(Un)Break me - Rhea Ripley x reader

Performance & safety

a/n: hey my loves! im travelling tomorrow so i decided to post it before leaving just in case the ao3 writer's curse decides to hit me again but on the important matter: i hope this chapter heals something in you the way it healed in me.
btw the paper the therapist gave y/n is in fact something my terapias gave me :)

Emotional security means that you don't have to constantly worry about being rejected or abandoned. 

Rhea's POV

Parental narcissism leads to anxiety and depression in children. 

Children with a narcissistic parent tend to learn from an early age that love is conditional. They learn that their worth is tied to external validation rather than an inherent sense of self. In other words: they are loved for what they do, how they act, not who they are.

To cope with that, most of them learn to perform , to become someone who would gain others' approval. This "false self" is a persona designed to please, gain approval, and avoid rejection.

Over time, this can lead to struggles with self-worth, perfectionism, people-pleasing tendencies, and difficulty recognizing or expressing their true emotions.

I couldn't sleep after Y/N told me about her family. Even though I finally had answers to so many questions, I somehow felt more lost than before. I reached for our notebook in hopes it would give me some clarity. Underlined with thick lines, the word narcissist stood out, so I started googling it.

The more I read about it, the more it made sense. Things started to rapidly fall into place in my head. Y/N's every single behavior. Her every single habit. From overthinking to building up walls as high as the sky. Hell, even the way she saw right through Jennnifer.

Everything. 

Y/N was never doing it from a place of selfishness nor choice. Fuck, she'd  always tells me how well I can read her but I couldn't read that?! I bite my lip, feeling bad for it. It was right in front of me and I missed it.

I look back when she distanced herself from our relationship. All those times, it was never her. And it was so fucking obvious! The coldness should have given it away: she only does it because that's what she's been conditioned to. That's what she's learned. That's how she learned to cope with pain.

And heaven knows how hard it is to go against years of deep seated 'truths'. Tears well up my eyes as I look down to see the messy head of cherry waves on my chest.

Thinking about it and about how she's been putting in the effort to try and change her ways. To believe there's nothing wrong in being who she is. It all makes me feel loved, somehow, because I know there's something in me that inspires her not to do better, there's no right or wrong when it comes to feelings, but to trust .

"I'm so proud of you." I whisper, not caring that she didn't listen as I kissed the top of her head.

She trusts me enough to show her true colors, despite all the fear. My heart warms up with the expectation of getting to know her more and more, seeing her come out of her shell.

I tighten my arms against her body, kissing the top of her head one last time before going to sleep.

Sadly, it's only for a couple hours until my alarm rings and I have to go to the gym, but not before I open a little notebook and write her a little reminder on an empty page, leaving it on the bedside table for her to read when she wakes up.

Nothing about your feelings will ever be pathetic to me, mooncake. If you're an overthinker, then I'll be an over-listener. 

I want to hear it all.

Ps. And if you ever need reassurance, I'll be an over-explainer too.

xoxo dems

Y/N's POV

The days that followed were filled with Rhea needing to reassure you countless times that there was nothing pathetic about being yourself.

No, about being traumatized. 

However, those countless times were far less than you would have imagined. And if you have been carrying that notebook around just so you could read that silly little note whenever you wanted (or needed) to, no one had to know.

"And what was her reaction?" Your therapist's voice rang through the tiny room, asking about Rhea's reaction to your trauma dump. 

"She took it well?" You let your thoughts materialize, though your wording carries a hint of uncertainty.

"You don't sound completely sure. What makes you hesitate?"

"I mean like, she was so understanding and kind, and I didn't feel like a huge shit after telling her. She told me there was nothing pathetic about it."

You show her the note Rhea left you.

"And when she says that—when she reassures you—do you believe her?"

"Weirdly, yes?" You hesitate. "I mean- apart from the fact that she'd had to reassure me about it a bazillion times, it is not half as much as I would have expected. It's like it's slowly sinking in?  I feel like- I don't know. It's like I can trust her?" Please say yes. Your therapist doesn't say so, but does the next best thing: she nods, a small but certain motion.

"From what you've shared about her, Rhea sounds like a safe and consistent presence in your life. It's not just that she's supposed to be supportive—it's that she's actually proving to be."

A breath you didn't realize you were holding escapes. You mirror her small smile.

You mirrored the smile your therapist had.

"Yeah.. I think so." You smile wider.

The session passes smoothly and just when you were about to leave, the therapist calls your attention.

"Oh and Y/N, before I forget, I made this chart with some signs of a safe connection and I wanted you to have a copy." Your eyes scan over it.

What does it mean to have a secure connection with someone? It means feeling emotionally safe and at ease in the relationship, whether it's romantic, familial, or a friendship. 

Signs of a secure connection:

Mutual trust: knowing you can rely on each other
- Open communication: knowing you can talk about anything without the fear of judgement
- Emotional security: not needing to constantly worry about being rejected or abandoned
- Authenticity: you don't have to hide parts of who you are from this person
- Unconditional support: being there for you in both good and bad times
- Respect and understanding: empathy and effort to understand each other despite the differences.

You fold the pinkish paper and place it in between pages of your notebook with a paperclip (which you stole from the secretary). For the first time in a while, you leave therapy feeling good, instead of the chaotic turmoil it usually brings you.

Damn, Rhea checks all the boxes. You text her:

'thanks for showing me what safe feels like'

'ily too babe'