Mike is frustrated. Money in the Bank is this weekend and they're stuck in this fatal fourway, and it just feels like they're not getting a proper chance towards reclaiming their tag belts, no matter what he does. Chewing on his lower lip, he shakes his head slowly and glances over at John. "Well, this sucks," he says to start a conversation and his best friend looks up.
"What does, Mike?" he asks in the tone of voice only someone who's listened to Mike for well over ten years would ask. Even and almost bored. Mike's lips twitch but he clings to his dramatic aggravation anyway, knowing it's just how they work.
"All of this! We're trapped in an eight man tag on Smackdown? Really? With the Forgotten Sons? Really?" He spreads his arms out as if to show off what's going wrong with this entire picture and John blinks at him. "We were tag champions not even three weeks ago! They can't treat us better than this?"
John huffs out a soft laugh and sits back, rolling his shoulders to loosen them. "You and I know maybe better than anyone that having a title doesn't protect you from being screwed around by the top if that's what they want to do." Mike sighs and John shrugs. "We just have to continue doing what we always do. It'll work out, one way or another. You know how it goes, man."
"I know." He's been with the business longer than most, seen so many people come and go. It's enough to make one's head spin. "Doesn't mean I have to like it, though!"
John smiles and shrugs. "I don't think anyone really does, but we all keep trying, huh?"
Mike exhales, examines his tag partner with a curious gaze. John had given up everything to come back to the WWE, a pretty hot run on the indys, the ability to do movies whenever he wanted, main event title runs, all sorts of things. For what, exactly? He suddenly needs to ask, even though he knows it'll probably sound absolutely awful, his wording never the best even in good times. "Do you ever regret it?" he chooses, then stops short, waiting for John to acknowledge the question.
"Regret what, exactly?" John asks, brows furrowing as he looks up.
"Coming back here," Mike clarifies. "Giving up what you had going elsewhere to just... get trapped once more with me."
John releases a breath and shakes his head, straight forward and sure. "No, man. I had a great time competing with Taya and winning titles and stuff in other companies, don't get me wrong, it was a blast. But I always wondered what if, and yeah, most people probably didn't expect me to jump right back into partnering with you when I returned- especially considering the way we left things to the public perception after 2011, but I have no regrets. This is a good way for me to get my footing back in the company. Maybe after awhile we'll both decide we want to go back to our single careers, but until then..." He smiles and shrugs. "I'm having a good time with MC M-I-Z."
Mike can't help but smile at him, relief overwhelming most of his doubts. "I'm glad. The business just isn't the same without Johnny Drip Drip."
They share a laugh and when John starts chanting, "Miz and Morrison, hey hey, ho ho," Mike joins in.
When they defeat New Day and Lucha House Party alongside Forgotten Sons, but still fail to regain their tag titles at Money in the Bank that Sunday, Mike clings to the echoes of John's words and tries his hardest to remember that things are ok. That John doesn't hate him or feel like his time is being wasted. That they're going to be fine, their friendship too solid to let this all get them down.