Having a vow renewal ceremony put together by someone else is strange. Mike and Maryse don't have to do anything, just sit back and watch the decisions being made for them. Like, Eric Bischoff being made their officiant. Why, Mike isn't sure why, but alright. Whatever. What WWE doesn't handle, the crew for Miz and Mrs picks up the slack on. It's strange and impersonal and ultimately makes it easier for Mike to accept.
AJ has a bit more of an issue with it, and he doesn't blame her. He imagines Heath does as well, but Maryse doesn't say anything, and Mike doesn't ask. It's clear this is placing a huge target on their backs considering Edge is at the arena, but they carry on as if they're actually married to begin with, as if they want to renew their vows. Or have vows to renew. While Mike stands under the trellis and talks to Maryse, reciting what had come to mind while they were debating it backstage earlier in the day, he reflects back to his actual marriage to AJ. How eager he had been, the nervous love he'd felt for her as he waited for the start of the ceremony.
He hopes it reflects in his expression and makes the vow renewal ceremony look somewhat earnest, but in the end, it doesn't really matter. Edge comes out, Edge insults them, then the lights shift to red and everything in the ring is suddenly splattered with a murky brown mixture that looks like someone tried but ultimately forgot what a blood bath was supposed to look like. Mike and Maryse are drenched in it, and even Bischoff is splattered from head to toe in the mess. Mike closes his eyes and grits his teeth, feeling grimy and disgusting and wanting nothing more than a long, hot shower right now.
By the time he makes it back to California the next day, he's mostly cleaned off and his thoughts are racing. AJ greets him at the door, running her fingers through his hair and nodding. "You washed up well, husband," she says with a vague smirk, letting him inside.
"I spent about an hour in the shower scrubbing," he grumbles, dropping his luggage and gripping her around the hips, tugging her in.
She gasps and rests her forehead against his. "Aw, my poor waterlogged baby," she teases. "I hope you used your best lotion after that."
"I did," he sighs, tipping his head down to kiss her slow and lazy. "I missed you."
"Missed you too," she hums, stroking her hands up and down his back.
As she kicks his luggage into the closet to be dealt with later and takes his hand, leading him into the house to go see the kids, he watches the back of her head, lost in thought. It had come to him while he'd been in the ring with Maryse and Eric, the ring designed well enough for what was going on. As impersonal as the actual ceremony itself.
They'd been married for close to six years now, and... and well, he's not sure if it's something AJ would want or need, but he thinks, maybe, just maybe, it'd be something nice to wash the memory of his having to tell her the plans for this week's Raw from the forefront of her mind. He hopes so anyway.
End of year to do list, he makes a mental note, talk with people to plan a surprise New Years vow renewal.
It won't quite be on New Years, because he'll be traveling to Day One, but he thinks maybe the 30th will be just as well. He hopes so, anyway.