Chapter Text
Chapter 1:
It’s been a long fucking day.
Rhea was over it. She was tired, she was fucking stressed-
She covered her mouth painfully, her nails digging into her cheek uncomfortably but she’d be damned if anyone heard her crying.
Being Alone in the locker room never lasted long but she didn’t have the energy nor the will to try and go somewhere else.
She lost the belt.
Iyo Sky beat her again and she was so-…
She thought she could do it…
And she FAILED.
She shook her head and stood on trembling feet, opening her locker with far too much force than necessary, grabbing her gym bag and filling it with everything inside.
There was no plan. No reason she could put together for why-
…
She knew why. A sob broke free and echoed in the room tauntingly as her locker was emptied. This was her first one here. Liv had given it to her.
It was going to be her last.
She didn’t care anymore. If she couldn’t even beat Iyo what good was she? Iyo always had her number- for years she’s never been able to beat her and so what she could take out the rest of the roster if she’d always come up short when it mattered most?
Rhea Ripley don’t deserve to be here.
Everyone was right about her.
Slinging the bag over her shoulder she stormed out of the room, pushing past a confused looking Bianca who thankfully knew better than to try talking to her.
From the locker room to the parking garage was a blur- as was the drive.
It didn’t feel safe being on autopilot like this…
A sick part of herself knew it wasn’t and told her to be less careful.
Tonight wasn’t the night to be speeding- rain had been pouring ever since the plane landed but it had only been a drizzle when she got the rental so she figured it would ease up. She was wrong…
She didn’t care.
The corvette hit 70 on a main road and the reckless turn she made for the hotel almost left her spinning over leaves- not even that woke her up.
Was it the rain or her tears making things blurry?
The hotel parking lot was full but she managed to find a spot torwards the back where her sloppy parking job wouldn’t be too troublesome. She didn’t care to fix it. Not now.
Rain soaked through her gear uncomfortably- she didn’t put on a jacket- all she had was her gear from the match… makeup and all.
She must have looked like a train wreck. Thankfully, though, it made it easier for security to identify her. They didn’t even ask for her card.
Hopefully they didn’t notice the tear tracks and just blamed the rain like she was.
Water followed her to the elevator and she didn’t care- she was done.
The elevator was tight.
She hit the floor number and gulped, her hand going to her chest as she started to pant-
Fuck-
Fuck-
She couldn’t fucking breathe-
“Fuck-“ she wheezed, her hands tangling in her hair to try and ground herself-
She didn’t deserve to be here.
She disappointed everyone.
Liv was right.
Liv always knew Rhea was a phony- knew she wasn’t worth it.
It’s why she ended the revenge tour.
She won.
Rhea had nothing.
No friends. No family. No belt-
The elevator dinged and she stumbled out of it as fast as possible, erratically looking from her key card to the hallway trying to find her room-
Finally, she matched up the numbers and tried swiping it-
It didn’t work.
She cursed and shook it from any possible water and tried again-
Nothing.
No one’s ever accused Rhea Ripley of being calm.
With a yell she kicked the door in frustration,”fucker!”
She fucking hated this place
Fuck France.
Fuck this stupid hotel-
The door opened but it wasn’t from her card…
“Can I fucking help-….”
“Liv?”
Rhea took a step back, panic filling her chest faster than she was ready for-
Her card said 176-
She looked up again at Liv and the the door-
…
179.
Shit.
“Oh… u-uhm-“
“…Ripley?”
Something about the way she said it gave her pause and when she met Liv’s eyes she didn’t know what to do.
They haven’t spoken since Rhea beat her on the debut of Netflix…
“I-I’m… uh- sorry. Sorry,” she shook her head of her own stupidity and made a random turn, rushing down the hall. To where? She had no idea.
Maybe out a window-?
“Wait!”
She froze in the middle of the hallway and slowly turned her head- Liv was running towards her in only sweats and a sleep shirt-
Rhea closed her eyes in preparation for some kind of attack. Maybe she’ll break her shoulder again or her orbital bone- at least then she’d have an excuse to hide away-
But that didn’t happen…
She turned her body to fully look at her and found her standing there with her hands in her pockets looking just as uncomfortable as Rhea felt with rain, makeup and sweat still clinging to her skin.
God her gear felt heavy…
“…Are you-…,” Liv cleared her throat, a clear grimace on her face she was trying to hide,”…You good?”
Rhea was… stunned.
The hallway was silent except for rheas loud breathing. Embarrassing.
“Uh, hello? Earth to Rhea-?”
“I’m fine,” she snapped out, hating how her voice trembled infront of her tormentor,”Look- just get on with it, yeah? I don’t give a hell about whatever game you think you’re playing- just take ya shot and be done with it!”
…
Liv didn’t answer her. Instead she stared at her almost with concern and that?
How fucking dare this… this bitch stare at her with pity?!
“What ya want, Morgan?! Sorry for almost bustin’ down ya door, a’right!? I got the wrong room. Now fuck off-“
“Rhea… are you-?”
“For fucks sake- fuck off, mate-!”
She didn’t get to finish her statement before she felt the familiar sting of a backhand on her cheek.
The hall was silent.
Liv’s breath was shaky.
Rhea took a deep breath, her head tilting down to look at her.
Her hand was still raised. Her expression angry. Good.
“…Well?” Rhea goaded, pushing her soaked hair out of her face,”That’s it?”
Liv didn’t react to her and it was making her uneasy. She’s staring her down like she was some kind of puzzle- a problem to be fixed-
Something broken…
Liv stepped closer but Rhea stayed in place. She raised her hand again and Rhea winced on instinct only to pathetically gasp when she feels a violent tug on her wrist, forcing her to stumble-
She was being dragged. Liv Morgan- her rival- was dragging her by the wrist like a child in trouble…
And there wasn’t a damn bone in her body willing to even try fighting it.
She deserved whatever Liv had in mind for her.
She was a failure.
She hurt everyone in her life… she didn’t deserve the belt, or friends-
She deserved the hell that was Liv Morgan’s rage…
…
The door closed behind them and Rhea blinked the thoughts away- she was in Liv’s room?
She looked around it in confusion. It was definitely Liv’s. Only Liv would have clothes littering the floor only for a one night stay…
“Take a shower, Ripley.”
Liv let go of her wrist and it took a long moment for Rhea to realize they were standing outside the bathroom. She frowned…
“Wh-“
“Don’t make me repeat it… alright? Just- just take the damn shower. I got clothes… just fuckin’ shower, you smell like shit.”
The door slammed on her face and she blinked, turning to stare at herself in the bathroom mirror..
Yikes. Her makeup was officially horror worthy.
…
Maybe a shower would make her feel better…