Mike "The Miz" Mizanin and Maryse Ouellet. One of the hottest couples in WWE currently, his superstar good looks and her supermodel grace comes together to make one of the best looking packages possible. If only everyone knew it was just further proof what good actors they both are. I mean, of course, he has a wife and daughter back in California and Maryse has a pile of financial problems. That's the only reason they're even doing this, to help her get some funds flowing again.
But living out of each other's pockets, sharing hotel rooms and general travel plans, leads to people bonding in a very intimate way. That's what she tells herself, anyway, when her eyes linger on Mike just a little too long, and her hand rests on his arm just a little too gently, and she wants to sooth him whenever he's hurting or not taking care of himself because of all of the media obligations he has.
She listens to their phonecalls sometimes, Mike and AJ's, their quiet declarations of love and devotion, and tries not to feel too ill about it all. "You're in so much trouble," she tells herself, standing in front of the bathroom mirror and staring her reflection in the eye with the water running to try to block out his voice. "So much trouble."
Sleep is impossible too because all she can do is listen to his soft breathing and picture how it'd feel to be curled up in his arms, feeling his warmth and security against her back. She shakes her head, swallows hard, and tries not to lose it entirely as she turns the water off and goes to rejoin him in the main room of the hotel.
You're fine, she thinks desperately, trying to convince herself. You've just been alone too long, is all. And he's sweet to you so it makes sense... No matter how many times she tells herself this, however, her heart is slow to catch up with her brain. "Take a breath. You can't wreck this for yourself. Not now, not when you're finally getting things together in your own life." She points warningly at her reflection.
He gets knocked down a lot, gets back up just to get pounded back down again, and she wars between pride and fear, that one of these times he's going to get knocked down and won't be able to recover. But he's stronger than most would assume and he never lets her down- until he takes a brutal shot into the corner at a live event, and she knows before the referee even calls it- he's legitimately KO'd, struggling just to make a fist, much less anything else. He can't walk without assistance and it's pretty clear he's got a concussion. There's no need for Maryse to come to the shows without Mike so she tries to think about what she's going to do for the next few weeks just in case- money will be tight again, bills piling up, but there are more important things to worry about.
Like the disappointed look on his face as he reaches out for her. "I'm- I'm sorry," he forces out. "I wanted to help ya, but I don't think..." His eyes slip closed and his fingers go limp in hers. "Don't think I can now..."
She lifts his hand. Kisses his knuckles. "Don't worry about me, just take care of yourself." For once, she can't help but think, shaking her head at his selflessness. Always worried about everyone else but himself... She flies home with him to California as soon as the WWE medical staff clear him to fly, trying not to hover as they meet with AJ at the airport, her eyes wide and stressed as she strokes his face, observing his delayed reactions and slightly dazed expression. It's not his first concussion, and Maryse knows that AJ has past experience in situations like this from her time with Dolph Ziggler. Even so, the thought of leaving him in her care eats at Maryse.
Yes, of course, AJ is smart and capable and she's a great mother and Mike adores her, but how well can she really know Mike? Maryse has known Mike since 2006, that infamous Diva Search where he'd been sarcastically intrigued by her despite her inability to speak much English at the time. Been by his side through so many ups and downs over the years- is with him now, on TV, helping him through wins and losses, sees him at his best and worst. AJ gets none of that. She's left wrestling behind so long ago that Maryse suspects she probably barely remembers the pain, the exhaustion, how each hard landing shoots pain from the tip of your toes to the top of your neck, jarring every inch of you.
She closes her eyes as she follows them through the airport quietly. Wonders when exactly she'd fallen for him. The first moment he'd looked at her, all fire and intensity, and asked her questions about her dedication to being the next WWE diva. Maybe when she'd moved on from WWE and he'd been one of the few to call her, wish her well and urge her to call him at any time for anything. But it was most likely when she'd contacted him a few years later, needing help, and he'd easily accomodated her, made her life easier at the risk of wrecking his still tentative relationship with AJ when he really didn't have to.
But she decides ultimately that it doesn't really matter when she fell, just that she had, and hard, and it's not going anywhere. She twists her hands together and thinks about what to do. Knows she won't take him away from his family, that he probably wouldn't let her even if she used every seductive trick in the book.
Time ticks on, days pass, weeks, months, and he's cleared to compete again, and she's disgusted to realize that the feelings are still there, not fading, intensifying with every kiss, every look they share to push their act. He's been talking about a movie role coming up which causes her to panic a little more every time, wondering what she'll do. How she'll continue to dig her way out of debt, because WWE won't use her without him, she hasn't wrestled since her return, isn't training seriously for anything, and all of the women wrestlers currently are so far beyond her ability that she can't hope to get anything significant going.
Wrestlemania has just passed when he catches her hand, smiles worriedly at her. "Hey, Maryse, are you ok? You look pale."
She blinks at him a couple of times, curls her fingers around his and then closes her eyes. Opens her mouth, planning on saying she's fine... just for everything to pour out. Her feelings for him, her fears about what his upcoming movie role might mean for her, for their momentum, and how she never ever wants to come between he and AJ, but... but... Tears are forming in her dark eyes, sure she's wrecked everything between them, that he will hate her now, will end this partnership, send her back to her failing real estate business, her shaky modeling career... but he looks compassionate, even tucks her into a warm hug, stroking her hair.
"Hey, it's ok. It is." He rocks her back and forth, strokes her back. "Listen, about the movie thing- it's only going to be a few weeks, but I had a surprise I was waiting to tell you until a little closer to the time. I suppose I should've told you as soon as I found out. They saw some clips of you and they want to cast you in the movie too." He cups her jaw and makes her look up at him with a small smile. "We're all going to Vancouver, Maryse."
She shakes her head. "But- I... I just said..."
He smiles. "I know what you said. I'm just that irresistable." He sobers up when she doesn't even smile, fresh tears pouring down her cheeks. He brushes his fingers under her eyes and sighs. "Look, we've been so close, I'd be surprised if it hadn't happened. I'm not going to hold it against you. You're gorgeous, Maryse, and smart and one of my best friends. In another world, it might've been us together with a daughter. But in this world, I love AJ, and I love Sara, and I'd never do anything to hurt either of them. And I'm sure you wouldn't love me if I did." He smiles at her as she nods weakly. "Who knows, maybe you'll find someone who will make you forget all about me when you're up there." He winks at her. "Never know until you try, huh?"
She laughs weakly at this, thinking it's impossible that anyone could possibly compete with Mike, resigning herself to yet more time spent holed up with Mike in another country, working side by side, long hours, exhausting schedules and...
It helps that AJ comes along, keeps her from doing something stupid, but it's still hurtful to watch them, how easily they meld together, their fingers, their gazes, how they communicate, as if speaking a language only the other knows. She wishes she had something similar.
A week into filming, she finds herself unable to sleep and gets up to go to the hotel bar downstairs, relieved that it's open late. They have to resume filming at 4 AM and she's sure the makeup crew's going to be busy with her in the morning, but she doesn't care. Wine helps, leaves her drifting and sleepy. She blinks slowly as someone sits on the stool next to her and she glances over, finding Heath Slater sitting there, tracing circles in the bartop. "Fancy meetin' ya here," he says, smile blinding as he looks over at her.
"I just wanna be alone," she says slowly, not wanting to be too sharp or rude with him- he's been nothing but kind to her since they arrived here- but she had been looking forward to quiet and peace at this late hour.
Heath nods, stays quiet. Finally catches the bartender's eye. "Hey, barkeep, 'fore you close, mind if I suggest a drink for the pretty lady next to me?"
"Sure, why not, but make it quick," he says, waiting patiently to see what Heath will do.
"Fine?" When she nods, curious eyes locked on him, Heath smirks. "Cognac, my good man," he tells him, watching as he pours some into a shot glass. "Now there's a trick ta this," he tells her, easing her fingers around the glass and swirling it gently. "Ya gotta warm it to make sure it goes down smoothly." They hold it together and Maryse can't help but stare at their fingers, how focused he is on this simple objective. After almost ten minutes where the bartender continues to clean up and prepare to leave, Heath eases the glass into her hands. "Drink it down then."
It's smooth and warm, delicious as it slips down her throat. "Wow," she breathes.
He beams at her. "Good, huh?"
She nods, starting to see the man she'd dismissed as a hyperactive, near useless southern hick as something more. With talents all of his own, his voice calm and soothing against her frayed, aching nerves. And in this lighting, his dark eyes and orange-red hair looks almost becoming, the small smile on his face aimed only for her. She hums and gets up from her stool, collecting her things. before tangling her fingers in the collar of his shirt. Leaning in, she lightly kisses his ear. "Wanna have another nightcap in my room?"
Her fingers graze along his neck, down his collar, and she feels him shiver. It wakes up something in her that's felt dead since she began working with Mike and had to limit flirting, sharing warmth and affection with someone else because she had to act like a devouted wife. But here she doesn't worry about it, aware that Mike is comfortable enough to sleep in a hotel with his wife and daughter by his side, so she runs her free hand up Heath's hair and claims his lips, kissing him slowly. "Yes," he gasps, lips trailing after hers as she pulls away with a small chuckle.
He's not Mike, she thinks, fingers teasing up and down his palm as they walk side by side to her hotel room. When his eyes never leave her, causing her to flush warmly, promising good thingsahead for her-for them both-, she has to smile. "Might just be what I need after all.."