"Apollo Crews," Mike shrugs. "I still don't know who this guy is. So he smiles a lot? That's his shtick?" AJ listens while running her fingers through his hair, half working on her book despite his being sprawled over her lap.
"I'm glad we're in California this week," he hums, eyes closed as he leans against her. "You can come say hi to the guys if you want, introduce the baby around."
"Yeah, maybe." She hums and puts the laptop down, settling against him on the couch. "I don't have much left to do with the book, just wait for the editor and the artist and everyone else to get back to me. I hate waiting."
He leans over and kisses her. "I know, but maybe we can find a way to pass some time..." His hand is warm and gentle against her leg and she chuckles, closing her eyes as he presses his lips to her midsection.
"Works for me," she sighs, melting into him. They only get up from the couch when the baby starts to cry, Mike standing in the doorway and watching AJ rock her back and forth as he runs through his phone messages. "What's up?" she wonders, tapping her fingers against the cooing baby's lips.
Mike hums. "Ricardo arrived in England safely, Alicia just wanted to let us know."
"That's good," AJ murmurs, settling down in the rocking chair and soothing the baby while Mike goes to get a bottle. As they sit side by side to feed her, Sara yawns and waves her fists around, gripping her daddy's finger.
Mike can't keep the happy look off of his face and AJ can't stop watching him, her eyes welling with affection for her little family.
-x
"So," Mike says, draping an arm around Maryse's shoulders as they walk side by side into the arena. "Did you go up and kiss ze boy?" He attempts an awful impression of the line in The Little Mermaid, relieved when it makes Maryse chuckle, which was the point all along.
"No, not yet," she says slowly. "We just sat and talked and I listened while he talked about his hopes and dreams regarding his career. It is sad, he has so much possibility in this business, but no one seems to see it."
Mike tilts his head at her, smiling a little. "Well, you see it. I'm sure that means a lot to him."
"I hope so," she says. That night, they flirt and she sprawls out over Renee Young's table, sickening her as she tries to interrupt them. They play it up for all it's worth, Maryse trapped in Mike's eyes as he gives as good as he gets. Once they're done, they leave a disturbed looking Renee behind, prancing off hand in hand.
Heath walks by as they head for the locker room and Maryse's hand slips loose, Mike stopping and looking back at her, realizing. Heath had only just said a muted hi to them before continuing on. Maryse swallows and looks over at Mike before slipping free and going after him. He hesitates in the hall, waiting for her, and when she returns a moment later, she looks upset. "He needs time," she says. "To focus, to prepare. He wouldn't look me in the eye. I think he saw us... He's never been so cold before."
Mike exhales and hugs her. "I'm sorry. Let him wrestle Rhyno, he'll win and get signed, and everything will be fine."
She nods and squeezes him back, eyes closed. "Merci." Unfortunately it doesn't happen like that. They're in Mike's locker room, watching quietly as Heath gets beat. Maryse exhales in sympathy before getting up. "I will be back in a little bit," she says. Her high heels click obnoxiously as she wanders the halls, looking for him. He's sitting sadly in the trainer's room, staring down at his hands.
She slips inside and rests a hand on his shoulder, smiling sadly at him when he hops off of the cot and stares at her, a challenge in his dark eyes. "Mike doesn't need you?" he wonders, careful not to touch her, not to look too closely.
She shakes her head, hating the broken look in his eyes. "No. We were just putting on an act earlier. It... was needed to get me back into the company. I don't feel comfortable talking about it, but I fell into some financial problems and Mike agreed to help me get back into the company so I could dig myself out of it. In order to make it work, we have to pretend to be married. It has been hard on AJ, but she's been very kind to me, more than I deserve."
Heath sounds quiet when he whispers, "Oh..."
"If it's too hard for you," she says, "I understand. But I wish we can still be friends." She leans up and lightly kisses him on the cheek before smiling sadly and leaving.
After Smackdown ends, Mike drives Maryse back to her house. "You going to be alright?" he wonders, leaning out of the car window and watching her.
"Oui," she says with a faint smile. "I will. Thank you, Mike. Au revior." She turns and walks up to her door, unlocking it and pausing to wave at him before he drives off. She's only just got settled in the living room with a glass of wine when there's a knock at her front door. She wonders if Mike forgot something, getting up and wandering over. She peeks out of the side window, almost dropping the glass as she recognizes the orange hair gleaming in her porch light. "Heath?!" Pulling the door open, she gapes at him.
"May I come in?" he wonders, shuffling anxiously.
She nods, stepping aside as he follows her inside, Maryse swallowing as she turns to look at him. "Would you like some wine?"
"Sure," he says quietly, following her to the couch and sitting down. As soon as she presses a glass into his hand, he downs a generous sip of it before settling back and closing his eyes. "I just wanted to say sorry about earlier. It's not my place to judge what you do, or get weird about things. We just really actually got to know each other a couple'a months ago and I wouldn't blame ya if you were leery of things after that. I know enough about your and Mike's history, so I shouldn't be surprised he would help ya like that."
Maryse nods. "He is a great man. An incredible friend. But he is happy with AJ, and dedicated to being a good father to Sara, and I would never impose on that. Well, more than I have already." She sips from her glass. "I am sorry tonight didn't work out for you, Heath. You deserve better, and I don't blame you for being exhausted with how you've been treated on both Raw and Smackdown. I wish I could think of a way to help you."
He smiles wanly. "Just sittin' here listenin' to me talk it out is helpful. Trust me, more than you know. I don't have a lotta friends in this company anymore, what with Social Outcasts bein' done and everythin'. I miss Wade and, well, just everyone."
She scoots closer to him, a sympathetic look on her face. "You have me," she says honestly. "And Mike, AJ and Sara likes you. We are all your friends. Anything you need, we'll be here for you."
Heath nods, gnawing on his bottom lip. "Thank you," he murmurs. He looks so thoughtful, so sad, that she can't just leave him like that. He looks up as she leans in, perfume wafting softly over him, and then... and then... her lips are on his and he gasps against her, hands awkwardly hovering over her waist. It's sweet and quick, gone before he can fully register it, and he breathes out, "What was that?"
"I believe the Americans call it the same we French Canadians do," she says teasingly. "A kiss, oui?"
"Oui," he says thoughtlessly, her language spoken in his accent making her laugh softly. She thinks she'd like to hear more of it. "Could... could you do that again?"
"I'd be honored," she murmurs, leaning in and kissing him again, cupping his face this time to make it last.