Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Rio Vidal look a deep breath as she did another onceover in the mirror. She wiggled her eyebrows at herself and smirked. You look great.

She tucked the snow white shirt into her black pants and adjusted the straps holding the dagger sheath she wore on the side under her left) arm. She was just finishing her course in psychology. It was not a job requirement to carry a weapon, but she just liked it. She would not be parted from her favorite dagger. It even had a name.

After putting a suit jacket on to cover Lady Death, she sat astride her motorbike and made her way to her new place of work. Today was the day. She was assigned to Salem prison. While it was a rather small prison in the middle of nowhere, it held some notorious psychopaths. Their crowning jewel being Agatha Harkness herself. Now a 45 year old serial killer. But Rio was not to see her. She was someone else’s problem.

Facing the old stony building on the shore, she still couldn't quite believe she had gotten herself into this place. A practical course was mandatory for getting her diploma, but most of her classmates just went into a private practice or a clinic. However, Rio wanted to work with criminals and study their fascinating minds. She wanted to help them.

The sad fact was that not many people wanted to work in this field. Prisons were heavily understaffed and therapists, or soul healers as Rio liked to call herself, were as rare as diamonds nowadays. There were only five pupils in her year and she was the only one aiming to work in crime. The previous few years went with the count of zero.

Nevertheless, she was a star student. Some (everyone) even called her teacher’s pet. She had the best grades and her dissertation was even published.

So now here she was. Salem prison.

She took a deep breath and finally entered the building. If she thought the place was horrible from the outside, she had no words for the inside. It was cold, rough and silent. Just the howl of wind could be heard.

“Well hello you beautiful piece of ass,” one prisoner from the first floor called after her. Okay, she preferred the silence.

“Shut it, Laufeyson!” One of the guards called after him while awkwardly smiling at Rio. “Hi, I’m Wade, one of the guards here,” he introduced himself and offered her his hand.

She took it politely and replied, “Nice to meet you, I’m Rio Vidal.”

“Ah, I was wondering what you were doing here. It’s not like we get many visitors,” he chuckled.

“I am the new therapist,” she clarified and followed him through the ground floor.

“Yes, Fisk told us about your arrival,” Wade replied. “I’m taking you to his office. He’s awfully busy, barely present really.”

“Wilson Fisk? I thought he was the mayor?” She asked in shock.

“Yeah, but the prison is under the state so he’s responsible for it. And that’s why he’s not here most of the time, he has better things to do. I can’t blame him honestly.”

“Right. So how many guards are here?”

“I believe he will tell you everything,” Wade smiled and remained quiet for the rest of the trip. He knocked on the door when they reached the part with offices and wished her good luck before leaving.

“It’s very nice to see you, Miss Vidal,” a tall man of darker color greeted her. “I am Wilson Fisk, the mayor and current director of this place,” he introduced himself. “Please, have a seat.”

“Rio Vidal, nice to meet you,” she replied politely and shook his hand before sitting on the opposite side of his wooden desk.

“I don’t have much time so I’ll just get right to it. You will have your own office at the end of this hall. There are four floors with prison cells, but not all of them are occupied, mind you. I do hope it will stay that way. There are two guards on each floor. Except the fourth floor.”

“Why are there no guards on the fourth floor?” She asked, her curiosity getting the best of her.

“Well,” he sighed. “ The fourth floor is occupied only by Agatha Harkness.”

“I’ve heard about her,” Rio nodded. A dangerous psychopathic woman. A real nut to crack. “Shouldn't there be extra security on her floor, though?”

“There should,” he admitted. “But we’ve reached an agreement with her after many long, long fights. She promised to be docile if there were no guards present. So far she has kept her word.”

“Isn’t that dangerous?” Rio asked and furrowed her brow.

“I should probably tell you something,” he started and rubbed his temples. “We are lacking guards. We are lacking people. No one wants to work in a prison. You know best how many police officers we get every year. And those boys would rather work in the field, if anything. And we need them there. We need them to catch these criminals rather than babysit them. Which leaves us with the only option we’ve had - we are sending the recruits here. These trainees are not officially officers yet, same as you are not a certified therapist. So, sending these boys there was more dangerous than leaving her alone.

No other prisoner can see her cell and she cannot see theirs. It was the best option given the circumstances. We’ve had incidents before… it was like she could suck the life out of pretty much everyone. Just by words alone she made the prisoners take their life. This is for the best.”

“So, she’s isolated,” Rio contemplated.

“So to speak,” he nodded. “You won’t even go near her. Our only therapist is in charge of her interrogation. She’s too big a bite to chew.”

“I thought that she knows the most about the Scarlet Witch and her whereabouts,” she furrowed her brow. “And from what I’ve read, Agatha hasn’t said a word to you.”

“Yes, you are correct. What makes you think she would say a word to you?”

“I didn’t say that, it’s just –”

“Let’s have a look around the prison so you’re familiar with the place and its prisoners,” he interrupted her. “I will also show you to your office, you will talk with the prisoners there.”

“So there is no special place for therapy?” She crossed her arms over her chest.

“No,” he simply stated. “I’ll introduce you to Dr. Faustus as well. In fact, let’s do that first. He is our only certified therapist and he will guide you.”

“Okay,” Rio nodded.

“Good to see you, Agatha,” Dr. Faustus greeted the woman. He usually brought a book to these therapy sessions because Agatha had never said a word to him. He had simply given up after a few months. She didn’t even greet him. Not once. He was met with silence as presumed. “Not feeling very talkative today, are we?” He asked. “Well, I thought as much,” he shrugged and picked up his book.

They were in the middle of a session when there was a knock and Fisk entered the office without even waiting for his approval. A young woman with black hair and dark brown eyes trailed after him.

“Ah, I didn’t know you had a session, my apologizes,” Fisk said. “Don’t talk to her,” he turned to Rio and said so quietly that only she could hear him.

“It’s not a problem,” Dr. Faustus replied. Of course it could be a problem were this a normal therapy session, but interrupting silence couldn’t do any harm.

“We will come back later, I just wanted to introduce –“

“Who are you?” Agatha interrupted him, staring at Rio with a rather predatory gaze.

“So you are not mute,” Dr. Faustus commented. “That’s good to know.”

“Who are you?” Agatha asked again, in a more demanding tone now.

“Ehm,” Rio cleared her throat, trying not to be affected by the chained woman. “I am Rio Vidal, Madame Harkness.”

“Rio, Rio,” she repeated, playing with the name on her tongue as if tasting it. “I like it. Means river, doesn’t it?”

“Yes, Miss Harkness,” Rio confirmed quietly. The woman had a very alluring aura.

“Miss Vidal, we are leaving,” Fisk said and grabbed her, leading her out of Dr. Faustus' office. He didn’t notice the sneer that action provoked from Agatha.

“Come see me, little bird!” She called after them and then cooled her features and remained emotionless towards Dr. Faustus.

“That was incredibly idiotic of you,” the mayor hissed. “I told you not to talk to her.”

“Well at least she replied to me, didn’t she?” Rio lifted her chin defiantly. She would not be talked to like a child.

“You are in training, Miss Vidal. Agatha is a dangerous murderess; she’s way out of your league to handle!”

“Yes, because reading a book during a therapy session instead of actually talking with the patient seems to do the trick. Oh wait, no, it doesn’t,” she replied. “I am aware I’m not qualified yet, but during those few minutes she said more words to me than she has ever said to Dr. Faustus.”

“You’ve studied her files quite thoroughly I see.”

“I would have, but they were mostly empty pages. Only her crimes were listed. And Dr. Faustus’ annoyed note stating: ‘never said a word to me’,” she crossed her arms over her chest. “Which clearly means I’ve made more progress than anyone here before.”

“Miss Vidal –“ Fisk started, but Dr. Faustus interrupted him with opening the door.

“She’s started to talk,” he said to the director.

“Well that’s great!” he cheered.

“Not really, she’s now chanting ‘I want to talk to her’ on repeat,” he sighed. “We haven’t been properly introduced yet, I am Dr. Faustus,” he said and offered her a hand.

“Rio Vidal, nice to meet you,” she replied and shook his hand. “So, she’s talking?”

“No, she’s chanting these words like a madwoman. I preferred the silence.”

“I guess I should go talk to her then?”

“No,” they both replied in unison.

“I’m sorry, gentlemen, but I came here to make a difference. I came here to learn, yes, but I also came here to help them. This is what I want to do after I finish my training. It seems to me that I might actually get somewhere with her. The Scarlet Witch is on the loose and you’ve wasted months by sitting with Agatha in silence. Of course, she won’t talk to you. You’re a man.”

“What do you mean?” Dr. Faustus asked. “That shouldn’t make a difference.”

“But it does,” Rio shrugged. “Have you noticed she’s only ever killed men?”

“No,” he replied truthfully. They completely missed that piece of information. And it answered so much.

“Well, I have. So maybe I should just go in and try to talk to her, hm? Especially if she wants me to.”

“She’s the most dangerous prisoner here,” Fisk tried to argue.

“With the biggest intel, though,” Rio challenged. “Look, she’s chained to the table and the chair. She’s powerless. I’m not in danger. Which is a given already by the fact that I’m not a man,” she gave them a knowing look.

“Fine,” Fisk said. “I do need to leave, though.”

“Well, thank you for the briefing,” she said politely. “I’m sure Dr. Faustus can take me to my office and show me the prison when I am done interrogating her?” She asked the therapist.

“Yes, of course,” he nodded.

“I will see you both tomorrow then,” Fisk said and left. He didn’t put up any fight. Rio gathered that he really couldn’t be bothered about this place at all.

“And I’m going to wait right here. Just shout for me if you need any help,” Dr. Faustus said to her.

“Thank you,” Rio replied and entered his office.

“Well hello, little bird,” Agatha smiled from ear to ear. “That was fast. Missed me?” She smirked as she properly took the young woman in. She more than appreciated the view.

“Hello again, Madame Harkness,” the woman replied and sat across the table. She took out her notebook and pen and placed it in front of her.

“Gonna study me, my sweet?” The criminal asked and tilted her head, eyeing Rio from head to toe. She liked how the girl addressed her. No one had showed her any respect here.

“No,” Rio blushed slightly at the nickname. Or maybe she blushed just because Agatha was looking at her with those blue eyes. It felt like they were piercing through her soul. “I will try to help you. And well, ask you few questions in the process.”

“At least you’re honest,” the raven-haired woman smirked and leaned back in her chair.

“I am,” she nodded. In truth, she was nervous as hell. She’d read Agatha’s files; she’d heard about the criminal. The paper just never told her how absolutely consuming the woman was. Her aura was as dark as her hair, but Rio felt herself being lured into the spider’s web anyway. She was a defenseless fly and Agatha was a skilled hunter with eight legs. “So,” she cleared her throat. She shouldn’t be this affected by someone, goddammit. “How are you today?” She started with the basics.

“Hmmm, I am quite well now. This day turned out to be…” she paused as if searching for the right word while looking directly into Rio’s soul, “interesting.”

“How come?” The girl pressed, testing how far she could go. She fidgeted slightly on the seat though and it resulted in her jacket moving.

That was when Agatha noticed a dagger safely tucked in a sheath under the rather fitting suit jacket. Her eyes flashed. “What do you have there?” She asked and pointed with her head towards the weapon.

“Oh,” Rio grimaced. Lady Death was such a big part of her that she barely realized she was wearing it. It probably wasn’t the wisest thing when facing with psychotic criminals, though. Then again, she wasn’t supposed to face them… not the worst of them at least. “It’s, ehm,” she cleared her throat as it suddenly got dry, “it’s my dagger.”

“Mmmmh, do you wish to harm me, little dove?”

“No, it’s nothing like that. It’s… comforting.”

“A dagger brings you comfort?” Agatha asked on a purr.

“Yes,” Rio replied, casting her eyes down.

“Aren’t you something else,” Agatha mused, licking her lips.

“I can leave Lady Death at my desk before I come see you next time, if you wish,” she offered, cursing herself for the slip of the name. She was quite aware people usually didn’t name their daggers. She didn’t want to part with it, but… it was for the best.

“Oh no, my sweet, keep Lady Death with you if it brings you comfort,” Agatha chuckled lightly. “I mean, you even named it.”

“Yes, I –” she bit her lip to focus. They were not here to talk about her dagger. Maybe if the older woman wasn’t so distracting, she could actually do her job. Surely no one could blame her for totally falling under Agatha’s spell, though. Her long dark hair, blue eyes and pale skin combined with that alluring aura was simply too much.

“Cat got your tongue?” Agatha asked with a grin and Rio thought that that should be illegal.

“Just sorting through my thoughts,” she answered and cast her eyes down towards her notebook. Maybe if she wasn’t looking at her then she could somehow function. “So, what made this day interesting?” She asked again, picking up where she left off before Agatha distracted her. After you distracted her with the dagger, the voice in her head quipped.

“You ask many questions, dove,” Agatha breathed out, leaning on the table. The chains rattled when she moved her hands to support her head and the therapist’s eyes sought hers again. Good.

“I, uhm, yes,” Rio stuttered and berated herself internally. Seriously, get a grip.

“These won’t take you anywhere, though,” the older woman said and blew a strand of her hair from her face. “Which means they won’t let you talk to me again if you don’t give them at least something,” she grinned.

“Well, tell me something then,” Rio smiled.

“You’re funny, I give you that,” Agatha winked and leaned back in her chair again.

“I was not attempting to be funny,” she huffed. “But fine, I’ll ask questions that will take me somewhere,” she lifted her chin and narrowed her eyes, trying to appear intimidating. The criminal chuckled at that and Rio contemplated that she didn’t blame her. Who was she kidding? “Do you know anything about the Scarlet Witch?”

“Naturally.”

“And will you tell me?”

“You do have a pretty face, little bird,” Agatha replied. “But not pretty enough for me to spill the tea just like that.”

“Okay, what do you want?” Rio asked and studied the woman across the table.

“I’ll answer your questions and you’ll answer mine.”

“Okay?” she replied unsteadily. She saw no harm in that. What could Agatha possibly want to ask her? Maybe she needed information from the outside, considering she had been locked up for quite a while. And that was fair.

“Good,” she purred.

“Where is the Scarlet Witch?” She asked the first question she could come up with. She wasn’t really prepared for interrogating the murderess. Like ever, let alone right after she first stepped inside the prison.

“Midwest,” Agatha replied matter-of-factly. “Where do you live, my sweet?”

“W-what?” Rio gaped at the woman, being thrown off completely by the personal question.

“Your address, dear,” she smirked.

“I don’t think that’s wise?”

“Oh don’t play coy. I’m locked up here, am I not? It’s not like I could do anything with the information I gather,” she gave her a toothy grin, faking innocence.

“Okay… ehm, Fifth Avenue, California,“ she replied truthfully. “But I have a flat in town here for the time being. It was too far for me to ride here every day.”

“Good girl,“ Agatha purred. “See? No harm done,” she winked. “I think our session is at the end for today, my sweet.”

“Right, yes,” Rio nodded. “It was nice to meet you, Madame Harkness,” she said and got up from the chair.

“Likewise,” Agatha grinned. “See you again tomorrow, little bird,” she cooed and watched as the woman left the room.

Now that was really interesting indeed, she cackled. Agatha didn’t think things could get any better after she negotiated her private cell (a floor really), but the girl proved her wrong once again. The young woman was her way out. A very nice, shy and gorgeous way out.

Chapter Text

Rio shuffled through the folders that contained information on her patients. It wasn’t much, though. Dr. Faustus also informed her that some of the files had flown out of the window when there was a nasty storm and he had left the window open. Men. Rio huffed.

Honestly, she had no idea how this place could work. The staff wasn’t capable of making informed decisions and she was sure the prison would be overrun if the prisoners weren’t in chains. The boys in training were sweet, but not very efficient. It was fine here where nothing could really harm them, but she couldn’t imagine how they would survive in the field. They also didn’t really care about this place. They just wanted to do their time and be gone.

Wade was a nice enough guy and she could see he wanted to ask her out, but didn’t have the guts to do it. Not yet anyway. His eyes lingered when he thought she wasn’t watching and when she looked at him, he averted his gaze and even blushed. At least he tried to have her back. Not that she needed it. It looked like she was more skilled with her dagger than they were with the weapons strapped to their belts.

Of course, Rio knew she was no better than any of them because she was a trainee herself, but unlike them she wanted to stick around even after she finished her course. Salem was supposed to be her place of work even after training.

She tucked her suit jacket closer, the chill air of this place seeping to her bones. She was always cold. Anytime she touched someone they jerked away from her cold fingers, asking if she was dead. She usually laughed and brushed it off, but from time to time it got to her. It wasn’t her fault that her blood circulation just didn’t work properly.

Putting the papers aside she finished her cup of coffee and waited for the guard to bring her the first patient of the day. Sessions in her office were so informal. She hated it. There was supposed to be a separate room! But of course, who was she kidding. Nothing would ever change here. At least she filed a request for a sofa. She also made a mental note to bring some pictures and paintings from home to make it a little warmer. And plants. She would be spending most of her time here so Rio wanted to make it as cozy as possible.

There was a knock on the door and Alice walked in with Agatha in tow. She was the only senior guard, but her shifts were sporadic. She greeted Rio and then secured the prisoner to her chair. When she was sure the chains were securely locked, she gave Rio a small nod and left the office.

“So, how are you today, Madame Harkness?” Rio asked, trying to swallow the lump in her throat that appeared whenever she looked at Agatha. Maybe it was the woman’s smirk, maybe it was her blue eyes… Either way, she really shouldn’t be affected by someone’s persona this much.

“I am well, Miss Vidal. Thank you for asking.”

“That’s good to hear,” she replied and reached for her pen to scribble something in her notepad. As she moved in her chair, the jacket opened up.

Agatha’s eyes flashed. The presence of the dagger didn’t disturb her; something else caught her attention. “Are you cold, darling?” She asked and tilted her head slightly, eyes not leaving the hardened peaks. They taunted her.

Rio flushed, trying to cover herself better. She knew what Agatha was referring to. She could feel her nipples straining against her lacy bra. “I - ehm,” she cleared her throat, “Yes. I’m always cold. Sorry, it won’t happen again.”

“The only thing I object to are the layers of clothes covering it,” Agatha winked and watched with amusement as Rio’s cheeks turned a lovely shade of pink. The therapist averted her eyes, studying the empty pages in her notebook. “Give me your hands,” she prompted.

“My hands?” Rio repeated, looking like a deer caught in the headlights.

“I am exceptionally warm, I only wish to share it.” She could see the girl was thinking about it. She chewed on her lower lip and her brow furrowed. “Come on, little bird. What could I possibly do? I am chained.” She stressed her point by moving her hands across the table, the chain rattling. She could only reach the middle of it, the metal not letting her go any further.

Rio lost this battle. She saw how the cuffs bit into Agatha’s wrists, breaking the already marred skin. There was no padding on the inside to make the cuffs more comfortable. Nothing but metal. How barbaric. She placed her hands in Agatha’s and sucked in a breath. She waited for the hiss that always came before the person retreated from her coldness.

“Oh my poor dear, I’ll make it better,” she cooed and embraced her palms.

“I was told I have a touch of Death…” Rio murmured quietly, not looking at the serial killer. She melted at the warmth in Agatha’s hands.

“Nonsense,” she said steadily in a voice that left no room for argument.

“You don’t mind?” She asked in a small voice, not quite believing there was someone that wouldn’t comment on it.

“I don’t,” Agatha replied without missing a beat. “A cooling touch is rather nice against my unusually heated skin. You see, I have the opposite problem. I’m always way too hot.”

Yeah, you are, Rio thought and was incredibly proud of herself for not letting it slip past her lips. “So that’s how you’re able to survive in this place. It’s too cold for me here.”

“Is it? I never noticed,” she shrugged, stroking the skin on Rio’s palm with her thumb now that her fingers were significantly warmer.

Rio was watching the movement, mesmerized. It felt so good. She shifted her weight and announced, “We will do something different today. I’d like to get to know you.”

“Are we on a date?” Agatha grinned and batted her eyelashes.

“What?” Rio choked, eyes shooting up.

“I’m only teasing, my sweet,” she chuckled. “If we were on a date you would end up in my bed and we both know that’s not happening here, is it?”

“Ehm, I …” she swallowed and tried to calm her racing heart. This couldn’t happen every damn time. The touch was also distracting to say the least. Agatha was drawing nonsense patterns on her skin and it was not helping Rio focus. Actually, her sole focus was on the touch and how it felt.

“Shhh, don’t stress yourself, little bird. Why won’t you question me today?” She smirked and leaned back in her chair, letting go of Rio’s hands. She knew the younger woman would miss her touch immediately and unfortunately for her, riling her up was Agatha’s new favorite sport.

Rio cleared her throat before answering as she pulled her hands back. The remains of Agatha’s touch still pricking at her skin. She missed the warmth. She missed how it felt. “Because I’m here to work with the prisoners and help them if needed. I need to diagnose you in order to heal you.”

“And what makes you think I want or need your help?” Agatha narrowed her eyes. She was locked up more willingly than anything else really. She was here because she wanted to be.

“I didn’t say that, Miss Harkness,” Rio replied steadily despite her still racing heart. “I think you’re perfectly capable of functioning on your own. However, I need to specify your diagnosis and then treat you accordingly.”

“I’m barking mad,” she cackled. “That’s my diagnosis.”

“I don’t think you are,” Rio replied, grabbing the pen and notebook to give her hands a purpose. “I’ve spoken with patients that are ‘barking mad’ as you put it,” she emphasized the words with air quotes, “And you don’t really show the signs. You don’t have the symptoms. You are way too logical for that.”

“Is that so?” Agatha smiled, impressed.

“Mmmh,” she nodded absentmindedly.

“Everyone says I am a madwoman, pet.”

“Because you’ve made them believe it, not because you actually are.”

Agatha smiled at that, revealing a set of perfect white teeth. “Well, it’s served me well,” she shrugged. “I have a single cell in a hidden area where no one really bothers me. I am in a prison in the middle of nowhere with minimal security because I’m not stable enough to come up with anything…” She trailed off, realizing she was oversharing. Next she could tell the sweet thing that she pretty much ran this prison, no? Get a grip, Agatha.

“See? Way too logical. And you’re actually very aware of your actions,” Rio quipped with a small smile. “So you figured Dr. Faustus would just give up if you didn’t talk to him, didn’t you,” she said when she connected the dots. Also, he was a man. Rio wasn’t just goading Faustus and Fisk when she said it. Agatha didn’t do well with men. “I guess I’m glad he left you alone.”

“Doctor my ass,” Agatha scoffed. “I’ve had my fair share of him. Faustus liked to perform electroshock so he could listen to my screams when it was made clear I wouldn’t talk to him and study them,” the woman said with fire in her eyes. “He’s the one I’ll kill first when I’m out of here.”

“What?!” Rio gasped, eyes widening. “Surely he…” she started to refute, but then thought better of it. “I mean, I believe you, Agatha. I do. It’s just hard for me to grasp the concept…” She paused, brow furrowing. “How could anyone put another soul through something like that?”

Agatha smiled at the use of her first name. She liked it. She wanted to hear Rio say it many times over, preferably a little breathless or in a whine, a small moan… and then downright screaming it in pleasure. She liked how it sounded leaving those plush lips.

She was also pleased when Rio didn’t accuse her of lying. It was what they all did if they didn’t straight up ignore her. She noted how Rio’s arm had pressed tighter to her body on the dagger’s side, probably pressing the weapon to her ribs. Interesting. “Well, mankind is the worst species, my dear. No other known species has come up with so many ways to destroy each other. For fun, I might add.”

“Not fun, power.”

“Sometimes power, sometimes fun,” Agatha shrugged, letting the defiance slide this time. “For when I kill the precious little ‘doctor’, I will have enormous fun with it.”

“I can only imagine,” Rio murmured and wrote a note in her notepad to revisit this potential murder later. “Your crime scenes were rather,” she paused to search for the right word, “gruesome.”

“I think you meant artistic,” she grinned widely.

“I haven’t seen them,” the girl replied. “I only know what I’ve heard. Or read in the local newspapers.”

“Really? You’ve never seen my art? Well then I’ll save you a seat next time,” Agatha winked.

“No need, Madame Harkness, thank you,” Rio wrinkled her nose. Only now was she truly reminded of exactly who sat opposite of her. Agatha wasn’t just a sexy woman she had met in a bar, she was dangerous and unpredictable.

“Aw, back to surnames, are we? You wound me, darling,” she said with feigned hurt, her lower lip trembling to put a cherry on top of her display.

Rio looked at her, eyes slightly widening, but she didn’t comment on it. “I do remember one particular detail from one of your murders actually,” she said thoughtfully after a moment, rolling the pen between her fingers.

“Enlighten me.” Agatha leaned over and propped her elbows on the table. She placed her chin on the back of her palms and looked expectantly at Rio.

The sound of chains rattling when Agatha adjusted her forearms had startled the young woman again. Rio could also see the bruised wrists from where the metal bit into Agatha’s skin. She let that one slide for now, though. She would deal with it later. Somehow.

“You cut off the man’s penis,” Rio said, trying to keep her voice steady, “and shoved it in his mouth before slitting his throat. Why?”

“I think this one is quite obvious,” Agatha breathed out and cocked her head to the side. “Make an educated guess.”

“Something along the line ‘you are what you eat’?”

“Ha!” The woman cackled loudly. “I didn’t actually think of that,” she said and then added, “Well, maybe I did, but the main reason was that he tried to rape me.”

Rio tried to keep her composure after the revelation, but she failed. The anger was hot and burning. She pressed Lady Death into her ribs with her arm and said very seriously through gritted teeth, “I guess I would have done the same.”

“Cut his dick off and shove it down his throat?” Agatha chuckled.

“Well, not quite,” she blushed. “But I’d murder him too.”

Agatha narrowed her eyes and leaned back in her chair, assessing the woman. She didn’t miss the flinch as the chains rattled again. Rio did not like that. The therapist tried to hold Agatha’s intense gaze, but she averted her eyes after a few seconds, chewing on her lip. The blush coloring her cheeks was making her even sexier than usual and Agatha desperately wanted to get her on her knees. Or bend her over the table. She hadn’t decided yet.

She knew Rio would go willingly. She didn’t have a complete bottom energy, but she showed enough signs. Agatha could work with that and it was a delicious thought. She moved her hand deliberately to get the chain to make a sound again. As anticipated, Rio’s eyes shot to the center of the sound and then to her face. Agatha slowly licked her lips and said, “Perhaps you should be locked up here with me then.”

Rio chuckled dryly. “Perhaps.”

It had been a long week of getting to know her patients and preparing a treatment. She had met most of the prisoners and come up with diagnoses for each and every one of them. She only had to meet with two more today and then she would have met all of them.

Wade tried to keep her company when he had a shift and she found him oddly sweet. He stopped by to greet her this morning too and if she was being truthful she appreciated it. She was about to see the boy, one of the two remaining patients, that she tried to postpone for as long as possible. She dreaded this session. Wade’s easy smile and boyish energy helped to take her mind off it.

“Can I call you ‘Ri’?” Wade asked when they were finishing their morning coffee. She always made one cup for him when she knew he would be working.

“No,” she deadpanned. Rio was enough of a short name, thank you very much. But even if it wasn’t, pet names were not in the cards for him.

“Oh,” his smile dropped, but he recovered quickly. “What’s on your agenda today? Do you have a session with Agatha?”

“Yes, I do. Right after lunch.”

“Nasty, that one,” Wade furrowed his brow.

“She’s quite cooperative actually. Laufeyson’s worse.”

“Really? How can he be any worse than her?”

“I can’t really discuss that with you, Wade,” she replied with a small smile. He meant no harm.

“Right,” he smiled. “I guess we better get going, huh,” he said when he checked the clock. “Hope there will be no drama today.”

“There rarely is,” she replied more to herself than to him. Today could get dramatic, though. Very soon actually.

“Thankfully. Well, I’d better go fetch William. He’s your first today, right?”

“Indeed. Thank you,” she sighed and rubbed her temples. Here goes nothing.

When William Kaplan entered her office he smiled widely upon seeing her. “Rio!” He cheered and went to hug her.

She stopped him before he could pass the table. “William, please, have a seat,” she motioned towards the vacant chair opposite of her desk.

“Oh, okay,” he slumped, but sat down. “I’m just so happy to see you! You need to get me out of here!”

“I don’t have the authority to do that,” she explained calmly.

“Why not? I am innocent! You know I am innocent,” he shrieked.

“I want you to go back to the day it happened. What do you see? Truly.”

“A dead woman lying on the floor. In her kitchen probably?” Rio nodded, writing it down.

“How did she die? It wasn’t a natural death, was it?” He just shook his head, drawing his thick eyebrows together.  “So who killed her?”

“It was the Scarlet Witch,” he replied with so much conviction that she would have believed him if she didn’t know better.

“Try to recall where you were standing. Try to get back a little further from when you found her.”

“I –” he trailed off. “The woman was having tea with Billy.” Yes, a tea laced with a heavy dose of poison.

“Who’s Billy?” She asked calmly, writing down the name.

“He protects. He’s –” It looked like he wanted to give her an answer, but his fists clenched, his jaw tightened. It was like he couldn’t piece it together. Then his whole demeanor changed. Darkened. “Listen Rio, you need to let me out of here. Tommy is still missing.”

“Who’s Tommy?” She asked, tone even and steady.

“My brother,” he replied without missing a beat and Rio knew she wasn’t speaking with William anymore.

“William doesn’t have a brother,” she pointed out.

“But I do,” he said with determination. “And you really need to get me out of here because he’s out there!” He stood up and looked desperately at her. She almost felt bad that he didn’t have the chains as Agatha did to keep him down. But just almost. She didn’t want even Agatha to have them so she wouldn’t start putting more prisoners in them.

“Please, sit down. I’m here to help you.”

“The only way you can help me is by letting me out! I need to find him before the Scarlet Witch does!”

“In your pursuit of finding Tommy, you killed this woman, Billy.”

“You’re lying!” He shouted and that was when Wade barged into the office and pacified him.

“Can you escort him back please?” She asked, trying to keep her cool in front of him. The way William was thrashing against Wade, trying to free himself, was not helping. This whole ordeal shook her more than she was willing to admit.

“Sure, Rio,” he nodded and dragged him out of her office back to his cell.

Only when they were both gone did she let the tear roll down from her eye. William Kaplan was her friend. They met at school they had both attended, William a few grades lower than Rio. He was a generous and kind kid with an uneasy past. He was faced with traumatizing events when he was just an infant. He was forced to grow up way too fast, protecting himself from the world. It made sense he developed a second persona… his protector. However, what she didn’t understand was how Tommy came into the picture. Not yet, at least.

William poisoned their teacher in his seventh year, claiming the Scarlet Witch did it. They locked him up in Salem right away. No one cared about his mental state, no one cared about his age. But even if they cared, there was simply no other place to send the minors and mentally unstable. The current system did not take it into account and there were no institutions for it.

It was horrific to see her friend being taken away from the school in chains, him screaming it was the Scarlet Witch and that Rio needed to help him.

Their session ended prematurely so she had some time to get a grip on herself before meeting the last remaining patient – Erik Killmonger.

She had to take care of the whole prison now because Faustus just threw everything at her. He resigned yesterday because she managed to get Agatha to talk. Something about a man’s pride and ego, she guessed.

No one was here to guide her, no one would really help. But she was used to it, she could do it.

“What’s on your mind, my sweet?” Agatha questioned just as the door closed behind Wade, leaving them alone for the session. She was studying the woman on the other side of the table. She could see something was bothering Rio. It was clear as day right after she entered the office. The fact Rio sheathed her dagger before Agatha sat down wasn’t lost on her either.

“It’s nothing,” Rio replied and tried to focus on her current patient. So much for being professional. She just couldn’t get William out of her mind. He was in such a bad shape. Agatha always seemed radiant, beautiful, somehow taken care of. It was such a huge contrast to William’s dirty striped cloth, disheveled appearance and true desperation in his eyes.

“Hmm, try again,” Agatha narrowed her eyes.

“We’re here to talk about you, not me,” Rio smiled softly.

“You want to get to know me and I want to get to know you,” she deadpanned. “You can play with Lady Death if you want,” she offered with a glint in her eyes. That caught Rio off guard. She thought she had managed to hide her dagger before Agatha noticed. She also didn’t think the older woman would understand the comfort it gave her. But apparently Agatha knew more than she anticipated. She could read her like an open book. “Go on, dear. I know you want to.”

“I shouldn’t,” Rio murmured, averting her eyes in quiet submission.

“Take her out, Rio,” Agatha commanded, her voice firm. She was testing the therapist, curious to see what the woman would do. To her enormous pleasure Rio’s right hand reached under her jacket and pulled the dagger out. “Good girl,” she purred and didn’t miss the sharp intake of Rio’s breath. “Now tell me what’s got you in this mood.”

Rio placed Lady Death in her left palm and rested it on her thigh. That alone already soothed her mind. She started stroking the blade absentmindedly with her thumb and all her worries seemed to quiet down.  “I don’t want to eat away of your time. It’s nothing, really.”

“If it’s nothing then you can tell me,” she said with a wink. Not that Rio could see it because she was still eyeing the table.

“I shouldn’t. Everything is confidential, you know.”

“Well I’m counting on that,” Agatha chuckled.

“Right,” the woman sighed, bicep flexing under the thin layer of her jacket as she gripped her dagger even tighter. “It’s just… I have a schoolmate here. A friend. And he’s very persistent I let him out. Which first of all, I can’t do and second of all, he did commit the murder.”

“Persistent? Did he hurt you?” She hissed, eyes boring into Rio, trying to notice any damage. If even one hair was out of place, she would …

“No, he’s more talk than action,” Rio interrupted her train of thoughts. “But I can’t do what he wants me to do. I agree he shouldn’t be here because he suffers from dissociative identity disorder - he should be in a facility that deals with the mentally ill, but unfortunately we don’t have such a place,” she said through gritted teeth.

“He suffers what now?” The older woman raised her eyebrows in mild confusion.

“It’s not important,” Rio dismissed it. “Let’s say his mind conjures a different reality…”

Agatha hummed, not completely pleased with the answer, but letting it slide. “So, this troubled kid… why can’t you release him?”

“Besides the obvious, he’s obsessed with the idea that he has a brother somewhere and he will stop at nothing to find him,” she slumped in her chair. “But said brother doesn’t exist,” she huffed, stroking the blade with renewed vigor. “And on top of that, he’s convinced that the Scarlet Witch is after this non-existing brother.”

“Let’s say the brother exists,” Agatha prompted. “Do you think the ‘Scarlet Witch’ is after him?” She asked even though she knew the answer.

“I truly doubt that.”

“We’re on the same page then. I’m pretty sure Wanda has nothing to do with him,” Agatha said her thought aloud.

Rio scribbled ‘Wanda’ in her notepad and was pleased that even though they were not talking about Agatha, she got some new information to explore later. “Well, the Scarlet Witch did most likely kill his parents when he was just an infant. And William saw it. He saw everything. It was such a traumatizing experience for him that his mind just … well, the coping mechanisms are very strange sometimes. I believe it triggered his mental illness.”

“I say let him out,” the criminal grinned, trying to have a look at what the young woman wrote down.

“First of all, I really don’t have the authority. And second of all, he wants to find his brother. He might try to pursue the Scarlet Witch! I don’t know what’s going on inside of his head.”

“I gathered that. It might be fun to watch him try, though,” she cackled.

“Very funny, Agatha.”

She said her name again… as if it was normal. As if it didn’t eat away at Agatha’s sanity. The things she wanted to do to her little darling upon hearing her utter it so carefree. She licked her lips. Agatha doubted Rio even noticed she used it. “It is quite strange that Wanda went after his parents, though. She usually keeps a low profile. Doesn’t get her hands dirty… and doesn’t bother with peasants.”

“I think they knew who she was. They wanted to expose her. She probably felt her control over the situation slipping and she reacted.”

“Well that’s not nice! They got what they asked for. Snitches get stitches.” Rio chuckled, but otherwise didn’t comment on it and so Agatha had time to let her mind wander. This time she wondered, not for the first time, if Rio was into knife play considering how attached she was to her dagger. She was pretty certain she knew the answer though and it made wetness pool between her legs. The things she could do with that dagger on Rio’s soft skin…

Rio lifted her gaze after a moment and her breath hitched upon seeing the hungry, downright predatory look on Agatha. She gripped Lady Death again after softening her hold before and averted her eyes because it was too much. The look alone was doing things to her insides she preferred not to name. She also wanted to run her hand through Agatha’s unruly locks and … nope. No. Focus, Rio.

“So, how’s Billy? Not doing well I gather?” Agatha asked with a smirk when she was done with her bloody fantasy.

Rio’s eyes widened comically and she sat straighter in her chair. Unnaturally. “How do you know whom I was talking about?”

“Well, you just told me,” she winked. “Wanda really doesn’t get her hands dirty herself. There was only one infant boy with his parents killed… I didn’t live under a rock, dear.”

“You can’t say anything, I –“

“Would you relax, pet?” Agatha said gently. “You didn’t tell me, I came to my own conclusion. Plus I know he’s here so it only makes sense. And I don’t kiss and tell.”

“I could get in trouble.”

“With whom exactly? Fisk? That set foot here only because you joined when we hadn’t seen him in months before? Or maybe Faustus that just chickened out? I’m quite aware you’re alone here, little bird.”

“How do you know all of that?” Rio swallowed.

“I have my ways,” the criminal winked. “You’re safe, I promise.”

Rio tried not to tremble under the gaze and information Agatha just shared. She looked at the clock and almost apologetically said, “Ehm, our time is up. I’m sorry that I rambled throughout our whole session.”

“No need to apologize, pet,” the older woman smiled. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” she blew her a kiss before shouting to Wade, “Kid, I’m ready!”

Chapter Text

Rio threw the Salem Telegraph back onto her table in the office and fumed. The Scarlet Witch was on the move again, killing innocents just because. She had seen the news yesterday at home when she turned on the TV to scroll through channels, but she had stopped when the reporter announced a house explosion. And today there was an article about the SW linked to these deaths.

She was getting sick of it. But at the same time, she wished she could have a look at her. Rio wanted to pick her brain apart. There must be so much trauma hidden in that pale redhead. She seemed to thrive on chaos. The therapist sighed and sipped her morning coffee.

It was a rather busy day ahead and Alice, the other guard, didn’t come today. She was supposed to, as far as Rio knew, but didn’t make it so it was just her and Wade. He didn’t even have time for their morning chat. It was alright, though.

At least Rio had time to read a few notes about Laufeyson, her first patient of the day. He was rather repulsive. He looked like he wanted to devour her. He also made crude comments on more than one occasion. Well, she would get to the bottom of it.

It was funny how his crude comments and leering made her skin crawl while Agatha’s similar behavior appealed to her. But unlike Laufeyson, Agatha wasn’t crude. She surely looked like she wanted to devour Rio right on the table, but it just felt different.

There was a certain irony to the fact that Laufeyson was her first patient of the day while Agatha the last. They were so similar in so many ways and yet so different. Plus, Agatha was insanely attractive, Laufeyson not so much. Not that Rio noticed any of that, of course.

She checked the clock and reluctantly made her way to the coat rack while putting the empty cup on a side cabinet. It was nearly time. She put her green oversized jumper on to prevent a repeat of last time and sat back down. Her open hoodie and skin hugging V-neck T-shirt wouldn’t make it without a comment and some howling.

She was tired from the day she’d had and exhausted from the news weighing on her. Any new information about the Scarlet Witch always alerted her. She couldn’t really pinpoint it, but that woman just got her blood boiling. She was grateful that William didn’t have access to newspapers. Although she was still due to meet with him again.

Rio cracked her neck and watered her plants before Agatha was scheduled to enter. It was just her now and then she would go home and treat herself with a lovely bath full of bubbles and essential oils. She really needed that.

Wade escorted the criminal to her office right on time and Rio tried to compose herself. Of course, Agatha saw right through her. “Why are you brooding today, pet?” She had asked after they both sat down and exchanged pleasantries.

“I’m not,” Rio mumbled. Surely she wasn’t doing a sloppy job hiding her mood if none of the other patients had noticed. And it wasn’t because they weren’t paying attention to her. Laufeyson for instance was paying too much attention. It seemed like Agatha could just read her like an open book. That was bad.

“Is it Billy? Is he still giving you a hard time?!” she hissed and narrowed her eyes.

“No, Agatha, I haven’t seen Billy since the last time.”

The trick with using Agatha’s first name didn’t seem to work this time because the older woman just dismissively asked, “So?”

“How are you today?” she asked instead, trying to change the subject to why she was actually here. Agatha scoffed. Wrong move. “Fine, if you want to waste yet another session with my problems then by all means,” she said, waiting for Agatha’s reaction. The woman in question only raised her eyebrows, silently telling her to continue. Well, it’s not like I expected anything else. “The Scarlet Witch is on the move again and no one can find her. She’s started killing innocent people and I know no one can do anything about it. It’s frustrating! What if someone’s parents are the next ones in the wrong place at the wrong time again? What if there is another Billy? Thank god I don’t have parents anymore nor do I have any friends really so I don’t need to worry about it, but still.”

“She’s not killing innocent bystanders, Rio.”

“Yes, she is. I am watching the news and I am reading the papers. I bet at least half the crimes are not personal. Her modus operandi is dressing her victims like they are in some stupid old TV show, right? But more than half of them  don’t match that, which means those people are actually innocent bystanders. Yet she claims she did it.”

“You said it yourself, dove,” Agatha smirked and as usual, it didn’t really reach her eyes. She was mimicking – a learned behavior from other people. Typical. “You just said and I quote ‘Yet she claims she did it’,” she finished and leaned back in the chair, waiting for Rio to connect the dots.

Agatha licked her lips and observed. It was delicious to watch Rio going through all these micro expressions while figuring it out. She pressed her left arm to her ribs again, undoubtedly pushing Lady Death closer to her and her beautiful brown eyes widened in realization.

“So you’re telling me that she only claims to have done the crime even though she never has? She’s doing it to throw the police off her tracks, isn’t she?”

“Basically,” Agatha shrugged as if it was nothing. “It’s hard to catch someone if they are in so many places at once, isn’t it. I taught her this technique,” she pursed her lips, done with all this Wanda talk. “Where do you usually go when you go out, little bird?”

“Hmmm?” the therapist asked absentmindedly while writing things down in her notepad. ‘I taught her this technique’ being one of the things - she should revisit this later. Was Agatha’s body count actually much lower?

“Well, I answered your question. I deserve a treat,” Agatha gave her a toothy grin even as her fist clenched.

Rio snapped back to her full attention. Agatha surely wasn’t someone that would be okay with feeling ignored. “I don’t really go out that much,” the young woman sighed. “As I said, I don’t have many friends and I don’t really have time for parties either.”

“You’re a pure little bird, aren’t you?”

“Ehm, no?” she blushed slightly despite trying not to. “I just don’t have time. School eats away most of it. I have to do a lot of studies on my own as the university doesn’t really support my field of expertise and … well, I’m just busy,” she shrugged. “And I had to convince my kinda brother to move away… you’d think that it would be easy, but I assure you he was a pain in the ass. He didn’t want to leave me here alone.”

“Tried to convince him at gunpoint?” Agatha winked.

“What? No! I simply talked to him,” Rio replied, eyes widening. “For weeks.”

“Why did you send him away?”

“I wanted to help,” she admitted quietly. “And this was the only way I knew how. I don’t want him to get hurt. Do you know how many psychopaths are out there? I’m not taking any chances. He was like really smart and he got offered a job in England so I made him go.”

“I still think pointing a gun at him would do the trick without all that hassle,” she grinned.

“So I could share a cell with you, Agatha?” Rio chuckled. “It’s … how to put it? Frowned upon.”

“Sharing a cell,” the criminal purred, “I didn’t even think of that! Now that would be fun,” she wiggled her eyebrows.

“Surely,” the therapist nodded, laughing.

“Thinking about it, you didn’t visit me! You should stop by and see where I live,” she smiled widely, an untrained eye might actually buy the act. All Rio saw was a spider luring the fly into its parlor. Predator hunting its prey. It gave her goosebumps.

“Maybe one day,” she swallowed.

“Oh don’t play coy,” Agatha breathed out, voice an octave lower than usual. She could see how it affected the brunette. She couldn’t read emotions very well, but she understood desire. Hunger. “I know where you live, pet,” she continued without a single care in the world.

To Rio’s biggest relief Agatha looked around indicating she was talking about the office. Sure, Rio had given the criminal her addresses, but it didn’t mean she wanted Agatha to actually do something with that information. Somehow just the thought that she might have sent someone (because who was Rio kidding, it was obvious Agatha had people outside. Hell, probably inside too.) to her place was… exciting. Exhilarating. Worrisome! She supplied to her traitorous mind. It was worrisome, dammit.

“So it’s only fair I show you where I live,” Agatha interrupted her train of thought. “I’ll be nice, I promise!” She finished in a high-pitched tone, reminding Rio of a child. Yep, goosebumps all over now.

“Thank you for the offer, Miss Harkness. I’ll keep it in mind,” she forced a smile. Technically there was nothing wrong with visiting a patient in their cell, but she had a strange feeling about this particular one.

“I just offered to take you home and we’re back to surnames,” she pouted, looking like a kicked puppy.

Rio didn’t buy the act, but she decided to humor her. She chuckled and with big eyes said, “My apologies, Agatha.” She really drawled the name as if tasting it on her tongue for the first time. The reaction was immediate. And the hunger that flashed in blue eyes was overwhelming.

“Careful, dear,” Agatha warned, her tone dangerous. She licked her lips. Rio traced the movement with her eyes and mimicked it. Then she remembered herself. “I like how you livened up this place with plants,” Agatha supplied after a beat of silence as if nothing happened. As if Rio wasn’t contemplating releasing the prisoner and letting her have her way with Rio right here on the table. “Suits you.”

“Thank you,” she smiled softly, shaking her head to clear the fog of lust. “I like plants. There’s just something about them, you know?”

“Tell me,” Agatha prompted and leaned over the table to be closer to her.

Rio’s eyes lit up with passion as she started to speak. “I don’t really know where to start, but …” She said nervously. “Maybe I should admit that I had a sign on my door in my old apartment that prompted people to bring me their dying plants so that I could save them and attach a manual to the pot with instructions on how to take care of them in the future.”

“You were reviving dying plants?” Agatha asked with amusement. This woman would be her undoing.

“Yeah,” Rio smiled and chewed on her lip. “I’ll have you know I had a 100% success rate.”

“Oh I don’t doubt you, little bird.”

“It was touch and go once,” she admitted. “But in the end I managed. And I kept her. Didn’t trust them to take proper care of her. She’s delicate, you see. So I bought an easy going plant instead and placed it in front of my door with instructions. I mean… what do they know, right?” She chuckled. “No one banged on my door and the pot was gone by morning, so,” she shrugged. “Clearly they didn’t notice. Those people were not equipped to take care of her.”

“My my,” Agatha gasped mockingly. “You stole their plant.”

“Nooo, I gave them a different one! For everyone’s sake.”

“So little bird, it appears that plants and daggers are the key to your heart.”

Rio blushed, averting her eyes. “Perhaps,” she murmured. “They may have called me The Green Witch,” she admitted. “I don’t know why, though. I wasn’t doing witchcraft,” she rolled her eyes. “I merely took care of their plants because they were careless about the flora. And other living breathing creatures,” she trailed off.

“I feel like there’s a story there, my little green witch.”

The therapist sucked in a breath. It had sounded like an insult when the inhabitants in her building had been calling her that. ‘Bring it to the Green Witch,’ they would say in the halls… not really trying to be discreet. It used to cut her deeper than she was willing to admit. But from Agatha… well, from Agatha it sounded like a sin. Like a promise.

She played with the corner of the half empty page in her notebook and chewed on her lip nervously. She felt the whole curve of Lady Death against her as she was pressing it heavily against herself. She didn’t like to think about it. She hadn’t in a while…

“Tell me, Rio,” Agatha commanded with a velvet voice.

It was a tone that made Rio question everything - her sexuality to begin with and her reluctance to share at the end of it. She was helpless to fight the voice. “Someone left a kitten in front of my door once,” she started. “He was pitch black and he looked like he was drawing his last breath.” Rio herself took a deep steading breath, grateful that Agatha didn’t press. She just gave her time to get it out at her own pace. “He was so little… his eyes stuck together. So skinny too.”

“Oh darling,” Agatha said, fists clenched. Who left dying animals in front of someone’s door? She was starting to want blood.

“I took him to the vet right away,” Rio continued. “He wasn’t the first animal they left, but he was the biggest. I knew I couldn’t save him on my own. I knew nothing about cats…” Nothing at all which is why he died, you moron. Her lip trembled and she wished she could fish out Lady Death and stroke the blade.

“The vet was really kind and totally saved him. Gave me pills to give him every day and told me what he needed. I took him home and nursed him back to health.” She shifted on the chair. She wished that was the end of the story.

“He’d gotten much stronger and better. Livelier by the minute,” she recalled with a fond smile. “I named him Nicky and we’d gotten along pretty well. He was so smart.”

“But…” she trailed off, looking to the side at her lilies. “Well, as he got better, he also grew more inquisitive. Once he was completely healthy, he was a little menace. Always jumping everywhere, always letting me know if I had stayed at school for too long - in his opinion, of course,” she let out a singular chuckle.

“But what I didn’t realize was that a lot of my plants were poisonous for a cat… lethally. He–,” she choked on a sob. It was still as fresh as the minute she had found him.

She couldn’t save him that time.

“Give me your hands, dear,” Agatha commanded. It was said softly, but the edge to her voice brooked no place for an argument. When Rio had, instantly, she took the trembling palms in hers and brought them to her lips. “That was not your fault,” she felt the need to reassure.

Agatha didn’t know where it was coming from, really. She didn’t care. She shouldn’t. And yet upon seeing the pain in dark chocolate eyes, she was feeling murderous. She wanted to end whoever caused that pain. She didn’t understand emotions very well, but pain… oh, pain she knew.

“He was just a kitten. Barely a teenager in cat’s years,” Rio murmured.

“He was brought to you on the verge of death. You gave him time.”

“I killed him.”

“Rio,” Agatha drawled with chilling intensity, “don’t.”

Rio’s mouth snapped shut at that. And the destructive voice in her head, the mean one that always said bad things to her, snapped shut too.

Agatha leaned back, clearly satisfied with how Rio reacted to her commands and decided to change the subject while still stroking her hands. They were cold again after all. “So darling, why do you think no one can catch Wanda?”

“Well, if they could, she would already be here, wouldn’t she?” Rio answered on autopilot. The touch was helping, though. It was grounding. It cleared the fog. Or better yet, it created a different kind. It was a fog full of Agatha and nothing else. No painful memories, no mean voices. Just Agatha.

“You’re forgetting one important detail,” Agatha smirked.

“Which is?”

“I’m here.”

“You turned yourself in willingly. There was no other way they would have caught you if you didn’t let them.”

“Oh god, I knew you were smart, but fuck,” she moaned. “Your intellect is killing me, pet.”

Rio flushed. Hard. She turned crimson red and pressed her thighs closer together. That woman shouldn’t moan like that. It should be banned, forbidden! It was doing things to Rio’s insides that she would rather not address.

“I – ehm, I,” she stumbled and tried again after clearing her throat. “Thank you? I just don’t see how you being here would help. She’s not going to turn herself in.”

“She most likely won’t!” Agatha chuckled and released Rio’s palms. “But I know her whereabouts, I know everything you need to catch her.”

“And you would tell me…” Rio felt the loss of Agatha’s warmth somewhere deep in her core. She didn’t like it. Being touched by her was now her oxygen apparently. She was addicted to it.

“For your answers, yes.”

“I don’t know, Madame Harkness. I am supposed to be helping you, not interrogating you.”

“Well, Miss Vidal, we will get to know each other. Isn’t that part of your ‘heal-me plan’?” She winked.

“No, you will get to know me. I will only know where the Scarlet Witch is.”

“Whoops,” Agatha faked a gasp. “That is however my condition.”

“Sounds a little unfair to me. You’ll help me catch a very high-profile criminal in exchange for my favorite color? What do you gain from that?”

“You don’t need to worry about that. Do we have a deal then?” Agatha smiled widely again.

What could she want to know? WHY would she want to know anything about me? Well, I guess I’ll find out. It’s for the greater good.

“How many people know these things?”

“Not many, you will hardly find someone else,” she scoffed.

“It’s not that, Agatha. I just don’t want you to get hurt. If not many people know then she will suspect you which puts you in danger.”

The criminal laughed at that. “You’re so fucking adorable,” she said. “First of all, Wanda most likely already forgot about my existence. I mean, how long have I been here? Ten years? Twelve? Second of all, I can take care of myself. And you, for that matter. Which reminds me, don’t say what I tell you directly to anyone. Send an anonymous tip. I can protect you from here only so much.”

Rio swallowed again. She really needed to start bringing water and stop drinking so much coffee before sessions with Agatha.

“And before you start to question it, I do know about her current whereabouts.”

“I wasn’t about to question you,” she reassured and the pleased smile she got in return told her she had made the right choice. “Alright then, I’ll send an anonymous tip if needed. Do you promise that she won’t come after you?”

“She won’t, my sweet,” the criminal purred. “That would put you in danger too and we can’t have that, can we?” Agatha said barely above a whisper, her tone pure sin in its possessiveness.

Rio tried to swallow the desire, but she was unsuccessful. Again. She also added purring on the list of sounds that should be forbidden. The possessive edge to Agatha’s tone being another. Okay, focus. “So, those dead people. Not innocent bystanders then?” She asked. She had to start somewhere and this was as good a start as any.

“No, you do know her main domain is smuggling drugs to Europe, right?”

“WHAT?!”

Agatha chuckled and took a breath to elaborate or maybe ask her question, but the door to Rio’s office opened and Wade peaked in. “The session was supposed to finish like half an hour ago, Rio so I just thought that I’d take the madwoman back to her cell and we could grab dinner after you’re done? I know this amazing place in –“

“Wilson, not now!” She scolded him with a shout and an angry glare.

“Right, sorry. I’ll let you finish then,” he apologized, clearly shaken that she had used his surname and shouted at him, closing the door behind him. When Rio turned to look at Agatha to apologize, she was met with the deadliest stare she’d ever seen.

Fuck.

“I’m really sorry about that. It won’t happen again. I’ll tell him not to interrupt my sessions no matter what.”

This was precisely why there was supposed to be a bloody room for that. Her office was not suitable.

“Agatha?” She asked unsurely.

“Is he your fucking boyfriend?!” Agatha barked with so much venom that a freezing cold ran down the brunette’s spine.

“No, nothing like that,” she replied right away. “He’s just a friend, I guess.”

“I thought you didn’t have any,” the older woman said through gritted teeth.

“I don’t. We’ve met here and we drink a cup of tea or coffee in the morning when he has a shift. It’s nothing.”

“I see,” Agatha replied coldly and leaned back in her chair, the dismissal clear. She moved her arms, chains rattling loudly in the deadly silence. Rio noted how the anger was rolling off of her in waves.

It’s not even her business, dammit! “It’s really nothing,” Rio clarified again. Why does it matter anyway? “He won’t interrupt us again; I’ll make sure of it.”

Agatha didn’t reply. She actually hadn’t said a single word. Her jaw was working and her eyes looked dangerous to say the least. Rio scribbled down ‘easy to anger’ in her notepad, but she had no idea what caused it. Was it because he interrupted them? Would that make Agatha so angry? It was possible. Or was it because he called her a madwoman?

“So, I guess we’re finished today?” She said, but it ended in a question. Dammit. She was in charge. She decided when their session was over. Why did she feel the need to make sure Agatha agreed? The woman didn’t reply so Rio just called for Wade to escort the criminal back to her cell. Rio wasn’t happy about it, but Alice was sick so Wade was the only guard on the clock today.

Agatha left without a word and Rio slumped in her chair. Well that was a disaster. She really needed to speak with Wade, he couldn’t do this again. Ever.

There was a scream in the corridor and prisoners started to shout over each other. Rio got up from her chair and went in the direction of the chaos to see what was happening. She surely didn’t think she would find Wade being strangled by none other than Agatha. She used her chain to choke the life out of the boy. He was redder than usual and very much panicking.

“Agatha, let go of him!” Rio shouted over the prisoners that were clearly having an amazing time. “Please don’t make me use my weapon! Let him go,” she pleaded. The criminal didn’t, it was as if she didn’t even hear her. Agatha didn’t acknowledge her presence at all. And Wade was starting to turn blue.

Rio hated this. She hated using a weapon against someone that didn’t have one, but if she didn’t, Wade probably wouldn’t make it. She couldn’t though… she couldn’t hurt Agatha like that.

But the boy was closing his eyes, the fight slowly leaving him…

She acted on instinct. Rio and her pathological need to save everything and everyone.

She took out her stun gun and zapped Agatha while apologizing for it. The criminal released her grip and sagged down onto the floor, taking Wade with her. Rio quickly knelt next to them and helped him get away from the smaller woman. “Where is your stun gun?” she asked when he stopped coughing and caught his breath.

“She disarmed me!” he attempted to shout in response, but managed only a weak whisper. Based on how his face contorted in pain, even that was difficult.

“She’s unarmed, Wade. How did she manage to disarm you just like that?”

“She’s a fucking criminal, Rio! I don’t know how she did it, just that she did! Before I knew what was happening, she strangled me!” he pleaded while rubbing his sore neck. It was turning into a very colorful palette.

Rio looked at Agatha who was smiling on the floor watching them and pinched the bridge of her nose. “I’ll take her back to her cell and then I’ll grab you some water, okay?” she told him.

“No way, she’s bloody dangerous,” he replied and got up on shaky legs to help her escort the chained woman.

“She doesn’t have a weapon,” Rio repeated.

“Didn’t stop her just now!” he exclaimed and winced in pain. His hands immediately shot to his neck to try soothe it.

“She won’t hurt me,” Rio said quietly and was surprised by her own conviction of the fact.

“Right,” he laughed bitterly, pointing to his colorful neck. “She will and then there’s no one stopping her from leaving.”

“Wade,” Rio said with a sigh, “I don’t think that either of us could stop her if escape was what she wanted. I’d say she wouldn’t have been here for 14 years if she wanted to get out. This was not her first chance at escape by a long shot, was it? I’ll take her and you go to the hospital.”

“And leave you here with all of them alone? I don’t think so.”

“I admire your courage, but you really need to get that checked. I’ll be fine. YOU ALL WILL BE ON YOUR BEST BEHAVIOR NOW, WON’T YOU?” she shouted over the prison.

“Yes, sugar! Of course, love!” sounded from the cells. Well, and a few “screw you”.

“See, I’ll be fine,” she turned to him. “Go, Wilson. I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”

He reluctantly nodded and went away, throwing one last nasty look at the woman on the floor. Agatha blew him a kiss.

Rio rolled her eyes and weighed her options. She didn’t have many, though. “Can you stand?” she asked her. “Actually, never mind. I’ll carry you,” she informed and tucked her stun gun to her belt so she had both arms free.

“Mmmh, pet, if you wanted me on my back all you had to do was ask,” Agatha taunted even as sweat still lingered on her forehead from the zapping. “You didn’t have to use toys to get me there.”

“Something tells me you wouldn’t get on your back for just anyone,” Rio deadpanned as she gathered Agatha in her arms. “No funny business!” she warned.

“That’s because you prefer me on top, dear. Standing, looming over you while you kneel for me.”

Rio swallowed. She tried to school her features, but she was sure she failed miserably. She flushed upon the picture Agatha was painting. And the older woman was right in front of her as she was carrying her bridal style. Still, she tried to save face, “I prefer you horizontal right now.”

“No, you don’t,” Agatha whispered, her tone taunting. “Actually, I think you would have preferred if I was choking you,” she said and lifted her chained arms towards Rio’s neck.

The therapist sucked in a breath.

Agatha placed one hand on Rio’s shoulder where she had the dagger’s strap and the other she closed around her neck, thumb on the pulsing jugular. She didn’t tighten it, though. It was just there. A pressing weight that had Rio’s heart beat faster and arousal pooling between her thighs. “Wouldn’t you, my darling?”

“No,” she lied. Voice barely above a whisper. Agatha tightened her hold just so in a quiet warning. Rio had to show a lot of self-control not to moan. But she knew Agatha could feel her quickened pulse literally under the tip of her thumb.

“Mmmh, I think you’re lying,” she said breathlessly, taunting. She made sure her nails bit into the delicate skin on Rio’s neck and watched as the beautiful brown eyes rolled to the back of her skull for a second. She felt the heavy swallow and sharp intake of breath, relishing in it. “Say it,” she commanded, her voice rich and deep.

Rio was thankfully saved by their arrival at Agatha’s cell. She cleared her throat, the fog dissipating slightly. “Here we are, m’lady,” she informed and to her own disappointment didn’t manage to keep the lust out of her tone.

Agatha jumped down from her arms and entered her cell as if nothing happened. Rio locked the door securely behind her and lingered, still shaken by how the hand around her neck made her feel. What it made her feel.

“Wanted to cop a feel while carrying me, dove?” Agatha pouted, hands gripping the bars.

“No. I just didn’t want anyone else to get hurt,” she shrugged. Myself included.

“You know I would never hurt you, right?” she looked at her with piercing blue eyes. She was as serious as they come. Rio still detected a certain softness underneath the sharp gaze, though.

“You hurt Wade,” she said quietly.

Agatha scoffed; all softness turned sour. “Enjoy your night out,” she hissed and went to sit on her bed. Only now did Rio notice the luxury of her cell. Bed with nice sheets, sink with a mirror, lipstick with eye pencil, books and quite a lot of space. There was also a curtain which probably hid a toilet, maybe even a shower. What the hell.

“You sent him to the hospital, dinner’s cancelled,” she replied calmly, noticing that a small smile was tugging at the corners of Agatha’s lips at the mention of the hospital. “And if you had just asked, I would have told you that I wasn’t going to attend anyway.”

“Obviously, because you’re a lesbian,” Agatha deadpanned.

“What?” Rio chuckled. “I surely am not,” she countered. She wasn’t. Not that there would be anything wrong with that. Rio just wasn’t one of them. She wasn’t into women. “I just don’t want him like that.”

“Yes, because you’re a lesbian,” Agatha rolled her eyes. “Can you leave now? I want to be alone.”

“And here I thought you would be thrilled that I came to visit.”

“Oh, you’ll be visiting all the time now. I am not going to say a single word in your office ever again. If you want to know something, you very well should just come here. Now if you don’t mind?” she said coldly and opened a book that was placed on her bed, dismissing the younger woman without further ado.

Chapter Text

Rio was pulling another late night. Well, it wasn’t late yet - just a few minutes past 8pm, but yesterday she was here until 11pm and she didn’t want to repeat that. She had been leaving the prison at 11pm for the past three days. She was not a fan. That ended today.

It was not like she had anything better to do, but still. It wasn’t healthy to bury yourself in work and she knew it. Although Rio had a tendency to do just that. It didn’t matter if it was school or work, she just had to be the best. Life taught her that. Study harder than the rest, work better than the rest. She understood quite early on that if she was special in any way, her chances to get picked up from the foster home increased.

At the age of five, not even a year after she was placed in the system, she started to say ‘Te Veo’ to the staff. She remembered her mom saying it to dad before leaving for work. She figured she had to stand out somehow if she wanted a new family.

Which was how she found herself in a Mexican household. The thing was that they didn't speak two words in English. And Rio didn’t speak Spanish. She had to adapt. Fast.

It turned out she got placed in a drug cartel’s home because the boss, her new father, thought it would be beneficial if he had a child at home. Other than his own, of course. His own children were untouchable. Rio had to clean guns, sharpen knives and weigh cocaine to distribute it into small bags because he didn’t trust his own men to do that without taking a cut.

When she got slightly older (about seven), she had to steal and sometimes goad people into the lion’s den. It was too dangerous for his own kids, of course. But this other man’s daughter, that he harbored no feelings for, could take a beating if she was caught. If she was stupid enough to get caught then she deserved it.

Rio was anything but stupid. She was anything but weak.

And father wasn’t all bad. When she was about 12, one of the men tried to grope her in front of him, his intentions clear. Father growled that she was a fucking child and shot him between his eyes right next to her, his blood splattering over her face.

However, the next day she was back in the foster home because she became trouble. He had not sent her back empty handed though. He’d given her a dagger that she had grown fond of before.

Present day Rio sighed and looked at the clock. It was ten past nine so she decided to call it a night. She didn’t spend all her money on bathroom reconstruction to never use the bath that was so hard to fit in there. She missed her California home. The apartment here was okay, but it wasn’t really a home.

At least it had a tub, though. She had recently purchased some bath bombs and intended to use them. There was nothing like Lush. Rio grabbed her coat and left the office.

Once at home, she changed into black leggings and a T-shirt, placing Lady Death on the nightstand. She unceremoniously slumped on the couch and picked up a bowl of instant noodle soup she had placed there a few minutes ago. She would eat something before jumping in the bath.

Just when the first spoon of the boiling liquid touched her tongue and she screamed from the burn - totally thinking it was cool enough to eat by now, she received a text.

Rio grabbed her phone to see who texted because that usually didn’t happen and frowned when Alice’s name was listed. She opened the message and her frown deepened even more.

I thought u should know

Harkness had not been

eating for the past 3 days.

Rio stared at the message. Alice had been on the clock for the past three days as Wade was still in recovery.

She decided to call.

“Hello,” Rio greeted, her soup forgotten.

“Uhm, hi,” came the somewhat unsure reply after the first ring. “What can I help you with?”

“I’m sorry I called. Especially without a warning,” she chuckled. “But I need to clarify that.”

“No worries, I get it. That’s why I informed you.”

“So, she’s skipped all the meals for three whole days??” Rio asked for confirmation.

“Yeah. I just noticed. Usually the delivery service is taking care of the food, but I stopped by - I’m the only one she tolerates near her cell if it’s not for escorting her to your office, so I check on her every now and then. I saw her tray full so I asked the delivery service… this is what they told me.”

Rio groaned. “I am grateful you told me. Thank you.”

“I tried to reason with her, by the way. It did not end well. I wasn’t near enough for her to actually hurt me though so I just left and decided to shoot you a message before I leave for the day.”

Rio chuckled despite her better judgement. She could imagine how the reasoning with Agatha went …

“Okay, thank you, Alice. I will take care of it.”

“Awesome. Take care,” she said and hung up.

Rio rubbed her temples and sighed deeply. She hadn’t seen Agatha for exactly three days. She left after the dismissal and didn’t want to give in to her demand of sessions continuing only in the criminal’s cell. Clearly the older woman had enough privileges as it was.

Was this hunger-strike a protest against that or did something else happen? She could be sick. Dammit. Only one way to find out.

But Rio was home. It was way past her work hours. It wasn’t even her problem. If Agatha was sick then she needed a doctor. And Rio was studying to be a psychiatrist, not a surgeon.

But…

She sighed and went to the bedroom to grab Lady Death (she was not leaving the flat without her, thank you very much) and a hoodie. Surely not the most presentable attire, but she couldn’t care less.

She fetched the car keys and ditched her coat - the drive was short and she wouldn’t be staying long.

Fifteen minutes later she was striding through the empty prison to the fifth floor. Everyone already left for the day. Rio guessed she couldn’t blame them. There was only one guard on duty in case of emergency and he was probably asleep in the office. That was how this prison operated.

Most of the prisoners were already asleep as well – maybe the sound of wind and crashing waves lulled them to sleep every night. Rio couldn’t imagine being able to do that here of all places. Among the usually chilling atmosphere, it was way too cold for her.

Laufeyson looked from his bed when she passed his cell and howled like a dog. “Nice ass!” he shouted after he was done howling. Rio rolled her eyes.

When she reached Agatha’s cell, she immediately noticed the untouched tray of food and the woman in question sitting on her bed with a book in her hand. Apparently, Agatha also had a bedside lamp here. Seriously? She was gripping the book though and her jaw was clenched.

However, a huge grin split across plump lips when Agatha noticed her young thing finally made an appearance. “How very sweet of you to visit, pet,” she cooed, immediately getting up from the bed and going to the bars.

The low light of the bedside lamp was the only source of illumination and Rio unconsciously took a step back upon Agatha’s approach. Her hair was wild and her eyes even more so in the darkness. They pierced right through her.

Until Agatha averted her gaze in the direction of Laufeyson’s cell and shouted, “One more comment towards what’s mine, Loki, and I’ll rip your eyes out so you can’t see anymore.”

Rio believed her. Agatha said it in a tone that brook no room for argument, her eyes murderous. Towards what’s mine. Rio’s cunt clenched around nothing.

“I’ll still be able to smell, though,” he shouted back.

Agatha gripped the bars until her knuckles turned white - just as she was gripping the book when Rio had appeared. Was it because of the comment?

“Noted. I’ll behead you then,” Agatha deadpanned. “Right after I cut off your boy-parts with my bare hands so that smelling her will do nothing for you.”

There was a groan and it followed with, “Sorry, Agatha.” It was quieter than the previous verbal exchange, but loud enough that it could still reach their ears.

“Can you two shut the fuck up? I’m trying to sleep!” Another prisoner shouted, probably Killmonger.

Agatha changed the direction of her gaze towards the newest source of sound and shouted - this time amusedly, “Should I cut off your ears, Erik?” The possessiveness Rio saw in her eyes throughout the whole ordeal was gone.

“Piss off,” he said, but it lacked any bite.

Agatha, pleased with their replies, let go of the metal and instead turned her full attention back to Rio who still stood a few good steps away from the cell. There was a quiet storm in the icy blue eyes.

Agatha did not appreciate the way others leered at Rio. She couldn’t see it, but she knew it was there based on the comments alone.

Rio tried not to get affected under the scrutiny, but she failed. Again. Her breath hitched and she swallowed. She almost forgot how utterly mesmerizing Agatha could be. What did she want to say again? Why did she even come here?

Mesmerizing?! She just threatened to –

“My my, aren’t we a flustered little thing,” Agatha breathed out, checking her out from head to toe and licking her lips. “It’s not polite to back away from someone that can’t reach you now, is it?” she cocked her head to the side.

A thing.

She was not a thing, dammit! She was a person.

A person that decided not to address the way her stomach churned with arousal upon being called a thing. By none other than Agatha herself. “What would be the point of backing away from someone that can?” she forced out, still trying to calm her racing heart.

“Hmmm, come inside and I’ll show you,” she feigned an innocent smile, but the dark circles below her eyes and hollow look gave her away.

Rio shuddered.

“W-why are you not eating, Agatha?” she managed to ask, finally realizing why she was here. This couldn’t keep happening. One person simply couldn’t affect her this way. Damn her beautiful mind and eyes. Damn her high cheekbones with a chin that she always held high. Damn her flawless pale skin - the tone that seemed like such stark contrast here in the dark cell. It begged for some sunshine, but Rio knew that skin like that would bruise easily under attacking lips even if tanned.

Fuck. No. You can’t have this one, Rio. You can’t save this one. She berated herself. But what if I can? Of course the other voice in her head had to make itself known. The one that needed to help others no matter the cost. The one that didn’t see how deranged the older woman was.

All that voice saw was a very lost soul that would change with proper care and love.

“I simply didn’t like the selection these past few days,” Agatha shrugged, watching Rio like a hawk. The therapist felt as if she was reading her mind.

“It didn’t change, as far as I know. Tell me the real reason, Agatha.” She lifted her chin a little higher, not to be intimidating – she knew she stood no chance against the woman behind the bars, but to look a little convincing.

“Maybe I just missed you?” the criminal pouted. “You abandoned me for three whole days,” she said, looking like she was about to start crying at any second.

“I -,” Rio gaped for a good few seconds before she closed her mouth. “I didn’t abandon you,” she defended, outraged. “Alice was here to pick you up every day, you just wouldn’t go.”

“Sorry to have no interest in walking with one of your pets,” Agatha hissed. Oh the irony… Alice was actually her pet. Well, she wasn’t a pet exactly. Alice simply worked for her and did her job well. Sending a slightly misleading message to this gorgeous plaything being part of said job. Agatha didn’t fancy starving for three days, thank you very much. She only skipped today’s dinner. But Rio didn’t know that and Agatha needed to get her point across. “I told you I am done talking outside of this cell.”

“But we can’t do that, Agatha!” Rio raised her voice and arms in frustration. “It’s against the rules.”

“Against the rules?” she cackled. “And who exactly set the rules?”

Rio huffed. Good point. Still, there had to be some order. Right? “I promised you that we wouldn’t get interrupted again. Why are you being so difficult about it?”

“I. Am. Not. Leaving. This. Cell,” she said through gritted teeth, gripping the bars until her knuckles turned white.

“Well, by all means, Agatha,” Rio drawled the name with a smirk and noted how Agatha’s eyes flashed. She masked it quickly, though.

“Ah, so that’s it then?” the woman said in a cold voice that made Rio’s breath hitch. She froze on the spot instead of turning to the side and walking away as she intended. “You don’t get your way so you will abandon me again. Like I’m nothing. Like you don’t care,” she said and left the bars to go sit on her bed. “Sure, discard good old Agatha. Run to your pathetic excuse of a boyfriend.”

Rio just stood there for a moment, astonished. “I didn’t abandon you!” she repeated once more when she remembered herself. “And he’s not my boyfriend!” she added.

“You didn’t?” Agatha barked out a laugh. “Tell me then, when exactly did you plan on visiting me, hm?”

Okay, she had a point. But Rio was just trying to do things right. Sessions in cells were unprofessional to say the least.

“That’s what I thought,” Agatha scoffed. “Go on then, leave,” she shooed with her hands. “You don’t have to pretend that you care.”

“I do care!” Rio roared. “That’s why I’m here! I care, Agatha.”

“Yes, clearly. You won’t even step close to my cell, let alone inside.”

Rio sighed. She had to show Agatha that she was here for her. She had to let her know that she was serious and wasn’t going anywhere. Damn. She took a few steps and stopped right in front of the cell. She placed her hands on the bars and closed her eyes. She let her head drop against the metal and waited. “I’m here. I’m right here.”

“Now that wasn’t so hard, was it, little bird?” Agatha cooed in her velvet voice, a pleased smirk tugging at the corners of her lips.

“It’s just unprofessional, that’s all,” Rio breathed out, slowly opening her eyes to look at the source of the soothing voice.

“There are many unprofessional things I want to do to you,” Agatha licked her lips and Rio flushed, gripping the bars a tad tighter. Then the alluring, seductive demeanor changed. “But of course, you have a boyfriend for that,” she barked out.

“I don’t have a boyfriend!” Rio huffed and crossed her arms over her chest with a groan. At least her dagger was still safely tucked under her hoodie. Feeling the curve of the blade pressing against her grounded her a little, clearing the haze. “Plus, you only say this to make me flustered and to distract me.”

“Really?” the criminal smirked again. “You think I don’t want to kiss you all over your body? Mark you with my teeth? See how prettily you’d scream my name?”

“I think you don’t,” Rio replied slightly out of breath, her tongue swirling inside of her cheek.

“Come here then,” Agatha said and got up from the bed, waiting in front of it for Rio’s next move.

To the surprise of both women, the therapist unlocked the cell and stepped inside. She stopped right in front of the metal door, locking it behind herself again. She wouldn’t let the criminal have a free pass. Even though it meant she was now locked inside with her.

Of course, Rio pocketed the key so if Agatha really wanted, she could take it from her, but she would have to work for it and that was good enough for Rio.

“My, my,” the older woman purred. “You’ve grown some balls, little bird.”

“Just stay where you are,” Rio said, once again trying to calm her racing heart.

“Why? Afraid you might give in?” Agatha smirked.

“Give in to what exactly?” She crossed her arms over her chest protectively.

“Me,” she said matter-of-factly and arched her perfect eyebrow.

“That’s preposterous.”

“Hmmm.” She grinned.

“You need to eat, Agatha,” Rio said to change the subject and with it the temperature of the room. It had suddenly gotten very hot. Which was saying something considering how cold she was in this place all the time.

“Come and feed me then.” Agatha beckoned with her finger, but so far had kept her distance.

“I am not your mom,” she chuckled. It was a low blow, she knew. But she was grasping at straws at this point. The image that popped up in her head about actually feeding Agatha was… way too sexual. Rio didn’t know how to feel about that.

The cell suddenly seemed way too small. She would chuckle considering she was thinking how spacious it was just a few days ago if her throat wasn’t so tight. While Agatha had been in closer proximity in her office, there was always a table separating them. She was also chained – hands and feet. Here she only had the metal cuffs around her wrists and feet, but there was nothing in the space between them.

There was also the little fact that Rio’s office was hers. It was her space which Agatha was merely visiting. Here though? The whole cell screamed Agatha. Her presence was in every corner, every seen and unseen surface. Rio was the intruder.

“My mom never fed me, little bird.” Agatha’s voice cut through the heavy silence and brought her back to the present.

“Never?” Rio asked, perplexed. She should have taken her notepad, but then again, this wasn’t a session and she had a feeling the older woman wouldn’t appreciate it if she wrote things down. She would just have to remember it.

“Never.”

Rio opened her mouth and closed it a couple of times. She had so many questions. It was impossible for a child to eat without their mother’s help. It was clear Agatha wasn’t about to elaborate, though.

As the silence stretched, Agatha groaned. Whether she was annoyed or bored, Rio couldn’t tell. “My mother believed me to be evil,” she said through gritted teeth, her demeanor hinting that with this sentence she was done with the topic.

But Rio was not. She pushed when such an opportunity presented itself. “How was your childhood?” she asked calmly.

“I don’t wanna talk about it!”

Rio was well aware she was dancing on thin ice. “Why not? Did something happen?” And just like that the ice cracked underneath her feet and she was drowning in freezing water.

Agatha was in her personal space in a matter of seconds. Rio took a step back, but Agatha took a step forward. Very soon she was pressed by the older woman against the brick wall next to the bars.

“And what happened in yours, my little thing, hmm?” she drawled, mere inches from Rio’s lips. “Surely something must have since you’re here,” she cocked her head to the side and tucked a loosened strand of hair behind the therapist’s ear. “Why don’t you tell me about that?”

Rio swallowed.

She realized she was here alone. No one would come if she screamed for help. No one would notice for a couple of days probably. Well, the guards might notice she wasn’t in her office, but would they alert someone? Probably not. They would think she took a day off or went on vacation. Or disappeared – ran for the hills. No one except Wade knew her here and he was also lacking in that department because a chat over morning coffee can only get you so far.

And it wasn’t like anyone would be coming to this particular cell. Where she foolishly stepped inside. Maybe Alice… maybe. But Agatha surely wouldn’t leave her lifeless body displayed in front of the metallic door like that.

“N-nothing happened,” she tried a lie, but her voice trembled. Thinking of it, her whole body trembled. Sure, Agatha was fascinating, beautiful, charming… but she was also a dangerous serial killer. The woman in question cupped her cheek and Rio’s heart skipped a beat. Fuck.

“No?” Agatha asked barely above a whisper. The air tickling Rio’s lips. She forgot what they were even talking about. She could feel her heartbeat in her ears - it was so loud and fast. Erratic thumping. She was scared, but she could also feel the proof of her arousal slowly licking her underwear. Oh no.

She nodded her consent. That was what the woman was asking earlier, right? She must have said no, but she wanted to scream yes. Unfortunately, she couldn’t find her voice. She could only jump from the plush lips to icy blue eyes and back. So she nodded. She could do that at least. For now.

“Oh, pet,” Agatha purred, licking her own lips. “The things I want to do to you…” she whispered to her ear, thumb stroking the pinked cheek.

“Do them,” Rio rasped out, brain foggy. All she could focus on was the touch. The silk in Agatha’s voice. And the sinful scent she was completely engulfed in.

“Are. You. Sure?” She breathed out straight to her ear, empathizing each word.

Rio trembled.

She didn’t know if it was from fear or in need anymore. She supposed it didn’t really matter at this point. “Yes.” She saw Agatha’s pleased smile, pupils dilated. “Please,” she added, desperately.

Agatha moaned upon hearing the plea, but she stepped away at once. “Not yet,” she smirked and left Rio’s personal space before she could even blink. Gone was the touch, gone was the scent and warmth.

Just like that Rio was back in the freezing water.

“What?! Why?” she whimpered. Her brain still wasn’t functioning properly even though the distance Agatha had forced upon them helped.

“You’re not quite…” Agatha paused for dramatics, her arms thrown in the air as if searching for something, “desperate enough.” She finished with a grin.

Rio gasped and blinked a few times. She was ready to challenge the woman, push her buttons to get her where she wanted her, but the spell was finally broken and she realized where she was. With whom.

She straightened herself and cursed Agatha for doing this to her. For reducing her into a brainless gay mess. Jesus, she wasn’t even gay! Right? So much for not getting affected by her. “This won’t happen ever again,” she clarified, trying to sound convincing.

“Oh, it will. Many more times, pet,” Agatha smirked.

“Absolutely not. I simply lost my better judgement. You are my patient, Agatha.”

“Mmmhmm,” the woman purred, sitting on her bed. “The thing is, my lovely little therapist, that I can reduce you to this puddle absolutely anywhere and anytime I please.”

“I don’t think so!” Rio exclaimed and crossed her arms over her chest. “I will see you tomorrow,” she said and unlocked the cell after a few deep breaths. “Eat your food,” she added when she was about to leave.

“And here I thought you’d feed me to make sure I did,” the older woman pouted.

“Good night, Agatha!”

“Nighty night, little bird, nighty night,” she cackled so loudly that Rio heard it on the floor below, on her way out of the prison.

This couldn’t keep happening. Rio was an adult. She was a grown-up woman, dammit. Straight woman! Fine, probably bisexual.

Bisexual or not, Agatha couldn’t reduce her to whatever this was. Better yet, she couldn’t let her. Rio huffed and pinched the bridge of her nose as she reached the exit.

She would have her bath, probably have a very nice evening with her silicone purple friend and tomorrow she would get a grip. Tomorrow she wouldn’t let Agatha get inside of her head so easily. Or between her legs because had Agatha kept going, that was where Rio was sure she’d end up. And Rio would thank her.

Fuck.

Chapter Text

Rio woke up energized. Well, not entirely energized, but definitely relaxed. She could face the dark-haired beauty without crumbling. She rolled onto her stomach and noticed her purple friend tossed on the other side of her queen size bed. She was alone on most nights, but she liked the space.

She didn’t have any permanent pets - just plants, but her pathological need to save everyone often warranted that she took a hurt animal she had found outside back to her flat. If she recalled correctly, it was a pigeon the last time. She nursed him to health and released him.

Sighing, Rio grabbed the sex toy and headed to the bathroom. Once she reached the sink, she started the water and glanced to the side. “You keep an eye out for me here, darling,” she said to the dagger hanging on the wall. It was placed on a stand and could pass as a decoration if not for the razor-sharp blade.

She had daggers stashed in every room. Hell, she slept with one - it was right under her pillow. You’d assume the next closest dagger was in her ensuite bathroom, but it was actually on her night stand.

However, that was Lady Death. That didn’t really count in Rio’s opinion.

Once she was done cleaning the sex toy, she adoringly stroked the leaves of her Zebra plant on the right side of her basin and gave a little nudge to her Venus fly trap on the other side.

She opened a drawer from the cabinet under the sink to take out a fresh towel and was greeted with another dagger sitting neatly there. She smiled and tapped the blade, “Hope it’s not too dark for you in there, Mister,” she said and closed the drawer.

With her teeth brushed and her face clean, she decided to wear glasses to work today. She didn’t need them and they had zero diopters (they weren’t prescribed), but they made her look smart and it was surely stylish. Considering it was only for show, Rio only owned one pair. They had thick black rectangular frames with no stones nor gems and they fit on her feminine face perfectly. She applied her make up accordingly and went back to her bedroom to get dressed.

Today she opted for black skinny jeans and a black satin blouse with a long warm forest green vest. The weather was rather chilly and it was always cold in Salem. So, so cold. She would keep the vest unzipped though so she could reach her dagger if needed. Considering it ended mid-thigh, she would also have a problem getting to her belt with the stun gun and telescopic baton. She refused to wear the Glock that was suggested by Fisk.

She would probably be a bit cold, but she was used to it honestly. No public place ever had the temperature as high as she needed it to be.

The prison was definitely another level, though. She didn’t understand how the prisoners survived those conditions. Huge waves crashing onto the cliffs more often than not, wind howling on a daily basis and the cold that crept inside your bones was just unbearable. She felt kind of bad for the prisoners. They were people too.

She strapped Lady Death to the holster under her arm and felt content leaving the flat. She put on her winter coat and fetched the car keys. While Rio loved her motorbike, this weather was not made for it. She’d freeze even if the ride to Salem was only fifteen minutes.

Once Rio was in her office, she went straight to the coffee maker. While waiting for the coffee, she realized she had forgotten breakfast again. It was okay though; she would just throw herself into work to overcome her hunger. She didn’t really need food that much. She was used to being hungry when she was a child. You were starved, the voice in her head said.

Hungry or starved, it didn’t matter, she replied in her head - her stomach simply didn’t need much.

As the coffee maker beeped, indicating her coffee was ready, Wade entered the office. She was surprised to see him. Even more so when she noticed the paper bag in his hand. “Hi, Rio,” he greeted her with a smile. “Mom made croissants for breakfast so I brought some for you,” he handed her the paper bag.

“Hi, Wade,” she smiled back at him. Well, mostly at the pastry, but he didn’t need to know that. “Back at work already?” she asked, eyes fixed on his bruised neck. “Thank you so much for breakfast. I was just thinking about how I forgot to buy it.”

“Well yeah,” he scratched his chin. Rio noticed he had cuts from the razor, undoubtedly he shaved just this morning. “And don’t mention it, mom likes to cook and she told me to take you something when I told her about you.”

“You told her about me?” the young woman teased.

“Uhm, well, yes,” he muttered and turned a shade redder.

“I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable,” Rio smiled gently. “Will you have a cup of coffee with me or did you already manage to drink it at home?”

He sat down and visibly relaxed when the conversation turned away from the previous topic. “It’s nearly impossible to get coffee with three brothers and a sister,” he chuckled. “I snatched the croissants right after my mom finished baking them.”

“Your house seems full,” she stated as she pressed the button on the coffee maker.

“Not always. Both of my brothers work abroad, but they came for a visit. I hope they leave soon. Don’t tell my mom I said that,” he laughed.

“I promise I won’t tell,” she winked and moaned when the buttery croissant assaulted her taste buds. “Oh my god, this is so good!”

“Yeah, mom’s a pretty good cook,” he smiled and grabbed a croissant for himself. “She would love to meet you,” he said quietly.

“I guess that can be arranged.” Rio furrowed her brow. “I need to make something clear, though. I appreciate the friendship, Wade, but that’s all I can offer you.”

“You can’t know that yet.” He looked at her with hopeful eyes.

“I can. I do. This work is my life, I don’t have time for dating. I don’t even want to. I’m quite content on my own.”

Every time Rio had played with the thought of sharing her space with a man, she cringed. She was happy single. Well, not entirely happy, but men just weren’t in the picture for now. Her dildo and her own hand did all the job she needed.

“But maybe –”

“Wade, no. Please.”

“Okay,” he replied and lifted his arms in surrender. “I’ll respect that. The invitation still stands, though. My mom said a girl shouldn’t work at a place like Salem,” he smiled gently. “She just wants to meet you, I guess. Even as only my friend.”

“I’ll try to make time then,” Rio replied with a smile of her own. She believed him when he said he would respect her wishes. She could do with a friend, but she needed to set boundaries. She didn’t want to lead him on. Why should he be on her hook when she was certain nothing would ever happen between them? That just didn’t seem fair. He deserved someone to be happy with. “Well, almost time for Laufeyson,” she sighed.

“I’ll bring him to you,” Wade informed and got up from his seat. “I hope he’s no trouble.”

“He’s actually rather docile after I managed to get him to eat his pills.”

“Good good,” he nodded and left.

Rio cleaned the table and adjusted her glasses. She scrolled quickly through her notes and readied herself for the day. She had to face William again after she was done with Laufeyson. She had held it off for as long as possible, but it was time.

“William, have a seat,” Rio motioned with her hands towards the empty chair on the other side of the table. “How are you feeling?”

“Oh, I’m feeling great, Rio! I’m always cold, starved and this place sucked all my happy memories out. I couldn’t possibly be better,” he replied sarcastically.

“Do you want a higher dose of your pills? Because I think you should have more tranquilizers. I went over your dosage, it’s not nearly enough.”

“No, I don’t want more pills! I want you to let me out,” he crossed his arms over his chest.

“We’ve been through this. I can’t do that.”

“Then you’re useless! She’s out there quite possibly chasing my friends and you do NOTHING! What if she’s after Tommy?! She could have reached him by now while I’m stuck here.”

“Billy, she’s not chasing your friends. I can give you pills to help you calm your mind. We will get to the bottom of this, but you need to be cooperative.”

Rio was given a free hand when it came to prescriptions. She probably (definitely) shouldn’t have, but no one cared about this place nor its prisoners. She was allowed to do whatever she wanted here. It was thrilling.

Dangerous. Careless. Kinda sad.

“I don’t want pills! I want you to let me out!”

“Will, I can help you here. We can have sessions every day, I will give you pills. It will give you clarity, you’ll see.”

“Let. Me. Out.” he said through gritted teeth. “I don’t belong here! I need to be out there!”

“Okay. And what would you be doing out there?” she asked, writing notes in her notepad.

“Trying to find her!”

“And once you find her?”

“I will have to stop her.”

“How?” she asked, leading him steadily into a trap.

“There’s only one way to stop someone like her, isn’t there?”

And just like that he was caught. “So what I’m hearing is that you plan a cold-blooded murder.”

“But she’s the reason why I’m here! What don’t you understand?!” he shouted.

“No William, she didn’t kill Mrs. Davis - you did. You’re here because you killed our teacher. I know it was not your fault, but I definitely cannot let you leave this facility.”

“She strayed off the road,” he said through gritted teeth and Rio knew she was speaking with Billy. His whole demeanor changed – darkened, as the ‘protector’ took over.

“What do you mean, Billy?” she addressed him, studying him closely.

“She said she would help and then –” he trailed off, clearly realizing whom he was talking to.

“Help with what exactly? Tutoring?” She knew that was not it, but she wanted to push him.

He scoffed.

“I am your friend, Billy. I want to help you.”

But Billy was gone. He let oblivious William take care of this. Smart move.

“What a fine friend you make! I thought you were on my side! She killed the teacher, probably trying to get to me!”

“I am on your side,” she replied as a lump formed in her throat. “I want to help you. Please let me,” she pleaded.

“Great!” he cheered. “Then LET ME OUT!” he shouted straight to her face, loud enough for the whole prison to hear.

She swallowed and feared that he would turn violent towards her. Of course, she did have her stun gun, but how could she use it against someone that was unarmed? Against her old classmate? It wasn’t his fault the voices made him do things. It wasn’t his fault he didn’t see things for what they were.

Thankfully she was saved by Wade who barged into her office and pacified the black-haired boy. “That’s enough, mate,” he said towards him. “We should cuff him from now on, Rio.”

“No, he’s not really dangerous. And the chains are barbaric!”

“They may be barbaric, but you’re fucking safe thanks to them.”

“It will be alright. I’ll start giving him pills that will help with his illness. He will get better.”

“Well, you’re the boss,” Wade shrugged and escorted William out of her office.

Rio slumped in her chair and rubbed her temples. Never in her wildest dreams did she think that William Kaplan would be the most difficult patient.

Well, she should go get his pills asap. Tomorrow morning, if possible. The pharmacy was in town, not very far from her apartment. Then again, nothing was really far in this small godforsaken town.

“So, who’s next?” Wade asked when he came back from his lunch break.

“Just Agatha,” Rio replied dismissively. She skipped lunch as her stomach was in knots. Whether it was from William or from the anticipation of seeing Agatha, she couldn’t tell. Well, that was a lie. She decided not to address the source of her tightened stomach because deep down she knew.

“Ugh, well, I’ll go fetch her,” he scratched his chin nervously. It was clear he was afraid of the woman, but would fulfill his duties nevertheless.

“There’s no need, Wade. You can actually go home. She’s the last patient and we’re having the sessions in her cell now,” Rio said as she gathered her notebook and materials for said session.

“WHAT?!” he raised his voice. “You can’t be serious, Rio.”

“Well Wilson, if you hadn’t disturbed us last time, I wouldn’t have to be going to her cell,” she bit back.

“I’m truly sorry about that. I didn’t realize…”

“Yes, you didn’t. It’s okay, though. She’s not as bad as you think.”

“I really doubt that. You can’t be locked in a cell with her! She’s dangerous.”

“She is dangerous, I’m not denying that, she’s here for a reason after all. But she’s not dangerous to me.”

“You know, the fact that you think you’re safe with her should be enough proof that you shouldn’t be locked in there with her.”

Damn. He sure had a point. But she was not about to admit that to him, was she? “Wade, I appreciate the concern, but I know what I’m doing,” she replied steadily. Mostly anyway. “Now thank your mom for the delicious breakfast and off you go,” she shooed him with her hands and went to the door.

“No way, I’m staying. Who would come if you screamed for help?”

“I am not going to scream for help,” she rolled her eyes. “Fine, by all means stay as long as you’d like. But I’m warning you, do not come close to her cell and under no circumstances come inside of it. Actually, stay clear of the fifth floor whatsoever.”

“I’ll just be in the guard’s office as always.”

“You can go home, Wade. I’ll be fine,” she reassured and locked her office.

“Let me know when you’re finished,” he smiled gently and turned to leave.

Rio shook her head and took a deep breath. One step at a time. She decided to stop by Dr. Faustus’ old office to fetch a table and two chairs. She would keep it outside of Agatha’s cell when the sessions were finished and placed it back inside before them.

Now she could use Wade’s help, but she would rather make the trip twice than ask him. First of all, she didn’t need him - she was strong enough to carry a smaller table. And second of all, she could imagine how Agatha would react to his presence. Yeah, that was a no go.

When she entered the unlocked office, she saw the window had gotten opened by the strong wind again and the whole office was incredibly cold. And wet. She closed it and had a look around.

There was an empty pack of tranquilizers on the table, scattered documents of various types and Xanax - also empty. Odd. She knew for a fact that Faustus wasn’t giving the criminals any pills. The exception was Billy and he had a minimum dose prescribed from the previous doctor. Was it for him then? His rash decision to leave Salem wouldn’t be out of character if that was the case.

Was Faustus addicted to pills? Well, Rio guessed it was possible. Well good riddance. Maybe his addiction drove his actions – torturing his patients being one of them. She refused to call what he put Agatha through anything but. Hopefully he left to seek help.

Rio removed all the items from the desk and lifted it. Okay, the table was actually heavy. It was wooden and metal rings were in it for the chains to be secured in place. Rio sighed. However, she didn’t lift weights every day at home for nothing. Deciding to return for the chairs later, she opened the office door fully and went on her merry way.

She was panting by the time she had reached the fifth floor and placed the table in front of the cell. Agatha threw an amused look in her direction, but Rio didn’t have time to comment on it because she left for the chairs. She stopped in her office first to discard herself of the vest as she was finally warm thanks to the workout and went to fetch the chairs and her folder.

The therapist unlocked the cell and said pointedly to Agatha, “Be good!” before she carried the table inside and then did the same with the chairs.

Yes, that’s how spacious Agatha’s cell was because the furniture fit inside without trouble and there was still space to move.

“Well hello, pet,” Agatha purred from the bed, observing the younger woman. She finally ditched the extra layer of clothes so she only wore a nice satin blouse. With Lady Death on top of her ribs, of course. The erratic rise and fall of her chest was visible the same as the sheen of sweat gathered on top of her forehead. Her hair was, by this point, in a messy bun and Agatha fisted her wrists, imagining it was Rio’s hair.

“Madame Harkness,” Rio answered with a curt nod, trying to slow down her breathing.

“Formal, are we?” the older woman chuckled. “Is that why you brought armor today?”

“What armor? I’m not wearing any armor,” she replied, suddenly very uncertain of herself. The impulse to look over herself was stronger than the will to suppress it and so Rio lowered her head to observe her clothes. Much to Agatha’s delight.

“You look beautiful, little bird, don’t worry. I was talking about the glasses.”

“Oh,” she blushed. None of the other patients mentioned it, they most likely didn’t even notice. But then again, Agatha was the only woman in this whole prison save for Alice who wasn’t on the clock today. Men weren’t known for being observant. And then Rio registered what exactly the older woman said. Armor. Just how could Agatha read her like this?! How could she know? And clearly she did know if the knowing smirk was anything to go by. “I – ehm,“ Rio cleared her suddenly dry throat. Where’s the water again?!

“It looks sexy. I like it.”

The blush intensified and she shifted on her feet. Dammit, not this again. We’ve been through this, Rio. Today was supposed to be different!

“Please have a seat,” she said in a voice that was steadier than she herself expected.

Agatha did so without any fight and Rio followed suit. She placed her notepad and pen on the table and took a deep breath. The smirking woman opposite from her placed her wrists on the table, cuffs with restraints up to get obediently chained to the restraints on the table.

“I’m not going to chain you,” Rio replied with a shake of her head.

“You should. I figured that’s why you brought the table.”

“I probably should, but I’m not going to,” she said resolutely and swirled her tongue on the inside of her cheek. “And no, I didn’t bring the table because of that,” she declared and adjusted her glasses.

“Interesting, my little therapist, interesting indeed,” Agatha said and leaned over the table, placing her head on pale hands. “You know,” she started casually, “you would look so good wearing these glasses and nothing else.”

Rio’s eyes widened and she swallowed while staring at the mesmerizing woman. When she didn’t respond, Agatha decided to continue. “Kneeling in front of me before I’d bend you over the desk in your office. Or maybe here since you set it up so nicely?”

Rio averted her eyes, not being able to hold Agatha’s intense gaze when she was saying that. Hell, she couldn’t hold her gaze generally, let alone when Agatha was saying things that made her clit throb and pussy clench around nothing.

She busied herself with her notepad so as not to be so obvious - pretending to read the notes. Trying desperately not to react, not to engage, not to push Agatha further. Maybe if she ignored her, the criminal would shut up. Maybe if she pretended hard enough, it wouldn’t affect her so much.

Ha. Ha. Good one.

“Wait, maybe glasses and a tie around your neck,” the woman in question continued thoughtfully. “Yes, I can see that clear as day. Glasses and a blood-red tie - a courtesy from you for me. You’d get the same shade as the tie as I’d fuck you from behind. Maybe I would need to stuff it into your mouth so other prisoners wouldn’t be able to hear your cries of pleasure,” she continued in a low seductive voice and Rio had a lot of problems holding back the moan that threatened to leave her lips. She however at least pressed her thighs closer together.

“Maybe I would tie you by the chains to the restraints at your desk? How does that sound?” she asked and saw the brunette’s shocked expression. “No? Too much? We’ll get there, darling,” she cooed. “Just imagine, my fingers knuckle deep in your desperate cunt, slamming into you like there is no tomorrow,” she let out a moan of her own and Rio completely lost it.

“Now, when was the last time you were this wet, my sweet?” Agatha asked and licked her lips, inhaling deep through her nose as if trying to sniff Rio’s arousal. She realized Agatha actually could have because yes, she was wet. Embarrassingly so.

The therapist swallowed again and tried to fight the flush. Tried to fight the arousal, but to no avail.

“I asked you a question, Rio,” the criminal warned, her voice cutting through the heavy atmosphere of the room.

“N-never,” she replied truthfully. She desperately tried to ignore the twitch in her clit upon hearing Agatha say her name like that. It snapped her back to attention immediately. The tone in which it was uttered… Rio stood no chance. She had to reply.

Agatha flashed her a true American smile. “Mmmh, how about at least half this wet then?”

“Last night,” she breathed out. Damn, no, she didn’t want to admit that!

“Last night?” the dark-haired woman raised one perfectly styled eyebrow. “Were you thinking about me?” she purred.

Rio just shook her head. She would not give her the satisfaction. Agatha definitely didn’t need to know she came all over her dildo to the thought of the older woman fucking her with it.

“I’m going to ask again and give you a chance to change your answer,” she growled dangerously. “Or are we going to lie to each other now? I thought we agreed not to do that, pet.”

“Fine! I thought about you! Happy?” she blurted out, completely losing her cool. But it wasn’t like she had any cool left so no one could blame her.

“Very,” the serial killer grinned. “And what exactly were you doing when you were thinking about me?” she asked, eyes burning into Rio’s soul.

“Agatha, enough!” she huffed, finally coming to her senses. Well, not really, but she definitely wasn’t about to tell the woman she rode her dildo into oblivion with thoughts of her. No, thank you very much. “I actually came here to show you some pictures and I want you to tell me what you see,” she finished while fishing said pictures from the folder and placing the first one on the table.

“I see a very flustered young woman that I’d like to devour very much,” Agatha wiggled her eyebrows.

“I said enough!” Rio was proud her voice didn’t waver. She was flushed, her soaked underwear clinging to her uncomfortably, and Agatha was not helping with her continuous taunt.

“No, you said to tell you what I see.”

“On the picture right in front of you!”

“You are quite the picture right in front of me,” she grinned.

“Agatha,” Rio warned through gritted teeth. The picture was supposed to evoke anger. Every healthy individual could name the emotion.

“Ugh, fine,” she rolled her eyes before finally looking at the picture. “It’s nothing. This artist is not very talented.”

“Okay, let’s try this one,” Rio handed her a picture that was supposed to evoke fear.

“Nothing again! If you’re in need of an art dealer I know someone.”

“What about this one?” She tried another picture. Even a child could see the happiness radiating from it. Especially a child, she guessed.

“Nothing. This is getting boring, pet.”

“You see absolutely nothing in these?” Rio furrowed her brow.

“What am I supposed to see in a mess of lines and circles and god knows what else?”

“Emotions,” the therapist breathed out.

“I could have saved you the trouble if you just asked,” she rolled her eyes. “I can’t read emotions.”

“You can’t?”

“Clearly.”

“Since when? When did you start to notice it?”

“It’s always been this way,” she replied with a huff, annoyed at being questioned like that. “I learned to detect them on human faces - there are certain signs for each. That’s about it,” she added with clear disinterest. Then her face turned into a devious smirk as she asked, “Are you a virgin?”

“Excuse me?!” Rio gasped.

“Don’t play coy with me, pet. You know the rules of our game. You made me look at some horrendous art AND you asked multiple questions to which I gave you answers.”

“This is personal.”

“While me telling you that I can’t read emotions for as long as I can remember and had to learn it based on expressions isn’t? So, are you a virgin?” she asked again, looking curiously at her. It’s almost as if she had wanted to ask this since day one. The dark-haired woman also looked like she knew the answer and Rio didn’t like her expression one bit.

“No,” she replied eventually.

“No?” Agatha’s eyebrows shot up in confusion. That emotion was very quickly replaced by another, though. One much worse - anger. “Who touched you?!” she said through gritted teeth, hands clenching to fists.

It was suffocating. This anger washed over them like an ocean wave. Rio wanted to say it was none of her business. She wanted to point out that it was her turn for a question now, but it all somehow died on her tongue.

“One guy at Uni. He was an exchange student actually,” she replied quietly as if she’d done something wrong. Why did she feel like that?

“A man? Did he rape you?!” Agatha shouted while her knuckles turned white from how hard she fisted her hands.

“No,” Rio shook her head. “He would never do something like that. He was nice.”

“I can’t believe you let someone touch you,” the woman scoffed.

“Wait, so you planned to fuck me like that - tied up to my own desk, while thinking I was a virgin?”

“Yes. Your point?”

Rio opened and closed her mouth a few times, failing to form a sentence from all the emotions and thoughts running through her head. Was this woman for real right now? Daniel wasn’t perfect and her first time not even close to it, but at least he didn’t fuck her like some starved animal.

“Just out of curiosity,” she narrowed her eyes, “how many people have lost their virginity to you?”

“Jealous?” Agatha cackled.

“No, more concerned for their wellbeing.”

“They were fine.” She rolled her eyes. “Actually, everyone always crawled back, begging for more. You’ll see.”

“I truly doubt that. I’m not into … whatever you’re doing.”

“On the contrary I think you are. You have a very bottom energy. A little bratty, mind you, but bottom nevertheless. Maybe even submissive.”

“No, I don’t,” she denied. She didn’t. Usually, people were falling to their knees for her.

“No?” Agatha licked her lips.

“No,” Rio repeated, but with precisely zero conviction. It was even worse when the dark-haired woman got up from her seat and crossed the distance in five quiet steps. She leaned with her backside on the edge of the desk and cupped Rio’s cheek with a warm hand.

“This won’t work,” Rio tried even as she leaned into the touch unconsciously and closed her eyes.

“It can’t be working since I’m not doing anything,” Agatha replied, not missing a beat. She however dropped her tone an octave lower and her thumb was stroking Rio’s cheek soothingly.

“Okay, Agatha,” Rio mumbled.

How can a human being be so warm? She’s as warm as you’re cold, the voice inside her head replied. It was hard to focus on it though because Agatha’s thumb was very distractive. The voice was quieter and quieter with each stroke.

“Look at me, my sweet,” Agatha demanded quietly, but steadily.

Rio opened her eyes and looked at her with big brown orbs. Just like that the voice was gone. There was nothing inside her head other than icy blue eyes staring into her soul.

“Such a beautiful thing you are,” Agatha cooed, voice velvet.

Rio’s breath hitched and her heart skipped a beat even though she wanted to tell the woman that she was not a thing. She wanted to say this wouldn’t work on her.

Oh, but it did.

The hand held her firmly in place, the thumb stroking her cheek felt like the touch of silk. She was lost to the sensation. Blue eyes were as captivating as ever and full plush lips were slightly parted. Rio bit her lip at the sight.

And then the older woman slid from the desk and stood right in front of her. Her hand left the slightly pinked cheek only to slide to Rio’s neck and then her chin, lifting it up. Rio didn’t fight it, she willingly looked up at Agatha, trembling with anticipation. Would she lean down to kiss her? No, probably not. She knew that. Yet she whimpered when Agatha left her position to stand behind her. It didn’t matter that she knew it, the disappointment that it really didn’t happen stung. Agatha now hovered over her back, hands casually on her shoulders.

“You’re so tense, little bird,” Agatha breathed out, massaging her softly. “Relax.”

And Rio did. She relaxed immediately as if it was second nature. It didn’t matter that she had a dangerous criminal at her back. It didn’t matter that she couldn’t see her. Nothing mattered but the fact that Agatha was touching her. That she was talking to her with that honey-sweet voice and her scent consumed her. Or maybe it was the older woman’s aura. Rio wasn’t sure.

And then the hands moved from her shoulders to her neck and up her scalp, rubbing circles with thumbs in her raven hair. Any tension left her body upon the caresses. Her messy bun was practically ruined by now and it got even worse when Agatha’s right hand tightened, grabbing a fistful of it.

Rio moaned.

Agatha turned Rio’s head by her hair to the side forcefully and lowered herself so their faces were only inches apart. Brown orbs were consumed by black pupils, her lips were parted and breaths shallow.

“I can smell you, pet,” the criminal whispered, the air licking at Rio’s lips. This time she whimpered. “I can also see your hardened nipples. It can’t be from the cold considering how flushed and clearly hot you are right now.”

Rio tried to lean in to claim her lips, but Agatha held her firmly in place by her hair. She let out a frustrated groan. She was in a daze. There was a heavy fog clouding her brain. She couldn’t think, she couldn’t seem to recall what she was supposed to be doing here. Surely it wasn’t this?

“Would you be a dear and place your head on the desk?” Agatha asked, using her deep rich voice. She was very aware of its effect on people. Especially on pretty little subs. She released Rio’s hair from the firm grip so she could comply and was incredibly pleased when the younger woman did so immediately.

Rio didn’t even think about it, she just followed the instructions. Her eyes screwed shut when her cheek hit the wooden surface and she let out a deep breath. It didn’t even bother her that she still wore the glasses that now pressed almost painfully to her side.

Agatha looked at her prey and had to hold back her impulses. So obedient. She wanted to take the woman right there and then, but that’s not why she got her into this state. She could reduce anyone into a whimpering mess once she saw the submissive side in them. Once she smelled their weakness.

But this woman also had claws. She liked it. Of course Rio was now a sweet purring kitten, but she couldn’t judge her for that. She spent a lifetime conditioning people; she’d broken down tougher cookies than this. The young woman stood no chance. Submission wasn’t a weakness until Agatha made it so.

She was running her hand over Rio’s spine, caressing it softly, pushing her further under her spell. Rio was shivering and whimpering just from this simple touch. Over clothes. Agatha traced the strap holding the dagger with her finger while her other hand rested on Rio’s right shoulder and Rio mewled.

Agatha moaned, the sweet noises coming from her pet going straight to her core. But she sighed in defeat. She couldn’t do anything yet. However…

Not being known to deprive herself of pleasure she decided to push Rio just a little further. She lifted her head by the hair, thriving in the whimper she got in response and sat on the desk right in front of the woman. Her eyes were open now so Agatha could see how clouded her gaze was. She really could just … No. No.

Agatha carefully pulled the glasses off and placed them next to her on the table. “Put your head on my lap, my dear,” she commanded and rewarded her with soft strokes on her cheek when the therapist complied. “Were you touching yourself when you were thinking about me?” she asked in that deep voice, covering Rio in a velvety blanket. Rio nodded. Well that wouldn’t do. “Words, my sweet.”

“Y-Yes,” Rio managed. She wasn’t sure if her voice even worked anymore, but Agatha wanted words so she had to deliver.

“With your fingers only or did you use something?” she asked another question, stroking Rio's hair - giving her a false sense of security.

“I used my toy,” she admitted and took a deep breath through her nose, smelling the older woman. She let out a moan when she realized that she could and her hands flew to Agatha’s lap, trying to fist her orange prison jumper.

“Did I allow you to touch me?!” she hissed. Rio shook her head. “No indeed, so put those hands where back where they were.”

“Please,” Rio whimpered, clenching air next to the chair.

“Well, considering you’re being rather obedient you may place your hands on me.”

“Thank you,” Rio whispered and placed her hands onto Agatha’s lap, not daring to grip it.

“Thank you what?” Agatha tried to push, but Rio just looked at her all confused. “Ah, well we’ll work on that. Now head back down and you were telling me how hard you were fucking yourself with your toy to the thoughts of me.”

“So hard,” she moaned rather than said her response.

Only a very limited amount of words my sweet girl can manage. So be it.

“How big is your dildo, dearest? Does the stretch burn at first?”

“Not really,” she answered, overwhelmed by the heavenly smell of Agatha’s arousal. “But I was so wet.”

“I’m sure you were, my darling,” Agatha cooed. “But mommy’s cock is big. It will stretch you to your limit. Perhaps over it.” Rio moaned. “But you will take it like the good girl that you are, won’t you?”

Rio all but mewled.

Then she realized Agatha had asked her a question and she knew better by now than to leave it unanswered. “Yes,” she replied breathlessly. “Yes, I will. I want mommy’s cock.” Her hands clenched, but she didn’t dare to grip the fabric of Agatha’s jumpsuit.

Fuck. Agatha had to admit that Rio wasn’t the only one losing her mind here. The way the girl was obedient and pliant. The way she turned into a complete puddle by Agatha’s voice and simple touch alone… fuck!

“Can you smell me, little bird?” Agatha asked in that velvety tone of hers, caressing Rio’s hair once again. She nodded. “Do you want to taste me?” Nod again. “Words, Rio.”

“Yes, please let me taste you,” she replied and looked up. All gone was the brown from her eyes, all gone was the defiant therapist.

Now there was a decision to make. She was wet, how could she not be. And technically Rio pleasuring her would not unleash the beast. The girl wouldn’t know any better. But then again, this was not why she got her into this state of mind. She merely wanted to prove a point. Once she broke her spell, the younger woman would freak out. If sex was involved in any form at this stage, she would be too confused, overwhelmed. Repulsed even. With herself, of course. It would simply be too much for her to handle. Dammit.

“Not yet, my sweet girl,” Agatha breathed out. She was better than that, she could control her impulses. For the most part anyway. Usually she just chose not to. Where was the fun in that, after all? Why would she restrain herself like that?

But with Rio … fuck. Rio was simply different.

“Don’t you want me?” Rio asked pleadingly as her eyes watered.

Not this again…

“You’re the most precious thing I own at the moment,” Agatha replied and she meant it. “I want you so much,” she cupped her cheek and stroked it with her thumb. “You have no idea how much,” she breathed out and again, she meant it. Not only was the therapist pretty, she was intelligent and sweet. And a little disturbed if her obsession with daggers was anything to go by.

She was perfect.

Oh the things I want to do to you…

“Then let me show you how much I want you,” Rio said, voice barely audible. She didn’t dare to unzip the prison jumper just yet, though. She didn’t get permission to do so after all.

“I know you do, my darling girl. Don’t forget, I can smell you too,” Agatha licked her lips. “But as I said, not today. You need to get back home. You have work to do.”

“I don’t,” she pouted.

“Rio,” Agatha warned and Rio whimpered at the tone. Interesting. “Lift your head and get back into a sitting position,” she commanded. All good things had to end after all.

The therapist wanted to argue, she wanted to say she was very comfortable where she was, but again it died on her tongue. She just did what she was told to do.

“Such a good girl,” Agatha purred and jumped down from the table.

Rio pressed her thighs even closer together upon the praise, hoping to find at least some relief as she watched Agatha retreating. Rio’s attempts to keep her where she was by her hands were futile. Agatha brushed them off and crossed the room. She sat at the chair opposite from her and waited.

Rio was missing her presence, missing her touches and caresses immediately. She was missing her warmth. She wanted to cry.

“I’ll give you a minute now, my little therapist,” Agatha informed, studying the pictures in front of her once again. She really couldn’t see shit in it.

It took Rio a solid few minutes before she came to her senses. Or was it hours? No, it couldn’t be hours. Right?

Agatha watched as the brown returned to her orbs, as her breathing calmed down. She observed her like a hawk, waiting for the shitstorm.

And it came.

Of course it came, she’s done this too many times already not to know any better. Rio looked at her all confused. Then she looked at herself, studying her hands, flicking between her glasses on the table and the woman on the other side of it. Then she gasped and got up from her seat way too quickly, knocking the chair to the floor in the process. Her breathing quickened, but this time it was for a completely different reason.

“We’re done here!” Rio said at last, gathering her things and leaving the cell in a hurry.

“For today definitely,” Agatha let out a singular chuckle.

“No, not just today. Forever!” she shouted as she departed the prison cell, not bothering to take out the additional furniture. At least she locked the door.

“Oh my sweet girl, you’ll be back before you know it,” Agatha said quietly to no one and cackled.

They always came back.

Always.

Chapter Text

Anxious. That was what Rio had been all day.

One big pile of anxiety, all bottled up in her chest and squeezing the sanity out of her. She didn’t understand what was happening to her. She’d done everything to prevent this. She didn’t go to see Agatha at all today in order not to get overwhelmed. And yet here she was, at home staring at the glass full of red wine for a good ten minutes, trying to breathe through the current episode.

The more she thought about how she avoided that particular cell on the fifth floor, the worse her chest tightened. This morning she swore to herself she wouldn’t go see that woman. Ever again.

And that was when it started.

Yesterday when she had gotten home after that ‘session’, she was angry. Angry at herself, angry at Agatha. Clearly that woman was a witch. She must have put her under some spell.

She’d felt relaxed when having her head in the criminal’s lap, she’d enjoyed the touches and caresses immensely. It felt right. But that was the problem. It wasn’t right. It was everything but right.

She had downed a glass (three) of high-quality rum and gone to sleep. Of course, her dreams had revolved around the dark-haired woman doing unspeakable things to her.

Of fucking course.

So, this morning she had gone to work, happy that Wade didn’t have a shift because she surely didn’t look her best, and decided to avoid Agatha.

Her chest had tightened only slightly at the thought, but she ignored it. She’d carried on through the day and had finally sat down to write all the prescriptions she needed to get because she did no such thing yesterday.

You did nothing yesterday. You just whimpered and mewled. Pathetic.

As she’d sat at her desk, placing her patients’ folders between the metal rings, she swallowed. She was hypnotized; unable to move her eyes. It was like the rings were screaming for her attention. “You’d look so pretty kneeling in front of me before I’d bend you over the desk in your office.”

No. She was not doing this. She wouldn’t think of what happened in that cell. Of what was said… Oh sweetie, Agatha didn’t use the word ‘pretty’. “Shut up! SHUT UP!” She screamed at the voice, but she actually said it out loud. Good god. She groaned. She was losing it. “Maybe I would tie you by the chains to the restraints at your desk? How does that sound?”

Rio balled her hands into fists, closing her eyes. Okay, that didn’t help because now she pictured it. “Fuck,” she said out loud with a groan instead of doing it quietly inside of her head. Again. Her eyes shot open to disrupt the vivid image, but it did very little to help. That woman can’t get under your skin like that. She cannot. You will not see her again. Period.

The words were meant to calm her racing heart. They were meant to soothe her. Yet the tightness in her chest was harder and harder to ignore until it was downright impossible. The pressure in the middle of her sternum had become suffocating. She was in no state to actually get the medication right. Frustrated, she drove home and filled up her glass with wine.

Wine that she had been eyeing for the past ten minutes, not really seeing it as anxiety consumed her. After the current episode passed, she got up on wobbly legs and went to her cabinet to pour herself rum instead. She needed something stronger, just like yesterday.

What’s happening to me? She asked herself as she sat back down, nursing the glass of rum in her right hand.

Of course, deep down Rio knew the answer. She’d already analyzed it. But she was not ready to face it yet. So what that she wanted to see Agatha with every fiber of her being? So what that there was a need to see her right now? Did she want to be touched in a way that only Agatha seemed to know how to? Yes, definitely. But would she? No! Hell no, she would not engage with that dangerous woman ever again.

And just like that her chest tightened again. Fuck fuck fuck.

Fine.

Maybe she shouldn’t be this resolute. Agatha needed her after all. The criminal was her patient. Beautiful, wicked patient. Ugh, make it stop. She groaned and got up to get to the bottle she had stupidly left on the kitchen counter. She downed the rum in one gulp and tried to collect herself.

Agatha needed her.

That was the reason she ached to see her. It had nothing to do with the fact Rio wanted more. Despite everything, she felt safe yesterday. Cared for. She desperately wanted to be touched by the woman. Soft caresses were lovely, but not quite enough. Rio was ready to strip herself of all her clothes and be taken right there and then.

No no no.

What the hell are you thinking right now?! She downed another shot of rum to keep her desires at bay. This was highly unprofessional. She couldn’t be thinking this way about her patient, dammit. But Agatha wanted it just as much. Wanted her. Rio knew that. She could smell her desire after all. She muffled a moan at the memory.

Fuck.

She poured herself another glass and took it to the living room. With the bottle this time even though she was already tipsy. She sat down, drink in hand and turned the TV on. It was supposed to distract her from her thoughts, but it never worked. She had no idea why she thought that it would be any different now.

She didn’t pay any attention to the moving pictures on the screen as one too many thoughts ran through her head. She was looking in the direction of the TV, but not really seeing anything other than the things running in her head. Even though the alcohol helped to numb her wit, it didn’t help completely.

All she saw were full lips, wild dark hair, piercing blue eyes and soft hands that held her rather roughly. She groaned. Rio didn’t even question her sexuality anymore. She just scolded herself for not realizing it sooner. It burned her how daft she could be in some things while still maintaining the ‘too smart for her own good’ title.

But then again, one’s mind was a subject she studied. It wasn’t hard to analyze this little mishap. It was called denial. She would be a fool if she said that wasn’t the case. She was in denial about many things. Her sexuality at the start and ‘no I don’t want to see her’ at the end of it.

She spent the whole day being in denial about Agatha and it got her a solid dose of anxiety and near panic attacks. Sure, she was angry at first, but maybe the anger was there only because nothing more happened. Could that be? Well yes, it very well could. She sighed and grabbed the bottle from the table, her shot being empty again. She was getting drunk.

Empowered by the alcohol, her thoughts took another turn. She wanted to go see Agatha right now. She hadn’t seen her the whole day and she was lonely. Oh, so lonely.

Where did that come from? It wasn’t so long ago that she was trying to convince herself she wasn’t lonely. That the fact she was alone didn’t mean she was lonely. Rio groaned again. Fucking Agatha. Her chest tightened some more and she suddenly felt lonely and overwhelmed and sad. She would need to see the older woman. First thing in the morning, she promised herself.

Apparently, the serial killer was the cure to her problems now. Rio chuckled bitterly as she downed another shot. But then again, maybe Agatha was the cure considering she was also the reason why Rio felt this way. You’re going to see her first thing tomorrow, Rio. She promised herself again and turned off the TV to go to sleep.

Somehow, she found herself in the hall in front of the bowl with car keys instead of in front of her bed. Traitorous legs and rum. She gripped the edge of the shoe rack on which the bowl was placed to steady herself because she was a little wobbly after all the alcohol and then tried to convince herself that this was a bad idea. Driving was obviously out of the question, but she could call uber.

With that she opened her front door and nearly tripped over the small box placed in front of her apartment. A rather large pot with a plant right next to it.

She chuckled at herself, the alcohol making it somehow incredibly funny. Who could have left something at my door? She didn’t have a sign here instructing people to bring her their dying plants. And this plant was far from dying. She picked both with a bit of difficulty considering her drunken state and closed the door.

She noticed a note placed on the leaves as she took them further into her apartment. She put the plant (a very expensive poisonous plant, thank you very much) on the floor and sat back on the couch that she hastily had left to go see Agatha with the deluxe black paper box in hand. She took the note and focused her gaze on it.

“I thought you should be given something full of life that doesn’t need saving for once.

And the gift inside the box is just a little courtesy from me.

Love, A.H.”

Rio smiled.

And in her drunken state nearly sobbed because what the fuck… this was so thoughtful. Not only did Agatha clearly listen when Rio was vomiting her life story, she also took the time to give her something. Just for the sake of it. And actually, not just something. The plant was very expensive and poisonous. Illegal. You could buy it only with proper paperwork - proving you need it for science.

Rio’s heart leaped when she looked at it again. “You’re beautiful,” she told the plant.

Then she realized there was also the box sitting next to her. She took it and opened it to reveal a blood-red tie, undoubtedly made from pure silk, with five stripes of diamonds on it.

Diamonds.

Fucking diamonds.

DIAMONDS.

She was looking at it, stroking it, as Agatha’s smooth voice filled her head once again, “You’d get the same shade as the tie as I’d fuck you from behind. Maybe I would need to stuff it into your mouth so other prisoners wouldn’t be able to hear your cries of pleasure.”

She whimpered.

Okay, she needed to see Agatha right now. She would put the tie on and hope for the best.

Rio got up with renewed vigor and nearly fell from the fast change of position mixed with alcohol. She hiccupped and started to laugh. Well I can’t go now. What would Agatha think of me if I hiccupped like that… She hiccupped again and laughed even more. Oh Rio, you’ve officially lost it. Before she could spiral into the depths of her own hazy mind her phone beeped, indicating a new text message.

She looked in the direction of the sound and found her phone on the table. She took it and read the message.

Rio mom invited u
for breakfast 2morrow if
ur game. We dont have to
go to work so mom thought
u could visit.

Another message arrived as she was reading the first one.

It’s Wade, btw.

She groaned.

Tomorrow is Saturday. We don’t have to go to work on Saturday. Well, I don’t at least. She would just go finish the prescriptions then. It was long overdue. And then maybe pick up the pills? Was the pharmacy open during the weekend? She had no clue.

Sounds like a plan. It was a good plan too. She really needed to do that. And once she was there, she might as well just see Agatha. The serial killer just happened to be in her place of work, so…

Hi Wade. I won’t be able
to make it. Gotta work.
Thanks for the invite, tho!

Rio replied and thanked whoever for the autocorrect because she was not sound enough to actually write that without typos. She still lowkey wanted to go see Agatha now, but knew it wasn’t the best idea. She hiccupped again and told herself that she would see Agatha tomorrow. That was okay. Tomorrow wasn’t so far away.

She made it to her bedroom on very unsteady legs and passed out in her clothes once she hit the mattress, the alcohol and emotional exhaustion finally catching up with her.

Rio woke up around 11am with a hangover. Her head was pounding, her whole body felt abused.

First thing she noticed when she opened her eyes was the fact that her hand was still clutching the tie Agatha had given her. Somehow it survived the night during which Rio was usually twisting and turning, without losing her grip on the fabric. And there was not a single wrinkle on it. Figures.

She groaned and went to retrieve the bottle of pills she kept in her bathroom. She greeted her dagger and made the mistake of looking at herself in the mirror. She looked worse for wear, to put it mildly.

She was grateful for her yesterday’s decision to go to Salem because had she not, she would have to be at the Wilson’s for breakfast today. And that was not an option. Not by a long shot.

Rio took two pills and washed it with water straight from the tap. She groaned, hunched over the sink and prayed that the pills would start to work soon.

She realized that after her pity party she’d passed out on the bed without a shower. Rio, you pig. That wouldn’t do, she still wore yesterday’s clothes too. New low. This is your new low. She made her way to the bathroom and started the bath. Technically no one expected her in Salem, she wasn’t even supposed to be there today. She had time for a bath. And you wouldn’t go see Agatha smelling like a drunk.

Rio undressed and stepped inside the tub. She melted into a puddle when the hot water touched her whole body. She preferred the water to be so hot that it nearly hurt. Thousands of needles attacked her skin before it dissolved into nothing and she was only surrounded by warmth. She would have to wash her hair too because it smelled.

God, how much did she drink yesterday? Probably a tad too much. The pills helped, but only on the physical aspect of the hangover, no one could help with the emotional toll. Well, someone actually might, she thought and smirked. Apparently, she did that now when thinking of Agatha.

She would see her soon. Unruly dark hair, porcelain skin, those eyes…

Rio’s hand lazily crossed from her neck over her breasts and continued south. Her skin was red, oversensitive from the hot water so she already felt lightheaded from the touches. She bit her lip and spread herself with two fingers. The hot water immediately spread through her folds and she gasped, needing to get used to the temperature. Would Agatha laugh at her? Would she tell her to keep going? Rio groaned. What the hell are you doing, Rio?! She’s your patient! Stop this.

And she did, even if very reluctantly. She would not repeat what happened three nights ago. She was not even horny. Well, not that much anyway. Damn Agatha.

After a long hour in the bath Rio finally left it, feeling reborn. That was probably an exaggeration - she was just happy she didn’t smell anymore. She dressed, took Lady Death from the nightstand and strapped her to its usual place above her ribs. Even in her drunken state she didn't forget to put the dagger in its usual place.

Rio never forgot.

Happy she didn’t smell anymore she made her way to the kitchen. She checked the contents of her fridge, making a mental note to go shopping later and settled on a French toast. It sounded good enough to satiate her hunger and the sweet tooth she was sporting this morning (afternoon).

After eating that while reading her favorite botany book (she had a new baby, after all), she cleaned the table and finally left her flat.

A storm was raging outside her office walls. Wind, rain and thunder assaulting all of her senses. Rio was happy she opted for a warm green sweater, but she still wished for an actual fireplace to light the place up a bit. There was nothing like the heat of fire and its orange light. It was only early afternoon, but this place was always so dark and gloomy. It was like Salem was under some sort of bad weather spell.

Rio watered her plants in the office, checked the prescriptions block and decided to visit Agatha. She just couldn’t wait any longer. Sure, she really needed to work on the medication since it was supposed to be done by now, but she also needed to see the older woman. The storm was unforgiving, what if Agatha was scared? Yeah, Rio. Keep telling yourself that. Good job. She huffed, being frustrated with herself and left her office. Prescriptions could wait a little longer.

When Rio reached the isolated cell on the fifth floor, she saw Agatha pacing back and forth, muttering something to herself. Chanting something like a crazy person. Which she wasn’t!

“Hello, Agatha,” Rio greeted from in front of the cell. The older woman hadn't even noticed her presence yet. Agatha turned to look at the therapist after the greeting, but it was like she wasn’t even there. Her eyes were cold and unforgiving. Then she started to pace again. “Can we talk?” Rio asked, suddenly unsure of herself.

“Busy,” the criminal barked out between her constant chanting.

“How can you be busy?” she chuckled. “You’re locked up in a cell, remember?” she smiled, trying to ease the atmosphere. Agatha stopped in her tracks to look at her again. Really look. Her stare was giving Rio goosebumps. And not in a good way. It was chilling, calculating… her smile dropped.

“Leave,” Agatha hissed and turned her back to Rio before she started pacing again.

The young woman’s stomach clenched; her chest tightened.

After a good minute she finally convinced her legs to take her out of there. Why was Agatha suddenly so cold to her?

Thinking of it, she was either hot or cold. Never something in between. Fire or ice. Well Rio surely preferred fire, even if she was bound to get burned. When the flames licked at her skin, she was all confused because of her conflicting feelings, but she burned hot. She wanted more no matter what. But when Agatha dropped her in ice, she was panicking, unsure of herself and in pain.

What did I do to her? Why is she like that all of a sudden?

Rio ran to her office on autopilot, not registering anything around her. This was not how her visit was supposed to go. Not by a long shot. She was afraid she would end up bent over the desk, she didn’t anticipate being thrown out. Not at all. That was never a possibility in her mind. And she did come up with about five (fifty) different scenarios.

“You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” a voice from a cell she was just passing on the third floor stopped her spiraling mind.

“Hi, Loki,” she forced out. “I –“ she swallowed. Rio would rather see a ghost than angry Agatha, if she was honest. And she hated ghosts.

“You smell nice,” he stated as he gripped the bars and sniffed the air.

“We’ve talked about this,” she scolded him.

“I know, I know,” he raised his hands defensively, but then asked, “Is this a new perfume?”

“Loki,” she said with a warning in her tone and crossed her arms over her chest protectively. She wasn’t afraid of him, though. She tried to protect herself from her thoughts. “Are you taking your pills?”

“Of course,” he replied without missing a beat.

If she wasn’t all in her head about Agatha, she would have noticed the blatant lie.

“I’ll up your dosage,” she informed him. That was why she was here today after all. Not because of Agatha.

Ah, Agatha…

Rio’s chest tightened again and she scratched her forearm before pressing Lady Death to her ribs absentmindedly.

“Whatever you think is the best, boss,” he replied, studying her.

She had to stop the scratching. She always did that when she was nervous or anxious or unsure of herself and couldn’t play with her dagger. Ground yourself!

Rio finally looked up at him and saw his curious gaze. She checked his cell - small, stony with one old bed. Unlike Agatha he didn’t even have a window. “Don’t you want to look outside? There is an empty cell on the second floor. It’s the same as this one, but it has a window.”

“Who wouldn’t want to look outside?” he replied lightheartedly.

“Would you be okay to move to another cell or are you attached to this one?“

“I’ll move, it’s not a problem,” he reassured.

“Good, that’s settled then. It’s enough you’re wearing those stupid cuffs and are in chains more often than not…” she murmured.

“You do realize we’re all here for a reason, right?” he chuckled. “We all did something to get a one-way ticket to this place.”

“Not William,” she said under her breath.

“That kid did kill someone too, didn’t he?”

“But he was underage and has a serious disease. He should be in a mental hospital instead of here. Imagine being a kid in a place like this,” she sighed and shook her head.

“Well, tough. But here we’re all twisted in a way,” he smirked.

“Do you regret what you did?” Rio asked carefully. They haven’t really talked about it in their sessions yet. She could see he was now more open after she offered him a better cell, though.

“In a way I regret taking her life,” he replied thoughtfully. “I don’t regret claiming her. I don’t regret what happened before that. She smelled nice,” he said with a creepy smile on his face. “Like you,” he added with an intense stare.

She shuddered.

Loki’s victim, the girl he actually raped and killed, was a brunette with dark chocolate eyes. Younger rather than older. From what they gathered, he used to stalk girls like that - brunettes with brown eyes, but never made contact. Until that one time.

Rio had discovered that his sister died young. She looked like all the women Loki stalked. He had clearly never gotten over her death.

Rio fit the profile perfectly. Then there were also the comments and gaze that made a chill run down her spine.

He’s locked up, you’re safe.

“Ehm,” she cleared her throat. “The pills help, right?”

“Sure, boss,” he winked. Surely they would help if he was taking them… but they numbed his head. He was not a fan.

“From what you just told me though, you do regret taking the girl’s life, don’t you?”

“Yes. I didn’t mean to kill her; I just couldn’t control it.”

“So, you have a conscience,” she concluded. As much as a rapist can have, that is.

“We all do,” he shrugged. “Well, except Agatha of course,” he laughed.

“What do you mean?” Rio furrowed her brow.

“Have you asked Agi about hers yet?” Loki asked, still smiling.

“It’s complicated,” she replied. “She has a disorder.”

“She’s mental, that one,” he said amused.

“We don’t use that word.”

“Let me put it this way then,” he replied thoughtfully. “I’m a big guy. Well, not exactly, but she’s small. I also know how to fight. Yet I wouldn’t want to cross her.”

“How do you know her anyway?”

“We’ve met a couple of times. I saw her from a distance. As I said, it was not my intention to get in her way.”

“Right,” Rio sighed. Agatha was surely not all bad. She just needed help. “Well, I better get going. I’ll get back to you about the change of your cell.”

“Thanks,” he replied and went to sit on his bed.

Rio had spent the whole afternoon reviewing the medications and writing prescriptions, but she worked on autopilot. Her mind was quite absent. It was also the reason why everything took her much longer than usual. She just couldn’t forget what Loki said. “We all have a conscience, except Agatha.”

She also couldn’t shake off the dismissal from earlier today. All she could think of was Agatha, in one way or another. She decided to write a prescription for herself for some anxiety reducing pills. It had been years since she had taken them, but the pressure in her chest became a constant… It was her unwelcome guest. And Rio didn’t do unwelcome guests. She also added stronger pills for the hangover because it seemed like she would be needing them again.

The storm was still raging, but from afar now. It was still pouring and lightening illuminated the sky every now and then, but at least it wasn’t directly above their heads anymore. Her mood didn’t improve, though. She was sure a certain woman was to blame for that. She groaned. I really shouldn’t go see her, but …

She should check up on her. What if something bad happened? And clearly it did if her frantic behavior earlier was any indication. Rio didn’t need to go inside the cell, not even in front of it. Just close enough to deduce if Agatha was okay. Yes, she should do that. She was responsible for her after all. The fact that she wanted to see her had nothing to do with this.

She gathered herself and went back to the fifth floor.

Rio leaned on the stone wall with her back next to Agatha’s cell and took a deep breath. So what that she wanted to see her? They needed to talk about what happened earlier today. What if the older woman needed help? They also needed to discuss what happened the last time Rio was in that cell. What kind of magic was Agatha using on her? And it surely felt like it! Like she was under some sort of spell… You’re gay and Agatha is hot, that’s the spell. Rio shut the voice inside her head and pinched the bridge of her nose.

Rio heard footsteps, but no fingers encircled the bars so the older woman probably just moved around in her cell. She was so close. Maybe this was a bad idea after all. Maybe Rio shouldn’t be here. Hell, she surely shouldn’t be here! But she couldn’t help it. No, no she could. She should just leave. It was Saturday. They didn’t have any scheduled session; Rio shouldn’t even be in Salem today. The sensible thing would be to walk away. Yep, she should do just that.

“I know you’re there, little bird. Why don’t you come to me, hmm?” Agatha cooed and the girl’s knees nearly gave out upon hearing that deep rich voice.

Well there goes my sensibility…

Rio pulled away from the wall and walked over in front of the cell. She saw Agatha standing a few feet from the bars, pinning her with a burning gaze. The criminal smiled upon seeing her. “Now that wasn’t so hard, was it? Come here, my sweet,” Agatha said and pointed with her finger right in front of herself. Rio didn’t think twice and just obeyed. She closed the cell behind herself, but didn’t lock it. They both knew Agatha could get past her if she wanted even with the cell locked.

Once she was in front of the older woman, Agatha pushed her by the throat to the metal bars and pressed her body flushed against hers. “Did you miss me?” she purred, almost kissing her cheek, but not quite. Rio wanted to lean in, but a pale hand held her steadily by the front of her throat. Agatha caressed her arm with her other hand and inhaled deeply of her scent, almost moaning.

“I – I did,” Rio admitted.

“I missed you too,” Agatha purred and Rio’s eyes rolled to the back of her skull – mostly because of the hand around her neck.

Agatha moaned at the display. She closed her hand around Rio’s neck even more.

It still wasn’t restricting her breathing, though. It wasn’t unpleasant. The only unpleasant thing was the metal biting into her back and the restraints Agatha had on her wrists.

“I was here just this morning,” Rio managed, inhaling the woman’s scent.

“You were?” Agatha asked with a furrowed brow.

“Yes. And you sent me away,” she replied with a trembling voice. How pathetic.

“I did?” she replied barely above a whisper. “I should make it up to you then, shouldn’t I?” Agatha asked as she moved her hand from the front of Rio’s neck to the side, making space on the other side where her jugular was pumping madly. Then Agatha leaned in and snaked her tongue out to lick the pulsing vein from bottom to top.

Rio whimpered and bit her lip to suppress the moan that was ripping out of her mouth. She however couldn’t hold it in when Agatha bit her jaw teasingly, not quite inflicting any real pain. The woman in question smirked and whispered to her ear, “Just how much did you miss me, pet?”

“So much that I came here on Saturday,” Rio breathed out, trying to ignore the wetness between her legs. Agatha had barely touched her and she was already dripping. Goddess, will I flood Salem when she actually does touch me?

“Aw, all because of me?” the criminal whispered and pushed her leg between Rio’s. The therapist nodded, her mind going blank. She had a certain ache between her legs that only Agatha could soothe. “I can feel the heat radiating from your core, my sweet.”

The voice, the touch, the press of Agatha’s thigh between her legs… it was too much.

Rio whimpered and tried to get some friction by rolling her hips, but was unable to. Agatha had her pinned between the bars and her body without any chance of moving. And Goddess did she try…

“I’m almost tempted to let you dry hump me like the needy whore that you are,” Agatha husked, nibbing at the olive jaw while observing the therapist’s reaction. The shock at her words was evident and Rio also tensed. “No, you’re right. You are not a whore, you’re my pretty little therapist, aren’t you?”

Rio nodded, biting her lip. She was absolutely desperate. She has never been so wet in her life - something about being a closeted gay probably. She was also never this aroused by another person. She needed Agatha to touch her. Her life depended on it. “Agatha, please,” she pleaded through a moan.

Agatha flexed the muscle in her thigh and Rio felt it directly on her clit. She moaned into her ear and gripped the woman’s hips with her hands.

“Na-ah, hands back on the bars,” she commanded and Rio complied. “So obedient,” the serial killer husked. “I bet you would let me do anything now, wouldn’t you?”

The younger woman just nodded, the ability to talk somehow left her.

“Just like the last time, isn’t it? Did you want me to fuck you?” she asked and bit her neck which resulted in Rio moaning while trying to nod. “What a silly question, of course you did,” Agatha mused. “Hmmm, what to do with you…”

“Anything,” Rio choked out.

“Anything?” Agatha repeated with a smirk. “Would you strip –“

“Yes,” she interrupted and if she had any space to start doing so, she would.

“Let me finish, pet,” the criminal hissed, closing her hand around the slender neck in warning. “Would you strip and run around the prison naked for all criminals to see?”

Rio’s eyes flew open at that and she gaped at the woman. She definitely didn’t want to do that for so many reasons. No, there was no way she was doing it. Clarity returned to her and she swallowed the lump in her throat. She could not do that.

Agatha watched as the lustful haze lifted and groaned internally. She forgot her little therapist was not conditioned yet. She was very submissive and obedient which was why Agatha was under the impression that she could do anything.

She knew it would take more than one session to break her and bare all her barriers, though. This was a foolish mistake. “Of course, you don’t want to do that. You know you’re mine,” she said, manipulating the girl back where she wanted her. “Only I can see you naked. Only I can touch you. My eyes and my hands only. No one else’s.”

Rio nodded, but she observed Agatha even if through lidded eyes. The haze was slowly fading. She was still aching between her legs, very aware of the thigh pressing into her core, but she could see a bit more clearly now.

And Agatha could see that, too.

So she made sure Rio would fall back under her spell. She shifted her leg, pressing more firmly to Rio’s clit and encouraging her to roll her hips. Only a little, though. She didn’t want the girl coming. The hand not holding Rio’s neck ventured under the oversized sweater, trailing over her ribs and stopping at the dagger.

Rio froze.

“Can I play with it, Rio?” She asked, breathing the question straight into her ear. “I will just take it out and look at it,” she promised and simultaneously encouraged Rio’s hips to move against her thigh again.

Rio fought to stay in control of her mind. Her underwear was ruined, but she liked to think she herself wasn’t.

Giving Agatha a weapon was not a very smart thing to do. Then again, dry humping her probably wasn’t either.

Agatha could see the turmoil. She thrived on it. This was the part she liked the most.

The breaking.

Her hand trailed from the sheath onto Rio’s breast. The only thing obscuring her touch was the fabric of a T-Shirt, there was no bra. She pinched the nipple and Rio whimpered, hips bucking. “Don’t you trust me, pet?” she cooed, her voice pure silk.

And Rio was torn.

She didn’t trust her, of course not. But then again, she kind of did.

“Have I ever given you a reason not to trust me?” Agatha husked out, biting her earlobe. Rio’s eyes rolled to the back of her skull.

Every sensible person would see that this was definitely one of the reasons, but Rio wasn’t very sensible when it came to the dark-haired woman. “N-no,” she breathed out, her control slipping.

Rapidly.

“Think about the reward you’ll get for being a good girl.”

Rio whimpered again at being called that, slipping further and further into the abyss. “W-what reward?”

“I’m sure I’ll think of something. Did you like the tie?”

Rio groaned, but it lacked any actual irritation. The shine of the diamonds flashed in front of her closed eyes… of course she liked the tie!

“Yes.”

A single worded response. Got you. Agatha was sure Rio would comment on it much more if she wasn’t in a haze. “I’ll take care of you,” she promised and palmed her breast. “I just want to look at it. Admire the craftsmanship. Promise,” she smirked. Not that Rio could see that with her closed eyes and Agatha’s face buried in her neck.

“Yeah?”

“Pinky swear. Just that and then I’ll give you your dagger back.”

“Okay,” the girl relented. It wasn’t really even up to her anymore. Agatha could do whatever she wanted with her. She would strip and run around the prison if the serial killer commanded her to do it.

Rio was hers to do with as she pleased.

Agatha smiled and withdrew her hand from under Rio’s sweater to cup her cheek. She wasn’t releasing her hold on the neck. Not yet. She stroked the flushed cheek softly with her thumb as she whispered straight to Rio’s ear, “Such a good girl.”

Rio mewled, her hips bucking. She tried to speed up her movements to chase the high, but Agatha pressed her body closer to hers, stopping her efforts whatsoever. “Do you want to cum, my darling?”

“Yeees,” Rio whined.

She was a sight, Agatha had to give her that. But she wasn’t going to relent so easily.

“No,” she said steadily, hand moving to the front of her neck and closing. She was done with teasing Rio with her teeth. Her other hand left the cheek and found its way under the sweater again. She gripped the dagger’s handle and pulled.

Rio’s breath hitched.

She was so wound up that she nearly came just from that. Just from Agatha taking Lady Death.

Once Agatha had the dagger fully in her palm, she released Rio’s neck and pressed the blade to it instead. Rio’s eyes shot open. The brown was mostly swallowed by the black pupils, but a hint of fear was visible in them.

“Shhh,” Agatha cooed, kissing her cheek.

It was feather-light and over before Rio could even blink. It was not nearly enough to what she needed. Desperately at this point. She tried to chase her mouth as it was retreating which resulted in pushing the knife deeper into her neck. The skin broke and blood appeared.

She didn’t care.

Agatha however, cared a lot. She moaned, her hips jerking against the thigh that was basically in between her own legs considering she had hers pressed against Rio’s core.

“Fuck, pet,” she said breathlessly, eyes fixed on the bleeding spot. “You’re one of a kind, aren’t you?”

Rio moaned, nodding, pushing the blade even deeper with the notion. It stung, but she was so overwhelmed by her need that she really, really didn’t care.

Agatha pulled the blade away to be able to fully appreciate the cut. She brushed her thumb over it, smearing the blood. “Fuck fuck fuck.” Her own self-control was slipping. She didn’t plan to fuck Rio yet. She didn’t even plan on using the dagger… shit.

Rio surely gave her a run for her money.

Agatha pulled her thumb away and placed it in her mouth, moaning at the strong metallic taste. Rio became nearly feral. She pulled her body away from the bars, as much as possible with Agatha’s leg still between hers, and tried to crash their mouths together.

Agatha responded immediately with an unforgiving hand that closed around Rio’s neck again, the wet thumb pressing on the rapidly pulsing jugular. This time she was also pushing her to the bars by her throat.

Rio’s own hand shot to Agatha’s wrist and she thought the girl was about to pull at her hand – was about to fight the grip, but instead she pushed Agatha’s hand even further, forcing her grip to tighten even more.

It was so hot that Agatha forgot herself for a second. She regained composure quickly, though. She finally had Rio exactly where she wanted her. “Hands back on the bars!” she barked her command. She couldn’t have Rio thinking she could just do whatever she wanted, could she now. “Apparently you need to be pinned, don’t you,” she hissed.

“Sorry, mommy.”

Oh, Rio was in deep.

Her eyes were basically pitch black, lidded, and it was obvious she was struggling with keeping them at least slightly open. Her breathing was irregular, her pulse erratic. And the heat emanating from her core nearly scorching. She looked so needy.

“Only good girls get to cum, Rio. Don’t forget that.”

“I really want to cum,” she said at the verge of tears now.

“I know, darling,” Agatha cooed and pouted for show. “But you cannot until I let you. I own your orgasms, Rio. I own you.” Rio whimpered at that even as a lone tear slipped free from her eye at being denied. As it rolled down her cheek, Agatha licked it. “You’re so beautiful, my pretty little thing.”

Rio moaned, hips bucking again.

“Now clean your dagger. I can’t really admire it if it’s dirty, can I?” she asked as she held the slightly bloodied blade in front of Rio’s mouth. She was actually curious what the therapist would do.

She loosened her grip around the throat because she didn’t want to force the weapon to her mouth. She wanted for Rio to lick her own blood at her own volition.

And boy did she deliver.

Rio didn’t just lick it, alright. She actually put her lips around it, taking the dagger inside her mouth and moaning around the blade. Her tongue probably cleaned the underside while her lips enveloped it even further. It resulted in taking the dagger even further into her mouth.

If Agatha moved only an inch or if she took a slightly deeper breath, she would cut the corners of her mouth.

And that was when Rio fucking smiled.

The corners of her mouth pulled up around the blade, her expression sinister. She smiled as much as possible with a dagger inside her mouth and it cut her slightly on each side, but she didn’t seem to care.

Agatha lost it.

“Open,” she commanded breathlessly, not wanting to slice Rio’s lips. Of course, Rio obliged immediately. Once the dagger was free, Agatha pulled it away and let it drop to the floor unceremoniously. Sure, neither of them was particularly happy about such treatment, but she didn’t have time to care about such banal things.

She surged forward and claimed Rio’s mouth in a desperate kiss.

One hand found its way around Rio’s neck again, the other tangled in her hair - pulling. Rio gripped the bars with her own hands so hard that her knuckles turned white in order not to reach out for Agatha – she still wasn’t allowed, after all.

Rio moaned upon the onslaught. Or maybe it was Agatha that moaned into her mouth after finally getting a taste of her.

A taste mixed with the heavy tang of blood.

Agatha kissed her like she did everything – demanding, dominating, not letting Rio catch a break. Agatha’s tongue absolutely dominated the inside of her mouth, pushing Rio further into her own head with each stroke. And then the teeth came…

Rio nearly came as well.

She whimpered when Agatha broke the kiss, trying to chase her mouth as she was retreating again, but the hand around her throat stopped her.

“Agatha, please,” she begged, tears falling from her eyes. She was mad with lust. The ache between her legs was unbearable.

“Stay put,” Agatha commanded as she sank to her knees. Rio’s eyes rolled to the back of her skull and she let out a guttural moan. They were lucky there was a storm outside.

Agatha picked Lady Death up and observed it. It was a nice dagger indeed, slightly curvy - giving the impression of a scythe. The curve wasn’t so prominent, though. Its handle was in a deep green color and it looked like vines were encircling it. It was a nice weapon.

“Please,” Rio begged again.

Only then did Agatha lift her eyes from the blade to look at her. Rio was gripping the bars behind her back with her hands, breathing erratically. She was trembling with need.

So pretty.

Agatha lifted the sweater along with her T-Shirt to uncover Rio’s hip bone. She kissed the olive skin right above it. Slightly nibbed at it, but not enough for it to bruise. She had different plans. With a wicked smile she locked eyes with Rio and brought the tip of Lady Death to her skin.

Originally, she only planned to get the dagger to test the waters, really. To see how devoted Rio had become. She definitely didn’t plan to press it to her neck. She absolutely didn’t plan to kiss her. And she most certainly didn’t plan to fucking use it.

But here they were.

Rio’s hips bucked when she understood what Agatha was about to do. The older woman pressed her forearm over her abdomen to prevent her hips from moving. “Shhh, don’t move,” she commanded, pushing Rio to the bars with her forearm, keeping her in place. “Wouldn’t want to actually maim you, my love.”

Before Rio could fall apart about the pet name, Agatha used a bit of force and sliced the skin.

She cut in a slightly inclined vertical line that was a little over two inches long. “Deeper,” Rio whined, trembling. She wanted Agatha to mark her. To brand her. And she didn’t want the wound to ever heal.

Agatha bit her hip bone at that and soothed it with her tongue, eliciting another mewl. “You freak,” she said huskily, affection and lust clear in her tone, and cut another line - connecting the two at the top. She cut the final one in the middle of them, carving a perfect A.

Admiring her handiwork, she smiled widely. Then she proceeded to lick it. The metallic taste assaulted her taste buds once again and she moaned. Rio whimpered, crazy with need at this point. “I can smell you, princess,” Agatha said. “You’re drenched, aren’t you? Desperate for me.”

Rio only nodded erratically, not trusting her voice.

“You would do anything for me, wouldn’t you, my sweet girl?” she rasped, stroking Rio’s thigh with the handle.

“Y-yes.”

She kissed the carved A with an open mouth, humming in content. She actually wanted to taste the girl, to eat her out until Rio wouldn’t know any other name than Agatha’s, but … no, she needed her to do something first.

“Look at me, princess,” she said softly, but the command was there. When Rio obliged, she elaborated, “There’s a bag with my belongings locked in the main office. I want my brooch back,” she pouted, putting on a show. And my weapons, but Rio doesn’t need to know that. “Would you be a dear and bring the bag to me?”

Rio’s eyes widened slightly and she visibly swallowed, but she didn’t deny the request straight away (as she should). Agatha kissed the mark again for good measure to make her more docile. To help with the decision.

“Okay, Agatha,” Rio said in a whine, her resolve non-existent. Agatha shattered it the second she put Lady Death to her skin. Hell, who was she kidding? The second she laid her blue eyes on her… “But I,” she pouted too, the sting of the cut clearly clouding her judgement. “I really need to cum. Like… so badly. Please.”

“Oh I know, sweet thing. I can tell,” she cooed and nearly killed Rio when she placed a kiss to her leggings-clad core. Agatha moaned, feeling the wetness even over two garments as it soaked through. FUCK. “Be a good girl and bring me the bag. Then I’ll let you cum.”

“Yeah?” Rio asked in a small voice.

“Of course. I wouldn’t lie to you,” Agatha cooed.

“Okay,” she nodded and peeled herself from the bars with everything she was and had left.

“Repeat to yourself who you belong to the whole way there and back, Rio.”

Another nod, another step.

“Look at your pretty little brand in case you need a reminder.”

As desired, Rio’s hand pulled the sweater and T-Shirt to reveal it as her eyes shot to the angry, still slightly bleeding A. Her knees buckled, a whimper leaving her lips.

That should be enough to keep her within this headspace. But just to be sure…

“Run your fingers over it when you reach the office. Moan out my name.”

“Agatha, please,” Rio nearly tripped when she reached the door and heard the instructions.

“Soon,” Agatha purred in reply and sent her off. Of course, Rio didn’t even close the door how fast she went. It was risky to do this, but Agatha didn’t really have a choice. She needed her gun; she needed her knife. She was about to leave this place and that couldn’t happen unarmed.

Agatha started to pace when the minutes dragged on and Rio was nowhere to be seen. Her cell was open, but … no, she needed to see if the girl would do what was asked of her. ‘Bring a bag’ wasn’t such a hard request. There would be others… much worse.

She smiled widely, genuinely relieved when Rio appeared in front of the cell. With the bag in hand. Once the therapist entered the cell, Agatha cupped her face and praised her. “Such a good girl.” Rio whimpered. “Any problems, my sweet?” she asked because it definitely took longer than she anticipated.

“No, I just …” she trailed off and bit her lip, eyes turning towards the floor.

“What did you do, Rio?” Agatha demanded. Then it dawned on her. “Did you run your fingers over the ‘A’ I had so beautifully carved for you?”

“Yeees.”

“And?”

“And it made me touch myself,” she whined.

Agatha scoffed and released Rio’s face. She could see the immediate panic.

Internally Agatha was incredibly pleased to hear that Rio just couldn’t ‘keep it in her pants’, but she couldn’t praise her for disobedience. Yes, it definitely helped the therapist to stay in her headspace and that was desired, but…

“I didn’t finish!” Rio exclaimed, desperate. “Please Agatha, I …” she teared up. “I touched myself briefly, imagining it’s you, but then I stopped. I remembered I’m yours and my orgasms are yours. Please, pleeease.” She grabbed Agatha’s jumper desperately with the hand not holding the bag, her pretty eyes wide with shame and fear.

“Awww,” Agatha feign pouted in mockery. “You were so desperate for mommy that you couldn’t help yourself when you touched your pretty brand, weren’t you?” Rio nodded erratically, her grip tightening. “Drop the bag,” Agatha commanded, her voice steel. “And release my jumper.”

Rio did both without a question, anticipating what was next.

Agatha took a step closer which resulted in Rio taking a step back. They danced like this until the girl was pressed against the stony wall. Her eyes widened comically when her back made impact with the solid surface and Agatha smirked.

It was her predatory smirk. A spider that caught the helpless fly and was about to feast. Except that the fly was willing to let the predator have all of her blood.

Agatha observed her for a moment from a short distance. She paced with Lady Death in hand. It reminded Rio of a predator circling its prey. Her own eyes trailed to the dagger more often than not. She bit her lip and started to tremble from the anticipation. Her hand found its way under the sweater to trace the sore mark - Agatha’s brand. Her claim.

Agatha’s eyes traced the movement and she let out a groan. “You’re so fucking perfect,” she said breathlessly and pinned Rio between her body and the wall again. She brought the dagger to her lips, right in front of their faces and closed them around the tip to lick off the half-dried blood.

Rio released a pathetic mewl, eyes rolling to the back of her skull for what felt like a hundred time today. “Eyes on me, pet,” Agatha said around the blade carefully. She herself was starting (she was a goner already) to get fond of the brown orbs completely consumed by black. She wanted to see the lust, desire and want swirling in them.

When she was happy with her work and the blade was clean, she pulled the sweater up and sheathed the dagger in One. Hard. Thrust.

Rio’s eyes screwed shut, her cunt clenching around nothing. “Please,” she pleaded. She wanted – no, needed – for the older woman to do this with her fingers and her throbbing pussy.

Agatha purred and forced her leg between Rio’s, pressing her thigh against her clit and flexed the muscle for good measure. “Go on,” she encouraged.

The therapist whimpered. She understood the message. If you want it, work for it - I won’t touch you. It was humiliating. But Rio was far past the point of no return. She rolled her hips, the pleasure shooting from her core to her whole being immediately. Her head lolled back to the stone wall and she sped up her movement.

She stopped caring about how pathetic she must look. She opened her eyes to search for Agatha’s hand and her breath hitched when she saw Agatha’s face. The serial killer looked like she was seconds away from tearing Rio a new one. She breathed heavily through an open mouth; her blue eyes were swallowed by black. And instead of feeling stupid for dry humping her like a bitch in heat, Rio felt powerful.

When she found Agatha’s hands (as originally planned) she could see they were balled into fists at her side. She took one wrist in her own and pulled it to her neck.

Agatha let out a feral groan, her own hip jerking to Rio. “You want me to choke you, princess?” she rasped out, voice heavily laced with lust. Rio nodded frantically, her movements picking up pace again now that she had a weight on her neck. “How hard?” Agatha checked.

“E-enough that .. fuck …,” she tried to voice between her pants and moans, “I have … eh … d-difficulty breathing … but that … fuuck … I still c-can.”

Rio was close.

And who was Agatha to deny her perfect needy thing?

She closed her hand around her throat as requested and took the liberty of also railing Rio up with her words, breathed out straight into her ear. “You’ve been such a good girl for mommy,” she started. “I told you good girls get to cum, didn’t I? And you, my precious little darling, are a very good girl.”

Agatha knew the orgasm was coming the second she ushered those words. She put her free hand over Rio’s mouth, knowing that this sound even the storm wouldn’t be able to swallow and let the therapist fall apart in her arms.

She trashed against her as the force of the orgasm took over. The cry of pleasure was guttural and the aftershocks ran through her body, making her spasm uncontrollably. Agatha held her through it, murmuring sweet nothings.

Eventually though, Agatha still had things to do, so she let go. Rio was grasping desperately at her, but she had none of it. She went to the bag and put it on her bed while Rio just slid down the wall and hugged her knees. She was still twitching every now and then and her breathing was heavy.

Agatha took out her knife and put it on the side not visible to Rio. Not that the girl was watching… she had her head buried in her knees. Then she took out the gun. There were still a few bullets left. She could work with that. At last she took the brooch.

Maiden. Mother. Crone.

She would feel nostalgic if she was capable of it when rummaging through the flannel skirt, khaki pants and worn jacket. Soon. Not that this would be her usual attire… She had her favorite designer coat at home, thank you very much. Among other things. Agatha liked the finer things in life.

While the clothes would be handy for her escape, she couldn’t empty the whole bag. If someone actually checked the evidence box… yeah, no. She would figure it out with Alice and Lilia. She didn’t need to risk it.

She covered the weapons with her duvet and took the bag back to Rio. The girl was still on the floor. “Now now, pet,” Agatha cooed. “Are you overwhelmed from your pretty orgasm, my sweet?”

Rio nodded, not looking up.

“Aw, I know, baby,” Agatha pouted. Her own wetness was uncomfortable to say the least and she didn’t cum in her pants. “But you need to get the bag back.” She lifted the therapist by her hand, motioning towards the door.

Rio blinked and took a deep breath. She probably tried to compose herself. “You need to go, Rio.” It could have worked if Agatha didn’t drop her in ice again. Right after scorching her whole existence, her very being.

“Right,” she let out, her voice weak. Small.

“As much as I’d like to, I’m not allowed sleepovers,” Agatha pouted for show.

“Yeah no… yeah,” Rio said meekly. Does that mean that if she could, she would have let me stay? NO it doesn’t, you IDIOT. Get your ass away from here before you embarrass yourself even further. “I’ll just… yeah.” She took the bag and left.

“You should probably lock the door, honey,” Agatha mused.

“Right.” She halted her retreat to do just that. Get a fucking grip.

But she couldn’t. Her mind was fuzzy to say the least. It was like she wasn’t even in her own head. Instead, the cruel voice she tried to shut down on most days, grew in strength - spewing mean things.

“Rio?” Agatha called for her, seeing how distant her gaze actually was. She shouldn’t be in her head anymore.

“Hmm?” Rio replied on autopilot, eyes not lifting up.

“Look at me,” she demanded, going to the bars. “Now, Rio,” she stressed when the girl didn’t obey right away. Her eyes found Agatha’s reluctantly and the older woman cupped her cheek through the bars. “You’re mine, Rio. Don’t forget that.”

“I am?” she asked in a small, broken voice. Agatha arched her perfect eyebrow in reply, giving her a stern look. “No I mean… you still want me?” I’m broken. No one wants me. You sure as hell don’t want me.

“Of course I want you. I don’t give pretty little brands to just anyone, pet.” Rio smiled at that. “Now off you go.” Rio nodded and finally walked away.

When Agatha was sure Rio was gone she did something she hadn’t done in a long time. She was above carnal needs. She didn’t let her body dictate her mind.

But today, today her hand trailed down south in her jumpsuit and she masturbated to the pretty noises Rio let out. To how beautiful she looked when she cried from the need to cum. And to the thoughts of the cut on her neck and Agatha’s carved claim next to her hip bone.

Agatha hadn’t cum so hard in her life.

Chapter Text

Agatha stood by the window and looked over the dramatic ocean. It soothed her. More often than not she imagined throwing different men down the cliff into the water for the waves to crush them (it was Faustus the last time), but even that didn’t bring her the usual joy now.

It was rather pathetic what the girl did to her.

For that alone, Agatha imagined throwing her down the cliff too, but that rubbed her the wrong way.

No, Rio will live.

Another wave collided with the rocks and Agatha let out a sigh. Somehow the massive force of the water crashing onto the cliff on which Salem was situated had a relaxing effect. And she needed that because it was late afternoon and her little therapist hadn’t bothered to visit yet.

The audacity.

Rio would come, though. Agatha was sure of it.

She just needed to get out of this hellhole to properly take care of her. Dinner and all that shit. Of course, by now she had also developed a strong need to fuck her. Properly. Letting Rio dry hump her didn’t count. Not by a long shot. Agatha wanted to touch. To possess. But that part was complicated because jealousy was driving her insane. Someone touched her otherwise perfect woman. A man at that. She would make him pay.

However, that wouldn’t solve the problem at hand. Someone defiled her with their filthy hands and it couldn’t be undone. Agatha was all about taking and claiming, making Rio hers. She could probably still do that, though. There were other ways, weren’t there? Somehow, she was quite sure Rio was a virgin in other holes. Yes, she would just fuck her ass to establish ownership.

Agatha rubbed at her sore wrists and sighed. She needed to get rid of the cuffs. The harm they caused her skin wasn’t the issue. She was almost used to it after years in here. No, she needed Rio to take them down for a different reason. The therapist surely had the power and authority - she had the key.

The thing was, these cuffs were wired. No one could leave Salem with them on their wrists without suffering electroshocks that would kill a cow. It was one of the reasons why the prison was understaffed and barely had any guards. Or any security to begin with, for that matter. It was not needed. Once Agatha exited through the front door, she would collapse from the high voltage.

She was certain Rio wasn’t aware of this. She truly doubted those two idiots briefed her about these things.

So, she twisted the metal to bite into her skin even more to draw fresh blood. She knew very well the young woman didn’t like it. Every time the cuffs moved and revealed the irritated or injured skin, her brown eyes narrowed and her shoulders tensed.

She was satisfied when streaks of blood flowed down her forearms. She rolled her sleeves up to her elbows and lifted her arms so the blood could flow down easily. Now the bloody therapist just needed to make an appearance. But she would come. Agatha was certain.

It didn’t even take five minutes before she heard light footsteps approaching the cell. She smirked, but didn’t turn around from the window just yet. This way Rio couldn’t see her arms at first sight. Agatha waited until she heard the lock and shuffling of furniture. Judging by the noise, Rio had sat at the table (somehow she kept forgetting to take it out of the cell) and waited for Agatha to join her.

Only after all movement and noise died out did Agatha cock her head to the side slightly.

“Are you not talking to me again?” Rio asked after a moment of silence.

“Of course I’m talking to you, pet,” Agatha drew out and turned around. “Why would I deprive myself of the pleasure?” she purred as she made her way to the table and sat down, hiding her forearms under it for now.

If she was secretly rubbing the cuffs even more into her skin no one could tell. Rio surely couldn’t. She was apparently very much inside her own head.

“Dunno,” Rio shrugged.

“Now now,” Agatha furrowed her brow. “I’m no expert, but I can see something’s bothering you. Talk to me.”

Rio let out a bitter chuckle and Agatha noticed the dark circles under her eye. She also had a very small cut on her neck from the dagger. Right. Agatha broke her skin there yesterday. And branded her.

“Rio,” she called for the girl to get her attention. When round brown eyes finally snapped to hers, she could see something darker swimming in them. Something that should not be there. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing. You’re the patient so tell me: how’s your day been going?”

“And unlike you I’m fine, so.”

“Good,” Rio simply said and pressed her tongue to the inside of her cheek. It was driving Agatha kind of crazy.

“So tell me what’s bothering you, my sweet.”

“Don’t act like you care,” Rio said quietly, as if choking on air. One of her arms trailed below the table where Agatha couldn’t see, but she assumed the therapist pressed her hand against the brand.

“Of course I care.” She didn’t, not really. She did. Fuck, she actually did.

She realized it didn’t sit well with her seeing Rio .. distressed?

“If you cared you wouldn’t have discarded me like a piece of trash yesterday! No wait, you actually take the trash out with your hands so worse than that.”

Agatha narrowed her eyes; brow furrowing. Didn’t she very generously let Rio dry hump her? Didn’t she pepper her with praises and sweet nothings? Didn’t she carve her fucking initial to Rio’s skin?

“Never mind,” Rio sighed, rubbing her temples. “I should have known you don’t really want me. No one ever does.”

Fine. It may have started that way. Agatha wanted to use Rio for her own gain. Nothing more, nothing less. But they were past that point, weren’t they? Now she fucking cared. And craved her.

“Do me a favor and lift that sweater of yours,” she instructed, her voice steady. “Just over your stomach, you don’t have to strip all the way. We both know how cold you get,” she winked.

Rio clenched her teeth, and tightened her fingers around the pen that rested in her hand on the table, but otherwise didn’t move.

“Rio,” Agatha growled warningly and the younger woman obliged straight away as if by default. “Good girl,” she praised and Rio let out a very quiet moan that would not be heard if it wasn’t for the unusual silence.

Agatha then leaned over the table as much as possible with her arms still under it, but it was enough to see the angry A carved into the skin. However, there were scratch marks around it, the area rather red. It sure as hell wasn’t from Agatha’s handiwork. Her eyes found Rio’s and the woman casted them downward immediately. “Now…” Agatha whispered as she leaned back in her chair and regarded Rio as a whole.

Rio seemed smaller, unsure… she was fidgeting and restless. Her whole demeanor seemed… off. “Look at me,” Agatha prompted and when she did, there was that darkness again. One that Agatha knew very well herself - the demons of the mind.

She rubbed the cuffs around her wrists again because the wounds had stopped bleeding a while ago and she needed to make a point, and pursed her lips. “Tell me, darling, do you think I give pretty brands to just about anyone?” Rio shrugged. “You don’t know? You think I go around, finding pretty girls and carving A into their skin with their dagger from my knees?” Rio shook her head. “No? So we agree you are the only one having my brand on you?” Rio shrugged again, but after Agatha’s warning growl she gave a reluctant nod. “Hmmm. So why the hell would you think I don’t want you?”

“Dunno,” Rio replied, eyes observing her legs again.

“Rio Rio Rio,” Agatha tsked, shaking her head. “Try that again, will you?”

“I don’t know, Agatha! The second you got what you wanted I didn’t exist anymore… you sent me away without as much as a goodbye. What was I supposed to think?” she threw her hands in the air in frustration before taking a calming breath. “I don’t handle neglect well,” she admitted at last, although very quietly.

“Should have known you’d get clingy after an orgasm,” Agatha smirked. “You are clingy in general, after all.”

“Yeah, sorry,” Rio murmured and shook her head with a heavy sigh.

“What for?”

“For being clingy.”

“I didn’t say it was a bad thing, did I?”

“Whatever,” she just said and poked her tongue into her cheek again.

Agatha groaned and lifted her arms to put them on the table before continuing this conversation.

Fatal mistake.

“What’s on your arms?” Rio gasped. Her eyes went wide.

“Oh this?” the older woman replied quietly while lifting her arms to observe them. Might as well since we’re apparently doing this now. “Nothing,” she said as she waved her hands in the air dismissively.

“This is not nothing! You’re bleeding!” Rio shouted, all of her struggles and previous conversation forgotten the second she saw the blood.

“I had a nightmare so I was thrashing in bed. Guess the restraints did their job,” Agatha shrugged. “I was careless just now and the scabs broke again. Really, it’s nothing,” she lied as she placed her head on her hands on the table.

“That’s it,” Rio said as her jaw locked in anger. These restraints were so barbaric. Everything about this was wrong. “I’m taking these off, I will not turn a blind eye to this inhumane treatment!”

“Aren’t you afraid that I’ll hurt you?” Agatha asked in a velvety voice.

“Technically, you can hurt me either way. You’re not chained anymore, remember?” Rio said as she tried to remember which key was the right one from the huge pack normally attached to her belt.

“I do remember, love,” Agatha replied and cocked her head to the side, enjoying the faint blush. Rio cast her eyes downward and cleared her throat. Agatha would fuck her right there and then if she didn’t want the cuffs gone just as badly.

She didn’t think a bit of blood was all it would take for the therapist to free her of the cuffs. This was too easy. And all the while Rio was mad(?) at her.

Rio gathered herself and, after finding the right key, she unlocked the cuffs. Agatha could feel freedom on the tips of her fingers. She moaned softly when the weight of the metal left her wrists and she rubbed them unconsciously, then hissed when her fingers made contact with the abused skin.

Rio had a hard time hiding her shock after seeing the full state of the criminal’s wrists once nothing was blocking the view. Smaller to bigger cuts, fresh pink to white scars of various sizes, fresh and dried blood. And bruises of different shades.

She groaned.

“Give me your wrist,” she demanded, but it was very soft. Agatha obliged without a single question. Rio’s hands were delicate and her touch gentle; Agatha bit her lip. “I can make a balm from my plants to help heal the fresh wounds,” Rio said and tried to observe the damage. “I think it would help with the fresh scars, but I don’t think I can do anything about the older ones,” she sighed and looked apologetically at the older woman.

“It’s not your fault, love,” Agatha replied, slightly out of breath. She couldn’t remember the last time someone took care of her. If ever.

“I should have taken the cuffs off right away.”

“You got rid of the chains, my sweet,” she reminded and cupped Rio’s cheek with her now cuff-free hand. The young woman immediately leaned into the touch and closed her eyes. Agatha wasn’t sure if her touch would be welcomed after their previous conversation and the whole Rio-being-mad(?)-thing, but it seemed to do the trick. It seemed to calm her, if anything.

So beautiful.

So obedient.

So submissive.

Agatha let out a small moan and traced her hand down Rio’s cheek, raking her nails along an olive jaw and then tracing plush lips with her forefinger. The therapist opened her mouth to take a deep breath and then sucked the digit in.

“Oh fuck, pet,” the older woman groaned and felt wetness pooling between her legs. She wished she had a cock so she could shove it down Rio’s throat instead of the finger. “Open your eyes,” she demanded quietly, but resolutely. When the girl did, her eyes were lidded and pupils dilated from lust. “Fuck fuck fuck,” the criminal chanted. “This would look so good if you were on your knees,” she sucked in a breath at the mental image and pulled her forefinger from that hot mouth with a streak of saliva still connecting it.

“You still want me on my knees?” Rio asked quietly as if afraid of the answer. “I mean… you got what you wanted now, didn’t you?”

So they were still on this … “Come here,” Agatha cooed as she leaned in to clean Rio’s chin of the saliva that attached itself there after leaving her finger.

Rio looked like a deer caught in headlights so Agatha helped her. She grabbed Rio’s chin with her fingers and forcefully made her get up. Then she guided her to her lap. Once the younger woman sat across her lap, she cradled her and praised, “Good girl.”

Rio shivered and hid her head in the crook of Agatha’s neck. “Better?” she asked after a moment. Rio nodded. “Now I need you to engrave something in your brain, Rio,” she said seriously, all business. “It must be your core memory, do you understand?” Another nod even if somewhat unsure. “Hmm, for that to work you should probably look at me, though.”

Rio peeled her head from its safe haven and looked directly into the cerulean eyes. Agatha, pleased, cupped her cheek and admitted, “I always want you. In fact, I wanted you so much that I fucked myself raw after you left yesterday.” Rio’s hand fisted the jumper at that, a whimper rumbling somewhere inside her throat. Agatha pinned the hand to Rio’s thigh.

“So yes Rio, I want you on your knees,” she said and bit her shoulder over the sweater, “I want you standing too,” another bite a bit higher up, “I want you bent over this table,” another bite on the column of Rio’s neck, “I want you in every fucking position possible and impossible. Do you hear me?” she finished just below her ear.

Rio moaned, legs pressing together of their own volition. Agatha slapped her thighs for Rio to spread them again. “Say it back to me.”

“Y-you want me,” she managed, breathless.

“That’s right,” she confirmed firmly. “So what did you do to my brand that I so generously gave you?” she asked as she lifted the sweater to observe the damage. Now upon closer inspection she could see how deep the scratches actually went. And how –

Rio hid her head back in the crook of Agatha’s neck and tried to cover the wound with her sweater again, fighting Agatha. The older woman let her because she already saw enough and it looked worse than right after she carved it.

“Rio?”

“I was led to believe I don’t deserve it…” she murmured quietly. In fact, it was said in such a small voice that if her head wasn’t so close to Agatha’s ear, she probably wouldn’t catch it at all.

“By whom?”

“The voices…”

“Okay…”

“If I let them, they –” Rio trailed off.

“Why did you let them?” Agatha wanted to know. She could imagine the nature of what the demons said.

Rio looked at her then and the vulnerability in her eyes made Agatha shiver. However, she shook her head, casted her eyes downwards and said, “I was stupid.”

Now that wouldn’t do. “Why. Did. You. Let. Them?”

“I didn’t think you wanted me anymore. I thought I deserved what they were saying. Can’t fight it when they’re right… It was a mutual agreement.”

“But why, Rio? Help me understand here.”

Agatha didn’t know when exactly she started to care this much, but later she would convince herself it was when she saw what the girl did to herself (it was actually muuuch earlier than that, but whatever). It was concerning to say the least. The brand was still bleeding as if it was made minutes ago, the skin around abused, red, irritated… angry scratches were stretching from Rio’s belly over the brand all the way to her hip and abdomen. Agatha’s stomach dropped when she got a closer look. And that was saying something.

“Uhm, you –” she stopped herself.

“I don’t handle neglect well” popped up in Agatha’s mind, the words Rio uttered just a few moments ago.

Realization dawned on Agatha and she almost got sick to her stomach. She would have if she was capable. However, the best defense was offense and so she said, “Is it because I didn’t hold your hand after you came in your pants?”

Rio flinched.

Agatha understood right there and then that seeing the therapist in pain was unacceptable.

“Okay, so you need this,” she gestured between them, with Rio being cradled in her lap, “after sex. But that still doesn’t explain why it looks like you were mauled by a fucking bear.”

“I may have put a bit of salt into the wounds, so to speak.”

“Meaning?”

“Uhm …” Rio fidgeted in Agatha’s lap, maybe even trying to get away. Agatha steadied her and fixed her with a stern look. “So I grow Capsicum annuum at home…” she trailed off. “It’s the plant that produces red peppers, you know? And mine is like really hot…”

“Yes, I speak Latin so I know what Capsicum annuum is. What I don’t know is where the hell you’re going with this.”

“Uhm, after I scratched it raw I …” deep breath, “well it wasn’t hurting enough… I deserved more pain so I —” another deep breath, “I may have crushed some peppers and put it in the wounds…”

“Jesus fucking christ,” Agatha pinched the bridge of her nose; quite honestly flabbergasted. Okay, damage control. “After your shift today, you will go home and put a balm on it, do you understand?” she demanded. Rio gave a small nod. “No no, not good enough,” Agatha shook her head. “You will tend to those wounds Rio or so help me god. And use your fucking words this time.”

“O-okay, Agatha.”

“Add some antibiotics to the mix too.”

“I don’t have that at home,” she murmured. Used all of those when she was trying to save a kitten the last time.

“Crush a leaf, brew a tea, I don’t care! Surely at least one of your precious plants has antiseptic potential.”

Rio nodded.

Agatha realized that when Rio had pressed the brand earlier, it was to cause herself pain. And not the fun kind.

“And never hurt yourself again. Only I can draw blood from now on. Do you hear me?”

Rio nodded again.

“No, Rio,” Agatha growled. “Words.”

“Yes, I hear you. I understand.”

“Good girl,” she praised and the therapist whimpered.

This was honestly a whole thing. Who puts a red pepper into their skin? Willingly at that?? It must have burned like hell.

She would have to make sure Alice left some proper antibiotics at Rio’s door later today. While plants were nice, Agatha didn’t completely trust them. Not in this.

“Is that why you were late today?” she asked while studying Rio’s labored breathing. Whether it was from the praise, the commands, or the care she displayed, Agatha didn’t know. But she supposed it didn’t really matter.

“Uhm, Fisk wants me to go to the town hall tomorrow. I was trying to put together a report, but I don’t have much,” Rio replied and tried to compose herself yet again.

“All you need to do is ask,” Agatha said with a smirk.

“Yeah?” Rio only managed; her brain still not functioning properly.

“Mmmmh,” Agatha let out in reply. “Ask,” she commanded.

It was obvious the therapist tried to think and come up with something, but it was fruitless. Her notebook was on the other side of the table and Agatha’s scent wasn’t helping matters. Neither were her blue eyes and beautiful hair. Rio very reluctantly left the safety of the criminal’s lap and made her way to the vacant seat.

“I – uhm,” Rio started to say, but her tone was a pitch too high so she cleared her throat to mask the error. She fidgeted in her chair and took a few deep breaths, and all the while Agatha just sat in silence, observing her closely. Rio opened her notebook and after reading through her notes, she finally asked, “You called the Scarlet Witch Wanda the other day. Why?”

“Hmm, that’s easy. It’s her name. Wanda Maximoff,” Agatha replied and sat back in her chair, breaking the tension between them. Rio wrote it down so fast she wasn’t sure she would even be able to read it herself later. “She also has a brother - Pietro. Well, had,” Agatha shrugged. “Heard he passed away,” she said with a pout.

“How do you know all that?” Rio asked, genuinely intrigued. She was feeling much better now. Agatha had managed to shush the voices with her touch.

“Because I lived with Wanda Panda.”

“You what?!”

“Now I believe it’s my turn for questions, is it not?” Agatha asked as she lifted her chin.

“So, we’re still playing this game. My answer to your question is yes then. And I get to ask another one,” Rio replied with a smirk.

“How cheeky of you!” Agatha cackled in amusement. “Nice try,” she hummed. “Now, what’s your biggest weakness?”

“Older sexy criminals apparently,” she murmured.

“What was that, love? I didn’t quite catch that,” she wiggled her eyebrows. Of course, she heard it very clearly.

“Ugh, I don’t know! What’s yours? It’s not as easy as it seems,” the therapist crossed her arms over her chest.

“You.”

“What?”

“You are my biggest weakness,” Agatha replied seriously.

“Right,” Rio chuckled, not believing her one bit. “So, you didn’t have any weaknesses until you met me.”

“That’s right.”

“Are you serious right now?”

“Very. I am quite powerful. So, your weakness?”

“Ugh, I don’t know, Agatha. Maybe my social skills? I don’t think I excel in that.”

Agatha smiled upon hearing her name uttered by Rio again. She liked hearing it being said this way. “I think that’s not my strong suit either,” she winked. “Now, what’s your biggest fear?”

“Not being accepted or loved for who I am,” the woman replied in a heartbeat. Clearly, she didn’t have to think about that one. Being tossed from one family to another and later barely accepted in society, in her social circle, surely left its mark. Being branded weird and unwanted was still fresh. Would always be fresh. She was part of humanity, was she not?

Agatha watched her and if she was being honest, this answer hit a little too close to home. She wanted to reassure Rio again that she was oh-so-wanted. Preferably with her fingers buried knuckles deep in Rio’s cunt while tears were streaming down her face.

Rio was wanted and she was Agatha’s. The criminal really wanted to kill whoever hurt her perfect girl even once.

“Your favorite color?” she asked instead. There was still time to do everything she wanted, but unfortunately that time was not now.

“Hmm, I love forest green, but …” Rio trailed off in thought before continuing, “my favorite color is actually orange -sunset orange to be exact. Not the soft mild of peaches, I prefer the aggressive one. The shade of orange that almost hurts your eyes when it illuminates the whole sky.”

“Mmmh, that’s a nice color. One I haven’t seen in years,” Agatha nodded. Salem prison was situated on a cliff, but the weather was always shit and her cell faced east. “Apart from my jumpsuit, of course,” she smirked.

“Your jumpsuit is rather aggressive, true,” Rio nodded and licked her lips.

“Hmmm, suits me well,” Agatha winked.

“Now I believe it’s my turn again!” she announced cheerfully.

“Fine,” Agatha rolled her eyes, but it was just for show. “I enjoy purple. The full, dark yet bright shade of purple. You can do no wrong with midnight black either.”

“That was not my question!” she chuckled. “Although I’m surprised you enjoy purple. Pegged you more for black or something.”

“I’m wounded, pet. Here I thought you wanted to get to know me and all you really care about is Wanda!” Agatha said with a feigned pout.

“I do! I would have asked either way,” the therapist defended.

“I don’t believe you,” Agatha pouted some more.

“What can I do to make it up to you?” Rio asked as she batted her eyelashes innocently.

“Strip and finger yourself in front of me on the table,” the criminal said with a lustful gaze. Of course, she was joking. Well, not entirely joking, but she knew Rio wouldn’t do that. Not yet anyway.

“I –“ Rio gasped and let out a small whimper from shock. “I’m not gonna do that,” she swallowed as a pink blush returned to her cheeks.

“Do it tomorrow morning then,” Agatha leaned in. “Fuck yourself with thoughts of me,” she said as she licked her lips, noticing the girl traced the movement of her tongue. “Fuck yourself hard, imagine it’s me doing it. Cum all over your hand and then come straight to my cell. No washing!” Agatha demanded with a strong voice. “Will you do that, pet?” she asked while studying her intensely.

Rio blushed even more and took a few deep breaths to steady herself. Well, it wouldn’t be the first time she did fuck herself with that wild mane of hair and those icy blue eyes on her mind. She nodded.

“Splendid,” the older woman clapped her hands like a child. “Now, what did you wish to ask me if it wasn’t my favorite color?” she lifted her chin expectantly.

“Uhm,” Rio paused and had to look at her notes to remember what to ask. “You mentioned you taught Wanda to claim murders she didn’t commit. When? Why?”

“We used to be close,” Agatha started, rubbing at her sore wrists absent-mindedly. “Wanda Panda thrived on chaos, though. She was …” Agatha bit her tongue.

“Like close close?” Rio asked and narrowed her eyes. She didn’t know how to feel about it. No, that was a lie. She did know. And she didn’t like it.

“Yes, my love,” Agatha smirked.

“Great,” Rio said. Through her teeth. Whatever.

Agatha’s grin turned deadly. “You have a problem with that, pet?”

“No,” she lied, but wasn’t fooling anyone.

Agatha just hummed, pleased. “What you need to know about Wanda is that she got what she wanted no matter the cost. While I can be appreciative of that, I definitely didn’t agree with some of her choices.”

“Why dress people a certain way after she killed them?”

“Trauma,” Agatha just shrugged. “Wanda didn’t like to get her hands dirty. If she dressed them as if from a television show, she could pretend they were characters and not actual people.”

“But they were people!” Rio said a tad too loud, frustrated.

“I know.”

“So which of her choices didn’t you agree with?” Rio tried. Agatha looked like she was in a good mood so might as well milk it.

“Wanda wanted a family,” Agatha admitted. “Nothing wrong with that, obviously. Except that she couldn’t be bothered with pregnancy so she killed two parents and took their infant boys.”

“What?!”

“Billy,” Agatha said matter-of-factly. As if she wasn’t dropping a bomb. “And Tommy,” she shrugged. “She was raising them for about three years before they started to be too much, as she said.” Agatha sighed. “When she decided kids were actually not for her, it was the last straw.”

“Decided kids were not for her?!” Rio repeated, anger flaring inside her. “What the fuck?!”

“Wanda Panda had been through a lot, pet. She is not exactly right in the head. It really is rather chaotic in there,” she let out a singular chuckle. “But as I said, that was my cue to leave.”

“I don’t know what to say,” Rio admitted as she wrote something in her notebook. “William, I mean Billy, is still fucked up and I don’t blame him. If he was put in the system it’s just … you don’t know what it’s like. And on top of that, he was separated from his brother. God.”

Agatha leaned on her hands on the table and asked, “And you know what it’s like in the system, my sweet?”

“Duh. Dead parents, remember?” Rio said, chewing on her lip.

Well that’s interesting. Before she could ask further though, Rio continued.

“So back to the reason you taught her to claim murders she didn’t commit. Was it so she was harder to catch?”

“Smart,” she winked. “Everyone knew it was her once they entered the crime scene. They would catch her quickly.”

“Is that a technique you use?” Rio pushed her luck.

Agatha laughed.

“Oh my sweet little therapist, I don’t kill for fame. I kill for the thrill of it. For the rush,” she said and licked her lips. “I don’t have the need for the world to know I did the deed. Killing is personal. I don’t do it for someone else. I don’t need recognition for my handiwork.”

Rio swallowed. She had to remind herself that she was safe. Agatha only ever killed men.

“Uhm,” she cleared her throat. “Your first kill was your stepfather, correct?”

The criminal sneered and clenched her fists. She didn’t lash out, though. “Technically, my very first kill was my cunt of a mother,” she deadpanned. “I killed the useless drunk after I bled her dry.”

Rio gulped. Shit. She pressed Lady Death to her ribs and let out a calming breath, knowing her loyal companion was with her. But then again, wouldn’t she let Agatha stab her with the dagger? Yeah probably. Repeatedly. And she would thank her for it.

“W-what did they do?” she asked when she found her voice. She hoped there was a reason other than ‘well I was bored’ because Agatha could very well get bored with her. But she was sure there was a reason. Well, most likely. Probably. Hopefully.

Agatha leaned back in her chair and tilted her head. She appreciated Rio didn’t just ask ‘why?’ as most people did. Rio knew those two cretins gave her a reason.

Despite what her mother said, Agatha was not born evil.

“He raped me,” Agatha said curtly. “My mother saw me with a girl from town earlier that day. She lashed me, as she always had for anything, really. But ‘these proclivities’ needed a firmer hand than just her leather belt or the wooden stick. So she sent him to my room. And don’t get me wrong, he wasn’t exactly fighting her on it. I heard the entire conversation.”

“Shit,” Rio said. She was lost for words. When a boy in the children’s home tried to take advantage of her, it was horrible. And he was a stranger. Rio couldn’t even imagine what Agatha suffered through. “I’m sorry, Agatha. That’s … a lot.”

The criminal hummed and narrowed her eyes. Of course, she appreciated Rio’s acknowledgement and apology, but she didn’t need it. She was over it. Mother was rotting in the family tomb, stepfather somewhere, and it was all thanks to her.

At least Rio didn’t pity her. She could see that much.

However, Agatha felt like she’d shared enough. It was time for a reward for her honesty and since Rio was currently poking her tongue into her cheek again, and Agatha was just a human, she asked, “What is your sexual fantasy?”

“My sexual fantasy,” the young woman repeated, looking up from her notebook.

“Yes.”

“Uhm, I haven’t really thought about it.”

“Pet, you’re not playing fair,” she pouted. “I answered quite a lot. You better give me something!”

“It’s not that,” Rio bit her lip in frustration because she really didn’t have an answer. “I don’t think I have one. I thought I was straight until recently, so…,” she blushed. “And since sex with men wasn’t really satisfying, I just never thought about it.”

“Well, that’s a start,” the criminal winked. “Who said it had to be with men?”

“I get that, but since I’ve lived in denial, I didn’t really fantasize about having sex with women. Apparently, I should have, but I didn’t.”

“And what about now?” Agatha smirked.

“Well now, any action with a woman is a fantasy,” Rio chuckled.

“Come on, surely a teacher’s pet can give me something,” she purred. “Should I help you?”

Rio only nodded; pupils dilating.

“Alright then. As I said, you’re a teacher’s pet. Surely sex in a classroom would be an option.”

“Yes!” Rio said a tad too fast and Agatha grinned.

“Now close your eyes and paint the picture for me,” she said in a deep rich voice. “Which position are you in?”

“Uhm, bent over the desk.”

“Are you bent over the teacher’s desk or your first-row student’s desk?”

“My student’s desk,” she breathed out.

“So, you’re facing the teacher’s desk and your ass is facing the door. Anyone could walk in, Rio.” The girl’s breath hitched and she nodded. “What are you wearing?”

“Fuck. My schoolgirl uniform?”

“Mmmh, white knee-socks, black skirt and a white blouse then. Dirty,” she smirked.

“I also used to wear a black tie with this attire. And a black lipstick with smokey eyeshadow. Rebel phase, you know.”

“Fuck,” Agatha groaned at the picture and made a mental note to also gift Rio a black tie with diamonds. “Who’s there with you on the other side of the desk?”

“You.”

Agatha smiled victoriously and quietly got up from her seat. Of course, she was hoping for that answer. But then again, she knew she would get it.

“What am I wearing?” she asked as she sat on the edge of the table as close to Rio as possible without touching her.

“A – a strap on,” the young woman swallowed and Agatha moaned, crossing her legs. “And a garter with pantyhose. Nothing else.”

“Mmmh, as a matter of fact, I have all of that at home. Would you suck it?”

Rio’s eyes shot open at that, realizing that Agatha had sat right next to her on the edge of the table. She looked up with hooded eyes and licked her lips. “Yes?”

“Oh yes, yes you would. Like the good girl that you are,” she purred and tucked one loosened strand of hair behind Rio’s ear. “What happens next?” Agatha asked as she cupped a very pink cheek. “Close your eyes.”

“Uhm, I’m trying to catch a breath because you nearly choked me on that thing,” Rio blushed even more and let Agatha guide her head to her lap.

“Oh my,” Agatha whimpered. “Is this my fantasy or yours?” she chuckled, but it was very quiet and controlled because she was too lost in the fantasy to be able to focus properly. She would choke her on the dildo, that’s for sure.

“I don’t even know anymore,” Rio whispered.

“What happens next, Rio? My purple dildo is shining with your saliva. Where do you want it?”

“There,” she only said with urgency.

“I think you need to be a tad more specific, little one,” the older woman said and grabbed a fistful of dark hair in warning.

Rio moaned and fisted her hands. Then she breathed out, “In my pussy. I need you in my pussy.”

“Mmmmh, that’s right. You need me in your dripping cunt,” Agatha said, voice laced with lust. “Do I go slow?”

“No,” Rio shook her head. “You slam into me and pull my head towards you by my hair, making me arch my back.”

“Fuck fuck fuck,” Agatha chanted and pulled the girl by her hair from her own lap, highlighting the fantasy. She was getting angry at this beautiful creature because Rio had such an effect on her. No one could rile her up quite like this. She was always in control of her own desires; she was in control of the other person’s desires. She was not supposed to be this affected. Her juices surely weren’t supposed to be dripping down her thighs. She wanted to hurt Rio for this.

But then she looked at the kitten in her hands and the anger was gone. Well, not entirely, but she didn’t want to hurt her. Drastically anyway. Rio was looking at her through lidded eyes, flush coloring her skin from chest to cheeks, pupils blown wide.

“See?” the dark-haired woman said with labored breathing. “I told you everyone has a fantasy. You should go now,” she said as she released her.

“What? No!” Rio shook her head and got up from her chair (even if her knees were very wobbly), standing right in front of the older woman.

“Don’t forget, you have homework. Several actually!” Agatha reminded. “Tell me, what are you supposed to do?”

“Fuck myself and come here,” Rio said through gritted teeth. “You could just do it yourself, you know.”

“Brat,” Agatha hissed. “What else?”

“Uhm,” Rio furrowed her brow in thought. “Oh! Tend to the wounds.”

 “Tend to the wounds,” she repeated mockingly, unimpressed. Rio neglecting this was baffling and honestly maddening. She had to get out. Rio hurting herself would not happen on her watch. “I expect you here tomorrow morning.”

“Agatha, just fuck me! I’ll do anything.”

“Oh, I know you think so, my sweet,” she cackled, but when Rio didn’t budge, she started to push her step by step towards the exit like a predator toying with its prey. The air shifted and Rio swallowed. When they reached the metallic door, Agatha pressed her against it. “You’re trapped,” she said dangerously, eyes boring into her very soul. When the therapist didn’t reply in any way, Agatha attacked her lips.

One hand flew to the side of Rio’s head, scratching her skull. When Rio opened her mouth to moan, Agatha didn’t waste a second before invading her mouth with her tongue. Rio didn’t even try to fight for dominance, much to Agatha’s delight.

When the older woman explored every inch of the girl’s mouth and had enjoyed her taste enough in the hungry kiss, she retrieved her tongue in hopes that Rio would try to prolong the kiss and shove her own tongue between Agatha’s lips. It worked as planned and once Agatha had Rio’s tongue in her mouth, she bit hard until she tasted blood.

Rio let out a surprised squeak and broke the kiss in shock, her eyes widening when there was blood on her fingers after her hand reflexively flew to her aching mouth.

Agatha cackled, enjoying the metallic taste that still lingered on her tongue. “Something to remember me by, pet,” she said and stepped away from the shocked therapist. “See you in the morning,” she winked. “Don’t forget to take care of your scratches,” she reminded once again for good measure.