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myxthix · 2 months ago

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Mommy Lost _Part.2

Rhea Ripley X Fem!Reader

📍📄English is not my first language, so there may be mistakes.

The alarm blares. Not with pretty music. Not with calm. But with that vibration that makes you question all your life decisions. You literally groan.

“Who the hell books a 5 AM flight...?” you mumble, still with your eyes closed. Of course, your wife Rhea, who is used to early flights, isn't like you, who appreciates the warmth of your sheets.

You sit up in bed with the clumsiness of someone who's had little sleep, quickly check that Rhea is still sound asleep, and drag yourself to the bathroom. The idea of getting into a cold shower at this hour doesn't even cross your mind. You’re not a masochist, so you use the hot water that falls like a blessing. Quick, precise, practical. Your comfy clothes are already laid out: a sweatshirt, sneakers, a light jacket for the cold airplane. You tie back your hair, check your face in the mirror. "You look like a survivor of something," you think. And you're not wrong.

You leave silently, walking across the carpet to the side of the bed where Rhea is still curled up on her side. You watch her for a few seconds. There are shadows under her eyes, but her expression is more relaxed. Not like last night.

You kneel beside her and touch her waist gently. "Hey… love. It's time."

She stirs a little and opens her eyes slowly. It takes her a couple of seconds to get her bearings. She looks at you. And for the first time since last night, her voice sounds more… calm. "God, I didn't sleep at all," she says in a hoarse voice, rubbing her eyes. "Yeah. We're gonna arrive at the airport like zombies. But vacation zombies."

She nods with a tired half-smile. She gives you a quick glance, as if evaluating your expression. She doesn't say anything else, but there's something in her tone when she responds: "I'll be there in a moment."

You kiss her forehead and head to the living room with the suitcases. They're both of yours. You arrange them near the door and then take a breath: the final mission, Kai's room.

You open the door carefully. The darkness is barely broken by the hallway light. The sheets cover him up to his neck, his wavy black hair falling across his forehead. His small body forms a mountain of tenderness that could melt any living creature.

You sit on the edge of the bed and gently caress his arm. "Kai… sweetheart. Time to wake up. Let's go on a trip."

He stirs. Mumbles something unintelligible. You lean in and carefully lift him into your arms, holding him close to your chest. He leans on your shoulder, still half asleep. "Good morning, champ," you whisper. "Good morning, Mommy…" he says in a raspy voice, and you smile immediately.

You take him to the bathroom, where silently and without argument—which is a miracle from the heavens—you put on his black coat and comfortable pants. You gently comb his hair back while he yawns, and you seat him at the bathroom counter to brush his teeth. While he does that, you tie his sneaker laces without breaking the quiet magic of the moment.

Once ready, Kai takes your hand. "Is Rex coming too?" "Of course," you reply, and he smiles, satisfied.

With his small wheeled suitcase in your other hand, you lead him toward your bedroom. Rhea is there, standing, finishing putting on a fitted dark T-shirt. She looks tired, but different. As if her shield had come down a little.

As soon as Kai sees her, he immediately lets go of your hand and runs to her. "Mommyyyy!"

He hugs her legs tightly. His little face pressed against her thigh. Rhea immediately kneels, scoops him up, and squeezes him in her arms. She stays there, with him clinging to her neck. "I saved your kiss for you," he tells her, pressing his cheek against hers, still remembering how his mommy went to bed upset and without her usual goodnight kiss. "Thanks, little one," Rhea responds, with a lump in her throat that she tries to hide with a smile. You watch them from the doorway. And in that instant, in that simple scene, you know the trip begins with what matters most: the three of you, together.

You genuinely thought there would be peace at that hour, that fans wouldn't go to an airport at 4 AM, unless they were already waiting for their own flights. You thought you could walk through the airport like normal, sleepy people, on autopilot. But you underestimated the power of fandom, as always. You literally haven't even crossed security and there's already a group of five or six people recognizing you from afar.

"Is that Rhea Ripley…?" "Yes, it's her!" "And her too! It's her wife! That's Kai."

You sigh softly, not annoyed. Just tired. In your arms, Kai rests like an angel, his little head on your shoulder, his arms dangling. He's so calm, so warm against you, that you feel like closing your eyes with him.

But Rhea has already seen them. The fans, their faces excited for photos. Besides, it's not a large group; if she stopped to say hello, it would make their day better, so she stops. "Give me a second," she says softly, giving you a quick look, as if asking permission. You just give her a tired smile, adjusting Kai in your arms.

She turns to them with the posture of someone who is exhausted but will never be ungrateful. She signs things. Takes photos. Even jokes with one of the guys who has a T-shirt with an AI-generated image of her that clearly makes her look like an anime character.

You stand to the side, holding Kai, smiling kindly at the fans who are starting to look at you too. "You're her wife, right?" "How do you calm her down after she loses? Because, wow, you could tell…"

You move a little closer, without letting go of Kai, and say with a discreet smile: "With a lot of water, soft words… and space. Sometimes space."

Someone tries to take a selfie with you too, and you laugh softly. "Only if you don't make me look like a zombie."

A couple of photos later, everything ends peacefully. Rhea approaches, takes one of the suitcases, and gives you a fleeting glance. She doesn't say anything, but you know her: she's grateful. To you. For this. For everything.

On the Plane

By some divine intervention, the entire check-in process goes smoothly: no lost luggage, no errors, no hellish queues. A miracle the universe granted them after yesterday. The three of you settle into your seats: you and Rhea on the sides, Kai in the middle, still asleep. You carefully adjust him, fasten his seatbelt without waking him. He snuggles closer to your arm, and you just look at him with that silent love mothers understand. Once everything is ready and the plane starts to fill up, you turn to Rhea.

She's looking out the window, her eyes unfocused. Her posture is more relaxed, but the storm hasn't completely left. It has only decreased in intensity.

You take a breath and, gently, ask her: "How are you? How do you feel?"

She turns her head, looks at you. "Tired," she says without thinking. And then, softly, "But… not empty. Not like last night."

She pauses. "Thank you for not pressuring me. For staying. For not giving up on me." "I'd never leave," you reply, without hesitation.

She nods, and her hand finds yours over the armrest. She squeezes it. Tight. And there, on that plane, with your son asleep between you, with the sunrise peeking through the clouds, with your body broken but your heart mending… you know the trip isn't just a vacation. It's a new beginning.

At some point during the flight, while the world slept silently inside the plane and you fought to keep your neck in a functional position, a little voice broke the calm: "I want to see the sky," said Kai's little voice beside you, already awake and as desperate as only a child who's been sitting too long knows. He looked with those big eyes, disheveled hair, and his dinosaur clutched to his chest. But he didn't tell you. He turned to his mother, the Australian nightmare, and with the authority of a diapered dictator, he instructed her: "Mommy, I want to look out the window."

And Rhea... Rhea, who had just lost a fight, who still carried the traces of anger and exhaustion, simply picked up her son, sat him on her lap, and adjusted her seat so he could look out the window. There he was, with his little hands on the glass and his eyes wide with wonder at the city lights below. You, from the other side, couldn't help but chuckle softly and pull out your phone. Click. The perfect photo: chaos and calm. Mama Rhea and the little one in a celestial pause.

Then came the airplane food. You received spaghetti that tasted and felt like a divine punishment. Rhea raised an eyebrow, Kai drank his juice, and you looked at him with genuine envy, wishing for a moment you were four years old again. Just to avoid this "meal." The rest of the flight was quiet. Rhea and you spoke in whispers, and Kai fell asleep again on her lap, hugging Rex, his loyal dinosaur.

Australia

The smell of the air changed as soon as you crossed the plane door. It was different. Drier, freer, more hers. And Rhea's stride became firmer, more confident. She held Kai's hand this time, though the child was already squirming, wanting to run, move, live. But you saw him try to break free once… and that was enough.

"Kai!" Your mom voice came out firm, precise. The child froze. Rhea laughed. "God… that was sexy and terrifying," she murmured to you.

And even so, you joined the endless dance of the baggage carousel, hoping the universe wouldn't mock you by losing a suitcase. Your vision was half-blurred from tiredness, but the sound of fans brought you back to earth.

They had already found out. A larger group than at the previous airport was waiting, with banners, T-shirts, photos, and raised cell phones. They didn't cross the security line, but the excitement was in the air.

And then you saw him. Kai, in Rhea's arms, waving his little hand, had Rex in his other hand, and every time someone waved at him, he lifted his dinosaur as if it were waving too. Rhea chuckled softly, kissing his temple.

You approached with the suitcases, placing your hand on your wife's back so she knew you were there. She turned and, with that silent language of years together, handed Kai to you without needing words. You took him carefully; he settled against your chest as if that were his natural place.

"I'm not even famous," you said when the fans approached you. But they insisted, and there you were, taking photos, smiling with that maternal tiredness that was already a part of you.

Kai, noticing that the focus wasn't on him, raised his arms and said: "Me too!"

Laughter escaped among the group of fans. Several people murmured "aww" at the same time. And when Kai waved a clear, strong "Hello!", the crowd completely surrendered.

A few minutes later, Rhea apologized. "I'm sorry, we have to go. Thank you for everything."

También les diste las gracias uno por uno mientras Kai corría directo hacia su madre. Ella lo agarró con naturalidad, como quien lo ha hecho mil veces, y lo cargó sobre sus hombros con una gran sonrisa. Australia les había dado la bienvenida: el aire, la tierra, la gente. Y por primera vez en días, te diste cuenta de que Rhea sonreía sin ira. Y tú también.

#rhea ripley fanfic #rhea ripley x reader #rhea ripley x you

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myxthix · 2 months ago

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Once upon in Paris

Pairing: Vesper/Nova Tags: date, fluff, found family, dinner, Paris Word count: 2860. Little warning: I'm not a native English speaker & translate my fics by myself without the use of GenAI, so please bear with me if there are some errors here and there, I really do my best <3

“Can I look already?”

Nova and Vesper arrived in France the day before yesterday in the evening, and yet Vesper has been busy the whole days long. She’s got some very difficult project and a meticulous customer. Nova was keeping herself entertained with reading, learning some new magic and walking around the suburb area of Paris where they were staying.

“No one promised it would be much fun”. And yet she really just wanted to spend some time in France as a tourist with her wife. Especially considering it is their first trip together since honeymoon.

But during lunch Vesper finds a moment to call her and ask her out for a date at 6 PM. No further explaining, just some mysterious silence in response when Nova tries to ask questions. Vesper is not the one to keep secrets since the moment the war was over. Since the moment she finally believed that Nova is never going away and betraying her again.

Well, maybe Ves just booked a hilariously expensive dinner at the Eiffel Tower and now thinks that Nova will rebel against such money waste. Nova doesn’t think she’ll ever get used to absurdly expensive gifts.

Vesper arrives at the hotel exactly at 6 PM. Nova is going through some jewellery when she notices her coming in. She turns around and is completely stunned. She’ll never get used to it. The admiration is clearly readable in her eyes, as Ves smiles — in a way only she can — and teasingly turns around.

“You like it?”

Nova needs a couple of seconds to come to her senses and nod.

“Are you sure we are going somewhere?”

Vesper smiles and reaches out to her neck, helping her to fix the sun-shaped pendant.

“Absolutely. You don’t wanna miss it,” she says and then leans towards Nova’s ear, giving it a burning sensation and whispers. “But I’d also not object to staying at home together.”

They definitely go towards the centre of Paris. Vesper is still secretive about the place they go to. Nova really wants to throw suggestions at her and try to read the answer on her face. She’s quite sure about the Eiffel Tower theory when Ves asks is she can cover her eyes and let her lead her from here on. Nova bites her lip and lets a little laugh out: Vesper is in fact a hopeless romantic. Yet she lowers her head and allows a cold eye cover to cover her face.

They get out of the car and walk the street for a short while — and then walk the stairs for a long while.

“That’s not the Eiffel Tower,” understands Nova. “Vesper would definitely pay for the elevator”. The stairs seem old — so old they would be scary to walk on with open eyes and a less fancy dress. Nova isn’t scared. A strong hand supports her elbow, doesn’t allow her to fall.

The stairs seemed endless — and yet are finally done. They take a few more steps and then stop.

“Can I look already?”

Vesper helps her unbind the knot on her eye cover and Nova blinks a couple of times to adjust to a dim lighting.

They have been here before.

“The Medici column,” she exhales, spellbound. “Here…”

“Here I tried to finish things between us.” Vesper nods. “And you didn’t let me make the biggest mistake in my life”.

“We started to date here. You gave me this pendant and called me your woman for the very first time”.

“I did find it a little funny to see it on your neck today knowing where we are going”.

Nova takes a few steps and stops at the tiny, decorated table.

“It is indeed stunningly beautiful here.”

“I told you it was a good place for a date three years ago.”

“And now you’re finishing the unfinished business?”

“We are.” Vesper lays her hand on Nova’s.

Nova feels the electricity tingling in her fingers. They aren’t schoolgirls, damn, they have even been married for more than a couple of days — but she is confident: she’ll never get enough of Vesper’s (even the most innocent!) touch.

“We can’t stand this way forever.” Vesper chuckles releasing Nova from her sudden trance. “Our food will be cold.”

“You’re the strongest witch I know. Do you really want to say you can’t keep it warm if you want to?” Nova teases her a bit but sits down. “Did you really prepare all of this by yourself?”

Vesper smiles playfully.

“Having you believe I can do anything is extremely pleasant but no. For starters, it would be difficult to get into a famous building that is not supposed to be visited without attracting unwanted attention of local police. Especially doing so a couple of times.”

“Shen was here?”

“Not just him.”

Nova nods. She’s got to say thank you later. It is obvious Ves has said thank you herself, probably it was even a material thank you. But you can’t say it too much.

Nova lifts the lid that keeps the food warm and after seeing Vesper doing the same, she looks inside. The smell makes her heart beat faster.

“You remembered.” The attention she got makes her feel unexpectedly pleasant.

“Nova,” Vesper sounds as if she is trying not to sigh. “Of course I remembered. We are married. I do actually listen to you”.

“It’s just…” Nova starts to speak but does not finish the sentence. They both get it anyway. She always tells Vesper herself that it is okay to ask for help, it shouldn’t be scary to be vulnerable, and it is absolutely normal that a loved one is attentive to the things you hold dear, it is not that easy for her as well. The angry thought that she is just a tool still hurts, still doesn’t want to leave her for good even after all the pushing away she has tried.

And yet Vesper proves her over and over again that she does actually care. Just like she does now.

“I did actually play on your weaknesses,” Vesper confessed the day when Nova came to her after they stole the Conduit.

“…And I will spend the rest of my days proving to you that everything that arose from that playing, is real. That we are real.” Vesper cleared her throat before she was able to finish her wedding vow.

And yet Vesper proves Nova over and over again that everything is real.

“Nova?” Vesper’s voice leads her away from her both happy and hurtful memories. “You’re weirdly absent today.”

“Sorry.” Nova smiles somewhat guiltily. “I was thinking about the way we got here.”

She takes the cutlery and tries the food. Her taste buds seem to go nuts. Nova feels like she’s never eaten anything more delicious in her life — and yet the taste is exactly the same as that one.

“How did you do it?” She looks at her wife with amazement. “It does really taste the same way as in that restaurant where dad and I were when I was fifteen.”

Just once in her life when she started to rebel as a teenager, Cardinal took a risk to be seen with his Other daughter. She wasn’t allowed to call him dad, they took Marie-Louise with them to cover for them, but Nova was incredibly happy. This was an undoubtedly happy memory for Nova even when her father’s manipulations became obvious to her. It was that day when she tried that shrimp pasta. People said the restaurant’s chef was half French, half Italian and learned something from both cultures.

Nova told Vesper about it long ago but didn’t even consider that she gave it a second thought. Though, if one would think a bit about it, she did ask a couple of extra questions about where the restaurant was and what else was in the dish…

“Do you really wish to learn the Master’s secret?” Vesper says boldly, leans to Nova over the table and whispers. “Alright then. I had to kill the chef for it.”

Nova’s eyes widen.

“I’m kidding, Nova. I just stole his family recipe.”

“Vesper,” Nova nearly growls.

“Fine, fine. I just came to the restaurant, told him a sob story and he agreed to have a small not-entirely-vacation in France for a small reward.”

Nova nearly lets a sigh out. She thought before that a lift to the Eiffel Tower and a dinner there would be expensive, and Vesper brought a couple of people to France just to fulfil her teenage dream. An expensive gesture. And yet Nova doesn’t have neither the strength nor the desire to rebel against such waste of money. The strength is taken by the long walk on the stairs and the desire by a weird warm feeling that spreads firstly across her chest, then her whole body. Vesper does care.

“Actually, there is a second reason we’re here,” Vesper says while moving the dessert closer to Nova. She scoops chocolate mousse with a spoon and listens.

“Remember, last time we were here… In France, not on the Medici column,” Vesper specifies. “I told you that when everything ends, we could move away from Italy?”

Nova nods. Their life in France when they were on their mission seems so far away and the plans they made back then so unrealistic. Back then it seemed that the life after their victory will be — well, not easy — but normal. Like normal people have. But they couldn’t just leave. Vesper had her duties and Nova… Nova had her Vesper.

“I know I have told you all this time that it is not yet time to live for ourselves, that we have to finish what we started. But yet I promised you we could leave Italy. Be free. Be together, just the two of us. And I realised I can’t keep sacrificing both of our freedoms for the freedom of others.” Vesper exhales. The words don’t come out easily. “That’s why I wasn’t just busy with a client but also did my research on selling the business. We could get quite some money for it, effortlessly start a life wherever we would go. Even here.

Nova remains silent while processing what she just heard.

“What do you say?” Vesper asks. “It’s your decision. You went wherever I led you for quite a long time. It is time for me to follow you even to the edge of the world.”

Nova thinks. She doesn’t really remember what she told Vesper the last time. She was probably glad. Rome was linked to a lot of pain for her, to her inability to accept who she was, to the memories of treachery, to the childhood she never had. But their mission gave her something she never thought she could have. It is not just Vesper. She had Onyx — her Onyx who showed her how important the connection between a witch and her familiar can be. She had her magic lessons with Nazima — with whom they became best friends when the mission was over. Then there was Shen’s and Bea’s boy whom they adopted soon after the war. He became Nova’s magical godson — she didn’t even know such things existed. She had her Friday coffee with Lucien — the only person in the world who could discuss literature and art with her until they were out of breath (well, only Nova was).

“You don’t want to.” Vesper doesn’t ask, she states.

“Does it make you sad?” Nova gently clarifies.

“I had a plan for this, so no.”

“It’s just… I understood that we accidently got ourselves a family. It is not just our duties anymore. We can’t leave everyone behind.” Nova shrugs slightly and licks chocolate mousse from her spoon.

“Maybe all of it was for this.” Vesper smiles with the corner of her lip. “Now I think that even if we didn’t succeed, if we continued to live in the harsh and unfair world, if no one would be held responsible for my loneliness, I could still live with that. Because I would have had you. Because I would have had all of you.”

Nova barely restrains herself from asking her about her favourite game and whether she’s not been cloned by a polymorph again.

“You wouldn’t think so.”

“I wouldn’t.” Vesper nods in agreement. “But the world we got… I am willing to bare it the way it is now. I want to focus on ourselves and live our peaceful, normal lives.”

“In this case, senora Supreme Witch.” Nova stands up from her chair, smiles cunningly and licks the chocolate from her upper lip. “I’d like to start by inviting you to a dance.”

Vesper’s eyes light up. Nova makes a difficult magical move — the one she learned just yesterday while she was awaiting Vesper’s return from work — and the first waltz notes sound. She gives her wife a hand and gently puts the second one on her waist. For a moment she worries if Vesper took care of hiding their presence before the date — they wouldn’t want to be interrupted by the local police in the worst moment possible — but relaxes after the first turn allowing Vesper to lead.

Nova found out that Ves is just as good in dancing as she is in all the other things she does at some banquet where they are invited to as the Others’ ambassadors.

“Where did you learn that? I beg you not to say you had ballroom dances class at the home for Others.” Nova asked admiringly after she was able to catch a breath.

“Well, I needed an ordinary hobby for my cover,” Vesper chuckled, clearly amused with herself. “I took a couple of dance lessons.”

“Couple of lessons,” Nova laughs to herself thinking back about this conversation. Vesper twirls her in a dance so easily as if she doesn’t weigh a single gram. Nova now is able to catch up with her quite easily and doesn’t mess up the footwork anymore. Vesper tries to say no every single time — which makes this evening an exception! — but dances with her every time correcting her mistakes, starting over and over again during the rare evenings she has some spare time for it. And yet Nova is still not half as good as Vesper is after her “couple of lessons”.

“You know I think it’s time for me to meet your godson like a normal person.” Vesper says suddenly in the middle of another turn.

“He’ll be happy. And so will I. And Shen and Bea probably too,” Nova responds haltingly and swallows up the joke about “well, even if you don’t always see it with them”. “I thought you were avoiding him.”

It is hard to say for sure with all the darkness on the column, but it seems to Nova that Vesper’s cheeks become somewhat red and she gazes away.

“It might be so,” she answers honestly. “Maybe I’m just running from it.”

“From a kid?” Nova looks at her perplexedly.

“From the fact we could also settle down somewhere…”

Vesper doesn’t finish the sentence, but Nova knows what she means regardless. They could also — just hypothetically! — have a kid. Nova doesn’t know what she thinks of it yet, but she understands what it means for Ves. They could really choose for themselves, not for the whole world.

The last notes sound. Nova takes a step back, but Vesper slightly presses her fingers together, keeping Nova’s hand in hers.

“I’ve seen my worth in the changes I brought to the Others for such a long time. I’ve seen the Alliance as the allies in this difficult battle. It is because of you we finally became family.”

Nova takes a step forward and Nova feels herself covered by the mint smell that becomes a part of her.

“I’ve told you this when we married already, but I want to be with you. Just with you, with no mission, no world saving. We did so much for the others, we did enough, and we deserve to just…” Vesper stops as if she needs to make an effort to realise what do normal people do in their normal lives. “Go on some picknicks, play with our godchildren, talk about ordinary things.”

“And to dance in the evenings?” Nova asks with a little laugh. Get her wife’s promise while she is all lyrical — can it get any better?

Vesper rolls her eyes a bit.

“And to dance in the evenings if it makes you happier.”

A wide smile shows on Nova’s face. It doesn’t make her happier — it makes her the happiest woman in the entire universe.

“Then we will try. Over and over again,” Vesper promises.

“Over and over again,” Nova repeats like an echo.

In the end this is the most honest promise they can make to one another. It might be not now, not on the first try, but they will walk away from their endless struggle, and they will learn to live their completely normal lives. And they will go on some picknicks, play with their godchildren and talk about ordinary things.

And they will most definitely dance in the evenings.

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myxthix · 2 months ago

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Mommy lost

You hear Kairo tiny voice, your four-year-old son, say it unfiltered, as only a child can. You're sitting in the living room watching WWE when it happens: Rhea Ripley loses.

You saw it too. You saw it all. The three-count, the sound of the bell, the surprise in the arena... and now, that strange mix in your stomach. Because Rhea never loses. Not like that. Not like this.

You don't know if the audience is more shocked than you are. Or if you should be worried about the woman who's clearly about to rip off the head of anyone who crosses her path when she gets back to the locker room.

Kairo doesn't flinch. He just climbs onto your lap, his curls tousled, and repeats more softly:

—But we're leaving tomorrow, right? —Are we going to see little fish tomorrow? —Yes. We're going to the beach. —Is Mommy coming? —Of course, she is. —Even though she lost? —Even though she lost.

He thinks about it for another second. —What if the ocean heals her? —he says with a small smile and his sweet childlike tone. He's already climbing onto the back of the couch as if it were a mountain.

—I hope so —you caress his hair, comforting him. —Yes, love. We're leaving tomorrow. And how lucky, you think. Because what comes after a defeat like that isn't easy… and the only antidote you know is home.

That night.

You hear the front door open. You recognize it by the creak of the hinge, by how it closes with a soft, measured thud. It's not fury. It's contained tension. She just got home; you don't know what awaits you, you don't quite know how to handle it. Kairo immediately straightened up from his spot on the couch, his dinosaur slippers dangling from his feet.

—Mommy!

But he stops when he sees her face. Rhea doesn't cry. Never. But her eyes are red. And that frown hasn't left since the match ended. You just pat the cushion beside you. A silent invitation, because you know she needs more than words.

Rhea looks at both of you.

—I'm going to shower —she says, without stopping. She goes upstairs without waiting for an answer, without stopping. She needs that moment to vent and not unleash her own anger on her family. Instead, you see your baby still standing in the middle of the hallway; you step forward, go to him, and take his little hand.

—Is she mad? —he asks with a cute pout. You hug him and pick him up.

—She's tired. But she'll be okay tomorrow. The ocean heals many things, remember? —He nods, and in silence, they both wait. Because they know that Mommy, even though she lost today, will soon be the champion she always is again.

—Is Mommy grounded? —No, love. She's just tired. —But... she's not mad at me, right? —No, my love. Never at you. It just wasn't a good day for her. —You understand. He looks at the stairs for another moment, then sits beside you. He opens his mouth in a yawn and snuggles against you with his dinosaur toy.

—I'm going to lend her Dino. So she can feel strong again. —She'll like that.

After doing Kai's nightly routine and putting him to bed, you close his door carefully and walk down the hallway, sighing. You stop in front of your closed bedroom door. The silence is heavy, but not empty. There's something contained on the other side. Something that's been simmering since Rhea walked through that door and hasn't exploded… yet.

You take a deep breath. You turn the doorknob.

It's time to face your wife's anger.

And not the anger that throws chairs or crushes rivals. No. This is different. Quieter. More vulnerable. The kind she only lets out with you. The room is dimly lit; the bedside lamp is on, but very faint. Rhea is sitting on the edge of the bed, her back to you, her hair damp cascading down her back and her shoulders tense as if she were still in the ring.

She doesn't turn to look at you when you enter. She doesn't say anything. But she knows you're there. You close the door without a sound.

—Kai's asleep now —you say softly, as you walk towards her. You hear her breathing heavily as if she were still in the ring fighting to get her title back.

She barely nods. Minimal.

—Did he say anything to you? —she asks abruptly, unwilling to open any emotional door.

—He said he wanted to lend you Rex… in case you felt weak.

That makes her exhale through her nose, almost a bitter laugh.

—Weak? —she repeats. Then she stands up abruptly. She's wearing a loose t-shirt and shorts that barely peek out from under the hem. She looks out the window as if the world outside were to blame. As if the night could give her the answers the match couldn't.

—You know he didn't mean it like that, he's a child who saw his mother come home upset. We… —Rhea interrupts you, still looking out the bedroom window.

—Are you going to tell me you were proud? That I did well? —she snaps without looking at you—. Because if you're going to give me one of those "you're strong even if you lost" speeches…

—I didn't come to tell you any of that —you reply calmly, closing the distance a bit. Just enough to see her, not so much as to invade her space. She barely turns her face.

—Then what are you doing here?

—I'm with you. I'm not doing it because you need it, or out of pity. Everyone knows you're strong, me more than anyone —you reply, without raising your voice—. I'm doing it because I want to.

That disarms her… but not entirely. Rhea isn't ready to be seen broken. And with you, she knows, she'd break easily.

She crosses her arms, takes a couple of steps around the room. She's so charged with energy that she seems about to explode. But she doesn't. She shoots with words.

—Do you know what it feels like to lose when you knew you could win? Do you know what it's like to hear people scream as if I deserved it? As if they were waiting for me to fall!

—No, I don't know —you say, not trying to compete with her pain—. But I know what it's like to see you give it your all. And to see how it devours you inside when it's not enough.

Rhea stops. She looks at you at last. There's fire in her eyes, but also something else: frustration mixed with wounded pride. She wants to scream. She wants to fight. But not with you.

—I'm so angry… —she finally says, her voice almost breaking.

—I know.

—With myself. With the referee. With her. With the damn universe —she spits—. And I feel stupid for letting it affect me like this. It's just a match! Just one more! But I can't turn it off.

You take another step.

—You don't have to turn it off.

She presses her lips together. Looks towards the bed. Then at you.

—Don't come closer yet. No. Please, I can't handle this right now. I don't want to say anything wrong.

You nod. You don't get closer. You just sit in the corner chair, crossing your hands.

—I'm not going to touch you. I'm not going to tell you it's okay. I'm just going to stay here. With you.

Long minutes pass. She says nothing. But she doesn't ask you to leave either.

And that, coming from Rhea is already a step.

📍📄English is not my first language, so there may be mistakes. I only do what gives me peace, which is writing.

#rhea ripley x fem reader #rhea ripley x you #mami rhea #rhea ripley fanfiction #mom #mommy rhea ripley

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myxthix · 2 months ago

Text

The Mirror's Favorite

Backstage was always chaos: muffled voices, heels clacking against the floor, lights too bright and egos even bigger. But amidst all that overflowing energy, there was only one person who could make my world stop.

I searched for her with my eyes as I dodged a couple of hurried makeup artists. There she was. Sitting with one leg crossed over the other, hunched over her phone, as if the world could wait for her to finish replying to that message.

My little nightmare.

I approached from behind and, without a word, slid around her chair, brushing my fingers around her shoulders before moving in front of her, as if it were the most normal thing to do.

"Did you miss me?" I whispered, with a smile I rarely gave anyone.

She looked up without startling. She simply arched an eyebrow, the one she used to disarm rivals, and me too.

"You took your time," Rhea said with feigned annoyance, though she didn't pull away.

I let out a soft laugh as I sat in the chair facing the mirror, letting my reflection observe her instead of turning completely around.

Her smile was pure provocation. She leaned in a little closer, just enough for her breath to brush my ear.

"Maybe you had fun at the company party last night."

My breathing hitched for a second. I knew she was playing, that she liked to make me nervous. The worst part was, it worked.

"Careful," I said in a low voice. "Ripley might get jealous."

Our eyes met in the mirror. The laughter in hers softened, grew more intimate. The rest of the world ceased to exist for a moment. Just us, that shared reflection, and everything we hadn't dared to say yet.

Because we knew. Both of us.

This was more than a game. The night they had, amidst drinks, dancing, and many wrestlers in the same bar, where they managed to find each other for a moment, where Rhea's gaze lingering for more than a second on Theo's body turned into something more; something they had been playing with for weeks until the breaking point was the party, where they kissed, where Theo woke up in a hotel room and a message saying she had to leave early, not to worry, no one saw her leave.

The murmur of the backstage seemed to have died down, as if only we existed in that invisible bubble we created every time we were together.

I settled in front of her, gripping the brush a little harder than necessary, as I leaned closer, seeing Rhea already wearing that half-smile. I felt her warmth and her breath close by as I tried to work.

"You know?" she whispered, her eyes fixed on me, that low, confident voice that made me lose focus. "Sometimes I wonder what would happen if we stopped playing and just… tried."

My hands paused, the brush suspended in the air. I didn't know if I was dreaming or if I had really heard those words.

"Try what?" I asked.

"This," she said, that word laden with meaning and everything we didn't dare to say out loud.

The silence was louder than any background noise. Then she pulled back a little, searching for my eyes in the mirror.

"I don't want anything to ruin what we have, but… I feel like if we don't talk, it will end up ruining us anyway."

I took a deep breath. I turned completely and looked at her with sincerity.

"I'm not good at talking about feelings, you know that," I confessed. "But you… you are… I don't know what to tell you, Rhea, you have that damned confidence wherever you go and you come in here while I'm working and you distract me… you… " I looked at her again, pointing the brush at her chest—"...you're playing with me! I want to understand this."

Her smile was sweet and genuine, and for the first time in a long time, I felt the tension between us transform into something that could be beautiful.

"You don't have to pretend, Theo. I know that behind that seriousness there's a person who also burns, only you hide it better than anyone."

She smiled, her lips curving into a sweet expression she rarely showed.

"Maybe I just needed a little push," she replied.

Rhea brushed her fingers against mine, letting the silence fill with unspoken promises.

"I'm willing to find out what comes next."

"Then let's start," she said, gently taking my hand. "Without fear."

And at that instant, I knew everything was about to change.

📍📑This is something new, I have a lot of ideas in mind about stories but I'm quite afraid to publish until today I said I'll leave this here and I'm going to disappear from the earth, English is not my first language maybe it has mistakes, but something I do have is the recent obsession I have with Rhea Ripley

#rhea ripley x reader #rhea ripley x you #rhea ripley #rhea ripley fanfic #rhea ripley fanfiction #mami rhea

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myxthix · 4 months ago

Text

She’s with the Director

Masterlist

Pairing: Maya Mason x fem!reader

Summary: When Hollywood’s strangest new director begins quietly shopping her next script, Matt Remnick loses his mind trying to find her. Mysterious, brilliant, and barely reachable, she’s the kind of director that could give him his Rosemary’s Baby… if he can track her down.

Maya Mason isn’t worried.

Because the strangest woman in Hollywood that the studio is chasing? She already has her.

Word Count: 9K

Warnings: explicit smut, strap-on use, MDNI

A/N: This is just a quick little Maya fic I wrote while catching up on The Studio finally, I definitely want to write more Maya so any suggestions would be great xo

Matt Remick bursts into the conference room like he’s just come from war… or worse, a breakfast meeting with Griffin.

He’s got that look. Wide eyes, rumpled blazer, the smell of overpriced oat milk clinging to him like defeat. But he’s grinning like he just found the last golden ticket in Hollywood. “Big news,” he says. “Huge news.”

The team’s already waiting, Sal is sprawled in his usual seat with a breakfast burrito and a hangover, Quinn tapping away on her tablet with one AirPod in, and Patty Leigh sipping tea like she’s three seconds away from biting someone.

Sal doesn’t look up from his phone. “You always say that and it’s never huge man.”

“No,” Matt says, too pumped to be insulted. “No, this is real.”

Patty sighs and sets her tea down with careful grace. “What is it Matthew? You look like you’re about to wet yourself.”

Matt drops his phone on the table, screen facing up. It’s paused on a still from Wolves at the Well, that shot, the one with the lake and the antlers and the girl screaming underwater. Instantly recognizable. Instantly iconic.

“She’s looking for a studio,” Matt announces, reverent. “She’s looking for a studio.”

Quinn looks up. “Who is?”

Matt lets the silence drag just long enough to be dramatic. “Y/N Y/L/N.”

A pause.

Quinn straightens. “Wait. Seriously?”

Patty’s brows raise, skeptical but intrigued. “She’s leaving her indie? I thought she was some kind of cursed forest nymph who only works with companies run out of moss-covered cabins.”

Matt is glowing now. “Nope. Word is she’s looking for a studio. Not an indie label, not some moody investor with a fetish for Icelandic grief dramas. A studio. She wants scale. Reach. And after Wolves exploded? She’s got leverage. She wants to tell bigger stories and still keep control. We can offer that.”

Patty leans back, calculating. “How sure are you?”

“I’ve got three sources,” Matt says. “And her agent’s being cagey, which means it’s real.”

Quinn stares at him. “She’s the biggest thing in film right now. Her movie’s still breaking streaming records. If she’s even considering going big…”

“She is,” Matt says. “And I want her here.”

Silence.

Patty lifts a brow. “You really think she’s going to give up witchy obscurity for a studio boardroom?”

Matt grins. “Not for any studio. But this one? If we pitch it right? We can blow A24 out of the fucking water.”

Patty leans back, amused. “And who, pray tell, is going to convince her?”

Sal whistles low. “Okay, I’ll bite. What’s the plan?”

Matt points around the room like he’s handing out weapons in a war room.

“Quinn- I want everything. Press, panels, podcast interviews. Get inside her head. I want to know what she wants before she does.”

“On it.”

“Sal- find out who else is sniffing around. What they’re offering, who she’s talking to. No one moves without us knowing about it.”

Sal nods, already typing on his phone.

Matt turns to Patty. “You’re producing the pitch. She’s not a ‘take her to lunch and flatter her’ type. She’ll want vision. Integrity. Respect. Sell her on what we aren’t.”

Patty gives a slow, dangerous smile. “I do love a challenge.”

Then Matt turns to Maya.

And the energy shifts.

She hasn’t spoken. Head to toe in Louis Vuitton streetwear, tight ponytail, three rings on each finger, legs crossed like she’s not even paying attention. But her jaw tightens at the sound of your name.

She’s already read your new script. She read it in bed while you lay next to her, legs tangled with hers, chewing the end of a pencil and asking if she thought the ending was too kind. She didn’t answer. She kissed you instead.

“You marketed Wolves at the Well,” Matt says. “She loved that campaign. She said it was the only time her work didn’t feel… diluted.”

Maya says nothing.

“She trusted you,” Matt continues. “You get her tone. You get her weird, terrifying mind. If anyone can figure out how to bring her in, it’s you.”

Maya exhales slowly. “She doesn’t do meetings. She doesn’t do people.”

Matt shrugs. “Then don’t make it feel like a meeting. Make it feel like whatever the hell she needs it to be. We just need her to talk to us.”

Maya tilts her head. “You want a horror film with a ten-minute silent sequence where a woman stares into a mirror and rips her teeth out one by one, and you think I’m the key to selling it?”

Matt grins. “Exactly. And I think you’ve still got a line to her.”

Her eyes narrow. “What makes you think that?”

Matt shrugs. “Because if I were her, and I trusted anyone in this hellhole, it’d be you.”

A beat.

Maya leans back in her chair, her expression unreadable.

“I’ll see what I can do,” she says.

The boardroom becomes a war room.

Matt’s pacing again, sleeves rolled up like that helps him think. He’s surrounded by stacks of folders, half-eaten pastries, open laptops, and a terrifying number of Post-it notes.

“We can’t find her,” he says, hands in his hair. “I mean, what the fuck, we cannot find her. Where does she go when she disappears between projects?” he demands. “Nobody just vanishes anymore.”

“She does,” Quinn says, flicking through a spreadsheet. “She doesn’t have a personal Instagram, hasn’t been seen at a public event in eight months, and there’s literally one known address on file, some cabin in Northern California that may or may not exist.”

“She’s not completely off the grid,” Sal argues, waving his phone. “She liked a tweet two weeks ago.”

Matt spins on him. “What tweet?”

“It was about practical effects in horror. But the tweet got deleted, so…”

“So she’s alive, but elusive.” Matt pinches the bridge of his nose. “Great.”

Sal doesn’t even look up from his screen. “No publicist, no assistant, no active socials. Her website is literally a black screen with a Latin quote and a candle that burns out if you hover over it too long.”

“That’s performance art, not contact information!” Matt snaps.

Patty sips her tea. “She’s a ghost with awards.”

Matt slams a file down. “I promised Griffin we were talking to her this week. I called her the next big thing. The anti-Marvel. The future of smart cinema. He said, and I quote, ‘We need her in the building before A24 eats our souls and pisses out another Oscar.’”

Patty doesn’t blink. “And you told him you had this in the bag didn’t you?”

“I panicked!” Matt throws his arms up. “And now we’re screwed.”

He turns, wild-eyed, to Maya, who’s lounging in her chair with one knee up, chewing on the end of a pen and looking like this is the most fun she’s had in months.

“You marketed her last movie,” Matt clings to the one link he has to you. “You got her. You understood her. You got into her head. If anyone knows where she might be, it's you.”

Maya stretches slowly, deliberately, and shrugs. “Maybe she’s just… busy. Maybe she doesn’t want to be found.”

Quinn blinks. “Isn’t she developing something?”

“She’s always developing something,” Sal mutters. “The question is where. And with who.”

Matt’s pacing again. “We’re talking about the woman who made a horror movie about intergenerational trauma and demonic taxidermy and made it a hit. She’s brilliant. She’s unstable. She’s perfect. And she’s missing.”

Patty tilts her head. “She’s not missing. She’s choosing not to be seen.”

Matt points at her like she just unlocked the final puzzle piece. “YES. Exactly. She’s choosing. And we need to give her a reason to choose us. We need bait. Blood in the water. Something that says, ‘We get it. We’re not like the others. We won’t sand down your edges.’”

Sal sighs. “You’ve got a weird artsy cinephile boner for this woman haven’t you?”

Quinn looks toward Maya. “Seriously though… no leads at all?”

Maya shrugs again, slower this time. “Maybe I didn’t leave the door open far enough.”

Matt groans, dragging a hand down his face. “Oh my god. We are so fucked.”

Maya just smiles. Calm. Knowing. Not offering anything. Not rushing. Not helping. Not yet.

Hours pass.

The conference room gets darker as the sun goes down, but no one bothers with the lights. The glow from laptops and phones and half-dead chargers is enough. A shrine to failure, if you asked Maya, which, blessedly, no one does.

Quinn ks scrolling with the intensity of someone hacking into the Pentagon. “Okay, I found a podcast she did anonymously five years ago under a fake name. I think it’s her because she mentions a childhood fear of mirrors and references a book no one else ever talks about-”

Matt cuts her off. “Is there an email?”

“No,” Quinn says, without missing a beat.

Sal’s got three tabs open: Reddit, IMDbPro, and a very messy spreadsheet titled WITCH LEADS. “Someone swears they saw her in Prague. Someone else thinks she’s living in a commune in upstate New York.”

Matt looks physically ill. “I told Griffin we had momentum.”

Patty snorts from where she’s taken up residence at the head of the table, reading over a dog-eared draft of one of your old scripts. “She is actively avoiding being found. This is artful silence. Intentional disappearance. She’s not playing hard to get. She’s playing divine to be untouched.”

“She has to want something,” Matt insists, like he’s trying to manifest you. “People don’t vanish unless they want to be chased.”

“Or left alone,” Quinn offers gently.

Matt groans and flops into a chair. “Why does she have to be like this?”

Maya, still perched like a cat on the edge of her chair, flips her pen between her fingers. “Because if she wasn’t like this, you wouldn’t want her half as much.”

The room stills for a beat.

Matt narrows his eyes. “You’re enjoying this.”

Maya lifts a brow. “A little.”

“You know something,” he says, sitting up straighter. “You’re being weirdly calm.”

“I’m always calm,” she lies.

Quinn glances over. “Seriously, Maya, no old contacts? No secret email? No unlisted number?”

Maya yawns. “If I did, don’t you think I’d have used it by now?”

Patty side-eyes her. “Would you?”

Maya doesn’t answer. Because the truth is: she hasn’t even tried. Not really. She could send one message. Just one. And you’d answer. But where’s the fun in that?

Three long, caffeine-stained, sleep-deprived days since Matt declared, loud and confident, that you were in play.

You were not in play. You’re hovering above like a spectral deity, ignoring every pitch deck and soft outreach like none of it matters, which, to you, it probably doesn’t.

Griffin is starting to hover. “Any updates?” has turned into “When will I see something?” and now it’s morphing into That Tone—that sharp, glossy warning that means the countdown has started.

Matt is in executive hell.

So he does the only thing he can do to cope: gets drunk and high with Sal and spirals through someone else’s movie.

Before the film, though, they hit up a spot Sal swears will “cure all emotional disease”, a high-end Italian place in West Hollywood that’s all mood lighting, rich velvet, and wine lists the size of novellas.

They meet at a high-end Italian place with dark velvet booths, moody jazz, and wine lists thicker than a studio script rewrite.

“I can’t believe she’s ghosting us,” Matt says, sinking into the booth. “Us, Sal. She makes one demonic deer movie and suddenly we’re not worthy of her divine witch vibes?”

Sal takes a sip of red wine and shrugs. “You knew what you were getting into. This is why I date Pilates instructors.”

Matt ignores him. “You know what the worst part is? It’s not even rejection. It’s- it’s nothing. She hasn’t even acknowledged we exist. It’s like trying to cast a fucking spell and getting static.”

Sal leans back. “You’re mixing your metaphors, man. You need carbs. Or a Xanax.”

Matt raises his glass. “Or both.”

Matt waves for a martini like it’s a sedative. “She’s out there somewhere. I know it. And we’re gonna lose her. I can feel it.”

Sal shrugs, flipping open the menu. “Then let her go. Find another terrifying gay auteur.”

Matt glares. “She’s the terrifying auteur. There is no one else.”

But before Sal can mock him further, something shifts in the room.

Matt glances up and freezes. There, in a deep velvet booth lit by a golden sconce, sits Maya Mason.

All sharp cheekbones and matte lipstick, black Gucci suit jacket slung over her shoulders, wine glass in hand. Her posture says I’m relaxed, but her eyes are calculating, ever so slightly narrowed.

Matt freezes. Elbows Sal.

Sal glances over and lets out a low whistle. “Damn. Didn’t peg her for this level of bougie.”

Matt perks up. “Oh my god. Maya’s here. Should we go over?”

Matt starts to stand.

And then… you appear.

A soft, sudden presence moving through the space like perfume flitting over from the bar like a dream or a hallucination or some kind of punishment designed specifically for Matt’s crumbling sanity. You’re wrapped in silk and leather, a drink in one hand, your expression easy and unhurried.

You’re glowing under the amber light, glass in hand, lips glossed. You walk toward the booth without a second of hesitation. You slide in beside Maya, lean in, and press a kiss to her cheek. She murmurs something, barely audible, but her arm wraps around your waist. You settle into her side like it’s yours. Like it’s always been yours.

Matt’s mouth falls open. He grabs Sal’s arm, white-knuckled. “Is that…?”

“That’s her,” Sal breathes. “That’s her.”

“She’s been in the city this whole time?”

“In Maya’s lap.”

Matt blinks rapidly. “She’s the mystery of the industry. The director no one can contact. She communicates in riddles and metaphors and one-word emails and now she’s just… she’s just- here?!”

They both duck slightly behind the wine rack like two deeply uncool spies.

“Do we go over there?” Sal whispers.

“I can’t,” Matt hisses. “I’m wearing H&M.”

He peeks again. You’re laughing now, soft and warm, gently nudging Maya’s shoulder as you sip something golden from a heavy crystal glass. Maya says something and tucks a piece of hair behind your ear. You smile up at her like she built the sky.

Matt slumps back down, clutching his drink. “We’re dead. Griffin’s going to turn me into a chair.”

Sal mutters, “Holy shit.”

Maya glances up and sees them. Her smile drops a millimeter. Her eyes narrow. Fucking hell. She takes a long, slow sip of her drink. Not because she’s thirsty, but because she needs a second to breathe through the coming wave of Matt’s voice, emails, frantic walk-and-talks, and existential screeds about visionary cinema.

You tilt your head. “Are you okay?”

Maya smiles at you, soft but thin. “Yeah. Just spotted something annoying.”

You turn, casually following her gaze, eyes landing on the two stunned men standing by the maître d’.

You clock them instantly.

Maya exhales, like this is exactly the kind of nonsense she’d been trying to avoid. She rubs your thigh under the table, gently, grounding.

“Listen…” she mutters. “Continental studio… Matt and Sal over there, they want to make your next movie.”

You blink again, surprised but not rattled. “They do?”

“They’re fucking gagging for it.”

You tilt your head, amused. “Is that why they look like they’re about to pass out?”

“Yup.”

You giggle softly and kiss her cheek. “How flattering.”

Maya sighs, resigned. “So much for a quiet night.” She holds Matt’s gaze for a beat. Then lifts her glass.

A quiet, unreadable toast.

Across the restaurant, Matt stares into the middle distance like he’s experiencing ego death. “I’m going to throw up,” Matt mutters.

Sal raises his wine. “To lesbian espionage.”

You’re halfway through dessert, some ridiculous tower of hazelnut praline and dark chocolate that Maya ordered “because you deserve nice things”, when the shadows shift beside your table.

You glance up.

Matt Remick is standing there, eyes wide, smile tight, like he’s just come face to face with a god and doesn’t know if he should bow or cry.

Sal’s with him. Two steps behind. A little too much wine, a little too confident.

“We’ve been trying to reach you!” Matt says, breathless.

Maya groans under her breath.

You blink. “Clearly.”

Matt laughs nervously, motioning at the booth. “Can we- uh- join you? Just for a minute. We don’t want to interrupt. Well, we are interrupting. But we don’t want to.”

You glance at Maya. She doesn’t say anything, just leans back, arms crossed, watching with the calm of a lion in tall grass.

You nod and gesture to the other side of the table. “Go on then.”

They slide in like two college freshmen sitting down with the headmistress.

Matt clears his throat. “First of all, let me just say… we’re huge fans. Everyone at the studio is. Your work is… it’s revolutionary.”

You give a polite, noncommittal nod. Maya sips her drink, unmoved.

Then Sal leans in, far too casually. “Didn’t know you were a lesbian!” he says, grinning. “Not that there’s anything wrong with that- I mean, honestly it’s my most searched porn tab.”

Matt physically recoils.

You blink. Once. Slowly.

Maya does not react. At all. Just shifts, placing her hand casually on your thigh under the table.

Sal keeps going, like a man joyfully flinging himself off a cliff. “No, seriously. I mean, it’s hot, right? You two together. Power couple. You got that dark academia meets streetwear vibe. Like if The Craft had a PR department.”

You raise an eyebrow, tilting your head ever so slightly. “This,” you say flatly, “is who wants to make my movie?”

Matt slaps Sal’s shoulder hard enough to shake the table. “Ignore him. He’s… he’s not usually like this.”

Maya leans in then, finally. “Oh, no,” she says, voice syrupy with sarcasm. “He’s exactly like this.”

Matt’s smile stretches thinner. “We just wanted to let you know- if you’re developing something new, we would love to talk. No pressure, obviously, but our door is wide open.”

You study him for a moment, sipping your drink. You don’t answer right away. You just… let the silence grow. It stretches long enough that Matt starts to visibly sweat.

Then finally, you look at Maya. “I thought they were gonna be taller,” you say.

Maya snorts into her glass.

Maya’s been smirking the whole ride back. She kicked her heels off in the car, feet in your lap, your fingers tracing slow circles against her ankle while she casually recounted every second of Matt and Sal’s implosion over dinner like it was the highlight of her year.

“‘Didn’t know you were a lesbian!’” she says, mimicking Sal with a cartoonishly terrible voice. “‘It’s my most searched porn tab!’ Babe. Babe. I almost choked on my fuckin wine.”

You laugh softly, leaning your head against the leather seat. “You loved it.”

“Oh, I loved watching you scare the shit out of them. I could feel Matt’s soul trying to exit through his eyeballs.”

You hum, smiling to yourself. “He really looked like he was meeting the cryptid he’s been chasing for years.”

Maya grins, sharp and smug. “And she was just sitting in my lap the whole time.”

Later, at home, you’re curled up in bed together. Maya’s shirt is unbuttoned, her skin warm against yours, one arm thrown over you like she’s never letting go. The lights are low. The city hums far below the windows.

She’s scrolling idly on her phone, probably reading headlines about someone else’s PR failure, when you shift closer, pressing your cheek to her collarbone.

“Maya?”

She hums in response, not looking away.

You trace your finger along the inside of her wrist, gentle. “Want me to pick your studio?”

That gets her attention. She lowers the phone and looks down at you.

Your eyes are soft, wide, full of something quiet and real. “Give you complete control over the marketing?” you ask, voice like silk. “Let you run the campaign. Do it your way. No committee. Just you.”

Maya stares at you for a moment. “You’d do that for me, baby?”

You nod, nuzzling into her like it’s the easiest thing in the world. “Of course I would.”

She exhales, long and slow, like she wasn’t expecting that to hit her so hard.

“Fuck,” she mutters, more to herself than to you. “I really got you, huh?”

You nod again, smiling, utterly gone for her.

She kisses your forehead, her lips lingering. Then she pulls back just enough to look down at you with a slow grin. “Yeah?” she murmurs. “Alright, baby girl. I’ll set up the meeting.”

You smile, nodding, and then lean in again, just a little, just enough to brush your lips along her collarbone.

She freezes for a second.

You press another kiss, soft and slow, just below her throat.

“Baby,” she says, voice a warning, a whisper.

You don’t answer. You just kiss higher, up the slope of her neck, the angle of her jaw, your breath warm against her pulse. You feel the way her arm tightens around you, like she’s trying to stay cool, trying not to let on that she’s already halfway gone.

Then she turns her head, catches your mouth with hers. It starts soft, slow and indulgent, her fingers slipping into your hair as your lips move against hers in lazy, exploring rhythm. You tilt into her, pressing yourself closer, one hand slipping under the open edge of her shirt to rest against her stomach.

Maya deepens the kiss like she’s claiming it, her hand sliding down your back, pulling you more fully into her lap.

She breaks away just long enough to breathe, forehead pressed to yours. “You get like this when you make big promises?” she murmurs, smiling against your mouth.

You smile back, lips brushing hers. “Only for you.”

She kisses you again, hungrier now. Less patient. You’re still curled into her lap, fingers splayed across the bare skin of her stomach under her unbuttoned shirt, your lips brushing slow, reverent kisses up her throat like you’re praying to her body with your mouth.

She lets you.

Lets you worship her like this, patient and slow, kisses trailing higher, deeper, lips barely parting, breath warm against the spot just below her jaw that always makes her shudder. And when she does, when her fingers tighten in your hair just a little, you smile against her skin.

“Fuckin’ brat,” she mutters, voice thick, but she’s already tilting her head to give you more.

You kiss her jaw. Her cheek. The corner of her mouth.

Then you pull back just enough to whisper, soft and saccharine, “Want you.”

Her hand slides down to your throat, not rough, just there. Just holding. “Yeah?” she murmurs, thumb brushing under your chin, tipping your face up to meet hers.

You nod, lips parted, eyes wide and open in that way that always makes her lose her fucking mind.

“Want me to take care of you, babygirl?”

“Please.”

She kisses you hard this time, no patience, no softness. Just heat and teeth and tongue. Her grip on your throat tightens a little as she pushes you back into the pillows, climbing over you, her knee parting your thighs with practiced ease.

“You offering me your film and this sweet little body in the same night?” she growls, voice low and dangerous, mouth dragging down your neck now. “You trying to kill me, baby?”

You gasp as her teeth catch your collarbone. That makes her laugh, deep and warm, before her mouth returns to your skin.

“You’re mine,” she whispers, hot against your chest. “Mine to kiss, mine to fuck, mine to show off when the studio begs for your name and you’re sitting in my lap.”

Your fingers dig into her back, hips rising to meet her. “Yes, Maya…”

“You gonna be good for me?”

“Yes/ yes, I’ll be so good… ”

“You are good,” she purrs, trailing her hand down between your thighs, fingers slipping under your panties like you were made for her. “Always so fuckin’ good for me.”

And when her fingers finally slide into you, slow and deep, you cry out for her, high and sweet and already undone, and Maya grins like she just won. Because she did.

Her fingers are already inside you, deep and slow, dragging along that perfect spot that makes your thighs tremble and your breath catch in your throat. Maya’s body is draped over yours, shirt half-off, hair falling over her face as she watches you like she’s memorizing the way you fall apart.

“You’re so fuckin’ wet for me,” she murmurs, lips brushing your jaw. “So sweet, baby. Can’t believe this perfect little thing belongs to me.”

Your hips rock up to meet her hand, helpless and greedy. “Maya…”

She curls her fingers just right and you gasp, eyes fluttering closed, head tipping back against the pillows. “Uh-uh,” she says, voice sharp, dominant. Her free hand comes up to cradle your jaw, forcing you to look at her. “Eyes on me.”

You do. Because how could you not?

Her smirk softens at the edges. “Look at you,” she whispers. “So powerful out there. Untouchable. And now you’re under me, legs shaking, begging to come.”

You nod, desperate. “Please- please, Maya…”

“I know, baby,” she coos. “I’ve got you.”

She fucks you with deliberate, punishing strokes that make your back arch, your nails claw at the sheets, your voice turn to broken little moans that only she gets to hear.

“Who makes you feel this good?” she demands, her mouth at your ear now, her pace unrelenting.

“You do,” you gasp. “You do, Maya!”

“That’s right.”

She doesn’t let up. Her thumb finds your clit, circling in slow, sinful rhythm as her fingers thrust deeper. You’re close. So close. And she knows it. She feels it.

“Come for me,” she commands, voice low and dangerous. “Now.”

And when you do, it crashes over you like fire, white-hot and consuming, your whole body shaking as you sob her name. She holds you through it, fingers still moving as you writhe beneath her, overstimulated and soaked.

You’re gasping, lips parted, body trembling and she still doesn’t stop.

“Again,” she says, quieter now. “I want one more.”

“M-Maya…” You’re already wrecked, legs weak, tears in your lashes.

But her hand doesn’t leave you. Her mouth kisses your throat, your cheek, your lips. Her eyes stay on yours.

“You said I had control, didn’t you?” she whispers.

You nod, crying out as she thrusts again. “Yes- yes- fuck- yes!”

“Good girl.”

You’re shaking.

Your chest is heaving, thighs soaked, voice cracked open into raw little gasps. And Maya still hasn’t let up. She hasn’t stopped touching you, hasn’t moved from where she’s curled against your body, fingers still inside you, lips still on your neck.

“Fuck, baby,” she murmurs, voice low and wrecked with praise. “You’re so good for me. So perfect like this.”

You can’t speak. Your throat is raw from moaning, your body so sensitive that even the smallest movement makes your hips twitch. But Maya isn’t finished. She licks into your mouth when you try to cry out again, muffling your moans with her kiss, letting your broken little sounds melt into her tongue as she keeps her rhythm steady.

“Come on, babygirl,” she says, voice molten. “One more for me. Just one more. You can do it. I’ve got you,” she purrs. “You’re gonna come for me again, aren’t you?”

You nod, tears spilling over as your eyes squeeze shut.

“That’s my girl,” she says, kissing the corner of your mouth. “Fucking take it.”

Your climax hits harder this time, like lightning, like something primal cracking loose inside you. You sob her name, the sound helpless, wrecked, as your body arches into hers and the pleasure rips through you like fire.

Maya doesn’t stop. Not until you’re trembling, gasping, pleading for her mouth instead of her fingers. She finally slows, eases her hand out, kisses your cheeks, your wet lashes, your trembling lips.

“Shhh,” she whispers, wrapping herself around you. “I’ve got you, baby. You did so good for me. So fucking good.”

You collapse into her, boneless and broken and safe. She pulls you close, her hands now stroking soft and slow down your back, murmuring against your hair, “I’ve got you. I’m here. I love you.”

The room is still hazy with the aftermath, your body soft, spent, sprawled across Maya’s chest as she strokes your hair with slow, possessive fingers.

You’re trembling in that delicious, floating way. Your skin feels fever-warm, your lips swollen from her kisses, your thighs aching from being held open so long. Every inch of you is humming, fucked out and fully hers.

And Maya?

Maya looks like a goddess. Lipstick smudged, eyes heavy-lidded and gleaming with satisfaction.

She presses a kiss to your hairline.

You breathe out her name like a prayer. “Maya…”

She hums, low and amused, fingers still stroking your spine. “That was sweet, baby. You took it so well.”

You nod, nuzzling closer. “Wanted to be good for you.”

“I know,” she murmurs, lips brushing your ear. “You were. You always are.”

There’s a pause. Then her fingers tighten a little in your hair, not enough to hurt, just enough to hold. “But I think someone forgot her manners.”

Your breath catches. Your thighs instinctively press together.

“You gonna thank me properly?” she purrs, tilting your chin up to meet her eyes. “Or you gonna make me ask again?”

You whimper. “Want to. Want to thank you.”

She smiles, slow and dangerous, and shifts onto her back, guiding you between her thighs with the smooth confidence of someone who already knows what you’ll do. Who owns what you’ll do.

“Show me, then,” she says, voice all velvet and command. “Show me how grateful you are.”

You settle between her legs, kissing her thighs reverently, softly at first, until she threads her fingers through your hair and tugs you where she wants you.

She’s soaked for you. Already aching. And when your tongue finally drags over her, slow and sweet, she lets out a low, shuddering moan that makes your heart stutter.

“That’s it,” she murmurs, voice shaking now. “My good fucking girl.”

You lick into her like she’s holy, like this is your altar, and your worship is earned. You’re gentle, focused, letting her control the rhythm, her hand guiding your mouth, her hips twitching up against your tongue as she gets louder, messier, more desperate.

You moan against her, the sound sending vibrations straight through her.

“Fuck… fuck, yes- don’t stop, don’t you dare- ”

She comes with a sharp, broken cry, thighs clenching around your head, her voice shattering into a gasp of your name like it’s the only word she knows.

You stay there.

Kiss her through it. Lick her clean. Keep your mouth soft and open on her until she’s twitching, panting, tugging your hair to pull you off with a sharp hiss.

You look up at her, eyes shining, and whisper: “Thank you, I love you.”

Maya groans. “Fuck. Come here.”

She pulls you up, kisses you filthy, tasting herself on your tongue and rolls you into her arms, both of you ruined and radiant in the glow of it.

Sunlight spills through the curtains, warm and golden, casting a soft glow over your skin as you stretch slowly beneath the sheets.

You’re still a little sore. Your thighs ache in that perfect way, your lips are swollen from kissing, and there’s a faint, delicious hum still rolling through your muscles, reminders of everything Maya did to you last night. How she took from you. How you gave her everything.

She’s already awake.

Propped against the headboard, hair mussed, one arm lazily draped around your waist as she scrolls her phone with the other hand, wearing only her open silk robe and a smirk that spells danger.

You blink up at her, sleep-heavy. “What’re you doing?”

She doesn’t look away from the screen. “Texting Matt.”

You groan and bury your face in her hip. “Poor man.”

She grins. “He’s fine. I’m giving him the gift of hope.”

You peek up. “What’d you say?”

Maya hits send with a little flourish, then turns the phone toward you.

<Maya: You’re getting your meeting. Wear something that doesn’t scream ‘desperation.’>

You burst into sleepy laughter, curling closer to her. “You’re so mean,” you mumble against her skin.

She strokes your hair. “He’ll live. Probably already printing t-shirts that say I Met Y/N Y/L/N and Survived.”

You giggle again, then go quiet.

Maya glances down. “What?”

You look up at her, eyes soft. “I’m glad it’s you.”

She pauses. Smile fading into something warmer, deeper.

“I know,” she says, brushing a kiss to your forehead. “Me too.”

Then her phone buzzes. A message from Matt.

Maya sighs dramatically and locks her screen. “This is what I get for letting the masses know you’re mine.”

You hum, smug. “You love me.”

She kisses you. “I fucking do.”

The conference room is spotless. Brighter than usual. Like someone turned up the lights to overcompensate for the impending dread.

Matt Remick is pacing again.

Quinn’s at the end of the table, calm on the outside, but absolutely sweating through her blouse. Sal’s already had two coffees, half a croissant and is fidgeting so hard the table rattles.

And Maya? Maya’s lounging in her chair like this is a boredom exercise, one leg crossed over the other, iced coffee in hand, sunglasses still on even though they’re inside. Her expression is unreadable, cool and calm, the faintest smirk playing at her lips.

“She’s late,” Matt says, not for the first time.

“She’s not late,” Maya replies, not looking up. “She’s theatrical.”

Quinn eyes the door like it might explode open at any second. “Do we stand when she comes in?”

Matt actually considers it. “I don’t know, do we?!”

“She’s not the fucking Pope,” Maya mutters.

Sal’s bouncing his knee. “I think I’m gonna throw up. What if she hates the pitch? What if she says nothing and just leaves?”

“She won’t leave,” Maya says, now finally pulling off her sunglasses, revealing that infuriating glint in her eyes.

“How do you know?” Matt asks.

And that’s when they all hear it: the elevator ding.

Everyone freezes.

Maya uncrosses her legs slowly, deliberately. “She’s here,” she says.

Sal stands so fast he knocks his chair back.

Matt smooths his blazer, then immediately un-smooths it, then just gives up and wipes his palms on his trousers.

The footsteps echo down the hallway.

Quinn breathes out, once. “Okay. Show time.”

Maya leans back in her chair, sipping her coffee from her obnoxiously big Stanley cup like the goddess of chaos she is. “She’s gonna eat you alive,” she says, deadpan.

Matt doesn’t know if she’s joking.

And then the door opens. You enter the room like a shadow falling over water, quiet, poised, the kind of still that makes people hold their breath without realizing it. The moment you step through the door, the air shifts. Matt bolts upright. Quinn straightens her notes. Sal tries to stand but mostly fumbles his coffee.

Maya’s already sitting back in her chair, legs crossed, wearing a black Gucci hoodie layered over a YSL T-shirt, obscenely expensive sneakers up on the edge of the table like this is a meeting she couldn’t care less about. But her eyes don’t leave you. Not once.

You take the head of the table. Say nothing. Let them sweat.

Matt starts first, of course. “We are thrilled you’re here. Honestly, this… this means a lot.”

You blink.

He keeps going. “We’ve been talking internally about what kind of slate makes sense for where film is heading, where you’re heading. And your voice? We think it defines the next era.”

Quinn jumps in. “Your work doesn’t compromise, and neither do we. You’d have creative control, a team that gets the tone, the language, the darkness.”

“We’ll protect your process,” Matt adds quickly. “We want to empower you, not get in your way.”

“We’ll give you whatever you want,” Sal says, before realizing how that sounds. “I mean, not whatever, but like… most things. Within reason. Or- outside reason, if it’s, like, cool.”

You stare at him.

Maya pinches the bridge of her nose.

You sit at the head of the table, spine straight, legs crossed, eyes focused on a fixed point in the distance like you’re seeing something no one else in the room can.

The others: Matt, Sal, and Quinn, are still mid-pitch. Words flying, ideas piling up on top of each other, offers and promises and desperate energy all funneled toward you.

And you’re still.

Maya clocks it immediately. She hasn’t said a word since you walked in. Just sat quietly off to the side in her usual luxury streetwear combo, arms folded, eyes locked on you.

But when your fingers twitch on the armrest, barely, like a flicker of static, she moves. Not dramatic. Not showy. Just real. She stands, walks over, and places her hand on your back. Palm flat. Warm. Steady. Her other hand rests on your forearm. No words. No looks exchanged.

And you exhale.

Barely a sound. But Maya feels it.

Your shoulders loosen. Your eyes slip closed. Not all the way, just enough to quiet the noise. You lean into the touch. Just a little.

And that’s when Quinn sees it.

It clicks, not in some cinematic, revelatory way. Just quietly. All at once. You’re not mysterious because it’s your brand. You’re not untouchable because you’re trying to be.

You’re just… different.

Your silence isn’t curated. It’s instinct. The long pauses. The blank stares. The way you drift just slightly outside the rhythm of a room. You’re not avoiding them because you’re a diva. You’re avoiding them because you’re anxious.

Quinn glances at Maya who is now gently running her thumb along your arm, still facing forward like she doesn’t want to make a scene, and sees it for what it is.

This isn't a strategy. It’s care. Maya’s anchoring you while the others scramble to impress you. And it’s working.

Matt hasn’t noticed. He’s still going, talking fast, trying to pivot into something with buzzwords. Sal keeps jumping in with half-formed ideas.

But Quinn watches the way your lips part just slightly, like you’re finally able to breathe again.

And Maya? Maya just mutters, quiet enough for only you to hear: “You’re good, baby. They’re just noise.”

You don’t respond.

You don’t have to.

Matt is mid-sentence, something about festival reach and global rights, his voice hitting that slightly manic pitch of a man dangling off the edge of a dream.

“- we’d leverage the marketing momentum of Wolves at the Well, of course, but frame this next project as your arrival. The next evolution of your vision, scaled but intact, and-”

“Matt,” Quinn says, calmly but firmly.

He falters. “What?”

She holds up a hand. “Just… give me a second.”

Sal blinks. “Wait, what-”

“No, seriously,” Quinn says, her eyes never leaving you. “Let’s stop. Right now.”

Everyone turns.

You haven’t moved. Still sitting there, Maya’s hand resting gently against your arm, your fingers now loosely curled into hers beneath the table. Your eyes are half-lidded, face soft but unreadable.

Quinn sees it again, the stillness, the disconnect, the focus. But also the touch point. Maya’s presence. The grounding.

Quinn leans forward, lowering her voice like she’s speaking across a sacred line. “We don’t want to pitch at you,” she says. “We want to work with you. However that looks.”

You blink slowly.

Matt looks confused. Sal is squinting like he’s missed half a conversation.

Maya says nothing. Just lets her thumb glide against your wrist again.

And that’s when you speak.

Quiet and measured like every word has to come out slowly, or else you’ll lose your nerve. “I want Maya to have everything she wants.”

Matt frowns. “What?”

You lift your gaze. Steady now. Direct. “I want her to have whatever she wants.”

A beat.

“I know you want me,” you continue, voice calm but unwavering. “But I only trust her.”

Silence. Not dramatic silence. Loaded silence. The kind that settles into every corner of the room and stays there.

Matt runs a hand through his hair, laughing, just once, like it escaped him. “Okay. Okay. Fine.”

Maya squeezes your hand under the table.

You sit there, spine straight, Maya’s hand still tucked gently over yours on the table. Matt looks stunned. Sal’s blinking like he missed a scene. Quinn is unreadable, but watching, always watching.

Then Maya clears her throat and stands. “Now give us the room.”

Matt blinks. “What?”

She jerks her head toward the door. “Out. Five minutes.”

Quinn nods immediately, dragging Sal by the arm. Matt hesitates, glancing at you one last time before sighing and following.

The door clicks shut.

And no one hears footsteps retreating because of course they don’t leave. They stay just outside. Pressed up against the glass wall like they’ve got a right to any of what’s about to happen.

Inside? Maya turns to you, arms crossed, eyes soft, but still sharp enough to cut.

“You were fucking incredible,” she says, quiet and sure. “You know that, right?”

You don’t answer. Not with words. You’re up before you know it, rising from the chair like you’re being pulled to her.

Maya barely gets her arms open before you’re on her, hands in her hair, mouth on hers, kissing her like you need it to live. It’s not graceful. Not curated. It’s messy. Desperate. Honest.

She catches you easily. One hand on your waist, the other fisting in the back of your shirt as your mouth moves hot and hungry over hers.

You mumble against her lips, voice cracking, “I was shaking. I was shaking, Maya.”

“I know,” she says, kissing you again. Slower this time. “But they didn’t see it. You held the room. You made the call. You were fucking brilliant, baby.”

Your hands are everywhere, cupping her face, grabbing her shirt, trying to climb into her skin. “I hate meetings,” you breathe. “I hate rooms like this.”

“I know.”

“I just wanted to hide.”

“I know,” she says, grounding her palm at the small of your back. “And you still did it.”

She kisses you again, rough and claiming, and you melt into it, letting her hold your weight like she always does. Her hand slides up your spine, holding you tight, kissing you like she’s proud. Like you’re hers. Like you always have been.

Outside the door, Matt whispers, “Are they… are they making out right now?”

Sal nods, reverent. “I think she just cried on her a little.”

Quinn’s smirking. “She chose Maya, not us.”

And inside?

Maya breaks the kiss only to murmur against your lips, her voice hoarse.“You want me to tell them you’ve made your decision?”

You nod, breathless. “Yeah,” you whisper. “Tell them I’m yours.”

Maya grins. “Oh, they know.”

The door swings open.

Maya strides out like a woman who’s just pulled off the heist of the century. She’s grinning. Smug. Unbothered. Lips a little redder than they were ten minutes ago.

Sal looks up, stunned. Quinn raises an eyebrow, already clocking the lipstick situation.

Matt shoots to his feet. “Well?”

“She said yes,” Maya says, without ceremony. “You can unclench now.”

Matt nearly wilts with relief. “Holy shit. Okay. Amazing. What do you need? What do we need to-”

“I want a proper budget,” Maya cuts in, already gathering her bag like she’s about to leave a crime scene. “None of this pretend-support bullshit. I want a full team, proper spend, launch runway, and I want control of the marketing. Not a taste. Not a ‘collaborative’ voice. Control.”

Matt nods, fast, desperate. “Yes. Fine. Whatever she needs.”

“Good,” Maya says, slinging her bag over her shoulder, grin spreading. “You can tell Griffin she’ll be in touch with a script by the end of the week.”

Sal blinks. “She’s already finished it?”

“She’s already writing a sequel,” Maya says, breezing past.

“And where are you going?” Quinn asks, voice amused, arms crossed.

Maya flashes a wicked grin as she opens the door. “I’ve got a meeting with Mackie and Ron Howard at the Sunset Tower in twenty. And then I’m taking my girl home.”

Matt’s jaw drops. “You’re- wait, what?”

But Maya’s already gone.

And behind her? You trail after her quietly, your fingers brushing hers. Head down. Lips kissed raw. You don’t say anything to the room as you leave.

You don’t need to.

Because Maya already said it all.

The SUV is silent, the tinted windows shielding you from the chaos you just left behind. The studio’s glass façade disappears behind you like a fading mirage.

Maya’s sitting beside you in the back seat, legs wide, arm slung lazily along the backrest behind your shoulders. Her other hand rests firmly on your thigh, thumb stroking slow, idle circles through the fabric of your trousers.

You haven’t said much since leaving.

You don’t need to.

She breaks the silence first. Voice low. Warm. Slightly smug. “You were a fucking machine in there.”

You laugh softly, head dropping to her shoulder. “I was shaking.”

“And still owned the room,” she says, pressing a kiss to your temple. “You didn’t just say yes to the deal, you dictated the terms. You looked Matt Remick in the face and said, ‘I trust her, not you.’ You could’ve spat in his latte and he still would’ve thanked you.”

You smile against her neck, quiet and dazed.

“I was just trying not to cry.”

Maya scoffs. “Yeah, well. You made me want to cry. Proud tears. Or maybe power-hungry tears. Still unclear.”

Her hand squeezes your thigh, harder now.

“Seriously, though,” she says, glancing at you. “That was the hottest shit I’ve ever seen.”

You hum, eyes fluttering shut. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

A beat of silence.

Then her voice drops even lower. “You know what happens to good girls who hand me entire marketing budgets and creative control?”

You lift your head slowly, lips parted, already feeling the heat crawl up your neck.

“What?”

Maya leans in, grinning like the devil. “They get fucked stupid.”

The house is quiet when you get in.

Your shoes are off before you realize it. Your hands are a little shaky, your breathing shallow like you’ve just finished running, but it’s not fear. It’s the come-down. The crash after the biggest high of your life.

You’re going to direct your film. With a real budget. With real backing. And with Maya’s studio. You’re going to make your movie. And you didn’t cry. Not once.

You’re in the middle of the living room, fingers pressed to your lips like you’re still trying to convince yourself it’s real, when you feel her behind you.

Maya slides her arms around your waist from behind, her mouth at your neck. “You did it,” she whispers, low and sure.

You nod slowly. “I didn’t cry.”

“I know you didn’t.”

“I talked. I said what I wanted. I told them to trust you.”

“You were perfect,” she says, and there’s no hesitation in it.

You turn in her arms to look at her, eyes wide and glossy. “I didn’t think I could-”

Maya cuts you off with a soft kiss. Then another. And then she pulls back, eyes dark. “You didn’t just do it,” she says. “You owned it. You handed me a whole fucking studio’s trust, like it was nothing. And you know what, baby?”

You shake your head, dizzy with her voice.

“I’m gonna make you feel everything tonight.”

She kisses you again, slower now, hands moving down your back to squeeze your ass as she walks you backward toward the bedroom.

“You trust me?” she murmurs.

“Yes.”

“Good. Strip.”

Your breath catches.

Maya steps back just enough to pull her gucci hoodie off. Her bra’s black, expensive, perfect. Her eyes never leave yours.

You pull your shirt off slowly, fingers fumbling slightly, body humming. By the time your clothes hit the floor, she’s already reaching into the drawer by the bed.

When she turns back, she’s got the harness on, low-slung, black leather, heavy with promise. Her eyes burn into you as she adjusts the straps, slow and practiced.

You’re already trembling.

“Get on the bed,” she says. “Hands above your head.”

You obey.

You always obey for her.

She climbs on top of you, straddling your hips, kissing you deep, one hand cupping your jaw, the other tracing down your throat. “Still with me, babygirl?”

You nod, lips parted. “Always.”

And then she takes her time. Mouth on your neck. Then your chest. Her tongue curling around each nipple, licking and sucking until you’re whining, arching up into her, begging already and she hasn’t even touched you where you need it.

“You gonna let me fuck you slow?” she whispers, kissing down your stomach.

“Yes… please… ”

“Gonna let me take care of you?”

“Yes, Maya…”

She kisses your thighs reverently. Then slips a hand between them, parting you gently. She leans down, kisses your clit once, softly. Then again. Then sucks it just hard enough to make you gasp. By the time she slides the tip of the strap into you, you’re already panting, needy, hands gripping the sheets. And still she moves slowly. Inch by inch.

“You’re so tight for me, baby,” she murmurs, watching you fall apart. “So fucking wet.”

You moan, high and desperate. “Please- please, Maya…”

“I know, babygirl. I got you.”

She fucks you with long, deep strokes, no rush, no teasing. Just possession. Her hand on your stomach to hold you down, her strap dragging against every perfect spot inside you as she watches you lose yourself beneath her.

“You’re mine,” she whispers, pressing her forehead to yours. “Say it.”

“I’m yours…I’m yours, Maya- fuck!”

“That’s right,” she growls, picking up the pace just slightly, her hips rolling into you in smooth, relentless rhythm. “All fucking mine.”

And when you come, crying out her name, back arching off the bed? She doesn’t stop. She kisses you through it. Fucking you deep and slow until you’re trembling, overstimulated, wrecked. Only then does she slow down, hands soft again, kisses returning to your chest, your face, your lips.

“Breathe, baby,” she murmurs. “You did so good. My perfect girl.”

You nod, eyes fluttering shut as you collapse beneath her.

Safe.

Home.

And completely hers.

The room is low-lit and warm, wrapped in the kind of stillness that only comes after. After the chaos. After the fight. After the fuck.

You’re both in bed.

You’re curled into her side, skin bare but for the threadbare Stevie Nicks tee you stole from her weeks ago and never gave back. Legs tangled under the sheets, arms wrapped around her waist like you’re anchoring yourself to something real.

Maya’s already half reclined, propped against a velvet pillow, silk YSL pyjamas buttoned down just enough to flash the edge of her collarbone. She’s got a facemask pulled up on top of her head like she forgot she meant to use it. Her phone’s on the nightstand. She hasn’t looked at it in an hour.

The only light comes from the old black-and-white horror film flickering across the flatscreen, The Haunting, or maybe Carnival of Souls, something you love with too much reverence for anyone else to touch.

You’re transfixed. Eyes wide. Body relaxed in the way it only ever is when Maya’s hand is resting between your shoulder blades, fingers moving in lazy, absent circles.

She watches the screen for a minute. Watches you watch the screen. Then she laughs softly under her breath. It’s affectionate. Disbelieving.

“Jesus,” she murmurs, lips ghosting against your hair. “I’m dating the next big name in cinema and she’s still just a little cryptid watching ghost films in my bed.”

You don’t even look at her. “I heard that.”

“I meant it.”

You hum, small and smug.

She shifts slightly, brushing her nose against the crown of your head.

You’re not talking. But your hand’s curled into the silk at her waist, absentmindedly twisting the fabric between your fingers like you’re grounding yourself there.

It makes her chest ache.

There are meetings waiting in her inbox. Contracts to finalize. An entire launch strategy to sketch out for a movie that doesn’t even exist on paper yet.

But none of it matters right now.

Because you, her strange, brilliant, batshit little artist, are asleep in her arms, breathing slowly, dreaming vividly, probably whispering storyboards in your head as you drift.

She smiles, slow and full, and tightens her arm around you.

And for a moment, just a moment, Maya Mason, queen of twenty-city press runs and million-dollar deadlines, just lies there. Holding her girl. Breathing in your soft weirdness. Letting herself be still.

And as the film plays on, grainy and echoing with ghostly screams, you mumble something into her neck. Something half-formed and sleepy.

“Fog machines…”

She stifles a laugh.

“Yeah, baby,” she whispers. “You can have fog machines.”

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