Ricardo absentmindedly twirls a pencil, staring blankly ahead. It had been a fairly ordinary Saturday morning since the pandemic started, resting in bed holding Alicia, and eventually trudging out to get some breakfast, and bringing a plate back in for his sleepy wife so she could stay in bed for a little while longer. But he had been outside, staring up at the blue sky, watching the clouds drift lazily as the sun rose higher in the sky, when his phone had gone off. He hadn't recognized the number but answered anyway out of curiosity, just to realize it was an acquaintance he'd made a few weeks back at the training seminars he'd held.

After a short conversation, he'd relocated to the kitchen and now he sits at the table, not having moved from this position in the last twenty minutes or so, lost in thought. He's still sitting there when Alicia slowly pads out, still looking sleepy and beautiful as she comes up behind him and wraps her arms around him, awkwardly leaning over to kiss the top of his head. "G'morning," she breathes against his hair. "Thanks for bringing me breakfast."

He stirs, a bit, and smiles up at her. "You're welcome. Sleep well?"

She hums and pulls away, settling slowly in a chair across from him. She's nearly six months along now, and it's beginning to really show, his eyes tracing where their child is growing fondly. "Yeah, I slept really well." She smiles at him. When he doesn't react to this, she frowns, a little. "Hey, are you ok? You seemed... really distracted when I came in."

He blinks and stares at her. "Oh. Oh yeah, I'm fine." He reaches out for her hand and lightly squeezes, stroking his thumb over her knuckles. "But I did receive a phone call."

She tilts her head and watches him for a few seconds. "Oh yeah? From who?"

He exhales slowly, lifting her hand to lightly kiss her knuckles. "One of the guys I met at the training seminar last month." He watches her face closely as he continues explaining. "There's a local wrestling event being held soon, and they want to book me for it. I think as Chimaera."

She freezes, her fingers going a little limp in his grasp. She lightly strokes her free hand over her stomach and looks down with a frown. "Ricardo," she breathes out, slowly shaking her head. "I... I don't know. I know you've been desperate to get back to wrestling, but your health isn't always the best, and I... I'm pregnant, and, well, none of us really need to risk getting this thing, you know?"

He slowly stands up and rounds the table to kneel next to her and stroke her face, staring up into her eyes. "Alicia, I promise I won't do anything risky. I'll take as many precautions as I can. And after the show, I'll stay at Mike's guest house until two weeks have passed and I test negative, ok?" He leans up and trails his lips along her jaw, before kissing her cheeks, nose, and between her eyes. "I'd never do anything to risk either of you. I swear."

She exhales shakily and curls her fingers around his wrists. "I know," she whispers. "Just... don't do anything to risk yourself, either."

He nods, finally claiming her lips, and she exhales out a soft groan, clinging to him desperately. "I'm gonna miss you," he says with a faint smile.

She frowns up at him and humphs. "Yeah, well, same here. Who else will bring me breakfast in bed and massage my feet at night, and..."

He kisses her again, gripping her hands and lifting her out of the chair. "I guess I'll just need to start trying to make up for it now before I go, huh?"

She huffs. "What do you have in mind then?"

He hums thoughtfully, before drawing her closer. "How about a nice, long bubble bath with candles and soft music, and then a lazy walk around the yard, and..." The more he talks, the more her gaze grows misty and blurry, and eventually he stops as a tear drips down her face. "Hey, no, it's ok," he whispers, wiping it away gently.

She leans into his touch and shivers. "It'd better be," she tells him. "I'll never forgive you if you leave me."

He rests his forehead against hers and stares into her eyes. "Never," he promises her softly. They remain like that for a few more moments before he pulls away. "Come, let's start that bath."

She allows herself to get led back into the bathroom, watching him with such a myriad of expressions crossing her face as he cheerfully begins to fill the tub and pour in a decent amount of her favorite vanilla scented bubble bath. He shakes the lingering water and bubbles off of his hand before standing to join her, helping her to slide off the old Chimaera shirt of his she'd taken to sleeping in. He cradles her face in his hands and leans in, pressing a slow, lingering kiss to her lips. "You're so gorgeous," he whispers against her skin and her fingers twitch against his sides.

"Ricardo," she sighs, eyes fluttering as his hands trail lower, supporting her as she kicks off the pair of his boxers she'd also 'borrowed' ages ago to sleep in. She steps into the tub and sinks into the water, exhaling softly. When he kneels next to the tub, she tilts her head and frowns at him. "Come in with me," she finally urges and he stops drifting his hand through the suds, meeting her eye.

"You sure? I..." He hesitates when she grips his shirt and starts tugging it up.

"I'm sure," she says stubbornly, and he nods, helping her to rid him of his clothes as well.

Once they're situated in the water, Ricardo traces circles in her skin with bubble-soaked fingers and she hums, leaning against him with her eyes closed. "Is this good?" he whispers against her cheek and she nods.

"Very," she sighs, tilting her head to look up at him. "I love you, and I support everything career wise you wanna do. I just... I get scared sometimes."

"I know," he whispers. "I do too. Sometimes I..." He exhales. "I have dreams that you're still working for WWE, and I have to watch you come and go, risking so much exposure, and..." He buries his face in her hair and just breathes. "That's why I promise I will be as careful as possible for this show. And afterwards."

"And if someone else wants to book you," she whispers, and he slows his touch, bare whispers of his fingers against her slick skin leaving her twitching and trembling under the water. "Ricardo..."

"I swear I'll do all I can," he promises her soberly. "And I will not accept any bookings when we're closer to meeting this little one." His hand rests on her stomach and she closes her eyes as the baby chooses that moment to kick and flutter around inside of her, knocking against Ricardo's palm. His breath hitches at the sensation and she moans lightly as he kisses her.

Opening her eyes, she stares into his face and watches as he laces their fingers together where the last kick was felt at, such a deep, adoring look in his eyes that it takes her breath away. There has to be a way, she thinks, reaching up with a dripping hand to cup the side of his face and draw him in for another slow, intense kiss. I need him by my side for all of this...