Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“What really happened to your son?”

A pained smile decorated Agathas face, she chuckled with no amusement at all.

Teen looked at her, while he didn’t rush her with any words his look showed his urgency in wanting to know what really happened.

Agatha could only name one Person that fully knew the whole truth and not just the rumours that had been made up. All variating from each other with only one similarity, that it was her fault he died.

She drew in a deep breath trying to clear her mind and steady her voice.

“He got really sick when he was about seven. The doctors told us he would not survive long enough to his eight birthday which was exactly 3 months away. So we took him home and tried to make his ending as painless as possible.”
A single tear slowly rolling down Agatha’s cheek. She quickly and discreetly wiped it away.

“That’s what happened. He had Cancer a lymphoma in stage four.”

Teen was at a loss for words. What do you say to a mother that’s clearly still grieving over the death of her son?
He tried to say something but Agatha beat him to it.
“So don’t believe all rumours you hear, We still miss him, at least I know I do.”

All this time she had always said we or us, but who was we, who was the other person?

“Agatha?” Teen asked her again. She hummed. Seeing that as an invariant I continue he asked, “Who is the other person you keep referring to?”

Agatha was about to get up, ready to walk away and call it night but something in her wanted to be honest. Wanted to tell Teen who the love of her life was, the other parent.

“You know her” a ghost of a smile hushed over her lips. To Teens clueless face she nodded over to were the rest of the group sat.
“There are literally four people sitting there, you need to be a bit more specific.” Teen retorted to Agatha’s not so answering answer.

“Oh don’t you get cocky with me! It’s Rio, happy now? Clearly you’re better if you can ask such questions.”
There was a soft rosy blush covering Agatha’s face and just as Teen was about to ask another question concerning their long shared history Agatha again beat him to it and said, “I’m going to let you get more rest, good night.” And walked away to the rest of the Coven.

“How is he?” Lilia asked looking at Agatha.
“Mouthy.” Was all she offered, and it was true, he really was mouthy.
But that was enough for the other witches they all knew that if truly was something wrong Agatha would have said something. None of them had missed the way she sat next to him the whole time, angsty about if he would wake up again.”

“Agatha, show us your battle scars.”
She smirked and began buttoning up her sleeve.

Agatha could feel Rio shake with repressed laughter. Of course she knew which Scar she was about to show.
She had been there when she had received it, back in both their glory days.
She showed off her Elbow. “Knitting needle.” She explained with a smile, a small dimple showing.
The conversation drifted away from her again.

Against her better Judgement her mind wandered to exactly the night she had received that scar.
Agatha hadn’t even really realised she had been struck by her opponent until the battle was over. .

“Fuck Aggie, I told you to be careful!” Rio scolded her while observing the wound carefully. The needle was still deep within her skin, dripping blood as the minutes progressed.

“It’s not my fault they fight with such weird weapons.” She tried defending herself. Rio just laughed and shook her head.
“Am I not even getting a ‘Heal-Well’ kiss.” Agatha asked, with fake outrage.
Rio didn’t even bother to answer but rather kissed her and held her close.

Agatha was pulled back into reality when Rio said that she had a scar. Against her better Judgment Agatha immediately replied with, “No you don’t”, which was the truth.

Not only could she picture Rio’s whole body upon closing her eyes, but she also knew that Rio was not able to get any scars. Because not only could she heal wounds by licking them, but also her body almost naturally healed itself.

Chapter Text

“She is my scar.” She could feel a pointed look being directed at her. Agatha knew that the other witches had already noticed the tension between herself and Rio but this was probably topping everything so far.

“Should we, uh, leave you alone?” Alice spoke the question all of them were thinking.
Agatha shook her head. “It’s fine.”

“We don’t need to do this Agg-“
“Don’t” Agatha hissed, her voice dripping with venom.
She was not ready for any nickname the other women had used for her centuries ago.

The mood got even more awkward. The three other witches were desperately trying to look everywhere but to Agatha and Rio.

But Lilia spoke up. “You know that this can’t go on like it is going right now.” It was a statement and not a question.
She continued, “So either you are going to talk this out, just you two, or we will all sit here and force you two to talk it out, your decision.”

Both were not options Agatha actually liked. Deep down she knew that they couldn’t walk the road without trust in each other but why did they have to acquire that through talking? She was not good at talking.

Rio turned to Agatha, “she does have a point.” She offered unhelpful.
“I know, doesn’t mean I have to like it.”
She replied with ease, to that Rio laughed and shook her head.

“What really happened between you two?” Jen looked over to the two witches.

Rio drew in a breath, “Like I said I hurt her doing something I did not want to do but sadly had to.”
It was a short answer and did not really clear any confusion about what happened.

“Don’t act as if you didn’t have a choice.” Agatha leaned her head onto her hand.

It was on Rio it be mad now. “But I didn’t have a choice Agatha, he was dying there was no way he’d survive and you know it!”

Agatha backed away. “You could have at least let him live to see his eight birthday.” Her voice was cracking, and dripping with emotions. She tried her hardest not to cry and swallowed around the lump in her throat.
Alice stood up, Jen and Lilia following. They should really talk about this one on one.

Rio’s voice was lacking its usual sarcastic undertone. “Deep down you know that I had no control over it. I was hurt just as much as it hurt you.”

That was the truth, Agatha had comforted herself over the years with telling herself Rio never cared about her and Nicky, but that was a lie. The green witch was hurt just as much as Agatha herself.

“I know.” She murmured. “I’m still mad at you though.” Her eyes were searching for Rio’s.
Despite her better judgement Agatha scooted closer to her former lover.

Rio opened her arm and Agatha fell in them. Burying her head in the nape of Rio’s neck.
“Switzerland?” Rio muttered softly.
Agatha just nodded, “Switzerland.”