Back to Basics: Encontrar una Manera chapter 33
A/N: The rest of Miz and AJ's wedding will be in Back to Basics chapter 193, up this Thursday! Don't forget to check it out if you're interested! Thanks!
That Monday, Alberto's match is near the end of the show, and Ricardo has his interviews complete for the night, the two of them sitting around in the locker room and watching Raw proceed on without them. Not long into the show, a commercial for Slam City airs and Ricardo stares at it expectantly, only knowing vague details about the project up to this moment... when it shows an animated version of Alberto as a barista and he gapes at it, eyes wide. Del Rio closes his eyes and shakes his head. "Don't laugh," he says in a semi-serious voice, grimacing. "I can only imagine what Miz will say when he sees it..."
Ricardo struggles to maintain his composure, turning back to his former employer after a couple minutes. "Uh, well, lucky you that he's busy with the Raw panel tonight and won't see it right away, I suppose." Alberto stares at him, brows furrowed, until finally he breaks, chuckles growing into soft laughter. "Lo siento, lo siento-"
"No, no," Del Rio waves off the apologies. "It's good to see you laugh, mi amigo. You don't do it often enough." Ricardo grins at him before they return to watching the show side by side, until it's time for Alberto's eight man match with Sandow, Axel and Ryback against Ziggler, Henry, Big Show and Big E.
Ricardo watches him go quietly, turning back to the TV. He wonders if he'll be doing commentary for Wrestlemania, and how long his table will last this time. Shaking his head, he focuses back on the match in time to see Alberto go flying out of the ring, the match quickly coming to an end not long afterwards. Alberto seems angry and in pain, adding to Ricardo's worry until he returns to the locker room, rubbing his neck gingerly. "Are you ok?" he asks softly, standing up and reaching out for him.
"Si," he grumbles. "I'm fine." Huffing, he shakes his head, ignoring the pain stabbing up his neck. "Perros, the entire lot of them." He takes a few deep breaths, not wanting to lose it in front of the former ring announcer again. Not now, when it's almost time to meet up with the others and head to California for the wedding. "I'll get dressed and collect my things and we can go, mi amigo," he says tensely, collecting street clothes and brushing past Ricardo.
"Ok," the younger man says with a small smile, quickly dropping down onto the bench, now frowning as he wonders what Tamina and AJ's argument might do to the next few days. "Ay, what timing." He sighs and shakes his head, hoping that everything will work out ok in the end. The last thing Mike needs after all of this, after all, is more drama, when he'd fought so hard just to get them to this point.
They all have to wait for Alex and Mike to wrap up with the post-show analysis, AJ's locker room quiet and tense as Tamina stands in a corner, her arms crossed over her chest. Ricardo and Del Rio are both curious, but keep to themselves, not wanting to risk the bride's anger any further. Finally the post-show wraps up, the other two joining them.
Mike takes only a minute to kiss his fiancee on the forehead before looking around at them all, his eyes only resting a moment on Tamina as he looks around at the rest. "Everybody ready to go then?"
"Si," Alberto mutters to himself, relieved that there will finally be some movement in their plans. "Let's get this party started." Ricardo smirks at him for a moment before filing out of the room with Alex as Mike and AJ leads them out. Tamina is lurking behind them, but her eyes are clear as she follows them. Ricardo hopes it's a good sign.
The wedding that Wednesday is beautiful in its simplicity, Ricardo standing quietly behind John and Alex as Mike and AJ exchange their vows, both of them choked up as they dedicate themselves to the other, small smiles on everyone's faces as rings are put on fingers and the officiant declares them husband and bride, Mike immediately kissing AJ with the eagerness of someone who had been waiting for this moment possibly their entire lives.
Once they finally pull away from each other, it's time to head for the reception at John's apartment, even Alberto vaguely impressed with what the man had managed in the time given, the space, and everything else. The already sparse furniture in the living room had been pushed into the guest room, freeing up more floorspace to dance, cream colored fabric that matches the canopy they'd gotten married under drifting lazily along the walls, soft twinkling lights reflecting against all surfaces and giving the entire thing a soft ethereal feeling that leaves them all wanting to step quietly, and whisper, so as not to ruin the atmosphere.
Morrison gives them a few minutes to take it in, Mike and AJ standing in the middle of it all with dazed looks on their faces before they glance over at him when he presses a button and begins to play some music so they can start the first dance of the married couple at their leisure, nodding at his best friend as he takes AJ's hand and leads her out into the middle of the dance floor. Ricardo is standing by Alberto, watching it all, when someone taps him on the shoulder a few minutes later. "Hm?" he mutters, turning quickly. "Oh, hola, Layla."
She beams up at him, patting his arm. "Hola, Ricardo." She glances at Del Rio for a moment, brow furrowing briefly, before turning her focus back onto the younger man, face clearing. "What do you say, wanna dance with me?"
He looks truly floored, also glancing over at his former employer before nodding sheepishly, taking her hand. "Si, of course," he agrees, following her out onto the floor where they sway slowly, Ricardo catching Mike's eye and shaking his head at his teasing smirk, spinning Layla away from them just in time as the music changes, shifts to a faster dance that encourages them to separate and follow the beat, the older diva laughing as Ricardo grins at her, glancing over in time to see Alex and Alicia Fox take the dance floor too. When the music slows again and Layla leans in close to him, the ring announcer surprised that she's content to spend so much of the reception just dancing with him, she looks up at him, eyes gleaming in the faint light. "By the way, welcome back to the ridiculous world of the WWE," he tells her quietly. "I know AJ is glad you're back to traveling with us all, especially after what happened on Raw."
She smiles. "Why, thank you. It's been a hard few months, I'm glad to be back home." Her eyes drift away from him, resting again on Del Rio, her happiness fading slightly. "I have to say, considering how things were when I left, I'm surprised to see you hanging around with Del Rio again. Especially considering... I saw the match where you beat him, and what he did to you that night. What happened, if you don't mind me asking?" Ricardo wonders how much time is left on the slower song before deciding to give the short version of the story. Once he finishes, neither of them seem to notice that the song had changed again, still swaying slowly close together. "Huh, I see," she mutters, thinking over what he'd just told her as they spin in lazy circles. "Well, as long as he's sincere, I guess it's good. Friends are very hard to come by in this business."
"Yes, they are," he agrees faintly, glancing over to find Alberto watching them while he drinks some champagne. He smiles vaguely and spins her around a few more times before they seem to silently agree that they've danced enough, moving to join Alberto at the table and help themselves to some hors d'oeuvres while watching Alex and Alicia dance on, AJ and Mike's own time on the floor slowing noticeably, the two of them more interested in kissing, slowly swaying back and forth to the music. Not far away, John and Kaitlyn are dancing terribly and laughing at themselves, Ricardo's eyes widening as he wonders what else he'd missed while explaining as much as he could to Layla in a short amount of time.
Alberto chuckles at the look on his face, leaning forward to nudge a drink towards him. "Having fun, mi amigo?" he asks when Ricardo looks at him, grinning.
"Si, El Patron." He sits back contentedly, and sips from the champagne lazily, feeling more relaxed than he has in quite awhile. "Looks like things are wrapping up," he says awhile later, unsurprised as it's getting late and he expects that the newlyweds will want to be alone before long.
"Si, it does," Alberto nods, looking up as John spins Kaitlyn around once more, both looking surprised and relieved when she doesn't step on his toes, or trip, the both of them laughing before he pulls away from her and claps his hands loudly, Ricardo already pressing stop on the music so he can make the planned announcement that they'd all discussed earlier while waiting for the groom and bride.
Mike and AJ reluctantly stop as well, looking over at his best man as Morrison grins over at them. "Well, Mike, AJ, as fun as it is watching your extended PDA, I think it's time for the reception to come to an end and you two to get on with the wedding night and all of that fun stuff. Now we have one last thing to tell you before we go." Mike looks confused and John laughs. "Yeah, that's right, we're the ones leaving. If it's ok with you, you're going to stay here, and all of us are going to go stay at your house. That way, we don't have to fight over who sleeps where in my tiny little apartment, and you two will have all the privacy you want here, surrounded by these pretty decorations that I put so much work into. Alright?"
Mike and AJ exchange glances before nodding agreement, Mike quickly walking over to hug his best friend. "Thanks for everything, man. We couldn't have done this without you." The married couple takes each of them in turn, hugging and thanking them all, promising to see them the next day before they all have to return to their lives on Friday for Smackdown.
Ricardo grins, clapping Mike on the arm once he stops in front of him. "Congratulations, Mike. I'm happy for you both."
"Thanks, man," he says, hugging the ring announcer. "You had a good time, right?"
"Of course I did. It was a fun night. Thanks for including me in all of this."
"Aw come on, as if there was any chance we'd leave you out of anything." He nudges Ricardo. "You're a permanent part of the group now. Get used to it."
He laughs, ducking his head sheepishly. "I will, Mike. Gracias."
He gets a surprise of his own a few minutes later when AJ comes up to him and, staring at him for a long moment, stands on her tippytoes and hugs him, his arms tense at his sides until he realizes he's supposed to respond, slowly hugging her back while blinking in surprise. "Thanks for being such a good friend to Mike," she tells him quietly. "And, despite everything I've done to you in the past, accepting me into this little group of yours so readily."
He pulls back and stares at her. "As long as you make him happy, I have no right to hold the past against you. We all have done things we'd like to take back."
"This is true." She smiles at him before pulling away and skipping forward to rejoin her husband as he talks with Alex for a moment, Ricardo watching her go before looking over to find Alberto staring at him. They smile faintly before looking back at the last moments of the reception, until it's finally time to go. Ricardo ignores the mixed reaction from those with him as he suggests they watch the freshly released to DVD Disney movie Frozen once they get back to Mike's house, glancing back at Mike and AJ one last time as he closes the door on them, smiling to find his friend so happily enraptured with the girl.
Despite how badly things had seemed to be going just two days ago, the wedding had gone perfectly. He sighs in relief, walking a little faster when Alberto calls out to him to hurry up, all of them eager to go to Mike's house and relax.
After another day spent in California, enjoying the sun and sand and ocean, they all return to WWE touring, Ricardo staring absently at his phone while he stands in the corner of AJ's locker room when Alberto walks up to him, brow furrowing when the younger man barely notices him at first. "Mi amigo?" he finally asks, eyes widening when the ring announcer starts. "What's wrong?"
"Uh, oh," he mutters, glancing up at him. "My list of interviews tonight." He lets Alberto stare at it, shaking his head mirthlessly as he takes in how his own name is on that list. "The first time we'll be on camera together in any capacity since October." He sits down heavily and rests his jaw in his hands, staring ahead. "Hm."
Alberto takes a breath and rests a hand on his shoulder, kneading the tense muscles there. "How do you want to play this, mi amigo?" When Ricardo looks up at him, surprised, he sighs and sits down next to him, nudging his shoulder. "It's your choice, after all, it's your interview. I'll follow your lead."
There's a long, painful pause before Ricardo sighs. "Well, now that you mention it..." Interviewers are supposed to stay unbiased, which would be nearly impossible for him, considering their years of history. He takes a breath and grimaces. "No offense, but if I act the way I normally do when I'm interviewing you, people will assume..."
"What, mi amigo?" Alberto asks, frowning. "That we're friends again?" Though it stings more than a little, he thinks he understands. Ricardo had been targetted because of him, and sometimes by him, for years. Since October, Ricardo hadn't been untouchable, still getting suspicious glances or just plain attacked in interviews (if Del Rio should ever get his hands on El Torito, that little bull would not be seen ever again, after all)... but in comparison to how it had been, things are calmer now. He can carry on with his training and his backstage work without needless injuries or harm coming to him, which is all Alberto's ever wanted for him.
"I, it's just-" he stammers, stopping short when Alberto raises a hand.
"Ricardo, you don't need to feel the reason to explain to me. I understand. I don't want others to begin targetting you again if they get the idea that we are friends once more, so. What do you want to do about it? Just say it, I won't be offended." Alberto leans in, listening as Ricardo explains his idea, nodding slowly, brow furrowed thoughtfully. "Si, mi amigo, that should work. I'll do it for you."
Ricardo smiles warily. "Gracias, El Patron."
Not long after a tense interview, where Ricardo flinches away any time Alberto gets too close or too loud, neither of them seeming too pleased to be in the same room as the other, the Mexican aristocrat enters the main locker room, adjusting his wrist tape distractedly. He has a match against Big E later on, but for now, he has some free time, replaying his interview with Ricardo over and over again in his mind. Sighing, he runs his fingers through his short hair and tugs on his merch shirt, only looking up when the locker room door opens. "Del Rio?"
"Eh?" he mutters, frowning. For a moment, he wonders if something happened, Mike usually only talking to him when it's relevant to Ricardo. "Miz? What do you want?"
"I'm actually booked tonight. MizTV," he says, eyes flashing a challenge as he examines Del Rio, waiting for some mocking comment or dismissive sneer. When neither happens, he continues to explain. "It's actually just before your match against Big E, as you more than likely didn't realize. So, my guest tonight is the Big Show, but that's not big enough for my first time back on TV in over a month. I want a bunch of guys who're in the Wrestlemania Battle Royal out there, and I think you should be apart of it. What do you say?"
He sneers. "Am I your first invitation, Miz? First your wedding, now your little talk show, people might start to assume we're friends."
"Hey, if you don't want to have a chance to get your hands on your opponents at Wrestlemania, then that's your problem," Mike shrugs. "Just thought I'd offer."
He turns to leave when, ... "Gracias," Alberto says, his back now to Miz as he stares down at his bag, sorting through his wrestling gear.
"You're welcome," he says slowly, leaving as quietly as he'd come.
Eventually, Alberto does decide to take him up on his offer, joining the others in the ring and glad for it when a brawl breaks out, sneering as he spots Mike watching from the floor stoicly, clearly waiting for a chance to come in and be the last man standing. He barely turns back around when he gets thrown from the ring, just feet away from Mike, who yet again stays very still. Alberto narrows his eyes at him and walks off to wait for this madness to end so he can let go of some tension in his match against Big E. He chuckles quietly as Mike tries to act on the impulse to toss both Sheamus and Big Show over the top rope, failing incredibly and getting tossed out himself, leaving Big Show in the ring, a minor victory on the road to Wrestlemania.
Referees and security finally make their way to the ring, waving off the excess superstars to clear the ring for Big E and Del Rio, the Mexican aristocrat sneering as Mike walks past him. "Don't say a word," the Most Must See Superstar snarls at him as he walks back, anger flashing in his blue eyes.
Alberto laughs for real before entering the ring, Mike's failure easing some of the sting from his own. Moreso when he defeats Big E fairly easily, lifting his arm in victory as he looks out at the crowd, considering how he's going to do more of the same at Wrestlemania, adding the Andre the Giant memorial trophy to his accomplishments the first step in getting his career back together before he decides one way or the other what he's going to do about looming contract negotiations..