As much fun as Raw can be, with everyone bustling around and trying to make sure the show keeps on track despite all of the eclectic personalities involved in the production of it, Ricardo enjoys Main Event a little better. There are usually less people around, things are simpler, and he enjoys the vibe of pure competition in the air, without the grandstanding and rush that Raw requires to keep things going. In some ways, he's glad to be on his own that Tuesday, wandering the halls without an interview segment or anything else to do, able just to watch the matches going on in the ring. He's not surprised when, a little later, Paige joins him at the monitor by the gorilla position, waiting for her match.

She smiles at him, adjusting her elbow pads. "Hey, Ricardo, how's it going?"

"It's going pretty good." He shifts so she can see the monitor better. "Looking forward to your match?"

"Ah, yes," she says, peering at the screen. "Naomi should be more of a challenge than Cameron was, anyway."

Ricardo smirks but doesn't say anything, sneaking glances at her now and again. "Good luck, I'll be rooting for you."

She grins at him and adjusts the title belt against her shoulder before turning to walk out to the ring when her music hits. Ricardo sighs and turns back to the monitor to watch as she competes and loses to Naomi, this leading to Cameron getting in her face- just to get beat down by the diva's champion, Naomi merely standing back and watching, unimpressed.

Ricardo gapes as Paige finally bores of this and comes backstage, looking pleased with herself. "Whoa," he mutters, approaching her hesitantly. "Are you alright?"

She chuckles and brushes her hair out of her eyes, looking happier than he's seen her since the night they boarded the Exotic Express. "I'm perfect. That was brilliant. What was she thinking?" she demands, shaking her head in disbelief.

"I have no idea," he says, suddenly seeing Paige in a different light. He had been strangely fascinated by Alicia continually losing it week after week, like a train wreck that's hard to look away from, but there's something different about Paige's passionate response to being disrespected by Cameron. She's still in careful control of herself, and there's a kind of quiet dangerous intensity that he appreciates even more. "Um-"

"Hey, do you want to go get something to eat?" she asks suddenly, smiling over at him. "I have to get changed, but I can be ready in about ten minutes."

"Sure," he agrees, amazed by her even suggesting such a thing with him. "I'd like that."

"Great, I'll be right back."

As she walks towards the locker room set aside for her, he nods dazedly, watching her go. "If Alberto or Alex find out about this, they'll never let me live it down," he sighs, even though he's pretty sure it's just a friendly invite, like the bus had been. "Oh well."

"You look wiped out, man," Alex teases him on Wednesday afternoon, smirking as Ricardo collapses against their couch and buries his face in the cushions. "Didn't you get any sleep last night?"

Ricardo doesn't like the suggestive tone behind his words, glancing up with an exhausted glare. "Not enough, clearly. I had to be at the airport by 5, then I was scheduled for a training session at the performance center, and now I'm here."

Alex smirks, the hours still not adding up in his mind. "I thought Main Event was done by 9..." He sobers up. "You weren't having trouble with insomnia again, were you?"

"No," Ricardo mumbles, once more face-planted into the couch. "Not insomnia..."

"Well, that's good. Soooo Paige?" Alex persists, his grin growing when the former ring announcer glowers up at him.

"Shut up."

"Well, that's all the answer I need," he laughs, dropping a blanket across Ricardo's prone body. "Get some sleep, man. I'll wake you up for supper."

He blinks blearily and nods. "Gracias, Alex." As he dozes off a few moments later, lulled by the peace of the apartment, and the comforting weight of the blanket, his roommate smiles and walks off to find something quiet to do for the next few hours.

Alberto returns to Smackdown that week, Ricardo by his side as he waits for the show to begin. Cena of course starts the night off and they exchange exasperated looks when Cena makes some lame joke about the other challengers in the Money in the Bank event, Del Rio clapping Ricardo on the shoulder before heading out to confront him, shut him up. Ricardo cringes vaguely as his former employer just barely says his piece when Sheamus interrupts, Ricardo's lips twisting while he experiences deja vu from all of the times this has happened in the past. He sighs as Alberto gets shuffled aside when all of the other opponents he will be in the ring with in ten days fill the ring.

Even so, he doesn't seem too disturbed by only getting to say a few words, grimly nodding at Ricardo as he settles in next to him once more. "It's fine, I will prove my point with actions later better than I ever could with words."

"Of course you will," Ricardo says with no doubt, nodding at him. But this doesn't pan out... Cena, despite getting beat down most of the match quite successfully by Alberto and his three tag partners, regroups enough to tag out, Roman's entry into the match the downfall of Alberto's team. He gets speared and pinned, left laying while Cena and the other two celebrate. Ricardo bites his lips, feeling poorly for his best friend. "Ay, not good," he mumbles, staring down at his hands. He better than anyone knows how a loss so close to a pay per view affects Alberto, weighs on him and leaves him vulnerable to uncertainty and distraction.

The Alberto that returns this time is pale, silent. Ricardo reaches out for him but hesitates, not wanting to awaken his anger or risk getting attacked, like so many times in the past, once more experiencing deja vu as he stares anxiously at the Mexican aristocrat. Del Rio tears off his wrist tape before looking up at him, his gaze searching Ricardo's face. "It's ok, Ricardo. I'm fine." He's obviously far from it but his touch is balanced, careful, as he rests a hand on the younger man's shoulder. "I'm not going to hurt you."

The former ring announcer releases a faint breath, nodding. "Of course, El Patron. I- I know." But hearing it from Alberto himself clearly helps, Ricardo smiling wearily. "Don't... let this keep you down, you have been brilliant in Money in the Bank matches in the past, and you won't have tag partners holding you back or muddying the waters at the PPV, unlike tonight."

"Right, I know, mi amigo." Alberto tugs off his boots and knee pads, eager to change into his street clothes and leave. "It will all work out, and I will spend this coming week preparing for whatever they throw at me."

Ricardo nods. "If you want my help with anything, let me know, por favor."

Alberto beams at him before turning back to his things to pull his clothes on. "Si, of course, mi amigo, maybe we can drag Riley into a ladder match with a few others, so I can prepare for multiple opponents." He glances over at him, realizing how callous it is to drag him into something like this when he's never had such opportunities throughout his WWE career. "If you won't mind indulging me, that is..."

Ricardo doesn't seem to mind, however. "Whatever you need, Alberto. I'll be glad to help you prepare to win the WWE World Heavyweight title again."

Alberto's eyes soften as he finishes tugging his dress shoes on, standing up. "Gracias, mi amigo." Holding a hand out to the younger man, he smiles. "Let's get out of here, hm?" Ricardo nods and allows his former employer to pull him to his feet, the two of them walking side by side to the exit, Alberto's arm snaking snugly around Ricardo's shoulders as they leave his loss behind, looking ahead to what will hopefully be a better showing at the actual PPV.