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"Hey, Rhea! Wait up!" Rhea turns around to see Liv hurrying down the corridor, long hair flapping behind her. A small gift bag dangles from her right hand, slapping against her thigh as she runs. "Hey! Hey." Liv huffs out a long breath before she continues. "Hey! Sorry about that. I wanted to catch you before you left." She holds out the gift bag with a jerky motion, equal parts awkwardness and determination. "Happy Holidays!"
"Huh?" Rhea sneaks a quick glance at her watch as she lifts the bag. "Liv, it's like the middle of December. What are you doing?"
"I know, I know." Liv blushes a bit and pulls a chunk of her hair over her shoulder to toy with. "But I didn't know if you'd be going back home to Australia," she explains, "so I wanted to make sure I gave you your gift in time." Glancing around, Rhea sees a few other wrestlers with similarly sized bags. Liv follows her gaze and chuckles. "Yeah, I know. They aren't all going to Australia. But some have time off around Christmas or whatever, so I figured I'd just be early."
"Oh. Well... thank you." Rhea's not quite sure what to do. She and Liv have been on the same roster for a little while now and they get along just fine—better than fine, actually, to Rhea's surprise. She didn't think they would have much in common, but they both love horror movies and Liv's always eager to get her recommendations for Australian horror flicks. "I...."
"Open it, open it!" Liv bounces a bit on the balls of her feet, making her glasses slide down her nose. Rhea's still not used to seeing her in them. "I mean, it's not much, but...."
More than I got you, Rhea thinks grimly. Had she missed some sort of company memo about a gift exchange? She knows most of the wrestlers will get gifts for each other's kids—she made sure to send Becky and Seth little black boots for their daughter—but she didn't think there was anything official for the roster. "Are you sure? You don't want me to wait until Christmas?"
It's a delaying tactic, but Liv doesn't seem to recognize it as such. She just shakes her head. "No. Open it now!" she urges, flipping another section of hair over her other shoulder and tugging on them both. "I want to see if you like it!"
Rhea gives the bag a tentative shake. It's not heavy, but that doesn't mean much. She knows little things can be expensive and big ones can be cheap. When she pulls the tissue paper out and starts to crumple it, hoping to stall for time so her brain can think of something nice to say, Liv gasps and takes it from her. "Uh...."
"Sorry! Just if you don't want the bag and stuff—it's yours if you do, I don't mind—then I can reuse it. I'm taking part in a Holiday Helpers program and they accept gently used gift wrap," Liv explains.
"Oh. Of course. Sorry." Rhea opens the rest of the tissue paper as gingerly as possible and hands it and the bag back to Liv. In her other hand is nestled a small wrapped parcel, a silver sticker placed over the fold. "You really didn't have to...."
"I know! I wanted to, though." Liv folds the tissue paper and sticks it back in the bag, and Rhea doesn't have the heart to ask why she bothered with the bag in the first place. "I hope you like it."
When Rhea's fingers feel a familiar rough texture, she pauses. Pumice? She knows Liv is into New Age stuff, but she's pretty sure Liv wouldn't get her bath accessories. Once she has the little parcel open, though, Rhea realizes it's a bracelet. "That's so cool," she says. No two beads are quite the same size or shape, though they're all shades of grey. "What are they?"
"Lava beads," Liv declares, beaming. "I know you usually wear black, so I wanted to make you something that wouldn't clash with your clothes, and I thought hematite was too obvious."
"Hold up." Rhea dangles the bracelet from a finger so she can examine it from more angles. "You made this yourself?"
Liv nods. "Well, I mean, I didn't make the beads. I bought those and the supplies. But yeah. I kept thinking of all the bracelets Becky wears and how long it had been since I made friendship bracelets, so that's been my hobby while I'm on the road." Then she frowns, peering into the bag and then to the floor. "I thought I put a little card in there with the stone's attributes."
Rhea glances around as well, but she doesn't see anything. "That's okay," she says as she slips the bracelet on her left wrist. The little holes in each bead will leave an indent in her skin, but she doesn't care. The irregularity will leave an interesting pattern and the bracelet is strangely comfortable.
"I know it's supposed to be good for security and protection...." Liv's nose scrunches up as she struggles to remember the stone's other qualities. "Maybe healing? I'll look it up later and send it to you."
"Thanks, Liv. That's really sweet of you." Before she even realizes it, she's giving Liv a hug.
"You're welcome!" Liv beams. "I'm glad you like it!" Blushing slightly, Liv waves and runs back down the corridor, no doubt to track down another recipient.
Rhea's still admiring the bracelet when Damian finds her, and he gives it an appreciative nod. "That's cool. Where'd you get it?"
Blinking in surprise, Rhea looks up at her friend. Rhea's considered tall in the women's division—or at least they like to market her that way—but Damian is almost a foot taller than she is. "Um, Liv just gave it to me. Maybe she made bracelets for a bunch of the girls? I don't know." Then she groans. "Shit. Now I have to get her something, right?" She smacks Damian's arm hard enough that he leans back and glares at her. "You have to come shopping with me."
"Why me?" he asks. "Isn't Piper into all that New Age shit too? I've heard her and Liv talking about crystals and stuff. Just ask her and she'll be able to tell you something Liv would like."
Rhea shakes her head. "No. Liv will know. Either Piper will know or Liv will figure it out somehow because... I don't know. It'll be from Piper's favourite crafter or something." She smacks his arm again. "You have to come with me. You'll stop me from being snarky when people start talking about vibes and all that."
Damian chuckles. "What, you don't like vibes anymore? You picked out the last one I got you."
She almost hits his arm again, but shakes her head instead. "I know you have a match with Seth coming up, and you're not losing on account of me." Rhea leans against his arm and pouts. "Please, Priest?"
"Fine." Damian rolls his eyes, ruffling Rhea's hair and quickly backing up out of reach. "But don't ask me to model anything. If it's for Liv, you can try stuff on."
Rhea rolls her eyes, but her cheeks feel strangely warm. "I don't even get clothes for my sister, Priest. I won't be getting any for Liv. I'll just try to find her crystals or fancy tea or something. Fuck, I don't know. I'll look at her Instagram tonight and see if she's mentioned any brands or anything."
"Sure. Right. Brands." Damian manages to make air quotes even more infuriating than usual by doing them high enough that Rhea can't swat at his hands. "That's what you're looking for. Not the bikini pics of her and Lana or anything like that."
Shoving Damian's chest, Rhea glares up at him. "Sounds like someone is already pretty familiar with her account. So, smartass, what's she into then?"
He shrugs. "I don't know. Witchy stuff? Like those organic soaps and lip balms and whatever. Or maybe that's what she sells> Fuck it, Rips. Just get her a gift card. Problem solved."
She could. Rhea knows she doesn't have to get Liv anything at all, but the bracelet was a nice thought and she appreciates it. She tends to intimidate a lot of women on the roster, so it means a lot that Liv still thought to include her, even if it is with the energy of kids being told to give a card to everyone in class. "Nah. She put effort into this. And she's actually pretty cool. I want to get her something nice."
"Fine," Damian repeats. "We've got a late flight out tomorrow, right? Something like two o'clock?"
Rhea nods. "Yeah. So we could look around in the morning, but where? I have no clue."
"Like I said, ask Piper." When Rhea looks ready to balk, Damian holds up a hand. "You don't have to tell her it's for Liv. Say it's for... Zelina? Yeah. Zelina loves that stuff too, right?" He pauses to think. "Well, maybe more the tarot than the crystals, but...."
"But then Piper will just tell Liv that I asked her where to buy stuff." Rhea pinches the bridge of her nose. Normally she just buys people tattoo time or a piercing, but she hasn't heard Liv talk about getting any new piercings lately and, as far as Rhea knows, she only has one tattoo—her Riott Squad tribute. "I'll ask at the hotel. The concierge has probably heard stranger questions, right?"
"Let's hope so," Damian replies.
Rhea doesn't ask right when they get to the hotel, because there are a few fans lurking about, looking for autographs and pictures—and in a few cases, hook-ups. She waits until most of the wrestlers have arrived; Liv's suite is near Damian's and he texts Rhea when he sees her go into her room. Then she calls down to the main desk and holds her breath.
"Concierge speaking, how may I help you?" The voice is incredibly bland and Rhea doesn't hold out much hope that the person will know how to find anything more exotic than a Starbucks without a drive-thru.
"Hi. I'm not exactly sure what kind of store I'm looking for," Rhea admits, "so I'm hoping you can help direct me. I'm looking for some place that sells... witchy stuff. New Age? Like crystals and candles and jewellery and stuff like that. But the real stuff," she adds firmly, "not some trendy place."
"Of course, ma'am. Give me a few minutes." the man replies, "and I'll find nearby stores for you. How far are you willing to drive?" He asks a few more questions and Rhea answers as best she can, since she's not overly familiar with the city. "Thank you for your patience. I'll get the information for you as quickly as I can."
"Thanks." Rhea imagines the concierge laughing his ass off as soon as he's disconnected, telling his colleagues about the latest stupid request he's received. To distract herself, she changes into the hotel bathrobe and goes through her bags, taking out clothes for tomorrow and her charging cord. She's just about to plug in her phone when it rings. "Hello?"
"Hello, ma'am. My colleague is familiar with a few stores that might work for you, and she's going to compile a list. Would you like to pick it up at the desk in the morning," the concierge asks, "or would you like it delivered to your room?"
Damn. They're good. "I can grab it in the morning when I come down for breakfast. Thank you so much for your quick work." Rhea's still dubious and she doesn't know what to expect from the list, but she hopes it's helpful. There aren't many shows left before the holiday break and she wants to make sure she repays the favour before the new year.
"Of course, ma'am. Enjoy the rest of your night."
With one less stress on her mind, Rhea sleeps well—and with the lava bead bracelet still on, though she doesn't realize that until morning. The small holes in the beads have left marks in her wrist and along the left side of her jaw, and she does her best to massage them away in the shower. "Get up, loser," she says when Damian answers his phone. "We're going shopping. Breakfast is my treat."
"I like the sound of the second half," Damian grumbles. "Gimme ten and I'll be over."
Rhea makes sure she's ready to go and is just getting cash ready to tip the concierge when there's a knock on her door. "Hey, Priest," she says after checking the peephole. "The concierge had a colleague do up a list, and it's waiting for me at the front desk. You want to check out at the same time?"
Damian nods. "Might as well. Then if we're running late, we can just go to the airport."
It only takes Rhea a few minutes to pack up all her things—she's learned her lesson after losing one piece of luggage and now she knows to travel light—and then they're heading downstairs, mercifully just missing the elevator Liv was on. It makes Rhea hesitant to ask at the front desk, but the concierge has the list in a discreet envelope with the hotel's logo. She slides the tip across the counter with equal subtlety. "Thank you so much."
"Our pleasure. Good luck with your shopping." He calls over a clerk to process Damian and Rhea's check-outs so he can help another patron.
"I should have asked if any of these stores were close to a breakfast place," Rhea mutters. Damian took her bag when she almost hit his ankle with it earlier, so she has both hands free to hold the list of recommendations. "Wait. This address sounds familiar...." She points to the third store on the page.
Damian skims the list quickly before looking at the address. "Yeah. I think there's a place I like around there. I remember going with Finn. Let's try there first. Two birds, one stone."
The diner Damian remembered isn't busy, so they eat first, going blissfully unrecognized by both patrons and staff. "You didn't eat a whole cow," Rhea remarks as she pays the bill. "I'm impressed."
Smirking, Damian holds open the door for her. "I figure I gotta leave you with some money to buy something nice for Liv," he smirks.
"Don't be an ass, Priest." Then she grabs his chin and shakes it. "If you're a good boy, I'll get you something for Christmas too."
"Not the kind of specialty shop I'm normally interested in." The store ends up only being a few blocks away, but they still drive just so they don't have to worry about getting delayed by fans. They arrive just as the store is opening, and Damian smiles at the shop clerk. "Hi. We're looking for a nice, small gift for a witchy-type girl."
Rhea glares up at him, but the clerk doesn't seem to take offence. "Sure! We have all sorts of things she might like. If she's local, you can do a gift card and then she can come in and pick out whatever she wants," the clerk suggests.
"We're co-workers," Rhea begins, "and we were just in town for a few days, so we'll be heading out soon. This is kind of a last-minute thing."
"Oh, I see. Do you know what colours she resonates with? Or her working crystals?"
It feels like another language to Rhea, but she did look through Liv's Instagram the night before. "Uh, I think she likes rose quartz? If there's a stone that's good for healing, that would be... good."
The clerk nods. "Okay, that's a start. Come this way." She motions Damian and Rhea to follow her to a display of tiny wooden boxes, each filled with heaps of crystals and stones. "Do you recognize anything she might have?"
The stones and crystals all look cool, and the array of shapes and colours makes Rhea want to plunge her hands in, but something else catches her eye. "What are the little tree things?" she asks, pointing to a small tree that appears to be made out of wire, with tiny crystals in place of leaves.
"Oh, our crystal trees! They make great gifts. A lot of people like to put them on their work desks for positive energy and a splash of colour," the clerk explains.
"Good vibes," Damian chimes in, grinning at Rhea.
"Exactly!" The clerk misses Rhea's glare when she gently lifts down one of the trees. "This one is rose quartz, which you said your friend liked...."
Co-worker, I said. But Rhea doesn't say it out loud, and the thought doesn't really linger either. "It's a bit... pale." Her gaze falls on one that's a tangle of colour. "What about that one?"
"That's one of our chakra trees," the clerk replies. "There are seven different stones corresponding to the different chakras, or power points...."
Rhea zones out a bit during the explanation of the stones and their powers, but she's sure Liv will know all about them, and the tree seems to come with a little information card anyway. The tree is bright and quirky and a little twisted—just like Liv. "I think I'll take one of those," Rhea decides. Then she remembers to take a quick peek at the price tag, but it's within the range she was willing to pay for a last-minute gift.
"Perfect! I'm sure she'll love it!" The clerk gestures to a few other chakra trees, all similar in colour scheme, but no two alike. "Do you like this one or do you want to look through the rest?"
"This one is great," Rhea replies, trying not to let her gaze linger on the shiny stones. "Could I get it wrapped, please? I'll have to put it in my luggage."
"Of course!" The clerk carefully wraps the stone-studded wire in tissue paper and even puts it in a gift box before ringing it in. As she takes Rhea's credit card, she grins. "Your bracelet is lovely."
Rhea's taken aback for a moment. She's already gotten so used to wearing the bracelet that she scarcely noticed she had it on. "Thanks. It was an early Christmas present from a friend."
"Lava beads are so striking," the clerk continues, swiping Rhea's card and handing it back. "Your friend has excellent taste."
"Yeah, she does." Rhea glances up at Damian, but he has wisely been staying quiet throughout the exchange. "I hope she likes this." She accepts the bag as if the tree might shatter at any moment.
"You could probably give it to her today, you know," Damian points out as they get back in the car. "I think she's got an afternoon flight too."
Rhea shakes her head. "I don't want to make a scene at the airport, Priest. You know some fan will have their phone out and take a picture and then the dirt sheets will be like Ripley Spotted Wooing Morgan or whatever."
"Wooing?" Damian's echo is incredulous, almost as rich as his laughter. "Rips, I don't think anyone in the dirt sheets would use that word unless they were talking about Ric Flair and his stupid catchphrase."
"That's more of an ew." Rhea holds the packaged tree on her lap all the way to the airport, where she carefully stows it in her luggage. Maybe I should have waited? she thinks as she and Damian wait to get cleared by security. But the tree is cleared without incident and before she knows it, she's on the plane and listening to music, falling asleep against Damian's arm.
She doesn't think about the tree again until she's unpacking her bag to do laundry at home. "Shit," she mutters. "I don't even have a fucking gift tag." Once she has her clothes in the washing machine, Rhea goes through her house looking for gift tags, wrapping paper, anything festive, and comes up empty on all counts. "Fuck it," she says eventually, grabbing a black Sharpie and scrawling To Liv, Happy Holidays! so large on the top of the box from the store that she struggles to fit in an R as an afterthought. I'll be giving it to her, she reasons, so it doesn't really need to have my name on it. She tries to think back to the gift bag Liv had used for her bracelet, but she can't remember what it said, if anything. She probably left it blank so she could reuse it for that Holiday Helpers program or whatever.
Rhea's tempted to take the chakra tree out of the box to admire it again, but the store clerk had sealed the box with a lovely sticker and she doesn't want to ruin it, so she doesn't see it again until the following Monday. Damian starts laughing at her at the hotel and doesn't stop for the whole drive to the arena, where she gets out of their rental before he's even fully parked. "Aw, come on, Rips. You know I love you, kiddo."
"I'm just trying to be nice," Rhea repeats. She's said that to herself all week, and yet somehow she knows it's more than that. She never really thought it was a pity present from Liv, but she's not quite sure what it's supposed to mean. "You keep telling me to play nice with others, right? And now I'm trying and you're making fun of me for it."
"You're right, you're right." Damian envelopes her in a hug and kisses the top of her head. "My feral little Australian is finally getting socialized! I'm so proud." He pretends to wipe a tear from his eye.
"I'm trying to be nice to Liv," Rhea clarifies, giving him a light jab to the stomach so he steps back. "I never said anything about being nice to you. I'll catch up with you later." They part ways near the locker rooms and Rhea steps into the women's.
Liv and Natalya are the only ones there at the moment, but Natalya's just finishing up lacing her boots. "Hey, Rhea!" Nattie says as she straightens up. "It's you and me tonight. Looking forward to it!"
"Really? Cool. I haven't been to Creative yet. When are we on?" Rhea sets her bag against the wall and sneaks a glance at Liv. She's just setting out her gear, so Rhea figures she has time.
"Near the end of the second hour," Natalya replies, "unless things change."
"Cool. Thanks." Rhea waits until Natalya leaves to open her bag. "Hey," she begins roughly, clearing her throat. "I was out with Priest and I saw this. I thought you might like it. Happy Holidays!" It's more a twist of the truth than an outright lie, but it still bothers her somehow. Part of her wishes Liv had been at the store with her, explaining the different stones one by one as she set them in her palm.
Liv looks genuinely surprised. "What? You didn't have to do anything, Rhea. I just wanted to make something for all the girls who have helped me adjust to the locker room and everything." She looks at the seal for a moment and Rhea worries that she's going to be called out, that Liv will recognize the logo as being from the city they were just in. "Are you sure? You really didn't have to...."
"I'm sure," Rhea insists. "I saw it and I thought of you." She jams her hands in her pockets for a moment before she decides to get out her gear instead. If she keeps busy, she reasons, she won't be fixated on Liv's reactions.
But she barely has time to open her bag fully before Liv has the box open and is squealing. "A little chakra tree! That's so sweet! Piper has a travel altar and I keep meaning to get stuff together for one and I never do. This will be perfect for one!" Liv sets the crystal-studded tree down on the bench and bounces over to Rhea. "Thank you!"
The hug shouldn't take Rhea by surprise, but it does, and she tells herself that's why she lets it linger longer than she would otherwise. "I saw a rose quartz one too," she says, "and a few others, but that one stood out."
"I love it!" Liv beams. "I'm going to set it up in my hotel room as soon as I get in." She gives the chakra tree a little kiss before wrapping it back up carefully and tucking it in her bag. "Thank you so much. I'll take a picture when I have my travel altar ready and send it to you."
"I'd like that."
Becky and Piper walk in then, and Rhea's glad Liv already has the chakra tree packed away. Liv shoots her a smile before going over to talk with Piper, which makes Becky curious, but Rhea excuses herself to go to Creative and get details for her match with Natalya. She may not fully be on Santa's nice list this year, but maybe—maybe if she keeps thinking of things like Liv's delight at opening the box or even how it felt to shop for something she hoped Liv would like—maybe next year would be different.