Chapter Text
Chapter 1
AN: So, I have seen other fics where Agatha wasn’t able to look after herself while under Wanda’s spell, and because of that I decided to explore that, write my own version. This is only two chapters, but it was just something I wanted to explore; what can I say I love writing hurt/comfort fics for Agatha and Rio. So, if there are any fic ideas you’d like me to explore for Agatha/Rio let me know and I might give them a try. I have already started my next Agathario fic, so the first chapter of that story will be posted on Sunday at my usual update time.
Next chapter of this will be posted in about twelve hours depending on how busy I am at work tomorrow.
November 2024
For Rio Vidal, also known as Lady Death, the last few years have been very complicated. First half the universe disappeared, without bodies for her to take, then they were returned, and ever since she has been busier than almost any other time as people get used to the new world.
Due to who she is Rio realises as soon as Wanda Maximoff cases to exist, something which isn’t overly surprising considering who she is and everything she has been doing, but what is surprising is the fact that Rio realises that the moment Wanda Maximoff ceases to exist, so does the most powerful book in the universe, a book Rio has a lot of history with, the Darkhold.
“Agatha,” Rio says, her mind completely on her love who she hasn’t seen in about a century. Closing her eyes Rio focuses on Agatha, and for the first time in a very long time she is not able to not only sense her love, but she is able to realise something. “No,” Rio says, feeling horrified, as dread rise up inside of her, and as she feels what she is feeling Rio knows that the only thing that matters is getting to Agatha.
Seconds after she felt the Darkhold be destroyed Rio teleports to where she knows she will find Agatha. To her surprise Rio realises that Agatha isn’t in a hidden cottage, or a mansion, or the middle of a big city, where she could cause the most mayhem, like would expect from her love, but rather she is in a suburbia.
“Well, this is unexpected,” Rio mutters, as she walks down a street, heading towards the house which a familiar pull, one that she has not felt for a very long time, tells her she will find Agatha, and as she makes her way down the street, she hears something that makes her pause, and listen a bit better.
“It’s so sad,” A blond woman says.
“it’s like whatever Wanda did to her means she cannot even look after herself,” a man with a moustache says, and as soon as he says the name Wanda everyone tenses, clearly distressed by hearing the name.
“I keep leaving food, it keeps going bad, it’s like she can’t remember to eat it, can’t remember to do anything to look after herself,” A black man says.
“Poor Agens,” The blond woman says, clearly meaning what she is saying,
“Agatha,” Rio mutters worried, just knowing, even with the different name, that it is her love who the residences of Westview are talking about.
Feeling her concern grow Rio walks, even faster, towards the house where she knows she will find Agatha. Getting to the house Rio debates whether to break the door open, or just knock. Deciding that it would be best not to start things on a hostile note, as she is sure that everything will become hostile eventually, Rio knocks, knowing that she will break the door down in less than a second if she has to.
A few moments after she knocked the door opens and as she sees something that knocks the breath, she doesn’t need, out of her, and not in a good way, as while it is clearly Agatha who opened the door she couldn’t look further from the Agatha that Rio has known and loved for over three centuries.
While Agatha’s long hair was always wild, it looks mattered, and rather than just being pale, she looks sicky, and thin in a way that confirms to Rio that Agatha hasn’t been eating. Look at her ex, the person who Rio still considers to be her wife, Rio can feel her heartbreak as even with all the pain, the anger, the feelings of betrayal that are between them, she knows that this is a state she never wanted Agatha to be in, it is something she never wanted to happen to the only person she has ever been in love with.
“Agatha?” Rio asks hesitantly, having no idea where else to start.
“I’m sorry you must have the wrong person, I’m Agnes,” Agatha says, clearly having no idea who she is, which breaks Rio’s heart further, but for a few moments it looks like Agatha is considering something. “I’m sorry, do I know you?” Agatha asks, and as she does Rio sees a flicker of recognition behind her love’s eyes, while it is not much it is enough for Rio to hold onto, it’s enough for Rio to realise she has a way in.
“Yes, you do, Agnes, you know me very well,” Rio tells her, taking notice of the fact that not only does Agatha look thin and sickly, but she also looks like she has several bruises over herself, not because someone was hurting her, but because she is clearly so deprived of the vitamins her body needs that she is bruising easily.
“I’m sorry… I don’t remember,” Agatha admits. “But I feel like I know you,” Agatha says, clearly feeling very confused, and for a moment she sways, looking like she is going to fall over, and because of that Rio moves quickly to steady her.
As she holds Agatha to stabilize her Rio can feel just how thin she is, and she feels a rush of guilt as she realises that the way she is holding Agatha, in current state, is likely going to bruise her.
“I’ve got you,” Rio says, forcing herself not to think about just how thin Agatha is.
“Thank you,” Agatha says, feeling incredibly confused, but also very safe with Rio, even if she doesn’t actually know who she is.
“Agnes, will you let me help you?” Rio asks, not being able to let go of Agatha, and Agatha gives a small nod, while it is not much it is enough for Rio. “Let’s go back inside,” Rio says, and she helps Agatha into the house, and while she is sure that Agatha could use some bedrest Rio knows that that trying to get Agatha into the bedroom would be a whole different fight, she takes Agatha over to the couch and helps her to sit there, sitting down in front of her once she has helped Agatha to the couch. “Agnes, do you remember the last time you ate?” Rio asks, and for a moment Agatha looks confused as she thinks about the answer.
“No,” Agatha finally answers.
“That’s okay,” Rio says, in a completely gentle voice. “I am going to go make you something to eat, okay,” Rio says to her.
“Okay,” Agatha says, and Rio stands up. “Um, sorry, what was your name?” Agatha asks confused, as she realises, she didn’t get Rio’s name.
“Rio,” Rio answers, forcing a smile, smiling through the pain she is in, before heading to the kitchen.
Walking into the kitchen Rio can see the remains of the food the various town members have brought Agatha, but she isn’t surprised to find that most of it has gone bad. Searching though some of the grocery bags that are on the table Rio is able to find enough ingredients to put together a small meal.
While cooking isn’t her strong suite, after all as a cosmic being she has never needed to eat, but she has spent enough time attempting to cook for Agatha to know a thing or to. Assuming, due to Agatha’s current state, that she wouldn’t be able to handle much food, or anything too ‘heavy’, Rio proceeds to make some dry toast, as well as broth and banana.
Assuming that Agatha won’t eat even a fraction of the food, though she will be pleasantly surprised if she does, Rio puts a serving of the food, as well as some water, on a tray, putting the rest into the fridge, and once she does that she takes the tray into the living room where Agatha is.
“Because you didn’t know how long it has been since you eat, I put together some simple food for you to eat,” Rio explains, as she walks over to Agatha.
“Thank you,” Agatha says, feeling grateful.
“Just eat what you can,” Rio says as she places the tray on Agatha’s lap.
“I’ll do my best,” Agatha says, and she starts to eat some of the food that Rio has made her, it being perfectly clear that with every bite she is struggling more.
For a few minutes Agatha attempts to eat, struggling through every bite, every swallow, Rio knowing Agatha well enough to recognize just how much she is struggling, and because of that Rio feels even more concerned as she suspects it has been even longer than she though since Agatha has eaten.
“I’m sorry, I can’t eat anymore,” Agatha says to Rio.
“That’s okay, you’ve done your best,” Rio assures her, as she takes the tray off Agatha and moves it out of the way. “Agnes, what is it?” Rio asks, noticing the look on Agatha’s face.
“I think I’m tired… but I don’t know,” Agatha explains, having no idea exactly how she feels.
“Why don’t you try to sleep,” Rio suggests. “I’ll be right here,” Rio assures her.
“Okay,” Agatha responds, and she slowly moves so that she is lying on the couch. As Agatha lies on the couch Rio looks around for a blanket, which she finds and uses to cover Agatha.
“Sleep, Agnes,” Rio says, finding it extremely odd to call her that, and not long after she covered Agatha in the blanket, she falls asleep.
For the next few hours Agatha sleep, and while Rio spends most the time watching Agatha sleep, doing her best to take notice of everything about her, everything that tells her just how far from okay Agatha is, she also spends time searching the house, taking notice of everything.
After searching the house, realising that there is basically nothing in the house that is Agatha’s, Rio returns to Agatha’s side where she continues to watch her sleep. A few hours after she once again sat down across from Agatha Rio notices Agatha start to stir and she realises that Agatha has had a lot less sleep than she has needed.
“Rio?” Agatha asks confused, as she slowly sits up. “You really stayed,” Agatha says, sounding surprised, like she wasn’t expecting to see Rio when she woke up.
“I said I would,” Rio responds, knowing that this version of Agatha doesn’t know to take her on her word, and it is that fact that keeps Rio from feeling hurt.
“Why?” Agatha asks confused. “Why do I feel like I know you even thought I don’t remember you, why do I feel like I can trust you, but I also feel hurt by seeing you,” Agatha realises, clearly hurt, and also distressed as there is clearly so much that she doesn’t understand.
“That sounds about right,” Rio admits, knowing exactly why Agatha would feel like that as it is what has kept them apart for several centuries. “Agatha, I think I have an idea of a way to help you, will you let me try?” Rio asks, having no idea if what she is thinking will work, as it seems like whatever happened to Agatha was caused by Wanda, but needing to try as it is the only thing she can think of to help her.
“Yes,” Agatha says, sounding hesitant, but because the one thing she feels certain of, unlike anything else she has felt, is that she trusts Rio, she give her consent.
“Thank you,” Rio says gratefully.
Moving so she is directly across from where Agatha is sitting Rio reaches out and places her hands either side of Agatha’s temple.
“You may feel some pressure,” Rio tells Agatha, desperately hoping she doesn’t cause Agatha pain, but considering everything she cannot be sure what effect what she is going to try may have.
After placing her hands either side of Agatha’s temple Rio closes her eyes, and focuses, focusing on Agatha, the Agatha she knows better than herself, and the desire she feels to have her back, even if she hates her.
As she feels her magic go between them Rio feels a wall, and as soon as she feels it she knows two things for certain. The first thing Rio knows is that the block, for lack of a better term, was created by Wanda’s magic, and the second thing Rio knows is that it is beneath that block where Agatha’s real self is. Knowing that she needs to break through the block Rio starts to ‘push’ harder, doing her best to try and find a way to break through.
“I though you said there would only be some pressure,” Agatha says, clearly in pain, Rio hating that once again she is the one responsible for it.
“I’m sorry, I really am, but I am getting closer,” Rio reveals, and she continues to push against the block, feeling that it is still solid Rio uses more force, more than she wanted to, to push through the block and to her relief she feels it crumble, but as she does Rio feels herself being thrown away from Agatha.
As she is thrown across the room Rio opens her eyes, and the first thing she does is look towards Agatha, and to Rio’s horror she sees that Agatha appears to be seizing on the couch. Hurrying across the room Rio gets to Agatha’s side just as the seizure subsides.
“Agatha? Agatha, can you hear me?” Rio asks, feeling terrified, needing Agatha to be okay, knowing she will never forgive herself if she hurt Agatha through trying to help her, and to her relief Agatha opens her eyes, and looks at her.
“Rio?”