Archive of Our Own ^beta

Ruby was mad. Alright, she wasn’t just mad, she was pissed off. Seriously, who did Shayna think she was? She got it, it was the Elimination Chamber and things were gonna be brutal, but she still didn’t need to swing Liv into the pod or chain like that, as brutally as she did. Nobody got to hurt her like that! Nobody.

‘Except you, except you, except you.’ A traitorous voice in her mind sang mockingly, reminding her of the huge mistake she had made in attacking Liv. ‘And really, didn’t you do worse? You ruined a friendship with the woman you claim to love.’

“Oh shut up!” She growled out loud, drawing a few odd looks from the backstage workers but she didn’t care. Not when she had a mission, find Shayna, make her pay for hurting Liv. Because nobody got to do that, not on her watch.

’Except you, except you, except you.’

Unfortunately, and fortunately for Ruby, finding the victorious Baszler wasn’t as easy a task as it sounded. She was new to the roster so nobody knew where she hung out usually, she wasn’t the egotistical loudmouth like say, Lana (Ugh, why her?) or the popular, social butterfly like Liv could be. And despite her anger, Ruby didn’t have supernatural tracking senses. And really, it may have been a good thing that Ruby couldn’t find her, because despite being a damn good wrestler, she didn’t have the MMA experience which made Shayna so dangerous. She always worked better with others, with Liv by her side, and Sarah too.

And Ruby wasn’t naive, far from it. She knew the vital roles both women had played, from Liv’s optimism to Sarah’s power, Liv’s cheerfulness and giddiness to get involved to Sarah, despite how it looked, being the calm voice of reason, she missed them. Damn she missed them. She should have punched Lana (Ugh, why her?), instead of Liv. Because Liv hadn’t consciously done anything wrong, she hadn’t seen Ruby’s crush and Ruby had never confessed it, not even when it became deeper, when pink hair and blue tongues began to fill her dreams, when she started to feel crushing disappointment at not having Liv cuddled up in her arms when waking up from such dreams. And Ruby had never noticed that Liv may be bi at the very least, maybe Lesbian or Demi, Pan, or just something, and that maybe she could act on such dreams. Instead she had only found out when Liv had confessed to being in love with Lana (Ugh, why her?), of all people on live TV, and she felt her own heart shatter into a million pieces. And in those pieces, anger formed. And it wasn’t at fickle, unworthy Lana (Ugh, why her?), who would willingly throw away Liv’s love, but at Liv, because she felt like she had played with her, despite nothing being further from the truth. So, without the benefit of rational thought or Sarah’s steady head, she had struck, taking down Liv with a fake out upon her return, immediately horrifying herself, because how could she hurt her? And yet, she was too proud to apologize, to even try and talk with Sarah or anyone, instead digging her own grave.

So yeah, she missed them, but Liv most of all, but that didn’t mean she’d let anyone hurt her. Shayna was gonna pay.

’Except for you, except for you, except for you.’

Ruby was ready to throw something, she couldn’t find Shayna, or even Lana (Ugh, why her?) to be able to attack for hurting Liv, and it was likely they had already left for the night. Unfortunately, it became clear that not everyone had, especially some in the trainer’s room, like Liv, who she couldn’t help but stopping by to visit before leaving, earning an immediate glare from the now blonde.

“What do you want?” Liv asks with so much disgust, it almost kills Ruby, that had never been directed at her, and she knew she deserved it, “Are you here to gloat? Here to tell me how I belong, what was it, under you again? And how tonight proved that?” And that phrasing short circuited Ruby’s brain for a couple seconds, before she managed to get it back remarkably fast, especially with the images that brought to mind.

“No, god no Liv,” Ruby says, a flash of hurt passing over her face before she pushes it down, god she regretted saying Liv belonged beneath her and taking orders, why the hell was that the best excuse she could come up with? “I just came by to check on you, see if you’re okay after what that bitch Shayna did.” And Ruby meant it, but it was clear Liv didn’t believe it, laughing slightly before wincing and grabbing her ribs.

“Really?” She rolled her eyes, again sounding so skeptical and so unimpressed it made Ruby ache. How could she have done this, made her so unbelieving? “Well excuse me if I don’t believe that, because the last time I was in here, you put me in here!” And that made Ruby hurt even more, she never should have been the one hurting Liv, never.

“I’m so sorry Liv.” Ruby says with all the heartfelt emotion she can muster despite her usual distance, only getting another strained and painful laugh.

“Save it Ruby,” Liv says, so unimpressed and distant, “You broke my heart Ruby, that hurts more than anything Shayna could do.”

“I never meant to hurt you Liv.” Ruby says, trying to bite back tears, she never cried, never.

“You did Ruby, and an apology can’t fix that, not now.”

’What did you do? What did you do? What did you do?’

Ruby cried that night, in private, ignoring texts from Sarah who had heard about what had happened, instead just sobbing at her own broken heart. Sobbing at what she had done, she vowed revenge, on Shayna, on Lana (Ugh, why her?), on anyone who hurt Liv, because she was already paying her penance for it. She would make sure nobody could hurt her again, she would make sure she was the last to. Because dammit, she missed Liv, and she needed her to know how much she did. And nobody hurt her.

’Except for you, except for you, except for...’

”Oh shut up!”

Come Raw the next night, Ruby was on the hunt, she had decked Lana (Ugh, why her?) when she was showing off the latest gift ‘Her Bobby’ had gotten her, and it felt good, to finally deck the woman who had stolen Liv from her and then thrown her away. But that wasn’t her main target, she was patrolling backstage, looking for the MMA Bitch of Spades, who had flung Liv with no care into glass and steel. But as she walked backstage, she was suddenly proven that her guard wasn’t as good as she thought when she gets yanked harshly into a locker room, before her hands fly up a second later than she would have liked, only to stop at seeing Sarah there.

“What...was that?” Ruby asks, and though she was loath to admit it, she got a fright there. She was looking for a former MMA fighter who had a penchant for choking women out from behind.

“Think of it as a two birds, one stone thing.” Sarah says with a shrug and laugh, “Because when you’re lookin’ for the MMA fighter, your reflexes have to be good, and also, to ask why?”

“Thanks,” Ruby says dryly making it clear just what she thought of that test, “And she hurt Liv.”

“So?” Sarah asks bluntly, and if it was anyone else, Ruby would have dropped her already.

“It’s Liv, Sarah.” Ruby says with a roll to her eyes, like that explained everything, which, to be fair, it did to her.

“I thought you put that behind you.” Sarah says, and Ruby stiffens, “Ya were pretty brutal to her.”

“I know that Sarah!” Ruby snaps before taking a couple breaths, Sarah didn’t deserve her anger, just like Liv didn’t. “But I was jealous okay, jealous that Lana (Ugh, why her?), Lana of all people captured her heart and just was dumb enough to throw her away, and I took out my anger on the wrong person.” The wrong person by far, anyone would have been better than hurting the woman who meant the most to her.

“Have ya told Liv this?” Sarah asks, sounding so reasonable that it takes Ruby by surprise for a second before she shakes her head.

“I can’t. I can’t tell her, not even now when it seems like I have nothing to lose, every time I try, I just feel like the world’s about to end.” Ruby admits with a small sniffle, sounding so different and so unsure of herself that anyone watching would be shocked that this was the same Ruby Riott that fought women on their televisions. “And besides, what does it matter? She loves Lana, not me.”

“Listen Ruby,” Sarah says, her voice soothing despite the wild accent, “Ya need to tell her, otherwise you can’t mend a friendship with her, she needs to know why, you know this.”

And Ruby did know it, but she couldn’t bear to do it, because she doubted if she did love Liv. How could she hurt someone she loved? But every time she thought of that, she thought of dreams had of her, of stolen glances and touches, and the crushing feeling of near death when Liv returned to admit her love to Lana, and she knew that she did, even if she went about it in the worst possible way.

At seeing her forlorn expression, Sarah opened her arms and Ruby almost instinctively hugged her. While not as comforting as Liv’s hugs, it still helped.

“Thanks Sarah.” Ruby says, truly thankful about this, before smirking as a thought comes to mind, “Hang on, didn’t we fight last week when you were a ref? Didn’t we fight inside the Chamber?”

“It’s just what families do.”

’Even us, even us, even us.’

Later in the show, Ruby glared up at the screen with enough malice to destroy it if she had even the slightest hint of superpowers, as the bitch Shayna Baszler kicked off the show, smug and gloating about her win. It made Ruby see red, but before she could go out there and do anything, Becky went out. It soon became an ego off, and Ruby got an idea, with Shayna’s focus on The Man, it would be such a shame if someone snuck around and attacked her from behind. So she grabbed a hoodie, and snuck out in the entrance that superstars usually used to sneak through the crowd, coming out near the production area and moving quickly through to the timekeeper’s area as Shayna and Becky bantered. Suddenly they started to brawl and security was quick to intervene, to loud derision from the crowd but a smirk from Ruby, this was perfect. She grabbed a chair, hearing some gasps as they realized someone was coming up behind Shayna, before cheers and shock erupted from the audience as she drove the steel chair into Shayna’s back, everyone, even the security and Becky stunned as Shayna fell to her knees.

Ruby suddenly in one fluid motion flipped off her hood, revealing herself with a small smirk on her face, borrowing a mannerism from Liv with a small, innocent wave, before, capitalizing on the shock, she drove the steel into Shayna’s back again, and again, and again, shouting “You don’t get to hurt her! Nobody does!” while spitting down at Shayna before security finally started to regain their senses and intervene. She wasn’t done, swinging her chair around like a steel arc of death, backing them off, before, seeing Shayna somehow stumble up, tossing her the chair and then grabbing her arm, delivering a perfect Riott Kick and smashing the chair into her face, earning gasps of pure shock from the crowd, Shayna collapsing and crumpling to the mat with a thud as Ruby grinned evilly, security finally getting back to trying to restrain her. Ruby went willingly, walking out of the ring with her hands raised, looking incredibly proud of herself, as she knew the announcers, fans, and everyone would be puzzling over the nature of her actions, and that she had hurt someone who had hurt Liv. Because nobody did.

’Except for you, except for you, except for you.’

Ruby sat alone by herself backstage, still not ready to face Liv or anyone about what she did, instead just trying to meditate, until she heard a voice interrupt her reverie.

“There she is, I told ya she’d be off sulkin.’” That was clearly Sarah, but who was she...Liv...of course it was. After Liv had left, she was going to kill Sarah.

“What was that Ruby?” Liv asks, sounding distressed and angry, “Do you think I’m just a child? That I’m not capable of defending myself? I don’t need you!” Liv’s words made Ruby want to cry again, a hurt expression flashing across her face that she is unable to quell.

“Whoa whoa Liv, let’s just calm down a...” Sarah tries before Liv cuts her off, clearly not done destroying Ruby’s soul.

“No no, don’t tell me to calm down!” She snaps at Sarah before glaring back at Ruby, the same withering expression that made her want to die fixed on her face, “Do you think that because you beat up Shayna Baszler everything’s better and you can make me trust you again? Why would you even care about that? I think you made it very clear that you don’t care about me, that you never did!” And suddenly Liv was the one looking hurt, Sarah again trying to ease tensions before Ruby gets up with an incredulous laugh.

“You think...you think I don’t care about you?” She asks with a clearly mocking and disbelieving tone, “Liv, that’s the opposite of what’s happened! All that’s happened is because I care so damn much about you!”

“Really?” She asks, laughing herself, “Well you have a hell of a way of showing it! You come back, I am so happy to see you, and then you kick me in the head! I call and text asking to know why or for an explanation, then you call me a dog and say I belong beneath you on live TV! If you care about me, I’d hate to see what you do to someone you hate!” Liv then scoffs and takes a breath, “I guess I should just be grateful you didn’t beat the crap out of me with a steel chair on live TV!”

“I would never do that to you Liv!” Ruby protests, and the thought made her shudder, because actually aiming to injure Liv like that, it made her sick, almost as sick as what she had already done to her, “I said I’m sorry okay? I don’t know what else to do or say Liv, I made a terrible, stupid mistake in attacking you, and made up some crap to cover it up afterwards, and I promise I won’t do it again. I don’t want to lose you Liv, you’ve always been my best friend...” She reaches out to put a hand on Liv’s shoulder as her eyes fill with tears, but the younger blonde pulls away, causing Ruby’s already shattered heart to break a little more while Liv paces a little then.

“Why then Rue-Rue? Why would you do that to me?” Liv asks in such a broken way, it makes Ruby ache even more, “I thought you were my best friend too, but, why did you attack me?” She asks, her own eyes tearing up which Ruby instinctively reaches to wipe away, and the way Liv flinches, it burns Ruby even more knowing she did that. Ruby searches her mind for any excuse, before settling on one.

“I was...Liv...I was...I was...alright...Liv...I was jealous ...” Ruby says, stumbling and stuttering over her words, mumbling near the end as she sees Liv look up, clearly looking surprised and confused.

“What? Did you just say you were...you were jealous?” She asks, clearly looking confused at Ruby’s words, the now green haired woman nodding slight.

“I was jealous Liv. At home, I was more excited than anyone to see your re-debut, and then I saw you come out, looking so cute as always, and hearing you say you loved Lana, Lana of all people, it made me feel like someone smashed my heart with a Sledgehammer.” Ruby says, tears now filling her eyes, maybe she did cry in front of people, or Liv, at least, looking away, unable to bear to look at the woman who had inadvertently captured her heart, now that it was out on the table.

“Ruby...what are you saying? Do you...do you like...Lana?” Liv asks, and Ruby almost, okay, no almost about it, she snorts, because the idea that she could like Lana (Ugh, why her?) was hysterical. “What’s so funny Rubes?”

“No, I don’t like Lana okay, nor Lashley, so don’t start guessing.” She says with a small chuckle, even now, Liv never failed to brighten her mood, even a little, “It was just, I knew you could do so much better than Lana (Ugh, why her?) of all people, and I was kinda hoping, that maybe...I was that person...” Ruby blushes heavily, “And I know I shouldn’t have attacked you, should have probably attacked Lana for hurting you, but I wasn’t thinking clearly, and I was just so jealous...I’m so sorry Liv...” Ruby repeats, turning away now to wipe her eyes, unable to look as Liv turned her down.

“Oh Rue-Rue,” And the reverent way she says her nickname is almost enough to make her hope, almost, but she knew better. Still though, she couldn’t help turning to meet rich, tear filled, cerulean eyes. “Ruby, Lana was infatuation and lust at the most. I was alone, really alone for the first time ever. In NXT, I had Aliyah, and on Raw and Smackdown, I had you. And Sarah.” She adds quickly with a slight giggle, “But then we had to split up, and I cried for a week, I missed you, I missed Sarah. So when Lana came along offering physical comfort, I took it, because I was distraught and distressed. Then when I came back to Raw, you were injured and Sarah seemed different, so Lana somehow seemed like that constant. And then seeing her get married, it felt like my life was collapsing again and I’d be all alone.”

That made Ruby feel a little better, she hadn’t lost out to Lana (Ugh, why her?), but that didn’t mean she stood a chance.

“And then Rue, you came back, and I was so happy! I wasn’t going to have to be alone, I wouldn’t be left alone. Until you kicked me in the face, reached into my chest, and ripped my heart out!” Liv says, growing more and more intense by the end, until she takes a few breaths to calm down, “And it hurt so much more than anything that Lana could have done to me Ruby, because she was simply comfortable, she never made me feel anything other than stagnant, despite what I may have said there. But you, Rubes, you set my heart alight, you made me smile thinking about you, you made me feel alive and maybe that I was good enough on my own.” Liv says, as Ruby feels her heart start to mend at the beautiful speech.

“Does...does that mean...” Ruby asks, barely allowing herself to hope, this had to be a dream, could she really about to get everything she ever wanted?

“I think I did...but Rue, what you did to me, it hurt? How do you think it felt having the person I cared about most kick me, beat me up, and then say how worthless I was?” Liv asks, as Ruby’s heart sinks, she was stupid, stupid, stupid. Why had she ever hurt Liv, “I don’t know if I can do it Ruby, if I can trust you fully. How can I know?”

“Liv...I promise to you on my life and career that I have regretted what I did to you every damn day since it happened. I never wanted to hurt you Liv, seeing you hurt is what plays through most of my nightmares.” Ruby says, tears in her eyes as she looked at the woman she loved the most, “I promise that I would never, could never hurt you again, it was the dumbest moment of my life. I understand if you don’t want to be with me that way because of what I stupidly did, but please...please let me have a chance to at least make up our friendship. It was the most important thing in my life, you were, you are Liv. Please give me that chance.” Ruby begs, looking at Liv tearfully.

“Okay.” She says after the most intense five seconds of Ruby’s life, “I want you back as my friend too Ruby. I don’t forgive you fully, I can’t yet, but I want to try.” And that is what Ruby really hoped for, that she would try to be her friend. That was when she saw Liv biting her lip in that adorable way she did when she was thinking.

“What is it Liv?” Ruby asks softly, hoping she wasn’t prying too much.

“Rue-Rue, I...Maybe...I may want to try something more...” And that practically made Ruby’s heart soar, there was no way, she had to be dreaming, but she couldn’t pull away, “I don’t know how to do this with how we are...but I think I want too...I don’t want to be alone anymore.” With that she tentatively reached out and hugged Ruby softly, Ruby returning with similar gentleness.

“Hi, I’m Ruby Riott.” Ruby offers, like a chance to start over, hoping Liv would take it...

...And take it she did, because she said, with a small giggle, “Hi Ruby Riott, I’m Liv Morgan. Has anyone ever told you how pretty you are?”

And maybe it wasn’t forgiveness, or a relationship, but Ruby knew she’d get Liv back, because she had never tried for anything as hard as she would for this. And she hoped, that maybe they could work out one day, but she knew that no one would ever hurt Liv again, not on her watch and definitely not by her. And maybe, nobody would love her, well, maybe...

‘Except for you, except for you, except for you.’