Chapter Text
Rio hums along to the mellow tune in her headphones, finishing her coffee in the small New York City café. She likes this song. Often, she listens to it before meeting her clients. It’s calming, helps her center herself, and helps her get in the mood to be a people person.
I already feel like doin’ it again, honey.
She gets up, slings her bag over her shoulder, thanks the barista, and steps into the cool February air. She pauses to dig a pack of peppermint gum out of her coat pocket, and pops out a pellet from the blister pack. She tosses it into the air, catching it in her mouth, a slick move she’s practiced a thousand times. Her steps are sure, walking down the quaint Tribeca street. She looks to the sky, feels the spring air on her face, and smiles.
I just wanna stay high, with you, with you.
It’s not often she comes to this part of town. It’s cute, and quieter than the rest of the city. She spins on her heel mid-step, enjoying the feeling of being so free. The sun on her face warms her skin, and her soul.
Everything is everything, and everything is beautiful.
She glances down at her phone, quickly memorizing the address of the hotel her client had suggested. She checks the profile. Agatha Harkness. What a name.
Agatha stands in the middle of the hotel room, small rolling suitcase in one hand, coat in the other. She stares forward, unmoving, trying to steady her breathing. She can’t believe she’s doing this. She shuts her eyes. Cracks her neck. Shakes out her legs, one at a time. Hopes it’ll loosen up whatever possessed her to make this meeting in the first place.
Eventually, she gathers her composure, and steps further into the room, rolling the suitcase to the wall, out of the way. She sets her coat down on the chair next to the bed. Her eyes drift over the soft duvet. Dear god, I’m pathetic. She runs a hand through her hair, checks her watch, and turns to find the minibar. She needs a drink.
Agatha kicks off her shoes on the way to the counter, and sets them in the closet. She crouches by the mini-fridge, opens the door, and foregoes the tempting bottle of champagne for a stronger, mean whiskey. It’s fitting, she supposes.
Rio glances up at the high-rise hotel, checking to make sure it’s the right one. It’s nice, not too expensive, but not cheap either. She steps through the revolving door, speeding up her steps on the way in. Ever since she was a kid, she was always afraid of getting crushed by those things.
She takes in the artificial, clean, hotel smell of the lobby, and navigates the herd of chattering people. She raises herself up on her toes, and locates the elevators. She makes a beeline for them, wanting to get out of this noise. She presses the button. Taps her foot as she waits.
Agatha downs the last of the whiskey in her glass, wincing at the taste. Her sigh is heavy. She turns to look at herself in the full-length mirror. Tilts her head, and scowls. This is it, she thinks, this is rock bottom. So desperate, she needs to hire a sex worker to fulfill her perverted needs. She wants to bang her head against the wall.
She attempts to fluff her hair, adjusts her purple button-up, and her black blazer. Smoothes her hands down her skirt. She shakes her head, and briefly mourns the person she was before making this appointment. Curses her current self. Pities the poor woman she paid to meet her.
A soft knock on the door shakes her out of her thoughts. Her heart rate spikes, and her breaths grow frantic. She considers jumping out the window. She turns back to the minibar, picks up her glass, and swallows down the few remaining drops of whiskey. Here goes nothing.
She balls her fists at her sides on the way to the door. Looks through the peephole. The young woman she booked is standing there, looking carefree, and beautiful, as she checks her phone. The woman, Rio, she reminds herself, glances up at the peephole, and tilts her head, a small smirk on her face. Agatha flinches, and backs off. She crushes what’s left of her pride, and reaches for the doorknob.
Rio stands there, her stance relaxed and comfortable, smiling at Agatha from the other side of the doorway. Agatha swallows. Her profile said she was twenty-eight. She looks even younger in person. What have I become?
“Hey there, I’m Rio. You must be Agatha.” Her voice is smooth and calm. Polite.
“That’s right,” Agatha squeaks out, her knuckles white as they grip the doorknob.
“May I come inside?”
Agatha’s breath stutters. Her nerves spike. She opens and closes and opens her mouth, not quite ready, but ready all the same. It’s a strange feeling.
“Uh- yes. Of course.” She pauses, opens the door wider, and steps aside. “Yes, of course.”
Rio smiles, and steps past Agatha into the room. She looks around, takes in the space, before turning back to Agatha just as she closes the door. Their eyes meet again. Agatha stares, dumbly.
“May I kiss you on the cheek?” Rio speaks softly, not wanting to push Agatha into anything she’s not ready for. Even if it is, in fact, just a kiss on the cheek.
Agatha blinks. Her nervous smile falters. Her eyes leave the other woman’s, just to dart back a second later.
“Y-yes. That would be, um, that would be fine.” Her hand shoots up, runs lightly over her own cheek, and quickly brushes her hair back. She takes a heavy breath. Rio leans forward, effortlessly, and presses her lips lightly to Agatha’s cheek. It’s only a second, quick and chaste. It’s got Agatha’s skin humming all the same.
Agatha blinks slowly, painting on a smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes. Her heart races.
“You smell wonderful,” Rio says. Agatha sighs, the flattery doing nothing to help her nerves.
“Thank you.”
“What is it?”
“Oh, um- Coco Chanel.” She says it like a question. Agatha curses her own anxiety. “Meryl Streep wears it.”
Rio nods, an open-mouthed smile on her face. Agatha notices the adorable gap between her front teeth. So young.
“Ah, Meryl. So gorgeous.” Rio looks to the window, before finding Agatha’s eyes again. She raises her eyebrows. “Don’t you agree?” Her voice almost sounds unsure for the first time since she entered the room. Agatha’s gaze snaps back from where it had landed, on the floor.
“Oh, yes! No, I… I was waiting for you to say, for her age. It- most people say when a woman’s over about forty-two that she’s gorgeous for her age… I was waiting,” Agatha inhales sharply, rambling. “...I was waiting for that.” She ducks her head, cheeks flushing.
Rio nods, and laughs breathily, politely. She cocks her head.
“No, Meryl is empirically gorgeous, at any age.”
Agatha half-nods, gazing back at the carpet. She clenches her fists at her side, feeling the stress start to take over. Rio notices.
“Hey, Agatha?”
The older woman’s eyes flick back up, and she blinks.
“Yes?” Agatha rasps out.
“We’re gonna have a great time,” Rio speaks reassuringly.
“Yes. Okay, yes.” Agatha sighs, shutting her eyes for a moment, not able to keep Rio’s gaze for long.
Rio smirks softly and turns to the couch, slipping her bag off her shoulder and setting it down on an armchair. She shrugs off her coat, placing it on top of her bag. With Rio’s back to her, Agatha lets herself indulge in watching the other woman move. Rio wears a crisp white button-up, sleeves rolled to the elbow, and black slacks, with a clean pair of Converse on her feet. Young, young, young.
Rio walks to the large window, looking out at the city below. Agatha wills her body to unfreeze itself, and steps tentatively into the space. Rio spins on her heel, hands in her pockets. A gentle smile on her face.
“I’ll tell you what I’d love right now.” Easy confidence in her voice.
“What?” Agatha’s eyebrows raise in question, her mouth slightly open.
“A drink.”
“A drink. Of course, of course. Sorry.” Agatha blinks, and chuckles nervously, sharply, turning to the minibar. “What can I get you?”
“How about a glass of champagne to ease us into the mood?” Rio raises her eyebrows. Agatha swallows at the notion.
“Champagne. Got it. Hold on.” Agatha bends down, opens the door to the mini-fridge, and mumbles under her breath as she pulls out the bottle she’d considered before Rio showed up. She reads the label, and Rio walks to her from her spot by the window, and steps to Agatha’s side. Not too close, as to not spook the other woman.
“Allow me,” the younger woman speaks, a friendly smile on her face. Agatha looks up at her as Rio takes the bottle from her hand. “Okay,” Agatha whispers.
Rio sits on the arm of the couch, unwrapping the foil from the top of the bottle. Agatha reaches above the minibar, grabs two champagne flutes from the cabinet, and turns to the other woman. Rio twists the cork off the bottle with a pop, giving Agatha a reassuring smile. Agatha, through all her nerves, almost finds herself at ease at the soft confidence in the other woman’s attitude.
Rio takes a flute from Agatha, holding the bottom of the bottle in one hand and the glass in the other. She pours Agatha’s drink first, handing it to her with a suave “For you,” before pouring her own and setting the bottle on the coffee table. She turns back to Agatha, raises her glass and smiles.
“To being empirically gorgeous,” She toasts, raising her eyebrows at Agatha, who clinks their glasses together.
“Yeah, I’ll drink to that.” Agatha chuckles, her first genuine smile of the day on her face. They both take a sip from their glasses. Agatha rolls the alcohol around in her mouth, tasting the subtler notes and feeling the bubbles against her tongue before swallowing. Rio exhales.
“A very fine vintage,” The younger woman says, locking eyes with Agatha.
“Oh, it- it’s just from the minibar.” Agatha gestures behind her.
Rio smirks, mischief written all over her features. She pauses.
“Oh! You mean me!” Agatha laughs heartily, tension melting away from her shoulders. Rio smiles with her, her eyes crinkling.
“I’m just teasing.” Rio tilts her head, smile not faltering.
“No, I know,” Agatha assures her, shifting on her feet. Not quite nervously, more in anticipation. Her eyes trace the curve of Rio’s lips, her wide eyes, her jawline. Agatha can feel her cheeks flush. Maybe it’s the whiskey, maybe it’s Rio. She isn’t sure.
“Shall we… shall we sit?” Rio tips her head to the couch behind her. Agatha nods and grips the glass a little tighter.
“Yes, let’s sit.” Rio hops off the arm of the couch, backs up, and sits on the other end of it, leaving room for Agatha, settles with a sigh. Agatha, cautiously, sits beside her, a solid foot-and-a-half between them. She doesn’t lean back just yet. Rio crosses her legs, and casually slings her right arm over the back of the couch, behind Agatha. The older woman clears her throat, eyes bouncing between Rio’s own, and a random spot on the wall that she’s decided is quite interesting.
Rio offers a warm smile, and clicks her tongue, breaking the silence.
“So, what would you-”
“Do- do you enjoy… music? By… people?” Agatha interrupts, stupidly. She winces. Rio just smiles, amused, and nods.
“Yeah, I do.” Rio’s eyes gleam, and she leans forward slightly, slowly. “What kind of music do you like?” Agatha inhales, sharply, and turns her focus to the window.
“Oh. Um… I don’t know, um-” She taps her fingers on the stem of her glass, utterly unable to control her heart rate. “All kinds? Uh…” Agatha shakes her head, not ready to meet Rio’s eyes again. She takes a deep breath, trying and failing to center herself. “Sorry, I’m a bit distracted. ‘Cause, um…” She smiles nervously at the window across from them. “Because up close, you really are very good-looking.” She chases the admittance with a sip of champagne.
“Thank you,” Rio says, quietly. Agatha hums an affirmative. She can’t even look at the younger woman. Jesus.
“Even more than…” Agatha bunches her skirt in her hand. “In your photo.”
“Ah, I’m better in 3D?” Rio chuckles, kind and teasing at the same time. It’s ridiculously attractive.
Agatha forces a laugh, breath catching, and hums again.
“I hope you received… um…” Agatha runs a hand through her hair. “The con- the contractual-”
“Oh, the money?” Rio asks. Agatha flinches, feeling suddenly more exposed than before. Well then. Agatha hesitates before speaking again.
“Yes, the- the money. Yes. Sorry. I didn’t want to be crass and just say it.” Agatha swallows.
“Oh, there’s nothing crass about getting paid for your work, Agatha,” Rio assures, and it seems like something she’s said before. Something she’s had to repeat. “Trust me on that.” Rio ducks her head, trying to meet Agatha’s gaze. Agatha obliges, noting the warm honey color of the younger woman’s eyes. “And thank you, it’s all received.” Rio waves a hand. Agatha nods, and breathes deep.
“Have you been doing this long?” Agatha tilts her head. Rio looks to the window, and chuckles softly.
“A little while now, yeah.” Rio meets her eyes again, warm and inviting. Reassuring. “Long enough to know some things.”
“Do you enjoy it?” Agatha asks.
“You know what? I love it, Agatha. Meeting all kinds of people.” Rio’s voice lowers. “Getting up to all kinds of things. Mutual pleasure.” She blinks slowly.
“You don’t feel…” Agatha sighs heavily. “...demeaned, then?” Rio’s eyes wander around the room, pursing her lips, slowly shaking her head.
“Not at all.”
“Or degraded?”
“No.” Rio’s voice is gentle.
“But, what if you meet someone, and you really just don’t want to do… it?”
“Hasn’t happened yet,” Rio says, matter-of-factly.
“Really?” Agatha’s eyebrows shoot up in surprise.
“Really.” Rio grins.
“I find that astonishing.” Agatha’s eyes find the window again, considering, before snapping back to Rio’s. “How many have you… been with?”
“Ah, a gentleman never tells.” Rio chuckles.
“Oh. Of course, yes.” Agatha nods, understanding, turning back to the window.
“Anyway, you don’t have to worry, Agatha. This is just about us tonight.” Agatha can hear the soft, sure smile in the younger woman’s voice. “So, what is your fantasy?” Rio taps her fingers on the back of the couch. Agatha’s eyes widen and fly back to the younger woman, caught off guard. Her brow furrows.
“Um…” Agatha opens and closes her mouth, waiting for the words to come to her. “I’m not sure you could class it as a fantasy as such… it’s a bit mundane for that.” Rio nods, and Agatha can see her thinking.
“Okay, well, what would you most desire? I mean, desires are never mundane.” Rio lifts an eyebrow. Agatha hesitates.
“To have sex…” She huffs, and smacks her lips, eyes darting around the room. “...tonight, um…” Rio’s gaze never falters. “...with you?” The flush on her face deepens, and spreads down her neck. Could I be any more awkward? She digs her nails into her palm. “That’s about it, really… for the moment.” She absolutely does not stick the landing, tripping over her words.
“Great.” Rio shrugs, offering a small smile.
“But, do you mind? Do you want…” Agatha stammers. “I mean, am I… um… a disappointment? So to speak?” Agatha feels her shoulders tense, shriveling into herself. Her eyebrows knit together, her knee starts bouncing, her breathing stutters. She feels the panic crawl on her skin.
Rio’s eyes flash with concern, her lips parted slightly. She turns slowly, and sets her champagne flute down on the coffee table. Agatha notices the way she moves, cautiously, but smoothly, not wanting to make Agatha any more uncomfortable than she already is. Rio takes Agatha’s own glass from her hands, placing it softly next to her own, on the table.
Rio looks up at the older woman, meeting her eyes, leaning closer. Wordlessly, her right hand reaches up, tucks her hair behind her ear, and cradles her face, as the left repeats the motion on the other side. Ever so gently, Rio pulls Agatha closer, giving her plenty of time to back off, as she closes the distance between them. Agatha’s eyes slip closed. The younger woman’s lips are soft, so soft, and they taste like champagne. Agatha freezes against her. Not because she wants to stop, because she absolutely does not. Rather, she’s shocked by the utter care in the other woman’s actions, attempting to soothe, emotionally, this old pervert she had known all of five seconds. Her fists clench on her lap.
The kiss is quick, and relatively chaste. It never deepens, Rio doesn’t ask more than what Agatha is willing or ready to give. Her hands remain on the older woman’s face as she leans back, steady and sure. Agatha’s eyes stay closed, breathing in the subtle notes of perfume on Rio’s skin. She finds that her pulse has slowed, as has her breathing, and her mind has gone from a hundred to zero.
“Okay?” Rio whispers, her breath dancing on Agatha’s face.
“Okay.” Agatha’s still frozen in place, eyes closed, and leaning forward.
“Top up?” The younger woman’s hands fall from their place, hovering over their drinks.
“Yes, please.” As Rio turns away, unfazed by the gut-wrenchingly impactful action, Agatha’s eyes open, and find her side profile. Agatha takes her in, and notices the shape of Rio’s nose, her cheekbones, the relaxed position of her eyebrows. Rio tops off Agatha’s drink, then her own. And Agatha just looks at her, for a second. Just looks. Empirically gorgeous.
“Thank you,” Agatha whispers, taking her glass as Rio sets the bottle down. The younger woman leans back against the couch again, returning her arm to its place behind Agatha. The older woman clicks her tongue.
“I- I’m sorry, I just can’t handle the suspense.” She sighs. Rio meets her eyes again. “Could we…” She drums her fingers on her thigh. “Could we just- would it be alright if we just did it now? Right now? Get it over with?” She huffs, posture shifting.
“Get it over with?” Rio chuckles, tilting her head, teasing. “You’re supposed to enjoy it.” She smiles, eyes soft.
“No, I know that,” Agatha sighs, rolling her shoulders. “I’m just not very good at waiting for things to happen. I’m just- I’m much better when they’ve happened, and I’m… recovering.” She sighs. Rio’s eyes never leave her.
“You make it sound like it’s an ordeal. It’s not compulsory.” Rio gestures with her hand, raising her eyebrows kindly. “Should we just sit and chat for a bit?”
“Ah, no. I don’t want to do that.” Agatha shakes her head. “I don’t think we’d have very much in common.”
“Well, you might be surprised.”
“I’m very rarely surprised.” Agatha sighs. “I plan things properly, specifically, in order to avoid being surprised, if I’m honest.”
“Fine, but I hope I can surprise you anyway.” Rio quirks an eyebrow. Agatha pauses, trying to decode exactly what that means. She blinks, and flushes.
“Oh, n- no. I don’t want anything like that.”
“Anything like what?” Rio tilts her head.
“You know, anything… perverted.” Seriously, Harkness? Rio’s eyes focus elsewhere, clearly confused, before the realization dawns on her.
“Oh, no, no, no, not that kind of surprise. No.” She chuckles.
“Okay, good.” Agatha breathes. She holds up a hand. “I don’t like anything going into places that are designed for things to come out.”
“You’re talking about anal sex?” The side of Rio’s mouth twitches in amusement.
“I don’t like that phrase.” Agatha flinches, furrows her brow, and takes a sip of champagne.
“Agatha, I won’t be doing anything you don’t want me to do.”
“I just- I’ve never done anything like this before.” Agatha meets Rio’s eyes again. “I’ve never… bought… anybody like you for my own… pleasure…” Agatha trips over her words, taps her foot against the carpet. “...use.” Rio smiles.
“Agatha, listen to me.” The older woman huffs. “I choose to do this.”
“Right.” Agatha sighs, closes her eyes.
“You know, you haven’t bought me, you bought my service. I set a price, and you agreed.” Rio’s tone is easy, and calming. “I’m not being exploited.” Agatha nods along to the younger woman’s words.
“It- I can’t handle the suspense. I can’t.”
“The anticipation?”
“Yes,” Agatha admits, in defeat. “Of disappointment.”
“Why do you assume you’ll be disappointed?”
Agatha hesitates, considering. She stares out the window. Raises an eyebrow.
“Because I… I’ve always been disappointed before.” She hums. She never really thought about that. And now, saying it out loud, it rings all the truer. “I need to tell- well, actually, I’d like to tell you something.” She watches the patience on Rio’s face. “I’ve never had an orgasm.” It feels good to say it out loud, awkward as it is. Rio’s eyes go wide, and she tilts her head.
“With a partner?”
“With anyone.” Agatha presses her lips into a thin line, focusing on her incredibly captivating spot on the wall. It’s easier than looking into Rio’s eyes.
“Or by yourself?”
“No, not even by myself.” She rolls her tongue around in her mouth. “Never. That’s right.”
“Right. I see.”
“It’s not meant as a challenge,” Agatha says quickly.
“And I haven’t taken it as one.” Rio raises her eyebrows.
“Because you won’t be able to achieve it.”
Rio smirks, and nods. “Fair enough.”
Agatha pauses. “Your confidence is endearing, and no doubt necessary to the job, but I feel I must warn you, it’s misplaced.” She huffs. “Um, and I don’t want you to feel bad about it, because I won’t be faking it. I don’t do that, not anymore. Um… I made a decision after my husband died, never to fake an orgasm again.” She takes a drink.
Rio moves her hand from the back of the couch into her own lap. “When did he die?”
“Uh, two years ago. It was premature.”
“Ah.” Rio nods. “And this is your first?”
“Oh… encounter? Since then? Yes. In fact, if we do this, you’ll…” She takes a breath, heavy with the weight of what she’s about to admit. “...only be the second person I’ve ever had sex with in my entire life.” She forces a dry chuckle. “There. I said it.”
“Thank you for telling me.” Rio’s eyes are kind as she sighs. Agatha stops to breathe for a moment.
“If you want to leave now, I’m…” Rio’s eyes snap to her own. “I’m very happy to pay half of what we agreed.”
Rio offers a warm smile. “I don’t want to leave, Agatha.” She shakes her head, arm returning to the back of the couch. “Nothing is making me want to leave. I won’t leave unless I’m clearly instructed to, or I feel I’m in physical danger.”
Agatha ducks her head. “Has that ever happened?”
Rio blinks. “Yeah, a couple of times.”
“With a woman?”
“Yeah. Once, it was a woman. Well, her husband.” Rio’s eyes go distant, recalling the story. “Her husband, he thought he wanted a threesome. Turns out he didn’t.” She shrugs.
“Did she?” Agatha asks.
“No, but she did want to meet one-on-one a week later.”
“And did you do that?”
“Sure I did.”
Agatha furrows her brow. “Wasn’t that dishonest?”
“Of her?”
“Of you.”
Rio raises an eyebrow. “Well, why? I mean…” She sighs. “I’m not the married one, I’m just doing my job.”
Agatha hums, looks off, and considers. “Wow.” She lifts her chin. “It’s all quite an education, isn’t it?”
“I hope it continues.” Rio smiles.
Agatha smirks. “Huh. Being saucy.”
Rio chuckles. “Saucy. My mother used to say the word saucy.”
Agatha winces. “I’d rather not think about your mother right now, if you don’t mind.”
Rio nods. Senses the awkwardness. “No problem.”
“I just- anyway, I just wanted to let you know about the orgasm thing.” She breathes. “I’m not expecting one, so, um, you can relax.”
“I am relaxed.”
Agatha laughs tightly, and moves to stand from the couch. “This was a terrible idea.” She walks to the window, following the skyline with her eyes. She tries, and fails, to release the tension in her shoulders.
“You feel like you’re somehow betraying your husband?” Rio calls from the couch. Agatha’s brow furrows. “His memory, I mean?”
Agatha turns to look at her. “What? Oh, no, no, no. No. No, it’s nothing like that. I only married him because I didn’t have a choice, I didn’t… I-”
“Then, what?” Rio decides to let the comment slide. They’ll unpack it later.
“This is just not very me. I’m a teacher. I… I used to set my student’s essays on the moral issues surrounding sex work, and here I am… participating in it.”
“Agatha…”
“You’re probably a very vulnerable young woman, maybe you’re an orphan…”
Rio laughs with her chest. “I’m not an orphan.”
Agatha starts pacing in front of the couch. “Yeah, or maybe you grew up in the foster system, you’ve got very low self-esteem, or-”
“I wasn’t a foster child.”
“...or you could’ve been trafficked against your will. I mean, you can’t tell just by looking at somebody.” Agatha gestures wildly with her hands.
Rio chuckles breathily. “I wasn’t trafficked against my will-”
“Well then, I simply don’t understand it.” Agatha throws her hands up.
“You don’t understand what?”
“Why you’re doing this,” Agatha responds instantly.
Rio’s smirk falls. “Oh… oh, well, if you really want to know…” Rio tilts her head. “I’m… I’m using the money I make doing this to save up for college.”
Agatha’s eyebrows shoot up. Her posture straightens out. “Oh!” Her voice climbed an octave or two. “Oh, that’s great. Are you really?”
And the smirk is back. Rio blinks. “No.”
“Oh.” Agatha clicks her tongue and rolls her eyes, running a hand through her hair in frustration. “Oh.”
Rio chuckles. “Agatha…” She shakes her head. “...you need to stop worrying about me.” Agatha exhales sharply. “Let’s move this back to you.”
“Okay, oh, god.” Agatha’s breathing picks up again.
“Now, Agatha-”
“This is crazy.” She’s beginning to feel frantic.
“Agatha…”
“It’s terrible. It’s wrong. My son… my son would be appalled.” She clasps her hands together, her breaths catching.
Rio raises her voice, and tries to shake Agatha out of the state she’s in. “Agatha.”
“Yes?” Agatha bites her lip.
“Let’s go to bed,” Rio says, softly.
“Okay.” The older woman sighs, dropping her head.
“Okay?” Rio tips her chin.
Agatha swallows. “Okay.”
“Good.” Rio stands from the couch, approaching Agatha slowly. She reaches out, grasping the older woman’s hands from where they were balled up at her sides. Agatha hesitates, but lets her. Rio’s hands wrap around her wrists, and her thumbs brush over them. Her grip is sure, but soft, trying to loosen Agatha up.
“Is this okay?” Rio asks, softly.
“Mhm.” Rio releases one of Agatha’s wrists, steps closer, lifts a hand to brush Agatha’s hair back, and wraps around the back of her neck in one smooth motion. Rio leans in, tilts her head to the side, and pauses a couple of inches from the older woman’s neck.
“Okay?” She whispers. Agatha hums an affirmative, nods slightly. Rio closes the distance, and presses a gentle kiss to Agatha’s pulse point. Soft and sweet, but leaving fire in its wake. Agatha closes her eyes, revels in the contact, and feels Rio lean back, letting her hair fall again. She blinks her eyes open, eyebrows raised ever so slightly.
Rio slowly spins her around, tugging Agatha’s blazer from her shoulders, urging her to shrug out of it. Once it’s off, Rio places it neatly on the coffee table, and reaches around Agatha to take her hand. Agatha tangles their fingers together, allowing herself to be led through the room.
As they reach the bed, Agatha speaks up.
“If you need a minute to yourself, to… get in the mood… that’s fine by me.”
Rio smiles kindly. “I’m fine, Agatha.”
“But I mean, you know, to help everything… down there-” She gestures crudely at Rio’s lower half.
“No, I assure you, it all works.” Rio squeezes her hand.
“I know, I mean, I just-”
“No, I know what you mean,” Rio interrupts, “But I don’t need it.” She says, quieter.
“Never?” Agatha asks weakly.
“Never.”
Agatha furrows her brow. “But what if you don’t like the person? I mean, you can’t force yourself, surely, if you don’t.”
Rio blinks slowly. “There’s always something to like.”
“No, there isn’t,” Agatha says, dropping her hand.
“There is.” Rio raises her eyebrows. Agatha hesitates, eyes darting around the room before landing back on Rio.
“What’s the oldest person you’ve ever done it with?” Agatha asks, dumbly.
Rio smirks, and sits on the bed in front of the other woman. “That’s a bit reductive, Agatha.”
“Reductive. That’s a good word. I like it.”
Rio chuckles. “Yes, it is a good word. I’m glad you like it, I chose it just for you.”
Agatha smiles. “Okay, but seriously, actually, I really do want to know, how old?”
Rio blinks, sighing. “Eighty-two.”
“Eighty-Two?” Agatha gapes in disbelief.
“Yes.”
“Eighty-Two?” Her voice rises.
“Yeah.” Rio purses her lips.
“Eighty-Two?” She throws her hands up, and runs one through her hair.
“Agatha.”
Agatha pauses, and her arms fall back to her sides. “Okay, I’m feeling a bit better now.”
“Okay.”
“Um… so, what’s the little thing about me that you can hold on to with…” She clenches her fists in front of her chest. “...all your might… to make you come alive in the moment?” She tilts her head, eyes falling back to Rio.
The younger woman smiles, reaching forward and grasps Agatha’s hands, pulling her closer. Agatha stands between Rio’s legs, their hands between them. Rio looks up at Agatha like she’s the only woman in the world, and it sends a shiver down her spine.
Rio reaches up, and takes Agatha’s chin between her thumb and her index finger. Her thumb swipes gently over Agatha’s lips, and the older woman’s eyes flutter closed at the feeling.
“I like your mouth.”
Rio’s hand trails down Agatha’s neck, and moves to her shoulder.
“I like the line of your neck, down to here.” She presses two fingers into the meat of Agatha’s shoulder. Agatha sighs.
Rio’s fingers brush over her collarbone, tracing it inward, following the natural landmarks of her body.
“And this…” Her fingers find the edge of her sternum, just under her throat. Rio exhales over Agatha’s skin. “...so elegant.” The younger woman breathes, heat invading her voice.
And god, it lights Agatha up like a match.
Agatha gasps, and Rio starts to pull her forward, and moves her mouth towards Agatha’s neck.
Agatha panics. She backs up, turns away, tries to hide the flush on her skin.
“Um- just hang on a second.” Agatha grabs the handle of her suitcase, fleeing to the bathroom, not daring to look back at Rio. “Let me just- just go change.”
She hears Rio’s soft chuckle. “Okay, but don’t change too much,” she calls over her shoulder.
“Oh, dear god,” Agatha mutters, kicking the bathroom door closed behind her.
Rio takes a breath, nods, and stands up. She starts unbuttoning her shirt, considering how she wants to present herself to Agatha. She drops the shirt off her shoulders, shakes her head, and shrugs it back up.
Agatha splashes cold water on her face, massaging her temples and taking in her appearance in the mirror. She moves her hands to her neck, trying to cool herself down.
Rio strips herself of her sneakers, socks, and pants, leaves all but one shirt button undone. She figures Agatha would want to take care of that. She sniffs, and lays back down on the bed, propping herself up on her side, in her best “paint me like one of your French girls” pose. She waits a moment, then winces. Not quite. She decides to just recline on her back, against the surplus of hotel pillows. That’s better. She bends one knee, stretching the other leg out. She looks down at her chest, adjusts her bra, and waits.
Agatha leans against the sink, biting the nail of her thumb. She shakes her head, reaches for her suitcase, and digs out the new lacy black slip she’d bought in preparation for this… session. She sighs, and starts unbuttoning her shirt.
Rio gets bored easily. She knows she does. By the time Agatha opens the door to the bathroom, she’s crouched by the mini-fridge like a gremlin, halfway through a king-size Snickers bar. She doesn’t even notice Agatha step back into the room. It allows Agatha a moment to take in the sight before her. Smooth, tanned skin, long legs, black bra peeking out from beneath the nearly unbuttoned shirt. The older woman stomps out the fire burning in her gut before speaking.
“Ta-da,” Agatha says, weakly. Rio’s gaze snaps back to her.
“Mrrmph,” Rio mumbles, her mouth full. She takes a second to swallow, stands up, and leaves the half-eaten candy bar on the counter. “You look great!” The corner of Agatha’s mouth twitches. She tilts her head, eyebrows furrowing at whatever Rio had been up to.
The younger woman steps forward, licking over her teeth as she nears Agatha. She smiles, takes Agatha’s hands, and leans forward in an attempt to press a kiss to Agatha’s neck. Agatha ducks her head, and huffs. Rio leans back.
“Oh. Um, everything okay?” Slight concern in her voice.
“Yeah, it’s just- I really don’t like Snickers. They- I can smell it. It’s just a bit off-putting.” Agatha says, apologetically.
Rio nods in understanding. “Oh, sorry, sorry. I’ll go and clean my teeth.”
“Would you mind? Thank you.” Rio hums and heads for the bathroom, closing the door behind her.
Agatha sits on the bed, takes off her watch, and fiddles with the hem of the slip. She pulls at the straps, noticing all too late that she’d left the damn under-arm tag on. She’s got the thing in her hand when Rio steps back out, catching her with a teasing smirk. Agatha drops her arms, and tries to hide it. Rio tuts, approaches the side of the bed, and nudges at Agatha’s arm.
“Hmm. What’s this?” And Agatha can hear the smile in her voice. Rio rips the tag off the slip, reading it for a moment. “Very nice.”
Agatha loses her nerve. “I changed my mind again.” She swallows. “I don’t want to do it. I’m sorry to have wasted your time. You- I’ll still pay, but you… you can get dressed and go.” She twists her fingers, can’t seem to hold still.
Rio raises an eyebrow, and shoots her a knowing smile. She sighs, sitting on the bed next to Agatha, facing her.
“This isn’t about the Snickers, is it?”
Agatha clicks her tongue. “No, it’s not about the Snickers.”
Rio blinks. “Do you not find me attractive?”
Agatha groans. “Don’t be ridiculous. You’re clearly…” She gestures vaguely. “...aesthetically perfect, and, apparently, nice enough.” She forces a smile.
Rio pouts, a sarcastic look on her face. “What did you picture happening? I mean… why book me if you don’t wanna do it?”
Agatha sighs, eyes forward. “I don’t know, at this point, a moment of madness. That’s all.” She shakes her head.
“Do you regularly have moments of madness, like this?”
“No,” Agatha responds quickly.
Rio nods. “Do you usually make rational decisions?”
Agatha huffs. “Yes.”
“Well then, why would this be any different? I mean, you must have had a reason. Something that made you do it? I bet you thought about it for days before booking me.” Rio’s mouth quirks up.
Agatha pinches the bridge of her nose. “Weeks. Well, months. Years, maybe.” She drops her hand and sniffs.
“Well, it’s not a moment of madness then, is it?” Agatha winces. “This is what you want, Agatha. And now that you have it, why won’t you take it? Why won’t you take what you want, when it’s right here, within reach?”
Agatha runs her hands over her thighs. “It feels controversial, suddenly.” She gasps, tears starting to burn her eyes.
Rio notices, her voice softening. “I don’t find it controversial.”
“To… want something like this, even to want it.” Her breath hitches.
Rio blinks, tilting her head. “If it’s just sex you want, aren’t there a dozen women around who would love to hook up with you? If it’s all too much? I mean, surely they want to.”
Agatha’s brows pinch. “Ugh. Yes. Yeah, they do, um…” She swallows. “Yes, they’ve made that very clear, actually, since Ralph died. But, um, it’s me. I don’t want to.”
“Why not?”
Agatha considers how much she wants to say. “They’re… older. I don’t want an older woman, I want a… young one. A young body, and no offense… I have to pay for that, of course I do.”
Rio nods, and takes a second, before raising her eyebrows. “Well, I’m here. And I’m not offended.”
“Actually, why are you still here? I just offered to pay you to spend an evening doing whatever you want, why are you still here?” Agatha tilts her head.
“I’m interested.”
“In what?”
“In you,” Rio responds instantly.
“Oh, for god’s sake, no need to patronize me.” Agatha huffs.
“I’m not. You’re conflicted. Conflicted is interesting.”
Agatha scoffs. “You’ve never met a woman who can’t make up her mind before? I don’t believe that.”
Rio smiles. “I’ve met women who can’t decide which sandwich to have for lunch, but if we’ve ended up in a bedroom together, they usually know what they want at that point.”
“Well, young… young women are different.”
“Yes, I think they are.”
“Different to how we were, or how I was, when I was young.” Agatha pauses. “I wasn’t exactly a social renegade, anyway. Some- a couple of my friends were, but we lost touch after school. But New York was a different city back then. The rest of us were stuck in the 1950s, it was repressive.”
“Mm. I’m sorry.”
“And I wasn’t brimming with sexual confidence, like they all are now, with their thigh-split dresses and salsa classes and whatnot. I mean, people do pole dancing as a hobby! I read about it!” Rio chuckles, ducking her head. “I mean, a hobby? Well, I- ugh. Christ, I sound so old, I know I sound old, but Rio, did you ever meet anyone who does pole dancing as a hobby?”
Rio quirks an eyebrow. “I think that’s mainly for rich girls.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right.” Agatha tips her head back, looking at the ceiling.
“I mean, I know pole dancers, but they wouldn’t pay to do it. That’s just some fucked up economics, you know what I mean?”
“Not really, but I- I can imagine. It’s not a world I know much about.”
Rio shoots her a teasing look. “Says the woman who booked a hotel and a sex worker for the night.”
Agatha gapes. “Oh god, oh no, you’re right. Oh god, I’m just a seedy, old pervert. Just go, it’s disgusting.” She squeezes her eyes closed. “I feel like Rolf Harris all of a sudden.”
Rio’s brows pinch. “Rolf Harris?”
“Never mind. It’s… it’s…” Agatha dismissively waves a hand.
Rio smiles. “Come on, let’s get into bed. Let’s get under the covers.” Agatha nods weakly.
They both hop out of bed, untucking the too-tight blankets from under the mattress, and throwing the excess pillows on the floor. “God, why do they make these things like getting into a straitjacket?” Agatha grunts. “It’s ridiculous.”
Under the covers, sitting side by side with Rio, Agatha feels the heat crawl back into her face. Rio undoes the last button on her shirt, letting it fall open completely, and Agatha’s eyes take her in before she can stop herself. The curve of her chest, the subtle musculature of her abs. It’s making her warm. She shakes her head, hoping to shake some of the sinful thoughts loose too.
“What do you really want to do with your life?” Agatha asks, unsure how to proceed.
“Oh, I’d like to see Venus before I die,” Rio responds, a playful lilt to her voice.
“Okay, now-” Agatha stammers. “I’m just curious about what it’s like for you. I mean, you’re clearly very bright.”
Rio cocks her head. “What makes you say that?”
“Well, I’m a teacher. I know there are some people who use the word empirically in a conversation, and there are very many who don’t. The clever ones are the ones who do.”
“Did I use it?”
“Yes. Meryl. Empirically gorgeous. Oh, and reductive.”
“Ah, yes, you’re right. So I did.” Rio nods. “So what, you don’t think this is a job for clever people, is that it?” Rio’s mouth quirks up in a teasing grin.
Agatha’s eyes go wide, locking on Rio’s. “No! No, I didn’t mean it like that. No. I was just asking about… qualifications. I mean… did you go to school?” Agatha winces.
Rio laughs out loud. “Of course, I went to school. My mother was very strict. Roman Catholic.”
Agatha nods, considering. “And… and what does she think about what you’re doing now?”
Rio raises an eyebrow. “You wanna talk about my mother? Really?”
“Well, you brought her up-”
“Well, now I’m dropping it.”
Agatha pauses, picking up on the slight irritation in Rio’s voice. Eyes flick around the room. “But seriously,” She pushes, softer.
Rio sighs, closing her eyes for a moment. “She doesn’t know.” She ducks Agatha’s gaze, moving her hand to brush against Agatha’s slip. “You know, this looks sexy on you.”
Agatha continues, undeterred. “What does she think you do?”
Rio clicks her tongue. “If I tell you, can we drop it? Because you really do look good in this.”
Agatha nods tightly, her voice dropping to a small whisper. “I- uh- I promise,” She mumbles, tilting her head to meet Rio’s eyes.
Rio lolls her head to the side, giving in. “She, uh, she thinks I work on an oil rig.”
Agatha can’t contain the burst of laughter she lets out, her head tips back, her shoulders loosening. “An oil rig?”
“Yep. An oil rig in the North Sea.” Rio responds, trying to hold back a laugh.
Agatha waves a hand, and tries to stave off her laughter. She fails. “That’s- but do- do you keep in contact? Do you send her updates about life on the oil rig?” Rio’s hand brushes over the exposed skin of Agatha’s arm.
“Now, Agatha, you promised.”
“But how do you know what happens on an oil rig?” She wheezes out.
Rio scratches at her eyebrow. “I Google it, y’know? I found a website where there are stories about life on an oil rig, and I copy and paste them sometimes.”
Agatha smiles, and hasn't felt this loose all night. “Ah, that’s amazing, what a life. Meanwhile, my son’s doing his Master’s at university.”
“Are you not happy about that?”
“Oh, yes. No, I am. Of course, I’m happy, it’s great.” She runs a hand through her hair. “Why wouldn’t I be happy? It’s just what’s expected.”
“Well, why do you sound so ambivalent about it?”
“Ah, ambivalent, that’s another good word.”
Rio hums. “So, your son?”
“Yeah, well I- I… oh god.” She buries her face in her hands. “I’ve never said this to anyone before. This is awful.”
“It’s okay. Who am I gonna tell?” Rio shrugs. “Come on.”
“I… Well, the truth is, I find him boring.”
Now it was Rio’s turn to laugh. “You find your own son boring?”
“It’s awful, isn’t it?” Her brows pinch.
“I just never heard anyone say that before.” Agatha huffs. “Have you always found him boring?”
“No, not always. No, he’s a very nice boy, he’s just very predictable, like Ralph was, even if they’re not actually blood relatives.”
Rio hums. “What’s he studying?”
“Chemistry. Please forget I said that. Just forget it. He’s a lovely boy, and I love him very much, and I should be grateful because he’s turned out so well.”
Rio slides further under the covers, reclining against the pillows. “Any other kids?”
“Oh, no.” She sighs.
“So, did he disappoint you, Agatha?”
“No. Maybe. When did you last see your mom?”
Rio pauses, thrown off. “Why?”
“Because I’m interested. In where you came from.”
“I didn’t come from anywhere.” Rio pulls a lopsided grin. “You know, I was actually found under a little patch of mushrooms, the size of a bean, raised by friendly wolves.”
Agatha huffs. The younger woman shifts, kissing Agatha’s shoulder before pushing herself out of bed. She walks over to the minibar, pulling out the open whiskey bottle.
“Oh, come on, tell me something.”
Rio sniffs, pouring herself a drink. “I’m in awe of anyone who becomes a mother,” She calls over her shoulder. “It’s the hardest job in the world.”
“Did you get that off Pinterest or something?” Agatha mutters.
“Sorry?” Rio turns to look at her.
“Well, it’s a bit general. I mean, not all mothers are good.”
Rio turns back to the drinks. “Well, I wouldn’t know. I only have one.”
“Yeah, well, we’re all stuck with whatever we’ve got, aren’t we? Parents and children alike. At least I know what mine’s up to, though.”
“Haven’t you ever wondered if your son is lying to you about his life?”
Agatha chuckles dryly. “No.”
“Why not? Maybe he doesn’t wanna disappoint you.” Rio raises her eyebrows as she turns, two drinks in hand. Agatha presses her lips into a thin line. Rio backs off, sensing the shift in the mood. She reaches over to the wall, adjusting the lights to something slightly dimmer. Agatha watches her as she strides back across the room, handing her a glass.
“Has he got a partner?” Rio asks, setting her drink on the nightstand.
“Yes, nice girl. Also boring. Training to become a primary school teacher. Boring, boring, boring.” Agatha takes a sip of whiskey.
Rio chuckles, slipping back under the covers. “I thought you said you were a school teacher.”
“Yeah, well I’m a high school teacher. That’s a very different beast to…” She takes a breath. “...coloring with six-year-olds.”
“They say primary education is the most important.”
Agatha scoffs. “Well, they’re wrong. Do you know what proportion of high school students think that advanced placement literature is worth even an ounce of their time and attention?”
“I mean, I wouldn’t-”
“No, well, exactly. Exactly. So here I am, year after year, spouting the same old stuff, unable to break away from the curriculum, in case I get complaints from the head, and unable to ask them anything real, in case we lost time, and just… battling through the work, and getting them through the exams, only to start again, the following year, doing the same old stuff. It’s stultifying,” Agatha rambles off.
Agatha takes a deep drink of whiskey. Rio says nothing. A long, silent moment passes between them. Agatha sets her empty glass down on the nightstand.
“I think I may have just ruined the mood,” Agatha admits in defeat.
“I’m not sure there was a mood.” Rio clicks her tongue. “I’m sorry, that was rude of me.”
“No, it’s true.”
“But you’re not paying for the truth, though.” Rio ducks her head to catch Agatha’s gaze. “You’re paying for a fantasy.”
“At this moment, I’m not sure what I’m paying for.” Agatha purses her lips.
Rio shifts closer to Agatha, her breath warm on her cheek. Agatha admires her features, how her eyes sparkle in the low lamplight. The younger woman’s voice drops.
“I can show you.”
Agatha chuckles softly, ignoring the heat crawling through her at the words. “I don’t doubt it.”
Rio drops her eyes, running her fingers over Agatha’s wrist. “What would get you back in the mood? Hm? What would your husband do to get it all going again?”
Agatha raises her eyebrows. She slips lower into the bed, side by side with Rio, who was propped up on her elbow next to her. “Um, well… he… he would, uh, take all his clothes off, and lie in the bed, and I would take all my clothes off, put a nightshirt on, and lie next to him. And then he would rub my shoulders, and breasts a bit… and then he would climb on top, do the business, kiss my cheek, roll off, put his pajamas on, and go back to sleep.” Agatha folds her hands over her chest, as if to say, that’s all. She turns to Rio and sees the shocked look on her face.
“That’s… it?”
“That’s it.”
“Always?”
“Always. No deviation for thirty-one years.”
“And that’s the only sex you’ve ever had?” Rio’s voice is softer now.
“Correct.” Agatha chuckles bitterly.
“Wow.”
“Wow, indeed.”
Rio scratches the back of her neck. “No oral?”
“No oral.”
“Not even on him?”
“No, he said it was demeaning.”
“For… you?”
“For him.”
Rio scoffs. “Okay. Okay, and I presume it was the same for him, on you?”
“He said that was demeaning for him, too.” Agatha’s breath catches.
“So you’ve never had?” Rio breathes.
“No. Never had. Never given.” Her throat starts to burn.
“Do you want to?”
“Yes, I do. I want to. I want to, very much. I always have. But… but not on a man. I never wanted to, on a man.” She feels herself start to cry, the tears coming before she can stop them. “Sorry. Sorry for crying, it’s stupid.” She presses the heel of her palm into her closed eye, trying to stem the flow. Rio’s lips part slightly, shifting closer to the older woman. “I am… I think that- uh…”
“Easy. Take a second.” Rio coos, trying to soothe Agatha with her voice.
Agatha stares at the ceiling, and finally composes herself enough to speak, though her voice is raspy. “When I was, um, a teenager, eighteen, my parents…” She swallows, choosing her next words. “...took me to Greece. Um, it was a once-in-a-lifetime trip, for them anyway, and, ah…” She clears her throat. “...at the hotel, there was this waitress, she was about twenty, and she looked at me like I was… the most delicious thing she’d ever seen. And I felt my body go to water.”
Rio sighs, her breath ghosting over the older woman’s face.
“And one night, she was hanging around after her shift, and um…” Agatha sniffs. “I was too hot, the hotel didn’t have air conditioning. So, I- I went out into the garden after my parents had gone to bed, and she was there… smoking a cigarette, and… I stood in front of this… little bush covered in tiny pink flowers, looking out to sea…” Her mouth quirks up in a fond smile. “And, without a word, she came up behind me and… kissed my neck, put her hand down my skirt, and into my underwear… and I could feel her, moving around down there, and I was arching my back into her, and god, it was the most… crazy, exciting feeling I’ve ever had… and, um…”
Agatha blinks the tears back from her eyes, not ready to hazard a glance in Rio’s direction.
“…and then a car started up… the headlights came on, and she got scared, she ran away. And the next day, we went home.” She takes a deep breath, and pauses for a moment. “I wish we’d just stayed one more day.”
Rio’s lips are on her in an instant, and Agatha gasps into her mouth. She feels the fire in Rio’s skin, in her lips. It burns, and Agatha can’t get enough. Rio keeps herself hovering over the other woman with one hand, the other coming down to cradle her jaw. Agatha’s hands link together at the back of Rio’s neck, scratching at her nape. She moans into the kiss, and lets Rio deepen it, feeling the younger woman’s tongue run over her teeth. She lets Rio drag the straps of her slip down her shoulders. Agatha feels Rio’s hands on her skin, all over her, and in that moment, for the first time since that night in Greece, god knows how many years ago, Agatha is free.