Ricardo wins. He collapses to the mat afterwards, staring down at the title in his hands before hugging it to his chest, emotions overwhelming him. He is officially the Puerto Rican heavyweight champion, his throat so heavy that he can barely breathe, much less speak, as pictures are taken of him holding the title. He's more in control of himself after he gets dressed and handles the post-match interview, tormenting the man assigned to questioning him. He insists that the title isn't the Puerto Rican title anymore, that it is the Mexican heavyweight title, finally pushing the interviewer away from him when he starts to disrespect Ricardo, though afterwards Ricardo laughs about it.
He hadn't really meant much of it, fine with the title as it is, but there's so much dissension between Mexican wrestlers and Puerto Rican wrestlers that he had to put on such an act or risk getting spat on and brutalized every moment of his title reign. Especially considering Alberto had run roughshod over the WWL promotion and took their championship. Not to mention he's still seen as little more than a ring announcer in some circles... Sighing, he presses the title close to him once more, kissing it, before laying it reverantly into his bag before returning to his hotel room. From there, the calls begin. He doesn't care about his roaming charges or timezones, needing desperately to talk to people, share his good news.
"Hola?" Alberto greets him. "Is this the new WWC champion?" Ricardo laughs, Alberto joining in with him a moment later. "Congratulations, mi hermano. I'm so happy for you. As for your tweet, si, I do believe we control Puerto Rico now."
"I'm so happy," he sighs, still unable to tear his eyes away from the shiny title in his lap.
"I am as well, mi amigo. You will be home on Monday, si? I want to see your title for myself."
Ricardo grins. "Si, I will be. I have to wrestle Huracan Castillo tomorrow, and then my flight is early... it's going to be a busy week with training at the dojo, and the event Saturday..."
"Ah, si," Alberto nods. "I'll be there, mi amigo. I'm glad that you will be able to compete, I know how disappointed you were when you missed last month's event."
"Yeah," Ricardo sighs. "I'm glad I feel great this week. There's a lot to do..." He fights off a yawn, smiling sheepishly. "El Patron, it's getting late, I still need to call Paige. We'll talk soon."
"Si, alright, mi amigo. Rest well, I'll see you in a couple of days. Buenos noches."
"Buenos noches." As soon as Alberto hangs up, Ricardo dials Paige's number, trying to remember where she may be at. Philadelphia, he thinks, considering the Rumble will be held there in less than twenty four hours. The phone only rings a couple of times before her voice is in his ear, her thick British accent making him smile.
"Hullo, love." She pauses. "Can I wear your title when you come home?"
He laughs and lays back against the pillows, staring at the ceiling with its comforting weight against his chest. "Of course you can, it would look better on you than me anyway, mi fuerza."
"Ooh, good answer." He can hear her smile through a slightly fuzzy cell reception, and has to grin himself. "I'm so proud of you, love. I know how hard you fought for this opportunity, and I knew you would be successful."
"Gracias, Paige." He closes his eyes and relaxes into his bedding, kicking his shoes off. "Are you ready for the rumble tomorrow?"
"I believe so, yes. I'm glad to be teaming with Natalya, she should have my back while I show those Bellas whose house this really is, Total Divas or no." She falls quiet for a moment, clearly lost in thought, before murmuring, "Ricardo... I know you're competing tomorrow night, you're not planning on watching the show after that, are you?"
He had actually found the E! Network on the TV in his hotel room, and he had considered at least turning it on before checking out the Rumble replay after his match the following night. "I think so." She releases a soft breath and he sits up, hugging a leg to his chest. "Mi fuerza, I trust you. I wish you'd told me sooner, but I know there's nothing between you and Rosa. I'll be alright. Besides, it was months ago..."
Apparently this isn't the answer Paige is looking for because she groans into the phone, falling silent for a few moments. "Listen, love, just... call me when it comes on, ok? I at least want to be there to talk to you, in case you have any questions. It's... a lot, and I wish I could be there with you, but if you insist on watching it, at least do that much. Please."
Her uncommon fretting has him worrying even more but he nods, swayed by his natural urge to agree to anything she asks of him. "Fine, if it'll make you feel better, I'll call you, Paige." He swallows. "Is it really that bad?"
"I don't know," she exclaims. "I don't bloody know, I'm not sure how they edited it... but I don't want to think of you sitting in Puerto Rico alone and upset with these scenes replaying in your mind... I can't keep you from watching it, but maybe if we're on the phone, it'll help you to know for sure that I'm only a one person woman, and that's you. Ok?"
He drifts for a moment, remembering how upset and paranoid he'd been that Alberto would hate him after he'd lost on his first match in Puerto Rico and how far he'd come since that terrible period of time so soon after his release from the WWE. Returning to the present, he feels warm and adoring of the woman on the other end of the phone for wanting to take care of him, smiling softly. "Yes, Paige. Ok... I'll call. It'll be fine, I promise."
"Thank you." She calms down and they talk for a little while longer before he starts to fall asleep. Exchanging good nights, she hesitates before ending the call. "I love you, Ricardo."
"I love you too," he murmurs, listening to her breathing before she hangs up. He slips the phone onto the bedside table and rolls over, hugging the title close to him as the night slowly passes and becomes morning, the sun shining through his windows not disturbing him while he sleeps on.
When he lands back in Florida early Monday, it's to the news that things are being shut down in Connecticut, Raw canceled due to an incoming blizzard for the first time that he'd ever heard of. "Whoa," he mumbles as Alberto drives them back to the house, his fingers tapping against the title belt that his former employer had insisted on seeing as soon as they'd reached the car, the brilliance of his proud grin emblazed in Ricardo's mind as he'd examined the belt and Ricardo's happiness.
"Loco, ay, amigo?" Alberto asks, turning into the driveway and entering the security code before continuing on to the house. "I bet Miz is going to love being snowed in with Mizdow for so long."
"Ay dios," Ricardo laughs. "Well, hopefully they refrain from killing each other..." After watching Total Divas- which had been rough, but not nearly as bad as it could've been with Paige's voice in his ear, reassuring him of where her loyalties lie- he had watched the Rumble, how the two men had lost another opportunity at the tag belts followed with Mizdow refusing to let Mike take his spot in the rumble just to get eliminated a minute later to Mike's disgust. But it's not the main thing on his mind, aware that this also means Paige is going to be stuck in Hartford with Alicia... and Rosa.
The divas had reaffirmed their friendship after talking out why Rosa had taken Paige's rejection so personally so he knows that nothing will happen, especially since it had been months ago, but he can't help blanching a little when he sees the pictures of the three amigas together. He's glad Alicia is there, at least, though he wonders what he'd missed considering last he knew, there was still tension between Alicia and Paige... but considering Paige and AJ had worked through their issues, perhaps it had been as easy for the other two women, especially since their feuds aren't crossing anymore, Alicia busy with Naomi and Paige going after Nikki Bella once more.
He's drawn out of these thoughts when Sofia meets them at the door, staring at him eagerly. He grins and hugs her, teasing her by keeping her from getting a good look at the title on his shoulder. "Hola, Sofia."
She hugs him back before pulling away, swatting him lightly. "Let me see," she insists, dragging him into the living room where the lighting is better. As she analyzes the belt, Alberto leans against the doorway and watches his two favorite people with an amused grin on his face. "Well? Are you going to give me the full experience?"
"Tsk, so impatient, Sofia," Ricardo teases her lightly before lifting the belt off of his shoulder and wrapping it around his waist, his eyes widening when Alberto enters the room and assists him with attaching its clasps properly. "Whoa," he mumbles, feeling like he's in a dream as he glances over his shoulder, remembering all of the times he'd helped Alberto with his titles in similar fashions, never imagining that in a few short years, Alberto would be doing it for him.
Del Rio must sense what he's thinking because he smiles proudly at the younger man, clapping him on the shoulder. "You've deserved a moment like this for a long time, mi hermano," he tells him quietly before walking over to join Sofia, examining Ricardo with his title where it belongs.
"Gracias," he sighs, trying to stand still as they take him in. He doesn't have his ring gear on, wearing his casual airport wear- jeans and a black shirt- which he thinks must diminish the moment, but you wouldn't know it by the looks on Sofia and Alberto's faces as they stare back at him, tears filling Sofia's eyes and a large grin on Alberto's face.
"You look incredible, mi hijo," she finally finds the words, rushing over and hugging him, title and all.
"The title looks amazing on you," Alberto agrees, smiling warmly at his family. "It suits you, as I knew it would when I heard you were challenging for it." He walks up to them and hugs the both of them, grinning over Sofia's head at his former ring announcer. It had been so hard for him, especially after AAA had refused hiring him longterm, a harsh disappointment after the fun they'd had at House of Hardcore. "I told you it would all be alright."
Ricardo nods, squeezing Alberto's arm. "Remind me to believe you the next time you tell me that."
Alberto's eyes soften. "I most definitely will, mi hermanito."
After a long week where Ricardo trains a lot at the dojo, trying to stay focused for the wrestling event this coming Saturday despite how badly he misses Paige, her phone calls when he has a minute not enough to tide either of them over since this is the longest they've been apart since officially becoming a couple, he spends Friday morning driving around Tampa, enjoying the weather and trying to sort out a new combo of moves for his match the following night. He wishes Paige could be there but he imagines she'll be on house shows, which means at least four more days without seeing her, and only hearing her voice over a crackly phone.
When he returns to the house, he parks his car and goes for a walk around the grounds, still feeling restless. Waving at the various workers around, he takes in the sun and soft wind, burying his hands in his pockets with a faint smile. Finally deciding to go inside, not wanting to worry Alberto or Sofia, he unlocks the back door and slips into the kitchen, surprised to find that Sofia isn't there preparing lunch. He shrugs, thinking perhaps she had to go out on errands. "If I had come in sooner, I could've run them for her," he mumbles, feeling a little guilty as he walks towards the living room, looking for Alberto.
He's just pulled out his cell phone, thumbing through texts and tweet alerts when he hears his former employer. "Ah, here he is." He looks up, about to respond, when there's a flash of black and running footsteps and he barely reacts in time, dropping his phone and holding his arms out, to catch Paige as she runs to him and jumps into his arms, her fingers laced behind his neck, legs around his waist as he staggers back, shocked. Alberto moves quickly, pushing him forward enough to help him regain his balance with a laugh but he doesn't have time to thank him when Paige kisses him hard, her knees digging into his hips. "I think someone's missed you, mi hermano," he says, shaking his head as he rejoins Sofia.
"Doesn't properly describe it," she mumbles into his mouth and he flounders for a minute before lifting a hand from where he's holding her to keep her from falling and waving bashfully at Sofia and Alberto, readjusting his grip on her as he turns and walks out of the room to find some privacy, knowing that he's going to be teased dreadfully for this later. It's worth it though.
Ricardo sighs happily as he watches Paige as she peers at the title resting on his dresser, shining spectacularly in the dark glow of the sunset just visible through his window. "You know, when I win back the divas championship at Fast Lane, we're both going to be champions. It'll be a mess of gold between Alberto, you and I." She picks up the title and straps it around her waist, checking herself out in the mirror before strutting over to him, his eyes locked on her as she settles on the bed next to him, shaking out her long black hair.
He grins, grazing his fingers over the edge of the title, causing her eyes to flutter lazily when she leans over and kisses him. "That title is indescribable on you," he breathes, not wanting to miss a moment of her as she runs her fingers through his hair, holding him close as she deepens the kiss, pressing him further into the pillows. "Ay... I missed you so much..."
"Me too," she whispers. "Hanging with my girls was fun, but it was like... an ache that hearing your voice only made worse..." She settles against him, his title cool and soothing against their heated flesh as he strokes her back, fingers quick and nimble while he unclasps it from around her and settles it back on the pillow reverently. She leans against his chest, kiss now slow and tantalizing as they stare at each other. "Ricardo..."
"Paige..."
She laughs softly, stroking his chin. "You first, love."
"No, go ahead." When she makes a face at him, he chuckles weakly, something telling him that they're perhaps thinking along the same lines, his heart rate speeding up as she laces her fingers with his. "Let's say it at the same time, then. On a count of three... one..."
"Two..." she whispers, squeezing his hands.
"Three. Move in with me." "I want to live with you." They both freeze, staring at each other, before laughing in disbelief. "Did you really-" "Do you honestly-" Stopping short again, they stare at each other, Ricardo's hands trembling slightly in her steady grip.
Paige breaks the silence, her eyes shining with love for him. "Yes, yes, of course!" she exclaims, cupping his face. "It took you long enough," she teases him softly. The shocked, blissful fog eventually fades from his mind and he grins at her, feeling choked up as he hugs her, brushing some of her hair out of her face before kissing her, his fingers rubbing circles in her back as he lays her down and they sink into what their life together will be like from now on.
