Ricardo is lax and pliant in Paige's arms as she cradles him close in the bathtub, kissing his shoulders gently. He sighs sleepily and rests his head into the crook of her neck, breathing in slowly, steadily, each shift of his body under the water leaving her enthralled. She gently runs water through his long hair, relieved that he hadn't run to cut it as soon as he'd landed, giving her something to play with as she rubs shampoo into his scalp and washes the remaining physical residue of India and Australia off of him. The memories would always be there, of course, good and bad, and she'd never want to take them from him, but this at least makes her feel a little better, a little more like the man in her arms is hers once more.
Except that there's something he doesn't know yet, and she knows she needs to tell him. Painfully sighing, she shifts just enough to wake him up and he groans, looking over at her. "You alright, mi fuerza?"
"Mostly," she whispers, kissing him on the lips. "But... I need to tell you something." She strokes his arms, along his side, feeling the muscle definition the last six months had given him. His eyes are sharp and worried and she smiles sadly, pressing her nose against his. Hoping that this isn't a mistake, she swallows and tries to find the words. "On Christmas, a bunch of us were... staying here... and Alberto invited Memo over." She stares down at the trails of water her fingers leave along Ricardo's flesh and sighs. "I missed you so much, and I was half asleep, going to get a drink... when I saw someone in the living room who looked... like you from behind. So I... I ran up and grabbed them, and kissed them... just to realize it was Memo."
Ricardo freezes, licking his lips, before barking out a laugh. Paige lays in the water, flabberghasted, as her boyfriend giggles and shakes his head, digesting this story. "You kissed Alberto's brother?" Spotting the offense on her flushed face, he tries to calm down and grips her hands. "Lo siento, mi fuerza, it's just... so many people always said Memo looked like a weird combination of Alberto and myself, I suppose I never took them seriously until this moment." He stares at her. "It's ok, trust me, I'd rather something like this than... everything with Kevin and Bradley." He hesitates. "It was just once, right?"
She groans and rolls her eyes, sticking her tongue out at him in disbelief that she'd been so worried about this for so long. "Yes, it was just once," she huffs, slapping him against the chest when he grips her hand and holds it there, staring down at her with a fond little smirk on his lips. "Dammit, love," she groans, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him. "I was so scared that that would be the final straw..."
He shakes his head. "No, if I can hold on through fake relationships and fake engagements and whatever else, you kissing someone you thought was me isn't that big of a deal."
She chuckles against him, burying her face in his chest. "Bloody hell, we live the most screwed up lives."
"And I wouldn't change it for anything," he whispers into her hair, their eyes meeting as Paige gapes up at him. "Really. None of it. Because here, with you, is the happiest, most at ease, I've been in a long time." She smiles through a sheen of tears and presses closer to him, kissing him deeply. "I love you," he groans into her mouth.
"I love you too," she sighs, brushing her nose against his.
-x
Paige wakes up the next morning to Ricardo's hair tickling her, the poor guy still trying to sleep off insomnia and jet lag and whatever else, his lips glistening in the sunlight pouring in through the window over their heads. Jetlag's a bitch, she thinks, resting her face on his shoulder and just absorbing his warmth, how his body shifts against hers. She'd missed mornings like these most of all, quiet, soft little slices of life where his breathing was her soundtrack, the feel of his skin against her waking her up better than any jolt of caffeine. She sighs and trails kisses along his bare skin, feeling his breathing change until his hand grips her and lifts her up until they're eye to eye.
She smiles at him as he yawns faintly and nuzzles closer. "I have to leave for Main Event soon," she pouts against his lips.
He grimaces and sighs, stroking her back. "I don't want to let you go," he admits, the two of them barely being separated since he'd returned the week prior. "But... the dojo is having a training session later so I guess I should get myself re-acquainted with everyone there, meet the new students... all of that fun stuff. I have weekend events to prepare for too. I can't slack forever, no matter how great it's been just to stay in bed with you."
His smile is somehow innocent and naughty all at once and she laughs heartily, kissing him. "Well, then, we'd better get up," she sighs but, when she stands up, his arms circle her waist and bring her back down to settle against him and she closes her eyes, melting into him yet again. "You don't make this easy on a girl," she breathes out, his lips teasing along her shoulders, down her arms.
He merely grins, tilting her face up towards him for a kiss as her eyes flutter and her fingers tense against his forearm, his name a whimper on her tongue as she alters her schedule to allow her just a little more time to remain here, in Ricardo's warm embrace.
-x
Alberto accompanies Ricardo to the dojo training, the two of them spending a quiet Thursday at home. "Happy birthday, El Patron," the former ring announcer offers, drinking some orange juice as he struggles to wake back up. Paige would be returning home shortly, and they'd go pick her up, but for now, it's just the three of them and Alberto is relieved for it.
"Gracias, mi hermano," Alberto sighs. They're still sitting there when Alberto grunts, stirring a bit. "As you may have noticed, I've been on TV less lately. My lower back has... been giving me some trouble." This immediately has both Sofia and Ricardo's attention, the housekeeper coming over to poke around, Ricardo scooting his chair closer. "It is nothing serious, but WWE prefers I take some time to rest, let it heal. To keep it from becoming something much worse."
"I don't blame them," Sofia mumbles, feeling around his spine and lower back. "Do you want an ice pack?"
"Not right now, gracias," he refuses her, just to close his eyes and groan softly as she begins to massage, her nimble fingers immediately finding the problem places. "Ay dios mio, ayyyy." He curses and grits his teeth as Ricardo chuckles at them, resting his hand on Alberto's arm.
"Whatever you need, El Patron, just let us know." As Sofia's fingers knead away at the most painful spots, slowly easing them, Alberto leans over and buries his face in Ricardo's shoulder, trying to muffle the whimpers coming from his lips. Ricardo smiles sadly and sits there patiently, stroking his hair quietly. "You're going to be ok, El Patron," he promises the half-melted man pressing against him.
"Si, you will," Sofia whispers, their eyes locking in a quiet, mutual agreement that, together, they would see this htrough. Get Alberto back on his feet, in the ring to do what he loves, sooner rather than later.
