"I think Maryse and Heath really lurve each other," Mike says quietly, stroking AJ's hair as they lay in bed and enjoy a rarely quiet moment where Sara Louisa is asleep. He chuckles. "They're kind of cute, in a disgustingly cloyingly way. I guess how people would've described us once we got out of our own way."
AJ smiles against his chest and thinks about it. "You know, normally I'd say they have no chance, but considering the world we're in, with how crazy WWE is, I think it's perfectly feasible that they will fall in love, marry some day, and have beautiful, French Canadian ginger babies."
"I would think you're insane myself, but considering she once dared to date me, I think it's entirely possible that she and Heath could go all the way." Mike chuckles when AJ makes a face at him, swatting at him with little to no heat. Gripping her hands, he lifts them to his lips and kisses her palms, tickling her and causing her to squirm against him.
She eventually sprawls out on the mattress and stares up at him curiously. "So, how should we spend this rarely blissful quiet time we've suddenly found ourselves with while our little girl naps peacefully down the hall? Hmm?"
He leans closer and kisses her lazily. "I'm sure we can find a way," he says quietly, teasing her by hovering over her for a moment before parting her lips with his thumb and deepening the kiss in just the way he knows she likes it, feeling her soft moan thrum through him.
-x
On Tuesday, while trolling the halls of Smackdown, Mike is reminded that on Talking Smack the week prior, Daniel Bryan had placed him in a match at Backlash against Dolph Ziggler for his title, so he confronts the man, staring him down and alleging that Daniel had put him in the match because he himself couldn't lay a hand on Mike. When his music hits, Mike storms out to the ring and prepares to face Apollo Crews, pointedly ignoring Ziggler on commentary. No surprise to anyone, he wins easily but then Ziggler pops up once more and tries to face off with Mike, the champion frowning as he realizes his title belt is still in the ring.
Dolph is yelling at him to enter the ring, get his belt, but Mike is too smart for that, not wanting to get into a pointless brawl with his opponent so he grabs Maryse and whispers to her until she walks into the ring, grabs the title and poses with it for a moment, staring stoically at Ziggler before leaving the ring and handing the belt back to Mike. He takes her hand and walks with her up the ramp, ignoring Ziggler's demands as they escape backstage.
As they settle into their usual places in his locker room, watching the show, Maryse chuckles at the comments people are making on her timeline about how good she looked with the title belt, twirling her hair and making soft, tittering little noises when she finds a sincere looking compliment among the rest. Heath and Rhyno are clearly planning for their match in the tournament so they don't appear until later in the night, after defeating Hype Bros. Rhyno is an imposing kind of quiet in the corner, watching as Heath relays every moment of his victory like they hadn't just watched it a few minutes earlier.
"... so I punched 'em like this, and dropkicked 'em like that, so smooth and crisp, and then I tagged Rhyno in and he speared Zack and that was the end, we won and advanced into the finals!" Heath exclaims, raising a fist successfully into the air as Rhyno nods obligingly, Mike chuckling into his fist as Maryse stands up and walks over to Heath, abruptly hugging him.
"I'm so happy for you," she exclaims, beaming up at him as he lifts her up and spins her around. The night's not over though, because there's still uncertain after American Alpha was taken out by the Usos. The four of them hang around to watch Talking Smack, Miz displeased at having to listen to Daniel again this evening.
Heath and Rhyno exchange glances when Shane and Daniel announce that due to Gable's injury, the Alpha will be kept out of the tournament finals. Which means Heath and Rhyno will have to face whoever wins a new match booked with the Hype Bros vs the Usos. It's not the greatest thing, but still. They've already beaten the Hype Bros once and Heath can't allow himself to consider how his career will go if they fail to defeat the Usos. "We'll be ok," he says simply, Maryse's hand warm and soft in his hand.
"Of course," Rhyno says. "I'll make sure we win. You need to pay for your pool still, after all."
Heath grins at him and nods, still too pleased from earlier to really worry just yet about the challenge that will come on Sunday.
Clearing his throat, Mike makes sure to shut the TV off before speaking. "Let's go get something to eat, guys. What do you say, Rhyno, wanna join us?"
"C'mon, man, join us," Heath wheedles until finally his tag partner gives in, following Miz out as Heath and Maryse lag behind them, whispering to each other.
Mike glances back in time to see Maryse stroke Heath's face, her lips parting in a happy smile as he leans into her touch, the two of them unable to look away from each other. He nods, growing more certain that AJ will end up being correct after all.