Heartbreak Tonight

While Kaylee was watching Valley leave, and mentally steeling herself for what was to come, Haley was back in her apartment suite, on the top floor of her building, the large windows overlooking the Tokyo skyline.

The co-hardcore champ, finally medically cleared, wasn't booked at that weeks Friction show, and, as a result, had stayed home most of the day. She had talked on the phone with her new friend Gwen Bettencourt...a development that still baffled the co-champ, had done some light working out, watched a movie, done some online shopping.

Now, clad in an overly casual "outfit" of a half tank top and lacy underwear, a cute apron keeping her "covered", she was in the kitchen, chopping up some celery and carrots. It was cold in Tokyo, and with the weather predicting rain for the next few days, a nice and hearty winter soup seemed like a good idea.

Of course, the other reason for busying herself up like this was to keep herself distracted until Valley got home. Haley had indeed been watching Friction, had seen the adorable new girl, Kaylee, make out with her girlfriend, had ignored Valleys phone call.

She continued chopping. Assuming Valley was already on the way home, the stew should be cooking on the stove by the time she got there...and then, her and her live-in girlfriend would...talk.

Haley was cooking. Valley wasn’t sure what to think about that.

She could smell it as she walked down the hallway, and it was clear that the source was, in fact, their shared apartment. Soup, if she had to guess, and it had the scent of freshness about it, so she’d only started it up recently…after the kiss.

This posed some questions, ones that had Valley standing outside the door, fiddling with her keys. Haley rarely missed an episode of Friction, and she doubted tonight was the night. So she had seen the kiss. Even if she hadn’t, it would’ve popped up on her Twitter or her new friend Gwen - weird development, that was - would’ve told her, or something. It was also weird that she hadn’t called her back. Even with bad reception, Haley’s phone should’ve shown the missed call by now.

But, if Haley had seen it, why was she cooking? That was an odd thing to do after seeing your girlfriend and potential spouse getting frenched by a younger version of herself.

Questions. Many questions. Questions she wasn’t going to get the answer to standing out here. So.

Valley opened the door, stepped in, and closed it behind. [color=#ff00ff]”Haley?”[/colo] She called out, as she began shuffling out of her pants. ”Babe?”

"Hey Babe! In the kitchen! Remember the pants rule!"
came Haley's reply from the kitchen, putting the lid on her pot of stew. The "pants rule", one of the core rules of the apartment that Haley insisted on once her and Valley moved in together, just one of Haley's various quirks that Valley enjoyed about her younger lover.

It was a simple idea really. The way Haley figured it, this was their home, their refuge, their place to be comfortable and safe together, away from prying eyes, overzealous fans, and violent rivals. Pants, as stylish as they could be, were simply constricting. Even something as nice as yoga pants could be constricting in a way, reducing the pleasure of skin on skin contact as they lay on the couch together.

So, the way Haley figured it, the best way to be fully comfy in their own home...the home she was paying something around half a million dollars, at least in american currency, a year for, was to simply make pants a non-option. Oh sure, if they were ever going to host a party or have friends over, that would change for that...probably, but when it was just one, or the both of them, pants were to be removed upon entry. It allowed for comfort, pleasure...and a great view.

With a final swirl of her ladel, Haley put the lid on the pot. The stew was coming along nicely, and now simply just needed to boil. With that, she unstrung her apron, taking it off just as Valley entered the kitchen. With a smile, she moved over to her, giving her older girlfriend a peck on the cheek.

"Right, stew is almost ready babe, just needs to boil for a bit...so we've got some time before dinner, I figure we can...I dunno, have a little chat about that younger you kissing you in the ring?"

and just like that, the penny dropped, Haley pulling out and sitting on a kitchen chair, arms crossed, giving Valley the floor.

For a while, Valley wasn’t sure how much her girlfriend knew. She also wasn’t sure if her not knowing was a good thing or a bad thing.

On one hand, on paper it was good to come home and not have to go in guns blazing, staving the round of apologies that had to come. Maybe she could break it to her better if she laid it out in her own way, with the media filter.

On the other hand, explaining it herself ran the risk of her messing it up and making the situation even worse with the woman who had just gave her a loving peck on the cheek. A good thing it wasn’t a kiss on the lips, too, because Haley would’ve likely tasted Kaylee.

Then the bomb dropped. Should’ve known.

Valley was quiet for a moment, staring as Haley took a seat, not quite sure how to proceed with this. Calmness, she figured. She needed to be calm, about all else. Panicking and stammering would only make this so much worse.

”I...made a mistake.” She pulled up a chair and sat opposite from Haley, putting her arms up on the table as she spoke. It was hard to meet her girlfriend’s gaze, and she kept looking around the room. ”I let someone in my life that I really shouldn’t have let in my life and this is what happened. I should’ve seen it coming. I didn’t. Or maybe I did and I just didn’t care. Either way, it was a mistake, and it’s one I will deal with.”

There. Got it out.

Valley seemed really really upset about what happened between her and Kaylee...which is why Haley felt so awful by giggling seconds later, getting a confused reaction from her upset girlfriend.

Gently, she reached out, patting her arm. "Valley, I've known you for a long time now, and there are three things about you I know to be undisputed. First, you have the best moonsault in the entire business. Second, you are, by far, the hottest woman in this company that's actually old enough to drink. The third, and most important...is that you love me. I have complete and utter faith and trust in you." she said, rubbing her lovers arm and comforting her, making it clear that there was never any doubts or thoughts of disloyalty in her mind.

"...Plus, I mean, I saw the way you bitchslapped the hell out of that girl, so it was pretty obvious you two weren't a thing. Now, I know we stay out of each others feuds and such, but I'm curious now. What's up with this girl? I googled her name, apparently she was in Slamazons too? So, you've known her, you knew her...I mean, I'm not trying to pry, but she must know you pretty well, given she cosplayed as you and all tonight..."

There were no words to properly describe the relief that Valley felt when Haley revealed that she wasn’t mad. Honestly, she should’ve seen it coming. Her girlfriend was a kind woman. Understanding. Patience. After everything they’d been through, there was no way she’d let something like this mar their relationship.

”Sorry. For a second there, I forgot how awesome a girlfriend you are.” She gave Haley a quick peck on the cheek, then moved over to the kitchen to get a better look at the meal for the night. A thick, heady smell was filling the apartment, one that left Valley’s eyes watering. While Haley wasn’t exactly a four-star chef, she had a better grasp of it than the Slamazon.

Valley groaned at Haley’s question, but it was one she had to answer. Couldn’t leave this blank unfilled. ”She’s a ring rat, like me. Her mother and I used to fued a bit, and we had one match, way back when. Guess I left a bigger impression than I thought.”

Valley shoved her hands in her pockets and kept walking through the kitchen. ”She’s...she’s not a bad girl. She’s just confused. It’s like she can’t help herself."

Indeed, while she had no special skill at it, Haley had been forced to learn to cook for herself during her early years, training in various countries around the world. She wasn't even a chef, much less a 4 star one, but she could follow instructions well enough, and was at least competent at it.

"Brat, ring brat Val, Rat means...something else..." Haley cut in, though she listened quietly after, letting Val finish.

"Well, I can't blame her for being attracted to you, who couldn't be?" She smirked, grabbing her phone and typing something in. "So you knew each other and she has a fixation on you. Like, idolization? Obsession? Is she dangerous? How do you feel about her?"

She scrolled through the results of what she typed, before grinning and clicking on a video link. "Heh. Valley Doll vs. Kaylee Van Halan. Mmm. The sight of you in that singlet is niiiice...especially with that rack....wait, THAT's Kaylee? She looks pretty young here. Like my age when I started out. Hope you weren't too mean to her."

Haley looked between Valley to her phone, fullscreening and putting it on its stand so they could both watch it.

Valley leaned over the table, a little curious about what her girlfriend was looking up, hoping she wouldn’t find anything too racey. She hadn’t thought to check and see if Kaylee had anything online, but she didn’t like the mental images she kept dreaming up on what her potential blog could look like.

Haley’s question drew a sigh from her, and she sat back, giving it real thought for a moment. ”Dangerous?” She spoke like she was asking herself the question. ”I don’t...no. Not really. I mean, she’s a good wrestler, but outside the ring she’s a marshmallow. Sweet as can be, just misplaced.”

She didn’t answer the question on how she felt about Kaylee, not just yet. Mostly because she wasn’t sure of the answer. Instead, she leaned to the side and watched her match along with Haley, shaking her head as she looked at the younger Valley go. ”Kaylee Rush now. Maybe trying to distance herself from her mom.” She tapped her chin, then glanced Haley’s way. ”We had a little talk afterwards, tried to get her to go cold turkey on me. Didn’t go so well, if I’m being honest.”

"Well that's good at least. Least we don't have to worry about sneak attacks or home invasions or anything like we did with that psycho Amethyst. Haven't seen her around since I threw her off that scaffold a couple Summer Splashes ago..."


Haley trailed off, watching the match on her phone. It wasn't very long. Kaylee was young at the time, and clearly out of her league, though she was spirited, always flailing a limb or trying to throw an elbow or kick where she could. "Heh. Kaylee Rush...I like her. Cute name, cute girl, and from what I can see with this and her match with that Bubbles woman, who, by the way, is scary, she's got a lot of spirit. Lotta heart."

Finally the match came to a close, the Valley of the past locking on a grapevine hold, leaning her body over the girls while using her powerful legs to spread Kaylee's, stretching them out tightly for several moments, before a writhing Kaylee tapped out, the older blonde freeing the kid and ruffling her hair before leaving the ring.

"You know...she kinda reminds me of you a bit, and I don't just mean that cosplay from earlier..."

She sighed at Valleys next sentence though, putting her phone away before it could autoplay, Rai, her adorable black kitten, mrowing and rubbing against her leg, the Canadian picking the kitty up and petting him.


"No offense, but I'm not surprised to hear that. You seemed pretty pissed right then, and from what I saw of those other two hugging her after, she seemed pretty upset about getting bitchslapped by...whatever you are to her. What did you guys say to each other?"

That was true, Haley was no Amethyst, and for that, Valley was eternally grateful. In a strange way, though, that actually made this harder. Amethyst was obsessed, but it was an easy thing to feel good about smacking her around. She was an evil, crazy, vengeful woman who belonged in a padded cell. Kaylee, on the other hand, was a good girl. A sweet girl. A confused girl. That, Valley had considerably less experience dealing with.

”She has heart. I can’t take that away from her.” Valley grimaced as the match started to wind down and she remembered bringing out that grapevine hold. ‘Hollywood and Vine’, she’d wanted to call it, back when she was still deciding what her dedicated submission finisher would be. It seemed like a good idea at the time: she was naturally flexible, could stretch for days, and the move was a good way to wear down opponents. A rare move that was half-pinfall, half-submission. Up her alley.

In hindsight, though, perhaps laying across the impressionable girl and mashing their bodies together wasn’t the best idea. Like it might have given some wrong ideas.

Haley’s question brought her back to reality, and she answered the question after a long, drawn out sigh. Might as well rip this bandaid off. ”So, yeah, we had a little spat, and I challenged her to a match. If…” Valley grunted. ”When she loses, she has to back off. Period. Full stop.” She chewed on her lip for a moment, before deciding to just plow ahead. ”To get her to go along with it, though, I had to agree to, you know...spend a night with her, if she wins. Which won’t happen. So, there’s that.”