The soft chirps of animals and insects the only distraction from a peaceful night, Alberto sighs as he stares up at the stars, a wistful smile on his face. He feels lighter, somehow. Now that the first few days are over with, and some of the bitterly boring business things are handled, his immediate future at least now somewhat understood, he's eager to move past it. Ignore the poisonous situation he'd left behind and move forward, resume his career in Mexico or wherever else his feet may take him. The first step would be this weekend when, despite his being unable to compete due to the terms in his contract, he would be a guest at the AAA IPPV happening. He's eager to return to Mexico City, see the sights he hadn't had the time to fully enjoy in a long time, perhaps see some people he hadn't been able to keep in contact with to his liking.

He shifts, catching a glimpse of the person resting in the opposite direction of him in the grass, before staring back up at the sky, eyes twinkling as if reflecting the millions of stars overhead. "Tell me more of your training school, mi amigo. Is everything going fine there?"

"Si," Ricardo murmurs, sounding sleepy in the deepening twilight, shifting ever so slightly as the longer strands of his hair brushes against Del Rio's much shorter ones, the two of them laying in the grass, heads close together. "I'm still finding my footing, it's different there for sure, but I enjoy it well enough. The trainers know what they're talking about. I'm learning more each time I'm there at least."

"That's good, mi amigo," Alberto says, regretting how everything had gone down the last few weeks, that he hadn't been able to give his best friend the due dilligence he deserves, especially now when so much is up in the air for them both. But he had eaked out the time between lawyer visits and whatever else to contact people, figure out more on this dojo Ricardo had alligned himself with... To his relief, the place seemed to be on the up-and-up, but he knows to keep an eye out, just in case. Ricardo's been through too much to also get swindled by people willing to take advantage of his desperation to get back into the ring as soon as possible.

The two of them resume staring up at the dusky sky while Del Rio weighs many numerous things, his mind racing a mile a minute as he thinks about everything that's happened, everything that will happen, and what he'd like to see come to pass at the end of it all. He's still lost in these thoughts, barely able to enjoy the magestic sight before him, when familiar fingers graze against his shoulder and he looks back once more, unsurprised to find that Ricardo's hand is resting against his shirt, waiting patiently even at this awkward angle, until Alberto reaches over and laces his fingers with the former ring announcer's, squeezing gently and turning his attention back to the night sky, realizing that these thoughts are going nowhere, but nights like tonight, spent with his best friend, are pretty damn rare and he should enjoy every second of it no matter what.

-x

Hanging around the apartment on a Monday, with Alex, Paige and Alicia all at Raw, is weird. Ricardo knows it's only been a couple weeks and he has time to figure things out, adjust, but it's lonely. It's quiet. He doesn't like it much. Though he knows things must be even stranger for Alberto, this being his first Raw spent out of the company. He stares at his walls and thinks hard, trying to decide what exactly he wants to do to pass the time, the look in Paige's eyes- guilty and a little sad even as she kissed him and left, eager to continue her path to hopefully getting her divas title back- haunting him. Finally he grabs his phone and dials a number that he could know in his sleep.

Not long afterwards, Del Rio and he are sitting side by side, watching Raw in the living room of Ricardo's apartment and keeping a running commentary about it going in the bizarre mix of English and Spanish that only they could ever follow easily. Despite their lingering mixed emotions towards the company that had been their home for four years, through good times and bad, neither want to fall out of touch of what's happening, especially since they still have friends in the company. Ricardo grimaces at Paige's poem and Mike on commentary causing Heath to win against Ziggler via count-out, but truthfully it's a very quiet, bland show. The two men exchange glances and Alberto shrugs mirthlessly, draping an arm around Ricardo's shoulders. "They're going to be lost without us, mi amigo," he says simply, Ricardo smirking and nodding, glancing away.

Paige returns with a letter for him the next day, cupping his face and kissing him softly, slowly... the crinkling of paper between their bodies barely attracting either of their attention when she nuzzles closer to him and scrapes her fingers up his hair, sighing. "I've missed you," she shares, her accent sounding thicker as she stares up at him, overwhelmed by the sensations pouring through her as she struggles to catch her breath.

"I missed you too," he whispers, leaning in to kiss her again before unfolding the letter. It's Mike's handwriting, and it's inviting him and Alberto to come to California for Summerslam, promising a beach party. It's tempting, especially when he thinks about getting to see his mother, sister, and the babies, but... he can't do it, not yet. Not now. And not just because Alberto has his commitments already lined up this weekend. Going anywhere WWE is right now just feels like a bad, bad idea. It's hard enough being only minutes away from where NXT is at, Ricardo constantly coming face to face with those he used to train with and having to endure small talk until he can find an opening to get away.

Mike sounds disappointed but also, thankfully, seems to understand when he calls him to refuse the invite, so Ricardo takes Paige's hand and leads her back to the kitchen, beginning to make tea for her to calm his nerves. She watches him, her lips twitching up into a soft, sad smile as he fights to find ways to keep himself busy until his own contract issues are resolved.

-x

The week, thankfully, goes by fairly quickly. Before Alberto knows it, it's Friday and he and Sofia are discussing last minute things to do with the house for while he's gone. She nods at the end of each thing he tells her, a bizarre look in her dark eyes, and finally he stops and stares at her, perplexed. "Am I forgetting something, Sofia?"

"Ah, no, senor," she stammers. "Everything seems to be in order... I was just wondering..."

"Si?" he asks, eyebrows raising up into his hairline as she struggles to find the words, looking more hesitant than he'd ever seen her.

She eventually pulls her cell phone out of her pocket and holds it out to him, a website loading on the small screen. "I understand that you deserve this, and the time away will be good for you... but I think someone else needs it as well." He reads the words before looking up at her, searching her face. Her expression doesn't waver once and he swallows, nodding slowly. As soon as she has the phone back in her pocket, she resumes bustling around and packing, following whatever other suggestions he'd made.

Before she can leave his bedroom, he blocks her path and rests his hands on her shoulders, lightly squeezing. "Don't worry, Sofia. I will handle it all. Gracias." She looks relieved, more relaxed, when he does release her a moment later.

Dirt sheets had been going crazy regarding both of them in the last few weeks. It's disgusting, but nothing could be done about it. Even so, the words are haunting, infuriating. Even Ricardo, with all of his meditation and zen, can only ignore so much. So Alberto walks up the stairs to his and Alex's apartment and knocks on the door solidly, smirking as his best friend's footsteps approach the front door. His hair is mussed, clothes little more than sweats and a short sleeved shirt that would never, ever pass through WWE's annoying dress code in public. But such things mean very little to Alberto, especially now, so he beams at his best friend and claps him on the shoulder, inviting himself in.

"Ah, oh, the place is a bit of a mess, El Patron, lo siento," Ricardo is stammering, following him through to the kitchen. But it's not that dirty, just a couple of dishes here and there, Alberto realizing immediately that he'd interrupted Ricardo's lunch.

"I should be the one apologizing, mi amigo. I barge in here as if I own the place, before you can even finish eating." He shakes his head ruefully. "I suppose some things never change, hm?" He smiles wanly, turning back towards Ricardo. "Hopefully what I'm about to suggest will make up for it," he offers, glancing around the apartment. It's quiet, Alex and Paige clearly already gone to make their way to California in time for pre-Summerslam activities. Ricardo looks lonely, which explains his haphazard lunch of sloppily thrown together sandwiches, and his rumpled appearance. Alberto hates the thought of his best friend having to wait, alone and uncertain in what his future holds, for the next ninety days until his non-compete is over.

"Wha- what are you thinking, El Patron?" Ricardo asks, picking self-consciously at the hem of his black shirt, eyes darting here and there before finally resting on Alberto's face.

"I'm thinking I want you to come with me to Mexico City, mi amigo," he finally says. "I understand that you cannot compete either, and that's fine, but the thought of all of us being busy this weekend and leaving you behind... ay, no, I can't allow that. Besides, I know you're eager to return to Mexico as well. We can sight-see, go to Triplemania together, do all of the things that our schedules have never allowed until now." He smiles. "We have all of the time in the world, mi amigo. What do you say?"

Ricardo looks pale. Somewhere between feeling sick and wanting to cry. Alberto's stomach twists and he's only just taken a step forward when Ricardo releases a soft sob and lunges forward, hugging Del Rio tightly as he buries his face in his shoulder. "SI, si, that sounds- sounds incredible, El Patron. I would love to. Gracias."

Alberto smiles and strokes his hair until he relaxes. "De nada, my pleasure, Ricardo. Now go finish eating and we can discuss what we're going to do this weekend. I already have your plane ticket booked, so everything's set up, we just need to get you packed and make our way to the airport before nightfall."

Ricardo sniffs and wipes at his eyes. "You really do think of everything, El Patron," he mumbles, a soft flush staining his cheeks as he realizes just how depressed he must look. But it matters little, he thinks. Alberto's seen me at my worst, which actually doesn't hold a candle to this moment... and he still wants me to come to Mexico with him. That's good enough for me.

They sit in silence for awhile as Ricardo sheepishly finishes his roast beef sandwich, sipping at iced tea after offering a glass to his former employer. "I am so happy you are coming with, mi amigo," Alberto says, his fingers curling around the sweating glass and enjoying the coolness.

Ricardo looks up, his eyes lighting up as his blush disappears behind a smile. "I am as well, El Patron. Muchas gracias, this means so much to me."

Alberto smiles as well, relieved that, after all of this time, all of the pain, he can still do something to cheer his best friend up.