Unspoken Understandings

The night deepened, and the low murmur of conversations around them became a comfortable background hum. The bar was quiet enough for their words to flow freely, but lively enough to feel alive. Y/N and Rhea had moved past the usual pleasantries and into something more substantive. Their shared experiences in the ring had bonded them in ways words couldn’t fully describe, and now, outside of the competitive world, they found themselves connecting on a more personal level.

Y/N leaned back in his seat, taking another sip of his beer as he glanced at Rhea. She was watching him, the faintest trace of curiosity in her eyes, like she was trying to piece together something about him. He met her gaze with a raised eyebrow, waiting for her to speak.

"So," Rhea began, a slight smile tugging at the corners of her lips, "what's your deal with the whole 'no showboating' thing? I mean, you’ve got the talent to back it up, but you don’t seem like the type to go flaunting it."

Y/N chuckled, setting his beer down and rubbing his neck. “I guess I just don’t see the point. People get so caught up in the theatrics, the flash, the ‘look at me’ mentality. But when it comes down to it, it’s the work that counts. When the crowd goes home and the lights turn off, all that matters is what you did in the ring. The rest? That’s just noise.”

Rhea considered that, her gaze steady, then nodded slowly. “Yeah, I get that. There’s always the pressure to stand out, to be the one who gets all the attention. But after a while, that stuff doesn’t matter as much. What really matters is if you can back it up when the bell rings.”

“Exactly,” Y/N said, his voice low but firm. "I’m not in this for the fame or the spotlight. I’m in it for the craft. I don’t need the applause if I know I’ve put everything into what I do. And honestly, I’d rather earn respect from the people I’ve worked with than the ones in the stands."

Rhea’s eyes flickered with something he couldn’t quite read, but it felt like understanding. She took a long pull from her beer, her eyes never leaving his. "I think that's why I like you. You don’t seem to have any delusions about what this business really is."

The admission hung between them, unspoken yet clear. Rhea Ripley, one of the fiercest competitors in the world, was giving him a kind of respect that most could only dream of. It was a subtle acknowledgment, but to Y/N, it felt like a major victory. This was different than the praise from fans or the typical compliments from colleagues—it was the kind of respect that could only be earned in the trenches of hard work and shared sacrifice.

They sat in a comfortable silence for a moment, both reflecting on the raw honesty of the conversation. A few more drinks later, the atmosphere in the bar had grown even more relaxed. The bartender was now chatting with a couple of regulars at the other end of the counter, and the music had shifted to something mellow, almost too quiet, just the way Y/N liked it. There was no rush, no expectation—just a pair of wrestlers, unwinding after a long, grueling day.

“Tell me something about you,” Y/N said, his voice suddenly curious. “What got you into wrestling? You’ve been doing this a while. What made you take that first step?”

Rhea looked at him, the weight of the question taking her by surprise. She paused for a moment, the usual bravado that she wore so comfortably slipping away for a fraction of a second. Then, with a quiet sigh, she leaned back in her chair, her gaze far away, lost in thought.

“I don’t know if there’s one single thing that made me get into it,” she began, her tone softer now, almost reflective. “I grew up watching it, like a lot of kids. But I didn’t know why I loved it so much. I wasn’t looking for fame or validation. I just… I wanted to be strong. I wanted to fight. I wanted to show the world I could be more than they expected.”

Her voice took on a distant quality as she spoke, like she was digging through memories she didn’t often revisit. “There was a lot going on at home when I was younger, you know? My family—well, let’s just say I wasn’t always the ‘perfect’ kid. But when I saw those wrestlers on TV, I knew what I wanted. I saw how they could take everything that life threw at them and turn it into something powerful. And that was it for me. I wanted that strength. That control.”

Y/N was quiet for a while, letting her words sink in. He could see it in her now—the determination, the hunger that had driven her all these years. It was a story he’d heard from so many others in the industry. The desire to prove something, to overcome the odds, to show the world that you were more than they thought you could be. He understood it more than he could express.

“And you’ve done it,” Y/N said quietly. “You’ve become exactly what you set out to be.”

Rhea gave him a small smile, but there was something almost vulnerable about it. She didn’t often show this side of herself—hell, most people probably wouldn’t even recognize the person she’d just shared with him. But there it was, laid bare between them.

“I guess so,” she murmured, her fingers tapping lightly on her beer bottle. “But the fight never stops. Once you get to the top, you gotta stay there. And that’s the hardest part.”

Y/N nodded in agreement. “Yeah, I know the feeling. Every time you think you’ve made it, life throws something new at you. And you have to keep moving forward. No matter what.”

There was a long silence, the kind that spoke more than words could. It was a shared understanding, two wrestlers who had been through their own struggles and battles, and yet found a quiet comfort in each other’s company. Outside, the world continued to turn, but for now, it felt like it was just the two of them, in this moment of calm.

Rhea’s gaze softened as she met his eyes. “You’re alright, Y/N. I didn’t expect you to be this… real. You’ve got something in you. Something worth watching.”

Y/N’s heart skipped a beat at her words. Her respect meant more to him than any championship ever could. “Thanks, Rhea. I’ll do my best to prove you right.”

She chuckled, finishing the last of her beer. “You better. ‘Cause I’ll be watching. And I’ll be expecting a fight next time.”

Y/N grinned, feeling a wave of determination course through him. “Bring it on. I’m not going anywhere.”

They shared another brief, meaningful look before rising from their seats. The night wasn’t over, but the path ahead was clearer than ever. As they made their way to the door, walking out into the cool night air, Y/N couldn’t help but feel that this was just the beginning of something much bigger—something that neither of them could yet define, but both of them would keep fighting for.

And whatever came next, Y/N was ready. Ready to earn her respect. Ready to prove to himself—and to her—that he could stand tall among the best.