Title: Crossed Wires & Mixed Signals
Pairing: Mike "The Miz" Mizanin & Alex Riley
Rating: T, M
Genre: Slash, Angst, Romance, Hurt/Comfort (all kinds of good stuff)

Summary: Mike wants to be with Alex but the two never seem to be on the same page.

Warnings: Lots of angst and extensive dialogue at times. I tried to add enough payoffs along the way to make up for anything that could be considered frustrating, so I hope that worked out.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but I did write the story, so...

Notes: I've been wanting to write another Mizley story for weeks now. I knew I wanted to write something fairly lengthy so I could stay in the moment for as long as I could (hehe) and Alex being fired and then coming back is one of my favorite parts with them so I decided to center this fic around that and attempt to bring it full circle with what happens after Over the Limit. This is my first multi-chapter story. I wrote it all at one time but I felt like it would be better if I broke it up into sections. Been working on this since Monday morning and it was such a pleasure to write. I hope you guys enjoy it.

CHAPTER ONE - realization

He realized he was in love with a man five months ago. This was definitely not something that was planned, the thought had never even occurred to him before. It simply was never a possibility. He had always dated women. That's how it was supposed to be and so that's how it was. He never even knew what he was missing out on with all his previous relationships because he didn't know any differently. He thought he had been in love once or twice, but looking back, Mike knows with complete certainty that he had never truly been in love until now.

It's late, nearly approaching midnight and Alex is fully engrossed in some movie. Seeing as how the two have to get up in less than six hours, Mike threatens to turn off the tv but Alex is having none of that. He's tackling his mentor before Mike even has a chance to comprehend what's happening, both wrestling for control of the remote. They're only goofing around and Mike ends up surrendering, as he usually always does whenever Alex wants anything and the younger is always surprised at how different Mike is when it's just the two of them - he's hardly anything like he portrays himself to be in the ring.

After Alex successfully defeats Mike for possession of the remote, he doesn't go back to his own bed. He stays next to Mike, propping himself up against the headboard to finish watching his movie. Maybe he didn't want to be bothered to get up again or maybe it was something else that kept him there. Mike doesn't even give it a second thought. He lies there on his side under the covers, only inches from his apprentice. He doesn't even realize he's doing it but his eyes are fixated on the hand that's resting next to him, suddenly he's wondering what it would be like to hold that hand in his own. His eyes gravitate up Alex's bare arm and he finds himself wondering what it would be like to be wrapped up in his strong embrace. Soon his eyes find their way to soft lips and just as Mike starts to wonder what Alex tastes like, the younger gasps and turns towards Mike ripping him from his thoughts.

"Oh my God! Did you see that? I wasn't expecting that, were you?"

"Not in the least," Mike whispers in a state of shock of his own. What the hell just happened? Mike thinks, his stomach all of a sudden in knots that keep constricting. Tighter and tighter they churned.

"Now, that was a twist I did not see coming!" Alex claps, completely consumed by whatever movie he was watching and obviously not caring that people are asleep in the next room. "Even if I find it hard to function tomorrow, that was definitely worth staying up late for. Am I right or am I right?" Alex laughs, still on an emotional high from the movie. "Thanks, Mike." And Mike feels his cheeks start burning when Alex winks at him and hands him the remote control.

Mike can only smile up at Alex, words refusing to form at this point and as Alex gets up to move back to his own bed again, Mike feels the smile fade from his face. The guy was only a few feet away but it felt more like miles to Mike and from this point on, he was a goner, completely ruined, his heart beating only for one person – his best friend, Alex Riley.