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There was nothing in the world that could wipe the grin off Iyo's face. She felt like she could conquer the universe. Winning gold was always accompanied by the feeling that you were the best on planet Earth, and no one could stop you. Tag team gold added a certain sentimentality that single gold could not. Sharing that journey and triumph with someone always made particularly romantic. Looking up into the bright blue eyes of her tag team partner, felt that notion full heartedly. Rhea's big, happy grin heightened her spirits even further. The show was nearing its closing, and it had been nearly two hours since their win over Iyo’s former “family” and the pair hadn’t stopped stupidly smiling at each other since the bell ranged.
They both still needed to shower, the sweat from the match long since dried, leaving Iyo feeling uncomfortably sticky, but she didn’t want to leave Rhea’s presence. She had to imagine that Rhea felt the same way, as she hadn’t even gotten her fingernail the proper attention it needed from medical.
They found themselves in a secluded room backstage with a couch and made themselves at home. Chatting away about the match, about how great that win felt, and how amazing it was to finally put some demons to rest on both ends. Rhea’s torrid history of tag team action, and getting a partner that not only meshed well with but also trusted completely. For Iyo, defeating Asuka and Kairi with the person they vehemently accused her of choosing over them. Her choice to stand by Rhea’s side vindicated many times over.
Rhea had taken so much punishment over the past few months for just being Iyo’s friend. She had been hit by Asuka’s excruciating mist and jumped, yet never wavered in her decision to support Iyo. Even with Iyo’s initial reaction to the whole ordeal, which was to do whatever she needed to do to keep Asuka and Kairi by her side, even if that meant cutting Rhea out of her life.
Looking back at it, Iyo scoffed at herself, thinking staying away from Rhea would be enough to satisfy Asuka’s desire to isolate her (and Kairi truthfully). Asuka wanted to destroy Rhea in total, as long as the Eradicator was around, there was always the possibility of Iyo seeing beyond Asuka’s oppressive shadow.
Iyo wondered if Asuka could see what she couldn’t at the time, or the potential of it at least. Rhea Ripley was a remarkably alluring woman- despite her faults. That was coupled with their friendship surviving each’s drive to call themselves world champion. That was an automatic concoction for Rhea to be a wrench in Asuka’s desire to fully control Iyo.
In the end, all of that led to Iyo sitting in a secluded room with the person she trusted most in the world, feeling like nothing could tear them apart. With all they had endured for the year 2025, how could she believe anything else?
“You know,” Rhea began bringing Iyo back to the present, “we are going to have many teams gunning after us now, yeah?”
Iyo nodded. It was inevitable with the women’s tag division being as enflamed as it was now. But the prospect of those matchups didn’t scare Iyo in the slightest. If anything, she was eager to rise challenge, she had no doubt that her partner felt the same way.
“We can take all of them,” Iyo replied confidently.
Rhea’s grin sharpened, that competitive glint coming to her eyes, “hell yeah, we can. They won’t know what hit em.”
She then moved to adjust the title perched on her shoulder and grazed her injured nail against it, making her wince. Iyo let out a sympathetic hiss of pain watching Rhea aggravate the wound.
“You should get that checked out,” Iyo stated.
Rhea agreed but then hesitated as she stood. She looked down at a still sitting Iyo, with a certain coyness, “come with me?” she asked, holding out her good hand. The question was given in a manner that did little to hide the fact that Rhea feared Iyo refusing her.
But there was very little Iyo would ever refuse Rhea. She took the offered hand without question as she adjusted the placement of her title buckled on her shoulder. Rhea gave her hand a pleased squeeze before interlocking their fingers as they began to make their way to medical.
Murmurs of congratulations met them through the hallways from staff and talent alike. Iyo gave back as many thanks as she could, while Rhea’s attention seemed to be focused on Iyo herself. Her gaze was more on Iyo than anyone else they passed by, piquing the shorter woman’s curiosity. “What?” she inquired, a smile pulling at her lips.
“Nothing,” Rhea replied honestly, “I just love seeing you like this. All happy and joyful,” she explained as they continued to walk.
Her answer didn’t necessarily catch Iyo off guard, but it still left its mark, melting her heart and distracting her enough that she almost bumped into a crate left haphazardly in the middle of the corridor. Her saving grace had been Rhea herself who pulled her out of the way.
“You alright there, Chipmunk?” Rhea asked as they got their gait back.
Iyo fought off a blush as she answered, “I’m fine. I’m just surprised at how soft you’ve become.”
Rhea chuckled lowly, the sending a burst of warmth through her chest, “well, I have always had a soft spot for beautiful women,” the taller woman replied as she put her arm around Iyo’s shoulders. She flashed Iyo a grin that was very typical Rhea Ripley.
Iyo wasn’t sure how to respond in kind. Rhea had this habit of being flirty but never following it up with anything of substance. It made it hard for Iyo to know if she was being serious, considering how flirty Rhea could be in general. She seemingly got a rush out of making men and women alike fluster over her. She still got her kicks from having flirty banter with Cathy Kelley, would do so right in front of Iyo without hesitation. It was just how Rhea was, and whatever line or smooth talk she sent Iyo’s way was never attached to anything substantial.
Sometimes, that could be a tough pill for Iyo to swallow. Rhea’s flirtatious nature could occasionally feel cruel. Not intentionally from Rhea’s part but like something in the cosmos. Dangling something she desired and yearned for in front of her, then yanking it away.
But it was fine. Iyo had been through worse; she would learn to bury what she felt for Rhea and in time it would pass. It had to. It would be unbecoming to hold a candle for anyone forever, even if they were as remarkable as Rhea. Though, that had been something Iyo had been repeating to herself since September.
They arrived to their destination and Rhea took a seat on one of the available beds after handing Iyo her title. Iyo leaned against the wall holding both belts and waited patiently.
For Rhea, seeing her with both titles was a nice distraction, from the painful experience of having her fingernail worked on. It helped to just keep her gaze locked on those brown eyes she had come to adore, doing all she could to not look at what was being done to her finger.
When everything was said and done, there was a constant throb in the appendage that would take some time to go away but that wasn’t enough to kill the high she felt from winning the tag titles with Iyo. The exhilaration was going to last for days.
As long as Iyo kept smiling like that, Rhea was assured that her spirits would remain high. Seeing Iyo this happy, after the bullshit her supposed family put her through, was like seeing the sun for the first time after being locked in the dark for weeks. Iyo had shed far too many tears over those assholes.Iyo deserved this, this moment of happiness, this triumph over her friend turned foes, this moment to hold gold again. She deserved everything good in the world. Rhea desperately wanted to give her everything good in the world.
But there were so many uncertainties that haunted Rhea in that regard. She didn’t feel equipped to be the one to give Iyo anything at all. There was no secret about the amount of baggage Rhea had. Raquel, Nikki, Liv, the Judgement Day, and Dominik. What an awful fucking track record she had of trusting people.
What was worse was that some if it was her fault. She could admit the whole situation with Liv was on her several times over, from the initial betrayal to trying to end her career. Then Dom………. that was a particularly hard pill to swallow. She had been harsh with him at times. She could understand why he was able to be pulled away by Liv's flirtations.
But that didn’t mean that it hurt any less when they rode off into the sunset together at that horrid Summerslam event. She had been left crying in the ring, in front of the entire world. Then being kicked out of the Judgement Day altogether, from the group she thought was her family, her home away from home.
All in all, Rhea’s history left her paranoid and distrustful as it was. If she and Iyo ever became an item, who’s to say that her paranoia won’t heighten? She had a bad habit of being possessive before Dom cheated on her, she feared that whole fiasco would make that trait of hers even worse.
Rhea forced herself from her sour thoughts. She wasn’t about to allow her pining to ruin this night. She draped her arm across Iyo’s shoulders and dropped a kiss onto the top of her head, earning a sweet smile from her partner, one that Rhea returned.
The pair continued through the corridors towards the women’s locker room. Rhea was eager to get into the shower and wash away the grime of a hard-fought match. They reached the locker room and Rhea opened the door, allowing Iyo to enter first.
Entering the room, Rhea came to a standstill. The locker room was empty, leaving them alone. “Guess everyone has already headed out,” Iyo commented unperturbed. She headed over to her cubby that sat right next to Rhea’s. She took off her arm garments, along with her kick pads, knee pads and boots. As she worked, Rhea still stood by the doorway, looking everywhere but at her.
She grabbed a towel and other toiletries, while Rhea tried to come up with anything to avoid them having to head in the shower together. It made her feel stupid and immature but being alone and naked with Iyo was something that she could not handle. Having other women there would have made it less intimate for her. Without anyone else there, there would not be a buffer or distraction from a gloriously naked and wet Iyo Sky.
“You okay, Mami?” Iyo asked, pulling Rhea away from her panicked thoughts. Hearing that nickname come from Iyo had always stroked Rhea’s ego and the last thing Rhea needed was getting into that arrogant headspace.
She forced out a breath through her nostrils and gave a tight-lipped smile, “just fine, Chipmunk. Just surprised everyone has already left is all.”
Iyo looked skeptical but didn’t push the issue. With her things in hand, she headed off to grab herself a well-earned shower. Rhea watched after her before making her way to her cubby.
She then sat down and began to undo her wrist tape, followed by undoing her boots. Afterwards, she stopped and glared at the floor, trying to find her courage. Eventually, she let out a huff, “Get it together, Ripley. It just a bloody shower, you don’t even have to look at her,” she growled to herself. Then, with unnecessary force, she grabbed her things and then stormed off.
In the showers, Iyo already stood under the warm spray of water, relishing in the sensation of that sweaty, sticky feeling being washed away. She watched as the suds rinsed off her and into the drain beneath her feet. She gave her still tender back a rub when Rhea finally came in.
She watched her partner for a moment, notating how tense she was. She also noticed how Rhea chose to use one of the showerheads closest to the exit, making her as far away from Iyo as possible. Iyo then politely turned her head away as Rhea began to undress. She would be lying if she said she didn’t feel the urge to look.
She kept her eyes down and finished her shower. Then, she began to towel off and head for the exit. As she passed Rhea, she forced herself to keep her gaze ahead but still caught a glimpse of Rhea’s wonderfully sculpted back in her peripheral.
Iyo was quick to dry herself off and dressed herself into something comfortable. She then sat down at her cubby, her newly won title in her lap. She focused on the side plate. Kairi’s insignia stared back at her. Iyo traced her name with a finger as a familiar sadness settled in the pit of her stomach.
God, did she miss her. Her smile, her humor, her fearlessness. That last trait seemed to have been snuffed out by Asuka. The Kairi she knew, while loyal, was no pushover. The Pirate Princess of old would not have accepted Asuka’s disrespectful and abusive behavior. Seeing Kairi willfully be a pawn hurt just as much as the betrayal. Despite the choices Kairi made, Iyo hoped that one day Kairi would open her eyes to the truth. Perhaps then, they could make amends.
She heard some ruffling coming from the way of the showers and instinctively looked up. Iyo’s thoughts came to a screeching halt aa she took in the sight before her. Rhea entered the locker room with a towel wrapped around her and another in hand, drying her hair. She was powerless to stop her eyes from raking up and down her tag partner’s form-subconsciously licking her lips as she did so.
She managed to stop her lecherous staring before Rhea noticed and focused back on title. She kept her gaze pointedly down, refusing to give an inch to the temptation to look at Rhea once more. Instead, she honed her eyes back on the sideplate, returning to her sullen thoughts.
The Kairi she knew would have picked up on her feelings for Rhea from the jump and would have teased her mercilessly about it. Iyo could not believe she thought this- but she would give anything to endure that teasing. In that reality, Kairi would still be her Kairi, and not the puppet Asuka turned her into.
“Reminiscing, Chipmunk?” Rhea asked her softly- no judgement in her tone.
Iyo still dared not to look at her, hearing the ruffling of the towel hitting the ground and Rhea grabbing her clothing, “I suppose you could call it that,” she murmured softly.
Rhea gave a hum of understanding, “I get what you mean. All you can think about sometimes is how things should be. I find myself thinking the same thing still with the Judgement Day,” she admitted in a surprisingly casual tone.
Sometimes, it perturbed Iyo how well Rhea knew her and vice versa. The way she was able to dissect Iyo’s behavior and nail it down to the reason for it, was a common occurrence. It could be attributed to Rhea having gone through a familiar experience and just knowing how the whole emotional process went. Or perhaps, it was due to the chemistry they shared that made them great rivals and even better allies. That spark had existed between them ever since the Mae Young Classic and seemed like it would never die out. Iyo sincerely hoped it wouldn’t.
Once Iyo thought that Rhea was dressed decently enough to not send her mind to carnal places, she took the chance to look at her and was relieved to see she guessed right. The taller woman was now clad in a pair of dark sweats and was pulling on a hoodie. She couldn’t stop the grin that spread over her features as she realized it bore her name.
That was another thing Rhea had a habit of doing, wearing her merchandise. The way it made her feel whenever she saw it was otherworldly giddy. Rhea sure knew how to make a girl’s heart melt. Another similar instance was her boots with their respective country’s flags. How was Iyo not supposed to fall for her when she did things like that?
Rhea looked at Iyo fully and gave her a wide grin, realizing what she was looking at, “I gotta represent my favorite girl.”
Iyo knew that the goofy, smitten expression that crossed her features would be the type of thing Kairi would use for ammo, but it couldn’t be helped. Still to not be outdone, she stood and reached over to Rhea’s cubby, taking her leather vest that displayed the Australian flag.
She donned it and flaunted a little, giving a twirl, “now, we’re even.”
Rhea hoped her face didn’t betray her, seeing Iyo in her vest. It struck particular possessive string in her, like it was some kind of confirmation that Iyo was hers. But she wasn’t, so getting all hot and bothered over Iyo wearing a stupid vest was pointless- resulting only in a form of self-torture. The Eradicator forced herself from that train of thought, reminding herself that once more, this was a night of celebration and happiness, and not pitiful pining.
She let out a soft exhale, “you’re too cute, Chipmunk.” She then began to pack up her cubby, Iyo did the same, still wearing Rhea’s vest. Rhea figured she planned to wear it until they got to the hotel. Rhea wasn’t going to object; the baggy way it hung off Iyo’s frame was indeed too cute.
The pair made off to make their exit then, newly won belts wrapped around their waist. On their way out, Rhea noticed how Iyo struggled to keep up with her pace-still favoring her back. Ever the chivalrous one, Rhea took the over the shoulder bag her friend was carrying. She also ordered Iyo to wait on the curb once they were outside, while she made the long trek to their shared rental car.
She packed the luggage she had in hand in the car, then drove it up to where she left Iyo. Rhea got out and held the passenger door open for her partner, “I’ve got the luggage, Chipmunk. Just get in and relax.”
Iyo could only smile and shake her head at Rhea’s gentleman like behavior, but she did as she was asked. Rhea closed the door behind her and was quick to pack the rest of Iyo’s things into the rental.
Then, they hit the road, a comfortable silence falling over them. At one point, Rhea looked over to see Iyo staring out the window, her hand resting on the middle console. She debated with herself for a moment before taking the plunge. She reached out and grabbed Iyo’s hand and interlaced their fingers. The action took the shorter woman by surprise. She turned away from the window, looking at Rhea curiously before glancing at their joined hands.
She brought her gaze back to Rhea, who flitted between keeping her eyes on the road and Iyo herself. A part of her terrified Iyo would pull away, but she didn’t. Instead, Iyo gave her hand a squeeze with a look in her eyes that Rhea wouldn’t dare to hope what she thought it meant. With butterflies in her stomach, Rhea returned the gesture and continued to drive them back to the hotel, with a seed of hope in her heart growing.
Once they arrived to the hotel, Rhea was still in the mood to be chivalrous (she always was in any venture concerning Iyo). She sent Iyo up to room ahead of her and told her to just lay down and relax while she unpacked the car. Iyo tried to argue but it was pointless. Rhea remained steadfast in her decision to pamper Iyo that night. All Iyo could do was relent, with Rhea watching her go, taking in the shine of the rhinestones from the Australian flag decorating her vest.
With the use of a trolley cart, Rhea managed to bring everything up to the room in one go. When she entered, she found Iyo already dressed in sleepwear-a pair of sleep shorts and a simple top, already laying on top of the covers of the queen-sized bed, on her stomach.
She made to get up to help but was waved off by Rhea once more. Iyo gave a huff but returned to her prone position on the bed. Rhea unpacked the trolley in a fairly quick time before leaving outside the hotel room, against the wall.
When she came back, the first thing she did was remove her tag title from her waist, and placed it on the table, folded neatly and sitting up, right next to Iyo’s, in the same position. A pain groaned then captured her attention, she turned back to Iyo to see her moving as though she couldn’t get comfortable. She made to rub her back and that’s when it clicked for Rhea what the issue was. An idea came to her, but it clogged in her throat. She shifted awkwardly on her feet. Her fiddly behavior did not go unnoticed, “what is it?” Iyo asked with discomfort heavy in her voice as she continued to massage her back.
“Wantmetogiveyouabackrub?” Rhea rushed out.
Iyo looked to be surprised and even embarrassed by the offer, if the color in her cheeks was anything to go by. Still with a small smile she nodded. That made Rhea nerves skyrocket. She swallowed thickly as she made her way over to the bed. She steeled herself with a deep breath before lifting Iyo's shirt up enough to expose her lower back. She rubbed her hands together and blew in them, hoping they wouldn’t be too cold on Iyo’s person. Then, she went to work, kneading the tender flesh firmly.
Iyo could not hold in the low groan that came from her as Rhea got to work. Rhea’s hands began to weave their magic into her back, helping the tight muscles release the tension held in them. Another sound escaped her, this time more akin to a moan. Rhea stopped suddenly, much to Iyo’s displeasure. The highflyer turned slightly to get a better look at Rhea, she took in the flush of Rhea’s cheek but decided not to read much into it. She was more concerned with getting back to the massage that was doing wonders to alleviate the pain in her back, “don’t stop, Rhea,” she murmured lowly. She didn’t miss the way Rhea’s eyes darkened at her request but didn’t press her about it-opting to get comfortable again as Rhea continued her massage. Her eyes fluttered shut as she lost herself in the sensation of Rhea’s wonderful kneading.
This was going to be another reason for her to love Rhea’s hands, which she admired enough already. It amazed her how fierce and vicious those hands could be-but they also could be so gentle and caring with her (nowadays). It added to the juxtaposition of the Eradicator, one that drew Iyo in like a moth to a flame.
“You like that, Iyo?” Rhea asked, voice deep and wrapped in velvet.
“Mhm,” Iyo responded, “keep going, Mami.” Truth be told, Iyo had no idea why she said that, the nickname just came out, like it was just the natural progression of things. Whatever her reasoning, it seemingly had quite the effect on Rhea, enticing her further to keep the charged banter going.
“Keep calling me that and Mami’s going to give you something real good,” she shot back, full of smug and ego.
Iyo twisted slightly to look at her once more, meeting her gaze head on to show how serious she was, “is that a promise?” she asked.
Just as always, Rhea balked. She chose not to follow up on her flirty behavior. Again. Iyo didn’t bother to hide her frown of disappointment as Rhea gave her an awkward smile, “just kidding, Chipmunk.”
When Iyo didn’t smile back, Rhea pulled her hands away from her and took a step back. They fell into a bit of a staring contest as Rhea seemingly struggled to find something to say. A part of Iyo found Rhea’s demeanor endearing. The big and scary Eradicator who was always so full of bravado, now looking like an awkward and shy teenager.
“Rhea, if you do not actually mean it, I would appreciate it if you would stop flirting with me,” Iyo requested plainly.
Rhea sputtered, unable to find a response. Her eyes were as wide as saucers as she struggled to speak. Iyo decided to take pity on her, “this doesn’t change our friendship or what you mean to me, but I cannot take you giving me hope, only to do nothing more,” she explained as she moved to sit up on the edge of the bed. What a time to have this conversation, Iyo thought to herself. A night that was supposed to be happy and joyous, and here she was, asking the woman she was crazy about to stop flirting with her. It made Iyo feel rather pathetic.
“Iyo, it’s- I’m not- I actually,” Rhea stammered out before trailing off. She then shut her eyes tight, letting out a huff of annoyance. When she looked at Iyo again, there was a set determination in her gaze-akin to the look Iyo was used to receiving from her when they stood on opposite sides of the ring, “oh. screw it,” Rhea growled out before pouncing. She cupped Iyo’s face in hands and pressed her lips to Iyo’s. Iyo couldn’t help the gasp of surprise she let out but she didn’t hesitate to respond to Rhea insistent mouth in kind. Then, she was carefully moved to lay down on her back, with a gentle hand now on the cradling the back of her head. Without breaking apart and still being mindful of Iyo’s injured back, Rhea climbed onto of her and settled nicely between her legs.
Iyo let out a moan as Rhea’s kisses became more aggressive and demanding. Her breath clogged in her throat as Rhea’s warm mouth set a trail down her neck. She felt teeth nip at her throat and was able to come back to herself, “Rhea,” she whimpered.
“Hm?” Rhea responded as she brought her mouth back to Iyo’s, and despite herself, Iyo kissed her back.
Though it took a great deal of restraint, Iyo found the willpower to give Rhea’s shoulders a slight push. Rhea, with reluctance, pulled back slightly and looked down at her, “what is it?” she asked huskily.
Iyo licked her lips at how dilated Rhea’s eyes were, the heat in her belly coiling even further, “we need to talk before we do anything further.”
Rhea blinked dumbly at her as if not comprehending the words. She then gave a slight shake of her head and finally, her eyes were able to concentrate on Iyo fully. She brushed a strand of hair from Iyo’s face, “you’re right, baby,” she said softly.
Iyo’s already turbulent heart flipped at the pet name. “I don’t want this to be a one-off thing,” she explained, voice weirdly small.
“Neither do I,” Rhea was quick to agree. She looked like she wanted to say more, but just as before, the words clogged in her throat. She let out a breath of frustration before resting her forehead against Iyo’s.
Iyo found herself feeling surprisingly patient as she ran a soothing hand down that muscular back she admired so much. It was a no brainer that talks of relationships were hard for Rhea. Iyo could see those emotional scars Rhea still carried from the past year as clear as day. She would give her the time she needed to sort her feelings out and give proper words to them. Iyo could only hope that it wasn’t too long, because God was she eager to find out if all that sex appeal Rhea possessed truly meant a damn thing.
Still, Iyo gave Rhea’s back another soothing caress. This time around, her hand under her hoodie, giving Rhea direct skin to skin contact. Iyo could feel a shudder run through her before Rhea’s body melted of tension considerably, “take your time, Rhea. We have all night,” she whispered encouragingly.
Rhea let out a big exhale before burying her face in the crook of Iyo’s neck, seemingly breathing her scent in. “I don’t deserve you, Iyo,” Rhea confessed, voice muffled.
Iyo’s let out a chuckle, “I definitely disagree with you there, Mami,” she replied. It didn’t go unnoticed by her the way Rhea tensed slightly at the use of the nickname. A sly smile crossed her face. She was definitely going to be using that to rile Rhea up later, once they could get to the fun part of their night.
For now though, there were still serious discussions to be had, “I am far from perfect and you are very good to me. You endured a lot to stand by my side against Asuka and Kairi. I will never forget that.”
“It’s what you deserve,” Rhea replied as she pulled back to meet Iyo’s eyes, “you deserve the best things in life. I just don’t know if I’m that person to give it you. I come with a shit load of baggage.”
“So do I,” Iyo retorted, “you are far too hard on yourself.”
Rhea didn’t say anything to that, and Iyo could tell by the look in her eye that Rhea wasn’t fully convinced. But it was a good start. It was going to take time for Rhea to quiet the negative thoughts, and Iyo was more than happy to help with that. It was the least she could do. Rhea had been her the solid ground holding her during her fallout with Asuka and Kairi. Even spent some nights holding Iyo while she cried herself to sleep.
Rhea bent down and gave Iyo a soft, chaste kiss and as she tried to pull away, Iyo’s hand reached out and entangled in her dark locks, pulling her down for a deeper and more fulfilling kiss. Rhea responded in kind, slipping her tongue into Iyo’s mouth. Iyo moaned at the sensation as she wrapped her arms around Rhea’s neck and tried to pull her closer.
Things continued to spiral after that as Rhea gave a roll of hips, grinding herself against Iyo. That gave Iyo more than enough incentive to get Rhea naked. She began to tug at the hoodie that displayed her name, “off,” she muttered into Rhea’s plundering mouth. Rhea seemingly decided to be accommodating as she sat up on her knees and discarded the garment, leaving her in a bra and her sweats still.
Iyo was shameless in her staring, allowing her eyes to slowly and heatedly drag over the skin, tattoos, and muscle now exposed to her. Rhea, in turn gave her a lecherous smile. Gone was the woman who moments ago was a sad and insecure thing. Now, here was the other side of Rhea, all ego and borderline insufferable confidence (if Iyo didn’t find it to be so attractive).
“Like what you see, Chipmunk?”
Not to be outdone, Iyo gave her a smirk that was akin to their days of warring over the NXT title, “absolutely, Mami.”
Heat flashed in Rhea’s eyes as her smile evaporated off her face. The hungry look she gave Iyo made the heat and wetness pooling between the older woman’s legs double. Then, Rhea was on her again, mouth hard and demanding, dragging another pitiful sound out of Iyo, feeling the hard metal from Rhea’s tongue piercing.
Before Iyo knew it, Rhea had rid her of her shirt. Things came to a sudden halt as Rhea stared blatantly at her chest with wide eyes. Iyo could not resist teasing Rhea further, “like what you see, Mami?” She asked, arching her body slightly to entice Rhea further.
Rhea thought and fantasized their first time together being a nice and slow thing. She wanted it to be nice and slow, to shower Iyo in all the love and affection that had been gradually growing inside her over the course of the year. But Iyo seemingly had different plans. Rhea knew she was purposefully winding her up, having caught the scent of what Iyo call her Mami did to her. Despite that, it was fucking working, working to perfection. It made Rhea desire to hear Iyo scream her name, to see those brown eyes roll up into the back of head.
Rhea took a deep breath to calm herself, but it was futile. A part of her still wanted to talk, to get past her cowardly ways and just tell Iyo she loved her and had for quite some time now. Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on how one looked at it), that conversation was going to have to wait. Rhea could only allow herself to be pulled down to meeting Iyo’s imploring mouth with her own.
A sound akin to a growl escaped her when she felt Iyo’s bare chest brush against her, the hard point of her nipples unmistakable. Something in her snapped, she found herself making a beeline for Iyo’s sleeping shorts, all the while keeping their lips interlocked. Somehow, they managed to work together to get the garment off, breaking apart as little as possible. Then, Rhea found Iyo’s underwear with a handful and pulled.
The sound and sensation of her panties being torn off sent a shock through Iyo, she would be annoyed at it if she hadn’t found it to be so hot. It miffed her how Rhea’s displays of strength could entice her. The throb between her legs emboldened, reaching an almost unbearable level. “Rhea, please,” she begged, voiced rugged and breathless.
“No need to beg, baby. Mami’s going to give you exactly what you need, what you deserve,” Rhea promised darkly as she nibbled on Iyo's ear.
Iyo was on the brink of combustion as Rhea’s hand dragged along the inside of her thigh. She was well aware that she wasn’t going to last at all, she had wanted this too much and for too long. Despite knowing it was coming, a startled and pleasured yelp escaped her when Rhea’s wondering fingers finally touched where she needed them most before retreating.
“Holy fuck, Chipmunk. Is that all for me?” Iyo heard Rhea question at the state of her womanhood.
“It is,” Iyo answered honestly, voice nearly a whimper, “all for-” the rest of her sentence was cut off by a moan as Rhea began to explore her with light touches, eyes falling shut.
“Iyo, baby, look at me,” the command came out almost reverent. Iyo did as she was told, and was met with Rhea’s intense gaze on her. There was a mixture of desire and love in Rhea’s eyes, a deadly combination that worked to undo Iyo even further. As Rhea’s fingers began to truly work their magic, Iyo, couldn’t look away, drowning in her eyes.
Hours later, Rhea found herself halfway under a slumbering Iyo Sky. A happy and contented smile played across her features as she watched Iyo sleep. She had to stop herself from laughing as some rather heavy snores began to emanate from the smaller woman. A sense of pride settled in her chest at Iyo’s obvious exhaustion.
Rhea herself could feel a tiredness deep in her own limbs but her mind was wide awake and refused sleep. With the taste of Iyo lingering on her tongue and the wonderful still soreness between her legs, there was ongoing stimuli keeping her mind wired. She kept replaying the night’s events in her head, marveling at how it all ended with her finally getting to have Iyo.
She just wished she had found the courage to actually tell Iyo she loved her. She wanted to, desperately so but the words stayed in her mouth. Their conversation from earlier was unfinished (she couldn’t be too mad about that considering all things), and once they were able to continue it, she would swallow her cowardice and tell Iyo then. It was a must.
As though hearing her thoughts, Iyo began to shift slightly, slowly coming out of her slumber. She looked up as her eyes fluttered open, being met with what Rhea could only imagine was a dopey smile that was unbecoming of the big bad Eradicator.
Rhea placed a soft kiss on her forehead, “hey there, Chipmunk,” she greeted quietly.
Iyo smiled sleepily back in kind, “hey yourself,” she replied. “What are you still doing up?”
“Can’t sleep. Mind is too loud.”
The incredulous look Iyo gave her was nearly comical, “how are you not tired after all that?”
Rhea gave a slight shrug, “a lot happened tonight. I guess my mind is still trying to decompress.”
Iyo let out a yawn as she sat up, propping her head on her hand, “a lot did happen tonight. A lot of good,” she stated, smiling lightly.
“A lot good indeed,” Rhea agreed.
“I should probably do most of the driving tomorrow with you not being able to sleep,” Iyo commented.
Rhea frowned deeply. She never liked the idea of Iyo making sacrifices for, no matter how small. Especially since that incident of her taking the Insane Elbow to the back. “No need for that, you can just do the first leg while I catch up on sleep and I will do the rest.”
“Or you can let me take care of you for once,” Iyo retorted.
“I do allow you to things for me,” Rhea argued, before smiling cheekily, “like tonight for instance.”
Iyo scoffed with an eye roll, making Rhea chuckle lightly. She had allowed Iyo to pleasure her-enjoyed it greatly- but their first time together had been majorly the other way around. It couldn’t be helped as far as Rhea was concerned, seeing Iyo come undone, hearing her moan her name, had been euphoric. She could still feel the sting from the scratches Iyo left on her back. She would be wearing them like a badge of honor.
“I mean it, Rhea. Let me do this for you. If it were the other way around, you’d carry me to the car if I let you.”
“Damn straight,” Rhea declared proudly.
Iyo would not be deterred. She leaned in and gave Rhea a peck on the lips, one that Rhea was more than happy to return. When she pulled back away, it was only for a few mere inches, her gaze deadly set on Rhea’s. Her eyes were filled with a certain adoration and endearment that Rhea felt she didn’t quite deserved.
“Let me dote on you,” Iyo implored softly.
Rhea’s heart lurched up into her throat, leaving her only able to nod as she conceded. Iyo beamed at her before leaning into for another quick peck. When she pulled away, the revering look she gave was too much to take- and the words finally came bubbling out of Rhea, “I love you, Iyo.”
The words seemed to have been unexpected by Iyo, as her eyes widened, mouth falling slightly agape. The moments stretched on as she continued to stare at Rhea like that. Rhea internally began to panic, thinking perhaps it was way too early to make such a statement, no matter how true it was.
Then, Iyo straddled her, a certain teasing grin playing on her lips that made Rhea beyond uneasy, “is that what you’ve been dying to tell me? Is that what’s had the Eradicator so tongue-tied tonight?”
Rhea became flustered in ways that made her want to punch herself in the face. She became horrifically tongue-tied once more, much to Iyo's amusement, and despite being under a naked Iyo, she partly wished that the bed would swallow her up. That was until Iyo leaned back down and kissed her fully, lightly biting her bottom lip as she pulled away, that same adoring look now back on her face, “Aishitemasu, Rhea.”