Woven in Shadows (agatha x rio)

The Spark Rekindled <3

Important Author's Note:
There will be a dynamic change!!! This chapter marks just the beginning of Agatha and Rio's journey to reconnect. Things in the future for their relationship will be not only be steamy but we will get a chance to explore there dynamic that i feel the show should've but didn't get into!

While Nessa's struggles with her powers remain a central focus for now, this dynamic will evolve. Over the next few chapters, we'll dive deeper into Nessa's growth and her path to understanding and controlling her abilities. Meanwhile, Rio and Agatha's relationship will slowly take center stage as they navigate their shared history and undeniable chemistry. As the story progresses, Nessa's role will gradually shift to the background, allowing us to fully explore the complexities of Agatha and Rio's rekindled bond. Stay tuned for more twists, growth, and, of course, moments of vulnerability between these two.

To those who are here solely for the relationship between Rio & Agatha this chapter is for you!!

Enjoy - Leefrances_

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Chapter Seventeen: The Spark Rekindled

The moon hung high over Westview, its light spilling through the sheer curtains of Agatha's living room. The day had been long and emotionally exhausting, filled with spellcasting trials and Nessa's endless frustration. The girl was asleep upstairs now, leaving Agatha and Rio in the quiet sanctuary of the dimly lit room.

Agatha sat in her armchair, a book perched on her lap, though her eyes hadn't focused on its pages for quite some time. Across from her, Rio leaned against the window frame, her arms crossed and her expression unreadable as she gazed out at the silent street.

The tension between them had been building, subtle yet undeniable, like the charge in the air before a storm. Despite the walls both women had meticulously crafted over the years, cracks had formed. There was no ignoring it any longer: the memories, the familiarity, the pull that always seemed to draw them back to each other.

"Penny for your thoughts, my lady?" Rio broke the silence, her tone laced with sarcasm yet softened by something else a tenderness she rarely allowed to surface.

Agatha raised an eyebrow, snapping her book shut. "And risk inflating your already sizable ego by letting you think I was pondering you? I think not."

Rio smirked, her dark eyes glinting with mischief as she pushed off the window frame. "Ah, but you didn't deny it outright. I'll take that as a win."

Agatha rolled her eyes but couldn't stop the faint tug at the corner of her lips. "What is it with you and your incessant need to provoke me?"

"Because it's so easy, love" Rio quipped, crossing the room and leaning casually against the armchair across from Agatha. "You're all sharp edges and snark, but I know you better than that."

Agatha stiffened, her gaze narrowing. "And what exactly is it you think you know, hmm?"

Rio leaned forward, her voice dropping to a near whisper. "That the woman who pretends she doesn't care is the one who cares the most. That beneath all your dramatics, you're just as human as the rest of us even if you'd rather hex me than admit it."

Agatha's breath hitched, but she quickly masked it with a scoff. "You do love the sound of your own voice, don't you?"

"And you love listening to it" Rio countered, her grin widening.

The air between them grew heavier, the kind of weight that made Agatha want to flee but also kept her rooted in place. She hated how Rio could do this; peel back her defenses with a single sentence, a single look. It was maddening.

"You're insufferable," Agatha muttered, standing abruptly and moving toward the kitchen, desperate to put space between them.

"And yet, here I am," Rio called after her, her tone softer now almost amused.

Agatha busied herself at the counter, pretending to pour herself another glass of wine even though she hadn't finished the first. She felt Rio's presence behind her before she heard her voice.

"You don't have to run, you know" Rio said, her voice low almost hesitant.

"I'm not running" Agatha replied, gripping the counter a little too tightly. "I'm simply avoiding the urge to set you on fire."

Rio chuckled, stepping closer until she was just a breath away. "You've been avoiding a lot more than that."

Agatha turned slowly, her eyes meeting Rio's. The smugness was gone now, replaced by something raw, something vulnerable. Agatha hated how it unraveled her.

"And what is it you think I'm avoiding?" Agatha challenged, her voice quieter now.

Rio tilted her head, her gaze steady. "This. Us. Whatever this... thing between us is becoming."

Agatha's lips parted to respond, but no words came. Instead, her defenses faltered, and she let the silence speak for her.

Rio reached out tentatively, her fingers brushing against Agatha's wrist. The touch was electric, a reminder of everything they'd once been and everything they still could be.

"You don't have to say anything," Rio murmured. "Just... don't push me away."

Agatha closed her eyes, exhaling shakily. She didn't deserve this. She didn't deserve Rio's understanding or her patience. But gods help her, she wanted it anyway.

When she opened her eyes, Rio was still watching her, waiting. Slowly, hesitantly, Agatha took a step closer. Her hand moved to Rio's cheek, her thumb brushing against the sharp line of her jaw.

"Why do you have to make everything so bloody complicated?" Agatha whispered.

Rio smiled faintly, leaning into the touch. "It's a gift."

Agatha huffed a laugh, her chest tightening as the tension finally snapped. She leaned forward, pressing her forehead against Rio's, her fingers tangling in the fabric of her shirt.

For a moment, they stayed like that breathing each other in, the world around them fading into nothing. It wasn't forgiveness or closure, but it was something.

"I missed this," Rio murmured, her voice so soft it almost broke Agatha.

Agatha didn't reply, couldn't. Instead, she let her actions speak, holding Rio a little closer, a little tighter. For the first time in a long time, she allowed herself to believe that maybe, just maybe, she could let someone in again...

Agatha's breath hitched as the warmth between them grew, the familiar pull of Rio's presence threatening to undo her completely. Panic bubbled beneath the surface, clawing its way up her spine. This was too fast, too much. She couldn't let herself fall into old patterns not again. With a forced calmness, she gently untangled herself from Rio's grasp, stepping back just enough to break the moment. "We should... get some rest," she said softly, her voice steady even as her heart pounded. Without waiting for a response, she turned away, gripping the edge of the counter to ground herself, the weight of what almost happened settling heavily in her chest.