"Did AJ send you?" Mike asks dully, walking through the hallway to the kitchen, aware that Morrison is close on his heels. "I'm fine."
"Look, she's just concerned," John says, leaning against the island separating the living room from the kitchen. "To be fair, I am too. You're really back to working with Bronson Reed? After what he did last time?"
Mike huffs, runs a hand through his hair. Casts an unimpressed look at his best friend. "I'm not doing anything with Bronson. He has his own beef with Ciampa, he just happened to time it right to help me win. I had nothing to do with it."
John hums. Continues to stare at him. "Alright," he says slowly. "Let's say I believe you. Are you going to be ok now?"
"Am I going to be ok?" Mike lifts his hands, palms up. "I'm not sure what you or AJ thought the problem was. Wrestling isn't tea parties and prom, we get angry. We do things about that anger. We fight for things. Sometimes- a lot of times- it doesn't work out. Sometimes it does. This just happened to be one of those times when it did."
"So I can go to AJ and tell her she has nothing to worry about," John says.
"No," Mike says carefully. "You can let me go to my wife and put her mind at ease because she had nothing to worry about in the first place. Alright?"
John nods. "Alright, man. If you're saying it, then I'll believe it. Just... if you ever need anything, you know where to find me."
"Yes," Mike says simply. "I definitely do." They stand around for a few moments, in something close to a comfort silence, when Mike exhales. "Coconut water?"
John beams. "Yes, please."
An hour later, John has left and Mike is sitting on the porch, watching, waiting, when his little family returns home. He catches AJ's eye and nods discreetly at her, watching as the relief crosses her face.
"Daddy, daddy!" Sara cries, running towards him and flying into his arms as he hoists her up and spins her around. She giggles and squeals. "Daddy, Barbie is out today! Are we still going?"
"Of course we're still going," Mike says, settling her against his side. "Look, I've got my best pink socks on and everything."
She giggles and flails, hugging him tightly. "You're silly, daddy," she says muffled into his neck.
"Not as silly as you, I'm afraid," he says. "Now come on, let's get this show on the road!"
AJ presses a quick kiss to his lips and rests her forehead against his before leaning down to scoop up George. "Well, while you two crazy kids do that, this little guy needs a nap. What do you say, George?"
He lets out a petulant grumble and AJ chuckles. "You two have a good time, and I want to hear all about it when you get home."
"Yes, Mommy!" Sara promises, already tugging Mike towards the car. "Let's go, let's go, let's go!"
He knows John and AJ both get worried about him- he feels his career slipping through his fingers more and more with each new, younger wrestler's debut, and he's never sure what to do about diminishing TV time, but here, now, with Sara babbling happily from her car seat, the two of them on their way to the movie theater for a fun afternoon just the two of them, he really has no interest in thinking too much about it.
That is a problem for another day.
