After a quiet week at home with the kids and AJ, only a few media calls and virtual interviews required of him, Mike finds himself back out on the road. TMZ nabs him in the airport for a quick interview, which he handles as quickly as he can before rushing to get on his flight. Maryse is back this week so he greets her with a quiet smile and starts getting ready for the show tonight. "Know what's on the agenda tonight?" he asks her, pulling out his planned gear for the evening.
"MizTV," she says with a sigh, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "With Edge."
"Again?" Mike squints at her, wondering about the repetitiveness of this, finally shrugging. "Whatever." It hadn't been his idea this week, so he supposes Edge is just really eager to see him again before their Day One match. Well, if he insists, Mike thinks with a slight smirk.
He makes it a show- champagne and decorations, and he uses the moment to declare himself the first inductees of the 2022 class of the Hall of Fame. Maryse stands by his side, champagne flute in hand, and they discuss this, what an honor it truly is, nad-
Edge interrupts, as annoyed looking as Mike had hoped. It's truly just more of the same, he has nothing new or really all that interesting to say, just complains and huffs at Mike claiming that he's a Hall of Fame worthy superstar.
Once they're done with that, Mike and Maryse make their way backstage to their private locker room. It's still a mess, because there's filming things for Miz and Mrs scattered all over- one of the agreement is, when they're on the road together, a camera crew is always nearby, documenting, making notes of things. It's kind of frustrating but makes the show easier to put together, having all this spare footage on the ready at any given minute.
So the show continues even behind closed doors, Maryse kissing him. "I'm proud of you," she murmurs, smiling up at him.
He smiles back down at her, trying to look in love and thoroughly dedicated to her. "Once we're done here," he says idly, " we should discuss Christmas in full a little bit more. This year has been so hectic, I wanna make sure I've got everything prepared."
"I'm sure you'll be fine," she tells him, subtly glancing to the side towards the nearest camera. "There's nothing to worry about, but yes, we can discuss it later."
"Great," he says, grinning at her. "You're the best." He hugs her snugly against his bod, and she giggles.
"I know," she says smugly.
After a quick confirmation with Maryse before they go their separate ways that she and Heath will be in attendance- all cameras off so they can spend the day properly with their children, partners, and friends- Mike finds himself flying back to LA.
AJ greets him with a slow, lingering kiss and a smile and Mike allows himself to be dragged to the gigantic tree in the living room. "Hey, guys," he says to Sara and George. "What are you two doing down there?"
"The tree seemed lonely," Sara says with the seriousness only a young child could bring such a topic.
"It does?" Mike asks, quirking an eyebrow and looking the tree over. It's outrageous, truly. Covered in bulbs of all sizes, decorations of all types scattered around it, especially on the lower branches.
"Yes!" George surprises his father by declaring loudly.
"Yes," Sara echoes. "We are laying under it to keep it company."
She stares up at her parents. "You should join us, the more the merrier."
"How long's this been going on?" Mike asks AJ, who shrugs.
"About an hour, if it wasn't too cute, I'd be concerned," she confesses. "Well, husband, now that you're home... wanna join them?"
Mike stares down at his kids, once more overwhelmed with love and adoration for them. "Yeah," he decides. "It's a good tree, we should return the favor, huh?" So he drops to his knee- barely able to contain his grimace as the injured knee twinges at him for doing this- and looks up into the branches, listening to his kids giggle and talk on either side of him. "Should we read the tree a story, then, ids?" he asks after a few moments, running the risk of falling asleep.
"Yes!" George exclaims, clapping his hands together eagerly.
Mike can only think of one story, unfortunately, so he begins reciting it. "... On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me..."
He meets AJ's eye and she smiles at him as he grins, because returning to reading this rhyme from memory is exactly, honestly, what he wants to do most right now.