Training. Soccer. Training. Soccer. Training. Watching Alicia and Maryse pour over wedding planning in between going out to the trampoline to help Maryse train for her wrestling return at Hell in a Cell. Playing with a very happy, babbling Monroe Sky while Heath and he half-way watch soccer on TV. Just an ordinary week in the life of Ricardo Rodriguez circa 2018.
He watches Raw, kind of, and sees Alicia wrestle Natalya to a losing effort, but Mickie James returns after rehabbing an arm injury caused by Ronda Rousey, and he thinks about the Evolution PPV and what it must feel like for all of these women, how much work they've put into getting to this stage, proving themselves to the world, to wrestling as a whole. He's happy for them, and proud of Alicia, especially, for holding her own, coming back from injury to be part of this. No matter what people may say about her, she's remained in the company longer than most women wrestlers and that's something special, especially considering how competitive everything is in the business.
He smiles and pats Monroe's hands together while he and Heath sit through another marathon wedding planning session. "Are you and Sara Louisa going to be the next kick butt set of female wrestlers in about twenty years? Huh?" She stares up at him with dark, dark eyes, and he chuckles, seeing so much of Heath in her. "Whatever you choose to do, I'm sure your parents will support you." He kisses her forehead and looks up as Heath returns, offering him a bottle of water. "Isn't that right, papi?"
"Damn straight," Heath chuckles, hoisting his daughter out of Ricardo's arms and tickling her gently as she babbles and squirms in his arms. "Whatever you wanna do, lil girl. Daddy's got your back."
Maryse and Alicia get very spirited at that moment and they all look up and over at the women, before cringing back towards the TV. They're getting along better than expected, but they're still very vocal and passionate about what they want the wedding to look like, and... Ricardo laughs softly. "Do you realize we're getting married in about three weeks?"
Heath's eyes widen. "Shit," he breathes out quietly.
"Indeed," Ricardo sighs.
-x
They're given to do lists for the wedding, and the first thing on the list is a suit fitting. Which is fine, Heath and Ricardo's schedules line up fairly well this week and they go together, standing awkwardly side by side, staring at each other in full length mirrors. "God, man, I dunno about this," Heath mumbles, staring at his tweed suit. Ricardo shrugs, staring at his pale cream ensemble and adjusts the collar. Between the shop workers bustling around, offering suggestions, and snacks, and drinks, and whatever else, neither can fully think, much less decide what they like or don't like.
Eyes locking, Ricardo says it first. "Let the women decide!" Takes pictures, sends them along, and... Alicia eagerly agrees to his outfit but Maryse wavers on Heath's. He sighs and ducks his head as more suits are suggested, changing into a medium grey one that Ricardo picks out of the pile and pushes into his hands. When he comes out again, Ricardo grins as he takes a picture of it. Despite Heath's embarassment and uncertainy, it's clear. This is the suit for him, with a little tailoring to make room for his muscles.
To everyone's relief, Maryse agrees and Ricardo claps him on the shoulder. "Thanks, Ricardo. I hate suit shoppin'," he says, sipping from some fruit infused water that the workers had obsessively pushed on them earlier.
"Any time, mi amigo." Ricardo stares at him for a long moment, thinking about what he knows of Heath. Basketball origins, kind of athletic in an awkward, gangly kind of way. He'd made it to college on a scholarship after all! "Hey, Heath, have you ever played soccer before?"
Heath's eyes widen.
Back in comfortable clothes, the suits left far behind, the two men find themselves on the field, Heath learning his way around a soccer ball, flushed and happy as the wind cards through his hair. "Kick!" Ricardo encourages him and he does so, getting the ball into the net for the first time since they arrived on the field about an hour ago.
"Yeah baby!" he exclaims, arms thrown up as he jumps in the air in excitement.
Ricardo laughs, already sending a picture of the moment on to Maryse. Her reply of a heart emoji makes him smile as he puts his phone back on the pile of their stuff to keep safe from the game, before wading back in to show Heath how it's really done.