Elimination Chamber sucks for everyone. Mike is in pain from everything- and he still has flashes of Bray Wyatt's gaze locked on him, his lantern swinging menacingly as Mike stared back at him while trapped between the panes of glass, and he doubts he's going to sleep well tonight. Likewise, Maryse's clothes are stained, her eyes are ringed red from the powder that was slung into her face when Natalya attacked Nikki Bella. Heath and Rhyno are also in the locker room, Heath gingerly trying to make Maryse feel better when he clearly is in agony too after the tag team gauntlet, that they had both fought so hard in, just to fail to the Usos. Likewise, Mike had given it all he'd had as well, just to get taken out by Cena. No one's happy, no one feels good. The atmosphere in the room is very quiet, very moody.
"Any better?" Heath finally asks Maryse, stroking her back when he pulls away from her face after trying to rinse her eyes out with a bottle of water, grimacing wearily as he does so. She nods, cups his face and lightly kisses him before going to change her clothes, looking close to tears as she takes in the state of her outfit in the bathroom mirror, angry French pouring from her lips.
Mike closes his eyes, clenching his fist in annoyance over losing another opportunity at the WWE title before looking around at the others. They're all glum, they all feel as bad as he feels. He exhales, claps his hands together briskly and stands, biting back a groan as his back and hips protest the movement after just starting to relax following the time he'd spent in the cage. "Come on, guys," he says. "I'm done here. Are you?" They all nod, Maryse changing into a simple white shirt and dark jeans, not even in the mood to glam up for whatever he has planned.
She looks fine for the hotel bar, as it stands, the four of them taking up a booth in the corner, Maryse and Heath sitting side by side while Miz gingerly scoots in next to Rhyno across from them. He attempts a half-smile, though he thinks it comes off as more of a grimace, but Rhyno doesn't seem to care, already digging into a bowl of peanuts as if should he not have food for a second, he'll expire right then and there. "So," he says once their drink orders are taken- beer for him and Rhyno, wine for Maryse, and a 7&7 for Heath. "I'd like to invite you all out to the house this coming week."
"Oh? What for?" Rhyno asks, licking some of the froth off of his lips before tackling the seven layered nachos that is set out on the table.
"A certain someone's birthday is this week," Mike says with a small smile, not surprised when recognition dawns on both Heath and Maryse's faces.
"Sara Louisa turns one!" Maryse exclaims, curving her hand around the base of her wine glass while smiling for the first time since getting coated in the makeup. "So sweet. Wednesday, yes? I'll be there."
"Me too," Heath agrees. "How about it, big guy? There'll be cake'n'stuff."
Rhyno squints over at them before nodding, swallowing his mouthful of food in time to answer. "Sure, why not."
"Great, this is gonna be fun. Sara Louisa is gonna love you," Heath says enthusiastically, reaching out for the nachos. Mike just shakes his head, lips twitching up into a smirk as Maryse picks at the olives.
-x
They take Smackdown off. Marine 5 needs more promoting, especially now that the release date is known- late March for digital, and late April for DVD/Blu-Ray, so Mike goes home to handle the phone interviews, Heath even getting a couple. He's cool, smooth enough. Not on Mike's level, of course, but the guy hasn't been in WWE for close to a decade for nothing. They're holed up in Mike's office, handling all of this, while Maryse sits nearby and listens for an opportunity to add to Mike's interview. Sara is asleep and Rhyno is eating from a pile sandwiches AJ had waiting for them when they'd arrived.
The house is calm and comfortable in a way that Mike usually doesn't get to enjoy it. He wishes, sometimes, he could have more time with his girls, especially with AJ about to release her book and maybe go on a book tour in April, but they both have their goals, they're both happy enough with where they're at in their lives, so he signs off with the latest interview and then nods at the door, leaving Heath to conclude with his last as well. He and Maryse join AJ and Rhyno, Maryse thanking AJ as she's handed a glass of water, Mike pouring himself one and sitting next to Rhyno, drawing his wife into his lap. As she giggles and wraps an arm around Mike's neck, he kisses her shoulder. "Everything set for tomorrow?"
She nods. "Yep. And Ricardo and Alicia are coming. His flight will be in in a few hours, and she's going to pick him up. One benefit to the events being in California this week. I guess he's bringing a few things so he has less to consider when he actually moves back here. That's weird, huh? All of us in the same state now."
"Yeah," Mike muses. "I hope it makes it easier on him, the distance from Del Rio and Paige. I guess they're getting married in May, so he's picked a good time to leave."
"Any idea on if Alicia is moving with him, or are they just going to be done?" AJ wonders, resting her head on Mike's shoulder. "I've considered calling her, but I know she's going through a lot right now, so..."
"Guess you talk to her about it at the party," Mike suggests, his hands warm against her sides as she leans against him. "Which, when is my baby girl waking up? I've missed her face."
"Should be soon," AJ says, her words almost a beckoning as barely two minutes later, the baby's soft babbling and faint whimpers are heard over the baby monitor. "There we go, called it," she sighs with a small smile, getting up and padding off to the baby's room. Heath brightens, still picking at the roast beef sandwich before him while Maryse drinks her water and Rhyno eats more than all of them put together.
Once Sara appears, still held securely in her mom's arms, Rhyno immediately loses interest on the food, his eyes locked on the squirmy, sleepy baby. "Ain't she precious?" Heath coos, getting up and wiggling his fingers at the little girl, taking her as AJ heads to the fridge to get some food for her. He settles back in his chair and grins at Rhyno. "Wanna hold her?"
"Oh, uh- what if I break her?" he wonders, uncomfortable as Mike stands up, guiding his arms into the right positions.
"Ya won't, I'll be right here anyway," Heath says dismissively, settling the baby in the crook of Rhyno's arms. "There, now support her head like this." Soon as she's settled, Heath chuckles at the enamored look on Rhyno's face, his lips parting when Sara blinks up at him, slapping her hands against his muttonchops curiously. "See, that ain't too bad, now is it?"
"She's adorable," Rhyno mumbles, leaning in to get a better look at her. She coos and mumbles until AJ returns, Heath taking the food from her. While Rhyno holds her, Heath spoons little bites of fruit and cereal into her mouth, grinning at how eagerly she takes it all in compared to when they'd first started this back in Vancouver all of those months ago.
"She's so big," he sighs. "Can't believe she's about a year old." He pats her tummy and puts the food away once she starts to fuss, refusing any more to eat. Rhyno rocks her a little bit, looking a little lost until she relaxes in his arms, returning to start up at him curiously. "I think she likes ya, Rhyno."
He chuckles, still looking uncomfortable. "I guess I like her too," he says, not having much experience with babies.
"Always such a charmer," Heath teases, petting Sara's soft hair. "Don't worry, baby. He says the same thing about me and we've been partners for like six months by now."
"God, it's been that long? What have I been doing?" Rhyno jokes, lips parting into an almost feral grin when Heath rolls his eyes at him.
Ricardo and Alicia arrive around supper time, AJ offering them pizza that Mike had ordered when it's clear that sandwiches aren't going to even come close to sustaining them all- especially Rhyno. Mike's brows furrow when Ricardo explains about his hospital stay the week prior, how dehydrated he'd been, and everything that's happened since. The group have a quiet night, lounging around the house and watching movies, keeping what little conversation they have calm, simple, until those involved in the Elimination Chamber beg off, Ricardo and Alicia quick to follow, all tired from the flights and everything else going on.
The night seems short, although Mike knows he's had a fair amount of sleep when he wakes up to find it's almost 10 AM, and then the day is focused around Sara. John and Taya arrive around noon, with gifts and balloons, and Mike laughs as they place the balloons strategically around the nursery and living room, Sara gaping at them curiously as John hoists her up to look at a purple flower shaped one, her fist gripping at the string before Mike takes it from her, not wanting her to put it in her mouth.
Gifts are simple, little stuffed animals and teething supplies from the men, and books and clothes that were probably too ungodly expensive from Alicia and Maryse, sized up so she can fit in them for awhile. Mike has a set of teddy bears from every state that he's been to since her birth, lining them up around her, and AJ sets a small leash in her hand, chuckling as Sara starts to wave it around. "When you're a little older, we're going to get you a puppy so you can grow up together." Leaning in, she kisses the baby's forehead. "Happy birthday, sweetie."
Cake time follows and everyone laughs at the baby looks in confusion at the cupcake set before her, enthralled by the flame of the candle. "Make a wish, sweetie," Mike murmurs to her, kissing the side of her head as she makes a noise deep in her throat, looking back and forth between her parents, eyes wide and deep blue. Finally he laughs and leans in, blowing it out for her, and AJ claps for her, the others following suit. She stares at them all, perplexed, but cooing and babbling anyway, always pleased to please others, even if she can't fully understand it. Mike chuckles and forks up a little bit of the cupcake, feeding it to her. She flails her little fists and smacks her lips, following the fork greedily, and AJ laughs, nodding when he gets another few crumbs of the cake and eases it into her mouth.
There's a bigger cake for the rest of them, and Mike chuckles, leaning over and wrapping an arm around AJ as they turn to survey their guests. "This is amazing, huh?" Lowkey, almost peaceful, even with Heath teasing Maryse with a bite of vanilla cake, and Mike's pretty sure he couldn't think of a better way to mark his daughter's first full year in this world.
"It really is," she sighs. "I'm so glad so many people love Sara as much as we do." She wiggles a toy duck in front of the baby and smiles.
"Me too," Mike breathes out, leaning down to kiss AJ, then Sara. "I'm so glad about a lot of things." Here, now, his disappointments and the residual ache of the Elimination Chamber almost ceases to exist. "I love you, sweetheart."
"I love you too, husband," she murmurs.