#buddy murphy

there are fans in the IWC, black fans especially, that don’t like rhea bc of that. that is extremely valid. to add onto their frustrations, rhea’s fans are extremely racist. i’ve seen rhea fans go under tweets of black fans and call them n words, “monkeys”, and so much more insane shit. so i can understand why there may be some vitriol thrown at rhea ripley. do i condone it? no, but i get it.

i ignored all of the social media foolishness leading up to rhea vs jade bc i thought it was just used to add heat. but, looking back, it puts a sour taste in my mouth abt rhea ripley as a person. rhea ripley has gone on interviews saying she doesn’t like the 4th wall being broken and her character being tarnished. HOWEVER, she’s also gone on other interviews saying cargill is “inexperienced” and “not used to the business”. purposely going out of kayfabe to tarnish another person’s credibility. if that’s not enough, rhea’s friend and husband have been taking shots at jade cargill - which is weird as fuck. i’m not a fan of ripley or cargill. i do support and show kindness to all black wrestlers simply out of kinship, but cargill is not my fave. with that being said, it’s deeply upsetting how GROWN men and women are targeted and bullying cargill.

and then on top of that, the fans of these grown men and women are antagonizing jade. rhea ripley openly speaks on her mental health struggles but actively contributes to the decline of someone else’s? does that make sense to y’all? i hate to see black women targeted and bullied, that shit has got to stop. black ppl have existed for centuries and will continue doing so, either get with it or get over it. simple! and that’s for the fans of rhea ripley and rhea’s family/friends. this shit is starting to piss me off.

Pair: Rhea Riple X the USOS

Plot: On camera, Rhea Ripley is untouchable — confident, dominant, magnetic. Fans see the swagger, the smirk, the power. They see the champion, the Nightmare, the woman who never breaks. But behind closed doors, things are different. Her husband, Buddy Matthews, used to be her safe place. He used to be warmth, laughter, and late‑night whispers. Lately, he’s been cold. Distracted. Distant. He barely looks at her anymore, barely touches her, barely speaks unless he has to. And every time he pulls away, Rhea folds in on herself a little more. She tells herself no one notices. She tells herself she’s still strong. She tells herself she’s fine. But Jimmy and Jey Uso see everything. They see the way her smile doesn’t reach her eyes. They see the way she hesitates before going home. They see the way she shrinks when Buddy walks past her like she’s a stranger. And the twins — who have always moved in sync — feel the same pull toward her. A shared, quiet affection they’ve never spoken aloud. A protectiveness that grows every time she pretends she’s okay. They’re determined to show her the truth she’s forgotten: That she’s beautiful. That she’s wanted. That she’s worth more than the coldness she’s been given. That she’s not alone — not when they’re right there, ready to catch her. As Buddy drifts further away, the twins step closer. Not to replace him. Not to claim her. But to remind her of the woman she is… and the woman they see.

Chapter Six is the moment Rhea steps fully into her own power. After months of shrinking and apologizing, she chooses herself with quiet, steady courage. Walking away from someone you loved is never easy, but sometimes it’s the only way to breathe again. This is where The Space He Left Behind becomes something she can finally fill with her own strength. 🤍😊❤️

Song:“Clean” — Taylor Swift

The walk back to the hotel is quiet after Buddy storms off. Too quiet.

Rhea’s hands shake a little, the adrenaline fading, the weight of what she just did settling in her chest like a stone.

When they reach the hotel entrance, she stops.

Rhea: “I… I think I just need to be alone for a bit.”

Jimmy turns immediately.

Jimmy: “Rhea—”

Rhea: “Please. Just for tonight.”

Jey studies her face — the exhaustion, the heartbreak, the fear she’s trying so hard to hide.

Jey: “You sure?”

Rhea nods, even though she doesn’t look sure at all.

Rhea: “Yeah. I just… I need to think.”

Jimmy doesn’t like it. Jey doesn’t like it. But they respect her.

So Jimmy hands her the keycard.

Jimmy: “Text us if you need anything.”

Jey’s voice is low, steady.

Jey: “Anything.”

Rhea gives them a small, tired smile and heads inside.

The twins watch her go until the elevator doors close.

It’s well past midnight when Jimmy and Jey find themselves standing outside her door again.

Neither of them planned it. Neither of them said, “Let’s go.” They just… ended up there.

Jimmy runs a hand over his face.

Jimmy: “I can’t stop thinking about her walking back here alone after all that.”

Jey nods, jaw tight.

Jey: “She gave him her ring, man. That’s not nothing.”

Jimmy leans against the wall, exhaling hard.

Jimmy: “We can’t keep pretending we don’t feel something.”

Jey looks down the hallway, voice low.

Jey: “Yeah. But she’s hurting. And she’s married. And we said we wouldn’t make it harder.”

Jimmy shakes his head.

Jimmy: “Not telling her is making it harder. For us. For her. She thinks she’s alone in this.”

Jey hesitates.

Then he nods.

Slowly. Reluctantly. Honestly.

Jey: “So what do we do?”

Jimmy looks at the door — the soft light under it, the quiet behind it.

Jimmy: “We tell her the truth. Carefully. Respectfully. But we tell her.”

Jey takes a breath.

Jey: “Yeah. Okay.”

They stand there for a moment, both nervous, both steadying themselves.

Then Jimmy lifts his hand.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Inside, they hear movement — soft footsteps, the rustle of blankets.

The door unlocks.

Opens.

Rhea stands there in one of Liv’s oversized shirts, hair messy, eyes tired but warm.

She blinks at them.

Rhea: “Jimmy? Jey? What’s wrong?”

Jimmy swallows.

Jey shifts his weight.

And together, they realize:

This is the moment everything changes.

Rhea steps back from the doorway, pulling the oversized shirt tighter around herself.

Rhea: “Come in.”

Jimmy and Jey enter quietly, almost cautiously, like they’re afraid of startling her. The room is dim, lit only by the bedside lamp. Her shoes are kicked off near the door, her hair still slightly damp from a shower she took to calm down.

She sits on the edge of the bed. They stay standing for a moment — unsure, nervous, respectful.

Rhea looks up at them.

Rhea: “You’re scaring me. What’s going on?”

Jimmy exhales, rubbing the back of his neck.

Jimmy: “We didn’t mean to wake you.”

Jey: “We just… couldn’t stop thinking about you.”

Rhea’s breath catches.

Rhea: “Why?”

Jimmy and Jey exchange a look — the kind that says this is it.

Jimmy steps forward first, voice soft.

Jimmy: “Because we care about you. More than we should. More than we planned to.”

Jey sits beside her on the bed, leaving space but close enough she feels his warmth.

Jey: “We tried to ignore it. Tried to be just friends. Tried to stay in our lane.”

Jimmy nods.

Jimmy: “But tonight… watching you hand him that ring… watching you walk away from something that hurt you… we realized we can’t keep pretending.”

Rhea’s eyes widen, her heart pounding in her chest.

Rhea: “Pretending what?”

Jey meets her eyes — steady, honest, vulnerable.

Jey: “Pretending we don’t feel something for you.”

Rhea’s breath stutters.

Jimmy kneels in front of her so she can’t look away.

Jimmy: “We’re not asking for anything. We’re not trying to push you. We know you’re hurting. We know you’re married. We know this is messy.”

Jey’s voice softens.

Jey: “But we needed you to know. Because you deserve to be seen. And we see you, Rhea.”

Her throat tightens.

No one has said that to her in months. Maybe years.

She looks between them — Jimmy’s warm eyes, Jey’s steady gaze — and something inside her cracks open.

Rhea: “I… I don’t know what to say.”

Jimmy shakes his head gently.

Jimmy: “You don’t have to say anything.”

Jey leans in slightly, voice low.

Jey: “Just tell us if we made things worse.”

Rhea’s eyes fill — not with pain, but with something overwhelming and new.

She shakes her head.

Rhea: “No. You didn’t make it worse.”

She swallows hard, voice trembling.

Rhea: “You made me feel… seen. For the first time in a long time.”

Jimmy’s expression softens into something heartbreakingly tender.

Jimmy: “Good. That’s all we wanted.”

Jey nods, his voice barely above a whisper.

Jey: “We’re here. However you need us. Whatever you need from us.”

Rhea wipes her eyes with the back of her hand.

Rhea: “I don’t know what I need yet.”

Jimmy stands slowly, brushing a strand of hair from her face with the lightest touch.

Jimmy: “Then we’ll figure it out together.”

Jey places a hand over hers — warm, steady, grounding.

Jey: “You’re not alone anymore.”

Rhea closes her eyes, letting the truth of that settle deep in her chest.

For the first time in a long time…

She believes it.

The room is quiet after everything they’ve said. Jimmy standing in front of her, Jey sitting beside her, both of them watching her with a kind of careful hope.

Rhea takes a long breath, steadying herself.

Rhea: “I… I need to say something.”

Jimmy straightens a little. Jey’s hand stays over hers, warm and steady.

Jimmy: “Whatever it is, we’re listening.”

Rhea looks down at her fingers, twisting the hem of her shirt.

Rhea: “I care about you. Both of you. More than I expected to. More than I should, probably.”

Jey’s breath catches, but he doesn’t interrupt.

Rhea: “But I can’t… I can’t jump into anything right now. Not when I’m still married. Not when everything is so messy.”

Jimmy nods slowly, his expression softening with understanding.

Jimmy: “We get that.”

Rhea shakes her head, eyes stinging.

Rhea: “No, I don’t think you do. I gave him my ring tonight. I told him I needed space. But that’s not the same as ending things. Not really.”

Jey’s voice is low, gentle.

Jey: “So what do you need?”

Rhea swallows hard.

Rhea: “Time. I need time to think. To breathe. To break things off with Buddy properly. Not in the street. Not in anger. I need to do it the right way.”

Jimmy sits beside her on the other side, careful not to crowd her.

Jimmy: “Rhea… that’s the most responsible thing you could do.”

Jey nods.

Jey: “We don’t want you rushing anything. Or choosing anything because you feel pressured.”

Rhea looks between them, her voice barely above a whisper.

Rhea: “I don’t want to hurt you.”

Jimmy gives a small, sad smile.

Jimmy: “You’re not hurting us.”

Jey squeezes her hand gently.

Jey: “You’re being honest. That’s all we want.”

Rhea’s eyes fill again — not from pain, but from relief.

Rhea: “I just… I finally feel seen. And I don’t want to lose that.”

Jimmy brushes a strand of hair behind her ear, his touch feather‑light.

Jimmy: “You won’t.”

Jey leans in slightly, voice steady.

Jey: “We’re not going anywhere.”

Rhea exhales shakily, the weight on her chest easing just a little.

Rhea: “Thank you. For understanding.”

Jimmy stands, giving her space.

Jimmy: “Take all the time you need.”

Jey rises too, pausing at the door.

Jey: “And when you’re ready… we’ll be here.”

Rhea nods, wiping her eyes.

Rhea: “Okay.”

They step out quietly, closing the door behind them.

Rhea sits on the bed, staring at the empty space where they’d been moments ago.

For the first time in a long time…

She feels like she’s allowed to choose herself.

Rhea wakes to sunlight slipping through the hotel curtains, warm against her face. For a moment, she lies still, staring at the ceiling, letting the quiet settle around her.

Last night replays in pieces:

Jimmy’s soft voice. Jey’s steady eyes. Her own words. The ring in Buddy’s hand.

She exhales slowly.

Today has to be the day.

She reaches for her phone, thumbs hovering over Buddy’s name. Her heart pounds, but she types anyway.

Rhea: Can we meet? The café down the street. 10am.

The reply comes quickly.

Buddy: Yeah. I’ll be there.

Rhea closes her eyes, steadying herself. Then she gets up, showers, dresses simply — jeans, a black tee, hair pulled back. No makeup. No armor.

Just her.

Before she leaves, she grabs the envelope from her bag — thick, heavy, final.

Buddy is already there when she arrives, sitting at a small table near the window. He looks tired, frustrated, confused — but not surprised.

His eyes flick to the envelope in her hand.

Buddy: “What’s that?”

Rhea sits across from him, placing the envelope gently on the table between them.

Her voice is steady.

Rhea: “Divorce papers.”

Buddy’s jaw tightens.

Buddy: “You’re serious.”

Rhea nods.

Rhea: “I am.”

He leans back, scoffing under his breath.

Buddy: “So that’s it? One fight and you’re done?”

Rhea shakes her head.

Rhea: “It wasn’t one fight. It was months of feeling invisible. Months of trying. Months of being alone in a marriage that was supposed to be a partnership.”

Buddy looks away, jaw clenching.

Buddy: “I was stressed. I had a lot going on.”

Rhea: “And I tried to be there for you. But you shut me out. You pushed me away. You made me feel like I wasn’t enough.”

Buddy’s eyes flick back to hers — defensive, wounded.

Buddy: “So you run to them?”

Rhea’s voice doesn’t waver.

Rhea: “I didn’t run to anyone. I broke down. And they were there. That’s not their fault. That’s not why I’m doing this.”

She pushes the envelope toward him.

Rhea: “I’m doing this because I deserve to feel seen. And you stopped seeing me a long time ago.”

Buddy stares at the envelope for a long moment.

Then he opens it.

The papers slide out — crisp, official, undeniable.

His hands shake slightly as he picks up the pen the café keeps on the table.

Buddy: “You really want this?”

Rhea nods.

Rhea: “Yes.”

Buddy signs.

The scratch of the pen is the only sound between them.

When he finishes, he caps the pen and pushes the papers back toward her.

Buddy: “Fine. Have it your way.”

Rhea takes the envelope, slipping the papers inside.

Her chest feels heavy — but lighter than it has in months.

She stands.

Rhea: “Goodbye, Buddy.”

He doesn’t look at her.

Buddy: “Yeah. Goodbye.”

Rhea turns and walks out of the café, the morning sun warm on her face, the envelope tucked under her arm.

For the first time in a long time…

She feels free.

To Be Continued

TAGLIST 😊