Dancing with the Stars. John hums, watching a few commercials for it. "Yeah," he sighs. "But Mike doesn't want me to think he was faking his knee injury. Ain't every day someone can go from needing a wheelchair to dancing on national television."
Taya clicks her tongue next to him, running her fingers lazily through his hair. "I'm sorry," she says softly, leaning over to kiss him. "I always thought you were too good for him, but I wasn't gonna say anything. You two've been friends for so long..." Her words trail away and he nods, swiping a finger around his phone screen.
"I know," he says, putting the device down and turning to her, curling his fingers around her jaw and drawing her back in. "We have been. But how much of it was he just using me through? Maybe Priest was right the entire time, and I was only convenient when he wanted a tag partner, or was looking for something to stabilize himself with after Wyatt, or..."
She hesitates, unsure how exactly to help him. "Look, Mike- he's a complicated man. I think he did screw up big at the end of your friendship, and he knew it too, felt cornered and made the wrong choice by taking it out on you like he did when he lost that match." She takes a breath, watching John's eyes close as he exhales. "But I also think you can't diminish thirteen years of friendship just because Mike's an impulsive idiot. You know? You two were a lot to each other, and probably will remain so, because I know you two. You've worked through bumps as bad as, if not worse than, this. He probably won't be able to stay away for long, and you won't be angry forever." She rests a hand on John's chest. "I know you, you forgive too willingly, John. I doubt this will be any different."
He sighs. "I honestly don't know, Taya. Maybe, but... something about this just feels differently." He takes her hand in his and lifts it to his lips, gently kissing her palm. She smiles at him and he shrugs. "C'mon let's go to the beach or something. I... I can't sit here any longer, I wanna go running, or swimming, or both."
She laughs as he pulls her up off of the couch, and drapes her arms over his shoulders. "Ok, fine," she hums. "We can go to the beach and you can get your parkour on." She presses closer and kisses him, as long and as deep as she can, tangling her fingers in his hair. "Then we get home, I'll show you some of my moves." Pulling away with a wink, she giggles as he watches her with a dazed look on his face, some of her lipstick staining his mouth.
"Oh, uh- actually, maybe-" he starts to say but she is already heading out the front door.
"C'mon, Johnny! First person in the water has to watch all of Mike's dances!" she calls over her shoulder.
He stands frozen for a minute, then shudders. "Ew, that's not playing fair at all," he says, coming back to himself and dashing after her. "Taya!"
Her loud giggles echo back to him and he shakes his head as he tries to navigate the stairwell after her. I'm a pretty lucky guy, all in all, he thinks fondly as he breaks out of the apartment building and chases after her.
When he catches her and drops her into the sand, hovering over her for a second before leaning in to kiss her, he says as much out loud, and she draws her hand down his face. "Goes both ways, Johnny," she says softly and he exhales, forgetting the ocean only a few feet away entirely as he leans in, content to continue kissing her. "I love you."
He hums. "I love you too," he breathes out. "I'd be lost without you, especially right now."
She smiles. "Well, luckily, you'll never have to worry about that, because I am not going anywhere."
He nods. It's not easy to believe claims like that, sometimes, especially with the business they're both in, how everyone is generally only out for themselves and their own well-beings and friendships or romance usually fall far down on the list in comparison. But Taya... Taya makes him really want to believe. He thinks he may never fully get there, but he's trying. He really, really is.