"I'm not sure what to do," Ricardo admits as Alicia quietly massages his back, trying to ease some of the tension lurking in his muscles. "It has to do with charity so I will try to be professional, but..." He hasn't seen Alberto since telling him he'd have to figure things out for himself for once, and now... Well. Now. He sighs and rolls over, Alicia's hands coming to a rest on his chest. "I wish you could come to Chicago with me." But she has rehab and all around doesn't want to be around Alberto, which Ricardo understands. He kisses her palms and watches her lips twitch up into a smile.

"Whatever you decide, I'll support you," she promises him, leaning down to kiss him. "Just try to make sure whatever it is that you're comfortable with it. Don't let yourself be pressured by Alberto and his guilt trips or anything else." She hugs him, her fingers grazing down his spine, making him hum softly, and she smiles. "I love you."

"I love you too," he sighs, easing her closer and pressing kisses to her nose, cheeks, and forehead. He has agreed to lunch with Alberto for the Salvation Army, again something he'd only agreed to because of charity, and he's relieved that the first time they actually see each other, they will be too busy to actually communicate much. He distracts himself by kissing Alicia a few more times before gingerly pulling away. "I should go," he sighs, getting up and grabbing his keys, wallet, and a black hair tie just in case they require him to do something that would be easier to manage with his hair out of his eyes. "I'll see you in a few hours." He lingers, kissing her until she cups the back of his head and arches up to deepen the kiss, almost encouraging Ricardo to bail out on Alberto like he had him only a few weeks earlier, but he refrains. Pecks her on the mouth a couple of more times before pulling away and turning to walk towards the door, waving back at her before disappearing from sight.

Driving towards the building where he'd be spending the next few hours with Alberto leaves him drowning on thin air, each breath painful and stuttering. He parks sloppily and stares up at the building, not liking any of this. He loiters outside, trying to reconcile all of this with it being for a good cause, when he hears a familiar voice. "Mi amigo, there you are. Are... are you ready to come inside?"

He looks up to find Alberto hesitating by the door to the business, a worried, fearful look in his dark eyes. "Si," he mumbles, burying his hands in his pockets and following Alberto in. Everything's about as busy as he assumed- collecting donations to help the needy, watching Alberto work his magic with some donors, convincing them to give more, and whatever else he can do to help. He swallows when Alberto pulls his phone out and starts filming video, Ricardo struggling to smile and seem normal, speaking into the phone and flashing the peace symbol with his fingers or saluting the device before rushing off to find something to do as soon as Alberto stops filming. It's hard, because it's clear Alberto's on top of his game today, being amusing and charming and generally the friend that he had been when they'd first started in WWE together, but there's still too much bad wrapped up in everything else, and Ricardo can barely breathe as he leans against the wall and struggles to regain control of his thoughts, his emotions.

He barely realizes when he's sunk to the ground, hugging his knees to his chest, until the door opens behind him and Alberto freezes behind him. He feels him, senses it more than sees it as his former employer kneels down next to him, briskly rubbing his back. "Mi hermano," he says softly, voice tinged with sympathy and sadness.

He wants to pull away, wants to put this behind them, finish up inside and then go home to prepare for Chicago emotionally and by packing, but Alberto's hands are so warm, so familiar, that he gives in and sits for a few moments longer, allowing his attention for the first time in months.

"I'm trying," Alberto says softly. "I know I hurt you drastically with my actions Wrestlemania weekend, and I may never forgive myself for that. I truly did want to work with you at Wrestlecon, but it... it was too much." He eases forward and brushes Ricardo's hair aside, staring into his face. "I haven't been happy for a very long time, and it's not your fault, but you keep getting hurt because of it and I understand why you're unable to continue trying to help me just to get slapped aside like you're nothing. You deserve so much better than what I have ever been able to provide you. Ever since the first moment we met, that has been true." He sighs and leans into Ricardo. "I am tired. Tired of this business, tired of the travel, tired of not seeing my family as I'd like. I feel like an old man, which is ridiculous because I am not even 40 yet." He smiles mirthlessly. "My retirement perhaps will make things easier for all of us. I can only hope." He cups Ricardo's face and makes him look him in the eye. "But no matter what, if you need anything, I am always just a phone call away. I have no reason to expect you to trust me enough to call me, but it is out there. I would do my best to help you if you could extend just a little more faith to this broken old man."

Ricardo nods briskly. All he can offer at this point in time. No verbal approval or denial, just a quiet acknowledgment of his words before Ricardo gets to his feet and grimly dusts his hands off, watching Alberto stand as well. They stare at each other for a few moments before Ricardo pushes his way back inside, Alberto quietly following behind him.

Alicia is quiet, soothing as she leads him to bed once he's finished telling her as much as he can, straddling him and kissing him until he melts under her, hands easing up her sides and exhaling as she mouths kisses down his jaw, reclaiming his lips as he shifts position, making her eyes flutter. "It's gonna be ok," she tells him softly, loosening his hair from its ponytail. "It will."

He wants to believe her so bad that it brings tears to his eyes, giving up the fight against his emotions as the first few drips down his skin. His hands tighten around her as she kisses each salty trail off of his cheeks, smiling sadly down at him. "I love you," he gasps out.

"I love you too," she says softly, stroking his hair out of his face. "And Alberto can make as many questionable promises as he wants, but you know when I say it, I mean it- I'm always gonna be here for you, and I just want you to be happy and whole, no matter what that takes for you to accomplish it. I will support you, and I will love you, and I-" Her words shift, then fade away as he pulls her closer, his lips trailing lower, down her body and she closes her eyes, sighing softly when he finds a way to take both of their minds off of Alberto, the love she feels for him as he slowly worships her body so overwhelming that she feels close to tears now.

-x

Chicago comes. Alberto and Ricardo fly first class, Ricardo looking around in some awe as Alberto nods at the flight attendants, who quickly brings them drinks and Ricardo frowns at hte diet coke and vodka. "I placed an advanced order for drinks," Alberto says, quietly sipping from the amber liquid in his own glass. "I know drinking before an event is frowned upon but I thought one drink..."

Ricardo sighs. Sips from his before peering at Alberto in quiet censure.

"Just one, I promise," Alberto says softly. "I will not repeat prior mistakes." This seems to console Ricardo but they sit quietly for most of the flight, Alberto looking over his schedule while Ricardo fumbles with his playlist. Alberto keeps his promise, switching to water once his drink is finished. Ricardo requests the same, and the rest of the flight carries on normally.

Warrior Wrestling is busy- there are a lot of fans, a lot of wrestlers- some Ricardo have never met, some that are great to see again. Zema Ion grins and shakes his hand when they run across each other in the hallway, the two of them exchanging small talk as Alberto waits to leave for their meet'n'greet. Ricardo acknowledges this after a moment, excusing himself from Zema, and they sit side by side at a table, signing autographs and taking pictures. Ricardo finds himself relaxing into it again- being Alberto's right hand man, the ease of being in the presence of a rich, influential man, how desperate people are to make you happy when you are. It reminds him of times passed, leaves a nostalgic stab of pain deep in his chest as he gets to his feet once they're done and nods at the man who'd been attending to their table, making sure everything was going smoothly.

He offers the same muted kind of nod to Alberto before escaping back towards the locker rooms. He pauses, finding all of the benches filled up except for one. He sighs and walks up to James Ellsworth. "Do you mind if I... sit next to you?"

James looks up. Blinks. "Nah, man, go ahead. It's fine." He even scoots over to make room and Ricardo smiles a little, dropping down right there.

"I'm going to have to test my vocal chords," he warns, smiling a little as James casts a glance over at him, sizing him up.

"That's fine," he shrugs, leaning over to lace up his boots.

Ricardo watches him for a minute, remembering how hard things had been for him when Alberto had betrayed him- how he'd struggled, feeling like he was drowning in quick sand when he'd been released from WWE. How he still does sometimes, insomnia and depression warring for dominance over his mental well-being. "How do you do it?" he asks, horror and embarassment making him flush as he replays what he'd just asked.

James drops his laces and turns to look at him, understanding quickly crossing his face. "I just take it a day at a time," he says quietly. "And I remind myself that it's just business. Carmella can pretend like she doesn't remember me publically because everyone likes to discredit her position in the business at the moment because of our past, and I understand that."

"It has to hurt though," Ricardo muses, remembering back in the early days- how people had said he was the best part of Alberto's entire persona, and the sleepless nights he'd had wondering if Alberto had turned on him partially because of those sorts of comments.

"Sometimes," James admits. "But she still texts me a lot, and we see each other when Smackdown is in Maryland, or like New Orleans, and..." His smile is goofy, besotted. "I feel a lot better afterwards."

Ricardo nods. "I assume you know my history." James blinks at him, not offering an answer one way or another, and he sighs. "Alberto's been my best friend for years and I still don't know if it's good for either of us or not. I may enable him and he just... takes advantage of me at every turn it feels like, sometimes."

"People like Alberto and Carmella," James says, trying to choose his words carefully. At the end of the day, the two of them are drastically different despite their similar professional relationships with James and Ricardo. "They're tough to get to know because they're so determined to be successful professionally that it bleeds into their personal lives where they'll hurt anyone or do anything to get what they want." He scrubs at his goatee and sighs, squinting at the opposite wall. "But the damndest part of it is through it all, they do care about us. Maybe they don't show it in the healthiest of ways, but it's there." He claps Ricardo on the shoulder before getting up. "It doesn't mean that we have to keep hurting ourselves to bend to fit their needs, though." He offers a sad little smile before excusing himself to get ready for his match, leaving Ricardo staring ahead blankly.

When Ricardo sees Alberto again, it's almost time for his match. Ricardo's voice is as good as it's going to get after years of not doing this. He's in his dress clothes and Alberto is in his gear, and... "Are you ready?" Alberto asks, clapping his shoulder and rubbing the tense muscles of his arm. "It's time."

Ricardo nods, swallowing hard. He hadn't been able to think much about the match itself, but... it's against Jack Swagger, and... He looks towards where the man is standing, pointedly ignoring them, and closes his eyes, his ankle twinging as if reminding him of what the man's capable of. Alberto's fingers are warm against his jaw, pulls his face up and distracts him. "He won't touch you," Alberto promises him lowly. "I will not allow it. If he even tries, I will break his arm. Si?"

"Si," Ricardo sighs, allowing his hands to rest on top of Alberto's for a moment, before pulling away to introduce him like he used to do, smiling a little when the crowd responds enthusiastically to him. Alberto comes out, playing up to the crowd, before turning to Ricardo and hugging him. Ricardo's body tingles where Alberto had pressed as he follows him quietly to the ring, James' words echoing in his head. He paces outside of the ring, keeping an eye on Sam Adonis, who had accompanied Swagger out. Between the two men, it's clear that Swagger hasn't changed much since the time he'd targetted Alberto and Ricardo, shattering Ricardo's ankle. He anxiously hits the ring apron, encourages his former employer whenever he loses momentum or Swagger gets the upperhand, just generally out there as support... when the match falls out of the ring and into the crowd, Ricardo struggling to watch them through the group of fans as they fight back and forth, slowly making their way back to the ring.

His breath seizes in his chest when Swagger takes advantage of a table that Adonis had set up in the corner of the ring while the ref was distracted by their brawl through the crowd, waiting until Adonis has the referee's attention to tackle Alberto through it, the crowd buzzing at the echoing sound of it shattering through the arena. "No, no," he mumbles. He can feel Adonis' eyes locked on him as he hops back off of the apron, mocking laughter audible over the crowd, over everything. He grits his teeth, digs his fingers into his palms, and looks up as Swagger sneers down at him, motioning to Adonis. What the next part of their plan is, Ricardo has no clue, but he can't let it happen. He can't let these two men hurt Alberto any further- they'd already done enough. He grits his teeth, he squares his shoulders and before Adonis can do anything else, Ricardo hopes he doesn't slip in his dress shoes and takes it at a run, slamming hard into Adonis, tackling him away from the ring apron. This distracts Swagger as he yells at them, not noticing Alberto recovering slowly, shaking feeling back into the shoulder that had slammed into the table first.

Ricardo struggles to lean against the barricade wall, watching as Alberto grabs Jack, cracks his arm over his knees, and then kicks him a few times for good measure, screaming insults at him in Spanish before twisting his arm back and over into the armbar, slamming back on it again and again in attempts to break it, his eyes locked on Ricardo as he quickly checks on him before applying more pressure and forcing Swagger to tap as his attempts to writhe over to the ropes fail time and again, Alberto pulling him back to the middle of the ring each time. Alberto laughs as he's announced the victor, kicking Swagger out of the ring and turning to look at Ricardo. He smiles, eyes twinkling, and motioning at him to join him.

Ricardo sighs, getting to his feet and adjusting his clothes before rolling into the ring, standing side by side with Alberto as they glower out at Adonis and Swagger's retreating form. Ricardo lifts Alberto's hand in victory once he's sure that the trouble has passed, smiling when Alberto squeezes his hand happily. The hug is both expected and an absolute surprise, Alberto lingering into it for long moments, breathing softly against his neck. "Gracias for making this special for me, mi hermano," he offers. "Thank you for everything. I did not deserve as much as you have given me."

He pulls away and smiles at Ricardo before they face the crowd once more, absorbing the positive response they and this inaugural wrestling event have received.

-x

Thing had clicked somewhere between seeing Swagger for the first time in years and Alberto getting shoulderchecked into that table. "Things have to change, Ricardo says quietly. "I can't always depend on you to keep me afloat just to find myself drowning a few moments later."

Alberto nods.

"I may not be able to trust you easily, if ever again," Ricardo explains. "But tonight has reminded me what a vital part of my life you have been, and continue to be. There are parts of me that no one else will ever know, or understand, and I can't face losing that. I've lost enough." He stares at Alberto. "Things will probably never be the same again between us, but I would like... like to continue being part of your world."

Alberto coughs into his fist, his eyes suspiciously wet. Steps forward and draws Ricardo into his arms, hugging him once more. "It is more than I deserve, mi hermano. Gracias. Thank you so much."

"You'd better not make me regret this," Ricardo says quietly. "Or Alicia will be coming after you."

Alberto smiles weakly. "I wouldn't expect anything else, mi hermano."

They pull away and look at each other, Ricardo exhaling quietly. "Here's to many more." They clank the cheap glasses full of the only drink available at this hour- diet 7-ups out of the can.

"To many more" Alberto agrees, his eyes gleaming hopefully as his future looks a lot less bleak now.