Mike hums under his breath as he wanders into the arena of the week, digging his fingers into the straps of his duffel. He feels tired, but well-caffeinated, as he heads down the hallway towards the booking slip for the night. He mouths it aloud as he skims it, frowning. "Wait, what?" he mumbles, tracing his fingers over the words to make sure he's not misunderstanding it. "Huh. What do you know."
He heads right for his locker room, eager to get dressed and prepared for the night ahead. "So," he says, once he's sure the referee shirt fits and doesn't clash with his coloring or anything else. "What exactly is the goal for this tonight?"
Ciampa looks unimpressed as he stares back at him, arms crossed over his chest. "Do whatever feels right to you, it won't change the end result," he huffs. "I've never cared for people who think they can just sit on the sidelines and take whatever they want whenever they decide to show up again."
"One thing you and i have in common," Miz says. "We're both true blue loyal to this business. I showed up even when I was unable to walk. You fought for months to get back after three surgeries. Guys like Ali will never understand that."
"I agree," Ciampa responds, his eyes dark and fixed as Mike adjusts his collar again. "I'll see you at the ring." He leaves and Mike brushes a hand down his shirt, smoothing it out.
Turning to his phone, he lifts it so only his face is visible and dials home. "Hey, sweetheart," he greets his wife when AJ answers. "How are things going?"
"Great," she says with a smile. "George is napping and Sara is out playing with Alicia and Sofia. How's your day going?"
"Well, I was given a surprise when I arrived," he says, careful not to shift the phone too much. "Can you guess what it is?"
"MizTV with the 24/7 crew?" she suggests, smirking when he laughs.
"No, for once. I'll give you a hint. It's something I've only done once or twice in the past."
She hums, examining him. "Did something that didn't require talking?"
He gasps, pretending to clasp at his chest in pain. "Wow, that was vicious, sweetheart."
AJ laughs. "Sorry, it was too easy." Sobering up, she examines him. "So what's this big surprise?"
He shifts the camera down, letting her see his clothing. "Do you think I'll make a good referee?"
She stares at the striped shirt for a few moments, then clears her throat. "Well, um. I will say this much," she offers. "That shirt looks amazing on you. Mind giving momma a spin?"
He laughs, propping the phone up on the nearest table to do just that. When she whistles, he chuckles and grabs the phone, looking back at her. "You going to be watching tonight?"
"Absolutely," she says. "I get the feeling you're going to cause a lot of chaos with this. I may even record it so the kids can see it in a few years when they're old enough to properly enjoy it."
He laughs. "Probably a good idea." He glances at the clock and then groans. "well, I'd love to talk longer, but the show's about to start, so I should get moving. I'll call you when I'm done, alright?"
"Looking forward to it," AJ says with a smile. "Have fun tonight."
"You too," he says, blowing a kiss at her with a wink. "Talk soon."
He sighs, hangs up, squares his shoulders, and stares at himself in the mirror. "Yep. This is going to be awesome," he tells himself before leaving the room.