There's been this simmering frustration deep within Mike for weeks now. It hadn't necessarily started with John placing him in that match against Braun, not really, but that definitely hadn't helped. He just feels tired in a way he's never felt before, separated by AJ and the girls for long periods of time with everything going on eats at him, and everything feels like it's falling apart with John, and he just isn't sure what to do, where to grab to keep from sliding further. But he tries, he really, really does. John gets another idea for a music video dissing Braun, and Mike gives it his all, and he even thinks it comes out better than the original rap video they'd come out with weeks back.
John doesn't seem to acknowledge there's a problem, and that's the only reason things continue on the way they have been for as long as they have. Mike's not sure if John's always been this oblivious and he just never realized, or what, but it eats at him anyway. He knows that back when they first teamed together, a lot of the problems between them fell on Mike's head- he was a lot younger, too self-involved, cared more about his own success than any possible true bond with John, but he's changed somewhat over the years, softening between his friendship with Ricardo, the ill-fated partnership with Shane McMahon leading to a closeness with his father he'd never expected, not to mention marrying AJ and fathering two children.
Meanwhile, John seems the same. Eager to prank people and make goofy music videos without thinking about the consequences of his actions. Yeah, Mike goes along with it, so maybe he's just as much to blame, if not more, but still. Still. They're so much older now, things are so very different, it weighs on him more and more each day that John is still the same John that he worked with back in 2011.
He sighs and slumps a little, pressing his fingers into his eyes and trying to breathe steadily as these thoughts circle around in his mind, a depressing tumble that keeps him from relaxing enough to sleep. And God, he truly, absolutely needs to sleep, because the flight from California to Florida was tense, he's been annoyed and snapping at everyone since he woke up- thankfully AJ stayed fast asleep as he'd creeped out of bed, kissed the kids goodbye, and left as quietly as he could. With Smackdown looming the next day, and then Backlash after that, he knows he needs to regroup, get his bearings, but things are just happening too fast, it's too much.
Meanwhile, John lays in the other bed, lit gently by moonlight slipping through the drapes that apparently weren't closed fully, and he's sleeping like he doesn't have a care in the world. Mike had listened to his cheerful conversation with Taya, gritting his teeth and trying not to think about how different his own conversation with AJ had been, quiet and uncertain, whispering about the children and trying not to completely lose it over having to face Braun.
He knows. He knows John won't let him flounder once they get out there against Braun, they'll work together the best they can, but oh God, it feels like he's drowning all alone, and it feels so bad. He hasn't felt this lost since Shane turned on him, and week after week, match after match passed by without him able to eak out a win against the man for anything. He closes his eyes and exhales softly. Maybe tag teams just aren't for me, he thinks dimly, his thoughts still going in distressing circles until everything slips away, and he falls into a restless sleep.
"Are you ok?" John asks the next day, frowning at how pale Mike is, the lifeless look in his eye. "Mike...?"
"Yeah, just didn't sleep well," he says simply, brushing past John to claim the bathroom first. "You know, there's a lot going on." Before he can make it too far, fingers curl around his wrist and stop him. He turns slowly and looks at John, the curious worry in his gaze.
"Hey, man, I know I've been keeping myself busy brainstorming all of this stuff with Braun and things, but if... if you ever need anything, you know I'm here for you, right?" He starts stroking Mike's wrist in a soothing fashion and Mike's tension abruptly punches out of him in a slow, draining exhale.
Things aren't necessarily easy for John either, Mike knows this, but they handle things differently, they always have, it's what makes them work. John is the creative, quiet type who internalizes everything, while Mike vocalizes what they want, lets the entire world know every issue he has. So while Mike sits up late at night, frustrated to have so few people to talk to, John delves into his creative process, thinking up songs and pranks and new parkour routines, and even if it seems like the world's issues are passing him by, Mike knows that this is how John handles it, even if he forgets sometimes.
He smiles a little and turns his hand so their fingers tangle together more naturally, giving John's hand a squeeze. "Yeah. I know. Thanks, John."
That night, they partner with Dolph Ziggler against Braun, Otis and Tucker. Mike thinks it might go ok- Tucker's been out for weeks, after all, and that surely would lead to some ring rust they could exploit, but he and Ziggler haven't jived well in normal circumstances, much less something like this, but he thinks they're doing ok when Corbin lures Otis away from ringside by approaching Mandy, which sends Otis running to defend his girlfriend. He's back before Mike is prepared, however, and it's not a truly huge surprise when things fall apart shortly afterwards, he and John get thrown around at ringside, and before they can recover to try to salvage things, Dolph eats the loss to a fired up Otis' caterpillar. He lays on the ground and grits his teeth, shaking his head furiously.
This is not a good way to lead into Backlash.
"I don't know what to do," Mike murmurs to AJ, sitting outside of the hotel, staring grimly at the bright blue sky overhead. "I'd love to be co-heavyweight champions with John, but it just seems so impossible. And any time I try to tell him how messed up this whole situation is, he doesn't seem to register what I mean. You know? He just tells me everything's going to be ok and moves on to the next thing he wants to do, or some parkour thing he wants to try out, or..." He sighs, pinching his nose. "We haven't done well against Braun as it is and now I can barely get him to discuss important things leading up to the match. I'm so tired, AJ."
She frowns at him, and not for the first time, he wishes he could see her, touch her, do something other than sit and talk to her over a phone camera. "I'm sorry, Mike. I know John can be stuck in his own head sometimes- Taya mentions it a lot." She chuckles faintly. "But listen, we know that when push comes to shove, he's a dependable partner. Sunday may not go the way you guys want, but try to remember that. Alright? You guys have been friends for too long to let a few missteps regarding Braun Strowman come between you."
Mike knows this. He gets it. But, as much as all of that is on his mind, deep down inside, there's also a part of him whispering. This is your chance. Your one shot at being World champion again. John is ruining everything.
It only makes him hate himself even more.
After a slow, unending Saturday, where Mike and John discuss strategy until neither can think straight, they arrive at Backlash. Mike breathes in slowly and stares at the ring, trying to get his thoughts straight. Their match is relatively early in the card- another show of people's lack of faith in them, pisses him off even more- but John seems unbothered, clapping him on the shoulder before going to get dressed. They play their music video once backstage, but their amusement over how well it turned out fades away when Kayla informs them that the match stipulation had changed- if either of them pin Braun, then only the one managing the pin will be champion. Mike stares at her, shifts his glance onto John, and tries desperately to ignore those whispers as they seem to grow in volume and intensity.
John shrugs it off, like he seems to have been shrugging everything off lately, claps Mike on the shoulder, and heads to the ring. They play their music video again there and Mike laughs as he plays it up with John, but then Braun interrupts and all good feelings fade away as he's forced to get serious. Things fall apart early, but they keep fighting, trying to do the best they can against Braun's size and ridiculous strength. Mike wants to work with John, he wants to fight these urges in his head, but when push comes to shove, and John has what looks like a winning pin on Braun, Mike acts instinctively, he grabs John and bodily pushes him off of Braun's prone body.
The confusion and shock on John's face when he realized what happened eats at Mike, forces the oxygen from his lungs, and he spends the rest of the match- short as it is- feeling dizzy and ill, questioning himself every step of the way. They lose. It's no surprise, but it's still a crushing pressure in his chest because maybe, just maybe, if he'd left John alone, he would be heavyweight champion right now, and... and...
Where would that leave Mike? On the outside, looking in, as his tag partner celebrates his first ever heavyweight championship win.
They're laying on the outside, John struggling to catch his breath, make sense of everything, and Mike slowly rolls over, presses a hand to John's shoulder. "Hey, are you ok?" he asks.
John blinks slowly, looks over at him. "What just happened?" he asks, sounding more defeated and vulnerable than Mike's ever heard him.
Not for the first time, he wonders how John had sounded after he betrayed him at the draft all of those years ago. If he'd looked like this, sounded like this, desperate for answers, trying to make sense of Mike's actions, his motivations.
But Mike barely has a grasp on them himself, so he bows his head for a moment, presses down on John's shoulder, and whispers, "I'm sorry, John" before pushing himself away and pressing his hands into his eyes as he drops back onto the floor, overwhelmed and frustrated.