"Hey." Agatha came up behind Rio, who was staring at the woods not too far from the house, curled up on herself. While Rio probably knew where she was, there was no way Agatha was risking startling her. She came over and sat herself down on her wife's left side, handing her the purple hoodie and putting on Rio's.

Rio slipped it on, silently, and after putting the hood up and hiding her hair she leaned her head on her knees again, curling up. She did reach out and squeezed Agatha's hand, softly, and then put the arm around her knees again. 

Agatha was taken aback. It's not as if it was the first time Rio needed to take time off of everything and potentially everyone. But the fact that she didn't immediately transport herself to the woods was concerning. She stayed, but kept her distance, making herself comfortable. To pass the time, because she needed to do something, she conjured up her brush and started working out the tangles in her hair. It'd been a few days and while she could have just, used magic, there was no fun in that, not when she found herself in a situation like this. 

Rio didn't say anything for at least an hour, didn't even move. Agatha waited. Unlike what most believed, she could be incredibly patient when there was a good reason. She learnt when she and Rio started living together the first time around, and then, with Nicky, she was able to wait for days. They were always similar like that, full of life, sass and humour, but then, something would happen and their brains needed to restart. But usually, they were able to catch it earlier. She was able to tell immediately when Nicky was heading there. With Rio it was harder, she'd learnt to mask her emotions during their over quarter of a millennia of separation. 

Then, slowly, she scooted herself closer to Agatha and over the time of several minutes put her head on the spirit witch's shoulder, still holding on to her knees. After some more time she reached for Agatha's hand, slowly writing, letter by letter, 'Could you hug me from behind?'.

Agatha nodded, and after Rio lifted her head she moved, stood up and positioned herself behind Rio, attaching herself to her like a leech, creating as much of a deep pressure as she could muster. 

"Do you want my head on your shoulder?" She whispered, after wrapping her hands around Rio's stomach. When Rio nodded she, gently, laid her head down on her left shoulder, making sure her jaw wouldn't be too much of a pain after about ten minutes. 

They continued to sit in silence. Agatha knew how to deal with loud Rio, chatty Rio, excited, sad, bratty... there was essentially a protocol in her brain for them. But this Rio, the one who went silent, had trouble speaking and had to run? That one she was the most afraid for. 

As the minutes passed she got less tense, leaned more back, more into Agatha and started loosening the hold on her legs. She observed the gradual changes visible on her hands, the grip no longer making her joints white, nor making them shake. The witch didn't move, she made sure to keep the same amount of pressure, and only adjusted when Rio herself moved.

The sun was high up by the time anything changed. By that point Rio has mostly let her legs down and they were essentially lying on the slanted roof. Rio shifted to be on her side, resting her head on Agatha's heart, hood still up, And then, with a wave of a hand, had moss growing under them to make it more comfortable. 

The spirit which readjusted the hold on her wife. "Can I rub your back?" Rio nodded and Agatha got to work, losing herself in the patterns she was drawing and her wife's regular breathing. She ended up drawing runes on the hoodie, small symbols. A bad impression of a tree, a heart, (any other time she would have added a ghost, but contrary to popular beliefshe wasn't a complete monster). Rio's hands slowly crept around her stomach, as she was slowly coming back to herself. 

She would hear a snicker whenever one of the drawings was just, awful. That almost had her draw a ghost, almost. She settled on a stick figure instead. 

And then, much to her relief, she felt Rio drawing mindless shapes on her back. Sometimes copied the ones Agatha was doing, going on in random patterns and a lot of plants and flowers. 

And then Rio traces 'sorry' onto her lower back, and Agatha had to fight herself to remain calm. Outburst would only hurt in this situation. 

"You do not apologise. Rarely have you been in the wrong the past and you sure as hell aren't now." Agatha made sure to keep her voice gentle, quiet and understanding. "No matter what, when you need your time off of everything and everyone, you need it. No questions asked." she didn't pause the random tracing, noting the way Rio's back muscles tensed underneath the hoodie. 

"I know you followed us around, back then, but did you know that Nicky had the exact same periods?" Rio shook her head, her hands stilling.

"Things would just, get a bit too much for him. Certain things helped, especially after we spent some time around towns during the winter, oh how he loved to return to the forest, to you." She pressed her cheek to the top of Rio's head. "And sometimes I didn't catch it fast enough. And then he'd get exactly like this. And I would wrap him like a burrito in my cloak, and then I'd hold him, sometimes just for an hour, sometimes almost for an entire day. And we would sit or lie together in silence, sometimes for days." She didn't feel any tears in her eyes, but then Rio raised her head to look at her and her eyes were red, tears freely falling. 

She opened her mouth but then closed it again like she wasn't sure she'd be able to speak still. 

"It's okay, you take your time, we have all the time in the world. Do you want the tears wiped?" Rio considered and then shook her head. "I didn't tell you to make you sad. I told you, because you weren't alone, aren't alone. I'm pretty sure it's something they study now, brains like yours. And to be clear, Nicky loved his brain, loved how interested he was in things. Because it was his mama's brain, even when it went against his wishes on more than one occasion." She chuckled to herself. "It was a thing you two shared. So maybe, think about him whenever your brain starts going rogue?" she suggested, kissing the top of Rio's head. 

Rio looked lost, a little more so than before Agatha started talking about Nicky, but eventually, she pulled her hood down and let the hair roam free as they wanted. 

The silence remained until what Agatha thought could be about 4pm, when Rio's stomach rumbled, loudly. 

Agatha looked down at her, eyebrows raised. "So, since when do you need to eat?"

Rio shrugged her shoulders, tightening her hold. 

"Do you think you could go downstairs with me? We should get something into you." Rio sighed. 

"I don't want to try and talk to others," she whispered, barely audible. 

"You don't have to, nobody's going to be there now, and we could put on a rerun of something on the TV, settle on the sofa and just, be in our little bubble?" Agatha knew that Rio would probably prefer being alone, but she also had a feeling that part of her needing a break from everyone was the disbelief that now, she had friends. People who cared, who remembered when she loved or loathed something. People would sit with her in silence broken only by the soft sounds emitted from the TV. 

Rio nodded and then started writing on Agatha's back again. 'Food?' 

"What about a smoothie? I'll charm it so it's silent. And make it liquid enough that it shouldn't feel like food. But your stomach never did that before..." and I'm fucking terrified to the core of my bones that something is seriously wrong and you'll disappear on me forever. "and I'm worried." She finally settles. 

But she also saw Rio looking up at her, studying her face, probably feeling the tightening of her arms. And she nodded. 

They didn't get up immediately, about twenty minutes later Rio tapped Agatha's back several times in quick succession and they slowly started to get up. Cracking joints first, stretching after sitting in the same position for hours, making sure all of their limbs were still functioning and able to support their weight. 

Rio stood, facing their garden now, and Agatha could feel the smirk forming on her face and then, one might say suddenly, there was a slide grown of vines. She sighed, but sat down again behind Rio and maybe, maybe, pushed her slightly to fall over once they got down. She received a look for her trouble. But Rio was still smiling and before Agatha could say anything else she walked over, hugged her, and transported them into the kitchen. 

Once there Death did not let go. She moved when Agatha did and very helpfully either moved trash into compost or trash, or held things up in the air while she worked on the smoothie and her own sandwich. Because their last food was breakfast and despite doing nothing she was hungry. 

'We didn't do 'nothing' last night'. She could hear Rio's teasing voice in her head as she transferred everything on the coffee table in the living room. 

'Someone is feeling better.' She kissed the top of her head and started moving towards the living room. Rio instead stopped her and looked at her with puppy eyes. 'Carry me?'

'Oh you big baby' Agatha squatted and scooped Rio up into her arms, letting the other witch settle comfortably, wrapping her arms around Agatha's neck, before she made her way to the sofa. 

"Whoah, you are strong?" Teenager two could be heard behind them, presumably just making his way down from waking up for the first time today. 

"You bet I am, get plenty of work out too."

"Disgusting." Rio just lets her laughter ring in Agatha's head. 

Tommy, bless his soul does not nag, unlike his brother would have, and makes a beeline for the kitchen, presumably to consume at least half of it. 

She sat herself, with Rio in her lap in the corner of the couch, right by the prepared blankets and their food. 'Take the hoodie off? I'll overheat if we're both under blankets and in our hoodies.'

'Fine, but the blanket up to the shoulders?' 

'You've got it.'

They each, while no one was there, got rid of their hoodies and Rio immediately pulled the soft green blanket over them, making sure her shoulders were also underneath it. 

Agatha handed her the closed jar, which came with a straw, containing her nutrients and Rio started sucking on it, slowly, clearly realising another missing piece of today. Agatha made a mental note to remember to summon the chew toys that had their own drawer in their room.

Rio quickly reached for the TV controller and pulled up current reruns and quickly settled on Criminal Minds, turning her back to the entire floor, facing the wall she settled even more into Agatha. 

'You know, the second others come, well, adult others, we will be changing it to something else.'

'I know. But they're not here yet. And I haven't watched it in a while.' Rio shrugged her shoulder as the intro started playing. 

Agatha snorted and put the now empty plate onto the coffee table. 

It was a while before anyone else came in. Tommy was first. He sat on the carpet next to the two of them and went to play video games on his Nintendo. Despite everything, he really did bond with Rio and Agatha the most, oftentimes just sitting by them whenever they were being decent in common areas. And liked to question Rio about all things weird and creepy. After Agatha, he was her favourite. 

When Lilia came downstairs it was getting closer to six and Agatha immediately stopped the current episode and pulled up the specific folder of coven-approved movies for the Sicilian witch to get a vote on what would be put on the screen next. 

"Old Guard, if there are no complaints." She sat down in her chair and after turning her knitting light on pulled up one of her many knitting projects, Rio nodded, turning to lie on her other side, facing the room, Agatha stretched her back before settling down again and putting up the movie. 

Despite what the younger ones would have thought, Rio loved the movie, despite the fact that, technically, they avoid death for centuries. Her only reply the first time they all watched it together, from the ceiling, was: 'How old are you lot again?'

Jen and Alice came up with Billy towards the middle of the movie. Rio closed her eyes, listening to the sounds of the movie. 'No talking, not night, please.'

'I will not let them get near you, my love, don't worry. And worst case scenario, we'll throw rocks.' She kissed the top of Rio's head and mentally took note of the stones they'd hidden in the living room. 

Jen started opening her mouth, clearly about to ask something. Agatha did not let her. 

"She's here physically, but might not as well be. No questions, no talking to her." With her arms protectively wrapped around Death, wild hair and a look that would kill if it could, Jen closed her mouth and nodded. 

"Does anybody else want tea?" Alice jumped in, not about to risk anything happening. 

'Did you hear her, my love?'

'What?' Even their telepathic communication her her speech quiet, slightly slurred, clearly a struggle. 

'Do you want tea?'

Rio almost unnoticeably shook her head. 

"None for us, thank you." 

Everybody froze. 

Agatha inwardly cursed. A lot, in a whole bunch of languages, some forgotten to time. 

'Aggs, did you just, thank them?'

'I've been focused on, you know, you, and it slipped my mind that I've still been pretending to completely hate them.' She sighed and used the fact that both she and Rio were essentially horizontal, and hid her head behind Rio's. 

"Agatha 'I am the bitch' Harkness, did you just, thank me, for offering to make you tea?" Nobody else was moving. Except for Tommy, who reached up and, somehow, nobody knew how, squeezed Agatha's arm, avoiding Rio. 

'We'll do a weirdo day soon.'

'I won and am aware of it.' The corners of Rio's mouth slightly turned up. Tommy was the only one to notice, mostlybecause everyone else was too stunned still with Agatha saying thank you. 

"What do you want me to say? We've had a day and I'm fucking tired. Do you want me to threaten you with all the torture techniques Rio taught me about? Magical or not? I can blow you up too if it'd make you feel better."

She was fucking tired. Sitting all day with herself never ended in an overly happy emotional headspace, even if she was focusing on someone else the entire time. 

Rio, who apparently became aware of Agatha's thought train, moved before any of the coven members could answer and while keeping the blanket over her shoulders still lifted herself up and motioned for Agatha to lie down properly. She did, and Rio just, let herself fall down on her, creating a deep pressure blanket of herself. All while promptly ignoring everyone except the spirit witch. She wrapped her arms around Agatha, snuggling into her neck. Agatha, slightly shocked, wrapped hands around her in return, hiding her head in Rio's hair.

"I don't think I even want to know exactly what's happening here." Alice was the first to speak, and then went somewhere, presumably to make the tea. 

Jen, much to Agatha's surprise, didn't say anything else, but she did make it to the pantry, by the sounds of it, and came back, she peeked out, with an armful of snacks, sweet, sour and salty. 

Silent time wasn't too common, but everyone, everyone except for Tommy, was more than slightly terrified of the version of Death who was essentially a cat in the moment. A terrifying, powerful, snuggly cat. 

When Alice came back she put the tray on the coffee table and settled herself on the couch beside Jen while Billy settled in the double the twins normally shared, but because Tommy was sitting by the terrifying duo he used the opportunity to spread his limbs out. 

They remained in silence only penetrated by the television. As the movie was ending Agatha was going to reach for the remote, but Rio shook her head and raised it above her head, starting a battle resolved in about five seconds, when Lilia suggested they continue the Chalize Theron marathon and that they could put up the Atomic Blonde. Everyone voiced their agreement, even Rio. 

Agatha, in an absolute plot twist no one saw coming, was the first one to fall asleep. 

She got woken up by Tommy, who was carefully shaking her shoulder, avoiding Rio. 

She quickly looked around, everyone else was already gone. 

The spirit witch smiled at the speedster and messed up his hair as a goodnight. 

"Mamiiiiiii!" Adri quickly kicked off her shoes and headed for the kitchen. " We need to talk."

With her bag abandoned in the living room, the teenager made her way to the spacious kitchen and hopped on one of the counters. She faced her technically older sister, keeping direct eye contact.

"I suppose you remember this woman you flirted with at the end of the summer fair thing last week?" It was glorious. Adri was just chatting with some other teenagers who didn't look like they would annoy the ever living fuck out of her, when this woman came up to Rio and just, started flirting so openly Adri almost choked on her drink. Even better, Rio did. The woman, Agatha, she would learn later that evening, had to go after about two hours, but oh, if those weren't some of the most amusing hours of Adri's life. 

Her mami nodded, raising an eyebrow. "Yes, obviously I do. What does that have to do with anything right now?" Adri cracked her knuckles and neck, for the sake of dramatic effect, before laying out her point. 

"Turns out she is my AP lit teacher." Adri wasn't mad, but there was no way she was not going to mess with Rio when the opportunity presented itself. The women were supposed to meet up last week, but Ms Harkness, Agatha, had to cancel due to some family crisis.

"Oh, okay", Rio took a deep breath in and let out a small scream. Loud enough to startle both of the cats, who awoke with clear disapproval of the loud noise.

"I swear, she never said so. And unfortunately, the middle school teachers don't really hang out with the high school ones too much." She checked her pasta and then buried her head in her hands. Adri had to fight herself not to burst out laughing. She knew she'd pay for this, but such opportunities never arise and passing one up would have been unacceptable in her books.

She quietly hopped off the counter, thank you no shoe rule, and went up to Rio, pulling hands from her face and pinching her nose. 

"Ha, that was hilarious. Your simping really is in my favour." Rio looked like Adri had just smacked her, and then a grin settled on her face, her 'I have been challenged' grin, and before Adri could do anything about it, Rio lifted her like she wasn't a decently tall teenager. 

"You little shit. I should tickle the hell out of you, but there is no saying when you last went to the toilet, and there is no need for a repeat of a specific incident." Adri shrieked and, after she was let down, moved to not be within her arm's reach. She had no illusions about that and no, no need to repeat the incident from precisely six days ago. 

"Come on, like you wouldn't have done the exact same thing." 

"I would, we both know I would. And I respect it, truce, no tickling." She raises her arms up, and Adri nods. And then goes in for a hug, because no one hugs like her mami. Strong, but not crushing, warm and safe. And then she remembered there was dinner being made on the stove. 

"Ehm, the pasta?"

"Mierda." She quickly untangled herself from Adri and went back to the kitchen. "Go and put the backpack in your room, please. You know the drill: change, wash your hands, bring the gossip." Adri laughed and went upstairs as Rio put on music in the kitchen, presumably dancing to Heilung.

Adri is back downstairs, not even ten minutes later, comfy sweater thrown on because it was starting to be colder, finally.

Rio was already sitting at the set table, cats audibly munching on their food. 

"Did you have to bribe them after shrieking them awake, or were the overlords feeling merciful today?" She sat down and smirked at the look thrown her way. "You know very well what their reaction was, you had to get the attitude from someone and it wasn't me."

"Ha, not true, or did you forget the part where you raised me like the proper weirdo?" She bit into the food, very pleasantly surprised. "Oh shit, this is so good." Adri had to put the fork down and hold a hand in front of her mouth. It's not as if Rio were a bad cook, but her meals could sometimes be very questionable, even after years of constant practice. 

"Don't sound so surprised." Adri looked up and, oh, this was golden, she was blushing, Rio was blushing and not the one barely visible, no, this one made it to her pierced ears too. 

"So, is this your way of telling me that a certain AP teacher is a good cook? Because I need to be kept alive." Adri kept stuffing her face and held the eye contact, enjoying herself immensely. There was something good about the first days back at school after all.

"We have exchanged texts, sure, but also don't forget who's been cooking you meals your whole life, mija." Rio raised an eyebrow and waited. 

"Giving up, giving up," Adri lifted her hands momentarily, before returning to her dinner. "Though do tell her that she definitely won this round." Rio shook her head in amusement. 

"So, do I get to hear about your day now? I'm pretty sure that's how this is supposed to go." Rio collected the plates and pulled out the rest of the cookies they had made over the weekend. 

"It was okay enough. No one was straight up asshole, and I think there are some weirdos I might talk to again." Rio raised a hand, and Adri, with an eye-roll, accepted the high-five. "Atta girl."

"Do I tell you about your lady-love now?"

"If you want to"

"You are not subtle, mami, but then again, she did essentially shove her tongue down your throat at the fair thingy, and it only took her like ten seconds." Rio groaned, loudly. 

Adri laughed. "Want some tea? I'm feeling like hibiscus." "Sure, grab me a cup too." Adri took the now-empty platter of cookies and went to the kitchen to boil some water. As she moved through the kitchen in her now almost practised moves she could feel eyes on her. 

"Come ask whatever it is you want to ask." It's not like she had a reason to lie.

"You said that everything's fine, but I need to make sure. So, is there anyone I need to threaten or scare shitless?"

"Not yet, we'll see in the future." Adri turned around after she poured boiling water into the kettle. "Thank you." She didn't know how to say it better, so she just trapped her mami in a hug and squeezed hard.

"Anything for you, mija, you know that." 

A few months later

"Ehm, miss Harkness?" Adri's voice was audible, but barely. One could say it was a rather good reflection of how she was feeling. It was almost time for class, and she was afraid she wouldn't find Agatha in time. Apparently, high schools are massive even in small towns. 

She could see the recognition in her body language even before Agatha turned and laid eyes on her. And that was apparently all it took. 

"Come with me, your next period would have been history with Mr Barnes, right?" Adri nodded, trying to keep her breathing regular and upright. 

"Good, I'll take care of that." She wasn't walking as fast as she normally would, thank fuck for that. But even that was too much. She had to stop and close her eyes.

"Hey, Adri, Adri, can you look at me?" Agatha stopped, laying one hand on her shoulder. Adri shook her head. It hurt too much. Keeping her eyes closed helped. 

"Okay, can I take your arm to hook it into mine so we can make it to the nurse?" Yes, yes, this sounded amazing. No need to see fluorescent lights. She nodded, slowly, because her head was already falling apart. 

"I need you to say it out loud, okay?" Agatha kept her hand on Adri's shoulder, at this point, essentially a daily occurrence. 

"Yes, ehm, you can take my arm, and ehm, hook it into your arm so" she took a deep breath "so we can go to the nurse." She fucking hated her headaches, with passion. 

"Okay, you're doing amazing. I'll keep one hand on your shoulder until I hook your arm through mine, okay? So you don't get lost in space." Agatha sounded so calm, so practised. She was, but Adri was in no way aware of that at the moment. 

"Okay", she breathed out and let her arm be manipulated. As soon as she felt her elbow touch Agatha's she brought up her other hand to the arm to hold on. 

"Let's go."

Even with how slow she had to have been, they made it to the nurse faster than she was expecting. She doesn't remember the name, but she got her medication, and then the nurse and Agatha were arguing. They were trying to be quiet, Agatha at least was, because Adri had heard her when she got excited during game nights into pretend arguments. But she wanted out of there, out of the uncomfortable bed, she wanted to go home. 

"You should have it on file. She gets them regularly and is monitored by doctors. Her mother is a teacher at middle school, and they're out on a field trip today, so she won't be back for at least five more hours."

"There needs to be someone else here. You're her teacher."

"Technically her and mami started sucking faces before school started, and we're new in town, moved in August." She managed to get out of her system. Her eyes were still closed because the nurse didn't want to shut the lights off and they were, you guessed it, fucking fluorescent. 

She didn't care for the silence that followed. 

"Dating, she means dating."

"I won't comment on the language, only because of the headache" asshole nurse. 

"It's body ache" she rasps out. "And if she can, I would love if Agatha could take me home. She has the keys too I'm pretty sure, and if not, I do."

Her more rational brain would scoff at her for the oversharing. Her rational brain had to suck it, because this was survival mode brain. 

"I'll need to call her mother."

And they did. Rio was pissed, mostly at the nurse, definititely not at Agatha and sure as hell not at Adri. And with her mami's blessing, Agatha was able to take her home. 

"Are we taking Nicky too?" she asked as they exited the building. 

"You can try opening your eyes, it's dark and cloudy, just as your vampire self likes it." Adri smiled and indeed, she only needed to keep them partially closed to block out the most intense light. She still kept her hold on Agatha, though. 

"And no, I already messaged Wanda, she'll pick him up and then bring him over once he's done with school."

"Shit, and what about your classes?" it completely slipped her mind, fuck. 

"Hey, no, don't you worry about that. I have adult stuff handled, you hold on until I can get you comfy on the sofa." Adri nodded and settled into the car's front seat. 

The drive didn't take too long. Agatha immediately turned off the radio and only spoke when explaining what she would have to do once they got to the house. 

"You'll go and change clothes, and then we'll get you settled. Rio's already texted me instructions on how to make you your tea and what things you'll be willing to stomach." She wasn't rambling, but it was adorable. 

"You knew about the sofa."

"Sofa is where your favourite human hangs out, and where the cats are. Pretty sure Morena won't leave you alone until at least dinner time, if not longer. After all, her adopted human is in pain." Adri chuckled. 

"Guess so."

Once they got to the house and Adri assured Agatha that the meds were working and that she could go upstairs on her own and change, and that she would call out if that was no longer a case. "I'm the reason mami stood by the railing on both sides of the stairs."

"I wouldn't have expected anything else." With that, she left for her room, found the comfy short leggings, a tank-top and then went to steal her mami's basketball hoodie, the most comfortable thing in the whole entire world, no exaggeration. 

When she made her way back down, definitely more lucid than before, there were already soft foods waiting for her at the coffee table, her favourite blanket was out, and she could hear Agatha softly cursing at the tea instructions. 

"Do you want my help?"

"No, it won't be the best tea, but your mami's had me practice in case something like this happened. I shouldn't butcher it completely." Oh, her mami was such a simp, it was so adorable. 

"I guess I can forgive you, especially since you keep teaching her how to properly cook." Adri settled into the corner of the sofa and settled under the blanket, and right then Morena came to her, dropped herself into Adri's arms and stared pourring. 

Agatha brought the tea by only a few minutes later and set it on the designated tray on the coffee table, they should rename it, neither she nor Rio drank coffee. 

"Is there anything you need?" Adri shook her head. While she was upstairs, Agatha somehow managed to draw all the curtains closed, so there was a wonderful dark tone on the entire ground floor. 

Agatha turned to go and sit at the dinner table, probably, but Adri didn't want to be alone. 

"Do you, do you think you could read to me?" Agatha did a lot for her already, but Rio never left her alone when she could help it at least a bit. And she liked Agatha, she was nice, she was good to her mami, and to her. 

"Of course, is there anything you'd prefer?" Adri thought for a few seconds. "There's a book, the girls I've been, it's on the shelf where we keep the most reread stuff." She whispered. Agatha made her way over and quickly picked the book up. 

Adri curled into Morena and then, then she managed to fall asleep to the sounds of Agatha's voice reading a tale so familiar she could fill in the words in the text if asked. 

--- 

"Can I go say hi?"

"No, remember how I told you that Adri sometimes gets really bad headaches?" 

"Yeah, it makes her entire body hurt, and we can help by being quiet and nice!" He was whispering, such a sweet kid, clearly still excited.

Adri opened her eyes and saw Nicky sitting in Agatha's lap, facing her, staring at Persephone, who nestled herself into Agatha's thigh. 

"Hey Nicky, how's it going?" Her voice was raspy, but the headache was better. A lot better. She reached for the water and now cold tea, drinking first the water, and then the tea, both in sips. 

"Adri!" he scrambled off of his mom's lap, mindful of the cat, and went around, sitting close by her as she slowly pulled herself up into a quasi-sitting position. 

"Is your headache better?"

"Tons, your mama took really good care of me." Adri smiled and ruffled his hair. Her body was still tired, her movements slow, but her headache was no longer in her danger area.

At that, Morena sat up, stretched, and went wherever she wanted to, jumped off the sofa, probably to find Persephone so they could scheme together. 

"She's really good at that." Nicky agreed all seriously. 

Right then, Agatha came into her view, with a tray of things. 

"I have your meds here, and some more water." She lowered it onto the table, letting her pick whichever she needed, per her own accord. She was so grateful for that and reached for the mid-strength one. 

"It was a good book, by the way, The Girls I've Been," Agatha noted as she nagged Nicky to drink some water too. 

"You could probably tell that I read it way too often."

"It's clearly a comfort read, never too much of that. And you fell asleep during the first page."

"You like to listen to things when you have headaches?" Nicky moved to sit closer to the teenager. 

"Yeah, oftentimes I can't stand a screen and noise helps my brain focus on something that isn't pain." She explained. 

"I like it too!" Adri's eyes widened, and she looked at Agatha, her brain running worst-case scenarios. 

"No, he's okay. He had a really bad case of pneumonia last winter and forgets that when he says stuff like this, it can scare people who care and didn't know." She explained, kissing the top of his head as she sat behind him. 

"I scared you?"

"Kind of, it sounded like you're in a lot of pain right now." She could see the look of realisation on his face. 

"Oh, I'm sorry." 

"It's okay, Nicky, I'm just glad you're okay." She signalled, opening her arms to Agatha, who nodded, so she offered a hug to Nicky. 

"Are you sure it won't hurt you?"

"Don't you know? Good hugs heal." he grinned at her and slowly settled himself on her lap and wrapped his little arms around her. 

"You're so warm!"

"I was just sleeping, buried under the blanket for a few hours. Do you know how long until mami gets home?" she directed the question at Agatha. 

"Should be back in under thirty minutes. She's pissed she couldn't be here, has been texting me non-stop." Adri chuckled. 

"Yeah, sounds like her. She isn't too used to being able to, you know, actually rely on people." Agatha stuck around, she deserved to know what mental state Rio would probably be in, even if she can't see her mami at not dropping hints. 

"Yeah, I had to get used to it too. What do you want to eat?" 

"I know it's not proper food..."

"Kid, if I had one of your headaches, proper food, even the one you should get in, would be the last thing on my mind."

"We have these fruit pouches in the pantry, I'm sure you've seen them, maybe even got them for the little manace." She gently squeezed Nicky for a second, causing him to fall into a set of giggles. 

"Yeah, pretty sure I know the ones. I would say don't move, but he's as good as a cat in making people sit in their positions." Nicky, who was finally breathing properly again, straightened his back and proudly smiled at her. 

"Do you want to watch something with me?"

"I thought you said that watching the things makes your head hurt more?" he gave her a puzzled look, sucking his lip in. She's pretty sure she's seen Agatha make the same expression throughout the past couple of months. 

"Yeah, but if I close my eyes, I can listen."

"Sure, but don't you want to wake up a bit more before that?" Rio appeared in the living room, seemingly out of nowhere. 

"Mami!"

"Rio!"

Rio came to the two of them, and Nicky got off Adri's lap just in time before she wenll, she didn't throw herself at her mami, her head still hurt, but a slow version of that. 

"Hey mija, how are you?" Rio gently stroked her hair and rubbed her back. 

"I'm a lot better, Agatha took good care of me," she murmured into her hair. And then, even quieter so Nicky wouldn't hear her, "We have to keep them."

Author's note:

There was a human near her garden. 

Rio could feel the plants objecting. 

She did the only sensible thing for her in the moment: she ran. 

She ran, using her speed to get to the human before they managed to get themselves killed inside her locked garden. The damn humans were always curious and never careful. 

She finds a woman running along the wall. Her long hair is sticking out of at least a week-old braids, her dress torn and ripped in places, and she's carrying a small bag and, to Rio's wonder, a rabbit in her hand. 

Rio stands there, eyeing the human. 

Human, who looks at her and gets the look of a terrified prey, the second she spots Rio. 

"Who are you?!" It's more of a bark than anything else, she notes to herself. Looks like it could be a defensive system, her brain supplies.

"The owner." There is no need for the stranger to know her name. She continues,

"You were about to walk into a garden full of plants so poisonous that touching them or even breathing in their direction could kill you in cases. Fast." Rio watches for the human's reactions, but she doesn't get many, the most prominent one is the twitching of muscles around her eyes. That piques her interest. The lack of reaction is concerning. She was expecting screaming, which she usually does in these situations.

"What are you doing here?"

"Here where?" The stranger stands with her feet apart, ready for a fight. She should be, given that the sun was already down and darkness was setting in fast.

"Here, where you almost got yourself killed, here far away from people," Rio raises an eyebrow and waits. 

"My cunt of a mother promised me to a man. I hate men." The stranger raises an eyebrow, too, as if challenging Rio to say something negative about her reaction. Rio doesn't, she can sympathise. 

Rio nods to herself, more like a refugee than. 

"You know," the stranger starts, "I could use a place to sleep tonight that is not the woods."

Rio thinks. Letting a person in isn't a smart move by any of her books, but this one is interesting, she could study her behaviour, maybe learn more about the rest of the world too, it'd been a while since she talked to someone who could talk back.

"That is doable. Do I presume that you haven't had a sustainable meal in a while?" 

The stranger looks at her, eyebrows slightly crunched, cheeks getting a slight blush. "One might call that a rude presumption,"

"The state of your dress does suggest certain things," Rio states matter-of-factly. "What do I call you?" She turns to suggest to the human that she can follow her. 

"Agatha." The woman says, and Rio nods. "Are family names still not common?"

Her question causes the human to raise her eyebrows, but she doesn't say anything and slowly moves towards Rio. 

"Some people have them." Then she looks Rio up and down, again. "What do I call you? A creepy woman in the woods with a garden so poisonous she can't even tend to it? That's a bit lengthy, don't you think?" She crosses her arms, mindful of the rabbit she's still carrying. 

"My name is Rio." She sees no reason to lie, it's not like there are any records where Agatha can confirm just how old Rio is based on purely her name.

"Weird name."

Rio doesn't answer, doesn't feel the need to. They walk along the wall together to her house/castle. She'd found it abandoned and made it hers. No one had ever come knocking, she loved it. 

Agatha doesn't talk as they walk, instead Rio can feel her checking everything out peripherily, wondering why the human is so paranoid. Agatha essentially invited herself in. Rio pretended not to notice the little factoid, waiting. 

She doesn't have much to eat, mostly fruit and vegetables, and things she collects in the nearby woods. Agatha doesn't complain as they eat, but she eyes Rio like she's a puzzle to be solved. 

"So, how long exactly have you lived here? I mean, there isn't much in terms of companions and you don't seem like the type to travel miles upon miles to socialise." 

"About ten winters. There is no need for me to travel to town. I do not get sick, I have a water source a few minutes walk away from the poison garden. There is no way for me to utilise such travels, especially as I have already travelled around a fair bit. I like people even less than you." She doesn't know why she's so willing to give information. She is hoping that Agatha will figure it out, she is a fine verbal sparring partner and doesn't seem like one to run away, especially with the way she talked about the rest of humanity. 

Agatha leans forward, as she is sitting across from Rio, and studies her with a look that could split mountains. And then gets what she wants, potentially, as she goes and leans back in her chair. She pushes the empty plate away and leans her arms on the table, elbows at the edge, connecting her hands. 

"You are a vampire, and you don't even try to hide it." Rio stops drinking her water and gently sets the cup down, waiting. "I don't care, though I do wonder how the fuck you manage to survive if there are no humans here, well, unless you have a dungeon of the sort. Anyways," she tilts her head down, but continues to hold uncomfortable eye contact, "here's the thing. I only have Scratchy," she points at the rabbit who's happily munching on a bunch of carrots, "and I'm alone. And I need you to turn me into a vampire."

Rio is glad she put the cup down. "Do you even know what being a vampire entails?" She is sure Agatha doesn't.

"Sure, drink blood, still kind of eat, don't let yourself be found by other humans and probably other vampires, I don't really have much of an idea of your societal structure. Though you were out when the light wasn't completely out, and you even have a tan, so the sun thing must be a myth."

"It is, partially, direct string exposure hurts, but we don't go up in flames, or at least I don't. But it also means living, for way too long. And you would definitely outlive Señor here." She nods towards the rabbit, who has made his way back to Agatha's arms. Not to mention the reactions of people and the danger that comes with it."

Agatha promptly ignores her last sentence. "Scratchy here is a familiar, he'll be around for as long as I am." Rio nods, she should have guessed a woman who was able to make it in the woods for so long would have a tool hidden in case of neccesity, magic in her case. 

"A witch then? I haven't met one of you in a while."

"I should be, but magic has never shown up for me, except for Scratchy." Rio can see the way her eyebrows furrow for a short moment, it is probably more than she wanted to reveal to strangers. 

"How do you manage to survive when you don't have any humans here to provide blood?"

"You are here."

"But you didn't know that I was coming."

"Are you sure of that?" Rio raises her right eyebrow. 

"You are avoiding the question. Shouldn't I be aware of everything if you're to turn me?"

"I never agreed to do that." The vampire points out, avoiding the answer. 

"Rioo," she doesn't say please, and Rio gets the feeling she uses it as little as possible in her interactions with other people, especially if she wants something. 

"I can't stand the texture of blood, I mix my own concoction from plants and fruit juice." 

Agatha starts uncontrollably laughing. Rio would it think it quite rude, except Agatha is weirdly adorable when she laughs, and then little snorts start coming out and edges of Rio's mouth raise. She hasn't heard the sound yet, but it's adorable. 

"You're a vampire, not a new one, and you don't like the texture of blood?"

"I hate it, can't stomach it, so I found myself an alternate route. It was the only thing that made sense." Agatha continued laughing, and Rio, Rio stared at her, waiting for what would fall out of her mouth the next.

"So, are you going to turn me or what?" Agatha asks the second she is capable of breathing on her own. And stares, once again. 

"It's your body, and you should be able to do what you want to it, but I don't like just doing it." She can see Agatha opening her mouth to argue, her favourite activity. "Wait, I didn't say wouldn't. I think that you should think about it, because there is no way to undo it, ever. To say that it's a big decision is an understatement." She waits until Agatha nods. 

"So, what is your plan?" She's fast, the question barely able to get out of her mouth in an understandable manner.

"Wait a month. Not in the study, every aspect, that's stupid, but I have something on us, you can read right? I saw you checking out some of the books." Agatha nods. "So, read that. Here, or, you know, wherever you want to go. And come back in a month. If you want to be turned, I'll do it then. It is non-negotiable."

"I thought I would have to fight you more."

"You're an interesting one, and you will cause just enough chaos to keep the few news I manage to get hands on interesting. And it's not as if there is a lot of s in this part of the kingdom, one of the reasons I chose to settle here." Rio shrugs her shoulders and starts gathering the dishes. 

"And if I don't come back?"

"Then you don't come back. Though I will hunt you down and kill you if you bring the army to my doorstep." Rio means it, she doesn't care for much, but she fucking loves her peace and calm and whoever attempts to destroy it will pay. It's a promise. 

Agatha nods, "That's fair. But the waiting is not necessary, I will not change my mind."

"Neither will I, but it is still non-negotiable."

Agatha smiles, but there is something different about it, and Rio isn't sure she likes it.

"You can stay here, tonight at least."

"I'll go and cause trouble in town and come back, well, tomorrow. Though I would appreciate a map if you have one."

If Rio has one, she scoffs and makes her way to the library, if she has one, what a ridiculous human.

Author's note:

I have severely underestimated just how long this would take, so shorter one today (not midnight here yet, so technically I am still on time, chi chi). I do have plans for this version of them as well, soo hopefully I will add in more chapters as the summer creeps in. Credit where credit is due, my friend came up with the idea of Rio just, having too many sensory issues when it comes to drinking blood, I have yet to stop chuckling whenever I recall the moment xd. I hope you nonetheless enjoyed the spawn of my tired brain.

"We need to get married." 

"Come again?" Agatha raised her eyes from whatever had lost her interest in her book. Messy hair, half up in an untidy bun and eyebrows well on their way into said hair. 

"They're tearing the building down in a few months, and people, translation men, prefer renting to 'one family', which, apparently, we aren't without that peace of paper, I've started looking into where we could move, cause you know, we'll have to." Rio willingly succumbed to gravity and fell on the sofa, having just put Nicky and Adri to bed, legs immediately flying over its back and back twisting in such a way that her head landed right by Agatha's thighs. 

"I knew that we were getting looks, we always are, but still," Agatha says. Then she gets a look in her eye, a dangerous one. Rio likes it; most people do not. 

"You know, there's still the part of my inheritance. The one that says I get access to it, once I get married." Agatha said not as nonchalantly as she was pretending to, but Rio actually got up into a mostly normal sitting position in under a second.

"What?" Her head was dizzy. Since when did Agatha have an inheritance?

"I found out like, yesterday. Apparently, grandparents put it in, the sperm donor's parents. The only way we know is because they somehow managed to go over the birther's head, wish I knew how to do that earlier. If I get married, I get everything of theirs and money that was intended for the sperm donor, but apparently he also kicked the bucket, a few years back, actually. It would have been split evenly between surviving grandkids, but I'm the only one alive and therefore eligible. There would have been one other, but he died two years ago. Maybe one other, I wasn't paying much attention at that point." She tried to sound unbothered, but Rio saw the twitching muscle in her cheek and decided to pretend to eat the bait. 

"Your mysterious meeting yesterday." She wasn't asking. There was no other time Agatha could have had such a meeting. Not in the past eight years. A side effect of living in the same room was a certain lack of privacy.

"Yep", she popped the p and continued staring at Rio's face.

"Wait, how'd you even find out? I don't suppose birther wanted you to know, and you said that they had to go over her head." Rio raised her eyebrows, reaching for the water on the coffee table.

"Birther finally kicked the bucket." Agatha's smile could not be wider, and it should have been concerning. It wasn't. 

"Wait, for real?" Rio's voice was light, lighter than she'd thought it could be. Oh, if Evanora were dead, they would have a family celebration, because that deserved every single party in the world.

"There is one thing I don't joke about, it's her." She knew that, obviously. But this had been a wish for so long it didn't feel real.

"Well congratu-fucking-lations." They raised the water glasses from the table in a sign of cheer. 

"We can celebrate later, now I need you to focus." Agatha jumped in before Rio's brain could go somewhere and start planning a celebration for such an occasion, and be a nuisance for the entire evening.

"Right, we need to get married for two reasons now." She didn't like how unsure that sounded. 

"Think Rio, it will set us up for life." Agatha reached out and held one of her hands in both hers. 

"Us?" Duh, married means two consenting adults. She did ask you to marry her, too, idiot. Stupid self-esteem issues.

"You, me, the kids. Sperm donors' parents weren't loaded rich, but they had a house in a good town and enough money to change our entire lives. We can pay off the remaining debts and start anew." College and medical. Not that they would ever say the second part out loud, not until all the lights were off and they drank a bit of alcohol. 

"So, you.." she doesn't dare finish that sentence. 

"Want you and Adri to come along? Duh, it's the four of us against the world, now literally." Agatha looked at her like it was the surest thing in the world.

"Right" Rio's brain short circuited, damn issues and childhood trauma.

"Rio, I'll say this only once, because we both know that unless it's the kids, I'm allergic to feelings. I'd be happy with Nicky, goddess knows I would. But, life without you, without Adri, would not be worth the same." Cue Rio's lesbian brain just, kicking the bucket, momentarily. 

"Right", she doesn't know what else she could say. Agatha went right in there and put a bandage on her metaphorical bleeding heart. Nope, there will be time for this later, when everyone has gone to sleep.

"Ditto, by the way. If we're doing this, we need to work out the logistics fast, and also, tell the kids." Rio refused the useless lesbian to take over. Time to work, brain. 

"Obviously, they're big enough to know about, well, technically the scheme," Agatha smirked in the way she did whenever she had a master plan slowly forming in her brain.

"Not all of it." Rio knew she didn't have to remind Agatha of that, but it was important for her to keep the communication clear. 

"Please, they'll never be old enough to know all of it, but they can know most of this ploy," she knew, Rio saw it in her eyes. But this was Agatha, emotional spoons were reserved for the kids, and then maybe after some wine and something that reminded her of whatever asshole helped mess up her life.

"They like being in on something, goddess knows we won't be bored with the two of them once they become teenagers."

"Nope, we do not think like that." Agatha got up and started to quietly pace, she needed to move to get some of the adrenaline induced energy out, "And that they hate the city, Westview will do them good." 

"That's the town?" obvously idiot, but it was getting late and she was fucking tired.

"Yeah, idilic, nice big houses, good schools and after-school programmes, not too far from NYC, should something go very wrong. And there is a community centre. And the town isn't more religious than your average American, so we should be okay enough."

"So New Jersey?"

"Yep."

"Okay. Worst case scenario we sell the house and find somewhere without dicks." Identical smirks settled on their faces as now Agatha fell back onto the sofa.

"Okay", Agatha sighs with relief. She wasn't too worried about Rio not agreeing, but when it comes to people, she never is certain, not even with Rio. It's the last part she hates the most. 

"Let's get scheming", Agatha cracks her knuckles, and Rio, after she stretches and twists her back in inhuman ways to get some of the knots out gets up and heads towards the kitchen. 

"I'll make us tea, there's a lot to cover."

They spend the rest of the night going over everything and planning. The kids don't remember living apart; they never really have. 

Rio's parents left her with a kid sister to raise, abusive assholes who died months after she was born and Rio took her in without a second thought. Right when she and Agatha moved in together and Agatha had Nicky. Her last attempt at a boyfriend left seconds after he found out about the pregnancy, and she had just managed to hunt him down to sign away all of his parental rights. 

So it was them, the kids, against everyone else, through thick and thin. Adri and Nicky got along wonderfully, siblings in every sense of the word. Protective of the other in ways parents can only dream of. Rio is mami, Agatha is mama and while they tried explaining and laying out that technically they should call their non-biological parent by name, it never stuck, since they started talking. Adri never bothered asking for more, never asked for her biological parents after Rio told her that they died when she was a few months old, and that they weren't the best people to be around. The second part was only when she asked why Rio didn't look too sad about it, she didn't have it in her to lie and have Adri idolise people who would have probably tried to break her. 

Neither kid knew the full extent of what actually happened to their moms, and Rio and Agatha vowed to never let them find out everything about their lives, ever. Not when they were old and dying, not when the kids grew to be eighteen. Never.

"Do you think we can manage to do this before the summer ends? They have two weeks left of school, and then we can move once everything is settled." Rio was now lying on the floor, legs propped up on the sofa.

"I may have told the lawyer that due to the lack of family and friends, we were planning to get married in three weeks, a small wedding at the courthouse. He said that once the confirmation came through, about a week later, we should be able to move." Agatha was lying on her front, facing Rio on the floor. Their teas were long gone.

"You counted on me saying yes?" Rio shouldn't be surprised, this is Agatha after all.

"Technically, you asked first." There was a shit eating grin on her face.

"Yeah, well," Rio got up without another word and went to their room, fuck you city prices, and came back with a small purple box. 

"What? How do you even?" Agatha wanted to laugh, but the way her heart clenched had her shocked, speechless, unable to properly display her usually loud opinion. 

"Figured I should get you a ring in case you said yes," Rio shrugged and sat back down in her spot, opposite Agatha, who had straightened her spine into a sitting position, and opened the box. There was a ring, a simple, nice ring with four different stones set in a row. Nothing overly extravagant, but intimate.

"It's us and the kids. I was going to get all of us some for Christmas this year, but figured this was a good way to utilise it." Rio has had it for longer, not that she would ever admit it. She was waiting for when the kids were older to lessen the risk of them losing it.

Agatha did not have tears falling from her eyes, she did not. For all her and Rio always said that they were best friends and nothing more, it was moments like this that kept her patient. Because while this was yet another mess their makeshift family has gotten into, it's always felt like a lot more. Like everything. And Agatha has managed to keep her cool the entire time, but then Rio would do something like this and she would be left wondering exactly 'what the fuck were they'. 

"Oh my, Rio", it sounded a lot more broken than she wanted it to. 

"So what do you say, want to marry this old ass?" Rio joked, still scared shitless mind you, and took the ring out of the box, wordlessly asking for Agatha's hand. Hand that was freely given. 

They kept eye contact, and she could see Rio's searching gaze, looking for any signs of uncertainty, fear, 'no', anything that would tell her to immediately stop. But she counldn't find anything, because there wasn't anything to find. 

So she slipped the ring on. Agatha was still staring in awe. It was beautiful and clearly made to fit, because it did, like a glove. She wore rings all over her fingers all the time, so they could easily get lost, unless you knew where to look for it. 

"I'm glad it fits." There is undeniable smile to be heard in Rio's voice. Agatha wouldn't know; she couldn't stop staring at the ring. Her ring.

"Like it was made for me", it was, a stupid comment to let out of your mouth Agatha. 

"I mean, it was. I have Adri and Nicky's tucked away. Theirs are on necklaces, I wasn't sure I trusted them to both wear a ring and also not loose it."

"What about yours?" she laid her head on Rio's shoulder, and the other woman immediately started playing with her long hair. 

"Not done yet, or more like, left it to be the last, and it'll be at least a month before I can buy it."

"What?"

"Well, it's the actual stones, the band is more expensive, so it holds for a long time. And there is an engraving on the inside, too."

Agatha takes hers off and looks inside. 

Our Love is Unconditional and a symbol of a book.

Agatha didn't respond, not immediately, just, rested her head on Rio's shoulder and tried her damn hardest not to cry her heart out. 

"I never wanted them to wonder, I know that we've done our best so that they never do, and talked about it all at length, both between us and with them, but figured a reminder wouldn't hurt, especially considering our lack of childhoods." she ran her fingers through the part of Agatha's hair that wasn't still in the bun. "And everybody has a different symbol, of course."

"I want to make a joke, but this is too sweet to be made fun of, maybe later." After a small pause, she adds: "fiancée." 

Rio chuckles, "Yeah, I was pretty sure you'd end up saying something like this. Want me to take your hair down?" Agatha nods, and so Rio goes through with the offer. She takes the down, carefully, from the half bun Agatha produced after she came home from work, and starts running fingers through her hair, gently detangling along the way.

They stayed like that for a few more minutes, until they heard the kids walking around, and glanced at the clock to look at the time, after midnight, that was not good. Technically, it was the weekend, but Nicky and Adri were a bit too young to be still up. The financièes exchanged a glance and without any other words get up and headed towards the kids' room. 

It's big, the biggest room in the flat. Each little one has a bunkbed, table underneath it and space that was theirs to decorate, as much as renting allowed (and some more because their ability to express themselves was important to their moms). 

Both eight-year-olds were out of their beds, their bestest plushie in hand, clearly getting ready to go and search for them. 

"What are you two.."

"Adri had a nightmare"

"Nicky had a nightmare"

The kids started talking over each other. Agatha and Rio didn't need to share a look or ask to know that one got up, started eavesdropping and then woke the other up to be complicit in getting information.

"Can we sleep with you?" they asked in sync, puppy eyes on, heads slightly tilted down.

There was no question to be asked. Agatha and Rio, without sharing a look, each reached out with their arms and bent down, waiting for an eight-year-old to fill the space. 

Usually, Nicky would run for Agatha and Andri for Rio, at least initially, before something like this turned into a cuddle pile. But the kids ran into their arms, head first, reaching for both adults. 

Only then did Agatha and Rio share a look, and each scooped up the kid closer to them. Rio took Nicky on her back, and Agatha held Adri on her hip. 

They were both in enough of a PJ clothes that they didn't bother thinking about changing. 

In the master bedroom, which was barely a bed and a shared closet, they let the kids down on the bed and were immediately pulled down by them. 

Their eight-year-olds, aren't usually that clingy. They like touch, and will just come and cuddle up during whatever time of day.

"Are we leaving?" Adri turned to face Rio, moving closer to her mami. 

"Why do you ask, mi amor?"

"Because we heard you, you and mama talked about leaving and getting married..." Adri clearly wasn't a fan of the idea of her and Rio leaving their two favourite people behind. 

"No, no. Well, we wanted to tell you in the morning, but Agatha and I will be getting married to each other. And we will be moving, but all of us together." Because their kids deserve to have their input heard, even if they do have to move somewhere else, either way, even if they were fairly sure there wouldn't be an issue with it. 

"We wanted to talk to you rascals in the morning, to properly explain everything, but I guess tonight is as good a night as any" she waits for Rio's nod before she lights the lamps up and sits against the headboard with the other three following her cues. Rio copying her position and Adri climbing into her lap while Nicky climbed into Agatha's. 

"Agatha found out that her sperm donor's parents left her some inheritance, but only if she gets married."

"And because everyone already mistakes us for a couple, you two treat each other like siblings anyway, we thought it best if we got married. There are a lot of benefits to this, adult ones neither of you needs to worry about."

The kids only object to one thing in the entire sentence. 

"But we are siblings!" they yelp out in a chorus, and then point at each other from their sitting places in the claimed adult's laps. 

"We know loves, but not to everyone else. Now you will be." Rio strokes Adri's back as she feels that the girl is about to jump off her lap.

"Does that mean that you and mama will finally start kissing?" Nicky looks up at Rio from Agatha's lap, and she is oh so glad for the dark and shadows and only a small illuminating light on. 

"We're still just friends, mijo, that doesn't change. But you can tell people that we do." She smiles at him, trying very hard to project all of her feelings about the entire situation.

And the kids, to their utter surprise, cheer and then high five. Because of course they do. 

"And what about the moving?"

"Well, my biological grandparents had a house in a town, and once we get married and the lawyers review everything, we can move there."

"Out of the city?" Once again, they ask in unison.

"Yes."

The kids, despite it being about half past midnight, get out of their laps and start jumping on the bed in excitement, holding hands and jumping in a circle. "We're getting out, we're getting out!" They chant over and over again. 

Agatha and Rio exchange looks. They really won't be getting much sleep next night. There is too much that still needs to be discussed, things they will not have the time to talk about during the day with two very active eight-year-olds on their hands. 

"Okay, okay, you two need to sleep. And we will talk more tomorrow, after breakfast." Rio raises her eyebrows at them, a universal sign of 'listen or the consequences will not be to your liking'.

They visibly don't want to, but the yawns betray them and soon their little bodies give in to the lull of sleep and dreams, and the safety of their moms. They either hold onto their plushie, curled up into their adult. Safe, protected.

Rio and Agatha keep a small light on and stroke the children's hair. They whisper, theorising what and why the kids said while actively soothing them, not to disturb their sleep. They do end up turning the light off soon enough, not wanting to face two very active eight-year-olds exhausted, especially when there have been no previous plans for the weekend. 

In the morning, when they wake up, Rio is spooning Agatha, and the kids are nowhere to be seen. 

Author's note:

The author doesn't know much about either rental prices in the US (except from the things I've seen online) nor the family law nor the prices of rings, and as I am unfortunately in the middle of my exams, this will have to do for now.. 

This whole chapter was a writing experiment, the style is new to me and absolutely goes against my writing instincts, but oh well, challenging myself and whatnot.

This is the first chapter to something I would like to continue once school is over for me, but who knows what'll happen then. 

The view was perfect. Rio, running around with kids at the centre, coaching one second and refereeing the next. A natural, both with the children and in the movement. Every now and then her attention fell to Agatha and she sent her a kiss. Every time, even when she started noticing that her wife's focus is turning somewhere else.

Because Agatha used to be able to do that too, she used to be out there with her wife, playing with the kids.

But she can't anymore.

Not since her joints have started to cause enough issues that she was now, a year later, a double crutch user anytime they had to leave the house, not to mention the damn braces she used as a preventative measure. She's so fucking thankful they managed to get the house, because at least there she can still walk outside, in the garden, without fearing that she'll fall down without her mobility aids and therefore won't able to get up without at least massive struggle, because Rio can be there to pick her up.

She loves the crutches, loves the freedom they offer, in their own way. Is grateful that she doesn't need to be a full-time wheelchair user, yet, who knows. Loves that after years of feeling pain in every movement, she has security measures in place to help keep her up. Something that she can rely on, no matter what. Well, except for defying gravity, because those fuckers will find a way to fall no matter what (personal experience). She has three pairs, each customised for long or short walks, one pair foldable for easier travel. All three pairs in different colours, all unique and hers. And as much as she can now admit how much better they make her life, how grateful she is to have their help, it in no way conveys her emotional status most of the time.

Because she's also mad, so so fucking mad she wants to have a go at a boxing bag, without the gloves, just in sport shorts and bra, hair barely in a ponytail or a very messy bun. She wants to go at it and fuck herself up with hours on end and zero rest.

Years of therapy, starting right before she met Rio, she is aware of her own feelings and how to work with them. She knows that mad doesn't even begin to describe what she feels. Because also, mad isn't the right word, no. There isn't a good enough word to describe her feelings. But in the moment one prevails above all else.

She's so so fucking jealous. Of her wife, of the kids she's playing with right now. Because she used to be able to move like that, and more.

Because she and Rio met playing for opposing teams in the local women's basketball league. Because they could. Because they were good. Because they enjoyed it.

And in a true lesbian fashion, they'd moved together in three weeks after the first date, as Agatha's was up and she was running out of time to secure a new living space.

So she moved in with Rio, and five years later they got married, too busy with their lives and each other to bother to plan a proper wedding for two years. No probing parents on either side meant that their friends had to nag the shit out of them to pick a date and place. They ended up postponing a year so that they could get married in their own backyard.

Agatha started using the cane for long days, not long after, after one too many 'almost falls' and increasing pain.

And then she crashed.

Her body realised that, finally, she was safe, there was no abusive family, no one trying to harm her. For a little while, all she had in true and meaningful relationships was Rio, and Rio wasn't going to hurt her; Rio helped to keep her safe. She was working her way through the traumas when her body decided it was safe to drop the act of being able to function.

Agatha went from being a decently sporty person her entire life with abilities honed from various sports she partook in as a child to someone who had to work to walk and keep walking after some minutes, especially in the beginning.

It took months for her to get somewhat used to the fact that the crutches were there to stay, and that doctors still couldn't tell her what was happening, not that they tried particularly hard.

Her and Rio still continued with their lives, they had no other choice. With additional appointments and things they had to have on mind after never considering them before her body's silly little not-so-little breakdown. Not to mention how rude and awful so many people were outside their little bubble of a town. Going anywhere suddenly couldn't be done mostly on a whim, because hey, we both have time off and managed to keep the budget so low we can go away for a few days, even if that's just a road trip with mostly snacks for food.

Now they had to think about everything from clothes, mobility aids, accessibility and more, and it drove Agatha mad.

She went trough so many emotions that she started to write them out on a massive sheet of paper, to make it a game, to make it something to at least partially laugh at.

But there was always one at the top, one she hadn't managed to get rid of.

The damn jealousy.

And she hated it, with passion.

Hated that after six years spent on herself in therapy, working through all of the bullshit in her brain, there was something that could potentially take over a decade for it to stop shadowing her everyday life.

Some days, as with everything, were easier than others.

It just so happened that the weekend they were planning on spending at the youth centre, in its entirety, came to be fucking awful and one of the worst ones she has had in recent memory.

She was used to her brain telling her to go and die, used to her brain telling her just how worthless she was and that everyone, especially Rio, would be better off without her in the picture to ruin things. Used to the voice of her bitch of a birther telling her that she was a curse, was making everything worse, and how she was born evil and how she should have died at birth. All of that was an old routine at this point, one she could deal with. That she knew how to go along with or push out enough to get somewhere safe and let it out.

Not being able to get all of her emotions out by playing whichever sport she wanted or honing whatever skill she felt like? That hurt her so fucking deeply, so specifically, she was never able to successfully express it, not with herself, not with anyone.

And so she did the only thing left, she kept sitting, leaning her chin on the handle of her crutches and watching.

They weren't playing a match at this point; now there were at least fifty children running around, playing games around the various hoops on the field. Having fun. Being children. It put a smile on her face, and if it made some tears fall, well, no one was around to witness it. She was in her favourite spot for the hot summer days, beneath a tree on a chair specifically brought for her.

It was then she realised she couldn't see Rio. She lifted her head up from its resting place, looking around. Children from all over town? Yep. Wife? In hiding, apparently. Agatha knew her mood was sour, but it wasn't so bad she needed to be hidden from, no? She cracked her neck, she lost track of time and keeping it in one position for too long ended up in her scaring the fuck out of everyone that wasn't her wife or closest friends. She swung her backpack on, fuck you crutches for making her unable to wear anything hanging free on the side, her cross body bags missed her dearly and she missed them. And fuck you wrists for not being able to hold things today, ergo, swinging the bag on.

She stood up, leaning essentially her entire weight on the purple monsters and kept looking around. She was about to walk and ask one of the other volunteers for her wife when she saw her.

Rio was walking towards her, a wide grin on her face, in a clean top and with one icicle in each hand.

Agatha promptly sat herself back down and let the backpack fall back to its original place.

Today wasn't a day in which she could afford to have Rio carrying one crutch and only use the other one for the worse leg. Today, both were worse. The days she could, Agatha cherished them. Rio would goof around with the one she was carrying, long used to the stares their fellow citizens might feel like throwing at her for the behaviour, her weird little shit of a wife.

She forced a small smile on, not enough to make the wife suspicious of bigger brain shit, but enough to signal that today still wasn't the best day and would likely cause her to be sour for days to come.

"Mi amor", Rio's smile revealed the adorable gap in her front teeth as she kissed Agatha and sat herself on the ground, next to her chair.

"Hey, love," she closed her eyes, relishing in the small, happy hormone rush. When she opened them again, Rio was handing her one of the icicles, holding it up in a dramatic gesture, head slightly tilted down.

"For you"

"Thank you" before she could go ahead and open it, Rio leaned back against the tree that was keeping Agatha in shade most of the game and bent her legs, patting on the ground between them. A wordless invitation. No hard feelings if not taken, only excitement if she chose to sit there.

Agatha sits for a few seconds, considering the state of her body. She wouldn't have to lift herself up; Rio would help. And she could get her cuddles. And maybe even head scratches if she placed her head in one specific position on Rio's shoulder, not that she'd ever ask out loud, especially in public. And getting down shouldn't be too bad, not when there's someone to hold and catch her.

So Agatha nods and lays the crutches down while Rio makes sure that there aren't pebbles or anything of the sort on the ground between her feet.

There isn't, hasn't been since the first time they did this.

So Agatha lowers herself down, or starts to, but soon she can feel two strong arms catching her, holding her under her ribs, making sure her descent is as slow and safe as she needs it to be, no need to lean on the weakened wrists.

Not to mention the guaranteed safety of the icicle. A very important component indeed.

Agatha presses herself back against the older woman, resting her head on her shoulder. Rio adjusts her sitting position so their bodies align as much as physically possible, which is very difficult. She sighs in relief once all the squirming is done, opens the package and starts sucking on the cold treat without opening her eyes.

There, under a tree, in Rio's arms, she can pretend.

She can pretend that this is just another day out, when both are worn out from playing with the kids at the centre. Day, when both of them were out in the sun and while Agatha was red and sun-burnt all over while Rio tanned like a superhuman. A day when they would end up walking back home, racing each other to the front door, heading immediately for the showers because they were gross from all the sweat and would end up washing each other's hair.

She can feel the stone in her throat growing. She's jealous of her past self, something she didn't think possible until about a year ago.

Because that past self wasn't married to Rio. That past self was struggling more with her brain's evil shit, was still scared that it was all a cruel joke and everyone would leave because Agatha wasn't fucking worth it and she never would be, and she deserved to be alone and miserable.

But her past self could move. I was able to just have a go at the boxing bag, go on a run, and play basketball. Her past self could still do random handstands and other tricks because she felt like it. She could just go and do a flip set on the trampoline they still have in the backyard.

This Agatha can't. She can walk, but her walking is painful and nothing compared to who she used to be, what she used to be able to do safely and without a second thought.

She sighs and moves herself, gently, so that her head is resting on Rio's skin, and not the fabric of the tank-top.

Agatha was so out of it she didn't even realise that Rio was holding her, one hand from the back curling around her stomach and the other resting on her chest, toying with the hair that managed to be trouble even after being put into a low ponytail.

She doesn't open her eyes for a few more minutes, but is fairly certain that Rio is watching her like a hawk. She takes the few minutes; she needs them. Finishes sucking on the icicle in the meantime.

Because she will not lash out and ruin the damn day, because the fact that she's miserable no longer means that those around her ought to be too.

When she finally manages to open her eyes, both her and Rio's icicle is long gone. And Rio is staring, no, looking at her, like Agatha is her everything. Agatha inhales, breathing in Rio's sweat combined with the smell of the freshly washed top.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Rio offers, raising the hand previously playing with Agatha's hair to stroke her cheeks with her thumbs.

"I don't know how.." she's too tired to fight it, and here, here she can. Here, she's safe. She turns more on her side so she can curl into Rio, her own back hiding her from the prying eyes of the children.

"It doesn't have to make sense." Rio kisses the top of her head and looks at Agatha with such adoration in her eyes, the younger woman can't stand it anymore.

"It used to be our thing."

"Sports?"

"Basketball! We met playing against each other, and the deal was to play until we were white-haired and couldn't remember our names, but we could remember each other's. That was the fucking deal." Agatha doesn't want to cry in public, but she doesn't know if she'd be able to get this out any other time. Rio apparently agrees, because she doesn't do anything to stop the flood of words, she sits there, holds Agatha and listens.

"And I grew up doing so many damn sports. Hell, one of my biggest sources of joy was just, doing handstands everywhere because I fucking could. Because I felt like it. And now not only can I not do that, I can't go and play against you, with you. We're supposed to be able to play together and then race each other to the front door because we are too competitive for our own damn good, and I'm more, so you'll let me win because losing in a game with someone close still sometimes triggers me and rest of the time you just like seeing me happy. Fuck it, Rio, that's what we're supposed to do! Not this, not me being unable to properly walk and you having to look after me for those fucking reasons. Not us having to consider every plan ten times instead of two because what if something happens and.. Past us didn't have to deal with that. Past me didn't have to think twice about getting out of bed. Past me could challenge you, and go against you, and be an actual fucking opponent and not just a stupid nuisance. And now..." she can feel the sobs building in her throat and stops. She stops, hides her face, hides herself away, because it's just too much.

She can feel her wet cheeks, knows she's crying, knows that they're in public and this is the last place she wants to be crying in ever, but she's just so fucking tired and the thought of doing anything other but hiding away and crying makes her physically sick.

It's then she registers that Rio tightened her hold on her, has moved them slightly, cocooned her away from prying eyes even more than she already was, not that there would be many either way, mostly the kids and their friends and their concerned gazes, not stares.

"And I know I'm being unreasonable, okay? I know, I know and that makes it worse because this doesn't make any fucking sense, but.."

Rio does not let her finish.

"Nothing, and I mean, nothing about how you feel is unreasonable, or stupid." She can feel Rio combing through her hair, hair that she liberated from the ponytail, scratching her scalp as she makes her way down, slowly and with care, again and again on repeat. "It hasn't even been a year, Aggie, of course you're feeling everything. And you being you, well, that just means you feel it that much more." She feels Rio taking a deep breath, and on instinct, takes one of her hands and places it above her wife's heart, a calming presence.

"I don't care which emotion it is, however many there may be. I care about how it impacts you, how it makes you feel."

"There is nothing I would love more than for you to be okay and healthy and doing anything and everything you want. And it's fucking unfair, it's so fucking unfair I can't ever voice it properly. And I know we played the game and challenged each other to stupid stuff to our vows, and I don't hate it because we can't do it, but for that I dislike it. No, I fucking hate it for how it makes you feel, and how you pretend to be okay when we both know today is going to be taking a toll for at least a week if not more. I hate it because it added more work for you, as if your bitch of a birther hadn't left enough to be worked on."

Rio takes a deep breath and kisses the top of Agatha's hair, lingering, cherishing.

"But most of all," she is whispering now, "I hate how your brain makes you feel, how your battles are just, never-ending, it seems. And it's not fair, because you, mi corazón, deserve the fucking world."

Agatha had managed to keep some semblance of peace during Rio's speech, she did her fucking best, but by the end she was back to crying, hard. Because Rio loved her, and Rio wasn't about to leave her for someone who could move fully, but fuck it fucking hurt and she couldn't do anything except try and put the fire out before it broke out of it's allocated space.

"I hate how jealous I get, I'm used to the entire spectrum of shitty emotions, but jealousy? That's fucking new, and then it hits and all I can do is try not to crumble." Tears were still streaming down her cheeks. "And even if some of the doctors said I might get better enough to fuck around the hoop, none sounded like they believed it." She tightens her hold on Rio, scared to open her eyes even if she can feel the tears slowly drying out now, as her body is slowly calming down.

Rio doesn't say anything; there isn't much to say, really. Well, or so Agatha thought.

"I know it's early for a vow renewal, but, when we feel like it, maybe once we know more about why your body decided that cooperating was inconvenient" Agatha snorted, understatement of the fucking century, "or whenever. Because you're right, we used it in our vows, and as shitty as it is, it might not play out that way for us." Rio puts the recently freed hair behind her ears.

"But we can make new ones. I can promise you right here and now that your ability to play sports does not in any way influence my love for you. I adore you, the human beneath the masks, the idiot who can't cook to save her life, but is an incredible baker even if she wouldn't admit that she enjoys the hobby. I love the dork whose soulmate is her rabbit, because he's the only one she could always count on, no matter what." Agatha opens her eyes, slowly, adjusting to the late August summer sun, and Rio is looking at her with so much love and adoration in her eyes, she might start crying again just from that.

"So how about we go home, and after a bath we can cuddle up on the couch, put the TV on, eat ice cream or whatever you want. And then tomorrow, we'll rest, huh?" Rio lifted on corner of her mouth in a smile, stroking Agatha's cheeks.

"But, but we were supposed to spend the weekend here," Agatha knew that Rio would do whatever to keep her happy and safe and healthy, but that was the plan. Rio didn't like changing plans. "That was the plan."

"I know mi amor, but when I saw you out here today I knew there was no way I could even fathom asking you to come again tomorrow, Lilia was ready to threaten me if I didn't ask us to be off for the weekend and potentially less than normal time next week, all depending on how you'll be feeling. Your worth is not tied to the things you can do for others, remember?"

And fuck, it that didn't throw Agatha even deeper in her fucking feelings than she already was. She could feel the involuntary reaction of her body, her throat closing up, her eyes too, just to try and trap any tears that were threatening to get out.

"Okay", Agatha breathed out, sounding way more raspy than it should, relaxing muscles she didn't realise were tense, melting into the hug.

"I don't know if I'll be able to walk now, though, I was already wonky and now the emotions..." She doesn't need to finish it. They learned the hard way that emotions loved to kill any physical strength she had left in her body.

"Lilia has the wheelchair we have here ready. Or, if you want, I could carry you. The choice, of course, is yours." Rio winks at her, playfully, slowly working away from the emotional conversation to give Agatha room to breathe. Agatha loves her wife so fucking much it can not be said enough.

And it's not even a question. Agatha is a massive lesbian for her wife, and also, her wife's strong muscles.

"I would love it if you could carry me." She admits easily.

And Rio smiles, because she knows how much Agatha hates relying on anyone, especially in moments of weakness, or whatever she perceives to be one. And she still chose the second option.

And after a few minutes, when Agatha feels more in control of her muscles, they start moving.

First, Rio helps Agatha back into the chair, then she puts on the backpack, making sure they leave nothing in the grass. Then she gives Agatha the crutches to hold and slowly and gently scoops her up. Agatha would have to hold onto them while being carried.

But one of the kids saw them and came running, quickly standing at Rio's side, silently offering to carry the mobility aids.

And Agatha gives them, because as much as she helps out at the centre, everyone knows that the scary lady with crutches doesn't always respond well to kindness. She won't be mean or overly rude, but she might freeze; it was always a bet.

The kid, a newcomer whom she hasn't met properly, but the barely looking eight-year-old, holds them in both arms like it's the biggest honour of her life.

"Thank you, Nicky." Rio smiles at the kid and then turns her head to Agatha.

"You know the deal, hands around my neck and hold on." Agatha listens and lays her head down, too tired to do anything else.

That is until she hears the cheering and clapping, and she can't stop the smile spreading across her face.