Post by Robb (Owner) on Nov 7, 2024 21:53:05 GMT -8
Jaime walked down the hall toward Maya’s room, balancing a bag of her favorite snacks and a couple of cold drinks. He had been looking forward to this moment since their messages, eager to bring her some comfort and shake off the frustration that had been building up around her. The hallway was quiet, which gave him a chance to gather his own thoughts, mentally preparing to be the steady presence she needed right now.
As he reached her door, he took a deep breath, straightened his posture, and knocked gently, not wanting to startle her. He couldn’t wait to see her, to finally wrap her up in that hug she’d asked for and remind her she wasn’t alone in all of this.
When the door opened, he was greeted by her warm smile, though he could still see a hint of the weight she was carrying. Jaime held up the bag of snacks with a playful grin. “Delivery for Miss Hardy… complete with a hug, just as ordered.”
“Starbursts, Cheddar pringles AND a hug? Are you SURE this is the right delivery boy? I didn’t think Idols could be this nice.” Her smile breaks through despite the deflation she felt almost all week. Maya has never lacked confidence, but she felt like the kid on the playground that constantly got chosen last and picked on. Even people that started out cordial or more have resorted to throwing jabs at her and it was breaking her. But this was a welcome break from all of that.
“I’ll take the hug now.” She says without hesitance as her eyes move from the bag of snacks and drinks and up to Jaime’s own lively gaze.
He wraps his arms around her and she pulls him into the room and kicks the door shut tenderly and quietly as Jaime hears Sabrina Carpenter serenading softly in the background.
Maya’s room was put together neatly with replica championship belts that her family had won, as well as family photos and motivational quotes. Colored string lights gave the room a pink and purple tint as she wraps her arms tightly around him.
Jaime felt her warmth as she hugged him tightly, and he held her with a firmness that was both comforting and reassuring. “Well, just this once, I’ll play the part of the nice Idol. Don’t go telling anyone, though—I have a reputation to keep,” he teased lightly, his voice soft as he felt her relax in his arms.
His eyes wandered around her room, taking in the championships, the family photos, the quotes, all little pieces of what made Maya, Maya. He could feel the weight of what she was carrying, all the pressure, all the unkindness from others gnawing at her confidence. But here, with the colored lights casting a gentle glow, he wanted her to know she was safe.
“You know, anyone who doesn’t see how much heart you have is a bloody idiot,” he murmured, his tone sincere. “Let them throw all the cheap shots they want. Doesn’t change who you are or what you’re capable of.”
He pulled back just enough to meet her eyes, a playful smirk sneaking onto his face. “And don’t worry, I brought enough snacks to drown out any and all negative vibes. We’ll eat, we’ll talk, and if anyone tries to ruin the night, they’ll have to answer to the ‘nice’ Idol.”
“Hmmmm. I like that. I guess I can forgive you for earlier. Since you went out your way and all.” With a grin on her face, Maya steps back and pulls Jaime with her. She was careful not to move too fast, he was injured after all, but their momentum sent them stumbling back onto her bed. They bounce off of it, laughing as Jaime was able to keep the bag secure as Maya crawls up the bed towards the mound of pillows at the head of the comfortable bed.
“Good save on the snacks.” Jaime joins Maya as he leans back against a few of those pillows as Maya leans back against him, getting comfortable.
“So, what are the doctors saying? How long are you out for?” Maya reaches into the bag and opens the Starburst package. She pulls a pink candy from the bag and unwraps it, leaving the wrapper in the large snack bag to discard later.
“I know you can’t wait to get back in there with us.” It was true. Life has changed so much for all the hopefuls in the factions. Each had potential to be the next star in wrestling, but with each hurdle, things would become more difficult. Jaime was no stranger to obstacles, but this one came at the worst time possible.
Jaime settled back against the pillows, wrapping an arm around Maya as she got comfortable beside him. He watched her unwrap the pink Starburst, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “Doctors say I’m out for a couple of weeks, maybe a little less if I take it easy,” he explained, shifting his knee slightly. “It’s just a bruise, nothing too serious. I can still walk and train, just… can’t go all out yet. So no glass-man jokes—I’m only half-fragile at best,” he chuckled, giving her a playful nudge.
He reached into the snack bag, pulling out a handful of Pringles, and popped one in his mouth before continuing. “Honestly, sitting on the sidelines is the worst part. Watching everyone train, seeing you all push yourselves—I’m itching to get back in there with you lot. But I know I’ve gotta play it smart, especially with all eyes on us now.”
Jaime’s gaze softened as he looked at her. “And hey, I’m pretty sure Charli would love it if I just rushed back and hurt myself. So I’m going to do exactly the opposite and come back better than ever, just to spite her. Can’t let her think she’s won, right?”
He leaned his head back, enjoying the moment of calm with her. “But I’ll be back before you know it. And trust me, when I am, I’ll be ready for anything.”
“Good. I want you back out there with me. And not because of Charli, I don’t even care about doing anything in spite of her, I just want to shut her up. I hope the Apex Crown comes down to the two of us. I really do. I owe her a little payback, but hey? Enough about her.”
Maya reaches into the bag and then into the open Pringles container. She pulls out two chips and leans back to place then in Jaime’s mouth. Her hand moves to his injured leg. Her fingers gently massaging under his shorts to help him relax even more.
“So we had our club thing, we’ve had time together in the gym and now we’re getting closer in the house but as close as we are, I feel like there’s something I don’t know about you.”
“What’s that, luv?” He was quick to respond, looking down as her head was against his chest.
“We’re both expected to wrestle forever. It’s in our blood and there’s really no escaping it. But if you gave it all up today, what else would you want to do with your life?” Her head tilts up to look at him.
“Have you ever thought about that? I have, I mean I could never tell my family, but as much as I love wrestling, I love other things too.” Another massaging nudge with her fingers along his injured leg and Maya was genuinely curious about his answer.
Jaime took a deep breath, savoring the comfort of her touch as she massaged his leg, her fingers gentle but firm in just the right way. He let his arm drape over her shoulders, his fingers tracing light patterns on her arm as he relaxed into the moment with her.
“Well, don’t laugh,” he started, a playful smirk crossing his lips, “but I always wanted to be a cop when I was a kid. Thought it was the coolest thing, you know? All those detective movies I used to watch… something about the mystery, piecing clues together, actually helping people in the end. It just felt right.” His voice softened a bit, caught up in the memory. “I used to imagine myself solving all these big cases, bringing down the bad guys. Kinda funny, right? Especially with everything else I ended up doing.”
He glanced down at her, that playful spark in his eyes returning. “But don’t go telling anyone I’m actually a nice guy. Can’t ruin my reputation, you know? People can’t know I ever wanted to do something… noble.” He chuckled, his fingers brushing through her hair gently.
“But seriously, if wrestling hadn’t been my path, I think I would’ve gone for it. There’s something about making a difference, even in the smallest way, that’s always kinda stuck with me. And who knows, maybe I’ll still solve a few mysteries along the way. Just… the wrestling kind instead.” He grinned, giving her a light squeeze, his arm pulling her closer against his chest. “But this stays between us, yeah? Gotta keep my ‘tough guy’ persona intact.”
“My lips are sealed.” Maya makes a zipper motion with her fingers over her lips, keeping the secret safe and then immediately after, she unzips her own lips.
“I love that. I know it isn’t always cool to do the ‘noble’ thing, but just think about the world and where we would be if no one ever wanted to do the noble thing. We would be in a lot of trouble, so I love that you would want to make a difference.”
Truth is, Maya was surprised. The entire Idol family had that aforementioned reputation, so much so that she believed it before meeting Jaime. Anyone with that last name would have been bad news to her.
“I like hearing about things that nobody else knows about you. Especially stuff that goes that far back. You’re letting me in…”. The music continues to be the backdrop for their conversation as Sabrina Carpenter was going to be stuck in Jaime’s head later on. Could be worse options of course!
“I wanted to be a dancer. I used to listen to Ariana, Katy Perry, The Black Eyed Peas and just, anything on the radio and I would just come up with the craziest, most off the wall dances. I know my dad has hours and hours of videos of me just dancing. But the cool thing is, it still kind of works for me because dancing is a lot like wrestling. It takes coordination, focus, and a lot of time to actually get good at it. I wasn’t really ‘good’ back in the day, but you saw what I could do at the club…I got this.”
Without warning, Maya turns her body and rests both hands on his chest. She cant help but to laugh as they made eye contact, she was so shy because she REALLY liked him, even if she wanted to cut him off hours ago.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Like what, luv?” His eye contact remains unrelenting, he knew he was melting her.
“Like….that, I don’t know!” Her fingertips dig into his shirt a bit, her nails poking at the fabric.
“We’ve already danced, we need to figure out some way to give you a taste of your childhood dream job. Without getting ourselves arrested of course.”
Jaime’s hands slid from her waist to her hips, his thumbs gently tracing circles as he held her close. A playful smirk danced on his lips as he looked down at her, his gaze soft but mischievous.
“Oh, so you want me to try out my old dream job, do you?” he teased, his fingers drifting just a bit lower, resting on the small of her back. “Well, if we’re doing this, I’ll need you as my ‘partner in crime.’ Can’t go solving mysteries and playing the hero without a good sidekick. Or, in this case, a partner who’s way better at dancing than me.”
He leaned his forehead against hers, eyes still locked on hers as he kept his hands firmly but gently in place. “Maybe we’ll even create a new dance style—something that combines all that coordination and rhythm with a bit of sleuthing and mystery-solving.” He chuckled softly, the warmth of his breath brushing against her face.
“Who knows? You might just be the one to help me find the ‘noble’ side of wrestling. But if we get too into it and start busting out dance moves mid-match, you’re taking full credit for that,” he whispered, voice barely above a murmur as he held her gaze.
He paused, letting the silence settle around them for a moment, his fingers gently pressing against her as his eyes searched hers, filled with a mix of playfulness and something deeper. “You know, you make it pretty hard not to let you in, Maya. You’ve got this way of… making all the walls come down.”
His hands gently slid up her sides, then settled back on her hips, and he gave her a soft, reassuring squeeze. “So, what do you say, Detective Hardy? Ready to solve the mystery of… whatever this is?” He grinned widely.
“I think that sounds like a per-“ she’s interrupted by a knock on the door and a voice from one of the other students living in the Nightfall house. ‘Movie night, come on, we’re waiting for you guys.’
Jaime and Maya both laugh as Maya closes her eyes and then exhales deeply.
“Movie night it is, I guess.” There was disappointment in her voice, but it was nice to be able to bond with whatever other students would make it to the first ever movie night in the house.
“At least we know none of us are getting in trouble, tonight, right?” Maya slides away and drops her feet to the floor and then holds her hand out to help Jaime.
“We’re coming!” She screams loud enough for the others to hear.
“But yes, we’re solving this mystery asap.” Detective Hardy had a nice ring to it; it was cute!
Finally, Jaime grabs her hand as she helps him off the bed.
“We’re not done here. We have a lot of unfinished investigation…okay?”
Jaime let out a soft chuckle as he took her hand, letting her help him up. He stood close for a moment, giving her fingers a gentle squeeze before releasing her hand, a playful glint still in his eyes.
“Oh, Detective Hardy, we’re far from done,” he murmured, his voice low enough that only she could hear, keeping that air of mystery alive. “This is just the first case of many. And trust me, I’m not leaving until we solve every last one of them.”
He took a step back, his grin widening as he watched her. “But for now, I suppose movie night calls. Can’t have the Nightfall squad thinking we’re skipping out on all the fun, right?” He winked, throwing her a playful salute before heading toward the door, waiting for her to follow.
As they stepped out together, side by side, he shot her one last look, a silent promise in his eyes. Tonight might be movie night, but soon enough, they’d be right back here, diving back into whatever it was they were starting together.
“Alright, Detective Hardy,” he said with a grin as they walked down the hall. “Let’s go give them a night to remember.”
As he reached her door, he took a deep breath, straightened his posture, and knocked gently, not wanting to startle her. He couldn’t wait to see her, to finally wrap her up in that hug she’d asked for and remind her she wasn’t alone in all of this.
When the door opened, he was greeted by her warm smile, though he could still see a hint of the weight she was carrying. Jaime held up the bag of snacks with a playful grin. “Delivery for Miss Hardy… complete with a hug, just as ordered.”
“Starbursts, Cheddar pringles AND a hug? Are you SURE this is the right delivery boy? I didn’t think Idols could be this nice.” Her smile breaks through despite the deflation she felt almost all week. Maya has never lacked confidence, but she felt like the kid on the playground that constantly got chosen last and picked on. Even people that started out cordial or more have resorted to throwing jabs at her and it was breaking her. But this was a welcome break from all of that.
“I’ll take the hug now.” She says without hesitance as her eyes move from the bag of snacks and drinks and up to Jaime’s own lively gaze.
He wraps his arms around her and she pulls him into the room and kicks the door shut tenderly and quietly as Jaime hears Sabrina Carpenter serenading softly in the background.
Maya’s room was put together neatly with replica championship belts that her family had won, as well as family photos and motivational quotes. Colored string lights gave the room a pink and purple tint as she wraps her arms tightly around him.
Jaime felt her warmth as she hugged him tightly, and he held her with a firmness that was both comforting and reassuring. “Well, just this once, I’ll play the part of the nice Idol. Don’t go telling anyone, though—I have a reputation to keep,” he teased lightly, his voice soft as he felt her relax in his arms.
His eyes wandered around her room, taking in the championships, the family photos, the quotes, all little pieces of what made Maya, Maya. He could feel the weight of what she was carrying, all the pressure, all the unkindness from others gnawing at her confidence. But here, with the colored lights casting a gentle glow, he wanted her to know she was safe.
“You know, anyone who doesn’t see how much heart you have is a bloody idiot,” he murmured, his tone sincere. “Let them throw all the cheap shots they want. Doesn’t change who you are or what you’re capable of.”
He pulled back just enough to meet her eyes, a playful smirk sneaking onto his face. “And don’t worry, I brought enough snacks to drown out any and all negative vibes. We’ll eat, we’ll talk, and if anyone tries to ruin the night, they’ll have to answer to the ‘nice’ Idol.”
“Hmmmm. I like that. I guess I can forgive you for earlier. Since you went out your way and all.” With a grin on her face, Maya steps back and pulls Jaime with her. She was careful not to move too fast, he was injured after all, but their momentum sent them stumbling back onto her bed. They bounce off of it, laughing as Jaime was able to keep the bag secure as Maya crawls up the bed towards the mound of pillows at the head of the comfortable bed.
“Good save on the snacks.” Jaime joins Maya as he leans back against a few of those pillows as Maya leans back against him, getting comfortable.
“So, what are the doctors saying? How long are you out for?” Maya reaches into the bag and opens the Starburst package. She pulls a pink candy from the bag and unwraps it, leaving the wrapper in the large snack bag to discard later.
“I know you can’t wait to get back in there with us.” It was true. Life has changed so much for all the hopefuls in the factions. Each had potential to be the next star in wrestling, but with each hurdle, things would become more difficult. Jaime was no stranger to obstacles, but this one came at the worst time possible.
Jaime settled back against the pillows, wrapping an arm around Maya as she got comfortable beside him. He watched her unwrap the pink Starburst, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “Doctors say I’m out for a couple of weeks, maybe a little less if I take it easy,” he explained, shifting his knee slightly. “It’s just a bruise, nothing too serious. I can still walk and train, just… can’t go all out yet. So no glass-man jokes—I’m only half-fragile at best,” he chuckled, giving her a playful nudge.
He reached into the snack bag, pulling out a handful of Pringles, and popped one in his mouth before continuing. “Honestly, sitting on the sidelines is the worst part. Watching everyone train, seeing you all push yourselves—I’m itching to get back in there with you lot. But I know I’ve gotta play it smart, especially with all eyes on us now.”
Jaime’s gaze softened as he looked at her. “And hey, I’m pretty sure Charli would love it if I just rushed back and hurt myself. So I’m going to do exactly the opposite and come back better than ever, just to spite her. Can’t let her think she’s won, right?”
He leaned his head back, enjoying the moment of calm with her. “But I’ll be back before you know it. And trust me, when I am, I’ll be ready for anything.”
“Good. I want you back out there with me. And not because of Charli, I don’t even care about doing anything in spite of her, I just want to shut her up. I hope the Apex Crown comes down to the two of us. I really do. I owe her a little payback, but hey? Enough about her.”
Maya reaches into the bag and then into the open Pringles container. She pulls out two chips and leans back to place then in Jaime’s mouth. Her hand moves to his injured leg. Her fingers gently massaging under his shorts to help him relax even more.
“So we had our club thing, we’ve had time together in the gym and now we’re getting closer in the house but as close as we are, I feel like there’s something I don’t know about you.”
“What’s that, luv?” He was quick to respond, looking down as her head was against his chest.
“We’re both expected to wrestle forever. It’s in our blood and there’s really no escaping it. But if you gave it all up today, what else would you want to do with your life?” Her head tilts up to look at him.
“Have you ever thought about that? I have, I mean I could never tell my family, but as much as I love wrestling, I love other things too.” Another massaging nudge with her fingers along his injured leg and Maya was genuinely curious about his answer.
Jaime took a deep breath, savoring the comfort of her touch as she massaged his leg, her fingers gentle but firm in just the right way. He let his arm drape over her shoulders, his fingers tracing light patterns on her arm as he relaxed into the moment with her.
“Well, don’t laugh,” he started, a playful smirk crossing his lips, “but I always wanted to be a cop when I was a kid. Thought it was the coolest thing, you know? All those detective movies I used to watch… something about the mystery, piecing clues together, actually helping people in the end. It just felt right.” His voice softened a bit, caught up in the memory. “I used to imagine myself solving all these big cases, bringing down the bad guys. Kinda funny, right? Especially with everything else I ended up doing.”
He glanced down at her, that playful spark in his eyes returning. “But don’t go telling anyone I’m actually a nice guy. Can’t ruin my reputation, you know? People can’t know I ever wanted to do something… noble.” He chuckled, his fingers brushing through her hair gently.
“But seriously, if wrestling hadn’t been my path, I think I would’ve gone for it. There’s something about making a difference, even in the smallest way, that’s always kinda stuck with me. And who knows, maybe I’ll still solve a few mysteries along the way. Just… the wrestling kind instead.” He grinned, giving her a light squeeze, his arm pulling her closer against his chest. “But this stays between us, yeah? Gotta keep my ‘tough guy’ persona intact.”
“My lips are sealed.” Maya makes a zipper motion with her fingers over her lips, keeping the secret safe and then immediately after, she unzips her own lips.
“I love that. I know it isn’t always cool to do the ‘noble’ thing, but just think about the world and where we would be if no one ever wanted to do the noble thing. We would be in a lot of trouble, so I love that you would want to make a difference.”
Truth is, Maya was surprised. The entire Idol family had that aforementioned reputation, so much so that she believed it before meeting Jaime. Anyone with that last name would have been bad news to her.
“I like hearing about things that nobody else knows about you. Especially stuff that goes that far back. You’re letting me in…”. The music continues to be the backdrop for their conversation as Sabrina Carpenter was going to be stuck in Jaime’s head later on. Could be worse options of course!
“I wanted to be a dancer. I used to listen to Ariana, Katy Perry, The Black Eyed Peas and just, anything on the radio and I would just come up with the craziest, most off the wall dances. I know my dad has hours and hours of videos of me just dancing. But the cool thing is, it still kind of works for me because dancing is a lot like wrestling. It takes coordination, focus, and a lot of time to actually get good at it. I wasn’t really ‘good’ back in the day, but you saw what I could do at the club…I got this.”
Without warning, Maya turns her body and rests both hands on his chest. She cant help but to laugh as they made eye contact, she was so shy because she REALLY liked him, even if she wanted to cut him off hours ago.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Like what, luv?” His eye contact remains unrelenting, he knew he was melting her.
“Like….that, I don’t know!” Her fingertips dig into his shirt a bit, her nails poking at the fabric.
“We’ve already danced, we need to figure out some way to give you a taste of your childhood dream job. Without getting ourselves arrested of course.”
Jaime’s hands slid from her waist to her hips, his thumbs gently tracing circles as he held her close. A playful smirk danced on his lips as he looked down at her, his gaze soft but mischievous.
“Oh, so you want me to try out my old dream job, do you?” he teased, his fingers drifting just a bit lower, resting on the small of her back. “Well, if we’re doing this, I’ll need you as my ‘partner in crime.’ Can’t go solving mysteries and playing the hero without a good sidekick. Or, in this case, a partner who’s way better at dancing than me.”
He leaned his forehead against hers, eyes still locked on hers as he kept his hands firmly but gently in place. “Maybe we’ll even create a new dance style—something that combines all that coordination and rhythm with a bit of sleuthing and mystery-solving.” He chuckled softly, the warmth of his breath brushing against her face.
“Who knows? You might just be the one to help me find the ‘noble’ side of wrestling. But if we get too into it and start busting out dance moves mid-match, you’re taking full credit for that,” he whispered, voice barely above a murmur as he held her gaze.
He paused, letting the silence settle around them for a moment, his fingers gently pressing against her as his eyes searched hers, filled with a mix of playfulness and something deeper. “You know, you make it pretty hard not to let you in, Maya. You’ve got this way of… making all the walls come down.”
His hands gently slid up her sides, then settled back on her hips, and he gave her a soft, reassuring squeeze. “So, what do you say, Detective Hardy? Ready to solve the mystery of… whatever this is?” He grinned widely.
“I think that sounds like a per-“ she’s interrupted by a knock on the door and a voice from one of the other students living in the Nightfall house. ‘Movie night, come on, we’re waiting for you guys.’
Jaime and Maya both laugh as Maya closes her eyes and then exhales deeply.
“Movie night it is, I guess.” There was disappointment in her voice, but it was nice to be able to bond with whatever other students would make it to the first ever movie night in the house.
“At least we know none of us are getting in trouble, tonight, right?” Maya slides away and drops her feet to the floor and then holds her hand out to help Jaime.
“We’re coming!” She screams loud enough for the others to hear.
“But yes, we’re solving this mystery asap.” Detective Hardy had a nice ring to it; it was cute!
Finally, Jaime grabs her hand as she helps him off the bed.
“We’re not done here. We have a lot of unfinished investigation…okay?”
Jaime let out a soft chuckle as he took her hand, letting her help him up. He stood close for a moment, giving her fingers a gentle squeeze before releasing her hand, a playful glint still in his eyes.
“Oh, Detective Hardy, we’re far from done,” he murmured, his voice low enough that only she could hear, keeping that air of mystery alive. “This is just the first case of many. And trust me, I’m not leaving until we solve every last one of them.”
He took a step back, his grin widening as he watched her. “But for now, I suppose movie night calls. Can’t have the Nightfall squad thinking we’re skipping out on all the fun, right?” He winked, throwing her a playful salute before heading toward the door, waiting for her to follow.
As they stepped out together, side by side, he shot her one last look, a silent promise in his eyes. Tonight might be movie night, but soon enough, they’d be right back here, diving back into whatever it was they were starting together.
“Alright, Detective Hardy,” he said with a grin as they walked down the hall. “Let’s go give them a night to remember.”