Chapter Text
Once they were safely inside the 80s-themed house, the coven sighed with relief.
As they tried to figure out the next trial, Billy spotted a bottle through a stack of board games and got an idea on what the next trial could've been about.
"Please tell me this isn't what I think it is," Agatha muttered under her breath, walking up to Lilia, who was already looking a little too amused by the situation.
Billy scratched his head. “Looks like we’re all supposed to sit in a circle.”
“I won’t be doing this..” Jen muttered. “Are we witches or teenagers doing a sleepover?”
In the center of the circle, Lilia set down an old, dusty bottle.
"Alright…okay, guys, let’s calm down for a minute.” Billy said. “This could be fun, and an occasion for us to bond as a coven”
But his tone suggested he was only saying that to keep himself from looking completely uncomfortable.
Alice rolled her eyes, picking lint off her sleeve. “I thought we were supposed to survive the trials, not… do…. Whatever kind of trial this is.”
"The trial is simple," Lilia gulped. "We spin the bottle. Whoever it lands on must... share a moment of truth... Something that one of us hasn't been able to face, to deal with..” Her expression barely flickered, but the awkwardness was palpable.
“Of what?” Jen blurted. "You can’t be serious, Lilia.”
" ‘Tame your fears, a door appears, to love that never dies,’ ” Lilia said. “It's like the ballad says. Tonight's trial is about unity. Trust. Vulnerability."
"Is this what we're afraid of? To share our feelings?" Jen chuckled.
Agatha wasn't stupid. She knew exactly who and what Lilia was talking about.
"This is ridiculous." she said while awkwardly laughing. “Let's just stop playing games Lilia shall we? The road surely does not want to play with games like this!”
Alice, who had been sitting silently, finally spoke up. “We’ve been standing around here for too much already. The clock is ticking. Do you want to keep arguing, or do you want to get this trial over with so we can move on?”
“I’ll do it,” Jen said with an exaggerated sigh. “Let’s just get this over with.”
Agatha looked at her, eyes wide. “Are you… serious?”
Jen raised an eyebrow. “Yes, Agatha, I’m serious. It’s just a game. I’m not going to die because you guys don't want to play a stupid game”
Agatha shook her head, she was starting to panic. She started stuttering and muttering under her breath. “This is so ridiculous. I don’t even—”
Before she could finish, the bottle in the circle's centre gave a sudden, unexpected lurch. As if it had a mind of its own, the glass neck pointed directly at Agatha.
The entire room fell silent.
Rio’s lips curled into a smile and with a seducing tone said “Looks like the bottle’s chosen you, Agatha.”
Agatha’s face twisted into a scowl. “No. No way. I’m not playing this stupid game.”
The bottle moved a little more towards Agatha.
“Looks like the road has other plans.” said Billy. You’re up, Agatha.”
“Just spin it,” Alice said with a smirk. “The sooner you do, the sooner we can get this over with.”
It spun and spun, slowing down just as it pointed straight at Rio.
“Well, well, well,” Rio put her tongue in her cheek. A mischievous grin crept onto her lips as her eyes locked onto Agatha.
“The Lovers” yelled Lila as everyone stared at her with confused looks on their faces.
“You two need to kiss.”
“Oh..” Alice whispered.
Agatha’s jaw tightened as she glanced around the circle. She could feel the weight of everyone’s eyes on her.
“What’s the matter, Agatha?” Jen asked, her tone thick with sarcasm
“Getting a little hot under the collar? Didn’t think I’d ever see you panic, but I guess all it takes is a spinning bottle and some unresolved ex-drama to crack that selfish exterior, huh?"
“Shut up,” Agatha hissed.
And before Agatha could argue, Rio’s hand was at her cheek, pulling her forward.
The sudden closeness of Rio’s touch sent a wave of heat rushing through Agatha.
“Fine,” Agatha growled, her voice barely above a whisper, but the edge of frustration was clear. “We’ll do this. But when this trial is over, I’m going to make you reg-”
Agatha tried to finish the sentence but, Rio cupped her face in her hands, leaning down to kiss her with a smirk that made Agatha’s blood boil and pulse with something darker.
But Agatha? She couldn’t tear herself away. As much as she wanted to resist, as much as she hated her, Rio’s lips were too soft and insistent to resist them. She found herself leaning into the kiss despite every instinct telling her to pull away. And the worst part? She wanted to kiss Rio back.
When Rio finally pulled away, Agatha’s chest was heaving, her fingers gripping the edge of the chair as if it would stop her heart from racing.
“Mmm. I missed you” murmured Rio, her tone full of playful satisfaction.
Agatha shot her a look “You’re insufferable.”
Rio’s grin widened, her thumb brushing over Agatha’s lips in a way that sent a shiver down Agatha’s spine. “You love it,” she teased, her voice laced with that familiar, maddening confidence.
Agatha shot her a glare, though her heart was still thumping loudly in her chest.
Lilia had crossed her arms and was staring at her nails with exaggerated indifference, though the quick, embarrassed glances at her fellow coven members betrayed her discomfort.
Jen was red-faced, her fingers gripping the edge of her chair as if the fabric might hold her in place.
Billy was openly gawking at the pair, wide-eyed and slack-jawed, while Alice had an awkward but amused smile playing at the edges of her lips.
"Okay, uh," Jen finally mumbled, rubbing the back of her neck, “Can we... can we move on? This is, like... super awkward.”
“Yeah,” Billy chimed in quickly, “No offence, but we've seen enough.”
The coven had barely processed the first kiss when Agatha’s hands motioned forward to cup Rio’s head.
“A—” Rio started, but before she could finish her sentence, Agatha pulled her forward, crashing her lips against her lover’s.
The kiss was even more desperate than the first one they shared in that house.
“Oh god,” Lilia muttered, pinching the bridge of her nose as she tried to look anywhere but at the two of them. “What the heck have we started?”
Agatha’s fingers tangled in Rio’s hair, her grip tightening as she pulled her deeper into the kiss. Agatha’s body was pressed so close to Rio’s now that it was impossible to tell where one ended and the other began, and she wasn't even thinking about the other coven members' reactions.
Rio responded in a tender way, her hands sliding down Agatha’s back, her fingers digging into the fabric of her purple T-shirt. She moaned against Agatha’s lips, a sound that sent a hot flush to Agatha’s cheeks. Her chest tightened as Rio’s hands roamed lower, and despite herself, she allowed it.
The coven stared, mortified.
“Please,” Billy squeaked, shifting uncomfortably, “We’re, like, right here, can’t you just—”
His words were cut off by Agatha herself, breathless from the last four kisses she was sharing with her ex-lover.
“Is this… seriously happening?” Jen whispered to Lilia, who could only shake her head in disbelief.
“I thought they hated each other.” Lilia muttered.
“They do,” Alice replied dryly, though her tone was laced with both amusement and a hint of embarrassment. “Guess there’s more than one kind of hate.”
Then, to everyone’s horror, Rio and Agatha tumbled backwards, landing on the floor in a tangled mess of robes and limbs, their lips still fused together. Agatha’s hand slipped lower, caressing Rio’s back with an urgency that made everyone in the room cringe.
“Oh my god,” Lilia groaned, covering her eyes. “We need to stop this.”
“I—I can’t watch this,” Jen mumbled, clutching her face as she turned away.
“Maybe if we just pretend it’s not happening, it’ll end,” Billy offered, but the words held no conviction.
“Fat chance,” Alice said. “Just wait for them to get bored.”
“Do they look to you like they could ever get bored? They're eating each other up!” said Jen.
Agatha’s heart was pounding in her chest. Her mind was a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts. She should be angry. She should push Rio away, tell her to get the hell off her, to stop this—stop them. But at that moment, in the silence between them, it was hard to think of anything except the heat that still burned between them.
Rio shifted slightly, propping herself up on one elbow and gazing at Agatha with a look that was somehow both teasing and soft. “I told you I preferred you horizontal” she murmured with a smirk.
Agatha closed their eyes in annoyance but was still marked by Rio’s flirting.
After a while, the sound of the door slamming was what finally broke through the haze between Agatha and Rio. Agatha blinked, her hands still tangled in Rio’s hair, and glanced around.
“Wait.” Agatha frowned, sitting up slightly, though Rio’s arms still lazily looped around her waist. “Where the hell did everyone go?”
Rio chuckled, the low, sultry sound echoing in the empty room. She teased her, brushing a stray strand of hair from Agatha’s flushed face. “Can you blame them? I mean, we were pretty... intense.”
Agatha rolled her eyes, swatting Rio’s hand away. “Oh, don’t flatter yourself.” She shifted, trying to get up, but Rio tightened her grip, pulling her back down.
“Flatter myself?” Rio smirked, her tone dripping with mock innocence. “Sweetheart, did you hear yourself back there? You wanted to fuck me so bad that it made you look stupid”
Agatha’s cheeks flushed deep red, and she shoved at Rio’s shoulders. “You’re delusional” she snapped, though the embarrassment in her voice only made Rio’s grin widen.
“Am I?” Rio quipped, tilting her head with exaggerated curiosity. “Because I’m pretty sure your hands were all over me like you couldn’t get enough.”
Agatha slapped Rio’s hand away again, finally managing to push herself to her feet. She adjusted her shirt, smoothing it down as if trying to erase the evidence of what had just happened. “You are the most unbelievable person I’ve ever met,” she muttered, glaring down at Rio, who was still sprawled lazily on the floor.
“And yet,” Rio said, grinning up at her, “you keep coming back for more.”
Agatha scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest. “You think I want this? You think I enjoy—”
Rio stopped her from talking “You can admit it, Agatha. You missed me.”
Agatha’s glare faltered for a split second before she turned away.
Rio followed, standing close behind her, too close, her breath warm against Agatha’s neck. “Oh, come on. Don't tell me you're thinking about that kind of coven you've got yourself. They did us a favour. Now we get some... alone time.”
Agatha spun around, pointing a finger at Rio’s chest, her expression a mix of exasperation and lingering heat. “You have no idea when to quit, do you?”
“Why would I quit when I’m winning?” Rio replied smoothly, her grin as infuriatingly charming as ever.
Agatha let out an annoyed groan, brushing past her and stepping out into the hallway. “You’re impossible,” she muttered, though the corner of her mouth twitched, betraying the tiniest hint of a smile.
Rio followed her, hands tucked casually into her pockets, still grinning like the cat who ate the canary. “And yet, here you are walking away but not too far”
“… My lady.”