Longevity. Loyalty. One would think it would garner something. Respect, a sense of pride. But all Mike's been feeling lately is tired, taken advantage of. He's been disrespected off and on for years in the wrestling business, it's nothing new really, but lately, it's just been eating at him more and more. His opportunities are few and far inbetween, there are long stretches of time where they barely contact him for media appearances. He's starting to really wonder what his purpose is anymore, as a wrestler, as anything to do with WWE.
After getting interrupted by Nia Jax, of all people, he leaves the interview area and just... wanders. Takes it in, from a different viewpoint. The business has changed, of course it has, in dozens of different ways just from the time he'd first started way back in 2003. Very few of the wrestlers who were around when he began are still here, and those who are have moved on to different roles- producer, trainer, whatever. He buries his hands in his pockets and continues on, watching as the Alpha Academy do their weird version of training in one of the hallways.
Grimacing, he moves past them and listens as Rhea Ripley gripes quietly to Dominik Mysterio about how the women in her division are ignoring her, disrespecting her. He turns and quickly moves in the opposite direction when he hears Jey Uso call out "YEET!" for some unknown reason ahead of him. By the time he feels a little more in control, a little less lost in his thoughts, he's made it from one side of the arena to the other, and finds himself standing outside of the arena in a little corner, out of the view of anyone.
He looks up at the night sky, tracing some of the stars visible up there despite the city lights muffling it all, and inhales slowly, feeling the chilly wind creep through his body. Pulling his phone from his vest pocket, he dials blindly and listens to it ring.
"Hello?"
He takes a moment, then... "Hey, uh. Sorry to bother you, you're probably busy."
"Hey, man, you're never a bother. You know that. What's up?"
Mike traces the night sky again, and again, searching for the words. Finally, he breathes out, "I think... I think the business is leaving me behind."
It hurts to say, but somehow feels freeing at the same time.