It's difficult. Since splitting, nothing's quite gone right for Alberto or Ricardo. Alberto hasn't had a decent opportunity at a title in months, and Ricardo is still stuck doing interviews and commentary before PPVs. When they're at home, with Sofia's soothing presence and everything going on there, they find ways to keep busy but, while on the road, unable to be in each other's presence because everyone is supposed to think they hate each other, it's tedious. Painful.

Ricardo is laying on his stomach, staring at his phone and listening to Alberto wander around the hotel room, neither looking forward to going to Raw that night. Alberto's fingers rest low on Ricardo's back after a few moments, massaging up his spine before he whispers, "Mi valiente?"

Ricardo stirs. He looks over his shoulder, smile small. "Si, El Patron?" Rolling onto his back so he's facing Alberto, they stare at each other a few moments before Alberto leans in and kisses him. Ricardo sighs and cups the back of his head, deepening the kiss. "Is there something you wanted?"

"Just you," Alberto says, smile confident and sweet all at the same time. "Come with me." He grips Ricardo hand and pulls him up, leads him out of the room.

They head to Alberto's car and Ricardo falters, staring at it, then over at Alberto. It's getting harder and harder for both of them to get up, want to go to the arena each day, but this... to actually get in a car and just go a couple of hours before the night's event, well... "I don't know," he says faintly. "Alberto..."

"We're not ditching," Alberto sighs. "I just want a little time with you, where we're not trapped in some stuffy hotel room. Si?"

Ricardo thinks for a minute about how the size of the penthouse Alberto usually books for these events are larger than many of the apartments he's lived in, and even the places he'd resided in with his mom and sister as a kid. But he understands, nodding quietly. "Si." They get into the car and Alberto drives quiet through the streets to the outskirts of town. It's a quiet, cool April day and Ricardo snuggles into his jacket once they're out, leaning against the hood of the car and taking it all in while soft mariachi music plays behind them.

Alberto rests next to him, the two of them absorbing the soft blue sky overhead, each other's warmth. "This is nice," he says. "Feels like we're back home."

Ricardo nods, resting his head against Alberto's shoulder. "Si. Maybe we should do this more often."

Alberto nods, running his hand through Ricardo's soft hair, down his cheek. "Si, I think so. Just the two of us, away from all of the perros." Ricardo chuckles at this and exhales, kissing Alberto's fingers as they ease closer to his lips.

"I'd like that," he sighs, closing his eyes and leaning closer to Alberto. "A lot."

"Then we'll do that," Alberto hums, turning and kissing Ricardo soothingly. "How we'll get through this."

"Ok," Ricardo breathes into him. "Sounds perfect." It does, and it is.

For awhile.