The flight from Australia to Los Angeles is lengthy. A good thirteen hours that Alberto and Ricardo spend sleeping for as long as they can, the rest of it passing slowly while they read and listen to music. When they finally land, they're both relieved, even though they now have to wait for their connecting flight on to Florida, and home. Ricardo's about to check to ensure that his checked luggage has been placed on the correct flight when he sees a flash of black and looks up, gaping. "P- Paige?"
Sure enough, she's there at the luggage carousel, an anxious look on her face. She doesn't say anything as she walks purposely up to him, cupping his face with her hands and kissing him softly. "Are you ok?" she asks, searching his face worriedly. "I heard what happened and had to see you..." He still looks confused and she chuckles, fingers warm on his jaw. "You're not the only one who can talk their way into getting a gate pass, you know..."
It begins to click with him as his jetlagged brain catches up. WWE's in Los Angeles now for Wrestlemania week, so she had ducked out of the arena long enough to come see him. This being the first time they'd been in each other's presence since after he'd seen that episode of Total Divas, he's not sure what to say. He had been angry and hurt, but the past weekend had reminded him how precious each moment is, letting the people in one's life know how you really feel about them one of the most rewarding thing you can do... Cupping her hands with his, he leans forward and rests his forehead against hers, staring into her eyes. "I forgive you, mi fuerza. I know you didn't mean to hurt me with what you did on Total Divas... just please, give me a little advanced warning before something else comes up that I should know about, alright?"
She nods, tears filling her eyes. "Of course. I promise, love. I will. I never want to blindside you with such hurtful things again." Kissing him deeply, she sniffs and strokes his face. "I'm so sorry."
"No more apologies," he whispers to her. "It's all going to be ok." He grips her hands and leads her into a quiet room off to the side, brushing the tears off of her face. They stand face to face for a moment before he pulls her closer and hugs her, lightly kissing her neck. "Thank you for coming to see me, there's been so much going on... I should've texted or tweeted, but..."
She shakes her head. "It's fine, I understand that you needed time. After what I did, I don't blame you. Thank you for forgiving me." He smiles at her as she leads him over to a couch. "I'm sorry I dragged you away from Alberto..."
"It's fine, he was already halfway to the lounge to watch Madrid on the TV in there," he shrugs with a small laugh, showing her the phone with the tweet alert about it. She chuckles too before leaning against him, his face softening as he strokes her hair out of her eyes. "I love you, Paige."
"I love you too," she sighs. They sit there quietly, reflecting and enjoying the subtle peace of their reunion, when Alberto finds them. "I guess this means you need to go."
Ricardo follows her gaze and nods, kissing her once more before getting up to join his best friend. "Si, I'll see you after Wrestlemania, Paige." He smiles at her. "I'll be watching to see how you do. I know you'll be great. Win or lose, enjoy every moment, there's nothing more special than a person's first 'Mania. The vibe is amazing."
"It won't be the same without you," she says, standing up and dusting her hands off on her jeans. "But yes, I plan on enjoying it." They smile at each other and she blows a kiss at him before he walks off with Alberto, the Mexican aristocrat already deep in describing what had happened in the game while he was able to watch. She sighs and goes in the opposite direction, already missing him.
"So everything is alright?" Alberto asks, finally cutting off his own story upon seeing the soft smile on his best friend's face. "Between you and Paige?"
"Si. Everything's fine now." Ricardo grins up at Alberto. "Let's go home, El Patron."
"Let's," he agrees quietly, wrapping an arm around Ricardo's shoulders and continuing his story as they walk back towards the gate to wait until boarding for their last flight begins.
Once back in Florida, Ricardo drops Alberto off at the house, waving at Sofia from the driveway, before going to the dojo for a quick training session. He can't stay for too long, exhaustion weighing him down like a smothering blanket, but he gets in some decent training before doubling back to the mansion. The rest of the house is quiet and dark but Sofia is waiting for him with a hug and a glass of water, guiding him to bed, where comfortable clothes are laid out for him to sleep in, fresh sheets on the bed. He grins and hugs the housekeeper again, releasing a breath. "I've missed you, Sofia," he murmurs to her.
"I've missed you as well, mi hijo," she tells him, brushing her fingers through his hair before cupping his face and tsking as she looks at the bags under his eyes. "Rest well. I'll see you in the morning. Call if you need anything."
He smiles at her. "I will. Gracias." Turning from her, he clumsily changes into the clothes before collapsing face first onto the bed, asleep as soon as he's horizontal.
Checking on him a few minutes later, Sofia smiles fondly before turning the light off and padding lightly over to Alberto's room, peering in at him as well. Everything in the house back to how it should be, she sighs softly and closes both doors before walking into her bedroom to read and relax in the comforting knowledge that both of her boys are safely back where they belong.
The next day, Ricardo stumbles out of bed and into the kitchen, drawn by the smell of coffee. He collapses into the chair waiting for him and releases a blustery breath against the wood of the table, his face pressed into its cool surface. Alberto's laugh wakes him up a little but the warm mug placed before him finishes the process as he greedily drinks from it, the caffeine kickstarting his jetlagged senses. Wiping at his eyes and smoothing his sleep mussed hair back, he faces Alberto and Sofia with a sleepy, sheepish smile. "Hola." A quick check at the clock proves that there's no point in wishing them a good morning, as it's this side of the afternoon, but neither seem to mind.
"Hola, mi amigo. I just awoke myself a little bit ago," Alberto tells him with a faint smile as Sofia bustles over with plates piled high with omelettes covered in green peppers and onions, toast with jam accompanying them. "Gracias, Sofia."
"Gracias," Ricardo echoes, smiling up at her as she leans in and ruffles his hair, kissing his forehead.
They eat in silence for awhile before Alberto nudges him. "Hey, mi amigo, I know you trained some last night, and plan on doing more tonight, but... perhaps you would like to help me with something after we finish eating?"
Ricardo swallows down a bite of toast before nodding, "Si, of course, El Patron. Whatever you need." Alberto grins at him before nodding towards his plate, both men setting once more on their food, Ricardo eager to see what Alberto has in mind.
Once they're done clearing their plates and placing them in the sink, the two of them walk downstairs to Alberto's gym and Ricardo follows him to the ring, not surprised when he enters it. "I am competing in a bull rope match against Texano this week on Lucha Underground, mi amigo. Defending my title, actually... and I want to leave nothing to chance, but I haven't competed like this in a very long time, so I thought perhaps you could help me to refresh my memory." He holds a rope in hand, a bell clanking omniously from the middle, and Ricardo swallows, looking a little doubtful. "I imagine you haven't competed like this in awhile either," Alberto says, backtracking a bit. "If this is too much, I understand, Ricardo-"
"No, no, it's fine," he says, picking up the other end of the rope and feeling its sturdiness, the dangerous implications contained within it. "Let's do it, El Patron."
"Are you sure?" Alberto inquires, quieting as soon as Ricardo clips the end of the rope to his wrist. "Alright then," he mumbles, following suit with the other end. They move slowly at first, growing accustomed to the feel of the weapon on their wrist, how much slack the rope will give them. Simple punches and kicks followed by armdrags and clotheslines, helping them to get more of a feel for it, when Alberto doesn't think and slides under the bottom rope, just to get tangled up on the top rope when he attempts to re-enter the ring. Ricardo watches him for a minute before laughing, Alberto's eyebrows raising in disbelief as he curses in Spanish, finally tracing his steps back and sliding back into the ring from the bottom rope. He stares down at Ricardo until he controls his giggles, trying to look innocent as his employer rolls his eyes and grabs him in a headlock, causing him to shut up to preserve his oxygen for a little longer.
It's when Ricardo tries to fight out, slam Alberto backwards, that they both get tangled up in the rope and Ricardo faceplants against the mat, Alberto shaking his head at the sequence of events. "This isn't going well," he grunts, only able to imagine how it'll go the next night against Tejano. But they fight on, determined to see it through, and before long both men figure it out, know how to manipulate the rope to work with their moves instead of against them, Alberto growing more comfortable with entering and exiting the ring without getting tangled up in the ring ropes.
"Try a top rope move," Ricardo tells him, brushing sweaty hair out of his eyes. They've been at it for awhile, he's starting to drag, but he wants to ensure that Alberto has the physics of everything down, especially high risk moves. Alberto nods and climbs, trying to watch the rope, but the first time he makes it up, the rope wraps around the post as he attempts a dive onto Ricardo and he lands halfheartedly a few feet away, Ricardo's eyebrows lifting as Alberto huffs in exasperation, getting back to his feet.
"Ay dios mio!" he grumbles, trying it again. This time he shakes the rope out and ties it around his hand to make up for some of the slack in the rope, before leaping out and, this time, succeeding, as he axehandles into Ricardo and knocks him to the mat.
The ring announcer doesn't move immediately afterwards and Alberto feels a stab of worry but when he kneels by him, a hand resting on his chest, Ricardo releases a soft laugh. "Lo siento, I'm exhausted," he mumbles, his eyes closed. "The mat kinda feels nice."
Alberto sighs and lays down next to him, their heads close together as he takes it in. "Si, you're right, mi amigo, it is pretty comfortable... Gracias for all of your help, I think I'll be alright tomorrow night. When I walk out champion still, it'll be all thanks to you."
"I'm glad," Ricardo murmurs, releasing a breath as Alberto reaches over and gently undoes the rope from around his wrist, freeing himself as well before throwing the bull rope entirely out of the ring. "Are we gonna... nap here for awhile?"
"I think so," Alberto nods, smiling over at his best friend. "You've definitely earned it." But Ricardo's already asleep, his soft breaths easing Alberto into dozing off as well.
The bull rope match the next night is as brutal as either man had expected but Alberto walks out the winner, exhausted and worn out, but joyful anyway when he texts Ricardo a quick Thank you, too breathless to hold a full phone conversation right now.
When Ricardo sees it, he smiles, glad to be able to help his friend even when he's unable to be by his side.
