Title: In Time
Pairing: Mike "The Miz" Mizanin and Alex Riley
Rating: T
Summary: Mike leaves to make a movie and never comes back. Five years later Alex wants to know why.
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the story.
Alex checks into the hotel and as he approaches the elevator he stops dead in his tracks. For a second he thinks he must be hallucinating, exhausted from the drive perhaps, but he's not. The absolute best friend he's ever had, Mike Mizanin, is standing there, only a few yards away, bags in hand, waiting for the doors to open.
There's a part of Alex, the part that's still deeply heartbroken, that tells him to wait behind, to let Mike go without giving him the opportunity to see him, to keep Mike from seeing the look on his face. The other part wants to run up to the man he hasn't seen in years and wrap him in a big hug, the way he always used to do and tell him how much he's missed him. Alex doesn't have a chance to decide, however, because before he even realizes what's happening, Mike's already inside the elevator and a swarm of fans have gathered around him so even if he wanted to run to Mike, he's effectively trapped. Alex raises himself to his toes, easily towering over the mob of swooning adolescent girls. He watches as the doors shut and is saddened by how alone Mike looks. A man that once held his head higher than all the rest now has his eyes fixated to the carpeted floor of the lift. And just like a ghost from the past would, Mike is gone again, vanishing and no one would have even known he was ever there if Alex hadn't seen him.
Since Mike Mizanin left the WWE, he's pursued an acting career, which has never taken off the way it should have. In contrast, Alex Riley has climbed to the top rung of the company ladder, winning his first WWE Championship only a few weeks ago. He now has more responsibility than ever before, his hectic schedule keeping him busy beyond belief, his thoughts always going a million miles an hour but now everything seems so still around him, even with all the people demanding his attention. He autographs the pictures they hand him in a complete daze, his eyes darting to the elevator every few seconds just in case Mike comes back.
Some time later, Alex finds himself in the comfort of his own hotel room. He doesn't remember how he made it to his room but is relieved that he finally has. Ever since his days of being signed to a personal services contract to The Miz, Alex has always felt a certain kind of peace in hotels and now that Mike's close by, everything feels right again.
Alex now has a chance to make the decision he didn't have time to make earlier in the crowded lobby. He showers and finds himself taking his time to look his best. He hasn't even consciously made up his mind, but it's already been decided for him, even if he doesn't know it yet. It doesn't take long before he calls down to the front desk and asks for Mike's room number. The knots in his stomach forming knots of their own when the clerk gives him an answer because now it's real. Alex hangs up without even thanking the lady. He breathes heavily, unevenly. Tries to think of what he's going to say when he sees Mike but it's just random words that are flying at him, not a full sentence in sight and even if there was, it sure as hell wouldn't make any sense.
Alex has had years to prepare for this moment but it hasn't seemed to help. He recalls the way he used to practice his speech as he'd lie awake in bed all those sleepless nights. Sometimes he would be furious, screaming at Mike, even punching the guy in the jaw and leaving him broken on the floor - the way he left him. Other times, he'd crumble at Mike's feet, tearfully apologizing for not trying hard enough and Mike would do the same and they would just hold each other. But now, now that the moment has finally arrived, Alex is going in blind. He's never been so unsure of anything in his entire life.
Alex walks down the hall towards Mike's room and the fact that he's on the same floor, must be a sign, Alex thinks. He feels the walls on either side squeezing in around him during what feels like the longest walk of his life and potentially, the most important.
Before knocking, Alex reads the numbers next to the door almost a dozen times, making sure he's at the right room and mostly he's just procrastinating, thinking maybe he should have just called first so he doesn't catch Mike totally off guard. But then he remembers how Mike avoided his phone calls for a solid year and he didn't seem to give one shit about how that made him feel, so he knocks with determination. And the way he carries himself on the outside would never give away the fact that he's about to fall apart.
A few seconds later, Mike opens the door thinking it's just room service and is stunned to see Alex standing in front of him. There's a long stretch of silence as their eyes hold on tight to one another, unwavering. It's almost quiet enough to hear the pounding of their hearts but a clanking concierge cart coming towards them interrupts the intensity.
"I'm so rude. Come in," Mike says, reaching out to pull Alex in by his wrist just as the cart is approaching. The electricity generated by this simple touch races throughout their bodies. As he shuts the door, Mike looks down to the loose wheel causing the racket in an attempt to distract himself from the feelings that are tingling under the surface. It doesn't seem to help, not in the least.
"I didn't think I'd see you 'til tomorrow night," Mike remarks nervously as he turns towards Alex.
"At the arena?" Alex asks and he immediately feels stupid, cursing himself discreetly. Of course at the arena, you dumbass!
Mike nods with a sincere smile. "I was planning to congratulate you on your big win before the show."
"Oh. Out of obligation, I suppose," Alex murmurs and suddenly he's parched. Ideally, he wouldn't have instigated a confrontation this soon, at least not before a proper greeting, but it's too late now. He watches as Mike takes a step back and in some twisted way, this gives Alex the confidence he needs to finally get an answer out of the guy.
"I just mean, you could have called the night I won it but instead you wait until right before you know you're going to see me. That speaks volumes, Mike." And so does Alex's voice as he raises it sternly.
"I would have called," Mike says defensively, "but I thought you wouldn't want to hear from me."
"And why would you think that?" Alex asks sarcastically.
"You know why," Mike responds meekly.
"Because of what you did to me?" The bold demand of Alex's tone may have been a bit too much, too soon but he doesn't care.
"I can't do this right now, Alex," Mike says as he turns back to the door signaling Alex to leave.
"I don't see you doing too much of anything right now. I hope you don't think anyone actually wants you back. You're just here to make a guest appearance for whatever reason and then we'll all be glad when you leave again." Alex feels as if he should be relieved to say something so harsh but instead, he just feels like shit.
Mike bites the inside of his lip, urging himself not to cry right then and there, Alex's words tantamount to a knife being driven through the core of his heart and he knows he has no right to be mad - not after what he did to warrant this kind of reaction. It doesn't stop him from hurting though. Mike stands with his back towards Alex for a long second. To hold so much resentment after all this time must mean something, Mike thinks. And then something inside him tells him it might not be too late after all so he bravely turns back around to face Alex.
"I truly am proud of you, at every turn and every step of the way."
Alex scoffs at the idea. "And not once in five years could you pick up the phone and tell me that?"
"I couldn't."
"Yeah, I'm sure." Alex swipes his hand at Mike as he turns away from him.
"I'm serious. I didn't want to distract you. I didn't want to knock you off course." Mike says as much as he can, isn't sure he'll ever be able to tell the whole truth because it'll hurt too much.
"Oh, Mr. Mizanin, my hero!" Alex sways his body back towards Mike, clutches his chest dramatically, sarcastically. "What would I ever do without you?"
"I'm-"
"You really got some nerve, Mike," Alex interrupts seriously.
"Stop it! You're embarrassing yourself," Mike scolds.
"No, you're the one who's embarrassing himself. Traipsing back in here like you've done me a favor. If anything, leaving me here alone was the distraction! Do you have any idea what I had to go through after you left? How long it took me to get over you?"
"For fuck's sake, Alex, it was one kiss," Mike blurts out without thinking.
"Is that what you've convinced yourself it was? Did you completely forget what happened that night? The promises you made?"
Mike stands firm for a moment but the pressure is too much to take. "No," he admits. "Of course I haven't forgotten. That was the best night of my life," Mike declares but when he remembers what else happened that night, he lowers his gaze to the floor, suddenly feeling queasy.
Alex doesn't pay much attention to Mike's body language, only hears his words and he thinks it's finally the opening he's been waiting for. "Then why didn't you come back to me like you promised you would?"
Mike shakes his head as he looks down to his feet. Crosses his arms like he's physically trying to restrain himself from saying anything else. Maybe it would be best for both of them if he just keeps his big mouth shut from here on out. Maybe it would be best if the secret he's held onto for this long, remain a secret.
Alex sits on the bed, Mike sucking every ounce of energy right out of him. He finds himself transported back to the hardest time in his life and he figures it's worth a shot to just be completely honest instead of attacking Mike. He really has nothing to lose at this point anyway.
"When I couldn't sleep at home, I used to check into the nearest hotel and imagine you were in the bed next to me."
This confession affects Mike deeply. He feels his knees grow weak so he backs himself up against the door. And of course his plan to not say anything fails. "Not with you?"
"Never with me." Alex runs his hand over his face as he avoids eye contact. "It would be too hard to let go of that dream in the morning."
Mike feels his chin start to quiver. The best times he's ever had took place in hotel rooms. Anything mundane and routine became magical within those four walls as long as Alex was with him.
"We were on the edge of what could have been everything and then suddenly, there was nothing. All I knew was that you broke your contract but I didn't know why. I didn't know what I did wrong."
Mike wants to assure Alex that he never did anything wrong but he waits too long and Alex starts to speak again.
"It would kill me when you wouldn't answer my calls, my texts, my emails, anything. My matches started to suffer. You can't even know how many times I came this close to being fired. And then one day I realized the only way to stop thinking about you was to not have time to think so I put everything I had into my job." Alex confesses solemnly.
"Knowing I could expect a call from you each day gave me the strength to keep going." And there he goes again. Mike can't seem to stop himself from speaking, and the absolute truth at that. "I was so grateful your persistence lasted as long as it did."
Alex looks up in disbelief. It never occurred to him that Mike actually wanted him to call. He watches as the guy starts to make his way towards him. His eyes follow Mike's as he kneels down in front of him and holds his hands in his own. Alex starts to lose himself in a warmth he hasn't felt in so long, a warmth he feared he'd never know again.
"The day I realized you weren't going to call anymore was the most painful day of my whole life."
"But all you had to do was pick up," Alex says sadly, looking down into equally sad eyes.
Mike shakes his head regretfully. "I couldn't."
Alex jumps to his feet, letting Mike's warm hands fall from his grasp as he heads for the door. "There you go again saying you couldn't! That's not acceptable, Michael!"
"She wouldn't let me!" Mike yells out in desperation. And there it is, the truth Mike never wanted Alex to know but he just couldn't stand the thought of losing him again.
Alex's hand slips from the doorknob. "Who wouldn't let you?" he asks timidly, afraid he already knows the answer and his eyes can't even focus on the door in front of him.
"Maryse," Mike answers, collapsing onto the bed as if the mere taste of his ex-girlfriend's name is enough to knock the wind right out of his sails.
Alex chuckles, almost in denial. "What-" his throat closes up on him, finds it nearly impossible to even speak now. "I'm sorry, what does Maryse have to do with anything?" Alex asks, turning back around to Mike who's sitting there stone-faced and more pale than he's ever seen him.
"I'm so sorry, Alex."
"What did she do, Mike?" Alex questions, so worried at what Mike could say.
"I broke up with her that night."
"You did?"
"I told you I would."
Just knowing that Mike had every intention to keep the promises he made to him that night gives Alex a sense of relief, if only for a few seconds before Mike resumes.
"I didn't see any point keeping her around when you were the only one I wanted to be with. I was on such a high from being with you, that I…I told her about us."
"Mike," Alex sighs. He feels physically ill hearing this admission.
"Heartless bitch threatened to out us and if it was just me, then I wouldn't have even cared. I had a good run, won my titles…met you," Mike says with a warm smile before turning bitterly serious again. "But I couldn't let her ruin everything you worked so hard for. You had everything at your fingertips and I couldn't let her take that away from you. I would never let anyone take that away from you."
Alex almost can't believe what he's hearing. Not once did he ever think Mike was being kept from him and that the guy was suffering in the same way he was. Alex is devastated that he was ever made to doubt Mike. He moves in to comfort his friend but his hands are swiped away so he backs up slightly giving Mike the space he needs.
"She convinced me - no, that's not true. She forced me to leave the WWE to be an actor," Mike continues. "I guess she thought it would further her career but the joke's on her!" Mike laughs loudly with tears in his eyes thinking about how he intentionally sabotaged his own career and reputation to drive her away, Maryse only finally giving up a few months ago when she realized there was nothing more she could squeeze out of Mike. "I've only ever loved one thing in my life until I met you and she took it all away from me," Mike sobs and finally Alex moves in to hold him tight, not even giving the guy the opportunity to push him back, not that he would, not this time.
"You should have told me. I could have talked to her," Alex whispers into Mike's ear, holding his shaking body as close as he can. Mike starts to cry, buries his head in Alex's shoulder. He's kept this inside for so long and finally telling someone - telling Alex - is overwhelming. The massive amount of guilt he's suppressed for so long takes hold and he clings to Alex with all the strength he has left in him.
Alex realizes nothing good can come of pointless suggestions. All he can do now is comfort his broken friend. "It's okay, Mike. It's over now. I'm not mad at you. You did what you thought was right. She can't hurt us anymore." Alex kisses Mike's forehead tenderly.
"It's just not fair," Mike weeps. "You were with me at my highest point. I should have been there during yours."
Alex tilts Mike's chin up slightly so he can look into his eyes. "But you were. Don't you know that?"
It takes Mike a second to understand what Alex means and when he does he almost can't breathe. Alex giggles, his breath dancing on Mike's lips before finally kissing him for the first time in what feels like a lifetime, and yet only a day. All these years of haunting what-ifs, pestering regrets and promises thought to be broken, all of it is washed away in this perfect moment and there's nothing but new promises paving the way.