"I have to go to Buffalo," Alicia declares early in the weekend, her face resting on his chest. "Some meet'n'greet thing." She quietly mulls over it, easing up his body, pressing her nose into his neck, kissing his throat. "You should come with me. It's on Friday. I think getting out of Florida for awhile would be good for you."

He stares down at her. Smiles a little. She's still hurting from the Noam situation, feeling used and tossed aside- which, unfortunately, is exactly what had happened. Not to mention there'd been an extra undercurrent of insult because she felt like he'd been using their age difference against her. No true feelings of romance between them, no, but she had legitimately thought Noam was a good friend until that night on 205 Live when he'd made her cry in front of the world.

"I have to check the school's schedule," he says, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "If I can make it work, I'd love to." She lights up like he'd told her it's Christmas and her birthday and leans up to kiss him solidly on the mouth, humming softly. "I love you, Alicia," he says against her lips, a soft kind of affection crossing her face at this.

"I love you too, Ricardo," she says, closing her eyes and pressing her forehead to his, lacing their fingers together.

The sun wafting through the window behind them is pleasantly warm, the bedding is soft, and she feels so soothing against his skin. Ricardo can't remember ever having a more intimate moment in his life.

Come Monday, he learns Savio Vega is guest teaching at the school on Friday. He won't be needed for it, so he decides to accompany Alicia. He'll have to keep his distance during the actual meet'n'greet because it's WWE approved, but they'll be able to spend the rest of the time together, and he's looking forward to it. Just to get out of here for awhile, to distract himself with thoughts of anything other than his failed ventures, the weak response to his request for bookings. Everything going on with Alberto, whose texts has once more waned in response to all of the drama surrounding him right now.

He's relieved that he can go. Decides to wander the nearby boardwalk while it's beautiful out, looking at different shops and vendors, so many wares on sale that it makes his head spin. He smells something tangy and vaguely familiar in the air and wanders closer, blinking at the Indian stand nearby. Different clothes and deco pieces around, some looking like they're legitimately from India, others maybe just to catch people's eyes, get a little extra revenue from those with a more kitschy taste. He ponders what to get himself, before finding a table of foods. His mouth immediately starts to water, his entire being yearning for proper Indian food after living off of it for so long. Once he had figured out a way around getting sick due to the water, their food had been something he'd enjoyed indulging in between classes, even after he'd mangled his hand and eating it became a chore.

He finds the man who is selling these wares and speaks hesitantly in some of the language he learned while in India. "Iha kinā kharaca ā'undā hai?" He's hesitant, rusty after so many years spent State side once more, but it's enough. The man's face lights up and he enthusiastically begins to point out wares to Ricardo, different foods, different clothes, rugs, authentic antiques brought from India to be sold here.

Ricardo listens attentively, wondering at the small things that can be said or done to make people so very happy- Alicia, this man here. He smiles. If only everyone wished to see this reaction from those around them. Life would be so much easier.

He comes hold ladened down with bags of Indian food, fresh and tantalizing with the smells. Alicia greets him at the door, a curious look on her face as he settles the bags down at the table and looks at her. "I found an Indian stall on the boardwalk," he says with an almost sheepish smile. They're comfortable enough financially, between her WWE salary, and his funds from helping to train students steadily for the last few months, and splitting the bills evenly between the two of them. But still. He's frugal, this isn't like him.

She doesn't say anything, however, leaning in to smell the different varieties of Paratha and kababs he'd gotten. Even a package of Jalebi lurks within all of the items scattered around the table. He smiles at her as she takes another sniff, eyes gleaming when she leans in to kiss him. "I'll get some plates," she hums. She's doing so, also grabbing silverware and napkins, when he walks up behind her and hugs her, kissing her shoulder. She leans into the affection and closes her eyes as he glides his fingers along her stomach.

"I can come with you to New York if you still want me," he says into her skin and she beams even harder, her day just continuously getting better.

"Always," she says, leaning back and kissing him on the mouth. "Always, always." His smile warms her skin and she closes her eyes, so happy, so light. Noam who? she thinks, only a little bitterness easing into her thoughts before she shakes it off. I have the best man right here, right now. And I have for a very long time. She turns and cups Ricardo's face, kissing him warmly, licking into his mouth in a way that makes him lean into her, exhaling sharply. "Let's eat," she murmurs, not wanting his efforts to go to waste in lieu of them reminding each other once more that, despite everything wrong in their personal lives, they still have each other and always will.

He nods, taking her hand and following her to the table. The food is somehow better than it looks and tastes.

Later on, his eyes are captivated by her warm, brown skin as she wanders around the bedroom, leaving him sprawled lazily in bed. "I like this shirt," she says, turning this way and that to look at the design spread across the front. "You said the deity's name is Ganesha?"

"Mm hmm," Ricardo says, reaching out for her until she curls up against him, his hands playing in her hair.

"Tell me about him," she asks softly, nosing at his cheek. "Please?"

He could never refuse her. Strokes her hair and wonders what kind of changes she will make to it next, already talking about changing her extensions, adding more to her weave. He's sure he'll love it whatever she does. "He is the Lord of obstacles," he explains softly, tracing his fingers down her palm and making her shiver. "He will either remove obstacles in a person's path or, if he decides they need tested to determine their strength of will, he will add more. In Sanskrit, they see him as the Lord of letters, of learning. You know how different people will see these deities in many different ways." She nods against him, having explored some of the Egyptian lore with him once when he couldn't sleep and just needed something to keep his mind occupied, choosing to show some of that world to her. "In Kundalini yoga," he continues, voice soft, "he is thought to reside in the first chakra, called Muladhara. He is considered the base."

"Where is the first chakra again?" she murmurs and he smiles indulgently at her, his fingers rubbing low, low on her back, making her shiver. "Hmm. That's right. And the other chakras?" He laughs, not surprised or offended, merely amused.

"The Sahasrara," he says, lightly ghosting his hand along her head. "Crown chakra. This chakra is symbolized by a lotus with a thousand multi-colored petals, and it is seen as the state of purest consciousness, the highest spiritual center." She hums and waits, Ricardo's grin growing. "Ajna," he continues, fingers rubbing between her eyebrows, just above her nose. "Symbolized by a lotus with two petals. It's considered the end of duality."

"Duality?" she murmurs, curious.

He nods. "Such as light and dark, or male and female." She makes a soft noise in her throat and he moves on. "Vishuddha," he pronounces carefully, fingers ghosting in the hollow of her throat. "A sixteen petaled lotus. "This is the purification center, and can be associated with creativity and self-expression. It is said that one's success or failure can depend on this chakra." She stares at him, taking in the pensive look on his face, and smiles sadly at him, rubbing his arm. He swallows hard, continues. Grazes his hand down her chest before resting next to her heart, feeling the steady, strong echoes of its beat against his fingers. "Anahata," he tells her. "The center of inner divine melody. Symbolized by a lotus with twelve petals. Some consider it to be the psychic energy center."

She smiles at him, watching as he leans forward and lightly presses a kiss above where his hand rests.

"Manipura," he murmurs, hand now easing just above her belly button. "The center of energy, of will power. Achievement. Some say those who meditate on this chakra could save or destroy the world. Symbolized by a ten petal lotus." He pauses for a moment, as he'd had before, feeling her inhaling and exhaling against his fingertips, smiling softly at how calm she is, lulled by his voice and the things he's telling her. He hesitates only briefly before easing his hand lower, staring her in the eye as he explains the last one. "Svadhishthana. The chakra of creation. A six petal lotus, this is associated with the unconscious desires and emotion."

She hums as his fingers return to her Muladhara chakra and she leans into his touch, staring into his eyes. "Maybe we should plant some lotuses," she says softly, grinning when he laughs. Eases forward and kisses her gently on the side of the mouth.

"Would you mind if we meditated for a little bit?" he asks, smoothing his hands down her back.

"Of course not," she says, shifting into the pose he'd shown her, fingers and thumbs loosely pressed together as he echoes her motions, the two of them facing each other, breathing in tandem while they absorb the quiet, the peace, surrounding them.