Mike loses to AJ Styles. He's still recovering from the loss when Ciampa comes from nowhere, attacks AJ and keeps him busy until Mike can sneak in and hit the skull crushing finale. AJ at their feet, the two of them stare at each other and after a tense, quiet moment. "What's your deal, man?" he calls out to him, the general cacophony of the crowd enough to muffle his voice.
Ciampa shrugs, smirking, not bothering to vocally respond. Mike gives him a minute before reaching a hand out. He exhales slowly when Ciampa meets him half way and shakes it, watching him carefully
"Does this mean we're friends?" Mike asks as Ciampa walks around him and takes his leave. Mike doesn't do friends, at least not very well. John's always been the one exception he's made in his many years in the business. But he's always accepting of alliances that work out, and he thinks maybe, just maybe, he and Ciampa would work. Especially with Logan Paul lurking in the wing.
He follows Ciampa through the halls until he disappears into a locker room and Mike shrugs. "See you next time, friend," he says, before reaching for his phone. "Well, sweetheart," he says, already relaxing at hearing AJ's voice. "It looks like I officially have a new bestie." Her giggle makes him smile as he wanders outside, eager to find a quiet, private place to continue this conversation.
When he gets online later once back at the hotel and sees Ciampa's Instagram post of the two of them shaking hands, with #awesome in the body of the post, he knows. Somehow, someway, the two of them are going to do interesting things together.