Mike stares up at the Christmas tree, soft lights twinkling over their floor. Soothing, a comfort in any other circumstance. But this isn't that. This is him trying to figure out a strategy, a way to survive. He's going to be competing with the Final Testament against the Wyatt Sicks on Monday, and he's genuinely concerned about how it's going to go. He still hasn't really talked about what happened when he was held captive by Uncle Howdy, he kept it close to the vest to protect those important to him, but it's led to many sleepless nights and a weak appetite, brain racing with horrified thoughts.
He knows AJ's noticed, he hopes the kids are blissfully unaware, but he thinks Sara has observed the changes in him as well. He sighs and tips his head up, staring at the star at the very top of the tree, hoping for a wish- hoping that he can survive with his mind intact, without losing another piece of himself.
He's still lost in thought when familiar arms curl around him, the body he knows maybe better than his own melding against his back. "What are you doing, husband?" AJ asks, pressing a kiss to his shoulder.
He exhales and leans slightly into her warmth, still staring at the tree. "Thinking," he murmurs.
She squeezes him. "About Monday?"
She knows him so well. Sometimes, he thinks, too well. He simply nods and rests his hands over her wrists, holding her close. "I don't know what to do," he admits. "Kross is going to expect me to do things... I may not be comfortable doing..." He exhales. "I..."
"You'll be fine," AJ says, rounding him to stares into his eyes. "I won't accept anything else. You came back to me after Bray chained you to that fence, we scared him off when he tried to get at our family. We'll deal with this too. It's going to be fine."
He curls his arms around her and draws her into a hungry kiss, desperate. Needing a distraction from the racing thoughts still rattling around in his skull. "I believe you," he says against her lips.
She smiles and finds her footing, reaching out for his hands. "C'mon," she says softly, leading him towards their bedroom.
Part of him wants to continue standing here, trying to figure out a gameplan that will ensure survival Monday, but when she glances over at him, he knows. He can't deny her anything. Squeezing her hand, he follows along easily, forcing everything aside to spend the evening with his wife in much more pleasurable ways.