Work Text:
“Happy Thanksgiving, Rey.”
Rhea Ripley’s malicious grin was plastered onto her face as she rose from her crouch to the man on the floor. Dominik had a hand on her back, smirking. At a slight jerk of the woman’s head, they walked out of the camera’s shot.
When the cameraman indicated that the take was over, Rhea let go of Dominik and went back to the floored man. She held a hand out to him, “up you get. Wasn’t that bad, right?” she offered Rey a smile when he took her hand and she pulled him to his feet.
Rey held his hip and groaned, clearly in pain. “Ay, I’m getting too old for this shit…” When he saw Rhea and Dom share an expression of concern, he snorted. “I’m kidding, you did great Rhea. You too, Dom.”
While Rhea laughed at his joke, Dom just let out a breath he had pent up. Thank god he was fine.
“Well, guess I’d better get going, huh?” The Aussie started going over to the coathangers and reaching for her jacket.
Angie called to her from the dining table, “don’t be silly, come over here!”
Rhea gave a confused look to Dom, who was smiling bashfully at the ground.
“It’s Thanksgiving, after all. Come, come, come, there’s a plate for you too!” Angie was waving her over, and how in hell are you supposed to say no to a Latina mother?
She looked surprised but walked over to the table, a smile on her face. “You really didn’t have to, honestly.”
“Shh- ¡Cállate! Sit sit sit. You should have brought your little Judgement Day friends too, Rhea!”
Rhea had to laugh as she sat down opposite the two children who had literally just witnessed her beating Rey up. Dominik came to sit right beside her. “I… well I remember you saying you didn’t have any Thanksgiving plans and well… my mom wasn’t having it as you can see.” He was a little red in the face.
Rey came to sit down beside his wife with a slight groan, patting the kids on the head briefly.
Aalyah, Dominik’s younger sister, sat on the other side of Rhea and took her hand to look at her nails. “Oh my god, I’m in love. You’re so pretty.” Rhea had hung out with Aalyah before so she was used to her personality. She found it really sweet, actually.
“Thanks guys.” Rhea grinned as she looked around the full table.
When the dinner was over, everyone was full and happy, and the Mysterios had seen Rhea to a cab, Rey retired to his room, claiming he just wanted to rest up.
His son followed him up, hesitating at his closed door for a minute or two. Taking a deep breath, he knocked and turned the doorknob.
Rey was sitting on the edge of the bed, red and green pyjamas on. He was just kicking off his slippers to get into bed. “Hey, what’s up mijo? Everything okay?” His father’s smile was so comforting without his mask on, because he could see the way his whole face moved with the emotion, and not just his lips or the corners of his eyes when he had it on.
Dominik looked nervous, standing in the doorway and rubbing his arm.
“Dom?”
“Yeah- uh… I just wanted to talk…” He closed the door and walked over to his parents’ bed when Rey patted the spot beside him. He sat down and looked at his hands on his lap. “Are you okay from earlier today..? I know you were joking after but-”
Rey cut him off with a chuckle, patting his son on the shoulder. “Oh Dom, look at you all worried about your old man. I’m fine, you’re acting like I haven’t suffered way worse in my career.”
“Sure but…” He cursed himself when he felt tears welling up in his eyes. He’d told himself he wouldn’t cry so easily. “But wh- when I’m the one hurting you…” He took a deep breath to steady himself. He knew his father was frowning now. “I don’t think I can do this anymore, Papá…”
Rey placed his hand on his son’s shoulder and shook his head, “Dom, look at me. I signed up for this, I know what I signed up for. I promise you its fine, I’m fine.”
Dominik covered his face with his hands, “but every time I- I have to say I hate you, or deny you as my dad… or call you a failure… I just hate myself for it. And when I beat you up for the fans…”
The Mysterio pulled his son into his arms. “Dom, I know this is hard for you… but I’m proud of you, okay? You’re completely out of your comfort zone with The Judgement Day, but you’re doing so well.” He looked at Dominik in the eyes, serious. “Uncle Eddie would be so, so proud of you.”
Dominik began to sob into his father’s shoulder.
“You’re living up to his name. He’s smiling down at you, you hear me, mijo?” Rey smiled sadly, facing up to the ceiling. “You know what he’s saying right now?” At Dominik’s shake of his head, he continued, putting on his best Eddie impression. “Ey, c’mon holmes, why you cryin’? You’re makin’ Papi proud, ese! Really livin’ up to the Guerrero name!”
Dominik playfully pushed his father out of the hug, unable to help but laugh. “Oh my god, dad. You’re crazy.”
“Who you callin’ loco, ese?!” He threw his hands out emphatically, still imitating Eddie.
Dominik didn’t know if he was laughing or crying. “Stop, he’s wishing he could strangle you right now!”
Once his son had calmed down a little, Rey sat back against the headboard of his bed. “Look mijo, I’m not gonna force you to keep doing this. But think about it. The Judgement Day are nice kids, aren’t they?”
“I wish you’d stop calling them kids, the guys are literally almost as old as you.” Dominik scoffed, smiling slightly.
“Fine well, Rhea’s a kid then. So are you. But we’re getting off-topic. They’re nice to you, right? You’ve got nothing to worry about. I promise I’ll let you know if something goes wrong, alright? It won’t, but if it does, you’ll know.”
Dominik smiled weakly at his father. “Alright… thanks. Sleep well, Papá.” He got up and walked towards the door.
“Thanks for coming to me instead of keeping it inside you, Dom. I’m really glad.”
Dominik was lying in his bed, curled up on his side and falling asleep. His father was right, The Judgement Day were all really nice. After Dominik had to fight his father or do some mean promo, they’d be in the locker room patting his back and telling him how awesome he did until he went to see his father.
Finn and Damian would grab him by the shirt in celebration and shake him around, and their excitement was contagious. The guys loved to fool around to make him feel better about everything.
But Rhea would stroke his back, stroke his arm, his chest, his cheek, comforting him. Gentle, nails raking through his hair. Her smile brought him peace, the kisses she would leave on his cheek relaxed him. Her fingers interlocked with his own, her smell surrounding him, sedating him. She was a goddess. Diosa, he would call her, and he could only thank God for that smile.
He was so glad that the people around him weren’t really like the characters they played.