#maybe once he comes back after Ripley?

[damiansgoodgirll]

excited for dont break my heart part 6 <3

here we go!

part one, part two, part three, part four, part five

the judgment day x reader (platonic) / damian priest x reader (platonic) / rhea ripley x reader (platonic) / drew mcintyre x reader

likes, comments and reblogs are always appreciated!

‼️angst, mention of family issues, fear of abandonment, fear of loneliness, panic attack, nightmares, mention of past domestic violence, finn’s being violent, mention of daddy issues, sexual tension but nothing explicit (yet) some fluff too‼️

don’t break my heart - part 6

rhea was waiting for bash in berlin to come. she tried to get her revenge on liv for the past week but someone was always there to stop her. but she knew, in berlin, she had the opportunity to prove everyone who the real champion was. she couldn’t wait to get her revenge on her, she had so much unleashed anger that she knew she was going to destroy liv, in every way possible.

the past week has been a blur to you.

everyone getting ready for the big event in germany, you too, so, you didn’t have much time to enjoy life.

you didn’t have a match but you knew that the judgment day would have tried to screw damian and rhea and you couldn’t let it happen, not again.

so you trained. you trained with damian, you trained with rhea, you trained with drew.

damian and rhea hardly accepted this new relationship between you and him. for her, he was too old. she would have never told you this but in her mind, you were just projecting your past self into this relationship, the need of having someone older to look after you, the feeling of being loved and chosen by someone older than you. damian didn’t mind the age difference as long as you were happy, but he knew that at the moment, you struggled being happy and he didn’t want drew to cause you more harm.

“you got his hermosa” damian happily cheered you on as you were training with rhea. she was tough and much stronger than you. training with her was always a challenge but you loved it.

you smiled at him and let rhea practice some other moves on you before you both took a breath and some minutes of break.

“everything okay?” rhea asked when she saw you looking at the ceiling, a little dozed off.

“i spoke with finn” you confessed. damian and rhea met you with worried eyes “he wanted to apologise but i shove him away…he kept saying how sorry he was for what happened…”

rhea took a deep breath before speaking again “what did you say y/n?”

“that i don’t wanna see him or talk to him ever again…i trusted him with my whole life and he betrayed me like that…he’s dead for me” rhea proudly smiled when she heard those words coming out of your mouth. she knew how important was finn to you and she was a little scared that you may want to forgive him so when you told her that you were done, she felt relieved.

“i’m proud of you hermosa…” damian kissed your head, making you smile against his chest.

“you ready for bash?” you asked the duo, seeing them working their asses off this whole week.

“ready to destroy them” rhea said making you chuckle.

“i feel like i need a hot shower and then i’ll start packing for berlin…do you guys need any help with packing?” you offered while walking out the gym.

damian smiled at your kindness “no princesa, i think i’m almost done packing, thank you though, i appreciate it”

you smiled back, riding with them and waving them off once they dropped you back home.

the rest of the night moved slowly, you took your time doing your skincare, washing your hair, cooking dinner and packing for berlin. you felt at ease, somehow. maybe it was because of damian and rhea being there for you like a real family, maybe it was because of your relationship with drew.

and thinking of him, your telephone popped up with a notification from drew.

sleep well kid, call me if anything happens, even if you just need to talk about the silliest things, i’m here for you, always, goodnight love, see you in berlin <3

you smiled, replying a thank you and a goodnight. for the first time you felt loved and appreciated and you wanted it to stay like that forever.

but you knew some things couldn’t stay true forever.

bash in berlin was a success. rhea and damian dominated against liv and dom. rhea took her revenge on liv, hitting her and making her pay for what she did to you.

“you’re gonna regret even speaking to y/n” she whispered in her hear, making sure the cameras didn’t catch that before licking her face.

of course the judgment day had to interfere but you were ready. the crowd cheered when they saw you kicking finn away from damian. you tried to bring some peace because five against two wasn’t a fair match. so you helped them as you could, trying to keep jd and finn out of the ring so damian and rhea could finish the match. you couldn’t express how happy you were once they won the match.

laughing at finn’s face was your little revenge. his expression was a mix of heartbreak and anger. he hated damian and rhea for turning you against him even more.

drew watched the match backstage, softly smiling when he saw you happy, not caring that he just lost against punk. he knew he was gonna get his revenge at some point, so, celebrating with you was his priority now.

he waited for you to finish all the interviews, he waited for you to get ready before he could come to your changing room.

you heard a soft knock outside, knowing that only drew knocked so carefully when it came to you “come in” you smiled.

his eyes a little sad but his smile still on his face when he saw you all this happy and energetic. you hugged him, letting him know that you were there for him, always.

“how are you drew? anything that hurts?” his heart missed a few beats when he heard you getting worried for him.

“i’m good…raw is happening soon and bad blood is next month, i’m gonna get my revenge” he softly kissed your head while you hugged him, the height difference making it easier for him to reach your head than your lips “you did so good y/n, i’m so proud of you…you showed everyone what you can do and i’m so happy for you, you deserve all of this” his words were sincere, you could see it in his eyes.

you needed to hear those words. you craved those words. you needed someone to be proud of you, it meant that all you fought for in the past years wasn’t taken for granted.

“thank you drew…i really appreciate it” there was moment of silence between the two of you before you slowly dragged his neck down and met his lips in a gentle kiss. he understood that physical affection was your love sign, more than words and honesty he didn’t mind. he loved the feeling of your lips over his. your smaller hands tugging his hairs and neck. his stronger ones holding you tighter by your hips.

butterflies were all over your body when he deepened the kiss, his beard slowly grazing your face, making you shiver under his touch.

drew couldn’t lie to himself if he said he didn’t want to have you naked under his body. he imagined every night what it would feel like having you under him, naked and begging just for him. he craved for your touch. no one was ever able to make him feel like you do. but at the same time he respected you too much and he wanted to take things slowly, making you feel comfortable and not rushing things.

you both needed to catch breath so you moved a little from his lips. his eyes never leaving your face, always looking for any sign of discomfort but when you showed none, his lips moved back onto yours.

he moved you both on the black leather couch near the door so you could be more comfortable, knowing that the height difference might cause you both neck pain after standing for so long. he took you in his lap, your hands still in his hair, playing with the soft ends while his hands moved from your hips to your back and from your back to your hips again.

everything was new for you. this was probably the longest make out session you’ve ever had. and you worried about what would drew say when you will tell him that he was your first ever real relationship.

“everything okay?” he whispered, catching breath. he sensed you shifting uncomfortably in his lap so he worried a little.

“yeah…it’s just”

“a lot?” he asked.

“no” you laughed “it’s nice, very nice but everything is new for me so…please, please let me know if i do something wrong…”

his hand gently stroked your cheek, as if he wanted to reassure you that everything was okay and you couldn’t do anything wrong “we are moving at your own pace, i promise you, everything is okay” you relaxed a little when he saw those words, making you smile when you started kissing him again.

a loud knock interrupted the two of you “mariposa! rhea and i are leaving, are you ready?” damian asked from outside the door.

“he’s gonna kill me if he sees us like this” drew whispered making it hard for you to keep your laughter down.

“uhm…yeah, i’m ready, just give me a sec” you moved out of drew’s lap as he watched you throwing your essentials into your bag “i’m coming”

“i’ll text you once we are back at the hotel” drew whispered, winking at you and blowing you a kiss.

you smiled before leaving the changing room only to be met with a questioning damian “what took you so long?” he asked when you both met rhea and drove back to the hotel.

“i showered…and watched the rest of the main event…” you hated lying to them but if damian or rhea found out you were having a heavy make out session with drew in your changing room, they would have killed him and then you.

“what’s that smile y/n?” rhea teased you, making you blush.

“oh nothing…i’m just happy for how the show went” you tried your best to not lie to them but you knew you couldn’t. they knew something was up but they both exhausted so they let it go, at least for now.

back at the hotel, you and drew kept texting like teenagers. you shared your room with rhea so you couldn’t have him over and if you left, she would get suspicious. she pretended to sleep but she knew you were up. she heard your nails typing on the keyboard, she heard your little giggles and even if she wasn’t a fan of this relationship, she couldn’t deny that you were a changed person since you started dating drew.

the day after was spent by everyone going back to the states because of monday night raw. you wished you had enough time to visit berlin but drew promised you that once you both had a few days off he would take you, so you held on to that promise.

if 48 hours ago you were in berlin, now you were checking in your hotel for the next few days in denver, colorado. you were tired and you wanted to sleep but damian and rhea called you in the gym so you could train with them.

“what’s with that face mi amor?” damian’s accent made everything even better but you were tired so you couldn’t care less.

“tired…” you yawned.

“if you slept instead of texting with drew all night long you wouldn’t be so tired…” rhea said out loud. she didn’t mean to. it was a thought that she had and she didn’t know why it escaped but now it was out.

it wasn’t what she said that made you upset, it was the annoying tone that she used that caused you to blow up.

“excuse me?” you didn’t want to fight, not with her, but if she had any problems you wanted her to tell you.

damian looked between the two of you, a little speechless as he didn’t know what was going on.

“i…i’m sorry…i didn’t mean it like that” rhea apologised immediately, knowing that she might have overstepped.

“if you have a problem with me dating drew, i wanna know it…instead of you talking behind my back” you didn’t mean to talk back like that, but again, you were tired and even if it wasn’t an excuse, rhea had no business in talking about your relationship like that.

“i don’t have a problem with you dating drew…” rhea breathed

“but…”

“but don’t you thing you guys are going too fast?” rhea didn’t know what to say without you getting mad “i mean…i don’t want you to get hurt, i don’t want you to regret something because you moved too fast…”

“you don’t know anything about my relationship with drew!” you went in defensive mode.

damian stepped up, trying to calm the situation down “well, talk to us hermosa”

“no if you’re not respecting my choices! if you keep judging me based of who i’m dating, what i’m doing with my life and the list can go on…next time, keep your unwanted opinions to yourself” you said to rhea before leaving the gym.

you were feeling guilty, especially for screaming at her when all she did these past months was to be there for you. you felt like shit because they just wanted to help you but you let them out, like the first time you joined the team.

you wanted to tell them everything, you wanted their advices and support. but the way rhea couldn’t approve your relationship with drew made you somehow mad. it wasn’t her business and she had no saying in your choices.

“she’ll get over it” damian whispered to rhea as she watched you leave the gym.

the duo continued their training while you started packing for the arena.

an hour later damian asked you if you wanted a ride over there but you told him that drew was already taking care of it.

“what’s on your mind love?” drew’s thick accent made you smile a little. he knew something was wrong when you didn’t speak a word to him.

“i had a fight with rhea…” you whispered.

he was shocked at first, being aware of how close you two are “what happened sweetheart?”

“she said something she shouldn’t have said…and i may have overreacted” he smiled hearing taking your guilts. rhea cared about you too much for staying mad at you and he knew you two were going to make up by the end of the night.

“she said something about me, didn’t she?” he asked, already knowing the answer.

you nodded.

he was happy that someone cared about you. he was aware that rhea and damian were your family. he saw it everytime your fought together. he saw it when you first joined the group.

and he smiled even more at the thought of you fighting with rhea for him. he was a grown ass man and he definitely could take care about rhea and damian. he knew he was going to face them later on, wanting to assure them of his intentions with you.

he knew they needed to hear that from him and not from you. because in their eyes, you will always be like a little sister to them, no matter your age. they would always feel the need to protect you and right now they were seeing him as a threat.

“don’t fight with rhea over me…i promise you, i can take care of them” he laughed.

“it’s not that…i just feel like they don’t want me to move on my with life…” you knew that it wasn’t completely true, but you were stubborn and that was what you were feeling at the moment.

“you’ll make up, i know it…” he reassured you a little before kissing your hand and helping you down the car and into the arena.

you both went into your respective dressing rooms. you got there earlier cause you wanted to avoid rhea and damian. rhea was going to open up the show and you didn’t want to be a bother for her.

so you got dressed. you did your make up, you did your hair and you ate something before the show started.

backstage, you watched how confident she was on that ring. she delivered her promo amazingly, calm and collected as she was before dominik interrupted her. it was fun watching how the crowd never let him spoke. but when you saw liv coming out of nowhere, you knew that something was going to happen, since she was alone and they were two.

her leg got stuck between the ropes, leaving free access for liv to hit her and kick her. you knew damian was going out to help her but you were closer to the inside of the arena than damian was so you sprinted out, running backstage into the arena and letting everyone know that you were there and no one had to mess with your family. damian followed you behind. as he helped rhea, you were able to grab liv from her hair and yank her on the floor a couple of times before dominik separated her from you.

your attention immediately went to rhea and damian, who were watching you inside of the ring.

“are you okay?” you asked her, a little worried.

rhea smiled when she saw you and she couldn’t help but to embrace you in her arms, whispering how sorry she was for everything that happened earlier.

“it’s okay, i promise…let me help you backstage” you said smiling at her.

you and damian both helped her backstage. medical staff immediately came towards you and asked rhea to sit down so they could check on her. she was hurting but you knew she went through worse.

“thanks for coming out there” rhea said, honesty filling her voice.

“i’m sorry for getting mad at you” you realised how childish your behaviour was.

“i apologise for talking about things that don’t concern me, you were right… you will talk to us when you’re ready to do it and we will be here for you” damian hugged you both when he heard rhea apologising.

“i hate fighting with you rhea…” you smiled into her embrace.

“same thing here…”

“well, i’m glad everything is over now” damian said making you both laugh.

as the show progressed, you watched punk segment only to be interrupted by drew. you remembered what he told you about getting his revenge on punk. so you weren’t surprised to see him attacking punk with such violence. not even when the medical staff took him to the ambulance he stopped. he kept attacking him until you saw blood coming out of his mouth. you couldn’t understand how such a strong and crazy man could be so caring and sweet with you. but you liked him, a lot.

the event ended up with damian teaming up with jey uso. of course you and rhea were both ringside to make sure the rest of the judgment day wouldn’t screw up this match up. finn was so pissed when he lost. he couldn’t handle losing to damian once again. he was furious, going backstage, he started breaking everything he found on his way.

you laughed, celebrating the victory on the ring with jey, rhea and damian. it was a weird team but jey brought a wave of happiness that you knew was missing.

when the show ended, drew had one more thing to do before going back to the hotel and that was talking with rhea and damian. so, while you were going into your dressing room, drew caught the duo before they parted ways.

“what’s going on?” rhea asked him when he saw him approaching them.

“can we talk? there’s something that i would like to let you know…” he demanded, waiting for damian and rhea to answer.

they both agreed and they led him into their changing room “spit it out” rhea said, watching the scotsman straight in his eyes.

“i know you’re worried for y/n…i understand that but i want to assure the both of you that my intentions are pure. i like her, a lot. i know everything that she has been through, i know what happened to her in the past and i’ll be forever grateful that she has you caring for her. she loves you like a family and i know that the feeling is mutual…but again, i like her, we are moving at her own pace. i will never force myself on her, i will never make her do anything that she’s uncomfortable to do, and that’s a promise” he spoke. he didn’t really want to have a chit chat about his relationship with damian and rhea but he was doing it for you. he was doing it so you and rhea would no longer fight. he was doing because taking you away from the only family you had wasn’t his plan “i don’t like you and that’s pretty evident, i don’t have to like you…but i want to keep things civil between us because of her”

rhea was even surprised that drew took time to come to them. she felt like she had to approve her daughter’s boyfriend for the first time and she felt a little uncomfortable. she appreciated the effort that drew put on.

damian was the one to speak as he saw rhea getting lost in her mind “what you said it’s true. we care about her as a family, she is our family…and of course when you two started dating, we got a little worried, especially knowing the age difference between the two of you but she’s a grown woman…it’s hard to accept that because i’ve been knowing her for a long time, she’s been part of the judgement day since it started but she’s an adult, she can make her own decisions and she chose you…it means that somehow she likes you too, she even fought rhea today to defend you” damian chuckled “we can keep our cool for her” he suggested and drew nodded his head.

rhea nodded her head too “thanks for speaking with us, i can see the way she talks about you, she cares about you drew, just promise me, don’t make her suffer, she’s been through hell and the last thing she needs now is a heartbreak”

“you have my consent to kick my ass in case something happens between us” drew added making rhea chuckle.

in the meantime, once you changed clothes and took a quick shower, you decided to look for the usual buffet backstage. you were starving and after carrying the show you felt like you deserved to treat yourself.

so once you got there, your eyes immediately fell upon the chocolate cookies and the caramel bars. you ate in silence, sat down on the comfy chair present in the room while scrolling some videos on tiktok until you heard some very recognisable voices coming towards you.

“i can’t handle it anymore!” finn screamed. liv and dominik trying to keep him calm but failing miserably.

you were stuck in your chair. if you left they would have seen you but if you stayed there, they would have seen you anyway. you felt like you were trapped.

“you shouldn’t be here” dominik said when he saw you in the room “alone” he smirked.

“congratulations for tonight” liv annoying voice said “i hope mami’s leg isn’t too injured” she laughed.

you stood up. probably not the best idea facing them alone but if finn had some common sense after what happened the last time, he wouldn’t start any fight “she still kicked your ass with one injured foot so…” that pissed liv even more.

“at least i don’t go crying to them everytime i have a problem…oh right, you had a hard and difficult life and we all should pity you” liv laughed. finn closed his eyes, not wanting to create more drama.

“we should go liv…” finn suggested but liv wasn’t having any of that.

“ain’t it true?” dom laughed, taking a few steps forward, making you walk backwards “we had to hear your cries every single night because you had nightmares” you tried to move away but dom grabbed your arm “ you’re just a stupid crybaby” he said before dropping your arm and leaving with liv.

leaving you and finn alone.

“if you sided with us this wouldn’t have happened” he whispered.

“no, never. i would have never betrayed rhea and damian the way you did” you screamed at his face “you’re just a coward, you’ve always been…i trusted you with my life, you knew things about me that no one knew and the first thing you did was to betray me and tell liv everything…”

finn laughed “oh shut up!” he screamed, walking toward you. you walked until your back hit the wall, finn blocking any way out you might have had “shut up y/n!” he screamed right at your face.

he never screamed at you. he knew you hated screams.

“i cared about you! but you chose them!” his poisonous eyes turned black, watching the way you tried to squirm away from his body “i wanted you in this team but you chose the weakest part” his laugh full of poison.

his hand met your neck.

finn never being violent towards you. he knew what that might have caused you.

“but now…all i see is a pathetic little girl who can’t let go of her past!” his hand squeezing your neck as he whispered mean words into your ear “you’re weak…and you chose the weak team”

“finn…please” you begged him. in that moment you weren’t the strong and fierce wrestler anyone knew. finn’s action made you small, and afraid just like you were when your father used to hit you and just like when mother used to spit mean words on you “stop it please…”

but finn wouldn’t leave you.

his other hand went to grab your arm, just like dom did before “if you had chosen us, you wouldn’t be afraid!” he screamed. his voice echoing in the corridor, made dom and liv looked back.

“stay here” dom whispered to liv as he went back to finn. he was met with finn overpowering you and even if he knew you deserved it, he didn’t want more troubles with rhea as he already had a black eye “finn, let’s go” but finn wasn’t listening.

your eyes were closed and all you could imagine was your father hitting you again and again. finn used to be so caring towards you but tonight’s event made him go crazy. he lost again and he couldn’t take it anymore.

“finn please…stop it, please” you felt small. you felt paralysed, you didn’t know what to do.

“finn, you’re hurting her, let her go” dom got a little worried. yes, he was mad at you and he hated you for siding with rhea and damian instead of him but he saw how terrified you were and he knew that finn would have gone far if he didn’t stop him.

“please finn…finn stop it!” you screamed back. it was more of a desperate cry as your arm was losing sensibility and your neck felt like it was going to explode “stop it please…let me go!” you didn’t mean to scream so loud but you did and you were lucky you did.

a couple of rooms behind there were damian, rhea and drew still talking about you when they all stopped when they heard your cries.

they followed your voice. rhea a little behind due to her injury. drew ready to wreck havoc if you were hurt.

the two men were met with a sight they’ll never forget. finn’s hands over your body as he was screaming that he wanted to get revenge on damian and rhea and he wanted to use you to hurt them.

damian shoved finn on the ground as your body fell on the floor. your mind went blank, too many bad memories were brought back in that moment.

“drew take her away” damian whispered to the scotsman and he nodded. he wanted to kick finn’s ass but you were his priority.

when rhea entered the room, she saw finn and damian fighting and you crying in the corner “what the fuck happened here?”

“finn got violent on y/n” damian spat back.

drew moved cautiously but when he saw you flinching away he stopped his movements “hey love…it’s me, it’s drew…” his voice soft as he didn’t want to scare you away “can i take you somewhere else quieter?” he asked and you nodded, not trusting your voice.

he scooped you in his arms and took you outside of the room, letting rhea and damian dealing with finn.

your head fell on his shoulder as he walked towards his car, wanting to get you out of the arena as soon as possible. once he comfortably placed you in the passenger seat, he took a deep look at your body. the way your eyes were still closed, tears falling from your eyes. how you brought your knees to your chest and hid your face into them.

you were spacing out, like your mind wasn’t there and he knew he had to get you far away from the chaos as soon as possible.

he took you back at the hotel, walking with you in his arms towards his room. he gently placed you on the bed “love…can you please look at me?” he was worried, not knowing what might have cause this.

“don’t hurt me…please” drew’s heart dropped when he heard you saying those words. rhea told him that your trauma was heavy and that you were still healing. he never took her words lightly and he promised to hurt anyone who might have threatened you.

he couldn’t understand how someone could use something as strong and delicate as your childhood trauma against you. he wanted to end finn’s life but he knew damian and rhea were taking care of him.

“i promise you…i’m not going to hurt you darling…open your eyes please, let me look at you” he said softly.

you slowly opened your eyes and when you realised that there was no threat near you, you jumped into drew’s arms. he shielded you, as if he wanted to protect you even if you were the only people in the room.

“you’re okay…i promise you” he whispered but before he could say anything else, you stopped him.

“drew…”

“mh?”

“i can’t breathe…” tears were rolling down your cheeks. drew took a look at you and realised that you were having a panic attack. he wasn’t new to those. he had them before. but with you, it was different.

“hey hey…shh, it’s okay, focus on me, focus on my voice” he tried to help you “look at me y/n” his voice growing a little stronger when he realised that you weren’t focusing on anything “look at me” you did as he told you “follow me, catch my breath…look at me” and you tried your best to calm yourself down. you matched his breathing, in and out as he told you.

your hands were still visibly shaking and when he noticed it, he took no time to put your hands into his bigger ones. his thumbs caressing your hands in a calm motion.

you followed his breathing a couple of times before you were able to breath again “that’s good y/n…” he whispered softly in your ear “so good…you doing a good job”

“sorry for that…”

he shook his head “no, absolutely no, don’t apologise for that…it’s not your fault, do you hear me? i’m glad you are okay…”

you stayed there for what it felt like hours, even if it was just ten minutes, laying in his arms as he stroked your back, helping you relax.

he was waiting for damian or rhea to text him but when he saw you sleeping against his chest, he felt complete somehow, like you were the missing piece he needed in his life.

finn’s gonna pay for what he did. we’re coming back to the hotel, thank you for taking care of her. we own you. - damian

drew’s phone buzzed when he received a notification from damian. he knew he was going to ask more questions tomorrow but right now, he was there for you. watching you sleep, seeing how peaceful you were, he couldn’t believe someone as beautiful and loving as you were, was carrying a baggage of pain and traumas like that.

“nothing’s gonna hurt you…” he whispered before leaving a soft kiss on your head as he watched you sleeping peacefully.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ALL THE PREVIOUS CHAPTERS ARE UPLOADED IN MY MASTERLIST!

part 7 coming too! i might add some spicy things in the next chapter…let me know if you have any ideas!

[wordslikesilver]

I am once again thinking about Hoarah Loux, the only man Marika ever trusted and the only man she ever loved. It’s such an insane thing to think about the fact that the second last boss of Elden Ring is Some Guy. He is literally just A Human Man. Marika looks at this fucking raving barbarian man and decides to My Fair Lady him into a Lord like the deranged woman she is by assigning him a babysitter to perpetually gnaw on his neck whenever he’s in public. As insane as all that sounds, let’s break down that imagery a little because it’s actually really good! His babysitter is the king of beasts, a lion named Serosh, who digs his claws and his fangs into Hoarah Loux’s body to keep him suppressed and restrained enough in temperament to now be fit to be named Godfrey, The First Elden Lord of Queen Marika.

Serosh is frankly quite mysterious as far as what he actually is goes but as far as story themes go, he’s a really interesting symbol of lordship. The lion basically IS Godfrey’s crown, it’s what makes him Godfrey. The symbolism is essentially stating in a very overt way that this man is more savage than all the beasts of the world. In Elden Ring, beasts with five fingers indicate an enlightened or elevated intelligence, blessed by the greater will. It’s fascinating how it’s basically stating that Serosh is more intelligent, refined and noble than Hoarah Loux, that this man is more wild and savage than the greatest of all the beasts in the world. That only a beast king could teach this man to be a Lord. Godfrey can rip him apart anytime but he doesn’t. It takes more than strength of body to wear a crown and he knows it. He needs Serosh to honour and do right by Marika. He is showing his opponents a courtesy, as he puts it. Morgott takes after his example and so too is Radahn inspired by him. It’s really wonderful imagery.

There’s more to the symbolism. My knowledge of alchemy is, I completely admit, too surface level to elegantly speak at length but I’ve done some light reading online to back up my confidence in what I’m saying. We know Miyazaki loves dark edgy anime like Berserk and I posit that he also gained inspiration from the anime/manga Hellsing, in which the main character recites the line “I am the bird of Hermes, eating my own wings to make me tame.” This line comes from the Ripley Scroll and is theorized to have many meanings but popularly is presumed to mean giving up higher philosophy and knowledge to live normally on the earth as a human. Miyazaki uses lots of alchemical symbolism in his works, Elden Ring especially (go watch Quelaag’s videos!) so I could be totally full of shit about hellsing but I’m completely confident that Godfrey is meant to be an inversion (like literally everything else about his character) of what the Bird of Hermes represents. Godhood is a prison, a shackling. The entire plot is Marika (and Ranni tbh) trying to escape that imprisonment. Godfrey loves Marika enough to chain himself down, to eat his own wings, to pull out his own teeth and claws for her to make himself tame and ascend to lordship.

What’s especially fascinating about him is that he carries Serosh out into the badlands with him, as the opening cutscene shows. Cut dialogue indicates he already knew the Elden Ring would shatter and the tarnished would be beckoned to return. That Marika told him her plan in full before she took from him and his warriors the grace of gold and sent them away. A line from him saying to trust in gold, always, that it will guide our fates to our true destiny has wonderful implications I would certainly love to expand on in another post maybe. Hoarah Loux was just a human man and Marika trusted him enough to tell him everything. Trusted him with her gambit to escape the shackles of godhood. This is the fascinating part about taking Serosh with him. Keeping himself disciplined enough to remain a Lord when he returns. To hold back his aching heart just enough that he could follow through on this dark plan and allow his wife to protect him from the machinations of the greater will by sending him away. Also note that in that opening cutscene, he’s being crucified, with a lion about his shoulders and spear buried in his abdomen. They could not be milking the Jesus imagery harder if they tried. The Bird of Hermes is also thought to represent Christ, more points for that symbolism.

I love Godfrey so much as a character. He loved his sons and he loved his wife. The tenderness that he holds Morgott with is enough to make me cry. How he wished he could’ve seen him sooner, I’m all too sure. He’s the only other character we see guided by grace in the entire game. Marika guides you and her beloved husband, that’s it, that’s how much she trusts him. When he rips Serosh from his shoulders, you understand how Marika felt such faith in him. In Elden Ring, it is through battle that you face the true self of an opponent. Godfrey reveals to you Hoarah Loux, Warrior Chieftain of the Badlands. It is a test. Are you worthy to free her? Can you do what I could not? I have shown you courtesy enough as a Lord. You served me well, Serosh. I relieve you of your burden and feel only gratitude for your service. Now begins the test. Are you, tarnished, stronger than the only man who was strong enough to bear the burden of Lordship? Are you stronger than the only man that Queen Marika ever trusted? Are you stronger than the only man she ever loved?

[emogoblin-666]

heyyyyy so i saw your taking requests! first did you see summerslam? oohhff. what happened to rhea was an absolute crime😭💔 i was so stressed while watching i think i have some gray hairs

anyway may i request…

reader comforting rhea after all that happened ?????? maybe rhea goes into depressed mode but reader never once leaves her side?? makes it their mission to be there for her so shes not alone ?

Heyyyyyy yeah I saw it boy was I piss at dom. I'm still recovering. So here you guys go…… this is told by the reader's pov. In so sorry for the GIF that I used

✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨

I’m here

Rhea Ripley X reader

Readers pov:

I was in the back watch what just happend between liv and dom and my heart broke in half. Why would dom do that to Rhea she gave him a title, a family to love, a chance to step out of his dads shadow, and her trust.

One thought came into my mind.

Y/N: I need to find Rhea.

I went running to find her I didnt care who I push or what was in front of me I am going to hold her.

I finally found her in an empty locker room crying on the floor.

My heart went crashing down to see a girl that was a big part of my life broken and in shambles hurted me.

Y/N: Mami there you are… are you okay

She looked up at me with tears in her eyes

Rhea: Y/NN is that you.

I ran to her and hold her she pulled me onto her lap and I whisper

Y/n: I'm here Mami. I got you.

Rhea: why would he do that I gave him everything he would have wanted?

I felt anger at what dom did to her

Y/n: cause he is a selfish man who doesn't know who to communicate what her wants.

Y/n: He doesn't deserve you… he should be scared of what is to come.

I kissed her forehead and rocked her back and forth.

I felt her push away the tears are gone now there was anger.

Rhea: I am going to make the walls red with blood

I sat there for a moment.

Y/n: yes I believe you but for now let just sit here and calm down for the rest of the night okay

She looked down at me and her eye soften

Rhea: Okay we talk about tomorrow.

With that we sat there cuddling for the res of the night.

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A/n: I'm sorry if I was late didn't have the motivation to write after what happened but now I am back and ready to take more requests.

I hope you guys like this one….💖💖💖

[dmysterioblog]

Revenge

Paring: Rhea Ripley x fem!reader (established), Charlotte Flair x fem!reader (eventual)

Summary: You lost your NXT Championship to Lyra while Rhea was gone and she was not happy. When you didn’t succeed at getting it back she and the rest of TJD left you. You found comfort in someone else who also helped get your revenge.

Warnings; ansgt, light choking, smut

Word Count: 5.3k

A/n: The reader is technically Dominik and her father is Carlito but it’s not mentioned.

“1…2…3! Here’s your winner! And new NXT women’s champion, Lyra Valkyria!” You dragged yourself out of the ring to sit against the steel steps, hugging your knee. You panted through your gritted in pain. You had just lost your title to Lyra. You fought as hard as you could but you still lost.

Fuck.

Rhea was not going to be happy when she came back. What were you going to do? Now she’s going to think you couldn’t handle business on your own. You slowly got up and limped backstage. The ref tried to help you but you just pushed her away saying you could walk on your own.

Once you were backstage you went straight to your locker room. You sat in front of your dresser, looking at yourself before slamming your fists on it out of anger. Why didn’t you kick out? You took a deep breath before you started taking off your makeup and tried to relax. Maybe she would take it easy on you. At that moment your phone’s screen lit up with a message notification from Damian:

‘You did good out there. Don’t stress too much about it, alight?’

You smiled before replying and heading out to your hotel.

Monday Night Raw

“JUDGMENT DAY COME OUT HERE! WE NEED TO TALK!”

You took a deep breath and hid your hands in your pocket so no one would notice how badly they were shaking. Only you and Damian walked out since Finn was out, injured from the brawl that happened last Monday. Slowly, you made your way into the ring, Damian looking more confident than you did. You took off Rhea’s belt from around your waist and gave it to her, your hands still shaking.

“Now we all know the judgment day has no leader, correct?” she began, “But each of us has our own responsibility,” she looked directly at you, “So, what happens? Mami gets taken out for two weeks by Nia Jax and all of a sudden everything starts falling apart. Because mami is the one who makes the game plans but when I left I gave someone else that responsibility and they disappointed me.”

You lowered your head thinking she was referring to you until she said Damian’s name and turned in his direction.

“I go, and you can’t handle the job,” she continues, “After the brawl last week, Finn is out injured. You can't even compete tonight against Jey because you are not medically cleared. And what else happens Priest? Y/n lost her NXT women’s title to Lyra because you weren’t out there to help as I told you to.” At that, you lifted your head and looked at him. He was supposed to be there to help and chose not to?

“And now we have a Cody and Jey problem, you wanna know why? Because they don’t fear us, Priest. They can see the tension. They don’t see us as a threat. And because of that, they are going to try and take the tag team titles from you and Finn. And what are you gonna do about it, huh? You can’t do anything.” You could feel the tension between them from where you were standing.

“With all due respect Rhea,” it was Damian’s turn to speak, “You’re not saying anything I don't already know. I know that Cody and Jey are coming for the titles, but when push comes to shove…I’ll push harder. You know, the way I see it, I have my titles. I have my contract. I don’t want to point fingers or start anything but…Mami, where’s Y/n’s title?”

He looked directly at you with no remorse. You looked back at him with a hurt look on your face. Why would he do this to you? He’s supposed to be your family. Rhea turned to look at you. Her gaze filled with a mix of anger and disappointment. You couldn't hold eye contact for long and lowered your head once again.

“Y/n, I’m your Mami, right? What does that make you? That makes you my babygirl. So tomorrow night, at NXT, you have a rematch against Lyra Valkyria. You’re welcome,” she lifted your face with her finger, “But if you don’t come home to me with that championship…then don’t bother coming home.”

You felt your heart shatter into a million pieces. Your eyes watered but you were able to keep the tears at bay. You gulped and simply nodded at her statement. You all then got out the ring and walked backstage. When you did Rhea left to handle other things and you turned towards Damian.

“Why would you do that?” You asked.

“Do what?”

“Throw me under the bus! We are supposed to be family!”

“Listen, you were the one who lost their title, not me.”

“Only because you weren’t there to help.”

“I shouldn’t have to help you Y/n. And if I do have to help you, then maybe you shouldn’t be champion.”

“What about all the hits I took for you and Finn to help you win those titles?” you questioned while pointing at the belts around his waist.

“...” he said nothing and walked off. You roughly ran your hand through your hair before storming into the judgment day’s locker room. You slammed the door behind you, the anger and frustration boiling inside you. You took deep breaths, trying to calm down when someone walked in. JD McDonagh.

“Wow, are you okay?”

“It’s nothing, don’t worry about it, now what do you want?”

“Okay um, I was looking for Rhea and Damian.”

“I-”

Right when you were about to speak, both Rhea and Damian came in arguing but once they saw you and JD they stopped.

“¿Qué hace este tipo aquí?” Damian asked with anger in his voice.

“Damian, calm down, I asked him to be here,” Rhea looked at JD, “Tell him your plan.”

“Alright, we know Kevin doesn’t like or trust Jey. How do you think he’ll react to him and Cody going for the Tag Titles that he and Sami couldn’t get back? We need to play mind games here. If we make them stop trusting each other then we’ll have a soft spot to go for. We divide and then we conquer.”

“What do you think Damian,” Rhea looked at him.

“I don’t know, I’ll think about it.” He walked out once again.

“Y/n, Lyra is having a backstage interview, you know what to do.” She gave you a cold look and you just gave a firm nod and walked out, she followed suit. You eventually found Lyra and called her name.

“Lyra! If I were you, I wouldn’t get too comfortable with that belt because come tomorrow, I’m taking back what is rightfully mine.” You snarled.

“And she’s not going alone,” Rhea said, doing the little wave she always does.

“Yeah? We’ll see about that. See you tomorrow.” That was all Lyra said before she left. You were going to make your way back to the locker room until Rhea grabbed you by the neck and slammed you against the wall.

“You better win tomorrow, understand?”

“Sí mami,” you gasped out. She let go of you and walked off and you followed a few seconds after catching your breath.

NXT

You were moments away to walk out for your match against Lyra at the main event. The crowd roared with anticipation as you took a deep breath and adjusted your gear, mentally preparing for the match ahead. You needed to win.

“Are you ready, Mami?”

“Yes, let’s go.” She followed you out. Your music started blaring as well as the boos and the cheers for you. You looked at Rhea, she raised her eyebrow, and you gave her a firm nod. You stared down Lyra as you slid into the ring and she did the same.

“The following contest is scheduled for one fall, is for the NXT Women’s Championship! Introducing first, the challenger, she is Y/n L/n!” you raised your arms, taking in the cheers and the boos, “And her opponent, she is the NXT Women's Champion, Lyra Valkyria!” Lyra raised the belt and the whole arena burst into cheers. It made you jealous. You missed those cheers before tuning heel. She gave the belt to the ref and you opened the ropes for Rhea but before she stepped through them, she grabbed a hold of your jaw.

“Don’t disappoint me again.”

“I won’t. I promise mami.” She finally stepped out and the bell rang.

You and Lyra circled the ring before you made the first move. You went for a clothesline but she dodged it. She took the opportunity to dropkick you from behind and go for the cover but you were able to kick out. You both went into an exchange of hits until you finally took her down. You dragged her closer to the ring post, climbed to the top rope, and went for a frog splash but Lyra brought her knees to her chest and took you out.

—

The match had been going on for a while. You were getting exhausted as well as Lyra but you both kept kicking out. You were climbing to the top rope when Lyra came from behind, powerbombed you, and went for the cover.

“1...2…3! Here’s your winner! And still the NXT Women’s Champion, Lyra Valkyria!”

No.

No, no, no, no!

This can’t be happening.

You sat up and looked for Rhea and found her walking backstage, without you. You crawled to the ropes and called her name.

“Rhea! Rhea, please!” She paused for a second then turned towards the ring, only to give you a disapproving look, and finally disappeared backstage, leaving you behind. You could feel the tears beginning to form but you didn’t dare let them out.

“Maybe you should have listened to your father when he told you that the judgment day was bad news,” Lyra said from behind you. Your look of sadness soon turned into rage when you turned to look at her.

“This is all your fault.”

“This had nothing to do with m-” before she could finish the sentence you jumped on top of her and started throwing punches.

“THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT! IF IT WASN’T FOR YOU I WOULD STILL ME CHAMPION AND RHEA WOULD STILL BE HERE!” You kept throwing punch after punch until you were finally pulled away from her by three refs. You stared at her getting up before shrugging off the ref’s hands and walked out of the arena. You didn’t bother going to the locker rooms.

When you got to your car the first thing you did was text Rhea and the rest of the judgment day. When you got no response you decided to call.

Straight to voicemail.

You sighed in defeat and decided to just drive back to your hotel and wait until the morning.

—

When you woke up in the morning you reached for Rhea’s warmth but when your hand didn’t feel her, the memories of the events that took place the night before came back.

You lost.

You lost against Lyra.

…And Rhea left you.

You quickly reached for your phone and called Rhea’s number once again.

“Please leave your message for-”

“Fuck.” You tried calling the others, even JD, but they didn’t answer either.

You felt lost. You realized how much you relied on her and without her you felt so lost. You didn’t know what to do.

Monday Night Raw

You stormed out of your locker room once you were informed that the JD was in the building. They had ghosted you all week and you were going to confront them.

“Rhea!” You yelled from the other side of that hall when you saw Rhea talking to who looked like Cora Jade. When she saw how angry you were she excused herself and left you and Rhea alone.

“What do you want?” Rhea growled.

“What do I want? You and the rest of judgment day ghosted me all week.”

“What did I tell you was gonna happen if you didn’t win the NXT Women’s Championship back? Hm?”

“Y-you can’t be serious.”

“I am very serious. You aren’t strong enough to be in judgment day anymore.”

“Not strong enough? What about all the things I’ve done for you, Damian, and Finn! That doesn’t matter anymore?”

“No.” You felt true anger when she said that. The words that came out of your mouth next were out of pure rage.

“I want a match. Against you.” She began to laugh maniacally.

“You want a match against me?” she chuckled, “You can’t even beat Lyra, what makes you think you can beat me?”

“I don’t care, I want it. Tonight.” She shook her head, looked you up and down before speaking again.

“Fine, I’ll talk to Pearce. See you in the ring babygirl,” she mocked before walking away. You hadn’t noticed but a couple tears had escaped your eyes but you quickly wiped them away.

—

“This is my brutality!” Rhea’s music blasted through the arena. She walked down the aisle while Sam introduced her.

“The following contest is scheduled for one fall. Introducing first, representing The Judgment Day, she is the Women’s World Champion, Rhea Ripley!”

After she got in the ring your music hit. You walked out into the arena and locked eyes with her.

“And her opponent, Y/n L/n!”

When you got in the ring you gave her a death glare and she returned it. The bell rang and you two started circling the ring before launching at each other. Out of nowhere, she picked you up and slammed you into the mat. You got up quickly and ran towards her only for her to move out the way. You turned and got all up in her face before slapping her across the face. Usually her opponent would be terrified after doing something like that but not you. You were too upset to care.

You wanted revenge.

“You think you can just slap me-”

You slapped her again.

“Yes. Yes I do-” she wrapped her hand around your neck and began to squeeze but you managed to break free, delivering a swift kick to her midsection. While she was getting up you delivered a dropkick and went for the cover.

“1…2-” she kicked out.

You took a moment to breathe before putting her in a headlock only for her to break free and head butting you. You backwards on the mat and she went for the cover but you kicked out at two. She grabbed your face harshly before she spoke.

“You think you’re at my level? Huh?” She spat out. You pushed her away and got up. You glared back at her, the fire in your eyes reflecting your determination. She only smirked in your direction running at you. You duked and tried to go after her leg but she was quicker than you and moved out the way.

While you were getting up she delivered a dropkick taking you out and going for the cover only for you to kick out at the last second. This infuriated her. She picked you up, positioned you for riptide and slammed your body full force on the mat.

“1…2…3!”

“Here’s your winner, the Women’s World Champion, Rhea Ripley!” She pushed your body away before snatching her title from the ref and lifting it up high. You started to drag yourself toward a corner of the right but before you could reach it you felt yourself being dragged back to the middle of the ring. Rhea flipped you onto your back and lifted your head up by your hair.

“You are nothing without me. Nothing,” she said with venom in her voice. You felt the tears coming out at her words.

“Rhea let her go, the match is over.” The ref yelled. She slammed your head against the mat before getting up and finally leaving the ring.

“Are you okay?” asked the ref. You just nodded before getting up and walking backstage. You headed straight to Adam’s office. You knew if you stayed on raw any longer it I’ll be a death sentence. You walked into his office without bothering to knock.

“Adam, I need to move to smackdown.”

“I think that’s the best option but you are going to have to talk to Nick before we make it official, okay?” you nodded before walking out and heading towards your locker room.

Friday Night Smackdown

You stood outside of Nick’s office. You took a deep breath before knocking. You waited a few seconds before you heard him say ‘come in’. You quickly opened the door and walked in.

“Y/n, good to see you. Adam told me you would come by.”

“It’s good to see you too.” you smiled politely.

Please, take a seat,” he said while pointing at the chair in front of his desk and you gladly took a seat.

“I’m guessing this has to do with what happened on monday?”

“Yeah, I wanted to ask if I was able to move to smackdown? We all know what would happen if I stay on raw.”

“Yeah, I think I have an idea of what would happen. Well I have good news and bad news.”

“Go on,” you sighed.

“I would love to have you here but as you know, when Jey moved to raw, a superstar from raw had to be drafted to smackdown. Therefore if you want to move here, you’re going to have to find a superstar that would be willing to switch with you. Preferably a woman,” you nodded along, “If you can find someone by the end of the night, I will have a contract ready for you next week.”

“Okay, thank you so much Nick.” You outstretched your hand.

“Thank you,” he smiled lightly and shook your hand. You smiled back and excused yourself out. You started to think of all the female superstars on smackdown who would be willing to switch with you. Bianca has her storyline with Iyo Sky, Mitchin is with the OC, Damage Ctrl is…Damage Ctrl, and…Shotzi! You could ask Shotzi. You started walking to her locker room until a voice stopped you.

“Look at what the cat dragged in. Where’s Judgment Day? Matter of fact, where’s Rhea?” You took a deep breath before turning toward them.

“Charlotte, please, I don't need this right now.”

“I told you this would happen. Everyone did. Why didn’t you take my offer when you had the chance?”

“...”

“Tell me.” she walked closer to you.

“...I wanted to believe that they actually wanted me and that they weren’t using me,” a tear fell down your cheek, “That i was enough for once…”

Flashback

“It’s okay to be scared, Rhea, having seconds thoughts about choosing me-”

“Queeny, queeny- can I call you that?” you cut Charlotte off, “You know what? Nevermind, sweetheart. I’m not gonna let you run down mami, my queen.”

“Look at you taking orders like a good little niña,” she smirked as you made your way into the ring, “Sweetie, why don’t you be a good girl and get Rhea for me, hm?” You wouldn't admit it to anyone but her comment made you blush a bit.

“I-” before you could get another word out, Rhea's music hit. You found it strange because that wasn’t the plan. You were supposed to keep talking smack to Charlotte but you guessed it was a last minute change. You noticed that Rhea looked furious making her way to the ring.

“Rhea–”

“I got it from here. Now go backstage and wait for me there.” was the only thing she said before getting in Charlotte’s face. You only looked between them hesitantly before walking out. You watched the rest of the interaction backstage. You were glad nothing bad happened, you didn’t want for things to get too out of control. You knew how long Rhea had been waiting for this moment, to finally beat her biggest enemy. You didn’t want for her to ruin it by letting her anger get the best of her. After they finished the promo they were brought backstage separately. Rhea barged into your locker room fuming.

“What the hell was that out there?! Huh?!”

“What are you talking about, mami? I was doing what you asked–” You were cut off mid sentence by a sharp pain against your cheek.

“I told you to distract her not to whore yourself out and flirt with her!”

“I-I’m sorry mami,” you said while gripping onto your burning cheek.

“Good. I’m going to get some fresh air, we leave in ten,” and she walked out. You let some tears spill but you quickly wiped them away. You brought upon yourself. You shouldn’t have flirted with Charlotte. You looked in the mirror and made sure there was no bruise on your face before walking outside to Rhea’s car.

“Y/n,” You heard your name being called from behind you. You turned only to come face-to-face with Charlotte once again, “Where are you going so fast?” she asked with a smug look on her face. You started to panic a bit. You didn’t want to risk being seen with her and for someone to tell Rhea.

“Charlotte, I can't be seen with you so please, just leave me alone.” She took notice of your redden cheek and her expression changed to a look of concern.

“Did she do that?” she tried to touch your cheek but you quickly stopped her.

“That’s none of your business.”

“You know it will only get worse, right? She's gonna get tired of you as well as the rest of Judgment Day and they’re gonna leave you hanging.”

“No, they won’t.” Charlotte sighed.

“Why don’t you join me? Hm? I’ll give you everything you want and more. I would treat you so much better than she ever will.” You only looked at her, contemplating her offer but out of the corner of your eye you saw Cathy talking to someone. If she saw you talking to Charlotte, she would definitely tell Rhea.

“I-I’ve gotta go,” and you walked off.

End of Flashback

Charlotte's expression softened slightly as she listened to you, and she hesitated before speaking.

“You were and still are enough, okay? You don’t need Rhea or the Judgment Day to tell you that. C’mere, sweetheart.” She opened her arms. You looked at her for a second before letting yourself get enveloped in her arms. It felt nice to be comforted and not scolded for once. After a few seconds, you pulled away.

“I’m guessing you were talking to Nick about switching brands?” she asked to which you nodded, “What did he say?”

“He said he would love to have me here but that I need to find someone who would be willing to switch with me because of the draft.”

“Hmm, did you have someone in mind?”

“I was heading towards Shotzi’s locker room since she’s the only person I could think of.”

“I’ll go with you, I’m sure she’ll agree.” She smiled at you sweetly before taking a kind of your hand and leading you to Shotzi’s room. You knocked on her door and a few seconds later she opened the door. She smiled At Charlotte but that quickly faded when she saw you.

“What’s is she doing here?”

“Shotzi, please, just hear her out-”

“No! You know what her and the rest of the Judgment Day did to me so I don’t care about whatever you have to say.”

“I’m so sorry about what I did-” you tried to reason with her but she slammed the door in your face. This was your last chance and now it is over. You fell on your knees and a pained sob escaped your lips.

“My father was right. I should have stayed in his shadow-”

“Hey, hey don’t say that,” she knelt down next to you and wrapped her arms around you, “You are much more than just your father’s shadow. Look at what you accomplished. You became the NXT Women’s Champion.”

“I lost it to Lyra-”

“Only after you gave her a hell of a fight.” You leaned your head against her chest.

“Thank you, Charlotte.”

“You don’t have to thank me, alright? Come on. I have a plan.”

It’s been over a month since you were kicked out of Judgment Day. Since Shotzi didn’t switch with you, Charlotte suggested you take a break from all the chaos. She made a deal with you. If you helped her, she would help you get your revenge. In the month you were out she trained you. You learned new moves and techniques and you were thankful for her. She was the only person to pick you up after Rhea let you down.

Tonight was Crown Jewel. Charlotte had challenged Rhea for her title to which she accepted. In her words she would ‘show who the new queen is’. This was all part of the plan.

You were now helping Charlotte get ready for her match. She was wearing purple gear. You helped her zip up her top before she turned to look at herself in the mirror.

“You look stunning.” You whispered.

“Thank you, princess. You look beautiful as well.” Your cheeks burned at the compliment. She turned towards you and cupped your face.

“You remember the plan right?” You nodded in response.

“Good. This is going to be our night.” She was interrupted by a knock on the door.

“You’re up in 5.” Someone called from outside the door.

“It’s showtime.” You helped her put on her robe before walking out towards gorilla.

—

The match had taken many turns. Both Charlotte and Rhea giving it their everything. At this point the superstars were exhausted but neither gave up. Charlotte had just thrown Rhea out of the ring and was now distracting the ref by acting injured.

This was it.

You put your hood on and ran out through the crowd. You jumped over the barricade and delivered a big boot to Rhea as she was getting up. The crowd went crazy. Carefully not to get noticed by the ref you dragged her body to the announce table. You cleared it before turning towards Rhea and grabbing a hold of her face.

“I am more than I would have ever been with you.” You picked up her body and riptide her through the table before throwing her back in the ring. Charlotte got up on the rope and did a moonsault and went for the cover.

“1…2…3!”

“Here’s your winner! And the new Women’s World Champion, Charlotte Flair!” You slid into the ring and jumped on her out of joy. She caught you while raising the belt in the air with her other arm. You got off of her and that’s when you finally took your hood off to reveal yourself to the arena. The crowd went wild with cheers. You looked at Charlotte with a big smile on your face before kissing her. She placed an arm around your waist and the other around your head to deepen the kiss.

“How dare you!” Rhea yelled from behind you. You turned and knelt down to her.

“How dare I? You brought this upon yourself. You treated me like garbage and threw me out the moment I was no use to you. Lucky for me, Charlotte was there to pick me right up.” You turned towards Charlotte once again and gave her one last kiss before the two of you walked backstage.

—

You and Charlotte stumbled into her locker room. She kept kissing you all the way inside until you both fell on the couch. You started giggling and soon she was as well.

“We did it, baby. And soon you’re going to take that title from Iyo.”

“You think I can do it?”

“I know you will.” She leaned in to peck your lips before kissing down your jaw to your neck. Soon she found your sweet spot and started licking and sucking.

“Hmm, Charlotte-” you moaned.

“That’s not my name, sweetheart,” she whispered.

“…mommy.”

“That’s right, good girl.” She continued going down your neck to your collarbone then to the top of your breast. Her hands reached to your back where the clip of your top was.

“Can I take this off, baby?” You nodded in response. She leaned in to kiss you while slowly taking off your top. She threw it somewhere in the room before she started groping your breast. You moaned against her lips as you arched your back.

“Please mommy-”

“What is it, baby? What do you want?”

“M-more.”

“More what? You gotta tell me what you want or I’ll stop,” you whined and tried to hide your face but she didn’t let you, “Come on princess, you can do it.”

“…fuck me, please, mommy.”

“That’s my girl.” She moved down your body and started taking off your shorts along with your underwear. She placed one of your legs over her shoulder and started to kiss her way down to your dripping core. Right when she got to your pussy she stopped once again. You looked down at her and finally she licked down your pussy. You tossed your head back in pleasure. Your moans and pants being the only sound in the room.

“Mommy-” you tried to grind your hips against her face but she pushed them back down. Soon her fingers joined the fun. Her mouth focused on your clit while two of her fingers thrusted into your dripping core. Your hand moved down to grip onto her hair while the other moved towards your mouth to try and keep your moans at bay. When Charlotte noticed, she took her free hand and held on to yours.

“Let those pretty sounds out for me, baby. Don’t hold back.”

“But- fuck…what if someone hears?” You stuttered out.

“Let them.”

“Hmph-” your grip on her hair got stronger as you felt yourself get to the edge, “M-mommy…Im close-”

“I know, baby, I know. Let go for me,” she cooed. Your legs began to shake around her head and your grip on her hand tightened.You went over the edge with a loud moan, arching your back in the process. You rode out your high and soon your body went limp. You closed your eyes, taking a moment to breath until you felt Charlotte pepper kisses all over your face making you giggle.

“Can you look at me, princess?” she asked while gently cupping your face. You blinked your eyes open and looked into her icy blue eyes.

“I am so proud of you, Y/n.” Those words brought tears into your eyes. No one had ever said that to you, not even your dad. You tried to look away but she didn’t let you, “Hey, don't hide from me. You're allowed to cry.”

“I just- no one’s ever been proud of me-”

“Well I am. And I will forever be so proud of you,” she leaned in as you kissed your lips. You put your arms around her neck to deepen the kiss. The kiss was sweet and slow, not like any kiss you’ve had before. Eventually you pulled away and she rested her forehead against yours.

“How about we shower and head home to celebrate.”

“I thought we were already celebrating?”

“Oh, sweetheart, I'm not even halfway done with you.”

Taglist: @sassginaswanmills @riptideripley @eepyslut @blessrhea @mexxs-blog @domripley

[itsrheasgirl]

THE GIRL IS MINE - PT2

RHEA RIPLEY X FEM!READER

WORD COUNT: 2650

SUMMARY: EVER SINCE JOINING THE JUDGEMENT DAY THINGS HAD BEEN TENSE BETWEEN YOU AND DOMINIK. THE TWO OF YOU HAD BEEN FRIENDS FOR YEARS AND HE DIDN’T WANT TO MAKE YOU FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE BUT WHEN RHEA STARTED TO PAY A LITTLE MORE ATTENTION TO YOU OVER HIM, THE REALITY SET IN AND THE TENSION BECAME TOO MUCH. WITH FRIENDSHIPS ON THE LINE, WHO WILL COME OUT VICTORIOUS?

- - - - - - - - - - -

The back of your head rested against the brick exterior of the hotel entrance, your glistening gaze staring up at the star lit sky as you exhaled a large cloud of grey smoke from between your lips. You didn’t smoke often, only in the most stressful of times and you couldn’t help but go out and buy a packet after your fight with Dominik. He’d pushed your buttons and you needed some kind of fix to destress.

Bringing the white stick back up to your mouth and sliding it between your plush lips, you inhaled a sharp breath to fill your lungs with mist. The static fuzz of your brain causing your lids to close, you go blissfully unaware of your approaching guest.

You couldn’t shake the feeling that maybe Dominik was right. That Rhea was putting it all on for show, the glimmer in her eyes when she looked at you, the way she held you when you’d jump into her arms, the disappointment on her face when you’d pulled away. What if it was all fake and she didn’t care about you at all. You hoped it was just some sick game Dominik was playing because he refused to let you go, but the more you thought about it the more believable it became.

“Hey gorgeous.”

Releasing the smoke from your mouth slowly as the sound of Rhea’s thick Aussie accent reached your ears, you roll your head to the side and cast a weary gaze over in her direction.

Rhea was stood propped against the wall with her second palm looping into the pocket of her jeans as you met her sapphire hues, your palm raising to slip the cigarette between your lips once more and inhale yet another deep breath. Rhea had never seen you smoking— you’d quit long before you met her but if she didn’t care about you, then why would she care about what you did.

“Did Dominik send you?”

A wave of grey mist fell from your lips like water as you spoke, slowly tilting your head away from her as to save her from the smoke. Your gaze fixating on the brightest star as a perplexed expression claimed Rhea’s features. You didn’t want to cause another scene, the dramatics with Dominik in the hotel bar had been enough for one night and you didn’t want to add anymore tension to the flight home.

You weren’t sure if Rhea was deciding how to respond or if she was too confused to answer, but you were too impatient to wait. Flicking the burnt butt out into the hotel parking lot, you push off the wall and turn to face her head on.

“You can tell Dominik I don’t care what game he’s playing with me and whatever he’s asked you to do, don’t waste your time.”

Rhea’s brow crinkled as she too pushed off the wall and ran her palm through raven locks, her oceanic gaze fixed on you as she took a small step forward. Her mind playing over what you’d said, her features doing their best not to display her confusion.

“He asked me to do. What are you talking about, Y/N. I saw Dom shouting at you in the bar and I just wanted to make sure that everything was okay.”

You watched Rhea closely as she approached, watching her body language and trying your best to read her. Was this genuine concern? Was it all part of a game?

You raise your palm in just enough time to press it gently against her chest, your glistening hues finding hers in one final attempt to feel her aura as you took the smallest step back.

“Close enough.”

There was a small falter in Rhea’s expression, glancing down to your fingertips as they rested against her bare skin.

She didn’t understand why you were acting like this, only hours earlier you’d been so blissfully happy in her arms and now you didn’t even want her close enough to touch you.

“Y/N. What’s going on?”

You didn’t even have time to blink before Rhea had wrapped your palm in her own and closed the distance between you, her free hand finding home around your cheek as she searching your facial expressions for even an inkling of what was going on with behind your eyes.

You couldn’t help the soft hum that vibrated in your throat as Rhea’s palm found your soft skin, the steady thrum of your heart increasing slightly as the warmth of her breath washed over you. You hadn’t ever been this close to her outside of the ring, your work relationship was very different from your real life relationship and you’d never expected you would get the chance to be this intimate with her.

“What happened with Dom?”

The concern on Rhea’s face grew deeper as she released your palm and slowly moved it down to your side, the pad of her thumb delicately grazing your cheekbone as her shimmering gaze remain fixed on your features. It felt so strange to have her touching you in such a way, all whole hearted and not at all scripted.

Swallowing the nerves that bubbled up in your throat, you deliberated how to explain your situation. You didn’t want to accuse her of anything without proof and yet Dominik had been so determined to make you believe that Rhea’s attention was nothing but a game, that you still couldn’t shake the feeling it was true.

“He…”

Why were you struggling so much with the correct words? There was already a chance Rhea knew exactly what was going on, Dominik could have already ran the plan off to her before he’d even approached you at the bar.

Chewing nervously at your inner cheek, you inhale a staggered breath before attempting to speak once more.

“He told me that you’re playing me, that the affection you show me is all a silly little game and that you’re just doing what he tells you to do. Toying with me to make me feel like I’m special, when in reality it’s all a sick joke.”

You watch Rhea’s features drop, her heart following suit as she brought her free palm up to cradle your other cheek and gentle began to stroke both cheekbones in a delicate motion. How could Dominik say something like that to you? She wasn’t doing anything of that kind, she wouldn’t play with someone’s feeling because she was told too. Not in real life. Not when actual feelings could get hurt.

Your head tilted slightly to nestle into the comfort of Rhea’s palm, quickly retracting it when you realized what you were doing. You couldn’t let your feeling for her get in the way of figuring all this out.

“You seriously think I’m using you?”

You wanted to answer no. You wanted to believe that everything Dominik said was a lie and that Rhea was actually here for you out of genuine concern. But you couldn’t be certain and you didn’t want to risk any chance of finding out how she actually felt about you.

Rhea’s palms slowly dropped from your cheeks as she took a small step back, her usually warm features clouded in a cold glaze as her lips parted slightly. Did you actually think she just using you because a co-worker asked her too? Dominik had no right to speak to her that way and she wouldn’t let him dictate how she interacted with you.

“You do, don’t you.”

The sadness in Rhea’s tone caused your heart to sink, you’d never seen her so vulnerable and it devastated you. Grasping at her wrists and pulling them slowly towards you, you close the distance between the two of you with a gentle shake of your head.

“No. It’s just… Dominik he..”

You didn’t know what to say— how to even begin a conversation that could cause Rhea to see her best friend so differently.

Inhaling a staggered breath as you formed full sentences in you head, you let your lids close briefly. You could quite easily tell Rhea what was going on between you and Dominik, how once upon a time you’d loved him. That you would have done absolutely anything for him and even though you’d managed to move on from him, he couldn’t let go of you. But she probably already knew that, so why waste the time. You needed to get Rhea back on your side and not thinking you believed that she was using you.

You couldn’t take your eyes off Rhea’s sullen features, the sparkle that always flashed through sapphire pools dulled like a dying flame.

“He still loves me. He wants me all to himself and he hates how close I am with you.”

Rhea’s brow arches slightly as you continue to unload every thought that bounced around your subconscious.

“Whenever we’re in the same room as each other, he has to be involved. He won’t let anyone close to me. The way he looks at me when you make me laugh or smile.”

You exhale a shallow breath, the pads of your thumbs tracing against Rhea’s wrists. She still looked so vulnerable, nothing like what you were used to seeing. She was always so stern and iron fisted, so strong and unmovable and yet right now— she looked like someone who’d had their heart broken. The flat of your palms slowly sliding up Rhea’s arms to rest on her broad shoulders, the pads of your thumbs gently caressing her jawline with feather like touches. You just wanted to make her happy, to undo the sadness and pain you’d just caused her and return the joy to her eyes. Your stomach churned as you tried to catch your breath, the next few words leaving your lips before you could catch them. Word vomit with no way of stopping it.

“He’s always been able to have me to himself, but now he’s worried because I’m falling in love with someone else.”

A large lump formed in your throat as you finished your sentence, instant regret storming your subconscious as you realized what you’d actually said. You hadn’t mentioned her name and yet as you held Rhea’s face between your palms you could tell she knew you meant her. The flush color that flooded her cheeks your first hint.

Your pearly whites nipped at the corner of your lip as you slowly released your hold upon her features, the sparkle in Rhea’s eyes returning as a coy smirk claimed her lips. It was as if all her vulnerability washed away and in its place came blissful happiness.

A small chortle vibrated in her throat as she tucked a few loose strands of your long curls behind your ear, your reaction to your accidental confession of love causing her to cup her palms around your neck and hold you in place to stop you from looking away. You desperately just wanted to disappear, for the ground to open up and swallow you whole. Tilting her chin down to bring her features in line with yours, Rhea leant to press her forehead against yours as she spoke.

“I won’t let him keep us apart.”

Your breath caught in your throat at just how close Rhea was to you, her lips mere inches from your own as the sweet smell of her perfume played with your senses. You couldn’t focus as the distance between your features grew smaller, the soft plush of Rhea’s lips catching the corner of your own for a brief second before she pressed chaste kisses up the length of your jaw.

You could feel your heart as it began to pound in your chest. Even the slightest touch and you melted in seconds. Rhea had such a hold on you and yet you didn’t care.

Your lids fluttered closed as she continued to press soft kisses up the length of your neck, your palms trembling as she nipped the lobe of your ear.

“My room. Twenty minutes. Don’t keep me waiting.”

- - - - - - - - -

You had forgotten how to breathe as you walked down the hallway towards Rhea’s hotel room, each breath more staggered than the last as you processed what was happening. She’d invited you to her room— demanded you to more like and you hadn’t even hesitated at the chance.

If anything would prove to you that Rhea wasn’t doing this just because Dominik told her too, it would be that you’d be alone. In her hotel room. No sign of Dominik anywhere and you’d actually get to be alone together.

Exhaling a small breath as you finally reached the door of Rhea’s room, you bring your palm up to rap against the wooden frame. You had barely touched the door before it swung open, the devilishly beautiful Aussie stood in the opening with a coy smirk as she glanced down at her watch.

“You’re early. Must be eager to have me all to yourself.”

There was no time to respond before Rhea pulled you into her room by your wrists, hip checking the door closed and spinning you round to have your back pressed into the door frame. Her heated lips once more finding the hollow of your collarbone as her fingertips wound around your hips to keep you pinned in place. Your skin felt like it was on fire as Rhea’s fingertips traced against your exposed midriff, her thumbs toying with the hem of your cropped shirt as she trailed hot open mouthed kisses up the length of your neck towards your earlobe.

“—Rhea.”

You whimpered as your mind began to spin, a soft chuckle vibrating in Rhea’s chest as she slowly sucked the shell of your ear between her lips.

“Yes angel.”

She purred quietly; her palms sliding beneath your shirt and up the expanse of your back to press her fingernails into the skin below your shoulder blades, skillfully pulling another soft whimper from your parted lips.

You weren’t entirely sure how to act, you’d spent many nights dreaming of having Rhea’s lips against yours, her body pressed so close you could feel her heart beat and her hands— there were so many places you craved her hands.

Arching your back to press your chest closer to Rhea’s, you slide your palm into the mess of her onyx locks and gently gave her hair a pull backwards. Her plush tongue coaxing over her teeth as a soft growl parted her lips. She may see you as an angel, but she was yet to see your devilish side.

“So you think you can handle me, Mami?”

Rhea was known for her cockiness, she was the most egotistical female on the roster and no one dared challenge her, but you enjoyed playing with fire because you craved getting burnt.

A long exhale parted Rhea’s lips as her palms slid back down the length of your spine to grip tightly on your hipbones, her arms contracting to pull you away from the door frame and flush against her chest.

“Yes.. or no?”

You purred. Your fingers pulling at Rhea’s hair once more to angle her head upwards, your heated kiss capturing her jugular vein as a soft hum vibrated in your chest.

“Fuck.”

Rhea groaned as her fingertips pressed harder into your skin, the beds of her nails turning white as your lips peppered more kisses across the line of her shoulder.

“Yes… or… no?”

Rhea wasn’t used to being spoken too in such a manner, her dominance being the one thing people daren’t go up against.

One of her palms releasing your hipbone and grasping at your hold in her hair, she pulled your fingers free from the midnight stands and slammed your wrist back against the door. A soft moan pulling from your throat as her body followed suit to press you back against the wood.

“I guess we’ll have to find out.”

TAGLIST: @rebecca-quin @girlofpink @bl0w-m3 @coolbeans-17 @noellia @rooskaya-yelena

[fan-fantasies]

Learn to Love (p.1)

A/N: this is just the first part and I feel like it’s a lot of filler so I’m sorry if it’s not great! I’ve been in a pretty bad mental place recently and I’m trying to stick with writing as much as possible so please bear with me 🖤

Pairing: Rhea x Reader

Warnings: mean-ish Rhea, arguing, one suggestive comment, jealousy

Part two

“Interview starts in 10!” Your producer called to you while you finished getting your makeup done. You gave her a thumbs up and went back to playing on your phone.

“All done, gorgeous,” your makeup artist told you, setting down her brush.

“Thank you so much! You’re a miracle worker,” you chuckled, looking at yourself in the mirror.

“You could say that again,” Rhea scoffed, coming up behind you. Your smile immediately disappeared and was replaced with a scowl.

“I thought you had left already,” you snapped.

“They added an interview last minute. You know, since I’m in such high demand and all,” she said with a smirk. You rolled your eyes and got up from your chair.

“Yeah well so am I, so if you don’t mind I’ll be going now.”

“Trust me, I never mind you leaving,” she said.

To say that the two of you didn’t get along was an understatement. Ever since coming up from NXT, you had a target on your back from most of the women. You never expected to have one from the women’s champion. She knew what it was like to be a rising star so a part of you had hoped she might take you under her wing. All dreams of that were dashed, however, when she started having an attitude toward you. You gave it right back, of course, not wanting anyone to view you as weak.

“Thank you so much for joining us! What you’ve done so far in NXT and now on the RAW Roster is incredible. Some people are saying you’re the next Rhea Ripley. What do you have to say to that?” The interviewer asked.

“I say that Rhea wishes she was the next me,” you scoffed. You saw Rhea watching behind the cameras with anger in her eyes.

“She better watch out, because I’m coming for her throne.”

Rhea left after that, allowing you to finish your interview in peace. You found her not too long after, though, in Vince’s office.

“She’s a spoiled brat! She shouldn’t even be on the roster,” she told him.

“Maybe you should put that title on the line and we can see who really doesn’t belong here,” you snapped.

“You haven’t earned the right to be in the ring with me.”

“Oh what? You expect me to kiss the ground you walk on just cuz you’re the champ? I don’t think so!”

“Enough!” Vince yelled, making the both of you freeze. “The both of you are going to stop acting like children and you’re going to learn to work together. And better yet, you’re gonna learn to love it!”

“I’m sorry, sir,” you mumbled quietly, looking at your shoes.

“You’re gonna do more than say sorry. You’re gonna have a championship match,” he said with a smug smile.

“Sir, with all due respect, I don’t think she should just be handed a title match against me,” Rhea argued. The smile never left his face.

“And who said it was against you, dear? The two of you will be having a title match, but not as opponents- as tag partners.”

“What?” You both yelled.

“You’re going to learn to get along and work together. Frankly, we’re all sick of the back and forth between you. So put that passion toward something better than petty arguments,” he told you. “From now on, you will eat together, sleep together, and train together. You will learn to be a functional, and maybe even successful, team.”

“But-“

“Nope! You’re dismissed. Go work out your new schedules,” he said, waving you both out of the room. You knew there was no arguing with him once he set his mind to something.

You both left the room feeling defeated. How were you going to work with this horrible woman?

“Listen, I don’t know what your training regimen is, but you’re gonna have to kick it up a notch if you want to work with me,” Rhea snapped.

“Let’s get one thing straight, I don’t want to work with you. But since I have to, let’s make this as painless as possible. We can train at the same time, we can stay in the same room, but we don’t have to do anything together.”

You missed the disappointed flicker in Rhea’s eyes but it was quickly masked with frustration.

“And how do you suggest we learn to work with each other then?” She asked.

“I know how you work, you should know how I work, and that’s that. We’re both fantastic in the ring so we shouldn’t have a problem there.”

“Did you just say something nice about me?” She asked with a smirk.

“Don’t get used to it!”

You let out one final huff before storming off. Rhea didn’t bother chasing after you, knowing she’d have to see you again eventually.

Vince was already one step ahead of you, calling the hotel and switching your reservation. You were now roomed with Rhea but you didn’t plan on spending much time around her. She always made you feel second best, and you didn’t want to put up with it.

The hotel you were staying at had a pool, so you figured you’d take advantage and try to relax.

“Hey, I heard the good news!” Someone said, jogging up behind you to catch the elevator.

“You and I have very different definitions of good,” you sighed, turning to face Dominik.

“Well if you’re partnered with Rhea that means you’ll get to hang out with the fam more often,” he said happily. You couldn’t help but soften your scowl. He was like a golden retriever and you knew he had good intentions.

“I don’t think I’ll be around that much, considering we kinda can’t stand each other,” you chuckled.

“She doesn’t hate you, I just don’t think she knows how to express her feelings that well,” he sighed.

“And what feelings would those be?” You asked, actually intrigued. Before he could answer, the elevator door opened and you immediately heard a scoff.

“Just because we’re sharing a room doesn’t mean we have to share our friends too.”

Rhea stormed off the elevator and stood between you and Dom.

“I’m allowed to be friends with whoever I want, but don’t worry I’m not gonna come for your little ‘family’.”

You stepped onto the elevator and quickly pressed the button to close the door. You and Rhea continued to glare at each other until they were closed.

You let your tough demeanor fall once you were alone. When you had arrived from NXT, you wanted to make friends. You so badly wanted to be accepted, but Rhea was making that harder. You’d never admit it, but you were jealous of the close kinship she had with her stable. They seemed like a proper family and part of you craved that- part of you hoped this might be an opportunity to change things. But with every passing interaction with Rhea, those hopes faded away.

You spent as much time as possible at the pool, not wanting to go back to the room. Maybe she would stay with Dom or Damien, avoiding staying in the room with you. When you got back upstairs, you found that you weren’t that lucky.

“Back so soon?” She asked as soon as you walked in the door.

“Have to come back to my room eventually.” You rolled your eyes and went to your back. You didn’t get to see the way Rhea’s eyes traveled your bathing suit-clad body, licking her lips appreciatively.

“Our room, sweetheart,” she reminded you.

“As if I could forget,” you signed. “I’m gonna take a shower.”

“Is that an invite?” She asked with a smirk, her comment making you snort.

“We don’t literally have to do everything together,” you said, a faint smile playing on your lips.

“Worth a shot,” she mumbled, glad the mood had lightened a bit.

She waited until she heard the water start to lay back against the pillows. Maybe this could be bearable, if you guys could put your pride aside and try to get along. That would be easier said than done.

The next morning, Rhea woke up before you and contemplated not waking you. She wanted to get a workout in before the flight and knew Vince would want you to join. But you looked so peaceful sleeping she didn’t want to disturb you. She wouldn’t tell anyone that though, she’d say it’s because she doesn’t want you to join her in the gym.

She figured she could soften the blow if she had a peace offering. So off she went to grab coffee, remembering your specific order to a T.

She got back to the room and was happy to find you still asleep.

“Hey, hey wake up,” she whispered, shaking you gently. “Time to get up.”

“No, it’s not,” you groaned. She shook your iced coffee which made you peek one eye open. “Or yes it is.”

“I figured we’d get a workout in before the flight,” she suggested.

“How’d you remember my order?” You asked, taking a sip.

“I mean it’s pretty simple and you always get the same thing,” she said with a shrug.

“Well thanks, I guess. So uh to the gym then?” You asked. She nodded and headed out, making you promise you’d meet her down there.

You didn’t know where this side of Rhea was coming from but you didn’t mind it. You still kept your guard up, though.

You got ready quickly and made your way down to the gym. Rhea had already started warming up so you stuck to the other side of the gym to do your own thing.

“You came!” Dom said excitedly, jogging over to you.

“Figured I should try to be a team player,” you sighed.

“Well I’m glad you came. I know she is too, even if she won’t admit it,” he whispered, making you look over at Rhea who was already watching.

“I don’t know about that,” you said. He threw an arm around your shoulder and gave you a squeeze.

“I know she’s rough around the edges, but she’ll come around.”

Rhea wasn’t sure what Dom was saying to you but she felt jealousy bubble up inside. She stopped what she was going and went over to the two of you.

“This isn’t social hour, we need to get to work,” she snapped. You scowled at her sudden outburst. You figured she didn’t want you getting close to Dom so you stepped away.

“You can go workout or do whatever, and I’ll just do my own thing,” you said.

“If we’re gonna win, we need to push each other,” she insisted.

“You push my buttons, does that count?” You asked, flashing her an annoying smile.

“Just shut up and workout,” she sighed. Dom gave her a pointed look but she ignored him. He shook his head and walked away, telling you he’d see you later.

You wrapped up your workout early and went back to the room without telling Rhea. You wanted to pack and head to the airport a little early.

“Do you usually skip out of training?” Rhea asked, making you jump when you heard her voice.

“Only when I’m not wanted there.”

“What are you talking about?” She asked, coming over to you.

“I don’t know what I did to make you hate me, but I’m over it. I promise I’m not trying to steal Dom away from you,” you answered. “Is that what the issue is? You think I want your little boyfriend?”

Rhea was taken back by your outburst and really had to think for a minute. Deep down, she knew why she acted the way she did around you. And she was jealous- just not of you. She wasn’t worried you would take Dom away, she just didn’t want anyone to take you away.

“Well I don’t. I promise he’s all yours,” you said, throwing your hands up.

“He’s not my boyfriend; he’s like a brother,” she said.

“Well whatever he is, you can have him. But you can’t isolate me from everyone in the company!”

“I’m not isolating you,” she argued.

“You are! You haven’t welcomed me and you’ve made sure no one else has had the chance! Dom is just trying to be nice to me but it seems like anytime he gets close to me you’re stepping in.”

Her gaze softened and she took a step toward you. You put your hand up to stop her.

“He said you have a hard time expressing your feelings, but you make it very clear you don’t like me so he doesn’t have to defend you anymore. I’ll keep my distance and we’ll just fake our way through the tag match, deal?” You picked up your bag and headed toward the door.

“I don’t dislike you,” Rhea said, too quietly for you to hear as you walked out of the room.

She knew she had messed up and Dom was right, she was horrible at expressing her feelings. The truth was she didn’t know how you made her feel; it was all new to her. You were captivating and intriguing and Rhea wanted more than anything to be close to you and that scared her. So she did the irrational thing and pushed you away; but now she realized just how much damage she had done.

She knew you’d be seated next to her on the flight and made a plan to talk to you basically since you couldn’t escape. She needed to explain her actions, or at least try to.

Rhea didn’t see you at the airport despite you being there before her. She figured you were avoiding her.

The flight began to board and she found her seat, nervously waiting for you to join her.

“I get the window seat? Sweet!” Damian explained, pushing past her.

“That’s your seat?” Rhea asked, clearly confused.

“Yeah well your bestie asked me to switch and after hearing what’s been going on from Dom I agreed,” he answered with a disappointed look.

“Yeah well I wanted to apologize to her but now it looks like that won’t be happening anytime soon,” she frowned.

“She’s a sweet girl and one hell of a wrestler; I think it would be good for you to try and get to know her.”

“Well maybe next time don’t agree to switch seats so I can do that,” she sighed.

“I’m just saying, I think you two could be good for each other,” he said.

“What does that mean?” Rhea asked, her face heating up. Damian just shrugged and gave her a knowing look.

Rhea stood up and looked around the plane, eyes finally landing on you. You were sitting next to Shayna, fully engrossed in whatever she was saying to you.

You finally looked up and caught her gaze. Your lips formed into a tight line and you immediately looked away.

“You okay?” Shayna asked, placing a comforting hand on your arm.

“Yeah, never better,” you said with a soft smile.

Rhea’s heart sank and jealousy began to bubble up inside once again. But she knew she couldn’t interfere. She just had to get through the flight and hope you’d let her explain yourself at the hotel.

—————————

Let me know what you think!

[call-me-a-simp]

Heal My Wounds

Confessions (part 10)

Rhea Ripley x Reader

Tw: physical and sexual abuse, toxic relationship, selfharm, eating disorder

Summary: You are in a toxic relationship with an abusive man but manage to run away. A tall, black haired woman picks you up from the streets just in time so your ex doesn't get you. But who is she and why does she seem so familiar to you? As you get to know each other you start to notice weird feelings you never had before whenever she's around.

~fast forward two weeks~

You're sitting on the couch scrolling through your Instagram as you hear the door being unlocked and opened.

"Hey, I'm back" Rhea shouts. "Hii" you reply. You get up and enter the hallway to greet her. "How was your day?" "As always" she brushes it off.

"How was your's? Did you finally leave the house on your own?" she chuckles. You playfully hit her and you both laugh.

"I'll take that as a no" "Admit it you just want to get rid of me" you tease her. "Definitely not, but we still gotta talk" she replies, leaving you a bit concerned.

You follow her into the living room where Rhea is already sitting on the couch. "Dont worry it nothing serious" she chuckles as she sees you face.

You relax a little and sit down facing her. "I wanted to talk about what you plan for your future. Like, getting a job, maybe your own apartment.. Now, don't get me wrong, I don't mind you living here with me, I like having a roommate, really. It's just something I've been thinking about lately."

You look down on your lap fidgeting with you fingers. She's lying, she doesn't want you here. You're a burden! Your mind tells you.

Demi takes your hands in hers gently stroking them. "I mean it y/n, I like having you here don't worry about that" she calms you down.

You smile, "to be honest, I don't know what I want to do with my future.. I don't even know how to interpret my own feelings.."

"What do you mean by that?" Rhea asks. You sigh "there's someone I really like, I just don't know if it's in a platonic or romantic kind of way.."

"Ooh, do I know him?" Rhea smirks. You feel your cheeks getting red. "Naw, you're blushing. Is it.. Damian? She teases you.

" What? No.. I mean, he's a nice guy and everything but.. uh, never mind.." you say and get up. "Hey no wait. It does mind!" Demi pouts.

You pretend you didn't hear her and make your way to the bedroom. "Y/n! Come back here!" she shouts and runs after you.

"y/n!" she throws you onto the bed and turns you around so you look at her. She places herself on top of you and holds your wrists over your head just like you once did with her.

"Tell me now" she pouts and you laugh. "Fine.." you sigh "I won't tell you exactly who it is but.. It's not a.. him.." Rhea looks at you confused.

"Wait.. So it's a.. Girl?" you blush and nod. Rhea squeals from excitement "do I know her?" she asks full of enthusiasm.

"I will not comment on that" you say. "Ooh so I do" Rhea gets even more excited. She releases your wrists and sits upright on your hips.

You lean on your elbows to lift your torso off the bed and grin at her. It takes her a moment to realize but then it hits her like a brick on the head.

"Do- You mean me?!" "Of course I do, stupid!" you laugh before getting serious again.

"Listen Rhea, I know it might make you uncomfortable now, regarding the fact that you're straight and we sleep in the same bed at night and everything and-"

You're cut off by her kissing you on the lips. God how can someone have such soft lips! You're surprised but quickly return the kiss.

Demi pulls away and looks you in the eyes. "Remember when we were cuddling in bed and I told you I really liked you?" you nod "that's what I meant" she says and kisses you again passionately.

She cupped your cheeks earlier and you wrap your arms around her waist and torso pulling her closer. She deepens the kiss and a soft moan escapes your lips making her smile.

Oh my God how can somebody be this perfect. You both pull away to catch your breath and smile at one another. "I love you Demi" you breathe out. "I love you too y/n"

---------------------------------------------------

And here's part 10 :) Let me now your suggestions etc and if you wanna be featured in the taglist

Taglist: @babybatlover @legit9thlunaticwarrior @thatonepansexual2000

[acute-scary]

Between The Ropes… a Jey Uso x Rhea Ripley fic.

Chapter 17: Up Up

It was Tuesday, September 24, 10:21 AM. The sun was just starting to warm the driveway as Jey and Jon were in the middle of a grueling workout in Jon’s garage gym. Kanye West's music blared through the speakers, filling the space with intensity. Both twins were drenched in sweat, their muscles aching as they pushed through their set of chin-ups. The garage smelled of iron and effort, with heavy breathing mingling with the bass of the music.

Jey’s mind was still foggy from the early morning flight. He and Rhea had barely gotten into Orlando at 4 AM, and all she wanted to do was crash into bed. Jey had tried to sleep in, but Jon wasn’t having it. At 9:30, Jon had nudged Jey out of his dreams for a workout, and after some resistance, Rhea, still half asleep, had playfully shoved him off the bed, grumbling for him to "just go."

Now, here they were, in the heat of it, with no sign of slowing down. As they were about to finish their set, the music cut off abruptly, replaced by the familiar ring of FaceTime on Jey's phone. Annoyed, Jey rolled his eyes, wiped his hands on his shorts, and glanced at the screen. It was Damian.

"Bruh," Jey muttered, swiping to answer. "You messin’ up the vibe, D."

Damian's face filled the screen, unimpressed. He rolled his eyes dramatically. "Whatever, man. Listen, what are you doing for Rhea's birthday?"

Jey froze mid-rep, his muscles tensing for a reason completely unrelated to the workout. His face went pale as if the weight of Damian’s words hit harder than any barbell. Jon, who was pushing himself through the last of his chin-ups, burst into uncontrollable laughter, nearly falling off the bar.

“Bro, what?!” Jon cackled. "You don’t even know her birthday?!"

Jey shot him a look that could kill. “Shut it, man!”

Damian’s face was filled with disbelief. He let loose a stream of curses in rapid Spanish, his frustration showing even through the phone screen.

Jey snapped. “Yo, ENGLISH, Damian! I can’t deal with this right now!”

Damian sighed, clearly irritated. “You’ve been with her for how long, and you don’t know her birthday? It’s October 11th, Jey. That’s like, in two weeks. Right after we get back from Bad Blood. Get it together, bro!”

Jey’s eyes widened, panic flooding his chest. He hadn't even thought about her birthday, let alone made any plans. His mind was racing now. How could he not have asked about something so important?

Jon, still chuckling, came up behind him, slapping Jey on the back. “You are in so much trouble, man.”

Jey muttered under his breath, feeling the pressure settle in. Damian, now calmer, leaned into the camera, his voice stern but supportive.

“Listen, you’ve got time to plan something, but don’t screw this up. Rhea deserves the world, and I know you want to give it to her. I’ll help if you need it, but start thinking about what she likes, where she’d want to go, and... you know, maybe ask her this time.”

Jey nodded, still in shock but grateful for the wake-up call. “Yeah, man... thanks. I’ll figure something out. For real.”

Damian gave him a hard look, then hung up, leaving Jey standing there, still holding his phone like it was about to explode.

Jon, ever the instigator, grinned and threw an arm around Jey’s shoulders. “You better start thinking fast, lil bro. Rhea doesn’t seem like the type to let a missed birthday slide.”

Jey groaned, running a hand over his face. “Man, I’m so screwed.”

—

After Jey wrapped up his workout, he grabbed a towel and headed straight for the shower. The cold water was a welcome relief, washing away the sweat and the weight of his sudden birthday realization. As the steam filled the bathroom, his thoughts were racing—he had to come up with something special, something that would blow Rhea away.

Once he finished, Jey changed into a fresh set of clothes and made his way through Jon’s house. His youngest son, Jeyce, was out with Trinity and his cousins, running errands and picking up supplies for the movie night Trinity had planned for later. The house was quieter than usual, and it gave him a rare moment to check in on his older son, Jaciyah.

Jey walked down the hallway and stopped in front of the door to the guest room where Jaciyah was staying. He knocked softly, but there was no response. Slowly, he cracked the door open, careful not to disturb his son if he was still sleeping. What he saw warmed his heart.

Jaciyah was fast asleep, tucked under the covers with Rhea’s three dogs curled up around him. The oldest dog, sitting right by Jaciyah’s side, had its head resting on his arm, and Jaciyah had draped an arm around the dog protectively, as if they were lifelong companions. The other two dogs were nestled at the foot of the bed, content and unmoving, like they had found their new favorite spot.

Jey smiled to himself, closing the door as quietly as he could. Seeing his son so comfortable with Rhea’s dogs made something inside him soften. It was a small reminder that their worlds were blending more and more each day, even in the most unexpected ways.

He made his way back down the hall toward the guest room where Rhea was still fast asleep. As soon as he entered, he stifled a laugh—Rhea had completely taken over the bed. She was sprawled out, half the blankets tangled around her legs, her arm stretched out across the mattress. Jey had grown used to her sleeping like this, but it never failed to make him smile.

He walked over to the vanity and took a seat, careful not to make too much noise. Pulling out his phone, he opened the notes app and scrolled down to the file he had been updating for months. It was simply titled, Rhea. Inside, he had jotted down every little detail he had learned about her—the things that made her smile, her favorite bands, fast food orders, what movies she loved, her favorite snacks, and random little quirks he picked up on.

His eyes scanned through the list as he tried to think of what he could do for her birthday. He tapped his fingers on the screen absentmindedly, reading through each entry.

- Favorite fast food: In-N-Out (Double-Double, no onions, animal-style fries, chocolate shake) and Pizza Hut (Hawaiian Style Pizza with Brownies)

- Favorite band: Motionless in White (but she has a secret soft spot for The 1975).

- Favorite color: Black (but sometimes she likes dark purple for her nails).

- Favorite movie: She won’t admit it, but she keeps watching The Great Gatsby. But I’ve noticed she only plays it whenever she is sad or mad, make a mental note to ask her why.

Rhea always tried to play it cool, but deep down, she had her sentimental side. And then there were the little things she did every day—how she loved walking barefoot when she thought no one was looking, or how she’d hum softly when she was thinking.

But what could he do to make her birthday unforgettable?

As Jey continued scrolling through his notes, an idea started forming. He knew she loved simple things—time with the people she cared about, music, and food. Maybe it didn’t have to be some grand gesture, but rather something personal, something that showed her he truly saw her.

He opened a new note and started typing:

- Birthday plan ideas:

1. Private dinner at the beach, somewhere quiet.

2. Rent a classic car for a day (something from *The Great Gatsby* era—she’d love that).

3. Get the family together, make it low-key but intimate—she loves being around the people she cares about.

4. Propose.

He paused, thinking about how she had lost their baby just a short time ago. It was still fresh for both of them, and he didn’t want the day to bring up too many painful memories. But he also wanted to celebrate her strength, her resilience. Maybe the best way to honor her birthday was to give her something that showed her just how much he appreciated everything she had gone through.

Jey smiled to himself, feeling the pieces slowly come together. He was getting closer to figuring out what to do, and for the first time since Damian had blindsided him, he didn’t feel completely overwhelmed.

Glancing over at Rhea, still fast asleep and peaceful, Jey knew he had time to make this birthday perfect for her. And he wasn’t going to mess it up.

Rhea stirred awake slowly, her eyes fluttering open as the soft light from the window streamed into the room. Jey glanced up from his phone and smiled.

“Morning, Button Nose,” he teased, his voice warm and affectionate.

Rhea gave him a sleepy smile, stretching out under the tangled blankets. She mumbled something incoherent before burying her face in the pillow again.

Jey chuckled. “You hungry?”

She nodded, still half-asleep, and mumbled one word. “Starbucks.”

Jey rolled his eyes, though the smile on his face never wavered. “Of course. You wanna come, or are you just gonna be lazy?”

“Nahhhh,” she groaned dramatically, pulling the covers tighter around her as if the bed was the safest place on Earth.

He leaned over, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “Alright, what’s the order?”

Without even opening her eyes, she rattled it off. “Venti Apple Crisp Oatmilk Frappuccino, Ham and Swiss croissant, and… a birthday cake pop.”

Jey laughed as he grabbed his phone and quickly typed out the order. “I swear, you and those cake pops.”

Rhea just grumbled something unintelligible, half asleep again. Jey shook his head, kissed her one more time, and stood up, grabbing his wallet and keys. He made his way downstairs, the quietness of the house giving him a moment to think. The faint hum of the AC was the only other sound in the house.

He stepped outside and headed to Jon’s car, sliding into the driver’s seat. The warm air hit him as he started the engine and pulled out of the driveway. It didn’t take long to find the nearest Starbucks, and as he was waiting in the drive-thru line, his phone buzzed.

He glanced down at the screen. Dad.

Jey frowned a little, answering the call quickly. “Hey, Pops. What’s up?”

His father’s voice came through the line, calm but with a serious tone. “Jey, just wanted to let you know, some old lady dropped off a box at the house today. She said it was for you and Rhea. Looked important.”

Jey’s heart skipped a beat. He knew immediately what it was. He had almost forgotten, but now it all came rushing back. The jewelry containing the ashes of their baby. The one they had lost.

His chest tightened as memories of that painful time flashed through his mind. It had only been a few days since they lost the baby, and while they had tried to move forward, the weight of that loss was always there, just beneath the surface.

“Yeah,” Jey said quietly, his voice strained. “I remember.”

His dad’s voice softened. “I didn’t want to leave it outside, so it’s inside, safe. Whenever you’re ready, come by and pick it up.”

“Thanks, Pops,” Jey replied, swallowing the lump in his throat. “I’ll get it later today.”

They exchanged a few more words before Jey hung up, his mind now focused on that box. He leaned back in his seat, trying to steady himself as the car in front of him inched forward. He wasn’t sure how he’d bring this up to Rhea, not so soon after everything. But he knew they’d have to face it together. To be fair he had received an email saying it would be ready by Monday and he foolishly forgot that he asked for a rush on the jewelry.

He pulled up to the window, collecting her order, his mind still elsewhere. The Starbucks worker handed him the Frappuccino and croissant, and Jey forced a smile, offering a quick “thanks” before driving off.

As he made his way back to Jon’s, Jey’s grip tightened on the steering wheel. For now, he had to focus on the moment, on making sure her day started off right.

One thing at a time.

Jey pulled into Jon’s driveway and parked the car, the smell of Starbucks filling the interior. He grabbed the bag and drink tray, then headed back inside, feeling the weight of the conversation with his dad still lingering in his mind.

As he made his way upstairs, he could hear the soft, familiar soundtrack of The Great Gatsby playing in the background. When he opened the door to the guest bedroom, there was Rhea, sitting up in bed, wearing his hoodie, her hair a tousled mess but looking completely at peace. She had the blankets wrapped around her legs, her eyes glued to the screen as Leonardo DiCaprio’s voice narrated the iconic lines she must’ve heard a hundred times by now.

Jey gave a soft smile while taking a mental note—her wearing his hoodie was always a good sign. It was something she did when she wanted comfort, and right now, she looked like she was in her element.

Rhea glanced over at him, her face lighting up when she saw the Starbucks bag in his hand. "You’re my hero," she said with a sleepy grin.

Jey walked over and handed her the drink and pastry along with the cake pop she always insisted on. “Here you go, birthday girl in training,” he teased.

She rolled her eyes but took the drink gratefully. “Thanks, Button Nose,” she said playfully, using his own nickname for her.

Jey leaned down and kissed her forehead, his lips lingering just a second longer than usual. "I’m gonna check on Jaciyah, see if he’s up," he said, straightening up.

Rhea nodded as she sipped her drink. “Okay.”

Jey gave her a wink and turned, heading back to the room where Jaciyah was still sleeping. He carefully opened the door, hoping his son was awake now, but ready to see the same peaceful sight he had seen earlier with the dogs still snuggled up to him. As the door creaked open, Jaciyah stirred, blinking slowly as he woke up. The dogs, still lying next to him, perked their heads up but stayed comfortably in place.

“Hey, buddy,” Jey whispered as he stepped inside. “You sleep good?”

Jaciyah nodded, rubbing his eyes and sitting up. “Yeah I guess…The dogs were comfy,” he mumbled, still half-asleep.

Jey chuckled, walking over and ruffling his son’s hair. “Good. Listen, I was thinking… how about we take a little trip today? Head over to Grandpa’s in Titusville. What do you think?”

Jaciyah yawned but nodded, slowly waking up. “Yeah, sure I guess.”

Jey was relieved. At least Jaciyah was even talking to him. Jey figured spending some time with his dad might be just what they both needed— Solofa had a way of talking to his grandson that seemed to get through to him in a way Jey sometimes couldn’t. Plus, with everything on Jey’s mind about the jewelry, he could use his dad’s advice.

“Alright, cool. I’ll wait for you get dressed, and then we’ll head out in a bit,” Jey said, feeling a small sense of peace in the plan.

Jaciyah nodded, and Jey smiled, knowing his dad would have a way of bringing some perspective, both for him and for his son. Maybe a little time at Grandpa’s house would give him the clarity he needed to figure out how to handle everything with Rhea—and the ashes—when the time came.

—

Jey gave Rhea a quick kiss on the forehead, his lips brushing against her soft skin before he stood up. “I’ll be back later, okay? You and Trinity try to stay out of trouble.”

Rhea sighed as she watched him leave, the familiar loneliness creeping in now that he was gone. As soon as she heard the door click shut, she grabbed her phone and dialed Trinity’s number. It rang a couple of times before her future sister in law picked up, sounding upbeat as ever.

“Hey, girl! What’s up?” Trinity’s voice echoed through the line.

“Not much. Just bored now that Jey left,” Rhea replied, leaning back into the pillows and taking a sip of her Starbucks. “Where are you guys at?”

Trinity chuckled. “We’re just leaving Academy. Had to get some last-minute stuff for the kids. We’re heading home now.”

Rhea hummed in understanding but couldn’t help but let her boredom show. “Wish you guys were home already. There’s nothing to do here.”

“Girl, you won’t be bored for long. I got something at Academy that’s going to keep these kids busy for hours. Jon is gonna throw a fit when he sees it,” Trinity said, her voice full of mischief.

Rhea perked up, intrigued. “Oh? What did you get?”

“A water bouncy house,” Trinity said with a laugh, clearly pleased with herself. “You know how it is—it’s Florida, it’s hot, and the kids need to burn off some energy. And, let’s be real, we could all use some fun.”

Rhea’s eyes widened, a smile spreading across her face. “No way! That’s amazing. I might need to hop in there with them.”

Trinity laughed, knowing Rhea well enough to believe she would. “Girl, we’ll both get in there. Jon’s gonna lose it when he sees the backyard covered in water and bounce house chaos.”

The thought of Jon’s reaction made Rhea laugh. “Yeah, I can see it now. He’s gonna act like he’s mad but then end up having the most fun.”

“Exactly!” Trinity said. “But after the kids tire themselves out, we’re still doing that movie night. Got all their favorite snacks, blankets, the whole deal.”

“That sounds perfect,” Rhea said, feeling a wave of excitement wash over her. The idea of a carefree day with the kids, and then winding down with movies, was exactly what she needed. “I can’t wait. I’ll see you when you guys get back.”

“Alright, see you soon!” Trinity chimed before hanging up.

Rhea smiled to herself as she set her phone down. The idea of spending the afternoon with the kids, bouncing around in the water bouncy house, followed by a relaxing movie night, felt like a nice escape from everything that had been weighing on her. For now, she’d relax and wait for the chaos to begin when Trinity and the kids arrived.

After lounging for a while, Rhea finally decided it was time to get up and shower. She stretched, slipped off Jey’s hoodie, and headed over to her bag, pulling out a pair of comfy lounge clothes—some soft joggers and a loose tee. Before hopping in the shower, she grabbed her protective goggles to shield her freshly done lashes. As she was adjusting them in front of the mirror, her heart nearly skipped a beat when the bathroom door creaked open softly.

She spun around quickly, but her worry faded when she saw her cat, Storm, strut into the bathroom like he owned the place. “Storm, really?” she said, sighing in relief. The mischievous cat just meowed as if to say, “What did you expect?”

Rhea chuckled and scratched his head gently. “I should’ve known it was you.” With that, she closed the door properly this time and stepped into the warm shower.

The hot water did wonders for her muscles and ribs, easing the tension she hadn’t realized was still there. She let her mind wander, thinking about the upcoming movie night with the kids and Trinity, and of course, the bouncy house. It had been a while since she’d let herself just relax and enjoy something silly and fun like that. For a brief moment, she imagined bouncing around with the kids, the water splashing everywhere, all of them laughing without a care in the world.

Once Rhea was done with her shower, she quickly brushed her teeth again and got dressed in her lounge clothes. Feeling refreshed, she headed downstairs, her damp hair tied back in a messy bun. As she reached the bottom of the stairs, her phone buzzed in her pocket. It was a text from Jey.

Miss you. I’ll try to be back soon.

A soft smile tugged at her lips as she read the message. She quickly typed a reply.

Miss you too. Be safe. Can’t wait to see you.

After sending the message, she wandered into the living room. It was quiet, peaceful. The perfect time to throw on a movie and just relax before the chaos of the day kicked in with the kids and the bouncy house.

Rhea settled onto the couch, flipping through the streaming options before landing on an old favorite, Bring It On. As soon as the opening credits started, she heard the familiar sounds of paws padding against the floor. One by one, her furry crew began to gather around her. First, Storm jumped up onto the arm of the couch, curling up in his usual spot. Then, her three dogs—Barry, Bella, and Luna—came trotting over, each finding a place near her feet or right beside her on the couch. Tank and Marley soon joined her on the other side of the couch.

She couldn’t help but smile as she looked around at her little animal family. “Well, guess it’s a party now,” she murmured, scratching behind Storm’s ears. With all of them settled in, Rhea felt a sense of calm wash over her as she sank deeper into the cushions, the comforting presence of her pets making everything feel just a little bit brighter.

—

Jey scrolled through his phone, eyeing private proposal setups, his mind racing with the weight of the decision he'd finally made. He was going to propose to Rhea. The thought filled him with a mixture of excitement and anxiety. Jaciyah, his oldest, had been quiet during their drive to Titusville, where they’d just arrived at his dad’s house. Jey wanted to make sure his son was okay with everything—especially the divorce from Takecia and his future with Rhea.

“Dad,” Jey called out as his father entered the living room. “Could you talk to Jaciyah? See how he’s feelin’ about all this? I know it’s a lot for him.”

His father nodded, placing a reassuring hand on Jey’s shoulder before heading outside to the porch where Jaciyah was sitting, staring off into the distance. Jey exhaled and leaned back, his eyes drifting to the small box beside him on the table. Inside it was the necklace holding the ashes of their unborn child, along with Rhea’s ring. Jey had already his ring on him and he felt more at peace knowing his unborn child was with him. Onto Rhea’s ring, It was something he wanted to give to Rhea when he asked her to marry him, it was the perfect ring.

The thought tugged at his heart, but before he could get too lost in it, his mother walked in with a steaming cup of koko Samoa. She placed it gently in front of him and sat down across the table, her eyes full of warmth and understanding as they met his.

"You look like you got the weight of the world on your shoulders, son," she said softly.

Jey gave a small, tired smile and took a sip of the drink. The familiar taste brought a sense of comfort, but his thoughts were still tangled up in everything happening around him.

"I do, Mom," he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "I wanna propose to Rhea. I’ve already made up my mind, but... there’s just so much to think about. The divorce, the kids, everything with her ex, and now... this." His hand hovered over the small jewelry box. His voice dropped to a whisper. “I don’t even know if now is the right time.”

His mother’s eyes softened further, and she reached across the table, placing her hand over his.

"Son, if you’ve made the decision to ask Rhea to marry you, then you’re ready. You wouldn’t be thinking about all this if you weren’t. But I know it’s not easy—especially after everything you’ve been through." She glanced at the box, understanding its significance without needing an explanation.

"How do you think she’s going to feel about this?" Jey asked, gesturing to the box. His voice trembled with the weight of his emotions. "About having a part of our baby with her all the time?"

His mom smiled gently. "She’ll feel what any mother would feel—connected. Even though you both lost that child, it doesn’t mean you’ve lost the love you had for them. This..." She tapped the box lightly. "This will keep that memory alive, in a way that’s beautiful. I think it’ll mean the world to her."

Jey nodded, feeling a lump in his throat. "I just don’t wanna mess it up. This has to be right."

"You won’t mess it up," his mother assured him. "The love you have for her, for that baby, it’s all right there in your heart. That’s what she’s going to see when you ask her."

Jey took another sip of the koko Samoa, the warmth spreading through him. He wanted to believe what his mom was saying—that everything would fall into place.

As his thoughts turned to Rhea, he felt a sense of determination rise in him. He would propose, and he would find the right way to do it. For Rhea. For their baby. For the future they were about to build together.

His mother gave him one last reassuring squeeze before she stood up, leaving Jey alone with his thoughts. He picked up the small jewelry box, holding it in his hands, feeling the weight of the ashes inside. He whispered to himself, as if speaking to the child they had lost, "I’m gonna do this right. I promise. Solofa opened the back door and Jaciyah walked in, completely ignored Jey’s presence. Jaciyah went to the front room and he pulled out this phone to ignore everyone. Solofa signaled for Jey to come outside.

Jey sat on the porch steps next to his father, the weight of the conversation pressed down heavily. The quiet sounds of the yard, the rustle of leaves in the breeze, and the fading light of day felt distant compared to the turmoil brewing inside him. He had known this conversation with his father was coming, but nothing could have prepared him for the emotions now bubbling to the surface.

Solofa was silent for a moment, his eyes focused on the horizon. There was something heavy in the air between them, a shared understanding that words were needed but not easy to find.

"Joshua," Solofa finally said, breaking the silence. His voice was steady but carried the weight of years of wisdom and heartache. "I’ve been thinking about everything. About you, Jaciyah, and... all of this."

Jey didn’t respond right away. He simply nodded, his throat tight. He knew his father was about to say something important, and he wasn’t sure he was ready to hear it.

Solofa turned to face his son, his eyes filled with concern. “Your son, Joshua, he’s hurting. Deeply.”

The words hit Jey like a punch to the gut. He had felt it—seen it in Jaciyah’s eyes—but hearing it from his father made it real in a way he couldn’t ignore. He swallowed hard, feeling a lump in his throat that refused to go away.

“I know, Dad,” he finally said, his voice rough. “I’ve seen it. I know he’s angry. I just... I didn’t know how bad it was.”

Solofa sighed and ran a hand over his face, as if the weight of what he was about to say was too much to bear. “He’s angry because he feels like you broke up his family, Joshua. He feels like you left his mom... and in his mind, he’s being forced to accept Rhea, the woman he thinks is responsible for all of this.”

Jey’s chest tightened with guilt. He had tried so hard to protect his son from the mess that was his relationship with Takecia, but it hadn’t worked. Jeciyah had seen more than he’d realized, and now he was paying the price.

“It wasn’t Rhea’s fault, Dad,” Joshua said, his voice barely above a whisper. “Takecia and I... we weren’t happy. Things were broken long before Rhea came into the picture.”

Solofa nodded slowly. “I know that. I believe that. But Jaciyah doesn’t. All he sees is his mom hurting and you moving on. In his young mind, that means Rhea is the reason. He’s hurting because he feels like he has to choose between his love for you and his loyalty to his mom.”

Joshua clenched his fists, feeling helpless. “What do I do, Dad? How do I fix this? I don’t want him to hate Rhea. I don’t want him to feel like he’s losing me.”

His father’s hand landed on his shoulder, a grounding gesture, as Solofa looked him square in the eyes. “Joshua, you need to talk to your son. Really talk to him. Let him be mad, let him tell you how he feels. And then... you need to tell him the truth. Explain to him why things didn’t work with Takecia, but make sure he knows it was never about Rhea. He needs to hear that from you.”

Jey nodded, his mind racing with everything he wanted to say to his son. But then, there was something else he needed to admit—something that had been weighing on his mind.

“There’s something else, Dad,” Jey said, his voice quieter now, hesitant. “After the six-month waiting period is over... I’m going to ask Rhea to marry me.”

Solofa didn’t react at first. He simply studied his son, the silence between them stretching out. Finally, he spoke, his voice calm but firm.

“You’ve made your decision, then.”

Jey nodded, feeling a mix of certainty and nerves. “Yeah. I love her, Dad. I really do. I’ve been thinking about it for a while, and I’m going to propose to her. I was planning on doing it in two weeks.”

Solofa let out a long breath, his face unreadable for a moment. Then he turned to his son with an intensity that caught Jey off guard.

“Before you do that,” Solofa said, his tone serious, “I need you to make me a promise.”

Jey’s heart skipped a beat. “What is it?”

“Promise me you’ll talk to Jaciyah first. Before you ask Rhea to marry you, talk to your son. He deserves to hear it from you, to understand what this means for your family.”

Jey stared at his father, the weight of that request settling heavily on his shoulders. He hadn’t fully thought about how Jaciyah would react to him proposing to Rhea—at least, not in the depth he should have. But now, with his father’s words hanging in the air, he realized how crucial that conversation would be.

“I promise, Dad,” Jey said, his voice thick with emotion. “I’ll talk to him. I’ll make sure he knows that he’s still my priority, no matter what happens.”

Solofa’s face softened, and he gave his son a small, proud nod. “That’s all I ask, Joshua. Your son needs to know that no matter how things change, your love for him won’t.”

Jey felt his throat tighten again, the emotions overwhelming him. “I just want him to be okay, Dad. I want him to understand that this isn’t about replacing anyone. I love Rhea, but I love him too. I don’t want him to feel like he’s losing me.”

Solofa squeezed his son’s shoulder again. “He’ll come around, Joshua. But it’s going to take time. Don’t rush it. Let him feel what he needs to feel, and be there for him when he’s ready.”

Jey nodded, feeling the weight of his father’s wisdom settle deep into his bones. He had a long road ahead of him, but at least now he had a clearer path.

As they sat there together, the sun shining, Jey felt something he hadn’t felt in a while—a sense of understanding. It wasn’t going to be easy, but with his father’s advice, he knew he could start mending the rift with his son and build a future with Rhea.

“I’ll do it, Dad,” Jey said quietly. “I’ll make things right with Jaciyah. And when the time’s right... I’ll make sure he knows how much he means to me.”

Solofa smiled, pride and love shining through the lines of his weathered face. “I know you will, son. I know you will.”

—

As Jey and Jaciyah settled into the car for the 52-minute drive home, the silence between them felt thick and heavy. Jey glanced over at his son, who sat quietly, staring out the window. Jaciyah hadn’t said much after his conversation with his grandpa, but Jey knew there was a lot on his mind.

Jey drummed his fingers against the steering wheel, trying to figure out the best way to start. He wasn’t the type to shy away from tough conversations, but this one felt different—he didn’t just need to explain things, he needed to heal the hurt he had caused.

He exhaled softly and broke the silence. "Jaciyah," Jey began, his voice calm, "I know things have been tough lately. And I know I’m the reason for a lot of it."

Jeciyah didn’t respond right away, his eyes still fixed on the passing scenery outside the car. But Jey pressed on, knowing he needed to say this, even if his son didn’t want to hear it.

"I’ve made mistakes, man," Jey admitted, his grip tightening on the wheel. "With your mom... with you. And I don’t expect you to just forgive me overnight, but I want you to know I’m sorry."

Jaciyah finally shifted in his seat, crossing his arms over his chest. His voice was quiet but edged with frustration. "I don’t get it, Dad. Why’d you have to leave us for her?"

The question hit Jey hard, but he had been expecting it. He swallowed the lump in his throat and glanced briefly at his son before returning his gaze to the road.

"It wasn’t just about Rhea," Jey said softly. "Your mom and I... we weren’t good for each other anymore. We were holding on to something that was already broken, and I didn’t want to keep hurting her or you by pretending we could fix it."

Jaciyah’s expression hardened. "It feels like you just gave up. Like you picked her over us."

Jey shook his head. "I didn’t give up, Jaciyah. I fought for a long time to keep things together, but sometimes... staying together for the wrong reasons can hurt more than letting go. I didn’t leave you, and I didn’t leave your mom because I didn’t care. I just... I wanted to be happy again. And I wanted your mom to be happy too."

The car was quiet for a moment, the sound of the tires on the asphalt the only noise between them. Jey could feel the weight of his son’s pain and anger, and it cut him deeply.

"I know you don’t like Rhea," Jey continued carefully, "and I understand why. But I want you to know this—she didn’t break up me and your mom. That was already happening, with or without her."

Jaciyah was silent, his face still set in a scowl. Jey sighed and tried again.

"Look, I love you more than anything, Jaciyah. You’re my son, and nothing’s going to change that. No one will ever come before you."

Jaciyah’s voice was small but filled with hurt. "It doesn’t feel like that sometimes."

Jey felt his heart break at his son’s words. He had always prided himself on being a good father, but hearing Jeciyah express that kind of pain made him realize just how much damage had been done.

"I’m sorry, bud," Jey said, his voice thick with emotion. "I never wanted you to feel like that. And I’m going to do everything I can to make sure you don’t feel that way again."

There was a long pause before Jaciyah spoke again, his tone uncertain. "So... are you going to marry her?"

Jey’s breath caught for a moment. He hadn’t planned on bringing it up yet, but Jaciyah deserved the truth.

"Yeah," Jey said softly. "After this six-month waiting period... I’m going to marry her. I’ve been thinking about proposing in a couple of weeks."

Jaciyah turned to face him, his eyes wide with disbelief. "You’re really going to marry her?"

Jey nodded, his throat tight. "I am. But before I do anything, I wanted to talk to you about it. How you feel about this matters to me, Jaciyah. I need you to know that."

Jaciyah’s face twisted in a mix of emotions—confusion, anger, and something Jey couldn’t quite place. "I don’t know, Dad. I don’t know how I’m supposed to feel."

Jey swallowed hard, trying to find the right words. "I get that. I don’t expect you to be okay with it right away. But I promise you, I’m not rushing anything. But look… before I do propose, I want to talk to you first. I want to know what’s on your mind, and I want to make sure you’re okay with this. I’ll wait…"

Jaciyah’s eyes flickered with uncertainty. "What if I’m not okay with it?"

Jey’s heart ached at the question, but he forced himself to stay calm. "If you’re not, we’ll talk about it. I want you to be honest with me, Jaciyah. I don’t want to push you into anything you’re not ready for."

They drove in silence for a few more minutes before Jey spoke again.

"I’m going to ask you for something, Jeciyah. Before I propose to Rhea, I need to make sure we’re good. I need you to talk to me—really talk to me—about how you feel. That’s the promise I made to your granddad, and it’s the promise I’m making to you. I won’t go forward with anything until we’ve had that conversation."

Jaciyah shifted in his seat again, his face thoughtful, but still pained. "I just need time, Dad."

Jey nodded, understanding the weight behind his son’s words. "Take all the time you need. I’m not going anywhere. We’ll get through this together, I promise."

Jaciyah didn’t respond, but Jey could see the tension in his son slowly beginning to ease. It wasn’t a solution, not yet, but it was a start. As they continued the drive home, Jey knew proposing to Rhea would have to wait… Jey glanced at Jaciyah again, silently hoping that in time, they would both find a way to heal.

—

Jey and Jaciyah finally pulled up to Jon and Trinity’s house, the familiar sight bringing a sense of comfort after the long and heavy drive. As soon as they parked, Jaciyah got out of the car and headed straight to the bedroom upstairs, barely acknowledging Jey.

Jey sighed, watching his son disappear into the house. He knew Jaciyah needed space, and he wasn’t going to push him right now. Instead, he stepped out of the car and lingered near the front, hearing the sound of laughter from the backyard.

Curious, Jey walked around to the side of the house and saw Jon and Trinity in the backyard, jumping on a giant water bouncy house with their kids. The sight of them having fun, carefree and full of joy, made him smile softly. It was moments like these that reminded him of how important family was, even when things were complicated.

As Jey looked closer, his eyes landed on Jeyce, his youngest, running around the yard, a water gun in his hand. The little boy was darting back and forth, his face lit up with pure excitement. Jey’s smile grew wider, watching his son have the time of his life. But it wasn’t just Jeyce that caught his attention.

There, chasing after Jeyce with her own water gun, was Rhea.

She was laughing, her hair soaked, as she playfully tried to tag Jeyce with the water stream. The two of them ran around the yard, dodging and weaving, their laughter filling the air. Jey couldn’t help but smile, his heart warming at the sight. Despite everything—the drama, the hurt, the uncertainty—seeing Rhea bonding with his youngest made him feel a sense of hope.

At least Jeyce was acknowledging her presence, embracing her in the way only a child could. Jey watched as his son’s face lit up with joy every time Rhea playfully sprayed him with water. The connection between them was natural, effortless. It wasn’t forced or complicated like the situation with Jaciyah. It was pure and innocent.

For a moment, Jey stood there, just taking it all in. The laughter, the playfulness, the way Rhea fit so seamlessly into this part of his life. He knew there were still challenges ahead, especially with Jaciyah, but seeing Rhea like this—so happy, so at ease—made him feel like maybe, just maybe, things could work out.

Jeyce let out a squeal of excitement as Rhea finally caught him, spraying him with a jet of water. Rhea laughed, scooping him up as he wiggled in her arms, trying to escape her grasp. Jey couldn’t take his eyes off them, his heart swelling with affection. It was moments like this that made him realize how much he wanted to build a future with her—a future that included moments like these with his children.

He knew the road ahead wouldn’t be easy, but for now, he allowed himself to smile and enjoy this small moment of happiness, with the ring still inside his pocket… just aching to be on Rhea’s finger.

Rhea was the first to notice Jey standing at the edge of the yard, watching them. A smile spread across her face as she lowered her water gun and nudged Jeyce gently. “Go get your dad,” she said with a playful glint in her eye.

Jeyce, always eager for a challenge, grinned mischievously and took off running towards Jey, spraying the water gun wildly in front of him. "Dad!" he yelled, laughter bubbling up from deep inside him. Jey, caught off guard but amused, put his hands up in mock surrender, backing away.

"Oh, you wanna play, huh?" Jey teased, trying to dodge the streams of water as Jeyce got closer. For a moment, Jey played along, darting and weaving as Jeyce chased him around the yard, spraying him with water. The sound of his son’s giggles echoed around the backyard, and Jey couldn’t help but laugh too.

There was something healing in this simple moment—a sense of peace that Jey hadn’t felt in a long time. It was as if, for just a few minutes, everything else melted away. No complications, no drama—just him and his son, playing under the warm afternoon sun.

Finally, Jey slowed down and stopped running, letting Jeyce catch up. "Alright, you got me!" he said with a grin, holding out his arms in surrender. Jeyce, overjoyed at his victory, ran straight into his father’s arms, spraying one last burst of water before dropping the gun.

Jey scooped him up into a tight hug, holding his son close as they both laughed. The water soaked through his shirt, but Jey didn’t care. For the first time in what felt like forever, he felt a kind of peace settle over him—peace that came from being with his family, from seeing his son so happy, and from knowing that, despite everything, he could still create moments like this.

"Got you good, Dad!" Jeyce said breathlessly, his face beaming as he looked up at his father.

Jey chuckled, hugging him tighter. "Yeah, you did, little man," he said softly, pressing a kiss to the top of Jeyce’s head. "You definitely got me."

As he held his son in his arms, Jey glanced over at Rhea, who was watching them with a smile, her eyes filled with warmth. The connection between them was silent, but it was there, strong and unspoken. He could feel her love and support in the way she looked at him, in the way she was becoming a part of his life—and Jey couldn’t help but feel grateful.

In this moment, surrounded by laughter and love, Jey allowed himself to fully relax. He didn’t have all the answers yet, but he knew one thing for sure—he wanted more moments like this. Moments where his family, both old and new, could come together, where happiness could be found in the simplest of things.

Jey smiled down at Jeyce, still holding him close, and whispered, "I love you, bud."

Jeyce grinned back at him, his eyes twinkling. "Love you too, Dad."

—

After an afternoon filled with laughter and water games, the kids were finally wrangled inside by Trinity. She somehow managed to corral them into the showers, giving each of them their set of pajamas to change into. As she handled the bedtime routine, Jon took charge of dinner, pulling out his phone and ordering a stack of pizzas from Pizza Hut. It was an easy choice, one that he knew would please everyone, especially the kids after their full day of fun.

Jey, now feeling lighter after spending time with his youngest, was tasked with setting up the movie night. He rifled through the options, trying to pick something that would keep the kids entertained. Meanwhile, Rhea had happily taken over the role of making "movie buckets"—popcorn, candy, and drinks all tucked into small containers for each kid.

As she worked, meticulously layering the snacks, something caught her attention. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Barry, her dog, slowly walking up the stairs. It wasn’t just the fact that he was heading upstairs that bothered her—it was his demeanor. Barry had been acting strange lately. He hadn’t slept beside her and he seemed drawn to the kids’ room, refusing to leave sometimes.

A feeling of unease settled in her stomach. Rhea put down the bucket, wiping her hands on her jeans. She grabbed the candy bag of Jolly Ranchers on instinct and followed Barry up the stairs, her heart tightening with worry. As she neared the top, she saw the door to Jaciyah’s room was slightly ajar.

Peeking through the gap, Rhea froze. There was Barry, sitting quietly with his head resting in Jaciyah’s lap. But what made Rhea’s heart clench was the sight of Jaciyah, silently crying. His small shoulders trembled as he stroked the dog’s fur, his face turned down to hide the tears from anyone who might notice.

Rhea's breath hitched. Seeing Jaciyah like that made her heart break in ways she hadn’t anticipated. She had known this transition would be hard for him—harder than anyone could truly understand. But seeing it up close, seeing his pain so raw, left her feeling helpless and scared. She wanted to comfort him, to tell him it would be okay, but she wasn’t sure if her presence would be welcomed.

Swallowing her own anxiety, Rhea softly pushed the door open a little wider. Jaciyah looked up at her, his eyes red and puffy, but he didn’t say a word. For a moment, they just stood there in silence, the air heavy with unspoken emotions.

Rhea hesitated, unsure of what to do. Then, almost as if her body moved on its own, she extended her hand, offering Jaciyah the bag of Jolly Ranchers she had brought with her. It wasn’t much, but it was something.

To her surprise, Jaciyah’s tear-streaked face softened. A faint, almost imperceptible smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. Slowly, he reached out and took the bag from her hand.

"Thanks," he whispered, his voice barely audible.

Rhea gave him a small nod, her heart aching for him. She didn’t say anything else—didn’t want to push too much. Instead, she gave him the space he needed, quietly stepping back and closing the door behind her.

As she stood on the other side of the door, her back against the cool wood, Rhea took a deep breath. She had no idea what Jaciyah was going through entirely, but she hoped that, in some small way, her gesture had helped. Barry remained by his side, the loyal dog providing the comfort that Rhea couldn’t at that moment. She turned and made her way back downstairs, her thoughts heavy with the weight of everything left unsaid.

[damiansgoodgirll]

Angst with rhea ripely where she’s in love with reader but readers in a relationship maybe with damian or seth or someone else

someone is in the mood for crying i see

rhea ripley x reader / damian priest x reader

tw : angst (?)

love you better

you and rhea were like besties. you were the last person to join the judgement day, but no one in the team really cared because they treated you as family the moment you told the world that you joined the strongest faction in the whole wwe.

it was rhea’s idea to recru you as she saw potential in you.

you went from nxt to smackdown in less than a year and you couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity you had, but once you joined smackdown you so how poorly you got booked, mainly because the whole show evolved around the bloodline, and so it gave less opportunity to other wrestlers to prove themselves in the ring.

you got tired of waiting and waiting for your opportunity to come and you were seriously thinking of leaving and going back to nxt but before you could decide, your best friend rhea told you that she had a proposal for you.

when she told you about the judgement day, you were sceptical at first, you knew that you had to turn heal, and you didn’t really saw yourself being “the villain” but when she told you that you didn’t have to turn and that you could remain the same “you”, you knew you had to accept, and so you did.

being in the judgement day didn’t only brought you more fame and matches, it also gave you a family and a new relationship.

you and damian took off the moment you joined them. he was eager to have a new member and so he showed you everything you had to know. he helped you training, he showed you new moves and before you knew it you were both in love with each other.

you decided to keep it on low, no one knew, not even the other members. it was something new for you and you wanted to see how this relationship between the two of you would go.

rhea didn’t know it and of course she thought she could have her chance with you. she knew you liked both women and men, like she did and that made it easier for her.

“hey gorgeous” rhea called you the moment you stepped into the gym “how are you?” she asked you.

“oh i’m good, thanks, and you?” you smiled back.

“good…listen, what do you say if after training we both grabbed something to eat together?” she asked.

you thought about it and you knew that damian would step into the gym within any minute and even if you wanted to spend time with him, rhea was your friend and you didn’t want to disappoint her.

“sure, fine by me” you smiled at her.

“i can’t wait” rhea smiled back.

“can’t wait for what?” damian asked the both of you the moment the stepped into the gym.

“rhea and i are going out for lunch” you said while stretching.

“and i wasn’t invited?” he playfully said but rhea wasn’t that amused “where and when?”

“no one said you were invited, priest” rhea said back and even thought you knew she was joking, she sounded pretty mad.

“i get it! i get it! girls time! that means i’ll have y/n for the night” he teased and left for training. you blushed at his remark but you felt rhea’s eyes on you and you didn’t want her to know it.

“what?” she asked, not understanding the joke damian made.

“nothing…he was probably kidding, anyway do you mind helping me with these?” you asked her, pointing at the weights.

you all continued training like it was a normal and usual morning but rhea couldn’t stop looking at the way damian’s eyes would watch and observe every movement you made. your ass when you were doings squats, your tits moving when you were running on the treadmill and rhea wasn’t fully understanding of this behaviour.

“should we go now?” rhea asked you when it was lunch time. you nodded because you were starving and couldn’t wait to eat something.

you both took a quick shower and changed into cleaner clothes and took off for lunch.

when you were both seated, rhea couldn’t stop wondering what damian meant.

“what did he mean?” she asked you.

“who?”

“damian” she said.

“nothing…” you didn’t sound sure, also you hated lying to her.

“you’re lying…he meant something”

“i don’t think so…anyway, what do you want to eat?” you asked her and she dropped the conversation right here but you knew it wasn’t over.

you both ordered your food and ate it like it was just a normal day, she talked about her life and you did too, just two friends hanging out together. but rhea couldn’t stop the feeling that something was going on that you wouldn’t tell her.

“did you know damian’s eyes were all over your ass when you were training? i should talk to him, that behaviour is fucking disgusting” she said and even if you wanted to act surprised.

“really? i hadn’t noticed…”

“you sure?” she asked you.

“yup” you avoided her eyes.

“are you and damian dating?” she asked. she hoped you said no. she hoped you said you loved her. but your reply broke her heart.

“is it that obvious?” you asked.

“what-what you mean?”

“we started dating right after i joined you but we wanted to keep it a secret…but since you found out we’re not doing a good job at hiding it” you said finishing your drink.

rhea was speechless. the woman she loved, the woman who stood in front of her just confessed she was dating someone else.

“rhea? are you mad? we were gonna tell you and the team but we thought it was too early" you said, hoping she would understand.

“no - i totally get it…” she said “i’m happy for you…” she half smiled.

“thanks…anyway, should we leave? i feel like i need to practice a little more on the moves damian taught me” you said going to pay the bill.

rhea nodded and followed you.

once you both reached the gym, she waited for you to go out of the car, waiting for you to go inside, waiting for let those tears cry after holding them for hours.

“aren’t you coming?” you asked when you saw her still behind the wheel.

“i need to do a few things home” she said. you nodded and quickly thanked her, she simply smiled and drove off.

she let those tears fall while driving back home, knowing that it wasn’t fair, it wasn’t fair that you chose damian instead of her, to her, it wasn’t fair that you fell in love with him, she knew she could love you better, you just simple didn’t give her the opportunity.

[welp-back-on-my-bs]

TW: depictions of abuse, First half is from the abusers POV, self deprecation, mentions of death, implications of death

You are invited to the Obsidian royal court for a ball. It is mandatory that all that are invited come.

Nigel kept his wife close to him. The mad woman had once claimed to be good friends with one of the Royal princes. By some miracle, he survived the Emporor's wrath. So he wished to prove to her that she was delusional.

He kept an arm wrapped around her to keep her close. She stopped fighting against him, haveibg learned to give into his toutch.

He trained her well.

"Viola dear, I hope you know how big of a treat this is for you? You get to meet your old 'friend' prince Gilbert"

"Yes- I know my love"

"Good. Then you know the punishment for lying to me if the truth comes out?"

"Yes."

Nigel chuckled, kissing his wifes neck, leaving a deep purple hicky. Viola let out a soft moan.

'Such a good girl'

When entering the palace ballroom, it was filled with nobles and other accomplished soldiers. Nigel couldn't help but feel pride.

He had managed to come up this far. He had accomplished everything he ever wanted. He had the perfect wife, too.

Of course the first thing he needed to do was find out the truth. So he took Viola to where Prince Gilbert stood tall and proud.

They both bowed before him "thank you for inviting us your highness, it is quite the honor"

"Yes, I'm glad you could make it." Gilbert replied with an ever lasting smile on his face.

"This is my wife, Viola Ripley, or maybe you would know her as Viola Fox"

There wasn't any hint of recognition or anything of the sort held within the princes' eye.

"I'm quite sorry, I don't regicnize her. Although the Fox name seems familiar. Is your father a merchant?"

"... y-yes my prince. He sells mechanical goods... he likes to figure out what's best for his clients... I hope he has treated you well"

"It's truly a pity he has passed... I hope that your husband here treats you very well"

Viola nodded and bowed, mind clearly raceing "I'm sorry, but I need to go to the powder room to touch up my makeup"

Gilbert nodded and dismissed Viola.

'What a baby. But she knows her punishment.'

--------------------------------------------------

When Viola finally made it to the bathroom, they couldn't help but sob. Her world was crumbling around her.

'Dad is... dead...'

"What about mom...? Wh...what about Talia...? Are... are they..." Viola sobbed and sobbed, curling up tightly.

'Gil forgot me...'

The world seemed so much colder... so much darker... like a blizzard that would never end...

'He is right... none could love me...'

The door opened, and Nigel slipped in.

"Honestly. How low of a whore do you have to be?"

"I'm sorry dear.."

"Now. Tell the truth."

"I'm... I'm a delusional woman... who needs to be locked away... for her own safety..."

"Good. I'm sure that I can get someone to have you locked away for a bit."

Viola could only nod meekly.

Nigel grabbed her and dragged her back back to the ballroom, only to find that the doors had been blocked and gaurded.

"The hell is going on here?" Nigel demanded, more annoyed.

A gaurd spoke up "for safety reasons, none is allowed inside the ballroom after leaving it."

Screams echoed from inside the ballroom, begging, pleading, and more could be heard.

Nigel scoffed and stormed away with Viola in tow, frozen at the screams. It felt... like her own.

[specialinterestshows]

After the overwhelming one (1) note response, have the first third of my transmasc!reader x Judgement Day fic. Lead-up to smut.

Warnings for this section: f-slur

-

Want (Part 1/3)

It’s hard to believe you were able to save up enough to see WWE’s Monday Night RAW live; you had driven most of your coworkers to their wits’ end talking their ears off about how you couldn’t wait to make your goal so you could quit.

“And what are you going to do after that?” they sometimes asked, trying to poke holes in your plans.

You’d move to the next place, find the next job; maybe end up with something you’d want to stick with for a while. Hell, who knows: maybe you’d end up a wrestling groupie after this show. “Whatever I want.”

The roar of the crowd behind you brought you back to the present. You had managed to snag a spot in the front row and had already cheered, booed, and sung along to the theme of a few of tonight’s wrestlers, but you weren’t about to let the soreness in your throat stop you from enjoying yourself. You might, however, need to get some water. But was it worth leaving the front row? The show was about halfway through-

The lighting suddenly shifts and new music comes on, dark figures and lightning projecting on the tron.

Once the Judgement Day walked out of the gorilla - despite not being listed to fight that night - it became clear this was another “We run Monday Night RAW” speech. Your dry, sore throat is louder than the wrestlers, the announcers - even louder than the crowd currently booing the muscular group clad in black and purple. You decide to take this moment to go for water, pushing through the crowd and trying to remember where you last saw a water fountain.

After what must have been three full minutes of chugging water, you decide to take advantage of the building’s one-room restroom. You were sure you passed well enough to use the men’s restroom most of the time, but earlier years of transition still made the situation instinctively anxiety-inducing.

Upon leaving the bathroom, you hear a gruff voice huff “Finally” before getting shoulder-checked by a dude making a beeline for the door you just walked out of. You groan at the sudden hit to your shoulder and hear “Pft, fag” before the door slams shut.

“What the FUCK, ASSHOLE,” the words leave your mouth as if someone else is shouting them, the shock and anger sending a wave through your body.

You don’t even get a chance to calm down before an unmistakeable Australian accent barks out “How DARE you interrupt me!”

You feel your face getting unreasonably warm as you turn around to see Rhea Ripley marching directly towards you, the rest of the Judgement Day closely behind. Oh fuck.

The interviewer they left behind gestures to the camera to stop filming.

“No one interrupts Mami” Dominik Mysterio jeers, smirking.

“You disrespect one member of the Judgement Day, you disrespect all of us” it’s Finn Balor, standing close enough to punch you - if he really wanted to.

“So you’re going to make it up to ALL of us,” Damian Priest growls, the last to surround you.

[end part 1 of 3]

Part 2: https://www.tumblr.com/specialinterestshows/719312061520347136/want-part-23

[celestiarambles]

Hitmen Have Feelings Too

Hii this is my contribution to JoMarina Week 2024! I'm posting this now because it's actually January 6 here in my country xD

Just a disclaimer, I have never been to a bar nor to India, so what happens in this one-shot may or may not be accurate

I apologize for any mistakes in the chapter. I hope you enjoy! (I actually enjoyed writing this lmao)

JoMarina Week 2024 Day 6 - Bonds

Summary: When Carmen takes some of the Bureau members out for a much-needed break after the disasters in India, Marina and Jonah drunkenly bond with each other, making Marina realize that Jonah wasn’t as bad as she thought he’d be.

Also cross-posted on Ao3: Hitmen Have Feelings Too - celestiamirasol - Criminal Case (Video Game) [Archive of Our Own]

Marina knows how beautiful she is. Her coworkers tell her that everyday, and men would immediately tell her how smitten they are with her even when they just met.

However whenever she looks at the huge scar on her neck caused by the assassination attempt she survived years ago, she would constantly think otherwise.

It’s the only thing that catches her attention whenever she would look at herself in the mirror. No kind of concealer could even cover it up. Screw it. Once she finishes up her makeup, she grabs one of her scarves on her dresser and wraps it around her neck, adjusting every fold to make sure no inch of the scar could be seen.

“Marina!” Carmen knocks on her door. “You ready to go?”

“Just a second!”

After solving a murder in Bollywood, India, Carmen and Athena invited the Bureau for some drinks for them to finally relax after the previous events that transpired recently, but only her, Angela, and Jonah decided to come along with them. Jack wanted to hang out with Lars (even though Lars was busy with his book, The Flashing Light), Ingrid declined due to work, Ripley just simply didn’t want to and Dupont was trying to learn how to play cricket. Elliot wanted to come along, but Carmen didn’t allow him to since he was underage.

When they arrived at a bar in Mumbai (whose people were able to quickly pick themselves up due to the recent flooding), the place was decently packed with people, with performers playing Bollywood music, making its nightlife alive even though the sun was only about to set.

Occasions like this are rare for the Bureau due to the demands of their job, so Marina rarely gets to drink. She doesn’t like drinking on the job, for it makes her even more stressed. But once she gets the chance to, she immediately seizes it. 

“We deserve this, guys.” Athena says as she comes back with Carmen, both setting down various bottles of alcohol on the table. “When I was still a cop in Pacific Bay, we would usually go out and bond with drinks after a major case.”

“I guess we just don’t do it after what happened with the chief back then in Spain…” Carmen sighed, pouring a drink. She then slides it over to Angela. “So Angela, what’s the deal with Lars and that book? Has he finally found that spiritual enlightenment?”

Angela accepts the shot glass. The golden wedding ring shimmering in her finger caught Marina’s attention. “I don’t know, I still haven’t been able to talk any sense into him. Ever since he started reading that book, he’s been raving about the flashing light. At first, I just thought that he meant the bulb in his lab was broken. But then I realized it was the name of the guru’s book!” She quickly downs the shot. “It’s like he’s been indoctrinated!”

Being the psychologist of the team, Marina would usually help and offer advice to her teammates as a friend. However, she couldn’t think of any sensible advice to give somehow. There’s a reason why she chose to specialize in criminal psychology instead of marriage counseling, after all. All she could say was, “Maybe it’s his way of coping after his near death experience?”

“Oh. definitely.”

As the coroner continued to rant about her husband (with the agents trying to butt in with some advice along the way), she noticed how Jonah, the only guy in the group, was only simply intently listening. Or he was probably trying to. His ice cold eyes stared off at the distance, swirling the liquor in his glass before downing it, then would occasionally pour himself another one. He probably doesn’t understand the topic at hand. Why would he? Marina thought. Based on her psychoanalysis back then, hitmen like him aren’t capable of basic human empathy. Would he even be able to understand the concept of love? To her, they’re all psychopaths.

“Well, maybe we can leave early and you and Lars could have a date night together. We have the night off, after all.” Carmen suggested, smiling at her.

 To Marina’s surprise, Jonah suddenly spoke up after being silent the whole time. “Yeah… maybe this time, you can properly communicate your feelings with him. It’s best for you two to open up to each other as a married couple, after all.”

“Well, I understand that the recent occurrences were traumatic to both of us… but I’ve tried my best to communicate with him. He’s been only focusing on that book he’s been reading. He wouldn’t even look at me.” Angela downed another shot. “I just want him to at least talk to me, tell me how he’s feeling…”

“We were all so busy with the recent disasters here in India, he probably hasn't fully understood what he’s feeling, so like what Marina said, turning to the guru is his way of trying to process things. At least try to understand that, and Lars should understand that you’re trying to reach out to him. Understanding’s the key to forgiveness, after all.`` Somehow, Marina could feel that Jonah’s gaze has shifted to her for a different reason. And whatever reason it may be, she didn’t like it.

“Wow Jonah, are you drunk already?” Athena laughed. “I didn’t know you could get so philosophical like that.”

“He has a side like that.” Carmen smirked, taking a sip of her drink.

She didn’t know that Jonah’s presence could annoy her even more. Why the hell did this blockhead decide to even come with us? She downed her drink and grimaced at how the liquor permeated in her throat.

After a few shots with the group, Marina decides that she had enough of Jonah’s existence and separates from them, heading straight to the bar. She called the bartender over, unconsciously twirling her hair. “Could you give me… a drink that could best describe how you think of me?”

During the rare occasions that they get to visit bars, this was Marina’s favorite game to play. She was enthralled by the raw, authentic atmosphere in bars, especially on how people wear their heart on their sleeves after getting drunk, in which they begin to show their real selves. She believes that everyone hides in a facade. And she was interested to know what bartenders would think of her so-called facade.

With a blush on his face, the bartender agreed and got to work, with Marina watching. After mixing and shaking the contents, he then poured a colorful liquid onto a shot glass, then he grabbed a lighter and set the alcohol aflame. “Sweet and feisty, just like you. And with a hint of vodka, too.”

Amused, Marina took a spoon to diffuse the flame. “Is it that obvious?”

“Your Russian accent? Definitely. It makes you hotter, may I add.”

She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Oldest trick in the book. Once the flame was smothered, she downed the drink. She could taste the heat in her mouth, but there was definitely a hint of sweetness to it.

“How is it?” “Do we have a problem, buddy?” Like a menacing guard dog, Jonah approached the bar and glared at the bartender, holding a bottle of whiskey. Intimidated by his rugged look, the bartender immediately scurried over to the next customer.

Great. The psychologist frowned as the weapons expert sat next to her. She looked away from him, refusing any contact with him as possible.

But he insisted. “Hey.”

“Otyebis.” She muttered in Russian.

“So uh… why did you leave us?” His intimidating aura somehow dissipated, like this time he’s the one intimidated by Marina.

“Because I hate your face.” Jonah frowned and set down the bottle of whiskey on the bar counter.  “Well, you never accepted the amulet I tried to give you…”

“That’s because an amulet won’t fix anything.”

“Well… could a drink at least fix something?” He grabbed Marina’s shot glass and filled it with liquor.

“Most definitely not.” She rolled her eyes. “You could’ve poisoned that.”

“Why would I even do that?” “You tried to do it once, maybe you’re here in the Bureau because you’re still out to get me!”

He chuckled in response. “You have quite the creative imagination, sweetheart. I shoot my targets, I don’t poison them. And I told you, I never miss a shot.”

“I remember that. And I also remember you telling me you purposely missed because you thought I was beautiful. What, were your previous targets hideous?”

“I-it’s not that, I swear!” Jonah blushed. “Normally, my targets are ordered to be killed because they’re threats. A danger to society. Take Omar Bahir for example, if I hadn’t killed him, Carmen and Athena would’ve been the ones dead. But you Marina… from the moment I saw you, I had a feeling you didn’t deserve to die. And I was right. You shouldn’t be the one to pay for exposing their crimes.” Unconsciously, Marina picked up the glass of whiskey and took a swig, the memory of her assassination attempt still fresh in her mind. How the bullet flew in the air in less than a second, giving her no time to dodge, and the color of the wintry blue sky in Russia as she laid helpless and bleeding on the Russian snow, too weak to call out for help.

As a psychologist and a criminal profiler, she would know whether a suspect was lying or not, the inner machinations of her mind, and a higher level of understanding and empathy. The Bureau only hires the best, and she is deemed the best in their eyes. But Jonah… she couldn’t see through him. Or maybe it’s because she refuses to.

Are hitmen really capable of having human empathy?

The funky and exotic Bollywood music overpowered the silence of the two as they took turns pouring and drinking their glasses of whiskey. Both of them didn’t know what to say, nor what to do.

Feeling awkward, Jonah scratched his neck. “I know sorry won’t fix what’s done… but I truly am sorry, Marina. I don’t know how to make it up to you.”

Then as if the alcohol began to take complete control of her body, Marina grabbed Jonah’s shot glass and she almost overflowed it with whiskey as she poured it. “You can start by taking a shot for me.”

“What?”

Her lips formed a playful smirk. “Hit or miss.” Jonah shook his head and downed it, some of the liquid spilling on his shirt. “Is that… all you want me to do?” His words were slurring.

“Ha!” The psychologist laughed loudly. “You’re already drunk!” “So are you.” He chuckled lightly to himself.

Suddenly, the alcohol made Marina forget her previous animosity towards Jonah. She didn’t know how long they stayed chatting drunkenly in the bar, but she was surprised at how similar they actually were.

“You actually took Psychology too?!” She was shocked, but her drooping eyes prevented her from expressing it.

Jonah nodded. “I actually planned to go to med school, but then I got enlisted in the army and then my focus just shifted. It actually comes in handy during hostage situations, I was glad I was at least able to finish it.”

Another conversation then opened up once Marina offered to check out the amulet that Jonah wanted to give her so badly. “So this thing symbolizes forgiveness?”

“Uh yeah, just like what that Dupont said.” She smiled. “I’m actually quite interested in cultural trinkets like these. It’s one of the things that I look forward to whenever we go to different places for missions.” “So… does that mean you forgive me?”

The amulet glimmered in her hands as Marina contemplated his question. “...Not until we dance first.” “Wha - hey!” Jonah had little time to process what the psychologist said as she pulled him to the dance floor of the club. She then broke away to shimmy along to the smooth tunes of the trumpets and drums. “C’mon… don’t tell me you don’t know how to dance?”

A smile slowly spread across his face as he awkwardly stepped side to side and bobbed his head to the beat, watching Marina drunkenly dance. Catching his lack of dance moves, Marina shook her head and took his hand once again. “That’s not how you dance…”

She attempted to spin him. Jonah twirled regardless of their height difference, laughing at Marina’s enthusiasm. “...that’s how you dance!” She yelled.

The two then laughed, jumped and swayed along to the music, their playful dance moves drastically clashing with the dramatic and funky mood of the music. Jonah then pulled Marina closer to him. 

While the blood orange sun sunk on the horizon, the air became hot yet invigorating at the same time. Something seemingly put them on a high they can’t back down, and it wasn’t the alcohol.

Then like a magnet touching a metal surface, the two kissed.

It was like they were the only ones there at the bar. Marina closed her eyes, lost in the moment, while Jonah placed his hand on her shoulder, longing to get closer to her. But by accident, he made her scarf slip and her huge scar was now then exposed to the world. To Jonah.

Feeling the hot air turn chilly and breezy, Marina then pulled away to see her scarf on the floor. It made her snap out of the drunken trance she was in.. 

Jonah’s eyes widened at the huge scar, realizing where she got it. “Marina…”

“Get away from me!” She picked up her scarf and then ran away, stumbling a bit. Jonah didn’t know whether to chase after her or not, but he still did, worried that something might happen to her if she got away from his sight.

“Marina, I’m sorry!” “No!” Marina ran outside, where she accidentally bumped into Athena, whose phone was in her ear, looking a bit confused.

Athena lowered her phone and ended the call. “Marina, I was trying to call you -” “Marina, please, I didn’t mean to -” “NO!” Marina grabbed Athena’s hand. “Stay away from me, and never talk to me again!” He then turned to Athena for help, who just sighed. “Carmen and Angela headed out earlier, Angela wanted to try and talk some sense into Lars again… I suggest you sit in the front of the cab later, Jonah.”

Once they were able to haul a cab, Marina was the first to go inside the back seat, trying to distance herself from Jonah as far as possible inside a small cab. Frowning, Jonah did what Athena said and sat in front. 

“So… what did Jonah do?” Athena asked once she was sure that the weapons expert was asleep after a few minutes.

Staring out the window, Marina contemplated how to respond. Both of them were drunk, so she didn’t know whether both of them mutually consented to that kiss or not. She didn’t know (or maybe remember) if they actually enjoyed the kiss. Marina wanted to hate it, but the foggy memories of the things Jonah told her about him, his interests, the guilt in his eyes when he saw her scar…

Is there really something more to Jonah than assassinations and murder?

For a whole week, she’d been thinking about it. Ever since the kiss, Jonah never attempted to approach her again. He would avoid her gaze whenever they’re both in the breakroom while Marina reaches for a bag of tea. He wouldn’t look at her during briefings or emergency meetings with the Bureau either. Whatever eagerness was first there trying to make up with her before was now replaced with hesitance and fright.

A cup of tea in her hand, Marina sighed once again while thinking about Jonah. It felt embarrassing for her to admit he has been on her mind ever since they kissed.

She knew she wasn’t overreacting, so she didn’t need to apologize. Any person would react like that if they ever survived an assassination attempt before. She’d even think it was Stockholm Syndrome given that he held her captive before, but no, she wasn’t like that… 

Her previous animosity towards him turned into curiosity. The previous psychological analysis she conducted towards him was on her desk. It indicated her perception towards him as an aggressive, dangerous individual with volatile instability… previously, she’d immediately thought he wasn’t to be trusted. Her instincts were never wrong, after all… 

However, he refused to kill her. He had principles, he wasn’t easily blinded by the money nor the task at hand. He could’ve chosen to kill her without any further questions, but he chose not to. And somehow, he brought along the guilt of almost killing her all this time.

Maybe there’s a chance I was wrong about him.

Knock, knock. Marina turned to her office door. “Come in!”

The door opened to reveal Athena. It made Marina a bit disappointed, hoping it was Jonah. “Hey, Lars is inviting us to the monastery since he’s going to renew his vows with Angela there. Wanna come?”

“Uh, sure, definitely.” Maybe it’d help her take her mind off of Jonah for a bit.

But it didn’t. As the Bureau watched the happy couple kiss amidst the orange rays of the sunset, it only reminded Marina of their own kiss. And why she chose criminal psychology instead of marriage counseling.

“I am so happy that Angela and Lars have made it through all these hard times, Athena…” She whispered to the agent beside her.

“Definitely. I hope their marriage will keep staying strong.”

“Me too…” She heard Jonah say, who was on Athena’s other side. “Marriage is hard work. It takes guts to forgive…”

“Speaking of forgiveness…” Marina spoke up and turned to Jonah’s direction. This time, there was no alcohol influencing her. It’s simply her own conscience. “Jonah, I've had time to think... about how you disobeyed your orders to kill me… Maybe I should get a better understanding of your side of the story... over some tea?”

“Tea? With me?” Jonah’s eyes widened, the blush evident in his face. “Uh, sure! Just say when.”

She laughed in response, hoping to bond with Jonah, their hearts finally on their sleeves. Without any liquor. “...When.”

[thedemonicpup]

Midnight Skies and Chocolate eyes

By Ripley Salem

                      Chapter 4: Blood token.

Steve was faced with such a gut wrenching decision as the loud blood curdling screeches and loud heavy footsteps grow ever closer to himself and a very distressed and injured Gareth. 

Panic set in for both Steve and Gareth knowing whatever was approaching them was likely looking for their next meal, Gareth tried once more to move but as hastily as he tries the more the loud sound of bones grinding and crunching together was prominent. Steve looks at Gareth and the sounds of his bones crunching was coming from his back, Steve against his own judgement knows that this poor guy was a lost cause, there was no saving Gareth. 

Steve closes his eyes momentarily before opening them with a sorry look at Gareth “I.. I'm sorry Gareth…” Steve starts to move away from the poor drummer boy tears pricking his eyes. “I..I lived a good life Harrington..d..don't let this weigh heavy on your mind…” Gareth cries to Steve as he accepts his fate, Gareth knew he was done for, he was this thing's next meal. 

Steve nods as a stray tear falls down his cheek “I.. I'll tell Eddie how much you cared about him..I…I promise.” The thudding of the footsteps were almost at Steve's and Gareth's location. Steve knew he had to run to some form of safety, giving Gareth one more sorrowful look Steve took off running as fast as his legs could carry him, he didn't care where he was going all he knew was that he needed a shelter. As Steve runs the deafening screams of pain and terror emit from where Gareth was followed by the grotesque sound of flesh tearing and bones snapping and then ... .silence falls. 

Steve finally after running as far away as remotely possible finds himself going into a trailer and slamming the door shut. Panting heavily Steve places his back against the door and slides down it collecting his thoughts and trying to remove hearing Gareth being torn to shreds out of his mind to no avail. This was going to haunt Steve, he had prided himself in being able to save those in need but this time he felt like he had failed not only himself or Gareth but Eddie too. “Fuck!” Steve groans in frustration at himself slamming his head back against the door, Steve looks around the trailer from where he is sitting, it seemed oddly familiar but then it dawned on him what trailer he was in. Maybe it was a force of habit or something that had imprinted in his mind. Steve's eyes glaze over once more as he realises he is in the Munson trailer, the very trailer Steve had carried Eddie's bloodied body through. 

Steve grabs his head as memories start to spiral and become more like flashbacks before him. The deeper into the flashbacks Steve's mind goes the more melancholy and tormenting they became. The question burns in his mind 

‘Did I save Eddie? Or was I just carrying a corpse through?'

[queen-of-deans-booty]

Pac-Man Fever: Part Two

Pairing: Dean Winchester x Female!Reader

Word Count: ~2k

Warnings: canon angst and violence

Author’s Note: I do not own anything from Supernatural. All credit goes to their respective owners. Any and all comments on these are appreciated.

Google Maps says it's only a three hour drive from where you are to Topeka, but Dean makes the drive in two. You're ready to examine the body and get out, but you have a feeling this isn't going to be as smooth as you hope it will be.

Dr. Jennifer O'Brien is the coroner responsible for releasing the body to others. You have to ask her for permission before you see it, so that's the first stop you make. You knock on the door and wait for her response.

"Come in."

You three enter and flash her your badge, but Charlie is so new to this that she holds her badge upside down, much like Castiel did when he first started. You look at her and do a double take, grabbing her badge and fixing it immediately.

"Hi, I'm Special Agent Hicks, this is my partner Special Agent Ripley and Robin. We're here about the body with the creamy filling."

"Ah, right. I didn't think you guys would have any interest in that."

"FBI, ma'am, we never leave a stone unturned. Mind if we take a peek?"

"Of course not. I just need your signed chain of custody request and it's all yours."

"Excuse me?"

"Chain of custody request? From your supervisor to mine?" Jennifer raises her eyebrows.

"You know what." He takes out a business card that has Sam's number on it, and passes it over to her. "Do you wanna call my supervisor? I'm sure he can give you the override or whatever."

"Yeah, I'm sorry. Unless he can give me the form, I can't give you access to the body. Paperwork is paperwork."

Looks like she won't be giving up the body, so you'll either have to get one of those forms or break in after the place closes.

"Thank you for your time."

You three leave before you press the issue even more and get in real trouble.

"That never happened in the books," Charlie quips.

"It's okay. We'll come back later when she isn't here anymore."

"Oh, perfect. Breaking and entering."

"It's no different than hacking."

"Beg to differ. One, I've been doing since I was a teenager. The other I've done once, with you three idiots walking me through it, and I had my arm broken in the process."

"Which I healed. I say that's a win," you shrug.

"What did you hack when you were a teenager?"

"Uh, NORAD."

"Right. There's nothing we can do but wait at this point. I say we get something to eat. Sounds good?" you ask and head to the car without waiting for their responses.

Charlie isn't for this idea, but you have to break in and examine the body without having to go to Jennifer for the form. You're all for it until you hear news of another murder, so you have to deal with that right now instead of going to the ME's office that you know is closed.

Police are already at the scene of the crime: near a railroad where a group of three young boys found the body. They're here as well, but all they're interested in is their video game systems that you're busy playing on.

"Maybe you should go first this time," Charlie says nervously.

"Are you going to shy away everytime you fall? No, not on my watch. Come on, it's your time to shine, huntress."

You three leave the car and head over the first officer you see. Charlie is nervous, so you gently push her towards the officer who turns to her.

"Hey there," she says, flashing her badge upright this time, "I am Special Agent Ripley, these are my partners Hicks and Robin. We're here to talk to your witnesses."

"They're over there."

"Who's the victim?" you ask.

"Jake Hill, librarian. He went missing yesterday with no relation to the other vic. Coroner already swooped in and scooped up what was left of him."

Charlie excuses herself and goes over to the three boys on her own to talk to then. You and Dean hang back, and then your phone rings. Sam's name pops on the screen, and you roll your eyes but answer it.

"Bored yet?"

"You have no idea. Please let me hunt."

"No, Sam. You need to know when to take a step back, and I can only imagine that if it were me or Dean like this, you would force us to hang back."

"Since when have you ever hung back knowing you can help?"

"You can help, Sam. You're helping by watching my kids. If I'm worried about them, I can't do my job. If I can't do my job, then people die. Do you want that to happen?"

"No," he says like a small child.

"Good. Now go make some soup and watch Spongebob with Jo."

"He doesn't know when to stop," Dean shakes his head when you hang up.

"We'd be the same if we were him."

"So, the boys said they noticed something on the body's arm before it covered them in years of future therapy," Charlie says when she gets back. "They said it looked like a blue handprint." She shows you two pictures that the three boys showed her. "Does this mean we don't have to break into the coroner's office anymore?"

"Nice try, Charlie. We're still doing it."

Charlie doesn't like it, but you've all done things you don't like. This is going to be easy given that no one comes in. Your magic unlocks the front door, and you slip in easily without setting off alarms. The three of you walk to the back where the body is being held. You're about to look at it when you see headlights shine into the place.

Someone is here.

"Shit," you curse.

Charlie takes action and runs out to see who it is. She comes back seconds later with a panicked look on her face.

"It's the coroner. I got this."

She disappears again, and you have no choice but to trust her. You and Dean walk into the morgue, and you open the right chamber before pulling out the body. However, there's nothing on the table.

It's empty.

"What the hell?" Dean mutters.

There is paperwork on the desk, and when you rifle through them, you realize why it's empty.

"They burned the bodies."

"Already?"

"Yeah, they think it's some kinda outbreak scenario. She even got the CDC to sign off on it."

"These folks run a tight ship. So, does this mean we can leave or is this still a case?"

"I think I saw something about that mark back in the Bunker. Maybe in your dad's journals."

You take out your phone and snap pictures of the documents before sliding the chamber back where you found it. You two make a quick escape just as Charlie does the same, just through the front door instead of the back door.

"I'm not looking forward to what kind of mess Sam is in with our kids."

Sam didn't burn the Bunker down or tried to leave with the kids, but that's the shocking thing you see when you get inside. Joanna and Sam are watching Spongebob like you requested them to do, but Sam is all dolled up. They must have gotten into your makeup because his face is poorly done (probably by Joanna), and his hair is done with bad braids and clips.

"Don't you look pretty," you laugh, scaring the shit out of Sam. Sam goes to get up, but you quickly raise your hands. "No, don't get up because of me. Continue watching your movie and drinking your tea, princess."

Sam flips you off as you walk into the library where Dean and Charlie are. Joanna whines when Sam gets up to clean himself, but she doesn't move from her spot. The couple is already deep into research by the time you take your seat next to Dean.

Sam comes in a few minutes later free of makeup and hair clips.

"Where's Maryann?"

"Taking a nap. I have her baby monitor with me."

"This could be Leviathans," Dean says.

"No, they consume their prey."

"Well, maybe the vics were Leviathans."

"We killed all of them when we killed Dick, remember?" you state. "Plus, there was no black goo on either scene in the coroner reports."

"What about Dragons--"

"No signs of burns on the vics," Charlie shoots down another monster, crossing off another name on her iPad.

"Wait a second. Djinn," Dean says as if he solved the case.

"Djinn vics don't get liquefied."

"Not regular Djinn." Dean leans forward with a book in his hands. "According to this, there's a bastard offshoot. Their eyes light up blue, they pass as humans, and all that regular jazz, except these leave their victims with jelly-like insides. Supposedly, when they poison their victims, they leave behind a blue handprint."

"Do they die like regular Djinn?" you ask.

"Silver blade dipped in lamb's blood. Now, we just gotta find the asshat."

"Alright, well, breakthrough means snack time to me, and I wanna just stretch my legs. I will pick us up some grub, and unlike you, Sam, I will not forget the pie," Charlie teases.

She grabs her jacket and keys before leaving the Bunker altogether. Sam feels left out, but you don't care about that at this moment.

"Does she seem a little off to you?" Dean asks you.

"Since the second she got here," you say honestly. "Let's give her the benefit of the doubt. We can ask her about it when she comes back."

She never does.

She doesn't even answer your calls after hours of not coming back. Even Sam is trying to call her, but she doesn't answer.

"Any word from Charlie?"

"No, and there was no comic convention in Topeka. Why would she lie to us?" he sighs.

"Only one way to find out." Dean takes out his phone, but you're not sure why. "When I called Sam from her phone, I turned on her GPS. It says she's at home."

"Let's go," you say. Sam wants to come along, but before he can get far, you turn to him with your hand outstretched to him. "No, you're not coming. Stay here, continue to look after the kids, and call us if she comes back here."

Sam has no choice but to stay behind again.

When you get to Charlie's apartment, you're shocked at the state of it. All of her furniture is turned over as if there was a struggle here. Something happened, but you're not sure what.

"Charlie? Are you here?" you call out and search her place with Dean. "She's not here."

"Okay, there is no forced entry, so either it was somebody that she knew, or the Djinn."

You find her phone lying on the floor, and with it, all of your missed calls and voicemails. On the table is her laptop, and you hack into it to see what kind of things she was into.

"She's been making donations through her many aliases to Shawnee County General here in Topeka."

"A charity?"

"A patient. Gertrude Middleton. I can go see her while you keep digging. I'll meet you at the Bunker. Maybe Sam can help you."

Dean agrees and drops you off at the hospital. Using your FBI badge, you are able to see Gertrude by a very nice nurse who seems to like Gertude. Mrs. Middleton is lying in a bed, comatose and on life support.

"What's her story?" you ask the nurse.

"Getrude's been in a persistent vegetative state for sixteen years. About a year ago her condition got worse. This ventilator is the only thing keeping her alive."

"How did this happen?"

"She and her husband were hit by a drunk driver. He didn't make it. They were on their way to pick up their daughter from a sleepover."

"Her daughter?" you ask, thinking of Charlie.

"She was twelve. She got into trouble after her parents' accident. Nobody's heard from her since. Folks have been donating to cover Gertrude's care over the years. It's a sweet gesture, but the truth is, she's gone."

"Did she ever get any visitors?"

"A couple nurses said they thought they saw someone in here reading to her, but nobody's ever officially signed in to visit her. She's all alone. If you'll excuse me, I have to make my rounds."

"Thank you." The nurse leaves, and you approach Gertude's bed cautiously. You know that Charlie is her daughter. It only makes sense why she is in town. "You've got one hell of a daughter, Mrs. Middleton. I promise you I will find her and bring her back to you."

If she can hear you, you know she'd agree with you.

x

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[wistfulwatcher]

If you’re comfortable doing so could you elaborate on what you didn’t like in the series?

well, if you're gonna twist my arm! negative tl*vm takes under the cut. spoilers through ep 6.

ok the big picture issue for me is that there have been massive and entirely unnecessary changes to the plot, and characterization issues I just cannot ignore any longer. I tried. I really tried to let it go and watch with an open mind, but my god, what are they doing???

I'm still too upset to make this a coherent essay so have a bulleted list in no real order instead:

WHY IS RIPLEY WORKING WITH UMBRASYL. LIKE. LITERALLY W H Y. having her send umbrasyl after the party/kamaljiori is incredibly unnecessary. part of ripley's cleverness was using the scry device to get information without tipping her hand. and since she has cabal's ruin (or did, literally any changes are fair game now I guess), vm will have to go after her to get it back. it's not like there was storyline that needed to be cleaned up or condensed for time, so literally WHY change that.

the kamaljiori puzzle!! if i had a nickle for every time an adaptation wrote out a sphinx puzzle i cared A Lot about from a beloved story I'd have two nickles (vm and harry potter) I was SO FUCKING STOKED for that puzzle, and the challenge they replaced it with was not great. I did genuinely enjoy the song, but god. I get that they were trying to make scanlan getting mythcarver about him earning it but that's just not how it worked with half the vestiges. pike didn't earn the plate of the dawnmartyr on her own or with particular focus on her, and the same for keyleth and the spire of conflux. it's also especially stupid that they took away the elemental puzzle considering this was ONE EPISODE after keyleth ~earned her fire elemental state (which - eh, I'm back and forth on how I feel about how they're doing her aramente, but at this point it's a minor issue). A NAME IS SUPPOSED TO BE EARNED.

the GRATUITOUS UMBRASYL/KAMALJIORI FIGHT. WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT. WHY. YOU HAVE SO MUCH STORY TO GET THROUGH WHY ARE YOU EATING EPISODE TIME WITH A FIGHT WE DON'T NEED. this also goes for the not-beholder fight, but we'll get to that. I literally tuned out for several minutes because I was so frustrated by it.

I didn't love that grog was ignoring pike and stabbed her, as opposed to the true accident during the puzzle. in part because I genuinely loved, "it's ok, grog" and wanted to hear ashley deliver that finally but mostly because grog DOESN'T IGNORE PIKE. EVER. she is his compass and he consults her always! all things considered, this is also a minor issue at this point since it wasn't terrible, but I didn't love it.

why the fuck did they split the party!!!! what does that achieve?!!!! why is keyleth so bad at magic?!! this is back to that waffling on how I feel about the aramente point. her aramente is a little about magic/skill development, sure, but it has ALWAYS been much more about her growing as a person. why the fuck are we giving her all these issues when her actual problems are about emotional connection?? the stuttering with magic thing is just frustrating, especially because we already have pike doing that (which DOES make sense, and I've liked that change/felt it fit really well). ANYWAY we're going to have to do two split storylines now which is ONLY going to serve to draw things out longer. so once again, we are making changes that don't condense or simplify things that could be! like. hey. maybe stop adding shit in so that we can get an actual emotional exchange between the couples or comedic scene that isn't about scanlan??

SCANLAN. I dislike how they're handling him. again, minor issue at this point, but part of why him leaving after raishan was SUCH a gut punch was because no one - players or audience - saw it coming. I really liked that. I get that they have the ability to clue the audience now in a way that they didn't during the campaign (I think a lot about how this might have been ruined had they had talks from the beginning of c1, glad we didn't know tbh) but I actually prefer it blindsiding the audience

the comedy is just. it's missing. the number one thing I come back to about campaign 1 is that it was the funniest. it was fun and heartwarming and A GOOD TIME between the Big Danger. I expected it to get whittled because this is a dense arc, but I didn't expect it to get truly obliterated. where is my broom target practice? where is vax getting locked in a closet because he's day drunk? where is the shopkeeper getting sold the knick knacks of kaa?? the entire party trying to ~appease galdric and then grog just telling him to heel???? one of these. I just wanted one.

ZAHRA. Z A H R A. I tried to be ok with the changes. I really, really did. but the zahra I love is unrecognizable from the tiefling we have in tlovm. for her to send the not-beholder at the party to ~test them? like. small mercies in that she apparently wasn't trying to kill them or keep the vestige for herself but that is literally the lowest bar I could possibly set. the zahra I know urged kash to help the party MULTIPLE times because it was the right thing to do. the zahra I know can't stand people being hurt or trapped. WHERE WAS SHE. honestly I just...all I could think of during ep 4 was how BAD I felt for mary elizabeth. I can't believe this is a character she wanted zahra to be.

KASH. I care less about him than zahra because zahra is a legit fave, but I really liked kash?? I really liked the zero charisma dead-pan cleric who was afraid to use his big powers. he was also gone! why on EARTH did you give all of zahra's altruism to kash? why make him ~charming? he flirted with keyleth of course, but part of why it was so GOOD was that he wasn't slick about it! he is a mean flirt! it just worked because keyleth is also A Mess! these were two VERY inexperienced people stumbling into a flirtation, which was what was charming.

ok. it's time to talk about vax. a character I love. like, genuinely love. maybe one of my favorite male characters ever. I hateeeee what they are doing with him. the not-beholder fight was U N N E C E S S A R Y. I don't like the visions of purvan. I don't like that he is ~chosen. I don't like that he's been seeing the raven queen before the resurrection. I was able to let it go before, but now that I see the direction they're taking him I H A T E it. vax wasn't chosen. vax didn't have some special connection to her before the resurrection. vax's ties to her are ALL ABOUT VEX (at least to begin with). he drags his feet every step he takes towards the raven queen. his becoming her champion is a constant struggle that doesn't get resolved until nearly the end of the series. it's such a slow burn, and it comes from both sides! they spend ~50 episodes making it work, but it is a choice. an active choice! vax chooses to put the armor on, after vex urges him to. I suppose they were trying to do that with vax's ~memory of vex, but it was the complete opposite of that entire conversation. tlovm!vex told him that it was out of his control. c1!vex told him the values of the raven queen, and points out that they're aligned with the twins' values! she helps vax see why he could choose to embrace her, NOT THAT HE HAS NO CHOICE.

new block because I have too many feelings apparently!

also, vax telling keyleth they don't have time to go to pyrrah?? who is this man. where is vax 'number 1 keyleth fan supporter of everything she does' ildan? also just the sheer lack of care about people who are suffering?? not the vax I know. this lack of support also made korrin identifying vax as keyleth's love interest just hysterical - based on how they interacted in front of korrin, how ON EARTH would he know. give me my gooey 'we're almost dating but not quite yet!!!' couple

AND GIVE ME MY FUCKING PERC'AHLIA SLOW BURN. other than the blush with the coat, and the "darling, take off the mask" last season, do non-c1 viewers have any clue about their dynamic and interest? even the vax punch gave no hint to perc'ahlia; he could have been talking about anyone in the party because it was so short and all about vax. (had you not had the not-beholder fight, conversations sure could have been longer than 5 seconds!!!)

and now it's time to talk about vex. I miss her. because the woman in tlovm is not the character I love. I actually have so many complaints at this point I don't know where to start. this vex is just...so two dimensional. vex is my favorite because of just how complex and well-developed she was. where are her soft moments? where are her playful moments? vex is SO NOT 'hot girl who shoots arrows and never loses her cool'. also if you're going to give her the broom without any mention of her greed ("I'm well aware that my greed is what got me killed" and then PROCEEDS TO STEAL like. *breathes out* fine.), at the very least can you let her talk about flying? can we get that tiniest of peeks into her psyche?

WHY ERASE RAVEN'S SLUMBER. I was looking forward to galdric, and that would have taken a FRACTION of that not-beholder fight.

ok that's it for now, I think. I reserve the right to add to this because I am very much that comic of "i'm letting it go. ok one more thing" that I can't find right now. but I'm letting it go. for real. I will just modulate my expectations moving forward, try to separate tlovm from the campaign, and rewatch campaign 1 for all the good stuff ❤️

[coochiequeens]

Tuft has made it clear she’s willing to lace her boots back up and re-debut — not as the “monster of a male” she says she once was, but as a trans athlete who loves her body." If he really wants to show he's not a "monster of a male" he would only go against oppents who went through male puberty. Or switch to the other wrestling company that does have TIM performers.

BY SAMANTHA RIEDEL December 8, 2023

Former pro wrestler Gabbi Tuft says she wants to return to a WWE ring “very shortly” and face one of the company’s biggest stars, two years after publicly coming out as transgender.

Tuft, who underwent open-heart surgery in 2019, revealed to TV Insider she recently stepped between the ropes for the first time in over a decade while visiting a training school owned by industry veteran Dustin Rhodes (formerly known as Goldust). “Since I did that there has been a huge resurgence and feeling for what I love,” Tuft said, adding that she was actively seeking medical clearance to compete once more.

“I said to my doctor, ‘Hey, review my scans. Am I clear to go wrestle if I want?’” Tuft said. “I’m hoping to hear back from [them] this week to see if I’m a hundred percent clear. If that’s the case, very shortly I may resume training.”

In her original run with WWE from 2008 to 2012, Tuft wrestled under the moniker “Tyler Reks,” a troublemaking villain or “heel” who played a reliable foil to the company’s heroes. As Reks, Tuft faced off against numerous high-profile male stars of the era, some of whom are still active in WWE, like Kofi Kingston, The Usos, and (somehow) CM Punk. In her comments to TV Insider, Tuft praised one potential future opponent who’s rocketed to wrestling fame and Sapphic adoration over the past few years: Rhea Ripley.

Ripley, the current Women’s World Champion and resident leather-clad demoness of the “Judgement Day” team, has become a huge breakout star over the past few years, appealing especially to queer wrestling fans who dig black lipstick and shoulders. (It helps that calling her “mami” and/or “papi” is, according to WWE’s storytelling, canonically appropriate.) Ripley “is such a force in WWE. She is powerful,” Tufts told TV Insider. “To be honest, when I look at her and her athleticism and tenacity, I see a phenomenal opponent. A phenomenal match in the making.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Tuft praised fellow trans wrestlers Nyla Rose and Gisele Shaw, who perform in All Elite Wrestling and Impact Wrestling (soon to be rebranded TNA, again) respectively. “I love Nyla and Gisele [....] It’s incredible to see them part of the women’s division,” Tuft said, hinting she feels “like there is a spot there for WWE” to finally introduce an out trans wrestler.

“You haven’t seen it there yet. It’s raising questions as to why. Are they waiting for the right opportunity?” Tuft wondered. “It’s definitely a question in my mind. Maybe someday there is someone who can fill that hole very soon.”

Although WWE has yet to feature an openly trans or nonbinary wrestler on TV (and no, “Santina” and other comic-relief drag characters don’t count), the company has slowly opened its doors to queer authenticity, both in and out of the ring. WWE wrestler Steffanie “Tegan Nox” Newell came out as bisexual in 2020, followed by ring announcer Kayla Braxton the next year, while lesbian star Daria “Sonya DeVille” Berenato got engaged to her “ride or die” partner this February. (Kimberly “Piper Nevin” Benson made a coming-out post in 2019, but has since deleted it and hasn’t discussed her sexuality since.) And while WWE’s stories about gay relationships can get, uh, messy, Tuft is right to point out that the company could just hire a trans wrestler and let them wrestle, much as AEW has with Nyla Rose.

Whenever WWE is ready, Tuft has made it clear she’s willing to lace her boots back up and re-debut — not as the “monster of a male” she says she once was, but as a trans athlete who loves her body.

“[T]he day I stopped caring about what other people thought, was the day I truly became limitless,” Tuft wrote in her 2021 coming-out post. Alas, “limitless” is already taken as a wrestling catchphrase, but if Tuft does get cleared for an in-ring return, we’ll be first in line to get her merch regardless.