Work Text:
“Hey little love” Agatha says softly, gently pressing her hand over Nicky’s. The room is dimly lit, the evening sun filtering through the curtains.
She sighs softly and closes her eyes for a long moment before pulling her hand back. Her hands brushed over her fresh shirt, pushing down her feelings for the moment. “Right, date night” she pauses. “Fuck Wanda and her date nights”
She tugs on her long coat, pulling her long brown hair free, leaving it to be wild and free. “This one better not be a fucking nerd,” grabbing her keys, she head out to her car, humming to herself as she climbs in and head to the bar her apparent date was waiting at.
Reading the time, her lips curve up to see she was already ten minutes late, and arrives at least twenty two minutes late, hoping to put off this date as much as she can. Again, fuck Wanda and her dates.
Parking up in a spot she definitely shouldn’t park in, she climbs out and heads to the bar, pushing open the door with a flourish.
Rio turns her head and grins, “Wanda said you’d be late.”
Agatha’s head snaps to her, looks her up and down, down then up, then back down before looking her in the eyes. “Great, you’re a nerd,” she deadpans.
“Not a fan of Star Wars?”
“Not particularly, no”
“Shame.”
Agatha raises a brow, Rio simply shrugs with a grin. “So what do you watch—let me guess, real housewives?”
Agatha scoffs, “no,” yes.
“Sure,” Rio grins at her, Agatha finally makes her way to her. “Whiskey neat?” She asks which prompts Agatha to grunt in confirmation. “You’re lucky you’re hot or I’d be straight out of here.” She takes the drink and downs it.
“Damn, hate nerds that bad?”
“They’re annoying”
“You haven’t met the right nerd then,” Rio grins at her, her finger crawling up Agatha’s arm. “I’ll show you how fun we can be”
A smirk pulls at Agatha’s lips. “Go ahead, superstar.”
—
Agatha grumbles as she pulls on her boots, “stupid clingy nerds,” yet a smile stays on her lips, ‘her stupid clingy nerd’ is left unsaid.
She looks over and her smile falters slightly before righting itself as she heads over to her heart. “I’m not sappy. She’s okay—okay more than okay. Yeah, yeah, I like her whatever” she lays her hand over Nicky’s. “Maybe—hopefully. Fuck, who knows, maybe it’ll be more.” She sighs and shakes her head. “Goodbye for now, little love.”
—
Agatha scowls at the food cooking on the hob, “you better taste good,” she knows it does, she makes the best beef stew and dumpling, but still, she’s not used to cooking for two.
The heat gets lowered to a simmer while she cleans up the kitchen, the mess of chopping up carrots and potatoes going in the bin. “Stupid nerd wanting a stupid dinner,” yet again, a smile plays on her lips.
She head up not long after, changing into a lounge set to fit the mood, and because she looks amazing in it. The doorbell ringing pulls a grin to her lips which she quickly hides with a clearing of her throat. She waits two minutes and heads down, pulling open the door to a grinning Rio.
“Did you really have to wait that long, Ags?” The brunette snorts with a grin. “Course I did.”
Rio rolls her eyes and steps inside. “The home of the great Agatha Harkness. Should I expect ghosts?” She catches Agatha’s expression faltering for a moment before she covers it with a grin. “Oh of course, hon! I’ve plenty of skeletons on my desk.”
“…you mean closet, right?”
“That’s what I said!”
Rio rolls her eyes and moves down the hallway while Agatha shuts the door behind her. “Dining room’s at the end, sit your cute ass down.”
“Ooh, cute is it?” Rio gives a small shake of her butt and laughs.
Agatha rolls her eyes with a small grin. “Take it back, an annoying ass”
Snorting, Rio sits down and looks around curiously, “not a bad gaff.”
“Gaff? Get off TikTok.”
“You knew what it means, you get off TikTok,” Agatha rolls her eyes and moves to plate up the stew. “Whatever, eat.” She placed the bowl in front of Rio, making up her own after.
“What? No ‘hi Rio’? Or a welcome kiss? So rude”
“That I am.” Agatha grins and sits down, looking down to eat her own food but snaps her head up at Rio’s moan.
“Fuck, this is good. Did you put crack in it or something?”
“Sure did, hon. Now you’re gonna be addicted to me,” a grin pulls at Agatha’s lips at Rio’s snort.
“Please, I’m already addicted.” That causes Agatha’s brows to raise. “Yeah?”
“Yeah,” Rio confirms.
“…cool.”
Rio snorts again. “Don’t think much of it.”
“I’m not.”
“You are.”
“Shut up and eat,” Agatha scowls.
Laughing, Rio goes back to eating, but pauses at a slight shake. “Was that you?”
“Was what me? I’m not playing footsie like a school-.” She pauses when the ground gives another shake but stronger this time. “Oh—shit.”
Jumping up, Rio quickly grabs Agatha’s arm and pulls her under the table just as the earthquake fully hits, the floor shaking, pots and pans rattling, a smash from another room. The lights flicker, highlighting the dust falling from the ceiling when it falls.
Rio covers Agatha with her body, Agatha holding tight to her arm in return. “Fucking—god damn fucking tectonic plates.”
“And you call me a nerd.”
Snorting, Agatha shoves her slightly. “Fuck off”
Rio grins, the earthquake dies. “Well—that was fun.”
“Fun? Yeah r-.” She pauses, her eyes widening slightly as she looks to the living room’s direction. “Nicky,” she whispers and scrambles up with a confused Rio following after her. “Nicky? There’s someone else here?” She asks though Agatha doesn’t answer, simply runs to the living room, pausing at the doorway with mounting horror.
“No-“ her words come out strangled, her knees buckling at the sight of the livingroom. Because there in the middle lays a broken slab of plaster, lays her heart, the last piece of her son she’ll ever have.
“No.” She breathes out, tears pulling at her eyes as she stumbles to the broken mess, the white, slightly charred plaster. Rio pauses at the door, confused but knowing this is something big, something Agatha has yet to tell her.
Dropping down to her knees, her hands shake as she reaches towards the broken slab, the crack going straight through the middle. She lifts slow, shakily, turning it over with a choked sob.
A tear falls, followed by another as the broken handprint is revealed, the crack splitting between the palm of the hand.
“Nicky-“ warm arms wrap around her which she leans into despite her overwhelming grief.
“I can fix it, it won’t be perfect, but I can make it whole,” Rio reassures her gently, holding but not overwhelmed her.
“please,” comes the choked plea, the pieces gently being laid on the floor as she turns her head into Rio’s shoulder and lets the sobs break free.
The arms tighten around her, a hand in her hair, there isn’t any soothing words, just a tight hold and the promise of being there, of fixing something that was never meant to be broken.
—
Her fingers gently stroke over the hand print, the crack barely visible after Rio had fixed it. Spots were still blackened, an old wound she had never managed to clean away.
“Can I?” Comes a small voice and Agatha smiles. “Of course little darling,” she says and gently guides a small hand to press over the slightly bigger handprint.
“Mama, I’m holding Nicky’s hand!” Agatha laughs softly, “you sure are baby,” Rio kneels down beside them. “Saying hi to your big brother, Rhea?”
Rhea nods her head, wide smile on her lips. “Mama said I could hold his hand, Mami, it’s bigger than mine,”
“That’s because you’re teeny tiny like your mama.”
Two indignant voices cry ‘hey’ which only causes Rio to laugh.
Rhea pulls her hand away. “Thank you mama,”
Agatha nods her head. “Go on then, little darling, those ducks are waiting for you to feed them.”
Rhea runs off with a squeal to put on her yellow ducky boots.
“You gonna be okay on your own?” Rio asks, kissing the top of her head.
“Yeah.” Agatha breathes out. “Go have fun, I’ve got a birthday boy to spend some time with.”
“We can-“
“Not today love, please”
Rio nods understandingly and kisses her lips. “See you soon, love.”
Agatha nods. “See you soon” she kisses her again, then once more causing Rio to laugh. “Okay, I’m going before-“
“Mami come on!”
“Nevermind,” the two laugh before Rio heads off with Rhea out the door and Agatha looks back to the handprint in the plaster. “Happy sixteenth birthday, baby. I love you to the moon and back.”
She gently picks up the slab with gentle care and moves it to its more secure stand that Rio made years ago. “I love you always and forever, Nicky. Always.” She whispers, smiling. Nicky would love the family she’s grown, one that loves him without ever meeting him. One day, in the late future, they’ll meet again.