Woven in Shadows (agatha x rio)

A Family Found

chapter twenty-five: A Family Found

The air crackled with anticipation as Nessa stumbled forward, the world around her spinning as though reality itself was warping. She had returned.

The moment she set foot on the familiar ground of the Witches Road, a surge of relief washed over her. It was over. The trial, the torment of not knowing her place, it was all behind her.

Her heart thundered in her chest as she saw Agatha and Rio standing near the edge of the road, their figures just as she remembered, yet somehow different. More alive, more real than ever before.

Agatha stood tall, her usually stoic face filled with a soft but cautious concern, while Rio's eyes were dark and unreadable, the expression on her face a mix of curiosity and guarded affection.

Nessa's chest tightened as she bolted toward them, her feet barely touching the ground as she ran, the gravel of the road crunching beneath her boots. Her breath was shallow, her heart racing-not just from the rush of adrenaline, but from the weight of the emotions she had been carrying through her trial.

The trial that had forced her to confront everything she had buried deep inside.

In that moment, nothing mattered except the warmth of their presence, the embrace of family.
"Agatha!" Nessa gasped, her voice a mix of relief and desperate need, as she reached Agatha. Without a second thought, she threw herself into the older woman's arms, wrapping her arms tightly around her waist.

Agatha stiffened at first, frozen in a moment of disbelief, not knowing how to react to the sudden surge of emotion. Her body was tense, unsure, but the scent of lavender-soft, calming, unmistakable-wrapped around Nessa like a comforting blanket. The familiar smell of Agatha, something she hadn't even realized she missed, filled her senses. And then, as if something clicked in her, Agatha let out a soft sigh, her arms slowly, almost hesitantly, wrapping around Nessa.

Her body was warm, strong, and Nessa could feel the tension melt away as Agatha's hands gently stroked her back.

Agatha's voice was a whisper in Nessa's ear, filled with pride, but also something deeper-something raw, something real. "I'm so proud of you, Nessa. You did it."

The words held weight, more than Nessa had expected. She squeezed Agatha tighter, feeling the overwhelming rush of emotions that flooded through her-relief, gratitude, love. And, for the first time, she allowed herself to let go.

The embrace seemed to last forever. The tightness in Nessa's chest finally gave way to peace, to understanding. She had found her family.

Then, as if the world had shifted in time with Nessa's heart, Rio walked up behind them. Her eyes were soft, and for once, there was no sarcastic edge, no hardened walls between them.

Just Rio. She placed a gentle hand on Nessa's shoulder, her voice low and careful. "You did it, kid," Rio said, her voice hoarse with emotion. "I knew you could."

Nessa slowly pulled away from Agatha, and in the same fluid motion, she opened her arms to Rio, inviting her into the circle.

Rio's arms wrapped around her without hesitation, pulling Nessa into a hug that was as firm as it was tender.

For a moment, the three of them stood there, entwined in each other's arms, a quiet, peaceful moment in the chaos of everything they had been through. The cold wind that blew across the Witches Road felt far away, a mere whisper against the intensity of the moment.

The smell of the earth, the dampness in the air, all faded into the background as Nessa felt the warmth of Agatha and Rio around her. They were home. Home is with each other.