Miz grimaces, rubbing his forehead. Between staying up too late, drinking with Paige the night before, then flying home to California for a couple days with AJ before returning to the road for Smackdown, he's feeling pretty rough. AJ is tsking over him, stroking his hair, but even the faint sound of birds outside are eating at him, leaving him even more nauseous and cranky. She kisses the back of his head before leaving him, returning eventually with crackers and ginger ale. He mournfully sips and nibbles on the crackers, frowning up at her as she giggles helplessly. "Remind me to never try to outdrink a British chick," he mumbles.
"I will," she promises, cuddling close to him. He loosely drapes an arm around her waist, listening to her breathe steadily. "This way you won't spend half of your time off hungover and too sick to do anything."
If he felt bad before, he feels even worse now. "I'm so sorry," he mumbles. "You married an idiot."
"I knew that," she says teasingly. He pouts at her and she shakes her head, grinning as she kisses him. "I love you anyway."
He huffs but kisses her back. "I love you too." They lay quietly for awhile before he looks up. "Hey, sweetheart?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm thinking about going to Cleveland next week, watch a baseball game... wanna come, see my parents?"
She purses her lips, clearly thinking about it, before nodding. "I'd love to."
He rolls his eyes and tickles her for making him wait, before settling down, not wanting to make himself feel worse. "Great, they'll be happy to see you. My mom asks about you a lot; I think she enjoyed seeing you on TV a lot, and now that she can't, it makes her worry."
AJ smiles a little and kisses his shoulder. "Well, she'll have me in person to fuss over so maybe it'll help."
Mike laughs and nuzzles closer to her. "We'll find out soon, I guess," he sighs.
After a couple days spent enjoying the California weather, Mike flies back out to Smackdown, where he stares blankly at the match board list. He's scheduled for MizTV, with Lana, a fact that makes him huff out a breath in exasperation. He'd watched as Ziggler once again for some reason attracted the attention of yet another diva, which although a decidedly different situation, reminds him all too well of his past with AJ and how Dolph had had a hand in nearly ruining them before they'd properly begun.
He's about to turn around and return to the locker room to prepare for the show when he almost runs into a brick wall. Or, rather, Rusev. On crutches. Staring blankly at the wall as well. Mike coughs and tries to sidestep him but Rusev grips him by the collar and draws him back in, staring at him coldly. "You will assist me in winning back what's mine," he tells him.
Mike swallows, staring into his dark eyes. "Sure, whatever you need," he says numbly, not wanting to be murdered right here in this hallway. Crutches or no, Rusev is still an intimidating figure and Mike's already been knocked out once this week so he treads carefully. Talks with Lana briefly to kick off MizTV, trying to ease her into forgiving Rusev, then introduces the Russian to the show. He watches, eyes dark with worry about how the rest of the segment will go, before moving over to the ropes and taking his crutches to allow him to hop into the ring more easily, sitting on the ropes to hold them steady while Rusev enters.
He at first tries to apologize and sounds honestly contrite, at least to Miz's ears, but Lana is having none of it, insulting Rusev. Miz stands back and watches, eyes wide, as Rusev loses it, screaming and belittling her. It's almost a relief when Ziggler comes out and guides the woman away from the maniacal man, to safety. Mike swallows as Rusev glowers at him, moving back to the ropes and holding them for him so he can exit. Hands the crutches over to him then has no choice but to follow him back up the ramp to the halls. Mike's about to make his excuses and leave when Rusev grabs him once more and stares cruelly at him. "You were no help," he spits. "Worthless American."
He shakes Mike a couple of times before pushing him away, recollecting his crutch and continuing on down the hall, snapping at anyone who dares to be in his way. Mike watches him go before sucking in a deep, desperate breath and leaving, too shook up to even bother changing. He's out in the parking lot when he hears... "Hey, Miz, what the hell was that?"
It's Dolph. Of course it is. He makes a face and looks up at the man, shaking his head. "Unlike some of us, Ziggler, we respect relationships and if Lana and Rusev could work it out, why not give them a chance?"
"Because Lana doesn't want to give him another chance," Dolph says coldly. "How long have you and AJ been married by now? A year plus? I know she doesn't count, but you'd think you'd learn about women-" His words die away abruptly when Mike grabs him and throws him against a wall, staring up at him as he pins him against the rough brickwork.
"Don't ever mention my wife again," he tells him darkly. "I hear her name leave your lips again, and you're gonna have more to worry about than Rusev." Letting Dolph go, he dusts his hands off and turns, walking towards his rental with a tense frown on his face. He walks past Lana but doesn't bother looking over at her as he unlocks his car and slips inside, glad to leave this arena and the annoying people inside of it far behind.
He spends the weekend stewing over it all, Lana, Rusev, Ziggler, everything... Paige and he room together again but she wisely leaves him to his own devices between live events. Sunday night, he crawls into bed after a quick phone conversation with AJ, staring at the wall as sleep creeps up on him. A new week, new opportunities. Time to shake off the old gunk and move on, he tells himself. He doesn't have a match at Money in the Bank, but a lot can change in a week.
So he goes into Raw with a fresh point of view... until he sees the board once more advertising MizTV. This time with Ryback and Bog Show as guests. He groans and trudges on, changing into his clothes. Forcing a less despondent look on his face, he makes his way to the ring when it's time and is in the process of discussing last week when Ryback interrupts and lumbers out to the ring, antagonizing the crowd and completely ruining the flow of his show. Mike tries, damn does he try, but Ryback is obnoxious and won't let him get a word in edgewise- for a crazy moment he almost misses Mizdow- and it all only gets worse when Big Show comes out too.
Their worthless bickering back and forth angers Miz until he gets sick of trying to make them take each other out, attacking from behind just to get thrown over the top rope by Big Show. Ryback slams Show after that and Miz, glowering up at them, stumbles away, trying to catch his breath. His attempt at shaking last week off had gotten him nowhere. No match for Money in the Bank, nothing new to sink his teeth in... just more of the same tired crap, ending with his walking dejected and embarrassed back to the locker room, ignoring the whispers and stares.
He grits his teeth and stares at himself in the mirror, counting the hours until he would meet up with AJ in Ohio.