Archive of Our Own ^beta

"I cannot believe you talked me into this."

"Oh, Agatha, chill! It's one night out. Cheap drinks, good music..."

"Sure, Jen. Good music. The last time we came to this place was a live night, and the headliner was a fucking Alison Blaire impersonator!"

"That was four years ago. They've changed things up a lot. Come on."

Agatha allowed Jen to drag her along as they waited to get into the club. She would rather be anywhere but here, at a club she had last entered when she was still technically two weeks under drinking age. Still, it had been a long time since she had a good night out. She was not counting Wanda's bachelorette party because, while there had certainly been good drinks and wild drama that night, it had really ended up mostly being upsetting in the final analysis.

At least the wedding the next week had been worth it.

The club, once they were inside, was packed pretty full, the smell of too many cheap perfumes and colognes blanketing everything. Agatha and Jen managed to wade their way through the crowd to the bar and order, then turned to survey the dance floor.

"Thought you said there was a DJ tonight," Agatha said, nodding to the empty booth.

Jen scoffed.

"People take breaks, Agatha. At least there's still music playing."

Agatha distracted herself with drinking her gin and tonic as slowly as possible while fighting the urge to bob her head along to any of the music. Just about the time Jen was getting well into her second Manhattan, Agatha had barely made a dent in that first G&T, and further progress was momentarily halted when a voice boomed out over the club's sound system.

"HEY, HOW WE ALL DOING TONIGHT?"

Glancing over to the DJ booth, Agatha saw that it was now occupied by a figure with wild dark hair, eyes shielded behind dark glasses, torso shrouded in an enormous puffy coat.

"Oh, hey, it's Rio!" Jen said, leaning close to Agatha as the next set started.

"Rio?"

"Yup! Regular DJ down here every other Friday and Saturday!"

Then Jen got distracted by something down at the other end of the bar and sort of wandered off, leaving Agatha all on her own.

Still nursing that first drink, Agatha shrugged and started to ease her way along to be closer to the booth. She wanted to see this DJ a little closer. There was something almost intriguing about this... Well, she presumed guy. Not that women could not be DJs and shit, of course, but there was something about Rio, who had now shrugged off the big jacket, that screamed "twink." Agatha had no interest in men, but she had discovered at some point that she had a social affinity for twinks. They were adorable, generally unimposing, and most of the ones she knew were almost as bitchy as she was. Of course, no group was a monolith, but still, this Rio seemed interesting.

The closer she got, the more entranced Agatha felt.

'Oh, fuck,' she thought, 'please don't let this be how I find out I have a 0.0002% attraction to guys.'

Rio had a soft, almost babyish face—at least what was not hidden by the glasses—and a slim, almost wiry build. Agatha could see, thanks to the DJ being clad in a mostly unbuttoned white button down, something like a hint of delicate muscle definition around the chest and abs, and as she got to the side of the booth, peering up the steps that led into it, she saw that Rio's legs were encased in dark leather trousers, so tight fitting that she was certain she saw a noticeable bulge. Of course, the only bulge Agatha might hypothetically be interested in was one caused by a packer, but still...

'Fuck, was my drink spiked?'

How was she feeling attraction to a guy? She had never experienced anything like this. Something about Rio was simply magnetic.

Then, Rio looked down at Agatha. And then, Rio smiled, a cocky, bright grin with a small gap between the top front teeth.

"Shit," Agatha breathed, and downed the remainder of her drink in one gulp.

Heading back the way she had gone, Agatha caught a bartender's attention and ordered a second drink. Farther down the way she saw Jen, deep in conversation with a cute, punk-looking girl. Good for Jen.

For a while, Agatha purely kept herself occupied with her second drink and her phone, desperate not to look at the confusing DJ. At some point after an hour and a half had passed, she heard Rio speak over the mic again, but still she kept her head down, pretending to find a recipe for lobster bisque—she had searched for the most random thing she could—shatteringly fascinating.

"Hi!"

Glancing to her right, Agatha nodded briefly, then did a double take.

That wild hair. Those dark glasses. That cute, cocky grin.

"Uh," Agatha managed.

"I never seen you around here before!" Rio said.

"I... I don't come out often."

"Huh‽"

"I said I don't come out often!"

"Ah! Well, kinda ironic you're at a gay club then, huh‽"

The comment took a moment to land, but then it hit. Agatha laughed and, to her mortification, snorted. She immediately felt herself blush, and she looked down at her drink.

"I'm Rio!"

"Oh, uh, I'm... I'm Agatha!"

"Nice to meet you, Agatha!"

Rio was offering a hand, and without really thinking, Agatha turned and tried to shake... But handed Rio her half-finished drink instead. Rio laughed, a raucous, warm sound.

"I already get free drinks, but thanks!"

"I... Oh shit, I'm..."

"Hey, it's okay!"

Taking her drink back, Agatha nearly finished it and decided she should make a quick, face-saving exit.

"I... Uhm, I need..."

"You want another drink‽ I can get it for you free!"

"No, thanks! This was my second! Hit my limit!"

"Cool, cool! So, you don't come to places like this a lot‽"

"Not in years!"

"Too bad! We get pretty heavy here! You seem like the kinda girl who'd enjoy it!"

"I... Well, I... I'm busy a lot!"

"I get that!"

Rio waved down the bartender and asked for a bottle of water. Once it arrived, the bottle was chugged to emptiness in seconds, and then Rio grinned at Agatha again.

"You likin' my show‽"

"You're great! I mean, your mixes..."

"Thanks!"

Agatha studied Rio, trying to parse the vague androgyny of this person. Her eyes wandered up and down, but still she was uncertain of things.

"So, since you're here, are you..."

"Lesbian!" Agatha rushed.

"Cool! Me too!"

Oh, thank God! Agatha felt a little more certain about her intrigue now. When Rio leaned in close, the world seemed to slow down.

"So, I got a little time before my next set! You wanna... Maybe hang out‽"

"Uh..."

"No pressure! Just thought, you're hot as hell and I... Well, I mean, if you wanna..."

"I mean, I won't... I... Is this..."

"It's whatever you want it to be!"

Glancing at her phone, Agatha felt heat begin to pool between her legs.

"How much time do you have‽"

"Enough to make you see stars," Rio smirked.

Shit. Fuck. Was she seriously thinking of hooking up with someone she just met? That was so irresponsible, so silly, so...

"Meet me in the bathroom! Five minutes!"

Rio laughed and gave Agatha a little salute.

"As you wish!"

Finishing the drink in her hand, Agatha tucked her phone into her clutch and eased past Rio, headed for the bathrooms. This was perhaps the dumbest thing she had ever done, but fuck it. She was young. She deserved a little irresponsible fun now and then, right? At worst this would be just a very awkward hook-up.

The bathroom was surprisingly empty as she entered, and Agatha was grateful for that. Checking herself in the mirror, she saw that she was a little flushed, and her lipstick could use a touch-up, but otherwise she was presentable. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and went into the third stall after a quick inspection showed it to be reasonably clean. She tore off some strips of toilet paper and arrayed them on the seat, then sat to wait. She was nervous that Rio would not bother to show up, but a few minutes later, she heard the bathroom door open and close, followed by the scuff and stomp of motorcycle boots.

"¿Ágata, estás aquí?"

Ah, so Rio spoke Spanish. That was one more way to connect.

"Sí," Agatha said softly.

Rio's boots stopped in front of the third stall, and then the door swung slowly open.

"You speak Spanish?" the DJ asked.

"And a couple of other languages. I teach adult ESL courses at the community college."

"No shit. That's pretty great."

Rio stepped into the stall, closing and latching the door. Suddenly Agatha felt very nervous, and it must have showed, because Rio smiled and reached down to stroke her cheek.

"You really want this? If you don't..."

"I do, I just... It's been a while since I did anything."

"Okay. You wanna just go back out and talk by the bar?"

Standing, Agatha slipped her arms around Rio's neck.

"Just kiss me first?"

"Course I will. Of course."

Rio's lips were soft, and Agatha wondered as they met her own how they might feel on other parts of her body. She groaned, and Rio responded in kind, eagerly deepening the kiss.

"Damn," Rio whispered when they parted.

"Can you... Can we go for a repeat?"

"Oh yeah, definitely."

The second kiss ended when Rio turned them slightly and backed Agatha up against the partition with the second stall.

"Fuck, babe, you're hot," Rio said.

Agatha blushed, looking away until Rio cupped her chin gently and drew her back eye to eye.

"I mean it. You're fuckin' hot, Agatha."

"You're pretty fuckin' hot yourself."

"I get that a lot."

With a smirk, Rio slid one hand down from Agatha's waist and fiddled with the hem of the purple minidress that Agatha had deemed the perfect look for tonight.

"Want me?" Rio asked.

Agatha nodded and whimpered and oh, if she had been fully cognizant of that noise as it left her throat, of the neediness of it, she would have been embarrassed as hell.

Rio kissed her again, softly, and nuzzled their noses together a moment.

"Sweetheart, you look so pretty when you're desperate for me."

"Touch me?" was all Agatha could think to say.

She felt Rio's fingers, firm and warm, brush the bare skin of her inner thigh. They slid up, almost daring to press against Agatha's panties, but then the movement stopped.

"Fuck, babe, you're so wet you're dripping. Fuck."

Agatha drew in a shuddery gasp as Rio kissed her once more, at the same time bringing the fingers all the way up to press firmly against the satiny material of her panties.

"Ready for me, yeah?" Rio rasped, rubbing back and forth along the crotch of the panties.

"Please," Agatha begged, but her words cut off as Rio's fingers pushed her underwear to the side.

"Pretty pussy all wet for me, huh?"

"Please, Rio, I need it."

"Yeah? You gonna take everything I got to give?"

"Fuck yes!"

Two of Rio's fingers slid in, smooth and easy, and then they scissored apart. Agatha groaned at the slight stretch, and Rio grinned. Slowly, achingly slowly, the fingers began to ease out, then slid back in rapidly. That was the pace at first: slow, careful, almost total withdrawal, then a quick slam back in. After a few minutes, all the movements picked up speed. Agatha was vaguely aware of the obscene wet sounds that the action made, as well as the scent of her arousal filling the stall. These sensations only served to ramp her up more.

Rio varied the routine continuously, changing speed and rhythm, adding a little quirk and twist of the fingers, rubbing a thumb over and around Agatha's clit.

"Please, please, please," Agatha found herself chanting, and she was not sure what she wanted.

"Good girl, Agatha. You're taking me so well. Fuck, I could do this to you all night."

"Fuck," Agatha choked.

Just as it was all coming together, as Agatha was on the edge of what she was sure would be the climax of a lifetime, there was an instant of distraction when Rio's phone buzzed.

"Shit. Can you cum for me, Agatha? Cum all over my fingers? Be a good girl and cum for me."

The prompting seemed to help, and soon Agatha felt as if she had pitched headlong over a cliff, letting out a rough, growling moan as slick squirted over Rio's hand. In the aftermath, Agatha was certain she would fall to the floor, but Rio buoyed her up.

"Okay. Okay, cariño. Just let it go. I gotcha. Fuck, that's hot. Fuck, you squirted so good, babe."

Rio kept pumping away for a few moments, then gently eased the fingers out.

"Easy. Think you can stay on your feet?"

"Y-yeah," Agatha nodded.

To her great surprise, Rio leaned in and kissed her again.

"That was beautiful. I... Wow. You're beautiful, Agatha."

"Th-thanks."

Smiling, Rio once more cupped Agatha's chin—thankfully with the hand that wasn't soaking.

"You got a ride home tonight?"

"I... A friend and I got a rideshare. But I... She won't mind if we leave separately."

"Just a friend?"

"Just. Barely, even."

Rio chuckled.

"You stick around, I could give you a lift later. You want that?"

"I... I... Yes."

"You sure? You don't have to..."

"I want it."

"Okay. Okay, yeah. You hang around the booth near closing time. Now, I gotta get back out there. You okay on your own?"

Agatha nodded, feeling so fucked out she could hardly think. It had been a long time since someone else made her cum.

After one last kiss, Rio turned and unlocked the stall.

"Remember. Stick around the booth, and then we'll see where the night takes us later."

Rio had practically pounced on Agatha after throwing the underwear over to lie on the floor with the discarded dress, but after that things paused again.

"You're beautiful," Rio murmured, and then kissed Agatha's forehead.

"So are you," Agatha managed, rushing the words out over the sudden threat of tears squeezing her throat.

"Still wanna..."

"Yeah. I do."

"Good. 'Cause I... You okay if I go down on you?"

"Oh, fuck. I am totally and completely okay with that."

Rio followed much the same path down Agatha's body as before, but this time there was nothing to stop their strong fingers from prodding gently at her flesh.

"Damn. You always get this wet?"

"Only with the right sort of person," Agatha said, then gasped as Rio stroked her clit.

"I must be exactly your type then. Fuck, sweetheart."

If Rio proved, once again, to be particularly deft with digital touch, once things moved on to lingual...

"Fuck!" Agatha gasped.

Her legs shuddered as Rio lapped at her experimentally. The rumble of an amused chuckle against her cunt only made the trembling spread, and Agatha, needing to anchor herself as her mind quickly shut out all but the pleasure, buried the fingers of her left hand in Rio's hair. Momentarily, they moved and pressed a kiss to the soft skin of Agatha's right inner thigh.

"You good?"

"I'll be good," Agatha whimpered, not really thinking, responding on instinct.

Rio kissed the opposite thigh and then went back to work. For Agatha, everything was warmth, the delicious tingle of Rio teasing and sucking her clit, a delicate twist of fingers spreading her open.

Agatha had thought she might take a little while to climax this time, but already she felt herself speeding to the edge, hips bucking, seeking to somehow tighten the connection.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck!"

It hit her like a wild wave, like a shot of electricity to the spine, and all she could do was ride it out, her grip on Rio's hair tightening. Her other hand was clutching the sheets like that was its sole intended purpose. There came an instant, before the last of her ability to think properly vanished, when she genuinely thought this petit mort might actually be the big one, the grand finale, and she found that she was glad. At least she would pass away happy. Of course, she did survive, but for a while she drifted in mindless pleasure, trembling, loose-limbed and warm.

'Mind literally blown,' was the first coherent thought that returned to her.

As the fuzz of bliss fell from her mind, Agatha felt Rio still down there, working delicately away. At some point she had released the iron grip on their hair, and they were now holding her hand. She squeezed softly, and they squeezed back.

"Fuck," Agatha groaned, and wondered if she would ever regain any form of stronger articulance.

"Okay?" Rio asked, raising up to rest their chin on her mons.

"M-more than that. Fuck. You... Fuck."

"I do indeed," they rasped.

"Kiss me? Please?"

Rio moved to be not on top of her, but beside her, and pulled her close into their arms, kissing her warmly again and again. It was tempting to snuggle into the circle of their arms and simply to fall asleep, but Agatha knew there was more she wanted at the moment.

"Fuck me?" she asked, reaching to trace their bulge with a fingertip.

"Sure you want it?"

"Fuck yes, I want it. Wanna feel you inside me."

Even in the dark, Agatha could see Rio blush deeply, and they kissed her again.

"I... You don't have to let me."

"I'm not letting. I'm telling. Now, if you don't want to..."

"I want to. I do."

When Rio did not move right away, Agatha popped open the top button of their fly.

"Can I see it?" she asked.

"Yeah. You can... Yeah."

The next button popped open, and the next, and soon the fly was fully apart and Agatha slipped her hand in, grazing against the front of tight boxer briefs. These had a fly as well, the standard little flap, and beyond that, she found the firm warmth she had been seeking.

"You're so hard," she said, stroking the length.

"I... It..." Rio choked.

"Such a big, hard boy."

Rio shivered, a small smile quirking around their lips. Gently, Agatha pulled the cock free and looked down at it. It was fairly ordinary looking, maybe seven inches long, not horrifically thick—thank goodness. The silicone was neon green swirled with black. It would probably feel quite pleasant.

"Is it all right?" Rio asked.

"Very handsome," Agatha nodded, meeting their gaze and seeing them blush again.

Agatha let go, reaching to gather some of the moisture from between her own legs and then stroking it over the length of the cock. Rio whimpered and groaned, then thrust quickly into her grip.

"You're all ready to go, aren't you?" Agatha said with a smirk.

"I've been ready since back at the club," Rio said.

"Oh no. My poor handsome boy, suffering so long."

Rio suddenly tensed a moment, and Agatha worried she had said the wrong thing.

"Should I not..."

"You're doing everything just right," Rio assured her, then grunted and thrust again.

"Well, then we'd better get down to business."

Rio nodded a few times in an odd, broken rhythm, then kissed Agatha once more and rolled her onto her back, settling on top of her and pressing the tip of the cock against her entrance.

"Want it?" they asked.

"Definitely."

A single smooth, careful stroke left Agatha feeling just filled, and she wrapped her legs around Rio's hips.

"Such a good boy," she said, and Rio's eyelids fluttered.

"Gonna make me finish too soon," they muttered.

"Oh, we wouldn't want that."

The pace Rio set, once they started to move, was easy at first, even gentle, and Agatha allowed herself to be lulled by the slowness, as well as the soft, lingering kisses that Rio kept pressing to her lips and cheeks and forehead.

"You're so pretty," Rio sighed, "and you feel so good."

"You feel good," Agatha responded.

As they went on, Rio picked up speed, head dropping down by Agatha's shoulder.

"Fuck," they whispered, "you're so tight. You take me so good."

Smiling, Agatha stroked Rio's hair. Something about this moment, even though it was simply sex, was so good and soft and sweet. When Rio raised up and kissed her again, she captured their face between her hands.

"Too fast?" Rio panted, slowing down.

"No. Perfect. Just wanna... Oh, fuck! Wanna look into your beautiful eyes."

Again Rio blushed and smiled, for a moment pressing their forehead to Agatha's.

"You're good," they said.

Agatha's heart swelled, and she almost felt tears trying to rise again. Fighting the sensation down—how ridiculous would it be to cry right now?—she smiled. Rio ceased all motion and kissed Agatha.

"Damn you're beautiful, Agatha."

"Thank you."

When the fucking began again, everything was slow, no rush at all. Eventually, however, things picked up again, and Agatha felt little tremors in Rio's body.

"I gotta..." Rio trailed off.

"Anything you need," Agatha assured them.

"I... Can I... Can I cum?"

"Of course, baby. Cum inside me," Agatha whispered.

"Yeah?"

"Oh fuck yes. Please!"

"Mierda."

Rio's face went tense.

"Voy a correrme," they groaned.

"Está bien, cariño," Agatha said, clinging to Rio, stroking their back.

"Voy a correrme. Te voy a dejar preñada."

Agatha moaned, the words impacting the perfect part of her mind, and she answered without really thinking.

"Preñame."

"Fuuu," Rio wheezed.

Their body stiffened and shivered as they instinctively thrust in deeper, and Agatha wrapped her legs tighter around their hips.

"Good boy. Give me all you've got. Oh, fuck, you're such a good boy."

Rio whined, hips twitching back slightly, then collapsed onto Agatha.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck," Rio groaned.

"You like that, pretty boy?" Agatha asked, petting their hair.

"Fuck yes. That... Fuck, we just met and you know how to push my buttons."

"You're no slouch yourself in that department."

For a long time they just lay there together, Rio trying to recover, Agatha enjoying the compression of her newfound lover on top of her. When Rio finally groaned and rolled away, Agatha whimpered at the sudden emptiness. Immediately, Rio moved to embrace her.

"Is it okay I said that?" Rio whispered.

"Perfectly. I mean, I think you heard me respond."

"I did. I... Just didn't wanna make you uncomfortable."

"Oh, you did nothing of the kind, Rio. Fuck, you're wonderful."

"So are you."

Then there was silence for a while, for so long that Agatha felt herself being pulled down into sleep. She sighed happily and pressed a kiss to Rio's cheek.

"Can I get up a sec?" Rio asked.

"Hmm?"

"Gotta take meds."

"Oh. Oh, yeah. I should... Could I use your bathroom again?"

"Yeah. Come on."

Together, they left the bed. Agatha padded after Rio to the bathroom, barely noticing as Rio went to the sink, pulled the cock from the harness, and washed it. As Agatha sat and relieved herself, Rio washed up further, took a few pills with a cupped handful of water, then began pulling bits of kit from the medicine cabinet.

"What's all that for?" Agatha asked.

"Pain shot," Rio said, and sure enough Agatha noticed a little syringe.

"Oh. Are you... Is the pain..."

"Not so bad, but sometimes... Well, I take this each night. Usually takes me through most of the day."

Agatha sat, feeling a bit like an intruder, and watched the whole process. It all looked very steady, very practiced, and once things were complete, Rio disposed of the syringe in the detergent container by the sink.

"All done," Rio said, and smiled down at Agatha.

Then Rio washed their hands and left the bathroom. Agatha still sat there a while, worrying. Should she do anything to try and help Rio? Could she do anything?

Once Agatha had cleaned up, she left the bathroom and found Rio sitting on the edge of the bed, having finally changed out the button down shirt and tight pants from earlier for a faded gray t-shirt and plaid pajama pants.

"Do you have to leave?" Rio whispered as Agatha approached.

"Do you want me to leave?"

"No, but if you need to..."

"I don't."

"Good. I'd like it if you stay. If you want."

"Oh, I want," Agatha rushed, and crawled back into bed.

Rio lay down beside her and sighed.

"I really am glad you'll stay."

"I'll get out of your way as soon as you need in the morning."

"I... You could... You could stay for breakfast. I could take you home."

"Mmm," Agatha breathed, "I'd like that."

Scooting closer, she cuddled up against Rio, grateful when strong arms wrapped around her. Soon enough, she felt sleep truly taking her, and she felt Rio kiss her forehead softly.

"Sleep well, Agatha."

"You too."

Agatha was a little confused when she woke alone in a strange bed, but there was the warmth of very soft sheets to calm her and after a moment her mind caught up. Rio. She had gone home from the club with Rio. They had come back to the DJ's apartment together, and...

Well, normally Agatha tried not to overstate things, but she thought she had never felt more sated on a morning after.

With a small grunt, Agatha turned over, stretched, and sat up, a hint of cool air sending a shiver up her spine. Fuck, all she had to put on were the things from last night. She felt awkward at the thought of leaving the bed naked. Sure, Rio had seen her naked last night, but...

"Hey. Good morning."

There was Rio, peering around the partition, smiling.

"Good morning," Agatha said.

Rio came and sat on the edge of the bed, and Agatha scooted closer.

"You're so beautiful," Rio murmured.

Agatha huffed out a laugh.

"Really? First thing after a long night?" she asked.

"I suspect you're always beautiful."

Then Rio leaned down and kissed Agatha.

"I'm making us breakfast. You wanna clean up or anything?"

"I would love a shower."

"Cool. I'll get you a towel and stuff."

Rio kissed Agatha again, then got up and went down to the footlocker at the end of the bed. Agatha sat up and watched them pull out a towel and a washcloth.

"Here we go," they said, standing slowly.

"Are you in any pain?" Agatha asked, noting a slight tense expression.

"No. The medicine helps. Here, I'll put these in the bathroom for you."

Agatha watched Rio head to the bathroom and stretched languorously. This was the first good morning after she remembered in... Ever, really. Quiet, gentleness, no rushing. As she left the bed, she smiled. Rio was terribly sweet—sweeter than she might have expected from their cockiness on first meeting.

They were just exiting the bathroom as she went to enter, and there was a mutual wobble of nearly running into each other.

"Easy," Rio murmured, and steadied Agatha with hands on her hips.

The hands stayed there, gentle and soothing, for a good while, and then Rio leaned in for a little kiss.

"Good morning," they sighed once more as the kiss ended.

"A very good morning," Agatha agreed.

"You... I can lend you some clothes for after your shower so you won't have to eat breakfast naked."

"Thank you."

"I've had a really good time with you so far."

"And I've had a really good time with you."

"Could... This is gonna sound so stupid..." Rio said.

"What?"

"Could I just... Give you a hug?"

"Yeah. Of course."

Rio shifted their stance a little, arms slipping around easily, and pulled Agatha close. Agatha, in turn, wrapped her arms around their neck. Rio was warm, wreathed in mingled scents of spice and resin and light sweatiness, and Agatha felt their body relax as she embraced them, posture going utterly soft.

"Okay?" she asked.

Rio sighed and nodded.

"You just... You're nice. Really nice."

"Hmm. Not many would say so."

"Well, I do."

Agatha chuckled and dared to kiss the curve of Rio's jaw.

"You're really nice," she murmured, and felt them shiver in her arms.

Eventually, Rio eased away, smiling.

"You go get that shower, huh? I'll get you somethin' to wear and then finish up breakfast."

In the bathroom, Agatha looked in a drawer beside the sink and found a clip, twisting her hair up out of the way with it. For a moment she surveyed herself in the mirror, taking in the remnants of her makeup and a few little hickeys beginning to bloom on her neck and chest. Normally the marks might have annoyed her, but somehow the fact that Rio had made them meant that they were all right.

It took a moment to get the water comfortably adjusted, but soon enough Agatha was rewarded with a nice, steamy shower. Rio's soap was redolent of vanilla and something earthy and woody, and Agatha paused to breathe in the scent for a moment. In a strange way, it made her feel strangely safe.

Stepping out of the shower, Agatha eagerly wrapped herself in the towel—it was wonderfully plush—and let her hair down. She saw that some clothes had been left for her on the cabinet by the sink and, drying off quickly, slipped them on. Clad in a pair of loose black sweatpants and a massive gray hoodie, Agatha headed out into the rest of the apartment again.

Rio was in the sort-of kitchen area. There were cabinets, of course, and a sink, plus a little convection-and-cooktop combo for most of the cooking, a microwave, and a rather new-looking fridge. As far as seating, there was a battered old Samsonite card table with three folding metal chairs arrayed around it. It was an altogether eclectic assemblage, and Agatha found it oddly homey.

She dared to approach Rio, who was busy with cooking, and to lean against the counter nearby.

"So, chef, what're we having?"

Rio looked at her, grinning.

"Just basic stuff. A cheese-and-spinach omelette, turkey bacon, and sweet rolls. You like coffee or tea or neither?"

"Tea would be nice."

"Excellent, because that's what I'm having. You want green, Earl Grey, oolong..."

"Surprise me," Agatha said, and Rio laughed.

"A woman who likes spontaneity. Careful, Agatha, or you'll capture my heart."

"Will I?"

"Oh, most assuredly."

Turning from her work, Rio kissed Agatha deeply.

"Go and sit, sweetheart," they said, and something in the softness of the words made Agatha want to melt.

Choosing the chair with the least battered paint job, Agatha sat and watched Rio work, deftly bringing everything together before carrying two plates to the table and setting one before Agatha.

"Look worthy?" Rio asked, nodding to the dish.

"It looks amazing."

"Good. Those culinary arts classes paid off then."

Agatha laughed and took up the fork Rio had placed near the plate.

"Have you really taken classes like that?"

"Mm-hmm."

"Don't tell me you're secretly a chef at some high-end restaurant who does DJing on the weekends."

"Nope," Rio said, bringing two cups of tea over to the table, "I'm a funeral director."

"Yeah?"

"Yup. That freak you out?"

"Not at all," Agatha shrugged.

"Cool. A lot of girls, it freaks 'em out."

"You must have a wide history of dating, and please pardon my phrasing here, a lot of scaredy-cats."

"Maybe."

They sat and ate together, Agatha trying to keep a handle on her eating style, going slowly, chewing carefully, not wolfing her food. She thought she might be doing poorly when, suddenly, she realized that Rio had stopped eating and was watching her carefully. Setting her fork down, she let her hands rest in her lap.

"Is there something wrong?"

"No," Rio said, "I just like that you clearly appreciate food."

"Are you making fun of me?"

"No. No way! You just really seem into the food, and that makes me feel proud. You like what I cooked for you. I'm glad."

Agatha wondered if she should break down that her appreciation for food was more a desperate fear of never having any. Was the morning after a one night stand too soon to info dump about her horrific childhood? Would it seem weird to just spew the facts?

Definitely.

"You cook really well," she said softly, telling the truth.

"Did I say anything wrong?"

"Nah. Just life stuff."

"Ah. Well, I really am just glad you like the food."

Agatha smiled and slowly took back up her fork.

"So, to completely change the subject," she said, "what do you do besides funeral directing and DJing and culinary studies? Got any hobbies?"

"I like to garden. We have a community garden up on the roof of this place, and I really like to go up there. I'll show you sometime, if you want."

"I'd like that."

"And what do you do," Rio asked, "besides teaching?"

"Stay at home and avoid socializing," Agatha said.

"Yeah? How's going out to the club figure into that?"

"Oh, my friend Jen dragged me along. She insists I need a social life."

"Ah, well, aren't you glad she did drag you out? After all, otherwise you wouldn't've met me."

"I'm mentally filling out the Nobel prize application for her as we speak."

Rio laughed, and their dark eyes were filled with such mirth that Agatha could not help but feel a throb of something tender in her heart. Somehow, she kept having soft, protective feelings toward Rio, even though they had just met. She wanted to wrap this sweet, kind person up in the softest blanket possible and just keep them safe.

"You got anything planned this weekend?" Rio asked.

"Not really. I don't socialize much, like I said. I just sort of... Exist."

"Well, seeing as how you stayed for breakfast, would you wanna exist with me a while longer?"

Agatha smiled.

"I'd really like that."

"Good," Rio nodded, "'cause I hate doing dishes alone."

They did indeed do the dishes together after breakfast, and then they snuggled up together on Rio's battered brown couch. It was nice, just sitting together, breathing each other in. It was very quickly apparent that Rio had a fondness for playing with hair, and presently Agatha realized that any large tangles and snarls in her own wild mop had been  deftly worked out with Rio's fingers.

"Could I, like, braid your hair?" Rio asked.

"If you want."

"Cool!"

Rio left the sofa for a moment, returning quickly from the bathroom with a couple of hair ties, a hand mirror, a small black comb, and a joyful expression.

"You sure you're not also a hairdresser?" Agatha asked as Rio went to work.

"My last foster mom is one," Rio said, "and I used to hang around her shop a lot. Still do sometimes, on free days."

"Yeah? You get along with her pretty well?"

"Mm-hmm. She's the best mom I ever knew."

"Lucky you got her, then."

"In a way," Rio said.

When they had gathered Agatha's hair into two loose braids, Rio handed her the mirror.

"How'd I do?" they asked.

"Hmm," Agatha pondered.
"10 out of 10. I don't usually go for the schoolgirl look, but I think you've made it work for me."

"Yeah?"

"Definitely."

Rio laughed, a free, unbound laugh that made Agatha feel warm and cozy.

The rest of the morning was spent with Rio showing Agatha all around the building, with a focus on the aforementioned rooftop garden, and then just goofing off in Rio's apartment. Said goofing off consisted heavily of making out and cuddling, and Agatha was certain that she lost control of herself and said a few silly things, but then Rio said silly things too, like going on and on about how Agatha was beautiful, the most beautiful girl they had ever seen. That was pretty silly, at least as far as Agatha was concerned.

A little after noon, they had a wonderful lunch—Rio ordered takeout from some little Italian place—and then Agatha decided that it was high time to lure Rio back into bed.

"So," she started, "how would you feel if we were to lie down a little while?"

"You wanna take a nap?" Rio asked.

"Something like that."

"Cool."

It was easy to curl up together in Rio's bed. Agatha snuggled down with her head under Rio's chin, and she was pleased when Rio nuzzled the top of her head.

"You're cuddly," Rio murmured, "and that's great."

"You a big cuddler?"

"Mmm. But I never really get the chance much."

"Well, I'll cuddle you all you want."

Truthfully, Agatha had been hoping for a fresh round of sex, but instead she found herself lulled to sleep by the warmth and closeness. When she woke, it did not seem like much time had passed. Rio had moved a bit and was now flopped over on their back, head turned toward Agatha, a little line of tension between their eyebrows. Carefully, Agatha leaned up and kissed the spot. That seemed to soothe the mark away, and then Rio's eyes opened slowly.

"Hi," they rasped.

"Hi."

"You okay?"

"Oh, I'm just fine. You?"

"Okay. Just... Itchy."

"Yeah?"

"I... My scars get itchy sometimes."

"Can I help you feel better?"

"No, it's okay. I don't wanna scare you."

"I very much doubt you could, baby."

Rio turned back onto their side, pulling Agatha into their arms.

"Just could you... Could you rub my back and side, like, here?"

They indicated the left side of their torso, and Agatha went to slip her hand under their shirt.

"You... You don't have to touch the skin, if you don't want," Rio rushed.

"Will it be bad if I do?"

"No, just... I just don't want you to be grossed out. You can just touch over the shirt, if you want."

"Do you only want me to touch you over your clothes?"

Rio shrugged.

"I just don't wanna scare you."

"I won't be scared, baby. I wanna help you, okay?"

"It's real bad," Rio said, tears filling their eyes.

"Shh. Just let me take care of you, okay? Shh. I've got you."

Carefully, Agatha reached under the fabric, hand sliding almost immediately over skin that indeed felt heavily scarred. Smoothing her fingers over the surface, Agatha smiled at Rio.

"Y-yeah," Rio sniffled.

"Okay. Oh, my poor Rio. It's okay."

"You... I know it probably feels gross..."

"It just feels like scars. I've got a few of my own. Do they hurt at all?"

"Uhm, they... The pain is from... Just a lot of stuff happened to me, is all."

"Well, if I do anything that hurts, tell me."

"You're good."

Agatha pressed her forehead to Rio's, fingers still moving gently, almost massaging the puckered, rough skin.

"Thank you for trusting me, Rio."

"I... You... You're nice. You're... You're nice."

"So are you," Agatha whispered, and felt the truth of the words in every fiber of her being.

They were together at Rio's apartment, absolutely absorbed in each other, until Sunday morning. Agatha offered to get a rideshare home, but Rio was only too glad to take her on the motorcycle. When they got to Agatha's, Rio came inside for a glass of water.

"You can keep the clothes and stuff until we see each other again," they said.

"Thanks."

Agatha went to her room and dropped off the little gym bag Rio had lent her for her club clothes, then returned to the kitchen to find Rio leaning thoughtfully against the counter.

"I've had a really good time this weekend, Rio."

"Me too. I... I hope we can keep... I mean, I wanna keep on seeing you, if you're okay with that."

"I'm definitely okay with it," Agatha said.

Rio held out their arms, and Agatha stepped into the embrace. She had never felt so safe being held. She had never felt like she belonged with someone. Rio hugged her tightly, but not too tight, and kissed her cheek.

"You think maybe we could be something together?" they whispered.

"Maybe, if you don't mind damaged goods."

"How could I? I'm damaged too."

Agatha wanted to tell Rio that was untrue, that from all she had seen they were not damaged. They were just hurt. She wanted to help them in whatever way she could, to try and heal the hurt even a little. Of course, she was not sure how to put all of that into words without sounding stupid.

"Can you stay, just for a little while?" she asked.

"You want me to stay?"

"Only if you want to stay."

"It won't bother your roommate or anything, having a stranger around?"

"Oh, for all I know Jen's not even home. She left the club with someone too."

As if on cue, the apartment door banged open and Jen walked in, still wearing the clothes she had gone out to the club in, looking disheveled but very happy. When she spotted Agatha and Rio together, her eyebrows shot up.

"Oh," she said, "hey."

"Hey, Jen," Agatha said, trying to keep her tone light.

From the look in Jen's eyes, there was an interrogation in store later.

"Don't mind me," Jen rushed.
"Just need to wash up and change clothes. I have a brunch date."

"Lucky you," Agatha nodded.

Jen smiled and shrugged, then looked to Rio.

"Hey, DJ."

"Hi," Rio said softly, and Agatha sighed, rubbing a hand gently up and down their back.

"Jen, this is Rio Vidal. Rio, this my roommate, friend, and one of the many banes of my existence, Jennifer Kale."

"Nice to meet you," Jen said, already headed for her room.

Agatha watched Jen go, and her annoyance was only dissipated by the sudden realization that Rio was shaking. When she looked, she thought maybe they would be upset or crying, but instead they were clearly fighting to hold in laughter.

"Looks like she's had an even wilder weekend than you," they said.

"Well, Jen does love meeting new people."

"What about you? You like meeting new people?"

"Only if I find them worthwhile."

"Mmm. And have I been worthwhile so far?"

"Darling, you've been much more than that."

Agatha took Rio's hand and led them off to her room.

"It isn't much," she said, "but it's home."

"Shit. You have so many books!"

"I'm a big reader."

"I bet. That's fuckin' rad."

"Oh yeah? You like a smart girl?"

"Absolutely," Rio said, turning and gently backing Agatha up against the door.

They kissed her in a way that screamed of hunger and need, and she was only too happy to let them have their way. When they slipped a leg between hers, Agatha groaned and clung more tightly, riding down against Rio's thigh.

"Wanna fuck?" they murmured against her throat.

"Yes. Oh, fuck! Yes!"

"Here," Rio sighed, and guided Agatha to hook her left leg around their hip, "let's get to bed."

They lifted her easily and turned, crossing the room in two steps and easing down on the bed with her.

"You want this?"

"Yes, Rio. Fuck, I... Please, want you to fuck me..."

"Okay, querida. Okay."

Agatha let out a small whine when Rio moved off of her, but they only left to get started tugging the sweatpants down her legs, then settled right back on her as she kicked the garment away. Once they were in place again, she locked her legs around their hips and humped frantically up against the bulge in their jeans.

"Desperate girl," Rio smirked, "you need my cock that bad?"

"I swear, if you don't get inside me..."

"Okay, sweetheart. Fuck, you're soaking my jeans, huh? So fucking wet."

Fumbling with their fly, Rio got it open. The cock that sprang free was maybe a little shorter than the one Agatha had experienced at Rio's apartment, but it looked thicker and was a realistic flesh color. Just as Rio was getting it wet, dragging it up and down Agatha's slit, there was a light knock at the bedroom door.

"I'm headed out!" Jen called.
"Ya'll don't have too much fun!"

For a moment, as they listened to Jen's footsteps move away, then heard the apartment door open and close, all was silence between them. Then, Rio started to shake again with repressed laughter, and Agatha could not help but join in.

"Great timing, that roommate of yours," Rio whispered.

"Mmm, well, her timing or lack thereof is the least of my concerns right now."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"What's your primary concern of the moment, hmm?"

"Getting you inside me. Both of us cumming and cumming until neither of us can think anymore. Then maybe a little midday nap."

"I like that idea."

"Yeah? Well, hop to, big boy. Fill me up."

"Fuck," Rio groaned, thrusting half into Agatha.

"Oh my God, you're thick."

"Like this one? It's a little more me, I think."

"Oh, it's definitely... Fuck! Fuck, keep going like that!"

Rio had managed to line things up so that each thrust caused a tight little pressing drag against Agatha's clit. The sensation was delightful, and Agatha groaned as the heat in her belly mounted.

"You gonna squirt for me?" Rio muttered, locking eyes with Agatha.

The visual connection was at once necessary and almost painfully intimate, and Agatha whimpered, cupping Rio's jaw in her hands.

"Will you cum inside me?"

"That... Is the goal, querida. Fill you up."

"Fuck, Rio... Fuck. Please, please..."

"Please what, sweetheart?"

"Fuck, I... I dunno. You feel so good, baby. So fucking good!"

Rio chuckled, kissing Agatha softly and keeping up the slow, almost lazy up-and-down, in-and-out of the sex. Everything seemed exactly right, perfect, ideal, and Agatha's mind was rapid fire flickering with memories of all the other intimacies of the weekend so far, of every time Rio had fucked her or gone down on her or fingered her or...

Shit!

"Stop!"

As soon as the word left Agatha's lips, Rio froze, then pulled away and moved to lie beside her.

"What's wrong? Was I hurting you? Fuck, sweetheart, I..."

"No, no, I just... Fuck, I'm not... I'm not on birth control, and you've... We haven't used any protection."

"Shit," Rio huffed out.
"You're... Uhm, do you track your cycle?"

"Not like I probably should."

"Shit. Well, look, it... It's gonna be okay. Look, we can get some, like, morning after stuff. Just... Hey, Agatha, hey..."

But Agatha's mind had snapped over to memories of her last relationship, of her ex being so cruel, so nasty all the time, and of that last betrayal of getting rid of her birth control and then talking her into things and...

Well, it had all ended with Agatha actually being grateful for once that her mother was such a bitch.

When she came back to the moment, Rio was holding her, not too tight, whispering comforting things, stroking her hair.

"...be okay, sweetheart. It'll all be okay."

"Sorry, I... I just had a nasty ex who kept trying to baby trap me, one way or another, and..."

"I would never do that to you, I promise. Look, here, let me get my phone and we'll order the stuff right now, okay? We probably don't even have to worry, since those kinds of pregnancies are so rare without a lot of effort..."

"Oh, trust me, my ex put in the effort."

"Fuck, Agatha, are you..."

"Therapy has helped. Look, you don't have to worry, okay? I... I'll get the pills, and you can just... I dunno. You can head out or whatever. Everything's all fucked up now anyway and..."

"No it's not. I mean, for me it's not. But if you want me to go..."

Rio was already moving as if to leave the bed, but Agatha reached out.

"Please! Please, I... I didn't mean..."

And the tears she had fought back all weekend, the tears that had threatened every time Rio called her beautiful, or every time they were so nice that it almost hurt, broke through. Instantly Rio was holding her, settling her on their lap and rocking her.

"Hey. Hey, I gotcha. It's okay. You're safe, sweetheart. Fuck, I wanna... I just wanna fix it all. Okay."

Rio pressed a soft kiss to Agatha's temple.

"Let me get the pills for you, okay? I wanna help, since I... Well, I feel like I screwed up."

"Y-you didn't. You've been so... So nice. I... I just..."

Agatha let herself cry, clinging to Rio, her tears soaking their shirt.

"Okay, querida," Rio murmured, "you just let it all out. Okay. Estás a salvo conmigo, querida."

Eventually, Rio moved to settle Agatha back on the bed, pulling the sheet and blanket up over both of them.

"I'm going to get the pills, okay? I'll have them delivered here, and everything'll be fine. What's the apartment number again?"

Agatha mumbled out the address, and Rio took out their phone, busily tapping away.

"Is there anything like... Okay, there's a couple different brands here. Anything better, or that..."

"Just whatever's cheap."

"Okay. You want anything else? Little treat might help you feel better?"

"You don't have to..."

"Please? I just wanna give you anything that'd make you feel better."

Agatha sighed, hands fidgeting together.

"Chocolate milk?"

"Yeah? We can do that. Fuck, I love chocolate milk. Gonna get us a whole half-gallon. You like those little spicy stuffed tortilla chips? You know the ones you bite into and it's like powdered jalapenos inside?"

"I would live on them if I could," Agatha admitted.

"Sweet! Chips too."

Rio chuckled a little, tapping in the last of the order.

"Okay. Got it in. Stuff should be here in no time."

Laying the phone aside on Agatha's nightstand, Rio smiled and smoothed back Agatha's hair.

"Guess we both been through some shit, huh?"

"I... I g-guess," Agatha said.

"Well, look, I... I really like you, Agatha. Maybe it's fuckin' crazy, but you got somethin' about you I just can't resist."

They scooched down in the bed and opened their arms.

"Hold you while we wait?"

It seemed so easy to settle back into Rio's arms, to let them cuddle her and caress her. They did not strike her as someone with hidden intentions or ulterior motives. They were just kind.

When the phone buzzed with notification that the delivery was nearby, Rio released Agatha from the comforting embrace a moment, rolling away, frantically stuffing the packer back into their jeans and zipping up.

"Be right back," they said.

While they were gone, Agatha turned onto her back, arms behind her head, and stared at the ceiling. Rio was probably right that there was little to be concerned about, but it was no good taking a chance. Sure, this probably meant the whole thing between them, whatever it might have been, would be over now, but maybe they could stay friends.

Agatha had never had a lot of friends, and Rio seemed like they would make a nice addition to the tiny circle.

When Rio returned with the bag, they took the pills out and set them on the nightstand, then offered the big pack of chips to Agatha.

"For my sweetheart," they said.

"Thanks."

"No problem. I, uh, got some other things too. Some cots and dams for, ya know, next time maybe we wanna get... Ya know. Intimate."

The package that Rio set on the nightstand was a retina-searing pink, and something about it made Agatha laugh. Rio smiled, reaching out and stroking her cheek.

"Now, I'm gonna go pour us some little glasses of this delicious chocolate milk. Really get this party started."

Rio left again, returning moments later with the glasses of milk. They set those on the nightstand as well, then stood by the bedside, staring down at their own feet, hands behind their back.

"I... Thanks for... For letting me in," they said.

"Well, thank you for being understanding."

"I try. People are... They're hard to understand, but I try. And listen, about Saturday, that first time I fucked you like that, if what I said..."

"Rio, I didn't mind it. You were lost in the moment. So was I. And truthfully, it was nice."

"Yeah?" Rio breathed, looking at Agatha.

Agatha nodded, patting the bed beside her so Rio would sit.

"It was nice, because in that moment everything was good. You weren't hurting me, or forcing anything."

"You sure it's okay?"

"Yeah. With you, it... It was perfect. Beautiful. Sweet."

"Okay. Good. I... Like I said before, I really like you. I wanna keep seeing you. I... You're pretty cool."

"You're pretty cool too, ya know?"

"Yeah, I know."

For a moment, Agatha recognized the cockiness from their first meeting, and she felt pleased. She liked the gentle, kind Rio she had been getting to know, but that confidence was what had first drawn her in.

"I wanna keep seeing you too," Agatha said.

"Yeah? Good. I mean, I'd understand if you didn't, what with me being so irresponsible..."

"I was more than a little irresponsible too. But we've got it together now, right? Got a handle on things?"

Rio nodded, a tiny smirk twisting their mouth.

"Yeah. Yeah, I think we got it."

"So, I'm gonna need you to tell me everything."

Agatha sighed, taking the glass of wine Jen offered and slumping down a little on the sofa. It was Thursday night, and they had both been so busy all week that they had not had time before now to catch up and report on their weekend experiences. Taking a long sip of her drink, Agatha closed her eyes.

"Fuck, I wish we could afford the good stuff."

"Yeah, well, for now, it's boxed Zinfandel or nothing. Now, spill."

"The wine?"

"Agatha..."

"Fine, fine. Whatcha wanna know?"

"Like I said. Everything. Rio. You. Last weekend."

"Well, after you abandoned me in favor of that little menage..."

"It was not... Look, Alice and her friends move in a pack."

"Oh? Do warn me if they turn you into a werewolf too."

Jen scoffed, sinking down onto the other end of the sofa.

"Agatha, just dish okay?"

"Fine. I went home with Rio in the wee hours of Saturday morning. They offered to call me a rideshare or bring me here themself, but their place was closer."

"Uh-huh, a likely story," Jen nodded.

"It's true!"

"I bet. What kind of car do they drive? I didn't spot any unfamiliar ones outside on Sunday."

"That's because they have a motorcycle."

Jen's eyes went wide.

"So, a cliché bad boy type."

"Rio is not a bad boy type," Agatha groused.

"Oh no?"

"No. They're self-assured, a bit cocky maybe, but they're... Oh my God, Jen, they're so sweet and kind."

A funny little laugh gasp-snuffled its way out of Jen.

"Sweet and kind? Oh, you're in trouble now, Harkness."

"What do you mean?" Agatha asked, taking a long pull of her wine.

"Well, I mean, you're a total bitch. If Rio is as sweet as you say..."

"I am not a total bitch. My mother is a total bitch. I'm just usually a bitch."

"Right, right. My mistake."

Agatha's phone jangled, and she looked at it, smiling.

"Speak of the devil, Rio's on their way."

"On their way here?" Jen asked.

"No, Jennifer, to Jupiter. Of course they're on their way here!"

"Ooh, a cheeky Thursday date?"

"It is not a date. We just... Well, since tomorrow's the start of a long weekend, we thought we might hang out."

"All weekend? Oh, definitely not a date."

Rolling her eyes, Agatha finished her wine.

"You got any plans?" she asked.

"Not tonight, but Alice is taking me out to dinner on Friday."

"Ah, dinner. Well, if I don't see you again before that, I hope you have a marvelous time."

Jen cocked a brow, gulping down half of her drink.

"Are you really planning to just spend a whole weekend with Rio again?"

"Possibly."

"Girl, you are down bad. I haven't even seen you have a one night stand since... Well, since everything."

"Just because you don't know every detail of my personal life..."

"Oh please, Agatha. You've been basically a shut-in socially for, what, almost three years now?"

"Two and a half."

"Close enough," Jen scoffed.

"And anyway, I haven't been a shut-in. I've gone to... To stuff."

"The occasional work mixer, Thanksgiving dinner with your sister and her weird crew, and that annual Womyn Power drum circle thing with your mom?"

"That's stuff!"

Drinking down the last of her wine, Agatha stood.

"Anyway, if you'll excuse me, I need to go get changed. I want to be comfortable."

"For hanging out?" Jen prompted.

Agatha gave a curt nod.

"For hanging out."

Off to the kitchen she went first, and actually poured just a tiny bit more wine for herself. For a moment she stood at the sink, just thinking. Given her little flip out on Sunday, she was surprised Rio still even wanted to be around her. Still, it would be nice to just spend time with someone so generally chill and gentle. It would be nice to have any social life at all away from work.

Draining the glass again, Agatha rinsed it and left it on the drain board, then went to her room. They would be going out for dinner, then back to Rio's apartment to just be together. Agatha had a bit of hope that maybe, just maybe, they might have sex, but once again, considering Sunday, she figured she had blown any chance of that. It was a shame really, because Rio was so gentle and made her feel so safe during.

Sighing, she went to her room. The restaurant was, per Rio, not fancy, but still, Agatha wanted to look presentable.

Slacks. Slacks would be good. And a nice blouse. She agonized a bit over what to do with her hair, knowing it would be inevitably tousled by a motorcycle helmet. When she heard a knock at the apartment door, she winced and hurried to pull her hair back into a not-too-loose chignon. By the time she rushed from her room, Jen had let Rio in and herded them into the living room. Rio sat awkwardly in the old armchair that had been Agatha's "housewarming" gift from her older sister, but as soon as Agatha entered the room, they stood so quickly that they overbalanced and wobbled slightly. On instinct, Agatha went and hugged them.

"Hi," she said.

"Hey," Rio squeaked, and wrapping their arms around her, "you look really pretty."

"Thanks. You look very handsome."

"I do, don't I?"

It was true; in their dark jeans and half-buttoned cream shirt, Rio looked very handsome indeed. They kissed Agatha's forehead and smiled.

"You ready to go?"

"Uh, yeah. Lemme go grab that gym bag you gave me. I packed some necessities in it in case, you know, I spend the night."

"I was hoping you might," Rio said, and grinned.

"You two have fun," Jen said, trying to look as if she was busy with her phone.

Agatha rolled her eyes and took Rio's hand.

"Wait for me by the door, okay?"

Rio nodded and trailed along after, grabbing their jacket from the hook where it had been left when they entered. Hurrying to her room, Agatha got the gym bag, then turned off the light and returned to Rio. Then she remembered her jacket was in the living room.

"Oh shit, hold this," she said, and handed the bag to Rio.

"You got it."

Ducking back to the living room, Agatha nearly collided with Jen, who was holding her jacket out to her.

"Thanks, Jen."

"No problem. Call me if anything comes up."

"Sure, sure."

Agatha strode back toward the front door and found Rio standing, staring at the damn print Mother had insisted Agatha take and that Jen had insisted they hang right by the front door because "what kind of lesbians would we be if we didn't?"

"Hey, so," Rio began, "is that..."

"Mm-hmm, sure is," Agatha said, shrugging her jacket on.

"Cool. It's... Uhm, it's very detailed."

"My mother is friends with a very certain set of artists. We gonna head out?"

"Uh, yeah."

Rio tore their gaze from the print and turned to Agatha, smiling just slightly.

"Could I kiss you?" they asked.
"Like, a kinda... More of a kiss?"

"Any time you want," Agatha said.

Smile widening just slightly, Rio pulled Agatha close, leaning in nose to nose.

"I'm glad I get to see you again," they whispered.

"I'm glad you want to see me again," Agatha said.

"I suspect I'll always wanna see you."

And then Rio kissed her with such softness, such tenderness, that Agatha was afraid she would melt into a puddle on the floor. She curled one hand around the back of Rio's neck, moaning, whimpering, wanting more, and soon Rio had her backed up against the door, and things had moved from kissy to decidedly gropey.

"So, uhm," Rio gasped when they had parted, "what if we were to... To just head straight to my place and order takeout?"

"I would be very happy with that," Agatha nodded.

"Cool. C'mon."

The ride across town felt particularly exhilarating. The air was cooler still than last weekend, the streets were relatively empty, and though Rio drove carefully, a little thrill of danger coursed up and down Agatha's spine. Perhaps more than danger, however, it was arousal; Agatha felt totally ready for whatever might happen between herself and Rio this weekend.

As soon as they reached Rio's building they rushed up the three flights of stairs, and the moment the door of Rio's apartment was closed behind them, there was an almost bruising embrace.

"I... Can I say I missed you?" Rio asked.
"Is it weird if I missed you?"

"No, baby," Agatha assured them, "I missed you too. Every time you texted me, all I could think about was wanting to be with you."

"We've known each other not quite a week, and I... I wanna... I dunno. You make me feel wild, Agatha. Wilder than usual. Like... Fuck! Like I'm gonna explode with the things I already feel about you."

As they spoke, Rio broke up the words by kissing Agatha's forehead, her cheeks, her lips, and then the once again rested their forehead against hers.

"Can I take you to bed?" they asked.

"Oh, yes. Any time."

"Can I... Would it be all right if I made love to you?"

"Isn't that what going to bed is for?"

Rio shrugged slightly.

"Not for some people. Not this soon. But I wanna worship you."

The words were softly spoken and so full of emotion that Agatha felt herself blushing. She buried her face against Rio's shoulder.

"Please," she whispered.

"Please what, querida?"

"Please make love to me."

Rio kissed her again, then smiled and took her hand, leading her to the bed.

"You feel safe?" they asked.

"Always with you."

"Good. I want to be a safe person for you. I feel safe with you, and I want you to feel safe with me."

"I do."

At the bedside, Rio halted, stepping away a moment to take off their watch and place it on the night stand.

"Would you let me take your hair down?"

Agatha nodded.

"You can do that."

"Will you let me undress you?"

"Of course. But I... Rio..."

"What?"

"When can... I don't want to push you, but when can I see you? All of you?"

Rio turned back to Agatha and smiled.

"Soon, querida. Very, very soon. I know you won't be afraid. Now, turn around for me?"

Agatha turned her back to Rio as asked, feeling the long, deft fingers pull the pins from her hair, coaxing it down, combing through it.

"You have such beautiful hair," Rio said.

"Thank you."

They lifted her hair to the side so that it draped forward over her right shoulder, then moved in close to wrap their arms around her waist.

"You're beautiful, Agatha. Every part of you."

"You're beautiful too."

Rio chuckled and kissed the back of Agatha's neck.

"Ain't I, though? But right now, this is about you."

Carefully, Rio slid their hands up and undid the top two buttons of Agatha's blouse.

"Still safe?" they asked.

"Yes."

"Good. I never want to worry you."

Agatha looked at her blouse and bra, neatly draped over the footlocker, then down at Rio who was kneeling before her.

"Still okay?" Rio asked.

"Wonderful," Agatha said, and ran a hand through Rio's hair.

Smiling, Rio hugged her waist, then shifted back and undid the button and zipper of the slacks. Slim fingers slipped past the waistband, getting a grip on Agatha's underwear at the same time, and slid everything down.

"Step out for me," Rio said.

Stepping aside, Agatha watched Rio stand slowly and move to place the slacks with the other removed garments. When they turned back to her, they untucked their shirt and popped open the three buttons that were actually done up.

"I trust you," they said.

When they were close enough, Agatha reached out, hands lightly skimming over Rio's abs, sliding up over their chest until grazing some material other than skin. Agatha froze, but Rio just shrugged.

"The tape," they said.

"For binding?"

"Mm-hmm. That okay?"

"Of course. Can I..."

Agatha trailed off, gnawing her lip. Rio reached out and gently stroked her cheek.

"What, querida? What do you want?"

"Can I... Would you hug me? Right now I just... I want to feel your skin against mine."

"Okay. Yeah. We can definitely do that."

It was a hug. They had already, in the incredibly short time they knew each other, hugged quite a bit, particularly last Sunday. But this time, skin to skin, felt like a culmination. It was a mark of trust growing between them. Agatha turned her head a little and kissed the side of Rio's neck.

"Thank you for trusting me."

"Thank you for being kind to me," Rio said, "and for not judging."

Eventually, Rio pulled away again, only enough to shrug off their shirt and then sit on the edge of the bed. They held out their arms.

"Let me hold you?"

Agatha settled on their lap, distracted for a moment with studying their now visible tattoos. She had seen hints of them last weekend, but now she could fully appreciate the twining of vines and blossoms that made up a half sleeve on each arm. Hints of similar work showed along the sides of Rio's ribs, and a part of Agatha wondered if everything carried on over and around the scars on their back.

"So," Rio said, fingers teasing at the base of Agatha's spine, "still good to go?"

"Oh, definitely," Agatha said.

"Good. We'll be careful, okay? I, uhm... I got some protection for here too, since I left that package from Sunday at yours."

"Thoughtful."

"I try to be. Don't want any little surprises, huh?"

"Not... No we don't," Agatha said, catching herself half way.

Rio smiled at her.

"Changed your words there," they said.

"Better phrasing," she shrugged.

It would be fundamentally stupid to admit that, ever since Sunday, she had been considering certain scenarios. It was too soon in whatever this was to be thinking of that, and Agatha still had a lot to work through in therapy. Then there was the possibility that Rio might not want children. Maybe one day such a discussion could be had.

One day.

"Agatha? Hey, you all right?"

"I... Sorry, I was just..."

"Seemed pretty far away in your head there for a bit."

"Just... I..."

"Oh, shit, did that bring up bad stuff? I... I just wanted to reassure you that we're gonna be careful, that you don't have to worry. I'm sor..."

"Rio, it's all right. I just had some thoughts. It's okay. Kiss me?"

"Sure you're all right?"

"Perfectly fine. Please, just kiss me."

So Rio kissed her, soft and deep and warm, and when the kiss ended, everything had shifted so that Agatha was lying on the bed, Rio at her side.

"You're so fuckin' beautiful I almost can't believe it," Rio muttered, pressing a kiss to Agatha's left shoulder.

"I... Rio, please..."

"What, sweet girl?"

"I need you. Please, I need you."

"I'm here."

Rio's touch was reverent, careful, and in the moment Agatha could almost believe that she truly was beautiful. The possibility of such thoughts had been driven out of her mind a few years before, but Rio looked at her with such soft adoration that the walls of doubt cracked, just a bit. Gentle kisses and delicate caresses began to reassure her that she was desirable.

"Tell me if you want to stop," Rio whispered, then kissed the pulse point at one side of Agatha's throat.

"Don't you stop. Don't you ever dare stop."

In some way, it was like a dance unpracticed but instinctively known. Rio moved one way, Agatha moved to align. Another movement, a shift up or down, and then they were back together again, skin to skin, the only major barrier being Rio's jeans. Soon, however, those were removed, and then only a thin layer of cotton separated things. As their legs twined together, Agatha learned by touch that one of Rio's legs bore scars too, quite old by the feel, and she ached for whatever horror had befallen this sweet, caring person. Her own childhood had been disrupted, neglectful, abusive, but it seemed to her that Rio's youth must have been particularly atrocious.

"We... Could I go down?" Rio asked.

"Do you want to?"

"Pretty badly, but I'll only do it if you feel safe."

"I want you to. I just..."

"I promise, we'll be careful. I won't touch you without protection, okay?"

"I know. I trust you. I just feel like I don't do enough for you."

"You do, Agatha. You do more than enough."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course. I... There's a lot, but trust me, I'm getting so, so much out of this."

"Okay. If you're sure, baby."

"I am."

Then Rio moved to fumble open the nightstand drawer and pull out the appropriate item. They knelt up between Agatha's legs, fingers shaking a little as they opened the packet. Agatha nudged a leg against them, and they looked at her.

"I have an appointment with my doctor on Tuesday," she said, "and I'm gonna get on the pill again. Should save some trouble, yeah?"

Rio smiled a little and shrugged, then went back to their struggle.

"I... I don't mind. I just wanna protect you, ya know? I know maybe there's... There's stuff. I don't wanna do something that would make you scared or would hurt you."

"I know, and you're so sweet to be concerned. But you know, if you don't want to worry for now, I still have morning after pills at home."

Again Rio looked up, a little crease of tension between their brows.

"Are... Uhm, do you... Do you want..."

"I want whatever would be easiest for you," Agatha said.

"I don't want to be bad to you or something."

"You aren't. You won't be. I'm saying, for now, it's all right."

"You sure?"

Nodding, Agatha pushed herself up on one elbow.

"It's all right. We can be safe. You don't have to worry."

"But you..."

"I'm not afraid of you. You're not the person who hurt me. I know you won't try to make me do anything I don't want to do."

There was a long silence, and then Rio crawled up and kissed Agatha.

"Are you totally sure you feel okay with this?"

"I am."

Another kiss, and Rio drew a shuddering breath.

"If there is a problem, querida, I'll... Well, I'd do whatever you need to help. To take care of you."

"Of course you would. You're so sweet to me."

It was all closeness then, union of body on body that Agatha was certain would look almost indivisible from outside. Rio kissed her lips, her neck, and then slowly worked down her body, the still wrapped dam forgotten amid the sheets. Agatha's toes curled prematurely as her mind called up the memory of Rio's oral skills. Yes, protection was a good idea, but at the moment all Agatha could seem to care for was pleasure: as much as possible, as quickly as possible.

"You're sure?" Rio checked after planting a kiss just above Agatha's navel.

"Completely," Agatha said.

They grinned at her, kissing the same spot again, then continuing the downward trek. Agatha threaded the fingers of her left hand into their hair, as if to anchor herself and possibly Rio in the moment. No reason to let either of them totally float away with the pleasure.

The closer things came to ultimate contact, the more she found herself subject to small thrills and shivers of anticipation. It seemed too that each kiss closer to Rio's goal was hotter. Beyond the simple brush of warm lips against equally heated skin, these touches were the near blinding tease of a white-hot iron. When one landed at the meeting point between Agatha's left hip and her pelvis, she whimpered. When the next was squarely on her mons, directly above the top of her cleft, she groaned, hips trembling upward, and she felt Rio make some small, approving noise.

"Good girl," Rio sighed, and kissed the softness of Agatha's right inner thigh.

"Fuck," Agatha gasped.

Coherent awareness scattered for a time, and everything coalesced to the heat of Rio's breath, the pressure of their lips and tongue and fingers, the comforting squeeze as they gripped Agatha's free hand. It was as if the pleasure they offered were already deeply familiar, something Agatha's body deemed itself worthy of. This body, so used to harshness and pain, apparently was fully ready to accept this gentleness. The sense that somehow the darkness of the past was deserved did not dissipate, but it was pushed far, far back in the mind.

There was only goodness, the sharp curl and snap of building sensation, and beneath that the glow of deep pleasure was settling almost into Agatha's very bones.

"Please," she rasped, fingers clutching tighter at Rio's hair, "yes! Please, right there!"

Heat, pressure, abs tensing, and an instant where Agatha looked down and saw that Rio was watching her over the curve of her mons, that the dark eyes were glittering with warmth and need and wonder.

"Yes! Oh, fuck! Fuck!"

Still the wave rose, swelled, and in a narrow spiral of her consciousness, Agatha was sure that she would be swept away, that she would lose all touch with the world and reality, and that would be fine, perfect, so long as Rio kept stoking the fire in her, kept drawing her up and up and up...

The climax struck, rushing up every nerve like fire up a trail of accelerant.

"Rio! Yes, yes, FUCK!"

Just when the last embers seemed ready to fade, another was oncoming, slamming hard and fast, lifting Agatha up, twisting through her as if it was deserved, as if it was as vital as breathing, and that one nearly snuffed out, for the moment, any lingering doubt born of self loathing.

Twice more pleasure overwhelmed her, and then Rio was up beside her, holding her, a hand still at her cunt, fingers softly twisting in and out, thumb teasing her clit, drawing out one more great rush of exhilaration before Agatha whimpered, shivered, and squeezed her legs together to close off access.

"I've got you," Rio said, voice very soft, and kissed Agatha deep, sharing with her the taste of herself.

"Rio..."

"Right here, querida."

"Rio, I... Please don't let me go."

"I won't, sweetheart. Long as you want me, I'll stay with you, I promise."

Turning onto her side, Agatha felt the self-directed anger and loathing drifting back into her mind, and she clung to Rio as a sob escaped her.

"I'm sorry if I was bad."

"You weren't, Agatha. You weren't bad."

"I... If it... I'm sorry."

"You got nothing to be sorry for. You're good. So good."

Agatha pressed a kiss to the hollow between Rio's collarbones, a penitent seeking absolution, and felt Rio kiss the top of her head.

"Descansa, Ágata. Aquí nada te puede hacer daño."