I couldn't just let him go out like that, y'know?[/php]

At this point, Bobby wasn't even sure that Ricky was talking to him anymore. Especially with the way he would drift off like that. Rather than question it, Bobby just listened with the utmost intent.

When you've done what he's done there? You go out in the best way imaginable. I mean fuckin fireworks..confetti..screamin fans chantin your name so loud the walls of the buildin fuckin shake. You don't just..leave.

Ricky's forehead scrunched up as he was visibly confused by the mere thought of the whole thing. He took a long drag from the lit joint he held between his fingers as Bobby nodded his head. As Ricky exhaled that smoke, he watched the rolling smoke eventually dissipate.

And I know, it's just puttin another thing on my already pretty fuckin full plate but I still got room..I'm still reallyyy, y'know? I got all this extra energy, it's like..radiatin off me. It's like the..second..best possible way to burn it off.'

Laughing slightly, Bobby shook his head only to take a drink of whatever iced liquor was filling his glass. The two of them were on the balcony of Thad's home, the home he extended and offered up for Ricky to live in. It hadn't even really been all that long ago but to Ricky..it felt like another life entirely.

Things had just ended between Ricky and Sahara and while it wasn't even that bad of a break up, Ricky was an emotional kinda guy and it still hit him pretty hard. Thad knew this. They weren't exactly strangers beforehand so that may have added to it but either way, Thad was there when Ricky was down.

'I'm not even gonna lie..Thad's leaps and bounds ahead of me in every sense of the phrase. I'm a couple months older but fuck..I look up to him. I can honestly say, that is the level I wanna be at. Maybe not piece for piece but I mean..damn..look at him. He's done so much to be his age. Dude doesn't have a garage, he has a fuckin car lot. Back in the day? I'd hafta work a week straight, with overtime, just to make enough to cover what he tips when we all go out.'

'But it's not even just the material shit. It's so much more than that. The man oozes confidence. When he steps into a room, all eyes go to him and he knows it. When he sees somethin he wants..he goes for it..unrelentin..until he gets it. And it's not even unfounded. That man has every right to be as confident as he is..and I'm gonna kick his ass.'

Bobby looked rather intrigued upon hearing the last bit of what Ricky said. The younger of the two took another hit, not holding it in as long before blowing it out.

'I know..I knowww. You're prolly laughin your ass off right now, I can fuckin hear Sahara from here..but just..hear me out. Sure, Thad makes it look effortless out there..but he's human. You punch him in the face and it's still gonna hurt like fuck. There's that. And like..I got insider information. I know how he gets ready for matches..how he prepares for opponents. I can use that. I can switch things up on a dime and totally throw'em off.

But with Thad..we've seen him at his best. Have I ever even really been at my best? Alottaaabit of people would tell you nottabit at all. I know it sounds cheesy as fuck but like..this match..fightin Thad..I think that's exactly what I need to finally breakthrough whatever fuckin block I got in my head.

If I can get in there with Thad and really give everythin I got in me..and fight him like I'd fight anyone else..then I know damn well I can realize what needs to be done to drop his ass for three. It's gonna be like first time Goku hit Super One. And it's gonna be more than anyone could ever imagine.'

He brought that joint up before blowing off the ash at the tip of it.

'Now, don't get me wrong..I know it's gonna be a wholeeeelottabit easier said than done. I'm gonna get the shit kicked outta me in all the worst ways. Thad gonna whoop my ass worse than Warstein did and that's fuckin sayin somethin. But I'm gonna take it. I'm gonna take every goddamn hit he can dish out and I'm gonna come back that much fuckin harder..and not in an erection way either..tho that's not outta the realm of possibility.

But like I was sayin. Thad's human. Humans are..human. We have off nights. Lord knows I've had more than my fair share of them..but so has Thad. We've seen it. And that's all it takes, y'know? One fuck up. One slip. One miscalculation. It reallyyy fuckin sucks to think bout but that's exactly how it is. There's nothin you can really do to avoid it, y'know?

But that's my in. That's where I can slip in and take my spot. You're gonna hafta take careful to a wholee new level cause I'm gonna look for and capitalize on every..last..mistake that you make. As few of those as they may be. Combine that with the kinda shit I can throw at you? My odds get a whole hell of alottabit better.'

Ricky's gaze drifted down to look at that almost finished joint held between his fingers. He tilted his head to the side briefly, looking almost inquisitively at it.

'But..you prolly think I'm full of shit..'

He took a hit off of that joint, a soft laugh rolling free as he exhaled it.

'And why wouldn't you? Compare the two of us and it's a whole new meanin to the sayin one sided. You're a Hall of Fame talent. A global star. Wealth unlike anythin I ever coulda imagined possible. I've seen people literally throw themselves at your fuckin feet. Insanely fuckin hot. If there's ever been a more fittin definition for the total package..it's you, Thad..

And then there's me.'

Laughing out once more, Ricky shook his head.

'..and then there's me. People look at me and they say..hey, isn't that that one guy? And that's if they even fuckin recognize me to begin with. I've won maybe..ten..eleven matches since my professional debut? Compared to you? I ain't shit. You can try and sway me, talk me up all you want but it's a fuckin fact.

So I wouldn't blame you..in the slightest..if you aren't takin me seriously. I honestly don't think anyone really truly expects me to take this. And I know whatcha gonna say, Thad, oh that's bullshit, I never underestimate. But that's not true. You can't honestly tell me there's not some part of you that thinks this is gonna be a fuckin walk in the park.

You're human, it's only natural to feel like that. You got it all in spades, man. The business life. The personal. The best kids I've ever met. A really great, albeit somewhat kinda..y'know..chaotic..marriage. This is your match to win..to dominate. This match should be nothin for you to walk away from. Which is why it's gonna blow the fuckin minds of everyone watchin..blow your fuckin mind when I walk into your company..your home..and send you out with a loss.'

Bobby's interest visibly grew as did the seriousness of Ricky with every word he spoke. Finishing off that joint and dropping it into the empty can next to him, Ricky leaned against that railing, his focus locked onto that night sky.

'See..to you, this is just another match..another day in the office. But it's sooo fuckin much more to me. Least half the fuckin people in this place prolly haven't even heard of me before I interrupted you the other night. But they gonna find out who the fuck Ricky Rodriguez is, that's for damn sure. In this one match..this one win..more people are gonna notice me than they ever have before.

You're gonna notice me, Thad. Notice me like you've never noticed me before. You're gonna see who I am when it's all on the line like that. This..this is the single biggest match I've ever had. There's no championship involved..no Blood Money..no trophies. Can't even say it'd be just a win either. A win against you is better than gold..better than trophies. There's thousands of those..but there's only one Thad Duke.

And that's prolly for the best cause I know damn well this world couldn't handle two of you. It'd just be too damn much. Shit would just start collapsin and everythin. But luckily for us..there's just the one. The one..and only..Thaddeus Duke. The one..I'm gonna beat.'

At that point, Bobby wasn't even listening to the ramblings of his younger brother. His own attention was elsewhere, the lit up display of his phone revealed a text message from Alessa Holloway. Bobby sighed softly before pocketing his phone. He turned to look at Ricky before speaking up.

'Hey man, I have to head out.'

Ricky's head popped up, turning around a bit and looking at Bobby with a nod.

'Yeahh, no worries. I'll see ya tomorrow~'

The two shared a brief hug before smiling at one another. Bobby left as Ricky hung out where he was for the time being. Leaning against that railing, Ricky gazed out into the night, the lightest of smiles dancing across his face.

A lilbit later.

That smoke session hit in all the best ways. It wasn't long after Bobby left that Ricky found himself sprawled out across his own bed. Higher than giraffe titties, Ricky simply melted into the comfort of the rather enjoyable bed. But that only lasted till the munchies hit. And goddamn, when they hit? They hit.

That was all the motivation Ricky needed to get his ass up out of that bed. It didn't take any time at all for Ricky to find himself seated at the kitchen bar, a big ass bowl of Fruity Pebbles with the little itty bitty marshmallows in it. He was totally lost in his own little world, killing on that bowl of cereal when he heard an all too familiar voice.

'Hey there kiddo.'

'Berta!'

Ricky instantly perked up as soon as he heard the almost gruff voice of Thad's housekeeper, Berta. She walked to the counter and retrieved a bowl and spoon for herself before pouring up her own bowl of cereal. Taking a seat next to Ricky, Berta had a few bites of her own cereal before speaking up.

'What's on your mind, kiddo?'

Ricky shrugged a bit, taking another bite of his cereal. Berta wasn't buying it for a second as she focused her attention on Ricky.

'Don't give me that crap. You always have something going on that you're stressed about. Now spill it before I hang you up on the coat rack.'

Now, anyone else would have had a laugh at that, thinking Berta had a pretty cool sense of humor, y'know? Wrong. For those who did know her knew that if Berta said she was going to do something then she was going to do just that.

'It's this match with Thad comin up.'

'See, I knew it was something. I know everything, kiddo, don't ever forget it. So, when I ask what's on your mind, I know when something's bothering you kids, just talk..

A soft, defeated sigh rolled from behind the lips of Ricky. This had Berta laughing out before ruffling the hair of Ricky, causing him to laugh as well. He nodded his head as the two ate a bit more of that cereal, in silence, before Ricky finally spoke up.

'You think I got this match against Thaddy?'

It only took her a couple brief moments before she gave him an answer.

'Do I think you can win? Or do I think you're going to win?'

Ricky parted his lips, as to speak up, clearly not liking her answer. But before he could get a word out edgewise, Berta cut him off and continued speaking.

'Do I think you're going to win? No. But do I think you can win? Shit yes, I do.'

The answer Berta gave confused the hell out of Ricky and it showed.

'Now, before you get your britches in a bunch, let me explain it to you. You have all the in ring skills needed to be something great, Ricky. Thad would be stupid to overlook you like this. But in ring skills aren't everything it takes kiddo. Thad, he has more than the skills. He has the mentality. He treats this for what it is. A business.

Thad is going to be able to go out there and fight you just like he would fight literally anyone else, despite how he feels about you. You know, he would give you the shirt off of his back if you wanted it but when that bell rings, he's going to come for your head. And if history is any indication..he's going to take it."

Ricky took a couple more bites from his bowl, still listening with the utmost intent to what Berta was saying to him.

'You have to reach that next level. You have one of the biggest, most loving, most caring hearts I've ever seen. And it's done nothing but hold you back since day one. The difference between you and Thad is that he knows how to turn his off. He knows how to get it done against anyone.

And you, you can say you haven't but you hold back a lot. More than anyone in your shoes should be doing. That's what gets you. That's why you keep losing so damn much. You think any one of them are going to just let you walk over them like you let them do to you?'

Berta didn't even give Ricky the chance to answer before doing it for him.

'Fuck no, they wouldn't. It doesn't matter who it is, Ricky. Someone like Jennie, Todrick, and especially Thad? When the bell rings, they forget who you are. In that space of time, from bell to bell, you're not the Ricky they love. You're the Ricky they have to beat in order to get ahead.

Todrick hasn't hesitated in the..what..three matches you've two had together? Jennie didn't hesitate when she took your ass out at Blood Money. And Thad. He's not going to hesitate doing whatever he has to do in order to put you down for the three count. You have to be ready for that. You have to be ready to go to that same place mentally.

You get what I'm saying, kiddo?'

You could almost see the wheels turning in the head of Ricky. Tilting his head to the side a bit, he picked up his bowl and drank down the rest of his milk before setting the bowl back down.

'I understand, I really do. I have to fight Thad like I fought Valk..like I fought Dane..like I fought Ash. I didn't think bout anythin else but gettin that win over them. That's all that mattered, y'know? I just gotta figure out how to do that against Thad.

It's alottabit easier said than done tho. How do you get ready for somethin like that tho? It's not like there's an actual switch I can just flip on and off, y'know? I wanna win this match..like reallyyy wanna fuckin win it.'

'And you should feel like that. This is a huge match and an even more huge opportunity. Hell, at this point, you don't even have to win and a whole new set of doors are opened up for you, kiddo.'

'But I wanna do more than just have a great match against Thad. More than an instant classic. More than a match nobody will forget. I wanna win. Definitively. No ifs, ands, or buts. I won't be happy without an indisputable win over him, y'know? I want that..I need that, Berta.'

'Then win.'

Once more, Ricky went to speak up only for Berta to cut in again.

'Blah. Blah. Blah. It's not that easy.'

Berta's mocking tone took Ricky off guard a bit, Berta laughing out as she noticed it. She threw that big ole arm around Ricky's shoulders, pulling him close and ruffling his hair.

'It is that easy though. It boils down to this: You're not facing your friend, your housemate, your lover. You're not facing Thad. You're facing someone who's standing in your way of being recognized like never before. You're facing someone you need to beat.'

Ricky hung on her every word, only choosing to nod his head in agreement once she finished. Being held up against her, he looked at her with a bright smile.

'That makes sense, actually. I know what I gotta do now. Thank you, Bertaaa. I really do appreciate this.'

Berta returned that smile as the two locked eyes for a moment. When Berta kept the closeness between the two, Ricky flashed a bit of a grin at her before speaking up.

'You tryinta..y'know..'

Ricky motioned his head towards the hallway leading towards the bedrooms, his own especially. Berta pulled back just a moment as she looked at Ricky with a tilt of her head.

'Boy, I'm about to put something on you that you've never had before.'

Berta got up off of that seat and began walking towards that hallway. Ricky was quick to get up and start to follow only for Berta to speak.

'You better put those damn dishes in the dishwasher.'

'Yes ma'am.'

Ricky did just that, loading up those bowls and spoons he and Berta used. With a big ass smile on his face, Ricky followed Berta into his room, blissfully unaware that he was about to get handled.
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