Archive of Our Own

Agatha Harkness didn’t have a good relationship with other witches. She killed her original coven years prior, and afterward she mindlessly wandered from village to village without connecting to anybody. She had tried, at the beginning, to find her place in another coven. She had tried to make friends and be accepted for who she was - but her powers were scary. She didn’t always kill other witches, but it happened more often than not, and her reputation spread around like wildfire. They called her reckless, and dangerous, and ultimately, she gave up on joining another coven. 

She didn’t need to, anyway. She had herself, and her powers became especially strong when she stopped caring about murder. 

And she had Death. 

Through the years, Death - or Rio -, had followed her, always behind her from the moment the bodies piled up around her. With the passing years, whether she killed someone or not, Rio came back to her anyway. 

They created their own world, their little bubble away from any other civilization. For the first time in forever, she had a place that was hers. A place she could go back to. And even if Rio wasn’t always there, she knew she would always come back to her - at the end of the day or of the week, it didn’t matter when, it just mattered she did. 

That didn’t mean Agatha retreated herself to a world of loneliness. She still needed food, and all the other necessities she could only get at villages. 

Which was why, on a cold Tuesday morning in spring, she watched as everyone around her was giddy and almost dancing around. She could get her bread at half price, and one of the farmers gave her two extra eggs. She didn’t question it, she tended to not care about the life of other people - humans especially, considering they didn’t have anything interesting she could take from them -, but curiosity got the better of her when she heard a familiar tune coming from the main square of the village. 

Her pace was slow compared to the quickened steps around her, children tugging on their parents’ sleeves urging them to walk faster. She stood in the square, decorated with simple flowers, and she could feel the air of happiness. Girls were wearing flower crowns in yellow and white, while everybody was smiling. Someone was playing a chord instrument, and she finally recognised the tune from her Salem days, when she heard it at the other witches’ weddings her mother dragged her to. 

It was a wedding. 

Clearly, she had no idea who was getting married, but the young girl and boy were evidently loved by the entire village, considering the vibe their union created. She didn’t need to stay there, to assist at the wedding, but she also didn’t have anything else to do that day. 

It wasn’t a witches’ wedding, that was undeniable considering what she remembered, but the village had had influence from witches throughout the centuries, and some rituals stuck to it. Runes were drawn, cords were tied around their wrists, vows exchanged. The more natural elements were missing, but the ceremony was as witchy as it could be.

Agatha listened on the side, a silent and unknown participant, her eyes taking up everything that was going on while understanding she’d never had something like this. Not a marriage, she didn’t care about that, she had love - requited and absolute love - but she would never have that sense of community, of joy, of being part of something. She had accepted it years ago, a part of her knew she would always be punished for who she was when she was already fourteen, and her mother hated her. But now, looking at how everyone was happy for the couple, she could only stand on the side and remind herself she didn’t need any of this. 

She had herself. 

She was lost in her thoughts when she felt a gush of wind mixed with the scent of something woody and sweet, so subtle and imperceptible, for anyone who wasn’t her, that nobody noticed anything was different. Before she could turn to question why Rio was there, a hand held her waist, finding its place back where it belonged. 

Agatha leaned in the touch, Rio’s figure standing behind her, she could feel the prickle of her hood on her cheek, softly caressing it by how close she was standing. 

She exhaled, breathing Death in, and she felt her body shift behind her to accommodate her figure while holding her waist with two hands now. They were steady, but soft, a quiet reminder of her presence. 

“Hello, my love.” 

Rio breathed out, too close to her ear. The words sent shivers down Agatha’s spine, her heart clutching in itself by the velvety way they were spoken. 

She turned slightly, her eyes unfocusing on the ceremony to find Rio’s. They were dark, attentive on her, to the shift of her body, but her face opened in a smile the moment Agatha looked at her. 

Looking at Death in the face, so human, so tender, so real, made her smile as well. She pressed a kiss on Rio’s cheek, as a greeting, before leaning back against her chest again, humming the music softly between herself. Rio tucked her chin on her shoulder, gently, a welcomed pressure of her presence and familiarity. 

They stayed like this for a while, watching the couple’s first kiss, their beaming smiles. They watched the parents trying to hide their tears, people around them congratulating them, kids dancing in a circle near the happy couple while the music picked up. 

Watching a wedding alone was a thing. Watching a wedding of two people clearly in love, while she was being held by her love, was something else. Agatha felt a prickle on her eyes, and she was glad Rio was still behind her, so she wouldn’t see the emotions cracking on her face. Not that she felt the need to hide herself, but she didn’t want to answer her questions on why this was affecting her so much. 

But before she could think about a good excuse, Rio’s body went rigid behind her. And when Agatha turned, her smile had faded, leaving only a thin line of her lips and a saddened expression in her eyes. She was still looking at the couple.

“When?” Agatha asked, understanding immediately what was supposed to happen. Why Rio was there, and not somewhere else. 

“Soon.”

The word was final, neutral. Lost was the adoration on Rio’s face, lost were the emotions she was showing before. She became Death again, ready to do her job and take away the young woman’s life on her happiest day. 

“Can I do something?”  

Agatha’s fingers brushed against Rio’s wrist, her hands still latched on her waist. And despite the hardness of her face, Rio was still soft in her touch towards Agatha. 

Agatha, who wasn’t asking about what she could do for the young girl’s life. Agatha, who knew exactly how taxing her job could be on Rio’s, how sometimes it would affect her to know she was destroying someone else’s life. Agatha, who was asking what she could do for Rio. 

And Rio knew exactly what she meant with the question, she only let out a glum smile, pressing a kiss to her shoulder. Agatha felt the heat of her lips despite the layers of clothing. 

“Just… don’t be here. They might blame witchcraft.” Rio didn’t know exactly how people died, not before she had to collect their souls, but a young girl didn’t drop dead for no reason - usually. “I’ll see you at home .” 

Home. 

Agatha didn’t know what home meant until she had one. Until she built one with Rio. And it wasn’t a place. It was understanding, it was leaning on each other, it was recognising her presence before she even showed herself. It was Rio’s perception of everything Agatha meant without saying a word. 

Her heart, as annoying as it was, skipped a couple of beats, warming with tenderness and affection for the other woman. 

She nodded, looking at Rio as she moved through the crowd, whispering at the wind knowing it’d carry the words to her, “I’ll see you later.” 

Days later, Rio was three fingers deep in Agatha’s, pumping only slowly, lazily, as if she had all the time in the world to bring her over to the edge and back. 

They shared the space of the bathtub, the bathroom was only lit by a bunch of candles scattered around the place and the steam of the hot water fogged the mirror on the right. The scent of lavender from the soap was the only thing they could smell apart from themselves. The water was still, clean if not for the bubbles from the soap, and only broken by the occasional movement from one of the two, and they had been so still until Agatha started to tease Rio, and she understood exactly what she wanted. And who was Rio to not grant Agatha’s wishes? Nobody. 

It was all so normal - and quiet. The silence of the room was disrupted only by Agatha’s low cries.  

Rio had Agatha against the round wooden rim, her arms were holding on to it, white knuckles and half-lidded eyes. Her head was tilted backward, mouth open, and her face only showed pure bliss. Rio wanted to snap a picture and imprint it in her memory, except she went back to kiss Agatha’s neck. They were chest to chest, legs tangled between themselves because of the cramped space. She didn’t mind it, she loved being pressed against Agatha’s. And it gave her enough space to keep focusing on her neck. She lavished it, her tongue licking all the droplets of water from her wet hair, as if she could dry it - she couldn’t. She pressed open-mouthed kisses all the way to her earlobe, before moving to the other side. 

All the while, her fingers continued to pump unhurriedly into Agatha’s. She felt her walls clenching against her, and she curled her fingertips just a tiny bit, just the way she knew she liked it, but without giving in. 

There was no point in teasing, but the way Agatha breathed, the way Rio felt her throat swallow right underneath her lips, the moment her fingers continued her action, it made Rio see stars as well,

Agatha was panting, she could feel it. Her hips bucked up when Rio slowly exerted her fingers again, only to slide them in quicker, without restarting any pace. Her thumb moved forward, finding her clit, but she only, softly, brushed against it. 

Agatha’s body writhed underneath her, and her nipples surged to the surface, while she tried to hurry up the pace and fuck herself against Rio’s fingers. She let her do it, only for a few moments. She watched as Agatha chased her own pleasure, moving her body in the way she wanted to and moaning softly, using Rio’s fingers however she preferred. Water splashed outside, and Rio observed her with a wicked smile on her face, realisation daunting upon her.

She leaned backward, leaning backward only enough to look better at Agatha’s face. Not before pressing one last kiss underneath her ear. Her other hand came to use, digging on Agatha’s hip and forcing her to stop, to slow down. She heard a frustrated grunt, which she registered as a complaint, but she didn’t say anything.

“I need to ask you something.” Rio exhaled, and she circled Agatha’s clit with her thumb, while she stopped her fingers completely, still, inside her.

“R - Rio,” God, her name on Agatha’s tongue. She still wasn’t looking at her, her eyes were shut and towards the ceiling. “Not now.” 

“But I think now is the perfect time.” She teased, keeping Agatha’s hips in place with only one hand. The witch was still trying to move. 

Rio was in awe. The more she looked at Agatha, the more she was getting convinced of her own decision. She just needed to let it out. She hated how Agatha made her feel. She was getting anxious, nervous, and so human. She hated the thought of letting one mere human having so much control over her emotions - and she loved it, at the same time. She loved her so much that she started fucking her again, only wanting to see her face in pleasure again. 

“It’s not.” She mumbled, slowly regaining consciousness of her own body. “Oh - yes. Yes.” Her eyes opened, looking at Rio while her fingers started pumping into her with more purpose now.

“Please, please - Rio!” She chanted in the air, Rio’s fingers finding a purposeful rhythm. 

Agatha let out another groan and her hands slipped into Rio’s hair, needing to feel her closer once again. The distance the other woman put before to look at her was immediately closed, and she tugged at her hair, directing her mouth exactly where she wanted it. 

Rio didn’t hesitate, she kissed her deliciously, dragging out and feeding herself off from each moan on Agatha’s tongue. She didn’t give her time to breathe. Gone was the unhurried laziness from before, gone was the teasing. Rio circled her clit with more intent now, swirling beneath her thumb, while she curled her entire fingers inside her and Agatha felt the heat inside her coming out all at once. 

Rio fucked her through her orgasm - Rio actually kissed her during her orgasm, continuing to swallow each noise, each blissful and delightful sound coming from her mouth. 

Agatha trashed underneath her and arched her back, while gripping Rio’s hair, feeling each wave of pleasure until her body was completely satisfied. She came down off it, still lost in the intensity while Rio removed her fingers slowly and carefully. She let them linger in the water, tracing circles on the surface. 

That was the moment Agatha realised something was wrong. Rio was still on her, her lips still so close to her face, but when Agatha opened her eyes again, she couldn’t fail but notice the nervous look on Rio’s expression. Her brows were creased, and the usual smirk of satisfaction caused by Agatha’s pleas and orgasm was not there - and that was weird. Not normal. 

“What is it?” She asked, tentatively, sitting up straighter in the tub so that she could look Rio in the eyes. She was still shaken, weightless, but if Rio was acting strange, she was getting anxious as well. Agatha’s fingers released her hair and moved to her cheek, stroking it and descending until she found her chin and tilted it upward. 

“What is it?” 

The second time, her voice was more hurried, almost worried. 

“What is wrong?” 

Three questions in a couple of seconds and Rio seemed to understand Agatha was getting this entirely wrong. When they locked eyes again, Rio shook her head, a soft and timid smile creasing up her lips. It didn’t help to ease Agatha’s concerns - Rio never looked like this. She was never scared of anything, and she never had any problems expressing herself. Actually, sometimes, there was the opposite problem of Rio’s bluntness and inability to lie. 

“Rio -” 

“Marry me.” 

Agatha stilled completely. Her hands, again on Rio’s body because she was unable to hold her if she was standing so close, went rigid. Rio said it in the most direct and confident way she could muster, even if her heart was pounding in her chest. The confidence in her words was betrayed by the small and tense look she sent to Agatha’s. Her brow was raised, as if her face was asking her the same question as well. 

The witch was still silent, unable to say anything. The silence hung between them, and the only noises were now from the occasional movement of the water caused by their chests breathing. Otherwise, they were fixed, staring at one another. Agatha in disbelief, Rio simply trying not to show her panic. 

Finally, Agatha blinked, she interrupted the moment but her mind was still processing what just happened. If she heard correctly, if she really meant it. 

Rio tried to control her face, still tilted towards her, still soft and questioning and transfixed by Agatha. Except, her bottom lip was trembling slightly. 

“You…” She started, but nothing else came out. Her hands were still frozen on Rio’s body, and they were trembling underneath the surface as well. She shifted one, only to move a lock of Rio’s hair behind her ear. She felt Rio’s breath catch, as if she was holding it until now. Agatha cleared her throat, trying again. “You can’t just… say it.” 

“I did. I can.” Her voice was steadier than her look, which was still locked into Agatha’s, studying her reaction, trying to understand if it was too much, if it scared her. 

And it did. Of course it did. “Can you even do it?” The question came out as a breathless whisper. 

Can Death even get married?

And the question seemed to shift the air between them. Rio eased up, letting out a chuckle. “I don’t know, my love. I’ve never asked someone to marry me before.” She shrugged, deflecting on the weight of what she just asked her. “I guess so. I don’t see why I couldn’t.” 

Agatha felt her tension ease up as well by the absurdity of the situation. Death, this cosmic being, was asking to marry her - and her first thought wasn’t saying no, it was if she even could. That meant something. And it meant something the way Agatha’s heart was beating out of her chest. 

She knew why. She knew the answer to Rio’s question - even if it wasn’t really a question, it was more of a demand mixed with a plea - and it was bubbling up inside of her. 

“You’re absurd.” 

She finally stated, a shaky laugh coming out of her while both of her hands pressed against Rio’s cheek, holding her face right in front of her. 

“You’re supposed to get on your knee.” 

There was no malicious remark in the comment, it was actually unsteady, as if she still couldn’t believe what was happening. She felt her eyes prickle with tears, while Rio’s grin was returning on her face. 

“Well, maybe the bathtub isn’t exactly the place for that, but you’re right…” 

She moved, shifting again in the water. It was a crazy attempt at getting on one knee, and the water splashed on the side. Rio stood straighter, but she was still close enough to feel Agatha’s heat radiating through her body. She was able to drop to one knee, twisting the other one in a somewhat uncomfortable position to the side. Rio flicked her fingers in the air before closing her hand. 

Once she opened it, in her palm, stood a daisy chain, fresh flowers, small enough for her finger. 

“So - will you marry me, Agatha Harkness?” 

Agatha stared at the delicate flowers in Rio’s hand and she picked it up, twisting cautiously in her hand. It was stronger than a normal daisy chain, probably infused by Rio’s magic which made the stem steardier. She slipped it on her ring finger, and she observed it, unable to contain the smile that crept up on her face. 

“You have to answer.”

Rio reminded her, tugging on her shoulder and shifting to a more comfortable position in the tub. Agatha felt her legs tangling with hers again, her feet brushing against her knees. 

Agatha didn’t trust herself enough to speak, knowing fully well the emotions going through her mind at the moment. And her heart was in the throat. She simply nodded, shakingly, but a bunch of times, until her hands cradled Rio’s face again. She brushed her thumbs on her cheeks, memorising every inch of this moment, before she dragged her closer and kissed her.

She captured her mouth in another kiss, different from before, which was needy and necessary. This one was fierce, full of love, and it left her breathless. Rio’s hands were again on her, between her hair, on her back, on her waist. She was holding her tight - full of unspoken promises. 

“Yes, my love. Yes.” 

She finally breathed between kisses, and Rio smiled against her lips.

Life, as well as Death, was a concept. An abstract entity that manifested itself as life on Earth progressed. The first time they appeared in human matters, Life did not have a body - and neither did Rio. That came later, with time, while they understood their job in this world. 

And their jobs didn’t have a lot of overlappings. Most of the time. 

Which was why Rio hadn’t seen her sister in a long time - maybe a few decades. She tried to remember the last time she had to go and carry someone to her side while Life was taking care of bringing someone in, at the exact same time. It didn’t happen often. 

This seemed like a good occasion to meet up with her again. 

And despite Life being a concept, an entity, she also had a personal realm, exactly like Death. A place where souls arrived right before walking into the world. Both jobs were tedious, and they both had help - considering how much humanity had progressed throughout the millennia - but, in this case, Rio knew exactly where to find her sister without walking into her realm - because that would have been too complicated for just asking a question. 

Rio walked in a barn, where a woman was just popping out a baby in the midst of a very uncomfortable situation. Rio was not familiar with it, she hated carrying babies to their death, and she always arrived when the infant was already gone - she didn’t have time to hear them cry, or look at the discomfort caused by the mothers. 

But her sister was used to this - she actually was used to only this. She didn’t deal with humans in the same way Death did. She only dealt with humanity right at the beginning of their lives, and it could start in only one way. Unlike Death, who could arrive in a variety of different manners, at whichever day and age. 

Life and Death were the opposite, but they also shared a lot of the same responsibilities. They were the cycle of all living beings, and therefore, their jobs, their purposes, were connected. There was none without the other.

Plus, they were overdue for a reunion.

“Vie.” 

Rio placed her hand on her sister’s shoulder, trying not to scare her off. She was overseeing the delivery of the baby from outside the barn, pencil and paper in her right hand. She was too organised about her work. 

“Rio?” They didn’t look similar, they both chose to create their bodies in different ways. Vie was shorter, a mass of curly light hair and she had to squint her eyes to look at her from afar. “Rio!” 

She looked excited for only a few seconds, before looking around inside the barn. Two midwives, the mother, the grandmother and the baby were the only people present. Life knew that, if Rio was there, one of them had to die. 

“Who is it?” She asked, chewing her lower lip, worry spreading across her face. “Not the baby. I feel him live.” 

Rio shook her head. “Nobody. I just wanted to see you.” 

That seemed to catch her sister’s interest, and she felt Life’s entire attention shifting on her, instead of the job. A pair of dark eyes focused on her, the smile of the reunion lost in between the lines.  

“Well, that’s nice. Very nice. Can you give me around five minutes? This baby is almost out, and I have a very busy night, but you can come to the next delivery with me if you don’t have somewhere to be.” 

There was no judgment in her words, but Rio still felt them sting. The underlying question: don’t you have somewhere to be? was right there. 

“Someone else is helping me out tonight.” 

She only replied, and Vie nodded a couple of times, before walking in and saying goodbye to the baby. She wished him a happy life, she told him he was going to be loved, and then she just pushed him along, telling him it was time to come out into the world. He did just that, and Rio felt the piercing cry from the baby even from outside. She liked kids, but it wasn’t always easy to make them trust her. Even if she could show herself in a loving and trusting version to them, sometimes things went horribly wrong. They would cry, ask for their parents, or she had to carry them along in her arms, trying to give them one last look of comfort before letting them go. 

It didn’t matter a few centuries ago. Rio always did her job with the utmost compassion, but lately, she started to feel empathy for the poor souls left behind to grieve their kids. She knew the kids wouldn’t suffer, but she still felt she should smile at them, or give them a comforting word, before nudging them along into Death. She owed it to the people who grieved them. And to herself. 

She knew her job was necessary and she knew she couldn’t choose, but she really hated seeing kids die. Even if it was the natural part of life. 

Seeing someone being born was nice, for a change. 

God, she was starting to be so soft . 

She was lost in her thoughts when her sister hooked her arm underneath hers and started walking. Rio followed her, knowing Vie would bring her where they needed to go. “Let’s go. We can talk on the way.” 

Rio could break reality and go from one place to the other. She could literally open reality and appear on the other side of the world. Vie, instead, preferred to walk from one place to the other. There was no unnatural speed, but she could get there in just a few seconds, by simply walking through the path of Life. 

“Well, I’ve missed you, first of all. We never see each other anymore.”

Vie chuckled. “And I’m glad of that. I hate people dying when I’m there. It should be a happy moment.” 

And Death usually didn’t bring happiness, only sadness, in humans. “I should hope my presence would bring some happiness to you.” 

She elbowed Life inside her ribs, and she pretended to get offended for only a split second, while crossing a couple of names from her list on the paper. 

“It does.” She said, sincere and pure. “I’m glad to see you, Rio. How are you?” 

This was the moment. This was why she came to see her. 

“I’m getting married.”

Vie stopped mid-step. And the world around them also stopped. It was still going - they weren’t Time, thank you very much - but their walk stopped, and they could be in France or Peru, it didn’t matter right now. 

“Is that allowed?”

This time, it was Rio who let out a laugh. “It’s not not allowed.”

“Fine print, Rio.” She felt Vie’s eyes on her, while she took a couple of more steps. She didn’t have her sister’s ability to move across lands and oceans, but she could still push her along. Vie didn’t budge, she stayed still and Rio only looked up. “I’m serious.”

“So am I.” 

She matched her sister’s look. The same tone, the same presence. They were opposites. Maybe this was a mistake, maybe she shouldn’t have gone to ask her because they were diametrically different.

“I like humans. I know you like humans.” Vie’s voice sounded more careful, similar to how she talked to her souls before convincing them to go out in the world even if it was before their time. “But marriage? Why? Whoever it is, they’re gonna die.” 

“She’s a witch.” She marked the words and she shot her a deadly look, before moving the gaze in front of her. She didn’t even want to think about Agatha dying. “She’s going to live a long life.”

“Still, it’s not forever.”

“Well, then she will die. And she will be with me. We will be together anyway.”

She tried to get rid of Vie’s grasp, but she only strengthened the hold on her arm.

“Rio -”

“I love her! I’m not giving her up.” 

She shook her head and she felt tears pricking her eyes. She barely cried, and she knew she would have probably had to fight someone for this. She also thought Vie, most of all her siblings, would understand. 

“Whatever you say. Whatever useless and unspoken rule you think we have to follow, I’m not giving her up. My realm is in order, and my job is flawless. I’m respecting what I have to do. As long as all that’s good - I don’t understand why I can’t have her.” 

Her voice also got a bit higher while she was talking, trying to avoid spilling the tears. She sounded so childish. 

“And marriage isn’t that big of a deal anyway. It’s for us, not for anybody else.” 

She was blabbering. She knew that. She also wasn’t looking at Vie but kept her eyes fixed on the horizon in front of her, the sun was rising up again. The whole speech was childish, and she hated how she sounded - helpless and scared.  

“Since when do you sound so human?” 

That made her look at Vie again, mostly to understand what she meant. Her sister wasn’t judging her, she was genuinely confused. And worried. 

“I don’t.” 

She totally did. 

With her free arm, she used to sleeve to catch the tears collecting in her eyes before letting them spill over now that she had to be on the defensive.  

“I’m not saying it’s a bad thing, I’m just surprised. I don’t know what happens if we spend too much time with them. I don’t want you to get hurt.” 

She felt the gentle touch of Life tucking a stray lock behind her ear. 

“I’m not worried about rules, just about you. Can I be?” 

Rio nodded, still avoiding her gaze and looking at her feet. They had never been kids together, but she felt like a kid at that moment. She didn’t realise how much she craved another entity’s understanding and permission before going through with this. Not that the contrary would stop her, but she still didn’t want them to lecture her about it. 

“I want you to officiate. It’s… it would be nice. Kind of poetic.” She cracked a smile. Life celebrating the beginning of a new beginning - it was poetic. “And I want you there. That’s what I came here to ask you.” 

Vie shifted her weight from one leg to the other, not noticing she was starting to be late for her next delivery. Someone else could take over, but Rio knew how much she hated to let someone else do her job - she loved her job. She was just like her before meeting Agatha. Now she delegated as much as possible.  

“I want to.” She whispered, shocking both Rio and herself. “I will do it. I’m just worried you’ll get your heart broken. We aren’t even supposed to have hearts.” 

They made theirs. They made them when they decided to be more involved in humanity, to have a body of their own, a figure they could appear as. It was too scary for mortals to see them as entities - either at the beginning or the end of their journey. 

Rio smiled. “You’ll hate her.” She didn’t lie, at least. “But she’s great.”

“How did you even meet your witch? I need to know some details if I have to officiate.” 

Oh, and she loved it. She loved the curiosity in Vie’s voice while they started walking again, she loved the way “your witch” rolled out of her tongue. Agatha wasn’t hers - not yet, not ever - but she loved to think she was. 

“She left bodies for me. Like flowers…”

She started telling their story.

They decided to get married on June 2nd. There was no reason, no special occasion, nothing of note, but they wanted the day to be warm enough so the night wouldn’t be freezing. And, most importantly, it was only a few weeks after Life agreed to officiate the ceremony.

Neither Rio or Agatha wanted to wait. There was no reason to rush the wedding, but there was also no reason to delay it. June 2nd just happened to be the right day. 

Once they settled on the date, Rio overworked for the remaining time, to not only have the day off from her job, but also a bit of time afterward. Which was an event, because Rio never got time off. She had minions that could do her job for a day or so, but she still had to supervise their work, and if something big was happening, she was the one in charge. She could get a feeling at any moment and then she was gone - for a few hours, for days, for weeks. 

Agatha had gotten used to it. She didn’t like it, but there was nothing she could do. Rio had become so much better at delegating her duties in the last couple of years, that now she never left her for more than a few days at a time. 

Agatha asked her once what would happen if she just ignored these callings, and Rio’s eyes turned dark, saying she couldn’t imagine it. “The world would be in ruin”, she said, grave and serious. And then, in a more light-hearted tone she added, “And there would be too many ghosts wandering around.” Which didn’t mean anything to Agatha, because she was already way too used to ghosts. Nonetheless, she received no more explanations, but she guessed that having Death giving up her duties for too long could result in too big of a hassle. Too many souls wandering. So, she didn’t press the topic and left it be.

Which was why, it was an event to know Rio wouldn’t leave for anything else during that time. Even if the world was on fire, she would stay with her, letting someone else handle it.

She was instructing her most trusted helpers on everything that could happen and what they had to do, and that took forever. Plus, she was making sure nothing major would happen in the time she was gone. Rio couldn’t predict the future, but she could sense if something big and serious was going to shake the world. A lot of deaths attracted a lot of attention, and if she focused long enough, she could pinpoint when the next catastrophe would be. 

Anyway, by the time June 2nd rolled in, Agatha hadn’t seen Rio for three weeks - which was an absurd amount of time. She popped by once in a while, just to check in, or left her a bouquet of azaleas on the front door, but they actively hadn’t spent more than an hour together for too long. 

Agatha thought she was going to go insane by the day of the wedding. More than once she considered Rio was making up all these new duties just to leave her waiting and wanting for their first night together. To make it more real, she’d add. Agatha suspected.  

Nobody was there to help her get dressed. Rio left her a note that morning telling her she’d see her later, and that was it. It wasn’t supposed to be a big thing anyway, nothing like what she witnessed in the square just a few months before. 

The day went along exactly like another, except she cleaned the entire cottage. Maybe it was nerves. Maybe it was because Rio hadn’t been around often, and she was the one that usually cleaned up. Agatha’s only tidy space was the second bedroom, which they converted in her laboratory. She had everything for spells and rituals, plus a bookshelf full of books she got through the years. Most of them were stolen from other covens, but potato , potato .

By the time sundown was happening, she started to get ready. She used Rio’s favourite soap, a mix of vanilla and cedar notes, which wasn’t too overly sweet. She braided her hair in one, long, not too tidy braid. She wasn’t the best at doing it, Rio loved playing with her hair and finding new ways to comb them, but it was going to serve its purpose. 

She still bought a nicer dress for the occasion. She didn’t even steal it, she went into a shop and asked to make it for her, because she had a specific idea in mind. It wasn’t too grand or anything that richer ladies wore for their wedding, but she still wanted something new. The dress was deep purple, silk and cotton mixed together, the corset was a lighter colour and she made her own modification to it. On the gown, she embroidered different runes - Ingwaz, Gebo, Dagaz and Wunjo. They wouldn’t work, but they were pretty and the silver threading reflected on the dress, especially at moonlight when the wedding would take place. 

She put on her cape before going out. It wasn’t so warm, and the cape was long enough to cover her dress and the runes while she walked to the forest. She didn’t want the hassle of having to kill someone on her wedding day. 

The walk to the forest was quiet, the only noise created by the life around her. She had started to get a little nervous during the afternoon, and she hated herself for it. This was just any day, any other ritual. Rio and her had fallen into a comforting routine before the proposal, and they would just return to that, nothing had to change. 

Except she felt they were on the precipice of something else. She felt she was. Being with Rio changed her - not voluntarily, not forcefully, it was just the natural way of not being alone anymore. Of having someone to rely on. Someone to come back to. 

Despite the years, her mother’s voice still echoed in her brain, about how she was unlovable, that nobody would ever care about her and no coven would want her because she was a monster. She had been born wrong, she always told her. And she grew up convinced of that.  

Even now, even though she spent double the amount of years being loved by Rio than being hated by her mother, Agatha still struggled to accept love. 

As if she could hear her thoughts, Rio materialised in front of her. Not really materialised, she just came out from behind a tree, and Agatha nearly attacked her, always ready, always defensive. 

“Didn’t think you’d want to do that at our wedding, but I’m always open to it.” 

Rio teased, the moment she saw the purple of her magic disappearing. Agatha looked at her smug face, and she felt every doubt and insecurity disappearing. 

She was always a steady, comforting, presence.

“There’s always time for later, darling.” 

She didn’t miss the quip, sending a long look in her soon-to-be-wife’s direction. She polished up as well. Rio wore a light green dress, simple and practical. Agatha had seen this dress before, but now there was a vine belt around her waist, and she had fresh flowers and sprigs of rosemary woven into her loose hair. She wasn’t wearing any shoes, her bare feet feeling the earth beneath them. There were little small flowers and mushrooms growing around her, as if she couldn’t control her green magic.

She felt Rio’s gaze on her quite suddenly, realising they were admiring each other. Rio’s look stopped a little bit too long on her cleavage and when Agatha raised her brow, she saw her flushing, the red of her cheeks in contrast with her skin.  

“If you were waiting for me, you could’ve just come to get me at home.” Agatha started, pretending to be offended by the walk alone on her wedding, and breaking the awkwardness. 

Rio huffed, offering her hand, which she didn’t hesitate to take, and started to walk as well. “I was getting everything ready.” 

“I thought that was your sister’s job.” 

Agatha didn’t know what to expect from Life. She was glad someone else was performing the wedding ritual, but she barely knew Rio had a sister when she proposed the option. 

“She helped.” Rio smiled at her, still unable to contain her happiness. It was starting to contaminate Agatha as well. “Have I told you look beautiful?” 

She shook her head, a satisfied smile. “No, you haven’t.” 

“Well, you do. Always. I think I will tell you a couple more hundred times tonight, so be ready for it.” 

“I’m very good at taking compliments.” 

She replied, not abandoning the little teasing, and wanting for more from Rio, immediately. It had only been a few weeks, but she had missed her, their dynamic, so much. 

“You are. Actually, I’d say you love compliments.” She stopped walking now they were in a clearing of the forest, a tight smile on her lips before continuing. “You’re so very good at a lot of things.” And before Agatha could reply, Rio used her hand to pull her closer, her other arm sneaking around her hip and blocking her from moving away. She leaned toward her ear, “We both know how much you love compliments… or praises .”  

The whisper made her ache, and she moved her head to find her lips, but Rio only pressed a teasing kiss to her cheek. 

A groan from the other side of the clearing distracted Agatha, and a figure that looked nothing like Rio appeared looking defeated. “Can you keep your hands off each other until the ceremony?” 

Rio laughed, slowly backing away from her, but one hand remained locked with Agatha’s. 

“You’re Life, I assume.” She sounded a bit skeptical while the figure was approaching. 

Agatha hadn’t had a lot to do with Life in her years. When she was fifteen, they forced her to help a young Adept to the Coven to give birth, and she found the whole thing disgusting.

“I’m Vie.” She corrected her with a soft smile. 

“You have a french accent.” She noted, and then turned toward Rio. “Is there a reason you and your sister like different languages?” 

Rio told her the first village where she appeared, where they weren’t scared of her, had been in Mexico. They decided her name, and she communicated with them long enough that Spanish became part of her identity. 

“Eternity loves Hindi.” Rio shrugged her shoulders when she mentioned their brother, while Life kept talking. “We just tend to attach ourselves to one language, one civilisation.” 

She didn’t have time to ask her why, specifically, the French, because Rio nodded at her side. “Vie just spends less time with humans so she’s still stuck with the accent.” 

“I do spend less time with them.” 

She looked more carefully at the two of them now, their hands still intertwined, and Agatha sensed Rio’s hold strengthening on her. It wasn’t judgment, no, merely an observation regarding Rio. There was a sense of depth by her, as if every word she spoke had a deeper, more meaningful, meaning. Agatha remembered she never felt like that with Rio - she had always been easy to talk to, easy to approach.

“Well, you’re much less joyful to be around than I expected.” 

She let her sarcasm through and Rio’s low chuckle distracted her. Proud to have made her less tense, she almost missed Vie staring only at her. 

“Life is happiness. But it’s also pain. I thought you’d know this better than a lot of people Agatha Harkness.” 

Her voice didn’t cut, she wasn’t striking her. It settled, heavy and severe, like a truth that was undeniable for everyone. Agatha opened her mouth but no clever or sarcastic remark came out, only silence, as if Life had left her purposefully speechless. Words wouldn’t come, and they weren’t necessary, when Life was something so certain. 

She felt a bit uneasy, because maybe she couldn’t shake the feeling she did that on purpose. And then Vie blinked and the uneasiness fell away, she focused on Rio’s grasp again. 

“Vie…” It was a warning, taking a step forward. 

“My bad.” Life smiled and warmth air blew around them. “I’m just explaining facts.” 

“Well, not now.”

Vie ignored Rio’s weaker warning and opened her hands, showing them a few paces forward into the clearing. “Come now, the moon is high and we don’t have a lot of time.” 

Before following her, Rio got her attention again.  “I’m sorry if she -”

“It’s okay.” Agatha whispered back, interrupting Rio’s words. “I’m just used to you . I forget you’re a cosmic entity as well.” 

She said sweetly, almost too much, cupping Rio’s cheek for a couple of seconds. Because it was true that she forgot who she was most of the time - Rio had never made her feel less powerful than her. Or, if she did, it was only during fun times.  

“She’s right, though, we’re wasting moonlight.” Agatha concluded, finally looking ahead to what they had done. 

A circle was drawn on the earth, big enough to let Agatha and Rio stand in front of each other. Around the circle, five stones were placed in a way to form a pentacle, if one was going to connect them. Agatha could see the stones were carved with five different runes. 

Wunjo, Nauthiz, Algiz, Ehwaz, Ingwaz. 

Joy. Need. Protection. Trust. Prosperity. 

Two torches stood behind Vie, but their fire was green, and somehow it matched the surrounding environment. Rio had lightened them up, clearly. 

“Step inside the circle.” Vie suggested, placing herself between the two torches and in front of the circle. 

Rio glanced in her direction almost shyly before taking the first step. When Agatha entered the circle, everything glowed. The circle was shining brightly and the runes emanated a softer, warmer, light. They all connected to each other through lines, forming a pentacle in between the grass under their feet. Agatha felt the warmth radiating from the light. 

“Oh.” 

It escaped her lips before she thought about it. Her cheeks grew warmer as well, but she ignored it. Everything looked so beautiful, and the moonlight reflected right above them. The result was a mix of lights and colors, from the cold tone of the moon to the warm yellowish of the pentacle. 

Agatha had witnessed only one true witches’ wedding ritual. Most of the others were the result of following the human rituals, without a hint of magic. She was only seven for the one, and she only remembered the fireflies at midnight.

There were some fireflies around them tonight as well. They seemed even more attracted by the game of lights that was going on. 

Before she could think too much about how beautiful everything was, Vie started talking. 

“We are gathered here tonight to celebrate the union between these two souls.” Vie’s eyes stopped longer on Rio, but she was only smiling at Agatha. “I would usually ask that all those who wish to be here, dead and undead, join us. Tonight, I am not going to do it. Firstly, I am here. And I am thrilled that my little sister found someone to accept her for everything she is.” 

Agatha wanted to reach for Rio’s hand, to steady herself. But she looked so perfect, without a hint of anxiety in her. Something didn’t sit right with Agatha. 

“Wait -” She whispered. She turned to Rio, cupping her face. “Everything you are.” She repeated, and her thumb crossed her lips, slowly. Rio parted her lips before understanding crossed her eyes. 

Rio’s beautiful, perfect, face turned into a skeleton. Agatha felt the familiar sensation underneath her fingers. Skin to bone. The lower part of her face disappeared, leaving only the hardness of her real figure. Rio’s eyes were a bit more hollow, but they still shined in the same brown and warm colour that she loved. They were glistening a bit. 

She had never been scared of Rio’s face. She found her so beautiful, so different. 

“Better.” She declared. She turned toward Vie. "Continue." 

Life looked pleased, almost surprised that Agatha wanted Death’s real face at their wedding, but she didn’t lose too much time. 

“Secondly, from what I know, you two have always called each other in ways that the universe could not have predicted. You were drawn together, from the first moment you met. It doesn’t happen often, but some connections are inexplicable. Those connections are usually the strongest ones.” The ritual lines shined a bit brighter. “So, nobody else is needed. Because your love, your connection, your strength, they all come out when you’re together. And that is enough.” 

A little pause, enough for Agatha to feel her heartbeat drumming in her ears. Vie had in her hands a piece of green cloth. 

“Please face each other.”

They did. Agatha held her hands up, and Rio followed. Palms down, she took her hands and held them. They both gave a little encouraging squeeze at the same time, which made her heart laugh. And then Vie placed the ribbon on their hands. 

“Handfasting is an old tradition between witches. It is a symbol of love, of commitment, and devotion. It signifies your desire to be united together, the willingness to face every new day alongside each other, to grow with one another. Agatha and Rio, you are both here to pledge your love and yourself with the other. Is it true?” 

They both nodded. 

Vie took her time, slowly and carefully now wrapping the ribbon around their hands, and lastly tying a knot between them, to secure it. It formed a bow, the two extremities falling in between their bodies. 

“And do you promise to love you for all your life? For all of your incarnations?” 

A nod again, slower. Not hesitating, but relishing on the importance of the moment. 

“You can share with each other your promises.” 

Rio nudged her, asking if she could go first. She was still holding that false sense of composure, but Agatha could feel her hands sweating. She could see the little twitching of her eyebrow and the trembling of her teeth when she looked at Agatha.

“You’re so beautiful.” A whisper, something she didn’t plan to share again. But she couldn’t not tell her again. She looked like the air had been sucked from her lungs, bony cheeks, and body perfectly still, eyes only on Agatha.  

“That’s not a promise.” She noted, talking before Rio could catch her breath.

“Do not tease.” She quickly replied. “I’ve been mesmerised by you, Agatha Harkness, since the first moment I saw you. And not only because you were, are, beautiful.” She intentionally corrected herself. “But because you saw me as well. You didn’t run, you didn’t ask who I was. You were never scared. And even though your curiosity scared me,” Agatha let out an emotional chuckle. “I couldn’t stay away from you. I thought you bewitched me, that there was a spell even Death couldn’t escape from. But you didn’t have to do anything - except be yourself. And I was gone.” 

“I was gone the moment I met you. Everything I knew about life started and ended with you.” 

The confidence Rio grew during her speech started to fade away, leaving a nervous smile and a shy look to their tied hands.

“I never had to live, Agatha. I never had to feel. I am trying to say… you made me want to feel, to love, to do, all these things. And I don’t care if it’s not what I’m supposed to do. To be. I will never care as long as I’m with you. I was alive but I was never really living until I met you.” 

“And I never intend to stay away from you, Agatha Harkness. I guess that’s my promise to you. Today, tonight, I promise you that you will never be alone again. Not in life, not in death.” 

A few tears escaped on Agatha’s cheek and she let out a breath she didn’t even realise she was holding until Rio stopped talking. She wanted to kiss that stupid face. Making her cry on her wedding day! 

Instead, she felt Rio’s thumb brushing soothing circles inside her inner wrist. It gave her enough time to look up, to let her tears shine under the moonlight. She didn’t dry them, but the knot in her throat took a few seconds before disappearing and letting her start talking. 

“Well, I am never going to be able to say something as beautiful as that.” She annoyingly admitted. Words weren’t her strong suit. 

Agatha Harkness wasn’t a romantic. 

But she did prepare something, at least in her head, for this occasion. She had no intention to get married twice , so she might as well do it properly now . 

Hands still fastened together, she held onto Rio's steadiness before starting to talk. 

“Your sister is right, we’ve always had a - connection. Even at the beginning, when I didn’t love killing as much as I do now,” a teasing smile appeared slowly. “You always appreciated dead bodies. And I have provided them, over and over, just to have a glimpse of you.” 

“Maybe we forced this connection. But I never intended to be born with this power, so maybe there was always some sort of invisible string tying us together.” She looked down at their hands, literally tied together. 

“I love you. Simple as that.” She could feel Rio’s gaze on her, unbreakable, fixed on her as if she was the only important thing in the universe right now. “And I never knew how to love, so… I guess you taught me that. And I taught you so many other things.”

Rio rolled her eyes, letting out a small huff, but Agatha was glad to have broken the tension. She could not go through her speech with a straight face, it was just not her. But she steadied her face, her smile coming out naturally when she locked eyes with Rio again. 

“Thank you. For loving me. For letting me love you, and to make you feel alive. I promise you I’m going to continue to do that - to make you feel as human as possible, Rio. I promise you to remind you what it means to be alive, whatever life will throw in our way, in both life and death.” 

The moment the promises were spoken aloud, the ribbon from the handfasting ritual squeezed against their wrists, heating up, officially leaving its mark on their skin. It didn’t hurt, it was almost like a tingly sensation, and Agatha was sure the marks would disappear immediately. On the surface. Not underneath, the ritual took care of that. They were each other’s now. Always and forever. 

“You can kiss your wife.” 

Vie said, but it didn’t even register in either of their brains, because Agatha was on Rio as fast as Rio searched for her lips, like they both couldn’t wait until that part. 

Their lips crashed into each other with the same strength and energy they forced into each other’s lives. Like a wave crashing on shore, they could not pull away from the other, even if they wanted to. And now, now they were married, now it was impossible to drift apart. 

In some split millisecond before they started making out, Rio’s face returned to be soft and skin-like, but she could still feel the bones beneath her fingers, slowly starting to disappear.  

Agatha felt Rio’s breaths in her mouth, she felt her hands sneaking around her waist, pulling her closer, while she tugged at her hair. It was a chaotic mess of teeth and mouth, and Agatha didn’t care to be gentle, she just wanted to never let Rio get away from her again. 

However, Vie coughed a couple of times, forcing them to separate. Agatha swore she heard Rio let out a low growl, and she couldn’t help but laugh against her shoulder. 

The ribbon from the handfasting had fallen to the ground while they were kissing and touching each other, the knot never too strong. And yet, she still felt it around her wrist, a print of their promises. 

“Well, I’ll let you complete the last part of the ritual alone. Congratulations sister.” 

She winked in her direction, before turning to Agatha. “Good luck. To you too. I hear marriage life is really hard.” 

She didn’t even give them time to reply, because she simply disappeared. One step backward, and the only thing left was a gush of air, which confused Agatha enough for Rio to shake her head. 

“Not important now.” She planted a soft, chaste, kiss on her lips.

“Right.” Agatha replied, shivering just slightly from the change in tone. She wouldn’t shiver from a make-out session in front of Life, but she did when Rio simply looked at her with adoring eyes. “Time for the fun part. Eager?” 

She mocked Rio, playing with the flowers that were in her hair, starting to pull them out, gently, one by one. 

“For you, wife? Always.”   

Wife, wife, wife. 

The word shouldn’t excite her as much as it does. But it did. It made her heart flutter a bit in her chest, and it forced her to look at Rio’s, to await for what she wanted to do next. She knew the following step to the ritual. 

To officiate a marriage, they had to consummate it in the pentagon. 

But Rio was still looking at her under the moonlight, and Agatha, who had never shied away from attention, suddenly wanted to look away. She simply plucked another leaf from Rio’s hair, scrunching her nose. 

“Turn around.” 

Agatha did before even thinking about it. 

Rio’s hands were still on her waist and she could feel the heat of her fingers even despite the fabric of the dress she had on - for now. Because Rio started to take care of it, too slowly for Agatha’s liking. 

She moved her hair to the side, planting a kiss to the nape of her neck, then to her jaw, then moving downward again. It was like every kiss was sealed with a promise. I love you, she didn’t need to hear it to feel it. Her hands were working through the lace and knots of her corset, pulling one by one, until she was finally able to free Agatha’s arms from the constraints of the dress. One kiss on each shoulder, before she let the dress fall to the ground. 

Agatha felt giddy. She felt as if she had never known happiness before this moment.   

She quickly turned, Rio still tracing her fingertips on her body, still staring at her like she was the only thing she wanted to see for eternity. Agatha moved forward, ready to kiss her, but stopped at the last moment, feeling Rio’s uneven breaths against her lips. 

“Your turn.” 

She undressed Rio much quicker than she did - because she did not want to waste moonlight and she wanted to fuck her wife before the sun turned up. And then again. Until every star could see them love each other, but in order to do that they needed to start. 

“Agatha.” Rio whispered, starting to kneel to the ground. “Slow down my love, we have time.”  

“Not enough. Never enough.” 

She crouched down, capturing her lips in one searing kiss, looking at Death’s adoring face when she knelt before her. As usual, the thought excited her more than it should have. And not only Death, but her wife as well. 

Wife . Again, that word echoed in her mind and in between her legs. 

She lowered to the ground as well, not caring about the terrain and dirt underneath them. It wasn’t as if they had never fucked in the woods anyway. 

On cue, Rio smirked at her. “Kinda similar to our first time.” 

Agatha laughed. “Oh, please.” She traced her wife’s breasts with both hands, sitting in front of her but unable to keep her hands to herself. “I clearly remember having you against a tree first.” 

“Not how I remember it.” 

Agatha stopped at her nipples, playing slightly, before tugging at both of them without force. Just enough for Rio to shut up and draw a heavy breath. She smiled at herself, gently lowering Rio on the ground and climbing on top of her. 

She didn’t kiss her, she simply looked at how every movement, every little brush of her thigh to her core, every fingertip against her skin, was already sending her into complete bliss. She didn’t kiss her until Agatha was fully on top of her. It was embarrassing how wet she already was. 

And how much more she was getting wet by simply kissing Rio, and nipping at her neck, or pulling her lower lip toward her. Rio let her do whatever she wanted, holding her waist and pressing more and more with every moan Agatha was able to let come out of her. 

She could never be satisfied of those sounds. Rio’s moans echoed in her mind and in her dreams even when she didn’t want to. And now each of them went straight to her cunt, so much so that she moved her hands enough from Rio’s body to forcefully take her right hand and direct her where she needed her the most. 

The action was clearly not unnoticed and Rio pulled her head back enough to look at Agatha. Her fingers were close enough to Agatha’s cunt without really touching it, but she could feel them there. As a phantom feeling, or whatever. She needed them inside her right now.    

“Is this how you want your first time as a married woman, Agatha?” 

“With you under me? Seems like a good first time.” She nipped back, biting at Rio’s neck, while Rio’s free hand - the other one rested against her cunt now, which made Agatha draw in a sharp breath - took her hair in her fist. 

She tugged her hair, drawing her head closer. Their eyes locked in and Agatha’s pupil blew wide at the sudden loss of control. 

“But do you want to finish the ritual so soon?” 

Rio’s words were playful, almost annoyingly too much, and Agatha felt shudder. Her hips didn’t react well to Rio's tone, because she surged forward, seeking a friction from Rio’s hand, which simply did not arrive. 

“Nice try, but I can feel you. You’re as ready as me.” 

“I am.” She admitted, still forcefully keeping hold of Agatha’s hair, and now directing her head to the side, enough so that Rio’s lips found her neck with no problem. 

She felt her teeth graze the skin, dragging upward until they reached the softer skin under her ear, sucking only slightly, while one finger slipped inside Agatha. 

She shut her eyes, relishing the feeling of Rio’s finger finally moving inside her, curling just slightly to get to her favourite spot. It was not nearly enough, and it only made Agatha’s tension grow even more. 

Until Rio pulled her hand back and Agatha writhed on top of her. “But I can still control myself.” 

And yet, she said it almost questioningly. As if she wasn’t even sure she could keep that promise. Oh, Agatha loved it when she could make Rio lose control, when she realised she was the one controlling her. But Rio seemed sure enough to keep her resolve for now, and so, two could play this game. 

She smirked against Rio’s skin, until she raised her head enough so she could see it, throwing Rio’s control off balance. Because she expected whining and begging - and, for sure, she’ll get to the point - not Agatha smirking and looking positively happy at the change of pace. 

“Then get on with it. It seems to me like I’m doing all the work -” 

She didn’t finish the sentence, because Rio had her on her back, switching positions. Agatha felt leaves, and the soil, underneath her. Good . Everything should be coated with them - that was part of the ritual. 

“Can you control yourself, Rio? Because it doesn’t look like it to me.” She kept taunting, it was stronger than her. Especially when she noticed Rio’s black pupils grow even wider. She loved it .

To shut her up, Rio kissed her. Slowly, languidly, without any hurry except to feel her. 

Rio’s hand had left her hair and now she simply traced it against Agatha’s body, finding all the spots and scars she knew by heart. It took a few seconds before she reached one of Agatha’s wrists, propping it gently onto her belly, and then retracing the same steps to get to the other one. 

Agatha was too distracted by the kiss to realise what she was doing, until she felt the fucking ribbon that had fallen to the ground before, tied tightly around her wrists. 

“Seriously? That’s how you want our first time to be?” 

Rio shrugged and she looked way too satisfied with herself. “I’ll get rid of it later. Just need it for now - to keep you still. You think you can do that for me, pretty girl?” 

Agatha hated herself for what the nickname made her feel. She was hot, and flushed, and Rio was still only touching her slightly instead of getting on with it. 

She grunted, and let Rio move her hands out of her way, raising them about her head. She could get rid of the knot if she wanted to, obviously. Even without her powers, it wasn’t that strong. 

“There’s something almost poetic about using the handfasting ribbon for this.” 

She said, still breathless from the kiss and the surprise of Rio’s intention. “Or deranged. Need to decide that.” 

Rio flashed a smile in her direction, looking up, while her mouth descended against her body. “Maybe a bit of both.”  

And then she didn’t say anything else. Instead, she started worshipping Agatha’s body. She went slow, she kissed every little spot on her skin, every scar, while her deft finger teased her. She started from her breasts, before moving downward toward her pubic hair, simply toying with her while Agatha tried to stay as still as possible. 

She didn’t want to give her the satisfaction to know the effect she had on her. As if Rio didn’t know already. 

But she still had her pride, and so for every kiss, Agatha moaned. She grew louder, her eyes fixed on Rio and even though she couldn’t completely see her, she could feel her wife losing control with every sound and little spasm she made. 

“You know,” Rio surged up, staring at her directly now. “I’m trying to take my time to make this enjoyable for you. You don’t have to ruin it.” 

“But I’m enjoying myself. So, so, so much.” She smiled and she tried to touch her, except her hands were still bound. 

Her confidence left space for a glimpse of frustration, both for not being able to move, and for being teased out of her mind. 

Rio looked satisfied at that, and went back to her body, this time her lips closed around one nipple. She sucked, eyes locked on Agatha’s, and the sight shouldn't have been as hot as it was. She stopped only to bite at the flesh of her breast, again and again, leaving little marks all around that would for sure show up in the following days. She moved to the other one, repeating the same action. 

Agatha arched her back as Rio’s tongue lavished her nipple, as her teeth bit the bud and made it ache and soothe all together. She gasped, her body trashing slightly against the ground, and Rio’s hands held her put, her fingers splayed on her torso. 

“Gods, Rio, please, just fuck me.” She murmured in between gasps. 

“You’re so beautiful when you beg Agatha.” 

Rio laughed softly, close to her belly, and she felt the vibration everywhere. She moved downward again and Agatha slumped on the ground, while Rio finally, finally, kissed her inner thigh. 

It was still not where she wanted her to go, but it was getting closer. She started to repeat the same bites against her inner thigh, leaving small bruises there as well, but Rio’s breaths were also becoming uneven. Especially when Agatha moved her hips enough to feel her against her. 

“Rio - I swear -” 

But she didn’t finish, because Rio’s mouth was on her. And in one flick of Rio’s fingers, Agatha’s hands were free. Immediately, she reached up for her hair, pulling her head towards her cunt and not letting her escape anymore. 

“Enough teasing.” She protested, but it was too unconvincing, her mind starting to focus only on the feeling of Rio’s mouth on her. 

Rio didn’t reply, but she started to move her tongue with more rhythm, as if to agree with her, as if to prove to her that she was truly done now. Her fingers followed shortly after, and she inserted two digits into her slick folds without any resistance from Agatha’s. 

The ache between her thighs was getting out of control. There was only Rio. Rio’s mouth, her tongue circling her clit and sucking, purposefully, while her fingers curled inside of her at the same time. Maybe it was a combination of the teasing, of the environment, of the love she felt for the other, or the fact they had just gotten married, but she was producing sounds she wasn’t sure she had been capable of. Moans and cries, and she was disgustingly loud; exactly as Rio wanted her to be. 

And she kept chanting her name through it. “Rio, Rio, Rio, I’m close -” She gripped her hair harder, and again Rio didn’t say a word, she simply put everything into finishing her off. 

A twist of her fingers, diving deeper as before, and her teeth grazed her clit softly, her mouth all around, and Agatha was gone. 

Her mind went blank. She literally saw stars when she came, and she squeezed her eyes shut, losing herself in that feeling, while Rio still lapped at her, slower, savouring every last drop of Agatha’s. She guided her through it, still pumping until Agatha came down her high. 

She eased her fingers out, and Agatha whined, suddenly feeling incomplete. 

She was boneless for a few moments, and Rio only embraced her, chest to chest, skin to skin, completely mesmerised by her. Agatha clutched her hands to her shoulder, holding her close until the only thing she could feel was Rio’s heart beating in sync with her own. 

Everything else didn’t matter. 

Except, at some point Rio shifted slightly, trying not to put all of her weight onto Agatha, but it was enough for her to feel the wetness between her thighs. 

Agatha laughed, and she moved her hands enough to cup Rio’s face, to move away her hair and see her face and pressing at her cheeks. 

“Rio -” Agatha only said, forcing her to move away enough for her to press her knee against Rio’s core. 

She felt her shudder and she smiled at herself. Her hand quickly traveled down, finding Rio’s folds and realising only then just how wet she was. 

“Damn.”

“What? You think seeing you come isn’t hot enough?” Rio nipped back, but the comment didn’t touch Agatha, who still had a satisfied smirk across her face. 

Especially when she licked her fingers in front of Rio’s face, who stilled against her. They were still embracing, but she felt her body grow rigid while Agatha put on a show by licking her own fingers, coated with Rio’s slick. 

“Fuck.” She hissed out. 

“Indeed.” 

“Just fuck me.” Agatha raised an eyebrow. “Please, Agatha.” 

Rio didn’t hesitate and gave her exactly what she wanted now. And so Agatha’s hand moved downward again, observing entranced as her fingers slid inside Rio’s as easily as ever. She was so wet and so ready that she didn’t find any resistance by adding a third finger. Agatha eased them in and out faster, forcing Rio to slide off her so that she could have more space. 

They still held each other, while Agatha’s fingers pumped inside her and curled slightly. She felt Rio’s nails against her back, scratching her and leaving even more marks. 

Rio’s breath left her when Agatha’s thumb circled her clit and then pressed against it. And then Agatha kissed her through it, eating out every moan that came out until she finally let go. She shuddered on Agatha, who drew out her fingers only slightly and kissed her through the aftershocks. 

Only when Rio was limp, Agatha slid out entirely, and the kiss became slower, more tender. 

As if everything about the night hadn’t been tender enough. 

Rio came back to herself a few moments later, still placing soft kisses against Agatha’s face and neck and shoulders, but without more traces of mischief - for now. 

“I love you.” She exhaled against her skin, the first words after her orgasm. 

Agatha moved out another flower from her hair, one she had missed before. “My love.” She repeated, tears pricking at her eyes. 

She was saved by the ritual, the ground underneath them grew slightly hotter, before the light gave out, and all the lines in the earth disappeared. A gust of wind blew the candles off, and Agatha shivered because of the cold air. Enough for Rio to wrap her hands and body around her. 

The marriage ritual was complete. The first light of the day was starting to come out, and while Agatha Harkness would never be alone again, Death would always feel human around her - as they promised each other. 

It took Vie two months before finding Rio again. Not because she didn’t try, but because she had to convince herself to break the rules for her sister. 

Rules they had invented millenia before, by the way. Nobody would care if she took half an hour to visit Death instead of doing her job. 

But the real rule-breaking was a book between her hands, a grimoire, old and dusty and with almost all the pages ruined. Inscriptions in languages she never bothered to learn. 

She found Rio while she took the life of a drowning couple. They still held each other’s hands, even in death. Vie found them too young, and the sight was too unnerving. 

“Rio.” She made herself notice. 

“Oh? Vie!” She nudged the couple of kids along, shooing them away, almost playfully. “Hello! What are you doing here?” 

Vie could see the happiness radiating through her sister’s face. She assumed her marriage was going very well. She was happy for her, despite not approving her choice. Death acting as a human was never in the cosmo’s plans. 

And yet. 

“Consider it my wedding gift.” 

She handed over the grimoire, and Rio looked confused, even while shifting through the pages. 

“There’s a fertility spell. It’s old, and it was lost because it was considered… unnatural.” 

Rio laughed dryly. “What about Life is unnatural?” 

“Just… it didn’t require the use of a man.” She exhaled and Rio stilled. She immediately understood what Vie was alluding to, and the importance of this moment. “A lot of witches actually used it, centuries ago. And then they were all burnt. But it works - it worked a lot, in the past.” 

Vie knew it did because she was there to welcome these children, these future witches, into the world. 

“Vie… thank you. I don’t know -”

“Don’t thank me. You’re you.” She looked at her, sterner than she intended. “I have no idea if it’ll work. Or if you even want it to work. But it is an option.” 

Rio clutched the grimoire to her chest, tightly. “It is. And for that I thank you.” 

And she couldn’t wait to show Agatha.