Surprises
"Tonight was amazing, hermano," Memo Montenegro murmurs, looking over with a small smile.
Alberto Del Rio is still peeling off small strips of tape from his wrists left over from the match earlier and nods over at his brother, eyes twinkling in an unusual show of pleasure. "Si, it was." Only a couple of hours earlier, he'd tag teamed with his brother and ring announcer against three NXT rookies, and they'd won. Despite how poorly his singles career has been going for much too long now, he still enjoys wrestling... being able to compete alongside Memo and Ricardo had been a welcome change of pace for him, had reminded him why he had begun this career to begin with.
"I was pleasantly surprised," the younger of the two continues, peering through the sheer curtains billowing into the room with an appraising glance. Ricardo is asleep, the brothers talking lowly on the terrace of the hotel room they're all sharing to allow him a peaceful rest.
"About what, Hermano?" Alberto asks, staring up at the soft moonlight gleaming down upon them as the night slowly wears on.
Memo stares out across the city sprawled out before them before peering over at his brother. "Ricardo tonight," he admits. "I wasn't sure he had it in him, after some of the things I've seen and heard. He did better than I expected."
He sneers, pressing the tape onto the railing in an attempt to take the stickiness away from his fingers. "Many underestimate Ricardo. He has shown great instinct in the ring whenever we train together."
Memo nods. "I can see that." He peers out over the night sky before noting a slightly anxious look on his brother's face, nudging him. "What's wrong, hermano?"
"He is not usually this exhausted," he muses, looking back into the hotel room. "Even after a match. I... know he's competed a bit more regularly since the nonsense with Sheamus, but perhaps it's too soon for him. He was in that match for a long amount of time..."
Memo smiles, causing his words to die away as he glares uncertainly at him. Holding his hands up to delay the inevitable backlash, he shakes his head. "Hermano, I'm sure he's fine. You said yourself- he doesn't compete that often, si? And wrestling a whole match is more taxing than training. He probably just needs a chance to rest, and will be himself once more by morning."
Del Rio nods, trying to laugh it off. "Of course, Guillermo. You're probably right." He sighs and leans back to peer at the stars twinkling overhead. "It is just... he has been through a lot lately, and I forget that he used to compete regularly, so whenever he acts a little off after a match, I..."
"I understand," Memo says softly. "You're protective of him."
Chuckling almost as if in embarassment, he sighs. "I suppose in a way I am. It is easy, when one is so determined as I am to become world champion, to forget who one's friends are." He peers back into the room once more and grimaces. "He has been loyal and dedicated for over two years and I rarely reward him properly for it."
"He seems to understand though. He wouldn't still be here if not, right?"
"I suppose." He kicks at the bannister for a moment before looking up with a faint smile. "Thank you, by the way, Memo."
"For?" the younger brother asks, looking at his brother. "I should be thanking you, tonight wouldn't have been possible otherwise."
Shrugging this off, Del Rio continues on with his original train of thought. "For welcoming Ricardo so easily when he asked to be allowed to compete with us. You could've reacted in many different ways, and I am proud of you for how you handled it."
Memo looks back into the room and smiles faintly. "You may not realize this, but the family also is well aware of how loyal he has been to you the past few years. We appreciate it, so my allowing this match to go by tonight was very little of a sacrifice. Besides," he adds, nudging his older brother. "It meant I got to compete alongside you, which is something I've been hoping to do for quite awhile."
Alberto smirks, nodding. "I am thankful we were able to do that as well."
Turning back to examining the Florida night, the brothers lean back against the railing. With the soft wind in his hair, millions of stars overhead, his brother by his side, and his ever faithful ring announcer sleeping peacefully behind him, Alberto feels truly content for the first time in a long time.