After Raw and Main Event, they fly back to California to be there for Morrison's first night on Lucha Underground, sitting in the back of the crowd with Ricardo, Del Rio, Sofia, and the rest of their little group. It's an interesting show with a different vibe than much else he's seen, and he's proud of Morrison as he fights to victory against this relative newcomer known as Prince Puma. Things quickly go downhill, however, when the man who had funded Lucha Underground comes to ringside with what he'd said was going to be a bonus to whomever had impressed him- a hundred thousand dollars. He tells Morrison it's his just to refuse to actually give him the money. When Morrison tries to take it anyway, three men come out and attack both Puma and John, leaving them struggling as the show concludes with the man standing tall along with his three hired guns. Mike's eyes narrow as the only thing keeping him somewhat calm is AJ's hand resting on his arm, keeping him in his chair while they wait for Morrison to be helped backstage and the other audience members to usher out of the building.
She keeps up with him as they walk outside, heading towards the parking lot where John said he'd meet them once the show ended. Mike's eyes are locked on the exit, all of them waiting for the last member of their group to appear. When he does, he's limping and Miz's jaw tightens even more as he walks over to meet him halfway, linking his arm over his shoulder and helping him back to the cars. "Are you ok?"
"Fine," he sighs. "I've dealt with d-bag promoters before, I'll get through this too... Johnny Mundo isn't ready to give up without a fight."
Mike shakes his head. "I'm not sure I want to know where that name came from." He chuckles slightly, keeping a close eye on John as he settles into the car. He'd been thinking of things they could do after the night's taping, but on second thought, he thinks maybe something lowkey would be better. It's clear by the looks on the others' faces that they agree, so he urges Alex to take John home, while he, Sofia and AJ stop off at a grocery store and the housekeeper grabs some groceries that she can prepare at John's apartment. It's a quiet night, John looking relieved at just getting to lounge on his couch while the others pick DVDs to watch until he falls asleep in the middle of his own Hercules movie a few hours later.
After AJ points this out to him, Mike urges the others to leave quietly, finding a blanket and laying it across his best friend's prone body. "Night, Johnny. I know tonight didn't end the way you'd want it to, but I'm still proud of you. Congrats." He hesitates for a moment, watching John sleep, before he turns and joins his wife in the hallway, kissing the top of her head as they leave to join their friends back at their house.
-x
Halloween. Miz always enjoys this holiday, even when he has to be on the road during it. The WWE staff usually goes all out decorating for it, like they do most holidays, to try to keep morale high or whatever. He doesn't really care why they do it, he's just glad that they do. Especially when he sees the slight smirk on AJ's face as she trails her hand through spiderwebs on their way towards catering, which is always the best decorated of the entire arena.
They're not disappointed, orange and black lights gleaming here and there. Fruit punch and various Halloween themed food await them and Mike laughs, feeling like he's at a haunted house more than at work as AJ holds up grapes that look like eyeballs at him, sticking her tongue out at him as he eats them with no qualms. The match board lists a divas battle royal to determine the number one contender for the divas title at the very top and he winces, resting his hands around her midsection, squeezing her lightly. "So what's your costume going to be?" he wonders, pressing a soft kiss to the side of her head.
She shrugs and turns to look at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and shifting up on her tippy toes. "You'll see when everyone does, I guess," she tells him softly, kissing him. He presses his forehead to hers and searches her eyes, smiling faintly. "Be careful during that MizTV, don't antagonize Mark Henry too much for once, hm? I can't very well trick or treat with my husband later on if he's wrapped up in ice packs."
"Trick or treat?" he repeats, nipping at her mouth softly. "Why not both?" Her eyes gleam as she trails her fingers through his hair and deepens their kiss. "I'll make sure Mizdow finds somewhere else to be tonight. I think he got along ok with Gold and Stardust, maybe they'll agree to let him stay with them for the night..."
She laughs at this and nods, turning her head slightly when a tech alerts them that the show's about to start. She sighs and untangles herself from Mike, giving him one last, lingering glance, before turning to get ready for her time on commentary. She's dressed in white and when asked, explains that she's a ghost, and Mike snorts slightly, a little disappointed that she hadn't gone with something a little more creative outside of a shirt that simply says Boo. The match moves quickly, however, and distracts him in short order as diva after diva gets eliminated until... Paige and Alicia start to brawl, succeeding in eliminating each other and giving the victory and the number one contendership to Nikki Bella. He winces and watches as AJ and Nikki face off at the commentary desk, AJ not seeming disturbed in the face of Nikki's smugness.
When she returns to her locker room, he's not surprised when she settles in his lap to relax while he waits for MizTV. His hand trails towards her lower back, stroking the warm skin that her shirt fails to cover there. "Did you like my costume?" she asks him, sitting up to look at him with a knowing look on her face.
He hesitates and she smirks, leaning in to kiss him. "Maybe I shouldn't answer that," he murmurs, his hands teasing up her back as she sighs into his mouth. As she arches into him, he closes his eyes and trails kisses along her jaw, smiling when she digs her knees into his hips.
"Wise choice," she murmurs against his flesh, laughing faintly as he tickles her sides. "Mike-" she gasps when he grips her hips and lays her down on the couch, sprawling out on top of her. "Hey-"
"Hey what?" He smirks and stares down at her. "You're gorgeous. With or without a costume..." He's just leaned down to press kisses to her midriff when there's a knock at the door and he groans. "No..."
"Miz, it's time for MizTV," Mizdow calls through the wooden barrier and he punches a fist into the soft plush of the couch as AJ laughs faintly, cupping his face and drawing him back to her, kissing him.
"Dammit," he grumbles. "We're not done here, I'll be back soon."
She nods. "Counting on it."
He smirks at her before standing and adjusting his gear, storming to the door. He grips Mizdow and pushes him down the hall, listening to Mizdow's ramblings half-heartedly as they walk to the ring. For once, he's not the one who annoys Mark Henry, Mizdow's dedication to his job of shadowing Miz's every last action annoys the large man, but when Big Show comes down, none of it matters. Henry tries to escape, eventually throwing Miz and Mizdow into Big Show, who knocks them both down. They slump on the ring mat and watch, wide eyed and shocked, as Henry slams Show through the barricade wall. "Whoa," Mike mutters as Mizdow nudges him. "What?"
"Are you well?"
"Yes, yes," he says a trifle impatiently. "Are you?"
"Fine."
They lay there for a minute longer before it seems safe to go, Mike leading the way up the ramp while trainers are still trying to get Big Show on his feet. AJ looks a little worried but she breathes easier as she cups his face and searches his eyes, smiling faintly as Mike holds her close and kisses her, trailing his fingers along her lips. "Let's go back to the hotel," he tells her softly. "Hey, Mizdow, mind staying with, say, the Dust brothers or something tonight?"
Mizdow looks like he's about to argue but, the longer he stares at AJ and Miz, the more realization dawns on him. "Uh, certainly," he mumbles, looking abruptly eager to get away from them.
Mike laughs as he collects his things and leaves the room in a hurry, leaning in to kiss her. "I think we scared him."
"Oh, well, it's about time he learned some boundaries," she says softly, squealing as he lifts her up over his shoulder and grips their bags, heading eagerly for the car.
After a short drive and hurried walk through the hotel lobby, he's settled in the main area of their hotel room, waiting for her to get ready for bed. "I'm kind of glad you didn't wear a real costume tonight," he calls to her. "That way I didn't feel out of place not wearing anything special..." He lays his head back against the edge of the chair he's slumped in and sighs, growing more and more uncertain if he'll be able to stay awake for her to finish.
"About that," she says, the bathroom door finally clicking open. "I did plan something a little more creative than being a ghost, but it wasn't something I wanted to wear in public..." Her voice softening as she approaches him, she explains, "I wanted to go as a bride."
Once the words register with him, his eyes shoot open and he gapes at her, taking in her body in the soft pink dress that she'd worn the day they'd gotten married. She still looks as fantastic in it as she had back last March, grinning as his hands immediately reach out for her. "Come here," he orders her huskily, releasing a breath as she walks up to him and settles in his lap, staring down at him as the soft fabric spreads out over their legs. "I love you in this dress..." His hands on the back of her bare legs, just under her knees, makes her shiver and he grins wickedly, staring up at her with intense blue eyes as he pulls her closer and presses wet kisses to her throat, his lips trailing down lower as she runs her fingers through his hair and shifts to accommodate his explorations of her. "More out of it though," he breathes into her flesh as she laughs shakily, unsurprised when he lifts her up and carries her to the bed.
-x
"Are you thinking about going for the tag titles?" AJ asks inanely, her fingers curled around Mike's as they walk side by side into the arena for Raw that Monday, Mike leaning down to steal another kiss from her as she leans closer to him when another chilly gust of wind cuts through their clothes like they're wearing summer wear instead of the thicker gear they'd pulled out once the weather slowly turned frigid with the on-set of November.
"Maybe," he says. "I think Mizdow and I would be ok champions. We'll see how it goes." He feels uncertain where to turn next now that his chances at both the US title and Intercontinental title seems squandered, but he does still want a title, which leaves the tag titles open to him. Not that he thinks any team could ever compete with his former title runs and partners, but his situation with Mizdow had never been an attempt to do that. Mizdow had been there for him when he'd injured his knee, and every good or bad moment since, so he assumes sharing a title reign with the man would go alright. "Good luck with your commentary, sweetheart."
She nods and leans up, kissing him again before tapping his phone with a wink, Mike smiling goofily after her as she skips away to leave him to prepare for his match against Jimmy Uso. A match that he wins, leaving him laughing at the angered twins afterwards, his smugness uncontrollable considering how the twins had won their tag matches against him and Mizdow lately. "Not so good when they can't switch, huh?" he asks Mizdow, smirking as he heads backstage.
They're backstage, watching while AJ is on commentary, and Nikki beats Emma, just to angrily send her twin sister out to AJ, where Brie roughly slaps her. AJ responds by pushing her angrily down, but when she tries to go after Nikki, the evil twin escapes and mocks AJ from the ramp, AJ's frustration growing as she looks back and forth between the twins, Mike rolling his eyes as his own aggravation towards all of the cheating, cheapshotting twins in this building grows.
After he soothes his wife with kisses and murmured comforting terms of affection, he leaves her to go do commentary during Stardust versus Fernando. He still thinks an opportunity at the tag titles would be good for him and Mizdow, and he doesn't want to be forgotten in case the Authority is watching- which he thinks is a very slight chance, considering how obsessed they seem to be with their little Survivor Series team match, but he still has to try. So he's talking about the Usos and everything that's gone on the past few weeks when he looks up just in time to see Goldust flying into them, sending everything flying as he struggles to regain his footing, tangled up in cords and the chair. He hears the bell ring after watching in aggravation as Fernando defeats Cody because of this mess.
"Can any of you tag teams not do something underhanded to win?!" he demands, pointedly not looking at Mizdow after this little outburst. He's not innocent, no, but at least he doesn't throw people into others while they're minding their own business at the commentary table, or switching places in the middle of matches... He grits his teeth and stares at Mizdow. "When we win those tag belts, things will change!"
His stunt double looks startled, perhaps not realizing just how serious Mike is about winning the belts, but he nods anyway, quickly recovering. "Of course, Miz. If any men could do this, it would be us."
"Damn straight," he mumbles, glad to know that his stunt double is agreeable to the idea of being tag champions. As he turns to storm up the ramp, he realizes what a comfort it is to know without looking behind him that someone is behind him, perhaps echoing every action he takes, movement he makes, but still, having his back. Something he hasn't felt in years, to be honest. His anger fades slightly and his scowl softens into a faint smile as he slaps the curtain away and disappears backstage, Mizdow following closely.